hower to goe in with hym would not know them when they came after and finallie he promiseth to damne all those without exception which shall worke iniquitie as S. Mathew restisieth Moreouer beinge asked by a certaine prince on a tyme how he might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 woold geeue hym no other hope though he were a prince but onlye this yf thovv vvilt enter into lyfe keepe the cōmaundements of God And talkinge with his Disciples at an other tyme of the same matter he geeueth them no other comfort but this yf ye loue me keepe my commaundements As whoe should saye if you were neuer so much my Disciples and yf ye breake my cōmaundements there is no more loue nor frēdshippe betwixt vs. And S. Iohn which best of all other knew his meaninge herein expoundeth it in this sense when he saythe if a man sayeth he knovveth God and yet keepeth not his commaundementes he is a lyar and the trueth is not in him And more yet to take awaye all hope or expectation from his disciples of any other waye of saluation than by keepinge his commaundementes he saieth in an other place that he came not to take avvaye the lavv but to fulfill it streight waie he inferreth vppon the same vvhoe soeuer therfore shall breake one of the least of thes commaundementes shal be called the least in the kingdome of heauen For whiche cause at his departure out of the worlde the verie last wordes that he spake to his Apostles were these that they should teach men to obserue all his commaundementes vvhat soeuer By which appeareth the seuere meaninge that Christ had to wchinge our accounte for the keepinge of his commaundementes in this lyfe The whiche also may be gathered by that beinge asked whether the number were small of them that should be saued he aunswereth yea and counsaileth men to stryue to goe into the straite gate for that manie should be shut out yea euen of them which had eaten and 〈◊〉 whith him and had enioyed the corporall presence of his blessed bodye but had not lyued as he commaunded them In whiche case he signifieth that no respect or frindsnippe must take place with hym at the last day For whiche cause he saide to the man whome he had healed at the fishepools side in Ierusalē beholde novv thovv art hole seethovv synne no more least vvorse happen to the than before And generallye he warneth vs in S. Mathews ghospell that we agree with our aduersaries and make our accountes streight in this lyfe othervvise vve shall paye the vttermost fardinge in the life to come And yet more seuerelye he sayth in an other place that vve shall render account at the daye of iudgement for euerie ydle vvorde vvhiche vve haue spoken VVhiche daie of iudgement he vvarneth vs of before and foretelleth the rigour and daunger in sundrie places of holye scripture to the end vve should preuent the same and so direct our lyues vvhile vve haue time in this vvorld as vve may present our selues at that daye vvithout feare daunger or rather vvith greate ioye and cōfort when so manie thowsands of vvhicked people shall appeare there to their eternall confusion And because there is nothinge which so fitlye shevveth the seueritie of Christ in taking our accountc at the last daye as the order and maner of this iudgemēt described most diligētlie by the holye scripture it selfe it shall make muche for our purpose to consider the same And first of all it is to be noted that there be two iudgementes appointed after death the one called particuler wherby eche man presentlie vpon his departure from this worlde receaueth particuler sentence ether of punishement or of glorie accordinge to his deedes in this life as Christes owne words are wherof we haue examples in Lazarus and the riche gloutton whoe were presentlie caried the one to payne thother to rest as S. Luke testifieth And to doubt of this were obstinacie as S. Austen affirmeth The other iudgement is called generall for that it shal be of all men together in the end of the vvorld where shall a finall sentence be pronounced eyther of reward or punishment vpon all men that euer liued accordinge to the workes which they haue done good or bad in this life and afterward neuer more question be made of alteringe their estate that is of easinge the paine of the one or endinge the glorie of the other Now as towchinge the first of these two iudgements albeit the holye auncient fathers especiallie S. Austen doe gather and consider diuers particulers of greate seueritie and feare as the passage of our soule from the bodye to the tribunall seate of God vnder the custodie both of good and euill Angels the feare she hath of them the sodeine straungenes of the place where she is the terror of gods presence the strayte examination she must abyde and the lyke yet for that the moste of thes thinges are to be considered also in the seconde indgemēt which is generall I will passe ouer to the same notinge onlye certaine reasons yealded by the holye fathers why God after the first iudgement wherin he had assigned to eche man accordinge to his desertes in particuler would appoint moreouer this second generall iudgemēt VVherof the first is for that the bodie of man rysinge from his sepulcher might be partaker of the eternall punishement or glorie of the sowle euen as it hath bene partaker with the same eyther in vertue or vice in this lyfe The seconde is that as Christ was dishonored and put to confusion heere in the vvorld publikelye so muche more he might shevv his maiestie and power at that daye in the sight of all creatures and especiallie of his enimyes The third is that both the vvicked and good might receaue theire revvarde openlye to more confusion and harte greefe of the one and triumphe of the other vvhoe commonlie in this vvorld haue ben ouerborne by the vvicked The fourth is for that euill men vvhen they dye do not cōmonlie carie with them all theire demerite and euill for that they leaue behynde them ether theire euill example or theire children and familiars corrupted by them or els bookes and meanes vvhich maie in time corrupt other All vvhich beinge not yet done but comminge to passe after theire death they can not so conuenientlie receaue their iudgemēt for the same presentlie but as the euill falleth out so their paines are to be encreased The like may be saied of the good So that for examples sake S. Paules glorie is increased dailie and shal be vnto the vvorldes ende by reason of them that daylye profit by his vvritinges and exāple and the paines of the vvicked are for the lyke reason dailye augmented But at the last daye of iudgement shal be an end of all meryt and demerit and then it shal be seene euidentlye vvhat eche
seruice of God thoughe it were to gayne all the kyngdomes of the earthe yet is it meere vanitie follie lost labour will turne vs one daye to grefe repentāce and confusion for that it is not the matter for whiche we came into this lyfe or of whiche we shal be asked accompt at the last daye except it be to receaue Iudgement for the same Secondlie it folowethe of the premisses that seinge our onely ende busines in this worlde is to serue God that all other earthelye creatures are putt here to serue vs to that ende we should for our partes be indifferent to all these creatures as to riches or pouertie to healthe or sicknes to honour or contempt and we should desire onely so muche or litle of the same as were best for vs to our sayd ende that we entende that is to the seruice of God for whoe soeuer desiethe or seekethe thes creatures more than this runnethe from his ende for the which he came hither By this nowe maye a carefull Christian take some scantelinge of his owne estate withe God and make a coniecture whether he be in the right waye or no For yff he attende onely or principallye to this ende for whiche he was sent hither that is to serue God and gayne heauen yf his cares cogitations studies endeuours labours talke and other his actiōs runne vpon this matter and that he careth no more for other creatures as honour riches learninge the lyke then they are necessarie vnto hym for this ende whiche he pretendethe If his dayes and lyfe I saye be spent in this studie of the seruice of God and procuringe his saluation in feare and tremblinge as the Appostle willethe vs then is he doubtles a most happye blessede man and shall at lengthe attayne to the kyngedome whiche he lookethe for But yf he finde hym selff in a contrarie ease that is not to attende to this matter for which onelye he was sent hither nor to hane in his harte studie this seruice of God and gayninge of heauen but rather some other vanitie of the world as promotion wealthe pleasure sumptuous apparell gorgious buyldinges bewtie or any other thinge els that partaynethe not to this ende yf he spende his tyme I saye abowt these tryfles hauinge his cares cogitations his talke delight more in thes then about the other great busines of gayninge heauen for which he was sent Then is he in a perilouse course leadinge directlie to perdition except he alter and change the same For most certaine it is that who soeuer shall not attende vnto the seruice he came for shall neuer attayne to the rewarde promised to that seruice And because the most parte of the world not only of infidels but also of Christiās doe amisse in this pointe and doe not attende to this thinge for which they were onely created and sent hyther Hence it is that Christ his holye saintes haue alwayes spoken so hardly of the small number that shal be saued euen amonge Christians and haue vttered some speeches which seeme very rigorous to fleshe and bloode and scarce trewe albe it they must be fulfilled as that it is easier for a camell to goe thorovvghe a needles eye then for a riche man to enter into heauen The reason of which sayenge and many more standethe in this that a riche man or worldlinge attēdinge to heape riches can not attende to doe that whiche he came for into this worlde and consequenetly neuer attayne heauen except God worke a miracle so cause hym to contemne his riches and to vse thē onely to the seruice of God as some tymes he dothe and we haue a rare example in the gospell zacheus whoe beinge a very riche man presently vpon the enteringe of Christ into his house muche more into his harte gaue half his goodes vnto the poore and whome so euer he hadd iniuried to hym he made fower tymes so muche restitutiō And so entered into heauen whiche otherwyse he hadd not done But hereby now maye be seene the lamentable state of manye a thowsande Christians in the world which are so farrof from bestowinge winge there hole tyme trauell in the seruice of God and the gayninge of heauen as they neuer almost thincke of the same or yf they doe it is with very litle care or attētiō Good Lorde howe manye men and women be there in the world which bearinge the name of Christians scarse spende one houre of fower and twentie in the seruice of God howe manye doe beate their braynes about wordly matters and how fewe are troubled withe this care howe manye finde tyme to eate drinke sleepe disporte deck painte thē selues out to the worlde and yet haue no tyme to bestowe in this greatest busines of all other howe manye spend ouer whole dayes weekes monethes and yeares in hauking hunting and other pastymes without any care or earnest cogitation of these thinges Other in ambition promotiō without makinge accounte or regrade of the matter what shal be come of these people what will they saye at the daye of iudgment what excuse will they haue If the marchand factour which I spake of before after manye yeares spent beyond the seas returninge home to geeue accountes to his maister should yeald a reconninge of so muche tyme spent in singinge so much in daunsinge so muche in courtinge and the lyke who would not laughe at his accountes but beinge further asked by his maister what tyme he bestowed on his marchandise which he sent hym for yf he should answere none at all nor that he euer thought or studyed vppon that matter whoe wold not thynke hym worthie of all shame and punishemene and surelve withe muche more shame and confusion shall they stande at the daye of iudgemēt whoe beinge placed here to so great a busines as is the seruice of almightie God the gayninge of his eternall kyngdome of heauē haue not withstādinge neglected the same bestowinge their studdies labours and cogitations in the vaine trifles of this world which is as muche from the purpose as yf men beinge placed in a course to runne at a golden game of infinite price as we are all placed to runne at heauen as S. Paule sayeth they should leaue their marke 〈◊〉 steppe a side after flyes or fethers in the ayre and some other stande styll gatheringe vpp the dunge of the grounde and how were these men worthie trowe you to receaue so greate arewarde as was proposed to them VVherfore deare Christian yf thow be wyse consider thy case whyle thou haste tyme. Followe the Apostles counsaile examine thy owne worke wayes and deceyue not thy selfe Yet thowe maiste reforme thy selfe because the daye tyme of lyfe yet remayneth The dreadfull night of deathe will ouertake thee shortly whē there wil be no more tyme of reformation VVhat will all thy labour toyle in procurynge
