worlde for his sake shall receaue an hundreth fold heere and shall inherite euerlasting life Behold therefore my brother what an excellent good it is that hetherto I haue shewed thee behold to what I inuite thee consider whether any will say that thou art deceaued if for the loue of it thou shalt forsake the world and all things which are therein Onely one inconuenience this good hath if so that it may be called an incoÌ„uenience why it is not esteemed amongst wicked men that is because it is not knowen vnto them For this cause our Sauiour said That the kingdome of heauen was like vnto a treasure hid for this good is indeede a treasure but hid not to these that possesse it but to others That Prophet very well knew of the price of this treasure who said My secret to my selfe my secret to my selfe Hee regarded not whether others knew of his treasure or no for this good is not of the nature of other goods which are not good vnlesse they be known of others vvherefore they are not good of themselues but only in the estimation of the world and therefore it is necessarie that they be knowen vnto him of whom they are so called But thys good maketh his possesser good and happy and doth noe lesse warme heate his hart when he knoweth of it alone then when the whole world knoweth it But my tongue is not the key of the Casket of this secret and much lesse of all those things which hetherto haue been spoken for whatsoeuer mans tongue can vtter is much lesse theÌ„ the truth of the thing it selfe The Diuine light experience and vse is the key of vertues I would that thou shouldest desire thys key of GOD that thou mayst finde this treasure yea God himselfe in whoÌ„ thou shalt finde all things and thou shalt see with what great reason the Prophet said Blessed is the people whose GOD the Lorde is For what can be wanting vnto him who possesseth this good It is written in the bookes of the Kings that Elcana the Father of Samuell said to his wife sorrowing because shee vvas barren and had no chyldren Anna why weepest thou and why catest thou not and why is thine hart troubled Am not I better to thee then tenne sonnes If a good husband who is to day and to morrow is not be better to his wife then tenne sonnes what thinkest thou of God what will hee be to that soule that possesseth him O men what doe ye whether looke ye what doe ye regard why doe ye leaue the fountaine of Paradice drinke of the muddy Cesterns of thys world Why doe ye not follow the good counsaile of the Prophet who saith O tast see how gracious and sweet the Lord is Why doe we not once assay thys Fourd why doe wee not once tast of these bankets Haue trust to the words of the Lord and beginne and he shal deliuer thee from all danger Terrible and fearefull seemed that Serpent a farre off into which Moses rodde was turned but when it was handled it returned to the old forme againe Not without cause saide Salomon It is naught it is naught saith he that buyâ—th but when hee commeth to his owne house then hee boasteth of his penny-worth Thys hapneth daily to men in this busines For not knowing at the beginning the value of this merchandize because they theÌ„selues are not spirituall neither know they of what esteeme it is and vnderstanding what is requested for it because they are carnall they thinke it is too deere and not worth the price But when they once beginne to tast how sweet the Lord is foorthwith they boast of their merchandize and they confesse that no price is too high or too much to be giuen for this incomparable good Consider how the Merchant in the Gospel cheerfully sold all that he had that he might buy the field in which the treasure was hid Therfore for what cause doth not a Christian man this name being heard contend to know what it is Certainly it is a matter of wonder if any tatler or tale-bearer should tell thee that in thy house there is treasure hidde thou wouldest not rest to digge and delue and to seeke and try whether it were true or no that hee had said But when the Lorde himselfe affirmeth that within thee in thy soule thou hast an inestimable treasure hid canst thou not be brought to seek for it O how soone shouldest thou sinde this treasure if thou onelie knewest how nigh the Lord is vnto them that call vpon him in truth How many men haue their beene in this world vvho considering of their sinnes and perseuering in prayer and desiring remission of them haue in lesse time then a weeke opened the earth or that I may speake better haue found a new heauen and a newe earth and haue begunne to feele in them the kingdome of God How great is it which that Lord doth who saith At what tyme soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes I will put them out of my remembrance How great was that which that good Father did who scarcely that short prayer of the Prodigall beeing ended could no longer containe himselfe but he must needes embrace him and receaue him into his house with great mirth and feasting Returne therefore my brother to thys gracious fauourable Father and whilst it is time lift vp thy hart vnto him and cease not for some fewe dayes vncessantly to call and knock at the gates of his mercy and assuredly beleeue mee if thou shalt perseuer with humilitie at the length the Lord shall make aunswere vnto thee and shall show thee the hid treasure of his loue which when thou shalt haue tasted and assaied thou wilt say with the Spouse in the Canticles If a man woulde giue all the good of his house for loue he should count it nothing The end of the second part THE THIRD PART OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which aunswere is made to all those excuses by which those men are wont to excuse and defend themselues who will not embrace Vertue Against the first excuse of those who deferre and put off from day to day the amendment of their lifes and the embracing of Vertue CHAP. XXV I Thinke that no man can deny but that those things are sufficient which hetherto haue beene spoken of vs yea and that they sufficientlie and plentifully doe approoue our principall purpose and intent which wee promised at the beginning to discourse aâ—d dispute of That is that we might moue the harts of men Gods grace being first presupposed to the loue and study of Vertue But although we may be thought to haue satisfied and performed our promise yet the malitiousnes of men haue excuses which haue a show of truth by which they defend their lingering and loytering negligence and still comfort and please themselues in their wickednes as Ecclesiasticus intimateth and insinuateth
come let vs rayse and stirre vp our selues before we be ouer-taken before that great day of the Lord come and appeare of which the Prophet sayth Behold it commeth and who shall endure it Or who shall abide the day of his comming That is a feareful day of hurly burly and of darknes But thou wilt say Howe then may I escape these foresaide euils I will tell thee not onely keepe thy body pure and vnspotted but when thou hast suffered iniurie do good for it if thou beest accused be thou patient When thou doost fast be not boasting of it for fasts are not commended for abstayning from meate but for abstayning from sinne Search the Scriptures see how first the Prophet seeth a Hasill-wand and afterwards a burning Cauldron demonstrating vnto vs that the fire doth consume those that doe not beare the chastisement and correction of the rodde So by Moses the pyllar of fire showed that they that obserue the law receiue the light but the disobedient receiue fire Reade the Scriptures of our Sauiour and learne howe that when we goe hence thether no body can helpe vs. The brother shall not redeeme the brother from endlesse torments nor the friend hys friend nor the parents their children nor the children their parents And what doe I speake of myserable men when as if Noe Iob and Daniel come they cannot intreate the Iudge But thou wilt say Whence may I know this to be true Looke vppon him that hauing not his wedding garment was excluded and none intreating for him Looke vppon him that had the talent committed vnto him and dyd not increase it and how for him no body intreateth Looke vpon the fiue Virgins shutte foorth neyther the other fiue