then what will the speech of the people bee of mee and how ridiculous shall I be to my best friends Res Men perhaps my deare brother will speake ill of thee but yet onely euill men who for the most part thinke those mad men whose example they cannot yet ought to imitate who dispraise that vertue they will not follow commend that vice which they embrace If this they did out of iudgement not rather out of ignorance and malice there were reason why thou shouldest be mooued therewith It is a commendable thing to bee commended by commendable men and there is no greater dispraise than the praise of the wicked But let vs yeeld so much to thy obstinacie that thou art heereby made ridiculous to good men too yet this should bee no reason to deter thee from that which is iust and right For the speech of men and their slanders cannot deliuer thee from the fire of hell A mans conscience a thousand witnesses but the feare of God and thy iust dealing proceeding from a liuely faith in the merits of Christ Iesus whether thou bee praised or dispraised returne into thy selfe and thy owne conscience if there thou finde not any thing that is woorthy commendations thou art rather to be pitied than admired and if there thou finde not that euill for which thou art dispraised thou art to reioice in the Lord and to contemne the bad speeches of other men For what is it to thee though men praise thee if thy conscience accuse thee Or why shouldest thou bee sorrie if all men accuse thee when thy owne conscience shall defend thee Our glory and our reioycing 2. Cor. 1. Iob 17. saith Saint Paul is the testimonie of our conscience And Iob saith Loe my witnesse is in heauen and my record is on high Why art thou troubled with the censures of men so long as thou knowest God to bee thy Iudge that must iudge them and thee If thy witnesse bee in heauen and in thy heart suffer fooles to speake their pleasure and grieue not at it So long as thou seekest the glory and praise of men and to please their eie and their eare thou carest not to please him that seeth thee from heauen if thou wilt serue men thou canst not be the seruant of Christ What is more vile more base than to affect glorie and honor amongst men and not to feare confusion ignominie in the presence of the highest Iudge Thou art more carefull to satisfie the eie of man than of God and thou art not afraid to do that before God which before man thou art ashamed of yea thou louest more the outward applause of the people than the inward peace of thy minde the puritie of thy conscience Amongst men thou desirest to seeme that thou art not pure when thou art most impure outwardly rich when thou art inwardly poore outwardly full when inwardly emptie outwardly gaie when inwardly naked outwardly a Lord when inwardly a seruant outwardly the seruant of God when inwardly the seruant of the diuell outwardly a man inwardly a beast outwardly a saint when inwardly execrable and odious to God and man If thou didest desire glorie in heauen thou wouldst not feare shame and ignominie vpon earth for euery man where he seeketh glorie there hee feareth confusion What shall it profit thee if the world shal commend thee and extoll thee to the heauens since the praises of men cannot heale a wounded conscience nor the opprobrious speeches of a slanderer wound a good conscience What good shall the glorie of this world doe thee if in hell where thou shalt be thou bee ignominiously tormented and in the world where thou art highly extolled It is a folly to measure thy owne worth by the opinion of the common people in whose power it is at their pleasure to praise and dispraise to giue honour and to take it away againe And therefore if thou place thy glory in their lips thou shalt be sometimes great somtimes little sometimes nothing at all as it shal please the toongs of flatterers to commend or condemne thee Glory flies him that followeth it and followeth him that flies it There is one only honour to bee desired of a Christian man and that is not to bee praised of men but of God And if thou contemne humane glory be sure that God will glorifie thee liuing and dead too It is a dishonourable thing for thee being a Christian and a follower of Christ to be affected with the scornes and slanderous speeches of other men and thereby to bee withdrawen from good works since thou knowest that thy Sauiour Christ Iesus endured the like scornes and woorse Matth. 10. For if they call the master of the house Beelzebub how much more his houshold seruants Christ Iesus contemning the vaine praises of men refused the offered glory of a Kingdome and was content to take vpon him the ignominious death of the Crosse and being the Sonne of God was called the sonne of a carpenter a transgressour of the law a seducer of the people a blasphemer of God a wine bibber a friend of sinners and Publicans and yet fearest thou a base worme of the earth the slanders of men for that for which the God of Maiestie and the Lord of the Saboth hath suffered by men so opprobrious speeches Doest thou feare to displease those whom Christ displeased for thee Wilt thou seeme glorious in the world when Christ would be contemned and scoft at for thee Christ was mocked of the Iewes and wilt thou be honored Wilt thou deck thy selfe with goodly apparell when Christ by the Iewes was clothed with ignominious garments hung naked vpon the Crosse for thee Matth. 10. The disciple is not aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his lord Why then art thou proud thou dust and ashes why gloriest thou in thy gay clothes the worme is spred ouer thee and the wormes couer thee Esay 14.1 But to say the trueth thou that thinkest thy selfe so goodly a creature when thou hast trimmed thy selfe in thy best attire what art thou but a pain̄ted sepulchre painted without but full of stench and rottennesse within For though thy flesh be adorned with pretions garments what is it more than flesh that is a stincking seed a sacke of corruption worms meat Flesh is dissolued into rottennesse rottennesse into wormes wormes into dust what is more stincking than a dead mans carcase what more horrible than a dead man That countenance which in life was most beautifull in death is most gastly most horrible Thou art earth in thy original a sparke in the breuitie of thy life dust and ashes in the condition of thy death As fire speedily turnes stubble into sparks so death as speedily turnes thee and thy glory into ashes O if thou couldest truly consider what thou art according to thy body thou wouldest presently be ashamed of the beautie and riches of thy garments and thou wouldest vse them
