he had al other parts of his bodie yet had he not the use of one of them al bicause that yet he wanted that living soul that could rightly use them Or in much like case as Lazarus was the fourth day dead laid in his grave chained up fast in the power of death having no abilitie at al to come forth or to help out himselfe until he was called forth by the word of thy power and withal had power given him to come Or as Nicodemus not yet regenerate or born again who though otherwise he were learned and wise yet did he not see any thing at al such things as belong unto thy kingdome neither yet was able until he was born again from above But as we are in truth thus far to acknowledge the want that is in us and to take the confusion therof to our selves as the proper and only portion that is du unto us so do we again to our comfort remember that thou art able to make our blinde eies to see to give us power to come forth unto thee and to make us able to understand whatsoever belongeth to our peace And this do we finde not only in thy holie word but also in thy mightie works finding it plain by long experience that thou often hast wrought and daily dost work such things as these where it pleaseth thee When as therby it cōmeth to passe that ever thou hast had hast at this praesent and ever shalt have a seed of those that glorifie thee and in some measure study to advance thy honor on earth First therfore giving unto thee al possible thanks for al those thy servants whom thou hast lightened with the knowledge of thy truth and brought into the way of life which either have been heertofore and now are past their pilgrimage heer and triumphing with thee in the heavens or else do live at this praesent whersoever they are in al the world desiring also to be with thee and to see the glorie of thy kingdome we most humbly beseech thee to gather togither to that assemblie al those thy servants that yet are to come in and wander as yet in their own natural blindnes until it please thee to visit them with thy grace from above O most gratious and merciful father hold on that course with the children of the new Adam now that thou didst with the first Adam before As thou hast given them eies harts and al other parts of the outward man in that they are born the natural children of men so we beseech thee to breath into them the living spirit that so their eies indeed may see and their harts understand not only the things of this world but also whatsoever is expedient for them to know belonging to the world to come and that al the powers both of their bodies and soules togither may in some good measure serve to such use as is seemly and meete for those that do appertain unto thee whom by adoption thou hast vouchsafed to make thy children And thou aeternal and everlasting son of the father who by the word of thy power quickenest whomsoever thou wilt al those which thy heavenly father hath given thee and never sufferest one of those to miscarrie we beseech thee to loase al those that are thine from the snares of sin and power of sathan that they may effectually hear thy voice be therwithal so quikned by thee that being set at libertie from the snares they were in and lieng bound in the grave no longer they come foorth at thy cal and do the service Thou also most glorious and mightie spirit the fountain of al our regeneration by whom unles we be born again we can never see the kingdome of God and by whom we are sealed to the day of redemption so many as are by aeternal election therunto ordeined we humbly beseech thee that as thou knowest who they are that are thine and in what time they are to be called so it would please thee so to work in them by thy power as that whosoever are yet but the natural children of Adam decaied and yet in the secret purpose of the Godhead do appertain to the kingdome of God may when the time of their refreshing doth come be so renued framed by thee that they also may plainly understand the doctrine thou teachest professe the same and frame their lives in some good measure agreeable to it and therin to their comfort finde that they also are sealed to aeternal life O blessed Trinitie it is not in us to reform our selves For both the enimie is stronger than we and stil detaineth us under his power and we likewise have no desire to be freed from him and besides that have a natural loathing of the way of life But unto thee O Lord it belongeth and to thee alone Thou art able both to deliver us from the bondage that we are in and to make us both to covet and to love to come to the freedome of thy children to spend the rest of our daies therin We pray not in this respect for the world though otherwise we beseech thee stil to continu thy wonted goodnes to it likewise to al the children of men but as thou hast more specially ordeined those whom thou hast chosen out of the world to be a peculiar people to thee to have now the knowledge and fear of thee and after to see thy glorie in heaven so we humbly desire that now thou wilt so effectually cal them in thy good time and sanctifie them heer in this life that after by the course that thou hast ordeined they may likewise come to life everlasting Seeing that the son is to be had in honor of al and it is not wel with the members until they be joined unto their head in both these respects we beseech thee make haste to unite them togither that the son may have to sanctifie him and to speak of his holy name and that his members heer on earth may so far injoy the peace and comfort that in him thou hast provided for them Grant this we beseech thee most merciful father thorough Iesus Christ thy son our Lord to whom with thee and the holie Ghost as of right appertaineth be ascribed al power thanks and glorie for ever and ever Amen FINIS Of the Author By what occasion he wrote His intent and purpose Of the booke it selfe In what maner it came foorth at the first What is don to it since First in the substance which is approoved Then in the form or maner of it which is amended The first part The second part The end of this bóoke Two parts of this booke The necessitie of resolution Acts. 7. Apoc. 3. Rom. 1. An advertisement The divels argument Wilful ignorance increaseth sin Psal. 35. Ose. 4. Iob. 21. See S. Austen of this sin De gra lib. arb chap. 3. S. Chrisostom hom 26. in epist. ad
our happinesse Which Christ also affirmeth when he saith to his father This is life everlasting that men know the tru God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Saint Paul also putteth our felicitie In seeing God face to face And S. Iohn In seeing God as he is And the reason of this is for that al the pleasures and contentations in the world being only sparkles parcels sent out from God they are al contained much more perfectly and excellently in God himselfe than they are in their own natures created as also al the perfections of his creatures are more fully in him than in themselves Wherof it followeth that whosoever is admitted to the vision and presence of God he hath al the goodnes and perfection of creatures in the world united togither and presented unto him at once So that whatsoever deliteth either bodie or soul there he enjoieth it wholy knit up togither as it were in one bundle and with the presence therof is ravished in al parts both of mind and bodie as he cannot imagin think or wish for any joy whatsoever but there he findeth it in his perfection there he findeth al knowledge al wisdom al beautie al riches al nobilitie al goodnes al delite and whatsoever beside either deserveth love and admiration or worketh pleasure or contentation Al the powers of the mind shal be filled with this sight presence fruition of God al the senses of our bodie shal be satisfied God shal be the universal felicitie of al his saints containing in himselfe al particular felicities without end number or measure He shal be a glasse to our eies musik to our ears honie to our mouths most sweet and pleasant balm to our smel he shal be light to our understanding contentation to our wil continuation of eternitie to our memorie In him shal we enjoy al the varietie of times that delite us heer al the beautie of creatures that allure us heer al the plesures and joies that content us heer In this vision of God saith one Doctor we shal know we shal love we shal rejoice we shal praise We shal know the very secrets and judgements of God which are a depth without bottom Also the causes natures beginnings ofsprings and ends of al creatures We shal love incomparablie both God for the infinite causes of love that we see in him and our companions as much as our selves for that we see them as much loved of God as our selves and that also for the same for which we are loved Wherof insueth that our joy shal be without measure both for that we