man hathe deserued Te speake then of this second iudgement generall and common for all the vvorlde vvherin as the scripture saith God shall bringe into iudgement euerie errour vvhich hath bene committed there are diuers circunstances to be considered and diuers men doe set dovvne the same diuerslye but in myne opinion no better playner or more effectuall declaration can be made therof than the verye scricture maketh it selfe settinge furthe vnto vs in most signifieant vvordes all the maner order and circunstances vvith the preparation therunto as follovveth At that daye there shal be signes in the Sunne and in the moone and in the starres the Sunne shal be darckened the moone shall geeue no light the starres shall fall from the skyes all the powers of heauen shal be moued the firmament shall leaue his situation with a greate violence the elementes shal be dissolued vvith heate and the earth vvith all that is in it shal be consumed vvith fire the earthe also snall moue of her place and shall flye like a litle deare or sheepe The pressures of nations vpon the earthe shal be greate by reason of the confusion of the noyse of the sea and fluddes and men shall vvither a vvaye for feare and expectation of thes thinges that then shall come vpon the vvhole vvorld Then shall the signe of the Sonne of man appeare in the skye and then shall all the tribes of the earthe mourne and vvayle and they shall see the sonne of man comminge in the clovvdes of heauen vvith muche power and glorie great authoritie and maiestie And then in a moment in the twynklynge of an eye he shall send his Angels vvith a trumpet and vvith a greate crie at midnight and they shall gather together his elect frō the fovver partes of the vvorld from heauen to earth All must be presented before the tribunall of Christ vvhoe vvill bringe to light those thinges vvhich vvere hidden in darcknes vvill make manifest the thoughtes of mens hartes and vvhat soeuer hath bene spoken in chambers in the eare shal be preached vpon the house toppe Accounte shal be asked of eueryeydle vvorde and he shall iudge our verie righteousnes it selfe Then shall the iust stando in greate constancie against those vvhich haue afflicted them in this lyfe And the vvicked seeinge that shlbe trovvbled vvith a horrible feare and shall saye to the hilles fall vppon vs and hyde vs from the face of hym that sitteth vppon the throne and from the angre of the lambe for that the greate daye of vvrath is come Then shall Christ separate the sheepe from the goates and shall put the sheepe on his right hande and the goates on the left and shall saye to those on the right hand come ye blessed of my father possesse the kindome prepared for you from the beginninge of the vvorlde I vvas Humgry and you gaue me to eate I vvas a straunger and you gaue me harboure I vvas naked and you clothed me I vvas sycke and you visited me I vvas in prison you came to me Then shall the iust saye o lorde vvhen haue vve donne thes tainges for the and the kinge shall aunswere trewlye vvhen you dyd them to the least of my brothers you did it to me Then shall he saye to them on his left hand departe from me you accursed into euerlastinge fyre prepared for the deuill and his angels for I vvas Hungrie and you fed me not I vvas a straunger and you harboured me not I vvas naked and you clothed me not I vvas sicke and in prison and you visited me not Then shall they saye o lorde vvhen haue vve seene thee hungrie or thirstio or a straunger or naked or sicke or in pryson and did not minister vnto the and he shall aunswere verylye I tell you seeinge you haue not donne it to one of thes lesser you haue not done it to me And then thes men shall goe into eternall punishment and the iust into lyfe euerlastinge Tell me vvhat a dreadfull preparation is heere layed doune how manye circumstāces of feare horrour it shal be saythe the scripture at midnight when commonlie men are a sleepe it shal be with hydeous noyse of trumpetts sounde of waters motion of all the elementes VVhat a night vvill that bee trowest thovv to see the earthe shake the hilles and dales moued from their places the moone darckened the starrs fall dovvne from heauen the whole element shiuered in peeces and all the vvorld in a flaminge fire Sainct Iohn savve it in vision and was maruailous a feard I saw faithe he when the lambe had opened one of the seuen seales I harde one of the fower beastes saye lyke the voyce of a thunder come and see and I sawe and beholde a white horse and one that satte vpon him had a bowe and he went out to conquere Then went there furthe a blacke horse he that sate vpon him had a payre of balāces in his hand then went there forthe a pale horse and he that satte vpon hym was named death and hell folowed behynde hym and he had authoritie geeuen hym to kyll by sworde by death and by beastes of the earth The earth did snake the sunne grew blacke lyke a sacke the moone like bloode the starres fell from heauen the skye doubled it selfe like a folded booke euerie hyll and Ilande was moued from his place the kynges of the earth and princes and tribunes and the the riche stoute hid them selues in dennes and in the rockes of hylles Then appeared there seuen Angels will seuen trumpettes and eche one prepared hym selfe to blovv his blast at the first blast came there hayle and fyre mixt vvith bloode At the secōd blast came there a vvhole mountaine of burnynge fyre into the sea and the thyrd part of the sea vvas made bloode At the thyrd blast fell there a greate starre from heauen named absinthium burninge like a torche and infected the ryuers and fountaines At the fourth blast vvas striken doune the third parte of the sunne moone and starres and an egle flewe in the element cryeinge vvith a hydeous voice vvoe vvoe woe to all them that dvvell vppon the earth At the fyfthe blast fell a starre frō heauen vvhich had the keye of the pytt of hell and he opened the pitt and there arose a smoke as from a greate furnace and there came forth besydes certaine Locustes lyke scorpions to torment them that had not the marcke of god in their foreheades And at thes dayes men shall seeke deathe and shall not fynde it And these Locustes vvere like barbed horses with crownes on their heades Their faces like men their heare lyke vvemen their teeth lyke lyons and the noyse of their wynges lyke the noyse of manye chariottes running together their tayles like scorpions and they re stinges were in their tayles their kynge was an Angel of hell named Abbadon whiche
sowle which was before the temple of the holy ghost the habitation of the blessed trinitie and place of repose for the Angels to visit now to be the nest of scorpions and dongeon of deuilles and hym selfe a companion of the miserable damned Lastlye he abandoneth Christ and renounceth the portion he had with hym makinge hym selfe a persecuter of the same by treadinge him vnder his feete And crucifyinge hym agayne and defylinge his bloode as S. Paule sayeth in synninge against hym whiche dyed for synne and therfore the same Apostle pronounceth a maruailous heuie sentence against suche in these worldes If vve synne vvillfullye novv after vve haue receaued knovvledge of the trevvth there remaineth no more sacryfice for sinnes but rather a certaine terrible expectation of iudgement and emulation of fyre vvhiche shall consume the aduersaries To which S. Peter agreeth when he saieth It had ben better not to haue knovven the vvay of iustice than after such knovvledge to slyde backe agayne from the holye commaundement vvhich vvas geeuen Now then let our worldlinges goe and solace them selues with sinne as muche as they will let them excuse and pleasantlye defēd the same sayinge pryde is but a pointe of gentrye glouttonie good fellowship lecherye and wantonnes a trycke of yowth and the lyke they shall finde one daye that these excuses will not be receaued but rather that these pleasant deuises wil be turned into teares They shall proue that God will not be iested with but that he is the same God still will aske as seuere accounte of them as he hathe done of other before although it please not them now to keepe any accounte of their lyfe at all but rather to turne all to disporte pleasure persuadinge them selues that how soeuer God hath delt with other before yet he will forgeeue all to them but the holye scripture reasoneth after an other manner which I would haue euerie wise Christian to consider S. Paule comparinge the Iewes sinnes with ours maketh this collectiō If God spared not the naturall boughes take heede least he spare not the. And ther vpō he inferreth this admonition noli altum sapere sed time Be not to high minded but feare Againe he reasoneth thus vpon the olde the new lawe he that broke the lawe of Moyses beinge cōuicted by two or three witnesses died for the same without cōmiseration or mercye and how much more greeuous punishmēt doth he deserue which breaking the law of Christ by wilsull sinne treadeth the sonne of God vnder his feete polluteth the bloode of the new testament reprocheth the holye ghost In lyke maner reasoneth S. Peter and S. Iude towchinge the sinne of Angels and ours yf God spared not the Angels when they sinned but did thrust them downe to hell there to he tormented and to be kept vnto iudgement with eternall chaines vnder darckenes how much lesse will he spare vs And agayne yf the Angels which passe vs in power and strength are not able to heare gods execrable iudgement against thē what shall we doe Agayne in an other place he reasoneth thus yf the iust man shall har dlye be saued where shall the wickedman sinner appeare By which examples we are instructed to reason in lyke sorte yf God haue punished so seuerelie one sinne in the Angels in Adam and in other before reeited what shall I looke for which haue cōmitted so manie sinnes agaynst hym yf God haue dāned so manye for lesser sinnes thé myne be what will he do to me for greater yf Godhath borne longer with me then he hath done with many other whome he hath cut of without geuing them time of repentāce what reason is there that he should beare longer with me yf Dauid and other after their synnes forge euen them tooke suche paynes in afflictinge them selues for satisfaction of the temporall punishement in this lyfe what punishement remaineth for me either heere or in the wold to come for satisfaction of so manie synnes committed If it betrew that our sauyour saithe that the waie is harde and the gate narrow wherby men goe into heauen and that they shall answere for euerye ydle worde before they enter there what shal be come of me which doe lyue so easiea a lyfe and doe keepe no accounte of my deedes muche lesse of my wordes yf good men in olde time did take suche paynes for theyr saluatin yet as S. Peter saieth the verye iust were scarce saued what a state am I in which take no payne at all but doe lyue in all kynde of pleasure and wordly delytes These kyndes of consequentes were more trew and profitable for vs wherby we might enter into some consideration of our owne daunger and into some feare of the iudgementes of God for want wherof the moste parte of synnes amongest Christians are committed For so the holye scripture describinge dyuerscauses of wickednes among men putteth thes two for principall Fyrst the flatterye of the world 〈◊〉 laudatur peccator in desileriis animae 〈◊〉 For that the sinner is praysed in his lustes And secondly quia 〈◊〉 iudicia tua a 〈◊〉 eius For that thy iudgementes o lorde are not before his face And in the contrarye side speaking him selfe he saieth I haue kept the vvaies of our lorde haue not behaued my selfe impiouslie tovvardes God And he 〈◊〉 the reason therof immediatlie For that all his 〈◊〉 are in my sight And againe I haue feared thy iudgementes o lorde And againe I haue ben mindfull of thy iudgementes And how profitable this feare is he sheweth in the same place demaundinge this feare most instantlye at godes handes for so he prayeth stryke my fleshe thorough vvith thy feare o lorde And S. Paule after he had shewed to the Corinthians that we must all be presented before the tribunall of Christ maketh this cōclusion VVe knovveinge therfore thes thinges doe persvvsade the feare of our lorde vnto mē And S Peter after a longe declaration of the maiestie of God and Christ now rayning in heauen concludeth thus 〈◊〉 you call him father vvhich doth iudge euerye man accordinge to his vvorkes vvithout 〈◊〉 of persons doe you lyue'in feare duringe the 〈◊〉 of this your habitation vppon earth A 〈◊〉 lesson no doubt for all men but speciallie for those which by reason of their synnes and wicked lyfe doe remaine in 〈◊〉 and hatred of God and howerlye subiect as I haue shewed to the 〈◊〉 of his iudgementes whiche if 〈◊〉 once fall into they are both irreuocable and intollerable and they may be fallen into as 〈◊〉 and by as manie wayes as a man may come to death which are infinite especiallie to thē whoe by their wickednes haue lost the peculier protection of God and good Angels as I haue shewed and haue subiected them selues to the feendes of darckenes whoe do nothinge els but seeke their
