spend in this idle sort all that a man hath or can possesse in this world may be drawne to two heads the one is time which how precious it is I neede not tell but if it were ten times more it were all too little to spend in our way to heauen The other is our goods that is to say all we haue whether they be of minde as reason witte will memory learning and such like or of body health strength actiuity prowesse eloquence or of outward fortunes as riches honour pleasures and the like all which is heere called Siluer Apoc. 21. as in heauen all is gold And this is the siluer the holy Prophet speaketh of when he asketh vs this question after a manner of increpation or in chiding sort saying why spend yee all these things and not in bread But holy Prophet of God shall I aske thee a question didst thou euer know any that spent much and cared not how much and that much of it was not in bread could hee liue without eating did he not feast and make merry and could this be done without bread which if thou canst not deny why doest thou say they spend and not in bread I acknowledge thee Gods Prophet and vpon this infallible word by thee deliuered I must build to day thy thought must bee my theame thy spirit my text as neere as I can Bread was therefore heere but an allegory or figuratiue speech and by it is meant the bread of life or bread of the soule as appeareth by that which followeth tending all to the soule and not to the body where hee saith soone after Hearing heare me and eate that is good and yoursoule hee saith not your body shall bee delighted with fatnesse And againe giue eare and come to me heare me and your soule he saith not your body shall liue and I will make an euerlasting league with you The bread of the soule therefore is the bread hee speakes of and this onely bread is intended heere the bread that nourisheth vs the bread that strengtheneth vs is not to sinne and perdition but to heauen and happinesse This is the bread I say the prophet speaketh of and no man cares for lets it lye moulding by him and buyeth it not is daily offered him and hee daily refuseth it yea scornes the offerer or bringer of it for the most part But let vs enter a little further into the matter I beseech you to find what this bread is that wee may buy thereof since it seemeth so necessary Truely it is not hard to finde if we would but contemplate our neede if our bodies were hungrie wee should know how to seeke and where to buy we forget not our dinner or supper though stomacke we haue none the time of the day will remember vs of it and shall not our vprising then and downe lying put vs in mind of our soules food for our spirituall good and life euerlasting Let vs stirre vp our zeale a little and marke what this bread is and what the worth of it Open your hands and vnfolde your armes that yee may bee ready to catch it and hold it when you haue it This breads right worthy is in two kinds answerable to our estates or liues in this world and the world to come And therefore he calleth it breads not bread the one sort of bread for distinctions sake I call the bread of trauellers Panem viatorum Psal 77. the other Panem angelorum the bread of Angels which latter name although it bee applied sometimes in the first sence yet in this place for my better methood and your better remembrance I will distinguish from the other and confine it onely to our estate in heauen and to our food there The first bread is that our soules doe feede on while it is in Via in the way to heauen And therefore I call it Panem viatorum as Saint Chrysostome cals our life heere Figuram viatorum Hom. 60. in Math. Psal 101.24 The other is that it feeds on in the end of the way when it comes to heauen and must liue for euer Of this last I shall speake last in time conuenient of the first I shall speake first and shall resemble it to the Shew bread 1. Reg. 21. or bread of Proposition that was giuen to Dauid to eate of when he had beene weary and hungry and was pursued by his enemies and it was such as he might not eate but with cleannesse of body as the Scripture declareth For the better vnderstanding whereof and true applying it to our selues we must know also that three speciall things are comprehended in this bread of trauellers the one is the word of God The second all manner of vertues and good habits in our soules The third is Sacraments all which may rightly bee called bread and so sometimes are in holy Scripture The word of God is called by Christ Mat. 15.16 Panis filiorum the bread of children And the woman of Canaan calleth it the crummes that fell from the masters table Vertues bee also called bread sorrowes and teares for sinne is a great vertue And holy Dauid calleth it bread my teares haue beene bread to me day and night and in an other place thou shalt feede vs with bread of teares Psal 41. Psal 79. An other vertue like to this is true mortification or pennance which is signified in Scripture by this word Ashes Psal 101. As king Dauid vseth it saying that he eate ashes for his bread as who should say that ashes were bread to him All which things and whatsoeuer else that comforts our soule he may seeme to call by the name of bread when hee imputes his drinesse of spirit to nothing else but to the neglect of it saying I was withered like hay and my heart was dryed vp Quia oblitus sum comedere panem meum Psal 101. Because I forgat to eate my bread Lastly For Sacraments Omnia Sacramenta saith S. Austine All Sacraments that are done in vs by the ministery of Gods seruants are meate to our bellie And Christ calleth his supper by the name of Bread saying Iohn 6. Hee that eateth this bread shall liue for euer and preferreth it before Moses his bread saying that Moses gaue not bread from heauen but my Father saith he giues you true bread from heauen Note this word true bread as who should say this were not true bread which wee eate with our meate but rather a figuratiue bread feeding onely the flesh and the Sacrament the true bread that feedeth and sustaineth the soule or principall part of man And these three breads may well bee meant by those three loaues in the Gospell Luk. 11. which one came to borrow of his friend at midnight and was importunate for Whereupon Saint Ambrose asketh this question lib. 7. in Luc. and makes answer Qui sunt isti tres panes saith hee nisi coelestis misterij alimentum What bee
THE CHRISTIAN KNIGHT Compiled BY SIR VVILLIAM VVISEMAN Knight FOR THE PVBLIKE WEALE AND HAPPInesse of England Scotland and Ireland EPHES. 6. Induite vos armaturam Dei Printed at London by Iohn Legatt 1619. Good Reader I Haue heard of a discourse the other yeare betweene two Frenchmen the one a Souldier the other a Ciuilian against the vices of their times and country The Souldier was the Duke de Mercury a right noble and valerous Captaine late Lieftenant generall to the Emperour against the Turk in Hungarie and yet a great enemy to Duells The Ciuilian was a Companion of his and vndertooke against coueting as it appeares by the Preamble following And I am sorie wee haue no more of theirs but the Preamble since the times and vices be as well ours as theirs What the rest of their method was J haue not seene but by the qualitie of their persons by their learning we may imagine The argument could not be but profitable and J set downe what I thinke probable to come neerest their meaning and the good of our nation and I speake English to English For heere is first set vp the marke or white which wee must all shoote at and is done in two Orations Paranaeticall to heauen-ward The one shewing vs our way thither The other our happines when we come there Here are secondly discouered two potent impediments in our way that hinder our sight and leuell and these are our Irascible and Concupiscible parts The abuse whereof is touched in two Charges the one shewing the iniustice of Duell the other our common iniustice in buying and selling and neglect of common good And lastly here be two Homages or thanks-giuings to God The one of a Soule truely conuerted the other of one proceeding in his grace with signes of both There be many things here delightfull to be thought of nothing hard to be done and wee shall blame our selues most desperately if we haue not done Read therefore I beseech thee and make vse of It which if thou doe thou wilt finde much comfort and if all doe they will make as flourishing a common-wealth as euer was There will scarce be any poore in it or any vnquietnes Kings will glorie in their Subiects and Subiects in their Soueraigne and all in each other as it is in Heauen Farewell THE DVKE AFter the ceasing of our Turkish warres and twenty yeares peace concluded with Acmath king of Turkie 1608. our faces were all turned homeward and my voluntaries not a few were impatient of idlenesse seeking to bee dismissed for some other imployment They had followed mee indeede many hundred miles out of France for which I was not onely willing to listen to them but also ready to gratifie them in some sort with a finall testimony of my loue vpon our parting I sent therefore for my Chaplaine to come to mee Mounsieur Iohn Faber Licenciat in Diuinity to be aduised by him who as hee was a man both learned and discreete so could hee best satisfie me in any thing I should desire And when hee was come none being with me then but Mr. Doctor Petroneus my assistant a Ciuilian of great vnderstanding and Lancelot Mott my Comptroller second of my Councell Sir said I to my Chaplaine wee haue a resolution to discharge our companies and to licence our voluntaries which you know are many in this towne of Vienna for we loose but time in these parts our busines being now at an end We came not hither to chase the Stagge or wilde Boare and nothing else you see is heere to bee done A great many of them came freely to vs and I would send them away with honour howbeit while I bethinke mee of our departure hence and of our long separation that will bee hauing beene heretofore so long accustomed together I remember the saying of Christ and I am touched with some part of his compassion saying misereor super turbam so say I in my affection towards them Mark 8. that I haue pitie ouer my company and as Christhereupon did feed their bodies miraculously so these that haue no corporall need I would they were spiritually fed before their going that aboue all things in these dangerous times they may not faint in their way to heauen may be profitable in their countries where they are to goe They are to me as children I know we shal not part asunder without teares on both sides I would haue them to doe well some instructions I wish they had with them such as your selfe thinkes best Both is your authority among them such as they will easily beleeue you and your learning and Methode such as they will delight to heare you and beare it in mind I haue beene often bold with you as my inward friend yet neuer so bold as to giue you your text Neither will onely thus much I would entreate you against the feast following which is now at hand that ye will be ready to say somewhat against the enormities of our countrey by anger and auatice The one proper to men of warre the other to men of peace yet both to much vsed by both and haue made our Country ill spoken of and disioyned many families with ciuill dissention I am well aduised what I speake There be in this citty diuers that may doe much in their countrey by their good example and I doubt not will come to such preferment there as may amend many matters that are much amisse Our single challenge and combats there are growne so common and vpon so slight occasions fiue thousand haue bene slaine vpon it in France alone within these twenty yeares and so many pardons of record to be seene for it at this day and againe our grating is so extreame vpon the poorer sort that I know not what will come of it in the end but the ruine of vs all The commons will be glad of the least quarrell against the rich and daily factions betweene families will lay vs open to any potent enemy to doe vs wrong But what should I speake thus to you who know it as well as I. There bee those that come to see vs euery day right worthy persons and great friends but when they come home they will bee enemies I feare me if they haue not some warning and be not stored with the greater grace Of the two vices I speak of I know not which is the cause of most iniustice well I am assured none doth iustice in the heate of anger or coueting more angry sometimes for a small matter then a great will kill a man for speaking of a word amisse and will spare a man that pickes his purse will not spend three pence vpon a poore body and will haue hundreds instore to circumuent a poore gentleman All the world is misled with these two vices and were it not for these two there would neede no Officers in a kingdome I know no sinne almost but one of these is