intreateth for them which also Christ calleth foolish because after they had troden pleasures vnder theyr feete after they had cooled the fornace of concupiscence then they were found fooles and not without cause because they obseruing that great dutie of Virginitie dyd not keepe that small commaundement of Humilitie Looke vpon the Iudge in the day of iudgement placing the Sheepe on hys right hand and the vnprofitable Goates on his left and saying to those on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father receaue a kingdome prepared for you But those on his left hand to be cast into vtter darknesse and that no body dooth helpe and succour them being cast out For it is a true speech Behold the man and his worke Thou hast heard how Diues neuer pittying Lazarus was tormented with flames desired a droppe of water Thou knowest how that Abraham himselfe could not ease his paines although he desired and beseeched him Therefore heereafter we regarding and respecting our selues before we are confounded and vtterly cast downe let vs giue the glory to God It is better here that thy tongue should be dried vp through fasting then to keepe it moyst and there to desire that moysture which being denied is eternall paine Heere with small labour wee may auoide great torments And if we be so delicate and tender in this life that we can not suffer patiently a feauer of three dayes how shall we in the life to come be able to suffer euerlasting fire If wee doe feare the sentence of death pronounced of an earthly Iudge which taketh only from vs life of a few yeres why doe we not feare the sentence of this Iudge which depriueth vs vtterly of an eternall life If we are terrified seeing the execution of some horrible punishment which in this world is inflicted vpon some malefactour when wee see the Sargiants with the Hang-man to draw the malefactour to punishment to beate him to hang and quarter him or to burne him Yet all these are rather solaces then sorrowes if they be compared with the punishments to come For these torments are ended together with life but there neyther the worme shall dye nor the tormenter shall be wearied nor the fire shall euer be extinguished In so much that if all things which thou shalt compare with this punishment be fire be sword be beasts be what torment thou wilt yet it is a sleepe and a shadow in comparison of this But what will the condemned doe when they see themselues depriued of so great a good and condemned to so great misery What will they doe What will they say How will they breathe And all these in vaine For after the ship is drowned the Saylers are for no vse neyther is a Phisition profitable when the diseased dye Then although too late they shall disclaime their errours and say this was to be done and this not Although we often haue beene admonished yet we haue not obeyed Then the Iewes at the length shall acknowledge him that commeth in the name of the Lord but this too late knowledge shall nothing profit them For there shall be no time O vs wretched and miserable what shall we bring for our excuse in that day when as heauen the earth the Sunne the Moone the day and the night with all things that are in the world shall accuse vs and shall cry out for reuengement vpon vs bearing witnes of our euils Yea if all should hold their peace yet our owne conscience would lift vp her voyce against vs and accuse vs. All these things are out of Saint Chrisostome by which it is manifest how greatly hee shall be striken with a vehement feare who shall come vnprepared to this sentence This same Saint Ambrose feared when he sayth woe vnto me if I shall not rise at midnight to confesse and prayse thee ô Lord. Woe to me if I shall deale craftily with my neighbour Woe vnto me if I shall not speake the truth The axe is layde to the roote of the tree let it bring forth those fruites of grace which it should of repentance The Lord is at hand that requireth fruite hee giueth life to the fruitfull but casteth the barren into the fire THE NINTH TITLE That man is bound to the exercise of Vertue by reason of the third last thing that happeneth vnto him which is the glory of Heauen CHAP. IX EVery one of those things which hetherto wee haue spoken of by very good reason ought to haue sufficient force to inflame our minds with the loue of Vertue But because the hardnes of mans hart is so great that after all this it cannot be moued with all these we will adde an other motiue no lesse effectuall then the praecedent It is the greatnes of the reward which Vertue promiseth to her louers that is the glory of Heauen in which two things are to be especially looked vnto the one is the excellencie and beauty of the place that is of the heauen of heauens the other is the dignity and greatnes of the King that dwelleth there with all his elect As touching the first howe great the beauty is and how great are the riches of this place no humane
It is a miserable thing to labour and to haue no fruite of the labour neither to profit any thing by it But much more greater is it to lose that is gotten by labour and when thou hast an ill night to lose also a good day All these things doe manifestly teach with what great difference good and euill men doe beare tribulations how great peace ioy and strength the good doe feele when as the wicked doe suffer so great afflictions and perturbations of the minde This was in times past excellently shadowed in that great clamor lamentation which was heard throughout the whole land of Egypt when the Lord had smitten all their first borne neither was there an house in which there was not a cry but in the land of Goshen where the chyldren of Israell dwelt there was quiet rest so that a dogge did not barke against any one But what shall I besides this peace speake of the profit which the righteous draw out of tribulations by which the wicked do reape so great losses and hurts For as Chrisostome saith from one and the selfe same fire both the gold is made bright shyning and the wood is burnt and consumed so by the fire of affliction the righteous is made more beautifull as gold but the vnrighteous as dry and vnfruitful wood is turned into coales ashes Not vnlike to this is the sentence of Augustine Vnder the same flayle sayth he the huskes are diminished and broken but the grane purged and purified neither therefore is the mother or lees confounded with the oyle because they are pressed and troden vnder the same presse or plancke so one the selfe same weight pressing the good and the badde doth try purifie and purge the good but doth damnifie consume and wast the bad Whereupon in the same affliction the wicked doe detest blaspheme God but the righteous do pray vnto him praise him So much it behoueth not what is suffered but who suffereth it For by the same motion in sifting a thing the refusse is tossed foorth and the spyce doth smell fragrantly Thys sayth hee The same thing also is prefigured by the Red-sea which not onely dyd not swallow vp the chyldren of Israell but it was a wall vnto them on theyr right hand and on theyr left But on the contrary part those waters returning to theyr course ouerwhelmed the Charrets and the horse-men of all the Armie of Pharao and drowned them in the midst of the sea The waters therefore of tribulation are for the greater protection and safegard of the good and also for the preseruation and exercise of theyr humilitie and patience But vnto the wicked they are as dangerous and deadly waters which swalloweth them into the pitte of impatience blasphemie and desperation Thou hast therefore my brother another prerogatiue by which vertue excelleth vice for which the Phylosophers loued and so greatly esteemed phylosophie supposing that it belonged onely to philosophy to make men constant in affliction But they vvere deceaued in thys as also in manie other things for as neyther true Vertue so neyther true constancie is to be found amongst Philosophers but in the schoole of that Lord who being nayled vpon the Crosse doth comfort his by his owne example and raigning in heauen doth strengthen them by his spirit and promising them eternall glory by a liuely hope doth rayse vp their minds which comforts are not to be found in