thou complaine and afflict thy selfe that thou hast many times liued well and beene prouided for death when death came not That the remembrance of thy end hath taken often times from thee those pleasures and delights that in themselues are to a man wicked and deceitfull O how happy wert thou and again and again blest of God if in this maner thou diddest alwaies expect death if thou wert euery day such a one as thou wishest to bee at the point of death if from thy youth thou barest the yoke of the Lord if thou didst alwaies watch and stand vpon thy guard because thou knowest not at what houre the Lord will come for blessed wert thou if when hee commeth hee shall finde thee waking God would that the houre of our death should bee hidden from vs The day of death vucertain to the end that wee being vncertaine when wee shall die should bee alwaies found ready for death that whilest the last day is vnknowen wee should obserue all as if all were the last If thou were set at a Table where there are many dishes set before thee to eat among which thou art told that one hath poison in it wouldest thou not abstaine from them all lest thou shouldest happen to light vpon that that is poisoned There is one day of death a dangerous day vnto thy soule which because thou knowest not is it not wisedome in thee to suspect euery day For if thou knewest at what houre thou shouldest depart out of this world thou wouldest diuide thy times some to pleasure some to praier some to repentance and knowing how long thou hast to liue thou woldst likewise know when to abstaine from thy delights and pleasures But forasmuch as a present life is alwaies vncertaine by so much the more whilest it stealingly comes vpon vs it is to bee feared by how much the lesse it may bee foreseene and therfore of all other times the houre of death is most to be feared because it can neuer bee foreseene Matth. 24.43 and woorse auoided If the goodman of the house knew at what watch the theefe would come he would surely watch and not suffer his house to bee digged thorow Therefore be ye also ready for ye know not the houre when the Son of man will come whether in the euening or at midnight at the crowing of the cocke or in the morning lest when he commeth suddenly vpon you hee shall finde you fleeping When hee gaue that commandement to his Disciples saying Watch and pray Luke 12.36 â—ee afterwards added That which I say vnto you I say vnto all Watch. Watch therfore my deare Brother like vnto that man that waiteth for his master when hee will returne from the wedding that when hee commeth and knocketh he may open vnto him immediately Which thou canst not better do than to be prepared at all houres as if euery houre were the houre of thy death If any greeuous sicknesse happen vnto thee A sicke man desires that time of repentance which a sound neglecteth that hath in it any apparent tokens of death thou presently crauest a truce for a time and desirest to liue that thou maist bewaile thy sinnes and thy time mispent and thou promisest repentance and amendment of life which thou hast no sooner obtained but as soone thou forgettest and with the dog thou returnest to thy vomit againe The time of repentance is granted thee and God expecteth a time to pardon thee and yet thou doest not onely not bewaile thy sinnes past but thou takest a greater ioy and comfort in those that are past in those that are to come Esay 30. If thou borrow a thing of another man thou takest a care to vse it whilest thou hast it because thou knowest it shall shortly be taken from thee and yet this corruptible body of â—hine which God hath lent â—hee for the vse of thy soule and for the saluation thereof is not thine but shall shortâ—y be taken from thee thou dâ—est not only not vse to the health of thy soule but thou euery day abusest to the vtter ruine and damnation therof and by how much thy life is longer by so much thy sinnes are greater yea they increase not with the daies but the houres and moments of thy life Yesterday thou mightest haue died Pro lucro tibi pone diem quicâ—nque 〈◊〉 and yet thou art nor dead Inasmuch therfore as thou art aliue to day account it amongst thy gaines Why our daies are prolonged for therfore doth the Lord prolong thy daies of grace that thou maist repent and attaine the greater glory For as the very sleep of the Saints of God is not without goodnesse so thou shouldest not let passe a moment of time without the practise and performance of some good Rich men and such as are able to keepe and maintaine a great family vse neuerthelesse to belong to those that are richer and mightier than themselues in whose seruice they depriue themselues of many benefits and freedomes of nature in hope and expectation only which many times deceiueth them of bettering their fortunes and ioining house vnto house and land â—nto land If then such as aâ—ound in â—â—hes are content with the losse of liberty and so much labour to increase â—heir riches which then increase most when the least commodities are not neglected how much doth it stand â—hee vpon that art the seruant of Christ Iesus to heape vp vnto thy selfe those spiritual riches that must saue thy soule Though thou haue liued well and art rich in good workes yet when thou art dying thou couldest be content thou haddest liued better and for one good worke thou hast done thou wishest thou hadst done a thousand why then doe that now whilest thou liuest that thou wouldest be glad thou hadst done when thou art dying One starre differeth from an other starre in glory 1. Cor. 15.41 there are many mansions in the kingdom of heauen by how much the more good then thou doest vpon earth by so much the greater glory shalt thou haue in heauen As no sinne escapeth vnpunished so no good that thou doest vnrewarded Matth. 10.30 All thy daies are no lesse numbred than the haires of thy head and as a haire of thy head shall not perish so not a moment of time God rewardeth great labours with great bounties which though in appearance they seeme to be small yet in effect and operation they are vnspeakable Thy labours are but short the crowne eternall set that which thou here sufferest Repentance crucifieth Righteousnesse pacifieth Life eternall glorifieth to that that thou there hopest to obtaine The afflictions of this life are not worthie the sinne passed that for them is remitted the present comfort that for them is giuen the future glorie that for them is promised Thou labourest heere for a time that thou maiest not labour for euer with the damned thy labour is momeÌ„tary thy ioy eternall
made the first and farre excelled those who being sooner were more slow in their proceedings And therefore feare not but that it is likewise as possible for thee to outrun the first and to be before them in the kingdome of heauen Though thou forsake not thy sinnes till thy sinnes be ready to forsake thee yet if thou then repent despaire not of mercie for though thy conuersion be short and momentarie yet it shall not be vnprofitable But as hee that giueth a cup of cold water loseth not his reward Matt. 10. so notwithstanding thy repentance be no way answerable to the waight of thy sinnes yet that moment of repentance be it neuer so small shal not want reward No man can make any satisfaction vnto God answerable either to his greatnesse or to those sinnes hee hath committed against him Sin deserues a greater sorow and contrition of heart than to bee lamented euen of those that truly repent for an infinite offence against God requireth an infinite reconciliation but yet forasmuch as the finite capacity of mans wit is not capable of that which is infinite therefore our righteousnesse not sufficing the passion of Christ supplieth it which abundantly satisfieth for the sins of the whole world God for our sinnes requireth no other price than the precious blood of his onely begotten sonne for there is no sinne so deadly but by his death is forgotten forgiuen 1. Ioh. 2. Christ himselfe is the propitiation for our sinnes and not onely for ours but for the sinnes of the whole world for as if some poore and wretched creature being afflicted with a grieuous disease should be aduised by his Physitian to take such physicke for his recouerie as were