thys is that GOD promiseth to a sinner that faithfully will return vnto him not onely to forgette and vtterly extinguish all memory of hys former iniquities but also to make more ioy and tryumph at hys conuersion and to loue and cherish hym more tenderly at hys returne then if hee had neuer fallen or departed froÌ„ hys seruice This God himselfe signifieth by the Prophet Esay when he sayth Call vnto Ierusalem speake vnto her hart that is comfortably for that her iniquity is forgiuen shee hath receiued double at Gods hands for all her sinnes committed And more plainly in another place by the same Prophet The lyght of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shal be as the lyght of seauen dayes seauen times put together when God shall binde vp the wounds of his people and heale theyr sores And to thys purpose doe appertaine directly those most wonderfull Parables of our Sauiour in the Gospell concerning the extraordinary ioy feasting that the carefull Woman made when she had founde againe her grote that was lost the good sheepeheard when he brought back the sheepe that was astray and the mercifull Father when hee receiued home hys sonne that before had abandoned hym And to the same purpose doth it also appertaine that in the Prophet Dauid God glorieth especially in the seruice of those people y t before had not knowne hym And thys shall suffise for thys second poynt to shew what wonderful meanes almighty God doth vse in setting forth his mercy for allurement of sinners vnto repentance The third part what assurance God giueth to them that repent AND so hauing declared what exceeding great loue and mercie God beareth towards man how effectually he expresseth the same by his suing vnto sinners for theyr conuersion it followeth that we shold in thys thyrd place examine somewhat more in particulers what certaine assuraunce his diuine Maiestiâ— gyueth of vndoubted pardon ful remission of theyr sins to all such as vnfainedly shall resolue themselues to make theyr refuge vnto hym Which thing albeit euery man by that which before hath been treated may sufficiently conceiue yet for the importance of the matter it shall not be amisse in thys place also to adde a word or two for more plaine and euident demonstration thereof And thys shall be doone by setting downe both the wordes and deedes that is both the promises performance which almighty GOD hath vsed exercised in this behalf to all such as haue offended hym whatsoeuer And for the first which are hys promises most apparant it is as wel by the thinges which before haue beene discussed as also by the whole course body dryft of holy scripture y t the promises of mercy pardon which hys diuine Maiestie hath made to sinners and wherunto by hys sacred worde he hath in a certaine manner obliged hymselfe are both manifold vehement absolute resolute and vniuersal Whosoeuer shal depart from his wicked waies and turne vnto me sayth Almighty God I will receiue him Beholde the vniuersalitie of all people persons without excluding any And then further At what time soeuer an impious man shall returne vnto me from his impietie his wickednesse shall not hurt him sayth the Lord GOD of hostes See the vniuersality of al times and seasons without exception But yet harkeÌ„ what God addeth besides Leaue off to doe peruersly sayth hee to the Iewes c. and then doe you come and find fault with mee if you can For if your sinnes were as red as skarlet they shall be made as white as snow c. Consider the vniuersality of al kind of sinnes be they neuer so grieuous so horrible or heynous And finally God talking to a soule that hath oftentimes fallen most infinitely offended him hee sayth thus It is a common receiued speech that if a woman depart from her husband and doe ioyne herselfe to another man she may not return to her first husband againe for that shee is defiled and made contaminate And yet where as thou hast departed from mee and hast committed fornication with many other louers doe thou returne vnto mee againe and I will receiue thee sayth Almighty GOD. By which wordes is expressed the fourth vniuersalitie contayning all states qualities and conditions of men how many waies or howe oftentimes or howe contemptuouslie soeuer they haue committed sinnes against hys diuine Maiestie And what may be added now more vnto thys was there euer Prince that made so large an offer to hys Subiects or was there euer Father that gaue so ample vniuersall promise of pardon vnto his chyldren Who can now mistrust himselfe to be excluded from this assurance of mercy wherin all sorts of people all kinde of sinners all tymes and seasons all states qualities of sinners are coÌ„prehended O most miserable and infortunate man that excludeth him selfe whoÌ„ God excludeth not What is there in this general and vniuersall promises whereof any man in the world shold haue pretence to make any least doubt or question Of the meaning perhaps intent of him that promiseth ô deere brother it is onely loue and charitie and consequently cannot deceiue vs. Of the trueth and surety of hys promises It is infallible and more certaine then heauen and earth put together Of the power that hee hath to performe his promises it is infinite and not restrained by anie bounds or limitation wherof then may we doubt or in which of these three poynts may wee not conceiue most singuler consolation Heare the comfortable meditation y t blessed S. Bernard made vpoÌ„ these three particulers which wee haue nowe mentioned Tria considero saith he in quibus tota spes mea consistâ—t charitatem vocationis veritatem promissionis potestatem redditionis c. That is I do consider three things sayth thys holy man wherin al my hope consisteth and whereby it is made inuinsible