against themselues eating their owne flesh renting theyr bowels with furious grones â—â—aring one anothers flesh with their nailes and incessantly blaspheming the Iudge that condemned them vnto the punishments There each of theÌ„ shall curse his vnfortunate chaunce vnhappy natiuity repeating without intermission that doleful plaint and those desolate and lamentable songs of Iob Curst bee the day in which I was borne and the night in which it is said Hee is conceiued a man Let that day bee turned into darknes let not god require vpon it neither let it be illustrate with light Let darknes obscure it the shadow of death let a mist ouercloude it let it be wrapped in bitternes Let a dark storme possesse that night let it not be accounted amongst the dayes of the yeere nor numbred in the months Let that night be sâ—litary and vnworthy praise let them curse the same who curse the day who are ready to waken the Leuiathan Let the starres bee daâ—kned with the mist thereof let theÌ„ expect light and not see it neither the beginning of the rising morne Because it shut not vp the doore of the wombe that bare me neither tooke away the euils from mine eyes Why died I not in the wombe or isâ—uing from the same why perrished I not presently why was I receiued into the lap why sucked I at the teates This shal be the musick these the songs such the mattins which those vnhappy soules shall sing without end O vnlucky tongues which speake nothing but blasphemies ó vnfortunate eyes that see nâ—ught but calamities and miseries O miserable eares that heare nothing but plaints and gnashing of teeth ô vnlucky bodies which haue no other refreshings but burning flames Of what minde shall they be there who whilst they liued here deluded the howres in trifles and spent all their time in pleasures and delights ô how long a chaine of misery haue these so short delights forged O foolish and incensate what will the allurements of the flesh profit you nowe which then you cherrished whereas now you are deuoted to eternall plaints What is become of your ritches vvhere are your treasuâ—es where your delights where are your reioycings The 7. yeeres of plentie are past and the 7. yeeres of dearth are come which haue deuoured all their aboundance There is no memory left of them nor appearance Your glory is foredone your felicities drowned in the sea of sorrow your thirst is grown to that drith that there is not one â—rop of water granted by which the immesurable heate of thy throate which infinitlie tormenteth thee may bee asslâ—ked Your felicities which you inioyed in this world will not onelie not profit you but euen they will bee the causes to you of greater tormeÌ„t For theÌ„ shall be fulfilled that which is written in the booke of Iob. Let mercy forget him wormes are his sweetnesse Let him not bee in remembrance but cut downe like an vnfruitfull blocke But then the sweetnesse of the delight of euils is turned into the worme of greefe when as the remembrance of fore-passed pleasures according to the exposition of Saint Gregory shall beget a greater bitternes of presâ—nt greefes bethinking themselues theÌ„ what they haue some-times beene and in what place they nowe be that for that which is so soone vanished they nowe suffer that which shall endure for euer Then at length but too late shall they acknowledge the fallacies of the deuill placed in the midst of errours shal begin but in vaine to speake the wordes of the Wiseman saying VVe haue wandered from the way of truth and the light of iustice hath not shined vpon vs the sunne of vnderstanding is not risen vnto vs wee are wearied in the way of iniquity perdition haue walked difficult wayes but the way of our Lord haue we not knowne What hath our pride profited vs or the boast of our riches what hath â—t furthered vs All those things are past away as a shadow or as it were a messenger running before or like a shippe that hath passed a troublesome water whereof when it is past â—here is no tract to be found neither the way of the keele thereof in the floods Such like wordes haue the sinners spoken in hell because the vngodly mans hope is like the light feather which is lifted vppe by the wind and like the light froth of the Sea which is dispersed by the sunne and as it were smoake scattered by the wind and like the memory of a one dayes guest passing by These shall be the complaints these the lamentations this the perpetuall penance which the damned shal there performe world without end where it shall profit them nothing because the time was ouer-past wherein they should shew fruites worthy of repentance Come therfore whilst then is time of repent come you that haue eares to heare and receaue that wholsom counsaile of our Lorde which he in time past gaue by the mouth of hâ—â— Prophet saying Giue glory tâ— your Lorde God before it waxeâ— darke and before your feete stumble against the darksome hills Yoâ— shall exspect the lâ—ght and he shaâ—â— put the same in the shadow of death and in darknes Watch I say the