foote not able once to moue as the scripture expressie noteth The third gift and qualitie is supernatural strength wherewith the glorified bodie shal so abound as Anselmê° saieth that he shal be able to moue the whole earth if he wold and contrariwise the damned body shal be so weake and impotent as he shal not be able to remoue the verie wormes frome his owne face and eyes The fourth qualitie is penetrabilitie or free power of passage whereby the glorified bodie shal be inabled to pearse and penetrate any other bodies what soeuer as walles doores the earth or firmament without any resistance quite contrarie to the nature of a corruptible bodie So we see that Christs bodie glorified after his resurrection entered the house wher his disciples were the dores being shut and pearsed also the heauens at his AscensioÌ„ The fift rare qualitie is most absolute health whereby the glorified body shal be deliuered from al diseases paines of this life and from al troubles encombrances belonging to the same as are eating drinking sleeping and other like and shal be set in a most perfect and florishing state of health and freedome neuer decayable again whereas the damned bodie in contrarie maner shal be filled and stuffed with innumerable diseases paines and torments which no tongue of man is able to expresse The sixt perfection is delite and pleasure wherewith the glorified bodie aboue al measure shal be replenished al his senses together finding now their peculier and proper obiects in much more excellencie then euer they could in this world Now I say euerie part sense meÌ„ber and ioint shal be filled with exceeding delectation and pleasure according as in the damned ech part and sense shal contrariwise be afflicted and tormented I wil alleage S. Anselmus his wordes for that they expresse vnto vs this matter most liuelie Al the whole glorified body layeth he shal be filled with abundance of al kind of comfort the eyes the eares the nose the mouth the hands the throte the lungs the hart the stomacke the backe the bones the marowe and the very-entrales them selues and euery part thereof shal be replenished with such vnspeakable swetenesse and pleasure that truelie it may be sayed that the whole man is made t drinke of the riuer of Gods diuine delites and made-dronke vvith the abundance of Gods house In contrarie wise the damned bodie shal be tormented in al his partes and members eueÌ„ as if you saw a man that had a burning yron thrust into his eyes an other into his mouth an other into his brest an other into his ribbes and so through al the ioints partes and members of his bodie Would you not thinke him miserable and the other man happie The seuenth and last excellencie of a glorified body is called perpetuitie or securitie of life wherby it is made assured neuer to die or alter more from his felicitie according to the saying of holie scripture the iust shal liue for euer And this is one of the chiefest prerogatiues most excellent dignities of a glorified bodie wherby al care doubt and feare is taken away al danger of hurt and noyance For if al the world should fal together vpon such a bodie it could not hurt or harme it any thing at al where as the damned bodie lieth alway in dying and is subiect to the griefe of euery blow and tormeÌ„t laied vpon it so must remain for al eternitieÌ„ Thes seuen most excellent qualities prerogatiues dignities and preemineÌ„cies shal adorne and beautifie or rather deifie in a certaine sorte the bodies of the iust in the life to come And albeit this vniuersal happinesse be but accidental as I haue sayed and nothing in deed to the essential felicitie of the Queene mistres her self that is our soule yet is it a matter of no smal importance as you see but such as if any bodie in this life had but any one iote of the least part therof we should esteeme it most happie And to obtaine so much in this world many men wold aduenture farre whereas to get theÌ„ al together in the life to come no man almost wil moue his fingar But now to leaue this to come to the most excelleÌ„t essential point of this felicitie that is to the part which pertaineth to the soule it is to be vnderstood that albeit there be many things that doe coÌ„curre in this felicitie for the accoÌ„plishment perfection of ful happinesse Yet the fontaine of al is but one onelie thing called by diuines Visio dei beatifica the sight or visioÌ„ of god that maketh vs happie Haec sola est summuÌ„ bonuÌ„ nostruÌ„ sayeth S. Augustin this onelie sight of god is our intire happinesse Which Christ also affirmeth wheÌ„ he sayeth to his father this is life euerlasting that men knovv the true god and Iesus Christ vvhome thou hast seut S. Paul also putteth our felicitie in seing god face to face And S. Iohn in seing god as he is And the reason of al this is for that al the pleasures delites and coÌ„tentations of this world wherin mortal meÌ„ doe solace them selues being nothing els but litle peeces crummes of Gods incomprehensible felicitie the same are coÌ„tained much more perfectlie and excellentlie in god him self from whom they are deriued then they are in their owne natures imparted vnto man as also al the perfections of Gods creatures are more fullie in him theÌ„ in them selues Whereof it foloweth that who soeuer is admitted to the visioÌ„ presence of almightie God the Creatour and fontaine of al delites he shal ther finde al the goodnesse and perfections of worldlie thinges compact and vnited together and presented vnto him at once So that whatsoeuer may delite either bodie or soule there he shal enioye it wholie knit vp together as it were in one bundle and with the presence thereof shal be rauished in al partes both of mind and bodie in such sort as he shal not be able to imagine think or wish for anie one ioye whatsoeuer but there he shal finde the same in his ful perfectioÌ„ There he shal finde al knowledge al wisedome al beautie al riches al nobilitie al goodnes al pleasure and whatsoeuer besides may deserue either loue or admiration or woorkethanie pleasure or contentation vnto man Al the powers of our mind shal be filled with this sight presence and fruition of God al the senses of our bodie shal be satisfied passinglie contented with the same God shal be the vniuersal felicitie of al his saints containing in him self alone al particular felicities without end number or measure He shal be a glasse to our eyes musike to our eares honie to our mouthes most swete pleasant balme to our smel He shal be light to our vnderstaÌ„ding contentation to our wil continuation of eternitie to our memorie In him shal we
other benefites Which thinge if S. Paul might trulie saye vnto these Gentiles before his tyme who had onelie natural knowledge and vnderstanding of God that is so much as by his creatures was to be gathered what may or shal be said vnto vs who haue not onelie that light of nature which they had but also the wrytinges à nd lawe of God hymself communicated speciallie vnto the Iewes and aboue that also haue hearde the voyce of his onelie sonne vpon earth and haue receiued the doctrine of his most holie ghospel and yet doe liue as negligentelie manie of vs as did the verie heathens touching good life and vertue Surelie in this case I must denounce against my self that if it be true as it can not be false which this blessed Apostle affirmeth here of thes heathen philosophers that by that litle knowledge they had of God they vvere made inexcusable then by the most iust certaine rule of Christ layed downe in S. Luke cui multum datum est multum quaretur ab eo that of euerie man which hath receiued much a greater accompte shal be taken for the same we are forced to inferre that our accompt shal be greater and our selues much more inexcusable before his diuine maiestie thē the verie Gentiles and heathens are if after all our knowledge and manifest vnderstanding of his Godhead and iustice vve vanishe avvay in our cogitatiōs as they did as most parte of the world at this day are sene to doe that is if we applie our cogitatiōs cares aboute the vaine affaires of this tēporal life and trāsitorie cōmodities which we should bestowe vpō the seruice and honour of this our Lord and Creator OF THE FINAL ENDE AND CAVSE WHIE MAN WAS CREATED BY GOD and placed in this world And of th' obligation he hath therby to attende to th' affaire for vvhich he came hyther CHAPT III. BY the Chapter precedent I nothing doubt gétle reader but if thou haue sene and perused the same thou remainest sufficientlie informed of thy Creator Now followeth it by order of good consequence that we cōsider with some attention for that it standeth vs much vpon what intent purpose God had in creating vs and this world for our sakes and in placing vs therin as Lords of the same By the former considerations we haue learned that as among other creatures nothing made it self so nothig was made for it self nor to serue it self The heauens we see doe serue th' ayer th' ayer serueth th' earth th' earth serueth beastes the beastes serue man and then is the questió whom mā was made to serue For in hym also holdeth the former reason that seig he was not made by hym self it is not likelie that he was made to serue hym selfe If we consult with the scripture herein we finde a general sentence layed downe without exception Vniuersa propter semetipsum operatus est Dominus our Lorde hath made all thinges for hym self And if all the man likewise no doubte who is not the least of the rest which he hath made And hereby it cometh to passe that man can not be said to be free or at his owne appointement or disposition in this world but obliged to perfourme that thing for which he was sent into this habitation Which pointe holie Iob declareth plainelie in a certaine inuectiue that he maketh against such men as were careles and negligent in consideration of this affaire A vaine man sayeth he is lifted vp in pride and thinketh hym self to be borne as free as the colt of a vvilde asse That is he thinketh hym self bound to nothīg subiect to nothīg accōptable for nothing that he doth in this life but onlie borne free to passe his time ī disporte pleasure as a wilde colte in a desert that hath no Master to tame hym Whiche in other words the wise mā vttereth thus He estremeth this life of ours for aplaigame therfore careth not how he liueth or wherin he spéd passe-ouer the tyme. And this of the man whó the scripture calleth Vaine But now for the sooer wise and discrete of whom it is writen the vvay of life is vpon the learned to th' ende they may decline from the lovvest hell they are farre from so greate follie as to imagine that no accompt shall be demanded of our being in this world for that they haue reade that God shall bring into iudgement vvhat so euer is donne for euerie fault that is commytted And the Christian man knoweth further by the mouth and asseueration of his Saue our and Redeemour that he shall be accomptant for euerie idle worde that he misvttereth and finalie there is no man that is ether of reason or conuersant in the writinges and testament of his Creator but remembreth well that among all other irritations wherby the wicked man is said to prouoke Gods patience to indignation none is more often repeated or more greeuouslie taken then that he said in his harte God vvill as ke no accompt With thes men then alone shall be my speeche in this present chapter who haue a desire to discharge well this accompte For attayning wherof trulie I can gyue them no better counsaile instruction or aduise then to doe in this case as a good marchant-factour is wonte to doe when he arriueth in forraine Countries or as a souldiar or Capitaine sent by his prince to some greate exploite is accustomed when he cometh to the place appointed that is to weigh and consider deepolie for what cause he came thither whie he was sent to what ende what to attempte what to prosecute what to perfourme what shal be expected and required at his handes vpon his returne by hym that sent hym thyther For thes cogitations no doubt shall stirre hym vp to attende to that for which he came not to imploy his tyme in impertinent affaires The lyke would I counsail a Christian to putt in vre concerning the case proposed and to demande of hymself betwene God and his conscience why and wherfore and to what endo he was created sent hythe into this worlde what to doe wherin to bestowe his dayes c. And then shal he fynde that for no other cause matter or ende but onlie to serue God in this life and by that seruice to gaine heauen and saluation in the lyfe to come This was the condition of our creation as Moyses well expresseth and this was the consideration of our redeeming fortolde by Zacharie before we were yet redeemed that vve being deliuered foorth of the handes of our enimies should serue God inholines and righteousnes all the dayes of our liues Of this consideration doe ensue two consequentes to be obserued Whereof the first is that seinge our ende and final cause of being in this worlde is to serue God and therby to worke our owne saluation whatsoeuer thinge we doe or bestowe our tyme
compasse of denial or coÌ„tradiction And truly no one thing in al this storie of Iesus life doth more establish the certaintie of his being the true Messias then that Iohn Baptiste whos wisdome learning vertue and rare sanctitie is confessed and recorded by the writings of al our aduersaries should refuse the honour of Messias offred to hym self and lay it vpoÌ„ Iesus as also should direct thos disciples that depended of hym to the only folowing and embrasing of Iesus doctrine Which is most euideÌ„tly prooued that he did for that fo so many folowers and disciples as hym self had no one appeared euer after that was not a ChristiaÌ„ WHEN Iesus was baptised he beganne to preache his whole doctrine was directed to the manifestation of his Fathers will and amendment of mans life It tended all to this one ground and principle thou shalt loue thy Lord vvith all thy soule and thy neyghbour as thy self It was plaine easie perspicuous and euideÌ„t though it treated of most high mysteries It had nether poÌ„pe nor pride of Rhetorical wordes nor flattering of mans wickednes as the doctrine of manie Philosophers had Neither consisted it of vnpro ficable externall ceremonies is the later obseruations of the Iewishe laye did nor was it fraught with carnalitie and spirit of this world as the Turkishe Alcoran and other sectaries doctrine is But all was simplicitie all was spirit all was trueth all was honestie all was humilitie all was charitie It tooke awaye or disanulled no one perfecte or spirituall point of Moyses lawe but rather reuiued interpreted fulfilled and made perfect the same For wheras that commannded external obseruance this added also internall obedience Whereas that said loue your frieÌ„des this adioyned loue also your enemies Wheras that commaunded we should not kill this further commaundeth to speake no angrie wordes Wheras that prohibeted to committ actual adulterie this also forbiddeth to couet in minde Wheras that said take no interest or vsurie of a Iewe that is thy couÌ„trie-man this saieth take it of no man what soeuer Wheras that accoumpted euerie Iewe only to be thy neyghbour this teacheth euery person liuing to be thy brother Wheras that taught thee to offer vp a calse or a sheepe or an oxe for thy finnes this instructeth thee to offer vp a contrite harte in the blood of hym that died for all with a firme purpose of amendement of life And finallie this doctrine tendeth whollie to the true sincere perfect seruice of God thy Lord that made and redeemed thee to th' exaltatioÌ„ of his onlie name power goodnes and glorie to the depression of mans pride by discouering his miserie to the contempt of this world and vaine pompe therof to the mortification and subdueing of our sensuall appetit to the true loue and vnfeigned charitie of our neighbour to the stirring vp of our spirit to celestiall cogitations to peace of conscience tranquilitie of mynde puritie of bodie consolation of our soule And in one word to reduce mankvnd againe to a certaine estate of innocencie simplicitie and Angelicall sanctitie vpon earth with his eye fixed onlie in th' eternall inheretaunce of Gods kingdome in heauen THIS was the doctrine deliuered by Iesus which is the same that Gods Prophets fortolde should be deliuered by the Messias And as for his life and conuersation by the testimony of his greatest aduersaries it was more admirable then his doctrine his life being a most liuely table wherin the perfection of al his doctrine was expressed A man of such grauitie as neuer in his life he was noted to laugh of such humilitie as being the sonne of God he scarse vsed in this world the dignitie of a seruaÌ„t of such sweet and mylde behauiour as al the iniuries of his ennemies neuer wreested from him one angry word Finally he was such an one as he was described by Esaie so many ages before he was borne in thes wordes he shal not crye nor contend nor shal any nan heare his voice in the streete he shal not crush a broken reade nor tread out a litle flaxe that lieth smoking on the grounde And an other Prophet not long after hym brake foorth into this speech vpoÌ„ consideratioÌ„ of the behaueour that should be in the Messias Reioyse thou daughter of Sion trjumphe thou daughter of Ierusalem for beholde thy king shal come vnto the thy iust sauiour he is poore and humble c. And as thes Prophets did foretel the vertue sanctetie of the Messias so the deuils theÌ„ selues could not but confesse the same to haue bene fulfilled in the person of Iesus as is most euident by the testimony of Porphyrie a professed enemie of the Christian name Who after consideration of diuers Oracles vttered by his Idoles touching Iesus he breaketh into this confession It is exceeding vvonderful vvhat testimonie the Gods doe gyue of the singuler pietie and sanctitie of Iesus for vvhich they auovvch hym revvarded vvith iÌ„mortalitie but yet thes ChristiaÌ„s are deceyued in calling him God Thus muche writeth Porphyrie And last of al Iosephê° the Iewe that was borne imediatlie after hym writeth of hym thus Ther vvas at this tyme one Iesus a vvise man if it be laufull to cal hym a man a vvorker of most vvonderful miracles and a Maister and teacher of al such men as vvillingly vvere content to embrase the truth IN WHICH testimonie of Iosephus we see mention also of Iesus miracles which is the next thing wherof we are to consider And as Iosephus in this place being a Iewe beareth witnes that Iesus performed many straunge miracles so most apparantly and according to the interpretation of Iosephus in this place were the same miracles fortolde by the Prophetes of God that they should be done by the true Messias So Esaie in his 35. chapter describeth at large how the Messias at his coming shal declare his commission by gyuing sight to the blind hearing to the deafe speech to the dombe agilitie of body to the Lame CrippleÌ„ And that which is more maruailous God reuealed this point very particularly to the Gentiles by the Sibyles among who one of them wrote thus of Christ to come as Lactantius recordeth He shal doe al by his only vvord he shal cure al infirmities he shal raise the dead he shal make the lame to runne skippe the deafe shal heare the blind shal see the dombe speake In fiue loaues and tvvo fishes fiue thousand persons shalve satisfied and the fragmentes shal fil tvvelue baskets to the hope of many He shal commande the vvindes and vvalke vpoÌ„ the furious sea vvith his feete of peace And after diuers other greeke verses to this purpose she coÌ„cludeth in thes wordes MeÌ„ shal saie that I am a madde and lying Prophetesse but vvhen at thes things shal come to passe then remember mee for then shal no man say more that I vvas a liar but rather the
