this assurance vnto vs Christ sent that most sweet and comfortable embassage vnto his disciples presentlie vpon his resurrection Goe and tel my brethren 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 th' other of power the one of wil the other of abilitie he tooke away al doubt of not speeding from each man that should make recourse to this merciful Lord and Father God him self also after many threates vsed by the prophet Ieremie against the people of Israel for their sinnes in the end lest they should dispaire turneth about his talke and changeth his stile assuring them of many graces and fauours if they would returne vnto him telling the house of Israel that he had loued her from the beginning and had sought to draw her vnto him by threates to the end he might take mercy vpon her and that now he intended to build her vp againe to adorne her with ioy and exultation to gather her children from al corners of the earth to refresh them with the waters and riuers of life al this saith he quia factus sum Israeli pater for that I am become now a Father to Israel And in the same place to wicked Ephraim the head citie of the rebellious kingdome of Samaria he saith Ephraim is become my honorable sonne my delicate and dearely beloued child therefore my bovvels are moued vvith compassion vpon him and in abundance of mercy vvil I take pitie of him So much attributed God to this respect of being a father vnto Israel and Ephraim and of their being his children that for this cause only notwithstanding their infinit enormous sinnes his bowelles of endles mercie were moued with loue and compassion towardes them And thes are thos tender merciful bowelles which holie Zacharie father to S. Iohn Baptist protesteth to be in almightie God towardes mankind that had offended him Thes are thos which were in that good old father mentioned in the Gospel who being not only offended but also abandoned by his yonger sonne yet after he saw him returne home againe notwithstanding he had wasted al his thrist and substance and had weried out his bodie with wicked life he was so far of from disdaining to receaue him as he came forth to meete with him sel vpō his neck and kissed him for ioy adorned him with new apparel and riche iewelles prouided a solemne banket for him inuited his friēdes to be merie with him and showed more exultation and triumph for his returne then if he had neuer departed from him By which parable our Saueour IESVS endeuored to set forth vnto vs the incomprehensible mercie of his heauenly Father towardes sinners in which respect he is truely called by his Apostle pater misericordiarum the father of mercies For that as S. Bernard wel noteth this sea Oceā of mercies doth flow peculiarly frō the hart of a father which can not be said so properly of the gulfe and depth of his iudgementes For which cause he is called in Scripture the God of iustice and reuēge and not the Father And finally this blessed name of father in God doth import vnto vs by Godes owne testimonie al sweetenes al loue al frendship al comfort al satherly prouidēce care and protection al certaintie of fauour al assurance of grace al securitie of mercie pardon and remission of our sinnes whensoeuer vnfainedly we turne vnto him And in this point his diuine Maiestie is so foreward and vehement to geue vs assurance that being not content to set forth his loue vnto vs by the loue of a fathers hart he goeth further and protesteth vnto vs that his hart is more tēder towardes vs in this behalf then the hart of any mother can be to the only child and infant of her own wombe For thus he saith to Sion which for her sinnes begā to doubt least he had forsaken her Can the mother forget her ovvainfant or can she not be merciful to the child of her ovvne vvombe if she could yet can I not forget or reiect thee behold I haue vvritten thee in the flesh of my ovvne handes And this for so much as God is called our Father Ther remaineth yet a third consideration which more setteth forth Gods inestimable loue then any of the other demonstrations before handled And this is that he gaue the life and blood of his only begotten and eternal sonne for purchasing and redeeming vs when wee were lost a price so infinite and inexplicable as no doubt his diuine wisdome would neuer haue giuen but for a thing which he had loued aboue al measure Which our Sauiour him self that was to make the paiment doth plainly signifie and therfore also seemeth as it were to wonder at such a bargaine when he saieth in the Ghosple So dearly hath God my father loued the vvorld that he hath giuen for it his only begotten sonne In which wordes he ascribeth this most wōderful dealing of his father vnto the vehemencie and exceeding aboundāce of loue as doth also his dearest disciple and Apostle S. Sohn saing In this appeareth the great loue and charitie of God towards vs that he hath sent his only begotten sonne into the world to purchase life for vs. In this I saie is made euident his exceeding charitie that we not louing him he loued vs first and gaue his owne sonne to be a ransome for our sinnes Wherunto also the holie Apostle S. Paul agreeth admiring in like maner the excessiue loue of God in thes wordes God doth maruailouslie commend and set forth his great loue vnto vs in that we being yet sinners he gaue his sonne to the death for our redemption And in an other place framing out as at were a measure of Gods mercie by this aboundance of his loue faieth thus God who is rich in mercie thorough the exceeding loue which he bore vnto vs we being dead in sinne he reuiued vs in Christ and raised vs vp euen vnto heauen making vs to sitte doune ther with him to the ende he might declare to al ages and worldes ensuing the most abundant riches of his grace and goodnes towards vs. This was the opinion of that noble Apostle S. Paul and of al his coequals Apostles Euangelistes Disciples Saints that this worke of our redemption proceeded only from the inflamed fornace of Gods immeasurable loue And therfore to make no other conclusion her of then that which S. Paul him self doth make If God haue not spared his owne proper only begotten soone but hath geuen him vp to death for gaining vs vnto him how can it be that with him he hath not geuen vnto vs al other thinges If when we were his enemies and thought not vpon him he sent to seeke vs so diligently by such a messinger as he loued so dearly allowing
sueing vnto sinners for their conuersion it followeth that we should in this third place examine some what more in particuler what certaine assurance his diuine Maiestie geueth of vndoubted pardon and ful remission of their sinnes to al such as vnfainedlie shal resolue them selues to make their refuge vnto him Which thing albeit euerie mā by that which before hath bene treated may sufficientlie conceaue yet for th' importāce of the matter it shal not be amisse in this place also to adde a word or two for more plaine and euidēt demonstration therof And this shal be donne by setting doune both the wordes and deedes that is both the promisses and perfourmāce which almightie God hath vsed and excercised in this behalf to al such as haue offended him whatsoeuer And for the first which are his promises most apparent it is as wel by the thinges which before haue bene discussed as also by the whole course bodie drift of holie scripture that the promises of mercie and pardon which his diuine Maiestie hath made to synners and wherunto by his sacred word he hath in a certaine maner obliged him self are both manifold vehement absolute resolute vniuersal VVho so euer shal depart from his vvicked vvayes and turne vnto me saith almightie God I vvil receaue him Behold the vniuersalitie of al people and persons without excluding any And then further At vvhat day soeuer an impious man shal returne vnto me from his impietie his vvickednes shal not hurt him saith the same L. God of hostes see the vniuersalitie of al times seasons without exceptiō But yet harken what God addeth besides Leaue of to doe peruerselie saith he to the Iewes c. and then doe you come and finde fault vvith me if you can For if your sinnes vvher as red as skarlet they shal be made as vvhite as snovve c. Consider the vniuersalitie of al kind of synnes be they neuer so greeuous so horrible or haynous And finallie God talking to a soule that hath oftentimes fallen most infinitelie offended him he saith thus it is a common receaued speech that if a womā depart from her husbād and doe ioine her self to an other man she may not returne to her first husband againe for that she is defiled and made contaminate And yet wheras thou hast departed from me and hast committed fornication with many other louers doe thou returne vnto me againe and I wil receaue the saith almightie God By which wordes is expressed the fowerth vniuersalitie containing al states qualities and conditions of men how many waies or how oftentimes or how contemptuouslie soeuer they haue committed sinnes against his diuine Maiestie And what may be added now more vnto this was ther euer prince that made so large an offer vnto his subiectes or was ther euer father that gaue so ample and vniuersal promise of pardō vnto his children Who can now mistrust him self to be excluded from this assurance of mercie wherin al sortes of people al kindes of sinnes al times and seasons al states and qualities of sinners are comprehended O most miserable and infortunate man that excludeth him self whom God excludeth not What is ther in this general and vniuersal promises wherof anie man in the world should haue pretence to make any least doubt or question Of the meaning perhapes and intent of him that promiseth O deare brother it is onlie loue and tharitie and consequentlie can not deceaue vs. Of the truth and suertie of his promisses It is infallible and more certaine then heauen and earth put together Of the power that he hath to perfourme his promisse It is infinite and not restrained by any boundes or limitation wherof thē may we doubt or in which of thes three pointes may we not conceaue most singuler consolation heare the comfortable meditation that blessed S. Bernard made vpon thes three particulers which wee haue now mentioned Tria considero saith he in quibus tota spes mea consistit charitatem vocationis veritatem promissionis potestatem redditionis c. That is I doe consider three thinges saith this holie mā wherin al my hope cōsisteth wherby it is made inuincible First the exceeding loue and charitie of him that calleth me to him by repentance secondlie the infallible truth and certaintie of his promise which he maketh to me of pardon and mercie thirdlie the endles power and abilitie he hath to perfourme whatsoeuer he promiseth This is that triple or threefold rope and chaine which holie scripture saith is hardlie broken for that by this rope let donne vnto vs from heauen which is our contrie into this world that is our prison we may ascende and mount vp if we wil euen vnto the sight and possession of Gods eternal kingdom and heauēlie glorie Thus farre that blessed father But now to the second pointe if we consider how faithfullie almightie God hath put in execution thos promises of his from time to time how 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 shal finde further cause for vs to confide For so much as it is not probable or ī reason to be imagined that he which neuer failed in times past wil breake his promise for the time to come especially seing now in Christianitie when we haue this aduantage aboue other former times as S. Iohn doth also note that he who was and is our iudge is become also our aduouocat to pleade our cause Cast backe thine eyes then my louing deare brother and take a vew of al ages times and seasons past and gone Beginne from the first creation of the world and come donneward euen vnto this daye examine indifferentlie whether in al this wide compasse of times persons places most greeuous offences committed against his diuine Maiestie ther were euer yet any one sinner vpon earth that returned vnsay nedlie and was not receaued The sinne of our first parentes was presentelie forgeuen vnto them vpon their first signification of greefe and sorowe for the same And not onlie this but our Saueour also Iesus Christ was promissed to be sent for restoring them and their posteritie to the glorie and felicitie which by their fal they had lost After this vntil the time of Abraham and of the people of Israel as some workes of Gods iustice are recorded in holie writ that were excercised vpon irrepentant offendours so are ther many more celebrated of his mercie and onlie two persons in particuler are mentioned who notwithstanding some sorow which they seemed to haue of their offences were yet reiected the first wherof was the murderer Cain who at the beginning denied his wickednes vnto God and then being conuicted despaired of remission The second was Esau whom S. Paul calleth a profane fornicator who
Apostle writeth he that yeeldeth to 〈◊〉 becòmeth the bondslaue of sinne And the holy spirite of God in an other place saieth the vvicked man is vvrapt in the bades or chaines of his ovvne vvickednes Which bandes and chaines are so nexed knit and strongly lincked together in a sensual man that being once entangled within the compasse therof he is drawen from lincke to lincke compassed about with so many foldes that he seldome can escape vntil he come to the ende therof which is fastened euen in hel it self This thing doe the holie Fathers of Gods Church expresse by this deduction to wit that in careles and negligent Christians Suggestiō which is the begining of this daūgerous and infernal chaine draweth after it cogitation cogitation draweth affection affection delectation delectation consent consent operation operation custome custome desperation of Gods mercie desperatiō bringeth in the defending of sinnes cōmitted after which foloweth immediatelie both vaūtinge bosting and glorying in wickednes which is the next inseparable lincke to damnation it self To thes miseries loe and inexplicable calamities is the world brought by not resisting the temptations of sinne but yeelding to euery vnlawful motion of our sensual appetites According as it was foretolde so long ago If thou permit thy soule to haue her concupiscences she vvill make thee a ioye and pray to thy enimies Oh ye children of Adam whye consider ye not this thinge ô worldlinges ô careles Christians whie forget ye this pointe so necessarie to be pondered is it possible that men should be so negligent in their owne apparent and irremediable daungers The world is come now to that desperate cōdition described by Iob wherin men drinke vp sinne as beasts doe water that is without all difficultie scruple remorse of conscience feare of hell care doubt examination or cogitation We are now come to that obstinate cōtempt foreprophetied by Daniel vvicked men vvil doe vvickedlie and vvill not vnderstande Nay the most parte of men are entered into that dreadful most horrible plight wherof the wisman said The vvicked and impious man vvhen he is come to the deapthe of vvickednes contemneth all But what are the wordes immediatlie ensuinge His ignominie shall follovv hym Which S. Paul expoundeth more plainlie in this maner VVhose ende shaibe death or destruction vvith confusion Wherfore he that is a good Christian in deede and desireth to enioye the fruite of that vocation lett hym beware of this perilous laberinthe and learne to resiste his fleshlie appetites betime Let hym crushe the head of the serpent at the first enterance of vnlawful suggestions as in the second parte of this directorie he shal more particule lie be instructed to doe In the meane 〈◊〉 this alredie spoken shal be sufficient to declare the greate importāce weight and necessitie of this affaire and the manifolde mischiefes which ensue vnto the world for wante of watchefulnes and diligence in this warre AND THVS HAVING shewed how euil souldiars we are in resisting our enimie it remaineth to cōsider how prudent marchātes and labourers we are for encrease of our gaine and spiritual riches by the exercise negotiation and trafique of good workes About which point is to be obserued that man from his first fal in paradise was assigned to trauaile and take paines in this kinde of exercise and in no sort to be idle For so it is plainlie set doune in the booke of Genesis man vvas placed in paradise to labour And after that in diuers other places of the olde testainent the spirite of God exhorted men to be paineful industrious and diligently to til such land as God hath lent them for their gaine Which the prophet Osce interpreteth thus Seminate vobis Iustitiam enrich you selues by sowing iustice And the wise man more plainly vvhat soeuer thy hād can doe doe it instantly The reason of which exhortation is set doune by the same instrumēt of Gods spirite in an other place Anima operantium impinguabitur The soule of such as labour and take paine shal be fattened And againe Seminanti Institiam merces sidelis To hym that soweth iusticc or good deeds ther remaineth a faithful and sure reward In respect wherof in the description of a blessed and fortunate mā it was put for one principal qualitie by the prophete that he receyued not his soule in vaine but laboured and employed the same to his greatest benefite And this in the old testament But in the new wherin the most excellent merites of Christ doe yeeld inestimable dignitie to al good workes that are done in his name this precept of labouring hath much more place and is more seriouslie recommended for that by Christes spirite and aboundance of grace we are more enhabled to performe the same as may appeare by the wordes of God him self in Ezechiel wher foretelling the times of the Messias to come saieth At that day vvil I place my spirite in you and vvil bring to passe that you shal vvalke in my commaundements and shal labour and take paines Which labour is to be vnderstoode in performance of good workes according as S. Paul describeth the condition of Christian people when hecalleth thē an acceptable people clensed by Christes blood to be a folovver of good vvorkes And in an other place he defineth a good Christian to be the had vvorke of God created ī Christ to vvalke in good vvorkes And yet further Christ him self in the Ghospel declareth plainly what the state and condition of Christiās is in this life by the parable wherin he likeneth hym self to the riche banker who committed diuers summes of money to his seruantes with this charge Negotiamini dum venio Make ye your trafique and commoditie vntil I come and cal for an accompt By al which is most manifest that the life and vocation of a Christian in this world is to labour and make his gaine by the talentes that God hath lent him and to fructesie in al good vvorkes as S. Paul exhorteth vs. Hereby also doth appeare that the time of this our life is nothing els but a certaine season alotted vs wheri to sowe plant nothing els but a fayer or marte wherin to trafique negotiate make our exchaunge for the kingdome of heauen In which affaire and negotiation he that is diligent painful industrious is accompted a vvyse man euen by Gods owne mouth as on the contrary part the careles slouthful and negligent mā is called the childe of confusion voide of wit and subiect to al miserie contempt and beggarie Herehence are thos speeches of holie Scripture Manus sortium dominabitur The hande of him that laboureth with courage shal preuaile and be potent And againe Robusti habebunt diu tias The stout painful shal haue welth at wil. And yet further he that diligently tilleth his soile shal aduance to great hight