First the exceeding loue and charity of him that calleth me to him by repentance secondly the infallible trueth and certainty of his promise which he maketh to me of pardon and mercy thirdlie the endlesse power and abilitie hee hath to performe whatsoeuer hee promiseth Thys is that triple or threeâ—fold rope and chayne which holy Scripture sayth is hardly broken for that by thys rope let downe vnto vs from heauen which is our Countrey into this world that is our prison we may ascende and mount vp if we will euen vnto the sight possession of Gods eternal kingdome and heauenly glory Thus far that blessed Father But now to the second poynâ— if we consider how faithfully almightie God hath put in execution those promises of hys from tyme to tyme how no one man vpon earth so many ages as the world hath continued was euer yet frustrate of thys hope in making his conuersion vnto his Maiestie if he made it froÌ„ his
For as it is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners so is it as true a saying and no lesse worthy to be affirmed that they which haue belieued GOD shold be careful to shew forth good works S. Gregory vppon the words of Christ to S. Thomas Blessed are they who haue not seene yet haue belieued hath a notable discourse to thys purpose If any sayth he infer heereof I beleeue and thâ—refore am blessed and shall be saued he sayth truely if hys life be aunswerable to hys beleefe for y t a true faith dooth not contradict in maners the things which he professeth in words For which cause S. Paule accuseth certaine false Christians in whom he founde no vertuous lyfe aunswerable to theyr profession that they confessed God in words but denyed hym in theyr deedes And S. Iohn auocheth that who soeuer sayth he knoweth God and keepeth not his coÌ„maundements is a lyar Which beeing so we must examine the trueth of our fayth by consideration of our lyfe for then and not otherwise we are true Christians if wee fulfill in works that wherof we haue made promise in words That is in the day of our Baptisme we promised to renounce the pompe of thys world together with all the workes of iniquitie which promise if wee performe now after Baptisme then are we true Christians and may be ioyful But contrariwise if our life be wicked and contrary to our profession it is sayd by the voyce of truth it selfe Not euery one that shall say to me Lord Lorde shall enter into the kingdom of heauen And again why doe ye call me Lord Lord and doe not performe the things y t I tell you Here-hence it is that God complayned of his old people the Iewes saying This people honoureth mee with their lips but their harts are far off from me And the Prophet Dauid of the same people They loued him with theyr mouth with their tongues they lyed vnto him Wherefore let no man presume to say hee shal be saued if fayth and good lyfe be diuorced and put a sunder which S. Chrisostome noteth by the woful and heaâ—y chaunce and iudgement that happened vnto him who in the gospel was admitted to the feast of christian fayth and knowledge but for lack of the ornament or garment of good lyfe was most contumeliously depriued of his expectation Of whom S. Chrisostoms words are these He was inuited to the feast and brought vnto the table but for that by his foule garment he dishonoured our Lorde that had inuited him he was not onely thrust from the Table and banquet but also bound hand foote and cast into vtter darknes where there is eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore let vs not deere bretheren let vs not I say deceiue our selues and imagine that our deade and vnfruitfull fayth wil saue vs at the last day for except wee ioyne pure lyfe to our beleefe and in thys heauenly vocation of ours do apparel our selues with the woorthy garments of vertuous deedes whereby we may be admitted at the mariage day in heauen nothing shall be able to deliuer vs from the damnation of this miserable man that wanted hys wedding weede Which thing S. Paâ—l wel noteth when hauing said we haue an euerlasting house in heauen not made with mens hands he addeth presently thys exception Si tamen vestiti et non nudi inueniamur That is if we be found at that day well apparrelled and not naked Would God euery Christian desirous of his saluation woulde ponder well thys dyscourse of S. Chrisostome And so wyth thys alone to conclude our speech in thys Chapter without allegation of further matters or authorities which are infinite to this effect it may appeare by that which hath already beene sette downe wherein the true profession of a Christian consisteth therby each man that is not partial or blinded in hys owne affection as many are may take a view of his state and condition and frame vnto himsâ—lâ—e a very profitable coniecture how he is lyke to speede at the last accounting day That is what profit or damage he may expect by his knowledge profession of Christian Religion For as to him that beleeueth soundly and walketh vprightly in hys vocation performing effectually euery way hys professed duety there remaine both infinite and inestimable rewards prepared so to him that strayeth aside swerueâ—h from the right path oâ— fayth life prescribed vnto hym there are no lesse paynes and punishments reserued For which cause euery Christian that is carefull of his own saluation ought to fixe hys eyes very seriouslie vpon them both and as in beleefe to shewe hymselfe constant firme humble and obedient so in life conuersation to bee honest iust pure innocent and holy And for this seconde poynt concerning lyfe and maners hath beene already haÌ„dled in my former booke which as I vnderstand is imprinted in England I shal need to wade the lesse in further discourse heereof But for I haue been