cōming the Prophete Malachies wordes are Beholde our Lord shal come and vvho shal be able to abide the daie of his comming And the Prophete Esaie addeth further touching the same cōming that the verie mountaines shalmelt at that daie before his face And yet further he describeth the same in an other place thus Beholde our Lord shal come in strength and sortitude as a storme of haile and as avvhyrle vvinde breaking and throvving doune vvhat soeuer standeth in his vvaie as a rage of many vvaters that ouer-stovve and rushe together c. Wherunto the Prophet Dauid annexeth that burning fire shal runne before his face and on euery side of him a violent tempest This terrible Iudge then being set and al creatures of the world conuented before him the Scripture laieth doune vnto vs the order of that iudgment described by Daniel in thes wordes I stoode saieth he vvith attention and I savve certaine seates placed and the Auncient of yeares sate doune in iudgment Thousand thousands vvere attendant to serue him and ten hundreth thousand thousands stood vvaiting before him The iudgment vvas settled and the bookes vvere opened Thus much was reueyled to Daniel without declaration what bookes thos were But to S. Iohn the same were made manifest who expoundeth the matter thus I savve saieth he a great bright throne and one that sate vpon the same before vvhos face both heauē and earth did tremble c. And I savve al thos that vvere dead both great and smal standing before the throne And the bookes vvere ther opened and al thos that vvere dead had their iudgemēt according to the thinges vvhich vvere vvriten in thos bookes euery one according to his vvorkes By which wordes we are gyué to vnderstand that the books which at that daie shal be opened and wherby our cause must be discerned shal be the euidences of our deedes and actions in this life recorded in the testimonie of our owne consciences and in the infallible memorie of Gods inscrutable wisdome Wherūto shal gyue witnes in that place against the reprobate both heauen and earth which were created for them the Sunne and Moone with all the starres and planetes which from the beginning of the world haue serued them the elements and other creatures inordinately loued and abused by them their compagnions ther present with whom they sinned their brethern whom they afflicted the preachers and other Saints of God whom they contemned and aboue al other thinges the ensigne and standard of their redemption I meane the triumphant Crosse of Christ which shal at that daie be erected in the sight of all the world Al thes I saye with infinite other thinges shal thē beare witnes against the wicked and condemne them of intollerable ingratitude in that they offended so gratious and bountiful a Lord as by so manifold benefites allured them to loue and serue him At this daie saieth the Scripture shal the iust stand in great constancie against thos by whom they were afflicted and oppressed in this life And the wicked seeing this shal be surprised with a horrible feare and shal saie vnto the hilles fal vpō vs and hide vs from the face of him that fitteth vpon the throne and from the indignatiō of the Lambe for that the great daie of wrath is now come O merciful Lord how great a daie of wrath shal this be how truly said thy Prophete in his meditation of this daie vvho can conceyue the povver of thy vvrath or vvho is able for very scare to recount the greatnes of thine indignatiō This is that daie of thine wherof thy seruant said so long before that thy zeale and surie should spare none in this daie of reuenge nether should yeeld or be moued vvith any mans supplication nor should admit revvards for the deliuery of any man This is that most dreadful daie of thine wherof thy holy Prophete admonished vs when he said Behold the daie of our Lord shal come a cruel daie ful of indignation vvrath and surie to bring the earth into a vvildernes and to crushe in peeces the sinners therof And an other Prophete of the self same daie behold the daie of our Lord dot bcome a daie of darknes and dimnes a daie of cloudes and stormes a most terrible daie and such an one as vvas neuer from the beginning of the vvorld nor shal be after in al eternitic This is thy daie ô Lord and so properly thou wilt haue it called like as it pleaseth thy goodnes to terme the course of this present life the daie of man For that as in the time of this present world thou art content to holde thy peace and be patient and suffer sinners to doe their wil euen so at this last daie thou wilt rise vp pleade for thine owne glorie and wilt make thy self knowen to the terrour of thine enimies according as thy seruant Dauid foretold of the when he said Cognescetur Dominus iudicia faciens God wil be knowé when he shal come to doe iudgment Good God what a maruailous daie shal this be when we shal see al the children of Adam gathered together from al corners and quarters of the earth when as S. Iohn saieth the sea and land shal yeeld their dead bodies and both hel and heauenshal restore the soules which they possesse to be vnited to thos bodies What a wonderful meeting wil this be deare Christian how ioyful to the good and how lamentable doleful and terrible to the wicked The godlie and righteous being to receyue the bodies wherin they liued into the league felowship of their eternal blisse shal embrase them with al possible swetnes and delight singing with the prophet Behold hovv good pleasant a thing it is for brethern or parteners to dvvel together in unitie But the miserable damned spirites beholding the carcaies which were the instruments and occasiós of their sinne wel knowing that their inspeakable tormentes shal be encreated by their mutual coniunction and association shal abhorre and vtterly derest the same curse the daic that euer they were acquainted together inueighing most bitterly against all the partes and semes therof as against the eies for whos curious delighte so many vanities were seught the eares for whos pleasure and daliance so great varietie of sweet sounds and melodie was procured the mouth and taste for whos contentemēt and fond satisfaction so innumerable delicacies were deuised And to be short the backe and belly with other sensual partes for contentatió of whos riotous volupteoulnes both sea and land were sifted and turmoiled This shal be the most sorowful condition of thes infortunate soules at that daie but this sorowe shal not auaile them For the iudgment must passe on And then saieth the Scripture shal christ separate the sheepe frō the goates shal place his sheepe on the right hand and the goates on the lest
holie man Iob considering and hearing but one word vttered by his friend which in his conceit did sauour of presumption against this God burst forth into thes wordes Whom wilt thou teach my friend wilt thou teach him which hath inspired breath into man which hath stretched out the heauens ouer the vacuitie of this world and hath hanged vp the earth in the aire without staie before whom hel is wide-open and ther is no couering from perdition The pillers of heauen doe tremble and quake at his only fight And if we should heare but the lest whispering of his speech who should be able to abide the thunder of his maiesties greatnes Imagine then novv my louing brother after althes testimonies that thou seest before thy face this great and mightie king sitting in his chaire of maiestie with chariottes of fire vnspeakable light and infinite millions of Angels aboute him Imagine further which also is most trew that thou seest al the creatures in the world stand in his presence and trembling at his maiestie and most carefullie attending to doe that for which he created them as the heauens to moue aboute the Sunne moone and Starres to geeue lighte and influence the earthe to bringe foorth her sustenance and euerie other creature diligently to labour for perfourmance of the dutie assigned vnto him Imagine besides that thou seest al these creatures how bigge or litle soeuer they be to hange and depende onlie of the power and vertue of this God and therby only to stande moue and consist and that there passeth from God to eche creature in the world yea to euerie parte that hath motion or being in the same some beame of his vertue euen as from the sunne we see infinite beames passe into the ayer Consider I say that no one parte of anie creature in the world as the fishe in the sea the grasse on the ground the leaues of trees or the partes of man vpon the face of the earth can grow moue or consist without some litle streame of vertue and power deriued to it continuallie from God So that thou must imagine God to stand as a most glorious and resplendent Sunne in the midle or center of al thinges created and from him to passe foorth innumerable beames and streames of vertue to all the creatures that are either in heauen earth the ayer or waters to euerie parte and particle of the same and that vpon thes beames of his deuine vertue all creatures doe depend in so much as if he should stop or diuert but any one of them al it would destroye and annihilate presentlie some creature or other This I saye if thou shalt consider touching the maiestie of God and the infinite dread that all creatures haue of him except onlie a sinner for the deuils also doe feare him as S. Iames affirmeth thou wilt not meruaile at the seuere iudgemēt appointed for his offence For sure I am that very shame of the world maketh vs to haue more regarde in offending the poorest friende we haue in this life thē a wicked man hath in offending almightie God which is an intollerable contempt of so great a maiestie such a cōtempt in deed as God him self doth account to pro ceede of plaine infidelitie For wheras at a certaine time he had declared his owne great power by the mouth of Ieremie threatened manie punishmentes to the Iewes for their wickednes thei werenothig moued therwith Wherupō he cōmaūded hī to returne againe vnto thē to say thes wordes Heare thou folishe people vvhich hast no hart you that haue eyes and see not eares and heare not And vvil ye not then feare me vvil ye not trēble in my sight vvhich haue sett the sandes for a bounde vnto the sea and haue gyuen him an eternal precept vvhich he shal not breake c. This people hath a faithles hart c. Which is as much as if he had said that this lacke of feare in the Iewes proceeded of their defect of faith For if they had belieued him to be in deed so powerful terrible ful of maiestie as the holie scripture setteth him doune they would haue conceyued more feare in offending him BVT NOVV IF VVE adioine to this contemplation of maiestie an other consideration of his benefites bestowed vpon vs our default wil grow to be far greater For that to iniury him who hath done vs good is a thinge moste detestable euen in nature itself And there was neuer yet so fearce a harte no not among brute beastes but that it might be wonne with curtesie and benefites But much more among reasonable creatures doth beneficence preuaile especiallie if it come from great personages whose loue and friendshippe declared vnto vs but in small gyftes doth greatlie by nde the hartes of the receyuers to loue them againe Consider then deare Christian the infinite good turnes and benefites which thou hast receyued at the handes of this great God therby to winne the to his loue and that thou shouldest leaue of to offende and iniurie him And albeit no tongue created either of man or Angel can expresse the one halfe of thes giftes which thow hast receyued from him or the value therof or the great loue and hartie good will wherwith he bestowed the same vpon the yet for some better helping of thy memorie stirring vp thine affection to be grateful I will repeate certaine generall and principall pointes therof wherunto the rest may be easilie referred First then cal to minde that he hath bestowed vpō thee the benefite of thy creation wherby he made the of nothing to the likenes of hymself and appointed the to so noble an ende as is to serue him in this life and to raigne with him in the life to come hauing furnished thee besides for the better attainmēt therof with the vse seruice and subiection of al his other creatures The greatnes of which benefite may partly be conceyued if thou doe imagine thy self to lacke but any one parte of thy bodie as a legge an arme an eye or the like and that one should freelie euen of pure good wil and loue supplie thy want and gyue the same vnto thee Or if thou wantest but any one of thy senses as that thou were deafe blynde or dumme and some man should restore thy sight hearing or fpeech vnto thee howe wouldest thou esteeme of this benefite how much wouldest thow professe thy self beholdig vnto him for the same And if the gyft of one of these partes onlie would seeme vnto thee so singuler a benefite how greatly oughtest thou to esteeme the free gyfte of so manie partes together Adde now hereunto as I haue sayde that he hath created the to thee lyknes of no other thing but of him self to no other ende but to be his honorable seruante in this world and his compartener in kynglie glorie for all eternitie to come and this he hath done to the
enioye al the varietie of times that delite vs here al the beautie of creatures that allure vs here al the pleasures and ioyes that content vs here In this vision of God sayeth one doctor we shal know we shal loue we shal reioice we shal praise We shal know the verie secrets and iudgements of God which are a depth vvithout bottome As also the causes natures beginnings ofsprings and ends of al creatures We shal loue incomparablie both God for the infinite causes of loue that we see in him and our brethren and companions as much as our selues for that we shal see them as much loued of God as our selues for the same cause for which we are loued whereof ensueth that our ioye shal be without measure both for that we shal haue a particular ioye for euery thing we loue ī God which are infinit and also for that we shal reioice at the felicitie of euerie one of our brethren as much as at our owne and by that meanes we shal haue so many distinct felicities as we shal haue distinct companions in our felicitie which being without number it is no maruaile though Christ sayed goe into the ioye of thy Lord and not let thy Lordes ioye enter into thee for that no one hart created cā receaue the fulnes and greatnes of this ioye And hereof finallie it doth insue that we shal praise God without end or wearines with al our hart with al our strength with al our powers with al our partes according as the scripture sayeth Happie are they that liue in they house ô Lord for they shal praise thee eternallie vvithout end Hitherto this learned doctor Of this most blessed visiō sight possession and fruitiō of almightie God wherunto in heauen th' elect are admitted the learned father S. Augustine writeth thus Our Saueour in the Gospel said vnto his Disciples Happie are the cleane of hart for they shal see God By which wordes we are let to vnderstand that ther is a sight and vision of God which is sufficient of it self to beatifie men and make them happie A visiō which nether eye hath seene in this world nor eare hath heard nor hart conceaued A vision deare brethrē that passeth al the beautie of earthlie things of gold of siluer of woodes of feeldes of sea of ayer of sunne of moone of starres of Angels for that al thes things haue their beautie from thence VVe shal see him face to face saieth his Apostle and vve shal knovv him as vve are knovven That is we shal know the power of the father we shal know the wisdome of the sonne we shal know the goodnes of the Holie Ghost we shal know the indiuisible nature of the most blessed Trinitie And this verie seing of the face of God is the ioye of Angels and of al other saints and celestial spirites in heauen This is the reward of life euerlasting this is the glorie of al blessed Cherubins their euerlasting pleasure their croune of honour their game and goal of felicitie their riche rest their beautiful quietnes their inward and outward consolation their diuine paradise their heauenlie Ierusalem their happines of life their fulnes of blisse their eternal triumphe their pretious peace of God which passeth al vnderstāding This sight of God is the ful beatitude the total glorification of man and Angels to see and behold him I say that made both heauen and earth to see and behold him deare brother that made thee that redemed thee that glorified thee For in seeing him thou shalt know him in knowing him thou shalt loue him in louing him thou shalt possesse him in possessing him thou shalt praise him and in praising him thou shal spend thie whole eternitie For he is the inheritance of his people he is the possession of their felicitie he is the reward of their expectation I vvilbe thy great revvard saieth he to Abraham O Lord thou art great and therfore no marmile if thou be a great reward The sight of thee therfore is al our hiar al our reward al our ioye felicitie that we expect seing thou hast saied that this is life euerlasting to see knovv thee our true God Iesus Christ vvhom thou hast sent Thus vttered S. Augustine his feeling in thes affairs AND NOVV HAVING thus declared the two general partes of heauēlie felicitie the one appertainīg to our soule the other to our bodie it is not hard to esteeme what excesse of ioye both of thē ioined together shal worke vnto vs i vs at the most happie day of our glorificatiō Which the forsaid holie S. Augustine conceaued and expressed in thes most zelous and affectuous wordes O ioye aboue al ioyes passing al ioyes without which there is no ioye when shal I enter into thee when shal I enioye thee to see my God that dwelleth in thee O euerlasting kingdome ô kingdome of al eternitie ô light without end ô peace of God that passeth al vnderstāding wherin the soules of Saintes doe rest with thee ô Lord and euerlasting ioye is vpon their heades and they doe possesse ioye and exultation and al paine and sorovv is fledde from them O how glorious a kingdome is thine ô Lord wherin al Saintes doe raigne with the adorned vvith light as vvith pretious apparel and haue crovvnes of pretious stones vpon their heades O kingdome of euerlasting blisse where thou art present ô Lord the hope of al Saintes and the diademe of their euerlasting glorie replenishing thē with ioy on euerie side by thy blessed sight O Lord in this kingdom of thine there is infinit Ioye and mirth without sadnesse health without sorow life without labour light without darknesse felicitie without abatement al goodnes without euil Here youth florisheth that neuer waxeth old life that knoweth no end beautie that neuer fadeth loue that neuer cooleth health that neuer diminisheth ioye that neuer coaseth Here sorow is neuer felt complaint is neuer heard matter of sadnesse is neuer seene nor euil successe is euer feared For that they possesse thee ò Lord which art the perfectiō and culme of their felicitie Hitherto blessed Augustine And now deare Christian brother if we that liue in thes dayes and doe read thes thīges would enter in deed into thes considerations as this holie man other his like did no doubt but we should be more inflamed with the loue of this heauenlie felicitie prepared for vs then we are and consequentlie should striue more to gaine it then alas we doe And to the ende thou maiest conceaue some more feeling in the matter cōsider but a litle withme what a ioiful day shal that be at thy house when hauing liued in the feare of God atchiued in his seruice the end of thy peregrination thou shalt come by the meanes of death to passe from miserie and labour co life of immortalitie and in
according to the infinit varietie of their combates and conquestes One for martirdome or cōfession against the persecutor an other for virginitie or chastitie against the flesh an other for pouertie or humilitie against the world an other for many conquestes together against the deuil There the glorious quiar of Apostles saieth the forsaid holie Cyprian there the number of reioising prophets there the innumerable multitude of holie Martirs shal receaue the crounes of their deathes sufferinges There triumphing virgines which haue ouercome cōcupiscence with the strength of continencie there the good aulmners which haue liberallie fedd the poore and according to our Lordes commandement haue made ouer their earthly riches to the storehouse of heauen shal receaue their due and peculiar reward O how shal vertue shew her self at this day how shal good deedes content their doers And among al other ioyes and contentations this shal not be the least to see the poore soules that come thither at a iumpe either from the paines and miseries of this life or frō the tormēts of the purging fire how they shal be raushed remaine astonished and as it were besides them selues at the suddain mutation and excessiue honour donne vnto them If a poore afflicted man that were out of his way wandering alone in a deepe miric and durtie lane in the middest of a darke and tempestuous night farre from companie destitute of money beatē with raine terrified with thunder stiffe with cold wearied out with labour almost famished with hungre and thirst and neare brought to despare with multitude of miseries should vpō the suddain in the twinkling of an eye be taken out of that affliction and be placed in a goodlie large and tiche palace furnished with al kinde of cleare lightes comfortable fire sweete sauours daintie meates soft beddes pleasant musike delicate apparel and honorable companie al prepared for him alone and al attending his comming to receaue and imbrace him to serue honour him and to annoint and croune him a king for euer what wold this poore mā doe trow you how wold he looke what could he say Surelie I think he would be able to say litle but rather breaking forth into teares would for ioye remaine mute and dumme his hart being not able to containe the suddain exceeding greatnesse of so inestimable comfort Wel then deare brother so shal it be and much more with these twise happie soules that come to heauē from the troubles of this life For neuer was there cold shadow so pleasant in a hoate burning sunnie day nor the welsprig to the poore trauailer in his greatest thirst of the sommer nor the repose of an easy bedde to the wearied seruant after his labour at night as shal be this rest of heauen to an afflicted soule which commeth thither O that we could conceaue this that we could imprint this in our hartes that we had a feeling of this that I say wold we folow vanities as we doe wold we neglect this matter as we doe No doubt but that our coldenes in purchasing these ioyes doth procede of the smal opinion we doe cōceaue of thē For if we made such account and estimate of this Iewel of heauenlie blisse as other marchants before vs more skilful and wiser then our selues haue done we wold bidde for it as they did or at leastwise wold not let it passe so negligentlie which they sought after so carefullie S. Paul saieth of our Saue our proposito sibi gaudio sustinuit crucem He layinge before his eyes the ioyes of heauen susteined the Crosse. A great estimation of the matter which he wold buye at so deare a rate But what counsaile geueth he to other men about the same surelie none other but to goe and sel al they haue to purchase this treasure S. Paul of him self what sayeth he verilie that he esteemed al the vvorld as dung in respect of the purchasing of this Iewel S. Pauls scholar Ignatius what biddeth he heare his own woordes Fire galowes beasts breaking of my bones quartering of my members crushing of my bodie al the tormentes of the denil together let them come vpon me so I may enioye this treasure of heauen S. Augustine that learned father what offereth he you haue now heard that he would be content to suffer tormentes euery day yea the very torments of hel it self to gaine this ioye Good Lord how farre did these holy Saints differ from vs how contrarie were their iudgementes to ours in these affaires who wil now maruaile of the wisdome of the world iudged folie by God and of the wisdome of god iudged foly by the world Oh children of men saieth the prophet vvhy doe ye loue vanitie seeke after a lie why doe you embrace straw and contemne gold straw I say most vile chaffe and such as finally wil set your own houses on fire and be your ruine and eternal perdition BVT NOVV TO draw towardes an end in this matter though there be no end in the thing it self let the careful Christian consider wherunto he is borne and where of he standeth in possibilitie if he wil. He is borne heyre apparent to the kingdome of heauē a kingdome without end a kingdome void of limitatiō a kingdome of eternal blisse the kingdome of almightie God him self he is borne to be ioint-heyre with Iesus Christ the sonne of God to raigne with him to triumph with him to sit in Iudgement of Maiestie with him to iudge the very Angels of heauen with him What more glorie can be imagined except it were to be God him self Al the ioyes al the riches al the glorie that heauen containeth shal be poured forth to make him happie And to make this honour and triumphe yet more the glorious Lambe that sitteth vpon the throne of Maiestie with his eies like fire his feet like burning copper and his face more shining then the pretious diamant from whos seat there procedeth thunder and lightening without end and at whos feet the fower and twentie elders lay doune their crounes this lambe I say this glorious God and man shal rise and honour him with his own seruice Who then would not esteeme of this royal inheritance who would not make greater account therof then we doe especiallie seing the gaining and winning of the same is now by the benefit of our redemptiō and grace purchased vnto vs therin brought to be in our own handes according to the expresse wordes of our Saue our saying The kingdome of heauen doth suffer violence men doe lay hand-fast vpon it by force That is to saye by the force of gods couenant made with Christias that they liuing vertuouslie shal obteine the same whatsoeuer Christian doth perfourme this vertuous life taketh heauen as it were by force and by violence The matter is put in the povver of the doer sayeth S. Augustin for that the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence
therby he vvas not iustified Of the third kinde of annotations which are both wicked impious ther might many examples be alleaged but thes few insuing shal suffise to discouer M. Bunies spirite First then page 212. as concerning the life of that holie and most wonderful man S. Antonie the first monke of AEgipt whom al antiquitie so much admired and whom S. Athanafius in writing his life so highely extolled and whos doinges S. Augustin so hartely reuerenced as he made the same a principal motiue paterne to his owne conuersion especially for that he tooke thos wordes of our Sauiour Goe and sel al thou hast and geue to the poore as spoken to him self in particuler vpon this mans conuersion I say most wonderful life M. Buny maketh this scorneful irreligious note that it may vvel be doubted vvhether he had in that place sufficient ground-vvorke of thos his doings vnles he had some other special motion besides Condemning herin not only S. Antonie but also S. Athanasius S. Hierome S. Augustine al other fathers that so highely commend S. Antonie for putting in execution thos wordes of our Sauiour To like purpose or rather more vvickedlie he maketh an other annotation page 308. vpon the most famous conuersion of S. Augustin recorded by the pen of that holy father him self to vvit that some pointes of the storie vvhich S. Augustin vvriteth are such as a man may as vvel doubt they proceeded of Sathan as of God therby to bring in question that excellent mans cōuersion But of al other that annotation of his is most ridieulous and yet blasphemous wher he wil needes bring in our blessed Ladie to haue brokē fower seueral commandemēts forsooth at one clappe for that she defended not her sonne vpō the Crosse. For page 369. wher I in commendation of the confessiō which the theefe made said in my booke that it was at such a time when al the world abādoned our Sauiour and the very Apostles thē selues either doubted or lost their faith of his Godhead this man noteth in the margēt that the blessed Virgin likevvise vvas by and saied nothing that vve reade of in his defence a plaine breach saieth he of the first fist sixt ninth cōmandomentes A strange matter that thes men should be so desirous to skore vp make Catalogues of our Ladies sinnes which she neuer committed But let vs see with what shew of reason He saith that she brake fower commandementes at one time Let vs then examine them what they are The first commandemēt according as S. Augustine in old time Catholiques now a daies are accustomed to number them is Thou shalt haue no strāge Godes before me nor make vnto thy self any grauen Idole to adore the same The fift is Thou shalt not kil The sixt Thou shalt not commit adulterie The ninth Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife And this as Catholiques doe number the commandementes But according as some protestantes wil recon the same The fift is Honor thy father thy mother The sixt Thou shalt not kil The ninth Thou shalt not beare false vvitnes against thy neighbour Now thē gentle reader consider with indifferencie how in reason it may be said that the blessed Virgin the sacred mother of God for not defending her sonne vpon the Crosse against the Magistrates soldiers did breake any of thes fower commandementes that is to say did either make vnto her self any strange God or Idole or did dishonour her father and mother or did cōmit murder or adulterie or did beare false witnes against her neighbour or did couet her neighbours mate whether I say it be credible that in not defending her sonne at that instant she committed any one of thes hainous mortal crimes and much more whether she cōmitted fower of them together as M. Buny affirmeth Let I say the indifferent and Christian reader iudge of this accusation as also consider whether M. Buny be not worthio of a very good fee at the deuils hādes for indeuoring to bring into his clawes so rich a pray as was the most excellēt pure sacred mother of our Sauiour by accusing her of fower deadlie sinnes together AND THVS much of annotations passing ouer diuers other thinges that might be examined if time and place did not prohibite But the greatest shift of al others which M. Buny hath to ridde his handes when nether changing of the wordes not putting in of pareutheses nor annotations in the margent wil cleare and pacific the matter is to strike and thrust out what so euer he misliketh whether they be my wordes or els the discourses of ancient fathers yet authorities them selues of sacred scripture For vnderstanding wherof it is to be cōsidered that first generally whersoeuer he findeth the mētion of certaine thinges that please him not as of abstinence fasting chastesing the bodie penance satisfaction virginitie merit hier gayning of heauen laboring for reward or the like he commonly striketh al out together with th' Authours that treat therof or els so mangleth the same as is pitiful to behold Secōdly whatsoeuer authoritie commeth in his way which he cānot mangle out it goeth without redēption be it Father Doctor Counsel or Scripture Herof you may see exāples Page 29. of his booke wher he thrusteth out S. Hierome and Ioannes Cassianus for that they mētiō Mōkes of the primatiue Church So againe page 98. he thrusteth out S. Cyprian Possidonius for that they geue testimonie of an apparitiō which Christ our Sauiour made to a godly man at his death In like maner Page 109. he trusteth out S. Ambros S. Augustin S. Gregorie and S. Bernard together for that they persuade men by their examples to be affeard of Purgatorie Further Page 98. he striketh out S. Augustin S Gregorie and venerable Bede with their large discourses which they make concerning appatitions of certaine Angels to godlie people So againe Page 305. he thrusteth out the exāple of S. Paul the first heremite with the authoritie of S. Hierome that wrote his life And this in hatred of Monkes and heremites After that againe Page 374. he thrusteth out S. Augustin with al that he cā alleage about satissactiō and final penance Page 60. he thrusteth out the weping fasting watching lying on the ground wearing of sack clothe and other bodilie punishmētes that King Dauid vsed vpon him self albeit they be recorded and set downe in holie scripture Page 169. he thrustath out the exāple of S. Paul th' Apostle how he was assisted made able by Gods holie grace to resist ouercome the temptatiōs of the flash to the end by like that no man should take courage by that exāple to fight resist thes temptations as he did Page 2. he striketh out the promisses made in scripture to virginitie chastetie golding of our selues for the kingdome of
could not be donne by beastes or vnreasonable creatures euē so in the vew and consideration of this world If we cast our eyes vpon the heauens we remaine astonished with the miracles that we behold but who made them we see the skyes of exceedīg huge highenes distinguished with colours and bewtie most admirable adorned with starres and planetes innumerable and thes so qualified with theyr diuers and different and vnequal motiōs as albeit they neuer moue or goe together yet doe they neuer gyue lett or hynderance th' one to th' other nor chāge there course out of order or season Quis enarrabit caelorum rationem concentum caeli quis dormire faciet Who is able to declare the reason of thes heauēs or who can make cease or sleepe the vniforme course of theyr motion saith God to Iob As who would say that because no man or mortal creature can doe this therfore may we imagine of what power and perfection their maker is Which king Dauid had donne when he pronounced caeli enarrant gloriam Dei opera manuum eius annunciat firmamentum The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament doth preache the workes of his handes vnto vs. If we pull downe our eyes from heauen to earth we behold the same of an infinite bignesse distinguished with hills and dales woodes pastures couered with all varietie of grasse herbes flowers and leaues moistened with riuers as a bodie with veines inhabited by creatures of innumerable kindes and qualities inriched with inestimable and endeles treasures and yet it self standing or hanging rather with all this weighte and poise in the middest of the ayer as a litle balle without proppe or pillar At which deuise and most wonderful miracle God hym self as it were glorying said vnto Iob. VVhere vvere thou vvhen I layed the foundations of th' earth Tell me if thou haue vnderstanding vvho measured it out or drevv his lyne vpon the same VVheruppon are fastened the pillars of his foundation or vvho layed the first corner stone therof If we looke nether vp nor downe but cast our countenance onlie a side we espie the sea on eche hand of vs that invironeth rounde about the lande A vaste crcature that conteineth more wonders theu mans tongne can expresse A bottemlesse gulfe that without running ouer receaueth all riuers which perpetuallie doe flow A resteles fight turmoile of waters that neuer repose netherday nor night A dreadful raging and furious elemēt that swelleth and roareth threateneth the lade as though it would deuoure it all at once And albeit in situation it be higher then the earth as the philosopher sheweth doe make assaultes daylie towardes the same with most terrible cries and waues mounted euen to the skie yet when it draweth neere to the lande and to his appointed borders it stayeth vpon the suddaine though nothing be there to let it is inforced to recoile backe againe mur muring as it were for that it is not permitted to passe any further Of which restrainte God asketh Iob this question VVho hath shutt vp the sea vvith gates vvhen he breaketh forth in rage as from his mothers vvombe Wherunto no man being able to gyue answer God ansuereth hym self in thes wordes I haue limited hym vvith my boundes I haue set hym both a dove and a barre and haue said vnto hym hytherto shalt thou come and shalt not passe further here shalt thou breake thie svvelling vvaues This in summe is of thinges without vs. But if we should leaue thes and enter to seeke God within our owne selues whether we consider our bodies or our soules or any one parte therof we shall finde so manie straūge thinges or rather so manie seas of miracles and wonders that preach and teach their maker vnto vs as we shall not onlie perceaue and see God most euidentlie but rather as a certaine old heathen hath writen we shall feele and handle hym in his workes Which kinde of speech also S. Paul hym self doubteth not to vse affirming that God hath geuen space to euery man in this life to seeke hym siforte attractent cum aut inueniat if perhappes they would handle hym or finde hym oute Which maner of wordes doe siguifie that by consideration of gods creatures and especiallie of the wonders in man hym self we may come to see and perceaue the Creator so cleerlie that in a sorte we may be said to feele and handle hym So iointelie doe all thinges concurre to the manifestatiō of their maker So manifestelie and effectuallie doe they teach and demonstrate and painte out God vnto vs nothing being so lyttle that declareth not his greatnes nothing so greate which acknowdlegeth not his soueraitie nothing so low that leadeth vs not vp to behold his maiestie nothing so highe that descendeth not to teach vs this veritie It were a labour without ende to goe about in this place to alleage what might he saide in the profe of this principle that there is a God seing there was neuer yet learned man in the world ether Gentile or other that acknowledged and confirmed not the same being dryuen therunto by the manifest euidencie of the truth it selfe If you obiect against me Diagoras Protagoras Theodorus Cyrenensis Bion Borysthines Epicurus and some few others that were open Atheistes denied God I answer that some of thes were vtterly vnlearned and rather sensual beastes then reasonable men and consequentlie might deny any thing according to the saying of holie Dauid the foole said in his hart there is no God Others that had some smacke of learning rather iested at the falshode of their owne Panisme idoles then denied the being of one true God But the most parte of thes mē in deede and such others as in old tymes were accompted Atheistes denyed not God so much in words as in life factes such as S. Paul called Atheistes in his dayes that obeyed their bellies and followed their pleasures in sinne sensualitie not vouchsafing to thinke of God in this life such was the Epicure and manie other are at this daye of his profession but yet as Lactantius well noteth when the same men came to be sober speake of iudgement as at their death or other tyme of distresse and miserie they were as redye to cōfesse God as any other what soeuer But for learned men and people of diseretion sobrietie and iudgement there was neuer yet any were he Iewe or were he Gentile that doubted in this veritie but had meanes of probation to confirme the same as more particulerlie in the rest of this chapter shal be declared Hovv the heathens proued there vvas a God Sect. 2. AMONG the Gētiles or heathē people those men were all wayes of most credite and estimation that professed the loue of wisdome for that respect were termed philosophers Who being deuided into diuers sortes sectes
thing vvhich is by participation must be reduced and referred to some other thing that is not by participation but of it self And he calleth a thing by participation which is not in the fullest or highest degree of perfection in his kinde but may haue additiō made vnto it As for exaple water or anie thing els that is heated by the fiar is hoate by participatiō and not of it self for that it maye alvvayes be hoater and haue addition of heate made vnto it But fiar is hoate of it self and not by participation for that it hath heate in the highest degree and in that kinde can receyue no additiō wherfore the heate of all other things which are hoate by participation of fiar are reduced concerning their heate to the heate of fiar as to their original Now then sayeth the Metaphisique we see by experiēce that all the creatures and partes of this worlde are things by participation onlie for that they are finite in nature and haue limitations in all their perfections and may receaue additions to the same and consequentelie they must of necessitie be referred to some higher cause that is infinite in perfection and consisteth of it self alone without participation from others and this is God who being absolute endeles and without all limitation of perfection in hym selfe deriueth from his owne incomprehensible infinitenes certaine limited natures and perfectiōs to euerie creature which perfections in creatures are nothing els but litle particles and participations of the bottōles sea of perfectiōs in the Creator wherunto they are to be referred and reduced as the beame to the sunne and the brooke to the fountaine A second argument vseth the Metaphisique grounded vppon certaine rules of vnitie wherof one principale is that euerie multitude or distinction of things proceedeth from some vnitie as from his fountaine This he sheweth by manie examples of things in this world For we see by experiēce that the diuers motions or mouinges of the lower sphers or bodies celestial doe proceede of the mouing of one highest sphere are to be referred to the same as to their foūtaine Many riuers are reduced to one well or ofspring innumerable beames to one sunne all the boughes a of tree to one stocke In the bodie of mā which for his beautie and varietie is called the little vvorld the veynes which are without number haue all one beginning in the liuer the arteres ī the harte the sinowes in the braine And that which is more the infinite actions of life sense and reason in mā as generatiōs corruptions nourishementes digestions alterations Eeeling smelling tasting seing hearing mouing speaking thinking remembring discoursing and ten hundred thousand particuler actions operations and motions besides which are excercised in mans bodie vnder thes or other such names and appellations all thes I say being infinite in number most admirable in order and distincte in euerie their office and operation doe receaue not withstanding their beginning from one most simple vnitie and indiuisible substance called the soule which produceth gouerneth and directeth them all to so innu nerable differēt and contrarie functions By this concludeth the Metaphisique that as among the creatures we finde this most excellente order and connexion of thinges wherby one bringeth furth manie and euerie maltitude is referred to his vnitie so much more in al reason must the whole frame of creatures conteined in this world wherein there are so manie milliōs of multitudes with their vnities be referred to one most simple abstract vnitie that gaue beginning to them all and this is God A thirde argument vseth the Metaphisique deriued from the subordination of creatures ī this world which subordination is such and so wonderfull as we see no creature by nature serueth itself but an other and all together doe cōspire in seruing the common We see the heauens doe moue aboute continuallie without ceasing and this not to serue them selues but inferior creatures lesse excellent then them selues We see that water moystneth the ground the aver cooleth openneth and cherysheth the same the Sunne heateth and quic keneth it the Moone and Starres powre foorth their influēce the windes refreshe it and all this not for them selues but for other The earth againe that receaueth thes seruices vseth not the same for her self or for her owne commoditie but to bring foorthe grasse wherewith to feede cattaile and they feede not for them selues but to gyue nourishement vnto man Now then sayeth the Metaphisique if a man that stoode a farreof vppon a mountaine should see in a field vnder hym a great huge maine armie of souldiars most excellent well appointed ech one in order agreing with th' other deuided into Rancks Squadrōs Companies offices subordinate th' one to th' other by degrees and yet all tending one waye all their faces bent vppon one place all mouinge marching and turning together all indeuoringe with allacritie towardes the perfourmance of one common seruice bymutual assistance without dissention discorde difference or clamour he that should see this sayeth the metaphisique as he could not but imagine some general high Capitaine to be among thes soldiars whom all obeyed and from whose supreme commandement and order this most excellent subordination agreement and vnion proceeded so much more vpon consideration of the former coherence consent and miraculous subordination of creatures amōg them seiues in their operations must we inferre that they haue some general cómaunder cuer thē all by whose supreme dispcsition eche creature hath his charge peculier taske appointed which he must perfourme for the cōman and vniuersal seruice of the whole The fouerth reason or argument alleaged by the supernatural philosopher is of the marueilous prouidence arte and wisdome discouered in the making of euery least creature within the world For seing there is nothing so litle nothing so base or cōtemptible within the compasse of this heauen that couereth vs but if you consider it you fynde both arte order proportion bewtie and excellēcie in the same this can not proceede of fortune as foolishe Lucretius and some other would haue it for that fortune is casualtie without order rule or certaintie and therfore needes it must come frō the wisdome and prouidence of some omnipotēt Creator If you take a flye or a flea or a leafe fró a tree or any other the least creature that is extant in the worlde and consider the same attentiuelie you shall fynde more miracles thē partes therin you shal fynd suche proportion of members such varietie of colours such distinctiō of offices such correspondence of instrumentes and those so fit so well framed so coherent so subordinate as the more you contemplate the more shall ye maruaile nether is ther anie one thing in the world more effectual to draw a man to the loue and admiration of his Creator then to excercise hym self often in this contemplation for if his harte be
