the for it albeit thow haddest nothinge in thee worthe loue besydes But now thy lorde besydes thes his gyftes hath infinite causes to make the loue hym that is all the causes which any thinge in the worlde hath to puchase loue and infiinte more besydes For yf all the perfections of all thinges created in heauē and in earth which doe procure loue were put together in one as all their bewtie all their vertue all their wisedome all their sweetnes all their nobilitie all their goodnes and the lyke yet thy lorde Sauycur whome thow contēnest doth passo all this and that by infinite and infinite 〈◊〉 for that he is not onlie all thes thinges together but also he is verie bewtie it selfe vertue it selfe wisedome it selfe sweetenes it selfe nobilitie it selff goodnes it selff and the verie fountaine and welspringe where hence all thes thinges are deriued by litle peeces and parcels vnto his creatures Be a shamed then good Christian of this thy ingratitudo to so greate so good beuntifull a Lord and resolue thy selfe for the tyme to come to amende thy course of lyfe and behauyour towardes hym Say with the prophet which had lesse cause to saye so then thow Domine propitiaro peccato meo multum est enim O lord pardon me myne offence for it is greate in thy sight I know there is nothinge o lorde which dothe so muche displease the or drye vpp the fountaine of thy mercye so byndeth thy handes from doinge good as ingratitude in the receyuers of thy benefites wherin hetherto I haue exceeded all others but I haue done it o lord in myne ignorance not conslderinge thy gyftes vnto me nor what accounte thow wouldest demaunde againe of the same But now seinge thow hast vouchsafed to make me woorthie of this grace also wherby to see and knowe myne owne state and defaut I hope hereafter by direction of the same grace of thyne to shew my selfe a better childe towardes the. O lord I am ouercome at the lēgthe with cōsideratiō of thy loue and how can I haue the harte to offend thee hereafter seinge thow hast preuented me so manye wayes with benefites euē when I demaunded not the same can I haue handes euermore to sinne against thee whiche hast geeuen vpp thyne owne most tender handes to be nayled on the crosse for my synnes heretofore no no it is to greate an iniurie against thee o lord woe worth me that haue donne it so often heretofore But by thy holye assistance I trust not to returne to suche iniquitie for the tyme to come to which o lord I beseeche the for thy mercie sake from thy holie throne of heauen to saie amen Of vvhat opinion and feelinge vve shal be to vvchinge these matters at the tyme of our deathe CHAP. VIII THe holy scriptures doe teach vs and experience maketh it plaine that duringe the tyme of this lyfe the commodities preferments and pleasures of the worlde doe possesse so stronglye the hartes of manye men and doe holde them chayned with so forcible enchauntmentes beinge forsaken also vpon their iust desertes of the grace of God saye and threaten what a man can and bringe against them all the whole scripture euen from the begynninge of genesis to the end of the Apocalips as in deede it is all against synne and synners yet will it preuaile nothinge with them beinge in that lamentable case as other they beleeue not or esteeme not what so euer is saide to that purpose against their setled lyfe aud resolution to the contrarye Of this we haue infinite examples in scripture as of Sodome and Gomorra with the cities aboute which could not heare the war ninges that good Lot gaue vnto them Also of Pharao whome all that euer Moyses could doe ether by signes or sayinges moued nothinge Also of Iudas whoe by no faire meanes or threatninges vsed to him by his maister would change his wicked resolution But especialye the prophets sent from God from tyme to tyme to disswade the people from their naughtie lyfe and consequentlye from the plagues hanginge ouer them doe geeue abundant testimonie of this complainiage euerie where of the hardnes of synners hartes that wold not be moued with all the exhortations preachings promisses allurementes exclamations threatnings thunderinges that they could vse The prophet zacharie shall testifie for all in this matter whoe saieth of the people of Israell a litle before theire destruction Hoc ait do minus exercituum et ce This sayeth the Lorde of hostes iudge iustlie and so forthe And presentlie he addeth And they vvould not attende but turninge their backes uvent auvaye and stopped their eares to the ende they might not heare and they did put their hartes as an adamant stone to the end they might not heare the lavve and the vuordes vvhich God did send in his spirite by the handes of the former prophetes vvherby godes greate indignation vvas sturred vpp This then is and alwayes hath ben the fashion of worldlinges reprobate persons to harden their hartes as an adamant stone against anye thinge that shal be tolde thē for the amendement of their liues and for the sauinge of their soules VVhyles they are in healthe and prosperitie they will not know God as in an other place he complaineth Marye yet as the prophet saieth God will haue his daye withe thes men also when he wil be knowen And that is cognoscetur dominus iudicia faciens God vvill è knovven uvhen he begynneth to doe iudgment and this is at the daye of deathe which is the next dore to iudgement as S. Paule testifieth sayinge it is appointed for euill men once to dye and after that ensewe 〈◊〉 This I saye is the day of God most terrible sorowfull and full of tribulation to the wicked wherin God wil be knowen to be a righteous God and to restore to euerye man accordinge as he hath donne vvhile he liued As S. Panle sayeth or as the prophet describeth it he vvilbe knovven then to be a terrible God and such a one as taketh avvaye the spirite of princes a terrible God to the kynges of the 〈◊〉 At this daye as there wil be a greate change in all other thinges as mirth wil be turned into sorow laughinges into weepinges pleasures into paynes stoutnes into feare pryde into dispaire and the like so especiallie will there be a straunge alteration in iudgemēt and opinion for that the wisedome of God wherof I haue spoken in the former chapters and which as the scripture saieth is accounted folye of the wise of the vvorld will then appeare in her likenes as it is in verie deede wil be confessed by her greatest enimyes to be onlietrew wisedome and all carnall wisdome of worldlinges to be meere folye as God callethe it This the holye scripture setteth downe clerelye when it describeth the verie speeches and lamentations of the wise men of this
vs by coueringe our neckes onelie with his yoke and burden so lightned and sweetned by his holy grace as the bearinge therof is not trauailsome but most easie pleasant and confortable as hathe bene shewed An other cause why this yoke is so sweete this burden so light and this vvaie of gods commaundemētes so pleasant to good men is loue loue I meane tovvards God whose commaundementes they are for euery man can tell and hathe experienced in hym selfe what a strong passion the passion of loue is and how it maketh easie the verie greatest paynes that are in this world VVhat maketh the mother to take suche paynes in the bringing vpp of her child but onelie loue what causeth the wyfe to sytt so attentyue at the bedde syde of her sycke husbande but onelie loue what moueth the beastes and byrdes of the ayer to spare from their owne foode and to endaunger their own lyues for the feedinge and defendinge of their litle ones but onelie the force of loue S. Austen doeth prosecute this pointe at large by many other examples as of Marchantes that refuse no aduenture of sea for loue of gayne of huntars that refuse no season of euill weather for loue of game of soldiers that refuse no daunger of deathe for loue of spoyle And he addeth in the end that yf the loue of man can be so greate towardes creatures heere as to make labour easie ī deede to seeme no labour but rather pleasure how muche more shall the loue of good men towardes god make all their labour comfortable whiche they take in his seruice This extreme loue was the cause whie all the paynes afflictiōs which Christ suffered for vs seemed nothing vnto hym And this loue also was the cause why all the trauailes tormentes whiche many Christianes haue suffered for Christ seemed nothing vnto them Imprisonmēntes tormentes losse of honour goodes and lyfe seemed tryfles to diuers seruantes of God in respect of this burning loue This loue droue infinite virgines and tender children to offer them selues in tyme of persecutiō for the loue of him which in the cause was persecuted This loue caused holye Apollonia of Alexandria beinge broght to the fyre to be burned for Christ to slypp out of the handes of suche as ledde her ioyfullie to runne into the fire of her selfe This loue moued Ignatius the auncient Martyre to saye being condemned to beastes 〈◊〉 leste they wolde refuse his bodie as they had done of diuers Martyres before that he wolde not permitt them so to doe but wolde prouoke and styrre them to come vpō hym and to take his lyfe from hym by tearing his body in peeces These are the effectes then of feruent loue which maketh euen the thinges that are most difficult and dreadfull of them selues to appeare sweete and pleasant and much more the lawes and commaundementes of God whiche in them selues are moste iust reasonable holye and easie Da amantem sayeth S. Austen speaking of this 〈◊〉 sentit quod dico S. autem srigido loquor nescit quid loquar Geue me a man that is in loue with God and he feeleth this to be true whiche I saye but yf I talke to a colde Christian he vnderstandeth not what I saye And this is the cause whie Christ talking of the keeping of his cōmaundementes repeateth so often this woorde loue as the onelye sure cause of keeping the same for wāt whereof in the world the world keepeth them not as there he sheweth If you loue me keepe my commaundementes sayeth he and againe He that hathe my commaundementes and keepeth them he is he that loueth me Agayne He which loueth me will keepe my commaundement and he that loueth me not keepeth not my comaundemētes In which last woordes is to be noted that to the louer he sayeth his cōmaundement in the singular number for that to suche a one all his commaundementes are but one commaundement according to the sayeing of S. Paul That loue is the fullnesse of the lauve For that it comprehendeth all But to hym that loueth not Christ sayeth his commaundementes in the plurall number signifyeing thereby that they are bothe many and heauie to hym for that he wanteth loue whiche should make them easie VVhiche S. Iohn also expresseth when he sayeth this is the loue of God when we keepe his commaundementes and his commaundementes are not heauie That is they are not heauye to hym whiche hathe the loue of God otherwyse no maruaile thoughe they be moste heauie For that euerie thing feemeth heauie whiche we doe against our lyking And so by this also gentle reader thow mayest gesse whether the loue of God be in thee or no. And these are two meanes now wherby the lyfe of good men is made easie in this worlde There folow diuers other to the end that these negligent excusers may see how vniust and vntrue this excuse of theyrs is cōcerninge the pretended hardnes of vertuous lyuing whiche in verie deede is indewed with infinite priuileges of comfort aboue the lyfe of wicked men euen in this world And the next that I will name for example sake after the former is a certaine speciall and peculiar light of vnderstanding pertayning to the iust and called in scripture prudentia sanctorum The wisdome of Saintes which is nothing eles but a certayne sparkle of heauenlie wisdome bestowed by singular priuilege vpon the vertuouse in this lyfe wherby they receyue moste comfortable light and vnderstanding in spirituall matters especiallie towching their owne saluation thinges necessarie therunto Of whiche the prophet Dauid meant when he sayed notas mihi fecisti vias vitae Thow hast made the wayes of lyfe knowen to me Also when he sayde of hym selfe Super senes intellexi I haue vnderstoode more than olde men And agayne in an other place Incerta occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi Thow hast opened to me the vnknowen and hydden secretes of thy wisedome This is that light wherwith S. Iohn sayeth that Christ lighteneth his seruantes as also that vnction of the holye ghoste whiche the same Apostle teacheth to be geuen to the godlie to instructe them in all thinges behoofefull for their saluation In like wyse this is that writing of gods lawe in mennes hartes whiche he promiseth by the prophet Ieremie as also the instruction of men immediatlye from God him selfe promised by the prophet Esaye And finallie this is that soueraigne vnderstanding in the lawe commaundementes and iustificationes of God whiche holy Dauid so muche desired and so often demaunded in that most diuine psalme whiche begynneth Blessed are the unspotted in the uvaye That is in this lyfe By this light of vnderstandinge supernaturall knowlege feeling from the holie ghost in spirituall thinges the vertuouse are greatlie holpen in the waye of rightetousnes for that they are made able to
