and so much the more fearefully héedefully we shal walke before the maiestie of the highest god For behold we are set in the middest of the whole world That is to say on this earth betwéene the heauenly kingdome and the confused hellish Chaos Certeynly knowe that at the length we shall be led eyther to the eternall felicitie of heauen or els to the perpetuall tormentes of hell Oh that the tongue of our hartes would tast this selfe same morsell as it deserueth to be tasted For then I thinke we should neuer loosely be giuen ouer vnto vayne pleasure and delights we should not spend our tyme laughing sporting or playing but in wéeping and repentance So as we might truly confesse with Iob That we haue alwayes feared God as the swelling waues which would ouer whelme vs Being induced there vnto by the déepe contemplation of the Psalmist saying Come and behold the works of God which is terrible in his degrées vpon the sonnes of men And Paule sayth O profound depth of the treasure of Gods knowledge and wisedome howe incomprehensible are his iudgementes and how vnsearchable are his wayes he is the Lord that almightie King in whose power and dominion all thinges are constituted Who only is péerelesse So that his being doeth infinitely excell the being of any thing that is created as that in respect thereof all other things séeme as it were to haue no being at all Furthermore since we are beset in so greate daunger what remayneth for vs to doe or what remedye is profered vnto vs but euen that we eschue and auoyde with a most vigilant mynde those thinges whereby God so dreadfull is offended and whereby such paynes of infinite damnation are procured which are sinnes euen as the scripture doeth admonishe vs saying Flye from sinne as from the sight of a Serpent For none aduersitie shall bée hurtfull vnto thée if none iniquitie get the ouer hande of thée Wherefore a yong man of singular capacitie and my dearest of all deare brother to the ende that we may more warely hereafter eschue and auoyde sinne I intende fyrst by Gods helpe to wright for the stirring vp and inflaming of our soule Of the enormities great mischiefes and hurtes that come by sin That the vylenesse and filthinesse of sinne beyng perfectly vnderstoode and perceyued you may at the length flye from vyce with so great dilligence that you may as well deserue to be preuented and adorned by your creator with giftes of grace as you are already by him adorned and preuented with giftes of nature That only sinne causeth a reasonable creature to be displeasaunt dispisable and odious vnto God. The first acte EEuen as there is nothing more to be desired than to please God and to be of him beloued estéemed or honoured So is there nothing worse more detestable or more terrible than to displease him and to be of him dispised and hated In lyke maner as vertues and the actions of the same doe make vs pleasing honorable and welbeloued vnto the true God So vicious qualities and sinnes do make vs vnto God displeasing contemptuous and hatefull For he the almightie creator of the vniuersall world although he loue all things as touching that they haue of him that is to say as touching their being which he doth vncefsantly conserue in his kynd according to the saying of the wise man Thou louest O Lord all things that are and thou hatest nothing of those which thou haste made yet neuerthelesse he hateth sundry reasonable creatures as touching that which they reteyne and are of their owne frée will. That is to say as touching iniquitie their transgressions as the scripture sayth The wicked and his wickednesse are hatefull vnto god And agayne thou haste hated all them that worke iniquitie and thou shalt distroy all them which speake leasings and that dispiseth them hée witnesseth saying Thou hast dispised all them that went a stray from thy righteousnesse since their thoughtes were wicked And agayne he that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh at them and the Lorde shall laugh them to skorne Then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath and in hys furie shall he vexe and trouble them yea euen this thyng happeneth by the most iust iudgement of god That they which contempne and dishonour God which is aboue all things to be exalted and to be thought worthiest of all worthies preferring their owne will before his diuyne pleasure should be dispised and ouerthrowne by him as he him selfe protesteth saying whosoeuer glorifieth mée I will glorifie him But they which dispise me shall be vnable Such are all the wicked and peruerse which haue no care to heare the word of God or doe omit the fulfilling therof when they haue heard it Of whom the euerlasting vncreated wisedome sayeth bicause I haue called aâ—…d you haâ—…e held backe dispising all my councelles and neglâ—…cting my rebukes I also will laugh at your distruction and will skorne you when that is happened vnto you which you most feared Beholde my welbeloued by these wordes the madnesse of them is reproued which linger their conuersion and in the ende of their life the very instant of death créeping now vpon them doe determine to make confession of their life and to amend themselues And yet neuer marking how horrible the eternall God and most high Iudge doeth threaten and affirme that he will skorne and laugh at suche men at the tyme of their death Fynally as Iob sayeth The wicked are preserued vntil the day of distruction and they shall be ledde vnto the day of reuenge and shall drinke of the furie of the almightie Wherefore if thou desire to please God if thou feare to be of him dispised and hated decline from euil â—…ye sinne deteâ—… vice and vncessantly feare to displease the high Iudge Who hath power to cast both body and soule into hell fyre Consider howe and howe much the children of this world and the seruants of Princes goe about to please their maisters How they dread to be dispised What great paynes they take to obtayne a voluble and worldly prayse Wherefore if thou desire to be accounted amongest the sonnes of God blushe then and bée ashamed that thou shouldest lesse indeuor to please God and to be honored and beloued of him then they study to attein mans fauour And finally lyke as of the humanitie pleasantnesse wherewith thou art naturally indued thou doest decently and mannerly behaue thy self before men So much the more behaue thy self reuerently and orderly before god inwardly or rather both inwardly and outwardly For if when thou hast to speake with any worthie personage thou commest reuerently vnto him puttest of thy Cap and doest kéedely beware what thou speakest and when thou shouldest talke with God by prayer or by saying Psalmes then come with reuerence and begin pronounsing without any regard doest thou not then ouer lightly estéeme the maiestie of the
to their parentes disorderâ—…d without loue without truth and without mercy With such and much worse this world is replenished as with heritikes scismatikes periures Tyrans Symonsellers hypocrytes ambitious men robbers spoylers extorcioners and pollers vsurers and false witnesses wicked théeues and church robbers traytors lyers flatterers deceyuers tale tellers wauerers gluttons dronkards adulterers incesteous men tender treaders and vayn vauÌ„ters slouens sluggardes and loyterers prodigall spenders and vnthriftes rashe quarellers and hackers vnpatient and vnconstant men poysoners and witches presumpteous and â—…rogant wretches deuilish mynded and desperate men To conclude with such as are packt full of all paltry of the earth and farced with all kynde of vyle abhomination Yet euen as the smoke vanisheth away so shall they vanish and as waxe melteth before the fyre so shall sinners perysh before the face of God. The wicked men doe suffer foure princypall paynes at theyr death The fyrst is the perpiexitie of the body which is then greater and more gréeuous than euer it was or is in this present lyfe vntil that tyme of dissolution For some thinke that euen without motion suche is their gréeâ—…ous paines they teare themselues in péeces For the violence of death is strong and vncomparable Bicause the knyttinges and naturall combyninges of the body with the spirit arâ—… then broken insonder And therevpon the Prophet Dauid sayth in the Psalme the panges of death haue compassed mée There is no member nor no parte of the body but is touched and twitched with that vntollerable payne Thâ—… second payne is when the body being altogither wéeryed and ouercome the force and strength therof cleane vanquished the Soule doth much more playnely perceyue in one moment all the works which it hath done good and bad and all those things are set before the inward eyes This payne is so great and this torment and disquiet is so gréeuous that the soule being much vexed and troubled is constrayned to confesse and declare against it selfe As it is sayde in the Psalmes the floodes of iniquitie haue troubled mée For as the floodes come with great force and sway and séeme to beare downe all things before them so in the houre of death the wicked man shall sodeinly sée and behold all the workes that he hath done or committed good or bad The third paine is when the soule now beginneth iustly to iudge and séeth all the paynes and tormentes of hell to hang worthely ouer it for all the iniquities whereof it is giltie Wherevpon it is also sayd in the Psalme the paynes of hell came about mée The fourth payne is when the soule béeing yet in the bodye doeth sée the wicked spirites readye to receyue it wherein the dread is suche and so vnspeakeable payne that the myserable soule although it be now parted from the body doeth runne about as long as it may to redéeme the tyme of hir captiuitie before shée forsake the body Also euery man as well good as euill doeth sée before the soule departe from the bodye Christ crucified The wicked séeth it to his 〈◊〉 when hée maye blushe and bée ashamed that hée is not redéemed throughe the bloud of Christ and that his owne giltynesse is the cause thereof Wherevpon it is sayde vnto the wicked in the gospell They shall sée agaynst whom they pricked and stoonge The which is vnderstoode by the commyng of Christ vnto iudgement and of his comming at the instant tyme of any mans death But the good man shall sée him to his comforte and reioysing as we may perceyue by the wordes of the Apostle which sayeth vntill the comming of our Lord Iesu Christ that is to say at the day of death when Christ â—…rucifyed shall appeare as well vnto the good as vnto the wicked And Christ him selfe sayeth of Iohn the Euangelist So will I haue him to abyde vntill I come That is to say continuing in virginitie vntill I come vnto hys death For we read of foure maner of commings that Christ shall come Two of them are visible The first in humilitie to redéeme the world The second in maiestie vnto iudgement And the other two are vnuisible The first whereof is in the mynde of man by grace Whereof it is sayd in the gospell wee shall come vnto him and shall make our remayning place with him The second is in the death of euery faythfull man And therevpon Iohn in the reuelation sayeth come Lord Iesus HIs spirite shall departe and he shall return into his earth At y tyme all their thoughtes shall perishe O howe many things how greate thinges doe mortall men consider and thinke vpon about the vncerteyntie of theyr worldly prouisions But sodeynly by the comming of death all thinges which they thought on and forecasted doe immediatly vanish away Lyke vnto a shadow when the sunne declyneth they are taken away And lyke vnto a Locust they are smitten down So that the spirit of man shal go out of him not willingly but vn willingly Hee shall dismisse with doler that which he did professe with desire and whether he will or nyll there is a terme apoynted the which hée shal not passe ouer In the which earth shal return vnto earth For it is written Thou arte earth into earth thou shalt goe For it is naturall that the thing made of any substance should bée resolued into that substance agayne He shall take away their spirite therefore and they shall fayle and shall returne into their dust And when man dyeth hée shall enherite beastes cattell Serpents and wormes For all those shall rest in dust and wormes shall consume them The worme shall eate them lyke a garment and shall consume them as a moth consumeth the wollen cloth I am to bée consumed sayeth Iob lyke vnto rottennesse and lyke vnto a garment that is fretted with mothes I haue sayde vnto rottennesse My father my mother my sister are gone vnto wormes meate Man is rottennesse and putrifaction and so are the sonnes of man Filthy are our forefathers vile are our mothers and how vyle are our sisters For man is begotten and conceyued of bloud putrifyed by the feruent heate of lust and concupisence And yet the wormes do come about his carkasse as mourners Whilest he liued he bredde nittes and lyse and being dead hée bréedeth wormes and magottes Whilest he liued hee made filthy ordures and excrements And being dead he maketh putrefaction stinke One man defendeth another onely But being dead hée defendeth many wormes Oh what is more filthy than the carkasse of a man or what more horrible than a dead man he whose embrasing had bene most aâ—…able méeting him on lyue euen his looke will bée most terrible when hée is dead What preuayle ritches therefore whatpreuayle banquetings what delightes they can not deliuer man from death They can not defend him from the worme Neyther shall they preserue
made so much the huger and greater the more that he is bound vnto equitie and the more or greater benifittes that he hath receyued of God yea the more learned or able that he was to haue done wel Thirdly it is weighed and noted in the qualitie of the matter whereaboutes the sinne is committed agaynst a mans person then agaynst his substance But those sinnes are moste gréeuous which are directly committed agaynst god As blasphemy infidelitie or desperation Fourthly by meanes of the end which the sinner tendeth too for the worse that the sinner his intent is the more greuous is the sinne Fiftly by the circumstances that is to say of the tynâ—…e and place Sixtly of the verie deformitie of the sinne it self according to it self by reason of it selfe The which is alwayes so much the greater and more loathsome as the vertue is the gallanter and more worthie which is contrarie vnto it Whervpon as the loue of God is the highest vertue so to â—…ate God is the greatest sinne So that on all sides and in all respectes the vylenesse filthinesse and enormitic of sin is multiplyed and increased And therefore holy Gregorie sayeth if we knewe in what maner our soule is wounded and doth fester by euery least sin or faulte we would surely vnto death resist sin And again a stinking dog is more tollerable sayeth hée vnto mans smell than a sinfull soule vnto God â–ª Go to then my dearly beloued if we feare or be vnwilling to be to appeare vyle filthie detestable ignoble before the holy and moste worthie maiestie of God If we abhorre that the countenaunce of our creator should bée turned from vs let vs then auoyde sinne with all carefulnesse and pure affection Forasmuch as no deformitie no hurt no blot can so much defyle infect or disorder mans bodie and make it séeme so detestable and disfigured in mens eyes as the reasonable soule is with euerie mortall sinne blemished made vyle infected and made filthie and detestable before the sight of the diuyne maiestie and of his holie Angels For it is made lyke to the verie diuil himself béeing turned from the fountayne of light it is filled with the â—…arcke clouds of lothsomenesse and filthinesse What sinne is Art. 4. BY the witnesse of holy Ambrose sin is a bâ—…king or infringing of the diâ—…yne lawes and a disobedience to the heauenly commaundementes Lykewise according to Augustine sinne is sayth he to cleaue vnto changeable thinges and to dispyse the vncâ—…angéable goodnesse And agayne sinne sayeth hée is a will and desire to retayne or to get that which rightuousnesse doeth forbid So that sinne is the transgression of the dâ—…nc wil and commaundements as to doe that which 〈◊〉 forbiddeth or to omit that which he commaundeth Where vpon it foloweth that it is siu to speake to thinke to desire or to â—…oe agaynst the lawes diuyne Now there are two thinges to be considered in sinne That one is as it were formal that is to say the auertyng and turning of the mynde from the high and vnchangeable goodnesse which is principall or capitall sinne That other is as it were materiall That is the conuersion of the mynde created variable and readie to fall vnto the stedfast consideration of the high goodnesse Herevpon two euil thinges there are also coriespondent vnto sinne For as touching the formall poynt the payne of the losse or damage is coriespondent vnto it which is extreame miserie and lacke of the heauenly fruition But as touching the materiall poynte of sinne the payne of the sences doeth therevnto corresponde That is to say the sencible paynes of hell which are the punishmentes of eternall fyre Dionyce briefely deâ—…neth â—…nne to be a going backe from order that is to say from that conuenient and due estatâ—… wherevnto the mynde created ought to cleaue fast and be subiect vnto the creator For that doeth right order require that the inferiuâ—…â—…ould be subiect to the superior that the effect may be coâ—…ed vnto the cause thereof That the creature of vnderstanding may bend it self vnto his creator as vnto a beginning that maketh it blessed And all this is subuerted by sinne for by it the mynde created rebelleth agaynst his creator And doeth as it were turne his backe against his creators fact neyther doeth it indeuour it selfe according to his counsell but trusteth in his owne strength Furthermore it is sinne to preferre a mans wil before the wil of God and not to brydle and restrayne a mans owne libertie according to the terrour of the diuyne lawe Wherevpon in all sinne the sinner doeth propounde vnto him selfe an ende in some frayle and created goodnesse vnto the which he is inordinately affected and doeth viciouslye cleaue vnto it yea more than vnto God bycause it is agaynst hys will and ordynaunce This doeth truelye and directly repugne vnto the diuyne charitie bycausâ—… wée ought to loue GOD aboue all thinges and to béâ—… conformed and effected lyke vnto hym and to cleaue faâ—… vnto him And lykâ—…wyse vnto rightuousnesse bycausâ—… wée are bounden aboue all things to obey the deuyne preceptes And therefore according to the doctours whatsoeuer â—…oeth directly repugne vnto charitie by the which God and our neighbour is loued yea or vnto rightuousnesse is in his kynde mortall sinne And so sinne is a contempt â—…f the deuyne bountie an 〈◊〉 to the diuyne maiestie an offence to the diuine holâ—…nesse a râ—…bellion agaynst the diuine will a forsaking of the diuyne wysedom an ingratitude for heauenly benefites A fulfilling of frowardnesse and selfe will a seducing of reason an infection of the soule a woundyng of the forces thereof a filthinesse of mynde a murdering of grace a rauishing of charitie a snare of death a way to dampnation a gate of hell a net of the diuill an imitation of wicked spirites Detesting of Angels an excéeding mallice a right crookednesse a wonderfull deformitie a moste filthie kynde of monster a most cruel wylde beast and a lamâ—…ntable perpetuall losse of that true felicitie To conclude sinne is that which moste displeaseth God most pleaseth the diuil is most hurtfull vnto mans harte Behold now thou séest my welbeloued howe much sinne is to be hated eschued and detested Yea more than any of vs can comprehend or expresse it is to be hated and highly to be auoyded Wherefore let vs incessantly arme our selues stâ—…utly to fight agaynst this euill agaynst this so mischéeâ—…ous an enimy and so deadly and mortal foe Our weapons are none other then the vertues them selues And our combates are euen the actions of vertue especially the laude and praysing of god And prayer as it is written I will laude and cal vpon the Lord and I shall be safe from mine enimyes Also the diligent watch and custodie of the hart is to consider the continuall diuyne presence To humble our selues in all thinges and to hope in God with all our harte and euer to feare him Of the enormitie of sinne
