if God doth but a little draw backe his hand thou necessarily commest to naught how is it possible that thou darest prouoke to wrath that Diuine Maiestie which sustaineth thee euen in that same time wherein thou offendest him For as Dionisius sayth the vertue and goodnes of the chiefest Good is so excellent that the creatures when they are immorigerous and disobedient doe receaue of his immeasurable vertue the Being and Ability by which they striue and strugle against him that they may both Be and be able to repugne him Which seeing that it is so how darest thou offend with thy members and sences that Lord who preserueth thee O great blindnes ô intollerable rebellion Who euer saw so impudent a conspiracy The members doe rise against the head of which their life and death dependeth The day will come when this iniury shall be manifestēd and the complaints of the diuine honor shal be heard Haue yee conspired against God It is equall and right that the vniuerse of the whole world shold likewise conspire against you and that God should arme euery creature to the reuenge of that iniury and that all the whole circumference of the earth should warre against the ingratefull and those that will not acknowledge this benefit For it is meete that they that would not open their eyes whilst they had time and were inuited of so great a multitude of diuine benefits I say that is meete that their eyes shold be opened by the multitude of torments which neuer shall haue end But what will be done if to these aforesayd we set before thee the plentifull rich and aboundant table of this world which the Lord hath created for thine vse Whatsoeuer is found vnder the cope of heauen is eyther for the vse of man or for the vse of that thing which attendeth and wayteth vpon man for if man be not fed as I may so say with flies that flye in the ayre yet he is fed with those birds which are fed with these flies and if hee eate not grasse and wild hearbs yet he eateth the beasts of diuers sorts and kinds which are nourished with these hearbs Cast and cast againe thine eyes vpon euery corner of the world and thou shalt see how spacious and large the bounds and limits of thy riches are and how plentifull and affluent is thine inheritance Euery thing that goeth vpon the earth that swimmeth in the water that flyeth through the ayre that shineth in heauen is thine But all these benefits are of God and the works of his prouidence are the glasses of his beauty and testimonies of his mercy the sparks of his loue and the reports and prayses of his liberality See how many Preachers God sendeth vnto thee that thou mayst know him All things that are in heauen and in earth sayth Saint Augustine doe tell me that I should loue thee ô my Lord and they doe not cease to make the same proclamation to all men that no man can be excused If thou hast eares that thou canst vnderstand the voyces of the creatures thou shalt perceaue manifestly how they all together teach thee that thou shouldest loue God For all they in holding their peace cry that they were made for thy seruice that thou as well for thy selfe as for them mightest serue both thy Lord theirs Heauen sayth I doe minister vnto thee by day the light of the Sunne and by night the benefit of the Moone and starres that thou shouldest not walke in darknes and I doe giue and send vnto thee diuers influences that diuers things may encrease and breed with thee that thou mayst not perish thtough hunger The ayre sayth I doe apply my selfe vnto thee that thou mayst breathe in me I doe coole and refresh thee I doe temper and moderate thine internall heate least it consume thee I haue in me diuers kinds of birds that by their variety and beauty thine eyes may be delighted thine eares with their singing pleased and thy pallate by their tast contented and satisfied The water sayth I do serue thee in the appoynted times of the yeere with my rayne and showers I doe refresh comfort thee with my riuers and springs I doe bring forth nourish diuers kinds of fishes that they may be meate for thee I doe water thy sowing thy gardens fruitfull trees that thou mayst be nourished with them all I doe giue thee way through the midst of the Sea that thou maist traffique with the whole world and that it may be at thy pleasure to ioyne thy riches with the wealth of another Hemispheare What thinkest thou that the earth will say which is the common mother of vs all as it were the shop and ware-house of all naturall things Truly it will say not without reason I doe beare thee as an vnprofitable lump I thy mother doe carry thee as it were in mine armes I doe prouide thee of necessaries I doe sustaine thee with the fruits of my bowels I haue participatinn communion with all the other elements with all the heauens and I doe pertake of all theyr influences and I doe fruitfully yeeld and giue thee all my benefits To conclude I like a good mother neyther leaue thee in life nor death for in lyfe I doe suffer thee to tread vpon mee with thy feete and doe sustaine and beare thee vp and in death I yeeld thee a place of quiet and rest and I doe hide and enclose thee within my wombe What neede I many words All the world doth cry with a loud voyce Behold with what great loue my Lord and Creator doth affect thee who created me for the loue of thee and willed that I should serue thee for him that thou in like manner shouldest loue and serue him who created me for thee and thee for himselfe These are ô man the voyces of all the creatures marke and giue eare now that there can be no such wicked deafenes as to heare these voyces and to be ingratefull for so great benefits If thou hast receaued a benefit pay thy debt by thankfulnes least thou be plagued vvith the punishment of ingratefull persons For euery one of the creatures as very well sayth a certayne Doctour doe speake to and call vpon man with three words Receaue Render Beware that is receaue a benefit render thy debt and beware of punishment if thou doest not render it But that thou mayst more feruently meditate think vpon these things consider how Epictetus a Philosopher of whom we haue made mention before came to the knowledge of this Diuinity who willeth that in all things created we shold heare and see our Creator saying When the Crow doth crooke and doth fore-shew any change of weather it is not the Crow that doth fore-shew this to thee but God himselfe And if by mans voyce thou be admonished of any thing is it not in like manner God who created man and gaue vnto him power and
doest thou promise that thou thy selfe wilt performe it This question is aunswerrd by the words of Augustine who sayth Lord giue that thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt So that he be the same vvho commaundeth me what I ought to doe and he that giueth me grace to doe it Therfore in one and the selfe same thing both the commaundement and the promise are found and God and man doe one and the selfe same thing he as the principall and chiefest cause but man as a cause lesse principall So that God in this busines carrieth himselfe to man as a Paynter who guideth the pencill in the hand of his Scholler and so maketh a perfect picture two perfit this worke but more honour belongeth to the one then to the other So also God worketh with vs in this busines after an absolute manner man hath not wherein to glory but to glory with the Prophet and say Lord thou workest all our works in vs. Therefore be thou mindfull of these words for by them thou mayst interpret all the commaundements of God For all that he commaundeth thee to doe he promiseth also that he will doe it with thee When as therfore he commaundeth thee to circumcise thine hart he sayth also that he will circumcise it so when he commaundeth thee that thou shouldest loue him aboue all things he bestoweth grace vpon thee that thou mayst be able so to loue him Hence it is that the yoke of the Lord is sayd to be sweete For there be two that draw it God man and so that which seemed and was difficult vnto nature the Diuine grace doth make it light and sweet Wherefore the Prophet after the fore-sayd words doth proceede further and say This commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not hid from thee neyther is it farre of It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp for vs to heauen and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it Neyther is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall goe ouer the Sea for vs and bring it us and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it But the word is very neere vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thine hart for to doe it In which words the holy Prophet would altogether take away that difficulty which carnall men imagine to be in the precepts of the Lord for they onely looking to the law of the Lord without the Gospell that is to those things that are commaunded and not to the grace which is giuen to obey and walk in those commaundements they accuse the law of difficulty saying that it is greeuous heauy difficult not considering that they expresly contradict Saint Iohn who sayth For this is the loue of God that we keepe his commaundements his commaundements are not greeuous for all that is borne of God ouercommeth the world That is all they that haue conceaued the spyrit of God in their soules by meanes of whom they are regenerated and made his sonnes whose spirit they haue receaued all these haue God in them who dwelleth in them by grace and they can doe more then all that that is not God and so neyther the world nor the deuill nor all the power of hell can hurt them And here-vpon it followeth that although the yoke of Gods commaundements be heauy and burthenous yet that newe strength and fortitude which is giuen by grace doth make it light and tollerable ¶ How Charity also maketh the way easie and pleasant which leadeth vnto heauen WHat wilt thou think if to all these precedent another help be ioyned which is deriued in vs from Charity For it is certaine that it is one of the most principall conditions of Charity to make the yoke of the Diuine law most sweet Wherfore as Saint Augustine sayth by no manner of meanes the labours of louers are burthenous or combersome but are delightfull and pleasurable as the labours of Hunters Fowlers and Fishers For in that which is loued eyther there is no labour or the labour is loued And in another place He that loueth sayth he laboureth not For all labour is contrary vnto them that doe not loue It is onely loue that blusheth at the name of difficulty What is it that maketh that a mother doth not feele the continuall labours and troubles which she hath in bringing vp her children but onely loue What is it that maketh an honest and a good vvife to attend night and day vpon her weake and sickly husband but onely loue What doth moue beasts also that they are so carefull to bring vp and foster their young ones and to giue them meate from their owne mouthes that theyr yong may haue to eate what doth moue them I say so to trouble and torment themselues that they may liue safely and what doth moue them so strongly to defend them endangering their owne lifes but true loue What is the cause why Saint Paule sayd with so magnanimous a spirit Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuertheles in all these things we are more then conquerers through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. What is the cause why the holy Martyrs of Christ so feruently desired martirdome as the hart desireth the water brookes but true loue What is the cause why Saint Lawrence lying vpon the Gridiron in the midst of his torments sayde cheerefully that the flames did comfort and refresh his limbs but that great desire by which he longed for martirdom which was kindled with the flames of this loue For true loue thinketh nothing hard nothing bitter nothing greeuous nothing deadly as Petrus Rauennas sayth What sword what wounds what paynes what death can preuaile against perfect and true loue Loue is an impenetrable coate offence it resisteth darts it beateth backe the sword it tryumpheth ouer dangers it scorneth death if it be loue it ouercommeth all things Therefore ô man loue God loue him wholy that thou mayst ouercome and subdue all sinnes without labour The warre is pleasant and the combat delicate onely by loue to carry the victory ouer all crimes and vices This sayth he Neyther is true loue content if it conquer all labours and troubles but the very nature of loue desireth to sustaine moe labours and troubles for his sake whom it affecteth Hence ariseth that ardent desire of martyrdome which righteous and truly religious men haue that is to shed and poure forth
before of vs the power and force of the cause is knowne by the effects and work and by the power force the Essence is knowne What maner of power shall it be from whence so great a worke proceeded and if this power be such and so great what an one and howe incomprehensible is that Essence which is knowne by that power This contemplation without all doubt doth farre exceed all humane reach In this we must further consider that all these excellent and great workes not onely as they are but as they might haue beene are as though they were not in the viewe of that diuine power yea after an infinite manner they are lesser for that is infinitely greater to which this power doth extend it selfe Who then will not be astonished considering of the greatnes of such an Essence and of such a power which although a man cannot see with his externall eyes yet he may make a most certaine coniecture and gather of the foresaid reason how great it is how incomprehensible This wonderfull immensitie of God that great Schooleman Thomas Aquinas doth show in his Breuiarie of Diuinitie by this example We see sayth he in things corporall that by how much any thing is more excellent by so much also it is greater in quantitie for we see that the element of the water is greater then the earth and the ayre greater then the water and the fire then the ayre furthermore the first or lowest heauen is greater then the element of fire the second heauen greater thē the first and the third then the second and after the same manner by ascending euen to the tenth Spheare yea euen to that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares whose greatnes is incomparable That any one may plainly see if he haue any consideration how little the Globe and roundnes of the earth and water be if they be compared with the heauens The Astrologers also say that the whole circumference of the earth and water are but as a pricke or a poynt in comparison of heauen which they proue manifestly by their demonstrations For although the circle of the heauen be deuided into the twelue signes of the Zodiacke through which once in a yeere the Sun doth runne yet in eyther Horizon onely sixe are seene for the bignes and standing of the earth dooth take vp and possesse no more place of heauen then a leafe of paper or a tablet will being placed and sette in the Center of the world from whence the compasse of the heauen may be seene without let or impediment Seeing therefore that that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares which is the chiefest and the noblest body of the world is of such an inestimable magnitude aboue all bodies we may easily vnderstand sayth Thomas how God who is without any circumscription the chiefest greatest and best of all things as well of things corporall as spirituall who also is the maker of them ought must exceed all things with a certaine infinite magnitude not in quantitie for he is no body but in excellencie and noblenesse of his most perfect Essence But that we may returne from whence we are digressed after the same manner we may search in all other things how great and of what condition be the magnitudes perfections of this Lord. For it is necessary that they be such as his Essence is Ecclesiasticus confesseth that where he speaketh of Gods mercy According to his greatnes saith he so is his mercy of such sort are all the rest of his perfections Such is his goodnes such is his benignitie maiestie gentlenes wisedome sweetnes noblenes beautie omnipotencie and to be briefe such is his iustice He therefore is infinitely good infinitely sweet infinitely amiable and woorthy whom all creatures should obey feare and reuerence insomuch that if mans hart could containe infinite loue and feare and infinite obedience and reuerence all that should be obliged by the bond and rule of iustice to the dignitie and excellencie of this Lord. For if as euery one is more worthy more excellent so greater reuerence is due vnto him it followeth that seeing the excellencie of God is so infinite that also infinite reuerence is due vnto him Heereupon is inferred that all that which is wanting to our loue and reuerence whereby we doe not come to that measure is therefore wanting because it is indebted to a dignitie of such greatnesse Which thing seeing it is so how great I pray thee is that debt which this onelie title although there were no other doth request of vs in the loue obedience of this Lord What I pray thee will he loue who doth not loue so great a goodnesse What will hee feare who doth not feare so great a Maiestie Whom will hee serue who will not attend vpon such a Lord For what is thy will made if not to loue and embrace that which is good If then he be the chiefest good what is the cause that our will doth not loue embrace him aboue all that is called God And if it bee so heynous an euill not to loue or feare his Lord aboue all things what wil it be not to esteeme or regard him Who would haue euer supposed that the malice of man would haue come to so great impietie Neuerthelesse to that height of peruersitie they are come that for a little beastly pleasure or for a little honour or for a small gaine and filthy lucre doe offend and contemne so great a goodnesse O blindnes to be deplored ô insensiblenes more then bestiall ô deuillish rashnes and presumption What doth not he deserue who dareth such things with what punishment with what kind of torture shall the contempt of so great a maiestie be worthily satisfied It is certaine that it shall be punished with no lesser torment then that which is prepared for such an offence that is that whosoeuer hee be that contemneth God shall be tormented in hell fire euerlastingly and yet neither shall he worthily be punished This then is the first Title which bindeth vs to the loue and seruice of this Lord which bond is so great that all bonds by which by any manner of meanes in thys world we are bound to any person eyther for his excellency or for his perfection are vnworthy the name of bonds if they be compared with this For euen as the perfections of all other things being compared with the diuine are no perfections so neither the bonds which by reason of their perfections and excellencies are named such are bonds beeing compared with this as neyther all the offences made onely to the creatures cannot be called offences if they be compared to them by which the Creator himselfe is offended For which cause Dauid also in that paenitentiall Psalme sayth that he had offended the Lord onely and onely sinned against him albeit he had offended most grieuously against Vrias whō he had commaunded to be slaine being innocent and against
me thou didst fast thou didst watch thou didst run hether thether thou didst sweat thou didst weepe and thou didst proue by experience those miseries which my sinnes deserued and yet thou wast without any sinne neyther was there guile found in thy mouth neyther hadst thou offended but wast offended To be briefe for me thou wast taken forsaken of thine denied sold presented now before this Iudge now before that falsely accused before them beaten with fists spette vpon mocked whypped crowned with thornes reuiled with blasphemies hanged vpon the Crosse dead and buried At the length thou didst free me from all euill dying vpon the Crosse and ending thy life thy mother looking on at which time thou wast found in so great neede and misery that in that thine intollerable thirst a small drop of water was denied vnto thee by which thou mightest refresh and coole the heate of thy mouth Not onely thou wast forsaken of all externall things but also of thine owne Father What is worthy of greater admiration then that the God of so great a maiestie should end his lyfe vpon the cursed tree of the Crosse with the title of a malefactour When any man yea of meane estate commeth to that misfortune that he is to be punished with like death for his offence and fault and thou by chaunce dost know him seeing his countenaunce thou canst not sufficiently wonder considering into what an vnhappy estate his misery hath cast hym that hee must vnder-goe a death so cruell and ignominous Wherefore if it be an admirable thing to see a common man of inferiour degree to be compassed with so miserable calamitie what will it be to see not a man but the Lord of all creatures to be so plunged Can a thing be seene with greater admiration then God himselfe to be brought into so great misery for the offences of one malefactour And if by how much the person is more worthy and more noble who is slaine by so much hys case is more admirable and more miserable O yee Angels to whom the height and excellencie of this Lord is so perfectlie knowne vnderstood tel me what was your griefe and discruciatement What was your admiration astonishment when ye saw him hanging vpon the tree The Cherubins whom God in the old Testament commaunded to be placed at the two ends of the Arke of the Couenant theyr faces beeing turned one to another towards the Mercie-seate as though they beheld it admiring wondering doe signifie vnto vs that those high and supreame spirits were astonished when they did see and behold a worke of so great pietie when I say they did see God made the propitiatorie sacrifice of the worlde hanging vpon a tree Nature herselfe stoode astonished and all the creatures were suspended from theyr functions the principalities and powers of heauen were amazed considering this inestimable goodnesse which they knew to be in GOD. What then shall they doe who doe not swimme in waters of so great admiration of the Sea What shal they doe who are not drowned in the Ocean of this goodnes How cannot he but be amazed as another Moses astonished then in the Mount when the figure and patterne of this misterie was reuealed vnto him and he cryed out with a loud voyce The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and truth Beeing able neyther to say nor doe any thing but to proclaime with a high voyce that mercy which God then shewed to him What shall hee doe that couereth not his face as Elias dyd when he saw God passe by him not in the figure of his maiestie but in the forme of his most lowly humility not ouerthrowing Mountaines renting in sunder Rocks by his infinite power but presented to the eyes of a froward Nation commaunding Rocks to be rent and clouen in sunder through his compassion Who then will not shut the eyes of his vnderstanding who will not open the bosome of his will that he may perceiue the greatnesse of thys loue and benefit and loue thys Lord without any meane or measure O the height of loue ô the depth of vnmeasurable humility ô the greatnes of mercy ô the bottomlesse pitte of incomprehensible goodnes O Lord if I bee so greatly indebted to thee because thou hast redeemed me what doe I not owe thee for that manner by which thou hast redeemed me Thou hast redeemed mee with most great dolours with contumelies and ignominies not to be borne in so much that thou wast made a reproch of men and the scorne of the whole vvorld Through thy reproches thou hast honored me through thy accusations thou hast defended me through thy blood thou hast washed me through thy death thou hast raysed me and through thy teares thou hast freed me from euerlasting weeping and gnashing of teeth O good Father who so tenderly louest thy chyldren thou art that good and true Sheepheard which giuest thy selfe foode for thy flocke O thou most faythfull Keeper who lavest down thy life for thy Sheepe which thou tookest to defend keepe vvith what rewards shall I recompence this so great a benefit vvith what teares shall I requite thy weeping vvith what lyfe shall I remunerate thy holy and pure liuing There is too huge and great a difference betweene the life of man and God betweene the teares of the Creator and the creature But if ô man it be apparent vnto thee that thou art not onlie indebted vnto God that hee dyed not onely for thee alone but for the whole world beware thou be not deceiued For so he dyed for all that also he dyed for euery one For by his infinite wisedome all they for whom he suffered were so present to his eyes that they were all comprehended as it were in one and with his vnmeasurable loue he embraced all in generall and euery one in particuler and he so shedde his blood for all as if it had beene for one To conclude his loue was so great and so exceeding that as the holy men of GOD doe say if but one onely amongst all men had been guiltie and faultie yea for him alone he would haue suffered all that which he suffered for all Marke therefore and ponder with thy selfe howe much thou art indebted to thys Lord who hath doone so great thinges for thee and would haue doone much greater if thy necessitie had required greater ¶ Of this afore-said it is gathered how great an offence it is to offend our Sauiour I Would that all creatures would tell mee if any benefit greater if a greater bond if greater fauour thē this may be found Let the whole assembly and company of Angels tell me if God did euer such things for them Who then is he that will refuse to offer himselfe vp wholy a sacrifice to GOD For three causes saith Anselme ô Lord I owe all that to thee that I am First because thou hast created mee