beyond his abilitie to reach vnto and he shall answer the Physitian that he is not able by reason of his pouertie to buy it whereupon the Physitian out of the goodnesse of his nature shall replie saying Doe thou what thou canst and I will supply the rest euen so our mercifull GOD who much desireth the saluation of thy soule requireth of thee nothing but what thou mayest doe and yet mayest not doe neither without his gracious assistance the rest out of his goodnesse he supplieth and being easily pleased and contented with a little at thy hands hee pardoneth both the sinne and the punishment of thy sinnes He giues that that thou shalt giue vnto him and is pleased with that which hee giueth thee for his vnspeakable mercy towards vs hee onely requireth this at our hands To do that which by his assistance lieth in vs to performe There is a man of high and eminent honour whom though according to his worth thou canst not honor thogh thou spend al that thou hast yet thou offendest not if thou honour him according to thine owne abilitie if thou doe what thou canst not what hee deserueth So our Lord God because he is infinitely good deserues an infinite loue and reconciliation but yet hee willingly receiueth the least that we can doe because he knoweth our inabilitie and therefore refuseth not the least repentance that may be that proceedeth out of an humble and contrite heart For if hee should not haue respect of our weaknesse wee could neuer satisfie him for the least of our sinnes But hee as the Psalmist speaketh is mercifull and forgiueth sinners Ps 78.38 and destroieth them not but often times calleth backe his anger and doeth not stirre vp all his wrath for hee remembreth that they are but flesh But where mercie is there iudgement is not rigorous where mercy is graunted there punishment is pardoned Wherefore deaâ—â— brother though thou be at the point of death lose not thy hope of saluation so long as thou seest this light thou hast time to repent and afterwards too but when thou art departed this life and art condemned by the irreuocable sentence of God it will be too late to repent It is true that thou wilt repent in hell but there it will not helpe for in hell there is no redemption CHAP. VII Of the ioyes of Heauen BVt because hope which is contrarie to despaire is a certaine expectation of future blessednesse proceeding from the grace and mercy of God and this vertue my deare brother thou wantest without which thou canst not be saued it remaineth that I confirme this hope in thee and stirre vp thy minde to the desire of the ioies of heauen that if thou turne not vnto God for feare of punishment yet at the least thou doe it in an assured expectation of so great a reward Our good and gratious God out of his onely goodnesse not constrained by necessitie would that others should bee partakers of that blessednesse wherewith he is eternally blessed in himselfe which he saw might likewise be communicated to others and yet in nothing diâ—â—â— shed Hee created thereforâ— in the beginning of the world that tenth heauen â—â—moueable and of exceeding brightnesse and glory which so soone as hee had created he replenished with Angels And as the beautie of an house is a solace and delight to the inhabitants so the glorie and riches of heauen encrease much the ioy of the blessed If the glory and ornament of the earth and firmament be such that of Paradise can not but bee farre more great for because God created it for his friends he gaue it a greater beautie than to other things There is a continual light and splendor not such as is heere but so much greater than this as the light of the Sun exceedeth that of a candle There is not the Sunne to shine by day but the Sunne of righteousnesse who shineth for euer full of all sweetnes a sweet light delightfull to our eies to see the Sonne of righteousnes both God and man the Creatour of mankind Of this blessed estate of the Saints of God in heauen I had rather not speake than derogate from the vnspeakable excellencie thereof by speaking too little The eye hath not seene the care hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what God hath prepared for those that loue him What can a man say more to commend that which hee knoweth not how to commend sufficiently Yet giue mee leaue by the shadow to iudge of the substance and by that happinesse wee enioy vpon earth to ghesse at that wee shall enioy in heauen Because such as are condemned haue need of a strait prison Bar. 3.24 and kings of a large palace therefore great is the house of God and large is the place of his possession It is great and hath none end it is high and vnmeasurable The kingdome of God exceedeth all report all praise For there is all good and no euill there nothing that is beloued is wanting and whatsoeuer can be desired is present I can more easily expresse what is not there than what there is There is no death no disease no wearinesse no mourning there is no hunger no want no aduersitie no
way If aâ—â— man will follow mee saiâ— Christ let him denie himseâ— let him put off the old maâ— and put on the new let hiâ— begin to be that he was not and cease to bee that which before by sinne hee was let him take vp and alwaies beare his owne crosse and therewith crucifie his owne flesh with the concupiscence thereof let him bee crucified vnto the World and the World vnto him liue vnto mee die vnto the World So at the last let him follow mee crucified and for the loue of me be content to beare what 〈◊〉 haue borne for the loue of him For hee that by the deâ—ights and pleasures of this world wil saue his soule shall for euer lose it But he that in â—his life for my sake shall lose his soule by refusing the carâ—all pleasures of this life and â—f need be by suffering death for my sake shall find it again in heauen and eternall happines This my deare brother is a strait way and a narrow gate which leadeth vnto life and few they are that finde it and therfore thou must not so much consider how crooked and thorny it is as whither it leadeth nor how narrow it is as where it endeth for by how much the more strait and troublesome it is by so much the more large and pleasant thou shalt finde it in the progresse of thy iourney for it shall not onely by custome but by the labour and passion of thy Sauior be made easie It is a broad way to the hope of the faithfull a strait way to the vanity of vnbeleeuers and in that thou thinkest it laborious and painfull it is no excuse of thine infirmity but an accusation of thy sloth backwardnesse By many trdâ—ulations wee must enter into the kingdome of God Act. 14. But yeeld that it bee painfull must wee not thorâ—w many tribulations enter into the kingdome of God And yet thou by the broad and spacious way of pleasure which leadeth vnto death hopest to obtaine life Thou canst not heere sport it with the world and there raigne with Christ enioy future and present blessings passe froÌ„ the delights of this world to the ioies of heauen They that haue their coÌ„fort in this world are vnworthy diuine consolation but they that for the name of Christ Iesus endure affliction feele in themselues the vnspeakable comforts of God for they that partake with Christ in his passions are likewise made partakers of his comforts No man can be happie in both worlds but he that wil haue the one must want the other otherwise the rewards of chastity and luxurie gluttonie and temperance humility