as hath not onelie giuen lyfe and beeing vnto hys chyldren but also as S. Paule saith hath poured into theyr harts the diuine spyrite of hys onelie eternall Sonne styrring them vp to most assured confidence and inuincible hope in hys fatherlie goodnes and protection And vpon assuraunce of thys hope haue as well sinners as Saints from the beginning fledde vnto him confidently vnder this tytle of paternitie and neuer were deceiued So the Prophet Esay as well in his owne name as in the name of the sinfull people of Israel doubted not to cry Thou art our father Abraham hath not knowne vs and Israell is ignorant of vs Thou O Lorde art our father thou art our redeemer And to confirme thys assuraunce vnto vs Christ sent that most sweete and comfortable embassage vnto his Disciples presently vpon his resurrection Goe tel my brethrē that I doe ascend vnto my father and vnto your father vnto my God and vnto your God By which two wordes of Father and God the one of loue and the other of power the one of will the other of abilitie he tooke away all doubt of not speeding frō each man that should make recourse to thys mercifull Lord Father God himselfe also after many threates vsed by the Prophet Ieremie against the people of Israel for their sins in the end least they shoulde dyspaire turneth about his talke and changeth hys style assuring them of many graces and fauours if they would returne vnto him telling the house of Israel that hee had loued her from the beginning and had sought to drawe her vnto him by threates to the ende hee might take mercie vpon her and that now he intended to builde her vp againe to adorne her with ioy exultation to gather her children from all corners of the earth to refresh them wyth the waters and riuers of life and all thys sayth he Quia factus sunt Israeli Pater for that I am become nowe a Father to Israel And in the same place to wicked Ephraim the heade Cittie of the rebellious kingdom of Samaria he saith Ephraim is becom my honorable son my delight deerely beloued child therefore my bowels are moued with compassion vpon him in aboundance of mercy wil I take pitty of him So much attributed God to this respect of being a father vnto Israel Ephraim of theyr beeing his children that for this cause only notwithstanding their infinite enormous sinnes hys bowels of endlesse mercie were mooued wyth loue and compassion towardes them And these are those tender and mercifull bowels which holie Zacharie father to Saint Iohn Baptist protesteth to be in almightie God towardes mankinde that had offended hym These are those which were in that good olde father mentioned in the Gospell who beeing not onely offended but also abandoned by his younger sonne yet after he sawe him returne home againe notwithstanding he had wasted all his thrift and substaunce and had wearied out his bodie with wicked life hee was so farre off from dysdaining to receiue him as he came forth to meete with him fell vpon his necke and kyssed him for ioy adorned him wyth newe apparrel rich iewels prouided a solemne banquet for him inuited his freendes to bee merrie with him and shewed more exultation and tryumph for hys returne then if he had neuer departed from him By which parable our Sauiour Christ endeuoured to set forth vnto vs the incomprehensible mercy of his heauenly father towards sinners in which respect hee is trulie called by his Apostle Pater misericordiarum the father of mercies For that as Saint Bernard well noteth thys sea and Ocean of mercies doth flowe peculiarly from the hart of a father which cannot be said so properlie of the gulfe and depth of his iudgments For which cause he is called in Scripture the God of iustice and reuenge and not the Father And finally thys blessed name of Father in God dooth import vnto vs by Gods owne testimonie all sweetnesse all loue all freendshippe all comfort all fatherly prouidence care and protection all certaintie of fauour all assuraunce of grace all securitie of mercie pardon and remission of our sinnes whensoeuer vnfainedly we turne vnto him And in thys poynt his diuine Maiestie is so forward and vehement to giue vs assurance that beeing not content to sett foorth his loue vnto vs by the loue of a fathers hart he goeth further protesteth vnto vs that hys hart is more tender towardes vs in thys behalfe then the hart of any mother can bee to the onely childe and infant of her owne wombe For thus he saith to Sion which for her sinnes beganne to doubt least he had forsaken her Can the mother forget her owne infant or can she not be mercifull to the childe of her owne wombe if she could yet can I not forget or reiect thee beholde I haue written thee in the flesh of mine owne hands And thys for so much as God is called our father There remaineth yet a third consideration which more setteth forth Gods inestimable loue then any of the other demonstrations before handled And that is that he gaue the life and blood of his onely begotten and eternal sonne for purchasing and redeeming vs when we were lost a price so infinite and inexplicable as no doubt his diuine wysedom wold neuer haue giuen but for a thing which hee had loued aboue all measure Which our Sauior himself that was to make the payment doth plainly signifie and therefore also seemeth as it were to wonder at such a bargaine when hee saith in the Gospell So deerely hath God my father loued the world that he hath giuen for it his only begotten sonne In which wordes hee ascribeth this most wonderfull dealing of his Father vnto the vehemencie and exceeding aboundance of loue as dooth also his deerest disciple and Apostle S. Iohn saying In thys appeareth the great loue charitie of God towards vs that he hath sent his only begotten sonne into the worlde to purchase lyfe for vs. In thys I say is made euident his exceeding charitie that we not louing him he loued vs first and gaue his own sonne to be a raunsome for our sinnes Whereunto also the holy Apostle S. Paule agreeth admiring in like manner the excessiue loue of God in these wordes God doth meruailously commend and set forth his great loue vnto vs in that we beeing yet sinners he gaue his sonne to the death for our redemption And in an other place framing out as it were a measure of Gods mercy by the abūdance of his loue saith thus God who is rich in mercie thorowe the exceeding loue which he bore vnto vs wee beeing deade in sinne he reuiued vs in Christ and raysed vs vppe euen vnto heauen making vs to sitte downe there with him to the ende he might declare to al ages and worlds ensuing the