humane Philosophy Of the eleuenth priuiledge of Vertue that is that the Lord doth prouide temporall blessings for the louers of Vertue CHAP. XXIII WHatsoeuer hetherto hath beene spoken pertayneth to the spirituall blessings and riches which the Lord God in this life besides the eternal glory of the life to come bestoweth vpon the louers of Vertue But these blessings are promised to the world at the comming of Christ as the Oracles of the Prophets haue fore-told Therfore rightly he is called the Sauiour of the world seeing that by him true saluation is giuen as grace wisedome peace victory and conquest ouer our passions and affections the comfort also of the holy Ghost the riches of hope and to conclude all other blessings which are required to the attaynement of this saluation of which the Prophet sayd Israel shall be saued in the Lord with an euerlasting saluation But if any man be found so carnall who more respecteth temporall blessings or the welfare of the flesh rather then spirituall blessings or the welfare of the spirit as the Iewes did let him proceede I will not that therefore there should be varience and contention betweene vs yea we will giue him longer space to deliberate of this matter then hee himselfe would desire Tell me what meaneth that of the vvise-man when directing his speach to speake of true vvisedome in which the perfection of Vertue consisteth he sayth Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory So that she hath in her hands two kinde of blessings to which she inuiteth men in one she hath eternall blessings and in the other temporall Doe not thinke that God doth forsake his so that they perish through hunger neyther is he so vnprouident or so negligent that seeing he giueth meate in due season to Ants and Wormes of the earth that he will suffer men to famish who night and day serue in his house But if thou wilt not beleeue me readâ— if it please thee the sixt Chapter of Mathew through and thou shalt see and finde the certainty and assured pledge of this promise Behold sayth the Lord the fowles of the heauen for they sow not neyther reape nor carry into the barnes yet your heauenly father feedeth them Are yee not much better then they And concluding this matter he addeth Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or where-with shall we be cloathed For after all these things seeke the Gentiles For your heauenly father knoweth that yee haue neede of all these things But seeke yee first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you For this cause the kingly Prophet inuiteth vs to serue the Lord saying O feare the Lord yee that be his Saints for they that feare him lacke nothing The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger but they that seeke the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good And this is so certaine that the same Prophet sayth in another place I haue been young and now am old and yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging their bread But if thou desirest a longer tractate of this matter that thou mayst see what the righteous are to looke for heare what great things God in Deuteronomy promiseth to the obseruers of his law If sayth he thou shalt harken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God and obserue and doe all his
with corporall eyes sayd Plato she would alure the whole world vnto her If we respect profit what thing is more profitable and supported with greater hope then Vertue for by Vertue we obtayne the chiefest good Length of dayes and gifts of eternity are in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour If thou art delighted with pleasantnes what greater delight canst thou wish for then a peaceable and a good conscience the sweetnes of charity of peace and of the liberty of the children of God that in the meane time I may say nothing of the consolation of the holy Ghost which is most sweet and pleasant If thou desirest a perdurant and lasting name The righteous shall liue and shall be had in euerlasting remembrance But the memoriall of the wicked shall perish with them If thou be desirous of vvisedome that thou mayst finde the way that leadeth to heauen and the meanes that direct to this end there is no meane more certaine then Vertue which leadeth vnto God If thou desirest to be gracious and acceptable among all men there is not any thing more gracious or more conducent to it then Vertue For as Cicero sayth nothing is more amiable then Vertue nothing that more allureth men vnto loue seeing that for vertue and honesty we loue them whom we neuer saw Such force it hath which is more that we loue it in an enemy Euen as of the conueniency and proportion of the members and lyneaments and of the humours of the naturall body a certaine beauty ariseth which is acceptable to the eyes of men so of the order and vertuous frame of the life laudably led and formed so great a beauty proceedeth that not onely it is most acceptable to the eyes of God and Angels but it is also amiable and beloued of peruerse men and enemies That is truly and simply good which is good in euery respect neyther hath any euill in it Therfore God not without cause sendeth this honorable embasie to a righteous man which we haue set in the forefront of this booke and now againe repeate in the end Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust Say yee so because he is borne vnder an happy starre and that he shall die in a good houre because his life and death is blessed and whatsoeuer after death shall beside him Say yee so vnto him because all things shall goe well with him as well prosperous as aduerfe as well things pleasant as heauy both in quietnes and in labour For all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God Say yee vnto him although the vvorld be turned topsey turuey and the elements confounded if heauen be ruinated and disturbed let not him feare yea then let him lift vp his head because the day of his redemption is at hand Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust Because a blessing is prepared for him vvhich in excellencie exccedeth all blessings that is God himselfe and that he is free from all euill and from the tiranny of the deuill which is the worst of all euils Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust For his name is vvritten in the booke of life and God the father hath adopted him for his sonne the holy Ghost to be a liuely temple vnto him Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust For that estate which he hath gotten is happy blessed in euery respect And if at any time in any temporal matter it seemeth lesse happy if this be patiently borne it is turned vnto him for a greater good for that which seemed a loose vnto him that is patient is made a gayne vnto him his labour becomes a reward and his warre victory and a perpetuall crowne As often as Laban changed the wages of Iacob his sonne in law he thought that it was profitable vnto him hurtfull to his sonne in law but it fell out cleane contrary for it was vnprofitable vnto him and profitable to his sonne in law Wilt thou then my brother be so cruell to thy selfe and such an enemy that thou shouldest linger to embrace so great a blessing which promiseth on euery side so great good vnto thee What counsaile is more wholsome what more profitable condition or estate of life canst thou follow Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the law of the Lord saith the Prophet a thousand times blessed are they and blessed againe that keepe his testimonies and seeke him with their whole hart If a good thing as the Philosophers say be the obiect of our will and by how much the more any thing is good by so much the more it deserueth to be loued desired What I pray thee doth make thy will so sottish and insencible that it tasteth not nor embraceth this so vniuersall a good O how much better did that King who sayd I haue chosen the way of thy truth and thy iudgements haue I layd before me I haue cleaued to thy testimonies ô Lord. And in another place O Lord I haue layd vp thy commaundements in mine whole hart He saith not in a corner not in his hand but in the midst or in his whole hart which is the beginning of life the chiefest the