leade a voluptuous conuersation accordyng to his appetite let vs neither estéeme nor magnifie him Let vs not affect such kynde of lyfe nor greatly set by but rather dispyse suche a man I meane not that wée shoulde hate hym in nature nor dispyse his person absolutely but hys vyces and him selfe in so much that by them he is eloygned and estranged from God. Wherevpon the Psalmist sayeth of the iust man The wicked was brought to naught in his sight But suche as feare God hee glorifieth Aristotle in hys Ethyckes hath this sentence Magnanimytie is full of contempt for it setteth light by those which lyue vylely All this notwithstanding we ought to bestow the affects of charitie and godly compassion vpon those which are wycked and vniust accordyng to their necessitie Yea and muche the more bycause we sée them to be wrapped and enfolded yea blynded and muffled to reioyce florish and exalte themselues in this worlde And therevpon Hierome sayeth wée more weigh marke sinners to be most wretched when we perceyue their faultes to be lefte vnpunished Yea both hée and Ambrâ—…se say There is no certayner token or signe of a reprobate sence and damnation to ensue theÌ„ to prosper and to be without any crosse or punishment in this lyfe Especially since the Lord sayth I chaâ—…tise and rebuke those whom I loue Now therefore let vs well consider how it comes to passe that the contempt and hatred of this world is of necessitie to saluation For vnlesse it had bene by some maner of meanes necessarie to saluation the Apostle Iohn had not sayde if any man loue the world the charitie loue of God the father is not in him It is therefore to be sayd that there are two kyndes of hating and 〈◊〉 the world speaking generally thereof The first whereof is that the world and such things as are therein should be contempned and hated for as much as they doe directly hynder and withhold vs from god That is to say least they be loued more then God or contrarie to his will and commaundements And least any man should take felicitie in them and cleaue wholly vnto them contrarie to the lawes of God in holy scriptures contayned Least he preferre earthly goods before heauenly goods and least hée set the temporall prayses and honours of this lyfe before the celestial ioyes prepared And finally least he loue and estéeme this present lyfe more then the lyfe to come And for these reasons the hating and dispising of the world are necessarie vnto saluation So that euerie man is bound in that sort to hate dispise the world as wel single men as maryed folke The which lesson I iudge to be verie difficult vnto suche as dwel and remayne in this world Now the second kynde or maner of dispising and hating the world is executed by the ful and absolute abandâ—…ning denying of all worldly things As if any man dispising and throwing from him the ryches and delightes of this lyfe should choose to serue God in obscure and more priuate lyfe So that in this sence to hate and dispise the world is vtterly to refuse cast of all temporall things seculer pomps yea worldly maners and dignities and so to dispise all the vanities of this lyfe that we may walke in the righte way by the assistance of Gods grace and holy spirit And whosoeuer doeth thus he is sure to displease and offend worldly men For euen as lykenesse of things is a cause of loue and well pleasing so vnlikenesse is the originall cause and mother of hatred and withdrawing of myndes and affections Herevpon the Apostle asked this question Doe I sayth he séeke to please men If I should yet please men I should not be the seruant of christ And lykewyse the Psalmist sayeth God hath brokeÌ„ in sunder the bones of such as séeke to please men They were consumed bicause god dispised theÌ„ Is not this a most horrible and dreadfull worde For what can bée more fearefull then to bée dispised of God since Salomon sayeth Consider the workes of God since no man can ameÌ„d him which God dispiseth And in this sort to dispise y world is not onely to hate and dispise all frayle worldly vayne things in that they doe dyrectly but in that they doe also chanceably let or hinder Gods creatures from attaining vnto him As the wise man testifieth saying They are as temptation to a mans soule and as a Trappe or snare for the féete of the foolish â–ª And therefore we hate them not onely for that they withhold vs directly since Salomon sayeth God made his workes to be feared But also bicause euen chanceably they doe vaynely delight the reprobate with the comelinesse of his creatures and with the perticular profit which they séeme to carry with them So that they there doe stay and stand still â—…ternally and neuer attribute the honour and glorie vnto the creator who is in déede the onely end and scope wherevnto wée should tende and frame our doings Héerevpon Isodorus sayeth it is better to haue the hatred of the euill then theyr company For euen as the conuersation and lyfe of those which are godly doe render many commodities so the company of the wicked doeth bryng with it many euilles Now in this treatyse I intend to speake chiefly of the contempt of this worlde as it is set downe in the seconde note euen that which concerneth the state of perfection and the obseruing of Gods words And yet I shall sometymes bring in somewhat of the former kynde of contempt in as muche as it of necessitie towardes saluation and the fulfillyng of Gods commaundements My parte sayeth the Lorde is my soule And therefore I wil expect and looke for the Lorde For the Lorde is good to them which trust in him and to the soule that séeketh hym And as the scripture sayth A thréefolde corde is hardly broken Let vs therefore by a thréefold perswasion and by a tripartyte kynde of demonstration set downe howe holy howe diuyne and how acceptable how holesome howe noble and how expedient it is altogither to contempne the worlde and those things which are therein Now some perswading reasons or demonstrations of this blessed contempte are to bee â–ª vnderstoode on the behalfe of god Some other on our owne behalfe and some on the behalfe of the world it self Whervpon orderly decently to procéed on y behalfe of God these things ought to induce beget in vs a contempt of the world First the loue and goodnesse of the glorious blessed god Secondarily The zeale that we haue to honour him perfectly as much as in vs lyeth Thirdly the great benifits which we receiue at gods hands Fourthly the consideration of his promises Fiftly bicause god him self in proper persoÌ„ did so couÌ„sel vs. And lastly bicause he did so him selfe Of the rest I will treate hereafter Now touching the loue and goodnesse of God it is
written Thy name and thy memoriall O Lord are in the desires of my soule My soule hath desired thée by night yea thy spyrite is in the secretes of my harte and early in the gray mornyng will I wayte for thée Herein as goodnesse is the obiecte of our appetyte and desire so since god is the highest purest vnmeasurable perfectest goodnesse so is he insinitely to be desired to be loued In such sorte that we ought beyond all comparison to loue him aboue all things And so consequently it is méete and requisite to dispyse to refuse and to caste away whatsoeuer may let foreslow or turne vs from his loue and the feruentnesse therof But the world and that which 〈◊〉 thervnto doe withdrawe vs specially let and 〈◊〉 vs from the loue and goodnesse of God as Gregorie sayeth wée are euen so much disioyned and seperated from the loue of y high God as wée are wrapped in worldly thinges delighted in base things and occupyed in earthly things For vertue is both greater and of more force when it is vnited thē when it is dispersed therfore the more that the 〈◊〉 of our mynd are dispersed and deuyded into the inordinate loue of worldly creatures the weaker also colder blynder and more vnapte they be to loue God. Wherevpon Chrysostome sayeth looke howe muche thy mynd is set vpon any thing and euen so much the lesse it is set vpon god For what are these earthly carnall things but onely heauy wayghtes and burthens which draw down the affections of mans mynd from desire of heauenly things Let vs therefore extend our whole harte vnto god Let vs be borne vnto him with our whole mynde Let him be such a cause of loue vnto vs in al other things that we estéeme no worldly creature more thē for that it may as a meane serue vs towardes the attayning of his loue That is to say so far forth as it may bee vnto vs necessarie and profitable to further vs in our way towardes the heauenly kingdome But let vs become so feruent in the loue of God yea let vs so much estéeme his most swéete and delectable loue that we may dispise all and singular other vayne and transitorie things as vyle durte So that the omnipotent and eternall God may be more precious more to be desired more gloryous swéeter fayrer and in euerie kynde of comparison better of more perfection and worthinesse thē any other thing And let any liuyng worldly creature be lothsome vnto our soules being thus occupyed in contemplation of the diuyne maiestie Let vs sée and perceyue hereby that the whole 〈◊〉 world in respect or comparison of the vndiscrybable God is but as a small title of no reputation or louelynesse Yea in such sorte that we thinke these transistorie thinges vnworthie to be looked on But that we be wholly transformed 〈◊〉 established dissolued and swallowed vp in Christ Iesus So that we may say with his holy Prophet The God of my harte and God is my portion for euer And agayne I will loue thée O Lorde my strength And as the Apostle said I know that neither death nor life nor any creature can seperate me from Gods loue Let vs but marks and behold how vyle it were for the delightes of the mortal and miserable fleshe for the prayse and glorie of men and for temporall honour and preferment to be withdrawen or foreslowed from this highest supressentiall vnchangeable and incomprehensible goodnesse of god Let vs be made heauenly conformable vnto God and deyfyed yea familiar and entyrely beloued vnto the liuing god For what haue we to doe with these earthly things we being made and created to the shape and lykenesse of the most holy Trinitie béeyng redéemed and made frée by the bloud of Christ and called to the blessed fellowship of Angels Let vs therefore dispyse all these things and let our whole occupation conuersation entention and affection be fixed and altogither reposed in him onely which is onely necessarie to bee imbrased accordyng to the admonition of Augustine Let man sayth hée if he turne any way conuert him selfe vnto him which created him for by going backe from him he waxeth cold but by turning vnto him he shall waxe warme By going backe he shall waxe dimme and darke but by turning to him hée shall become bright and shyning For euen where he receyued his creation and being there must he also fetche his being good or godly For he the Lord our God is the verie swéetnesse swéete aboue all kynde of swéetenesse Brighter then any light déeper then any secret and higher then any honour or degrée Moreouer he is that purest kynde of lyfe to turne 〈◊〉 om him were a gréeuous fall but to returne vnto him is a highe rysing or clyming To abyde in him is a certaine dwelling and to dwell in him is happie lyfe And euen as corne in the wet furrow doeth rotte and 〈◊〉 but in the rydge or higher part of the land it is preserued florisheth so our hartes if they be raysed vp to God shalt neuer putrifie nor decay But if they be ouerthrowne or sunken in earthly things they rotte and consume immediately And myne earnest desire is my welbeloued that thou doe spurne from thée and dispise all transitorie things detest abhorre all the pompe of this world for the loue of the diuyne bountie and through the affection that thou haste to procéede in the imbrasing thereof Yea and that by the desire of so contemplatyue and holy meditations thou mayest with all thy hart and mynde be giuen ouer vnto him All which can not come to passe vnlesse thou dispise all corporal delightes all worldly vanities and all thine owne desires As Cassianus affyrmeth saying our affectiōs saith he are neuer perfectly kindled to the desire of eternal things neither is our vnderstandyng euer sharpened vnto the perfect contemplation of heauenly thinges vntill the cares and desires of the fleshe bee perfectly bridled in vs My welbeloued if thou wilt be rich and a possessor of infinite goods and treasures giue eare then vnto the counsell of Ambrose He that wil sayth he possesse God let him first renounce the world that God may be vnto him a blessed possession and heritage For looke how much thou dye vnto y world so much lyfe thou gaynest with god And the more that thou lyue as to this worlde so muche the more thou dyest vnto God. To conclude whosoeuer loueth the world doeth loue an enimie imbraseth a Traytor and dandleth in his lappe an vnspeakeable daunger Wherevpon Augustyne sayde if this world delight thée thou shalt alwayes be vncleane And if thou louingly kysse the worlde he will hungrily and gréedily swallowe and deuour thée And to make an end of thys deuision wee ought aboue all things to loue God. First for his vnmeasurable goodnesse Secondarily bicause he first loued vs. Thirdly bicause he powreth so many benifits vpon vs. Fourthly
Gregorie sayeth wée went from our countrey meanyng the terrestryall Paradyse for our pryde disobedyence followynge of the visible goodnesse and tasting of the fruite prohibited but wee muste returne therevnto agayne by humilitie obedience contempnyng of the visible goodnesse and by brideling our carnall appetytes And therefore in this lyfe we are called Trauaylers or wafaring men bicause as the Apostle sayth We haue not here any certayne residence but we must séeke for it in the world to come And agayne in another place he sayth whilest we are in this corporall bodie we dwell as strangers from the lord For we walke by fayth and not accordyng to our outward forme And in lyke maner the Psalmist singing speaketh vnto God and sayeth Hold not thy peace though I be a straÌ„ger an alien in thy sight as all my forefathers were Now it is expedyent for a prouydent and circumspecte trauayler that hauing necessarie thyngs for his iourney hée loade not nor ouer charge not him selfe with other things nor that hée staye in hys waye without some reasonable and vrgent cause Neyther yet that hée busie hym selfe to entermedle with thinges done by other men whome hée passeth by in his iourney but that holding the kings highe way and neyther declining on the righte haude nor on the lefte hande and being contented with necessarie foode apparell he make hast incessantly trauayle with all possible spéede to drawe néere vnto his iourneys end So ought euerie Christian to consider that he is but a trauayler or a wayfaring man in this present lyfe and therefore let him so order his whole conuersation that hee obtayne the felicitie which is to come and to attayne to the heauenly and euerlasting kingdome of god Yea let him direct all his steps vnto the glorie of God fulfilling his holy commaundementes and by such vertuous degrees let him aspyre vnto the heauenly habitation For héere vnto the Apostle Paule doeth exhorte vs saying it remayneth that they which vse the benifites of this world should bee as though they vsed it not And that they which be maryed should bee as if they were vnmaryed For the outward shewe of this world shall passe ouer And agayne in another place he sayth Pauing meat drinke and clothing let vs be contented For they which couet to be rich doe light in the snares and temptations of the diuil But happie is he which so knoweth his habitation that he may say with the Prophet woe is mée that my resting place is prolonged He that so sayth and so coueteth to come vnto the euerlasting habitation he is worthily to be called a true trauayler and one that goeth in the right readie way But bicause it happeneth oftentymes that a trauayler séeing sundrie straunge things in his way is delighted therewith and stayeth to behold such things or to seeke and inquire of nouelties whereby he foresloweth his â—…ourney and remembreth not the countrey which hée hath to trauayle vntoo but rather is so drowned in the delights of strange countreys that hée taryeth there for altogither and neuer commeth to his iourneyes end Therefore there is a playner and more perfect way whereby we may goe to the countrey of the chosen Which is that a man doe goe not onely by the wayes and meanes alreadie declared towardes the heauenly habitation but furthermore that hée doe not regarde care for or séeme to sée anye impediment stoppe or let in his way But rather passe by them and dispise them as things which appertayne not vnto him And such trauaylers or wayfaring men are they which care no more for the prayses and commendation of this world theÌ„ they doe for their disprayses no more for prosperitie theÌ„ for aduersitie for ryches then for pouertie Finally which doe not worldly set their myndes on any of the thinges which delight men in this lyfe but doe mortifyedly set lighte by them all as by most vayne trifles and toyes Unto the which perfection the Apostle doeth exhort vs saying wée must alwayes beare aboute vs in our bodies the 〈◊〉 of Christ Iesus that his lyfe may be made manifest in this our mortall fleshe And such were they to whom the same Apostle did wryte you are dead and your lyfe is hidden in God with Christ Iesus And suche also was Ieremie speaking vnto God who sayeth Thou knowest that I haue not desired the dayes of man And suche are all they which doe not glorie but in God the Lord which made them selues strangers and alliens from this worlde And suche an one may properly bée called deade vnto the worlde And yet there is another way higher and more perfect then these Which is To extinguishe all self-selfeloue and to bée rauished in diuyne charitie and thereby to loue our sâ—…lues in Christ Iesu perfectly and spiritually Not onely that trauaylerlike we can eschue the impediments stops in our way to God neyther yet onely that deadmanlyke wee can set light by the prosperities and pleasures of the worlde but also that we abhorre with all our harte all thinges wherevnto the worlde cleaueth as ryches delightes lustes of the fleshe promotions vayne prayses of men and frée skope to doe what we list Yea let vs with all our harte abhorre detest and flye from all these thinges â–ª as griefes and deadly tormentes of the harte bicause suche things doe rather hynder and â—…oppe then further our helpe forthwardes our course to God and our iourney to the heauenly habitation To conclude let vs with all our hartes iâ—…brace cleaue to and desyre all suche thinges as the worlde accoumpteth a Crosse. Which are aduerâ—…tyes or harde conditions as abstynence watching disciplyne desyre to bée vnknowne to the worlde loue to bée contempned thereof and ioyfullye to beare all barde punyshementes for the loue of god Knowing that these thynges wil be profitable vnto vs as well for atteyning vnto our iourneys ende as also to make the goodnesse of God satisfyed and pleased with our forewardnesse whereby we may escape the punyshementes due for our heynous offences and procâ—…de in grace to our heauenly habitation Yea héereby wée are made lyke vnto Christ which susfered for vs and therefore shall lyke vnto hym receyue a ioyfull rewarde in the lyfe to come And héerevpon we may reioyce héerein as in great treasures and as the wicked and reprobate doe reioyce and glorie in the prosperities of thys world For suche as attayne vnto this perfection may say with Paule God sorbid that I should glorie but onely in the Crosse of Christ by whome the world is crucified vnto mée and I vnto the worlde In lyke maner may wée bâ—… thought crucified and not onely alyens as the first nor dead as the second sort For in this third degrée of perigrination the very height of all christian puritie doth consist And such were the most blessed Apostles who being scourged and reproued by the high priestes did goe away reioysing oute of
