written Thy name and thy memoriall O Lord are in the desires of my soule My soule hath desired thée by night yea thy spyrite is in the secretes of my harte and early in the gray mornyng will I wayte for thée Herein as goodnesse is the obiecte of our appetyte and desire so since god is the highest purest vnmeasurable perfectest goodnesse so is he insinitely to be desired to be loued In such sorte that we ought beyond all comparison to loue him aboue all things And so consequently it is méete and requisite to dispyse to refuse and to caste away whatsoeuer may let foreslow or turne vs from his loue and the feruentnesse therof But the world and that which 〈◊〉 thervnto doe withdrawe vs specially let and 〈◊〉 vs from the loue and goodnesse of God as Gregorie sayeth wée are euen so much disioyned and seperated from the loue of y high God as wée are wrapped in worldly thinges delighted in base things and occupyed in earthly things For vertue is both greater and of more force when it is vnited thē when it is dispersed therfore the more that the 〈◊〉 of our mynd are dispersed and deuyded into the inordinate loue of worldly creatures the weaker also colder blynder and more vnapte they be to loue God. Wherevpon Chrysostome sayeth looke howe muche thy mynd is set vpon any thing and euen so much the lesse it is set vpon god For what are these earthly carnall things but onely heauy wayghtes and burthens which draw down the affections of mans mynd from desire of heauenly things Let vs therefore extend our whole harte vnto god Let vs be borne vnto him with our whole mynde Let him be such a cause of loue vnto vs in al other things that we estéeme no worldly creature more thē for that it may as a meane serue vs towardes the attayning of his loue That is to say so far forth as it may bee vnto vs necessarie and profitable to further vs in our way towardes the heauenly kingdome But let vs become so feruent in the loue of God yea let vs so much estéeme his most swéete and delectable loue that we may dispise all and singular other vayne and transitorie things as vyle durte So that the omnipotent and eternall God may be more precious more to be desired more gloryous swéeter fayrer and in euerie kynde of comparison better of more perfection and worthinesse thē any other thing And let any liuyng worldly creature be lothsome vnto our soules being thus occupyed in contemplation of the diuyne maiestie Let vs sée and perceyue hereby that the whole 〈◊〉 world in respect or comparison of the vndiscrybable God is but as a small title of no reputation or louelynesse Yea in such sorte that we thinke these transistorie thinges vnworthie to be looked on But that we be wholly transformed 〈◊〉 established dissolued and swallowed vp in Christ Iesus So that we may say with his holy Prophet The God of my harte and God is my portion for euer And agayne I will loue thée O Lorde my strength And as the Apostle said I know that neither death nor life nor any creature can seperate me from Gods loue Let vs but marks and behold how vyle it were for the delightes of the mortal and miserable fleshe for the prayse and glorie of men and for temporall honour and preferment to be withdrawen or foreslowed from this highest supressentiall vnchangeable and incomprehensible goodnesse of god Let vs be made heauenly conformable vnto God and deyfyed yea familiar and entyrely beloued vnto the liuing god For what haue we to doe with these earthly things we being made and created to the shape and lykenesse of the most holy Trinitie béeyng redéemed and made frée by the bloud of Christ and called to the blessed fellowship of Angels Let vs therefore dispyse all these things and let our whole occupation conuersation entention and affection be fixed and altogither reposed in him onely which is onely necessarie to bee imbrased accordyng to the admonition of Augustine Let man sayth hée if he turne any way conuert him selfe vnto him which created him for by going backe from him he waxeth cold but by turning vnto him he shall waxe warme By going backe he shall waxe dimme and darke but by turning to him hée shall become bright and shyning For euen where he receyued his creation and being there must he also fetche his being good or godly For he the Lord our God is the verie swéetnesse swéete aboue all kynde of swéetenesse Brighter then any light déeper then any secret and higher then any honour or degrée Moreouer he is that purest kynde of lyfe to turne 〈◊〉 om him were a gréeuous fall but to returne vnto him is a highe rysing or clyming To abyde in him is a certaine dwelling and to dwell in him is happie lyfe And euen as corne in the wet furrow doeth rotte and 〈◊〉 but in the rydge or higher part of the land it is preserued florisheth so our hartes if they be raysed vp to God shalt neuer putrifie nor decay But if they be ouerthrowne or sunken in earthly things they rotte and consume immediately And myne earnest desire is my welbeloued that thou doe spurne from thée and dispise all transitorie things detest abhorre all the pompe of this world for the loue of the diuyne bountie and through the affection that thou haste to procéede in the imbrasing thereof Yea and that by the desire of so contemplatyue and holy meditations thou mayest with all thy hart and mynde be giuen ouer vnto him All which can not come to passe vnlesse thou dispise all corporal delightes all worldly vanities and all thine owne desires As Cassianus affyrmeth saying our affectiōs saith he are neuer perfectly kindled to the desire of eternal things neither is our vnderstandyng euer sharpened vnto the perfect contemplation of heauenly thinges vntill the cares and desires of the fleshe bee perfectly bridled in vs My welbeloued if thou wilt be rich and a possessor of infinite goods and treasures giue eare then vnto the counsell of Ambrose He that wil sayth he possesse God let him first renounce the world that God may be vnto him a blessed possession and heritage For looke how much thou dye vnto y world so much lyfe thou gaynest with god And the more that thou lyue as to this worlde so muche the more thou dyest vnto God. To conclude whosoeuer loueth the world doeth loue an enimie imbraseth a Traytor and dandleth in his lappe an vnspeakeable daunger Wherevpon Augustyne sayde if this world delight thée thou shalt alwayes be vncleane And if thou louingly kysse the worlde he will hungrily and gréedily swallowe and deuour thée And to make an end of thys deuision wee ought aboue all things to loue God. First for his vnmeasurable goodnesse Secondarily bicause he first loued vs. Thirdly bicause he powreth so many benifits vpon vs. Fourthly
suffer no tribulation it seemeth thereby that thou hast not begonne to be the seruaunt of God. Our sweete Sauiour for thâ—… recomforte of mankynde did saye as Mathew rehearseth in the eleuenth Chapiter of his Gospell these wordes Come vnto me all ye that trauayle and are heauye loden and I will refreshe you Take my yoke vpon you and learne by me for I am meeke and humble in harte For my yoke is sweete and my burden lyght These wordes our sauiour Christ spake of himselfe Wherwith we must vnderstand that the yoke of Christ is none other thing then the lawe of the Gospell or the performaunce and wary heede of Gods commaundementes By the which we are bounde vnder the obedyence of his holy will and are restreyned or seperate from this worldely lyfe And the burden of our Sauiour may be vnderstoode by the obseruation of his holy wordes And of such a yoke it is wrytten It is good for the man which hath borne the yoke euen from his youth which the reprobate doe put from them According to that sayinge of Hieremye from the begynnyng thou hast broken and cast of the yoke and sayed I will not serue So that wée maye perceyue that in effect all is one the narrowe waye and streight gate leading to saluation and the yoke and burden of our Sauiour Chryst. But then some will saye If the waye bée streyght and the gate narrowe howe can the yoke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swéete and hys burden lyght Wherevnto I 〈◊〉 were that the selfe same yoke yea and 〈◊〉 selfe same wayâ—… are streight narrowe paynefull and 〈◊〉 to suche as are foolyshe vnperfect and â—…ot yet exercysed in fpirytuall lyfe nor haue yet tasted the swéetenessâ—… of the same The which neuerthelesse to the perfecte the verteous pure and Godly zeales which serue God feruently and loue him is broade easye and most pleasaunt So that that they rather runne spéedely theâ—… walke leasurely therin Wherevpon the holy and 〈◊〉 Prophete confessed sayinge I haue runne all the wayes of thy comaundementes whiles thou hast dylated and enlarged my harte And agayne I haue walked at large sayth he bicause I sought out thy commaundementes To conclude 〈◊〉 lykelyhoode nor no forme doth more delectably or readily worke in mannes myâ—…de then loue For loue of his owne proper nature and reason enclyneth and draweth the louer to actuall louing Wherevpon it is compared vnto a weight Now therefore since charytie is the cause gouernesse and Empresse of all merytoryous déedes the which charytie is called the lyfe of the soule and without it nothing is meritorious