as the fishe in the sea the grasse on the grounde the leaues of the trees or the partes of man vpon the face of the earth can grow moue or consist without some litle streame of vertne and power come to it cōtinualiie from Cod. So that thow must imagine God to stand as a most maiesticall sunne in the middest and from hym to passe foorth infinite beames or streames of vertue to all the creatures that are eyther in heauen earthe the ayer or the water to euerie parte therreof and vpon thes beames of his vertue all creatures to hange and yf he should stopp but any one of them it would destroye annihilate presentlie some creature or other This I saye yf thow shalt consider towchinge the maiestie of God and the infinite dread that all creatures haue of hym except onlye a sinner for the deuills also doe feare hym as S. Iames saieth thow wilt not meruaile of the seuere iudgement of God appointed for his offence For sure I am that very shame of the world maketh vs to haue more regarde in offendinge the poorest frinde we haue in this lyfe then a wicked man hath in offendinge God which is an intollerable contempt of so greate a maiestie But now if we adioine to this contemplation of maiestie an other consideration of his benefites bestowed vppon vs our defaut will grow to be far greater for that to iniurey hym whoe hathe done vs good is a thinge moste detestable euen in nature it selfe And there was neuer yet so fearce a harte no not amongest brute beastes but that it might be Wonne with curtesie and benefites but muche more amongest reasonable creatures dothe beneficence preuaile especiallie if it come from greate personages whose loue and frindfaippe declared vnto vs but in small gyftes doth greatlye bynde the hartes of the receauers to loue them agayne Consider then deare Christian the infinite good turnes and benefites which thow hast receaued at the handes of thisgreat God therby to winne the to his loue that thow shouldest leaue of to offende and iniurie him albeit no toague created ether of man or Angel cna expresse the one halfe of thes gyftes which thow hast receaued from hym or the valew of them or the greate loue hartie goodwill where with he bestowed them vppon the yet for some memorie sake I will repeate certaine generall and principall pointes therof wherunto the rest may be referred First then he hathe bestowed vppoa the the benifite of thy creation wherby he made the ofnothinge to the likenes of hym selfe and appointed the to so noble an ende as is to serue hym in this lyfe and to raigne with hym in the lyfe to come furnishinge the for the present with the seruice and subiection of all creatures The greatnes of this benefite may partlye be conceaued yf thow doe imagine thy selfe to lacke but any one parte of thy bodie as a legge an arme an eye or the lyke and that one should freelie geeue the same vnto the or yf thow wantest but any one sense as that thow were dease or blynde and one should restore sight or hearringe vnto the howe wooldest thow esteeme of this benefite how muche wouldest thow professe thy selfe beholdinge vnto him for the same and yf the gyft of one of these partes onlye would seeme such a benefite vnto thee how greate oughtest thow to esteeme the free gyste of so manye partes together Add to this now as I haue sayde that he hath created the to the lykenes of no other thinge but of hym selfe to no other ende but to be his honorable seruante in this world and his compartener in kynglie glorie for all eternitie to come and this he hath done to the beinge only a peece of durte or claye before Now ymagine thow of what maner of loue proceeded this But yet add further how he hathe created all this magnificent world for the and all the creatures therof to serue thee in this busines the heauen to gouuerne the and geeue the light the earthe and ayer and water to minister most infinite 〈◊〉 of creatures for thy vse and sustenance and hath made thee Lord of all to vse them for thy comforte and his seruice and what magnificent gyftes are these and what shamefull in gratitude is it to turne the same to the dishonour and iniurie of so louinge a geeuer as thow doest by vsinge them to serue the in sinne But yet consider a litle furder the benesite of thy redemption much greater then all the former which is that thow hauinge lost all those former benefites agayne and made thy selfe guyltie by synne of eternall punishment wherto the Angels were now deliuered for their synne committed before God chose to redeeme the not the Angels and for satisfyinge of thy fault to delyuer his owne onlie sonne to deathe for the O lorde what harte can conceaue the greatnes of this benefite Imagine thy selfe beinge a poore man haddest cōmitted a greeuous cryme against a kynges maiestie together with some greate mā of his cheefest nobilitie and that the kynge beinge offended highlye with you bothe shoulde notwith standinge pardon the and put the noble man to death and surder also beinge no other waye to saue thy lyfe should laye the paynes of deathe dew to the vppon his onlye sonne and heyre for thy sake how muche wouldest thow thincke that this kinge loued the how greatlye wooldest thow esteeme thy selfe beholdinge and bounden to that yōge prince which should offer hym selfe to his fathers iustice to dye for the a poore worme and not for the noble man as he would not dye for the Angels and to put his head in the haulter for thyne onlye offences couldest thow euer haue the harte to become enimie to this mā after or willinglye wittingly to offend 〈◊〉 and yet such is our case much more bounden towardes Christ and his father whome the moste of vs notwith standinge doe dailie offend dishonour and iniurey by synne But yet there follow on more benefites of God vnto vs as our vocation and iustificaton vocation wherby he hath called vs from infidelite to the state of Christians therby made vs partakers of this our redemption which insidels are not for albeit he payed the ransome for all in generall yet he hath not imparted the benefite therof to all but to such onlie as best it pleased his deuine goodnes to bestow it vpon After which folowed our iustification wherby we were not onlye set free from all our synnes committed before and from all payne and punishement dew to the same but also our sowles beutified and enriched with the infusion of his holie grace accompanied with the vertues theologicall as faith hope and charitie and with the gyftes of the holye ghost and by this grace weare made iust and righteous in the sight of God and entitled to the most blessed enheritance of the kyngdome of heauen After
the for it albeit thow haddest nothinge in thee worthe loue besydes But now thy lorde besydes thes his gyftes hath infinite causes to make the loue hym that is all the causes which any thinge in the worlde hath to puchase loue and infiinte more besydes For yf all the perfections of all thinges created in heauē and in earth which doe procure loue were put together in one as all their bewtie all their vertue all their wisedome all their sweetnes all their nobilitie all their goodnes and the lyke yet thy lorde Sauycur whome thow contēnest doth passo all this and that by infinite and infinite 〈◊〉 for that he is not onlie all thes thinges together but also he is verie bewtie it selfe vertue it selfe wisedome it selfe sweetenes it selfe nobilitie it selff goodnes it selff and the verie fountaine and welspringe where hence all thes thinges are deriued by litle peeces and parcels vnto his creatures Be a shamed then good Christian of this thy ingratitudo to so greate so good beuntifull a Lord and resolue thy selfe for the tyme to come to amende thy course of lyfe and behauyour towardes hym Say with the prophet which had lesse cause to saye so then thow Domine propitiaro peccato meo multum est enim O lord pardon me myne offence for it is greate in thy sight I know there is nothinge o lorde which dothe so muche displease the or drye vpp the fountaine of thy mercye so byndeth thy handes from doinge good as ingratitude in the receyuers of thy benefites wherin hetherto I haue exceeded all others but I haue done it o lord in myne ignorance not conslderinge thy gyftes vnto me nor what accounte thow wouldest demaunde againe of the same But now seinge thow hast vouchsafed to make me woorthie of this grace also wherby to see and knowe myne owne state and defaut I hope hereafter by direction of the same grace of thyne to shew my selfe a better childe towardes the. O lord I am ouercome at the lēgthe with cōsideratiō of thy loue and how can I haue the harte to offend thee hereafter seinge thow hast preuented me so manye wayes with benefites euē when I demaunded not the same can I haue handes euermore to sinne against thee whiche hast geeuen vpp thyne owne most tender handes to be nayled on the crosse for my synnes heretofore no no it is to greate an iniurie against thee o lord woe worth me that haue donne it so often heretofore But by thy holye assistance I trust not to returne to suche iniquitie for the tyme to come to which o lord I beseeche the for thy mercie sake from thy holie throne of heauen to saie amen Of vvhat opinion and feelinge vve shal be to vvchinge these matters at the tyme of our deathe CHAP. VIII THe holy scriptures doe teach vs and experience maketh it plaine that duringe the tyme of this lyfe the commodities preferments and pleasures of the worlde doe possesse so stronglye the hartes of manye men and doe holde them chayned with so forcible enchauntmentes beinge forsaken also vpon their iust desertes of the grace of God saye and threaten what a man can and bringe against them all the whole scripture euen from the begynninge of genesis to the end of the Apocalips as in deede it is all against synne and synners yet will it preuaile nothinge with them beinge in that lamentable case as other they beleeue not or esteeme not what so euer is saide to that purpose against their setled lyfe aud resolution to the contrarye Of this we haue infinite examples in scripture as of Sodome and Gomorra with the cities aboute which could not heare the war ninges that good Lot gaue vnto them Also of Pharao whome all that euer Moyses could doe ether by signes or sayinges moued nothinge Also of Iudas whoe by no faire meanes or threatninges vsed to him by his maister would change his wicked resolution But especialye the prophets sent from God from tyme to tyme to disswade the people from their naughtie lyfe and consequentlye from the plagues hanginge ouer them doe geeue abundant testimonie of this complainiage euerie where of the hardnes of synners hartes that wold not be moued with all the exhortations preachings promisses allurementes exclamations threatnings thunderinges that they could vse The prophet zacharie shall testifie for all in this matter whoe saieth of the people of Israell a litle before theire destruction Hoc ait do minus exercituum et ce This sayeth the Lorde of hostes iudge iustlie and so forthe And presentlie he addeth And they vvould not attende but turninge their backes uvent auvaye and stopped their eares to the ende they might not heare and they did put their hartes as an adamant stone to the end they might not heare the lavve and the vuordes vvhich God did send in his spirite by the handes of the former prophetes vvherby godes greate indignation vvas sturred vpp This then is and alwayes hath ben the fashion of worldlinges reprobate persons to harden their hartes as an adamant stone against anye thinge that shal be tolde thē for the amendement of their liues and for the sauinge of their soules VVhyles they are in healthe and prosperitie they will not know God as in an other place he complaineth Marye yet as the prophet saieth God will haue his daye withe thes men also when he wil be knowen And that is cognoscetur dominus iudicia faciens God vvill è knovven uvhen he begynneth to doe iudgment and this is at the daye of deathe which is the next dore to iudgement as S. Paule testifieth sayinge it is appointed for euill men once to dye and after that ensewe 〈◊〉 This I saye is the day of God most terrible sorowfull and full of tribulation to the wicked wherin God wil be knowen to be a righteous God and to restore to euerye man accordinge as he hath donne vvhile he liued As S. Panle sayeth or as the prophet describeth it he vvilbe knovven then to be a terrible God and such a one as taketh avvaye the spirite of princes a terrible God to the kynges of the 〈◊〉 At this daye as there wil be a greate change in all other thinges as mirth wil be turned into sorow laughinges into weepinges pleasures into paynes stoutnes into feare pryde into dispaire and the like so especiallie will there be a straunge alteration in iudgemēt and opinion for that the wisedome of God wherof I haue spoken in the former chapters and which as the scripture saieth is accounted folye of the wise of the vvorld will then appeare in her likenes as it is in verie deede wil be confessed by her greatest enimyes to be onlietrew wisedome and all carnall wisdome of worldlinges to be meere folye as God callethe it This the holye scripture setteth downe clerelye when it describeth the verie speeches and lamentations of the wise men of this
