other sprytes worse then himselfe And going in he dwelleth there And the ende of that man is worse then the begynning Also sinnne is fortiâ—…ed to preuayle before the iudgement of reason As Augustine speaking of him selfe doth say More preuayled the encreasing euill then the vncustomed goodnesse Lastly euen the sinner himselfe becoÌ„meth more impotent to ryse And thus behold my welbeloued how many and how vnspeable euill thinges a man doth incurre by sinning And suerly if thou doe not amend thy liefe by reading and knowing these hurts and daungers whiche come by sinne If thou doe not detest and abhorre sinne if thou doe not walke in purenesse of lyfe before God then shalt thou bée vnexcusablely reproued of great faultes by thyne owne vertues And shalt not doe that whiche béecoÌ„meth the naturall goodnesse of thyne excelent wytt For it is apparant by these things how truly Augustine spake in his twelfe booke De ciuitate del saying Synne hurteth nature And by that meanes it is contrary to nature And yet by that vice nature is apparant to be great and lawdable For by what meanes so euer vyce be blamed by the same vndowtedly nature is praysed For the right blaming of vyce is bicause thereby a lawdable nature is dishonested Of the infinite mercy of God. Art. 19. WE haue already spoken many thinges of the enormytie filthynesse and impietie of sinne And it is now thereby made manyfest how vehemently the holy and most highest God is dishonored by sinne and how he hateth and abhorreth the same Therefore least any man should by consideration thereof fall into weakenesse of courage or be broken with disperation or faynt with ouer much sorrow or pyne and wyther away with vndiscrete curyositie We will say somewhat agayne of the incomprehensible and vnmeasurable mercyes of god And therefore as the goodnesse of God is pure infinite and most plentifull so the swéetenesse of his liberalitye and his clemency is altogither vnspeakeable vnlimytable and vnexcogitable Exceding and infinitely passinge all our mallice néede and miserie Yea more then all the waues in the Sea passe a lyttle droppe of water or the great heape of the whole world doth passe incomparabily the least séede that is Let no man therefore dispare by the enormytie of vyces For thereby hée should offer an extreme iniurye to the diuyne mercy And should moste vehemently dishonor the vncreated verytie of the higest god As though Gods goodnesse and clemency which hath promysed forgeuenesse and grace vnto all men how full of iniquitie so euer they be if they doe truely repeÌ„t were lesse then his wickednesse To conclude is not the mercy of the glorious God and he which is onely to be worshipped most infinite who in euery moment doth perceue so many sinnes to be done in this worlde and séeth himselfe to be dishonored dispised and blasphemed so vnspeakeably of so many sinnes and yet doth preserue them in beinge doth vncessantly communicate vnto them the goodes of nature of fortune doth nowrishe them cloth them prouide for theÌ„ yea since according to y which hath bene said before the enormity of sinne is so incoÌ„prehensible euen therin y wonderfull greate and infinite pytie of God doth appere that he euer will vowchesafe to be reconciled or to behold or to receaue into his grace fauour the man with whome hée were but once offended or displeased by sinne And beholde euen those of whome he hath béen so often times offended by such greuous sinnes by whome he hath béen so often contempned set behynde earthly thinges in comparison he doth not onely vouchsafe to receue them vnto forgeuenes grace fauour but often tymes he doth preuent them in vncomprehensible pyetie and doeth happely change their hartes by inward compunaion vnto saluacion taking from them all hardnes of hart And filling them with so much grace and goodnesse that the same doth now most abounde where before iniquitie was most abundant And so of most hatefull enemies they are made most deare acceptable vnto God therfore we must not â—…ispayre for any thing For asmuch as God by his mercy doeth paciently abyde sinners dothe gently revoke them doth dissemble and dyffer reueÌ„ge and punishment doth deliuer them from many and manyfold daungers doth liberally and 〈◊〉 geue them grace doth multiply that which he hath geuen dothe kepe and preserue that which he hath multiplyed and dothe rewarde with heauenly thinges that which he hath kept and preserued To conclude God doeâ—…h ioyfully receue vnto 〈◊〉 the synner which 〈◊〉 vnto him doth mollyfie his hart doth quyckly forgeue the offence which he coÌ„mytted And after forgeuenesse doth neuer remember the iniurie Agayne God of his mercy doth send vs aduersities to proue our patyence withall he geueth vs prosperytie that he may prouoke vs to loue him And by his mercy doth bring agayne vnto himselfe those that goe astraie doth guyde vnto him such as returne doth rayse vp them that fall doth staye and hold vp them that stand and dothe leade vnto glorie all such as doe perseuer in godlynesse Behold how greate and how verye vnspeakeable incomprehensible and vnmesurable the clemencie of our God is