the consideratiō of this starre for that after the appearance therof he perceyued the power of his Godes decayed toke a iourney into Iury in company of other Astronomers to informe hym self further of the matter Wherunto Chalcidius a Platonike doth adde that the Chaldaean Astronomers did gather by contemplatiō of this Starre that some God discended from heauen to the benefit of mankinde And finally the Sibyls talking of the cōming of Christ affirmed plainly Rutilans cum sydus monstrabit a blasing Starre shall declare his comming Which prophetie Virgile the Poet hauing read in Augustus tyme and soone after hauing seene the same fulfilled applied it as I shewed before of al the rest to the flattering of Caesar and therfore he saieth in the place before alleaged Ecce Dionaei processit Caesaris astrum Beholde the Starre of Caesar descended of Venus hathe now appeared which Starre in deede was the Starre of Caesars Lord and Mayster AFTER fortie daies past ouer S. Luke reporteth how Iesus by his mother was presented in the temple of Ierusalem and there withall recounteth two straunge thinges that happened at the same time to witte that two graue and reuerend persons Simeō surnamed Iust and Anna the Prophetesse both of singuler sanctity amongst the Iewes cōmig into the Temple at the very time when Iesus was there in his mothers armes tooke notice of him and acknowledged him publiquely for the Messias and Saue our of the world Fortelling also by the spirit of prophetie diuers particuler thinges that were to ensue both to Christ and Christians and especially to his mother the blessed Virgin Which thinges being published at that time confirmed afterward by the euent doe well declare that this narration of S. Luke could not be forged as doe also the number of particuler circumstances set doune about the time place persones most notoriouslie knowen to al Lerusalem For as for Anna she had liued from her youth vntil four skore yeares of age in the temple therby was knowen to the most parte of Iurie And as for Simeon he was the scholler of the most famous HILLEL and cōdisciple to Ionathan maker of the 〈◊〉 paraphase of whō I spoke before and the Iewes Thalmud confesseth that by the death of thes two mē but especially of Simeon failled the spirit of the great Synagogue called Sanhedria which after the captiuity of Babylō vntil Herods time supplied in a sorte the spirit of prophetie that was expresly in Israel before the said captiuity OF CHRISTS flight into Egypt for feare of Herod S. Luke well noteth that it was prophetied by Osee longe before that God vvould call his sonne oute of Egypt And the prophet Esay describeth the same very particulerlie when he sayeth Behold our Lord Iehoua shall ascende vp or ride vpō a light cloude which was his flesh or humanitie and shal goe dovvne into Egypt and all th' idoles of Egypt shall shake at his presence Which later pointe Eusebius sheweth that it was fulfilled most euidentlie in the sight of all the worlde for that no Nation came to Christian religion with so greate celeritie or with so greate feruour as did th' Egyptians who threw downe their Idoles before any other heathen Nation And as they had bene the first in idolatrie to other countries so were they the first by Christes cōminge vnto them that afterwarde gaue example of true returne to their Creatour It followeth in Esay And I vvil gyue vp Egypt into the handes of cruel Lordes and a Potēt kinge shall take dominion ouer them Which was fulfilled aboute the verie time wherin Christ was to come For that then after manie spoiles and cruelties excercised vpon Egypt by the Roman Lordes and Princes Pompey Caesar Antonie and others in th' ende Cleopatra their Qiene that was the last of all the bloode and lyne of the Ptolomces was inforced to slea her selfe and so Augustus th' Emperour tooke possession of all Egypte and subiected it as a prouince to the Romans Empire But consider you how Esay concludeth the matter after all thes temporal afflictions threatened against Egypt and confesse that suche aduersitie is no signe of Gods disfauour to them who receaue it For thus sayeth God after all his cominations In that day there shal be an Aulter of Iehoua in the middest of Egypt they shall crie to God in their tribulation and he shal send them a SAVEOVR c. Blessing shal be in the middest of that lande to vvhome our Lord God of hostes hath gyuen his benediction saying Blessed is my people of Egypt And here we make an ende of our second consideration IN THE THIRD PLACE there cōmeth to be considered according to our former diuision the life conuersation doctrine and miracles of Iesus And first touching things done by hym after his cōminge out of Egypt whiche might be about the sixt or seuēth yeare of his age vntil his Baptisme by S. Iohn whiche was the 30. there is litle recorded either in Prophane or Ecclesiastical writers For that as S. Iustin S. Chrysostome S. Augustine and others doe write he bestowed that time in the common exercises and labours of mans life therby to shew hymself trueman and giue demonstration how much he detested idlenes OF S. Iohn Baptist all Hebrue writers of that time doe make mention with exceeding praise and admiration of his holines especially Iosephus that liued īmediately after Christs dayes sayeth hewas Vir optimus Iudaeos excitans ad virtutum studia A most excellent man stirring vp the Iewes to the exercise of vertue He addeth also that partly for feare of the great concourse of people which flocked vnto hym and partly by the sollicitation of Herodias cōcubine and brothers wife to Herode Antipas the great Herodes sonne for whos cause he had turned of his owne wife daughter of Areta king of the Arabians he was apprehended and imprisoned in the Castle of Acherun and therin soone after put to death Which murther Ioseph esteemed to be the cause of all the miserie whiche ensued afterward to Herode and his whole familie Of this man it was writen by Malachie the prophet Beholde I send my messenger or Angel before me and he shal prepare the vvay before my face and presently shal come to his Temple the RVLER vvhom you seeke and the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT vvhich you desire Which prophetie was fulfilled most euidently when vpon the preaching of S. Iohn Christ came vnto hym and albeit S. Iohn had neuer sene hym before yet he acknowledged hym for the Messias in the presence of infinite people and his acknowledgment was confirmed by the visible descending of a doue voyce frō heauen in the sight and hearing of all the people present accordinge as three of our Euangelistes doe reporte Which they would neuer haue presumed to doe had not the matter bene most euident without al
benefites and such other which might iustifie sufficientlie his indignation and seuere hatred against him But there is one reason aboue al the rest which openeth the verie fountaine and origine of the matter and this is the intollerable iniurie donne vnto almightie God in euerie mortall sinne that we commit which in deede is so opprobrious abhominable an iniurie as no meane worldly potentate could beare the same at his subiectes handes and much lesse God him self being the omnipotent Lord of al glorie and Maiestie may in reason tollerate an outrage so often iterated against him as is sinne daily committed by the wicked For the better vnderstanding of which iniurie we are to consider that euerie time we cōmit a mortal sinne there doth passe thorough our hart minde though we marke it not a certaine practik discourse of our vnderstandinge as there doth also in euerie other electiō whereby we lay before vs on the one side the profit of that sinne which we are tempted to commit that is to saie the pleasure which allureth vs therunto and on thother parte the offence of God which is the leesinge of his grace and friēdshippe by that sinne yf we yeeld vnto it And thus hauinge as it were the balances there before vs and setting God in one end therof and in the other the aforesaide pleasure we stand in the middest deliberatinge examininge the waight of both partes and finallie doe make choise of the pleasure and reiect almightie God that is we chuse rather to loose the fauour of God together with his grace and whatsoeuer he is worth besides then to lacke that pleasure and delectation of sinne Now then what can be more opprobrious and horrible then this what cā be more reprochful to God then to prefer a most vile pleasure before his infinite Maiestie is not this farre more intollerable then the disgrace offred to him by the Iewes when they made choise of Barrabas the murderer and reiected Iesus their Saueour surely how hamous soeuer that sinne of the Iewes were yet in two poites this doth seeme to exceede the same First in that the Iewes knew not whome they refused in their choise as we doe Secondly in that they refused Iesus but once wheras we refuse him both daily and hourly whensoeuer in our hartes we giue consent vnto mortal sinne And is it meruaile then that God dealeth so seuerely sharplye with sinners in the worlde to come whoe doe vse hym so opprobriouslie and contemptuouslie in this life Vndoubtedly the malice of a sinner is greate towardes God and he doth not onlie dishonour hym by contempt of his commaundementes and by preferring most vyle creatures before hym but also beareth a secrete hatred grudge against his maiestie and woulde if it lay in his power offer his endeuour to pull hym out of his seate or at the least wise 〈◊〉 in his hart there were no God at all to punish sinne after this present lyfe Let euerie sinner examine the botome of his conscience in this point whether he could not be content there were no immortalitie of the sowle no reckoninge after this life no iudge no punishment no hell and consequentlye no God at al to the ende he might the more securelie enioye his pleasures And because God who searcheth the harte and reynes seethe well this most vndutiful trayterous affectiō towardes hym lurking within the bowels of sinful men how smoth so euer their wordes may be here of it commeth that in the whole course of holie Scripture he denounceth them for his enimies and professeth open warre and hostilitie against them And then suppose yoa what a pitiful case thes vnfortunate men are in being but seely wormes and wretches of the earth whē they haue so puissant an enimie to fight against them as doth make the verie heauens to tremble at his looke And yet that the case is so heare what himself sayeth what he threatneth what he thundreth out against them After he had by the mouth of Esaye the Prophet re peated many sinnes abhominable in his sight as the taking of bribes oppressing of poore people and the like He defieth the doers therof as his open enymies saying This saieth the Lord God of hostes the stronge Lord of Israel Beholde I vvi be reuenged vpon mine enimies and vvill comfort my self in their destruction And the Prophet Dauid as he was a man in most high fauour with God and made preuie to his secretes aboue many other so he more than any other doth expresse this seuere meaning of God his infinite displeasure against sinners calling them his enimies vessels of his wrath and ordayned to eternal ruine and destruction and complaineth that the world will not beleeue this point An vnvvise man saieth he vvill not learne this neither vvill the foole vnderstand it And what is this ô holy Prophet it foloweth That siners and vvorkers of iniquitie after they haue appeared i the vvorld doe perishe euerlastingly And what is the reason of this he answereth immediatly because toy enimies o Lord thy enimies I saie o Lord shal perishe til they that vvoreke iniquitie shal be cosumed Wherby we see that all sinners be enimies to God and God to them as also vpō what grounde and reason But yet for the further iustifyinge of godes seueritie let vs consider in what measure his hatred is towardes sinne how great how far it proceedeth withi what boundes it is comprehended or whether it haue any limites or bondes at all or rather be infinite and without limitation And to vtter the matter as in trueth it stādeth if all the tongues in the world were made one tongue and all the vnderstandinges of all creatures I meane of Angels and men were made one vnderstandinge yet could nether this tongue expresse nor this vnderstanding conceiue the great hatred of gods harte towards euery mortall sinne which we commit And the reason hereof standeth in two pointes First for that God by how much more he is better than we are by so much more he loueth goodnes and hateth synne than we doe And for that he is infinitelie good therfore his loue to goodnes is infinite and his hatred to euil immesurable and consequentlie his rewardes to them both are infinite the one in hell with euerlasting miserie thother in heauen by eternal felicitie Secondlie we see by experience that how much more great and worthie the person is against whom an offence is cōmitted so much greater is alwayes the offence as for example the self same blow or iniurie offred to a bond-slaue and to a prince differeth greatlie in qualitie and in the nature of offence and consequentlie deserueth farre different hatred and punishment And for that euerie mortal sinne which we commit is donne directlie against the person of God hym self as hath bene declared before whose dignitie is infinite therfore the offence or guilt of euery such sinne is
diuers times he hath vsed and doth vse therby to gaine vs and our sowles vnto his eternal kingdome by stirring vs vp to abandon vitious life and to betake ourselues to his holy and swete seruice Al which most rare and excellent benefites being measured either according to their inestimable value in themselues or according to the loue of that harte from which they do proceede or els if we respect the maiestie of the giuer or meanesse of the receyuer ought in reason to moue vs most vehementlie to gratitude towardes so bountiful a benefactour And this gratitude shoulde be to resolue ourselues at length to serue him vnsaynedlie to preferre his fauour before al wordlie or mortal respectes whatsoeuer Or if we can not obtaine so much of ourselues yet at leastwise not to offende him anie more by our sinnes and wickednes There is not so fearse or cruell a nature in the world as I noted before but is mollisied allured and wōne by benefites And stories do make reporte of straunge examples in this kinde euen among brute beastes as of the gratitude of lyons dogges and other like towardes their maisters and benefactours Onliean obstinate sinner is he among all the sauuage creatures that are whom neither benefites can moue nor curtisies can mollifie nor promises can allure nor gyftes can gayne to the faithfull seruice of God his Lord and maister The greatest synner that is in the world if he geeue his seruante but twentie nobles a yeare or his tennant some litle farme to liue vpon if they for this should not serue him at a becke he crieth out of their ingratitude But if they should further malitiouslie seeke to offende him and to ioyne in amitie with his professed enimie how intollerable a matter would this seeme in his conceit And yet him self dealing much more ingratfullie and iniuriouslie with almightie God esteemath it a matter of smal consideration easely pardonable He dealeth I saie far more ingratfullie with God for that he hath receyued a thousand folde for one in respect of all the benefites that one mortal man can gyue vnto an other Seing that of God he hath receyued al in al the bread which he eateth the grounde he treadeth the light he beholdeth the aire he enioyeth and finally what so euer he possesseth ether within or without his bodie as also the minde with al her spiritual endumētes wherof eche one is more worth then ten thousand bodies Of this extreme ingratitude and iniurie God himself is enforced to complaine in diuers places of holy scripture as where he saith they repaied me euil for good And yet much more vehemētlie in an other place he calleth the heauens to witnes of this iniquitie crving out Obstupescite caeli super hoc O you heauens be you astonished at this As if he should saye by a figuratiue kinde of speech goe out of your wittes you heauens with meruaile at this incredibile iniquitie of man to wardes me For so he expoundeth the whole matter more at large in an other place Audite cals auribus percipe terra c. Harken oye heauens and thow earth bende hither thine eares I haue nourished vp children and haue exalted them and now they doe cōtemne me What a lamentable complaint is this of almightie God against most vile and base wormes of the earth But yet he amplifieth this iniquitie more vehemētly by certaine examples and comparisons The oxe saieth he knovveth his ovvner the asse knovveth the manger of his Lord and maister but yet my people knovveth not me VVoe be to this synful nation to this people loden vvith 〈◊〉 to this noughtie seede to vvicked children What complaint can be more vehement then this what threatning can be more dreadfull then this woe comming from the mouth of him which may punishe vs at his pleasure Wherfore deare brother if thou haue grace cease to be vngrateful to God any longer cease to offend him which hath by so many waies preuented the with benefites cease to render euil for good hatred for loue contempt for his father lie affection towardes the. He hath done for the al that he can he hath geeuen the al that thow art yea and in a certaine maner al that he is worth hym self and meaneth besides to make the partaker of al his glorie in the world to come and requireth no more for al this at thy handes but loue and gratitude O my louing brother why wilt thou not yelde vnto him this his desire why wilt thou not doe as much to him as thou woldest haue an other mā to doe to the for lesse then the ten thousand parte of thes benefites which thow hast receyued for I dare bouldly saye if thow haddest gyuen but an almes to a poore man at thy dore thou wooldest thike him bounde to loue the for it al beit besids this ther were nothing in the that greatly might deserue his loue But thy Lord and maister setting a parte al his giftes bestowed vpon the hath infinite causes to drawe thy loue vnto him that is to saye all the causes which any thing in the world hath in it to purchase loue and infinite more besydes For if all the perfections of thinges created both in heauen and in earth that may procure loue were ioyned together in one as al their beautie al their vertue al their wisdome al their sweetnes al their nobilitie al their goodnes and other like excellencies yet thy Lord Sauy our whom thou contemnest surpasseth all thes and that by infinite and infinite degrees for that he is not onlie all thes thinges together but morouer he is verie beautie it self vertue it self wisedome it self sweetenes it self nobilitie it self goodnes it self and the verie fountaine and welspring from which by litles peeces and parcels al thes thinges are deriued vnto his creatures Be a shamed then good Christian of this thine ingratitude to so great so good and so bountifull a Lord and resolue thy self for the tyme to come to amende thy course of life and former behauiour towardes him Say at lēgth with the Prophet hauing considered thine owne ingratitude O Lord pardon me mine offences for they are great in thy sight I know there is nothing ô Lord which doth so much displease the or drie vp the fountaine of thy mercie or so byndeth thy handes frō doinge good as doth ingratitude in the receyuers of thy benefites Wherin hitherto I haue exceeded al others But I haue done it ò Lord in mine ignorance not considering thy infinite giftes bestowed vpon me or what account thou wouldest demaunde againe of the same But now seing thou hast vouchsafed to make me woorthie of this special grace also wherby to see knowe mine owne errour default I hope hereafter by direction of the same grace to shew my self a better childe towardes the. O my God I am vāquished at lēgth with cōsideratiō of thy
placed to be despised and not to be honoured How great honour was that trow you which he did to Abraham in the sight of so many kings and princes of the earth as of Pharao Abimelech Melchiseedech and others How great honour was that he did to Moyses in the face of Pharao and of al his court by the wonderful signes that he wrought by him What excessiue honour was that he did to holie Iosue when in the sight of al his armie he stayed the sunne and Moone in the middest of the firmament at Iosues appointement obeying therein as the scripture saieth to the voice of a man what honour was that he did to Esay in the preface sight of king Ezechias whē he made the sunne to goe backe tenne degrees in the heauens what honour was that he did to helias in the sight of wicked Achab when he yelded the heauens into his hands and willed him to say that neither raine nor dew should fal vpon the ground for certain yeres but by the wordes of his mouth onely what honour was that he did to Elizeus in the sight of Naaman the noble Syrian whom he cured onelie by his word from the leprosie whos bones also after his death raised vp by onelie touching the dead to life inallie not to alleage more examples herein what singular honour was that he gaue to al the Apostles of his sonne that as many as euer they laid handes on were healed from al infirmities as S. Luke affirmeth Nay which is yet more the verie girdles and napkins of S. Paul did the same effect and yet more then that also so many as came within the onelie shadow of S. Peter were healed from their diseases Is not this maruailous honour euen in this life was there euer Monarch prince or potentate of the world that could vaunt of such points of honor And if Christ did this to his seruantes euen in this world whereof notwithstanding he saith his kingdome was not what honour shal we think he hath resesued for the life to come where his kingdome shal be in al fulnes and where al his seruants shal be crouned as eternal kings with him Lastlie for some further declaration of this matter and for expressing th' incomparable excellencie of heauenlie blisse some diuines doe vse a consideration of the three different places wherunto man by his creation is ordained albeit in al pointes it be not necessarie to hold the same iust proportion The first of which places is our mothers wombe the second this present world the third is coelum Empireum which is the place of blisse in the life to come Now in these three places say the learned we must hold some like proportion by al reason betwene the third and second place as we see sensiblie to be obserued betwene the second and first So that in what proportion the second doeth differ from the first in like measure must the third be different from the second on rather much more for that eternal and heauēly thinges doe exceede al comparison of trāsitorie thinges amōg themselues By this proportion then we must say for exāple sake that as farre as the whole world doth passe the wombe of one priuate woman so much in al beautie delites and Maiestie doth the place of heauēlie blisse passe al this whole world with the ornamentes therof And as much as a man liuing in the world doth exceede a child in his mothers bellie for strength of bodie beautie wit vnderstāding learning and knowledge so much and farre more doth a Saint in heauen passe al men of this world in al these excellencies and infinite more besides And looke how great horrour a mā of perfect age would conceaue to returne into his mothers wombe againe so much and farre greater would a glorified soule haue to come back from that eternal blisse into this vale of miserie The nine moneths also of life in the mothers wombe are not so litle in respect of any mans age in the world as is the longest life vpon earth in respect of euerlasting life in heauen Nor the blindenesse ignorance and other miseries of the child in his mothers wombe are any way to be compared to the cecitie darknes folie other calamities of this life in respect of the cleare light most excellent knowledge deuine vnderstāding other singuler prerogatiues of the Saints in heauen So that by al thes reasons laid together ther may a general coniecture be framed of the most infinit and incomprehensible excellencie of this reward wherof we treate BVT NOVV TO CONSIDER the same thing somewhat more in particular it is to be noted that this reward or glorie of heauen shal comprehend in it self two partes or members the one called essential belonging to the soule the other termed accidental belonging to the bodie The essential part consisteth in the vision or sight of God as afterward shal be shewed The accidental consisteth in the change and glorification of our flesh after the general resurrectiō wherby this corruptible bodie of ours shal put on incorruption as S. Paul sayeth and of mortal become immortal Al this flesh I say of ours that now is so combersom and aggreeueth the minde that now is infested with so many inconueniences subiect to so many mutations vexed with so many diseases defiled with so many corruptiōs replenished with so infinit miseries and calamities shal then be made glorious most perfect to endure for euer without change or mutation and to raigne with our soule euerlastinglie And for this purpose as diuines doe proue the same shal be endued with certaine excelles qualities and giftes from God which S. Anselm whom in this matter I wil folow doth reckon to be seuen to wit beautie agilitie fortitude penetrabilitie health pleasure perpetuitie Al which excellencies either doe want in the damned bodies or else their contraries are found therin And first of al concerning the priuiledge and high excellencie of beautie how singuler it shal be in the bodies glorified our Saueour him self in some part declareth when he sayeth At that daie shal the Iust shine as the sunne in the kingdome of their father A maruailouse speech and in humane sense almost incredible that our putrefied bodies should shine and become as cleare as the sunne Whereas in the contrarie part the bodies of the damned shal be as black and vglie as filth it self The second prerogatiue assigned to the bodies of the iust is agilitie or velocitie whereby their flesh is deliuered from al lumpish heuinesse wherwith it was pestered in this life and made as light as the Angels them selues which are spirits and doe passe from place to place with infinit swiftnesse as also doe ascend and descend of them selues against the nature of corruptible bodies whereas in the meane space the damned bodies shal be bound both hand