of our Sauiour in the Gospell concerning the extraordinarie ioy feasting that the careful woman made when shee had found againe her grote that was lost and the good sheephearde when he brought backe the sheepe that was astray and the mercifull father when he receiued home his sonne that before had abandoned him And to the same purpose doth it also appertaine that in the Prophet Dauid God glorieth especially in the seruice of those people that before had not known him And this shal suffise for thys second poynt to shew what wonderfull meanes almightie God dooth vse in setting forth his mercie for allurement of sinners vnto repentaunce The third part what assurance God giueth to them that repent AND so hauing declared what exceeding great loue and mercie GOD beareth towards man how effectually he expresseth the same by his suing vnto sinners for their conuersion it followeth that we shold in this third place examine some what more in perticuler what certaine assuraunce hys diuine Maiestie giueth of vndoubted pardon and full remission of theyr sinnes to all such as vnfainedly shall resolue themselues to make their refuge vnto him Which thing albeit euery man by that which before hath beene treated may sufficiently conceiue yet for the importance of the matter it shall not be amisse in thys place also to adde a worde or two for more plaine and euident demonstration thereof And thys shall bee doone by setting downe both the wordes and deedes that is bothe the promisses and performance which almightie God hath vsed and exercised in this behalfe to all such as haue offended him whatsoeuer And for the first which are his promises most apparent it is as well by the thinges which before haue beene discussed as also by the whole course body and drift of holie scripture that the promises of mercy pardon which his diuine maiestie hath made to sinners whereunto by his sacred word he hath in a certain manner obliged himselfe are both manifold vehement absolute resolute and vniuersal Whosoeuer shall depart from his wicked waies and turne vnto me saith almightie GOD I will receiue him Beholde the vniuersalitie of all people and persons without excluding any And then further At what time soeuer an impious man shall returne vnto mee from his impietie his wickednes shall not hurt him saith the same Lorde God of hostes see the vniuersalitie of all tymes and seasons without exception But yet harken what God addeth besides Leaue of to do peruerselie saith he to the Iewes c. and then doe you come finde fault with me if you can For if your sinnes were as redde as skarlet they shall be made as white as snowe c. Consider the vniuersalitie of all kinde of sinnes be they neuer so greeuous so horrible or heynous And finally God talking to a soule that hath often times fallen and most infinitly offended him hee sayth thus It is a common receiued speech that if a woman depart frō her husband and doe ioyne herselfe to another man shee may not returne to her fyrst husband againe for that shee is defiled and made contaminate And yet whereas thou hast departed from me and hast committed fornication wyth many other louers doe thou returne vnto me againe and I wyll receiue thee saith almightie God By which words is expressed the fourth vniuersalitie contayning all states qualities and conditions of men how many waies or howe oftentimes or howe contemptuouslie soeuer they haue committed sinnes against hys diuine Maiestie And what may be added nowe more vnto thys was there euer Prince that made so large an offer to his subiects or was there euer father that gaue so ample and vniuersall promise of pardon vnto hys children Who can nowe mistrust himselfe to be excluded from this assurance of mercie wherein all sorts of people al kind of sinnes all times and seasons all states and qualities of sinners are comprehended O most miserable infortunate man that excludeth himselfe whom God excludeth not What is there in this generall and vniuersall promises whereof any man in the worlde shoulde haue pretence to make any leaste doubt or question Of the meaning perhaps and intent of him that promiseth O deere brother it is onely loue and charitie and consequently can not deciue vs. Of the trueth and suretie of his promises It is infallible and more certaine then heauen and earth put together Of the power that hee hath to performe his promisses It is infinit and not restrained by any bounds or limitation whereof then may wee doubt or in which of these three poynts may we not cōceiue most singuler consolation heare the comfortable meditation that blessed S. Bernard made vpō thes three particulers which we haue now mentioned Tria considero saith he in quibus tota spes mea consistit charitatem vocationis veritatem promissionis potestaetem redditionis c. That is I doe consider three things faith this holy man wherin all my hope consisteth wherby it is made inuinsible First the exceeding loue charitie of him that calleth me to him by repētance secondly the infallible truth and certainty of his promise which he maketh to me of pardon and mercie thirdly the endlesse power and abilitie he hath to performe whatsoeuer he promiseth This is that triple or threefold rope and chaine which holy scripture sayth is hardly broken for that by this rope lette downe vnto vs from heauen which is our Countrey into this world that is our prison we may ascend and mount vp if we wyll euen vnto the sight and possession of Gods eternall kingdome heauenly glorie Thus farre that blessed father But now to the second poynt if we consider howe faithfullie almightie God hath put in execution those promisses of his frō tyme to tyme and howe no one man vpon earth so many ages as the world hath continued was euer yet frustrate of his hope in making his conuersion vnto his Maiestie if he made it from his hart we shall finde further cause for vs to confide For so much as it is not probable or in reason to be imagined that he which neuer failed in times past will breake his promise for the time to com especially seeing now in Christianitie when we haue this aduantage aboue other former times as Saint Iohn doth also note that he who was and is our iudge is become also our aduocate to pleade our cause Cast backe thine eyes then my louing deere brother and take a viewe of all ages times and seasons past gone Begin from the first creation of the worlde and come downeward euen vnto this day examine indifferently whether in all this wyde compasse of times persons places and most greeuous offences cōmitted against hys diuine Maiestie there were euer yet any one sinner vpon earth that returned vnfainedly was not receiued The sinne of our first Parents was presently forgiuen vnto