our cases here Wee are all souldiers in this magno campo Iudi. 1. or great battle of the world Wee are hunts-men in this wilde forrest or chace of beasts and sauages our owne appetites and inordinate desires which sometimes wee kill and sometimes they escape our hands But in the time of this our hunting we are glad many times to meete with a fountaine in stead of a tauerne to coole our thirst a little hope I say in stead of a possession a feruent thought now and then instead of a present imbrace and this is Satis and sweete to vs vntill wee come home at night that is to say in the end of our life to our heauenly dwelling where wee shall haue indeede not onely our true Satis but Satis superque and shall haue no end of enough I must confesse I say that the life of the vertuous in this world is in hunger and thirst and in a longing after heauen yea all their life is in defection and fainting for so saith Dauid concupiscit deficit anima mea in atria domini Psal 83. my soule doth lust and faint withall vntill it enter the house of God Yet what of this is there therefore no contentment in it See I pray what hee saies in the very same place ibid. and verse My heart and flesh saith hee haue leapt for ioy that I shall come to my louing God Loe heere how he answers the matter himselfe hee fainteth and yet hee exulteth he was ready to dye and yet hee leapeth for ioy And so in another place Mine eyes begin to faile mee Psal 68. while I hope in my God See heere a notable Sympathy in an Antithesis a concord as it were in a holy discord a fainting and leaping both at one time a defection and exultation both at a breath a swounding and reuiuing all in a verse all at an instant So as let our discomfort bee neuer so great beeing for God and in a longing after him such discomfort can be no true discomfort that is so full of comfort no true dulnesse or heauinesse that is so quicke with childe of so great hopes or of so hopefull an inheritance It farre exceedes the comfort of Jacob who thought it little to serue seauen yeares for faire Rachel beeing sure to haue her in the ende Our enioying also lyes in our willes Wee are as sure of it as wee are sure of our willes fire and water cannot part vs if wee loue and like Rom. 8. What is there in the world should beate vs from this hope can tribulation can pouerty or any thing else Yea doe not crosses encrease our comforts as water increaseth fire Prou. 15. These be the comforts that Salomon calles Iuge conuiuium or all day feasting 2. Pet. 1. How can wee bee sorrowfull in a feast full of harmony To this content or saciety doth Saint Peter invite you saying Sat agite that is to say Satis agite Doe as much as lyes in you for your contentment which ye may gather by him can no where else bee had but in a morall certainety of your vocation and election and your true concurring therewithall This the comfort of comforts and well head of true content or highest toppe of our Satis in this life What life can bee in sorrow that is indowed with this and they that haue this whatsoeuer they bee or haue beene may ioy and exult at all times Let miseries come like hayle vpon vs yet can wee not bee vnhappy as long as wee haue this Let our estate for life bee what it will be so we be sure of our inheritance our perpetuall hope of this and our will still concurring with our hope is it that nourisheth so as wee can aske no more in this life wheresoeuer wee become in paine or pleasure among friends or enemies in sleepe or awake in trauell or at rest in plenty or penury peace or warre in businesse or at quiet still our Satis attends vs and wee carry content where wee goe in tryumph about vs. And these comforts if wee will imbrace them as wee bee offered them are the earnest pennies that tye vs to God and him to vs vnlesse we goe from it first our selues These our claime to a future inheritance or a possession keeping against the diuell and his angels for the places they had and lost in heauen and wee must haue after them This the Satis domine that holy Dauid felt in his soule and spirit saying Psal 76. Renuit consolari anima mea memor fui dei delectatus sum So delighted hee to thinke of his part he had in God that hee founde himselfe vnable to holde the comfort of it Now what comfort is there abroade in the world that they will say to God Satis domine with the Saints aforesaide or Renuit consolari anima mea with Dauid is there any will say Lord thou giuest mee to much Forbeare Will they not say rather giue mee more Lord I haue not enough I haue no contentment yet for want of more This is therefore that hearts ease this is the contentment and saciety our Prophet speakes of heere and findes fault that wee labour and toyle as we doe and not in this Saturity My good friends I haue tolde you in briefe what Saturitie it is that hee meaneth and is truely in Gods seruants and no where else to bee founde Will any man contend with mee and say it is in the world it is where riches are it is where pleasures are it is with kings and mighty folke I cannot deny but such persons haue contentment They do what they wil and their pleasures are prouided for them without their trouble They are tyed to no rule tyed to no law keepe no houres day nor night If they bee sicke the Physitian is at their elbowe What should I speake of riches they may wallowe in gold if they will What of faire houses and dainty gardens well sette and planted with plumbes and fruits of the best None to contradict them in their desires none to crosse them in any sort I speake not of inferiour persons whose content it may be is not nor can bee so absolute as these And yet as great content they may seeme to haue in their lesse and meaner estate as the other in their grand superfluities yet few of them can say Satis or thinke they haue enough as deuout people can but seeke for more labour for more are vnquiet for more the most of them as if they had nothing yea I haue knowne some confesse that for wanting a little of their willes or wishes it hath troubled them more then if they had nothing And of this there can bee no other true reason but that they bee no true contentments but false and deceitfull as I could easily prooue if my purpose were to insist on it This alone may suffice for this point that the heathen Philosopher who reached no higher
of it I haue not beene troublesome some to you to inueigh against vanities or loue of the world Ye haue store of bookes concerning that matter I haue not declaimed of worldly contentments how far they bee from true contentments yea rather thornes Mat. 13. Eccl. 1. as our Sauiour calles them or affliction of spirit as Salomon tearmes them Euery sermon yee heare is full of this Argument whereunto I referre you And therefore if yee should like to loue them or set your heart on them beeing so base as they bee in vaine yee hasten forward that goe so cleane backward In vaine yee flye vpward with so heauy a clogge at your heele and in vain do I perswade you to make haste that will not doe a way first what will hinder you of your iourney Haue ye riches loue thē loosely part with them willingly if neede bee Haue yee pleasures vse them moderately in godly feare Haue ye honour and preheminence keepe watch with your selues ouer pride and disdaine and let all that know you make account of you that yee bee as humble as honourable And so if yee can carry your contentments in this sort as God bee the practicall ground in whom alone is our true Satis or contentment then are yee vndoubtedly in your true and perfect way to heauen and nothing remaineth now but that yee make haste and take comfort in it Howbeit for that in our best actions and endeauours that we haue in our way to God our spirits bee often times dull and haue neede of quickening Sap. 9. for as it is written our body corruptible weigheth downe our soule and hindreth haste exceedingly It shall be our next and last point that I will entreate of to say somewhat of the ioyes in heauen that may waken vs when wee slumber remember vs when wee forget and spurre vs forward to amend our pace when wee begin to stand still But this I will reserue vntill our next meeting I will trouble you no further now FINIS THE SECOND Oration vpon Panis Angelorum I Began the other day with Bread and now I will end with Bread I began with Bread of Trauellers I will end with Bread of Angels The best dish I haue reserued for last the bread the Angels feede on for euer The other bread which wee haue spoken of was a preparatiue for this bread and this thereward of that to set at board with angels to eate angels meate Psal 77. Not the meate that was brought the Israelites by the ministery of angels and perished but that which angels themselues doe feede on in sight of their maker And how farre better is this then to sit with Princes or to be fellowes with Potentates This is it must bee the reward of our Labours this the Saturity which nothing can be added vnto The very reward that holy Moses looked after and now hath to his fill As it is written Moses beheld his reward Heb. 11. His eye was still vpon this reward and so ouercame with ease the hardnes he sustained vpon mountaines and rocks for forty yeares together and what he endured in all his timethere the tongue of man cannot expresse Hee was one that walked perfectly in the wayes of God alwayes and therefore was wortthy to talke with God face to face Mitissimus super terram not a milder or an humbler that euer liued vpon earth And yet the better to hold out through all afflictions to the end aspiciebat remunerationem hee was glad to looke at his reward and