best place of all others as if he had sayd This is my best part in which I contriue and determine of all my busines and all my cogitations are in it The men of this world do contrarily for vanity possesseth the chiefest roome of their harts and Gods law lyeth obscured and hid in some corner But this holy man albeit he was a King and troubled with many businesses of his kingdome yet he put them all vnder his feete but placed the law of his Lord in the midst of his hart What hindereth then why thou doost not imitate this good example and embrace so great a good For if thou respectest the bond of the obligation what greater obligation can there be then that which is betweene God and man or only for that cause that he is what he is All the obligations of this world are not worthy of this name if they be compared with this as we haue sayd in the beginning of this booke If thou lookest vnto the benefits what benefits can be greater or more excellent then those that we receaue from the hand of the Lord For besides that he hath created vs and redeemed vs with his blood we haue receaued frō him all that we possesse both within and without our body our soule life health riches grace if so we haue it the continuance of our life our purposes the desires of our harts and all that which hath the name of essence or of goodnes we receaue it I say originally frō him who is the fountaine of all essences and of all goodnes Words are wanting vnto me by which I might set out her
and establish this question and matter vnlesse also the contrarie arguments and obiections bee refuted therefore the third part of this Booke is occupied and conuersant in ouerthrowing and confuting them in which we plentifully aunswere all the excuses and obiections which are wont to be alledged of naughtie men why they doe flie and eschew Vertue Because the matter and subiect of these two Bookes is Vertue wee would not haue the Reader to be ignorant that by this word Vertue we barelie or solely vnderstand the habite of Vertue but also her actions and duties to the which that noble habit is ordered and disposed because the Figure is very well knowne that the effect is signified by the name of the cause the cause by the name of the effect THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which is contayned a large and copious exhortation to keepe Gods commaundements THE FIRST TITLE That man is bound to seeke after Vertue and to serue GOD and of the excellencie of the Diuine perfection CHAP. I. TWO things chiefely Christian Reader are wont to mooue and stirre vp the will of man to any good action One is the bond by which we are bound to iustice the other is the profit and fruite which proceedeth issueth of this action For it is the iudgement of all wisemen that these two things are to be considered of in euery matter and action to wit Honestie and Profit which are as it were the two spurres of our Will which pricke it forward and encourage it to take any action in hand Of these two although for the most part Profit is more sought after and desired yet Honestie is more effectuall and powerfull For there is not any profit or commoditie to be found in this world although it be great which may compare with the excellencie of Vertue as also there is no losse or discōmoditie so great or grieuous which a wise man ought not rather to choose then to runne into anie vice as Aristotle auerreth Seeing therefore that it is our purpose and meaning in this Booke to inuite men to the loue of Vertue and to ensnare them with the beautie of it I take it that we shall doe very well if we begin of this more principall part declaring the bond by which we stand bound to Vertue and therefore to God himselfe also who seeing that he is goodnes it selfe doth commend nothing in this world doth desire nothing doth not account any thing precious but onely Vertue Therefore with great care and diligence let vs consider those iust titles and claimes which God hath to demaund and exact this so great debt and bond of vs. But seeing that they be innumerable wee will onely induce sixe of the chiefest euery one of which seuerally do binde man with out any excuse to him in whatsoeuer he can or may The first and greatest and which can lesse be declared or expressed is to be him that he is to which is referred the greatnes of his Maiestie and all his perfections Hetherto pertaine the incomprehensible magnitude of his goodnes mercy iustice wisedom infinite power noblenes beautie faithfulnesse truth benignitie happines maiestie and the other riches and perfections that be in him which are such and so immeasurable that as a certaine famous Doctor saith if the whole world were ful of bookes and all creatures Writers and all the water of the Sea ynck first all the bookes should be filled first all the Writers should be wearied and first all the Sea should be exhausted and drawne drie then one alone of his perfections should be described absolutelie and as it is in deede and in it selfe The same Doctor also saith if God should create a newe man and should giue vnto him a hart so ample capable and spacious as are all the harts of men ioyned and mixed together if that hart should apprehend with an immeasurable and vnusuall light the qualitie and quantitie of one of these perfections it would faint die or breake in peeces by reason of the greatnes of that ioy and pleasure which should redound to it except it were preserued by the singuler power of GOD. This therefore is the first the most equall and iust reason by which we are bound to loue God and to serue obey him who is truth it selfe in so high a degree that the very Epicures themselues who are the ouerthrowers and destroyers of all Philosophy for they denie the diuine prouidence and the immortalitie of soules doe not denie that there is a Religion which is the worship and adoration of God For one of them disputing in that Booke which Tully writ of the nature of the Gods confesseth and prooueth very strongly that there is a God and also he acknowledgeth the altitude of his admirable and wonderfull perfections and for them he saith that he is to be worshipped adored and reuerenced for this is due to the greatnes and excellencie of this most noble substance Therefore he is to bee worshipped by that name and title onely if hee had not anie other For if we honour and reuerence a King for the onely dignitie of his presence although hee be without his kingdome where we receiue no benefit by him why rather should we not giue and exhibite all honour and reuerence to this Lord who as Iohn testifieth hath written vpon his garment and vpon his thigh The King of Kings and Lord of Lords It is he that with his three fingers doth beare vp the round Globe of the earth doth dispose of causes moueth the heauens it is he that changeth times altereth the elements diuideth the waters bringeth forth the windes engendereth causes giueth influence to the Planets and as an vniuersall King and Lord doth nourish and sustaine all creatures That also is of greater moment that his kingdom is not by succession or by election or by inheritance but by nature For euen as a man naturally is greater thē a Pismier so that most noble substance in greatnes doth far excell all other things created insomuch that euery thing whatsoeuer it be and the whole vniuersall world in his eyes haue scarce the quantitie and bignes of an Emmot If that vnhappy Philosopher acknowledged and confessed this truth why shall not Christian phylosophy acknowledge and confesse it This therefore teacheth that although there be many titles and names by which wee are bound to God yet this that we now entreate of doth excell them all the which is of such weight valuation that if there were no other this alone deserueth all the loue and seruice of man yea though he had infinite and innumerable soules and bodies which might attend and waite vpon his worship and loue That alwaies hath beene the care and studie of the Saints whose loue were so pure and sincere that of it S. Bernard saide Pure loue doth not take strength from hope and yet feeleth not the hurt of distrust As if hee
