his first Creation a bright shining Lucifer beautified as a precious stone and more excellent than al the Angels of Heauen in resplendant brightnesse through his pride against God lost his light glory and beautie and as he was worthy became a foule féend deiected from heauen into this Elementall world lower than al the Spheares into the Fire Ayre Earth and Water 5 I saw saith S. Iohn a starre fall from Heauen to the earth Apoc. 1. and to him was giuen the key of the bottomlesse pit Further he saith There was a battel in heauen Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon Chap. 12. the Dragon fought and his angels But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in Heauen And the great dragon that olde Serpent called the Deuill and Sathan was cast out which deceiueth all the world He was cast euen into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him And being thus deiected hée now neuer ceaseth compassing the whole earth Iob. 1. but in his circuite séeketh like a roaring Lyon whom hee may deuoure 1. Pet. 5. Luk. 22. Apoc. 12. For the which cause S. Iohn pronounceth this woo saying Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the Sea for the diuel is come down vnto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time 6 For albeit the world séemeth to be the parent the bringer foorth and nourisher of bodies yet is it the prison of Spirits the exiling of soules and a place of all wretchednesse and paines For as the worlde is a place of sinne and transgression a Station of Pilgrimage and of woe a habitation of wailing of teares of trauaile of wearines of fearefulnesse and of shame of mouing of changing of passing and of corruption of insolence and of perturbation of violence and opprssion of deceit and of guile and finally the laystall of all wickednesse and abhomination so also by GODS Iustice it is appointed the place and pitte of punishment and euerlasting torment wherin the euill Angels that rebelled with Lucifer and the damned spirites of wicked men departed this life haue endlesse paine without rest 7 And albeit the Apostle calleth Sathan a Prince that ruleth in the Ayre Ephe. 2. yet is that Rule so slane-like and his power so weakened by the Almightie that when the Lorde intending to punish the sonnes of Adam and to strike the earth with tempestes of lightning and thunder Hée thereby also beateth Sathan and the whole rable of his hellish féendes that in their fury and rage therewith they terrifie men by ougly shapes and aparitions and by GODS permission to murther man and beast sometimes do ouer-throwe buildings Iob. 1. and doe fire and consumne houses leauing a most noysome and horrible stinke behinde them of the hellish place from whence they come For it is not the diuell but the glorious God that maketh the thunder and as testifieth Syrach Psal 29. Eccle. 43. It is the sound of the Lords thunder that beateth the earth 8 Thus by Gods iust iudgement hée raungeth like a runagate in the sphere of his Hell vntill the day of doome for which season he is let loose and yet with such prohibition and restraint that in his mallice hée can procéed no further than shal séeme fit to the mightie Iehouah his Creator and then hée shall receiue that punishment whereof S. Iude speaketh in these words The Angels which kept not their first estate 2. Pet. 3. Apoc. 21. but left thier owne habitation hee hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the Iudgment of the great day at which time there shall be a new heauen and a newe earth wherein shall dwell nothing but righteousnes when the are refined with the fire of Gods iustice and then al the creatures of those new heauens and new earth shall be made perfit for which perfection and restauration euery creature waiteth being now subiect to vanitie Rom. 8. for the which they groane that they may be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For albeit the fashion and forme of this world goeth away as saith the Apostle yet they subtance shall reamine 1. Cor. 7. whether of the heauens themselues or of the Elements or of men al which shall abide for euer 9 At this time of restauration when al things shall become new and when the dead are raised vp againe to life in their corporall bodyes then shal be prepared an out-set habitation which shal be a Chaos ful of confusion deuoyd of the first most excellent thing that God made Light and in steed thereof replenished with darknesse a thousand times worse theÌ„ the palpable darknes of Aegypts plague Exod. 10. wherein the burning and intollerable tormenting fire giueth no light where the freezing colde which causeth gnashing of téeth Iob. 10. mittigateth nothing at al the burning heate 10 The holy Scripture to inable the weake capacitie of man to comprehend and vnderstand the excéeding horror and most feareful torment of this place calles it a Bottomles pit â—ophet á Dùnge on déepe large Apoc. 1. Esai 30. Apoc. 21 the burning whereof is fyer brimstone the lake of the second death which burneth with fyer and brimstone And in regard of the weeping howling roaring secréetching in that place it is compared to the valley of Hynnom neere Hierusalem where the idolatrous people at the sacrificing of their children so the Idole Moloch Iere. 32. made a confused noyse of crying howling together with singing and sounding of Instrumments that the pitifull screetching of the children tormented in that diuellesh sacrifice might not be heard And for this cause Christ calleth Hell Gehennon which the Prophet Dauid calleth the neithermost Hell 11 And albeit to men that measure all things by Philosophy and humane reason it may seeme absurde that Fyer should aflict the soules of the reprobate departed and the damned spirites in Hell forsomuch as the Agent is euer reputed more noble than the patient but no corporal body is more noble than the Spirit and according to the minde of the Philosopher in his booke of Generation Those things are only agent and patient in themselues which communicate in the same matter yet in this poynt as also in many other things which leane onely on Faith and not on humane reason we must beléeue it because the word of God so deliuereth it For the soule of Diues in Hell cryeth and shall crye for euer Luke 16. I am tormented in this flame Which is no Parable but really acted This then is no immaginarie fyer but a true corporal fyer working really vpon body soule on the soule before the day of Iudgement and on both together in a higher degrée of torment after the day of doome not by a proper vertue and naturall action which the fyer hath but as the