thousand times repent a thousand times vnfainedly This is the only oyntment that may be poured into an afflicted conscience the torment whereof I doe well knowe For the deuill standeth by whetting his sword of desperation saying vnto thee Thou hast liued wickedly all thy youth and thy former daies thou hast mispent thou hast hanted playes spectacles with thy cōpanions and followed after loose and lasciuious women thou hast taken other mens goods frō them wrongfully thou hast been couetous dissolute effeminate thou hast forsworne thy selfe thou hast blasphemed and committed many other hainous wicked crimes and therefore what hope canst thou haue of saluation Truely none at all Thou art a meere cast-away and canst not nowe goe backe and therfore my counsaile is that now thou vse the pleasures and commodities of thys worlde and passe ouer thy time in myrth of hart without cogitation of other affaires These are the words of the deuil louing brother these are the counsailes and perswasions of our enemie But mine are contrary If thou haue fallen thou maiest rise againe If thou haue beene a lost cōpanion yet thou maist be saued If thou haue committed fornication and adulterie in time past thou maist be continent for the time to come If thou haue haunted playes and games thou maist draw back thy foote from henceforth If thou haue delighted in leud and euil company thou maist hereafter acquaint thy selfe with good Thys only is necessarie that thou beginne thy conuersion out of hand and that thou repent and take in hande to reforme thy selfe though it be at the first but a little Let thyne eyes begin but to shed forth one teare enter into thy conscience consider thy selfe but indifferently examine thyne actions and what they deserue lay before thy face the day of iudgment with the torments of hell on the one side and the ioyes of heauen on the other Repent confesse amende thy life seeke a medicine for thy wounde out of hande while thou art in thys lyfe in what state or condition soeuer thou be Yea if thou be vpon thy death-bed and readie to breath out thy soule spirit feare not to repent for that Gods mercie is not restrained by the shortnes of time Which I speake vnto you my deere brethren not to make you hereby the more negligent but onely to styrre you vp to the confidence of Gods mercie and thereby to auoid the most daungerous gulfe of desperation Hetherto are the wordes of thys holy and learned Father In which long and large dyscourse of his we are to note that together with most excellent encouragement which hee giueth to all sinners of what state and condition soeuer they be in all times and seasons to trust in Gods mercie and neuer to despaire he giueth also an holesome admonishment that we shoulde not by thys confidence become more negligent in reforming our liues but rather doe it out of hande without all delay or procrastination Whereunto in like manner the holy father S. Augustine in like exhortation against despaire dooth endeuour most vehemently to stirre vs vppe in these words Let no man after a hundred sins nor after a thousande despaire of Gods mercie but yet so let him not despaire as hee seeke presently without all stay to reconcile hymself to God by amendment of life least perhaps after that by custome he hath gotten a habite of sinne he be not able to deliuer him selfe from the snares of the deuill albeit hee woulde And in the very same sermon he discourseth yet further of the same matter in manner folowing Not euery man that hath sinned but he that perseuereth in sinne is hatefull and abhominable in the sight of GOD. For that no man must distrust of Gods mercie towards hym that wyl amende and leaue his sinnes For that God himselfe as a most sweete comforter hath sayd by his Prophet That the impietie of a wicked man shal not hurt him at what time soeuer he shall turne from the sam◠But yet this great mercy of the Lorde is then onely profitable vnto vs if we delay not our conuersion nor doe multiply sinnes vpon sins Which I wil declare vnto you by the example of woundes ruptures of our body by which the infirmities also of our minde and soule may be conceiued Thus then we see if a mans foote leg or arme be broken with howe great paine the fame is restored to his accustomed strength But if any member of our body shoulde be broken twise or three times or more often in one and the selfe same place your charity can imagine howe harde a thing it were for that part to recouer her perfit health againe So fareth it deere brethren in the woundes and ruptures of our soul. If a man doe commit sin once or twise doe vnfainedly with out dissimulatiō make his refuge to the medicine of repentance hee doth out of hande obtaine health again that somtimes without any skar or blemish of the disease past But if he begin to adde sins vpon sins in such sort that the woundes of his soule doe rather putrifie within him by couering and defending them then heale by repentance confession it is to be feared leaste that heuie speech of the Apostle be fulfilled in him to whom he sayth Doost thou not know that the benignitie of God is vsed to bring thee to repentaunce but thou by thy obdurate and irrepentant hart dost heape to thy self wrath in the day of vengeance and of the reuelation of Gods iust iudgement Thus farre S. Augustine But now deere christian brother what can be spoken more effectuallie either to erect vs to hope cōfidence in Gods mercie or to terrifie vs from presumption in delaying our amendment then here hath been vttered by these noble pyllers and fathers of Christes Church and most excellent instruments and temples of his holy spirit The diuine wisedome of almightie God in a certaine place saith That the wordes of wyse men ought to be spurs vnto vs and as it were nailes dryuen into the depth of our hearts meaning thereby that wee should be styrred vppe and most vehementlie mooued when we heare such wise men as the holie Ghost there meaneth which in deed are only they that haue the knowledge and true feare of GOD make such exhortations vnto vs and gyue vs such holesome admonishments as these godly Fathers in this great affaire haue done And howe is it then deere brother that we are nothing stirred vp therby nothing quickned nothing awaked Well I will conclude thys whole Chapter and treatise wyth an other exhortation and admonishion of S. Augustine for that besides the graue authoritie of the man which ought to mooue vs much I thinke nothing can be spoken more excellently or more agreeing to our peculier purpose Thus then he saith Almightie God doth neuer despise the repentaunce of any man if it be offered vnto him sincerely and simplie