yt is therby euideÌ„t that y more we doo profit procéede in the loue of god somuch the more we doe deâ—…bly excercise all thinges that procéede from god Yea somuch the more we doe hartely abhorre those thinges which perteine vnto the worlde Sythens y vnto him which loueth ferueÌ„tly nothing can be more pleasant then to doo any thing that may seme acceptable vnto his beloued For true loue estéemeth nothing to be hard gréeuous rough or deadly Yea let vs consider if any payne any strypes or any woundes or death it selfe can ouercoÌ„e or daunte true harty loue surely no. For if it be perfect loue in dede it ouercoÌ„meth al things yet féeleth no paynes The loue of God is an infallyble treasure He that hath it is rytch And whosoeuer lacketh that is poore and néedy though he haue all the world at will. And therefore well doeing doth somuch the more delight the myndes of men and sinnes doâ—… somuch the more yrke and dyscontent them as they fynde in theyr hartes a perfect and sincere loue towardes God that highest and vnchaungeable goodnesse Arristotle the heathen Phylosopher confessed that it was a perfect signe or token of vertue to bée delyghted in the actyon thereof And surely true it is that the more vertuous wée béecome the more we are delighled to excercyse and doe â—…e true fruites of repentaunce Agayne As nature is the very begenning of all naturall actiones operatioÌ„s so gods greate grace workyng in vs is the verye first formall immedyate and intrusecall beginning of all good and acceptable déedes And euen as they which are naturally wel disposed doo exercise with case great delight such works operations as perteyne vnto nature so wheÌ„ a man beginneth ones to abounde in the grace of god theÌ„ he doth also daily more ioyefully with the better will exercise himself in gods coÌ„maundements good déedes And this happeneth most ofteÌ„ vnto such as are méeke humble of hart Whervpon Bernard saith Nothing is hard to the humble nor nothing vnpleasant to such as are méeke of hart And right easily are y coÌ„maundements effectually kept when that grace of God doth giue and gyde forwardnes of will obedyence with true humylitie doe appease the Iudgâ—…s indyngnation Neither can a man say that he serueth for méere necessytie when the thing which he is commaunded to dâ—… is of him right hartely loued and desired Then if we déeyely and effectually consider that it is for Gods loue that we doe such thinges as we take in hand we shall then thinke nothing to be hard or difficulte Nay rather if we should all dye for him or execute and fulfill all verteous exercyses for his sake we shall it be able to doe nothing worthy of the benifites which we haue receaued at his handes And therevpon Gregorius sayth if the mynde be ones fixed in God with a stedfast entent then we estéeme all thinges to be swéete and pleasaunt howe bytter or sower so euer they chaunce to be Yea we shall fynde greate rest and quyet in all those thinges which doe afflict vs. Futhermore it is certayne that the more a mans mynde be bent vnto any one thing earnestly somuch the more his entontions towards any other thinge be slackened and laide asyde Then euen as the louers of this world which doo altogether wrappe and enfold themselues in the desyres therof are altogether occupyed in vayne and transitory things doe as it were lothe and are weary of spirituall and godly thinges yea as they dâ—…e pray vnto God hastely and without an inwarde affection euen so those which loue GOD and doe wholly dedycate themselues vnto his seruice desyringe to cleaue most feruently vnto him and to be wholly occupied and conioyned with him doe hatefully abhorre lothe and flye from those thinges which apperteyne vnto the worlde Yea they desyre and reioyse to be vncessantly occupyed and conuersant in the prayses of God and walke in the streight narrowe way with great delight and pleasure Herevpon it is that Gregorius wytnesseth saying loue is as strong as death For sayth he euen as death doth kyll the corporall body so the loue of God dothe through the hope of eternall lyfe kyll in vs the loue of temporall delightes For he whome the charitie of GOD dothe swallow vp hym dothe it also make vnsensyble too the féelynge of anye
it shall behold them and féele them then may it sensibly vnderstande what excéeding trembling dreade and terrour doth ensue of the loue and delightes conceyued in this frayle vnconstant and most wretched woâ—… But my beloued doe thou forecast all these thinges 〈◊〉 suffre none of these admonicions to slyppe out of thy mynde That thou mayest eschewe and eskape eternall payne and punishment and atteyne vnto the ioyes which shall endure worlde without ende Amen A LETTER WRYTTEN by I. B. vnto his famyliar frende G. P. teaching remedies against the bytternesse of Death WHen I remember your request made vnto me at our last parting which was that I should wryte some what vnto you either to ingender in you a meditacion of contented death or at the least to diminish the desyre of long lyfe I can not but much lyke and commend in you that disposition whereby it appeareth your desyre and mynde is let not in the loue of things transitory but in knowledge and in that knowledge which of all other is moste perfect and méete for a wyse man For if that be worth the learning that is necessary and that for euery age degrée and sexe all creatures must necessarily dye and no man of reason dyeth better and more lyke a man then he that hathe learned the Science thereof And if that knowledge be worth the learning whereof commeth certeyne and great commoditie none can be compared with the Scyence of well dying the fruite whereof is comfort and lyfe neuer enâ—…ynge And as this knowledge is most perfect worthie learninge so haue you taken a verye méete and conuenient tyme for the atteyninge of it which is youth the flower of your age haing in it selfe strengthe and habilitie to learne any Scyence and leauing tyme to practise that is well learned For as none other science profitable being lyberall is sodenly learned neither is it enough to byd a man though he be wytty sodenly to drawe a figure in Geometrie make a proporcion by Arithmiticke be a good sowldier ingenier or other lyke for he may say he lacketh tyme teaching and exercise to atteyne such knowledge euen so is the science of dying wel to be learnid with tyme meditacion and exercise And who so sayth to a sicke man not practised herein be content to dye forgo this mortal life may here of him againe I know what it is to lyue by experience but to dye I haue not learned and the lesson is not so easie as you thinke it Wherein if many would doo as you séeme to meane that is to learne to dye when they may bâ—…st lyue they should bothe lyue more quiet and dye better contented And now somewhat to satisfie your desyre and to entre into this treatie which I entende not to make longe I wyl kéepe this ordre Fyrst to shew that vnto a Christian man Death is not to be fledde but rather to be desyred or at the least well to be taken no plague but â—…enefyt no losse but gayne Next I will shewe what the lettes and causes be that make vs indge otherwise And thirdly tell how those lettes may be remoued and our opinion somewhat changed to thincke of Death and lyfe as they are without preiudice that men commonly bringe with them To the heathen not knowing GOD nor the vertue of the lyfe to come the first parte that Death is not to be fledde shonnid and terrible is a lesson harde or rather vnpossâ—…ble to be taught For lyfe being good as all men thinke and of it selfe it is no man can willingly leaue the good but for the better for otherwise he shall thinke him selfe to make suche a bargaine as the Pâ—…ete sayth Glaucus made with Diomedes change gold for copper And bicause the heathen knowe not the beâ—…r which knowledge is learned onely in Christes schole 〈◊〉 of their bookes though they wrote many of the contempt of Death with fayre and glorious woordes could make either them selues or their heires with right iudgement content to dye if they might liue to leaue presâ—…t life which thei thought good and were content with for an other to come whereof their knowledge was none or doubtfull and vncertayne And therefore a Philosoper emong the reste most learned sayde of all thinges dredefull most drâ—…adfull is Death And the excelent Dratour who in health and wealth spake lyke a whole man and as a man learnid perswaded other being for a tyme banished was him self without all comfort And when he drewe towardes death perceued he had sayde more then he could iustifie and performe in him selfe In lyke case was the Emperour for wisedome so much renowmed who approching néere to death and speaking as he founde cause by proofe and tryall and not as he before had vaynely thought sayde he was toubled with the feare of Death bicause he knewe not whether he should goe nor what the gods immortall for so he termid them had determined of him vnto whome he recommendid him selfe with this doubt that if they had appoynted any good of him they should then shew it These thrée examples of the best with other able to fill a great volume doe well shewe that the heathen were not learned