time let vs followe his counsaile who before he was our Iudge woulâ— be our aduocate No one knoweâ—â— more exactly what will hinder oâ— profit in that day then he who shâ—ll himselfe be Iudge of all causes He briefly teacheth vs what is needfull for vs to doe that in that day wee may be secure Take heed to your selues saith he by Saint Luke thâ—â— your harts be not loaden with gluttony and drunkennes and the caâ—e of this life and that this day doe not sodainly come vpon you For like a net or snare shal it surprize all those that sit vppon the face of the earth Watch therefore at all times praying that you may be â—ounted worthy to flie all these things which are to come and stand before the sonne of man Deerely beloued let vs consider all these things and at length let vs waken from our heauy sleepe before thâ—t darke night of death shall oâ—er whelme vs before that horriâ—lâ— day shall enfold vs of which the Prophet speaketh Behold the day is at hand and who may thinke the day of his comming and who shal stand to behold him He he may exspect the day of our Lorde who hath heere bound the hands of the Iudge and hath iudged himselfe in this world ¶ The Author purposely entreateth of the latter iudgement in his sirst booke of Prayer and Meditation and in his exercises in Thursday nights meditation Likewise in the guide of sinners cap. 8. lib. 1. The Argument ¶ They who haue loued God with all their harts shall receaue their remuneration in heauen namely the glory of eternall beatitude which in respect of the accidents in some it shall be greater in some other lesser yet is the essentiall
¶ This matter is largely handled lib. 1. of the Guide of a sinner chap. 26. whence these things are taken The Argument No man ought to abuse Gods mercie nor vnder the hope thereof perseuer in sinne for if the same mercie doe so patiently suffer so many Insidells in this worlde and euill Christians in the Church it will also suffer those that sinne â—o bee damned CHAP. 19. AND if thou say that the mercy of God is great and that it comforteth thee so much that perseuering in thy peruerse and wicked lyfe thou trustest that thou shalt be â—aued I pray thee what sin may be more haynous Thou sayst that the mercie of God is immeasurable for he would lyke an offender be crucified for sinners I confesse it veâ—â—ly to be great for it suffereth thee to breake out into this cursed blasphemie such as is this that thou wilt that his bounty should fauour thy iniquity thou shouldst take his crosse which hee apprehended as a meane that the kingdome of sinne might be destroyed thou takest it as a meane whereby sinne may be protected and defended and where thou owest him a thousand e liues if thou hadst so many because hee sacrificed vp his life for thee there catchest thou an occasion also to deny him that life which thou hast nay rather that which thou receauedst from him Our Sauiour more greeueth at this then the death it selfe which he suffered for thee for hee that lamenteth not in his death complaineth greeuously of thy sins by the Prophet saying Vpon my backe haue sinners built they haue prolonged their iniquity Tell me I pray thee who taught thee so to argue that by reason that God is good thou shouldst conclude that it is lawfull for thee to follow sinne and iniquity The holy ghost seemeth to conâ—lude after another maner namâ—ly that by reâ—â—on that God is good hee gatherâ—â—h him to be worthy to bâ— honoured obaâ—ed and louâ—d aboue â—ll â—hingâ— And because God is good it is reason also that man should be goode and hope in him who when hee is a most grieuous sinner is ready to receiue him into grace if with all his hart he conuert himselfe vnto him Because God is good and so good truly it is a double sinne to offende so great a goodnes Therefore by how much the more thou amplifiest the goodnes of God by so much the more doost thou make hainous thy sinne which thou committest against him Nowe is it requisite that so greeuous a sinne should bee punished for such is the nature and office of the diuine iustice which as thou thinkest is not opposite but a sister and reuenger of the Diuine bounty that it cannot leaue so enormous an iniury vnpunished Pâ—rseuering therfore in thy sinne thinke not that thou hast any interest in the mercy of God but rather that his iustice attendeth thee innumerable others Heare I pray you what the diuine mercy winketh at and suffereth Thou canst not deny me that of a hundred parts of thys worlde there is but one of them christian and of ninety nine others there is not one of them to bee saued For it is without all question that euen as without the Arke of Noe in the time of the Dâ—luge no man was saued neyther out of the house of Rahab in the Citty of Iericho so no man can be saued that is founde out of the house of God which is his church But beholde that part which is made famous by the name of the christians and see in what estate the Christian affaires doe stande in thys most corrupt world and thou wilt confesse that