that vvee should be called but he addeth that we are that the base estate and small confidence of man might euidently know the bountifulnes and liberalitie of God and that we might see that it is not a name of honour or title but rather of the deed and thing it selfe But if it be so great an euill to be hated and reprobated of God what great good will it be to be beloued of him and to remaine in his fauour This truly is an Axiome of the Phylosophers that a thing is so much the better by howe much his contrary is worser And therefore it necessarily followeth that that is the chiefest good whose opposite is the chiefest euill as we haue said that that is to be hated of GOD. But if in this world it be esteemed a matter of great moment if any man bee had in honour estimation amongst his Superiors as with the Emperour King or Prince or such great honorable estates I pray thee what will it be to haue found fauour and grace with the highest Prince the supreame Father with the most glorious excellent and noble Lord in comparison of whom al the principalities and dignities of this worlde are as though they were not Which fauour also is so much the greater by hovve much more it is freely gȳuen for it is certaine that as it is vnpossible for a man to be able to doe any thing before hee vvas created whereby he might deserue to be created for then hee was not any thing so also without all doubt is it that he can do nothing after that he is fallen into sinne whereby hee may deserue Iustification not because he is not but because he is euill and hated of God Another benefit followeth this going before that it deliuereth and freeth a man from the condemnation of euerlasting punishment of which hee was guiltie by reason of his sinnes for sinne doth make a man abhominable vnto God no man can liue without Gods fauour without his owne extreame harme Hence is it that the sinners forsaking God because they sinne and contemne him that they deserue to be contemned to be remoued out of the sight of God beeing banished from his company and from his beautifull dwellings and because they forsaking God doe loue the creatures with an inordinate loue it is meete that they should be punished in all things and be tormented with eternall payne to which visible punishments being compared they rather seeme paynted then true To this so great vnhappines that euerlasting worme doth also come which alwayes gnaweth the bowels and conscience of the wicked But what shall I say of the society of those cursed spirits and of all the damned What shall I speake of that obscure and lamentable Region full of darknes and confusion Where there is no order but where continuall horror abideth where no ioy is found no peace no rest no content no hope but perpetuall complayning and euerlasting gnashing of teeth exceeding outragiousnes and fury continuall blasphemy and eternall malediction From all these euils the Lord hath deliuered all them whom he hath iustified who after that they are reconciled to him and receaued into his fauour they are free from this wrath and from the punishment of his vengeance Behold an other benefit more spirituall which is the reformation and renouation of the inward man which was defiled and polluted through sinne For sinne doth not onely depriue the soule of God but also doth spoile and rob it of all supernaturall strength and fortitude and of all other riches and gifts of the holy Ghost with which it was adorned beautified and enriched by and by after that it is depriued of these graces it is wounded maymed and depriued also of the naturall blessings For seeing that man is a reasonable creature and sinne is a work done against reason and seeing that it is naturall that one contrary should destroy an other the consequent is that by how much more sinnes are multiplied by so much more the faculties of the soule are destroyed and disturbed not in themselues but in their aptnes to worke By these meanes sinnes doe make the soule miserable weake sluggish and instable to euery good worke but procline prompt and ready to all euill weake and feeble to resist temptations and flow to walke in the wayes of Gods commaundements They depriue her also of the true liberty and rule of the spirit and they make her the captaine of the deuill the world the flesh and of her owne appetites And by this meanes shee liueth in captiuity more hard and intollerable then that of Babilon and Aegipt Furthermore all the spirituall powers of the soule are made also sluggish and slothfull so that they doe not heare diuine inspirations and heauenly voyces they doe not see the great euils prepared for them they doe not smell the sweete fauour of Vertue nor the most beautifull paths and examples of the Saints they doe not tast how sweet the Lord is neyther doe they feele the scourgings nor acknowledge the benefits by which they are prouoked vnto his loue and besides all these they take away the peace and ioy of the conscience they doe extinguish the heate and seruour of the spirit and doe leaue a man filthy blemished deformed and abhominable in the sight of God and in the sight of all his Saints From all these euils this benefit doth deliuer vs. For so bottomlesse are the mercies of God that he is not content to haue pardoned our faults and to haue receaued man into fauour vnlesse also hee expell all these euils which sinnes bring with them reforming and renuing our inward man By this maner he healeth our wounds he washeth away our spots blemishes he breaketh the bonds of sinne destroyeth the yoake of euill concupiscences deliuereth vs from the seruitude of the deuill mitigateth and aswageth the fury and rage of our peruerse affections and perturbations and doth restore vnto vs the true liberty beauty of our soule doth giue vs the peace and ioy of a good conscience doth reuiue our inward sences doth make them prompt and fit to euerie good worke and slow to any euill Maketh them strong and valiannto resist the temptations of the deuill and doth inrich vs with all good works To be briefe he doth so absolutely renue and repaire our inward man with all his powers that the Apostle calleth such men iustified renued yea new creatures This renuing is so great that when it is made by Baptisme it is called regeneration but when by repentance it is called a resurrection and rising againe not onely because the soule is raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace but because after a certaine manner it also imitateth the beauty of the future resurrection This is so true that no tongue of man is sufficient to expresse the beauty of a iustified soule This onely knoweth that Spirit that maketh it beautifull and his Temple
thy glory and of thy greatnesse euery day Vpon which wordes Saint Augustine dooth thus comment What is this euery day Without intermission in prosperitie because thou doost comfort mee in aduersity because thou doost correct mee Before I was because thou madest mee when I was because thou gauest mee health when I dyd offend because thou pardonest me when I was conuerted because thou helpest me when I perseuered because thou crownest me So fully let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory euery day and all the day long If the sonne of God himselfe dyd gyue thankes to hys Father for a fewe Barley loafes as it is in the Gospell what great thanks ought we to giue for thys great benefit that wee are so sanctified by his holy Spirit that we are made his Temple and the dwelling and seate of the most sacred Trinitie If wee are bound to giue thanks for our nourishment whereby our Being is vpholden how great thanks are wee bound to giue him for this our well Being For we doe not prayse a horse because he is a horse but because he is a good horse nor wine because it is wine but because it is good wine nor a man because hee is a man but because he is a good man If therefore so many wayes we be bound to him who hath created vs how much more are wee bounde to him that hath made vs good If wee owe so much vnto him for the gyfts of our bodies how much more doe wee owe for the gyfts of our mindes if so much for the gyfts of nature how much more for the gyfts of grace To conclude if so great things be due vnto him because he hath made vs the sonnes of Adam how much more that he hath made vs of the vnhappy sonnes of Adam the sonnes of God For much better is the day in which wee are borne to eternitie as sayth Eusebius Emissenus then in which we are borne to the dangers of thys world Behold brother another chayne and linck which with the former benefits may binde tye thy hart to desire vertue to serue the Lord thy God THE SIXT TITLE That the inestimable benefit of the diuine Predestination doth binde vs vnto Vertue CHAP. VI. AMongst all the benefits before remembred that also of Election is numbred which pertaineth onely to them whom GOD from euerlasting hath elected to eternall life for the which benefite the Apostle as well for himselfe as for all the Elect doth giue thankes to him in these words Blessed be GOD euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will The same benefit the kinglie Prophet commendeth when he sayth Blessed is he whō thou chusest and causest to come to thee he shal dwell in thy courts Therefore woorthily thys benefit may be called a benefit of benefits and a grace of graces A grace of graces because it is gyuen before all desert of the onely infinit goodnes and liberalitie of God who dooing iniurie to none yea giuing a sufficient helpe to euery one to saluation but to some hee extendeth more largely and bountifully the greatnes of his mercy as an absolute and bountifull Lord of his riches It is also a benefit of benefits not onely because it is greater then the rest but because it is also the cause and foundation of all the rest For vvhen as man is elected vnto glory by the meanes of thys benefit by by the Lord doth bestow vpon him all other benefits which are required to the attaynement of thys glory as hee testifieth by his Prophet saying I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therfore with mercy I haue drawen thee Thou oughtest not to be ignorant that I haue called thee to my glory that by it thou maiest obtaine my glory The Apostle more plainly doth tell this when he sayth For those which he knewe before hee also predestinate to be made like to the image of his sonne that hee might be the first borne among many brethren Moreouer whom hee predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also hee iustified and whom he iustified them also hee glorified The reason of this is that the Lord disposing of all things sweetly and orderly after that hee hath vouchsafed to elect any man to his glory for that fauour he bestoweth many other vpon him for he giueth all things which pertaine to the obtaining of thāt first fauour For euen as a father who bringeth vp his sōnne that hee may bee a Minister of Gods holy word or a Doctour of hys Church doth accustome him from his young yeeres to ecclesiasticall matters and causeth him to apply his studie directeth the whole course of his life to the proposed end so our heauenly Father after that he hath elected any man to the participation of his glory hee directeth him by his fatherly care to the way of righteousnes which leadeth to that glory and hee fatherly leadeth him in it vntill he come to his wished end For this so auncient and so excellent a benefit they ought to gyue thanks to this Lord who feele in themselues some euidence of this benefite For let vs grant that thys secret is hid from mans eyes yet seeing that certaine marks and tokens of iustification are alwaies knowne certaine signes also of the diuine predestination and election may be had For as amongst the signes of iustification the amendment of life is not the least so amongst the signes of election this is the greatest a perseuerance continuing in a good life Because he that hath lyued many yeeres in the feare of the Lord and with all care and diligence escheweth sinne he may godly and religiously perswade himselfe that as the Apostle sayth the Lord will strengthen him euen to the end that hee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lorde Iesu◠Christ and that as he hath begunne so hee shall make an end Surely it is true that no man ought to be carelesse of his estate and that no man ought to be secure of his perseuerance seeing that the most wise Salomon after that he had liued many yeres godly and religiously in the end of his life failed and playd the back-slider and fell very filthily But thys is but a particuler exception from that generall vse and custome which we brought out of Paule and which Salomon himselfe teacheth in his Prouerbs saying It is a prouerbe teach a child in the trade of his way and when he is old he shall not depart from it So that if hee be a dilligent follower of vertue in his youth he
full of God and of the diuine loue so that it is not able to beare so great a burthen of pleasures neyther is her whole capacity sufficient to beare and carry so great felicity and happines So it is written of holy Effrem that oftentimes he was so full of the wine of this heauenly ioy and delight that the frailety of his body beeing vnequall to the burthen hee was not able to vndergoe the greatnes of the pleasures and therefore he was constrayned to exclaime and cry out ô Lord depart a little from mee for the frailty of my body is not able to sustaine the greatnes of thy delights O admirable goodnes ô vnmeasurable sweetnes of this supreame Lord which is with so large an hand communicated to his creatures that the strength and valour of theyr minds is vnable to carry the aboundance of so great ioy Therfore with this heauenly drunkennes all the sences of the soule are brought a sleepe this dooth bring the sleepe of peace and life by this the soule is lifted vp aboue it selfe it knoweth loueth and tasteth more then it could by her naturall essence Hence it is that as water set ouer fire when it doth waxe hot as though it had forgot the owne proper nature seeing that all heauy things are carried downwards boyleth and swelleth aloft imitating the nature and lightnes of the fire by whose force it is hoysted and eleuated with that motion so also the soule inflamed with that heauenly fire is exalted aboue it selfe is whirled about with a certaine force and is carried vp to heauen whence that fire is sent it boyleth with a most seruent desire of God and with a most vehement force runneth into his embrace it stretcheth out it selfe and lifteth vp her armes on high trying if shee can flye vnto him whom shee loueth But when she seeth that she cannot come vnto him she ceaseth not to desire him and when she knoweth that shee is frustrated of her desire yet one comfort doth yet remaine to send into heauen sighes and grones fetched from the bottom of the hart and to say with the Spouse in the Canticles I charge you ô daughters of Ierusalem if you finde my beloued that you tell him that I am sick of loue Which kinde of languishment the Saints doe say to spring of that that man is hindered and cannot bring the vnmeasurable desire of his hart to his wished end purpose Doe not destroy thy selfe sayth a certaine Doctor for this impatient desire for this languishment is not deadly but for the glorie of God that the sonne of God may be glorified by it But what tongue can eloquently and learnedly enough vtter the greatnes of these delights which the friends of God enioy in that florishing pageant of Salomon or bedde curiously wrought of the wood of Libanon whose pillers are of siluer the pauement of gold This is the place of the spirituall marriages which therefore is called a bedde because it is a place of rest and loue I say a place of perfect rest of liuely sleepe of celestiall pleasures which how great they are none can know but those that haue learned by experience But we may attaine to some knowledge and science of these things out of most weighty and pregnant coniectures for hee that diligently considereth the greatnes of the goodnes loue of the sonne of God who for the loue of man-kind vnderwent so vnheard of reproches and torments he shall vnderstand that it is impossible that it should be difficult and hard to come by that wee seeke for heere when as that is altogether nothing in comparison of them What will hee not doe for the righteous who hath doone such things for the vnrighteous what friendship will he not shewe to his friends who hath vnder-gone so cruell punishments for his enemies This is some-what disclosed bewrayed vnto vs in the Canticles where so many fayre and louing speeches so many delights are read of betweene the Bridegrome and the Bride who is the Church or any soule vnder the estate of grace where so many louing amiable words are spoken one to the other as no eloquence no loue can faine or imagine greater or more louing We haue another coniecture in respect of men I say of righteous men and true louers of God For if thou narrowly siftest and lookest into their harts thou shalt finde there a seruent desire and a serious meditation by what manner of meanes they may chiefely serue their Lord GOD and that for his loue if it might be they would be cutte into a thousande peeces at the least that they might please and gratulate him in some matter which they knew might be gratefull and acceptable vnto hym of whom they are so deerely loued and are daily loaden vvith such heapes of so many benefits recreated with so many solaces and gouerned with so great prouidence Tell me nowe if man who is a creature so vnfaithfull and vnapt to any good come to this degree of faithfulnes with God what will hee doe againe to man whose goodnes whose charitie and whose faithfulnes is infinite If his propertie be that hee is holy with the holy and good with the good and the goodnes of man come to so great perfection whetherto I pray thee shall the goodnesse of God proceede If God striue with the good in goodnesse howe great I pray thee shall that excellencie be in thys glorious striuing And if as wee haue spoken a little before a righteous man doth wish to be dismembred and to be puld into a thousand peeces because that he burneth with the loue of God at least that he might please God what will not GOD himselfe doe that he may cherrish this righteous man and doe good vnto his friend that he might comfort him whom hee loueth This can neither be expressed with the tongues of men nor be apprehended with the vnderstanding wherefore it is sayd of the Prophet Neither that the eye hath seene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that feare him Which is not onelie to be vnderstood of the blessings of glory but of those which are of grace as Saint Paule testifieth Doth it now appeare vnto thee my brother that the way of Vertue hath her delights and pleasures Dost thou thinke that all the allurements of the louers of thys world may be compared with these delights What comparison can bee betweene Christ and Belial light and darknes earthly delights and heavenly pleasures the enticements of the flesh and the ioyes of the holy Ghost To conclude the delights of the creatures and the sweetnes of the Creator For it is most certaine that things by howe much they are more noble and more excellent by so much they are more powerfull to procure greater pleasures Tell me what other thing the Prophet meant when he said A