369. What we promise in our Baptisme 373. The sixt Chapter Of the onely impediment which is wont to let sinners from resolution which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their offences Dispaire an ordinarie temptation to the greatest sinners page 377. The shipwrack of soules ouerloden with sin 378. The wofull miserie of desperation page 379 The thing wherein GOD most delighteth is mercie 380. A merueylous example of GODS Clemencie page 381. An other example of Gods wonderfull mercie 382. Iudgment and Iustice to be vsed in true repentaunce that is Iudgement vpon our selues and iustice towards others 383. The deuision of this Chapter into four especiall partes 384. The first part touching the loue that God beareth towards man 384. The first cause why God loueth vs for that he is our Creatour and we are his own workes 385. Euery mā is giuen by nature to loue his own 386. The confidence of Iob in that GOD made him 386. The assured hope Dauid had in that hee was Gods wormanshippe 387 The second reason of assuraunce of Gods loue for that he is our Father 388. What a Father God is 390. Christes most comfortable embassage 390. Howe greatly the respect of a Father mooueth GOD. 391. The Fathers liberall harte to the prodigall sonne 392. What the name of Father doth importe 393. The third argument of Gods loue the giueing of his Sonne for vs. 394. The conclusion of this pointe made by Saint Paule 395. The second part how God expresseth his loue towards sinners 396. Two rare pointes of clemencie in God 397. God that is offended seeketh attonement with vs. 398. Gods wooing of Ierusalem his protestation his cunctation his chiding his fayre speech his complaynt his kinde speech his conference his sweete conclusion 398. 399. 400. A consideration vppon the former treatie of God with Ierusalem 400. Gods tender loue to Ierusalen when he was to destroy it 401. A pitifull complaint vsed by God for the wilfulnes of his people 402. The wonderfull proceding of God with Ierusalem 403. The obstinacie of the Iewish nation 404. Epithetons giuen by God to the people of Israell 404. A wounderfull poin includedt in Gods promise to a sinner 405. What ioy there is made at a sinners conuersion 405. The third part what assuraunce GOD giueth to them that repent 406. The promises of GOD to sinners that repent 407. Foure vniuersalities in Gods promises to sinners 409. Three especiall pointes of great comfort 409. How God hath performed his promises to sinners that haue repented 410. Neuer sinner repented that was not pardoned 411. The reiection of Caine and Esau. 412. The infinite sinnes of the Iewish people and their infinit pardons receiued at gods handes 412. The examples of Manasses and the Niniuites 413. A speech of GOD to be heedefully considered 415. Examples of mercies in the new Testament page 416. The wonderfull clemencie of Iesus our Sauiour 417. Great and many causes of assured hope in Christ. 418. The fourth part being the aplication of all that hath beene said before 420. Saint Paules exhortation to confidence 420. An excellent discourse and exhortation of Saint Chrisostome 421. The speach of the deuill to a soule loden with sinne 422 Saint Chrisostomes counsaile against the Deuilles temptation 423 No time to late to repent 424. An exhortation and admonition of Saint Augustine 425. A similitude of the bodie to expresse the miserie of the soule by multiplying sinne 426. Godly mens wordes ought to mooue vs greatlie 427. A notable ciscourse of S. Augustine touching our conuersion 428. Hell was not made for man but for the Deuilll 429. In this life repentaunce is auaileable but not after 429. FINIS OF THE MANIFOLD PERILS THAT ENSVE TO THE WORLDE by inconsideration And howe necessarie it is for euerie man to enter into cogitation of his owne estate CHAP. I. THE Prophets and Saints of GOD who frō time to time haue been sent by his mercifull prouidence to aduertise and warne sinners of their perilous estate condition for sin haue not onely foretold them of their wickednes and imminent dangers for the same but also haue reuealed the causes thereof whereby they might the easier prouide remedie for the inconueniences to come Such is the charitable proceedings of our most mercifull Lord with the children of men And among other causes none is more generall or more often alledged then the lacke of consideration by which as by a cōmon snare deceipt of our aduersarie most men fall into sinne and are holden also perpetually in the same to their finall destruction and eternall perdition So Esay the Prophet speaking of the carelesse nobilitie and gentrie of Iurie that gaue thēselues to banquetting and disport without consideration of their duties towards God repeateth often the threat of woe against them and then putteth downe the cause in these words The lute and harpe and tymprel and shalme good wine aboundeth in your banquets but the works of God you respect not nor haue you consideration of his doings And then ensueth Therefore hath hell enlarged his soule opened his mouth without all measure or limitation and the stout and high and glorious of this people shall discend into it Heere are two causes as ye see two effects lincked together of these Iewes damnation the one depending of the other For as good cheere and sensualitie brought these men to inconsideration of Gods workes and proceedings towards sinners so inconsideration brought them to the mouth and pits brimme of hell I say that inconsideration of Gods works towards sinners brought them to this perrill for that it followeth in the verie same place And the Lord of hostes shall be exalted in iudgement and our holy God shall be sanctified in iustice as if he had said that albeit you will not consider now Gods iudgments and iustice amidst the heate and pleasure of your feastings yet shall he by excercising the same vppon you heereafter be known exalted and sanctified throughout the world The like discourse maketh God himselfe by the same Prophet to the daughter of Babilon and by her to euery sinful and sensuall soule figured by that name Come downe saith he and sitte in the duste thou daughter of Babilon thou hast said I shall be a Ladie for euer and hast not put vppon thy hart the things thou shouldest nor hast thou had remembraunce of thy last end c. Now therfore harken thou delicate daughter which dwellest so confidently there shall come vpon thee an euill whereof thou shalt not know the of-spring and a calamitie shall rush vpon thee from which thou shalt not be able to deliuer thee A miserie shall ouertake thee vpon the suddain which thou shalt not knowe c. Holie Ieremie after hee had weighed with himselfe vvhat miseries for sinne the Prophets Esay Amos Osee Ioel Abdias Micheas Nahum Sophonias and himselfe all which Prophets liued