especyally vpon his elect And yet let no man sin the bolder by this consideration of the diuyne mercyes presuming most foolishly vpon Gods benignitie For he is accursed which sinneth through hope For the better more méeke and clement that we know God to be so much the more intentyuely we ought to loue him not to dishoner or dispyse him Wherefore betwene desperation and presumption let vs obserue a sapientall meane hoping with feare and fearing with hope And so let vs contynewally be carefully and fearefully conuersant before God. Of those thinges by consideration whereof sinnes be the more effectually auoyded Art. 20. THere are many and almost innumerable thinges whiâ—…h ought to enduce vs vnto the auoyding and esthewing of sinnes Fyrst the consideration of the shortnâ—…sse vanytie vnstablenesse and dysceitfulnesse of this present liefe For what is our lyfe but a smoke most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a moysture fading by little and littell 〈◊〉 our dayes are lyke a shadowe vpon the earth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all How long soeuer our lyfe séemâ—… 〈◊〉 in this world yet in comparyson of the neuer ending lyef which holy Iob sayth Spare me O Lord for my dayes are nothing We sée also with our eyes how many and how innumerable this present liefe doth deceaue Which being delighted ouer darkened and bedect with the rytches delightes and honors of this world doe neglect those things which pertayne to their health and saluation doe neuer couet or desier spirituall good thinges nor doe alwayes and enerie day perpare themselues vnto death And therefore euen as they lyue so doe they make an end And they doe most vnhappely dishonor God whiles they are yet sound and in health so at the tyme of their death they are most iustly of him forsaken dispised and condempned Is it not
did in their myndes being lightened anointeâ—… froÌ„ aboue the more diligeÌ„tly mark those things wherby the enormite is agreuated the better perceiâ—…ed wherof I haue alreadie handled many so much the more they dispised humbled corrected themselues yea did most vehemently ponder bewayle chastise the least sinnes To conclude one sin is aggreuated by another Since therefore the sins of our affections spéeches things committed omitted be so many that they excéed â—…scape the knowledge and nombring of our thoughts mindes it is certayn y we can not vnderstande the enormitie of our vices but by a verie singular grace from god And therefore it is written who vnderstandeth his faults purge me O lord from my hidden falts from offences vnknown spare thy seruant Herevpon in all respects we ought by right patiently with all gladnesse to sustein all aduersities whatsoeuer happeÌ„ vnto vâ—… for our so hiddeÌ„ lurking many great offences But bicause we do not ponder nor consider the enormitie of our sins bicause we do not humble our hartes low inough before God bicause in aduersities we doe not giue thankes vnto God which loueth vs rebuketh vs chastizeth vs but being ouercome with impatience we fall into disordinat sorow and basenesse of courage Yea further bicause the other things a little before rehearsed which do aggreâ—…ate sin as wel on thâ—… behalf of the sinner of the obiect or matter whereaboutes the sin is committed as also by means of the endes circuÌ„stances are so many so great in perticularitie that none of vs can distinctly know them all Therfore we are not able fully to vnderstaÌ„d the greuousnes of our sins But we ought infinitly to humble our selues hartely to call vpon the diuyne clemencie and onely to breath too or take comforte in the mercies of god And to say with the true penitent sinner myne iniquities haue ouer taken me I had no power to sée them And againe our iniquities are multiplyed ouer our heads And in another place our sins are growne vp to heauen Last of all though we can not fully comprehend the hugenesse enormitie of our wickednesse Yet by that most bitter eternal infernal payne which the iust God appoynteth for our sins it appeareth doubtlesse the they are truly so incomprehensible great enorme which God doth yet neuerthelesse euen in hell mingle mercy with his iustice in that he punisheth lesse theÌ„ we worthily deserue And yet the enormitie of any mortall sin howe little so euer it bée is so great y there is no creature in the whole world so welbeloued of God but he would hate him dampne him for euer for one of these gréeuous sins if he finde it in him finally at his ending Yea so great is the enormitie of sin that it maketh the sinner so displeasing vnto God as he him selfe doth not remember any good thing which the sinner did before As our Lord iudge did testifie by Ezechiel saying if the iust man do turn away him self work iniquitie I wil not remember all y rightuousnes which he hath don Therfore he that standeth let him take héed y he fal not no man is sure And in the Prouerbs it is said blessed is y man which is alwayes fearfull And furthermore howe great the enormitie of sin is it may hereby be marked that no creature was fit to make satisfaction for the sin and transgression of mankinde and to take