of Platoes Schollers that both their diet and their apparel was alwayes like vnto that of their Masters And the Heathen could say that the perfection of a man is to be like Iupiter So in like manner Christians must doe all things after the example of Christ because the perfection of Christianitie is to bée like Christ 2 But let no man be afraid or troubled Let no man say with dispaire how can it be that men which are made of dust shoulde imitate GOD that we which are a masse or lumpe of sinne shoulde bee like the vnspotted lambe of God For we are not commanded to immitate and followe Christ in that glory and maiesty wherein he sitteth in heauen at the right hand of his Father nor yet in that power vertue by which he gouerneth the whole world and worketh signs and woonders but onely in that patterne of holines which hee set before vs in our fleshe when he was here on earth 3 For thou shalt neuer finde these precepts in Scripture hée which walketh not vpon the sea is not worthy of me he that doth not daily raise vp dead men vnto life cannot be my disciple and blessed is hée which foresheweth things to come and is mighty in signes and woonders because to such belongeth the kingdome of heauen These are not the things that we are commanded to follow in Christ but these rather Learne of me for I am meeke and humble in hart Mat. 11. Christi exemplum saith Saint Augustine est medicamentâ—m vnâ—rum c. The example of Christ is a remedy to amend wickednes in vs but especially it is saith hee a medicine for pride and a paterne of humility For both his doctrine and his whole life was nothing els but an example of méekenes and humilitie what man bearing the name of a Christian is not ashamed to sée Christ so humble and méeke and himselfe so proud Math. 10. Againe hée saith Hee that taketh not vppe his Crosse and followeth mee is not worthy of mee Also blessed are the meeke Math. 5. blessed are the poore in spirite blessed are they which mourne blessed are the mercyfull blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen 4 This thing our Captaines and guides the Apostles very wel vnderstoode who albeit they spake the languages of all nations and were moste famous in working of miracles knowing themselues to bée the teachers of the whole world yet herein alone they reioyced that they were counted worthie to suffer contumelie for the name of Iesus And the blessed Apostle Paul beside those things which hée had in common with the other Apostles béeing rapt vp into the third heauens heard certaine things which are secrete and yet for all that hee iudged not himselfe any whit the more like or neare vnto Christ but for those things onely which hée rehearseth in the latter Epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 12. they saith he are minsters of Christ I speake as a foole I am more In labours more abundant In stripes aboue measure in prison more plentiously In death often 5 These are the things which we are to imitate in our great Commaunder and captaine namely in aduersitie patience In hard matters fortitude In all perill and labour constancie What heart is so cold and cowardly which considering the inestimable greatnesse of the gift that God hath bestowed vpon vs in giuing vnto vs his owne so well beloued Sonne with all his perfection is not enflamed with an excéeding earnest desire to becom like vnto him in good works especially séeing the Father hath giuen him vnto vs for an example whereon we must continually looke framing our life after such a sort as it may be a true counterpaine of the life of Iesus Christ as saith saint Peter For as much as Christ hath suffered for vs 1. Tet. 2. leauing vs an example to the end that we shoulde followe his foote-steps Out of this consideration followeth the whole frame and fashioning of our selues like vnto him in all his déedes words and thoughts leauing our former wicked life and decking our selues with the new life that is to witte with the life of Christ By reason wherof Saint Paul saith Let vs cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of life not in feasting nor in drunkennesse nor in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife but put you on the Lorde Iesus Christ and make no preparation for the flesh nor for the lusts therof 6 Hereuppon the true Christian béeing in loue with Iesus Christ saith in himselfe Sith that Iesus Christ not hauing any néede of me hath redéemed me with his own bloud and is become poore to inrich mée I wil likewise giue my goods yea and my very life for the loue and welfare of my neighbour Hée that hath not this affection is no true Christian For hée cannot say that hée loueth Iesus Christ if he loue not his members and if we loue not our neighbour for whose sake Christ hath shed his bloud we cannot truely say that we loue Iesus Christ who being equal with God was obedient to his Father euen to the death of the crosse and hath loued and redéemed vs giuing himselfe vnto vs with all that euer he hath After the same maner wee being rich and hauing aboundance of good things at Christs hand must also bée obedient vnto God to offer and giue our workes and al that we haue yea and euen our selues to our neighbours and brethren in Iesus Christ seruing them and helping them at their néede and being vnto them as another Christ 7 And as Iesus Christ hath endured all the persecutions and spites of the world for the glory of God so must wée with al patientnes chéerfully beare the persecutions and reproaches that are done by false Christians to all such as wil liue faithfullie in Iesus Christ who gaue his life for his enemies and prayed for them vppon the Crosse And this is to followe Christes steppes according to Saint Peters saying 8 But now turne thy eyes a while vnto thy selfe and diligentlie beholde and see what thou doest imitate and followe in the life of Christ Thou delightest in sumptuous wardroabes and in many suites of costlie apparell But Christ in the most colde time of Winter was layed naked in a Manger Thou spendest howers and dayes in feasting and banquetting amidst thy daintie dishes talking and seruing thy bellie and the Son of God afflicted his moste innocent bodie with hunger and thirst Thou liuest in peace and pleasure in recreations in playes in pastimes and art delighted in idlenes passing thy time in singing laughing and sporting And the Sonne of God came down from heauen for our saluation that we might not perish eternally and for this cause was a pilgrim preached labored tooke no rest and spent whole nights in prayer for vs. Thou earth ashes canst not digest the least iniurie of wordes without displeasure