vnde pendet aeternitas This life is the momēt wherof dependeth al eternitie of weal or woe hereafter If it be but a moment deare brother and yet a moment of so great consequence and importance how is it passed ouer by earthelie men with so litle care and cogitation what reason may be alleaged of this so dangerous a negligence what cause may be assigned of so extreme a follie Al the creatures of earth heauen and hel euen from the very first to the last if thou examine them al may be argumentes and motiues vnto thee to leaue this perilous course wherin thou art al are or may be bookes lessons and sermōs vnto thee preaching and protesting some by their punishment some by their glorie some by their beautie and al by their creation that thou oughtest without delay to make resolution of an other kinde of life and that al is vanitie al is folie al is iniquitie al is miserie besides the onelie seruice of thie Lord and maker And so with this wil I make here an ende of this first part reseruing some other things to be spoken in the second for remouing of such impedimēts as our spiritual aduersarie is wont to cast against this good worke of Resolution as against the first step and degree of our saluation Our Lord God Sauiour Iesus Christ who was content to paye his own pretious blood for the purchasing of this noble inheritance of his kingdome vnto vs geue vs his holy grace to esteeme of it as the great weight of the matter requireth and not by negligence to loose our title and portion therin The end of the first part containing motiues to resolution THE SECOND PARTE WHICH TREATETH OF THE LETTES and impedimentes that hinder resolution THE PREFACE IN the former parte of this booke gentle reader ther haue bene layed doune sundry reasons and considerations wherby to stirre vp men to the firme resolution of seruing God which might be sufficient no doubt to that effect the nature of vertue being also cōsidered which of her self draweth reasonable men to loue and admiration of her were not the subtiltie of our spiritual enimie very greate and dangerous in this behalfe and his indeuours most diligent against our purpose For so it fareth that when he seeth by the former reasons and demonstrations alleaged that the iudgement of man is conuinced in the pointes which are treated and that it can no longer resist or deny but that the onlie true wisdome were in deed to breake of from the vanities and sinful life of this world and to be-take our selues to the gainful 〈◊〉 mightie God then this infernal foe 〈◊〉 able further to delude our iudgemente 〈◊〉 blynd our vnderstandings imployeth him self by al meanes possible for retaining of his pray to stay our wil from yelding consent vnto our iudgement all eaging for his dissuation either the difficultie of obtaining pardon or the paines and hardnes of vertuous life or the losse of worldlie honour and earthlie commodities or some other such like fraude or trifle wherby to let and hinder our resolution or at least wise to prolonge it so farre forth as he may be in hope that we shal neuer make it afterwards to our gaine or comfort For preuenting of which malitious and most perilous indeuour of our ghostelie aduersarie this second parte is adioined conteining the cheefe and principal impedimentes that vsuallie doe rise against resolution the remooual and confutation of which lettes and impedimentes shal bring no smal light vnto the studious reader for the true vnderstanding both of his owne estate and of the deceptes and illusions vsed towards him by his enimie Read then this parte also deare Christian brother vvith no lesse diligence then the former for that the profit therof shal be equal and thy contentement perhapes farre greater in respect of the varietie of matters handled therin and of the manifold comfortes which thy soule in perufing shal receaue therby OF THE FIRST IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS from resolution VVhich is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and grieuousnes of their offences CHAPT I. AMONG al other gricuous and most perilous cogitatiōs which in this world are accustomed to offer them selues to a mind entangled and lode with great sinnes this vsually is the first thorough the nature of sinne it self and craftie suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fal into distrust and despaire of Gods mercie Such was the cogitation of most vnhappie Cain one of the first inhabitantes of mankind vpon earth who after the murther of his owne only brother and other sinnes by him committed brust furth into that horrible and desperate speech so greatly offensiue to his Lord and Maker mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in like maner the desperate conceit of wicked Iudas one of the first of them that were chosen to the peculiar seruice of our Redeemer who feeling his conscience oppressed with manifold enormous iniquities and most of al with the prodition of his owne Lord maister tooke no other ware of amendment or redresse but to destroie him self both in bodie and soule adioining only thos words ful of miserable distrust and desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and iust blood By which wordes and most wreched ende he more grieuouslie offended and iniuried his most louing merciful Saueour then by al his former iniquities committed against him This then most louing brother is the first and greatest rocke wherat a sinful soule ouerburdened with the charge of her owne iniquities and tossed in the waues of dredful cogitations by the blastes and stormes of Gods threats against sinners doth commonlie make her shipwrake This is that most horrible depth and dungeon wher of the holie Scripture saieth The impious man vvhen he is come into the botome and prosonditie of his sinnes contemneth al. This is that remediles sore and incurable wound wherwith God him self charged Ierusalem when he said Insanabilis fractura tua Thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorough the multitude of their wickednes to eneline now to despaire of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into this most pitiful complaint for this vvil I vveepe and lament extremely I vvil strippe of my clothes and vvander naked I vvil rore like vnto Dragons and sound out my sorovve as Strutbious in the desert for that the vvound and maladie of my people is desperate This is that great and maine impediment that stoppeth the conduits of Gods holie grace from flowing into the soule of a sinful man This is the knif that cutteth in sunder al thos heauely blessed cordes wherwith our sweet Lord and Saneour endeuoureth to draw vnto repentance the hartes of sinners saing by his prophete I vvil pul them vnto me vvith the chaines of loue and charitie For by this meanes
svveet and merciful is our Lord and his miserations aboue al the rest of his mast vvonderful vvorkes Who wil maruail if the same prophet made a vowe that his euerlastīg song should be of the mercies of this his Lord and maker But yet this thing is made much more apparant by that which his deuine Maiestie did afterwardes to the same people in the daies of Ieremie the prophet aboue an hundreth yeares after this treatie in the time of Esaie at what time God being resolued to destroie them and their citie for their obduration in their sinnes when the hower of execution drewe neare his bowels of mercie were so touched with commiseratiō towardes them as he called to Ieremie and commaunded him once againe to goe vp to the temple gate wher al the people did passe in and out and ther with a loude voice to crie as foloweth Heare yee the word of God ò al you of Iuda that doe passe in and out by thes gates thus sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel yet doe you amend your waies and I wil dwel in this place with you c. And when this exhortation and blessed indeuour of almightie God could not moue or profit them any thing at al then his vnspeakable goodnes began with sharpe threates in this maner My furie and indignation is gathered together vpon this citie and vpon the inhabitantes and vpon the very beastes and cattel therof as also vpon the fruite and trees of this region The carcases of this people shal be foode to the birdes of the aire and to the beastes of the filde their enimies shal come cast forth of their sepulchers the bones of the kīges and princes of Iuda the bones of their priestes prophetes and inhabitantes and shal drie them at the sunne and cast them out vnto the dunghil After al which lōg and dreadful cōmination he altereth his speech presentelie againe and saith with a very lamentable and pitiful voice And vvil not he that is fallen notvvithstanding al this rise vp againe VVil not be that is departed from me returne vnto me againe O vvhy doth my people runne from me so obstinatelie By which louing complaint and infinite other meanes of mercie that God vsed to that people when no amendment at al could be procured his diuine Maiestie was inforced to cal Nabuchodonosor king of Babilon before the walles of Hierusalem to destroy it But euen now also consider the bowels of his vnspeakable mercie For hoping that by this terrour they might perchance be stirred vp to conuersion he sent Ieremie the prophet to them againe with this embassage tel the inhabitantes of Hierusalem vvil ye not yet receaue discipline and obey my vvordes Wherat thos graceles people were so litle moued as they tooke Ieremie and cast him into prison for his message and therby exasperated most grieuoulie Gods further indignation against them Notwithstanding al which his incomprehensible clemencie would not thus abandon them but commanded holie Ieremie to write out al his threates and promisses in a booke together and to send the same vnto them forth of the prison wher he lay by his seruant Baruch to be read in their hearing and so he did Wherof whē Ioacim the king had vnderstanding he commanded Baruch to be brought into his presence and ther to read the booke by the fier side as the Scripture noteth And whē he had heard but three or foure pages therof he cut them out with a penne knif and threwe the whole booke into the fier and so consumed it At which obstinat and impious dealing albeit almightie God were extremely offended yet cōmanded he this same booke to be indited and writen againe in much more ample maner then before therby if it had bene possible to haue stirred vp gained that people vnto him But when this by no means in the world could be brought to passe then permitted his diuine Maiestie the whole citie to be destroied according to his former threate and that rebellious people to be lead away captiue in bōdage to Babilon In which place and miserie notwithstanding their demerites his infinit mercie could not for sake them but sent his prophet Ezechiel as also Baruch vnto them with extreme complaint of their obduration and yet offring vnto thē mercie and pardon euen thē if they would repent And what more wonderful clemencie then this can possibly be imagined deare Christian brother May in reason any man euer now enter into doubt or despaire of Gods mercie how great and greeuous soeuer the burden of his sinnes be when he considereth this proceeding of his eternal Maiestie with the people of Israel for so many yeares and ages together whom him self calleth notwithstanding Gentem Apostatricem dura facie indomabili corde an apostatical nation of a shameles countenance and incorrigible disposition Can God deuise any more effectual and forcible means to erect animate a sinner confidently to returne vnto him then are thes And yet gentle reader for thy further confort and encouragement in this behalf I wil adioine one thing more which doth exceed and passe al reason and reache of humane imagination and this is that God promiseth to a sinner that faithfullie wil returne vnto him not only to forget and vtterly extinguishe al memorie of his former iniquities but also to make more ioy and triumphe at his conuersion and to loue and cherishe him more tenderlie at his returne then if he had neuer fallen or departed from his seruice This God him self signifieth by the Prophet Esay when he saith cal vnto Hierusalem speake vnto her hart that is comfortably for that her iniquitie is for giuen she hath receaued dubble at Gods handes for al her sinnes committed And more plainelie in an other place by the same Prophet the light of the moone shal be as the light of the sunne and the light of the sonne shal be as the light of seuen dayes seuen tymes put together vvhen God shal binde vp the vvoundes of his people heale their fores And to this purpose doe appertaine directelie thos most wonderful parables of our Saueour in the Ghospel concerning th' extraordinarie ioye and feasting that the careful woman made when she had founde againe her grote that was lost the good Shepherd when he brought backe the sheepe that was astray and the merciful father when he receaued home his sonne that before had abādoned him And to the same purpose doth it also appertaine that in the Prophet Dauid God glorieth especiallie in the seruice of thos people that before had not knowen him And this shal suffice for this seconde pointe to shew what wonderful meanes almightie God doth vse in setting forth his mercie for allurement of sinners vnto repentance AND SO HAVING declared what exceeding great loue and mercie God beareth towardes man and how effectuallie he expresseth the same by his