small thing vnto the iust man is better then great riches vnto the wicked And in another place A day in thy courts is better then a thousand other-where I had rather be a dore-keeper in the house of my GOD then to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse To be briefe what other thing meane those words of the Spouse in the Canticles Thy breasts are better then Wine and a little after We will reioyce and be glad in thee beeing mindfull of thy breasts aboue wine That is mindfull of the most sweet milke of thy consolations and comforts with which thou refreshest and nourishest at thy breasts thy spirituall children which is sweeter and more pleasant then all vvine By that wine he vnderstandeth not materiall wine as neither in the breast of God we know that there is milke nor the delights and ioyes of the worlde such as the whore in the Reuelation beginneth to her louers sitting vppon many waters and hauing a golden cup in her hand full of abhomination and of the filthines of her fornication making drunken and peruerting the iudgment of all them that dwell in Babylon least they should foresee their destruction and repent them of theyr wickednes ¶ How the righteous are refreshed in theyr prayers after a singuler manner with these diuine consolations IF in prosecuting this matter thou shalt aske me in what matter the righteous chiefely enioy these consolations of vvhich we haue hetherto spoken God himselfe will make answere vnto thee by the mouth of his Prophet Also the strangers that cleaue vnto the Lord to serue him and to loue the Name of the Lord and to be his seruants euery one that keepeth the Sabaoth and polluteth it not and embraceth my couenant them will I bring to mine holy mountaine and make them ioyfull in mine house of prayer For in thys exercise GOD especially and particulerly reioyceth his Elect. For as Laurentius Iustinianus in a certaine prayer sayth the harts of the righteous are inflamed with the loue of theyr Creator and are oftentimes lifted aboue themselues and doe thinke that they are in the company of Angels and there in the presence of the Creator they sing loue breathe praise sorrowe ioy eate and are hungry drinke and are a thirst and by euery way contend to be transformed into their Lord whom they do contemplate by fayth worship by humilitie seeke by desires enioy by loue Then they shall acknowledge howe true it is of our Sauiour That they might haue my ioy fulfilled in themselues Which as a riuer of peace is diffused and dispersed thorowe all the powers of the soule illuminating the vnderstanding reioycing the will renuing the memory and gathering all her cogitations to God there they embrace him with the armes of loue and haue I know not what in them they desire to holde hym with all theyr strength neither will they that hee should depart from them And as Iacob who stroue with the Angell woulde not let him depart so the hart after his manner striueth with the Diuine sweetnes neyther will let it depart but valiantly keepeth it as a thing in which he hath found all that he sought for and desired and saith with S. Peter in the mount Lord it is good for vs to be heere The soule placed in this estate very vvell vnderstandeth the phrase and right idiome or proprietie of the booke of the Canticles but especially it tuneth accenteth that most sweet song His left hand is vnder mine head and his right hande doth embrace me And Stay me with flagons and comfort mee with apples for I am sicke of loue Then the soule sette on fire with that diuine flame greatly desireth to be dissolued and to be deliuered out of this prison teares are her bread day and night as long as this deliuerance is deferred Death is her wish and lyfe her patience Without intermission shee repeateth that of the Canticles O that thou werest as my brother that sucked the breasts of my Mother I would finde thee without I would kisse thee thē they should not despise me Then wondering at herselfe she thinketh after what manner these treasures haue beene hid all the time past and seeing all men capable of so great good shee desireth to goe into all streets and high-waies and to cry out to all men and to say Whether hast yee yee fooles and vnwise What seeke yee Why doe yee not hasten Why doe ye not contend that ye may enioy this blessing Tast and see how sweet the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him For after that she hath tasted of the spirituall sweetnes all flesh is vnsauery vnto her all societie is a prison vnto her all solitarinesse shall seeme a Paradice and her delight shall be to cleaue vnto the Lorde whom she loueth All honor shall be a burthen all houshold gouernment and disposing of riches shall be to her a kind of martyrdome She shall not suffer any thing either in heauen or in earth to disturbe her pleasures and therefore she will watch that no externall cogitations or cares enter into her hart There shall be but one loue vnto her one desire shee shall loue all thinges in one and shall loue one thing in all Very well said the Prophet Whō haue I in heauen but thee I haue desired none in the earth with thee My flesh fayleth and mine hart also but GOD is the strength of mine hart and my portion for euer He that commeth to this happinesse hee thinketh not that he hath any more an obscure knowledge of diuine things but he supposeth that he dooth see with other eyes for hee feeleth those motions and those changes in his hart which are as infallible arguments and most firme testimonies of the truth of his fayth When the day is stormie and bringeth tediousnesse hee desireth a quiet night that hee may poure out his soule before the Lord and that he may passe the night with God No night is too long yea that which is the longest seemeth to bee the shortest If it be a cleere night hee lifteth vp his eyes that hee may contemplate and beholde the beautie of heauen the splendour of the starres and Moone and all these things he considereth of with new eyes and with new ioy farre different from the former He considereth of them as Images of the beautie of his Creator as glasses of his glory as messengers and interpretors who declare his maiestie as testimonies of perfection which is in him as gyfts which the Bridegrome sendeth to his Bride to continue and increase loue euen to that day in which hee shall take her with his hand and in his heauenly pallace shall solemnize with her that euerlasting marriage The whole world seemeth one booke vnto him which speaketh of the wonders of God one Epistle which hee sendeth to his beloued one instrument of his loue These be the nights my
that no time is left him to bestow on his owne busines or that he may not breathe from his duty but this vice as also others is such an one that when it hath once gotten rule and empire ouer the soule it doth so deuoure and swallow it vp that scarcely there remayneth to man any force any commodity any time or memory or any wisedome to follow other busines Therefore not without cause long agoe sayd Ecclesiasticus Wine and women leade wise-men out of the way For man by reason of this vice is so besides himselfe and estranged from his right minde that although he be wise yet he is made as vnfit to mannage and execute any businesses which belong and are proper vnto man as if hee had drunke vp a whole Hogshead of vvine To shew and demonstrate this that most excellent Poet fayned a fable of Queene Dido who when she began to be blindfolded with the loue of Aeneas she slacked and fore-flowed all the busines of the common wealth saying The works of Towres are left no feates of armes the youth applies Nor Hauens are wrought nor for the wars the mighty butwarks rise All things vnpersit stand the buildings great and threanings hie Of hugie wals and engines for their height that match the skie For this Tyrant had so possessed all the sences of this Queene that now she was vnfit for al things only the thoughts and cogitations of her new loue being excepted Which by how much more he ruled in her hart by so much she was lesse able to apply her selfe to those thinges that pertayned to the common wealth and lesse able to doe thinges which otherwise ought to haue beene done O pestilent vice ô destruction of common-wealths the sword of all good exercises the death of vertues the cloude of good wits the peruerter of men the drunkennes of wise-men the dotage of old men the madnes of yong men and the common plague of mankind Neyther must wee thinke that onely in this vice there is so great tiranny but also in all others Behold view a little while an ambitious man and one that is swelled with vaine glory and choked with the smoke of honour and see how seruilely he lyueth subiect vnder this desire and how immoderately he affecteth and thirsteth after this vaine worldly glory how carefull and vigilant he is to attaine vnto it directing all his actions and all his endeuours to this end To serue to get acquaintance to be cloathed to be booted and spurd his table his bed his house his seruants the carriage of his body his gate his speach to be briefe what so euer is done of such like men and what so euer is in them all that is formed compozed and applied to this end For they doe adorne and fashion themselues onely to this end that they may seeme neate and cult thereby to gaine the prayse and vaine opinion and applause of the people Yea if thou doost well consider thou shalt see that an ambitious man in all things that he doth or speaketh hath none other respect then that he may lay snares and nets to catch the popular applause of the people If we wonder at that Emperour which passed ouer all the festiuals in taking of flyes how much more is the madnes of an ambitious man to be wondered at who doth not onely spend all the festiuals and holy-dayes but also the whole course of his life in catching onely smoke and wordly vanity This wretched man by reason of this ambition doth not what he would neyther doth he cloath himselfe according to his own estate neyther is he permitted to goe whether he would for he goeth but sildome to the Church neyther dare he be conuersant with good men fearing least perhaps the world to which he lyueth subiect should see somthing in him which might be reprehended And that which is more that he might satisfie this his passion he lauisheth out greater store of riches then eyther he is willing or hath casting himselfe headlong into a thousand needes and many debts with which his soule is afflicted with the griefe of his posterity which he leaueth to be heires of his debts and imitators of his folly What punishment I pray thee deserueth he if not that which a certaine King inflicted on an ambitious man vnder whose nosestrils hee commaunded so grosse and so thicke a smoake to be raised that he was choaked with it saying It is meete that he should die with smoake who had consumed his whole life in snuffing and sucking vp the smoake of vanitie Therefore what greater misery then this can be found What shal I speak of a couetous man who not only is a bondslaue but also an Idolator of his riches mony for he adoreth and serueth them and whatsoeuer these commaund he willingly performeth it For them hee fasteth and with-holdeth bread from his owne mouth to be briefe he loueth them more then he loueth God himselfe seeing that for the loue of them hee is not afraid oftentimes to offend GOD In them is his rest hys glory his hope and all his thoughts With them hee watcheth and sleepeth and for them he consumeth his whole life and all his sences in trafficking and taking vncessant paines for them in the meane while vtterly forgetting himselfe and all other businesse Shal we say that such a man is the Lord of his riches that he may determine of them as he pleaseth or rather shall we affirme that he is the seruant and slaue of his money for the couetousnes of his riches as a most hard and seuere mistres doth compell him to obey them but it suffereth him not to enioy them it sharpeneth the desire but taketh away the pleasure A couetous man prouideth riches as though he were a gallant and braue man but he vseth them as a beast a niggardly peasant He taketh paines but he wanteth the fruite pleasure of his trauaile whilst he with-draweth and holdeth his riches from his body and soule yea and from life it selfe if so his treasure and store may encrease and augment Surely I knowe not what captiuitie can bee more great or grieuous for if you call him a captiue and a prysoner who is shutte vp in a turret and there hath his handes and feete sette in a payre of stocks rather is he not worthy of this name vvhose soule is imprisoned and captiuated with the inordinate desire of those things which he loueth For when a man doth gape after gaine and is wholy occupied in seeking after pelse hee hath no facultie or power of his soule truely free neyther is he Lord of himselfe but a seruant of his owne riches For where the loue or desire is there the hart lyeth bound and fettered Neyther is the seruitude of thys captiuitie lesser because it is voluntarie for if it be captiuitie in deede it is so much the more dangerous by how much it is more
leaue there thine offering before the altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift By which precept we know more cleerely then the noone day how great a sinne discord with our neighbour is man being out of the fauour of God so long as this contention lasteth and therefore he doth nothing pleasing vnto him whilst hee is guilty of this crime Such a like thing Gregory insinuateth whē he saith Because nothing pleaseth God without concord the good things that are done of vs profit nothing vnlesse we carrie with a quiet minde the wrongs done vnto vs. Consider also who is he whom thou supposest to bee thine enemy for it is of necessity that he is eyther iust or vniust If he be iust certainly it is an euill and a vild thing to wish and do ill to a righteous man and to be an enemy vnto him who hath God for his friend but if he be vniust it is a thing also altogether to be detested that thou shouldest reuenge another mans maliciousnes with thine owne maliciousnes appointing thy selfe Iudge in thine own cause shouldest chastice another mans iniustice with thine owne If thou reuengest thine owne iniurie vpon thine enemy and thine enemy his vpon thee there shall neuer be an end of discord and reuengement But that is the most glorious kinde of reuenge which the Apostle teacheth saying Ouercome euill with good that is ouercome other mens vices with thine owne vertues For whilst men render euill for euill neither will be brought to yeeld it commeth to passe manie times that at length they are ouercome by ignominie reproch for anger afflicteth them and they are shamefully conquered of theyr owne passions which if they had ouercome tamed theyr victory had been more glorious then his that hath wonne and vanquished a Citty by force of Armes yea the victory is much lesser to haue taken one or many Citties which are without vs then to conquer our owne affections which rule reuell within vs and to bridle our proud disdaine and indignation which is shut within vs which except wee holde vnder it will rise against vs and will force vs to assay those things which afterwards we shall repent vs of and be ashamed of and that which is worser we our selues shall scarcely vnderstand of the euill that we doe for he that is angry thinketh all reuenge iust and is often deceiued supposing the pricke of anger to be the zeale of iustice and by this meanes the vice is couered with the semblance of vertue Therefore to ouercome this vice it is the best remedy that thou be very carefull and diligent to pull vp by the rootes all inordinate loue of thy selfe and of thine affayres for otherwise anger will easily waxe hote if eyther thou or any of thine be hurt although with the least word Furthermore when thou feelest the beginnings of the temptation of anger thou must prepare thy selfe vnto patience fore-seeing wisely all the kinds of euill which may arise in any busines because a dart foreseene doth lesse hurt Thou must firmely purpose in thy mind that as often as choller fumeth and heateth in thee that thou neyther say nor doe any thing yea beleeue not nor trust to thy selfe but let all things be suspected of thee which thy hart perswadeth thee at this time albeit they seeme to agree vnto reason Deferre the execution of thy will whilst anger boyleth or vntill thou hast once or oftner sayd ouer the Lords prayer or some other thing That wholsome counsaile of Athenodorus which is reported by Plutarch ought here to be obserued For when as he by reason of his old age desired leaue to returne to his owne house and Augustus the Emperour had graunted him leaue When he tooke his farewell of Caesar desirous to leaue behind him some memoriall worthy a Philosopher he sayd O Caesar when thou art angry before thou shalt say or doe any thing repeate ouer in thy minde the foure and twenty Greeke letters Caesar taking the Philosopher by the right hand sayd Yet I haue neede of thy presence and so retayned him with him another whole yeare For the Philosopher by this aduice taught that those things were done mithout reason which were done at such time as anger boyleth in the hart And it is diligently to be marked that there is not a worser time to deliberate in what should be done then when a man is angry and yet all men especially would then dispatch what they haue to doe Therefore it is very meete that a man at that time when fury and wrath hath possessed his mind should resist such enterprizes with a manly courage For as it is knowne to all men that a drunken man cannot doe any thing wisely and with reason and of which he doth not afterwards repent him as we read of Alexander the great so when a man is disturbed and troubled with anger and blinded with the smoke of this passion he cannot rest neyther take aduisement which to day although it seeme iust and reasonable vnto him yet to morrow when the fury of his passion shall be ouer he shall confesse that it was vniust and vnreasonable for it is without controuesie that anger vvine and loue that is carnall concupiscence are the worst counsailers that may be found Where-vpon the Wise-man sayth very well Wine and women leade wise-men out of the way and put men of vnderstanding to reproofe By vvine the vvise-man vnderstandeth not only materiall vvine which is wont to blind and obscure the reason but any passion that stragleth out of the right way which in like manner blindeth and obscureth the reason albeit not euery thing that then is done is alwayes culpable And this aduice is not to be contemned if when thou art angry thou shalt forth-with occupy thy selfe with some manner of busines and so diuert and turne thy cogitations from anger for if thou doost with-draw wood from the fire the flame is extinguished And with al thy strength contend to loue them whom thou must necessarily suffer for if that sufferance be not ioyned to loue the patience which outwardly appeareth is oftentimes conuerted into rancour Therfore when Saint Paule sayth Loue is patient he presently addeth and bountifull For true loue omitteth not to loue those bountifully whom it suffereth patiently In like manner it is wisedome to giue place to the wrath of thy brother for if thou shalt seperate thy selfe from him being angry thou shalt giue him place till his anger be ouer or at least if thou wilt not depart aunswer him curteously For as Salomon sayth A soft aunswere putteth away wrath Remedies against Idlenes CHAP. X. IDlenes is a slothfulnes and a slugishnes of the minde to doe any good but in this place it is a lothsomnes and a wearines of spirituall thinges How dangerous this sinne is appeareth by these words of Christ
and establish this question and matter vnlesse also the contrarie arguments and obiections bee refuted therefore the third part of this Booke is occupied and conuersant in ouerthrowing and confuting them in which we plentifully aunswere all the excuses and obiections which are wont to be alledged of naughtie men why they doe flie and eschew Vertue Because the matter and subiect of these two Bookes is Vertue wee would not haue the Reader to be ignorant that by this word Vertue we barelie or solely vnderstand the habite of Vertue but also her actions and duties to the which that noble habit is ordered and disposed because the Figure is very well knowne that the effect is signified by the name of the cause the cause by the name of the effect THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which is contayned a large and copious exhortation to keepe Gods commaundements THE FIRST TITLE That man is bound to seeke after Vertue and to serue GOD and of the excellencie of the Diuine perfection CHAP. I. TWO things chiefely Christian Reader are wont to mooue and stirre vp the will of man to any good action One is the bond by which we are bound to iustice the other is the profit and fruite which proceedeth issueth of this action For it is the iudgement of all wisemen that these two things are to be considered of in euery matter and action to wit Honestie and Profit which are as it were the two spurres of our Will which pricke it forward and encourage it to take any action in hand Of these two although for the most part Profit is more sought after and desired yet Honestie is more effectuall and powerfull For there is not any profit or commoditie to be found in this world although it be great which may compare with the excellencie of Vertue as also there is no losse or discōmoditie so great or grieuous which a wise man ought not rather to choose then to runne into anie vice as Aristotle auerreth Seeing therefore that it is our purpose and meaning in this Booke to inuite men to the loue of Vertue and to ensnare them with the beautie of it I take it that we shall doe very well if we begin of this more principall part declaring the bond by which we stand bound to Vertue and therefore to God himselfe also who seeing that he is goodnes it selfe doth commend nothing in this world doth desire nothing doth not account any thing precious but onely Vertue Therefore with great care and diligence let vs consider those iust titles and claimes which God hath to demaund and exact this so great debt and bond of vs. But seeing that they be innumerable wee will onely induce sixe of the chiefest euery one of which seuerally do binde man with out any excuse to him in whatsoeuer he can or may The first and greatest and which can lesse be declared or expressed is to be him that he is to which is referred the greatnes of his Maiestie and all his perfections Hetherto pertaine the incomprehensible magnitude of his goodnes mercy iustice wisedom infinite power noblenes beautie faithfulnesse truth benignitie happines maiestie and the other riches and perfections that be in him which are such and so immeasurable that as a certaine famous Doctor saith if the whole world were ful of bookes and all creatures Writers and all the water of the Sea ynck first all the bookes should be filled first all the Writers should be wearied and first all the Sea should be exhausted and drawne drie then one alone of his perfections should be described absolutelie and as it is in deede and in it selfe The same Doctor also saith if God should create a newe man and should giue vnto him a hart so ample capable and spacious as are all the harts of men ioyned and mixed together if that hart should apprehend with an immeasurable and vnusuall light the qualitie and quantitie of one of these perfections it would faint die or breake in peeces by reason of the greatnes of that ioy and pleasure which should redound to it except it were preserued by the singuler power of GOD. This therefore is the first the most equall and iust reason by which we are bound to loue God and to serue obey him who is truth it selfe in so high a degree that the very Epicures themselues who are the ouerthrowers and destroyers of all Philosophy for they denie the diuine prouidence and the immortalitie of soules doe not denie that there is a Religion which is the worship and adoration of God For one of them disputing in that Booke which Tully writ of the nature of the Gods confesseth and prooueth very strongly that there is a God and also he acknowledgeth the altitude of his admirable and wonderfull perfections and for them he saith that he is to be worshipped adored and reuerenced for this is due to the greatnes and excellencie of this most noble substance Therefore he is to bee worshipped by that name and title onely if hee had not anie other For if we honour and reuerence a King for the onely dignitie of his presence although hee be without his kingdome where we receiue no benefit by him why rather should we not giue and exhibite all honour and reuerence to this Lord who as Iohn testifieth hath written vpon his garment and vpon his thigh The King of Kings and Lord of Lords It is he that with his three fingers doth beare vp the round Globe of the earth doth dispose of causes moueth the heauens it is he that changeth times altereth the elements diuideth the waters bringeth forth the windes engendereth causes giueth influence to the Planets and as an vniuersall King and Lord doth nourish and sustaine all creatures That also is of greater moment that his kingdom is not by succession or by election or by inheritance but by nature For euen as a man naturally is greater thē a Pismier so that most noble substance in greatnes doth far excell all other things created insomuch that euery thing whatsoeuer it be and the whole vniuersall world in his eyes haue scarce the quantitie and bignes of an Emmot If that vnhappy Philosopher acknowledged and confessed this truth why shall not Christian phylosophy acknowledge and confesse it This therefore teacheth that although there be many titles and names by which wee are bound to God yet this that we now entreate of doth excell them all the which is of such weight valuation that if there were no other this alone deserueth all the loue and seruice of man yea though he had infinite and innumerable soules and bodies which might attend and waite vpon his worship and loue That alwaies hath beene the care and studie of the Saints whose loue were so pure and sincere that of it S. Bernard saide Pure loue doth not take strength from hope and yet feeleth not the hurt of distrust As if hee