in this misticall body that from the sole of the foote vnto the crowne of the head there is scarcly any member to be found that is sound Choose any one that best liketh thee of those famous citties in which the steps of pure sincere religion and doctrine are yet extant Run afterward thorow all the lesser citties villages and castles in which there is scarce any memorâ— of religion left and thou shalt finde the people of whom that of Ieremy may truly bee affirmed Walke about the wayes of Ierusalem and behold and consider and seeke thorowe the streetes thereof whether you finde a man dooing iudgment and seeking fayth that is a truly iust man and I will bee mercifull vnto him Walke likewise not onely the Tauerns and publique places for they for the most part are dedicated to lyes trifles and deceits looke into the houses of thy neighbours as Ieremie did thou shalt know that there is no man that speaketh good neyther shalt thou heare ought else but murmures lyes cursings othes blasphemies There is no man that repenteth himselfe of his sinne saying What haue I done To conclude thou shalt in effect finde that the harts and tongues of men are imployed in no other thinges then earthly and priuate commodities neyther shalt thou heare GOD any otherwise named but in othes and blasphemies in which they abuse gods name which memory of his name God coÌ„playneth of by the same prophet saying They remember me but not as they ought swering vntruly by my name So that by the exterior signes it is scarely knowne whether this people be Christian or gentile except it be after the maner that we know bells which are seene a farre of but are knowne by their sounde So mayst thou knowe them by theyr othes and blasphemies which are meerely heard the rest can neyther be knowne nor iudged But I pray you howe may such be numbred amongst the rancke of those of whoÌ„ Esay speaketh Whosoeuer shall see them shall knowe them because these are the seede which God blessed And if the lyfe of Christians ought to bee such that they that behold them a far shoulde iudge them to be the sonns of God in what place ought they to be reckoned who rather seeme to bee scoffers deprauers deceauers and contemners of God then true christians All these things are more amply discoursed by mee that thou mayst vnderstand that if notwithstanding the mercy of God which thou pretendeâ—t GOD permitteth so many infidells and so many euill Christians to be in his Church and so many of the infidels and euill Christians to perrish that hee permitteth not thee also to perrish with them whose lyfe thou doost imitate Dyd the heauens perhaps reioyce vppon thy byrth or doe the iudgements of God and the lawes of the gospel then cease that the worlde may be one to thee and other to another man If therefore notwithstanding mercy hell â—e so dilated so many thousand soules are daily swallowed vp by the same shal thy soule onely be excluded therfrom if thou perseuer in thy sinnes What if wee referre hether also those terrible examples of diuine iustice which are found in Scripture namely the fall of Angels the ruine of Adam and those thinges which succeeded the same to wit payne and misery If we induce the whole earth drowned by the
nor any other mans riches Wey howe vnwoorthy hee is who is chosen if you consider hiâ— quality and nature for is a miserable and mortall creature subiect to all infirmities miseries and pouertie of this life guiltie of the punishments of hell aswell for others as his owne sin also Thirdly apprehend howe excellent the election is after that thou art chosen to so hie an end then which there can be no greater that is that thou mightest be made the sonne of GOD the heyre of his kingdome and pertaker of his glorie Fourthly attend howe free thâ—â— election is when as it is as I haue said aboue all thy merâ—it of Gods onely free will and goodnesse and as the Apostle sayth by the glorie and prayse of Gods liberalitie and his especiall grace Now a benefite the more free it is by so much the more holdeth it a man obliged Fiftly the antiquity of this election is to bee considered for it began not with the constitution of the world but is more ancient then the world it selfe Yea it is of the same age that God himselfe is who as he is from all eternity so from eternity loued he his elect whom he beholdeth with his fatherly and truly benigne eyes remembring himselfe alwayes to what an excellent good he hath fore-ordained and predestinated them Sixtly the rarenes of the reward is to bee considered Since that amongst so many Nations of barbarous people and amidst so great a multitude of damned men our Lorde would vouchsafe to call thee to so blessed a lot that thou shouldest bee of the number of those which were chosen to euerlasting life and that therefore he seperated thee from the masse of corruption of mankinde coÌ„demned for sinnes and hath changed thee from the leuen of corruption into the breade of Angels In this consideration a few things shall be found which may be written