A CHRISTIAN DIRECTORIE GVIDING MEN TO THEIR SALVATION DIVIDED INTO THREE BOOKES THE first vvherof apperteining to Resolution is only conteined in this volume deuided into tvvo partes and set forth novv againe vvith many corrections and additions by th' Authour him self vvith reprofe of the corrupt and falsified edition of the same booke lately published by M. Edm. Buny THER is added also a methode for the vse of al with two tables and a preface to the Reader which is necessarie to be reade Psal. 4. v. 3. Filij hominum vt quid diligitis vanitatem You children of men why loue you vanitie Luc. 1. v. 22. Porrò vnum est necessarium But one thing is necessarie ANNO. 1585. AVGVSTI 30. A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS CONTEINED IN BOTH THE PARTES OF this booke Wherin such as haue bene newly added or much altered in this edition are noted with a starre in the margent In the first part are thes 12. OF the manifold perils inconueniēcies that doe it sue to the vvorld by inconsideration and hovv necessarie it is for euery man to enter into cogitatiō of his ovvn estate Chap. 1 pa. 1. That there is a God vvhich revvardeth good and euil against al Atheistes of old and of our time vvith the most inuincible proofes alleaged for the same both by Ievv and Gentile VVherin also is set dovvne the confirmation of al scriptures by euident demonstratiōs Chapt. 2. page 25. VVhy God created man and for vvhat end he planted him in this vvorld and of the obligation that man hath therby to attend to the affaire for vvhich he vvas sent hyther to vvit vnto the seruice of almightie God That this seruice required by God must be in Christian religion the particuler proofes and confirmations of vvhich religion are set dovvne both by that vvhich passed before Christes appearance vpon earth vvhile he vvas in this life and after his ascension into heauen Chap. 4. page 132. Hovv a man may iudge or discerne of himself vvhether he be a true Christian or not vvith a declaration of the tvvo partes belonging to that profession vvhich are beleefe and life Chap. 5 page 298. Of the tvvo principal pointes that doe appertaine to a Christian life that is to saie taresist al sinne and to excercise al kinde of vertue vvith the meanes and methode hovv to perfourme them both Chap. 6. page 323 Of the accompt vvhich Christians must yeld to God of the duties and offices before rehearsed As also the Maiestie seueritie terrour and other circumstances of that reconing day vvith tvvo seueral times appointed for that purpose Chap. 7. page 349. Of the nature of sinne and of the vnvvorthines of him that committeth the same for iustifyinge the seueritie of Gods iudgement set doune and declared in the chapter going before Chap. 8. page 378. An other consideration for the further iustifying of Goas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 station of our grieuous offence Taken from the iuestimable Maiestie of him vvhom vve offende of the innumerable benifices vvhich he hath bestovved Chap 9. page 400. Of vvhat opinion vve shal be concerning the matters aforsaid at the time of our diath as also vvhat our state shal be at that passage and hovv different our iudgement from that it is novv Chap. 10 page 419. Of the greate and seuere paines and punishmentes appointed by God for sinners after this life As also of tvvo kindes and sortes therof the one temporal for them that shal be saued th' other eternal for the damned Chap. 11. page 444. Of the most honorable excellent and munificent revvardes and paimentes ordained for such as trulie serue God and doe imploy their time in perfourmance of his most holie commandementes Chap. 12. page 479. In the second part are thes 8. Of the first impediment that is vvont to let sinners from resolution VVhich is the mistrust diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and grieuousnes of their offences Chap. 1. page 523. The second let of resolutiō vvhich is the suposed hardnes asperitie of vertuous life The fallacie vvherof is discouered and the manifold helpes declared that doe make the same most easie svveet pleasant Chap. 2 p. 570. The third impediment that stayeth diuers men from resolutiō in Gods seruice VVhich is the feare they conceaue of persecution afflictiō losse danger or tribulation Chap. 3 page 631. The fourth and greatest impediment that hindereth resolution to vvitte The loue and respect vvhich men beare to the pleasures and vanities of this vvorld Chap. 4. page 688. Examples of true resolution in the tvvo former pointes of suffering for Christ and contemning the vvorld Adioined for the better declaration confirmation of the tvvo chapters next going before Chap. 5. page 747 The fist impediment of resolution in the seruice of almightie God Proceeding of ouer much presumption in the mercie of our Sauiour vvithout remembrance of his iustice Chap. 6. page 793. The sixt thing that vseth to stay and hinder men from mature resolutiō VVhich is the deceitful hope and persuation to doe it better or vvith more ease aftervvard Chap. 7. p. 818 Of three other lettes and impedimentes that hinder men from resolution to vvit Slothfulnes careles negligence and hardnes of hart vtterly contemning al things vvith the cōclusion of this first booke Chap. 8. p. 852. THE PREFACE CONTAINING THE CAVSES AND REASONS OF this nevv edition as also a detection of the foule and false dealing of M. Edm. Buny Minister in his late edition of the former booke With certaine instructions very profitable to the reader WHEN of late I had taken in hand to finish and send vnto thee deare Christian reader th' other two bookes that were promised of this worke I meane thos two which should treate of the right entrance and faithful perseuerance in the seruice of almightie God I was moued by diuers frendes first of al to put againe in print in some better order then before the first booke appetteining to resolution Wherunto I was the more easie to be induced for that I perceaued many monethes before that al the first copies of the said former booke though not so wel done as iustely I might haue wished were vvholy dispersed and none remaining to be had Secondly it being now purposed that thes second and third bookes should passe forth in better print paper and character then the former did wherin by some errour as also by difficultie of the time greate defect was found it seemed meere and requisice that this first booke of which th' other two doe depēd should be made correlpondent vnto them in thes respectes also and for that consideration to be reprinted Wherunto when I had yelded I resolued in like manner to take the same first booke into my handes againe to bestow a short renew vpon that which alredy was done as wel to polish and fil
vnde pendet aeternitas This life is the momēt wherof dependeth al eternitie of weal or woe hereafter If it be but a moment deare brother and yet a moment of so great consequence and importance how is it passed ouer by earthelie men with so litle care and cogitation what reason may be alleaged of this so dangerous a negligence what cause may be assigned of so extreme a follie Al the creatures of earth heauen and hel euen from the very first to the last if thou examine them al may be argumentes and motiues vnto thee to leaue this perilous course wherin thou art al are or may be bookes lessons and sermōs vnto thee preaching and protesting some by their punishment some by their glorie some by their beautie and al by their creation that thou oughtest without delay to make resolution of an other kinde of life and that al is vanitie al is folie al is iniquitie al is miserie besides the onelie seruice of thie Lord and maker And so with this wil I make here an ende of this first part reseruing some other things to be spoken in the second for remouing of such impedimēts as our spiritual aduersarie is wont to cast against this good worke of Resolution as against the first step and degree of our saluation Our Lord God Sauiour Iesus Christ who was content to paye his own pretious blood for the purchasing of this noble inheritance of his kingdome vnto vs geue vs his holy grace to esteeme of it as the great weight of the matter requireth and not by negligence to loose our title and portion therin The end of the first part containing motiues to resolution THE SECOND PARTE WHICH TREATETH OF THE LETTES and impedimentes that hinder resolution THE PREFACE IN the former parte of this booke gentle reader ther haue bene layed doune sundry reasons and considerations wherby to stirre vp men to the firme resolution of seruing God which might be sufficient no doubt to that effect the nature of vertue being also cōsidered which of her self draweth reasonable men to loue and admiration of her were not the subtiltie of our spiritual enimie very greate and dangerous in this behalfe and his indeuours most diligent against our purpose For so it fareth that when he seeth by the former reasons and demonstrations alleaged that the iudgement of man is conuinced in the pointes which are treated and that it can no longer resist or deny but that the onlie true wisdome were in deed to breake of from the vanities and sinful life of this world and to be-take our selues to the gainful 〈◊〉 mightie God then this infernal foe 〈◊〉 able further to delude our iudgemente 〈◊〉 blynd our vnderstandings imployeth him self by al meanes possible for retaining of his pray to stay our wil from yelding consent vnto our iudgement all eaging for his dissuation either the difficultie of obtaining pardon or the paines and hardnes of vertuous life or the losse of worldlie honour and earthlie commodities or some other such like fraude or trifle wherby to let and hinder our resolution or at least wise to prolonge it so farre forth as he may be in hope that we shal neuer make it afterwards to our gaine or comfort For preuenting of which malitious and most perilous indeuour of our ghostelie aduersarie this second parte is adioined conteining the cheefe and principal impedimentes that vsuallie doe rise against resolution the remooual and confutation of which lettes and impedimentes shal bring no smal light vnto the studious reader for the true vnderstanding both of his owne estate and of the deceptes and illusions vsed towards him by his enimie Read then this parte also deare Christian brother vvith no lesse diligence then the former for that the profit therof shal be equal and thy contentement perhapes farre greater in respect of the varietie of matters handled therin and of the manifold comfortes which thy soule in perufing shal receaue therby OF THE FIRST IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS from resolution VVhich is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and grieuousnes of their offences CHAPT I. AMONG al other gricuous and most perilous cogitatiōs which in this world are accustomed to offer them selues to a mind entangled and lode with great sinnes this vsually is the first thorough the nature of sinne it self and craftie suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fal into distrust and despaire of Gods mercie Such was the cogitation of most vnhappie Cain one of the first inhabitantes of mankind vpon earth who after the murther of his owne only brother and other sinnes by him committed brust furth into that horrible and desperate speech so greatly offensiue to his Lord and Maker mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in like maner the desperate conceit of wicked Iudas one of the first of them that were chosen to the peculiar seruice of our Redeemer who feeling his conscience oppressed with manifold enormous iniquities and most of al with the prodition of his owne Lord maister tooke no other ware of amendment or redresse but to destroie him self both in bodie and soule adioining only thos words ful of miserable distrust and desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and iust blood By which wordes and most wreched ende he more grieuouslie offended and iniuried his most louing merciful Saueour then by al his former iniquities committed against him This then most louing brother is the first and greatest rocke wherat a sinful soule ouerburdened with the charge of her owne iniquities and tossed in the waues of dredful cogitations by the blastes and stormes of Gods threats against sinners doth commonlie make her shipwrake This is that most horrible depth and dungeon wher of the holie Scripture saieth The impious man vvhen he is come into the botome and prosonditie of his sinnes contemneth al. This is that remediles sore and incurable wound wherwith God him self charged Ierusalem when he said Insanabilis fractura tua Thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorough the multitude of their wickednes to eneline now to despaire of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into this most pitiful complaint for this vvil I vveepe and lament extremely I vvil strippe of my clothes and vvander naked I vvil rore like vnto Dragons and sound out my sorovve as Strutbious in the desert for that the vvound and maladie of my people is desperate This is that great and maine impediment that stoppeth the conduits of Gods holie grace from flowing into the soule of a sinful man This is the knif that cutteth in sunder al thos heauely blessed cordes wherwith our sweet Lord and Saneour endeuoureth to draw vnto repentance the hartes of sinners saing by his prophete I vvil pul them vnto me vvith the chaines of loue and charitie For by this meanes
you doune againe and breake your necke douneward except ye repent for that in deed there is no one thing which may be more iniurious to Gods diuine maiestie then to make him the foundation of our sinful life who lost his owne life for the extinguishing of sinne But you wil say perhappes And is not God then merciful yes truely deare brother he is most merciful there is neither end nor measure of his mercie he is euen mercie it self it is his nature and essence and he can no more leaue to be merciful then he can leaue to be God But yet as the prophet here saith he is iust also We must not so remember his mercie as we forget his iustice Duleis rectus dominus our Lord is swete but yet vpright iust also saith holy Dauid And in the same place al the vvaies of our Lord are mercie and trueth Which words S. Barnard expounding in a certaine sermon of his saieth thus There be two feete of our Lord wherby he walketh his waies That is Mercie Trueth and God fastneth both thes feete vpon the hartes of them which turne vnto him And euery sinner that wil truely conuert him self must lay hand-fast on both thes feete For if he should lay hande on mercy onely letting passe truth iustice he would perish by presumptiō And on th' other side if he should apprehend iustice onely without mercie he would perish by desperation To the end therfore that he may be saued he must humblie fal doune and kisse both thes feete that in respect of Gods iustice he may retaine feare and in respect of his mercie he may conceaue hope And in an other place Happie is that soule vpon which our Lord IESVS Christ hath placed both his feete I wil not sing vnto thee Iudgement alone nor yet mercie alone my God but I wil sing vnto thee with the prophet Dauid mercie and iudgement ioined together And I wil neuer forget thos two iustifications of thine S. Austen handleth this point most excellently in diuerse places of his workes Let them marke saieth he which loue so much mercie and gentlenes in our Lord let them marke I say and feare also his trueth For as the prophet saieth God is both swete and iust Doest thou loue that he is sweete feare also that he is iust As a sweete Lord he said I haue held my peace at your sinnes But as a iust Lord he addeth And thinke you that I vvil hold my peace still God is merciful and ful of mercies say you it is most certaine yea adde vnto this that he beareth long But yet feare that which commeth in the verses ende verax That is he is also true and iust There be two things wherby sinners doe stand in danger the one in hoping to much which is presumptiō th' other in hoping to litle which is desperation Who is deceiued by hoping to much He which saieth to himself God is a good God a merciful God therfore I wil doe what pleaseth me and why so because God is a merciful God a good God a gentle God Thes men runne into daunger by hoping to much Who are in daunger by despaire they which seing their sinnes greuous and thinkīng it now vnpossible to be pardoned say within them-selues wel wee are once to be damned why doe we not then whatsoeuer pleaseth vs best in this life Thes mē are murdered by desperation th' other by hope What therfore doeth God for gaining of both thes men To him which is in daunger by hope he saieth Doe not say vvith thy self the mercie of God is great he vvil be merciful to the multitude of my sinnes for the face of his vvrath is vpon sinners To him that is in danger by desperation he saieth At vvhat time soeuer a sinner shal turne him self to me I vvil forget his iniquities Thus farre S. Austē besides much more which he addeth in the same place touching the great peril and folie of thos men who vpon vaine hope of Gods mercie doe perseuer in their euil life It is truely deare brother a verie euil consequent and a most vniust kind of reasoning to say that for so much as almightie God is merciful long suffering therfore wil I abuse his mercie and continue in my wickednes The scripture teacheth vs not to reason so but rather quite contrarie God is merciful and expecteth my conuersion and the longer he expecteth the more greeuous wil be his punishment when it commeth if I neglect his patience and therfore I ought presently to accept of his mercie So reasoneth S. Paul who saieth doest thou contemne the riches of his long suffering and gentlenes Doest thou not know that the patience of God towardes thee is vsed to bring the to repentāce But thou through the hardnes of thy hart and irrepentant mind doest hoard and heape vp to thy self wrath in the day of vengeance at the reuelation of Gods iust iudgemēt In which wordes S. Paul signifieth that the longer God suffereth vs with patiēce in our wickednes the greater heape of vengeance doth he gather against vs if we persist obstinate in the same Wherunto S. Augustin addeth an other consideration of great dread and feare and that is if he offer thee grace saith he to day thou knowest not whether he wil doe the same tomorow If he geue thee life and memorie this weeke thou knowest litle whether thou shalt enioy that benefit the next The holie prophet beginning his seuentie and second Psalme of the dangerous prosperitie of worldlie men vseth these wordes of admiration Hovv good a God is the God of Israel vnto thē that be of a right hart And yet in al that Psalme he doth nothig els but shew the heauie iustice of God towardes the wicked euen when he geueth thē most prosperities worldlie wealth and his conclusion is Behold ô Lord they shal perish vvhich departe from thee thou hast destroyed al those that haue broken their faith of 〈◊〉 vvith the. By which is signified that how good soeuer God be vnto the iust yet that pertaineth nothing to the releefe of the wicked who are to receiue iust vengeance at his handes amiddest the greatest mercies bestowed vpon the godlie The eyes of our Lord are vpon the iust saieth the same prophet and his eares are bent to heare their praiers but the face of our Lord is vpon them that doe euil to destroie their memorie from out of the earth It was an old practise of deceiuing prophetes resisted stronglie by the prophetes of God to crie peace peace vnto wicked men when in deed their was nothing towardes them but daunger sword and destruction according as the true prophetes fortolde and as the euent proued Wherfore the prophet Dauid geueth vs a notable sure rule to gouerne our hope and confidence withal when he saith sacrificate sacrificiū