founde no place of repētāce albeit with teares he sought the same Wherof S. Chrisostome geueth the reason in thes wordes For this cause Esau obtained not pardon for that he did not repente as he should haue done his teares proceeding rather of anger and temptation then of true sorovv When the people of Israel came to be a distinct nation and to be gouerned at Gods appointement how greeuouslie trow you did they offend day lie and almost howerlie his diuine Maiestie And how gratiouslie did his vnspeakable clemencie remitt and pardon their manifold and innumerable sinnes trespasses done agaist 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 would speake of particuler persons amōg them which he receaued to his fauour after greate and manifold offences committed ther would be no end of that recital Let Manasses that most impious and wicked king be an exāple for al of whos enormous life and most detestable actes whole pages are replenished both in the bookes of kinges and Chronicles and yet afterwardes notwithstanding the same man falling into miserie and calamitie among the Babylonians a fortunate schoole oftentimes for Princes who in their prosperitie are wont to contemne God he begā to be sorowful for his former life and actions and to doe great penance as the scripture saith in the sight of God for the same Wherat his diuine and incomprehēsible mercie was so much moued presentlie as he receaued him to fauour and brought him backe from his prison and fetters to his kingdome and imperial throne of Maiestie The exāple also of the Niniuites is very notable singuler in this behalf against whom almightie God hauing decreed a sentence of death to be executed within a certaine time he commanded Ionas the prophet to goe and denounce that sentēce vnto them But Ionas wel knowing the nature and disposition of God towardes mercie forsaw as afterwardes he signifieth that if he should goe and beare that embassage vnto them and they therupon make change of ther liues his Maiestie would presentlie pardon them and so he should be taken for a false and lying prophet For auoiding which inconuenience he chose rather to flee away by sea to the citie of Tharsis and ther to hide himself But almightie God raised a tempest in that iourney and disposed in such sort as Ionas was cast into the sea and ther receaued and deuoured by a whale from whos belly he was commanded afterwardes to repaire to Niniue and to doe his former message which he perfourmed And the tenour of his message was that within fortie dayes that huge citie of Niniuie should be destroyed Which he hauing denounced vnto them the sequel fel out as Ionas before had suspected For the Niniuites beleeuing the message and betaking them selues to repentance God forgaue them presentlie wherat Ionas was exceedinglie greeued offended complained sweetlie to God of his strāge dealing herin demanding whie he had inforced him to come and preach destruction vnto them knowing wel before hād that he would pardon them But his merciful Lord answered him fullie to this pointe by a certaine accident that fel out wherto Ionas was not able to replie one word For so it chanced that Ionas sitting without the walles of Niniuie vnder an Iuie bush that in one night by Gods appointment was sprōg vp to couer him frō the sunne the same Iuie by Gods ordināce perished vpon the suddaine and was consumed by a worme leauing the poore prophet destitute of that consolation of shadoe which he receaued by it Wherwith he being not a litle disquieted and afflicted God said vnto him thou Ionas art sorowful and much grieued for losse of thine Iuie tree which not withstanding thou diddest not plant nor make to grow nor tookest any labour at al about it But the same grew vp in one night and in one night it perished againe And shal not I then be careful to pardon my greate citie of Niniuie wherin ther be aboue an hundred and twentie thousand innocent people which can not distinguish betwene their right hand and their left This was the answer of almightie God to Ionas for defence of his singuler inclinatiō to mercie in respect that the Niniuites were his owne creatures his owne workmanship and the labours of his own handes as al other people also are Of which kinde of reason and consideration ther haue bene diuers thinges said and declared before for manifestation of Gods infinit mercie And al this that hitherto hath bene spoken is of thinges onlie donne in time of the old testament before the appearance of Christ our Saueour in flesh But now if we looke into the time of grace when God incarnate came him self in person to shew the riches of his endles mercie vnto mortal men vpon earth we shal see more examples without comparison of this exceeding clemencie For that now our Creator and shepheard ouercome as it were with extreme compassion came down into the vale of our miserie with resolution not onlie to offer pardon and forgeuenes to al his sheepe that were a stray and would returne but also to follow seeke them out being found to lay them on his own shoulders and so to beare them backe vnto the fold againe and ther to geue his life and blood for their defence against the wolfe O sweet Lord what greater loue cā be imagined then this what more pregnant signification of inflamed charitie can mans cogitation conceaue or apprehend is it maruaile now if he which descēded vnto vs with this hart and with thes bowels of burning affectiō did set open the gates of al his treasures fauours graces vnto vs Is it maruaile if the holie apostle S. Paul doe saye of this time Superabundauit gratia that grace did ouer abounde and yet further in an other place that Christ being verie God did in a certaine sort impouerish and emptie him self with the most wonderful effusion of mercies and hauoke of heauen which at this time and euer since he hath made Herehence it proceeded that al his delite and pleasure vpon earth was to conuerse with sinners and to geeue them cōfort corage and cōfidence in him Which he did so manifestlie in the sight of al the world as he was very scandalous and offensiue therby to the Scribes and Pharisees and other principal rulers among the Iuish nation Herehence also did proceed thos his most maruailous speeches and strange inuitations of wicked men vnto him as for example at one time among other when he cried out in publique Come vnto me al ye that doe labour and be heauie loden and I vvel refresh you And at an other time going into the temple of Ierusalem vpon a high festiual day when al the people were gathered together he stood vp in the middest of
of other affaires Thes are the wordes of the Deuil louing brother Thes are the counsailes persuasions of our enemie But mine are contrarie If thou haue fallen thou maiest rise againe If thou haue bene a lost companion yet thou maiest be saued If thou haue committed fornication and adulterie in time past thou maiest be continent for the time to come If thou haue hanted playes games thou maiest drawe backe thy foot from hence forth If thou haue delighted in leud and euil companie thou maiest herafter acquaint thy self with good Thou hast free wil to chuse ether part This only is necessarie that thou beginne thy conuersion out of hand that thou repent and take in hand to reforme thy self though it be at the first but a litle Let thine eies beginne but to shed forth one teare enter into thy conscience consider thy self but indifferently examine thine actions and what they deserue lay before thy face the daie of Iudgment with the torments of hel on the one side and the ioyes of heauen on the other Repēt confesse amend thy life seeke a medicine for thy wound out of hand while thou art in this life in what state or condition soeuer thou be Yea if thou be vpon thy death-bed ready to breath out thy soule and spirit feare not to repent for that Gods mercie is not restrayned by the shortnes of time Which I speake vnto you my deare brethren not to make you hereby the more negligent but only to stirre you vp to the confidence of Gods mercie and thereby to auoyde the most dangerous gulfe of desperation Hitherto are the wordes of this holie and learned Father In which long and large discourse of his we are to note that together with most excellent encoragement which he geueth to al sinners of what state and cōdition soeuer they be in al times and seasons to confide in Gods mercie and neuer to despaire he geueth also an holsome admonishment that we should not by this confidence become more necligent in reforming our liues but rather do it out of hand without al delay or procrastinatiō Whereunto in like maner the holy father S. Augustine in a like exhortation against despaire doth endeuour most vehemently to stirre vs vp in these wordes Let no man after a hundred sinnes nor after a thousand despaire of Gods mercie but yet so let him not despaire as he seeke presently without al stay to recōcile him self to God by amendment of life least perhaps after that by custome he hath gotten a habit of sinne he be not able to deliuer him self from the snares of the Diuel albeit he would 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 hateful and abominable in the sight of God For that no man must distrust of Gods mercie towards him that wil amend and leaue his sinnes For that God him self as a most sweete comforter hath said by his Prophet that the impietie of a vvicked man shal not hurt him at vvhat day soeuer he shal turne from the same But yet this great mercie of our Lord is thē only profitable vnto vs if we delay not our conuersion nor doe multiplie sinnes vpon sinnes Which I wil declare vnto you by th' example of woundes and ruptures of our bodie by which th' infirmities also of our mind and soule may be conceaued Thus then we see if a mās foote leg or arme be broken with how great paine the same is restored to his accustomed strength But if any member of our body should be broken twise or three times or more often in one and the self same place your charitie cā imagin how hard a thing it were for that part to recouer her perfit health againe So fareth it deare brethrē in the woundes and ruptures of our soule If a man doe commit sinne once or twise and doe vnsainedly without dissimulatiō make his refuge to the medicine of perāce he doth out of hand obtaine health againe and that sometimes without any skar or blemish of the disease past But if he begin to adde sinnes vpō sinnes in such sort that the woundes of his soule doe rather putrifie within him by couering and defending them then heale by repentance and confession it is to be feared least that heauy speach of th' Apostle be fulfilled in him to whom he saith dost thou not knovv that the benignitie of God is vsed to bring thee to repentance but thou by the obdurate and irrepētant hart dost heape to thy self vvrath in the day of vengeance and of the reuelation of Gods iust iudgement Thus far S. Augustine But now deare Christian brother what can be spoken more effectually either to 〈◊〉 vs to hope and confidence in Gods mercie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presumption in delaying our amendment thē here hath bene vttered by these noble pillars and fathers of Christes Church and most excellent instrumentes and temples of his holie Spirit The diuine wisdome of almightie God i a certaine place saith that the wordes of wise men ought to be spurres vnto vs and as it were nailes driuen into the depth of our hartes meaning thereby that we should be stirred vp and most vehemently moued when we heare such wise men as the holie Ghost there meaneth which in deede are only they that haue the knowledge and true feare of God make such exhortations vnto vs and ue vs such holsom admonishmentes as thes godlie fathers in this great affaire haue donne And how is it then deare brother that we are nothing stirred vp thereby nothing quickned nothing awaked Wel I wil conclude this whole chapter and treatise with an other exhortation and admonition of S. Augustine for that besides the graue authoritie of the mā which ought to moue vs much I thinke nothing can be spoken more excellently or more agreeing to our peculiar purpose Thus then he saith Almightie God doth neuer despise the repentance of any mā if it be offered vnto him sincerely simply nay he accepteth the same most willingly embraceth the penitent and endeuoreth to reduce him to his former state wherein he was before he fel. And that which is yet more if a man be not able to fulfil the whole order of his satisfaction yet doth not God refuse the least penance that is though it be dōne in neuer so short a space Neither doth he suffer the reward to perish of any litle conuersion And this doth the prophet Esaie seeme to me to signifie when he faith in Gods person to the people of Israel I haue contristed thee a litle for thy sinne I haue striken thee and haue turned my face from thee thou hast bene sad and hast walked in sorow and I haue cōforted thee againe These examples then of penance deare brethren we hauing before our eyes let vs not perseuer in our wickednes nor despaire
men that is God shal permit wicked mē to fal into snares which are as plentiful in the world as are the droppes of raine which fal doune from heauē Euery thing almost is a deadly snare vnto a carnal and loose harted mā Euery fight that he seeth euery word that he heareth euery thought that he conceaueth his youth his age his freendes his enemies his honour his disgrace his riches his pouertie his compagnie keeping his prosperitie his aduersitie his meate that he eateth his apparel that he weareth al are snares to draw him to destruction that is not watchful Of this then and of the blindnes declared before doth folow the last and greatest miserie of al other which can be in this life And that is the facilitie wherby worldly men doe runne into sinne For truely saieth the scripture miseros facit populos peccatum Sinne is the thing that maketh people miserable And yet how easily men of the world doe commit sinne and how litle scruple they make of the matter Iob signifieth when talking of such a man he saieth bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem He suppeth vp sinne as it were water that is with as great facilitie custome ease aduētureth he vpō any kind of sinne that is offered him as a man drinketh water when he is a thirst He that wil not beleeue the saying of Iob let him proue a litle by his owne experience whether the matter be so or no. Let him walke out into the streetes behold the doinges of men vew their behauiour cōsider what is done in shoppes in halles in consistories in iudgement seates in palaces and in cōmon meeting places abroad what lying what slandering what deceiuing there is He shal find that of al things wherof men doe make any accōpt in the world nothing is so litle accounted of as to commit a sinne He shal see iustice solde veritie wrested shame lost and equitie despised He shal see the innocent condemned the guiltie deliuered the wicked aduaunced the vertuous oppressed He shal see many theeues florish many vsurers beare great sway many murderers and extorsioners reuerenced and honoured many fooles put in authoritie and diuers which haue nothing in them but the forme of men by reason of money to be placed in great dignities for the gouernmēt of others He shal heare at euerie mans mouth almost vanitie pride detraction enuie deceit dissimulation wantōnesse dissolution lying swearing periurie and blaspheming Finally he shal see the most part of men to gouerne them selues absolutely euen as beastes doe by the motion of there passions not by law of iustice reason celigion or vertue The. 5. pointe of the parable OF THIS DOTH ensue the fifte point that Christ toucheth in his parable and which I promised here to handle to wit that the loue of this world choketh vp and strangleth euerie man whom it possesseth fromal celestial and spiritual life for that it filleth him with a plaine contrarie spirite to the spirite of God The Apostle saieth Si quis spiritum Chrsti non habet hic non est cius If any man haue not the spirit of Christ this felow belongeth not vnto him Now how contrarie the spirite of Christ and the spirite of the world is maie appeare by the twelue fruites of Christs spirite reckned vp by S. Paul vnto the Galathians to wit Charitie which is the roote and mother of al good workes Ioye in seruing God peace or trāquilitie of minde in the stormes of this world Patience in aduersitie Longanimitie in expecting our reward Bogitic in hurtig no man Benignitie in sweete behauiour Gentlenes in occasion geuē of anger Faithfulnes in performig our promises Modestie without arrogancie Continencie from alkind of wickednes Chastitie in conseruing a pure minde in a cleane and vnspotted bodie Against thes men saith S. Paul there is no lavv And in the verie same chapter he expresseth the spirite of the world by the contrarie effectes saying the worcks of flesh are manifest which are fornication vncleannes wantonnes lecherie idolatrie poysonninges enemities contentious emulations wrath strife dissention sectes enuie murder drōkennes glutonie and the like of which I fortel you as I haue tolde you before that those men which doe such things shal neuer obteine the kingdome of heauen Here now may euery man iudge of the spirit of the world and of the spirit of Christ and applying it to him self may coniecture whether he holdeth of the one or of th' other S. Paul geeueth two pretie short rules in the very same place to trye the same The first is They vvhich are of Christ haue crucifie ltheir flesh vvith the vices concupisconces therof That is they haue so mortified their owne bodies as they commit none of the vices and sinnes repeated before nor yeld not willinglie vnto the concupiscences or temptations therof The second rule is if vve liue in spirite then let vs vvalke in spirit That is our walking behauiour is a signe whether we be aliue or dead For if our walking be spiritual such as I haue declared before by the twelue fruites therof then doe we liue and haue life in spirite but if our workes be carnal such as S. Paul now hath described then are we carnal and dead in spirite nor haue we any thing to doe with Christ or portion in the kingdome of heauē And for that al the world is ful of those carnal workes and bringeth forth no fruites in deede of Christs spirit nor permitteth them to grow or prosper within her thence is it that the scripture alwaies putteth Christ and the world for opposite and open enemies Christ him self saith that the vvorld can not receaue the spirit of trueth And againe in the same Euangelist he saieth that nether he nor anie of his are of the world though they liue in the world And yet further in his most vehement prayer vnto his father Pater iuste mundus te non cognouit iust father the world hath not knowen thee For which cause S. Iohn writeth If any man loue the vvorld the loue of the Father is not in him And yet further S. Iames that vvbs soeuer desireth only to be a sreend of this vvorld is therby made an enemie to God What wil worldly mē saie to this S. Paul affirmeth plainlie that this world is to be dāned And Christ insinuateth the same in S. Iohns gospel but most of al in that wonderful fact of his whē praying to his Father for other matters he excepteth the world by name Non promun lo saith he I doe not aske mercie and perdone for the world but for those which thou hast geuen me out of the world Oh what a dreadful exception is this made by the Sauiour of the world by the lambe that taketh awaie al sinnes by him that asked perdone euen for his tourmentours and crucifiers to except I saie now the world
