The sinners guyde A vvorke contayning the whole regiment of a Christian life, deuided into two bookes: vvherein sinners are reclaimed from the by-path of vice and destruction, and brought vnto the high-way of euerlasting happinesse. Compiled in the Spanish tongue, by the learned and reuerend diuine, F. Lewes of Granada. Since translated into Latine, Italian, and French. And nowe perused, and digested into English, by Francis Meres, Maister of Artes, and student in diuinitie.

THE THIRD PART OF THE SINNERS GVIDE:

In which aunswere is made to all those excuses, by which those men are wont to excuse and defend themselues, who will not embrace Vertue.

Against the first excuse of those, who deferre and put off from day to day the amendment of their lifes, and the embracing of Vertue. CHAP. XXV.

I Thinke that no man can deny, but that those things are sufficient, which hetherto haue beene spoken of vs, yea, and that they suffi∣cientlie and plentifully doe approoue our principall purpose and intent, which wee promised at the beginning to discourse a••d dispute of. That is, that we might moue the harts of men (Gods grace being first presupposed) to the loue and study of Vertue. But although we may be thought to haue satisfied and performed our promise, yet the malitiousnes of men haue excuses, which haue a show of truth, by which they defend their lingering and loytering negligence, and still com∣fort and please themselues in their wickednes, as Ecclesiasticus intimateth and insinuateth,* 1.1 saying; An vngodly man will not be reformed, but can helpe himselfe with the example of others in his purpose: That is, with apparant excuses. The same thing also Salomon seemeth to tell vs of,* 1.2 when he sayth, He that would de∣part from his friend seeketh occasions. So hee that would depart from God, as sinners doe, seeke, and at length finde out some of these excuses;* 1.3 some deferre and procrastinate their repen∣tance, putting it off from day to day; others reserue it to the ende of theyr life; many say that they absent themselues from godly and vertuous lyuing, because it is painefull and laborious;

some cheere vp themselues through the hope of the Diuine mercy, supposing that they shall be saued by a naked and fruit∣lesse fayth, and a dead hope without charity: to be briefe, others being inamoured of this world, will not change the felicity, which they think they possesse in it, with the promises of Gods word. These in a manner be the fraudes and errors, the snares and nets, with which the enemy of mankind ensnareth and en∣tangleth the vnderstanding of men, that he may detayne them all their life long prisoners and flaues vnder sinne, that at the length death may set vpon them sodainly, and oppresse them at vnawares. To all these cauelations, and friuolous excuses, we will aunswere in this last part of this booke. But first of all we will dissolue and aunswere their obiection, who put off the a∣mendment of their lifes vnto the time to come, which excuse is more vsuall and more generall then the rest.

* 1.4 There are many that confesse, that all things are true, which hetherto haue beene spoken, and that there is not any estate or condition more secure and safe then theirs, that embrace and follow after Vertue: yea, and that they themselues will heere∣after enter into a vertuous and a godly kinde of life; but they cannot yet; but the time will come when they shall doe it with greater conueniencie, and performe it with more perfection. So Saint Augustine saith of himselfe;* 1.5 O Lord, I had not wher∣with to aunswere thee, when thou saydst vnto me; Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall illumi∣nate & enlighten thee: and thou demonstrating in euery poynt those things to be true, which thou spakest vnto me, I beeing conuinced with the truth, had not any aunswere at all, but one∣ly the words and speaches of a loytering sluggard, & of a drou∣zie sleeper; By and by, and behold anone: and let me alone a little: But by and by, and behold anone, had neyther measure nor moderation, and let me alone a little, held on a long time. So also the wicked at this day deale with God: still procrastinating and putting off the time, and neuer comming vnto true con∣uersion. It is no hard thing to shew that this was the deceipt of that old Serpent (to whom it is no new or vnusuall thing to lye, and to deceaue miserable men:) and if I shall conuince this, I thinke that I shall take away this controuersie, and dissolue this

obiection. For we all know that nothing ought more to be wi∣shed of Christian men, then the health of their soules: and for this respect the amendment of their lifes is necessarily required; for without this it is most certaine that no man can be saued. So that heere, nothing commeth into question, but the time, in which the life ought to be amended: In the rest there is no discent.* 1.6 Thou sayst that thy conuersion is to be deferred till the time to come; my assertion is that it ought to be done present∣ly. Therefore let vs see whether opinion is more probable, and more conformable vnto the truth.

But before we speake of the easines and facility of conuersi∣on, tell me, I pray thee, who hath promised thee this time to come? How many men haue there been, whom this vaine hope hath miserably deceaued?* 1.7 Although God, sayth Gregory, hath promised pardon to the penitent, yet he hath not promised to∣morrow to a sinner. Not vnlike to this, is that of another lear∣ned Writer: Some man will say; when I come vnto old age, then I will runne vnto the remedy of repentance. Why dare mans frailty presume thus much of himselfe, seeing he hath not one day of all his life in his owne power? Verily I suppose that innumerable soules haue perished through this vaine perswasi∣on. After this manner that rich man in the Gospell perished, of whom Saint Luke wryteth, that when his fielde had brought foorth plentifull fruites, hee thought within himselfe, saying. What shal I doe,* 1.8 because I haue no roome where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I doe, I will pull downe my barnes, and build greater, and therein will I gather all my fruites and my goods. And I will say to my soule: Soule, thou hast much goods laid vp in store for many yeeres, take thine ease, eate, drinke, and be merry. But whilst this miserable man thought thus with himselfe, a voyce vvas heard, saying vnto him; Thou foole, this night doe they require thy soule againe from thee: then whose shall those things be, vvhich thou hast prouided? Therefore, what greater foolishnes can there be, then that a man by his owne authority should presume to dis∣pose of that, that is to come, no otherwise then if he had beene set and appoynted to gouerne times and seasons, which the eter∣nall Father hath put in his owne power.* 1.9 And if Saint Iohn say, that the sonne onely hath the keyes of life and death, that hee

may shut and open, to whom he pleaseth, and when he plea∣seth: how dare a vild and an obiect worme attribute vnto him∣selfe and vsurpe this authority?* 1.10 Onely this impudent boldnes is worthy of notorious punishment, that is, that he should finde no place of repentance in the time to come, who vainely and fruitlesly passeth ouer that time, which God hath graunted vn∣to him. That so this punishment may giue vnderstanding, and that a foole thereby may become the wiser. But seeing that the number of them, that are thus chasticed, is very great, men shall doe very aduisedly, if by other mens harme they become more wary, and out of other mens danger they learne to be more cir∣cumspect; following that good counsaile of Ecclesiasticus, say∣ing; Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord,* 1.11 and put not off from day to day: for sodainly shall his wrath come, and in the time of ven∣geance he shall destroy thee.

But let vs graunt that thy life shall be as long and lasting, as thou perswadest and promisest vnto thy selfe: tell me, I pray thee, whether will be more easie now to amend it, or heereafter when thou hast procrastinated and deferred thy conuersion? But that thou mayst vnderstand that better, which we say, we will by the way rehearse the chiefest causes, from whence this difficulty ariseth.* 1.12 It ariseth not from those impediments & lets, which they imagine: but from an euill habite, and from the cor∣ruption of a naughty custom of a life wickedly & vngraciously led, which to change is a death, as we are wont to say. The ouer∣much [ 1] accustoming our selues vnto vices, sayth Saint Ierome, doth make the way of Vertue hard and vnpleasant vnto vs. For custome is another nature:* 1.13 and to expell it, is as it were to ouercome Nature herselfe, then the which there cannot be a greater victory. Hence it is that Saint Bernard sayth; After that any one vice hath been cōfirmed & rooted in vs by the custome of many yeeres, we haue neede of the speciall and miraculous helpe of the Diuine grace, to ouercome and roote it vp. And therefore a Christian ought to be very wary and circumspect, that he doth not fall into the custome of any vice: for when as anything commeth vnto an habit, it is very hardly thrust forth and expelled: so also vice being confirmed by daily vse and cu∣stome, cannot be eschewed and forsaken without the especiall

grace of GOD, as sayth Bernard.

Also, this difficulty proceedeth from the power of the de∣uill, [ 2] who hath a certaine peculier rule in that soule, which is held vnder the slauery of sinne.* 1.14 For he is that strong man armed, of whom the Gospell speaketh, who keepeth his pallace with a vigilant and a most especiall care.

Moreouer, it proceedeth from that, that God is farre of frō [ 3] a soule polluted with the filth of sinne. For this is the watch and gard,* 1.15 that the Lord sette ouer the walles of Ierusalem: which is so much the further of from a sinner, by how much a sinner is heauilier loaden and burthened with sinnes. From this absence great & mighty miseries are deriued, as the Lord himselfe saith by his Prophet;* 1.16 Woe vnto them who haue forsaken me. And, Woe vnto them when I shall forsake them. Thys is according and cor∣respondent to that Woe, of which Iohn maketh mention in his Reuelation.

To conclude, this difficultie arriseth from the corruption of [ 4] the powers of our soule, which are grieuously disturbed and corrupted through sin, although not in themselues, yet in theyr operations and effects.* 1.17 For euen as Wine is marred by vineger, and fruites are spoyled of wormes; and euery contrary is cor∣rupted of his contrarie: so also all the powers of our soule are disturbed and infected through sinne: which is an especiall e∣nemie, and most contrarie to our soules. Wherefore by sin the vnderstanding is obscured, the will is weakened, and the affecti∣ons remooued out of order; and it maketh that man is neyther Lord of himselfe, nor of his actions; yea although his Fayth, & the liberty of himselfe be neuer lost. For these powers & facul∣ties be as instruments, by which the soule worketh that which is good:* 1.18 & as wheeles of the clock of a life wel ordered; which when they wander out of order, what other thing is to be ho∣ped of them, but misgouernment, and the confusion of all the Clock?

These be the chiefe and especiall causes of that difficultie,* 1.19 which take their originall from sinne, & daily increase through vse, and the corruption of euill custome. These things beeing thus, who will be so madde, to beleeue that his conuersion, and the amendement of his life, shall be more easie after certaine

yeeres, when his sinnes shall be moe in number, and the causes of this difficultie shall be multiplied? It is certaine that thē thou by so much shalt be more vnapt and vnfitte, and that the deuill shall haue so much the more power ouer thee, and that GOD shall be so much the more further of from thee, by howe much thy sinnes shall be multiplied & increased. Moreouer, after cer∣taine yeares, thy soule will be more disordered, and all the pow∣ers and faculties of it more disturbed, as before we haue sayd.

If therefore these be the causes of this difficultie, who is of so corrupt a iudgement amongst vs, that hee should suppose that his conuersion should hereafter be easier, the causes of the dif∣ficulties encreasing on euery side? For when as sinnes are dailie heaped vnto sinnes, there is no doubt, but that the knots, vvith which the soule is tyed, are multiplied, and the chaines, vvith which it is bound, are made the stronger and the more insolu∣ble. The vnderstanding for the time to come, through the vse of sinning, will be more darke and obscure; the will wilbe wea∣ker to worke well; the appetite will be more ready and prone to all euill, and all the faculties of the soule will be so weakened, that they shall not be able to defend themselues from the vio∣lence of sin. Which seeing that it is so, how can it be, that thou shouldest beleeue that thy conuersion in the time to come, shal be more easie, and that thou caust performe it with greater con∣uenience? If thou shalt say,* 1.20 that in the morning thou canst not passe ouer the Fourd, when as yet the water is low; how shalt thou be able to passe ouer it at night, when the bankes are full, and the Riuer swelleth like the floods and tydes of the sea? If it seemeth an hard thing vnto thee, to pull vp the roote of vices newly and lately planted; what wilt thou doe when they haue taken deepe and profound rooting, and they cleaue and sticke much faster in the earth then they dyd before?

Let vs put the case: That now thou must fight with an hun∣dreth sinnes, but hereafter the time shall be that thou must fight with a thousand: that now thou art to fight with the corrupt & depraued custome of one or two yeeres, but perhaps hereafter with the naughty inueterate custome of ten yeares. Who then will say vnto thee, that hereafter thou shalt be more able to car∣rie that burden, when now thou art in no wise able to support

it, when as the burden neuerthelesse is daily augmented and in∣creased? Doost thou not perceaue that these are the cauillati∣ons and impostures of euill paying debters? who because they cannot repay that money that was credited vnto them, doe de∣lay and put off from day to day theyr payment? Who knovv∣eth not that these are the deceits & fraudes of that old Serpent, who by the same craft and subtiltie that hee deceiued our first Parents, doth continually goe about to circumuent theyr chyl∣dren? Surely I doe maruell, and exceedingly wonder, that the difficultie daily & on euery side increasing, that thou shouldest thinke, that that then should be possible and easie, which novve seemeth vnto thee to be difficult & vnpossible. Who wilbe in∣duced to beleeue (except he be madde) that the offence increa∣sing, yet the pardon to be the easierly obtained: and the disease and infirmity growing greater, yet the medicine should speedi∣lier profit the diseased? Art thou ignorant of that of Ecclesia∣sticus; An inueterate and old disease,* 1.21 troubleth the Phisitian: but an infirmitie lately growen, he easily taketh away.

There is a pretty Story in the liues of the Fathers, wherin an Angell excellently sheweth this guile and legerdemaine, to a certaine holy Father lyuing in the Wildernes. For the Angell taking this Anchorite, carried him abroade into the fields, and there shewed him a man cutting downe of vvood. When he had gathered together a great bundle of the vvood, he assayed, whether lie would lift it vp, and lay it on his shoulders, and goe away with it: but when he found himselfe vnable to doe it, he returned againe, and cut downe more vvood, and a great deale more encreased his burthen. When he was now lesseable to support his burthen, (for now his bundle was farre greater, then it was before) hee againe augmented it; and this he did often with a firme and a resolute purpose. The Anchorite meruai∣ling at the great madnes of the man, demaunded, what was the meaning of it. The Angell aunswered, that such was the mad∣nes and dotage of men, who when they cannot beare the bur∣then of sinnes by reason of the intollerable heauines of the weight, yet they daily adde new to old, and almost euery mo∣ment encrease the burthen, heaping sinnes vpon sinnes, and burthen vpon burthen, thinking that they can beare many, whē

as they are not able to beare a few. But what shall I speake a∣mong many other things of naughty and corrupt custome,* 1.22 and of the violent tiranny thereof, which so surely detayneth men growne old in wickednes? It is familiar and knowne vnto eue∣ry body, that he that driueth a nayle into a post, that he faste∣neth it at the first stroke that he giueth with his malet,* 1.23 but more firmely at the second stroke, but so fast at the third, that it can hardly be pulled out againe, and the oftner that he knocketh it, the faster it sticketh, and is pulled out againe with the greater difficulty: so in euery one of our wicked actions which we doe, vice is driuen deepelier into our soules, as if it were with a great mallet, and there it sticketh so fast, that scarcely any thing may be found, by which it may be haled and pulled out.

