and placeth his seate and mansion in it Wherefore if thou comparest all the riches and honours of this world and all naturall graces with the beauty and riches of a iustified soule all will seeme most obscure and most vild in comparison of it For as great difference as there is betweene heauen and earth betweene a spirit and a body betweene eternity and momentary time so great difference also is there found betweene the life of grace and the life of nature betweene the beauty of the soule and the body betweene the inward riches and the outward betweene the spirituall strength and the naturall For all these are circumscribed within certaine limits they are temporall and appeare onelie beautifull to the corporall eyes to which a generall comming of God is sufficient but to the other a speciall perticuler and supernaturall comming is required Neither can they be called temporall when they bring vs to eternity neyther can they be called altogether finite because they bring the infinite God to vs in whose eyes they are so precious and of such valour that by theyr beauty they prouoke God to loue vs. Furthermore when as God could haue wrought all these things by his helpe and will he would not doe it but it pleased him to adorne the soule with infused vertues and with the gifts of his holy Spirit with which not onely the very Essence of the soule but also all her powers are clothed and adorned with these diuine habites To all these diuine benefits the eternall and infinite goodnes of God doth ioyne another that is the presence and ayde of the holy Ghost and so of all the most sacred Trinity which doth turne into a iustified soule and doth come that he may dwell in her that he may teach her how to vse rightly so great riches as a good father who not content to haue giuen riches to his sonne but doth giue him also a Tutor who well knoweth how to dispose bestow them Insomuch that euen as Vipers Dragons and Serpents doe dwel in the soule of a sinner which are a multitude of ill malignant spirits who chose their habitation and abiding in such a soule as our Sauior saith in Mathew so on the cōtrary part the holy Spirit with the whole blessed Trinity doth enter into a iustified soule casting out al monsters and infernall beasts doth consecrate it for a Temple vnto himselfe and doth place his seate there as the Lord expresly testifieth in the Gospel saying If any man loueth me he will keepe my sayings my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him By the vertue of these words all the Doctors as wel Ecclesiasticall as Schoolemen confesse that the holy Ghost himselfe by a certaine speciall peculier meanes doth dwel in a iustified soule distinguishing betweene the holy Ghost his gifts saying moreouer not only these gifts to be giuen of the holy ghost but also the holy Ghost to giue himselfe who entring into this soule doth make it his Temple habitation placing his seate in it Therfore he doth purge and sanctifie it doth adorne it with his gifts that it may be an In worthy of such a guest These benefits afore-sayd doe not suffice vnlesse that admirable one come to which is that all the iustified are made the liuely members of our Sauiour which before were dead members for they did not receaue and take their influences from the head Christ. Hence others and those very great prerogatiues and dignities doe proceede for hence it is that the sonne of God loueth them as his owne members and hath no lesser care of them then of himselfe he is no lesse carefull for them then for his owne members without intermission hee poureth his vertue and grace vpon them as the head vpon his members to be briefe the eternall Father doth behold them with fauourable eyes no otherwise then the liuely members of his onely begotten Sonne vnited and incorporated with him by the participation of his spirit Of the same dignity it proceedeth that when those that are iustified doe aske for fauour and grace of God they aske it with great confidence for they know that they doe aske it not onely for themselues but also for the sonne of God himselfe who is honoured in them and with them For seeing that it may not be denied but that which the members doe the head also doth the same it followeth that seeing Christ is their head when they aske any thing for themselues they aske it also for him For if it be true that they as sayth the Apostle who offend against the members of Christ doe offend against Christ himselfe and if Christ doth say that he suffereth persecution when his members doe suffer persecution as he sayde to his Apostle persecuting his Church why doest thou meruaile my brother if I say that when the members are honoured that then Christ himselfe is also honoured Which seeing that it is so how great confidence will a righteous man haue in his prayer when he considereth that desiring fauour and grace for himselfe after a certaine manner he also desireth the same of the eternall Father for his best beloued sonne Is it not true that when fauour is done to any man for the loue of an other that it is done principally for him for whose loue it is done For wee beleeue that he that showeth mercy to a poore man for Gods sake that he not onely doth shew it to the poore man but also to God himselfe Neyther heere yet is an end of the heauenly benefits for to all these benefits afore-sayd this as last is ioyned to which all the other are appoynted and ordayned that is the right and possession of eternall life which is giuen to the iustified For as that our infinite and vnmeasurable Lord in whom together shineth all iustice and mercy adiudgeth to euerlasting payne those that doe not repent so hee taketh to eternall life all those that truly repent And when as he could haue pardoned man of all his sinnes and receaued him into his friendship and fauor with communion and participation of his glory yet he would not doe it but those to whom for his mercies sake he remitteth sinnes he also iustifieth whom he iustifieth those he maketh his sonnes whom he maketh his sonnes those also he maketh heires and pertakers of his celestiall inheritance together with his onely begotten sonne Hence ariseth that liuely hope which maketh the iustified merry and glad in all tribulation by reason of the pledge and earnest of this infinite treasure For although they see themselues brought into straights to be afflicted with infirmities to be oppressed with the miseries of this life yet they know that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto them And also they know that this light affliction which is but
the end these as the meanes to the end those as health these as a medicine by benefit of which we obtaine health Those are as the spirit of Religion these as the body of it which albeit it is part of the whole yet one part is more principall then another and whose function is more especially required in working Those are as the treasury these as the keyes by which it is opened and shutte Those are the fruite of the tree these as leaues which adorne the tree and doe preserue the fruite from the iniury of the ayre Albeit in thys the comparison is lame and maimed and somewhat fayleth because the leaues of the tree although they preserue the fruite yet they are not part of the fruite but these vertues doe so preserue iustice and righteousnes that they are a part of iustice and righteousnesse This therefore my brother is the estimation which is to be made of vertues of which there hath beene made mention in this rule as we haue said in the beginning of this Chapter by benefit of which we may be free from two vicious extreamities which are in this world One is the antient one of the Pharises the other is a later one of moderne Heretikes For the Pharises as carnall and ambiâ—â—ous were altogether giuen to the obseruance of that Law which in like maner was carnall as for true righteousnes which consisteth in spirituall vertues it was in no esteeme among them as the whole history of the Euangelists dooth testifie and the Apostle saith that they had a showe of godlines but had denied the power of it Also that the Law had onely a shadow but brought not men to perfection The moderne neotericall Heretikes after a contrarie maner vnderstanding this errour and beâ—â—g willing to auoyde one extreame fall into another that is into contempt of all externall vertues according to that Charybdis gulfe who thought to haue escap'd Fell into Scyllaâ—s iâ—â—es thâ—â— widely gâ—p'd Wherefore the true and Catholicke Church of Christ condemning both extreames approoueth the truth which is the meane for attributing prerogatiue and excellencie of dignity to the internall vertues shee also allotted theyr place vnto the externall Because she accounteth of some as of the order of Senators of others as of the degree of nobles and gentlemen and other she receiueth into the number of Cittizens vvhich make one Common-wealth in which the dignity of euery one is knowen and what is due and belongeth vnto euery one is easily seene 〈◊〉 very profitable 〈◊〉 which are 〈…〉 of the precedent doctrine CHAP. XIX OVT of the precedent doctrine foure instructions doe arise very profitable and necessary for a spirituall life The first is that a perfect man and a true seruant of God ought not onely to seeke for spirituall vertues albeit they be excellent and noble bâ—â— aâ—â—o he ought to ioyne others vnto theâ— as well for the preseruation of them as for the obtaining of absolute perfection and the whole complement of Christian righteousnes Wherefore he ought to consider that as man is not only a soule nor onely a body but a soule a body together for the soule without the body maketh not a perfect man the body without the soule is no other thing then a sacke full of earth and ashes so also it is necessary that hee know that true and perfect Christianitie is not onely internall nor externall but internall and externall together For the internall alone cannot be preserued without the externall whether it be little or much according to the conueniencie of the bond of euery mans estate neither is it sufficient for the fulfilling of all righteousnes Much lesse can the externall without the internal make a man perfect as neyther the body alone without the soule can make a man Euen as therefore all the life of the body proceedeth from the soule so all the dignity and worth of the externall proceedeth from the internall but especially from Charity He therefore that will not erre from this scope and determined resolution let him thinke that as he that made man would not separate the soule from the body so he must not seuer the spirituall from the corporall that would make a perfect Christian The body is ioyned to the soule the treasure is preserued in the Arke the hedge compassing the Vineyard dooth make it safe and Vertue is defended by her Fortresses Bulwarkes defences which are her owne parts Otherwise beleeue me one will decay and perrish another For one cannot be increased nor assisted vnlesse both be ioyned together Consider how nature and Art the Ape and imitatour of Nature doe nothing which hath not eyther a barke or some couer for a fortification defence and also for an ornament of it after the same manner Grace also worketh which is the most perfect forme and most perfectly effecteth her operations Remember also that it is written He that feareth God neglecteth not any thing And Hee that setteth naught by small things shall fall by little and little Remember the example set downe in the former booke that by the want of one nayle the yron shoe is lost and the shoe beeing lost the horse falleth and the horse falling the rider perisheth Remember the dangers which hee incurreth that neglecteth small things for this is the high-way that leadeth to great errors Marke also the order of the plagues of Egipt after harmlesse and hurtlesse Frogs came lyce and great flyes Gadbees stinging Horse-flies and byting Oxe-flies Whereby it is euident that the neglect and contempt of the lesser doth prepare the way for greater for they that feare not polluting and euill-sauouring Froggs will not feare stinging Horse-flies byting Oxe-flies ¶ The second instruction BY that we learne also to what vertues we ought most especially to addict our endeuours and studies vpon which we ought to bestow greater diligence and vpon which lesser as men doe who make greater account of an heape of gold then of siluer and doe more esteeme an eye then a finger so also it is meete and requisite that with greater endeuour and diligence we should apply our selues to the woorthier vertues and vvyth lesser to the lesse worthy otherwise if we more diligently study and imploy our paines rather vppon the ignobler then the noble the whole spirituall busines will be disordered Wherefore I say that those Bishops and Pastors do very wisely that in theyr pulpits and Sermons doe often beate vpon these wordes Silence Fasting Solitarines Rites and Ceremonies and that often stand vpon and preach Charity Humility Prayer Deuotion Contemplation the Feare of God the Loue of our Neighbour and such like And this ought to be done so much the more often by how much the inward defects are more secret theÌ„ the outward and therefore rhe more dangerous For euen as men are more diligent to amend defects that are seene of them then those that are vnseene so it
be the fulnes of light to our vnderstanding the aboundance of peace to our will and the continuance of eternity to our memory There the wisedom of Salomon shall seeme ignorance there the beauty of Absalon shall seeme deformity there the strength of Sampson shall seeme weakenes there the life of those men that liued at the beginning of the world shall be as it were death to conclude there wee may worthily call the treasuries of all Emperours and Kings starke beggerie and pouertie If these things be so ô wretched man as they are in deede wherefore and to what end doost thou desire to stay longer in the Land of Egipt and to gather stubble Why doost thou drinke troubled and foule water out of all cesternes despising the vaine of felicity and the fountaine of liuing waters Why doost thou loue to begge and â—o liue of almes when thou shalt finde such aboundance in heauen If thou desirest pleasure lift vp thine hart and see how delightfull that good is that contayneth in it the delight and pleasure of all good things If this life created doth please thee how much more shall that life please thee which created all things If health giuen make thee merrie how much more shall he make thee merry that giueth all health If the knowledge of the creatures be sweet and acceptable how much more sweeter shall the Creator himselfe be If beauty be acceptable vnto thee it is hee at whose beauty the Sunne and Moone admire If thou desirest nobility hee is the fountaine and originall of all nobility If thou desirest long life and health he is eternal life If thou desirest satiety and aboundance he is the fulnes of al good things If thou delightest in the wel-tuned musicke harmony of mortall men there Angels doe sing most sweetly the Organs of the Citty of God are heard there with great delight and pleasantnes If the friendship familiarity and society of good men doe like thee there thou shalt finde all the elect hauing one minde and one hart If thou thirstest after riches and honours in that house of the Lord they are found in great aboundance To conclude if thou desirest to escape all kinde of punishments tribulations and miseries there thou shalt finde libertie and freedome from them all God commaunded in the olde law that vpon the eight day Circumcision should be celebrated that secretly he might let vs vnderstand that vpon the eight day of our Resurrection which succeedeth the seauenth day of this life God will circumcise and cut off all the griefes sorrowes miseries and calamities of them that for his loue whilst they liued haue circumcised and cut off their appetites lusts and sinnes What thing then can be found out more blessed or happy then this estate of liuing most free from all kinde of misery What sayth Saint Augustine is more blessed then this life where there is no feare of pouerty no infirmity of sicknes No man is hurt none angry none enuieth no concupiscence is kindled no appetite of meat no ambition of honour or dominion doth vrge or moue thee There is no feare of the deuill no deceipts of deuils the terror of hell is farre of there is neyther death of body or soule but a pleasant life through the gift of immortality Then there shall be no mischiefes no discords but all agreement because there shall be one concord of all the Saints Peace and ioy embrace all things all thinges are at quiet and rest there is continuall brightnes and shining not that which is now but much more bright and cleare because that Citty as it is reade needeth neyther Sunne nor Moone but the Lord almighty shall enlighten it and the Lambe is the light of it Where the Saints shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes as the starres for euer and euer Wherefore there is no night no darknes no concourse of cloudes neyther anie distemperature or vnseasonablenes of heate or cold but there shall be such a temperature and moderation of all things which neyther the eye hath seene nor the eare hath heard neyther hath it entred into the hart of man except of them who are found worthy to enioy it whose names are written in the booke of life But aboue all these things it is to be consociate with the assembly of Angels and Archangels and of all the celestiall powers to behold the Patriarches and Prophets to see the Apostles and all the Saints to see also our parents These are glorious but much more glorious is it to behold the countenance of the Lord and to see that light not to be circumscribed that will be superexcellent glory when we shal see God in himselfe wee shall see and shall haue him in vs whom to behold there shall be no end O my soule sayth the same holy man if wee daily should suffer torments if for a long time we should endure hell it selfe that we might see Christ in his glory and haue society with his Saints were it not a thing worthy to suffer all bitternes and all crosse that we might be pertakers of so great good and so great glory Therfore let the deuils lye in waite for me let them prepare temptations let fastings weaken my body let hard and course cloathing afflict my flesh let labours oppresse mee let watchings dry me vp let this man cry out against me let this or that disquiet mee let cold benum me let my conscience murmur against mee let heate burne mee let my head ake let my hart boyle within me let my stomach faile mee let my countenance waxe pale let euery part of me be enfeebled let my life forsake me in griefe and let my yeeres end in sorrow let rottennes enter into my bones and flow vnder me so that I may rest in the day of tribulation and that I may ascend to the holy hil For what shal be the glory of the righteous How great the ioy of the Saints when as euery face shal shine as the Sun Hetherto S. Augustine If this good be so great and so vniuersall what shal the felicity and glory be of those blessed eyes which shal behold all these things How excellent a thing wil it be to see the beauty of this Citty And the glory of the Cittizens The face of the Creator The magnificence of the buildings The riches of the Pallace and the common ioy of that Countrey How pleasant a thing wil it be to see the orders of the blessed Spirits The authority of that holy Senate And the maiesty of those venerable Seniours and Elders which Saint Iohn saw Sitting vpon thrones in the sight of God clothed in white rayment and hauing on their heads crownes of gold How sweet and how pleasant wil it be to heare those sweet angelical voyces the consent of theyr musicke most excellently composed of maister singers such Psalmody of such holy singers such Symphonie
righteous the hope of the wicked betweene the prosperity of the one and of the other What greater commodity can arise from a tree then to be planted after that maner that the Prophet speaketh Beleeue me such is the condition and estate of the righteous to whom all things fall out prosperously and with whō all things goe well because they are planted by the current of the Riuer of Gods grace But on the contrary part there can be no worser estate of a tree then to be wilde then to be planted in a dry ground in the wildernes in a land of salt it dooth not yeeld fruite in due season to be briefe it is farre remooued from the sight and tillage of men By thys comparison the wicked may easily vnderstand that they in thys life cannot haue a more miserable estate because they haue eyes remoued yea quite turned from God who is the fountaine of liuing water and haue theyr eyes sette and fixed and theyr hope reposed vpon frayle deceitfull creatures which are vnderstood by a dry land desert vnoccupied By this also it is manifest in how excellent a place the world it selfe is planted which certainly is planted in a dry barraine ground seeing it hath the footing of his hope placed on a foundation so weake which is no hope but errour vanitie and confusion as before we haue showen Tell me I pray thee vvhat misery can be greater then this what pouertie more naked thē to liue without hope Therefore seeing that man is through sinne left so poore and naked as before we haue declared and that the hope of the Diuine mercy is so necessary for him what shall bee left vnto him who hath lost it which might haue strengthened and confirmed him Wee see that all liuing creatures in theyr kinde are brought foorth perfect that nothing is wanting vnto them for the preseruation of theyr life But man through sinne is so desolate and so bereft of all things that hee hath nothing of those things which are needfull and necessary for him but he must liue of almes and be relieued from the diuine mercy Then if thys meanes be taken away what shall be the life of man Surely lame maimed full of a thousand defects What other thing is it to liue without hope then to liue without God What other thing is left vnto man of all his auncient patrimony to preserue his life besides this onely support and helpe What Nation was euer so barbarous so voyde of all religion that had not some knowledge of God or of some Dietie whom it did not worshyp with some certaine honour adoration of whom also it did not looke for some benefit of the Diuine prouidence In that short time that Moses was absent from the chyldren of Israell the people thought that they had beene vvithout a God and as rude and ignorant began to exclaime and to speak to Aaron Arise make vs Gods to goe before vs as if they durst not goe any further without some God Wherby it is manifest that mans nature although it alwayes knoweth not the true God yet it is necessary that it know some God And although man is ignorant of the cause of his owne frailtie yet he acknowledgeth his owne frailtie and for this naturally seeketh helpe of some God Euen as Iuie naturally seeketh for some post or tree which it may leane vnto or some wall by which it may bee supported and creepe aloft it beeing not able to sustaine and held vp it selfe And as a woman naturally seeketh for the supportation and shadow of man for she as an imperfect creature knoweth that the ayde and helpe of man is necessary for her so mans nature beeing needfull and wanting many things doth seeke for the shadow and refuge of God These things therefore beeing thus wee may easily coniecture what is the life of those men who liue in this wretched miserable widowish estate forsaking God and beeing forsaken of God I would gladly knowe this one thing They that lyue after thys manner how doe they comfort themselues in theyr miseries howe doe they defende themselues in dangers vvho doth cure theyr infirmities with whom doe they confer of their businesse of whom doe they aske counsaile in doubtfull matters of whom doe they seeke for help in theyr necessities with whom doe they traffique with whom are they conuersant whom doe they sticke to to be briefe by whose help doe they escape the snares of this life who haue not any refuge If the body cannot liue without the soule nor the soule without God surely God is no lesse necessary for the one life then the soule is for the other And if as we haue said before liuely hope be the anchor of our life how dare any man vndergoe the dangers of this tempestuous sea his shyp beeing destitute of this anchor of hope If hope be the shielde by which wee defend our selues how can men defend themselues in the midst of theyr enemies beeing without this shield If hope be the staffe by which mans nature is supported in all her weakenes and frailtie vvhat shall weake and feeble man doe without the staffe of this hope Hetherto as I thinke we haue sufficiently showed what is the difference betweene the hope of the righteous and of the wicked and what is the nature and condition of them both That is one of them hath God for his defence and bulwarke but the other the broken staffe of reede of Egipt which he that leaneth vpon it goeth into his hand and shooteth it through For it is meet that that error which he committeth in hoping in things so vncertaine and doubtfull relying altogether on them that he should be corrected no otherwise then by hauing mischance and being deceiued by them as the Prophet Ieremy plainlie testifieth who when he would denounce the destruction and ouerthrow of the kingdome of Moab he sayth thus For because thou hast trusted in thine owne workes and treasure thou shall bee taken and Chamos the God in whom thou trustest with his priests and Princes shall goe away into captiuitie Consider therefore what kinde of ayde that is the trust of which is the ruine and ouerthrow of him that so trusteth Therefore let these things suffise which haue beene spoken of the priuiledge and prerogatiue of hope which although it seeme almost to be the same with the speciall prouidence of God of which wee haue spoken before yet it is not the same for they differ betweene themselues as the effect and cause of a thing For although there be many foundations of thys hope as the goodnes of God truth of the same God and the merrits of Christ yet the principall ground is the fatherly prouidence of God from which ariseth thys hope confidence For to know that God hath so great a care ouer him and that he is defended and gouerned of him with so
that no time is left him to bestow on his owne busines or that he may not breathe from his duty but this vice as also others is such an one that when it hath once gotten rule and empire ouer the soule it doth so deuoure and swallow it vp that scarcely there remayneth to man any force any commodity any time or memory or any wisedome to follow other busines Therefore not without cause long agoe sayd Ecclesiasticus Wine and women leade wise-men out of the way For man by reason of this vice is so besides himselfe and estranged from his right minde that although he be wise yet he is made as vnfit to mannage and execute any businesses which belong and are proper vnto man as if hee had drunke vp a whole Hogshead of vvine To shew and demonstrate this that most excellent Poet fayned a fable of Queene Dido who when she began to be blindfolded with the loue of Aeneas she slacked and fore-flowed all the busines of the common wealth saying The works of Towres are left no feates of armes the youth applies Nor Hauens are wrought nor for the wars the mighty butwarks rise All things vnpersit stand the buildings great and threanings hie Of hugie wals and engines for their height that match the skie For this Tyrant had so possessed all the sences of this Queene that now she was vnfit for al things only the thoughts and cogitations of her new loue being excepted Which by how much more he ruled in her hart by so much she was lesse able to apply her selfe to those thinges that pertayned to the common wealth and lesse able to doe thinges which otherwise ought to haue beene done O pestilent vice ô destruction of common-wealths the sword of all good exercises the death of vertues the cloude of good wits the peruerter of men the drunkennes of wise-men the dotage of old men the madnes of yong men and the common plague of mankind Neyther must wee thinke that onely in this vice there is so great tiranny but also in all others Behold view a little while an ambitious man and one that is swelled with vaine glory and choked with the smoke of honour and see how seruilely he lyueth subiect vnder this desire and how immoderately he affecteth and thirsteth after this vaine worldly glory how carefull and vigilant he is to attaine vnto it directing all his actions and all his endeuours to this end To serue to get acquaintance to be cloathed to be booted and spurd his table his bed his house his seruants the carriage of his body his gate his speach to be briefe what so euer is done of such like men and what so euer is in them all that is formed compozed and applied to this end For they doe adorne and fashion themselues onely to this end that they may seeme neate and cult thereby to gaine the prayse and vaine opinion and applause of the people Yea if thou doost well consider thou shalt see that an ambitious man in all things that he doth or speaketh hath none other respect then that he may lay snares and nets to catch the popular applause of the people If we wonder at that Emperour which passed ouer all the festiuals in taking of flyes how much more is the madnes of an ambitious man to be wondered at who doth not onely spend all the festiuals and holy-dayes but also the whole course of his life in catching onely smoke and wordly vanity This wretched man by reason of this ambition doth not what he would neyther doth he cloath himselfe according to his own estate neyther is he permitted to goe whether he would for he goeth but sildome to the Church neyther dare he be conuersant with good men fearing least perhaps the world to which he lyueth subiect should see somthing in him which might be reprehended And that which is more that he might satisfie this his passion he lauisheth out greater store of riches then eyther he is willing or hath casting himselfe headlong into a thousand needes and many debts with which his soule is afflicted with the griefe of his posterity which he leaueth to be heires of his debts and imitators of his folly What punishment I pray thee deserueth he if not that which a certaine King inflicted on an ambitious man vnder whose nosestrils hee commaunded so grosse and so thicke a smoake to be raised that he was choaked with it saying It is meete that he should die with smoake who had consumed his whole life in snuffing and sucking vp the smoake of vanitie Therefore what greater misery then this can be found What shal I speak of a couetous man who not only is a bondslaue but also an Idolator of his riches mony for he adoreth and serueth them and whatsoeuer these commaund he willingly performeth it For them hee fasteth and with-holdeth bread from his owne mouth to be briefe he loueth them more then he loueth God himselfe seeing that for the loue of them hee is not afraid oftentimes to offend GOD In them is his rest hys glory his hope and all his thoughts With them hee watcheth and sleepeth and for them he consumeth his whole life and all his sences in trafficking and taking vncessant paines for them in the meane while vtterly forgetting himselfe and all other businesse Shal we say that such a man is the Lord of his riches that he may determine of them as he pleaseth or rather shall we affirme that he is the seruant and slaue of his money for the couetousnes of his riches as a most hard and seuere mistres doth compell him to obey them but it suffereth him not to enioy them it sharpeneth the desire but taketh away the pleasure A couetous man prouideth riches as though he were a gallant and braue man but he vseth them as a beast a niggardly peasant He taketh paines but he wanteth the fruite pleasure of his trauaile whilst he with-draweth and holdeth his riches from his body and soule yea and from life it selfe if so his treasure and store may encrease and augment Surely I knowe not what captiuitie can bee more great or grieuous for if you call him a captiue and a prysoner who is shutte vp in a turret and there hath his handes and feete sette in a payre of stocks rather is he not worthy of this name vvhose soule is imprisoned and captiuated with the inordinate desire of those things which he loueth For when a man doth gape after gaine and is wholy occupied in seeking after pelse hee hath no facultie or power of his soule truely free neyther is he Lord of himselfe but a seruant of his owne riches For where the loue or desire is there the hart lyeth bound and fettered Neyther is the seruitude of thys captiuitie lesser because it is voluntarie for if it be captiuitie in deede it is so much the more dangerous by how much it is more
the desires and affections of our appetite are brought into such order that they are stilled quieted and content with that part and portion that happeneth vnto them according to the disposition of the vpper portion of the soule For there the part concupiscible thinketh her selfe satisfied when she seeth her sister contented and so the whole man resteth and is quieted by reason of the participation and tast of the chiefest good Fourthly this peace proceedeth from the testimony and inward ioy of a good conscience which bringeth great quietnes and tranquillity to the soules of the righteous although it doth not make them vtterly secure for they doe not remaine without the care and dread of holy feare Lastly this feare is engendered of hope which the righteous haue in the Lord for that maketh them quiet after a singuler manner and comforteth men in the midst of the tribulations and torments of this life because they are strengthened with the anchor of holy hope that is they hope that they haue God theyr father theyr tutor theyr defender and buckler vnder whose shadow and shield they not without good cause liue securely singing with the Prophet I will lay me downe and also sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest me dwell in safety For hence springeth and ariseth the peace of the righteous and a remedy in all theyr troubles neyther haue they any cause to feare or lament who haue such an helper Of the ninth priuiledge of Vertue that God heareth the prayers of the righteous and reiecteth the prayers of the wicked CHAP. XXI THey that embrace and seeke after Vertue haue yet another priuiledge besides those which hetherto we haue spoken of that is that their prayers are heard of God and this vnto them is a notable and an excellent comfort and a singuler helpe in all their necessities and miseries of this life For the vnderstanding of this priuiledge we must know that there haue beene two vniuersall deluges and drownings of this world the one materiall the other spirituall and they both had one cause that is sin The materiall deluge that was in the time of Noah left nothing aliue in the worlde but those that were in the Arke for the waters couered all things so that the Sea deuoured the earth with all the labours and riches of men But there was another flood before that much greater then this for it did not onely hurt and endamage the men of that age but it brought deadly destruction to all the men of the ages past present and to come neyther did it onely hurt their bodies but also theyr soules for it spoyled them of all the riches of grace which the world had receaued by the meanes of him that was first formed And in this miserable estate all things as yet continue as we may see in euery creature which newly commeth into this world being naked and disfurnished of all the goods as well of the soule as of the body From this first deluge all those miseries beggeries and calamities are deriued to which mans life is subiect which are so many and so great that learned Wryters and graue Doctors of the Church haue written large and copious volumes of this matter Philosophers also very learned on the one part considering the dignity of man aboue all other lyuing creatures and on the other vnto what great miseries and vices he was subiect they could not wonder sufficiently at it seeing so great disorder and misgouernment in the world for they vnderstoode not the cause which was sinne For they did note and marke that onely man amongst so many liuing creatures enioying so many thousand kindes of pleasures and desires of the flesh was vexed with couetousnes ambition and insatiable desire to liue neither with these bonds his misery to be limitted but that hee must thinke of his death and buriall and what shall become of him after death There is not any liuing creature that hath a nature more fraile or inflamed with greater gurmandize or couetousnes neyther that feareth more vainely or more rageth through anger They did also see that other lyuing creatures did passe the greater part of their life without sicknesses and infirmity without the helpe of Phisitions and that all necessaries were prouided for them without their labour or industry But on the contrary part they did see that miserable man was exposed and layd open to a thousand infirmities mischaunces necessities and greefes as well of soule as of body both for himselfe and for his friends That which is past greeueth him that which is present afflicteth him that which is to come terrifieth him and that oftentimes he laboureth and taketh paynes all his life long for a morsell of bread and a mouth full of water to sustaine himselfe with all Neyther can I so soone make an ende to speake of these miseries of mans life of which blessed Iob sayth The life of man is a warfare vpon earth and his dayes as the dayes of an hireling This same thing with so great tediousnes afflicted those auntient vvise-men that there be some found amongst them who feared not to say that they doubted whether Nature was a mother vnto vs or not much rather a stepdame which hath exposed vs to so great miseries Another sayd That it is the best for man neuer to haue beene borne and the next soone after to dye Neyther erred he that sayd That many would not haue desired life if they had made tryall of it before If therfore our life be thus deformed through sinne and our chiefest renowne and principall good lost through this deluge what remedy hath he left for man who so grieuously hath punished mankinde Tell me what remedy hath a lame and a weake sickly man who sayling vpon the Sea looseth at one mischance all his riches I know what thou wilt say vnto me If hee haue not whereon to liue sayst thou neyther hath ability to traffique by reason of his infirmity it followeth of necessity that he must begge Goe to then if man in that vniuersall deluge lost what so euer he had and scarcely escaped the danger poore and naked what other remedy is left vnto him then that like a most needy begger he call and cry at the gates of the Lord This King Iehosophat teacheth plainely when he sayth Lord when wee are ignorant what we ought to doe we haue onely this remedy that we may lift vp our eyes towards thee To this agreeth King Hezechias From day to night sayth he wilt thou make an ende of me Like a young Swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a Doue As if he should haue sayd I am so poore and I doe so depend of thy mercy and prouidence that not one day I am assured of my lyfe Therefore all my exercise shall be alwaies to mourne grone poure out my sighes before thee as a Doue and I will call and cry out
which is made at the poynt of death and in extreamity is sildome true by reason of the great difficulty that happeneth at this time He prooueth this conclusion by foure reasons or arguments The first is by reason of the great perturbations which arise out of the greatnes of griefes sicknes and the presence of Death through which the hart is lesse able to lift vp it selfe to God and rightly to busie it selfe in the exercises of true repentance For the better vnderstanding of this argument we must know that all the perturbations of our hart haue great force to disturbe and hinder our will and sences and according to the rule of Philosophy in this effect and euent the affections or passions are much more powerfull which cause sorrow and sadnes then those that procure mirth and ioy Hence it is that the perturbations or affections of one dying are exceeding strong and of all other most powerfull For as Aristotle saith death is the most dreadfull of all terrible things there being so many dolours discruciatements in the body so many afflictions and anguishes in the soule so great sorrow and care for children wife the world all which are to be forsaken Amongst so many and so tempestuous winds of the passions where shall the sences be and where the cogitations but where these dolours and perturbations doe carry and whirle them Daily experience teacheth vs that if any one be tormented with the tooth-ach or by any other sharpe payne although he be a very godly and a religious man yet scarcely then can he stedfastly lift vp his hart to God nay all the sences thoughts haue recourse thither where the griefe is If this happeneth to the righteous what will he doe who neuer accustomed himselfe to thinke of God and who so much is readier to endanger his greater friend then his lesser by how much he is apter and proner to loue his body better then his soule Amongst the foure impediments of contemplation which S. Bernard doth reckon vp one is the euill disposition and temperature of the body For then the soule is so vrged and occupied with the dolours of the flesh that scarce it permitteth a man to thinke vpon any other thing besides that which then greeueth and excruciateth him Which if it be true what greater dotage or madnes can there be then to expect tarry and wayte for the worst disposition and temperature of the body in it to handle and deal with the greatest businesses of the soule I knew a certaine man who being at the poynt of death when he was willed and admonished to prepare himselfe for his end for the glasse of his life was now runned out he was so affrighted and ouerwhelmed with the presence of death that he thought vpon nothing els then how he might escape the danger of death as if the date of his life had beene put in his owne hands and he had the ordering and determining of it All his care was how he might remedy and auoyde this danger if possibly it might be But when the Minister saw him so little carefull and troubled with those things which were necessary for that time he admonished him that he should let passe such thoughts and begin earnestly to call vpon God The sicke man hardly taking this aâ—â—onition began to talke a farre off from the purpose and so yeeleded vp the ghost Notwithstanding this man had beene a louer of Vertue wherby thou mayst see how the presence of Death doth disturbe and disquiet them who are in loue with their lifes seeing that it so greatly troubled him who at other times had despised it I knew also another man who when hee had fallen into a most dangerous and greeuous sicknes and saw Death now at hand he earnestly desired to conferre a little with God and to preuent the Iudge by a deuoute prayer before hee should depart out of this life but sorrowes and the continuall accidents of his infirmity would let him haue no rest If therfore onely preparation to repentance bâ—so hard at that time who will be so fond and mad to defer and prorogue the remedy and repentance of his whole life to that moment The second reason of the Shoole-man is that true repentance ought to be voluntary that is it ought to be done willingly and not of constraint or compelled by necessitie Thys is that which Saint Augustine saith Let no man tarry so long as he can sin For God requireth the liberty of the vvill that thy faultes may be wiped away he requireth not necessity but charitie not onely feare because man liueth not onely in feare Therefore it behoueth him that lately repenteth not onely to feare the Iudge but to loue him because without charitie no man can be saued Wherefore that man that neuer truly repenteth himselfe in his life time but prorogeth it to the houre of death he seemeth not to bring forth repentance of will but of compulsion â—â—d if of constraint or necessity then it is not meerely voluntary Such was the repentance of Shimei for that offence which he had committed against Dauid when hee fled from the face of his sonne Absolon Which Shimei when he saw that the victory did incline to Dauid and considering of the mischiefe that hung ouer his head he descended with the men of Iuda to meete King Dauid and with the thousand men of Beniamin and prostrating himselfe before the King he craued pardon for his fault Which when Abishai heard he sayd Shall not Shimei die for this because he cursed the Lords annointed But holy king Dauid not ignorâ—â—â— of what small desert this repentance was for the time wisely dissembled the deede yet he would not that it should vtterly passe vnreuenged but when he was at deaths doore not for any desire of reuenge but in the zeale of iustice he commaunded his sonne that hee should not suffer it to goe vnreuenged who afterwards commanded him to be slaine Of this kinde and nature seemeth the repentance of many wicked Christians to be who when they haue perscuered all theyr lyfe thorow in sinne offending God when the houre of rendering an account shall draw neere when they see death approching and the graue open and the Iudge present when they shall vnderstand that no strength or power can be founde against that infinite power omnipotencie and that that shall be determined in that moment which is for euer irreuocable then they turne themselues vnto the Iudge with prayers and protestations which if they be true certainly they are profitable But the common euent teacheth what manner of prayers and protestations they were and are for we haue learned by experience that many of them hauing escaped this danger forthwith haue forgot all that they promised and as Swine haue returned to theyr wallowing in the myre yea they haue reuersed and recalled that good which then they purposed and haue againe embraced those
things which then they estimated preiudiciall to their soules as if they were the men that had not doone that they did for the loue of God but onely for feare of the extreamitie in which at that time they were which ceasing also the effect ceaseth which thereupon followed Whereby it most manifestly appeareth that this repētance is like vnto that which Saylers make who when they are in extreamity and danger of shypwrack they promise to change their lifes to embrace vertue and I know not what protestations they make but vvhen the storme is appeased and ouer-past and a wished calme commeth and they are without ieopardy byand by they returne to theyr former vomit they laugh they trifle they blaspheme carouse and sweare and become worser then they were before making no account of their vowes and protestations yea reputing them as dreames and toyes The third reason is because the custome of sinne in vvhich the sinner hath hetherto liued will almost neuer forsake a man but euen till death waiteth vpon him and followeth him no otherwise then the shadow doth the body For custome is another nature which is not ouercome without very great difficultie And so we see by experience that many at the houre of theyr deaths are so little carefull for the saluation of their soules are so couetous so drowned in carnall and wordly things such louers of this life that they would still enioy it if at any price they might buy it so captiuated in the loue of this world so enamoured with all those things that they loued in it as if they vvere not at all at this passe or in this danger Haue you not often-times seene old men so greedy and so couetous that they haue neuer intermitted one houre nor slacked any time to hourd vp the pelfe of this worlde who notwithstanding are vnmercifull and haue theyr hands shut when they should doe any good and whose affections and appetites are very fresh and liuely in prosecuting the businesse of thys world heaping vp riches without end or meane which they must leaue in the world GOD knowes to whom but to anie good worke reprobate and dull This is a punishment not the least by which God punisheth sinne permitting it to attend vpon the offender to the graue according to that of S. Gregorie God chastiseth a sinner with this kinde of punishment that he permitteth him to forget and be vnmindfull of himselfe in the houre of death because he remembred not God in his lyfe And so one negligence or obliuion is punished by another the forgetfulnes of the fault is punished with that obliuion which is both a punishment and a fault which we see and heare verified by daily experience for how often doe we heare that many haue wished to die and haue died in the armes of theyr harlots whom they tenderly loued that as in theyr life time they would not expell them out of their houses so in death they would not forsake them because by the iust iudgement of God they are become vtterly vnmindfull obliuious both of themselues and of their soules The fourth reason of the Schoole-man is founded in the qualitie of the valour of the workes which are commonly done at that houre for euery one who hath but a sparke of Diuine light seeth plainly how farre different the works that then are done are from the works which are done of a man sound and in health he acknowledgeth I say that those much lesse please God then these That gift cannot be very acceptable to God as saith a certaine holy woman which therefore is offered because the last day so enioynes it for it is not of the right nature of a gift What I pray thee is it to pardon an iniury at that houre when not to pardon it is a great reproch Doost thou thinke it praise worthy that then thou leauest thy Concubine when thou must leaue her whether thou wilt or no neither may shee stay any longer in thine house By these reasons this subtile Doctor concludeth that a man with great difficultie in that houre truely repenteth Yea he saith that a Christian who of a set purpose deferreth his repentance to the houre of death doth very highly sinne by reason of the great iniury that he offereth to his owne soule and by reason of the great danger vnto which he exposeth his saluation Now I leaue the Reader to his owne conscience and consideration that he may see whether there is any thing more to be feared then this ¶ Certaine authorities of the holy Scripture confirming the precedent sentences of the Doctors BVt because the strength and bulwarke of all this disputation consisteth in the word of God for against this there is neyther appeale nor answere heare what it teacheth vs concerning this matter Salomon in the first chapter of his Prouerbs after he had related the words by which the eternall Wisedome calleth man to repentance hee in like manner adioyneth those wordes which shee will speake to those that doe not obey her call Because saith she I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched out my hand and no man regarded But all my counsailes haue ye despised and sette my correction at naught Therefore will I also laugh at your destruction mocke you when the thing that ye feare commeth vpon you Euen when the thing that ye be afraid of falleth in suddainly like a storme and your miserie like a tempest yea when trouble and heauines commeth vpon you Then shall they call vppon mee but I will not answere they shall seeke mee early but they shall not finde mee And that because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. Hetherto be the wordes of Salomon or that I may speake better of God himselfe Which Saint Gregory in his Morrall bookes doth expound to be spoken of this repentance which heere we handle What can be aunswered vnto this Are not these threatnings sufficient being from God himselfe to make thee to feare and to admonish thee that betimes thou prepare thy selfe for that houre But heare also another testimony not lesse plaine then this The Lord reasoning in the Gospell of his comming to iudgement he aduiseth and counsaileth his Disciples with great instancie that they prepare themselues against that day hauing vsed many parables and similitudes to that end that by them they might vnderstand of what great weight that matter was His words be these Blessed is that seruant whom his Lord when he commeth shall finde watching But if that euill seruant shall say in his hart My Lord will be long a comming and so beginne to finite his fellowes yea and to care and drinke with the drunken The same seruants Lord shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not ware of and shall hew him in peeces and giue him his portion with the Hipocrites It is playne and euident by
with corporall eyes sayd Plato she would alure the whole world vnto her If we respect profit what thing is more profitable and supported with greater hope then Vertue for by Vertue we obtayne the chiefest good Length of dayes and gifts of eternity are in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour If thou art delighted with pleasantnes what greater delight canst thou wish for then a peaceable and a good conscience the sweetnes of charity of peace and of the liberty of the children of God that in the meane time I may say nothing of the consolation of the holy Ghost which is most sweet and pleasant If thou desirest a perdurant and lasting name The righteous shall liue and shall be had in euerlasting remembrance But the memoriall of the wicked shall perish with them If thou be desirous of vvisedome that thou mayst finde the way that leadeth to heauen and the meanes that direct to this end there is no meane more certaine then Vertue which leadeth vnto God If thou desirest to be gracious and acceptable among all men there is not any thing more gracious or more conducent to it then Vertue For as Cicero sayth nothing is more amiable then Vertue nothing that more allureth men vnto loue seeing that for vertue and honesty we loue them whom we neuer saw Such force it hath which is more that we loue it in an enemy Euen as of the conueniency and proportion of the members and lyneaments and of the humours of the naturall body a certaine beauty ariseth which is acceptable to the eyes of men so of the order and vertuous frame of the life laudably led and formed so great a beauty proceedeth that not onely it is most acceptable to the eyes of God and Angels but it is also amiable and beloued of peruerse men and enemies That is truly and simply good which is good in euery respect neyther hath any euill in it Therfore God not without cause sendeth this honorable embasie to a righteous man which we haue set in the forefront of this booke and now againe repeate in the end Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust Say yee so because he is borne vnder an happy starre and that he shall die in a good houre because his life and death is blessed and whatsoeuer after death shall beside him Say yee so vnto him because all things shall goe well with him as well prosperous as aduerfe as well things pleasant as heauy both in quietnes and in labour For all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God Say yee vnto him although the vvorld be turned topsey turuey and the elements confounded if heauen be ruinated and disturbed let not him feare yea then let him lift vp his head because the day of his redemption is at hand Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust Because a blessing is prepared for him vvhich in excellencie exccedeth all blessings that is God himselfe and that he is free from all euill and from the tiranny of the deuill which is the worst of all euils Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust For his name is vvritten in the booke of life and God the father hath adopted him for his sonne the holy Ghost to be a liuely temple vnto him Say yee surely it shall be well with the iust For that estate which he hath gotten is happy blessed in euery respect And if at any time in any temporal matter it seemeth lesse happy if this be patiently borne it is turned vnto him for a greater good for that which seemed a loose vnto him that is patient is made a gayne vnto him his labour becomes a reward and his warre victory and a perpetuall crowne As often as Laban changed the wages of Iacob his sonne in law he thought that it was profitable vnto him hurtfull to his sonne in law but it fell out cleane contrary for it was vnprofitable vnto him and profitable to his sonne in law Wilt thou then my brother be so cruell to thy selfe and such an enemy that thou shouldest linger to embrace so great a blessing which promiseth on euery side so great good vnto thee What counsaile is more wholsome what more profitable condition or estate of life canst thou follow Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the law of the Lord saith the Prophet a thousand times blessed are they and blessed againe that keepe his testimonies and seeke him with their whole hart If a good thing as the Philosophers say be the obiect of our will and by how much the more any thing is good by so much the more it deserueth to be loued desired What I pray thee doth make thy will so sottish and insencible that it tasteth not nor embraceth this so vniuersall a good O how much better did that King who sayd I haue chosen the way of thy truth and thy iudgements haue I layd before me I haue cleaued to thy testimonies ô Lord. And in another place O Lord I haue layd vp thy commaundements in mine whole hart He saith not in a corner not in his hand but in the midst or in his whole hart which is the beginning of life the chiefest the best place of all others as if he had sayd This is my best part in which I contriue and determine of all my busines and all my cogitations are in it The men of this world do contrarily for vanity possesseth the chiefest roome of their harts and Gods law lyeth obscured and hid in some corner But this holy man albeit he was a King and troubled with many businesses of his kingdome yet he put them all vnder his feete but placed the law of his Lord in the midst of his hart What hindereth then why thou doost not imitate this good example and embrace so great a good For if thou respectest the bond of the obligation what greater obligation can there be then that which is betweene God and man or only for that cause that he is what he is All the obligations of this world are not worthy of this name if they be compared with this as we haue sayd in the beginning of this booke If thou lookest vnto the benefits what benefits can be greater or more excellent then those that we receaue from the hand of the Lord For besides that he hath created vs and redeemed vs with his blood we haue receaued frō him all that we possesse both within and without our body our soule life health riches grace if so we haue it the continuance of our life our purposes the desires of our harts and all that which hath the name of essence or of goodnes we receaue it I say originally frō him who is the fountaine of all essences and of all goodnes Words are wanting vnto me by which I might set out her
lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction For the desire of money is the roote of all euill The naughtines and malignitie of this vice cannot be described more cunningly or curiously For it is manifest by these words that that vnhappy man who is subiect to this euill is the seruaunt and slaue of all other sinnes Wherfore wheÌ„ this vice doth assault thine hart thou shalt defend thy selfe with these weapons following First therefore ô thou couetous man consider that vvhen the Lord and thy GOD descended from the highest heauen to the earth he would not possesse riches which thou so greatly desirest yea he loued pouerty so wel that he would take flesh of a Virgin most poore and lowly and not of a Queene rich mighty When he was borne he would not lodge in a stately and wealthy pallace he would not lye vppon a soft bed he refused dainty swadling-clothes embraced for his cradle a hard Cratch So long as he lyued in the world he alwayes loued pouerty and contemned riches He chose his Apostles and his Embassadours not Princes and great men but base and abiect Fishers What preposterous order then is this that the most vild worme should seeke riches which the Lord of al the world and of all creatures contemned for his cause Consider furthermore the exceeding great basenes of thine hart that when as thy soule is created according to the image similitude of God and redeemed by his owne blood in comparison of which all the world is nothing yet thou art not ashamed to lose it for so small a gaine God would not haue gyuen his life for the whole world which notwithstanding he willingly layd downe for the soule of man Therefore thy soule is worthier and of more price then the whole world True riches are not gold nor siluer nor precious stones but they are found in Vertue which a good conscience bringeth with it Relinquish the false opinion of men and thou shalt see that gold and siluer are no other things but yellow and white earth which through the errour of men is crept into so great credit That which hath been despised by all the Phylosophers of the world doost thou beeing a disciple of Christ so much esteeme it that thou shouldest make thy selfe a seruant and slaue vnto it For as S. Ierome saith he is a seruant vnto riches who keepeth and tendeth them as a seruant but he who hath cast off that yoke deuideth them as a Lord. Consider also what the Lord sayth in the Gospell No man can serue two Maister God and Mammon that is riches The soule cannot freely serue God if it follow and hunt after riches so greedily and with so open a mouth Spirituall delights doe shunne a hart busied and occupied about earthly matters neyther doe things counterfeit and true agree together nor things hie and low temporall and eternall spirituall and carnall neyther can any man reioyce and recreate himselfe in them both together Consider in like manner that by howe much more prosperously earthly matters succeede with thee by so much perhaps thou art more miserable by reason of that pledge which here is giuen vnto thee that thou maist relye vpon vaine felicity which heere is offered vnto thee Ah that thou knewest what great euils and how many inconueniences thys small prosperity bringeth with it thou shouldest see the loue of riches more to afflict by desire then to delight by vse For it enwrappeth the soule in diuers temptations and bindeth it in infinite cares it allureth it with sundry delights prouoketh it to sinne and disturbeth the quiet no lesse of the body then of the soule And that vvhich is greater riches are neuer gotten without trouble nor possessed without care nor lost without griefe and that which is worser they are sildome gathered without sin and offence to God Hence is that prouerbe A rich man is eyther a wicked man or the heâ—re of a wicked man Consider moreouer how great an errour it is without intermission to desire those things which albeit they be most plentifull yet they can neuer satisfie the desire of man yea they prouoke it and inflame it more as drinke in a Dropsie is the cause of greater thirst so that although thou hast yet thou alwaies couetest that which thou wantest and alwaies couetest more and more So that the miserable and wretched hart wandering through all the things of this world is wearied but neuer satisfied it drinketh but the thirst is not quenched for it esteemeth not those things which it hath vnlesse also it possesse in like manner those things which further it may haue and there is no lesse trouble for things which it compasseth not theÌ„ there is pleasure in things which it possesseth neyther is the heart more satisfied with gold then the body with wind or ayre Wherefore not without cause Saint Augustine maruelleth saying What greedines sayth hee of desire is this seeing that the beastes haue a meane For then they rauine when they are hungry but they spare the pray when they feele fulnes Onely the couetousnes of riches is vnfatiable it alwayes raueneth and is neuer satisfied neyther feareth GOD nor reuerenceth man neyther spareth Father nor acknowledgeth Mother neyther yeeldeth vnto brother nor keepeth fayth with friend Consider that where much riches is there are many that eate and deuoure them many that couet them and many that lye in waite to steale them What hath the richest man of this world more of all his riches then whereof he may necessarily lyue of thys yrksome care thou maist disburthen thy selfe if thou wilt cast thy care vpon God and commit thy selfe to his prouidence for God neuer confoundeth them that trust in him For whom God made he will not suffer to die through hunger He that feedeth the foules of heauen and clotheth the Lillyes of the field how is it possible that he should forsake man especially seeing that so small a thing sufficeth the necessity of man The life is short death followeth at our heeles what need is there then of so great prouision for so short a iourney What wilt thou doe with so much riches especially seeing that the lesse thou hast the more lightly and freely thou mayest walke and when thou shalt come to the end of thy pilgrimage if thou beest poore thy estate shall not be worser then rich mens who are loaden with much gold Yea it shall be much better for thou shalt feele lesser griefe in forsaking this trash and pelfe of the world and a smaller account is to be rendered before God On the contrary part rich men in the end of their iourney leaue their mountaines of gold not without great griefe of hart which they adored as GOD neyther without exceeding great danger and hazard vnto them an account is to be rendered of those things they possessed Consider also ô thou couetous man for whom thou gatherest so
great riches for it is most certaine that like as thou camst naked into this vvorld so thou shalt depart naked hence thou entrest poore and shalt returne poore These things are often to be meditated of thee For he easily contemneth all things sayth Ierome who perswadeth himselfe that he shal dye At the houre of death thou must leaue all temporal things onely thy works which thou hast done whether they be good or euill shal waite vpon thee then thou shalt remember how thou hast changed eternal things for things temporal in heaping vp of which thou hast consumed thy time thy affections and all thy labours Then thy goods shal be deuided into three parts thy body shal be giuen to the wormes thy soule to deuils and thy temporal goods shal fall to thine heires which perhaps shal be vngrateful spend-thrifts and wicked Therfore it is much better and safer to follow the counsaile of our Sauiour who willeth vs to deuide our goods amongst the poore that they may prepare an entrance into life for vs as the Princes of this vvorld doe who determining a voyage doe send their furniture and treasure before them and such prouision as would hinder theyr speede and they themselues follow after What greater folly and madnes I pray thee can be thought of then to leaue thy treasure in a place to the which thou shalt neuer returne againe and not to send it before thee to that place in which thou shalt alwayes abide Consider moreouer of the great Gouernour and high director of this spacious Vniuerse who like a wise Housholder hath so disposed of the goods of this vvorld as he hath done of offices and degrees of estate and hath so ordered all things that one should rule and another be ruled that one should distribute and deuide wealth and another should receaue it Seeing therfore that thou art one of those on whom much wealth is bestowed to giue to those that neede thine owne necessity being supplied thinkest thou that it is lawfull to reserue it solely to thy selfe which thou hast receaued for many Heare what Ambrose sayth It is no lesser fault to deny that to the needy which he wanteth thou being of ability to giue it then it is to take by force from him that hath It is the bread of the hungry that thou detaynest the garment of the naked which thou layest by thee and the money and ransome of the captiue and miserable which thou hidest in the earth Consider therfore that those goods which thou hast receaued of the Lord are remedies and releefes of mans misery and not instruments of pleasure and pride Haue an eye that seeing all things prosperously succeed with thee thou remember him who is the authour and giuer of them and beware that the remedies of another mans misery doe not minister matter vnto thee of vaine glory Doe not ô my brother more loue banishment then thy Countrey Let not the furniture and prouision of thy voyage be an hinderance and a burden to thy iourney Doe not so loue the Moone-shine that thou contemne the noone-sunne doe not so liue that the solaces of this present life minister matter of eternal death Be content with the condition and estate which is happened to thee being mindfull of that of the Apostle Hauing foode and rayment let vs there-with be content For the seruant of God as Chrisostome sayth ought not to be clothed gorgiously to fare deliciously and to pamper his flesh delicatly but only to satisfie his necessity Seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all other things shall be ministred vnto you For God who is willing to bestow great matters vpon thee will not deny thee small And if it please him to giue thee pouerty take it patiently for the poore are like vnto Christ who when he was rich became poore for our sakes They that are poore and with patience abide the Lords leysure and doe not respect riches which they haue not these make their pouerty a vertue And as the poore in their pouerty doe imitate Christ and are fashioned like vnto Christ so the rich bestowing and laying out their almes are renewed reformed by Christ for not only the poore sheepheards found Christ but also the Wise-men that came from the East and brought him their treasures Wherfore thou that art rich giue almes to the poore which if thou dost Christ himselfe receaueth them And doubt not but that almes that thou now giuest shal be reserued for thee in heauen where thy mansion shal be for euer but if in this earth thou hidest thy treasures thou shalt not there finde any thing where thou hast layd vp nothing How then shal any man truly terme those goods which cannot be taken away with vs yea which may be lost we looking on What doe they profit me sayth Ambrose if they may not be with me after death They are gotten heere and here shal be left But on the contrary part spirituall goods are goods truly and in deede for they neuer leaue nor forsake their Lord neyther fayle in death neyther can any man take them away we liuing and being against it ¶ That no man ought to detayne goods that are not his owne their Lord and Maister being eyther against it or not knowing of it ABout this sinne a very great danger is to be considered of which men oftentimes doe incurre in detayning other mens goods for we must know that it is not onely a sinne to steale other mens goods but also to keepe them against their owners wils neither is it sufficient to haue a determination at the length to restore them againe if forth-with they may be restored For we are not only bound to restore but also forth-with to restore If so be we be able but if we be not able forth-with to restore or not able to restore the whole by reason of pouerty in such a case we are not bound to the one nor to the other For God compelleth no man to performe impossibilities To the confirmation of this conclusion I think that we need not many words for that of Saint Gregory will be sufficient who writing to Iustinus a certaine Pretor of Sicilia sayth Let not any bribes or gaines allure and hale thee to iniustice let no mans threatnings or friendship make thee to decline from the right and straight way It is a thing diligently and seriously to be thought of that we leaue all gaines and bribes here behind vs and carry to iudgement onely the pleas and actions of harmfull and hurtfull gaines What greater madnes is there then then here to leaue the profit and to carry the losse with thee to doe another man a commodity and to disprofit thy selfe to procure mirth to another and torment to thy selfe vvhat is more foolish then to suffer punishment for that in another life which of others is consumed in this Furthermore it is an intollerable error that any
So doe thou louing that which is made of GOD and abhorring that which man hath made euill But perhaps thou wilt reason with thy selfe and say What haue I to doe with him in what thing am I bound to him I know him not he is not my father nor my kinsman he neuer pleasured me nor performed any duty vnto me yea he hath some-time endamaged me But remember that GOD without any desert of thine hath heaped many benefits vpon thee and therefore hath commaunded thee that in being thankfull and making some recompence for this his bounty thou in like manner shouldest be liberall not towards him for he needeth none of thy goods but towards thy neighbour whom â—e hath commended and committed vnto thee Of the remedies against Gluttony CHAP. VIII GLuttony is an inordinate desire or appetite of meate and drinke Christ exhorteth vs to beware of this vice when he sayth Take heede to your selues least at any time your harts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life When as this vice doth knock at the gates of thy hart resist it with these considerations First consider how for one sinne of gluttony death entred vpon all mankind and therefore it is necessary that thou shouldest be superiour and haue the vpper hand in this first combat in which if thou fayntest or yeeldest thou shalt be impugned more noisomly of ther vices and shalt be much more weake and vnable to make resistance Therfore aboue all things resist the temptation of gluttony with a manly courage which vnlesse thou conquerest thou shalt in vaine oppose thy selfe against other vices But thou shalt easily ouercome all other enemies which are without if first thou shalt ouerthrow and kill those that are bred in thee For he to no end fighteth with them that are without if he hath an enemy within Wherefore the deuil first tempted Christ with gluttony thinking so to open a gate for other vices Consider also the rare and singuler abstinence of our Lord Iesus Christ who not onely after his fast in the Wildernes but also other where oftentimes handled his most holy and sacred flesh most sharply and suffered hunger for our comfort that he might giue vs an example For if he that by his onely presence nourisheth Angels and feedeth the fowles of heauen suffered hunger for thee how much more oughtest thou to suffer somthing for thy selfe by what title wilt thou glory that thou art the seruant of Christ if he hungered and thou consumest thy whole life in gluttony and drunkennes he suffered troubles and punishments for thy saluation and wilt not thou suffer for the same If the crosse of abstinence seeme too greeuous vnto thee remember the gall and Vineger which Christ tasted vpon the Crosse because as Bernard sayth No meate is so bitter vvhich if it be tempered with the remembrance of the Vineger and gall of Christ is not forth-with made sweeter Recall also into thy memory the abstinence of all the holy Fathers in the Wildernes who frequenting desert places haue with Christ crucified their flesh with all the lusts and concupiscences and by the grace of God haue sustained themselues many yeares onely with the rootes of hearbs and haue macerated themselues with so great abstinence that almost it seemeth incredible If therfore our fathers haue thus imitated Christ and after this manner haue followed him into heauen how thinkest thou to come thether by the way of deliciousnes and pleasure Remember how many poore there be in the world who thinke themselues happy if they may satisfie their bellies with bread and water and thou shalt vnderstand how bountifully the Lord hath dealt with thee who hath bestowed much more vpon thee then vpon them Therefore there is no reason neyther is it meete that thou shouldest conuert this liberality of thy Lord to be an instrument of thy gluttony To be briefe consider that the delight of gluttony doth not consist in a greater place then of two fingers nor in a longer time then of two minutes in which the meate passeth downe and is gone neyther is it meete that for a place of mans gluttony so narrow and for a pleasure so short and momentany that the Land the Sea nor the ayre should suffice To satisfie this gourmandizing gluttony oftentimes the poore are spoyled and many iniuries are done that the hunger of the feeble may be conuerted into the delicates of the mighty Certainly it is a thing miserable and lamentable and much to be deplored that a pleasure of so small a part of mans body should cast the whole man into hell and that all the members and sences of the body should suffer eternall punishment for the momentany greedines of one member Thou doost not marke how shamefully thou errest nourishing thy body so delicately and with such costly meates which ere it be long shall be meate for wormes but neglectest thy soule which before it be long shall stand before the Diuine tribunall which being voyde of vertues when as the body is full of delicate meates shal be punished with eternall torments And if thy soule be damned be sure that thy body also shall haue her punishment for euen as the body is created for the soule so it shall be punished with the soule Therfore thou contemning the nobler part of thy selfe and nourishing in delicacie the ignobler thou doost destroy them both and thou killest thy selfe with thine owne sword For thy flesh which is giuen to be an helpe vnto thee doth lay a snare for thy life and doth attend thee vnto torments as it followed thee here in vices Remember the hunger of Lazarus who desired to be releeued with the crums that fell from the rich mans table and there was no man that gaue them vnto him Wherfore when he was dead he was carried by the hands of Angels into Abrahams bosome but on the contrary part the rich Glutton who was clothed in purple and fine linnen and fared well and delicately euery day was buried in hell for hunger fulnes pleasure and continency haue not the same euent for after death misery followeth pleasure and pleasure misery Let vs put the case thou â—atest and drunkest the last yeare both delicately and largely tell me now what remayneth vnto thee of all those pleasures surely nothing at all except it be the sting and remorse of conscience which perhaps will torment thee euerlastingly Therefore all that thou hast prodigally wasted and deuoured beyond reason and measure all that thou hast vtterly lost and that thou hast with-drawne from thy selfe and distributed to the poore that is very well disposed and bestowed and as a treasure layd vp for thine owne vse which shall be restored and repayed vnto thee in the heauenly Citty Least thou be entrapped by ouer-sight and at vnawares in this vice thou must very heedfully beware because often-times when as necessity desireth to be satisfied and releeâ—ed the
Remember also all the commendations of thys Vertue before sette downe of vs and howe greatly it is commended of God For if there be a liuely desire in thee to please God wilt thou not endeuour to performe thys one thing so acceptable vnto him Consider what the loue of one kinsman is to another for the onely participation of flesh and blood which is betweene them and let it shame thee if the grace of the spirituall vnion be not as forcible in thee as carnall parentage or kindred If thou shalt say that in this there is a communion and a participation in one and the selfe same roote and in the blood of eyther consider howe much more noble that coniunction and communion is which is betweene the faythfull as the Apostle showeth while we haue all the same Father the same mother the same Lorde the same baptisme the same hope the same fayth the same meate and the same spirit who quickneth vs. We haue all the same Father GOD the Church our mother and Christ Iesus our Lord. We haue one fayth which is that supernaturall light of which we all pertake and which seuereth vs and maketh vs differ froÌ„ all other Nations one hope which is the very glory of the heauenly inhearitance in which wee all shall be of one hart and one mind We haue one Baptisme by which we are all adopted the sonnes of the same father made one anothers brethren We haue one and the selfe same spirituall meate euen the blessed body of Christ Iesus which incarâ—ateth vs together and maketh vs one with him no otherwise then as one loafe is made of diuers cornes and one wine of many grapes Besides all thys we participate of one and the selfe-same spirit which is the holy Ghost who dwelleth in all the soules of the faythfull whether it be by faith or by fayth and grace together quickning and sustaining vs in this life If the members of the same body albeit hauing diuers duties and functions and differing also in forme doe so tenderly and mutually loue one another because they liue by one and the selfe same reasonable soule how much more mutually ought faythfull Christians to loue one another who are made aliue by that Diuine Spirit who by how much he is more noble by so much also he is more powerfull to knit and vnite those together in whom he dwelleth If onely the kinred of flesh blood can procure so great loue between kinsfolke how much more shall so great an vnitie procure it and the participation and communion of so noble and excellent things Let that notable rare example of that singuler loue wherewith Christ hath loued vs neuer slip out of thy minde vvho hath loued vs so strongly so sweetly so graciously so perfectly not for any profit or neede to himselfe not for any merrit of ours that we being strengthened by so noble an example and bound by so great a benefit may forth-with prepare our selues and as much as lyeth in vs dispose our selues to loue our neighbour with such loue that we may satisfie and obserue that commaundement which our Sauiour Iesus hath giuen vnto vs and so commended vnto vs when he ascended to his Father left thys earth saying This is my commaundement that yee loue one another as I haue loued you Of that which man oweth vnto God CHAP. XVI AFter that we haue showne and declared what we owe to our selues and to our neighbour now we will set down what we owe vnto God This is the chiefest and noblest part of Christian iustice and righteousnes vpon which three Theologicall vertues doe attend Fayth Hope and Charity which haue God for their obiect with that vertue which of Diuines is called Religion whose obiect is the Diuine worship A man shall satisfie all the bonds and obligations which are contayned vnder this vertue if towards God he hath such an hart as a sonne hath towards his father For euen as a man shall satisfie content himselfe if he hath the hart of a good Iudge and his neighbour if he hath the hart of a mother so after a certaine manner of speaking he shall satisfie God if he loue him with such an hart as a sonne is wont to loue his father for it is one of the especiall functions and operations of the Spirit of Christ to giue to man such an hart towards God Now therfore consider diligently what the hart of a sonne is towards his father what is his loue his feare his reuerence his obedience towards him and the zeale of his fathers honour how he serueth him freely with what affiance and boldnes he runneth vnto him in all his needs how patiently he beareth his correction and chasticement with all other duties and obseruances Of such an hart and mind be thou towards God and thou shalt absolutely fulfill this part of iustice and righteousnes To prepare and procure such an haâ—t nine vertues seeme especially necessary vnâ—o me the first and principall of which is loue the second feare and reueâ—ence the third trust and confidence the fouâ—th 〈◊〉 of the honour of God the fift a pure intent in the â—â—â—rcise of the Diâ—ine worship the sixâ— prayer and refuge to God in all needs and necessities the seauenth thanksgiuing for Diuine benefits the eight obedience and conformity of our will to Gods will the ninth humility patience in all scourges and tribulations which God sendeth vnto vs. According to this order the first and the especiall thing that we ought to doe is to loue God after that manner as he hath commaunded himselfe to be loued that is with all the hart with all the soule and with all our strength so that whatsoeuer is in man it is to worship and embrace God according to his kind the vnderstanding by meditating vpon him the will by louing him the affections by inclining theâ—selues vnto that which his loue requireth the strength and vigour of all the members sences by exercising themselues in those things which his loue hath appointed The second thing that is required after this holy loue is feare which springeth of this loue for by how much more we loue any one by so much we feare that we doe not onely not lose him but also that we doe not offend him This is manifest in the loue of a good sonne towards his father and of a wife towards her husband who by how much she more tenderly loueth him so much the more diligently she endeuoureth least any thing be found in the house that may offend her husband This feare is the keeper of innocency and therefore it is necessary that it take deepe rooting in our harts which thing the Prophet Dauid long agoe desired of God when hee sayde Pierce through my flesh with thy feare for I am afrayde of thy iudgments It was not inough for this most holy King to haue feare planted in his hart but also he
they that are newly inaugurated into Gods Church are to be admonished of a notable error which oftentimes happen vnto them Who perchaunce reading in some spirituall booke of the greatnes of the sweetnes and consolations of the holy Ghost and how great the pleasant allurements and enticements of charity be forth-with they suppose that this whole way is plaine full of deliciousnes and that no labour nor trouble is to be found in it wherefore they prepare themselues to walk in this way as to an easie and delectable matter neyther doe they arme themselues as those who goe to warre but they put on a soft and a delicate robe as if they were to goe to a mariage or a banquet They doe not consider that although the loue of God is sweet and pleasant in it selfe and of it owne nature yet that the way vnto it is straight and bitter For it is needfull aboue all things to conquer and ouercome selfe-loue and to striue alwayes against thy selfe which fight is greater then any other Both of them that Euangelicall Prophet insinuateth when he sayth O Ierusalem shake off the dust arise and sit downe It is certaine that in sitting there is neyther labour nor difficulty but it is labour to shake off the dust of earthly and carnall affections and to arise from the sinne in which we sleepe which is necessary to doe before we come to that sitting and rest It is true that God bestoweth many and wonderfull comforts vpon them that faithfully labour and in like manner vpon them who now desire to change the delights of the world for the pleasures of heauen yet if this change be not made and if a man will not leaue the pray he hath taken beleeue me this refreshing and comfort shall not be giuen him as neither Manna was giuen to the children of Israell in the wildernes before the dowe was spent which they brought vvith them out of Egypt Returning therefore to our purpose I say let those seeke for rest as long as they will who are not armed with this fortitude and let them know that vnlesse they first change theyr mindes and purpose they shall not finde it Let them knowe and assuredly beleeue that quietnes is not purchased but by labor that a crowne is obtayned by fighting that ioy is atchiued by sorrowing and that the most sweet loue of God is procured by hatred of our selues For thys cause this idlenes is so often reprehended in the Prouerbs but fortitude and diligence commended because the holy Spirit the Authour of this doctrine knew very well that vertues are very much hindered by laâ—nes but ayded and perfitted by fortitude and diligence ¶ Of the meanes by which this fortitude is obtained PErhaps some man will aske by what meanes this fortitude may be procured and atchiued seeing that it is no lesse difficult then the other vertues Wherfore not without cause the Wise-man thus beginneth his Alphabet full of spirituall instructions Who shall finde a strong and a valiant woman for her price is farre aboue the pearles As if he should say shee is more precious then all the treasure and Iems which may be brought out of all the Coasts of the world How then may we compasse a thing of so great price and value We shall compasse it first if diligently we consider the dignity excellency of it for that ought to be in great account with vs which openeth vnto vs the treasuries of all vertues If it be otherwise tell me why the louers of thys world doe after that manner flie froÌ„ vertue Not for any other cause but because it is hard and difficult vvhich difficulty sluggards doe shunne and flie The slothfull man sayth as the Wise-man speaketh A Lyon is in the way and a Lionesse in the streetes in the midst of the way she will deuoure me And in another place The foole foldeth his handes and eateth vp his owne flesh saying Better is a handfull with quietnes then two handfulls with labour and vexation of spirit Seeing therefore that there is no other thing that hindereth vs from comming vnto vertue but this onely difficultie if wee will embrace this fortitude to ouercome it we haue already obtained the kingdome of vertue together with the kingdome of heauen to which no man shall come but hee that is valiant strong and vndaunted In like manner by this fortitude the loue of our selues is cast vnder foote with the whole Army of her complices and confederats which enemy when it is ouerthrowne and cast foorth behold presently entereth in the loue of God or if you had rather God himselfe For as Saint Iohn sayth God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him The manifold examples of the seruants of God doe much auaile and profit vs whom we see heere in the world poore naked bare-foote and bare-legged leaue hungry restlesse hauing not where to lay theyr heads and wanting all those things which are requisite for the maintenaunce of this life Some of them doe so hasten to labours and austerenes of life where they may liue religiously and strictly and not be entangled with the pleasures of this life as a Merchant to some rich mart or a student of the liberall Sciences to some famous Vniuersity What I pray thee can be more contrary to the custome of this world and to the desires of her louers then that a man should seek out those places where his body may be pinched his soule made heauie and his life exposed to many greeuances and troubles These are assuredly most contrary to flesh and blood but very agreeable vnto the Spirit of GOD. But yet more especiallie our pleasures are condemned by the example of the Martyrs who haue entred into the kingdome of heauen by so many so cruell torments Consider howe one of them was rosted another had his skinne pulld ouer his eares the third drowned in the water the fourth cast head-long from a steepe Rocke a fift layde on a peece of vvood with a sharpe ridge his flesh being scraped and rent of with a ragged tormenting Curry-combe and his bowels beeing slitte out yeelded vp the ghost a sixth hath so many Darts sticking in him that he is liker an Hedg-hog then a man the seauenth is fryed in a frying pan or boyled in scalding lead others tormented with other extreame tortures Consider how many of them haue beene tormented not with one kinde of punishment but with all kinde of torments which humane nature hath beene capable of and so haue passed to death For some haue been taken from the filthines vncleannesse of the pryson to be whipped and scourged from whipping scourging to be singed with burning coales from burning coales to the bastinado from the bastinado to yron combes then to the sworde which alone had beene sufficient to take away the life of the Martyrs but not to make them shipwracke theyr fayth or
they as Plutarch sayth that teach that vertue is to be embraced but deliuer not the way and manner how to attaine vnto it they doe as those that light a Lampe to burne but poure in no oyle Certes although the second booke is very profitable yet the first booke if I may so say is most necessarie The reason is because to the knowledge of good euill the very light of nature and reason is much conducent which is bred borne with vs but that wee should loue one and hate another embrace one and flie from another very great contradictions and lets doe meete with vs and doe arise of sinne as well within as without man For seeing that man is compounded of a spirite and flesh both parts desire theyr like the flesh alwayes seeketh for things carnall and fleshly in which vices raigne and beare sway but the spirit desireth spirituall things in which vertues haue dominion and preheminence Therefore the spirit dooth feele and suffer great contradiction and repugnancie of his owne flesh which hath no feeling but of those thinges which delight and bring pleasure which desires and appetites next vnto originall sinne are most vehement when as by that the bridle of original righteousnes is lost with which they were bridled and restrayned Neyther doth the flesh only resist the spirite but also the world Which as S. Iohn testifieth wholie lyeth in wickednes The deuill also a capitall enemie of vertues doth repugne the spirit and so doe our corrupt dispositions and vicious custome which as an other nature especially in those who haue had growth and are confirmed in wickednes through the continuaunce and diuturnitie of tyme. Therefore that a man may passe boldly through the midst of these difficulties and that hee may approch neere vnto vertue in veritie and with the whole desire of his hart to the despight of the flesh and all her powers it cannot be denied but that these difficulties doe happen to man and that ayde and helpe is necessary for him Therefore that we may come vnto thys first part this former Booke is made and sette foorth in the which I haue bestowed much paynes and haue laboured with all my strength that I might gather as it were into a bundle all the reasons which seemed any whit to belong to the qualitie of this matter or to the manner of this writing for the aduauncement of vertue by setting before your eyes the profit and fruites of them who follow vertue as well in this life as in the life to come and by declaring the great bonds by which wee are bounde to vertue seeing that God doth cōmaund it vnto vs whom not to obey is exceeding haynous and to which we are obliged as well for that which it is in it selfe as for that which it is for vs and towards vs. I vvas especially moued to handle this argument for that I dyd dailie see the greater sort number of men to prayse vertue in words but to follow vices in deedes And truely in mine opinion amongst many other causes of this so great enormitie one is because men ignorant of the condition and nature of vertue doe esteeme it to be vnpleasant barraine and painefull For this cause when as they are wholy drowned in vices because they seeme more pleasant vnto them they flie from all vertue supposing that there is no sweetnes in it I pittying the error of these men willingly vnderwent thys labour that I might shew how many and howe great be the riches delights and treasuries how great is the dignitie and beautie of this heauenly Bride and also that I might demonstrate howe vnknowne it is vnto men that these mine admonitions might free them from this errour and inflame them with the loue of so precious a thing For if it bee true that thys is one of the most excellent things that are in heauen or earth and most worthy to be loued had in honour without doubt it is to be lamented that men are such strangers from the knowledge and desire of so great a good A great benefite therefore hee shall doe to all mankinde whosoeuer he be that endeuoureth to restore thys Lady to her honour and to seate her in her royall Throne for shee is the Queene and Lady of all things But before I come to my purpose I will shewe by a certaine example with what minde thys Tractate ought to bee vsed Heathen men doe write of theyr famous Hercules howe when he began to waxe a man which time is gyuen of Nature to choose what course of life euery man will follow and enter into went into the wildernes and there sitting long debating discoursing with himselfe when he saw two waies the one of Pleasure the other of Vertue which it were better to enter walke in at the length after mature deliberation Pleasure being neglected he entred into Vertues path Truely if there bee anie thing in the world woorthy of deliberation and aduise this is it For if wee so often muse vpon those thinges which pertaine to the vse of life and doe so aduisedly deliberate of thē how much more carefully and thorowly ought wee to weigh and consider of life it selfe especially seeing so many and so diuers kindes of lyuing are found in the world Proceede therefore my brother thys is that that I woulde haue thee now to do and to the which I now inuite thee Therfore thou must know that before all things it is needfull that in this short time thou sette behinde thee the whole rabble of the thoughts and busines of this world that thou enter into thys spirituall wildernes and that thou beginne to deliberate with thy selfe of the manner and way of that life which it behoueth thee to follow hereafter Remember that among all humane affaires there is none which ought to bee weighed and examined vvith greater care and attention and which requireth a longer time in deliberating then the election of that kinde of life which is to be followed continued till death For if the beginning be good those things that follow will be lawdable On the contrary part if thy choyce be faultie what soeuer is built thereon will goe frō ill to worse All other consultations with the errors that are committed in them are particuler thys onely is generall which containeth all other vnder it Tell mee I pray thee what may be builded vpon an ill foundation What doe all prosperous euents profit What auaile al admonitions and counsailes if thy life be ill ordered And what doe all aduersities hurt if thy life be well lead For what shoulde it profit a man though he should winne the whole world and loose his owne soule Therefore we can speake of no matter or businesse more weightie vnder heauen of none more proper vnto man or of greater moment for we doe not intreat heere of riches or of honors but of the lyfe of the soule and of euerlasting
his wife whom he had defiled with filthy adultery and against all his owne kingdome which hee had so scandalizd Yet hee saith that he had sinned against GOD onely for he knew that all euils offences and inconueniences were of no moment in comparison of the filthines of that sinne for asmuch as it repugned the Law of God Therefore the consideration of that enormitie did so greatly afflict him that he contemned and set at naught all other iniuâ—ies and offences whatsoeuer For euen as God is infinitely greater then all creatures so also our debt is infinitely greater in which wee are bound to him and also the offence greater which is committed against him For there is no proportion of a thing infinite to a thing finite THE SECOND TITLE Of the bond in which we are bound to Vertue and to attend vpon GOD by reason of the benefite of our Creation CHAP. II. WE ought not only to apply our selues vnto Vertue and to obey the diuine commaundements for that which God is in himselfe but also for that which hee is to vs that is by reason of his innumerable benefits of which although wee haue spoken in another place for that purpose which then we had in hand neuerthelesse heere also wee will handle the same things that they being before our eyes we may see plainly by how many names and titles we are bound to serue such a giuer Of these benefits our Creation is the first of which seeing that it is knowne to euery bodie onely I will say that that man wholy is bound for that alone to serue and attend vpon the Lord who hath created him For according to all lawes a man is a debtor of all that he hath receiued Seeing that therefore by this benefite he hath receiued his being that is his body with all his senses and his soule with all her powers and faculties the consequent is that he must bestow all them to the seruice of his Maker vnlesse he will be accounted towards him a theefe and an ingratefull man beeing enriched with so great a benefit For if a man should build a house whom shall it serue for but for the Lord who builded it And if a man shall plant a Vineyard who shall gather the grapes shall not hee that hath planted the Vineyard And if a Father hath a sonne whom shal he rather serue then his father who begat him This is that which auncient lawes doe say that it cannot be esteemed how great the authority of the father is ouer his children which reacheth so farre that it was lawfull for a father being in necessity to sell his child for in respect of that that hee hath giuen to his child to be that he is therefore the father hath that power ouer his child that he might doe with his child what he would If therfore the dominion and authority of a father be so great ouer his child what shall be his dominion and authority from whom is deriued the being of all fathers as well in heauen as in earth And if they as Seneca sayth who haue receaued a benefit ought to imitate and follow the fertile field which yeeldeth much more then it receaueth how shall wee make aunswere to God in this measure of gratitude seeing that we cannot yeeld more vnto him then we haue receaued of him although we yeeld all that we haue But if he that yeeldeth no more then he hath receaued doth not obserue and keepe this law and rule what shall we say of him who yeeldeth lesse then is bestowed vpon him And if as Aristotle sayth there cannot be rendered like to God and our parents how shall there be giuen like to God who hath bestowed more vpon vs then all the fathers in the world But if it be a greeuous offence if a sonne be disobedient to his father what a wickednes will it be to be rebellious to God who by so many names is our father Yea in comparison of whom no man deserueth the name of a father This is that which the Lord worthily complayneth of by his Prophet If then I am your father sayth he where is mine honor If I be your Lord where is my feare Against the same ingratitude an other Prophet also enueieth and that with words more stinging pearcing Ah peruerse and froward generation sayth he ah foolish and vnwise people doest thou render such things to the Lord Is not he thy father that hath bought thee that hath made thee and proportioned thee These are they that doe not lift vp their eyes to heauen neyther doe behold themselues being forgetfull and vnmindfull of themselues For if they would view and behold themselues they would secretly aske themselues and they would endeuour to know what was their first originall and their first beginning that is of whom they were made and to what end they were created For by the knowledge of these things at length they shold come to the knowledge of that which of duty they ought to doe Because men doe not these things they liue as though they sprung and were begotten and made of themselues As liued that cursed King of Aegypt whom God threatneth by his Prophet saying Behold I come against thee Pharaoh King of Egipt the great Dragon that lyeth in the midst of his riuers which hath sayde The riuer is mine and I haue made it for my selfe After this manner liue all they that forget theyr Creator as though they were created of themselues acknowledging no maker Better did Saint Augustine who by the knowledge of his making and beginning came to the knowledge of his Creator saying in one of his Soliloquies And I returned to my selfe and I entred into my selfe and I sayde vnto my selfe Who art thou and I aunswered my selfe a reasonable man and mortall and I began to discourse and dispute with my selfe what this was and I sayd Whence commeth ô my Lord God this manner of creature Whence but from thee Thou madest me and not I my selfe Who art thou Thou art hee by whom I liue thou art he by whom all things liue Who art thou Thou ô Lord art my true and onely God omnipotent and eternall incomprehensible and vnmeasurable who alwayes liuest and nothing dyeth in thee O my God tell me thy humble seruant ô mercifull God tell mee poore wretch tell mee I pray thee for thy mercies sake whence is this manner of creature but from thee Shall any man be the maker of himselfe Is to be and to liue taken from any other then from thee Art not thou the chiefest good of whom all things are that be For whatsoeuer is is of thee because nothing is without thee Art not thou the fountaine of life from whence floweth all life For whatsoeuer lyueth liueth by thee because nothing liueth without thee Thou ô Lord then hast made all things Shall I aske who hath made me Thou ô Lord hast made me without whom nothing is made Thou art
those things of which he should haue taken and receaued greater causes of louing his Creator of those he receaued and tooke greater occasion of treason and disloyalty Therefore he was thrust out of Paradice and cast into banishment yea and was adiudged to hell fire that as hee was made a companion with the deuill in sinne so hee might be his companion in punishment The Prophet Elizeus sayd to his seruant Gehezi Thou hast receaued siluer and garments of Naaman therefore the leprosie of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee and to thy seede for euer Like was the iudgement of God against man who seeing that he had affected the riches and treasure of Lucifer that is his pride and ambition it was meete that he should be infected with the leaprosie of the same Lucifer which was the punishment of his pride Behold then man made lyke vnto the deuill being a follower of his fault Therfore when man was so abhominable in Gods eyes and had incurred so great displeasure our most gracious and most mercifull Lord did not disdaine to respect vs he did not looke to the iniurie done to his supreame Maiesty but to the misfortune of our owne misery more lamenting our errour then desirous of reuenge for the contumely offered vnto him he determined to repaire man and to reconcile him vnto him his onlie begotten sonne being our Mediatour But how hath he reconciled man vnto him What humane tongue shall declare this vnto vs Christ hath procured so great friendship between vs and God that not onely God hath pardoned to man all his fault hath receaued him into his fauour hath made him one and that same with himselfe through a certaine vnion of loue but that which passeth all greatnes hath made such a likenes and similitude betweene himselfe mans nature that amongst all things created there can be found no greater conformity thē are the Deity and humanity for they are not one and the same through loue and fauour but also in person Who euer durst haue hoped that a wound so largely gaping should after this manner haue beene drawne together Who euer could haue thought that these two natures betweene which there was so great difference both of nature and of offence that euer they could haue beene so neerely ioyned together not in one house not at one table not in one loue but in one and the selfe same person What two greater contraries may be giuen then God and a sinner And what two things are now more straightly and narrowly combined together what more commixt then God and man There is nothing higher or nobler then God saith Bernard and there is nothing lower or baser then that clay of which man is formed Neuerthelesse with so great humility GOD descended vpon the earth to man and with so great sublimitie earth ascended to God that whatsoeuer God hath done earth may be said to haue done it and whatsoeuer earth hath suffered God may be sayd to haue suffered it Who would haue said to man when he was naked knew that he had incurred the wrath of God when he sought lurking holes and corners in Paradice wherein he might hide himselfe vvho I say would haue then said that the tyme should come when this vild substance should be vnited to God in one and the selfe same person Thys vnion is so neere straight and faithfull that when it was to be dissolued which was in the tyme of the Passion it would rather rent and breake then faint and forsake Death might seperate the soule from the body which was the vnion of nature but it could not pluck GOD from the soule nor frō the body for that vvas the vnion of the Diuine person For what it once apprehendeth with so strong a loue it neuer forsaketh This is that peace this is that health and saluation which wee receaue by the benefit of our Mediatour and Sauiour Although we are such and so great debtors for thys benefit that no mans tongue can vtter it yet we are not lesse bound to God for the manner of our Redemption then for the redemption it selfe O my Lord I am bound to thee in a high degree of dutie that thou hast deliuered me from hell and hast reconciled me vnto thee but much more owe I vnto thee for the manner it selfe by which thou hast deliuered me then for the liberty it selfe which thou hast giuen me All thy works are admirable in all things and although a man doth thinke when he hath considered one thing that not any thing remaineth which may be added to further admiratio◠foorth-with all that wonderment vanisheth when he turneth his eyes to contemplate an other thing O lord the glory of thy greatnes is not diminished if one wonder dooth seeme to expell and put out another but these are tokens of thy greater glory But what was the meane ô my Lord by which thou wouldest take away my euils and wickednesses There were infinite meanes by which thou couldest haue helped me and giuen me perfect saluation without labour and without any price Notwithstanding so great and so admirable is thy liberalitie that to show me more manifestly the greatnes of thy loue goodnes thou wouldest helpe me with so great dolours that the onely cogitation of them was sufficient to extract bloody sweat from all thy members thy passion a little after through dolor to cleaue a sunder the hardest Rocks O my Lord the heauens doe praise thee and the Angels sette forth thy wonders What didst thou neede our good or were our euils any preiudice vnto thee If thou sinnest sayth Iob what doost thou against him yea when thy sinnes be many what doost thou vnto him If thou be righteous what giuest thou vnto him or what receiueth he at thy hand Thys GOD so rich so voyde of all euill he whose riches whose power whose wisedome cannot increase or be greater then it is he that was neither before nor after the creation of the world greater or lesser then he is now he that is neither more illustrious or lesse glorious because Angels sing his prayse and men doe glorifie him nay if all the creatures should curse and blaspheme him thys great Lord not of necessity but of meere charitie it not hindering him that we were his enemies he dyd not disdaine to incline and bend the heauens of his maiestie and to descend into this valley of misery to be clothed with the flesh of our mortalitie and to take all our debts vpon him to cancell them to suffer and vnder-goe greater torments then euer any suffered heeretofore or shall suffer heereafter Ah my Lord for the loue of me thou wast borne in a stable and layd in a Cratch for me thou wast circumcized the eyght day for me thou flying into Egipt liuedst there in banishment seauen whole yeeres and for mee thou diddest sustaine diuers persecutions and wast molested and vexed with infinite iniuries For the loue of
that vvee should be called but he addeth that we are that the base estate and small confidence of man might euidently know the bountifulnes and liberalitie of God and that we might see that it is not a name of honour or title but rather of the deed and thing it selfe But if it be so great an euill to be hated and reprobated of God what great good will it be to be beloued of him and to remaine in his fauour This truly is an Axiome of the Phylosophers that a thing is so much the better by howe much his contrary is worser And therefore it necessarily followeth that that is the chiefest good whose opposite is the chiefest euill as we haue said that that is to be hated of GOD. But if in this world it be esteemed a matter of great moment if any man bee had in honour estimation amongst his Superiors as with the Emperour King or Prince or such great honorable estates I pray thee what will it be to haue found fauour and grace with the highest Prince the supreame Father with the most glorious excellent and noble Lord in comparison of whom al the principalities and dignities of this worlde are as though they were not Which fauour also is so much the greater by hovve much more it is freely gȳuen for it is certaine that as it is vnpossible for a man to be able to doe any thing before hee vvas created whereby he might deserue to be created for then hee was not any thing so also without all doubt is it that he can do nothing after that he is fallen into sinne whereby hee may deserue Iustification not because he is not but because he is euill and hated of God Another benefit followeth this going before that it deliuereth and freeth a man from the condemnation of euerlasting punishment of which hee was guiltie by reason of his sinnes for sinne doth make a man abhominable vnto God no man can liue without Gods fauour without his owne extreame harme Hence is it that the sinners forsaking God because they sinne and contemne him that they deserue to be contemned to be remoued out of the sight of God beeing banished from his company and from his beautifull dwellings and because they forsaking God doe loue the creatures with an inordinate loue it is meete that they should be punished in all things and be tormented with eternall payne to which visible punishments being compared they rather seeme paynted then true To this so great vnhappines that euerlasting worme doth also come which alwayes gnaweth the bowels and conscience of the wicked But what shall I say of the society of those cursed spirits and of all the damned What shall I speake of that obscure and lamentable Region full of darknes and confusion Where there is no order but where continuall horror abideth where no ioy is found no peace no rest no content no hope but perpetuall complayning and euerlasting gnashing of teeth exceeding outragiousnes and fury continuall blasphemy and eternall malediction From all these euils the Lord hath deliuered all them whom he hath iustified who after that they are reconciled to him and receaued into his fauour they are free from this wrath and from the punishment of his vengeance Behold an other benefit more spirituall which is the reformation and renouation of the inward man which was defiled and polluted through sinne For sinne doth not onely depriue the soule of God but also doth spoile and rob it of all supernaturall strength and fortitude and of all other riches and gifts of the holy Ghost with which it was adorned beautified and enriched by and by after that it is depriued of these graces it is wounded maymed and depriued also of the naturall blessings For seeing that man is a reasonable creature and sinne is a work done against reason and seeing that it is naturall that one contrary should destroy an other the consequent is that by how much more sinnes are multiplied by so much more the faculties of the soule are destroyed and disturbed not in themselues but in their aptnes to worke By these meanes sinnes doe make the soule miserable weake sluggish and instable to euery good worke but procline prompt and ready to all euill weake and feeble to resist temptations and flow to walke in the wayes of Gods commaundements They depriue her also of the true liberty and rule of the spirit and they make her the captaine of the deuill the world the flesh and of her owne appetites And by this meanes shee liueth in captiuity more hard and intollerable then that of Babilon and Aegipt Furthermore all the spirituall powers of the soule are made also sluggish and slothfull so that they doe not heare diuine inspirations and heauenly voyces they doe not see the great euils prepared for them they doe not smell the sweete fauour of Vertue nor the most beautifull paths and examples of the Saints they doe not tast how sweet the Lord is neyther doe they feele the scourgings nor acknowledge the benefits by which they are prouoked vnto his loue and besides all these they take away the peace and ioy of the conscience they doe extinguish the heate and seruour of the spirit and doe leaue a man filthy blemished deformed and abhominable in the sight of God and in the sight of all his Saints From all these euils this benefit doth deliuer vs. For so bottomlesse are the mercies of God that he is not content to haue pardoned our faults and to haue receaued man into fauour vnlesse also hee expell all these euils which sinnes bring with them reforming and renuing our inward man By this maner he healeth our wounds he washeth away our spots blemishes he breaketh the bonds of sinne destroyeth the yoake of euill concupiscences deliuereth vs from the seruitude of the deuill mitigateth and aswageth the fury and rage of our peruerse affections and perturbations and doth restore vnto vs the true liberty beauty of our soule doth giue vs the peace and ioy of a good conscience doth reuiue our inward sences doth make them prompt and fit to euerie good worke and slow to any euill Maketh them strong and valiannto resist the temptations of the deuill and doth inrich vs with all good works To be briefe he doth so absolutely renue and repaire our inward man with all his powers that the Apostle calleth such men iustified renued yea new creatures This renuing is so great that when it is made by Baptisme it is called regeneration but when by repentance it is called a resurrection and rising againe not onely because the soule is raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace but because after a certaine manner it also imitateth the beauty of the future resurrection This is so true that no tongue of man is sufficient to expresse the beauty of a iustified soule This onely knoweth that Spirit that maketh it beautifull and his Temple