admonished by the wrytings of dyuers howe my former booke hath been disliked in two speciall poynts first that I speake so much of goods works so little of fayth secondly that I talk so largely of Gods iustice and so briefely of hys mercy whereby the consciences of many haue beene offended let the last chapter going before of beleefe and lyfe aunswere the first and that which immediatly followeth serue for the latter obiection and so I doubt not but a Christian man may be thorowly resolued OF THE ONELY IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS FROM Resolution Which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and greeuousnes of their offences CHAP. VI. AMong all other the most greeuous and perrilous cogitations which in thys world are accustomed to offer themselues to a minde intangled and loden with great sinnes this vsually is the first through the nature of sinne it selfe and crafty suggestion of our ghostly enemie to faâ—l into distrust dispayre of Gods mercy Such was the cogitation of most vnhappy Caine one of the first inhabitants of the earth who after the murther of his own onely Brother and other sinnes by him committed brake into that horrible and desperate speech so greatly offensiue vnto his Lord Maker Mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in lyke manner the desperate conceite of wicked Iudas one of the first of them that were chosen to the peculier seruice of our Redeemer who feeling hys conscience oppressed with manifold iniquities and most of all with the prodition of hys own Lord Maister tooke no other way of amendment or redresse but to destroy him selfe both in body and soule adioyning onely these words ful of myserable distrust desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and
Father you shall not neede to trouble your selues with too great anxiety in these matters for that a fathers hart cannot but be prouident and carefull for hys chyldren The lyke deduction maketh hee in the same place to the same effect by comparison of the byrdes of the ayre and other irresonable creatures for which if God doe make sayth he so aboundant prouision as all the whole world may witnesse that hee doth much more carefull wil he bâ— to prouide for men that are his own chyldren which are more deere vnto hym then any other terrestiall thing created All which speeches and reasons of our Sauiour are deriued from the nature and property of a Parent which cannot but affect loue his chyldren especially such a Father whom Christ calleth celestiall who in thys perfection of true fatherlie loue so far exceedeth all earthly Parents put together as in power clemencie goodnes almighty God surpasseth the infirmity of hys feeble creatures Such a father as hath not onely gyuen lyfe and beeing vnto hys chyldren but also as S. Paule sayth hath poured into theyr harts the diuine spirit of hys onely eternall Sonne styrring them vp to most assured coÌ„fidence inuincible hope in hys fatherly goodnes protection And vppon assurance of thys hope haue as well sinners as Saints from the beginning fled vnto hym confidently vnder thys title of paternitie and neuer were deceiued So the Prophet Esay as wel in hys own name as in the name of the sinfull people of Israel doubted not to cry Thou art our Father Abraham hath not knowne vs and Israell is ignorant of vs Thou O Lord art our Father thou art our Redeemer And to confirme thys assuraunce vnto vs Christ sent that most sweet comfortable embassage vnto hys Disciples presently vpon his resurrection Goe and tell my bretheren that I doe ascend vnto my Father vnto your Father vnto my God and vnto your God By which words of Father and God the one of loue and the other of power the one of will the other of abilitie hee tooke away al doubt of not speeding froÌ„ each man that should make recourse to this merciful Lord and Father God himselfe also after many threates vsed by the Prophet Ieremie against the people of Israel for theyr sinnes in the end least they should dispaire turneth about hys talke changeth his stile assuring them of many graces fauours if they woulde returne vnto him telling the house of Israel that hee had loued her from the beginningâ— and had sought to drawe her vnto hym by threates to the end he might take mercy vpon her that now he intended to builde her vp againe to adorne her with ioy exultation to gather her children from all corners of the earth to refreshe them with the waters and Riuers of lyfe and all 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 Citty of the rebellious kingdome of Samaria he sayth Ephraim is becom my honorable sonâ— my delight deerly beloued child therfore my bowels are mooued with compassion vppon him and in aboundance of mercy will I take pittie of him So much attributed God to this respect of beeing a father vnto Israel and Ephraim and of theyr being his children that for thys cause onely notwithstaÌ„ding their infinite enormous sinnes his bowels of endlesse mercy were moued with loue compassion towards them And these are those tender mercifull bowels which holy Zacharie father to S. Iohn Baptist protesteth to be in almighty God towards man kind that had offended hymâ— These are those which were in y t good old father mentioned in the gospel who being not onely offended but also abandoned by his younger sonne yet after he saw him return home again notwithstanding hee had wasted all hys thrift substance had wearied out hys body with wicked lyfe he was so far off from disdaining to receiue hym as hee came foorth to meete with hym fel vpon his necke kissed hym for ioy adorned him with newe apparel and rich Iewels prouided a solemne banquet for himâ— inuited his friends to be merry with hym shewed more exultation