Peter was sent vnto him for his instruction and establishment in right faith I adioined moreouer that ther being two parts of Christiā diuinitie the one Theorike or speculatiue belonging principally to knowledge discours and beleefe the second called practique or actiue appertaining cheefly to action and execution the first is more easy and common then the second bicause it is more easy to know then to doe to discourse then to worke to beleeue as we ought then to liue as we should and the things that a man hath to beleeue are fewer then the things he hath to doe learned in shorter time and with lesse difficultie thé the other are executed Euen as we see by experience that a breefe Cathechisme instructeth a man sufficiently in his faith but al the bookes and sermons that we can read and heare can not persuade the least part of men to performe so much in life as by their vocation is required For which cause I said that both our Saucour and his Apostles did treate much more in their speaches and writings of things to be done then of things to be known of vertuous liuing then of right beleeuing The like I saied of Holie fathers and Doctours in the Church after them as it may be sene in their homilies sermons exhortations treatises commentaries and expositions For this cause I saied also that I had chosen to say some thing of this second part of Christian diuinitie appertaining to manners and direction of life allotting to my self three principal pointes to be handled therin and to be treated in three seueral bookes The first wherof to conteine the reasons and motiues which may stir vp a Christian man to make a firme and sound resolution The secōd to prescribe the particular meanes how a man without errour may put in vre and practise his resolution made The third to declare certaine helpes and instructions wherby to be able to perseuer vnto the end The first of thes bookes was then set downe and published The secōd and third vpon necessarie causes were deferred for a time And this is the summarie of al that was writen in my former preface and Induction suppressed now by M. Buny for meere conscience sake as he protesteth Wherin notwithstanding I doe not easilie see what may be accompted either so heinous or intollerable as his scrupulous conscience should be a fraide to let the same passe vnto the readers eare except it were for that in a certaine aduertisement I desired eche Catholique to pray for our persecutours or for that perhaps in the lines before repeated I doe affirme faith and beleef to be more common and easy then vertuous life which notwithstanding I thinke many Protestants in England wil confesse to be true and wil easilie proue the same by the liues and actions of their own preachers and ministers So much then for this now let vs behold how M. Buny hath set foorth the same booke with his purgation of M. Bunis edition M. Buny hauing taken this booke into his correction as also into my Lord Archbishop of Yorke his protection geueth it this title A booke of Christian exercise c. Perused and accompanied vvith a treatise tending to pacification by Edm. Buny And vnder the title he writeth this sentence of scripture IESVS Christ yester day and to day and the same for euer The misterie why he set thes wordes ther him self alone as I thinke vnderstandeth and hard it were for other men to coniectare If he had taken the wordes immediatly following in the same sentence of S. Paul they had bene more cleare if not more also to the purpose For they ar thes Be not caried avvay vvith variable and strange doctrines But let vs permit M. Buny to folow his kinde The holie fathers that write against auncient heretiques doe note it for an old tricke of thos companions to delight them selues and deceue others with obscure places of scripture And S. Peter expresly signifieth of the same men that principally they vsed to take the said obscure sentences out of S. Paul whence this by M. Buny is also cited And this for the first page In the next page he placeth my Lord of Yorkes armes accompanied with a paire of goodly crosse keyes and a croune set ouer thé Vnder which he writeth two latin verses that say thus much in English Thes armes haue bene noble in times past by ancient gentry and commendation of learning but novv they are made more noble by the honour of Peter adioined vnto them So that now as ye see it is both good doctrine and very commendable in my Lords grace of Yorke to clame both keyes croune from Peters seat which in the Byshop of Rome is made so hainous and so bitterly inueighed against daily After the armes insueth the dedication of the whole booke treating of mortification and contempt of the world vnto his good Lordship The reason of which dedication M. Buny vttereth in thes wordes For that hauing had saieth he so longe experience of the vvorld as your Lordship haue very liklihood teacheth that needes you must grovve more and more from the loue therof And it is sufficiently knovvn vnto al that hauing found this mercy your self you haue in like sort in this long course that God hath geuen you much called on others to doe the like In which wordes we see that touching the first pointe of my Lords wearines of this world M. Buny proueth it very slenderly by a bare likelihood only Albeit in the second of his Graces calling vpon others to like mortification he alleageth the commō and sufficient knowledge of al wherunto in reason eche man must yeld And in truth I haue heard how ther want not of diuers sortes and sexes also who can witnesse by experience of my Lordes good mortification and how hotely he hath poursued them of late for such affaires and therfore no doubt but that this booke was very fitly dedicated to his Lordships protection After the epistle dedicatorie vnto my Lord ther foloweth a preface to the reader wherin M. Buny saieth That by the litle that he hath bestovvedin the studie of schole men he vvil perceaueth that this booke vvas gathered out of them vvho liuing in the corrupter time of the Church as he speaketh did most of al by that occasion treate of reformation of life vvhen as others vvere rather occupied in controuersies To which I answer that by the litle which M. Buny here vttereth he sheweth him self scarse worthy to be my Lord Archbishops chaplaine albeit to that dignitie much learning be not required for that whosoeuer shal looke vpon the homilies sermons commentaries and other workes of S. Ambrose Augustin Gregorie Maximus Bede Bernard Anselme and other that were not scholemen and shal compare the same touching exhortation and instruction to good life With the questions distinctions speculations and subtilties of Peter Lumbard
canst not hate thos thinges which thou hast made but doest vse mercy towards al for that they are thine And the like maner of reasoning vseth God him self when he saieth by his Prophet Ezechiel behould al soules are mine and hereupon he inferreth a litle after Numquid voluntatis meae est mors impij Can I haue the wil to damne a wicked man seing that his soule is mine created and redeemed by me as who would saie this were a case against al order and equitie And the reason of this maner of speech and argument is for that euery man naturally is enclined to loue the things that be of his owne making So we see that if a mā haue an orchard wherin be great varietie of trees and plantes yet if ther be but one of his owne peculier grafting that florisheth and prospereth wel he taketh more delite therin then in any of the rest for that it is his owne workemanship So in like maner if a man haue a vineyard of his owne planting and trimming For which respect the holy prophet Dauid finding him self and the whole kingdome of Iurie in great affliction calamitie thought no other means so forcible to draw God to compassion and commiseratiō of their case as to crie out to him in this maner Thou vvhich gouernest Israel looke tovvards vs and be attēt Thou hast brought forth a vineyard out of Egipt thou hast purged the same from Gentiles and hast planted it Thou ô God of al povver turne tovvards vs looke vpon vs from heauen and visite this thy vineyard vvhich thy ovvne right hand hath planted The like maner of persuasion vsed the holy prophet Esaie to moue God when he said looke vpō vs I beseech the ô Lord vvhich are the vvorke of thine ovvne hands But aboue al other the blessed man Iob standeth as it were in argument and disputation with God about this matter saying haue not thy hāds made me 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 with skinne hast not thou giuen me life and conserued my spirite with thy continual protection how soeuer thou seme to dissemble thes matters and hide them in thy hart yet I know that thou remēbrest them al and are not vnmindful of them By which words this holy man signified that albeit God suffered him greatly to be tempted and afflicted in this life so farre forth as he might seme to haue forgotten him yet was he wel assured that his deuine Maiestie could not of his goodnes forsake or despise him for that he was his creature and the proper workemanship of his owne hands In which verie name of vvorkemanship holy Dauid tooke such great comfort considering that the workeman can not chuse but be louing and fauourable towards his owne work especially so excellent and bountiful a workeman as is almightie God towards a worke made as mā is to his owne shape and likenes that in al his necessities yea euen in his greatest infirmities of flesh and most grieuous offenses committed against his Maiestie he conceaueth most assured hope of mercie and pardon vpon this cōsideratiō that he was his workemanship and consequentlie wel knowen to his deuine wisdome of how bricle infirme a metal he was made For thus at one time among other he reasoneth of this matter Looke how farre distant the east is from the west so farre of hath God remoued our iniquities from vs. Euen as a father doth take compassion of his owne children so doth our Lord take mercie vpon vs for that he wel knoweth the mould wherof we are made and doth remember that we are nothing els but dust In which discourse the holie Prophet maketh mention of two thinges that did assure him of Godes mercie th' one that God was his Creator and maker and therby priuie to the frailtie of his constitution nature th' other that he was his father whos propertie is to haue compassion on his children and this is a second reason more strong and forcible perhappes then the former whie euerie man maie be most assured of pardon that hartely turneth vnto almightie God considering that it hath pleased his deuine Maiestie not only to be vnto man a creatour as he is to al other thinges but also a father which is the title of the greatest loue and coniunction that nature hath left to thinges in this world Wherof a certaine philosopher said wel that no mā could conceaue the loue of a parents hart but he onlie that had a child of his owne For which respect our Sauiour IESVS to put vs in mind of this most feruent loue and therby as it were by one fire to enkendle an other within our hartes did vse often times and ordinarily to repeat this sweet name of Father in his speeches to his folowers and therupon founded diuers most excellent and comfortable dissourses as at one time when he dehorted them from ouer much care and worldlie solicitude he addeth this reason Your father in heauen knovveth that you haue need of thes thinges as who would saie he knowīg your wantes and being your father you shal not need to trouble yourselues with too great anxietie in thes matters for that a fathers hart can not but be prouidēt and careful for his children The like deduction maketh he in the same place to the same effect by comparison of the birdes of the aire and other irreasonable creatures for which if God doe make saith he so aboundant prouision as al the whole world may witnesse that he doth much more careful wil he be to prouide for men that are his owne children which are more deare vnto him then any other terrestrial thing created Al which speeches and reasons of our Sauiour are deriued from the nature and propertie of a parent which can not but affect and loue his children especially such a father whom Christ calleth celestial who in this perfection of true father ly loue so farre exceedeth al earthly parents put together as in power clemencie and goodnes almightie God surpasseth the infirmitie of his feeble creatures Such a father as hath not only geuen life and being vnto his childrē but also as S. Paul saieth hath powred into their hartes the deuine spirite of his only eternal sonne stirring them vp to most assured confidence and inuincible hope in his fatherly goodnes and protection And vpon assurance of this hope haue aswel sinners as Saints from the beginning fled vnto him confidently vnder this title of paternitie and neuer were deceaued So the prophet Esaie aswel in his owne name as in the name of the sinful people of Israel doubted not to crie Thou art our father Abraham hath not knovven vs and Israel is ignorant of vs Thou o Lord art our father thou art our redeemer And to cōfirme
them al and brake forth into this vehement inuitation with a lowd voice as S. Iohn Euangelist recordeth if any man among you be thirstie let him come vnto me he shal drinke Hereby it came to passe that his diuine Maiestie was termed commonlie Publicanorum peccatorum am cus The frend and familiar of wicked Publicans and sinners And herof finallie it did proceed that he receaued al imbraced al and forgaue al that repaired vnto him were they Scribes Pharisees Souldiars Publicans Vserers Harlotes Theeues Persecutours or whatsoeuer most grieuous offendours besides wherof particuler examples in eche kinde might be alleaged assuring vs furthermore that after his resurrection and blessed ascensiō to the right hand of his father he would be more bountiful yet in this maner of proceeding and dravv al vnto him self being at one time both our Iudge and Aduocat 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 should not we hope at this time deare Christian brother at the handes of this our Lord and Maister which hath left vnto vs such wordes such deedes such assured euidencies of his infallible loue and abundant mercies towards vs why should not his dealinges with other men before vs geeue vs hart and corage to confide assuredlio in him for the time present and to come why should not his former most infinit mercies be vnto vs oderiferous alluring sauours and oyntmentes to make vs as the spouse did in the Canticles follow and runne after him Heare what deuout S. Bernard doth meditate vpō this passage of Christs fragrant ointmentes O sweet Iesus saith he the freshe and oderiferous smel of thie wonderful clemencie doth allure vs to runne after the when we heare saye that thou despisest not beggars nor abhorrest sinners Wee know right wel ô Lord that thou didest not reiect the theefe that confessed thee nor the sinful woman that wept vpon thee nor the Chananaean that humbled her self before thee not the wicked adulteresse brought vnto thee nor the toullar or tribut gatherer that followed thee nor the publican that repaired vnto thee nor the disciple that denied thee nor Saul that did persecute thee nor thie tormentours that did naile thie sacred bodie vpō the crosse O Lord al thes are fragrant smels and sauours of thie most sweet mercie and at the sent of thes thie ointmentes we doe follow and runne after thee Thus farre S. Bernard AND SO VVITH THIS to come to the fourth and last part of this chapter and to applie al that hath bene said of Godes mercie to our present purpose What man is ther liuing in the world that reading and beleeuing thes thinges can doubt or mistrust to receaue pardon for his sinnes If God be he that iustifieth vvho is able to condemne vs saieth the holie Apostle S. Paul If God be minded to deliuer vs who can take vs out of his hands If God protest that he wil pardon vs why should we make any doubt or questiō therof at al Why should not we ioine rather with that confident and faithful seruāt of his S. Paul who saieth vnto vs and to al other sinners liuing in his maisters name let vs repaire vnto him vvith a true hart in fulnes of faith hauing purged our hartes from an euil conscience let vs hold fast an immouable confession of our hope seing he is faithful vvhich hath giuen vnto vs