away the same but it became the verie onely begotten of God yea and it behoued by a certaine meane the true vnmeasurable God to be incaâ—…te and to suffer and dye for the redemption of men from the gylt of sin If thou mark these things rightly my welbeloued thou shalt abhore sins thou shalt bewayle thâ—… and â—…ye from them And shalt warely behaue thy self before the presence of the diuyne maiestie Of the sundrie effectes and â—…rtes thaâ—… come by sinne Art. 18. COntrarie causes are accustomed to haue coÌ„trarie effects But sinnes and their vicious qualities are contrarie to vertues and their actions Then as grace doeth make nature perfect so sin doth infect it hurte it imbase it And as vertues and the giftes of the holy ghost doe make the strengthes 〈◊〉 forces of the soule to be readie prompt and easily inclined to well doyng yea and by meane and working of the holy ghost verie wel and readie nimble therevâ—…too So sinne and vitious qualities doe foreslow the forces before named draw theÌ„ backward from goodnes make them weak vnready to do wel prone and prompt to euil yea they make them easily inclined to a diuilish instinct and to follow the violent sway and force of affections Herevpon Hugo in his booke of the Arck of Noe sayeth what temptation so euer doeth assayle a soule forsaken and abandoned of diuyne succour it ouerthroweth it And Beda witnesseth that a manne fallne into sinne Lorde my god Synne doth also according to Augustine in an hillate and bringe to nothing Bicause sinne it selfe is nothinge and all men by sinning come to nothinge By léesinge the essentiall beinge not of nature but of grace Eyghtly one sinne doth drawe and dispose a man vnto another So the sinne which foloweth doth become bothe a sinne and the payne of a sinne For of it selfe it is a sinne And â—…y respect of the sinne which went before it it is also the peyne of a sinne Bicause the sinner by the desartes of the former sinne doth iustly deserue to be for saken of God â–ª And so falleth into sundrye vices Wherevpon according to Gregory A sinne which is not washed away by a repeÌ„taunce doth by and by drawe one to another sinne by his owne weight and swaye Ninthly sinne doth make such vertuous déedes which were done before to be vnfruitfull dothe exclude man froÌ„ the glorie of the heauily kingedoÌ„e As it is written Let y wicked be taken away least he should sée the glorie of God. Tenthly of a member of Christ it maketh one a member of the Deuill For as by faith we are incorporate in Christ so by deadly sinne léesing fayth we are incorporate in the Deuill who is the head and Prince of the vniust Eleuenthly it maketh man who ought to be the Temple of God to he lyke vnto hell For as in hell ther are fier cold styncke darkenesse worâ—…s confusion thyrst and hatefulnesse of all that is good and honest So in a sinner there are the fyre of anger impacience and couetousnnsse the cold of enuie the 〈◊〉 of lecherie and ryot y worme of concience the thryst of concupiscence the disorder and 〈◊〉 of mynde and the â—…thesome detesting and hating of vertues Twelfely sinne maketh a man vnstable For the finner is ouerthrowne tossed and caryed about with euery wynde of passiones temptations and vices As it is wrytten the wicked shall walke aboute for they are as the dust which the wynde
driueth from the face of the earth bicause their harts are not made faste vnto the highest vnchangeable onely true and most perfect goodnesse Ttherefore they wander in thinges created and are deuided in mynde and are most vnordinately affected Wherevpon Ieremy speaketh saying Ierusalem hath committed synne and therefore it is become vnstedfast Furthermore euen as the bayte vpon the hooke doth beguile the fishe So doth synne beguyle the synner Bicause whiles he doth vaynely and wickedly delight therein It bringeth him to euerlasting sorrowe Herevpon Augustine in his xiiii booke De ciuitate dei doeth affirme saying We may well say that all synne is a lye For we doo not synne sayth he but of a desyer that good may come to vs And yet of all synne euell commeth to vs Againe synne doeth make the synner lyke vnto a Serpent which goeth vppon his brest and eateth the earth Euen so sinners doe cleaue fast vnto sinne and doe striue to fill and glutt themselues therewith Sinne doth also shewe y the sinner is a foole Bicause by sinning euery man doth more and more ouercharge gréeue and oppresse himselfe He gathereth and layeth vpon his owne shoulders the sticks wherewith he kendeleth the fyer that burneth him in hell Yea he serueth him which requyreth séeketh nothing but his eternall dampnation and will so much the more torment him the greater seruice that he hath done him Furthermore sinne doth take away true libertie And maketh thereof most miserable bondage Bicause as our Sauiour witnesseth by the Euangelist Euery man that sinneth is the seruant of sinne Therefore Augustine in his fourth booke De ciuitate dei Doth confesse that the goodman although hée serue is yet a frée man But the wicked sayth hée yea although hée reigne is yet the seruant of as many maisters as he hath vices And againe in