to eate them thoghe otherwyse in taste they appeared sweet and pleasant How then cometh it to passe that so manie earnest admonitions of God him selfe can not staye vs from the loue of this daungerous vanitie 〈◊〉 cor apponere saythe God by the prophet that is laye not your harte vnto the loue of riches Qui diligit aurum non iustificabitur say the the wyse man he that loueth gold shall neuer be iustifed I am angrie greatelye vppon riche nations sayethe God by Zacharie Christ saythe Amen dico vuhis quia diues difficile intrabit in regnum caelorum Truelie I saye vnto you that a riche man shall hardlie gett into the kyngdome of heauen And agayne vvobe to you riche men for that you haue receaued your consolation in this lyfe Finallie S. Paul saythe generallie of all to all They vvhich vvilbe riche doe faell into temptation and into the snare of the deuill and into many vnprofitable and hurtfull desires vvhiche doe drovvne men in destruction and perdition Can any thing in the world be spoken more effectuallie to dissuade from the loue of riches thā this must not heere now the couetous men ether denye God or condēne them selues in their owne consciences lett them goe and excuse them selues by the pretence of wyfe childrē as they are wont sayeing they mean nothinge els but to prouyde for their sufficiencie Dothe Christ or S. Paul admitt this excuse ought we so much to loue wyfe or children or other kynred as to endaunger our soules for the same vvhat comfort may it be to an afflicted father in hell to remember that by his meanes his wyfe and childrē doe lyue wealthelie in earthe all this is vanitie deare brother meere deceate of our spirituall enemye For within one momēt after we are dead we shall care no more for wyfe children father mother or brother in this matter than we shall for a meere straunger and one penye geuen in almes while we lyued for gods sake shall comfort vs more at that daye than thowsandes of poundes bestowed vpon our kynne for the naturall loue we beare vnto our owne fleshe and bloode The whiche I wold to Christ worldlye men dyd cōsider And then no dowte they wolde neuer take suche care for kynred as they doe especiallie vpon their deathe beddes whēce presentlie they are to departe to that place where fleshe bloode holdeth no more priuilege nor riches haue any power to deliuer but onelie suche as were well bestowed in the seruice of God or geuen to the poore for his names sake And this shal be sufficient for this point of riches The third braunche of worldlie vanities is called by S. Iohn cōcupiscēce of the fleshe whiche conteyneth all pleasures and carnall recreatiōs as banquetting laughing playeing and the lyke wherewithe our fleshe is much delyted in this world And albeit in this kinde there is a certaine measure to be allowed vnto the godlie for the conuenient maintenance of their healthe as also in riches it is not to be reprehended yet that all these worldlie solaces are not onelie vain but also daungerous in that excesse and abundance as worldlie men seek and vse them appeareth playnelie by these woordes of Christ. VVo be vnto you whiche nowe doe laughe for you shall weepe VVo be vnto you that now lyue in fyll and satietie for the tyme shall come when you shall suffer hunger And agayne in S. Iohns gospell speaking to his Apostles and by them to all other he saythe You shall uveepe and pule but the vvorld shall reioyse making it a signe distinctiue betwene the good and the badde that the one shall mourne in this lyfe and the other reioyse and make them selues merye The verye same dothe Iob cōfirme both of the one the other sort for of worldlinges he saythe that they solace them selues with all kynde of Musicke doe passe ouer their dayes in pleasure and in a verie moment doe goe doune into hell But of the god ie he saythe in his owne persone that they sighe before they eate theyr breade And in an other place that they feare all their woorkes 〈◊〉 that God spareth not hym which offēdeth The reason whereof the wyse man yet further expresseth sayeing That the uvorkes of good men are in the handes of God and no man knovveth vvhether he be vvoorthie of loue or hatred at gods handes but all is kept vncertayne for the tyme to come And olde Tobias insinuateth yet an other cause when he saythe VVhat ioye can I haue or receaue seing I sytt heer in darkenes Speaking literallye of his corporall blyndenes but yet leauinge it also to be vnderstande of spirituall and internall darkenes These are then the causes beside externall affliction whiche God often sendeth whye the godlie doe lyue more sadde and fearefull in this lyfe than wicked men doe according to the counsayle of S. Paul and whie also they sighe often and weepe as Iob and Christ doe affirme for that they remember often the Iustice of God theyr owne frayltie in sinning the secrete iudgement of gods predestination vncertaine to vs the vale of miserie and desolation wherein they lyue here whiche made euen the Apostles to grone as S. Paul saythe thoughe they had lesse cause therof than we In respect wherof we are willed to passe ouer this life in carefullnes wachefullnes feare and trembling and in respect wherof also the wyseman saythe It is better to goe to the house of sorovv thā to the house of feasting And agayne VVhere sadnes is there is the hart of vvysemen but vvhere myrthe is there is the harte of 〈◊〉 Finallie in respect of this the scripture saythe Beatus homo qui semper est pauidus Happie is the man whiche alwayes is fearefull VVhiche is nothinge els but that whiche the holie ghoste commaundethe euery man by Micheas the Prophet solicitum ambulare cum deo To walke carefull an diligent withe God thynkynge vppon his commaundementes how we keepe and obserue the same how we resist and mortifie our members vppon earthe and the like whiche cogitations if they might haue place withe vs wolde cutt of a greate deale of those wordlie pastimes wherwithe the careles sorte of synners are ouerwhelmed I meane of those good feloushippes of eatings drynkings laughings syngings disputings other suche vanities that distract vs most Hereof Christ gaue vs a moste notable aduertisement in that he wept often as at his natiuitie at the resuscitation of Lazarus vpō Ierusalem vpon the crosse But he is neuer redde to haue laughte in all his lyfe Heerof also is his owne natiuitie deathe a signification which being bothe in godes handes are appointed vnto vs withe sorow greefe as we see But the midle parte therof that is our lyfe being left in our owne handes by gods appointement we passe it
lampes then is there nothing for thē to expect but nescio vos I knowe you not And when they are knowen Ite 〈◊〉 in ignem aeternum goe you accursed into fyre euerlasting Of the fovverthe impediment vvhiche is to muche presuming of the mercie of God CHAP. IIII. THere are a certaine kynde of people in the world who will not take the paynes to think of or to alleage any of the sayd impedimētes before but haue a shorter waye for all and more plausrble as it seemeth to thē And that is to lay the whole matter vpon the backe of Christ hym selfe and to answere what soeuer you can saye agaynst them with this onclye sentence God is mercifull Of these men Christ complayneth greeuouslie by the prophet sayeing Supra dorsum meum fabricauerunt peccatores prolongauerunt iniquitatem Sinners haue buylt vpon my backe they haue prolōged their iniquitie By whiche woordes he signifieth that prolonging of our iniquities in hope of gods mercie is to buyld our synnes on his backe But what foloweth will God beare it no verlie for the next woordes ensewing are Dominus iustus concidet ceruices peccatorum God is iust he will cutt the neckes of sinners Heere are two coolyng cardes for the two warme imaginations before Meane you Syr to prolong your iniquitie for that God is mercifull remember also that he is iust sayeth the prophet Are ye gotten vp vppon the backe of God to make your nest of sinne there take heede for he will fetche you downe agayne breake your necke downeward except ye repēt for that in deede there is no one thing whiche may be so iniurious to God as to make hym the foundation of our sinfull lyfe whiche lost his owne lyfe for the extinguishing of sinne But you will saye perhappes and is not God then mercyfull yes truelie deare brother he is moste mercyfull there is nether ende nor measure of his mercie he is euen mercie it selfe it is his nature and essence and he can no more leaue to be mercyfull than he can leaue to be God But yet as the prophet heere sayth he is iust also VVe must not so remember his mercie as wee forgett his iustice Dulcis rectus dominus Our lord is sweet but yet vpright and iust too sayeth Dauid And in the same place all the vvayes of our lord are mercie and trueth VVhich woordes holye Barnard expounding in a certaine sermon of his sayeth thus there be two feete of our lorde wherby he walketh his wayes That is mercie and trueth And God fastneth bothe these feete vppon the hartes of them whiche turne vnto him And euerie sinner that will truelie conuert him selfe must laye hande faste on bothe these feete For yf he should laye handes on mercie onelie letting passe trueth and iustice he wold perishe by presumption And on the other syde yf he should apprehend iustice onelie without mercie he wolde perishe by desperation To the end therfore that he may be saued he must humblie fall downe and kisse bothe these feete that in respect of gods iustice he may retayne feare and in respect of his mercie he maye eonceiue hope And in an other place happie is that soule vppon whiche our lord Iesus Christ hathe placed bothe his feete I will not sing vnto thee Iudgemēt alone nor yet mercie alone my God but I will sing vnto thee with the prophet Dauid mercie and iudgemēt ioined together And I will neuer forgett these iustifications of thyne S. Austen handleth this pointe moste excellentlie in diuerse places of his workes Lett them marke sayeth he whiche loue so muche mercie and gentlenes in our lord lett them marke I saye and feare also his trueth For as the prophet saieth God is bothe sweete and iust Doest thou loue that he is sweete feare also that he is iust As a sweete lorde he sayd I haue held my peace at your sinnes But as a iust lord he addeth And thynke you that I uvill holde my peace styll God is mercifull and full of mercies saye you it is moste certaine yea add vnto yt that he beareth long But yet feare that which cōmeth in the verses ende verax That is he is also true and iust There be two thinges wherby sinners doe stand in daunger the one in hoping to much whiche is presumption the other in hoping to litle whiche is desperation VVho is deceiued by hoping to muche He whiche sayeth to him selfe God is a good God a mercifull God and therfore I will doe what pleaseth me why so because God is a mercifull god a good god a gētle God These men runne into daunger by hoping to much VVhoe are in daunger by despaire those whiche seing their sinnes greuous and thinking yt now vnpossible to be perdoned saye within them selues well wee are once to be damned whie doe not we then what soeuer pleaseth vs best in this lyfe these men are murdered by desperation the other by hope what therfore doeth God for gaininge of bothe these men To him whiche is in daunger by hope he saieth Doe not saye vvith thy selfe the 〈◊〉 of God is greate he vuill be mercifull to the multitude of my sinnes for the face of hys uvrathe ys vppon sinners To hym that is in daunger by desperation he sayeth At vvhat tyme soeuer a sinner shall turne hym selfe to me I vvil forgett his iniquities Thus farre S. Austen beside muche more whiche he addeth in the same place touching the great perill and folie of those whiche vppon vayne hope of gods mercie doe perseuer in theyr euill lyfe It is a verie euill consequent and most vniust kinde of reasoning to saye that for so muche as God is mercifull and long suffering therfore will I abuse his mercie continue in my wickednesse The scripture teacheth vs not to reason so but rather quite contrarie God is mercifull and expecteth my conuersion and the longer he expecteth the more greeuous will be his punishement when it cōmeth yf I neglect this patience And therfore I ought presentlie to accept of his mercie So reasoneth S. Paul whiche sayeth doest thow contemne the riches of his long suffering and gentlenes Doest thow not knowe that the patience of God towardes thee ys vsed to bring the to repentance But thow throughe the hardnes of thy hart and irrepētant minde doest hoarde vp to thy selfe wrathe in the daye of vengeance at the reuelatiō of gods iust iudgement In which woordes S. Paul signifieth that the longer that God suffereth vs with patience in our wickednes the greater heape of vengeance dothe he gather against vs yf we persist obstinate in the same VVherto S. Austen addeth an other consideration of great dreade and feare and that is yf he offer thee grace sayth he to daye thou knowest not whether he will doe it to morow or no. If he geue thee lyfe and memorie this weeke thow knowest not whether
