before of vs the power and force of the cause is knowne by the effects and work and by the power force the Essence is knowne What maner of power shall it be from whence so great a worke proceeded and if this power be such and so great what an one and howe incomprehensible is that Essence which is knowne by that power This contemplation without all doubt doth farre exceed all humane reach In this we must further consider that all these excellent and great workes not onely as they are but as they might haue beene are as though they were not in the viewe of that diuine power yea after an infinite manner they are lesser for that is infinitely greater to which this power doth extend it selfe Who then will not be astonished considering of the greatnes of such an Essence and of such a power which although a man cannot see with his externall eyes yet he may make a most certaine coniecture and gather of the foresaid reason how great it is how incomprehensible This wonderfull immensitie of God that great Schooleman Thomas Aquinas doth show in his Breuiarie of Diuinitie by this example We see sayth he in things corporall that by how much any thing is more excellent by so much also it is greater in quantitie for we see that the element of the water is greater then the earth and the ayre greater then the water and the fire then the ayre furthermore the first or lowest heauen is greater then the element of fire the second heauen greater thē the first and the third then the second and after the same manner by ascending euen to the tenth Spheare yea euen to that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares whose greatnes is incomparable That any one may plainly see if he haue any consideration how little the Globe and roundnes of the earth and water be if they be compared with the heauens The Astrologers also say that the whole circumference of the earth and water are but as a pricke or a poynt in comparison of heauen which they proue manifestly by their demonstrations For although the circle of the heauen be deuided into the twelue signes of the Zodiacke through which once in a yeere the Sun doth runne yet in eyther Horizon onely sixe are seene for the bignes and standing of the earth dooth take vp and possesse no more place of heauen then a leafe of paper or a tablet will being placed and sette in the Center of the world from whence the compasse of the heauen may be seene without let or impediment Seeing therefore that that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares which is the chiefest and the noblest body of the world is of such an inestimable magnitude aboue all bodies we may easily vnderstand sayth Thomas how God who is without any circumscription the chiefest greatest and best of all things as well of things corporall as spirituall who also is the maker of them ought must exceed all things with a certaine infinite magnitude not in quantitie for he is no body but in excellencie and noblenesse of his most perfect Essence But that we may returne from whence we are digressed after the same manner we may search in all other things how great and of what condition be the magnitudes perfections of this Lord. For it is necessary that they be such as his Essence is Ecclesiasticus confesseth that where he speaketh of Gods mercy According to his greatnes saith he so is his mercy of such sort are all the rest of his perfections Such is his goodnes such is his benignitie maiestie gentlenes wisedome sweetnes noblenes beautie omnipotencie and to be briefe such is his iustice He therefore is infinitely good infinitely sweet infinitely amiable and woorthy whom all creatures should obey feare and reuerence insomuch that if mans hart could containe infinite loue and feare and infinite obedience and reuerence all that should be obliged by the bond and rule of iustice to the dignitie and excellencie of this Lord. For if as euery one is more worthy more excellent so greater reuerence is due vnto him it followeth that seeing the excellencie of God is so infinite that also infinite reuerence is due vnto him Heereupon is inferred that all that which is wanting to our loue and reuerence whereby we doe not come to that measure is therefore wanting because it is indebted to a dignitie of such greatnesse Which thing seeing it is so how great I pray thee is that debt which this onelie title although there were no other doth request of vs in the loue obedience of this Lord What I pray thee will he loue who doth not loue so great a goodnesse What will hee feare who doth not feare so great a Maiestie Whom will hee serue who will not attend vpon such a Lord For what is thy will made if not to loue and embrace that which is good If then he be the chiefest good what is the cause that our will doth not loue embrace him aboue all that is called God And if it bee so heynous an euill not to loue or feare his Lord aboue all things what wil it be not to esteeme or regard him Who would haue euer supposed that the malice of man would haue come to so great impietie Neuerthelesse to that height of peruersitie they are come that for a little beastly pleasure or for a little honour or for a small gaine and filthy lucre doe offend and contemne so great a goodnesse O blindnes to be deplored ô insensiblenes more then bestiall ô deuillish rashnes and presumption What doth not he deserue who dareth such things with what punishment with what kind of torture shall the contempt of so great a maiestie be worthily satisfied It is certaine that it shall be punished with no lesser torment then that which is prepared for such an offence that is that whosoeuer hee be that contemneth God shall be tormented in hell fire euerlastingly and yet neither shall he worthily be punished This then is the first Title which bindeth vs to the loue and seruice of this Lord which bond is so great that all bonds by which by any manner of meanes in thys world we are bound to any person eyther for his excellency or for his perfection are vnworthy the name of bonds if they be compared with this For euen as the perfections of all other things being compared with the diuine are no perfections so neither the bonds which by reason of their perfections and excellencies are named such are bonds beeing compared with this as neyther all the offences made onely to the creatures cannot be called offences if they be compared to them by which the Creator himselfe is offended For which cause Dauid also in that paenitentiall Psalme sayth that he had offended the Lord onely and onely sinned against him albeit he had offended most grieuously against Vrias whō he had commaunded to be slaine being innocent and against
It with-draweth man from all honest studies and exercises and drowneth him in the sea of carnal pleasures so that miserable man dare not presume nor offer to speake o f +any other thing then of dishonest and carnall delights It maketh young men foolish and reprochful and exposeth old men to the scorne of men Neither is this vice content thus to haue plunged men vnlesse also it ouerthrow and squander abrode his riches and substance There are no riches so aboundant no treasures so infinite which luxury will not exhaust consume in a short time For the belly and the instruments of lust are neere neighbours and very well agree betweene themselues and are faythfull complices confederates in this work Hence it is that men giuen to luxurie are for the most part prodigall and lauishers and delight in banquets and drunkennesse and riches are chiefely consumed through gluttony and sumptuosnesse of apparell Thys also is common to all luxurious persons vnhonest women are neuer satisfied neyther euer cry they hoe albeit very many ouches tablets iewels precious stones rings and such like be giuen them and they take more delight to be honoured with such things then with theyr wretched louers who giue these vnto them All these are proued to be true by the example of the prodigall chyld who spent all his substance by liuing riotously and luxuriously Remember that the oftner thou gyuest thy thoughts thy body for a pray to carnall lust thou shalt finde the lesser satietie in them For the delight doth not bring satietie vnto them but doth procure and increase a further thirst for the loue between a man and a woman is neuer altogether extinguished yea the flame when it is supposed extinct on a suddaine reuiueth and burneth more fiercely Consider moreouer diligently that the pleasure which is reaped of thys vice is short and momentany but the punishment which followeth is eternall Surely this change is too vnequall that for so filthy a pleasure of so short continuance thou shouldest lose in this lyfe the ioy of a good conscience and in that to come euerlasting glory besides to suffer paines vvhich neuer shall haue end Therefore very well said Saint Gregory It is momentany and short sayth he that delighteth but eternal that tormenteth Looke vpon the price of virginity and the dignity of that purity which perisheth and is violated by this filthy vice and thou shalt see that virgins in thys life doe begin to leade an Angels life and by the singuler priuiledge of this purity to be like vnto celestiall spirits For to liue in the flesh without sensual carnality this is to liue rather an Angels life then an humane lyfe Thys is that which Bernard sayth It is onely chastity that in this place and tyme of mortality representeth a certaine state of immortall glory For amongst the solemnities of marriage it onely chalengeth the custome of that blessed Country wherein they doe neyther marry nor are marryed shewing on the earth after a certaine manner an experience of that heauenly conuersation For this cause that singuler priuiledge is giuen to virgins in heauen of which S. Iohn writeth in his Reuelation These are they sayth he which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these follow the Lambe whether soeuer he goeth And because they haue performed better things in the world then others following the Lord Iesus Christ in pure virginity therefore in the world to come they shal come more neere vnto him and shall more familiarly conuerse with him and shall singulerly be delighted with the purity of theyr bodyes Thys vertue maketh men not onely like vnto Christ but also temples of the holy Ghost For the holy Spirit being a louer of purity as hee detesteth the pollution of luxurie more then other vices albeit all vices displease him so in nothing more willingly or with greater ioy he resteth then in a soule pure and cleane from all carnall pleasure Wherefore the sonne of GOD conceaued by the holy Ghost so loued and priced virginity that for the loue of it he did this stupendious miracle that is he would be borne of a Mother being a Virgine But if thou hast lost thy virginitie at least after shipwracke feare the dangers which now thou hast tried and thou who wouldest not keepe the benefit of nature vncorrupted now it is corrupted stryue to repaire it by conuerting thy selfe vnto the Lord and so much the more diligently turne thy good workes vnto God by how much for thy sins thou hast iudged thy selfe woorthy of greater punishment For often-times saith Saint Gregory it commeth to passe that the soule after sinne is more feruent which in the state of greater inn ocencie was luke-warme and altogether negligent And because GOD hath preserued thee albeit thou hast committed so enormous sinnes and offences commit them nowe no more least God chastise thee together both for thy sinnes past and also for those present and so the last errour be worse then the first With these and such like considerations man ought to arme himselfe against this sinne And these be the remedies of the first kinde which we haue gyuen against this sinne of Luxurie ¶ Other kind of remedies against Luxurie BEsides those remedies which commonly are wont to be deliuered against thys vice there are others also more effectuall and more particuler of which wee will also speake in thys place Let thys therefore be the first stay the beginnings kill the Serpent when it is young for if the enemy be not repelled at the first onset he increaseth and becommeth stronger For as Saint Gregory sayth after the desire of pleasure is kindled and encreaseth in the hart it suffereth a man to thinke on nothing els but on filthy pleasures and vncleane lusts Forthwith therefore the motiues of vices must be killed in the mind whilst they are yet but onely in thought for euen as wood preserueth fire so the thought preserueth and nourisheth desires concupiscences and if the thoughts be good they doe kindle the fire of charitie if they be euill they stirre vp the flame of lust It is needfull also that all the outward sences but especially the sight or the eyes be most diligently kept least they see that which may procure danger for oftentimes a man simply seeth that which when it is seene woundeth the soule Therefore vnaduisedly to looke on women eyther peruerteth or weakeneth the constancy of the beholder Therefore Ecclesiasticus doth giue thee very good counsaile Gaze not on a Mayde that thou fall not by that that is precious in her Goe not about gazing in the streetes of the Citty neyther wander thou in the secret places thereof Turne away thine eye from a beautifull woman and looke not vpon others beauty To perswade this that doctrine of holy Iob ought to be sufficient who although he was a most iust man yet neuerthelesse he did keepe his eyes most diligently as he speaketh
would haue it pierced and thrust through his flesh and bowels that through it he might haue a smarting sence of it as a naile fastned through which might stick in his mind for a perpetuall memoriall to stirre him vp that he might not sleepe and so in some-thing offend his eyes whom he feareth therefore it is most fitly sayd of Ecclesiasticus The feare of the Lord driueth out sinne For by how much any one is feared by so much more diligently we take heed that we doe not offend him It pertayneth to this holy feare not only not to commit euill deeds but also to examine the good least perhaps they be not pure or want their necessary circumstances least a thing of it selfe good by our defect be made euill and vnprofitable For Saint Gregory sayd very well It pertayneth to a righteous man to feare a fault where no fault is Such a feare holy Iob had when he sayd I did feare all my works knowing that thou doost not spare the offender It pertayneth also to this feare that when we are present in the Church at Diuine seruice especially where the holy Sacrament is administred that we chat not nor walke nor vnreuerently gaze about casting our eyes now hether now thether as many doe but we ought to abide there with feare and great reuerence in the presence of the Diuine maiestie who is there after a speciall manner But if thou askest me how this holy affection is begot and bred in our soules I say as I sayd a little before that the loue of God is the especiall roote of it After which seruile feare in like manner auayleth which is the beginning of filiall feare and doth bring it into the soule no otherwise then the bristle doth bring the Shoomakers lyne into the shooe To nourish and increase this holy affection the consideration of the exceeding highnes of the Diuine maiesty is profitable and the consideration of the depth and profundity of Gods iudgements the greatnes of his iustice and the multitude of our sinnes but especially the resistance which we make against Diuine inspirations Therfore it is great wisedome to busie and occupy our minds with these foure considerations for so this holy feare is begot and preserued in our soules Of this feare we haue more copiously spoken in the eight and twenty Chapter of the precedent booke The third vertue which is required in this Diuine worke is trust and confidence that is euen as a sonne in all his troubles and necessities which happen vnto him trusteth and affianceth his repose in his father especially if he be rich and powerfull that his helpe and fatherly prouidence will not at any time faile him so also in this matter let a man haue the hart of a sonne so enlarged that considering he hath such a father as he hath in whose hands is all the power of heauen and earth let him boldly hope and assuredly trust that in all troubles that betide him he shall finde helpe in that father and let him constantly perswade himselfe that if he turne vnto him hoping in the mercy of this heauenly father he shall altogether be deliuered from euill or it shall be ordered to his greater good and further commodity For if the sonne hath so great repose and security in his father how much more ought to be our confidence and trust in God who is our father after a better manner then all earthly fathers and is richer then all the richest men of this world But if thou shalt say that the scarcity of thy good works and deserts and the multitude of the sinnes of thy passed life doe strike a feare into thee whereby thou darest not expect or promise vnto thy selfe so great things from God the remedy will be if when this cogitation commeth into thy mind thou forth-with turnest thy mind from it turnest thy selfe wholy vnto God and to his onely sonne our Sauiour and Mediatour For then presently thou shalt recouer thy courage and thy strength shall increase in him Euen as we add courage vnto them who passe or ferry ouer any swift current or riuer which with the swiftnes and velocity of the running causeth the swimming and giddines of the head and with some call or encouragement admonish them that they should not behold the water but the earth or heauen that they may more securely and healthfully passe so those that be faint-harted and weaklings are to be dealt withall in this busines least heere they looke vpon themselues or their sinnes But perhaps thou wilt say whether shall I turne me that I may procure this strength and confidence vnto me I aunswer that aboue all things the infinite goodnes and mercy of God is to be considered which extendeth it selfe to all the wretchednes of thys world Then his infallible promises are to be weighed in which he promiseth grace and helpe to those that call vpon his Name and doe flie vnto him Neyther are we further to doubt For we see that the enemies themselues doe not denie their fauour beneuolence to them that flie vnto their Tents because they are marked for banishment with some brand or incision but they graciously defend them in the time of danger and heale theyr woundes Consider also the multitude of benefits which hetherto thou hast receaued of his gracious and bountifull hands and of his mercy which thou hast already tryed in benefits past learne to hope for things to come But aboue all these looke vpon Christ with all his torments merrits in which there be especiall causes why we may confidently presume to sue for the fauour of GOD seeing that it is manifest that those merrits on the one part are so great that they cannot be greater and on the other part are the treasuries of the Church for remedy and releefe of all them which stand in need of them These are the cheefest props of our trust and confidence which haue so strengthened and encouraged the Saints in those things they hoped that they were more stedfast and and more vnmoueable then mount Sion But it is greatly to be wondered at that we when we haue so great motiues to moue vs to hope and so iust reasons to perswade vs to trust yet that we are so weake and faint-harted that when we see present danger to hang ouer our heads forth-with wee flie into Egypt to the shadow of Pharaoes Charriots So that many seruants of GOD are found strong and couragious in fastings feruent in prayers liberall in almes deedes and exercised and expert in other vertues but very few are found who haue so steddy a confidence as that holy woman Susanna had Whose hart when she was condemned to death and brought to the place of execution had confidence and trust in the Lord. Hee that desireth moe authorities for the perswasion of this vertue he may bring the whole store-house of the holy Scripture
especially the Psalmes and the Prophets in which nothing is so vsuall and common as hope in God and assurednes of the Diuine ayde and assistance which remayneth for them that trust in him The fourth vertue is the zeale of Gods honour that is if all our cogitations be to this end that the honour of the Diuine maiesty may be encreased and be preferred sanctified and glorified before all other things and that his will may be done in earth as it is in heauen and that we haue this minde in vs that no greater griefe can happen vnto vs then to see the Diuine honour impugned or abused Such a will was in the harts of those Saints in whose name it is sayd The zeale of thine house hath 〈◊〉 eâ—teâ— me For their harts were so afflicted for this cause and so great griefe of mind did feede vpon their bodies that euident tokens of it were seene in them If we did burne with the like zeale forth-with we should be marked in our foreheads with that glorious signe of Ezechiell and wee should liue free from all punishment and scourge of the Diuine iustice The fift vertue is the purity of the intent to which pertayneth that in our actions we seeke not our selues or our owne commodity but the glory good pleasure of our Lord God certainly perswading our selues that as they that play at the game called He that winneth looseth by loosing they winne and by winning they loose so also we by how much more we traffique negotiate with God without purpose of our owne profit by so much we make the greater gaynes and contrarily Therefore in this poynt we must diligently aduice our selues and examine all our actions with an vpright and an impartiall iudgement as men iealous that our mind doth respect no other thing in working but God himselfe for the property of naturall selfe-loue is very subtill as we sayd before seeketh it selfe in all things Many are rich in good works which if they were tried by the touch of the Diuine iustice would be found without this purity of intendment which is that Euangelicall eye which when it is cleare and simple it maketh the whole body cleare but if it be wicked it maketh the body full of darknes Many men in great places and dignities placed as well in the common-wealth as in the Church seeing vertue laudable and beautifull in her functions haue endeuoured themselues so to walke in her trackt that they haue been reputed for good men and haue purged their hands from all filthy luker aud vncleannes which might by any meanes haue polluted their honours Yet they haue done it for this respect that they might not fall from that authority they were placed in and that they might be fauoured of theyr Princes and graced with great dignities and honours And therfore theyr good works proceeded not from the liuely sparke of loue or from the feare of God neyther had they his obedience and glory theyr purposed end but sought for their owne commodity and the glory of man But what soeuer is doone after thys manner although it seeme somwhat in mans eyes yet in Gods sight it is as smoake and a shadow of righteousnes not true righteousnes For before God workes are not acceptable commended onely by the strength and grace of morrall vertues neyther doe corporall actions and businesses please him no not if a man should sacrifice his owne sonne but onely that spirit of loue sent from heauen all that which groweth on this roote is acceptable in the Diuine sight In the Temple there was not any thing which eyther was not gold or that was not couered with pure gold so it is not lawfull that any thing should be in the liuely Temple of our soule which is not eyther charitie or ouer-guilded deaurated with charity Therefore the seruant of God should not so much respect that he doth as the end which he intendeth and destineth it for For workes very base and of low account beeing doone for an excellent intent become most â—â—ellent and contrarily For God doth not so regard the body of the worke as the soule of the intention which proceedeth of charity Thys is to imitate after a certaine manner the most noble and most gracious loue of the sonne of God who commaundeth in his Gospell that we should loue after the same manner as he before loued that is of pure good will and not for the cause of any profit And seeing that among the circuÌ„stances of charitie which is in God this is most admirable he shall be the happiest who in all the works that he doth endeuoureth to imitate this Hee that doth thus let him assuredly beleeue that he is entirely beloued of God as beeing very like vnto him in the perfection of beautie and puritie of intent for similitude and likenes is wont to get and winne loue Wherfore let man turne his eyes from all humane respects when he dooth good and let him haue them fixed vpon God neyther let him suffer that those workes which are in so great reckoning and price with God serue humane regards If a noble and a beautifull woman worthy of a Kings bed should be married to a foule Collyer it would mooue all to compassion that beheld her after the same manner and much more effectually shall he be mooued that seeth vertues woorthy of God and diuine reward to be made vassals to compasse the drosse dung of thys world But because this purenesse of intent is not so easily obtained let man desire it instantly of God in all hys prayers especially in that part of prayer which the Lord himselfe taught his Apostles where it is said Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen That as all the heauenly Armies doe the vvill of GOD with a most pure intent onely that they may please him so also let man as much as lyes in him heere in earth imitate that heauenly custome and stile not because besides that that we please God we may not come to his kingdome but because workes are so much the more perfect as they are voyder and nakeder of all priuate and selfe commoditie The sixt Vertue is Prayer by meanes of which we ought to haue recourse to our Father in the time of tribulation as chyldren haue who when they are feared or daunted foorth-vvith runne to the bosome and lappe of their Father We haue neede of this prayer that 〈◊〉 â—ay haue our Father in continuall remembrance and standing in his sight wee may often conuerse and haue conference with him For all these things are annexed to the bond and duty of a good sonne towards his Father But because the vse and necessity of this vertue is knowne to euery body seeing we labour to be briefe in this place we will speake no further of it The seauenth Vertue is giuing of thanks to which belongeth to haue alwaies
