reasonings For faith and loue in his holy and most excellent sacrament surmoūt worke high in secret manner aboue al reason O the eternall God and Lord of infinit power doth great things in Heauen and in Earth that may not be searched For if the works of God were such that they might be lightly vnderstanded by mans reason they were not so marueilous so inestimable as they bée A tripled reason shortly and particularly yeelded of some decay of Christian duty obserued in xii sundry states or degrees of persons First why be there many children not truely obedient to their parents One cause may bee for that the parents themselues be not only not giuen to obey the wil of God and the counsaile of the holy Ghost in his Church who is the spirituall Parent and Nurse of the faithfull but are rather enclined to follow their owne fancy fleshly delight which are the nurs and wel-spring of the greatest diobedience Secondly because they bée negligent in giuing sound godly instruction with needfull example of kindly loue Thirdly because it is the iust iudgement of God that men many times be annoied or punished in the same manner that themselues offēded Why be there so few parents that tender the soules health of their children before worldly wealth First neglecting the bond of nature which ought to bée of more force than the law of friendship they fall too short of the duety of common christiā charity so as that which they should seeke and vouchsafe to any christian brother be he neuer so much a stranger they omit euen to their owne children at home An other cause is for that they who haue so much delighted in fleshly and earthly things haue so litle taste and sauouring of ghostly spirirituall thinges that they are more ready for to séeke anye worldly commodity then to procure them purged and stripped of vice much lesse to be clad inriched with vertue and goods of grace Thirdly for that they consider not the dignity of the soule and but superficially or negligently regard the iustice of God in rewarding of vertue and punishing of vice And this through want of faith Then how happeneth it that there are so fewe Christians found faithfull in the truth sith the faith of Iesus Christ is most holye and true This may come of presumption and blindnesse of minde wrought by the spirit of errour as when some presume ouer much that because god hath created vs to saluation therefore we can not be damned and because he hath redeemed vs with his precious bloud therefore we can not but be saued Likewise some do presume of their good workes and others of onely faith An other cause is for that they do not duely regard the wholesome precepts counsailes of our Sauiour in his word Also want of deuotion in the sacraments which our Sauiour left vnto his people for their Spirituall health comfort and remedy when they delight in base and vile things refusing that which is excellent and eternall VVhy be ther so few conuerted to godly life by true penance or repentance The greatnesse and ouermuch heaping of their sinnes is the cause that they doe not féel the waight and gréeuousnesse of them no more then he that is oppressed with sicknes wotteth where hée hath most neede to be cured Moreouer an euil custome wil hardly be lefte vile and filthy delectatiōs which haue beene so long sweet wil not yet become sower without crosse and affliction Obstinacy of minde and a purpose to perseuere in the former delighted sinnes wil not be expressed or remoued by threatninges preaching nor good counsaile VVhy doth there follow so litle fruit of preaching Because of some imperfections in Preachers some preaching for vain-glory to shew their eloquence get praise of men some to spread their singular conceit and opinion and few that preach simply for the honor of God and true health of soules sealing their words with example of their owne good workes Secondarily through default of the hearers who either are indurate by light regarde and lacke of grace or else distracted by diuersity or contrariety of doctrine Thirdly for the electes sake that hereby they may know themselues aduanced vnto the height of grace and glorie when they sée others cast off by their fault or neggligence Why bee there so fewe counted good and virtuous men among them that bee learned First because of a corrupt and false intent which they haue in their study which is not to the end of vertue but for liuing and worldly worships sake Also because of pride and swelling of minde or otherwise because of a naughtie affection which many haue in earthly fleshly things whereby they are not giuen to deuout praier and seruice of God bt rather becom vnmindefull of the ende of learning and true wisedome VVherefore in time past were not the greatest part of Cleargye-men counted good and vertuous seeing they were hired vnto vertue as others be to their labour For that perhaps they tooke not their order of a pure intention and with due preparation to receiue the gifts of the holy Ghost Secondly because some attended more to the cares and affairs of the world and following the appetites of the flesh then to the charge and dignity of their sacred vocation Thirdly for that percase there did want in them the true loue of GOD and their neighbour and ouer that an earnest purpose to fast and pray to saue soules of their owne charge which Christe hath redeemed to be saued Howe commeth it that there were so fewe wealthy and great men found to be vertuous or of worthy valure One cause was for that they thought themselues enobled and made worthy of honour or great worship by the vertue and valure of their olde anccestors Also for that it was not duly considered that Nobility was ordained chiefly for the honour of God and common vtility of his people whome they ought not to gréeue or oppresse with hard rents and fines or other cruel and vngentle dealing Also