bicause he hath promised to giue vs greater rewards in the heauenly kingdome And to this feruentnesse of charitie let vs alwayes enforce our selues For by Augustynes opinion it is neyther the great number of workes nor the long continuance of tyme but the greater heate of charitie and the better readinesse of our wil which maketh God for his Christ to accept our merites For whosoeuer doeth obserue charitie in all his actions he fulfilleth as wel that which is apparant as also that which is mysticall in Gods booke For charitie doth as it were open the mynde and maketh the louer to be loued O Lord my God thou arte charitie sayth the Apostle thou art loue which can not be extinguished Doe thou therfore lighten my hart and make it dronken in thée Wherfore am I tossed about wherfore run I from one place to another why doe I wander after many things Is ther not in thée only most holy honorable mighty glorious God y perfect possessioÌ„ y incomprehensible pleÌ„tie and y infinit aboundance of all things y are good pleasant or to be desired TheÌ„ what is more exceleÌ„t or more louely y I shuld therfore withdraw my hart from thée turn it vnto frail things coueting or desiring any maner of thing without thée or besides thée And where was I when I was not with thée Whither ranne myne affections astray when they did not desire thée onely O God of my lyfe howe vaynely is it consumed And how vnfruitfully are my dayes stolen away whilest I liued idelly vnprofitably before thée But from henseforwardes let my soule bee vnmoueably fixed in thée For euen as the harte desireth the freshe fountaynes when he is chased euen so my hart desireth to be with thée O God. Whosoeuer doth glorifie mée I wil also glorifie him saith the Lord God in the second Chapiter of the first booke of the Kings And they which coÌ„tempne me shal be dishonored For of the loue of God the zeale of y diuine honor doth ryse and procéed As also an excéeding affection to adore worship him in all things Which zeale y prophet Helie had wheÌ„ he said I am become zealous in zeale for the Lord god And y more feruently that we loue him the more entâ—…tiuely also we desire to worship him in all things yea and to enduce others with vs to the worshipping of his name For euen as God by reason of his vnmeasurable bountie his infinite amyablenesse is such that no man can loue him so much as he is worthie to be beloued but doth infinitely fayle thereof So by the reason of his maiestie dignitie and vnmeasured asured holinesse he is infinitely to be honoured So that euery man is much defectyue in doing of suche reuerence vnto him as he in him self doth deserue And here vpon the holy fathers profoundlye pondering these considerations did estéeme all their déedes conuersatioÌ„ how perfect so euer it were to be of none effect And therfore the doctors say A man shuld rather suffer death theÌ„ commit the least fault or offence wilfully For as muche as sinne in that it derogateth any thing from the excéeding great maiestie of God is a huge and vnreasonable enormitie Then if we do honor the excelent maiestie of God so much the more bicause by the beholding consideratioÌ„ of his worthinesse we are able to dispise hartily to reiect all frail vain transitorie things to the end that being vnburthened and clean dispatched of them we may attentiuely giue our selues to that pure frée entire worshipping of the same it must néedes follow that they whiâ—…h through zeale doe altogither dispyse and forsake the world shall immediately honor God with all integrytie of harte And therefore by his grace and mercies are made worthie to be glorified honored extolled with him And lykewise the lesse that a man doe occupie him selfe in many businesses so much the more perfectly he is bent vnto the onely god And so much y loftier more sincere his mynde is in the praysing of his name Yea hée may so much the more be wholly at leysure to exercise him selfe in his seruice and walke vprightly in all godlynesse Moreouer Salomon saith Honor God with all thy substance and the first fruites of thine increase If then it pertayne vnto the honor of God to offer him any parte of our outward substance it must by stronger reason appertaine more vnto his honour to refuse all worldly things fréely for the worshiping and glorifying of him and to preseÌ„t our selues vnto him with full deuotion And so do they which coÌ„tempne the world in such maner as is beforesayd And therfore to the end thou mayest vncessantly as much as in thée lyeth giue thy selfe vnto the praise worship and honour of the diuyne maiestie yea that thou mayest quyetly repose thy self in the swéet contemplation of his mercyes reioyse in his blessednesse lyke a naturall louing chylde and spend all the dayes of thy lyfe vertuously I exhorte thée my welbeloued altogither to disspyse the world and to passe ouer all the transitorie vanities thereof with a noble courage yea to goe hartily to worke in the onely honoring of god For is not the vylenesse lothsomenesse of this world infinite being compared to the highest and vnchangeable goodnesse yea doest thou not thinke it an vnworthie thing by occasion of earthly and worldly coÌ„uersation to be hyndred letted from the duetie which thou owest vnto the honour and maiestie of God â–ª and to be withdrawen from the holy exercyses of vertue and godlinesse for the moste vayne liberties of worldly conuersation and vnlawfull actions To conclude if thou doe in this maner glorifie God and dispise the world then God doubtlesse wil cause thée to be honoured excéedingly as Esay witnesseth saying if thou glorifie God following not thyne owne wayes nor yelding to thyne owne will the Lord will giue thée rest and wil fill thy soule with comely brightnesse Yea then shalt thou be much delighted in the Lord and he shall set thée vp aboue the height of the earth Wherevpon Hyllarie sayeth This doe I chieflye owe vnto God that all my power all my sences all my spirits may sounde his praise For to that end we receyued bodie and bodily members yea lyfe and soule of God that we might worship him generally with them all And therefore the Apostle sayeth As you haue giuen ouer your members to serue vncleannesse and iniquitie so now sayth hée giue ouer your members to doe rightâ—…esse and holinesse And this it is to honour God worthyly to doe for his honour whatsoeuer we may possybly doe to please him yea and yet neuerthelesse humbly to confesse that we doe nothing worthy of thankes or meryte Therofore it is written To gloryfie God as much as lyeth in vs shall preuayle with his mercy and is beyonde all prayse Deferre not then my welbeloued to geue
forsake al y is earthly For as Bernard coÌ„fesseth They which are delighted in things y are preseÌ„t subiect vnto frailtie can hardly or not at all behold coÌ„template things y are heueÌ„ly eternal But he which accompteth theÌ„ as dust or shadowes shal be the soner raised vp in spirit to the attaining of spiritual heaueÌ„ly things And herewithal since thou dost my welbeloued séem to be somwhat delighted in riches honor glory therfore I dare not fully say vnto thée y thou shuldest make no maner accouÌ„t therof But mine admonitioÌ„ is y thou shuldest not ernestly nor hartily desire y deceiuable riches the worldly honor nor the glorie of men but y with thy whole harte thou séeke searche narowly for the spirituall treasure of vertue the heauenly honor the eternall glory And so shalt thou become a right riche man aboue all them that loue this world For Hierome sayeth those onely are to be accompted true ryches which make vs aboundant in all vertues And therfore if thou desire to be riche then loue and imbrace the right riches of vertue If thou aspyre vnto the height of honor then make hast towardes the heauenly kingdom And if thou couet a crowne of glorie or dignitie theÌ„ trauaile to be appointed enthroned amoÌ„gst the Angels aboue And this ment Gregorie wheÌ„ he sayd dispise worldly riches and thou shalt haue aboundance Contempne worldly honor and thou shalt become glorious Set light by ease corporal quyet in this lyfe and thou shalte haue lyfe euerlastyng Whosoeuer can learne to contempne him selfe shall soone learne to dispise all things for God onely And he that doeth so may say with the holy Apostle I haue lost all things sayth he to the end I might gayne Christ Iesus The Prophet Esay in his seuenth Chapiter cryed out saying This natioÌ„ or people is without wisdoÌ„ or aduise would God they could tast or vnderstand would foresée the latter end As also the Philosophers rule is Discentem oportet credere A learner must beleue And the Prophet also witnesseth if we beleue not we shall not vnderstand And Salomon in the fyrst of his Prouerbes sayeth My sonne barken thou vnto the disciplyne of thy father And in another scripturâ—… we reade if thou sée a man of vnderstandyng straight way watche to drawe neare vnto him And agayne let not the wordes of the elders passe by thine eares vnmarked but stay thereat and from the bottome of thy harte ioyne thée vnto the sayings of the wyse men Then if héereby we bée taught to giue eare vnto wyse men to beléeue their words and to followe their counsell and aduice is it not without all comparyson more expedyent that we giue eare beleue and obeye the onâ—…ly wise God which is in him self the oryginal seperate and eternall wysedome Synce then the very true God him selfe the onely begotten sonne of the father for his aboundant charitie and loue wherewith hee loued vs came down into the world taking vpon him our nature â—…nd shape appearing visibly vnto men being 〈◊〉 eatyng drynkyng and talkyng wiâ—… them of all other it were mâ—…st méete that wee should harken 〈◊〉 â—…nto his counsell and aduyse And perâ—…orme it throughly as much as in vs may be done But Christ dyd by many meanes and wayes as appeareth by his sayinges manifoldly aduyse vs to contempne the world by promiâ—…ng râ—…wardes by prefering helpe and by making him 〈◊〉 â—…r exâ—… The which also the holy Euangelistes aâ—…d Apâ—…les â—…d most euidently sette foorth Therefore obey â—…d â—…low hâ—…s counsell especialâ—…y since he is the way and the truth Which hest knoweth the perilles of ouâ—… passages and what is most expedyent for vs For since he so entirely loâ—…d vs thâ—…t for our redemption he vouchsafed to dye we â—…ay bâ—… most assured that the counsell hée giueth vs is moste loâ—…nde and sure to leane vnto Wherefore become thou his disciple my welbeloued and follow in all thinges his mâ—…st wholesome and sounde doctryne that thou mayest so much the more blâ—…ssedly and with more delight behold him in the heauenly kingdome as thou now doest beleue and harken vnto hym more attentyuely in this lyfe To conclude if an Angell should come downe from heauen appearyng visibly vnto thée and saying Beholde the will or counsell of God is that thou dispyse the worlde wouldest thoâ—… not by and by obâ—…y and beleue it But now not an Angell not a messenger but enen the God of Gods the creator of Angelles and the Lord of all things is come in proper person Yea and hath with his owne mouth giuen thée counsel to contempne the world and to make thyne estate perfect For where as he counselled the rich yong man which from his tender yeares had obserued all the precepts in the golden Tables saying Thou lackest yet one thing If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all that thou hâ—…ste and giue it to the poore and come and follow mée and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen he lefte the same counsel or aduyse foâ—…â—…ée also who peraduenture yet hast not obserued the holy precepts in all poyntes from thy youth bywardes But thou wilt say Can all men leade a perfecte lyfe or forsake the world altogither Oh this is a foolish obiecttion and méete for fonde worldly and wicked men Of whom Salomon sayeth the number of fooles is infinyte And the holy fathers haue answeared thys kynde of obiection at large For there is great difference in iudgement betwéene that which is requyred to the conseruation and mayntenance of the first vndeuidable substance and that which is requisite to the conseruation and mayntenance of the forme or lykenesse But to remayne in the worlde to doe and performe the acte of generation and to till and manure the earthe is not requysite for the mayntenance of the fyrst vndiuydable substaâ—…ce but for the mayntenance of our owne shadowe shape or lykenesse And therefore let no man which findeth in him selfe any promptnesse or readinesse refuse that grace of God working in him and say The worlde must not be altogither vnprouided or vnfurnyshed For I pray thée tell mée if thou shouldest altogither giue ouer the world and giue thy selfe to a holy and solitarie life should the world therfore fayle Thinkest thou that for thée onely the earth shall be abandoned or the rockes tranferred and moued out of their places No no but doe thou gyue eare and follow the counsell of the most graue wise counsaylor which is the Angell or messenger of the great counsell on highe So that thou mayest safely defende thy selfe from infinyte perylles and walke in a safer shorter quyetter and more acceptable pathe vntyll thou bée receyued into the resting place of the Lord thy God. Christ spake as his Euangelist John rehearseth in the eight Chapiter saying I am the light of the worlde He that followeth me walketh not in darkenesse But shall haue the lyght of lyfe Where vpoâ—…
Esau He found not sayeth he place for repentaunce although he sought it wyth teares Therefore let no man deceyue hymselfe wyth vayne hope or solyshe perswasyones For as Hierome sayeth This I hold for certayne and doe thynke moste true that hée hath no good ende which ledde alwayes an euyll lyfe Which being sound and in health was not affeard to offend god but wallowed and toumbled in the vanityes of the world The death of Saintes is most pretious in the sight of the Lorde but the death of sinners is most abhomynable The sinner shal be persecuted with this reuenge that dying he shall forget himselfe and both lyuing and dying he forgat God As. Augustine confirmeth saying He cannot dye euill which lyued well Nay skarce can he dye well which lyued euyll And yet wée must not dispayre of any sinner But they are to be exhorted and styred to repentaunce euen in the last gaspes For some tymes percase it happeneth although very seldome that he which in tyme of health did neglect repentaunce shall yet by repenting then obteyne mercy But he is a most arogant foole which passinge ouer his lyse in health doth put his soules health vnto that ploonge of peryll But let vs doe that which is more sure and sase That is to repent and amende whyles we be sounde and in health praying most faythfully with the Prophet Cast me not out O Lorde in myne age and leaue me not nor forsake me not when my strength and power fayle me For beholde saythe the Apostle Now is the acceptable time now are the daies of health Who is this rysing as the daye rose sayeth the princely Prophet in the sixt of his Canticles fayre as the Moone and bright as the Sunne terryble as the forefroont of a battayle and John sayth in the thyrd Chapter of his first Epystle We know that when he apeareth we shal be lyke vnto him for we shal see him as he is that is to say clearely and perfectly in his forme and proper kynde For the intellectuall sight is and consisteth by view of the intellygible forme or shape whereby we see what is the lykenesse of the thing ones vnderstoode Neyther can that lykenesse playnely represent the thinge vnlesse it be made equall vnto the thinge it selfe But euery shape lykenesse or forme created dooth infinitely fayle and come short of the full representacion of the diuine essence or being and therefore God is séene onely in the heauenly kingedome bicause then the very diuyne â—…ssence it selfe is vnyted vnto the myndes of the blessed in the stéede of the intellygyble forme or 〈◊〉 Not by Inhaesyon or cleauing to but by assystaunce and 〈◊〉 So that the diâ—…yne essence or being is quod quo that is to say the very thing it selfe the thing wherby all thinges are in this blessed vysion Furthermore this vision is more then most worthy and altogether supernaturall the which all the chéefe Phylosophers dyd thinke impossible to be put in any mynde created no not in theyr separate substaunces So that to obtayne the same we haue néede of many supernaturall gyftes meanes and helpes As first that there may be geuen vs from God a blessing euen grace making vs gratefull and acceptable the which doth bedecke and adorne perfectly the very essence or being of the intellectuall and reasonable nature And maketh vs fyt to deserue eternall lyfe and to be conioyned vnto the supernaturall diuinytie Furthermore the loue and charytie whereby god the first being or essence is loued is spirytually supernaturally purely fréely and fully distylled into vs from the holy Ghost And with it hope and fayth also This charytie and loue doth as it were counterpayze him that hath it with the loue of the whole vnyuersallitie So that yet it maketh him loue God more then all thinges that euer were created Yea the least dram of this loue and charytie doth make God to be loued aboue the whole world And otherwyse man should not be in state of Saluation For according to the holy Fathers whosoeuer hath thys charitie and the grace before rehearsed he hath also the giftes of the holy ghost and all the other vertues conuected vnto charytie and conioyned vnto perfect grace Yea the more he profiteth in this grace and charytie so much the higher doeth he growe in good gyftes and vertues To conclude the excelencie and worthynesse of these supernaturall good thinges is suche and so greate that it can hardly be comprehended or expressed For no naturall perfection no bewtie no coomlynesse nor no bryght shyninge lyght can be thought equall vnto it No the heauenly lyghts doo not so much nor so well adorne and â—…e wtifie the substaunce of the Sunne and Moone as those graces doe bewtifie and adorne the substance and beinge of the soule Neyther doothe the Sunne so much bewtifie the heauenly Fyrmament as Charitie dothe bewtifye the Soule No the seuen Planettes doe not so muche adorne the heauenly Spheres or Cyrcles as the gyftes of the holy ghoste dooe adorne and bedecke the powers of the soule The vnyuersallytie of the Starres dothe not so muche adorne and set foorth the eighth Sphere or Fyrmament as the vniuersallytie of verteous actions dothe dignifie adorne and perfect the Soule For euen as by the Philosophers opinion true felicitie consisteth rather in action then in outwarde forme euen so in diuinitie also more vertue and perfection consisteth in exercise of godly actions then in profession or aparaunce And the more noble that the outwarde aparaunce be the more noble should the action and execucion be also Therefore since the forenamed gyftes and treasures of grace be habytes or outward tokens of so great highnes and excelence doth not the christian soule séeme vnto thée to be most noble gallaunt and godlyke which is occupyed continually in the exercyse of those habytes and which is so spiritually supernaturally and godly conuersant yea which doth so perfectly worship and reuerence God whose conuersacion is altogether in heauen For surely here vpon it hath bene wrytten that such a soule is the daughter the beloued and the spowse of God priuie to his heauenly secretes most familiar with him conformable in affectioÌ„s and the entyrely beloued heyre of God the coheyre with Christ which beholding gods glory with face dyscouered is traÌ„sformed into the same likenesse from one brightnes to another For asmuch as it lotheth all worldly frayle carnal humaine sollaces all prayses honors seculer pompes all that dyspleaseth god But whatsoeuer it knoweth may please God that doth it with all earnest affection embrase To conclude euen as by the Philosophers traditions euery motion hath his dignitie name prospertie from the ende wherevnto it tendeth euen so the action is dignified by the worthinesse of the obiect and matter about the which it is occupyed Then how great is the dignitie glory of that soule whose mocion and action lyfe and whole entent are
