many debts to discharge by reason of the offences committed in his sinfull life already past NOw then if on the one side there be so many and so great respects that doe binde vs to change our sinfull life and on the otherside we haue not any sufficient excuse why we should not make this exchange How long wilt thou tarry vntill thou fully resolue to doe it Turne thine eyes a little and looke backe vpon thy life past and consider that at this present of what age soeuer thou be it is high time or rather the time well nigh past to begin to discharge some part of thy old debts Consider that thou which art a Christian regenerated in the water of holy Baptisme which doest acknowledge Almighty God for thy father and the Catholike Church for thy mother whom she hath nourished with the milke of the Gospel to wit with the doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelists consider I say that all this notwithstanding thou hast liued euen as loosely dissolutely as if thou hadst beene a meere Infidell that had neuer any knowledge of Almighty God And if thou doe denie this then tell mee what kinde of sin is there which thou hast not committed What tree is there forbidden that thou hast not beholden with thine eyes What greene meddow is there in which thou hast not at the least in desire feasted thy letcherous lust what thing hath beene set before thine eyes that thou hast not wantonly desired What appetite hast thou left vnexecuted notwithstanding that thou didst beleeue in Almighty God and that thou wert a Christian what wouldest thou haue done more if thou hadst not had any faith at all If thou hadst not looked for any other life If thou hadst not feared the dâ—eadfull day of iudgement What hath all thy former life â—e ne but a web of sinnes a sinke of vices a way full of brambles and thornes and a fâ—oward disobedience of God with whom hast thou hitherto liued but onely with thine appetite with thy flesh with thy pride and with the goods and riches of this transitory world These haue beene thy gods these haue beene thine idols whom thou hast serued and whose lawes thou hast diligently obeyed Make thine account with the Almighty God with his lawes and with his obedience and peradâ—â—nture thou shalt finde that thou hast esteemed him no more than if he had beene a goâ— of wood oâ— stone For it is certaine that there be many Christians which beleeuing that there is a God are induced to sinne with such facilitie as though they beleeued that there were no God at all and doe offend no whit the lesse though they beleeue that there is a God then they would doe if they beleeued there were none at all What greater iniurie what greater despight can bee done than so to contemne his diuine maiestie Finally thou beleeuing all such things as Christs Church doth bâ—leeue hast notwithstanding so led thy life as if thou wert perswaded that the beleefe of Christians were the greatest fables or lies in the world And if the multitude of thy sinnes past and the faculty thou hast vsed in committing of them doe not make thee afraid why doest thou not feare at the least the Majesty and omnipotencie of hiâ— against whom thou hast sinned Lift vp thine eyes and consider the infinit greatnesse and omnipotencie of the Lord whom the powers of heauen no adore before whose Maiesty the whole compasse of the wide world lyeth prostrate in whose presence all things created are no more than chaffe carried away with the winde Consider also with thy sâ—lfe how vnseemely it is that such a vile worme as thou art should haue audacity so many times to offend and prouoke the wrath of so great a maiesty Consider the wonderfull and most terâ—ible seueâ—ity â—f his iustice and what horrible punishments he hath vsed from time to time in the world against sinne and that not onely vpon particular persons but also vpon Cities Nations Kingdomes and Prouinces yea vpon the vniuersall World And not onely in earth but also in heauen and not onely vpon strangers sinners but euen vpon his owne most innocent sonne our sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ when he tooke vpon him to satisfie for the debt that we owed And if this seuerity was vsed vpon greene and innocent wood and that for the sinnes of others what then will he doe vpon dry and withered wood and against those that are loden with their owne sinnes Now what thing can bee thought more vnreasonable then that such a fraile wretch as thou art should be so saucie and malapert as to mocke with so mightie a Lord whose hand is so heauie that in case hee should strike but one stroke vpon thee hee would at one blow driue thee downe headlong into the deepe bottomelesse pit of hell without remedy Consider likewise the great patience of this our mercifull Lord who