because of taking ouer-much pleasure in voluptuousnes and other vices wanton vanities wherein their great riches was most bestowed which many times they might haue better employed for the health of their soules the benefite of their common wealth and reléeuing of their néedy neighbor Why bee there so fewe true labourers crafts-men and seruants One cause is for that they séek not the kingdom of heauen but rather which waye they may make to themselues best wages at the wéeke or yeares end Also for that they consider not the dignity of the soule nor dread the iustice of God Thirdly because they sée and perceiue in a maner all other degrées faulty in their calling so as they being of the most inferior degrée can deriue litle good example from their better and superiors to draw and encourage them vnto the iust performing of their duety Or else because of a certain liberty taken of conscience when all accounts be so long deferred which maketh almost that all Maisters Mistresses Magistrates doe at this hour find their own feathers in their own wounds VVhy bee there so fewe good men of Marchaunts Because in their trade and trafficke they feare not to offend God by lying deceitfulnes and breaking the holines of the Sabaoth Also if good conscience be once wrecked or laide aside sinne is made but a light and ordinary matter Lastly for that their mind and loue is not vppon God nor care they for these spiritual things but rather to bée satisfied in carnality sensuality and couetousnes of gain VVhy bee there so fewe widowes that be chaste and vertuous women For that whiles they were married they liued carnally without any deuout mind or ghostly care Secondarily because they loued serued and obeyed the will and liking of their husbandes better then God Thirdly for that they giue not themselues to the obseruing and performing of widdowes duty in fasting praier almes sole or sober conuersation litle remembring or considering their sorrows past in the wretchednesse and miserie of Eue. VVhy bee there so fewe maydes that seeke and desire to continue in their virginity One cause is for that they litle know nor are of capacity to consider the dignity of that state Then for that they doe not giue themselues to resist carnall desires nor doe helpe or fortify their weakenes with fasting praier inuocation Also for that they doe not marke by what causes they may be comforted and incouraged therein sith they are honoured by nature and by the worthiest amongst men they are honored in scripture and preferred in grace and glory Wherefore in sundry parts of Christendome the maide of knowen honest and vertuous life when she dieth shée hath for her a hearse of blacke placed in the Quire with a guilt coronet set thervpon as an honour vnto the state encouragement to the followers and a signe of the hundred-folde fruite worthy of a Crowne The Conclusion TO conclude that thou hast perhaps these many yeares neglected the due account and sorrowing for thy sinnes here hast found proofe of thy great fault and testimony of thy folly The obstinate sinner perseuering in his custome may read here the description and calender of his conscience he that by his office or vocation hath pleadged the price of his owne bloud for the safety and conduct of others may perceiue hereby if he be not too much blinded with worldly respect how busie a toil pertayneth to the discharge clearing of himselfe O subtiltie vnsound that deceueth in thy selfe thine owne soule O folly most filthy that fighteth against thy proper health and happines No dallying with holy or ghostly thinges God will not bee mocked If heauen might be had with continuall following the desires of the flesh then the wisedom and carefull regard of the holy fathers was méere folly their straightnes of life vain and like lost labour Sero sapiunt Phryges but let vs remember our selues in time proclayming and practising with the conuerted Niniuites Sackcloth dust and ashes FINIS I. N. LONDON Printed by Iohn VVolfe 1591.
god Let vs begin to loue good cogitations and forthwith God will vouchsafe to deliuer vs frō those that be euil Questions and aduertisements about sin and repentance or Penitence What is sinne There are two latin words for it peccatum and delictum peccatum is the sinne when wée doe offend by disobeying the commandements of god delictum is the sin when wee leaue a good worke vndone which we ought to doe but these words are almost growen out of difference An other definition of sinne Fol. 19. Aug. cont Faust. lib. 2. cap. 22. Sinne is a frée will to retaine and obtaine that which Law and Iustice hath forbiddē From the will therefore floweth the beginning of sin and from thence the beginning of euil namely the transgressiō of the iust commandements of God or the punishment according to the iust iudgements thereof How many sortes of sins are there Thrée Sins of infirmity of ignorance and of malice sinnes of infirmity are cōtrary to power and by attribution to the father Sins of ignoraunce to wisedome and contrary to the Sonne Sins of malice to loue and by attribution are contrarye to the holy Ghost De ver fals penit There is no sinne so small that groweth not ouer strōg by negligence De conf lib. 1. cap. 7. Who shall put me in remembraunce of the sinnes of my childehoode for none are cleane from sin in thy sight no not so much as the childe of one day olde And a little after The weakenesse of infantes members is innocent before GOD but not their soules Feare therefore to commit sinne for he that loueth sin shal fal into a death where he could not fall into it if he did not delight in sin Which be the sinnes crying before God for vengeance and punishment Manslaughter sin against nature Oppression of the poore fatherles and widdowes with holding of laborers wages and debtes due to poore men Which be the sinnes that bring forth other