of the same fleece and colour yet hee knoweth his owne Damme goeth alwaies with her as though he should say Hence I haue receaued that I haue hence I will require that which I want This almost in all naturall things hath place and also it would come in vse amongst artificiall things if either they had sence or motion If a Painter in delineating pourtraying a picture should leaue the eyes imperfect if that picture could perceiue it or could be admonished of that it wanteth what doost thou thinke that it would doe whether would it goe it is certaine that it would not goe to the pallace of a King or of a Prince because they could not satisfie the desire of it nor supply his want but it would returne to the house of his Maister and there would desire him that he would make it perfect and that he would finish that he began Tell mee ô reasonable man what is the cause that thou doost not that which vnreasonable creatures doe Thou art not yet perfect many thinges are lacking in thee many things are as yet wanting to thee before thou art finished or perfected The first example and patterne as yet is not scarce delineated and drawne as we say after a rough and rude manner the comlines decking trimming of the worke are yet wanting which most plainly conuinceth the continuall appetite of that nature which alwayes as it were feeling her owne necessitie desireth alwayes seruentlie and seeketh carefully that which is wanting to her God will afflict thee with hunger that being compelled by this necessity he might make thee enter in by the right gate and that thou shouldest haue respect vnto him For this cause hee that made thee would not presently finish and make thee perfect and for this cause he would not presently make thee rich Hee dyd this not because hee is couetous but because hee is louing and fauourable to thee knowing that it is good that thou shouldest be such an one not that thou shouldest be poore but that thou shouldest be humble not that thou shouldest alwayes be in neede but that thou shouldest alwaies haue respect vnto him If therefore thou be blinde poore and standing neede of many things why doost thou not runne to thy Father that created thee and to the Painter that shadowed thee that hee may perfect those things which are missing and vvanting See how ready in this busines was King Dauid Thine hands saith he haue made and fashioned me giue me vnderstanding that I may learne thy commaundements As if he should say thy hands ô Lord haue made all that is good in me but thy worke thy frame is not yet perfect absolute in euery part The eyes of my soule among other things are not yet perfect I haue not yet that light by whose benefit I may know and discerne what is wanting in me what is necessary for me But of whom may I request that which remaineth is behind except of him who gaue that I haue that to whom the beginnings are due to him also the end might be due Giue mee therefore ô Lord that light illuminate the eyes of this borne blinde that I may acknowledge thee with them and so that may be perfected which thou hast begune in me If therefore it appertaineth to this Lord to giue the last perfection to thy vnderstanding it shall also pertaine to him to giue the same perfection to thy will and to the other faculties and powers of thy soule that by this maner this frame may bee finished of the same workman that begunne it This therefore shall be done without defect it shall encrease without discommoditie it shall bee enriched without great preparation and quiet rest shall be giuen vnto it without the possession of many things Through him a poore and myserable creature is content with his estate in him rest contented the clothed and the naked the destitute and he that is regarded he that wants all things and he that is happy in possession of all things Wherefore worthily said the wise man He is as rich hauing nothing and is as poore hauing great riches For the poore who hath GOD is rich and on the contrary part he is most beggerly and poore who is without God although hee be the mightiest Monarch in the world For what doe riches power profit a wealthy man beeing distracted with a thousand maner of cogitations beeing wearie of all things and lothing all things which vices proceede of the appetite which can be satisfied with no riches What doe costly garments delicate fare full store-houses and such like profit him to ease the griefes and bitternesses boyling and seething in his soule A rich man with all his riches lying in his bed in one night a hundred times doth tosse and turne himselfe neyther can hee sleepe because he hath not that he desireth hee fearest least that he hath should be taken away Of all those things which hetherto haue beene spoken that is conuinced and prooued that thou maist know how greatly thou art bound to serue GOD not onely for the debt of this benefit but also for the complement finishing of our felicitie and happinesse THE THIRD TITLE How we are bound to the Lord GOD by reason of the benefite of preseruation and gouerning CHAP. III. NOT onely man is bound to the Lord his GOD for the benefit of Creation but also for the benefite of preseruation for it is he that made thee after he made thee hee also preserueth thee so that thou doost depend of his hands and thou canst no more lyue without him then bee without him before thou wast created This is no lesse a benefit thē that former For that was but onely once done for thee but this is alwaie done and renued and the Lord daily by one meanes or other dooth estsoones create thee for him he continually preserueth whom he once created Not lesse power nor lesse loue is required in the one then in the other If thou therefore owest so much vnto him who created thee in a moment how much more shalt thou be indebted to him for that he preserueth thee continuallie thou doost not mooue a foote which hee doth not mooue neither doost thou open or shutte thine eyes without his helpe And if thou doost not beleeue that God doth moue thy members when thou doost mooue thou art not worthy that thou shouldest be called a Christian but if thou doost beleeue that he doth yeeld and bestow vpon thee this fauour and yet darest offend him I doe not know by what name I shoulde call thee Tell me if a man should stand in an high tower and should hold an other man in his hand hanging by a small thred durst he thinkest thou that seeth himselfe in such a case slaunder and rayle at him that holdeth him If thou therefore that art sustained of the Diuine goodnesse as hanging by a very small thred that
those things of which he should haue taken and receaued greater causes of louing his Creator of those he receaued and tooke greater occasion of treason and disloyalty Therefore he was thrust out of Paradice and cast into banishment yea and was adiudged to hell fire that as hee was made a companion with the deuill in sinne so hee might be his companion in punishment The Prophet Elizeus sayd to his seruant Gehezi Thou hast receaued siluer and garments of Naaman therefore the leprosie of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee and to thy seede for euer Like was the iudgement of God against man who seeing that he had affected the riches and treasure of Lucifer that is his pride and ambition it was meete that he should be infected with the leaprosie of the same Lucifer which was the punishment of his pride Behold then man made lyke vnto the deuill being a follower of his fault Therfore when man was so abhominable in Gods eyes and had incurred so great displeasure our most gracious and most mercifull Lord did not disdaine to respect vs he did not looke to the iniurie done to his supreame Maiesty but to the misfortune of our owne misery more lamenting our errour then desirous of reuenge for the contumely offered vnto him he determined to repaire man and to reconcile him vnto him his onlie begotten sonne being our Mediatour But how hath he reconciled man vnto him What humane tongue shall declare this vnto vs Christ hath procured so great friendship between vs and God that not onely God hath pardoned to man all his fault hath receaued him into his fauour hath made him one and that same with himselfe through a certaine vnion of loue but that which passeth all greatnes hath made such a likenes and similitude betweene himselfe mans nature that amongst all things created there can be found no greater conformity thē are the Deity and humanity for they are not one and the same through loue and fauour but also in person Who euer durst haue hoped that a wound so largely gaping should after this manner haue beene drawne together Who euer could haue thought that these two natures betweene which there was so great difference both of nature and of offence that euer they could haue beene so neerely ioyned together not in one house not at one table not in one loue but in one and the selfe same person What two greater contraries may be giuen then God and a sinner And what two things are now more straightly and narrowly combined together what more commixt then God and man There is nothing higher or nobler then God saith Bernard and there is nothing lower or baser then that clay of which man is formed Neuerthelesse with so great humility GOD descended vpon the earth to man and with so great sublimitie earth ascended to God that whatsoeuer God hath done earth may be said to haue done it and whatsoeuer earth hath suffered God may be sayd to haue suffered it Who would haue said to man when he was naked knew that he had incurred the wrath of God when he sought lurking holes and corners in Paradice wherein he might hide himselfe vvho I say would haue then said that the tyme should come when this vild substance should be vnited to God in one and the selfe same person Thys vnion is so neere straight and faithfull that when it was to be dissolued which was in the tyme of the Passion it would rather rent and breake then faint and forsake Death might seperate the soule from the body which was the vnion of nature but it could not pluck GOD from the soule nor frō the body for that vvas the vnion of the Diuine person For what it once apprehendeth with so strong a loue it neuer forsaketh This is that peace this is that health and saluation which wee receaue by the benefit of our Mediatour and Sauiour Although we are such and so great debtors for thys benefit that no mans tongue can vtter it yet we are not lesse bound to God for the manner of our Redemption then for the redemption it selfe O my Lord I am bound to thee in a high degree of dutie that thou hast deliuered me from hell and hast reconciled me vnto thee but much more owe I vnto thee for the manner it selfe by which thou hast deliuered me then for the liberty it selfe which thou hast giuen me All thy works are admirable in all things and although a man doth thinke when he hath considered one thing that not any thing remaineth which may be added to further admiratio◠foorth-with all that wonderment vanisheth when he turneth his eyes to contemplate an other thing O lord the glory of thy greatnes is not diminished if one wonder dooth seeme to expell and put out another but these are tokens of thy greater glory But what was the meane ô my Lord by which thou wouldest take away my euils and wickednesses There were infinite meanes by which thou couldest haue helped me and giuen me perfect saluation without labour and without any price Notwithstanding so great and so admirable is thy liberalitie that to show me more manifestly the greatnes of thy loue goodnes thou wouldest helpe me with so great dolours that the onely cogitation of them was sufficient to extract bloody sweat from all thy members thy passion a little after through dolor to cleaue a sunder the hardest Rocks O my Lord the heauens doe praise thee and the Angels sette forth thy wonders What didst thou neede our good or were our euils any preiudice vnto thee If thou sinnest sayth Iob what doost thou against him yea when thy sinnes be many what doost thou vnto him If thou be righteous what giuest thou vnto him or what receiueth he at thy hand Thys GOD so rich so voyde of all euill he whose riches whose power whose wisedome cannot increase or be greater then it is he that was neither before nor after the creation of the world greater or lesser then he is now he that is neither more illustrious or lesse glorious because Angels sing his prayse and men doe glorifie him nay if all the creatures should curse and blaspheme him thys great Lord not of necessity but of meere charitie it not hindering him that we were his enemies he dyd not disdaine to incline and bend the heauens of his maiestie and to descend into this valley of misery to be clothed with the flesh of our mortalitie and to take all our debts vpon him to cancell them to suffer and vnder-goe greater torments then euer any suffered heeretofore or shall suffer heereafter Ah my Lord for the loue of me thou wast borne in a stable and layd in a Cratch for me thou wast circumcized the eyght day for me thou flying into Egipt liuedst there in banishment seauen whole yeeres and for mee thou diddest sustaine diuers persecutions and wast molested and vexed with infinite iniuries For the loue of
I owe all those things to thee which are in me Secondly because thou hast redeemed me I owe the same but by a more iust title Thirdly because thou hast promised thy selfe a reward vnto mee it maketh mee eftsoones to owe my selfe wholy vnto thee Why therfore shal I not giue my selfe once wholy to him to whom I owe my selfe by so many meanes and titles O exceeding ingratitude ô the hardnes of mans hart a hard hart in deede thou art if thou be not bended and moued with so many benefits if thou doest not render ouer and giue thy selfe for so many gifts There is not any thing found in this world so hard but that by some Art and vvorkmanship it may be mollified and softned Mettals melt through fire Iron is made tractable by the same the hardnes of a Diamond is broken by the blood of a Goate but thou ô hart of man art harder then any rocke harder then Iron harder then a Diamond when as neyther hell fire may breake thy hardnes nor the Art of thy most mercifull and louing father may mollifie thee nor the blood of the vnspotted Lambe can make thee tractable Seeing therfore thou ô Lord hast exhibited and giuen vnto vs so great goodnes and mercy doth it seeme a thing tollerable vnto thee that any man should be found who loueth thee not Who is vnmindfull of thy benefits Yea which is most insufferable that blusheth not to offend thee What loueth he that doth not loue thee For what benefit will he be gratefull who doth shew himselfe ingrateful for thy benefits How can I not but worship him but serue him who so deerely hath loued me Who with so great dilligence hath sought for me who with so great labour hath redeemed me from all euill If I were lift vp from the earth sayth our Sauiour I will draw all men vnto mee With what violence ô my Lord With what chaines With the violence of thy loue and with the chaines of thy benefits I will draw thee with the cords of a man sayth the Lord and with bands of loue Who will not willingly be drawne with thy cords Who will not suffer himselfe to be bound with thy bands Who would not couet to be bound and to be ouercome of so great benefits But if it be such an offence not to loue this Lord what will it be to offend him and to violate his commaudements Is it possible ô man that thou hast hands to offend those hands which haue been so liberall towards thee that for thee they were nailed to the Crosse Whē as that lasciuious and vnshamefast woman would haue allured the holy Patriarke Ioseph to adultery and solicited him to be vnfaithfull to his Lord the chast young man defended himselfe after this manner Behold my Maister knoweth not what he hath in the house with me but hath committed all that he hath to mine hand besides thee which art his wife how then can I doe this great wickednes and so sinne against God As if he should say If my Lord hath beene so good and liberall vnto me if hee hath committed all his goods vnto my trust if hee hath me in such great honour how can I haue hands ready to offend so good a Maister who hath bound me to him with so many benefits In which place we are to note that hee was not content to say that it was not decent or meete that I should offend him or I ought not to doe this but he sayd How can I doe this great wickednes c. Signifying that the greatnes of benefits ought not onely to bridle our will but also to take away our power and strength by any meanes to offend our Lord God If these kind of benefits deserued so great gratitude and thankfulnes what doe not the diuine benefits deserue That man had committed to the hands of Ioseph that which he had and God hath committed to thee those things he hath Now compare those things which God hath with those things which that man had and see by how many wayes those are greater and more excellent then these They are double and triple which thou hast receaued of God if thou comparest them with those that Ioseph receaued of this man Tell me I pray thee what wealth what riches hath God which he hath not communicated vnto thee The heauen the earth the Sunne the Moone the starres the Seas riuers birds fishes trees liuing creatures to be briefe all that is found vnder heauen is in thine hands What not onelie those things which are vnder heauen are in thy power but also which are aboue the heauens that is the glory of them and eternall blessednes All things are yours sayth the Apostle whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are yours That is ordained and appointed for your saluation But what if I shall say that thou onely hast not those things which are aboue the heauens but that the Lord himselfe of all heauens is giuen vnto thee by a thousand wayes Hee is giuen vnto thee as a Father as a Tutor as a Sauiour as a Maister he is thy Phisition he is the price of thy redemption he is an example to thee a helpe a remedy a keeper To be briefe the father hath giuen vnto vs his sonne the sonne hath deserued for vs the holy Ghost whom the father and the sonne sendeth vnto vs from whom proceedeth all good things Seeing therefore that it is as true as truth it selfe that God hath giuen all things into thine hands which he hath how can it be that thou hast hands to prouoke and incense him Doest thou thinke that it is a thing to be borne to be ingratefull to a father so good and to a benefactour so liberall Certainly this seemeth to be extreame wickednes but if to this ingratitude thou ioynest the contempt of the benefactour and iniury or offence what a mischiefe will that seeme to be If that young man whom before we remembred tooke himselfe to be so bound and chayned that hee had no power or abillity to offend him who had cōmitted vnto him all the substance of his house how wilt thou finde strength in thy selfe to offend him who hath giuen to thee heauen earth and himselfe Ah vnhappy man more vnthankfull then the beasts more cruell then Lyons and Tygers more insensible then the stones is it possible that thou canst not keepe thee from so great wickednes What Beast what Lyon what Tyger is so vnmindfull of benefits that will hurt him of whom he is benefited Saint Ambrose speaketh of a certaine dogge which a whole night lamented his Maister slaine of one of his enemies with barking and howling In the morning many men came to the dead corps and amongst others he also came that had slaine the man The dogge seeing that homicide made out sodainly against