Hence it is, that not seldome we see, that the old age of thē, who haue trifled and spent all their time in vices and wickednes, waxeth childish againe through the dissolutenes of theyr fore∣passed life, although that age dooth refuse that inordinatenesse, and nature herselfe abhorre that former lewdnes. And when as theyr nature is tyred, and barren through vices, yet Custome, which as yet rideth on horse-backe, posteth about, seeing for vnpossible pleasures: so great is the impatient tyrannie of euill Custome. Hence it is said in the booke of Iob, His bones shall be f••••••ed with the vices of his youth: and they shall he downe in the dust with him. Insomuch that these vices haue no limit or end, be∣sides that, which is common to all other things, that is, death, the last date and terme of all things. Hence is that of Aristotle; That as for the byting of an Aspe there is no remedy, vnlesse the parts infected be cut away; so certaine vices are healed only by death. Then by death these vices are ended, although (if we will confesse the truth) neyther by death they take theyr finall farwell: for they indure alwayes; wherfore Iob saith; And they shall lye downe in the dust with him. The reason of this is, because through the diuturnitie of inueterate custome (which nowe is turned into nature) the appetites and lusts of vices are now roo∣ted in the very bones & marrow of the soule, no otherwise, then the plague, or a consumption, which sticketh in the bowels of a man, carelesse of any cure, neyther admitting any medicine. This same thing our Sauiour showed in the raising of Lazarus

being foure dayes dead,* 1.24 whom he called forth of his graue with such clamour and gro••ing of spirit: when as notwithstanding he had raised others being dead, with farre easier tokens of dif∣ficultie: that the Lord might signifie vnto vs, how great a mi∣racle it is, that God should raise one foure dayes dead and stin∣king: that is, to conuert one buried in the custome of sinning. The first of these foure dayes, as sayth Augustine, is the delight of the pleasure in the hart: the second is the consent: the third the deed: the fourth custome: and he that hath come to this fourth day, as Lazarus, is not raysed vp, vnlesse it be with the loude voyce & teares of our Sauiour. All these things do most euidently declare the exceeding great difficulty, which procra∣stination of repentance and conuersion bringeth with it: and by how much the longer repentance is deferred, by so much it becommeth more difficult. Also consequently it is gathered of these, how manifest their errour is, who say, that the amende∣ment of theyr life, will hereafter be the easier, and doone vvith greater conuenience.

But let vs yeeld (which yet we do not grant) that all things should succeed according to thy dreames,* 1.25 and that thy vaine hope should not delude thee; what wilt thou say of the tyme, which in the meane time thou wretchedly loosest, and slyppeth away frō thee without any fruite? especially, seeing that in thys time thou mightest haue gained vnto thee an incomparable treasure?* 1.26 What madnes will it be thought (that we may speak according to the iudgement of the world) if at that time, when a most faire and rich Cittie by force is sacked, whilst other soul∣diours with great furie and violence carry out of it gold, siluer, and euery precious thing, some should sitte by playing at Dice with scullions and slaues? It is certaine that they should make no gaine by it. Therefore, how farre greater madnesse is it, that thou, whilst all other good men are painfull & carefull to gaine heauen, that thou, I say, sittest idely playing and sporting vvith chyldren, and onely delighting in the vaine toyes of this world, when as in the meane season thou mightest haue gained that that they enioy?

Furthermore, what wilt thou aunswer me, not only for those good things, which thou loosest; but also for those euills, which

in the meane while thou committest? For according to the o∣pinion of Saint Augustine,* 1.27 not one sinne is to be committed for the gold of the whole world. With what forehead darest thou then in thys time commit so many deadly sinnes, one of which is not to be committed for a thousand worlds. How da∣rest thou in the meane while offend him, and prouoke him vn∣to anger, thorow whose gates thou must enter? before vvhose feete thou must lie prostrate vpon the earth, and thou shalt be compelled so to doe, will thou nill thou? of whose handes the estate of thine eternitie dependeth? whose mercy thou must implore and sue for with teares and sighes? Why then blushest thou not to anger and prouoke him, of whose helpe thou hast need euery moment? And whom thou shalt finde so much the lesse fauourable vnto thee, by howe much the more thou hast prouoked him vnto wrath?

Very vvell dooth Saint Bearnard reason against such men, saying: Thou who takest so prepostorous a course, perseuering in thy wicked and vngodly life, tell me; Beleeuest thou that the Lord GOD will forgiue thee thy sinnes, or beleeuest thou not? If thou beleeuest not that thou shalt finde pardon vvith God, what greater foolishnesse can there be, then to sinne with∣out hope of forgiuenes? But if thou beleeuest that thou shalt finde him good, gracious, fauourable, and mercifull vnto thee, who albeit thou offendest him often, yet he is ready to forgiue thee thy sinnes; tell me, I pray thee, what greater frowardnesse, or peeuishnesse can there be, then to take further occasion to offend him, where there is greater cause that thou shouldest loue him? What can be aunswered to this argument?

What wilt thou say vnto mee as concerning those reares, which hereafter thou must plentifully shed for the sinnes,* 1.28 which now thou committest? For if God call thee out of this life, or visit thee, euery morsell that thou now eatest, shall then be more bitter vnto thee then gall: and remember that then thou shalt alwayes lament and deplore that, which but once thou didst commit. That day at length will come, make no doubt of it, when thou shalt wish to haue suffered a thousand kinde of pu∣nishments, then once to haue offended God. The time that Dauid enioyed his pleasures was very short: but the time that

he lyued in sorrow and dolour for them, was exceeding long: as he testifieth of himselfe, saying:* 1.29 I am weary of my grouing, eue∣rie night wash I my bed, and water my couch with my teares. So a∣boundant were his teares, that the translation of Ierome hath, for I wash my bed, I make my bed to swim: signifying the great showers, and floods of waters, flowing out of those eyes, which had violated the law of God.

Why then doest thou vnprofitably consume the time in sow∣ing that, of which thou shalt gather no other fruite but teares? Besides this, thou oughtest also to consider, that thou doost not onely sow teares, whence thou reapest onely sorrow, but also the difficulty and hardnes for euer entring into a better state of life,* 1.30 by reason of the long and euill custome. For euen as hee that is endangered with a long and a pernitious disease, sildome so commeth to his former health, that not some reliques of the disease remaine in his body:* 1.31 so the greatnes and diuturnity of sinne, is sildome healed and cured without some reliques remay∣ning. A man alwayes is weaker in that part, with which he of∣fended: and the tiranny of the deuill rageth more violently in it. The children of Israel worshipped a Calfe, of the ashes of which being burned, Moses made a decoction and caused them to drinke it. For this is the punishment, with which God is wont to punish certaine sinnes, that by his iust iudgmēt some reliques may remaine in our bones, & so that may be a punishment, and a torment, which a little before was our Idoll.

Wilt thou that I shall tell thee,* 1.32 how ••nequall the compari∣son is to reserue old age for repentance, and filthily to spend the flower of youth in iniquities? What great madnes I pray thee would it be thought, if a man had many and weighty burthens to be carried to some certaine place, and he had many Horses sufficient to carry them, yet he should lay all the burthens vpon one of the weakest and worst Horses, the other being sent away empty? like, or rather greater is their madnes, who doe impose the burthen of repentance to be carried of olde age; sparing youth, and manly age, and letting them goe empty, which are much stronger, and farre more fit to carry then old age: seeing that old age is scarce able to support her owne infirmities. It is excellently sayd of Seneca that great Philosopher; He that de∣ferreth

to old age his goodnes,* 1.33 and meaneth onely then to be good, he plainly sheweth, that he is vnwilling to giue any thing vnto Vertue, but that time that is vnfit for all other things. And in another place; Thou shalt heare many saying; when I am fifty yeares old, I will take my selfe to mine ease: but when I am sixty, that will free me from all duties and offices. And what surety doost thou take for a longer life? Who will suffer these things so to passe, as thou hast disposed them? Doth it not shame thee, to reserue thy selfe to the reliques and dregs of thy life; and onely to destinate that time to a good and vertuous minde, which is fit for nothing? How late is it then to begin to liue, when thou must leaue to liue? What a foolish forgetful∣nes of mortality is it, to defer thy peace & quiet, and thy whol∣somest counsels to the fiftith or sixtith yeare of thy life; & then to purpose to begin a new & a better life, whē as very few reach to those yeares?

* 1.34 But what wilt thou doe, if thou considerest the greatnes of the satisfaction; which the infinite maiesty of God will require of thee, before thou be disburthened of so great offences? For that is so great, as a learned man sayth; That man is not able to satisfie God for the sinnes of one day, and disburthen himselfe of that day. Why then doost thou gather the debts of thy whole life, as it were into one grosse summe, and deserrest the payment and satisfying for them vntill thine old age, which not with all the paynes that it can take can satisfie for it selfe?* 1.35 This iniquity is so great, that S. Gregory calleth it the greatest infidelity, as he sheweth it in these words; He is farre enough off from sayth, who for his repentance expecteth old age. For it is to be feared, least while he hopeth for mercy, he finde iudgement. But let vs graunt, that all, that we haue sayd, are of no moment, nor any thing worth: nor that any of these things shall come to passe. Tell me, ought not the greatnes and multitude of benefits re∣ceaued, and the glory promised, be onely sufficient to perswade and moue thee (so that there be any law, reason, or iustice re∣mayning in the world) that thou shouldest not be so negligent and idle in the time of thy seruice, & so niggardly towards him, who is so liberall in heaping graces and benefits vpon thee? O how worthily is it spoken of Ecclesiasticus; Be not slow to pay thy

vow in good time,* 1.36 and tarry not to be iustified vnto thy death, because the reward of God endureth for euer. Goe to then, tell me I pray thee, if the reward shall endure so long, why wilt thou that thy seruice should be so short and momentany? If the reward shall not be ended, while God shall raigne in heauen, that is, it shall neuer perish: why wilt thou not, that thy seruice at the least should endure so long as thou liuest in this life?

Furthermore,* 1.37 if thou hopest to be saued, it followeth of ne∣cessity, that thou must presuppose that he hath predestinated thee from all eternity to this saluation. Tell me then, if the Lord was so mindfull of thee, that he loued thee from euerlasting; & after that thou wast made a Christian, adopted thee to be his owne sonne, & made thee an heire of his kingdome; why doost thou draw backe to loue so gracious a Father? And why doost thou not blush to deferre to the end of thy life, to embrace so good and so bountifull a Lord? How is it possible, that thou shouldest perswade thy selfe, that thou canst satisfie him with so short a worship, who is determined to bestow vpon thee euer∣lasting benefits? For it is requisite and meete, that seeing the rewards are eternall, that the worship should also be eternall, if it possibly might be. Which seeing that it cannot be, yea, seeing that thy worship and seruice is no longer then the life of one man;* 1.38 why then wilt thou take from the Diuine worship the greater part of this short space; and leaue vnto him the lesser and worser part? For euen as out of a vessell, sayth Seneca, first that commeth forth which is the purest,* 1.39 but that which is mud∣dy and troubled sinketh to the bottome: so in the age of our life, that which is the best, is the first. Therefore let vs not re∣serue the dregs for God, but let vs offer him the first & purest. See I pray thee, what part is that, that thou reseruest for the Lord God.* 1.40 Cursed be the deceitfull, sayth the Prophet, which hath in his flocke a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth a corrupt thing to the Lord: because I am a great King, sayth the Lord of Hostes, and my name is fearefull among the Heathen. As if he should say, to so great a Lord as I am, great seruices and worships are due. For it is mighty iniury, to offer to so excellent a Maiesty, those things which are the worst, and basest. Why therfore doost thou reserue the greater and better part of thy life for the seruice of

deuils, and sacrificest that part to God, which the world resu∣seth? Heare what the Lord sayth;* 1.41 Thou shalt not haue in thy bag two manner of waights, a great and a small: neyther shalt thou haue in thine house diuers measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt haue a right and iust waight, and a perfect and a iust measure shalt thou haue: And darest thou agaynst this law haue two vnequall measures, one so great for the deuill, as if he were thy friend; and the other so small for God, as if he were thine enemy?

* 1.42 Besides all these, if all these benefits seeme base and vild vnto thee, yet I desire thee, that at least-wife thou wouldest remem∣ber that inestimable benefit, by which God the father gaue vn∣to thee his onely begotten sonne: for he gaue that life for the price of thy soule, which was more precious then all the lifes of men and Angels. Wherfore although thou hadst the lifes of all men, and also infinit others; that in thee were all that lyueth, or could liue; all that thou owest to the giuer of that life. Neyther was this sufficient. Therfore with what forehead with what im∣pudency, with what ingratitude doost thou deny to giue this sole life, which thou hast; being so short, so weake, and so mi∣serable to that Lord, who for thee hath giuen a life so noble and so excellent? It were somwhat tollerable, if thou wouldest but giue that: but certainly to take away the better part of this mi∣serable life, and to giue onely the dregs to him, is intollerable and extreame impudency. Therfore let that of Salomon in his Preacher be the conclusion of this Chapter.* 1.43 Remember thy Cre∣atour in the dayes of thy youth, or euer the dayes of aduersity come, and or the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them. Before the sunne, the light, the moone, and starres be dark∣ned,* 1.44 and or the clouds turne againe after the rayne. When the kee∣pers of the house shall tremble (that is thy hands) & when the strong men shall bow themselues, (that is, thy thighs, which support the whole masse of thy body) when the milners stand still because they be so few, (that is, thy teeth, or iawes) and when the sight of the win∣dowes shall waxe dim (that is, thy sight shall faile) when the dores in the streetes shall be shut (for then also the instruments of other sences shall decay) and when the voyce of the milner shall be layde downe: when men shall rise vp at the voyce of the bird (that is, at the crowing of a Cock, by reason of lack of sleepe, which happe∣neth

in that age) and when all the daughters of Musicke shall be brought low. (That is, thine eares, because all the arteryes are shut, so that no sound can enter, by which the hearing is made.) When men shall feare in high places, & be afraid in the streetes: (for old men can hardly walke vp ascending, cliffie & rockie waies.) When the Almond tree shall flourish, (for thy head shall be full of white haires) and be loaden with the Grashopper, and when all lust shall passe: for which some haue translated, that thy backe shall be loaden, that is, shall be bowed and crooked, and thy concu∣piscence shall be lost; for daily more and more the strength of our hart faileth vs, in which is the seate of our appetites. Because man goeth to his long home: which is his graue; and the Mourners goe about the streets: that is, his friends and kinsfolkes. When the dust shall be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came, and the spirit shall returne vnto God, who gaue it. Hetherto are the words of Salomon.