to remember often what he should haue for his paines in the end S. Paul likewise had his eye that way Rom. 8. that he said that all wee can suffer in this world cannot deserue the glory that attends vs in the world to come But how did Saint Paul or how did Moses know this were they euer to see it certaine it is they had some illustrations more then other because their loue of God was greater and their paines in Gods seruice much more then others 2. Cor. 12. Exod. 33. The one was rauished into the third heauens the other saw the back-parts of God as the Scriptures make mention By which I inferre if such noble sparkes as these had neede of these comforts and to reflect sometimes vpon their reward How much more wee that are of the latter brood borne as it were in the wayne of the world and comming short a great deale of their spirit and feruour had we neede I say to thinke one it often and to beare continually the ioyes of heauen in our minde yea to keepe if it might be a true picture of them alwaies before our eyes for feare of forgetting For thus it is with vs. If we forget them we are like to hazzard them if we remember them they are like to be our owne There be foure last things that we are taught to beare in minde Deut. 32. and wee shall neuer sinne whereof heauen is the principall Death iudgement and hell are very needefull also to be thought of because it is good for vs to feare aswell as loue These indeede doe fill vs with feare and terror but heauen filles vs with loue and ardent desire Hell driues to God heauen drawes to God Hell whips vs with horror heauen hales vs with beauty Loue feare are both of them profitable I say but loueis more acceptable to God because it is his owne prime and originall quality who dreadeth nothing and all things dread him It seemeth my deare louers and friends yee looke that I should somewhat say of the ioyes of heanen what they bee and so it were fit if I were able to performe it But mee think when I enter into so great a matter I am stricken on a suddaine with barrennesse and know not how to expresse my selfe or where to begin For I must speake of that which I doe but wincke at a farre off neither can I well tell what credit I shall haue with you to philosophate vnto you of most excellent colours which I neuer sawe but darkeling For if S. Paul could not tell vs that little which he saw nor yet Moses nor if any other Saint haue beene there and come againe to life as S. Gregory writes of one Felix in Dial. much lesse shall I be able that neuer came neere that place to delineate vnto yee any thing with my rude pensill 2. Cor. 12. that shall bee worth your expectation Saint Paul cals them Arcana hidden misteries that are kept vnder seale from vs and such as we may not aspire to knowe vntill we come there and much lesse to tell no not with the tongue of an angell The best that I can bring you will bee but a reflexion of a reflexion or a peece of the Sunnes glory by night in the body of the Moone And yet since ye are come to heare and I haue vndertaken to say somewhat I will bee bold to say what I
heauen what is God who is the summe and substance of all reward and felicitie We that be Christians haue much more knowledge then heathens had Our light of reason is doubled with our light of faith annexed therunto by which wee both see more then we see with our eye what we beleeue we beleeue more then had we seen with eie What seek wee more We beleeue that heauen is truely great and our reward vnspeakeably great What seeke we further into the secrets of God to know how Let vs not be curious in matters not belonging to vs yet Let vs not destroy faith with too much curiositie If God would condescend to giue vs a sight of heauen and of our glory there we should rather refuse it with humilitie then expect it with importunitie Wee should rather say to him Satis domine thy promise is asmuch to me Lord as if I were there to see it It is enough to me that I knowe it is so O let me not see vntill it please thee to call This should be our speech to God and much heede wee ought to take that we diminish not his faith with least doubt of his promise or desire to haue it prooued by sence Sence knowledge derogats from faith knowledge If we see it once it is faith no more And wee may offend in it ere wee bee aware For hee that searcheth into Maiestie shall bee ouercome of glory Prou. 25. As much to say as he that will enter into Gods counsell before hee be called shall be punished as Phaeton was his owne pride will ouerthrowe him This alone may suffice for the greatnesse of our reward yee apprehend it with faith and that is enough yea a great deale more then any eloquence in the world can paint vnto you I omit therefore to speake of many things besides that would expresse this greatnesse As also of the many names whereby it is called in holy writ and ancient fathers which would greatly testifie the greatnesse of it As where it is called Mons pacis the Mountaine of peace where no disquiet or brabble can reach at vs and that which Princes haue much adoe to performe with all their power and policie is there done with ease No warre or dissentation can approach this hill where hearts and mindes are all one one will in all and there is not found a second It is called Domus dei Eccl. 4.17 Psal 22. The house of God Or if ye will Gods court and wee his courtiers or seruants in ordinary or if yee will Gods hospitall and wee his olde souldiers when age hath weakened vs infirmity disabled vs and death put downe the barre that we may fight no more O happy they that can get a place there where al sit rent free shal haueoile for their wounds ease for cumber pleasure for their paine and all things prouided for their hand and can neuer say this they want or this they would haue more Apoc. 3. Heauen is called also new Hierusalem and well may it bee so called For olde Hierusalem is in the enemies hands while all good people groane and will neuer linne grieuing I feare till God shall make them free of the new It is many times called regnum coelorum Mat. 5. Mat. 19. Luk. 7. the kingdome of heauen Let vs consider of this world a little A king and a kingdome are relatiues And he that hath a kingdome must needes bee a king What is a kingdome worth if a man should buy it or who hath price enough to buy a kingdome with It is a rare fortune to rise of nothing to be kings and yet such fortune some haue had Saul Dauid Ieroboam Iehu Darius and diuers Emperours and it is not euery ones fortune yet may it be euery ones fortune to haue a farre greater in heauen and it lyeth in his owne will Hee may haue his crowne there his robes and purple there and those more glorious there then we can imagine heere Iac. 3. And in this sence S. Iames doth call vs heires of the kingdom that God did promise Rom. 8. S. Paul doth likewise call vs heires of God and ioynt heires with Christ more then this he saith we shall reigne together with him Homer illiad For kigns are not there as they be heere where one crowne royall none can haue but one Non bona res multi domini rex vnicus esto Two kings in a kingdome will neuer stand long In heauen quite contrary It is no disgrace to a king to haue many fellowes Yea Angels themselues reioyce exceedingly and Christ our Lord disdaineth not to set vs by him 2 Tim. 2. and to communicate his crowne with vs. Saint Paules word is conregnabimus We shall bee fellow kings with him this were treason heere But wee must knowe that by this word king are vnderstood two great titles The one of necessity the other of honour the one a title of paine and charge begotten of common good for preseruing of peace and iustice among men the other a title of honour and greatnesse deserued by themselues or their ancestours or both In the right of the one 2 Pet. 2. Apoc. 20.19 ibid. 44. he carrieth a sword ad vindictam in right of the other he weareth a Crowne on his head as a conquerour The one needlesse in heauen where all be good the other needfull in heauen to despite the diuell and them that be bad And this kingly honour no king hath more on earth then soules haue in heauen 1. Pet. 5. who acknowledge no superiour there but God as kings doe heere Onely their crownes differ the one is of gold the other is of glory they differ also not a little in there estates the one is for life the other for euer And therefore in our creede it is called by another name Vita aeterna or life euerlasting Our estate in our kingdome there is for life but wee shall liue for euer How farre better this then your fee simple heere which yee say yee haue for euer yet cannot haue longer then for life nor so long neither many times And if they that follow you waste it where is your fee simple It may rightly bee called fee simple a simple for euer But ours not so it will bee for euer which no violence can wrest from vs no rust or moth weare away no time nor oldenesse wrinkle or disfigure no sickenesse consume no wrong hazzard or misinformation call in question Our estate there pure perfect and indefeazable tyed to no condition charged with no incumbrance or feare of forfeiture Subiect to no law like a king no mans vassall and doing no mans will but our owne and ours none of our owne but Gods What an inexplicable greatnesse is this and yet I cannot leaue it so the more I haue said the more me thinke I haue to say But I will bound my selfe to one or two considerations more and so
ende for this point I may not forget to tell you the price of heauen and scarcity of buyers that will giue any thing neere the worth of it Both which but briefly considered will not a little aduance the greatnesse we haue in hand By the price that is giuen for a commodity wee may ghesse at the worth of it If a thousand pound bee giuen for a purchase wee esteeme it at fifty a yeare If a milliō be giuen we esteeme it at fifty thousand a yeare The price of heauen is set downe by a cunning suruey or of those matters Saint Augustine Tantum valet quantum es saith he It is as much worth as thy selfe that is to say all that thou hast and art And so is it prized by the Sonne of God Mat. 13. who likened heauen to a pretious pearle which a certaine Ieweller finding Vendidit omnia sua comparauit eam hee sould all that hee had to buy it Because it was worth all he had he solde all and bought it Of all iewels there is none more excellent then an orient pearle Lib. 9. cap. 35. It is culmen omnium presiotiorum saith Plinie nothing more pretious then it Both is it hardest to counterfeit and there is nothing dearer or higher prized then it The Queene of Spaine had one giuen her at Florence was valued by good Lapidaries at thirtie thousand pounds sterling Ferdinand Cortes that conquered Mexico had one at his eare valued at all the king of Spaines treasure that had euer come from the Jndies to that time Which exceeded far the price of any Diamond that euer I heard of Now if I should say that this were the price of heauen I should come short of it by farre For the price of the poorest life is more then this Cuncta quae habet homo dabit pro anima sua Iob. 2. A man will giue all hee hath for his life Yet how many liues haue bin giuen or ioyfully lost for this heauenly pearle by holy Martyrs Is not this an admirable greatnes that