worlde at the last daye sayinge 〈◊〉 the vertuous whome they despised in this life Nos insensati etc. vve senseles mē did esteeme their lyfe to be madnes and their end to be dishonorable but looke howe they are now accounted amonge the children of God and their portion is with the sainctes VVe haue erred from the waye of trewfh and the light of righteousnes hath not shyned before vs necher hath the sonne of vnderstandinge appeared vnto vs. VVe haue weried out our seues in the waye of iniquitie and perdition and we haue walked craggye pathes but the waye of our lord we haue not knowen Hytherto are the wordes of scripture wherby we may perceyue what greate chaunge of iudgement there wil be at the last daye from that which men haue now of matters what confessinge of folye what acknowledginge of errour what hartie sorow for laboure lost what fruiteles repentance for hauinge runne a-wrie Oh that men would consider these thinges now VVe haue vveried out our selues saye thee miserable men in the vvaye of 〈◊〉 and perdition and vve haue vvalked craggie pathes VVhat a description is this of lamentable wordlinges whoe beate their braynes 〈◊〉 and wearie out them selues in pursuyte of vanitie chaffe of this worlde for which they suffer notwith standinge more paine ofte times thā the iust doe in purchasinge of heauen and when they arriue to at the last daie werly ed and worne owt with trouble and toyle they sinde that all their laboure is lost all their vexatioh taken in vaine For that the litle pelfe which they haugotten in the worlde and for which they haue strugled so sore will helpe them nothinge but rather greatly afflicte and torment them For better vnderstandinge wherof it is to be considered that three thinges will principallie molest these men at the daye of their death and vnto these maye all the rest be referred The first is the excessyue paynes whiche commonlye men suffer in the seperation of the sowle and bodie which haue lyued so longe together as two deare frendes vnited in loue and pleasure and therfore most lothe to parte now but onlye that they are enforced therunto This payne may partlye be conceaued by that yf we would dryue out lyfe but from the least parte of our bodye as for example owt of our litle singer as surgeans are wont to doe when they will mortifye any place to make it breacke what a payne doth a man suffer before he be dead what raginge greefe dothe he abyde and yf the mortyfyinge of one litle parte onlye dothe so muche afflicte vs Imagine what the violent mortyfiinge of all the partes together will doe For we see that first the sowle i ̄s driuen by death to leaue the extreamest partes as the toes feete and fyngers then the legges and armes and so consequentlye one parte dyeth after an other vntill lyfe be restrained onlye to the harte which holdeth out longest as the principall parte but yet must finallye be constrained to render it selfe though with neuer so much payne and resistance which paine how greate and strōge it is may appeare by the breakinge in peeces of the verye stringes and holdes wherwith it was enuyroned thorough the excessyue vehemencie of this deadlye torment Marye yet before it come to this pointe to yelde no man can expresse the cruell conflict that is betwixt death and her and what distresses she abydeth in tyme of her agonie Imagyne that a prince possessed a goodlye citie in all peace wealth and pleasure and greatlie frinded of all his neighbours aboute hym whoe promise to assiste hym in all his needes and affayrs and that vpon the sudden his mortall enymie should come and besyege this citie and takinge one holde after an other one wall after another one castell after an other should dryue this prince onlye to a litle tower besiege him therin all his other holdes beinge beaten downe and his men slaine in his sight what feare anguishe and miserie woold this prince be in how often would he looke owt at the windowes and loope holes of his tower to see whether his friendes neighboures would come to help hym or no and yf he saw them all to abandone hym and his cruell enemye euen readie to breake in vpon hym would he not be in a pityfull plight trow you And euen so fareth it with a poore soule at the hower of death The bodye wherin she raigned lyke a iolye princesse in all pleasure whiles it florished is now battered and ouerthrowen by her enemye which is death the armes legges other partes where with she was fortified as with walles and wardes duringe tyme of health are now surprised beaten to the grounde and she is driuen onlye to the harte as to the last extremest refuge wheresne is also most fearcelye assayled in suche sorte as she can not hold owt lōge Her deare frendes which soothed her in tyme of prosperitie and promised assistance as yowth phisicke and other humane helpes doe now vtterlye abandone her the enemye will not be pacified or make any league but night and daye assaulteth this turret where in she is and whiche now begynneth to snake and shiuer in peeces and she looketh howerlye when her enemye in most raginge dreadfull maner will enter vpon her VVhat thinke you is now the state of this afflicted sowle It is no maruaile yf a wise man become a foole or a stowte vvorldlinge most abiect in this instant of extremitie as vve often see they doe in such sorte as they can dispose of nothinge vvell ether tovvardes God or the world at this hower the cause is the extremitie of paines oppressinge their myndes as S. Austen also proueth and geeueth vs therwithall a most 〈◊〉 forevvarninge yf men vvere so happie as to follovv it VVhen you shal be in your last sicknes deare bretheren sayeth he o hovv harde painfull a thinge vvill it be for you to repent of your faultes comitted of good deedes omitted vvhye is this but onlye for that all the intention of your mynde vvil runne thither vvhere all the force of your paine is Manie impedimeates shall let men at that day As the payne of the bodye the feare of deathe the sight of children for the which their fathers shall often tymes thinke them selues often damned the weepinge of the wife the flatterie of the world the temptation of the deuill the dissimulation of phisitions for lucre sake and the lyke and beleeue thow 〈◊〉 which readest this that thow 〈◊〉 quickelye proue all this trew vppon thy selfe and therfore I beseeche the that thow wilt doe penance before thow come vnto this last daye dispose of thy house and make thy testament whyle thow arte whole while thow art wise while thow art thyne owne man for if thowtarye vntill the last date thow shalt be ledd whether thow wouldest not Hitherto are S. Austens woords The seconde thinge whiche shall make death terrible
and greeuous to a worldlye man is the sudden partinge and that for euer and euer from all the thinges which he loued most dearely in this lyfe as from his 〈◊〉 possessios honours offices fayre buildinges with their commodities goodlye apparell with 〈◊〉 iewels from wyfe and children kyndred and frindes and the lyke where with he thought hym selfe a blessed man in this lyfe and now to be plucked from them vppon the sudden without euer hope to see or vse them agayne oh what a greefe what a torment will this be for which cause the holye scripture saieth O mors quam amara est memoriatua homini pacem habenti in substantiis suis O deathe how bytter is thy memorie vnto a man that hath peace and rest in his substaunce and riches as whoe would saye there is no more bytternes or greefe in the world to such a man than to remember or thinke on death onlye but muche more to goe to it hym selfe and that owt of hande when it shal be saied vnto hym as Christ reporteth it was to the greate wealthie man in the ghospell whiche had his barnes full and was come now to the hyghest topp of felicitie Siulte hac nocte animam tuam repetunt a te quae autem parafti ouius erunt thow foole euen this night they will take thy sowle from the and then whoe shall haue all that thow hast scraped together It is vnpossible I saye for anye tongue to expresse the dolefull state of a worldlye man in this instant of death when nothinge that euer he hath gathered together with so muche labour and 〈◊〉 and wherin he was went to haue so much confidence will now doe hym good any longer but rather afflict hym with the memorie therof consideringe that he must leaue all to other goe hym selfe to geeue accounte for the gettynge and vsinge of the same perhaps to his eternall dānation whiles in the meane tyme other men in the world do lyue merylye and plesantlie vppon that he hath gotten litle remembringe and lesse caringe for hym which lyeth perhapps burninge in vnquencheable fyre for the ryches left vnto them This is a wofull and lamentable point which is to bringe manie a man to greate sorow and anguyshe of harte at the last daye when all earthlie ioyes must be left all pleasures and commodities for euer abandoned Oh what a dolefull daye of partinge will this be what wilt thow saie my frende at this daye whē all thy glorye all thy welth all thy pompe is come to an ende VVhat art thow the better now to haue liued in credit with the world in fauour of princes exalted of men feared reuerenced and aduaunced seinge now all is ended and that thow canst vse these thinges no more But yet there is a third thinge whiche more then all the rest vvill make this daie of deathe to be trovvblesome and miserable vnto a vvorldlye man and that is the consideration vvhat shall become of him both in bodye and sovvle and for his bodie it vvilbe no small horrour to thinke that it must inherite serpentes beastes and vvormes as the scripture saieth that is it must be cast out to serue for the foode of vermen that bodie I meane vvhich vvas so delicatelie handled before vvith varietie of meates pillovves and beddes of dovvne so trymlye set foorthe in apparell and other ornamentes vvhere vppon the vvynde might not blovv nor the sunne shyne that bodye I saye of vvhose beavvtie there vvas so muche pride taken and vvherby so greate vanitie and sinne vvas committed that bodie vvhich in this vvorld vvas accustomed to all pamperinge could abide no austeritie or discipline must now come to be abandoned of all men left onlye to be deuoured of vvormes VVhīche thing albeit it can not but breede much horrour in the hart of hym that lyeth a dyinge yet is it nothinge in respect of the dreadfull cogitations vvhich he shall haue to vvchinge his sovvle as vvhat shalbecome of it vvhether it shall goe after her departure out of the bodie and then consideringe that it must goe to the iudgement seate of God and there to receyue sentence ether of vnspeakeable glorye or insupportable paynes he falleth to cs̄ider more in particuler the daunger therof by comparinge godes iustice and threates set dovvne in scripture against sinners vvith his ovvne lyfe he begynneth to examine the vvitnes vvhich is his conscience and he findeth it readie to laye infinite accusations against hym vvhen he commeth to the place of iustice And novv deare brother begynneth the miserie of this man For there is not a seuere saynge of God in all the scripture vvhiche commeth not novv to his mynde to terrify hym vvithall at this instant as if thovv vvilt enter into lyfe keepe the commaundementes He that sayeth he knovveth God and keepeth not his commaundementes is a liar manie shall saie vnto me at that daye Lord Lord c. not the hearers of the lavv but the doers of the lavve shal be iustifyed goe from me all vvorkers of iniquitie into euerlastinge fyar doe not you knovv that vvicked men shall not possesse the kyngdome of God be not deceyued for nether fornicatours nor Idolatours nor adulterers nor vncleane handlers of theire ovvne bodies nor Sodomites nor theeues nor couetous men nor dronkardes nor backbyters nor extorsioners shal euer possesse the kingdome of God yf you lyue accordinge to the fleshe you shall dye and the vvorkes of the fleshe are manifest as fornication vncleannes vvantonnes luxurie poyseninges enimities contentions emulations hatred stryfe dissentions sectes enuie murder dronkenes glouttonie and the lyke VVherof I foretell you as I haue tolde you before that they vvhiche doe thes thinges shall neuer attaine to the kyngdome of god VVe must all be presented before he tribunall of Christ and euerie man roceyue particularlie accordinge as he hathe donne in this lyfe good or euill euerye man shall receyue accordinge to his vvoorkes God spared not the Angels vvhen they sinned You shall geeue accounte of euerye idle vvorde at the daye of iudgement if the iuste shall scarce be saued vvhere shall the vvicked man and synner 〈◊〉 fevv are saued and a riche man shall hardlie enter into the kyndome of heauen All these thinges I saye and a thowsand more towchinge the seueritie of godes iustice the accounte which shal be demaunded at that daye will come into his mind that lieth a dyinge our ghostlye enimie which in this lyfe laboured to keepe these thinges from our eyes therby the easier to draw vs to sinne will now laye all and more too before our face amplyfiynge vrginge euerie pointe to the vttermost alleaginge alvvayes our conscience for his witnes VVhich when the poore sowle in dieinge can not deny it must needes terrifie her greatlie for so we see that it dothe daylie euen manie good and vertuous men S. Iereme reported of