shal have a particular joy for every thing we love in God which are infinite and also for that we shal rejoice at the felicitie of everie one of our companions as much as at our own by that means we shal have so many distinct felicities as we shal have distinct companions in our felicitie which being without number it is no marvel though Christ said Go into the ioy of the Lord. And not let the Lords joy enter into thee for that no one hart created can receive the fulnes and greatnes of this joy Heerof it followeth lastly that we shal praise God without end or wearines with al our hart with al our strength with al our powers with al our parts according as the scripture saith Happie are they that live in thy house O Lord for they shal praise thee eternally without end 13 Of this most blessed vision of God the holie father Saint Austen writeth thus Happie are the clean of hart for they shal see God saith our Savior then is there a vision of God deer brethren which maketh us happie a vision I say which neither eie hath seen in this world nor eare hath heard nor hart conceived A vision that passeth al the beautie of earthly things of gold of silver of woods of fields of sea of air of sun of moon of stars of Angels for that al these things have their beauty from thence We shal see him face to face saith the Apostle And we shal know him as we are known We shal know the power of the Father we shal know the wisdom of the Son we shal know the goodnes of the holie Ghost we shal know the indivisible nature of the most blessed Trinitie And this seeing of the face of God is the joy of angels al saints in heaven This is the reward of life everlasting this is the glorie of blessed spirits their everlasting pleasure their crown of honor their game of felicitie their rich rest their beautiful place their inward and outward joy their divine paradice their heavenly Ierusalem their felicitie of life their fulnes of blisse their eternal joy their peace of God that passeth al understanding This sight of God is the ful beatitude the total glorification of man to see him I say that made both heaven and earth to see him that made thee that redeemed thee that glorified thee For in seeing him thou shal possesse him in possessing him thou shalt love him in loving him thou shalt praise him For he is the inheritance of his people he is the possession of their felicitie he is the reward of their expectation I wil be thy great reward saith he to Abraham O Lord thou art great and therfore no marvel if thou be a great reward The sight and fruition of thee therfore is al our hire al our reward al our joy and felicitie that we expect seeing thou hast said that This is life everlasting to see and know thee our tru God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent 14 Having now declared the two general parts of heavenly felicitie the one appertaining to our soul the other to our bodie it is not hard to esteem what excesse of joy both of them joined togither shal work at that happie day of our glorification O joy above al joies passing al joy and without which there is no joy when shal I enter into thee saith Saint Austen when shal I enjoy thee to see my GOD that dwelleth in thee O everlasting kingdome O kingdome of al eternities O light without end O peace of God that passeth al understanding in which the souls of saints do rest with thee And everlasting ioy is upon their heads they possesse ioy and exultation and al pain and sorrow is fled from them O how glorious a kingdome is thine O Lord wherin al saints do raign with thee Adorned with light as with apparel and having crowns of pretious stones on their heads O kingdome of everlasting blisse where thou O Lord the hope of al saints art and the diadem of their perpetual glorie rejoising them on everie side with thy blessed sight In this kingdome of thine there is infinite joy and mirth without sadnes health without sorrow life without labor light without darknes felicity
down again and imagin with thy selfe which was greater either the joy in getting or the sorow in leesing it Where are now al these emperors these kings these princes and prelates which rejoiced so much once at their own advancement Where are they now I say Who talketh or thinketh of them Are they not forgotten and cast into their graves long ago And do not men boldly walk over their heads now whose faces might not be looked on without fear in this world What then have their dignities done them good 12 It is a woonderful thing to consider the vanitie of this worldly honor It is like a mans own shadow which the more a man runneth after the more it flieth and when he flieth from it it followeth him again and the only way to catch it is to fal down to the ground upon it So we see that those men which desire honor in this world are now forgotten and those which most fled from it and cast themselves lowest of al men by humilitie are now most of al honored honored I say most even by the world it selfe whose enimies they were while they lived For who is honored more now who is more commended and remembred than Saint Paul and his like which so much despised worldly honor in this life according to the saieng of the prophet Thy frinds O Lord are too too much honored Most vain then is the pursuit of this worldly honor and promotion seeing it neither contenteth the mind nor continueth with the possessor nor is void of great dangers both in this life and in the life to come according to the saieng of scripture Most severe iudgment shal be used upon those that are over others the mean man shal obtain mercy but the great and strong shal suffer torments strongly 13 The third vanitie that belongeth to ambition or pride of life is nobilitie of flesh and blood a great perle in the eie of the world but indeed in it selfe and in the sight of God a meer trifle and vanitie Which holie Iob wel understood when he wrote these words I said unto rottennes thou art my father and unto worms you are my mother and sisters He that wil behold the gentrie of his ancestors let him look into their graves and see whether Iob saith truly or no. Tru nobilitie was never begun but by vertu and therfore as it is a testimonie of vertu to the predecessors so is it another of vertu unto the successors And he which holdeth the name therof by descent without vertu is a meer monster in respect of his ancestors for that he breaketh the limits of the nature of nobilitie Of which sort of men God saith by one prophet They are made abhominable even as the things which they love their glorie is from their nativitie from the bellie and from their conception 14 It is a miserable vanitie to go beg credit of dead men when as we deserve none our selves to seek up old titles of honor from our ancestors we being utterly uncapable therof by our own base maners and behavior Christ cleerly confounded this vanitie when being descended himselfe of the greatest nobilitie that ever was in this world and besides that being also the son of God yet called he himselfe ordinarily the son of man that is the son of the virgin Marie for otherwise he was no son of man and further than this also called himselfe a shepheard which in the world is a name of contempt He sought not up this and that old title of honor to furnish his stile withal as our men do Neither when he had to make a king first in Israel did he seek out the ancientest blood but took Saul of the basest tribe of al Israel and after him David the poorest shepheard of al his brethren And when he came into the world he sought not out the noblest men to make princes of the earth that is to make apostles but took of the poorest and simplest therby to confound as one of them saith the foolish vanitie of this world in making so great account of the preeminence of a little flesh and blood in this life 15 The fourth vanitie that belongeth to ambition or pride of life is worldly wisdom wherof the apostle saith The wisdom of this world is folly with God If it be folly then great vanitie no dowt to delite so in it as men do It is a strange thing to see how contrarie the judgements of God are to the judgements of men The people of Israel would needs have a king as I have said and they thought God would have given them presently some great mightie prince to rule over them but he chose out a poor felow that sought asses about the country After that when God would displace this man again for his sin he sent Samuel to annoint one of Isai his sons and being come to the house Isai brought foorth his eldest son Eliab a lustie tall felow thinking him indeed most fit to govern but God answered Respect not his countenance nor his tallnes of personage for I have reiected him neither do I iudge according to the countenance of man After that Isai brought in his second son Abinadab