man page 55 What mischiefe sinnes worke to the soule ibidem The beauty of a iustified soule page 56 By iustification God dwelleth in vs page 57 Iustification doth make vs the liuely members of Christ ibidem Confidence in prayer page 58 Christ is honoured when a righteous man is honoured ibid. By iustification eternall life is giuen ibidem Iustification is of greater value then creation 59 How to know whether we be iustified or not ibidem Of many effects which the holy Ghost worketh in a iustified soule 60 Graces wayting vpon the holy Ghost ibidem After what manner the holy Ghost sitteth in the soule of a righteous man and what he doth there ibidem The holy Ghost is fire a doue a cloud a wind ibidem page 61. The sixt Chapter The sixt Title That the inestimable benefit of the Diuine predestination doth bind vs vnto Vertue page 63. The matters handled in this Chapter Election is the foundation of all benefits page 64. Perseuerance in goodnes is a signe of election ibidem The circumstances in election are to be considered page 65. An Apostrophe to a begger but elected page 67. The seauenth Chapter The seauenth Title That man is bound to follow and embrace Vertue by reason of the first of those foure last things which happen vnto him which is death page 69. The matters handled in this Chapter A rehearsal of the foure last things that happen vnto man to wit Death Iudgement Heauen and Hell Ibidem A terrible and fearefull history out of Climacus 70 Death certaine but the houre of death vncertaine 71 Th◠danger in which he that dieth is 74 Feare the mightiest perturbation of the mind 75 The Sunne goeth downe at noone to the wicked ibidem The things that before seemed pleasant in death are bitter ibidem The accout that shall be required of vs. 76. The history of Arsenius out of the life 's of the Fathers 77 The history of Agathon out of the same booke ibidem A fearefull example of one Stephanus that led a solitary life out of Climacus ibidem Why the Saints doe feare in death 79. Nothing is of force in the houre of death 80 The lamentation of a sinner at the houre of death page 81 The eight Chapter The eyght Title That man is bound to desire Vertue by reason of that second last thing that happeneth vnto him which is the last iudgement page 82 The matters handled in this Chapter The shame of sinners in the last iudgement page 84 How fearefull the sentence of the Iudge is ibidem The paines of the damned 85 The blasphemies of the damned ibidem For what sinnes men are damned 88 Certaine excellent comparisons that agrauate the paines of the damned and the terrour of the last iudgement page 90 Repentance too late ibidem Our accusers in the last iudgement ibidem The ninth Chapter The ninth Title That man is bound to the exercise of Vertue by reason of the third last thing that happeneth vnto him which is the glory of heauen page 91 The matters handled in this Chapter What things are handled in this Chapter to wit the reward of the vertuous which is the glory of heauen in which two things are to be looked vnto the beauty of the place and the dignity of the King ibidem The beauty of heauen is gathered by coniectures ibidem The first coniecture is from the end why heauen was made 92 The second coniecture that it was not onely made for Gods honour but also for the honour of his elect page 93. The thyrd coniecture the price by which it was purchased by the death of God page 95 The fourth coniecture the situation and height of the place 97 The fift coniecture the proportion of the three kinde of places 98. The sixt coniecture the inhabitants dwelling in heauen 99 The power of the Lord. page 92 Reasons why Heauen should be absolute and perfect 93 All things obey the righteous euen in this world ibid. Christ gaue more to his Saints then he vsed himselfe page 94 The price that must be giuen for the celestiall glory 95 The quantitie and quality of the glory of heauen is argued by the greatnes of the place page 97 The beauty of the earth ibidem Three kind of places appointed to men of God 98 From the noblenes of the inhabitants wee may gesse of the glory of heauen page 99 Essentiall glory ibidem God is the perfection of all things 100 God is all in all ibidem The mistery of Circumcision 101 All things are to be suffered for the heauenly glory 102 The tenth Chapter The tenth Title That the last of those foure last things that happen vnto vs that is Hell-fire doth binde vs to seeke after Vertue 104 The matters handled in this Chapter There are but two wayes ibidem The greatnes of the punishment in hell by reason of the greatnes of God page 105. The greatnes of the iustice of God 107 The greatnes of the punishmens of hell is gathered by the punishments of thys lyfe ibidem Of the mercy of God the greatnes of the punishment is gathered 108 The two commings of Christ compared 109 The punishment ought to be like to the sinne page 111 From the person of the executioner that is of the deuill the greatnesse of the punishment is gathered page 112 A fearefull and horrible example of one Theodorus out of S. Gregories Dialogues ibidem A description of the deuils power page 114 The Conclusion page 115 Of the eternity of these punishments 116 A fearefull saying of the eternity of the punishments in hell ibid. A notable Allegory of the Furnace which King Nabuchodonozer commaunded to be heate in Babilon 118 ¶ The second part of the first booke In this second part are handle◠the temporal and spirituall blessings which in this lyfe are promised to Vertue and more particularly the twelue more notable and famous priuiledges prerogatiues which are found in Vertue page 120 The Chapters of the second part of the first booke The eleuenth Chapter The eleuenth Title That we are bounde vnto Vertue by reason of the inestimable blessings which are promised in this present life ibid. The matters handled in this Chapter It is a wonder that among Christians so many men are found wicked and vicious ibidem Whence this negligence of men is page 121 All things happen a like to the good and euill ibidem Men are ignorant of those good things that are in Vertue page 123 Vertue like vnto Christ. ibidem Helpes of God by which we ouercome the difficulty of Vertue 124 Vertue is an habite ibidem A comparison of the life of good men and ill men 125 Diuine blandishments with which the righteous are cherished 126 Good men are truly rich 127 All thys afore-sayd is explaned by a notable sentence of the Gospel ibid. What Christ meaneth by the hundreth fold in the tenth of Marke 128 What goods be those that God bestoweth vpon the good ibidem To the
glory Doe not therfore run ouer these things carelesly slightly sleepingly as without aduisement thou doost read ouer many other things oftentimes passing ouer many leaues desirous to see an end before thou hast wel examined the beginning but I would that thou sitte as a Iudge in the iudgement seate of thine hart that thou heare all these words with silence quie tnes of mind These things are not to be posted ouer hastily but to be looked to heedfully discreetly because in thē are handled the whole regiment of thy life and what soeuer thereupon dooth depend Consider howe thou wouldest that all the businesses of thys worlde should bee ordered and appointed for in determining these things one mans opinion cannot suffice thee but haue an eye that they be seene to examined scanned of sundry Doctors Aduocates and Iudges least happily thou offend in them Wherefore seeing that in this case we doe not speak of earth but of heauen not of thine but of thy selfe haue an earnest care that this thing bee not considered of slothfully and negligently but with the greatest attention If thou hast erred hetherto now at the length cast with thy selfe that thou art regenerated and borne againe and beginne to enter into iudgement with thy selfe and cut off the thred of thine errors and begin by another way to vntwist this webbe O who will nowe so blesse my labours that thou maist now credite mee and harken vnto me with attentiue eares and that like a good Iudge thou mayst pronounce thy sentence and iudgement according to those things which are spoken and approued vnto thee for this thy resolution should be truelie blessed and thy labour exceeding profitable I know assuredly that I request too much and that a wryting cannot be found so effectuall and preuailing that may effect and performe this request therefore in the beginning of this my worke of what esteeme or value soeuer it bee I intreat this one thing that he who is the power and wisedom of his Father who hath the key of Dauid that he may shutte and open heauen to whom he will would be heere present and so temper these my writings that they may yeeld a perswasiue spirit lyfe to those who shall reade them But if I shall gette no fruite of thys my labour yet this shall be a recompence sufficient for mee that I haue satisfied mine owne desire delight and that once I haue filled glutted my selfe in praysing commending a thing greater then all praise as Vertue is especially seeing that of a long time I haue longed and wished to apply my minde to this studie This also I haue obserued throughout all this worke which also I haue doone in all the rest of my labours that I might fitte and apply my selfe to all sorts and estates of men spirituall and not spirituall Clergie and Laitie that as the cause and necessitie is common so also this Treatise might bee as common For the good reading this shall be confirmed in the loue of Vertue being deeplie grafted into it they shall take deepe roote in it they that be not good perhaps shall vnderstand by this what they haue lost and forgon With thys our labour good Parents may instruct and teach theyr chyldren when they are but young that they may be accustomed from theyr infancie to haue Vertue in honor reuerence and to bee studious of it seeing it is the greatest ioy that a Father hath to see his sonne whom he loueth to bee a louer of Vertue honest in very deede and beautified adorned with all kinde of Vertue This doctrine moreouer will be especially profitable to thē whose dutie it is in the Church to teach the people and to perswade them to embrace Vertue for heere are deliuered in order the chiefest instructions titles and reasons which make vs debtors vnto Vertue to the which also as to common places euery thing may bee reduced which is written of this matter And seeing that heere are handled those graces and blessings which are promised in this world to Vertue which are displaied and vnfolded in her twelue notable and famous preheminences and prerogatiues and seeing that it is true that we haue all these good things and blessings by Christ it consequently followeth that this doctrine shal bring much light to the vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures especially to those places which intreate of the misterie of Christ and the inestimable benefite of our Redemption of the which amongst others the Prophet Esay Salomon in his Canticles and such others doe write more of purpose THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIRST BOOKE THIS first Booke Christian Reader dooth containe a large exhortation to Vertue which is the watchman and keeper of the commandements of GOD in which consisteth true Vertue This Booke is deuided into three principall parts In the first part Vertue is perswaded to be embraced of vs with those reasons and common arguments which are wont chiefely to bee alledged of the holie and auncient Fathers as are those bonds by the which we are bound to our Lord GOD as well by that which hee is in himselfe as by that which he is for vs by reason of his inestimable benefits and also by the necessitie of Vertue herselfe which is prooued and layd open vnto vs by the foure last things which are Death Iudgement Heauenly-glory and Hell And these are handled in the first part In the second part the same thing is conuinced and prooued manifestly by other newe reasons as are the commodities and profits of grace which are promised in this life to the students louers of Vertue Heere the twelue particuler prerogatiues and priuiledges are rehearsed by which Vertue is famous renowned and they are handled and discoursed of seuerally and by themselues Which prerogatiues although many times they are touched of the Saints and holy Writers shewing the light the peace the true libertie and ioy of a quiet conscience and the consolations and comforts of the holy Ghost which things the righteous enioy and all those excellent benefits which are circumscribed within Vertues circumference yet neuer any man was seene or read of me who handled this matter so copiously and in that order as wee doe Therefore it hath not beene vnto mee a little trouble or a small labor to bring together into one head all these things out of diuers places of Scripture to call thē by their propper names to reduce them into order to declare and display them and to approue euery one of them seuerally by diuers testimonies of the Scriptures and of the Fathers This diligence was very necessarily bestowed that they who are not mooued to loue Vertue for the hope of the good to come because it seemes to be farre off frō them at the least that they might bee moued with the profite of that inestimable good which Vertue affoordeth in this world But because it suffiseth not to produce all the reasons which proue
and establish this question and matter vnlesse also the contrarie arguments and obiections bee refuted therefore the third part of this Booke is occupied and conuersant in ouerthrowing and confuting them in which we plentifully aunswere all the excuses and obiections which are wont to be alledged of naughtie men why they doe flie and eschew Vertue Because the matter and subiect of these two Bookes is Vertue wee would not haue the Reader to be ignorant that by this word Vertue we barelie or solely vnderstand the habite of Vertue but also her actions and duties to the which that noble habit is ordered and disposed because the Figure is very well knowne that the effect is signified by the name of the cause the cause by the name of the effect THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which is contayned a large and copious exhortation to keepe Gods commaundements THE FIRST TITLE That man is bound to seeke after Vertue and to serue GOD and of the excellencie of the Diuine perfection CHAP. I. TWO things chiefely Christian Reader are wont to mooue and stirre vp the will of man to any good action One is the bond by which we are bound to iustice the other is the profit and fruite which proceedeth issueth of this action For it is the iudgement of all wisemen that these two things are to be considered of in euery matter and action to wit Honestie and Profit which are as it were the two spurres of our Will which pricke it forward and encourage it to take any action in hand Of these two although for the most part Profit is more sought after and desired yet Honestie is more effectuall and powerfull For there is not any profit or commoditie to be found in this world although it be great which may compare with the excellencie of Vertue as also there is no losse or discōmoditie so great or grieuous which a wise man ought not rather to choose then to runne into anie vice as Aristotle auerreth Seeing therefore that it is our purpose and meaning in this Booke to inuite men to the loue of Vertue and to ensnare them with the beautie of it I take it that we shall doe very well if we begin of this more principall part declaring the bond by which we stand bound to Vertue and therefore to God himselfe also who seeing that he is goodnes it selfe doth commend nothing in this world doth desire nothing doth not account any thing precious but onely Vertue Therefore with great care and diligence let vs consider those iust titles and claimes which God hath to demaund and exact this so great debt and bond of vs. But seeing that they be innumerable wee will onely induce sixe of the chiefest euery one of which seuerally do binde man with out any excuse to him in whatsoeuer he can or may The first and greatest and which can lesse be declared or expressed is to be him that he is to which is referred the greatnes of his Maiestie and all his perfections Hetherto pertaine the incomprehensible magnitude of his goodnes mercy iustice wisedom infinite power noblenes beautie faithfulnesse truth benignitie happines maiestie and the other riches and perfections that be in him which are such and so immeasurable that as a certaine famous Doctor saith if the whole world were ful of bookes and all creatures Writers and all the water of the Sea ynck first all the bookes should be filled first all the Writers should be wearied and first all the Sea should be exhausted and drawne drie then one alone of his perfections should be described absolutelie and as it is in deede and in it selfe The same Doctor also saith if God should create a newe man and should giue vnto him a hart so ample capable and spacious as are all the harts of men ioyned and mixed together if that hart should apprehend with an immeasurable and vnusuall light the qualitie and quantitie of one of these perfections it would faint die or breake in peeces by reason of the greatnes of that ioy and pleasure which should redound to it except it were preserued by the singuler power of GOD. This therefore is the first the most equall and iust reason by which we are bound to loue God and to serue obey him who is truth it selfe in so high a degree that the very Epicures themselues who are the ouerthrowers and destroyers of all Philosophy for they denie the diuine prouidence and the immortalitie of soules doe not denie that there is a Religion which is the worship and adoration of God For one of them disputing in that Booke which Tully writ of the nature of the Gods confesseth and prooueth very strongly that there is a God and also he acknowledgeth the altitude of his admirable and wonderfull perfections and for them he saith that he is to be worshipped adored and reuerenced for this is due to the greatnes and excellencie of this most noble substance Therefore he is to bee worshipped by that name and title onely if hee had not anie other For if we honour and reuerence a King for the onely dignitie of his presence although hee be without his kingdome where we receiue no benefit by him why rather should we not giue and exhibite all honour and reuerence to this Lord who as Iohn testifieth hath written vpon his garment and vpon his thigh The King of Kings and Lord of Lords It is he that with his three fingers doth beare vp the round Globe of the earth doth dispose of causes moueth the heauens it is he that changeth times altereth the elements diuideth the waters bringeth forth the windes engendereth causes giueth influence to the Planets and as an vniuersall King and Lord doth nourish and sustaine all creatures That also is of greater moment that his kingdom is not by succession or by election or by inheritance but by nature For euen as a man naturally is greater thē a Pismier so that most noble substance in greatnes doth far excell all other things created insomuch that euery thing whatsoeuer it be and the whole vniuersall world in his eyes haue scarce the quantitie and bignes of an Emmot If that vnhappy Philosopher acknowledged and confessed this truth why shall not Christian phylosophy acknowledge and confesse it This therefore teacheth that although there be many titles and names by which wee are bound to God yet this that we now entreate of doth excell them all the which is of such weight valuation that if there were no other this alone deserueth all the loue and seruice of man yea though he had infinite and innumerable soules and bodies which might attend and waite vpon his worship and loue That alwaies hath beene the care and studie of the Saints whose loue were so pure and sincere that of it S. Bernard saide Pure loue doth not take strength from hope and yet feeleth not the hurt of distrust As if hee