and many things which may be weyed in minde that the elected may be gratefull to our Lorde God for the perticularitie of this benefit which is so much the greater by how much the number of the elect is lesser and of those which are to be damned greater the number of whom as Salomon affirmeth is infinite But if none of these things moue thee yet at least-wise let the greatnes of the expence which our most liberall Lorde had determined to make by reason of this benefite moue thee Such as is the lyfe of his onely begotten Sonne and his blood shedde in the behalfe of thys benefit who had decreed from eternitie to send him into this world that hee might be the executor of this diuine determination VVhich since it is so what time shal be more conuenient and profitable to consider so great mercie of GOD VVhat tongue shall more plainlie expresse the same What hart vvith greater affection feele and more intire sweetnes taste the same Finally with what seruices may the same bee recompenced VVith what loue may a man aunswere this diuine loue Who will bee so vngratefull as to refuse now at length to loue him of whom from eternitie hee hath beene beloued Who woulde change this friende for anie other what soeuer Wherefore since that in holie Scriptures a friend of so many yeres is so much praysed and had in estimation who woulde change the possession and grace of so great a friende for all the friendes of the worlde And if prescription or possession of time with memorie giueth him both right and authority who hath neyther what will thys eternall possession doe by which our Lorde is possessed that by the title of this friendship wee may be reputed for his By these it appeareth that there are no blessings to be founde in this world whâ—â—â—â—ay deserue to be exchanged with these neither are there so great euils which are not to bee endured for the loue of these benefites Who I pray you is he could be so dull inconsiderate that beeing taught by diuine reuelation that a certain poore begger seeking his liuing from doore to dore were after this maner predestinat by god wold not kisse the earth wheron he troad would not giue him place woulde not huÌ„bling himselfe on his knees with all humility wish him al good gratify him in this maner ô most happy ô most blessed art thou one of that happy number of the elect shalt thou reioyce amongst the blessed troopes of Angells shalt thou sing that celestial musique possesse that perpetual kingdom shaâ—â— thou beholde that shining face of Christ O happy is yâ— day in which thou wert borne but much more happy that in which thou shalt die to the worlde for then shalt thoâ— beginne to liue the life euerlasting Happy the breade which thou eatest blessed the earth which thou treadest vpon for it beareth an incomperable treasure Blessed the â—ribulations which thou sufferest the necessity that ouer-presseth thee For they open thee the way which â—eadeth thee to eternall life what cloude of calamities and tribulations shal there be so thick which shal not vanish vnder so great a hope These such like are the wordes we would vse speake to any man whoÌ„ wee certainly knew to be predestinated For if a certaine princâ— that is like to bee heire of a great kingdome passeth by any placâ— all the inhabitants there-abouts make hast to behold him they admire that blessed fortune according to the opinion of the world that thys youÌ„g man hath befaln him because he is born the heire of a kingdome Howe much more therefore ought menne to admire this blessed lot namely that a man should be born without any of his merrit chosen not to bee a temporall king in this world but to raigne in heauen with God himselfe for euer euer By these things therefore my brother thou maist easily coÌ„ceaue the great bond whereby al the elect are tied for this benefit to their Lord Elector froÌ„ which let no man suppose himselfe excluded if he will do his duty and not hinder himselfe Yea it shall be needfull as Saâ—â—â— Peter warneth in all his workes to make sure his vocation election for we are assured that he that doth this shall be saued and we knowe also that Gods grace fauour doth neuer leaue any man neyther will heereafter leaue any one destitute The Argument The benefite of Redemption exceedeth all eloquence and were rather to be adored then expressed rather men had neede of some certaine knowledge thereof Man by sinne was made like vnto the deuill GOD might haue left him in damnation like the deuill but hee would not Hee turned his wrath into mercie hee sent not an Angell but he himselfe comming after an vnspeakeable manner redeemed him Hee was admirable in his comming for that man is much indebted vnto GOD yet much more for the meanes of his redemption which comprehendeth the whole passion of Christ. Christ died not for one but for all this increaseth the debt CHAP. 10. IT is recorded