that passage when other men beginne to feare thou snalt lift vp thy head in hope according to thie Saueours wordes for that the time of thy saluation commeth on tel me I say what a day of ioy shal that be vnto thee whē thy soule stepping furth of prison and conducted by the Angels to the tabernacle of heauen shal be receaued there with the honorable companies and troupes of that place with al those hierarchies of blessed spirites that are mentioned in scripture as Principalities Powers Vertues Dominatiōs Thrones Angels Archangels Cherubines and Seraphines with the holie Apostles and Disciples of Christ with Patriarches Prophets Martyrs Virgines Innocentes Confessors holie Bishopes Priestes and other Saints of God Al which as they did reioice at thy conuersion from sinne so shal they triumphe now at thy coronation and glorification What ioye and iubilie wil thy soule receaue at that day deare brother whē she shal be presented by her good Angel in the presence of al thes princelie states before the seat and Maiestie of the blessed Trinitie with recital and declaration of al thy good woorkes donne trauailes sustained for the loue and seruice of almightie God when I say thos blessed spirites shal lay doune in that honorable consistorie al thy vertuous actes with their particularities al thy almes deedes al thy prayers al thy fastinges al thy innocencie of life al thy patience in bearing iniuries al thy constancie in aduersities al thy temperāce in meates and drinkes al the vertues of thy whole life when al I say shal be recounted there al commēded al rewarded shalt thou not see now the value and profite of vertuous liuing shalt thou not cōfesse now from the bottom of thy hart that gaineful and honorable is the seruice of God shalt thou not now be most ioiful and blesse the hower ten thousand times wherein first thou resoluedst thy self to leaue the slauerie of this miserable world to serue onlie so bountiful a Lord shalt thou not think thy self now beholden most deeply to him or her that persuaded thee first to make this resolution yes verily But yet more then this when thou shalt look about thee and consider into what a porte and hauen of securitie thou art arriued and shalt cast backe thin eyes vpon the daungers which thou hast passed and wherein other men are yet in hazard thy cause of ioye shal greatlie be encreased For thou shalt see euidentlie now how infinite times thou were in peril to perish in that iourney if God had not held his special hād ouer thee Thou shalt now see the daungers wherin other men are the death and damnation wherinto many of thy friends and acquaintance haue fallen the eternal paines of hel incurred by sundry that vsed to laugh and be merie with thee in the world Al which shal augment the vnspeakable felicitie of this thy so fortunate a lot And now for thy self thou maist be secure thou art out of al daunger for euer and euer There is no more need now of feare of watch of labour or of care Thou maiest now lay doune al armoure as the children of Israel did when they came into the land of promisse for there is no more enemie to assaile thee there is no more wielie serpent to beguile thee al is peace al is rest al is ioye al is securitie Good S. Paul hath no more need now to fast to watch or to punish his bodie Good old Ierome may now cease to afflict him self both night and day for the conquering of his spiritual enemie Thy onelie exercise must be now to reioice and triumphe and to sing alleluya to the Lābe which hath brought the to this felicitie and wil continue the therin for euerlasting eternitie O dear Christian and most louing brother what excessiue ioy and comfort wil it be at that day to see that holie LAMBE sitting in Maiestie vpon his seate of state If the tree wise men of the East came so farre of and so reioiced to see him lying in a Māger what wil it be to see him now triumphing in his glorie If S. Iohn Baptist did leape at his approching towardes him in his mothers wombe what shal his presence doe in this his royal and eternal kingdome It passeth al other ioye and glorie that Saintes haue in heauen sayeth blessed S. Augustine to be admitted to the inestimable sight of Christ his face and to receaue the beames of glorie from the splendour of his Maiestie And if we were to suffer tormentes euerie day yea to tolerate the verie paines of hel for a time therby to gaine the sight of Christ in heauen to be ioined in glorie to the number of his saintes it were nothing in respect of the worthines of the reward O that we made such accompt of this matter as this holie and learned man did we woulde not liue as we doe nor loose the same for such vaine trifles as most men in the world doe loose it dailie But to goe forward yet some what further in this consideratiō Imagine deare brother besides al this that hitherto hath bene said what a ioye it shal be vnto thy soule at that daye to meet with al her godlie friendes in the kingdome of heauen with father with mother with brethern with sisters with wife with husband with maister with scholers with neigboures with familiers with kinred with acquaintance the welcomes the mirth the swete embracementes that shal be there the inestimable ioy whereof the holie ancient Martyr and most blessed father and doctor S. Cyprian expresseth in thes wordes Who is ther in peregrination abrod saith he that reioiceth not exceedinglie at the verie thought of his returne to his friendes and Contrie O deare brethren heauen is our Contrie the inhabitantes of that place are our friendes and kinsfolk why make we no more haste to salute and imbrace them In heauen an infinit multitude of our parēts brethren children and acquaintance doe expect vs. What a ioy wil it be both to them and vs to meet and imbrace and solace our selues together how inestimable wil the delite of thos heauen lie kingdomes be and how extreme the felicitie wher eternitie of life shal be voide of al feare of death Thus farre S. Cyprian adding further a most vehement exhortation that we should make hast to the attaining of this meeting This then shal be a most high incomprehensible ioy but yet further adde to this the most triumphant exultation that dailie shal be in that place at the fresh arriual of new brethrē and sisters comming thither frō time to time with the spoiles of their enemies conquered vanquished in this world O what a cōfortable sight wil it be to see thos seates of Angels fallen filled vp againe with men and women of flesh frō day to day to see the crownes of glorie set vpon their heades and that in al varietie
This thing ò man that is the kingdome of heauen requireth no other price but thy selfe it is so much vvoorth as thou art vvoorth geue thy self and thou shalt haue it By which he signifieth that euery man how poore or needie soeuer he be in this world may gaine this inheritance to him self may make himself a prince a king a Monarch if he wil euen the meanest and miserabl est man I say vpon earth O most wonderful bountie and liberalitie of our Saueour ô princelie hart and vnspeakable mercie ô incredible prodigalitie in a certaine maner so to say of treasures so inestimable as are the most infinite and endlesse riches of heauen Tel me now gentle reader and most louing and deare brother why wilt thou not accept of this offer of thie Saueour why wilt thou not account of this his kingdome why wilt thou not buye this endles glorie of him for so litle a labour as he requireth for it Hear how earnestly he persuadeth thee to bargaine with him Suadco tibi emere a me saith Christ aurū ignitum probatum vt locuples sias I doe giue thee counsaile to buye of me pure and tried gold to th' end thou maiest be riche Why wilt thou not folow this counsaile deare brother especiallie of a marchant that meaneth not to deceaue thee Nothing can greeue this thie Saue our more then that men wil seek with such paines to buy straw and chaffe in Egipt wheras he wold sel vnto thē fine gold at a lower price and that they wil needes purchase pudle water with more labour and cost thē he wold require for ten times so much pure liquour out of the verie fontaine of life it self There is not the wickedst man that liueth in the world but taketh more trauaile in gaining hel as after more largelie shal be declared then doth the most painful seruant of God in purchasing of heauen and eternal blisse O folie ô madnes Follow not then ô thou careful Christian this fanatical frensie of earthelie wisdome make not thie self partaker of their errour For the day wil come when thou shalt see them doe heauie penance for their sollie at what time thie hart shal be right ioiful that thou hadst neuer any part or portion amōg them Let them goe now and bestow their time in transitorie vanities in finful pleasures and delites of this world let them build now their pleasant palaces let them purchase dignities scrape peeces paches of earth and ground together let them hunt after honours and frame castels in the aier the time wil come ere long if thou belieue Christ him self wherin thou shalt haue sinal cause to enuie their felicitie If they doe imagin and talke baselie now of the glorie and riches of God and of his Saintes in heauen not esteeming them in deed in respect of their owne or contemning them rather for that carnal pleasures are not reconed therin doe thou make litle account of their wordes for that the sensual man vnderstandeth not the things vvhich are of God If horses were promised by their maisters a good feast and banquet most euident it is that they could imagin nothing els but prouander and water to be their best cheere for that they haue no knowledge of daintier dishes so fareth it with thes men who being accustomed only to the pudle of fleshlie pleasures can mount with their mindes to no higher thig thē brutish sensualitie But I haue shewed to thee before gentle reader some waies and considerations to conceaue greater matters albeit as I haue aduertised the often we must confesse stil with S. Paul that no humane hart can conceaue the least parte therof For which cause alse it is not vnlike that S. Paul him self was forbidden to vtter the things which he had seene and heard in his most wonderful miraculous assumption vnto the third heauen Wherfore to conclude at length this whole chapter thou hast to consider my deare and louing brother that this greate Game and Goale of heauēlie blisse which hitherto I haue endeuoured to describe vnto thee is set vp onlie for them that wil runne vnto it as S. Paul wel noteth and no man is crouned in this glorie but such onelie as wil fight for it according as the same Apostle doth teach and forwarne vs. It is not euerie one that saieth to Christ Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but they onelie which shal doe the wil of Christs eternal father that is in heauen Albeit this kingdome of Christ be set out to al men yet euerie man shal not arriue to raigne with Christ but such onelie as shal be content to suffer with Christ. Though the kingdome of heauen be subject to violence as hath bene said yet no man can enter there by force but he onelie whose good deedes shal follow him to make open the gates that is except he enter as the prophet saith vvithout spot and haue vvroght iustice My meaning thē is that as I haue shewed the exceeding greatnes and worthines of this treasure gentle reader so thou being a Christian shouldest also conceaue the right way of gaining the same which is no other by the testimonie of Christ him self but onelie by holie and vertuous life in keping his commandemētes Thou art therfore to sit doune consider according to thy Saueours counsaile what thou wilt doe and determine herin whether thou haue so much spiritual money as is sufficient to build this tower and to make this heauenlie warre or no that is whether thou haue so much good wil and holie manhood in thee as to bestow the paines of a vertuous life if it be rather to be called paines then pleasure required for the gaining of this eternal kingdome This is the question this is the principal pointe this is the verie whole issue of al the matter and hitherto hath appertained whatsoeuer hath bene spoken in this booke before either of thy Creatour and creation of thie particular end or of the Maiestie bountie and iustice of thie God and Saueour as also of the account he wil demand of thee and of the punishment or rewardes laid vp for the life to come Al this I say hath bene meant by me to this onelie end and purpose that thou measuring the one part and the other shouldest finallie resolue thie self what thou wouldest doe and not to passe ouer thy time in careles negligence as manie are accustomed to doe neuer espiing their own errours vntil it be to late to amend them For the loue of God then deare Christian brother and for the loue thou bearest to thy own soule eternal welfare shake of this most dangerous securitie wherin flesh and blood is wont to lulle the careles people of this world make some earnest resolution for looking to thy state in the life to come Recalle to mind oftentimes that worthie sentence Hoc momentum
thou vvilt laye aside o Lord a special chosen rayne or devve for thine inheritance And almightie God him self promiseth to a denout soule by the Prophet Osee I vvil leade her a side into a vvildernesse and there vvil I talke vnto her hart that is I wil cōfort her By al which wordes of vvildernesse separating choise and hidden is signified vnto vs that this cōsolation is a secret priuilege bestowed onelie vpon the vertuous and that the carnal hartes of wicked men haue no parte or portion therin But now how exceeding great and inestimable the sweetnes of this heauenlie wine is to them that taste it no tongue of man or angels can expresse A certaine coniecture onlie may be made by the wordes of holy Dauid whoe attributeth vnto it sufficient force to make al men drunke that taste therof that is to saie to take from them al sense and delectation in terrestrial pleasures according as Peter whē he receaued but a drop or two therof vpon the mount Thabor at his Maisters transfiguratiō forgate him self presentlie and talked as a man distracted touching the building of tabernacles there and restīg in that place for euer This is torrēs voluptatis that sweet streame of pleasure according as the Prophet calleth it which comming from the mountaines of heauē watereth by secret wayes and passages the hartes and spirites of the godly and maketh them drunken with the vnspeakable ioye which it deriueth vnto them This is a kind of taste of the verie ioyes of heauen in this life bestowed vpon good men to comfort and encourage thē in their waye and to keepe them from fainting For as Marchants desirous to sel their wares are content oftē times to let you see hādle and some times also to taste the same if the nature therof so require therby the sooner to induce you to buy euen so almightie God being verie careful and willing to sel vnto vs the ioyes of heauen is content to imparte a certaine taste before hand to such as he seeth are willing to buye thereby to make them come of more roundlie with the price not to sticke to pay so much yea more labour then he requireth This is that exceding ioye and iubilie in the hartes of iust men which the Prophet meaneth when he saieth The voice of exultation and saluation is in the tabernacles of the iust And againe Blessed is that poople that knovveth iubilation That is that people which hath experienced this extreme ioye and pleasure of internal consolation S. Paul had tasted it when he wrote these wordes amiddest al his labours for Iesus Christ I am filled vvith consolation I ouerflovve and super abound in al ioye amiddest our tribulations What can be spoken deare brother more effectuallie then this to shew the diuine force of this spiritual consolation But thou wilt here aske me perhappes if this be so whie thou being a Christian as well as other hast neuer vet tasted of this sweet consolation wherunto I answere that as hath bene shewed before this is not meate for euerie mouth but a chosen moisture prouided for Gods inheritance onelie This is vvine of Gods ovvne seller layed vp for his spouse alone That is for the deuout soule dedicated vnto Gods seruice This is a teate of comfort onelie for the child to sucke as the prophet Esaye testifieth The soule that is drouned in sinful pleasures and delites of this world can not be partaker of this rare benefite neither the harte that is replenished with carnal cares and cogitations For as Gods Arcke and the idole Dagon could not stand together vpon one Aultar so can not Christ and the world stand together in one harte God sent not the pleasant Manna vnto the people of Israel so lōg as their flower and chibols of Egipt lasted nether wil he send this heauenlie consolation vnto thee deare brother vntil thou haue ridde thy self of the cogitations of vanitie He is a wise marchant though a liberal He wil not geue a taste of his treasure where he knoweth there is no wil to buye Resolue thy self once in deede to serue him and thou shalt then feele thi heauenlie ioye wherof I talke as many thousandes before thee haue done and neuer yet any man was herein deceaued Moyses first ranne out of Egipt to the hilles of Madian before God appeared vnto him and so must thy soule doe out of worldlie vanitie before she can looke for these consolations But if thou wouldest resolue thie self effectually once offer thie self througly to his diuine seruice then no doubt but thou shouldest finde most sweet and merciful intertainement aboue al expectatiō notwithstanding thy former euil life and sinnes whatsoeuer For that such is the abūdāt goodnes of his diuine Maiestie for encoraging of al mē to repaire vnto him that he alwayes sheweth more particuler and tender loue towardes them that come newlie vnto his seruice then vnto others which haue serued him of longer time Which is most euidentlie signified by the parable of the prodigal sonne whom the good father cherished with much more tendernes and sollicitude then he did the elder brother which had serued him continuallie And the causes hereof are two the one for the ioye of the new gotten seruant as is expressed by S. Luc in the Ghospel the other least he finding no consolatiō at the beginning should turne back to Egipt againe as God by a figure in the children of Israel declareth most manifestlie in these wordes VVhen Pharao had permitted the people of Israel to depart out of Egipt God brought them not by the countrie of the Philistines vvhich vvas the nearest vvaye thinking vvith him self lest perhappes it might repent them if they should see vvarres streight vvay rise against them so should returne into Egipt againe Behold here the cause whie almightie God would not presentlie permit warre and desolation to fal vpon his people after they were departed out of Egipt least they should repent them and so turne backe again What fatherlie hart can expresse more tender inflamed loue then this YET TO GOE foreward after this priuilege of internal consolation ensueth another making the seruice of God also pleasant and this is the testimonie of a good conscience wherof blessed S. Paul made so great account as he called it his glorie And the Holie Ghost saieth of it further by the mouth of the wise man Secura mens quasi iuge conuiuium a secure mind and good consciēce is as a perpetual feast Of which we may inferre that the vertuous mā hauing alwaies this secure mind and peace of conscience liueth alwaies in festiual ioye and ioiful feasting And how then is this life hard or vnpleasant as you imagine On the contrary side the wicked man hauing his cōscience vexed with the priuitie guilt of many sinnes the same is alwaies tormented with in it self
Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor strength nor height nor depth nor any creature els shal be able to separate vs frō the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Finallie this was the resolution of al the holie Martyrs and Confessors and other seruantes of God wherby they haue withstood the temptations of the deuil the allurementes of flesh and bloode and al the persecutions of tirants exacting things vnlauful at their handes I wil alleage one example more out of holy scripture and that before the comming of Christ but yet nigh vnto the same and therfore no manuaile as the holy fathers doe note though it tooke some heate of Christian feruour and constancie towardes martyrdome The example is wounderful for that in mans sight it was but for a smal matter required at their hādes by the tirantes commandement that is onelie to eate a peece of swines flesh for thus it is recorded in the scripture It hapened seuen brethren to be apprehended together in those dayes and to be broght with their mother to the tyrannous king Antiochus and there to be cōpelled with tormentes of whipping and other instrumētes to the eating of swines flesh against the law At what time one of thē which was the eldest said what doest thou seke or what wilt thou learne out of vs ô king we are readie here rather to die then to breake the auncient lawes of our God Wherat the king being greatlie offended commanded the frying pānes and pottes of brasse to be made burning hote which being redie he caused this first mannes tongue to be cut of together with the toppes of his fingers and toes as also with the skinne of his head the mother and other brethern loking on after this he caused him to be fried vntil he was dead Which being done the second brother was brought to torment after his heare pluckt of from his head together with the skinne they asked him whether he wold yet eate swinnes flesh or no before he was put to the rest of his tormentes wherto he answered noe thervpon was after many tormentes slaine with the other Who being dead the third was taken in hand and being willed to put forth his tongue he held it forth quicklie together with bothe his handes to be cut of saying confidentlie I receaued both tongue and handes from heauen and novv I despise them bothe for the lavve of God for that I hope to receaue them al of him againe And after they had in this forte tormented and put to death six of the brethrē euerie one most cōstantly protesting his faith and the ioye he had to die for Gods cause there remained onelie the yongest whome Antiochus being ashamed that he could peruert neuer a one of the former endeuoured by al meanes possible to draw from his purpose by promising and swearing that he should be a rich and happie man and one of his checi frēdes if he wold yeld But when the youth was nothing moued ther with Antiochus called to him the mother and exhorted her to saue her sonnes life by persuading him to yeld which she feigning to doe therby to haue libertie to speake to her sonne she made a most vehement exhortation to him in the hebrew tongue to slād to it and to die for his conscience which speech being ended the youth cried owt with a loud voice and vttered this noble sentence worthie to be remembred Qucon suslinetis non obtempero praecepto regis sed praecepto legis Whom doe you staye for I doe not obey the commandement of the king but the commādement of the law of God Wher vpon both he and his mother were presentlie after many and sundrie tormentes put to death This then is the constant and immouable resolution which a Christian man should haue in al aduersitie of this life Wher of S. Ambrose saieth thus Gratia praeparandus est animus exercenda mens stabilienda ad constantiam vt nullis perturbari 〈◊〉 possit terroribus vullis frangi mole sliis nullis suppliciis cedere Our minde is to be prepared with grace to be exercised and to be so established in constancie as it may not be troubled with anie terrours brokē with any aduersities yeld to anie punishmentes or tormentes whatsoeuer IF YOV aske me here how a man may come to this former resolution I answere that S. Ambrose in the same place putteth two waies how to attaine the same the one is to remember the endles intolerable paines of hel if we haue it not or doe yeld against our own cōscience for feare the other is to think of the vnspeakable glorie of heauen if we perseuer constant Whereto I wil adde the thirde which with a noble hart may perhappes preuaile as much as either of thē both and that is to consider what others haue suffered before vs especiallie Christ him self and that onelie of mere Ioue and affection towardes vs. We see that in this world louing subiectos doe glorie of nothing more then of their daungers or hurtes taken in bataille for their prince though he neuer tooke blowe for them againe What thē would they doe if their prince had bene afflicted voluntarilie for them as Christ hath bene for vs But if this great example of Christ seeme vnto the to high to imitate looke vpon some of thy brethren before thee made of flesh and blood as thou art see what they haue suffered before they could enter into heauen and thinke not thy self hardlie dealt withal if thou be called to suffer a litle also Saint Paul writeth of al the Apostles together Euen vnto this houre we suffer hungar and thirst lacke of apparel we are beaten with mennes fistes we are'vagabondes not hauing where to staie we labour and worke with our owne handes we are cursed and we doe blesse we are persecuted and we take it patientlie we are blasphemed and we pray for them that blaspheme vs we are made as it were the verie out-castes and purgings of this world euen vnto this day That is though we be Apostles though we haue wrought so many miracles and conuerted so many millions of people yet euen vnto this day are we thus vsed And a litle after describing yet further their liues he saieth we shew our selues as the ministers of God in much patience in tribulations in necessities in distresses in beatinges in imprisonmentes in seditions in labours in watches in fastinges in chastitie in longanimitie in sweetnes of behauiour And of him self in particular he saieth In laboribus plurimis c. I am the minister of God in many labours in imprisonments more then the rest in beatinges aboue measure and oftentimes in death it self Fiue times haue I bene beaten of the Iewes and at euery time had fortie lashes lacking one three times haue I bene whipt with roddes once I was stoned three times haue I suffered ship
his simplicitie was deliuered frō the mouth of lions And so doe you runne ouer by cogitation al generations and you shal see that al those that hope in God shal not be vanquished And doe you not seare the vvordes of a sinful man for his glorie is nothing els but dung and vvormes to daie he is great and exalted and to morovv he shal not be found for he shal returne vnto his earth againe and al his fond cogitations shal perishe Wherfore take courage vnto you my children and plaie the men in the lawe of God For ther in shal be your honour glorie Hitherto are the wordes of scripture which shal suffice for the end of this chapter THE FOVRTH AND GREATEST IMPEDIMENT THAT HINdereth resolution to witte The loue and respect vvhich men beare to the pleasures and vanities of this vvorld CHAPT IIII. AS the former impedimentes which now by Gods grace we haue remoued be in verie deed great staies to many mē from the resolutiō we talke of so this that presently we take in hand is not onely of it self a strong impediment and let but also a general cause as it were a commō ground to al other impedimentes that be or may be For if a man could touch the hidden pulse of al such as refuse or neglect or doe differre to make this resolution he should find the true cause origine therof to be the loue and respect which they beare vnto this world what soeuer other excuses they pretend besides The noble men of Iewrie pretended feare to be the cause why they could not resolue to coniesse Christ openly but S. Iohn that felt their-pulses and knew their disease vttereth the true cause to haue bene for that they loued the glory of men more then the glory of God Demas that for sooke S. Paul in his bandes euen a litle before his death pretended an other cause of his departure to Thellalonica but S. Paul saieth it was quia diligebat hoc seculū for that he loued this world So that this world is a general and vniuersal impediment and more largely dispersed in mens hartes thē outwardly appeareth for that it bringeth forth diuers other excuses therby to couer it self in the people wher it abideth This may be confirmed by that most excellent parable of our Sauiour Christ recorded by three Euangelistes concerning the three sortes of men which are to be damned and the three causes of their damnation wher of the third and last most general including as it were both the two former is the loue of this world For the first sorte of men ther mentioned are compared to a high waie wherin al seed of life that is sowen ether withereth presentlie or els is eaten vp by the birdes of the ayer which is as Christ expoundeth it by the deuils in such careles men as contemne what-soeuer is said vnto thē such are insidels heretikes and other like obstinate and contemptuous people The second sorte of damnable people are compared to rockie groundes in which for lacke of depe roote the seed that falleth continueth not and by this are signified light and vnconstant persons that now choppe in and now runne owt now are seruent and by and by keie-colde againe so in time of tēptation they are gone saith Christ. The third sorte are compared to a feild wherin the seed of life groweth vp but yet there are so many thornes about the same which one father expoundeth to be the cares troubles miseries and deceinable vanities of this life as the good corne is choked vp and bringeth soorth no fruite By which last wordes lie signifieth that whersoeuer the doctrine of Christ groweth vp yet bringeth not forth due fruite that is to saie whersoeuer his faith is planted receaued and professed as among Christians it is and yet bringeth not forth vertuous life holie conuersation good workes and due seruice of God corespōdent to this seed ther the principal cause is for that it is choked with the loue and care of this present world This is a parable of maruailous greate importance as may appeare both for that Christ after the recital therof cried out with a lowde voice He that hath eares to heare let him heare As also for that he expounded it him self in secrete onelie to his Disciples And principallie for that before the exposition therof he vsed such a solemne preface saying to you it is geuen to knovv the misteries if the kingdome of heauen but to others not for that they seing doe not see and hearing doe not heare nor vnder stand Wherby Christ signifieth that the vnderstanding of this parable among others is of singular importance for conceauing the true misteries of the kingdome of heauen and that many are blinde which seeme to see and many deafe and ignorant that seeme to heare and know for that they vnderstand not wel the misteries of this parable For which cause also his diuine wisdome maketh this conclusion before he beginne to expound the parable Happie are your eies that see and biessed are your eares that heare After which wordes he beginneth his exposition with this admonitiō Vos ergo audite parabolam Doe you therfore heare and vnderstand this parable And for that this parable doth containe and touch so much in deede as may or is needful to be saied for remouing of this greate and dangerous impediment of worldly loue I meane to staie my self onelie vpon the explication the ros in this place and wil declare the force and truth of certaine wordes here vttered by Christ of the world and worldlie pleasures And forsome order and methodes sake I wil drawal to these six pointes folowing First how and in what sense al this whole world and commodities therof are meere vanities in them selues and of no value as Christ here signifieth and consequentlie ought not to be an impedimēt to let vs from so great a matter as the kingdome of heauen and seruing of God is Secondlie how they are not onelie vanities and trifles but also Deceptions as the wordes of Christ are that is to say deceyte and fallaces not performing to vs in deede those litle trifles which they doe promise Thirdlie how they are spinae that is pricking thornes as our Saueour affirmeth albeit they seeme to worldly men to be most sweet and pleasant thinges Fourthlie how they are arumnae that is to saie miseries and afflictions Fiftlie quomodo suffocant how they strangle or choke their possessours according as the sonne of God in this parable auoucheth Sixthlie how we may vse them notwithstanding without these daungers euils and to our great comfort gaine and preferment The first point of the parable AND NOVV for the first albeit I might stande vpon many reasons and demonstrations yet doe I not see how breefly pithelie it may be better declared that al the pleasures and goodlie shewes of this world are mere vanities
pleasures of this world are ī deede deceitful thornes and wil proue in the end most bitter and daungerous The 4. point of the parable THE FOVRTH point that we haue to consider is how this word aerumna that is miserie and calamitie may be verified of the world and of the felicitie therof Which thing albeit it may appeare sufficientlie by that which hath bene said before yet wil I for promise sake discusse it a litle further in this place by some particulars And among many miseries which I might here recount the first and one of the greatest is the breuitie and vncertaintie of al worldlie prosperitie O how great a miserie is this vnto a worldlie man that would haue his pleasures cōstant and perpetual O death hovv bitter is thy remembrance saieth the scripture vnto a ma that hath peace in his riches we haue seene many men aduanced not endured two monethes in their prosperitie we haue heard of diuers maried in great ioye and not to haue liued six daies in their selicitie we haue read of straunge matters happened out in thes kindes and we see with our eyes no few exāples dailie What a greefe was it thinke you to Alexander the great that hauīg subdewed in twelue yeres the most part of al the world should be then enforced to die when he was most desirous to liue and when he was to take most ioye and comsort of his victories What a sorow was it to the riche mā in the gospel to heare vpon the suddaine hac nocte euen this night thou must die What a misery wil this be to many wordlings when it commeth who now build palaces purchasse lāds heape riches procure dignities make mariages ioyne kinredes as though there were neuer any end of al thes matters What a dolful day wil this be to them I saie when they must be turned of no otherwise then princes mules are wont to be at the end of a iourney that is their treasure taken frō them and their gauld backes onelie left vnto them selues For as we see thes mules of princes goe al the daie long loaden with treasure and couered with faire clothes but at night shaken of into some sorie stable much brused and gauled with the cariage of those treasures so riche men that passe through this world lodened with gold and siluer and doe gaule greatlie their soulesi cariage therof are despoiled of their burden at the daie of death and are turned of with their wounded cōsciēces to the lothesome stable of hel and damuation An other miserie ioined to the prosperitie of this world is the greuous counterpeare of discontentemētes that euerie worldlie pleasure hath with it Runne ouer euerie delite and solace in this life and see what sauce it hath adioined Aske them that haue had most proofe therof whether they remaine contented or no The possession of riches is accompanied with so many feares and cares as hath bene shewed The aduācemēt of honours is subiect to al miserable scruitude that may be deuised The pleasure of the flesh though it be lauful and honest yet is it accompanied as S. Paul saith vvith tribulation of the flesh But if it be with sinne tēne thou and times more is it enuironed with al kind of miseries Who can recken vp the calamities of our bodie so many diseases so manie infirmities so many mischances so many dangers who can tel the passions of our minde that doe afflict vs now with sorowe now with enuie now with furie who can recount the aduersities and misfortunes that come by our goodes who can number the hurtes and discontentations that dailie ensewe vpon vs frō our neighbours one calleth vs into law for our goods an other pursueth vs for our life a third by slaunder impugneth our good name One afflicteth vs by hatred an other by enuie an other by flatterie an other by deceite an other by reuenge an other by false witnes an other by opē armes There are not so many daies nor houres in our liues as there are miseries and contrarieties in the same And further thē this the euil hath this prerogatiue aboue the good in our life that one defect onelie ouerwhelmeth and drowneth a great nūber of pleasures together As if a man had al the felicities heaped together which this world could yeld and yet had but one toothe out of tune al th' other pleasures would not make him merie Herof you haue a cleare example in Amā cheefe counsailer of king Assuerus who for that Mardochaeus the Iew did not rise to him when he went by nor did honour him as other men did he said to his wife freēdes that al his other felicities were nothing in respect of this one affliction Adde now to this the miserie of darknes and blindnes wherin wordlie men liue as in parte I haue touched before most fitlie prefigured by the palpable darknes of Egypte wherin no man could see his neighbour no man could see his worke no man could see his way such is the darknes wherin woridlie men walke They haue eyes but they see not saith Christ that is though they haue eyes to see the matters of this world yet they are blinde for that they see not the thigs they should see in deed The children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light But that is onelie in matters of this world in matters of darknes not in matters of light wherof they are no children for that the carnal man vnderstandeth not the things which are of God Walke ouer the world and you shal finde men as sharp eyed as Egles in things of earth but the same men as blind as beetles in matters of heauen Her of ensue thos lamentable effects that we see daily of mans lawes so carefully respected and Gods commaundemétes so cōtemptuously reiected of earthly goods sought for and heauenly goods not thought vpon of so much trauaile taken for the body and so litle care vsed for the soule Finally if you wil see in what great blindnes the world doth liue remember that S. Paul comming from a worldling to be a good Christian had skales takē from his eyes by Ananias which couered his sight before when he was in his pride and ruffe of the world Besides al thes miseries there is yet an other miserie greater in some respect thē the former and that is the infinit number of temptations of snares of intisementes in the world wherby men are drawen to perdition daily Athanasius writeth of S. Anthonie the heremite that God reuealed vnto him one day the state of the world and he sawe it al hanged ful of nettes in euery corner and deuilles fitting by to watch the same The prophet Dauid to signifie the verie same thing that is the infinit multitude of snares in this world saieth God shal raine snares vpon sinful
men that is God shal permit wicked mē to fal into snares which are as plentiful in the world as are the droppes of raine which fal doune from heauē Euery thing almost is a deadly snare vnto a carnal and loose harted mā Euery fight that he seeth euery word that he heareth euery thought that he conceaueth his youth his age his freendes his enemies his honour his disgrace his riches his pouertie his compagnie keeping his prosperitie his aduersitie his meate that he eateth his apparel that he weareth al are snares to draw him to destruction that is not watchful Of this then and of the blindnes declared before doth folow the last and greatest miserie of al other which can be in this life And that is the facilitie wherby worldly men doe runne into sinne For truely saieth the scripture miseros facit populos peccatum Sinne is the thing that maketh people miserable And yet how easily men of the world doe commit sinne and how litle scruple they make of the matter Iob signifieth when talking of such a man he saieth bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem He suppeth vp sinne as it were water that is with as great facilitie custome ease aduētureth he vpō any kind of sinne that is offered him as a man drinketh water when he is a thirst He that wil not beleeue the saying of Iob let him proue a litle by his owne experience whether the matter be so or no. Let him walke out into the streetes behold the doinges of men vew their behauiour cōsider what is done in shoppes in halles in consistories in iudgement seates in palaces and in cōmon meeting places abroad what lying what slandering what deceiuing there is He shal find that of al things wherof men doe make any accōpt in the world nothing is so litle accounted of as to commit a sinne He shal see iustice solde veritie wrested shame lost and equitie despised He shal see the innocent condemned the guiltie deliuered the wicked aduaunced the vertuous oppressed He shal see many theeues florish many vsurers beare great sway many murderers and extorsioners reuerenced and honoured many fooles put in authoritie and diuers which haue nothing in them but the forme of men by reason of money to be placed in great dignities for the gouernmēt of others He shal heare at euerie mans mouth almost vanitie pride detraction enuie deceit dissimulation wantōnesse dissolution lying swearing periurie and blaspheming Finally he shal see the most part of men to gouerne them selues absolutely euen as beastes doe by the motion of there passions not by law of iustice reason celigion or vertue The. 5. pointe of the parable OF THIS DOTH ensue the fifte point that Christ toucheth in his parable and which I promised here to handle to wit that the loue of this world choketh vp and strangleth euerie man whom it possesseth fromal celestial and spiritual life for that it filleth him with a plaine contrarie spirite to the spirite of God The Apostle saieth Si quis spiritum Chrsti non habet hic non est cius If any man haue not the spirit of Christ this felow belongeth not vnto him Now how contrarie the spirite of Christ and the spirite of the world is maie appeare by the twelue fruites of Christs spirite reckned vp by S. Paul vnto the Galathians to wit Charitie which is the roote and mother of al good workes Ioye in seruing God peace or trāquilitie of minde in the stormes of this world Patience in aduersitie Longanimitie in expecting our reward Bogitic in hurtig no man Benignitie in sweete behauiour Gentlenes in occasion geuē of anger Faithfulnes in performig our promises Modestie without arrogancie Continencie from alkind of wickednes Chastitie in conseruing a pure minde in a cleane and vnspotted bodie Against thes men saith S. Paul there is no lavv And in the verie same chapter he expresseth the spirite of the world by the contrarie effectes saying the worcks of flesh are manifest which are fornication vncleannes wantonnes lecherie idolatrie poysonninges enemities contentious emulations wrath strife dissention sectes enuie murder drōkennes glutonie and the like of which I fortel you as I haue tolde you before that those men which doe such things shal neuer obteine the kingdome of heauen Here now may euery man iudge of the spirit of the world and of the spirit of Christ and applying it to him self may coniecture whether he holdeth of the one or of th' other S. Paul geeueth two pretie short rules in the very same place to trye the same The first is They vvhich are of Christ haue crucifie ltheir flesh vvith the vices concupisconces therof That is they haue so mortified their owne bodies as they commit none of the vices and sinnes repeated before nor yeld not willinglie vnto the concupiscences or temptations therof The second rule is if vve liue in spirite then let vs vvalke in spirit That is our walking behauiour is a signe whether we be aliue or dead For if our walking be spiritual such as I haue declared before by the twelue fruites therof then doe we liue and haue life in spirite but if our workes be carnal such as S. Paul now hath described then are we carnal and dead in spirite nor haue we any thing to doe with Christ or portion in the kingdome of heauē And for that al the world is ful of those carnal workes and bringeth forth no fruites in deede of Christs spirit nor permitteth them to grow or prosper within her thence is it that the scripture alwaies putteth Christ and the world for opposite and open enemies Christ him self saith that the vvorld can not receaue the spirit of trueth And againe in the same Euangelist he saieth that nether he nor anie of his are of the world though they liue in the world And yet further in his most vehement prayer vnto his father Pater iuste mundus te non cognouit iust father the world hath not knowen thee For which cause S. Iohn writeth If any man loue the vvorld the loue of the Father is not in him And yet further S. Iames that vvbs soeuer desireth only to be a sreend of this vvorld is therby made an enemie to God What wil worldly mē saie to this S. Paul affirmeth plainlie that this world is to be dāned And Christ insinuateth the same in S. Iohns gospel but most of al in that wonderful fact of his whē praying to his Father for other matters he excepteth the world by name Non promun lo saith he I doe not aske mercie and perdone for the world but for those which thou hast geuen me out of the world Oh what a dreadful exception is this made by the Sauiour of the world by the lambe that taketh awaie al sinnes by him that asked perdone euen for his tourmentours and crucifiers to except I saie now the world