if God doth but a little draw backe his hand thou necessarily commest to naught how is it possible that thou darest prouoke to wrath that Diuine Maiestie which sustaineth thee euen in that same time wherein thou offendest him For as Dionisius sayth the vertue and goodnes of the chiefest Good is so excellent that the creatures when they are immorigerous and disobedient doe receaue of his immeasurable vertue the Being and Ability by which they striue and strugle against him that they may both Be and be able to repugne him Which seeing that it is so how darest thou offend with thy members and sences that Lord who preserueth thee O great blindnes ô intollerable rebellion Who euer saw so impudent a conspiracy The members doe rise against the head of which their life and death dependeth The day will come when this iniury shall be manifestēd and the complaints of the diuine honor shal be heard Haue yee conspired against God It is equall and right that the vniuerse of the whole world shold likewise conspire against you and that God should arme euery creature to the reuenge of that iniury and that all the whole circumference of the earth should warre against the ingratefull and those that will not acknowledge this benefit For it is meete that they that would not open their eyes whilst they had time and were inuited of so great a multitude of diuine benefits I say that is meete that their eyes shold be opened by the multitude of torments which neuer shall haue end But what will be done if to these aforesayd we set before thee the plentifull rich and aboundant table of this world which the Lord hath created for thine vse Whatsoeuer is found vnder the cope of heauen is eyther for the vse of man or for the vse of that thing which attendeth and wayteth vpon man for if man be not fed as I may so say with flies that flye in the ayre yet he is fed with those birds which are fed with these flies and if hee eate not grasse and wild hearbs yet he eateth the beasts of diuers sorts and kinds which are nourished with these hearbs Cast and cast againe thine eyes vpon euery corner of the world and thou shalt see how spacious and large the bounds and limits of thy riches are and how plentifull and affluent is thine inheritance Euery thing that goeth vpon the earth that swimmeth in the water that flyeth through the ayre that shineth in heauen is thine But all these benefits are of God and the works of his prouidence are the glasses of his beauty and testimonies of his mercy the sparks of his loue and the reports and prayses of his liberality See how many Preachers God sendeth vnto thee that thou mayst know him All things that are in heauen and in earth sayth Saint Augustine doe tell me that I should loue thee ô my Lord and they doe not cease to make the same proclamation to all men that no man can be excused If thou hast eares that thou canst vnderstand the voyces of the creatures thou shalt perceaue manifestly how they all together teach thee that thou shouldest loue God For all they in holding their peace cry that they were made for thy seruice that thou as well for thy selfe as for them mightest serue both thy Lord theirs Heauen sayth I doe minister vnto thee by day the light of the Sunne and by night the benefit of the Moone and starres that thou shouldest not walke in darknes and I doe giue and send vnto thee diuers influences that diuers things may encrease and breed with thee that thou mayst not perish thtough hunger The ayre sayth I doe apply my selfe vnto thee that thou mayst breathe in me I doe coole and refresh thee I doe temper and moderate thine internall heate least it consume thee I haue in me diuers kinds of birds that by their variety and beauty thine eyes may be delighted thine eares with their singing pleased and thy pallate by their tast contented and satisfied The water sayth I do serue thee in the appoynted times of the yeere with my rayne and showers I doe refresh comfort thee with my riuers and springs I doe bring forth nourish diuers kinds of fishes that they may be meate for thee I doe water thy sowing thy gardens fruitfull trees that thou mayst be nourished with them all I doe giue thee way through the midst of the Sea that thou maist traffique with the whole world and that it may be at thy pleasure to ioyne thy riches with the wealth of another Hemispheare What thinkest thou that the earth will say which is the common mother of vs all as it were the shop and ware-house of all naturall things Truly it will say not without reason I doe beare thee as an vnprofitable lump I thy mother doe carry thee as it were in mine armes I doe prouide thee of necessaries I doe sustaine thee with the fruits of my bowels I haue participatinn communion with all the other elements with all the heauens and I doe pertake of all theyr influences and I doe fruitfully yeeld and giue thee all my benefits To conclude I like a good mother neyther leaue thee in life nor death for in lyfe I doe suffer thee to tread vpon mee with thy feete and doe sustaine and beare thee vp and in death I yeeld thee a place of quiet and rest and I doe hide and enclose thee within my wombe What neede I many words All the world doth cry with a loud voyce Behold with what great loue my Lord and Creator doth affect thee who created me for the loue of thee and willed that I should serue thee for him that thou in like manner shouldest loue and serue him who created me for thee and thee for himselfe These are ô man the voyces of all the creatures marke and giue eare now that there can be no such wicked deafenes as to heare these voyces and to be ingratefull for so great benefits If thou hast receaued a benefit pay thy debt by thankfulnes least thou be plagued vvith the punishment of ingratefull persons For euery one of the creatures as very well sayth a certayne Doctour doe speake to and call vpon man with three words Receaue Render Beware that is receaue a benefit render thy debt and beware of punishment if thou doest not render it But that thou mayst more feruently meditate think vpon these things consider how Epictetus a Philosopher of whom we haue made mention before came to the knowledge of this Diuinity who willeth that in all things created we shold heare and see our Creator saying When the Crow doth crooke and doth fore-shew any change of weather it is not the Crow that doth fore-shew this to thee but God himselfe And if by mans voyce thou be admonished of any thing is it not in like manner God who created man and gaue vnto him power and
I owe all those things to thee which are in me Secondly because thou hast redeemed me I owe the same but by a more iust title Thirdly because thou hast promised thy selfe a reward vnto mee it maketh mee eftsoones to owe my selfe wholy vnto thee Why therfore shal I not giue my selfe once wholy to him to whom I owe my selfe by so many meanes and titles O exceeding ingratitude ô the hardnes of mans hart a hard hart in deede thou art if thou be not bended and moued with so many benefits if thou doest not render ouer and giue thy selfe for so many gifts There is not any thing found in this world so hard but that by some Art and vvorkmanship it may be mollified and softned Mettals melt through fire Iron is made tractable by the same the hardnes of a Diamond is broken by the blood of a Goate but thou ô hart of man art harder then any rocke harder then Iron harder then a Diamond when as neyther hell fire may breake thy hardnes nor the Art of thy most mercifull and louing father may mollifie thee nor the blood of the vnspotted Lambe can make thee tractable Seeing therfore thou ô Lord hast exhibited and giuen vnto vs so great goodnes and mercy doth it seeme a thing tollerable vnto thee that any man should be found who loueth thee not Who is vnmindfull of thy benefits Yea which is most insufferable that blusheth not to offend thee What loueth he that doth not loue thee For what benefit will he be gratefull who doth shew himselfe ingrateful for thy benefits How can I not but worship him but serue him who so deerely hath loued me Who with so great dilligence hath sought for me who with so great labour hath redeemed me from all euill If I were lift vp from the earth sayth our Sauiour I will draw all men vnto mee With what violence ô my Lord With what chaines With the violence of thy loue and with the chaines of thy benefits I will draw thee with the cords of a man sayth the Lord and with bands of loue Who will not willingly be drawne with thy cords Who will not suffer himselfe to be bound with thy bands Who would not couet to be bound and to be ouercome of so great benefits But if it be such an offence not to loue this Lord what will it be to offend him and to violate his commaudements Is it possible ô man that thou hast hands to offend those hands which haue been so liberall towards thee that for thee they were nailed to the Crosse Whē as that lasciuious and vnshamefast woman would haue allured the holy Patriarke Ioseph to adultery and solicited him to be vnfaithfull to his Lord the chast young man defended himselfe after this manner Behold my Maister knoweth not what he hath in the house with me but hath committed all that he hath to mine hand besides thee which art his wife how then can I doe this great wickednes and so sinne against God As if he should say If my Lord hath beene so good and liberall vnto me if hee hath committed all his goods vnto my trust if hee hath me in such great honour how can I haue hands ready to offend so good a Maister who hath bound me to him with so many benefits In which place we are to note that hee was not content to say that it was not decent or meete that I should offend him or I ought not to doe this but he sayd How can I doe this great wickednes c. Signifying that the greatnes of benefits ought not onely to bridle our will but also to take away our power and strength by any meanes to offend our Lord God If these kind of benefits deserued so great gratitude and thankfulnes what doe not the diuine benefits deserue That man had committed to the hands of Ioseph that which he had and God hath committed to thee those things he hath Now compare those things which God hath with those things which that man had and see by how many wayes those are greater and more excellent then these They are double and triple which thou hast receaued of God if thou comparest them with those that Ioseph receaued of this man Tell me I pray thee what wealth what riches hath God which he hath not communicated vnto thee The heauen the earth the Sunne the Moone the starres the Seas riuers birds fishes trees liuing creatures to be briefe all that is found vnder heauen is in thine hands What not onelie those things which are vnder heauen are in thy power but also which are aboue the heauens that is the glory of them and eternall blessednes All things are yours sayth the Apostle whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are yours That is ordained and appointed for your saluation But what if I shall say that thou onely hast not those things which are aboue the heauens but that the Lord himselfe of all heauens is giuen vnto thee by a thousand wayes Hee is giuen vnto thee as a Father as a Tutor as a Sauiour as a Maister he is thy Phisition he is the price of thy redemption he is an example to thee a helpe a remedy a keeper To be briefe the father hath giuen vnto vs his sonne the sonne hath deserued for vs the holy Ghost whom the father and the sonne sendeth vnto vs from whom proceedeth all good things Seeing therefore that it is as true as truth it selfe that God hath giuen all things into thine hands which he hath how can it be that thou hast hands to prouoke and incense him Doest thou thinke that it is a thing to be borne to be ingratefull to a father so good and to a benefactour so liberall Certainly this seemeth to be extreame wickednes but if to this ingratitude thou ioynest the contempt of the benefactour and iniury or offence what a mischiefe will that seeme to be If that young man whom before we remembred tooke himselfe to be so bound and chayned that hee had no power or abillity to offend him who had cōmitted vnto him all the substance of his house how wilt thou finde strength in thy selfe to offend him who hath giuen to thee heauen earth and himselfe Ah vnhappy man more vnthankfull then the beasts more cruell then Lyons and Tygers more insensible then the stones is it possible that thou canst not keepe thee from so great wickednes What Beast what Lyon what Tyger is so vnmindfull of benefits that will hurt him of whom he is benefited Saint Ambrose speaketh of a certaine dogge which a whole night lamented his Maister slaine of one of his enemies with barking and howling In the morning many men came to the dead corps and amongst others he also came that had slaine the man The dogge seeing that homicide made out sodainly against
for a moment causeth vnto them a farre more excellent and an eternall waight of glory These then are the benefits which this one benefit of iustification comprehendeth in it which iustification Saint Augustine maketh greater account of them he doth of creation for God created heauen and earth with his onely word but that he might sanctifie man he shed his blood and vnder-went many and great torments If therefore we owe so many and so great duties to this Lord for our creation how many moe doe wee owe to him for our iustification Which benefit by how much it was got by greater labours and afflictions by so much it doth more bind vs vnto him Although there be many great notable marks and signes by which a man entring into himselfe may examine and know whether he be iustified or no yet in my iudgement the renouation and renuing of mans life is not the least when a man hath so reformed himselfe that he hath ouerthrowne the regiment of sinne hath cut off the head of it and from day to day still groweth to further purity and perfection of life Hee that is such an one let him be mindfull by how iust a title he is bound to serue such a Sacrificer who hath redeemed him and deliuered him from so many euils and hath heaped so many blessings vpon him which hetherto we haue remembred But if he doth still cleaue and sticke in his corrupt and depraued estate I doe not know howe God may better mooue him to forsake that estate then if he set before his eyes all the euils discommodities and dangers which sinnes bring with them and which we a little before haue reckoned vp and also showe vnto him the treasury of those great blessings which doe arise of this incomparable and vnspeakeable benefit ¶ Of many other effects which the holy Ghost worketh in a iustified soule THose things which hetherto we haue spoken of doe not as yet comprehend all those kinds of benefits which the holy Ghost worketh in the soule of a iustified man neyther is the bountifulnes of GOD circumscribed within those limits For it is not enough that the holy Ghost should haue brought man through the gate of Righteousnesse and entred him into the schoole of Vertue but after that he is entred that he should be ayded of the same Spirit and ledde as it were with the hand in all his wayes vntill all the waues of this stormy sea being ouercome he enter safe and sound into the hauen of saluation For after that the holy Ghost hath entred into a iustified soule by the meditation of the precedent benefit he doth not sitte there idlely for it suffiseth him not to beautifie the soule with his presence but also he sanctifieth it by his vertue working in it and with it whatsoeuer is necessary vnto saluation He sitteth there as an housholder in his house gouerning it he sitteth there as a schoolemaister in his schoole teaching it as a Gardiner in his garden tilling and trymming it as a King in his kingdom ruling it as the Sunne in the world enlightning it to be briefe as the soule in the body giuing to it life sence and motion not as the forme in the matter but as an housholder in an house What then is more happy what more to bee desired then to haue within him such a guest such a guide such a companion such a gouernour and tutor and such an helper Who seeing that he is all things doth worke all things in that soule in which he remaineth and dwelleth Especially as fire hee enlightneth our vnderstanding he enflameth our will and exalteth it from the earth euen to heauen He like a Doue doth make vs simple gentle peaceable and friends to all He as a cloude dooth refresh and coole vs and defend vs from the heate of the flesh doth asswage and moderate our madnes and the furie of our passions To conclude he as a vehement and strong wind doth moue and incline our will to all good seperating it and drawing it from all euill inclinations vntill at length the iustified bee brought to that passe that all vices are odious vnto them which before they loued and they loue all vertues which before they hated as Dauid plainly acknowledgeth that it hapned to him for he sayth in a certaine place That hee did hate and abhorre iniquitie And in another place That hee had as great delight in the way of the testimonies of the Lord as in all riches The reason was because the holy Ghost had instilled and infused into his soule the vvormewood of earthly things and the honny of the heauenly commaundements vvherein thou seest plainly that wee owe all our good to this diuine Spirit insomuch that if we decline from euill he is the cause of it and if we doe good we doe it through him if wee perseuere in goodnesse wee perseuere through him and if a reward be gyuen for our good it is giuen through him Therefore it is euident that it is most truly spoken of Augustine that when as God recompenceth our seruices he rewardeth his owne benefits in vs and so hee rendereth grace for grace seeing the deserts are of grace The holy Patriarch Ioseph was not content to giue to hys brethren corne which they came to buy in Egipt but he moreouer commaunded that the money which they brought to buy the corne should be put in theyr sacke mouthes After the same manner the Lord dealeth with his for he giueth vnto thē life euerlasting and he also gyueth them grace and a lawdable lyfe by which they may come to this eternall life Here-vnto agreeth that which Eusebius Emissenus sayth hee therefore is worshipped that he may haue mercy and hee hath had already mercy that he might be worshipped Therefore let a man diligently examine his life let him consider as the same Doctour admonisheth him what great good hee hath doone from howe many euills adulteries rapines thefts fraudes and sacriledges the Lord hath deliuered him and then he shal know by how many meanes he is bound vnto him For as Saint Augustine sayth all sinnes are to be accounted as forgiuen from the which God doth keepe thee least they be committed Therefore sayth hee doe not loue him a little as from whom a little was forgiuen but rather loue him much from whom much is gyuen vnto thee For if hee loue to whom it is giuen that hee may not repay how much more ought he to loue to whom it is gyuen that he may haue and possesse For whosoeuer from the beginning remaineth honest hee is gouerned of him and whosoeuer of one dishonest is made honest of him he is amended and whosoeuer is dishonest to the end of him he is forsaken Which seeing that it is so what other thing shall we doe then cry out with the Prophet Let my mouth bee filled with thy praise that I may sing of
be predestinated For if any Prince who is to be the heire of a great kingdome doth passe by any way all the inhabitants their houses being left flock to that place that they may see him and they admire that blessed according to the opinion of the world estate which doth tarry for that young man because he is borne to be the heire of a kingdome how much more then ought men to admire and wonder at this most blessed estate That is that man is borne and elected without any merrit of his not that he may be a temporall King in this world but that he may raigne in heauen with God himselfe and with his blessed Saints for euer and euer world without end Therfore by these things my brother thou mayest easily know of that great bond by which all the Elect for this benefit are bound to their Lord and Electour From the which benefit let no man thinke himselfe excluded so that he will doe his duty and will not be wanting vnto himselfe yea let him giue all dilligence that by good works as Saint Peter admonisheth hee may make his calling and election sure for we assuredly know that he that doth this shall be saued we also know that the fauour and grace of God doth neuer faile and diaspoynt any man neyther will at anie time leaue or forsake him Therefore let vs perseuere in good works in the vndoubted certainty of these two truths and let vs hope that wee are of that happy and blessed number of the Elect. THE SEAVENTH TITLE That man is bound to follow and embrace Vertue by reason of the first of these foure last things which happen vnto him which is Death CHAP. VII EVery one of the fore-sayde titles ought worthily and of right to mooue a man to serue the Lord his God to whom hee is bound by so many names and reasons But because the greater part of men is more moued by reward and hire then by the debt to iustice that is as others speake rather by profit then honesty we haue thought it a thing worth the labour if to these afore-sayd we adde the great profits and commodities which are promised to Vertue as well in this life as in the lyfe to come Heere at the first we will speake of two especially amongst the rest of the Glory which we obtaine by Vertue and of the Punishment which we auoide by it These are the two oares by the benefit of which we row and saile out of the danger of this troublesome stormy Sea these are the two spurs by which we are pricked forward to runne with celeritie to the way of this life Hence it is that certaine holy men inspired with the holy Spirit haue wished that Preachers would preach altogether or for the most part of vertues and vices of glorie and punishment of vertues and vices that they may teach how to liue well of glory and punishment that they may moue and perswade to liue well It is also the opinion of Phylosophers the common iudgement of all men that reward punishment are the two counterpoises by which the Horologe of mans life is mooued For so great is the misery of our will that no man desireth vertue being naked bare and plaine to the which punishment is not adioyned or which is not recompenced vvith some profit And because no punishment nor reward can bee thought of greater then that eternall glory euerlasting paine wee haue purposed at this present to speake of them before which wee will sette other two because they are first in order that is Death and the Generall Iudgement Because each one of them being well considered of they haue great motions to incite and stirre vs vp to Vertue and to feare vs from vice according to that saying of the Wiseman Remember the end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse By the end vnderstanding those foure that we a little before haue remembred of the which wee will entreat in order according to the tenour of our purpose Of Death therefore we wil take our beginning which is the first in the number of those last things that happen vnto man which is so much the more powerfull to moue the minde by much it is more certaine more vniuersall and more familiar common vnto him Especially if wee consider the particuler iudgement of all our life which shall bee pronounced of it which shall not be changed in that generall Iudgement for that which shall be gyuen at the houre of death that same for euer shall be ratified How seuere thys iudgement will be and how strickt the account which shall there be required I wil not that thou learne of my wordes but of an history which Iohannes Climacus remembreth of which he was an eye witnes vvhich truly is one of the terriblest and fearefullest which I remember that euer I read these are the words of Climacus I will not omit to relate the history of that solitary monastical man who dwelled in Choreb When as of a long time he had lyued verie dissolutely and loosely and had not had at all any care of his soule at the length he was taken with a disease and brought to his last home And now when as an extasie had seased vpon his body after an houre he came to himselfe againe and desired all vs that forth-with we should depart from him the entrance of his Cell beeing stopped with stones hee remained vvithin twelue yeeres not at all speaking any thing to any man neither tasting any other thing besides bread and water There sitting and beeing amazed hee onely ruminated and reuolued those things which he had seene in that seperation of his soule from his body and in these things he was alwayes of so fixed stedfast a meditation that he neuer changed his countenaunce but alwaies continuing thus amazed astonished silently he poured forth aboundance of seruent teares When he was nowe at deaths doore and death beganne to seaze on him the entrance of his Cell beeing broke open vve entred in And when as we earnestly desired some instruction and doctrine of him vve onely heard thys of him Pardon me No man can abide himselfe should be drawn to sinne if hee in deed doth soundly carry in his mind the remembrance of death We meruailously wondered at him beholding him that before was so negligent and loose to be so suddainly changed and to be made another man by this most blessed change Hetherto Climacus who was present at all these things and what he saw he testifieth in his writings So that no man ought to doubt of thys deede although it seeme to some incredible especially seeing that the witnes is true and faythfull In thys story there are many things which wee woorthily ought to feare considering the life which thys holy man ledde and much more the vision which hee sawe whence came that manner of lyuing which afterwards he obserued thorow out al