then more holsome to contempne this liefe for the loue of that most happy and eternall lief which is to come To abiect all the vanity and impietie therof and to cleaue most faythfully fast vnto that diuyne eternall and vumeasurable goodnesse Behold in this present and most vnstedfast lief we must of necessitie haue regard either to eternal felycity or euerlasting dampnation Chuse then my welbeloued that which thou perceauest to be most holesome for thée And hate eschewe and detest most hartely all kynde of sinnes Secondarily the diligent consideration of death doth not a little preuayle to make vs eschewe and avoyde sinnes which death doth most swyftly and vncessantly approch At which time the vicyous liefe which now delighteth vs shall hanâ—… a most miserable end For then the perverse and wicked which dâ—…e cleaue more and more bent to this world then vnto God shall séeke but truce for one hower And onely their sinnes shall march on with them Thyrdly the consideratioÌ„ of the highest and most rigorous straightnesse of gods 〈◊〉 As to thinke what a horryble thing it shal be strayghtwaies after death to be presented before the trybunall seate of Christ to be of him most iustly iudged to abyde the pronouncynge of sentence to bée accused of the Deuylls and of our owne concience and to be séene and found vicyous before him Also the consideration of the last generall iudgement which is to come in the end of the world Which wil be so terryble as no tonguâ—… is able to conceyue the same Therefore whosoeuer doth déepaly consider how miserable sorowful and horrible a thing it wil be then with body and soule to goe downe into the infernall pitt to fall headlong into euerlasting â—…yer being shutt in the most tenebrous prison of hell there desperately to remayne for euer to haue the most dolorous 〈◊〉 and societie of Deuills and to be there vncessantly tormented more then can be told That man doubtlesse will auoyde and eschewe sinnes Who so euer wil bewayle those whiche hée hath already commytted will kéepe his hart with fearefull watch Fourthly the effectuall consideration of the whole infernall punyshement And therefore if he which is delighted and alured with vanytie of hart or voluptousuesse of the fleshe in this world would rightly wey and consider vnto how great desolacion and eternall payne yea the plenteous fulnesse of all calamyties and miseryes those delightes doe leade him he would vtterly abhorre them and flye froÌ„ them O my most entierly beloued brother would God that these thynges dyd sauour and were vnderstoode of thée as it is méete and right that they should For then thou wouldest most readely dispyse the world For behould who would now lye but the space of one houre in a hott burnyng furnace to gayne all the world thereby Wherfore then doest not thou eschewe daily sinnes For the which so great payne must bée suffered yea much more gréeuous then any punyshement which maye bée geuen in this present liefe But these foule considerations whereof I last spake which with drawe vs from sinne doe principally pertayne vnto foolyshe and vnperfect men Which declyne from vyces rather by feare of euill then by loue of goodnesse Fyftly then the consideration of that highest and incomprehensible heauenly felycity which God will geue to those that for his loue doe eschewe and hate sinnes is of great power to withdraw vs from sinne Synce the hope â—…f reward doth diminish the force and smart of the scourge there can be nothing in this world so painful so laboursom or so hard but y he that doeth rightly and worthily ponder the inexcogitable glorie of that blesseonesse would not readily and willingly indure Sixtly to the same end preuayleth deuout trusâ—…ie often praying â—…s if a man which thinketh coÌ„sidereth that without the abundant grace of God he can not flye from nor 〈◊〉 sinnes doe therefore neuer cease to pray hartely vnto God for grace to liue vertuously For we must as our sauiour sayeth alwayes pray and neuer cease Seuenthly the consideration of the diuyns presence is chiesly auaylable to the eschuing of sinnes by the which god doeth behold and consider vs euery where By which consideration there aryseth in vs a chaste shamefastnesse from doing of any thing that is dishonest Eightly the consideration of his benifits Furthermore it appertayneth vnto theÌ„ which are perfect to auoyde sins chiefly by coÌ„sideration of the diuyne goodnes before whome in sin the frayle goodnesse is preferred Also by consideration of the diuyne maiestie which by deadly sinne is infinitely dishonored Agayne by consideration of the diuyne holinesse and equitie vnto the which sinne is infinitly displeasing And lykewyse by consideration of the diuyne charitie by the which God did first loue vs. Moreouer by the verie loue of vertue and purenesse and the horror of the deformitie of sinne As a vertuous man did affyrme saying Although I knew that God would forgiue 〈◊〉 yet would I not â—…inne sayd hée for the verie disordrednesse thereof It is also written that the generall remedyes 〈◊〉 sinnes are 〈◊〉 these Fyrst patience in pouertie that a man may suffer néedâ—… and penurie in all things quietly and gladly as an Embassador sent by God wâ—…ither it be in food clothing or other necessaries For as the abuÌ„dance of temporal things is the 〈◊〉 of many vyces So pouertie withdraweth from many euils The second is the dispising of worldly men and their pratses yea though thou be in all things contemned reproued and troubled without cause giuen For so is the swelling of pryde repressed and a singular grace obteyned of the Lord. The thirde is a ghostly magnanimitie a stout mastership ouer a mans self without which a man is oftentimes enforced to coÌ„mit such things as wold els displease him to omit those things the which hee would willingly doe It preuayleth much for worldlings in all things to forsake their own wâ—…l The fourth is y eloyning of a man from comfort of worldly affayres By which verie often times the quiet and purenesse of the soule is much hindred The fift of conference with learned vertuous men and the following of their counselles and betwéene God and thy conscience to take an account of thy life passâ—…d doth helpe to ouercome sins and the temptations of the 〈◊〉 for since the diuil is the Prince of darkensse he doth hate flye from the light or the recordation or manifestation of his deceiptes and the humble accusing of a mans own self But the forgetting or kéeping secrete of his wyles hée 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herevpon our sauiour sayeth Euerie man which doth euil hateth the light but hee which dealeth truly commeth to the light that his workes may bee made manifest bycause they are done in god But there are some which are verie naughtely dangerous shamefast 〈◊〉 no will to call to remembrance and examyne their owne consciences of the secretes of their thoughts affections temptations wherby it coÌ„meth to passe
thinges sweare not Agayne our Sauyour sayeth Resist you not the euill dooer But if any man stryke you on the left chéeke turne the other vnto him hlso And he which will contende with thée in Judgement and take thy cote from thée geue him also thy cloke Loue your enemyes doe well to them that hate you and praye for them which persecute you and quarrell with you What thing can bée haâ—…der then this worde For euen as it is most easie most naturall for a man to loue his freind euen so it is most hard and moste vnnaturall for a man to loue his enemye And yet as Hierome sayth it is necessarye towardes saluation Naye rather sayth he he which hateth any one man doth loue no man truely and spirytually No neyther can he loue himselfe nor God being in such gréeuous and heynous sinne Furthermore our Sauiour sayth If you doe not forgeue offences one to another neyther will your heauenly father forgeue you your sinnes And agayne hée sayth Laye not vp treasure in earth and bée not carefull for to morrowe And also Judge not and you shall not be iudged Furthermore thynke not sayth he that I came to set peace in the world I came not to set peace hut the sworde For I came to seperate the Sonne from the Father the daughter from the mother and the sonnes wyfe from her father by lawe And then He which loueth father or mother more then me he is not worthy of me Also he which taketh not vp his Crosse and foloweth me he is not worthy of me And in another place The kingdome of heauen doth suffer wrong or violence and yet the violente doo take euen 〈◊〉 force And agayne For euery idell worde that men speake they shall render accoumpt in the day of iudgement And like wise he that will come after me let him dâ—…nye himselfe and take vp his Crosse dayly and folowe me For he which wyll saue his soule let hym léese it For he whiche looseth hys lyfe for me he shall finde it agayne And then thus Wo be to hym by whome offences come And Whosoeuer offendeth one of these lyttle ones beléeuing in me it were better for him that a mylstone were tyed about his necke and he drowned in the depth of the Sea. And agayne Unlesse you conuerte and become as one of these lyâ—…tle ones you shall not enter into the kingedome of heauen Herewith not forgetting that It is easyer for a Camell to enter through a Néedles eye then for a rytch man to enter into the kingdome of god We must remember also where he sayth Whosoeuer amoungest you woulde be greatest let hym be your mynister or seruaunt And Wo be to â–ª you rytch men which haue your consolation here Wo be to you which are filled for you shall hunger Wo be to you which laugh now for you shall mourne and wéepe Wo be to you when men shall prayse and blesse you Or thus what séest thou a moth in thy brothers eye and canst not see a beame in thyne owne Well Iesus sayed vnto a certayne man folowe me And he answered Lord suffer me first to go and burye my father And Iesus sayd Suffer thou the deade to burye their deade And he sayth Feare not them which kyll the body but cannot kyll the soule But feare you him which hath power to throwe the body and soule into euerlasting fyre And in another place O foole This night shall they take thy soule from thee Then whose shall that be which thou hast gathered And therevpon Such is euery man which hoordeth vp treasure and is not rytch in god What should we ouerpasse these sentences Sell that you possesse and geue almes Unlesse you repent you shall all peryshe to gither Departe from me all you which haue done wickedly 〈◊〉 thou makest a dynner or supper doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy brethren thy kynsmen nor thy next rytch neighbours 〈◊〉 peraduenture they byd thee agayne And so thou be wel recompenced But when thou makest a feast call the 〈◊〉 the weake the halte and lame and the blynde and thou shalt be blessed If any man come vnto me and doe not hate his father mother wyfe chyldren bretheren and â—…isters yea and his owne soule hée cannot bée my discyple And he which doth not forsake all that he hath cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discyple And that which is hyghly esteemed with meâ—… is abhomynation in the sight of god Fynally When you haue done all that which was commaâ—…nded you then saye We are vnprofitable seruauntes we haue 〈◊〉 but that which we ought and were bounde to doe Agayne Euery man which exalteth himselfe shal be 〈◊〉 lowe And he which doth humble himselfe shal be exalted â–ª Beware least you ouercharge your bodyes with gluttony dronkennesse or the cares of this worlde By these and infinite other places my déerely beloued â–ª thou 〈◊〉 perceiue how streyght in déede and how narrowe the waye and gate are which leade to saluation But of these before 〈◊〉 passages some perteyne vnto the commaundements And therevnto all men are bounden Some other are of conncell and aduyse which neuerthelesse are to be obserued of as many as professe Christ sincerely Yea futhermore the selfe same may apeare by dyuers other Scryptures For the Apostle sayth They which are of Christ haue crucifyed theyr fleshe with the vyces and concupysences thereof Whosoeuer therfore doe not extinguish vyce and concupisence nor chastyse theyr bodyes they then perteyne not vnto christ Agayne A wyddowe saith he which liueth in delightes is dead liuing For though she liue by lyfe of nature yetis she dead by the death of punishment and iudgement Then if delightful lyfe be a fault or sinne in wyddowes how much more blameful is it to be thought in such as ought by reason of their 〈◊〉 to be gydes and paternes of godlynesse to others Herevnto many thinges might be added but let these suffise And these welbeloued I haue here thus rehearced to the end I might thereby induce thée to the feare of God the watchful care of thy harte and to the diligent reading of scripturs least thou shouldest in vayne flatter thy selfe with gods mercye And so become one of their socyetie which walke in the broad and spatyous waye For as the Apostle sayeth If we suffer with Christ wée shall also reygne with Chryst. If wée bée pacyente wyth him wée shall also lyue wyth him Yea and must we not accordyng to the Apostles wordes entre into heauen by many trybulations But it is true which GOD forbyde should be verified in thée which Bernard sayth Lorde many would reigne with thée but they will not suffer with thée Many would be with thée but fewe will folowe thée Many would finde thee but fewe doe seeke thee Therefore let vs not be afeard to beare trybulations synce Hierome sayth No seruaunt of Christ is without trybulation And if thou
Sea which is tossed with tempestes And is passed with great daungers and many difficultyes Agayne behold the Lorde GOD with whome all thinges doe consist in an vnchangeable eternytie as the highest thinge to be séene or beheld vpwardes And the world it selfe as the lowest thynge downewardes Then consider saye they lykewyse the mynde of man placed as it were in the myddest béetwene them both The which by the crcellence of manes condition doth floate aboue the chaungeablenesse of this world and yet hath not attayned the vnchaungeablenesse of the diuyne nature Then if mans minde should chaunce through loue gréedy desire of these thinges which passe downwards to drown it selfe therin immediately it wil be ouerthrowen with sundry waues and beinge as it were deuided from it selfe wil quickly be dyssipate and destroyed But so much the easier it wil be to gather it altogether on a heape to preserue it if it rayse vp it selfe with an earnest thought and desire forsaking those base and earthly places vntill at last it become altogither vnchaungeable by atteyning vnto that highest most excelent immutabylity Againe when a mans minde doth declyne downewardes by the loue which it hath to earthly thinges it suffereth shipwracke in the floodes of this world And being myxed or myngled amongest the changeable thinges doth flowe away with the streame Yea it is by a kynde of twofould daunger tossed retossed For both it is in perill to be drowned by the déepe affection it beareth to the lower parts and againe by contyne wall working of the waue in multytude of affections it is meruelously dyssypate and dysseuered But if it rayse it selfe vpwardes from the loue of this present lyfe by the desire that it hath vnto eternytie and doe gather together all his thoughtes and cogitations then doth it as it were swym alofte in the floode and doth spurn and kycke awaye all traunsitory thinges as fylth or wéedes swymming lose in the water Therefore let the mynde of man as it were so repose it selfe in safety by raysing it selfe aboue and on it selfe towardes God and by retorning to it selfe in it selfe that by the considerations aforesayd it béeing raysed aboue the world maye behold the perylles a farre of and reioyse that it hath by any meanes eskaped them And this it is to go into the Arke of the hart and the spyrituall Shippe By helpe whereof we maye happyly eskape the waues of this worlde wherewith we are tossed alwayes Then spurne from thée and despyse these transitorye and frayle thinges and behold thou arte swoome and eskaped out of this great dyluge of roaring waters Consider déepely and medytate the heauenly Sacraments of thy redemption together with the benefytes of the diuine goodnesse bestowed vpon thée and thou art alredy entred into the Arke of thy hart and the Shippe aforesayde Againe this world is most conueniently compared vnto a large féelde full of crewell théeues and robbers In the which many are kylled and murdered and very few eskape at any tyme vnwounded or not sore hurt Yea that which is worst they which walke commonly in this field doe betray eche other into the hands of those théeues That is whilest one of them doth leade another into the fall of finne whereby he falleth into the diuells handes And thou my welbeloued if thou wouldest be afeard to walk in such a féelde replenished with théeues who might endaunger thée with temporall death how darest thou then walke through this wycked worlde wherein so many enemies are suborned by wycked spyryts and so many stumbling blockes are layed to make thée fall into euerlasting fyre Agayne this world is compared to a wood set on fyre wherof in maner all the trées are burnt and destroyed For we maye dayly behold howe the loue and charytie of God is waxed colde in mens hartes how the loue of the world hath preuayled howe the fyre of concupyscence the feruentnesse of pryde and the flame of couetousnes are kyndled In such sorte that almost euerye man séeketh to shyfte for himselfe And neuer séeketh Christe Jesus nor those thinges which pertayne vnto his glorye Men are carefull for worldly sustenaunce and not for the purenesse of the soule nor the cleanennesse of the hart Yea they doo rather séeke to avoyde the dyscoÌ„modities of this present lyfe then to eskape the bytter and eternall tormentes of hell fyre And howe then darest thou chuse but be carefull how to eskape out of this woode yea and that with spéede least thou be burned and consumed with the fyre of vyce lewdenesse Lastly it is compared vnto an olde Citie which for the morâ—… part is become ruinous battred destroyed In such sort that the enemyes may aproch and assault it on euery syde So that it is now no safe dwelling therein But we must flye vnto some stronger place of defence For if we doo rightly consider our owne frayltie how prone we are to euyll and how slow to goodnesse we shall fynde it requisite to séeke some safer resting place for our soules wherein we may the better eschew and auoyde all occasions of sinnes The princely Prophet in his foure and fortyth Psalme hath these wordes My daughter behold and geue eare and bend thyne eare to me and forget thy people and the house of thy father and the king will earnestly desyre thy coomlynesse Although these wordes be lytterally to be expounded by the Church which is the vniuersall Spouse of Christ yet may they also be vnderstoode by euery faythfull soule and mynde which is also the perticuler Spouse of christ For as Sainct Augustine sayth euery soule is eyther the spouse of Christ or the diuells concubyne And therefore the holy Prophet saying Forget thy people and thy fathers house meaneth despise these earthly thinges in respect of God and for his sake Set asyde kynsmen brethren neyghbors and all â—…arnall affections To th ende that all thyne affection may be towardes god Yea make thy selfe ryche of spirituall ryches and adorne and decke thy selfe with all grace and vertue For the more perfectly that thou contempne worldly thinges so much the more thou shalt be replenyshed with heauenly treasure As Gregory sayth He doth very well withdraw his loue from the creatures which doth onely with the eyes of his hart and vnderstanding beholde the excedinge bright bewtie and louelynesse of the Creatour So that my deare and chrystian brother if thou doo so the kyng of kynges the lorde of lordes the onely begotten sonne of GOD wyll earnestly desyre thy coomelynesse That is thyne inward coomelynesse thyne inward reformation the bryghtnesse of thy wysedome and the feruentnesse of thy loue And that shal be sayed vnto thée which is wrytten in the Cantycles O my beloued how fayre and amyable thou art yea he wyll louâ—… thée being so fayre and louely He will blesse thée with heauenly light and the true fruites of the holy Ghost He will assocyate thée vnto him for euer So that thou