should be worth a mans life euen a kings life and all his kingdome if he be a king For by this text a life comprehends all Yet all this is litle to that I can say no more What if I can prooue it to be worth the life of God himselfe yea what should I neede to prooue so manifest a truth which all wee that bee Christians are bound to beleeue I would wee could as sensibly feele it as we truely conceit it The life of God himselfe was giuen for it Adam once had morgaged it and made a forfeit of it and our heauenly father sent downe a price for it his onely Sonne to redeeme it Ye are redeemed saith Saint Peter not with corruptible gold 1. Pet. 3. or corruptible siluer but with the pretious blood of the imaculate lambe And this is praetium magnum saith S. Paul And well might hee call it a great price 1. Cor. 6. for it is an infinite price whereupon I inferre thus To recouer our lost inheritance cost an infinite price but an infinite price must bee for an infinite greatnes therefore our inheritance must be of infinite greatnesse then which what is or can be greater And if this be not enough to stir your affections towards it or to possesse you thoroughly of this greatnesse by the greatnesse of the price that hath beene giuen for it Rayse your imagination a little and thinke with your selues that yee see God in flesh Thinke that his noble presence were in the middest of you Beholde his person beholde his face and yee shall see the greatnes of heauen in it In a little round glasse ye may see the firmament aboue yee and in the compasse of his face yee may see whole heauen That ouerioyed face with seeing heauens beauty that euer sorrowed face that his flesh might not come there yet Luc 12. I am grieued saith he till it come to passe That auerted face from all worldly contentment that scornefull face to all earthly promotion which he neither had time to thinke on nor yet thought worth his care in respect of that greatnesse that was alwayes glittering in his eye Gold to him shewed no brighter then Counters hee would not touch it Plenty with him no greater then the poore mans boxe more then that was distastfull Pleasures to him no sweeter then blowes nothing could drawe his eye from the Radient splendor aboue him Prou. 8. All his riches was in that sacred eye of his No pleasure here belowe but among the poorer sort to sit and conuerse with them Deliciae meae cum Filjis hominum His delight was among the sonnes of men to shew them this greatnes and to hold vp his finger to them And like as he was so were his Apostles Psal 44. so his disciples so his disciples disciples and all their descendents in spirit to this very day Pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi Filij As the parents looke so looke their children We see Christ in them and heauen in Christ Carnall children are like their parents for a discent or two but spirituall children for euer They neuer loose the countenance of their Protoplast or the first shape or fauour of their founder Psal 10. As Christ looked so looke ours As Christ conuerst so conuerse ours Nolite tangere Christos meos Wee may be bolde to call them another Christ to see heauen in their faces if our eye be not very naught But now I feare me I must change my song to speake of the last point which is the fewnesse of Buyers I began with a Comedy and must end with a Tragedie But I will be the shorter Yet somewhat I must say and although it seeme contrary to somewhat I said before yet hath it an argument in it of the greatnes wee speake of I tolde you euen now Mat. 25. that it is called your kingdome paratum vobis regnum A kingdome prouided for you from before the beginning of the world I tolde you it was euery bodies fortune that list to be a king in heauen yet heere I say it is almost no mans fortune the number of them is so passing small that shall come there Hardly one of the twentie or rather of fortie thousand that shall be saued throughout the world I thinke before Christ came scarce one of a Million The fault is their owne I graunt that they be not kings but the fault is so vniuersall that fewe can auoid it For the truth whereof consider with me a little what multitudes haue beene in the world since the first age and what multitudes haue died and bin slaine in a day or neere together 4. Reg. 9. and none saued Wee read of Senacharibs army one hundred fourescore and fifteene thousand slaine in a night Rex all heathens Cyrus and two hundred thousand of his slain in one battel besides his enemy Scythiās neere as many
more Plut. vit Nauel all heathen on both sides Of Persians two hundred thousand slaine at one time by Melciades the Athenian Duke besides his owne all heathen on both sides Of Armenians and others three hundred thousand foote and horse were slaine almost together by Lucullus besides his owne side which was bloody enough all heathen on both sides Caesar in person was at the killing of one thousand thousand one hundred foure-score and tenne thousand besides a multitude of his owne and besides them that were slaine in the ciuill warres which he as ashamed to reckon all heathens and Idolaters Rex Alexander in three battailes against Darius onely slewe fifteene hundred thousand besides what else were slaine of his owne side all heathen people on both sides Iosep de Bell. Iud. Baroni The story of the Iewes ouerthrowe at Ierusalem is well enough knowne where were slaine of them and Proselites together besides forty thousand that went out before to flye Gods wrath eleuen hundred thousand persons and aboue whereof it was thought fewe or none were saued but died obdurate Latter histories relate vnto vs infinite battels of all heathens and some of heathen and Christians together Charles Martell slew three hundred threescore and fifteene thousand Sarazens in a short space and Rhodericus as many and more To say nothing of the terrible slaughters in our dayes betweene Turkes Moores Persians Muscouites Tartarians and Ethiopians and such like all heathens without number fighting one against another none of them better then other all striuing who should send downe most to their great Master whom they serued And they that escaped the sword were neuer the neerer They went the same way in the end and dranke of the same cuppe To say nothing also of them that dye of the Murreine plague or famine euery yeare Leo. Afer tenne thousand carried out of Cayro in a day of the plague and many other like accidents that wee heare not of God died for all but none haue the benefit of it but his little brood of the elect these were Jsraelites and Iewes before the incarnation Christians since the incarnation But what were all the Iewessaued are all Christians partakers of this reward though God cōfined himself most what to the Iewish nation in those dayes and now to Christians yet very fewe there bee either of them or vs in respect of them that miscarry that shall bee partakers of this so rare so noble and so royall a reward Heauen is not for Gods enemies or cold friends The Iewes were alwayes so cold of deuotion so prone to sinne so grumbling against God and superiours that he sware in his anger they should neuer see his rest Psal 94. Holy Dauid complained in his time how abhominable they became in their iniquities there was none that did good no not one Psal 13. in comparison of those that were otherwise And yet had they then a noble king ouer them and worthy Priests to gouerne them and guide them Saint Iohn Baptist also in his time couldscarce affoord them a faire word but called them Vipersbroode Mat. 3.12 Now to speake of Christians that came after although the primitiue sort of vs were more hotte Mat 20. and zealous yet Christ foretold vs for our better warning that many of vs should be called Luk. 13.23 and fewe chosen And in an other place being asked Si pauci saluantur whether but fewe should be saued he seemed to affirme it saying Striue yee to enter the streight gate And euen so hath it prooued in all ages They that were good were alwayes fewe In all the olde world 1 Pet. 3. eight persous onely were saued the rest were drowned What numbers haue there beene of heretiques and yet are that haue no part in the kingdome of heauen and of those that beleeue well how many bee there that liue well who delights in Gods seruice or holds himselfe to howers and orderly life who is there almost that hath not one fault to bring him to hell and yet will not leaue it vntill it leaue him how many more be there that haue many faults giue way to them all swallow all till all too late they repent them The broad way they be in they like well to go forward in loue ease loue security neuer seeke more and so dodge on till they die and dye as they liued Very fewe there be indeede and too too few that be chosen Many runne in the furlong saith Saint Paul yet but one gets the prize 1. Cor. 9. And why but one amongst many hee insinuates a reason a little after that no man may-despaire notwithstanding to get the gole if he will His reason is for that scarce one amongst many prepareth for the race as he should They be commonly so sloathfull and drowsie that they dyet not themselues they deny not their belly all excesse inure not their soules to daily practise and exercise in that heaueuly race so as they runne but vncertainely and as it were beating the ayre All follow vanities the proiects of their owne hearts and no man ponders or considers deepely the greatnesse of this heauenly gole hee runnes for and therefore looseth it Alas we cannot get trifles in the world without care Yea all the care we can we bestowe vpon them commonly But no man bestowes on heauen the least care come of it what will It is an ill dogge they say that is not worth whistling The most make worse then a dogge of heauenly felicity They hardly bestowe a sigh on it from their heart in a long time But it is not my purpose to shew reasons why it is so that so few be saued It is enough that wee haue prooued it to bee so euen amongst the professors of Christianity O greatnes of heauenly reward Who shall attaine thy holy hill Who shall be admitted to sit with Angels Omne paerclarum rarum Euery thing that is excellent in this world is also rare If kings were common and great persons euery where who could see their greatnesse Euen so it is of good folke who are as admirable as rare whatsoeuer men thinke of them O happy lot ô excellent reward Thy excellency is seene by thy rarenesse and hard to come by O worthy of worthies that the world sets so little by and is not worthy of How great art thou in thy height How great in breadth and largenesse Thou art big in place spacious in thy roomes large in thy beautifull territories The earth is little to thee Hell is nothing to thee Behold heere an admirable worke of God Heauen is aboue neere God Hell belowe neere the Center as is thought where most bee the place is narrowest to receiue them where fewest Soules bee there is roome to spare The number of damned soules is without number beyond those in Heauen and yet their place is infinitely lesse then it in heauen The way to hell is broad and