the fourth booke hée saith that the will of man is then truely in fréedome when it is not in bondage to vyce or sinnes And SalomoÌ„ in the booke of his Prouerbes protesteth That righteousnesse doth rayse vp and enoble the people But sinne sayth he doth make people miserable For if paine make a man miserable and the fault much more miserable then shall it so much the more in all respectes make him miserable as the fault is more detestable then the payne is Wherevpon Augustine in the xi booke de Trinitie sayth To will or desiere sayth he that which is not decent is a most miserable thing And agayne sayth he euery man is made mserable by onely euill desier But more miserable by power thereof For thereby the desiers of an euill thought are fulfilled And bicause the sinner doth cleaue sticke fast vnto vayne thinges therefore sinne dothe finally leaue him which sinneth vayne and voyde of all thinges As the Appostle sayth to the Romanes What fruite had you then that is to say in sinne when you sinned in those thinges where at you now doe blushe For the ende thereof is death Furthermore sinne doth chéefely greue the sinner at the tyme of his death For it maketh him sorowfull for the losse of the temporall thinges that is to say The delightes ritches and honors of this worlde which he loued It maketh him also to feare the streight iudgement of god The infernall punyshementes of the spéedy coÌ„myng of the Diuills Who then doe cheifely indeuour to drawe y sinner into desperation and many other euills And then the wicked is sorowfull that he hath lost and spent his tyme so viciously vnfruitfully Here withall after death sinnes doe vnspeackeably gréeue the vniust Bicause they shewe y they are before the iust iudgement of God most worthy of euerlasting payne and confuston And then they morne to here that terryble word Goe you accursed into euerlasting fier And doe vnrepayreably hold them as turned awaye from the high goodnesse fountayne of true felycitie And lastly As sinnes are hurtfull to them that are in sinne themselues euen so then gréeue those which by repentaunce doâ—… with drawe themselues from sinnes First bicause it neuer recouereth the glorye of the first innoceÌ„ce As a mayde once deflowered can neuer be a virgyne againe Secondarily bicause it bryngeth vs to payne and penaltie Thyrdly bicause it kepeth man back from glory For the penytent shall not enter vntill through Christ his merites and mercy he be restored to the purenesse which he had in baptisme Fourthly bicause he shall neuer recouer the tyme past lost the which he might haue gayned with reward Yea and it happeneth often tymes that the sinner being peniteÌ„t doth yet by the dreggs and reliques of his old accustomed sinnes become more cold in his affections more ready to the lothesomenesse of good thinges darker in his vnderstandinge weaker to doe well and much more frayle and féeble to resist the euill And therefore Augustyne in his eleuenth booke de ciuitate dei doth say Our mynde sayth he in the which reason and vnderstanding naturally haue residence doth become vnable and weake by certein cold and darkesome vices not onely to cleaue to the fruicion of God but also to beare and abyde that vnchangable light Untill suche tyme that beinge from day to day healed and renewed it maye be made capable of such great felycitie Whereby it is manifest how foolyshely they behaue themselues which foreslowe their conuersions and saye that after a certayne tyme they wil be altogither conuerted yet remayninge the meane while in their vices and wickednesse For they doe not rightly weighe into how many daungers perrilles hurtes they fall in the meane tyme And therefore sinne doth alwayes hurt many men First him which sinneth Secondarily the neighbours and all the church of god Bicause in the meane while the neighbour thereby taketh offence and the church it selfe which is an armye to withstand the Deuill is by a certayne kynde of meane thereby also diminyshed and weakened by him which is wickedly conuersant and occupied Thirdly it hurteth also those that are dampned Bicause the more that discend into hell the greater horror howling and tormentes there are For that prouerbe hath there no place whiche sayth Solatium est misero socium habere miseriae Fourthly it hurteth by a certayne meane the blessed in their habytations By meane of subtraction For the greater and more copyous that the number of the blessed is the reward accidentall is thereby made the greater by the happy socyety one of them gloryinge in an others felicitie And lastly the sinner doth incurre many euills and daungers by relapse into his olde vices For his faultes are made the greater and so more hardly to be forgeuen As Ieremy witnesseth saying Now vyle art thou made by returning vnto thy wayes For a wound hurt againe is the hardlyer and more slowly healed God also is made the harder to be pacified And the Deuill the stronger to possesse as Christ sayth in the Gospell That then goeth the Deuill and taketh vnto him seauen