tryumph for his return then if he had neuer departed from hym By which parable our Sauiour Christ endeuoured to set â—orth vnto vs the incomprehensible mercy of his heauenly father towards sinners in which respect he is truly called by hys Apostle Pater misericordiarum the father of mercies For that as S. Bernard well noteth this sea Ocean of mercies doth flow peculiarly from the hart of a Father which cannot be sayde so properly of the gulfe and depth of his iudgements For which cause he is called in scripture the God of iustice reâ—enge and not the Father And finally thys blessed name of father in God doth import vnto vs by Gods owne testimony al sweetnes al loue al friendshyp all comfort all fatherly prouidence care protection all certainty of fauour all assuraunce of grace all security of mercy pardon and remission of our sins when soeuer vnfainedly we turne vnto hym And in thys poynt hys diuine Maiestie is so forward and vehement to giue vs assurance that being not coÌ„tent to set foorth hys loue vnto vs by the loue of a fathers hart hee goeth further and protesteth vnto vs that hys hart is more tender towardes vs in thys behalfe then the hart of any mother can be to the onely child infant of her owne wombe For thus he sayth to Sion which for her sins began to doubt least he had forsakeÌ„ her Can the Mother forget her owne infant or can she not be mercifull to the childe of her owne wombe if shee could yet can I not forgette or reiect thee behold I haue written thee in the flesh of mine owne handes And thys for so much as GOD is called our Father There remaineth yet a third consideration which more setteth forth Gods inestimable loue then any of the other demonstrations before handled And that is that he gaue the lyfe and blood of hys onely begotten eternal sonne for purchasing redeeming vs when we were lost a price so infinite and inexpiable as no doubt hys diuine wisedom would neuer haue giuen but for a thing which he had loued aboue all measure Which our Sauiour himselfe that was to make the payment doth plainly signifie and therefore also seemeth as it were to wonder at such a bargaine when he sayth in the Gospel So deerely hath God my Father loued the worlde that he hath giuen for it his onely begotten sonne In which words he ascribeth this most wonderful dealing of hys Father vnto the vehemencie and excâ—eding aboundance of loue as doth also his deerest Disciple and Apostle S. Iohn saying In this appeareth the great loue and charitie of
first a Pirat afterwards a good pilot first a disperser afterward a gatherer together first a breaker down of Gods vineyard afterward a Planter first a destroyer afterwarde a builder Thou hast seene manifolde wickednesse but nowe behold vnspeakeable mercie Thou hast hearde the pryde of the seruaunt consider now the loue and clemencie of the Maister I will not thou say to me I am a blasphemer I haue beene a persecutor I haue led an vncleane abhominable life therefore I doubt least I shall not be pardoned Say not so vnto me for heere thou hast examples to the contrary in euery of these and many other sinnes Thou mayst safely flie to what port thou lyst and that eyther in the olde or newe Testament For in the olde thou hast Dauid in the newe thou hast Paul I will not haue thee therfore alledge excuses vnto me for couering thine owne cowardnesse Hast thou sinned repent hast thou sinned a thousande times repent a thousand times vnfeynedly Thys is the onely oyntment that may bee poured into an afflicted conscienceâ— the torment whereof I doe well knowe For the deuill standeth by whetting hys sword of desperatian and saying vnto thee Thou hast lyued wickedly all thy youth and thy former daies thou hast mispent thou hast haunted playes and spectacles with thy companions and followed after loose and lasciuious women thou hast taken other mens goods from them wrongfully thou hast beene couetous dissolute and effeminate thou hast forsworne thy selfe thou hast blasphemed and committed many other heynous wicked crymes and therefore what hope canst thou haue of saluation Truely none at all Thou art a meer cast-away and canst not nowe goe backe and therfore my counsaile is that nowe thou vse the pleasures commodities of thys worlde and passe ouer thy time in mirth of hart without cogitation of other affaires These are the words of the deuill louing brother these are the counsailes perswasions of our enemie But mine are contrary If thou haue fallen thou maist rise againe If thou haue beene a lost companion yet thou maist be saued If thou haue committed fornication and adulterie in times past thou maist be continent for the time to come If thou haue haunted plaies games thou maist draw backe thy foote from hence-forth If thou haue delighted in leude and euill company thou mayst heereafter acquaint thy selfe with good Thys onely is necessarie that thou begin thy conuersion out of hand and that thou repent and take in hande to reforme thy selfe though it be at the first but a little Let thine eyes begin but to shed foorth one teare enter into thy conscience consider thy selfe but indifferently examine thine actions and what they deserue lay before thy face the day of iudgement with the torments of hell on the one side the ioyes of heauen on y e other Repent confesse amend thy life seeke a medicine for thy wounde out of hand while thou art in thys life in what state or condition soeuer thou be Yea if thou be vppon thy death-bedde and ready to breath out thy soule and spirit feare not to repent for that Gods mercy is not restrained by the shortnesse of tymeâ— Which I speak vnto you my deere bretheren not to make you heereby the more negligent but onely to stirre you vp to the confidence of Gods mercy