wide but narrowe and pinching when one comes there especially when they come to their bodies againe Most woefull it is to thinke on how they will lye thronging and crowding together for want of roome like bricks or tyles in a burning kill not able or not allowed to stirre hand or foote if they would neuer so faine men and women fatte and leane little and great hudling one vpon another confusedly without respect of age or sexe or any bodies ranke or place which they had in this world with Heauen all contrary The way thither narrow and streight and hard to passe it but when one is there and hath crowded through the little wicket he findes a large field and goes freely where hee will without end or wearinesse The nature of contraries is in cōtrary qualities hell is litle in ease because there is no ease little in pleasure because it is all in displeasure little in roome because it hath no roome for any repose Heauen therefore must needs be great faire goodly bright beautifull full of ease full of repose euery body would haue few will take paines for and therefore thousands to one shall not haue it as I said before I doubt not but all men beleeue as much as I or any man can say of this Angelicall subiect And I doubt as little but they thinke it well worthy of their studie and care and of their paines and cost if cost bee needfull for the obtaining of it But what is the paines that belongs to it that men and women so shrinke at and pull in their necks Is it losse of life or limme Not so but in case of Martyrdome Is it to giue all to the poore Mat. 19. Not so though Christ aduise it one that sought to be perfect Is it to suffer burning or paines of hell for it before wee come there Not so and yet Saint Augustine wisheth it with all his heart Medit. that hee might feelehell torments a good while together to bee sure to come thither and so doth venerable Bede See what apprehension these had of Heauens greatnesse What is then the let that stoppes them What the paine that terrifies Prou. 26. What Lyon in the way that puttes men out of the way What spirit or hobgoblin skares them so that they runne quite contrary and scarce looke backe againe Surely nothing else in the world but a loathing or wearinesse of well doing They thinke the paine nothing if it were short but to perseuere long in good courses they hold it a cruell thing They say in their hearts they could endure much for a day or an hower so Heauen would come presently without tarrying too long for it But to liue a long life and all the while in Battell all the while in withstanding temptations and allurements and denying their owne willes all the while expecting reward and none comming it is more then flesh and blood can beare and they will not endure it But how Dastardly a thought is this How erronious and wide from the matter That which they thinke so hard is with practise easie And that which they thinke is far off is rather neere as I shall prooue vnto you now I haue spoken hitherto of Reward how great it will bee when wee shall haue it Now hearken I beseech you for the Neerenesse also a word or two according to my promise and then I shall conclude Our Sauiour well foresaw this weakenesse of ours how weary wee would bee of well doing if hee were not at hand to vs with Reward he knew our pronenesse to euill and how soone wee were like to distast and forgoe this Bread of Trauellers if wee should stay too long for our Bread of Angels And therefore before hee manifested himselfe to the world he sent vs word by his fore-runner and the first words his Baptist spake next to Penetentiam agite were these Mat. 3. appropinquauit enim regnum caelorum The kingdome of Heauen is at hand A noble comfort if wee haue faith to beleeue Abac. 2. Veniens veniet non tardabit saith another Prophet Comming hee will come and make no delay And in another place Ecce venio citò merces mea mecum est Beholde I come quickly and my reward in my hand Hee doth as mothers doe by their children promise them to come quickly that they may not thinke long so heere venio citò Apoc. 3. ibid. 22. mothers speake it sometimes in pollicy but God saith it truely as wee shall finde it venio citò I come presently Non tardat Deus promissionem suam saith Saint Peter 2. Pet. 3. God is not slowe in rewarding vs how can wee say then that hee tarrieth long hee is farre off from vs and scarcely thinkes on vs It is a sinne against the Holy Ghost not to beleeue the Holy Ghost And if wee will beleeue nothing but reason very sence and reason will tell vs as much For it cannot be very farre off that wee feare rather is too neere Who is there that thinkes not or feares not that death is too neere for so said the Epicure Cras moriemur Esay 22. Wee shall dye to morrow And thus say they that would liue still and take their pleasure they are alwayes physicking and guarding themselues against death which they feare still is too neere If death then bee neere how is it that Heauen is not neere which wee cannot haue vntill wee dye Why complaine wee that Heauen is farre off when the doore of Heauen is too neere Some answer againe that death is too neere indeede but it is alwaies in respect of our vnreadinesse to dye onely Well then death and Heauen are neere But it is wee that are farre off Why say we then that Heauen is farre off when it is our selues are farre off with our vnreadinesse not Heauen farre off with our happinesse Indeede it is true if Heauen bee neere and we runne from it wee shall neuer come at it and then no fault in Heauens neerenesse but in our farrenesse Where otherwise if death bee neere Heauen must needes bee neere to them that shall haue it Mee thinkes this reason should conuince them For if death bee neere in our feare why should it not bee as neere in our hope Wee confesse the one therefore wee must confesse the other And yet I cannot deny but the Saints also in some sence doe thinke it farre off and shew some tokens of wearinesse But this is doubtlesse out of a true longing after heauen not out of a feare that they shall staye too long for it out of wearinesse they haue of the world not out of wearinesse of waiting and attending Gods pleasure out of their humility and vnworthinesse to come thither yet not out of floath or presumption that it is time enough yet out of a thirst they haue after God whose face the Angels feede on not out of temptation and weakenesse as we doe who if our
2. I said before the iust man liues by faith So doe you Stirre vp your faith that it lye not idle in you without fruit Let vs liue by faith as louers liue by loue Their loue is life to their thoughts and fire to their affections They will doe nothing against lawes of loue they ply her with all the seruice and good offices they can the ground of their hopes is but a word or a good looke or halfe a promise from her Can we not doe thus to God It is but changing the subiect and it is done Keepe your loue still be enamored still That which was to a creature Let now bee to the creator then yee are right hold your selues there so it be to God If nothing can please you but riches and splendour make vse of your faith and ye shall haue all contentment in him that ye can desire If beauty delight you reflect vpon your faith and ye will neuer seeke other then what yee finde in him Your hope shall not be so weake as louers hopes vpon a word or halfe promise Euery leafe in the Bible is fraught with promises She is your owne what seeke you more and if ye haue faith she bringes all that is good with her Doe as louers doe Serue God and obserue him whatsoeuer ye haue in hand Let your loue be t 'one end of your thought Marke what God loues in you and doe it note what he hates in you auoide it Let him be alwaies master of your heart to gouerne it mistresse of your loue to command it a most bountifull rewarder ye shall finde him and a most beautifull mistresse yet none so meane in the world but may haue her none so great in the world but may goe without her How can a man be idle and haue so sweet a mistresse to serue night and day hee cannot sinne in thinking on her But I leaue all to your good practise ye haue heard worthy friends all that one body can say in so short a time in words so fewe and in a businesse so aboue all measure necessarie and I may not spoyle with tediousnesse a matter so repleate with all pleasantnesse Shall I aske you a question to make an end withall yee shall not need answer me in words but in thoughts Is there any vnbeleeuer in this place Can any man perswade himselfe he shall liue long or that heauen wil be had without much care or that worldly cares do not hinder it and hazzard it exceedingly Doe they thinke they haue no such inheritance in heauen as I speake off Locum nominatum dabit eis pater meus My father will giue them a place by name or thinke they that the least flower in heauen is not much more worth then the fairest bower on earth that one glimps at Gods brightnesse if we might see it would not dimme and damne the worldes greatest happinesse that one peepe into heauen would not make our gold shew like leade faire fields like a desert the bright sunne like a sparkle beauty like the white skull of adead body if any such be heere asbeleeue nothing but what they see delight in nothing but what the basest dullest and most vulgar delight in I shall most humbly intreate them for the passion of Christ and for the true loue they owe themselues to informe themselues better by them that be better learned Let them not be sicke so dangerously and seeke after no remedy But if it be so as I haue no doubt but ye all beleeue mee then tell me I pray whether yee neede a spurre thither that haue so faire a baite of it whether yee neede a whippe that haue so faire allurements to it whether yee neede inuiting to your owne house any bidding to your owne banquet any inforcing to your owne possession or proper inheritance which if yee neede I doe not maruell much in this great opposition of flesh and blood which keepes you from seeing your inward marke and which vntill yeesee more perfectly minde more readily and aime at more feruently as you doe at outward things sure it is not with you as it should bee and your present remedy is to make a patterne of outward things whereby to guide you to the inward Who stumbles at money-bagge and needes be bidden take it vp who hath a a good legacy giuen him and needes perswading to goe fetch it who is a hungred and needes inforcing to fill his belly hauing good meate before him Sence furthers him in all this And shall our faith be weaker then sence to further vs to the contrary Sence telles vs money is better then Gods mercy itching pleasure better then Paradice present momentaries better then future euerlastingnesse And shall our faith lye dead the whilest Take courage in God and let not sence so preuaile against it Let not idlenesse drowne it passion ouerthrowe it and filthy custome cut the throate of it Let faith rather goe before and other things come after When we follow one by night our eye is neuer off him for feare we misse our way euen so let vs looke to our faith-ward alwayes that our sence seduce vs not in the darke of our vnderstanding If at any time ye be feasting or sporting turne your eye now and then inward and remember the grand-feast preparing for yee aboue Are yee in sorrow or heauinesse stirre vp your faith a little remember heauen and sorrow will vanish like a bubble Are ye at a royall maske or other great entertainement Thinke it all nothing to that is ready for yee in heauen against ye come there Haue ye lost a friend or deare companion Take the glasse of faith in your hand and ye find an hundred for one more deare to you then any can be vpon earth Haue ye sweetes at your nose or dainties in your taste Dwell not on them too long but reflect them higher Are ye tempted with disloyaltie or other disobedience Raise an heauenly thought and it will vntempt you Are yee in delight of harmony the Waites perhaps at your windowe to giue you the time of the day Let this make worke for your faith and quicken it and make it eager after her heauenly harmony Are ye melancholy at misfortune discontent with distresse dazeled with gloomy weather afflicted with reproach or obliquie Repaire to your liuely faith and it will banish all discomfort Your field musicke and trumpets that make you couch your lances and your horses stampe vnder you let these be your alarums against your triple enemie that baricado the way betweene you and heauen Let your inward trumpet sound with your outward to spend your spirits and animate your soules against any proffer to beate you from heauen Doe ye know what heauen is that noble heauen that golden heauen that glorious and delightfull heauen that euerlasting heauen where Angels becken you and looke euery day for you and will yee bee beaten from it Doe yee know your right to it the