as the fishe in the sea the grasse on the grounde the leaues of the trees or the partes of man vpon the face of the earth can grow moue or consist without some litle streame of vertne and power come to it cōtinualiie from Cod. So that thow must imagine God to stand as a most maiesticall sunne in the middest and from hym to passe foorth infinite beames or streames of vertue to all the creatures that are eyther in heauen earthe the ayer or the water to euerie parte therreof and vpon thes beames of his vertue all creatures to hange and yf he should stopp but any one of them it would destroye annihilate presentlie some creature or other This I saye yf thow shalt consider towchinge the maiestie of God and the infinite dread that all creatures haue of hym except onlye a sinner for the deuills also doe feare hym as S. Iames saieth thow wilt not meruaile of the seuere iudgement of God appointed for his offence For sure I am that very shame of the world maketh vs to haue more regarde in offendinge the poorest frinde we haue in this lyfe then a wicked man hath in offendinge God which is an intollerable contempt of so greate a maiestie But now if we adioine to this contemplation of maiestie an other consideration of his benefites bestowed vppon vs our defaut will grow to be far greater for that to iniurey hym whoe hathe done vs good is a thinge moste detestable euen in nature it selfe And there was neuer yet so fearce a harte no not amongest brute beastes but that it might be Wonne with curtesie and benefites but muche more amongest reasonable creatures dothe beneficence preuaile especiallie if it come from greate personages whose loue and frindfaippe declared vnto vs but in small gyftes doth greatlye bynde the hartes of the receauers to loue them agayne Consider then deare Christian the infinite good turnes and benefites which thow hast receaued at the handes of thisgreat God therby to winne the to his loue that thow shouldest leaue of to offende and iniurie him albeit no toague created ether of man or Angel cna expresse the one halfe of thes gyftes which thow hast receaued from hym or the valew of them or the greate loue hartie goodwill where with he bestowed them vppon the yet for some memorie sake I will repeate certaine generall and principall pointes therof wherunto the rest may be referred First then he hathe bestowed vppoa the the benifite of thy creation wherby he made the ofnothinge to the likenes of hym selfe and appointed the to so noble an ende as is to serue hym in this lyfe and to raigne with hym in the lyfe to come furnishinge the for the present with the seruice and subiection of all creatures The greatnes of this benefite may partlye be conceaued yf thow doe imagine thy selfe to lacke but any one parte of thy bodie as a legge an arme an eye or the lyke and that one should freelie geeue the same vnto the or yf thow wantest but any one sense as that thow were dease or blynde and one should restore sight or hearringe vnto the howe wooldest thow esteeme of this benefite how muche wouldest thow professe thy selfe beholdinge vnto him for the same and yf the gyft of one of these partes onlye would seeme such a benefite vnto thee how greate oughtest thow to esteeme the free gyste of so manye partes together Add to this now as I haue sayde that he hath created the to the lykenes of no other thinge but of hym selfe to no other ende but to be his honorable seruante in this world and his compartener in kynglie glorie for all eternitie to come and this he hath done to the beinge only a peece of durte or claye before Now ymagine thow of what maner of loue proceeded this But yet add further how he hathe created all this magnificent world for the and all the creatures therof to serue thee in this busines the heauen to gouuerne the and geeue the light the earthe and ayer and water to minister most infinite 〈◊〉 of creatures for thy vse and sustenance and hath made thee Lord of all to vse them for thy comforte and his seruice and what magnificent gyftes are these and what shamefull in gratitude is it to turne the same to the dishonour and iniurie of so louinge a geeuer as thow doest by vsinge them to serue the in sinne But yet consider a litle furder the benesite of thy redemption much greater then all the former which is that thow hauinge lost all those former benefites agayne and made thy selfe guyltie by synne of eternall punishment wherto the Angels were now deliuered for their synne committed before God chose to redeeme the not the Angels and for satisfyinge of thy fault to delyuer his owne onlie sonne to deathe for the O lorde what harte can conceaue the greatnes of this benefite Imagine thy selfe beinge a poore man haddest cōmitted a greeuous cryme against a kynges maiestie together with some greate mā of his cheefest nobilitie and that the kynge beinge offended highlye with you bothe shoulde notwith standinge pardon the and put the noble man to death and surder also beinge no other waye to saue thy lyfe should laye the paynes of deathe dew to the vppon his onlye sonne and heyre for thy sake how muche wouldest thow thincke that this kinge loued the how greatlye wooldest thow esteeme thy selfe beholdinge and bounden to that yōge prince which should offer hym selfe to his fathers iustice to dye for the a poore worme and not for the noble man as he would not dye for the Angels and to put his head in the haulter for thyne onlye offences couldest thow euer haue the harte to become enimie to this mā after or willinglye wittingly to offend 〈◊〉 and yet such is our case much more bounden towardes Christ and his father whome the moste of vs notwith standinge doe dailie offend dishonour and iniurey by synne But yet there follow on more benefites of God vnto vs as our vocation and iustificaton vocation wherby he hath called vs from infidelite to the state of Christians therby made vs partakers of this our redemption which insidels are not for albeit he payed the ransome for all in generall yet he hath not imparted the benefite therof to all but to such onlie as best it pleased his deuine goodnes to bestow it vpon After which folowed our iustification wherby we were not onlye set free from all our synnes committed before and from all payne and punishement dew to the same but also our sowles beutified and enriched with the infusion of his holie grace accompanied with the vertues theologicall as faith hope and charitie and with the gyftes of the holye ghost and by this grace weare made iust and righteous in the sight of God and entitled to the most blessed enheritance of the kyngdome of heauen After
that the ten twentie or two yeres or perhaps two monethes which thow hast yet to lyue were now ended and that thow were euen at this present stretched out vppon a bed wearied and worne with dolour and paine thy carnall frindes aboute the weepinge and howlinge the phisitions 〈◊〉 with theire fees as hauinge geeuen the ouer thow lyinge there alone mute and dumme in most pitifull agonie expectinge from moment to moment the last stroake of death to be geeuen the. Tell me in this instant what would all the pleasures and commodities of this world doe the good what comforte would it be to the to haue bene of honour in this world to haue bene ryche and purchassed muche to haue borne office and bene in the princes fauoure 〈◊〉 haue left thy children or kynred wealthye to haue trodden downe thyne enimies to haue sturred much and borne greate swaye in this lyfe what ease I saye or comfort would it be to the to haue ben fayre to haue ben gallant in apparell goodlie in personage glytteringe in golde would not all thes thinges rather afflict than profit the at this instant for now shouldest thow see the vanitie of thes trifles now would thy hart begyn to saye within the o follye and vnfortunate blindenes of myne Loe heere is an end now of all my delytes and prosperities all my ioyes all my pleasures all my myrth all 〈◊〉 pastymes are now finished where are my frindes whiche were wont to laugh with me my seruantes wont to attende me my children wont to disporte me where are all my coches horses wherwith I was wont to make so goodlie a shew the cappes and knees of people wont to honour me the troupes of suters followinge me where are all my daliances and trickes of loue all my pleasant musicke all my gorgeous buyldinges all my costlie feastes and banquettinges and aboue all other where are my deare and sweete frindes whoe seemed they would neuer haue forsaken me but all are now gone and hath left me heere alone to aunswere the reckoninge for all none of them will doe so muche as to goe with me to iudgemēt or to speake one worde in my behalfe VVoe worthe to me that I had not foreseene this daye rather so haue made better prouisiō for the same it is now to late and I feare me I haue purchased eternall damnation for a litle pleasure and lost vnspeakable glorie for a slootinge vanitie Oh how happie twise fortunate are they whiche so lyue as they maye not be a fearde of this daye I now see the difference betwixt the endes of good and euill and maruaile not thought the scriptures saye of the one the deathe of sainctes are precious And of the other the death of sinners is miserable Oh that I had lyued so vertuouslye as some other haue donne or as I had often inspirations from God to doe or that I had done the good deedes I might haue donne how sweete and confortable woold they be to me now in this my last and extremest distresse To these cogitations and speeches deare brother shall thy harte be enforced of what estate soeuer thow be at the hower of death yf thow doe not 〈◊〉 it nowe by good lyfe and vertuous actions whiche onlye can yeeld the comfort in that sorowfull daye For of good men the iudge hym selfe sayeth His autem fieri incipientibus respicite leuate capita vestra quoniam appropinquat redemptio vestra VVhen these terrible thinges begyn to come vpon other men doe you looke aboute you and lyft vp your heades for that yourred emption cōmeth on from the laboures and toyles of this worlde And the holye prophet sayeth of the vertuous man which hath done good woorkes in this lyfe that he shal be at this tyme beatus vir a happye man he 〈◊〉 the cause quia in die mala liberabit eumdominus opē feret illi super lectum doloris eius For that God will deliuer hym in this euill daye and will assist hym vppon the bed of his sorow VVhiche is ment no doubt of the bed of his last departure especialye for that of all other beddes this is the most sorowfull as I haue shewed beinge nothinge els but a heape of all sorowes together especiallie to them whiche are drawen vnto it before they are readie for the same as commonly all they are which deferre their amēdement from daye to daie and doe not attend