his promis and let vs consider hovv one of vs may prouoke an other to charitie and good vvorkes By which wordes the holy Apostle signifieth that what sinner soeuer shal resolue with him self to purge his conscience frō wickednes for the time to come and to employ the rest of life in charetie good workes he may confidently and boldly repaire vnto almightie God with most certaine assurance to receaue pardon and remission And alas deare brother why then should anie man despaire wherfore should any man cast away his owne soule that God so much desireth to saue what a pitiful and lamentable case is it to behold so many Christians in the world to goe languishing in ther sinnes and to giue thē selues ouer to al kind of careles and dissolute sensualitie which by God him self is called desperation vpon this conceit wicked cogitation that now they are gone so farre and so deeply rooted and habituated in this kind of life as either it is impossible or in vaine for them now to thincke of change or amendements O deare Brother let thes men harken to this excellent discourse of holy Chrisostome which ensueth If thou be a wicked man saieth he thincke vpon the Publicane If thou be vncleane of life consider the harlot If thou be a murtherer remember the theef If thou be a swearer cal to mind the Blasphemer Cast thine eyes vpon Saul and Paul first a persecutour and then a preacher first a violent robber afterward a good steward and Dispenser First chaffe afterward corne first a wolfe afterward a sheppard first lead after gould first a pirate afterwards a good pilot first a dispersour afterward a gatherer first a breaker doune of Gods vineyard afterward a plāter first a destroier afterward a builder Thou hast sene manifold wickednes but now behold vnspeakable mercie Thou hast heard the pride of the seruant consider now the loue and clemencie of the Maister I wil not thou saie to me I ame a blasphemer I haue bene a persecutour I haue lead an vncleane and abhominable life and therfore I doubt lest I shal not haue pardon Saie not so vnto me for here thou hast examples to the contrarie in euerie of thes manie other sinnes Thou maiest safely fly to what port thou list and that either in the old or new Testament For in the old thou hast Dauid in the new thou hast Paul I wil not haue the therfore alleage excuses vnto me for couering thine owne cowardnes Hast thou sinned doe penance hast thou sinned a thousand times repent a thousand times vnfainedly This is the only ointment that may be poured in to an afflicted consciēce the torment wherof I doe wel knowe For the Diuel standeth by whetting his sword of desperation and saing vnto the Thou hast liued wickedly al thy youth thy former yeares thou hast mispent thou hast hanted plaies and spectacles with thy companions and hast folowed after louse and lasciuious women thou hast taken other mēs goods from them wrongfully thou hast bene couetous dissolute and effeminate thou hast foresworne thy self thou hast blasphemed committed many other hainous and enormous crimes and therfore what hope canst thou haue of saluation Truly none at al. Thou art a mere castawie and canst not now goe backe and therfore my counsaile is that now thou vse the pleasures and commodities of this world and passe ouer thy time in mirth of hart without cogitation
of reconciliatiō but rather let vs say with a confidēt hart we wil turne home to our father present our selues vnto our God for truely my brethren he wil neuer turne away from the man that turneth vnto him Himself hath said that he is a God that draweth nere vnto vs were it not that our sinnes doe make a separation betwixt him and vs. Let vs take away then the separation and obstacle and so nothing shal let our coniunction with him which he greatly desireth For to this end did he create vs that he might bestow vpon vs eternal blisse in his kingdome of heauen He did not make vs for hel but he made his kingdome for vs and hel for the diuel So he saith in the Gospel Come ye blessed of my father enioy the kingdome prepared for you frō the beginning of the vvorld And to the dāned Depart from me ye accursed into euerlasting fier vvhich is prepared for the deuil his angels If then hel fier was prepared for the Diuel and the kingdome of heauen for man from the beginning of the world it remaineth only that we prouide not to loose our inheritance by persisting in sinne So long as we are in this life how many or great soeuer our sinnes may be it is possible to wash them away by penāce but when we shal be once departed from this world albeit then we do repent as no doubt but we shal from the bottom of our hartes yet shal it auaile vs nothing And albeit our teeth do gnash our mouth crie out our eies gush forth in teares and our hartes lamēt with innumerable complaintes and supplications yet shal no man heare vs no man assist vs nor so much as with the tip of his fingar geue vnto vs a drop of water to coole our tong amiddest her tormentes but we shal receaue that lamentable answer which the rich glotton receaued at the mouth of Abraham There is betvvene vs and you a great distance so that none may passe from vs to you nor from you to vs. Hitherto lasteth S. Augustins exhortation THE SECOND LET OF RESOLVTION WHICH IS THE SVPPOSED hardnes and asperitie of vertuous life The fallacie vvherof is discouered and the manisoid helpes declared that doe make the same most easie svveet and pleasaent CHAPT II. The euerlasting and irreconciliable enimie of our heauēlie blisse and saluation hauing receaued by the former reasons and considerations of Gods īfinit goodnes a very strong encounter and contradiction against his first and greatest assault of desperation him self also being inforced to confesse though with endles greef and enuie that the mercie of almightie God is without measure towards man he retireth him self back manie times from the pursute therof i such especially as haue yet some time to liue in this world seeme not to be neare vnto their ending dayes and taketh in hand a more calme and easie enterprice as it may appeare persuading such sinners as he can not bring to despaire that at least wise they stand aloose and hold themselues of from al resolutiō to put in vre and excercise the preceptes of Christian life for that they are hard vnsauerie painful and troblesom ful of melancholie and sadnes void of comfort good felooship and dilection opposite to al mirth contentation and ioy subiect to continual affliction and vexatiō of mind and finallie not supportable to such bodies such mindes such education such custome such course of life as theirs are This is an ordinarie sleight and practice of our aduersarie which he maketh to seeme so sweet and plaucible by certaine ointmentes that he adioineth of flatterie to our sensualitie that most men of the world doe receaue this persuation for sound councel and perfect wisdom esteeming al other either simple or sottish or at least wise far inferiour in iudgment discretion to them selues that doe imbrace or persuade the contrarie By which meanes it commeth to passe that this second point of hardnes and difficultie in vertuous life is a verie great strong ordinarie and vniuersal impediment that letteth infinit soules from imbracing the meanes of their saluatiō and consequentlie not to be passed ouer in this place without ful examination and perfect answer First then albeit wee should suppose that the way of vertue were so hard in deed as the enemie would make it seeme yet might I wel say with S. Iohn Chrisostom that seeing the reward is so great infinit as before we haue declared no labour should seeme great for gaining of the same Againe I might say with holy S. Augustine That seeing we take daily so great paine in this world for auoiding of lesser inconueniences as of sicknes imprisonementes losse of goodes life and other the like what paines should we refuse for auoiding the eternitie of hel fire the torment wherof is insupportable The first of thes considerations S. Paul vsed when he said the sufferinges of this life are not vvoorthie of the glorie vvhich shal be reuealed in the next The second S. Peter vsed when he wrote that seeing the heauens must be dissolued and Christ come in Iudgement to restore to euery man according to his woorkes what maner of men ought we to be in al holy conuersation As who wold say No labour no paines no trauaile no penance ought to seeme hard or great vnto vs to the ende we might auoide the terrour of that dreadful day S. Augustin demandeth this question what we thinke the riche glutton in hel wold doe now for auoiding his tormētes if he were in this life again wold he take paines or no wold he bestirre him self rather then turne into that place of calamitie againe I might adioine to this the infinit paines that Christ tooke for vs the infinit benefites he hath bestowed vpon vs the infinit sinnes we haue committed against him the infinit examples of Saincts that haue troden this path before vs being notwithstanding of more delicate cōstitution of bodie thē we are in respect of al which we ought to make no bones at a litle paines and labour if it were true that Gods seruice were so troublesome as many doe esteeme it But now in verie truthe the matter is nothing so and this is but a subtile deceate of the enemie for our discouragement The testimome of Christ him self is cleare in this point saing Iugū meū suaue est enus meum leue My yoke is sweet and my burdē light And his dearlie beloued disciple S. Iohn who had best cause to know his maisters secret herein sayeth plainlie Mandata eius grauia non sunt his commaundements are not greeuous What is the cause then why so many men doe conceaue such an insuperable difficultie in this affaire Surelie one cause is besides the fallacie of the deuil which is the cheefest for that men feele the disease of concupiscence in their bodies but doe not cōsider the strength of the medicine
geuē vnto vs against the same they crie with S. Paul that they finde a lavv in their members repugning to the lavv of their minde which is the rebellion of concupiscence left in our flesh by original sinne but they confesse not or cōsider not with the same apostle that the grace of God by Iesus Christ shall deliuer them from the same They remember not the comfortable saying of our Saueour vnto S. Paul in the middest of his greatest temptations Sufficie tibi gratia mea My grace is sufficient to strengthen thee against them al. Thes men I say doe as Helizeus his disciple did who casting his eyes onelie vpō the number of his enemies that is vpon the huge armie of Syrians redie to assault him thought hīself lost vtterly vnable to stand in their sight vntil by the prayers of his master the holie Prophet he was permitted by God to see the Angels that stoode there present to fight on his side and then he wel perceaued that his parte was the stronger So fareth it with the weake and distrustful people who feeling and considering onlie the miseries and infirmities of their own nature wherby day lie strong tentations do rise against them doe account the batail painful and the victorie vnpossible hauing not tasted in deed nor euer proued through their own default and negligence the manifold helpes of heauenlie and spiritual succours which almightie God neuer faileth to send vnto such as are content for his sake to take this cōflict in hand S. Paul had wel tasted that ayde who hauing reckned vp al the hardest incounters and impedimentes that might be he adioineth notwithstanding Sed in his omnibus superamus propter cum qui dilexit nos But we ouercome in al these combates by his assistance that loueth vs. And then falleth he to that most wonderful protestation wherof both heauen earth and hel may stand in admiration that nether death nor life nor Angels nor other thing should be able to seperat him from Christ or to make him abandon his seruice and al this vpon the confidence of spiritual ayd frō his said Saueour wherby he sticked not to auouch that he could doe al things The Prophet Dauid also had proued the force of this assistance when he saide I did runne the vvay of thy commaundementes ô Lord vvhen thoudiddest enlarge my hart This enlargement of hart was by spiritual consolation of internal vnction wherby a mans hart drawen together by anguishe and sorow is opened and enlarged at what time Gods holie grace is powred ito it no otherwise then a drie purse is softened and enlarged by annointing it with oyle Of which diuine oyle and heauenlie comfort when this blessed seruant of God had receaued his part he confessed presentlie that he did not onlie walke the wayes of Gods commandementes with ease but also did runne them ouer with exceeding pleasure Euē as a carte wheele which creketh and complaineth vnder a smal burden when it is drie doth runne on merilie and without al noise when a litle oyle is put vnto it Which thing aptlie expresseth our state and condition who without Gods assistance are able to doe nothing but with the ayde thereof are able to conquere and ouercome al things And surelie I would gladlie aske these men that imagine the way of Gods holy law to be so hard and ful of difficultie how the prophet could say who was a man as we are I haue taken pleasure ô Lord in the vvay of thy commaundementes euen as in al the riches of the vvorld And in an other place That the same commandementes vvere more pleasant and more to be desired then any gold or pretious stone and more svveter thē hony or the hony combe By which wordes he yeeldeth to vertuous life not onely due estimation of honour and value aboue al treasures in the world but also of pleasure delite and sweetnes therby to confound al those that abandone forsake the same vpon idle pretensed and feined difficulties And if king Dauid could say thus much in the old testament and of the old law which notwithstanding was infinitlie more hard thē is the new with how much more reason may we speake it now in the time of grace when not onlie the seruice of God in it self is without al comparison more sweet and easie but also the peculier helpes and assistances of almightie God much more effectual and abundant For further declaratiō wherof I would demand of thee thou poore infortunat Christian that deceauest thie self with thes bugges and fancies of imagined difficulties whie Christ our Saueour came into this world whie tooke he our flesh vpon him whie laboured he and tooke so much paines among vs whie shed he his blood whie praied he to his father so often for vs whie appointed he the Sacramentes as conduites to deriue his most holie grace vnto vs whie sent he the Holie Ghost into the world what signifieth Ghospel or good tidings what meaneth the words Grace Mercie brought with him what importeth the comfortable name of IESVS Is not al this to deliuer vs from sinne from sinne past I say by his only death from sinne present and to come by the same death and by the assistance of his holy grace bestowed on vs more abundantlie then before Was not this one of the prīcipal effectes of Christ his comming as the prophet noted that craggie pathes should be made streight and hard vvayes plaine was not this the cause whie he indued his church with the seuen blessed giftes of the Holie Ghost and with the vertues infused to make the yoke of his seruice sweet the exercise of good life easie the walking in his commandemētes pleasant in such sort as men might now sing in tribulations haue confidence in perils securitie in afflictions and assurance of victorie in al temptations is not this the beginning midle and ende of the Ghospel were not thes the promises of the Prophetes the tydinges of the Euangelistes the preachinges of the Apostles the doctrine beleef and practise of al saincts and finallie is not this verbum abbreuiatum The word of God abbreuiated and made short wherin doe consist al the riches and treasures of our Christian profession But for that this matter is of exceeding great weight to the strēgthening of Christians in their vocation against the temptations of pusilanimitie and deiectiō which are verie ordinarie dāgerous to most mē in the world it shal not be amisse perhappes to treate discusse the same more at large in this place laying doune the particuler meanes and helpes which euerie man hath or may haue in this busines if he want not wil to vse and applie the same to his assistance and commoditie And for that the feeld is large the matters are many which doe appertaine vnto this point I haue thought conuenient for more plainesse and perspicuitie