vnto a faythfull christian man is it the dissolucion of the bodie that a christian man desireth who is able to say I long to be dissolued is it that death bringeth an ende of life being heare that is not much to him that knoweth he hath an other lyfe to come in comparison of which this is no lyfe but death no ioy but sorow no ease but trauayle no quiet but misery So that either there is in deade very smal weake faith in vs to beleue gods promises infallibly made to all his Or if we doo assuredly beleue theÌ„ the greatest feare in that behalfe is past for he that loseth his lyfe temporall fyndeth eternal goeth froÌ„ labour to rest from the sea into the hauen froÌ„ weaknes to strength from sicknes to health from death to lyfe from sinne to iustice from sorow heuines paine to the place where there is no gréefe nor sighinge those former parts are then past Let the heathen feare to dye who may truely say I know not whether I goe nor what is ordeyned for me to what ende the gods haue created me whether it be good or no who are borne in sin not new borne in holines who haue neither teaching or knowledge of life neither promis of the same But a christiaÌ„ man being taught y death is the entre to lyfe that he is ordeyned to lyue with Christ created to be partaker of his glory regenerat sanctified by him with promis of blisse inestimable if he after all this retorne to the same loue of lyfe feare of death y is in the gentil what doth he then else but practise to be come a gentil heathen again selling away his enheritaÌ„ce for lesse then a messe of potage and renouÌ„cing his priuiledge whervnto he is singularly and especially called But as we haue sayd before weaknes may be a great cause to make a man feare death lack of beléefe a greater but yet are they not the greatest for perfect loue ouercoÌ„meth weaknes increaseth reuiueth faith wher loue is whole sounde the rest is soone recouered if it be lost or increased if it be decated But if loue be either deuided betwene god this world lyfe present or wholly traÌ„slated froÌ„ god vnto things traÌ„sitory How should a man be content to parte froÌ„ y he loueth and séeke that he careth not for sithe it is so true saying that where the man loueth he lyueth and vnpossible is it that who so is delited here possessed with the loue of this lyfe should willingly heare of death which can onely be welcome to them that therby desire to be with Christ whom they loue better then theÌ„selues or this lyfe so can be coÌ„tent to leaue the good for the better their welbeloued for the best beloued or y they estéeme light they entirely and tenderly loue For if it be asked what is the thing of such force y is able to make a man content to forsake his goods his liuing him selfe and his life if we will answere truely and in fewe words we must say it is loue nothing else which wher so euer it be faâ—…ed ma keth al other things séeme nothing in coÌ„parison of that it lyketh And herein to vse some exaÌ„ples it was none other thing the made the Philosopher cast himselfe into the burning fire of Aetna nor the Romain getleman-on horse backe to leape in wher y earth gaped the young man after y reading of Platoes booke to break his neck So many captains souldiers wyllingly wittingly to goe to their death but loue They louid somthing better then lyfe the wysest their couÌ„try and frendes whome they would preserue thother fame and as they called it immortalitie the lightest vayne estimacion glory but euery one somwhat wherewith they were ledde Sith theÌ„ loue is of such force as y same is able to bereue a man not only of his goods treasure but also of his lyfe and that by his owne will and coÌ„sent the right waye to learne coÌ„tentidly to receaue death when god sendeth it is to learne to employ wel fasten our loue wher it should be is due that is vppoÌ„ god and the lyfe to come louing that onely for it selfe and other things so much and so farre as we neither change nor remoue y out of his place which lesson if it be not onely beleued but practised maketh the lyfe godly and comfortable and the death easy And who so euer marieth him to the loue of the world following y desires thereof and making the desyres of it his delight that man may speake boldly of death vntil it come But when he shal stand vpon his gard to receue the assault he must will vndoubtedly shrink shew him selfe a weake souldier lacking the armour that should theÌ„ defend him for if faith his buckler byd him be strong thinck vpon the coÌ„quest that Christ his captaine hath made vpon that triumph y is prouided for him his owne hart coÌ„science which is néere him than his armour will saye all that is prouided for such as beare their loue true hart to their onely captaine whome they promised to serue for such as before in the time of theyr seruice dyd resist his enimie his atteÌ„ptes and not for such as yelded themselues prisoners vnto him content to be in his Campe and to fight vnder his banner His sword which is the worde of God being not well handeled of him before nor much occupied wyll then agrée ill with his hand he for lack of exercise not able to giue a strong blow therwith his curates of charitie so thin that eache dart arrow shal perce it his helm of hope vnlyned neither wel fitting to his head nor able to kéepe of the force of the byll Is it possible think ye y a souldier thus armed besides this not exercised in feates of warre shold withstaÌ„d a mightie stroÌ„g practised wel armed man no verely He wil either runne away if the grouÌ„d serue him or with shame be takeÌ„ prisoner and captine When I consider the maner of dying of such as were in gods fauour of whom we reade in the Scriptures old new coÌ„pare our selues with theÌ„ how willing ready glad they were to leaue this lyfe how loath backwarde sory we are for the greater part to doe the same I meruaile we should be called one mans children that are so vnlyke in condicion Moses being tolde he should no longer lyue therefore to prouide his successour dyd w his own hands ordre appoynt Iosua without coÌ„playnt sorow or token of gréefe prouiding for theÌ„ that shold lyue as it were nothing thinking on him selfe Isaac byd his sonne go hunt prouide gett him meat that he might blesse him before he dyed The lycke coÌ„tentacioÌ„ appeared in Iacob Tobias Dauid sundry other whome we finde not onely neuer to haue shunned death
to their parentes disorderâ—…d without loue without truth and without mercy With such and much worse this world is replenished as with heritikes scismatikes periures Tyrans Symonsellers hypocrytes ambitious men robbers spoylers extorcioners and pollers vsurers and false witnesses wicked théeues and church robbers traytors lyers flatterers deceyuers tale tellers wauerers gluttons dronkards adulterers incesteous men tender treaders and vayn vauÌ„ters slouens sluggardes and loyterers prodigall spenders and vnthriftes rashe quarellers and hackers vnpatient and vnconstant men poysoners and witches presumpteous and â—…rogant wretches deuilish mynded and desperate men To conclude with such as are packt full of all paltry of the earth and farced with all kynde of vyle abhomination Yet euen as the smoke vanisheth away so shall they vanish and as waxe melteth before the fyre so shall sinners perysh before the face of God. The wicked men doe suffer foure princypall paynes at theyr death The fyrst is the perpiexitie of the body which is then greater and more gréeuous than euer it was or is in this present lyfe vntil that tyme of dissolution For some thinke that euen without motion suche is their gréeâ—…ous paines they teare themselues in péeces For the violence of death is strong and vncomparable Bicause the knyttinges and naturall combyninges of the body with the spirit arâ—… then broken insonder And therevpon the Prophet Dauid sayth in the Psalme the panges of death haue compassed mée There is no member nor no parte of the body but is touched and twitched with that vntollerable payne Thâ—… second payne is when the body being altogither wéeryed and ouercome the force and strength therof cleane vanquished the Soule doth much more playnely perceyue in one moment all the works which it hath done good and bad and all those things are set before the inward eyes This payne is so great and this torment and disquiet is so gréeuous that the soule being much vexed and troubled is constrayned to confesse and declare against it selfe As it is sayde in the Psalmes the floodes of iniquitie haue troubled mée For as the floodes come with great force and sway and séeme to beare downe all things before them so in the houre of death the wicked man shall sodeinly sée and behold all the workes that he hath done or committed good or bad The third paine is when the soule now beginneth iustly to iudge and séeth all the paynes and tormentes of hell to hang worthely ouer it for all the iniquities whereof it is giltie Wherevpon it is also sayd in the Psalme the paynes of hell came about mée The fourth payne is when the soule béeing yet in the bodye doeth sée the wicked spirites readye to receyue it wherein the dread is suche and so vnspeakeable payne that the myserable soule although it be now parted from the body doeth runne about as long as it may to redéeme the tyme of hir captiuitie before shée forsake the body Also euery man as well good as euill doeth sée before the soule departe from the bodye Christ crucified The wicked séeth it to his 〈◊〉 when hée maye blushe and bée ashamed that hée is not redéemed throughe the bloud of Christ and that his owne giltynesse is the cause thereof Wherevpon it is sayde vnto the wicked in the gospell They shall sée agaynst whom they pricked and stoonge The which is vnderstoode by the commyng of Christ vnto iudgement and of his comming at the instant tyme of any mans death But the good man shall sée him to his comforte and reioysing as we may perceyue by the wordes of the Apostle which sayeth vntill the comming of our Lord Iesu Christ that is to say at the day of death when Christ â—…rucifyed shall appeare as well vnto the good as vnto the wicked And Christ him selfe sayeth of Iohn the Euangelist So will I haue him to abyde vntill I come That is to say continuing in virginitie vntill I come vnto hys death For we read of foure maner of commings that Christ shall come Two of them are visible The first in humilitie to redéeme the world The second in maiestie vnto iudgement And the other two are vnuisible The first whereof is in the mynde of man by grace Whereof it is sayd in the gospell wee shall come vnto him and shall make our remayning place with him The second is in the death of euery faythfull man And therevpon Iohn in the reuelation sayeth come Lord Iesus HIs spirite shall departe and he shall return into his earth At y tyme all their thoughtes shall perishe O howe many things how greate thinges doe mortall men consider and thinke vpon about the vncerteyntie of theyr worldly prouisions But sodeynly by the comming of death all thinges which they thought on and forecasted doe immediatly vanish away Lyke vnto a shadow when the sunne declyneth they are taken away And lyke vnto a Locust they are smitten down So that the spirit of man shal go out of him not willingly but vn willingly Hee shall dismisse with doler that which he did professe with desire and whether he will or nyll there is a terme apoynted the which hée shal not passe ouer In the which earth shal return vnto earth For it is written Thou arte earth into earth thou shalt goe For it is naturall that the thing made of any substance should bée resolued into that substance agayne He shall take away their spirite therefore and they shall fayle and shall returne into their dust And when man dyeth hée shall enherite beastes cattell Serpents and wormes For all those shall rest in dust and wormes shall consume them The worme shall eate them lyke a garment and shall consume them as a moth consumeth the wollen cloth I am to bée consumed sayeth Iob lyke vnto rottennesse and lyke vnto a garment that is fretted with mothes I haue sayde vnto rottennesse My father my mother my sister are gone vnto wormes meate Man is rottennesse and putrifaction and so are the sonnes of man Filthy are our forefathers vile are our mothers and how vyle are our sisters For man is begotten and conceyued of bloud putrifyed by the feruent heate of lust and concupisence And yet the wormes do come about his carkasse as mourners Whilest he liued he bredde nittes and lyse and being dead hée bréedeth wormes and magottes Whilest he liued hee made filthy ordures and excrements And being dead he maketh putrefaction stinke One man defendeth another onely But being dead hée defendeth many wormes Oh what is more filthy than the carkasse of a man or what more horrible than a dead man he whose embrasing had bene most aâ—…able méeting him on lyue euen his looke will bée most terrible when hée is dead What preuayle ritches therefore whatpreuayle banquetings what delightes they can not deliuer man from death They can not defend him from the worme Neyther shall they preserue
Lord doo regarde iniquities O Lord who shal abyde it For who would not feare a Iudge the is most mightie Since no man can flye froÌ„ him or escape his hands Most wyse bicause no man can hide himself from him or deceiue him And most iust since no man can corrupt him If you looke for might streÌ„gth he is most stroÌ„g mightie Wise in his heart mightie in powre If you call for equitie in iudgemeÌ„t no maÌ„ dare geue testimonie for me If I wold iustifie my self mine own mouth wold coÌ„demne me If I shold say that I am innoceÌ„t he wil proue me lewd faltie yea though I were simple He spake the words they were made he did coÌ„mand they were created Which calleth the stars they say héere we are Which maketh his angels spirits his ministers the flame of fyer Whose wil nothing at al resisteth Unto whom no word is impossible Unto whom all knées doo bend both heauenly earthly they that are in hell TheÌ„ him no man can flye froÌ„ or eskape as the Prophet saith If I ascend vp into heauen thou art there And if I go down into hell thou art there also He searcheth the hart and the raynes vnto whose eyes all things are made open Which can number the droppes of the rayne the sands of the Sea. The God of knowledge the Lord which foreséeth al things and is pryuie to all thinges the searcher of all secrettes From him no man can lurke as the Apostle sayeth there is no creature vnuisible in his sight He is a iuste iudge mightie and long sufferyng Which neyther by entreatie nor by rewardes neyther for loue nor for hatred will declyne from the right way But goyng euermore in the high way doeth suffer none euill to scape vnpunished Nor leaueth any goodnesse vnrewarded Therefore no man can corrupt him Accordyng to the saying of the Psalmist thou shalt giue vnto euery one accordyng to his déedes Then who would not feare that examination wherein he shal be both the Accuser the Aduocate and the Iudge For he shall accuse when he shall say I was hungry and you gaue mée not to eate I was thirstie and you gaue me not to drinke He shall pleade lyke an Aduocate when hée shall adde therevnto as long as you did it not to one of the least of these you did it not vnto mée Hée shall iudge when he shall conclude saying goe from mée you accursed into euerlastyng fyre There shall néede no witnesses in that iudgement for then the hidden places of the darke shall be made manifest For nothing is hidden which shal not be reuealed Then the bookes of conscience shall be opened Then shall the dead be iudged by those thinges which are written in the booke for theyr works do folow them How greatly shal sinners be ashamed wheÌ„ theyr most wicked and abhoâ—…inable faultes shall be apparant and manyfest vnto all men Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered For hée can neuer bee revoked or called backe from that sentence Since the father hath giuen all iudgement vnto the sonne Which shutteth and no man openeth Which openeth and no man shutteth For the mouth of the Lorde hath spoken it Then wealth shall not preuayle honours shall make no defence nor friendes can make any intercession For it is written theyr golde and theyr siluer shall not bée able to delyuer them in the day of the Lordes furye All the Kynges of the earth shall wéepe and lamente when they shal sée the smoke of the fyer through the heate of their sorments What then will you doo in the day of the Lords furie in the day of visitacion and calamitie comming from farre of to whome will you runne for helpe euery man shall beare his owne burthen The soule which hath sinned shall dye O streight iudgement When men shall yeald accoumpt not onely of their déedes but of euery idle worde which they haue spoken in that day of iudgement The debt with the vsury shall be demaunded and exacted vnto the last farthing Who then can fly from the wrath and anger to come then the sonne of of man shall send his Angells and they shall gather out of his kingedome all scandalles and offences and such as doo wickedly And they shall make them as faggettes to burne and cast them into the furnasse to burne and shall cast them into the furnasse of burninge Fyer whereas wéepinge and gnashinge of téethe howling and complayning lamentacions and tormentes crying and shryching feare and trembling shal be heard Payne and labour heat and stinch darknesse and perplexitie bitternesse néede and calamitie doubtfullnesse and heauinesse forgetfulnesse and confusion grypes and panges sowre sorrowes and terrors honger and thryst colde and frost fyer and brymestone and burning fyer for euer and euer world without ende Amen ¶ FINIS Of the huge greatnes and enormitie of sinnes The second parte GOd is péerelesse and no man may alter his determination Wherfore I hauâ—… béen troubled in my mynde to behold him and whilest I considered him I was perplexed with feare The more diligently and clearly that a man doeth weigh ponder the rigor of the diuine iustice togither with the trespasses of his own coÌ„uersatioÌ„ so much the more feareful hee shal be on all sides since he is not ignorant how terrible it is to fal into the haÌ„d of god which speaking by Moyses saith There is no man the can take out of my hande or power Wherevpon it foloweth that no man can alter his determinatioÌ„ For so much as whatsoeuer he determined in him selfe decréed to be done froÌ„ the beginning that no man can let or hinder Euen as God him self being holy glorious doeth testifie by the Prophet My purpose shall stand all my will shall be fulfilled And againe who is lyke vnto mee or who is able to susteine mée and what is he that may resist my countenance behold God is great God is high in his mightie strength and none of the lawe giuers is lyke vnto him who may search out narowly his wayes or who can say vnto him Thou haste done iniquitie Here vpon also God is called inflexible or immoueable Not for that he can not be pleased or appeased or for that by his prouidence he setteth necessitie vpon things But bicause his foresights and ordinances are vnuariable infallible and most certayne Neyther is there any thing comparing it to the eternall and prouident regard of the diuyne vnderstandyng that can be thought casuall or that changeth by happe Wherefore the more sharpely that we behold the incomprehensible and vnseareheable depth of the diuine iudgements the vnspeakeable frailtie defects of our own nature togither with the greatnes of our saluatioÌ„ So much the more huÌ„ble wary we shal haue iust cause to be