and after him Samma and so the rest until he had shewed him seven of his sons Al which being refused by Samuel they marveled said there was no mo left but only a little red headed boy that kept the sheep called David which Samuel caused to be sent for And assoon as he came in sight God said to Samuel this is the man that I have chosen 16 When the Messias was promised unto the Iewes to to be a king they imagined presently according to their worldly wisdom that he should be some great prince and therfore they refused Christ that came in povertie Iames and Iohn being yet but carnal seeing the Samaritans contemptuously to refuse Christs disciples sent to them and knowing what Christ was thought streightway that he must in revenge have called down fire from heaven to consume them but Christ rebuked them saieng You know not of what spirit you are The apostles preaching the crosse and necessitie of suffering to the wise gentils and philosophers were thought presently fooles for their labors Festus the emperors lieftenant hearing Paul to speak so much of abandoning the world and following Christ said he was mad Finally this is the fashion of al worldly wise men to condemn the wisdom of Christ and of his saints For so the holie scripture reporteth of their own confession being now in place of torment Nos insensati vitam illorum aestimabamus insaniam We fond men esteemed the lives of saints as madnes Wherfore this is also great vanitie as I have said to make such account of worldly wisdom which is not only follie but also madnes by the testimonie of the holie Ghost himselfe 17 Who would not think but that
them Whose help wil they crave They shal see al things crie vengeance about them al things yeeld them cause of feare and terror but nothing to yeeld them any hope or comfort Above them shal be their judge offended with them for their wickednes beneath them hel open and the cruel fornace readie boiling to receave them on the right hand shal be their sins accusing them on the left hand the devils ready to execute Gods eternal sentence upon them within them their conscience gnawing without them al damned soules bewailing on everie side the world burning Good Lord what wil the wretched sinner do invironed with al these miseries How wil his hart sustain these anguishes What way wil he take To go back is impossible to go forward is intollerable What then shal he do but as Christ foretelleth he shal drie up for very fear seeke death and death shal fly from him cry to the hils to fal upon him and they refusing to do him so much pleasure he shal stand there as a most desperate forlorne and miserable caitife wretch until he receave that dreadful and irrevocable sentence Go you accursed into everlasting fire 18 Which sentence once pronounced consider what a doleful cry and shout wil streight follow The good rejoising and singing praises in the glorie of their saviour the wicked bewailing blaspheming and cursing the day of their nativitie Consider the intollerable upbraieng of the wicked infernal spirits against these miserable condemned souls now delivered to them in pray for ever With how bitter scofs and taunts wil they hale them on to torments Consider the eternal seperation that then must be made of fathers children mothers daughters frinds and companions the one to glorie the other to confusion with out ever seeing one the other again and that which shal be as great a greefe as any other if it be tru that some conceave that our knowledge one of another here on earth shal so far remain the son going to heaven shal not pitie his own father or mother going to hel but shal rejoice at the same for that it turneth to Gods glorie for the execution of his justice What a separation I say shal this be What a farewel Whose hart would not break at that day to make this separation if a hart could break at that time so end his pains But that wil not be Where are al our delites now Where are al our pleasant pastimes become Our bravery in apparel our glistering in gold our honor done to us with cap and knee al our delicate fare al our musik al our wanton daliances and recreations we were wont to have al our good frinds and merie companions accustomed to laugh and to disport the time with us Where are they become Oh deere brother how sower wil al the pleasures past of this world seeme at that hour How doleful wil their memorie be unto us How vain a thing wil al our dignities our riches our possessions appeere And on the contrarie side how joiful wil that man be that hath attended in this life to live vertuouslie albeit with pain and contempt of the world Happy creature shal he be that ever he was born no toong but Gods can expresse his happines 19 And now to make no other conclusion of al this but even that which Christ himselfe maketh let us consider how easie a matter it is now for us with a little pain to avoid the danger of this day for that cause it is foretold us by our most merciful judge and Saviour to the end we should by our diligence avoid it For thus he concludeth after al his former threatnings Videte vigilate c. Looke about you watch and praie ye for you know not when the time shal be But as I say to you so I say to al be watchful And in another place having reckoned up al the particulars before recited least any man should dowt that al should not be fulfilled he saith Heaven and earth shal passe but my words shal not passe And then he addeth this exhortation Attend therfore unto your selves that your harts be not overcome with banquetting and dronkenes with the cares of this life and so that day come upon you sodenly For he shal come as a snare upon them which inhabite the earth be you therfore watchful and alwais pray that you may be woorthy to escape al these things which are to com to stand confidently before the Son of man at this day What a frindly and fatherly exhortation is this of Christ Who could desire a more kind gentle or effectual forewarning Is there any man that can plead ignorance hereafter The verie like conclusion gathered Saint Peter out of the premises when he saith The day of the Lord shal come as a theefe in which the elements shal be dissolved c. Seeing then al these things must be dissolved what maner of men ought we to be in holy conversation and pietie expecting and going on to meete the comming of that day of the Lord c. This meeting of the day of judgement which Saint Peter speaketh of is an earnest longing after it which never is had until first there go before a du examination of our estate and speedy amendment of our life past Therfore saith most notably the wise man Provide thee of a medicine before the sore come and examine thy selfe before iudgement and so shalt thou find propitiation in the sight of God To which Saint Paul agreeth when he saith If we would iudge our selves we should not be iudged But bicause no man entreth into du judgement of himselfe and of his own life therof it commeth that so few do prevent this latter judgement so few are watchful and so many fal a sleepe in ignorance of their own danger Our Lord give us grace to looke better about us CHAP. VI. A consideration of the nature of sin and of a sinner for the iustifieng of Gods severitie shewed in the Chapter before TO the end that no man may justly complain of the severe account which God is to take of us at the last day or of the severitie of his judgement set down in the chapter before it shal not be amisse to consider in this chapter the cause why God doth shew such severitie against sin and sinners as both by that which hath been said doth appeer and also by the whole course of holie scripture where he in every place almost denounceth his extreme hatred wrath indignatiō against the same as where it is said of him That he hateth al those that work iniquitie And that both the wicked man and his wickednes are in hatred with him And finaly that the whole life of sinners their thoughts words works yea and their good actions also are abhominations in his sight whiles they live in sin And that which yet is more