and pride were not diuers That fat and purple rich man in the Gospell had his pleasure in this life Lazarus pain but after their death their portions were not alike the pleasure of the one is turned into misery the miserie of the other into pleasure eternall happines Bodily pleasure nothing to a dying soule But suppose thou wouldest gaine the whole world and glut thy selfe with all maner of delights and pleapleasures what are all these vnto thee at the houre of thy death If thou being in extremitie of sicknesse shalt see thy seruants fare deliciously what gainest thou by their dainty fare Wilt thou say that thou art the better or gainest the more because thou art their Lord and Master No doubtles Apply this then vnto thy own soul If thy body florish and grow fat thy soule growing leane this plenty of external things what belongs it vnto thee For as the pleasure of a seruant doth no way benefit the miserie of a master nor costly apparell a weake body So whilest thou gluttest and pamperest thy bodie with pleasure and abundance of all things and sufferest thy soule to starue whereby it is subiect to eternall damnation how doe the pleasures of the body pleasure thee what canst thou giue for recompence of thy soule Math. 16.26 Hast thou any other which thou canst giue for it If thou wert the Lord and King of the whole world and wouldest offer it for a ransome for thy soule thou couldest not therewith redeeme it from eternal damnation What benefit then is it vnto thee though thou win the whole world and lose thy owne soule Or what good is it vnto thee for a few daies to rule and raigne vpon the earth and thereby to lose the kingdome of heauen Christ hath shed his most precious blood for thy soule Nothing more precious than the soule which hee would not doe for the whole world besides and and therfore thinke the price of thy soule to be very great since it could not bee redeemed but by the blood of Christ Iesus And wilt thou then lose this thy soule and damne it too buie a moment of pleasure with euerlasting torments What comparison can there bee betwixt that which is finite and that which is infinite betwixt breuitie and eternitie Wherfore deare brother it shall be good for thee to indure some paine in this life by repentance if that which bringeth a spirituall ioy may bee called a paine lest thou feele eternall paine in the life to come by reuenge By sorrow thou shalt come to ioy for Truth it selfe hath spoken it Matth. 5. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall bee comforted and by ioy and pleasure thou shalt come to sorrow the same Truth affirming it Luk. 6.25 Woe bee vnto you that laugh for yee shall waile and weepe He that sorroweth not when he is a stranger shall not laugh being a Citizen because the desire of his countrey is not in him and therefore whilest thy body is detained in this world send thy heart before into heauen But it is one thing to goe before or to go foorth in body another in heart hee goeth foorth in body that by the motion of his body changeth his place he goeth foorth in heart that changeth the affections of the heart Wherefore my deare brother for these causes The conclusion of these former Chapters manie more that might heere be spoken of thou maiest plainly see how fraile and vnconstant the condition of this life is insomuch that thou canst not secure thy selfe of a moment of time Which since so it is it cannot but be dangerous for thee to liue in that state wherin thou wouldest not willingly depart out of this life especially considering that the time of thy departure may happen at this verie houre or the next nay euery moment of thy life Whilest thou art sound healthfull thy repentance is sound when thou art weak and sickly that is weake too when thou art dead that is dead too The time of life is short which though thou passe well and blessedly yea suffer much affliction for thy Sauiour Christ Iesus yet at the houre of thy death thou wilt wish thou hadst suffered much more Eccles 12. Remember therfore thy Creator in the daies of thy youth and be not slow
yet forasmuch as he is willing to minister vnto thee an occasion of pity and meeknesse hee considereth thy charity and mercie towards thy neighbour that hee may conferre vpon thee his charity and mercy And therefore hee commandeth When ye shall stand and pray forgiue if ye haue anie thing against anie man that your father also which is in Heauen may forgiue you your trespasses Mark 11.25 For if you will not forgiue your father which is in Heauen will not pardon you your trespasses So that thou seest that to obtaine forgiuenesse at Gods hands thou needest not to passe the Seas to make long iourneies to clime high mountaines to disburse great summes of money but the Lord that desireth rather to finde him that hee may pardon than that hee may punish putteth it as it were in thy own power to auoid the seuerity of his iudgement As long as thou continuest in this life thou canst not be without sinne and therefore it were wisdome in thee to embrace so gentle a condition as by forgiuing another mans sinnes to blot out thy owne being offended by another man to forgiue him if thou desire to be forgiuen of God to pardon a light offence to thy neighbour for whatsoeuer one man can commit against another is but light that God may pardon thee so manie millions of sinnes There is no better meanes after thy sinne to bee reconciled vnto God than that thou being offended with thy brother bee reconciled vnto him If thou seeke after the multitude and magnitude of the mercies of God doe thou likewise multiply and magnifie thy owne mercies towards thy neighbour that shewing mercie thou maiest receiue mercie For though God haue need of no mans helpe and be free from all sin yet he forgiueth his seruant those infinite wrongs hee receiueth how much more then oughtest thou that hast need of remission and art guilty of a thousand sinnes to forgiue the wrong that is offered by thy fellow seruant With what face canst thou looke that God should pardon thee thy sinnes when thou wilt not pardon thy neighbour his Wilt thou haue God to exercise his mercy vpon thee and wilt thou exercise thy seuere iudgement vpon thy neighbour Thou shalt haue no excuse at the day of iudgement because thou shalt be iudged according to thy owne sentence that thou halt done vnto others thou shalt suffer thy selfe Thou shalt haue iudgement without mercie that shewest no mercie vnto thy brother For what punishment art thou not woorthy of who maiest with so great facilitie obtain mercie at Gods hands and yet art content to betray thy owne saluation Our Sauiour Christ Iesus when hee prescribed a forme of praier vnto vs and taught vs to pray promised his fatherly mercy but yet he added a law that we should so begge forgiuenesse for our trespasses as wee forgiue those that trespasse against vs. Yea sorasmuch as hee knew that all men are lyers and that if their sins should bee first forgiuen them they would not afterwards forgiue their trespassers hee commanded we should first forgiue them before we aske forgiuenesse at his hands But thou with what hope canst thou pray that still reseruest rancour in thy heart against another For as thou praying liest when thou saiest I forgiue others their trespaspasses yet forgiuest them not so when thou praiest that thy trespasses may bee forgiuen thee of God they are not forgiuen For it is as much as if thou shouldest say