The Droomme of Doomes day Wherin the frailties and miseries of mans lyfe are lyuely portrayed and learnedly set forth Deuided as appeareth in the Page next following Translated and collected by George Gascoigne Esquyer Tam Marti quam Mercurio ¶ Imprinted at London for Gabriell Cawood dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the Signe of the holy Ghost 1576. THis worke is deuided into three partes the first whereof is entituled The view of worldly Vanities Exhorting vs to contempne all pompes pleasures delightes and vanities of this lyfe And the second parte is named The shame of sinne Displaying and laying open the huge greatnesse and enormities of the same by sundrye good examples comparisons And the third parte is called The Needels Eye VVherein wee are taught the right rules of a true Christian life and the straight passage vnto euerlasting felicitie Heerevnto is added a priuate Letter the which doth teach remedies against the bitternesse of Death ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONOrable his singuler good Lord and Maister the Earle of Bedforde Knight of the noble order of the Garter and one of hir maiesties most honorable priuie counsell George Gascoigne wisheth much encrease and long continuance of Gods fauour according to â—…is bounden duetie RIght noble my singuler good lord if I shuld presume in this epistle dedicatorie to blasonne and set forth eyther your iust desertes in generalitie or your exceeding fauour and bountie towardes me in perticularitie I might both offend your honorable eares which are seldome seene willing to harken vnto your owne prayses and much dygresse from myne owne former course in writing since I haue hetherto in all my lyfe attayned small skill or grace in the arte of adulation Let it then please your honor to rest throughly satisfied with this my simple acknowledging of your great goodnes so much surpassing my smal deserts that I fynde none other meane of discharge but onely to coÌ„tinue your faithful seruaunt and follower The which I protest to accomplish vnto my lyues end as well towards your own person my good Ladie as to all your posteritie in euerie duetifull respecte And my good Lorde I must needes confesse both vnto your honour and to the whole world that amoÌ„gest a number of imperfectioÌ„s I finde my self giltie of much time mispent of greater curiositie theÌ„ was conuenient in penning and endightyng sundrie toyes and trifles So that lookyng backe with inward griefe towardes the beginning of my recklesse race I fynde that both the tyme and my duetie doe challenge in me the fruites of repentaunce To be shewed in some seryous trauayle which might both perticulerly beare witnesse of my reformation and generally become profitable vnto others VVherevnto I was now almost twelue moneths past pricked and much moued by the graue and discreete wordes of one right worshipfull and mine approued friend who in my presence hearing my thryftlesse booke of Poesyes vndeseruedly commended dyd say That he lyked the smell of those Poesies pretely well but he would lyke the Gardyner much better if he would employe his spade in no worse ground then eyther Deuinitie or morall Philosophie Vnto which wordes I thought not meete to reply much at that tyme hauyng learned that a rashe answere should not bee giuen vnto a graue aduyse But finding my selfe therewith throughly ticklâ—…d and therby also finding the great difference betweene that friende and many other who had suÌ„drie times serued me as an 〈◊〉 with prayses coÌ„mon suffrages affirming that I deserued a Lawrel Garland with sundrie other plausible speeches not heere to be rehersed I beganne straight waye to consider that it is not suffycient â—…or a man to haue a high â—…ying Hawke vnlesse he doe also accustome hir to stoupe such Quarâ—…ies as are both pleasant and profitable For iâ—… the best Faulkener with his best flying â—…aulcon shoulde yet continually beate the flockes of simple shiftlesse Doues oâ—… suffer his Hauke to checke alwayes at the caryon Crow the plesure might perhappes content a vayne desyre but the profite or commoditiâ—… would skarcely quyte his cost And in lyke maner whosoeuer is by the highest God endued with anye haughty gifte hee ought also to bestowe and employe the same in some worthie and profitable subiecte or trauayle Least in his default he deserue the name of an vnprofitable and carelesse Stewarde when his accoumpt is strictly cast So then to returne to my purpose my singular good Lord I haue of long time thought my selfe bounden by some seryous trauayle to declare that those graue and friendly wordes dyd not marche altogither vnmarked through mâ—… mynde And therevpon not manye monethes since tossyng and retossyng in my small Lybrarie amongest some bookes which had not ofâ—…en felte my fyngers endes in XV. yeares before I chaunced to light vpon a small volumne skarce comely couered and wel worâ—…e handled For to tell a truth vnto your honor it was written in an old kynd of Caracters and so torne as it neyther had the beginning perspycuous nor the end perfect So that I can not certaynly say who shuld be the Author of the same But as things of meane sâ—…we outvvardely are not alwayes to bee reâ—…ected euen so in thys olde torne Paumphlette I founde sundrye thingâ—…s as mee thoughte wrytten with suche zeale and affection aâ—…d tendinge so dyrectly vnto the reformacion of maners that I dyd not onely my selfe take great pleasure in perâ—…culer â—…eading â—…ereof but thought them profitable to be pâ—…blished for a generall commoditie And therevpon haue translated collected into some ordre these sundry parcells of the same â—…he which aswell bicause the aucthor is to me vnknowen 〈◊〉 also bâ—…cause the oryginal copies had no 〈◊〉 tytle but cheefly bicause they do all tende zealously to an admonicion whereby we may euery man walke warely deceÌ„tly in his vocacion I haue thought meeâ—…e to entytle The Droomme of Doomes daye Thinking my selfe assured that any Souldier which meaneth to march vnder the slagge of gods fauour may by sounde of this droomme be awaked and called to his watch and warde with right sufficient summons For more perticuler proofe wherof let it please my good Lorde to vnderstand that I haue deuided this worke into three partes VVhereof the first I haue named The viewe of worldly vanities Bicause it doth very eloquently and pythily persuade all men to contempne the pompes excessiue pleasures and delightes of this lyfe A treatise which though at the first it seeme very hard and vnpleasaunt yet whosoeuer wyll vouchsafe the dyligent reading thereof shall reape thereout no lesse commoditie then a body repleate with hewmours receyueth by the medicinable purgacion The seconde parte I haue termed the Shame of sâ—…e Bicause in deede it displayeth and blasoneth the detestable enormities thereof and helpeth to cure the sowle by remembraunce and consideracion of the very lothesoomnesse which sinne doth continually carry in it selfe This part needeth not so much demonstracion as it deserueth commendacion And whosoeuer doth
man can fully and thorowly vnderstand it nor that he can clerely comprehende it vnlesse perchaunce that is perfectly knowne that nothinge is perfectly knowne Although euen thereby also doth rise an indissoluble argument But surely the body that is corrupted dothe aggreuate and ouercharge the Sowle and mynde and this earthly habitacion doth oppresse a thought that pondereth many thinges Harken what Salomons opinion was vpon that point All things sayth he are â—…ard and difficult No man can expresse them by wordes Some man doth neyther geue rest vnto his eyes by daye nor by night and yet can he neither fynde the causâ—… nor the reason of Gods workes yea the more he laboreth to seeke it so much the lesse shall he fynde it therefore they faile in the searching how narrowly so euer they search because man may waxe proude but God shal be exalted For be which searcheth the Maiestie of God shall be oppressed with his glory the more he vnderstaÌ„deth that more he doubteth yea and he séemeth to know most which in déede know eth least Therefore it is one part of knowledge and wysedome to know that he is ignorant sithence God first made man and he hath wrapped him selfe in sundry and infinite questions Men roue and roame about by high waies and by pathes they clyme the hilles and passe ouer the mountaynes they flye ouer the rockes and cowrce ouer the Alpes go thorough caues and enter into dreadfull dennes They rifle vp the bowels of the earth and the bottome of the sea They mark the tydes of the floodes and wander in the woodes and wildernesse They put their bodies to the wyndes tempestes thunders lightenings raynes waters waues seas fluds whirlpooles They melt staÌ„pe mettalls they graue and pol lish stones cut and carue woodes weaue and warpe webbs make and weare garments buyld houses plant orchardes till feildes dresse viniards heat fornaces and set milles on worke They hunt they fyshe and they fowle They thinck and mâ—…se they councell and ordaine they stryue and complayne they take away and steale they buy and beguyle they frowne smyle With innumerable other such things to heape vp riches and multiply gaynes To gett estimacion to extoll theyr dignitie and to inlarge theyr aucthoritie beholde all these are but labour vexacion of the mynde If you beleue not me yet beleue Salomon I haue sayde he magnified my workes I haue buylded houses planted viniardes made gardeyns and orchardes replenished them with all manner of fruites and trées I made sumptuous fishepondes from whence I might water the beds of my swete blossomes I kept seruants and handmaydes and had a great household with great heardes of cattell and flockes of shepe aboue all others that had bene before me in Hierusalem I heaped vp golde and siluer and the substaunces of kingdomes and prouinces I had singing men and musitioÌ„nes the delightes of the sonnes of men I had great pottes and pichers to powre oute wine abundantly at the table I excéeded all man in welth which had bene before in Hierusalem And when I turned vnto all that my handes had made and vnto the labors and paynes where in I had toyled sweat in vayne I sawe in all things vanitie vexsation of the mynde and the nothing was permaneÌ„t vnder the Sunne What and how many are the cares which torment men the thoughts which afflict theÌ„ the gréefes which molest them the dreads which afflight them the tremblinge which tosseth them the horrour which amaseth them the sorowe which consumeth them the heauinesse which ouerchargeth theÌ„ and the troubles which vex them poore and rich maister and seruaunt wedded man and bachelor to conclude good badd all of them are disquieted with worldly tribulations and troubled with worldly disquietnesse Beleue him that hath had experyence For if I be sayth he wicked then of right maye I say woe be vnto mée yea thoughe I be iust yet will I not hold vp my head being continually toyled with affliction and misery The poore are pressed with penury tormented with trouble thyrst honger colde and nakednesse They séeme vile they are dispised they crowch and are ouerthrowne O miserable estate of the begger If they craue they are confounded with shame but if the craue not they are consumed with néede And are compelled by necessitie to begge The worst sorte of them accuse God as vnequall because he hath not rightly deuyded the welth of the world they blame their neighbor as vnequall also because he doth not minister vnto them lardgly they disdayn murmur and curse Compare and marke the sentence of the wyse man vpon this It were better sayth he to die then to néede Yea the poore shal be also odious vnto his neighbour All the dayes of the poore are euell for his owne brethren hate him Furthermore his frends went farre from him As is said Cum fueris felix multos numerabis amicos Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Fye for shame the person is estemed accordinge to his fortune whereas fortune shold rather be estemed according to the person A man is reputed as good as he is riche and as euell as he is poore Whereas he rather ought to be reputed as riche as he is good and as poore as he is wicked But the ritch man becommeth dissolute by superfluitie and is vnbrydeled through boast vayne glorie He runneth vnto all that is delightfull and falleth into all that is vnlawful yea those thinges that were the attonements of faults are become instrumentes of more punishment and correction Since labour in getting feare in possessing and gréefe in losing therof doe alwayes afflict and werie the mynde of man For where thy treasure is there is thy hart also but hereof we will intreat and speake more at lardge hereafter The seruaunt wayteth is wearied with charge and office is afflicted with stripes and despoyled of his riches For if he haue nothing he is compelled to haue and if he haue any thinge he is then constrained not to haue The masters fault is the seruaunts paye but the seruauntes fault is the masters paye Quicquid deliraâ—…t Regeâ—… plectuntur Achiui The wild Asse is fayne to be the Lyons chase in the dâ—…rt So the poore are the pastures of the ritch men O extreme bondage nature made vs frée but fortune appoynteth serâ—…tude the seruaunt is coâ—…strayned to suffer and no man is suffered to haue compassion he is compelled vnto lamentation and no man is suffered to take any 〈◊〉 on him So that neyther is he his owne neyther hath any other pertayninge vnto him They are in a 〈◊〉 case which folow cowrts for it is miserable to liue vpon an other mans pray and spoyle If the Lord or master be crewill he must he feared For the wickednesse of his subiects and vassalls If he be méeke it happeneth ofte that he is contempned through the insolence and pryde of his 〈◊〉 So that
the lord They went about in shéepes felles in goates skynnes néedy afflicted miserable For whome the worlde was not yet worthy Straying in solitarie places in mountaynes in dennes and in caues of the carth in daunger of floods in daunger of théeues in daunger of the Iewes in 〈◊〉 of the Gentylles and in daunger of faulse brethren In labour calamitie in much watching in hunger and thirst in many necessities and in cold and nakednesse For the 〈◊〉 doth deny himselfe and 〈◊〉 his members together with all vices and coâ—…pisences that the world may be 〈◊〉 vnto him And he to the worlde He hath héere no place of aboade but séeketh diligently for the heauenly habitation to come He susteyneth the world as an exile beinge 〈◊〉 vp in his bodie as in a pryson sayinge I am an inhabitour and a stranger in the earthe as all my forefathers haue bene Forgeue me that I may be cooled before I depart I will abyde no longer Alas that my dwelling place is prolonged I haue euer dwelled with the inhabitaÌ„ts of cedar my sowle hath remayned with them Who is weakened and I am not weake Who is weakened and I am not vexed For the sinnes of the neighbors are the refreshinges of the iust This is that watering place which Caleph gaue vnto his daughter Axa in dowry The lyfe of man vpon earth is a warfare Yea is it not 〈◊〉 right warfare when manyfold enemies doe on euery syde assayle it that they may take man and persecute him and kyll him the deuill and man the world and the flesh The deuill with vices and concupisences man with beastes the world with Elements and the flesh with the sences For the flesh doth couet against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh But we must not wrastle against flesh and bloud but against the lyuely breathinges of wickednesse in heauenly thinges and against the captaines of these darcknesses For your aduersary the deuill goeth about lyke a roaring Lion séeking whome he may deuowâ—…r The fyry dartes of the most wicked are kindled Death commeth in by the wyndowes the eye doth robbe the Sowle the whole world doth fight against the sences that is nacion against nacion kingedome against kingdome great Earthquakes in many places pestilences and hongers tempestes and terrors from heauen The Earth bringeth forth thornes and thissells the water flooddes and raging tempestes the Ayre thunder and great wyndes the Fyer lightninges and flashâ—…nges Saying cursed be the Earth in thy works it shall bring forth thornes and thissells vnto thée With the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread vntill thou retourne to the Earth For Earth thou art and to the Earth thou shalt goe The Bore out of the woode doth lye in waight and the best fruites are destroyed The Woulfe and the Beare the Leopard and the Lyon the Tyger and the wylde Asse the Crocodyle and the Gryffen the Serpent the Snake the Adder and the Bassâ—…liske the Dragon and the Ceracte the Scorpion the Uyper yea Nittes Lyse Fleas and Ants Flyes and Gnats Waspes and Hornets Fyshe and Fowles For whereas we are created to beare rule ouer the Fyshes of the Sea and the fowles of the Ayre and all lyuing creatures which moue vpon the Earth Now we are geuen as a praye for them and are made foode for their mouthes For it is wrytten I will send the téeth of wylde beastes against them with the fury of Serpents and things which glyde vppon the Earth Unhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me out of the body of this death Surely man would be brought out of pryson and would depart out of his body For the body is the prison of the Sowle Wherevpon the Psalmist saith Bring my sowle out of pryson No rest nor quietnesse no peace nor securitie at any tyme On all sydes feare and trembling and on all sides labour and payne Flesh shall be sorowful euen whylest it lyueth and the sowle shal morne and lament ouer it selfe Who had euer yet a whole day pleasant in his delight who in some part thereof the guiltinesse of consience the feare of anger and feircenesse or the motion of concupisence hath not troubled whome the swelling of enuie the earnest desyer of couetousnesse or the puffing vp of pryde hath not vexed Whome some losse or offence or passion hath not disquieted and to conclude whom neither sight nor hearing or some thing that touched dyd not offend Rara auis in terris 〈◊〉 simillima Signo Herken herevpon vnto the saying of the wise man Betwene morning sayth he and night the tyme shal be changed Uayne thoughts and cogitacions doo one succede another the mynde is wrapped into sundry conceytes They houlde the Tymbrell and Lute in theyr handes and they reioyce at the sounde of the Organnes they leade theyr life in iollytie and at the twincke of an eye they goe downe into hell Alwayes some sodeyne sorrowes doo succede and fâ—…low after worldly ioye And he which beginneth in ioye endeth in griefe For the worldly felicitie is mingled with many sorrowes and sharpe mishappes as he well knewâ—… which sayd They laughter shall be mingled with sorrow lameÌ„tacioÌ„ comes in th end of reioycing This did the sonns children of Iobe wel trye who whiles they did eat draÌ„k wine in the house of their eldest brother sodeynly a vehement wynde brake in from the desart country strake the foure corners of the house which fell downe and oppressed theÌ„ all Whereby their father sayed not without iust cause My harp is tourned into lamentacion myne organe pypâ—… into the voyce of wéepers mourners But it is better to goe vnto the house of weping lamentacion then to the houses of banqueting Geue eare and marke a holsome admonicioÌ„ In the day of reioycing good fortune be not vnmidfull of mishaps Remâ—…ber the latter daies thou shalt neuer sin Alwayes the last day is the first and yet the first daye is neuer reputed for the last yet we should so liue as though we were euer ready to dye For it is written Be myndeful and remember that death will not long tarry from thée time passeth away death approcheth A thousand yeares before the eyes of him the dyeth are as yesterday which passed away For all thinges to come doo grow and renew and alwaies thinges present doo dye and fade And whatsoeuer is past is altogether dead Then we dye alwaies as long as we lyue then at length we leaue dying when we leaue to lyue any longer Therefore it is better to dye vnto lyfe then to lyue vnto death Wherevpon Salomon saide I haue more praysed the dead then the liuinge and haue accounted him more then bothe which was neuer borne Life flieth swiftly away and cannot be