another place he complaineth yet as the prophet saith God wil have his day with these men also when he wil be known And that is Cognoscetur dominus iudicia faciens God wil be known when he beginneth to do iudgment And this is at the day of death which is the next dore to judgement as the Apostle testifieth saieng It is appointed for al men once to die and after that ensueth iudgement 3 This I say is the day of God most terrible sorrowful and ful of tribulation to the wicked wherin God wil be known to be a righteous God and to restore to every man according as he hath done while he lived as Saint Paul saith or as the prophet describeth it He wil be known then to be a terrible God and such a one as taketh away the spirit of princes a terrible God to the kings of the earth At this day as there wil be a great change in al other things as mirth wil be turned into sorrow laughings into weepings pleasures into paines stoutnes into fear pride into dispaire and the like so especially wil there be a strange alteration in judgement and opinion for that the wisdom of God wherof I have spoken in the former chapters which as the scripture saith Is accounted holy of the wise of the world wil then appeere in hir likenes and as it is in very deed wil be confessed by hir greatest enimies to be only tru wisdom and al carnal wisdom of worldlings to be meer folly as God calleth it 4 This the holie scripture setteth down cleerly when it describeth the verie speeches and lamentations of the wise men of this world at the last day saieng touching the vertuous whom they despised in this life Nos insensati c. We senseles men did esteem their life to be madnes and their end to be dishonorable but look how they are now accounted among the children of God and their portion is with the saints We have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnes hath not shined before us neither hath the sun of understanding appeered unto us We have wearied out our selves in the way of iniquitie and perdition and we have walked craggy paths but the way of the Lord we have not known Hitherto are the words of scripture wherby we may perceave what great change of judgement there wil be at the last day from that which men have now of al such matters what confessing of follie what acknowledging of error what hartie sorrow for labor lost what fruitles repentance for having run awry Oh that men would consider these things now We have wearied out our selves say these miserable men in the way of iniquitie and perdition and we have walked craggie paths What a description is this of lamentable worldlings who beat their brains daily weary out themselves in pursuit of vanitie and chaf of this world for which they suffer notwithstanding more pains oftentimes than the just do in purchasing of heaven And when they arrive to at the last day wearied and worn out with troble and toile they finde that al their labor is lost al their vexation taken in vain for that the litle pelfe which they have gotten in the world and for which they have strugled so sore wil helpe them nothing but rather greatly afflict and torment them for better understanding wherof it is to be considered that three things wil principallie molest these men at the day of their death and unto these may al the rest be referred 5 The first is the excessive pains which commonly men suffer in the separation of the soul and bodie which have lived so long together as two deer frinds united in love and pleasure and therfore most loth to part now but onlie that they are inforced therunto This pain may partly be conceaved by that if we would drive out life but from the least part of our bodie as for example out of our little finger as surgeons are woont to do when they wil mortifie any place to make it break what a pain doth a man suffer before it be dead What raging greefe doth he abide And if the mortifieng of one little part onlie doth so much afflict us imagin what the violent mortifieng of al the parts together wil do For we see that first the soul is driven by death to leave the extreeme parts as the toes feet and fingers then the legs arms and so consequently one part dieth after another until life be restrained onlie to the hart which holdeth out longest as the principal part but yet must finally be constrained to render it selfe though with never so much pain and resistance which pain how great strong it is may appeer by the breaking in peeces of the very strings and holds wherwith it was environed through the excessive vehemencie of this deadly torment But yet before it come to this point to yeeld no man can expresse the cruel conflict that is betwixt death and hir and what distresses she abideth in time of hir agonie Imagin that a prince possessed a goodly citie in al peace wealth and pleasure and greatly frinded of al his neighbors about him who promise to assist him in al his needs and affairs and that upon the sudden his mortal enimie should come and besiege this citie and taking one hold after another one wal after another one castel after another should drive this prince only to a little tower and besiege him therin al his other holds being beaten down and his men slain in his sight what fear anguish and miserie would this prince be in How often would he look out at the windows and loope holes of his tower to see whether his frinds and neighbors would come to help him or no And if he saw them al to abandon him and his cruel enimie even ready to break in upon him would he not be in a pitiful plight trow you And even so fareth it with a poore soul at the hour of death The bodie wherin she raigneth like a joly princesse in al pleasure whiles it florished is now battered and overthrown by hir enimy which is death the arms legs and other parts wherwith she was fortified as with wals words during time of helth are now surprised and beaten to the ground and she is driven only to the hart as to the last and extreemest refuge where she is also most fearcely assailed in such sort as she cannot hold out long Hir deer frinds which soothed hir in time of prosperitie and promised assistance as youth physik and other humane helps do now utterly abandon hir the enimie wil not be pacified or make any leag but night and day assaulteth this turret wherin she is and which now beginneth to shake and shiver in peeces and she looketh hourly when hir enimie in most raging and dreadful maner wil enter upon hir What think
without abatement al goodnes without any evil Where youth florisheth that never waxeth old life that knoweth no end beautie that never fadeth love that never cooleth health that never diminisheth joy that never ceaseth Where sorrow is never felt complaint is never heard matter of sadnes is never seen nor evil successe is overfeared For that they possesse thee O Lord which art the perfection of their felicitie 15 If we would enter into these considerations as this holie man and other his like did no dowt but we should more be inflamed with the love of this felicitie prepared for us than we are and consequently should strive more to gain it than we do And to the end thou maist conceive som more feeling in the matter gentle reader consider a little with me what a joiful day shal that be at thy house when having lived in the fear of God and atchived in his service the end of thy peregrination thou shalt come by the means of death to passe from miserie and labour to immortalitie and in that passage when other men begin to fear thou shalt lift up thy head in hope according as Christ promiseth for that the time of thy salvation commeth on Tel me what a day shal that be when thy soul stepping foorth of prison and conducted to the tabernacle of heaven shal be received there with the honorable companies and troups of that place With al those blessed spirits mentioned in scripture as principalities powers vertues dominations thrones Angels Archangels Cherubins and Seraphins also with the holie Apostles and disciples of Christ Patriarches Prophets Martyrs Innocents Confessors and Saints of God Al which shal triumph now at thy coronation and glorification What joy wil thy soul receive in that day when she shal be presented in the presence of al those states before the seat and majestie of the blessed Trinitie with recital and declaration of al thy good works and travels suffered for the love and service of God When there shal be laid down in that honorable consistorie al thy vertuous deeds al the labors that thou hast taken in thy calling al thy almes al thy praiers al thy fasting al thy innocencie of life al thy patience in injuries al thy constancie in adversities al thy temperance in meats al the vertues of thy whole life When al I say shal be recounted there al commended al rewarded shalt thou not see now the valure and profite of vertuous life Shalt thou not confesse that gainful and honorable is the service of God Shalt thou not now be glad and blesse the hour wherin first thou resolvest thy selfe to leave the service of the world to serve God Shalt thou not think thy selfe beholding to him or hir that persuaded thee unto it Yes verilie 16 But yet more than this when as being so neer thy passage heer thou shalt consider into what a port and haven of securitie thou art come and shalt look bak upon the dangers which thou hast passed and wherin other men are yet in hazard thy cause of joy shal greatly be increased For thou shalt see evidentlie how infinite times thou were to perish in that journey if God had not held his special hand over thee Thou shalt see