Leo did right Clerkely affyrme saying The whole vyctorie of our Sauiour whereby hee ouercame both the worlde and the diuill was begunne and finyshed in true humilitie Furthermore as Bernard witnesseth Christ did alwayes choose those things which were most greuous vnto â—…esh and bloud and which did most declare humâ—…tie For he chose a poore mother of whom he was contented to be borne in the middest of the colde winter in the middest of darke night in a strange place and in a homely Cribbe WheÌ„ he was borne he was wrapped in a fewe torne cloutes and layde in the Oxe Maunger Yea moreouer when of him selfe he was ryche and aboundant or rather the verie true highest and omnipotent God he became poore for our sakes And so poore that he sayd The birdes of the ayre haue their neasts the Fores their dennes but the sonne of man hath not where to hide his head And how many persecutions he suffred endured by the Jewes is sufficieÌ„tly testified by the Euangelists For some saide vnto him Hee hath a diuill and the man is madde Some called him glutton bibber of wine and friend to the Publicans Some sayd that by Bekebub chief prince of the diuils he cast out wicked spirites Other sayde How is this man from God and we know that hee is a sinner Will he kill him selfe Sometymes they would stone him some other whyles throwe him downe headlong and at last they betrayed hym and put him to a moste vyle kynde of death But in all these thinges what dyd the innocent Lambe of God the sonne of the euerlastyng Father Forsooth hee was patient hée restored good for euill he spake wordes of saluation and health euen to the vnthankefull people he prayed for them which crucifyed him like a shéepe hee was ledde to the Slaughter and he lay still and helde his peace lyke a Lambe in the Shéepshearers hands When he was most falâ—…y and wrongfully accused before Pylate and Herode hée answered not one word He was made by GOD the father obedyent euen vnto death Hée made him selfe a sacrifyce and oblation for vs Hee was wounded for our offences And therefore stretched out vpon the Crosse. Yea his hands and féete were pearced with hard nayles vntill all his bones might be numbred And thus it was expedient that Christ should suffer and enter into hys glorie Then if we desire to bee christians and of the number chosen to be saued what remayneth for vs to doe euen that we follow and imitate Christes pouertie humilitie and patience That we chastise our owne bodies by the true fruites of repentance That we crucifie our fleshe with all the vyces and concupiscenses thereof That we make haste to walke in the narrow path with all feare and carefulnesse That we be not ouercome with euyll but let vs vanquishe the euill with goodnesse Let vs not rendre euil for good vnto any man Let vs not pampre and cherish our fleshe in myserable delights Nor let vs geue place to any lightnesse vanytie or toyes Whosoeuer can obserue these poyntes he â—…yspyseth the world happyly he ouer commeth himselfe laudably and he learneth of Christ what it is to be méeke and humble of heart For aboue all thinges we must founde all our conuersacion in true humylitie Wherevpon Leo spake grauely sayinge All the dysciplyne of christyan lyfe doeth not consist in cunning wordes in sharpenesse of wytte in dysputacion nor in vayne desyrs of glory and prayse but in the true and voluntary humilitie which our Lorde and Sauiour Jesus Christ dyd choose and teache as the stoutest kynde of defence euen from the wombe of his mother vnto the deathe of the crosse Whereby it appeareth also how trwe it is that Cypryan sayeth All the lyfe of man if hée lyue lyke a chrystian and according to the Gospell is a crosse and a martyrdome As also Chrysostome trwely sayeth No man may well be termed a chrystian vnlesse he be conformed vnto Chryst in maners and conuersacion Wherefore my beloued if wée knowe that Jesus Christ is our sauiour and Lorde let vs blushe and bée ashamed if wée bée not founde conformable vnto him Let vs be abashed to lyue carnally delycately suÌ„pteously To ioy tryumphe in mens prayse fauour To séeke cheifly our owne commodytie and preferment And to walke puffed vp with a vayne and a proude hart For our lyfe is in the myddest betwéene the Angels and Beastes If we liue according to the fleshe we are to be compared vnto Beastes But if we lyue according to the spyrite we are made fellowes with Angells And if we yéeld to spyrituall sinnes and offences as pryde ambition vayne glory and wicked vanytie we are now coopled vnto Diuills rather then vnto brute Beastes Especially since that spirytuall vyces speaking in Genere are much greater and more gréeuous theÌ„ carnall vyces are But wouldest thou knowe who were rightly to be termed a christian He is truely a christian sayth Augustine which sheweth mercy to all men which is not moued nor disquyeted with any iniurye which féeleth another maÌ„s payne or greife as if it were his owne Whose table is not shut from any poore or néedy Which is accoumpted of small glory or estimatian before men to the end he may be gloryfied before God and his Angells Which dispyseth earthly thinges to obteyne heauenly Which succoreth thée myserable and afflicted and is moued to compassioÌ„ by other