for a moment causeth vnto them a farre more excellent and an eternall waight of glory These then are the benefits which this one benefit of iustification comprehendeth in it which iustification Saint Augustine maketh greater account of them he doth of creation for God created heauen and earth with his onely word but that he might sanctifie man he shed his blood and vnder-went many and great torments If therefore we owe so many and so great duties to this Lord for our creation how many moe doe wee owe to him for our iustification Which benefit by how much it was got by greater labours and afflictions by so much it doth more bind vs vnto him Although there be many great notable marks and signes by which a man entring into himselfe may examine and know whether he be iustified or no yet in my iudgement the renouation and renuing of mans life is not the least when a man hath so reformed himselfe that he hath ouerthrowne the regiment of sinne hath cut off the head of it and from day to day still groweth to further purity and perfection of life Hee that is such an one let him be mindfull by how iust a title he is bound to serue such a Sacrificer who hath redeemed him and deliuered him from so many euils and hath heaped so many blessings vpon him which hetherto we haue remembred But if he doth still cleaue and sticke in his corrupt and depraued estate I doe not know howe God may better mooue him to forsake that estate then if he set before his eyes all the euils discommodities and dangers which sinnes bring with them and which we a little before haue reckoned vp and also showe vnto him the treasury of those great blessings which doe arise of this incomparable and vnspeakeable benefit ¶ Of many other effects which the holy Ghost worketh in a iustified soule THose things which hetherto we haue spoken of doe not as yet comprehend all those kinds of benefits which the holy Ghost worketh in the soule of a iustified man neyther is the bountifulnes of GOD circumscribed within those limits For it is not enough that the holy Ghost should haue brought man through the gate of Righteousnesse and entred him into the schoole of Vertue but after that he is entred that he should be ayded of the same Spirit and ledde as it were with the hand in all his wayes vntill all the waues of this stormy sea being ouercome he enter safe and sound into the hauen of saluation For after that the holy Ghost hath entred into a iustified soule by the meditation of the precedent benefit he doth not sitte there idlely for it suffiseth him not to beautifie the soule with his presence but also he sanctifieth it by his vertue working in it and with it whatsoeuer is necessary vnto saluation He sitteth there as an housholder in his house gouerning it he sitteth there as a schoolemaister in his schoole teaching it as a Gardiner in his garden tilling and trymming it as a King in his kingdom ruling it as the Sunne in the world enlightning it to be briefe as the soule in the body giuing to it life sence and motion not as the forme in the matter but as an housholder in an house What then is more happy what more to bee desired then to haue within him such a guest such a guide such a companion such a gouernour and tutor and such an helper Who seeing that he is all things doth worke all things in that soule in which he remaineth and dwelleth Especially as fire hee enlightneth our vnderstanding he enflameth our will and exalteth it from the earth euen to heauen He like a Doue doth make vs simple gentle peaceable and friends to all He as a cloude dooth refresh and coole vs and defend vs from the heate of the flesh doth asswage and moderate our madnes and the furie of our passions To conclude he as a vehement and strong wind doth moue and incline our will to all good seperating it and drawing it from all euill inclinations vntill at length the iustified bee brought to that passe that all vices are odious vnto them which before they loued and they loue all vertues which before they hated as Dauid plainly acknowledgeth that it hapned to him for he sayth in a certaine place That hee did hate and abhorre iniquitie And in another place That hee had as great delight in the way of the testimonies of the Lord as in all riches The reason was because the holy Ghost had instilled and infused into his soule the vvormewood of earthly things and the honny of the heauenly commaundements vvherein thou seest plainly that wee owe all our good to this diuine Spirit insomuch that if we decline from euill he is the cause of it and if we doe good we doe it through him if wee perseuere in goodnesse wee perseuere through him and if a reward be gyuen for our good it is giuen through him Therefore it is euident that it is most truly spoken of Augustine that when as God recompenceth our seruices he rewardeth his owne benefits in vs and so hee rendereth grace for grace seeing the deserts are of grace The holy Patriarch Ioseph was not content to giue to hys brethren corne which they came to buy in Egipt but he moreouer commaunded that the money which they brought to buy the corne should be put in theyr sacke mouthes After the same manner the Lord dealeth with his for he giueth vnto thē life euerlasting and he also gyueth them grace and a lawdable lyfe by which they may come to this eternall life Here-vnto agreeth that which Eusebius Emissenus sayth hee therefore is worshipped that he may haue mercy and hee hath had already mercy that he might be worshipped Therefore let a man diligently examine his life let him consider as the same Doctour admonisheth him what great good hee hath doone from howe many euills adulteries rapines thefts fraudes and sacriledges the Lord hath deliuered him and then he shal know by how many meanes he is bound vnto him For as Saint Augustine sayth all sinnes are to be accounted as forgiuen from the which God doth keepe thee least they be committed Therefore sayth hee doe not loue him a little as from whom a little was forgiuen but rather loue him much from whom much is gyuen vnto thee For if hee loue to whom it is giuen that hee may not repay how much more ought he to loue to whom it is gyuen that he may haue and possesse For whosoeuer from the beginning remaineth honest hee is gouerned of him and whosoeuer of one dishonest is made honest of him he is amended and whosoeuer is dishonest to the end of him he is forsaken Which seeing that it is so what other thing shall we doe then cry out with the Prophet Let my mouth bee filled with thy praise that I may sing of
his life These therefore sufficiently prooue that saying of the Wiseman to be true Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse Goe to therefore if this consideration doth so surely draw a man from sinne let vs carefully runne ouer those things which are wont to be spoken of death that we may obtaine that excellent and notable good Remember therfore my brother that thou art a Christian and a man because thou art a man it is certaine that thou must die because thou art a Christian it is certaine that thou must giue an account of thy lyfe after that thou art dead Heere the fayth that we hold and professe excludeth all doubt and thus the experience teacheth vs vvhich we daily see before our eyes So that no man is free from thys cup but all must drinke of it whether he be Emperour King or whatsoeuer he be That day sometime will be when as thou shalt liue in the morning but shalt not lyue at night That day at the length wil come but when it will be whether to day or to morrowe it is altogether vncertaine in the which thou thy selfe who novve readest these things which we write beeing strong and lustie measuring thy life with longnes of desires and thy dayes vvith multitude of businesses thou shalt see thy selfe lying in a bedde expecting the blow and sentence of fearefull death spred ouer all mankinde from which no man can appeale to any other Iudge But most of all we must consider how vncertaine that houre is for that is wont to come for the most part when it is least looked for and when as man is secure in all things doth least thinke of it but beeing busied and earnest about the businesse and necessities of this life doth cast with himselfe to lyue and ouer-passe many dayes For which cause it is sayde that it commeth like a theese in the night who is wont then to come when as men doe soundly sleepe and beeing secure doe thinke of nothing lesse then of the theft so neerly hanging ouer them Before death come great and grieuous infirmities goe before which are to be considered with all their accidents griefes vexations molestations loathings decocted syrrups fumigations pills gargarismes and other medicines and also of the long nights which at thys time bring much teadiousnesse and wearinesse For euen as he that would conquer a Castle at the first doth make way to the ruine with his greater shot after he doth assault inuade and possesse it so before death great infirmitie is sent which doth so vanquish and breake the naturall strength that it giueth no rest to man whether it be by day or by night but without intermission shaketh and wringeth all the chiefe members of the body so that the soule can no longger defend her Castle neither can any longer be preserued in it wherefore the relinquisheth the body hauing escaped flyeth out of it and goeth to another place But when as the infirmitie doth draw to that passe that eyther the sicke partie or the Phisition beginneth to doubt despaire of lyfe good God what streights what oppressings what griefes doe then crush teare the miserable hart For then the whole race and processe of thy precedent life dooth come inâ—o thy minde then is it represented vnto thee that thou must leaue all those things which heere thou so deerly louest vvife chyldren friends parents riches honours titles offices and other things which leaue off to be and take end with thy lyfe After these things those last accidents grow on which are ioyned with death it selfe which are much greater then these going before The forehead waxeth hard the skinne is stretched out from whence cold sweat breaketh foorth the eyes vvaxe dimme sayle and are writhen about with intollerable payne the eares grow deafe the nose doth sincke downe the nosthrils are filled with filth the countenaunce waxeth pale the mouth is disturbed the tongue is vnmoueable and ceaseth to doe his dutie any more the tast perrisheth the lipps waxe blewe and wanne the breath gathering it selfe from the bottome of the breast faileth the hands waxe cold the nayles waxe black the pulse languisheth and is very little but very thicke sometime it ceaseth and sometimes striketh softly the feete die and loose theyr naturall heate What neede I many wordes all the flesh is turned to corruption and all the members and all the sences are disturbed troubled by reason of theyr too hastie seperation After thys maner a man must at his departure out of thys life recompence the labors and sorrowes of those by whom he entred into thys world bearing those griefes at his end which his mother bare when shee brought him forth And so the proportion of mans departure and entrance into this world is notable for both is full of sorrowes his ingresse hath the sorrowes of another his egresse his owne Whilst man is tost in this straight sodainly the agony of death is at hand the ende of life is presented to the memorie the horrour also of the graue and the infelicity of his body which straightwayes is to be meate for wormes but especially the soule is plunged which as yet remayneth in the body but after an houre or two being seperated from the body it knoweth not what entertainement or dwelling place it shall haue Then thou wilt thinke that the iudgement of God is present at hand then thou shalt see before thee all thy sinnes which will accuse thee before the iudgement seate of the Diuine iustice then thou at the length too late wilt acknowledge how filthie the crimes were which thou so easily didst commit then with many cursings and execrations thou wilt banne that day in which thou didst offend thou wilt bitterly curse the pleasures and delights which moued thee with their enticements to sinne In that houre thou canst not sufficiently wonder at thy selfe and thy lenity who for things so vaine and of no moment as those were which thou wast wont to loue with so inordinate loue hast cast thy selfe in danger to suffer so intollerable paines of the which in that most sorrowfull houre thou shalt make no small experiment For the pleasures passing away the iudgment of them approching that which before of it selfe was but little and now ceaseth to be shall seeme to be nothing but that which is great of it selfe and present at hand thou shalt suppose that it is greater then it is because at the length thou shalt manifestly know it with all the circumstances When as therefore thou shalt see that for matters so vaine and light I will not say filthy thou hast depriued thy selfe of so great blessings and casting thy eyes heere and there thou shalt see thy selfe on euery side compassed about with griefes and tribulations because longer thou canst not liue and for repentance there is neyther place nor time the number of thy dayes are come to an end they cannot helpe thee whom
thou hast loued with so an inordinate loue much lesse the Idols which thou adoredst what doe I say that they cannot helpe thee Yea those things which thou louedst most and which were in the greatest estimation with thee these then most of all shall vexe and torment thee tell me I pray thee when thou seest thy selfe left in this danger what minde or what courage wilt thou haue Whether wilt thou goe What wilt thou doe Whom wilt thou call vnto To returne to lyfe it will be vnpossible but to depart out of life it will be intollerable to stay longer in this life it shall not be giuen vnto thee what then wilt thou doe In that day saith the Lord God by his Prophet I will euen cause the sunne to goe downe at noone and I will darken the earth in the cleere day and I will turne your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation and I will make it as the mourning of an onely sonne and the end thereof as a bitter day O fearefull words ô dreadfull sentence shaking all harts In that day sayth he the sunne shal goe downe at noone for in that houre the multitude of their offences shall be set before sinners and they seeing the deuine iustice to cut off the thred of their life some of them shall be strucken with so great feare and trembling and shall be so destitute of all hope and trust that they shall suppose themselues to be reprobate and vtterly excluded from the diuine mercy Be it that as yet they are in the noone mid-day that is that they are in the course of their life which is time as yet to for sake their sinfull wayes and to lay hold on Christ yet they shall perswade themselues that this time is ouer-past and that all grace and fauour is shut vp from them The most powerfull and mightiest perturbation of the minde is feare which supposeth euery small thing to be great and alwayes dreadeth things absent as present If a small feare of any thing doth this what shall that true feare doe conceaued of so fearefull and capitall dangers Be it that yet they suruiue and that they are placed in this life in the midst of their friends neuerthelesse they suppose that they as it were experiment and feele the dolours and punishments of the damned At one and the selfe same time they thinke themselues aliue and dead and they being caught with the sorrow of present things which they are to leaue they begin to feele the future euils which they feare They iudge them blessed and happy who are left in this world and of this enuy new sorrowes arise and increase Therfore then the sunne goeth downe at noone vnto them when they casting their eyes euery way shall see euery where entrance into heauen to be shut and denied vnto them neyther any beame of light shall appeare or shine vnto them For if they looke vnto the mercy of God they shall suppose themselues vnworthy that God should haue mercy on them if they flye vnto the diuine iustice they shall suspect that all cruell tortures are prepared for them and that hetherto their day hath beene but now that the day of the Lord doth hang ouer them yea they shall thinke that euen now it beginneth If they call to minde their life past euery part of that doth reprehend them if they behold the present time they see that now they are dying if the future time which is now at hand they see the Iudge sitting vpon his tribunall and expect iudgement from him Being compassed with so many causes of feare what will they doe whether will they goe The Prophet proceedeth And I will darken the earth in the cleere day that is those things which heeretofore were wont sweetly to delight thee now they shal exceedingly torment thee and shall strike and thrust through thy soule with intollerable stings and pricks of griefe It is pleasant and delightfull to a man liuing and in health to see his children to enioy his friends to gouerne his houshold to haue much riches and to possesse with pleasure whatsoeuer the minde desireth But then all that pleasure shall be turned into sorrow For all these afore-sayde with most bitter torments shall rend and cut in peeces thy miserable conscience and they shall be sharpe speares to wound their louers It is naturall that as the possession and presence of a thing which we loue doth ioy vs and make vs merry so the absence of the same thing doth bring heauines and sorrowe Hence it is that the sonnes doe flie the presence of their dying father and the louing and religious wife being full of anguish doth hide her selfe from her husbands face least by her presence she might encrease his dolours For although the soule being by and by to be seperated from the body hath a long and dangerous iourney to goe yet the great greefe doth not permit any obseruation of the termes of humanity and ciuility neyther doth it graunt the soule euen now iourneying before her departure to bid farewell to her friends If thou my Reader at anie time shall come to this passe thou shalt surely vnderstand that I speake nothing but truth but if thou as yet neuer camst into this danger at least beleeue them which haue had experience of these things For they that saile ouer the Sea as the Wiseman sayth tell of the perils thereof If therefore they be such and so great which goe before this dolorous and lamentable seperation what manner and how great doest thou thinke that they will be which shall follow after If the preparation be so great what shall the solemnity it selfe be For straight-wayes after death the account shall follow which that most iust Iudge shall require of the soule which how mightily it is to be feared I would not haue thee to learne of the men of this world who as they dwell in Egipt that is in a Land of darkues so they liue in great blindnes and intollerable errours But in this matter aske counsaile of the Saints of God who dwell in the Land of Goshen in which alwayes the light of truth shineth and they will teach thee not onely with words but also by examples how greatly this account is to be feared Without doubt King Dauid was a most holy man neuerthelesse so great was his feare which he conceaued being mindfull of rendring this account that he sayd in his prayer to the Lord Enter not ô Lord into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shal none that liueth be iustified Arsenius was a holy man who yet when he should dye began to weepe and to tremble after that manner that his Schollers who stoode about him being moued at this his trembling asked and sayd vnto him Father why weepest thou Why doest thou tremble What doest thou also feare To whom he aunswered I feare in truth and verity and this feare which now is
with me hath alwayes beene in me by which I became a solitary and a Monasticall man Histories report of Agathon that hee dying had his eyes three dayes open and neuer shut neyther euer moued them But his brethren touching him sayd ô holy Father where art thou now He sayd I stand in the sight of Gods iudgement his brethren sayd moreouer vnto him doest thou also feare To whom hee aunswered alwayes as much as lay in me I purposed to keepe the commaundements of God but I am a sinfull man and how should I know whether my works please God To whom his brethren sayd doest thou not trust in thy works because they are according to Gods word and rule To whom he aunswered I doe not trust in my works in the sight of God because in his iudgement and sight all our best works are imperfect and full of infirmity but onely in Christ Iesus my Redeemer in whom I assure my selfe to haue all righteousnes and perfection No lesse fearefull is that example which Iohannes Climacus remembreth of an other man that led a solitary life and that we will set downe heere with his owne words for it is especially to be noted to the edefying of mens soules A certaine man called Stephanus sayth hee dwelling in this place loued a solitarie and a quiet life This man when he had liued many yeeres solitarily being adorned with many singuler vertues of Christianity and sanctification built himselfe a Cell at the bottome of that hill in which in times past Elias beheld his holy and diuine vision He so venerable for life and conuersation that he might furnish himselfe with more integrity and purity of liuing hee came to a place of Anchorites which place was called Fayth In which place when hee had passed ouer many yeeres with a most straight kind of life for this place was vtterly remote from all humane consolation and almost not come to of any man for it was almost seauenty miles distant from any dwelling of man in the very last part of his life he departed thence desirous to dwell in the Cell of that holy Hill There were two Disciples of Palestina very religious who also diligently obserued the Cell of this old man In which whē he had continued a fewe dayes he fell into sicknes whereof he dyed But a day before his departure suddainly hee fell into an agonie and astonishment of minde and with open eyes he looked about first to the right side then to the left side of the bed and as though certaine required an account of him all they that stoode about him heard him say some-times thus So in truth it is but for this I haue humbled my selfe and broken of my sinnes by repentance Some-times hee said No truly but yee lie I haue not doone thus Then againe thus So it is indeede this is so but I haue wept and with weeping as with a gunneshot I haue battered downe that partition wall which kept Gods countenaunce from me God hath heard my prayers and my teares And againe yee rightly accuse me In some also some-times he said So it is truly and to these I haue not that I may say vnlesse God be mercifull vnto me and God is more mercifull then man can be sinfull if man will be sorrowful And surelie this inuisible and most sharpe iudgement was a feareful and a terrible sight in which also that which is more terrible they obiected vnto him what he had not done ah woe is me he being a man of such sanctitie and holines of life In many of his sinnes he said that he had not what he might aunswere euen this man said so who had almost forty yeeres ledde a solitarie life and had the grace of those teares that wash and blot out the hand writing of GOD against vs. Certaine affirmed to me of a truth that this man whilst he was in the vvildernes nourished a Leopard with his owne hand And vvhilst thys strict account was required of him and whilst he was in thys sore conflict he departed thys life Hetherto are the words of Climacus which sufficiently declare how greatly carelesse and negligent men ought to feare the seperation of theyr soule and body when as the very Saints themselues are found to feare so greatly But if any one aske why the Saints placed in this danger do feare with so great trembling to this Saint Gregorie aunswereth in the fourth booke of his Morrals in these words The minde of the Elect when it remembreth those things vvhich it hath done is greatly feared with the dread of iudgement Now it looketh perfectly into it selfe but as yet it dooth not raise vp it selfe vnto security because whilst it considereth how great the cumbrance and horrour of the last examination is it carefullie trembleth betweene hope and feare because the iust Iudge comming he knoweth not what of his trespasses hee will impute vnto him what he will forgiue For they are not therefore secure if outwardly in outward action they haue not offended but they are carefull for theyr thoughts by which theyr minde is forced hether thether For as much as they can do that they may not offend outwardly so much they cannot doe that they may not offend inwardlie in their thought Therefore often-times the elect vnwillingly offend in thought which they marke diligently in themselues and consider what great gilt it is before the eyes of God And when as for these things they alwaies feare the strict iudgement of God yet then especiallie they doe feare when they comming to pay theyr debt vnto nature do see themselues approching to the strict exact Iudge And so much more pearcing is the feare by howe much more the eternall retribution is neere Moreouer before the eyes of theyr hart at that time no fantasticall thing doth flie because all such matters beeing taken away they onely consider themselues and him to whom they are approching Feare increaseth by the neere retribution of iustice and by the neerenes of death so much by howe much the strict iudgement is neere as it were touched Although they remember that they neuer offended in those things which they know yet they feare those things which they knowe not because they cannot vtterly iudge of and discerne themselues therefore their end growing neere they are terrified with a greater feare Neither is the soule of man then feared without cause seeing that after a very short time it shall haue that iudgement which neuer can be changed Hetherto Gregorie If therefore holy men with so great reason haue feared thys iudgement what ought not they to doe who are not such ones Yea who haue spent the greatest part of theyr lyfe in following the vanities of this world vvho so often haue offended God vvho hetherto haue liued most carelesly vvho neuer haue had any care of theyr saluation vvho haue neuer beene touched with any regard to prepare themselues for this houre If
the print thereof in the heeles of my feete Such one consumeth like a rotten thing and as a garment that is moth-eaten And a little after Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of trouble He shooteth forth as a flower and is cut downe he vanisheth also as a shadow and continueth not Doost thou thinke it meete to open thine eyes vpon such an one and to bring him with thee vnto iudgement Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthines All these things said holy Iob greatlie wondering at the seuerity of the diuine Iustice which he saw that God did vse vpon man being a creature so fraile and so ready to fall into all euill who drinketh in iniquity like water But if he should vse this seuerity vpon Angels who are spirituall creatures and much more perfect it were lesse to be meruailed at but that God should vse it vpon man whose passions and euill inclinations are innumerable and that by exacting so strict an account that in his whole life hee doth not winke at one idle word nor doth let passe our minute of time ill spent this doth exceede and passe all admiration For who doth not feare and exceedingly tremble when he heareth those words of the Lord Verily I say vnto you that of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the day of iudgement Goe too therefore if an account shall be giuen of those words which offend no man what shall become of vnhonest words Of vnchast thoughts of hands full of blood Of the eyes of adulterers To be briefe of all the time of thy life euill spent in the works of iniquity If this be true as it is most true what tongue what eloquence can remember so great things of the rigour and seuerity of this iudgement which shall not be much lesse then the truth of the thing Or which can be equalized with it in any manner of respect How will wretched and miserable man stand astonished and amazed when in the assemblie of so many Senatours and in the presence of such a Councell an account shall be required of a little word which he hath spoken such or such a day without purpose or fruite Who will not be amazed at this demaund Who durst haue sayde these things vnlesse Christ himselfe before had spoken them Who durst haue vttered them vnlesse he had affirmed them What King was euer found that did expostulate or was greeued with his seruants for so small a fault O the depth of Christian Religion how great is the purity which thou teachest How strict is the account which thou exactest And with how seuere a iudgment doost thou examine search out all things How great will that shame be with which wretched and miserable sinners shall be there confounded When as all their iniquities and enormities which closely they committed within the wals of their houses whilst they liued whatsoeuer also vnhonest or filthy thing euen from their birth to their death they haue polluted themselues with all the corners of their hart and euery secret shall be discouered and opened in this Court before the eyes of the whole world Who there shall haue a conscience so pure that when these things shall begin to be done will not straight-wayes change colour and tremble throughout euery part of his body For if a man doth blush and is ashamed to tell his faults secretly to an other how great will that shame be with which sinners shall be confounded in the sight of God and all the world So great shall that shame be that the wicked as the Prophet testifieth shall cry out saying to the mountaines couer vs to the hils fal on vs. But be it that these be tollerable but what wil it be whē as those most sharp keene arrowes of that finall sentence shot from Gods mouth through their harts Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuil and his Angels Alas with what dolours wil sinners be tormented hearing this sentence When we can heare but a litle portion of his words saith Iob who can vnderstand his fearful power This voyce shal be so horible of such force that the earth in the twinkling of an eye shall be opened And sodainlie they shall goe downe to the graue as the same Iob sayth those which now take the Tabret and Harpe and reioyce in the sound of the Organs and they that now spend theyr dayes in wealth This fall Saint Iohn describeth in the Reuelation in these words And after these things I saw another Angell come downe from heauen hauing great power so that the earth was lightned with his glory And hee cryed out mightily with a loud voyce saying It is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great Cittie and is become the habitation of deuils and the hold of all foule spirits and a Cage of euery vncleane and hateful Bird. And a little after the same Euangelist addeth saying Then a mighty Angell tooke vp a stone like a great Milstone cast it into the Sea saying with such violenee shall the great Cittie Babilon be cast and shall be found no more After thys manner the wicked shall be cast into that pit and darke prison full of all confusion which in this place is vnderstood by Babylon What tongue shall be able to expresse the multitude and aboundance of paynes which they shall suffer There their bodies shall burne with liuing fire that neuer shall be put out there without intermission their soules shall be gnawne of the worme of conscience which shall suffer them to take no rest there shall be continuall weeping and gnashing of teeth neuer to haue end which the holy Scriptures do so often threaten and repeate In this place of desperation those wretches being damned raging with extreame madnes shall turne their furie against God and shall rage vpon themselues eating their owne flesh tearing their owne bowels most furiously renting one anothers flesh with theyr nayles and continually blaspheming the Iudge who condemned them to these paines There euery one shall curse his miserable estate and his vnhappie birth repeating without ceasing that sorrowfull complaint and those mournfull and forsaken lamentations of Iob Let the day perrish wherein I was borne the night when it vvas said there is a man child conceiued Let that day be darknesse let not GOD regard it from aboue neyther let the light shine vpon it But let darknesse and the shadow of death staine it let the cloudes remaine vppon it and let them make it feareful as a bitter day Let darknes possesse that night let it not be ioyned vnto the dayes of the yeere nor let it come into the count of the Moneths Yea desolate be that night and let no ioy be in it Let them that curse the day being ready to renue theyr mourning curse it Let the starres of that
twilight be dimme through the darknesse of it let it looke for light but haue none neyther let it see the dawning of the day Because it shut not vp the doores of my Mothers wombe nor hid sorrow from mine eyes Why dyed I not in the birth or why dyed I not when I came out of the wombe Why did the knees preuent me and why did I sucke the breastes Thys will be the musicke thys the song which the vnhappie and miserable shall sing without end O vnhappy tongues which pronounce nothing but blasphemies ô vnluckie eyes that see nothing but calamities and miseries ô miserable eares which heare nothing but complaints and gnashings of teeth ô vnhappie bodies which haue no other refreshing but burning flames What minde shal they haue there who whilst thy lyued heere triflingly bestowed their houres and spent all theyr time vpon pleasures and delights O what a long chayne of miseries haue thy short pleasures wrought made for thee O foolish and sencelesse what shall the allurements of the flesh now profit you which you then so much delighted in sith yee are now cursed to eternall mourning and bewayling vvhat is become of your riches vvhere are your treasuries vvhere are your delights vvhere are your ioyes The seauen yeeres of plentie are past and other seauen yeares of dearth and scarcity are come which haue deuoured vp al their plenty no memory or footstep being left of it Your glory is perished and your felicitie is drowned in the Sea of sorrow you are come to that scarcenes and sterilitie that a small droppe of water is not graunted vnto you by which the fierce flaming heate of your throate may be cooled which so exceedingly doth torment you Not onely your delights haue not profited you which you enioyed in this world but they shall be the causes of greater torments For then shal be fulfilled that which is written in the booke of Iob The pittifull man shall forget him the worme shall feele his sweetnes he shall bee no more remēbred the wicked shal be broken like a tree then the sweetnes of the delight of euill things shal be turned into the wormwood of sorow when the memory of fore-passed pleasures according to the exposition of Saint Gregorie shall be get greater bitternesse of present griefes they remembring what somtimes they haue been and what place they now are in and that for that so soone passed away now they suffer that which shall endure for euer Then at the length too late they shall acknowledge the deceits of the deuill and being in the midst of errours they shall begin in vaine to vtter those words of the Wiseman Wee haue erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousness hath not shined vnto vs wee haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction and we haue gone through dangerous wayes but we haue not knowen the way of the Lorde These shall be the complaints these shall be the lamentations this shall be the perpetuall repentance which the damned shall there make world without end when it shall profit them nothing because the time is past and gone in which they should haue brought forth fruites worthy of repentance All these and euery one of them if they be considered are pricks and motiues vnto Vertue Wherfore also Saint Chrisostome dooth vse this argument also in his Homilies that he might stirre vp the people to Vertue That thou maist prepare thy soule saith he as the dwelling and habitation of God remember that horrible and exceeding feareful day in which we all standing before the throne of Christ shall render an account of things done heere our sinnes shall be layde open before the eyes of all people our actions shal be reuealed and showne to all those that know them not where the fierie Riuer and the vnsleeping worme are where all things are naked and open Where the bookes of our harts shall be opened and our secret and hidden deedes done by day or night by ignoraunce or forgetfulnes shall be read manifestly all those things that now lie hid shal be reuealed Thinke therefore that wee must come before a Iudge that cannot be deceaued where not onely our actions but also our words and thoughts shall be iudged where wee shall receaue dreadfull and terrible paynes for those things that seeme but small vnto vs. Alwaies remember these things and neuer forget that vnquenchable flame Haue an eye to him comming to iudge the quick and the dead Thinke vpon the thousands and tenne thousands of Angels wayting vpon the Iudge nowe let thy hearing preuent the sound of the Trump and that feareful sentence of the Iudge condemning Let thine eye fore-see some cast into vtter darknes others excluded and shutte out of the gates after much labour of virginitie Consider some to be gathered as tares and to be cast into a fiery fornace and others deliuered to the vnsleeping worme and to mourning to gnashing of teeth this man to bee iudged for his vnreasonable laughter that man for iniuring his neighbour or because hee hath offended his brother this man to be condemned for faults that he hath forgot another man for an idle word this man to be damned for his ill meaning another for slaunderous rayling one for anger to suffer intollerable punishment another for ignominie some to be depriued of the knowledge of Christ and to heare Verily I say vnto you I know you not because they haue doone those things which Christ hath forbidden These things therefore beeing thus what ones ought we to be or what teares ought we to shedde and to say Oh that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night But that we may escape this dreadfull punishment Come yee let vs come before the face of the Lord with confession and with diligence and amendement of life let vs call vpon the name of our Lord God For in the pit who shal praise or confesse thy name God hath giuen all things double vnto vs two eyes two eares two hands two feete If therefore one of these be hurt by the other we comfort and relieue our necessitie But he hath giuen but one soule vnto vs if wee shall loose this with what shall we liue Therefore let vs looke to prouide for this let vs preferre nothing before the safetie of it because this is also iudged with the body and is freed and cleered together with it and together with the body dooth appeare before Christes tribunall If thou then shalt say my money allured me the Iudge will say vnto thee hast thou not heard What shal it profit a man though hee should winne the whole worlde if hee lose his owne soule If thou shalt say the deuill deceaued me he also will say vnto thee that it profited Eue nothing to say The Serpent deceaued me Therfore we remembring these things
so metrically ordered not of foure or fiue voyces as that is which wee now vse but tuned and ruled with the variety of so many numerous and harmonious voyces as there be Elect What great pleasure wil it be to heare theyr most sweet songs which S. Iohn heard in his Reuelation And they worshipped God sayth he saying Prayse and glory and wisedome and thanks and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen If the glory and pleasure be so great to heare this harmonie and consent of voyces what wil it be to see the concord of bodies and soules so conformable and vniforme But how much more admirable wil it be to behold so great vnion of men and Angels What doe I say of men and Angels Yea so great an vnion betweene man and God himselfe Aboue al these it cannot fitly be imagined how acceptable and welcome a thing it wil be to see those most spacious fields and fountaines of lyfe and those most delicate feedings vpon the mountaines of Israel What wil it be to sit at that royall table to haue a place amongst those inuited Nobles and to dip thine hand into the dish with God that is to enioy one and the same glory of God There the Saints shal rest shal reioyce sing prayse and going in and out they shal finde pastures of inestimable delight If the rewards of Vertue be so great and so precious which our Catholique faith doe promise vs who wil be so blind slothful negligent and so peruerse that is not moued to contend with his whole strength for the obtayning of a reward so copious ample and large THE TENTH TITLE That the last of those foure last things that happen vnto vs that is Hell fire doth bind vs to seeke after Vertue CHAP. X. THE least of those good things which hetherto we haue remembred ought to be sufficient to beget a loue of Vertue in our minds by which we may obtayne so great blessings Now if to this vnmeasurable glory the greatnes of the torments of hel be added which are prepared for the wicked who wil be so hard harted and of so rebellious a mind that vices being forsaken wil not hereafter willingly embrace Vertue For the vngodly and peruerse shal not comfort themselues with this voyce Be it that I am wicked vngodly what then Shal I not enter into that heauenly glory Shal I not reioyce with God In this consists al my punishment Of other things I am not careful because I shal haue neyther glory nor any other punishment O my brother thou art deceaued the matter stands not so For it is of necessity that one of these must happen vnto thee that either thou shalt raigne eternally with God or that thou shalt be tormented with the deuils in euerlasting flames For betweene these two extreames there is no meane This is excellently shadowed out vnto vs in the figure of those two baskets which the Lord shewed vnto the Prophet Ieremy before the gate of the Temple for one basket had verie good figs euen like the figs that are first ripe and the other basket had very naughty figs which could not be eaten they were so euil The Lord by this spectacle would shew vnto his Prophet two kindes of men one to whom hee would shew mercy the other that he would punish according to his iustice The estate and condition of the first kinde of men was passing good neyther can a better be giuen of the other exceeding ill then which a worse cannot be found The condition and lot of the good is to see God which is the chiefest of al blessings but the misfortune and vnhappines of the wicked shal be to be depriued foâ—â—uer of the sight of God which euil is the worst of al euils These things ought they diligently to consider and alwayes to meditate vpon who feare not to commit sinne when as they see so great a burthen and so cruel and direful punishment appoynted for sinne Porters and Cariers when they are called to carry a burthen on their shoulders first they looke diligently vpon it then they peise and lift it vp and try whether they be able to vndergoe it and whether they can carry it and thou ô miserable man to whom sinnes are so pleasing that for a little pleasure hast enthralled thy selfe to carry the burthen of it ah mad man first prooue and assay how great the waight is of the burthen that is of the punishment which thou shalt suffer for this pleasure that thou mayst vnderstand whether thou hast strength to beare it That this proofe may be made more conueniently I wil bring hether a certaine consideration by the which after some manner thou shalt be able to vnderstand the quality and greatnes of the torments of hel that thou mayst make a triall whether thou beest sufficient to beare the burthen which thou vndertakest to carry when thou sinnest Let this then be the first consideration the greatnes and infinite immensity of God who will chastice and punish sinne that wee may see what an one God is in all his works This is it that I would say that God is great and admirable in al things not onely in the sea in earth and in heauen but also in hel In so much that if the Lord be God in al his works as we see that he is he wil be God also in his wrath in his iustice and in the punishment of sinners For this cause the Lord sayth by Ieremy Feare ye not me or will ye not be afrayde at my presence which haue placed the sand for the bounds of the Sea by the perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waues thereof rage yet can they not preuaile though they roare yet can they not passe ouer it That is ouer the limits appoynted of me As if he should say is it not meete that ye feare the arme of the Lord so mighty whose greatnes this admirable worke doth sufficiently shew He therfore that is great in al his works shal he not be great in punishing of sinners Hee that for one thing is worthy whom we doe reuerence and adore shal he not be worthy for an other thing that he may be feared For this cause the same Prophet although he was innocent and sanctified in his mothers wombe so greatly feared the Lord when he sayd There is none like vnto thee ô Lord thou art great and thy name is great in power Who would not feare thee ô King of Nations For to thee appertayneth the dominion for among all the wise men of the Gentiles and in all their kingdomes there is none like thee And in an other place I kept me farre off from men because my hart was full of the feare of thy wrath Although this Prophet was certaine that this wrath was not kindled against him yet it was so great that it brought feare vpon him Therefore it was sayd
very well That hee beholdeth the earth and hee maketh it to tremble he toucheth the mountaines and they smoake And that the starres and pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe And it is said of him not without reason that before his maiesty those great principalities and supreame powers doe tremble not because they are not secure of their owne glory but because the greatnes of the diuine Maiesty doth strike feare and trembling into them If therfore they that be perfect be not without feare what shal they doe that are guilty and contemners of the diuine Maiesty They are those vpon whom hee wil poure out the fury of his indignation This is one of the principal reasons why the greatnes of this punishment is to be feared as S. Iohn plainely teacheth in his Reuelation where he after this manner speaketh of the scourges and torments of the Lord. Therefore shall her plagues come at one day he speaketh of Babilon death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her The Apostle also was not ignorant of the strength of this Lord and therfore he sayd It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. It is not a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of men because they are not so mighty but we may escape their violence and flye from their fury neyther haue they such authority that they can thrust the soule into hel Therfore our Sauiour sayd to his Disciples Feare not them that kill the body but cannot kill the soule but rather feare him who can cast both body and soule into hell fire These be the hands into which the holy Apostle sayth that it is a feareful thing to fall Of these things it is no hard matter to gather what is the nature of those hands of which Ecclesiasticus speaketh If we doe not repent we shall fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of men By all which it is most manifest that as God is great in power in Maiestie and in all his works so he will be great in wrath in iustice and in the punishments of the wicked The same also is yet more plainly seene in examining the Diuine iustice the effects aud executions of which be these punishments Thys is after some manner knowen by the effects that is by the feareful punishments of God inflicted at diuers times vpon wicked men sundry of which are remembred in the Scriptures How terrible was the punishment of Dathan and Abiron and of all theyr complices whom the earth opening her mouth swallowed vp with theyr Tents and all their substance and they went quick into hel because they had stirred vp sedition against Moses and the Priests Who euer heard such like kind of threatnings as those that are read in Deuteronomie and they are purposed and threatned against thē who doe not obserue the Lawe of the Lord where amongst other horrible and feareful threatnings thus sayth the Lord Thou shalt be besieged in all thy Citties throughout all thy Land which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee And thou shalt eate the fruite of thy bodie euen the flesh of thy sonnes and thy daughters which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee during the siege and straightnes wherein thine enemies shall enclose thee So that the man that is tender and exceeding daintie among you shal be grieued at his brother at his wife that lieth in his bosome at the remnant of his children which he hath yet left For feare of giuing vnto any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eate because he hath nothing left him in that siedge and straightnes wherwith thine enemie shall besiedge thee in all thy Citties The tender and daintie woman among you which neuer would venter to sette the sole of her foote vpon the ground for her softnesse and tendernesse shall be grieued at her husband vvhich lieth in her bosome and at her sonne and at her daughter and at her after birth that shall come out from betweene her feete and at her children which shee shall beare for when all things lacke shee shall eate them secretlie during the siedge and straightnesse vvhere-with thine enemie shall besiedge thee in thy Citties Horrible and to be trembled at are these punishments yet both these and al other with which men haue at any time been punished in this world are no other thing then a smal shadow and a figure of those punishments which tarry for the damned in the other world for that shall bee the time in which the Diuine iustice shal shine vpon and against those that heere haue refused his mercy But if the shadow be so horrible who shal be able to sustaine the truth of the matter and the thing it selfe If now when as the Diuine iustice is as yet tempered with mercy and the cup of the wrath of the Lord is mixed with the water of his grace be so bitter what will it be when it shall be drunke pure without mercy especially of those that would shewe no mercy to theyr neighbour although the punishment will alwayes be lesse then the desert and merrit of the sinne Neyther onely dooth the greatnesse of the iustice argue the greatnes of the punishment but also the greatnes of the mercie of the goodnes of which wicked men presume so much For what is more admirable then to see GOD clothed with mans flesh and in it to suffer all kinde of torments reproches euen from his entrance into this life to his going foorth of it which he ended vpon the Crosse What greater mercy then to come into this world and to take vppon him the debts of the vvhole world that he might disburthen the world of them to shed his blood for them who shedde his blood Therefore as the works of the Diuine mercie are admirable so are the workes of the Diuine iustice to be feared for there is not in God lesser or greater but seeing that God is wholy and all that hee is in himselfe therefore as much as his mercie is so much necessarilie is his iustice in those things that pertaine vnto it For euen as by the greatnes of one arme we gather the quantity of the other so by the greatnes of the arme of the Diuine mercy we measure also the quantity of the Diuine iustice seeing that there is one and the same measure of them both Now therefore tell me I pray thee if in that time in vvhich GOD would shewe his mercy to the world hee wrought so admirable things and so incredible to the world that the world supposed them to be foolishnes when the time of hys second comming shall approch in which he determineth to shewe the greatnesse of his iustice what doost thou thinke that hee vvill doe hauing so many moe greater occasions by howe much there