thou mayest at the last obtaine the reward which our Sauiour Christ hath promised Come ye blessed of my Father c. Which Lord for thy mercie sake graunt vs Amen CHAP. III. Concerning the generall day of Doome FOrsomuch as the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome and al for the most part are restrayned from sinne and wickednes by the feare of punishment paines and are brought to a good mind and purpose they which exclude this feare out of their hearts doe shut vp against themselues the true and wholesome repentance For as the Scripture testifieth the feare of the Lord expelleth sinne and he which is without feare cannot he iustified August in Ioan. Tract 9. The which St. Augustine by a very proper similitude setteth foorth If there be no feare there is no entrance for loue euē as we sée when a man soweth the thréed is brought in with a néedle the néedle first entereth but except the néedle goe out also the thréed followeth not Euen so feare first possesseth the minde but feare remaineth not there alone because it therefore entred to bring in loue Wherefore to awake vs sléeping in sinnes and to ingender feare in our minds the Lord doth oftentimes in the Gospel threaten vtter darknes gnashing of teeth euerlasting fire and other torments of hell that at the leastwise for feare of paines and torments we might bridle our mindes our eyes and our hands from sinne and wickednesse 2 This feare is not onely probable but also very necessarie For if now after so many threatnings of our Creator so fearefull and so greeuous we scarcely forsake our sins what would we do if God did not threaten at all Therefore I holde this that the feare of the Lord is as it were the parent and kéeper of righteousnesse temperance loue and of all vertues 3 But there is nothing that doeth more worke this feare in vs then the remembrāce of that great day wherein al the causes of al men are to be pleaded and their matters determined Insomuch that Saint Augustine affirmeth if Christian men should heare no other Gospel then that wherein the general iudgement is set foorth that one might suffice both to reuoke sinnefull men from their wickednesses and also being reuoked to cōteine them in their dutie 4 Wherefore in this Chapter wée will handle two notable points concerning the iudgement to come The first shal be concerning the greatnes horror of that day and of the fearefull signes that shall go before the same The second shal be concerning the raising vp of the dead bodies and the comming of the Iudge 5 The greatnesse and horror of that last day may be knowen hereby that it is called in holy Scripture a great day and the day of the Lord. And shall it not indéede be a very great day which shal cōprehend all the daies of all ages aswell those that are past as those that are to come For in that day men shall render an account of all the dayes that are past In that day God will poure out that infinite treasure of his wrath and indignation which he hath heaped vp in the space of al the worlds that are past In that day the motions of the heauens shall cease the course of the starres the reuolution of yéeres the vicissitude or returne of moneths and dayes the decay of mortal things al the cogitations of men al their studies al their Artes al their disciplines all their affaires shall rest in eternall silence 6 Also in that day it shal be decréed by the sentence and irreuocable constitution of the most high and eternal Iudge what state and condition euery one of vs shall haue and retaine in al eternitie of worlds 7 And not without cause the holy scriptures haue called it the day of the Lord. For as al the dayes of men going before are called their dayes because men watch in them and do whatsoeuer they will and God beareth suffereth endureth expecteth and after a sort sleepeth resteth in them Euen so then the day of the Lorde shal shine wherein hée shal be continually waking shal do whatsoeuer he wil and we whether we wil or no must suffer and endure 8 Thou now doest adde sin vnto sinnes and ceasest not to offend God dayly God is silent at al these things And why so Because this day is thy day But the day shall come beléeue me the day of the Lorde shall come which shal bring an ende to so long silence and wherein he wil take vengeaunce of all the iniuries that haue béene done vnto him 9 Thus we sée that al Eternitie comprehendeth two dayes onely The one of man the other of God In the one men shal watch and God shal sleepe In the other men shal sleepe and God shal watch 10 How horrible this day shall bée wée cannot plainly vnderstand and yet we may gesse at it by the present calamities For then the hoast of al punishments which their confederate battel of al offences shal assaile vs with maine force 11 But as in the warres of men before the last and general battel there are many excursions and short skirmishes euen so before that great and most fearefull conflict which shal be in the day of the Lorde God is wont with his seueral bands to make certaine excursions and one while to send vpon vs famine another while pestilence another while warre another while earth-quakes another while floods of waters and another while drougth as it were his horsemen to inuade vs who when they haue damnified vs retire and abide in their tents If therefore we so greatly feare pestilence warre famine earth-quakes and such like when as they are but the beginning of sorrowes and short excursions what I pray you wil wée doe when the last and general conflict shal come at what time al tribulations extremities calamities and miseries shal also fight against vs 12 And if wée doe yet more fully desire to know the greatnes and horror of that last day let vs consider those signes which shal a little while come before that day Therefore before the comming of that great day heauē and earth and all the Elements shall giue signes For there shal be signes in the Sun in the Moone and in the stars Luke 21. and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the Sea and waters shal roare and mens heartes shal faile them for feare and for looking after those things which shal come vpon the world 13 For as man which is a litle worlde when he draweth néere to his end the humors in him as certaine Elements are troubled and his eyes which are as the Sunne and Moone are obscured lose their light and the rest of the sences as the lesser Starres do by little little fall and faile and yet his minde and reason as the power of heauen is mooued from his seate wandereth erreth Euen so in the dissolution and fall