mens teares Therefore let vs clense our selues from all blottes and blemyshes both of fleshe and spirite And let vs imytate Christ our King by a wary and a frutefull lyfe abhoring and despysing all wrath all indignation stoutenesse and fleshelynesse that being altogither conuerted we maye be made as little babes agayne Saint Paule in his third Chapiter of his Epystle to the Galathians hath these wordes Pray you therfore coÌ„tinewally that you may be thought worthy to eskape all the euills which are to come to stand before the Sonne of man Now since we haue spokeÌ„ of such thinges as enduce y conteÌ„pt of this world on the behalf of god himselfe let vs also treate of such thinges as ought to enduce vs therevnto on our owne behalfe For wée are set in the myddest of snares and are enuâ—…d on euery side with enemyes yea and enclosed contynewally with a famylyare énemy that is our owne flesh stryuing against the spirite and as the Apostle sayth Our wrastling is not agaynst fleshe and blood but euen agaynst spyrites or powers of the ayre and Diuills Not that he ment we had no maner of stryfe nor wrastling agaynst fleshe and bloode but bicause the stryfe contention and wrastlyng which we haue agaynst the temptations of Diuills is much greater and of more force In asmuch as they be infatygable craftye and â—…rewell pryckes prouoking most gréedily the ouerthrow and condemnation of our soules Whereby it appeareth that we are be set rounde about with innumerable and excéedinge greate
pleasauntâ—…esse of the spryng the perfecte aboundance of the haruest and the right tranquilitie and rest of the deade winter In them God shal be séene without end shal be inioyed without contempt and praysed for euer without wearinesse In them God shall bée an aboundance of lyght and trueth to the reason and vnderstandynge a multitude of peace and quyet to theyr will and consent a continuance of eternitie to theyr memorie and an vnmoueable â—…taye to theyr estate O life of lyues moste lyuely swéete amyable and euer to bee thought on wherein chiefe securitie secure tranquyllitye quyet delectabylitye delectable felicitye happye eternitie and euerlastyng glorie are to bee imbrased and inioyed in Gods mercy In the which there is to be found the affluence of ryches the influence of delightes and the confuence of all good thinges Wherefore my welbeloued let thy soule bée inflamed with the desyre of thys blessednesse For it let all thy good actions bee exercysed effectuallye and let thy mynde medytate therevpon customarily Doe not subiecte thy selfe to the peryll of loosing thys glorie for the worlde and vanities thereof For finally it reteyneth so great grace in thys lyfe and so great glorie in the worlde to come that though wee were sure that wee might inioye them in thys worlde yet for the loue of increasing and profityng therein wée shoulde worthily leaue and forsake all thinges for god Who of hys great clemencye gyue thée vnderstandyng to taste and perceyue these thyngs perfectly and to harken and obeye vnto good and godly counsell For the iudgements of the Lord our God are incomprehensible very dreadfull And where he powreth his grace into one not into another that as Augustine sayeth is for some hydden cause but for none vniustnesse in god But I shall dayly beseche God in y bowels of Jesus Christ that he will make merueylous his mercies in thee euery kynde of way Salomon vseth these wordes in the xx Chapter of Ecclesiastes God hath giuen wisdome knowledge and reioysing to the man that is good and to the sinner affliction superfluous care We haue alreadie treated suffitiently of the contempt of this world as well on Gods behalfe as on our owne Now then it shall not be amisse to speake thereof by regard of the world it selfe the which if it be well considered it conteineth in it selfe whereby to be contempned and dispised And first this one thing commeth to memorie that the louers of this world are tossed and retossed with sundry troubles disquiettes afflictions and labors in such sorte that it ministreth more payne and bytternesse then delight and quietnesse in all things whereof men hope to haue consolation For whilest they are withdrawen or turned back from the highest and most simple goodnesse in whom onely true peace and true ioy doe abound they disperse them selues in temporall and earthly things And being not perfectly established in any one thing they are caryed about vniuersally Whereby they are affected with manifolde passions and thoughtes as now with delight then with dollor now with loue then with hate now with desire then with disdayne now with longing and then with loathing For they haue not the skill to bring things vnto an equall measure by the iudgement of reason and discretion nor to be in a kynde of tranquilitie in euerie occurrent but lyke vnto bruit beastes they follow the force and sway of their pangs and passions accordyng to the impulsiue motion of their sensualities and lustes Whereby it falleth out most commonly that they neuer continue long in one disposition And besides these considerations accordyng to the Philosophers opinion a man