thereby to auoyd the most daungerous gulfe of desperation Hetherto are the wordes of this holy and learned Father In which long large dyscourse of hys we are to note that together with most excellent encouragement which hee gyueth to all sinners of what state condition soeuer they be in all times and seasons to trust in Gods mercy and neuer to despaire he giueth also an wholesome admonishment that we should not by thys confidence become more negligeÌ„t in reforming our liues but rather doe it out of hande without all delay or procrastination Whervnto in like manner the holy Father S. Augustine in like exhortation against dispayre dooth endeuour most vehemently to stirre vs vp in these words Let no man after a huÌ„dred sinsâ— nor after a thousand despaire of Gods mercy but yet so let hym not despayre as he seeke presently without all stay to reconcile himselfe to God by amendement of lifeâ— least perhaps after that by custom he hath gotten a habite of sin hee be not able to delyuer himselfe from the snares of the deuill albeit he would And in the very same sermon he discourseth yet further of the same matter in manner following Not euery man that hath sinned but he that perseuereth in sin is hateful and abhominable in the sight of GOD. For that no man must distrust of Gods mercy towards him that will amend and leaue his sinnes For that God himselfe as a most sweet comforter hath said by his prophet That the impietie of a wicked man shal not hurt him at what time soeuer he shall returne from the same But yet thys great mercy of the Lord is then only profitable vnto vs if we delay not our conuersion nor doe multiply sins vpon sins Which I will declare vnto you by the example of wounds ruptures of our body by which the infirmities also of our mind and soule may be conceiued Thus then we see if a mans foote leg or arme be broken with howe great paine the same is restored to hys accustomed strength But if any member of our body shold be broken twise or thrise or more often in one and the selfe same place your charitie can imagine howe hard a thing it were for that part to recouer her perfect health againe So fareth it deere bretheren in the woundes and rupâ—ures of our soule If a man do commit sin once or twise and do vnfainedly without dissimulation make his refuge to the medicine of repentance 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 sins vpon sins in such sort that the woundes of his soule do rather putrifie within him by couering defending theÌ„ then heale by repentance and confession it is to be feared least that heauie speech of the Apostle be fulfilled in him to whoÌ„ he sayth Doost thou not knowe that the benignitie of God is vsed to bring thee to repentance but thou by thy obdurate and irrepentant hart doost heape to thy selfe wrath in the day of vengeance and of the reuelation of Gods iust iudgement Thus farre S. Augustine But nowe deere Christian brother what can be spoken more effectually eyther to erect vs to hope and confidence in Gods mercie or to terrifie vs froÌ„ presumption in delaying our amendement then heere hath been vttered by these noble pillers and Fathers of Christes church and most excellent instruments and temples of his holie Spyrit The diuine wisedom of almighty God in a certaine place sayth That y e words of wise men ought to be spurs
such as wil truely turne vnto him in what tyme state condition or age soeuer in this lyfe which shal be shewed and sette downe by these four poynts and parts that doe ensue The first part touching the loue that God beareth towards man FIrst of all by the infinite and incomprehensible loue y e almightie God beareth vnto man which loue is alwaies y e Mother of fauor grace and mercy If you demaund of mee in what sorte I doe prooue that the loue of God is so exceeding great towards man I answer as the Cosmographer is wont to doe who by the greatnes multitude of y e streames and Riuers doth frame a coniecture of the Fountaine from which they flowe The proper Riuers which are deriued and doe run forth of loue are good turnes and benefits which seeing they are infinite endlesse and inestimable bestowed by God vpon man as in the place before hath beene declared and the whole vniuersall frame of thys world doth aboundantly beare witnes it foloweth most euidently that the origine fountaine wel-spring of al these fauours graces and good turnes must needes be infinite immeasurable and far surpassing all compasse of mans vnderstanding If you require of me the cause reason why Almighty God should so wonderfully be affected towardes man I can directly yeelde ye none at all but rather meruaile thereat with holy Iob why so soueraigne a Maiestie should set his hart vpon so base a subiect Notwithstanding the holy Scripture seemeth to alledge one principal reason of his loue when it sayth Nâ—hil odâ—sti â—orum que fecisti et parcis omnibus quia tua sunt Demine qui diligis animas That is Thou ô Lord which louest soules canst not hate those thinges which thou hast made but dost vse mercie towardes all men for that they are thyne And the lyke manner of reasoning vseth God himselfe when he sayth by the Prophet Ezechiel Behold all soules are mine and heerevpon he inferreth a little after Numquid voluntatis meâ— est mors impij Can I haue the wil to damne a wicked man seeing y t his soule is mine created redeemed by me as who would say thys were a case against all order and equity And the reason of this maner of speech argument is for that euery man naturallie is inclined to loue the things that be of his own making So we see that if a man haue an Orchard wherein be great varietie of Trees plants yet if there be but one of his own peculier grafting that florisheth prospereth well