of this whole frame which is called the great worlde the Sunne shal be turned into darknes and the Moone into blood and the Starres shal fall from heauen the Ayer shall be full of whirlewindes stormes corruscations slashing meteors and thunders the earth with fearefull tremblings and swallowing gulphes the floods of the sea shal swel so high as if they would ouer flow the whole world and the roaring and raging noyse of the fretting billowes and tossing waues shal greatly terrifie Men therefore shal wither and waxe pale with feare and horror and trembling shal vexe them more and more expecting what these new monsters wil bring foorth at the last and what wil be the end of such horrible beginnings 14 When a tempest ariseth at the Sea and the boisterous waues begin to tosse and beat the shippe and the men which are in the same do beholde the horrible lightnings and fierie flashings in the ayre and the furious winds also making the sea to swel and rage in such wise that now they sée themselues tossed aloft and then anon caried down into the déepe they begin presently to cry to feare to tremble to call for mercie to multiplie their prayers to craue time of repentance to commend their saluation to almightie God and to be short they begin to thinke of the amendement of their manners and to haue better purposes Then thinke with thy selfe what manner of minde men wil haue when they shal sée heauen and earth and all the elementes to haue their peculiar and proper tempestes when the Sun shal strike a horror into mens harts with his fearful darkenesse and the Moone being turned into blood shal terrifie them that beholde it and the starres with their falles shal threaten for they shal fal so thicke that the Firmament shal séeme to be quite without light and the aire with continual fierie meteors shal séeme to burne the sea shal swel excéedingly and the most high mountaines being shakē with earthquakes shal fal with excéeding great noise 15 Who then wil take pleasure to eate who wil take delight in drinke who wil then haue any desire to sléep Nay who dare once then slumber or take the least rest amidst so many tempests and stormes O miserable and vnhappy sinners ouer whose heads al these signes doe hang and doe foreshew vnto them extreame calamitie O happie men yea thrise four times tenne times yea a thousand times happie and blessed whose conscience in that time wil make them merry and glad 16 Thus farre we haue considered the greatnesse of the last day the signes going before the same now let vs cal to minde certaine thinges concerning the resurrection of the dead and the comming of the Iudge 17 Therefore after those signes wonders which shal goe before the day of the Lord an Archangel shal come downe from heauen and with the feareful sounde of a Trumpette shal giue a signe to all that are dead to rise againe and to come to Gods iudgement This is that Trumpet which Saint Hierome thought that hée euer heard sounding in his eares whatsoeuer he were doing and not without cause For who can appeale from this citation who can refuse this iudgemēt who can pretend sicknes busines or any other excuse 18 Then shal death be compelled to make surrender of al the spoiles in a momēt which hée had taken away from the world and she shal be sent away into euerlasting banishment beyond al lands and seas and beyonde the world and the borders of al liuing things For as Saint Iohn sheweth in his Reuelation then shal the sea yéelde vp her dead which it hath swallowed and death and hel shal doe the like 19 What a sight shal there bée then when sea and land shal bring forth in al places so many bodies so vnlike one to the other so different and so vnequal And when as at one and the selfe same place so many armies shal come together from all parts of the world In that place Adam the father of al the Nations of the earth shal sée al his posteritie come together and shal meruaile There we shal sée Xerxes Darius Alexander Caesar other Monarches of the world but yet hauing another forme other maners and other mindes then they had when they liued here For at the sound of the Trumpet kings and Nations and all the worlde shal tremble they shal strike their breastes and mourne 20 Moreouer although all men shal be restored vnto life yet neuerthelesse there shal be great difference betwéen those bodies which shal be restored to holy men and those which the wicked and vngodly shal receiue For they shal be more shining then the sun and shal bee beautified with vnspeakeable brightnes but the others most foule and vgly and more terrible then death it selfe 21 What pleasure I pray you shal the blessed soules haue when they shal be ioyned againe to their bodies as to their most swéet brethren after so long banishment neuer to feare any more a seperation What I beséech you shal flesh féele when it shal be raysed from dust and shal sée an vnwonted light and when the soule shal come vnto it and say God saue thée my sister and most swéete Spouse the winter is now gone the storme is past away arise my beloued and come the Lord hath fulfilled our desire thou hast bene the companion of my trauels and laboures thou hast for the Lordes sake suffered with me persecutions and iniuries thou hast bene with me in watchings in fastings and vnder the crosse of repentance thou hast liued with a temperate and spare diet to féede the poore thou hast not excéeded in apparrel that thou mightst cloath the naked Equitie therefore and reason requireth that the things which thou hast sowen with mée in teares thou shouldest also reape with me in ioy and that séeing thou hast bene a companion with mée in my labours thou shouldst also be partaker with me of my pleasures riches and glorie Then shal the soule swéetely imbrace the bodie and the bodie ioyfully kisse the soule and they shal be ioined together with most happy and indissoluble knots And then with how great ioy and gladnesse shal they dwel together in one for from thencefoorth appetite shal not contend with wil nor sence with reason but being ioined together in one with the league of amity peace and concord they shal enioy the delights and ioyes of heauen euerlastingly 22 And contrariwise with what anguish shal the soule of the sinner be tormented whē that foule il fauoured deformed and feareful body is offered vnto him With what words thinkest thou wil they salute one another O vnhappy body wil the soule say O the beginning and end of my calamities thou hast brought me to these torments with thy entisements and now I am come not as it were into a house to rest but as it were into a prison to be tormented I am compelled to enter into thée againe against my