by name from his mercie Oh that worldlie men would consider but this one point onelie they would not I think liue so voide of feare as they doe Can any man maruaile now why S. Paul crieth so carefully vnto vs nolite conformari huic saeculo cōforme not your selues to this world againe that we should renounce vtterly al secular desires Can any man maruaile why S. Iohn which was most priuie aboue al others to Christs holy meaning herein saieth to vs in such earnest sorte Nolite diligere mundum nequè ea quae in mundo sunt doe not loue the world nor any thing that is in the world If we may nether loue it nor so much as conforme our selues vnto it vnder so great paines as are before rehearsed of the enimitie of God and of our eternal damnation what shal become of thos mē that doe not onely cōforme them selues vnto it and to the vanities therof but also doe folowe it seeke after it rest in it and doe bestow al their labours and trauailes vpon it If you aske me the cause why Christ so hateth and abhorreth this world Saint Iohn telleth you Quia mundus totus in maligno positus est for that al the whole world is set on noughtines for that it hath a spirite contrarie to the spirite of Christ as hath bene shewed for that it teacheth pride vainglorie ambition enuie reuēge malice with pleasures of the flesh and al kinde of vanities And Christ on the contrarie side preacheth al humilitie meekenes perdoning of enemies abstinence chastitie sufferance mortification bearing the Crosse with cōtempt of al earthlie pleasures for the kingdome of heauen Christ hateth it for that it persecuteth the good aduanceth the euil for that it rooteth out vertue and planteth al vice And finalie for that it shutteth the doores against Christ when he knocketh and strangleth the hart that once it possesseth Wherfore to conclude this part seing this world is such a thing as it is so vaine so deceitful so troublesome so dangerous seing it is a professed enemie to Christ excommmunicated and damned to the pit of hel seing it is as one father saieth an arcke of trauaile a schole of vanities a marcket of deceite a laberinthe of errour seing it is nothing els but a barraine wildernes a stonie field a dirtie stie a tempestuous sea seing it is a groue ful of thornes a medowe ful of scorpions a flourishing garden without fruite a caue ful of poisoned and deadlie basiliskes seing it is finallie as I haue shewed a fountaine of miseries a riuer of teares a faigned fable a delectable frensie seing as Saint Austen saieth the ioy of this world hath nothing els but false delite true asperitie certaine sorowe vncertaine pleasure trauailsome labour fearful rest greeuous miserie vaine hope of felicitie seing it hath nothing in it as S. Chrisostome saith but teares shame repentāce reproche sadnes negligences labours terrours sicknes sinne and death it self seing the worlds repose is ful of anguish his securitie without foundation his feare without cause his trauailes without fruite his sorowe without profit his desires without successe his hope without rewarde his mirthe without continuance his miseries without remedies seing thes and a thousande euils more are in it no one good thing can be had from it who wil be deceiued with this visard or allured with this vanitie hereafter who wil be staied from the noble seruice of God by the loue of so fond a trifle as is this world And this to a reasonable man may be sufficiēt to declare the insufficiencie of this third impediment The. 6. point of this chapter BVT YET NOVV for satisfying my promisse in the beginuing of this chapter I haue to adde a word or two in this place how we may auoide the foresaid daungers of this world as also vse it vnto our gaine and commoditie And for the first to auoide the daungers seing there are so many snares and trappes as hath bene declared there is no other waie but onelie to vse the refuge of birdes in auoiding the dangerous snares of fowlers that is to mounte vp into the ayer and so to flie ouer them al. Frustra tacitur rete ante oculos pennatorum saith the wise man that is the net is laide in vaine before the eies of such as haue winges and can flie The spies of Hierico though many snares were laide for them by their enemies yet they escaped al for that they walked by hilles saieth the scripture Which place Origen expounding saieth that there is no waye to auoide the daungers of this world but to walke vpon hilles and to imitate Dauid that saied Leuaui oculos meos ad montes vnde ve 〈◊〉 auxiliū mihi I lifted vp mine eies vnto the hilles frō whence al mine aide and assistāce came for auoiding the snares of this world And then shal we saie with the same Dauid Anima nostra sieut passer erepta est de laqueo venantium Our soule is deliuered as a sparo we from the snare of the fowlers We must saie with S. Paul Our conuersation is in heauen and then shal we litle feare al thes deceites and daungers vpon earth For as the fouler hath no hope to catch the birde except he can allure her to pitch and to come doune by some meanes so hath the deuil no way to entangle vs but to say as he did to Christ mitte te deorsum throw thy self doune that is pitch doune vpon the baites which I haue laid eate and deuour them enamour thy self with them tie thine appetite vnto them and the like Which grosse and open temptation he that wil auoide by contemning the alluremēt of thes baites by flying ouer them by placing his loue and cogitations in the mountaines of heauenly ioyes eternitie he shal easily escape al daungers and perils King Dauid was past them al when he saied to God VVhat is there for me in heauen or vvhat doe I desire besides thee vpon earth my flesh and my harte haue fainted for desire of thee Thou art the God of my hart and my portion ô Lord for euer Saint Paul also was past ouer thes daungers when he saied that now he was crucified to the world and the world vnto him and that he esteemed al the wealth of this world as meere dung and that albeit he liued in flesh yet liued he not according to the flesh Which glorious example if wee would folow in contemning and despising the vanities of this world and fixing our mindes on the noble riches of Gods eternal kingdome to come the snares of the deuil would preuaile nothing at al against vs in this life Touching the second point how to vse the riches and commodities of this world to our aduantage Christ hath laied doune plainly the meanes Facite vobis amicos de Māmonainiquitatis Make vnto you freendes of
baptised for the gaining of heauen But it shal not be amisse perhappes to alleage S. Austens very wordes vpon this matter For thus he writeth It is a remediles peril when a man giueth him self ouer so much to vices as he forgeteth that he must geue accōpt therof to God And the reason why I am of this opinion is for that it is a great punishment of sinne to haue lost the feare and memorie of the iudgement to come c. But dearlie beloued least perhappes the newe felicitie of the beleeuing theefe on the Crosse doe make any of you too secure and remisse least peraduenture some of you saye in his hart my guiltie cōscience shal not trouble nor torment me my naughtie life shal not make me verie sadde for that I see euen in a momēt al sinnes forgeuen vnto the theefe we must consider first in that theefe not onelie the shortnes of his beleefe and confession but his deuotion and the occasion of that time euen when the perfection of the sust did staggar Secondlie shew me the faith of that theefe in thy self and then promise to thy self his felicitie The deuil doth put into thy head this securitie to the end he may bring thee to perdition And it is vnpossible to number al them which haue perished by the shadowe of this deceitful hope He deceiueth him self and maketh but a ieste of his owne damnatiō which thinketh that Gods mercie at the last daie shal help or releeue him It is hateful before God when a man vpon confidence of penance in his old age doth sinne the more freelie The happie theefe wherof we haue spoken happie I saie not for that he laied snares in the waie but for that he tooke hold of the waie it self in Christ laying handes on the praie of life and after a strange maner making a bootie of his owne death he I saie nether did deferre the time of his saluatiō wittinglie nether did he deceitfullte put the remedie of his estate in the last momēt of his life nether did he desperatlie reserue the hope of his redemotion vnto the houre of his death nether had he any knowlege ether of religion or of Christ before that time For if he had had perhappes he would not haue bene the last in number among the Apostles which was first in the king some of heauen By thes wordes of S. Augustin we are admonished as you see that this particular facte of Christ maketh no general rule of remission to al men not for that Christ is not alwaies redie to receaue the penitent as he promiseth and was to receaue this theef but for that euerie man hath not the time or grace to repent as he should at the last houre according as hath bene declared before The general waie that God proposeth to al is that which S. Paul saith Finis secundum opera ipsorum The end of euil men is according to their workes Looke how they liue and so they die To that effect saieth the prophet Once God speke and I heard thes tvvo things from his mouth Povver belongeth to God and mercie vnta thee ô. Lord for that thou vvilt render to euery man according to his vvorkes The wise man maketh this plaine saying the vvay of simers is paued vvith stones and their ende is hel darkenes and punishmentes Finally S. Paul maketh this general and peremptorie cōclusion Be not deceiued God is not mocked looke vvhat a man sovveth and that shal be reape He that sovveth in flesh shal reape corruption he that sovveth in spirit shal reape life euerlasting In which wordes he doeth not onely lay downe vnto vs the general rule wherto we must trust but also saieth further that to persuade our selues the cōtrary therof were to mocke abuse God which hath laied doune this general law vnto vs. Notwith standing as I haue said this general law barreth not the mercie of almightie God from vsing a priuilege to some particular man euen at the verie last cast But yet miserable is that soule which placeth the ancker of his eternal wealth or woe vpon so tyclesome a point as this is I cal it ticlesome for that al diuines who haue writen of this matter doe speake verie dowtfullie of the penance or conuersiō of a man at the last end And albeit they doe not absolutely condemne it in al but doe leaue it as vncertaine vnto Gods secret iudgement yet doe they incline to the negatiue part and doe alleage fower reasons for which that conuersion is to be doubted as insufficient for a mans saluation The first reason is for that the extreme feare paines of death being as the philosopher saith the most terrible of al terrible thinges doe not permit a man cōmonlie so to gather his spirites senses at that time as is required for the treating of so weightie a matter with almightie God as is our conuersion and saluation And if we see often times that a vetie good mā can not fixe his minde earnestlie vpon heauenlie cogitations at such time as he is troubled with the passions of cholicue or other sharpe diseases how much lesse in the anguishes of death can a worldlie man doe the same being vnacquainted with that exercise and lodened with the guilt of many and great sinnes and cloyed with the loue both of his bodie and things belonging therunto The second reason is for that the conuersion which a man maketh at the last day is not for the most part voluntarie but vpon necessitie and for feare such as was the repentance of Semei who hauing greeuously offended king Dauid in time of his affliction afterward when he saw him in prosperitie againe and him self in daunger of punishment he came and fel doune before him and asked him forgiuenes with teares But yet Dauid wel perceiued the matter how it stood and therfore albeit he spared him for that day wherein he would not trouble the myrth with execution of iustice yet afterwards he gaue order that he should be vsed according to his deserts The third reason is for that the custome of sinne which hath continued al the life long can not easely be remoued vpon the instant being growen now as it were into nature it self For which cause God saieth to euil men by the prophet Ieremie If an Ethiopian can change his black shinne or a leoparde his spottes that are on his backe then can you also doe vvel hauing learned al dayes of your Life to doe euil The fowerth cause is for that the actes of vertue them selues can not be of so great value with God in that instant as if they had bene done in time of health before For what great matter is it for exāple sake to pardō thy enemies at that time when thou canst hurt thē no more to geue thy goodes awaie when thou canst vse them no more to abandon thy concubine when thou canst keepe her
540. The 2. 3. partes of the same chap. how and by how many waies God expresseth his forsaid loue vnto vs and what assurance he geueth of pardon to such as repent from Pag. 540. vnto 560. Tuesday The 4. part of the same chap. containing exāples and instructions how to auoide temptations of desperation 560. The 1. part of the 2. chap. of the fallacie of suppused difficulties with the particuler helpes to ouercome the same Pag. 570. vnto 618. VVednesday The 2. part of the same chap. containing means and instructions for ouercomming of difficulties Pag. 618. vnto the end The first 2. pointes of the 3. chap. about Tribulatiō beginning Pag. 631. vnto 656. Thursday The second 2. pointes of the same chap. begīning Pag. 656 vnto the end of the cha The 1. point of the 4. chap. treating of the vanities of the world Pag. 688. vntil 720. Friday The other partes of the same chap. 720. vntil the ende The 5. chap. of examples of Resolution Saturday The sixt chap. against Presumption The 7. chap. of Delay Sonday The first part of the 8. chap. of Slothe vntil Pag. 861. The 2. and 3. partes of the same chap. treating of Negligence and hardnes of hart from Pag. 860. vntil the ende FINIS A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS HANDLED in this booke A ACcompting day 349. Tvvo accompting daies or iudgements and the reasons therof 352. Angels appearing at the houre of death 434. Antichrist vvhat vvonderful slaughter he shal make at his comming 358. Apostles called by Iesvs 225. their miraculous doings 251. Archilaus Herodes sonne hovv he ended 275. Arist rus a Gentile vvhat testimony he giueth to our scriptures 79. Ascension of Christ proued 243. Atheists of old time 34. vvhat Zeno said of their deathes 〈◊〉 9. Tvvo causes of Atheisme in thes our daies 862. S. Augustins most notable conuersion 620. B S. Iohn Baptists behauiour to Christ and the vvhole story proued 118. Beautie hovv vaine a thing 706. Beginners in Gods seruice cheefly by God cherished 596. hovv they must behaue them selues 619. The better men they are to be aftervvards the greater cōflicts they haue at their conuersion 617. Benefits of God bestovved vpon vs 407. Bethleem appointed before for Christs Natiuitie 209. Bondage and slauery of vvicked men to their sensuality 607. Bookes of deuotion mere profitable then of controuersies praef 6. a. only vvriten by Catholiques 9 a. vvhy they can not be vvritē by Heretiques Ibid. 22. a. Buny hovv he hath set forth this booke of mine praef 10. b. vvhy he dedicateth the same to my L. of Yorke Ibid. 8. a His ignorāce 8. b. He maketh his aduersaries to speake like him self Ibid. 11. a. He inserteth parētheses Ibi. 11. b. He maketh marginal notes Ibid. 12. a. He thrusteth out Ib. 14. a. He mangleth Ib. 15. a. His foolish pacification Ibid. b. C Catholique vvhat it meaneth vvhy inuented 305. vvho is a good Catholique 308. Charitable deeds of our forfathers 343. Christ promised diuersly 141. promised as a spiritual and not a temporal K. 144. promised to be God and man 152. that he should change Moyses lavv 162. hovv he vvas fortold to Gentiles 169. false Christs diuers 203. Christs birth and infancy 207. Christs doctrine vvhat it vvas 220 his Passion and Resurrection 229. Christian Religiō proued pa. 131. It hath bene in substance from the beginning of the vvorld and none euer saued but by it 134. The definition of a good Christian. 338. Christian faith can not be obscure 300. Christian vvisdome vvherin it standeth 340. Christian vocation hovv perfect if it vvere fulfilled 344. Church of Christ hovv it encreased streight after he departed 246. Clemency and mercy hovv vvonderful in Christ. 558. Concupiscence and vvhat misery it bringeth men vnto by yeelding therunto 334. Consideration See the vvhole Chapter pag. 1. See inconsideration Consolation internal of Gods seruants 595. the force therof 593. Conuersion hovv it ought to be made 619. Item 628. VVhy it auaileth not ordinarily vvhen it is made at the last instant 835. The vvatche of Christians the dore vvherof is Consideration 13. D Death hovv terrible it vvil be See the vvhole 10. chap. 419. the causes of miserie to vvordly men in the same 413. the frequent premeditation of death most profitable 440. Delay of our conuersion from day to day hovv dangerous and hurtful See the vvhol 〈◊〉 chapt par 1. the cause vvhy the diuel persuadeth vs to delay 819. Dispaire of Gods mercie hovv greeuous a sinne and hovv to be auoided chap. 1. part 2. pag. 523. 524. 525. c. Hovv to resist al temptations of the diuel therunto pag. 561. 562. c. Difficulties vvhich are imagined in vertuous life remoued See al the 2. chapt 570. Doctrine of Christ vvhat it vvas 220. E The Ende for vvhich man vvas created cha 3. pa. 110. Enimies of Christ and Christians vvhat end they haue 274. Eternitie vvhat a thing it is and hovv to be esteemed 470. Euangelistes of Christes did vvrite most truly 258. F Fatherhood vvhat à thing it is by comparison of God tovvarde mankind 533. 534. c. Faith is easily discerned in Christian religion vvhich is the true 301 at large The vvaye to auoide al errour in beleefe 303. Faith vvithout vvorkes is not sufficiēt Feare of Godes iudgementes necessarie 398. lacke of feare proceedeth of infidelitie 406. the force of Feare 445. the praise of true Feare 810. tvvo kindes of Feare 813. Felicitie of man and beastes 54. G Gentiles hovv they had Christ fortold vnto them 169. vnto 184. Holy Ghost vvhat he did at his comming 247. Glorified bodies haue 7. priuileges 495. God is proued against Atheistes 25. God proued one by al sectos of Philosophers 51. Grace of God hovv strong and forcible 579. 580. c. H Hardnes of hart hovv dangerous an impediment 867. tvvo degrees thei of ibid. Heauen and the revvardes ther resorued see the vvhol 12. chapt Hovv the greatnes therof is found out 483. Heauen hovv it is bought 515. Heresies hovv they first rose and vvhy and hovv they are auoided 306. tvvo causes of Heresies vvith their effectes 311. Heretical practice in corrupting bookes prefat 9. b. Heretical pride Ib. 16. Herod Ascolonita or the elder vvhat he vvas hovv he rose and hovv he liued 189. hovv miserably he died 124. 8 274. Herod Antipas or the second his ende 124 175. Herod Agrippa hovv he died 125. 276. see the death of Herodias Ibid. Hel the names nature therof 456. The intollerable paines therof 459. Honour of the vvorld hovv vaine 701. Hope in the good bade hovv different 599. I Ievvishe nation hovv obstinate against Christian religion according as vvas foreprophetied 184. hovv they vvere chastened and destoyed 278. 279 c. Ignorance voluntarie hovv greeuous a thing pa 8. 9. Immortalitie of the soule proued therby also God being 47. Inconsideration soe chap 1.