himselfe to the sacrifice he heard of him Now I know that thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne By my selfe haue I sworne because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne Therefore will I surely blesse thee and will greatly multiply thy seede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand which is vpon the Sea shoare and thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies More-ouer amongst thy sonnes I will giue thee one who shall be the Sauiour of the world and he shal be both thy sonne and the sonne of GOD. Dooth this seeme vnto thee an ample reward Thys is a reward woorthy of God for God is God in all things Hee is God in recompencing hee is God in correcting hee is God in all other things Dauid on a certaine night considered with himselfe howe he himselfe dwelt in a house of Cedar trees and the Arke of GOD remained within the Curtaines and he began to think of building an house vnto the Lord. And the same night the word of the Lord came vnto Nathan saying Goe and tell my seruaunt Dauid thus saith the Lord vvilt thou build mee an house for my dwelling I doe sweare vnto thee I will builde thee an house for euer and for all thy posteritie with a perpetuall kingdome neyther shall my mercy depart from it So he sayd and so he did for to the comming of Christ they raigned in the house of Iuda who descended of the familie and seede of Dauid whō Christ followed who shall raigne for euer Therefore if the glory of Heauen be a recompence and an vniuersall remuneration of the diuine worship and seruice done vnto God of his Saints if God be so liberall in this recompence it is no hard thing to coniecture how great the glory to come of the blessed will be We haue another coniecture if we consider howe great the price is which God requireth for this glorie notwithstanding he is so liberall and bountifull For after sinne hee would not grant this glory to any man at a lesser price then at the death blood of his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ insomuch that this heauenly life is not gyuen to man but for the death of God and for the sorrowes of God celestiall ioy is giuen to man And because God hanged vppon the Crosse between two theeues now man raigneth amongst the assembly of Angels Tell me if by any meane it may be spoken what manner of good is that which that the Lorde might giue it vnto thee first he must sweat out his owne blood he must be apprehended bound beaten mocked crowned with thornes and crucified What will it be I pray thee that the Lord who otherwise of his own nature is so liberall hath prepared that he might giue vnto men for this so inestimable a price Hee that kuoweth well how to fish in thys depth hee by this coniecture shall know the greatnes of thys glory more manifestly then by all others which may be imagined God also exacteth as an appendix of thys former the greatest thing that may be exacted of man for this celestiall glory that is he take vp his crosse that hee pull out his right eye and cast it from him if it offend him that he forsake Father and Mother with all other things created if they at any time perswade any thing contrary to the diuine commandements And when we haue doone all things that we can the Lord willeth that we say that wee are vnprofitable seruants hee willeth that glory be gyuen vnto him onely and all things to be esteemed as his sole and meere grace Which he confirmeth by Saint Iohn when he sayth I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I wil giue to him that is a thirst of the wel of the water of life freely Tell me what ones how great are they thinkest thou for the which the Lord requireth so hard things which when we haue giuen or done yet he would haue vs to confesse that they are gyuen vnto vs freely of his meere grace Tell me therefore if the Lord our God be so magnificent and so liberall in bestowing his graces if his diuine goodnes hath graunted to all men in this life the vse of things so different if all the creatures of heauen and earth indifferently serue all and the possession of them be common as well to the vniust as to the iust who deseruedly can doubt that much greater are those supreame blessings which he hath prepared onely for the righteous Who was euer found that freely bestowed so great treasures vpon him to whom he was not indebted How much greater will he gyue if he shal be indebted to any He that is so liberall in bestowing gifts freely how liberall will he be in repaying and rewarding a debt He that bestoweth so great things freely what will hee not giue to him that continueth faythfull If the magnificence of those things which he giueth be so inestimable vvhat shal be the splendour of those things which he will repay Certainly it cannot be spoken nor be expressed by any words how great that glory will be which the Lord will gyue to his Elect seeing they are so great which of his great bountie he bestoweth vpon the vnthankfull The situation and height of the place may somewhat teach vs also of the quantitie and qualitie of thys glory that this heauen of heauens which is aboue the seauen Spheares as it is greater then all the heauens so it is the noblest of all the most beautifull the most glorious and the most worthy Thys place the Scripture calleth The Land of the liuing that he might signifie that this Land which wee inhabite is a land of those which be dead But if in this region of death the creatures be so noble so precious and so excellent what shall those there be in the land of the euer-liuing Turne thine eyes into what part soeuer thou wilt of thys visible world and behold how many and how beautiful things are found in it Behold how spacious the greatnesse of the heauen is how great the splendour is of the Sunne Moone and of all the s tarres how beautifull the earth is being beautified and adorned with so great multitude and variety of plants byrds and other liuing creatures How pleasant a thing is it to see the plainnesse of the fielde the highnesse of hills and mountaines the greenes of Valleyes the streaming of fountaines the aboundance of riuers vvhich like vaynes runne through the whole body of the earth and that which is more what great pleasure it is to see the largnesse of the Sea full of so many and so admirable things What be the standing pooles vvhat be the lakes of pure and cleere water what other things be they then the eyes of the earth the looking-glasses of heauen What be the meddowes clothed adorned with the pleasantnes
of Roses and other flowers No other thing then a cleere heauen in a faire night adorned vvith starres What shall I speake of the vaines of gold siluer and other mettals in most rich Mines What of Diamonds Carbuncles Emeralds and other most precious Iemmes which seeme to contend by theyr beautie and brightnes with heauen with the starres themselues What of the shapes and the diuersity of colours which are seene in byrds and in other liuing creatures and flowers Let the pleasantnesse of Art if it please you be ioyned to the beautie of nature and the beautie of all things shall be doubled Because by Art diuers and excellent peeces of curious workmanshyp are wrought in gold siluer by Art vessels images and pictures are made no lesse pleasant then artificiall gardens and Orchards by singuler industrie are set and planted buildings of Churches palaces of Kings are so cunningly made of gold marble and other things that they carry mens minds into admiration astonishment If therfore in this base element the lowest of all which is called the Land of the dead there be so many so delightfull beautifull and pleasant things hovve many and how great thinkest thou shall those things be in that highest place which by how much it is higher then all the heauens and all the elements by so much it is nobler by so much richer by so much more beautifull Especially if wee consider those celestiall bodies which are obuious to our sight as are the starres the Sunne Moone in splendour in vertue in beauty and in perpetuitie by so many degrees to excell and exceed all inferiour things what then wil those things doe which are hid from mortall eyes and are onely open to immortall sight thys excellencie can scarcely be presupposed or thought vpon We know that there are three kind of places appointed of God vnto men in thys life according to the diuersitie of times the first is the mothers wombe after conception the second is this world straightwaies after byrth the third shal be heauen after death if we haue liued well In these orders of places there is that proportion that by how much more the second is more excellent then the first by so much the third is more excellent then the second as wel in the continuaunce and perpetuitie of the tyme as in the largenesse and beautie of the place and in all other things For the diuturnitie and longnes of the first lyfe it is certaine that it is no longer then nine moneths the second life at the most is but an hundred yeeres but the third is endlesse and eternall Moreouer the greatnesse of the place of the first life is no larger then the wombe in which it is contained of the second thys large and spacious world but of the thyrd the place is so much the greater and more spacious then the second place by how much the second is larger then the first and the same excellencie that it hath in largenes and greatnesse the same it hath in beauty fairenes riches and in all other things If therefore thys world by so much is more large more beautiful and more rich then the mothers wombe how great will the largenes the beautie the riches the nobilitie be of that heauenlie place This same thing the difference of the inhabitants dwelling in these two places doe manifestly declare For the frame and fashion of the building ought to be sutable to the condition of the inhabitants dwelling in it This as we haue sayd is the land of the dead that of the liuing this is full of sinners that of the righteous and iust this of men that of Angels this penitentiaries inhabite that those that haue obtayned the remission of sinnes in this dwell the militant in that the triumphant to be briefe this is the habitation of friends and enemies that of friends onely and of the elect If therfore the difference of the inhabitants be so great how great thinkest thou shal the difference of places be Especially seeing that God doth make all places conformable to the inhabitants Great and glorious things are spoken of thee thou Citty of God Thou art large and great in space and latitude faire and beautifull in fight and view precious in matter noble in society sweet in exercises rich in all blessings and free from all euils In all things thou art great for he is the greatest that made thee and the end is most excellent for which thou wast made and thy inhabitants also are most noble for whose vse thou wast made All these pertaine to accidental glory But there is an other glory greater without all comparison which is called essentiall and consisteth in the sight and possession of God himselfe of which Saint Augustine sayth he himselfe shal be the reward of Vertue who gaue Vertue who shal be seene without end loued without loathing and praysed without wearines In so much that this reward is so great that a greater cannot be because it is neyther heauen nor earth nor sea nor any other creature but the Creator himselfe and the Lord of all who also as he is one so he is the most pure and simple good in whom all other good things are found For the further intelligence of this thing we must know that one of the wonderfull thinges which are in this substance is this that we haue spoken of that is that it being but one and the most simple yet it includeth all the perfections of all things and that in the highest eminencie of perfection For seeing that he is the Creator and maker of all and it is he that gouerneth and directeth all to their last end and perfection it cannot be that he hath not that he giueth to another or laboureth with any penury of that thing that hee so aboundantly distributeth to others Hence it is that all the blessed spirits doe reioyce in seeing all things in him alone yet euery one according to the proportion of that glory which they haue gotten For euen as now the creatures are as it were looking glasses in which the beauty of God may after some manner be seene so then God shall be the looking glasse in whom the beauty and fairenes of all creatures shall be seene and that vision shall be much more perfect then if it were seene in the creatures themselues So that God will be there the vniuersall good of all his Saints the perfect felicity and satietie of all their desires There God will be a looking glasse to the eyes of his Saints musicke to their eares Nectar Ambrosia to their palats and ordoriferous Balsanum to their smelling There we shall see the variety and beauty of the seasons the pleasantnes of the Spring the brightnes of Sommer the fruitfulnes of Autumne and the quiet of Winter To be briefe there shall be whatsoeuer may delight our sences and euery faculty of our soules There as Bernard sayth will
so metrically ordered not of foure or fiue voyces as that is which wee now vse but tuned and ruled with the variety of so many numerous and harmonious voyces as there be Elect What great pleasure wil it be to heare theyr most sweet songs which S. Iohn heard in his Reuelation And they worshipped God sayth he saying Prayse and glory and wisedome and thanks and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen If the glory and pleasure be so great to heare this harmonie and consent of voyces what wil it be to see the concord of bodies and soules so conformable and vniforme But how much more admirable wil it be to behold so great vnion of men and Angels What doe I say of men and Angels Yea so great an vnion betweene man and God himselfe Aboue al these it cannot fitly be imagined how acceptable and welcome a thing it wil be to see those most spacious fields and fountaines of lyfe and those most delicate feedings vpon the mountaines of Israel What wil it be to sit at that royall table to haue a place amongst those inuited Nobles and to dip thine hand into the dish with God that is to enioy one and the same glory of God There the Saints shal rest shal reioyce sing prayse and going in and out they shal finde pastures of inestimable delight If the rewards of Vertue be so great and so precious which our Catholique faith doe promise vs who wil be so blind slothful negligent and so peruerse that is not moued to contend with his whole strength for the obtayning of a reward so copious ample and large THE TENTH TITLE That the last of those foure last things that happen vnto vs that is Hell fire doth bind vs to seeke after Vertue CHAP. X. THE least of those good things which hetherto we haue remembred ought to be sufficient to beget a loue of Vertue in our minds by which we may obtayne so great blessings Now if to this vnmeasurable glory the greatnes of the torments of hel be added which are prepared for the wicked who wil be so hard harted and of so rebellious a mind that vices being forsaken wil not hereafter willingly embrace Vertue For the vngodly and peruerse shal not comfort themselues with this voyce Be it that I am wicked vngodly what then Shal I not enter into that heauenly glory Shal I not reioyce with God In this consists al my punishment Of other things I am not careful because I shal haue neyther glory nor any other punishment O my brother thou art deceaued the matter stands not so For it is of necessity that one of these must happen vnto thee that either thou shalt raigne eternally with God or that thou shalt be tormented with the deuils in euerlasting flames For betweene these two extreames there is no meane This is excellently shadowed out vnto vs in the figure of those two baskets which the Lord shewed vnto the Prophet Ieremy before the gate of the Temple for one basket had verie good figs euen like the figs that are first ripe and the other basket had very naughty figs which could not be eaten they were so euil The Lord by this spectacle would shew vnto his Prophet two kindes of men one to whom hee would shew mercy the other that he would punish according to his iustice The estate and condition of the first kinde of men was passing good neyther can a better be giuen of the other exceeding ill then which a worse cannot be found The condition and lot of the good is to see God which is the chiefest of al blessings but the misfortune and vnhappines of the wicked shal be to be depriued foâ—â—uer of the sight of God which euil is the worst of al euils These things ought they diligently to consider and alwayes to meditate vpon who feare not to commit sinne when as they see so great a burthen and so cruel and direful punishment appoynted for sinne Porters and Cariers when they are called to carry a burthen on their shoulders first they looke diligently vpon it then they peise and lift it vp and try whether they be able to vndergoe it and whether they can carry it and thou ô miserable man to whom sinnes are so pleasing that for a little pleasure hast enthralled thy selfe to carry the burthen of it ah mad man first prooue and assay how great the waight is of the burthen that is of the punishment which thou shalt suffer for this pleasure that thou mayst vnderstand whether thou hast strength to beare it That this proofe may be made more conueniently I wil bring hether a certaine consideration by the which after some manner thou shalt be able to vnderstand the quality and greatnes of the torments of hel that thou mayst make a triall whether thou beest sufficient to beare the burthen which thou vndertakest to carry when thou sinnest Let this then be the first consideration the greatnes and infinite immensity of God who will chastice and punish sinne that wee may see what an one God is in all his works This is it that I would say that God is great and admirable in al things not onely in the sea in earth and in heauen but also in hel In so much that if the Lord be God in al his works as we see that he is he wil be God also in his wrath in his iustice and in the punishment of sinners For this cause the Lord sayth by Ieremy Feare ye not me or will ye not be afrayde at my presence which haue placed the sand for the bounds of the Sea by the perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waues thereof rage yet can they not preuaile though they roare yet can they not passe ouer it That is ouer the limits appoynted of me As if he should say is it not meete that ye feare the arme of the Lord so mighty whose greatnes this admirable worke doth sufficiently shew He therfore that is great in al his works shal he not be great in punishing of sinners Hee that for one thing is worthy whom we doe reuerence and adore shal he not be worthy for an other thing that he may be feared For this cause the same Prophet although he was innocent and sanctified in his mothers wombe so greatly feared the Lord when he sayd There is none like vnto thee ô Lord thou art great and thy name is great in power Who would not feare thee ô King of Nations For to thee appertayneth the dominion for among all the wise men of the Gentiles and in all their kingdomes there is none like thee And in an other place I kept me farre off from men because my hart was full of the feare of thy wrath Although this Prophet was certaine that this wrath was not kindled against him yet it was so great that it brought feare vpon him Therefore it was sayd
very well That hee beholdeth the earth and hee maketh it to tremble he toucheth the mountaines and they smoake And that the starres and pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe And it is said of him not without reason that before his maiesty those great principalities and supreame powers doe tremble not because they are not secure of their owne glory but because the greatnes of the diuine Maiesty doth strike feare and trembling into them If therfore they that be perfect be not without feare what shal they doe that are guilty and contemners of the diuine Maiesty They are those vpon whom hee wil poure out the fury of his indignation This is one of the principal reasons why the greatnes of this punishment is to be feared as S. Iohn plainely teacheth in his Reuelation where he after this manner speaketh of the scourges and torments of the Lord. Therefore shall her plagues come at one day he speaketh of Babilon death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her The Apostle also was not ignorant of the strength of this Lord and therfore he sayd It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. It is not a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of men because they are not so mighty but we may escape their violence and flye from their fury neyther haue they such authority that they can thrust the soule into hel Therfore our Sauiour sayd to his Disciples Feare not them that kill the body but cannot kill the soule but rather feare him who can cast both body and soule into hell fire These be the hands into which the holy Apostle sayth that it is a feareful thing to fall Of these things it is no hard matter to gather what is the nature of those hands of which Ecclesiasticus speaketh If we doe not repent we shall fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of men By all which it is most manifest that as God is great in power in Maiestie and in all his works so he will be great in wrath in iustice and in the punishments of the wicked The same also is yet more plainly seene in examining the Diuine iustice the effects aud executions of which be these punishments Thys is after some manner knowen by the effects that is by the feareful punishments of God inflicted at diuers times vpon wicked men sundry of which are remembred in the Scriptures How terrible was the punishment of Dathan and Abiron and of all theyr complices whom the earth opening her mouth swallowed vp with theyr Tents and all their substance and they went quick into hel because they had stirred vp sedition against Moses and the Priests Who euer heard such like kind of threatnings as those that are read in Deuteronomie and they are purposed and threatned against thē who doe not obserue the Lawe of the Lord where amongst other horrible and feareful threatnings thus sayth the Lord Thou shalt be besieged in all thy Citties throughout all thy Land which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee And thou shalt eate the fruite of thy bodie euen the flesh of thy sonnes and thy daughters which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee during the siege and straightnes wherein thine enemies shall enclose thee So that the man that is tender and exceeding daintie among you shal be grieued at his brother at his wife that lieth in his bosome at the remnant of his children which he hath yet left For feare of giuing vnto any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eate because he hath nothing left him in that siedge and straightnes wherwith thine enemie shall besiedge thee in all thy Citties The tender and daintie woman among you which neuer would venter to sette the sole of her foote vpon the ground for her softnesse and tendernesse shall be grieued at her husband vvhich lieth in her bosome and at her sonne and at her daughter and at her after birth that shall come out from betweene her feete and at her children which shee shall beare for when all things lacke shee shall eate them secretlie during the siedge and straightnesse vvhere-with thine enemie shall besiedge thee in thy Citties Horrible and to be trembled at are these punishments yet both these and al other with which men haue at any time been punished in this world are no other thing then a smal shadow and a figure of those punishments which tarry for the damned in the other world for that shall bee the time in which the Diuine iustice shal shine vpon and against those that heere haue refused his mercy But if the shadow be so horrible who shal be able to sustaine the truth of the matter and the thing it selfe If now when as the Diuine iustice is as yet tempered with mercy and the cup of the wrath of the Lord is mixed with the water of his grace be so bitter what will it be when it shall be drunke pure without mercy especially of those that would shewe no mercy to theyr neighbour although the punishment will alwayes be lesse then the desert and merrit of the sinne Neyther onely dooth the greatnesse of the iustice argue the greatnes of the punishment but also the greatnes of the mercie of the goodnes of which wicked men presume so much For what is more admirable then to see GOD clothed with mans flesh and in it to suffer all kinde of torments reproches euen from his entrance into this life to his going foorth of it which he ended vpon the Crosse What greater mercy then to come into this world and to take vppon him the debts of the vvhole world that he might disburthen the world of them to shed his blood for them who shedde his blood Therefore as the works of the Diuine mercie are admirable so are the workes of the Diuine iustice to be feared for there is not in God lesser or greater but seeing that God is wholy and all that hee is in himselfe therefore as much as his mercie is so much necessarilie is his iustice in those things that pertaine vnto it For euen as by the greatnes of one arme we gather the quantity of the other so by the greatnes of the arme of the Diuine mercy we measure also the quantity of the Diuine iustice seeing that there is one and the same measure of them both Now therefore tell me I pray thee if in that time in vvhich GOD would shewe his mercy to the world hee wrought so admirable things and so incredible to the world that the world supposed them to be foolishnes when the time of hys second comming shall approch in which he determineth to shewe the greatnesse of his iustice what doost thou thinke that hee vvill doe hauing so many moe greater occasions by howe much there