make the eares of them that heare it to tingle O sentence intollerable which depriueth sinners of all good things and bringeth them to all woe The Lord sometime accursed the Fig-trée and immediately not onely the leaues but also the body and rootes were wholy withered Euen so that feareful curse of the last day shal be no lesse effectual For on whomsoeuer it falleth it shal so scortch them and shal so make them destitute of Gods grace that they shal neuer more be able to doe to speake to thinke or to hope for any good thing 31 Then therefore the wicked being stricken with this thundering sentence will lift vp their mouthes towards heauen wil spue foorth their shamefull blasphemies against God the Iudge they will curse this day and the houre wherein they were borne and their Parents which begat them and the wombs which bare them the aier which gaue them breath and the Earth which hath borne them but they shal not be suffered any long time to speake these things against the Iudge 32 For suddenly the Spirite of the Lord shal ouerwhelm them and shal with great violence caste them downe headlong into the déepe Apoc. 18. as in Saint Iohns Reuelation appeareth in these wordes Then a mightie angell tooke vp a stone like a great Milstone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall the Citie of Babilon bee cast Apoc. 20. and be found no more And againe Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the Lake of fire And this déepe shal be shut vp with gates of brasse and with yron barres which cannot bee broken with any force nor cut in sunder by any arte and there they shal drinke of the cup of the Lords wrath and the smoke of their torments shal ascend worlde wtout end they shal not rest day nor night 33 On the contrarie part the iust being in the fruition of ful blessednesse and of euerlasting glorie shall haue in their mouthes the prayses of the Lorde and giuing of thankes and shal with singing and with mirth extol the name of their Lorde and God with whom they shal reigne without ende 34 But although wée heare of those things often yet neuerthelesse wée are not awaked from the sléepe of sinne before wee be ouerwhelmed with the night of death and of darkenes Why doe we which haue this time now looke for another time which peraduenture wée shal neuer haue Now is the accepted time now is the day of saluation There is nothing more profitable for a man then to knowe his time and therefore in our worldly businesse wée obserue times and seasons as a conuenient time to eare a fitte time to sowe to plant and such like Yea the brute beast by the instinct of nature can make choyce of his time for benefite The Swallowe when winter approacheth prepareth himselfe to take his flight into a warmer Countrey The Bée and the Ant in the time of summer prepare their foode against winter And the Prophet Ieremie saith that the Storke knoweth his appointed time If brute beastes deuoide of reason haue this foresight to make choise of time for their good and if man him selfe in a worldly regarde can make choyse of a fitte and due time to gette earthly and transitorie things how much more prouident ought hee to bee for heauenly things that to attaine these hée lose not his fittest time to attaine saluation 35 The olde worlde that liued in the dayes of Noah knewe not their time that was the cause they then perished with the flood The Cities of Sodome and Gomer knew not their time that brought fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads to their destruction The foolish Virgins knewe not their time therefore when their Lorde came they being altogether vnready were shut out of the Lords ioy Let vs then knowe the season how it is time now that wee should awake out of sleepe Rom. 13.36 1. Thes 5. Let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that are drunken are drunken in the night But let vs which are of the day be sober least the darkenesse come vpon vs wherein we can neither walke nor worke Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes that day and time wherein we shall appeare before God and his Angels and before the whole worlde to answere our cause and either to receiue a Crown of glory or else perpetual shame and confusion Let vs know that we haue here a very short time limitted vnto vs. wherein wée must so endeuour our selues that for short and transitory things we lose not that which is eternall If wee haue this consideration of that great day of the Lorde wée shal not only be the more secure in death but also be the better prepared to méet with our Lord and Sauiour when he shal come to iudgement CHAP. IIII. Concerning Hell and the torments thereof THere is nothing that the Diuell laboureth more then to perswade men that there is no hel that so the more easily hée may leade them thether as it were blindfolde by the way of sinnes while they haue no feare of any punishment euen as shéeues are wont to bee ledde with a vaile before their faces when they are going to the gallowes as Ezechias was serued whose eyes Nabuchadnezer commanded to be put out whē he was caried away captiue into Babilō 2 But it may bée shewed by many reasons and authorities that there is a hel For as a Princely magnificence requireth that a King haue a beautiful Pallace for to entertaine the best sort of men and a prison for the worst Euen so the king of kings and Lord of all glorie and principalities hath a Pallace wherein there are many mansions as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel testifieth which is the kingdom of heauen and he hath also a darke prison or dungeon which is hel 3 The lawe of nations requireth that malefactors for their offences be driuen into exile for euer euen so God doth banish from his presence Luke 16. the impenitent sinners into hel For so it is said of Diues that he dyed was carried into hel Esay 5 And the prophet saith Hel hath inlarged it self hath opened his mouth with out measure and their glorie and their multitude and their pompe and he that reioyceth among them shall discend into it Also S. Iohn saith that the feareful and vnbeleeuing and murderers Apoc. 21. the whormongers sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And Christ Iesus saith Feare him which hath power to cast body and soule into hell 4 But forsomuch as God hath not made Death nor the kingdom of Hell vpon earth Wisd 1. We must vnderstand that the principal procurer of this Hell is Sathan the Prince of darkenesse who béeing in