so we must examine the trueth of our fayth by cōsideration of our life for then not otherwise are we true Christians if wee fulfill in works that whereof we haue made promise in words That is in the day of our Baptisme we promised to renounce the pompe of this world together with all the workes of iniquitie which promise if wee performe nowe after Baptisme then are we true Christians and may be ioyfull But contrariwise if our life be wicked contrary to our profession it is saide by the voyce of trueth it selfe Not euery one that shall say to mee Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen And againe why doe yee call mee Lord Lord doe not performe the things that I tell you Heer-hence is it that God complained of his old people the Iewes saying this people honoureth me with their lips but their harts are farre off from me And the Prophet Dauid of the same people They loued him with their mouth and wyth their tongues they lyed vnto him Wherefore let no man presume to say he shall be saued if faith and good life be diuorced put a sunder which S. Chrisostome noteth by the wofull and heauie chaunce iudgment that happened vnto him who in the Gospell was admitted to the feast of Christian faith knowledge but for lacke of the ornament or garment of good life was most contumeliouslie depriued of his expectation Of whom Saint Chrisostoms words are these He was inuited to the feast and brought vnto the Table but for that by his foule garment he dishonored our Lord that had inuited him he was not onely thrust from the Table banquet but also bounde hande and foote and cast into vtter darknes where there is eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore let vs not deere bretheren let vs not I say deceiue our selues and imagine that our dead and vnfruitfull faith wyll saue vs at the last day for except wee ioyne pure life to our beleefe and in this heauenly vocation of ours doe apparrell our selues with the worthy garmēts of vertuous deeds whereby we may be admitted at the mariage day in heauen nothing shall be able to deliuer vs from the damnation of this miserable man that wanted his wedding weede Which thing S. Paule well noteth when hauing sayde wee haue an euerlasting house in heauen not made with mens handes he addeth presentlie thys exception Si tamen vestiti et non nudi inueniamur That is if wee be founde at that day well apparrelled and not naked Would God euery Christian desirous of hys saluation woulde ponder well thys discourse of S. Chrisostome And so wyth thys alone to conclude our speeche in thys Chapter without allegation of further matters or authorities which are infinite to thys effect it may appeare by that which hath alreadie beene sette downe wherein the true profession of a Christian consisteth and thereby each man that is not partiall or blinded in his owne affection as many are may take a viewe of his state and condition and frame vnto himselfe a verie probable coniecture how he is like to speed at the last accounting day That is what profite or damage hee may expect by hys knowledge and profession of Christian Religion For as to him that beleeueth soundly and walketh vprightly in his vocation performing effectually euery way his professed duetie there remaine both infinite and inestimable rewards prepared so to hym that strayeth aside and swerueth from the right path of fayth and life prescribed vnto hym there are no lesse paines and punishments reserued For which cause euery Christian that is carefull of his owne saluation ought to sixe his eyes verie seriouslie vppon them both and as in beleefe to shewe himselfe constant firme humble and obedient so in life conuersation to be honest iust pure innocent and holie And for this seconde poynt concerning life and manners hath been already handled in my former booke which as I vnderstand is imprinted in England I shall neede to wade the lesse in further discourse heereof But for I haue beene admonished by the writinges of diuers howe my former booke hath beene misliked in two speciall poynts first that I speake so much of good workes and so little of faith secondly that I talke so largelie of Gods iustice and so breefelie of his mercie whereby the consciences of many haue beene offended let the last Chapter going before of beleefe and life aunswer the first and that which immediatly followeth serue for the latter obiection and so I doubt not but a Christian man may be thorowlie resolued OF THE ONLY IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS FROM Resolution Which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercy through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their offences CHAP. VI. AMong all other the moste greeuous and perrilous cogitations which in thys worlde are accustomed to offer themselues to a minde intangled and loden wyth great sinnes this vsually is the first through the nature of sinne it selfe and crafty suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fall into distrust and dyspaire of Gods mercie Such was the cogitation of most vnhappie Caine one of the first inhabitants of the earth who after the murder of his owne onely brother and other sinnes by him committed brake into that horrible and desperate speeche so greatly offensiue vnto his Lorde Maker Mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in like manner the desperate conceite of wicked Iudas one of the first of thē that were chosen to the peculier seruice of our Redeemer who feeling hys conscience oppressed wyth manifolde iniquities and most of all with the prodition of his owne Lord and Maister tooke no other way of amendmēt or redresse but to destroy himselfe both in bodie and soule adioyning onoly these words full of miserable distrust and desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and iust blood By which wordes and most wretched ende he more greeuouslie offended and iniured his most louing and mercifull Sauiour then by all his former iniquities committed against him This then most louing brother is the first and greatest rocke wherat a sinful soule ouer burdened wyth the charge of her owne iniquities and tossed in the waues of dreadfull cogitations by the blastes stormes of Gods threates against sinners doth cōmonlie make her shypwracke That is that most horrible depth and dungion wherof the holie scriptures saith The impious man when he is come into the bottome and profunditie of his sinnes contemneth all Thys is that remedilesse sore and incurable wound wherwith God himselfe charged Ierusalem when hee sayd Insanabilis fractura tua thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorowe the multitude of their wickednes to encline now to dispayre of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into thys most pittiful cōplaint For this will I