which delighteth in contemplation and speculation hath in him selfe sufficient matter and cause of good delight Synce he is filled with speculation and reioyseth in heauenly considerations that is to say in scientiall and sapientiall points of knowledge in the which he is spiritually delighted Neither doeth he séeke or require delightes in sensuall things out of him selfe But the vnlearned the carnall and worldly men doe not taste any such delight neither haue they sincerely the matter or materiall cause of delight and contentation within them selues Therefore they séeke to reioyce in outward things wherein they stumble not alwayes vpon pleasaunt and prosperous successe but oftentimes vpon hard and ouerthwarte accydentes which makes them most commonly to endure griefe and disquyet of mynde And by good reason should that man which is deuout and spirituall contayne in him selfe wherewith to be spiritually delighted in God yea euen in aduersitie But the worldlings and the vytious men haue now wrath then sadnesse now enuy theÌ„ indignation sometymes sodayne feare which be most painefull and bitter passions whereby they doe not onely wound and weaken their soule but many tymes also they fret their mynde and waste their corporall strength For somewhiles they are as it were resolued into vayne myrth puffed vp with vayn hope stretched out into vayn desures straight wayes agayne they reioyce in that which ought to make theÌ„ sadde and ware sorowfull for that which might giue them greater cause of comforte gaping for that which were to bée sâ—…unned and aâ—…oyded flying from that which is most profitable worthie of long expectation So that whither they be mery or moâ—…rn they are alwayes vnhappie and deserue paynes in the tyme to come Yea so much the more gréeuous payns as their affects haue bene y more disordered Whervpon the Lord sayeth speakyng of suche as glorie and hoast not right but worldly and vaynely Euen as much as he gloryfyeth himselfe and walloweth in delightes so much doo you geue vnto him of torment and lamentacion And also Augustine wytnesseth A disordred mynde becommeth a payne and punishment vnto it selfe But forasmuch as bâ—…foresayde in the louers of this world affectiones are dysordred preposterous and ouerthwart it must néedes fall out also y they are gréeuous payneful vnto them selues which possesse them And thervpon it is confessed we haue walked in the harde and difficult pathes We are euen wearyed in the wayes of iniquitie but wee are altogither ignorant in the wayes of the lord Whervpon it is lykewyse written The sâ—…und of terror is alwayes in the eares of the wicked And when it is peace he yet mistrusteth y enimyes attempt Agayne if they chaunce at any tyme to reioyce their mirth turneth also to theyr owne ouerthrow â—…ut the well ordered mynde the quyet and deuoute mynde is euermore pleasant and comfortable in it selfe And therefore by Hieroms opinion the places wherein charitie doeth raigne are the verie Paradise of God vpon the earth Yea vpon the quyette and méeke harted the holy ghost doeth rest and abyde For a well instructed man is swéete and comfortable to his own soule I meane a man well instructed in such instruction as is decked and adorned with vertues And therfore although there were none other rewarde assigned vnto thée quyet peaceable and
vexation gyueth vnderstandyng and he which hath once tasted of the â—…odde is afeard to come vnto it agayne Yea it maketh a man humbly acknowledge and bewayle his offences Whervpon the Lord sayeth I chastise thée least thou shouldest séeme giltlesse in thyne owne conceipt And agayn as Hieremie saith Thou hast chastysed me O Lord and I am become skilfull thereby Finally such chastisement disposeth a man to greater delight in his iourney and if it be patiently borne it obtayneth great reward in the heauenly kingdom And therfore it is that God doth manifoldly chastise and correcte the elect in this lyfe yea he doeth reproue and amend them as he sayth Those whome I loue I chastise and reproue them Whereby it may playnely appeare that suche as God doeth not punishe in this worlde but suffereth them to wander vntouched yea and doeth prosper them in this worldly prosperitie although they be replenished with many excéedyng great vyces and suffreth them to clyme alofte and to lyue Lordlyke at theyr pleasure they are not of the electe number but of the reprobate For it is written All they which haue bene faythfull and pleased God haue passed by many troubles And the Psalmist sayeth manifolde are the tribulations of the iust And therefore though the reprobate be not chastised of God with a fatherly correction that is for theyr desertes Whereby they haue so incurred the wrathe and displeasure of God that he vouchsafeth not to correcte them in this lyfe but lettes them remayne vnto eternall tormentes in hell fyre And therefore the Psalmyst sayeth of the reprobate and vnthankefull sorte I haue let them loose euen accordyng to the desires of theyr hartes and they shall wander in their owne inuentions To conclude the holy Prophettes séeming with the imperfecte to woonder at thys