forgiue not mee my trespasses committed against thee because I forgiue not others their trespasses against mee When thou powrest out such praiers vnto God who considereth the heart not the word thou art for a threefold cause made guiltie First because thou art a begger and goest about to deceiue God whilest thou praiest vnto him to forgiue thy debts as thou forgiuest thy debtors and yet thou forgiuest them not thou sparest them in nothing Secondly because though thou madest not this praier vnto God yet thou oughtest to forgiue thy brother his debts Thirdly though it were not thy dutie to doe it yet forasmuch as being warned by thy Iudge thou ceasest not thou exasperatest the anger of the Iudge against thee What hope of forgiuenesle canst thou haue if at that very instant when thou praiest vnto God and beggest mercy at his hands thou minister greater occasion to stirre vp his anger against thee As if a man should fall downe before thee and begge mercie at thy hands and in the middest of his petition should espie his enemie and surceasing to intreat thee should go about to murther him would it not mooue thee to greater anger against him than before Couldest thou possibly think him worthy of mercy thinke it is thus no otherwise with God himselfe But perhaps thou wilt say from this time forward or so long as I am not in charity I wil not say the Lords praier or at leastwise I wil omit that condition As wee forgiue those that trespasse against vs. Resp Except thou praie as Christ hath taught thee thou art not Christs disciple Hee that made this praier is hee that heares it if thou shalt omit this condition Christ will not know that praier that he hath made and as thou hast shut out mercy in thy praiers towards thy neighbour so God wil shut the gate of mercy against thee Wherfore deare brother if thou wilt haue thy sins forgiuen thee of God forgiue thou thy brother not onely with thy outward lippes but thy heart too not with a fained peace but a sincere loue so as by thy actions thou worke no reuenge and in thy heart thou reserue no malice Driue away all hatred from thy minde and loue thy enemie with all thy heart And forasmuch as the proofe of thy loue is the performance thereof in thy actions thou shalt alwaies do him good in thy affections wishing him the blessings of grace and of glorie of nature and of fortune as they may bee helpes and furtherances to saluation And thou shalt doe him good in effect too as time place shall serue especially in those things that appertaine to the health of his soule CHAP. II. That no work that a man doth be it neuer so good can bee acceptable vnto God so long as he is not in charity with his neighbour FOrasmuch as all sins are extinguished and blotted out by subsequent good works proceeding out of a true and liuely faith the sin of discord must bee verie great which if it be not vtterly extinct it suffereth no good worke to follow it For it is written Mat. 5.25 If thou bring thy gist vnto the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thine offering before the altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Iudge then how great an euill discord is for which that must bee vndone by which sinnes are released the gift of an vncharitable man
that thou werâ— but to increase thy happinesse aboue that it was Onely be thou of a good courage and constant in the hope of thy saluation he hath satisfied for all thy sinnes he hath taken away the sinnes of the whole world how much more the sinnes of one man When thou wert not he made thee being conceiued in sinne in thy baptism he clensed thee how much more after this being againe polluted can he purifie thee Hee tooke the slime of the earth and made man tell mee if thou canst how of earth made he flesh how the sinewes how the bones how the skin how the veines the eies how framed he euery member Was it not earth he tooke vp was it not one onely substance only the art and virtue of the artificer was added thereunto and so he made this excellent creature As thou canst not tell how thou wert created so thou canst not tel how thou shalt be cured for as fire when it is put to briers and brambles suddenly consumeth so fraile a matter so the goodnesse of our Lord God with the deaw of his mercy suddenly quencheth the fire of our sinnes and for euer consumeth them For his will is that none doe perish but that all doe conuert and liue Thou knowest not how good and gracious the Lord is how great his mercies are Thou imaginest him to be seuere and cruell that is milde and gentle him hard and implacable that is mercifull fierce and terrible that is amiable and thine owne iniquitie lies to it selfe For the will of God is thy sanctification hee healeth the broken harted refresheth those that labour and come vnto him and in the beginning of our conuersion annointeth our wounds with the oile of his mercy lest the greatnesse of the disease or difficultie of the cure should seeme to bee more dangerous than it is And therefore saith the Prophet Isaiah Esai 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne to the Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for hee is verie ready to forgiue Behold heere it is sufficient to please God if thou doe but rest from doing wickedly and learne to doe good Onely confesse thou hast sinned and the beginning of thy conuersion is alreadie done onely purpose a new life thou hast made one step to heauen Heerein is all the difficultie to begin to enter into the way of repentance which thou hast no sooner begun but he that gaue thee the grace to begin taketh thee by the hand and leadeth thee to the end Yea he that began thy good work in thee by preuenting by prosecuting will end it Hee that gaue thee the will will likewise giue thee the power to perfect it If thou put thy trust in him he will after thy strength thy youth shall be renued like the eagle thou shalt take vnto thee the wings of the eagle thou shalt runne but not labour thou shalt walk but not be weary because the Lord shal be with thee who shall comfort thee in all thy tribulations There is no man to whom this corruptible bodie and earthly tabernacle is not buâ— thensome but yet thou must endeuour to ouercome the concupiscence of the flesh by the vigor of the spirit and thou that alwayes feelest thy selfe to be resisted by thine owne concupiscence alwayes expect an assured assistance from God As the earth expecteth from heauen raine and light so shouldest thou expect from God grace and mercy Wherfore deare brother since thou wantest not an able and willing Physitian to cure thee and to clense thee from all pollution of sinne neither neglect nor defer it Thy repentance he will not despise if it be heartie and though thou haue sinned in the highest degree yet if thou returne he will gladly receiue and embrace thee and cure the sicknesse of thy soule Onely despaire not thou but that thou mayst returne to the state of thy first innocency if thou do but begin to affect a new life CHAP. IIII. That God is faithfull who suffereth vs not to be tempted aboue our power BVT perhaps thou wilt say When I begin to returne vnto God and set forward my selfe in the way to heauen and forsake my ancient custome of sinning I am presently assaulted with new desires of the flesh and whatsoeuer before hath been pleasing vnto me in this world is made a snare and a temptation vnto me and those things that were accustomed to loue mee being a sinner