the naturall goods For whereas a man is a reasonable creature and sinne is a worke made against nature and it is naturall that euery contrary destroy his opposit it followeth that by how much more our sinns are multiplied by so much the powers of the soule are destroyed troubled not in themselues but in theyr toward workings After this manner doe sinnes make the soule miserable infirme slowe and instable to all goodnes but ready and prompt to all euill they make her weake to resist temptations and slowe to walke the way of the commaundements of our Lord. They also depriue her of thâ— true liberty and domâ—nion of the Spirit and make her captiue to the world the deuill the flesh and her owne appetites and after this manner shee liueth in harder captiuitie then that of Babylon or Egypt Besides all the spirituall sences of the minde are made slow so that they neither heare the voyces and diuine inspirations neither see the great euâ—ls that are prepared for them neither smell the sweet odor of vertue nor the woorthy examples of the Saints nor taste how sweet our lord is nor feele his scourges nor acknowledge his benefites by which he prouoketh theÌ„ to loue And besides all this they take away the peace ioy of conscience extinguish the feruor of the Spirit and leaue a man defiled lothsome deformed abhominable in the sight of God and all his Saints This benefite deliuereth vs from all these euils For the Abiss of diuine mercy is not content to haue pardoned our sinnes and to haue receiued man into his fauour except hee also expell all those euills which sinnes bring with them reforming renewing our inward man After thys manner he healeth our woundes hee washeth our vncleannes he breaketh the bonds of sinners destroyeth the yoake of euill desires deliuereth vs froÌ„ the seruitude of the deuil mittigateth the fury of our peruerse affections restoreth vnto vs the tru liberty pulchritude of the soule giueth vs peace ioy of good conscience quickneth our interior sences maketh them prompt to doe all goodnes slow to all wickednes He maketh them strong to resist temptations of the deuill endoweth them with good works To conclude so absolutely renueth hee and repaireth he our interiour man with all his powers as the Apostle feareth not to call such kind of men iustified renewed or rather newâ— creatures This renouation is so great that when it is giuen by Baptisme it is called regeneration and when it is restored by repentance it is called resurrection not onely because the soule is raised from the death of sinne to the life of grace but because in a certaine manner it imitateth the beauty of the future resurrection And that is so true that no tongue of man is sufficient to expresse the beauty of the iustified soule but only that spirit knoweth this that beautifieth the same and maketh it his temple lodgeth himselfe in it Wherefore if thou compare all the ritches of this world all his honours all his naturall graces and all his acquired vertues with the beautie and ritches of the soule that is iustified all of them shall seeme most obscure vild in comparison thereof For as great difference as there is betwixt heauen and earth betweene the spirit and the bodie betweene eternity and time so great also is founde betwixt the life of grace the lyfe of nature between the beauty of the soule and of the body betwixt the interior and exterior riches betweene spirituall and naturall fortitude For all these are circumscribed by certaine termes are temporall and seeme only faire to the out ward eye to which the generall concourse of God is sufficient but to those other a perticuler supernaturall concourse is required neyther can they be called temporall where as they bring to eternity neither any wayes termed finite beâ—ause they deserue God in whose eyes they are so precious and of such value that by theyr beautie they prouoke God himselfe to loue But whereas God might worke all these thinges by his onely presence he would not doe it but it pleased him to adorne the soule with infused vertues and with the 7. dowers of the holie Spirit with which not onelâ— the very essence of the soule it selfe but also all the powers thereof are inuested and adorned with these diuine habits Besides all these diuine benefites that eternall and infinite goodnesse of God annexeth an other namely the presence of the holy ghost or rather of the whole blessed Trinitie which entreth into the iustified soule and commeth to inhabite in the same that it may teach her how to vse in due sort so great riches Like to a good Father who not content to haue giuen his riches to his sonne giueth him a tutor also who knoweth howe to administer them well So that euen as in the soule of a sinner Vipers Dragons and Serpents inhabite who are the multitude of malignant spirits who haue taken vp their lodging in such a soule as our Sauiour in S. Mathew affirmeth So contrariwise into the iustified soule the holy Ghost with the whole sacred Trinitie doe enter and casting out all monsters and infernall beasts consecrateth the same for a temple for himselfe and placeth his seate there As our Lorde himselfe expresly testifieth in the gospell