lewed the thinge then it selfe is vnlawfull As if any man praye fast and geue almes to obteyne mens prayses thereby Then for asmuch as by the testimonie of Dyonysius goodnesse is an entyer cause that is to say whyther all the circumstaunces of vertue before rehearsed doe concurre and the defectes or euilles doe happen by the omyttinge of any circumstaunces Therefore the gréeuousnesse of the sinne is so much the greater the more that the number of cir cumstaunces be which are forsaken and the more that the partie doeth goe from the verie conuenyent circumstaunces of vertue it selfe Herevpon let vs now not onely be sory that we doe those thinges which of their owne nature be vicyous and absolutly euill and doe also omit things that we should doe But also bicause we haue sinned in an iuconuenient tyme in a place more for bydden to a very wicked ende and purpose by dishonest meanes or assistaunce and in a moste vnapt manner and fashion euen vnfearfully and vnreuerently altogither we must consider also how often with what maÌ„ner of person with how great delight in sinning and with how great or what kynde of offence to our neighbour For the more that the desiere of sinning I meane the verie willingnesse to euill be more bent thervnto the fault is so muche the more gréeuous Lykewise it is conuenyent and we must consider of the good thinges whiche wée doe whither they bée done in due tyme and place with a right intent and reuerently also For it is more gréeuous in the time of diuine seruice on the holy daies and in the church to haue a wandring mynde to tattle to looke gazinge about and to set mynde vpon vice and wickednesse Therefore my welbeloued indeuour thy selfe to fulfil the good déedes wherevnto thou art bounden with the circumstaunces before rehersed as much as in thée lieth and doe héedely consider the gréeuousnesse of thy sinnes by all these thinges now rehersed which doe aggreuate sinne and wickednesse Of the deformytie hatefullnesse and loathsomnesse of sinne by consideration of it selfe Art. 14. BYcause god which is dishonoured by sinne doth consist of an infinyte great honorablenesse aâ—…blenesse and bewtie Therefore sinne is iudged to be also of an infinit loathsomnesse hatefulnesse and deformytie For asmuch as it is displeasing coÌ„trary to the diuine will holynesse and equitiâ—… herevpon sinne ought by the lawes of God neyther to be committed nor to be alowed for no cause for no feare of damage danger or torment nor for any loue of commodytie prosperitie or â—…ye Yea rather should a man willingly receaue indâ—…â—…ost gréeuous death then to incurre the least sinne And therefore whosoeuer doth either for flatterie or for menaces or by regardinge mans fauour yeld vnto sinne he declareth sufficiently that he is imperfect To conclude the least euill of the fault that is to say The least sinne is more hatefull and more to be fledd from then any kynde of euill in the payne or any kynde of punnyshment yea though it be infernall as touchinge that it is méerely punishment Therfore we ought not to sinne for the auoyding of any torment losse or discomodity but rather ought a man to be willing to beare any payne then to offende God For to offende god is as much as to léese god I meane the vnmesurable goodnesse of God and to set our owne wicked wills directly against his most holy will. And therefore now my welbeloued consider how great is their frowardnesse how farr are they distant from true perfection whose whole affection tendeth day and night to doe those thinges which are forbydden by thy diuyne lawes Which by slattery gyftes poursute doe labour to drawe those thinges vnto their consent with the which they may fulfil ther most filthy desiers And which studie to be hououred to be inrytched and to haue their proprietie in this worlde Therefore let the state of our myndes stand inflexible Let vs neither be puffed vp with prosperitie nor yet ouer come with aduersitie Neither let vs fall hedlong from the way of righteousnesse tâ—…rough feare of mans displeasure rebuke or dismaying and let vs beyond all comparison feare the death of the sowle which is sinne more then the death of the body Against those which doe more feare eschewe and hate the euill of the punishment then the 〈◊〉 of the fault Art. 15. FEare is the flying from or detesting of euil Therfore the worse that any things bée the more to be fled from and the more detestable they are iudged to bée For as muche as euil is the obiect of feare So y it is alreadie euident that the euil of the fault is vnmeasurably to be fled froÌ„ But the euil of the paine or the punishment of sin or any kynde of afflictiue aduersitie is not in it self absolutely euil or simply to be fled froÌ„ or auoyded But it is iustly sent by God is profitable in this world to the taking away of sin the powring of grace vpon vs In hell it is the worke of the diuine iustice ordeyned for the fault although it be hurtfull vnto the dampned If theÌ„ since these things are so how vnperfect vyle childish are they which in this life do rather feare flye from the iust punishment confusion rebuke of their sinnes then from the very 〈◊〉 thie deformitie of sin it self the displeasure of the diuine holinesse and the dishonor of the highest God These be those disordered and miserable creatures in whom priuate loue doth wey downe godly loue in whom seruyle feare is greater then chyldish obedience which doe more honour dread and estéeme the sight iudgement of the world theÌ„ of god neuer fearing to doe that in the presence and beholding of God him self which they would be abashed to doe in the sight of a man being their iudge in this world These are more sorowfull for their own temporal or corporal discommodities losses or punishments theÌ„ for gods displeasure for the losse of grace or for the wounding of their soule These men doe pretend fayne a certaine amendment wheÌ„ the iudgement examination of men is at hand or approcheth But when he is absent whom they feared and is not loked for to returne shortly vnto iudgement or punishment theÌ„ they liue as they did before Go to then welbeloued let vs feare God most sincerely let vs without all comparison hate the euil of the fault and hartely imbrace such punishment as is layd vpon vs for sinne yea and lot vs beare it patiently â—…nd let vs most faithfully bewayle and lament the hurts of the soule that is sins more theÌ„ the lâ—…se of temporall things or the afflictions of y bodie Last of all we shal be able to accomplish all these things if we mark effectually that saying of Salomon My sonne honor God thou shalt prosper Besides him sée thou feare no man And agayne he sayeth Hée that feareth God doth tremble at nothing and he
y feareth man shall soone come to distruction I meane not that wée ought not at all to feare our superiors since the Apostle Peter sayth Seruants be subiect vnto your masters with all fear But my meaning is that they are not to be dreaded as meÌ„ but as the Uicars ministers of God least through the fear of them we offend God by any meanes Now pray vnto the most merciful God hartily incessantly for grace to obtaiâ—… the perfection in this article héere discribed How sundrie men vpon sundrie causes and motyues doe eschue sinnes Art. 16. FUrthermore there are some which are withdrawne from vices with onely seruile feare That is with the dread of punishments and not with an affection to felicitie nor with the verie sincere loue of god These men as long as they continue suche are not acceptable to God yet such kynd of feare is not altogither vnprofitable in as much as it withdraweth from sin There is nothing that is done as it ought to bée or acceptable pleasing of God vnlesse that procéed of the charitie of God and bée done by the loue of rightuousnesse As Augustine in the xxj booke De ciuitate dei vices sayeth hée are ouercome by a laboursome difficultie Neither it is possible to doe that truly or sincerely but onely through a delight in true rightuousnesse But they which doe séeme by the meanes before rehearsed to decline from euill and to do some good things are euill and vnfaithfull seruants bicause there remayneth in them an affect to sin and a well lyking vnto things that are euil Of such kynde of seruantes our sauior sayeth to his Apostles I will not now call you seruantes for the seruaunt knoweth not what the master doeth And agayne some doe eschue sinnes in hope of rewarde and desire of euerlasting felicitie In these men the loue of God is not perfect and altogither sincere without dissimulation bicause they are bended backewardes towardes them selues beholding and thinking vpon their owne commoditie and occupie themselues most in thinking of their hyer reward But if such dâ—… more regard affect their owne commoditie then the honor of God If they be more induced by y affâ—…ctioÌ„ of priuate loue theÌ„ by the motioÌ„ of diuine charitie vnto the doing of good works theÌ„ they deserue nothing are rightly named mercenary meÌ„ Neuerthelesse it is lawful to serue god by the beholding the reward by the affectioÌ„ to heaueÌ„ly felicitie So as that honor of God be preferred before a mans owne reward that y verie reward of blessednes which is desired be ordred diposed to y honor glorie of god The which who so doth he shal not onely not be a mercenarie but furthermore a friend bicause he loueth God rightuousnesse aboue all things Whereas they which are not yet perfect are accompted to haue a beginning feare or mixed dread bicause they withdraw themselues from siâ—…s do also apply them selues to vertues partly by the feare of the punishmeÌ„ts of hell or these temporall present paynes and partly by the hope of heauenly rewardes Notwithstanding y loue of God in them doeth ouer wey priuate loue they desire the honor and glorie of God both firstly and finally And therefore they are in the state of health and grace Furthermore there are others which withdraw theÌ„selues depart froÌ„ sins do good by the onely loue of the diuine godhead the true and sincere zeale of his honor being conuerted feruently with their whole mynde vnto god And suche desire or couette nothing els at all but that God being glorious holy shuld be in all things honored loued and doe neuer think vpoâ—… the reward nor haue respect thervnto Which bow not back toward themselues but rather doe altogither dye vnto theÌ„selues to the end they may most purely liue vnto god As the Apostle witnesseth saying I liue not now but Christ liâ—…eth in me Furthermore if these men do at any time think vpon their reward and desire it that shall not procéed of inordinate backe bending towards themselues but by a charitable relation vnto God bicause it is gods wil pleasure that they shuld desire eternall felicitie as men confirmed in goodnes happely inioying God that they should most perfectly apply their whole mynd vnto his honor loue praises And so the loue of the reward shal not repugne the perfection of charitie These are the friends sonnes of God whose minds are coÌ„uerted into the most pure affects of diuine charitie and the zeale of rightuousnes And these men do in all places at all times behaue themselues vertuously bicause the reason of wel doing is vniforme pure stable in them euen as God him self being the perfect loue the zeale of verie rightuousnesse the presence of the diuinitie the loue of purenes the mightie affection of diuine honor the wel pleasing of good honest things of all vertues Now then my welbeloued brother flye from vice and exercise goodnes rather by the most pure loue of god the zeale of equitie affection to purenes then either by feare of paynes or respecte of rewards And if thou haue not yet attayued y perfectioÌ„ prâ—…y vnto god therfore in the mean while flie from sins At y leâ—… by fear of eternal daÌ„pnatioÌ„ the loue of the heaueÌ„ly blessednes That we are not able in this life fully to comprehend the enormitie of sinne Art. 17. AS Augustine speaketh in the xxj booke de ciuitate dei the payne eternal punishmeÌ„t which is apointed for temporal sins doth therfore seme hard vniust vnto mans sonces bicause in this lyfe we lacke that sence and vnderstanding of the highest and purest wisedome by the which it might be perceiued how much wickednesse is committed in preuaricatioÌ„ dissembling with god For we haue alreadie manifoldly shewed y the enormitie of sin is so much the greater as the goodnesse of God is greater before the which the frayle goodnesse is by sin preferred And lykewise y the higher Gods maiestie authoritie are which by sin are dishonoured yea how much the greater gods holines equitie be which do abhorre y filthinesse of sin And again y greater that gods charitie be towards vs the more better y his benifits be which he hath bestowed vpoÌ„ vs And biâ—…ause we are not able to comprehend in these fleshly sences natural mynde the vnmeasurablenesse of the diuyne bountie y vndiscribabe highnesse of the diuine maiestie the most cleare infinitenes of the diuine holines equitie the greatnes of the diuine loue of his benifits towards vs nay rather that we are not able with a cleere eye to behold them I do therfore certaynly beleue that we can not fully know y eâ—…ormitie of sin whilest we are in this estate Here vpoÌ„ the perfect holy men y more sincerely loftily y they did behold God in this world
then more holsome to contempne this liefe for the loue of that most happy and eternall lief which is to come To abiect all the vanity and impietie therof and to cleaue most faythfully fast vnto that diuyne eternall and vumeasurable goodnesse Behold in this present and most vnstedfast lief we must of necessitie haue regard either to eternal felycity or euerlasting dampnation Chuse then my welbeloued that which thou perceauest to be most holesome for thée And hate eschewe and detest most hartely all kynde of sinnes Secondarily the diligent consideration of death doth not a little preuayle to make vs eschewe and avoyde sinnes which death doth most swyftly and vncessantly approch At which time the vicyous liefe which now delighteth vs shall hanâ—… a most miserable end For then the perverse and wicked which dâ—…e cleaue more and more bent to this world then vnto God shall séeke but truce for one hower And onely their sinnes shall march on with them Thyrdly the consideratioÌ„ of the highest and most rigorous straightnesse of gods 〈◊〉 As to thinke what a horryble thing it shal be strayghtwaies after death to be presented before the trybunall seate of Christ to be of him most iustly iudged to abyde the pronouncynge of sentence to bée accused of the Deuylls and of our owne concience and to be séene and found vicyous before him Also the consideration of the last generall iudgement which is to come in the end of the world Which wil be so terryble as no tonguâ—… is able to conceyue the same Therefore whosoeuer doth déepaly consider how miserable sorowful and horrible a thing it wil be then with body and soule to goe downe into the infernall pitt to fall headlong into euerlasting â—…yer being shutt in the most tenebrous prison of hell there desperately to remayne for euer to haue the most dolorous 〈◊〉 and societie of Deuills and to be there vncessantly tormented more then can be told That man doubtlesse will auoyde and eschewe sinnes Who so euer wil bewayle those whiche hée hath already commytted will kéepe his hart with fearefull watch Fourthly the effectuall consideration of the whole infernall punyshement And therefore if he which is delighted and alured with vanytie of hart or voluptousuesse of the fleshe in this world would rightly wey and consider vnto how great desolacion and eternall payne yea the plenteous fulnesse of all calamyties and miseryes those delightes doe leade him he would vtterly abhorre them and flye froÌ„ them O my most entierly beloued brother would God that these thynges dyd sauour and were vnderstoode of thée as it is méete and right that they should For then thou wouldest most readely dispyse the world For behould who would now lye but the space of one houre in a hott burnyng furnace to gayne all the world thereby Wherfore then doest not thou eschewe daily sinnes For the which so great payne must bée suffered yea much more gréeuous then any punyshement which maye bée geuen in this present liefe But these foule considerations whereof I last spake which with drawe vs from sinne doe principally pertayne vnto foolyshe and vnperfect men Which declyne from vyces rather by feare of euill then by loue of goodnesse Fyftly then the consideration of that highest and incomprehensible heauenly felycity which God will geue to those that for his loue doe eschewe and hate sinnes is of great power to withdraw vs from sinne Synce the hope â—…f reward doth diminish the force and smart of the scourge there can be nothing in this world so painful so laboursom or so hard but y he that doeth rightly and worthily ponder the inexcogitable glorie of that blesseonesse would not readily and willingly indure Sixtly to the same end preuayleth deuout trusâ—…ie often praying â—…s if a man which thinketh coÌ„sidereth that without the abundant grace of God he can not flye from nor 〈◊〉 sinnes doe therefore neuer cease to pray hartely vnto God for grace to liue vertuously For we must as our sauiour sayeth alwayes pray and neuer cease Seuenthly the consideration of the diuyns presence is chiesly auaylable to the eschuing of sinnes by the which god doeth behold and consider vs euery where By which consideration there aryseth in vs a chaste shamefastnesse from doing of any thing that is dishonest Eightly the consideration of his benifits Furthermore it appertayneth vnto theÌ„ which are perfect to auoyde sins chiefly by coÌ„sideration of the diuyne goodnes before whome in sin the frayle goodnesse is preferred Also by consideration of the diuyne maiestie which by deadly sinne is infinitely dishonored Agayne by consideration of the diuyne holinesse and equitie vnto the which sinne is infinitly displeasing And lykewyse by consideration of the diuyne charitie by the which God did first loue vs. Moreouer by the verie loue of vertue and purenesse and the horror of the deformitie of sinne As a vertuous man did affyrme saying Although I knew that God would forgiue 〈◊〉 yet would I not â—…inne sayd hée for the verie disordrednesse thereof It is also written that the generall remedyes 〈◊〉 sinnes are 〈◊〉 these Fyrst patience in pouertie that a man may suffer néedâ—… and penurie in all things quietly and gladly as an Embassador sent by God wâ—…ither it be in food clothing or other necessaries For as the abuÌ„dance of temporal things is the 〈◊〉 of many vyces So pouertie withdraweth from many euils The second is the dispising of worldly men and their pratses yea though thou be in all things contemned reproued and troubled without cause giuen For so is the swelling of pryde repressed and a singular grace obteyned of the Lord. The thirde is a ghostly magnanimitie a stout mastership ouer a mans self without which a man is oftentimes enforced to coÌ„mit such things as wold els displease him to omit those things the which hee would willingly doe It preuayleth much for worldlings in all things to forsake their own wâ—…l The fourth is y eloyning of a man from comfort of worldly affayres By which verie often times the quiet and purenesse of the soule is much hindred The fift of conference with learned vertuous men and the following of their counselles and betwéene God and thy conscience to take an account of thy life passâ—…d doth helpe to ouercome sins and the temptations of the 〈◊〉 for since the diuil is the Prince of darkensse he doth hate flye from the light or the recordation or manifestation of his deceiptes and the humble accusing of a mans own self But the forgetting or kéeping secrete of his wyles hée 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herevpon our sauiour sayeth Euerie man which doth euil hateth the light but hee which dealeth truly commeth to the light that his workes may bee made manifest bycause they are done in god But there are some which are verie naughtely dangerous shamefast 〈◊〉 no will to call to remembrance and examyne their owne consciences of the secretes of their thoughts affections temptations wherby it coÌ„meth to passe