being a conuertite withstand my endeuors to liue well My ancient pleasures returne vnto my minde and whilest I resist them afflict mee with strange combats That sinne which in the sight of God is blotted out by repentance I call to minde againe sinne conquered brings mee delight And so by little and little being ouercome by new temptations I yeeld and returne to my old vomit again and so my last errour is worse than the first Res It is a token my deare brother that God with great loue and clemencie watcheth ouer thee in that he presenteth before thy eies thy bewailed sinnes which the mercifull GOD would not fet before thee to â—ewaile if his purpose were â—o call thee to a strict account for them and to punish thee for it seemeth that hee is willing to hide them from his iudgement because in his mercy preuenting thee hee maketh thee thine owne Iudge that being iudged by thy selfe thou maiest not be iudged by him The best way to satisfie the anger of God is an often detestation of sinne he that truly repenteth is alwayes in sorrow and labor he sorroweth for sinnes past laboreth to auoid sinnes to come When the Lord looseth thee from the band of thy sinnes he bindeth thee with a band of euerlasting detestation of them that whensoeuer thou remembrest them thou shouldest be sorry thou hast committed them Reioice therefore when thy conscience is touched with those sinnes that by repentance are wiped away if thou approoue them not nay reproouest them if it please thee not that thou hast committed them naie displease thee And yet I denie not that hee that is lately turned vnto God by repentance by the remembrance of his sinnes past may againe be tempted because as wood nourisheth fire so desires feed our cogitations and hee that entreth into the way of repentance is more strongly tempted by the enemie For our aduersary the diuell neglecteth the tempting of him of whose heart he hath alreadie taken quiet possession For if thou resist temptation thy labour is great but if thou yeeld though it seeme to bee nothing yet it is farre greater because whilest thou sleepest securely vnder the intollerable yoke of a cruell tyrant Eze. 13.10 thou saiest Peace peace and there is no peace There is no peace I say with God with the diuell no not with thy selfe For after that thou ceasest to resist temptations thinking therby to finde peace in this world yeeldest and
penny And therfore saith S. Paul Rom. 5.10 If when wee were enemies wee were reconciled to GOD by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saued by his life It is a greater thing to die for sin than to take away sinne To the reparation of the celestiall mansions not to eternall damnation hath the Lord created and redeemed thee For if hee had desired thy damnation when thou sinnedst hee had cast thee into hell Heereby thou maiest gather that he delighteth more in thy reparation than thy damnation that there is greater ioy with him and his Angels for one sinner that conuerteth Luk. 15.7 than for ninetie and nine iust men that need no amendment of life Which the Lord himselfe hath prooued by a threefold example of the lost sheepe which being found the shepheard with ioy laid vpon his shoulders and brought him to his fold of the lost groat which being found she calleth her friends and neighbours saying Reioice with mee for I haue found the piece which was lost and of the prodigall childe for whom being returned to his father the fat calfe was killed which was not done for that sonne which continued with his father By how much the more we are sorry for a thing lost by so much the more do wee reioice when it is found and therefore there is more ioy in heauen for a sinner that repenteth than for a iust man that needeth no amendment For a repentance inflamed with loue after sinne is more acceptable vnto God than an innocency dull carelesse with securitie by grace As a captaine in the warres loues more that souldier that after his flight returneth and valiantly encountreth his enemie than him that did neuer flie and neuer performed anie valorous exploit A husbandman loueth more that ground that after the thorns and brambles be digged vp yeeldes a plentifull increase than that ground which neuer had thornes and neuer gaue any increase If therfore thy teares vpon earth bee so great a ioy to God and his Angels how great a ioy shall thy pleasures in heauen be to them This is the meat they feed vpon the fruites they are delighted with if by a true contrition of heart thou mortifie thy sinnes and by a true and vnfained repentance turne vnto God Wherfore deare brother though thou thinke thy selfe condemned by Gods iustice appeale vnto his mercy for it sometimes commeth to passe that whom iustice accuseth mercy absolueth and that punishment which the Lord may iustly inflict hee doeth mercifully pardon For those whom God freely created and redeemed he wil not willingly oppresse and therefore if thou repent thee of thy sinne hee repenteth him of his sentence The vnchangeable God will change his sentence if thou change thy life So shalt thou conquer the inuincible binde the omnipotent and a fearefull Iudge thou shalt change into a mercifull father CHAP. VI. That euen at the point of death repentance may be profitable to saluation BVT perhaps thou wilt say I come too late I haue spent my whole life in sinne I am now at the brinke of death and therefore it is too late at my last houre to turne vnto God Res Thou art a yoong man my deare brother in the strength of thy yeeres thou maiest yet liue many a yeere and haue time enough to repent But yet because there is no man be hee neuer so yoong that can assâ—redly promise to himselfe to liue till night and a sudden death may euerie houre of the day ouertake thee wherein despairing thou maiest obiect this vnto me therefore I haue thought good to satisfie this obiection though thou haddest neuer obiected it Whilest thou liuest whilest thou yet breathest yea when thou liest in thy bed at the point of death thou maiest repent yea and then especially there is yet hope of mercy time of forgiuenes place of repentance God witnesseth of himselfe Eze. 33. that at what houre soeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes hee will blot out all his wickednesse out of his remembrance He that hath said he will put out all his wickednesse out of his remembrance hath excepted no kinde of sinne Though thou want time to confesse thy sinnes vnto God yet in a moment euen in the twinckling of an cie he can haue time to pardon all thy sinnes Thy will is accounted for thy worke and the gronings of thy heart for thy words If therefore at the houre of death thou cease to bee wicked by repentance thou needest not despaire of pardon because thou art neere thine end For God whoconsidereth the end of all men iudgeth euery man according to his end not his former life neither doeth he respect so much what wee haue beene heeretofore as what we are at the end of our life It is no matter how long but how well a man liueth neither doth the quantitie of the crime nor the enormitie of a mans life nor the breuity of the time nor the extremity of the houre exclude a man from pardon if repentance in the end be true and perfect The great and manifold mercy of God is neither limited by time nor equalled by our great and manifolde offences He that truly repenteth and is loosed from that band of sinne wherewith hee was tied and liueth well after