to lyue in such sorte now as they shall wishe they had done when they come to that last passage Of the paines appointed for sinne after this lyfe and of tvvo sortes of the same CHAP. IX AMongest all the meanes whiche God vseth to wardes the childrē of men to moue them to this resolution wherof I entreate the strongest and most forcible is the consideration of punishmentes prepared by hym for rebellious sinners and transgressours of his cōmaundemēts VVherfore he vseth this motyue often as maye appeare by all the prophetes whoe doe almost nothinge els but threaten plagues and destruction to offenders And this meane hath often tyme preuailed more than anye other that could be vsed by reason of the naturall loue which we beare towardes our selues and consequentlie the naturall feare whiche we haue of our owne dannger So we reade that nothinge could moue the Niniuites so much as the foretell nge them of theire imminent destruction And S. Iohn Baptist although he came in a simple and cōtemptible maner yet preachinge vnto the people the terrour of vengeance to come and that the axe vvas novv put to the tree to cut dovvne for the fyre all those vvhich repented not he moued the verie publicanes and souldiers to feare which otherwise are people of verie harde mettall whoe came vnto hym vppon this terrible embassage and asked what they should doe to auoyde these punishmentes After then that we haue considered of death and of godes seuere iudgmente which ensueth after death and wherin euerie man hath to receyue accordinge to his woorkes in this lyfe as the scripture sayeth it followeth that we consider also of the punishmentes which are appointed for them that shal be founde faultie in that accounte hereby at leastwise yf no other consideration will serue to induce Christians to this resolution of seruinge God For as I haue noted before if euerie mā haue naturallie a loue of him selfe and desire to conserue his owne ease then should he also haue feare of perill wherby he is to fall into the extreame calamitie This expresseth S. Bernard excellently accordinge to his wounte O man saiethe he if thow haue left all shame which appertaineth to so noble a creature as thow art if thow feele no sorow as carnall men doe not yet leese not feare also which is founde in very beastes VVe vse to loade an asse to werie him out with laboure and he careth not because he is an asse but yf thow
by the vvisdome of God maye be deuised The sixthe qualitie is pleasure vvherevvith the glorisied bodie aboue all measure shal be replenished all their senses together finding novv their proper obiects in muche more excellencie than euer they could in this vvorlde as shal be shevved after Novv I say euerie parte sense member and ioint shall be filled vvith exceeding pleasure euen as the same shall be tormēted in the damned I vvill heere alleage Anselmus his vvoordes for that they expresse liuelie this matter All the glorifyed body sayeth he shall be filled vvith abundance of all kynde of pleasure the eyes the eares the nose the mouth the hands the throote the lungs the hart the stomacke the back the boones the marovve the entrales them selues euery parte thereof shal be replenished vvith suche vnspeakable svvetenesse and pleasure that truelie it may be sayed that the vvhole man is made to drinke of the riuer of Gods diuine pleasures and made dronken vvith the abundance of Gods house In contrarie vvyse the damned bodie shal be tormented in all his partes and members euē as yf you savve a man that had a burning yrō thrust in to his eyes an other into his mouth an other into his breest an other into his ribbes and so through all the ioints partes and members of his bodie VVolde you not thinke hym miserable and the other man happie The last qualitie is perpetuitie of lyfe whereby the bodie is made sure novv neuer to die or alter from his felicitie according to the sayeing of scripture that the iust shall liue for euer this is one of the cheefest prerogatiues of a glorified bodye For by this all care and feare is taken away all daunger of hurt and noyance for if all the worlde should fall vppon a glorified bodie it could not hurt or harme it any thing at all wherē as the damned bodie lyeth alway in dyeing and is subiect to the greefe of euery blow and tormēt layed vpō it and so must remayn world without end These seuen qualities then doe make a glorified bodie happie And albeit this happynesse be but accidentall as I haue sayed and nothing in deede to the essentiall felicitie of the soule yet is it no small matter as you see but suche as yf any bodie in this lyfe had but one of these seauen qualities we should thinke him moste happie rather a God than a man And to obtayne one of them in this woalde many men wolde spēd muche and aduenture farre whereas to gett them all in the lyfe to come none allmoste will take any paynes But now to come to the essentiall poynt of this felicitie which pertayneth to the soule as the principall parte it is to be vnderstoode that albeit there be many things that doe concurre in this felicitie for the accomplishment perfection of happinesse Yet the fontaine of all is but one onelie thing called by diuines Visi dei beatifica the syght of god that maketh vs happie Hec sola est summum bonum nostrum sayeth S. Auguston this onelie syght of god is our happynesse Vvhich Christ also affirmeth when he sayeth to his father this is lyfe euerlasting that men knovv the true god Iesus Christ uvhome thou hast sent S. Paul also putteth our felicitie in seing god face to face And S. Iohn in seing god as he is And the reason of this is for that all the pleasures cōtētatiōs in the world being onlie litle sparkles parcells sent out from god they are all contayned muche more perfectlie excellentlie in god hym selfe than they are in their owne natures created as also all the perfections of his creatures are more fullie in hym han in them selues VVhereof it foloweth that whoe soeuer is admitted to the vision presence of god he hathe all the goodnesse and perfections of creatures in the worlde vnited together and presented vnto hym at once So that what soeuer deliteth ether bodie or soule there he enioyeth it wholye knit vp together as it were in one bundle with the presence thereof is rauished in all partes bothe of mynde and bodie as he can not imagine thinke or wishe for auie ioye what soeuer but there he findeth it in his perfectiō there he 〈◊〉 all knowlege all wisedome all beautie all riches all no bitie all goodnesse all delite and what so euer boside deserueth ether loue and admiration or woorketh ether pleasure or contentation All the powers of the mynde shal be filled with this sight presence and fruition of God all the senses of our bodie 〈◊〉 satisfied God shal be the vniuersall felicitie of all his saints contaning in hym selfe all particular felicities without end number or measure He shal be aglasse to our eyes musike to our eares honie to our mowthes moste sweete and pleasaunt balme to our smell he shal be light to our vnderstanding contentation to our will continuation of eternitie to our memorie In hym shall we enioye all the varietie of times that delite vs heer all the beautie of creatures that allure vs heer all the pleasures and Ioyes that cōtent vs heer In this vision of God sayeth one doctor wee shall know we shall loue we shall reioyse we shall prayse VVe shall know the verie secrets and iudgements of God which are a depthe vuithóut bottome Also the causes natures beginnings ofsprings and ends of all creatures VVell all loue incōpatablie bothe God for the infinitie canses of loue that we see in hym and oure companions as much as our seluos for that we shall see them as muche loued of God as our selues and that also for the same for which we are loued whereof enseweth that our ioye shal be without measure bothe for that we shall haue a particular ioye for euery thing we loue in God which are infinite and also for that we shall reloyse at the felicitie of 〈◊〉 of our companions as much as at our owne and by that meanes we shall haue so many distinct felicities as we shall haue distinct cōpanions in our felicitie which being without nuber it is no maruaile thoughe Christ sayed goe in to the ioye of they Lord and not let the lordes ioye enter in to thee for that no one hart created can receyue the fullnesse and greatnesse of this ioye Hereof it foloweth lastlie that we shall prayse God without end or wearinesse with all our harte with all our strengthe with all our powers with all our partes according as the scripture sayeth Happie are they that liue in thy house o lord for they shall prayse the 〈◊〉 rnallye vvithout end Of this moste blessed vision of God the liolie father S. Austen writeth thus Happie are the cleene of harte For they shall see God sayeth our sauiour then is there a visiō of God deare bretheren which maketh vs happie A vision I say whiche nether eye hath seene in this world nor
neuer want the temptations of the world and deuill the resisting wherof is muche more difficult in time of peace and wealthe than in time of externall affliction and persecution for that these enemies are stronger in slatterie than in force whiche a godly father expresseth by this parable The sunne wynde sayeth he agreed one day to proue their seueral strengthes in takinge a cloke from a wayesarynge mā And in the forenoone the wynd vsed all violence that he could to blowe of the saide cloke But the more he blewe the more fast held the trauailer his clocke and gathered it more closely about hym At after noone the sunne sent foorthe her pleasant beames and by litle and litle so entered into this man as he caused hym to yeeld and put of not onelye his cloke but also his cote VVhereby ys proued sayeth this father that the alluremetes of pleasure are more strong and harder to be resisted than the violence of persecutiō The lyke is shewed by the example of Dauid whoe resisted easilie manye assaults of aduersitie but yet fell daungerouslie in tyme of prosperitie VVherby appearethe that vertuous men haue no lesse warre in tyme of peace than in time of persecution Nor euer wanteth there occasion of bearing the crosse suffering affliction to hym that will accept of the same And this may suffice for this first poynt to proue that euery man must enter into heauen by tribulation as S. Paul sayeth Touching the second whye God wolde haue this matter so yt were sufficient to answere that yt pleased hym best so without seeking any further reason of his meaninge heerein euen as it pleased him without all reason in oure syght to abase his sonne so much as to send hym hyther into this world to suffer and dye for vs Or yf we will needes haue a reason hereof this one myght be sufficient for all that seynge we looke for so great a glorie as we doe we should laboure a litle first for the same and so shewe our selues woorthie of gods fauoure and exaltation But yet for that yt hath pleased his diuine maiestie not onelye to open vnto vs his will and determination for our suffering in this lyfe but also diuers reasons of his moste holy purpose pleasure therin for our further encouragement and consolation which doe suffer I will in this place repeate some of the same for declaration of his exceeding great loue and fatherlie care towardes vs. The first cause then and the most principall is to encrease therby our merite glorie in the lyfe to come For hauing appointed by his eternall wisdome and iustice that none shall be crowned there but according to the measure of his fight in this world the more and greater cōbates that he geueth together with sufficient grace to ouercome therin the greater crowne of glorie prepareth he for vs at our resurrection This cause toucheth S. Paul in the woordes before alleaged of the saintes of the olde testament to VVitt that they receaued no redemption from their miseries in this world to the end they might find a better resurrection in the world to come This also meant Christ expresselie whē he sayed Happie are they vvhich suffer persecution for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen happie are you vvhen men speake euell and persecute you c. reioyse and be glad I saye for that your revvarde is greate in heauen Hither also doe appertaine all those promyses of gayning lyfe by leesing lyfe of receauing a hundred for one and the lyke