hath expected thy repentance so long euen from the time that thou didst first offend him and thinke that if after so long patience and tarrying for thee thou shalt still continue thy leaud and sinfull life abusing thus his mercy and proucking him to further indignation and wrath hee will then bend his bowe and shake his sword and raine downe vpon thee euen sharpe arrowes of euerlasting wrath and death Consider also the profoundnesse of his deepe iudgments wherof we read and see daily so great wonders We see how Salomon himselfe after his so great wisdome and after those three thousand parables and most profound mysteries vttered by him was forsaken by Almighty God and suffered to fall dâ—wn and adore Ido's We see how one of those seuen first Deacons of the Primitiue Church which were full of the holy Ghost became not onely an hereticke but also an arch hereticke and a father of heresies We see daily many starres fall downe from heauen vnto earth with miserable fals and to wallow themselues in the durt and to eat the meat of swine which sate before at Gods owne table and were fed with the very bread of Angels If then the iust and righteous for some secret pride or negligence or else for some ingratitude of theirs be thus iustly forsaken of Almighty God after they haue bestowed so many yeares in his seruice What maiest thou looke for that hast done in a manner nothing else in all thy life time but onely heaped sinnes vpon sinnes and hast thereby offended almighty God most grieuously Now if thou hast liued after this sort were it not reason that thou shouldst now at the length giue ouer and cease heaping sinne vpon sinne and debt vpon debt and begin to pacifie the wrath of Almighty God and to disburden thy sinfull soule Were it not meet that that time which thou hast hitherto giuen to the world to thy flesh and to the Diuell should suffice and that thou shouldest bestow some little time of that which remaineth to serue him who hath giuen thee all that
sinne will then torment me for sinning vntill I cry out with Cain My punishment is greater then I can beare A horse is but a vaine thing to saue a man said the sweet singer of Israel so say I all earthly things are too vaine to saue a man to make him blessed I appeale to the conscience of euery man if thou hast tried the pleasures of vanity and who hath not whether thou maist not take vp the words of Saint Rom. 6. 12. Paul What fruit haue I of those things whereof I am now ashamed Shame and griefe and guilt and punishment are the fruit of vanity enough I thinke to rend our hearts from affecting of it Thinke vpon this thou that art in the trace of vanity that thou maist make a retreat loose no more time herein for thou hast already lost too much redeeme the time because the dayes are euill and why are they euill but because they are vaine Whatsoeuer is without the circumference of euill is about the sphere of vanity Resolue therefore with thy selfe that all things earthly worldly carnall sinfull are vaine the fashion of this world passeth away faith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 3. The fashion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word very emphaticall it signifies first an accidentall and externall figure without substance secondly the habit vesture or cloathing of a thing Saint Paul vseth this word to debase the world by intimating vnto vs that the world is cloathed with a vesture that is wearing and wasting the fashion of it lasteth but for a time it is ready euery houre to put on a new fashion againe by intimating vnto vs that the world is without any substantiall forme like vnto shewes and shadowes that vanish in the representation Saint Luke cals all Agrippa's pompe but a fancie Dauid cals the yeares of a man but a tale Psal. 90. 9. We spend our yeares as a tale that is told As a tale nay as a thought for so much the originall word doth import and how many thoughts may a man haue in an houre Nothing is more changable then a vesture nothing more fugitiue then a shadow nothing more fickle then a fancie nothing more swift then thought What a disproportion therefore is it for the immortall soule of a man to be fastened vnto things which are of such a variable nature What a folly for vs to preferre those which are but momentary for so I may more truely cal them then temporall vnto those things which are indeede eternall Glasses are in great vse amongst vs yet because of their brittlenesse who esteemes them precious We smell to flowers because they are sweet but because they are fading we regard them thereafter It were well if we would deale thus with all other vanities viz. regard them as they are vse the creatures we may but not abuse them serue our selues of them but not serue them inioy them