admonish men that they be not vnmindfull vvhat the wrath of the Lord God is and what be the instruments of his iustice what be the punishments of the wicked and what is the power of our aduersaries that we beeing admonished by the fearefull terrour of these things may feare to offend God For what is that starre which fell from heauen vnto the earth to whom the keyes of the bottomlesse pitte were deliuered but that most bright Angell who fell from heauen to whom vvas giuen the power of darknes And what be those Locustes like vnto Horses prepared for the warre but hellish Furies Armies of damned companions assistants helpers and ministers vnto him who are deuils what is the grasse what the greene plants which they are forbidden to hurt but the iust who are greene and doe florish by the dew of the Diuine grace and doe bring foorth fruite to eternall life Who be they that haue not the seale of God in their foreheads but they that haue not the spirit of God who is the seale of his seruaunts and of the Sheepe of his flock Therefore against those miserable and wretched ones such an Armie of the Diuine iustice is prepared that both in this life and in that to come according to theyr merrits they shal be tormented and tortured of the deuils themselues whom they haue serued no otherwise then the Egiptians were vexed of the water-flies and frogges which they adored for Gods How horrible and fearefull a thing will it be then in that damned cursed place to see so many terrible monsters and hagges so dreadfull How fearefull will it be there to see that hungry Dragon fretting and fuming with horrible madnesse that great Behemoth of whom it is said in the booke of Iob that his tayle is like a Cedar that drinketh vp riuers and feedeth on Mountaines Those things that hetherto haue been spoken of vs do sufficiently declare how intollerable the punishments of the wicked shall be For what is to be looked or hoped for of all them but horrible punishments What is to be looked for of the greatnesse and infinitenes of God I say of the greatnes of his iustice in punishing wicked men and sinners vvhat of the greatnes of his patience which so gently doth forbeare and expect the repentance of sinners vvhat of the multitude of his benefits with which he doth loade sinners that with the sweetnes of them he might draw and allure them vnto him What of the greatnes of his hatred which he hath against sinne for that sinne that offendeth an infinite Maiestie merriteth an infinite hate What of the greatnesse of the furie of our enemies who are so mightie in torments and tortures and so ready to doe ill What I say is to be looked for or to be hoped of the greatnesse of all these things but a mightie and vnheard of punishment of sinne If therefore the punishment be so great which is prepared for sin neyther may any escape it neither doth it euer faile for so our sayth doth tell vs what is the reason or rather the blindnesse of them who beleeuing and confessing these things do not regard the intollerable burthen which they take vpon them when they offend For they committing but one sinne are bound to this punishment which by the fore-said reasons is proued to be so great and so vnmeasurable ¶ Of the eternitie of these punishments BVt besides that those things which hetherto vvee haue remembred be sufficient to beget in vs very great feare terrour yet they shall be much more effectuall if we consider the perpetuitie of these punishments For if there were any end or intermission or refreshing to be found in them at the least after many thousand yeeres certainly it would be a great comfort to these miserable and wretched soules But what shall I speake of Eternitie which knoweth none other end then that which the Eternitie of GOD himselfe hath Which space is so long that as a famous Doctour testifieth if any of those damned should shed but euery thousand yeere one teare greater aboundance of water shoulde flowe out of his eyes then this whole world should be able to containe What thing more terrible can be spoken or thought vpon But if all the torments vvhich are in hell were as the pricking of pinnes yet for their Eternity they might suffice to moue a man to vndergoe with a cheereful minde the punishments tribulations crosses and what soeuer miseries are in this world at least that hee may escape Eternall punishment O that this word Eternall might alwayes stay and dwell in thy minde how profitable would it be vnto thee We reade of a certaine man very studious and contemplatiue of the vanities of the world who when on a certaine time he fell into the cogitation of this Eternity fearing a thing of such continuance which should haue none end hee began thus to reason with himselfe There cannot a man of a sound wit be found in this world who would accept the gouernment of the whole world with that condition that for the space of thirty or forty yeeres together hee should stretch himselfe vpon a bed strewed with roses and springing flowers which thing if it be so what is the madnes frenzie and dotage of men that will for a thing of verie small moment embrace a burning firy bed vpon which he shall be rosted and broyled for euer and euer This onely consideration was so profitable to that man and wrought so great fruites in him that forth-with vices being forsaken hee sought after Vertue and in a short time in such manner profited in them that hee became an holy man and a Prelate of the Church What will the delicate tenderlings of this world say who for the noyse of one gnat doe passe whole nights without sleepe when they shal see themselues stretched vpon this bed of burning fire and to be burned in euery part with lyuing flames And that not for one night but to endure for euer To such the Prophet Esay speaketh in these words Who among you shall dwell with the deuouring fire who among you shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings Whose shoulders are so hard or of Iron that can beare such a burthen so long a time O nation bewitched and sencelesse ô men blinded of that old deceiuer who doth muffle and hood-winke all the world with his deceipts and guiles What I pray thee is more strange from reason then that men regard and respect euery small trifle that pertayneth to this life and in a matter of so great moment are so inconsiderate and negligent If we doe not see these things what wil we see What wil we feare if we doe not feare these things or what shal we fore-see if we doe not fore-see these things But if these things be so why doe we not embrace vertues with great alacrity of spirit although they be hard and difficult at the least that we may eschew
soule in the midst of tribulations which is the effect of hope which hurleth and casteth foorth all carefulnesse and inordinate anxietie by that fauour which it expecteth of the Diuine mercie Not vnlike to thys is that of Ecclesiasticus Yee that feare the Lord beleeue in him and yee shall not be frustrated of your reward Ye that feare God hope in him and mercy shall come vnto you for pleasure Consider the old generations of men and marke them well was there euer any one confounded that put his trust in the Lorde And Salomon in his Prouerbs sayth Put thy trust in God with all thy hart and leane not vnto thine owne wit In all thy wayes acknowledge him and hee shall order thy goings Surely it is a great furtherance vnto hope to haue knowne the mercie of God not only by reading but much more by experience For a man hopeth through an assured affiance that hee will profit him who often hath profited others Hence is that of the Psalme They that know thy name will put theyr trust in thee for thou Lord hast neuer failed them that seeke thee He saith also in another psalme My trust hath beene in the Lord I will be gladde and reioyce in thy mercie The effect of thys hope the same man declareth when he sayth Who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy embraceth compasseth him on euery side Hee sayth very well embraceth and compasseth that he might signifie that it shall keepe and garde him on euery side no otherwise then a King is encompassed with his Garde that he may be the more safe In another psalme he teacheth the same thing more at large I waited patiently saith he for the Lord and he enclined vnto mee and heard my calling He brought mee also out of the horrible pitte out of the mire and Clay and sette my feete vpon the Rocke and ordered my goings And hee hath put a newe song in my mouth euen a thanks-giuing vnto our GOD. Many shall see it and feare and shall put theyr trust in the the Lord. Blessed is the man that hath set his hope in the Lorde and turned not vnto the proude and to such as goe about with lies All these be the words of the Prophet in which hee also sheweth another effect of this Vertue that is the mouth and eyes of man are opened that hee may know by experience the goodnes and fatherly prouidence of God It is also a singuler fruite of hope that wee are not onely deliuered from dangers but also that there is a new prayse and a new thanksgiuing put into our mouthes which the Prophet insinuateth when hee sayth And he hath put a new song in my mouth c. He calleth it a new song which is sung for a new deliuerance with an vnusuall and new affection of mirth We shal not easily end this matter if wee should alledge all the verses and sometimes whole Psalmes written of this matter For the ninety and one Psalm and the hundreth and fiue and twenty are wholy imployed in commending this vertue vnto vs and to describe the excellent fruites of it which they enioy and ioy in who haue theyr trust and confidence in the Lord and dwell vnder his protection Saint Bernard writing vpon the ninth verse of the former Psalme Because thou ô Lord art my hope he sayth Whatsoeuer therefore is to be done whatsoeuer is to be eschewed whatsoeuer is to be borne whatsoeuer is to be wished ô Lord thou art my hope This is the onely cause of all my promises this is the whole reason of mine expectation Let one pretend merit let him boast that he hath borne the heate of the day let him say that he hath fasted twice a weeke lastly let him brag that hee is not like other men but it is good for mee to cleaue vnto the Lord and to put my trust in my Lord God If rewards be promised me I will hope that I shall obtaine them by thee if wars rise against me if the world rageth if the wicked fret and sume if the flesh lust against the spirit yet I will trust in thee For to what end are we wise if we doe not sticke and cleaue with all feruour and deuotion of soule and spirit to this solide sound perfect and blessed hope and cast away all other miserable vaine vnprofitable and seducing hopes A little after the same mellifluous Doctour by way of Dialogue doth thus reason Fayth sayth Great and inestimable blessings are prepared of God for those that serue him Hope sayth those are kept for me Charity sayth I runne vnto them Behold my brother thou doost see how great be the fruites of this vertue and profitable for what Hope is as a safe Hauen to which the righteous direct theyr course so often as any storme of the world rageth it is as a most strong shield vpon which all the darts of our enemies are receaued without any wound it is as a Store-house for foode whether in the time of famine all the poore may come haue bread It is that tabernacle couer and shadow which the Lord doth promise in Esay that hee will be to his elect a shadow to defend them from the heate of the day and a defence from the stormy tempest and from raine That is a safegard from all the aduersity and prosperity of the world To conclude it is the medicine and common remedy of all our euils and encumbrances For it is certaine that whatsoeuer we hope for of God iustly faithfully and wisely we shall obtaine it if it be conducent and appertayning to our saluation Therfore Cyprian calleth the mercy of God a fountaine or vvell of all blessings that cannot be drawne dry and our hope and trust a bucket or vessell in which those blessings are receaued and he sayth that according to the quantity of the vessell so is the proportion of the remedy For in respect of the fountaine the water of mercy neuer fayleth The Lord sayd to the children of Israel All the places that the soles of your feete shall tread vpon haue I giuen you So also all the mercy vpon which man shall set his foote shall be his Like to this is that He that taketh his motion or is moued of the Lord hee will hope all things neyther shall he be frustrated of his hope Whereby it is manifest that this hope is an imitation of the vertue and diuine power redounding to the glory of the same God Bernard was not ignorant of this when hee sayd Nothing doth make the omnipotency of the word more cleare then that it doth make all them omnipotent who hope in him Wilt thou know that this is true did not he pertake of the omnipotency of God who being vpon the earth commaunded the Sun that it should stand still in the midst of heauen and that it should not hasten to runne his course for the space of
a day And an other who gaue a wish to King Ezechias whether he would that the shadow of the Sunne should goe forwards ten degrees or returne backe so many This is that that after a singuler manner illustrateth the glory of the Lord when we see his seruants so powerfull For if that proude King of the Assirians glorified in that that Kings as himselfe serued him how much more shall the Lord our God glory that after a certaine manner all they are Gods that serue him after they haue participated of his power ¶ Of the vaine hope of the wicked THis then is the treasury of Hope which the righteous possesse in this life and to which there is no accesse for the wicked For although they also haue hope yet they haue not a liuelie but a dead hope For sinne taketh away the life and therefore theyr hope worketh not in them those effects which before we haue remembred For as there is nothing to be found which more reuiueth hope then a good conscience so the chiefest cause which maketh it to faile and killeth this hope is an euill conscience For that alwayes flyeth and feareth the light and maketh a man faint-harted and of feeble courage for he is not ignorant that the gate of the diuine fauour grace is shut against him Hence it is that as a shadow doth alwayes follow the body so feare and desperation in all places and at all times doe wayte vpon an ill conscience It appeareth then that such is the trust and hope of the wicked as their felicity and happines is for as their felicity is in the goods of this world so in them is their hope and trust seeing that they glory in them and in the time of tribulation runne vnto them as to a Sanctuary or a place of refuge Of this hope it is written in the booke of Wisedom The hope of the vngodly is like a dry thistle flowre that is blowne away with the wind like a thinne scum that is scattered abroade with the storme and like as the smoake which is dispersed heere and there with the wind By which we may see how vaine the hope of the vngodly is Neyther onely is this hope vaine but it is very hurtfull deceitfull and dangerous as the Lord God admonisheth by the mouth of the Prophet Alas for those disobedient children that is who haue forsaken their father sayth the Lord that they will take counsaile and not of me that they will take a secret aduice and not out of my spirit and therefore adde they sinne vnto sinne Euen they that walke to goe downe into Egipt and haue asked no question at my mouth but seeke strength in the might of Pharao and trust in the shadow of Egipt Therefore shall the strength of Pharao be your confusion and the trust in the shadow of Egipt your shame They were ashamed of the people that could doe them no good and that might not helpe them nor shew them any profit but were their confusion and rebuke All these be the words of Esay Neyther content with these he proceedeth in the next Chapter Woe vnto them that goe downe into Egipt for helpe and trust in Horses and put their confidence in Charrets because they be many and in Horse-men because they be lusty and strong but they regard not the holy one of Israell and they aske no question at the Lord. And he neuerthelesse is wise and will plague the wicked and goeth not from his word he will arise against the houshold of the froward and against the help of euill doers Now the Egiptians are men and not God and theyr Horses flesh and not spirit and as soone as the Lord stretcheth out his hand then shall the helper fall and he that should haue beene helped and they shall altogether be destroyed Thou seeft heere my brother clearer then the noone light the difference betweene the hope of the righteous and of the wicked For the hope of the wicked is flesh but the hope of the righteous is spirit The one is no other thing then that man is the other is that which God is so that there is as great difference betweene the hope of the good and of the wicked as is betweene God and man Therfore worthily doth the Prophet goe about to feare vs from the one and inuite vs to the other saying O put not your trust in Princes nor in any child of man for there is no help in them For when the breath of man goeth forth he shall turne againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perrish Blessed is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe and whose hope is in the Lord his God which made heauen and earth the Sea and all that therein is Behold heere also a difference betweene both hopes The same difference the same Prophet declareth also in another Psalme saying Some put their trust in Charrets and some in Horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God They are brought downe and fallen but we are risen stand vpright Thou seest heere how well the fruites agree to the roote foundation or tree of hope for the fruite of the one is a downfall but of the other exaltation and victory Wherefore very fitly they that trust in the vanities of this world may be compared to that man in the Gospell Who built his house vpon the sand and the rayue descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beare vpon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it But they that trust in the Lord may be likened vnto him that built his house vpon a rocke which stood safe strong and firme against all the tempests and stormes of thys life The same thing no lesse elegantly the Prophet Ieremy doth teach by an excellent comparison Cursed be the man saith hee that putteth his trust in man and that taketh flesh for his arme and he whose hart departeth from the Lord. Hee shall be like the Heath that groweth in the wildernesse as for the good thing that is for to come hee shall not see it but dwell in a dry place of the wildernesse in a salt and vnoccupied Land But of the righteous he speaketh on a contrary manner O blessed is the man sayth he that putteth his trust in the Lord and whose hope is in the Lord himselfe For he shall be as a tree that is planted by the waters side which spreadeth out the roote vnto moistnesse whom the heate cannot harme when it commeth but his lease shall be greene and though there growe but little fruite because of drouth yet is hee not carefull neither euer leaueth of to bring forth fruite Hetherto be the words of Ieremie Tell me now I pray thee what other thing can bee desired if so be that men haue but a little spark of reason to know the difference which is betweene the hope of the