suffer no tribulation it seemeth thereby that thou hast not begonne to be the seruaunt of God. Our sweete Sauiour for thâ—… recomforte of mankynde did saye as Mathew rehearseth in the eleuenth Chapiter of his Gospell these wordes Come vnto me all ye that trauayle and are heauye loden and I will refreshe you Take my yoke vpon you and learne by me for I am meeke and humble in harte For my yoke is sweete and my burden lyght These wordes our sauiour Christ spake of himselfe Wherwith we must vnderstand that the yoke of Christ is none other thing then the lawe of the Gospell or the performaunce and wary heede of Gods commaundementes By the which we are bounde vnder the obedyence of his holy will and are restreyned or seperate from this worldely lyfe And the burden of our Sauiour may be vnderstoode by the obseruation of his holy wordes And of such a yoke it is wrytten It is good for the man which hath borne the yoke euen from his youth which the reprobate doe put from them According to that sayinge of Hieremye from the begynnyng thou hast broken and cast of the yoke and sayed I will not serue So that wée maye perceyue that in effect all is one the narrowe waye and streight gate leading to saluation and the yoke and burden of our Sauiour Chryst. But then some will saye If the waye bée streyght and the gate narrowe howe can the yoke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swéete and hys burden lyght Wherevnto I 〈◊〉 were that the selfe same yoke yea and 〈◊〉 selfe same wayâ—… are streight narrowe paynefull and 〈◊〉 to suche as are foolyshe vnperfect and â—…ot yet exercysed in fpirytuall lyfe nor haue yet tasted the swéetenessâ—… of the same The which neuerthelesse to the perfecte the verteous pure and Godly zeales which serue God feruently and loue him is broade easye and most pleasaunt So that that they rather runne spéedely theâ—… walke leasurely therin Wherevpon the holy and 〈◊〉 Prophete confessed sayinge I haue runne all the wayes of thy comaundementes whiles thou hast dylated and enlarged my harte And agayne I haue walked at large sayth he bicause I sought out thy commaundementes To conclude 〈◊〉 lykelyhoode nor no forme doth more delectably or readily worke in mannes myâ—…de then loue For loue of his owne proper nature and reason enclyneth and draweth the louer to actuall louing Wherevpon it is compared vnto a weight Now therefore since charytie is the cause gouernesse and Empresse of all merytoryous déedes the which charytie is called the lyfe of the soule and without it nothing is meritorious yt is therby euideÌ„t that y more we doo profit procéede in the loue of god somuch the more we doe deâ—…bly excercise all thinges that procéede from god Yea somuch the more we doe hartely abhorre those thinges which perteine vnto the worlde Sythens y vnto him which loueth ferueÌ„tly nothing can be more pleasant then to doo any thing that may seme acceptable vnto his beloued For true loue estéemeth nothing to be hard gréeuous rough or deadly Yea let vs consider if any payne any strypes or any woundes or death it selfe can ouercoÌ„e or daunte true harty loue surely no. For if it be perfect loue in dede it ouercoÌ„meth al things yet féeleth no paynes The loue of God is an infallyble treasure He that hath it is rytch And whosoeuer lacketh that is poore and néedy though he haue all the world at will. And therefore well doeing doth somuch the more delight the myndes of men and sinnes doâ—… somuch the more yrke and dyscontent them as they fynde in theyr hartes a perfect and sincere loue towardes God that highest and vnchaungeable goodnesse Arristotle the heathen Phylosopher confessed that it was a perfect signe or token of vertue to bée delyghted in the actyon thereof And surely true it is that the more vertuous wée béecome the more we are delighled to excercyse and doe â—…e true fruites of repentaunce Agayne As nature is the very begenning of all naturall actiones operatioÌ„s so gods greate grace workyng in vs is the verye first formall immedyate and intrusecall beginning of all good and acceptable déedes And euen as they which are naturally wel disposed doo exercise with case great delight such works operations as perteyne vnto nature so wheÌ„ a man beginneth ones to abounde in the grace of god theÌ„ he doth also daily more ioyefully with the better will exercise himself in gods coÌ„maundements good déedes And this happeneth most ofteÌ„ vnto such as are méeke humble of hart Whervpon Bernard saith Nothing is hard to the humble nor nothing vnpleasant to such as are méeke of hart And right easily are y coÌ„maundements effectually kept when that grace of God doth giue and gyde forwardnes of will obedyence with true humylitie doe appease the Iudgâ—…s indyngnation Neither can a man say that he serueth for méere necessytie when the thing which he is commaunded to dâ—… is of him right hartely loued and desired Then if we déeyely and effectually consider that it is for Gods loue that we doe such thinges as we take in hand we shall then thinke nothing to be hard or difficulte Nay rather if we should all dye for him or execute and fulfill all verteous exercyses for his sake we shall it be able to doe nothing worthy of the benifites which we haue receaued at his handes And therevpon Gregorius sayth if the mynde be ones fixed in God with a stedfast entent then we estéeme all thinges to be swéete and pleasaunt howe bytter or sower so euer they chaunce to be Yea we shall fynde greate rest and quyet in all those thinges which doe afflict vs. Futhermore it is certayne that the more a mans mynde be bent vnto any one thing earnestly somuch the more his entontions towards any other thinge be slackened and laide asyde Then euen as the louers of this world which doo altogether wrappe and enfold themselues in the desyres therof are altogether occupyed in vayne and transitory things doe as it were lothe and are weary of spirituall and godly thinges yea as they dâ—…e pray vnto God hastely and without an inwarde affection euen so those which loue GOD and doe wholly dedycate themselues vnto his seruice desyringe to cleaue most feruently vnto him and to be wholly occupied and conioyned with him doe hatefully abhorre lothe and flye from those thinges which apperteyne vnto the worlde Yea they desyre and reioyse to be vncessantly occupyed and conuersant in the prayses of God and walke in the streight narrowe way with great delight and pleasure Herevpon it is that Gregorius wytnesseth saying loue is as strong as death For sayth he euen as death doth kyll the corporall body so the loue of God dothe through the hope of eternall lyfe kyll in vs the loue of temporall delightes For he whome the charitie of GOD dothe swallow vp hym dothe it also make vnsensyble too the féelynge of anye
externall desyers For it is of necessitie that the swéetenesse of Chryst Jesus should make sower and vnpleasant the tast of this lyfe These thinges then haue I here sayed to the ende that I maye turne thée my welbeloued from the 〈◊〉 of the worlde and inuyte thée vnto the most sincere and perfect delyghtfulnesse in god Yea that I myght entyse thée vnto the state of perfection and enduce thée to proue howe swéete God is howe pleasant it is to serue hym feruently and famylyarely So that thou mayest not onely béecome a seruaunt but also a frend yea abeloued Soâ—…ne of thy creator and Sauiour For this is more worâ—…hy to be desyred then all this worlde with all the glorye and pompe thereof And I hope that the Lorde GOD wyll graunt thée vnderstanding of all these thinges For I presume not to thynke that this myne exhâ—…rtation will any waye profit thée vnlesse the holy Ghost bée present and geue thée tast thereof and wysdome by his secrete enspiration For it is wrytten The inspiration of the omnypotente doeth geue vnderstandinge and knoweledge The frendship of this world is hateful enemy to god Ther fore whosoeuer coueteth to be frendly vnto this worlde hée shall therby become an enemy vnto god As Augustine well witnesseth that onely loue charytie make distincton betwene the sonnâ—…s of god the sonnes of the Diuill For in the sonnes of god the spirituall diuine loue doth preuayle Wherby they climbe enteÌ„tiuely vnto heaueÌ„ly things And in the sonnes of the diuill the loue of this world yea the pryuate inordynate and wicked lust thereof which vnto godly charite are strong poysoÌ„ doo reigne preuayle altogither The whole text theÌ„ of holy scripturs doth exhort vs vnto the extyrpatioÌ„ rooting vp of this priuate worldly loue As also it encourageth vs to the prositable procéedings in charity the loue of god our neighbor Furthermore that is priuate loue by that which we are turned backe bend to estéeme our selues vitiously That is to say by coueting those things which are profitable delightfull to our nature more then that things which pertayne vnto god As for example riches delights honour prayse and such other worldly vanities But he which doth truely loue him self in god doth coÌ„teÌ„pne throw away all those things as vile abiect I meane the superfluous vse therof I take this worde Contempning or vtter mislyking for the full and extreme Contempning or mislyking that a christian ought to haue thereof But bicause euerie creature of God is good therfore to be loued and we are bidden commaunded to loue â—…ur enimyes and not to contempne any man but our selues according to Esayes wordes Woe bée to thée which dispisest shalt not thou also be dispised Herevpon aryseth a question how it were to be vnderstoode that the holy scriptures doe commaund vs to hate and dispise this world But if you marke my wordes well you shall perceyue that since euerie man which loueth the worlde doeth thereby become an enimie vnto God it falleth out also that the contempt of thys world is of necessitie vnto saluation Wherevpon some curious mynd might inâ—…erre that all secular people which are maryed and therby doe loue eche other should hereby stand in state of condempnation Wherevnto I answere that loue is to be taken diuers wayes as well in Philosophie as also in diuinitie For both Plato Pythagoras did exhort theyr schollers and sects to dispyse the world But to come vnto a more perticuler distinction First the world is taken for the Element of earth or for the whole globe and compasse of this earthly habitatioÌ„ And so it is taken in the Gospell where Christ spake vnto his Apostles saying Goe you out into the whole world and preach the Gospell to all creatures And the Philosophers doe say that the least Starre of the fyrmament is bigger then the whole world Secondarily it is taken for the whole regyon of the Elements and their myxtures Wherevpon it may be that the Apostle sayd The fygure of this world doth passe ouer And to that sence the Prince of Philosophers sayde This world sayeth hée must be adioyning vnto the cources of the higher powers That the whole vertue and power thereof may thereby be gouerned Thirdly the worlde is taken for the whole corporall substaÌ„ce created â–ª And so Plato in his booke de Timaeo doth séeme to bring in the sâ—…nsible world Fourthly the world is taken for the whole vniuersal thing in the which visible and vnuisible separate and materyall substances are comprehended And thereof this text may be ment The world was made by him Yea so also the Philosopher sayeth Nothing is without the world Fiftly by the world is taken for men remayning in thys world or for all mankynd Whervpon it was that the Apostle sayde Let all the whole worlde be subiâ—…cte vnto god And Christ him selfe sayde This Gospell of the kyngdome shall be preached and declared in the whole world Sixtly the world is taken for the chosen and predestinate vnto saluation Whervpon we read So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne c. Seuenthly the world is taken for the peruerse and reprobate Wherevpon our sauiour sayde vnto the Iewes you are of this world But I am not of this world that is to say of the number of vngodly men leading a vayne and worldly lyfe Of which number you are your selues And agayne he sayde vnto his Apostles Bicause you are not of y world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And in this sence the world is most commonly taken in scriptures especially in the Gospell and Epistles of Saint Iohn And last of all a father of the Church which hath written a treatise of the vanitie of this world doeth take this word The world for the changeablenesse of mans conuersation in this lyfe Since then the holy scriptures doe bid the worlde to be contempned and hated according to that saying Loue you not the world nor those which are therein Therefore by this word The world we must vnderstand worldly and vayne creatures bent vnto transitorie and not vnto heauenly things Yea and there with must we comprehend earthly substance and such thinges as the worldlings doe most accoumpt as temporal prosperitie carnal delights to be praysed and honoured and to become rich and clyme alofte For all these sensible and temporall things are to bée contempned and hated Not as touching their verie beyng but bicause they hynder and stoppe vs in the way and foreslow our iourney vnto the heauenly kingdome And we must contempâ—…e and hate them least we doe cleaue and stick fast in the myre of them As they doe which sette theyr chiefe end and felicytie in frayle and transitorie things séekyng louyng wyshing and desiryng them more then they doe God. Therefore whensoeuer wée sée any man to prosper excéedingly in this world and to
thy selfe from executing the same The thinges which in this present lyfe are momeÌ„tarye and light although they be some tribulation may excéedingly worke in vs a greate maâ—…e or weight of glory in the world to come if we behold not those thinges which are séene with eye but those which cannot be séene For the thinges which are séene are temporall but the things which are not séene are eternall By these wordes of Paule it appeareth that the trybulations of the chosen although they be longe bytter and gréeuous yet by regarde of the celestyall glory and reward to come they are lyght and but of small continewaunce For the reward to come is vncomprehensible euerlasting But now is he a perfect and most pure louer of God which loueth him not by beholding this reward nor reuerenceth him not for desire of his owne profite nor worshipeth him for reward of mutuall consideration towardes himselfe But which purely for the very incomparable goodnesse loue and worthynesse of God doth all that he can to his honour with all dilygence For the better obteyning of which perfection and for the full purchasing of so great sinceritie in Gods loue let vs yet euen by the beholding of the infallible promyses of God goe stoutly forewarde to doe any thing that may be most pleasant most perfect and moste acceptable vnto him And let vs contempne the world and the gallantnesse delight pompe prosperities and vanities therof taking in hand to walke in the way of perfection in the fulfilling of Gods word and in a vertuous and right religious lyfe For since the eternall God is a most frée goodnesse a most feruent charitie and a most plentifull rewarder therfore a man of reasonable vnderstanding wil confesse that the more he refuseth and layeth aside for his sake the more sincerely that he renounce him selfe the more he dispose him selfe to the obtayning of Gods giftes and the more wholly perfectly and entyrely that he offer him self vnto him euen so much the more will God also she we him selfe the more aboundant in mercies to him the more soundly and swéetly he will breath his holy spirite into him the more familiarly he will be conuersant with him and the higher wil he exalte him in glorie multiplying his giftes of grace in this present lyfe and dooblyng his rewards of glorie in y world to come Whervpon it is written in holy scripture if a man doe direct his harte vnto God he shall drawe his breath and spirite towardes him selfe And here vpon the holy true and mercifull God hath promised not onely a blessed and excelent glorification in the heauenly kingdome but also a most plentuous and liberall reward in this present lyfe to suche as dispise the world for his sake Saying in his holy gospel Whosoeuer leaueth father mother his brethren or frends or his possessions for my names sake he shal receyue an hundreth folde shall possesse euerlasting lyfe And what meaneth he by these wordes He shall receyue an hundreth fold Marry that for the externall carnall and temporall goodes which he hath lefte he shall receyue the spirituall giftes of grace and the giftes of the holy ghost which are more then an hundreth folde better euen in this lyfe And after also shall receyue eternall lyfe and the consumation of glorie Wherefore my welbeloued if thou desyre to bee trulye and spiritually enriched and enabled contempne then for the louâ—… of God all transitorie fraile things yea and whatsoeuer worldly men which haue in déed the spirit of this world and not the spirite of Christ doe make greatest accompte off and thinke most desirable that doe thou dispyse as most vyle dyrte and myre or rather as the verie snares of the diuill If thou doe so thou shalt become the Temple of the holy Ghost the most blessed trinitie wil inhabit and replenish thy soule with all the aboundant delightes therof For this is promised by y sonne of God saying If any man loue mée he will kéepe my wordes and testimonyes and my father will loue him we will come vnto him make our abode with him O happie soule in whom those thrée so plentiously do abide Furthermore harken what Christ hath promised vnto the coÌ„temners of this world you saith he which haue forsaken all things and haue followed mée when thâ—… son of man shal sit in seat of his maiestie you shall sit also vppoÌ„ xij seats iudging y xij Tribes of Israel And this it is that Paule ment saying You know not y the saints shal iudge of this world Beholde what an vnspeakable dignitie this is how they are honored of God which for his honor do forsake all things And thervpon Gregorie sayth whosoeuer béeyng styrred with the prick or goade of godly zeale doeth forsake such things as he héere possesseth shall vndoubtedly obtayne there a height of iuditiall dignitie y he may come to iudge with y iudge bicause by consideration of the iudgement he did chasteÌ„ himself willingly with pouertie Do not therfore lose so many godly treasures which shall remayne for euer for these things which can be but smal time possessed For behold Christ saith I stand at the dore knock if therfore y opeÌ„ the dore of thy hart harkeÌ„ vnto my couÌ„sel I wil come in vnto thée enter into thy mynd thou shalt sup with me So that thou séest how God wil cherish thée with heaueÌ„ly comfort will fulfil thée with spiritual delightes thou shalt tast how swéet God is how manifold is the multitude of his delightfulnesse All which the louers of this world can not tast bicause they are not worthie to receiue y holy ghost As our sauior saide vnto his Apostles in the xiiij Chapter of Iohn I wil pray vnto my father for you he shal giue you another spirit euen y holy ghost whom the world can not receyue WhervppoÌ„ Bernard sayth The holy delectatioÌ„ doth decline him which is first occupied in seculer desires suffreth him not to mingle vanitie with veritie eternitie with frailtie spiritualtie with temporaltie nor high things with low things That thereby hée may learne what things mouÌ„t vpward toward heauen and what things draw downwards toward earth For if y mind haue wherwith to be outwardly delighted it remayneth inwardly without spiritual delight And y it is which Hierom doth so worthily say If we cut from y flesh such things as do most delight in we shaâ—…straight straight way finde in the spirit that which wil delight vs If the outward wandring be shut vp the inward accesse to God is opened for the lesse y the soule be dispersed in it self the straighter it is erected to things aboue by spiritual procéeding And therfore to the end y thou mayest by y brightnesse of y holy ghost holsomly behold that most noble worthinesse of those spiritual supernatural good things set light by these temporal vanities yeâ—… spurn from thée vtterly