this assurance vnto vs Christ sent that most sweet and comfortable embassage vnto his disciples presentlie vpon his resurrection Goe and tel my brethren that I doe ascend vnto my father and vnto your father vnto my God and vnto your God By which two wordes of Father and God the one of loue and th' other of power the one of wil the other of abilitie he tooke away al doubt of not speeding from each man that should make recourse to this merciful Lord and Father God him self also after many threates vsed by the prophet Ieremie against the people of Israel for their sinnes in the end lest they should dispaire turneth about his talke and changeth his stile assuring them of many graces and fauours if they would returne vnto him telling the house of Israel that he had loued her from the beginning and had sought to draw her vnto him by threates to the end he might take mercy vpon her and that now he intended to build her vp againe to adorne her with ioy and exultation to gather her children from al corners of the earth to refresh them with the waters and riuers of life al this saith he quia factus sum Israeli pater for that I am become now a Father to Israel And in the same place to wicked Ephraim the head citie of the rebellious kingdome of Samaria he saith Ephraim is become my honorable sonne my delicate and dearely beloued child therefore my bovvels are moued vvith compassion vpon him and in abundance of mercy vvil I take pitie of him So much attributed God to this respect of being a father vnto Israel and Ephraim and of their being his children that for this cause only notwithstanding their infinit enormous sinnes his bowelles of endles mercie were moued with loue and compassion towardes them And thes are thos tender merciful bowelles which holie Zacharie father to S. Iohn Baptist protesteth to be in almightie God towardes mankind that had offended him Thes are thos which were in that good old father mentioned in the Gospel who being not only offended but also abandoned by his yonger sonne yet after he saw him returne home againe notwithstanding he had wasted al his thrist and substance and had weried out his bodie with wicked life he was so far of from disdaining to receaue him as he came forth to meete with him sel vpō his neck and kissed him for ioy adorned him with new apparel and riche iewelles prouided a solemne banket for him inuited his friēdes to be merie with him and showed more exultation and triumph for his returne then if he had neuer departed from him By which parable our Saueour IESVS endeuored to set forth vnto vs the incomprehensible mercie of his heauenly Father towardes sinners in which respect he is truely called by his Apostle pater misericordiarum the father of mercies For that as S. Bernard wel noteth this sea Oceā of mercies doth flow peculiarly frō the hart of a father which can not be said so properly of the gulfe and depth of his iudgementes For which cause he is called in Scripture the God of iustice and reuēge and not the Father And finally this blessed name of father in God doth import vnto vs by Godes owne testimonie al sweetenes al loue al frendship al comfort al satherly prouidēce care and protection al certaintie of fauour al assurance of grace al securitie of mercie pardon and remission of our sinnes whensoeuer vnfainedly we turne vnto him And in this point his diuine Maiestie is so foreward and vehement to geue vs assurance that being not content to set forth his loue vnto vs by the loue of a fathers hart he goeth further and protesteth vnto vs that his hart is more tēder towardes vs in this behalf then the hart of any mother can be to the only child and infant of her own wombe For thus he saith to Sion which for her sinnes begā to doubt least he had forsaken her Can the mother forget her ovvainfant or can she not be merciful to the child of her ovvne vvombe if she could yet can I not forget or reiect thee behold I haue vvritten thee in the flesh of my ovvne handes And this for so much as God is called our Father Ther remaineth yet a third consideration which more setteth forth Gods inestimable loue then any of the other demonstrations before handled And this is that he gaue the life and blood of his only begotten and eternal sonne for purchasing and redeeming vs when wee were lost a price so infinite and inexplicable as no doubt his diuine wisdome would neuer haue giuen but for a thing which he had loued aboue al measure Which our Sauiour him self that was to make the paiment doth plainly signifie and therfore also seemeth as it were to wonder at such a bargaine when he saieth in the Ghosple So dearly hath God my father loued the vvorld that he hath giuen for it his only begotten sonne In which wordes he ascribeth this most wōderful dealing of his father vnto the vehemencie and exceeding aboundāce of loue as doth also his dearest disciple and Apostle S. Sohn saing In this appeareth the great loue and charitie of God towards vs that he hath sent his only begotten sonne into the world to purchase life for vs. In this I saie is made euident his exceeding charitie that we not louing him he loued vs first and gaue his owne sonne to be a ransome for our sinnes Wherunto also the holie Apostle S. Paul agreeth admiring in like maner the excessiue loue of God in thes wordes God doth maruailouslie commend and set forth his great loue vnto vs in that we being yet sinners he gaue his sonne to the death for our redemption And in an other place framing out as at were a measure of Gods mercie by this aboundance of his loue faieth thus God who is rich in mercie thorough the exceeding loue which he bore vnto vs we being dead in sinne he reuiued vs in Christ and raised vs vp euen vnto heauen making vs to sitte doune ther with him to the ende he might declare to al ages and worldes ensuing the most abundant riches of his grace and goodnes towards vs. This was the opinion of that noble Apostle S. Paul and of al his coequals Apostles Euangelistes Disciples Saints that this worke of our redemption proceeded only from the inflamed fornace of Gods immeasurable loue And therfore to make no other conclusion her of then that which S. Paul him self doth make If God haue not spared his owne proper only begotten soone but hath geuen him vp to death for gaining vs vnto him how can it be that with him he hath not geuen vnto vs al other thinges If when we were his enemies and thought not vpon him he sent to seeke vs so diligently by such a messinger as he loued so dearly allowing
svveet and merciful is our Lord and his miserations aboue al the rest of his mast vvonderful vvorkes Who wil maruail if the same prophet made a vowe that his euerlastīg song should be of the mercies of this his Lord and maker But yet this thing is made much more apparant by that which his deuine Maiestie did afterwardes to the same people in the daies of Ieremie the prophet aboue an hundreth yeares after this treatie in the time of Esaie at what time God being resolued to destroie them and their citie for their obduration in their sinnes when the hower of execution drewe neare his bowels of mercie were so touched with commiseratiō towardes them as he called to Ieremie and commaunded him once againe to goe vp to the temple gate wher al the people did passe in and out and ther with a loude voice to crie as foloweth Heare yee the word of God ò al you of Iuda that doe passe in and out by thes gates thus sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel yet doe you amend your waies and I wil dwel in this place with you c. And when this exhortation and blessed indeuour of almightie God could not moue or profit them any thing at al then his vnspeakable goodnes began with sharpe threates in this maner My furie and indignation is gathered together vpon this citie and vpon the inhabitantes and vpon the very beastes and cattel therof as also vpon the fruite and trees of this region The carcases of this people shal be foode to the birdes of the aire and to the beastes of the filde their enimies shal come cast forth of their sepulchers the bones of the kīges and princes of Iuda the bones of their priestes prophetes and inhabitantes and shal drie them at the sunne and cast them out vnto the dunghil After al which lōg and dreadful cōmination he altereth his speech presentelie againe and saith with a very lamentable and pitiful voice And vvil not he that is fallen notvvithstanding al this rise vp againe VVil not be that is departed from me returne vnto me againe O vvhy doth my people runne from me so obstinatelie By which louing complaint and infinite other meanes of mercie that God vsed to that people when no amendment at al could be procured his diuine Maiestie was inforced to cal Nabuchodonosor king of Babilon before the walles of Hierusalem to destroy it But euen now also consider the bowels of his vnspeakable mercie For hoping that by this terrour they might perchance be stirred vp to conuersion he sent Ieremie the prophet to them againe with this embassage tel the inhabitantes of Hierusalem vvil ye not yet receaue discipline and obey my vvordes Wherat thos graceles people were so litle moued as they tooke Ieremie and cast him into prison for his message and therby exasperated most grieuoulie Gods further indignation against them Notwithstanding al which his incomprehensible clemencie would not thus abandon them but commanded holie Ieremie to write out al his threates and promisses in a booke together and to send the same vnto them forth of the prison wher he lay by his seruant Baruch to be read in their hearing and so he did Wherof whē Ioacim the king had vnderstanding he commanded Baruch to be brought into his presence and ther to read the booke by the fier side as the Scripture noteth And whē he had heard but three or foure pages therof he cut them out with a penne knif and threwe the whole booke into the fier and so consumed it At which obstinat and impious dealing albeit almightie God were extremely offended yet cōmanded he this same booke to be indited and writen againe in much more ample maner then before therby if it had bene possible to haue stirred vp gained that people vnto him But when this by no means in the world could be brought to passe then permitted his diuine Maiestie the whole citie to be destroied according to his former threate and that rebellious people to be lead away captiue in bōdage to Babilon In which place and miserie notwithstanding their demerites his infinit mercie could not for sake them but sent his prophet Ezechiel as also Baruch vnto them with extreme complaint of their obduration and yet offring vnto thē mercie and pardon euen thē if they would repent And what more wonderful clemencie then this can possibly be imagined deare Christian brother May in reason any man euer now enter into doubt or despaire of Gods mercie how great and greeuous soeuer the burden of his sinnes be when he considereth this proceeding of his eternal Maiestie with the people of Israel for so many yeares and ages together whom him self calleth notwithstanding Gentem Apostatricem dura facie indomabili corde an apostatical nation of a shameles countenance and incorrigible disposition Can God deuise any more effectual and forcible means to erect animate a sinner confidently to returne vnto him then are thes And yet gentle reader for thy further confort and encouragement in this behalf I wil adioine one thing more which doth exceed and passe al reason and reache of humane imagination and this is that God promiseth to a sinner that faithfullie wil returne vnto him not only to forget and vtterly extinguishe al memorie of his former iniquities but also to make more ioy and triumphe at his conuersion and to loue and cherishe him more tenderlie at his returne then if he had neuer fallen or departed from his seruice This God him self signifieth by the Prophet Esay when he saith cal vnto Hierusalem speake vnto her hart that is comfortably for that her iniquitie is for giuen she hath receaued dubble at Gods handes for al her sinnes committed And more plainelie in an other place by the same Prophet the light of the moone shal be as the light of the sunne and the light of the sonne shal be as the light of seuen dayes seuen tymes put together vvhen God shal binde vp the vvoundes of his people heale their fores And to this purpose doe appertaine directelie thos most wonderful parables of our Saueour in the Ghospel concerning th' extraordinarie ioye and feasting that the careful woman made when she had founde againe her grote that was lost the good Shepherd when he brought backe the sheepe that was astray and the merciful father when he receaued home his sonne that before had abādoned him And to the same purpose doth it also appertaine that in the Prophet Dauid God glorieth especiallie in the seruice of thos people that before had not knowen him And this shal suffice for this seconde pointe to shew what wonderful meanes almightie God doth vse in setting forth his mercie for allurement of sinners vnto repentance AND SO HAVING declared what exceeding great loue and mercie God beareth towardes man and how effectuallie he expresseth the same by his
founde no place of repētāce albeit with teares he sought the same Wherof S. Chrisostome geueth the reason in thes wordes For this cause Esau obtained not pardon for that he did not repente as he should haue done his teares proceeding rather of anger and temptation then of true sorovv When the people of Israel came to be a distinct nation and to be gouerned at Gods appointement how greeuouslie trow you did they offend day lie and almost howerlie his diuine Maiestie And how gratiouslie did his vnspeakable clemencie remitt and pardon their manifold and innumerable sinnes trespasses done agaist him The whole scripture in truth seemeth nothing els but a perpetual narration of Gods incredible patience and infinite mercies towardes them And if I would speake of particuler persons amōg them which he receaued to his fauour after greate and manifold offences committed ther would be no end of that recital Let Manasses that most impious and wicked king be an exāple for al of whos enormous life and most detestable actes whole pages are replenished both in the bookes of kinges and Chronicles and yet afterwardes notwithstanding the same man falling into miserie and calamitie among the Babylonians a fortunate schoole oftentimes for Princes who in their prosperitie are wont to contemne God he begā to be sorowful for his former life and actions and to doe great penance as the scripture saith in the sight of God for the same Wherat his diuine and incomprehēsible mercie was so much moued presentlie as he receaued him to fauour and brought him backe from his prison and fetters to his kingdome and imperial throne of Maiestie The exāple also of the Niniuites is very notable singuler in this behalf against whom almightie God hauing decreed a sentence of death to be executed within a certaine time he commanded Ionas the prophet to goe and denounce that sentēce vnto them But Ionas wel knowing the nature and disposition of God towardes mercie forsaw as afterwardes he signifieth that if he should goe and beare that embassage vnto them and they therupon make change of ther liues his Maiestie would presentlie pardon them and so he should be taken for a false and lying prophet For auoiding which inconuenience he chose rather to flee away by sea to the citie of Tharsis and ther to hide himself But almightie God raised a tempest in that iourney and disposed in such sort as Ionas was cast into the sea and ther receaued and deuoured by a whale from whos belly he was commanded afterwardes to repaire to Niniue and to doe his former message which he perfourmed And the tenour of his message was that within fortie dayes that huge citie of Niniuie should be destroyed Which he hauing denounced vnto them the sequel fel out as Ionas before had suspected For the Niniuites beleeuing the message and betaking them selues to repentance God forgaue them presentlie wherat Ionas was exceedinglie greeued offended complained sweetlie to God of his strāge dealing herin demanding whie he had inforced him to come and preach destruction vnto them knowing wel before hād that he would pardon them But his merciful Lord answered him fullie to this pointe by a certaine accident that fel out wherto Ionas was not able to replie one word For so it chanced that Ionas sitting without the walles of Niniuie vnder an Iuie bush that in one night by Gods appointment was sprōg vp to couer him frō the sunne the same Iuie by Gods ordināce perished vpon the suddaine and was consumed by a worme leauing the poore prophet destitute of that consolation of shadoe which he receaued by it Wherwith he being not a litle disquieted and afflicted God said vnto him thou Ionas art sorowful and much grieued for losse of thine Iuie tree which not withstanding thou diddest not plant nor make to grow nor tookest any labour at al about it But the same grew vp in one night and in one night it perished againe And shal not I then be careful to pardon my greate citie of Niniuie wherin ther be aboue an hundred and twentie thousand innocent people which can not distinguish betwene their right hand and their left This was the answer of almightie God to Ionas for defence of his singuler inclinatiō to mercie in respect that the Niniuites were his owne creatures his owne workmanship and the labours of his own handes as al other people also are Of which kinde of reason and consideration ther haue bene diuers thinges said and declared before for manifestation of Gods infinit mercie And al this that hitherto hath bene spoken is of thinges onlie donne in time of the old testament before the appearance of Christ our Saueour in flesh But now if we looke into the time of grace when God incarnate came him self in person to shew the riches of his endles mercie vnto mortal men vpon earth we shal see more examples without comparison of this exceeding clemencie For that now our Creator and shepheard ouercome as it were with extreme compassion came down into the vale of our miserie with resolution not onlie to offer pardon and forgeuenes to al his sheepe that were a stray and would returne but also to follow seeke them out being found to lay them on his own shoulders and so to beare them backe vnto the fold againe and ther to geue his life and blood for their defence against the wolfe O sweet Lord what greater loue cā be imagined then this what more pregnant signification of inflamed charitie can mans cogitation conceaue or apprehend is it maruaile now if he which descēded vnto vs with this hart and with thes bowels of burning affectiō did set open the gates of al his treasures fauours graces vnto vs Is it maruaile if the holie apostle S. Paul doe saye of this time Superabundauit gratia that grace did ouer abounde and yet further in an other place that Christ being verie God did in a certaine sort impouerish and emptie him self with the most wonderful effusion of mercies and hauoke of heauen which at this time and euer since he hath made Herehence it proceeded that al his delite and pleasure vpon earth was to conuerse with sinners and to geeue them cōfort corage and cōfidence in him Which he did so manifestlie in the sight of al the world as he was very scandalous and offensiue therby to the Scribes and Pharisees and other principal rulers among the Iuish nation Herehence also did proceed thos his most maruailous speeches and strange inuitations of wicked men vnto him as for example at one time among other when he cried out in publique Come vnto me al ye that doe labour and be heauie loden and I vvel refresh you And at an other time going into the temple of Ierusalem vpon a high festiual day when al the people were gathered together he stood vp in the middest of