but not ouer-ioy in them Now because examples are are very effectuall whether we vse them by way of dehortation or whether by way of exhortation let me propound one or two in this matter whereof I am treating that by them thou maist be beaten off from the vanities and iniquities of this present euill world When Alexander in the height of his glory kept * a Parliament of the whole Conuentum terrarum orbiâ— world himselfe was summoned by death to appeare in another world It was a wonderfull president of the vanity and variety of humane condition saith the Historian to see mighty Iustin. l. 2. Zerxes flote and flye away in a small vessel who before wanted Sea-roome for his Ships When Belshazzar was laughing and Dan. 5. quaffing with his Princes and Concubines carowsing healths in the sacred Vessels deaths secretary the hand-writing on the wall told him he was weighed in the ballance and his Kingdome was finished And before him his father Nebuchadnezzar at that time the greatest Monarch in the world as he was strouting in his Galleries and boasting of his owne power and honour a voyce from heauen told him that his Kingdome was departed from him that he Dan. 4. should be driuen from amongst men that he should haue his dwelling with the Beasts of the field c. And the sentence was fulfilled on him the same houre So Zedekiah was a liuely spectacle 2 Kin. 25 of this worlds vanity and misery who of a potent King became a miserable captiue saw his children slaine before his face after that had his eyes put out and died miserably in prison I had almost forgotten Salomon the wisest King that euer Eccl. â— was hauing giuen himselfe to take pleasure in pleasant things hauing made great workes built goodly Houses planted Vineyards Gardens and Orchards and planted in them trees of all fruit hauing gathered siluer and gold and the chiefe treasures of Kings and Prouinces being now full of wisedome and schooled with experience he is licensed to giue his sentence of the whole world and euery man knowes what his censure was Vanity of vanities Eccl. 1. â— vanity of vanities all is vanity This wise King trauelled all the world ouer and the further he went the more vanity he did see and the neerer he looked the greater it seemed till at last he could see nothing but vanity Wouldst thou know what is to be seene or heard or had in this vast Vniuerse Vanity saith Salomon yea vanity of vanities and what else Vanity of vanities And whâ—â— else All is vanity Nothing beneath the Moone that hath not a tincture of vanity Nay the Moone it self the Sunne all the Planets all the Starres the whole body of the Heauens is become subiect to Vanitie The creature is subiect vnto Vanity saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 20. that is the whole frame of the world consisting of the coelestiall and elementary region the visible heauens with all their goodly furniture of Starres and of coelesti all bodies and the earth with her ornaments and the other elements The heauens shall perish Psal. 10◠〈◊〉 and they shall waxe old as doth a garment and the Lord shall change â—hem as a vesture and they shall be changed As a garment the older it waxâ—th the lesse comely it is the lesse able to warme him that weares it so the materiall heauens by continuance of yeares decrease in beauty and vertue The neerer the Sunne drawes to the end of his daily course the lesse is his strength in the euâ—ning we feele the Sunne to decay in his heat and he waxeth alway the weaker Now if those superiour bodies then much more things inferiour and sublunary are included within the compasse of vanity But it was my purpose when I first set vpon this subiect so ample and large to be so much the more short euery vnderstanding can of it selfe discourse where such plenty of matter is offered I haue therefore according to the modell of that gift which God hath giuen me contriued a great picture
frame our premises as we would finde our conclusion endeauouring to liue as we are desirous to dye let vs not offer the maine crâ—p to the Diuell and set God to gleane the reproofe of his haruest let vs not gorge the Diuell with our fairest fruits and turne God to the filthy scâ—aps of his leauings but let vs truely dedicate both soule and body to his seruice whose right they are and whose seruice they owe that so in the euening of our life we may retire to a Christian rest closing vp the day of our life with a cleare sunne-set that leauing all darknesse behinde vs we may carry in our consciences the light of grace and so escaping the horrour of an eternall night passe from a mortall day to an euerlasting morrow Thine in Christ Iesus Samuell Rowland STrike saile poore soule in sins tempestuous tide That runst to ruine and eternall wracke Thy