Sea which is tossed with tempestes And is passed with great daungers and many difficultyes Agayne behold the Lorde GOD with whome all thinges doe consist in an vnchangeable eternytie as the highest thinge to be séene or beheld vpwardes And the world it selfe as the lowest thynge downewardes Then consider saye they lykewyse the mynde of man placed as it were in the myddest béetwene them both The which by the crcellence of manes condition doth floate aboue the chaungeablenesse of this world and yet hath not attayned the vnchaungeablenesse of the diuyne nature Then if mans minde should chaunce through loue gréedy desire of these thinges which passe downwards to drown it selfe therin immediately it wil be ouerthrowen with sundry waues and beinge as it were deuided from it selfe wil quickly be dyssipate and destroyed But so much the easier it wil be to gather it altogether on a heape to preserue it if it rayse vp it selfe with an earnest thought and desire forsaking those base and earthly places vntill at last it become altogither vnchaungeable by atteyning vnto that highest most excelent immutabylity Againe when a mans minde doth declyne downewardes by the loue which it hath to earthly thinges it suffereth shipwracke in the floodes of this world And being myxed or myngled amongest the changeable thinges doth flowe away with the streame Yea it is by a kynde of twofould daunger tossed retossed For both it is in perill to be drowned by the déepe affection it beareth to the lower parts and againe by contyne wall working of the waue in multytude of affections it is meruelously dyssypate and dysseuered But if it rayse it selfe vpwardes from the loue of this present lyfe by the desire that it hath vnto eternytie and doe gather together all his thoughtes and cogitations then doth it as it were swym alofte in the floode and doth spurn and kycke awaye all traunsitory thinges as fylth or wéedes swymming lose in the water Therefore let the mynde of man as it were so repose it selfe in safety by raysing it selfe aboue and on it selfe towardes God and by retorning to it selfe in it selfe that by the considerations aforesayd it béeing raysed aboue the world maye behold the perylles a farre of and reioyse that it hath by any meanes eskaped them And this it is to go into the Arke of the hart and the spyrituall Shippe By helpe whereof we maye happyly eskape the waues of this worlde wherewith we are tossed alwayes Then spurne from thée and despyse these transitorye and frayle thinges and behold thou arte swoome and eskaped out of this great dyluge of roaring waters Consider déepely and medytate the heauenly Sacraments of thy redemption together with the benefytes of the diuine goodnesse bestowed vpon thée and thou art alredy entred into the Arke of thy hart and the Shippe aforesayde Againe this world is most conueniently compared vnto a large féelde full of crewell théeues and robbers In the which many are kylled and murdered and very few eskape at any tyme vnwounded or not sore hurt Yea that which is worst they which walke commonly in this field doe betray eche other into the hands of those théeues That is whilest one of them doth leade another into the fall of finne whereby he falleth into the diuells handes And thou my welbeloued if thou wouldest be afeard to walk in such a féelde replenished with théeues who might endaunger thée with temporall death how darest thou then walke through this wycked worlde wherein so many enemies are suborned by wycked spyryts and so many stumbling blockes are layed to make thée fall into euerlasting fyre Agayne this world is compared to a wood set on fyre wherof in maner all the trées are burnt and destroyed For we maye dayly behold howe the loue and charytie of God is waxed colde in mens hartes how the loue of the world hath preuayled howe the fyre of concupyscence the feruentnesse of pryde and the flame of couetousnes are kyndled In such sorte that almost euerye man séeketh to shyfte for himselfe And neuer séeketh Christe Jesus nor those thinges which pertayne vnto his glorye Men are carefull for worldly sustenaunce and not for the purenesse of the soule nor the cleanennesse of the hart Yea they doo rather séeke to avoyde the dyscoÌ„modities of this present lyfe then to eskape the bytter and eternall tormentes of hell fyre And howe then darest thou chuse but be carefull how to eskape out of this woode yea and that with spéede least thou be burned and consumed with the fyre of vyce lewdenesse Lastly it is compared vnto an olde Citie which for the morâ—… part is become ruinous battred destroyed In such sort that the enemyes may aproch and assault it on euery syde So that it is now no safe dwelling therein But we must flye vnto some stronger place of defence For if we doo rightly consider our owne frayltie how prone we are to euyll and how slow to goodnesse we shall fynde it requisite to séeke some safer resting place for our soules wherein we may the better eschew and auoyde all occasions of sinnes The princely Prophet in his foure and fortyth Psalme hath these wordes My daughter behold and geue eare and bend thyne eare to me and forget thy people and the house of thy father and the king will earnestly desyre thy coomlynesse Although these wordes be lytterally to be expounded by the Church which is the vniuersall Spouse of Christ yet may they also be vnderstoode by euery faythfull soule and mynde which is also the perticuler Spouse of christ For as Sainct Augustine sayth euery soule is eyther the spouse of Christ or the diuells concubyne And therefore the holy Prophet saying Forget thy people and thy fathers house meaneth despise these earthly thinges in respect of God and for his sake Set asyde kynsmen brethren neyghbors and all â—…arnall affections To th ende that all thyne affection may be towardes god Yea make thy selfe ryche of spirituall ryches and adorne and decke thy selfe with all grace and vertue For the more perfectly that thou contempne worldly thinges so much the more thou shalt be replenyshed with heauenly treasure As Gregory sayth He doth very well withdraw his loue from the creatures which doth onely with the eyes of his hart and vnderstanding beholde the excedinge bright bewtie and louelynesse of the Creatour So that my deare and chrystian brother if thou doo so the kyng of kynges the lorde of lordes the onely begotten sonne of GOD wyll earnestly desyre thy coomelynesse That is thyne inward coomelynesse thyne inward reformation the bryghtnesse of thy wysedome and the feruentnesse of thy loue And that shal be sayed vnto thée which is wrytten in the Cantycles O my beloued how fayre and amyable thou art yea he wyll louâ—… thée being so fayre and louely He will blesse thée with heauenly light and the true fruites of the holy Ghost He will assocyate thée vnto him for euer So that thou
mayest enioye him thy fill most swéâ—…tely and aboundauntly For in him the whole fulnesse of blessednesse doth consist Yea the delight of God is to be with such a soule and to dâ—…cke and adorne it daily with great plenteousnesse and to vysit and comfort it with most godly reioysinges Then let vs for gods sake by the beholding of so great profit and by the desyre and affection whiche we ought to haue vnto so greate nobylitie learne to contempne euen from our hartes this moste vayne varyable néedye frayle intysing world which with draweth vs from god Synce it cannot satysfie nor contâ—…t our affecte nor our desire As Augustine 〈◊〉 saying A reasonable soule created to the lykenesse of God maye be occupyed in all thinges but it cannot be replenyshed satysfied nor fulfilled For he which is capable of GOD cannot be filled and satisfied with any thing that is lesse theÌ„ god And agayne he sayth O Lorde thou hast made â—…ur hart for thée and it is therefore troubled out of quyet vntyll it maye come vnto thée Nowe we haue shewed before sufficiently that the more our soule is stretched out or dâ—…spersed in earthly thinges yea the more it be occupied in temporall thinges and affected vnto worldly thinges so much the lesse can it be occupyed gathered together or affected towardes god And therefore if we would haue it incessauntly occupyed and exercysed in him by syncere contemplation feruent loue déepe medytation contyne wall praier harty prayse and thankesgeuing let vs withdrawe and turne it away from the world and all that is therein and let vs wholy applye it yea and as it were laye it flat and prostrate before the diuine maiestye For so shall it wounderfully growe and increase in grace And let vs so entirely loue and conserue this true godly and moste noble perfection which is beyond all comparyson better more excelent and more to bée desyred then all the goods of this world that we may altogither and in euery respect contempne the world for the loue and desire which we haue to the said perfectioÌ„ as a thing of nothing and altogither vayne Neyther yet let vs thynke that we haue done anye greate thing to leaue and forsake earthly and base things for so supernaturall and excellent treasures but let vs singe prayses vnto God with an humble and louely spirite bicause he hath so taught illumynate erected and styrred vp our hartes to the true discerning and full forsaking of all vanytie and vylenesse in this world For they are truely blessed whome the Lord â—…oth so vouchsafe to teach so to enduce vnto the contempt of the world and so to rayse and styre vp vnto the full perfectioÌ„ of a spyrituall lyfe Now my welbeloued should not he séeme to haue a mynde sore darkened a hard hart which hauing red hard and vnderstood these thinges is neyther prouoked to contempne the world nor enflamed to attayne the Godly perfection before rehearsed Doe not thou then for the loue of the lesse hazard to lose the more Be not more delighted in creatures then in the creator Doe not cleaue more earnestly vnto the world then vnto god For behold the world with all the concupyscence and vanytie thereof passeth away and vanysheth lyke smoke But he which doth the will of God shall abyde for euer It is written in the seuenth Chapiter of Ecclesiastes remember thy latter ende and thou shalt neuer sinnne And surely such as neyther the horrour of death the trembling feare of Gods iudgemente the bytter and euerlasting paynes of the infernall tormentes nor the infinyte felicitye of the heauenly habitacion can prouoke or styre to walke warely to amend theyr lyfe penitently to feare GOD and to contempne the world Are to be thought of a stony or rather a stéely hart and mynde Especyally since we must beleue nay rather we know perfectly that we must once dye and yet we are altogither ignoraunt when we shal be called hence Therewithall we must vnderstand y after this lyfe ther is no tyme of conuersion nor repêtaunce And why doe we then ouerskype any 〈◊〉 or occasion wherein we might doe well Why doe we suffer anâ—… houre to passe without some fruite or profit Or why â—…are we presume to perseuer in such estate as yet we â—…ave not dye therein But let vs doe as Salomon sayth Whatsoeuer thy hand can worke that doe thou worke earnestly For there are neyther working skyl connyng nor knowledge beneath where thou goest Yea let it not be fulfilled in vs which Salomâ—…n sayth in the same place meaning by the neglygent and vnaâ—… uysed euen as fyshes are taken with the hooke and byrdes with snares so are mâ—…n caught and ouer taken in the 〈◊〉 ill houre which shall sodeynely come vpon them Wherefore let vs neuer suffer the horrour of death the stryctnesse of Gods dreadefull iudgement nor the feare of hell fyre to be estranged or eloyned from the eyes of our vnderstanding For as â—…ierome sayth Nâ—…thing can more withdrawe a man from sin then the ofteÌ„ remembraâ—…ce of death And as Chrysostome sayth This world is deâ—…full the ende thereof doubtfull the issue horryble the Iudge terryble and yet the payne vntermynable To conclude euen as Ambrose sayth Plato the Phylosopher was also of the same opymon the whâ—… lyfe of theÌ„ which are wyse is exereysed in the 〈◊〉 of death And therefore let vs forecast what we must be in tyme to come For whosoeuer doth stoutly consider in himselfe that he must dye he shall doubtlesse despyse thinges prâ—…sent and make hast towards thinges to come Wherevpon it restâ—…th that god would haue our end vnknoweÌ„ vnto vs And y day of our death vncertayne That whiles it is alwayes vnknoweÌ„ and yet alwayes thought to be redy at hand euery man might be so much the more ferueÌ„t in operatioÌ„ as he is the more vnâ—…rteyne of his voratioÌ„ Therfore let vs not ouerpasse such 〈◊〉 dreadfull causes with skipping dauncing Neyther let â—…s sollycit the affayres of our death iestingly or vnaduisedly But wheÌ„ we ryse betime let vs not thinke to liue vntill the euening when we lye downe to rest let vs not presume of our vprysing And by these meanes we shall easily brydle our selues from all vyce and worldly affection Let vs well ponder that the houre approcheth wherein we shall remoue out of this lyfe into an vnknowen region There immedytately to abyde before the trybunall seate of the most mighty and dreadfull indge Then our tyme myspent and vnfruitfully lost will playnely appeare to be irrecuperable Neither shall any thinge that we haue vnordynately loued or vniustly done here be anye waye able to helpe or to comforte vs Then shall we be sory that we haue lyued so carelesly that we haue omytted so many good things and coÌ„mitted so many euils But let vs now whiles we haue tyme shewe forth the true fruites of repentaunce Let vs nowe so reuerence and honour Christ our iudge that we
floorysh in iniquitie which hath alredy withdrawen the footesteppâ—…s of his affâ—…ction from the loue of this world For if we would thinke vpon the eternall rewardes wee should soone espâ—…e that the present glorie is nothing at all But he which fyxeth his harte in things present neuer weying nor consideryng the punyshmentes to come for the wicked but is puffed vp with false ryches and reioyseth when he hath more cause to be lamented he is subiecte vnto many mischiefes Synce there can be no truer nor ryghter myserie then false and vayne tryumphyng Yea and euerye man doeth so much the more outwardly reioyce as hée doth inwardly the lesse remember him selfe These sentences before alleaged I haue gathered out of Gregorie wherby thou mayest playnely perceyue how perillous a thyng it is especially for suche as professe reformation to apply our affections vnto these earthly things But peraduenture thou doest purpose to vse ryches without abuse and to bee conuersaunt amongest worldlyngs but not worldly and wantonly and to eate and drynke amongest them without ryotte or banquettyng And fynally to vse the fauour and honour of men without tryumphyng or glorying therein Surely if thou couldest performe this it were a great perfection But hardly can the best and most perfect continue therein And howe seldome it is séene marke thy selfe by these wordes of Gregorius It is commonly séeâ—…e sayth he and doeth seldome fayle that voluptuousnesse and sensuall appetytes doe followe banqueting For the bodie of the riche glutton is melted and dissolued into delightes and hys hearte is opened vnto vayne ioye The ryche man is ouercome with excesse of delight and becommeth vnbrydeled in boastyng wordes Hée runneth where hee lusteth and falleth into all vnlawfull things Yea those thinges which were the occasions and allurementes of hys vyces doe become the instruments of hys payne and punyshment But examyne thy selfe whither thou doe onely féede and sustayne thy bodye accordyng to thy necessitie and vtillity or if thou doe not delicately and tenderly pamper and cherishe thy volâ—…ptuousnesse Or els harken agaâ—…e vnto tâ—… wordes of Gregorie As it is vnpossible sayth he that fyre should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in water so is it vnpossible that a compâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contryte mynde should lyue in 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 méere contraryes and eche of them distroyâ—… and 〈◊〉 the other Furthermore weigh and consider the excelâ—…cie of tyâ—… and bee abashed to spende it in vanities 〈◊〉 pâ—…sse it oâ—…r vâ—…fruitefully and to leade thy lyfe therein wickâ—…dly Yâ—… harken vnto the doctryne of the auntient fathâ—…rs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of vs â—…et lyght by tyme which is consumed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The worde flyeth from vs irrâ—…uocably The tyâ—…e â—…th from vs vnredéemably and the foole knoweth not nor marketh not what he looseth Let vs talke and common togâ—…ther say some vâ—…till an â—…oure be paste 〈◊〉 thou doâ—… let passe an houre the which the merâ—…y of thy Creator hath 〈◊〉 thée to repent to obtayne gracâ—… and to winne and attayne vnto euerlasâ—…yng â—…lorie Untill the tyme doe passe ouer wherein thou oughtest 〈◊〉 make intercession vnto the diâ—…yne maiâ—…stie approâ—… and make haste vnto the companye of the Angelles sighe and lamente for the losse of thy 〈◊〉 herytage aspyre vnto the felicitie proâ—…ysed and prâ—…pared styrre vp thy â—…acke and â—…uggish will and bewaile 〈◊〉 the iniquityes which thou hast committed For thoâ—…gh wee set so lyght by tyme yet by Bernardes opynion nothing is more precious The dayes of health and saluacion passe ouer our heades and no man marketh them Wherefore my best beloued on earth euery eueninge or tyme that thou goest about to take rest or quiet reuolue and cast in thy mynde how thou hast spent the daye What euill thou hast commytted and what good thinges thou hast omytted How many good thinges thou mightest haue done and dyddest neclâ—…ct them How thou hast dishonored God and pleased the diuill by sinning and doing amisse How thou hast wounded and hurt thy soule and displeased God. Fynally howe neare thou haste approched vnto hell This beyng done yelde thankes and glorie vnto God for all that thou hast well done and for all that thouhast done amisse be sorie from the bottome of thy harte Determyne an amendment and accomplysh it in déed Consider herewith that sinners which doe now spende theyr tyme in worldly vanitye doe at the houre of theyr death séeke one houre or the least momente of tyme to repent The which they had then rather obtayne then a massye heape of Golde as greate as the whole worlde Remember that at the daye of iudgement all tyme that was lent thée shall bée requyred at thy handâ—…s howe thou haste spent it Yea euerye leaste moment or twynckling of an eye Therefore let thy hearte be replenyshed with good thoughts thy mouth with holy words and readyng of scriptures and thy handes with doyng of vertuous déedes That as often as the enimy doe come he may fynde thée armed For suche as hee doeth fynde idle hee ceaseth not to tempte them Then if it bee so euill to bee idle howe muche worse is it to bée euyll occupyed Wée fynde written The prayse of the wycked is shorte and the ioye of the Hypocryte lyke vnto a moment If hys pryde goe vp into heauen and hys heade touch the cloudes yet in the ende hee shall bee as a dunghyll Hee shall bee lyke vnto a dreame flyinge awaye which is not seene when wee awake and hee shall passe ouer as a nightly vysion If wee doâ—… well and throughly consider the eternytie of the felycitie and lyfe to come yea the soundenesse trueth and vncorruptiblenesse thereof I doe verily beleue that this world present life togither with all temporal glory shal euen from the harte séeme vile vnto vs Neither shall we disperse our affections in worldely thynges but rather we shal most gredily séeke out y euerlasting ioyes vnchaÌ„geable good things prepared for vs in the heaueÌ„ly kingdom For in asmuch as our soule is immortal for the brightnes of vnderstaÌ„ding much hygher and worthier then any materiall substance or nature it ought not to take ioye or felicitie in corruptible material or tranâ—…torie things but it ought to goe forwards with a pure harte towardes the immortall vnuariable and â—…st perfecte god So that we ought not to loue this present lyfe but the lyfe to come principallye and aboue all things Yea we ought to dispise and contempne all transitorie delectation all temporall honor and all prayse of men for the hartie loue of the diuyne and celestiall beatitude For looke howe much we cease from the affection of worldly vanitie and temporall glorie so much the more doe we please God and so muche the néerer we approche vnto the blessednesse which is to come For vnto God onely all honour aâ—…d glorie are due From whom all good thinges doe procéede But to vs be confusion shame which doe so often offend dishonour and neclecte god Wherfore it shall not be