the dangers wherin other men are the death damnation wherinto many of thy frinds and acquaintance have fallen the eternal pains of hel incurred by many that used to laugh and be merie with thee in the world Al which shal augment the felicitie of this thy blessed estate And now for thy selfe thou maist be secure thou art out of al danger for ever and ever There is no more need now of fear of watch of labor or of care Thou maist lay down al armor now better than the children of Israel might have done when they had gotten the land of promise For there is no more enimy to assail thee there is no more wilie serpent to beguile thee al is peace al is rest al is joy al is securitie Good Saint Paul hath no more need now to labor in the ministerie of the word neither yet to fast to watch or to punish his bodie Good old Ierom may now cease to afflict himselfe both night and day for the conquering of his spiritual enimie Thy onlie exercise must be now to rejoice to triumph to sing Halleluias to the lamb which hath brought thee to this felicitie and wil keep thee in the same world without end What a comfort wil it be to see that lamb sitting on his seat of state If the wise men of the east came so far off and so rejoiced to see him in the manger what wil it be to see him sitting in his glorie If Saint Iohn Baptist did leap at his presence in his mothers belly what shal his presence do in this his roial and eternal kingdome It passeth al other glorie that saints have in heaven saith Saint Austen to be admitted to the inestimable sight of Christ his face and to receive the beams of glorie from the brightnes of his majestie And if we were to suffer torments every day yea to tollerate the verie pains of hel for a time therby to gain the sight of Christ and to be joined in glorie to the number of his saints it were nothing in respect of the reward O that we made such account of this matter as this holy and learned man did we would not live as we do nor leese the same for such trifles as most men do 17 But to go forward yet further in this consideration imagin besides al this what a joy it shal be unto thy soul at that day to meet with al hir godly frinds in heaven with father with mother with brothers with sisters with wife with husband with maister with schollers with neighbors with familiars with kindred with acquaintance the welcoms the mirth the sweet imbracements that shal be there the joy wherof as noteth wel Saint Cyprian shal be unspeakable Ad to this the daily feasting and inestimable triumph which shal be there at the arrival of new brethren and sisters comming thither from time to time with the spoils of their enimies conquered and vanquished in this world O what a comfortable sight wil it be to see those seats of Angels fallen filled up again with men and women from day to day To see the crowns of glorie set upon their heads and that in varietie according to the varietie of their conquests One for martyrdom or confession against the persecutor another for chastitie against the flesh another for povertie or humilitie against the world another for many conquests togither against the divel There the glorious companie of Apostles saith holy Cyprian there the number of rejoising prophets there the innumerable multitude of martyrs shal receive the crowns of their deaths and sufferings There triumphing virgins which have overcom concupiscence with
repeat a great many more privileges and prerogatives of a vertuous life which make the same easie pleasant and comfortable but that this chapter groweth to be long and therfore I wil only touch as it were in passing by two or three of the other points of the most principal which notwithstanding would require large discourses to declare the same according to their dignities And the first is the inestimable privilege of libertie and freedom which the vertuous do enjoy above the wicked according as Christ promiseth in these words If you abide in my cōmandements you shal be my schollers indeed and you shal know the truth and the truth shal set your free Which words Saint Paul as it were expounding saith Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedome And this freedome is ment from the tyrannie and thraldome of our corrupt sensualitie concupiscence wherunto the wicked are so in thraldome as there was never bondman so in thraldome to a most cruel and mercilesse tyrant This in part may be conceaved by this one example If a man had maried a rich beautiful noble gentlewoman adorned with al gifts and graces which may be devised to be in a woman and yet notwithstanding should be so sotted and intangled with the love of some soul and dishonest begger or servile maid of his house as for hir sake to abandon the company and frindship of the said wife to spend his time in daliance and service of his base woman to run to go to stand at hir appointment to put al his living and revenues into hir hands for hir to consume and spoil at hir pleasure to denie hir nothing but to wait and serve hir at hir bek yea and to compel his said wife to do the same would you not think this mans life miserable and most servile And yet surely the servitude wherof we talk is far greater and more intollerable than this For no woman or other creature in the world is or can be of that beautie or nobilitie as the grace of Gods spirit is to whom man by his creation was espoused which notwithstanding we see abandoned contemned and rejected by him for the love of sensualitie hir enimie and a most deformed creature in respect of reason in whose love notwithstanding or rather servitude we see wicked men so drowned as they serve hir day and night with al pains perils and expenses and do constrain also the good motions of Gods spirit to give place at every bek commandement of this new mistres For wherfore do they labor Wherfore do they watch Wherfore do they heape riches togither but only to serve their sensualitie and hir desires Wherfore do they beat their brains but only to satisfie this cruel tyrant and hir passions 23 And if you wil see indeed how cruel and pittiful this servitude is consider but some particular examples therof Take a man whom she overruleth in any passion as for example in the lust of the flesh and what pains taketh he for hir How doth he labor how doth he sweat in this servitude How mightie strong doth he feele hir tyrannie Remember the strength of Samson the wisdome of Salomon the sanctitie of David overthrown by this tyrannie Iupiter Mars and Hercules who for their valiant acts otherwise were accounted gods of the painims were they not overcome and made slaves by the inchantment of this tyrant And if you wil yet further see of what strength she is and how cruelly she executeth the same upon those that Christ hath not delivered from hir bondage consider for examples sake in this kind the pittiful case of some disloial wife who though she know that by committing adulterie she runneth into a thousand dangers and inconveniences as the losse of Gods favor the hatred of hir husband the danger of punishment the offence of hir frinds the utter dishonor of hir person if it be known and finally the ruin and peril of bodie and soul yet to satisfie this tyrant she wil venture to commit the sin notwithstanding any dangers or perils whatsoever 24 Neither is it only in this one point of carnal lust but in al other wherin a man is in servitude to this tyrant and hir passions Look upon an ambitious or vain glorious man see how he serveth this mistresse with what care and diligence he attendeth hir commandements that is to follow after a little wind of mens mouthes to pursu a little feather flieng before him in the air you shal see that he omitteth no one thing no one time no one circumstance for gaining therof He riseth betime goeth late to bed trotteth by day studieth by night heer he flattereth there he dissembleth heer he stowpeth there he looketh big heer he maketh frinds there he preventeth enimies And to this only end he referreth al his actions and applieth al his other matters as his order of life his cōpany keping his sutes of apparel his house his table his horses his servants his talk his behavior his jests his looks and his very going in the street 25 In like wise he that serveth his ladie in passion of covetousnes what a miserable slaverie doth he abide His hart being so walled in prison with money as he must only think therof talk therof dream therof and imagin only new wais to get the same nothing else If you should see a Christian man in slavery under the gret Turk tied in a galley by the leg with chains there to serve by rowing for ever you could not but take compassion of his case And what then shal we do of the miserie of this man who standeth in captivitie to a more base creature than a Turk or any other reasonable creature that is to a peece of mettal in whose prison he lieth bound not only by the feete in such sort as he may not go any where against the commoditie and commandement of the same but also by the hands by the mouth by the eies by the eares and by the hart so as he may neither do speak see hear or think any thing but the service of the same Was there ever servitude so great as this Doth not Christ say truly now Qui facit peccatum servus est peccati He that doth sin is a slave unto sin Doth not S. Peter say wel A quo quis superatus est huius servus est A man is slaue to that wherof he is cōquered 26 From this slaverie then are the vertuous delivered by the power of Christ and his assistance insomuch as they rule over their passions in sensualitie and are not ruled therby This God promised by the prophet Ezechiel saieng And they shal know that I am their Lord when I shal break the chains of their yoke and shal deliver them from the power of those that over-ruled them before And this benefit holie David acknowledged in himselfe when he used these most effectuous words