course from heauen is exceeding wide Hels gulfe thou ent rest if grace guide not backe Sathan is Pilot in this nauigation The Ocean Vanity The Rocke damnation Warre with the Dragon and his whole alliance Renounce his league intends thy vtter losse Take in sinnes flag of truce set out defiance Display Christs ensigne with the bloudy crosse Against a Faith proofe armed Christian Knight The hellish coward dares not mannage fight Resist him then if thou wilt victor be For so he flies and is disanimate His fiery darts can haue no force at thee The shield of faith doth all their points rebate He conquers none to his infernall den But yeelding slaues that wage not fight like men Those in the dungeon of eternall darke He hath enthralled euerlasting date Branded with Reprobations cole-blacke marke Within the neueropening ramd vp gâ—â—e Where Diues rates one drop of water more Than any crowne that euer Monarch wore Where furies haunt the harttorne wretch despaire Where clamours cease not teeth are euer gnashing Where wrath and vengeance sit in horrors chaire Where quenchlesse flames of sulphur fire be flashing Where damned soules blaspheme God in despight Where vtter darknesse stands remou'd from light Where plaâ—ues inâ—iron torments compasse round Where anguish rores in neuer stinted sorrow Where woe woe woe is euery voices sound Where night eternall neuer yeelds to morrow Where damned tortures dreadfulâ— shall perseuer So long as God is God so long is euer WHo loues this life from loue his loue doth erre And chusing drosse rich treasure doth denie Leauing the pearle Christs connsels to preferre With selling all we haue the same to buy O happy soule that doth disburse a summe To gaine a kingdome in the life to come Such trafficke may be termed heauenly thrift Such venter hath no hazard to disswade Immortall purchase with a mortall gift The greatest gaine that euer Merchant made To get a crowne where Saints and Angels sing For laying out a base and earthly thing To taste the ioyes no humane knowledge knowes To heare the tunes of the coelest all quires T' attaine heau'ns sweet and mildest calme repose To see Gods face the summe of good desires Which by his glorious Saints is howerly eyde Yet sight with seeing neuer satisfide God as he is sight beyond estimate VVhich Angel tongues are vntaught to discouer VVhose splendor doth The heauenâ— illustrate Vnto which sight each sight becomes a louer VVhom all the glorious court of heauen land VVith praises of eternities applaâ—d There where no teares are to interpret griefes Nor any sighes heart dâ—lours to expound There where no treasure is surpris'd by theeues Nor any voice that speakes with sorrowes sound No vse of passions no distempered thought No spot of sinne no deed of error wrought The natiue home of pilgrime soules abode Rest's habitation ioyes true residence Ierusalem's new Citie built by God Form'd by the hands of his owne excellence VVith gold pau'd streets the wals of precious stone VVhere all sound praise to him sits on the throne HEAVENS Glory Earths Vanitie and Hels Torments Of the Glory of the bles sed Saints in Heauen TO the end there might want nothing to stirre vp our mindes to vertue after the paines which Almighty God threateneth to the wicked he doth also set before vs the reward of the good which is that glory and euerlasting life which the blessed Saints doe enjoy in heauen whereby hee doth very mightily allure vs to the loue of the same But what manner of thing this reward and what this life is there is no tongue neither of Angels nor of nen that is sufficient to expresse it Howbeit that wee may haue some kinde of â—auour and knowledge thereof I intend here to rehearse euen word for word what S. Augustine saith in one of his meditations speaking of the life euerlasting ensuing this transitoâ—ie time and of the joyes of the blessed Saints in heauen O life saith he prepared by Almighty God for his friends a blessed life a secure life a quiâ—t life a beautifull life a cleane life a chast life a holy life a life that knoweth on death a life without sadnesse without labour without griefe without trouble without corruption without feare without variety without alteration a life replenished with all beautie and dignity where there is neither enemy that can offend nor delight that can annoy where loue is perfect and no feare at all where the day is euerlasting and the spirit of all is one where Almighty God is seene face to face who is the onely meate whereupon they feed without loathsomenesse it delighteth mee to consider thy brightnesse and thy treasures doe reioyce my longing heart The more I consider thee the more I am striken in loue with thee The great desire I haue of thee doth wonderfully delight me and no lesse