must note heere that labour is not excluded for man must also labour and doe that lyeth in him according to the quality of his estate and condition ¶ Of the scarsitie and pouerty of the wicked BVt if any man on the contrary part would know how great the aduersities calamities and pouerties of the wicked be let him reade the eight and twenty Chapter of Deuteronomie and there he shall finde those things that both will make him wonder and tremble Amongst many other things thus speaketh the Scripture But if thou will not harken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and to doe all his commaundements and his ordinances which I commaund thee this day all these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the Citty and cursed in the field Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store Cursed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite of thy Land and the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheepe Cursed shalt thou be when thou goest in and cursed when thou goest out The Lord shall send vpon thee cursing destruction and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand to and that thou doest vntill he destroy thee and bring thee to naught quickly because of the wickednes of thine inuentions and because thou hast forsaken me The Lord shal make the pestilence cleaue vnto thee vntill hee haue consumed thee from of the Land whether thou goest to enioy it The Lord shall smite thee vvith swelling with feauers heate burning and with the sword with blasting and mildeaw and they shall follow thee vntill thou perrish And the heauen that is ouer thy head shal be brasse and the earth that is vnder thee shal be yron The Lord shall turne the raine of the Lande into powder and dust from heauen shal they come downe vpon thee vntill thou be brought to naught And the Lorde shall cause thee to fall before thine enemies thou shalt come out one way against them and flee seauen wayes before them and shalt be scattered among all the kingdomes of the earth And thy carkasse shal be meate vnto all manner of foules of the ayre and vnto the beasts of the earth and no man shal fray them away The Lorde will smite thee with the botch of Egipt and the Emerods scab and itch that thou maist not be healed thereof And the Lord shall smite thee with madnes blindnes and dazing of hart Thou shalt grope at noone dayes as the blind gropeth in darknes and shalt not prosper in thy waies Thou shalt be oppressed with wrong and be polled euermore and no man shall succour thee Thou shalt be betrothed vnto a wife and another man shall lye with her thou shalt build an house and not dwell therein thou shalt also plant a vineyard shalt not gather the grapes Thine Oxe shal be slaine before thine eyes thou shalt not eate thereof thine Asse shall bee violently taken away before thy face and shall not be restored to thee againe thy sheepe shal be giuen vnto thine enemies no man shall rescue them Thy sonnes and thy daughters shall be giuen vnto another Nation thine eyes shall see it daze vpon theÌ„ all the day long and there shall be no might in thine hand The fruite of thy Land and all thy labours shall a Nation which thou knowest not eate vp thou shalt continually suffer violence be oppressed alway so that thou shalt be cleane beside thy selfe for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see The Lorde shall smite thee in the knees legs with a mischieuous botch that cannot be healed froÌ„ the sole of thy foote vnto the toppe of thy head The Lord shall bring thee thy King which thou shalt sette ouer thee vnto a Nation vvhich neither thou nor thy Fathers haue knowne that there thou mayest serue strange Gods wood stone And thou shalt be wondered at spoken of and iested at among all Nations whether the Lorde shall carry thee At the length after many and horrible curses he addeth saying And all these curses shal come vpon thee ouertake thee till thou be destroyed because thou harkenedst not vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe his commaundements and his ordinaunces which he commanded thee And they shall be vpon thee for signes wonders vpon thy seede for euer because thou serâ—edst not the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse with a good hart wheÌ„ thou haddest aboundance of all things Therefore shalt thou serue thine enemy which the Lord shall send vpon thee in hunger thirst in nakednesse and in neede of all things he shal put a yoke of yron vpon thy necke vntil he haue brought thee to naught And the Lord shall bring a Nations vpon thee from farre from the end of the world as swift as an Eagle flieth a Nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstand A nation of a shamelesse cruell countenaunce which shall not regard the person of the old nor haue compassion on the young The same shall eate the fruite of thy cattell and the fruite of thy land vntill he haue destroyed thee shall leaue thee neither Corne Wine nor Oyle neyther the increase of thy Kine nor the flocks of thy sheepe vntill he haue brought thee to naught And he shal keepe thee in in all thy Citties vntil he haue cast downe thy hie walles and strong holds wherein thou trustedst throughout all thy â—and hee shall besiege thee in all thy Citties throughout all thy â—and which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee And thou shalt eate the fruite of thine owne body the flesh of thy sonnes and of thy daughters which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee in that straightnes siege wherewith thine enemies shall enclose thee All these be the words of the holy Scripture but there are many moe in the same Chapter which we doe now leaue of to remember Which if they be read with attention diligence they will make a man whatsoeuer hee be to be amazed and to faint and die in courage for the horrour of so dreadfull fearfull things And he that shall read peraduenture shall open his eyes and shall begin somwhat to vnderstand the rigour of the Diuine iustice and the cruell maliciousnes of sinners and of the great hate that the Lord beareth towards sinne seeing that hee doth punish it in this world with such horrible punishments whence we may easily coniecture what is to bee looked for in the world to come Furthermore it may irke the wicked of their insensablenesse and calamitie because they liue as though they were blind neyther doe they see what is referued for theÌ„ or what punishments are prepared Neyther think that these threatnings are in vaine onely words and speeches inuented to terrifie men for as they are threatnings so are they true prophecies of the calamities into which the people should fall For in
worlde for his sake shall receaue an hundreth fold heere and shall inherite euerlasting life Behold therefore my brother what an excellent good it is that hetherto I haue shewed thee behold to what I inuite thee consider whether any will say that thou art deceaued if for the loue of it thou shalt forsake the world and all things which are therein Onely one inconuenience this good hath if so that it may be called an incoÌ„uenience why it is not esteemed amongst wicked men that is because it is not knowen vnto them For this cause our Sauiour said That the kingdome of heauen was like vnto a treasure hid for this good is indeede a treasure but hid not to these that possesse it but to others That Prophet very well knew of the price of this treasure who said My secret to my selfe my secret to my selfe Hee regarded not whether others knew of his treasure or no for this good is not of the nature of other goods which are not good vnlesse they be known of others vvherefore they are not good of themselues but only in the estimation of the world and therefore it is necessarie that they be knowen vnto him of whom they are so called But thys good maketh his possesser good and happy and doth noe lesse warme heate his hart when he knoweth of it alone then when the whole world knoweth it But my tongue is not the key of the Casket of this secret and much lesse of all those things which hetherto haue been spoken for whatsoeuer mans tongue can vtter is much lesse theÌ„ the truth of the thing it selfe The Diuine light experience and vse is the key of vertues I would that thou shouldest desire thys key of GOD that thou mayst finde this treasure yea God himselfe in whoÌ„ thou shalt finde all things and thou shalt see with what great reason the Prophet said Blessed is the people whose GOD the Lorde is For what can be wanting vnto him who possesseth this good It is written in the bookes of the Kings that Elcana the Father of Samuell said to his wife sorrowing because shee vvas barren and had no chyldren Anna why weepest thou and why catest thou not and why is thine hart troubled Am not I better to thee then tenne sonnes If a good husband who is to day and to morrow is not be better to his wife then tenne sonnes what thinkest thou of God what will hee be to that soule that possesseth him O men what doe ye whether looke ye what doe ye regard why doe ye leaue the fountaine of Paradice drinke of the muddy Cesterns of thys world Why doe ye not follow the good counsaile of the Prophet who saith O tast see how gracious and sweet the Lord is Why doe we not once assay thys Fourd why doe wee not once tast of these bankets Haue trust to the words of the Lord and beginne and he shal deliuer thee from all danger Terrible and fearefull seemed that Serpent a farre off into which Moses rodde was turned but when it was handled it returned to the old forme againe Not without cause saide Salomon It is naught it is naught saith he that buyâ—th but when hee commeth to his owne house then hee boasteth of his penny-worth Thys hapneth daily to men in this busines For not knowing at the beginning the value of this merchandize because they theÌ„selues are not spirituall neither know they of what esteeme it is and vnderstanding what is requested for it because they are carnall they thinke it is too deere and not worth the price But when they once beginne to tast how sweet the Lord is foorthwith they boast of their merchandize and they confesse that no price is too high or too much to be giuen for this incomparable good Consider how the Merchant in the Gospel cheerfully sold all that he had that he might buy the field in which the treasure was hid Therfore for what cause doth not a Christian man this name being heard contend to know what it is Certainly it is a matter of wonder if any tatler or tale-bearer should tell thee that in thy house there is treasure hidde thou wouldest not rest to digge and delue and to seeke and try whether it were true or no that hee had said But when the Lorde himselfe affirmeth that within thee in thy soule thou hast an inestimable treasure hid canst thou not be brought to seek for it O how soone shouldest thou sinde this treasure if thou onelie knewest how nigh the Lord is vnto them that call vpon him in truth How many men haue their beene in this world vvho considering of their sinnes and perseuering in prayer and desiring remission of them haue in lesse time then a weeke opened the earth or that I may speake better haue found a new heauen and a newe earth and haue begunne to feele in them the kingdome of God How great is it which that Lord doth who saith At what tyme soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes I will put them out of my remembrance How great was that which that good Father did who scarcely that short prayer of the Prodigall beeing ended could no longer containe himselfe but he must needes embrace him and receaue him into his house with great mirth and feasting Returne therefore my brother to thys gracious fauourable Father and whilst it is time lift vp thy hart vnto him and cease not for some fewe dayes vncessantly to call and knock at the gates of his mercy and assuredly beleeue mee if thou shalt perseuer with humilitie at the length the Lord shall make aunswere vnto thee and shall show thee the hid treasure of his loue which when thou shalt haue tasted and assaied thou wilt say with the Spouse in the Canticles If a man woulde giue all the good of his house for loue he should count it nothing The end of the second part THE THIRD PART OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which aunswere is made to all those excuses by which those men are wont to excuse and defend themselues who will not embrace Vertue Against the first excuse of those who deferre and put off from day to day the amendment of their lifes and the embracing of Vertue CHAP. XXV I Thinke that no man can deny but that those things are sufficient which hetherto haue beene spoken of vs yea and that they sufficientlie and plentifully doe approoue our principall purpose and intent which wee promised at the beginning to discourse aâ—d dispute of That is that we might moue the harts of men Gods grace being first presupposed to the loue and study of Vertue But although we may be thought to haue satisfied and performed our promise yet the malitiousnes of men haue excuses which haue a show of truth by which they defend their lingering and loytering negligence and still comfort and please themselues in their wickednes as Ecclesiasticus intimateth and insinuateth
mistery of that time it will be counted a ridiculous thing to thinke that these are matters for all times and places which were onely proper for that time We see also in all well ordered common wealths that some things be done ordinarily and alwayes after the same manner and some things that are vsed extraordinarily Ordinary things are common to all but the extraordinary are proper to some certaine The same thing also commeth in vse in the common wealth of God which is his Church And so that of the Apostle is regular and ordinary Whose end shall be according to theyr works signifying that after the common manner of speaking an euill death followeth an euill life and a good death a good life And it is an ordinary thing that those that embrace Vertue and leade a godly life doe enter into an eternal life and those that liue viciously and wickedly to be cast into hell fire This sentence is common and true which the holy Scripture doth beate vpon in many places This the Psalmes doe sing of this the Prophets doe celebrate this the Apostles doe preach of this the Euangelists haue noted The kingly Prophet hath comprehended this in few words when he sayd God spake once and twice I haue also heard the same that power belongeth vnto God And that thou Lord art mercifull for thou rewardest euery man according to his worke This is the summe of all Christian Philosophy Therfore according to this speach of Dauid we say that it is an ordinary thing that as well the righteous as the sinner should receaue a reward at the end of their lifes according to the works which they haue done Yet besides this vniuersall law God can by his especiall grace and fauour bestow mercy vpon some that they should dye the death of the righteous who haue liued the life of sinners as also it may come to passe that he that hath liued like a righteous man in this world by the secret iudgement of God may dye as a sinner As it happeneth vnto them who haue sayled very fortunately in a long voyage and at the very mouth of the Hauen suffer shipwrack Hence it is that Salomon sayth Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward and the breath of the beast that goeth downe to the earth For although it be alwayes in a manner true that their soules who liue like beasts descend to hell and that theirs that liue like men ascend to heauen yet in the secret and particuler iudgement of God this order may be somtimes inuerted Yet it is safe and generall doctrine that a good liuer shall haue a blessed death Therefore no man ought for the praecedent causes to leane to their examples who haue been saued by especiall and particuler grace and sauour for they make no generall rule nor extend themselues to all men but onely to few and those vnknowne Neyther canst thou know whether thou art contayned in that number But if thou obiectest vnto me the repentance of the Niniuites which proceeded from feare least they should all haue beene destroyed within forty dayes consider thou not onely their sharpe and seuere repentance which they made but also their change of life Change thou also thy life after the same manner and the same mercy shall not forsake thee But I perceaue that thou art scarcely recouered of thine infirmity and scarcely risen out of bed seeing that thou straightwayes runnest to the first kind of life and recallest all that which thou didst purpose when thou wast weake Wherfore I leaue thee to consider what I may think of thy repentance ¶ The conclusion of the former disputation WHatsoeuer hath hetherto beene spoken hath not beene spoken to that end that it should shut the gate of saluation or of hope against any man for neyther hath any of the Saints shut it neyther ought any man to shut it but to this end that the wicked may be recalled turned from that refuge and fortresse in which they lurke and are made mightier to perseuere in their iniquities But tell me I pray thee my brother if all the voyces and iudgements of Doctors and holy men if all reasons if the holy and sacred Scripture pronounce so dangerous and perillous things of it how darest thou hope for saluation in so great danger and hazard In whom doest thou trust that will helpe thee in this ieopardy Perhaps thou placest thy hope in thy preparations in thine almes and in thy prayers Thou vnderstoodest a little before how the fiue foolish virgins with great care would haue prepared made ready thēselues after that they had heard the voyce telling them that the Bridegrome came thou hast learned also with what great instancie they knocked and cryed at the doore yet it profited none of them for it proceeded not of true loue or of true repentance Perhaps thou trustest to thy teares which thou wilt poure forth at that time surely vnfained teares at all times are auailable happy is that man that from his very hart can poure thē foorth but remember I pray thee what teares Esau shedde Who as the Apostle saith found no place of repentance though he sought it with teares For he did not weepe for the loue of GOD but for his owne commoditie Or doost thou put thy hope in thy good purposes which thou then settest before thine eyes These are of force vvhen they are true and sincere but remember the purposes of King Antiochus who when hee was in this danger promised such great and magnificent things that it would make a man amazed that readeth them This wicked man saith that booke prayed vnto the Lord of whom he obtayned no mercy The reason was for all things that he purposed proceeded not of the spirit of loue but of seruill feare which is not acceptable For to feare hell may proceede of the meere naturall loue which man beareth to himselfe But that man loueth himselfe is no reason that the kingdome of heauen should be giuen vnto him Insomuch that as no man entred into the pallace of King Assuerus clothed in Sackcloth so it is lawfull for no man to enter into the pallace of God with a seruill garment but all that will enter must be clothed with wedding garments that is adorned and beautified with true loue and charitie Wherefore my brother I pray and intreate thee that thou wouldest reade and consider of these things with great attention that thou after a very short time without all doubt shalt come to this houre and to this ieopardy For thou seest vvith what great swiftnes heauen is turned about and with what velocitie time slippeth and posteth away how soone the thred of thy life shall be cut off The day of destruction is at hand sayth the Prophet and the times that shall come make hast Therefore a little space of time being ouer-past this prophecie shal be fulfilled Then thou shalt
with corporall eyes sayd Plato she would alure the whole world vnto her If we respect profit what thing is more profitable and supported with greater hope then Vertue for by Vertue we obtayne the chiefest good Length of dayes and gifts of eternity are in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour If thou art delighted with pleasantnes what greater delight canst thou wish for then a peaceable and a good conscience the sweetnes of charity of peace and of the liberty of the children of God that in the meane time I may say nothing of the consolation of the holy Ghost which is most sweet and pleasant If thou desirest a perdurant and lasting name The righteous shall liue and shall be had in euerlasting remembrance But the memoriall of the wicked shall perish with them If thou be desirous of vvisedome that thou mayst finde the way that leadeth to heauen and the meanes that direct to this end there is no meane more certaine then Vertue which leadeth vnto God If thou desirest to be gracious and acceptable among all men there is not any thing more gracious or more conducent to it then Vertue For as Cicero sayth nothing is more amiable then Vertue nothing that more allureth men vnto loue seeing that for vertue and honesty we loue them whom we neuer saw Such force it hath which is more that we loue it in an enemy Euen as of the conueniency and proportion of the members and lyneaments and of the humours of the naturall body a certaine beauty ariseth which is acceptable to the eyes of men so of the order and vertuous frame of the life laudably led and formed so great a beauty proceedeth that not onely it is most acceptable to the eyes of God and Angels but it is also amiable and beloued of peruerse men and enemies That is truly and simply good which is good in euery respect neyther hath any euill in it Therfore God not without cause sendeth this honorable embasie to a righteous man which we haue set in the forefront of this booke and now againe repeate in the end Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust Say yee so because he is borne vnder an happy starre and that he shall die in a good houre because his life and death is blessed and whatsoeuer after death shall beside him Say yee so vnto him because all things shall goe well with him as well prosperous as aduerfe as well things pleasant as heauy both in quietnes and in labour For all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God Say yee vnto him although the vvorld be turned topsey turuey and the elements confounded if heauen be ruinated and disturbed let not him feare yea then let him lift vp his head because the day of his redemption is at hand Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust Because a blessing is prepared for him vvhich in excellencie exccedeth all blessings that is God himselfe and that he is free from all euill and from the tiranny of the deuill which is the worst of all euils Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust For his name is vvritten in the booke of life and God the father hath adopted him for his sonne the holy Ghost to be a liuely temple vnto him Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust For that estate which he hath gotten is happy blessed in euery respect And if at any time in any temporal matter it seemeth lesse happy if this be patiently borne it is turned vnto him for a greater good for that which seemed a loose vnto him that is patient is made a gayne vnto him his labour becomes a reward and his warre victory and a perpetuall crowne As often as Laban changed the wages of Iacob his sonne in law he thought that it was profitable vnto him hurtfull to his sonne in law but it fell out cleane contrary for it was vnprofitable vnto him and profitable to his sonne in law Wilt thou then my brother be so cruell to thy selfe and such an enemy that thou shouldest linger to embrace so great a blessing which promiseth on euery side so great good vnto thee What counsaile is more wholsome what more profitable condition or estate of life canst thou follow Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the law of the Lord saith the Prophet a thousand times blessed are they and blessed againe that keepe his testimonies and seeke him with their whole hart If a good thing as the Philosophers say be the obiect of our will and by how much the more any thing is good by so much the more it deserueth to be loued desired What I pray thee doth make thy will so sottish and insencible that it tasteth not nor embraceth this so vniuersall a good O how much better did that King who sayd I haue chosen the way of thy truth and thy iudgements haue I layd before me I haue cleaued to thy testimonies ô Lord. And in another place O Lord I haue layd vp thy commaundements in mine whole hart He saith not in a corner not in his hand but in the midst or in his whole hart which is the beginning of life the chiefest the best place of all others as if he had sayd This is my best part in which I contriue and determine of all my busines and all my cogitations are in it The men of this world do contrarily for vanity possesseth the chiefest roome of their harts and Gods law lyeth obscured and hid in some corner But this holy man albeit he was a King and troubled with many businesses of his kingdome yet he put them all vnder his feete but placed the law of his Lord in the midst of his hart What hindereth then why thou doost not imitate this good example and embrace so great a good For if thou respectest the bond of the obligation what greater obligation can there be then that which is betweene God and man or only for that cause that he is what he is All the obligations of this world are not worthy of this name if they be compared with this as we haue sayd in the beginning of this booke If thou lookest vnto the benefits what benefits can be greater or more excellent then those that we receaue from the hand of the Lord For besides that he hath created vs and redeemed vs with his blood we haue receaued frō him all that we possesse both within and without our body our soule life health riches grace if so we haue it the continuance of our life our purposes the desires of our harts and all that which hath the name of essence or of goodnes we receaue it I say originally frō him who is the fountaine of all essences and of all goodnes Words are wanting vnto me by which I might set out her