and hide my commaundements within thee c. Then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lorde and finde the knowledge of God for the Lord giueth wisedom out of his mouth commeth knowledge vnderstanding Thys knowledge continueth not in one the same state but daily is encreased by new lights knowledge as the same Wiseman testifieth The way of the righteous sayth he shineth as the light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day that is vnto that blessed eternity in which we shall no more say with the friends of Iob A word was spoken vnto mee secretly and mine eare hath receaued a little thereof that is of her diuine and hidden inspirations but there we shall heare openly and shall see God himselfe Thys is that wisedome which the sonnes of light enioy but the wicked on the contrary doe lyue in the horrible darknes of the Egiptians which may be felt with hands A figure of which thing was that it is sayd in the Land of Goshan where the children of Israell dwelt there was light but in Egypt for three dayes space there was such thicke darknes that it might be felt which represented that obscure and darke night and blindnesse in which sinners liue as they confesse in Esay saying Wee haue waited for light but loe it is darknes for brightnes but we walke in darknes We grope for the wall like the blinde and wee grope as one without eyes we stumble at the noone day as in the twy-light we are in solitary places as dead men Tell me I pray thee what greater blindnes can be thought of or greater disorder happen then that is into which the wicked doe dailie slide What greater blindnesse or ignorance is there then to sell the right of the byrth-right that is the inhearitance of the kingdome of heauen for a little pleasure of the worlde then not to feare hell not to attaine Paradice not to haue hated sinne not to haue a regarde of the last iudgement to sette at naught the promises threatnings of the Lord not to remember death vvhich euery houre hangeth ouer theyr heads not to prepare themselues to gyue an account not to thinke that it is momentany and for a time that delighteth but for euer that tormenteth They haue not knowne saith the Prophet neyther haue they vnderstood they walke in darknes and they shall goe from darknesse into darknesse They shall goe I say from inward darknes to outward darknes from the darknes of thys life to that of the lyfe to come I suppose that I shall doe aduisedly if at the end of this matter I doe admonish thee that although all is most true vvhich hath beene spoken of this heauenly wisedome and light of the holy Ghost yet no man ought albeit he be iustified rashlie or proudly to gaine-say the iudgements of men but humbly submit himselfe to the iudgements of his elders especially to theirs whom GOD hath appointed Doctors and Pastours of his Church For who more abounded wth this light then S. Paule Who more then Moses who spake face to face with the Lord Neuerthelesse one of them went to Ierusalem that hee might conferre of the Gospell with the rest of the Apostles which hee had learned in the third heauen the other also contemned not the aduise of Iethro his Father in law although he was an heathen man and vnacquainted with the knowledge of the true God The reason of this is because the inward helps and aydes of grace do not exclude these outward of the Church For after both manners the Diuine prouidence woulde prouide for our weakenes to which both helps are necessary For euen as the naturall heate of our bodyes is helped of the exteriour heate of heauen and as nature although most carefull to preserue it selfe doth receiue much helpe of externall medicines created to that end of God so also the light and inward helpe of grace is much helped by the light and doctrine of the Church Of the fourth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the consolations and comforts of the holy Ghost which the righteous enioy in this world and which they ioy in CHAP. XVI I Could after the inward light of the holy Ghost by which the darknes of our vnderstanding is enlightned appoint for the fourth priuiledge Charitie and the loue of GOD by which our will is inflamed especially seeing that the Apostle himselfe dooth put thys in the first place among the fruites of the holy Ghost But because heere wee doe rather speake of the priuiledges and prerogatiues which vertues bring with them then of the vertues themselues Charitie being the Prince of all vertues we will not heere speake of it although it also might be referred to thys order and our purpose not as a vertue but as an admirable gyft which God is wont to giue to those that apply themselues to the studie of Vertue and that which after a certaine ineffable manner inflameth the inmost part of our will inclineth it to loue God aboue all things which may be beloued Which loue the more perfect it is the more sweet and delightsome it is For thys cause not vnfitly it may be inserted into this number as a fruite or a reward as well of other vertues as of it selfe Notwithstanding that I may not seeme an ambitious and too curious a prayser and commender of vertues of which so many and so great things may bee spoken I will sette in the fourth place the ioy of the holy Ghost which is a naturall proprietie of the same charitie and one of the especial fruits of the holy Ghost as Saint Paule testifieth writing to the Galathians For euen as we said a little before that light and knowledge which God doth bestow vpon his friends not onely doth sticke in the vnderstanding but also doth descend to the will where it doth diffuse her beames and disperse her brightnes so that the minde is made glad and reioyceth in the Lord after a certaine ineffable manner In so much as the naturall light sendeth from her heate which we feele so this light being spirituall doth beget in the soule of a righteous man that spirituall ioy of which we speake according to that of the Prophet Light is sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in hart This matter is so plentifull and copious that neuer too many thinges may be spoken of it But for the purpose of this booke it shall be worth the labour to show how great this ioy is for the knowledge of this greatnes is very profitable and verie forcible to draw the minds of men to the loue of Vertue For no man is ignorant that as all kinde of euils are found in vices so all kinde of good things as well honest as profitable are perfectly to be found in vertues onely pleasure excepted which naughty and wicked men deny to be in vertues Seeing that therefore mans hart desireth
must note heere that labour is not excluded for man must also labour and doe that lyeth in him according to the quality of his estate and condition ¶ Of the scarsitie and pouerty of the wicked BVt if any man on the contrary part would know how great the aduersities calamities and pouerties of the wicked be let him reade the eight and twenty Chapter of Deuteronomie and there he shall finde those things that both will make him wonder and tremble Amongst many other things thus speaketh the Scripture But if thou will not harken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and to doe all his commaundements and his ordinances which I commaund thee this day all these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the Citty and cursed in the field Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store Cursed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite of thy Land and the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheepe Cursed shalt thou be when thou goest in and cursed when thou goest out The Lord shall send vpon thee cursing destruction and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand to and that thou doest vntill he destroy thee and bring thee to naught quickly because of the wickednes of thine inuentions and because thou hast forsaken me The Lord shal make the pestilence cleaue vnto thee vntill hee haue consumed thee from of the Land whether thou goest to enioy it The Lord shall smite thee vvith swelling with feauers heate burning and with the sword with blasting and mildeaw and they shall follow thee vntill thou perrish And the heauen that is ouer thy head shal be brasse and the earth that is vnder thee shal be yron The Lord shall turne the raine