in this scieÌ„ce anâ—… much lesse méete to be scholemaisters and teachers to them that will rightly learne it and therefore I intende not to vse their examples though they make a faire muster which when I sée other men do in this argument wryting vnto a christian reâ—…der I thinke they doe not wel remember what is méete for the argument they take in hande and for the person to whome they wryte But as to the heathen the ende of lyfe being is and for causes aforesayd must be dreadfull so vnto a christian man it neither is nor should séeme so vnto whom death is the beginning of lyfe the gate of blysse the ende of soroâ—… and mortal â—…reefe Whereof he is not onely informed by coniecture lyke to be true but assured by promise of him y can be all thinges sauing false so that a scholer of Christe should rather doubt whether the Sunne shyne by daye or whether he féele being awaked then whether the promises made thereof be assured or no. Then if it be so that Death endeth all sorow payne misery and trauayle and setteth vs in place of solâ—…ce comfort blysse and quiet and that such as neither hath enterlacing of the contrary nor ende of it selfe Who is sorye to make this change but he that beleueth not how good it is and how well made or how shall we thinke he beleueth it to be good and also true who slyeth from it when it is comminge towarde him or would not haue it true in him selfe that he beleueth Let him feare Deathe who hath not hard of Christe to whome Christe hathe promised naught desyrous neither to heare of him to sée him not to be with him whome fantasie leadeth vanitie pleaseth lust ruleth and the world blyndeth séekinge
for rest in trouble for ioye in sorow for ease in payne for assuraunce where â—…thinge is but slyttinge for 〈◊〉 where nothinge please the longe But he that is a Citizen of Ierusalem a souldier vnder Christes banner armed with Fayth shylded with Hope strengthned with Charitie who knoweth in whome he hath put his truste and where he looketh for his méede Such 〈◊〉 one is content to vse this lyfe as his â—…lgrimage contented if it be short not offended if it be long desyringe neyther the one nor the other but still lookinge to his home â—…earing with the rest bicause he appoynteth his quiet ther. Unto him bicause Câ—…rist is lyfe death can not be but gayne bicause he â—…indeth that he séeketh and atteyneth that he loueth content to leaue the world which loued not him or which he louid not whose commodities if he sought he founde nothing but either occasion to enuie them he should loue or to stryue with them that would enioy them as well as him selfe 〈◊〉 be angry with them that kept him from the atteyning theâ—… whome being men he should embrace Yea though he hatâ—… nor misused no man which is harde in that cause to â—…oyd yet louing the world and the commodities thereof he found meanes whereby he was moued to forget his iourny and the ende thereof to make his Inne his home to syt downe before his wayes ende to turne his loue from the better to the worse from heauen to earthe from God to him selfe or rather from and agaynste him selfe to thinges vayne which first would make him worse then they sounde him and afterward leaue him whan he began to loue theÌ„ and leaue him in that euill estate they founde him not So if the world doe vndoubtedly hurt them that loue it and be but payâ—… and trauayle to them that loue it not bicause they hauâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor pleasure where they loue not then followeth it 〈◊〉 loue is onely to be bestowed on God and that â—…n must desyre to be wher his loue is for so natuâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loue be true And surely if ther be in vs the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ue of god we can not be asrayde of that â—…ich bringeth 〈◊〉 to him nor loathe to heare of that â—…ithout which we can not come to him And if thâ—… were no more benefit in Death but that he maketh an ende of sinne sithe sinne displeaseth God and â—…aritie willeth vs to loue that he loueth and 〈◊〉 that he hateth we can neither be afraydâ—… nor ill content with deathe which bringeth vs out of the occasion of sinnâ—… and daunger thereby to disâ—…lease God. And although this séeme vnto many hard and vnto some almost vnpossiible mâ—…suring all other by their owne footâ—… y any man who may enioy lyfe should be coÌ„tent or desirous â—…o lâ—…ue y same yet is it not only aprouâ—…â—…ost vndoubted true by y teching of scriptures which no man can deny but also by y exaÌ„ple of infinit martirs wherof each couÌ„try hath had great nuÌ„bers who hauing libertie to flye therby to liue inflamed only with the sire of charitie loue of god were not only coÌ„tâ—…t to be taken but offered theÌ„ selues for his sake whom they louid and that not onely men in whome naturally courage is but women and children whose weake sexe and tender age declared more playnely what true and hartie loue is able to worke which as it brought Christ downe from heauen into earth so being truely rooted in man it is able to draw him from earth into heauen without respect had to him selfe or any thing that is his And thus much spoken of the first parte doth now make the waye open to bring in the second for it may be sayde if there be any meanes to take away the feare of Death and diminish the desire of lyfe who should atteyne to the same so soone as christian men And sith we be all of that number howe commeth it then to passe that so fewe are contented to dye and many so affrayde thereof that neither them selues will thinke of it nor willingly heare other speake of it To the which question although I might in fewe woordes aunswere and say that there lacketh in vs that lyuely and perfect loue of God and the lyfe to come which should be in vs and was in them of whome I spake Yet to make this point more playne for it is lesse to saye all then to touche eache parte of all I finde thrée causes especiall that make men desirous to liue and lothe to dye 1 The one is our weakenesse which séemeth to haue some excuse bicause nature desireth the conceruacion of it selfe abhorreth dissolucion which both taketh away our being and also bringeth with it great gréefe and paynes which men séeing in other and flying in them selfe feare Deathe whose seruants and messengers they are 2 The second cause is either the lacke or the small quantitie of fayth in vs whereby we beleue not or fayntly beleue the meruailous promises of incomparable blysse promised by GOD vnto his faythfull after this transitory and present lyfe 3 But the greatest cause is the third which is a loue and swéetenesse conceaued of this lyfe the goods and commodyties of the same wherewith who so is possessed it can not be auoided but vnto him the very remeÌ„braÌ„ce of death which taketh froÌ„ him that he loueth must be sower bitter as the scripture saith To say somewhat to these thrée things which maketh lyfe swéet death sower is the third part of my matter which I promised to entreate of And for the first which is a naturall weaknes ingeÌ„dering of it selfe the feare of death we can not say it hath no power in vs mortal men sith Christ our patron being more thaÌ„ man confessed to haue some féeling of it in him selfe But if we coÌ„sider that he was weak to make vs strong who gaue the onset made the conquest of death weaknes that not for him selfe but for vs in our nature saying afterwarde to vs be bolde feare not I haue made a conquest of the world And y he hath by taking on him our nature meruelously ioyned incorporated vs vnto him so that by grace participacioÌ„ y is true in vs which by perfection of nature was true in him theÌ„ fynde we that this weaknes remayneth not as before in his force but is inforced couÌ„teruayled by a streÌ„gth geuen vs besides our selues which bicause we should firmely beleue not to be imagined or onely in words but true in déedes God hath shewed it by the example of thousandes of his martirs not flying as before is said but desiring death not fearing but conteÌ„ning it triumphing in tormeÌ„t coÌ„quering in weakenes not saying sad heauie is myne hart vntil death be past but I desire to be in the féeling to begin to lyue swéete is the torture colde is the fire dul is the axe for what is ther in death dreadful