profit let Angels vtter it and not men For what greater profit can there be then to enioy eternal glory to be freed from euerlasting paine which is the reward of Vertue If the temporall commodities of this world doe rather moue vs what commodities can be more excellent or of greater valuation then those twelue priuiledges and prerogatiues which Vertue and the vertuous doe solace and delight themselues the least of which is of more force and validity to quiet a disturbed mind then al the dignities and treasuries of this world I kow not truly what more may be put into the ballance to weigh and peise those things which are promised to Vertue and to her louers The excuses also cauillations which the men of this world are wont to bring for their defence are so ouerthrowne spoiled of vs that I doe not see where such may find a small hole or crany to escape through vnlesse perhaps of set purpose pretenced malice they shut their eyes and eares that they might not see nor heare this manifest and euident truth What remaineth but that the perfection and beauty of Vertue being seene and knowne thou say with Salomon speaking of Wisedome the companion and sister of Vertue I haue loued her and sought her from my youth I desired to marry her such loue had I vnto her beautie In that she is conuersant with God it commendeth her nobility yea the Lord of all things loueth her For shee is the Schoolemistresse of the knowledge of GOD and the chooser out of his works If riches be a possession to be desired in this lyfe vvhat is richer then wisedome that worketh all thinges For if prudence worketh what is it among all things that worketh better then shee If a man loue righteousnes her labours are vertuous for shee teacheth sobernes and prudence righteousnes and strength which are the most profitable things that men can haue in this life If a man desire great experience shee can tell the things that are past and discerne things to come she knoweth the subtisties of words and the solutions of darke sentences she fore-seeth the signes and wonders or euer they come to passe and the successe of seasons and times Therefore I purposed to take her vnto my company knowing that shee would counsaile mee good things and comfort mee in cares and greefes Hetherto the Wise-man Therefore nothing remayneth but that we conclude this matter with the words of Saint Cyprian taken out of an Epistle to a friend of his written of the contempt of this world Therfore sayth he there is one peaceable and faythfull tranquility one solide firme and perpetuall security that if any one be taken out of the whirle-winds of this turbulent world and be founded and anchored in the hauen of safety he lifteth vp his eyes from the earth to heauen and being admitted to the Lords fellowship and now being neere vnto his God in his minde whatsoeuer amongst humane things seemeth great and lofty vnto others he glorieth that it lyeth within the circumference of his conscience Now he can desire nor couet nothing of the world who is greater then the world How stable and vnfoyled a defence is it how celestiall a gard abounding with perpetuall good things to be deliuered from the snares of this entrapping and enthralling world to be purged from these earthly dregs and incorporated into the light of eternal immortality Let him consider of this and view it well ouer whom the deceitful dangerousnes of this pernicious enemy before raged tirannized we are compelled more to loue when we know and condemne what we were and see what we now are and shal be Neyther is this worke brought to passe by rewards bribes and the power of man but it is the free gift of God and easily obtayned As the sunne shineth of his owne accord the day is enlightned a fountaine streameth and a shower falleth so the heauenly spirit infuseth it selfe Afterwards the soule beholding heauen and knowing her Maker she being higher then the earth and more noble then any earthly power beginneth to be that which she beleeueth her selfe to be Onely thou whom the heauenly warfare hath appoynted a Souldier in these spirituall warres hold and keepe thy standing incorrupt and fenced with religious vertues vse continually eyther praying or reading Somtimes talke thou with God and somtimes God with thee let him instruct thee with his precepts let him haue the guiding and ordering of thee whoÌ„ he maketh rich no man shal make poore There can be no penury where the heauenly bounty hath filled and blessed Now coffers stuft with crownes now stately Pallaces and gay buildings will seeme base and vild vnto thee when as thou knowest that thou thy selfe are more beautified and adorned being a house in which the Lord sitteth as in his temple and where the holy Ghost dwelleth Let vs trimme vp this house with the ornaments of innocency let vs enlighten it with the sun-shine of righteousnes This house shall neuer decay through age neyther shall the deckings of it waxe old Whatsoeuer things are counterfet are not lasting neyther doe they yeeld any stability to the poâ—â—â—ssors which haue not the truth of possession This perpertually continueth with a colour vndecayed with honour vntaynted and with splendour vnobscured it cannot be abolished nor extinguished it may be only conuerted into further perfection the body being glorified Hetherto Cyprian Whosoeuer therfore is moued with the reasons and arguments which copiously we haue handled in this booke the grace of God and Diuine inspiration assisting without which all is done in vaine and desireth to embrace so great a blessing of Vertue let him reade the booke following which deliuereth and handleth the method and order how to come vnto Vertue The end of the first booke of the Sinners Guide the Sinners Guyde Written in the Spanish tongue by the learned and reuerend Diuine F. Lewes of Granada ¶ Since translated into Latine Italian and French And now perused and digested into English by Francis Meres Maister of Arts and student in Diuinitie Romans 12. verse 2. ¶ Fashion not your selues like vnto this vvorld but be yee changed by the renuing of your minde that yee may prooue what is the good will of GOD and acceptable and perfect AT LONDON ¶ Printed by I. R. for Iohn Flasket and Paule Linley Anno Dom. 1598. THE PROLOGVE of the second Booke IT sufficeth not to haue perswaded man to embrace Vertue vnlesse also we teach him the manner way how to come to Vertues pallace Therfore after wee haue in the former Booke deliuered many reasons and those verie forcible and perswasible to moue the harts of men to the loue of Vertue now it is meete that we come to the practise and vse of it and that we set down many counsailes and sundry documents which are profitable and which as with a hand may leade men vnto Vertue It is the first steppe vnto Vertue
tast that which being tasted bringeth death Hence it is that those beasts in Ezechiell which are the figures of holy men were full of eyes round about that thereby might be signified howe necessary these spirituall eyes are for the seruants of GOD that they may defend themselues from vices Therefore of this remedy we will in this tractate especially entreate to which we will also adioyne all others which seeme to bring any profit as shall be more plainly seene in the discourse following Of the remedies against Pryde CHAP. IIII. WE handling in thys former part sinnes the remedies of them will take our beginning from those seauen which are called capitall as it were the heads and fountaines of all other For euen as the rootes of trees beeing cut vp the boughes branches which receiue life from the rootes doe foorth-with wither and perish so those seauen generall vniuersall rootes of all other vices beeing hewen in sunder and vtterly eradicated suddenly also the vices will dye which are deriued from them For this cause Cassianus with great diligence writ eyght bookes against these vices in which kinde of studie many other learned and graue men haue imitated him 〈◊〉 they did see that these enemies being ouerthrowne others could not lift vp their heads The reason of this is because all sinnes doe originally flow from selfe-loue because euery one of them is committed through the loue desire of some particuler good to desire which this selfe-loue pricketh vs forwards From this loue those three branches do spring of which S. Iohn speaketh in his Canonicall Epistle which are The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life Which that I may expresse them by more known names are the loue of carnall delights pleasures and the loue of riches and honours These three loues are deriued from that first For from the loue of pleasure three sins are engendered Luxurie Gluttony Idlenes From the loue of riches Couâ—tousnes ariseth and from the loue of honour Pride The other two Wrath and Enuye serue each one of these peruerse corrupt loues For Wrath proceedeth thence that a man cannot obtaine that he desireth and Enuye thence that any one is preferred before vs or that any one hath obtayned that we desired Seeing therefore that these three are as the vniuersall rootes of all euils from which all these seauen sinnes proceede these seauen beeing destroyed the whole Armie of other vices shall be ouerthrowen Therefore all our studie ought to be to thys end that we fight valiantly against these Gyants if we will tryumph ouer all other enemies who possesse the Land of Promise Among these vices Pryde is the most powerfull which is an inordinate appetite of our owne excellencie The Saints doe call this the Mother and Queene of all other vices Wherefore not without cause amongst many other instructions holy Toby said to his sonne Suffer not pride to raigne in thine hart or in thy mouth for in pride destruction tooke her beginning Therefore when as this pestilent beast doth assault thy hart thou maist defend thy selfe with the weapons following Consider first that horrible punishment with which Lucifer and his Angels are punished because they were proude for in a moment in the twinckling of an eye hee with his Angels was cast from the highest heauen downe to the deepest hell See 〈◊〉 darke and blinde this vice made him who was more cleâ—â—â—n the starres who not onely was an Angell but the Prince of Angels but now is made not onely a deuill but the wickedst and the filthiest of all deuils If it could doe so much in Angels what can it not doe in thee who art dust and ashes For God is not contrary to himselfe neyther is hee an accepter of persons and as he suffered not pryde in Angels so also in men it dooth displease him in whom he looketh for humilitie Hence it is that Saint Augustine saith Humilitie maketh men like vnto holy Angels pride of Angels maketh deuils And that I may speake plainly Pride is the beginning end cause of all sinnes because it is not onely a sinne but that no sinne is or hath been or shall be without it This saith he And Bernard saith Pride casteth downe from heauen to hell Humilitie rayseth from the lowest place to the highest an Angell falleth froÌ„ the loftiest height to the lowest pitte and man ascendeth from out the world to heauen Then with this punishment let vs consider of the inestimable example of the humility of the sonne of God who for vs tooke vpon him the most abiect nature of man and for vs in like manner was obedient to his father euen to the death of the Crosse. Learne therfore ô man to be humble learne ô earth to obey learne ô dust to be despised Learne ô man of thy God for he is meeke and humble in spirit If it seemeth not honorable inough vnto thee to imitate the example of other men imitate the example of the God of Gods who became man not only that he might redeeme vs but also that he might teach vs humility Cast thine eyes also vpon thy selfe for in thy selfe thou shalt finde that may perswade humility Consider what thou wast before thou wast borne what thou art now being borne and what thou shalt be after death Before thou wast borne thou wast filthy and obscene matter not worthy to be named now thou art dung couered ouer with snow and a while after thou shalt be meate for wormes Why then art thou proud ô man seeing that thy natiuity is sinne thy life misery and thine end putrefaction and corruption If the possession of temporall goods doe puffe thee vp stay a while and death will come who maketh the begger equall with the King and the cottage with the crowne For as we are all borne alike and equall as much as pertayneth to the condition of nature so we all dye alike and equall by reason of the common necessity that being excepted that after death they haue the greater count to render who here haue possessed more Wherfore Chrisostome sayth excellently well Looke into the Sepulchers of the dead seeke amongst them for tokens and notices of that magnificence in which they â—â—ned seeke and enquire for their riches seeke for the solaces of this world which they enioyed whilst they liued Tell me where are now their ornaments their precious and costly apparell their delights and pleasures they are all past away all gone all their magnificent and riotous banquets laughters sports and all the mirth of this world is faded and vanished away Come neerer to the Sepulcher of whom so euer thou wilt and thou shalt find no other thing here but dust ashes wormes and putrified bones Here then is an end of all bodies yea although fed and nourished with the greatest delicates and dainties of the world And I would to God that here were an end of
that is a young fresh-water Souldier and beginneth to leade a godly life he is more strongly and more importunatly impugned of the enemy who is not troublesome nor noysome vnto them whom he is quietly possessed of but to them who are without his regiment and iurisdiction Therefore the young Souldier of Christ must alwayes stand vpon his court of gard diligently watch so long as he is imployed in this warre being armed from top to toe with Christian compleat armour But if at any time thou shalt feele thy soule wounded beware that thou cast not away thine armour and shield and shake hands with thine enemy yeeld thy selfe vnto him but imitate valiant and braue men of Arms who often-times through shame to be ouercome and through greefe of their wounds are forced not to flye but to fight againe and so taking hart at grasse and calling to thee thy spirits a fresh thou shalt forth-with see that by thine owne misfortune and mischaunce thou shalt cause them to flie from thee whom a little before thou didst flie from and thou shalt prosecute them who prosecuted thee And if peraduenture thou beest wounded the second time which often-times happeneth in warre yet be not discouraged but remember that the same thing happeneth often to them that fight most valiantly not because they are neuer wounded but because they are neuer conquered For he is not sayd to be conquered that is often wounded but he that looseth his armour and his courage If thou beest wounded seeke presently for remedy for a fresh and new wound is sooner cured then anolde vlcer and that which is putrified and one is easilier cured then many If thou beest tempted at any time it is not inough for thee not to haue entertayned the temptation but endeuour by the same temptation to take a greater occasion to embrace Vertue so by this diligence and the Diuine grace by temptation thou shalt not be made worser but much better and all things shall fall out with thee more happily and currantly If thou beest tempted of Luxury and Gluttony cease a while from thine accustomed delicates yea albeit they be lawfull and entertaine fasting and holy and godly exercises If couetousnes assault thee giue larger almes and doe other works of mercy oftner then thou wast wont If vaine-glory assaile thee in all things humble thy selfe more lowly Doing thus perhaps the deuill will not dare further to tempt thee least he should giue thee an occasion to become better and thou shouldest exercise better works when as his casting is that thou shouldest doe worser As much as lies in thee fly idlenes and alwayes meditate vpon some good and profitable thing and beware that thou beest not so ouerwhelmed with the multitude of busines that thine hart be estranged from GOD so that thou canst not meditate on him Of other kinds of sinnes which a good Christian ought to eschew CHAP. XI BEsides the seauen sinnes which are called capitall there are others which depend of them which a Christian ought to eschew with all diligence no lesse then the former Amongst these one of the chiefest is to sweare vainely by God for this sinne is directly against God and therefore in his owne nature it is more greeuous then any other sinne which is committed against thy neighbour albeit it be enormous and very farre out ofsquare And this is done not onely when the name of God is sworne by but when we sweare by the Crosse Masse Sacraments Saints or by our owne life for euery one of these are haynous sinnes also idolatrous for by protesting by them we place them in Gods stead vvhich vnlawfull oaths are much reprehended in the holy Scriptures because of the iniury which is offered to the Diuine maiestie Greatly to blame are they and much haue they to aunswer for who sweare of custome for euery light matter hauing no respect how or wherefore they sweare neyther doe repent themselues of this custome neyther endeuour to roote out this corrupt and depraued vse Neyther are they to be excused if they say that they doe not sweare of set purpose or it was not their mind and intent to sweate vainly for the case being put that they are willing to entertaine this naughty and corrupt custom they are also willing to entertaine that which followeth of it that is this and such lyke euills and therfore they are not free from great and enormous wickednes Wherefore a Christian ought to endeuour himselfe as much as lies in him to banish and root out this euill custome least this incircumspection proue his bane That this may be done the more easily we must diligently obserue and marke that counsaile of Christ and of his most louing Disciple Iames saying Before all things my brethren sweare not neyther by heauen nor by earth nor by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least yee fall into condemnation He meaneth that the custome of swearing should not draw them to false swearing and therefore should be iudged and condemned to euerlasting death Neyther ought any man to sweare by the lyfe of his sonnes or of any other in his family And hee must also diligently take heede that as no man sweare after this manner in his family so let him cast out of his house all such oathes by admonishing chasticing all that are vnder his iurisdiction And if there be any man to whom this custome is so turned into a nature that he can hardly expell it let him accustome himselfe that for euery such offence he giue some thing to the poore or exact some other thing of himselfe that by it hee may not onely be put in minde of his repentance but also that it may be an admonition vnto him not to incurre the same fault againe ¶ Of murmuring detraction and rash iudgement ANother sinne which euery one ought to flie and auoyde is murmuring which vice doth no lesse raigne in the world at thys day then that before For there is neither house nor assembly of religious persons nor holy place which is altogether free from murmuring And although this vice is acquainted familiar with all estates of men for the world through her wauering and mutability ministreth matter of teares to the good and an occasion of murmuring to the weake yet some are more inclined to this vice of their own nature then others For euen as mens tastes are diuers for all things tast not alike to all men sweet tastes displease this man and sower tastes please another and some please theyr tastes in sweet things so the wils of some men are so corrupt and repleate with hurtfull and melancholy humors that they haue not any pleasure in any thing that is ioyned with vertue they cannot away to heare theyr neighbour praysed and nothing doth please them but euill speaking and scorning others so that in all their conuersation they seeme dul and benummed but if they