pleasure is it to me to keepe thee in my remembrance O life most happy O kingdome truely blessed wherin there is no death nor â—nd neither yet succession of time where the day continuing euermore without night knoweth not any mutation where the victorious conqueror beeing ioyned with those euerlasting quires of Angels and hauing his head crowned with a garland of glory singeth vnto Al mighty God one of the songs of Syon Oh happy yea and most happy should my soule be if when the race of this my pilgrimage is ended I might bee worthy to see thy glory thy blessednesse thy beautie the wals and gates of thy Citie thy streets thy lodgings thy noble Citizens and thine omnipotent King in his most glorious Maiestie The stones of thy wals are precious thy gates are adorned with bright pearles thy streets are of very fine excellent gold in which there neuer faile perpetuall praises thy houses are paved with rich stones wrought throughout with Zaphirs and couered aboue with massie gold where no vncleane thing may enter neither doth any abide there that is defiled Faire and beautifull in thy delights art thou O Ierusalem our mother none of those things are suffered in thee that are suffered here There is
then follow not sinners to the fire of hâ—ll lest thou be constrainâ—d at last when it shall be too late to bewaile thy folly to câ—y out with those that haue mispent their time in vanity Oh that now I might dye the death of the righteous oh Thus â—ran cis Spiâ—ra crieâ— out after he had renouÌ„ ced the profession of true pietie for the possession of earths vanity that I might not dâ—e at all oh that I might fâ—ele in my conscience the least hope of pardon which is as vnpossible as to vnlade all the water in the vast Ocean with a spoone Oh that God would giue mee the least dram of grace which is as impossible as for the least graine of Mustardseed to fill the whole earth preuent this betimes which thou maist doe by abandoning the vanity of the world and so liue that wheresoeuer or howsoeuer thou dyest whether abroad or at home by day or by night slâ—eping or waking whether asâ—d in death or a deliberate death thou maist willingly commend thy spirit vnto the hands of God â—s vnto the hands of a faithfull creator and maist say with the Bride Come Lord Iesu euen so come Lord Iesu come Reu 22. quickly my heart is prepared to enter into thy rest receiue me into the armes of thy mercy entertaine mee into thy owne kingdome that leauing the vanity of this world I may with thy glorified Angels and blessed Saints enioy that euerlasting felicity of a better world which neuer shall haue an end Adew therefore vain world with all worldly delights whatsoeuer and now solitary soule begin to take thy solaâ—â— in better things And to proue the world vaine and consequently thy selfe vaine behold these shapes read thâ—se Verses and in order open the leaues that are folded vp Herein as in a mirrour behold thy owne estate read and consider what thou readest that thou maist know and see thy owne vanity Here thou shalt see what thou wert what thou art and what thou shalt be Dust thou wert dust thou art and vnto dust thou shalt returne dust in thy creation dust in thy constitution dust in thy dissolution I. THough long it were since Adam was Yet seemes he here to be A blessed creature once he was Now naked as you see Whose wife was cause of all my care To say I may be bold Turne backe the leaues and then you may My picture there behold II. To thinke vpon the workes of God All worldly men may wonder But thinking on thy sinnes O man Thy heart may burst asunder The sinner sits and sweetly sings And so his heart beguiles Till I come with my bitter stings And turne to griefe his smiles III. Muse not to gaze vpon my shape Whose nakednesse you see By flattering and deceitfull words The Diuell deceiued me Let me example be to all That once from God doe range Turne backe the leaues and then behold Another sight as strange IV. Had Adam and Eue neuer beene As there you saw their shape I neuer had deceiued them Nor they ere made debate But turne behold where both doe stand And lay the fault on me Turne backe the vpper and nether erests There each of them you see I. III. Here we doe stand in perfect state All formed as we were But what the Serpent did by hate Shall sodainely appeare Then here behold how both doe stand And where the fault did lye Th' almighty power did so command That once we all must dye II. IV. See what comes of wicked deed As all men well doe know And for the same God hath decreed That we should liue in woe The dust it was my daily food Vnto it we must turne And darknesse is my chiefe abode In sorrow so we mourne Of the punishments which the Lord threat neth vnto such as liue a sinfull life ONe of the