purging of gods seruants in the lyfe to come But now touching the reprobate such as for their wickednesse haue to die euerlastinglie we must Imagine that the case standeth much more hardlye for to that purpose soundeth Christs sayeing to the good wemen of Ierusalem when he was goeing to his passiō Yf they doe these things to grene vvood vvhat shalbecome of that vvhich is drye which woordes S. Peter seemeth in some parte to expōde when he sayeth Yf the Iudgement of God 〈◊〉 vvith vs vvhich are his seruāts vvhat shall the end of vvrcked men be As who wold say that in all reason their ende must be intollerable For more particular cōceauing whereof be cause the matter is of great importāce for all Christians to know it suall not be perhaps amisse to consider breeflie what the holie scriptures and auncient fathers of the Catholique ehurche directed no doubt by the holie Ghost haue reuealed vnto vs concerning this punishement And first of all to wchinge the place of punishement appointed for the dāned cōmonlie called hell the scripture in diuerse languages vseth diuerse names but all tending to expresse the greeuousnesse of punishement there suffered As in latyn it is called Infernus a place beneathe or vnder ground as most of the old fathers doe interprete But whether it be vnder ground or no most certaine it is that it is a place most opposit to heauen which is sayd to be aboue and from which lucifer was throwne downe And this name is vsed to signifie the miserable suppressing and hurling downe of the damned to be troden vnder the feet not onlie of God but also of good men for euer For so sayeth the scripture Beholde the daye of the lorde cometh burning like a fornace and all proud and vvicked men shall be stravv to that fornace and you that feare my name shall tread them dovven they shal be as burnt ashes vnder the soles of your feet in that 〈◊〉 And this shal be one of the greatest miseries that can happen to the prowde and stowte potentates of the worlde to be thrown doune with suche contēpt and to be troden vnder feet of them whome they so muche despised in this worlde The Hebrew woord whiche the scripture vseth for hell is Seol whiche fignifieth a great ditche or dungeon In whiche sense it is also called in the Apocalips lacus irae dei the lake of the wrathe of God And again Stagnum ardens igne sulphure a poole burning with fyre and brimstone In greek the scripture vseth three woordes for the same place The fyrst is Hades vsed in the gospell whiche as plutarche noteth signifieth a place where no light is The second is zophos in S. Peter which signifieth darknes it selfe In whiche sense it is called also of Iob terra tenebrosa operta mortis caligine A darke land and ouer whelmed with deadlie obscuritie Also in the gospell tenebra exteriores vtter darkness The thirde greek woorde is tartaros vsed also by S. Peter whiche woorde being deriued of the verbe tarasso which signifieth to terrifye trouble vexe importeth an horrible confusion of tormentors in that place euen as Iob sayeth of it ibi nullus ordo sed sempiternus horror inhabitat there dwelleth no order but euerlastinge horrour The chaldie woorde which is also vsed in hebrew and translated to the greke is gehenna First of all vsed by Christ for the place of them whiche are damned as S. Ierom noteth vpon the tenth chapiter of S. Mathewes gospell And this woord being compounded of gee and hinnom signifieth a valley nighe to Ierusalem called the valley of hinnom in whiche the olde Idolatrous Iewes were wont to burne alyue their owne children in the honour of the deuill and to sownd with trūpets tymprills other lowd instruments whiles they were doeinge therof that the childerens voyces and cryes might not be heard whiche place was afterward vsed also for the receipt of all filthines as of doung dead carions the like And it is moste probable that our Sauiour vsed this woorde aboue all other for hell thereby to signifie the miserable burninge of soules in that place the pitifull clamours and cries of the tormēted the confuse and barbarous no yse of the tormentors together with the moste lothesom sillthynesse of the place which is otherwise described in the scriptures by the names of adders snakes 〈◊〉 scorpions other venemouse creatures as shal be afterwards declared Hauing declared the names of this place and thereby also in some part the nature yt remaineth now that we consider what maner of paines men suffer there For declaration whereof we must note that as heauen and hell are contrary assigned to contrary persones for contrary causes so haue they in all respectes contrarye properties cōditions and effects in suche sorte as what soeuer is spoken of the felicitye of the one may serue to inferre the contrary of the other As when S. Paule sayeth that no eye hath seene nor eare heard nor hart conceaued the ioyes that God hathe prepared for them that shal be saued VVe may inferre that the payns of the damned must be as great Again when the scripture saithe that the felicitie of them in heauen is a perfect felicitie cōtaining omne bonum all goodnesse So that no one kinde of pleasure can be imagined whiche they haue not we must thinke on the contrary part that the miserie of the damned must be also a perfect miserie contayning all afflictions that may be without wanting any So that as the happines of the good is infinite and vniuersall so also is the calamitie of the wicked infinite and vniuersall Now in this lyfe all the miseries pains which fall vpon man are but particular and not vniuersall As for example we see one man pained in his eyes an other in his teeth an other in his stomak an other in his back whiche particular pains notwithstandinge some times are so extreame as lyfe is not able to resist them a man wolde not suffer thē long for the gayning of many worldes to gether But suppose now a man were tormēted in all the parts of his bodye at once as in his head his eyes his tongue his teeth his throote his stomak his bellie his back his hart his sides his thighes and in all the ioynts of his bodye besides suppose I say he were moste cruellie tormented with extreme paines in all these parts together without ease or intermission VVhat thing could be more miserable than this what sight more lamentable Yf thou shouldest see a dogge lye in the strete so afflicted I know thou couldest not but take cōpassion vpon him VVell then cōsider what difference there is betwene abydinge these pains for a week or for all eternitie in suffering them vpon a soft bedde or vpon a burning grydyron boyling fornace among a mans
number the hurtes and discontentations that daylie ensewe vpon vs from our neighboures ne calleth vs into law for our goodes an other pursueth vs for our life a third by slaūder impugueth our good name one afflicteth vs by hatred an other by enuie an other by flatterie an other by deceyte an other by reuēge an other by false witnes an other by open armes There are not so many dayes nor howres in our lyues as there are miseries and contrarieties in the same And further than this the euill hathe this prerogatiue aboue the good in our lyfe that one defect onelie ouerwhelmeth and drowneth a greate number of good things together as yf a man had all the felicities heaped together which this world could yeeld yet had but one toothe out of tune all the other pleasures wolde not make him merie Heerof you haue a cleare exāple in Aman cheefe counsailer of king Assuerus who for that Mardochaeus the Iewe dyd not ryse to him whē he went by nor dyd honour hym as other mē dyd he sayde to his wyfe freendes that all his other felicities were nothing in respect of this one afflictiō Add now to this the miserie of darkenes blindenes wherin worldlie men liue as in parte I haue touched before most fitlie prefigured by the palpable darkenes of Egypte wherin no man could see his neighboure no man could see his worke no mā could see his waie such is the darkenes wherin worldlie mē walke They haue eyes but they see not sayth Christ that is thoughe they haue eyes to see the matters of this world yet they are blinde for that they see not the things they should see in deed The children of this world are wyser in their generatiō than the childrē of light But that is onelie in matters of this world in matters of darkenes not in matters of light wherof they are no children for that the carnall man vnderstādeth not the thinges which are of God VValke ouer the world you shall finde men as sharp eyed as Egles in thinges of earthe but the same men as blinde as betles in matters of heauen heerof ensewe those lamentable effectes that we see daylie of mans lawes so carefullie respected and godes commaundementes so contemptuouslie reiected of earthlie goods sought for and heauenlie goodes not thought vpon of so muche trauayle taken for the bodye so litle care vsed for the soule Finallie yf you will see in vvhat greate blindenes the world dothe lyue remember that S. Paul cōming from a worldlinge to be a good Christain had skales taken from his eyes by Ananias whiche couered his sight before when he was in his pride and ruffe of the world Beside all these miseries there is yet an other miserie greater in some respect than the former and that is the infinite number of temptations of snares of intisementes in the world wherby men are drawen to perdition daylie Athanasius writeth of S. Anthonie the heremite that God reuealed vnto hym one daye the state of the world and he sawe it all hanged full of nettes in euery corner and deuilles sitting by to watche the same The prophet Dauid to signifie the verie same thing that is the infinite multitude of snares in this worlde sayeth God shall rayne snares vpon sinners that is God shall permit wicked men to fall into snares which are as plentyfull in the world as are the droppes of rayne which fall dovvne from heauen Euerie thing almoste is a deadly snare vnto a carnall loo se harted mā Euerie sight that he seeth euery vvoord that he heareth euery thought that he cōceaueth his youthe his age his freendes his enemies his honoure his disgrace his riches his Pouertie his compagnie keeping his prosperitie his aduersitie his meate that he eateth his apparell that he vveareth all are snares to dravve hym to destruction that is not vvatchefull Of this then and of the blyndenes declared before dothe folow the last and greatest miserie of all whiche can be in this lyfe And that is the facilitie wherby worldlie mē doe runne into sinne For truclie sayeth the scripture miseros facit populos peccatum Sinne is the thing that maketh people miserable And yet how easilie men of the worlde doe committ sinne how litle scruple they make of the matter Iob signifieth vhen talking of suche a man he sayeth bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem He suppeth vp sinne as it were water that is with as great facilitie custome and ease passeth he downe any kynde of sinne that is offered him as a man drinketh water when he is a thirst He that will not beleeue the sayeing of Iob let hym proue alitle by his owne experiēce whether the matter be so or no let hym walke owt into the streetes beholde the doeinges of men vewe their behauioure consider what is done in shoppes in halles in consistories in iudgemente seates in palaces and in common meetinge places abroade what lyeinge what slanderinge what deceyuinge there is He shall finde that of all thinges vvherof men make anye accompt nothing is so litle accounted of as to sinne He shall see iustice solde veritie vvrested shame lost and equitie despised He shall see the Innocent condemned the guiltie deliuered the vvicked aduanced the vertuous oppressed He shall see manye theeues florishe manye vsurers beare greate swaye many murderers and extorsioners reuerēced honoured many fooles putt in authoritie and diuers vvhich haue nothing in them but the forme of men by reason of money to be placed in greate dignities for the gouernmēt of others He shall heare at euerie mans mouthe almoste vanitie pride detraction enuie deceyte dissimulatiō wantōnesse dissolution lyeing swearing periurie and blaspheming Finallie he shall see the moste parte of men to gouerne them selues absolutelie euen as beastes doe by the motion of there passions not by lawe of iustice reason religion or vertue Of this dothe ensue the fiueth point that Christ toucheth in his parable and whiche I promised heere to handle to witt that the loue of this world choketh vp and strangleth euerie man whome it possesseth from all celestiall and spirituall lyfe for that it filleth hym with a playne contrarie spirite to the spirite of God The Apostle faieth Si quis spiritum Christi non habet hic non est eius Yf any man haue not the spirit of Christ this felow belongeth not vnto hym Now how contrarie the spirite of Christ and the spirite of the worlde ys maye appeare by the twelue fruites of Christs spirite reckened vpp by S. Paul vnto the Galathians to witt Charitie whiche is the roote and mother of all good woorkes Ioye in seruing God peace or tranquilitie of minde in the stormes of this worlde Patience in aduersitie Longanimitie in expecting our rewarde Bonytye in hurting noman Benignitie in sweete behauioure Gentlenes in occasion geuen of anger Faythefullnes in performing our