he taketh more delight therein then in any of the rest for that it is hys owne workmanshyp So in lyke manner if a man haue a Vineyard of his owne planting and trimming For which respect the holie Prophet Dauid finding himselfe and the whole kingdome of Iurie in great affliction calamity thought no other meanes so forcible to draw God to compassion and commiseration of theyr case as to cry out to hym in this maner Thou which gouernest Israel looke towards vs be attent Thou hast brought foorth a Vineyard out of Egipt thou hast purged the same from Gentiles and hast planted it Thou O God of all power turne towards vs looke vpon vs from heauen and visite this thy vineyarde which thine owne right hande hath planted The like maner of perswasion vsed the holy Prophet Esay to moue God when he said Looke vppon vs I beseech thee O Lorde which are the worke of thine owne hands But aboue all other the blessed man Iob standeth as it were in argument and dysputation with God about thys matter saying haue not thy hands made me haue they not framed me of clay and earth hast not thou compacted me as cheese is made of mylke hast not thou knyt my bones and sinewes together and couered my fleshe with skyn hast not thou giuen me lyfe and conserued my Spyrite with thy continuall protection how soeuer y u seeme to dissemble these matters hide theÌ„ in thy hart yet I know that thou remembrest them all and art not vnmindful of them By which wordes thys holy man signified that albeit god suffered him greatly to be tempted and afflicted in thys lyfe so farre foorth as hee might seeme to haue forgotten him yet was he well assured that his diuine Maiestie coulde not of his goodnes forsake or despise him for that he was his creature the proper workmanshyppe of hys own hands In which very name of workmanship holy Dauid tooke such great comfort considering that the workman cannot chuse but be louing and fauourable towardes hys owne worke especially so excellent and bountifull a workman as is almighty God towards a work made as man is to his own shape likenes that in all his necessities yea euen in hys greatest infirmities of fleshe and most grieuous offences committed against hys Maiestie he conceiueth most assured hope of mercy and pardon vpon this consideration that he was his workmanship and consequently wel knowne to his diuine wisedome of how brickle infirme a mettal he was made For thus at one time among other he reasoneth of thys matter Looke how far distant the East is from the West so far off hath God remoued our iniquities from vs. Euen as a father dooth take compassion of hys own chyldren so doth the lord take mercy vpoÌ„ 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 holy Prophet maketh mention of two things that did assure hym of Gods mercy the one that God was hys Creator and maker and therby priuie to the frailty of hys constitution nature the other that he was hys Father whose property is to haue compassion on hys chyldren and thys is a second reason more strong forcible perhaps then the former why euery man may be most assured of pardon that hartily turneth vnto almighty GOD considering that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie not onely to be vnto man a Creator as he is to all other things but also a Father which is the title of the greatest loue and coniunction that nature hath left to things in this world Wherof a certaine Phylosopher sayd well that no man coulde conceiue the loue of a Parents hart but hee only y t had a chyld of hys owne For which respect our Sauiour Christ to put vs in minde of this most feruent loue and thereby as it were by one fire to enkindle another within our harts dyd â—se oftentimes ordinarily to repeate thys sweete name of Father in his speeches to hys followersâ— and thereupon founded dyuers most excellent and comfortable dyscourses as at one time when he exhorted them from ouer-much carâ— and worldly solicitude hee addeth thys reason Your Father in Heaueâ— knoweth that you haue neede of these thinges As who woulde say hee knowing your wants being your
God towardes vs that he sath sent hys onely begotten Sonne into the world to purchase life for vs. In this I say is made euident his exceeding charitie that we not louing him he loued vs first and gaue his own son to be a raunsome for our sins Wher vnto also the holy Apostle S. Paul agreeth admiring in like manner the excessiue loue of god in these words God doth meruailously commende and set forth hys great loue vnto vs in that we being yet sinners he gaue his son to the death for our redemption And in another place framing out as it were a measure of Gods mercy by y e aboundance of his loue sayth thus God who is rich in mercie through the exceeding loue which he bore vnto vs wee beeing dead in sin he reuiued vs in Christ and raysed vs vp euen vnto heauen making vs to sitte downe there with hym to the end he might declare to all ages worlds ensuing the most aboundant riches of hys grace and goodnes towards vs. Thys was the opinion of that noble Apostle S. Paule and of all hys coequals Apostles Euangelists Disciples and Saints that this work of our redemption proceeded only froÌ„ the inflamable fornace of Gods immeasurable loue And therefore to make no other conclusion heereof then that which S. Paule hymselfe doth make If God haue not spared his owne propper and onely begotten sonne but hath giueâ— him vp to death for gayning vs vnto hym how can it be that with him he hath not giuen vs al other things If when we were hys enemies and thought not vpon hym hee sent to seeke vs so diligently by such a messenger as hee loued so deerely allowing hym to lay downe a price for vs which he so infinitely esteemed what shall we thinke that he wil