aboundantly beare witnesse it followeth most euidently that the origine fountaine wel-spring of all these fauours graces and good turnes must needes be infinite immeasurable and farre surpassing all compasse of mans vnderstanding If you require of me the cause and reason why Almightie God should so wonderfullie be affected towards man I can directlie yeelde you none at all but rather meruaile thereat wyth holy Iob why so soueraigne a Maiestie shoulde sette hys hart vpon so base a subiect Notwithstanding the holy scripture seemeth to alleage one principal reason of thys loue whē it saith Nihil odisti eorum quae fecisti parcis omnibus quia tua sunt Domine qui diligis animas That is Thou ô Lorde which louest soules canst not hate those things which thou hast made but dost vse mercie towards all men for that they are thyne And the like manner of reasoning vseth God hymselfe when hee sayth by hys Prophet Ezechiell Behold all soules are mine and heereuppon hee inferreth a little after Numquid voluntatis meae est mors impii Can I haue the wyll to damne a wicked man seeing that his soule is mine created and redeemed by me as who woulde say thys were a case against all order and equitie And the reason of this manner of speech and argument is for that euery man naturally is enclined to loue the things that be of his owne making So wee see that if a man haue an Orcharde wherein be great varietie of trees and plants yet if there be but one of his own peculier grafting that florisheth and prospereth well he taketh more delight therein then in any of the rest for that it is hys owne workmanship So in like manner if a man haue a Vineyarde of his owne planting and trymming For which respect the holie Prophet Dauid finding himselfe and the whole kingdome of Iurie in great affliction and calamitie thought no other meanes so forcible to drawe God to compassion and commiseration of their case as to cry out to him in this maner Thou which gouernest Israell looke towards vs and be attent Thou hast brought forth a vineyard out of Egipt thou hast purged the same from Gentiles and hast planted it Thou O God of all power turne towardes vs looke vpon vs from heauen and visite thys thy vineyard which thine owne right hand hath planted The like manner of perswasion vsed the holy Prophet Esay to moue God when he sayd Looke vpon vs I beseech thee O lord which are the worke of thine owne hands But aboue all other the blessed man Iob standeth as it were in argument and dysputation wyth God about thys matter saying haue not thy handes made mee haue they not framed me of clay and earth hast not thou compacted me as cheese is made of milke hast not thou knit my bones and sinowes together and couered my flesh wyth skyn hast not thou giuen me life conserued my spirit with thy cōtinuall protection howe soeuer thou seeme to dissemble these matters hide them in thy hart yet I know that thou remembrest them all and art not vnmindfull of them By which wordes thys holy man signified that albeit God suffered him greatly to be tempted and afflicted in thys life so farre forth as he might seeme to haue forgotten him yet was he well assured that his diuine maiestie coulde not of hys goodnes forsake or despise him for that hee was his creature and the proper workemanshyp of his own hands In which very name of workemanshippe holy Dauid tooke such great comfort considering that the workeman cannot chuse but be louing and fauourable towards his owne work especiallie so excellent and bountifull a worke-man as is almightie GOD towards a worke made as man is to his own shape and likenes that in all his necessities yea euen in his greatest infirmities of fleshe and most greeuous offences committed against his Maiestie he conceaueth most assured hope of mercy pardon vpon this consideration that he was hys workmanship cōsequently wel known to his diuine wisdom of how brickle infirme a metal he was made For thus at one tyme among other hee reasoneth of thys matter Looke how farre distant the East is from the West so far off hath God remooued our iniquities from vs. Euen as a father doth take compassion of his owne children so doth the Lord take mercy vpon vs for that hee well knoweth the moulde whereof wee are made and doth remember that wee are nothing els but dust In which discourse the holy Prophet maketh mention of two thinges that dyd assure him of Gods mercie the one that God was his Creator and maker and therby priuie to the frailtie of hys constitution nature th'other that he was his father whose propertie is to haue compassion on his chyldren this is a second reason more strong and forcible perhaps then the former why euery man may be most assured of pardon that hartilie turneth vnto almightie GOD considering that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie not onelie to be vnto man a Creatour as he is to all other things but also a father which is the title of the greatest loue and coniunction that nature hath left to things in thys world Wherof a certain Phylosopher said well that no man coulde conceiue the loue of a Parents hart but he onelie that had a childe of his owne For which respect our Sauior Christ to put vs in mind of this most feruent loue and thereby as it were by one fire to enkindle another wythin our harts did vse oftentimes and ordinarilie to repeate thys sweete name of Father in hys speeches to his followers and theruppon founded diuers most excellent comfortable discourses as at one time when hee exhorted them from ouer-much care and worldly solicitude hee addeth thys reason Your father in heauen knoweth that you haue neede of these thinges As who would say hee knowing your wants and beeing your Father you shall not neede to trouble your selues wyth too great anxietie in these matters for that a Fathers hart cannot but bee prouident carefull for hys chyldren The like deduction maketh he in the same place to the same effect by comparison of the byrdes of the ayre and other irreasonable creatures for which if God doe make saith hee so aboundant prouision as al the whole worlde may witnesse that hee dooth much more carefull wyll he be to prouide for men that are his owne children which are more deere vnto him then any other terrestiall thing created All which speeches and reasons of our Sauiour are deriued from the nature and propertie of a Parent which cannot but affecte and looue hys children especiallie such a Father whom Christ calleth celestiall who in thys perfection of true fatherly loue so farre exceedeth al earthly Parents put together as in power clemencie goodnes almightie GOD surpasseth the infirmitie of hys feeble creatures Such a father