of other affaires Thes are the wordes of the Deuil louing brother Thes are the counsailes persuasions of our enemie But mine are contrarie If thou haue fallen thou maiest rise againe If thou haue bene a lost companion yet thou maiest be saued If thou haue committed fornication and adulterie in time past thou maiest be continent for the time to come If thou haue hanted playes games thou maiest drawe backe thy foot from hence forth If thou haue delighted in leud and euil companie thou maiest herafter acquaint thy self with good Thou hast free wil to chuse ether part This only is necessarie that thou beginne thy conuersion out of hand that thou repent and take in hand to reforme thy self though it be at the first but a litle Let thine eies beginne but to shed forth one teare enter into thy conscience consider thy self but indifferently examine thine actions and what they deserue lay before thy face the daie of Iudgment with the torments of hel on the one side and the ioyes of heauen on the other Repēt confesse amend thy life seeke a medicine for thy wound out of hand while thou art in this life in what state or condition soeuer thou be Yea if thou be vpon thy death-bed ready to breath out thy soule and spirit feare not to repent for that Gods mercie is not restrayned by the shortnes of time Which I speake vnto you my deare brethren not to make you hereby the more negligent but only to stirre you vp to the confidence of Gods mercie and thereby to auoyde the most dangerous gulfe of desperation Hitherto are the wordes of this holie and learned Father In which long and large discourse of his we are to note that together with most excellent encoragement which he geueth to al sinners of what state and cōdition soeuer they be in al times and seasons to confide in Gods mercie and neuer to despaire he geueth also an holsome admonishment that we should not by this confidence become more necligent in reforming our liues but rather do it out of hand without al delay or procrastinatiō Whereunto in like maner the holy father S. Augustine in a like exhortation against despaire doth endeuour most vehemently to stirre vs vp in these wordes Let no man after a hundred sinnes nor after a thousand despaire of Gods mercie but yet so let him not despaire as he seeke presently without al stay to recōcile him self to God by amendment of life least perhaps after that by custome he hath gotten a habit of sinne he be not able to deliuer him self from the snares of the Diuel albeit he would And in the very same sermon he discourseth yet further of the same matter in manner folowing Not euery man that hath sinned but he that perseuereth in sinne is hateful and abominable in the sight of God For that no man must distrust of Gods mercie towards him that wil amend and leaue his sinnes For that God him self as a most sweete comforter hath said by his Prophet that the impietie of a vvicked man shal not hurt him at vvhat day soeuer he shal turne from the same But yet this great mercie of our Lord is thē only profitable vnto vs if we delay not our conuersion nor doe multiplie sinnes vpon sinnes Which I wil declare vnto you by th' example of woundes and ruptures of our bodie by which th' infirmities also of our mind and soule may be conceaued Thus then we see if a mās foote leg or arme be broken with how great paine the same is restored to his accustomed strength But if any member of our body should be broken twise or three times or more often in one and the self same place your charitie cā imagin how hard a thing it were for that part to recouer her perfit health againe So fareth it deare brethrē in the woundes and ruptures of our soule If a man doe commit sinne once or twise and doe vnsainedly without dissimulatiō make his refuge to the medicine of perāce he doth out of hand obtaine health againe and that sometimes without any skar or blemish of the disease past But if he begin to adde sinnes vpō sinnes in such sort that the woundes of his soule doe rather putrifie within him by couering and defending them then heale by repentance and confession it is to be feared least that heauy speach of th' Apostle be fulfilled in him to whom he saith dost thou not knovv that the benignitie of God is vsed to bring thee to repentance but thou by the obdurate and irrepētant hart dost heape to thy self vvrath in the day of vengeance and of the reuelation of Gods iust iudgement Thus far S. Augustine But now deare Christian brother what can be spoken more effectually either to 〈◊〉 vs to hope and confidence in Gods mercie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presumption in delaying our amendment thē here hath bene vttered by these noble pillars and fathers of Christes Church and most excellent instrumentes and temples of his holie Spirit The diuine wisdome of almightie God i a certaine place saith that the wordes of wise men ought to be spurres vnto vs and as it were nailes driuen into the depth of our hartes meaning thereby that we should be stirred vp and most vehemently moued when we heare such wise men as the holie Ghost there meaneth which in deede are only they that haue the knowledge and true feare of God make such exhortations vnto vs and ue vs such holsom admonishmentes as thes godlie fathers in this great affaire haue donne And how is it then deare brother that we are nothing stirred vp thereby nothing quickned nothing awaked Wel I wil conclude this whole chapter and treatise with an other exhortation and admonition of S. Augustine for that besides the graue authoritie of the mā which ought to moue vs much I thinke nothing can be spoken more excellently or more agreeing to our peculiar purpose Thus then he saith Almightie God doth neuer despise the repentance of any mā if it be offered vnto him sincerely simply nay he accepteth the same most willingly embraceth the penitent and endeuoreth to reduce him to his former state wherein he was before he fel. And that which is yet more if a man be not able to fulfil the whole order of his satisfaction yet doth not God refuse the least penance that is though it be dōne in neuer so short a space Neither doth he suffer the reward to perish of any litle conuersion And this doth the prophet Esaie seeme to me to signifie when he faith in Gods person to the people of Israel I haue contristed thee a litle for thy sinne I haue striken thee and haue turned my face from thee thou hast bene sad and hast walked in sorow and I haue cōforted thee againe These examples then of penance deare brethren we hauing before our eyes let vs not perseuer in our wickednes nor despaire
of a Leuit God punished the whole tribe in this order as holy scripture recounteth He caused al the other eleuen tribes to rise against them first to come to the house of God in Silo to aske his aduise and to folow his direction in this warre against their brethren And thence hauing by Godes appointement ioined battaile twise with the tribe of Beniamin the third daie God gaue them so great a victorie as they slew al the liuing creatures within the compasse of that tribe except onelie six hundred men that escaped awaie into the desert the rest were slaine both man woman children and infantes together with al the beastes and cattel al the cities villages and howses burnt with fire And al this for one sinne committed onelie at one time with one woman And who then deare Christian brother wil not confesse with Moyses that God is a iust God a great God and a terrible God Who wil not confesse with S. Paul that it is horrible to fal into the handes of the liuing God Who wil not say with holy Dauid A Iudicijs tuis timui I haue feared at the remembrance of thy iudgementes If God would not spare the destroying of a whole tribe for one sinne onely if he would not perdon Chore Dathan and Abiron for once the sonnes of Aaron for once Ananias Saphira for once if he would not forgiue Esau though he demaunded it with teares as S. Paul saieth if he would not remit the punishment of one fault to Moyses Aaron albeit they asked it with great instance if he would not forgiue one proude cogitation vnto the Angels nor the eating of one apple vnto Adā without infinite punishment nor would passe ouer the cuppe of affliction from his own deare sonne though he required the same thrise vpō his verie knees with the sweate of blood and water in his presence what reason hast thou my brother to thike that he wil let passe so many sinnes of thine vnpunished what cause hast thou to induce thy imagination that he wil deale extraordinarilie with thee breake the course of his iustice for thy sake Art thou better then thos whom I haue named or hast thou any priuilege from his Maiestie aboue them If thou wouldest consider the great and strange effectes of his iustice which we see dailie executed in the world thou shouldest haue litle cause to persuade thy self so fauorablie or rather to flatter thy self so daungerously as thou doest We see that notwithstanding Godes mercie yea after the death and passion of Christ our Sauiour for sauing of the whole world yet so many infinite millions be damned daily by the iustice of almightie God so many insideles heathens Iewes and Turkes that remaine in the darknes of their owne ignorance and among Christīans so many heretiques and misbeleuers and among Catholiques so many euel liuers as Christ truely said that few were they which should be saued albeit his death was paid for al if by their own wickednes they made them selues not vnworthie therof And before the comming of our Sauiour much more we see that al the world went awrie to damnatió for many thousand yeres together excepting a few Iewes which were the people of God And yet among them also the greater part perhappes were not saued as may be cōiectured by the speeches of the prophetes from time to time and specially by the sayings of Christ to the harisees and other rulers therof Now then if God for the satisfying of his justice could let so many millions perish through their own sinnes as he doth also now daily permit without any preiudice or impechement to his infinit mercie why may not he also damne thee forthy sinnes notwithstanding his mercie seing thou doest not onely commit them without feare but also doest confidently persist in the same The 2. part of the chapter BVT HERE now perhappes some man may say if this be so that God is so seuere in punishment of euery sinne and that he damneth so many thousandes for one that he saueth how is it true that the mercies of God are aboue al his other vvorkes as holy scripture affirmeth and that it passeth and exalteth it self aboue his iudgement For if the number of the damned doe exceede so much the number of thos which are saued it seemeth that the worke of iustice doth passe the worke of mercie To which I answere that touching the smal number of them that are saued as also of th' infinit quantitie of such as are damned we may in no wise doute for that besides al other prophetes Christ our Sauiour hath made the matter certaine and out of question We haue to see therfore how notwithstāding al this the mercie of God doth exceede his other workes And first his mercie may be said to exceede for that al our saluation is of his mercie and our damnation from our selues only as from the first and principal causes therof according to the saying of God by the prophet Perditio tua Israel tantummodò in me auxilium tuum Thy perdition is onely from thy self ô Israel and thy assistance to doe good is onely from me So that as we must acknowledge Gods grace and mercie for th' author of euerie good thought and acte that we doe and consequently ascribe al our saluatiō vnto him so none of our euil actes for which we are damned doe proceede from him but onely from our selues and so he is no cause at al of our damnation and in this doth his mercie exceede his iustice Secondlie his mercie doth exceede in that he desireth al men to be saued as S. Paul teacheth and him self protesteth when he saieth I vvil not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his vvikednes and liue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he complaineth greeuouslie that men wil not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your vvicked vvaies saith he vvhy vvil ye die a you house of Israel By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to al but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were cōstrained therunto by our obstinate behauiour This our Sauiour Christ signifieth more plainlie when he saith to Ierusalem O Ierusalem which killest the prophetes and stonest them to death that are sent vnto thee how oftē wold I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickins vnderneth her winges but thou woldest not behold thy house for this cause shal be made desert and left without children Here you see thee mercie of God often offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction and desolatiō vpon them which he fulfilled within fortie or fiftie yeares after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie ouerthrewe the citie of Ierusalem and the whole nation
gaining of our crowne now is the daie of spoile to seise on our bootie now is the market to buie the kingdome of heauen now is the time of running to get the game price now is the daie of sowing to prouide vs corne for the haruest that commeth on If we omit this time there is no more crowne no more bootie no more kingdome no more price no more haruest to be looked for For as the scripture assureth vs He that for slouth vvil not fovv in the vvinter shal begge in the sommer no man shal geue vnto him But if this consideration of gaine can not moue thee gentle reader as indeed it ought to doe being of such importance as it is and irreuocable when it is once past yet weigh with thy self what obligation and charge thou drawest on thee by euery day that thou deferrest thy conuersion and liuest in sinne Thou makest ech day knottes which thou must once vndoe againe thou heapest that together which thou must once disperse againe thou eatest and drinkest that hourely which thou must once vomite vp againe I meane if the best fal out vnto thee that is if thou doe repent in time and God doe accept therof for otherwise woe be vnto thee for that thou hoardest as S. Paul saieth wrath and vengeance on thine owne head But supposing that thou receaue grace hereafter to repent which refusest it now yet I say thou must weepe for that thou laughest now thou must be hartilie sorie for that wherin thou delitest now thou hast to curse the day wherein thou euer gauest consent to sinne or els thy repentance wil doe thee no good This thou knowest now and this thou beleeuest now or els thou art no Christian How then art thou so madde as to offend God now both willingly and deliberatelie of whom thou knowest that thou must once aske pardon with teares If thou think he wil pardone the what ingratitude is it to offend so good a Lord If thou thinke he wil not pardone thee what folie can be more then to offend a prince without hope of pardon Make thine account now as thou wilt if thou neuer doe repent and change thy life then euery sinne thou committest and euery day that thou liuest therein is encrease of wrath and vengeance vpon thee in hel as S. Paul proueth If thou doe by Gods mercie hereafter repent and turne for this is not in thy handes then must thou one day lamēt and be waile and doe penance for this delay which now thou makest Then must thou make satisfaction to Gods iustice ether in this life or in the life to come for that which now thou passest ouer so pleasantly And this satisfaction must be so sharpe and rigorous if we beleeue the aunciēt Fathers and Councels of Christ his Church as it must be answerable to the weight continuance of thy sinnes as I shal haue occasion to shew in the second booke talking of satisfaction So that by how much the more thou prolongest and encreasest thy sinne so much greater must be thy paine and sorow in satisfaction Alto vulneri diligens longa adhibenda est medicina paenitentia crimine minor non sit saith S. Cyprian A diligent and long medicine is to be vsed to a deepe sore and the penance may not be lesse thē the fault And thē he sheweth in what order it must be with prayer with teares with watching with lying on the ground with wearing of heare cloth and the like It is not enough saieth S. Austen to change our maners and to leaue to sinne except we make satisfaction also to God for our sinnes past by sorowful penance humble sighes contrition of hart and geuing of Almes Our bodie that hath liued in many delites must be afflicted saieth S. Ierom our long laughing must be recompensed with long weeping our soft linnen and fine silke apparel must be chāged into sharpe hear cloth Finally S. Ambrose agreeing with the rest saieth Grandi plagae alta prolixa opus est medicina Grande scelus grandem necessariam habet satisfactionem Vnto a great wounde a deepe and long medicine is needful A great offence requireth of necessitie a great satisfaction Marke here deare brother that this satisfaction must be both great and long and also of necessitie What madnes is it then for the now to enlarge the wound knowing that the medicine must afterwardes be so painful What crueltie can be more against thy self then to driue in thornes into thine owne flesh which thou must afterward pul out againe with so many teares wouldest thou drinke that cuppe of poisoned liquour for a litle pleasure in the taste which would cast thee soone after into a burning feuer torment thy bowels within thee and other dispatche thy life or put the in great ieoperdie The 2. part of the chapter BVT HERE I know thy refuge wil be as it is to al thē of whom the prophet saith mentita est iniquitas sibi iniquitie hath flattered and lied vnto her self thy refuge I saie wil be to alleage the example of the good theefe saued euē at the last houre vpon the Crosse and caried to paradise that same day with Christ without any further penance or satisfaction This exāple is greatlie noted and vrged by al thos who deferre their conuersiō as no doubt it is and ought to be of verie great comfort to euerie man which findeth him self now at the last cast and therfore commōlie tempted by the enemie to despaire of Gods mercie which in no case he ought to doe For the same God which saued that great sinner at that last houre can also and wil saue al them that hartelie turne vnto him euē in that last houre But alas many men doe flatter and deceiue them selues with mis-vnderstandings or rather mis-vsing of this example For we must vnderstand as S. Austen wel noteth that this was but one particular acte of Christ which maketh no general rule euen as we see that a temporal Prince pardoneth sometime a malefactor when he is come to the verie place of execution yet wore it not for euery malefactor to trust therupō For that this is but an extraordinary acte of the prince his fauour and nether shewed nor promised to al men Besides this this acte was a special miracle reserued for the manifestation of Christ his power and glorie at that houre vpon the Crosse. Againe this acte was vpon a most rare confessiō made by the theefe in that instant when al the world forsooke Christ and euen the Apostles them selues either douted or lost their faith of his godhead Besides al this the confession of this theefe was at such a time as he could nether be baptized nor haue further time of penance And we holde also that at a mans first cōuersion there is required no other penance or satisfaction at al but onely to beleeue and to be