vnto a faythfull christian man is it the dissolucion of the bodie that a christian man desireth who is able to say I long to be dissolued is it that death bringeth an ende of life being heare that is not much to him that knoweth he hath an other lyfe to come in comparison of which this is no lyfe but death no ioy but sorow no ease but trauayle no quiet but misery So that either there is in deade very smal weake faith in vs to beleue gods promises infallibly made to all his Or if we doo assuredly beleue theÌ„ the greatest feare in that behalfe is past for he that loseth his lyfe temporall fyndeth eternal goeth froÌ„ labour to rest from the sea into the hauen froÌ„ weaknes to strength from sicknes to health from death to lyfe from sinne to iustice from sorow heuines paine to the place where there is no gréefe nor sighinge those former parts are then past Let the heathen feare to dye who may truely say I know not whether I goe nor what is ordeyned for me to what ende the gods haue created me whether it be good or no who are borne in sin not new borne in holines who haue neither teaching or knowledge of life neither promis of the same But a christiaÌ„ man being taught y death is the entre to lyfe that he is ordeyned to lyue with Christ created to be partaker of his glory regenerat sanctified by him with promis of blisse inestimable if he after all this retorne to the same loue of lyfe feare of death y is in the gentil what doth he then else but practise to be come a gentil heathen again selling away his enheritaÌ„ce for lesse then a messe of potage and renouÌ„cing his priuiledge whervnto he is singularly and especially called But as we haue sayd before weaknes may be a great cause to make a man feare death lack of beléefe a greater but yet are they not the greatest for perfect loue ouercoÌ„meth weaknes increaseth reuiueth faith wher loue is whole sounde the rest is soone recouered if it be lost or increased if it be decated But if loue be either deuided betwene god this world lyfe present or wholly traÌ„slated froÌ„ god vnto things traÌ„sitory How should a man be content to parte froÌ„ y he loueth and séeke that he careth not for sithe it is so true saying that where the man loueth he lyueth and vnpossible is it that who so is delited here possessed with the loue of this lyfe should willingly heare of death which can onely be welcome to them that therby desire to be with Christ whom they loue better then theÌ„selues or this lyfe so can be coÌ„tent to leaue the good for the better their welbeloued for the best beloued or y they estéeme light they entirely and tenderly loue For if it be asked what is the thing of such force y is able to make a man content to forsake his goods his liuing him selfe and his life if we will answere truely and in fewe words we must say it is loue nothing else which wher so euer it be faâ—…ed ma keth al other things séeme nothing in coÌ„parison of that it lyketh And herein to vse some exaÌ„ples it was none other thing the made the Philosopher cast himselfe into the burning fire of Aetna nor the Romain getleman-on horse backe to leape in wher y earth gaped the young man after y reading of Platoes booke to break his neck So many captains souldiers wyllingly wittingly to goe to their death but loue They louid somthing better then lyfe the wysest their couÌ„try and frendes whome they would preserue thother fame and as they called it immortalitie the lightest vayne estimacion glory but euery one somwhat wherewith they were ledde Sith theÌ„ loue is of such force as y same is able to bereue a man not only of his goods treasure but also of his lyfe and that by his owne will and coÌ„sent the right waye to learne coÌ„tentidly to receaue death when god sendeth it is to learne to employ wel fasten our loue wher it should be is due that is vppoÌ„ god and the lyfe to come louing that onely for it selfe and other things so much and so farre as we neither change nor remoue y out of his place which lesson if it be not onely beleued but practised maketh the lyfe godly and comfortable and the death easy And who so euer marieth him to the loue of the world following y desires thereof and making the desyres of it his delight that man may speake boldly of death vntil it come But when he shal stand vpon his gard to receue the assault he must will vndoubtedly shrink shew him selfe a weake souldier lacking the armour that should theÌ„ defend him for if faith his buckler byd him be strong thinck vpon the coÌ„quest that Christ his captaine hath made vpon that triumph y is prouided for him his owne hart coÌ„science which is néere him than his armour will saye all that is prouided for such as beare their loue true hart to their onely captaine whome they promised to serue for such as before in the time of theyr seruice dyd resist his enimie his atteÌ„ptes and not for such as yelded themselues prisoners vnto him content to be in his Campe and to fight vnder his banner His sword which is the worde of God being not well handeled of him before nor much occupied wyll then agrée ill with his hand he for lack of exercise not able to giue a strong blow therwith his curates of charitie so thin that eache dart arrow shal perce it his helm of hope vnlyned neither wel fitting to his head nor able to kéepe of the force of the byll Is it possible think ye y a souldier thus armed besides this not exercised in feates of warre shold withstaÌ„d a mightie stroÌ„g practised wel armed man no verely He wil either runne away if the grouÌ„d serue him or with shame be takeÌ„ prisoner and captine When I consider the maner of dying of such as were in gods fauour of whom we reade in the Scriptures old new coÌ„pare our selues with theÌ„ how willing ready glad they were to leaue this lyfe how loath backwarde sory we are for the greater part to doe the same I meruaile we should be called one mans children that are so vnlyke in condicion Moses being tolde he should no longer lyue therefore to prouide his successour dyd w his own hands ordre appoynt Iosua without coÌ„playnt sorow or token of gréefe prouiding for theÌ„ that shold lyue as it were nothing thinking on him selfe Isaac byd his sonne go hunt prouide gett him meat that he might blesse him before he dyed The lycke coÌ„tentacioÌ„ appeared in Iacob Tobias Dauid sundry other whome we finde not onely neuer to haue shunned death
but coÌ„tentedly to haue receaued it The loue they bare vnto God his will in their lyfe kept theÌ„ from disorderid loue of the world and froÌ„ the coÌ„mon sinnes vices which men for worldly thinges coÌ„mit being not troubled with conscience remorce therof sawe no cause to shunne to feare death And as this loue of god his wil encreased in the new testament where the holy ghost the spirit of loue was is more pleÌ„tiously powred in to y harts of the right beleuiÌ„g So the loue of lyfe decresed the desire of death increased in y best professors therof the appostles martirs infinite not only coÌ„tented to leue this life but also desir eddeath who receuig the faith gospel beig taught therby to coÌ„fornie theÌ„ selues to y life image of Christ did with perfect faith pleÌ„tious charitie full hope coÌ„meÌ„d theÌ„ selues to the will of God the expectation of the life to come which they knew was prouided for them y loueth God neither is there any other cause why we dye not like theÌ„ but bicause we liue not like them we feare death bicause we liue not wel some more some lesse according as the order of our liues hath ben and who so saith that the maner of death is a touchstone to way the life is not much deceiued I wil not say but many men may dye wel that liueth ill for mercie is aboue iudgement but none coÌ„tent to dye but he that by death loketh to be with Christ which is he that by his life showeth that he knoweth loueth Christ without which loue y more faith at that time the lesse comfort For faith teacheth Gods mercy his iustice and if iustice be all against vs either faith ingendreth in vs sorow of such a life and so repentance which is good an entry toward life or if it ingender not an earnest repentance it bringeth nothing to comfort ease releue vs but all contrary And therfore he that wil liue in coÌ„tinual meditation of death which is y way to make him a familier so no dreadful gest nor stranger must liue in loue I meane y loue of vprightnes honestie cleanesse iustice integritie doing good where hée can hauing inteÌ„t to hurt none getting vprightly to suâ—…in himself his of that remayneth departing liberally to the poore as he séeth cause is able to such a man y remeÌ„brance of death caÌ„ not be vnpleasant for it shal neither take him vnprouided nether beriue him of any thing wherwith he is disorderly in loue Such a man liuing coÌ„teÌ„tedly in y place wherin he is called traueling carefully to fil satisfie the same wheÌ„ death approcheth doth méekly say to God with Christ I haue done the worke thou sentest me to doe And albeit there hath bene much weaknesse many infirmities in his trauel and accomplishing that worke he was sent to doe yet with a great indifferencie he shal be able to vse the words of the vertuous learned Bishop neither haue I liued so among you that I should be ashamed to liue neither doe I feare to die bicause we haue a good Lord master The man so liuyng and so thinking is onely happie neither troubled with inordinate desire of highe estate which he taketh but for a place to trauayle for many neither affrayde to be in meaner then he is knowing that where so euer God placeth him he hath his worke to doe wherwith he may please him euer quyet content to dye and not vnwilling to liue But here some man may say although he be not disordridly desirous of life yet can he well be coÌ„teÌ„t to liue though not for him self or for his owne sake yet for others therin wisheth nothing vngodly but deceÌ„tly to kéepe the place whervnto he is called which he can fill if not better yet as wel as an other maÌ„ to help such as néed him to bring vp his childreÌ„ to see theÌ„ disposed finally to bestow the benifits y God hath lent vnto him he y maketh this