principall meanes that our Lord hath vsed oftentimes to bridle the hearts of men and to draw them vnto the obedience of his commandements hath beene to sâ—t before their eyes the horrible plagues and punishments that are prepared for such persons as be rebels and transgressours of his Law For although the hope of the rewards that are promised vnto the good in the life to come may moue vs very much hereunto yet are we commonly more moued with things that beirkesome vnto vs than with such as be pleasant euen as we see by daily experience that we are vexed more with an iniury done vnto vs than delighted with any honour and we are more troubled with sicknesse than comforted with health and so by the discommodity of sicknesse we come to vnderstand the commodity of health as by a thing so much the better perceiued by how much more it is sensibly felt Now for this cause did our Lord in times past vse this meane more than any other as it appeareth most clearely by the writings of the Prophets which are euery where full of dreadfull sayings and threatnings wherewith our Lord pretendeth to put a terrour into the hearts of men and so to bridle and subdue them vnder the obedience of his Law And for this end he commanded the Prophet Ieremie That he should take a white booke and write in the same all the threatnings and calamities which hee had reuealed vnto him euen from the first day he began to talke with him vntill that present houre and that he should read the same in the presence of all the people to see if peraduenture they would be moued therewith vnto repentance and to change their former life to the end that he might also change the determination of his wrath which he had purposed to execute vpon them And the holy Scripture saith That when the Prophet had done according as he was commanded by almighty God and had read all those threatnings in the presence of the people and of the Rulers there arose such a feare and terrour amongst them that they were all astonished and as it were bestraughted of their wits looking one in anothers face for the exceeding great fear which they had conceiued of those words This was one of the principall means which almighty God vsed with men in the time of the Law written and so he did also in the time of the Law of grace in which the holy Apostle saith That as there is reuealed a iustice whereby God maketh men iust so is there also reuealed an indignation and wrath whereby he punisheth the vniust for which cause S. Iohn Baptist the glorious forerunner of our Sauiour Christ was sent with this commission and embassage to preach vnto the world That the axe was now put to the root of the tree and that euery tree that brought noâ— forth good fruit should be cut downe and cast into the fire Hee said moreouer That there was another come into the world more mighty than hee that carried in his hand a fanne to winnow and cleanse therewith his floore and that he would put vp the corne into
present or of the time to come or of any other meanes The damned soules thinke that all men are shooting darts at them and that all creatures haue conspired against them that euen they themselues are cruell against themselues This is that distresse whereof the sinners doe lament by the Prophet saying The sorrowes of hell haue compassed me round about and the snares of death haue besieged me For on which side so â—uâ—r they looke or turne their eyes they doe continually behold occasions of sorrow and griefe and none at all of any ease or comfort The wise Virgins saith the Euange list that stood ready prepared at the gate of the Bridegrome entred in and the gate was forthwith locked fast O locking euerlasting O enclosure immortal O gate of all goodnesse which shal neuer anâ— more be opened againe As if he had said more plainly the gate of pardon of mercy of comfort of grace oâ— intercession of hope and of all other goodnesse is shut vp for euer and euer Six dayes and no more was Manna to be gathered but the seuenth day which was the Saâ—â—bath day was there none to be found and therefore shall he fast for euer that hath not in due â—â—me made his prouision aforehand The sluggâ—rd saith he wise man will not till his ground for feare of cold and therefore shall he beg his bread in summer and no man shall giue him to eat And in another place he saith He that gathereth in summer is a wise sonne but he that giueth himselfe to sleeping at that season is the sonne of confusion For what confusion can be greater then that which that miserable couetous rich man suffereth who with a few crâ—ms of bread that fell from his table might haue purchased to himselfe abundance of euerlasting felicitie and glory in the kingdome of heauen But because he would not giue so small a thing he came to