lawfull for vs to glorie in our selues nor to haue a vayn delight in our selues But as the Apostle sayeth He that gloryeth let him glorie in the Lord. Beholde the world passeth ouer and all the glorie therof And what is our life in this world but a smoke and vapour shewing it selfe a little and sâ—…raight way is vanished and gone we all slippe away lyke water into the earth Wée are earth ashes dust rottennesse and wormes meate So that when a man is deade hee shall inherite Snakes and Wormes To conclude what is this present lyfe but a continuall and â—…oste swifte course vnto deathe For some parte of our lyfe is continually and without ceasing wasted and cut off And therefore Dauid sayde Our dayes are lyke a shadowe vpon the earth and there is none abidyng And Ezechias sayde my lyfe is cut of as the webbe from the Weauer Yea euen whylest I yet began he cut mée off And Iob remember mée O Lord for my lyfe is lyke a puffe of wynde And in respecte of the eternitie the lastyng of thys lyfe is nothing as Job witnesseth in the same place saying Spare mée O Lorde for my dayes are as nothyng Héerevpon Chrisostom sayth Let vs passe saith he one hundreth yeres in delyghtes yea ad thervnto another hundereth or if you lyst ten tymes an hundereth and what shall all this bée compared to eternitie shall not all the whole tyme of this lyfe in the which we séeme to inioy so many delyghtes and to haue frée scope vnto vanities shall it not I saye bée as a dreame of one nyght compared to the eternitie Yes for as Hierome sayeth if thou haddest the wysedome of Salomon the beautie of Absalon the strength of Sampson the ryches of Crâ—…esus and the myghtie power of Octauianus what should all these profitte thée when as straight wayes thy bodie shall be delyuered vnto the wormes and thy soule vnto diuilles For as Augustyne affyrmeth If Adam yet lyued and shoulde dye thys day what coulde it then auayle hym to haue liued so long Now therefore my dearely beloued weygh these things déepely For such as neglecte to marke these things presently â—…arly or late they shall say vnfrutefully with the reprobate in the day of iudgement We haue erred from the way of truth and the lyght of rightuousnesse hath not shyned in vs and the bryght sonne of vnderstandyng hath not rysen vnto vs What hath our pryde profited vs Or what hath our pompe and boastyng preuayled vs All those thyngs haue passed ouer as a shadowe and as a swyfte running messenger For then shall the heauens reneale the vanitie of the louers of this world togither with their iniquities and the earth it selfe shall ryse agaynst them Then their sin and transgression shal be manifest with suche as haue sayde to God Departe from vs Wee will not haue the knowledge of thy wayes Then shall the rounde world fight agaynst them in Gods behalfe All thynges which haue bene shall then suffer punyshement and yet shall not be consumed Yea they shall suffer and sustayne accordyng to the multitude of theyr inuentions For the wicked is reserued vntyll the daye of perdition and shall bee ledde vnto the day of furie and shal drinke of the wrath of the almightie Let these things terâ—…rifie thy mynde and withdrawe it from the worlde Yea principally let them ioyne it vnto God. Furthermore the vanitie of this world doeth hereby most manifestly appeare that the prosperitie thereof is expected and gaped for with an excéedyng gréedinesse of mynde and when it commeth it can not be reteyned But all thinges passe ouer and all things flye away This day is paste and the beginnyng of the nexte is not yet knowne whither it shall be quyet or laboursome For so passeth ouer the glorie of this worlde And ther vpon Augustyne demaundeth saying What wilte thou loue temporall things sayeth he and passe away with them or wilt thou loue Christ and lyue eternally with hym For it is vnpossible that a man doe both inioy the present delights and the ioyes to come It is vnpossible both héere to fyll the paunche and there to satisâ—…e the mynde Men may not passe from one delyght to another and appeare gloryous bothe héere and in the worlde to come Yea and the contempte of worldely and temporall thynges is euydente by this that God doeth oftentymes bestowe them more aboundantlye vpon hys enimyes and them which are reprobate then vpon the electe For the electe doeth consider by the end that those thinges are of none accompte which doe transitorilye and seculerly delyght And therefore Hierome sayeth the spéedie consâ—…lation of the gooâ—… is the ende of the wycked well considered and foreséene For whilest the good perceyue by the distruction of the wicked what euils and perils they haue passed and eskaped they accompt all things light easie which they suffer endure in this life So y bâ—…hold my welbeloued how great the deceipt of this world is howe excéeding great is the blyndnesse of the loue which we beare to the same For whilest the wicked doth willingly with great delight remain continue in this worlde hopyng to lyue long and settyng many thinges in oâ—…der for the tyme to come sodaynely and vnawares hée is commaunded to dye and in a moment to leaue and forsake all those thinges which he so faltily hath loued and estemed Héerevpon our Sauiour Christ bringeth in the ryche man speakyng vnto hym selfe and saying My soule thou haste muche good and treasure layde vp for many yeares Take thine ease eate drinke be mery But God answeareth him saying O foole this nyght shal they take thy soule from thée whose then shall that be which thou haste so gréedily gathered Let vs therefore gather togither true and spiritual ryches which will not forsake vs at the tyme of death but will appeare with vs before God and make vs séeme comely and beautifull in all vertue and godlinesse In these kynde of riches we may dayly increase and profit yea and in suche sorte that suche profite may bée muche more auaylable vnto vs then if we possessed all the riches in the world Wherfore let vs not myspende the leaste space of tyme nor bee occupyed in good thynges onely but in the moste excelent thinges That wée may alwayes searche out those things which drawe nearest to our saluation And so growe nearer and nearer neyghbours vnto god And bee alwayes reuerently and honâ—…urably conuersaunte in the syghte of the heauenly Father Let vs thinke and thinke agayne vpon the quyet peace and tranquilitie of a pure hearte vpon the delectation of a soule beholdyng the maiestie of God and vpon the securitye and fyrme hope of the mynde which loueth god And hereby wee shall soone fynde that to gyue ouer our selues vnto such things is as much as to be conformed vnto God. And that suche as doe otherwyse are deformed and not reformed For it is not
euerye thynge whych is created defectyue And euerye transitorye thing vnquiet Yea it is shorte and of small contynewaunce but mutable and subiecte vnto tyme. So that the louers of this world â—…aue nothing firm or stable but are themselues also light and vnconstant as it were set in a whyrlewynde synce they put not theyr delyâ—…ht in God onely but in all vayne and transytory tâ—…inges now affecting this thing and now that thing Now loatâ—…yng that they earst loued and streyght waye deuring and ceuâ—…ting some other vanity not yet possessed But the iust and such as loue God doe perseuer quyet vnyforme and sâ—…ble being founded vpon the eternall God as vpon an vnâ—…oueable foundation And therevpon Salomon sayed The wicked shall not be seene Lyke vnto a storme passing ouer But the iust shal be as an euerlasting foundation Augustine bewayling the louers of this world doth exclayme and say O louers of the world wherfore labor you Why doe yâ—…u afflyct your selues about nothing Whyles you might possesse the creator of all thynges What sâ—…eke you further What may suffyse and content mens mynde whome the creator of all thinges cannot suffise and content For if you may haue all goodnesse which is God why go you about to possesse things full of mysery Can your hope expectacioÌ„ in the world be any thing els then to be thereof beloued And therein what is not frayle What is not transitory What is not changeable What is not sinallye full of perylles by the whiche you passe on vnto greater yea and euerlasting perylles And of the vanytie of the worldly lyfe Hierome sayth O lyfe no lyfe but death A deceiptfull lyfe laden with sorowe weake and ouershadowed New it florysheth streyght waye it wythereth Depryuing him of lyfe in whome it séemeth lyfe O frayle momentayâ—… and bryttell lyfe the more thou growest the more also thou decreasest The more thou procéedest the more nearer thou aprochest vnto death O lyfe full of snares how many men doest thou entangle and howe many by thée now doe abyde infernall tâ—…rments Oh howe happy is he which knoweth and perceiueth thy deceyptes how much more happy is he which setteth lyght by and careth not for thy vayne delights And he is most happy which is wel dyspatched of thée In the first Epistle of Iohn and the fyft Chapiter it is written All the whole world is set on wyckednesse Yea is not the world subiect vnto the Diuill and replenished with all iniquitie Wherevpon the same Iohn in his seconde Chapiter of his second Epistle sayth All that is in this world is concupiscence of the fleshe concupiscence of thinges séene or pryde of lyfe and conuersacion And as Peter sayth The wycked are seruauntes of corruption and of sinne For of whome soeuer a man be maystred or ouercome vnto him he is a seruaunt and in bondage And hée which is the bondman of sinne is consequently the seruant of the Diuyll Wherevpon Paule speaketh of the wicked saying Let them turne backe from the snares of the Diuill by whome they are holden in captyuitie euen according to his pleasure And Christ in his gospell doth terme the diuill the Prynce of this world Meaning not the rounde globe of the sphere but the worldly creatures which being turned backe from God are ouerwhelmed and buryed in earthly thinges Of whome Hierome ment saying Going backe frome the Lord they are written and regystred in the earth But Christ sayth contrariwyse to the electe reioyce and be ioyefull For your names are writteÌ„ regestred in heauen Now Beda expoundeth these wordes thus By the worlde and those thinges which are therern he vnderstandeth men which inordynately and excessyuely doe loue and estéeme the world And such haue nothing but concupyscence of the flesh concupyscence of thinges sene with eye and pryde of lyfe For in these vocables and proper names of vyces Iohn doth comprehende and enclude all kynds of vyces For the concupyscence of the fleshe is all that pertayneth vnto the volupteousnesse and delyghtes of the bodye By the concupyscence of thynges séene with the eye are ment all curyosyties which are commytted in learninge of wycked artes and ornamentes all contemplacion of filthy and wycked sightes or spectacles all superfluous desyre to get temporall and tryflinge toyes and all curyous carpynge and marking of our neighbours imperfections By the pride of lyfe and conuersation is ment the pompe and beast which men conceiue in worldly promotions So that the world is replenyshed with Diuils For what els doe men that liue according to the world but stryue to wrappe and enfuolde themselues in sundrye sortes of sinnes Yea and to wound and wearye theyr soules with the maynes of myschiefes and the shaftes of sundrye shamefull concupyscences vntill at last they féele not theyr owne harmes We sée fulfilled in the Church that which is written by the Prophet There is no truth there is no mercy there is no knowledge of God on the earth The cursed vyces of murder thefte adulterye and lying are come flowing ouer vs From the greatest to the least all men applye themselues vnto couetousnesse The Pryestes haue not sayd where is y Lord and the pastors haue vsed collusion It is easie to be sene vnto what an excéeding great rewine the church is come in euery eâ—…at degrée order But if christyaÌ„s did lyue now as they lyued in the primityue church and first comminge of the Gospell there should be no suche greate necessytie to flye from the world Marye as men doe now a dayes for the most parte lyue it is a highe dyfficulltye to lyue well or to declyne from heynous sinnes in the world Especially for such as are not exercysed with verteous quallytie or paynefull labour but doe abounde in ryches and are conuersant in greatest pompes and highest places Deceiptes ambytion enuye volupteousnesse and all other euils are powred out vpon the earth Euery man beateth his brayne howe hée maye multyplye and encrease his substaunce but no man careth howe to saue hys soule Men are afeard least they should fall into pouertye but were it not muche more to bée feared to lyght into the bottomelesse pyt of hell The world is the fornace of vyces The which these worldlings doo heate and warme with the fuell of sinne And therein doe burne and consume themselues and theyr companyones For they are so much blynded that they neither sée nor feare the peryles which are notoryous and well knowen to all men But doe tryumph and reioise in theyr euils lyke phrentyke and made men Yea if there be any whome they sée not wrapped in lyke wooes they accoumpt them to be blockyshe and senseles creatures Well sayd that Phylosopher As often as I was amongst men I retorned sayth he the worse And another saith An euyll companyon draweth his fellowe to mesdéedes and so he which was before good becommeth euill and wycked To conclude euen as the people of Israell could not depart from
Egypt without the helpe of thy diuine Maiestie euen so no man caÌ„ be pulled or withdrawen from this world vnlesse he be helped with the fynger and power of the heauenly hande Yet shall there neuer be founde any defect in God so that man will doe his best that he maye Agayne the world is compared to a deserte by the which the chyldren of Israell went from Egipt vnto the land of promisse And in this desert they met so many letts and impedyments that of thréeskore thowsand numbred onely two euen Caleph and Iosue were brought into the land of promyse O how the Diuils doth reioyse to sée them all now in the synke and filthynesse of their sinnes Men cleaue vnto worldly thinges and in worldly thinges they are wyse but they neyther care for God nor for his commaundementes neyther are they astonyed when they heare his moste terryble iudgementes But they accompt them as fables Oh all thinges that are be euill bestowed vpon vs For our hardnesse is neuer mollâ—…ed But thinke we that God will omyt his iudgement Or leaue these sinnes vnrewarded Or suffer the wordes which he hath spoken of the iudgement to come and of the euerlasting paynes to be falsified God forbyd that we should so thynke Furthermore whosoeuer is ouercome with the loue of earthly thinges he is not delyghted in god But no man can long abyde without some delectation And therefore such as are not delighted in spyrituall things doe powre themselues out vnto worldly solace And so consequently are ouerwhelmed in the multytude of sinnes and vyces Wherevpon Saint Augustine sayth Blessed is he O Lord which loueth thée For he which loueth not thee loueth the world is seruaunt and bounde vnto sinne he is neuer quyet neuer in safetie but is dystracte and dyspersed in the varyable cares vanityes and pompes of the world And whosoeuer doth contempne the volupteousnesse of this world and thereby eskaye the snares of the Diuill shal be most happy in that his soule is delighted in such thinges as cannot be blotted or defiled with any vncleannesse but is immediately clensed purged with the cleannesse of truth And synce y lawe of God doth so delight him y he shal be able ther by to avoyde eschew y delightes of y world But as longe as we delight in the deceyptfull tast of iniquity so long we shall thinke it most sower and bytter to faste of equitie And to whome the world séemeth swéete sauorye to him Christ séemeth bytter and sower Yet hauing tasted the spyrite of God all fleshe shall as it were dote and playe the foole Agayne whosoeuer doeth with his whole mynde serue and please this world is thereby enfected with a manyfold deformytie of vyces And he which tasteth nothing of the heauenly swéetenesse will not be afeared to be polluted with earthly desires But if such as for the loue of God despyse the world kéepyng themselues contyneually conuersant in spyrytuall thinges cannot yet he altogither pure and clensed from sinnes with how heauy burdens of vyces are theâ—… loden which are not afearde to walke in the myddest of the world wrapped in vanities without carefulnesse or feare of God What is theyr lyfe but sinne it selfe For the myrth and ioye of the world is wickedâ—…sse vnpunyshed But y which the reprobate doe accompt delight and comforte that the elect and verteous doe take and defâ—… to be most gréeuoâ—…s payne Thynking and concluding that the soule 〈◊〉 néedes peryshâ—… 〈◊〉 by that wherein the â—…she for a tyme did delight most pleasantly Wherefore you louers of this world howle and crye out which doo myserably kyll your body and soule before the tyme appoynted Whyles you attend wholly vpon the vyces of glottonye and lecherye immoderately and vylely And thereof euen in this world doe procéede sundrye infirmyties and sodayne deathes Reioyse and be merrie nowe in this most shorte space which you haue that hereafter you maye complayne and bewayle with the Diuill perpetually Banquet and drynke dronken that after a whyle you maye call for a droppe of water and yet not haue it when you shal be daÌ„pned in hell with the riche man which lyued in greate delightes and fared delycately euery daye Why are your hartes harder then yron stéele or stones when you doe not weye and consider nor â—…e not afeard in payne of these most vnhappy and frayle sollaces and vanyties of this world to heare that most dreadfull and horryble sentence of Chryst go ye accursed into euerlasting fyre But here peradnenture you will saye God is mercyfull and benigne he would not the death of a sinner but that he be conuerted and lyue And againe In what houre soeuer a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repeÌ„t him I will no more remember all his iniquites So that if a sinner doe bewayle his sinnes eueÌ„ at the very time of death he shall be saued And I doe confesse that all these sayinges are true Nay rather the excieding greatenesse of the heaâ—…nly pietie doth beyond all comparyson excéede and surpasse the verye capacytie of our mynde For it is vnmeasurable As may playnely appeare in that he 〈◊〉 sinners so longe to the ende they maye bée conuerted yea expecteth and desireth theyr conuersyon he 〈◊〉 such as retorue moste mercyfully he quyckly for 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 and doth aboundantly powre asmuche grace vpon them as if they had neuer sinned nor offended And is not this an infynite pietie But his equytie and iâ—…styce is no lesse then his pitiye And though he doo beare with and longe suffer such as he attendeth to repent and conuerte yet if they doe not conuert he doth the more greuously punyshe and detest them And that which the Prophet sayeth of the contrytion and sorowe of a sinner must be vnderstood of true contrytion and harty repentaunce But the true contrycion doth procéede of the true faith and loue of God and of the lothing of sinne and an affection vnto righteousnesse Yea and as Hierome testyfieth Repentaunce and harty contrytion are necessarye Wherevnto that saying of Chrisostome agréeeth Compunction is the thing whiche maketh purple séeme vyle maketh men desire hearecloth loue teares and eschewe company Syuce then these thinges â—…ée certaynly thus what kynde of contrycion and bewayling can that be which commeth onely at the very houre of death and then repenteth bicause he thynkes he can lyue no longer Or peraduenture if he hoped of longer lyfe he would deferre it Surely it séemeth doubtfull that through seruyle feare and constrayned fayth his contrycion procéedeth by the onely beholdyng of his owne onely refuge And that it is not true contrycion but a terryfing of the spyrite But he which will soundly and perfectly repent must first be sorye for his faulte bicause it is filthy transgression and offensyue vnto god Yea and a dyshonour vnto the diuine sanctitye and Maiestie Wée reade in the Machabes That Antyochus dyd repent and yet obteyned not mercy The Apostle doth wryte the lyke of