obiectioÌ„ lieth not on him self is not of y worst sort nor much to be misliked vnto whoÌ„ neuertheles it must be answered if his desire be to liue for others who by him may be y better he must coÌ„sider y wel doing is not all his own wherof though maÌ„ be y minister God is the giuer who will dispose him self to doe many good and none hurt so coÌ„tinue God knoweth man knoweth not but this maÌ„ knoweth y without gods giuing he doth it not wel knoweth he also y happie had bene SalomoÌ„ if he had ben taken in his youth wel doing the like may ye read of many say by experience of some whither he would be one of them by long life he knoweth not if ther were no dauÌ„ger it shuld not haue ben writteÌ„ he y staÌ„deth let him take héed y he fal not if he think there were no dauÌ„ger in him self theÌ„ is he proud and lyke to be one of them that would fall if he doubt then is it wisdome to put him self to him that knoweth And sith he knoweth and is sure that after death no sinne is done better is the choyse to go with safetie as Gods seruant wheÌ„ God willeth then in continuaunce to put that in a hazarde which if it goe amisse at the ende can not be recouered nor the losse redubled Déepe in payne lye many who by long lyfe fell into sinne and therby into their damnation who had then dyed in their youth had lyued with Christ and howe much they bewaile their long life the oceasâ—…oÌ„ of their paiâ—… no tonge can tell nor harte thinke But to returne to the matter if he say he would doe many good in long tyme and lyue accordyng to his place and callyng let him shewe that in the tyme he hath giuen him and if in so doing he be takeÌ„ sith he may say to God I haue done the worke thou sentest me to doe and when God calleth hym away hee knoweth there is no more appointed for hym to doe he knoweth also there is no more cause for him to lyue bicause desire of doing good was the only cause why he would lyue His childre are Gods more then his who leaueth not the seede of the iust who calleth him selfe the father of Orphans and iudge of Widdows whose blessyng if they haue they shal prosper though they lacke a mortall father And if they lacke that much sorow and small comforte should the father haue to see that he could not amend for eche good father neither maketh nor leaueth a good chyld And yet doeth not such a man lacke wyfe and friendes to whom he may commit the care of children and if his friendes will doe much for them at his request and recommendation why should he mistrust Gods proÌ„uydence helpe and dyrection if hée commend them vnto hym By whom
thy workes O Lord god almighty Just and true are all thy wayes O King of the holy ones Who shal not feare thée or who shal not magnify thy name So that the more we growe increase in holinesse equitie so much the more lyke the more beloued we are made vnto our creator Sauior Iudge And the more we are made filthy ouer commâ—…n by vices so much the more vnlyke and the more hatefull vnto him we are found Who came to that end by the ministry of incarnatioÌ„ into this world that we should serue him in holynesse righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lief Who doth inuyte styrre vs with an vnspeakeable loue most godly vouchsaâ—…ng vnto the imitation of his holines Saying doe not coÌ„taminate nor deâ—…le your sowles For I the Lord your god am holy Be holy For I am holy Behold my welbeloued if thou ponder these thynges depely ofteÌ„ stedfastly I thincke that thou wilt on all sides hate eschewe the filthines vncleanenes huge enormitie of sin Yea thou wilt more ofteÌ„ make hast vnto repeÌ„taunce And examynation of thyne owne conscience in spending tyme in deuyne seruice and receuing the holy communion Wherein accordinge to the Scriptures all thinges are washed And thou wilt furthermore indeuâ—…r thy selfe to be the more iustly and wholy conuersant in the presence of the most holy God and before the eyes of his vnmeasurable righteousnesse Of the Enormitie of sinne by the consideracion of the diuine charitie by the which God dyd preuent vs and greatly loued vs. Art. 8. FUrthermore the more liberally and abundantly that any man doth preuent an other in loue so much the more decent and iust it is to loue him againe hartely And the more frowarde and peruerse it is also to doo any lesse then to loue him But it is most vngratefull and vntoward euen to hate him abiect him and dispise him and altogether to tourne away from him especially if the beloued be suer that he is so beloued of the louer Therefore to th end we may the more effectually sincerely knowe the abhominable and accursed mallice of our iniquities let vs diligently behould how much and in what manner our swéete and iust GOD dyd preuent vs in loue yea and not onely in loue but in a most liberall merely frée most pure eternall and most worthy kynde of loue And first this is certaine that no louer being created no not our parents haue loued or doe loue vs so muche as our â—…éeke and swéete God doth and hath loued vs For of his eternall preâ—…enting loue towards vs he created vs when we were nothinge yea he formed vs to his owne Image and similitude For the diuine loue dyd not leaue god without braunche or springâ—… Moreouer he hathe manyfoldly â—…wtifyed our nature not onely with naturall gyftes but also with sundry supernaturall graces For he dyd set 〈◊〉 first formed fathers and parentes in original righteousnes placing them in Paradise and preferring them before all the creatures that lyue in this worlde yea and if they had not sinned had transported them from Paradise into the heauenly kingedome without deathe in the meane waye All which he ment to haue geuen to their posteritie if they had not done wickedly Wherevpon although we he depryued of so many and so great commodities yet ought we so â—…o loue God as if we were not thereof depriued since that depriuacion came not from god Furthermore also because vnion is the proper effect of loue and consequently therewithall mutuall societie and perticipacion For loue dothe knyt the louer to the beloued and maketh all good thinges that the louer hath to become vnto the beloued If therefore we desyer rightly and worthely to know how and in what maner our God hath loued vs let vs behold in what maner he hath conioyned himselfe to vs and to our nature For beholde dyd not the onely begotten sonne of God himselfe by the will of God the Father and the cooperacion of the holy ghost vnyte our nature vnto his diuinitie by a substanci a immediate high inward kinde of vnione yea by so great an vnione as none could be more greater or more worthie And therefore since he conioyned himselfe vnto our nature so highly and so in wardly it is apparaunt also how highly he dyd loue vs before hand especially since he vouchsafed deigned so long to be conuersant w vs in the nature which he dyd so assume and take vpon him yea euen the eternall Father himselfe dyd so loue vs that he gaue his onely béegotten Sonne as the Euangelist John dothe saye Who exhorteth vs againe in his first epistle saying â—…earely beloued let vs loue god for he first loued vs Furthermore he ioyned our myndes incessaÌ„tly vnto him and by supernaturall gifts as by grace doeing the which is acceptable and by actual motion of the holy ghost By faith hope charity the other vertues powred vpoÌ„ vs by their acts Yea further our god is ready to coÌ„municat al that he hath yea himself also vnto vs. For there is no eye that hath séene nor eare that hath hard neither is mans hart able to coÌ„prehend what God hath prepared for his elect For he hath prepared himself as a reward for them Since he created vs to enioy the most swéete fruicion and happy vision of holinesse And this is the most lyberal loue of god that geuing vs his gyfts he geueth euen with the same giftes himselfe vnto vs That we may truely eternally and happely behold haue possesse inioy him Herewith he so much loued vs that by the mouth of Salomon he sayth vnto vs My delights are to be with the sonnes of men Now therefore my welbeloued marke how peruerse how vncomely and how great a fault it is not to requite with loue this such and so great a louer Yea to neglect to offend to fet light by to dispose or to hate him And he that sinneth wylleth in all things that which God will not and that which god wylleth that will not hée accomplishe Therefore he dothe not truely loue God since it is the propertie of friendes to wyll and to nyll in all thinges alyke Yea he despiseth anâ—… 〈◊〉 lyght by God whose preceptes he regardeth not And so he dothe altogether turne himselfe away from him and yeldeth no turne vnto this so wonderfull méeke most bountifull most excellent louer But payeth euill for good and hate for loue Yea he dispiseth God who hath shewed himselfe so famyliar vnto him Therefore let vs my welbeloued heartely learne to loue God sincerely and inwardly Let vs be caryed vnto him with all ferueÌ„tuesse of mynde Let vs conforme our affectes alwayes vnto his most holy wyll Let vs hate whatsoeuer he hateth and let vs earnestly imbrace all goodnesse Of the enormitie of sinne considered by the benefits of God. Act. 9. IT 〈◊〉 manifest