doe vnto vs now wee being made hys owne by our redemption if we return willingly vnto hym when our receiuing shal cost hym nothing els but onely a mercifull looke vppon vs which is not so much from the infinite bowels of hys bottomlesse mercie as is one droppe of water from the most huge gulfe of the maine Ocean sea And thys shall suffise for the fiâ—st poynt of Gods loue declared vnto vs by the three most sweet and comfortable names and respects of Creator Father and Redeemer The second part how God expresseth his loue towards sinners NExt after which we are to consider in what manner God is accustomed to expresse declare thys loue of hys in his dealings and proceedings towards sinners And first of al the wise man hauing had long experience of thys matter beginneth to describe and sette â—oorth in thys sort saying vnto God hymselfe Thou O Lorde doost dissemble the sinnes of men to giue vnto them tyme of repentance And then when they will not vse thys benefite of hys forbearing but wil needes enforce him to punish and correct them he sayth further of thys correction Such as wilfully doe runne astray O Lord and will not turne vnto thee thou dost correct them sweetly by little litle admonishing and exhorting them to leaue theyr sinnes and to beleeue in thee These two poynts then of exceeding clemencie by the testimonie of the wiseman are founde in Almighty God first to wincke at the wicked lyfe of men and to expect theyr conuersion with vnspeakeable patience and longanimitie according as also the Prophet Esay beaâ—eth witnesse adioyning the cause thereof in these words The Lorde doth attend your conuersion to the end he may take mercie on you and thereby be exalted And secondly for the same respect when he is enforced by reason of his iustice to chastise them yet doth he the same with such moderation and mildnes as alwaies in this life hee reserueth place of pardon And to these two we may adioyne yet a third property of his mercie more admirable perhaps then the formerâ— which is as Tertullian excelleÌ„â—ly noteth that he being the partie offended yet first and principally desireth reconsiliation he hauing receiued the wrong iniurie yet doth he most busily intreate for amitiâ— attonement And whereas in all ryght and equitie he might denie vs pardon and for hys power take reuenge of vs at hys pleasure yet doth he not onely offer vs peace of hys owne accorde but also sueth vnto vs by all meanes possible to accept thereof humbling in a certaine manner hys diuine Maiestie to our basenes and vilitie and behauing himselfe in thys respect as a Prince that were enamoured of hys bond-slaue and abiect seruaunt Thys might be declared by many of hys own speeches and doings in holy Scripture but one place out of the Prophet Esay shall serue for all where Almighty GOD so earnestly wooeth y e conuersion of Ierusalem as no louer in the world could vtter more signes testimonies of a hart inflamed sette on fire with loue then he dooth towards that Cittie which so highly had offended hym For first after many thrâ—ates poured out against her if she dyd not return least she might perhaps fall into despayre he maketh this protestation in the beginning of hys speech Indignatio non est mihi c. Angry I am not ô Ierusalem but whatsoeuer I haue spoken I haue spoken of good wil and loue Secondly hee entreth into this dyspute and doubt with hymselfe about punishing her for her sinnes what shal I do Shall I treade her vnder my feete and put her to the fire or els will she stay my puissaunt hand and make peace with me will she I say make attonement with me After which doubt and cunctation he resolueth himselfe to change hys manner of stile to â—al a lyttle to chyde with her and then he sayth Harken O ye deafe inhabitants of Ierusalem looke about ye yee blinde folke that will not see who is blind and deafe but my seruaunt that wil not regarde or listen to the Messengers which I sende O thou which hast open eares wilt thou not heare And then a lyttle after he beginnâ—th to smooth and speake faire againe saying Euer since thou hast beene gracions and glorious in mine eyes I haue loued thee and for thy soule wil I giue whole Nations Feare not for that I am with thee Wherwith shee beeing little or nothing mooued he returneth to a sweet maner of complaynt saying Thou hast enthrallâ—d me by thy sins and with thine iniquities thou hast greatly afflicted mee Which beeing sayde and she somewhat moued thereby to loue him as it seemeth he turneth vnto her with thys most comfortable and kynde speech I am he I am he which cancelleth thine iniquities for myne own sake wil neuer think any more vpon thy sins All which being done they now reconciled and made fast friends together his diuine Maiestie beginneth a very louing conference as it were and sweet expostulation wyth her sayiug in these words Call thou to
y t were astray and would returne but also to follow and seeke them out and beeing founde to lay them on hys owne shoulders so to beare them back vnto the fold againe and there to gyue his life and blood for theyr defenâ—e against the Wolfe O sweet Lord what greater loue can be imagined then thys what more pregnant signification of inflamed charitie can mans cogitation coÌ„ceiue or apprehend is it meruaile nowe if hee which descended vnto vs with his hart with these bowels of burning affection did set open the gates of all his treasures fauours and graces vnto vs Is it meruaile if the Apostle S. Paule doe say of thys time Superabundauit gratia that grace did ouer abound yet further in another place that Christ beeing very God did in a certaine sort impouerish and emptie hymselfe with the most wonderfull effusion of mercies and hauocke of heauen which at thys tyme euer