diuers times he hath vsed and doth vse therby to gaine vs and our sowles vnto his eternal kingdome by stirring vs vp to abandon vitious life and to betake ourselues to his holy and swete seruice Al which most rare and excellent benefites being measured either according to their inestimable value in themselues or according to the loue of that harte from which they do proceede or els if we respect the maiestie of the giuer or meanesse of the receyuer ought in reason to moue vs most vehementlie to gratitude towardes so bountiful a benefactour And this gratitude shoulde be to resolue ourselues at length to serue him vnsaynedlie to preferre his fauour before al wordlie or mortal respectes whatsoeuer Or if we can not obtaine so much of ourselues yet at leastwise not to offende him anie more by our sinnes and wickednes There is not so fearse or cruell a nature in the world as I noted before but is mollisied allured and wōne by benefites And stories do make reporte of straunge examples in this kinde euen among brute beastes as of the gratitude of lyons dogges and other like towardes their maisters and benefactours Onliean obstinate sinner is he among all the sauuage creatures that are whom neither benefites can moue nor curtisies can mollifie nor promises can allure nor gyftes can gayne to the faithfull seruice of God his Lord and maister The greatest synner that is in the world if he geeue his seruante but twentie nobles a yeare or his tennant some litle farme to liue vpon if they for this should not serue him at a becke he crieth out of their ingratitude But if they should further malitiouslie seeke to offende him and to ioyne in amitie with his professed enimie how intollerable a matter would this seeme in his conceit And yet him self dealing much more ingratfullie and iniuriouslie with almightie God esteemath it a matter of smal consideration easely pardonable He dealeth I saie far more ingratfullie with God for that he hath receyued a thousand folde for one in respect of all the benefites that one mortal man can gyue vnto an other Seing that of God he hath receyued al in al the bread which he eateth the grounde he treadeth the light he beholdeth the aire he enioyeth and finally what so euer he possesseth ether within or without his bodie as also the minde with al her spiritual endumētes wherof eche one is more worth then ten thousand bodies Of this extreme ingratitude and iniurie God himself is enforced to complaine in diuers places of holy scripture as where he saith they repaied me euil for good And yet much more vehemētlie in an other place he calleth the heauens to witnes of this iniquitie crving out Obstupescite caeli super hoc O you heauens be you astonished at this As if he should saye by a figuratiue kinde of speech goe out of your wittes you heauens with meruaile at this incredibile iniquitie of man to wardes me For so he expoundeth the whole matter more at large in an other place Audite cals auribus percipe terra c. Harken oye heauens and thow earth bende hither thine eares I haue nourished vp children and haue exalted them and now they doe cōtemne me What a lamentable complaint is this of almightie God against most vile and base wormes of the earth But yet he amplifieth this iniquitie more vehemētly by certaine examples and comparisons The oxe saieth he knovveth his ovvner the asse knovveth the manger of his Lord and maister but yet my people knovveth not me VVoe be to this synful nation to this people loden vvith 〈◊〉 to this noughtie seede to vvicked children What complaint can be more vehement then this what threatning can be more dreadfull then this woe comming from the mouth of him which may punishe vs at his pleasure Wherfore deare brother if thou haue grace cease to be vngrateful to God any longer cease to offend him which hath by so many waies preuented the with benefites cease to render euil for good hatred for loue contempt for his father lie affection towardes the. He hath done for the al that he can he hath geeuen the al that thow art yea and in a certaine maner al that he is worth hym self and meaneth besides to make the partaker of al his glorie in the world to come and requireth no more for al this at thy handes but loue and gratitude O my louing brother why wilt thou not yelde vnto him this his desire why wilt thou not doe as much to him as thou woldest haue an other mā to doe to the for lesse then the ten thousand parte of thes benefites which thow hast receyued for I dare bouldly saye if thow haddest gyuen but an almes to a poore man at thy dore thou wooldest thike him bounde to loue the for it al beit besids this ther were nothing in the that greatly might deserue his loue But thy Lord and maister setting a parte al his giftes bestowed vpon the hath infinite causes to drawe thy loue vnto him that is to saye all the causes which any thing in the world hath in it to purchase loue and infinite more besydes For if all the perfections of thinges created both in heauen and in earth that may procure loue were ioyned together in one as al their beautie al their vertue al their wisdome al their sweetnes al their nobilitie al their goodnes and other like excellencies yet thy Lord Sauy our whom thou contemnest surpasseth all thes and that by infinite and infinite degrees for that he is not onlie all thes thinges together but morouer he is verie beautie it self vertue it self wisedome it self sweetenes it self nobilitie it self goodnes it self and the verie fountaine and welspring from which by litles peeces and parcels al thes thinges are deriued vnto his creatures Be a shamed then good Christian of this thine ingratitude to so great so good and so bountifull a Lord and resolue thy self for the tyme to come to amende thy course of life and former behauiour towardes him Say at lēgth with the Prophet hauing considered thine owne ingratitude O Lord pardon me mine offences for they are great in thy sight I know there is nothing ô Lord which doth so much displease the or drie vp the fountaine of thy mercie or so byndeth thy handes frō doinge good as doth ingratitude in the receyuers of thy benefites Wherin hitherto I haue exceeded al others But I haue done it ò Lord in mine ignorance not considering thy infinite giftes bestowed vpon me or what account thou wouldest demaunde againe of the same But now seing thou hast vouchsafed to make me woorthie of this special grace also wherby to see knowe mine owne errour default I hope hereafter by direction of the same grace to shew my self a better childe towardes the. O my God I am vāquished at lēgth with cōsideratiō of thy
loue and how can I haue the harte to offend thee hereafter seing thou hast preuented me so manie wayes with benefites euen when I demaunded not the same Can I haue hādes euermore to sinne agaīst thee which hast gyuen vp thine owne handes to be nayled on the crosse for me No no it is to great an iniurie agaīst thee ô Lord and woe worth me that haue dōneit so oftē heretofore But by thy holy assistāce I trust not to returne to such iniquitie for the time to come to which I beseeche the for thy mercie sake from thy holie throne of heauen to saye Amen OF WHAT OPINION WE SHAL BE CONCERNING THE MATTERS AFORsaid at the time of our death As also vvhat our state shal be at that passage and hovv different our iudgement from that it is novv CHAPT X. THE holy scriptures doe teach vs and experience maketh it plaine that during the time of this life the commodities prefermentes pleasures of the world doe possesse so stronglie the hartes of manie men and doe hold them chained with so forcible enchauntmentes being forsaken also vpon their iust desertes of the grace of God that saye and threaten what a man can and bring against then all the whole scripture euen from the begynning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalips as in decde it is al against synne and synners yet wil it preuaile nothing with them being in that lamentable case as either they beleeue not or esteeme not what so euer is saide to that purpose against their setled lyfe and resolution to the contrarie Of this we haue infinite examples in scripture as of Sodome and Gomorra with the cities ther about which would not heare the warninges that good I ot gaue vnto thē Of Pharao also and his court whom al that euer Moyses could doe ether by signes or sayinges moued nothing at al. Of Iudas in like maner who by no sweet meanes or sharpe threatninges vsed to him by his maister could be brought to change his wicked resolution But especially the holy Prophets sent by God from tyme to tyme to dissuade the people from their noughtie life and consequentlie to deliuer them from the plagues that hanged ouer them doe gyue abundant testimonie of this matter complaining cuerie where of the hardnes of synners hartes that wold not be moued with al the exhortations preachings promisses allurementes exclamations threatnings and thunderinges that they could vse The Prophet Zacharie shal testifie for all in this behalf who faieth of the people of Israel a litle before their destruction This sayeth the Lord of hostes iudge iustije wherunto presentlie he addeth And they vvould not attende but turning their backes vvent avvaye and stopped their eares to the ende they might not neare and they did obdurate their hartes as an adamant stone to the end they might not heare the lavve and the vvordes vvhich God did send in his spirite by the handes of the former Prophetes vvherby godes great indignatiō vvas stirred vp against them This then is and alwayes hath bene the maner of dissolute worldlinges and reprobare people to harden their hartes as an adamant stone against any thing that can be told them for the amendement of their liues and for the sauing of their soules Whiles they are in health and prosperitie they wil not know God as in an other place himself complaineth But yet as the Prophet saieth God wil haue his daye with thes men also when he wil be knowen And this is cognoscetur Dominus iudicia saciēs God wil be knowen when he begineth to doe iudgmēt which is at the daye of their death being in deed the next dore to their iudgement according as S. Paul testifieth saying it is appointed for al men once to die and after that ensevveth iudgement This I saye is the day of God most terrible sorowful and ful of tribulation to the wicked wherin God wil be knowen to be a righteous God and to restore to euerie man according as he hath donne vvhile he liued or as the Prophet describeth it he vvilbe knovven then to be a terrible God and such as one as taketh avvaye the spirite of princes a terrible God to the kinges of the earth At this daye as there wil be a great change in al other thinges mirth being turned into sorow laughinges into weepinges pleasures into paines stoutnes into feare pride into despaire and the like so especiallie wil there be a strange alteration in the iudgement and opinion of men for that the wisedome of God wherof I haue spoken in the former chapters and which as the scripture saieth is accounted folie by the vvise of this vvorld wil then appeare in her likenes and as it is in verie deede wil be confessed by her greatest enimies to be the onlie true wisedome and al carnal wisdome of worldlinges to be meere folie as God calleth it This the holie scripture setteth downe clerelie when it describeth the verie speeches and lamentations of the wise men of this world at the last daye concerning the state of holy men whom they despised in this life We senseles mē did esteeme their life to be mere madnes their end to be dishonorable but looke how they are now acconnted among the children of God and their portion is with the sainctes We haue erred from the waye of trueth and the light of righteousnes hath not shined before vs nether hath the sunne of vnderstanding appeared vnto vs. We haue weried out our selues in the waye of iniquitie and perdition and we haue walked craggie pathes but the waye of our Lord we haue not knowen Hytherto are the wordes of holie scripture wherby we may perceyue what great change and alteration of iudgement there wil be at the last daye from that which men haue now what consessing of folie what acknowledging of errour what hartie sorow for laboure lost what fruiteles repentance for hauing runne a-wrie O that men would ponder and consider attentiuely these thinges now VVe haue vveried out our selues saye thes miserable men in the vvayes of iniqnitie and perdition and vve haue vvalked craggie pathes What a description is this of lamentable wordlinges who beate their braines dailie and wearie out them selues in the pursute of vanitie and chasse of this worlde for which they suffer notwithstanding more paine often times then doe the iust in purchasing of heauen And when they arriue at the last daie to the gate of death weried and worne out with trouble and toyle they finde that al their labour is lost all their vexation taken in vaine For that the litle pelfe which they haue scraped together in this world for which they haue struggled and drudged so extremely wil auaile thē nothing at that instant but rather encrease exceedingly the burden of their afflictions Which afflictions shal be so manifold greeuous and intollerable in the wicked as no mind created
length to crie out my soule doth thirst after God that is the liuelie vvel-spring vvhen shal I come and appeare before the face of God So that from the feare of death which is the first effect that springeth of the remembrance meditation therof he was come now to the loue and most earnest desire of the same which is the highest degree of comfort and the most supreme felicitie that saintes doe arriue vnto in this life Endeuour then my deare Christiā brother by frequent and diligent premeditation of this passage to attaine to this felicitie or at least wise to some parte or degree therof Feare death now that thou maist not feare it then For as God by his holie spirite assureth the he that feareth novv shal be in securitie at the last in the day of his departure Nay as holie Iob further describeth the matter he shal laugh at that day whē other mē are in spoile famine he shal not feare the beastes of the earth his legue shal be with the stones of Nations that is he shal be no more moued or terrified with comming of death then stones are he shal see that his tabernacle shal be that day in peace he shal enter into his sepulcher in al aboundance as a mow of corne in the haruest time that is he shal departe hence in aboundance of al grace and merit at the houre of his death which to a vertuous man is the day of haruest wherin he shal reape the rewardes of his good deedes which he hath sowen in this life Thus describeth Iob the blessed departure of a godlie man cōcluding his whole discourse with this admonition and exhortatiue clause Ecce hoc ita est quod auditum mente pertracta Behold this thing is as I haue said which thou hauing vnderstoode passe it not ouer sleightlie but reuolue and discusse the same diligentlie in thie minde OF THE GREATE AND SEVERE PAINES AND PVNISHMENTES APPOINted by God for sinners after this life As also of tvvo kindes and sortes herof the one temporal for them that shal be saued th' other eternal for the damned CHAPT XI AMONGST all the meanes which God vseth towardes the children of men in this life to moue them to the resolution wherof I entreate the strōgest most forcible is the consideratiō of punishmentes prepared by him for rebellious sinners and transgressours of his cōmaundemēts Wherfore he vseth this motiue often as may appeare by al the prophetes who doe almost nothing els but threaten plagues and destruction to offendours And this meane hath oftentimes preuailed more then anie other that could be vsed by reason of the natural loue which we beare towardes our selues and consequentlie the natural feare which we haue of our owne danger So we reade that nothing could moue the Niniuites so much as the fortelling them of their imminent destruction And S. Iohn Baptist albeit he came in a simple and contemptible maner yet preaching vnto the people the terrour of vengeance to come and that the axe vvas novv put vnto the tree to cut dovvne for the fire al such as repented not he moued the verie publicanes souldiers to feare being otherwise people of verie harde metal in such sort as they came vnto him vpon this terrible embassage and asked what