shall be moe and greater offences of men For the mercie of GOD had not any thing that might prouoke it or desire it seeing there was nothing in mans nature that might deserue it but the Diuine iustice shal haue so many pricks motiues and pullers on for reuengement as there hath been sinnes committed in thys world ánd of these sufficient coniectures may bee taken how great and howe terrible the Diuine iustice will be This thing Saint Bernard excellently declareth in a certaine sermon of the Natiuitie of our Lord Looke how milde gentle he was saith he in his first comming so hard and inexorable will he be in his second and as now there is no man that may not be reconciled so after a short time there shal be no man that may Because as the gentlenes and benignitie appeared beyond all hope and esteeme so we must expect the sharpnes and seueritie of the iudgement to be God is vnmeasurable infinite in iustice as he is in mercy great to pardon great to punish but mercy doth challenge the first place that if we will iustice might not be found vpon whom it should be extended This sayth Bernard By thys it sufficiently appeareth how that by the mercie of God the quantitie of his iustice may be gathered The diuine Psalmographer doth most excellently shew thē both This is our God sayth he euen the GOD that saueth vs and to the Lord God belong the issues of death Sure God wil wound the head of his enemies the hearie pate of him that walketh in his sinnes Thou seest by these my brother that the Lorde is as seuere to his enemies and to those that rebell against him as he is kinde and mercifull to his friends The same thing the Diuine pacience doth most plainly teach which hee vseth as well towards the whole world as towards all sorts of men good and euill For we see many men so disordered and dissolute and of so reprobate a life that from the first time that they begin to open theyr eyes of reason euen to the last day of theyr life doe consume and spend the greater part of theyr life in offending God and contemning his diuine commaundements hauing neither respect nor regard of the promises threatnings benefits or coūsels of God or of any other thing Neuerthelesse in al the time of theyr life the great goodnes of God wayteth for them wyth great patience not cutting off the thred of theyr life not ceasing to call them by many wayes to repentance although he see no token of amendement in them But when that long patience shal come to an end if he shal poure vpon them the store-house of his wrath whom so many yeeres by little and little he hath beene gathering into the bosome of his iustice with what force with what violence thinkest thou that they shal be ouerwhelmed What other thing would the Apostle signifie when he said Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of GOD leadeth thee to repentance But thou after thine hardnesse and hart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of vvrath of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Who will reward euerie man according to his workes What is it that he sayth thou heapest wrath vnto thy selfe but that hee may signifie that as one gathering a treasurie doth daily adde a penny to a penny doth heape riches to riches for so the masse dooth increase so the Lord doth euery day enlarge the heape of his wrath as the wicked man by his ill actions dooth increase accounts to be rendered for them Tell mee I pray thee if any man in gathering treasure should so closely and diligently sticke to it that neyther any day or houre should passe in which hee woulde not adde somewhat to it and that by the space of fiftie or sixtie yeeres if at any time afterwards he should vnlock his doore enter into his treasure house what great store of treasure should he finde there O vnhappy man doost thou not marke that neyther day nor houre passeth in which thou doost not augment the heape of Gods wrath which is reserued for thy destruction that is increased and augmented by euery sinne that thou committest For although there were no other thing but the dishonest looke of thine eyes the impure thought or vncleane desire and the hatred of thine hart the word and periurie of thy mouth these were enough alone to fill the whole world But if to these all thy other vices sinnes be ioyned meditate I pray thee what an vnmeasurable masse of the wrath of GOD thou hast heaped to thy selfe by the space of so many yeares If the ingratitude and maliciousnes of peruerse men be well searched into they will shewe vnto vs the greatnesse of the Diuine punishments That thys is true consider the goodnesse and liberalitie of GOD towards men consider moreouer that which he dyd and sayd in thys world with that which he suffered for them all Consider also the commodities and necessaries for the vse of men prepared of hym that they might liue well and all other things that he hath pardoned vnto sinners or winked at how many blessings he hath bestowed vpon them and from hovve many euils he hath deliuered them and many other kind of fauours and benefits which daily he bestoweth vpon them All these things increase and multiply the heape of Gods vvrath Moreouer call to thy minde the forgetfulnesse and negligence of men towards God and also theyr ingratitude and rebellion lastly their blasphemies and contempt as well of God himselfe as of his commaundements which are so great that not onely they looke for no gaine or profit of theyr sinning but oftentimes of onely maliciousnes they tread foolishly all that vnder theyr feete which the Lord hath commaunded He therefore that without any reuerence or shamefastnes despiseth so great a Maiestie no otherwise then if he were some Figge-tree God who so often as Paule speaketh hath troden vnder-foote the son of God and hath counted the blood of the Testament as an vnholie thing wherewith he was sanctified he that so often hath crucified him with his works worse then the works of Pagans what other thing is to be looked for of him when the houre of rendering an account shall come then that he giue the honour to God or suffer so much punishment as he hath iniured God For seeing that GOD is a iust Iudge it is his duety to bevvare that the punishments be not lesse then the iniuries done but that they be like to the sinne of him who hath beene iniurious In thys case if it be God to whom the iniurie is doone vvhat sentence shall be pronounced against the body and soule of the condemned that the iniury doone may bee recompenced by worthy punishment But if in the satisfaction of the offence done to God the
these euils It is most certaine that if God should grant to thee a choyce and say all the time that thou liuest thou shalt eyther be tormented with the goute or be extreamely vexed with the tooth-ache which disease neyther night nor day shal suffer thee to take any case or rest or if thou wouldest be free from these diseases thou shalt enter into some austere and straight kinde of lyuing which thy nature can hardly brooke consider with thy selfe which of these thou wouldest choose I doe not thinke that a man can be found so foolish who for the onely loue of himselfe would not choose rather this straight kinde of liuing then that he would endure so long time these griefes and dolours Seeing that therefore the discruciatements and dolours that we speake of are infinitely more greeuous in diuturnity of time without any comparison longer and this austere and straight kinde of lyuing which God requireth of thee is much more lesse then that thy nature can brooke and beare vvhat madnes is it then to be vnwilling to vndergoe so small labours and so short troubles by which thou mayest escape those eternall torments Who doth not see that this is the greatest errour of this world and intollerable madnes But the reward and fruite will be that whilst a man will not free himselfe here from so great euils by a small labour of repentance that there he shall make euerlasting sorrow and repentance without any fruite or profit Wee haue a figure of this thing in the furnace which King Nabuchodonozer commaunded to be heated in Babilon The flame of which mounted aboue the furnace nine and fortie Cubits for the defect of one Cubit it came not to the number of fifty which signifieth the yeere of Iubily that we may vnderstand that although these eternall flames of Babilon that is of hell doe burne aboue measure and most cruelly doe torment the miserable and wretched being damned yet they shall neuer come to that to obtayne the fauour of a true Iubily O punishments without profit ô barren teares ô sharpe and bitter repentance yet voyde of all hope and solace How little of those thinges that there the damned suffer without fruite if they heere had suffered willingly and patiently might haue preserued them from these euils How easily might they haue beene deliuered and for how small paines Therefore let fountaines of teares flow out of our eyes and let sighs without ceasing be fetched from the bottome of our harts Therefore I will mourne and howle sayth the Prophet I will goe without cloathes and naked I will make lamentation like the Dragons and mourning as the Ostriches because the plagues of my people are greeuous If these things were suspected of men and if there were no credite to be giuen to these things or if they were doubtful and vncertaine after some manner it were tollerable if men fel into this error But we professing all these things most assuredly and with a most vndoubted beleefe and knowing most certainly as our Sauiour sayth That heauen and earth shal passe but not one iote or one title of these things shall scape till all things be fulfilled And saying plainely that all these things are to be holden most religiously and yet liuing securely and negligently this doth passe all wonder and admiration Tell me ô blind and witles man what thou doost finde worthy amongst the riches and goods of this world that may be compared with this price Graunt it sayth Saint Ierome that there is in thee the wisedome of Salomon the beauty of Absalon and the strength of Sampson let the yeeres and life of Enoch be promised vnto thee possesse the riches of Craesus and the power of Octauian what shall all these things profit thee if at the length thy body be giuen for meate vnto wormes and thy soule carried of deuils to hell be deliuered to euerlasting torments to be tortured with the rich Glutton Let these things suffice for the first part of our exhortation to Vertue In the next we will speake of the seuerall and perticuler prerogatiues and priuiledges of Vertue promised to the vertuous The end of the first part THE SECOND PART OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which are handled the temporall and spirituall blessings which in this life are promised to Vertue and more particulerly the twelue more notable and famous priuiledges prerogatiues which are found in Vertue THE ELEVENTH TITLE ¶ That we are bound vnto Vertue by reason of the inestimable blessings which are promised in this present life CHAP. XI SVrely I know not what they can pretend or what excuse they can make who doe not embrace Vertue seeing there be so many reasons which doe enforce men to that study For it is no small thing for the defence of this matter to alledge that there is a God and what the studious of Vertue deserue what is giuen and what is promised vnto them on the other side what threatnings are menaced and denounced against the vicious and against those that flye from the study of Vertue Therfore not without cause may some man aske why amongst Christians who beleeue and confesse all these things there be so many found who neglect vertues doe follow vices For it is not to be meruailed at that there be many such among infidels who seeing they know not Vertue haue it in no price euen as a ditcher if he by chaunce finde a Iem doth little esteeme it because he knoweth not the vertue and price of it But that Christians who know and beleeue all these things doe liue as though they beleeued not vnmindfull of God seruants of sinne bondslaues vnto their owne passions and appetites by so much more addicted to visible things by how much more they are carelesse of inuisible things ready to all kinde of sinne no otherwise then if death were not at all neither that they should come to iudgement neither that anie glorie of heauen was to be looked for and to be briefe neither hell to be feared This I say is greater then all admiration Therfore as I said it may worthilie be demaunded whence this negligence growes and whence this stupiditie of vnderstanding and this diabolicall inchauntment if I may so call it comes vnto men This mischiefe hath not one onely roote but many and diuers Amongst others and those not the least is a certaine generall errour in which men of this worlde doe lyue supposing all that God promiseth to the louers of Vertue to be reserued to the life to come and that in this present world nothing is to be looked for Therefore seeing that man dooth so greatly desire reward and especially is ledde by profit but not vnlesse it be present and is mooned with those things which are obuious to the outward sences when he seeth nothing present he smally accounteth of that which is to come So the Ievves seeme to haue doone in the time of the Prophets For vvhen
giue thanks to GOD for the Corinthians saying that in all things they were made rich Calling them absolutelie rich signifying that others were not to be called properly rich but rich in this world or rich men of thys world ¶ All this afore-said is explained by a notable sentence of the Gospell ALthough thys afore-said seemeth to be expounded and approoued plainly enough yet for the further confirmation of it I will ioyne moreouer a notable sentence taken out of the Gospell by which our Sauiour aunswereth to Saint Peter demaunding what reward he his fellow Disciples should haue who for the loue of their Maister had left and forsaken all Verily I say vnto you saith he as it is in Marke there is no man that hath forsaken house or bretheren or sisters or father or mother or vvife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but hee shall receiue an hundred fold nowe at this present houses and bretheren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions in the world to come eternall life These be the words of Christ which are not lightly to be passed ouer For first thou canst not denie but that heere is made a difference and a distinction betweene a reward which is giuen in thys life and that which is in another whilst one is promised as to come the other is offered as present Thou canst also lesse denie but that these promises are ratified and certaine neither euer doe they deceiue them to whom they are promised For heauen and earth shall perrish but one iote or one title shall not escape of these things till all be fulfilled although they seeme vnpossible For euen as we beleeue that God is three and one because he said so although otherwise it seemeth vnpossible so we also must beleeue thys trueth although it passeth all vnderstanding for it hath the testimonie of the same Author who only is truth it selfe in all his sayings Tell mee therefore I pray thee what is this hundreth fold which is giuen to the righteous in this life For we see for the most part that to them is not giuen great dignities not loftie honours not large possessions nor the magnificent furniture of this world but that many of them doe liue in corners buried in the obliuion and obscurity of the world expecting their last houre in pouerty misery and calamity Which seeing that it is so how can the infallible truth of this sentence be defended vnlesse we confesse that God in this life doth giue to his those gifts and those spirituall riches which may satisfie a man without any externall pompe of this world with greater felicitie with greater ioy sufficiencie and quiet then the possession of all the goods of this world Neyther is this so much to be meruailed at For as we beleeue that it is not of any necessity to God that hee should nourish mens bodies with bread onely for he hath many other meanes to that end so is it not necessarie to him that he should satisfie soules with temporall blessings onely For he can doe this most easily without them as hee hath most certainly done in all his Saints Who were endued with that spirituall ioy and mirth and with that affection of deuotion that their prayers exercises teares and delights exceeded all the solaces and pleasures of this world And after this manner it is most certainly verefied that an hundreth fold is receaued for that little they left for they receaue for deceiptfull and apparant things those that be vndoubtedly true for things vncertaine certaine for things corporall spirituall for carefulnes security for troubles quietnes for perturbations peace and inward tranquility to conclude for a life impure vicious and abhominable they receaue a life splendent through vertues and most acceptable to God and Angels So also thou if thou shalt despise temporall good for Christ thou shalt find in him inestimable treasures if thou shalt contemne false and fayned honours thou shalt finde in him those that be true if thou shalt renounce the loue of thy father and mother for this he will delight thee with greater blandishments and cherishing and thou shalt find for a temporall father an eternall if thou shalt cast from thee those pestiferous and venomous pleasures thou shalt haue in him sweeter pleasanter and holier delights When thou shalt come to this poynt thou shalt see manifestly that all things which before did please thee are now not onely not gratefull vnto thee but that they doe bring vnto thee an hatred and dislike of them For after that heauenly light hath illuminated our eyes by and by there is begot a new face of all things and diuerse from the former and all things doe seeme to haue put on a certaine new shape by which they shew themselues to our eyes and therefore that which before seemed sweet is now bitter and that which before appeared bitter is now sweet that which before terrified vs doth now like vs that which before was beautifull now seemeth filthy and although it appeared to be such before yet now it seemeth not such neyther that it was well knowne before Therefore after this manner standeth the truth of Christes promise when for the temporall goods of the body there are giuen spirituall blessings of the soule for those goods which are called the goods of fortune there are giuen the blessings of grace which without all comparison are greater and more effectuall and forcible to enrich and satiate mans hart then all externall blessings For the more confirmation of this matter I will not omit to remember a notable and famous example taken out of the booke called The booke of famous and illustrious men When as sayth the Author Saint Bernard preached the word of God to the people in Belgia and that with a most feruent zeale conuerted the inhabitants to God amongst many other who being touched with the grace of the holy Ghost vvere conuerted to a better lyfe there vvas a certaine noble Knight famous among the Belgians called Arnulphus vvho was bound and tyed to the world with very many and mighty bonds and who was exceedingly ensnared and entangled with wordly vanities This man when at the length he bad farewell to the world and betooke himselfe to a vertuous and heauenly kinde of lyuing this holy father so reioyced at his conuersion that he sayd to them that were present that Christ was no lesse miraculous in the conuersion of Arnulphus then he was in the raysing of Lazarus seeing that Christ had raysed him being so fettered with the chaynes of so great sinnes and buried in such deepe pleasures and had brought him to newnes of life Arnulphus also was no lesse admirable in his proceeding then he was in his conuersion And because it is too long to relate here all the vertues of this man I will onely repeate that which maketh for our purpose This holy man was many times so payned
all their tribulations This Dauid confesseth in his Psalmes when he sayth Thou vpholdest me in mine integritie and doost sette mee before thy face for euer That is thou neuer turnest thine eyes from me for that contitinuall care thou hast of mee Also hee sayth in another place The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open vnto theyr cry But the face of the Lord is against them that do euill to cutte off theyr remembrance from the earth But because the greatest riches of a good Christian is the prouidence which God beareth ouer him this the more certaine it is and better knowne vnto man the greater is his ioy confidence I thinke that I shall doe a thing worth the labour if I shall adde and bring hether moe places and testimonies of the sacred Scripture seeing that euery one of them are as the Charters and Letter-pattents of a King and new confirmations of the rich promises and legacies of his diuine will Therefore Ecclesiasticus sayth The eyes of the Lord are vpon them that feare him and he knoweth all the workes of man hee is their mighty protection and strong ground a defence from the heate and a shadow for the noone day a succour from stumbling and an help from falling he setteth vp the soule and lightneth the eyes he giueth health life and blessing Hetherto are the words of Ecclesiasticus out of which it is euident and plaine to euery man how many kind of duties there be which GOD supplyeth in the preseruation of man This the Prophet Dauid confirmeth The paths of man are directed by the Lord for he loueth his way Though he fall he shal not be cast of for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Consider I pray thee heere what ill can happen vnto him who falleth vpon a bolster so soft as is the hand of the Lord our God And in another place Many great sayth he are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all He keepeth all his bones not one of them is broken In the New Testament also more excellent magnificent things are spoken of this diuine prouidence where the Lorde sayth that he onely hath not a care of the bones of the righteous but also of euery one of theyr haires that they fall not nor perrish without his prouidence willing after this manner of speaking to insinuate and intimate vnto vs his greatest and speciallest prouidence towards them For of what thing shall not he haue care who hath a care of all our haires If this seeme too much vnto thee heare that which is no lesse which God speaketh by his Prophet Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye It had beene sufficient to haue sayd hee that toucheth you toucheth me but it is more that he saith he that toucheth any part of you toucheth the apple of mine eye Neyther is our most bountifull Lord content that he hymselfe should alone watch-ouer our safetie but he also willeth that the Angels should be ready to doe vs seruice for so wee read in the Psalmes Hee hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies they shall beare thee in theyr handes that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone Didst thou euer see I pray thee such a Chariot or Wagon as are the hands of Angels See therfore how the Angels who are our elder brethren doe beare the righteous in their armes who are their younger brethren who as yet know now how to walk alone but must be carryed in the armes of their elders And this they doe not onely in life but also in death at the history in the Gospell testifieth of the rich Glutton in which we see that the begger Lazarus after death was carryed of Angels into Abrahams bosome The diuine Psalmographer confirmeth this The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them How mightie and strong this garde is the translation of S. Ierome dooth more expresse The Angell of the Lorde compasseth and encircleth them that feare him that he may deliuer them What King was euer founde that had such a garde as our Lord hath giuen vnto vs This is most manifestly seene in the bookes of the Kings the King of Syria comming to take the Prophet Elizeus brought a great Armie with him vvhich the seruaunt of the Prophet seeing feared and began to tremble But the Prophet turning to his prayer prayed the Lorde that hee would vouchsafe to open the eyes of his vnbeleeuing seruant that he might see the Armie which stoode for the defence of the Prophet being stronger by infinite thousands then that which came to hurt and wrong him And hee opened the eyes of his seruant and he saw the Mountaine ful of horses and of fierie Charrets for the defence and gard of Elizeus Like to this gard is that which is mentioned in the Canticles in these words What shall you see in the Shulamite which is the Church or any soule liuing in the state of grace but as the company of an Army that is an Armie of Angels This same also in the same booke is explaned by an other figure when it is said Behold Salomons bedde threescore strong men are rounde about it of the valiant men of Israell They all handle the sword and are expert in warre euery one hath his sword vpon his thigh for the feare by night What other thing is this then that the holy Ghost by this figure might teach and show the great care singuler prouidence by which God defendeth and watcheth ouer the soules of the righteous For whence is it I pray thee that man being conceaued in sin liuing in a corrupt flesh bent to all euill should passe so many yeeres among so many snares and dangers without destruction and vtter ruine of himselfe if hee were not preserued sustayned by the Diuine prouidence Which is so great that it dooth not onely preserue men from euill but also oftentimes it dooth turne the very euills into which men fall through carelesnesse and negligence into a matter of greater good that is as often as by that they are made more wary more humble and more thankfull vnto him who hath drawne them back from so great danger and hath pardoned them so great a sinne For this cause the Apostle sayth Vnto them that loue God all things worke together for the best If this fauour and friendship be worthy of admiration that shall be more worthy that God doth not onely shew this mercy to his seruants but also to their sonnes and Nephewes and to all things that appertaine vnto them as God himselfe testifieth saying I am the Lord thy God a iealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children vpon the third generation and vpon the fourth of them that hate me And shewing mercy
misfortunes of mans life seeing that our enemies are so many and so strong with whom we must fight seeing that so many snares are hid and so many nets layd and to conclude euery where so many and so great difficulties sowne and dispersed in our wayes and man being a creature so fraile weake naked blind vnarmed faynting and voyde of counsaile if the shadow and supportation of God faile him what can he doe poore weake creature among so many strong enemies A Dwarfe among so many Gyants Blind among so many snares alone and vnarmed among so many armed and powerfull enemies Neyther is heere an end of the euill for God doth not onelie turne his eyes from sinners and the vnrighteous and that hee permitteth and suffereth them to fall into diuers kinde of errors and afflictions but he also sendeth euils among them and armeth the creatures against them Insomuch that the eyes which before were open for their profit now they watch for their hurt and ruine as God himselfe manifestly testifieth by the Prophet Amos I will sayth he cast mine eyes vpon them for euill and not for good As if he had spoken more plainely I will change prouidence with prouidence for that with which before I did water for their defence now it shall be for their punishment and for a recompence of their iniquity The same thing he speaketh more plainely in Hosea And I will sayth the Lord be vnto Ephraim as a moath and to the house of Iuda as a rottennes that I may deuoure and destroy them as a garment is consumed of moaths And because this kinde of persecution seemed too long but somewhat more gentle presently after he adioyneth an other more terrible and more fierce and rauening saying I will be vnto Ephraim as a Lyon as a Lyons whelpe to the house of Iuda I euen I will spoyle and goe away I will take away and none shall rescue it Tell me I pray thee what greater misery then this can be thought vpon Neyther is the testimony of this prouidence more obscurely remembred by the Prophet Amos. For when as the Lord had commaunded that the sword should deuoure all the vngodly for the sinne of couetousnes forth-with he addeth He that fleeth of them shall not flee away and he that escapeth of them shall not be deliuered Though they dig into the hell thence shall mine hand take them though they clime vp to heauen thence will I bring them downe And tho ugh they hide themselues in the top of Carmel I wil search and take them out thence and though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the sea thence wil I commaund the serpent and he shal bite them And though they goe into captiuity before their enemies thence wil I commaund the sword and it shal slay them and I wil set mine eyes vpon them for euill and not for good Hetherto Amos. Tell mee I pray thee who is that man who reading these words and being mindfull that they are the words of God himselfe and seeing what this manner of prouidence is which God vseth against the reprobate doth not tremble both in body and soule Considering how angry and terrible an enemy God is to him to whom he sheweth himselfe an enemy and whom he hateth Whom he hunteth out with so great diligence Whom he snatcheth vp wheresoeuer he findeth Vpon whose destruction he watcheth with so great a care How can this man rest How can he eate hauing such eyes opposed against him Such wrath Such a persecutour An aâ—me so mighty stretched out against him For if it be so great danger to fall from and be depriued of the fauour of so great a Lord what will it be to haue all the armies of the Diuine prouidence turned against him especially when as the sword which before was drawne out for thy defence against thine enemies now doth set vpon thee for reuenge The eyes which were ouer thee for thy safety now watch for thy destruction The arme that was stretched out to support thee now is armed to kill thee And the hart which mused vpon thoughts of peace and loue for thee now is full of thoughts of sorrow and affliction And he that should be thy buckler shadow and refuge is now become a moath to deuoure thee rottennes to corrupt thee and a Lyon to destroy thee How can a man sleepe securely who when he sleepeth hath God ouer his head with a naked sword ready to kill him and watching ouer him as that rod of Ieremy for reuenge and and punishment What counsaile shall this miserable man take against the counsaile of God Of what arme shall he call for helpe against this arme What prouidence shall he oppose against this prouidence Who euer moued warre against God or opposed himselfe against him and went away conquerour Holy Iob sayth If he would dispute with him he could not aunswer him one thing of a thousand He is wise in hart and mighty in strength who hath beene fierce against him and hath prospered To conclude this euill is such and so great that of the greatest punishments with which God threatneth and chastiseth the wicked in this life it is one and not the least when he withdraweth from them the hand of his fatherly prouidence as God himselfe testifieth in diuers places of the holy Scripture Hence is that And my people haue not hearkned vnto my voyce and Israel hath not obeyed mee so I gaue them ouer to their owne lusts and they followed after their owne inuentions That is they daily fell from ill to worse And by Hosea Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God I will also forget thy children Euen as therefore there can nothing happen worser or more heauily to a woman then to be forsaken and diuorced from her husband nor to a Vineyard then to be neglected of the Lord and no more to be trimmed for then forth-with it degenerates and growes wild so nothing can happen worse to a soule then to be forsaken of God For what is the soule without God It is as a Vineyard without one to dresse and trim it as a garden without a Gardiner as a ship without a Pilot as an army without a Captaine as a common wealth without a Gouernour or that I may speake more fitly as a body without a soule Thou seest therefore my brother how God doth encompasse thee on euery side for this cause that if thine hart will not be moued with the loue and desire of fatherly prouidence at the least that it might be moued with the feare of reprobation and forsaking least perhaps he forsake thee neyther any more stretch his hand out vnto thee For oftentimes they that are not moued with desire of good things are moued with the feare of some great euil ¶ Of the second priuiledge or prerogatiue of Vertue that is of the Grace of the holy Ghost which is giuen to the
vertuous CHAP. XIIII THis fatherly prouidence of the which we haue spoken a little before is as we haue sayde as it were the fountaine and originall of all other priuiledges and benefits with which God enricheth and beautifieth his friends in this world For to this prouidence it pertayneth to prouide them of all necessaries to the obtaining of the last end which is the last perfection and blessednes by helping them in all their needes and by creating in their mindes all aptnes disposition vertue other habits which are requisite vnto that end Of the number of these the first is the grace of the holy Ghost which next to that diuine prouidence is the originall beginning of all other priuiledges and celestiall gyfts Thys was the first robe with which the prodigall childe was clothed after he was receiued into his Fathers house If thou demaundest of me what this grace is I answere that this grace according to Diuines is a participation of the Diuine nature that is of sanctitie goodnes puritie and of the noblenesse of God himselfe by whose helpe benefit man doth cast from him all the basenes vildnes and rudenes which hee tooke and receiued from Adam and is made partaker of holinesse and of the Diuine noblenesse putting off himselfe and putting on Iesus Christ. The Fathers show this by the example of yron cast into a fire which remaineth yron still yet pertaking of the nature of fire it is pulled out altogether shyning glowing as though it were fire in deede I say that the same substance of yron remaineth with the name but the heate the splendour or shyning and all other accidents are not of the yron but of the fire After the same manner grace which is an heauenly qualitie which God infuseth into the soule hath that admirable vertue and effecacie that it transformeth man into God after this manner that still remaining a man yet hee is made a partaker of the Diuine puritie and noblenesse as he was a partaker who said I doe not now liue but Christ lyueth in me Furthermore Grace is a supernaturall forme and diuine which maketh that a man leades a life cōformable to the forme from which it proceedeth which also is supernatural diuine In which thing after an admirable manner shineth the Diuine prouidence which as it willeth that man should liue a double life naturall and supernatural so hath it prouided for the same a double forme which are as it were the two soules of these lifes one by which we liue this first life another by which we liue the other For euen as from the soule which is the naturall forme all the powers and sences doe proceede by whose help we liue this naturall life so from grace which is the supernaturall forme al vertues and gyfts of the holy Ghost doe proceede by the benefit of which we liue a supernaturall life Therefore this is as the prouision of two kinde of instruments by helpe of which we labour in diuers exercises Grace is also a spirituall ornament of the soule wrought by the handes of the holy Ghost which dooth make the soule so beautifull and so acceptable in the eyes of God that he receaueth it for his daughter and for his Bride Of this ornament the Prophet glorieth saying I will reioyce in the Lorde and my soule shall be glad in my God because he hath put vpon me the vesture of saluation he hath couered me with the garment of righteousnes as a Bridegrome adorned with a crowne and as a Bride decked vvith Iewells Which are all vertues with all the gyfts of the holy Ghost with which the soule is adorned at the hands of GOD. Thys is that golden vesture wrought about with great variety with which the Queene was clothed who stoode before the King her Spouse for from grace all the colours of all vertues celestiall habits doe arise in which the beautie of the Queene consisteth Of these it is easily gathered what be the effects which grace worketh in those soules wherein it dwelleth For the speciall effect of it is to make a soule so acceptable and beautifull in the eyes of God that hee taketh her to be his daughter his spouse his temple his dwelling in which he enioyeth his delights with the sonnes of men An other effect of it is not onely to adorne the soule but also to strengthen it with those vertues which proceede from it Which are as the haires of Sampson in which consisted not onely his beautie but also his strength As well from this as from the former effect of grace the soule is praised in the Canticles where the Angels admiring the beautie of it say Who is shee that looketh foorth as the Morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an Armie with banners Wherby we know that Grace is as a shield couering the whole body or as a complete Armor which armeth a man from the head to the foote and maketh him beautifull and valiant so valiant that if we beleeue a certaine learned Schoole-man a little grace is sufficient to conquer and ouer-come all the deuills with all sinnes that raigne and rule in the world There is also a third effect of grace that it maketh the soule so acceptable and excellent in the sight of God that as manie works as it dooth deliberatiuely and aduisedly which are not sinnes are acceptable vnto him That not onely the acts of vertue but also naturall works as to eate drinke sleepe such like are acceptable before the Lord. The fourth effect is that it maketh vs the sonnes of God by adoption and heyres of the heauenly kingdome and also worthy to bee written in the booke of Life in which all the names of the righteous are written and by consequent it giueth vnto vs a lawfull claime and title to that most rich and heauenly inhearitance This is that priuiledge and prerogatiue which our Sauiour praysed so greatly in his Disciples then when they returned merily vnto him saying Lord euen the deuils are subdued vnto vs through thy Name to whom our Sauiour answered In this reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen For it is certaine that this is the greatest good that mans hart can thinke vpon or desire in this life But that I may speake many things in few words it is grace that maketh man fitte to all good which maketh the way to heauen plaine before vs which maketh the yoke of the Lorde easie and sweet vnto vs which leadeth man by the way of vertue which healeth our weake nature maketh all that seeme light vnto vs which while it was weake seemed intollerable it is that which after an ineffable manner reformeth and armeth all the powers and faculties of our soules that by the meanes of those vertues which proceede from it
full of God and of the diuine loue so that it is not able to beare so great a burthen of pleasures neyther is her whole capacity sufficient to beare and carry so great felicity and happines So it is written of holy Effrem that oftentimes he was so full of the wine of this heauenly ioy and delight that the frailety of his body beeing vnequall to the burthen hee was not able to vndergoe the greatnes of the pleasures and therefore he was constrayned to exclaime and cry out ô Lord depart a little from mee for the frailty of my body is not able to sustaine the greatnes of thy delights O admirable goodnes ô vnmeasurable sweetnes of this supreame Lord which is with so large an hand communicated to his creatures that the strength and valour of theyr minds is vnable to carry the aboundance of so great ioy Therfore with this heauenly drunkennes all the sences of the soule are brought a sleepe this dooth bring the sleepe of peace and life by this the soule is lifted vp aboue it selfe it knoweth loueth and tasteth more then it could by her naturall essence Hence it is that as water set ouer fire when it doth waxe hot as though it had forgot the owne proper nature seeing that all heauy things are carried downwards boyleth and swelleth aloft imitating the nature and lightnes of the fire by whose force it is hoysted and eleuated with that motion so also the soule inflamed with that heauenly fire is exalted aboue it selfe is whirled about with a certaine force and is carried vp to heauen whence that fire is sent it boyleth with a most seruent desire of God and with a most vehement force runneth into his embrace it stretcheth out it selfe and lifteth vp her armes on high trying if shee can flye vnto him whom shee loueth But when she seeth that she cannot come vnto him she ceaseth not to desire him and when she knoweth that shee is frustrated of her desire yet one comfort doth yet remaine to send into heauen sighes and grones fetched from the bottom of the hart and to say with the Spouse in the Canticles I charge you ô daughters of Ierusalem if you finde my beloued that you tell him that I am sick of loue Which kinde of languishment the Saints doe say to spring of that that man is hindered and cannot bring the vnmeasurable desire of his hart to his wished end purpose Doe not destroy thy selfe sayth a certaine Doctor for this impatient desire for this languishment is not deadly but for the glorie of God that the sonne of God may be glorified by it But what tongue can eloquently and learnedly enough vtter the greatnes of these delights which the friends of God enioy in that florishing pageant of Salomon or bedde curiously wrought of the wood of Libanon whose pillers are of siluer the pauement of gold This is the place of the spirituall marriages which therefore is called a bedde because it is a place of rest and loue I say a place of perfect rest of liuely sleepe of celestiall pleasures which how great they are none can know but those that haue learned by experience But we may attaine to some knowledge and science of these things out of most weighty and pregnant coniectures for hee that diligently considereth the greatnes of the goodnes loue of the sonne of God who for the loue of man-kind vnderwent so vnheard of reproches and torments he shall vnderstand that it is impossible that it should be difficult and hard to come by that wee seeke for heere when as that is altogether nothing in comparison of them What will hee not doe for the righteous who hath doone such things for the vnrighteous what friendship will he not shewe to his friends who hath vnder-gone so cruell punishments for his enemies This is some-what disclosed bewrayed vnto vs in the Canticles where so many fayre and louing speeches so many delights are read of betweene the Bridegrome and the Bride who is the Church or any soule vnder the estate of grace where so many louing amiable words are spoken one to the other as no eloquence no loue can faine or imagine greater or more louing We haue another coniecture in respect of men I say of righteous men and true louers of God For if thou narrowly siftest and lookest into their harts thou shalt finde there a seruent desire and a serious meditation by what manner of meanes they may chiefely serue their Lord GOD and that for his loue if it might be they would be cutte into a thousande peeces at the least that they might please and gratulate him in some matter which they knew might be gratefull and acceptable vnto hym of whom they are so deerely loued and are daily loaden vvith such heapes of so many benefits recreated with so many solaces and gouerned with so great prouidence Tell me nowe if man who is a creature so vnfaithfull and vnapt to any good come to this degree of faithfulnes with God what will hee doe againe to man whose goodnes whose charitie and whose faithfulnes is infinite If his propertie be that hee is holy with the holy and good with the good and the goodnes of man come to so great perfection whetherto I pray thee shall the goodnesse of God proceede If God striue with the good in goodnesse howe great I pray thee shall that excellencie be in thys glorious striuing And if as wee haue spoken a little before a righteous man doth wish to be dismembred and to be puld into a thousand peeces because that he burneth with the loue of God at least that he might please God what will not GOD himselfe doe that he may cherrish this righteous man and doe good vnto his friend that he might comfort him whom hee loueth This can neither be expressed with the tongues of men nor be apprehended with the vnderstanding wherefore it is sayd of the Prophet Neither that the eye hath seene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that feare him Which is not onelie to be vnderstood of the blessings of glory but of those which are of grace as Saint Paule testifieth Doth it now appeare vnto thee my brother that the way of Vertue hath her delights and pleasures Dost thou thinke that all the allurements of the louers of thys world may be compared with these delights What comparison can bee betweene Christ and Belial light and darknes earthly delights and heavenly pleasures the enticements of the flesh and the ioyes of the holy Ghost To conclude the delights of the creatures and the sweetnes of the Creator For it is most certaine that things by howe much they are more noble and more excellent by so much they are more powerfull to procure greater pleasures Tell me what other thing the Prophet meant when he said A
small thing vnto the iust man is better then great riches vnto the wicked And in another place A day in thy courts is better then a thousand other-where I had rather be a dore-keeper in the house of my GOD then to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse To be briefe what other thing meane those words of the Spouse in the Canticles Thy breasts are better then Wine and a little after We will reioyce and be glad in thee beeing mindfull of thy breasts aboue wine That is mindfull of the most sweet milke of thy consolations and comforts with which thou refreshest and nourishest at thy breasts thy spirituall children which is sweeter and more pleasant then all vvine By that wine he vnderstandeth not materiall wine as neither in the breast of God we know that there is milke nor the delights and ioyes of the worlde such as the whore in the Reuelation beginneth to her louers sitting vppon many waters and hauing a golden cup in her hand full of abhomination and of the filthines of her fornication making drunken and peruerting the iudgment of all them that dwell in Babylon least they should foresee their destruction and repent them of theyr wickednes ¶ How the righteous are refreshed in theyr prayers after a singuler manner with these diuine consolations IF in prosecuting this matter thou shalt aske me in what matter the righteous chiefely enioy these consolations of vvhich we haue hetherto spoken God himselfe will make answere vnto thee by the mouth of his Prophet Also the strangers that cleaue vnto the Lord to serue him and to loue the Name of the Lord and to be his seruants euery one that keepeth the Sabaoth and polluteth it not and embraceth my couenant them will I bring to mine holy mountaine and make them ioyfull in mine house of prayer For in thys exercise GOD especially and particulerly reioyceth his Elect. For as Laurentius Iustinianus in a certaine prayer sayth the harts of the righteous are inflamed with the loue of theyr Creator and are oftentimes lifted aboue themselues and doe thinke that they are in the company of Angels and there in the presence of the Creator they sing loue breathe praise sorrowe ioy eate and are hungry drinke and are a thirst and by euery way contend to be transformed into their Lord whom they do contemplate by fayth worship by humilitie seeke by desires enioy by loue Then they shall acknowledge howe true it is of our Sauiour That they might haue my ioy fulfilled in themselues Which as a riuer of peace is diffused and dispersed thorowe all the powers of the soule illuminating the vnderstanding reioycing the will renuing the memory and gathering all her cogitations to God there they embrace him with the armes of loue and haue I know not what in them they desire to holde hym with all theyr strength neither will they that hee should depart from them And as Iacob who stroue with the Angell woulde not let him depart so the hart after his manner striueth with the Diuine sweetnes neyther will let it depart but valiantly keepeth it as a thing in which he hath found all that he sought for and desired and saith with S. Peter in the mount Lord it is good for vs to be heere The soule placed in this estate very vvell vnderstandeth the phrase and right idiome or proprietie of the booke of the Canticles but especially it tuneth accenteth that most sweet song His left hand is vnder mine head and his right hande doth embrace me And Stay me with flagons and comfort mee with apples for I am sicke of loue Then the soule sette on fire with that diuine flame greatly desireth to be dissolued and to be deliuered out of this prison teares are her bread day and night as long as this deliuerance is deferred Death is her wish and lyfe her patience Without intermission shee repeateth that of the Canticles O that thou werest as my brother that sucked the breasts of my Mother I would finde thee without I would kisse thee thē they should not despise me Then wondering at herselfe she thinketh after what manner these treasures haue beene hid all the time past and seeing all men capable of so great good shee desireth to goe into all streets and high-waies and to cry out to all men and to say Whether hast yee yee fooles and vnwise What seeke yee Why doe yee not hasten Why doe ye not contend that ye may enioy this blessing Tast and see how sweet the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him For after that she hath tasted of the spirituall sweetnes all flesh is vnsauery vnto her all societie is a prison vnto her all solitarinesse shall seeme a Paradice and her delight shall be to cleaue vnto the Lorde whom she loueth All honor shall be a burthen all houshold gouernment and disposing of riches shall be to her a kind of martyrdome She shall not suffer any thing either in heauen or in earth to disturbe her pleasures and therefore she will watch that no externall cogitations or cares enter into her hart There shall be but one loue vnto her one desire shee shall loue all thinges in one and shall loue one thing in all Very well said the Prophet Whō haue I in heauen but thee I haue desired none in the earth with thee My flesh fayleth and mine hart also but GOD is the strength of mine hart and my portion for euer He that commeth to this happinesse hee thinketh not that he hath any more an obscure knowledge of diuine things but he supposeth that he dooth see with other eyes for hee feeleth those motions and those changes in his hart which are as infallible arguments and most firme testimonies of the truth of his fayth When the day is stormie and bringeth tediousnesse hee desireth a quiet night that hee may poure out his soule before the Lord and that he may passe the night with God No night is too long yea that which is the longest seemeth to bee the shortest If it be a cleere night hee lifteth vp his eyes that hee may contemplate and beholde the beautie of heauen the splendour of the starres and Moone and all these things he considereth of with new eyes and with new ioy farre different from the former He considereth of them as Images of the beautie of his Creator as glasses of his glory as messengers and interpretors who declare his maiestie as testimonies of perfection which is in him as gyfts which the Bridegrome sendeth to his Bride to continue and increase loue euen to that day in which hee shall take her with his hand and in his heauenly pallace shall solemnize with her that euerlasting marriage The whole world seemeth one booke vnto him which speaketh of the wonders of God one Epistle which hee sendeth to his beloued one instrument of his loue These be the nights my
brother of the louers of God this the sleepe which they sleepe Therefore with this sweete and amiable humming and murmuring and with this acceptable and delightfull harmony of the creatures the quiet soule is brought to bed and beginneth to sleepe that sleepelesse sleepe of which is written I sleepe and my hart watcheth When as therfore this most sweet Bridegrome seeth his spouse sleeping in his armes hee keepeth and preserueth her in that lyuing and vitall sleepe and commaundeth that none doe awake her saying I charge you ô daughters of Ierusalem by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field that yee stirre not vp nor waken my loue vntill she please Tell mee what nights seeme these vnto thee What night of the children of this world can be more sweet or pleasant Who at this time walke laying snares and setting nets for the chastity of virgins and innocent Matrons that they may destroy their good names their own soules rushing both body and soule into destruction heaping and storing vp for themselues the wrath of God against the day of the wrath of God and their owne perdition ¶ Of their comforts and consolations who first begin to serue God and are Punies and Nouices in his Schoole TO all things which hetherto haue beene spoken perhaps thou wilt ahnswere with one obiection saying these consolations and blandishments which wee haue hetherto handled are not common to all but proper vnto the perfect but that one may become perfect many things are required It is true that these belong to such men yet our most kind Lord by the sweetnes of his blessing doth meete with them who first begin giuing vnto them at the first as vnto children milke and afterwards teaching them to eate bread and more solide meates Doth not that solemne day come into thy minde which the father celebrated for his prodigall child Doost thou not know of the feast and the guesse inuited Art thou ignorant of the musicke and reioycing that there was made What doe these things meane but to signifie the spirituall ioy with which the soule is delighted when she seeth her selfe brought out of Egipt and deliuered from the hand of Pharao and from the seruitude of the deuill How shall not that pleasant banquet be prepared for a seruant made free How shall hee not inuite all creatures that they may meete together and with him giue thanks to his deliuerer How shall not he sing first and thereby also inuite others saying Let vs sing vnto the Lord for hee hath triumphed gloriously the horse and him that rode vpon him hath he ouerthrowne in the Sea Which thing if it be not so where is the prouidence of God which prouideth for euery creature most perfectly according to his nature fragility age and capacity For it is certaine that men yet carnall and drowned in the world cannot tread this vnusuall and vnfrequented path neyther tread the world vnder theyr feete vnlesse the Lord stretch forth his hand and preuent them by the like sweetenes and delectablenes It pertayneth therefore to the diuine prouidence when it is determined to take man from the world to prepare this way and to make it plaine that this new trauailer may walke more easily by it those difficulties being taken away which might terrifie him and draw him backe to the world A most excellent and plaine figure of this way is that by which the Lord brought the children of Israel into the Land of promise of which way thus writeth Moses When Pharaoh had let the people goe God carried them not by the way of the Philistims Countrey though it were neerer for God sayd least the people repent when they see warre and turne againe to Egipt The same prouidence that then God vsed in bringing his people out of Egipt into the Land of promise he now vseth in bringing those to heauen whom he first taketh out of this world We must know in this place that although the comforts and delights of the perfect are very great and excellent yet so great is the goodnes and piety of our God especially towards little ones and young beginners that he respecting their pouerty he himselfe doth helpe them to build them a new house and considering that they are conuersant among many occasions of sinning and that their passions are not as yet mortified that they might carry away the victory that they might be deliuered from the violence of their flesh that they might be driuen from the milke of the world and be tyed in such straight bonds of loue that they should not returne into Egipt and to theyr fathers house he filleth them with a ioy and consolation so powerfull that although they be but beginners and that they haue made but an entrance yet they haue according to their proportion a certaine likelyhood and similitude of the delights and ioy of those that be perfect Tell mee I pray thee what other thing would God signifie by those feasts of the old Testament when hee saith that the first and last day should be of equall worship and solemnity The sixe dayes betweene were of lesse solemnity but the first the last were beyond the rest famous and had their peculier prerogatiues What other thing is this then a shadow and an image of this we speake of Vpon the first day the Lord commanded that the same solemnity should be kept which was vpon the last that wee may vnderstand that in the beginning of the conuersion and in the ende of the perfection the Lord doth celebrate a solemne feast for all his seruants in these considering their proceedings in the other their great necessity vsing towards these iustice with mercy towards the other vsing onely grace or mercy to one giuing the reward of Vertue to the other help in need When trees blosome flourish and when they haue their ripe fruite they are most faire to the eye The day wherin the spousage is contracted and wherin the marriage is solemnized and the wedding consumated are more solemne and renowned then the rest In the beginning the Lord doth affiance and betroth the soule to him but when he taketh her into his house hee maketh a feast for her at his owne cost and charges and that feast is not conformable or aunswerable to the merrits and deserts of the Bride but to the riches of the Bridegrome sending all thinges and all prouision out of his owne houses and saying Wee haue a little sister and she hath no breasts Therefore it is necessary that he nourish his owne creature with the milke of an other Wherefore the same Bride talking with her Bridegrome sayth The young damsels haue loued thee He doth not say the women or Matrons which are soules founded and rooted in vertue but hee sayth young damsels young maydes which are soules which first begin to open their eyes and to looke vpon this new light these sayth the Spouse haue loued