multiplied vpon them and after that they made hast to come And God saieth generallie of al good men They vvil rise betimes in the morning and come to me in their tribulation Wherfore holy king Dauid desiring the weale of certaine men and to winne them to God saieth in one of his psalmes Fil their faces o Lord vvith shame and confusion and then vvil they seeke vnto thy name And this is true as I said in the elect and chosen seruantes of God But in the reprobate this rope draweth not this yoke holdeth not nor doth this chaine of loue winne them vnto God wherof God him self complaineth saying In vaine haue I stricken your children for they haue not receaued my discipline And againe the prophet Ieremie saieth of them to God thou hast crushed them and they haue refused to receaue thy discipline they haue hardened their faces euen as a rocke and vvil not returne to thee Behold they haue rent the yoke and broken the chaines OF THIS NOVV ensueth an eight reason why God bringeth his seruantes into affliction to wit therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them For as in this world a princelie mind desireth nothing more thē to haue occasiō wherby to shew his habilitie good wil vnto his deare frend so God almightie which hath al occasions in his owne handes and passeth al his creatures together in greatnesse of loue and nobilitie of mind worketh purposely diuers occasions and opportunities wherby to shew and exercise she same So he brought the three childrē into the burning fornace therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them So he brought Daniel into the liōs dēne Susanna vnto the point of death Iob into extreme miserie Ioseph into prison Tobie vnto blindnes therby to shew his power and loue in their deliuerance For this cause also did Christ suffer the shippe to be almost drouned before he would awake S. Peter to be almost vnder water before he would take him by the hande AND OF THIS one reason many other reasons and most comfortable causes doe appeare of Gods dealing herin As first that we being deliuered from our afflictions might take more ioy and delite thereof then if we had neuer suffered the same For as water is more grateful to the waiefaring man after a long drouth a calme more pleasant vnto passingers after a troublesome tempest so is our deliuerie more sweet after persecution or tribulation according as the scripture saieth Speciosa misericordia Dei in tempore tribulationis the mercie of God is beautiful and pleasant in time of tribulation This signified also our Sauiour whē he saied your sorovv shal be turned into ioy that is you shal reioice that euer you were sorowful This had Dauid proued when he saied thy redie o Lord and thy staffe haue comforted me that is I take great comfort that euer I was chastised with them And againe according to the multitude of my sorovves thy consolations haue made ioiful my mind That is for euery sorow that I receaued in time of afflictiō I receaue now a consolation after my deliuerance And again in an other place I vvil exult and reioice in thy mercie ô Lord. And wherfore good king wilt thou so reioice it foloweth immediatly For that thou hast respected my abasement and hast deliuered my soule frō the necessitie vvherin shee vvas and hast not left me in the handes of mine enemie This then is one most gracious meaning of our louing and merciful father in afflicting vs for a time to the end our ioy may be the greater after our deliuerance as no doubt but it was in al thos whom I haue named before deliuered by Gods mercie I meane Abrahā Ioseph Daniel Sidrach Misach and Abdenago Susanna Iob Thobias Peter and the rest who tooke much more ioy after their deliuerance then if they had neuer bene in affliction at al. When Iudith had deliuered Bethulia and returned thither with Holofernes head there was more hartie ioy in that citie then euer there would haue bene if it had not bene in distresse When S. Peter was deliuered out of prison by the Angel there was more ioy for his deliuerance in the Church then could haue bene if he had neuer bene in prison at al. OVT of this great ioy resulteth an other effect of our tribulation much pleasant to God and comfortable to our selues and that is a most hartie and earnest thankesgeuing to our Lord for our deliuerance such as the prophet vsed when he saied after his deliuerance I for my part vvil sing of thy strength and vvil exalt thy mercie betimes in the morning for that thou hast bene my aider and refuge in the daey of my tribulation Such hartie thankes and praise did the childrē of Israel yeeld to God for their deliuerance when they were passed ouer the read sea in that notable song of theirs which beginneth Cantemus domino and is registred by Moyses in Exodus From like hartie affect came also thos songes of Anna Debora and Iudith moued therunto by the remembrance of their afilictions past And finally this is one of the cheefest things that God esteemeth and desireth at our hādes as he testefieth by the prophet saying cal vpon me in the day of tribulation I vvil deliuer thee and thou shall honour me BESIDES AL thes effects God hath yet further reasons of laying persecution vpon vs as for example to the end that by suffering perceiuing in deed Gods certaine assistance and consolation therin we may come to be so hardie bold and constant in his seruice as nothing afterward can dismay vs. Euē as Moyses albeit he were first afeard of the serpent that was made of his rodd and so fled away from it yet afterwardes whē he by Gods commandement had once taken it vp by the taile he feared it no more This the prophet Dauid expresseth notablie whē he saieth God hath bene our refuge and strēgth and helper in our great tribulations and therfore vve vvil not feare if the vvhole earth should be troubled and the mountaines cast into the middest of the sea What greater considence can be imagined then this AGAINE by persecution afflictiō God bringeth his children to the exercise and perfect possession of al the holy vertues belonging to a Christian man As for example faith is exercised in time of tribulation by considering the causes of Gods permission and beleeuing most assuredlie the promises he hath made for our deliuerance Hope is exercised in conceauing assuring our selues of the rewards promised to thē that suffer patiently Charitie is exercised in considering the loue of Christ suffering for vs and therby proueketh the afflicted to suffer againe for him Obediece is exercised in cōforming our willes to the wil of Christ. Patience in bearing quietlie
wrake A day and a night was I in the bottome of the sea oftentimes in iourneys in dangers of fluddes in dāgers of theeues in dangers of Iewes in dāgers of Gentiles in dangers of the citie in dāgers of wildernes in dangers of sea in dangers of false brethren in labour and trauaile in much watching in hungar and thirst in much fasting in cold and lack of clothes and besides al thes external thinges the matters that dailie doe depēd vpō me for my vniuersal care of al Churches By this we may see now whether Christs holy Apostles taught vs more by wordes then they shewed by their owne examples about the necessitie of suffering in this life Christ might haue prouided for them if he would at leastwise thinges necessarie to their bodies and not haue suffered them to come into thes great extremities of lacking clothes to their backes meate to their mouthes and houses to pat their heades in He that gaue thē authoritie to doe so manie other miracles might haue suffered them also to haue procured sufficient maintenance for their bodies which should be the first miracle that worldly men would worke if they had such authoritie Christ might haue saied to Peter when he sent him to take his tribut from out of the fishes mouth take so much more as wil suffice for your necessary expēces when you trauaile ouer foraine countries But he woulde not nor yet diminish the great afflictions which I haue shewed before though he loued them as dearely as euer he loued his owne soule Al which was done as S. Peter interpreteth to geue vs example what to folow what to looke for what to desire what to comsort our selues in amiddest the greatest of al our tribulatiōs Saint Paul vseth this as a principal consideration when he writeth thus to the Hebrewes vpon the recital of the sufferinges of other saintes before thē Wherfore we also brethren saieth he hauing so great a multitude of witnesses that haue suffered before vs let vs lay of al burdens of sinne hanging vpon vs and let vs runne by patience vnto the battaile offered vs fixing our eyes vpon the authour of our saith and fulfiller of the same IESVS who putting the ioyes of heauen before his eyes sustained patiētly the Crosse contemning the shame and confusion therof and therfore now sitteth at the right hand of the seate of God Thinke vpon him I say which sustained such a contradictiō against him self at the hādes of sinners be not wearie nether faint yee in courage For you haue not yet resisted against sinne vnto blood and you haue for gotten perhaps that comfortable saying which speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne doe not contemne the discipline of our Lord and be not vvearie vvhee thou art chastised of him For whom God loueth he chastiseth and he whippeth euery sonne whom he receaueth Perseuer therfore in the correctiō laied vpon you God offereth him self to you as to his children For what child is there whom the father correcteth not if you be out of correction wherof al his children are made partakers then are you bastardes not children Al correction for the present time when it is suffered seemeth vnpleasant and sorowful but yet after it bringeth foorth most quiet fruite of iustice vnto them that are exercised by it Wherfore strengthen vp your wearie handes and loosed knees make way to your feete c. That is take courage vnto you and goe forward valiantly vnder the Crosse laied vpon you This was the exhortation of this holy captaine vnto his countrie man souldiers of IESVS Christ the Iewes Saint Iames the brother of our Lord vseth an other exhortation in his Catholike epistle to al Catholikes not much different from this Be you therfore patient my brethren saith he vntil the cōming of our Lord. Beholde the husbandman expecteth for a time the fruite of the earth so pretious vnto him bearing patientlie vntil he may receaue the same in his season be you therfore patient and comfort your hartes for that the cōming of our Lord wil shortlie draw neere Be not sadde and complaine not one of an other Beholde the Iudge is euen at the gate Take the prophetes for an example of labour and patience who spake vnto vs in the name of God Beholde we account them blessed which haue suffered You haue heard of the sufferance of Iob and you haue seene Isa e that our Lord is merciful and ful of compassion I might here alleage many things more out of the scripture to this purpose for that the scripture is moste copious herein and in verie deed if it should al be melted and poured out it would yeld vs nothing els almost but touching the crosse and patient bearing of tribulatiō in this life But I must end for that this chapter groweth to long as the other did before And therfore I wil onelie for my conclusion set down the confession and most excellent exhortation of olde Mathathias in the time of the cruel persecution of Antiochus against the Iewes The storie is thus reported in the scripture At that time the officers of Antiochus said vnto Mathathias thou art a prince of greatest estate in this citie adorned with children and brethern come thou therfore first and doe the kinges commādement as other men haue done in Iuda and Ierusalem and thou and thy children shal be the kings freends and enriched with gold and siluer and many giftes frō him Wherto Mathathias answered with a loude voice if al nations should obey Antiochus to depart from the obedience of the lawes of their auncestours yet I my children and brethern wil folow the lawes of our fathers Let God be merciful vnto vs at his pleasure c. And the daies came of Mathathias his death and then he saied vnto his children Now is the time that pride is in her strength Now is the time of chastisemēt towardes vs the time of euersion indignation is come Now therfore ô Children be you zelous in the lawe of God yeld vp your liues for the testament of your fathers remember the workes of your auncestours what they haue done in their generations and so shal you receaue great glorie and eternal name Was not Abraham found faithful in time of temptation and it was reputed vnto him for iustice Ioseph in time of his distresse kept Gods commandementes and was made Lord ouer al Egypt Phinees our Father for his zeale towardes the lawe of God receaued the testament of an euerlasting presthode Iosue for that he fulfilled Gods word was made a captaine ouer al Israel Caleb for that he testified in the Church receaued an inheritance Dauid for his mercie obteined the seat of an eternal kingdome Elias for that he was zealous in zeale of the lawe was taken vp to heauen Ananias Azarias and Misael through their beleefe were deliuered from the flame of the fire Daniel for
iustitiae sperate in domino doe you sacrifice vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnes and then trust in him Wherwith S. Iohn agreeth when he saith If our hart or conscience doe not reprehend vs for wicked life then haue vve confidence vvith God As who wold saie if our conscience be guiltie of lewde and wicked life we resolued to dwel and continue therin then in vaine haue we confidence in the mercies of God vnto whose iust iudgemēt we stand subiect for our wickednes It is most wonderful and dreadful to consider how almightie God hath vsed him self towardes his best beloued in this world vpon offence geuen by occasion of finne how easelie he hath chaunged countenance how soone he hath broken of frendshippe how straitlie he hath takē accompt and how seuerelie he hath punished The Angels that he created with so great care and loue and to whom he imparted to singular priuileges of al kinde of perfections as he made them almost verie Goddes in a certaine maner committed but onelie one sinne of pride agaīst his maiestie and that onelie in thought as diuines doe hold and yet presentlie al that good wil and fauour was chaunged into iustice and that also so seuere as they were throwen downe to eternal tormentes without redemptiō designed for euer to abide the rigour of hel fire and intollerable darkenes After this almightie God made to him self an other new frend of flesh blood which was our first father Adam in paradises where God conuersed with him so frendlie and familiarlie as is most wounderful to consider He called him he talked with him he made al creatures in the world subiect vnto him he brought them al before him to the end that he and not God should geue to them their names He made a mate and companion for him he blessed them both and finallie shewed al possible tokens of loue that might be But what ensewed Adam committed but one sinne and that at the entisement of an other and that also a sinne of smal importance as it may seeme to mans reason being but the eating of an aple forbidden and yet the matter was no sooner done but al frendship was brokē betwene God and him he was thrust out of paradise condemned to perpetual miserie and al his prosperitie to eternal damnation together with him self if he had not repented And how seuerelie this greuous sentence was executed afterward maie appeare by the infinite milliōs that went to hel for this sinne for the space of fower thousand yeres that passed before it was ransōmed which finallie could not be done but by the comming downe of Gods owne sonne the second person in Trinitie into this flesh by his intolerable sufferinges and death in the same The two miracles of the world Moyses and Aaron were of singular authoritie and fauour with God in so much as they could obtaine any thing at his hādes for other men And yet when they offended God once them selues at the waters of contradiction in the desert of sin for that they dowted somewhat of the miracle promised to them by God and therby did dishonour his maiestie before the people as he saieth they were presentlie rebuked most sharpelie for the same And albeit they repented hartelie that offence and so obtained remission of the fault or guilt yet was there laid vpon them a greuous punishment for the same that was that they should not enter them selues into the land of promise but should die when they came within the sight therof And albeit they entreated God most earnestlie for the release of this penance yet could they neuer obtaine the same at his hādes but alwaies he answered thē seing you haue dishonoured me before the people you shal die for it and shal not enter into the land of promise In what special great fauour was 〈◊〉 with God when he chose him to be the first king of his people caused Samuel the prophet so much to honour him and to annoint him prince vpō Gods own inheritance as he calleth it when he commēded him so much and tooke such tender care ouer him And yet afterward for that he brake Gods commandement in reseruing certaine spoyles of warre which he should haue destroied yea though he reserued them to honour God withal as he pretended yet was he presentlie cast of by God degraded of his dignitie geuen ouer to the handes of an euil spirite brought to infinite miseries though he shifted out for a time and finallie so forsaken and abandoned by God as he slew him self his sonnes were crucified on a crosse by his enemies and al his familie and linage extinguished for euer K. Dauid was the chosen and deare frend of God honoured with the title of one that vvas according to Gods ovvne hart But yet as so one as he had sinned the prophet Nathan was sent to denounce Gods heauie displeasure and punishment vpon him And so it ensued not with standing his greate and voluntarie penance that him self added for the pacifying of Gods wrath by fasting praier weeping wearing of sacke-cloth eating of ashes the like By which is euident that how great Gods mercie is to them that feare him so great is his iustice to thē that offend him The holie scripture hath infinite examples of this matter as the reiectiō of Cain and his posteritie streight vpon his murder The pitiful drowning of the whole world in the time of Noe. The dreadful consuming of Sodom and Gomorra with the cities about it by fire brimston The sending downe quicke vnto hel of Chore Dathan and Abiron with the slaughter of two hundred and fiftie their adherēts for rebellion against Moyses and Aaron The suddain killing of Nadab and Abiu sonnes of Aaron and chosen preestes for once offering on the Aultar other fire then was appointed them The most terrible striking dead of Ananias and Saphira for retaining some parte of their owne goodes by deceit frō the Apostles with many more such examples which holie writ doth recount And as for the grecuousnes of Gods iustice and heauines of his hand when it lighteth vpon vs though it may appeare sufficientlie by al thes examples before alleaged wherin the particular punishmentes as you see are most rigorous yet wil I repeat one act of almightie God more owt of the scripture which expresseth the same in wounderful sort and maner It is wel knowne that Beniamin among al the twelue sonnes of Iacob was the dearest vnto his father as appeareth in the booke of Genesis therfore also greatlie respected by God and his tribe placed in the best part of al the land of promise vpon the diuision therof hauing Ierusalem Iericho other the best cities within it Yet notwithstanding for one onelie sinne committed by certaine priuate men in the citie of Gabaa vpon the wife