then whose shall those things be which thou hast prepared Thou layest vp treasure thou knowest not for whom thou gatherest it For the ritche men haue slept their sléepe and founde nothing of their ritches remaining in theyr hands When the ritch man hath slept he shal take vp nothing He shal open his chests fynde nothing in them Be not a feard when thou séest a man made ritche nor when the glory of his house is multiplyed For when he dyeth he shall cary none of them with him Neither shall the glory of his house discend with him into the pyt but he shal leaue his ritches vnto strangers his sepulchre shall be his house for euer Herevpon also the wise man doth witnesse saying He which heapeth vp vniustly of that which is not his owne shal gather for other men and a stranger shall make hauoke ryot with his goods Out and alas he shall make him his heire whome he held as his enemie The beginning of mans lyfe was bread and water clothing and house to couer his filthinesse But now the gluttone is not satisfied with fruites of trées with the sundrye sortes of pulse the rootes of herbes the fishes of the Sea the beastes of the Earth nor the byrdes of the Ayre But payntinges must be sought Spices must be bought deyntie small byrdes must be nouryshed they are taken with baytes of the fowler curiously dressed by the skilful Cooke and neately serued by the handsome wayters at the table One breaketh them vp another sawceth them tourneth theyr substaunce into accident and their nature into arte That fâ—…lnesse may passe ouer into hungry appetyte that ouer eating may procure a good stomacke To styrre vp gluttony and not to susteine nature Not to supply necessitie but to fulfill gréedinesse And yet is the pleasure of gluttony so shorte as hauinge regarde to the space of the place it is scarce foure fingers in bignesse measuring it by the space of the tyme it is scarce so many moments long Mediocrytie is had in contempt And superfluitie is desyered bothe in varyetie of meates and diuersities of tastes Gréedynesse knoweth no measure and varietie excedeth all the boundes thereof But the mynde is ouercharged and the stomake is troubled So that the sences are therein oppressed Therevpon not health and lustinesse but death and drowsinesse doo procéede Geue eare vnto the saying of the wyse man herevpon Be not gréedy in féeding sayth he when thou commest to thy meate neyther hurt thy stomacke with all foode that shall be set before thée For in many dyshes diseases â—…oo lurcke and throughe dronkendesse of wyne many men haue béene cast away The foode for the belly and the belly for the foode But God will destroy bothe the one and the other Gluttony dothe rayse a great trybute but it rendreth a most vyle reuenewe For the more delicate that the meats bée so much the more styncking are the excrements and ordure made therof He shal doo the more beastly in all things which doth most greedely loade and powre in He shal break vnsauory and lothsome wynd bothe vpwardes and downwardes and make an abhominable smell and noyse therewith Gluttony dyd shut vp Paradyse made Esawe sell his byrth right caused the baker to hange himselfe procured John Baptist to be headded Nabuzardan prince and capteyne of Cookes dyd set the Temple on fyer and ouerthrew the holy citie Balthasar whilest he sat at his bancket espyed a hand in the wall wrytinge Mane Thetel Phares and the same night he was kylled of the Caldyes The people sat eating and drincking and rose to play yea the meat was yet in their mouths and the wrath of god came vpon them They which dyd féede voluptuously were slayne in their wayes and the ritch man which fared deyntely euery day was buryed in hell What is more filthie then a drunkard whose breathe stincketh and his body trembleth Promising many things and bewraying all thinges his mynde beinge altered and his face transformed For there is no secret kept where drunckennesse reigneth Faecundi calices quem non fecere disertum Furthermore neither ale bere nor wyne suffiseth But bastard clarret wyne and sacke are curiously spysed with much labour great carefulnesse and no smal charge Whervpon procede contencions and brawlings stryfe and chydinges For wyne being much drunken as the wyse man sayth doth cause much disdayne anger mischefe From thence sprynge fornicacions Wyne and women ouer come the hart Therefore sayth the Apostle be not druncken with wyne in the which lechery doth lurke And Salomon 〈◊〉 is a lecherus and a ryotous thing And drunckeunesse is a tumultuous troublesome thinge The sonnes of Rachab and Zacharie dyd drinck neither wyne ale nor any thing that might make them become dronken Drunckennesse layde open the priuie members Commytted incest kylled the kinges doughter straÌ„gled the chefe of the armie True is that which Salomon sayth They which spend theyr tyme in bybbing and shake handes ouer theyr cuppes shal be consumed And Esai sayth Wo be vnto you that ryse earely to become drunken to bybbe vntill it be darke night that you may burne and frye in wyne Which haue the Lute the Harpe the Tymbrel the pype wyne in your banquets Wo be vnto you that haue mighty power to drinck much wyne at a banquet are strong men to mingle all kynd of drunkennesse together Behold your mirth ioy is to kill calues sticke weathers rams and to eate flesh and to drincke wyne Let vs eate and dryncke saye you for to morrow we shall dye And the voyce of the Lord of Hosts was to me reuealed saying If this iniquitie be forgiuen you dye Wo be to the crowne of pryde in drunckennesse The Preist and the Prophet in Effraim were ignoraunt through drunckennesse and were swallowed vp in wyne They knew not him that séeth all and they were ignorant of his Iudgement Furthermore a filthy mother begetteth amore filthie daughter for it is mâ—…ete that such as be in filthinesse should still be filthie For all men are adulterers lyke vnto an Duen heated by the baker The princes beginne to be mad with wyne And their belly delicately fed dothe redely desyer to accomplish the worckes of Uenus O extreme filthinesse and abhominacion which doth not onely effeminate the mynde but also dothe weaken the sinewes of the body Dothe not onely blot the sowle but also beray the person For all sinne that a man coÌ„mitteth is without his body but he which doth sin in fornicacioÌ„ doth sinne against his body Heate and desyer doo alwaies goe before it stynch and vncleâ—…nnesse doo alwayes kéepe it company and sorrow with repentaunce doo euermore follow it For the lippes of an harlot sayth Salomon are lyke vnto the droppes of a
almightâ—…e God and makest him inferior vnto a mortall man and a sinner God forbid that thou shouldest vse suche leudenesse so great iniquities and so excéeding great peruersenesse Therefore henceforth before thou go to prayer and diuine laudes prepare thy selfe vnto deuotion Yea humble both thy body and thy soule vnto God on high which is most blessed and happie also brydle thy outwarde sences and especially thy sight in the tyme of diuine seruice And shewe thy selfe an example before others with inward humilitie and without any maner of hipocrisie or inconstancie to the glorifying of God and the edifying of thy neighbour Now furthermore if any man would aske why sinnes doe make a reasonable crâ—…ture so displeasing vnto God yea so dispised odious It is to be answered that eueÌ„ as siâ—…litude and likenesse is accounted the cause of loue and the reason that moueth vnitye so dissimilitude or vnlykenesse is affyrmed to bée the cause of hate seperation and disdayne For euerie thyng that is created hath as muche of the diuine bountie and similitude as it hath of the essentiall cause or being And therefore since that sinne as touching his deriuation is altogither nothing but ruyne and defect of his essentiall being a deformitie of action and as the withdrawing of the mynde created from the true goodnesse of the creator it sheweth that it doeth impart no maner of similitude or lykelyhoode with God the creator but a most apparant vnlykelinesse And therefore it maketh the mynde created to become odious displeasing and dispysed vnto God yea so muche the more as it hath bene polluted with sinne That all the morall doctrine of the holy scriptures it ordeyned after a sort for the auoyding of sinne Actes second THe Apostle Iohn in his first Epistle sayeth That I write vnto you that you doe not sinne And Esay sayeth this is all oâ—…r fruit that sinne may be taken from vs Thereby it appeareth that the purenesse and fréedom from sinne is as it were the ende and scope of all the documentes and preceptes in holy scriptures Further in the holy scriptures are rehersed punishments to be executed vpon the wicked and ioyes prepared for the iust That as well by the terror of punishment as by the loue of those ioyes we might be induced to eschue and hate sinne Also there are set down two as it were entyer parts of rightuousnesse That is to say departure from sin actual coÌ„ming or paynful entrance vnto vertue the psalmist saith Decline from euil and do good For first it is expedieÌ„t to flye from sinnes and vyces And then next to exercise workes of vertue But these two thinges doe often tymes include them selues one with an other for there are two maner of preceptes in the diuyâ—…e lawe That is to say affirmatyue and negatiue Now the affirmatiue doe bynde alwayes but not at all tymes As when it is sayds in Deutrenomie worship God onely and honour thy parentes For vnto these things we are alwayes bounden But we are not bound tâ—… accomplish them actually at all tymes But the negatyue preceptes doe bynde vs for euer and at all tymes As when it is sayde in Exodus thou shalte not kill thou shalte not steale for these preceptes doe commaund that we shuld not doe euill but to decline and flye from sinne Where vnto we are bouÌ„den at all tyme And therefore since by the negatiue kynde of preceptes we are commaunded to auoyde sinne and yet we can not vniuersally and continually auoyde sinne vnlesse we also in due tyme doe well according as we are commaunded by the affirmatiue precepts therfore in the preceptes of auoyding and eschuing sinnes the precept of well doing is also included Unto which two pointes the whole doctrine of the holy scriptures doe tende And yet to speake absolutely the blessed vision of God in the heauenly habitation is the full ende of eschuing of sin and of doing wel Furthermore since we are prone and ready to euil things and very backeward and frayle or rather â—…ow and defectiue to goodnesse according to that saying in Genesis the sences and thoughtes of mans harte are prone vnto euil euen from their youth therfore we haue no smal néede of dayly and often warning to auoyde sinnes leaste we fall thereinto by forgetfulnesse lacke of foresight or by false suggestion or any other kynde of meane Wherefore the Apostle writeth to the Hebrues saying Exhorte and incourage your selues euery day that none of you bée hardened by the deceiptfulnesse of sinnes Yea and this kynd of exhortation is very necessarie for beginners and suche as are vnperfect And so much the fitter for euerie man as hée fyndeth the more occasions inclination or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne wherevpon I doe affyrme that it is most necessarie for thée my most louing brother bicause thou arte dayly conuersant in the middest of worldly personages amongest whom innumerable occasions and snares of sinnes are offered thée From the which onely God is able to preserue thée That the greatnesse and enormitie of sinne is comprehended by generall speech in sixe poyntes Actes 3. IT is easie to be séene by sixe especial notes how huge howe detestable how filthie and vyle sinne is First and chiefely on Gods behalf who by sinne is dishonoured and offended For howe much the higher his maiestie is and howe much the greater is his holinesse so much greater enormitie it is to sinne agayâ—…st him to disobey him and to dishonour him Therefore the Psalmist sayeth Cursed be they which decliâ—…e from thy commaundementes And agayne those which â—…range themselues from thée shal perish For thou half ouerthrown all which goe a whoring from thée Then since God is eternall and onely to be honoured of a wonderful great maiestie and an infinite holinesse equitie and perfection therefore all sinne which is committed against him and his commaundementes doeth carry with it by a certayne kynde of meane an infinite gréeuousnesse and enormitie wherevpon our Lord speaketh vnto the wicked saying Woe be vnto them bicause they haue gone from mée They shall bée distroyed bicause they haue vsed collusion agaynst mée And Ieremy sayeth know and sée that it is bitter and euill for thée to haue left the Lord thy God and that his feare is not with thée For in déede since God is the sower and fountaynâ—… oâ—… all health and the originall cause of all nobilitie and pleasaunt swéetenesse it is certayne that a mynde created being once alyenated from him is dispoyled of the true blessednesse depryued of the lyuely and frée nobilitie and left naked from all sincere swéetenesse And therefore vecommeth ignoble miserable bitter and vnpleasaunt and in verie deed most wretched and poore as one that is destitute of all abundance of the spirituall graces Herevpon is said to the impenitent sinner doest thou not know that thou art a miserable wretch poore blynd and naked Secondarily sinne is noted by the qualitie of the sinner Sinnes are
that ingratitude is much reproued bothe in mans opinion and Gods iudgement And the more or greater benifits y any one maÌ„ doth bestow vpoÌ„ an other so much the more wickednes it is not to requite the same to be 〈◊〉 or vnmindful But it is most wicked to prâ—…fer euil for good Moreouer the longer the benifits are continued the oftener that they are renued the more liberally that they are multiplied yea the higher more worthy that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lower or inferior that he be which receiueth suche 〈◊〉 so much the larger greater ought the takers to be And the greater sin is coÌ„mitted if the receiuer be founde vngrateful or vnobedient vnto the benefactor Therfore to the eâ—…d that the malice ouerthwartnes of our ingratitude disobedience sin may more plainly appear may be the more hartily bewailed the more carefully amended auoyded let vs peyze the benifits bouÌ„ties of God towards vs And first to begin with this how he made vs not we our selues whatsoeuer we haue or be it came froÌ„ him of him we receiued the same our bodie all the members therof also a reasonable soule al the powers therof If any one member of our bodie or any power of the mind or soul were lacking as a foote a hand an eye or our wil desire How sory shuld we he yea how much would we loue him by whose helpe goodnes that might be recouered restored that were waÌ„ting Why then do we not loue the most liberal the most 〈◊〉 God why do we not giue him thanks why feare wâ—… not to be froward disobedient ingrateful which did 〈◊〉 giue vnto vs all these things before rehearsed euen from the beginning of our gouernance without our motion or merits is not eueÌ„ the essâ—…tial being amiable vnto al meÌ„ naturally as Augustine doth well dispute in his booke de ciuitate dei Further our being our liefe our feeling our mouing our talk reasoning our freedoÌ„ are imparted vnto vs by God froÌ„ 〈◊〉 beginning of our 〈◊〉 vâ—…til this 〈◊〉 time he hath preserued vs froÌ„ innumerable perils he hath apoin ted vnto euerie maÌ„ his holy Angel to attâ—…d him coÌ„tinually He hatâ—… brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from all 〈◊〉 hath 〈◊〉 vs with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vertues he hath spared vs sinners by his abundant mercy yea euen vntil this instant he hath vouchsafed to await for our conuersion And doubtlesse hath taken many out of thyâ—… world whoÌ„ he hath eternally damned although they sinned not so much as we do yet he doth earnestly expect through his incomprehensible clemencie to sée our ameÌ„dment Now my beloued are these 〈◊〉 smal or smally to be estemed doth not God incessantly heape benifits vpoÌ„ vs succor vs doth not he preserue vs in being with vs all that we haue doth not he cloth vs féed vs dayly quickely for getteth the penitent restoreth the grace and vertues which he had lost stirreth and leadeth vs dayly vnto some good things and instructeth vs at all times by his holy scripturs Furthermore he hath promised prepared for vs that eternal supernatural and most plentiful blessednesse Behold my best beloued how froward an ingratitude hugenesse of offence it is to offend or not to regard or coÌ„sider this highest most flowing neuer fayling most excelent benefactor Herewithall it behoueth thée diligently to ponder the singular benifits giuen theÌ„ by thy creator which hath beautified thée not meanly but with great gifts of nature aswel in thy body as in thy mynd soule For since it is according to Augustines saying in ciuitate dei A great happinesse to be borne wittie and ingenious by the same mans