since he hath made Heere hence it proceeded that all hys delight and pleasure vpon earth was to conuerse with sinners and to giue them comfort courage confidence in hym Which he dyd so manifestly in y e sight of al the world as he became very scandalous offensiue therby to the Scribes Pharisies and other principall Rulers among the Iewish Nation Heerehence also dyd proceede those hys most meruailous speeches strange inuitations of wicked men vnto him as for example at one tyme among other wheÌ„ he cried out in publique Come vnto me all yee that doe labour and be heauie loden and I wil refresh you And at another time going into the Temple of Ierusalem vpon a high festiuall day when all the people were gathered together he stood vp in the midst of them al brake forth into this vehement inuitation with a loud voyce as S. Iohn Euangelist recordeth If any man among you be thirstie let him come vnto mee and he shall drinke Heereby it came to passe that his diuine Maiestie was termed commonlyâ— Publicanorum et peccatorum amicus the friend and familiar of wicked publicans sinners And heereof finally it did proceede that he receiued al embraced all and forgaue all that repaired vnto him were they Scribes Pharisies Souldiours Publicans Vâ—urers Harlots Theeues Persecutors or whatsoeuer most grieuous offenders besides whereof particuler examples in each kinde myght be alledged assuring vs furthermore that after hys resurrection and blessed ascentiâ—n to the right hand of hys Father he would be more bountifull yet in thys maner of proceeding and draw all men vnto him beeing at one tyme both our Iudge Aduocate our King and Mediatour our God and Redeemer our Father and brother our Priest and Sacrifice and he that both pleadeth and determineth our cause together What then should not wee hope at thys tymâ— deere Christian Brother at the hands of thys our Lord and Maister which hath left vnto vs such words such deedes such assured euidence of his infallible loue abouÌ„dant mercies towards vs why should not his dealinges with other men before vs giue vs hart and courage to trust assuredly in him for the tyme present and to come Why should not his former most infinite mercies be vnto vs odoriferous alluring sauours oyntments to make vs as the spouse did in the Canticles follow and runne after him Heare what deuout S. Bernarde doth meditate vpon thys passage of Christes fragrant oyntments O sweet Iesus sayth he the freshe and odoriferous smell of thy wonderfull clemencie dooth allure vs to run after thee wheÌ„ we heare say that thou dispisest not beggers nor abhorrest sinnersâ— We know right wel ô lordâ— that thou diddest not reiect y e thiefe that confessed thee nor the sinfull woman that wept vnto thee nor the Chananaean that humbled herselfe before thee nor the wicked adulteresse brought vnto thee nor y e touller or tribute gatherer that followed thee nor the publican that repaired vnto thee nor the disciple that denied thee nor Saule that did persecute thee nor thy tormentors y t did nayle thy sacred bodie to the Crosse. O Lorde all these are fragrant smelles and sauours of thy most sweet mercie and at the sent of these thyne oyntments we doe followe and run after thee Thus farre S. Bernard The 4â— part the application of all that hath beene sayde AND so with thys to come to the fourth last part of this Chapter and to apply all that hath beene sayde of Gods mercy to our present purpose What man is there lyuing in the world that reading and belieuing these things can doubt or mistrust to receiue pardon for their sins If God be he that iustifieth who is able to condemne vs sayth the holy Apostle S. Paule If God be minded to deliuer vs who can take vs out of hys hands If God protest that hee wil pardon vs why should we make any doubt or question thereof at al Why shoulde wee not ioyne rather with that confident faithfull seruant of hys S. Paule who sayth vnto vs and to al other sinners lyuing in hys Maisters name Let vs repaire vnto him with a true hart in fulnesse of fayth hauing purged our harts froÌ„ an euill conscience let vs hold fast an immouable coÌ„fession of our hope seeing he is faithful which hath giuen vnto vs his promises and let vs consider how one of vs may prouoke another to charity good works By which words the holy Apostle signifieth y t what sinner soeuer shal resolue with himselfe to purge his conscience from wickednes for y e time to come to employ the rest of hys life in charitie and good works he may confidently and boldly repaire vnto almighty God with most certaine assuraunce to receiue pardon and remission And alas deere brother why theÌ„ shoulde any man despaire Wherefore should any man cast away hys owne soule that God so much desireth to saue what a pittifull lamentable case is it to behold so many Christians in the worlde to goe languishing in theyr sinnes and to gyue themselues ouer to all kind of carelesse and dissolute sensualitie which by god himselfe is called desperation vpon thys conceit wicked cogitation that nowe they are gone so farre and so deepely rooted and habitated in thys kinde of lyfe as eyther it is impossible or in vaine for them nowe to thinke of change or amendement O deere brother let these men harken to this excellent discourse of holy Saint Chrisostom which ensueth If thou be a wicked man sayth hee thinke vppon the Publican If thou be vncleane of lyfe consider the harlot If thou be a murtherer remember the theefe If thou be a swearer call to minde the blasphemer Cast thyne eyes vpon Saul and Paule first a persecutor and then a preacher first a violent robber afterward a good steward and dispenserâ— First chaffe afterwarde corne first a wolfe afterward a sheepheard first lead afterward gold