thou shall enioye it the next weeke or no. The holye prophet beginnyng his seuentithe and second Psalme of the daungerous prosperitie of worldlie men vseth these woordes of admiration Hovu good a God is the God of Israel vnto them that be of a ryght hart And yet in all that Psalme he dothe nothing els but shewe the heauie iustice of God towardes the wicked euen when he geueth the moste prosperities and worldlie wealth and his conclusion is beholde o Lord they shall perishe uvhich departe from thee thou hast destroyed all those that haue broken theyr faythe of vvedlocke vuith the. By which is signified that how good soeuer God be vnto the iust yet that pertayneth nothing to the releefe of the wicked whoe are to receyue iust vengeance at his handes amyddest the greatest mercies bestowed vpon the godlie The eyes of our Lorde are vpon the iust sayeth the same prophet and his eares are bent to heare their praeyers but the face of our Lord is vpon them that doe euill to destroye theyr memorie from ovvt the earthe It was an olde practise of deceyuing prophettes resisted stronglie by the prophettes of God to crye peace peace vnto wicked mē when in deed theyr was nothing towardes them but daunger swoord and destruction as the true prophetes fortolde and as the euent proued VVherfore the prophet Dauid geueth vs a notable and sure rule to gouerne our hope and confidence withall sacrificate sacrificium iustitiae sperate in domino doe you sacrifice vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnes and then trust in hym VVherwith S. Iohn agreeth when he sayeth yf our harte or conscience doe not reprehend vs for wicked lyfe then haue vve confidence vvith God as whoe wolde saye yf our conscience be guyltie of lewde and wicked lyfe and we resolued to dwell continue therin then in vaine haue we confidence in the mercyes of God vnto whose iust iudgement we stand subiect for our wickednes It is most wounderfull and dreadfull to consider how God hath vsed him selfe towardes his best beloued in this worlde vppon offence geuen by occasion of sinne how easelye he hath chaunged countenāce how soone he hath brocken of frendshype how straitlie he hath taken accompt and how seuerelye he hath punished The Angells that he created with so greate care and loue to whome he imparted so singular priuileges of all kinde of perfections as he made them almost verie goddes in a certaine maner committed but onelie one sinne of pride against his maiestie and that onelie in thought as diuines doe holde and yet presentlie all that good will and fauour was chaunged into iustice and that also so seuere as they were throwen downe to eternall tormentes without redemption chayned for euer to abyde the rigoure of hell fire and intollerable darkenes After this God made hym selfe an other newe freēde of fleshe and bloode which was our father Adam in paradise where God conuersed with hym so freendlie and familiarlie as is most wounderfull to considere he called hym he talked with hym he made all creatures in the world subiect vnto him he brought them all before hym to the ende that he and not God should geue them their names he made a mate and companion for hym he blessed them bothe and finallie shewed all possible tokens of loue that might be But what ensewed Adam cōmitted but one sinne and that at the entisement of an other and that also a sinne of small importāce as it may seeme to mans reason beyng but the eating of an aple forbidden And yet the matter was no soner done but all frendship was broken betwene God and hym he was thrust owt of paradise condemned to perpetuell miserie and all his prosperitie to eternall damnatiō together with him selfe yf he had not repented And how seuerelie this greuous sentence was executed afterwarde maye appeare by the infinite millions that went to hell for this sinne for the space of sower thousand yeres that passed before it was ransomed whiche finallie could not be done but by the cōming downe of gods owne sonne the second persone in Trinitie into this fleshe and by his intollerable sufferinges deathe in the same The two miracles of the world Moyses and Aaron were of singular authoritie and fauour with God in so muche as they coulde obtayne any thyng at his handes for other men And yet when they offended God once them selues at the waters of contradiction in the desert of Sin for that they dowted somewhat of the miracle promised to them from God and therby dyd dishonoure his maiestie before the people as he sayeth they were presentlie rebuked moste sharpelye for the same and thoghe they repented hartilye that offence and so obtayned remissiō of the fault or guilt yet was there layd vpon them a greuous punishement for the same and that was that they should not enter them selues into the land of promise but should dye when they came within the sight therof And albeit they entreated God moste earnestlie for the release of this penance yet could they neuer obtayne the same at his handes but alwayes he answered them seing you haue dishonoured me before the people you shall dye for it shall not enter into the land of promise In what speciall great fauour was Saul with God when he chose hym to be the first kyng of his people caused Samuel the prophet so muche to honour hym and to anoynt hym prince vppon gods owne inheritance as he calleth it when he commended hym so muche and tooke suche tender care ouer him An yet afterwad for that he bracke gods commaundement in reseruing certaine spoyles of warre whiche he should haue destroyed yea thoughe he reserued them to honour God withall as he pretended yet was he presentlie cast of by God degraded of his dignitie geuen ouer to the handes of an euell spirite brought to infinite miseries thoghe he shifted owt for a tyme and finallie so forsaken and abandoned by God as he slew hym selfe his sonnes were crucified on a crosse by his enemies and all his familie and linage extinguished for euer Dauid was the chosen and deare freend of God and honoured with the tytle of one that vvas according to gods ovvne hart But yet as soone as he had sinned the prophet Nathan was sent to denounce gods heauie displeasure and punishement vpon hym And so it ensued not withstanding his greate and voluntarie penance that him selfe added for the pacifieing of gods wrathe by fasting prayer weeping wearing of sacke eating of ashes the lyke By which is euident that how great gods mercie is to the that feare hym so great is his iustice to them that offend hym The scripture hath infinite examples of this matter as the reiection of Cain and his posteritie streight vpon his murder The pitifull drowning of the whole worlde in
vsed according to his desertes The thyrd reason is for that the custome of sinne whiche hath continued all the life long can not be remoued vpon the instaÌ„t beinge growen into nature it selfe as it vvere For vvhiche cause God sayeth to euill meÌ„ by the prophet Ieremie yf an Ethiopian can chaunge his black skynne or a leoparde hys spottes that are on his backe then can you also doe vvell hauing learned all dayes of your life to doe euill The fovverth cause is for that the actes of vertue them selues can not be of so greate value vvith God in that instant as yf they had bene done in time of healthe before For vvhat greate matter is yt for example sake to pardone thy enemies at that tyme vvhen thovv canst hurt them no more to geue thy goodes avvaye vvheÌ„ thovv cannest vse them no more to abandon thy concubine vvhen thovv cannest keepe her no longer to leaue of to sinne vvhen sinne must leaue thee All theese thinges are good and holie and to be done by him vvhiche is in that last state but yet they are of no suche value as othervvise they vvolde be by reason of this circumstance of time vvhiche I haue shevved Theese are the reasons vvhie the holie fathers and doctors of Christ his church doe speake so dovvtfullie of this last conuersion not for any vvant on gods parte but on theirs vvhiche are to doe that great acte I might heere alleage greate store of authorities for this purpose But one place of S. Austen shall serue for all Thus then he vvriteth of this matter in a certaine homilie of his If a man haue done penance truelie do dye being absolued from the bondes wherwith he was tyed and seperated from the bodie of Christ he goeth to God he goeth to reste But yf a man in the extreeme necessitie of his sicknenesse doe desire to receyuo penaÌ„ce and doe 〈◊〉 it and doe passe hence reconciled I confesse vnto you that we doe not denye hym that whiche he demaundeth but yet we presume not that he goeth hence in good case I doe not presume I tell you playnelie I doe not presume A faythefull man that hathe lyued well goeth awaye securelie He that dyeth the same howre he was baptized goeth hence securelie He that is reconciled in his healthe and doeth penance and afterwarde I yueth well goeth heÌ„ce securelie But he that is reconciled and doeth penance at the last cast I am not secure that he goeth hence securelie VVhere I am secure I doe tell you and doe geue securitie And where I am not secure I may geue penaÌ„ce but I can geue no securitie But heere perhappes some man will saye to me good pryest yf you knowe not in what state a man goeth hence nor can not geue securitie that he is saued to whome penance was assigned at his death teache vs I beseeche you how we must lyue after our conuersion and penance I saye vnto you abstayne from dronkennesse from coÌ„cupiscence of the fleshe from thefte from muche babling from immoderate laughter from ydle woordes for whiche men are to geue account in the daye of iudgemeÌ„t Loe how small thinges I haue named in youre sight But yet all these are great matters and peftilent to those which coÌ„mit them But yet I tell you further a man muste not onelie at staine from these vices and the lyke after penance but also before when he is in healthe For yf he dryue it of to the last ende of his lyfe he can not tell whether he shal be able to receyue penaÌ„ce and to confesse his sinnes to God and to the pryest or no. Beholde the cause why I sayd vnto you that a man should lyue well before penance and after penance better Marke well what I saye perhappes it shall be needfull to expounde my meaning more plainlie leste any man mistake me VVhat say I then that this man whiche repenteth at the ende shal be damhed I doe not say so VVhat theÌ„ Doe I saye he shal be saued no. VVhat theÌ„ doe I saye I say I know not I say I preâ—…me not I promise not I know not VVilt thow deliuer thy selfe foorthe of this dowte wilt thow escape this daungerous and vncertaine point doe penance then whiles thow art hole For yf thow doe penance while thow art in healthe and the last day chaunce to come vpon thee runne presentlie to be recoÌ„ciled and so doeinge thow art safe And whie art thow safe for that thow diddest penance in that tyme wherein thow myghtest haue finned But yf thow wilt doe penance then wheÌ„ thow cannest sinne no longer thow leauest not sinne but sinne leaueth thee But you will saye to me how knowest thow whether God will forgeue a mans sinnes at the last howre or no you say well I know it not For yf I knewe that penance wold not profit a man at the last howre I wolde not geue yt hym Agayne yf I knewe that it wold deliuer him I wolde not warne you I wolde not terrifye you as I doe Two thinges there are in this matter ether God perdoneth a man doeing penance at the howre of deathe or he doeth not pardone him VVhiche of these two shal be I know not wherfore if thow be wise take that whiche is certaine and let goe the vncertaine Hitherto are S. Austens woordes of the dowtfull case of those whiche doe penance at the last daye And heere now wolde I haue the carefull Christian to consider with me but this one comparison that I will make If those whiche repent and doe suche penaÌ„ce as they may at the last daye doe passe hence notwithstaÌ„ding in suche daungerous dowtfullnes as S. Austen sheweth what shall we thinke of all those whiche lacke ether timeÌ„ or abilitie or will or place or meanes or grace to doe any penance at all at that howre what shall we saye of all those whiche are cutt of before whiche dye suddenlie whiche are stricken dumme or deafe or senseles or frentike as we see manye are what shall we saye of those which are abandoned by God left vnto vice euen vnto the last breathe in theyr bodie I haue shewed before owte of S. Paul that ordinarilie sinners dye according as they liue So that it is a priuilege for a wicked man to doe penance at his deathe And then yf his penance when it is done be so dowtfull as S. Austen hath declared what a pitifull case are all other in I meane the more parte whiche repent not at all but dye as they liued and are forsaken of God in that extremitie according as he promiseth when he sayeth for that I haue called you and you haue refused to come for that I haue held owt my hande and none of you wolde vouch safe to looke towardes me I will laughe also at your destructioÌ„ when anguyshe and calamitie cometh on you You shall call vppon me and I will not heare you shall ryse