our brother too little would haply set him vp againe and doe our selues no hurt And yet wee loue him so that wee haue no feeling in vs of the least commiseration towards him Howbeit the corruption of the time so concealeth this iniustice from vs and hath bredde such blindnesse in our hearts with continuall coueting that it is now growne from a sinne to a very disease I know ye scanne vpon my words and I doe not maruell What shall I not buy as good cheape say you and sell as deare as I can nothing freeer then gift if a man will giue mee his land I will take it But how many giue their land that sell for neede Ye may not deceiue your selues nor bee Iudges in your owne case I exhort you to repaire to them that haue skill And this is the whole scope of my speech Beleeue not me but beleeue them at your perill We will not robbe nor steale nor scarce tell money on a Sunday and so long wee thinke all is well with vs. But wee will seeke a bargaine to day that shall gaine vs fiue hundred or a thousand to morrow and this is iust with vs because it is no vsury How farre is this from the nature of bargaining to doe as we doe The very word of bargaining biddes vs barre gaine and take but a penniworth for a penny The Merchant aduentures dangerously for that hee gets but this man without aduenture at all if hee meete with an honest man and his Lawyer bee not asleepe Yet thus much hee gets and will get as much more next day if he can by one bodies neede or other O where bee the bowels of charity that we can sleepe quietly in our beds Gal. 5.15 and our poore brother vndone by vs Saint Paul cals it eating one another The cry of it reaches vp to heauen yet will it not reach to our eares Yea more then this men praise our fortune for it and wishe it were theirs and I shall not haue such fortune saith one and I shall neuer haue such lucke saith another A sweete peece of lucke when we cannot rise so fast but a hundred of others go down as fast Haue care of it I beseech you I giue it you in charge that ye may not be vnfurnished at the counting day nor others by your examples Now as concerning the things that are bought and solde we must thinke the principal thing that is to be had for mony is land Nothing more worth a mans mony or more truely valuable or profitable then good land Store of land makes great men Greatnesse of lands makes kings great Terra mater omnium The earth is mother and matter of all things Whence comes all our sustenance but from crop and vintage whence our strength and complexion but from maid-sweete in greene meddowes and three leau'd grasse bagges of mony will not bring foorth a rose nor heapes of gold make cherries And where goe we for shade in a parching day but to the greene wood where fetch we fire in cold weather but from the same whether goe wee to see our hawke flye or follow our hounds but to hill and vale and stubble field galleries and great chambers will not serue our turne Land fils markets with dainties and necessaries Land furnishes the sea with shipping to carry out and bring in Fish is fatte with that comes from land and the the foules of the aire with all their variety are homagers to land for all their feature and food If a man haue all the riches and Iewels in the world what are they good for but to buy land withall when wee bee dead wee shall need land and nothing else but land Abraham was rich of gold and siluer but gold and siluer would not haue buried him if he had not bought land for it Wee reade in Scripture when God would make his people blessed hee promised them land knowing nothing so great a blessing in this transitory world as land Psal 9. Pulchritudo agri mecum est saith he the beauty of the field is mine to bestow Land he promised them and land hee gaue them to euery one some as I saide before What possession is there that yeelds vs thirty sixtie yea an huudred for one but land by Christs owne words And therefore I maruell not at Naboth in the booke of Kings that hee parted with life rather then his land though it were to pleasure a King And I speake not this that men should loue land too much or desire more of it then onely competent Neither is any thing so good but we must loose for God or sell to pay true debts that euery body may haue their owne But to set land at naught or to sell it with losse and to spend it riotously when we haue done in play or misrule without order or honesty as many doe now adaies is there witte or grace in it Is gaudy apparrell more worth thy mony then land Dice and cards if they were of gold are they more precious in thy eye then goodly lands will thy mistresse maintaine thee when all is gone or is the soking vsurer more worthy thy patrimony then thy fathers child No. As nothing so worthy price as land so let nothing hold vp the price like land if we will be good to our selues or to the cōmon as may be easily demonstrated To be short there wil be alawies some that sell And it is free for all to buy that can vnlesse it be crowneland Church-land or the poores Thus much for the best possession which is land Now for other things that are bought and solde I must giue you to vnderstand that there is in this no smal iniustice ignorance abroad in the world The ignorant make scruple where none is for buying honours and offices And the Couetous make a tush at Church-lawes if they prooue against sence and profit Symony they dare not auouch but to buy and sell aduousons and right of Patronage eyther appendant or in grosse or to extort pensions or anuities from incumbents they thinke it no sinne There bee also that will not buy a benefice but they will giue well to another that shall procure it them To take a gratuity it is lawfull so it be without pact but to frowne at the gratuity if it bee not bigge enough is no better then Simony To giue money for a spirituall seruice otherwise then by way of almes to the poore as for praying preaching christning or such like it is holden abhominable yet not vnlawfull to giue or take for ones paines and trauell in such businesse or to giue yearely stipends for weekely or monethly duties For though no spirituall function bee valuable with price yet ones labour and tye to it is Moreouer to with holde our tithe as it is a sinne well knowne and to take more then is due is also very vniust so doe I hold it very infortunate and ominous to our estates if I may so say to
in mercie saith Saint Austine And then what are wee better for Sunne-shine if hee that made the Sunne frowne on vs. Wee sauour not now adaies of the ancient piety and Christian feeling that hath beene Men and women haue thought it burthensome to their consciences to keepe any thing wrongfully It lay heauily on their stomacks like raw flesh when they had done amisse And if they were of any resolution to God-ward they would not touch nor come neere that was none of their owne Whereof wee haue a noble example of Constantine who forbad the tribute of Curtizans to defile his coffers as they were wont And our Christian Tiberius whom I named before would none of Narses his massie treasure Hee knew not how it was got that was so euilly kept And the same Prince before he came to bee Emperour beeing made Master of the Pallace and declared successor to Iustinus whose wife Sophia that couetous Empresse had gotten together ilfauouredly great heaps of treasure this worthy man when hee found it hee poured it all out and sent it packing to the poore Whereat when the olde Empresse was angry and asked him what he meant to bee so lauish of that shee got together with such labour and anxious care for her husband ô said hee the Exchecker I hope shall neuer neede such ill gotten goods And his words prooued true For there was neuer Prince so rich and fortunate in all things that euer I read of as hee was afterward for the time hee raigned which was seauen yeares And who more infortunate then Brennus the french Duke after hee had spoyled Temples and robbed Churches of their treasure saying the gods had neede giue vs and not wee giue them And was there any in the world more vnhappy then Caepio Seruilius and his partners after the spoyle of the Temple of Tholousa where they had infinite treasure ynough to haue made them all for euer but as Liuie noteth none of them all prospered but miserably dyed Caepio himselfe was ouerthrowne by the Cimbrians was turned out of his Consulship as neuer was any before him his goods confiscate was tumbled headlong downe the staires and dyed in yrons hauing beene happy enough before and triumphed ouer the Cilicians But this is the iudgement of him that searcheth all things and winkes at them still that doe naughtily vntill hee sees his time to come vppon them with vengeance And what hath a man gotten when hee hath rent and scrap't together what hee can many a cappe and knee it may bee for his fortune for it was but his fortune Many a secret curse that hee dies not yet for they haue no hope of him to doe much good while hee liueth many a nodde hee gets besides at his manner of rising For such a one is vndone by him saith one and yet he was no interest man Hee hath much to answer for saith another and yet hee neuer tooke forfeiture or solde to daies Hee hath beene hard to the common saith one yet hee would hoyse vp his fellowes saies another The king is the worse for such as hee saith one but it is more then the king knowes saith another Thus they play vpon the poore penny-father But hee shall not want some also that will praise him and commend him to bee a very kinde man to his friend so it cost him nothing saith another One commends him for a good Iusticer hee will not come in danger of lawe saith another I haue seene him giue well to the poore saith one so it bee well seene saith another Hee is very wise saith one to haue and