him and leaping at him began to bite him by which thing the wickednes of this priuy murtherer was layd open and vncouered What sayst thou ô man if a dogge be so faithfull for a peece of bread and with so great loue doth affect his Maister Doth ingratitude so please thee that thou wilt suffer thy selfe to be excelled of a dogge in the law of gratitude If thys brutish creture burned with so great anger against the murtherer of hys Maister why art not thou also displeased and out of patience at these which haue killed thy Lord What be they They are thy sinnes these apprehended him these bound him these scourged him these violently drew him to the Crosse. Thy sinnes were the causes of thy Lords death Those cruell butchers and hangmen had not had so great force and power ouer Christ vnlesse thy sinnes had armed them Why then art thou not mad angry why doost thou not whet thy furie against thē which haue slaine thy Lord Wherefore when thou seest thy Lord slaine before thy face and in thy sight and that for thee is not thy loue increased towards him Why doost thou not fret and chafe against thy sinnes which haue procured his death especially seeing that thou art not ignorant that the end of all his sayings dooings and torments was no other then that he might stirre vp anger and hate in our harts against sinne He died that he might kill sinne and that hee might binde and restraine the power of our hands and feete hasting to mischiefe he had hys hands and feete nayled to the Crosse. With what face therefore darest thou liue that all the labors and sweats of Christ for thee should be vaine and of none effect whilst thou still wilt remaine in the same seruitude from which he hath freed thee with the effusion of his owne blood Can it be that thou doost not tremble at the onely mention of sinne when thou seest that God vnder-went terrible and horrible torments that he might destroy and abolish it What could he doe more that he might draw and hold back men striuinglie rushing into sinne then that God himselfe hanging vpon the Crosse might be sent to meete them Who will be so rash and foole-hardie that he dare offend GOD when he seeth before him both Paradice open and hell enlarging her mouth yet it is much greater then that to see God hanging vpon the Crosse. He that is not mooued with thys sight I know not truly vvith what other thing he will be mooued THE FIFT TITLE How wee are bound to follow Vertue by reason of our Iustification CHAP. V. WHat had the benefit of Redemption profited vs if the benefit of Iustification had not followed by which the vertue of that most excellent benefit is applyed vnto vs For euen as a plaister is of no vse if it bee not applyed to the wound or to the diseased place so there had beene no profit of that heauenly medicine if it had not beene applyed by this benefit Which dutie especially appertaineth to the holy Ghost to whom the sanctification of man is attributed For he it is that by his mercie preuenteth a sinner afterwards calleth him and beeing called iustifieth him and beeing iustified directeth him by the paths of righteousnes and so bringeth him by the gyft of perseuerance to the end of his course and race vntill at the length he bestoweth vpon him the crowne of glory for this benefit comprehendeth in it all the other benefits Amongst all these benefits that of Vocation and Iustification is the first which is when as by the vertue of this diuine Spirit the chaynes and snares of sinne beeing broken and burst man escapeth the rule and tyrannie of the deuill is raysed from death to life of a sinner is made righteous of a child of curse malediction is made the child of God Which cannot by any meanes be brought to passe without the peculier help ayde of God which the Lord testifieth in plaine words vvhen hee sayth No man can come to mee except my Father draw him signifying that no strength of mans nature can deliuer a man from sinne and bring him vnto grace vnlesse the arme of the diuine power helpe him Thomas Aquinas dooth thus comment vpon these words Euen as a stone sayth hee alwaies of his owne nature falleth downevvards neyther can lift it selfe vpwards without externall helpe so man by reason of the corruption of sinne dooth alwayes tend downewards that is he doth alwaies slide to the loue and desire of earthly things but if hee be to be lifted vp aboue that is to the loue to a supernaturall desire of heauenly things he hath neede of the right hand of the highest and of the Diuine helpe Thys sentence is to be noted and obserued for by this a man doth come to the knowledge of himselfe and vnderstandeth the corruption of his owne nature and knoweth how necessary the continuall prayer for the Diuine helpe is Therefore that we may returne to our purpose man by his owne strength cannot be deliuered from sinne and brought to grace because necessarily the hande of the Lorde is required which must deliuer him But who can declare what other great benefits are contained in this alone For seeing without all controuersie that by this sinne is banished and expelled out of the soule which ingendereth many euils in it howe great a good will that be which doth cast and driue out all these euills But seeing that the consideration of this benefit doth very much stir vp man to gratitude and to the desire of vertue heere by the way I will declare the great blessings which this onely good is wont to bring with it First by it man is reconciled to God and is brought and admitted to his fauour and friendship For the first and chiefest of all euils which sinne bringeth to the soule is that it maketh man an enemie to God who seeing that he is infinite goodnes aboue all things he hateth and curseth sinne Therefore sayth the Prophet Thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie thou shalt destroy them that speake lyes He addeth furthermore that God abhorreth and detesteth the bloody man and deceitfull Thys is the greatest of all euils and the roote and fountaine of all the rest as on the contrary side to be loued of God is the greatest of all blessings and the cause and originall of them From thys so dangerous an euill by this benefit of Iustification we are deliuered by which wee are reconciled to God and of enemies made friends vnto him and that not in a common degree of friendship but in the highest which may be found of the Father towards the sonne The Euangelist Iohn worthily commendeth this fauour and friendship when he saith Behold what loue the Father hath shewed vnto vs that we should be called and be indeede the sonnes of GOD. He is not content to say
eloquence can vtter but by certaine coniectures we may come as it were aloofe of to some knowledge of it Amongst these coniectures the first is the end of that worke for the end is one of the circumstances which are wont especially to declare the condition and excellencie of a thing The end therefore for which the Lord hath made this place is that by it he might manifest his glory For although hee hath created all things for his glory as sayth Salomon yet properly and peculierly he is sayd to haue created heauen for this end for in it after a more speciall manner his dignitie greatnes and magnificence doth shine and appeare For euen as King Assuerus that raigned from India euen vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundred and seauen and twenty prouinces made a great feast vnto all his Princes and his seruants euen the power of Persia and Media in the Citty of Susan by the space of an hundred and fourescore dayes and that with all maiesty cost and royall magnificence that hee might shew the riches and glory of his kingdome and the honour of his great maiestie So the great King of Kings determined to make a most solemne and sumptuous feast in heauen not by the space of anie time but throughout all eternity that in it he might show the vnmeasurablenes of his riches of his wisedome also of his liberality and goodnes This is that feast of which the Prophet Esay speaketh when he sayth And the Lord of Hoasts shall make to all people in this mountaine a feast of fat things euen a feast of fined wines and of fat things full of marrow of wines fined and purified That is of meates most delicate most precious and most sweete If therefore the Lord God doth make that solemne feast that in it he may manifest the greatnes of his glory if his glory be so great what shall the feast be What the riches How precious all things that to this end are prepared But we shal vnderstand this better if wee consider the greatnes of the power of this Lord. His power is so great that with one word he created this admirable frame and that with one word in like manner he can destroy it againe Neyther could he haue created one vvorld with one word but infinite vvorlds in like maner againe he could haue destroyed so many with one word Furthermore whatsoeuer he doth hee doth it without labour so that with the same facility that he created a small Pismire hee could haue created the greatest Cherubin and Seraphin for he feeleth no burthen he sweateth not vnder a greater weight neyther is hee eased of a lesse For he can doe all things that he willeth and whatsoeuer he willeth he worketh by his onely will Tell mee therefore if the power of this Lord be so great and if the glory of his most holy name be so great so vnmeasurable his loue what thinkest thou will be his house the ioy the feast which he to this end hath prepared What can be wanting to this worke why it should not be absolute in euery respect There shall be no defect of his hands because he is infinitely mightie and powerfull There shall be lesse defect of his braine because he that made it is infinitely wise There shall be no defect of his will because he is infinitely good Neither shall this worke be hindered through want of riches because the maker is the Sea and Ocean of all treasure What then vvill this vvork be where there is such and so great preparation What shall that vvorke be that commeth out of that shop in which such vvorkmaisters vvorke together as are the omnipotency of the Father the vvisedome of the Sonne and the goodnes of the holy Ghost Where the goodnes vvilleth the vvisedome disposeth and ordereth the omnipotencie can doe all that vvhich the goodnes vvilleth and the vvisedome ordereth although all these are one and the same in diuers persons We haue also an other coniecture meete for this purpose not vnlike to the former For God prepared not this house onely for his owne honour but for the glory and honour also of his elect Consider therefore how carefull God is to honour his friends and to performe his promise by vvhich he promised that hee vvould honour all them that doe administer vnto him This is manifested by the effect seeing that he hath giuen to them that liue in this world dominion and rule ouer all creatures This is manifest in Iosua at whose commandement the Sun stood vnmoueable in the midst of heauē no otherwise then if hee had had in his hands the bridle of the frame of the whole world The Lord obeying as the Scripture saith the voyce of a man We see the like in Esay who gaue to King Hezekiah his wish whether he vvould that the shadow of the Sun should goe forward tenne degrees or goe back ten degrees for vvith the same facility that he could doe the one he could doe the other Is not the like power seene in Elias vvho by his vvord stayed the cloudes that they should yeeld no raine as long as hee pleased And afterwards by the vertue of his prayer hee brought backe the cloudes and obtayned raine and vvatered the earth vvith showers and dewes Not onely such things in life are graunted vnto the Elect but the Lord doth honour them so farre that hee hath giuen this power after death to their bones and ashes Who vvill not prayse God that the bones of dead Elizeus reuiued a dead man vvhose body through feare of the theeues of Moab vvas cast into the Sepulcher of the Prophet Yea he hath not onely giuen this vertue vnto the bones and ashes of his elect but also to their shadowes the shadow of Peter restored them to health whom it shadowed O admirable God ô exceeding and infinitely good who hath giuen to man what he tooke not to himselfe or which he himselfe vsed not for it is not reade of Christ that his shadow healed the diseased which notwithstanding the Scripture testifieth of Peter If God be so ready to honour his Saints yea in a time and place not ordayned nor destined for their reward but appoynted for labours and miseries how great doost thou thinke that glory will be which he hath prepared for his beloued in a place proper for reward and recompence to honour them and that he may be honoured in them Hee that so greatly desireth to bestow honour and can so easily doe it let euery one consider with himselfe how ample precious rare and magnificent those things ought to be which hee hath prepared for the honour of his Elect In this place also may be considered the incomparable liberality of this Lord in rewarding the seruices of his seruants The Lord commaunded the Patriarke Abraham to sacrifice his onely and deerely beloued sonne who beeing obedient to the commaundement and preparing
be the fulnes of light to our vnderstanding the aboundance of peace to our will and the continuance of eternity to our memory There the wisedom of Salomon shall seeme ignorance there the beauty of Absalon shall seeme deformity there the strength of Sampson shall seeme weakenes there the life of those men that liued at the beginning of the world shall be as it were death to conclude there wee may worthily call the treasuries of all Emperours and Kings starke beggerie and pouertie If these things be so ô wretched man as they are in deede wherefore and to what end doost thou desire to stay longer in the Land of Egipt and to gather stubble Why doost thou drinke troubled and foule water out of all cesternes despising the vaine of felicity and the fountaine of liuing waters Why doost thou loue to begge and â—o liue of almes when thou shalt finde such aboundance in heauen If thou desirest pleasure lift vp thine hart and see how delightfull that good is that contayneth in it the delight and pleasure of all good things If this life created doth please thee how much more shall that life please thee which created all things If health giuen make thee merrie how much more shall he make thee merry that giueth all health If the knowledge of the creatures be sweet and acceptable how much more sweeter shall the Creator himselfe be If beauty be acceptable vnto thee it is hee at whose beauty the Sunne and Moone admire If thou desirest nobility hee is the fountaine and originall of all nobility If thou desirest long life and health he is eternal life If thou desirest satiety and aboundance he is the fulnes of al good things If thou delightest in the wel-tuned musicke harmony of mortall men there Angels doe sing most sweetly the Organs of the Citty of God are heard there with great delight and pleasantnes If the friendship familiarity and society of good men doe like thee there thou shalt finde all the elect hauing one minde and one hart If thou thirstest after riches and honours in that house of the Lord they are found in great aboundance To conclude if thou desirest to escape all kinde of punishments tribulations and miseries there thou shalt finde libertie and freedome from them all God commaunded in the olde law that vpon the eight day Circumcision should be celebrated that secretly he might let vs vnderstand that vpon the eight day of our Resurrection which succeedeth the seauenth day of this life God will circumcise and cut off all the griefes sorrowes miseries and calamities of them that for his loue whilst they liued haue circumcised and cut off their appetites lusts and sinnes What thing then can be found out more blessed or happy then this estate of liuing most free from all kinde of misery What sayth Saint Augustine is more blessed then this life where there is no feare of pouerty no infirmity of sicknes No man is hurt none angry none enuieth no concupiscence is kindled no appetite of meat no ambition of honour or dominion doth vrge or moue thee There is no feare of the deuill no deceipts of deuils the terror of hell is farre of there is neyther death of body or soule but a pleasant life through the gift of immortality Then there shall be no mischiefes no discords but all agreement because there shall be one concord of all the Saints Peace and ioy embrace all things all thinges are at quiet and rest there is continuall brightnes and shining not that which is now but much more bright and cleare because that Citty as it is reade needeth neyther Sunne nor Moone but the Lord almighty shall enlighten it and the Lambe is the light of it Where the Saints shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes as the starres for euer and euer Wherefore there is no night no darknes no concourse of cloudes neyther anie distemperature or vnseasonablenes of heate or cold but there shall be such a temperature and moderation of all things which neyther the eye hath seene nor the eare hath heard neyther hath it entred into the hart of man except of them who are found worthy to enioy it whose names are written in the booke of life But aboue all these things it is to be consociate with the assembly of Angels and Archangels and of all the celestiall powers to behold the Patriarches and Prophets to see the Apostles and all the Saints to see also our parents These are glorious but much more glorious is it to behold the countenance of the Lord and to see that light not to be circumscribed that will be superexcellent glory when we shal see God in himselfe wee shall see and shall haue him in vs whom to behold there shall be no end O my soule sayth the same holy man if wee daily should suffer torments if for a long time we should endure hell it selfe that we might see Christ in his glory and haue society with his Saints were it not a thing worthy to suffer all bitternes and all crosse that we might be pertakers of so great good and so great glory Therfore let the deuils lye in waite for me let them prepare temptations let fastings weaken my body let hard and course cloathing afflict my flesh let labours oppresse mee let watchings dry me vp let this man cry out against me let this or that disquiet mee let cold benum me let my conscience murmur against mee let heate burne mee let my head ake let my hart boyle within me let my stomach faile mee let my countenance waxe pale let euery part of me be enfeebled let my life forsake me in griefe and let my yeeres end in sorrow let rottennes enter into my bones and flow vnder me so that I may rest in the day of tribulation and that I may ascend to the holy hil For what shal be the glory of the righteous How great the ioy of the Saints when as euery face shal shine as the Sun Hetherto S. Augustine If this good be so great and so vniuersall what shal the felicity and glory be of those blessed eyes which shal behold all these things How excellent a thing wil it be to see the beauty of this Citty And the glory of the Cittizens The face of the Creator The magnificence of the buildings The riches of the Pallace and the common ioy of that Countrey How pleasant a thing wil it be to see the orders of the blessed Spirits The authority of that holy Senate And the maiesty of those venerable Seniours and Elders which Saint Iohn saw Sitting vpon thrones in the sight of God clothed in white rayment and hauing on their heads crownes of gold How sweet and how pleasant wil it be to heare those sweet angelical voyces the consent of theyr musicke most excellently composed of maister singers such Psalmody of such holy singers such Symphonie
vnto thousands to them that loue me and keepe my commaundements An example of this we haue in Dauid for God would not cast off his sonnes in so many ages although their sinnes had oftentimes deserued it And that onely in respect of Dauid their Father The same thing the Lord sheweth in Abraham when he directed his seruant in his way and prospered his busines when his maister had commaunded him that he should fetch a wife for his sonne Isaack Neyther onely is he good and gracious to the seruant for the deserts of the maister but that which is much more for the loue of a good seruant God hath a care of an ill Maister So he blessed the house of Putiphar the Egiptian as the Scripture sayth for Iosephs sake and encreased all his substance as well in his houses as in his fields notwithstanding that Putiphar Iosephs maister was an Idolater What bountifulnes what prouidence can be greater then that Who is so mad that will not serue a Lord so liberall so faythfull and so louing towards all them that waite and attend vpon him and not onely towards themselues but also towards all things that is theirs ¶ Of the names that are attributed vnto the Lord in the holie Scripture by reason of this prouidence BEcause this diuine prouidence doth extend it selfe to many and wonderfull effects therfore God hath in the holy Scriptures diuers names Hee is most vsually and solemnly called a Father as in like manner God in most places of the Gospell calleth vs his most louing sonnes And not onely in the Gospell but also in many places of the old Testament For so the Prophet sayth in his Psalmes As a Father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust Because it seemed but a small thing to another Prophet that he should be called a Father seeing that his loue and prouidence doth exceede the loue of all fathers he sayth Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israell know vs not As if he should say Those that are fathers according the flesh are not worthy that name if they be compared with thee But because in the loue of parents the loue of the mother is commonly wont to be the more vehement and tenderer the Lord is not content with the name of Father but will also be called a Mother and more then a Mother as he himselfe sayth in Esay in most sweet words Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe Though they should forget yet will I not forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palme of mine hands thy wals are euer in my sight What words can be spoken with a more tender loue Who will be so blind or so blockish who vnderstanding this will not reioyce Who will not be reuiued Who will not lift vp his head hearing that he hath such a pledge of the loue and of the diuine prouidence For he that considereth that it is God that speaketh this whose truth is for euerlasting neyther doth he euer deceaue whose riches haue no end and whose power is infinite whom shall he feare What shall he not hope for How shall he not reioyce at those words When he heareth this assurance of his estate this prouidence and this certaine demonstration of loue What I will yet speake more For the Lord is not content to haue compared his loue to the common loue of mothers but hee chooseth one among all other which excelleth al others in loue that is the Eagle with whose loue he compareth his loue and prouidence saying As an Eagle prouoking her young ones to flye fluttereth ouer her birds stretcheth out her wings taketh them and beareth them on her wings This same thing the same Prophet also testifieth in words more cleare before the people being now ready to enter into the Land of promise The Lord thy God hath borne thee sayth hee as a man doth beare his sonne in all the way which yee haue gone vntill yee came vnto this place And as he himselfe doth take vpon him the name of a Father and of a Mother so hee giueth vnto vs the name of most beloued sonnes as Ieremy testifieth Is Ephraim sayth hee my deere sonne or pleasant child Yet since I spake to him I still remembred him therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely haue compassion vpon him sayth the Lord. Euery one of these words because it is God that spake them are worthy that they should be well considered of for they are very forcible to mollifie our harts with diuine loue seeing that he hath loued vs being vnhappy and miserable creatures so tenderly and doth cherish vs so louingly By the same reason of the diuine prouidence God after that he had taken vpon him the name of a Father hee would also be called a Pastour or Sheepheard as wee may see in the Gospell That he might declare how farre this pastorall loue and sheepheardly care doth extend it selfe hee sayde I am the good sheepheard and know my sheepe and am knowne of mine O Lord how doost thou know them with what eyes doost thou behold them As the Father knoweth me sayth he so know I the Father Which is with the same eyes that my Father beholdeth me I behold the Father and with the same I looke vpon my sheepe O blessed eyes ô happy aspect O supreame prouidence What greater glory what greater treasure what greater riches can be desired of any one then with such eyes to be beheld of the sonne of God that is with the same eyes that the Father beholdeth him For although this comparison in euery poynt is not equall for the naturall sonne deserueth more then the adoptiue yet great is that glory that it is worthy to be compared with this Yet what ones and how great the workes and benefits of this prouidence are God by his Prophet Ezechiell doth most plentifully teach in these words Behold I will search my sheepe and seeke them out As a sheepheard searcheth out his flocke when he hath beene among his sheepe that are scattered so will I seeke out my sheep and will deliuer them out of all places where they haue beene scattered in the cloudy and darke day And I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the Countries and will bring them to their owne Land and feede them vpon the mountaines of Israel by the riuers and in all the inhabited places of the Countrey I will feede them in a good pasture and vpon the high mountaines of Israel shall their fold be there shall they lye in a good fold and in fat pasture shall they feede vpon the mountaines of Israel I will feede my sheepe and bring them to their rest sayth the Lord God I will seeke