they should doe to auoide these punishmentes For which cause hauing now cōsidered in the former chapters of death and of godes seuere iudgment ensuing thervpon wherin euerie man hath to receyue according to his workes in this life it followeth that we consider also of the punishmentes which are appointed for thē that shal be founde faultie ī that accounte hereby at leastwise if no other consideration wil serue to induce Christians to this resolution of seruinge God For as I haue noted before if euerie man haue naturallie a loue of him self and desire to cōserue his owne ease then should he also haue feare of peril wherby he is to fal into miserie calamitie This expresseth S. Bernard verie excellently according to his wonte O man saieth he if thou haue left al shame which appertaineth to so noble a creature as thou art if thou feele no sorow as carnal men doe not yet loose not feare also which is founde eué in brute and sauage beastes We vse to loade an asse and to werie him out with laboure and he careth not because he is an asse but if thou wouldest thrust him into fire or flinge him into a ditch he would auoide it as much as he coulde for that he loueth life and feared death Feare thou then and be not more insensible thā a beast Feare death feare iudgment feare hel This feare is called the beginning of wisdome and not shame or sorow for that the spirite of feare is more potent to resist sinne then the spirite of shame or sorow Wherfore it is saide remember the ende and thou shalt neuer sinne that is remember the final punishmentes appointed for sinne after this life Thus far S. Bernarde First therfore to speake in general of the punishmentes reserued for the life to come if the scriptures did not declare in particular their greatnes vnto vs yet are there manie reasons to persuade vs that they are most seuere grieuous and intollerable For first as God is a God in al his workes that is to saye greate wounderful and terrible so especiallie he sheweth the same in his punishmentes being called for that cause in holy scripture Deus iustitiae God of iustice as also Deus vltionum God of reuenge Wherfore seing al his other workes are maiestical and exceeding our capacities we may likewise gather that his hande in punishment must be also most wonderful God himself teacheth vs to reason in this maner when he sayeth And vvil ye not then feare me and vvil ye not tremble before my face vvho haue set the sande for limites to the sea and haue giuen the vvaters a commaundemēt neuer to passe the same no not then vvhen they are most troubled and the vvaues therof most outragious As who would say if I be wonderful and doe passe your imagination in these woorkes of the sea and other of this world which you behould dailie then haue yee iust cause to feare me considering that my punishmētes are like to be correspondent to the greatnes of my other actions An other coniecture of the great and seuere iustice of God in punishing may be the consideration of his infinite and vnspeakable mercie which as it is the verie nature it self of God and consequently without ende or measure as his godhead is so is also his iustice And these two are the two armes as it were of his diuine Maiestie embracing kyssing one th' other as the scripture saieth And therfore as in a man of this world if we had the measure of one arme we might easely cōiecture the length of the
almightie God to frame an other creature farre in nature inferiour vnto this to fil vp the places of such as were fallen and therupō created man of a peece of claye appointing him to liue in this world as a place of entertainmēt trial for a time which place God notwithstanding determined afterward to destroie againe But yet in creating this transitorie world which is but a base cotage in regard of his own eternal habitation cōsider god reader what power what magnificence what Maiestie he hath shewed what heauens how wonderful hath he created what infinit starres and other lights hath he deuised what elements hath he framed and how maruailouslie hath he compacted thē together The seas tossing and tumbling without rest and replenished with infinite sortes of fish the riuers running incessantlie through the earth like veins in mans bodie and yet neuer emptie nor ouerflowing the same the earth it self so furnished with al varietie of creatures as the hundreth part thereof is not vsed nor emploied by man but onelie remaineth to shew the ful hand and strong arme of the Creator And al this as I saied was done in an instant with one word onelie and that for the vse of a smal time in respect of the other future life which is to endure for al eternitie What then may we imagine that the habitation prepared for that eternitie shal be If the cotage of his meanest seruant and that made onelie for a time to beare of as it were a shower of raine be so princelie so gorgeous so magnificēt so Maiestical as we see this world is what must we think that the kings palace it self is appointed for al eternitie for him self and his friends to raigne together We must needes think it to be as great as the power and wisdome of the maker could reach to perfourme that is incomparablie and aboue al measure infinite The greate king Assuerus which raigned in Asia ouer a hundred twentie and seuen prouinces to discouer his power riches vnto his subiects made a feast as the scripture sayeth in his great citie of Susa to al the princes states and potentates of his dominions for a hundred and fourscore dayes together Esay the prophet sayeth that our God and Lord of hosts wil at the last daie make a solemne banquet to al his people vpon the hil and mount of heauen and that a haruest banquet of fat meates and pure wines And this banquet shal be so solemne as the very sonne of God him self chiefe Lord and Patrone of the feast shal be contēt to gird him self and to serue in the same as by his owne wordes he promiseth What maner of banquet then shal this be how magnificent and maiestical especiallie seing it hath not onely to endure a hundred and fower score dayes as that of Assuerus did but more then a hundred and fourscore millions of ages not serued by men as Assuerus feast was but by Angels and by the verie sonne of God him self not to open the power and riches of a hundred tuentie and seuen prouinces but euen of Almightie God the king of kings and Lorde of Lordes whose power riches are without end and greater then al his creatures put together can cōceaue How glorious a banquet shal this be then how triumphant the ioy of this festiual daye how in comprehensible a blisse to be partaker therof O most miserable and foolish children of Adam that are borne to so rare and singular a dignitie and yet can not be brought to cōsider loue or esteeme of the same Other many thinges ther be wherby to coniecture the exceeding greatnes of this reward and felicitie as for example to consider that if God haue geuen so many pleasures and comfortable giftes in this life as we sec innumerable in the world being a place notwithstanding of banishment an habitation of sinners a vale of miserie and appointed only for a time of repenting weeping mourning and bewailing what wil he doe in the life to come to the iust to his friends in the time of ioye mariage of his sonne This was a most forcible consideration with good S. Augustin who in the secret speech of his soule with God said thus O my Lord if thou for this vile bodie of oures hast geuen vs so great and innumerable benefites from the firmament from the ayer from the earth from the sea by light by darkenesse by heate by shadow by dewes by showers by windes by raines by birds by fishes by beasts by trees by multitude of hearbes and varietie of plants and by the ministerie of al thy creatures O swet Lord what maner of things how great how good how innumerable are thos which thou hast prepared for vs in our heauelie Countrie where we shal see thee face to face If thou doe so greate things for vs in our prison what wilt thou geue vs in our palace If thou geuest so many things in this world to good and euil men together what hast thou laid vp for onelie good men in the world to come if thine enemies and friends together are so wel prouided for in this life what shal thy onelie friēds receaue in the life to come if there be so great solaces in these daies of teares what ioye shal there be in that day of mariage if our iaile and prison containe so great matters what shal our Countrie and kingdome doe O my Lord and God thou art a great God and great is the multitude of thy magnificence and svvetnes and as there is no end of thy greatnes nor number of thy mercies nor depth of thie wisdome nor measure of thy benignitie so is there neither end number depth length greatnes or measure of thy rewardes to them that loue thee doe fight for thee Hitherto S. Augustin An other meane wherby to conceaue some parte of this reward in the life to come is to remember and weigh the manifold promisses of almightie God to honour and glorifie al thos that shal loue serue him VVhosoeuer shal honor me saieth he I vvil make him glorious and the prophet Dauid as it were complaineth ioifullie that Gods friends were to much honoured by him Which he might with much more cause haue said if he had liued in the new testament and had heard that promisse of Christ whereof I spake before that his seruants should sit doune banquet and that him self wold serue and minister vnto them in the kingdome of his father What vnderstanding can cōceaue how great this honour shal be But yet in some part it may be gessed by that he saieth that they shal sit in iudgement with him and as S. Paul addeth shal be Iudges not onelie of men but also of Angels It may also be coniectured by the exceeding great honour which he at certaine times hath done to his seruants euen in this life wherin notwithstanding they are
euery sinful conscience commeth to answere almightie God as did Ierusalem when being admonished of her sinnes exhorted by his prophet to amendment of life she said Desperaui nequaquam faciam I ame become desperate I wil neuer thincke of any such thing To which lamentable estate when a sinful man is once arriued the next steppe he maketh is for auoiding al remorse and trouble of consciēce to engulfe him self into the depth of al detestable enormities and to abandone his soule to the verie sincke of al filth and abhominations according as S. Paul said of the Gentiles in like case that by despaire they deliuered them selues ouer to dis solute life therby to commit al maner of vncleanes Which wicked resolution of the impious is the thing as I haue noted before that most of al other offences vpon earth doth exasperate the ire of Almighty God depriuing his deuine Maiestie of that most excellent propertie wherin he cheifly deliteth and glorieth which is his infinite and vnspeacable mercie This might be declared by diuers and sondrie examples of holy writt how be it two only shal suffice for this present The first is of the people of Israel not long before their banishment to Babilon who being threatned from God by the Prophet Ieremie that manifold punishments were imminent ouer their heads for their grieuous sinnes committed against his Maiestie begāne in stead of repentance to fal to desperation and consequently resolued to take that impious course of al dissolute life alleaged before out of S. Paul for thus they answered God exhorting them by his threats to reforme their wicked liues VVe are novv grovven desperate therfore vve vvil hereafter folovve our ovvne cogitations and euerie one sulfil the vvickednes of his ovvne conceite Wherat God stormed infinitely and brake forth into this vehement interrogation Interrogate Gentes quit audiuit talia horribilia Aske and enquire of the verie Gentiles whether euer among them were heard any such horrible blasphemies And after this for more declaration of this intollerable iniurie herin offerred to his Maiestie he commaunded the Prophet Ieremie to goe forth of his owne house and to get him to a potters shope which in the village was framing his vessels vpon the wheele Which Ieremie hauing done he sawe befor his face a pot crushed and broken by the potter al in peeces vpō the wheele and thincking therby that the vessel had bene vtterly vnprofitable and to be cast away he saw the same clay ptesently framed agayne by the potter into a new vessel more excellent then before Wherat he maruailing God said vnto him Doest not thou thinck Ieremie that I can doe with the house of Israel as this potter hath done with his vessel Or is not the house of Israel in my handes as the clay is in the handes of this craftesman I wil denounce vpon the sodaine against a Nation and kingdome that I wil roote it vp and destroye it and if that nation or kingdome doe repent from their wickednes I also wil repent me of the punishment which I intended to laie vpon them And then he proceedeth foreward declaring vnto Ieremie the exceeding greif and indignation which he conceaueth that any sinner what soeuer should despaire of mercie pardon at his hands The second example is of the same people of Israel during the time of their banishment in Babilon at what time being afflicted with many miseries for their sinnes and threatned with many more to come for that they changed not the course of their former wicked conuersation they beganne to despaire of Gods mercie and to saie to the Prophet Ezechiel that liued banished among them exhorted them to amendment vpon assured hope of Gods fauour towards them Our iniquities and sinnes doe lye greeuouslie vpon vs and vve languish in them and vvhat hope of life then may vve haue At which cogitation and speech God being greatly moued appeared presently to Ezechiel said vnto him Tel this people I doe liue saieth the Lord God of hostes I vvishe not the death of the impious but rather that he should turne from his vvicked vvaies and liue VVhy vvil the house of Israel die in their sinnes rather then turne vnto me And then he maketh a large and vehement protestation that how greuously soeuer any person shal offend him how great punishments soeuer he shal denounce against him yea if he had giuen expresse sentence of death and damnation vpon him yet Si egerit paenitentiam a peccato suo seceritque iudicium iustitiam that is if he repent him self of his sinne and exercise iudgement and iustice for the time to come al his sinnes that he hath committed shal be forgiuen him saieth almightie God for that he hath done iudgment and Iustice. And this now might be sufficient albeit nothing els were spoken for remouing this first obstacle and impediment of true resolution which is the dispaire of Gods infinite goodnes and mercie Neuertheles for more euident clearing and demonstration of this matter and for the greater comfort of such as feele them selues burdened with the heauy weight of their iniquities committed against his deuine Maiestie I haue thought expedient in this place to declare more at large this aboundant subiect of Gods endles mercie towards al such as wil truly turne vnto him in what time state condition or age soeuer in this life which shal be shewed and set doune by thes foure points and partes that doe ensue FIRST OF AL by the infinite and incomprehēsible loue that almightie God beareth vnto man which loue is alwaies the mother of fauour grace and mercie If you demaund of me in what sort I doe proue that the loue of God is so exceeding great towardes man I answere as the Cosmographer is wont to doe who by the greatnes and multitude of the streames and riuers doth frame a coniecture of the fountaine frō which they flowe The proper riuers which are deriued and doe ronne forth of loue are good turnes and benefites which seing they are infinite endles and inestimable bestowed by God vpon man as in place before hath bene declared and the whole vniuersal frame of this world doth aboundantly beare witnesse it foloweth most euidently that the origine fountaine welspring of al thes fauours graces and good turnes must needs be infinite immeasurable and farre surpassing al compasse of mans vnderstanding If you require of me the cause and reason why almightie God should so wonderfully be affected towards man I can directly yeld you none at al but rather meruaile therat with holy Iob why so soueraine a Maiestie should set his hart vpon so base a subiect Notwithstanding the holy Scripture seemeth to alleage one principal reason of this loue when it saieth Nihil odistieorum quae secisti parcis omnibus quia tua sunt Domine quidiligis animas That is Thou O Lord which louest soules