in their soules as in an earthly Paradice and in an Orchard well trimmed and tilled in which he also is delighted So Saint Augustine speaketh writing vpon Genesis yea in man himselfe the ioy of a good conscience is Paradice Where-vpon the Church also in the Saints lyuing temperately godly and iustly is rightly called a Paradice abounding with the affluence of graces and chast delights In his booke also of Catechizing the ignorant hee sayth thus Thou who seekest for true rest which after this life is promised to Christians heere thou mayst also tast of it sweetly amongst the most bitter troubles of this lyfe if thou shalt loue his commaundements who hath promised it For soone thou shalt perceaue and feele that the fruites of righteousn es are more sweet then those of iniquity more truly and more pleasantly thou shalt reioyce of a good conscience amongst troubles then of an ill conscience amongst pleasures Hetherto Augustine Out of whose words thou mayst easily gather that the ioy of a good conscience is so much and so great that as honey is not onely sweete of itselfe but also it maketh that sweet which before was not sweet so a good conscience is so merry and so pleasant that it maketh all the troubles and tribulations of this world seeme pleasant and delightfull Furthermore as we haue sayd that the filthines and enormity of sinne doth torment the wicked so on the other side the beauty and dignity of Vertue doth make merry and comfort the good as in manifest words the Prophet testifieth The iudgments of the Lord which are his diuine commaundements are truth they are righteous altogether And more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then honey and the honey combe But how the kingly Prophet was delighted in keeping the commaundements of the Lord he testifieth of himselfe in another Psalme saying I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches The which sentence of the father his sonne Salomon confirmeth It is ioy sayth he to the iust to doe iudgement but destruction shall be to the woorkers of iniquity Which iudgement is no other thing then Vertue her selfe and that a man should doe as he ought Which ioy although it riseth also from other causes yet especially it ariseth from the dignity and beauty of Vertue which as Plato sayth is beauty inestimable To be briefe the fruite and sweetnes of a good conscience is so great that Saint Ambrose in his bookes of Duties is not afrayd to say that in it consisteth the happines of the righteous in this life His words be So great is the renowne and splendour of honesty that the tranquility of conscience and the security of innocency make the life blessed and happy Moreouer euen as the Philosophers without the light of fayth knew the torments of an euill conscience so they knew the ioyes of a good conscience Amongst others Cicero in the bookes of his Tusculane Questions speaketh thus The age and time of man passed honestly and vertuously doth bring so great comfort that no griefe of minde doth touch them that haue so liued or if it doe it is but lightly The same man also sayth in an other place Vertue hath no larger or fayrer a Theater then the conscience Socrates being asked who could liue without perturbation He aunswered He that is guilty to himselfe of no euill Bias whē he was asked what wanted feare in this life He said A good conscience Seneca also sayth in a certaine Epistle A wise man is neuer without ioy and that proceedeth from a good conscience Out of which it is manifest how excellently these agree with that sentence of Salomon All the dayes of the afflicted are euill but a good conscience is a continuall feast A greater thing could not be spoken in so few words By which the wise-man signifieth that as they that sit at a banquet are made merry by the variety of meates and dainty cates and by the presence of their friends with whom they liue so the righteous are made merry by the testimony of a good conscience and by the sweet sauour of the diuine presence from which they haue receaued and feele in theyr soules so euident a pledge of saluation But the difference is this that the mirth of the banquets of this world are bestiall and earthly but this is celestiall and for euer that beginneth with hunger and endeth with loathing this beginneth with good life and perseuereth and endeth with glory But if the Philosophers haue had this ioy in so great price and esteeme without hope of any other thing in the lyfe to come howe much more ought Christians to exult and reioyce who knowe how great good things the Lord hath prepared for them both in this life and also in the other Furthermore although this testimonie ought not to bee without a holy and religious feare yet this feare doth not trouble or diminish that ioy but after an admirable manner dooth strengthen confirme and comfort it in whom it is By which it is insinuated vnto vs that then our hope is more lawfull and sound whē it hath this holy feare ioyned vnto it without which hope shall be no hope but false presumption Behold my brother heere is a newe priuiledge which the the righteous enioy of which the Apostle speaketh Our reioycing is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our cōuersation in the world These be the things that can be spoken of this priuiledge But neither these nor many moe suffise to declare the excellencie of it to that man who hath not had experience of it himselfe For the tast of any delicious meat cannot be expressed or described with words to him sufficiently who heeretofore hath not tasted of it Seeing that without doubt thys ioy is so great that oftentimes when a godly man is much afflicted tormented and casting his eyes about no where seeth any comfort yet turning his eyes into himselfe and beholding the peace of conscience and the good testimony of it he is fully strengthened and filled full of wonderfull comfort For he vnderstandeth very well that all other things let them succeede as they will doe bring small profit but a good conscience is profitable for all things And although no man can be sure and certaine of it yet as the morning sunne when it is scarcely risen and is not yet seene enlightneth the world with the neerenesse of his brightnes so a good conscience although it be not fully plainly known yet it reioyceth and gladdeth the soule by her good testimonie This is so true that Saint Chrisostome sayth all aboundance of griefe trouble falling into a good conscience dooth no otherwise perrish and is extinguished then if a sparke of fire should
fall into the bottomlesse Ocean Of the sixt priuiledge of Vertue which is the confidence and hope of the Diuine mercy which the righteous reioyce in and of the miserable and vaine trust and repose in which the vvicked liue CHAP. XVIII HOpe and Confidence doth accompany follow the peace and ioy of a good conscience in which the righteous liue of which the Apostle speaketh Reioycing in hope patient in trouble counsayling vs to reioyce in hope and to haue patience in trouble for Hope telleth vs that we haue a strong helper and a bountifull rewarder This is one of the chiefest iewels treasuries of a Christian life thys is the possession and patrimony of the sonnes of God thys is the safe and secure hauen true remedy of all the miseries of this lyfe But we must heere note least perhaps wee be deceiued that as there be two kindes of fayth one dead which bringeth foorth no fruite and thys is the fayth of euill and wicked Christians the other is a liuely fayth full of charitie and fruitfull vnto euerie good worke which the righteous haue which leadeth vnto life so also there are two kindes of Hope or Confidence one dead which gyueth not life vnto the soule neither strengtheneth it with her workes neither comforteth it in tribulations Such is the hope which the wicked glory in The other is a liuelie hope as the Apostle Peter calleth it which as it is a thing that hath life so also it bringeth foorth the effects and fruites of lyfe which are to rayse vp the minde to comfort to reioyce it and to support it in that way which leadeth to heauen and to recreate refresh and encourage it in the troubles of this world as that holy woman Susanna was strengthened and refreshed of whom it is written that beeing already condemned when she was led to the place of execution where she should haue beene stoned to death she was not discouraged but shee hoped in God and her hart had sure affiance in the Lord. Such was the hope of Dauid when he sayd O thinke vpon thy seruant as concerning thy Word wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust the same is my comfort in my trouble Many meruailous be the effects of this liuely hope in that soule wherein it dwelleth and so many the moe by howe much it more participateth of the loue of God which giueth life vnto hope Of these effects the first is that it strengtheneth a man in the way of Vertue through the hope of a rewarde for the more sure and certaine he hath the pledge and pawne of this reward by so much more cheerefully he runneth thorowe whatsoeuer tribulations of this world as all the holy Doctors of the Church confesse with one mouth Hope sayth Saint Gregory dooth rayse vp the soule vnto eternitie and therefore it feeleth no euils which it outwardly beareth Origen sayth the hope of future blessings dooth bring rest to those that labour as to those that contend in battell the hope of victory and reward dooth mittigate the griefe of theyr woundes Saint Ambrose dooth subscribe vnto this Hope of profit saith he dooth steale away our labours and doth hide the feare of danger Of the same minde is Saint Ierome All labour and euery worke sayth he is wont to become easie and to be made light when the reward of it is thought vpon and the hope of reward is the solace and comfort of the labour Saint Chrisostome is more copious in this poynt Alwaies sayth he the hope of future blessings doe make lighter the present discommodities Any body may see this in Merchants who passe and sayle ouer the large and bondlesse Seas and suffer shypwracks Pyrats and many other dangers by which theyr hope is often frustrated neither yet do they so leaue of but they assay and try the same things againe and againe Wee also may say the same of Husbandmen for when as they haue deeplie furrowed the ground and diligently haúe tilled it and sowne it oftentimes they are frustrated of theyr hope eyther through drought or too much moysture or through blasting and some other calamitie Neuerthelesse they doe not so leaue of but againe when the season approcheth they exercise theyr husbandry And in another place If any man setteth by a laborious life let him despise and hate slothfulnes for if to Marriners the threatning billowes and fearefull waues of the Sea doe seeme tollerable if stormes winters are tollerable to Husbandmen if wounds and slaughters to Souldiers if grieuous blowes and stripes seeme light and tollerable to champions for the hope of temporall and perrishing commodities much more whē heauen is prepared for a reward wee ought not to esteeme or account of these present troubles afflictions Exceedingly doth a promise a blessed end mittigate the labours Doe not thou therfore ô Christian think or coniecture that the way of Vertue is rough and sharpe but looke to the end of it Be not deceiued in beholding the pleasant way of vices but looke to that downfall and destruction that it leadeth thee to That holy man sayd very truly and well Which of vs wisheth or desireth to walke in a way strowed with Roses planted with diuers flowers if the assured end of it be death And who will refuse a rough and difficult way that leadeth vnto life Thys hope doth not onely adde courage vnto vs to obtaine our desired end but it encourageth vs in all the meanes which are destinated to that end and generally in all our necessities in the miseries of thys life For by this a man is helped in all his trouble defended in dangers hee receiueth solace in sorrowes ayde in infirmities sufficiencie in all neede for by thys wee obtaine the fauour and mercy of the Lord which helpeth and aydeth vs in all affaires Of all these wee haue most certaine and most euident pledges and gages of holy Scriptures but especially in Dauids Psalmes For there is scarcely found any psalme which doth not commend vnto vs this vertue and which declareth not vnto vs the most noble fruites of it For without all doubt hope is a most rich treasury a very great consolation which the righteous haue in this world Therefore let no man thinke much if we be more long and prolixe in repeating the authorities of thys place In the second booke of the Chronicles a certaine Prophet sayth to King Asa The eyes of the Lorde behold all the earth to strengthen them that with a perfect hart beleeue and hope in him Ieremie speaketh thus of thys hope O how good is the Lord vnto them that put theyr trust in him and to the soule that seeketh after him And Esay sayth If ye returne and be quiet ye shal be safe your strength shall be in quietnesse and hope By quietnesse in thys place is vnderstood the tranquilitie inward rest of the
respectiue a regard dooth excite and stirre vp in man a great hope and an assured confidence Of the seauenth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the true libertie which the righteous haue and reioyce in and of the misery and vnknowne seruitude and bondage in which sinners liue CHAP. XIX OF all the priuiledges and prerogatiues hetherto spoken of but especially of the second fourth that is of the grace of the holy Ghost and of the Diuine cōsolation another preheminence doth arise no lesse admirable which the righteous enioy and that is the true liberty of the soule which the Sonne of God brought into this world of which priuiledge he hath obtained the name of the Redeemer of mankind Because he hath redeemed man and hath freed him from that wretched miserable seruitude in which he liued and brought him into true libertie This is one of the especiallest blessings which Christ brought into this world one of the most excellent benefits of the Gospell one of the most noble effects of the holy Ghost For where there is the Spirit of the Lord there is libertie sayth the Apostle To be briefe this is one of the richest rewards which in thys world are promised to the worshippers of the true God Thys libertie the Lord promised to certaine that were willing to serue him If saith he yee continue in my word yee are verilie my Disciples and shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free that is it shall giue vnto you true libertie They answered him Wee be Abrahams seede and were neuer bounde to any man vvhy sayest thou then ye shall be made free Iesus answered them Verily verily I say vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne And the seruant abideth not in the house for euer but the sonne abideth for euer If the sonne therefore shall make you free yee shall be free in deede In which words the Lord plainely intimateth vnto vs that there are two kinds of liberty one false and in a show the other true and reall False liberty is proper vnto them who haue their bodies free but their soules captiuated and subiect to the tiranny of their own passions and sinnes as was the soule of great Alexander who when hee was the Lord of the whole world he was the seruant of his owne vices But true liberty is proper vnto them who haue their soules free from all these tirannies although their bodies be somtimes free and sometimes bond and captiuated as was the soule of the Apostle who although he was captiue and holden in bonds yet in spirit he mounted vp to heauen and by the doctrine of his letters he freed the whole world The reason why this liberty is called properly liberty and not that other is this because as among the two essentiall parts of man the soule is much more noble then the body yea it is as it were the whole man the body is no other thing then a matter or subiect in which the soule is included so he truly is to be called free who hath his more principall part free but hee is falsely called free who hath his soule captiue bond although he carrieth about his body freely whether so euer he pleaseth ¶ Of the seruitude in which wicked men liue IF any man shall aske me whence is this bondage of which we speake I say that it is a seruitude and captiuity vnder the most terrible most direfull and most cruell Tyrant of any that may be named that is vnder Sinne. For amongst all the most abhominable and dreadfull things that be in the world the torment of hell is most dreadfull and abhominable yet much more dreadfull and abhominable is Sinne which is the cause of this torment and also of this seruitude by which sinners are made seruants and bondslaues as you haue vnderstoode by the words of our Lord before aleadged Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne What seruitude then can be more miserable then this Neyther is he onely a seruant of sinne who committeth sinne but he is a slaue vnto the perswaders and procurers of sinne as are the deuill the world and his owne flesh corrupted of the same sinne and he is a seruant vnto all other inordinate desires which proceede of the flesh For he that is the seruant of the sonne is also a seruant of the father And it is confessed of all that these three are the fathers of sinne and therefore they are called enemies to the soule because they bring procure great mischiefe to the soule as that is that they make it a slaue a Captiue and deliuer it into the hands of this cruell Tyrant And although all these three doe conspire to this end yet they worke by diuers meanes For the two first are serued of the third which is the flesh as another Eue to deceiue Adam or as an instrument very fit to carry and draw vs into all euill For this cause the Apostle doth more manifestly call the flesh sinne putting the effect for the cause for it is it which pricketh forwards to all kind of sin For the same cause the Diuines call it the tinder touchwood of sinne that is the meate and nourishment of sinne By a common name it is called Sensuality Flesh or Concupiscence which also is called by a name more knowne Fleshly or sensuall desire whence all the perturbations of the minde spring in as much as it is corrupt and made disordered through sinne it is the motioner mouer and picker forwards to all sinne Therefore also the two other enemies take singuler aduantage of the flesh and her appetites that they may more strongly assault and wrong vs. Hence it is that Saint Basill sayth that the especiall weapons with which the deuill fighteth against vs are our owne desires For the vehemency of our affection seeketh by right and wrong to enioy those things that it lusteth after neither maketh any regard although it be forbidden by the law of God and from such an affection sinnes doe arise Such an appetite therfore is one of the most cruell Tyrants which man being a sinner is subiect vnto or as the Apostle speaketh vnder which he is sold. Hee calleth him sold vnder sinne because his sensuall appetite is made so mighty that it carrieth him as a bondslaue whether so euer it listeth But what is more lamentable then to see a man who hath a soule made to the image and likenes of God illuminated with heauenly light and an vnderstanding by which hee ascendeth aboue all things created vntill it find out God himselfe yet notwithstanding that hee should contemne and despise all this his nobility and excellency and be subiect and gouerned after a certaine furious and frantick maner of his beastly appetite to be corrupted of sin and moreouer to be led about to be moued and driuen forwards backwards of the deuill What I
pray thee at the length is to be expected of this gouernment but ruine downfall destruction incomparable mischiefes But that thou mayst see more manifestly the filthines of this seruitude bondage I will illustrate it by a certaine example Imagine that a man had married a woman of so great beauty nobility wisedom as could possibly fall into any of this sexe being happy through this marriage should haue a Mayd-seruant a Witch or an Inchaunter with whom he is besotted by some preposterous meanes and so dotes on this in chaunting drudge that forsaking his owne wife he giueth himselfe a pray vnto his seruant vsing her in steed of his wife eating sleeping and conferring with her acting executing all his busines with her and with her prodigally consuming and spending all his riches in banquets sports and surfetting and after such like maner yea not content with these to come to that dotage and folly that he forceth his owne wife to wayte on this drudge and to serue her in all things as a slaue which she shall commaund her Who would think that a man should euer come to this madnes And if he shall so fall how shall he be rayled vpon and condemned of those that be wise How great shall the hate and indignation of all be against this seruant And on the contrary part how great will the moane and commiseration be of all towards that good and noble woman With how many sighs will her kinsfolke deplore the madnes of her husband This thing at the first view doth seeme very shamefull yet much more shamefull and filthy is that which heere wee speake of For wee must knowe that these two women that is the spirit and the flesh are found in our soule which the Diuines doe call by another name the superiour part and the inferiour part of the soule The superiour part is that wherein the reason and the will are which are naturall lights with which God in the creation hath marked that part of which part there is so great beauty and noblenes that by reason of it man is sayd to haue the image of God to be capable of God and to be the brother of Angels This is that noble woman which God hath ioyned and coupled to man as his wife with whom he should leade his life ordering all his affaires by her direction that is by the instruction of her heauenlie light In the inferiour part is the sensuall appetite of which we haue lately spoken which is giuen vnto man to desire all things necessary for his life and for conseruation of his kinde This therefore as a Steward receaueth al things by limitation and order appoynted of reason and layeth out and disburseth the goods according to the will of the maister and Lord. This appetite is that Hand-mayde of which wee spake a little before which because it hath not the light of reason it is not made that it should gouerne or rule but that it should be gouerned and ruled These things being thus vnhappy is that man who commeth to that madnes to be giuen as a pray to the loue and lust of this naughty woman which casting reason aside by which she ought to be gouerned commeth to that malapertnes and headstrongnes that shee will rule and dominere ouer reason doing all the mischiefe that this sawcie and peruerse drudge will following and prosecuting all her appetites all her desires and lusts as well carnall as sensuall For we see many men so carnall vnbrideled and subiect to the lusts of their owne hart that in all theyr actions like vnto beasts they obey this malapert and froward woman without respect eyther of law or reason What other thing is this then to giue the whole rule of the life into the hands of an abiect seruant which is the flesh by surfetting in all the delights sports banquettings and pleasures of this world and despising the counsailes and aduices of Reason being the noble and lawfull wife But that is worser and lesse tollerable that it sufficeth not to haue bestowed this rule and dominion vpon the seruant but also this free and noble Lady is compelled to serue her owne seruant being most base vile and abiect by consuming nights and dayes in her seruice and in doing all that shee commaundeth and which her insatiable and inordinate appetite desireth Wherefore when man is busied and his reason and all his vnderstanding occupied about these inuentions as are the ornaments of the body the pride and statelines of buildings the curiosity of houshold-stuffe the variety of meates and the multitude of dainty dishes what other thing doth he then draw the soule from the spirituall exercises of her nobility and make it a seruant a cooke a slaue vnto her that ought to be her seruant in all obsequiousnes A carnall man enamoured with the loue of any woman that he may ouerthrow her chastity when hee hath bestowed and imployed all the strength and sinnowes of his reason and vnderstanding in wryting Letters in compozing Poems in making loue Verses in laying traps and in other endeauours which are required to that Art what other thing doth he if we confesse the truth then that hee forceth the Lady to serue the Hand-mayde whilst he spendeth that diuine and celestiall light in inuenting and deuising meanes by which he may satisfie the appetite of his vild flesh When as King Dauid was wholy occupied in deuising meanes to couer his fault with Bersaba in sending her husband to the Army by inuiting him to supper by making him drunk by giuing him dangerous Letters written to this end that he innocent man should be slaine what other plotted this notable Stratageme but reason and vnderstanding And who pricked forward Reason to this complot but the peeuish Flesh that shee might hasten the wickednes whereby she might more safely and more conueniently enioy her pleasures Seneca although an Ethnick did abhorre such seruitude I am greater sayth he and borne to higher matters then that I should be a bondslaue to mine owne flesh Goe to tell me if he feared so to demeane and debase himselfe least he should be termed a doater and a hopelesse vnthrift how much more ought we to flie such wickednes by which so great blessings are lost and such an heape of mischiefes succeede in their place Which thing seeing that it is partly so natural partly so vsuall we tread on in this old path hauing no regard of so great misgouernment which now euery where in the world is seene Hence it is as S. Bernard sayth that the abhominable sauour of vicious men is not smelt because the multitude of thē is too great For euen as in a country where all are borne Ethiopians it is not an vglie thing to be blacke and as where all are drunk it is no ignominie nor slander to bee drunke so this monstrous seruitude because it is so familiar to the worlde
scarcelie it is knowne or noted in any man All these things doe sufficientlie declare how miserable thys seruitude is and with what a horrible punishment man is condemned for sinne seeing that for it the noblest creature is deliuered into the hands of so barbarous and cruell a Tyrant Ecclesiasticus hath expressed the nature of this beast when he beseeched the Lord that hee would put from him all wicked and vngodly desires that hee would take from him the greedines of the belly that the lust of the flesh should not take hold of him and that he might not be giuen ouer to an impudent minde As if he should say that he desired that he might not be deliuered into the hands of such a Tyrant or executioner For he supposed that such an appetite was worthy of such a name But if thou desirest to know how great the force and power of thys Tyrant is thou maist easily gather of that which he hath done and which hee daily dooth in thys world I will not send thee to the fables of Poets which tell vs how that most famous Hercules after he had conquerd all the Monsters of the world at the length beeing captiuated with the loue of a certaine lasciuious woman cast away his club and sat amongst other vvomen spynning and drawing out threds from his distaffe For so the woman that hee loued commaunded him yea if hee did it not she threatned him and checked him Thys those wise Poets fained more ingeniously then truly that they might shewe the cruell tyrannic and power of that appetite Neyther vvill I bring out of the holy Scriptures that known example of Salomon who beeing most holy and most wise yet hee was so besotted by his Concubines that his true God beeing forsaken he adored Idols and builded for them magnificent and stateliâ— Temples that hee might serue these impure harlots and his owne appetite although this example doth no lesse argue the tiranny of this most pestilent passion then that afore For I had rather bring those which daily are obuious to our eyes Consider I pray thee into what present danger an adulterous woman doth cast her selfe that she may satisfie her inordinate lust for it pleaseth vs to take an example from that perturbation seeing that the knowledge of the rest doe depend of the knowledge of one That woman knowes if she be found of her husband in an act so wicked and detestable that she shall be slaine without any hope of pardon shee knowes that shee shall loose together at one and the selfe same time her soule her life her honour her riches and all other blessings which she might hope for eyther in this world or in the world to come then which losse surely a greater nor a more vniuersall cannot be inuented or thought of She is not ignorant that she shall be a perpetuall reproch and scandale to her desamed children to her father and mother also to her brethren and sisters and to her whole family and that shee shall for euer be a griefe vnto them Neuerthelesse so great is the violence of this appetite or that I may speake better the power of this Tyrant that he forceth the woman to all these and easily bringeth her to so great danger and she doth willingly what so euer he commaundeth her What Barbarian or Tyrant was euer found in the world who could euer force his seruant to vndergoe so great dangers and so farre to obey him What captiuity can be found more hard or sharper In this estate all sinners liue as the Prophet witnesseth when he sayth That they dwell in darknes and in the shadow of death being bound in misery and yron That is in yron chaynes What darknes is this except that blindnes in which the wicked are conuersant as we haue shewed before seeing that they know neither themselues nor God as they ought to knowe neyther for what cause they liue neyther for what end they are created much lesse doe they know the vanity of the things they loue neyther this seruitude wherein they liue What be these bonds with which they are bound vnlesse the violence of their affections which holdeth their harts tyed with the most straight bonds of those things which they to inordinately doe desire And what is that hunger and misery which they suffer but an insatiable appetite and desire by which they are tormented about infinite things which they cannot haue Consider now therefore if any captiuity harder or sorer can be sustayned or borne But that thou mayst know this yet more plainely I will illustrate it by another example Behold Amnon King Dauids eldest sonne when as he laciuiously had beheld his sister Thamar he was so blinded with this darknes and so miserably bound with these chaines and so vehemently tormented with this hunger that he could neyther eate nor drinke nor sleepe yea he was so farre enamoured of her that he was sicke for her loue Tell me I pray thee what ones were the chaines of this perturbation or appetite with which his hart was bound when it so changed his flesh and so infected the humors of his body that a great infirmity followed vpon it But that thou mayst know that the remedy of this infirmity was not to haue obtayned that he desired marke how the same Amnon was further out of square and more greeuously afflicted and more vexed with a contrary affection after hee had satisfied his lust then he was before for the Scripture sayth And hee hated her exceedingly so that the hatred where-with he hated her was greater then the loue where-with he had loued her So that the rauishing of his sister did not free him from the passion but changed the one into another greater Is there any Tyrant to be found in the world who so often doth tosse and turmoyle his Captiues that doth commaund them to doe vndoe that forceth them to goe and returne the same way Certainely beleeue me my brother they are all such who are subiect to the like vices who are scarce Lords ouer themselues For they eate nothing they drinke nothing they thinke vpon nothing they speake nothing they dreame of nothing but of it So that neyther the feare of God nor their conscience nor heauen nor hell nor death nor iudgement nor oftentimes life it selfe and their proper honour which they so ambitiously loue and maintaine can bring them from this way or breake these bonds What shall I speake of their iealousie of their feare of their suspitions and of other externall accidents in which they are plunged night and day casting themselues headlong into most certaine danger of life and honour for this rauening and tormenting pleasure Is there any Tyrant in the world which after such a manner doth dominere and tyrannize ouer his seruant as vice rageth and raigneth ouer this mans hart For a seruant is neuer so bound to his Lord that night and day he doth wayte vpon him
men making theÌ„ vnfit to performe the worship of God cutting off theyr hands that they shoulde doe no good and theyr feete least they should come vnto him by their endeuours and desires Hee made men also to gather the fragments of meat vnder his table that is the pleasures of this world with which this Prince and Tyrant doth nourish his seruants And rightly they are called the fragments of meate and not parts or peeces for the niggardlines which the deuill vseth in deuiding his goods among his is so great that he neuer giueth them so much as will satisfie theyr gurmandizing paunches But after our Sauiour came into the world he turned the same punishment vpon the Tyrant by which he before afflicted and pnnâ—shed others cutting off his hands and his feete that is destroying all his workes and enfeebling all his strength Who properly died in Ierusalem for the Sauiour of the world there dying he slew the Prince of the world and where he was crucified there was crucified also the Prince of the world and being bound hand and foote all his power was taken from him And so presently after that most holy and sacred passion of our Sauiour men began to tryumph ouer this Tyrant and with great power to raigne ouer the deuill the world and all vices so that all the torments of the world shall not be able to driue force men to ruinate their soules ¶ Causes from which this liberty ariseth PErhaps thou wilt aske me whence this so admirable victory and liberty came I answere that this after God first proceeded from the Diuine grace as we haue before sayd Which by the mediation of vertue comming from it doth moderate and temper the fury of our appetites that they cannot preuaile against reason Wherefore euen as Sorcerers know by certaine verses how to inchaunt Serpents that they cannot hurt men so that they yet lyuing are not poysonous and hauing poyson they cannot spit nor cast it vpon others so also the Diuine grace doth after that maner enchaunt the venemous Serpents of our affections that they lyuing and being whole in our naturall essence cannot hurt vs neyther can they poyson or intoxicate our life as before they were wont This as being taught from heauen Esay sheweth very excellently in these words And the sucking child shall play vpon the hole of the Aspe and the weined child shall put his hand vppon the Cockatrice hole Then shall none hurt nor destroy in all the mountaine of mine holines for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that couer the Sea It is certaine that the speech of the Prophet is not heere of materiall Serpents but of spirituall which are our appetites and euill inclinations for these when they are free and not hindered infect the world with their poyson neither doth he speake of corporall chyldren but of spirituall amongst whom hee is sayd to be a sucking childe who first beginneth to serue God who as yet hath neede of milke vntill hee bee further growne and he is called the weined child who hath somewhat profited and goeth on his feete and now is fedde with more solide meat as bread and other foode fit for men Therefore the Prophet speaking as well of the one as of the other saith at the first that they shall play be delighted because they see themselues liue in the midds of spirituall Serpents and yet by the vertue of the Diuine grace they doe not receiue of them any mortall hurt by consenting to sin Others after they are weined and haue profited in the way of the Lord he saith that they shall put theyr hands vpon the holes of Cockatrices as if hee shoulde say that God doth keepe them in the midst of the greatest dangers For in them is fulfilled that of the Psalmographer Thou shalt walke vpon the Lyon and Aspe the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder feete These are they that put their handes vppon the holes of Cockatrices neither feele any hurt For the plentie of grace which God poureth vpon the earth dooth enchaunt these Serpents after that manner that they cannot hurt the sons of GOD. This thing the Apostle declareth more perspicuously and without a metaphore when after he had spoken copiously of the tyrannie of our appetites and of our flesh at the length crieth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me froÌ„ the bodie of this death presently hee aunswering himselfe saith The grace of God which is giuen by Iesus Christ our Lord. In vvhich place by the body of death the Apostle vnderstandeth not a body subiect to naturall death which we all looke for but that which in another place is called the body of sinne which is an inordinate appetite ready and apt to all euill From which as from a body the members of all passions and inordinate desires doe arise and grow which draw vs to all kinde of sinne From this body as from a cruell Tyrant the grace of God hath deliuered and freed vs which is giuen through Iesus Christ as the Apostle saith After this there is another cause not of the least value that is the greatnes of the ioy spirituall consolations which the righteous enioy in this world as we haue said before For this doth so quench the thirst of all concupiscences that a man may easily ouer-come and cast from him all other affections The Fountaine of all good things beeing found foorth-with that troublesome and disquiet tast of all other delights perrisheth as our Sauiour testifieth in the Gospell hauing conference with the woman of Samaria Whosoeuer drinketh saith he of the water that I shall giue him which is the grace of God he shall ueuer be more a thirst The same thing also S. Gregorie testifieth in a certaine homilie But if any man saith he hath tasted with the mouth of his hart what is the sweetnes of heauenly rewards what be the musicall assembles of Angels and what is the incomprehensible vision and sight of the holy Trinitie to this man by hovve much that is more sweet which inwardly hee feeleth and seeth by so much that is more bitter which outwardly hee pertaketh Now he aymeth to goe beyond all those things that come into his consideration now his minde is suspended from exteriour delights and he doth search out what the inuisible blessings be he is fedde with the tast of that incircumscriptible light and being carried beyond and aboue himselfe he doth disdaine againe to be deiected and cast downe to himselfe When as nowe the vessell of our hart is full after this manner of that heauenly liquor nowe the thirst of our soule is quenched now remaineth no further any reason or cause to desire or seeke after the fraile goods and abiect things of this life Therefore our soule is free neither is it bounde any longer with the chaynes of euill appetites for
his Pallace that not onely the wals of the King but also the eyes of the King may defend him from his enemies then the which gard none can be safer so the heauenly King by the same prouidence doth defend his Hence it is that we see and reade that the Saints oftentimes being compassed with many dangers temptations haue endured them and borne them with a minde quiet and vntroubled and with â— countenance and iesture cheerefull pleasant and merry For they are assured that they haue that faithfull gard present which will neuer forsake them and then chiefely and especially to be present when the dangers come to the highest Those three young men felt this whom Nabuchodonozer commaunded at Babilon to be cast into the firy furnace among whom the Angell of the Lord walked in the midst of the fire and cast out the flame of the fire out of the furnace and made the midst of the furnace like a coole and refreshing wind and the fire touched them not neyther troubled them nor brought any greeuance vnto them And the King was astonished and sayd Did wee not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire And behold I see foure men loosed and walking in the midst of the fire And the fourth is beautifull as the sonne of God Thou seest then how the presence of our Lord is at hand in troubles That argument of this matter is not lesse which the Lord performed for that holy young man Ioseph after he was sold of his brethren For hedeliuered him from sinne as it is in the booke of Wisedome he went downe with him into the dungeon and fayled him not in the bands till he had brought him the seepter of the realme and power against those that oppressed him and them that had accused him he declared to be lyers and gaue him perpetuall glory These examples confirme that Diuine promise which is in Dauid I am with him sayth the Lord in trouble I will deliuer him and I will honour him O happy trouble which deserueth to haue such a companion Which seeing that it is so let vs all lift vp our voyces with Saint Bernard and say O Lord send me trouble that thou mayst alwayes be with mee With this the ayde and supply of all vertues doe ioyne themselues which concurre at this time that they may strengthen corroborate and rayse vp the distressed minde For euen as when the hart is distressed and afflicted all the blood from euery part runneth thether that it may releeue and comfort it that it faynt not so the soule when it is oppressed with griefe and anguish forthwith all the vertues runne vnto it and releeue it now after this manner now after that But after a more especiall maner Fayth is present bringing a cleare and plaine knowledge both of the good things and of the euill in the life to come in comparison of which all the calamities and miseries of this world are of no moment Hope commeth which maketh men patient in all their troubles and afflictions in looking for a reward The loue of God commeth with which loue they being inflamed desire with great feruentnes to beare all kinde of sorrowes and afflictions in this life Obedience and the conforming of our wils with the Diuine will runneth hasteth hether at whose hands they receaue with ioy and without murmuring whatsoeuer is giuen vnto them Patience ioyneth herselfe vnto these whose property is to strengthen the shoulders that men may be able to beare all those burthens which are layd vpon them Humility hath also heere her function and worke which bendeth the hart as a young twig shaken and tossed to and fro of the stormy wind of tribulation and maketh man to be humbled vnder the mighty hand of the Lord whilst he acknowledgeth that those things which he suffereth are much lesser then his sinnes 〈◊〉 To conclude the consideration of the labours and â—orrowes of Christ crucified and the afflictions of all the holy Saints doe exceedingly helpe in comparison of whom all our tribulations are as though they were not After this manner therfore the vertues helpe them who are in affliction and calamity euery one with their proper and peculier functions neyther onely with theyr functions but also if I may say so with their words and exhortations First of all 〈…〉 The afflictions of this present time are not woorthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Charity sayth that it is meete and reason that we should suffer and beare all things for his loue who so deerely and tenderly hath loued vs. Gratitude sayth with blessed Iob Shall we receaue good at the hand of God and not receaue euill Repentance sayth it is meet that he should suffer something against his will who so often hath wrought wickednes against the Diuine will Faythfulnes addeth that it is right and reason that he should be once found faythfull and gratefull in his life who hath receaued so great gifts and so many graces of God through the whole course of his life Patience admonisheth that tribulations are the matter of patience Or doe bring forth patience and patience bringeth forth experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Obedience sayth that there is not a greater sacrifice or more acceptable to God then in all trouble to coÌ„forme ourselues to the good pleasure of Gods will But amongst all the vertues liuely Hope helpeth man in that time after a singuler and an especiall manner and it wonderfully strengtheneth our hart in the midst of tribulations The Apostle declareth this who when hee had sayd Reioycing in hope he further addeth and patient in tribulation not being ignorant that one followeth another that is of the ioy of Hope followeth the fortitude of Patience For which cause the Apostle not vnelegantly calleth Hope an anchor for euen as when it is fastned into the earth it keepeth the shyppe safe which stayeth in the midst of the waues and maketh it that it feareth not the billowes of the raging sea so liuely Hope beeing firmly fixed vppon the heauenly promises preserueth the minde of the righteous vnremoued in the midst of the waues of this world and maketh it that it contemneth and despiseth all the storme tempest of the winds So it is reported that a certaine holy man did in times past who seeing himselfe enclosed on euery side with tribulations sayd That good that I looke for is so great that all punishment and all torment is a pleasure vnto me Therefore thou vnderstandest my brother how all vertues concurre to strengthen the mindes of the righteous when they see them in a straight And although a man be weake and fearfull yet forthwith he returneth to himselfe to his right mind and with greater affection and zeale sayth If thou shalt fayle in the time of triall when God hath determined to try proue thee where is thy liuely Fayth by which thou
commaundements which I commaund thee this day the Lord will set thee on high aboue all nations of the earth And all these blessings shall come on thee and ouertake thee if thou shalt harken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God Blessed shalt thou be in the Citty and blessed in the field Blessed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite of thy ground and the fruite of thy cattell the encrease of thy kine and the flockes of thy sheepe Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store Blessed shalt thou be when thou commest in and blessed when thou goest out The Lord shall giue ouer thine enemies that rise against thee that they may fall before thy face they shall come out against thee one way and flee before thee seauen wayes The Lord shall commaund the blessing vpon thee in thy store-houses and in all that thou settest thine hand vnto and will blesse thee in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee The Lord shall make thee on holy people vnto himselfe as he hath sworne vnto thee if thou shall keepe the commaundements of the Lord thy God and walke in his wayes And all nations of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called vpon ouer thee and they shall be afrayd of thee And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods in the fruite of thy body in the fruite of thy cattell and in the fruite of thy ground in the land which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers to giue thee The Lord shall open vnto thee his good treasure the heauen to giue raine vnto thy Land in due season and to blesse all the labours of thy hand Tell mee what riches what treasures may be compared to these blessings But if thou shalt say that these promises are rather made vnto the Iewes then vnto Christians for vnto these according to Ezechiel those more excellent blessings as are the blessings of grace and of glory are promised yet as in that carnall law God did not denie to the righteous Iewes spyrituall blessings so in the spirituall law he doth not withdraw temporall prosperity from good Christians yea hee doth giue vnto them temporall blessings and that with a double commodity neyther of which the wicked haue The first is because as a skilfull Phisitian he bestoweth these blessings vpon them after that measure which their neede requireth that by this way they may be releeued and not waxe proude neyther beeing fatted and crammed kick and spurne This commodity the wicked haue not for they scrape together as much as they are able neuer regarding theyr saluation When as notwithstanding the superfluity of temporall goods is not lesse hurtfull to the soule then that meate is to the body which cannot be by any meanes digested For although it is necessary and needefull to eate for the releefe and sustentation of the body yet superfluity of meate doth very much hurt So although the life of man consisteth in the blood yet too much aboundance of blood is the cause of death and oftentimes killeth men The second commodity is because lesser pelse and a measurable and an indifferent possession of riches doth bring greater quietnes and tranquillity vnto the soule which is the end why men with such greedines desire temporall goods For whatsoeuer God can doe by second causes he can doe it yea more perfectly by himselfe without those meanes So hath hee done in all his Saints in whose name the Apostle sayth Hauing nothing and possessing all things For so little doth suffice vs that we hauing very little and being therewith content we seeme vnto our selues to be the Lords of the whole world A trauailer for his prouision in his voyage carrieth his money in gold for so he is the richer and he is troubled with lesse weight after the same manner also our Lord doth lighten his laying vpon them but easie burthens but yet sufficient and that which may content them After this manner the righteous doe goe naked yet they are content they are poore and yet they are rich But the rich when they are full of wealth yet dye for hunger and when as they sit euen vp to the lips in water yet they are slayne with thirst as the Poets in times past fabled of Tantalus For this and such like causes that great Prophet long agoe did prayse the obseruance of the Diuine law willing that in it all our meditation should be For he knew very well that in this all things were fulfilled These be his words Seate all these words in your harts and in your soules and bind them for a signe vpon your hands and they shall be as frontlets betweene your eyes And yee shall teach and rehearse them continually vnto your children and shall talke of them when yee tarry in your houses and when yee walke by the way and when yee lye downe and when yee rise vp Also thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine house and vpon thy gates that thy dayes and the dayes of thy children may be multiplied in the Land which the Lord sware vnto your fathers to giue yee for euēr O holy Prophet what I pray thee hast thou found worthy of so great commendation in the keeping of the law It is not to be doubted but thou who wast so great a Prophet and a Secretary of the Diuine counsaile didst vnderstand the inestimable greatnes of this good and knewest that in it were to be found all kinde of blessings present and to come temporall and eternall corporall and spirituall and he that hath satisfied the law hath fulfilled all things Thou knewest very well that a man did not loose his time when hee was occupied in doing Gods will yea then to labour in hys owne Vineyard then to water his gardens to till his fields and to dispatch all his busines better then if he had laboured with his owne hands for he satisfying Gods will casteth all his care vpon God who finisheth all the rest For this is the law of the league and federacie which God made with man that man should keepe his commaundements and God would prouide all necessary things for him and doe his busines Neyther shall this league and couenant be euer violated of God For if man be a faythfull seruant vnto God God will be a faythfull Lord and patrone vnto man This is that one thing which the Lord sayd was necessary that is to know to loue and to serue God for this one thing being kept and obserued all the rest are well and in safety Godlines sayth Paule is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come See I pray thee how plainely heere the Apostle promiseth vnto godlines which is the worship and seruice of God not onelie the blessings of eternall life but also of this life as much as are conducent to obtayne the other But we
the time of Achab king of Israell when Samaria was besieged by the Armie of the king of Syria we read that men did eate the dunge of Doues that thys kinde of meate was sold for a great price But thys was not so much at the length it came to that passe that mothers did kil and eate the chyldren of their owne wombe Iosephus also writeth that the same happened at the siege of Ierusalem But the slaughters and captiuities of this people together with the vtter ouerthrow of the Common-wealth and the kingdome of the Iewes are so well knowne to all that heere they neede not to be rehearsed An eleuen of theyr Tribes were made perpetuall seruants to the Kings of Assyria that one Trybe which remained a long time after beeing vanquished was brought into seruitude vnder the Romaines in which destruction exceeding great was the number of the captiues but greater was the number of those that were slaine as the same Historiographer copiously describeth Neyther let any one deceaue himselfe saying that this calamitie pertaineth onely to the Iewish nation seeing that it generally appertaineth to all men who haue knowledge of the Diuine law and doe despise it neyther will obey it as the Lord himselfe testifieth by his Prophet Haue not I brought vp Israell out of the Land of Egipt and the Philistines from Cappadocia and the Syrians from Cyrene Behold the eyes of the Lord God are vppon the sinfull kingdome and I will destroy it cleane out of the earth Signifying that all these changes of kingdoms whereby thys kingdome is ouerthrowne and that planted and raysed vp doth come through sinne And if any one will see that this is true let him read ouer the histories of times past he shal vnderstand how God doth chastice the froward and peruerse but especially those that haue the true law and doe not keepe it He shal see how great a part of Europe Asia and Affrica which in times past were full of Churches and of Christian people now are possessed of Infidels he shall know also what great massacres ruines and destructions the Gothes Hunnes and Vandales haue made vpon the Churches who in the time of Saint Augustine destroyed and wasted the Prouinces of Affrica and that without any mercie or compassion they sparing neyther men nor women neither old nor young neither Virgins nor married At the same time also and after the same manner the kingdome of Dalmatia was wasted with the bordering Countries as Saint Ierome showeth who was borne in that Country insomuch that he that should haue passed through trauelled those Countries should haue seene nothing but heauen and earth all things were so ruinated and ouerthrowen Yea if we will looke into our owne times we shall see what slaughters and effusion of Christian blood what desolations and euersions of Citties sinne hath caused in Fraunce Belgia and many other Countryes What mightie massacres and lamentable diuastations hath sinne brought vppon the world by the sword of the Turkes those professed enemies of Christianitie who stil brandish their swords against Christendome for the sinnes of Christians These sufficient plainly doe declare how that true vertue and sincere religion are not onely profitable to the obtayning of eternall blessings but also to gette and keepe temporall blessings that the consideration of all these may inflame our mindes with the loue of Vertue which preserueth vs from so many mischiefes bringeth with it so many good things Of the twelfth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the quiet peaceable ioyfull death of the righteous and contrarily of the wretched miserable painfull disquiet and grieuous death of sinners CHAP. XXIIII THE last priuiledge prerogatiue at the length is ioyned to the precedent that is the death and the glorious end of the righteous when they depart out of the prison of this body vnto the which end all the rest of the priuiledges are destinated and ordayned Because in the end as we are wont to say the praise is proclaimed Tell mee what is more glorious or what more delightsome then the end of the iust and righteous And contrarilie what is more wretched or vnhappy then the death of sinners Right deere and precious saith the Psalmogapher in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints but the death of sinners is vilde and exceeding euill What meaneth thys vvord Exceeding euill vttered in the Superlatiue degree Because thys is the last and greatest of all euils as well for the soule as for the body After thys manner S. Bernard doth expound this of the Psalmist The death of sinners is exceeding euill Because it is euill in losing the world worser in the seperation of the flesh but exceeding euill in that double calamitie of the worme and of the fire It is grieuous to leaue the worlde more grieuous that the soule is seperated from the body but exceeding grieuous and in no wise to be compared vnto the other to be tortured vvith the torments of hell Both these and many moe miseries shall vexe and turmoile the wicked in this houre For then before and aboue all things the accidents of thys infirmitie shall surmount the griefes of the body the terrors of the soule and the afflictions of externall things the thoughts of things to come the remembrance of sinnes past the feare to giue an account the dreadfull sentence the horrour of the graue the seperation and departure from euery thing that was too deere and imbraced with an inordinate loue that is from riches friends wife children from this light from the ayre wherein we breathe and from life it selfe All euery one of these so much the more doe afflict a man by how much they are loued For as Augustine sayth They are not lost without griefe which are possessed with loue Therefore it was very well said of a Phylosopher Hee that in his life knoweth of fewest delights least of all other feareth death But most of all in that houre the burned and feared conscience and the consideration of that which is prepared for them doth excruciate vexe the vvicked For then man beeing raised as it were out of a deepe sleepe by the presence of Death openeth hys eyes and beginneth to behold and see that which he neuer saw before Eusebius Emisseâ—â—s giueth a reason of this At what passe will man be then at sayth hee when bidding his last farewell to all worldly matters hauing death before him leauing life behind him he shal be drawn into that horrible fearefull gulfe For there shall be no preparation for victuals or care for cloathing no busines for Labourers Souldiers or Traffickers no ambition for wealth or honour but there an intollerable terror of giuing an account shall fill and possesse the minde being free from all other cares and the heauy and vnsupportable weight of iudgment shal dreadfully hang ouer the captiue sences Then man forgetteth all thinges