them vpoÌ„ their first signification of greefe and sorrowe for the same And not onelie thys but our Sauiour also Iesus Christ was promised to be sent for restoring them and their posteritie to the glorie and felicitie which by their fall they had lost After thys vntill the tyme of Abraham and of the people of Israell as some vvorkes of Gods iustice are recorded in holie writte that were exercised vppon irrepentant offenders so are there many more celebrated of his mercie only two persons in particuler are mentioned who notwithstanding some sorrowe which they seemed to haue of their offences were yet reiected the first whereof was the murderer Caine who at the beginning denyed hys wickednes vnto God and then beeing conuicted despayred of remission The second was Esau whom S. Paul calleth a prophane fornicator who found no place of repentaunce albeit with teares he sought the same Whereof S. Chrisostome giueth the reason in these wordes For this cause Esau obtained not pardon for that hee did not repent as hee should haue doone his teares proceeding rather of anger and temptation then of true sorowe When the people of Israell came to be a distinct Nation to be gouerned at Gods appointment how greeuously trowe you did they offende daily and almost hourelie his diuine Maiestie And howe graciouslie did his vnspeakable clemencie remit pardon their manifolde and innumerable sinnes and trespasses doone against him The whole Scripture in truth seemeth nothing els but a perpetual narration of Gods incredible patience and infinite mercies towardes them And if I woulde speake of perticuler persons among them which he receiued to his fauour after great and manifold offences committed there would be no ende of that recitall Let Manasses that most impious and wicked king be an example for al of whose enormous life most detestable acts whole pages are replenished both in the bookes of kings and Chronicles and yet afterwardes notwithstanding the same man falling into miserie and calamitie among the Babilonians a fortunate schoole oftentimes for Princes who in their prosperity are wont to contemne God he beganne to be sorrowful for hys former life and actions and became repentant as the Scripture saith in the sight of God for the same Whereat his diuine incomprehensible mercie was so much moued presently as he receiued him to fauour and brought him backe from his prison and fetters to hys kingdome imperial throne of Maiestie The example also of the Niniuites is very notable and singuler in this behalfe against whom almighty God hauing decreed a sentence of death to be executed within a certayne time he commaunded Ionas the Prophet to goe and denounce that sentence vnto them But Ionas well knowing the nature and disposition of God towardes mercie fore-sawe as afterwardes hee signifieth that if hee shoulde goe and beare that embassage vnto them and they thereuppon make chaunge of theyr lyues his Maiestie woulde presentlie pardon them and so hee shoulde be taken for a false and lying Prophet For auoiding which inconuenience he chose rather to flee away by sea to the Cittie of Tharsis there to hide himselfe But almightie God raised a teÌ„pest in that iourney and disposed in such sort as Ionâ—s was cast into the sea and there receiued and deuoured by a whale froÌ„ whose belly he was commaunded afterwardes to repaire to Niniuie and to doe his former message which hee performed And the tenour of his message was that wythin fâ—rtie dayes that huge cittie of Niniuie should be destroyed Whych hee hauing denounced vnto them the sequel fell out as Ionas before had suspected For the Niniuites beleeuing the message betaking themselues to repentance GOD forgaue them presently whereat Ionas was exceedinglie greeued offended and complained sweetly to God of hys strange dealing herein demaunding why he had enforced him to come preach destruction vnto them knowing before hand that hee would pardon them But his mercifull Lorde aunswered him fully to this poynt by a certaine accident that fell out wherto Ionas was not able to reply one word For so it chaunced that Ionas sitting wythout the walles of the Cittie Niniuie vnder an Iuie bushe that in one night by Gods appointment was sprong vp to couer him from the sunne the same Iuie by Gods ordinance perished vpon the suddaine and was coÌ„sumed by a worme leauing the poore Prophet destitute of that coÌ„solation of shadow which he receiued by it Wherewyth he beeing not a little disquieted and afflicted God said vnto him thou Ionas art sorowful and much greeued for losse of thine Iuie tree which notwithstanding thou diddest not plant or make to growe nor tookest any labour at all about it But the same grew vp in one night and in one night it perished againe And shall not I then be carefull to pardon my great Cittie of Niniuie wherein there be aboue an hundred twenty thousand innocent people which cannot distinguish betweene their right hande and theyr left This was the answer of almighty God to Ionas for defence of his singuler inclination to mercy in respect that the Niniuites were his owne creatures his own workmanâ—hip and the labours of his own hands as all other people also are Of which kynde of reason and consideration there haue beene diuers thinges sayde and declared before for manifestations of Gods infinite mercie And all thys that hetherto hath been spoken is of things onely doone in time of the olde Testament before the appearance of Christ our Sauiour in the flesh But nowe if wee looke into the tyme of grace when God incarnate came himselfe in person to shew the riches of hys endlesse mercie vnto mortall men vpon earth wee shall see more examples without comparison of his exceeding clemencie For that nowe our Creator and shepheard ouercome as it were with extreame compassion came downe into the vale of our miserie with resolution not onely to offer pardon and forgiuenes to all his sheepe that were astray would returne but also to follow and seeke them out and beeing found to lay them on his owne shoulders and so to beare them back vnto the fold againe and there to giue his life and bloode for theyr defence against the Wolfe O sweete Lorde what greater loue can be imagined then this what more pregnant signification of inflamed charitie can mans cogitation conceiue or apprehende is it meruaile nowe if hee which descended vnto vs with his hart and wyth these bowels of burning affection did sette open the gates of all his treasures fauours and graces vnto vs Is it meruaile if the holy Apostle Saint Paul doe say of this time Superabundauit gratia that grace did ouer abound and yet further in another place that Christ being very God did in a certaine sorte impoueriâ—h and emptie himselfe with the most wonderfull effusion of mercies and hauocke of heauen which at this