canst not hate thos thinges which thou hast made but doest vse mercy towards al for that they are thine And the like maner of reasoning vseth God him self when he saieth by his Prophet Ezechiel behould al soules are mine and hereupon he inferreth a litle after Numquid voluntatis meae est mors impij Can I haue the wil to damne a wicked man seing that his soule is mine created and redeemed by me as who would saie this were a case against al order and equitie And the reason of this maner of speech and argument is for that euery man naturally is enclined to loue the things that be of his owne making So we see that if a mā haue an orchard wherin be great varietie of trees and plantes yet if ther be but one of his owne peculier grafting that florisheth and prospereth wel he taketh more delite therin then in any of the rest for that it is his owne workemanship So in like maner if a man haue a vineyard of his owne planting and trimming For which respect the holy prophet Dauid finding him self and the whole kingdome of Iurie in great affliction calamitie thought no other means so forcible to draw God to compassion and commiseratiō of their case as to crie out to him in this maner Thou vvhich gouernest Israel looke tovvards vs and be attēt Thou hast brought forth a vineyard out of Egipt thou hast purged the same from Gentiles and hast planted it Thou ô God of al povver turne tovvards vs looke vpon vs from heauen and visite this thy vineyard vvhich thy ovvne right hand hath planted The like maner of persuasion vsed the holy prophet Esaie to moue God when he said looke vpō vs I beseech the ô Lord vvhich are the vvorke of thine ovvne hands But aboue al other the blessed man Iob standeth as it were in argument and disputation with God about this matter saying haue not thy hāds made me haue they not framed me of clay and earth hast not thou compacted me as cheese is made of milke hast not thou knit my bones and sinowes together and couered my flesh with skinne hast not thou giuen me life and conserued my spirite with thy continual protection how soeuer thou seme to dissemble thes matters and hide them in thy hart yet I know that thou remēbrest them al and are not vnmindful of them By which words this holy man signified that albeit God suffered him greatly to be tempted and afflicted in this life so farre forth as he might seme to haue forgotten him yet was he wel assured that his deuine Maiestie could not of his goodnes forsake or despise him for that he was his creature and the proper workemanship of his owne hands In which verie name of vvorkemanship holy Dauid tooke such great comfort considering that the workeman can not chuse but be louing and fauourable towards his owne work especially so excellent and bountiful a workeman as is almightie God towards a worke made as mā is to his owne shape and likenes that in al his necessities yea euen in his greatest infirmities of flesh and most grieuous offenses committed against his Maiestie he conceaueth most assured hope of mercie and pardon vpon this cōsideratiō that he was his workemanship and consequentlie wel knowen to his deuine wisdome of how bricle infirme a metal he was made For thus at one time among other he reasoneth of this matter Looke how farre distant the east is from the west so farre of hath God remoued our iniquities from vs. Euen as a father doth take compassion of his owne children so doth our Lord take mercie vpon vs for that he wel knoweth the mould wherof we are made and doth remember that we are nothing els but dust In which discourse the holie Prophet maketh mention of two thinges that did assure him of Godes mercie th' one that God was his Creator and maker and therby priuie to the frailtie of his constitution nature th' other that he was his father whos propertie is to haue compassion on his children and this is a second reason more strong and forcible perhappes then the former whie euerie man maie be most assured of pardon that hartely turneth vnto almightie God considering that it hath pleased his deuine Maiestie not only to be vnto man a creatour as he is to al other thinges but also a father which is the title of the greatest loue and coniunction that nature hath left to thinges in this world Wherof a certaine philosopher said wel that no mā could conceaue the loue of a parents hart but he onlie that had a child of his owne For which respect our Sauiour IESVS to put vs in mind of this most feruent loue and therby as it were by one fire to enkendle an other within our hartes did vse often times and ordinarily to repeat this sweet name of Father in his speeches to his folowers and therupon founded diuers most excellent and comfortable dissourses as at one time when he dehorted them from ouer much care and worldlie solicitude he addeth this reason Your father in heauen knovveth that you haue need of thes thinges as who would saie he knowīg your wantes and being your father you shal not need to trouble yourselues with too great anxietie in thes matters for that a fathers hart can not but be prouidēt and careful for his children The like deduction maketh he in the same place to the same effect by comparison of the birdes of the aire and other irreasonable creatures for which if God doe make saith he so aboundant prouision as al the whole world may witnesse that he doth much more careful wil he be to prouide for men that are his owne children which are more deare vnto him then any other terrestrial thing created Al which speeches and reasons of our Sauiour are deriued from the nature and propertie of a parent which can not but affect and loue his children especially such a father whom Christ calleth celestial who in this perfection of true father ly loue so farre exceedeth al earthly parents put together as in power clemencie and goodnes almightie God surpasseth the infirmitie of his feeble creatures Such a father as hath not only geuen life and being vnto his childrē but also as S. Paul saieth hath powred into their hartes the deuine spirite of his only eternal sonne stirring them vp to most assured confidence and inuincible hope in his fatherly goodnes and protection And vpon assurance of this hope haue aswel sinners as Saints from the beginning fled vnto him confidently vnder this title of paternitie and neuer were deceaued So the prophet Esaie aswel in his owne name as in the name of the sinful people of Israel doubted not to crie Thou art our father Abraham hath not knovven vs and Israel is ignorant of vs Thou o Lord art our father thou art our redeemer And to cōfirme
sueing vnto sinners for their conuersion it followeth that we should in this third place examine some what more in particuler what certaine assurance his diuine Maiestie geueth of vndoubted pardon and ful remission of their sinnes to al such as vnfainedlie shal resolue them selues to make their refuge vnto him Which thing albeit euerie mā by that which before hath bene treated may sufficientlie conceaue yet for th' importāce of the matter it shal not be amisse in this place also to adde a word or two for more plaine and euidēt demonstration therof And this shal be donne by setting doune both the wordes and deedes that is both the promisses and perfourmāce which almightie God hath vsed and excercised in this behalf to al such as haue offended him whatsoeuer And for the first which are his promises most apparent it is as wel by the thinges which before haue bene discussed as also by the whole course bodie drift of holie scripture that the promises of mercie and pardon which his diuine Maiestie hath made to synners and wherunto by his sacred word he hath in a certaine maner obliged him self are both manifold vehement absolute resolute vniuersal VVho so euer shal depart from his vvicked vvayes and turne vnto me saith almightie God I vvil receaue him Behold the vniuersalitie of al people and persons without excluding any And then further At vvhat day soeuer an impious man shal returne vnto me from his impietie his vvickednes shal not hurt him saith the same L. God of hostes see the vniuersalitie of al times seasons without exceptiō But yet harken what God addeth besides Leaue of to doe peruerselie saith he to the Iewes c. and then doe you come and finde fault vvith me if you can For if your sinnes vvher as red as skarlet they shal be made as vvhite as snovve c. Consider the vniuersalitie of al kind of synnes be they neuer so greeuous so horrible or haynous And finallie God talking to a soule that hath oftentimes fallen most infinitelie offended him he saith thus it is a common receaued speech that if a womā depart from her husbād and doe ioine her self to an other man she may not returne to her first husband againe for that she is defiled and made contaminate And yet wheras thou hast departed from me and hast committed fornication with many other louers doe thou returne vnto me againe and I wil receaue the saith almightie God By which wordes is expressed the fowerth vniuersalitie containing al states qualities and conditions of men how many waies or how oftentimes or how contemptuouslie soeuer they haue committed sinnes against his diuine Maiestie And what may be added now more vnto this was ther euer prince that made so large an offer vnto his subiectes or was ther euer father that gaue so ample and vniuersal promise of pardō vnto his children Who can now mistrust him self to be excluded from this assurance of mercie wherin al sortes of people al kindes of sinnes al times and seasons al states and qualities of sinners are comprehended O most miserable and infortunate man that excludeth him self whom God excludeth not What is ther in this general and vniuersal promises wherof anie man in the world should haue pretence to make any least doubt or question Of the meaning perhapes and intent of him that promiseth O deare brother it is onlie loue and tharitie and consequentlie can not deceaue vs. Of the truth and suertie of his promisses It is infallible and more certaine then heauen and earth put together Of the power that he hath to perfourme his promisse It is infinite and not restrained by any boundes or limitation wherof thē may we doubt or in which of thes three pointes may we not conceaue most singuler consolation heare the comfortable meditation that blessed S. Bernard made vpon thes three particulers which wee haue now mentioned Tria considero saith he in quibus tota spes mea consistit charitatem vocationis veritatem promissionis potestatem redditionis c. That is I doe consider three thinges saith this holie mā wherin al my hope cōsisteth wherby it is made inuincible First the exceeding loue and charitie of him that calleth me to him by repentance secondlie the infallible truth and certaintie of his promise which he maketh to me of pardon and mercie thirdlie the endles power and abilitie he hath to perfourme whatsoeuer he promiseth This is that triple or threefold rope and chaine which holie scripture saith is hardlie broken for that by this rope let donne vnto vs from heauen which is our contrie into this world that is our prison we may ascende and mount vp if we wil euen vnto the sight and possession of Gods eternal kingdom and heauēlie glorie Thus farre that blessed father But now to the second pointe if we consider how faithfullie almightie God hath put in execution thos promises of his from time to time how no one man vpon earth so many ages as the world hath continued was euer yet frustrate of his hope in making his conuersion vnto his Maiestie if he made it from his hart we shal finde further cause for vs to confide For so much as it is not probable or ī reason to be imagined that he which neuer failed in times past wil breake his promise for the time to come especially seing now in Christianitie when we haue this aduantage aboue other former times as S. Iohn doth also note that he who was and is our iudge is become also our aduouocat to pleade our cause Cast backe thine eyes then my louing deare brother and take a vew of al ages times and seasons past and gone Beginne from the first creation of the world and come donneward euen vnto this daye examine indifferentlie whether in al this wide compasse of times persons places most greeuous offences committed against his diuine Maiestie ther were euer yet any one sinner vpon earth that returned vnsay nedlie and was not receaued The sinne of our first parentes was presentelie forgeuen vnto them vpon their first signification of greefe and sorowe for the same And not onlie this but our Saueour also Iesus Christ was promissed to be sent for restoring them and their posteritie to the glorie and felicitie which by their fal they had lost After this vntil the time of Abraham and of the people of Israel as some workes of Gods iustice are recorded in holie writ that were excercised vpon irrepentant offendours so are ther many more celebrated of his mercie and onlie two persons in particuler are mentioned who notwithstanding some sorow which they seemed to haue of their offences were yet reiected the first wherof was the murderer Cain who at the beginning denied his wickednes vnto God and then being conuicted despaired of remission The second was Esau whom S. Paul calleth a profane fornicator who
of reconciliatiō but rather let vs say with a confidēt hart we wil turne home to our father present our selues vnto our God for truely my brethren he wil neuer turne away from the man that turneth vnto him Himself hath said that he is a God that draweth nere vnto vs were it not that our sinnes doe make a separation betwixt him and vs. Let vs take away then the separation and obstacle and so nothing shal let our coniunction with him which he greatly desireth For to this end did he create vs that he might bestow vpon vs eternal blisse in his kingdome of heauen He did not make vs for hel but he made his kingdome for vs and hel for the diuel So he saith in the Gospel Come ye blessed of my father enioy the kingdome prepared for you frō the beginning of the vvorld And to the dāned Depart from me ye accursed into euerlasting fier vvhich is prepared for the deuil his angels If then hel fier was prepared for the Diuel and the kingdome of heauen for man from the beginning of the world it remaineth only that we prouide not to loose our inheritance by persisting in sinne So long as we are in this life how many or great soeuer our sinnes may be it is possible to wash them away by penāce but when we shal be once departed from this world albeit then we do repent as no doubt but we shal from the bottom of our hartes yet shal it auaile vs nothing And albeit our teeth do gnash our mouth crie out our eies gush forth in teares and our hartes lamēt with innumerable complaintes and supplications yet shal no man heare vs no man assist vs nor so much as with the tip of his fingar geue vnto vs a drop of water to coole our tong amiddest her tormentes but we shal receaue that lamentable answer which the rich glotton receaued at the mouth of Abraham There is betvvene vs and you a great distance so that none may passe from vs to you nor from you to vs. Hitherto lasteth S. Augustins exhortation THE SECOND LET OF RESOLVTION WHICH IS THE SVPPOSED hardnes and asperitie of vertuous life The fallacie vvherof is discouered and the manisoid helpes declared that doe make the same most easie svveet and pleasaent CHAPT II. The euerlasting and irreconciliable enimie of our heauēlie blisse and saluation hauing receaued by the former reasons and considerations of Gods īfinit goodnes a very strong encounter and contradiction against his first and greatest assault of desperation him self also being inforced to confesse though with endles greef and enuie that the mercie of almightie God is without measure towards man he retireth him self back manie times from the pursute therof i such especially as haue yet some time to liue in this world seeme not to be neare vnto their ending dayes and taketh in hand a more calme and easie enterprice as it may appeare persuading such sinners as he can not bring to despaire that at least wise they stand aloose and hold themselues of from al resolutiō to put in vre and excercise the preceptes of Christian life for that they are hard vnsauerie painful and troblesom ful of melancholie and sadnes void of comfort good felooship and dilection opposite to al mirth contentation and ioy subiect to continual affliction and vexatiō of mind and finallie not supportable to such bodies such mindes such education such custome such course of life as theirs are This is an ordinarie sleight and practice of our aduersarie which he maketh to seeme so sweet and plaucible by certaine ointmentes that he adioineth of flatterie to our sensualitie that most men of the world doe receaue this persuation for sound councel and perfect wisdom esteeming al other either simple or sottish or at least wise far inferiour in iudgment discretion to them selues that doe imbrace or persuade the contrarie By which meanes it commeth to passe that this second point of hardnes and difficultie in vertuous life is a verie great strong ordinarie and vniuersal impediment that letteth infinit soules from imbracing the meanes of their saluatiō and consequentlie not to be passed ouer in this place without ful examination and perfect answer First then albeit wee should suppose that the way of vertue were so hard in deed as the enemie would make it seeme yet might I wel say with S. Iohn Chrisostom that seeing the reward is so great infinit as before we haue declared no labour should seeme great for gaining of the same Againe I might say with holy S. Augustine That seeing we take daily so great paine in this world for auoiding of lesser inconueniences as of sicknes imprisonementes losse of goodes life and other the like what paines should we refuse for auoiding the eternitie of hel fire the torment wherof is insupportable The first of thes considerations S. Paul vsed when he said the sufferinges of this life are not vvoorthie of the glorie vvhich shal be reuealed in the next The second S. Peter vsed when he wrote that seeing the heauens must be dissolued and Christ come in Iudgement to restore to euery man according to his woorkes what maner of men ought we to be in al holy conuersation As who wold say No labour no paines no trauaile no penance ought to seeme hard or great vnto vs to the ende we might auoide the terrour of that dreadful day S. Augustin demandeth this question what we thinke the riche glutton in hel wold doe now for auoiding his tormētes if he were in this life again wold he take paines or no wold he bestirre him self rather then turne into that place of calamitie againe I might adioine to this the infinit paines that Christ tooke for vs the infinit benefites he hath bestowed vpon vs the infinit sinnes we haue committed against him the infinit examples of Saincts that haue troden this path before vs being notwithstanding of more delicate cōstitution of bodie thē we are in respect of al which we ought to make no bones at a litle paines and labour if it were true that Gods seruice were so troublesome as many doe esteeme it But now in verie truthe the matter is nothing so and this is but a subtile deceate of the enemie for our discouragement The testimome of Christ him self is cleare in this point saing Iugū meū suaue est enus meum leue My yoke is sweet and my burdē light And his dearlie beloued disciple S. Iohn who had best cause to know his maisters secret herein sayeth plainlie Mandata eius grauia non sunt his commaundements are not greeuous What is the cause then why so many men doe conceaue such an insuperable difficultie in this affaire Surelie one cause is besides the fallacie of the deuil which is the cheefest for that men feele the disease of concupiscence in their bodies but doe not cōsider the strength of the medicine