Remember therefore,* 1.45 my brother, thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, according to this description, and doe not deferre thy repentance ouer to yeeres so troublesome & vnpleasant, in which nature faileth, & the strength of all thy sences: in which man hath more need of all the cherishing that may be, and to supply that by industrie, which is wanting to naturall strength: then to embrace the labours and troubles of repentance. When as vertue shall rather seeme a necessitie then a will. When as vi∣ces shall be honested by vs, for they forsake vs, before we forsake them; although for the most part, such is the old age, as the fore-passed youth was, according to that of Ecclesiasticus: If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth,* 1.46 what wilt thou finde in thine age? Therefore it is very wholsome counsaile, that in another place the same Ecclesiasticus giueth,* 1.47 saying; Abide not thou in the errour of the vngodly, but giue thankes before death. As for the dead, thankefulnes perrisheth from him as nothing: giue thou thanks in thy life, yea while thou art liuing and whole shalt thou giue thanks, and praise God, and reioyce in his mercie.

Surely, great in times past was that misterie, that amongst the diseased he was healed, who first stepped into the Poole, af∣ter the water had been troubled of the Angell:* 1.48 that thou there∣by mayst vnderstand, how that all our safetie consisteth in that,

if we forth-with without any lingering obey the heauenly and diuine inspirations and motions. Come therefore, my brother, and make hast,* 1.49 To day, sayth the Prophet, if thou wilt heare his voyce, harden not thy hart: that thou maist make answer to hym to morrow, yea begin presently to lay to thine hand: which the sooner that thou shalt doe, it shall be the more easier vnto thee.

Against them that deferre their repentance to the houre of death. CHAP. XXVI.

IVstly and rightlie ought those things which we haue spoken to be sufficient, to confound them, who deferre and put off their repentance to the houre of death. For if it be so dangerous to pro∣rogue and deferre it to certaine yeeres; what wil it be I pray thee, to driue it of, and reserue it for that most per∣rilous time? But because this errour is too familiar and vsuall in the world; and seeing that very many soules doe perrish, beeing miserably deceiued by this errour, I thought it very necessary to speake somewhat of this vaine opinion of men.* 1.50 And although it is very dangerous to speake of this matter (for it may minister occasion to weake and fearefull consciences to distrust and de∣spayre) yet greater shall the danger be, that men know not, in∣to what hazard they cast themselues, when they deferre theyr repentance to that time. So that weighing both dangers in an equall ballance, we may manifestly see, that this is greater then that by manie degrees. For experience teacheth vs, that moe soules doe perrish through too much confidence, then by too much feare or faint-hartednes. For wee are appointed Watch∣men, as Ezechiell saith,* 1.51 that when we see the sword comming, we should tell the people of it; least those that should be admo∣nished of vs, be deceaued: and their blood should be required at our hands.

But because in this life we haue no other light, nor no other truth, besides the holy Scripture, and the monuments of holie Fathers and Doctors of the Church, who before vs haue copi∣ouslie and sufficiently handled this matter; let vs see what they

say of it. For I hope that no man will be so rash, that will prefer his own opinion before their iudgements. In speaking of which we will obserue this order, that first we remember what the Fa∣thers haue spoken of this matter; and then what the Scripture teacheth vs.

¶ Authorities of certaine Fathers, concerning finall repentance.

BEfore we enter into this disputation, let vs presuppose that, which Saint Augustine, and all the Doctors of the Church do say; that we must necessarilie know, that as true repentance is properly the worke of God, so he can giue it to whom he wil, and when he pleaseth. Therefore, according to this sentence, repentance shall be true, and sufficient to saluation at what time soeuer it be; yea in the houre of death. But how sildome thys happeneth, I would not that thou shouldest beleeue me or thy selfe, but the Saints, by whose mouth the holy Ghost hath spo∣ken. Therefore it is meet and requis••••e, that we relye vpon their iudgements.* 1.52 Heare therfore what Saint Augustine doth speak of this matter, in his booke of true and false repentance: Hee that first is forsaken of his sinnes, before he forsake thē, he freely and willingly doth not forsake them, but of necessity and con∣straint. But God requireth the libertie of thy will. Wherefore, they that will not be conuerted vnto the Lord, so long as they can sinne;* 1.53 and afterwards come vnto conuersion whē they can sin no longer: they shall not so easily obtaine that they desire. And then a little after, Augustine declaring how that conuersi∣on is wrought,* 1.54 sayth thus: Hee is conuerted, that is, he is who∣lie and altogether changed, who now not onely feareth pu∣nishment, but hasteth to returne to a good and gracious God. Which conuersion albeit it happeneth to any one at the end of his life, we are not to despaire of the remission of his sinnes. But because so faithfull and absolute a conuersion sildome or neuer happeneth, so late repentance is suspicious, and to be feared. For whom the disease constraineth, and the paine terrifieth, he shall scarcelie euer come to true conuersion; especially when hys children are present, whom he hath too much doted on, & his wife and the world doe call him vnto them. For this late repen∣tance is wont to deceaue manie. But because God is alwayes al∣mightie,

he can alwaies help in death, whom he pleaseth. But because there be many things that doe hinder, and doe draw a∣way the languishing and fainting spirit, it is most dangerous, & next to destruction to put of repentance vntill death. But it is a very great thing that God should then inspire thee, and deale so fauourably with thee. If therefore there be any one, who then doth seeke for true repentance, let him expect the friendly cle∣mencie of God, well vnderstanding and feeling, that the good∣nes of God is greater then his wickednes. He that thus escapeth, let him liue and not die. Hetherto Saint Augustine, by whose words it is manifest, into how great dangers they do cast them∣selues headlong, who of purpose leaue of their repentance to the houre of death.

Saint Ambrose also, in his bookes of repentance, doth large∣lie dispute of this matter;* 1.55 although there be some that attribute this discourse of his to Augustine, where amongst many other things he faith; He that r••penteth, and reconcileth himselfe at the last cast, and passeth hence, that is, departeth out of his bo∣die: I confesse vnto you, that we deny not vnto him, that which he desireth: but I dare not presume to say, that hee went vvell hence. I doe not presume, I doe not promise, I doe not say, I deceaue ye not, I doe not beguile you, I make no promise vnto you. A faithfull man liuing well, doth safely depart hence. He that repenteth, and is reconciled, whilst he is in health, if after he liue well, is safe.

Repeating the same thing a little after, he saith; But he that repenteth at the last, and shall passe hence, whether hee safelie passeth or no, I am not certaine: I can assure him of repen∣pentance, but of further securitie I cannot assure him. Marke what I say; I will lay downe this more plainly, least any one should misse my meaning: Doe I say that he shalbe damned? I doe not say so. Neither doe I say that he shall be saued. O ho∣lie Bishop, what other thing doost thou say vnto me? Certain∣lie I know not what I shall say vnto thee. I haue said, I presume not, I promise not, I know not Gods determination. Wilt thou my brother be deliuered from all doubt, wilt thou escape thys ambiguous incertaintie? Repent whilst thou art strong and in health. For if thou truly repentest, whilst thou art in health, &

so the last day finde thee, thou art safe. Therefore runne, that thou maist be reconciled. If thou doost so, thou art safe. Why safe? Wilt thou that I shal tell thee? Because thou repentedst at that time, when thou mightest haue sinned. Behold, I haue told thee, why thou art safe. But if then thou wilt repent when thou canst sinne no longer, thy sinnes haue dismissed thee, and not thou them.

Saint Isidore doth consent vnto this.* 1.56 He that would, sayth he, be certaine of the remission of his sins in the houre of death, let him repent whilst he is in health, and then let him lament & deplore his iniquitie and wickednes. But he that hath liued wic∣kedly, and repenteth at the houre of his death; it is most certaine that he is in very great ieopardy. For euen as his damnation is vncertaine, so also his saluation is doubtfull. Surely these words are very dreadfull: but those more fearefull, which Eusebius the Scholler of Saint Ierome writeth, and which his glorious & holy Maister spoke being at the poynt of death, stretching him selfe vpon the earth, arrayed in rugged and course Sack-cloth: but because I dare not relate them, with that rigour that they are written, least I should minister occasion of distrust and de∣spaire to those that be weake and faint-harted, let him that plea∣seth reade them:* 1.57 he shall finde them in the fourth tome of saint Ieromes workes, in a certaine Epistle of Eusebius, to Byshoppe Damasus as touching the death of Saint Ierome, whose begin∣ning is, To the most reuerent Father &c. Where amongst o∣ther things hee sayth; But some man will say; That man that hath done wickedly all the time that he liued, and repenting at the houre of his death, he shall obtaine pardon of God. Alas, how vaine a supposall, and how false a meditation. Scarcely of an hundred thousand men, whose lifes haue alwaies beene wic∣kedly led, scarcely I say one deserueth fauour at Gods hands. A man altogether borne and brought vp in sin, who hath neither seene, nor acknowledged GOD, neither is willing to heare of him, neither knoweth when he sinneth, nor what repentance is, vnlesse perhaps he sometimes dreame of it: and altogether in∣tangled in worldly busines, whom the loue of his children whō he must forsake, oppresseth, whom infirmitie amateth, vvhom the losse and griefe of riches and temporall blessings shaketh &

excruciateth, because he seeth that he can no longer enioy them, what repentance can he bring forth acceptable to God? which he at all would not bring forth, nor once medle with, if he had any hope of recouery. Certainly I will conclude as I thinke; he that whilst he is young & strong feareth not to offend God, in death he deserueth not to finde any fauour of God. What repentance is that, my beloued children, which a man onely maketh for this respect, because he seeth that hee can liue no longer? Who if he should recouer of his sicknes, would becom worser then he was before? I haue knowne many peny-fathers and helhound vsurers, who may rightly be termed the deuils Alcumists, or the deuils Mint-maisters, that haue beene sorry and penitent, when they haue thought that there was no way with them but death, but after that they haue beene recouered, their lifes haue beene a great deale more wicked and detestable then it was before. This I hold, this I thinke to be true: this I haue lerned by long experience, that his end is not good, whose life was alwayes euill: who feared not to sinne, but alwaies liued in the vanities of the world.

Hetherto Eusebius: by whose words it is manifest, how su∣spected that repentance was to this holy Doctor Ierome, which was made at the houre of death of him, who had continued in sinne all the time of his life.* 1.58 Neyther heere the iudgement of S. Gregory is to be kept close as concerning this matter; who vp∣on these words of Iob, For what hope hath the hypocrite, though he be n••uer so couetous, if God take away his soule? Will God heare his cry, when trouble commeth vpon him? sayth; God heareth not his cry in the time of trouble, who in the time of peace and pro∣sperity, hath not heard the Lord crying vnto him in his com∣maundements.* 1.59 For it is written; Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the law, his prayer shall be abhominable. Therefore the holy man beholding how those that contemne the law and all right paths, doe at the last cast conforme themselues vnto prayer, sayth, Will God heare his cry? Those words doe iumpe with those of our Sauiour, who sayth; Afterward came also the foolish Virgins,* 1.60 saying: Lord, Lord, open to vs. And it shall be an∣swered vnto them; Verily I say vnto you, I know you not. Because then so much the more seuerity shall be vsed, by how much the

more mercy hath now beene extended: and then iudgement shall be seuerely and strictly executed vpon them, whom now persisting in sinne mercy patiently wayted vpon. These be S. Gregories words. Another Doctour of the Church sayth; It is a hard thing, that then (that is at the poynt of death) true repen∣tance should be, when it commeth so late. When as anguish and payne tormenteth the body, and greefe oppresseth the sen∣ces, scarcely can a man thinke of any other thing. Greatly suspi∣cious ought that repentance to be, which seemeth constrayned. The coniecture is easie, that a man should thinke that himselfe is vnwilling to doe that, which he hath no ability to doe. Possi∣bility doth very well proue the willingnes. If thou doost not whilst thou mayst, thou manifestly shewest that thou art vn∣willing to doe. Another Doctour of the Church doth also sub∣scribe to all this. Seeing therefore, sayth he, that a fruitfull re∣pentance is not the worke of a man, but of God: by his mercy he can inspire it, whensoeuer he will: and reward those by his mercy, whom he could condemne by his iustice. But because there are many things that hinder, and hold backe the sicke par∣tie, and him that languisheth and faynteth through sicknes, it is dangerous, and neere vnto destruction, to protract and defer repentance till death. But a meruailous great thing is it, if God at that time inspire any man with true repentance. Consider I pray thee how fearefull and dreadfull these words be? Who then is so bold and audacious, that dare expose this great trea∣sure to so great hazard? Is there any thing more precious in this world then saluation? Who therfore is so inconsiderate and vn∣aduized, that dareth presume to say, that he doth not passing ill, that committeth so great treasure to such danger?

These be the iudgements of the holy Doctours, by whom we may euidently gather, how great theyr folly and madnes is, without an especiall care to sayle ouer this so dangerous a Sea, of which the most expert and experienced Mariners haue spoken so doubtfully, and with so great feare. To dye well is an Art, which ought to be learned all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 life long. For in the houre of death so many and so great are the discruciatements that cause death, that scarce remayneth any time to learne to dye well.

¶ The authority of Schoole Doctours concerning this matter.

IT remayneth now for the greater confirmation of this mat∣ter, that we see what the Schoole Doctours thinke of it. A∣mong others there is one that excellently handleth this matter, agreeing in all things vnto vs, putting and inferring this conclu∣sion: Repentance, which is made at the poynt of death,* 1.61 and in extreamity, is sildome true, by reason of the great difficulty that happeneth at this time. He prooueth this conclusion by foure reasons or arguments.