Furthermore Augustine in his booke entituled De miseria mundi doth plainly treat saying Take héed to thy self least being wrapped in the snares of the diuill thou become a pray to y huÌ„ter which raÌ„geth and séeketh whom he may deuour For this lyfe is fugityue and vntrustie since it doth not performe faithful dealing no not to the louers therof Yea euen from the beginning of the world it hath deceyued all such as put their trust therin And all such as haue wrapped theÌ„ selues therein it hath beguiled And so it hath shewed it self vncertain to all men y it might proue it selfe a lyer vnto all men For beholde the worlde which we so much loue estéeme doth passe ouer â—…ly away And yet we follow it â—…ing so froÌ„ vs through a blynd mynd of carnal ccÌ„upisâ—… cleaue fast vâ—…to it whilest it 〈◊〉 So that beyng vnable to hold it vp falling we fall with it percompany Yea is not this our lyfe lyke vnto death since therin doe abound so many dolors lamentations sighes and so great miseries one man being gréeued with loffe cryeth out Another coÌ„tinually bewayleth the barenesse of his ground One lamenteth the death of his friend another sitteth sadly being ouer whelmed in pouertie So y there is much tribulation from y time y man commeth into this world Yea his first voice or sound doth shew infirmitie He is borne an infant straight way cryeth out He can not yet speake neuerthelesse he is y Prophet of his own calamitie His teares are witnesse of his miserie paine dread y is to come WheÌ„ he is growen a little he beginneth to hunger thirst to bée weary To conclude man hath alwayes two sundry tormeÌ„ts which by turnes doe vexe him continually The which are feare sorow If A man be well he feareth if he be euil at ease he soroweth What is he whom the prosperitie of thys world hath not deceiued Or who is it y hath not ben gréeued with y aduersitie therof theÌ„ behold man what great afflictions thou doest suffer in this world which thou so much estemest Wherin in very déed there are nothing but false deceiptful voluptuousnes true yea vndoubted calamitie No safetie of myrth and ioye but a tormentyng feare a gréedie couetousnesse and a fruitlesse lamentation And who is he which can number or accoumpt all the euilles and discommodities of this lyfe For to ouerpasse with scilence those euilles which doe commonly oppresse all men that is to say secret sorowes and especiall griefes whereof all men may fynde them selues giltie let a man but call to mynde what euylles hee hath both sustayned and committed from hys youth vpwardes let him but set before hys eyes the tymes passed and diligently consider howe many vayne labours he hath vndertakeÌ„ how often he hath swet in vain for the loue of this wretched world How often he hath founde deceyptfull issues of hys most earneste trauayles and let hym then ponder that after long troubles he hath yet obteyned no rest and he shal quickly know what accoumpt is to be made of this world O myserable man then what doest thou or whether goest thou whiles thou art in this world thou doest but iust and roonne in a Tyltyearde Wherein thou findest an enemie which is to strong for thée whome thou neyther canst sée nor yet eskape from him He entyseth thée with tryflyng toyesthereby to robbe and despoyle thée of the ioyes of heauen Yea and thereby to put into thée the very tormentes of hell His lackye lyeth close hidden in the way couered with earth which is the diuells concubyne and lenunan The enimy of mankynde doth behold the manners and naturall enclynacions of euery man and vnto what vyce they be most prone those he setteth before theyr faces which may most aptly allure and betray theyr myndes And whiles he maketh them gaze at the gaynes of glystryng gold they neuer sée the perill of theyr perdicion but lyke fooles being deceiued with the delightes which they sée and carnally doe loue they neuer marke how they fall hedlong into damnacion And bicause all men are voyde of vnderstandinge they perishe perpetually Wherefore if the world doe please and delight thée beware the deceyptfulnesse thereof Remember that as Salomon sayeth Lamentacion and dolor doo come in the ende of ioyes and merymentes For all mans pleasantnesse is bytter and sowre in the ende When a man reioyseth in the world be reioyseth not in God. But yet alas how many ther be which reioyse in the world neuer reioyse in God To reioyse in the worlde is to boast tryumphe and glory in iniquitie vanitie ryches honor outwarde coomlynesse fylthy conuersacion vayne pastimes with vnfreutefull and leuds communicacion Which is in effecte to purchase sorowe and lamentacion For no man can embrace Christ and the world bothe attones Many men professing Christ doe prayse him loue him and rendre thanckes vnto him whiles they be in theyr worldly prosperitie But if aduersitie light vpon them they cursse â–ª blaspheme him Such men serue god for profit and not for loue Unto whom the Lord God may iustly saye For your owne benefit and commoditie you haue obserued my commaundementes and not bicause you loued me with a pure entent And wherefore doest thou extoll thy selfe in vanitie O man is not thy body as the Preacher sayth dust and asshes Art not thou thy selfe of earth and shalt soone be resolued againe into earth Looke into the Sepulchres of the greatest Prices and sée if any other thing doe there remayne but bones and dust And all this being thus doest thou by so many errors make hast vnto hell which hast bene enstructed in so many pathes to heauen by Christ him selfe Why is that beloued which must be forsaken and that neclected which may perpetually be enioyed These sentences and many such lyke Sainct Augustine dothe moste deuoutely propounde in his bookes before named And finally he wryteth in a certeyne Sermon saying Attende and marke O myserable Soule of sinfull Man that horryble houre in which thou shalt depart from the body Where as thou shalt prefently beholde the wycked ministers of Sathan the cursed diuills the horryble dampned spirites and the most crewell roaryng Lyones ranging and hunting about for theyr praye which is thy sorowfull selfe With the twynekling of an eye the horryble places of eternall paynes shall apeare the Chaos or confuâ—…ed heape of darkenesse the horrour of mysery the terrour and tremblyng dreade of sorrowe the quaking feare of horryble vysions and of that most horryble mansion where ther is continuall wéepinge and gnashing of téethe gnawing of wormes howling and crying the lamentacions of them that mourne perpetually and the voyce of such as crye wo wo wo be vnto vs chyldren of Eue. When the wretched and vnhappy soule departing out of the body shall heare these things and such lykâ—… or rather a thousand fold worse worse then can be expressed when
it shall behold them and féele them then may it sensibly vnderstande what excéeding trembling dreade and terrour doth ensue of the loue and delightes conceyued in this frayle vnconstant and most wretched woâ—… But my beloued doe thou forecast all these thinges 〈◊〉 suffre none of these admonicions to slyppe out of thy mynde That thou mayest eschewe and eskape eternall payne and punishment and atteyne vnto the ioyes which shall endure worlde without ende Amen A LETTER WRYTTEN by I. B. vnto his famyliar frende G. P. teaching remedies against the bytternesse of Death WHen I remember your request made vnto me at our last parting which was that I should wryte some what vnto you either to ingender in you a meditacion of contented death or at the least to diminish the desyre of long lyfe I can not but much lyke and commend in you that disposition whereby it appeareth your desyre and mynde is let not in the loue of things transitory but in knowledge and in that knowledge which of all other is moste perfect and méete for a wyse man For if that be worth the learning that is necessary and that for euery age degrée and sexe all creatures must necessarily dye and no man of reason dyeth better and more lyke a man then he that hathe learned the Science thereof And if that knowledge be worth the learning whereof commeth certeyne and great commoditie none can be compared with the Scyence of well dying the fruite whereof is comfort and lyfe neuer enâ—…ynge And as this knowledge is most perfect worthie learninge so haue you taken a verye méete and conuenient tyme for the atteyninge of it which is youth the flower of your age haing in it selfe strengthe and habilitie to learne any Scyence and leauing tyme to practise that is well learned For as none other science profitable being lyberall is sodenly learned neither is it enough to byd a man though he be wytty sodenly to drawe a figure in Geometrie make a proporcion by Arithmiticke be a good sowldier ingenier or other lyke for he may say he lacketh tyme teaching and exercise to atteyne such knowledge euen so is the science of dying wel to be learnid with tyme meditacion and exercise And who so sayth to a sicke man not practised herein be content to dye forgo this mortal life may here of him againe I know what it is to lyue by experience but to dye I haue not learned and the lesson is not so easie as you thinke it Wherein if many would doo as you séeme to meane that is to learne to dye when they may bâ—…st lyue they should bothe lyue more quiet and dye better contented And now somewhat to satisfie your desyre and to entre into this treatie which I entende not to make longe I wyl kéepe this ordre Fyrst to shew that vnto a Christian man Death is not to be fledde but rather to be desyred or at the least well to be taken no plague but â—…enefyt no losse but gayne Next I will shewe what the lettes and causes be that make vs indge otherwise And thirdly tell how those lettes may be remoued and our opinion somewhat changed to thincke of Death and lyfe as they are without preiudice that men commonly bringe with them To the heathen not knowing GOD nor the vertue of the lyfe to come the first parte that Death is not to be fledde shonnid and terrible is a lesson harde or rather vnpossâ—…ble to be taught For lyfe being good as all men thinke and of it selfe it is no man can willingly leaue the good but for the better for otherwise he shall thinke him selfe to make suche a bargaine as the Pâ—…ete sayth Glaucus made with Diomedes change gold for copper And bicause the heathen knowe not the beâ—…r which knowledge is learned onely in Christes schole 〈◊〉 of their bookes though they wrote many of the contempt of Death with fayre and glorious woordes could make either them selues or their heires with right iudgement content to dye if they might liue to leaue presâ—…t life which thei thought good and were content with for an other to come whereof their knowledge was none or doubtfull and vncertayne And therefore a Philosoper emong the reste most learned sayde of all thinges dredefull most drâ—…adfull is Death And the excelent Dratour who in health and wealth spake lyke a whole man and as a man learnid perswaded other being for a tyme banished was him self without all comfort And when he drewe towardes death perceued he had sayde more then he could iustifie and performe in him selfe In lyke case was the Emperour for wisedome so much renowmed who approching néere to death and speaking as he founde cause by proofe and tryall and not as he before had vaynely thought sayde he was toubled with the feare of Death bicause he knewe not whether he should goe nor what the gods immortall for so he termid them had determined of him vnto whome he recommendid him selfe with this doubt that if they had appoynted any good of him they should then shew it These thrée examples of the best with other able to fill a great volume doe well shewe that the heathen were not learned in this scieÌ„ce anâ—… much lesse méete to be scholemaisters and teachers to them that will rightly learne it and therefore I intende not to vse their examples though they make a faire muster which when I sée other men do in this argument wryting vnto a christian reâ—…der I thinke they doe not wel remember what is méete for the argument they take in hande and for the person to whome they wryte But as to the heathen the ende of lyfe being is and for causes aforesayd must be dreadfull so vnto a christian man it neither is nor should séeme so vnto whom death is the beginning of lyfe the gate of blysse the ende of soroâ—… and mortal â—…reefe Whereof he is not onely informed by coniecture lyke to be true but assured by promise of him y can be all thinges sauing false so that a scholer of Christe should rather doubt whether the Sunne shyne by daye or whether he féele being awaked then whether the promises made thereof be assured or no. Then if it be so that Death endeth all sorow payne misery and trauayle and setteth vs in place of solâ—…ce comfort blysse and quiet and that such as neither hath enterlacing of the contrary nor ende of it selfe Who is sorye to make this change but he that beleueth not how good it is and how well made or how shall we thinke he beleueth it to be good and also true who slyeth from it when it is comminge towarde him or would not haue it true in him selfe that he beleueth Let him feare Deathe who hath not hard of Christe to whome Christe hathe promised naught desyrous neither to heare of him to sée him not to be with him whome fantasie leadeth vanitie pleaseth lust ruleth and the world blyndeth séekinge
but coÌ„tentedly to haue receaued it The loue they bare vnto God his will in their lyfe kept theÌ„ from disorderid loue of the world and froÌ„ the coÌ„mon sinnes vices which men for worldly thinges coÌ„mit being not troubled with conscience remorce therof sawe no cause to shunne to feare death And as this loue of god his wil encreased in the new testament where the holy ghost the spirit of loue was is more pleÌ„tiously powred in to y harts of the right beleuiÌ„g So the loue of lyfe decresed the desire of death increased in y best professors therof the appostles martirs infinite not only coÌ„tented to leue this life but also desir eddeath who receuig the faith gospel beig taught therby to coÌ„fornie theÌ„ selues to y life image of Christ did with perfect faith pleÌ„tious charitie full hope coÌ„meÌ„d theÌ„ selues to the will of God the expectation of the life to come which they knew was prouided for them y loueth God neither is there any other cause why we dye not like theÌ„ but bicause we liue not like them we feare death bicause we liue not wel some more some lesse according as the order of our liues hath ben and who so saith that the maner of death is a touchstone to way the life is not much deceiued I wil not say but many men may dye wel that liueth ill for mercie is aboue iudgement but none coÌ„tent to dye but he that by death loketh to be with Christ which is he that by his life showeth that he knoweth loueth Christ without which loue y more faith at that time the lesse comfort For faith teacheth Gods mercy his iustice and if iustice be all against vs either faith ingendreth in vs sorow of such a life and so repentance which is good an entry toward life or if it ingender not an earnest repentance it bringeth nothing to comfort ease releue vs but all contrary And therfore he that wil liue in coÌ„tinual meditation of death which is y way to make him a familier so no dreadful gest nor stranger must liue in loue I meane y loue of vprightnes honestie cleanesse iustice integritie doing good where hée can hauing inteÌ„t to hurt none getting vprightly to suâ—…in himself his of that remayneth departing liberally to the poore as he séeth cause is able to such a man y remeÌ„brance of death caÌ„ not be vnpleasant for it shal neither take him vnprouided nether beriue him of any thing wherwith he is disorderly in loue Such a man liuing coÌ„teÌ„tedly in y place wherin he is called traueling carefully to fil satisfie the same wheÌ„ death approcheth doth méekly say to God with Christ I haue done the worke thou sentest me to doe And albeit there hath bene much weaknesse many infirmities in his trauel and accomplishing that worke he was sent to doe yet with a great indifferencie he shal be able to vse the words of the vertuous learned Bishop neither haue I liued so among you that I should be ashamed to liue neither doe I feare to die bicause we haue a good Lord master The man so liuyng and so thinking is onely happie neither troubled with inordinate desire of highe estate which he taketh but for a place to trauayle for many neither affrayde to be in meaner then he is knowing that where so euer God placeth him he hath his worke to doe wherwith he may please him euer quyet content to dye and not vnwilling to liue But here some man may say although he be not disordridly desirous of life yet can he well be coÌ„teÌ„t to liue though not for him self or for his owne sake yet for others therin wisheth nothing vngodly but deceÌ„tly to kéepe the place whervnto he is called which he can fill if not better yet as wel as an other maÌ„ to help such as néed him to bring vp his childreÌ„ to see theÌ„ disposed finally to bestow the benifits y God hath lent vnto him he y maketh this obiectioÌ„ lieth not on him self is not of y worst sort nor much to be misliked vnto whoÌ„ neuertheles it must be answered if his desire be to liue for others who by him may be y better he must coÌ„sider y wel doing is not all his own wherof though maÌ„ be y minister God is the giuer who will dispose him self to doe many good and none hurt so coÌ„tinue God knoweth man knoweth not but this maÌ„ knoweth y without gods giuing he doth it not wel knoweth he also y happie had bene SalomoÌ„ if he had ben taken in his youth wel doing the like may ye read of many say by experience of some whither he would be one of them by long life he knoweth not if ther were no dauÌ„ger it shuld not haue ben writteÌ„ he y staÌ„deth let him take héed y he fal not if he think there were no dauÌ„ger in him self theÌ„ is he proud and lyke to be one of them that would fall if he doubt then is it wisdome to put him self to him that knoweth And sith he knoweth and is sure that after death no sinne is done better is the choyse to go with safetie as Gods seruant wheÌ„ God willeth then in continuaunce to put that in a hazarde which if it goe amisse at the ende can not be recouered nor the losse redubled Déepe in payne lye many who by long lyfe fell into sinne and therby into their damnation who had then dyed in their youth had lyued with Christ and howe much they bewaile their long life the oceasâ—…oÌ„ of their paiâ—… no tonge can tell nor harte thinke But to returne to the matter if he say he would doe many good in long tyme and lyue accordyng to his place and callyng let him shewe that in the tyme he hath giuen him and if in so doing he be takeÌ„ sith he may say to God I haue done the worke thou sentest me to doe and when God calleth hym away hee knoweth there is no more appointed for hym to doe he knoweth also there is no more cause for him to lyue bicause desire of doing good was the only cause why he would lyue His childre are Gods more then his who leaueth not the seede of the iust who calleth him selfe the father of Orphans and iudge of Widdows whose blessyng if they haue they shal prosper though they lacke a mortall father And if they lacke that much sorow and small comforte should the father haue to see that he could not amend for eche good father neither maketh nor leaueth a good chyld And yet doeth not such a man lacke wyfe and friendes to whom he may commit the care of children and if his friendes will doe much for them at his request and recommendation why should he mistrust Gods proÌ„uydence helpe and dyrection if hée commend them vnto hym By whom