holde saith another Hee was continent of his body saith one hee saued by that saith another So euery vertue of his hath a spunge with it and euery vice a pensill Fewe thinke well of him heartily no not they that faine would And when hee comes to dye what laughing teares follow and blackes of ioy not of mourning And heere begins his wofull pageant If all his golde were in his carkasse hee would haue as many houndes about him as a dead horse or as there bee tormenters about his beggarly soule His conscience torments him and wounds him that euer hee was so carking for that he should neuer haue with him His memory tortures him to thinke of his cares and what a slaue hee was to them and is not the better of a pinne for them now but the worse His feare affrights him that they that haue all will bee deceiued with it as hee was Hee feares his wife will come to him shortly or his childe or some body else whom hee loued and this torments him extreamely The diuels floute him instead of comforting him and those whom hee wronged haue neuer done accusing him to his thinking His wits confound him and rende his heart in peeces with cruell distractions His throate hoarse with crying skrieking and hellish groanes Hee would faine get out by him that came in last but impossible All his fellowes so grifly and gashfull that it is a hell alone to see them If a man were amongst Turks or Cannibals hee might haply finde some face of gentler aspect then other to ease his heart and make his moane vnto there not so all insociable villaines No friende or olde acquaintance there to befriende him No not brother or sister but to take him by the throate and spit fire in his face It bootes him not to lye still he is so full of paine It helpes him not to stirre for being made to lye still No kinde of hope hath accesse but is bar'd and double bar'd from him It were some comfort vnto him if he could not thinke at all All thoughts are lashes to him with an iron whippe See how the poore wretch is changed To thinke of golde is to thinke of a toad To thinke of them that haue it and care little for him it wrings him to the guttes To remember the pleasures he had in walking ouer his grounds makes him as melancholy as a mad man To thinke of heauen lost for a trifle so like an Asse as he was he knawes his flesh from his bones Alasse how short I come of his dreadfull estate with my slender imagination But surely when such a soule reflects vpon such a misery hee frettes and grieues and wrings his hands so pittiously that a heart of brasse would melt to beholde it But all in vaine Hee would faine imagine it a dreame but that is idle He wishes hee were in some dungeon full of ordure in a stinking prison full of irons in a shipwracke at sea in the bottome of a deepe well or in an ouen full of flames yet all this in vaine Wishes doe no more but torment more He curses God to his face he curses his parents and progenitors he curses all flatterers and them that soothed him vp hee curses himselfe most damnably that had but one sinne or euill disposition to take heede of and set so light by it He findes it now
that he saw and would not see knew and would not know hee might haue askt and would not stoupe for it because he liked his owne waies Poore wretch forlorne miserable and forsaken wretch If he were in life againe what would he doe hee could tell how to vse the matter better then hee did Which I pray God we may learne to doe by his wofull example if we saw him It is not land or mony or goodly things or faire glozes that would damne him againe if he were aliue againe He was not so griping as he would now be giuing He was not so vpon aduantage as he would now giue aduantage He was not so ready to rend frō a man the one halfe as now to render fourefold not so sparing then towards common good as now more for the cōmon thē for his priuat not so proud then of his fortunes as now humble affable not so large then as now scrupulous not so auerted then from the poore as now compassionate and tender ouer the poore and rather delighting in them This day let all men assure themselues will one day come and will not bee long but they shall see how foolish they were for all their seeming wit how little for all their greatnes how poore and ragged for all their hourding scraping together how full of lip-labour all their praiers how course their conceits in heauenly affaires More shall they see vnder a silly winding sheete then vnder a Cannopy of gold more in the dumpes of their euerlasting melancholy then heere in the height of their iolitie But all to late after finall impenitence O that any teares of ours or sobs of endlesse lamentation might giue them ease but they will not I speake no more of them my heart doth bleede that any of these woes should fall vpon any one But it hath beene and will be Yet thankes be to God and truely let vs reioyce and clappe our hands all we that are yet liuing and are not as yet in that dolefull pitte There is no wrong but we may yet right And it may be there is yet no wrong but we may preuent Let vs be wise betimes and learne by other mens harmes Wee especially that professe our selues of Gods houshold and let vs accustome our selues to bee scrupulous and to doe nothing without counsell It will trouble vs much to restore againe when we haue wronged Wee finde by experience they will bee damned first as wise as they are before they will heare of it To thinke all ours that we force from a body by law or might it is folly To doe otherwise then we will bee done to is little honour or honesty To sooth our selues with ill custome where nothing warrants but ill custome is to cozen our selues and make sport for the deuill Now let vs cast vp our eyes to heauen if we be not cast-awaies and desperate Let not a little mony damne vs or hope of gaine gaine-say vs when we knocke at heauen gate Nay why should wee hazzard our best part so or put our heauenly portion in aduenture for it What reason haue wee to loose a certenty there for an vncertenty heere Why should we loose a thousand poundessure our owne for an hundred halfpence not sure our owne or how long we shall haue it away with it Let it not taint our chests and canker our soules Put it not together with that is well gotten In stead of giuing or lending where neede is let vs not take another mans without need and which no neede should compell vs vnto He that hath least hath enough of that little to answer for though he heape not on himselfe more by wresting from others If yee will be patient and milde and void of all passion if ye will free your selues from enuy and anger which I told you in the beginning is so necessary for vs and lastly if ye will goe light to heauen when ye dye and will be alwayes ready for it when God shall call away with your clogge of cupidity let it approach your heart no more but be indifferent to all things whether ye haue them or no and assure your selues ye shall gaine in the end by it Magnus questus pietas cum sufficientia Better a little with content 1. Tim. 6. then a great deale to trouble our braines withall at our last gaspe a little with true honesty then a great deale with prophane cupidity Will rich men and ambitious bodies giue credence to S. Paul who tels them wherein true gaine consisteth and how they shall get it Religion pietie and feare of God these make profite saith hee and gaine vs great matters Let these bee the plaine song to all our descant these the commanders of all our businesse O that we had the faith of Tobias Tob. 4. We lead saith he a poore life Yet what was his comfort We shall haue many good things said he if we feare God Where is our faith now is it asseepe See how Saints agree Magnus questus saith one Multa bona saith an other We shall haue many good things without hurting or wronging any O that we could looke out of Saint Pauls eye when he called it Magnus questus What were the riches he saw when he said it what purple robes yea they exceeded all purple What golde and siluer no treasure comparable What pearle or precious thing no pearle or iewell comes neere it What saw he then what inamoured his Eagles eye what fil'd vp his heart so that hee left no corner in it for worlds glory or mony-bagges What content tooke Tobias who had wife and children to prouide for and many childrens children yet none of these base things could fasten on him His Multa bona were in heauen not vnum bonum on earth His thoughts were high reachers as lowely as he was a little was enough heere What a world-skorning word is that of Saint Paul Cum sufficientia What he meant by it he explaines himselfe in an other place Habentes alimenta 1. Tim. 6. vnde tegamur his contenti simus If wee haue enough to feede vs competently and to couer vs conueniently to our estates we liue in for so is his meaning what seeke wee more why climbe we higher what necessity to make our selues great what neede lace vpon lace silke vpon silke dishes after dishes and a thousand curiosities more then meere decency Saint Paul loued it not nor would haue vs to loue it For hee speakes not this to priests and religious onely saith Saint Chrysostome but in generall to all that liue in the world lib. 3. cont Vitrup Now how will your Superfluum and this sufficiencie agree how will those lime twigges comply with your winges when yee shall come to vse them But I will conclude with a iudgement or a ruled case ruled by God himselfe in Saint Lukes Gospell Luk. 18. Quam difficile qui pecunius habent in regnum dei
intrabunt How hardly shall they enter the kingdome of God that haue store of mony for hee sayth not pecuniam but pecunias not money which wee cannot bee without but monyes or store of mony which keepes vs out This is it that makes it hard or impossible It is our selues that make it hard Heauen is hard enough of it selfe to come by yet wee forsooth must make it harder Our vnfortunate coueting hath giuen vs such a law that it is almost impossible to come there Halfe our wittes are imployed in this world to make all things else easie Our shooe must be easie for pinching vs our saddle easie our horse easie our garment our armour easie that we may bestir vs our staire easie to get vp Arts and sciences also we make easie with compendiums the study of the law with abridgments If we be to run we throw off we lay not on more Onely in our way to heauen still where we should goe lightest of all we clogge on most of all and for want of a Camels bunch on our backe we tye vs on one as like it as we can that wee may passe through the streights with more difficulty Naked wee were borne into the world that wee may runne the lighter yet wee heape impediments vpon vs to make vs heauier Hearken you that bee rich and delight so in gathering Listen to your iudgement Quia diues erat ibidem Because hee had much and store of Superfluum by him and imployed it not therefore it was impossible that hee should bee saued Now who would hourd after this or who would not bee afraide of it This is the gnawing worme of our soules the bane of all good workes the damme of deadly omissions the very diuell in a hutch Is there any man here that would be rich with these conditions Let not the rich man tell vs that hee is not rich Let him tell God soe Let him not