of the Lande into powder and dust from heauen shal they come downe vpon thee vntill thou be brought to naught And the Lorde shall cause thee to fall before thine enemies thou shalt come out one way against them and flee seauen wayes before them and shalt be scattered among all the kingdomes of the earth And thy carkasse shal be meate vnto all manner of foules of the ayre and vnto the beasts of the earth and no man shal fray them away The Lorde will smite thee with the botch of Egipt and the Emerods scab and itch that thou maist not be healed thereof And the Lord shall smite thee with madnes blindnes and dazing of hart Thou shalt grope at noone dayes as the blind gropeth in darknes and shalt not prosper in thy waies Thou shalt be oppressed with wrong and be polled euermore and no man shall succour thee Thou shalt be betrothed vnto a wife and another man shall lye with her thou shalt build an house and not dwell therein thou shalt also plant a vineyard shalt not gather the grapes Thine Oxe shal be slaine before thine eyes thou shalt not eate thereof thine Asse shall bee violently taken away before thy face and shall not be restored to thee againe thy sheepe shal be giuen vnto thine enemies no man shall rescue them Thy sonnes and thy daughters shall be giuen vnto another Nation thine eyes shall see it daze vpon theÌ„ all the day long and there shall be no might in thine hand The fruite of thy Land and all thy labours shall a Nation which thou knowest not eate vp thou shalt continually suffer violence be oppressed alway so that thou shalt be cleane beside thy selfe for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see The Lorde shall smite thee in the knees legs with a mischieuous botch that cannot be healed froÌ„ the sole of thy foote vnto the toppe of thy head The Lord shall bring thee thy King which thou shalt sette ouer thee vnto a Nation vvhich neither thou nor thy Fathers haue knowne that there thou mayest serue strange Gods wood stone And thou shalt be wondered at spoken of and iested at among all Nations whether the Lorde shall carry thee At the length after many and horrible curses he addeth saying And all these curses shal come vpon thee ouertake thee till thou be destroyed because thou harkenedst not vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe his commaundements and his ordinaunces which he commanded thee And they shall be vpon thee for signes wonders vpon thy seede for euer because thou serâ—edst not the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse with a good hart wheÌ„ thou haddest aboundance of all things Therefore shalt thou serue thine enemy which the Lord shall send vpon thee in hunger thirst in nakednesse and in neede of all things he shal put a yoke of yron vpon thy necke vntil he haue brought thee to naught And the Lord shall bring a Nations vpon thee from farre from the end of the world as swift as an Eagle flieth a Nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstand A nation of a shamelesse cruell countenaunce which shall not regard the person of the old nor haue compassion on the young The same shall eate the fruite of thy cattell and the fruite of thy land vntill he haue destroyed thee shall leaue thee neither Corne Wine nor Oyle neyther the increase of thy Kine nor the flocks of thy sheepe vntill he haue brought thee to naught And he shal keepe thee in in all thy Citties vntil he haue cast downe thy hie walles and strong holds wherein thou trustedst throughout all thy â—and hee shall besiege thee in all thy Citties throughout all thy â—and which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee And thou shalt eate the fruite of thine owne body the flesh of thy sonnes and of thy daughters which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee in that straightnes siege wherewith thine enemies shall enclose thee All these be the words of the holy Scripture but there are many moe in the same Chapter which we doe now leaue of to remember Which if they be read with attention diligence they will make a man whatsoeuer hee be to be amazed and to faint and die in courage for the horrour of so dreadfull fearfull things And he that shall read peraduenture shall open his eyes and shall begin somwhat to vnderstand the rigour of the Diuine iustice and the cruell maliciousnes of sinners and of the great hate that the Lord beareth towards sinne seeing that hee doth punish it in this world with such horrible punishments whence we may easily coniecture what is to bee looked for in the world to come Furthermore it may irke the wicked of their insensablenesse and calamitie because they liue as though they were blind neyther doe they see what is referued for theÌ„ or what punishments are prepared Neyther think that these threatnings are in vaine onely words and speeches inuented to terrifie men for as they are threatnings so are they true prophecies of the calamities into which the people should fall For in
his kingdome why doost thou draw backe to loue so gracious a Father And why doost thou not blush to deferre to the end of thy life to embrace so good and so bountifull a Lord How is it possible that thou shouldest perswade thy selfe that thou canst satisfie him with so short a worship who is determined to bestow vpon thee euerlasting benefits For it is requisite and meete that seeing the rewards are eternall that the worship should also be eternall if it possibly might be Which seeing that it cannot be yea seeing that thy worship and seruice is no longer then the life of one man why then wilt thou take from the Diuine worship the greater part of this short space and leaue vnto him the lesser and worser part For euen as out of a vessell sayth Seneca first that commeth forth which is the purest but that which is muddy and troubled sinketh to the bottome so in the age of our life that which is the best is the first Therefore let vs not reserue the dregs for God but let vs offer him the first purest See I pray thee what part is that that thou reseruest for the Lord God Cursed be the deceitfull sayth the Prophet which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth a corrupt thing to the Lord because I am a great King sayth the Lord of Hostes and my name is fearefull among the Heathen As if he should say to so great a Lord as I am great seruices and worships are due For it is mighty iniury to offer to so excellent a Maiesty those things which are the worst and basest Why therfore doost thou reserue the greater and better part of thy life for the seruice of deuils and sacrificest that part to God which the world resuseth Heare what the Lord sayth Thou shalt not haue in thy bag two manner of waights a great and a small neyther shalt thou haue in thine house diuers measures a great and a small But thou shalt haue a right and iust waight and a perfect and a iust measure shalt thou haue And darest thou agaynst this law haue two vnequall measures one so great for the deuill as if he were thy friend and the other so small for God as if he were thine enemy Besides all these if all these benefits seeme base and vild vnto thee yet I desire thee that at least-wife thou wouldest remember that inestimable benefit by which God the father gaue vnto thee his onely begotten sonne for he gaue that life for the price of thy soule which was more precious then all the life 's of men and Angels Wherfore although thou hadst the lifes of all men and also infinit others that in thee were all that lyueth or could liue all that thou owest to the giuer of that life Neyther was this sufficient Therfore with what forehead with what impudency with what ingratitude doost thou deny to giue this sole life which thou hast being so short so weake and so miserable to that Lord who for thee hath giuen a life so noble and so excellent It were somwhat tollerable if thou wouldest but giue that but certainly to take away the better part of this miserable life and to giue onely the dregs to him is intollerable and extreame impudency Therfore let that of Salomon in his Preacher be the conclusion of this Chapter Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth or euer the dayes of aduersity come and or the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Before