of a Leuit God punished the whole tribe in this order as holy scripture recounteth He caused al the other eleuen tribes to rise against them first to come to the house of God in Silo to aske his aduise and to folow his direction in this warre against their brethren And thence hauing by Godes appointement ioined battaile twise with the tribe of Beniamin the third daie God gaue them so great a victorie as they slew al the liuing creatures within the compasse of that tribe except onelie six hundred men that escaped awaie into the desert the rest were slaine both man woman children and infantes together with al the beastes and cattel al the cities villages and howses burnt with fire And al this for one sinne committed onelie at one time with one woman And who then deare Christian brother wil not confesse with Moyses that God is a iust God a great God and a terrible God Who wil not confesse with S. Paul that it is horrible to fal into the handes of the liuing God Who wil not say with holy Dauid A Iudicijs tuis timui I haue feared at the remembrance of thy iudgementes If God would not spare the destroying of a whole tribe for one sinne onely if he would not perdon Chore Dathan and Abiron for once the sonnes of Aaron for once Ananias Saphira for once if he would not forgiue Esau though he demaunded it with teares as S. Paul saieth if he would not remit the punishment of one fault to Moyses Aaron albeit they asked it with great instance if he would not forgiue one proude cogitation vnto the Angels nor the eating of one apple vnto Adā without infinite punishment nor would passe ouer the cuppe of affliction from his own deare sonne though he required the same thrise vpō his verie knees with the sweate of blood and water in his presence what reason hast thou my brother to thike that he wil let passe so many sinnes of thine vnpunished what cause hast thou to induce thy imagination that he wil deale extraordinarilie with thee breake the course of his iustice for thy sake Art thou better then thos whom I haue named or hast thou any priuilege from his Maiestie aboue them If thou wouldest consider the great and strange effectes of his iustice which we see dailie executed in the world thou shouldest haue litle cause to persuade thy self so fauorablie or rather to flatter thy self so daungerously as thou doest We see that notwithstanding Godes mercie yea after the death and passion of Christ our Sauiour for sauing of the whole world yet so many infinite millions be damned daily by the iustice of almightie God so many insideles heathens Iewes and Turkes that remaine in the darknes of their owne ignorance and among Christīans so many heretiques and misbeleuers and among Catholiques so many euel liuers as Christ truely said that few were they which should be saued albeit his death was paid for al if by their own wickednes they made them selues not vnworthie therof And before the comming of our Sauiour much more we see that al the world went awrie to damnatió for many thousand yeres together excepting a few Iewes which were the people of God And yet among them also the greater part perhappes were not saued as may be cōiectured by the speeches of the prophetes from time to time and specially by the sayings of Christ to the harisees and other rulers therof Now then if God for the satisfying of his justice could let so many millions perish through their own sinnes as he doth also now daily permit without any preiudice or impechement to his infinit mercie why may not he also damne thee forthy sinnes notwithstanding his mercie seing thou doest not onely commit them without feare but also doest confidently persist in the same The 2. part of the chapter BVT HERE now perhappes some man may say if this be so that God is so seuere in punishment of euery sinne and that he damneth so many thousandes for one that he saueth how is it true that the mercies of God are aboue al his other vvorkes as holy scripture affirmeth and that it passeth and exalteth it self aboue his iudgement For if the number of the damned doe exceede so much the number of thos which are saued it seemeth that the worke of iustice doth passe the worke of mercie To which I answere that touching the smal number of them that are saued as also of th' infinit quantitie of such as are damned we may in no wise doute for that besides al other prophetes Christ our Sauiour hath made the matter certaine and out of question We haue to see therfore how notwithstāding al this the mercie of God doth exceede his other workes And first his mercie may be said to exceede for that al our saluation is of his mercie and our damnation from our selues only as from the first and principal causes therof according to the saying of God by the prophet Perditio tua Israel tantummodò in me auxilium tuum Thy perdition is onely from thy self ô Israel and thy assistance to doe good is onely from me So that as we must acknowledge Gods grace and mercie for th' author of euerie good thought and acte that we doe and consequently ascribe al our saluatiō vnto him so none of our euil actes for which we are damned doe proceede from him but onely from our selues and so he is no cause at al of our damnation and in this doth his mercie exceede his iustice Secondlie his mercie doth exceede in that he desireth al men to be saued as S. Paul teacheth and him self protesteth when he saieth I vvil not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his vvikednes and liue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he complaineth greeuouslie that men wil not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your vvicked vvaies saith he vvhy vvil ye die a you house of Israel By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to al but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were cōstrained therunto by our obstinate behauiour This our Sauiour Christ signifieth more plainlie when he saith to Ierusalem O Ierusalem which killest the prophetes and stonest them to death that are sent vnto thee how oftē wold I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickins vnderneth her winges but thou woldest not behold thy house for this cause shal be made desert and left without children Here you see thee mercie of God often offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction and desolatiō vpon them which he fulfilled within fortie or fiftie yeares after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie ouerthrewe the citie of Ierusalem and the whole nation
persuadest me a litle to be a Christian. But because he deferred the matter this motion passed away againe Twise happie had PHARAO bene if he had resolued him self presently vpon that motion that he felt when he cried to Moyses I haue sinned and God is iust But by delay he became worse then euer he was before S. Luke reporteth how FELIX the gouernour of Ieurie for the Romanes conferred secretly oftentimes with Saint Paul that was his prisonner and heard of him the faith in Christ wherwith he was greatly moued especially at one time when Paul disputed of Gods iustice and of the day of iudgement whereat FELIX trembled But yet he deferred this resolution willing Paul to depart and to come againe an other time and so the matter by dilation came to no effect How many men doe perish daily some cut of by death some left by God and geuen ouer to a reprobate sense which might haue saued them selues if they had not deserred their conuersion from day to day but had made their resolution presently when they felte God to cal within their hartes Almightie God is ready and bountiful to knocke and cal but yet he bindeth him self to no time or space but commeth and goeth at his pleasure And they who take not their times when they are offered are excuseles before his iustice and doe not know whether euer it shal be offered to them againe or no for that this thing is ouelie in the wil and knowledge of God alone who taketh mercie where it pleaseth him best and is bound to none And when the prefixed time of calling is once past woe be vnto that partie For a thowsand worldes wil not purchase it againe Christ sheweth wonderfully the importāce of this matter when entering into Ierusalē vpon Palme-sonday amidest al the mirth glorie of his receiuing he could not chuse but weepe vpō that citie considering as most men thinke that this was the last day of mercie and vocation that euer should be vsed to the same And therfore he said with teares O Ierusalem if thou knevvest also thos thinges vvhich appertaine to thy peace euen in this thy day but novv thes thinges are hidden from thee As if he had said if thow knewest Ierusalem as wel as I doe what mercie is offered vnto thee euen this day which is the last day that euer such offer shal be made thou wouldest presentlie accept therof But now this secret iudgement of my father is hidden from thee and therfore thou makest litle account therof vntil thy destruction shal come suddenlie vpon thee as soone after it did By this now may be considered the great reason of the wise mans exhortation Forslovv not to turne to God nor doe thou deserre it from day to day for his vvrath vvil come vpon the on the suddain and in time of reuenge it vvil destroy thee It may be sene also vpon what great cause S. Paul exhorted the Hebrewes so vehemently Dum cognominatur hodie to accept of grace euē whiles that verie day endured and not to let passe the occasion offered Which euery man applying to him self should folow in obeing the motions of Gods spirit within him and accepting of Gods vocation without delay considering what a greeuous sinne it is to resist the Holy Ghost Euery man ought I say when he feeleth a good motiō in his hart to thincke with him self now God knocketh at my doore if I open presently he wil enter and dwel within me But if I deferre it vntil to morow I know not whether he wil knocke againe or no. Euery man ought to remember stil that saying of the prophet touching Gods spirit Hodie si vocem eins auaieritis nolite obdurare corda vestra if you chaunce to heare his voice calling you to day doe not harden your hartes but presently yelde vnto him Alas deare brother what hope of gaine hast thou by this perilous dilation which thou makest Thy account is increased therby as before I haue declared thy debt of satisfaction is made more greeuous thy enemie more strōg thy self more feeble thy difficulties of conuersion multiplied What hast thou then to with hold thee one day from resolutiō The gaining perhappes of a litle time in vanitie But I haue proued to thee before how this time is not gained but lost being spent without merit which is in deed the onely true gaine of time If it seeme pleasant to thee for the present yet remember what the prophet saieth Iuxta ast dies perditionis adcsse fistina a temporal The day of perdition is at hand and the times of destruction make haste to come on Which day being once come I maruaile what hope thou wilt conceiue Doest thou thinke perchance to crie Peccaui It shal be wel truely if thou canst doe it but yet thou knowest that Pharao did so and auailed nothing Doest thou intend to make a good testamēt and to be liberal in almes deeds at that time This no doubt is very commendable but yet thou must remember also that the virgins which filled their lampes only at the verie instant of their enterance to the mariage were shut out and vtterly reiected by Christ. Dost thou thinke to weepe mourne and to moue thy iudge with teares at that instant first this is not in thy hādes to doe at thy pleasure and yet thou must consider also that Esau found no place of penance though he sought it with teares as S. Paul wel noteth Doest thou meane to haue many good purposes to make great promises vowes in that distresse Cal to minde the case of Antiochus in his extremities what promises of good deedes what vowes of vertuous life made he to God vpō condition he might escape and yet preuailed he nothing therby Al this is spoken not to put them in despaire which are now in thos last calamities but to dissuade others from falling into the same assuring thee gentle reader that the prophet said not without a cause Seeke vnto God vvhile he may be sound cal vpon him vvhile he is neare at hand Now is the time acceptable now is the day of saluation saieth S. Paul Now is God to be found neare at hand to embrace al them that truelie turne vnto him and make firme resolution of vertuous life hereafter If we deferre this time we haue no warrant that he wil ether cal vs or receiue vs hereafter but rather many threates to the contrarie as hath bene shewed Wherfore I wil ende with this one sentence of S. Augustine that he is both a careles most graceles man which knowing al this wil venture notwithstanding the eternitie of his saluation and damnation vpon the doubtful euent of his final repentance OF THREE OTHER LETTES AND IMPEDIMENTES THAT HINDER men from resolution to vvit Slothfulnes careles negligence and hardnes of hart vtterly cōtemning al