spirite religion or deuotion in their 〈◊〉 onelie they will haue men eate drinke be merie with them tell newes of the courte and affayres abrode sing daunce laugh and playe at cardes and so passe ouer this lyfe in lesse cōsideration of God than the very heathens did And hath not the scripture reason then in sayeing that these men in their hartes and woorkes are Atheistes yes 〈◊〉 And yt may be proued by many rules of Christ. As for example this is one rule sett downe by hym selfe By their fruites yee shall knovv thē For suche as the tree ys within suche is the fruit whiche that tree sendethe foorthe Agayne the mouthe speakethe from the abundance of the harte and consequentlie seeing their talke is nothing but of worldlie vanities yt is a signe there is nothing in their harte but that And then yt foloweth also by a third rule vvhere the treasure is there is the harte and so seeing their hartes are onelie sett vppon the world the world is their onelie treasure and not God And consequentelie they preferre that before God as in deed Atheistes This impedimente reacheth farre and wyde at this daye and infinite are the men which are intangled therwith and the causes therof are two especiallie The first is heresye which by mouing many questions and dowts wearyeth out a mans witt in the ende brinheth hym to care for no parte but rather to contemne all The second is inordinate loue of the world which bringeth mē to hate god and to conceyue enemytie against hym as the Apostle sayeth and therfore no maruayle thoghe in deed they nether beleeue nor delite in hym And of all other men these are the hardest to be reclaymed and brought to any resolution of amendement for that they are insensible and beside that doe also flye all meanes whereby they may be cured For as there were small hope to be cōceyued of that patient which being greuouslie sicke should nether feele his disease nor beleeue that he were distempered nor abide to heare of phisick or phisitiō nor accept of anie coūsail that should be offered nor admitt any talke or cōsultation about his curing so theese men are in more daungerous estate thā anie other for that they know not their owne daunger but persuading them selues to be more wyse thā their neigbours doe remoue from their cogitations all things wherby theyr healthe might be procured The onelie waye to doe theese men good if there be any waye at all is to make them know that they are sicke and in great daunger whiche in our case may be done best as it seemeth to me by geuing them to vnderstād how farre they are of from any one peece of true Christianitie and consequentlie from all hope of saluation that may be had therby God requireth at our handes that we should loue hym and serue hym vvith all our harte vvith all our soule and vvith all our streengthe These are the prescript woo des of god sett downe bothe in the olde and new law And how farre I praye the are these men of from this whiche employe not the halfe of theyr harte nor the halfe of theyr soule nor the haife of theyr strengthe in gods seruice nay not the least part therof God requireth at our handes that we should make his lawes and preceptes our studie and cogitatiōs that we should thinke of thē cōtinuallie meditate vpon them bothe day and night at home and abrode early late when we go to bedde and when we rise in the morning this is his commaundement there is no dispensation therin But how farre are these mē from this whiche bestowe not the third parte of theyr thoughtes vppon this matter no not the hundreth parte nor scarse once in a yeare do talke therof can these men saye they are Christians or that they beleeue in god Christ making the estimate of things in this lyfe pronounced this sentence Vnum est necessarium one onelie thing is necessarie or of necessitie in this world meaning the diligent and carefull seruice of God These mē finde many things necessarie beside this one thing and this nothing necessarie at all How farre doe they differ then in iudgemente from Christ Christes Apostle sayeth that a Christian must nether loue the vvorld nor any thing in the vvorld These men loue nothinge els but that whiche is of the world he sayeth That vvho soeuer is a freend to the vvorld is an enemie to Christ These men are enemies to who soeuer is not a freer de to the worlde How then can these men holde of Christ Christ sayeth vve should praye still These men praye neuer Christs Apostie saieth that couetousnes 〈◊〉 or scurrilitie should not be so muche as once named amonge Christians these men haue no other talke but suche Finallie the whole course and canon of scripture runneth that Christians should be attenti vigilantes soliciti instantes feruentes persouerantes sine intermissione That is attent vigilant carefull instant feruent and perseuerant without intermission in the seruice of God but these men haue no one of these pointes nor any one degree of any one of these pointes but I euerie one the cleane cōtrarie For they are nether attent to those things whiche appertaine vnto God nor vigilant nor solicitouse nor carefull and much lesse instant and feruent and least of all perseuerant without intermissiō for that they neuer beginne But on the contrarie side they are careles negligent lumpishe remisse key colde peruerse contemning and despising yea loothing and abhorringe all matters that appertaine to the mortifieing of them selues and true seruice of God VVhat parte haue these men then in the lott and portion of Christiās beside onelie the bare name whiche profiteth nothing And this is sufficient te shew how great and dangerous an impediment this careles senseles and supine negligence is to the resolution wherof we entreate For yf Christ require to the perfection of this resolution that who soeuer once espyeth owt the treasure hidden in the fyeld that is the kyngdome of heauen and the right waye to gayne it he should presently goe and sell all that he hathe and bye that fyeld that is he should preferre the pursute of this kyngdome of heauen before all the cōmodities of this lyfe what soeuer and rather venture them all than to omitt this treasure yf Christ I saye require this as he doeth when will those men euer be brought to this point which will not geue the least parte of their goodes to purchase that fyeld nor goe foorth of dore to treate the byeinge therof nor will so muche as think or talke of the same nor allow of him whiche shall offer the meanes and wayes to compasse it VVherfore who soeuer findeth hym selfe in this disease I wolde counsaile him to reade some chapiters of the first parte of this booke
resisting and impugning the same Agayne uon obduretur quis ex vobis fallacia peccati Lett no man be hard harted among you throughe the deceit of sinne The prophet Dauid also crieth hodie si vocem eius audieritis nolite obdurare corda vestra Euen this daye if you heare the voyce of God calling you to repentance see you harden not your hartes against hym All whiche earnest speeches vsed by gods holie spirite doe geue vs to vnderstand how carefullie we haue to flie this moste pestilent infection of a hard hart whiche allmightie God of his mercie geue vs grace to doe and indue vs with a tender hart towardes the full obodience of his diuine Maiestie suche a soft hart I saye as the wise man desired when he sayd to God Da seruo tuo cor docile Geue vnto me thy seruant o lord a hart that is docible and tractable to be instructed suche a hart as God hym selfe describeth to be in all them whom he loueth sayeing ad quem respiciam nisi ad pauper culum contritum corde timētem sermones meos To whome will I haue regarde or shew my fauour but vnto the poore and humble of hart vnto the contrite spirit to suche as tremblethe at my speeches Beholde deare brother what a hart God requireth at thy handes A litle poore and humble hart for so muche importeth the diminitiue pauperculus Also a contrite hart for thy offences past and a hart that trembleth at euerie woord that cometh to thee from God by his ministers How then wilt thow not feare at so many woordes whole discourses as haue bene vsed before for thy a-wakening for openyng thy perill for styrring the to amendement how wilt thou not feare the threates and iudgementes of this great Lord for thy sinnes how wilt thou dare to proceede any further in his displeasure howe wilt thou deferre this resolution any longer surelie the least parte of that which hathe bene sayde might suffice to moue a tender hart an humble and contrite spirite to present resolution and earnest amendement of lyfe But yf all together can not moue thee to doe the same I can saye no more but that thou hast a verie hard hart in deede whiche I beseeche our heauenlye father to soften for thy saluation with the pretious hoate bloode of his onelie sonne our sauiour who was content to shedde it for that effect vpon the crosse And thus now hauing sayd so muche as time permitted me concernynge the fyrst generall point required at our handes for our saluation that is concerning resolution appointed by my diuisiō in the beginning to be the subiect or matter of this first booke I will ende heere deferring for a tyme the perfor mance of my purpose for the other two bookes vpon the causes and reasons sett downe in an aduertisement to the reader at the verie first entrance vnto this booke nothinge dowtynge but yf God shall vouchesafe to woorke in any mans hart by meanes of this booke or otherwise this first point of resolution the moste hard of all other then will he also geue meanes to perfite the worke begunne of hym selfe and will supplie by other wayes the two pointes foloweing that is bothe right beginning and constant perseuerance wherunto my other two bookes promised are appointed It will not be hard for hym that were once resolued to fynde helpers and instructours enoughe beside the holye ghoste whiche in this case will alwayes be at hāde there want not good bookes and better men God be glorified for it in our owne countrie at this daye whiche are well able to guyde a zealous spirite in the right way to vertue and yet as I haue promised before so meane I by gods most holie helpe and assistāce to send thee gentle reader as my time and habilitie will permitt the other two bookes also especiallie yf it shall please his diuine Maiestie to comforte me therunto with the gayne or good of any one soule by this whiche is alredie done that is yf I shall conceiue or hope that any one scule so dearlie purchased by the pretiouse bloode of the sonne of God shal be moued to resolutiō by any thing that is here sayd that is shal be reclamed 〈◊〉 the bondage of sinne and restored to the seruice of our maker and redemer whiche is the onelie ende of my writing as his maiestie best knoweth And surelie gentle reader thoughe I must confesse that muche more might be sayde for this point of resolution than is heere touched by me or than anye man can well vtter in any competent kinde of booke or volume yet am I of opinion that ether these reasons heere alleaged are sufficient or els nothing will suffice for the cōquering of our obstinacie and beating downe of our rebellious disobedience in this pointe Heere thou mayest see the principall argumentes inducing thee to the seruice of God and detestation of vice Heere thou may est see the cause and ende whye thou was created the occasion of thy cōming hyther the things required at thy handes in particular the account that will be demaunded of thee the iustice and seueritie of God therein his goodnes towardes thee his wachefullnes ouer thee his desire to wynne thee his rewarde yf thou doe well his infinite punishement yf thou doe euill his calles his baytes his allurementes to saue thee And on the contrarie parte heere are discouered vnto thee the vanities and deceytes of those impedimentes hynderances or excuses whiche any waye might lett staye or discourage thy resolution the faigned diffyculties of vertuous lyfe are remoued the conceyted feares of gods seruice are taken awaye the alluringe slatteryes of worldlie vanitie are opened the foolyshe presumption vpon gods mercye the daunger of delaye the dissimulation of slothe the desperate perill of careles and stony hartes are declared VVhat then wilt thou desire more to moue thee what further argument wilt thou expect to drawe the from vice and wickednes than all this is If all this styrre the not what will stirro thee gentle reader yf when thou hast read this thou laye downe the booke againe and walke on in thy careles lyfe as quietlye as before what hope I beseeche thee maye there be conceiued of thy saluation wilt thou goe to heauen liuing as thow doest it is impossible as soone thow maiest driue God owt of heauen as gett thither thy selfe by this kind of lyfe VVhat then wilt thow forgoe heauen and yet escape hell too this is lesse possible what soeuer the Atheistes of this world doe persuade thee VVilt thow perhappes deferre the matter and think of yt heerafter I haue tolde thee my opinion heerof before Thou shalt neuer haue more abilitie to doe it than now and perhappes neuer halfe so muche If thou refuse it now I maye greatlie feare that thou wilt be refused hereafter thy selfe There is no waye then so good deare brother as to doe it