* 1.62 The first is, by reason of the great perturbations, which a∣rise out of the greatnes of griefes, sicknes, and the presence of Death, through which the hart is lesse able to lift vp it selfe to God, and rightly to busie it selfe in the exercises of true repen∣tance. For the better vnderstanding of this argument we must know, that all the perturbations of our hart haue great force to disturbe and hinder our will and sences: and according to the rule of Philosophy, in this effect and euent the affections or passions are much more powerfull, which cause sorrow and sadnes, then those that procure mirth and ioy. Hence it is that the perturbations or affections of one dying are exceeding strong, and of all other most powerfull. For (as Aristotle saith) death is the most dreadfull of all terrible things: there being so many dolours & discruciatements in the body, so many afflicti∣ons and anguishes in the soule, so great sorrow and care for chil∣dren, wife, & the world, all which are to be forsaken. Amongst so many and so tempestuous winds of the passions, where shall the sences be, and where the cogitations, but where these do∣lours and perturbations doe carry and whirle them? Daily ex∣perience teacheth vs, that if any one be tormented with the tooth-ach, or by any other sharpe payne, although he be a very godly and a religious man, yet scarcely then can he stedfastly lift vp his hart to God, nay all the sences & thoughts haue recourse thither, where the griefe is. If this happeneth to the righteous, what will he doe, who neuer accustomed himselfe to thinke of God, and who so much is readier to endanger his greater friend then his lesser, by how much he is apter and proner to loue his

body better then his soule?* 1.63 Amongst the foure impediments of contemplation, which S. Bernard doth reckon vp, one is the euill disposition and temperature of the body. For then the soule is so vrged and occupied with the dolours of the flesh, that scarce it permitteth a man to thinke vpon any other thing, be∣sides that, which then greeueth and excruciateth him. Which if it be true, what greater dotage or madnes can there be, then to expect, tarry, and wayte for the worst disposition and tem∣perature of the body, & in it to handle and deal with the grea∣test businesses of the soule? I knew a certaine man, who being at the poynt of death, when he was willed and admonished to prepare himselfe for his end, for the glasse of his life was now runned out, he was so affrighted and ouerwhelmed with the presence of death, that he thought vpon nothing els, then how he might escape the danger of death, as if the date of his life had beene put in his owne hands, and he had the ordering and de∣termining of it. All his care was, how he might remedy and a∣uoyde this danger, if possibly it might be. But when the Mi∣nister saw him so little carefull and troubled with those things which were necessary for that time, he admonished him, that he should let passe such thoughts, and begin earnestly to call vpon God. The sicke man hardly taking this a••••onition, began to talke a farre off from the purpose, and so yeeleded vp the ghost. Notwithstanding, this man had beene a louer of Vertue: wher∣by thou mayst see, how the presence of Death doth disturbe and disquiet them, who are in loue with their lifes, seeing that it so greatly troubled him, who at other times had despised it. I knew also another man, who when hee had fallen into a most dangerous and greeuous sicknes, and saw Death now at hand, he earnestly desired to conferre a little with God, and to pre∣uent the Iudge by a deuoute prayer, before hee should depart out of this life: but sorrowes and the continuall accidents of his infirmity would let him haue no rest. If therfore onely prepa∣ration to repentance, b••so hard at that time, who will be so fond and mad to defer and prorogue the remedy and repentance of his whole life to that moment?

The second reason of the Shoole-man is,* 1.64 that true repen∣tance ought to be voluntary, that is, it ought to be done wil∣lingly,

and not of constraint, or compelled by necessitie. Thys is that which Saint Augustine saith;* 1.65 Let no man tarry so long as he can sin. For God requireth the liberty of the vvill, that thy faultes may be wiped away; he requireth not necessity, but cha∣ritie: not onely feare; because man liueth not onely in feare. Therefore, it behoueth him that lately repenteth, not onely to feare the Iudge, but to loue him: because without charitie no man can be saued. Wherefore, that man that neuer truly repen∣teth himselfe in his life time, but prorogeth it to the houre of death, he seemeth not to bring forth repentance of will, but of compulsion: ••••d if of constraint or necessity, then it is not meerely voluntary.

* 1.66 Such was the repentance of Shimei, for that offence which he had committed against Dauid, when hee fled from the face of his sonne Absolon. Which Shimei, when he saw that the victory did incline to Dauid, and considering of the mischiefe that hung ouer his head, he descended with the men of Iuda to meete King Dauid and with the thousand men of Beniamin, and prostrating himselfe before the King, he craued pardon for his fault.* 1.67 Which when Abishai heard, he sayd; Shall not Shimei die for this, because he cursed the Lords annointed? But holy king Dauid, not ignor•••••• of what small desert this repentance was, for the time wisely dissembled the deede, yet he would not that it should vtterly passe vnreuenged: but when he was at deaths doore, not for any desire of reuenge, but in the zeale of iustice, he commaunded his sonne, that hee should not suffer it to goe vnreuenged;* 1.68 who afterwards commanded him to be slaine. Of this kinde and nature, seemeth the repentance of many wicked Christians to be, who when they haue perscuered all theyr lyfe thorow in sinne, offending God, when the houre of rendering an account shall draw neere, when they see death approching, and the graue open, and the Iudge present; when they shall vnderstand that no strength or power, can be founde against that infinite power & omnipotencie; and that that shall be de∣termined in that moment which is for euer irreuocable, then they turne themselues vnto the Iudge with prayers and prote∣stations: which if they be true, certainly they are profitable. But the common euent teacheth, what manner of prayers and pro∣testations

they were, and are: for we haue learned by experi∣ence, that many of them hauing escaped this danger, forthwith haue forgot all that they promised; and as Swine haue returned to theyr wallowing in the myre, yea they haue reuersed and re∣called that good, which then they purposed; and haue againe embraced those things, which then they estimated preiudiciall to their soules, as if they were the men that had not doone, that they did for the loue of God, but onely for feare of the extrea∣mitie, in which at that time they were: which ceasing, also the effect ceaseth,* 1.69 which thereupon followed. Whereby it most manifestly appeareth, that this repētance is like vnto that which Saylers make: who when they are in extreamity and danger of shypwrack, they promise to change their lifes, to embrace ver∣tue, and I know not what protestations they make: but vvhen the storme is appeased and ouer-past, and a wished calme com∣meth, and they are without ieopardy, byand by they returne to theyr former vomit: they laugh, they trifle, they blaspheme, ca∣rouse and sweare, and become worser then they were before, making no account of their vowes and protestations, yea, repu∣ting them as dreames and toyes.

The third reason is,* 1.70 because the custome of sinne, in vvhich the sinner hath hetherto liued, will almost neuer forsake a man, but euen till death waiteth vpon him: and followeth him no o∣therwise then the shadow doth the body. For custome is ano∣ther nature, which is not ouercome without very great difficul∣tie. And so we see by experience, that many at the houre of theyr deaths, are so little carefull for the saluation of their soules, are so couetous, so drowned in carnall and wordly things, such louers of this life, that they would still enioy it, if at any price they might buy it; so captiuated in the loue of this world, & so enamoured with all those things that they loued in it, as if they vvere not at all at this passe, or in this danger.

Haue you not often-times seene old men so greedy and so couetous, that they haue neuer intermitted one houre, nor slac∣ked any time, to hourd vp the pelfe of this worlde; who not∣withstanding are vnmercifull, and haue theyr hands shut when they should doe any good: and whose affections and appetites are very fresh and liuely in prosecuting the businesse of thys

world, & heaping vp riches without end or meane, which they must leaue in the world, GOD knowes to whom, but to anie good worke reprobate and dull? This is a punishment not the least, by which God punisheth sinne; permitting it to attend vpon the offender to the graue; according to that of S. Grego∣rie, God chastiseth a sinner with this kinde of punishment, that he permitteth him to forget and be vnmindfull of himselfe in the houre of death, because he remembred not God in his lyfe. And so one negligence or obliuion is punished by another: the forgetfulnes of the fault, is punished with that obliuion which is both a punishment and a fault: which we see and heare veri∣fied by daily experience: for how often doe we heare, that ma∣ny haue wished to die, and haue died in the armes of theyr har∣lots, whom they tenderly loued, that as in theyr life time they would not expell them out of their houses, so in death they would not forsake them, because by the iust iudgement of God, they are become vtterly vnmindfull & obliuious, both of them∣selues, and of their soules.

The fourth reason of the Schoole-man is founded in the qualitie of the valour of the workes,* 1.71 which are commonly done at that houre: for euery one, who hath but a sparke of Diuine light, seeth plainly, how farre different the works that then are done, are from the works, which are done of a man sound and in health: he acknowledgeth I say, that those much lesse please God then these. That gift cannot be very acceptable to God, (as saith a certaine holy woman) which therefore is offered, be∣cause the last day so enioynes it, for it is not of the right nature of a gift. What I pray thee is it to pardon an iniury at that houre, when not to pardon it is a great reproch? Doost thou thinke it praise worthy, that then thou leauest thy Concubine, when thou must leaue her whether thou wilt or no, neither may shee stay any longer in thine house?

By these reasons this subtile Doctor concludeth, that a man with great difficultie in that houre truely repenteth. Yea he saith that a Christian, who of a set purpose deferreth his repentance to the houre of death, doth very highly sinne, by reason of the great iniury that he offereth to his owne soule: and by reason of the great danger, vnto which he exposeth his saluation. Now

I leaue the Reader to his owne conscience and consideration, that he may see whether there is any thing more to be feared then this.

¶ Certaine authorities of the holy Scripture, confirming the precedent sentences of the Doctors.

BVt because the strength and bulwarke of all this disputation consisteth in the word of God (for against this there is ney∣ther appeale nor answere) heare what it teacheth vs concerning this matter. Salomon in the first chapter of his Prouerbs, after he had related the words, by which the eternall Wisedome cal∣leth man to repentance, hee in like manner adioyneth those wordes, which shee will speake to those that doe not obey her call:* 1.72 Because, saith she, I haue called and yee refused, I haue stret∣ched out my hand, and no man regarded. But all my counsailes haue ye despised, and sette my correction at naught. Therefore will I also laugh at your destruction, & mocke you, when the thing that ye feare commeth vpon you. Euen when the thing that ye be afraid of falleth in suddainly like a storme, and your miserie like a tempest, yea when trouble and heauines commeth vpon you. Then shall they call vppon mee, but I will not answere: they shall seeke mee early, but they shall not finde mee: And that because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the feare of the Lord.

Hetherto be the wordes of Salomon, or that I may speake better, of God himselfe. Which Saint Gregory in his Morrall bookes doth expound to be spoken of this repentance, which heere we handle. What can be aunswered vnto this? Are not these threatnings sufficient, being from God himselfe, to make thee to feare, and to admonish thee, that betimes thou prepare thy selfe for that houre? But heare also another testimony not lesse plaine then this. The Lord reasoning in the Gospell of his comming to iudgement, he aduiseth and counsaileth his Disci∣ples with great instancie, that they prepare themselues against that day, hauing vsed many parables and similitudes to that end, that by them they might vnderstand, of what great weight that matter was.* 1.73 His words be these: Blessed is that seruant, whom his Lord when he commeth, shall finde watching. But if that euill seruant shall say in his hart: My Lord will be long a comming: and so beginne

to finite his fellowes, yea, and to care and drinke with the drunken. The same seruants Lord shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an houre that he is not ware of, and shall hew him in pee∣ces, and giue him his portion with the Hipocrites. It is playne and euident by this, that the Lord very well knew of the counsailes, inuentions, and excuses of the wicked, which they finde out to excuse and bolster out their bad matters: and therefore he doth preuent them, and shut the way before them, and admonisheth them how their wickednes shall prosper with them, and what euent their hope shall haue.

What do these things differ from thē, which here we handle? What other things doe we speake here, but those that the Lord himselfe speaketh? Thou art that euill seruant, who meditatest in thine hart such like things, as he did; thou delayest thy re∣pentance, and thinkest that there is time enough left for thee, thou eatest, drinkest, and perseuerest in thy sinnes. Doest thou not feare these threatnings, which he threatneth, who is no lesse able to effect them, then to speake them? Who is of might to execute all things that he speaketh, sooner & more readily then to speake them? He himselfe speaketh vnto thee, he reasoneth the matter with thee, he calleth thee, he hath busines with thee, he sayth vnto thee: Watch miserable man, and whilst thou hast time prepare thy selfe, least thou miserably perishest in that houre of Gods iust iudgement.

But I seeme to bestow too much time and labour vpon a matter so manifest. But what shall I doe, when I see the greater part of the world couer their sinne and error vnder this cloake? But that thou mayest more manifestly know the greatnes of this danger,* 1.74 heare another testimony of the same Lord? Then shall the kingdome of heauen be likened vnto tenne Virgines. &c. Then; when shall that then be? When the Iudge shall come, when the houre of iudgement shall approch, as well generall for all men,* 1.75 as particuler for euery one. For in this euery one shall finde his last day, in this the last day of the world shal ouer∣take euery one; because as euery one dyeth, so he shall be iud∣ged in this day, as sayth Augustine. At that time therfore, saith our Sauiour, it shall happen vnto vs, as vnto the tenne Virgins, fiue of which were fooles, and fiue wise, which taking theyr

Lamps went out to meete the Bridegrome: The wise whilst they had time, tooke oyle in their vessels: But the foolish, as it oftentimes happeneth, had no care nor regard of any oyle. At midnight, when men sleepe soundlie, or when they are most negligent and voyde of care, and least thinke of the day of iudg∣ment, a cry was made. Behold the Bridegrome commeth, goe yee out to meete him. Then all those Virgins arose, and prepa∣red their Lamps: And those that were ready went in with the Bridegrome to the mariage, & the dore was shut vp. But those that were not ready at that time, began to prouide and prepare themselues, and at length came, saying; Lord, Lord, open to vs. But he aunswering sayd: Verily I say vnto you, I know you not. And the Lord concluding this parable, sayth: Watch therfore, for yee know neyther the day, nor the houre. As if he should say; Ye haue seene how happy the euent was of these wise Virgins, who were ready, and how vnhappy the foolish Virgins were, who wan∣ted oyle. Seeing that therefore yee know not the day nor the houre of the comming of the Bridegrome, and seeing the busi∣nes of your saluation dependeth only of this preparation, watch and be ye ready at all times, least that day finde you vnprepared, as it found these fiue Virgins, and the dore be shut against you, and yee be excluded from the marriage, as they were excluded. This is the litterall sence of this parable, as a learned man doth expound this place, saying: Let vs take heede to our selues, if it were but onely for this respect, that the repentance, which is deferred vnto death, when that voyce is heard which sayth; Be∣hold the Bridegrome commeth: is not safe, yea, as it is described in this ••arable, it is as though it were not true. At the length he speaking of the end of this similitude, sayth: The conclusion of this doctrine is, that we may vnderstand how these fiue Virgins were reprobated and refused, because they were not ready at the comming of the Bridegrome. But the other fiue were ad∣mitted and let in, because they had prouided. Therfore it is ne∣cessary that we be alwayes prouid••d, because we know not at what houre the Bridegrome will come.