forgeuenesse For euery good déede ought to be done for the zeale of iustice and righteousnesse and for Godly charytie but not for feare Thereof the Apostle saied If I speake with the tonges of Angels and of men and yet haue not charytie in mée it shall nothinge profit mée For theÌ„ doe wée chiefly performe our dutyes when wée reuerence GOD not onely for feare but also for the sure trust and confidence that we haue in his loue And when zealous affection not dreade doth rayse vs vpwards to doe that is good By this dread is vnderstoode and ment the seruyle feare which onely and principally dothe respect the punishment and correction Of the which sainct Iohn sayeth There is no feare in perfect charitie Then siâ—…ce we might be enduced as hath béen beforesayde to the contempt of this world by the consideracion of death iudgement the paines of hell yet ought we much more by much stronger reason to be enduced therevnto by the consideracion contemplacion and loue of the perpetuall blessednesse glory of the chosen The which is of a certayne infinit dignitie since it is an immedyate frewition of that vnmeasurable good holy and glorious god Wherefore as this frewition is altogether supernaturall we can neuer atteyne therevnto but by supernaturall meanes As thankeful thanksgeuing Fayth Hope Charitie the other gyftes of the holy Ghost And the more perfectly and plenteously that these meanes doo dwel abyde in vs so much the more vehemently we despise all worldly temporal things plainly perceue their vanitie vylenesse doo Yea we doo so much the faster more affectionately more abundaÌ„tly more swyftly vncessantly aspyre go forewards approch or rather runne outryght towards y blessednesse of the heauenly Paradyse habitacion Embrasing executing all the helpe fauour assystance of gods holy spirit more redyly and more chearefully Wherefore let vs be moued by the desire of the felicitie and glory of the â—…lect to performe stoutly and couragiously all thinges that may please god Let vs quickly out of hande forsake the worlde yea lette vs accompt all the fraylties thereof to be as dyrt and doonge For as Augustine dooth well testifie The bewtie of ryghteousnesse and the pleasantnesse of th eternall lyght are such and so greate that although a man myght therein remayne but one onely houre in a daye yet euen for that small space vnnumerable yeares of thys lyfe béeinge full of delyghtes and flowingâ—… with temporall pleasures were worthily to be forsaken and set at naught For in the citiâ—… of God and the kingdom of the elect the lawe is charitie the king is veritie the peace is felicitie and the whoâ—…e course of lyfe is eteruitie Wherefore my welbeloued prepare thy selfe and marke narowly what a great felicitie the blessed inioy and what exceedyng delight it is to see God playnely â–ª and distinctly For the fayrer that any thing is doe we not accompt it also the more delectable to behold it playnly and perfectly Since God then of him selfe is essentially totally and vndescribably fayre holy pure and bright 〈◊〉 or rather the true and infinite beautie the 〈◊〉 substantiall forme the separate eternall perfect simple and vnmyxed comelinesse the chief fountayne originall cause and exemplare shewe of any fayrenesse comelinesse purenesse and clearenesse in all creatures the most beautifull and comely of all other beyond comparison it is therefore moste euydent that to sée and behold him face to face and in his proper person is most delightfull most delectable and moste gloryous excéedyng too too much all other delight and glory more then can be with wordes expressed For the better swéeter and perfecter that any thing is in it selfe the more delightfull and pleasaunt the fruition therof must be But our Lord God being omnipotent onely to bée adored happie and of him selfe most excelent pure vndescribable and incomprehensible goodnesse that infinite swéetenesse that so perfecte Being that whatsoeuer pertayneth to the fulnesse worthinesse and prâ—…heminence of any Being present paste or to come 〈◊〉 néedes agrée and be lyke vnto it in all perfection and excelencie it must néeds follow that the immediate fruition of it should be altogither and in all respects most pleasaunt swéete and delectable For the obtayning whereof all the ioyes honors prayses and prosperities of this worlde are infinitely and with excéedyng lothsomenesse to be dispysed Then consider in such sorte as thou mayest what ioy it would be to sée and behelde the eternall being of his diuyne maiestie How it is and hath bene from the beginning of it selfe made â—…or created by any man nor dependyng of any thing but to it selfe of it selfe by it selfe and in it selfe alwayes sufficient Consider howe much good it would doe thée playnely and face to face to beholde the vndiscribable admyrable and incomprehensible God and in his euer springing wisedome and sapyence to sée and discerne the whole order comelinesse truth and perfection of all the vniuersal world with many other most secrete treasures of gladnesse yea to inioy this vnmeasured goodnesse and treasure and wholly to possesse it And therwith to haue all that may séeme faire amyable or to be desired Agayn to be so excéedingly illustrate with the godly wisdome so abundantly replenished with the diuine goodnesse that all thy capacitie vnderstading and all thy desire might therwith be throughly filled satisfied Yea furthermore consider what excéeding pleasure it would be to taste the swéetnesse of godly peace and tranquilitie to be euen swallowed vp in the loue of thy creator to be transformed into God to be made perfectly lyke vnto him to imbrace him louingly in him selfe in such sorte that thou coulâ—…est not at any tyme be withdrawen or plucked away froÌ„ his sight loue imbrasings to sée perceiue that most blessed vision and inward contemplation of the holy Trinitie the issuing out of the same how the sonne procéedeth from y father and howe the holy ghost procéedeth from them both howe theyr persons are to be worshipped as one in being thrée in subsisting and finally to behold perceyue perfectly their mutuall well pleasing ioye imbrasing loue and glorie For the diuyne and vncreated persons doe mutually loue eche other with an vnmeasurable kynde of loue they beholde eche other with an infinite kynde of delyght they inioye eche other with an vntermynable kynde of swéetenesse and they them selues onely doe fully and comprehensiuely knowe and beholde them selues So that the chosen shall reioyse in them selues at the sight and vision of God in themselues they shall reioyce in the beautye and comelinesse of their heauenly bodies and the bodyes of their corporal creatures and in them selues they shall reioce in the glorification of the bodie and the soule As also without and about them they shall reioyce in the societie of the Angelles and blessed people of god In them shall doubtlesse bee sâ—…ne the true bryghtnesse of the sommers lyght the true
other sprytes worse then himselfe And going in he dwelleth there And the ende of that man is worse then the begynning Also sinnne is fortiâ—…ed to preuayle before the iudgement of reason As Augustine speaking of him selfe doth say More preuayled the encreasing euill then the vncustomed goodnesse Lastly euen the sinner himselfe becoÌ„meth more impotent to ryse And thus behold my welbeloued how many and how vnspeable euill thinges a man doth incurre by sinning And suerly if thou doe not amend thy liefe by reading and knowing these hurts and daungers whiche come by sinne If thou doe not detest and abhorre sinne if thou doe not walke in purenesse of lyfe before God then shalt thou bée vnexcusablely reproued of great faultes by thyne owne vertues And shalt not doe that whiche béecoÌ„meth the naturall goodnesse of thyne excelent wytt For it is apparant by these things how truly Augustine spake in his twelfe booke De ciuitate del saying Synne hurteth nature And by that meanes it is contrary to nature And yet by that vice nature is apparant to be great and lawdable For by what meanes so euer vyce be blamed by the same vndowtedly nature is praysed For the right blaming of vyce is bicause thereby a lawdable nature is dishonested Of the infinite mercy of God. Art. 19. WE haue already spoken many thinges of the enormytie filthynesse and impietie of sinne And it is now thereby made manyfest how vehemently the holy and most highest God is dishonored by sinne and how he hateth and abhorreth the same Therefore least any man should by consideration thereof fall into weakenesse of courage or be broken with disperation or faynt with ouer much sorrow or pyne and wyther away with vndiscrete curyositie We will say somewhat agayne of the incomprehensible and vnmeasurable mercyes of god And therefore as the goodnesse of God is pure infinite and most plentifull so the swéetenesse of his liberalitye and his clemency is altogither vnspeakeable vnlimytable and vnexcogitable Exceding and infinitely passinge all our mallice néede and miserie Yea more then all the waues in the Sea passe a lyttle droppe of water or the great heape of the whole world doth passe incomparabily the least séede that is Let no man therefore dispare by the enormytie of vyces For thereby hée