wittinesse beutie eloqueÌ„ce are the gifts of God although most men do abuse them then weigh wisely vnto how great a thankfulnesse obedience thou arte bound not by vayn glorying or preferring thy self before any man nor by dispising any man but by conceyuing great griefe in thy sinnes by more bitter bewayling of them and last of all by more careful foresight anoyding of them by vehement â—…eare of the diuyne iudgement Bicause as Christ doth protest vnto whom so euer much is giuen much shal be of him required Yea rather the more benifits thou coÌ„sideresâ—… to be giuen thée of God so much the more thou oughtest to be inflamed in loue towardes him so much the more perfectly oughtest thou to subdue thine appetites so much the more thankful 〈◊〉 humble shuldest thou be found Behold thou hast at gods hand the gifts of nature the goods of fortune the fruites of the church Are not then thy sins great and gréeuous especially since they procéed not of mans infirmitie or of ignorance but are such as thou knowest to be vnlawful And mark therfore what account thou must giue vnto God for these things Last of all the enormitie of our sins is vehemently agreuated by the benifits which we haue receyued by Christ I mean those which he for our saluation did take vpoÌ„ him suffered For it is not our peruersâ—…nesse ingratitude wickednes infinite whilest we dishonor dispise forsake the onely begotten sonne of God who for our deliuerance did so vnspeakably dispoile him self Did most mercifully incline his most high diuinitie vnto the basenes or our nature voutsafed to be conuersant emoÌ„gst men so many yeres Yea in so great humilitie pouertic patieÌ„ce tribulation persecutions temptations which tooke such 〈◊〉 paynes for our saluatioÌ„ in fasting traueiling preaching and praying Which did as Mathew telleth giue 〈◊〉 bodie and bloud with an vnspeakable charitie vnto his disciples and doth giue them dayly vnto vs most 〈◊〉 comfortably Which lastly did suffer for our sakes a most bitter and vyle kynde of death And hath for our conuersion vnto faith and grace done so many miracles by his holy Apostles and other elect And all this considered the more that any man doth honour any other then him so much the more iniquitie it is not to rehonor him agayne But it is most leude and wicked euen to dishonor him especially since he is most excelent both by vertue authoritie And therefore since by the before named benifits aswell naturall as supernatural especially by the incarnation of the word by the glorificatioÌ„ of his humanitie god hath so inexplicable honored maÌ„kind and hath vouchsafed to cal vs which of substaÌ„ce are no better theÌ„ pore litle wormes of the earth yea and hath made vs hys sonnes heires friendes furthermore hath promised againe to carry vs vp into the most worthie Courte of the highest heaueÌ„s into the equalitie of the angelical blessednesse are not our sins vnspeakably huge great by that which we doe dishonour offend dispise a God so wonderfully benigne which hath also adorned certayne of his preseÌ„t electe 〈◊〉 free choseÌ„ with such most excelent holinesse Now therfore beloued let vs
worship reuerence God in all things with the whole zeale of our hartes And let vs do as much as we are able to the honor of his name yea let vs not think that we do any thing that is worthie but let vs hartily bée sory that we are able to do no more bicause euen as he is of excéeding maiestie so is he worthie of infinite reuerence Of the enormitie of sinne by reason of the diuine presence which beholdeth all things Art. 10. THis one thing furthermore doeth increase the gréeuousnesse of our sinnes and doeth accumulate the contempt of our mynd against God that we dare be so bold as to sinne in the sight and presence of our creator sauior iudge And he our eternall most mightie God doth most plainly eternally and vnspeakably behold peize discerne all things that are past present or to come As holy Iob doth professe saying doeth not God know my way doth he not count all my steppes And again so speaking to God thou hast put sauth he my féete in fetters and hast watched marked all my pathes hast considered the 〈◊〉 of my féete Whervpon in Hieremie it is red thou most 〈◊〉 great and mightie thy name is Lord of hostes great in thy councels incomprehensible in thy thoughts whose eyes are open ouer all the sons of Adam that thou 〈◊〉 giue to euery man according to his wayes wherein he walketh 〈◊〉 not an earthly iudge or a mortal man think a great 〈◊〉 or dispight don vnto him if any of his subiects shuld in his 〈◊〉 presence transgresse his preceptes But how much greater iniurie dishonor do we coÌ„mit against the highest heauenly eternal iudge whilest we fear not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 which is truely present euerie where yea mostpresent and fulfilleth iudgeth pondereth all thinges that are done Here vpon beloued thinke alwayes vpon the diuyne presence honour the lookes of the heauenly countenaunce worship euerie where the purenesse of the diuine mynde And blushe for shame to doe that before the highest God which thou wouldest be abashed to doe before a good or honest man Nay rather tremble and quake and presume not to thinke or to desire that before the presence of his 〈◊〉 which thou wouldest be any thing at all a fearde to speake before a good or honest man For God beholdeth the 〈◊〉 of the hart that which vnto men is the speach of their mouth that which is with God is the thought of the harte And againe that which the earthly iudge before whom thou art 〈◊〉 doth gather of thine outward déedes the same the dreadfull and most iust God can iudge and determyne of thine inward desires which receiueth the intent or affection of the 〈◊〉 or déed That man is base 〈◊〉 vniust which honoureth the presence and 〈◊〉 the iudgement of men more than of god Wherfore my dearly beloued let that offence neuer be attributed 〈◊〉 thée but 〈◊〉 heare alwayes and in all places that saying of 〈◊〉 in thy 〈◊〉 The Lorde liueth in 〈◊〉 sight I stand this day And therfore as Boetius saith there is a great necessitie of wel doing commaunded vs bicause we do all things before the eyes of the iudge which séeth decerneth al things Of the enormitie of sinne by respect of him that sinneth Art. 11. HEtherto we haue treated of the enormitie of sin hauing regarde to God against whom all sinne is committed eyther directly or by meanes For although certayn sins are termed to be against god certain other agaynst the neighbour certain against our selues I mean against the sinner himself bicause that God is the nerest obiect matter most at hand vnto some sins as vnto those that are directly coÌ„trarie to the diuine vertues vnto some other the neighbor is the nerest matter and vnto some he him selfe which sinneth Neuerthelesse all sin is against God which detesteth punisheth forbiddeth all sins For by the diuine lawes al sin is forbidden or diswaded Now then it is requisite to speake somewhat of the enormitie of sin on the behalf of the sinner and that as touching men First then the enormitie of sin may be marked by our inferioritie For the lesse that any man is by comparisoÌ„ with a master or lawgiuer so much the more humble so much the more in subiection he ought to be Wherevpon the contempt séemeth to be somewhat the more gréeuous if he become rebellious to the law giuer or superior â—…im self theÌ„ if he himself were greater or if a greater theÌ„ himself did commit it For man himself doth possesse the lowest place in rank of matters or substances belonging to vnderstanding may not theÌ„ that lawgiuer the most highly exalted God holy vnmeasured to bée adored disdayne much when he séeth vs vyle litle wormes of the earth bearing clayish vessell vpon vs being compared to vanitie and ashes replenished in our bodies with infinite sinnes agaynst the soule that we doe not obey his coÌ„mauÌ„dements but dishonor his maiestie and forget his benifits yea euery houre offending him incessaÌ„tly not harkening to his exhortations which he maketh vnto vs by his ministers not regarding his own preseÌ„ce furthermore by this coÌ„sideration of our leudnesse vilenesse we ought vehemently to heape vp aggreuate detest bewaile yea to dispise reproue to correct both our selues and all our excesses against God since that we most poore most miserable most vyle creatures which shal soone die yea rather dayly dying haue so often so gréeuously dishonoured offended dispised dayly do not cease to offend our lord our most highly exalted infinite almightie most glorious and superessential god Behold we dust ashes we worms and rottennesse which lyke a flour do come forth are wâ—…thred which fly away like a shadow neuer do coÌ„tiuue in one â—…state haue so often so vnmeasurably halted dissembled so incessantly do sin against the king of kings against the Prince of all men against the creator of the world most laudable inuariable most highly exalted who is the simplest purest most bright shinyng most holy ghost Wherfore then dâ—…e we moste vaynely glorie whereof are wée most foolishe proude wherefore doe we â—…ot humble dispise bewayle and correct our selues with fastings with stripes with watching praying other fruits of repentance Therfore let vs earnestly be displeasant vnto our selues let vs moste déepely without delay hâ—…mble our selues before the most pure God dispising no bodie but our selues Secondarily the enormitie of sinne on the bâ—…halfe of the sinner is noted by the superioritie of him that sinneth as by préeâ—…inence preferment in authoritie For the more that he which sinneth be preferred in principallitie or iuditiall authoritie the more he is bound to the more ample iustice rightuousnesse charitie exeÌ„plare life Especially since the iudge or president according tâ—… the Philosopher oâ—…ght to be the liuely
my welbeloued in Christ Iesu attâ—…d and marke the word of god with good affectioÌ„ heare it humbly and reuerently reade it and peruse it as an Epistle sent thée from the holy ghost Neyther yet is it sufficient to know the will of God or to haue it in reuerence but we must also fulfill the same As the Psalmist sayth I haue layed vp thy wordes in my harte to the end that I might not offend thée And the Euangelist sath The seruaunt which knoweth his Lords will doth it not shal be beateÌ„ with many stripes And the Apostle Iames in his Canonicall Epistle sayth He that doth knowe the good and doth it not offendeth gréeuously And here vpon Augustine doth conclud that the word of god is of no lesse worthynesse then the body of christ Neyther is he lesse gyltye which heareth the word of God neclygently then he which receyueth his body vnworthyly And therfore since I writ these things vnto thée for the health of thy soule by the helpe and grace of God without whâ—…se provydence and helpe no trée groweth nor leafe falleth I require that thou read these thinges with no lesse dillygence and earnest affection then they are feruently and zealously wrytten for thyne instruction For so the natureall goodnesse of thy quick capacytie doth requyre As it is written A good eare will harken vnto wisdome with earnest desire And how acceptable and well pleasing that were vnto god appeareth by the wyseman saying The earnest desire of wysdome shall guid a man to the perpetuall kyngedome But what wisdome Not the wysdome of this world Not the wysdome of Phylosophers Poets or Rethorycians For by the 〈◊〉 of â—…he Apostle God estéemeth the wisdome of this worlde for méere folly And Saint Hierome that holy father doth call Aristotle who was Prince of Philosophers a father of fooles or Prince of ignoraunce But the wordes before rehearced are ment by the wisdome and perfect knowledge which is conteyned in holy scriptures And are not they to be accoumpted vayne and foolishe who settinge a side such thinges as are requisite for the soules health And omitting â—…he obseruaunce of gods holy coÌ„maundementes and the holesome knowledge conteyned in his holy word are earnestly and contynewally occupyed in thinges altogether vayne and superfluous yea things which god doth not by any meanes requyre at their handes And therevpon we sée such men most comoÌ„ly blynded with infinite vanyties vnfearefully vnwarely conuersant and delighted in playes pastimes and ouermitting greater offences in méere tryfels and fantasies Is this thinkest thou the streyght waye leading to lyfe euerlasting the which as Christ himselfe doth witnesse few can fynde out No But doo thou as the holy word teacheth thée séeke not thinges aboue thy reach Nor search not thinges beyonde thy strength But looke what god cuÌ„maundeth and therevpon doo thou alwayes medytate And as for these superfluous toyes of prophaine mystries doo neuer troble thy braynes therewith Agayne what prosâ—…teth it to haue knowledge of thinges created without a dew reuerence and worship of the creator Nothing at all But rather it hyndereth much and maketh such smatterers as gesse thereby to fal into daunger of coÌ„dempnatioÌ„ Wherfore let not the study of naturall Phylosophy more delight thée then the study of true morallytie which is deuynity But let the cheife delight consist in the study vnderstanding of holy scriptures That thou mayest say O how swéete are thy wordes vnto my mouth more swéete then fine hony And agayne I haue delyghted in the wayes of thy testimonyes as in much rytches And lykewyse The lawe of thy mouth is profitable vnto me yea more then thowsandes of gold siluer By experience thereof one of the Fathers in holy churche did say Nothing in this lyfe is tasted more swéetely nor swallowed more gréedely nothinge doth so seperate mans mynd from the world nothing so strâ—…gthen it against temptation nor any thing more help and styrre him to all goodnesse then the study of the holy scriptures And agayne hée sayth Whatsouer is written in holy scriptures is veritie Whatsoeuer is therein commaunded is honesty and whatsoeuer is therin promised is true and perfect felicitye This is then the most holesome and profitable study which teacheth a man to know himselfe to correct his lyfe and to procéed in all goodnesse by the grace of the holy spirite And therevpon Augustine warneth vs saying Use reading of holy scriptures for thy glasse whereby thou mayest moue any blott or blemishe that thou findest in thy selfe Yea theu mayest therein learne to preserue whatsoeuer thou perceiuest to be fayre in thée by doing that which is fayerer then it séemeth to be For the worde of god is most plentyfull conteyning in it all delights And therin as in a myrrour when we doo looke and gaze with the eyes of our inward mynde we doo also sée and behold the secret shape of our soules Yea we may thereby perceiue how much we haue profited or how much we are gone a straye froÌ„ perfection Wherevpon Isodorus sayth The reading of holy scriptures doth yéeld prosit For it doth not onely teath instruct a mans mynde but it bringeth backe to the loue of god such as are by vanyties abstract and caryed into concupiscence Can any study then be compared to y study of this wysdome No surely For as Gregorie sayth Euen as the holy scriptures doo excell aboue all other knowledge learning without coÌ„parisoÌ„ teaching vs the perfect trueth calling vs to the heaueÌ„ly habitatioÌ„ inuyting and prouoking y readers hart froÌ„ worldly desirs to theÌ„braceing of high heaueÌ„ly treasurs being neither so darke that they are to be dred nor yet so plaine y they are to be dispised eueÌ„ so doth the vse and exercise thereof take away all wearinesse and the more they are red the more they delight surpassinge all other scyences euen in the maner of writing and handlynge Wherevpon Hyerome also sayth Loue the studie of the holy scryptures and thou shalt not passe vpon the vitious desires of the fleshe So that I doe greatly desire welbeloued to decke and bewtyâ—…e thy soule with this diuyne and supernaturall knowledge of the holy scripturs the which shyneth as a certayne blase or bryght bâ—…ame of the euerlastinge vncreated and highest wysdome And the very reading thereof by the testimony of Hyerome doth sharpen y sence encrease y vnderstanding warme the will shake of â—…owth quench lust prouoke swéet sighes distyll plesant teares and maketh vs as it were néeare neighbours vnto God himselfe Wherein when we bestowe our tyme and study the holy ghost doth talke and common with vs euen famylyarely as Isodr sayth And surely thou art singulerly endewed with capacity towardes thatteyning thereof synce thou art bewtified with a naturall sharpenesse of vnderstanding in such sort that thou mayest by Gods grace say being yet but a yong scoller I haue enclyned my soule vnto goodnesse And I besech thée most