Timbrell and Pipe and Wine are in their feastes but they regard not the worke of the Lord. Iob. 21.12 And againe They take the Tabret and Harpe and reioyce in the sound of the Organs They spend their daies in wealth and suddainly they goe down to the graue They say also vnto God depart from vs for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies c. That is to say we wil not walke in that straite way which thou commandest vs to walke in but we wil goe the broad way 53 When the Phrigians first became christian the gouernor of the citie desired to be resolued by the Bishop who was then about to baptise him of this question namely whether those that shal be saued or those that shal be damned shal be the greater number The bishop answered that the greater number should be lost And I quoth the Gouernour will do as the most doe and so refused his Baptisme Many men at thsi day peraduenture will be ashamed openly to say thus as this Gouernour did and yet in déeds proclaime it 54 Wherefore the greater part of men shal be adiudged to euerlasting paines Few are chosen Many goe the broad way Fewe there be that enter the straite gate the which is not onely proued vnto vs by wordes but also by many tipes and figures of the scripture 55 God in that old world wherin Noah liued entred into iudgement with mankind Gen. 7. and destroyed the euill and the wicked with the flood but saued the good and godly And how many were saued in that great multitude A few saith Saint Peter that is to say 2. Pet. 2.5 eight soules c. 56 Furthermore in the dayes of Abraham by another figure hée setteth before our eyes the small number of them that shal be saued Gen. 19. for when hee destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from heauen hee among so many people saued only thrée 57 Moreouer in the time of Moses 1. Cor. 10. God brought the people of Israel out of Egypt to plant them in the land of promise a land flowing with milke and hony All which things happened to them in a figure and were done to admonish vs vpon whom the endes of the world are come How many were ther think you of this people which came out of Egypt Six hundred thrée thousand Num. 1. fiue hundred and fifty beside women and children and old men How many of this excéeding multitude entered into the lande of promise Num. 26. No more but Iosua and Caleb 58 To conclude what other thing was the transfiguration of the Lord in the mount but a most manifest figure of blessednes but how many were admitted to this blessednes onely fiue Moses Helias Peter Iames and Iohn to giue vs to vnderstand not only that they are few that shal be saued because there are but few Christians Mat. 17.1 if they bée compared with Ethnicks Iews Sarasins Heretikes and such like which without al doubt perish but also because among Christans few shall be saued Wherefore whosoeuer loueth God truly and his owne soule let him labour and striue to enter in at the straite gate during the time of this pilgrimage CHAP. VI. Concernining repentance without delay IEsus the son of Syrach 2. Eccle. 5. giueth vs a very profitable admonition to turne vnto God from sinne and wickednesse so spéedily as possibly we can in these words Because thy sin is forgiuen be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne And say not the mercy of God is great he will forgiue my manifold sinnes for mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for sodainly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed Also Eccle. 12. Salomon to the same effect giueth vs most excellent counsail saying Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the euill dayes come not nor the yeares approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Héereunto agreeth the saying of Saint Augustine Age poenitentiam dum sanus es sic si ages dico tibi quod securus es quia poenitentiam egisti eo tempore quo peccare potuisti that is Repent thee while thou art in health so doing I say vnto thee thou art without dāger because thou hast repented at what time thou mightest haue sinned 2 Although these diuine testimonies might satisfie a christian man that their hope is vaine and full of perill which deferre their conuersion and repentance albeit but for one houre yet it shal be shewed by other reasons that it may the more plainely appeare how néedful a thing it is for man with all spéede to repent him 3 There are foure principal causes why a man cannot without great labour and difficulty forsake sinne and followe righteousnesse The first cause is a custome of sinning the which being now made as it were another nature can very hardly be ouercome For as Mithridates vsed to eate poyson so long that nature in the ende could very wel brooke and digest it and the people called Gemerij are so well acquainted with darknesse wherein they liue continually that they cannot well endure the light Euen so men that liue continually in sinne and wickednesse thus brought vs to his allure then his care is to hold vs still in his bondage and for feare that we should make conscience of sinne and so turne vnto the Lord by repentance he putteth a faire vizor ouer the ougly face of sinne and so disguiseth her that the proud person which excéedeth in apparell saith that his or her pride is cleanlinesse and decensie The whoremonger and fornicator taketh his filthy life to bée but the course of youth The drunkard and riotous person perswadeth himselfe that his excesse is but good fellowship The couetous person beléeueth that his couetousnesse is good husbandry The idle person which spendeth his whole time in dice cardes and such like neglecting his vocation flattereth himselfe that his time thus wickedly spent is honest recreation Whereas if the diuell had not blinded them so as they might sée sinne in her colours she would séem such a deformed monster as they would loathe her for euer For her eyes are ful of Adultrie her eares are very large and great open to heare all vaine delights her tongue swollen with lying and deceit her throate is an open sepulchre her lippes are boulstred vp with the poyson of Aspes her hands are large to receiue bribes her belly hath a timpanie of surfetting and gluttonie her back is laden with idlenesse and yet her féete are swift to shead blood with her heart she thinketh vpon nothing but how to betray the innocent and oppresse the widow and the fatherlesse Yea from the very top of the head vnto the sole of the foote she is ful of