no more neede now of feare of wache of labour or of care Thou maiest lay downe all armoure now as the children of Israel dyd when they came into the land of promisse for there is no more enemie to assaile thee there is no more wyelie serpēt to beguile thee all is peace all is rest all is ioye all is securitie Good S. Paul hathe no more neede now to fast to wache to punishe his bodie Good olde Ierome may now cease to afflict hym selfe bothe night daye for the conquering of his spirituall enemie Thy onelie exercise must be now to reioyse to triumphe to sing alleluya to the Lambe whiche hathe brought the to this felicitie will keepe thee in the same worlde without end VVhat a comfort will it be to see that lambe sittinge on his seat of state yf the three wise men of the East came so farre of and so reioysed to see hym lyeing in a Manger what will it be to see hym sitting in his glorie If S. Iohn Baptist dyd leape at his presence in his mothers belly what shall his presence doe in this his royall and eternall kingdome It passeth all other glorie that saintes haue in heauen sayeth S. Austen to be admitted to the inestimable sight of Christ his face and to receaue the beames of glorie from the splendoure of his maiestie And yf we were to suffer tormentes euerie day yea to tolerate the verie paines of hell for a time therbye to gayne the sight of Christ and to be ioyned in glorie to the number of his saintes it were nothing in respect of the rewarde O that we made suche accompt of this matter as this holie and learned man dyd we wolde not lyue as we doe nor leese the same for suche tryfles as moste men doe But to goo forwarde yet further in this consideration Imagine besides all this what a ioye it shall be vnto thy soule at that daye to meet with all her godlie freendes in heauen with father with mother with brothers with sisters with wyfe with husband with maister with scholares with neyghboures with familiares with kynred with acquayntance the welcomes the myrthe the sweete embracementes that shall be there the ioye whereof as noteth well S. Cyprian shal be vnspeakable Add to this the dalye feasting and inestimable triumphe whiche shal be there at the ariuall of new bretheren and sisters coming thither from time to time with the spoyles of their enemies conquered and vanquyshed in this world O what a cōfortable sight will it be to see those seates of Angells fallen filled vpp agayne with men wemen from day to day to see the crownes of glorie sett vpon their heades and that in varietie according to the varietie of their cōquestes One for martyrdome or confession against the persecutor an other for virginitie or chastitie against the flesh an other for pouertie or humilitie against the world an other for many conquestes together against the deuill There the gloriouse quyar of Apo stles sayeth holie Cyprian there the number of reioysing prophets there the innumerable multitude of Martyrs shall receyue the crounes of their deathes and sufferinges There triumphing virgines which haue ouercome concupiscence with the strengthe of continencie there the good aulmners whiche haue liberallie fedd the poore and keping goddes commaundements haue transferred their earthly riches to the storehowse of heauen shall receaue their due and peculiar rewarde O how shall vertue shew her selfe at this daye how shall good deedes content their doers And among all other ioyes and contentations this shall not be the least to see the poore soules that come thither at a iumpe ether from the miserie of this lyfe or from the torments of the purging fyre how they I saie shall remayne astonished as it were beside them selues at the suddain mutation and excessiue honour donne vnto them If a poore man that were out of his waye wanderinge alone in a durtie lane in the myddest of a darke and tempestuous night farre from companie destitute of money beaten with rayne terrified with thunder styffe with colde wearied out with labour almost famished with hungre and thurst and neare brought to despare with multitude of miseries should vpō the suddain in the twinkling of an eye be placed in a goodlie large and riche palace furnished with all kynde of cleare lightes warme fyre sweete smelles dayntie meates soft beddes pleasant musike fine apparell and honorable cōpanie all prepared for hym and attending his cōmyng to serue hym to honour hym and to annoynt and crowne hym a king for euer what wold this poore man doe how wolde he looke what could he saye surelie I think he could saye nothing but rather wolde weepe in silence for ioye his hart being not able to contayne the suddain and exceeding greatnesse thereof VVell then so shall it be and much more with these twyse happie sowles that come to heauē For neuer was there colde shadow so pleasant in a hoate burning sunnye daye nor the welspring to the poore trauailer in his greatest thirst of the sommer nor the repose of an easy bedde to the wearīed seruat after his labour at night as shal be this rest of heauen to an afflicted sowle whiche cometh thither O that we could conceaue this that we could imprint this in our hartes deare brother VVold we folow vanities as we doe wold we neglect this matter as we doe Surelye our coldenes in purchasing these ioyes doeth procede of the smale opinion we doe conceaue of them For yf we made suche account and estimate of this Iewell as other marchāts before vs more skilfull wyser than our selues haue done we wolde bydde for it as they dyd or at leastwyse wolde not lett it passe so negligent ie whiche they sought after so carefullye S. Paul sayeth of Christ hym selfe propofito 〈◊〉 gaudio sustinuit crucem He layinge before hys eyes the ioyes of heauen susteined the crosse A great est imation of the matter whiche he wolde buye at so deare a rate But what counsayle geueth he to other men about the same surelie none other but to goe and sell all that euer they haue to purchase this treasure S. Paul of him selfe what sayeth he verilie that he esteemed all the uvorld as Doung in respect of the purchasing of this Lewell S. Pauls scholar Ignatius what byddeth he heare his own woordes Fire galowes beasts breaking of my bones quartering of my members crusshing of my bodye all the tormētes of the deuill together lett them come vpon me so I may enioye this treasure of heauen S. Austen that learned byshop what offereth he you haue now heard before that he wolde be cōtēt to suffer tormētes euery day yea the very tormēts of hel it selfe to gaine this ioye Good Lord how farre dyd these holy Saints differ frō vs how cōtrarye were their iudgemētes to
oures in these matters whoe will now maruayle of the wisdome of the world iudged folie by God and of the wysdome of god iudged foly by the worlde Oh children of men sayeth the prophet vvhy doe ye loue vanitie and seeke after a lye why doe you embrace strawe cōtemne golde strawe I say and most vile chaffe and such as finally will set your own howse on fyre be your ruyne and eternall perdition But now to drawe towardes an end in this matter though there be no end in the thing it selfe lett the Christian consider wherto he is borne and whereof he is in possibilitie yf he will He is borne heyre apparet to the kyngdome of heauen a kyngdome without end a kyngdome without measure a kingdome of blysse the kyngdome of God him selfe he is borne to be ioynt heyre with Iesus Christ the sonne of God to raigne with hym to triumph with hym to sitt in Iudgement of Maiestie with hym to iudge the very Angeles of heauē with hym VVhat more glorie can be thought vpon except it were to become God hym selfe All the ioyes all the riches all the glorie that heauen contayneth shall be poured out vppon hym And to make this honour yet more the gloriouse lambe that sitteth on the throne of Maiestie with his eyes lyke fyre his feet lyke burning copper and all his face more shynyng than preciouse stone from whose seat there procedeth thunder and lightening without end and at whose feet the fower twētie elders lay downe their erownes this lambe I say shall ryse and honour him with his own seruice VVhoe will not esteeme of this royall inheritance especiallie seing the gayning therof by the benefit of our redemption and grace pnrchased to vs therin is brought novv to be in our own handes The kyngdome of heauen suffereth violence sayeth Christ and men lay handes now on it by force That is by force of gods couenāt made with Christians that lyuing vertuouslre they shall haue the same VVhat soeuer Christian then doeth good woorkes and lyueth vertuouslie taketh heauen by force as it were and by violence The matter is put in the power of the doer sayeth S. Austen for that the kyngdome of heauen suffereth violence This thing o man that is the kingdome of heauen requireth no other price but thy selfe yt is so muche vvoorthe as thou art vvoorthe geue thy selfe and thou shalt haue it By whiche he signifieth that euery man how poore or needye soeuer he be in this world may gayne this ā heritāce to him selfe may make hym selfe a prince a king a Monarche yf he will euen the moanest and miserablest man in the wourlde O wunderfull bountie and liberalitie of our Sauiour o princelie hart and vnspeakable mercie o incredible prodigalitie as I may saye of God in treasures so inestimable as are his infinite and endlesse riches Tell me now gentle reade why wilt thou not accept of this his offer why wilt thou not account of this his kyngdome why wilt thou not buye this glorie of hym for so litle a labour as he requireth Suadeo tibi emere a me aurum ignitum probatum vt locuples fies sayeth Christ. I counsaile the to buye pure and tried golde of me to the end thou mayest be riche VVhy wilt thou not folow this counsaile deare brother sepecialie of a marchāt that meaneth not to deceaue thee Nothing greeueth this our Sauiour more than that men will seek with such paynes to buy straw in Egypt whereas he wolde sell them fyne gold at a lower price and that they will purchase pudle water with more labour than he wolde require for ten tymes as muche pure liquor out of the verie sontaine it selfe There is not the whickedest man in the world but taketh more trauaile in gayning of hell as after shall be shewed than the moste paynfull seruant of God in purchasing of heauen Folow thow not their folie then deare brother for thow shalt see them doe heauy penance for it one day when thy harte shal be full glad thow hast no parte among them Let them goe now and bestow their time in vanitie in pleasures in delites of the world Lett them buyld palaces purchase dignities add peeces and paches of ground together let them hunt after honours and buyld castells in the ayer the daye will come yf thow beleeue Christ hym selfe wherin thow shalt haue small cause to enuye their felicitie Yf they talke baselie of the glorie and riches of Saintes in heauē not esteeming them in deede in respect of their owne or contemnyng them for that carnall pleasures are not reckonned therein make litle account of theyr woordes For that the sensuall man vnderstandeth not the things vvhiche are of God Yf horses were promised by their maisters a good banquet they could imagin nothing els but prouander and water to be their best cheere for that they haue no know lege of dayntier dishes so these men accustomed to the pudle of their fleshlie pleasures can mount with their mynde no higher than the same But I haue shewed thee before gentle reader some wayes and considerations to conceaue greater matters albeit as I haue aduertised the often we must confesse still with S. Paul that no humaine hart can conceaue the least parte therof for whiche cause also it is not vnlike that S. Paul him selfe was forbidden to vtter the thinges whiche he had seene and heard in his miraculouse assumption vnto the third heauen To conclude then this game and gole is sett vpp for them that will runne as S. Paul noteth and no man is crowned in this glorie but suche onelie as will fight as the same Apostle teacheth It is not euerie one that sayeth to Christ lord lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but they onelie which shall doe the will of Christ his father in heauē Thoughe this kingdome of Christ be sett out to all yet euerye man shall not come to raigne with Christ but such onelie as shal be contēt to suffer with Christ. Thoughe the kingdome of heauen be subiect to violence yet no man can enter there by force but he onelie whose good deedes goe with hym to helpe open the gates that is except he enter vvithout spott and hathe vvroght iustice as the prophet testifyeth My meaning is that as I haue shewed the greatnesse and woorthynesse of this treasure gentle reader so thow shouldest also conceaue the right way of gayning the same whiche is no other but onelie by holie and vertuouse lyfe as God hym selfe hathe assured the. Thow art therfore to sitt downe and consider according to thy Sauiours counsaile what thou wilt doe whether thow haue so muche spirituall money as is sufficient to buyld this tower and make this warre