Tell me I pray thee, what could be spoken more manifestly for the illustration of our purpose? Therefore I doe greatly wonder, that after so cleare a testimony men dare yet trust to a

hope so weake and vncertaine. For before this testimony was brought forth, I did not so much meruaile, if they did perswade themselues the contrary, or if they desired willingly to deceaue themselues. But after that this heauenly Doctor and Teacher hath determined this question, when as the Iudge himselfe hath manifested vnto vs the order and manner of his iudgement by so many examples, who is so extreamely impudent or shame∣lesse, without wit or reason, that will thinke that it shall hap∣pen otherwise, then hee hath foretold, who himselfe shall pro∣nounce the sentence?

¶ Aunswers to certaine obiections

BVt because thou mayest obiect against these things, which we haue spoken: How? vvas not the theese yeelding vp the ghost saued by one onely word?* 1.76 Wee aunswere vnto this, that this worke was no lesse miraculous, then the other miracles of Christ, which worke and miracle was reserued to the comming of our Sauiour, being the sonne of God into this world, and for a testimony of his glory: And therefore it was necessary, that in that very houre, when the Lord suffered, that both things cele∣stiall and terrestriall should be disturbed; that light should be mingled with night; and that the very elements should be sha∣ken; That the earth shaken in her very foundations,* 1.77 which could scarcely support and vphold God on the Crosse, should tremble and quake; That the day, the light being fled, should assume a lamentable robe, and after the manner of bewayling mourners, should be cloathed with the sable habit of black hea∣uines; That the graues of the dead should be opened; and that the dead should arise: For all these miraculous wonderments, were reserued as testimonies of the glory of his Person, among the number of which was the saluation of this theefe. In which worke his confession was no lesse admirable and miraculous, then his saluation: for his Nouell and Puny new sprung fayth, acknowledged that which his Disciples gayne-sayed. At that time the guilty theefe beleeued that, which the elect denied. The impiety of the persecutours raged, the wickednes of the blasphemers exceeded, the stripes and wounds shewed Christ onely to be but a man, and the Apostles despayring after so

many Diuine miracles, onely this theefe resteth not, nor stayed in the scandale of his crosse and death; onely he is the witnes of his Maiesty, who was a companion of his distres and heauines. Seeing that therefore these wonderfull and miraculous things belong to the dignity of this Lord, and to the mistery of that time, it will be counted a ridiculous thing to thinke, that these are matters for all times and places, which were onely proper for that time.

We see also in all well ordered common wealths,* 1.78 that some things be done ordinarily, and alwayes after the same manner, and some things that are vsed extraordinarily. Ordinary things are common to all, but the extraordinary are proper to some certaine. The same thing also commeth in vse in the common wealth of God, which is his Church. And so that of the Apo∣stle is regular and ordinary;* 1.79 Whose end shall be according to theyr works: signifying that after the common manner of speaking, an euill death followeth an euill life, and a good death a good life. And it is an ordinary thing that those that embrace Ver∣tue, and leade a godly life, doe enter into an eternal life; and those that liue viciously and wickedly, to be cast into hell fire. This sentence is common and true, which the holy Scripture doth beate vpon in many places. This the Psalmes doe sing of, this the Prophets doe celebrate, this the Apostles doe preach of, this the Euangelists haue noted. The kingly Prophet hath comprehended this in few words,* 1.80 when he sayd: God spake once and twice: I haue also heard the same, that power belongeth vnto God: And that thou Lord art mercifull: for thou rewardest euery man according to his worke. This is the summe of all Christian Philosophy. Therfore according to this speach of Dauid, we say that it is an ordinary thing, that as well the righteous as the sinner, should receaue a reward at the end of their lifes, accor∣ding to the works,* 1.81 which they haue done. Yet besides this vni∣uersall law, God can by his especiall grace and fauour bestow mercy vpon some, that they should dye the death of the righte∣ous, who haue liued the life of sinners: as also it may come to passe, that he that hath liued like a righteous man in this world, by the secret iudgement of God,* 1.82 may dye as a sinner. As it hap∣peneth vnto them, who haue sayled very fortunately in a long

voyage, and at the very mouth of the Hauen suffer shipwrack. Hence it is that Salomon sayth:* 1.83 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward, and the breath of the beast that goeth downe to the earth? For although it be alwayes in a manner true, that their soules, who liue like beasts, descend to hell; and that theirs, that liue like men, ascend to heauen; yet in the secret and parti∣culer iudgement of God, this order may be somtimes inuerted. Yet it is safe and generall doctrine, that a good liuer shall haue a blessed death. Therefore no man ought for the praecedent causes to leane to their examples, who haue been saued by espe∣ciall and particuler grace and sauour: for they make no gene∣rall rule, nor extend themselues to all men, but onely to few, and those vnknowne: Neyther canst thou know whether thou art contayned in that number.

* 1.84 But if thou obiectest vnto me the repentance of the Nini∣uites, which proceeded from feare, least they should all haue beene destroyed within forty dayes; consider thou not onely their sharpe and seuere repentance, which they made, but also their change of life. Change thou also thy life after the same manner, and the same mercy shall not forsake thee. But I per∣ceaue that thou art scarcely recouered of thine infirmity, and scarcely risen out of bed, seeing that thou straightwayes runnest to the first kind of life, and recallest all that, which thou didst purpose, when thou wast weake. Wherfore I leaue thee to con∣sider, what I may think of thy repentance.

¶ The conclusion of the former disputation.

WHatsoeuer hath hetherto beene spoken, hath not beene spoken to that end, that it should shut the gate of saluati∣on or of hope against any man: for neyther hath any of the Saints shut it, neyther ought any man to shut it: but to this end, that the wicked may be recalled & turned from that refuge and fortresse, in which they lurke, and are made mightier to perse∣uere in their iniquities. But, tell me I pray thee my brother, if all the voyces and iudgements of Doctors and holy men, if all reasons, if the holy and sacred Scripture pronounce so dange∣rous and perillous things of it, how darest thou hope for salua∣tion in so great danger and hazard? In whom doest thou trust,

that will helpe thee in this ieopardy? Perhaps thou placest thy hope in thy preparations, in thine almes, and in thy prayers. Thou vnderstoodest a little before, how the fiue foolish virgins with great care would haue prepared & made ready thēselues, after that they had heard the voyce telling them, that the Bride∣grome came: thou hast learned also, with what great instancie they knocked and cryed at the doore; yet it profited none of them: for it proceeded not of true loue, or of true repentance. Perhaps thou trustest to thy teares, which thou wilt poure forth at that time; surely, vnfained teares at all times are auailable, & happy is that man that from his very hart can poure thē foorth: but remember I pray thee,* 1.85 what teares Esau shedde, Who, as the Apostle saith, found no place of repentance, though he sought it with teares. For he did not weepe for the loue of GOD, but for his owne commoditie.

Or, doost thou put thy hope in thy good purposes, which thou then settest before thine eyes? These are of force vvhen they are true and sincere; but remember the purposes of King Antiochus, who when hee was in this danger, promised such great and magnificent things, that it would make a man ama∣zed that readeth them.* 1.86 This wicked man, saith that booke, prayed vnto the Lord, of whom he obtayned no mercy. The reason was, for all things that he purposed, proceeded not of the spirit of loue, but of seruill feare, which is not acceptable. For to feare hell, may proceede of the meere naturall loue which man beareth to himselfe. But that man loueth himselfe, is no reason that the kingdome of heauen should be giuen vnto him. Insomuch, that as no man entred into the pallace of King Assuerus clothed in Sackcloth,* 1.87 so it is lawfull for no man to enter into the pallace of God with a seruill garment: but all that will enter must be clo∣thed with wedding garments, that is, adorned and beautified with true loue and charitie.

Wherefore my brother, I pray and intreate thee, that thou wouldest reade and consider of these things, with great attenti∣on, that thou after a very short time (without all doubt) shalt come to this houre, and to this ieopardy. For thou seest vvith what great swiftnes heauen is turned about, and with what ve∣locitie time slippeth and posteth away, & how soone the thred

of thy life shall be cut off. The day of destruction is at hand, sayth the Prophet,* 1.88 and the times that shall come, make hast. Therefore, a little space of time being ouer-past, this prophecie shalbe ful∣filled. Then thou shalt perceiue and know, that I haue beene a true Prophet in these things, which I haue admonished thee of. Then thou shalt see thy selfe compassed about with dolours, loaden with those things that are yrkesome vnto thee, and mise∣rablie afflicted with the presence of death, wayting for the con∣dition, which straightwayes shall be awarded, either that thou shalt be for euer happy, or for euer vnhappy.

O perrilous estate, ô hard and dangerous way; ô sentence, after which euerlasting death, or euerlasting life is to be expec∣ted; ô who can alter this Decree at that houre? ô who shall be able to heare that sentence? My brother, now thou hast aduan∣tage, doe not neglect it: now thou hast time, make the Iudge thy friend, that hee may be sauourable vnto thee. Heare there∣fore, and follow the counsell of the Prophet,* 1.89 who saith; Seeke yee the Lord whilst he may be found, call vpon him whilst hee is at hande. For now the Lorde is at hand to heare vs, albeit wee see him not. In the houre of iudgement we shall see him, but hee will not heare vs, vnlesse we be such as are to be heard now.

Against them, that through the hope of the Diuine mercie, doe continue and perseuere in theyr sinnes. CHAP. XXVII.

SOme men there are, that persisting and conti∣nuing in their wicked life, doe cheere vp and comfort themselues in hope of Gods mercie, and the merrits of Christes passion: and to these as to the other, their errour is to bee showen. Thou sayest that the mercy of God is vnmeasurable & infinite, for he willingly would be crucified as a malefactour for sinners. I confesse indeede that his mercy is exceeding great; for it suffereth thee to vtter so lauishlie such cursed blasphemie; as that thou wouldest his goodnes & boun∣fulnes, should be a fautour and a fauourer of thy wickednesse:

and that his Crosse, which hee apprehended as a meane to de∣stroy the kingdome of sinne, should be made of thee a meane to strengthen and defence sinne: and whereas thou shouldest offer a thousand lifes vnto him, if thou haddest so many, be∣cause he hath sacrificed his life for thee, there thou takest an oc∣casion to denie that one vnto him which thou hast, yea vvhich thou hast receiued of him. This grieueth thy Sauiour more, then the death did, which he suffered for thee: for hee who neyther lamented nor deplored his own death, most greeuously lamen∣teth and bewaileth thy sinnes in the Prophet,* 1.90 saying; The plow∣ers plowed vpon my backe, and made long furrowes. Tell me I pray thee, who hath taught thee thus to argue, that because God is good and gracious, thou shouldest conclude, that it is lawful for thee to sinne, and to follow wickednes? The holy Ghost see∣meth vnto me to conclude after another manner; that because God is good and gracious, he gathereth that he is worthy to be worshipped, obeyed, and to be loued aboue all things. And because God is good, it is meete that I be good also; and that I should trust in him: who although I be a most greeuous sin∣ner, yet is ready to receiue me into fauour, if I with all my hart will be conuerted vnto him. Because God is good and so good, it is double wickednes to offend so great & magnificent a good∣nesse. Therefore, by how much the more thou doost exempli∣fie the goodnes of GOD, by so much the more thou doost ag∣grauate thy sinne, which thou committest against him. And it is meet and equall that so great a sinne should be punished: for it is the nature and dutie of the Diuine iustice, (which also thou esteemest not to be contrary, but the sister and the auen∣ger of the Diuine goodnesse) that it should not leaue so enor∣mous an iniury vnpunished.

Thys kinde of excuse is not newe, or sprung vp of late, but very old, and vsuall in the world. This in times past was the dif∣ference betweene the true and the false Prophets,* 1.91 because the true did denounce the threatnings of God against the people, and did exaggerate and aggrauate his iustice: but the false, on their owne heads did promise false peace and mercy. But when the punishments of GOD did approue the veritie of the one part, and the falsehood of the other, the true Prophets sayde:

Where are now your Prophets,* 1.92 which prophecied vnto you, saying: The King of Babell shall not come against you, nor against this Land•• Thou sayst, that the mercy of God is great. Thou which sayst so, credite me, GOD hath not opened thine eyes, that thou mightest see the greatnesse of his iustice. For if thou haddest thine eyes open to behold it, thou wouldest say with the Pro∣phet; Who knoweth the power of thy wrath?* 1.93 for according to thy feare is thine anger. But that thou mayst be freed from this dan∣gerous & perrilour errour, I pray thee let vs dispute of the mat∣ter a little, and be ruled by reason.

Neyther thou, nor I doe see the Diuine iustice, as it is in it selfe;* 1.94 that we may come to the knowledge of the measure of it. Neither doe we know God himselfe in this worlde, but by hys workes. Therefore let vs enter into the spirituall world of the holy Scripture, & then let vs goe out into this corporall world, wherein we liue, and let vs out of them both reason, what the Diuine iustice is, that by this meanes we may know it. Certain∣ly this consideration will be most profitable; For besides thys end which now we propose vnto our selues, we shall reape also out of it another fruite: for it will a fresh stirre vp in our harts the feare of the Lord, which as the Doctors say, is the treasure, the keeper,* 1.95 and burthen of our soules. For euen as a ship is not safe without balas or lastage; (for it is easily tossed with euerie winde, nowe no this side, and now on that to the great danger of the shyp) so is the soule endangered, which lacketh the bal∣las & burthen of the diuine feare. This feare poyzeth the soule, that the windes of worldly fauour, or of diuine graces, doe not tosse and pusse it vp, and so ouerthrowe it. Although it be de∣fenced, yet if it hath not his balas, it is in ieopardy. Neither one∣lie the Punyes and Incipients, but also those that are growen & old, must necessarily liue in feare in Gods house. Not onely the sinners and guiltie must feare, who haue great cause so to doe:* 1.96 but the righteous also are not to be freed, who haue no such great cause to feare. Sinners must feare, because they haue of∣fended; and also the righteous, least they should offend: theyr faultes and misdemeanors past, ought to strike feare into them, but the dangers to come, ought to terrifie these. But if thou de∣sirest to know, how this holy feare is engendered and wrought

in thee,* 1.97 I say that it is wrought when it is infused by grace, and it is preserued, and increaseth by the consideration of the works of the Diuine iustice, of which we begin now to speake. Con∣sider of them often, and reuolue them in thy minde, & by little and little, thou shalt feele this feare wrought in thee.

¶ Of the workes of the Diuine iustice, whereof mention is made in the holy Scripture.