multiplied vpon them and after that they made hast to come And God saieth generallie of al good men They vvil rise betimes in the morning and come to me in their tribulation Wherfore holy king Dauid desiring the weale of certaine men and to winne them to God saieth in one of his psalmes Fil their faces o Lord vvith shame and confusion and then vvil they seeke vnto thy name And this is true as I said in the elect and chosen seruantes of God But in the reprobate this rope draweth not this yoke holdeth not nor doth this chaine of loue winne them vnto God wherof God him self complaineth saying In vaine haue I stricken your children for they haue not receaued my discipline And againe the prophet Ieremie saieth of them to God thou hast crushed them and they haue refused to receaue thy discipline they haue hardened their faces euen as a rocke and vvil not returne to thee Behold they haue rent the yoke and broken the chaines OF THIS NOVV ensueth an eight reason why God bringeth his seruantes into affliction to wit therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them For as in this world a princelie mind desireth nothing more thē to haue occasiō wherby to shew his habilitie good wil vnto his deare frend so God almightie which hath al occasions in his owne handes and passeth al his creatures together in greatnesse of loue and nobilitie of mind worketh purposely diuers occasions and opportunities wherby to shew and exercise she same So he brought the three childrē into the burning fornace therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them So he brought Daniel into the liōs dēne Susanna vnto the point of death Iob into extreme miserie Ioseph into prison Tobie vnto blindnes therby to shew his power and loue in their deliuerance For this cause also did Christ suffer the shippe to be almost drouned before he would awake S. Peter to be almost vnder water before he would take him by the hande AND OF THIS one reason many other reasons and most comfortable causes doe appeare of Gods dealing herin As first that we being deliuered from our afflictions might take more ioy and delite thereof then if we had neuer suffered the same For as water is more grateful to the waiefaring man after a long drouth a calme more pleasant vnto passingers after a troublesome tempest so is our deliuerie more sweet after persecution or tribulation according as the scripture saieth Speciosa misericordia Dei in tempore tribulationis the mercie of God is beautiful and pleasant in time of tribulation This signified also our Sauiour whē he saied your sorovv shal be turned into ioy that is you shal reioice that euer you were sorowful This had Dauid proued when he saied thy redie o Lord and thy staffe haue comforted me that is I take great comfort that euer I was chastised with them And againe according to the multitude of my sorovves thy consolations haue made ioiful my mind That is for euery sorow that I receaued in time of afflictiō I receaue now a consolation after my deliuerance And again in an other place I vvil exult and reioice in thy mercie ô Lord. And wherfore good king wilt thou so reioice it foloweth immediatly For that thou hast respected my abasement and hast deliuered my soule frō the necessitie vvherin shee vvas and hast not left me in the handes of mine enemie This then is one most gracious meaning of our louing and merciful father in afflicting vs for a time to the end our ioy may be the greater after our deliuerance as no doubt but it was in al thos whom I haue named before deliuered by Gods mercie I meane Abrahā Ioseph Daniel Sidrach Misach and Abdenago Susanna Iob Thobias Peter and the rest who tooke much more ioy after their deliuerance then if they had neuer bene in affliction at al. When Iudith had deliuered Bethulia and returned thither with Holofernes head there was more hartie ioy in that citie then euer there would haue bene if it had not bene in distresse When S. Peter was deliuered out of prison by the Angel there was more ioy for his deliuerance in the Church then could haue bene if he had neuer bene in prison at al. OVT of this great ioy resulteth an other effect of our tribulation much pleasant to God and comfortable to our selues and that is a most hartie and earnest thankesgeuing to our Lord for our deliuerance such as the prophet vsed when he saied after his deliuerance I for my part vvil sing of thy strength and vvil exalt thy mercie betimes in the morning for that thou hast bene my aider and refuge in the daey of my tribulation Such hartie thankes and praise did the childrē of Israel yeeld to God for their deliuerance when they were passed ouer the read sea in that notable song of theirs which beginneth Cantemus domino and is registred by Moyses in Exodus From like hartie affect came also thos songes of Anna Debora and Iudith moued therunto by the remembrance of their afilictions past And finally this is one of the cheefest things that God esteemeth and desireth at our hādes as he testefieth by the prophet saying cal vpon me in the day of tribulation I vvil deliuer thee and thou shall honour me BESIDES AL thes effects God hath yet further reasons of laying persecution vpon vs as for example to the end that by suffering perceiuing in deed Gods certaine assistance and consolation therin we may come to be so hardie bold and constant in his seruice as nothing afterward can dismay vs. Euē as Moyses albeit he were first afeard of the serpent that was made of his rodd and so fled away from it yet afterwardes whē he by Gods commandement had once taken it vp by the taile he feared it no more This the prophet Dauid expresseth notablie whē he saieth God hath bene our refuge and strēgth and helper in our great tribulations and therfore vve vvil not feare if the vvhole earth should be troubled and the mountaines cast into the middest of the sea What greater considence can be imagined then this AGAINE by persecution afflictiō God bringeth his children to the exercise and perfect possession of al the holy vertues belonging to a Christian man As for example faith is exercised in time of tribulation by considering the causes of Gods permission and beleeuing most assuredlie the promises he hath made for our deliuerance Hope is exercised in conceauing assuring our selues of the rewards promised to thē that suffer patiently Charitie is exercised in considering the loue of Christ suffering for vs and therby proueketh the afflicted to suffer againe for him Obediece is exercised in cōforming our willes to the wil of Christ. Patience in bearing quietlie
the first in doinge of that seruice whersoeuer he came therby to touch his holy body He praied vehemently in the fier and gaue immortal thankes vuto almightie God that had made him worthy of that daies combate during which time the fier diuided it self in two partes and would not touch him in so much that the magistrate was constreined to send one to ronne his body through with a sword wherwith he died Thus far repeteth Eusebius out of the epistle of thes men that were present at his martyrdome they doe adde further thes wordes in the same epistle that the Iewes and Gentils ther present did suggest to the Magistrate to take heede least we did steale away his body and so begin to honour him in stead of our God crucified Vpon which suggestion his body by commandement was burned ther in our presence after it was dead but yet we afterward gathered vp his bones out of the ashes and laid them vp as things more pretious then gold or pretious stones in a place conuenient for such a treasure hoping that one day God wil permit vs to come togither in peace and to celebrate the festiual day of this his holy martyrdome I haue bene the lōger in setting downe the cōbat and end of this glorious Sainct for that he was a most rare and singuler man and his example may serue vs for our instruction to diuers purposes but especially how we ought to be firme and cōstant in holding the general vniforme doctrine and interpretation of scripturs deliuered by tradition from th' apostles in the Catholique church with detestation of al new opiniōs as also S. Ignatius warned vs before The holy bishop and martyr of God Irenaeus that liued in his time and went from Liōs in France vnto Asia to see and heare him reporteth certaine things of this blessed man which I can not in this place omit notwithstanding I make haste for that they may greatly profit such men in thes our dayes as haue grace to be moued or holpen with any thing Policarpe saith he was not only instructed by th' apostles them selues but also made bishop by them of Smirna He liued familiarly with many that had sene and spoken with our Saueour in flesh and we in our youth saw him in Asia for he liued long and ended his life by a most famous martyrdome He taught alwaies thos things which he had learned of the apostles which the Church deliuereth and which are only true Which may be proued by the consent of al the churches of Asia and by the bishopes which haue succeded after him He was a more faithful witnes of the truth then Valentinus or Marcion or al the body of other heretiques together which haue brought pestilent new sectes into the Church He wēt to Rome Anacetus being thē bishop and reduced to the church and true religion diuers that were peruerted by the for said heretiques and protested openly that he had receaued of th' apostles them selues that only and sole truth which is deliuered by the Catholique church Ther are yet a liue that haue heard him tel how that S. Iohn th' apostle of our Saue our being once at Ephesus going into a common bath and seing Cerinthus the heretique to be within ranne out againe in hast saying to them that were with him let vs flee from hence least the bath fal downe and destroy vs in which the enimie of God Cerinthus remaineth The same Policarpe at the same time when he was at Rome meeting by chance with Marcion the heretique ther and being demanded of him whether he knew him or not answered vea I know the for the cheefe child of Satan So wary were the holy apostles and their schollers not so much as to talke with such fellowes as indeuored by their new commētaries and expositiōs of scriptures to change the truth before receaued And so S. Paul warneth vs al to doe when he saith Auoid an heretical man after one or tvvo admonitions assaring thy self that such a one is peruers and sinneth being condemned by his ovvne proper iudgement Hitherto are the words of holy Irenaeus The same Irenaeus writing to one Florinus his old acquaintance in schole of Polycarpus now beginning to be an heretike in Rome as foloweth Thes opinions of thine O Florinus to speake frendly are not true nor wholsome Thes opinions are repugnant to the Church Thes opinions thou receauedst not by tradition from the Preestes that before vs were scholers to the Apostles I did see thee when I was but a child with Polycarpus in Asia at what time thou liuing very gorgiously in the Emperours court diddest indeuour to hold a good opinion with Polycarp I remember those times wel they stike in my mind more firmly then other things that passed since In so much that I can tel at this time the very place wherin this blessed man did sit whē he spake vnto vs. I can tel the order and maner of his comming in the forme and fashion of his life the shape of his body the maner of his disputing of his preaching to the multitude I remember how he was wont to recompt vnto vs the familier conuersation that he had with S. Iohn th' Euangelist with diuers others who had seene our Sauiour I remember how he would tel vnto vs their speaches what he had heard them say of Christ of his miracles vertues and doctrine which they had seene with their owne eyes and heard with their eares which were al agreing with the scriptures that now we haue Thes things through the great mercy of God towards me I heard at that time both diligently and attentiuely not so much committing them to inke papire as to the inward cogitation of my minde And while I liue I doe and shal by Gods holy grace most carfully renewe the memory therof And now here before almighty God I may truly protest that if this holy and Apostolical preest Polycarp should haue heard of such new opinions as you defende he would haue stopped his eares and cried out according as his fashion was O good God vnto what miserable times hast thou reserued me to heare thes things And presently would haue risen and runne away from the place where he had bene standing or sitting when such doctrine should haue bene vttred Hitherto Irenaeus AND NOVV deare Christiā brother who would not be moued with the graue and zelous speeches of thes reuerend men that liued so nighe to the times of the holy Apostles and of our Saueour him self How exceeding great was their care amiddest al their other tribulations and at the very last time when they were to depart out of this world for Irenaeus also soone after suffered martyrdome to forwarne Christiā people to beware of heresie and schisine and to detest al maner of new commentaries expositiōs vpon holy scriptures other then the vniuersal traditiō of the
Possidius But S. Victor comming to declare the said persecution more in particuler sheweth that albeit they were cruel against al Catholiques in general yet saith he praecipuè in ecclesijs basilicisque caemiterijs monasterijs sceleratijss saeuiebant They principally did excercise their wicked crueltie vpon Churches oratories church-yards and Monasteries And then he goeth forward shewing their further cruelties and outrages in abusing preestes and monkes and in spoiling alters of which he saith in particuler de pallis altaris proh nesas camisias sibi femoralia faciebant Of the corporesses and other clothes of the aulter sie on the villanie they made them selues shirtes and briches Further he addeth that they gathering diuers sacred Virgins together against al shame would behold and handle the priuie partes of their bodies whom afterward for that they would not be leud with them they tormented with fire and threw into riuers with stones tied to their feet saying vnto them tel vs how doe your bishops and clergie men vse to lie with you besides al this he saith that they prohibited Catholiques Missas agere vel tractare to haue Masse or to talke therof they forbide them also to burie Christians solemly with lightes tapers and torches and finally they forbid them al excercise of their Catholique Christian religion And for that in thes things they were not obeied as they desired but were resisted openly and manfully by them that had spirit corage from God to doe it therfore did they rage and fome aboue al measure and did excercise more extremitie in al despiteful and villanous kind of cruelties then did the Pagan persecutours either before or after NOVV THEN to make here our staie and to passe no further in this discourse thou seest deare brother in this descent of Gods Church for fiue hūdred years together after Christs departure how ordinarie a thing it was to our Saue our to send persecution vnto his dearest seruants for their trial and merit In which matter notwithstanding is diligently to be considered first the greatenes and sharpnesse of this trial to the end we be not desmaied when the like more or lesse doe fal vnto our lot Secondly how pittiful and miserable the fal of diuers were in this trial to the losse of their soules and eternal desolation Thirdly how the causes of this their fal were either pride and temeritie wherby they tempted God or els the loue of this present world wherby they were allured to forsake their Lord and master Fourthly how glorious the victorie was of thos that were resolute and how euerlasting their reward both in this world in the world to come Besides this it shal not be amisse for thee to consider and that for thy particuler comfort if thou be a Catholique how careful thes holy Martyrs were that suffered in the primatiue Church to keepe them selues within the vnitie of Catholique faith doctrine deliuered vniuersally by tradition in al Churches frō age to age to the end their sufferinges and labour might reccaue their merit How diligēt also they were in aduertising others of this important pointe assuring them that without this their trauailes could be of no profit or auaile And as it is most euident and certaine that al thes blessed martyrs Sainctes which before I haue named together with their brethren did cōtinue by successiō for fiue hundred years together in the common knowen faith of Christēdome called at that time Catholique and did defend the same both by wordes writing and suffering against al apostaces heretiques schismatiques or other newfangled enemies whatsoeuer So is it as euidēt apparēt to the world that the same vniuersal general church faith and doctrine which thes men left haue continued euer since vntil this daie and shal doe to the worlds ende fighting and striuing against al new vpstart enemies of the same traditiō of Christian religion which thes mē so carefully commended vnto vs. By al which as also by the maner of persecution that was then and by the thinges them selues that were suffered at heretiques hādes in thes old times euerie Catl olique man that by Gods special grace is made worthie to suffer the like in thes our daies maie take singuler comfort and great instruction therin considering nubem illam testium propositam as S. Paul calleth it that is the great multitude and cloude of examples and witnesses that haue gone before vs to instruct and animate vs in this battaile And the holy Apostle vseth the word cloude to allude by a metaphore vnto that cloude which out Sauiour sent to the people of Israel to direct their iourney in the deserte insinuating hereby that thes excellent examples of holy Martyrs and Confessours which I haue named before to haue suffered so valiantely in the primatiue church ought to be vnto vs a most certaine direction both for corage cōstancie wisdome alacretie and resolution in this spiritual fight assuring our selues that we following their steppes in fighting for the like cause against the like enemies with like fortitude and humilitie and in like patience and longanimantie as they did we shal not want the like grace like comfort like assistance like merit and reward at our merciful Sauiours hand as they receaued THE FIFT IMPEDIMENT OF RESOLVTION IN THE SERVICE OF ALmightie God Proceeding of ouer much presumption in the mercie of our Sauiour vvithout remembrance of his iustice CHAPT VI. AS many men for their excuse against the resolutiō which we persuade doe serue them selues with the reasons that before we haue confuted So is ther an other forte of people that taketh a more shorte way to dispatch their handes of al that can be said to moue thē by seare quite contrary to them whom in the first chapter of this second part I answered this way is to lay the whole matter of their stay vpon the backe and shoulders of our Sauiour Christ himself and to answere what soeuer you can say against them with this onely sentence God is merciful Of thes men our Saue our seemeth to complaine greeuously by the prophet when he saieth Supra dor sum meū fabricauerunt peceatores prolongauerunt iniquitatem Sinners haue built vpon my backe they haue prolonged their iniquitie By which wordes he signifieth that prolonging of our iniquities in hope of Gods mercie is to build our sinnes on his back and shoulders But what foloweth wil God beare this iniurie no verelie for the next wordes ensuing are Dominus iustus cōcidet ceruices peccatorum God is iust and he wil cut in sunder the neckes of sinners Here loe are two cooling cardes for the two warme imaginations before recited For meane you Syr to prolong your iniquitie for that God is merciful remember then also that he is iust saieth the prophet Are ye gotten vp vpon the backe of almightie God to make your nest of sinne there take heed for he wil fetch