his repentance whensoeuer he dieth he may secure himselfe hee goeth to God he shall not be depriued the kingdome of God hee shall not be separated from the people of God Matt. 20. For as they that went into the Vineyard to labour at the eleuenth houre of the day receiued a penny for their hire as well as they that began their labour the first houre and did beare the burthen and heat of the day so not onely to those that from their childehood doe beare the yoke of the Lord is the reward promised but to the last too who in the end of their life turne vnto God is the earnest pennie of eternall life giuen The innumerable sinnes of the Nineuites a short repentance wiped away and the Publican went presently out of the Temple iustified Marie Magdalen was so great a sinner that the Pharisey disdained to see her and yet in a short time she was iustified and clensed from all her sins The theefe hung vpon the Crosse and being instantly to die despaired not of saluation he confessed the Lord vpon the Crosse and euen with the words of his confession he ended his life and yet the Lord possessed him of Paradise before Peter and lest any man should thinke repentance too late hee turned the punishment of murther into a martyrdome It is true that his repentance was late but yet his pardon came not too late he made speed in turning vnto God and God was as speedie in pardoning These shew thee the fruit of repentance the fountaine of mercy the celeritie thereof for they began late to repent and to do good and yet by doing it truly of the last they are
in the selfe same eternitie There are innumerable multitudes of all sorts of people and tribes languages who all at all times praise the Lord his praise is alwaies in their mouth neuer ceasing to crie out Holy Holy Holy Lord God of host There are sung his euerlasting praises vpon the Violl and the Harpe Psal 150. And in that eternall blessednesse which is a perfect state by by the aggregation of all good whatsoeuer all happinesse is perfect and simple not mixt with their contraries Wherby so great is the felicitie ioy and pleasure as if thou mightest bee permitted to stay there but one day thou wouldest presently contemne all the delights of this life All sweetnesse compared to that is bitternesse all mirth mourning all beautie deformitie and whatsoeuer may any way delight molestation and anguish There is there as great pleasure and facilitie in obeying God as there is felicitie in liuing and reigning with him But yet the blessednesse of the saints of God and their glorie cannot bee perfect their ioy compleat being alwaies vrged with a naturall desire of the resurrection and the glorification of their bodies For their happinesse can not be entire and perfect before the number of their fellow seruants and brethren be compleat Before the resurrection they all receiue their garments of glory because as yet they enioy the blessednesse of their foules onely but after the resurrection they are adorned with another the incorruption of their bodies At that time their blisse shall be doubled when with the felicitie and rest of their soules they shall arise to the immortalitie and glory of their bodies The bodies of the blessed are heere sowen Impassibilitie the first gift of the body 1. Cor. 15. and by nature begotten in corruption but they shal rise in incorruption because they are incorruptible impassible and immortall All fragilitie and earthly pollution shall vanish away and be turned into celestiall puritie and stabilitie for there can be no euill with GOD who is the chiefest good and therefore though they were in hell they can take no hurt no more than Sidrach Dan. 3. Mishach and Abednego in the burning furnace They are sowen in weakenesse Subtilty the second gift they shall rise in power because they are subtile penetrable and able to ouerthrow whatsoeuer they will By glorie the grossenesse of their bodies shall be so taken away that no obstacle can hinder them but that they may freely penetrate any thing as the beames of the Sunne passe thorow a glasen window An example wherof there is in the bodie of Christ who rose the sepulcher being shut went in vnto his disciples the gates being fast locked and did penetrate the heauens no way diuiding them And as the soule is now with the body and hot burning fire with iron so a glorious bodie may bee with an inglorious Such shall be the subtiltie of spirituall bodies that neuerthelesse the trueth of flesh and bone is reserued in them that which subsisteth of a liuing spirit ceaseth not to be a body Because they shall bee true bodies not vaine or phantasticall they may bee toucht and make resistance against that which toucheth or made none because they can penetrate by the subtiltie of their spirituall power the organe or instrument of feeling As the soule shall there haue her inward senses so the body shall haue his outward the sight shall bee delighted with the contemplation of the humanitie of Christ the eare with the melodie of the praises of God In God the soule shall bee inebriated with such delight inwardly as it shall not need any other delight in the outward senses For God shal be all in all he shall be a looking glasse to the sight a harpe to the hearing Honie to the taste Balsum to the smel a delectable flower to the touch Agility the third gift They are sowed earthly bodies because heauie and slow to execute the desires of the soule they shall rise spirituall not because they are turned into spirit aire or winde for a spirit hath neither flesh nor bone but because like spirits they are Luk. 14. quicke light and swift inclining no more downward than vpward The flesh seruing the spirit is said to bee spirituall because by an excellent facilitie of obeying it is subiect to the spirit for whether soeuer the spirit flieth there is presently the bodie also Assoone as the Sunne rising with the beames thereof enlightneth the Westerne part of the world and the eie looking vpward seeth the starres as speedily as angels mooue themselues without a bodie so speedily can the soule mooue her bodie from heauen to earth and from earth to heauen In which motion it is not wearied and because it is subtile by the resistance of the medium it is no way slowed Yea whatsoeuer it will it can mooue and ouerthrow and that with as little labour and endeuour as a man moueth his eie Whersoeuer it is it is alwaies alike happy because it hath God alwaies present This so great agilitie shall be acceptable and pleasant not because it is necessarie or that it hath it because it hath any need of it but only for the greater increase of glorie as wee vse not all those perfections that we haue and reioyce to haue How great O Lord is the multitude of those ioyes thou hast prepared for those that feare thee Oh how much doest thou loue vs who reseruest vs miserable wretched sinners to so great glory Glorious things are spoken of thee ô citie of God and therefore it shall be more possible for mee to number the starres in the firmament and to inclose the whole sea in a little vessell than to expresse the least part of the blessednes of one soule The ioyes thereof are such and so great that all the Arithmeticians of the world can not number it the Geometricians measure it the Rhetoricians with their tongues expresse it It doth not onely exceed the power of our eloquence but the capacitie of our intelligence Our thoght can conceiue it greater than our tongue vtter it and yet it is greater than we can conceiue and whatsoeuer wee thinke thereof is lesse than it is because the eye hath not seen the eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what God hath prepared for those that loue him Faith apprehends it not Hope attaines it not Charity comprehends it not because it farre exceedeth all our vowes all our desires It may be obteined estimated it can not for there is more to be gotten than Faith could beleeue Hope looke after The rewards of GOD are greater than the desires of his saints for so great is the sweetnesse of that heauenly countrey as that if a droppe thereof should descend into hell it would sweeten all the sorrowes of the damned and if God could be seene by the damned in hell hell were a Paradise By this it euidently appeareth what and how great a