Heere hence do proceede all those large promyses to virginitie and chastitie to such as geld them selues for the kyndome of heauen to voluntarie pouertie and to the renovvncing of our owne will by obedience All vvhich are greate conflictes agaynst the fleshe woorld and our ovvne sensualitie and can not be performed but by sufferinges and afflictiō Finally S. Paul declareth this matter fullie when he sayeth that a litle and short tribulation in this lyfe vvorketh a vveight of glorie aboue all measure in the hyght of heauen The second cause vvhy God appoynted this is to draw vs therby from the loue of the world his professed enemye as in the next chapiter shal be shevved at large This cause S. Paul vttereth in these vvordes VVe are punished of God to the end vve should not be damned vvith this vvorld Euen then as a Nurse that to vveane her child from the lykyng of her mylke dothe anoynte her teat with Alloes or some other suche bytter thing so our mercyfull father that vvolde retire vs from the loue of worldlie delytes whereby infinite men doe perish dayly vseth to send tribulation whiche of all other thinges hathe moste force to woorke that effect as we see in the example of the prodigall sonne whoe could by no meanes be stayed from his pleasures but onelyeby affliction Thirdlie God vseth tribulation as a most present and soueraigne medicine to heale vs of many diseases otherwyse almoste incurable As first of a certayne blyndenes and careles negligence in our estate contracted by wealth and prosperitie In whiche sense the scripture sayeth that affliction geueth vnderstanding And the wyse man affirmeth that the rodde bryngeth uvisdome This was shewed in figure vvhen the sight of Tobie was restored by the bytter gaule of a fishe And we haue cleare exāples in Nabuchadonasar Saul Antiochus and Manasses all which came to see their owne faultes by tribulation which they wolde neuer haue done in tyme of prosperitie The lyke we read of the brethren of Ioseph whoe falling some affliction in Egypt presentlie entered into their owne conscience and sayd VVe suffer those thinges vvoorthely for that vve synned against our brother And as tribulation bryngeth this light whereby we see our owne defectes so helpeth yt greatlie to remoue and cure the same wherin it may be well lykened vnto the rodde of Moyses For as that rodde strikinge the harde rockes hrought foorth water as the scripture saieth so this rodde of afflictiō falling vpon stonye harted synners mollyfyeth them to contrition and often times bringeth foorthe the fluddes of teares to repentance In respect wherof holy Tobye sayeth to God In tyme of tribulation thou forgeuest sinnes And for lyke effect it is compared also to a fyle of yron which taketh away the rust of the soule Also to a purgation that driueth out corrupt humours And finallie to a golde smythes fyre which cōsumeth away the refuse metalls and fineth the golde to his perfectiō I vvill trye thee by fyre to the quick sayeth God to a sinner by Esay the prophet and I vvill take avvaye all thy tynne and refuse metall And againe by Ieremie I vvill melt them and trye them by fire This he meant of the fyre of tribulation whose propertie is according as
that they made haste to come And God sayeth generallie of all good men They vvill ryse betimes in the morninge and come to me in their tribulation VVherfore holy kyng Dauid desiring to doe certayne men good and to wynne them to God sayeth in one of his psalmes Fyll theyr faces o lorde vvith shame and confusion and thē vvill they seek vnto thy name And this is true as I sayde in the elect and chosen seruantes of God but in the reprobate this rope draweth not this yoke holdeth not nor dothe this chayne of loue wynne them vnto God wherof God hym selfe complaineth sayeing In vayne haue I strycken your children for they haue not receaued my discipline And agayne the prophet Ieremie sayethe of them to God thovv hast crushed them and they haue refused to receaue thy discipline they haue hardened theyr faces euen as a rocke and vvill not returne to thee Beholde they haue rent the yoke and broken the chaynes Of this now enseueth an eigthe reason why God bringeth his seruātes into 〈◊〉 to wytt therby to shew his power and loue in delyuering them For as in this worlde a princelye mynde desireth nothing more than to haue occasion wherby to shew his abilitie and good will vnto his deare freend so God which hathe all occasions in his owne hādes passeth all his creatures together in greatnesse of loue and nobilitie of mynde woorketh purposelye diuers occasions oportunities wherby to shew exercise the same So he broght the three children into the burning fornace therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them So he broght Daniel into the lyons denne Susanna vnto the point of death Iob into extreeme miserie Ioseph into prison Tobye vnto blyndenes therby to shevv his power loue in their deliue rāce For this cause also dyd Christ suffer the shyppe to be almoste drowned before he would awake and S. Peter to be almoste vnder water before he wolde take hym by the hande And of this one reason many other reasones and moste comfortable causes doe appeare of gods dealyng heerein As first that we being deliuered from our afflictiōs might take more ioye and delite thereof than yf we had neuer suffered the same For as water is more gratefull to the vvayefayring man after a long drythe and a calme more pleasant vnto passingers after a troublesome tempest so is our delyuerie more sweet after persecution or tribulation according as the scripture sayeth Speciosa misericordia dei in tempore tribulationis The mercie of God is beautyfull pleasant in tyme of tribulation This signified also Christ when he sayed your sorovve shal be turned into ioye That is you shall reioyse that euer you were sorowfull This had Dauid proued vvhen he sayed thy rodde o Lorde and thy staffe haue comforted me that is I take great cōfort that euer I was chastyned with them And agayne according to the multitude of my sorovves thy consolations haue made ioyfull my mynde That is for euery sorow that I receaued in tyme of affliction I receaue now a cōsolation after my delyuerance And agayn in an other plaee I vuill exult and reioyse in thy mercye o Lord. And wherfore good kyng wilt thou so reioyse yt foloweth immediatlie For that thou hast respected my abasement and hast delyuered my foule from the necessitie vuherin soee vvas nor hast not left me in the handes of myne enemye This then is one most graciouse meaning of our louyng and mercifull father in afflicting vs for a tymee to the end our ioye may be the greater after our delyuerance as no doubt but it was in all those whome I haue named before deliuered by gods mercie I mean Abraham Ioseph Daniel Sidrach Misach and Abdenago Susanna Iob Thobias peter and the rest whoe tooke more ioye after their deliuerance than yf they had neuer bene in afflictiō at all VVhen Iudith had delyuered Bethulia and returned thyther with Holofernes heade there was more hartie ioye in that citie than euer there wolde haue bene yf it had not bene in distresse VVhen S. Peter was dolyuered out of prison by the Angel there was more ioye for his deliuerance in the churche then coulde haue bene yf he had neuer bene in prison at all Out of this great ioye resulteth an other effect of our tribulation muche pleasant to God and comfortable to our selues and that is a moste hartie and earnest thankes geuing to God for our deliuerance suche as the prophet vsed when he saied after his deliuerāce I for my part vvill syng of thy strengthe and vvill exalt thy merice betymes in the morning for that thou hast bene my ayder and refuge in the daye of my tribulation Suche hartie thankes prayse dyd the children of Israel yeelde to God for their delyuerance when they vvere passed ouer the read sea in that notable song of theirs whiche begynneth Cantemus domino And is regestred by Moyses in Exodus From lyke hartie affect came also those songes of Anna Debora and Iudith mowed therunto by the remembrance of their afflictions past And finally this is one of the cheefest things that God esteemeth desireth at our handes as he testifieth by the prophet sayeing call vpon me in the daye of tribulation I vvill deliuer thee and thou shall honoure me Besides all these God hathe yet further reasones of layeing persecution vpon vs as for example for that by suffering and perceyuing in deede gods assistance and consolation therin we come to be so hardie bolde and constant in his seruice as nothing afterwarde can dismaye vs euen as Moyses thoghe he were first a feard of the serpent made of his rodd fledd awaye from it yet after by gods commandemente he had once taken yt by the tayle he feared it no more This the prophet Dauid expresseth notablie when he sayeth God hathe bene our refuge strengthe and helper in our great tribulations and therfore we will not feare yf the whole earthe should be troubled the mountaines cast into the middest of the sea what greater confidence can be imagined than this Agayne by persecution affliction God bringeth his children to the exercise perfect possession of all the vertues belonging to a Christian man As for example faythe is exercised in tyme of tribulation in considering the causes of gods permissiō beleeuīg moste assuredlie the promises he hathe made for our deliuerāce Hope is exercised in conceauing assuring her selfe of the rewarde promised to them that suffer patiently Charitie is exercised in considering the loue of Christ suffering for vs and therby prouoketh the afflicted to suffer againe for hym Obedience is exercised in conforming our willes to the will of Christ. Patience in bearing quietlye Humilitie in abasing our selues in the sight of God And so lykewise all other vertues
wolde neuer hurt hym vvhat rombling soeuer it made in his be lye for the time so and muche more may we be assured of the potion of tribulation ministred vs by the hand of Christ thoughe as S. Paul sayeth it seeme vnto vs vnpleasant for a time But aboue all other cōfortable cogitations this is the greatest and moste comfortable to consider that he diuideth this cuppe onelie of loue as hym selfe protesteth and S. Paul proueth that is he geueth out portions of his crosse the richest Iewell that he maketh accōpt of as worldlie princes doe their treasure vnto none but vnto chosen and pycked freendes and among them also not equally to eche man but to eueire one a measure according to the measure of good will wherwith he loueth hym This is euident by the examples before sett downe of his dearest freendes moste of all afflicted in this lyfe that is they receaued greater portions of this treasure for that his good will was greater towardes them This also may be seene manifestly in the example of S. Paul of whome after Christ had sayed to Ananias vas electionis est mihi he is a chosen vessell vnto me he geueth immediatelie the reason therof For I vvill shevv vnto hym vvhat great thinges he must suffer for my name Loe heere for that he was a chosen vessell therfore he muste suffer great matters Doth not the measure of suffering goe then according to the measure of gods loue vnto vs Surely S. Peter knew well how the matter went and therfore he writeth thus Yf you liuing vvell doe suffer uvith patience this is a grace or priuilege before God And agayne a litle after Yf you sufferreproche in the name of Christ you are happie for that the honoure and glorye and povver of God and of his holy spirit shall rest vpon you Can there be any greater rewarde promised or anie more excellent dignitie than to be made partaker of the honour glorie and power of Christ Is it maruayle now yf Christ sayed Happie are you vvhen men reùile and persecute you Is it maruaile thoughe he sayed gaudete in illa die exultate reioyse triumphe ye at that daye Is it maruaile thoughe S. Paul sayde I take greate pleasure and doe glorie in my infirmities or afflictions in my repreches in my necessities in my persecutions in my distresses for Christ Is it meruaile yf Peter and Iohn being reproched beaten at the Iudgement seat of the Iewes wēt away reioysing that they were esteemed woorthie to suffer contumelie for the name of lesus Is it meruaile thogh S. Paul accounted this suche a highe priuilege geuen to the Philippiens when he sayed It is geuen to you not