nothing so much as pleasures these men say at least their works speake if not their words that they had rather haue pleasure vnperfect then that which wanteth pleasure with all her perfections and prerogatiues This is that Lactantins Firmianus sayd in times past Because sayth he bitternernes is mixed with vertues and vices are seasoned with pleasures and men eschew bitternes and are inticed with the sweetnes of pleasures many forsaking vertues with great earnestnes follow after vices This is one and the onely cause of so great a mischiefe and hee that shall bring men from this perillous errour he shall not bestow a small benefit vpon them and he that shall prooue by most euident arguments that the way of vertue is much more playner and sweeter then the way of vices he shall mightily helpe them This is that wee would now prooue and demonstrate with most firme arguments and clearer then any light especially with the authorities of the diuine Scripture seeing that they are more certaine and sound proofes then those which may be brought for this matter from any other place For the heauen and the earth shall sooner perish then any iote or title of them Tell me therefore ô blinde man wrapped in miserable errors if the way of the Lord be so bitter as thou imaginest to thy selfe what meaneth that of Dauid How great ô Lord is the sweetnes of thy goodnes which thou hast layd vp for them that feare thee In which words the Prophet doth not onely expresse the greatnes of the sweetnes which is giuen of the Lord to the righteous but also he doth render a reason why the wicked doe not know it because the Lord hath layd it vp from theyr eyes What other thing meaneth that of the same Prophet My soule shall be ioyfull in the Lord it shall reioyce in his saluation All my bones that is all my strength and might shall say Lord who is like vnto thee Tell me what other thing is this then to say that the ioy and mirth of the righteous is so great that although it be directly taken in the spirit it doth redound neuerthelesse for the aboundance and plenty thereof also vpon the flesh that which before knew not to be delighted but in carnall things now for the communion and participation of the spirit is delighted in spirituall things and reioyceth in the liuing God and that with so great ioy that all the bones of the body being full of this admirable sweetnes doe force a man to cry out Lord who is like vnto thee What pleasures are like thine What ioy what loue what peace can any creature giue comparable to this of thine What meaneth this also of the same Psalmist The voyce of ioy and deliuerance shall be in the tabernacles of the righteous What I say meaneth that vnlesse that he might signifie that true ioy and deliuerance are not found in the houses of sinners but in the soules of the righteous What also meaneth the Prophet when he sayth The righteous shall be glad and reioyce before God yea they shall leape for ioy but that hee might shew the ioyes and spirituall feastings with which God oftentimes vvonderfully doth refresh the soules of the righteous with the sweetnes of all celestiall thinges In which banquets there is drunke that most sweete wine which the same Prophet praysing sayth They shall be satisfied and drunke with the fatnes of thine house and thou shalt giue them drinke out of the riuer of thy pleasures With what other words could the Prophet haue more cunningly or liuely depainted and expressed the greatnes of these delicates calling them drunkennes and a riuer of pleasures that hee might shew the force and efficacie which they haue to draw the mindes of men from earthly things and to conuert them to God This is vnderstoode by this drunkennes For euen as a man who is ouercome with much wine looseth the vse of his sences neyther differeth much from a dead man by reason of the strength of the wine so when any one is full of that heauenly wine hee dyeth to the world and hath all his sences with all their desires shackled and fettered Furthermore what meaneth that of the same Prophet Blessed is the people that can reioyce in thee Some body perhaps might haue sayd Blessed is the people who haue plentifully all things necessary for them who is encompassed with strong wals and enuironed with mighty bulwarks who is garded with choyce Seruants and Souldiours But this most holy King who knew all these doth not speake so but he sayth that he is blessed who hath learned by experience what it is to ioy and reioyce in the Lord not with euery kinde of ioy but with that which is worthy of the name of ioy which as Gregory sayth is a ioy of the spirit so great that it cannot be expressed nor shewed by any externall signes Blessed therefore is the people who so hath profited and hath made such progresse in the sweetnes and loue of God that knoweth by experience what this ioy is which neyther that most wise Plato could vnderstand nor that most eloquent Demosthenes vtter with words but it is onely knowne to an humble and pure hart in which God dwelleth If God be the Author of this ioy I pray thee consider how great it ought to be which proceedeth from God for it is certaine that as the diuine punishment is like to God himselfe so also his comfort is wont to be like and conformable vnto him But if his punishment when hee correcteth man be so great how great thinkest thou shall his consolations be when he doth comfort man If hee hath a hand so heauy to smite how light shall it be when hee stretcheth it out that hee may stroke and cherish his friends Especially seeing that this good God is much more meruailous in his works of mercy then in his works of iustice Moreouer tell me I pray thee what is that Celler of vvine of most precious wine into which the Bride doth glory that shee was brought of her Bridegrome What is that banquet to which that same Bridegrome doth call his friends when he sayth Drinke my friends and be drunken my beloued What drunkennes is this but the greatnes of the diuine sweetnes and ioy which doth so alienate and infatuate the hart of man that a man seemeth as it were to be carried beyond himselfe For it is wont to be commonly sayde that a man is drunke when the wine that he drinketh is of greater measure and more aboundant then that his naturall heate may concoct or digest for then the wine ascendeth into the braine and so ruleth ouer man that now hee doth not rule himselfe but is ruled of the wine Which thing if it be so tell mee I pray thee what shall be the state of that soule drunken with that heauenly wine When it is as it were a vessell
thee For such are wont to feele great motiues and prickes in the beginning of theyr conuersion as Thomas Aquinas sheweth in a certaine worke of his Amongst other causes of this alacrity and ioyfulnes hee sayth that this is one the nouelty of theyr estate of their loue of their light and knowledge of diuine things which then they know but did not know before For the nouelty of that knowledge doth beget in them exceeding admiration and loue ioyned with incredible sweetnes and gratitude which they exhibite vnto him of whom they haue receaued so great good things and of whom they are deliuered and freed out of so great darknes We see by experience that a man when he entreth into any famous Citty or royall Pallace the first day he walketh wondering his minde hanging in suspence by reason of the nouelty of things that there he seeth but when hee hath stayed longer in that place and hath seene the same things oftner that admiration is diminished and that pleasure lesned with which hee did see them at first The same thing happeneth to them at the first when as they enter into this new Citty of grace by reason of the nouelty of things which by little and little are vncouered and layd open in it Therfore it is not to be meruailed at if the Nouices Punies of piety doe feele greater feruours in their soules then those that be antient for the nouelty of the light knowledge of diuine things doth worke in them a greater alteration Hence it is that Saint Bernard hath very well noted that the elder sonne did not lye when hee sayd Behold so many yeeres haue I serued thee neyther euer haue I omitted thy commaundement yet neuer didst thou giue mee a Kid that I might banquet with my friends But after that this thy sonne who hath spent and consumed his substance with harlots came thou killest the fatted Calfe New loue worketh like new wine and water in a Cauldron is so long quiet vntill it beginneth to feele the heate of the fire then forth-with it boyleth swelleth and is carried aloft But afterward although the heate be more intense and augmented yet the water is more quiet and not so swelling leaping and bubling vp as it was when it first began to waxe hot The Lord most curteously and most amiably doth embrace them who first enter into his house The first day they eate with all pleasant allurements and all things are delightsome and acceptable Also the Lord doth himselfe towards these younglings and incipients as Merchants are wont who first bring out a show of their merchandize that by that the buier may estimate the whole thing and thereby be the more willing and be sooner drawne on to buy The loue with which parents embrace theyr young children although it is not greater then that by which they loue those that be elder yet it is more tender and more faire and pleasant These must walke alone the other are carried in their armes these are sent to labour and take paines the other are nourished deliciously and left to doe what they will these vnlesse they get their lyuing they often are hungry the other being idle and doing nothing are desired and entreated to eate yea meate is put into their mouthes Out of this friendship and sweete fellowship of the Lord a spirituall ioy at the length ariseth in them of which the Prophet speaketh Thou waterest aboundantly their furrowes thou multipliest their generations and their growing and braunching shall prosper and reioyce through thy dewing and dropping vpon them What generations be these What branching and growing and what dewing showring vnlesse the dew of the diuine grace by which the spirituall plants are watered which newly haue beene transplanted into the Lords Orchard Of these therefore sayth the Prophet that they are reioyced and refreshed with the dew and showers of his water which is sent from aboue that he might signifie the great ioy which they pertake in the nonage of this new visitation and celestiall benefit But least thou shouldest thinke because hee calleth this friendship or grace a dew or small showre that therefore according to the signification of the name it is little and small which is giuen to young beginners Saint Augustine sayth they drinke of the riuer of Paradice one drop of which is greater then the Ocean which alone is able to quench the thirst of the whole world The argument of them doth not ouerthrow this who say that they doe not feele these ioyes and consolations For if the palate which is corrupted and distempered by ill humors doth not tast the sweetnes of meate for that which is sweet seemeth bitter and that which is bitter sweet what meruaile is it if he that hath his soule corrupted with the worst humors of vices and inordinate affections so accustomed to the flesh-pots of Egipt that he loatheth Manna the bread of Angels Purge thy palate with the teares of repentance and that being purged thou shalt tast and see how sweete the Lord is If these things be so tell me my brother I pray thee what be the goods of this world if they be compared with these they shall not scarcely seeme durt and dung The Doctours teach that there is two kinds of blessednes one vnperfect the other perfect one present the other to come one of the way the other of the Countrey this the blessed enioy in glory the other the righteous enioy in this world What other thing is to be wished of thee then that here thou mayst begin to be happy and that thou mayst receaue in this life the pledge and earnest of the diuine espousals which there are solemnized by words for the present but heere they begin by words for the time to come O man sayth a learned Diuine seeing thou mayst liue in this Paradice enioy a treasure so inestimable goe and sell all that thou hast and purchase for thy selfe this precious and fertile possession especially seeing that it is not deare for it is Christ that selleth it yea rather which giueth it freely Doe not defer this purchase to the time to come for one minute of this time which now vainely slideth from thee is more precious then the treasures of the whole world Although this purchase at the length be giuen vnto thee yet be thou sure that with great greefe thou shalt complaine that thou hast wanted it so long and sorrowing with Saint Augustine thou wilt say I haue loued thee to late and after the time that I should ô thou beauty so auntient and so new I haue loued thee in the euening This blessed man alwayes lamented his slownes although at the length hee was not frustrated of his crowne Therefore attend thou diligently least thou at one time or other complaynest with the like sorrowing that now by thy negligence thou doost loose those blessings which the righteous enioy in this
worlde for his sake shall receaue an hundreth fold heere and shall inherite euerlasting life Behold therefore my brother what an excellent good it is that hetherto I haue shewed thee behold to what I inuite thee consider whether any will say that thou art deceaued if for the loue of it thou shalt forsake the world and all things which are therein Onely one inconuenience this good hath if so that it may be called an incoÌ„uenience why it is not esteemed amongst wicked men that is because it is not knowen vnto them For this cause our Sauiour said That the kingdome of heauen was like vnto a treasure hid for this good is indeede a treasure but hid not to these that possesse it but to others That Prophet very well knew of the price of this treasure who said My secret to my selfe my secret to my selfe Hee regarded not whether others knew of his treasure or no for this good is not of the nature of other goods which are not good vnlesse they be known of others vvherefore they are not good of themselues but only in the estimation of the world and therefore it is necessarie that they be knowen vnto him of whom they are so called But thys good maketh his possesser good and happy and doth noe lesse warme heate his hart when he knoweth of it alone then when the whole world knoweth it But my tongue is not the key of the Casket of this secret and much lesse of all those things which hetherto haue been spoken for whatsoeuer mans tongue can vtter is much lesse theÌ„ the truth of the thing it selfe The Diuine light experience and vse is the key of vertues I would that thou shouldest desire thys key of GOD that thou mayst finde this treasure yea God himselfe in whoÌ„ thou shalt finde all things and thou shalt see with what great reason the Prophet said Blessed is the people whose GOD the Lorde is For what can be wanting vnto him who possesseth this good It is written in the bookes of the Kings that Elcana the Father of Samuell said to his wife sorrowing because shee vvas barren and had no chyldren Anna why weepest thou and why catest thou not and why is thine hart troubled Am not I better to thee then tenne sonnes If a good husband who is to day and to morrow is not be better to his wife then tenne sonnes what thinkest thou of God what will hee be to that soule that possesseth him O men what doe ye whether looke ye what doe ye regard why doe ye leaue the fountaine of Paradice drinke of the muddy Cesterns of thys world Why doe ye not follow the good counsaile of the Prophet who saith O tast see how gracious and sweet the Lord is Why doe we not once assay thys Fourd why doe wee not once tast of these bankets Haue trust to the words of the Lord and beginne and he shal deliuer thee from all danger Terrible and fearefull seemed that Serpent a farre off into which Moses rodde was turned but when it was handled it returned to the old forme againe Not without cause saide Salomon It is naught it is naught saith he that buyâ—th but when hee commeth to his owne house then hee boasteth of his penny-worth Thys hapneth daily to men in this busines For not knowing at the beginning the value of this merchandize because they theÌ„selues are not spirituall neither know they of what esteeme it is and vnderstanding what is requested for it because they are carnall they thinke it is too deere and not worth the price But when they once beginne to tast how sweet the Lord is foorthwith they boast of their merchandize and they confesse that no price is too high or too much to be giuen for this incomparable good Consider how the Merchant in the Gospel cheerfully sold all that he had that he might buy the field in which the treasure was hid Therfore for what cause doth not a Christian man this name being heard contend to know what it is Certainly it is a matter of wonder if any tatler or tale-bearer should tell thee that in thy house there is treasure hidde thou wouldest not rest to digge and delue and to seeke and try whether it were true or no that hee had said But when the Lorde himselfe affirmeth that within thee in thy soule thou hast an inestimable treasure hid canst thou not be brought to seek for it O how soone shouldest thou sinde this treasure if thou onelie knewest how nigh the Lord is vnto them that call vpon him in truth How many men haue their beene in this world vvho considering of their sinnes and perseuering in prayer and desiring remission of them haue in lesse time then a weeke opened the earth or that I may speake better haue found a new heauen and a newe earth and haue begunne to feele in them the kingdome of God How great is it which that Lord doth who saith At what tyme soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes I will put them out of my remembrance How great was that which that good Father did who scarcely that short prayer of the Prodigall beeing ended could no longer containe himselfe but he must needes embrace him and receaue him into his house with great mirth and feasting Returne therefore my brother to thys gracious fauourable Father and whilst it is time lift vp thy hart vnto him and cease not for some fewe dayes vncessantly to call and knock at the gates of his mercy and assuredly beleeue mee if thou shalt perseuer with humilitie at the length the Lord shall make aunswere vnto thee and shall show thee the hid treasure of his loue which when thou shalt haue tasted and assaied thou wilt say with the Spouse in the Canticles If a man woulde giue all the good of his house for loue he should count it nothing The end of the second part THE THIRD PART OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which aunswere is made to all those excuses by which those men are wont to excuse and defend themselues who will not embrace Vertue Against the first excuse of those who deferre and put off from day to day the amendment of their lifes and the embracing of Vertue CHAP. XXV I Thinke that no man can deny but that those things are sufficient which hetherto haue beene spoken of vs yea and that they sufficientlie and plentifully doe approoue our principall purpose and intent which wee promised at the beginning to discourse aâ—d dispute of That is that we might moue the harts of men Gods grace being first presupposed to the loue and study of Vertue But although we may be thought to haue satisfied and performed our promise yet the malitiousnes of men haue excuses which haue a show of truth by which they defend their lingering and loytering negligence and still comfort and please themselues in their wickednes as Ecclesiasticus intimateth and insinuateth