sinnes Prouocation counsailing commending permission assisting participation consenting Which be the circumstances augmenting sin Time knowledge order age state number perseuering dignity place manner small resisting How is sin auoided By eschewing the occasion thereof which oftentimes is found to bee through company meats drinkes apparell beholding c. What remedy to put away sin committed Repentance which is an inward contrition of heart for sinne committed with amendement of life intended What effects be there of repentance It maketh Angels glad it iustifieth wicked persons it doth call againe the goodnes lost and draweth mankinde to euerlasting life Which be the parts pertayning to repentance Hope of forgiuenesse inward sorrowing or contrition of hart acknowledging of the fault and a purpose to forsake sinne How should a man beginne Repentance First in thy chamber or other secrete place be busily thinking with thy selfe how manifoldly how wickedly thou hast sinned whether in déed spéech cōsent or will and then what good déedes thou hast left vndone which to thée pertained to doe Thy sinnes particularly called to remembrance with the greatnes enormity and filthinesse of them it behooueth to aske God forgiuenes with all humility and hope to bee forgiuen wholy trusting in the merits of our only Sauiour and Redéemer the great benefite and vertue of whose merites are applied vnto the sickenes and wounds of our souls by his ghostly phisicke of Penitence and the godly actions and perfourmance therof which is like to proue the more fruitefull and effectuall if it bee ioyned with these thinges following First faith which is a firme beleeuing that God will vndoubtedly perform that that he promiseth or threatneth Secondly hope of obtayning forgiuenesse Thirdly confidence and trust had in Christs merits of his bloudsheadding and passion whereof our penitēce for sin maketh vs partakers Fourthly submission and accusing of our selues Fiftly the loue of God for which all sin is to be abhorred and all obedient seruice of our part to bee performed Meanes to kindle and stirre vp that loue are these First the knowing of our selues by considering our basens vilenes infirmity The consideration of the mightinesse and greatnes of God against whom we dared to offend The regard and dread of displeasure and terror of the last iudgement when al shal be rewarded according vnto their workes or desertes The reuoluing reckoning and remembring of our sins and wicked or filthy desires The calling to minde of Gods vndeserued benefites bestowed on vs his vnprofitable vnworthy seruantes To helpe vs the better to call our sins to mind these fewe circumstances may serue The calling to mind how long time hath passed since we performed the workes parts of penitence last before this in such sort as we ought to do The estate of our degrée and calling by reason wherof our sinne may be the more grieuous or wee the more touched or punished for the transgressions of others The vocations which we haue bestowed our time in The places wher we haue liued accompanied or béene conuersant The persons whose felowshippe or dealinges we haue medled with Why is confession of sins so needefull as prayer Because confession prepareth and maketh vs more méete to pray and more likely to be heard The holy man Dauid had euer recourse to confession and penitence Psa. Dixi confitebor c. I haue said I wil confesse mine iniquities to the accusing of my selfe Prou. 28. He that hideth his offences shal not prosper but hee that shall confesse them and forsake them shal obtaine mercy Who is like neuer to be forgiuen Hee that forgiueth not others And he that wil not to his power restore again such goodes or thinges as he hath taken or gotten into his hand wrongfully from others by stealth robbery fraude subtilty or otherwise iniuriously How proue you that The testimony of the Pater noster or Lordes praier may be brought for the first viz. Good Lord forgiue vs euen as wee forgiue others And for the other S. Augustines wordes may stande for witnesse to confirme it where he saith Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum The sinne is not forgiuen vnles the thing taken away be restored How a man ought to examine his owne conscience and to confesse his sins priuatly to God First looke into your selfe your behauior and vsage and sée by how many waies and meanes you haue offended God in the sin of pride whether it be of a hie presumptuous vaine-glorious or arrogant minde or else in your apparell beauty eloquence riches great liuelyhood faire building office or other temporall or naturall gifts And according to that which you shall find your selfe an offender in to be heartily contrite and inwardly sorrowful cōfessing acknowledging and accusing your selfe thereof Most humbly crauing pardon and forgiuenes with an vnfained purpose to amend and become humble as a denier of your selfe Also how much and how diuersely you haue sinned in enuy against others because they bee better estéemed or commended then you or liue in