onelie to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for hym and to haue the same combate vvhiche you haue seene in me and novv heare of me All this is no maruaile I saye 〈◊〉 that suffering withe Christ and bearing the crosse with Christ is as great a preferment in the court of heauen as yt should be in an earthlye courte for the prince to take of his owne garment and to laye yt on the backe of one of his seruantes Of this now foloweth an other consequent of singular consolation in time of affliction and that is that tribulation especiallie when grace is also geuen to beare it patientlie is a great coniecture of our predestination to eternall lyfe For so muche doe all those argumētes before touched insinuat as also in the contrary part to lyue in continuall prosperitie is a dreadfull signe of euerlasting reprobation This pointe is maruailouslie proued by Saint Paul vnto the hebrewes and greatlie vrged And Christ geueth a playne signification in S. Luke when he sayeth Happie are you that vveepe novv for you shall laughe And on the other side VVoe vnto you that laughe novv for you shall vveepe vvoe vnto you riche mē vvhich haue your cōsolatiō heere in this lyfe And yet more vehemētlie thā all this dothe the sayeing of Abraham to the riche man in hell or rather Christs woordes parabolicallye attributted vnto Abraham confirme this matter For he sayeth to the riche man cōplayning of his torment Remember child that thou receauest good in thy lyfe tyme He dothe not saye as S. Barnard well noteth apuisti thou tookest them by violence but recepisti thou receauest them And yet this now is obiected against hym as wee see Dauid handleth this matter in diuers places but purposelie in two of his psalmes that at large And after long searche and muche admiration his conelusion of wicked men prospered aboue other in the worlde is this Veruntamen propter dolos posuisti eis deiecisti eos dum alleuarentur Thow hast geuen them prosperitie o lorde to deceaue thē withall and thou hast in deed throwen them downe by exalting them That is thow hast throwē them downe to the sentence of damnation in thy secrete and inscrutable determinatiō Heere the comparison of S. Gregorie taketh place that as the oxen appointed to the slaughter are lett runne afatting at their pleasure and the other kept vnder dailie labour of the yoke so fareth it with euill and good men In lyke maner the tree that beareth no fruite is neuer beaten as wee see but onelie the fruitefull and yet the other as Christ sayeth is reserued for the fyre The syck man that is past all hope of lyfe is suffered by the phisition to haue what so euer he lusteth after But he whose health is not dispaired can not haue that libertie graunted To conclude the stones that must serue for the glorious temple of Salomon were hewed beaten and polyshed without the churche at the quarrie side For that no stroke of hāmer might be heard within the temple S. Peter sayeth that the vertuous are chosen stones to be placed in the spirituall building of God in heauen where there is no beating no sorow no tribulation Heere then must we be polyshed hewed aud made fytt for that glorious tēple heere I say in the quarrie of this world heere must we be fined heere must we feele the blowe of the hammer and be moste gladde when we heare or feele the same for that it is a signe of our election to that moste glorious howse of godes eternall mansion Beside this matter of predestination and election there is yet an other thing of no small comfort to the godlie afflicted fownded on these woordes of God cum ipso sum in tribulatione I am withe hym in tribulatiō VVherby is promised the companie of God hym selfe in affliction and persecution This ys a singular motiue saythe S. Barnard to styrre men vp withall to embrace tribulatiō seing in this world for good companie men aduenture to doe any thing Ioseph was caryed captiue into Egypt God went downe with hym as the scripture sayeth yea more than that he went
authoritie Christ myght haue sayed to Peter when he sent hym to take his tribute from owte of the fyshes mouthe take so muche more as will suffice your necessarie expences as you trauayle the coūtrie But he wolde not nor yet diminishe the great afflictiōs whiche I haue shewed before thoughe he loued them as dearelie as euer he loued hys owne sowle All whiche was done as S. Peter interpreteth to geue vs example what to folo we what to looke for what to desire what to comfort our selues in amyddest the greatest of all our tribulations Saint paul vseth this as a principall consiration when he writeth thus to the hebrewes vppon the recitall of the sufferinges of other saintes before them wherfore we also bretheren hauing so great a multitude of witnesses that haue suffered before vs lett vs laye of all burdens of sinne hanging vpon vs and lett vs runne by patience vnto the battaile offered vs fyxing our eyes vpon the authour of our faith and fulfiller of the same Iesus who putting the ioyes of heauen before his eyes sustayned patientlie the crosse contemning the shame and confusion therof and therfore now sitteth at the right hand of the seate of God Thinke vpōhym I saye which sustayned suche a cōtradictiō against hym selfe at the handes of sinners and be not wearie nor fainte not in courage For you haue not yet resisted against sinne vnto bloode and you haue forgotten perhapps that comfortable sayeing whiche speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne doe not 〈◊〉 the discipliue of our Lorde and be not 〈◊〉 vuhen thou art chastened of hym For whome God loueth he chasteneth and he whippeth euery sonne whome he receauethe Perseuer therefore in the correction layed vpon you God offerethe hym selfe to you as to his children For what childe is there whome the father correcteth not yf you be out of correction wherof all his children are made partakers then are bastardes and not children All correction for the present time when it is suffered seemeth vnpleasant and sorowfull but yet after it bringeth foorthe most quiet fruite of iustice vnto thē that are exercised by yt VVherfore strengthēn vpp your wearie handes and loosed knees make waye to your feete c. That is take courage vnto you and goe forwarde valiantlye vnder the crosse laied vpō you This was the exhortation of this holie captayne vnto his countrie mē souldyers of lesus Christ the Ievves Saint Iames the brother of our Lorde vseth an other exhortation in his Catho like epistle to all Catholikes not muche differēt from this Be you therfore patient my brethrē say the he vntill the cōming of our lord Beholde the husbandman expecteth for a time the fruite of the earthe so pretious vnto hym bearing patientlie vntill he may receaue the same in his season be you therfore patient and comfort your hartes for that the cōmyng of our lorde will shortlie draw neere Be not sadde and complayne not one of an other Beholde the Iudge is euen at the gate Take the prophetes for an example of labour and patience whiche spake vnto vs in the name of God Beholde we account thē blessed which haue suffered You haue hearde of the sufferance of Iob you haue seen the end of our lord withe him you haue seen I saye that our lord is mercifull and full of compassion I might heere alleage many thinges more owt of the scripture to this purpose for that the scripture is moste copious heerin and in verie deed yf it should all be melted and poured owt yt wolde yeelde vs nothing els almoste but touching the crosse and patient bearing of tribulation in this lyfe But I must end for that this chapiter ryseth to be long as the other before dyd And therfore I will onelye for my conclusion sett downe the confession and moste excellent exhortation of olde Mathathias in the tyme of the cruell persecution of Antiochus against the Iewes The storie is thus reported in the scripture At that tyme the officers of Antiochus sayd vnto Mathathias thow art a prince and of greatest estate in this citie adorned with children and bretheren come thow therfore first and doe the kinges commaundement as other men haue done in Iuda and Ierusalem and thow and thy children shal be the kynges freends and enryched with golde and syluer and many guyftes from hym VVherto Mathathias answered with a lowde voyce yf all nations should obey Antiochus to departe from the obedience of the lawes of theyr auncestours yet I and my childredn and bretheren will folowe the lawes of our fathers Let God be mercifull vnto vs at his pleasure c. And the dayes came of Mathathias his dethe and then he sayed vnto his children Now is the tyme that pryde is in her strengthe Now is the tyme of chastisement towardes vs of euersion and indignatiō come Now therfore o children be you zelous in the lawe of God yeeld vpp your lyues for the testaments of your fathers remember the woorkes of your auncestours what they haue done in theyr generations and so shall you receaue greate glorie and eternall name VVas not Abraham fownde faythefull in time of temptation and yt was reputed vnto hym for iustice Ioseph in tyme of his didistresse kept gods commaundementes and was made Lord ouer all Egypt Phinees our father for his zeale towardes the lawe of God receaued the testament of an euerlasting preesthode Iosue for that he fullfilled gods woord was made a captayne ouer all Israel Caleb for that he testifyed in the churche receaued an inheritance Dauid for his mercie obteyned the seat of an eternall kyngdome Elias for that he was zealous in zeale of the lawe was taken vp to heauen Ananias Azarias and Misael throughe their beleefe were delyuered from the flame of the fyre Daniel for his simplicitie was deliuered frō the mouthe of lyons And so doe you runne ouer by cogitation all generations and you shall see that all those that hope in God shall not be vanquyshed And doe you not feare the woordes of a synfull man for his glorie is nothing els but dung and wormes to daye he is great and exalted and to morow he shal not be fownde for he shall returne vnto his earthe agayne and all his fond cogitations shall perishe VVherfore take courage vnto you my children and playe the men in the lawe of God For therin shal be your honour and glorie Hitherto are the wordes of scripture which shall suffice for the end of this chapter Of the thyrd impediment that letteth men from resolution vvhiche is the loue of the uuorlde CHAP. III. AS the two impedimentes remoued before be in deede great stayes to many men from the resolution we talke of so this that now I take in hande is not onelie of it selfe a strong impediment but also a greate cause and common grounde as it were to all the other impedimentes that be For