THE first worke of the Diuine iustice, which the holy Scrip∣ture remembreth,* 1.98 is the damnation of Angels. The begin∣ning of the wayes of the Lord was that terrible & bloudy beast, the Prince of deuils, as it is written in the booke of Iob. For see∣ing that all the waies of the Lord are mercy and iustice, vntill this first sinne, the iustice of GOD was not yet reuealed, which was hid in the bosome of the Lord, as a sword in a scabberd.

This first sinne was the cause, why this sword was vnshea∣thed.* 1.99 Consider now how grieuous and terrible this first plague and punishment was: lift vp thine eyes, and thou shalt behold wonderfull things; thou shalt see I say, the most precious iewel of the house of God, thou shalt see the chiefest beauty of hea∣uen, thou shalt see that Image in which the Diuine beauty shy∣ned so cleerly; this I say thou shalt see, falling from heauen like an arrow, and that for the onely thought of pride. The Prince of all the Angels, is made the Prince of deuils, of most beauti∣full, he is made most horrible and deformed, of most glorious, he is made most vilde and disgracious, of one most acceptable & gracious of all those creatures which God had made, or euer would make, he is made the greatest & the most malicious ene∣mie. What astonishment thinkest thou, and what admiration was this to the heauenly Spirits, who know from whence and whether this so noble a creature fell? With what feare did they all pronounce that of Esay;* 1.100 Howe art thou fallen from heauen, ô Lucifer, sonne of the Morning?

Descend afterward a little lower to the earthly Paradice, and there thou shalt see a case no lesse feareful, vnlesse there had been a remedy vsed for this mischiefe. For that the Angels should fall,* 1.101 it was needfull that they all should actually offend. But what hath the creature which is borne, actually offended in,

why he should be borne the child of wrath? It is not needfull that he should haue actuall sinne, it sufficeth onely that he be borne of that man, that had offended, and by offending had corrupted the common roote of all mankind, which was in him: this I say is sufficient, why he is borne in sinne.

The glory and Maiesty of God is so great, that when as one onely creature had offended him, the whole kinde deserued so seuerely to be punished. For if it was not sufficient to Haman that great friend of King Assuerus, that he might reuenge him∣selfe of Mardocheus, of whom he supposed that he had recea∣ued an iniury, not only to punish Mardocheus, but for the great∣nes of his honour to cut off the whole nation of the Iewes, for the deniall (as he iudged) of a small reuerence; why doest thou meruaile if the glory and maiesty of God, which is infinite, re∣quireth like punishment? Behold therfore the first man is bani∣shed out of Paradice for a bit of an apple, for which euen to this day the whole world is punished. And after so many thousand yeares the sonne that is borne, bringeth with him out of his mo∣thers wombe the staine and blemish of his father, and not when he can offend himselfe by reason of age, but in his very natiuity he is borne the child of wrath, and that, as I haue sayd, after so many thousand yeares. After so long time this iniury could not be buried in obliuion, being deuided among so many thousand thousands of men, and punished with so many scourges. Yea, all the torments, which men haue suffered from the beginning of the world to this day, all the deaths which they haue vnder∣gone, and all the soules which burne and shall burne in hell e∣uerlastingly, are sparks, which haue originally proceeded from that first sinne; all which are arguments and testimonies of the Diuine iustice. And all these things are also done and brought vpon vs, after the redemption of mankind wrought, and made by the blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ: Which remedy if it had not beene wrought, there had been no difference betweene men and deuils: for of themselues there had beene as little re∣medy and hope of saluation to the one as to the other. What doest thou think of this punishment? I thinke that it is a reaso∣nable sound argument of the Diuine iustice.

But because this heauy and greeuous yoke is not taken away

from the sonnes of Adam, new and moe kinds of punishments haue sprung from it, for other sinnes, which haue beene deriued from that first.* 1.102 All the world was drowned with the waters of the deluge:* 1.103 The Lord rayned from heauen fire and brimstone, vpon those fiue polluted and sinfull Citties:* 1.104 The earth swallo∣wed vp Dathan and Abiron aliue, for a certaine contention, that was betweene them and Moses:* 1.105 A fire went out from the Lord, and deuoured the two sonnes of Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, because they had not obserued the right and due cere∣monies in the sacrifice; neyther did the dignity of their priest∣hood profit them any thing, nor the holines of their father, nor that familiarity which theyr. Vncle Moses had with the Lord. Ananias and Saphira in the new Testament,* 1.106 because they lyed vnto S. Peter (which seemed to be but a small matter) fell downe dead, and sodainly yeelded vp the ghost.

But what shall we say of the hidden and secret iudgements of God?* 1.107 Salomon, who was the wisest of all men, and whom God so tenderly loued, that he was sayd to be the Lords belo∣ued, by the hidden and secret iudgement of God, came to that extreame abhomination, and that most abhominable sinne, that he fell into Idolatry. What is more fearefull then this? But if thou shouldest know of moe iudgements of this kinde, which daily happen in the Church, perhaps thou wouldest no lesse feare these, then thou dreadest that: Because thou shouldest see many starres falling from heauen to the earth; thou shouldest see many, who did eate the bread of Angels vpon the Lords ta∣ble, to fall and slip into such calamities, that they rather desire to fill their bellies with the drasse and swash of Swine; thou shouldest see many, whose chastity was purer and more beauti∣full then a Porphirite, to be blacker then a cole. The causes of whose lapse were their sinnes.

But what greater signe of the Diuine iustice canst thou desire, thē that God for the iniury done vnto him wold not be satisfied, but with the death of his onely begotten sonne, before he would receaue the world to his fauour? What manner of words I pray thee were they, which the Lord spake to the women, which fol∣lowed him lamenting and bewayling?* 1.108 Daughters of Ierusalem, weepe not for me, but weepe for your selues, and for your children.

For behold, the dayes will come, when men shall say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that neuer bare, and the paps which neuer gaue sucke. Then shall they begin to say to the mountaines, Fall on vs: and to the hils, couer vs. For if they doe these things to a greene tree, what shall be done to the dry? As if the Lord would haue sayd; if this tree of life and innocencie, in which there is neyther worme found, nor any corruption of sinne, so burne with the flames of the Diuine iustice for the sinnes of others; how thinkest thou will a dry and barren tree burne, which not charity, but the own proper malignity condemneth to the fire? And if in this work of mercy, thou doest see so great rigour of iustice, what will it be in other matters, in which so great mercy is not seene? But if thou beest so dunsicall and blockish, that thou canst not con∣ceaue of the force of this argument, at the least looke vpon the paynes of hell, and see what an exceeding huge punishment that is, with which the Diuine iustice punisheth one sinne: how I say that sinne that is done in a moment, is punished with euer∣lasting torment. Behold how this dreadfull and terrible Iustice ioyneth her selfe to this Diuine mercy, which thou so greatly extollest. What can be thought of more horrible and fearefull, then to see how that high and supreame Lord of Lords, from the throne of his glory will behold a soule, which shall be tortu∣red and tormented so many thousand thousands of yeares with the intollerable punishments of hell, yea, he shall reioyce that it is thus plagued, and it shall be pleasurable vnto him to haue the punishment without end, without terme or limit, and vtterly without any future hope of remedy. O the altitude of the Di∣uine iustice, & worthy of all admiration, ô secret, ô the Abysse of this most deepe profundity. What man will be so mad, who will be so berest of all reason and iudgement, that if he consider these things, wil not tremble, wil not stand astonished, & vtterly amazed at such great and dreadfull punishments?

¶ Of the works of the Diuine iustice, which are seene in this world.

BVt leauing the bookes of the holy Bible a little, let vs goe out and view this visible world: for in it we shall finde great ar∣guments of the Diuine iustice. I assuredly affirme vnto thee,

that they that haue their minds illuminated, but with the least beame of the Diuine light & knowledge, doe liue in this world in great feare, and exceedingly doe dread the works of the Di∣uine iudgements: because seeking an issue and passage out of them, and how to be freed from them, they finde none other, but onely a simple & humble confession of the fayth, they haue in Christ.* 1.109 Who doth not tremble to see the vniuersall face of the earth couered with infidelity? to see how fruitfull the har∣uest of the deuils is, that fill the lakes of hell with the wretched soules of men? to see the greater part of the world, (yea, after the redemption of mankind) drowned in the former darknes? How small I pray thee is the region of the Christians, if it be compared with the Kingdomes and Empires of the Infidels? It is but a small corner of the world, if thou exceptest the new and late discouered regions of India, which are daily more and more discouered, and doe come to the fayth. All besides, the deuils doe oppresse with their tiranny, and they mourne vnder the powerfull and tirannicall empire and dominion of the King of darknes: where neyther the Sunne of righteousnes shineth, where the light of truth riseth not, where neyther the water ray∣neth, nor the dew of the Diuine grace descendeth, as neyther in the mountaynes of Gelboe,* 1.110 where the deuils make such hauock of soules, which they gather & cast into eternal & inextinguible fire. For it is without all controuersie, that as without the Arke of Noah, in the time of the deluge none was saued, nor any in the Citty of Iericho without the house of Rahab; so none shall be saued, that is found without the house of GOD, which is his Church.

But looke vpon that part, which Christians inhabit, & looke vpon the doings and affaires of Christians, how they are orde∣red and managed in this most corrupt and deprauate age of the world, and thou shalt confesse that in this misticall body, from the sole of the foote to the top of the head, there is scarce any one sound member to be found. Looke into which so euer you please of the most famous Citties of the world, in which at the least there is any footsteps of learning and doctrine yet extant: afterwards runne through the lesser Townes, Villages Streets, and Castels, and thou shalt finde those people, of whom that of

Ieremie may be rightly and truly affirmed:* 1.111 Runne to and fro by the streetes of Ierusalem, and behold now, and know, and enquire in the open places thereof, if yee can finde a man, or if there be any that executeth iudgement, and seeketh the truth: that is, that is righte∣ous in deede, and I will spare it. Furthermore, I say not runne thorow ware-houses, shops, tauerns, & publique places of mee∣tings, (for those places are for the most part dedicated to try∣flings, toyes, lyings, and deceits) but also the houses of neigh∣bours, attend and harken,* 1.112 as Ieremie, and thou shalt vnderstand that there is no body, that speaketh that that is good, neyther shalt thou heare any thing besides murmurings, lyes, cursings, oathes, and blasphemies: heere strifes and contentions doe re∣sound, there threatnings and flaunderous reproches are heard:* 1.113 No man repenteth him of his wickednes saying: What haue I done? To be briefe, in very deede thou shalt see and vnderstand, that the harts & tongues of men are busied about no other matters, but their earthly & owne commodities, neither shalt thou heare GOD to be named after any other manner, but in oathes and execrable cursings, whereby his name is blasphemed: which re∣membrance of his name the Lord complaineth of in the same Prophet, saying; They remembre mee, but not as they ought, swea∣ring falsely by my Name. So that by the exteriour markes, a man can scarcely knowe whether the people be Christian or Hea∣then: vnlesse by that manner that we know bells, which are seene a farre of, but are knowen by the sound: so thou mayest know them by theyr oathes and blasphemies, which are heard when thou art neere thē; otherwise they could not be knowen or discerned what they are. But I pray thee howe can these be numbred with those,* 1.114 of whom Esay speaketh; All that see thē shall know them, that they are the seede which the Lord hath blessed. But if the life of Ghristians ought to be such, that they that see them a farre of, may discerne and iudge them to be the sonnes of GOD; what account are they to be made of, who rather seeme scoffers, mockers, and despisers of Christ, then true Chri∣stians?

Wherefore, seeing that the sinnes & enormities of the world are so many and so great, how can it be that thou manifestlie doost not see & acknowledge the effects of the Diuine iustice?

For as no man can denie, but that it is a great blessing of GOD to preserue a man from sinne, so it is a great punishment, and a notable token of wrath, when God permitteth, that a man fal∣leth into sinne.* 1.115 So we reade in the second booke of the Kings, that the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israell, & there∣fore he moued or permitted Dauid to fall into the sin of pride, when he commaunded Israell to be numbred.* 1.116 In Ecclesiasticus also, when as many sinnes had been remembred, he addeth; A mercifull man shall be deliuered from them all, and he shall not wallow in them. For euen as one the one part the increase of vertue is a reward of vertue; so not sildome it is a punishment of sin, that God punisheth sinne with sinne, or that God suffereth other sinnes to be done and committed. So we see that that great pu∣nishment was no other, which was inflicted for the greatest wickednes in the world (that is, for the death of our Sauiour,) then that which the Prophet denounceth against the workers of it,* 1.117 saying: Lay iniquitie vpon theyr iniquitie, and let not them come into thy righteousnes: that is, to the keeping of thy cōmaun∣dements. And what followeth? The same Prophet straight∣wayes after telleth, and expoundeth himselfe; Let them be put, saith he, out of the booke of life, neither let them be written with the righteous.

If therefore the punishment be so great, and the tokens of Gods wrath so notorious, that he punisheth sinnes with sinnes, how is it that thou seest not so great arguments of the Diuine iustice amongst so many kinde of sinnes, with which this world now in this age doth flow and swell? If so it pleaseth thee, cast thine eyes about after the manner of them who are in the midst of the maine Ocea, to whom nothing is seene but the sea and heauen, as the Poet sayth, and scarcely thou shalt see any other thing besides sinnes: and thou seeing so many sinnes, wilt thou not see the Diuine iustice? Doost thou not see water, beeing in the midst of the Sea? Yes certainly. And if all the worlde be a Sea of sinnes, what els shall it be but a sea of the Diuine iustice? It is not needfull that I should descend into hell, and there see, how the Diuine iustice rageth: it suffiseth that I onely behold it in thys world. But if thou wilt be blinde and see nothing that is without thee, at least looke into thy selfe: For if thou beest

endangered with sinne, thou art within the reach of the Diuine iustice: and as long as thou liuest secure vnder it, so long art thou endangered, and so much the more perrillous is thy dan∣ger, by how much longer thou hast beene endangered with it. So Saint Augustine liued some-times in this most wretched e∣state, as he testifieth of himselfe,* 1.118 saying: I was drowned in the Sea of my sinnes, and thy wrath had preuailed against me, and I knewe not. I was made deafe with the noyse of the chaines of my mortality, and of thy wrath, and the ignorance of my fault was the punishment of my pride. Wherefore, if God punish thee with this kind of punishment, permitting thee to lie drow∣ned in the deepe sea of sinnes, and so to blindfolde thee in the midst of thine iniquities, what doost thou speake of a thing so contrary to thy selfe? Let him speake and make his boast of the mercy of God, who is worthy of mercy: and let him that is pu∣nished with the iustice of the Lord, speake of iustice. Doth the mercy of God so patiently permit thee to liue in thy sinnes, and will it not permit thee, that at length thou fall into hell? O that thou wouldest be wise, and know how short the way is, that lea∣deth from the fault to the punishment, and from grace to glo∣rie. What great thing is it for a man in the state of grace to as∣cend into heauen: and what maruell is it, if a sinner descend in∣to hell? Grace is the beginning of glory, and sin of hell; & hell is the reward of it.