eternitie 8. Darckenes in hel Mat. 8. 22 9. The derisiō that shall e vsed tovvards the damned Psal. 36. OF the paines OF damage Esa. 26. The vvorme of conscience Mar. 9. Esa. 66. Eccle. 7. Iudit 6. The cogitationis of the dāned The time of eternal vveeping Sap. 5. The passing cōmoditie of the preset time Luc. 16. Greate negligence ouer sight The conclusion God the best Paimaister Mat. 10. Matc. 9. Gen. 22. Liberal pai mēt for litle paines 2. Reg. 7. Psal. 88. Mat. 20. Apoc. 22. * In the secōd part 2. chap. of this booke Luc. 14. THE. 1. part OF the revvard in general Mat. 25. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Pet. 1. Luc. 14. 1. Cor. 2. Esa. 64. Apoc. 2. Hovv the greatnes of heauēlie ioy is found out Apoc. 2. 3. Mat. 16. Lue. 10. Apo 21. 22. The discription of paradise vsed by S. Iohn Heb. 1. Math. 13. The magnificencie of God expressed diuerslie 1. By the creatiō of Angels * See S. Thom. part 1. q. 50. art 3. Dionis de caelesti Hier. c. 〈◊〉 Dan. 7. Psal. 102. 2. By the creation of the vvorld for man Mark this collection Hest. 1. 3. By the promisse of a banquet Esa. 25. Luc. 12. 4. By the plea sures cōmodities of this life Apoc. 19. August soliloq c. 2. Apcc. 19. Psal. 30. By the honour that God hath vsed to his seruantes in this life 1. Reg. 2. Psal. 138. Luc. 12. Mat. 19. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 6. Mat. 10. Gen. 12. 14. 20. Abraham Exo. 5. 6. 7. 8. Moyses Iosue Iosu. 10. Esa. 38. Helias 3. Reg. 17 Elizeus 4. Re. 5. 4. Re. 13. Th' Apostles Act. 5. Act. 19. Act. 5. Ioh. 18. 2. Tim. 4. Apo. 4. 6. By the 3. places vvherto a man is appointed Mark the collection THE. 2. part OF THE tvvo partes of felicitie in heauen First of the soule Secōd of the bodie 1. Cor. 15. Sap. 9. Ephe. 4. * See S. Tho. 3. par q. 82. in supple In l. de simi c. 48. 49. Seuen priuileges of the glorified bodies 1. Beautie Mat. 13. 2. Agilitie Mat. 22. 3. Strength Cap. 52. 4. Penetrabilitie Ioh. 20. 5. Health 6. Pleasure Ansel. c. 5v vbi sup Psal. 35. 7. Perpetuitie Sap. 5. * Al thes thinges Bun. either reiectath or māgleth perhap pes as not appertainīg to the bodies of Protestātes The 2. part of felicitie called essen tial pertaining to the faule Aug. lib. de trin c. 13. Ioh. 17. 1. Cor. 13. Hovv the visiō of God shal make men happie God to the saued shal be al in al. Mug. lib. 4. de anima ca. 15. Psal. 13. Knoledge Loue. The greatnes of ioye in heauen Mat. 25. Psal. 83. The speech of S. Augustine touching the vision of God Tract 4. in ep Ioau cap. 36. foliloq Mat. 5. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 13. Psal. 4. Gen. 15. Ioh. 17. THE. 3. part OF circumstances increasing the ioyes of heauen S. Augustines apprehensiō of the ioyes of heauen Phil. 4. Esa. 51. Esa. 35. Psal. 103. Psal. 20. 1. Of the ioiful mutatiō as a iust mās death Luc. 21. Ephe. 1. Colos. 1. 1. The. 1. Esa. 6. Luc. 15. 2. The ioye of securitie Iosu. 21. 22. Gen. 3. Sap. 17. 1. Cor. 9. Iero. cp 22. ad Eusto Apo. 19. 3. The seing of Christ in glorified flesh Mat. 2. Inc. 1. Serm. 37. de sanctis 4. Meetinge vvith our frindes in heauen The saving of S. Cypriā l. de mortalit iu sine * Bun. reiecteth here this beleefe of S. Cypriā touching Knovvledge in heauē of fathers mothers c. But euerie man of reason can put a difference betvvene a Cyprian and a Buney 5. The dailie arriual of nevv brethrē to heauen 2. Tit. 4. Apo. 2. 3. 4. Lib. de mor tal A similitude expres sing the sud den ioy of the iust after their de parture The value of heauen and th' account that old Sainctes made there of Heb. 12. Mat. 13. Philip. 3. Icrom in catalogo Ser. 31. de sanctis 1. Cor. 1. 2. 3. Psal 4. WHERunto a Christian is borne by Baptisme Gal. 3. 4. Ephe. 1. 5. Colos. 3. Tit. 3. Rom. 8. Iacob 2. Heb. 1. 9. 1. Pet. 1. 3 2. Pet. 3. Apoc. 1. Mat. 19. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 6. Apo. 1. 4. Luc. 12. Math. 11. * Note that Bun. thrusteth out as vvel thes vvordes of Christ as thos that insuc of S. Au gustin and therby shevveth that he spareth th' Euāgelist no more then anciēt fathers vvhen he mistiketh their vvritinges Serm. 37. de sanctis The buying of heauen Apoc. 3. Exo. 5. Icre 2. Apo. 21. The folie of seeking vvorldlie vanities Luc. 6. Luc. 12. Math. 26. 1. Cor. 2. Ep. lad A similitude 1. Cor. 2. 2. Co. 12. The cōclusion vvith th' application of al that hath bene said 1. Cor. 6. Phil. 3. 2. Tim. 2. 1. Ti. 6. Heb. 12. Mat. 7. 19 25. Rom. 8. Mat. 11. Apo. 14. 20. Psal. 14. Math. 7. 19. Ioh. 14. Luc. 14. The final end of al that hath bene said An exhortation A saying to be remembred Th' effect of the first part The subtilitie of the diuel The effect of this secōd part Dispaire an ordinarie temptations to the greatest sinners Caini Gen. 4. Iudas Mat. 27. The ship vvrak of soules ouerloded vvith sinnes Prou. 18. Iere. 3. Mich. 〈◊〉 The miserie of desperation Osee 11. Iere. 2. Ephe. 4. The thing vvherin God most deliteth is mercie A desperat resolution Pere 18. A maruelous exāple of Gods cleinencie An other example of Godes vvōderful mercie Eze. 33. * Iudgment and iustice to be vsed in true repentance that is iudgment vpon our selues and iustice tovvardes others Fovver partes of this chapter THE. 1. part TOVCHING the loue that God beareth tovvardes man Iob. 7. Sap. 11. 1. The first cause vvhie God loueth vs for that he is our Creator vve are his ovvne vvorkes Ezec. 18. Euerie man giuē to loue his ovvne Psal. 〈◊〉 Esa. Iob. 1. The confidēce of Iob in that God had made him Th' assured hope Dauid had in that he vvas Gods vvork manship Psal. 102. The second reason of assurance of Gods loue for that he is our Father Mat. 5. 6. 8. c. Math. 6. VVhat a father God is Gal. 4. Esa. 63. Christes cōfortable em bassage Ioan. 20. Hovv greatlie the respect of a father moueth God Iere. 31. Iere. 31. Luc. 1. vo 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preal sonne 2. Cor. 1. Ber. ser. 5. de natal Psal. 35. VVhat the name of Fa ther doth import Esa. 49. The. 3. argument of Gods loue the geeuing in 's sonne for vs. Ioh. 3. 1. Ioa. 4. Christ vvas geuen for loue Rom. 5. Ephe. 2. The cōclusion of this point made by S. Paul Tit. 3. Rom. 5. THE. 2. part Hovv God expresseth his loue tovvardes sinners Cap. 11. Cap. 12. Tvvo rare pointes of 〈◊〉 in God Esa. 30. Tertul. in Apol. ca. 2. God that is offended seeketh attonment vvith vs. Gods vvooing
wrake A day and a night was I in the bottome of the sea oftentimes in iourneys in dangers of fluddes in dāgers of theeues in dangers of Iewes in dāgers of Gentiles in dangers of the citie in dāgers of wildernes in dangers of sea in dangers of false brethren in labour and trauaile in much watching in hungar and thirst in much fasting in cold and lack of clothes and besides al thes external thinges the matters that dailie doe depēd vpō me for my vniuersal care of al Churches By this we may see now whether Christs holy Apostles taught vs more by wordes then they shewed by their owne examples about the necessitie of suffering in this life Christ might haue prouided for them if he would at leastwise thinges necessarie to their bodies and not haue suffered them to come into thes great extremities of lacking clothes to their backes meate to their mouthes and houses to pat their heades in He that gaue thē authoritie to doe so manie other miracles might haue suffered them also to haue procured sufficient maintenance for their bodies which should be the first miracle that worldly men would worke if they had such authoritie Christ might haue saied to Peter when he sent him to take his tribut from out of the fishes mouth take so much more as wil suffice for your necessary expēces when you trauaile ouer foraine countries But he woulde not nor yet diminish the great afflictions which I haue shewed before though he loued them as dearely as euer he loued his owne soule Al which was done as S. Peter interpreteth to geue vs example what to folow what to looke for what to desire what to comsort our selues in amiddest the greatest of al our tribulatiōs Saint Paul vseth this as a principal consideration when he writeth thus to the Hebrewes vpon the recital of the sufferinges of other saintes before thē Wherfore we also brethren saieth he hauing so great a multitude of witnesses that haue suffered before vs let vs lay of al burdens of sinne hanging vpon vs and let vs runne by patience vnto the battaile offered vs fixing our eyes vpon the authour of our saith and fulfiller of the same IESVS who putting the ioyes of heauen before his eyes sustained patiētly the Crosse contemning the shame and confusion therof and therfore now sitteth at the right hand of the seate of God Thinke vpon him I say which sustained such a contradictiō against him self at the hādes of sinners be not wearie nether faint yee in courage For you haue not yet resisted against sinne vnto blood and you haue for gotten perhaps that comfortable saying which speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne doe not contemne the discipline of our Lord and be not vvearie vvhee thou art chastised of him For whom God loueth he chastiseth and he whippeth euery sonne whom he receaueth Perseuer therfore in the correctiō laied vpon you God offereth him self to you as to his children For what child is there whom the father correcteth not if you be out of correction wherof al his children are made partakers then are you bastardes not children Al correction for the present time when it is suffered seemeth vnpleasant and sorowful but yet after it bringeth foorth most quiet fruite of iustice vnto them that are exercised by it Wherfore strengthen vp your wearie handes and loosed knees make way to your feete c. That is take courage vnto you and goe forward valiantly vnder the Crosse laied vpon you This was the exhortation of this holy captaine vnto his countrie man souldiers of IESVS Christ the Iewes Saint Iames the brother of our Lord vseth an other exhortation in his Catholike epistle to al Catholikes not much different from this Be you therfore patient my brethren saith he vntil the cōming of our Lord. Beholde the husbandman expecteth for a time the fruite of the earth so pretious vnto him bearing patientlie vntil he may receaue the same in his season be you therfore patient and comfort your hartes for that the cōming of our Lord wil shortlie draw neere Be not sadde and complaine not one of an other Beholde the Iudge is euen at the gate Take the prophetes for an example of labour and patience who spake vnto vs in the name of God Beholde we account them blessed which haue suffered You haue heard of the sufferance of Iob and you haue seene Isa e that our Lord is merciful and ful of compassion I might here alleage many things more out of the scripture to this purpose for that the scripture is moste copious herein and in verie deed if it should al be melted and poured out it would yeld vs nothing els almost but touching the crosse and patient bearing of tribulatiō in this life But I must end for that this chapter groweth to long as the other did before And therfore I wil onelie for my conclusion set down the confession and most excellent exhortation of olde Mathathias in the time of the cruel persecution of Antiochus against the Iewes The storie is thus reported in the scripture At that time the officers of Antiochus said vnto Mathathias thou art a prince of greatest estate in this citie adorned with children and brethern come thou therfore first and doe the kinges commādement as other men haue done in Iuda and Ierusalem and thou and thy children shal be the kings freends and enriched with gold and siluer and many giftes frō him Wherto Mathathias answered with a loude voice if al nations should obey Antiochus to depart from the obedience of the lawes of their auncestours yet I my children and brethern wil folow the lawes of our fathers Let God be merciful vnto vs at his pleasure c. And the daies came of Mathathias his death and then he saied vnto his children Now is the time that pride is in her strength Now is the time of chastisemēt towardes vs the time of euersion indignation is come Now therfore ô Children be you zelous in the lawe of God yeld vp your liues for the testament of your fathers remember the workes of your auncestours what they haue done in their generations and so shal you receaue great glorie and eternal name Was not Abraham found faithful in time of temptation and it was reputed vnto him for iustice Ioseph in time of his distresse kept Gods commandementes and was made Lord ouer al Egypt Phinees our Father for his zeale towardes the lawe of God receaued the testament of an euerlasting presthode Iosue for that he fulfilled Gods word was made a captaine ouer al Israel Caleb for that he testified in the Church receaued an inheritance Dauid for his mercie obteined the seat of an eternal kingdome Elias for that he was zealous in zeale of the lawe was taken vp to heauen Ananias Azarias and Misael through their beleefe were deliuered from the flame of the fire Daniel for