mistery of that time it will be counted a ridiculous thing to thinke that these are matters for all times and places which were onely proper for that time We see also in all well ordered common wealths that some things be done ordinarily and alwayes after the same manner and some things that are vsed extraordinarily Ordinary things are common to all but the extraordinary are proper to some certaine The same thing also commeth in vse in the common wealth of God which is his Church And so that of the Apostle is regular and ordinary Whose end shall be according to theyr works signifying that after the common manner of speaking an euill death followeth an euill life and a good death a good life And it is an ordinary thing that those that embrace Vertue and leade a godly life doe enter into an eternal life and those that liue viciously and wickedly to be cast into hell fire This sentence is common and true which the holy Scripture doth beate vpon in many places This the Psalmes doe sing of this the Prophets doe celebrate this the Apostles doe preach of this the Euangelists haue noted The kingly Prophet hath comprehended this in few words when he sayd God spake once and twice I haue also heard the same that power belongeth vnto God And that thou Lord art mercifull for thou rewardest euery man according to his worke This is the summe of all Christian Philosophy Therfore according to this speach of Dauid we say that it is an ordinary thing that as well the righteous as the sinner should receaue a reward at the end of their lifes according to the works which they haue done Yet besides this vniuersall law God can by his especiall grace and fauour bestow mercy vpon some that they should dye the death of the righteous who haue liued the life of sinners as also it may come to passe that he that hath liued like a righteous man in this world by the secret iudgement of God may dye as a sinner As it happeneth vnto them who haue sayled very fortunately in a long voyage and at the very mouth of the Hauen suffer shipwrack Hence it is that Salomon sayth Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward and the breath of the beast that goeth downe to the earth For although it be alwayes in a manner true that their soules who liue like beasts descend to hell and that theirs that liue like men ascend to heauen yet in the secret and particuler iudgement of God this order may be somtimes inuerted Yet it is safe and generall doctrine that a good liuer shall haue a blessed death Therefore no man ought for the praecedent causes to leane to their examples who haue been saued by especiall and particuler grace and sauour for they make no generall rule nor extend themselues to all men but onely to few and those vnknowne Neyther canst thou know whether thou art contayned in that number But if thou obiectest vnto me the repentance of the Niniuites which proceeded from feare least they should all haue beene destroyed within forty dayes consider thou not onely their sharpe and seuere repentance which they made but also their change of life Change thou also thy life after the same manner and the same mercy shall not forsake thee But I perceaue that thou art scarcely recouered of thine infirmity and scarcely risen out of bed seeing that thou straightwayes runnest to the first kind of life and recallest all that which thou didst purpose when thou wast weake Wherfore I leaue thee to consider what I may think of thy repentance ¶ The conclusion of the former disputation WHatsoeuer hath hetherto beene spoken hath not beene spoken to that end that it should shut the gate of saluation or of hope against any man for neyther hath any of the Saints shut it neyther ought any man to shut it but to this end that the wicked may be recalled turned from that refuge and fortresse in which they lurke and are made mightier to perseuere in their iniquities But tell me I pray thee my brother if all the voyces and iudgements of Doctors and holy men if all reasons if the holy and sacred Scripture pronounce so dangerous and perillous things of it how darest thou hope for saluation in so great danger and hazard In whom doest thou trust that will helpe thee in this ieopardy Perhaps thou placest thy hope in thy preparations in thine almes and in thy prayers Thou vnderstoodest a little before how the fiue foolish virgins with great care would haue prepared made ready thēselues after that they had heard the voyce telling them that the Bridegrome came thou hast learned also with what great instancie they knocked and cryed at the doore yet it profited none of them for it proceeded not of true loue or of true repentance Perhaps thou trustest to thy teares which thou wilt poure forth at that time surely vnfained teares at all times are auailable happy is that man that from his very hart can poure thē foorth but remember I pray thee what teares Esau shedde Who as the Apostle saith found no place of repentance though he sought it with teares For he did not weepe for the loue of GOD but for his owne commoditie Or doost thou put thy hope in thy good purposes which thou then settest before thine eyes These are of force vvhen they are true and sincere but remember the purposes of King Antiochus who when hee was in this danger promised such great and magnificent things that it would make a man amazed that readeth them This wicked man saith that booke prayed vnto the Lord of whom he obtayned no mercy The reason was for all things that he purposed proceeded not of the spirit of loue but of seruill feare which is not acceptable For to feare hell may proceede of the meere naturall loue which man beareth to himselfe But that man loueth himselfe is no reason that the kingdome of heauen should be giuen vnto him Insomuch that as no man entred into the pallace of King Assuerus clothed in Sackcloth so it is lawfull for no man to enter into the pallace of God with a seruill garment but all that will enter must be clothed with wedding garments that is adorned and beautified with true loue and charitie Wherefore my brother I pray and intreate thee that thou wouldest reade and consider of these things with great attention that thou after a very short time without all doubt shalt come to this houre and to this ieopardy For thou seest vvith what great swiftnes heauen is turned about and with what velocitie time slippeth and posteth away how soone the thred of thy life shall be cut off The day of destruction is at hand sayth the Prophet and the times that shall come make hast Therefore a little space of time being ouer-past this prophecie shal be fulfilled Then thou shalt
of sinne might be destroyed that hencefoorth wee should not serue sinne The Apostle in thys place by the old man and the body of sinne vnderstandeth our sensuall appetite with all the euill inclinations that proceede from it Hee sayth that thys together with Christ is crucified-vppon the Crosse for by thys most noble and excellent sacrifice we haue obtayned grace and strength to weaken and debilitate this Tyrant so that wee are free from the seruitude of sinne as before I haue shewed Thys is that great victorie that great benefit which the Lord promiseth by Esay saying Feare thou not for I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and helpe thee 〈◊〉 I will sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Behold all they that prouoke thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perrish Thou shalt seeke them and shalt not finde them to wit the men of thy strife for they shall be as nothing and the men that warre against thee as a thing of naught For I the Lord thy God wilâ— hold thy right hand saying vnto thee Feare not I will helpe thee Thys sayth Esay Tell me who shall faile hauing such an helper Who will be faint-harted and discouraged who will feare or dread his owne wicked passions seeing that grace doth thus vanquish and ouercome them ¶ An aunswer to certaine obiections IF thou shalt say vnto me that alwayes some reliques remaine in a man which accuse him and doe beare witnes against the righteous as we reade in the booke of Iob. The same Prophet answereth vnto this saying They shall be as though they were not For although they remaine they remaine onely for our exercise and not to our ruine they remaine that they may stirre vs vp not intangle vs in the snares of sinnes they remaine that they may yeeld vs occasion to attaine a crowne and not to ouerthrow vs and cast vs downe they remaine for our tryumph not for theyr conquest to be briefe they remaine so to profit vs that they are for our tryall humiliation that we may know our selues and our owne weakenes that thereby wee may acknowledge the glory and grace of God so that thys remainder doth redound to our commodity Whereupon euen as wilde beasts according to theyr nature are hurtfull vnto men and yet when they are tamed doe them good seruice so when as the purturbations of our soule are gouerned and moderated they helpe vs in many exercises of vertue Goe to then tell me If God doth thus strengthen and defend thee who vpon the earth shal be able to hurt thee if God be for thee who is against thee The Lord is my light sith the Prophet and my saluation whom shall I feare the Lorde is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid When the wicked euen mine enemies and my foes came vpon me to eate vp my flesh they stumbled and fell Though an host pitched against mee myne hart should not be afraid though warre be raised against me I will trust in this Truely my brother if thou beest not mooued by thys promise to serue God thou art very slothfull and vild I will not say vncleane and corrupt And if these words are not of credite with thee thou art a very Infidell It is God who saith vnto thee that he will giue thee a new essence and will make thy stony hart fleshy and will mortifie thine affections and that he will so change thine estate that thou shalt not know thy selfe when thou seekest for thine affections and passions thou shalt not finde them he shall make them so weake and infirme What could he promise more what canst thou further expect and hope for what is wanting vnto thee but a liuely Fayth and aliuely Hope that thou mayst trust in God shroud thy selfe vnder his almighty arme Surely I thinke that thou canst aunswer nothing at all vnto these things except perhaps thou wilt say that thy sinnes are many and great and therefore this grace is denied vnto thee Vnto this I aunswer that thou canst not offer greater iniury vnto God then to say so seeing that by these words thou doest signifie that there is somthing for which God eyther will not or cannot helpe his creature when as he is conuerted vnto him and desireth mercy and pardon at his hands I would not that thou shouldest credite me credite that holy Prophet who then seemed mindfull of thee and was willing to helpe thee meete with thine infirmities when he writ these things saying Now when all these things shall come vpon thee eyther the blessing or the curse which I haue set before thee and thou shalt turne into thine hart among all the nations whether the Lord thy God hath driuen thee and shalt returne vnto the Lord thy God and obey his voyce in all that I commaund thee this day thou and thy children with all thine hart and with all thy soule then the Lord thy God will cause thy captiues to returne and haue compassion vpon thee and will returne to gather thee out of all the people where the Lord thy God had scattered thee and will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed and thou shalt possesse it And a little after The Lord thy God will circumcise thine hart and the hart of thy seede that thou â—ayst loue the Lord thy God with all thine hart and with all thy soule that thou mayst liue O that the Lord would now circumcise thine eyes and take thee out of this darknes that thou mightest clearely see this manner of circumcision Be not so ignorant and rude that thou shouldest deeme this circumcision to be corporall for of such a circumcision our hart is not capable What circumcision then is this which the Lord here promiseth Surely it is the superfluity of our affections and of our euill appetites which springeth from our hart and bringeth great hinderance to our Diuine loue He promiseth therfore that he will circumcise and lop off all the barren and hurtfull branches with the knife of his grace that our hart being so pruned and circumcised may imploy and bestow all his strength vpon the branch of the Diuine loue Then thou shalt be a true Israelite then thou shalt be circumcised of the Lord when hee shall take away and cut out from thy soule the loue of this world and shall let nothing remayne in it besides the entire loue of God I would haue thee diligently to marke that that which God in this place promiseth to doe that he doth commaund thee to doe in another place that when thou art conuerted vnto him thou shouldest doe it thy selfe saying Circumcise the foreskinne of your hart c. And how Lord that which thou promisest to doe thy selfe now thou commaundest that I should doe it my selfe if I must doe it how
their blood for him who first shed his for them and when they cannot come vnto that they desire they rage against themselues becoÌ„ming their owne tormenters for they doe torment their bodies by hunger and thirst by cold and heate and by many other afflictions and by such works after some manner they satisfie their desire This Idiome and propriety the louers of this world vnderstand not neyther can they imagine how he can be loued so ardently whom they so abhorre and on the contrary part that they are so abhorred for that which they so tenderly loue and yet this is the truth of the thing We reade in the Scriptures that the Aegyptians had for their Gods vnreasonable creatures and that they did worship them But the Israelites called them an abhomination and that which they called their God the Israelites killed and sacrificed to their true God After the same manner also the righteous as the Israelites call the Gods of this world an abhomination as are honours pleasures and riches which notwithstanding the the world adoreth these false Gods the righteous as abhominations doe sacrifice to the glory of their true God So he that would offer an acceptable sacrifice to God let him haue an eye to that which the world adoreth and let him offer that and let him embrace that which the world abhorreth Doe not they seeme vnto thee to haue so done who after that they had receaued the first fruites of the holy Spirit departed from the Councel reioycing that they were couÌ„ted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus What sayest thou vnto these things that which can make bonds whyps fire and other torments sweet shall it not make the obseruation and keeping of the commaundements of God sweet Thou errest my brother thou errest not knowing the nature of Vertue and the force of charitie and the Diuine grace ¶ Of other things which make the way of saluation easie sweete THis that we haue hetherto said is sufficieÌ„t to take away that common impediment which many alledge But let vs put the case that this is not which wee haue spoken of and therefore this way is hard and difficult I pray thee tell mee why should it be troublesome and grieuous vnto thee to do that for thy soule which thou refusest not to doe for thy body Shall it seeme a great thing vnto thee to suffer a little trouble here that hereafter thou maist escape eternall torment What would not the rich couetous man buried in hell willingly doe if he might haue licence to come into the world againe that he might amend his errors It is not meete that thou shouldest doe lesse now then he would doe seeing that if thou doost perseuere in thy wicked maliciousnesse the same torments remaine for thee and therefore thou oughtest to haue the same desire Furthermore if thou wouldest diligently perpend and consider the manifold and great things that GOD hath doone for thee and greater which he hath promised thee and also thy hainous sinnes by which thou hast offended him moreouer the great torments which the Saints haue suffered but most of all those exceeding great ones which the Holy of Holies himselfe hath borne without doubt it would shame thee to be vnwilling to abide so little for the loue of God yea to be vnwilling to flie that which delighteth thee Therfore Saint Bernard saith The afflictions of thys world are not worthy of the fault past which is pardoned nor of the present grace of consolation which is giuen nor of the future glory which is promised vnto thee Euery one of these considerations ought worthily to moue vs to enter into this way although it be very laborious But that we may confesse the truth although our life in euery part and in euery proceeding is grieuous and full of tribulations yet without coÌ„parison greater is the griefe trouble that is found in the lyfe of wicked men then that which is found in the life of good men For although to goe or walke in the way be laborious for which way soeuer thou walkest at the length thou shalt be wearie yet much greater is the trouble of him who walketh blindly and often dasheth his feete against the stones then of him who goeth with open eyes and seeth where and howe he passeth Seeing therefore that our life is a way it cannot be but man must be wearied vntill he come to the place of reâ—â— But a sinner who vseth not the light of reason but his own affections and is gouerned by the perturbations of his minde it is certaine that he walketh blindfold for there is not any thing founde in the world more blinde then the perturbations of the mind But good men who are gouerned of reason when they meete with rockie and breake-necke downfalls they shun them and so they walke with lesser labour and with greater securitie That great wise man long agoe vnderstood this and therefore said The way of the righteous shineth as the light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day But the way of the wicked is as the darknes they know not wherin they shall fall Neyther is the way of the wicked onely obscure and darke as Salomon sayth here but also difficult slipperie and full of Caues Dennes as Dauid saith that thou mayst thereby learne how often they flyp and slide that tread in that path Besides in thys short and small trouble which meeteth with the godly a thousand kind of helps are giuen which doe lighten diminish this trouble For principally the presence fatherly prouidence of God doth help which guideth them and the grace of the holy Ghost which encourageth them the Sacraments which strengthen them and the Diuine consolations which cheere them and the examples of good men which comfort them and the holy Scriptures which teach them and the peace of a good conscience which doth ioy them and lastly the hope of glory which maketh them constant and vnmoueable with a thousand other graces and benefits of God which maketh thys way so easie pleasant to the walkers in it that they say with the Prophet How sweet are thy promises vnto my mouth yea more then Honny vnto my mouth Let it be whosoeuer it will that considereth of this thing diligently he shal find very many authorities of scripture concerning this matter notwithstanding some of them make thys way harde and sharpe others make it easie light and pleasant For the same Prophet in another place sayth For the wordes of thy lippes I haue kept straight and difficult wayes And in another place I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches For thys way hath two things Difficulty and Suauitie the one by reason of nature the other by reason of grace so that which is difficult by reason of the and is made sweet pleasant by reason of the other As well the
beast with all the strength of thy wit which if it perseuere to sollicite thy minde be thou so much the more cherefully instant to resist it and fight with greater valiancy and fortitude of minde For he that willingly consenteth not to this euill is not hurt albeit his malicious flesh doth hale and pull him to impure and odious conditions But if thou shalt see that all things fall out more prosperously to thy neighbour or to thy friend then to thy selfe giue God thanks and thinke that eyther thou art vnworthy of such prosperity or at least that it is not profitable or conducent for thee and remember that thy businesses shall not succeede the more prosperously with thee because thou enuiest the happy estate of thy neighbour but that they will fall out more aduersly and disasterously But if thou desirest to knowe with what armour and weapons thou mayst resist this vice obserue the considerations following First consider that all enuious men are like vnto the deuill whom our good works doe exceedingly afflict and whom our felicity doth torment with intollerable dolour not because he can enioy it albeit men should lose it for hee hath lost it vvithout hope of recouery but that men taken from dust and earth should not possesse those blessings he lost Hence is that of Augustine in his booke of Christian doctrine God turne saith he the plague of enuie from the mindes of all Christians For enuie is the deuils sinne of which alone the deuill is guilty vnpardonably guilty For it is not sayd to the deuill that he is damned because thou hast committed adultery because thou hast stolne because thou hast violently taken away other mens goods and possessions but because thou falling thy selfe forthwith didst enuy man standing After thys manner men imitating the deuill are wont to enuie other men not because they hope to translate theyr prosperitie to themselues but because they desire that all may be as miserable and wretched as they themselues are Marke consider ô thou enuious man that although he whom thou enuiest should not haue those goods for which enuy doth so haunt thee yet it foloweth not that presently they should be thine Because therefore that he possesseth them without thy losse or hurt why doth it grieue thee that he possesseth them without thy preiudice But if peraduenture enuie hath possessed thy mind because an other excelleth thee in some vertue and grace of mind as in religion and feruencie of prayer I pray thee see what an enemy thou art to thy selfe For thou art pertaker of all the good prayers of thy neighbour so that thou be in the fauour of GOD and by howe much thy neighbour excelleth in feruencie of spirit by so much thou growest richer in spirituall things and therefore thou enuiest him quite beyond all reason but on the contrary part thou oughtest to reioyce because the profit is cōmon to you both and thou also pertakest of his blessings Consider therefore how great thy misery is that by hovve much thy neighbour profiteth in goodnes by so much thou art the worser but if thou didst loue the good thinges in thy neighbour which thou hast not the same good things should be thine by the vertue of Charitie and so thou shouldest enioy another mans labours without thine owne labour Thys Saint Gregory showeth when he sayth Charitie by louing another mans goodnes maketh it her owne but Enuy by hating that same goodnes turneth it to the wounding of her own breast Perpend also and ponder I pray thee howe enuie burneth the hart dryeth the flesh tortureth the vnderstanding disturbeth the peace of conscience maketh all the daies of the life sorrowfull and heauie and banisheth all tranquility all ioy from the hart of man For enuie is like a worme in wood which as it is bred in the wood so it consumeth it so also enuy is bredde in the hart and the hart is the first thing that it excruciateth and when it hath corrupted the hart it also taketh away the naturall colour of the countenaunce for the pale and wanne colour of the face is a token of the greatnes of the enuy that tormenteth man within There is no Iudge so seuere against a man as enuy for it continually afflicteth him and tortureth her owne Authour For this cause some Authors call this vice iust not that it is iust for it is a sinne but because by her owne torment shee chastiseth him in whom she is and exerciseth punishment vppon him See also howe contrary this vice is vnto Charitie which is God and to the common good which God euery where respecteth and promoteth For it enuyeth the good things of other men and abhorreth those whom God hath made and redeemed and on whom GOD bestoweth his blessings which thing is manifestly condemned for it dissolueth that that is made of God if not indeede yet in will But if thou will vse a present remedy for this disease loue Humility and flye Pride which is the mother of this deadly plague For when as a proud man cannot away with a superiour or an equall enuy is easily inflamed against them who excell in any thing for if it see any man eyther superiour or better it thinketh it selfe worser baser The Apostle vnderstood this well when he sayd Let vs not be desirous of vaine-glory prouoking one another enuying one another He therefore that would cut off the branches of enuy it is needfull that first he dig vp the roote of ambition from vvhich enuy ariseth Furthermore thou must also withdraw thy minde from an inordinate desire of temporall goods and thou must only loue the celestiall inheritance spirituall blessings which are not diminished albeit there are many who loue and possesse them yea they so much the more increase by how much the possessors are multiplied On the contrary part temporall goods are so much the more diminished by how much they are moe amongst whō they are diuided therfore enuie discruciateth the mind of him that lusteth after them For when as another receaueth that that he desired or it altogether perisheth or is diminished it certainly cannot be done without griefe But it sufficeth not that thou shouldest not greeue at the good of thy neighbour but it is necessary that thou shouldest doe well vnto him as much as lyeth in thy power and moreouer thou shouldest pray vnto the Lord God that he would supply those things that thou art not able to doe Thou must not contemne any man Loue thy friends in the Lord and thine enemies for the Lords sake vvho when thou wast his enemy he so loued thee that to redeeme thee and deliuer thee out of the hands of thine enemies he gaue his owne life Although thy neighbour be euill yet for all this he must not be contemned but in this thou must imitate the Phisitian who hateth the disease yet loueth the person of the diseased
Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire And in another place admonishing vs to liue circumspectly and carefully which is opposite to this vice he sayth Be yee ready watch and pray for in the houre that yee thinke not of will the sonne of man come Therefore when this slothfull and idle vice tempteth thine hart thou mayst arme thy selfe with these considerations following First consider what great labours and troubles Christ from the beginning of his life suffered for thee howe he continued whole nights in prayer for thee how he ran vp and downe froÌ„ one country to another teaching healing men how he was alwayes busied about those things which belong vnto our saluation and aboue all these things howe at the time of his passion he bare that heauy crosse being wearied martired through many stripes and whippings If therefore the Lord of maiestie suffered so many labours and sorrowes for the saluation safetie of others how much more meete is it that thou shouldest doe and suffer some thing for thine owne That most immaculate Lambe suffered so great things to deliuer thee from thy sinnes and wilt thou not suffer a little while and a small thing for his loue Consider also what the Apostles haue suffered when trauailing throughout all the world they preached the Gospell and what the Martyrs Confessors and Virgins haue suffered with those holy Fathers that liued in most vast and solitary wildernesses farre remote from any humane resort To be briefe coÌ„sider of all the labours and trauailes of the Saints who now tryumph with the Lord in heauen by whose labours toyles the Church of God to this day enioyeth many notable blessings Contemplate moreouer how nothing is created to be idle for the heauenly Armies cease not to praise the Lorde The Sunne the Moone the starres and all the celestiall bodies are euery day once turned about the vniuersall Orbe for our commodity hearbes plants and trees from small bodies encrease to theyr iust magnitude Ants in sommer gather theyr graynâ— which they may liue of in winter Bees make their Honey-combes with all diligence persecute the Drone Thou shalt finde the same thing to haue place in all if thou shalt run thorow all the kindes of liuing creatures Therefore ô thou man capable of reason let it shame thee of idlenes which all creatures detest and that onely by the instinct of nature Behold how great paynes and trauailes those doe sustaine who gather earthly riches together which shall perrish vvhich are gotten with great labour are possessed with grâ—â—ter cares and dangers what oughtest not thou rather to do who dealest for heauenly matters who laborest for celestiall treasures which endure for euer Beware that now when thou art sounde and strong and hast time that thou walke not idely least somthing be wanting vnto thee which hereafter thou canst not labor for and yet wouldest faine haue Which we see to happen to many The tyme of our life is short and full of a thousand miseries therefore whilst thou hast fitte time to worke take heede that it slide not away vainely in idlenes For the night shall come in which no man can worke Remember that the multitude of thine enormous sinnes do aske great repentance Saint Peter denyed the Lord thrice and he mourned for this sinne all the daies of his life although it was already forgiuen him Mary Magdalen deplored her sinnes to her dying day which shee had committed before her conuersion albeit she had heard those sweet words of Christ Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee But because I labour to be briefe I cease to rehearse moe examples of thys sort of those who in like manner haue ended theyr repentance with theyr life many of whom had committed both fewer and lesser sinnes then thou hast But thou who daily heapest sinnes to sinnes how darest thou say that it seemeth a thing too hard and difficult vnto thee to doe necessary labours by which thou mayst flie sinnes Therefore in the time of grace and mercy endeuour with thy ful strength that thou maist bring forth fruite worthy of repentance And sette before thine eyes that example of a certaine godly man who as often as the clocke made a report of a passed houre was wont to say O Lord GOD behold novve another houre of them is already past which thou hast allotted vnto my life for which how shall I be able to render thee an account If at any time we be wearied in our godly exercises and labours let vs forth-with consider by how many tribulations and troubles we must enter into the kingdome of heauen and that hee shall not be crowned that hath not lawfully contended And if thou thinkest that thou hast laboured inough already and that no further paynes is to be endured remember that he onely shall be sâ—â—ed who continueth and perseuereth to the end For withou◠〈◊〉 all perseuerance neyther the course is worthy of reward nor of the small fauour of the Lord. For this cause the Lord would not descend from the Crosse when the Iewes willed him because he would not leaue the worke of our redemption vnperfect If therefore we will follow our head it is necessary that we should labour with all diligence till death because the reward of our Sauiour endureth for euer Let vs not leaue of continuall repentance let vs not be weary in bearing the Crosse of the Lord by following Christ otherwise what shall it profit to haue sayled succesfully and prosperously a long voyage if at length we make shipwrack in the Hauen Thou oughtest not to feare the difficulty of fighting God who sendeth thee to the warre doth promise thee helpe to ouercome he is a present beholder of thy fight and doth ayde and succour thee with a fresh supply when thou art eÌ„ndangered or when thy strength faileth but crowneth thee when thou hast ouercome When thou art wearied through tediousnes of trauaile thus resolue with thy selfe Doe not compare the labours of Vertue with the sweetnes and delight of the contrary vice but conferre the sorrow and anguish which thou now feelest in Vertue with the sorrow and disquietnes which thou shalt feele after thou hast sinned and the ioy which thou feelest in sinning with the ioy which for vertue remaineth for thee in the glory to come and thou shalt presently see how much better the condition of vertue is then of vice When thou shalt come Victour from one warre be not idle be not voyde of care for often-times as a certaine Wiseman sayth after victory the conqueror casteth away all care yea alwayes stand vpon the watch for by and by thine enemy wil approch againe and his trumpet will giue a signe of a new onset and a new assault will begin For the Sea cannot be vvithout vvaues and billowes nor this lyfe vvithout tribulation and temptation For he
they that are newly inaugurated into Gods Church are to be admonished of a notable error which oftentimes happen vnto them Who perchaunce reading in some spirituall booke of the greatnes of the sweetnes and consolations of the holy Ghost and how great the pleasant allurements and enticements of charity be forth-with they suppose that this whole way is plaine full of deliciousnes and that no labour nor trouble is to be found in it wherefore they prepare themselues to walk in this way as to an easie and delectable matter neyther doe they arme themselues as those who goe to warre but they put on a soft and a delicate robe as if they were to goe to a mariage or a banquet They doe not consider that although the loue of God is sweet and pleasant in it selfe and of it owne nature yet that the way vnto it is straight and bitter For it is needfull aboue all things to conquer and ouercome selfe-loue and to striue alwayes against thy selfe which fight is greater then any other Both of them that Euangelicall Prophet insinuateth when he sayth O Ierusalem shake off the dust arise and sit downe It is certaine that in sitting there is neyther labour nor difficulty but it is labour to shake off the dust of earthly and carnall affections and to arise from the sinne in which we sleepe which is necessary to doe before we come to that sitting and rest It is true that God bestoweth many and wonderfull comforts vpon them that faithfully labour and in like manner vpon them who now desire to change the delights of the world for the pleasures of heauen yet if this change be not made and if a man will not leaue the pray he hath taken beleeue me this refreshing and comfort shall not be giuen him as neither Manna was giuen to the children of Israell in the wildernes before the dowe was spent which they brought vvith them out of Egypt Returning therefore to our purpose I say let those seeke for rest as long as they will who are not armed with this fortitude and let them know that vnlesse they first change theyr mindes and purpose they shall not finde it Let them knowe and assuredly beleeue that quietnes is not purchased but by labor that a crowne is obtayned by fighting that ioy is atchiued by sorrowing and that the most sweet loue of God is procured by hatred of our selues For thys cause this idlenes is so often reprehended in the Prouerbs but fortitude and diligence commended because the holy Spirit the Authour of this doctrine knew very well that vertues are very much hindered by laâ—nes but ayded and perfitted by fortitude and diligence ¶ Of the meanes by which this fortitude is obtained PErhaps some man will aske by what meanes this fortitude may be procured and atchiued seeing that it is no lesse difficult then the other vertues Wherfore not without cause the Wise-man thus beginneth his Alphabet full of spirituall instructions Who shall finde a strong and a valiant woman for her price is farre aboue the pearles As if he should say shee is more precious then all the treasure and Iems which may be brought out of all the Coasts of the world How then may we compasse a thing of so great price and value We shall compasse it first if diligently we consider the dignity excellency of it for that ought to be in great account with vs which openeth vnto vs the treasuries of all vertues If it be otherwise tell me why the louers of thys world doe after that manner flie froÌ„ vertue Not for any other cause but because it is hard and difficult vvhich difficulty sluggards doe shunne and flie The slothfull man sayth as the Wise-man speaketh A Lyon is in the way and a Lionesse in the streetes in the midst of the way she will deuoure me And in another place The foole foldeth his handes and eateth vp his owne flesh saying Better is a handfull with quietnes then two handfulls with labour and vexation of spirit Seeing therefore that there is no other thing that hindereth vs from comming vnto vertue but this onely difficultie if wee will embrace this fortitude to ouercome it we haue already obtained the kingdome of vertue together with the kingdome of heauen to which no man shall come but hee that is valiant strong and vndaunted In like manner by this fortitude the loue of our selues is cast vnder foote with the whole Army of her complices and confederats which enemy when it is ouerthrowne and cast foorth behold presently entereth in the loue of God or if you had rather God himselfe For as Saint Iohn sayth God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him The manifold examples of the seruants of God doe much auaile and profit vs whom we see heere in the world poore naked bare-foote and bare-legged leaue hungry restlesse hauing not where to lay theyr heads and wanting all those things which are requisite for the maintenaunce of this life Some of them doe so hasten to labours and austerenes of life where they may liue religiously and strictly and not be entangled with the pleasures of this life as a Merchant to some rich mart or a student of the liberall Sciences to some famous Vniuersity What I pray thee can be more contrary to the custome of this world and to the desires of her louers then that a man should seek out those places where his body may be pinched his soule made heauie and his life exposed to many greeuances and troubles These are assuredly most contrary to flesh and blood but very agreeable vnto the Spirit of GOD. But yet more especiallie our pleasures are condemned by the example of the Martyrs who haue entred into the kingdome of heauen by so many so cruell torments Consider howe one of them was rosted another had his skinne pulld ouer his eares the third drowned in the water the fourth cast head-long from a steepe Rocke a fift layde on a peece of vvood with a sharpe ridge his flesh being scraped and rent of with a ragged tormenting Curry-combe and his bowels beeing slitte out yeelded vp the ghost a sixth hath so many Darts sticking in him that he is liker an Hedg-hog then a man the seauenth is fryed in a frying pan or boyled in scalding lead others tormented with other extreame tortures Consider how many of them haue beene tormented not with one kinde of punishment but with all kinde of torments which humane nature hath beene capable of and so haue passed to death For some haue been taken from the filthines vncleannesse of the pryson to be whipped and scourged from whipping scourging to be singed with burning coales from burning coales to the bastinado from the bastinado to yron combes then to the sworde which alone had beene sufficient to take away the life of the Martyrs but not to make them shipwracke theyr fayth or
constancie But what shall I speake of the arts and inuentions vvhich that ingenious and witty cruelty I say not of men but of deuils hath deuised to ouer-throw and confound with corporall tortures fayth courage fortitude Some of them after they were most cruelly martyred and theyr flesh all to be-torne and rent were cast vpon a floare all sette with goades and prickes that theyr bodies all at once might be goared and 〈◊〉 with a thousand woundes and that they might feele a generall greefe throughout all theyr members that theyr intollerable payne might striue for victory with their faith Others beeing condemned were commaunded to walke vpon hote burning coales with their naked feete Others beeing tyed to the tayles of horses were drawne ouer thornes and bryers and rough places Others were condemned to wheeles stucke all round about with sharpe kniues that theyr bodies being put vppon them whilst they turned about might be cutte small peeces Others were stretched vpon Racks and their bodyes beeing harrowed and furrowed from top to toe with yron crookes and peircers did openly show their naked bowels the flesh being puld of and their ribs lying bare What shall I say more seeing that the barbarous and more then beastly cruelty of Tyrants not being contented with these torments hath found out a certaine new kind of cruelty With certaine instruments they so brought together two high sturdie trees that their tops touched one the other to one of these tops they bound the right foote of the Martyr to the other the left Then losing the Trees to their old scope they carried the body with them and violently tare it in peeces and each tree carryed with it his part into the ayre In Nicomedia among other innumerable Martyrs one was beaten so long till his white ribbs appeared through his bloody wounds for the scourges and whippings had peece-meale puld away the flesh then they washed his whole body with most strong vinegar after vinegar stuffed all his wounds ful of salt The Tyrants not yet satisfied with these dire discruciatements and extreame tortures when they saw that the Martyr yet breathed they cast his halfe dead body vpon a gridyron vnder which they made a fierce scorching fire haling the gridyron this way and that with their yron hookes vntil the body being fully rosted the sanctified pure-purged soule passed to the Lord. And thus those most barbarous inhumane butcherly murtherers inuented tortures more cruel thē death which notwithstanding was wont to be termed the terriblest of all dreadful things For they sought not so much to kill as to slay with vnheard of torments without any deadly wound by a lingering death and with intollerable greatnesse of dolours and sorrowes Surely these Martyrs had not bodies vnlike to ours or which were of another substance their flesh was as our flesh and theyr complexion was the same with ours neyther had they another God for theyr helper besides our God neyther did looke for another glory then that wee looke for Proceede therefore if they haue obtayned eternall life by so violent death why should we feare for the same cause at the least to mortifie the euill concupiscences of our flesh If they died through hunger wilt not thou fast one day If they with their mangled bodies perseuered in prayer why wilt not thou being sound and in health with bended knees continue a little in prayer If they were so patient that without resisting or contradiction they suffered their members to be maymed and detruncate and theyr flesh to be torne in peeces why wilt not thou abide that thine appetites and thine vnruly affections should be circumcised and mortified If they many yeares and many moneths sat imprisoned in darke dungeons why wilt not thou a little be contayned and shut vp in thy chamber If they haue not refused to haue their shoulders furrowed and mangled with whips and scourges why wilt not thou chastice thine If these examples doe not suffice thee lift vp thine eyes to the Crosse of Christ and behold who is he that hanging vppon it suffered so great and so cruell things for the loue of thee The Apostle sayth Consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners least yee should be wearied and faint in your minds This is a fearefull and a dreadfull example what way so euer thou shalt consider of it For if thou lookest vppon the torments there can be no greater If thou respectest the person who suffereth a more excellent cannot be giuen If thou examinest the cause for which he suffereth not for his owne offence for he is innocency it selfe neyther suffereth he of compulsion for he is the Creatour and Lord of all creatures but of his mere goodnes and free loue Yet for all this he suffered so great torments not only in his body but also in his soule that the torments of all Martyrs of all men that euer haue been in the world are not to be compared with these This was such a spectacle that the heauens were astonished the earth trembled rocks claue in sunder and all the insencible creatures felt the indignity of the thing How therefore commeth it to passe that man should be so insencible blockish that he should not feele that which the brute elements haue felt with what face can he be so ingratefull that he should not study somewhat to imitate him who hath done and suffered so great things that he might leaue vs an example For euen so as the Lord himselfe affirmeth Christ ought to haue suffered and so to enter into his glory For seeing that he came into the world that he might teach that heauen is not to be cōpassed by any other way then by the Crosse it was necessary that the Lord himselfe should first be crucified that a courage might be put into his Souldiers seeing their Captaine to be so cruelly and inhumanely handled and intreated Who then will be so ingratefull wicked proud and impudent who seeing the Lord of Maiesty with all his friends and chosen ones to walke such difficult wayes and yet he himselfe will be caried in an Horse-litter and on a bed of Downe led his life in deliciousnes King Dauid commaunded Vrias whom he had called from warre to goe into his owne house to sup sleepe with his wife but the good seruant answered The Arke and Israell and Iuda dwell in tents and my Lord Ioab and the seruants of my Lord abide in the open fields shall I then goe into mine house to eate and drink and lye with my wife by thy life by the life of thy soule I will not doe this thing O good and faithfull seruant who by so much is worthier of prayse by how much he is vnworthier of death And thou ô Christian seeing thy Lord lying vpon an hard Crosse hast thou no respect of him neyther doost thou yeeld honour reuerence vnto him The Arke of God made of incorruptible Ceder wood