should offer an extreme iniurye to the diuyne mercy And should moste vehemently dishonor the vncreated verytie of the higest god As though Gods goodnesse and clemency which hath promysed forgeuenesse and grace vnto all men how full of iniquitie so euer they be if they doe truely repeÌ„t were lesse then his wickednesse To conclude is not the mercy of the glorious God and he which is onely to be worshipped most infinite who in euery moment doth perceue so many sinnes to be done in this worlde and séeth himselfe to be dishonored dispised and blasphemed so vnspeakeably of so many sinnes and yet doth preserue them in beinge doth vncessantly communicate vnto them the goodes of nature of fortune doth nowrishe them cloth them prouide for theÌ„ yea since according to y which hath bene said before the enormity of sinne is so incoÌ„prehensible euen therin y wonderfull greate and infinite pytie of God doth appere that he euer will vowchesafe to be reconciled or to behold or to receaue into his grace fauour the man with whome hée were but once offended or displeased by sinne And beholde euen those of whome he hath béen so often times offended by such greuous sinnes by whome he hath béen so often contempned set behynde earthly thinges in comparison he doth not onely vouchsafe to receue them vnto forgeuenes grace fauour but often tymes he doth preuent them in vncomprehensible pyetie and doeth happely change their hartes by inward compunaion vnto saluacion taking from them all hardnes of hart And filling them with so much grace and goodnesse that the same doth now most abounde where before iniquitie was most abundant And so of most hatefull enemies they are made most deare acceptable vnto God therfore we must not â—…ispayre for any thing For asmuch as God by his mercy doeth paciently abyde sinners dothe gently revoke them doth dissemble and dyffer reueÌ„ge and punishment doth deliuer them from many and manyfold daungers doth liberally and 〈◊〉 geue them grace doth multiply that which he hath geuen dothe kepe and preserue that which he hath multiplyed and dothe rewarde with heauenly thinges that which he hath kept and preserued To conclude God doeâ—…h ioyfully receue vnto 〈◊〉 the synner which 〈◊〉 vnto him doth mollyfie his hart doth quyckly forgeue the offence which he coÌ„mytted And after forgeuenesse doth neuer remember the iniurie Agayne God of his mercy doth send vs aduersities to proue our patyence withall he geueth vs prosperytie that he may prouoke vs to loue him And by his mercy doth bring agayne vnto himselfe those that goe astraie doth guyde vnto him such as returne doth rayse vp them that fall doth staye and hold vp them that stand and dothe leade vnto glorie all such as doe perseuer in godlynesse Behold how greate and how verye vnspeakeable incomprehensible and vnmesurable the clemencie of our God is especyally vpon his elect And yet let no man sin the bolder by this consideration of the diuyne mercyes presuming most foolishly vpon Gods benignitie For he is accursed which sinneth through hope For the better more méeke and clement that we know God to be so much the more intentyuely we ought to loue him not to dishoner or dispyse him Wherefore betwene desperation and presumption let vs obserue a sapientall meane hoping with feare and fearing with hope And so let vs contynewally be carefully and fearefully conuersant before God. Of those thinges by consideration whereof sinnes be the more effectually auoyded Art. 20. THere are many and almost innumerable thinges whiâ—…h ought to enduce vs vnto the auoyding and esthewing of sinnes Fyrst the consideration of the shortnâ—…sse vanytie vnstablenesse and dysceitfulnesse of this present liefe For what is our lyfe but a smoke most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a moysture fading by little and littell 〈◊〉 our dayes are lyke a shadowe vpon the earth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all How long soeuer our lyfe séemâ—… 〈◊〉 in this world yet in comparyson of the neuer ending lyef which holy Iob sayth Spare me O Lord for my dayes are nothing We sée also with our eyes how many and how innumerable this present liefe doth deceaue Which being delighted ouer darkened and bedect with the rytches delightes and honors of this world doe neglect those things which pertayne to their health and saluation doe neuer couet or desier spirituall good thinges nor doe alwayes and enerie day perpare themselues vnto death And therefore euen as they lyue so doe they make an end And they doe most vnhappely dishonor God whiles they are yet sound and in health so at the tyme of their death they are most iustly of him forsaken dispised and condempned Is it not
then more holsome to contempne this liefe for the loue of that most happy and eternall lief which is to come To abiect all the vanity and impietie therof and to cleaue most faythfully fast vnto that diuyne eternall and vumeasurable goodnesse Behold in this present and most vnstedfast lief we must of necessitie haue regard either to eternal felycity or euerlasting dampnation Chuse then my welbeloued that which thou perceauest to be most holesome for thée And hate eschewe and detest most hartely all kynde of sinnes Secondarily the diligent consideration of death doth not a little preuayle to make vs eschewe and avoyde sinnes which death doth most swyftly and vncessantly approch At which time the vicyous liefe which now delighteth vs shall hanâ—… a most miserable end For then the perverse and wicked which dâ—…e cleaue more and more bent to this world then vnto God shall séeke but truce for one hower And onely their sinnes shall march on with them Thyrdly the consideratioÌ„ of the highest and most rigorous straightnesse of gods 〈◊〉 As to thinke what a horryble thing it shal be strayghtwaies after death to be presented before the trybunall seate of Christ to be of him most iustly iudged to abyde the pronouncynge of sentence to bée accused of the Deuylls and of our owne concience and to be séene and found vicyous before him Also the consideration of the last generall iudgement which is to come in the end of the world Which wil be so terryble as no tonguâ—… is able to conceyue the same Therefore whosoeuer doth déepaly consider how miserable sorowful and horrible a thing it wil be then with body and soule to goe downe into the infernall pitt to fall headlong into euerlasting â—…yer being shutt in the most tenebrous prison of hell there desperately to remayne for euer to haue the most dolorous 〈◊〉 and societie of Deuills and to be there vncessantly tormented more then can be told That man doubtlesse will auoyde and eschewe sinnes Who so euer wil bewayle those whiche hée hath already commytted will kéepe his hart with fearefull watch Fourthly the effectuall consideration of the whole infernall punyshement And therefore if he which is delighted and alured with vanytie of hart or voluptousuesse of the fleshe in this world would rightly wey and consider vnto how great desolacion and eternall payne yea the plenteous fulnesse of all calamyties and miseryes those delightes doe leade him he would vtterly abhorre them and flye froÌ„ them O my most entierly beloued brother would God that these thynges dyd sauour and were vnderstoode of thée as it is méete and right that they should For then thou wouldest most readely dispyse the world For behould who would now lye but the space of one houre in a hott burnyng furnace to gayne all the world thereby Wherfore then doest not thou eschewe daily sinnes For the which so great payne must bée suffered yea much more gréeuous then any punyshement which maye bée geuen in this present liefe But these foule considerations whereof I last spake which with drawe vs from sinne doe principally pertayne vnto foolyshe and vnperfect men Which declyne from vyces rather by feare of euill then by loue of goodnesse Fyftly then the consideration of that highest and incomprehensible heauenly felycity which God will geue to those that for his loue doe eschewe and hate sinnes is of great power to withdraw vs from sinne Synce the hope â—…f reward doth diminish the force and smart of the scourge there can be nothing in this world so painful so laboursom or so hard but y he that doeth rightly and worthily ponder the inexcogitable glorie of that blesseonesse would not readily and willingly indure Sixtly to the same end preuayleth deuout trusâ—…ie often praying â—…s if a man which thinketh coÌ„sidereth that without the abundant grace of God he can not flye from nor 〈◊〉 sinnes doe therefore neuer cease to pray hartely vnto God for grace to liue vertuously For we must as our sauiour sayeth alwayes pray and neuer cease Seuenthly the consideration of the diuyns presence is chiesly auaylable to the eschuing of sinnes by the which god doeth behold and consider vs euery where By which consideration there aryseth in vs a chaste shamefastnesse from doing of any thing that is dishonest Eightly the consideration of his benifits Furthermore it appertayneth vnto theÌ„ which are perfect to auoyde sins chiefly by coÌ„sideration of the diuyne goodnes before whome in sin the frayle goodnesse is preferred Also by consideration