the sunne the light the moone and starres be darkned and or the clouds turne againe after the rayne When the keepers of the house shall tremble that is thy hands when the strong men shall bow themselues that is thy thighs which support the whole masse of thy body when the milners stand still because they be so few that is thy teeth or iawes and when the sight of the windowes shall waxe dim that is thy sight shall faile when the dores in the streetes shall be shut for then also the instruments of other sences shall decay and when the voyce of the milner shall be layde downe when men shall rise vp at the voyce of the bird that is at the crowing of a Cock by reason of lack of sleepe which happeneth in that age and when all the daughters of Musicke shall be brought low That is thine eares because all the arteryes are shut so that no sound can enter by which the hearing is made When men shall feare in high places be afraid in the streetes for old men can hardly walke vp ascending cliffie rockie waies When the Almond tree shall flourish for thy head shall be full of white haires and be loaden with the Grashopper and when all lust shall passe for which some haue translated that thy backe shall be loaden that is shall be bowed and crooked and thy concupiscence shall be lost for daily more and more the strength of our hart faileth vs in which is the seate of our appetites Because man goeth to his long home which is his graue and the Mourners goe about the streets that is his friends and kinsfolkes When the dust shall be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came and the spirit shall returne vnto God who gaue it Hetherto are the words of Salomon Remember therefore my brother thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth according to this description and doe not deferre thy repentance ouer to yeeres so troublesome vnpleasant in which nature faileth the strength of all thy sences in which man hath more need of all the cherishing that may be and to supply that by industrie which is wanting to naturall strength then to embrace the labours and troubles of repentance When as vertue shall rather seeme a necessitie then a will When as vices shall be honested by vs for they forsake vs before we forsake them although for the most part such is the old age as the fore-passed youth was according to that of Ecclesiasticus If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth what wilt thou finde in thine age Therefore it is very wholsome counsaile that in another place the same Ecclesiasticus giueth saying Abide not thou in the errour of the vngodly but giue thankes before death As for the dead thankefulnes perrisheth from him as nothing giue thou thanks in thy life yea while thou art liuing and whole shalt thou giue thanks and praise God and reioyce in his mercie Surely great in times past was that misterie that amongst the diseased he was healed who first stepped into the Poole after the water had been troubled of the Angell that thou thereby mayst vnderstand how that all our safetie consisteth in that if we forth-with without any lingering obey the heauenly and diuine inspirations and motions Come therefore my brother and make hast To day sayth the Prophet if thou
foorth their young ones doe only nourish them and prouide meate for them but a Father ought to be a father as a man and as a Christian man and as a true seruant of God who educateth traineth vp his chyldren as the chyldren of God and heyres of the kingdome of heauen not that they should be the bond-slaues of sathan and inhabitants of hell Let Maisters of families who haue seruants and other houshold be miâ—dfull of the commination of S. Paule who saith If any prouide not for his owne and especially for them of his houshold he hath denied the fayth that is the faithfulnes that he oweth and to which he is bound and is worse then an infidell Let them remember that these are as Lambes of their shâ—epefold and that they are the Sheepheards that should care and vvatch ouer them and let them thinke that the time will come vvhen as GOD will exact an account for them saying Where is the flocke that was giuen thee the sheepe glorious and noble Worthelie he calleth them glorious and noble for great is the price by which they are redeemed Noble and glorious is the most sacred humanity of Christ by which they are enobled Therefore there is not any seruant albeit abiect and base who is not free and noble in regard of the blood humanity of Christ. Therfore let a gooâ— Christian striue and endeuour that those that be in his house may be free from all enormous vices as are quarrels and strifes vnlawfull gaming false and vaine oathes blasphemies fornications c. And furthermore that they haue knowledge and skill in matters of Christianity and that they obserue the orders and constitutions of the Church and that especially vpon the Lords day they be at Church to heare Sermons and Diuine seruice and that they be not contumacious and peruerse inthwarting the good and orderly proceedings of the Church as the Puritans and Precisians of this time are who by their ignorant zeale peeuish singularity disturbe the quiet and peace of the Church The first admonition in what esteeme and price vertues are to be had that this rule may be better vnderstoode CHAP. XVIII AS in the beginning of this rule we set downe certayne preambles agreeable and conuenient for this purpose so now the rule being perfected and absolute for the better vnderstanding of it I take it to be worth the labour if I shall add certaine admonitions For seeing that we haue spoken discoursed of many kinds of vertues it is behoofefull that we teach which is worthier and which lesse worthy that we may estimate matters according to their dignity and assigne a proper place to euery one For he that selleth precious pearles rich Iems ought very well to know them that he be not deceaued in the price and the ouer-seer and gouernour of any Princes house ought to know the deserts of euery one in the house that he may dispose of euery one according to his dignity for otherwise he should commit many errors and offer much inequalitie so a man that dealeth with the worth value of these Iems that is of vertues and he that as a good ouer-seer and gouernour of an house is bound to render and tender to euery one of these vertues the due honour he must most exactly know the price and dignity of them that comparing them betweene themselues he may see which is to be preferred before another least he as it is wont to be sayd be penny wise and pound foolish least he I say gather ashes and cast away flower vvhich many doe Therfore we must know that all the vertues vvhich hetherto we haue spoken of may be reduced into a two-fold order for some of them be spirituall inuisible and internall and some corporall visible and externall In the first order are theologicall vetues with all other which are referred vnto God but especially Charity which among all other vertues possesseth the first and chiefe place as the Queene of all other To this are many other noble vertues ioyned and which are nearest vnto Charity in dignity as are humility chastity mercy patience discretion deuotion poorenes of spirit contempt of the world denying of our owne will the loue of the Crosse and of austerity and very many moe of this kind which by taking largely the signification of this vvord we call vertues They are called spirituall and internall vertues because principally they reside and haue their being in the soule although also they passe into externall works as we see in Charity and deuotion vvhich albeit they are altogether internall yet they produce their external acts to the honour and glory of God Other vertues are more externall and visible as are fasting discipline silence solitarines reading singing preaching a Christian and a religious life For albeit these vertues also reside and haue their being in the soule yet their proper acts are more outward then the former which are often hid and inuisible as are to beleeue to loue to hope to contemplate to be humbled to be inwardly contrite for sinnes to iudge discreetly and so in others Among all these vertues there is no doubt