written by Saint Iohn saying If any man loue mee hee wil obserue my sayings and my Father shall loue him and we will com vnto him make our mansion with him By vertue of these wordes all the Doctors as well Ecclesiasticall as Scholasticall doe confesse that the holy Ghost himselfe truly and after a certaine speciall manner dooth dwell in the iustified soule distinguishing betwixt the holy ghost his gyfts saying moreouer that not onely these gifts of the holy Ghost â—re giuen but that the holy ghost also giueth himselfe who entring into this soule maketh her his temple and habitation fixing his seate in â—he same Hee therefore purgeth â—he same sanctifieth decketh her with his vertues that shee may be a sufficient mansion wherein hee may inhabite The aboue named benefites suffice not except another and that admirable be ioyned vnto theÌ„ nameâ—ie that all the iustified are made the lyuing members of our Sauiour who were first but dead members For they dyd not receaue the â—nfluences from theyr Lord head Christ. Hence doe orher and they very great prerogatiues and excellencies arise For hence commeth it that Gods onelie Sonne loueth them as his owne members and hath no lesse care of them then of himselfe hee is no lesse solicitous for them then for his owne members without intermission hee powreth into them his vertues as the heade into his members Finally the eternâ—â—l Father beholdeth them with fauoâ—rable eyes no otherwise then the liuing members of his onely begotten Sonne vnited with him concorporate by the participation of his Spirit and therefore their acâ—â—ons are gratefull and pleasing as
〈◊〉 were the actions of the liuing members of his Sonne who worketh 〈◊〉 them all goodnes From the 〈◊〉 dignitie it proceedeth that when as these iustified require fauor at God handes they demaund it with grâ—â—t confidence for they knowe thâ—â— they aske the same not for themselues onely but also for the 〈◊〉 of GOD himselfe who in them and with them is continually honoured Neyther doe the diuine benefites heere take theyr end for to all the fore-sayd graces thys is annexed at the last to which all the other are disposed namely the right and possession of eternall lyfe which is giuen to the iustified For euen as that our most mightie Lorde in whom at once infinite iustice and mercies doe shine 〈◊〉 adiudgeth all sinners which doe not repent them to eternall punishments so assumeth hee all truly penitent to eternall life These theÌ„ are the benefitâ— which that onely benefite of Iustification comprehendeth in it selfe which Iustification Saint Augustine esteemeth more then Creation for God created heauen earth by his onelie word but that hee might truly sanctifie man he 〈◊〉 his blood and suffered so many and so diuers tortures for him If therefore wee are indebted to this God such and so many wayes for our creation howe much more owe wee him for our sanctification which benefite by how much more greater labors and afflictions it is attained by so much the more it obligeth vs. But although a man doe not yet euidently know whether he be truly iustified yet euery one may haue great coÌ„iectures of his iustification amongst the which this is not the least namely the ameÌ„dment of life when as hee that was wont to perpetrate a thousand sinns in one day now committeth not one Hee that is such a one let him remember with what iust cause he is bound to serue such a sanctifier who redeemed him deliuered him from so many euils stored him with so many blessings as are hetherto reheaâ—sed And if any man yet be entangled in the vngracious race of his life I knowe not by what meanes God may more mooue him to forsake that condition then if he set before his eyes all the â—â—â—lls incommodities and perrils which sinnes bring with them which a little before haue beene numbred vp by vs aâ— also in shewing him the treasure of great benefites which spring from this incomparable blessing The Argument The graces gifts of the holy-Ghost and those wonderfull effects which they worke in vs are such and so many that whether a man will or no except hee will be altogether ingratefull hee ought in leauing his loose behauiour to intend the seruice of God No lesse are the benefites of Baptisme and most great bounties of the Sacrament of the Eucharist all which inuite vs to the amendment of our liues CHAP. 12. THose things which we haue hetherto spoken comprehende not as yet all those kinds of benefits which the holy ghost worketh in the soule of a man that is iustified neyther is Gods liberalitie concluded in those termes For it suffiseth not the diuine Spirit to haue led man in by the gate of iustice but after that man hath entred hee is likewise assisted by the same Spirit and is led by the hand into all his wayes till the waues of this stormy sea beeing ouer-ceased hee attaine safe and secure to the hauen of saluation For after that by the means of the foresaid benefite the holy ghost hath entred into the iustified soule hee sitteth not there idle it suâ—ficeth