how to decke and set out themselues with fine apparel with swéete smelles with daunces and other like allurements The which to doe is no better then to wrest the heauenly light of the minde which was made to beholde God to the obedience of a most wicked bond-slaue and to make the minde being withdrawne from heauenly exercises to be subiect vnto the appetites of a most abiect hand-maide 8 Therefore whoredome is a great and intollerable tyranny ouer the minde of man And no lesse is that tyranny of Ambition For behold and see what a heauie yoke ambition layeth vpon his bondmen commanding them that al their words and workes bée wholly imployed as nets and snares to get the common praise and fame of men and it compelleth them also to creepe as it were vpon the ground and to flye through the ayre For man at the commandement of Ambition séeketh to climbe higher then all men to bée subiect to none to rule al men and yet sometime when occasion serueth he prostrateth himselfe and humbleth himselfe to al men Thus the miserable man being contrary to himselfe and deuided in himselfe outwardly preferreth humilitie and in heart pride 9 Furthermore the lawes of this most cruel tyrant are such that if a man doe receiue a litle reproache or detriment eyther by right or by wrong he thinketh that he is vtterly disgraced if hée doe not presently reuenge it and if by no other meanes then to prouoke his enemie to some singular combat and so rather to loose his soule and body then to hazard the least part of his dignitie 10 I omit the tyranny of couetousnes and of other vices which are innumerable affirming with the Prophet Dauid that all the seruants of sinne do sit in darknes and in the shadowe of death fast bound in miserie and iron For what greater blindnesse can be imagined then that man should not know himselfe that he should not know God that he should not know wherefore he liueth and seeth not his bondes his miseries his perils and his harmes 11 And what greater miserie can there be then that miserable man should haue an infinite sort of desires as it were an infinite sort of mouthes stomacks which alwayes barke alwayes craue alwayes hunger and is not able to satisfie and fill so much as one of them 12 But now let vs sée what reward sin giueth vnto her seruants for so great labors Let vs harken to the Apostle and he wil tell vs The wages of sinne saith he is death that is to say both the first and the second death For what gall is to the lips a Cockatrice to the eyes a dead carcasse to the nose and Alowes to the taste the same and more is sin to the soule of man 23 Therefore let the bond-slaues of sin and wickednes go and serue their masters let them run into all dangers let them not spare for cost nor labors let them watch day night least peraduenture they be beguiled of so great a stipend O fooles which for the wages of eternal death will willingly beare so heauie a yoke when as with much lesse labour ye might serue righteousnesse who rewardeth her seruants with eternall liâ—e in the kingdome of heauen Wicked men labor and good men labour also both suffer both sweate both delue and digge but good and godly men till that ground likewise husbandmen which is firme sound fruitfull that is to say they exercise themselues in good workes and in sound vertues whereby they rearpe in the ende euerlasting life but wicked and vngodly men plow in the sand and sowe in the flesh and of the same shall receiue the wages of sinne eternal death 14 Therefore whether yée consider the wickednesses by themselues or the wages of the same the seruice of sin must néeds be horrible and wofull But yet there is nothing which doth so much set foorth the miserie of seruitude and the excellency of libertie as the manner of our setting at liberty and the passion of the Deliuerer For God which made the world without labour and as it were with a becke onelie at his will that he might deliuer vs from bondage slauery thought it good to be borne in a stable and was content to die in sorowes and paines But what manner of sorrowes Verilie such that the onely cogitation expectation of them might haue bin able to haue brought him into a bitter agonie to sweate water and bloud plentifullie The suffering of them made the most hard stones to rent the earth to tremble and heauen it selfe to be abashed 15 If God made so great a reckoning of thy libertie that hee vouchsafed to take vpon him the forme of a seruaunt and to liue thrée and thirtie yeares in hunger and thirst in colde in nakednes in fastings in watchings in iorneys in persecutions and in the end to shead forth his most precious heart bloud vppon the Crosse rather then hée would suffer this precious gemme to be taken from out of his handes let vs then acknowledge that excéeding glorie of the sonnes of God wherevnto wée are called which is the mother of all good things which alone is able to giue true peace perfite ioye blessed rest and tranquilitie If the heathen Romains of olde time for a false and fading libertie suffered great perils and death it selfe as Quintus Mutius Scaeuola thrust into the fire his right hand the Decii vowed themselues to the death that their legions of souldiers might bée preserued and get the victory Curtius being armed at all points and mounted vpon a horse threwe himselfe willingly into a gulphe of the earth that the Cittie of Rome might be deliuered from the pestilence for so had the Oracle giuen answere that the wrath of the gods would cease if that which the Romains estéemed best were throwne into that gulph Brutus also for the preseruation of the libertie of his Countrey did not sticke to slay his owne children If the heathen I say estéemed thus of their liberty which is in no point comparable to ours how much ought we to estéeme of that most true liberty wherby we are deliuered from sinne from sathan from death and from the wrath of GOD. They sought humaine praise a thing doubtlesse vnconstant and of small force as appeareth by the saying of the Poet Virgill concerning Brutus His Countries loue him driues and greedie lust of endlesse same But our ende is to approue our selues vnto God whose iudgment cannot be deceiued and to get the prize of the kingdome of heauen and the fellowship of Angels which is set before vs as the ende of our libertie which we séeke to attaine by this Pilgrimage CHAP. X. Concerning the Imitation of Christ THe true and sound perfection of a Christian man coÌ„sisteth in this to imitate Christ so neere as possibly he can for he is the head we are his members he is the captaine we his souldiers he is the Doctor we are his disciples It is said