temporall prosperitie of the wycked and the manyfolde afflictions of the iust did thus talke with the Lord saying O Lord thou arte iust if I argue with thée yet neuerthelesse I wil speak iustly vnto thée Wherefore doeth the wicked prosper in his wayes and it is well with all them that conspire agaynst thée And another sayeth wherfore doe the wiâ—…ed lyue they are raysed vp on high and replenished with riches and the sâ—…ourge of God toucheth them not Yea surely suche as are yet vnperfecte are woonte to meruayle hereat and are in maner withdrawen or turned backe from seruyng of God whyâ—…st they behold them selues afflicted But such as are perfect doe neyther woonder so nor are moued knowyng well enâ—…ugh that GOD for the causes before rehearced and for other secrete causes knowne to hys diuyne maiestie doeth afflicte and skourge the electe and leaueth the reprobate vnpunyshed And therefore welbeloued I wryte these things to make thée warie and watchfull and to the end thou mayest bee afeard to bee accompted amongest the râ—…probate if thou fynde thy selfe infinitely prospered sinning vnpunished suffring none aduersitie glorying in corporal commodities liuyng after thine own lust pleasing men praysed extolled and magnified in this world For the Psalmyst sayth God hath broken in sunder the bones of them which please men They are confounded bicause God hath forsaken them And is not this a horrible saying a terrible worde But the Apostle witnesseth the same saying If I shuld yet please men I should not be the seruant of god Yea our sauiour him self sayth woe be vnto you when men blesse you and speak wel of you WhervpoÌ„ Augustine answereth This world is more dangerous when it séemeth mylde and flattering then when it is troublesome And is more to be taken héede of wheÌ„ it entyseth it self to be lyked and estéemed then when it forewaâ—…neth and enforceth it selfe to be contempned and set lyghte by And according to Gregories opinion God chuseth them whom the world forsaketh And therevpon the Apostle sayde agayne Take héede and marke your vocation brethren for there are not many wise men accordyng to flesh and bloud nor many mightie nor many noble worthie amongst you But God hath chosen those which séemed â—…oolish poore to the worlde that he may confound and ouerthrow therby these worldly wyse men And he hath chosen the weakelinges of this worlde that hee may thereby confounde the stronge and mightie And behold he hath chosen the vnable and contemptible things of the worlde Wherefore my dearely beloued let it not delighte thée to lyue and be conuersaunte amongest the mightie and rich potentates of this world nor to kéepe company with the carnall and dreadlesse wightes but alwayes associate thy selfe with the better sorte and best learned that thou mayest proâ—…tte in wysedome and vertue Least thou be dampned togither with this world and so léese thy lotte and herytage amongest the eleâ—…e For if thou wilt beléeue Hicrome he will tell thée that of a thousande ryche and mightie men sharce one is fouâ—…de fit or worthie for the kingdome of god Therâ—…ore pray thâ—…n vnto God that hée vouchsafe so to punyshe and correct thâ—… presently that thou be not condempned hereafâ—…r â—…petually For thou arte not better then was 〈◊〉 which was sanctified in hys mothers wambe And yet he sayeth correct me O Lord but in thy iudgement and not in thy farie least thou bring me to nothing For as the 〈◊〉 testifâ—…eth If we be without correction disciplyne we are no sonnes but bastards Wherefore thinke nothing more hurtefull then to abyde amongest the vnfearefull vayâ—…e and wicked company nor on that other syde thinke nothing more holesome then to remayne amongest the godly feareful and deuout sort For follow thou reason and not affection If thou holde not thy selfe instantly in the feare of God thy house will quickly be ouerthrowen and subuerted For the fâ—…are of God doeth drawe backe from sinne And therevpon Salomon sayde He which feareth God doeth neglect nothing Then he holdeth him self in the feare of God which instantly and vncessâ—…ntly is careful least he shuld offend him Or least he should sinne and incurre the daunger of dampnation Now by this house in this porâ—…ion of scripture mencyoned is mâ—…nt our harâ—…e wherein we dwell and abyde by cogitations and afflictions And this house is soone subuerted and ouerâ—…hrowen by falling into the most gréeuous and odyous sorte of sinnes and offences Whereby all grace mercie is taken away and the sinner doth spiritually dye therein vnlesse he conuerte vnto the feare of god Whereby it appeareth consequently that he shall hardlye eschue and auoyde these gréeuous and greatest offences which doeth not dayly accustome him selfe to eschue the least faults transgressions For the common custome of triflyng faultes and misdéedes doe bryng with them the fallyng vnto greater enormities Since the least doe dispose and as it were prepare a man vnto the greatest Yea they take away the feruentnesse of charitie and doe hynder and let the increase of grace in vs Wherevpon the holy fathers affyrme He that is negligent in small