him not to grace the soule with his presence but with his vertue also hee sanctifieth the same working in her and with her whatsoeuer is conuenient for her saluation Hee sitteth there like the Father of a familie in his house gouerning the same hee sitteth there like a Maister in a schoole administring it like a gardner in his garden trimming it like a king in his kingdom ruling it like the Sun in the world illuminating it Finally like the soule in the body giuing him lyfe sence motion not as the forme in his matter but as the Father of his familie in his houshold What therefore is more blessed and more to bee desired then for a man to haue in him-selfe such a guest such a guyde such a companion such a gouernour finallie such a tutor and helper who beeing all in all worketh also all things in the soule in which it abideth But especially like fire hee illuminateth our vnderstanding inflameth our will and exalteth vs from the earth vnto the heauens Hee like a Doue maketh vs simple milde peaceable and friendes to all men Hee like a clowd cooleth vs and defendeth vâ— from the burning lust of the flesh and tempereth the madnes and fury of our passions Finally hee like a â—â—hement winde mooueth and inclineth our will to all goodnes seâ—ering the same and drawing it away from all euill inclinations vntill 〈◊〉 last the iustified attaine that perfection that all the vices are hatefull vnto them whicâ— they first loued and the vertues beloued which they 〈◊〉 hated As Dauid manifestly coÌ„fesseth the same to haue chaunced vnto himselfe For hee sayth in a certaine place That hee hated and abhorred iniquitie And in another place That heâ— delighted in the way of â—he â—estimonies of our Lord euen as in all â—iches The reason was because the holie Ghost had â—â—illed into 〈◊〉 soule the woâ—â—wood of earthly things and the honey of the diuine Commaundements in which thou seest manifestly that all our blessings are to be ascribed to this holy Spirit so that if wee decline from euill he is the cause if we doe good wee doe it by his meanes if we perseuer in goodnes by him wee peâ—seuer and if reward be giuen for good by him it is giuen Heere also no small oâ—casion and matter iâ— offred vs to discouâ—se of the benefites of the Sacraments which are but as it were the instruments of our iustification but especially of Baptisme and the Eâ—câ—â—rist For 〈◊〉 Baptisme we are clensed from originall sinne deliuered from the power of the deuil made the 〈◊〉 of God and 〈◊〉 of his kingdom In Baptisme my brother Christ espoused thy soule vnto himselfe and decâ—ed it with iâ—wels iemâ— woâ—thy so high an order of which 〈◊〉 are grace vertue the gift of the â—â—ly Ghost and others 〈…〉 ornaments such as Isaac 〈…〉 Rebecca when hee tooke her to wife What therfore hast thou doâ—â—e that thou shouldst deserue to receiue the least of these things How many thousand I say not of men but of nations are excluded from these blessings by the iust iudgement of God What had become of thee if thou hadst beene borne amongst these nations yf thou hadst not attayned the true knowledge of god but hadst adored blocks stones Howe much art thou indebted to thy Lord God that amidst so great infinite a number of reprobates he would that thou shouldst be reckoned among the
happeneth daily to thosâ— men that are conuersant in this affaire For not knowing in the beginning the value of this merchandize because they are not spirituall noâ— haue any feeling of that which lyeth there-vnder out being carnâ—ll they thinke it to be deere and of no value But when they begin to tast how sweet our Lord is they presently glory of their reward because there is no price worthy of so great a benefit Consider how that Merchaunt in the Gospell ioyfully sould all that which he had that he might buy the field in which he had found the treasure wherefore therfore doth not a Christian contende hearing this name to know what it is Truly it is a thing to be wondred at If some toy-boaster should assure thee that in thy house and in such a place a treasure were hidden thou wouldest not cease to digge and seeke and prooue if that were true which hee saide But whâ—reas God himselfe affâ—rmeth that there liâ—th an incomperable treasure hidden in thy mind wilt thou neuer be perswaded to seeke it out O how quickly shouldst thou find this treaâ—uâ—e if thou didst onely know how neere our Lorde is to all those that â—ruly call vpon him Howe manie men were there in this world who weying their sinnes and perseuering in prayer haue obtayned the remiâ—sion of their sinnes in lesse then onâ— weekes space haue opened thâ— earth and to speake more aptlâ—â— haue found a new heauen and a new earth and began to feele in themâ—selues the Kingdome of God How great is that which our Lord doth who sayth At what time so euer a sinner shall repent him of his sinnes I will no more remember them How great is this that this most loâ—uing Father dooth who vppon thâ— short and scarce ended prayer or thâ— prodigall Sonne could not