yf a man could touche the verie pulse of all those whoe refuse or neglect or differre this resolution he should finde the foundation therof to be the loue of this world what soeuer other excuse they pretended besides The noble men of lewrie pretended feare to be the cause whye they could not resolue to confesse Christ openlie but S. Iohn that felt their pulse vttereth the true cause to haue bene for that they loued the glorie of men more than the glorie of God Demas that forsooke S. Paul in his bandes euen a litle before his deathe pretended an other cause of his departure to Thessalonica but S. Paul sayeth it was quia diligebat hoc 〈◊〉 For that he loued this world So that this is a generall and vniuersall impediment and more in deede dispersed than owtwardlye appeareth for that it bringeth foorthe diuers other excuses therby to couer her selfe in many men This may be confirmed by that moste excellent parable of Christ recorded by threEuāgelistes of the three sortes of men which are to be damned and the three causes of their damnatiō wherof the third and last moste generall including as it were bothe the rest is the loue of this worlde For the first sorte of men are compared to a highe waye where all seed of lyfe that is sowen ether withereth presentlye or els is eaten vp by the byrdes of the ayer that is as Christ expoundeth it by the deuill in careles men that contemne what soeuer is sayd vnto thē as infidels heretikes and other suche obstinate and contemptuous people The second sorte are compared to rockye groundes in which for lacke of depe roote the seed cōtinuethe not wherby are signified light vncōstāt men that now choppe in now rūne owte now are feruēt by by keye colde againe so Ī time of tēptatio they are gone The third sorte are cōpared to a feeld where the seed groweth vp but yet there are so many thornes on the same whiche Christ expoundeth to be the cares troubles miseries deceyuable vanities of this life as the good corne is choked vp and bringeth foorthe no fruite By whiche last woordes our Sauiour signifieth that whersoeuer the doctrine of Christ groweth vp yet bringeth not foorthe due fruite that is whersoeuer it is receaued and imbraced as it is among all Christians yet bringethe not foorthe good lyfe there the cause is for that it is choked with the vanities of this world This is a parable of maruailous greate importance as may appeare bothe for that Christ after the recitall therof cryed owt withe a lowde voyce He that hathe eares to heare let him heare As also for that he expounded it hym selfe in secrete onelie to his Disciples And principallie for that before the exposition therof he vsed such a solemne preface sayeing to you it is geuen to knovve the mysteries if the kingdome of heauen but to others not for that they seyng doe not see and hearing doe not heare nor vnderstand VVherby Christ signisieth that the vnderstanding of this parable among others is of singular importance for conceauing the true mysteries of the kyngdome of heauē that many are blinde which seeme to see and many deafe ignorant that seeme to heare and knowe for that they vnderstand not well the mysteries of this parable For which cause also Christ maketh this conclusion before he beginnethe to expounde the parable Happie are your eyes that see and blessed are your eares that heare After whiche woordes he beginneth his exposition withe this admonition Vos ergo audite parabolam Doe you therfore heare and vnderstand this parable And for that this parable dothe cōtayne and touche so much in deede as may or needeth be sayed for remouinge of this greate and daungerous impedimēt of worldly loue I meane to staye my selfe onelye vppon the explication therof in this place and will declare the force and truthe of certaine woordes heere vttered by Christ of the world and worldlie pleasures and for some order and methodes sake I will drawe all to these six pointes foloweing First how in what sense all the world and commodities therof are vanities and of no value as Christ heere signifieth and cōsequentlie ought not to be an impediment to lett vs from so great a matter as the kyngdome of heauen and seruing of God is Sccondlie how they are not onelye vanities and tryfles in them selues but also Deceptions as Christ sayeth that is deceytes not performing to vs in deede those litle tryfles which they doe promis Thyrdlie how they are spinae that is princking thornes as Christ sayeth thoghe they seeme to worldly men to be most sweet and pleasant Fowerthlye how they are aerumnae that is my seryes and afflictions as also Christs woordes are Fyuethlie quomodo suffocant how they strangle or choke vs as Christ affirmeth Sixthelie how we may vse them notwithstanding without these daungers and euills and to our greate comfort gayne and preferment And touching the first I doe not see how it may be better proued that all the pleasures and goodsie shewes of this world are vanities as Christ heere sayeth than to alleage the testimonie of one whiche hathe proued them all that is of one whiche speakethe not of speculation but of his owne proofe and practise And this is kyng Salomō of whome the scripture reportethe wounderfull matters touching his peace prosperitie riches glorie in this world as that all the kynges of the earthe desired to see his face for his wisdome and renowmed felicitie that all the princes lyuing besides were not lyke hym in wealthe that he had six hundred sixtie and six talents of golde which is an infinite summe brought hym in yerelie besides all other that he had from the kynges of Arabia and other princes that siluer was as plentifull withe hym as heapes of stones and not esteemed for the greate store and abundance he had therof that his plate and Iewelles had no ende that his seat of maiestie with stooles lyons to beare it vp and other furniture was of golde passing all other kyngely seates in the world that his pretious apparell and armoure were infinite that he had all the kinges from the riuer of the philistians vnto Egypt to serue hym that he had fortie thowsand horses in his stables to ride and twelue thousand chariottes with horses and other furniture redye to them for his vse that he had two hundred speares of golde borne before hym and six hundred crownes of golde bestowed in euerie speare as also three hundred buckelers and three hundred crownes of golde bestowed in the guylding of euery buckler that he spent euerye daye in his howse a thowsand nyne hundred thirtie seuen quarters of meale and flower thirtie oxen with a hundred wethers beside all other fleshe that he had seuen hundred wiues as queenes and three hundred
other as concubynes All this and muche more dothe scripture report of Salomons worldlye wealthe wisdome ryches and prosperitie whiche he hauing tasted vsed to hys fyll pronounced yet at the last this sentence of it all Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas Vanitie of vanities all is vanitie by vanitie of vanities meaning as S. Ierome interpreteth the greatenesse of this vanitie aboue all other vanyties that maye be deuised Nether onelye dothe Salomon affirme this thing but dothe proue it also by examples of hym selfe I haue bene kyng of Israel in Ierusalem saithe he and I purposed with my selfe to seeke owt by wisdome all thynges And I haue seene that all vnder the sunne are meere vanities and affliction of spirit I sayd in my harte I will goe and abounde in delites and in euery pleasure that maye be had and I saw that this was also vanitie I toke great woorkes in hande buylded howses to my selfe planted vineyardes made orchardes and gardens and besett them withe all kynde of trees I made me fyshe pondes to water my trees I possessed seruantes and hand maydes and had a great familie great heardes of cattell aboue any that euer were before me in Ierusalem I gathered together golde and syluer the riches of kynges and prouinces I appointed to my selfe syngars bothe men and women whiche are the delytes of the children of men fyne cuppes also to drynke wyne with all and what soeuer my eyes dyd desire I denied it not vnto them nether dyd I lett my harte from vsing any pleasure to delite it selfe in these thinges whiche I had prepared And when I turned my selfe to all that my handes had made and to all the labours wherein I had taken suche paynes and sweate I sawe in thē all vanitie and affliction of the mynde This is the testimonie of Salomon vpon his owne proofe in these matters and yf he had spoken yt vppon his wisedome onelye being suche as yt was we ought to beleeue hym but muche more seyng he affirm eth yt of his owne experience But yet yf any man be not moued withe thys lett vs bryng yet an other wyitnesse owte of the new testament and suche an one as was pryuie to the opinion of Christ heerin that is S. Iohn the Euangelist whose woordes are these Doe not loue the vvorld nor those thinges that are in the vvorld yf any man loue the vvorld the loue of god the father ys not in hym For that all vvhiche is in the vvorld is ether concupiscence of the fleshe or concupiscence of the eyes or pryde of lyfe In whiche woordes S. Iohn besyde his threate agaynst fuche as loue and folow the world reduceth all the vanities therof vnto three generall pointes or braunches that is to concupiscēce of the fleshe wherein he comprehendeth all carnall pleasures to concupiscence of the eyes wherein he contayneth all matters of riches and to pryde of lyfe wherby he signifiethe the humour and disease of wordly ambition These then are the three generall and principall vanities of this lyfe wherin woorldlye men doe wearie owte them selues Ambition couetousnes carnall pleasure wherunto all other vanities are addressed as to theyr superiours And therfore it shall not be amisse to consider of these three in this place And first to Ambition or pryde of lyfe belongeth vainglorie that is a certaine disordinate desire to be well thoght of well spoken of praysed and glorified of men and this is as greate a vanitie thoghe yt be common to manye as yf a man should funne vp and doune the streetes after a fether 〈◊〉 in the ayer tossed hyther and thyther with the blastes of infinite mennes mouthes For as this man might wearie 〈◊〉 hym selfe before he gatt the thing whiche he folowed and yet when he had yt he had gotten but a fether so a vainglorious man maye labour a good whyle before he attaine to the prayse whiche he desirethe and when he hathe it it is not woorthe three chyppes being but the breathe of a fewe mennes mouthes that altereth vpon euerye lyght occasiō and now maketh hym greate nowe litle now nothing at all Christ hym selfe may be an example of this who was tossed to and fro in the speeche of men some sayd he was a Samaritan and had the deuill other sayd he was a prophet other sayde he could not be a prophet or of God for that he kept not the Sabboth daye others asked yf he were not of God how he coulde doe so many miracles So that there was a schisme or diuisiō amonge them abowte this matter as S. Iohn affirmeth Finallie vppon Palme sundaye they receaued hym into Ierusalem withe triumphe of hosan na casting their apparell vnder his feete But the thursedaye and frydaye next ensueing they cried Crueifige against hym and preferred the lyfe of Barrabas a wicked murderer before his Now my freend yf they delt thus withe Christ whiche was a better man than euer thou wilt be dyd more glorious miracles than euer thou wilt doe to purchase the name and honour withe the people whie doest thou so labour and beate thy selfe about this vanitie of vainglorie whye doest thou cast thy trauailes into the wynde of mens mouthes whye doest thou put thy riches in the lyppes of mutable men where euerie flatterer may robbe the of them hast thou no better a cheest to locke them vp in S. Paul was of an other mynde when he sayde I esteeme litle to be iudged of you or of the daye of man And he had reason surelye For what carethe he that runneth at tylt yf the ignorant people geue sentēce against hym so the Iudges geue yt with hym If the blynde man in the waye to Iericho had depended of the lyking and approbation of the goers bye he had neuer receaued the benefit of his sight for that they disuaded hym from runnyng and cryeing so vehementlie after Christ. It is a miserable thyng for a man to be a wyndemill whiche makethe no meale but according as the blast endurethe If the gale bestrong he sourgeth about lustelye But yf the winde slake he relentethe presentlie So prayse the waynglorious man and ye make hym runne yf he feele not the gale blowe he is owte of harte he is lyke the Babilonians whoe withe a litle sweete musike vvere made to adore any thing what soeuer The scripture saythe moste truelye As siluer is tryed in the fyre by blovveing to it so is a man tryed in the mouthe of hym that prayseth For as siluer yf it be good taketh no hurt therby but yf it be euill it goethe all into fume so a vaine man by prayse and cōmendation How manye haue we seene puffed vp withe mennes prayses and almoste put beside them selues for ioye therof and yet after warde brought downe with a contrarye wynde and dryuen full neare to desperation by contempt how