good God is since it can be well with none that depart from him Let vs returne at the last vnto our selues and descending as it were from heauen let vs looke a litle vpon what is our owne Doe wee thinke wee shall go into the house of the Lord What are we that we should goe thither Mortall and abiect creatures earth and ashes But yet he that hath promised is our father and is omnipotent Can not he make an angell of a man who made a man of the earth By life we are men by hope angels to whom in our countrey we shall be like and equall A merchant when he buyes a thing and takes assurance for it though as yet he haue not his wares yet he secures himselfe he shall haue them God the Father hath promised vnto vs his glorie and for an earnest pennie in the meane time he hath giuen vs his only Sonne in the Sacrament of his bodie and blood and hath inspired into our hearts his holy Spirit There with an open face we shall see him with greater ioy and more securely whom heere we see mystically yet fruitfully in his Sacrament Despaire not therefore to come to this place and expect the promise of thine inheritance Hope is necessarie for a wandring pilgrime it is that that comforts him in the way for a traueller that laboreth in his iourney is therfore content with patience to beare his labour because at last he hopes to come to the end thereof take away his hope of the end and his strength failes him hee is presently wearie with going A Physitian drawes forth his instrument to lance a wound and he sayth to his Patient Be patient and beare a little in the paine he requires patience but after the paine he promiseth health but the sicke bodie except he proposed vnto him hope of recouery he would faint in that paine which he endureth In the warres the hope of honor mitigateth the griefe of the wounds so to those that beare the yoke of Christ the hope of glory is a great comfort raiseth the minde vnto God and that euill which they outwardly beare inwardly they feele not Hope brings no small pleasure when that which was hoped is once attained Temporall things not had afflict when they are had seem base and contemptible Thou louest thy wife not yet maried whom perhaps thou hatest when thou hast her What is the reason thereof Because she appeareth not such being maried as thou didst conceit her to be before thou hadst maried her But God who is beloued being absent growes not more base being present the fruition findes more in him than the cogitation could forme or imagine of him We shall loue God more when we shall see him if we can loue him before we see him he is more feruently beloued being gotten than desired Except he be first loued he can not afterwards be possessed and yet he is not therefore possessed because he is beloued because it is necessarie and our dutie that aboue all things he be beloued Vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie how great a miserie is it to lose the Creatour for the creature to follow the shipwrack of this world and not rather flie to the Sanctuarie of God and to taste how sweet the Lord is and how great the multitude of his mercies If thou wouldest consider what and how great things are promised thee in heauen all things thou enioiest vpon earth would seeme base and contemptible What then is the reason dear brother that thou runnest not vnto heauen where thou shalt see God without end possesse him without losse loue him without loathing Many of thy parents brethren sisters and friends expect thee there millions of saints desire thy company now seâ—â—â—ed of their owne happines carefull of thine Of whose company lest thou shouldest be deceiued thou must vse thy best indeuor it is no difficult matter if thou wilt not burthensome if thou attend it Only repent and the kingdome of heauen is at hand To which he bring vs that liues and reigneth without end Amen By that which hath beene spoken The Conclusion of the sixth part thou plainly seest my dear brother how good and mercifull God is how ready to pardon sinnes The riches of whose goodnes the 〈…〉 considering calleth him not only a merciful God but mercy it selfe Thou God hast taken me vp thou art a mercifull God nay mercy it selfe Consider the bosome of his diuine goodnesse how open the lap of his mercy is and despaire not cast not downe thy selfe faint not with mourning the gate of mercy and the treasury of his goodnes is set wide open vnto thee and wilt thou fall into the bottomlesse pit of despaire God inuiteth thee to repentance he offereth forgiuenesse he putteth foorth the right hand of his helpe and doest thou turne thy face from him Heauen is set wide open vnto thee and wilt thou descend into the pit of hell The diuell knowing how excellent a thing repentance is hath tempted thee to this despaire hath taken from thee thy hope which is the foundation and anchor of thy saluation and the conductor of our iourney vnto God If therefore thou desire to escape the snares of the diuell and by hope to take holde of the mercies of God only depart from euill and do good for the first step to saluation is to decline from euill the second to hope for pardon Which hope of Gods mercie is not sufficient to saue thee without the feare of his iustice for in vaine shalt thou hope in his mercie except thou likewise feare his iustice For God who is mercifull is likewise iust and therefore considering how mercifull he is despaire not considering how iust neglect not thy sinnes There is no securer way than vnder hope to feare and to ioyne those two together lest perhaps an vnwarie minde may deiect it self by despair or fall by presumption It is to be feared lest thou fall into another bottomlesse pit and thou die by presuming of the mercy of God that couldest not die by despairing of it and thou haue in thy heart cogitations diuers from the former but not lesse dangerous and so thou beginnest in thy heart to say At what houre soeuer I shall repent God will put out all my wickednesse out of his remembrance and therefore why should I rather conuert to day than to morrow But my deare brother what if thine end bee before to morrow For hee that promiseth vnto thee so much mercy if thou repent promiseth not to morrow if thou persist in thy sinnes It is to bee feared lest whilest conuersion is put off to the end an vnexpected death may rather preuent then repentance helpe Lest therefore by hoping thou shouldest encrease thy sinne the day of thy death is vncertaine and lest by despaire thou shouldest encrease it there is offered vnto thee the hauen of repentance Which notwithstanding that in the 〈◊〉 of thy daies it bee good yet that