containe himselfe any longer but thaâ— hee embraced him and receaueâ— him with great ioy into his house Returne therefore my brother to this gracious and bountifull Fatheâ— lift vppe thy heart in time conuenient â—nd faile not incessantly to 〈◊〉 At the gates of his mercy and assâ—â—redly beleeue that if thou perseuer with humility hee will at 〈◊〉 aunswere thee and shewe thee the secret treasure of his loue which when thou hâ—st apâ—rooued thou shalt say with the spouse in the Canâ—â—cles If a man shall giue all the substance of his house for loue hee sâ—all esteeme it as nothing The Argument It greatly deceaueth a Christian man to perseuer in his sinnes and to excuse himselfe and say that hee will in short space amend his life for it blindeth his soule and buriâ—th it deepely in euill custome so that he accustometh himselfe more and more in sinne and causeth vice to take so deepe roote in man that but very hardly it may afterwards be rooted out CHAP. 17. NOtwithstanding all these which defende the cause of vertue suffâ—cientlie enough the peruerser sort haue as yet certayne Arguments whereby they labour to defend their slothfulnes Hee seeketh occasion that will forsake his friend But hee that doeth this is at all times wooâ—thy of reprehension For there are some who will aunsvvere in one onelie vvorde saying That heereafter they will amend their liues but that now they cannot that they exspect some otheâ— time some other oportunity to performe the same thinking now thaâ— it is hard and that some few yeereâ— heereafter it will bee more easie This errour truly is very great and greater then which may not any one be founde out For if a man wilâ— perseuer in his euill life and heape sinne vpon sinne how can he afterward more easily leaue them wheâ— he shall be accustomed in his sinne and the habites of his minde are more depraued For in that future time which hee proposeth to himselfe if hee proceedeth in his wickednes that euill custome will be more confirmed and nature more weakned The deuills power shâ—â— be greater in thee and thou shal be farther seperated from God and therefore grow more blinder moâ—â— addicted to sinne and as it were buried in the same If therefore the difficulties of this cause be such who is hee of so corrupt judgement amongst vs that beleeueth his conuersion wil hereafter be more easie â—he causes of the difficulties euery â—â—ves encreasing For whereas daiâ—â— sinnes are heaped on sinnes it is â—ot to bee doubted but that the â—nots wher-with the soule is bound 〈◊〉 multiplied the chaines whereâ—y it is tyed made stronger The â—â—derstanding in time to come shall be more obscured through the vse of sinne the will shall be weakened to good works the appetite shall be more prone to all euill and the will â—hall be so weakned as that the apâ—etite may not be subdued thereby Which since it is so how can it be that thou shouldst beleeue that in â—uture time the affaire of thy conâ—ersion will be more easie to thee And if thou say that thou canst not â—uer-ferry the Foord in the morâ—ing when as the water is yet at the â—est ebb in the euening when as the â—hannell is full and the flood like a Sea ouer-floweth how canst thou get ouer it If it seeme hard vnto â—hee to roote out this new plant of â—hy offences what wilt thou doe when it hath taken deepe roote and â—leaueth more strongly to the earth â—hen euer it did before Put the case that thou art nowe to fight with a hundreth sinnes and heereafter thou art to battell with a thousand nowe with the depraued custome of one or two yeeres then perchaunce with the imperfections of tenne yeeres Who therfore told â—hee that in timâ— to come thou mayst more eaâ—ily beare thy burthen which at this present thou canst not sustaine wheâ— as neuerthelesse both thy sinnes arâ— daily multiplied thy euil customeâ— encrease Doost thou not markâ— that these are the cauilations of euilâ— debters who because they woulâ— not repay the money they had borowed defer the payment from daâ— to day But what amongst diuers otheâ— thinges shall I say of peruerse cuâ—stome and the violence of his tiranâ—nie which detayneth a man confâ—â—â—med in his wickednes It is an ordâ—â—narie thing that he that driueth in 〈◊〉 naile first before he striketh it witâ— his hammer he firmely fixeth it anâ— the second time more firmely anâ— the third most strongly So in 〈◊〉 our euill workes that wee doe as 〈◊〉 were with a great mallet wee moâ—â— deeply infixe sinne in our soules and â—â—ere cleaueth it so vnmooueablie that nothing may be founde that may drawe out or expell the same Hence it is that wee often see their â—ge to growe childish who haue consumed all theyr whole lyfe in wickednes and offence to ouerâ—â—ow with the dissolutions of their fore-passed age althogh those yeeres repugne and nature it â—elfe abhorres the same And when as now nature her selfe is already wearied decayed yet doth that custome which is as yet in force wander round about â—eeking for impossible pleasures so much may the