present which he must forsake and beginneth to thinke vpon future things which he must expect Behold shall he say all delights and pleasures haue passed away as a shadow but reproches and faults remaine still The same Doctour also in another homily prosecuting this matter sayth Let vs consider what a lamentable estate a dissolute soule shall be in departing frō this body what streights shall it be brought into what horror and darknes will there be when as the conscience all about beset with faults and sinnes shall appeare first of all the number of our aduersaries For it all other proofes and witnesses set apart shall bring that to light and to our eyes that the proofe of it shall conuince vs and the knowledge of it shall confound vs. Neyther may any one couer or keepe secret any thing or deny any thing when as the accuser or witnes is not to be produced from farre or from another place but is to be fetched from within vs. Hetherto he Another learned and holy man doth handle this same matter more largely and more mistically when hee sayth Let vs consider with speciall attention when the soule of a sinner is departing out of the prison of the flesh with what terrible feare it is shaken and smitten and with how many pricks of a pearcing conscience it is goared and thrust through It remembreth sinnes past which it hath committed it seeth the Diuine commaundements which it hath contemned it greeueth that the time of repentance hath beene so ill and lewdly ouerpast it is afflicted because it seeth the ineuitable houre approch of rendering an account and of the Diuine vengeance it would tarrie still but it is constrayned to depart it would recouer that is past but time is not graunted If it looke behind it seeth the course and race of the whole life led as a moment of time If it looke before it beholdeth the infinite space of eternity which expecteth it It sorroweth and sobbeth because it hath lost the ioy of euerlasting eternity which it might haue obtayned in so short a time it tormenteth it selfe because it hath lost the ineffable sweetnes of perpetuall delight for one sensuall carnall and momentany pleasure It blusheth considering that for that substance which is wormes meate it hath despised that which Angels price so highly And weighing the glory of those immortall riches it is confounded that it hath changed them for the basenes and vildnes of temporall things But when it casteth the eyes vpon things below and seeth the darke and obscure valley of this world and beholdeth aboue it the shyning brightnes of eternall light then it confesseth that all that it loued in this world was black night and vgly darknes O then if such a soule could obtayne a space of repentance and a time to recall it selfe how austere and seuere a life would it embrace What difficult and great matters would it promise vnto what great vowes prayers and other exercises would it bind it selfe But whilst it meditateth and consulteth of these things with it selfe the fore-runners and harbengers of death begin to approach that is the eyes waxe dim the breast swelleth and panteth the voyce sayleth and foltreth the members grow colde the teeth waxe blacke the mouth is filled with humors and the countenance waxeth pale and wan In the meane time come the Officers and Sargiants which attend vpon Death now at hand and they present vnto the wretched soule all the works speaches and cogitations of the life past bearing bad and dangerous witnes against theyr mistres and although she would not see them yet she is compelled to see them By and by commeth an horrible flocke of yelling deuils and there also a sacred company of holy Angels doe present themseules And there they begin to dispute betweene themselues to whether part this miserable pray must happen For if fayth in Christ vertues and works of piety and godlines be found in her straightwayes she is comforted with the sweete speaches and consolations of Angels But if the enormity of sinnes and a life wickedly led doe require another thing alas sodainly she trembleth and is terrified with an intollerable dread and feare and trembling doe terribly assault her Forthwith the deuils assayle her and take her and violently pluck her from the miserable flesh and cast her headlong into torments neuer to be ended but to continue for euer and euer All these be the words of this holy and learned man Tell me if thou wilt confesse this to be true and that each thing proceedeth after this order what other thing is required if so any sparke of wisedome or vnderstanding be left in vs that we may know how detestable and wretched the condition of sinners is seeing that the end prepared for them is so greeuous and vnhappy and which neuer shall haue end And if the delights and pleasures of this life at that time could bring any help or comfort as they were wont to doe this mischiefe were more tollerable but honours will not there helpe neyther riches defend friends heere cannot preuaile nor seruants giue theyr attendance neyther can families nor the noblenes of descent profit any thing in riches there is no hope all the helpe for one that lies a dying is in Christ in Vertue and in innocencie of life For the vvise-man testifieth that Riches helpe not in the day of vengeance but righteousnes that is Vertue deliuereth from death Seeing therefore that a sinner is found so naked poore and destitute of all helpe and ayde how can he not but feare and be afflicted when as he seeth himselfe left alone forsaken and desolate neyther hauing any hope or confidence in that Diuine iudgement ¶ Of the death of the righteous BVt the death of the righteous is farre off from these miseries and calamities For euen as at that time the wicked receaue the punishment of theyr iniquity so the righteous receaue the wages of their vprightnes according to that of Ecclesiasticus Who so feareth the Lord it shall goe well with him at the last and in the day of his death he shall be blessed That is he shall be enriched and shall receaue the reward of his labours Saint Iohn in his Reuelation doth insinuate the same thing more manifestly when he sayth that he heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto him Write The words which he was commaunded to write were Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord. Euen so sayth the Spirit that they may rest from theyr labour and their works follow them How can he be discouraged in that houre that heareth this of the Lord when he now seeth himselfe hasten thether where he shall receaue that which he desired all the time of his life Therefore of the righteous it is reade in the booke of Iob And thine age shall appeare more cleare then the noone day thou shalt shine and be as the morning Which words Saint Gregory expounding
saying An vngodly man will not be reformed but can helpe himselfe with the example of others in his purpose That is with apparant excuses The same thing also Salomon seemeth to tell vs of when he sayth He that would depart from his friend seeketh occasions So hee that would depart from God as sinners doe seeke and at length finde out some of these excuses some deferre and procrastinate their repentance putting it off from day to day others reserue it to the ende of theyr life many say that they absent themselues from godly and vertuous lyuing because it is painefull and laborious some cheere vp themselues through the hope of the Diuine mercy supposing that they shall be saued by a naked and fruitlesse fayth and a dead hope without charity to be briefe others being inamoured of this world will not change the felicity which they think they possesse in it with the promises of Gods word These in a manner be the fraudes and errors the snares and nets with which the enemy of mankind ensnareth and entangleth the vnderstanding of men that he may detayne them all their life long prisoners and flaues vnder sinne that at the length death may set vpon them sodainly and oppresse them at vnawares To all these cauelations and friuolous excuses we will aunswere in this last part of this booke But first of all we will dissolue and aunswere their obiection who put off the amendment of their life 's vnto the time to come which excuse is more vsuall and more generall then the rest There are many that confesse that all things are true which hetherto haue beene spoken and that there is not any estate or condition more secure and safe then theirs that embrace and follow after Vertue yea and that they themselues will heereafter enter into a vertuous and a godly kinde of life but they cannot yet but the time will come when they shall doe it with greater conueniencie and performe it with more perfection So Saint Augustine saith of himselfe O Lord I had not wherwith to aunswere thee when thou saydst vnto me Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall illuminate enlighten thee and thou demonstrating in euery poynt those things to be true which thou spakest vnto me I beeing conuinced with the truth had not any aunswere at all but onely the words and speaches of a loytering sluggard of a drouzie sleeper By and by and behold anone and let me alone a little But by and by and behold anone had neyther measure nor moderation and let me alone a little held on a long time So also the wicked at this day deale with God still procrastinating and putting off the time and neuer comming vnto true conuersion It is no hard thing to shew that this was the deceipt of that old Serpent to whom it is no new or vnusuall thing to lye and to deceaue miserable men and if I shall conuince this I thinke that I shall take away this controuersie and dissolue this obiection For we all know that nothing ought more to be wished of Christian men then the health of their soules and for this respect the amendment of their lifes is necessarily required for without this it is most certaine that no man can be saued So that heere nothing commeth into question but the time in which the life ought to be amended In the rest there is no discent Thou sayst that thy conuersion is to be deferred till the time to come my assertion is that it ought to be done presently Therefore let vs see whether opinion is more probable and more conformable vnto the truth But before we speake of the easines and facility of conuersion tell me I pray thee who hath promised thee this time to come How many men haue there been whom this vaine hope hath miserably deceaued Although God sayth Gregory hath promised pardon to the penitent yet he hath not promised tomorrow to a sinner Not vnlike to this is that of another learned Writer Some man will say when I come vnto old age then I will runne vnto the remedy of repentance Why dare mans frailty presume thus much of himselfe seeing he hath not one day of all his life in his owne power Verily I suppose that innumerable soules haue perished through this vaine perswasion After this manner that rich man in the Gospell perished of whom Saint Luke wryteth that when his fielde had brought foorth plentifull fruites hee thought within himselfe saying What shal I doe because I haue no roome where to bestow my fruits And he said This will I doe I will pull downe my barnes and build greater and therein will I gather all my fruites and my goods And I will say to my soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp in store for many yeeres take thine ease eate drinke and be merry But whilst this miserable man thought thus with himselfe a voyce vvas heard saying vnto him Thou foole this night doe they require thy soule againe from thee then whose shall those things be vvhich thou hast prouided Therefore what greater foolishnes can there be then that a man by his owne authority should presume to dispose of that that is to come no otherwise then if he had beene set and appoynted to gouerne times and seasons which the eternall Father hath put in his owne power And if Saint Iohn say that the sonne onely hath the keyes of life and death that hee may shut and open to whom he pleaseth and when he pleaseth how dare a vild and an obiect worme attribute vnto himselfe and vsurpe this authority Onely this impudent boldnes is worthy of notorious punishment that is that he should finde no place of repentance in the time to come who vainely and fruitlesly passeth ouer that time which God hath graunted vnto him That so this punishment may giue vnderstanding and that a foole thereby may become the wiser But seeing that the number of them that are thus chasticed is very great men shall doe very aduisedly if by other mens harme they become more wary and out of other mens danger they learne to be more circumspect following that good counsaile of Ecclesiasticus saying Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for sodainly shall his wrath come and in the time of vengeance he shall destroy thee But let vs graunt that thy life shall be as long and lasting as thou perswadest and promisest vnto thy selfe tell me I pray thee whether will be more easie now to amend it or heereafter when thou hast procrastinated and deferred thy conuersion But that thou mayst vnderstand that better which we say we will by the way rehearse the chiefest causes from whence this difficulty ariseth It ariseth not from those impediments lets which they imagine but from an euill habite and from the corruption of a naughty custom of a
life wickedly vngraciously led which to change is a death as we are wont to say The ouermuch accustoming our selues vnto vices sayth Saint Ierome doth make the way of Vertue hard and vnpleasant vnto vs. For custome is another nature and to expell it is as it were to ouercome Nature herselfe then the which there cannot be a greater victory Hence it is that Saint Bernard sayth After that any one vice hath been cōfirmed rooted in vs by the custome of many yeeres we haue neede of the speciall and miraculous helpe of the Diuine grace to ouercome and roote it vp And therefore a Christian ought to be very wary and circumspect that he doth not fall into the custome of any vice for when as anything commeth vnto an habit it is very hardly thrust forth and expelled so also vice being confirmed by daily vse and custome cannot be eschewed and forsaken without the especiall grace of GOD as sayth Bernard Also this difficulty proceedeth from the power of the deuill who hath a certaine peculier rule in that soule which is held vnder the slauery of sinne For he is that strong man armed of whom the Gospell speaketh who keepeth his pallace with a vigilant and a most especiall care Moreouer it proceedeth from that that God is farre of frō a soule polluted with the filth of sinne For this is the watch and gard that the Lord sette ouer the walles of Ierusalem which is so much the further of from a sinner by how much a sinner is heauilier loaden and burthened with sinnes From this absence great mighty miseries are deriued as the Lord himselfe saith by his Prophet Woe vnto them who haue forsaken me And Woe vnto them when I shall forsake them Thys is according and correspondent to that Woe of which Iohn maketh mention in his Reuelation To conclude this difficultie arriseth from the corruption of the powers of our soule which are grieuously disturbed and corrupted through sin although not in themselues yet in theyr operations and effects For euen as Wine is marred by vineger and fruites are spoyled of wormes and euery contrary is corrupted of his contrarie so also all the powers of our soule are disturbed and infected through sinne which is an especiall enemie and most contrarie to our soules Wherefore by sin the vnderstanding is obscured the will is weakened and the affections remooued out of order and it maketh that man is neyther Lord of himselfe nor of his actions yea although his Fayth the liberty of himselfe be neuer lost For these powers faculties be as instruments by which the soule worketh that which is good as wheeles of the clock of a life wel ordered which when they wander out of order what other thing is to be hoped of them but misgouernment and the confusion of all the Clock These be the chiefe and especiall causes of that difficultie which take their originall from sinne daily increase through vse and the corruption of euill custome These things beeing thus who will be so madde to beleeue that his conuersion and the amendement of his life shall be more easie after certaine yeeres when his sinnes shall be moe in number and the causes of this difficultie shall be multiplied It is certaine that thē thou by so much shalt be more vnapt and vnfitte and that the deuill shall haue so much the more power ouer thee and that GOD shall be so much the more further of from thee by howe much thy sinnes shall be multiplied increased Moreouer after certaine yeares thy soule will be more disordered and all the powers and faculties of it more disturbed as before we haue sayd If therefore these be the causes of this difficultie who is of so corrupt a iudgement amongst vs that hee should suppose that his conuersion should hereafter be easier the causes of the difficulties encreasing on euery side For when as sinnes are dailie heaped vnto sinnes there is no doubt but that the knots vvith which the soule is tyed are multiplied and the chaines vvith which it is bound are made the stronger and the more insoluble The vnderstanding for the time to come through the vse of sinning will be more darke and obscure the will wil be weaker to worke well the appetite will be more ready and prone to all euill and all the faculties of the soule will be so weakened that they shall not be able to defend themselues from the violence of sin Which seeing that it is so how can it be that thou shouldest beleeue that thy conuersion in the time to come shal be more easie and that thou caust performe it with greater conuenience If thou shalt say that in the morning thou canst not passe ouer the Fourd when as yet the water is low how shalt thou be able to passe ouer it at night when the bankes are full and the Riuer swelleth like the floods and tydes of the sea If it seemeth an hard thing vnto thee to pull vp the roote of vices newly and lately planted what wilt thou doe when they haue taken deepe and profound rooting and they cleaue and sticke much faster in the earth then they dyd before Let vs put the case That now thou must fight with an hundreth sinnes but hereafter the time shall be that thou must fight with a thousand that now thou art to fight with the corrupt depraued custome of one or two yeeres but perhaps hereafter with the naughty inueterate custome of ten yeares Who then will say vnto thee that hereafter thou shalt be more able to carrie that burden when now thou art in no wise able to support it when as the burden neuerthelesse is daily augmented and increased Doost thou not perceaue that these are the cauillations and impostures of euill paying debters who because they cannot repay that money that was credited vnto them doe delay and put off from day to day theyr payment Who knovveth not that these are the deceits fraudes of that old Serpent who by the same craft and subtiltie that hee deceiued our first Parents doth continually goe about to circumuent theyr chyldren Surely I doe maruell and exceedingly wonder that the difficultie daily on euery side increasing that thou shouldest thinke that that then should be possible and easie which novve seemeth vnto thee to be difficult vnpossible Who wil be induced to beleeue except he be madde that the offence increasing yet the pardon to be the easierly obtained and the disease and infirmity growing greater yet the medicine should speedilier profit the diseased Art thou ignorant of that of Ecclesiasticus An inueterate and old disease troubleth the Phisitian but an infirmitie lately growen he easily taketh away There is a pretty Story in the liues of the Fathers wherin an Angell excellently sheweth this guile and legerdemaine to a certaine holy Father lyuing in the Wildernes For the Angell taking this Anchorite carried
his kingdome why doost thou draw backe to loue so gracious a Father And why doost thou not blush to deferre to the end of thy life to embrace so good and so bountifull a Lord How is it possible that thou shouldest perswade thy selfe that thou canst satisfie him with so short a worship who is determined to bestow vpon thee euerlasting benefits For it is requisite and meete that seeing the rewards are eternall that the worship should also be eternall if it possibly might be Which seeing that it cannot be yea seeing that thy worship and seruice is no longer then the life of one man why then wilt thou take from the Diuine worship the greater part of this short space and leaue vnto him the lesser and worser part For euen as out of a vessell sayth Seneca first that commeth forth which is the purest but that which is muddy and troubled sinketh to the bottome so in the age of our life that which is the best is the first Therefore let vs not reserue the dregs for God but let vs offer him the first purest See I pray thee what part is that that thou reseruest for the Lord God Cursed be the deceitfull sayth the Prophet which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth a corrupt thing to the Lord because I am a great King sayth the Lord of Hostes and my name is fearefull among the Heathen As if he should say to so great a Lord as I am great seruices and worships are due For it is mighty iniury to offer to so excellent a Maiesty those things which are the worst and basest Why therfore doost thou reserue the greater and better part of thy life for the seruice of deuils and sacrificest that part to God which the world resuseth Heare what the Lord sayth Thou shalt not haue in thy bag two manner of waights a great and a small neyther shalt thou haue in thine house diuers measures a great and a small But thou shalt haue a right and iust waight and a perfect and a iust measure shalt thou haue And darest thou agaynst this law haue two vnequall measures one so great for the deuill as if he were thy friend and the other so small for God as if he were thine enemy Besides all these if all these benefits seeme base and vild vnto thee yet I desire thee that at least-wife thou wouldest remember that inestimable benefit by which God the father gaue vnto thee his onely begotten sonne for he gaue that life for the price of thy soule which was more precious then all the life 's of men and Angels Wherfore although thou hadst the lifes of all men and also infinit others that in thee were all that lyueth or could liue all that thou owest to the giuer of that life Neyther was this sufficient Therfore with what forehead with what impudency with what ingratitude doost thou deny to giue this sole life which thou hast being so short so weake and so miserable to that Lord who for thee hath giuen a life so noble and so excellent It were somwhat tollerable if thou wouldest but giue that but certainly to take away the better part of this miserable life and to giue onely the dregs to him is intollerable and extreame impudency Therfore let that of Salomon in his Preacher be the conclusion of this Chapter Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth or euer the dayes of aduersity come and or the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Before the sunne the light the moone and starres be darkned and or the clouds turne againe after the rayne When the keepers of the house shall tremble that is thy hands when the strong men shall bow themselues that is thy thighs which support the whole masse of thy body when the milners stand still because they be so few that is thy teeth or iawes and when the sight of the windowes shall waxe dim that is thy sight shall faile when the dores in the streetes shall be shut for then also the instruments of other sences shall decay and when the voyce of the milner shall be layde downe when men shall rise vp at the voyce of the bird that is at the crowing of a Cock by reason of lack of sleepe which happeneth in that age and when all the daughters of Musicke shall be brought low That is thine eares because all the arteryes are shut so that no sound can enter by which the hearing is made When men shall feare in high places be afraid in the streetes for old men can hardly walke vp ascending cliffie rockie waies When the Almond tree shall flourish for thy head shall be full of white haires and be loaden with the Grashopper and when all lust shall passe for which some haue translated that thy backe shall be loaden that is shall be bowed and crooked and thy concupiscence shall be lost for daily more and more the strength of our hart faileth vs in which is the seate of our appetites Because man goeth to his long home which is his graue and the Mourners goe about the streets that is his friends and kinsfolkes When the dust shall be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came and the spirit shall returne vnto God who gaue it Hetherto are the words of Salomon Remember therefore my brother thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth according to this description and doe not deferre thy repentance ouer to yeeres so troublesome vnpleasant in which nature faileth the strength of all thy sences in which man hath more need of all the cherishing that may be and to supply that by industrie which is wanting to naturall strength then to embrace the labours and troubles of repentance When as vertue shall rather seeme a necessitie then a will When as vices shall be honested by vs for they forsake vs before we forsake them although for the most part such is the old age as the fore-passed youth was according to that of Ecclesiasticus If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth what wilt thou finde in thine age Therefore it is very wholsome counsaile that in another place the same Ecclesiasticus giueth saying Abide not thou in the errour of the vngodly but giue thankes before death As for the dead thankefulnes perrisheth from him as nothing giue thou thanks in thy life yea while thou art liuing and whole shalt thou giue thanks and praise God and reioyce in his mercie Surely great in times past was that misterie that amongst the diseased he was healed who first stepped into the Poole after the water had been troubled of the Angell that thou thereby mayst vnderstand how that all our safetie consisteth in that if we forth-with without any lingering obey the heauenly and diuine inspirations and motions Come therefore my brother and make hast To day sayth the Prophet if thou
whole matter dependeth For we must know that although the Diuine mercy extendeth to the iust and vniust calling these and expecting their repentance and preseruing the other neuerthelesse the great graces the notable benefits which God promiseth to men in the Scriptures especially belong to the righteous who as they faythfully obserue the law and commandements of God so faithfully God keepeth them he keepeth his promises with them and he is a true father vnto them as they are his morigerous and obedient sonnes On the contrary part whatsoeuer threatnings curses and seuerity of Diuine iustice the holy bookes of the Bible contayne all that properly pertayneth to thee and to such like vnto thee How great therfore is thy blindnes and blockishnes who fearest not so great cominations purposely intended against thee and comfortest thy selfe with promises not made for thee O miserable man haue an eye to those things that are spoken of thee and giue to the iust that is theirs Wrath belongeth to thee therfore feare but loue to the righteous let them therfore reioyce and be glad Wilt thou that I shall proue this to be true heare what Dauid sayth The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares open to their prayers But the face of the Lord is against them that worke euill to roote their memory from off the face of the earth Such a like speach is found in Esdras The hand of our God sayth Esdras that is the Diuine prouidence is ouer all that seeke him in truth and his wrath strength and fury ouer them who forsake him Which seeing that it is so why ô wretched man doest thou continue in thy sinne vvhy doest thou deceaue thy selfe vvhy art thou so dull vvhy errest thou thus These testimonies of Scripture are not for thee so long as thou remaynest in the state of damnation the sweetnes of the Diuine fauour and loue speaketh not to thee This is the portion of Iacob it belongeth not to Esau. This is the lot of the righteous thou who art wicked what right hast thou here Leaue of to be wicked and it shall be thine forsake thine vngodly life and the loue of God and his fatherly prouidence shall protect thee and cherrish thee Which if thou doest not thou art a tyrant and doest vsurpe the rights of other men Hope in the Lord sayth Dauid and doe good And in another place Offer the sacrifices of righteousnes and trust in the Lord. This is the best manner of hoping doe not further abuse the mercy of God in perseuering in thy sinnes and in hoping that thou shalt come to heauen It is the best hope to flye sinne and to call vpon God but if thou continuest in thy sinnes this is not to hope but to presume this is not to hope for mercy but it is to doe an euill deed and to offend that mercy For euen as the Church doth profit them nothing who depart from it that they may doe wickedly so also it is meete that the mercy of God should not profit them who continue in their sinnes This before all things the dispencers and Preachers of Gods word ought to consider who oftentimes not marking before whom they make their Sermons minister occasion to the wicked to continue and perseuere in their sinnes They should respect that euen as a sicke and a diseased body the more it eateth the greater harme it taketh so also a soule hardened in sinne the more that it deceaueth it selfe with this kinde of trust the more it is hardened and moued to perseuere in sinne In stead of a conclusion that excellent sentence of S. Augustine shall be By hoping and despairing men perish By hoping naughtily in their lifes but by despairing worser in their deaths Therfore cease my brother and forsake this presumptuous hope remember that as the Lord is mercifull so also he i◠iust Therfore as thou castest one eye vpon mercy that thou mayest hope so cast the other vpon iustice that thou mayest feare For as S. Bernard sayth God hath two feete mercy and iudgement we ought to apprehend neyther of them alone or seuerally for iustice without mercy doth not so make to feare as mercy without iustice doth make men continue and perseuere in a wicked life Against them that excuse themselues saying that the way of Vertue is rough sharpe and difficult CHAP XXVIII WOrldly and carnall men are wont also to bring another excuse that they may seeme not without cause to haue left and eschewd Vertue and Religion saying that it is rough and difficult albeit they are not ignorant that this difficulty ariseth not from vertue her selfe for she is a friend vnto reason and very well agreeth with the nature of a reasonable creature but from the euill inclination of our flesh and our wicked appetities which taketh the originall from sinne Hence it is that the Apostle sayth that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and that these two doe striue between themselues And in another place he sayth I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man But I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in my members By which words the Apostle meaneth that the law of God and Vertue doe very well agree with the superiour part of our soule which altogether is spirituall in which the vnderstanding and the will is but her watch and warines is hindered by the law of the members and this happeneth of the euill inclination corruption of our appetites and the passions arising from them which are aduersaries to the superiour part of the soule and to God himselfe which discord contrariety is the cause of all this difficulty For this cause many alienate themselues from Vertue albeit otherwise they highly account of it as also sicke men doe who although they desire health yet they abstayne from and abhor medicines because they suppose them to be bitter and of euill tast Wherefore if we take this errour and opinion from men I take it that we shall performe a thing not to be repented of for this is the onely stay and let that hindereth them from Vertue besides this difficulty there is nothing in Vertue which is not greatly and especially to be desired and affected ¶ How the grace giuen vs by Christ doth make the way of Vertue easie and pleasant FIrst of all in this place we must know that the chiefest cause of this errour is that men onely looke vpon this small difficulty which is found in Vertue and lift not vp theyr eyes to those Diuine helps which God sendeth to ouercome it The errour of the seruant of Elizeus was of this kinde who seeing the army of the Syrians compassing the Citty and Horses and Charets begirding the house of the Prophet saw not the army of the Lord prepared
that God as hee gouerneth the world by his generall prouidence so also he swayeth and ruleth euery one by his speciall prouidence and as we daily see that the greater the store of sinners is the greater is the aboundance of punishments as are famine warre pestilence heresies and such like calamities so also oftentimes according to the number of the sinnes of men so is the number of the punishments Therefore God sayd to Caine If thou doe well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doost not well sinne lyeth at thy doore that is the plagâ—e and punishment of sinne In Deuteronomie also Moses sayth vnto the people And thou shalt know that the Lord thy God he is God the faithfull God which keepeth couenant mercie vnto them that loue him and keepe his commaundements euen to a thousand generations And rewardeth them to theyr face that hate him to bring them to destruction he will not deferre to reward him that hateth him to his face Marke here how often this Prophet repeateth the word to his face or such like significatioÌ„ that thou mayst vnderstand that besides the punishments which are reserued for the life to come that the wicked are oftentimes also punished in this life seeing that the Scripture so often remembreth here that their punishments shal not be deferred Whence many calamities proceede and many scourges of sinners for without intermission they as a wheele are rouled froÌ„ one trouble and sorrance into another from one necessity anxietie and tribulation into another which although they very well feele yet they know not whence and from whom they are sent and therefore they ascribe them rather to the condition of nature then to their sinnes For euen as they doe not account the blessings of nature to be the gifts of God neyther doe they giue thanks to God for them so neyther doe they acknowledge the scourges of his wrath to be for the punishment of their sinnes neyther doe they amend themselues Some punishments also are brought vpon them by Gods Ministers and Iusticers vvho are the executioners of the Diuine iustice who oftentimes meet with malefactors and doe persecute and afflict them vvith imprisonments banishments penalties persecutions and with manie other kind of punishments by which is brought to passe that the insatiable appetites of sinners seemeth bitter vnto them and doe afflict theÌ„ also in this life There be also other afflictions which flow out of their owne affections and the perturbations of their soules and from the inordinate appetites of their harts For what good I pray thee may be hoped for of a superfluous and an excessiue affection of vaine feare of a distrustful hope and of an inordinate desire nothing but offences irksomnes and troubles which disturbe the peace and liberty of the hart of which wee haue spoken before they make the life vnquiet they allure and entice to sinne they hinder the prayers take away sleepe and doe comber all the dayes of the life with loathing and tediousnes All these miseries are ingendered of man himselfe that is of his inordinate appetites and of these thou seest what is to be looked for of other seeing that man hath these of himselfe and consider what peace he can haue with others who hath so great warre with himselfe ¶ Of the multitude of the snares and dangers of this world IF in the world besides the punishments and afflictions of the body no other euil were to be found the feare were so much the lesser buâ—â—n it there are not onely the euils of the body but also the greatest dangers of the soule of which greater regard is to be had because they concerne the better and more principall part of man and doe more hurt it And they be so many that the Prophet sayth God shall rayne snares vpon sinners How great I pray thee is the number of the snares in the world which are resembled to the drops of water which fall from heauen and he saith specially and perticulerly Vpon sinners For they hauing so little care of their hart and sences and lesser to fly the occasions of sinne and so little regard of spirituall remedies and besides all this seeing that they walke through the heate of this world how can it be but that they must walke amidst a thousand dangers He sayth that it shall rayne snares vpon sinners snares in their youth snares in their old age snares in riches in pouerty in honour in reproches in friendship snares when they company with men and when they are alone snares in prosperity and in aduersity to be briefe snares in all the sences of man which are so many that the Prophet cryeth out Snares vpon the inhabitants of the earth And surely if the Lord would open thine eyes a little as hee in times past opened the eyes of Saint Anthony thou shouldest see the whole world full of snares touching one another and thou wouldest cry out with him saying O Lord who shall escape all these snares Hence it is that so many soules perish daily that Saint Bernard feareth not to say that of tenne ships which are in the Sea scarcely one perisheth and of tenne soules which floate vpon the Sea of this vvorld scarce one is saued Tell me then I pray thee how is it that thou fearest not the vvorld being so dangerous that thou studiest not to escape so many snares vvho amongst so many Serpents dare walke bare-footed or march vnarmed among so many enemies or liue securely and inconsideratly amongst so many occasions of sinnes and conuerse amongst so many deadly and mortal diseases without medicines Who would not labour to depart out of this Egypt vvho would not fly out of this Babilon vvho would not desire to be deliuered from the fire of Sodome and Gomorrha Seeing therfore that the world is beset with so many snares and so many downfals and breake-necks are in the way and the flame of vices doe so burne vs who at any time shall be secure and safe Well therefore sayde the vvise-man Can a man take fire in his bosome and his clothes not be burnt Or can a man goe vpon coales and his feete not be burnt He that toucheth pitch sayth another shall be defiled with it and he that is familiar with the proud shall be like vnto him ¶ Of the blindnes and darknes of this vvorld ANother miserie ioyneth it selfe vnto these multitudes of snares and dangers which maketh them to be farre moe and much greater that is the blindnes and wordly darknes which most fitly is shadowed by that darknes of Egypt which was so grosse and thicke that it might be felt with hands and the whole three dayes that it lasted no man remoued himselfe out of his place neyther saw his neighbour that stoode by him Such in deede or rather greater is the darknes in which the world now sitteth and which now hath possessed the vvorld But if thou doost not beleeue me
looke a little into the worlds darknes and blind guidance and thou shalt soone discerne it Tell me I pray thee what is more blind then that men should beleeue as they beleeue and liue as they liue What greater blindnes then so to reuerence and dread men and so wickedly to contemne and despise God So carefully to seeke and study for the commodities of the body which is nothing else but a brutish creature and to haue no care for the soule which is the image of the Diuine maiefty what greater blindnes can there be What greater blindnes then when wee assuredly know that we shall dye neyther doe we know in that houre whether our felicity or misery shall be determined which for euer shal stand ratified yet we liue so negligently and securely as if we should alwayes liue For sinners liue no otherwise to day then if they meant to liue alwayes and that death would neuer come What greater blindnes can be thought vpon then this that men for the satisfying of one desire should lose willingly their whole inheritance of heauen So greatly to esteeme of riches and so finally to set by their conscience To haue so diligent a regard that all external blessings should be safe and ordered and not to care whether the life be ordered and sound Such plenty of blindnes and palpable darknes is found in the world that a man hath good cause to coniecture that men are inchaunted and bewitched who hauing eyes see not eares yet heare not who when they are cleare and bright sighted to behold earthly things yet are more blind then Moles in viewing celestiall things That happeneth to them that in times past happened to Saint Paule persecuting the Church of God who falling vpon the earth when hee opened his eyes hee saw no light so also these miserable and wretched men who when they haue eyes broad open in earthly matters doe see nothing in Diuine matters as though their eyes were shut ¶ Of the multitude of sinnes that are in this world IF there be so many snares in the vvorld and so great darknes what is to be hoped therof but stumblings slydings and sinnes But sinne is the greatest of all the euils of this world and ought to be the most effectuall motiue to mooue vs to forsake the world By this only consideration that glorious Martir Cyprian endeuoured to perswade a friend of his to despise contemne this world imagining him to be set on the top of a very high mountaine whence he might view all things lying beneath him his eyes being cast on euery side the holy Martyr sheweth vnto him all Seas Lands Pallaces and iudgement seates to be fild and replished with a thousand kinde of sinnes and iniuries which were committed in euery place and when he had seene so many and great euils which were daily perpetrated in the vvorld he very well knew with what great circumspection and care he ought to beware of the world how great a debter he was to God who had vouchsafed him such a caueat wherby he might detest and abhorre the world Ascend thou therefore my brother to the top of this mountayne and cast thine eyes into euery corner of the vvorld and behold the stormy vvhirle-winds of this boysterous Sea Looke into the Pallaces of Princes the Courts and publique meetings of this vvorld and there thou shalt see so many kind of sinnes so many lyes so many cauilations deceits iniuries thefts enuyings flatteries vanities and that which is greater so great forgetfulnes of God and so little care of saluation that thou canst not but greatly vvonder and stand amazed in beholding so many and so great euils Thou shalt see the greater part of men to liue after the manner of beasts ruled and swayed by the violence of their affections hauing no respect eyther of iustice or of the Diuine law or of nature or reason lyuing more filthily then the Heathen who haue no knowledge of the true God neyther doe they thinke that any thing further remayneth then to be borne and to die Thou shalt see Innocents wrongfully punished and malefactors escape vvithout danger thou shalt see good men despised and vvicked men honoured thou shalt see poore men afflicted and humbled and in all things fauour to be preferred before equity and vertue Thou shalt see the lawe sold no respect being had vnto the truth thou shalt see vnlawfull Arts maintayned offices peruerted and depraued and all estates of men corrupted and turned vpside downe Thou shalt see many dishonest and vild men woorthy to be seuerely punished vvho by theft and frandulent means haue purchased store of vvealth to be praysed and feared of all men To be briefe thou shalt see the vvorld more deuoutly vvorshipping and adoring a penny then God himselfe And vvhen thou hast beheld and ouer-looked all things thou shalt confesse that it is most truly and iustly spoken of the Psalmist The Lord looked downe from heaven vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke God All are gone out of the way they are all corrupt there is none that doth good no not one Hosea doth no lesse deplore the estate of men The Lord sayth he hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whooring they breake out blood toucheth blood But that thou mayest more plainly discerne the condition and estate of this vvorld take a view of the head that gouerneth it and beholding the Gouernour thou shalt easily vnderstand the condition of that thing that is gouerned For if it be true that the Prince of this vvorld that is of sinners be the deuill vvhich Christ himselfe also affirmeth vvhat is to be looked for of that body vvhich hath such an head and of that common vvealth vvhich hath such a Ruler This one thing is sufficient to let vs vnderstand vvhat is to be expected of the louers of this vvorld What neede we many words tell me vvhat other thing is the vvorld then a denne of theeues an army of robbers astie of Swine a galley full of Pirates and a lake of Serpents Cockatrices and Basiliskes If the vvorld be thus and of this kind why doe I not leaue a place so filthy and impure sayth a certaine Phylosopher a place so full of traditions and deceits wherein scarcely any pietie faithfulnes or iustice may be found Wherein all vices raigne where one brother lyeth in waite for another where the sonne wisheth the death of his father where the wife desireth the death of her husband and the husband of his wife to be briefe where nothing beareth rule but gluttony enuie wrath luxurie ambition and all other euils and enormities Who would not wish to be deliuered from such a world it is not to be doubted but that Prophet wished it who said O that
I had in the wildernes a cottage of way-faring men that I might leaue my people and goe from them for they bee all adulterers and an assembly of rebels Whatsoeuer hath hetherto been spoken generally appertayneth to wicked men although it cannot be denied but that in all estates of the world there are many good men for vvhose sakes GOD spareth to destroy the world Therefore vvhen thou shalt see all these things consider with thy selfe how iust a cause thou hast to forsake and auoyde a thing so wicked corrupt and abhominable in which if GOD would fully open thine eyes thou shouldest see more deuils and moe sinnes then there be moates in the Sunne-beames Thys consideration will worke in thee at least in thy spirit a desire to leaue this world so that thou wilt take vp that of the Prophet and say O that I had winges like a Doue then would I flie away and be at rest ¶ How deceaueable the felicitie of the world is THese and infinite other are the attributes of worldly felicitie as it were the counterpoizes with which it is weighed and peised and the vnseparable companions which waite vpon it that thou mayst see that there is more gall then honny in it and more Wormwood then Sugar I omit very many other euils mischiefes which it hideth from her louers For besides that this miserable felicitie is short it is also impure vncleane for it maketh a man carnall and filthie it is also beastly for it maketh a man like vnto a beast And mad for it taketh avvay his iudgement To conclude it is deceitfull and faithlesse because it faileth and forsaketh a man in his chiefest hight and in the florish of his best time Neyther will I heere be vnwilling to take further paines in manifesting thys latter euill which perhaps is the worst of all that is that it is deceitfull and fraudulent For it seemeth to be that it not it promiseth that it performeth not and yet these not hindering it draweth vnto it the greater part of people For euen as there is found both true gold and counterfeit gold so there are found true good things counterfeite good things true felicity and false which appeareth to be such but is not of thys sort is this worldly felicity which deceiueth vs by a vaine disguised apparition and painted masking face For as Aristotle sayth many lyes meete with vs which although they be lyes yet they haue greater showe and apparance of truth then the truth it selfe So certainly and it is matter worthy of obseruation certaine euils and enormities are found which albeit they be euils indeed yet they haue greater semblance and apparance of good things then the good things themselues And of thys number is the felicity of this world and by reason of this apparance the ignorant are deceaued by the show of it no otherwise then byrds and fishes by a false baite For it is the nature condition of corporall and worldly things that on a suddaine they offer themselues with a flattering countenaunce and doe fawne and smâ—â—e vpon men promising vnto them ioy and felicitie but afterwards the very experience of the things themselues discouereth theyr errour and falshood For after the pleasures folow calamities diseases griefes by the abseuce of the thing loued by iealousie by strifes and contentions by the losse of things by diseases by the perturbations of the affections and by very many other sorrowes and last of all death also followeth What greater deceit can there be and what hipocrisie more intollerable So a virgine merily reioycing goeth to the house of her Bridegrome for the hath not eyes to see any other thing but that which outwardly appeareth and presently showeth it selfe but if she could see that seed-plot seminary of miseries which are sowen vpon this day for her to reape surely she should haue greater cause to weep then to reioyce Rebecca desired to bring foorth children but when she was great with child c. the children stroue together in her wombe she sayd If it must be thus with mee what neede had I to conceaue O how often dooth such like guile and fraude make heauie the hart of man after it hath got that it desired wheÌ„ as those things offer themselues in the progresse which were not promised in the beginning But what shall I say of offices dignities and honours vvith what a smiling countenaunce faire aspect do they first shew themselues but afterwards to howe many passions care enuies and labours doe they expose their possessors But of those that are entangled with vnhonest loues we may iustly say that at the beginning they finde a pleasant entrance into that darke and denious Laborinth but when they haue passed in alack how many labours and troubles doe they beare hovve many nights doe they passe ouer without sleepe how many how great dangers are they compelled to vndergoe For the fury of that venomous dragon which is the sword of that cruel parent and of that iealous husband dooth alwayes keepe the fruite of that forbidden tree and it often coÌ„meth to passe that such men in one moment doe lose together theyr lifes riches honors and soules After the same maner it were no hard matter to examine the lifes of couetous men seruing the world and catching at by all meanes by force and fauour the vaine-glory of it in whose tragedies we might behold a merry protasis but a lamentable and mournful epitasis for this is the nature of that Babylonian cup which without is gold but within full of poyfon These things being thus what I pray thee in thy iudgement is the glory of this world but the singing of Syrens sweet but a deadly potion a Viper artificially painted without but within full of venomous poyson If the worlde fawne vpon thee it doth it that it may deceitie thee if it exalt thee it doth it that thy fal may be the greater if it make thee merry it dooth it that it afterwardes with sorrow may breake thy hart It giueth all her goods vvith the mixture of incomparable heauines and griefe and that with the greatest vsury If a sonne be borne vnto thee and soone after die thy sorrow will be seauen-fold greater then thy ioy was The thing lost more afflicteth vs then found ioyeth vs sicknes more excruciateth vs then health gladdeth vs iniury more tormenteth vs then honour contenteth vs insomuch that I am altogether ignorant why it is so effected by nature that euils do more afflict vs then good things do reioyce vs. All these things being well considered of they do shew vnto vs clearer then the noone day how vaine deceitfull and fraudulent the felicity of this world is ¶ The conclusion of all this aforesaid THou hast here seene my brother the true figure of thys world although with another face then it outwardly carrieth Behold therefore now what the felicity of the World is how short miserable
external things but in the Spirit and in spirituall blessings and inuisible as both the Philosophers of sounder iudgement and also good Christians although after a diuers manner doe auouch and affirme The Prophet would signifie the same thing when he sayd The Kings daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of broydered gold In which she hath so great peace and quite as all the Kings of the earth neuer had nor shal haue the like vnlesse we will say that the Princes of this world haue greater peace and quiet then the friends of God which besides that it is false many Princes themselues haue also denied who tasting of the sweetnes of God haue forsaken their dignities and riches amongst whom S. Gregory was one who tried both estates and fortunes vvhen he was promoted to high dignity and to be a Bishop he was wont much to deplore his estate and to wish for his former peaceable quiet and sweete life no otherwise then hee is wont to doe who languisheth for the desire of his Countrey and liberty beeing in seruitude and slauerie ¶ Those things which haue beene spoken are prooued by examples BVt seeing that this errour and deceipt is so great and vniuersall I will adioyne another reason no lesse effectuall then the former by which the louers of this vvorld may easily vnderstand how impossible a thing it is to find that felicity in it which they desire Thou must therefore presuppose that many moe things are required that a thing should be perfect then that it should be vnperfect For that any thing should be perfect two perfections are required together but that it should be vnperfect one onely imperfection is sufficient These things being presupposed proceed after this manner That any man should haue perfect felicity it is required that he should haue all things according to his harts desire and if one onely thing be mixed with the rest which pleaseth not that will be sufficient thâ—◠〈◊〉 both is and may be called miserable albeit all other things 〈◊〉 make him happy and blessed I haue seene many men of high degree whose Lands haâ—e yeelded them large and rich reuenues who notwithstanding haue alwaies liued in heauinesse for that discruciatement was much greater which they had conceiued by the frustration of that they desired then the ioy which they reaped of all other things For it not to be doubted but all that they possessed dyd not so much gladde them as that only appetite afflicted them which had the deniall because to possesse many things maketh not a man quiet but to haue satisfied contended hys will Which thing amongst others Saint Augustine doth excellently declare in a booke of the manners of the Church in these words In my iudgement he is neyther sayd to be happy who hath not that he loueth whatsoeuer it be neyther he that hath that he loueth if it be hurtfull neyther he that loueth not that he hath although it be the best thing For he that desireth that he cannot obtaine is vexed he that hath obtained what was not to be wished is deceaued and he that desireth not that which is to be obtayned hee is not of a well disposed minde Whereupon it is inferred that our felicity consisteth in the possession and loue of the chiefest good neyther any other to be true without it So that these three things possession loue and the chiefest good make a man blessed and happy Without which no man at any time shall be blessed and happy whatsoeuer he be Although I could alledge very many examples for the confirmation of this conclusion yet we will content ourselues with that one of Haman so well beloued of King Assuerus for wheÌ„ as he was happy in all things in the iudgement and sight of the world he thought great iniury was offered vnto him because Mardocheus dyd not rise vp vnto him when hee pasâ—ed by Wherefore calling together his friends and his wife he layd open before them the greatnes of his riches and the multitude of his chyldren and what great glory and honour the King had bestowed on him aboue all other Princes and seruants how he had exalted him and sette him aboue them all Yea Hector the Queene sayd he hath called no man in with the King to the banket that shee hath prepared saue me and to morrow am I bidden vnto her also with the King But all this doth nothing auaile mee as long as I see Mardocheus the Iew sitting at the Kings gate not yeelding me that reuerence I desire Marke then thys place thou shalt see that thys one small thing more disturbed and troubled hys hart then all his other prosperities could make it happy Consider also how farre a man is of in this lyfe from that peace and manquilitie of minde and how neere vnto disturbance perturbation Who then in thys world is found who can effect thys that he should not be miserable What Kings or Emperours are found to whom all things succeed according to theyr desire and to whom some thing happeneth not which disturbeth and disquieteth their mindes For although in this respect that a man is a man no aduersity doth touch or come neer vnto him yet who can escape all the mischaunces of fortune vvho can auoyde the infirmities of the body or eschew all the feares fantasies and vaine imaginations of the soule which a man feareth without reason of feare and so is many times afflicted without cause If all these fore-sayd reasons beeing so euident cannot conuince thee and thou requirest moe reasons rather from experience then reason goe to wise Salomon and he as one that hath long sayled in thys Sea with greater prosperity then any other trying and experimenting all kindes of the delicacies and pleasures of thys world he I say will saythfully instruct thee in this matter what he hath seene and what he hath tryed he will tell thee if perhaps he hath other where found that which satisfied his appetite if thou shalt demaund of him what it was hee will aunswer thee saying Vanitie of vanities sayth the Preacher vanitie of vanities all is vanitie Beleeue him thou shalt not be deceaued we may safely trust a man so well experimented For he dooth not speak vnto thee of his theory and speculation but of his experience and practice hee dooth not tell thee of those things he heard but which he saw and proued Doe not think that thou thy selfe or any other can discouer moe nouelties and heretofore vnheard of then he heath discouered and tryed For what Prince euer lyued in the worlde that was wiser or richer or more glorious or famouser then Salomon Who euer tryed moe kindes of delights of sports of huntings of singing of women of ornaments of ridings and of all other things then he dyd And when he had tryed them all hee reaped no other fruite by them then that thou hast heard Why wilt thou now experiment that which