not to be blamed if it be wel ordered for it is good and commeth of God but a cleane conscience and a vertuous life is much better more to bee desired O if ye could bee as busie to auoide sin and to plant vertue in our soules as we be to moue questions At the daie of iudgement it shall not bée asked of vs what we haue read but what we haue don not how well we haue sayd but how religiously we haue liued Tell mée now where be all the great Clarkes and famous Doctors who flourished while they liued Now other men occupie their promotions and dignities who thinke full little of them He is great that hath great charity and he that is litle in his owne sight and that setteth at naught great things And hée is well taught that forsaketh his owne will and followeth the will of God Behold the perfection of the life and religion of the ancient fathers and you shall sée how little it is that we do in comparison of them They serued our Lord in hunger thirst in heate cold in nakednes in labour in vigils fasting in praiers holy meditations in persecutions many reproches they refused honours and bodily pleasures that they might haue the euerlasting life how straight and abiect a life leade they in wildernesse How grieuous temptations suffered they What rigorous abstinence vsed they How great zeale feruour had they to spirituall profite How strong battel 's held they against sinne On the day they laboured on the night they praied And for the great swéetnes that they had in heauenly contemplation they forgot oft times their bodily refection all riches honor dignities they renounced for the loue of God Now a daies he is counted vertuous that is no offender and that may with patience kéep some litle sparke of that vertue and fauour which hée had first Another note concerning the paine ordained for sinne IT is better now to purge sin and to put away vice than reserue it to be purged héereafter what shal the fire or torment deuoure but thy sin Truly nothing Therefore the more thou sparest thy selfe now and the more thou followest thy fleshly liking the more grieuously shalt thou waile hereafter In such things as a man most hath offended shall he be most punished The slouthful persons shall bée there pricked with burning prickes of yron and gluttons shall bée tormented with great hunger thirst the lecherous and louers of voluptuous pleasures shal be filled with burning pitch and the enuious shall waile and houle as doe madde dogges there shall no sinne be without his proper torment the proud man shall bee filled full with all shame confusion the couetous shall bée pined with all penurie néede one houre there in paine shall bée more grieuous than here an hundred yeres in the sharpest penance then shall hée stand as a iudge that here submitted himselfe méekly vnto the iudgement of man then shall the méeke poore man haue great confidence and trust in God and the obstinate proud man shall quake and dreade thē euerie deuout person shal be ioyfull glad and then irreligious persons shall waile and dread then shall the vile habit shine cléere in the sight of God the precious garments shall wax foule lothsome to behold then the despising of worldly goods shall bée more of value than all worldly riches and treasure then shalt thou haue more comfort for thy deuout praying than for all thy delicate féeding then shall it please more a strait life and hard penance here than all worldly delectation pleasure Learn therefore now to suffer the small tribulations in this world that thou maist then be deliuered from the greater ordained for sin First proue here what thou maist suffer héereafter and if thou maist not now suffer so little paine how shalt thou thē suffer the euerlasting torments thou maist not haue two heauens that is to saie to haue ioy delectation here after with Christ. Moreouer if thou hadst liued alwaies in honor or in temporal felicitie what should it profite thée dying now He that loueth God dreadeth neither tormēt nor death a perfect loue maketh a sure passage to God But if a man yet delight in sinne it is no merualle if hée dreade death and hell A third fruitfull note concerning curious searching in matters of faith specially about the holy Eucharist THou must beware of a curious and an vnprofifitable searching of this most profound sacrament if thou wilt not bee drowned in the great depth of doubtfulnes for he that is the searcher of Gods maiestie shal be thrust out of glorie God is of power to worke much more than man may vnderstand neuertheles a méek humble searching of the truth readie alway to be taught to walke after the teachings of holy fathers is sufrable Blessed is the simplicitie that doth leaue the waie of hard questions goeth in the plaine and stedfast way of the commandements of God many haue lost their deuotion because they would search higher things than pertaine to them Faith and a good life is asked of thée and not the highnes of vnderstanding nor the déepnes of the mysteries of God If thou may not vnderstand nor take such things as be within thée how maist thou then comprehend those things that bée aboue thée Submit thy selfe therfore méekly to God and submit also thy reason vnto faith and the light of knowledge true vnderstanding shal be giuen thée as shall bée most profitable necessarie for there be some that be griuously tempted of the Faith and of this Sacrament but that is not to be imputed to them but rather to the enemie Therefore care not for him nor dispute not with thoughts nor answer to the doubts which thine enimie shall laie to thée but beléeue the wordes of God and beléeue the Saintes and Prophets the wicked enimie shall anone flie awaie from thée And it is oft times much profitable that the seruants of God should féele sustaine such doubtes for their more proofe and commonly the enemy tempteth not vnfaithful people and sinners whom he hath sure possession of but he tempteth vexeth in diuers manners the faithfull deuout persons Goe therefore with a pure and vndouted faith and with an humble reuerence procéed to this sacrament and whatsoeuer thou canst not vnderstand commit it faithfully to God for God wil not deceiue thée but he shall be deceiued that trusteth ouer-much to himselfe God walketh with the simple persons hée openeth himselfe and sheweth him to méeke persons he giueth vnderstanding vnto them which are poore in spirit he openeth his will vnto pure and cleane mindes and hideth his grace from them that bée curious and proude Mans reason is féeble and weak and soone he may be deceiued but faith is stable and true cannot bée deceiued Therefore all reason and all natural working must followe Faith without further