bicause he hath promised to giue vs greater rewards in the heauenly kingdome And to this feruentnesse of charitie let vs alwayes enforce our selues For by Augustynes opinion it is neyther the great number of workes nor the long continuance of tyme but the greater heate of charitie and the better readinesse of our wil which maketh God for his Christ to accept our merites For whosoeuer doeth obserue charitie in all his actions he fulfilleth as wel that which is apparant as also that which is mysticall in Gods booke For charitie doth as it were open the mynde and maketh the louer to be loued O Lord my God thou arte charitie sayth the Apostle thou art loue which can not be extinguished Doe thou therfore lighten my hart and make it dronken in thée Wherfore am I tossed about wherfore run I from one place to another why doe I wander after many things Is ther not in thée only most holy honorable mighty glorious God y perfect possessioÌ„ y incomprehensible pleÌ„tie and y infinit aboundance of all things y are good pleasant or to be desired TheÌ„ what is more exceleÌ„t or more louely y I shuld therfore withdraw my hart from thée turn it vnto frail things coueting or desiring any maner of thing without thée or besides thée And where was I when I was not with thée Whither ranne myne affections astray when they did not desire thée onely O God of my lyfe howe vaynely is it consumed And how vnfruitfully are my dayes stolen away whilest I liued idelly vnprofitably before thée But from henseforwardes let my soule bee vnmoueably fixed in thée For euen as the harte desireth the freshe fountaynes when he is chased euen so my hart desireth to be with thée O God. Whosoeuer doth glorifie mée I wil also glorifie him saith the Lord God in the second Chapiter of the first booke of the Kings And they which coÌ„tempne me shal be dishonored For of the loue of God the zeale of y diuine honor doth ryse and procéed As also an excéeding affection to adore worship him in all things Which zeale y prophet Helie had wheÌ„ he said I am become zealous in zeale for the Lord god And y more feruently that we loue him the more entâ—…tiuely also we desire to worship him in all things yea and to enduce others with vs to the worshipping of his name For euen as God by reason of his vnmeasurable bountie his infinite amyablenesse is such that no man can loue him so much as he is worthie to be beloued but doth infinitely fayle thereof So by the reason of his maiestie dignitie and vnmeasured asured holinesse he is infinitely to be honoured So that euery man is much defectyue in doing of suche reuerence vnto him as he in him self doth deserue And here vpon the holy fathers profoundlye pondering these considerations did estéeme all their déedes conuersatioÌ„ how perfect so euer it were to be of none effect And therfore the doctors say A man shuld rather suffer death theÌ„ commit the least fault or offence wilfully For as muche as sinne in that it derogateth any thing from the excéeding great maiestie of God is a huge and vnreasonable enormitie Then if we do honor the excelent maiestie of God so much the more bicause by the beholding consideratioÌ„ of his worthinesse we are able to dispise hartily to reiect all frail vain transitorie things to the end that being vnburthened and clean dispatched of them we may attentiuely giue our selues to that pure frée entire worshipping of the same it must néedes follow that they whiâ—…h through zeale doe altogither dispyse and forsake the world shall immediately honor God with all integrytie of harte And therefore by his grace and mercies are made worthie to be glorified honored extolled with him And lykewise the lesse that a man doe occupie him selfe in many businesses so much the more perfectly he is bent vnto the onely god And so much y loftier more sincere his mynde is in the praysing of his name Yea hée may so much the more be wholly at leysure to exercise him selfe in his seruice and walke vprightly in all godlynesse Moreouer Salomon saith Honor God with all thy substance and the first fruites of thine increase If then it pertayne vnto the honor of God to offer him any parte of our outward substance it must by stronger reason appertaine more vnto his honour to refuse all worldly things fréely for the worshiping and glorifying of him and to preseÌ„t our selues vnto him with full deuotion And so do they which coÌ„tempne the world in such maner as is beforesayd And therfore to the end thou mayest vncessantly as much as in thée lyeth giue thy selfe vnto the praise worship and honour of the diuyne maiestie yea that thou mayest quyetly repose thy self in the swéet contemplation of his mercyes reioyse in his blessednesse lyke a naturall louing chylde and spend all the dayes of thy lyfe vertuously I exhorte thée my welbeloued altogither to disspyse the world and to passe ouer all the transitorie vanities thereof with a noble courage yea to goe hartily to worke in the onely honoring of god For is not the vylenesse lothsomenesse of this world infinite being compared to the highest and vnchangeable goodnesse yea doest thou not thinke it an vnworthie thing by occasion of earthly and worldly coÌ„uersation to be hyndred letted from the duetie which thou owest vnto the honour and maiestie of God â–ª and to be withdrawen from the holy exercyses of vertue and godlinesse for the moste vayne liberties of worldly conuersation and vnlawfull actions To conclude if thou doe in this maner glorifie God and dispise the world then God doubtlesse wil cause thée to be honoured excéedingly as Esay witnesseth saying if thou glorifie God following not thyne owne wayes nor yelding to thyne owne will the Lord will giue thée rest and wil fill thy soule with comely brightnesse Yea then shalt thou be much delighted in the Lord and he shall set thée vp aboue the height of the earth Wherevpon Hyllarie sayeth This doe I chieflye owe vnto God that all my power all my sences all my spirits may sounde his praise For to that end we receyued bodie and bodily members yea lyfe and soule of God that we might worship him generally with them all And therefore the Apostle sayeth As you haue giuen ouer your members to serue vncleannesse and iniquitie so now sayth hée giue ouer your members to doe rightâ—…esse and holinesse And this it is to honour God worthyly to doe for his honour whatsoeuer we may possybly doe to please him yea and yet neuerthelesse humbly to confesse that we doe nothing worthy of thankes or meryte Therofore it is written To gloryfie God as much as lyeth in vs shall preuayle with his mercy and is beyonde all prayse Deferre not then my welbeloued to geue
whole possession of thy selfe and all that thou hast thy body and thy soule yea thyne inward thoughts and outward actions vnto the diuyne Maiestie Least abusing gods gyftes thou consequently serue the Diuill For whosoeuer doth liue vytiously he is a seruaunt of the Diuill The Prophet Esay in his lxiii Chapiter hath these words I will remember the Lord for his mercy Yea I will praise the Lord for all that he hath geuen vs and for all that hée hath bestowed vpon vs according to his goodnesse If then we would perfectly knowe how carefully we ought to séeke the way of saluation and walke therein yea and how much we ought to dispyse the vayne delights of the world Let vs héedely consider what the onely begotten Sonne of god did suffered and toke vpon him for our helth and saluation If he then through the wysdome and prouydence of God the father yea through the eternall vncreated vnbegotteÌ„ vnmesurable foresight dyd not without great cause reason take vpon him doe suffer so many thinges for vs If the onely begotten Sonne of God being perfect and oâ—…ypotent dyd for our health and saluatioÌ„ take vpon him our substaunce and nature if he were for our sake conuersaunt here on earth so many yeares if he did susteyne and endure so many trauayles labors and paynes for our enstruction and redemption finally if he suffred therefore most bitter and cruell death let vs not set lyght by our selues nor make small accoumpt of our saluation Neither let vs thynke that we can be saued by sleighte and superficyall seruing of him by cleauing vnto worldly vanyties neyther yet by lyuing carelesly and without feare For neyther is the euerlasting payne of dampnation so avoyded nor yet the heuenly kingdome is not so obteyned For Christ suffered and was crucyfied for vs that we might thereby folowe his stepes and example Then is it necessary that we be conformed vnto his passion and that we crucyfie our selues as he did For whosoeuer sayth that he remayneth in God must walke euen as he walked Where vpon the Apostle sayed If we suffer with him we shall reigne with him also And againe he sayth Be you folowers and imytators of god as his best beloued children And what els is it to be conformed vnto Christes passion to dye with him to folow his steppes but euen to mortyfie all vanyties wickednesse to coÌ„stitute our bodyes wholy in y feare of god to restrayne bridle our owne natural lyberty vnder the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of his holy lawes to submyt our willes altogether vnto his godly will for wheÌ„ we know beleue that our Lord Sauiour Jesus Christ did most patieÌ„tly suffer innumerable derysions mockes slaunders blasphemies labours and paines with all méekenesse of pouerty with all lowlynesse of minde with all perfection of charytie so as finally he suffered the most vyle kynde of death for vs let vs thynke that it were moste vndecent for the seruaunt if he should liue in delightes reioyse in worldly rytches and wallowe in earthly vanyties whose master was so busily conuersaunt afflicted kylled for the seruants sake For that seruaunt is not aboue his master And Gregory saied well Nothing is so gréeuous but that it myght bée suffered with good will if we would often call to memorye the passion of christ Harken then vnto holy Bernarde speaking to thée in the person of christ Behold O man sayth he what I suffer â—…or thée There is no payne comparable to that wherwith I am tormented I call vnto thée bicause I am afflicted for thée Behold the paynes wherewith I am tormeÌ„ted Behold the nayles wherwith I am nayled Behold howe all my body is stretched out vpon the Cross for thée And looke how greate myne outward paynes are so much that greater is mine inward greifin y I finde thee so vnthankfull If thou weigh these things welbeloued with attâ—…tiue minde thou wylt soonâ—… contempne the world and ouercome the concupyscences thereof thou wilt desire to folowe Christ abhorre all things that are worldly refuse to be coÌ„uersaunt with such as walke in vanyties For god forbyd that thou shouldest be vngratefull for such and so many benefites And yet vngratefull shouldest thou be if thou geue him not thankes for the same with thy whole hart But thankes canst thou not geue vnlesse thou doe medytate marke and acknowledge them Synce the chiefe poynt of ingratitude as Seneca sayth is forgetfulnesse Therefore cast and reuolue in thy mynde euery day what God himselfe dyd suffered for thée Yea besides this the benefites are also innumerable which god doth daily bestowe on vs So that by the consideration of them we ought of good ryght to be kyndled in loue towardes God and in a zeale to honour him with all deuotion Pea and an affection also to be alwayes geuing of thankes and so consequently to laude and praise his name incessantly For haue we not receyued froÌ„ him whatsoeuer we haue or be y goods of fortune the gyftes of nature to be to liue to féele to haue vnderstanding yea haue not we receiued of him the gyftes gf graâ—… â—…ayth hope and charytie the gyftes of the holy Ghost the sacramentes How often hath god most mercyfully spared vs when we offended how pittyfully hath he preuented vs From how many snares and peryles hath he preserued vs what greate gyftes of glorye hath he promysed vs Yea how many haue bene condempned to hell fyre which offended and sinned lesse then we haue done Let vs then not bée forgetfull of suche and so greate benesites But let vs with the Psalmist humbly and thankefully say What shall I requyte vnto the Lorde for all that hée hath geuen me I will blesse and magnyfie the Lorde at all tymes his prayses shall alwayes be in my mouth For of all other faultes ingratitude is the worste Especyally that kynde of ingratytude whereby we become vnthankefull vnto God the most lyberall and abundaunt benefactor of all other If any man should cut of thy hand or thy foote how much wouldest thou thynke thy selfe bounde vnto him which would heale it agayne and restore thée thy member If thou wert blynde deafe or lame how much wouldest y loue him which would cure thy defect how then art thou not ashamed in that thou louest not god ferueÌ„tly which hath geueÌ„ thée all those gyftes before named and hath also promysed thée farre greater then they therefore let these great benyfites and lyberaltyes of god towards thée styrre in thée a contempt of this world and enduce thée to take in hand all such thinges as may most lyuely expresse his honour and glory For as it is moste certayne that he which is by nature best dysposed vnto vertue were moste faulty if he should be blynded by the world to lyue vycyously so thou hauing good gyftes of nature it were no small cause of gréefe if thou shouldest foreslowe
forgeuenesse For euery good déede ought to be done for the zeale of iustice and righteousnesse and for Godly charytie but not for feare Thereof the Apostle saied If I speake with the tonges of Angels and of men and yet haue not charytie in mée it shall nothinge profit mée For theÌ„ doe wée chiefly performe our dutyes when wée reuerence GOD not onely for feare but also for the sure trust and confidence that we haue in his loue And when zealous affection not dreade doth rayse vs vpwards to doe that is good By this dread is vnderstoode and ment the seruyle feare which onely and principally dothe respect the punishment and correction Of the which sainct Iohn sayeth There is no feare in perfect charitie Then siâ—…ce we might be enduced as hath béen beforesayde to the contempt of this world by the consideracion of death iudgement the paines of hell yet ought we much more by much stronger reason to be enduced therevnto by the consideracion contemplacion and loue of the perpetuall blessednesse glory of the chosen The which is of a certayne infinit dignitie since it is an immedyate frewition of that vnmeasurable good holy and glorious god Wherefore as this frewition is altogether supernaturall we can neuer atteyne therevnto but by supernaturall meanes As thankeful thanksgeuing Fayth Hope Charitie the other gyftes of the holy Ghost And the more perfectly and plenteously that these meanes doo dwel abyde in vs so much the more vehemently we despise all worldly temporal things plainly perceue their vanitie vylenesse doo Yea we doo so much the faster more affectionately more abundaÌ„tly more swyftly vncessantly aspyre go forewards approch or rather runne outryght towards y blessednesse of the heauenly Paradyse habitacion Embrasing executing all the helpe fauour assystance of gods holy spirit more redyly and more chearefully Wherefore let vs be moued by the desire of the felicitie and glory of the â—…lect to performe stoutly and couragiously all thinges that may please god Let vs quickly out of hande forsake the worlde yea lette vs accompt all the fraylties thereof to be as dyrt and doonge For as Augustine dooth well testifie The bewtie of ryghteousnesse and the pleasantnesse of th eternall lyght are such and so greate that although a man myght therein remayne but one onely houre in a daye yet euen for that small space vnnumerable yeares of thys lyfe béeinge full of delyghtes and flowingâ—… with temporall pleasures were worthily to be forsaken and set at naught For in the citiâ—… of God and the kingdom of the elect the lawe is charitie the king is veritie the peace is felicitie and the whoâ—…e course of lyfe is eteruitie Wherefore my welbeloued prepare thy selfe and marke narowly what a great felicitie the blessed inioy and what exceedyng delight it is to see God playnely â–ª and distinctly For the fayrer that any thing is doe we not accompt it also the more delectable to behold it playnly and perfectly Since God then of him selfe is essentially totally and vndescribably fayre holy pure and bright 〈◊〉 or rather the true and infinite beautie the 〈◊〉 substantiall forme the separate eternall perfect simple and vnmyxed comelinesse the chief fountayne originall cause and exemplare shewe of any fayrenesse comelinesse purenesse and clearenesse in all creatures the most beautifull and comely of all other beyond comparison it is therefore moste euydent that to sée and behold him face to face and in his proper person is most delightfull most delectable and moste gloryous excéedyng too too much all other delight and glory more then can be with wordes expressed For the better swéeter and perfecter that any thing is in it selfe the more delightfull and pleasaunt the fruition therof must be But our Lord God being omnipotent onely to bée adored happie and of him selfe most excelent pure vndescribable and incomprehensible goodnesse that infinite swéetenesse that so perfecte Being that whatsoeuer pertayneth to the fulnesse worthinesse and prâ—…heminence of any Being present paste or to come 〈◊〉 néedes agrée and be lyke vnto it in all perfection and excelencie it must néeds follow that the immediate fruition of it should be altogither and in all respects most pleasaunt swéete and delectable For the obtayning whereof all the ioyes honors prayses and prosperities of this worlde are infinitely and with excéedyng lothsomenesse to be dispysed Then consider in such sorte as thou mayest what ioy it would be to sée and behelde the eternall being of his diuyne maiestie How it is and hath bene from the beginning of it selfe made â—…or created by any man nor dependyng of any thing but to it selfe of it selfe by it selfe and in it selfe alwayes sufficient Consider howe much good it would doe thée playnely and face to face to beholde the vndiscribable admyrable and incomprehensible God and in his euer springing wisedome and sapyence to sée and discerne the whole order comelinesse truth and perfection of all the vniuersal world with many other most secrete treasures of gladnesse yea to inioy this vnmeasured goodnesse and treasure and wholly to possesse it And therwith to haue all that may séeme faire amyable or to be desired Agayn to be so excéedingly illustrate with the godly wisdome so abundantly replenished with the diuine goodnesse that all thy capacitie vnderstading and all thy desire might therwith be throughly filled satisfied Yea furthermore consider what excéeding pleasure it would be to taste the swéetnesse of godly peace and tranquilitie to be euen swallowed vp in the loue of thy creator to be transformed into God to be made perfectly lyke vnto him to imbrace him louingly in him selfe in such sorte that thou coulâ—…est not at any tyme be withdrawen or plucked away froÌ„ his sight loue imbrasings to sée perceiue that most blessed vision and inward contemplation of the holy Trinitie the issuing out of the same how the sonne procéedeth from y father and howe the holy ghost procéedeth from them both howe theyr persons are to be worshipped as one in being thrée in subsisting and finally to behold perceyue perfectly their mutuall well pleasing ioye imbrasing loue and glorie For the diuyne and vncreated persons doe mutually loue eche other with an vnmeasurable kynde of loue they beholde eche other with an infinite kynde of delyght they inioye eche other with an vntermynable kynde of swéetenesse and they them selues onely doe fully and comprehensiuely knowe and beholde them selues So that the chosen shall reioyse in them selues at the sight and vision of God in themselues they shall reioyce in the beautye and comelinesse of their heauenly bodies and the bodyes of their corporal creatures and in them selues they shall reioce in the glorification of the bodie and the soule As also without and about them they shall reioyce in the societie of the Angelles and blessed people of god In them shall doubtlesse bee sâ—…ne the true bryghtnesse of the sommers lyght the true