be put into a ship they drowne it How small are the drops of raine and yet they fill raâ—ers and cast downe houses Therefore the ruine of multitude although not of magnitude is to be feared This sayth Augustine This is not onely true but also that which Saint Gregory sayth Sometimes we sinne worser in small things then in greater For the greater because sooner they are knowne and acknowledged are speedilier amended but the lesser whilst they are supposed and held as no faults are so much the worser by how much we more securely rest in them To be briefe although these sinnes seeme small yet they bring great hurt to the soule for they take away deuotion they trouble the peace of conscience they quench the heate of Charity they weaken the hart they take away the strength of the mind they corrupt the vigour of the spirituall life and lastly in their degree they resist the holy Ghost and hinder his worke in vs. Therfore we ought to eschew them with great endeuour for there is not an enemy so weake but being contemned may hurt But if thou wouldest know in what things these sinnes are committed I say in a little anger or gluttony or vaine glory in words in idle thoughts in laughing in trifling and toying beyond measure in passing the time without fruite or profit in sleeping beyond compasse in small lies in flattering about light matters and in such like things All these we ought to auoyde because they breake the peace and league betweene God and vs and dispoyle vs of those blessings and vertues that God bestoweth vpon vs. Of other shorter remedies against all kind of sinnes but most especially against the seauen capitall sinnes CHAP. XII THE considerations hetherto set downe are profitable for men that they may alwaies haue their minds well disposed and sufficiently armed against all kinde of sinnes But in the time of combat that is when any of those crimes doe tempt thine hart these briefe sentences may be profitable vnto thee gathered of a certaine religious man and left vnto vs in writing who thus defended himselfe when any sinne did assault him Against Pride he saied When I consider of the exceeding humility to which the most glorious sonne of God cast downe himselfe for me I confesse that no creature can doe me so great iniury that I doe not think my selfe worthy of greater Against Couetousnes hee sayd When I vnderstand that my soule cannot be satisfied with any other thing then vvith God alone I iudge it great folly to seeke for any thing besides him Against Luxury he sayd When I meditate of that excellent dignity which is bestowed vpon my body that it is made the temple of God it seemeth vnto me a great sacriledge to prophane the temple which is framed of him for himselfe which is done if I coinquinate and pollute it with the filth of carnall sinnes Against Anger he said No iniury done vnto me of men shall disturbe or vexe me if I remember mine owne iniuries by which I haue offended my God Against Hatred and Enuy he said After that I haue learned that God hath receaued into fauour so great a sinner as I am I cannot wish ill to any one I cannot deny pardon of an offence to any body Against Gluttony he said He that considereth of that most bitter gall and vineger which in the midst of his torments was giuen to the sonne of God in stead of his last refreshing whilst he suffered for the sinnes of others it will make him ashamed to liue delicately seeing he is bound to suffer something for his owne sinnes Lastly against Idlenes he said As often as I thinke that after these short labours I shall haue eternall glory I thinke that all troubles and vvearines is but small which any one suffereth for that euerlasting rest Certaine other kind of briefe remedies S. Augustine giueth against all kind of vices in which a certaine shew of temptation is set downe before and presently after the consideration is annexed by which the temptation is repelled Which remedies because they seeme profitable vnto me I will add them to the precedent Therefore Pride first beginneth and sayth Thou art better then many yea almost then all in tongue in knowledge in riches in honours and thou excellest all in temporall and spirituall gifts Therfore dispise all and account thy selfe superiour to all True humility aunswereth Remember that thou art dust and ashes that thou art corruption and a vvorme and if thou beest any thing vnlesse thou humble thy selfe as much as thou art great thou shalt lose all that thou art Art thou higher then the first Angell Art thou more glorious vpon the earth then Lucifer was in heauen But if he fell from so great height by pride how wilt thou ascend by pride from so low a degree to so great height seeing that thou art holden at that stay so long as thou liuest here Vaine-glory sayth Doe the good thou canst shew to euery body the good thou doost that thou mayst be called good of all that thou mayst be reported of men holy and venerable that thou mayst be named the chosen of God that no man may contemne thee that no man may despise thee but that all may yeeld thee the honour due vnto thee The feare of the Lord aunswereth If thou doost any good doe it not for transitory but for eternall honours Keepe secret that thou doost as much as thou canst But if thou canst not keepe it secret altogether haue an intent to keepe it secret and so thou shalt escape the blame of ostentation neyther shall it be faulty in thee sometimes to manifest that which thou wouldest haue alwayes kept in secrecie So thou shalt fulfill these two sentences of our Redeemer which seeme contrary to themselues in which it is sayd When thou doost thine almes let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth that thyne almes may be in secrete and thy Father which seeth in secret he will reward thee openly And Let them see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Counterfaiting of true Religion saith Because thou doost no good in secrete least thou beeing knowen of all be detested fayne to be that outwardly which inwardly thou desirest not to be True Religion answereth Yea rather endeuour to be that thou art not for to showe that to men that thou art not what other thing is it then damnation Therefore be mindfull of that which is said Woe be to you Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites for yee make cleane the out-side of the cup and of the platter but within they are full of bribery and excesse Thou blinde Pharisie clense first the inside of the cuppe and platter that the out-side of them may be cleane also Disobedience sayth Who art thou that obeyest worse then thy selfe and attendest vpon them that are vilder then thou art It is more meete that thou shouldest rule then
a gratefull hart for all the benefits we haue receiued of God and such a tongue which alwaies may be occupied in giuing thanks to God for the same saying with the Prophet I will alwayes giue thankes vnto the Lord his praise shall euer be in my mouth And in another place O let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory honour all the day long For seeing that God doth continually giue vs life and preserueth vs in that estate he hath allotted vs and daily yea euery moment showreth vpon vs his benefits by the motion of the heauens and the continuall seruice of all creatures who wil refuse or desist to praise him daily and continually who alwaies preserueth and gouerneth vs and bestoweth a thousand blessings vpon vs Let this be the beginning of all our exercises hence as Saint 〈◊〉 admonisheth vs let all our prayers begin So that in the morning and at noone and at night and in the night or at what time soeuer we giue thanks to God for all his benefits particuler and generall as well of nature as of grace let vs then yeeld him greater thanks for his greater and larger benefits and blessings of which sort these are that for all men he became a man that he shedde for vs all the blood hee had and especially in all these benefits this circumstance is to be cōsidered that he bestowed all these benefits vpon vs not moued by any priuate commoditie to himselfe but of his meere loue and goodnes ¶ Of the foure degrees of obedience THE eyght Vertue which we owe to this heauenly Father is a generall obedience in all those things which hee hath commaunded in which consisteth the sum and complement of all righteousnes This Vertue hath three degrees the first is to obey the diuine commaundements the second the diuine counsailes and the third to obey the inspirations and inward callings of GOD. The obeying of the commaundements of God are absolutely necessary vnto saluation the counsailes do helpe a man to keepe them without which man is oftentimes endangered and ieopardeth himselfe in them for not to swear at all although it be in a true and a iust matter maketh vs that we neuer sweare falsely Patience maketh vs that we lose not the peace of minde and charitie Not to possesse any thing of our owne maketh vs that we doe not desire or couet any thing of anothers To doe well vnto those that doe ill vnto vs is profitable for vs that we doe not ill vnto our selues Therefore the counsailes are as Bulwarkes and Fortresses vnto the commaundements and therefore let him that meaneth to hit his ayme obtaine his purposed scope not be content with the keeping of one but also let him contend as much as he is able according to his degree and condition to obserue the other For euen as hee that would ferry ouer a swift Riuer doth not directly ferry ouer it but somewhat crooketh his course and forceth his boat somwhat vp the streame that he may come the better to his roade so the seruant of God ought not onely to consider what is sufficient for saluation but also he ought to begin keep a course some-what more straight and hard that albeit he cannot attaine the perfection proposed vnto himselfe yet at the least hee may attaine saluation The thyrd degree that we spoke of is to obey the Diuine inspirations and callings For good seruaunts doe not onely obey theyr Maisters in those things which are commaunded vnto them by the voyce of theyr Maisters but also in those thinges which they signifie vnto them by some nod or token But because we may here easily be deceiued supposing that it is a Diuine inspiration which is eyther of the deuill or of man it behoueth vs to obserue diligently that of Saint Iohn Beleeue not euery spirit but proue the spirits whether they are of God or not The Scriptures are to be our onely direction in this neyther must we harken vnto any thing which crosseth the analogie of fayth or Gods reuealed will in his word That sentence of Samuel must haue place in vs Obedience is better then sacrifice To these three degrees a fourth is ioyned which is a perfect conformity of our 〈◊〉 with the will of God or a yeelding of our selues vnto Gods disposing of vs in whatsoeuer so that with a pacified minde and patiently we beare alike both dishonour and honour infamy and good report health and sicknes death and life humbly submitting our selues to all those things which he hath determined and decreed of vs patiently bearing as well scourges as cherishings comforts taking in good part as well the taking away of graces as the enioying of them not respecting that which is giuen but him who giueth and the loue wherewith he giueth for a Father chasticeth and cherrisheth his sonne accordingly as he knoweth it to be conducent to his health and safety We may say of that man who hath attained these foure degrees of obedience that he hath come to that resignation of himselfe which is commended with so great praises of those that sette downe and extoll a spirituall life which deliuereth a man into Gods hands no otherwise to be handled then soft waxe is handled in the hands of an Artificer It is called Resignation because euen as he that resigneth a benefice vtterly depriueth himselfe of it and committeth it wholy to the next incombent that hee may dispose of it according to his minde without contradiction of the former professour so a perfect man rendereth himselfe ouer into the Diuine hands so that hereafter he will not be his owne nor liue to himselfe nor eate nor sleepe nor labour for himselfe but for the only glorie of his Creator conforming himselfe to the Diuine vvill in all things as hee disposeth of him receiuing from his handes all scourges and tribulations which are sent and that with great quiet and tranquility of minde depriuing himselfe of his owne liberty and will that the will of the Lord may be onely doone to whom he acknowledgeth himselfe to be infinitely bound After this maner the Prophet signifyeth himselfe to haue beene resigned when he saith I am as a beast before thee and I am alway by thee For euen as a beast goeth not whether he will nor resteth nor worketh when he pleaseth but in all things obeyeth his Gouernour so ought the seruant of God to do by submitting himselfe perfectly vnto God Thys is that whereof the Prophet Esay speaketh saying The Lord GOD hath opened myne eare and I will not gaine-say him I haue not gone backewards in those things he hath commaunded me albeit they were sharpe and difficult Those mysticall beastes of Ezechiell doe signifie the same thing of which it is written that whether as the spirit ledde them that is the inspiration of the holy Ghost thether they went and returned
theyr deepe pouertie aâ—ounded into the riches of theyr liberality Thys is one of the chiefest degrees of patience charitie and perfection to which an humane creature may ascend but fewe ascend so high and therefore the Lord hath commaunded it vnto none But these are not so to be vnderstood as though wee ought to reioyce at the death calamities and tribulations of our neighbours parents and kinsfolkes much lesse of the Church for the same charity which requireth ioy of vs in the one requireth sorrow and compassion in the other seeing the nature of it is to reioyce with them that reioyce and to weepe with them that weepe which thing we see to haue been done of the Prophets who dyd weepe all theyr liues long because they did see the calamities and scourges of theyr fellow Cittizens Whosoeuer therefore hath these nine conditions or vertues shall haue a sonnes hart towards GOD and hath already fulfilled perfectly this part of iustice and righteousnes which rendereth to euery one yea to God that which is due vnto hym Of the bond and dutie of diuers estates CHAP. XVII AFter that we haue largely enough handled vvhat generally appertaineth to all men now it is time that we speake particularly of seuerall and particuler estates of men But because this tractate would prooue to prolixe long therefore I say briefely besides those things that haue been spoken that euery one must haue an eye and a diligent respect vnto those Lawes ordinances and customes that are prescribed and directed for his estate and condition which are many and diuers according to the diuersitie of estates in the Church Common-wâ—â—lth in which some are Rulers and Ouerseers and some subiects some Clergie some Layetie some maisters of families c. Euery one of which haue theyr peculiar lawes and constitutions Of the Ruler and Ouerseer the Apostle sayth Watch thou in all things lobour fulfill thy ministerie And Salomon admonisheth My soâ—â—e if thou be surety for thy neighbour and hast fastened thy â—â—â—d for another man Thou art bound with thine owne words and taken with thine owne speech Therefore my sonne doe thus and thou â—â—â—â—t be discharged When thou art come into thy neighbors danger goe thy wayes then soâ—ne humble thy selfe and with thy friendes intreate thy Creditour Let not thine eyes sleepe nor thine eye-lids slumber Sâ—ue thy selfe as a Doe from the hand of the Hunter and as a bird from the hand of the Fouler Neyther oughtest thou to wonder that the Wiseman doth admonish thee to be so carefull in this case For men are wont to be carefull in keeping of theyr things for two causes eyther because they are of great price or because they are in great danger and ieopardy Both of these doe concurre in the charge of soules neyther can the price of any thing be greater nor the danger more Therefore it is requisite and meete that a Ruler and an Ouerseer should be very carefull and circumspect It behooueth a subiect that hee haue his eyes on his Ruler and Ouerseer and that he reuerence him not as a man but as GOD and that he do that he coÌ„maundeth him with as great alacritie and cheerefulnes of minde and with as great deuotion as if God himselfe had commaunded it For if my Lord commaund me to obey the Steward of his house when I obey the Steward whom doe I obey but my Lord so also if God commaund me to obey my Ruler and Ouerseer when I doe that he commaundeth me I doe my obedience vnto God If S. Paule commandeth seruants to obey theyr maisters not as men but as Christ howe much more ought subiects to obey their Rulers and Ouerseers to whom they are bound by the bond of obedience In this Obedience three degrees are set down the first is to obey onely in worke the second to obey in worke and vvill the third to obey in worke will and vnderstanding For some doe that they are commaunded but because the commaundement seemeth not vnto them iust and right they doe it not willingly Others doe it willingly but they thinke that he that commaunded it did not well vnderstand what he commanded To be briefe there be others who haue wholy and altogether dedicated their vnderstanding to the diuine worship and do obey theyr Ruler and Ouerseer as God in worke will and vnderstanding And doing this in worke will and vnderstanding they humbly approue all that is commaunded them without carrying any preiudice of them of whom they are to be censured and iudged Wherefore my brother learne with all humilitie affectionately to obey thy Ruler and Ouerseer being mindfull of that is written He that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee Doe not murmure nor speak ill of them least thou heare Your murmuring is not against vs but against the Lord. Doe not basely or vildly esteeme of them least the Lord say vnto thee They haue not cast away thee but me that I should not rule ouer them Doe not lie vnto them or deceaue them least it be said vnto thee Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto GOD. Least for thine offence thou perrish by suddaine death because thou didst dare to lye as they who perrished after the same manner Let â—married wife giue her diligence to rule her house and please her husband and when she hath satisfied her dutie and done that belongs vnto her office as much as she can let her attend vpon religion yet so that she passe not the limits of her estate and condition Let a Maister of a family to whom God hath granted children sette before his eyes as a glasse the fearefull example of Ely who was negligent in correcting and chastening his chyldren whose punishment was not onely the suddaine and vnthought of death of himselfe and his sonnes but also the perpetuall depriuation and losse of the hie Priesthood of which for that offence he was depriued Let him marke and consider that the sinnes of the chyldren are after a certaine manner the sinnes also of the parents and the destruction of the child to be in like manner the destruction of the parent of whom he was begotte and bred For he is vtterly vnworthy the name of a Father that begetteth chyldren not for heauen but for this world Therefore let him chastice his children withdraw them from ill company commend and commit them to religious Maisters and Tutors and let it be his onely care that they may be taught and instructed in the way of vertue and from theyr cradles after the example of Tobias let him teach theÌ„ the feare of the Lord. Let him often crosse them of their owne wils and they that in the birth of theyr children haue been Fathers of theyr bodyes now they are borne let them be fathers of theyr soules For it is not enough that parents should be as byrds and other brute beastes who after that they haue brought
foorth their young ones doe only nourish them and prouide meate for them but a Father ought to be a father as a man and as a Christian man and as a true seruant of God who educateth traineth vp his chyldren as the chyldren of God and heyres of the kingdome of heauen not that they should be the bond-slaues of sathan and inhabitants of hell Let Maisters of families who haue seruants and other houshold be miâ—dfull of the commination of S. Paule who saith If any prouide not for his owne and especially for them of his houshold he hath denied the fayth that is the faithfulnes that he oweth and to which he is bound and is worse then an infidell Let them remember that these are as Lambes of their shâ—epefold and that they are the Sheepheards that should care and vvatch ouer them and let them thinke that the time will come vvhen as GOD will exact an account for them saying Where is the flocke that was giuen thee the sheepe glorious and noble Worthelie he calleth them glorious and noble for great is the price by which they are redeemed Noble and glorious is the most sacred humanity of Christ by which they are enobled Therefore there is not any seruant albeit abiect and base who is not free and noble in regard of the blood humanity of Christ. Therfore let a gooâ— Christian striue and endeuour that those that be in his house may be free from all enormous vices as are quarrels and strifes vnlawfull gaming false and vaine oathes blasphemies fornications c. And furthermore that they haue knowledge and skill in matters of Christianity and that they obserue the orders and constitutions of the Church and that especially vpon the Lords day they be at Church to heare Sermons and Diuine seruice and that they be not contumacious and peruerse inthwarting the good and orderly proceedings of the Church as the Puritans and Precisians of this time are who by their ignorant zeale peeuish singularity disturbe the quiet and peace of the Church The first admonition in what esteeme and price vertues are to be had that this rule may be better vnderstoode CHAP. XVIII AS in the beginning of this rule we set downe certayne preambles agreeable and conuenient for this purpose so now the rule being perfected and absolute for the better vnderstanding of it I take it to be worth the labour if I shall add certaine admonitions For seeing that we haue spoken discoursed of many kinds of vertues it is behoofefull that we teach which is worthier and which lesse worthy that we may estimate matters according to their dignity and assigne a proper place to euery one For he that selleth precious pearles rich Iems ought very well to know them that he be not deceaued in the price and the ouer-seer and gouernour of any Princes house ought to know the deserts of euery one in the house that he may dispose of euery one according to his dignity for otherwise he should commit many errors and offer much inequalitie so a man that dealeth with the worth value of these Iems that is of vertues and he that as a good ouer-seer and gouernour of an house is bound to render and tender to euery one of these vertues the due honour he must most exactly know the price and dignity of them that comparing them betweene themselues he may see which is to be preferred before another least he as it is wont to be sayd be penny wise and pound foolish least he I say gather ashes and cast away flower vvhich many doe Therfore we must know that all the vertues vvhich hetherto we haue spoken of may be reduced into a two-fold order for some of them be spirituall inuisible and internall and some corporall visible and externall In the first order are theologicall vetues with all other which are referred vnto God but especially Charity which among all other vertues possesseth the first and chiefe place as the Queene of all other To this are many other noble vertues ioyned and which are nearest vnto Charity in dignity as are humility chastity mercy patience discretion deuotion poorenes of spirit contempt of the world denying of our owne will the loue of the Crosse and of austerity and very many moe of this kind which by taking largely the signification of this vvord we call vertues They are called spirituall and internall vertues because principally they reside and haue their being in the soule although also they passe into externall works as we see in Charity and deuotion vvhich albeit they are altogether internall yet they produce their external acts to the honour and glory of God Other vertues are more externall and visible as are fasting discipline silence solitarines reading singing preaching a Christian and a religious life For albeit these vertues also reside and haue their being in the soule yet their proper acts are more outward then the former which are often hid and inuisible as are to beleeue to loue to hope to contemplate to be humbled to be inwardly contrite for sinnes to iudge discreetly and so in others Among all these vertues there is no doubt but that the former are farre more excellent and more necessary then the latter For the Lord sayth vnto the vvoman of Samaria Woman beleeue me the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in the truth for such the father also requireth to worship him God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in the truth The same words fall also into our common speach children in Schooles are wont to learne those verses If God be a spirit as verses record In spirit and truth thy worship afford Wherfore also the Prophet Dauid describing the beauty of the Church and of a soule that is in the fauour of God he saith The Kings daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of wrought gold The same thing the Apostle insinuateth when he sayth to his Disciple Timothy Exercise thy selfe vnto godlines for bodily exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable vnto all things hauing promises of the life that is now and of that which is to come In which place he vnderstandeth by godlines the worship of God and mercy toward our neighbonr and by bodily exercise abstinence and other corporall austerenes as learned expositers auerre expounding this place This also the Heathen Philosophers vnderstood For Aristotle who albeit he writ very little concerning God yet sayth If humane affaires be regarded of God as we may very probably gather that they are it is very likely that he ioyeth in the best things and in those that are the likest vnto him but those are the mind and spirit of man Therfore they that haue their spirits beautified and adorned vvith the knowledge of the truth and reformed affections are most acceptable vnto God The