Lord 28. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnatiō because he discerneth not the Lords body c. Here the Apostle sheweth vs the danger of the vnworthy receiuing the Lordes body and blood and also the meanes how we may bée worthy receiuers of the same namely by examining our selues which examinatiō consisteth chiefly in foure pointes That is to say in Faith Kepentance Giuing of thanks to God and loue towards our neighbours First we must haue Faith that is to say a certaine and infallible assurance and firme perswasion that God is a mercifull Father vnto vs in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord whom he deliuered to death for vs. Yea euery sinner must apply Christ his merites particularly vnto himselfe This Faith commeth not of vs neither is it grounded vpon vs or vpon any thing that is in vs but it commeth from God and is grounded vpon God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and vpon the promises of the Gospell confirmed inwardly within vs by the working of the holy Ghost which cryeth in our hearts Abba Rom. 8 15 Gal. 4.6 that is to say Father Furthermore this faith is nourished confirmed and increased in vs by the holy Sacraments For in the Supper God as a good father after that he had once brought vs into his Church by Baptisme nourisheth vs spiritually with the proper substance of his Sonne Iesus Christ applying and making proper vnto euery one of vs the merit of his death and passion To this ende and purpose is it that Iesus Christ himselfe giueth vs the Bread and Wine that he commandeth vs Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.21 Luke 22.19 1. Cor 11.14 to eate and drinke it that he saith that the Bread is his body which is giuen for vs and that the Wine is his blood which is shed for the remission of our sinnes by which words he giueth himselfe wholly vnto vs he will be out nourishment and spirituall life he wil dwell in vs by his holy Spirit and will that we abide in him by faith that through beliefe we may not perish but haue eternall life Iohn 3 36.18 Psal 8.7 Mat. 11. Heb. 1.2 Iohn 17.12.27 and 28. whereof he is the onely heyre and giuer In like sort the breaking of the Bread of the Supper serueth to the confirmation of our Faith and sure warranting of our saluation insomuch as it assureth vs and causeth vs to see with spirituall eyes that Iesus Christ was once broken with the paines of death in Hierusalem to deliuer vs from the same and to get vs eternall life Also in that that by the Commandement of Christ Iesus we take the Bread in our hands and then the Cup moreouer in that that we eate the Bread and drinke the Wine which turne into the nourishment of our bodies we are certified that by the hands of Faith we take and imbrace Iesus Christ our Lorde for our onely Sauiour and Redéemer and that by the same Faith we eate his body spiritually and drinke his blood to the hope of eternall life Nowe euery one of vs must liue by his owne faith according as wée may make our Confession in the Beliefe which is called the Apostles in that euery man saith by himselfe I beleeue in God and saith not Wée beléeue We must not here cast our braines or thinke vpon the beléeuing or vnbeléeuing vpon the worthynesse or vnworthynesse of an other man but vpon our owne For S. Paul doth not teach vs to examine other men or that other men should examine vs but he saith namely Let a man examine himselfe Therefore let euery one of vs for his owne part be assured in his heart that Iesus Christ the true Messias is come into the world to saue sinners amongst whom hée ought to account estéeme himselfe by the example of S. Paul the chiefest Let him beleeue that Iesus Christ came downe from Heauen into earth to lift him vp from earth to heauen that he was made the Sonne of man to make him the child of God that hée was conceyued by the holy Ghost and that he was borne of the Virgin Marie to purifie and cleanse his wicked conception and birth .. Let him perswade himselfe that the Sonne of God hath ourcome the Diuel to deliuer him from the tyranny and slauish subiection of the Diuell that he hath fulfilled all the Lawe louing God his Father with all his heart strength and might and his neighbour as himselfe to get him iustice that hée appeared before Pilate an earthly Iudge and receiued as an euill doer sentence of condemnation for this life to exempt him frō appearing before the terrible iudgement seate of Gods iustice to receiue sentence of death and euerlasting damnation for that he had offended one eternal and euerlasting God Let him assure himselfe Psal 22.1 that the same Iesus Christ went downe to Hell for him that is to say that hée suffered the sorrowes and terrours of the second death and of the sincere wrath of God to deliuer him that hée died a death accursed of God in that hée was hanged on the Crosse to purchase him life and blessing before God that hée rose againe for a gage and assurance of his resurrection that he ascended into Heauen for a certaine token that hée also shall ascend thither that hée sitteth on the right hand of God his Father to be for him an euerlasting Priest Teacher King defender reconciler and aduocate to be short that he shall come at his last comming for his comfort and full redemption We must also euery one of vs for his owne part make proper vnto our selues yea and make ours all the goodnesse and all the riches that is in Iesus Christ because that in giuing himselfe to vs he giueth vs also his benefits So then in that that Iesus Christ is God it is to make vs partakers of his Diuinitie in that that he is heyre and Lord of the world it is to make vs partakers of his Lordship and inheritance and that we recouer in him the gouernment of all things which we lost in Adam in that that he is well beloued of his Father it is that we may be acceptable vnto him in that that he is rich it is to make vs partakers of his riches in that that he hath all power against the Diuel Sinne Hell Antichrist the Worlde and all our enemies it is to defend and shield vs in that that he is iust and good it is to iustifie vs and make vs good in that that he is happy and immortall it is to make vs partakers of his blessednesse and immortalitie When we shall thus particularly apply all the actions and benefites of Iesus Christ our Lord and also all his essentiall qualities vnto our selues putting our whole trust in him and in his promises and distrusting