Furthermore, what is more horrible & fearfull, then when as the paines of hell are so intollerable, as before we haue sayde, yet neuerthelesse, God permitteth the number of the damned to be so great, and the number of the elect so few? How small the number of these is, (least thou shouldest suppose that it is a deuise of mine owne) hee himselfe telleth vs, who numbereth the multitude of the starres,* 1.119 and calleth them all by their names. Who trembleth and quaketh not at those words, which are knowen to all, but eyther ill vnderstood, or sildome called to remembrance? For when as certaine had asked Christ, & said; Lord,* 1.120 are there but fewe that shall be saued? he aunswered; Enter in at the straite gate: for it is the wide gate and broade way that lea∣deth to destruction:* 1.121 & many there be which goe in thereat. Because the gate is strait and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life, few there

be that finde it. Who would haue vnderstood this in these words, that our Sauiour vnderstood, if simply he had spoken it, & not with an exclamation and an emphasis; O how strait is the gate and narrow the way? The whole world perished in the waters of the deluge, onely eyght persons were saued: which, as Saint Peter testifieth in his Canonicall Epistle,* 1.122 was a signe, by vvhich is signified how small the number is, that is saued, if they be cō∣pared with the number of those that are damned. Sixe hundred thousand men the Lord brought out of Egipt into the wilder∣dernes, that he might bring them into the promised Land, be∣sides women and chyldren, who were not numbred; & in thys iourney they were many thousand wayes helped of the Lord, notwithstanding, by their sinnes they lost thys Land, which the Lord of his grace and fauour had promised them; and so of so many hundred thousand men, onely two entred into that pro∣mised Land. Which almost all the Doctors doe thus interpret, that by it the multitude of the damned is insinuated, and the paucity of those that are to be saued, that is, That many are cal∣led, and few chosen.

For this cause, not sildome in the sacred Scripture the righ∣teous are called Iemmes or precious stones, that thereby might be signified, that theyr rarenes is as great in the world, as preci∣ous stones be; and by as great a quantitie as other stones exceed precious stones, by as great the number of the wicked excee∣deth the number of the righteous: which Salomon closely in∣sinuateth, when he sayth:* 1.123 That the number of fooles is infinite. Tell me then, if the number of the righteous be so small, vvhich both the figure & the truth testifie to be true; when thou seest by the iust iudgement of GOD, that so many are depriued of that felicity, to which they were created, why doost thou not feare that common danger, and that vniuersall deluge? If the number were alike, yet there were great cause of feare. Why do I say alike? Yea such & so great are the euerlasting torments of hell, that if onely one man of all man-kind were to be bani∣shed thether, yet we all should tremble and feare. When our Sauiour did eate his last Supper with his Disciples, and sayd; One of you shall betray me;* 1.124 they were all exceeding sorrowful, & began to feare, although theyr conscience witnessed their inno∣cencie.

For when as an imminent mischiefe is grieuous & hea∣uie, although there be but few to whom it is threatned, yet all and euery one feareth, least it should happen to him. If there were a great Army of men in a fielde,* 1.125 and it should bee reuea∣led from heauen to them all, that a little after an Arrow should fall from heauen, and should kill one of them, neyther was it known, whom it should be, there is no doubt, but that euery one would feare himselfe least it should fal vpon him. But what would they do, if the greater part of them should be in danger and ieopardy? How much greater would thys feare be? Tell me ô man, thou that art so cunning in fleshly wisedome, and so vnskilfull in the busines of thy saluation, did God euer reueale vnto thee that there should be so many, whom the thunder or sword of the Diuine iustice should smite? If thou knowest not this, certainly I much lesse beleeue that thou knowest how ma∣ny, and which ••e they that shall escape that plague, & on which side thou shalt stand, and yet doost thou not feare? Or doth hell seeme more tollerable vnto thee then the wound of an arrow? Or hath God secured thee? or hast thou letters of thy securitie? or is an infallible charter of thy saluation graunted vnto thee? or a priuiledge of immunity and freedom? Hetherto there is no∣thing that promiseth any such like thing vnto thee, moreouer, thy works condemne thee, and according to the present iustice (vnlesse thou turne ouer a new lease) thou art reprobated, and doost thou not yet feare? or wilt thou say, that the Diuine mer∣cie doth comfort thee? Surely that doth not dissolue the works of iustice, neither is contrary to them; yea if it suffer so many to be damned, will it not also suffer thee to be one of them, if thou together sinnest with them? Doost thou not see that thys vn∣happy loue of thy selfe, doth blinde thee, and miserably deceaue thee, whilst it maketh thee to presume other things, then are seene in the whole world? What priuiledge I pray thee, is gi∣uen vnto thee beyond the other sonnes of Adam, that thou shouldest not be banished thether, whither they are gone, whose works t••o•• doost follow?

But if God be to be known by his works, I know what I wil say. For although there be many comparisons, by which the mercy of God, & his iustice may be compared between them∣selues,

in which the works of mercy doe preuaile, yet at the length we finde, that in the posterity of Adam, of whose seede thou also art borne, that there are found many moe vessels of wrath, then of mercy, seeing that there are so many that are damned, and so few that are saued. The cause of which is, not because the grace and helpe of God forsaketh them, or is wan∣ting vnto them,* 1.126 (For God, as the Apostle sayth, would haue all to be saued, and to come to the knowledge of his truth) but because the wicked are wanting to themselues, and the grace of God is of none effect in them.

All these things are remembred more largely and prolixely of me, that thou mayest vnderstand, that notwithstanding the mercy of God, which thou pretendest, God suffereth so many to be Infidels, and in the Church so many euill Christians, and so many Infidels, and so many euill Christians to perish, so also he will permit thee to perish with them, if thou imitatest theyr life. Or when thou wast borne did the heauens reioyce, or shal the iudgements and decrees of God be changed, that the world may be peculier to thee, and another to others? If therfore not∣withstanding the mercy of God hell be so enlarged, and so ma∣ny thousand soules be daily swallowed vp of it, shall not thy soule also come thether, if thou continuest in thy sinnes? But that thou mayest not say that God in times past was seuere and sharpe, but now gentle and mild: consider that also with this gentlenes and clemencie he suffereth all that thou hast heard, neyther shalt thou be free and exempted from it, but also thy punishment remayneth for thee, yea, although thou beest called a Christian, if thou beest found a sinner. Or therfore shal God lose his glory if he shall condemne thee? Hast thou I pray thee any singuler thing in thee, for which God aboue others ought to spare thee? Or hast thou any priuiledge, which others haue not, for which he should not destroy thee with others, if thou beest not lesse euill then others be? Consider I pray thee the sonnes of Dauid, for their fathers sake many priuiledges were promised vnto them, but neyther for that cause would the Lord suffer their wickednes vnpunished: wherefore many of them had but sorrowfull ends. Where then is thy vaine trust? Why doest thou vainely hope, they perishing, that thou shalt not pe∣rish,

seeing thou art pertaker of their wickednes? Thou errest my brother, thou errest, if thou thinkest that this is to hope in God.* 1.127 This is not hope, but presumption. For hope is to trust, that God will forgiue thee thy sinnes, if thou be repentant and sorrowfull for them, and turnest from thy wickednes, and that then he will receaue thee into fauour. But it is exceeding great presumption to beleeue that thou shalt be saued, and happy perseuering and continuing in thy sinnes. Doe not think that this is a small sinne; for it is numbred amongst those, which are committed against the holy Ghost: for he that presumeth after this maner, he offereth no smal ignominy & reproch to the Di∣uine goodnes, which especially is attributed to the holy Ghost. Such sinnes, as our Sauiour testifieth, are not forgiuen in this world, nor in that to come, insinuating that they are remitted with great difficulty; for as much as they shut against them the gate of grace, and offend a Phisitian, who can giue life, & apply the medicine to the wound.

¶ The conclusion of all those things, which haue beene spoken in this Chapter.

LEt vs at the length conclude this matter with that excellent sentence of Ecclesiasticus:* 1.128 Because thy sinne is forgiuen, be not without feare, to heape sinne vpon sinne. And say not, The mercy of God is great: he will forgiue my manifold sinnes: for mercy & wrath come from him, and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners. Tell me I pray thee, if of a sinne forgiuen we ought to feare, how can it possibly be that thou shouldest be secure, by daily adding sinnes to sinnes? Marke diligently what he sayth: His indignation commeth downe vpon sinners. For of this sentence the whole matter dependeth.* 1.129 For we must know, that although the Diuine mercy extendeth to the iust, and vniust, calling these, and expecting their repentance, and preseruing the other: ne∣uerthelesse, the great graces, & the notable benefits, which God promiseth to men in the Scriptures, especially belong to the righteous, who as they faythfully obserue the law and comman∣dements of God, so faithfully God keepeth them: he keepeth his promises with them, and he is a true father vnto them, as they are his morigerous and obedient sonnes. On the contrary part

whatsoeuer threatnings, curses, and seuerity of Diuine iustice the holy bookes of the Bible contayne, all that properly pertay∣neth to thee, and to such like vnto thee. How great therfore is thy blindnes, and blockishnes, who fearest not so great comina∣tions purposely intended against thee; and comfortest thy selfe with promises not made for thee? O miserable man, haue an eye to those things, that are spoken of thee, and giue to the iust that is theirs. Wrath belongeth to thee, therfore feare: but loue to the righteous, let them therfore reioyce and be glad. Wilt thou that I shall proue this to be true? heare what Dauid sayth: The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous,* 1.130 and his eares open to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against them that worke euill, to roote their memory from off the face of the earth. Such a like speach is found in Esdras:* 1.131 The hand of our God, sayth Esdras, that is, the Diuine prouidence, is ouer all that seeke him in truth: and his wrath, strength, and fury ouer them, who forsake him. Which seeing that it is so, why ô wretched man doest thou con∣tinue in thy sinne? vvhy doest thou deceaue thy selfe? vvhy art thou so dull? vvhy errest thou thus? These testimonies of Scripture are not for thee, so long as thou remaynest in the state of damnation, the sweetnes of the Diuine fauour and loue spea∣keth not to thee. This is the portion of Iacob, it belongeth not to Esau. This is the lot of the righteous; thou who art wicked, what right hast thou here? Leaue of to be wicked, and it shall be thine; forsake thine vngodly life, and the loue of God, and his fatherly prouidence shall protect thee, and cherrish thee. Which if thou doest not, thou art a tyrant, and doest vsurpe the rights of other men.* 1.132 Hope in the Lord, sayth Dauid, and doe good. And in another place: Offer the sacrifices of righteousnes, and trust in the Lord. This is the best manner of hoping: doe not fur∣ther abuse the mercy of God in perseuering in thy sinnes, and in hoping that thou shalt come to heauen. It is the best hope, to flye sinne, and to call vpon God: but if thou continuest in thy sinnes, this is not to hope, but to presume; this is not to hope for mercy, but it is to doe an euill deed, and to offend that mercy. For euen as the Church doth profit them nothing, who depart from it, that they may doe wickedly: so also it is meete, that the mercy of God should not profit them, who continue

in their sinnes. This before all things the dispencers and Prea∣chers of Gods word ought to consider, who oftentimes not marking before whom they make their Sermons, minister oc∣casion to the wicked, to continue and perseuere in their sinnes. They should respect, that euen as a sicke and a diseased body, the more it eateth, the greater harme it taketh; so also a soule hardened in sinne, the more that it deceaueth it selfe with this kinde of trust, the more it is hardened, and moued to perseuere in sinne.* 1.133 In stead of a conclusion, that excellent sentence of S. Augustine shall be: By hoping and despairing, men perish. By hoping naughtily in their lifes, but by despairing worser in their deaths. Therfore cease my brother, and forsake this presump∣tuous hope: remember that as the Lord is mercifull, so also he i•• iust. Therfore as thou castest one eye vpon mercy, that thou mayest hope: so cast the other vpon iustice, that thou mayest feare.* 1.134 For as S. Bernard sayth, God hath two feete, mercy, and iudgement: we ought to apprehend neyther of them alone or seuerally: for iustice without mercy, doth not so make to feare, as mercy without iustice doth make men continue and perse∣uere in a wicked life.

Against them that excuse themselues, saying, that the way of Vertue is rough, sharpe, and difficult. CHAP XXVIII.

WOrldly and carnall men are wont also to bring another excuse, that they may seeme not with∣out cause to haue left and eschewd Vertue and Religion, saying, that it is rough and difficult: albeit they are not ignorant that this difficulty ariseth not from vertue her selfe,* 1.135 (for she is a friend vnto reason, and very well agreeth with the nature of a reasonable creature) but from the euill inclination of our flesh, and our wicked ap∣petities: which taketh the originall from sinne.* 1.136 Hence it is that the Apostle sayth; that the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and that these two doe striue between themselues.* 1.137 And in another place, he sayth: I delight in the law

of God, concerning the inner man: But I see another law in my mem∣bers, rebelling against the law of my minde, and leading me captiue vnto the law of sinne, which is in my members. By which words the Apostle meaneth; that the law of God and Vertue doe very well agree with the superiour part of our soule, which altoge∣ther is spirituall, in which the vnderstanding and the will is: but her watch and warines is hindered by the law of the members: and this happeneth of the euill inclination & corruption of our appetites, and the passions arising from them, which are aduer∣saries to the superiour part of the soule, and to God himselfe; which discord & contrariety is the cause of all this difficulty.

For this cause many alienate themselues from Vertue, albeit otherwise they highly account of it, as also sicke men doe, who although they desire health, yet they abstayne from and abhor medicines, because they suppose them to be bitter and of euill tast. Wherefore if we take this errour and opinion from men, I take it that we shall performe a thing not to be repented of: for this is the onely stay and let that hindereth them from Ver∣tue: besides this difficulty there is nothing in Vertue, which is not greatly and especially to be desired and affected.

¶ How the grace giuen vs by Christ, doth make the way of Vertue easie and pleasant.