the matter and thinke of it herafter I haue tolde thee my opinion hereof before Thou shalt neuer haue more abilitie to doe it then now and perhappes neuer halfe so much If thou refuse it now I may greatlie feare that thou wilt be refused hereafter thy self There is no waic then so good deare brother as to doe it presentlie whiles it is offered Breake from that tyrant which detaineth thee in seruitude shake of his chaines cut in sunder his bandes runne violentlie to Christ which standeth redie to embrace thee with his armes open on the Crosse. Make ioyful al the Angels and court of heauen with thy conucrsion strike once the stroke with God againe make a manlie resolution saie with that old couragious souldier of IESVS Christ Sainct Ierome If my father stoode vveeping on his knees before me and my mother hanging on my necke behinde me and al my brethren sisters cvilaren and kinssolkes hovviing on euery syde to retaine me in sinful life vvith them I vvould sting of my mother to the ground dispise al my kinred runne ouer my father and tread him vndermy seete therby tarunne to Christ vvhen he calleth me Oh that we had such hartes dcare Christian brother as this seruāt of God had such courage such manhood such seruent loue to our Maister Who would lie one daie drowned in sinne who would liue one daie in such slauerie as we doe who would eate swaddes with the prodigal sonne among swine seing he may returne home and be so honorablie receiued and entertained by his owne father haue so good cheere and banqueting and heare so great melodie ioye and triumphe for his returne I saye no more herein deare brother then thou art assured of by the word and promise of Godes owne mouth from which can proceede nether falshood nor deceit Returne then I beseeche thee laie handfast on his promise who wil not faile thee runne to him now he calleth whiles thou hast time and esteeme not al this world worth a strawe in respect of this one acte For so shalt thou be a most happie and thrise happie man and shalt blesse hereafter the houre and moment that cuer thou madest this fortunate resolution And I for my part I trust shal not be voide of some portion of thy good happe and felicitie At least wise I doubt not but thy holie conuersion shal treat for me with our common father who is the God of mercies for remission of my manifolde sinnes and that I may serue and honour him together with thee al the daies of my life which ought to be both our petitions and therfore in both our names I beseeche his diuine Maiestie to graunt it vnto vs for his deare sonne our Lordes sake IESVS Christ. Amen The end of this first booke treating of resolution A BREEFE METHODE HOVV TO VSE THE FORMER treatises chapters and considerations to diuers purposes according to the diuers qualitie of the person time state place or neede vvhen they are to be vsed An Annotation IT is to be remembred that al thes pointes and parcels of the booke which are here assigned for euery one to-applie to him self the same may be accommodated and practised by ech man towardes his frind or by the parēt towardes his child or by the master towardes his seruant or scholer and especially by the Confessour towardes his penitent persuading assigning or commanding him to reade such parcels of this booke as he thinketh may doe him most profite for his soule in the state wherin he standeth Of diuers states conditions and qualities of men IF a man either in him self or others doe feele his soule lumpish and heauie and vnwilling to heare or thinke of spiritual affaires let him reade the first chapt part 1. of inconsideration As also the last of al the booke touching Slouth and Negligence page 852. Let him examine also the cause of this vnwillingnes in him self according to the three causes ther set downe page 9. c. especially if he find in him self any horrour against reading of spiritual bookes as many doe He that should any way be tempted in faith hath many things in this booke for his confirmation and first if he be troubled with plaine Atheisme doe doubt whether ther be a God or no let him reade the whole 2. chapter page 25. If he confesse God but yet doe doubt of Gods particuler and infallible prouidence in desposing al matters of this world let him reade the fowerth argument of the Metaphisique page 44. If he doubt about the immortalitie of the soule let him consider the fift argument of the Metaphisique page 46. He that hath any suggestion against the infallible truth of the holy scriptures or any part therof let him reade the whole third section of the 2. chapter page 61. He that should haue any doubt or scruple about any thing in Christian religion let him reade the whole 4. chapter page 132. As for exāple if he should doubt whether Christ were fore promissed to be God man wherof page 132. or whether he should haue authoritie to change Moyses law wherof page 162. or the like He that should be resolued of the truth of Christian religion in general but yet among so many sectes and diuers opiniōs which are holden therin should doubt which to take or how to iudge of the certaintie therof let him read the first part of the 5. chapter treating of right faith page 298. also the whole fift chapter part 2. of the examples of true resolution page 747. If a man find him self or other careles confident nothing fearing the seueritie of Gods iustice let him read the 7. chapter page 349. of the accompting day Also the 11. chapter page 444. of punishmentes prepared after death Also the 6. chapter page 793. of presumption He that feeleth him self inclined to follow worldly designes and courses of ambition and thinketh that he may so doe yet come to heauen also let him reade the 3. chapter page 110. of mās final ende Also the third fourth fifth pointes of the 4. chapter concerning the world page 683. If a man feele him self desirous of the pleasures prefermentes and commodities of this world or els afflicted for that he hath them not let him reade the whole fourth chapt page 683. of the vvorld And in particuler if he loue honour see 700. If estimation of wisdome see 703. if beautie see 706. if braue apparel see 708. if riches see 711. c. He that findeth him self or others easy to fal into sinne and not greatly abhorring or fearful therof let him reade the 8. ch par 1. pag 378. of the nature of sinne sinners Also the first part of the 6. chapter page 326. of resisting sinne Also the 9. chapter page 400. of Gods Maiestie and benefites When a mar should feele him self to make smal accompt of the ioyes of
the life to come so he might enioye thes of this life stil or should finde him self litle moued with cogitation of heauen let him reade the 12. chap. par 1. page 479. of the rewardes after this life If a man were desirous to know what state he were in with God let him reade the 5. chapter page 298. which sheweth who is a true Christian. Also the third chapter page 110. which teacheth a man to take a scantling of that matter A man that should be tempted with cogitations of desperation in respect of the multitude or wickednes of his sinnes or of his continuance therin let him reade the 1. chap. par 2. pag. 523. of Gods endles mercie If any person should find him self troubled or tempted by consideration of the contrarieties and vexations that fal out daily in Godes Churche against the Catholique faith and good mē let him reade the 5. chapter page 747. of exāples of true resolution As also the 3. chapter of Tribulation page 631. The same let them doe that finde them selues or their frindes in tribulation or doe stāde in feare therof for that they loue wel their owne ease He that findeth him self tender and delicate and feareful of the paines which a vertuous life requireth or weary of wel-doing let him reade the 2. chapter of difficulties page 570. He that thinketh him sēlf yonge or otherwise so occupied as he hath not time neede or leasure as yet to make his couersiō let him reade the 10. chapter page 419. treating of death as also the 7. chapter page 818. that handleth the manifold dangers of delaye Finallie both by this that here hath bene noted as also by consideration of the seueral chapters set downe in the beginning before the preface ech man ether yong or old poore or riche in affliction or prosperitie in sicknes or health of high or lowe degree or of what qualitie state minde constitution temperature cōdition calling habite desire or inclinatiō soeuer he be may take some what from this booke to be considered vsed and applied to his peculier commoditie or to his frind in like case Hovv the former treatises may be vsed to meditation and prayer FOR so much as mētal prayer is nothing els but an eleuation of our spirite vnto almightie God an exercise of our soule wherin she debateth ī the presence of her Creator the affaires which appertaine to her owne saluation wherunto also the treatises of this booke doe al tende I haue sorted the same out into two kindes of meditations to be vsed at seueral times twise euery daie for the space of one moneth or ther about Which being ended the reader may beginne againe and so cōtinue the perpetual memorie therof taking now of one kinde and then of an other according as he shal finde his minde most desirous or inclined And in his meditation he may obserue thes fewe rules following First that when he goeth about to meditate he thinke with him self before he beginne what and wher with whom he hath to deale and how he would stāde in the presence of a far lesse king of this world if he were to goe before him as now he is to present him self before the Maiestie of almightie God Secondly that he doe not only humble him self in hart euen vnto the ground before so great a Maiestie but also that he shew the same if he can by some external action as S. Paul and Christ did when they put them selues vpon their knces at the beginning of their praiers Thirdly hauing made the signe of the holy Crosse vpō his breast for head in the name cōfession of the blessed Trinitie let him frame some short petitiō praier such as after followeth or the like therby to demande grace to profite his soule by that meditation Fourthly this being donne let him reade with great attention distinctiō the peece or parcel assigned in the meditations following let him read it with such quiet of minde as he maye saie with the prophet Audiam quid in me loquatur Dominus I wil giue eare and be attentiue to that which it shal please our Lord to speake vnto me Fifthly when he hath reade out al the matter assigned or before if any special thing moue him as he readeth let him staie laying a side the booke or making some note wher he breaketh of let him quietly reuolue and meditate in his minde that which he hath reade and this either kneeling fitting walking or lying as he findeth most conuenient for the repose of his minde And what so euer he feeleth to affect or moue him most let him stād most vpon that and applie it earnestly to the stirring vp of him self and of his soule to doe her deutie Sixthly when he hath donne what he can to the enkendling of his affections in such good motiōs as the matter of that meditation doth minister be it of loue reuerence feare zele corage cōfidence hatred detestation of sinne or the like then let him turne to almightie God with al the vehemencie that possibly he is able demāding with great feruour what soeuer his spirit in that instāt most desireth and so he may end with the praier that after is assigned or some such like which cōmonly is to be said with deuotion vpon our knees A prayer to be vsed at the very instant vvhen vve beginne to reade any thing vvheron to meditate OEuerlasting omnipotent and most merciful Lord and father I present my self here before the face of thy diuine Maiestie most humbly crauing the assistāce of thy holy spirite for my direction instruction in this meditation that now I take in hande to the ende that my soule may receaue consolation and benefit therby in learning to know both thee her self thy sacred wil and her bounden dewtie thy iudgementes and her accomptes thy endles mercies and her infinite offences Geue vnto me ô Father of al mercie and Creator of al good spirits such a docible and tender hart as may be pearsed with the holy inspirations which it shal please thy heauenly benignitie to bestov vpon me Graunt that the holy fire of godly affections may be inkendled within my bowels by this meditatiō as it was in the hart of thy seruant Dauid by like holy excercise Make my spirit attent to thos blessed and fatherly admonitions which thou shalt please to send vnto me in this time of treatie betwene thee and me Illuminate my vnderstanding incline my wil stirre vp my affections inflame my desires confirme my memorie and continual remembrāce in al such things as it shal please thy goodnes to reueale vnto me at this instant or otherwise for my saluation Graunt al this ô my most merciful God for thy deare sonne our Saueour IESVS sake who hath assured vs that thou wilt neuer deny a good spirit to him
pa. 1. The danger therof 1. the cause therof sensualitie or vvilful obstinacie 2. 3. 4. c. vvhv men doe flye the same 9. 10. the commodities and effectes therof 14. 15. Ingratitude intolerable of men towardes God 4. 5. Iugement day see the vvhole 7. chap. 349. vvhy tvvo Iudgemantes are appointed 353. Iustice of God hovv terrible and seuere 799. L Labour appointed to man by God 336. most necessarie both in the old and nevv testament 337. Libertie and freedome of soule hovv singuler it is in good man 605. Life and conuersation of Christ vvhat it vvas 222. vvhat it ought to be in true Christians 320. at large Good life hath tvvo necessitie partes 324. Loue of God tovvardes mankinde hovv great it is hovv it may be seene 529. 530. c. at large soe also the causes and effectes therof ibid. The force of lone in good men tovvardes God 586. 587. c. M Magnanimitie and true Christian fortitude 673. Magi ther comming prophetied and the storie proued 212. hovv long they vvere in comming ibid. Maiestie of God hovv vvonderful 400. Mans final ende chap. 3. pag. 110. Martyrs of the primatiue Church hovv vvōderful 264. Mathematique only hath no proper means to proud God 35. Mercie of God infinite and aboue al sinnes vvhatsoeuer see the vvhole first chapt part 2. pag. 523. Miracles of Iesvs 223. Monastical life vvhy and vvhen it vvas begonne 339. old Monkes vvhat austeritie they vsed 331. Moral Philosophie hovv it proueth God 48. Moyses particulerly considered vvhat maner of man lre vvas 68. Moyses lavv vuperfect to be changed 163. N Natural Philosophie hovv it proueth God 36. Negligence hovv great an impedimēt to our conuersion 860. hovv it bringeth men to Atheisme 861. O Oracles of Gentile Godes hovv false and vncertaine It. vvhat they fortold of Christ before his natiuitie 181. vvhen and hovv the ceassed 268. P Passion of Christ proued 229. Peace of minde and conscience in the vertuous hovv great a matter 597. Philosophie proueth-God 35. sovver sectes of old Phllosophers confessing one God 51. Pilate hovv he died 277. Pleasures of this vvorld hovv vaine 715. Porphyrie a great enimie of Christians yet vvhat he confesseth of Christ 223. and againe 273. Presumption hovv dangerous and detestable to God see the 6. chapt part 2. pag 793. Principles to be supposed in al sciences vvithout proose 25. The prophesies of scripture hovv they proue the scripture to be of God pag. 81. vvhat manner of men our Prophetes vvere 68. 98. hovv diuels may prophetie 81. Proclamation that Christ made at his comming 250. the Proclamation or publication of the lavv of good life vvith hovv greate dread 350. Punishmentes after this life See the 11. chapt 444. Purgatorie proued vvith the greatnes of the paines therof 452. the feare that old Saintes had of the same 454. R Rabbins among the Jevves of tvvo sortes Cabalistes and Thalmudistes 157. Redemption vvhat a benefite 409. Religion vvhat it meaneth and signifieth 132. no man euer sayed but by Christian Religion from the beginning of the vvorld 134. Resisting of sinne hovv it ought to be 316. Resurrection of Christ proued 235. Revvard expected by the iust hovv great a consolation 613. Riches hovv vaine and perilous 711. The Roman Monarchie fortold 188. S Scepter of Iuda hovv it pphetied of vvhē it failed 191 Sciēces ech one proueth God 35. fovver principal Ib. Scriptures their certaintie proued by many arguments 62. 63. confirmed by Gēntiles 100. Sensualitie hovv dangerous 2. Sibyls vvhat they vvere and of their prophesies touching Christ at large 174. Sinne hovv it is to be resisted 326. sinne hath 3. degrees 327. of the nature of sinne sinners see the 8. cha 378. VVhy euery Sinne is so hateful to God deserueth infinite punishment 384. the losses that come by Sinne 390. Sloth hovv great an impediment to the true seruice of God 853 fovver euel effectes therof 854. The soules immortalitie proueth God 47. hovv many things the soule attendeth vnto at one time Spirits subdued by Christ Christians in the primatiue Church 267. Starre of the Kings forprophetied proued 213. T Temple of Hierusalem tvvise builded 192. 193. c. The prerogatiues of the 1. temple 195. of the 2. 196. Time hovv pretious vvhile it indureth 476. Tradition of learning among Ievves Gentiles from the beginning 171. The true scriptures knovven only by Tradition 273. Tribulatiō vvhat it vvorketh pag 631. good men must suffer 634. the causes hereof 641. VVhy it should be occeaued ioifully 656. VV VVickednes vvicked men hovv fullof miserie 611. VVisdome of Christians vvherin it consisteth 340. vvisdome of the vvorld 703. VVooing vvhich God vseth tovvardes a sinner 542. The vvorldes vvrong course 118. vvorldes vanitie miserie see al the 4. chap. part 2. pag. 688. VVorldlinges lament vvhen it is to late 120. VVorkes necessarie besides faith 314. the diligēce of old Christians in vvorking vvhile they had time 342. V Vaine glorie vvhat a vanitie 696. Vision of God maketh soules happie in heauen 499. Vocatiō vvhat a benefite 411. Y Yoke of Christs hovv svvet and easie 584. FINIS * 1. Of inconsideratiō * 2. That ther is a God * 3. Why mā was created * 4. Proofes of Christian religion * 5. Who is a true Christian * 6. Two partes of good life 7. Of the accompting daye 8. Of the nature of inne and inners 9. Maiestie and benefites 10. Of the day of our departure 11. Punishemētes after death 12. Of rewardes after this life * 1. Dispaire of Gods mercie 2. Against supposed difficulties 3. Feare of persecution 4. The loue of the world * 5. Exāples of true resolutiō 6. Against presumption 7. Against delay 8. Sloth Negligence obduration The reason of printing againe this first booke of Resolution Nevv additions The vvhole vvorke deuided into tvvo volumes 1. Speculatiue 2. Practive Tvvo editions of the booke of Resolution vvithout the authors knowledge M. Ed. Bany Of M. Bunies edition Fovver pointes of this preface In his preface to the reader The first occasion of setting soorth the booke of Resolution Bookes of deuotion more profitable to good life thē bookes of controuersies The description of deuotion 2. Timot. 2. Our fathers happie that builded and contended not about the foundation 1. Co. 3. Act. 10. Tvvo partes of Christian aiuinisie Speculation easier then practise The three bookes of this Christiā directorie vvith their argumentes A title giuen by M. Buny Heb. 13. An old trick of beretiques to abuse simple people vvith obscure places of scripture See Epiph. cont heres and 〈◊〉 Quod vult Deum 2. Pet. 3. My L. of yorkes armes The epistle dedicaterie In his Ep. dedicat My L. of yorkes mortificatiō and calling vpō others * His L. hostise of Doncaster Sir Robert Stapleton others The preface to the reader M Banies ignorance M. Bunies vanitie Ep. Dedicate Only Catholiques vvrite boo kes of deuotion bookes 1. Tim. 4. Tit. 3. Athanas.