but that the former are farre more excellent and more necessary then the latter For the Lord sayth vnto the vvoman of Samaria Woman beleeue me the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in the truth for such the father also requireth to worship him God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in the truth The same words fall also into our common speach children in Schooles are wont to learne those verses If God be a spirit as verses record In spirit and truth thy worship afford Wherfore also the Prophet Dauid describing the beauty of the Church and of a soule that is in the fauour of God he saith The Kings daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of wrought gold The same thing the Apostle insinuateth when he sayth to his Disciple Timothy Exercise thy selfe vnto godlines for bodily exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable vnto all things hauing promises of the life that is now and of that which is to come In which place he vnderstandeth by godlines the worship of God and mercy toward our neighbonr and by bodily exercise abstinence and other corporall austerenes as learned expositers auerre expounding this place This also the Heathen Philosophers vnderstood For Aristotle who albeit he writ very little concerning God yet sayth If humane affaires be regarded of God as we may very probably gather that they are it is very likely that he ioyeth in the best things and in those that are the likest vnto him but those are the mind and spirit of man Therfore they that haue their spirits beautified and adorned vvith the knowledge of the truth and reformed affections are most acceptable vnto God The
doth me so great dishonour as he that killeth a man he that killeth a sheepe for me knetcheth a dogge hee that bringeth me meate offerings offereth swines blood who so maketh me a memoriall of incense prayseth the thing that is vnright O Lord whence comes this vvhy are they now abhominable and vild in thine eyes which in times past thou didst ordaine and commaund Presently after he addeth the reason saying These haue they done according to their owne wayes and their soule delighteth in these abhominations Thou seest therefore my brother in what base account those outward works are with God without this inward foundation Of these outward works he saith thus by another Prophet Though yee offer me whole burnt offerings and meate offerings I will not accept them neyther will I regard the peace offering of your fat beasts Take thou away from me the multitude of thy songs for I will not heare the melody of thy Vials And in another place with greater vehemency And I will sayth he cast dung on your faces euen the dung of your solemne feasts What neede we moe words to vnderstand how little these externall works doe profit although very excellent if that foundation of righteousnes be wanting which consisteth in the loue and feare of God and in the hatred of sinne But if any shall aske me why GOD doth so greatly condemne this worship comparing the sacrifices to murthers and the incense to idolatry calling the singing of Psalmes iangling and their solemnities dung I aunswere because besides that such works are not acceptable wanting the foundation of which we spake a little before many also hence take an occasion to be proud to presume great matters of themselues and to despise others because they doe not like them and that which is worser at length they come into a false security which ariseth from this counterfeit righteousnes and this is the greatest danger that meeteth with men in this life for they being lulled a sleepe with this vaine security doe not study nor striue to compasse those things they want and which are of greater waight I would not that thou shouldest credite me reade that which the Gospell speaketh of the prayer of the Pharisey who praying sayd God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publicâ—ne I fast twice in the weeke I giue tithe of all that I possesse Thou seest heere how plainly those three most dangerous rocks are discouered of which we spake a little before Presumption when he sayth I am not as other men Contempt of others when he sayth As this Publicane False security when he giueth thanks to God for the condition and quality of his life he led supposing that by it he was safe and secure neyther that he had any cause to feare Hence it is that they that are iust and righteous after this manner doe runne into most dangerous hipocrisie For we are to note in this place that there are two kinds of hipocrisie one is open and vild as that is in them whose wickednes is publique and knowne to many and yet neuertheles in outward conuersation they pretend great sanctity that they may deceaue the people The other is more subtill and more secret by which a man doth not onely deceaue another but also himselfe which kind of hipocrisie was in that Pharisey who not onely deceaued other men but also himselfe for when he was the worst he would haue beene thought the best Of this hipocrisie the Wise-man speaketh There is a way which seemeth right vnto a man but the end thereof are the wayes of death And in another place among the foure kinds of euils he reckoneth vp this also saying There is a generation that curseth their father and doth not blesse their mother There is a generation that thinke themselues cleane and yet is not clensed from their filthines There is a generation that hath a proud looke and doth cast vp their eye lids There is a generation whose teeth are as swords and their iawes as kniues to deuoure the poore from of the earth and the needy from among men Salomon here rehearseth these foure conditions of men as the most peruerse and pernicious of all that are in the world and amongst them he also putteth in this hipocrisie of which we now speake that is when as most impure men as this Pharisey was would be deemed pure and holy The state of that man that is entangled with this vice is most dangerous Certainly the euill is lesser if a man be euill and would not be accounted good then if he be vniust and would be esteemed iust For be it that a man be wicked yet the knowledge of himselfe will be the beginning of his saluation But when his wickednes is not knowne and he although sicke would be accounted sound and in health what remedy or what medicine shall be applied to him Therfore our Sauionr sayth to the Phariseis The Publicanes and harlots shall enter into the kingdome of heauen before you For Shall enter the Greekes read Doe enter in the present tense and so that is more expresly declared which we would say The same thing also those terrible fearefull words of the Lord in the Reuelation doe most manifestly testifie I would thou were hot or cold but because thou art luke warme neyÌ„ther cold not hot I will spew thee out of my mouth What meaneth this Why doth God wish that man were cold and sayth that luke warme is in worser estate then cold seeing that luke warme is nearer vnto hot I will tell thee what is the reason of this He is hot who by the fire of his charity which he hath in himselfe possesseth all vertues as well internall as externall as we haue sayd before On the contrary part he is cold who by reason of the absence want of charity hath neyther internall nor externall vertues He is luke warme who hath some externall vertues but not any internall no not a spark of charity Therfore the Lord signifieth here that he that is luke warme is in much worser estate then he that is cold not because he is burthened with moe sinnes but because he is more hardly deliuered from them For he is so much the more farther of from remedy by how much he thinketh himselfe more secure and freer from all euill for from this superficiall righteousnes if I may so call it which he hath he taketh an occasion to beleeue that he is some body when in truth he is no body Wherfore the Lord expounding whom he had termed luke warme addeth Because thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and haue neede of nothing and knowest not how that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Doe not these words liuely and in orient colours depaynt the image of the Pharisie that sayd God I thanke thee that I am