floorysh in iniquitie which hath alredy withdrawen the footesteppâ—…s of his affâ—…ction from the loue of this world For if we would thinke vpon the eternall rewardes wee should soone espâ—…e that the present glorie is nothing at all But he which fyxeth his harte in things present neuer weying nor consideryng the punyshmentes to come for the wicked but is puffed vp with false ryches and reioyseth when he hath more cause to be lamented he is subiecte vnto many mischiefes Synce there can be no truer nor ryghter myserie then false and vayne tryumphyng Yea and euerye man doeth so much the more outwardly reioyce as hée doth inwardly the lesse remember him selfe These sentences before alleaged I haue gathered out of Gregorie wherby thou mayest playnely perceyue how perillous a thyng it is especially for suche as professe reformation to apply our affections vnto these earthly things But peraduenture thou doest purpose to vse ryches without abuse and to bee conuersaunt amongest worldlyngs but not worldly and wantonly and to eate and drynke amongest them without ryotte or banquettyng And fynally to vse the fauour and honour of men without tryumphyng or glorying therein Surely if thou couldest performe this it were a great perfection But hardly can the best and most perfect continue therein And howe seldome it is séene marke thy selfe by these wordes of Gregorius It is commonly séeâ—…e sayth he and doeth seldome fayle that voluptuousnesse and sensuall appetytes doe followe banqueting For the bodie of the riche glutton is melted and dissolued into delightes and hys hearte is opened vnto vayne ioye The ryche man is ouercome with excesse of delight and becommeth vnbrydeled in boastyng wordes Hée runneth where hee lusteth and falleth into all vnlawfull things Yea those thinges which were the occasions and allurementes of hys vyces doe become the instruments of hys payne and punyshment But examyne thy selfe whither thou doe onely féede and sustayne thy bodye accordyng to thy necessitie and vtillity or if thou doe not delicately and tenderly pamper and cherishe thy volâ—…ptuousnesse Or els harken agaâ—…e vnto tâ—… wordes of Gregorie As it is vnpossible sayth he that fyre should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in water so is it vnpossible that a compâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contryte mynde should lyue in 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 méere contraryes and eche of them distroyâ—… and 〈◊〉 the other Furthermore weigh and consider the excelâ—…cie of tyâ—… and bee abashed to spende it in vanities 〈◊〉 pâ—…sse it oâ—…r vâ—…fruitefully and to leade thy lyfe therein wickâ—…dly Yâ—… harken vnto the doctryne of the auntient fathâ—…rs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of vs â—…et lyght by tyme which is consumed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The worde flyeth from vs irrâ—…uocably The tyâ—…e â—…th from vs vnredéemably and the foole knoweth not nor marketh not what he looseth Let vs talke and common togâ—…ther say some vâ—…till an â—…oure be paste 〈◊〉 thou doâ—… let passe an houre the which the merâ—…y of thy Creator hath 〈◊〉 thée to repent to obtayne gracâ—… and to winne and attayne vnto euerlasâ—…yng â—…lorie Untill the tyme doe passe ouer wherein thou oughtest 〈◊〉 make intercession vnto the diâ—…yne maiâ—…stie approâ—… and make haste vnto the companye of the Angelles sighe and lamente for the losse of thy 〈◊〉 herytage aspyre vnto the felicitie proâ—…ysed and prâ—…pared styrre vp thy â—…acke and â—…uggish will and bewaile 〈◊〉 the iniquityes which thou hast committed For thoâ—…gh wee set so lyght by tyme yet by Bernardes opynion nothing is more precious The dayes of health and saluacion passe ouer our heades and no man marketh them Wherefore my best beloued on earth euery eueninge or tyme that thou goest about to take rest or quiet reuolue and cast in thy mynde how thou hast spent the daye What euill thou hast commytted and what good thinges thou hast omytted How many good thinges thou mightest haue done and dyddest neclâ—…ct them How thou hast dishonored God and pleased the diuill by sinning and doing amisse How thou hast wounded and hurt thy soule and displeased God. Fynally howe neare thou haste approched vnto hell This beyng done yelde thankes and glorie vnto God for all that thou hast well done and for all that thouhast done amisse be sorie from the bottome of thy harte Determyne an amendment and accomplysh it in déed Consider herewith that sinners which doe now spende theyr tyme in worldly vanitye doe at the houre of theyr death séeke one houre or the least momente of tyme to repent The which they had then rather obtayne then a massye heape of Golde as greate as the whole worlde Remember that at the daye of iudgement all tyme that was lent thée shall bée requyred at thy handâ—…s howe thou haste spent it Yea euerye leaste moment or twynckling of an eye Therefore let thy hearte be replenyshed with good thoughts thy mouth with holy words and readyng of scriptures and thy handes with doyng of vertuous déedes That as often as the enimy doe come he may fynde thée armed For suche as hee doeth fynde idle hee ceaseth not to tempte them Then if it bee so euill to bee idle howe muche worse is it to bée euyll occupyed Wée fynde written The prayse of the wycked is shorte and the ioye of the Hypocryte lyke vnto a moment If hys pryde goe vp into heauen and hys heade touch the cloudes yet in the ende hee shall bee as a dunghyll Hee shall bee lyke vnto a dreame flyinge awaye which is not seene when wee awake and hee shall passe ouer as a nightly vysion If wee doâ—… well and throughly consider the eternytie of the felycitie and lyfe to come yea the soundenesse trueth and vncorruptiblenesse thereof I doe verily beleue that this world present life togither with all temporal glory shal euen from the harte séeme vile vnto vs Neither shall we disperse our affections in worldely thynges but rather we shal most gredily séeke out y euerlasting ioyes vnchaÌ„geable good things prepared for vs in the heaueÌ„ly kingdom For in asmuch as our soule is immortal for the brightnes of vnderstaÌ„ding much hygher and worthier then any materiall substance or nature it ought not to take ioye or felicitie in corruptible material or tranâ—…torie things but it ought to goe forwards with a pure harte towardes the immortall vnuariable and â—…st perfecte god So that we ought not to loue this present lyfe but the lyfe to come principallye and aboue all things Yea we ought to dispise and contempne all transitorie delectation all temporall honor and all prayse of men for the hartie loue of the diuyne and celestiall beatitude For looke howe much we cease from the affection of worldly vanitie and temporall glorie so much the more doe we please God and so muche the néerer we approche vnto the blessednesse which is to come For vnto God onely all honour aâ—…d glorie are due From whom all good thinges doe procéede But to vs be confusion shame which doe so often offend dishonour and neclecte god Wherfore it shall not be
lawfull for vs to glorie in our selues nor to haue a vayn delight in our selues But as the Apostle sayeth He that gloryeth let him glorie in the Lord. Beholde the world passeth ouer and all the glorie therof And what is our life in this world but a smoke and vapour shewing it selfe a little and sâ—…raight way is vanished and gone we all slippe away lyke water into the earth Wée are earth ashes dust rottennesse and wormes meate So that when a man is deade hee shall inherite Snakes and Wormes To conclude what is this present lyfe but a continuall and â—…oste swifte course vnto deathe For some parte of our lyfe is continually and without ceasing wasted and cut off And therefore Dauid sayde Our dayes are lyke a shadowe vpon the earth and there is none abidyng And Ezechias sayde my lyfe is cut of as the webbe from the Weauer Yea euen whylest I yet began he cut mée off And Iob remember mée O Lord for my lyfe is lyke a puffe of wynde And in respecte of the eternitie the lastyng of thys lyfe is nothing as Job witnesseth in the same place saying Spare mée O Lorde for my dayes are as nothyng Héerevpon Chrisostom sayth Let vs passe saith he one hundreth yeres in delyghtes yea ad thervnto another hundereth or if you lyst ten tymes an hundereth and what shall all this bée compared to eternitie shall not all the whole tyme of this lyfe in the which we séeme to inioy so many delyghtes and to haue frée scope vnto vanities shall it not I saye bée as a dreame of one nyght compared to the eternitie Yes for as Hierome sayeth if thou haddest the wysedome of Salomon the beautie of Absalon the strength of Sampson the ryches of Crâ—…esus and the myghtie power of Octauianus what should all these profitte thée when as straight wayes thy bodie shall be delyuered vnto the wormes and thy soule vnto diuilles For as Augustyne affyrmeth If Adam yet lyued and shoulde dye thys day what coulde it then auayle hym to haue liued so long Now therefore my dearely beloued weygh these things déepely For such as neglecte to marke these things presently â—…arly or late they shall say vnfrutefully with the reprobate in the day of iudgement We haue erred from the way of truth and the lyght of rightuousnesse hath not shyned in vs and the bryght sonne of vnderstandyng hath not rysen vnto vs What hath our pryde profited vs Or what hath our pompe and boastyng preuayled vs All those thyngs haue passed ouer as a shadowe and as a swyfte running messenger For then shall the heauens reneale the vanitie of the louers of this world togither with their iniquities and the earth it selfe shall ryse agaynst them Then their sin and transgression shal be manifest with suche as haue sayde to God Departe from vs Wee will not haue the knowledge of thy wayes Then shall the rounde world fight agaynst them in Gods behalfe All thynges which haue bene shall then suffer punyshement and yet shall not be consumed Yea they shall suffer and sustayne accordyng to the multitude of theyr inuentions For the wicked is reserued vntyll the daye of perdition and shall bee ledde vnto the day of furie and shal drinke of the wrath of the almightie Let these things terâ—…rifie thy mynde and withdrawe it from the worlde Yea principally let them ioyne it vnto God. Furthermore the vanitie of this world doeth hereby most manifestly appeare that the prosperitie thereof is expected and gaped for with an excéedyng gréedinesse of mynde and when it commeth it can not be reteyned But all thinges passe ouer and all things flye away This day is paste and the beginnyng of the nexte is not yet knowne whither it shall be quyet or laboursome For so passeth ouer the glorie of this worlde And ther vpon Augustyne demaundeth saying What wilte thou loue temporall things sayeth he and passe away with them or wilt thou loue Christ and lyue eternally with hym For it is vnpossible that a man doe both inioy the present delights and the ioyes to come It is vnpossible both héere to fyll the paunche and there to satisâ—…e the mynde Men may not passe from one delyght to another and appeare gloryous bothe héere and in the worlde to come Yea and the contempte of worldely and temporall thynges is euydente by this that God doeth oftentymes bestowe them more aboundantlye vpon hys enimyes and them which are reprobate then vpon the electe For the electe doeth consider by the end that those thinges are of none accompte which doe transitorilye and seculerly delyght And therefore Hierome sayeth the spéedie consâ—…lation of the gooâ—… is the ende of the wycked well considered and foreséene For whilest the good perceyue by the distruction of the wicked what euils and perils they haue passed and eskaped they accompt all things light easie which they suffer endure in this life So y bâ—…hold my welbeloued how great the deceipt of this world is howe excéeding great is the blyndnesse of the loue which we beare to the same For whilest the wicked doth willingly with great delight remain continue in this worlde hopyng to lyue long and settyng many thinges in oâ—…der for the tyme to come sodaynely and vnawares hée is commaunded to dye and in a moment to leaue and forsake all those thinges which he so faltily hath loued and estemed Héerevpon our Sauiour Christ bringeth in the ryche man speakyng vnto hym selfe and saying My soule thou haste muche good and treasure layde vp for many yeares Take thine ease eate drinke be mery But God answeareth him saying O foole this nyght shal they take thy soule from thée whose then shall that be which thou haste so gréedily gathered Let vs therefore gather togither true and spiritual ryches which will not forsake vs at the tyme of death but will appeare with vs before God and make vs séeme comely and beautifull in all vertue and godlinesse In these kynde of riches we may dayly increase and profit yea and in suche sorte that suche profite may bée muche more auaylable vnto vs then if we possessed all the riches in the world Wherfore let vs not myspende the leaste space of tyme nor bee occupyed in good thynges onely but in the moste excelent thinges That wée may alwayes searche out those things which drawe nearest to our saluation And so growe nearer and nearer neyghbours vnto god And bee alwayes reuerently and honâ—…urably conuersaunte in the syghte of the heauenly Father Let vs thinke and thinke agayne vpon the quyet peace and tranquilitie of a pure hearte vpon the delectation of a soule beholdyng the maiestie of God and vpon the securitye and fyrme hope of the mynde which loueth god And hereby wee shall soone fynde that to gyue ouer our selues vnto such things is as much as to be conformed vnto God. And that suche as doe otherwyse are deformed and not reformed For it is not
euerye thynge whych is created defectyue And euerye transitorye thing vnquiet Yea it is shorte and of small contynewaunce but mutable and subiecte vnto tyme. So that the louers of this world â—…aue nothing firm or stable but are themselues also light and vnconstant as it were set in a whyrlewynde synce they put not theyr delyâ—…ht in God onely but in all vayne and transytory tâ—…inges now affecting this thing and now that thing Now loatâ—…yng that they earst loued and streyght waye deuring and ceuâ—…ting some other vanity not yet possessed But the iust and such as loue God doe perseuer quyet vnyforme and sâ—…ble being founded vpon the eternall God as vpon an vnâ—…oueable foundation And therevpon Salomon sayed The wicked shall not be seene Lyke vnto a storme passing ouer But the iust shal be as an euerlasting foundation Augustine bewayling the louers of this world doth exclayme and say O louers of the world wherfore labor you Why doe yâ—…u afflyct your selues about nothing Whyles you might possesse the creator of all thynges What sâ—…eke you further What may suffyse and content mens mynde whome the creator of all thinges cannot suffise and content For if you may haue all goodnesse which is God why go you about to possesse things full of mysery Can your hope expectacioÌ„ in the world be any thing els then to be thereof beloued And therein what is not frayle What is not transitory What is not changeable What is not sinallye full of perylles by the whiche you passe on vnto greater yea and euerlasting perylles And of the vanytie of the worldly lyfe Hierome sayth O lyfe no lyfe but death A deceiptfull lyfe laden with sorowe weake and ouershadowed New it florysheth streyght waye it wythereth Depryuing him of lyfe in whome it séemeth lyfe O frayle momentayâ—… and bryttell lyfe the more thou growest the more also thou decreasest The more thou procéedest the more nearer thou aprochest vnto death O lyfe full of snares how many men doest thou entangle and howe many by thée now doe abyde infernall tâ—…rments Oh howe happy is he which knoweth and perceiueth thy deceyptes how much more happy is he which setteth lyght by and careth not for thy vayne delights And he is most happy which is wel dyspatched of thée In the first Epistle of Iohn and the fyft Chapiter it is written All the whole world is set on wyckednesse Yea is not the world subiect vnto the Diuill and replenished with all iniquitie Wherevpon the same Iohn in his seconde Chapiter of his second Epistle sayth All that is in this world is concupiscence of the fleshe concupiscence of thinges séene or pryde of lyfe and conuersacion And as Peter sayth The wycked are seruauntes of corruption and of sinne For of whome soeuer a man be maystred or ouercome vnto him he is a seruaunt and in bondage And hée which is the bondman of sinne is consequently the seruant of the Diuyll Wherevpon Paule speaketh of the wicked saying Let them turne backe from the snares of the Diuill by whome they are holden in captyuitie euen according to his pleasure And Christ in his gospell doth terme the diuill the Prynce of this world Meaning not the rounde globe of the sphere but the worldly creatures which being turned backe from God are ouerwhelmed and buryed in earthly thinges Of whome Hierome ment saying Going backe frome the Lord they are written and regystred in the earth But Christ sayth contrariwyse to the electe reioyce and be ioyefull For your names are writteÌ„ regestred in heauen Now Beda expoundeth these wordes thus By the worlde and those thinges which are therern he vnderstandeth men which inordynately and excessyuely doe loue and estéeme the world And such haue nothing but concupyscence of the flesh concupyscence of thinges sene with eye and pryde of lyfe For in these vocables and proper names of vyces Iohn doth comprehende and enclude all kynds of vyces For the concupyscence of the fleshe is all that pertayneth vnto the volupteousnesse and delyghtes of the bodye By the concupyscence of thynges séene with the eye are ment all curyosyties which are commytted in learninge of wycked artes and ornamentes all contemplacion of filthy and wycked sightes or spectacles all superfluous desyre to get temporall and tryflinge toyes and all curyous carpynge and marking of our neighbours imperfections By the pride of lyfe and conuersation is ment the pompe and beast which men conceiue in worldly promotions So that the world is replenyshed with Diuils For what els doe men that liue according to the world but stryue to wrappe and enfuolde themselues in sundrye sortes of sinnes Yea and to wound and wearye theyr soules with the maynes of myschiefes and the shaftes of sundrye shamefull concupyscences vntill at last they féele not theyr owne harmes We sée fulfilled in the Church that which is written by the Prophet There is no truth there is no mercy there is no knowledge of God on the earth The cursed vyces of murder thefte adulterye and lying are come flowing ouer vs From the greatest to the least all men applye themselues vnto couetousnesse The Pryestes haue not sayd where is y Lord and the pastors haue vsed collusion It is easie to be sene vnto what an excéeding great rewine the church is come in euery eâ—…at degrée order But if christyaÌ„s did lyue now as they lyued in the primityue church and first comminge of the Gospell there should be no suche greate necessytie to flye from the world Marye as men doe now a dayes for the most parte lyue it is a highe dyfficulltye to lyue well or to declyne from heynous sinnes in the world Especially for such as are not exercysed with verteous quallytie or paynefull labour but doe abounde in ryches and are conuersant in greatest pompes and highest places Deceiptes ambytion enuye volupteousnesse and all other euils are powred out vpon the earth Euery man beateth his brayne howe hée maye multyplye and encrease his substaunce but no man careth howe to saue hys soule Men are afeard least they should fall into pouertye but were it not muche more to bée feared to lyght into the bottomelesse pyt of hell The world is the fornace of vyces The which these worldlings doo heate and warme with the fuell of sinne And therein doe burne and consume themselues and theyr companyones For they are so much blynded that they neither sée nor feare the peryles which are notoryous and well knowen to all men But doe tryumph and reioise in theyr euils lyke phrentyke and made men Yea if there be any whome they sée not wrapped in lyke wooes they accoumpt them to be blockyshe and senseles creatures Well sayd that Phylosopher As often as I was amongst men I retorned sayth he the worse And another saith An euyll companyon draweth his fellowe to mesdéedes and so he which was before good becommeth euill and wycked To conclude euen as the people of Israell could not depart from