new or vnthought of and that he remember that most prudent counsaile of the Wiseman My sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of God stand fast in righteousnes and feare and prepare thy soule to temptation For this ought to be most assured vnto him that comming to the seruice of God he commeth not to playes pageants not to banquets or feasts but he must take vp his shield and speare being harnessed with his coate offence for the battaile For albeit that it is true that we haue many helps and supportations in this life as we haue sayd before neuertheles it cannot be denied but that many difficulties doe offer themselues in the beginning which the young Souldier of Christ ought to haue premeditated least they come as at vnawares and discourage him and let him alwayes haue in mind the reward and price for which he fighteth that it is of so great value that it deserueth this and much more But least this feare inflicted of his aduersaries should discourage him or dash him out of countenance let him thinke that they are much moe and more powerfull that are for him then they that are against him For althogh on that side that sin standeth there area great multitude of cōspiratours yet on Vertues side the fauourers and defenders are stronger and more powerfull For as we haue sayd the Diuine grace is opposed to our corrupt nature God to the deuill good custome to euill an army of Angels to the multitude of euil spirits good examples and the fellowship of the Saints to euill examples and persecutions and the consolations and comforts of the holy Ghost to the delights pleasures of the world Neyther is it to be doubted but that euery one of these is stronger and mightier then his contrary Because grace is stronger then nature God then the deuill good Angels then euill and spirituall delights and pleasures are much more forcible and effectuall then carnall THE FIRST PART OF THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE SINNERS GVIDE VVhich entreateth of vices and theyr remedies Of the firme and resolute purpose which a Christian ought to haue that he may not doe any thing hereafter which is sinne CHAP. III. THE two former instructions being set downe as the principall foundations of this vvhole building the first and chiefest thing that a man must doe that he may be disposed and fit to offer and consecrate himselfe to the Diuine worship and to the exercise of Vertue is to plant in his soule a firme and resolute purpose that he will neuer heereafter fall into sinne by which he might lose the fauour of his Sauiour and the enioying of his blessings This is the chiefest foundation of a spirituall life this is that by which the friendship and fauour of God is kept and the hope of the kingdome of heauen In this Charity consisteth and the spirituall life of the soule This is that that maketh the sonnes of men the sonnes of God temples of the holy Ghost liuely members of Christ and maketh them pertakers of all the spirituall blessings of the Church So long as the soule perseuereth in this determination it abideth in Charity in the state of saluation but so soone as it steppeth back from it it is blotted out of the booke of life and is registred in the volume of perdition and is transported to the kingdome of darknes So that this busines being well considered of it seemeth that as in all things as well naturall as artificiall there is a substance and an accident betweene which there is this difference that the accidents being changed the substance still remayneth euen as the pictures of an house being defaced and the furniture spoyled the house notwithstanding standeth firme on the foundations albeit not with the same perfection but if the house fall which is the substance then nothing remayneth after the same manner as long as this holy and sanctified purpose standeth firme and fast in the soule the substance of Vertue standeth vnmoueable but if that faile forth-with all things fall The reason of this is because the whole foundation of a godly life consisteth in Charity which is to loue God aboue al things but he loueth God aboue all things who aboue all things hateth sinne for only through sinne this charity and loue of God perisheth For euen as adultery is the most contrary thing to mariage so that which is most contrary to a godly and vertuous life is sinne for this killeth Charity in which this life consisteth For this cause the Martyrs haue suffered so greeuous and horrible torments not refusing to be rosted to be fleane and to be cut in peeces to be bowelled to be racked to be torne in peeces of wild beasts rather then they would sinne by which they might lose the fauour of God yea although it was but for a moment not being ignorant in the meane time but that they might repent after the offence done and might be againe entertayned into fauour as Saint Peter was after that hee had thrice denied Christ. Neuerthelesse they had rather suffer all the torments of the vvorld then for so short a time to want the Diuine fauour Of this euery where we haue many examples but amongst others of three vvomen one of the old Testament the mother of the seauen sonnes in the Machabees and two vnder the new Testament one of which is called Felicitas the other Symphorosa each of them in like manner the mother of seauen Sonnes All these three were present at the tortures and martyrdome of their sonnes and seeing them to be rent and torne and the flesh with the skinne to be pulld from the bones vntill theyr bowels and intrals gushed out they did not only not faynt beholding so sorrowfull a spectacle but they comforted their sonnes and encouraged them admonishing them to fight manfully for the fayth and obedience of God At length they also with theyr sonnes for the same cause most constantly yeelded vp their lifes But after these famous illustrious examples I will here set downe another which is rehearsed of S. Ierome in the life of Paule the first inhabiter of the Wildernes The Tyrant saith he commaunded another in the florish of his young yeeres to be brought into a most pleasant Garden and there amongst the white Lillies and the redde Roses where a bright Riuer made a delectable noyse the winde made a pleasant ruffling among the leaues of trees he commaunded a soft bed of Downe to be made and that he might not roule himselfe off from it he caused him to be left lying vpon it fettered with bonds of silke to whom when all the rest were departed came a very beautifull harlot who began to coll kisse him vse al daliance to ripen lust and that which is a shame to be spoken shee dallied vvith his priuities that his body beeing thus prouoked to lust shee might gette the maistry ouer him What this souldier of
man should more esteeme his riches then himselfe and rather make shipwrack of his soule then of his substance expose his body to the sword that his garment might not be rent Such an one whosoeuer he be seemeth to me not much to differ from Iudas who for a few pence sold iustice sold grace and sold his owne soule To conclude if it be certaine as we assuredly beleeue that thou in the houre of death if thou meanest to be saued art bound of necessity to make restitution what greater madnes can there be then when thou art bound to restore and repay that thou owest to persist and continue in sinne to the houre of death to goe to bed in sinne to rise in sinne to liue and receaue the communion in sinne and to lose all that he loseth who perseuereth in sinne rather then to restore forth-with vvhat perdition can be greater in the vniuersal world He seemeth to haue no iudgment who slenderly accounteth of so great a losse Labour therfore my brother that thou mayst speedily and fully restore that thou owest neyther hereafter offer iniury or loose to any man Beware in like manner that the wages of thine hireling do not sleepe with thee til the morrow Doe not cause him to come often vnto thee and to depart heauy and sad from thee before he receaue his stipend least he lose more time in receauing then in earning it which often-times cōmeth to passe through the iniury of euil pay-maisters If thou beest the executour of any mans wil and testament beware that thou deceauest not the soule of the deceased least it proue another day a burden and clogge to thy soule If thou hast a family and many accounts to cast vp endeuor that they may be cleare and absolute or at least whilst thou lyuest that they may be cleared least when thou dyest strife and contention fall amongst thy family All that thou canst doe for the finishing and perfecting of thine owne will and testament passe it not ouer to the trust of another for if thou shalt be negligent in thine owne busines what thinkest thou others wil be in other mens Reioyce if thou owest not any thing to another but charity for then thou shalt sleepe securely and thou shalt feele no prick of conscience thy life shall be peaceable and thy death in tranquility But that thou mayst more be stirred vp to all these things cast a bridle vpon thine appetites and desires least thou giue the raynes vnto thy will and so out-runne thine estate dispose of thy diet and charges according to thy substance measure thine expences not by thy will but by thine ability least thou be oppressed with the lone of other mens money The burden of lones is drawne vpon vs by our owne affections temperance alone is more worth then many thousand of yeerely reuenues Possesse those blessed and true riches of which Paule speaketh Godlines is great gaine If men would be content with that estate that God hath sent them neyther murmur against the Diuine ordinance they should alwayes liue in peace but when they will ouerpasse these bonds and limits it is necessary that they should lose much of their tranquillity and quiet For those things haue neuer a happy end which are taken in hand against the will of the Lord. Remedies against Luxurie CHAP. VI. LVxury is an ordinate desire of filthy and vnhonest pleasures This sinne is very generall and common and more violent then all the rest For of all the combats and battailes which Christians are to fight the combat of Chastity is most difficult for the wrastling is perpetuall and the victory rare as sayth Bernard Therefore when as this soule and obscene vice doth tempt thy minde and thy flesh beginneth to tickle and prouoke thee thou shalt meete these motions with the cogitations following First and formost consider with thy selfe that this vice doth not onely pollute and contaminate thy soule which the sonne of God hath washed and beautified with his owne blood but also it defileth thy body which is a member of Christ and the temple of the holy Ghost But if it be a great wickednes to pollute the materiall Church of GOD what an hainous offence will it be to prophane this temple which is the liuely habitation of the true God For euery sinne sayth the Apostle that a man dooth is without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne body that is by prophaning and coinquinating it with carnall lust and fleshly sinne Consider that this sinne cannot be done without the scandall and preiudice of many persons which concurre to the effecting of it which thing wonderfully afflicteth the conscience at the houre of death For if the Law of the Lord commaundeth that life is to be tendered for life an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth how can he giue a like recompence to God who hath destroyed so many Christian soules howe shall hee be able to make satisfaction for so many soules which Christ hath purchased vnto him by his precious blood See how many delights and pleasures this sinne hath in the beginning but the end is most bitter the entrance is easie but the issue and egresse most difficult Therefore the Wise-man sayth A whore is as a deepe ditch and a strange woman is as anarrow pit Ingresse to her is easie but egresse difficult For truely there is nothing found in which men are more easily taken then in the sweetnes of this sin which appeareth by the beginnings and entrance into it But when as hands haue strooken friendship and this league is confirmed and lust hath captiuated thy soule who shall be able to deliuer and free it Wherefore not without cause this sinne is sayd to be most like a fishers Wee le or bow-net which hath a large entrance into it but a narrovve getting out and therefore the fishes that once goe in cannot get out Hence it appeareth how great is the multitude of sins which ariseth from this one when as in all that time in which the way is prepared and the deede committed God is a thousand wayes offended by thoughts desires and workes Consider furthermore as a certaine learned Doctor sayth what a multitude of other mischiefes this deceitfull pestilence bringeth with it First it spoyleth thy good name which is the most precious thing that belongs to man neyther is there any sinne that pulleth more haynous infamy vpon thee then luxurie doth After that it weakeneth and enfeebleth the strength of man it taketh away the beauty it hurteth the sound constitution it bringeth infinite diseases which are both filthy and reprochfull it perisheth and blasteth the florish and blossome of thy youth neyther suffereth it to bud and increase it bringeth old age before the time it breaketh the force strength of thy wit it dulleth the subtiltie of thine vnderstanding and maketh a man like vnto a brute beast
of himselfe neyther did he trust to himselfe neyther to the long experience of his good life But if this be not sufficient for thee ad also the example of Dauid who although he was a most holy man and a man according to Gods owne hart yet when he beheld a woman he fell into three most greeuous sinnes into adultery scandall and murder Thy eares also must be carefully kept least they heare obscene vnhonest speaches which if thou at any time shalt heare let them displease thee for a man is easily brought to effect that in his deede which he with ioy heareth with his eares Refraine also thy tongue that thou speake not filthy and vncleane words for euill words corrupt good manners The tongue doth discouer the hart of a man and bewrayeth his affections for the tongue speaketh out of the aboundance of the hart Let thy hart be alwayes busied with holy thoughts thy body with godly exercises for deuils cast into an idle soule dangerous thoughts sayth Bernard with which it is occupied that although the offence be not in deede yet it is in thought In euery temptation and most of all in this set before thine eyes thy Angel who is thy keeper and the deuill thine accuser who are alwayes euery where with thee and see all thy works and present them before thy Iudge who seeth all things For this cogitation will worke that in thee that thou darest not preâ—ume to doe any filthy thing in their sight For how darest thou doe that which thou blushest to doe if a wretched man see thee doe it thy keeper thine accuser and thy Iudge looking vppon it Consider also that dreadfull tribunall strict iudgement and flame of eternall torments for euery punishment is ouercommed with a punishment more greeuous none otherwise then one naile is driuen out with another And by this meanes the heate of luxury may be extinguished by the thought of hel fire Furthermore take heede that as sildome as possibly it may be thou alone speake with a woman alone especially in thy suspected yeares For as Chrisostome sayth then the deuill more boldly insulteth ouer men and women when he espieth them alone and where many feareth not the reprehendour hee is the bolder and the tempter commeth the nearer beware therfore to conuerse with women when no witnes is by for solitarines inuiteth to all mischiefe Doe not rely vpon thy strength and vertue past albeit it be auntient and stable for we know how those olde men were inflamed with the loue of Susanna who alone was seene of them in the garden How great Bishops and excellent Clarks after great combats and victories sayth Augustine haue beene knowne to haue made shipwrack with them all when they would sayle in a slender and weake ship What strong Lyons hath this one delicate infirmity which is luxurie tamed which being vild and miserable yet maketh a pray of those that be great And in another place Beleeue me assuredly I speake by experience before the Lord I lye not I haue knowne the Cedars of Libanus the guides of the flocks to haue fallen by the pestilence of luxury whose falls I did no more suspect then I suspected the shamelesse rebuke of Ambrose and Ierome Fly therefore all suspected company of women for to see them doth hurt the hart to heare them doth inflame thy mind to touch them doth prouoke thy flesh to be briefe all that that is done with women is a snare to that man that is conuersant with them This is that which Gregory admonisheth vs of Let not them presume to dwell with women who haue consecrated their bodies to continency least they deuoure the bayte before they be aware for the presence of beauty doth sodainly entrap Fly therfore the familiarities visitations and gifts of vvomen for all these be as lime-twigs by which the harts of men are ensnared as a bellowes by which the fire of concupiscence is blowne when as otherwise perhaps the flame would faile and dye If thou wishest well to any honest and deuouâ— vvoman let it be done in thy minde without often visiting too familier conuersing with her For the chiefe of this busines consisteth especiallie in flying and auoyding occasions Remedies against Enuie CHAP. VII ENuie is a greefe taken at the good of another man and an irksomnes conceaued by another mans felicity I meane at one greater then himselfe whom he enuies because he cannot be equall vnto him and at his inferiour because he thinks that he would be equall vnto him and at his equall because his degree and state doth iumpe with his So King Saule enuied Dauid and the Pharises Christ who lay in wayte for their lifes for so cruell a beast is this enuy that it cannot abide nor any way brooke those men whom it enuieth This sinne is mortall and deadly and Diameter-wise is opposed vnto Charity euen as hatred is This sinne is one of the mightiest and most dangerous and which most spaciously dominereth throughout the whole world but especially in the Courts Pallaces and houses of Kings and Princes Although also it is no stranger in Vniuersities Colledges and conuents of religious men Who therefore may defend himselfe from this monster Who is so happy that runneth not into this vice eyther by falling into another mans enuy or by enuying another man himselfe For he that considereth of the enuy which was betweene those two brethren I doe not say the founders of the Citty of Rome but the sonnes of our first parents which was so great that one slew the other or of that which was betweene the brothers of Ioseph which forced them to sell Ioseph for a seruant and a slaue or that which was betweene the very Disciples of Christ before they had receaued the holy Ghost and aboue all the enuy with which Aaron and Miriam being both elected of the Lord burned against their brother Moses He I say that readeth these examples what thinkest thou that he will thinke of other men of this world amongst whom there is not so great kindred nor so much sanctitie Assuredly this vice is one of the mightiest and most powerfull which without controuersie at this day most largely swayeth empire throughout the whole world and more cruelly and tirannously ouerthroweth and wasteth kingdomes and dominions then the other vices For it is a proper effect of enuy to persecute the good and those that are famous and held in honour for their vertues and excellent gifts Against these the enuious doe direct their poysoned and venemous arrowes as to a white wherfore it is very well sayd of Salomon I beheld all trauaile of men and all perfection of works to suffer the enuy of man Therefore it is very requisite and necessary that thou shouldest very well arme thy selfe whereby thou mayst be able to resist so powerfull an enemy by daily desiring ayd and assistance of the Lord and by impugning this
pleasure which lurkâ—th vnder necessity craueth that tâ—ou wouldest satisfie and fulfill her desire and it so much the sooner deceauâ—th by how much it more couertly insinuateth it selfe vnder the câ—lour of honest necessity and hideth from thee her inordinary Therefore very especiall warines and wisedome is here to be vsed to bridle the appetite of pleasure and to subiect and subingate the sensuality vnder the rule of reason If therefore thou desirest that thy flesh should be a seruant and a subiect vnder the soueranity of thy soule looke that thy soule be subiect vnto God for it is requisite that thy soule be gouerned of God that it may in like manner rule ouer the flesh And by this admirable amiable order man shall be reformed that is that GOD may rule ouer his reason the reason may gouerne the soule and the soule the body and so man shall be wholy reformed But the body striueth and strugleth against the gouernment of the soule if the soule be not subiect vnder the rule of reason and if the reason be not conformable to the diuine will When thou art tempted of Gluttony thinke and consider that thou enioyest a very short delight which soone passeth away and that the pleasure of the taste is like a dreame of the night vanishing away and flying froÌ„ the eyes and consider that thys pleasure when it is past leaueth the soule heauy in the conscience but if that pleasure be conquered the soule reioyceth frolicketh and the conscience is quiet and ful of peace according to that most excellent and egregious sentence of that wise man If thou shalt do any honest thing with paines taking the paines passeth but the honestie remaineth if thou doost any filthy or vnhonest thing with pleasure taking the filthines and dishonestie remaineth but the pleasure passeth away Remedies against anger hatred and enmities which arise of anger and wrath CHAP. IX ANger is an inordinate desire to be reuenged of him whom we suppose to haue wronged vs. Against this pestilent vice the Apostle sheweth vnto vs an antidote saying Let all bitternes and anger and wrath crying and euill speaking bee put away from you with all maliciousnes Be ye curteous one to another and tender-harted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christes sake forgaue you Of thys sinne the Lord speaketh in Matthew But I say vnto you whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly shall bee culpable of iudgement And whosoeuer saith vnto his brother Râ—câ— shall be worthy to be punished by the Counsell And vvhosoeuer shall say foole shall be woorthy to bee punished with hell fire Therefore when this outragious vice doth solicite and disquiet thy minde repell it by these considerations following First consider that brute beastes doe liue peaceably vvith those that are of the same kinde Elephants accompany with Elephants in like maner Kine and Sheepe feed rogether in their heards and flocks Byrds of a feather flie together Cranes on the day time flie together and at night one plaieth the Sentinell for the other The same thing also doe Storkes Harts Delphins and many other creatures The concord and order of Ants and Bees is knowen vnto euery body And amongst wilde beastes there is a certaine peace and agreement The fiercenes of Lyons is not exercised against them of the same kinde the Boare is not spightfull and hurtfull to the Boare the Linx vvarreth not with the Linx nor the Dragon with the Dragon VVhat need we many words the wicked spirits themselues vvho are the authors of all our discord obserue the league between them selues and by common consent do exercise their tyrannie Onely men to whom curtesie and peace are very necessary most conducent nourish deadly discords and cruell variance These things are worthy of great consideration Neyther is it lesse to be considered of that nature hath giuen weapons to all liuing creatures to fight hoofes to horses horns to Bulls tusks to Boares a sting to Bees clawes and beakes to birds yea to Gnats and fleas nature hath giuen weapons to bite and sting by which they fetch out blood But thou ô man because thou art created to peace and concord are created vnarmed and naked that thou maist not haue any thing to hurt or offend another Therefore consider howe vnnaturall it is that thou shouldest reuenge and hurt him of whom thou art offended especially by seeking for weapons which are without thee which nature hath denied vnto thee Remember that anger and desire of reuenge is proper vnto wilde beasts of whose anger thus speaketh a certaine wise man O man why doost thou degenerate from the nobility of thine estate and condition by following the nature of Lyons Serpents and other fierce and cruell beasts Aelianus writeth of a certaine Lyon who beeing wounded in hunting with a launce more then a yeere after espied him a farre of that had wounded him passing that way in the company of the King of Iuba and many other men the Lyon forth-with knew him and rushing violently through the ranckes of the men they with all theyr forces resisting him he rested not till he came vnto him who had hurt him whom presently he rent and tare in peeces The same thing we haue seene done of a certaine Bull against them of whom he was smitten and hurt Wrathfull and angry men are the imitators of these fierce and cruell beasts who wheÌ„ they might mitigate theyr wrath by reason and discretion as it becommeth men they had rather follow their beastly force furie glorying in their ignobler part which is common vnto them with beasts when as they should vse diuine reason in vvhich they pertake with Angels If thou shalt say that it is an hard thing for thee to mitigate and asswage thine angry hart I answere that thou oughtest in like manner to consider that it was much more difficult that the sonne of GOD should suffer for the loue of thee What wast thou when hee shed his blood for thee wa st not thou his enemie Doost thou not see with what great clemency and gentlenes he suffereth thee sinning daily and with what great benignity and goodnes he receaueth thee turning vnto him Peraduenture thou wilt say that thine enemy is not woorthy to haue his fault forgiuen Tell me deseruest thou or art thou worthy that God should pardon thee Wouldest thou that God shold pardon thee and wilt thou vse extreamitie against thy neighbour If thine enemy be not worthy that hee should haue pardon yet thou art worthy to pardon him and Christ most worthy for whose loue thou oughtest to forgiue him Further obserue that all the time that thou burnest with hatred and rancour against thy neighbour thou art not worthy to offer any sacrifice to the Lord gratefull acceptable vnto him which our Sauiour intimateth when he saith If then thou bring thy gift to the altar there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee
be put into a ship they drowne it How small are the drops of raine and yet they fill raâ—ers and cast downe houses Therefore the ruine of multitude although not of magnitude is to be feared This sayth Augustine This is not onely true but also that which Saint Gregory sayth Sometimes we sinne worser in small things then in greater For the greater because sooner they are knowne and acknowledged are speedilier amended but the lesser whilst they are supposed and held as no faults are so much the worser by how much we more securely rest in them To be briefe although these sinnes seeme small yet they bring great hurt to the soule for they take away deuotion they trouble the peace of conscience they quench the heate of Charity they weaken the hart they take away the strength of the mind they corrupt the vigour of the spirituall life and lastly in their degree they resist the holy Ghost and hinder his worke in vs. Therfore we ought to eschew them with great endeuour for there is not an enemy so weake but being contemned may hurt But if thou wouldest know in what things these sinnes are committed I say in a little anger or gluttony or vaine glory in words in idle thoughts in laughing in trifling and toying beyond measure in passing the time without fruite or profit in sleeping beyond compasse in small lies in flattering about light matters and in such like things All these we ought to auoyde because they breake the peace and league betweene God and vs and dispoyle vs of those blessings and vertues that God bestoweth vpon vs. Of other shorter remedies against all kind of sinnes but most especially against the seauen capitall sinnes CHAP. XII THE considerations hetherto set downe are profitable for men that they may alwaies haue their minds well disposed and sufficiently armed against all kinde of sinnes But in the time of combat that is when any of those crimes doe tempt thine hart these briefe sentences may be profitable vnto thee gathered of a certaine religious man and left vnto vs in writing who thus defended himselfe when any sinne did assault him Against Pride he saied When I consider of the exceeding humility to which the most glorious sonne of God cast downe himselfe for me I confesse that no creature can doe me so great iniury that I doe not think my selfe worthy of greater Against Couetousnes hee sayd When I vnderstand that my soule cannot be satisfied with any other thing then vvith God alone I iudge it great folly to seeke for any thing besides him Against Luxury he sayd When I meditate of that excellent dignity which is bestowed vpon my body that it is made the temple of God it seemeth vnto me a great sacriledge to prophane the temple which is framed of him for himselfe which is done if I coinquinate and pollute it with the filth of carnall sinnes Against Anger he said No iniury done vnto me of men shall disturbe or vexe me if I remember mine owne iniuries by which I haue offended my God Against Hatred and Enuy he said After that I haue learned that God hath receaued into fauour so great a sinner as I am I cannot wish ill to any one I cannot deny pardon of an offence to any body Against Gluttony he said He that considereth of that most bitter gall and vineger which in the midst of his torments was giuen to the sonne of God in stead of his last refreshing whilst he suffered for the sinnes of others it will make him ashamed to liue delicately seeing he is bound to suffer something for his owne sinnes Lastly against Idlenes he said As often as I thinke that after these short labours I shall haue eternall glory I thinke that all troubles and vvearines is but small which any one suffereth for that euerlasting rest Certaine other kind of briefe remedies S. Augustine giueth against all kind of vices in which a certaine shew of temptation is set downe before and presently after the consideration is annexed by which the temptation is repelled Which remedies because they seeme profitable vnto me I will add them to the precedent Therefore Pride first beginneth and sayth Thou art better then many yea almost then all in tongue in knowledge in riches in honours and thou excellest all in temporall and spirituall gifts Therfore dispise all and account thy selfe superiour to all True humility aunswereth Remember that thou art dust and ashes that thou art corruption and a vvorme and if thou beest any thing vnlesse thou humble thy selfe as much as thou art great thou shalt lose all that thou art Art thou higher then the first Angell Art thou more glorious vpon the earth then Lucifer was in heauen But if he fell from so great height by pride how wilt thou ascend by pride from so low a degree to so great height seeing that thou art holden at that stay so long as thou liuest here Vaine-glory sayth Doe the good thou canst shew to euery body the good thou doost that thou mayst be called good of all that thou mayst be reported of men holy and venerable that thou mayst be named the chosen of God that no man may contemne thee that no man may despise thee but that all may yeeld thee the honour due vnto thee The feare of the Lord aunswereth If thou doost any good doe it not for transitory but for eternall honours Keepe secret that thou doost as much as thou canst But if thou canst not keepe it secret altogether haue an intent to keepe it secret and so thou shalt escape the blame of ostentation neyther shall it be faulty in thee sometimes to manifest that which thou wouldest haue alwayes kept in secrecie So thou shalt fulfill these two sentences of our Redeemer which seeme contrary to themselues in which it is sayd When thou doost thine almes let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth that thyne almes may be in secrete and thy Father which seeth in secret he will reward thee openly And Let them see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Counterfaiting of true Religion saith Because thou doost no good in secrete least thou beeing knowen of all be detested fayne to be that outwardly which inwardly thou desirest not to be True Religion answereth Yea rather endeuour to be that thou art not for to showe that to men that thou art not what other thing is it then damnation Therefore be mindfull of that which is said Woe be to you Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites for yee make cleane the out-side of the cup and of the platter but within they are full of bribery and excesse Thou blinde Pharisie clense first the inside of the cuppe and platter that the out-side of them may be cleane also Disobedience sayth Who art thou that obeyest worse then thy selfe and attendest vpon them that are vilder then thou art It is more meete that thou shouldest rule then
neyghbour the hart of a mother towards himselfe the hart and spirit of a Iudge These be the three parts of iustice or righteousnes in which the Prophet teacheth that all our good consisteth when hee sayth I will showe vnto thee ô man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to do iustly and to loue mercy and humbly to walke with thy God For of these three kindes of duties the first belongeth vnto vs namely to doe iustly the second to our neighbour to loue mercy the third to God which the words of the Prophet declare when he sayth humbly to walke with thy God Of these three kindes therefore in thys last part we will speake seeing that all our good is contayned in them Of the bond and dutie of man towards himselfe CHAP. XIIII SEeing that loue rightly ordered in man beginneth of himselfe we will begin thys matter from that member which the Prophet hath put in the first place that is To doe iustly Which pertayneth to the spirit and hart of the Iudge and this duty man oweth to himselfe It is the part of a good Iudge to haue his prouince well composed and ordered And because in man as in a little Common-wealth two principall parts are to be reformed that is the body with all his members and sences and the soule with all her affections and powers it is necessarie that these parts should be reformed and well ordered according to the rule of Vertue which we will declare in thys place And so a man shall repay and render that he oweth to himselfe ¶ Of the reforming of the body TO the reformation of the body first an orderly discipline of the exteriour man is required that that may be obserued which Saint Augustine requireth in his rule that is that there be nothing in thy gate in thy state or in thy sitting or in thy clothing that may offend any mans eyes but that all things be agreeable to thy profession Wherefore the seruant of GOD ought especially to be carefull that his conuersation amongst men be graue humble sweet and curteous that as many as do conuerse with him may alwaies be edified and may daylie be bettered through his good example The Apostle would haue vs to be a good sauour which may communicate participate hys sweet smell to euery thing that it partaketh with The hands which haue handled any fragrant and odoriferous thing participate of the smell so the wordes the deedes the iestures and the conuersation of the seruants of God ought to be such that what man soeuer vseth them familiarly may be edified and after a certaine manner be sanctified by their examples and conuersation Thys is the especiallest fruite which springeth of this modestie which is as a silent Preacher for not by the noyse of words but by the examples of vertues he inuiteth man to glorifie GOD and to embrace Vertue Wherefore also our Sauiour himselfe stirreth vs vp vnto thys when he sayth Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen To whom agreeth Esay when he sayth that the seruaunt of the Lord is like to beautifull vvood planted of God vvhich whosoeuer seeth will glorifie the Lord. We must heere obserue that a man ought not therefore to doe good workes that hee may be seene but as Saint Gregory sayth Good workes are so to be doone in publique that the intent may remaine in secret that by our good workes wee may giue an example to our neighbour and by our intent to please God onely we may alwaies wish that they may remaine secret The second fruite of thys composition and orderly disposition is that the exteriour man is the best keeper of the interior and notably preserueth deuotion for betweene eyther man there is a great confederacy and neere league that that vvhich is done of one is forthwith cōmunicated to the other and the course being altered that which this doth hee communicateth it to the other that if the spirit be wel disposed immediatly the body is well composed and contrarily if the body be ill ordered the spirit also putteth on the same habit So that one of thē is as it were the glasse of the other For euen as whatsoeuer thou doost that also the glasse opposed to thee doth imitate so also whatsoeuer eyther of these two men dooth forth-with one of them imitateth it and therefore the outward modesty and grauity much helpeth the inward and surely it is a matter of great wonder to finde a modest and a quiet spirit in an immodest vnquiet body Hence it is that Ecclesiasticus saith He that is too hastie in his gate shall offend Insinuating by this kinde of speaking that those to whom that grauitie is wanting which becommeth Christians doe often stumble and fall through many defects as they who lift vp theyr feete too lightly when they goe The thyrd fruite of this vertue is that by it a man preserueth that graue authority which is agreeable both to his person and place especially if hee be a man seated in dignity as holy Iob kept his as he testifieth of himselfe saying The light of my countenaunce did not fall to the earth And a little before When I went out to the gate euen to my iudgement seate and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete The young men saw mee and hidde themselues and the aged arose and stoode vp The Princes stayed talke and layd theyr hand on theyr mouth The voyce of Princes was hid and theyr tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth So great was their reuerence towards Iob. Which grauity that it might be free from all pride thys holy man had ioyned vnto it so great curtesie that hee sayth of himselfe that sitting in his throne as King his Princes and people standing about him he ceased not to be an eye to the blinde a foote to the lame and a father vnto the poore We must here note that as benignity and curtesie and the good carriage of the outward man is commendable so to affect company and societie too much too much to care for the furniture and accoustrements of the body too much to cherish make of the exteriour man is faulty and immoderate Wherefore Ecclesiasticus sayth A mans garment and his excessiue laughter and going declare what person he is Like to thys is that which Salomon sayd As the face of the lookers are beheld in the waters so the harts of men are manifested to the wise by exterior workes These be the commodities which this modestie bringeth with her and certainly they be very great Neyther is it a thing that should delight any man to loue too much the familiarity and company of men to be too familiar populer which many men doe that because they would not be taken for hypocrites they
laugh they vtter many vaine and idle wordes they show themselues dissolute and carelesse in all theyr conuersation and therefore they are depriued of all these commodities For as a learned man sayth No man ought to violate the lawes of abstinence for the feare of vaine-glory neyther is it meete that for the opinion of the world a man should leaue to be abstinent For euen as one vice is not to be restrained or repressed by another so no man ought to start backe from vertue for the censure of the world This is that which especially and generally pertayneth to the modesty of the exteriour man in all places and at all times But because this modesty is most chiefely required at feastes and banquets vvee vvill speake more largely of it in the Chapter following ¶ Of the vertue of Abstinence THat we may prosecute the matter begun of the reformation of the body I say that it is more meete and conuenient that the body should be handled with rigour and sharpnes then with daintines and delicacie For euen as a dead body is preserued by Mirrh which is bitter otherwise it would putrifie and breed wormes so also our flesh is corrupted through delicacies and effeminacy and bringeth forth vices which otherwise by austerity is kept in the duty of vertue Therefore in this place we will handle Abstinence which is one of the principall vertues which are necessary to the attainment of others It is very true that it is a most difficult thing to attaine it by reason of the rebellion of our corrupt nature against it Albeit therfore that we haue before sufficiently spoken of gluttony so that the condition and excellency of this vertue of abstinence may be vnderstood for he that knoweth one of the contraries knoweth also the other seeing that there is the same reason of contraries yet for the more manifestation of this doctrine I account it worth the labour to entreate peculierly of it teaching how this vertue may be gotten and how exercised Therefore beginning to speake of modesty which ought to be obserued at the table I say that Ecclesiasticus teacheth it after a singuler maner in these words Eate modestly that which is set before thee and deuoure not least thou be hated Leaue thou of first for nurtures sake and be be not insatiable least thou offend When thoù sittest among many reach not thine hand out first of all Certainly this rule is very well fitting a morrall life and is worthy of that wise man who would haue vs keepe this order The very same doctrine Saint Bernard teacheth The measure time quantity and quality of the meate saith he is to be obserued superfluities also are to be auoyded and artificiall and new fangled sauces The measure is to be obserued that he that eateth doe not poure forth his soule vpon euery dish The time not before the houre The quality such as our brethren eate if infirmity doth not will otherwise This is the rule of S. Bernard The rule vvhich Saint Gregory deliuereth in his Morrall bookes doth not differ much from this That saith he is Abstinence which preuenteth not the houre of eating as â—â—d Ionathas in his honey combe vvhich seeketh not to eate dainties as the Israelites in the Wildernes not deliciously prepared as the sonnes of Ely in Silo not to superfluity as the Sodomites not euery vild and base meate as Esau in his hunger cared not what it was so he had it Hetherto be the words of S. Gregory Another learned man more largely and copiously handleth this matter who teaching the modesty that ought to be obserued in eating saith Two things ought to be considered of in eating the meat and him that eateth it For he that eateth ought to keepe modesty in eating in silence in seeing and in framing the gesture of his body that he eate not greedily that he be not irksome and importunate through much babling that he rowle not his eyes to euery corner that all his members and parts be kept in good order For there are some who as soone as they are set doe forth-with show their greedines and the insatiable gurmandizing of their gluttony their immoderate minde and the vnseemely mouing of all their members They shake theyr heads pull their sleeues this way and that and lift vp and tosse their hands as if they would deuoure all the meate and through their vnusuall gestures they betray and bewray the insatiable voracity of their bellies They sitting in one place with theyr hands and eyes wander and reach throughout the whole table together they call for vvine breake bread and marshall this dish this way and that way and like vnto a Captaine or leader who is to besiege some Fort on euery side vieweth it so they sit musing and consulting with themselues of what meate they should begin that they may goe the currantlier through all All this inciuility he ought to auoyde that eateth and in eating he ought to see what he eateth and that with modesty lesse he passe the bonds and limits of honesty and ciuility and offend those that sit at meate with him And although at all times we ought to come to meate with this ciuility yet especially when hunger doth more prouoke vs and delicates doe stirre vp our appetites for then there are greater motiues of gluttony both in respect of the good disposition of the organ of tasting and in respect of the excellency of the obiect Then let a man diligently take heede least in this case his rauenous gullet perswade him that he is so hungry that he thinketh that he is able to deuoure both the meate and the trenchers Therfore a learned man very well calletâ— this rauening gluttony a deceitfull counterfait to the belly for when the belly is satisfied this stil crieth out that it wanteth that it hath not inough He calleth it also a seducer of the eyes receauing a little but in conceit prouoking to deuoure all At the first when a man beginneth to eate he supposeth that he is more hungry then he is in very deede and therefore he thinketh that he can deuoure all but a little after being satisfied with a smal pittance all this appetite is gone Against this euill when thou commest to the table remember the saying of a certaine Philosopher that two guests are to be refreshed of thee that is the body and the soule the body by receauing meate but the soule by taking it temperatly and soberly not for pleasure and satiety but according to the prescript rule of temperance for euen as the body is satisfied and filled with meate so the soule is refreshed with this sobriety and parsimony as with vertue No lesse remedy against gluttony is it if any one would weigh in equall ballance all the fruites of abstinence with the short pleasure of rauenous gurmandizing then he should manifestly see how vniust and how vnequall a thing it is to
thou lyuest not to feede thy belly but that thou must pray and forth-vvith read or studie or some other good worke is to be doone for which thou art vnfit if thou burdenest thy stomacke beyond measure Wherefore when thou commest to eate or drinke dâ— not respect how much thy mouth delighteth to eate but howe much is sufficient for thy life and to sustaine thy necessity We doe not say that thou shouldest kill thy selfe through fasting but that thou shouldest not pamper thine appetite fâ—rther then the vse of thy life requireth For thy body as the bodies of all other liuing creatures necessarily requireth nourishment that it faint not but thou must beware that through superfluity of nourishment thou surfet not Hence Bernard The body saith he is to be handled seuerely that it rebell not that it waxe not proude yet so that it may be of sufficient strength to serue because it is giuen to serue the spirit let thy flesh be restrained not consumed let it be pressed but not oppressed let it be humbled that it grow not insolent and let it serue and not rule Hetherto of the vertue of Abstinence ¶ Of the keeping of the Sences AFter that we haue chastened and reformed our bodies according to the rule deliuered it is necessary also that wee should reforme the sences of our bodies in which thing the seruants of God ought carefully to watch and to vse especiall heede and warines least theyr eyes which are as wide gates by which all vanities enter into vs which pierce euen to our soules and often are the windowes of our perdition by which death entreth least I say that they wander and stray abroade too licenciously But especially they that attend prayer ought warily to keepe this sence both that chastitie may be preserued and the hart being fixed may attend his deuoier Otherwise the images and shapes of things which enter into vs by this gate doe leaue many painted toyes and fansies behind them which hinder vs when we pray or meditate and they make vs scarcely think of any other thing then of that impression they haue left For this cause deuout religious men haue beene so carefull to moderate theyr sight that not only they haue not seene those things which might harme them but they haue auoyded costly buildings â—rtificiall pictures and precious and curious workes that they â—ight haue their imaginations pure and free at that tiâ—e when â—hey were to deale with God For thys exercise is such and so â—elicate that it is not onely hindered through sinnes but also â—â—rough the representation of those things which of themselues 〈◊〉 not euill The care and watch of the eares is no lesser then that of the 〈◊〉 for by these gates oftentimes those things enter into our soules which doe hinder and disturbe them destroy pollute them We must not haue our eares onely shut to hurtfull matters but also to the flying brutes rumors of this world which nothing concerne vs. For he that bewareth not of these things oâ—â—entimes when hee woulde gather his spirits together more firmely to meditate on God and heauenly things his hart is so troubled with the remembrance of things heard that they doe not suffer him rightly to meditate Of smelling I haue not much to say seeing that to carry about strange and outlandish smels and fumigations or to be delighted with them besides that it is the property of lasciuious sensuall men it is also infamous not onely for men but also for honest and chast women Of the tast also something were to be added but that wee haue already spoken of it in the precedent Section when we handled Abstinence Of the keeping of the tongue THE tongue is a copious theame to discourse of for as the Wiseman sayth Death and life are in the power of the tongue By which words it is manifest that all the good and ill of man consist in the good or ill keeping of this member Saint Iames the Apostle admonisheth vs of thys watch and guarde saying Behold we put bits into the horses mouthes that they should obey vs and we turne about all theyr body Behold also the shippes vvhich though they be so great and are driuen of fierce windes yet are they turned about with a very small rudder whither soeuer the Gouernour listeth Euen so the tongue is a little member and boasteth of great things beholde howe great a thing a little fire kindleth And the tongue is fire yea a world of wickednes so is our tongue sette amoâ—g our members that it defileth the whole body That we may gouerne and rule thys member well we must obserue foure things that is what is to be spoken the manner how it is to be spoken the time when it is to be spoken and the cause why it is to be spoken First therfore we will handle what is to be spoken that is the matter which wee would speake of Wherein that of Paule is to be obserued Let no corrupt comâ—â—nication proceed out of your mouthes but that which is good to 〈◊〉 vse of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers And 〈◊〉 another place showing more plainly what is corrupt communication he sayth But fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnesse let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Saints neyther filthines neyther foolish talking neither iesting vvhich are things not comely Euen as therefore Saylers are wont to haue all dangerous places noted and deciphered in theyr Mappes by which theyr shyppes might be endangered and hazarded that they may auoyde them So the seruant of God ought to haue all kinde of corrupt speeches noted and sette downe that he may not be endangered by them Neither oughtest thou to be lesse faythfull and silent in these which are commended vnto thee that thou shouldest conceale them then the Saylers doe who knowing of a dangerous Rock are very wary not to discouer it least they should be ieoparded vpon it In the manner of our speaking wee must be circumspect that we speake not too finely delicately too vnaduisedly too affectedly too curiously and with wordes too exquisite but with grauity leysurely and with gentlenes simple and plaine wordes Here he that speaketh is to be admonished that hee be not head-strong obstinate of theyr nuÌ„ber that would alwaies ouercome for by this oftentimes the peace of conscience is disturbed charitie patience our friends are offended It is the part of a generous and noble minde sometimes to giue place and in disputation to giue the victory to another It is the part of wise and discreet men to follow the counsaile of the VVise-man who sayth In many things be as one that is ignorant be as one that vnderstandeth and yet hold thy tongue If thou be among great men compare not thy selfe vnto them and when an Elder speaketh babble not much The thyrd thing which ought to