tell mee that hee keepes it for good purposes this or that or what it will bee Let him tell God and his friend so and deceiue not himselfe Euill keeping is almost as dangerous as euill getting and if yee halte with God in your pretences looke for no better then fire and brimstrone I speake my deare friends to them that bee rich and holding and not to you but by the way of preuention and to driue into your soules this holy feare before hand which I see but very few haue Shew your grace and courage in withstanding this euill I loue you all deerely and I haue done you the vttermost of my loue My selfe yee see am decaying and growing out of the world Yôu haue a long time to liue yet and to giue good example After a few dayes haply wee shall neuer see one another more Yet if wee may meete in Heauen that onely is my desire and my heart is inflamed with it FINIS THE FIRST HOMAGE OF A SOVLE TRVELY CONVERTED WITH SIGNES THEREOF LOrd it grieued thee no doubt to see our sinnefull estate and not so much our acts of sinne as our miserable corrupted will from whence they came This drewe thee from thy heauenly throane to an earthly habitacle not only to pay our debts but also for our example and imitation of life But woe be vnto vs we endeauour night and day to shame thee our louing master if wee could by doing and willing the cleane contrary By how much the more I vnworthy wretch of all others am bound to thy greatnesse for that yet at length before all hope be past with me thou hast giuen mee in part to know my selfe That is to say where I was and whether thou hast now led me and out of what darknesse I see it now thy selfe mercifully shewing it vnto me Heretofore I haue not seene my owne will blinding me Blessed Lord since my conuersion vnto the I know my fault and see the cause of it I haue thought my selfe conuerted vnto thee before I was indeed True conuersion is to turne to thee and from sinne and the same so to detest as to desire any thing to suffer then to commit againe Secondly to haue a watchfull eye ouer our temptations and euill motions Thirdly to call to thee effectually for grace and strength And fourthly in that strength not to doubt but to resist them manfully as fast as they come Wee practise commonly the contrary and giue the bucklers to our enemies as thinking our selues too weake for so many assaults and so we be without thee But in thee and in a perfect resolution to serue thee and to renounce sinne my Lord I finde mine enemies euery day weaker and weaker not in my owne strength but thine in me I know thou canst not abide a coward or that casteth difficulties in thy seruice but if our hearty endeauours be with thee thou suppliest with strength and neuer sufferest vs to take the foyle Blessed Lord thou hast let me see now what hindered my sight before my conuersion euen that which blindeth others yea multitudes that are not yet conuerted vnto thee That is to say things seeming good and faire that tended to perdition And beeing no more gracious then others I haue vsed my selfe-loue to command and selfe-will to iudge so long that I could not take their masterie from them without much rebellion and haue beene therefore contented to thinke thât good or ill that my humor said was good or ill And this by ill custome hath made a law in me so far forth that I haue not only thought as they informed me but also I haue verily beleeued whatsoeuer they suggested Which notwithstanding it hath pleased thy goodnes to shew me their tyrāny very palpably And that first in others whom I haue seene in wretched bondage vnto them and to their owne appetites Not but that my selfe was in the like or greater but because we spie a fault sooner in another then in our selues and they were a glasse to see my selfe in how monstrously I haue blinded that light of reason ere now which thou hast giuen me and I had almost lost and became like a beast vntill thy grace restored me when it was a thousand to one against me My reason instructeth me that no creature well ordered is gouerned by it selfe The soule much lesse among so many hidden enemies since in heauen where is no enemy no soule is guided by it selfe My reason telleth me that none is ouerthrown but by self-rule And we confesse it in reater crimes wilfull murther incests robbery the like because they be more notably punished in sight In lesse we cannot see it so well because they are more qualified mingled by the deuil il custome that they may poison the more cunningly My reason experience teach me that the deuill hath nothing to work vpon but our will is a most subtill perswader And therfore if I haue no more wil or wit but my own it is impossible to stand against him And very likely
knowe and no more I leaue greater misteries to them that are better learned Our reward in heauen sure is admirably great but what it is or in what fashion that we may say it is thus and thus no man can deliuer Two things I knowe and am assured of touching heauen and heauenly ioyes that is to say the greatnesse of them when we come there and the neerenesse of them while we bee heere which may bee also no small comfort vnto vs and of these two I will speake a little after my wonted breuity leauing the rest to your good thoughts when I haue done If your faith were like to his that said iustus ex fide viuit Abac. 2. Rom. 2. wee should feele this greatnes we speake of before we come at it our very soule would reioyce and triumph in it before it could expresse why If our faith I say were so liuely and springing as it might be our tongues would not list to speake but our very deedes actions and behauiours would shew heauen in our faces Our very countenance would bewray heauen in vs. There is nothing would disturbe vs no anger disquiet vs no passion distemper vs no ill fortune beare vs downe but as we shall bee when wee come there so shall we begin to bee while we be heere constant stout resolute in all good purposes like Elias or Elizeus or Saint Iohn Baptist and a multitude of others after the new testament But I shall speake more of this anon Our faith and spirit is not of that viuacity that theirs was of nor haue we apprehensions of heauens delights but by such similies and resemblances as we can make by visible things by which we haue a ghesse or estimate at the greatnesse we speake of and yet come short of it by infinite degrees I cannot tell how to expresse this greatnesse better then by one word a long word full of matter and makes vp a verse alone Incomprehensibility the summe of our felicity For we must know for a certainety that the greatnesse of our reward that is to say of heauen is incomprehensible of any mortall vnderstanding But why so doe wee not reade of some that haue seene heauen or paradise in a traunce or extasie and comming to themselues againe haue told what they saw there delicate green meddowes with siluer streams and golden sands in the bottome running through the midst of them the bankes beset with violets and primroses that neuer partch with heate nor perish with treading on the weather temperate alwayes Aprill with them Coole without cold day without night Sunne full of shade shade full of light Is not this comprehensible gardens full of all sweeteflowers daintily drest without mans labour the rose without thornes neuer fading pinckes and lillies of all fresh colours neuer decaying spring and haruest comming alwayes together blooming and bearing all at a time nothing there but wish and haue it from the chirping bird of rarest feature to the lowde organ or musicke of the best harmony these and such like haue beene reuealed to some good folk Are not these also comprehensible and yet we said that heauen is incomprehensible We shall there behold the humanity of Christ his blessed mother the glorious Virgin whom to see in flesh wee could trauell the world round if they were liuing such comfort wee should finde of it For if that notable Law-maker of Megapolis thought long to dye Circidas and tooke pleasure to thinke he should then see Pythagoras Euclid and other famous men deceased how much more pleasure will it be to vs to see Iesus whom we all serue and honour whose name alone makes hearts to leape and diuells to tremble in power so triumphant so sweet andamiable in aspect and so alluring to all beholders that we shall not off on him after wee come once to see him And is not this comprehensible This heauen we speake of was reuealed to S. Apoc. 21. Iohn in forme of a city twelue thousand furlongs in length as many in breadth and as many in height all the twelue gates of it were entire pearle the streetes paued with gold and the walles of the same pure gold and smoothe like christall on the bottome whereof grewe all kinde of pretious stones whereof twelue are named It had no temple for the temple was God himselfe Hee sawe a Riuer also of liuing water cleere as christall springing out of the seate of God and the lambe This and a great deale more he sawe in spirit and is not all this comprehensible I gaue you the other day fiue properties of bread Wherin I tolde you nothing aboue your reach but yee might plainly vnderstand them to bee in our bread of Trauellers And I can make it as plaine to you how they bee also as euident and farre more certaine in our bread of Angels The substance of our trauelling bread was the grace of God in word and workes The substance of our Angelicall bread is his grace also not in faith but in fruite not in workes but in reward His grace is with vs heere but in hope there in certaine knowledge heere in trembling there in true possessing Heere wee may fall againe there neuer This grace of God in heauen shall bee his eye of glory vpon vs alwaies The masters eye makes a fat beast and the eye of God vpon vs incessantly makes faire creatures and not inferiour to Angels And this was the first propertie to feede vs and nourish vs Quipascit inter lillia He shall feede vs amongst Lillies and Angels The second property was to make purest blood in vs. We shall not looke like our earthly complexions No grosse humours or drosse shall approch vs. How pure shall wee be As pure as Angels Our bodies like glasse transpârent Sine macula aut ruga All manner of spots will bee taken out of vs and euery wrinckle made plaine A third quality of bread was to be loued of all And who shall behold that sparkling eye of God and shall not be enamoured with it Vulnerasti cor meum in vno oculorum tuorum Cant. 4. Our hearts will bee wounded with that alluring eye It shall not bee like our loues heere which are more in clayming then in obtaining and after a while wee care not for them Beleeue me not so in heauen And all this is comprehensible Now what should I speake how common this bread is in heauen which was the fourth property This bread of Seraphins ô how easily it is gotten and without asking Common I say for euery one shall haue enough Neither shall the commonnesse or hauing without asking make the reward more vile For euery one shall reioyce that another hath the same or more then he The fore-finger is graced with that the little finger weares I keepe still within compasse of your capacity And to omit the fift property which is not in heauen where none can euer be at losse or fall from good estate I