of the diuyne maiestie which by deadly sinne is infinitely dishonored Agayne by consideration of the diuyne holinesse and equitie vnto the which sinne is infinitly displeasing And lykewyse by consideration of the diuyne charitie by the which God did first loue vs. Moreouer by the verie loue of vertue and purenesse and the horror of the deformitie of sinne As a vertuous man did affyrme saying Although I knew that God would forgiue 〈◊〉 yet would I not â—…inne sayd hée for the verie disordrednesse thereof It is also written that the generall remedyes 〈◊〉 sinnes are 〈◊〉 these Fyrst patience in pouertie that a man may suffer néedâ—… and penurie in all things quietly and gladly as an Embassador sent by God wâ—…ither it be in food clothing or other necessaries For as the abuÌ„dance of temporal things is the 〈◊〉 of many vyces So pouertie withdraweth from many euils The second is the dispising of worldly men and their pratses yea though thou be in all things contemned reproued and troubled without cause giuen For so is the swelling of pryde repressed and a singular grace obteyned of the Lord. The thirde is a ghostly magnanimitie a stout mastership ouer a mans self without which a man is oftentimes enforced to coÌ„mit such things as wold els displease him to omit those things the which hee would willingly doe It preuayleth much for worldlings in all things to forsake their own wâ—…l The fourth is y eloyning of a man from comfort of worldly affayres By which verie often times the quiet and purenesse of the soule is much hindred The fift of conference with learned vertuous men and the following of their counselles and betwéene God and thy conscience to take an account of thy life passâ—…d doth helpe to ouercome sins and the temptations of the 〈◊〉 for since the diuil is the Prince of darkensse he doth hate flye from the light or the recordation or manifestation of his deceiptes and the humble accusing of a mans own self But the forgetting or kéeping secrete of his wyles hée 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herevpon our sauiour sayeth Euerie man which doth euil hateth the light but hee which dealeth truly commeth to the light that his workes may bee made manifest bycause they are done in god But there are some which are verie naughtely dangerous shamefast 〈◊〉 no will to call to remembrance and examyne their owne consciences of the secretes of their thoughts affections temptations wherby it coÌ„meth to passe
externall desyers For it is of necessitie that the swéetenesse of Chryst Jesus should make sower and vnpleasant the tast of this lyfe These thinges then haue I here sayed to the ende that I maye turne thée my welbeloued from the 〈◊〉 of the worlde and inuyte thée vnto the most sincere and perfect delyghtfulnesse in god Yea that I myght entyse thée vnto the state of perfection and enduce thée to proue howe swéete God is howe pleasant it is to serue hym feruently and famylyarely So that thou mayest not onely béecome a seruaunt but also a frend yea abeloued Soâ—…ne of thy creator and Sauiour For this is more worâ—…hy to be desyred then all this worlde with all the glorye and pompe thereof And I hope that the Lorde GOD wyll graunt thée vnderstanding of all these thinges For I presume not to thynke that this myne exhâ—…rtation will any waye profit thée vnlesse the holy Ghost bée present and geue thée tast thereof and wysdome by his secrete enspiration For it is wrytten The inspiration of the omnypotente doeth geue vnderstandinge and knoweledge The frendship of this world is hateful enemy to god Ther fore whosoeuer coueteth to be frendly vnto this worlde hée shall therby become an enemy vnto god As Augustine well witnesseth that onely loue charytie make distincton betwene the sonnâ—…s of god the sonnes of the Diuill For in the sonnes of god the spirituall diuine loue doth preuayle Wherby they climbe enteÌ„tiuely vnto heaueÌ„ly things And in the sonnes of the diuill the loue of this world yea the pryuate inordynate and wicked lust thereof which vnto godly charite are strong poysoÌ„ doo reigne preuayle altogither The whole text theÌ„ of holy scripturs doth exhort vs vnto the extyrpatioÌ„ rooting vp of this priuate worldly loue As also it encourageth vs to the prositable procéedings in charity the loue of god our neighbor Furthermore that is priuate loue by that which we are turned backe bend to estéeme our selues vitiously That is to say by coueting those things which are profitable delightfull to our nature more then that things which pertayne vnto god As for example riches delights honour prayse and such other worldly vanities But he which doth truely loue him self in god doth coÌ„teÌ„pne throw away all those things as vile abiect I meane the superfluous vse therof I take this worde Contempning or vtter mislyking for the full and extreme Contempning or mislyking that a christian ought to haue thereof But bicause euerie creature of God is good therfore to be loued and we are bidden commaunded to loue â—…ur enimyes and not to contempne any man but our selues according to Esayes wordes Woe bée to thée which dispisest shalt not thou also be dispised Herevpon aryseth a question how it were to be vnderstoode that the holy scriptures doe commaund vs to hate and dispise this world But if you marke my wordes well you shall perceyue that since euerie man which loueth the worlde doeth thereby become an enimie vnto God it falleth out also that the contempt of thys world is of necessitie vnto saluation Wherevpon some curious mynd might inâ—…erre that all secular people which are maryed and therby doe loue eche other should hereby stand in state of condempnation Wherevnto I answere that loue is to be taken diuers wayes as well in Philosophie as also in diuinitie For both Plato Pythagoras did exhort theyr schollers and sects to dispyse the world But to come vnto a more perticuler distinction First the world is taken for the Element of earth or for the whole globe and compasse of this earthly habitatioÌ„ And so it is taken in the Gospell where Christ spake vnto his Apostles saying Goe you out into the whole world and preach the Gospell to all creatures And the Philosophers doe say that the least Starre of the fyrmament is bigger then the whole world Secondarily it is taken for the whole regyon of the Elements and their myxtures Wherevpon it may be that the Apostle sayd The fygure of this world doth passe ouer And to that sence the Prince of Philosophers sayde This world sayeth hée must be adioyning vnto the cources of the higher powers That the whole vertue and power thereof may thereby be gouerned Thirdly the worlde is taken for the whole corporall substaÌ„ce created â–ª And so Plato in his booke de Timaeo doth séeme to bring in the sâ—…nsible world Fourthly the world is taken for the whole vniuersal thing in the which visible and vnuisible separate and materyall substances are comprehended And thereof this text may be ment The world was made by him Yea so also the Philosopher sayeth Nothing is without the world Fiftly by the world is taken for men remayning in thys world or for all mankynd Whervpon it was that the Apostle sayde Let all the whole worlde be subiâ—…cte vnto god And Christ him selfe sayde This Gospell of the kyngdome shall be preached and declared in the whole world Sixtly the world is taken for the chosen and predestinate vnto saluation Whervpon we read So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne c. Seuenthly the world is taken for the peruerse and reprobate Wherevpon our sauiour sayde vnto the Iewes you are of this world But I am not of this world that is to say of the number of vngodly men leading a vayne and worldly lyfe Of which number you are your selues And agayne he sayde vnto his Apostles Bicause you are not of y world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And in this sence the world is most commonly taken in scriptures especially in the Gospell and Epistles of Saint Iohn And last of all a father of the Church which hath written a treatise of the vanitie of this world doeth take this word The world for the changeablenesse of mans conuersation in this lyfe Since then the holy scriptures doe bid the worlde to be contempned and hated according to that saying Loue you not the world nor those which are therein Therefore by this word The world we must vnderstand worldly and vayne creatures bent vnto transitorie and not vnto heauenly things Yea and there with must we comprehend earthly substance and such thinges as the worldlings doe most accoumpt as temporal prosperitie carnal delights to be praysed and honoured and to become rich and clyme alofte For all these sensible and temporall things are to bée contempned and hated Not as touching their verie beyng but bicause they hynder and stoppe vs in the way and foreslow our iourney vnto the heauenly kingdome And we must contempâ—…e and hate them least we doe cleaue and stick fast in the myre of them As they doe which sette theyr chiefe end and felicytie in frayle and transitorie things séekyng louyng wyshing and desiryng them more then they doe God. Therefore whensoeuer wée sée any man to prosper excéedingly in this world and to