loveth us and tendereth our case most mercifully 31 But yet heer is one thing to be noted in this matter and that is that Christ suffered the ship almost to be covered with waves as the Evangelist saith before he would awake therby to signifie that the measure of temptations is to be left only unto himselfe it is sufficient for us to rest upon the apostles words He is faithful and therfore he wil not suffer us to be tempted above our strength We may not examin or mistrust his doings we may not inquire why doth he this Or why suffereth he that Or how long wil he permit these evils to reign God is a great God in al his doings and when he sendeth tribulation he sendeth a great deal togither to the end he may shew his great power in delivering us and recompenseth it after with as great measure of comfort His temptations oftentimes do go very deep therby to try the very harts and reins of men He went far with Elias when he caused him to fly into a mountain and there most desirous of death to say They have killed al thy prophets O Lord and I am left alone and now they seeke to kil me also He went far with David when he made him cry out Why dost thou turn thy face away from me O Lord Why dost thou forget my povertie and tribulation And in another place again I said with my selfe in the excesse of my mind I am cast out from the face of thine eies O Lord. God went far with the apostles when he inforced one of them to write We wil not have you ignorant brethren of our tribulation in Asia wherin we were oppressed above al measure above al strength insomuch as it lothed us to live any longer But yet above al others he went furthest with his own deer Son when he constrained him to utter those pittiful most lamentable words upon the crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Who can now complain of any proofe or temptation whatsoever laid upon him seeing GOD would go so far with his own deer only Son 32 Heerof then insueth the third thing necessarie unto us in tribulation which is magnanimitie grounded upon a strong and invincible faith of Gods assistance and of our final deliverance how long soever he delay the matter and how terrible soever the storm do seem for the time This God requireth at our hands as may be seen by the example of the disciples who cried not We perish before the waves had covered the ship as Saint Mathew writeth and yet Christ said unto them Vbi est fides vestra Where is your faith Saint Peter also was not afeard until he was almost under water as the same Evangelist recordeth and yet Christ reprehended him saieng Thou man of little faith why diddest thou dowt What then must we do in this case deer brother Surely we must put on that mightie faith of valiant king David who upon the most assured trust he had of Gods assistance said In Deo meo transgrediar murū In the help of my God I wil go through the wal Of which invincible faith Saint Paul was also when he said Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat I can do al things in him that comforteth and strengtheneth me Nothing is unpossible nothing is too hard for me by his assistance We must be as the scripture saith Quasi Leo confidens absque terrore Like a bold and confident Lion which is without terror That is we must not be astonied at any tempest any tribulation any adversitie We must say with the prophet David experienced in these matters I wil not fear many thousands of people that should inviron or besiege me togither If I should walk amidst the shadow of death I wil not fear If whole armies should stand against me yet my hart should not tremble My hope is in God and therfore I wil not fear what man can do unto me God is my aider and I wil not fear what flesh can do unto me God is my helper and protector and therfore I wil despise and contemn mine enimies And another prophet in like sense Behold God is my savior and therfore wil I deal confidently and wil not fear These were the speeches of holie prophets of men that knew wel what they said and had often tasted of affliction themselves and therfore could say of their own experience how infallible Gods assistance is therin 33 To this supreme courage magnanimitie and Christian fortitude the scripture exhorteth us when it saith If the spirit of one that is in authoritie do rise against thee see thou yeeld not from thy place unto him And again another scripture saith Strive for iustice even to the losse of thy life and stand for equitie unto death it selfe and God shal overthrow thine enimies for thee And Christ himselfe yet more effectually recommendeth this matter in these words I say unto you my frinds be not afraid of them which kil the body and afterward have nothing else to do against you And S. Peter addeth further Neque conturbemini that is Do not only not fear them but which is lesse do not so much as be troubled for al that flesh and blood can do against you 34 Christ goeth further in the Apocalips and useth marvelous speeches to intise us to this fortitude For these are his words He that hath an eare to hear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches To him that shal conquer I wil give to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of my God This saith the first and the last he that was dead and now is alive I know thy tribulatition and thy povertie but thou art rich indeed and art blasphemed by those that say they are tru Israelites and are not but are rather the synagog of satan Fear nothing of that which you are to suffer behold the devil wil cause some of you to be thrust into prison to the end you may be tempted and you shal have tribulation for ten daies But be faithful unto death and I wil give thee a crown of life He that hath an eare to hear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches he that shal overcome shal not be hurt by the second death And he that shal overcome and keep my works unto the end I wil give unto him authoritie over nations even as I have received it from my father and I wil give him besides the morning star He that shal overcome shal be appareled in white garments and I wil not blot his name out of the booke of life but wil confesse his name before my father and before his angels Behold I come quikly hold fast that thou hast lest another man receive thy crown He that shal conquer I
dore if I open presently he wil enter and dwel within me But if I defer it until to morrow I know not whether he wil knok again or no. Every man ought to remember stil that saieng of the prophet touching Gods spirit Hodie si vocem eius audieritis nolite obdurare corda vestra If you hear his voice calling on you to day do not harden your harts but presently yeeld unto him 32 Alas deer brother what hope of gain hast thou by this perilous dilation which thou makest Thine account is increased therby as I have shewed thy debt of amendement is made more greevous thine enimie more strong thy selfe more feeble thy difficulties of conversion multiplied what hast thou then to withhold thee one day frō resolution the gaining of a litle time in vanitie But I have prooved to thee before how this time is not gained but lost being spent without fruit of godlines which is indeed the only tru gain of time If it seem pleasant to thee for the present yet remember what the prophet saith Iuxta est dies perditionis adesse festinant tempora The day of perdition is at hand and the times of destruction make hast to come on Which day being once come I marvel what hope thou wilt conceive Dost thou think to crie Peccavi It shal be wel truly if thou canst do it but yet thou knowest that Pharao did so and gat nothing by it Dost thou intend to make a good testament and to be liberal in alms deeds at that