Egypt without the helpe of thy diuine Maiestie euen so no man caÌ„ be pulled or withdrawen from this world vnlesse he be helped with the fynger and power of the heauenly hande Yet shall there neuer be founde any defect in God so that man will doe his best that he maye Agayne the world is compared to a deserte by the which the chyldren of Israell went from Egipt vnto the land of promisse And in this desert they met so many letts and impedyments that of thréeskore thowsand numbred onely two euen Caleph and Iosue were brought into the land of promyse O how the Diuils doth reioyse to sée them all now in the synke and filthynesse of their sinnes Men cleaue vnto worldly thinges and in worldly thinges they are wyse but they neyther care for God nor for his commaundementes neyther are they astonyed when they heare his moste terryble iudgementes But they accompt them as fables Oh all thinges that are be euill bestowed vpon vs For our hardnesse is neuer mollâ—…ed But thinke we that God will omyt his iudgement Or leaue these sinnes vnrewarded Or suffer the wordes which he hath spoken of the iudgement to come and of the euerlasting paynes to be falsified God forbyd that we should so thynke Furthermore whosoeuer is ouercome with the loue of earthly thinges he is not delyghted in god But no man can long abyde without some delectation And therefore such as are not delighted in spyrituall things doe powre themselues out vnto worldly solace And so consequently are ouerwhelmed in the multytude of sinnes and vyces Wherevpon Saint Augustine sayth Blessed is he O Lord which loueth thée For he which loueth not thee loueth the world is seruaunt and bounde vnto sinne he is neuer quyet neuer in safetie but is dystracte and dyspersed in the varyable cares vanityes and pompes of the world And whosoeuer doth contempne the volupteousnesse of this world and thereby eskaye the snares of the Diuill shal be most happy in that his soule is delighted in such thinges as cannot be blotted or defiled with any vncleannesse but is immediately clensed purged with the cleannesse of truth And synce y lawe of God doth so delight him y he shal be able ther by to avoyde eschew y delightes of y world But as longe as we delight in the deceyptfull tast of iniquity so long we shall thinke it most sower and bytter to faste of equitie And to whome the world séemeth swéete sauorye to him Christ séemeth bytter and sower Yet hauing tasted the spyrite of God all fleshe shall as it were dote and playe the foole Agayne whosoeuer doeth with his whole mynde serue and please this world is thereby enfected with a manyfold deformytie of vyces And he which tasteth nothing of the heauenly swéetenesse will not be afeared to be polluted with earthly desires But if such as for the loue of God despyse the world kéepyng themselues contyneually conuersant in spyrytuall thinges cannot yet he altogither pure and clensed from sinnes with how heauy burdens of vyces are theâ—… loden which are not afearde to walke in the myddest of the world wrapped in vanities without carefulnesse or feare of God What is theyr lyfe but sinne it selfe For the myrth and ioye of the world is wickedâ—…sse vnpunyshed But y which the reprobate doe accompt delight and comforte that the elect and verteous doe take and defâ—… to be most gréeuoâ—…s payne Thynking and concluding that the soule 〈◊〉 néedes peryshâ—… 〈◊〉 by that wherein the â—…she for a tyme did delight most pleasantly Wherefore you louers of this world howle and crye out which doo myserably kyll your body and soule before the tyme appoynted Whyles you attend wholly vpon the vyces of glottonye and lecherye immoderately and vylely And thereof euen in this world doe procéede sundrye infirmyties and sodayne deathes Reioyse and be merrie nowe in this most shorte space which you haue that hereafter you maye complayne and bewayle with the Diuill perpetually Banquet and drynke dronken that after a whyle you maye call for a droppe of water and yet not haue it when you shal be daÌ„pned in hell with the riche man which lyued in greate delightes and fared delycately euery daye Why are your hartes harder then yron stéele or stones when you doe not weye and consider nor â—…e not afeard in payne of these most vnhappy and frayle sollaces and vanyties of this world to heare that most dreadfull and horryble sentence of Chryst go ye accursed into euerlasting fyre But here peradnenture you will saye God is mercyfull and benigne he would not the death of a sinner but that he be conuerted and lyue And againe In what houre soeuer a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repeÌ„t him I will no more remember all his iniquites So that if a sinner doe bewayle his sinnes eueÌ„ at the very time of death he shall be saued And I doe confesse that all these sayinges are true Nay rather the excieding greatenesse of the heaâ—…nly pietie doth beyond all comparyson excéede and surpasse the verye capacytie of our mynde For it is vnmeasurable As may playnely appeare in that he 〈◊〉 sinners so longe to the ende they maye bée conuerted yea expecteth and desireth theyr conuersyon he 〈◊〉 such as retorue moste mercyfully he quyckly for 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 and doth aboundantly powre asmuche grace vpon them as if they had neuer sinned nor offended And is not this an infynite pietie But his equytie and iâ—…styce is no lesse then his pitiye And though he doo beare with and longe suffer such as he attendeth to repent and conuerte yet if they doe not conuert he doth the more greuously punyshe and detest them And that which the Prophet sayeth of the contrytion and sorowe of a sinner must be vnderstood of true contrytion and harty repentaunce But the true contrycion doth procéede of the true faith and loue of God and of the lothing of sinne and an affection vnto righteousnesse Yea and as Hierome testyfieth Repentaunce and harty contrytion are necessarye Wherevnto that saying of Chrisostome agréeeth Compunction is the thing whiche maketh purple séeme vyle maketh men desire hearecloth loue teares and eschewe company Syuce then these thinges â—…ée certaynly thus what kynde of contrycion and bewayling can that be which commeth onely at the very houre of death and then repenteth bicause he thynkes he can lyue no longer Or peraduenture if he hoped of longer lyfe he would deferre it Surely it séemeth doubtfull that through seruyle feare and constrayned fayth his contrycion procéedeth by the onely beholdyng of his owne onely refuge And that it is not true contrycion but a terryfing of the spyrite But he which will soundly and perfectly repent must first be sorye for his faulte bicause it is filthy transgression and offensyue vnto god Yea and a dyshonour vnto the diuine sanctitye and Maiestie Wée reade in the Machabes That Antyochus dyd repent and yet obteyned not mercy The Apostle doth wryte the lyke of
and watch of thy tongue and speache Salomon sayeth He which kéepeth his mouth close his tongue stil he kéepeth his soule from perplexitie trouble of mynde And againe Thou séest sayeth he the man which was so swyft to talke folly it selfe is no more to be despysed then his correction And herevpon Gregorious sayeth Flye from and eschew rashe and vnwary woordes For vayne talke dooth soone pollute the mynde Let such thinges onely procéede out of thy mouth as doo not pollute or offend the eares of them that herken therevnto Uayne spéech is a token of a vayne mynde and conscience For the talke of the tongue is the Image of the hart By the talke that we heare we iudge the mynde that spake it Whosoeuer dothe not brydle and represse ydle spéech he shall quickly fall in offence Such as the man is such is his communicacion Then if ydle talke be se much reprehended what shall we thinke of skurulous deceyptfull byting slanderous malicious and enuious wordes In the tenth chapiter of Ecclesiast it is wrytten Nothing is more wycked then a couetous man nor any thing more mischeuous then to loue moony For the man which dooth so setteth his soule to sale Now it is certeyne that temporall thinges are directed and ordered vnto and by the spirituall thinges as vnto theyr ende and onely skope But th end and terminable skope is loued and desyred one waye and the meanes and degrées whereby we atteyne to the ende are loue desyred another way For the ende is of it selfe by it selfe to be desyred loued As for example health in the facultie of Phisicke But the meanes and degrées to attayne vnto thinges are to be desyred and loued in that they are profitable or auaileable to the attayning of the ende or skope which we séeke to gett That is to saye that by them the ende may the more conueuiently be obteyned Then let the case be this that ryches are finally ordeyned for the spirituall proceding profit of our soules And therewithall ioyne that the profit and perfection of our soules doth concist in the action of vertue That is to saye essencially in the actes of faythe charitie and wysedome meaning the contemplacion and loue of diuine thinges and dystributiuely in the actions of the morall vertues Then shall we fynde that ryches are so much to be thought lawefull so much to be desyred and so much to be loued as they are profitable and necessary for the sustentacion and sobre nourishment of our bodies and for the néedefull and decent clothing of our membres By the which vse the soule is made apt for the actes of contemplacion and diuine loue But if they be further desyred then fall we truely into couetousnesse which is an vnordinate appetyte and desyre to temporal thinges and vanities And is of it selfe and in it selfe a greuous and deadly sinne and contrary vnto righteousnesse Although sometymes god for his mercie doth beare with it and forgeueth it Now what might herevpon be coÌ„cluded were hard for me to pronounce But geue eare to the holy fathers and wryters Augustine and Basille It is no lesse offence say they to take awaye from him that hath ought then to deny the néedy such thinges as thou hast and mayest emparte vnto them The breade which thâ—…u deteynest appertayneth to the hungrye The garmentes which thou lockest vp ought to cloath the naked Yea the mony and treasure which thou hydest in the earth might be the safegard and redeâ—…ption of such as are in mysery And be assured that thou doest inuade assault and spoyle as many as thou mightest succor and doest not Here vnto the words of Hierome doe also agrée Whatsoeuer sayth hée we haue receiued of god more then doth serue our necessary vse that ought we to distribute vnto the pore And if we bestowe vpoÌ„ our owne vanyties affections that which we receiued to employ vpoÌ„ their néede How many soeuer doe dye of hunger or naked néede in y places where we remayne we shall render accompt for theyr bloode in the daye of iudgement HerevpoÌ„ Ambrose sayeth He which is the bondman seruaunt of worldly rytches let him kéepe and watche them as a bondman But he which therwith doth loosen and shake of the yoke from such as are in bondage and captiuitye he doth distrybute them lyke a lord These wordes doe generally concerne euery Christiane but especially such as professe the Gospell For they are bounde vnto an especyall cleannesse of hart and conuersacioÌ„ that they may be example to all other people It is therefore most vndecent worthy of all condempnation that they serue and are bondmen vnto the 〈◊〉 and infirmyties of y fleshe wherin there aboundeth most â—…lthy leacherye and gluttony For whiles they lyue tenderly and delicately filling theyr belly with meates theyr eyes with â—…éepe and theyr myndes with â—…yne delyghtes tumbling and wallowinge in softe downe beddes and wholly giâ—…ing themselues ouer vnto dallyaunce pastyme and vnfruitefull communication doe they nowe walke in the straight and narrow way of saluation No surely for as the Apostle sayeth woe be vnto you which are filled for you shalbée hungry Woe bee vnto you riche men which haue your consolation héere on earth Therefore let vs be ashamed since many Heathon Philosophers dyd leaue vs examples of great sobrietie much abstinence and excéeding great contempt of excesse and pompe in clothing and substaunce and we which professe y true knowledge of Christ doe wallow and tomble in suche and so many ryottes curiosities and vayne pompes Yea and that not onely such as are secular but euen many of the Clergie which should lende example of perfection to the laye people It is written Cast not away my sonne the discyplyne of the Lord nor faynt not when thou arte of him corrected For whom the Lord God loueth him doeth he chastise and is pleased in hym euen as the father is delighted in y chyld The equitie and iustice of God doeth requyre that as no good déede remayne vnrewarded so none offence nor transgression be vnpunished But euen the very electe doe not lyue in this world without offences and misdéeds for we offend all of vs in many things and if we say that there is no sinne in vs we deceyue our selues for the iust man falleth seueÌ„ times in a daye and therefore it pertayneth vnto the diuine bountie and prouidence to chastise vs in this lyfe least we should be contemned in the world to come And so of his 〈◊〉 to pardon vs euerlastingly As also this correction and chastisement of God wherewith he doeth fatherly exercyse and visit vs is not onely profitable to the wyping away of our sinnes alreadie committed but doeth also chieâ—… withdraw vs from those wherevnto we presently inclyne our selues and disposeth vs readie to eschue and auoyde sinne in tyme to come whilest it taketh away the occasion of 〈◊〉 terrisieth vs and teacheth vs to beware For
Philosophers intention is not about the body but furthest from it and is wholly occupyed about consideration of the soule The mynde and soule of the Phylosopher doth dispise and disdayne the bodye and flyeth from it that it selfe may bee wholly occupyed in and about it seâ—…fe For out of our bodyes procéede thousandes of impediments vnto contemplation whilest we are busied for the necessarie sustentation therof A Philosophers meditation is the loosyng and separation of the mynd from the bodie It is a rediculous thyng for a man that all his lyfe tyme dyd prepare hym selfe vnto death if then when it commeth hée bée troubled or molested therewith If thou perceyue any man to shrynke at death when it commeth say boldlye hée was no Phylosopher As often as the mynde or soule is allured by the bodye vnto these worldely and chaungeable thynges it is seduced and sore troubled But as often as the mynde or soule is exercysed by it selfe in speculation it is straight wayes transferred into sinceritie and immortalitie The bodie and the mynde beyng both in one nature 〈◊〉 yet commaund the bodie to be gouerned to serue and to bée subiecte But it commaundeth the mynde or soule to rule and beare dominion True Philosophers doe abstayne from all things that are corporal are not gréedy louers of mony and riches These sentences Plato affirmed Now Socrates by Saint Hieromes testimony dyd vtterly contempne ryches Dyogenes forsaking all these worldly pompes dyd chuse to lyue in hys Tunne Tullye and Seneca haue â—…ritten moste sharpely and bitterly agaynste the loue of ryches and voluptuousnesse Then if these men being onely enduced by naturall reason and onely for the attayning of naturall felicitie and scyence did thus contempne all vyces and ledde such a strickt and hard lyfe of how great condempnation are Christians culpable which being instructed with the doctryne of the gospell and very lawe of God to whom the onely begotten sonne of God him self did personally come and made him selfe an example for them are not yet ashamed to lead a wanton vayne and delycate lyfe are blotted and blemished with carnall markes â—…leaue fast vnto the worlde forget heauenly things and are not dilygent and carefull to honour God with all their hartes But my beloued be not thou lykened nor conformed vnto suche vnworthie men Rather follow the footesteppes of the holy fathers that thou mayest be able to please thy Creator and to offer vnto him the floure of thy youth whilest it doth yet floryshe and sproute The which wil be vnto hym most pleasaunt and acceptable As Gregorie witnesseth saying in that age that mans heare is yellow his eyes glistering lyke christall his face freshe as the Rose his sound health encreaseth his strength and force his yong and lustie yeares promise long continuance vpon earth whilest reason and the sences are quicke whilest the hearing is more readie y sight quicker the gate vpright the countenance louely and the body lustie they which in this age sayeth he doe rule and master them selues and doe assocyate acquaynte them selues with God they may expect and hope for the reward of the blessed Apostle and Euangelist Iohn Where vpon Hierome sayeth it is good for a man when he hath borne the yoke from his youth vpwardes Therefore welbeloued doe not foreflow thy conuersion vnto the Lord neyther defer from day to day least his wrath come sodaiâ—…ly vpon thée Offer thy selfe wholly to God and he will wholly bestow him selfe vpon thée Be thou of a right 〈◊〉 and put thy hand vnto the strongest sâ—…outest trauayles Fight lyke a good Soldier agaynst the enimyes of the soule For he shall not bee crowned with glorie which hath not maistred the proudest The creator of all thinges which is aboue all things the highest and most blessed God vouchsafe to giue thée all these thinges for his vnmeasured goodnesse and for the aduauncement of his honor gloriâ—… Amen Salomon in the xxix of his Prouerbes sayeth Our dayes are as woundes vpon the earth and yet there is no death And Augustine in his thirtenth booke and tenth Chapiter De ciuitate dei sayeth From the tyme that any man begynneth to be in this mortall bodye hee doeth incessauntly trauayle to dye For therevnto tendeth all his mutabilitie in all hys lyfe if it may bee called lyfe that hee lyueth to that ende that death may come For all men are néerer vnto death after a yeare finished then they were before it begonne to morrowe then to day to daye then yesterday and euen anon then now For all the while we lyue some little space of our lyfe is taken away And that which remayneth doth dayly become lesse and lesse So that the whole course of this our lyfe is nothyng els but a recourse vnto death And in this course no man is suffred to stay nor to linger and goe softelyer then his fellowes But all men are drouen on with equal steps and paces and are all conceyued alyke to their ende Neyther doeth he which dyeth soonest passe ouer the day faster then an other whose lyfe lasted longer But hauyng eche of them equall momentes and tymes to passe ouer equallye that one had hys ende and determinate tyme set nearer and that other further of For it is one thing to haue lyued longer and another thyng to haue gone or procéeded slower or quicker And therfore whosoeuer doth the longer linger his dayes before he dye he went notwithstanding neuer the more slowly but he had the longer iourney to performe Yea and if it should be accompted that a man doth begin to dye I meane to bee dead in déede from the fyrst moment that death claymed hys ryghte in thys our exyle whych is euen from our swadlyng clontes then all this lingryng and detracting of tyme should in accoumpt be no tyme at all For what other thyng doe we accomplysh in our dayes houres momentes and tymes then that thys lyfe beyng consumate death which all that whyle was in hande may bée fulfilled Of these things Augustyne speaketh largely in the Chapiter before rehearsed and the Chapiter next following But of the infinyte euilles and myseries of thys present lyfe he treateth more playnely in hys xx booke and xx Chapiter of the same worke saying As touching our first originall beginnyng all mankynde was in damnable estate as well witnesseth thys our lyfe if it bée a lyfe so full of such and so excéedyng great euilles For what els betokeneth the horrible depth of our ignorance from whence all errour spryngeth the which dyd receyue all Adams chyldren into a darkesome corner so that a man can not from it bée delyuered without payne sorowe and dread yea the inordynate loue which we beare to so many thynges giltye of vanitie whereon so many cares doe ryst so many perturbations so many languyshings â—…cares madnesse ioyes dyscords contentions warres treasons wrathes enimities fraudes theftes spoyles ryottes and prides do sufficiently bewray our miserie damnable estate