time and euer since he hath made Heerehence it proceeded that all his delight and pleasure vpon earth was to conuerse with sinners to giue them comfort courage and confidence in him Which hee did so manifestly in the sight of al the world as hee became very scandalous offensiue thereby to the Scribes Pharisies other principall Rulers among the Iewish Nation Heere-hence also did proceede those his most meruailous speeches and strange inuitations of wicked men vnto him as for example at one tyme among other when hee cryed out in publique Come vnto mee all yee that doe labour and be heauie loden and I wyll refresh you And at another time going into the Temple of Ierusalem vpon a high festiuall day when all the people were gathered together he stoode vp in the midst of them all and brake forth into thys vehement inuitation wyth a loude voyce as S. Iohn Euangelist recordeth If any man among you bee thirstie let him come vnto me and he shal drink Heerby it came to passe that his diuine maiestie was termed commonly Publicanorum et pâ—ccatorum amicus the freende and familiar of wicked Publicans and sinners And heereof finally it did proceede that he receiued all embraced all and forgaue all that repaired vnto him were they Scribes Pharisies Souldiours Publicans Vsurers Harlots Theeues Persecutors or whatsoeuer most greeuous offenders besides whereof particuler examples in each kinde might be alleaged assuring vs furthermore that after hys resurrection and blessed aâ—cention to the right hande of hys father he woulde be more bountifull yet in thys manner of proceeding and drâ—w all men vnto him beeing at one tyme both our Iudge and Aduocate our King and Mediatour our God and Redeemer our Father and Brother our Priest and Sacrifice and he that both pleadeth and determineth our cause together What then shoulde not we hope at thys tyme deere Christian brother at the hands of this our Lorde and Maister which hath left vnto vs such wordes such deedes such assured euidences of hys infallible loue and aboundant mercies towards vs why shold not hys dealings wyth other men before vs giue vs hart and courage to trust assuredlie in him for the time present and to come why shoulde not his former most infinite mercies be vnto vs odoriferous alluring sauors oyntments to make vs as the spouse did in the Canticles follow and runne after him Heare what deuout S. Bernarde dooth meditate vppon this passage of Christes fragrant oyntments O sweete Iesus saith hee the fresh and odoriferous smell of thy wonderfull clemencie doth allure vs to runne after thee when we heare say that thou despisest not beggers nor abhorrest sinners Wee know right well ô Lord that thou diddest not reiect the theefe that confessed thee nor the sinfull woman that wept vnto thee nor the Chananaean that huÌ„bled herselfe before thee nor the wicked adultresse brought vnto thee nor the touller or tribute gatherer that followed thee nor the publican that repaired vnto thee nor the disciple that denied thee nor Saule that did persecute thee nor thy tormenters that did naile thy sacred bodie to the Crosse. O Lorde all these are fragrant smels and sauours of thy most sweet mercie and at the sente of these thy oyntments we doe followe and runne after thee Thus farre S. Bernard The fourth part The application of all that hath beene said AND so wyth this to come to the fourth and last part of thys Chapter and to apply all that hath beene said of Gods mercie to our present purpose What man is there liuing in the worlde that reading and beleeuing these things can doubt or mistrust to receiue pardon for hys sinnes If God be hee that iustifieth who is able to condemne vs saith the holy Apostle S Paul If God be minded to deliuer vs who can take vs out of his hands If God protest that he wyll pardon vs why should we make any doubt or question thereof at all Why shoulde wee not ioyne rather wyth that confident and faithful seruaunt of his S. Paul who saith vnto vs and to all other sinners liuing in his maisters name Let vs repaire vnto him with a true hart in fulnesse of faith hauing purged our harts from an euill conscience let vs hold fast an immouable confession of our hope seeing he is faithfull which hath giuen vnto vs his promise and let vs consider howe one of vs may prouoke another to charitie and good workes By which words the holy Apostle signifieth that what sinner soeuer shall resolue with himselfe to purge his conscience from wickednesse for the tyme to come and to employ the rest of his life in charitie and good works he may confidently boldly repayre vnto almightie God wyth most certaine assuraunce to receiue pardon remission And alas deere brother why then should any man despaire Wherefore shoulde any man cast awaie hys owne soule that GOD so much desireth to saue what a pittifull and lamentable case is it to behold so many Christians in the world to goe languishing in their sinnes to giue themselues ouer to all kind of carelesse and dissolute sensualitie which by God himselfe is called desperation vpon this conceit and wicked cogitation that nowe they are gone so farre and so deepely rooted and habituated in thys kinde of life as eyther it is impossible or in vaine for them now to thinke of change or amendment O deere brother let these men harken to thys excellent dyscourse of holy Chrisostome which ensueth If thou be a wicked man saith he thinke vpon the Publicane If thou be vncleane of lyfe consider the harlot If thou be a murderer remember the theefe If thou be a swearer call to minde the blasphemer Cast thyne eyes vpon Saul and Paul first a persecutour and then a preacher first a violent robber afterwarde a good steward and dyspenser First chaffe afterward corne first a woolfe afterward a sheepheard first lead afterward gold first a pirat afterwards a good pilot first a dispersor afterwarde a gatherer together first a breaker down of Gods vine yard afterwarde a planter first a destroyer afterward a builder Thou hast seene manifold wickednes but nowe behold vnspeakable mercie Thou hast heard the pride of the seruant consider now the loue and clemencie of the Maister I will not thou say to me I am a blasphemer I haue beene a persecutor I haue led an vncleane and abhominable life and therefore I doubt least I shal not be pardoned Say not so vnto me for here thou hast examples to the contrary in euery of these and many other sinnes Thou mayst safely flie to what port thou list and that eyther in the old or new Testament For in the old thou hast Dauid in the newe thou hast Paul I will not haue thee therefore alleage excuses vnto mee for couering thyne owne cowardnes Hast thou sinned repent hast thou sinned a