time This as the case may be is very commendable but yet thou must remember also that the virgins which filled their lamps at the very instant were shut out and utterly rejected by Christ. Dost thou think to weep and moorn and to moove thy judge with tears at that instant First this is not in thy hands to do at thy pleasures and yet thou must consider also that Esau failed though he sought it with tears as the apostle wel noteth Dost thou mean to have many good purposes to make great promises and vowes in that distresse Cal to mind the case of Antiochus in his extremities what promises of good deeds what vowes of vertuous life made he to God upon condition he might escape and yet prevailed he nothing therby Al this is spoken not to put them in despair which are now in those last calamities but to dissuade others from falling into the same assuring thee gentle reader that the prophet said not without a cause Seek unto God while he may be found cal upon him while he is neer at hand Now is the time acceptable now is the day of salvation saith Saint Paul Now is God to be found and neeer at hand to imbrace al them that truly turn unto him and make firm resolution of vertuous life heerafter If we defer this time we have no warrant that he wil either cal us or receive us heerafter but rather many threats to the contrarie as hath been shewed Wherfore I wil end with this one sentence of S. Austen that He is both a careles and a most graceles man which knowing al this wil venture notwithstanding the eternitie of his salvation and damnation upon the dowtful event of his final repentance CHAP. VI. Of three other impediments that hinder men from resolution which are sloth negligence and hardnes of hart BEsides al impediments which hitherto have bin named there are yet divers others to be found if any man could examin the particular consciences of al such as do not resolve But these three heer mentioned and to be handeled in this chapter are so publik and known as I may not passe them over without discovering the same for that manie times men are evil affected and know not their own diseases the only declaration wherof to such as are desirous of their own health is sufficient to avoid the danger of the siknes 2 First then the impediment of sloth is a great and ordinarie let of resolution to manie men but especially in idle and delicate people whose life hath been in al ease and rest and therfore do persuade themselves that they can take no pains nor abide any hardnes though never so fain they would Of which Saint Paul saith that Nise people shal not inherit the kingdome of heaven These men wil confesse to be tru as much more than is said to before and that they would also gladly put the same in execution but that they cannot Their bodies may not bear it they can take no pains in their several callings and in the general they cannot fast they cannot watch they cannot praie They cannot leave their disports recreations and merry companions they should die presently as they say with melancholy if they did it yet in their harts they desire forsooth that they could do the same which seeing they cannot no dowt say they God wil accept our good desires But let them harken a little what the scripture saith heerof Desires do kil the slothful man saith Salomon his hands wil not fal to any work al the day long he coveteth and desireth but he that is iust wil do and wil not cease Take the slothful and unprofitable servant saith Christ and fling him into utter darknes where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth And when he passed by the way and found a fig tree with leaves without fruit he gave it presently an everlasting curse 3 Of this fountain of sloth do proceed many effects that hinder the slothful from resolution And the first is a certain heavines and sleepie drowsines towards al goodnes according as the scripture saith Pigredo mittit soporem Sloth doth bring drowsines For which cause S. Paul saith Surge qui dormis Arise thou that art asleep And Christ crieth out so often Videte vigilate Looke about you and watch You shal see many men in the world with whom if you talk of a cow or a calfe or a fat ox of a peece of ground or the like they can both hear and talk willingly and freshly but if you reason with them of their salvation and their inheritance in the kingdome of heaven they answer not at al but wil hear as if they were in a dream Of these men then saith the wise man How long wilt thou sleep O slothful fellow When wilt thou rise out of thy dream A little yet wilt thou sleep a little longer wilt thou slumber a little wilt thou close thy hands togither and take rest and so povertie shal hasten upon thee as a running post and beggerie as an armed man shal take and possesse thee 4 The second effect of sloth is fond fear of pains and labor and casting of dowts where none be according as the scripture saith Pigrum deijcit timor Fear discourageth the slothful man And the prophet saith of the like They shake for fear
howsoever nor much stik to misse of that which before we have wrongfully had As for mariage we know that the children of the world do so uncleanly behave themselves both in their whooredoms and in marriage also that it is no marvel if they cannot think that the use of marriage and the administration of holie things may go togither so long as having some reverence of the one they measure the other by their own most shamful abuse But the ordinance of God is sufficient to stop the mouthes of al such when they have said the woorst that they can And as for house-keeping if being married and having children for whom to provide they be not able to bestow upon others so much as otherwise they might that need to be no greefe unto them Let every man do as he is able and before God he shal be discharged The stream that issueth by many branches must needs be lesse in every one than if al joined togither So that we walk as we are called it is inough there can be no more required of any As for outward worshippings and voluntarie streightnes in needles matters it is no sound credit that they get unto any God is worshipped in spirit and truth and such only they are in whom he delighteth Wherunto if outward ceremonies be added such as are needful then are they for the other welcome withal if otherwise they come they are abhominable unto him and never can his soul conceive any delight at al in them Streightnes is good a profitable labor so long as it is imploied in those things that are commanded but if it be but our own devise it is of no account with God For in such sort it is that many do strive and yet are not able to enter in And then what gain we to be in glorie among men and to be abandoned of God Their gain comming in so as it doth they need not think any losse at al to be without it Iudas loved the monie wel that he had gotten but when he perceived how he came by it by betraieng his maister consenting to shed innocent blood he then could have no joy to keep it and made no account of any losse to throw it away Their poore estate would yeeld unto them a richer joy and peace of minde than al the treasures that by such means they were ever able to gather togither Better a great deal to feed on the coursest bread that we use than on the finest manchet that is after that once we finde it to be very ful of gravel Last of al though it were a shame for them to turn yet were it none at al but only with those that are gracelesse people and very dangerous in so weightie a matter as this to hold on our way after that once we finde we are wrong And why should the mire that lieth in the streets be so careful to be gilded over with gold Why should wretched and sinful man be so desirous never to let down his own aestimation So God be glorified let us not care what becōmeth of us When as al glorie belongeth to him there is none at al belonging to us As an ornament that is for a noble personage wil not become a meaner person so glorie likewise that is only for God can never become the children of men But if needs they wil be in some aestimation can they have greater than by acknowledging their former wanderings so much as needeth to the glorie of God to the helping up of others again who by them were occasioned to stūble before So notwithstanding these inconveniences which it seemeth they should fal into yet the matter being better examined it would soon appeer that there is no such inconvenience in the matter as at the first might be feared to be Neverthelesse whether they be inconveniences or not that do I leave unto them to think of Those they are whatsoever they are be they of what valu they can Such as they are let them be for me I wish them no greater neither do I labor to make them lesse than in truth they are And so consequently if our profession