such an extreame necessity that he begged yea and shall for euer beg in vaine onely one drop of water and shall neuer obtaine it Who is not moued with that request of that vnfortunate damned person who cried O father Abraham haue compassion on me and send downe Lazarus vnto me that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and touch my tongue for these horrible flames doe torment me exceedingly What smaller request could there be desired than this He durst not request so much as one cup of water neither that Lazarus should put his whole hand into the water nor yet which is more to be wondered at did he request so much as the whole finger but onely the tip of it that it might but touch his tongue and yet euen this alone would not be granted vnto him Whereby thou maiest perceiue how fast the gate of all consolation is shut vp and how vniuersall that interdict â—d excommunication is that iâ— there laid vpon the damned siâ—h this rich Glutton could not obtaine so much as this small request So that wheresoeuer the damned persons doe turne their eyes and on which sid soeuer they stretch their hands they shall nor finde any manner of comfort â—e it neuer so small And as he that is in the Sâ—a choaked and almost drowned vnder the water not finding any stâ—y whereupon to â—â—t his foâ—t stretcheth forth his hands oftentimes on euery side in vain because all that he graspeth after is thin and liquid water which deceiues him euen so shall it fare with the damned persons when they shall be drowned in that deepe Sea of so many miseries where they shall striue and struggle alwaies with death without finding any succour or place of stay whereupon they may rest themselues Now this is one of the greatest paines wherewith they be tormented in that cursed place for if thâ—se torments should haue their continuance limited but for a certaine time though it were for a thousand yea a hundred thousand millions of yeares yet euen this would be some little comfort vnto them for nothing is perfectly great in case it haue an end But alas they haue not so much as this poore and miserable comfort but contrariwise their paines are equall in continuance with the eternity of almighty God and the lâ—sting of their misery with the eternity of Gods glory As long as almighty God shall liue so long shall they dye and when almighty God shall cease to be God then shall they also cease to be as they are O deadly life O immortall death I know not whether I may truely tearme thee either life or death for if thou be life why dost thou kil And if thou be death why doest thou endure Wherefore I will call thee neither the one nor the other for so much as in both of them there is contained something that is good as in life there is rest and in death there is an end which is a great comfort to the afflicted but thou hast neither rest nor end What art thou then Marry thou art the worst of life and the worst of death for of death thou hast the torment without any end and of life thou hast the continuance without any rest O bitter composition O vnsauory purgation of our Lords cup of the which all the sinners of the earth shall drinke their part Now in this continuance in this eternity I would wish that thou my deare Christian brother wouldst fixe the eyes of thy consideration a little while and that as the cleane beast cheweth the cud euen so thou wouldest weigh this point within thy selfe with great deliberation And to the intent thou maiest doe it the better consider a little the paines that a sicke man abideth in one euill night especially if he be vexed with any vehement griefe or sharpe disease Marke how oft he tumbleth and tossâ—th in his bed what disquietnesse he hath how long tedious one night seemeth vnto him how duâ—ly he counteth all the houres of the clocke and how long he deemeth each houre of them to be how he passeth the time in wishing for the dawning of the day which notwithstanding is like to helpe him little towards the curing of his disease If this then be accounted so great a torment what torment shall that be thinke you in that euerlasting night in hell which hath no morning nor so much as any hope of any dawning of the day O darknesse most obscure O night euerlasting O night accuâ—sed euen by the mouth of almighty God and all his Saints That one shall wish for light and shall neuer see it neither shall the brightnesse of the morning arise any more Consider then what a kinde of torment shall that be to liue euerlastingly in such a night as this is lying not in a soft bed as the sicke man doth but in a hot burning furnace feming out such terrible raging flames What shoulders shall be able to abide those horrible heats If it seeme to vs as a thing intollerable to haue onely some part of our feet