iustitiae sperate in domino doe you sacrifice vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnes and then trust in him Wherwith S. Iohn agreeth when he saith If our hart or conscience doe not reprehend vs for wicked life then haue vve confidence vvith God As who wold saie if our conscience be guiltie of lewde and wicked life we resolued to dwel and continue therin then in vaine haue we confidence in the mercies of God vnto whose iust iudgemēt we stand subiect for our wickednes It is most wonderful and dreadful to consider how almightie God hath vsed him self towardes his best beloued in this world vpon offence geuen by occasion of finne how easelie he hath chaunged countenance how soone he hath broken of frendshippe how straitlie he hath takē accompt and how seuerelie he hath punished The Angels that he created with so great care and loue and to whom he imparted to singular priuileges of al kinde of perfections as he made them almost verie Goddes in a certaine maner committed but onelie one sinne of pride agaīst his maiestie and that onelie in thought as diuines doe hold and yet presentlie al that good wil and fauour was chaunged into iustice and that also so seuere as they were throwen downe to eternal tormentes without redemptiō designed for euer to abide the rigour of hel fire and intollerable darkenes After this almightie God made to him self an other new frend of flesh blood which was our first father Adam in paradises where God conuersed with him so frendlie and familiarlie as is most wounderful to consider He called him he talked with him he made al creatures in the world subiect vnto him he brought them al before him to the end that he and not God should geue to them their names He made a mate and companion for him he blessed them both and finallie shewed al possible tokens of loue that might be But what ensewed Adam committed but one sinne and that at the entisement of an other and that also a sinne of smal importance as it may seeme to mans reason being but the eating of an aple forbidden and yet the matter was no sooner done but al frendship was brokē betwene God and him he was thrust out of paradise condemned to perpetual miserie and al his prosperitie to eternal damnation together with him self if he had not repented And how seuerelie this greuous sentence was executed afterward maie appeare by the infinite milliōs that went to hel for this sinne for the space of fower thousand yeres that passed before it was ransōmed which finallie could not be done but by the comming downe of Gods owne sonne the second person in Trinitie into this flesh by his intolerable sufferinges and death in the same The two miracles of the world Moyses and Aaron were of singular authoritie and fauour with God in so much as they could obtaine any thing at his hādes for other men And yet when they offended God once them selues at the waters of contradiction in the desert of sin for that they dowted somewhat of the miracle promised to them by God and therby did dishonour his maiestie before the people as he saieth they were presentlie rebuked most sharpelie for the same And albeit they repented hartelie that offence and so obtained remission of the fault or guilt yet was there laid vpon them a greuous punishment for the same that was that they should not enter them selues into the land of promise but should die when they came within the sight therof And albeit they entreated God most earnestlie for the release of this penance yet could they neuer obtaine the same at his hādes but alwaies he answered thē seing you haue dishonoured me before the people you shal die for it and shal not enter into the land of promise In what special great fauour was 〈◊〉 with God when he chose him to be the first king of his people caused Samuel the prophet so much to honour him and to annoint him prince vpō Gods own inheritance as he calleth it when he commēded him so much and tooke such tender care ouer him And yet afterward for that he brake Gods commandement in reseruing certaine spoyles of warre which he should haue destroied yea though he reserued them to honour God withal as he pretended yet was he presentlie cast of by God degraded of his dignitie geuen ouer to the handes of an euil spirite brought to infinite miseries though he shifted out for a time and finallie so forsaken and abandoned by God as he slew him self his sonnes were crucified on a crosse by his enemies and al his familie and linage extinguished for euer K. Dauid was the chosen and deare frend of God honoured with the title of one that vvas according to Gods ovvne hart But yet as so one as he had sinned the prophet Nathan was sent to denounce Gods heauie displeasure and punishment vpon him And so it ensued not with standing his greate and voluntarie penance that him self added for the pacifying of Gods wrath by fasting praier weeping wearing of sacke-cloth eating of ashes the like By which is euident that how great Gods mercie is to them that feare him so great is his iustice to thē that offend him The holie scripture hath infinite examples of this matter as the reiectiō of Cain and his posteritie streight vpon his murder The pitiful drowning of the whole world in the time of Noe. The dreadful consuming of Sodom and Gomorra with the cities about it by fire brimston The sending downe quicke vnto hel of Chore Dathan and Abiron with the slaughter of two hundred and fiftie their adherēts for rebellion against Moyses and Aaron The suddain killing of Nadab and Abiu sonnes of Aaron and chosen preestes for once offering on the Aultar other fire then was appointed them The most terrible striking dead of Ananias and Saphira for retaining some parte of their owne goodes by deceit frō the Apostles with many more such examples which holie writ doth recount And as for the grecuousnes of Gods iustice and heauines of his hand when it lighteth vpon vs though it may appeare sufficientlie by al thes examples before alleaged wherin the particular punishmentes as you see are most rigorous yet wil I repeat one act of almightie God more owt of the scripture which expresseth the same in wounderful sort and maner It is wel knowne that Beniamin among al the twelue sonnes of Iacob was the dearest vnto his father as appeareth in the booke of Genesis therfore also greatlie respected by God and his tribe placed in the best part of al the land of promise vpon the diuision therof hauing Ierusalem Iericho other the best cities within it Yet notwithstanding for one onelie sinne committed by certaine priuate men in the citie of Gabaa vpon the wife
of Iewes whom we see dispersed ouer al the world at this daie in bondage both of bodie soule Which worke of Gods Iustice though it be most terrible yet was his mercie greater to thē as appeareth by Christs wordes if they had not reiected the same Thirdlie his mercie exceedeth his iustice euen towardes the damned them selues in that he vsed many meanes to saue them in this life by geuing them freewil and assisting the same with his grace to doe good by mouing thē inwardlie with infinite good inspirations by alluring thē outwardlie with exhortatiōs promisses examples of others as also by sicknes aduersities and other gentle corrections By geuing them space to repent with occasions opportunities and excitations vnto the same By threatning thē eternal death if they repented not Al which thinges being effectes of mercie and goodnes towardes them they must needes confesse amiddest their greatest furie and tormentes that his iudgementes are true iustified in them selues and no waies to be cōpared with the greatnes of his mercies By this then we see that to be true which the prophet saieth Misericordiam veritatem diligit dominus God loueth mercie and trueth And againe Mercie and trueth haue met together Iustice and peace haue kissed on an other We see the reason why the same prophet protesteth of him self I vvil sing vnto thee mercie and iudgement ô Lord not mercie alone nor iudgement alone but mercie and iudgement together that is I wil not so presume of thy mercie as I wil not feare thy iudgement nor yet wil I so feare thy iudgement as I wil euer despaire of thy mercie The feare of Gods iudgement is alwaies to be ioined with our confidence in Gods mercie yea in verie Saintes them selues as Dauid saith But what feare that feare trulie which the scripture describeth whē it saith the feare of our Lord expelleth sinne the feare of God hateth al euil He that feareth God neglecteth nothing he that feareth God wil turne and looke into his owne hart he that feareth God wil doe good woorkes They which feare God wil not be incredulous to that which he saith but wil keepe his waies and seeke out the things that are pleasant vnto him They wil prepare their hartes sanctifie their soules in his sight This is the description of the true feare of God set downe by holie scripture This is the description of that feare which is so much commended and commanded in euerie part and parcel of Gods worde Of that feare I saie which is called Fons vitae radix prudentiae corona plenitudo sapientiae gloria gloriatio beatum donum That is the fountaine of life the roote of prudence the crowne and fulnes of wisdome the glorie and gloriation of a Christian man a happie gift Of him that hath this feare the scripture saith happie is the man vvhich feareth our Lord for he vvil place his minde vpon his comman lementes And againe the man that feareth God shal be happie at the last end and shal be blessed at the day of his death Finally of such as haue this feare the scripture saith that God is their foundation God hath prepared great multitude of sweetnes for them God hath purchased them an inheritance God is as merciful to them as the father is merciful vnto his children And to conclude Voluntatem timentium se faciet God wil doe the wil of those that feare him with this feare This holie feare had good Iob when he said to God I feared al my vvorkes And he yealdeth the reason therof For that I knevve that tbovv sparest not him that offendeth thee This feare lacked the other of whō the prophet saieth The sinner hath exasperated God by saying that God wil not take accompt of his doings in the multitude of wrath Thy iudgementes ò Lord are remoued from his sight And againe vvherfore hath the vvicked man stirred vp God against him self by saying God vvil not take account of my doings It is a great exasperation of God against vs to take the one halfe of Gods nature from him which is so make him merciful without iustice and to liue so as though God wold take no account of our life wheras he hath protested most earnestlie the contrarie saying that he is like a hard and couetous man which wil not be contēt to receiue his owne againe but also wil haue vsurie for the lone that he wil haue a straite reckoning of al his goodes lent vs that he wil haue fruite for al his labours bestowed vpon vs finallie that he wil haue account for euery word that we haue spoken Our Sauiour Christ in the three score and eight psalme which in sundrie places of the gospel he interpreteth to be writen of himself among other dreadful curses which he setteth down against the reprobate he hath these let their eyes be daseled in such sorte as they may not see povvre out thy vvrath my Father vpō thē let the furie of thy vengeance take hād fast on thē Adde iniquity vpō their miquitie let him not enter into thy iustice Let them be blotted out of the booke of life let them not be enrolled together vvith the iust Here loe we see that the greatest curse which God can laye vpon vs next before our blotting out of the booke of life is to suffer vs to be so blinded as to adde iniquitie vpon iniquitie and not to enter into cōsideration of his iustice For which cause also this confident kinde of sinning vpon hope of Gods mercie is accounted by diuines for the first of the six greuous sinnes against the holie Ghost which our Sauiour in the gospel signifieth to be so hardlie pardoned vnto men by his Father And the reason why they cal this a sinne against the holie Ghost is for that it reiecteth wilfullie one of the principal meanes left by the holie Ghost to retire vs from sinne which is the feare and respect of Gods iustice vpon sinners Wherfore to conclude this matter of presumption me thinkes we may vse the same kinde of argumēt touching the feare of Gods iustice as S. Paul vseth to the Romanes of the feare of Gods ministers which are temporal princes Wouldest thou not feare the power of a temporal prince saith he doe wel then and thou shalt not onelie not feare but also receiue laude and praise therfore But if thou doe euil then feare for he beareth not the sword without a cause In like sort may we saye to those good felowes which make God so merciful as no man ought to feare his iustice Would ye not feare my brethrē the iustice of God in punishmēt liue vertuouslie then and you shal be as voide of feare as lions are saieth the wiseman For that perfect charitie expelleth feare But if you liue wickedlie then haue you cause to feare
dāger of riches in persecutiō Diuers sortes of filling Mat. 19. Poore men follovv easilie th' example of the riche Constant martyrs The Zele of Dionys. against Schisme Heresie Euseb. li. 6. cap. 37. Martyrdom at heretiques hādes more commendable then at Insidels Of S. Cyprian Pōt in vit Cyp. Hier. in catal Aug. ser. de S. Cyp. S. Cyprians epistle vvri ten a litle before his death Lib. 5. cp 9. * Sixtus died three daies before S. Laurence The last letter that euer S. Cyprian vvrote Li 5. ep 1. S. Cyprian vvould die in Carthage and not in Vtica This also doth S. Augustin repeat out of the place Lib. 1. cont ep Gaudēt Pont. in vita Cyp. de quo Hiero. in catal vit illust The martyrdome of S. Cyprian S. Cyprians solemne burial vvith tapers c. Churches erected to S. Cyprian vvith solemne festival daies * Vide cp 120. ad Honor cap. 5. serm 12. tem 10. Lib. 5. de bapt cont Domt c. 7. The last general persecutiōs vnder Diocletian and others See Euseb. toto lib. 8. 9. A time of trial The practise of Gods enimies for to seeme to haue vvone A comfortable consideration THE ende of Eusebius storie The persecutiō of heretiques more cruel then of Pagans * Constans The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The relatiō of S. Gregorie touching Iulian. Iulian denout in his youth Orat. prima in Iulia. pag. 556. The vvicked edictes of Iulian. Orat. 2. in Iudic. pag. 559. The great honours done to martyrs in old time The Arriā persecution S. Augustines greefe sorrovv for the Vādal persecution Vict. l. 1. de pers Vand. Note that things and conferre thē vvith our times THE conclusion of this chapter Fovver things to be considered A comfortable consideratiō for a Catholique that suffereth An illatiō vpon the premisses Heb. 12. Exod. 13. Psa. 128. Building on Gods back Hovv God is both mer ciful and iust Psal. 24. Ser. 52. paruorum The tvvo feete of God Ser. 6. in cant Psa 110. Psa. 148. August Tract 33. in Ioh. Psal. 24. Psa. 102. Tvvo daun gers of sinners Eccl. 5. Ezec. 11. An 〈◊〉 maner of reasoning Rom. 2. Tract 33. in loan Gods goodnes nothing helpeth thos that perseuer in sinne Psa. 72. Psa. 33. Ier. 6. 8. Ezec. 13. 1. Io. 3. The seuertie of God punishmēt vpon same 1. The Angels Esa. 14. 2. Pet. 2. Ep. Iud. Adam Eve Great seueritie 3. Moyses Aaron Num. 20. 27. 33. Den. 10. 33. 34. 4. Saul 1. Re. 10. 11. Act. 13. 1. Re. 13. 15. 16. 1. Re. 16. 1. Re. 31. 1. Par. 10. 5. Dauid 2. Re. 12. Psal. 34. 68. 108. 101. Psal. 29. Gen. 4. Gene. 8. Gen. 19. Num. 16. 1. Le. 10. Act. 5. The heauines of gods hand Gen. 42. 43. Iosu. 18. Iudi. 19. 20. A consideration vpon the premisses Deu. 10. Heb. 10. Psa. 118. Heb. 12. Mat. 26. Great and straunge effectes of gods iustice Ma. 7. 20. VVHEther Gods mercie be greater thē his iustice Psal. 14. lac 2. Mat. 7. 20. The first vvay hovv Gods mercie is aboue his iustice Ose. 13. The 2. vvay 1. Tī 2. Exe. 18. Iere. 3. Math. 23. Ioseph de bello Iud. L1 c. 1. 2. 3. The 3. vvay Psa. 53. Psa. 84. Psa. 100. Feare to be ioined vvith hope Psa. 33. Eccle. 1. Prou. 1. Eccl. 7. Eccl. 15. Eccl. 7. Eccl. 2. The praise of true feare Pro. 14. Eccle. 1. 5. Psa. 111. Eccle. 1. Psal. 24. Psal 30. Psal. 60. Psal. 62. Psa. 144. Iob. 9. Psal. 9. Mat. 25. Luc. 16. Mat. 7. Luc. 13. Mat. 12. Mat. 27. Marc. 15. Ioh. 2. D. Tho secunda secundae q. 14. art 1. 2. 3. VVhy presumption is a sinne against the holy Ghost The dāger of not fearing Rom. 13. Pro. 28. 1. Ioh. 4. 2. Ti. 4. 1. Pet. 1. Phil. 2. An obiection ansuered 2. Ti. 1. Seruile feare and the feare of children Rom. 8. Hovv the feare of gētiles vvas seruile 1. Pet. 3. 1. Seruile feare necessary to beginners Pro. 1. IOH. 13. Mat. 3. 1. Ioh. 4. Tract 9. in cp 1. Ioh. 2. Seruile feare may vvel remaine also aftervvard Luc. 12. Mat. 10. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Co. 9. The conclusion 1. Cor. 4. Ephe. 5. 〈◊〉 18. A vvaine excuse The causes vvhy the deuil persuadeth vs to delay Rom. 2. Li. 8. confess ca. 7. 12. The causes vvhiche make our conuersion harder by delay Note The sam shevved by comparisons An example In prato spirituali sanctorum Patrum Tract 49. in Ioh. Ioh. 11. Mat. 9. Luc. 7. The reason of more difficultie by delay Eccl. 10. Iob. 20. Exo. 32. A comparison Ingratitude tovvardes God Malac. 1. Comparisons Deu. 25. Vniust dealing vvith God Leui. 3. Num. 18. Mala. 1. Eccl. 5. Serm. 10. de sanctis The losse of merite A comparison Pro. 20. The obligation and charge by delay Rom. 2. Rom. 2. Satisfactiō for delay * Al the authorities of S. Cyprian Aug. Hierom. follovving Bun. leaueth out and māgleth most impudently Cyprian li. de la. li. 5. ep 5. ad cor Hom. vlt. 50. ho. Ep. 27. ad Eustoch Ad virg Iapsam c. 5. Psal. 26. THE exāple of the theefe saued on the crosse discussed Circumstāces of the fact * Here Butt vvil needes tring in our lady also affirming ber to haue broken three commandementes at once for that she defended not here sonne God help the fond man The discourse of S. Augustin vpon the theeses cōuersion Sermon 110. de temp Note this The general vvay 2. Co. 11. Psal. 61. Eccl. 1. Gal. 6. That the conuersion made at the last day is insufficient The first reason The second reason 2. Re. 16. 2. Re. 19. 3. Reg. 2. The third reason Iere. 13. The fourth reason S. Augustines speeche of the doubtful euent of final conuersion Hom. 47. est lio 50. Al tins discourse of S Augustin Bun. striketh out Mat. 11. Note this Here Bun. putteth in a peece of S. Aug. againe but suppresseth his name A notable saying A comparison 2. Co. 11. Pro. 1. Iere. 35. A dreadful saying Psal. 58. Turning to God at the euening Ioh. 9. Final turning to God not accepted A maruelous circumstance of miserie for thē that deserre their cōuersion to the euil Pro. 11. Psa. 145. Pro. 1. Psa. 58. The cōclusion vvhat danger is in delay Pro. 1. Apoc. 2. 1. HEROD the first Marc. 6. 2. HEROD the second Luc. 11. Luc. 23. Mat. 14. 3. PILATE Plat. 27. 4. AGRIPPA Act. 26. 5. PHARAO Exod. 9. Act. 24 6. FELIX The dāger of passing the day of our vocation Exo. 33. Rom. 9. Luc. 21. Eccl. 5. Heb. 3. The honre of our calling not to be omitted Act. 7. Apoc. 3. Psal. 94. The srutles indeuours of sinners at the last day Deu. 32. Exod. 9. Mat. 25. Heb. 12. 2. Mac. 9. Esa. 55. 2. Co. 6. Tract 33. in Ioh. OF Sloth the first part 1. Co. 6. Excuses of nise people Pro. 21. Mat. 25. Mat. 21. Psa. 72. Fovver