be obserued is the time that is that we speake in due time for as the Wise man saith A wise sentence loseth grace when it commeth out of a fooles mouth for he speaketh not in due season The last is the end and intent which we ought to haue when we speake For some speak good things that they may be counted Saints others that they may make boast of their eloquence and subtilty of wit the first is an hypocrite the other a vaine-glorious bragart and a foole Therefore he that speaketh ought to mark that not only his words are good but also that the end be good for which hee speaketh thē But then the end is good when the glory of GOD and the profit of our neighbour are onely sought Also we must respect who speaketh whether a young man amongst old men an idiote among wise men or a prophane man among those that be religious To be briefe when the wordes of the Speaker are not heard silence may be laudably kept All these things hee ought to obserue who speaketh least hee offend and because all men are not able to obserue all these therefore it is the safest remedy to take refuge in the Hauen of silence for by silence and sole cogitations a man may satisfie all these precepts Thys is that the Wise man sayth Euen a foole when he holdeth his peace is counted wise ¶ Of the mortification of the affections AFter that we haue thus ordered reformed the body with all the sences yet the greater part of busines stil remaineth that is the moderating of the soule with all her faculties and powers And first of all the sensuall appetite offereth it selfe which comprehendeth and containeth all the lustes and carnall motions as are loue hatred mirth mourning lust feare hope indignation and such like perturbations This appetite is the ignobler part of our soule which maketh vs like vnto beastes which are led in all things by their affections appetites Thys appetite maketh vs waxe brutish and mightily draweth vs to earthly things whilst it with-holdeth vs a farre of from heauenly things This is the vaine this is the fountaine of all euills and mischiefes that are in the world and the chiefest cause of our destruction Therefore Saint Bernard said Let thine owne will cease and giue place and there shall be no hell For against whō should that fire rage but against thine owne will For thyne owne will impugneth God and is lifted vp against him It is it that robbeth Paradice enricheth hell that maketh the blood of Christ of none effect and subdueth the world vnder the iurisdiction of the deuill For in thys part is the shop and Store-house of sinne for out of it sinne draweth strength and armor to wound more cruelly This is in vs another Eue which is the weaker part more inclined to the inferiour matters of our soule by which the old serpent inuadeth our Adam that is the superiour part of our soule in which the vnderstanding and the will is inuiting it to lift vp his eyes to the forbidden tree This is that part in which originall sinne doth especially show his strength and in which it hideth the greater aboundance of his poyson Heere are fights here are fallings here victories and here crownes Heere I say are fallings of the weake victories of the strong crownes of the Conquerers to be briefe here is the whole warfare exercise of vertue For in taming and restraining this cruell and fierce beast a great part of the exercise of morrall vertues consist This is the Vineyard in which we must continually labour and the Garden which we must without intermission till Here are sundry weedes and noysome plants which must be pulled vp that the young tender sprigs of Vertue may be grafted into their place It behooueth therefore the seruant of the Lord alwayes to walke in thys Garden with his weeding-knife in his hande with which he may cutte vp and eradicate the superfluous and pernicious plants which grow and spring vp among the good or that like a wise Leader a good Captaine marching among these affections he may restraine guide and direct them sometimes by enlarging sometimes by brideling and plucking in the raynes that they may not wander as they list but that they may be led and guided according to the prescript and lawe of reason Thys is an especiall exercise of the sonnes of God who are no more gouerned by the affections of flesh and blood but by the spirit of GOD. Thys is the difference between spirituall and carnall men for these are ruled by the lusts of the flesh like brute beastes the other are mooued by the spirit of God and by reason Thys is that mortification and laudable mirth which the Scripture doth often mention This is that mortification sepulture to which the Apostle inuiteth vs so often This is that Crosse and the denyall of our selues which the Gospell preacheth vnto vs. Thys is to doe iudgement and iustice which so often is repeated in the Psalmes and in the Prophets Heere all our strength is to be expressed hether our labours prayers and exercises must be intended It is here also necessary that euery one very well know and discerne his owne disposition and naturall inclination for in what part so euer he feeleth chiefely this inclination let him know that in that part he is most endangered And although we are continually to warre with all affections yet especially vve are to fight with the appetites of honours pleasures and riches For these be the three fountaines and vaines of all euils Let vs beware that we doe not couet or desire alwayes that our owne will may be done and our owne affections satisfied for this is a most dangerous vice most powerfull to cast a man out of his right vvits and to mad his mind Which vice is very common and familier to mighty and great men and to those that are accustomed to raigne and rule ouer others Wherfore it shall be very profitable for them to exercise themselues in matters contrary to their appetites and humours and to depriue their will yea of things lawfull that they may be more prompt and ready to temper and moderate themselues in things vnlawfull For this exercise is no whit lesse required that a man may as well be ready in spirituall armes as in carnall yea so much the more as the victory is greater and more difficult to conquer himselfe and the deuill then all other things We must also be exercised in humble and contemptible duties and offices and not aspire to dignities and honours for the world can giue nothing nor take away any thing from him vvho hath God for his inheritance and his treasure ¶ Of the reforming of the Will TO the attainment of this fore-sayd mortification the moderating and reforming of the superiour vvill which is the reasonable appetite is much auaileable
these may be entertained as friends and those expelled as enemies They that are negligent and remisse in this respect doe let oftentimes those things enter into their soules which doe not only take away the deuotion and feruour of the spirit but also charity and loue in which the life of the soule consisteth Whilst Isboseth the son of Saul slept on his bed his murdering seruants came in vpon him slew him and tooke away his head In like manner when as discretion lyeth slumbering whose duty it is to purge and seuer the fruite from the chaffe that is profitable and good cogitations from the bad and hurtfull those oftentimes enter into the soule which kill it and depriue it of life This diligence is not onely conducent for the preseruation of life but to keepe silence and it much furthereth prayer For an vnquiet and a troubled imagination doth not suffer a man to pray without variety of cogitations and vagaries of the sences but that which is quiet and reduced into order very easily perseuereth in prayer ¶ Of the reforming of the vnderstanding and of the duties of wisedome AFter that we haue entreated of all the fore-sayd parts powers of man it remayneth that we speake something of the excellentest and noblest of them which is the vnderstanding which amongst other vertues is to be adorned and beautified with the most rare and beautifull vertue of discretion and wisedome The duty and office of this vertue in a spirituall life hath great proportion with that which the eyes are in the body the Pilot in a ship the King in his kingdome and the Charret-man in his Charret who holding his whip in his right hand and the raines of the bridels in his left directeth and driueth his Horses whether he will Without this vertue the spirituall life is altogether blind disordered and full of confusion For this cause a certaine excellent writer doth place this vertue in the first place as the Captayne and guide of all others Wherefore all the louers of vertue before all things ought to cast their eyes hether and diligently behold this vertue that they may proceede with greater fruite in all others This vertue not onely hath one duty and office but many and those diuers for it is not only a perticuler vertue but a generall which concurreth with the exercises of all vertues conueniently and fitly reducing and bringing them into order According to this generall duty we will heere speake of certaine actions which belong vnto it First and formost it belongeth vnto wisedome fayth and charity being presupposed to direct all our actions to God as to the last end by examining subtilly and ingeniously the intent which we haue in working and acting that we may see if we simply and purely seeke God or rather our selues For the nature of our owne selfe-loue as a certaine famous Doctour sayth is very subtill and full of fetches and seeketh it selfe in euery thing yea in the noblest exercises It is also the dutie of Wisedome to know how to conuerse with thy neighbour without quarrell or complaint to helpe him and not to offend him and scandalize him It is needfull therfore wisely to discouer euery mans vaine that is euery mans condition and of what spirit he is and to leade conduct him by those meanes which are most profitable for him It is vvisedome to know how to beare patiently other mens defects and to dissemble them not to take knowledge of them and not to search theyr wounds to the bones remembring that all humane affayres are composed of act and potentiall power that is of perfection and imperfection neyther that it can bee otherwise but that alwayes there must be infinite imperfections and defects in mans life especially after that great and grieuous lapse of nature by sinne And therefore Aristotle sayth that it is not the part of a Wiseman in euery matter to seeke for like certainty and demonstration For some things may be demonstrated and some cannot the truth and certainty of one thing may be found out which of another thing cannot In like manner it is not the part of a wise man to looke that all the affayres of man should be peysed in a like ballance neyther that any thing should bee wanting for some things can carry this and somethings cannot He that stiflie vrgeth the contrary perhaps shall more hurt those meanes that he worketh by then he shall profit by the end hee intendeth albeit the thing take effect according to his minde It is wisedome if a man know himselfe and all things within him that is all his sences cogitations euill appetites and his sinister intents to be briefe his owne ignorance and his small vertues that his soule be not puffed vp with vaine glory to presume any thing of it selfe rashly and that he may better vnderstand with what enemies he is continually to warre vntill hee hath cast them all out of the land of Promise that is out of his soule It is also vvisedome to consider with what great diligence a man ought to prosecute and attend this worke It is wisedome to be able to gouerne the tongue according to the prescript of Gods law and the circumstances before remembred To know also what is to be spoken and what to bee concealed with their due times and seasons For as Salomon sayth There is a time to keepe silence and a time to speake For it is certaine that a wise man may with greater praise hold his peace then speake at the table at bankets and at such like places and oppertunities It is wisedome also not to beleeue euery body not forth-with to poure foorth all the spirit in the beginning heate of disputation neyther to speak rashly or giue iudgment on a suddaine what he thinketh of matters for Salomon sayth A foole vttereth all his minde at once but a wise man keepeth it in till afterward He that trusteth him whom he ought not to trust shall alwayes liue in danger and shall alwayes be his slaue whō he hath trusted and concredited himselfe vnto It is wisedome if a man hath learned to fore-see a farre of dangers comming to diminish blood in the time of health and to discerne warre a farre of That is to preuent and turne away the difficulty or strife that might growe of thys or that matter and to auoyde all euill by prayers or such like remedies Thys is the counsaile of Ecclesiasticus when he sayth Before the griefe be growen vse Phisicke Therfore when thou art to goe to bankets or to any solemnitie when thou art to haue busines vvith litigious or contentious men or with those of a peruerse disposition or if thou art to goe to any other place where perhaps thou mayst be endangered alwayes come aduisedly thether and prepared for all things which may happen It is wisedome to know how to handle the body with discretion and
shadow of goodnes Oftentimes vnder hoâ—ey there is gall and vnder flowers thornes are hid Remember â—hat Aristotle sayth Some lyes haue more apparency and semâ—ance of truth then truth it selfe It may also be that euill hath â—ore likelihood of goodness then goodnes it selfe And aboue 〈◊〉 things it is to be obserued that as to proceede with grauity is â—igne of wisedome so to goe forward with leuity and carelesâ—s is a token of folly For this cause in these sixe things thou â—ghtest to be very circumspect and prudent that is in beleeuing in yeelding in promising in determining in conuersing with men but especially in anger for often-times it hath been noted that men haue falne into very great dangers who in these haue beene light and carelesse For to beleeue easily springeth from the lenity of the hart to promise easily taketh away the liberty to yeeld easily begetteth occasion of repentance to determine easily is next to the danger of erring as it happened to Dauid in the cause of Mephiboseth to be easie in acquaintance and conuersation bringeth contempt lastly to be easily angry is a manifest token of foolishnes For it is written He that is patient hath much wisedome but he that is soone displeased exalteth foolishnes ¶ Of certaine meanes by which this vertue is gotten TO the attainment of this vertue amongst many other means the experience of errors past and the euent of things both of our owne and of others well brought to pâ—â—se is conducent and auaileable for from these many counsailes and rules of wisedome are for the most part taken and for this cause it is sayd that the memory of auntient things is a familier helper and a mistres of wisedome and that the present day is a Scholler of the former Wherfore Salomon sayth also The thing that hath beene commeth to passe againe and the thing that hath beene done shall be done againe For by the things past the present are iudged and by the present the things past But aboue all things profound and true humility of hart helpeth very much to the obtayning of this vertue as on the contrary side pride hindereth and destroyeth all Therefore it is written Where there is humility there is wisedome Besides this all the holy Scriptures doe proclaime that God is the teacher of the humble and a maister vnto the little ones who reuealeth his misteries vnto them Neuertheles our humility ought not to be such that it shoulâ— be subiected and ouer-ruled by euery ones opinion and be caried about with euery wind For this is not humility but instaâ—bility and debility of hart To this vice the vvise-man beinâ— willing to vse a remedy sayth Be not too humble in thy wisedâ—â— As if he should say A man ought to be constant in the 〈◊〉 things he professeth being founded on a iust and a catholiâ—â— foundation nor ought he to be easily remoued from his purpose as some weakelings are who suffer themselues to be seduced by euery opinion and to be tossed and turned euery way The last thing which is most profitable for the attayning of this vertue is humble and deuout Prayer For seeing that it is an especiall duty of the holy Ghost to illuminate mans vnderstanding with the gift of Science wisedome counsaile and vnderstanding with how much more humility deuotion man commeth to the holy Ghost bringing the hart of a Disciple and a little one so much more perfectly is he instructed and honored with these heauenly gifts Matter is not wanting vnto vs to discourse of this vertue more copiously for seeing that it is the guide conducter of al other vertues it is necessary that being the leader it should not be blind least the whole body of vertues should be darke and without eyes yet seeing that we endeuour to be briefe we will be no more prolixe And because all those things hetherto spoken pertaine to the reformation of ones selfe and to the composition and well ordering of his body and soule which is the first part of the iustice and righteousnes which before we haue set downe it remayneth that now we speake of the second part which teacheth what man oweth to his neighbour Of that which man oweth vnto his neighbour CHAP. XV. THE second part of iustice is that a man render to his neighbour that he oweth him That is that he exercise towards him loue and mercy according to the commaundement of God How necessary this part is and how often commaunded in the holy Scripture which is the rule and line according to which our life is to be squared no man will easily beleeue except he hath beene conuersant in it Reade the Prophets Gospels and Epistles thou shalt haue it so obuious and so many times commended vnto vs that thou canst not but exceedingly meruaile In Esay God teacheth most excâ—llently how our neighbour is to be handled when the Iewes complayning said Lord wherefore fast we and thou seest it not wee put our liues tâ— straightnesse thou regardest it not The Lord answereth Behold when you fast your lust remaineth still for yee doe no lesse violence to your debters loe ye fast to strife and debate and to smite with your fist without mercy nowe yee shall not fast thus that your voyce might be heard aboue Thinke yee this fast pleaseth me that a man should chasten himselfe for a day and to hang downe his head like a Bulrush and to lye vpon the earth in an hairie-cloth Should that be called fasting or a day that pleaseth the Lord Doth not this fasting rather please me That thou lose the wicked bands that thou take of the ouer-heauy burdens that thou let the oppressed goe free and breake all manner of yoke To deale thy bread to the hungry and to bring the poore wandring home into thy house When thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thine own flesh Then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thy health florish right shortly righteousnes shall goe before thee and the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee He prosecuteth this matter to the end of the chapter Thou seest therefore my brother in what thing God hath placed a great part of true iustice and righteousnes and howe religiously he would haue vs to be charitable and mercifull to our bretheren and neighbours What shall I 〈◊〉 of the Apostle Paule in whose Epistles nothing is so frequent and vsuall as this commaundement With what great praise setteth he foorth Charitie how doth he exemplifie and extoll it how gallantly dooth he depaint the excellencie of it how preferreth he it before all other vertues calling it the most excellent way to come vnto the Lord Not content with thys in one place he calleth it The bond of perfection In another place he sayth That Charitie is the end of all the commaundements of God And againe in another place He that loueth
especially the Psalmes and the Prophets in which nothing is so vsuall and common as hope in God and assurednes of the Diuine ayde and assistance which remayneth for them that trust in him The fourth vertue is the zeale of Gods honour that is if all our cogitations be to this end that the honour of the Diuine maiesty may be encreased and be preferred sanctified and glorified before all other things and that his will may be done in earth as it is in heauen and that we haue this minde in vs that no greater griefe can happen vnto vs then to see the Diuine honour impugned or abused Such a will was in the harts of those Saints in whose name it is sayd The zeale of thine house hath 〈◊〉 eâ—teâ— me For their harts were so afflicted for this cause and so great griefe of mind did feede vpon their bodies that euident tokens of it were seene in them If we did burne with the like zeale forth-with we should be marked in our foreheads with that glorious signe of Ezechiell and wee should liue free from all punishment and scourge of the Diuine iustice The fift vertue is the purity of the intent to which pertayneth that in our actions we seeke not our selues or our owne commodity but the glory good pleasure of our Lord God certainly perswading our selues that as they that play at the game called He that winneth looseth by loosing they winne and by winning they loose so also we by how much more we traffique negotiate with God without purpose of our owne profit by so much we make the greater gaynes and contrarily Therefore in this poynt we must diligently aduice our selues and examine all our actions with an vpright and an impartiall iudgement as men iealous that our mind doth respect no other thing in working but God himselfe for the property of naturall selfe-loue is very subtill as we sayd before seeketh it selfe in all things Many are rich in good works which if they were tried by the touch of the Diuine iustice would be found without this purity of intendment which is that Euangelicall eye which when it is cleare and simple it maketh the whole body cleare but if it be wicked it maketh the body full of darknes Many men in great places and dignities placed as well in the common-wealth as in the Church seeing vertue laudable and beautifull in her functions haue endeuoured themselues so to walke in her trackt that they haue been reputed for good men and haue purged their hands from all filthy luker aud vncleannes which might by any meanes haue polluted their honours Yet they haue done it for this respect that they might not fall from that authority they were placed in and that they might be fauoured of theyr Princes and graced with great dignities and honours And therfore theyr good works proceeded not from the liuely sparke of loue or from the feare of God neyther had they his obedience and glory theyr purposed end but sought for their owne commodity and the glory of man But what soeuer is doone after thys manner although it seeme somwhat in mans eyes yet in Gods sight it is as smoake and a shadow of righteousnes not true righteousnes For before God workes are not acceptable commended onely by the strength and grace of morrall vertues neyther doe corporall actions and businesses please him no not if a man should sacrifice his owne sonne but onely that spirit of loue sent from heauen all that which groweth on this roote is acceptable in the Diuine sight In the Temple there was not any thing which eyther was not gold or that was not couered with pure gold so it is not lawfull that any thing should be in the liuely Temple of our soule which is not eyther charitie or ouer-guilded deaurated with charity Therefore the seruant of God should not so much respect that he doth as the end which he intendeth and destineth it for For workes very base and of low account beeing doone for an excellent intent become most â—â—ellent and contrarily For God doth not so regard the body of the worke as the soule of the intention which proceedeth of charity Thys is to imitate after a certaine manner the most noble and most gracious loue of the sonne of God who commaundeth in his Gospell that we should loue after the same manner as he before loued that is of pure good will and not for the cause of any profit And seeing that among the circuÌ„stances of charitie which is in God this is most admirable he shall be the happiest who in all the works that he doth endeuoureth to imitate this Hee that doth thus let him assuredly beleeue that he is entirely beloued of God as beeing very like vnto him in the perfection of beautie and puritie of intent for similitude and likenes is wont to get and winne loue Wherfore let man turne his eyes from all humane respects when he dooth good and let him haue them fixed vpon God neyther let him suffer that those workes which are in so great reckoning and price with God serue humane regards If a noble and a beautifull woman worthy of a Kings bed should be married to a foule Collyer it would mooue all to compassion that beheld her after the same manner and much more effectually shall he be mooued that seeth vertues woorthy of God and diuine reward to be made vassals to compasse the drosse dung of thys world But because this purenesse of intent is not so easily obtained let man desire it instantly of God in all hys prayers especially in that part of prayer which the Lord himselfe taught his Apostles where it is said Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen That as all the heauenly Armies doe the vvill of GOD with a most pure intent onely that they may please him so also let man as much as lyes in him heere in earth imitate that heauenly custome and stile not because besides that that we please God we may not come to his kingdome but because workes are so much the more perfect as they are voyder and nakeder of all priuate and selfe commoditie The sixt Vertue is Prayer by meanes of which we ought to haue recourse to our Father in the time of tribulation as chyldren haue who when they are feared or daunted foorth-vvith runne to the bosome and lappe of their Father We haue neede of this prayer that 〈◊〉 â—ay haue our Father in continuall remembrance and standing in his sight wee may often conuerse and haue conference with him For all these things are annexed to the bond and duty of a good sonne towards his Father But because the vse and necessity of this vertue is knowne to euery body seeing we labour to be briefe in this place we will speake no further of it The seauenth Vertue is giuing of thanks to which belongeth to haue alwaies
theyr deepe pouertie aâ—ounded into the riches of theyr liberality Thys is one of the chiefest degrees of patience charitie and perfection to which an humane creature may ascend but fewe ascend so high and therefore the Lord hath commaunded it vnto none But these are not so to be vnderstood as though wee ought to reioyce at the death calamities and tribulations of our neighbours parents and kinsfolkes much lesse of the Church for the same charity which requireth ioy of vs in the one requireth sorrow and compassion in the other seeing the nature of it is to reioyce with them that reioyce and to weepe with them that weepe which thing we see to haue been done of the Prophets who dyd weepe all theyr liues long because they did see the calamities and scourges of theyr fellow Cittizens Whosoeuer therefore hath these nine conditions or vertues shall haue a sonnes hart towards GOD and hath already fulfilled perfectly this part of iustice and righteousnes which rendereth to euery one yea to God that which is due vnto hym Of the bond and dutie of diuers estates CHAP. XVII AFter that we haue largely enough handled vvhat generally appertaineth to all men now it is time that we speake particularly of seuerall and particuler estates of men But because this tractate would prooue to prolixe long therefore I say briefely besides those things that haue been spoken that euery one must haue an eye and a diligent respect vnto those Lawes ordinances and customes that are prescribed and directed for his estate and condition which are many and diuers according to the diuersitie of estates in the Church Common-wâ—â—lth in which some are Rulers and Ouerseers and some subiects some Clergie some Layetie some maisters of families c. Euery one of which haue theyr peculiar lawes and constitutions Of the Ruler and Ouerseer the Apostle sayth Watch thou in all things lobour fulfill thy ministerie And Salomon admonisheth My soâ—â—e if thou be surety for thy neighbour and hast fastened thy â—â—â—d for another man Thou art bound with thine owne words and taken with thine owne speech Therefore my sonne doe thus and thou â—â—â—â—t be discharged When thou art come into thy neighbors danger goe thy wayes then soâ—ne humble thy selfe and with thy friendes intreate thy Creditour Let not thine eyes sleepe nor thine eye-lids slumber Sâ—ue thy selfe as a Doe from the hand of the Hunter and as a bird from the hand of the Fouler Neyther oughtest thou to wonder that the Wiseman doth admonish thee to be so carefull in this case For men are wont to be carefull in keeping of theyr things for two causes eyther because they are of great price or because they are in great danger and ieopardy Both of these doe concurre in the charge of soules neyther can the price of any thing be greater nor the danger more Therefore it is requisite and meete that a Ruler and an Ouerseer should be very carefull and circumspect It behooueth a subiect that hee haue his eyes on his Ruler and Ouerseer and that he reuerence him not as a man but as GOD and that he do that he coÌ„maundeth him with as great alacritie and cheerefulnes of minde and with as great deuotion as if God himselfe had commaunded it For if my Lord commaund me to obey the Steward of his house when I obey the Steward whom doe I obey but my Lord so also if God commaund me to obey my Ruler and Ouerseer when I doe that he commaundeth me I doe my obedience vnto God If S. Paule commandeth seruants to obey theyr maisters not as men but as Christ howe much more ought subiects to obey their Rulers and Ouerseers to whom they are bound by the bond of obedience In this Obedience three degrees are set down the first is to obey onely in worke the second to obey in worke and vvill the third to obey in worke will and vnderstanding For some doe that they are commaunded but because the commaundement seemeth not vnto them iust and right they doe it not willingly Others doe it willingly but they thinke that he that commaunded it did not well vnderstand what he commanded To be briefe there be others who haue wholy and altogether dedicated their vnderstanding to the diuine worship and do obey theyr Ruler and Ouerseer as God in worke will and vnderstanding And doing this in worke will and vnderstanding they humbly approue all that is commaunded them without carrying any preiudice of them of whom they are to be censured and iudged Wherefore my brother learne with all humilitie affectionately to obey thy Ruler and Ouerseer being mindfull of that is written He that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee Doe not murmure nor speak ill of them least thou heare Your murmuring is not against vs but against the Lord. Doe not basely or vildly esteeme of them least the Lord say vnto thee They haue not cast away thee but me that I should not rule ouer them Doe not lie vnto them or deceaue them least it be said vnto thee Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto GOD. Least for thine offence thou perrish by suddaine death because thou didst dare to lye as they who perrished after the same manner Let â—married wife giue her diligence to rule her house and please her husband and when she hath satisfied her dutie and done that belongs vnto her office as much as she can let her attend vpon religion yet so that she passe not the limits of her estate and condition Let a Maister of a family to whom God hath granted children sette before his eyes as a glasse the fearefull example of Ely who was negligent in correcting and chastening his chyldren whose punishment was not onely the suddaine and vnthought of death of himselfe and his sonnes but also the perpetuall depriuation and losse of the hie Priesthood of which for that offence he was depriued Let him marke and consider that the sinnes of the chyldren are after a certaine manner the sinnes also of the parents and the destruction of the child to be in like manner the destruction of the parent of whom he was begotte and bred For he is vtterly vnworthy the name of a Father that begetteth chyldren not for heauen but for this world Therefore let him chastice his children withdraw them from ill company commend and commit them to religious Maisters and Tutors and let it be his onely care that they may be taught and instructed in the way of vertue and from theyr cradles after the example of Tobias let him teach theÌ„ the feare of the Lord. Let him often crosse them of their owne wils and they that in the birth of theyr children haue been Fathers of theyr bodyes now they are borne let them be fathers of theyr soules For it is not enough that parents should be as byrds and other brute beastes who after that they haue brought
religion with an vniust man of iustice and with a woman of those shee is iealous of with a fearefull man of warre with an enuious man of thanks-giuing with a wicked man of godlines and with an vnhonest man of honesty c. Seeing therfore that there are two kindes of men certaine of which doe more apply themselues to inward vertues neuer caring for the outward nor much esteeming them others so loue the outward and are so studious of them that they neglect the inward therefore these are to be perswaded vnto them and the other vnto others that by this meanes their humors may be reduced to a due proportion For which cause wee also haue so tempered our stile that wee haue seated euery one in his due place by extolling the greater without preiudice of the lesser and by depressing the lesser that they may not preiudice the greater that by this meanes wee may be altogether secure and safe from those two most dangerous Rockes being by great industry taught and warned how we may eschew them one of these is so much to esteeme internall exercises that we neglect externall the other is so to account of externall that we omit the internall especiall the feare of the Lord and hatred of sin Therefore the summe of thys whole busines is to haue deepe rooting in the feare of the Lord so that we feare at the onely name of sinne He that hath this firme and stedfast roote fixed in his soule he may be called happy and vpon this foundation he may builde what he will But he that is easily induced to coÌ„mit sinne let him assuredly knowe that hee is most miserable blinde and most vnhappy although he hath all the colourable paintings of sanctitie that are in the world The second admonition wherin is handled the diuersity of estates and sundry manners of liuings in the Church CHAP. XX. THys second admonition teacheth that one should not iudge another in the manner of his liuing For we must know that seeing there are many vertues which are required that a man may liue christianly some are giuen to this man others to that which direct a man to God and bring him vnto him the greater part of which pertaine to a contemplatiue life by some a man is taught his duty to his neighbour which pertaine to an actiue life and some there are which respect a mans selfe which especially belong vnto a priuate life Furthermore seeing that all vertues are as certaine meanes by which the grace of the holy Ghost is obtayned some endeuour to obtayne it by this meanes others by that Some seeke for the dewe of grace and a blessing to be poured vpon their soules by fasting discipline and austerenes of life some by almes and the workes of mercy others by prayers and continuall meditations in which last meane there is as great variety as there are prayers and meditations For this forme and manner of prayer and meditation liketh this man and that another and as there are many things to meditate on so are there sundry kinds of meditations amongst which that is the best whatsoeuer it be in which a man findeth greater deuotion and more profit But we must obserue here that oftentimes it commeth to passe that an errour meeteth with the louers of vertue for there are some when they haue found some profit by this or that meane and by the benefit of it haue somwhat profited in the way of the Lord forthwith they perswade themselues that there is no other meanes to serue God and please him besides that which they vse and in which they are conuersant they would haue all men to follow that and they think that they that enter not into this way and walke not in this path shall not come vnto life They that deuote themselues wholy vnto Prayer think that prayer is the onely way to saluation they that wholy apply themselues vnto fasting thinke that all things besides fasting are in vaine they that bestow themselues vpon the contemplatiue life thinke that they that are not contemplatiue are in very great danger and they are so in loue with this their opinion that they reiect the actiue life as altogether vnprofitable Contrarily they that giue themselues to an actiue life because they neuer tried what sweetnes passeth betweene God and the soule in holy contemplation meditation and seeing the manifest and visible profit that redoundeth of an actiue life they so extenuate the contemplatiue life that scarce they allow of a pure contemplatiue vnlesse it haue some of the actiue ioyned and mingled with it but they so iudge of it as if it were in euery ones power to be right excellent in that kind In like manner they that haue wholy deuoted consecrated themselues vnto prayer they thinke that euery ones prayers besides theirs are vnfruitfull and he that bestoweth his paynes vpon vocall lip prayer saith that it is more laborious then the other and therefore of greater acceptance After this manner euery Merchant as it is in the Prouerb prayseth his owne wares and so by a close and secret manner of pride not knowing what he doth prayseth himselfe extolling that he himselfe doth because in it he feeleth greater commodity Therfore it happeneth in vertues as in sciences euery one of which is coÌ„mended to the skies of him that excelleth in it of whom also in like maner all other are contemned as vnprofitable The Orator sayth that in the world there is not any thing more noble then eloquence The Astrologer affirmeth that Astrologie carieth the bell from all other Arts because it is conuersant about the heauens and the starres The same the Philosopher sayth of Philosophy The Schoole Diuine not knowing to keepe a meane condemneth all other sciences and placeth his throne aboue them all Neyther are likely reasons wanting to any of them to proue their sciences and faculties to be better more profitable more necessary then other Therfore that which is openly and notoriously knowne in sciences is found also in vertues but somwhat more obscurely For euery one that desireth vertue in one respect coueteth to choose that which is the best and in another respect which is more agreeable to his nature and therfore he supposeth that to be conducent to all which is conuenient for him and that the shooes that fit his feete are fit for all other Hence arise rash iudgements of other mens lifes hence spring contentions and spirituall schismes among brethren for one embraceth what another condemneth while all doe not follow one way In this errour liued the Corinthians who when they had receaued of God many sundry gifts euery one iudged his owne more excellent then the rest and therefore one would be preferred before another for some said that the grace of tongues was nobler then the rest others the gift of Prophecie some sâ—â—d the interpretation of the Scriptures was to be preferred others affirmed the gift of
constancie But what shall I speake of the arts and inuentions vvhich that ingenious and witty cruelty I say not of men but of deuils hath deuised to ouer-throw and confound with corporall tortures fayth courage fortitude Some of them after they were most cruelly martyred and theyr flesh all to be-torne and rent were cast vpon a floare all sette with goades and prickes that theyr bodies all at once might be goared and 〈◊〉 with a thousand woundes and that they might feele a generall greefe throughout all theyr members that theyr intollerable payne might striue for victory with their faith Others beeing condemned were commaunded to walke vpon hote burning coales with their naked feete Others beeing tyed to the tayles of horses were drawne ouer thornes and bryers and rough places Others were condemned to wheeles stucke all round about with sharpe kniues that theyr bodies being put vppon them whilst they turned about might be cutte small peeces Others were stretched vpon Racks and their bodyes beeing harrowed and furrowed from top to toe with yron crookes and peircers did openly show their naked bowels the flesh being puld of and their ribs lying bare What shall I say more seeing that the barbarous and more then beastly cruelty of Tyrants not being contented with these torments hath found out a certaine new kind of cruelty With certaine instruments they so brought together two high sturdie trees that their tops touched one the other to one of these tops they bound the right foote of the Martyr to the other the left Then losing the Trees to their old scope they carried the body with them and violently tare it in peeces and each tree carryed with it his part into the ayre In Nicomedia among other innumerable Martyrs one was beaten so long till his white ribbs appeared through his bloody wounds for the scourges and whippings had peece-meale puld away the flesh then they washed his whole body with most strong vinegar after vinegar stuffed all his wounds ful of salt The Tyrants not yet satisfied with these dire discruciatements and extreame tortures when they saw that the Martyr yet breathed they cast his halfe dead body vpon a gridyron vnder which they made a fierce scorching fire haling the gridyron this way and that with their yron hookes vntil the body being fully rosted the sanctified pure-purged soule passed to the Lord. And thus those most barbarous inhumane butcherly murtherers inuented tortures more cruel thē death which notwithstanding was wont to be termed the terriblest of all dreadful things For they sought not so much to kill as to slay with vnheard of torments without any deadly wound by a lingering death and with intollerable greatnesse of dolours and sorrowes Surely these Martyrs had not bodies vnlike to ours or which were of another substance their flesh was as our flesh and theyr complexion was the same with ours neyther had they another God for theyr helper besides our God neyther did looke for another glory then that wee looke for Proceede therefore if they haue obtayned eternall life by so violent death why should we feare for the same cause at the least to mortifie the euill concupiscences of our flesh If they died through hunger wilt not thou fast one day If they with their mangled bodies perseuered in prayer why wilt not thou being sound and in health with bended knees continue a little in prayer If they were so patient that without resisting or contradiction they suffered their members to be maymed and detruncate and theyr flesh to be torne in peeces why wilt not thou abide that thine appetites and thine vnruly affections should be circumcised and mortified If they many yeares and many moneths sat imprisoned in darke dungeons why wilt not thou a little be contayned and shut vp in thy chamber If they haue not refused to haue their shoulders furrowed and mangled with whips and scourges why wilt not thou chastice thine If these examples doe not suffice thee lift vp thine eyes to the Crosse of Christ and behold who is he that hanging vppon it suffered so great and so cruell things for the loue of thee The Apostle sayth Consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners least yee should be wearied and faint in your minds This is a fearefull and a dreadfull example what way so euer thou shalt consider of it For if thou lookest vppon the torments there can be no greater If thou respectest the person who suffereth a more excellent cannot be giuen If thou examinest the cause for which he suffereth not for his owne offence for he is innocency it selfe neyther suffereth he of compulsion for he is the Creatour and Lord of all creatures but of his mere goodnes and free loue Yet for all this he suffered so great torments not only in his body but also in his soule that the torments of all Martyrs of all men that euer haue been in the world are not to be compared with these This was such a spectacle that the heauens were astonished the earth trembled rocks claue in sunder and all the insencible creatures felt the indignity of the thing How therefore commeth it to passe that man should be so insencible blockish that he should not feele that which the brute elements haue felt with what face can he be so ingratefull that he should not study somewhat to imitate him who hath done and suffered so great things that he might leaue vs an example For euen so as the Lord himselfe affirmeth Christ ought to haue suffered and so to enter into his glory For seeing that he came into the world that he might teach that heauen is not to be cōpassed by any other way then by the Crosse it was necessary that the Lord himselfe should first be crucified that a courage might be put into his Souldiers seeing their Captaine to be so cruelly and inhumanely handled and intreated Who then will be so ingratefull wicked proud and impudent who seeing the Lord of Maiesty with all his friends and chosen ones to walke such difficult wayes and yet he himselfe will be caried in an Horse-litter and on a bed of Downe led his life in deliciousnes King Dauid commaunded Vrias whom he had called from warre to goe into his owne house to sup sleepe with his wife but the good seruant answered The Arke and Israell and Iuda dwell in tents and my Lord Ioab and the seruants of my Lord abide in the open fields shall I then goe into mine house to eate and drink and lye with my wife by thy life by the life of thy soule I will not doe this thing O good and faithfull seruant who by so much is worthier of prayse by how much he is vnworthier of death And thou ô Christian seeing thy Lord lying vpon an hard Crosse hast thou no respect of him neyther doost thou yeeld honour reuerence vnto him The Arke of God made of incorruptible Ceder wood
man page 55 What mischiefe sinnes worke to the soule ibidem The beauty of a iustified soule page 56 By iustification God dwelleth in vs page 57 Iustification doth make vs the liuely members of Christ ibidem Confidence in prayer page 58 Christ is honoured when a righteous man is honoured ibid. By iustification eternall life is giuen ibidem Iustification is of greater value then creation 59 How to know whether we be iustified or not ibidem Of many effects which the holy Ghost worketh in a iustified soule 60 Graces wayting vpon the holy Ghost ibidem After what manner the holy Ghost sitteth in the soule of a righteous man and what he doth there ibidem The holy Ghost is fire a doue a cloud a wind ibidem page 61. The sixt Chapter The sixt Title That the inestimable benefit of the Diuine predestination doth bind vs vnto Vertue page 63. The matters handled in this Chapter Election is the foundation of all benefits page 64. Perseuerance in goodnes is a signe of election ibidem The circumstances in election are to be considered page 65. An Apostrophe to a begger but elected page 67. The seauenth Chapter The seauenth Title That man is bound to follow and embrace Vertue by reason of the first of those foure last things which happen vnto him which is death page 69. The matters handled in this Chapter A rehearsal of the foure last things that happen vnto man to wit Death Iudgement Heauen and Hell Ibidem A terrible and fearefull history out of Climacus 70 Death certaine but the houre of death vncertaine 71 Th◠danger in which he that dieth is 74 Feare the mightiest perturbation of the mind 75 The Sunne goeth downe at noone to the wicked ibidem The things that before seemed pleasant in death are bitter ibidem The accout that shall be required of vs. 76. The history of Arsenius out of the life 's of the Fathers 77 The history of Agathon out of the same booke ibidem A fearefull example of one Stephanus that led a solitary life out of Climacus ibidem Why the Saints doe feare in death 79. Nothing is of force in the houre of death 80 The lamentation of a sinner at the houre of death page 81 The eight Chapter The eyght Title That man is bound to desire Vertue by reason of that second last thing that happeneth vnto him which is the last iudgement page 82 The matters handled in this Chapter The shame of sinners in the last iudgement page 84 How fearefull the sentence of the Iudge is ibidem The paines of the damned 85 The blasphemies of the damned ibidem For what sinnes men are damned 88 Certaine excellent comparisons that agrauate the paines of the damned and the terrour of the last iudgement page 90 Repentance too late ibidem Our accusers in the last iudgement ibidem The ninth Chapter The ninth Title That man is bound to the exercise of Vertue by reason of the third last thing that happeneth vnto him which is the glory of heauen page 91 The matters handled in this Chapter What things are handled in this Chapter to wit the reward of the vertuous which is the glory of heauen in which two things are to be looked vnto the beauty of the place and the dignity of the King ibidem The beauty of heauen is gathered by coniectures ibidem The first coniecture is from the end why heauen was made 92 The second coniecture that it was not onely made for Gods honour but also for the honour of his elect page 93. The thyrd coniecture the price by which it was purchased by the death of God page 95 The fourth coniecture the situation and height of the place 97 The fift coniecture the proportion of the three kinde of places 98. The sixt coniecture the inhabitants dwelling in heauen 99 The power of the Lord. page 92 Reasons why Heauen should be absolute and perfect 93 All things obey the righteous euen in this world ibid. Christ gaue more to his Saints then he vsed himselfe page 94 The price that must be giuen for the celestiall glory 95 The quantitie and quality of the glory of heauen is argued by the greatnes of the place page 97 The beauty of the earth ibidem Three kind of places appointed to men of God 98 From the noblenes of the inhabitants wee may gesse of the glory of heauen page 99 Essentiall glory ibidem God is the perfection of all things 100 God is all in all ibidem The mistery of Circumcision 101 All things are to be suffered for the heauenly glory 102 The tenth Chapter The tenth Title That the last of those foure last things that happen vnto vs that is Hell-fire doth binde vs to seeke after Vertue 104 The matters handled in this Chapter There are but two wayes ibidem The greatnes of the punishment in hell by reason of the greatnes of God page 105. The greatnes of the iustice of God 107 The greatnes of the punishmens of hell is gathered by the punishments of thys lyfe ibidem Of the mercy of God the greatnes of the punishment is gathered 108 The two commings of Christ compared 109 The punishment ought to be like to the sinne page 111 From the person of the executioner that is of the deuill the greatnesse of the punishment is gathered page 112 A fearefull and horrible example of one Theodorus out of S. Gregories Dialogues ibidem A description of the deuils power page 114 The Conclusion page 115 Of the eternity of these punishments 116 A fearefull saying of the eternity of the punishments in hell ibid. A notable Allegory of the Furnace which King Nabuchodonozer commaunded to be heate in Babilon 118 ¶ The second part of the first booke In this second part are handle◠the temporal and spirituall blessings which in this lyfe are promised to Vertue and more particularly the twelue more notable and famous priuiledges prerogatiues which are found in Vertue page 120 The Chapters of the second part of the first booke The eleuenth Chapter The eleuenth Title That we are bounde vnto Vertue by reason of the inestimable blessings which are promised in this present life ibid. The matters handled in this Chapter It is a wonder that among Christians so many men are found wicked and vicious ibidem Whence this negligence of men is page 121 All things happen a like to the good and euill ibidem Men are ignorant of those good things that are in Vertue page 123 Vertue like vnto Christ. ibidem Helpes of God by which we ouercome the difficulty of Vertue 124 Vertue is an habite ibidem A comparison of the life of good men and ill men 125 Diuine blandishments with which the righteous are cherished 126 Good men are truly rich 127 All thys afore-sayd is explaned by a notable sentence of the Gospel ibid. What Christ meaneth by the hundreth fold in the tenth of Marke 128 What goods be those that God bestoweth vpon the good ibidem To the
solitary and monasticall lyues A wonderfull and excellent saying of Petrus Damianus of the oureof death Nothing auaileth in death but vertue Prou. 11. Ecclesiast 1. Apoc. 14. Iob. 11. In the 10. booke of his Morals Cap. 21. Prou. 14. The righteous feareth not in the houre of death Paulinus in the life of Ambrose In death prosperity doth nothing profit nor aduersity hurt A similitude Apoc 22 Math 19 Vertue hath one inconuenience Math 13 Esay 14 Psalm 144. â— Kings 1. Psalm 34 Prou 20 Cant 8 Ecclesi 32. Prou. 18. Diuers refuges of sinners Againt theÌ„ that defer their repentance August in the 8 booke of his confessions the 5. chap. The stâ—te of the question Gregory in an homily Luke 12. Apoc. â— The iust iudgement of God Ecclesi 5. Causes froÌ„ whence the difficulty of conuersion ariseth Ierome vnto Celantia Chap. 4. Bernard Luke 11 Esay 62 Osea 7 and the 9. Apoc 11 A similitude A similitude Whether nowâ— or hereafter it is more easie to turne vnto God A similitude Ecclus 10 The force of euillcustome A similitude The Allegory of Lazarus foure dayes dead The losse of time A similitude See August his tenne strings The sinnes which wee nowe commit wee heereafter shal deplore lament in vaine Psal. 6. A similitude The reliques of sinne remaine after the sinne How absurd a thing it is to reserue thy repeÌ„tance for old age A similitude Seneca in his book of the shortnes of life The greatnes of the satisfaction Deferring of repentance a certaine infidelity Greg. in his Morals Repentance is not to be deferred in regard of benefits receaued at Gods hand Ecclesi 18. Not to be deferred in regard of predestination We offer the best part to the world the worst to God Seneca in his 109. Epi. Mal. 1. Deut. 25. What we owe vnto God in respect of our redemtion Eccles. 12. An excellent exposition of this place of Eccles. The conclusion of the first obiection Ecclus 25 Ecclus 17. Iohn 5. Psalm 95 It is dangerous to dispute of finall repentance Ezech. 35 Augustine of true and false repentance ca 17 In the same place To be conuerted what it is In his exhortation to repentaÌ„ce which forthwith foloweth in his second booke of repentance The iudgement of Isidore In the ninth tome of Plantynes edition a little before the end Greg in his 18 book of his Morals chap. 5. Iob. 27. Prou. 28. Math. 25. The conclusion of the Schoole man The first reason of the Schoole man The euill disposition and temperature of the body is an impediment of coÌ„templation The 2 reason of the Schole-man Aug. in hys booke of true false repentance chap 17. 2 Kings 16 2 Kings 19 3 Kings 2. A similitude The thyrd reason of the Schole-man The fourth reason of the School-man Prou â— Math 24 Math. 25. August in an Epistle to Dios. Many miraculous and wonderful things reserued to the comming of Christ. Euseb. Emiss of the good theefe A similitude 2 Cor. 11. Psal. 62. The iudgements of God A similitude Eccles. 3. An obiection of the repentance of the Niniuites Heb 12 2 Macha 9 Hester 4 Deut 32 Esay 55 Psalm 129 The difference between the true Prophets and the false Ierem 37 Psalm 90 Whence the Diuine iustice is knowne A similitude All men ought to feare Whence feare is in-gendered The beginning of the wayes of the Lord. The fall of deuills Esay 14 The fall of Adam Gen. 7. Gen. 19. Numb 16. Leuit. 10 Acts 5. The hidden and secret iudgements of God Luke 23. The great infidelity of men 2 Kings 2. Ierem 5 Chap 8 In the foresaid chap. Esay 61 2 Reg 24 Ecclus 23 Psalm 69 Saint Augustine Psalm 147 Luke 13 Math 7 1 Pet 3. Eccles 1 Math 26 A similitude 1 Tim. 2. What it is to trust in God Ecclesi 5. The promises of God belong to the righteous and the thretnings to the vnrighteous Psal. 11. Esd. 8. Psal. 37. Psal. 4. August in his 11. homily among his 50. Bernard in his 56. Sermon amongst his small ones Vertue a friend vnto reason Gal 5. Rom 7. 4 Kings 6. Psal. 119. Psalm 19 Math 1 Esay 40 Esay 10 FroÌ„ whence the difficultie of vertue ariseth Ezech 11. Rom 4. Esay 41 For what end the reliques of sins euill appetites remaine in vs. Psalm 27 Another obiection with the answer Deut. 30. Spirituall circumcisioÌ„ Deut. 10. Augustine A similitude Esay 26. The commaundements of God are not impossible Deut. 30. 2 Iohn 5. August of holy widdowhood In the 13. book of his coÌ„fessions Rom. 8. Petrus Rauennas vppon that Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God c. Those things which are vncleane to the world are cleane to the righteous Exod. 8. Acts 5 Bernard in his small Sermons chap. 30. A similitude Prou 4 The way of the wicked hard and difficult Psalm 119 Psalm 17 Psalm 119 Math 11 Osea 11 Exod 3 2 Cor 4 Esay 40 The great changes â—lterations which the hand of the highest worketh The disciples of Christ were on a suddaine made learned Cyprian in his 2 book and 2 Epist. Augustine in the 8 book of his Confessions Chap. 11. Chap. 11. In the 9 book of his Confessions chap. 1. What euils are in the world No felicitie of the world lasting Eccles 11 Wisdom 5 Esay 29 Baruch 3 Some miseries are coÌ„mon both to the good and euill some proper onely to the wicked Wisdom 5 Euils of GOD. Gene 4 Deut 7. PunishmeÌ„ts inflicted vpon the wicked by the Ministers of God The euils that passions bring Psal. 11. Athanasius in the life of Saint Anthony Prou. 6. Ecclesi 13. The blindnes of men See Cyprian in his 2 booke and 2 Epistle Psal. 14. Hosea 4. Ierem 9 Psalm 55 Gene 25 What the world is Psalm 55. S. Bernard The world a hell Obiectiue beatitude A similitude Onely God can satisfie the hart of man The nature of the Seamans needle Psal. 45. S. Gregory deplored the losse of his quiet sweet solitary life Aug. of the manners of the Church 1. booke 3. chap. No man happy in this world Eccle 1 Psalm 4. Psalm 31. The world an hypocrite S. Augustine In vertue all perfections are found Plato Prou 3. Psal. 112. Psal. 9. Cicero in Loeli A similitude Vertue is loued in an enemy Rom. 8. Gen. 31. Psalm 119. In the same Psalm Wisdom 8. Cyprian in his 2 book and 2 Epist. Baruch 3 Ierem 9 Euill cuâ—toâ—e A similitude The world The deuill Ecclesiast 2 Moe for vs then against vs. A firme resolution is to be planted in the soule A similitude Iorome in the life of Paule the Hermite A similitude The proposition of this Booke Ezech â— A similitude 1 Iohn 2 Tob 4. August to a certaine Earle Bernard in a certaine Sermon Bernard in a Sermon 1 Cor 15. Wisdom 6. A saying of Tigranes King of the Armenians 1 Peter 5. Greg. in the 9. book of his Morals Chap. 11 Iob 9. See Bernard