be compared togither this is the varietie that they do yeeld and in these points resteth whatsoever it is al the ods that is betwixt us Which being so then it is no hard matter to judge whether of them it is wherin we may better settle our selves 8 As for that one point of having good works concurring in our justification of which I thought good for certain causes more specially to treat by it selfe it shal be good a little more specially to consider both what is the effect of the doctrine it selfe and what is to be thought of that same place of Saint Iames that seemeth to go so much against our opinion therin Vnto the effect of the doctrine it selfe it doth appertain first to consider what kind of works they must be that may have any thing to do towards the justifieng of any and then as touching the obteining of tru righteousnes to us both where we may find it by what means it may be ours The works therfore that may be available to justifie any in the sight of God must needs be such as are in themselves a ful perfect and absolute righteousnes for that otherwise they cannot stand in the justice of God And absolute righteousnes can never be but where every deed word and thought is very good and that in so high degree as is required nor so neither unles there be a continual tract of works words and thoughts al our whole life without intermission Other righteousnes though we have never so good yet if it lak any one jot of this it wil not serve us to this purpose For the law requireth both that such things should be done with al the hart with al the soul with al our strength and that they never depart out of our harts al the dais of our life And that solemn diffinitive sentence of the law compriseth both verie breefly when it saith that Everie one is accused that continueth not in al things that are written in the booke of the law to do them If now we would know where to find this absolute righteousnes the truth is that somtimes it seemeth that it might be found among men and yet is no where to be found indeed to our use but onlie in Christ. It may seem to be found among men both for that the law requireth such things at our hands and bicause that some there have been of special commendation for these matters Howbeit the law doth not require such things at our hands as though that now we were able to do them but to shew that once we were able and therwithal how far we are fallen from our first integritie and that God that once made us able may justly require at our hands the performance therof And as for the best men that ever were there
worldly prosperitie of king Salomon 3. Reg. 4. 30. Cori similae 60. Cori farinae every corus is 21. quarters and od * * For 21. I think he ment but 11. for a Coras according to Iosephus is rekoned to be 738. of our gallons which make of our measure 11. quarters four bushels one pek So 900. being taken out of the total sum the residu that remaineth doth agree wel to this account for it maketh 1037. quarters six bushels two peks But of this kind of measure the judgment of the learned doth vary much and it would aske a long discourse to beat out the more likely opinion by conference of places and measures togither By the account of Saint Ierom it commeth far short that is but to 232. quarters six bushels and a halfe 3. Reg. 11. Eccles. 1. Salomons saieng of himselfe Eccl. 1. 1. Ioh. 2. Three general points of worldly vanities Vain glorie Mat. 27. Iohn 8. Iohn 9. Mat. 21. Mar. 11. Mat. 27. Luc. 23. 1. Cor. 4. Luc. 18. Dan. 3. Pro. 27. Psal. 9. Psa. 140. Psal. 39. Apoc. 4. Psa. 143. Eccl. 23. Worldly honor and promotion Iohn 11. Iohn 19. Acts. 26. 1. Cor. 14. The vanitie of worldly honor Psa. 138. Sap. 6. Worldly nobilitie Iob. 17. Ose. 9. Mat. 8.20.24.26 Iohn 10. 1. Reg. 9. 1. Re. 16. Mat. 4. Psal. 44. 1. Cor. 1. The vanitie of worldly wisdome 1. Cor. 3. 1. Reg. 9. â— Reg. 16. Luc. 9. 1. Cor. 1. Acts. 36. Sap. 5. 1. Cor. 1. 1. Cor. 3. The vanitie of beautie Pro. 31. Psa. 118. Psal. 4. A lesson to be read in the beautie of al creatures The vanitie of beautie The vanitie of apparel Eccl. 11. 1. Tim. 6. Mat. 3.11 Luc. 7. Luc. 16. Gen. 3. Heb. 12. The extreme vanitie and povertie of man Psal. 77. 2 Concupiscence of the eies 1. Tim. 6. Pro. 11. Sap. 5. The vanitie and peril of worldly wealth Psal. 75. Cap. 3. Iac. 5. Phil. 3. Iob. 28. Levi. 11. Cap. 1. Iob. 27. Psal. 61. Eccl. 31. Cap. 1. Mat. 19. Luc. 6. 1. Tim. 6. The pretence of wife and children refused 3 Of the vanitie of worldly pleasure Iohn 16. Iohn 16. Iob. 21. Iob. 3. Iob. 9. Eccl. 9. Tob. 5. Why good men are sad in this life 1. Cor. 2. 2. Cor. 7. Phil. 2. Iob. 3. Iohn 16. * * Calling and justifieng are verie plain and infallible tokens therof Rom. 8.30 And so far is it not uncertain unto the faithful Rom. 8. Eph. 4. Mat. 24. 2. Cor. 5. and 7. Eccl. 7. Pro. 28. Mich. 6. Iohn 10. Luc. 19. A similitude Prou. 14. Amos. 2. Tob. 2. Apoc. 18. Psal. 38. Esai 59. The ropes of vain glorie Psal. 3. Psal. 39. 2 How worldly vanities are also deceits Mat. 13. Gen. 29. False promises of the world The false promise of renowm Psal. 9. Iob. 13. Psal. 1. A comparison What the deceits of the world are A similitude Mat. 4. 3. Reg. 22. Apo. 17. Iudic. 4. 2. Reg. 20. Luc. 22. 1. Reg. 25. Psal. 4. 3 How pleasures of the world are thorns Hom. 15. in evang * * But the words of Christ declare that it is another thing that he did specially respect therin that is the choking or destroieng of such corn as was sown among them and the utter extinguishing or great hindering of al good motions of the spirit of God in al those that are worldly minded Ecc. 1.2.3.4 Phil. 4. A comparison Exod. 8. Iere. 16. Esai 59. The explication of the words of Esay Luc. 12. Deu. 32. 4 The fourth part how the world is miserie Brevitie Eccl. 41. 1. Mac. 1. Luc. 12. A comparison Discontentment * * It selfe is not so called but it is said that those that marrie should have tribulation in the flesh which is in respect of the cares molestations that coÌ„moÌ„ly hang or specially at that time as the case stood with them on the married estate 1. Cor. 7.28 Miseries of bodie * * Wheras chance and fortune are used of us in much like sense though the sense meaning of those that are instructed in the faith be good referring al to the providence of God yet seeing that Saint Augustine long since was sorie that he had so much used such words as appeereth Retr 1. c. 1. it were good that we also should more warily decline such words as others have so prophanely abused And better were it a great deal to say that such things are of the hand of God Of mind Of goods Of neighbors Hester 5. The miserie of blindnes Exo. 10. Mat. 13. Luc. 16. 1. Cor. 2. Acts. 9. Temptations and dangers Athan. in vita Anthonij Psal. 10. Facilitie of sinning Prou. 14. Iob. 15. The sinful state of the world 5 The fift part of this chapter Rom. 8. Gal. 5. The effects of the spirit of Christ. Gal. 5. The effects of the spirit of this world Two rules of S. Paul to know our spirit Gal. 5. Christ and the world enimies Iohn 14. Ioh. 15.17 Iohn 17. Iohn 2. Iaco. 4. 1. Cor. 11. Iohn 12. Iohn 17. Iohn 1. Luc. 23. Rom. 12. Titus 2. 1. Ioh. 2. Why Christ hateth the world 1. Ioh. 5. Apoc. 3. A description of the world Au. ep 39. Hom. 22. ad pop Antioc The last part of this chapter how we may avoid the evil of the world Prou. 1. Hom. 1. in Iosue * * Though the matter be good yet hardly doth it stand by these places Psa. 120. Psa. 123. Phil. 3. Mat. 4. Psal. 72. Gal. 6. Phil. 3. 2. Cor. 10. How to use worldly wealth to our advantage Luc. 16. Luc. 16. Gal. 4. 2. Cor. 9. Mat. 25. Iaco. 5. Dam. in hist. Barlaam Josaphaâ—â— 1 A parable The application of this parable Luc. 12. Apo. 14. Mat. 25. Mat. 25. Psa. 128. Building on Gods bak * * Though it stand not on the natural sense of this place yet is it that in effect which is rebuked Rom. 6.1 How God is both merciful and iust Psal. 24. Ser. 52. parvorum The two feet of God Serm. 6. in Cant. Psa. 101. Psa. 148. Tract 33. in Iohn Psal. 24. Psa. 102. Two dangers of sinners Eccl. 5. Eze. 18. Rom. 2. Tract 33. in Ioan. Gods goodnes nothing helpeth those that persevere in sin Psal. 72. Psal. 33. Ier. 6.8 Eze. 13. 1. Ioh. 3. The severitie of Gods punishment upon sin The Angels Esai 14. 2. Pet. 2. Ep. Iud. Adam and Eve Moises and Aaron Num. 20.27.33 Deut. 10.32.34 Saul 1. Reg. 10. and 11. Acts. 13. 1. Reg. 13.15.16 1. Reg. 16. 1. Reg. 31. 1. Par. 10. 2. Sam. 21.6 David 2. Reg. 12. Psal. 34.68.108.101 Psal. 29. * * In this the sense is rather to be regarded than the words to be streitly urged Gen. 4. Gen. 8. Gen. 19. Num. 16. Leui. 10. * * Wherin also we may see what those may look for that worship God with mens traditions or otherwise than he hath appointed Acts. 5. The heavines of Gods hand Gen. 42.43 Iosu. 18. Iudi.