no dovvbt to delite so in it as men doe It is a straunge thing to see hovv contrarie the Iudgementes of God are to the Iudgementes of meÌ„ The people of Israel vvolde needes haue a kyng as I haue sayd and they thought God vvolde haue geuen theÌ„ presentlie some great mightie prince to rule ouer them but he chose ovvte a poore felovve that sought asses aboute the couÌ„trie After that vvhen God vvolde displace this man agayne for his sinnes he sent Samuel to anoynt one of I say his sonnes being come to the house I say brought foorthe his eldest sonne Eliab a lustie taule felovve thinkyng hym in deed most fytte to gouerne but God answered respect not his countenance nor hys taulnes of personage for I haue reiected hym nor doe I iudge according to the countenance of man After that I say brought in his second sonne Abinadab and after hym Samma and so the rest vntill he had shewed hym seuen of his sonnes All whiche being refused by Samuel they maruayled and sayde there was no moe left but onelye a litle read headed boye that kept the sheep called Dauid whiche Samuel caused to be sent for And as sone as he came in sight God sayd to Samuel this is the man that I haue chosen VVhen the Messias was promised vnto the Iewes to be a king they imagined presentlie according to theyr worldlye wisdome that he should be some great prince and therfore they refused Christ that came in pouertie Iames and Iohn being yet but carnall seing the Samaritanes coÌ„temptuouslie to refuse Christes disciples sent to them and knoweing what Christ was thoght streightwaye that he must in reuenge haue called downe fyre from heauen to consume them But Christ rebuked them sayeing you knovv not of vvhat spirit you are The Apostles preachyng the crosse and necessitie of suffering to the wyse Gentiles and Philosophers were thought presentlye fooles for theyr labours Festus the Emperours lieutenant hearing paul to speake so muche of abandoning the world and foloweing Christ sayd he was madde Finallie this is the fashion of all worldlie wyse men to condemne the wisdome of Christ and of his saints For so the holye scripture reporteth of theyrowne coÌ„fession being now in place of torment nos insensati vitam illorum aestimabamus insaniam we fond men esteemed the liues of Saintes as madnes VVherfore this is also great vanitie as I haue sayde to make suche accoumpt of worldlye wisdome which is not onelye folye but also madnes by the testimonie of the holye ghoste hym selfe VVhoe would not thinke but that the wyse men of this world were the fittest to be chosen to doe Christ seruice in his churche Yet S. Paul saythe non mul i sapientes secundum carnem God hathe not chosen many wyse men according to the fleshe VVhoe wold not thinke but that a worldlye wyse man might easilye also make a wyse Christian yet S. Paul saythe no except first he become a foole 〈◊〉 fiat vt sit sapiens If any man seeme wise amongest you let hym become a foole to the ende he may be made wyse Vayne then and of no account is the wisdome of this world except it be subiect to the wisdome of God The fyfthe vanitie belonging to pryde of lyfe is corporall beautie wherof the wyseman saythe vayne is beautie and deceaueable is the grace of countynance VVherof also king Dauid vnderstoode properlie wheÌ„ he sayde Turne aâ—…vaye my eyes o lord that they beholde not vanitie This is a singular great vanitie daungerous and deceatfull but yet greatlie esteemed of the children of men whose propertie is to loue vanitie as the prophet say the. Beautie is compared by holie men to a painted snake whiche is fayre without and full of deadlye poyson within If a man dyd consider what infinite ruynes and destructions haue come by ouer lyght geuing credit therunto he wolde beware of yt And yf he remembred what foule drosse lyethe vnder a fayre skynne he wolde litle be in loue therwith saythe one father God hathe imparted certaine sparckes of beautie vnto his creatures therby to drawe vs to the confideration and loue of hys owne beautie wherof the other is but a shadow euen as a man fynding a litle issue of water maye seek owt the fouÌ„tane therby or happenyng vpon a small vaine of golde may therby come to the whole mynne it selfe But we lyke babes delyte our selues onelye withe the fayre couer of the booke and neuer doe consider what is writen therin In all fayre creatures that man dothe beholde he ought to reade this say the one father that yf God could make a peece of earthe so fayre and louelie withe imparting vnto yt some litle sparke of his beautie how infinite fayre is he hym selfe and how woorthye of all loue and admiration And how happye shall we be wheÌ„ we shall come to enioye his beautifull presence wherof now all creatures doe take theyr beautie If we wolde exercise our selues in these maner of cogitations We might easilye keepe oure hartes pure and vnspotted before God in beholding the beautie of his creatures But for that we vse not this passage froÌ„ the creature to the creator but doe rest onelye in the eternall appearance of a deceatfull face letting goe the brydle to foule cogitations and setting willfully on fyre our owne concupiscences hence is it that infinite men doe peryshe daylie by occasion of this fond vanitie I call it fond for that euerie chylde may discrie the deceate and vahitie therof For take the fairest face in the world wherwithe infinite folishe men fall in loue vpon the sight and rase yt ouer but with a litle scrache and all the matter of loue is gone lett there come but an Ague all this goodly beautie is distroyed lett the soule departe but one halfe hower from the bodye and this louing face is vglye to looke on lett yt lye but two dayes in the graue and those whiche were so hote in loue withe yt before will skarse abyde to beholde yt or come neare yt And yf none of those things happen vnto yt yet quicklie cometh on olde age which riueleth the skinne draweth in the eyes setteth owt the teethe and so disfigurethe the whole visage as yt becometh more contemptible now than it was beautifull and alluringe before And what then can be more vanitie than this VVhat more madnesse than ether to take pride of it yf I 〈◊〉 it my selfe or to endaunger my soule for yt yf I see it in others The sixthe vanitie belonging to pryde of lyfe is the glorie of fyne apparell against whiche the scripture saythe In vestitu ne gloriaris vnque See thou neuer take glorie in apparelle Of all vanities this is the greatest which we see so common among men of this worlde If Adam had neuer fallen we had neuer vsed apparell For that apparell was deuised to couer our shame of
mercie is accounted by diuines for the first of the six greuous sinnes against the holie ghoste whiche our Sauioure in the gospell signifieth to be so hardlie perdoned vnto men by his father and the reason whye they call this a sinne against the hoyle ghost is for that it reiecteth willfullye one of the principall meanes left by the ho lye ghost to retyre vs from sinne whiche is the feare and respect of gods iustice vpon sinners VVherfore to conclude this matter of presumption me thinke we may vse the same kynde of argument touching the feare of gods iustice as S. Paul vseth to the Romanes of the feare of gods ministers which are temporall princes woldest thow not feare the power of a temporall prince sayeth he doe well then thow shalt not onelie not feare but also receyue laude and prayse therfore But if thow doe euill then feare For he beareth not the swoorde without a cause In lyke sort may we saye to those good felowes whiche make god so mercifull as no man ought to feare his iustice VVolde ye not feare my brethren the iustice of god in punishement lyue vertuouslie then and you shall be as voyde of feare as lyons are fayeth the wiseman For that perfect charitie expelleth feare But yf you lyue wickedlie then haue you cause to feare for god called not hym selfe a iust iudge for nothing If the matter had bene so secure as manye men by flatterie doe persuade themselues it is S. Peter wold neuer haue sayde vnto Christianes now baptized VValke you in feare during the time of this your earthelie habitatiō Nor S. Paul to the same men VVoorke your ovvne saluation in feare and tremblyng But here perhappes some men will aske how then doeth the same Apostle in an other place say That God hath not geuen vs the spirite of feare but of vertue loue and sobrietie to which I answere that our spirite is not a spirit of seruile feare that is to lyue in feare onelie for dreade of punishement without loue but a spirite of loue ioyned with the feare of childrē wherby they feare to offend their father not onelye in respect of his punishement but principallie for his goodnes towardes them and benefites bestowed vpon them This S. Paul declareth playnlie to the Romanes putting the differēce betwene seruile feare and the feare of childeren you haue not receyued agayne the spirit of seruitude saythe he in feare but the spirite of adoption of children vvherby vue crye to God Abha father He saythe heere to the Romanes you haue not receyued againe the spirite of seruitude in feare for that their former spirite being gentiles was onelye in seruile feare for that they honoured adored their Idoles not for any loue they beare vnto them being so infinite as they were and suche notable lewdnes reported of the I meane of Iupiter Mars Venus and the lyke but onelie for feare of hurt from them yf they dyd not serue and adore the same Saint Peter also in one sentence expoundeth all this matter For hauing sayde timoreincorum ne timueritis feare not their feare meaning of the seruile feare of wicked men he addeth presentlie Dominū autem Christum sanctificate in cordibus vesiris c cum modestia timore conscientiam habentes bonam That is doe you sanctifie our Lord Iesus Christ in your hartes hauing a good conscience with modestie and feare So that the spirite of seruile feare which is grounded onelie vpon respect of punishemēt is forbidden vs but the louing feare of children is cōmaunded And yet also about this are there two things to be noted The first that albeit the spirite of seruile feare be forbidden vs especiallie when we are now entered into the seruice of God yet is it most profitable for sinners and suche as yet but begynne to serue God for that it moueth them to repentance and to looke aboute them for which cause it is called by the wyseman the begynnyng of vvisdome And therfore bothe Ionas to the Niniuites and S. Iohn Baptist to the lewes and all the prophets to sinners haue vsed to styrre vp this feare by threatning the daungers and punishementes which were imminent to them yf they repented not But yet afterward when men are conuerted to God and doe goe forwarde in his seruice they chaunge euery daye this seruyle feare into loue vntill they arriue at last vnto that state wherof S. Iohn saythe that perfect loue or charitie expelleth feare VVherupon S. Austen sayeth that feare is the seruāt sent before to prepare place in our hartes for his mystres vvhiche is charitie VVho beyng once entered in and perfectlie placed feare goeth owte againe and geueth place vnto the same But where this feare neuer entereth at all there is it impossible for charitie euer to come and dwell fayeth this holye father The second thing to be noted is that albeyt this feare of punishement be not in verie perfect men or at leastwyse is lesse in them than in others as S. Iohn teacheth yet beyng ioyned with loue and reuerence as it ought to be it is moste profitable and necessarie for all common Christianes whose lyfe is not so perfect nor charitie so greate as that perfection wherof S. Iohn speakethe This appeareth by that that Christ persuaded also this feare euen vnto his Apostles sayeing feare you hym vvhiche after he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bodye hath povver 〈◊〉 to send bothe bodye and soule vnto hell fyre this I saye 〈◊〉 you feare hym The same dothe S. Paul to the 〈◊〉 whoe were good Christians layeing downe first the iustice of God and therupon persuading them to feare All we sayeth he must be preseted before the tribunal seat of Christ to receiue eche man his proper desertes according as he hath done good or euill in this lyfe And for that we knowe this we doe persuade the feare of our Lord vnto men Nay that whiche is more S. Paul testifieth that notwithstanding all his fauours receyued from God he retayned yet him selfe this feare of Gods iustice as appeareth by those woordes of his I doe chastyne my bodie and doe bring it into seruitude least porchaunce vvhen I haue preached to other I become a reprobate my selfe Now my freend yf S. Paul stoode in awe of the iustice of God notwitstāding his Apostleshipp and that he was guiltie to hym selfe of no one sinne or offence as he protesteth what oughtest thou to be whose conscience remayneth guyltie of so many misdeedes wickednes This knovve you sayeth S. Paul that no fornicator vncleane persone couetouse man or the lyke can haue inheritance in the kingdome of Christ. And immediatlie after as thoghe this had not bene sufficient he addeth for preuenting the folye of sinners whiche flatter them selues Lett no man deceyue you uvith vayne vvoordes for the vvrathe of God cometh for these thinges vpon the children