FIrst of all, in this place we must know that the chiefest cause of this errour is, that men onely looke vpon this small diffi∣culty, which is found in Vertue, and lift not vp theyr eyes to those Diuine helps,* 1.138 which God sendeth to ouercome it. The errour of the seruant of Elizeus was of this kinde, who seeing the army of the Syrians compassing the Citty, and Horses and Cha∣rets begirding the house of the Prophet, saw not the army of the Lord prepared for his defence, vntill his eyes were opened by the prayer of the Prophet of God; & then he saw that there were moe defenders then offenders. Of the same kinde and semblance is the errour of them of whom we now speake, for when as they perceaue and feele in themselues the difficulty of Vertue, and not hauing felt the graces and helpes, that God fendeth for the attainement of Vertue and piety, they pull back their foote, and shrink away from Vertue.

Tell me if the way of Vertue be so difficult, why doth the Prophet say:* 1.139 I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimo∣nies, as in all riches. And in another place; The iudgements of the Lord are truth,* 1.140 they are righteous altogether: and more to be desired then gold, yea, then much fine gold: sweeter also then bonny, and the honny-combe: So that the Prophet not onely granteth that, that all we yeeld vnto Vertue, that is, admirable excellency and dig∣nitie, but also that which the world denieth, that is, sweetnesse, pleasantnes, and delectation. For thys cause not without good reason thou mayst perswade thy selfe that those, who doe so ag∣grauate and exaggerate this burthen, and doe imagine to them∣selues that it is so heauy and so vnsupportable, (although they be Christians, and liue vnder the couenaunt of grace) yet they haue not tasted of thys misterie.

O thou wretched man, thou that sayest thou art a Christian, tell me why Christ came into the world? Why he shedde his blood? why he ordained his Sacraments? why he sent his holy Spirit into the world? what is meant by the word Gospell? what by the word Grace? and what is the meaning of this most famous and excellent name IESVS? If thou knowest not, enquire of the Euangelist,* 1.141 and he will tell thee: Thou shalt call his Name IESVS, for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes. What other thing meaneth the name of Sauiour & Deliuerer? What other thing to be saued and deliuered from sinnes, then to obtaine pardon for vs for our sinnes past, & grace to eschew those to come? For what other cause came the Sauiour into the world, but that he might helpe thee, and further thy salua∣tion? Why would he dye vppon the Crosse, but that he might kill sinne? Why would he rise from the dead, but that he might raise thee, and might make thee to walke in newnesse of lyfe? Why did he shed his blood, but that he might make a medicine or a plaister, to heale and cure thy woundes? For what other cause did he institute & ordaine Sacraments in his Church, but to strengthen thee in the progresse of righteousnesse? What o∣ther is the fruite of his most bitter passion, and comming into this world, but that he might make the way to heauen plaine & smooth, which before was sharpe and rough with thornes, and that he might make it passable and easie to be iourneyed? This

is that which Esay fore-told should come, that in the dayes of the Messias,* 1.142 Euery valley should be exalted, and euery mountaine & hill should be made low, and the crooked should be strait, & the rough places playne. To be briefe, besides all these, why was the holie Ghost sent from heauen, but that thy flesh might be turned in∣to spirit? And why did he send him in the forme of fire, but that he might inflame thee as fire, and illuminate thee, and trans∣forme thee into himselfe, and lift thee on high, from whence he himselfe first came? To what end profiteth grace, & all the vertues which proceede from it, but that they may make easie and light the yoke of the Lord? that they might make his ser∣uice tollerable? that they might make men couragious in tribu∣lations? to hope in perrils, and ouercome in temptations? This is the beginning, thys the middle, and this the end of the Gos∣pell.

It is necessary also to know, that as Adam an earthly man & a sinner, made all men earthly and sinners; so Christ a heauen∣ly man and a righteous, made all men heauenly and righteous. What other thing haue the Euangelists written? What other thing be the promises sent vnto vs from the Prophets? & what other thing haue the Apostles preached? This is the summe of all Christian Diuinitie, thys is that abreuiated worde, which the Lord made vpon the earth. Thys is that consummation and abreuiation,* 1.143 which Esay sayth he heard of the Lord, vppon which followed so great riches of righteousnes & vertues in the world.

But let vs declare a little more plainly those things which we haue spoken.* 1.144 I demaund of thee, from whence thinkest thou that this difficulty ariseth, which is found in Vertue? Thou wilt say, from the wicked inclination of the hart, and from our flesh conceaued in sinne: for the flesh gainesayeth the spirit, and the spirit resisteth the flesh, as two contraries between themselues. Let vs imagine that God calleth thee, and saith vnto thee; Man come hether; I will take from thee that hart thou hast, and will giue thee a new one, I will giue thee strength also, by vvhich thou shalt be able to represse and hold vnder thy appetites and euill concupiscences. If God promise this vnto thee, shall the way of Vertue yet seeme difficult vnto thee? It is certaine that

it shall not. I pray thee what other thing is it, that God so often hath promised vnto thee? that he hath so often auerred in the holy Scriptures? Heare what the Lord spake in times past by his Prophet Ezechiell, speaking especially to them, vvho lyue vnder the couenaunt of grace. And I will giue them, sath he, a new hart,* 1.145 and I will put a new spirit within theyr bowels: and I vvill take the stony hart out of their bodies, & will giue them a hart of flesh, that they may walke in my statutes, and keepe my iudgements, & exe∣cute them: and they shall be my people, and I will bee their GOD. Hetherto the Prophet. Why then doost thou doubt ô man? Is not God sufficient to performe his promise? And if he shall performe his promise, and keepe his credite with thee, shalt thou not be able with his helpe and ayde, to walke in his statutes? If thou shalt deny the first, thou wilt make God a rash and false promiser, and that is exceeding great blasphemie: but if thou shalt say, that thou are not yet with all his helpe able to walke in his statutes and obserue his iudgements, thou makest GOD an impotent prouider and fore-seer, whilst he would haue man to sweare to that he is not able to doe, by giuing him a remedie vnsufficient, which in like manner is false. What other doubt then is there? Why should not Vertue haue force to mortifie these euill inclinations, which fight with thee, and which make the way of Vertue seeme difficult?

Thys is one of the chiefest fruites of the tree of Lyfe, vvhich the Lorde hath sanctified by his blood. The Apostle confir∣meth this,* 1.146 when he saith; Our old man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sinne might be destroyed, that hencefoorth wee should not serue sinne. The Apostle in thys place, by the old man and the body of sinne, vnderstandeth our sensuall appetite, with all the euill inclinations that proceede from it. Hee sayth, that thys to∣gether with Christ is crucified-vppon the Crosse: for by thys most noble and excellent sacrifice, we haue obtayned grace and strength to weaken and debilitate this Tyrant, so that wee are free from the seruitude of sinne, as before I haue shewed. Thys is that great victorie, & that great benefit, which the Lord pro∣miseth by Esay, saying: Feare thou not, for I am with thee: be not afraid,* 1.147 for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, and helpe thee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I will sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice. Behold, all they

that prouoke thee, shall be ashamed, and confounded: they shall be as nothing, and they that striue with thee shall perrish. Thou shalt seeke them, and shalt not finde them: to wit, the men of thy strife, for they shall be as nothing, and the men that warre against thee, as a thing of naught. For I the Lord thy God wil•• hold thy right hand, saying vnto thee, Feare not, I will helpe thee. Thys sayth Esay. Tell me, who shall faile hauing such an helper? Who will be faint-harted and discouraged, who will feare, or dread his owne wicked passions, seeing that grace doth thus vanquish and ouercome them?

¶ An aunswer to certaine obiections.

IF thou shalt say vnto me, that alwayes some reliques remaine in a man, which accuse him, and doe beare witnes against the righteous,* 1.148 as we reade in the booke of Iob. The same Prophet answereth vnto this, saying: They shall be as though they were not. For although they remaine, they remaine onely for our exer∣cise, and not to our ruine: they remaine that they may stirre vs vp, & not intangle vs in the snares of sinnes; they remaine that they may yeeld vs occasion to attaine a crowne, and not to ouer∣throw vs, and cast vs downe: they remaine for our tryumph, & not for theyr conquest: to be briefe, they remaine so to profit vs, that they are for our tryall & humiliation, that we may know our selues, and our owne weakenes, that thereby wee may ac∣knowledge the glory and grace of God; so that thys remainder doth redound to our commodity. Whereupon, euen as wilde beasts according to theyr nature are hurtfull vnto men, and yet when they are tamed, doe them good seruice; so when as the purturbations of our soule are gouerned and moderated, they helpe vs in many exercises of vertue.

Goe to then, tell me: If God doth thus strengthen and de∣fend thee, who vpon the earth shal be able to hurt thee? if God be for thee,* 1.149 who is against thee? The Lord is my light, sith the Prophet, and my saluation, whom shall I feare? the Lorde is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, euen mine enemies and my foes came vpon me to eate vp my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host pitched against mee, myne hart should not be afraid: though warre be raised against me, I will trust in this. Truely my brother, if thou beest not mooued by thys

promise to serue God, thou art very slothfull and vild, I will not say vncleane and corrupt? And if these words are not of credite with thee, thou art a very Infidell. It is God, who saith vnto thee, that he will giue thee a new essence, and will make thy stony hart fleshy, and will mortifie thine affections; and that he will so change thine estate, that thou shalt not know thy selfe: when thou seekest for thine affections and passions thou shalt not finde them, he shall make them so weake and infirme. What could he promise more, what canst thou further expect and hope for? what is wanting vnto thee but a liuely Fayth, and aliuely Hope, that thou mayst trust in God, & shroud thy selfe vnder his almighty arme?

* 1.150 Surely, I thinke that thou canst aunswer nothing at all vnto these things, except perhaps thou wilt say, that thy sinnes are many and great, and therefore this grace is denied vnto thee. Vnto this I aunswer, that thou canst not offer greater iniury vn∣to God, then to say so, seeing that by these words thou doest signifie that there is somthing for which God eyther will not or cannot helpe his creature, when as he is conuerted vnto him, and desireth mercy and pardon at his hands. I would not that thou shouldest credite me, credite that holy Prophet, who then seemed mindfull of thee, and was willing to helpe thee, & meete with thine infirmities, when he writ these things, saying: Now when all these things shall come vpon thee,* 1.151 eyther the blessing or the curse, which I haue set before thee, and thou shalt turne into thine hart, among all the nations whether the Lord thy God hath driuen thee, and shalt returne vnto the Lord thy God, and obey his voyce in all that I commaund thee this day: thou and thy children with all thine hart and with all thy soule: then the Lord thy God will cause thy captiues to returne, and haue compassion vpon thee, and will re∣turne, to gather thee out of all the people, where the Lord thy God had scattered thee, and will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possesse it. And a little after: The Lord thy God will circumcise thine hart, and the hart of thy seede, that thou ••ayst loue the Lord thy God with all thine hart, and with all thy soule, that thou mayst liue. O that the Lord would now circum∣cise thine eyes, and take thee out of this darknes, that thou migh∣test clearely see this manner of circumcision. Be not so ignorant

and rude,* 1.152 that thou shouldest deeme this circumcision to be corporall: for of such a circumcision our hart is not capable. What circumcision then is this, which the Lord here promiseth? Surely it is the superfluity of our affections, and of our euill ap∣petites, which springeth from our hart, and bringeth great hin∣derance to our Diuine loue. He promiseth therfore that he will circumcise, and lop off all the barren and hurtfull branches with the knife of his grace: that our hart being so pruned and cir∣cumcised, may imploy and bestow all his strength vpon the branch of the Diuine loue. Then thou shalt be a true Israelite, then thou shalt be circumcised of the Lord, when hee shall take away, and cut out from thy soule the loue of this world, and shall let nothing remayne in it, besides the entire loue of God.

I would haue thee diligently to marke, that that which God in this place promiseth to doe, that he doth commaund thee to doe in another place, that when thou art conuerted vnto him, thou shouldest doe it thy selfe,* 1.153 saying: Circumcise the foreskinne of your hart. &c. And how Lord? that which thou promisest to doe thy selfe, now thou commaundest that I should doe it my selfe? if I must doe it, how doest thou promise that thou thy selfe wilt performe it? This question is aunswerrd by the words of Augustine,* 1.154 who sayth: Lord giue that thou commaundest, and commaund what thou wilt. So that he be the same, vvho commaundeth me what I ought to doe, and he, that giueth me grace to doe it. Therfore in one and the selfe same thing, both the commaundement and the promise are found: and God and man doe one and the selfe same thing, he as the principall and chiefest cause,* 1.155 but man as a cause lesse principall. So that God in this busines carrieth himselfe to man as a Paynter, who guideth the pencill in the hand of his Scholler, and so maketh a perfect picture: two perfit this worke, but more honour be∣longeth to the one then to the other. So also God worketh with vs in this busines, after an absolute manner, man hath not wherein to glory,* 1.156 but to glory with the Prophet, and say: Lord, thou workest all our works in vs.

Therefore be thou mindfull of these words; for by them thou mayst interpret all the commaundements of God. For all

that he commaundeth thee to doe, he promiseth also that he will doe it with thee.* 1.157 When as therfore he commaundeth thee, to circumcise thine hart, he sayth also that he will circumcise it: so when he commaundeth thee, that thou shouldest loue him aboue all things, he bestoweth grace vpon thee, that thou mayst be able so to loue him. Hence it is that the yoke of the Lord is sayd to be sweete. For there be two that draw it, God & man; and so that which seemed and was difficult vnto nature, the Di∣uine grace doth make it light and sweet. Wherefore the Pro∣phet after the fore-sayd words, doth proceede further, and say: This commaundement which I commaund thee this day,* 1.158 is not hid from thee, neyther is it farre of: It is not in heauen, that thou shouldest say, who shall goe vp for vs to heauen, and bring it vs, and cause vs to heare it, that we may doe it? Neyther is it beyond the Sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall goe ouer the Sea for vs, and bring it us, and cause vs to heare it, that we may doe it? But the word is very neere vnto thee, euen in thy mouth, and in thine hart for to doe it. In which words the holy Prophet would altogether take away that diffi∣culty, which carnall men imagine to be in the precepts of the Lord: for they onely looking to the law of the Lord without the Gospell, that is, to those things that are commaunded, and not to the grace, which is giuen to obey and walk in those com∣maundements: they accuse the law of difficulty, saying that it is greeuous, heauy, & difficult, not considering that they expresly contradict Saint Iohn,* 1.159 who sayth: For this is the loue of God, that we keepe his commaundements, & his commaundements are not gree∣uous: for all that is borne of God, ouercommeth the world: That is, all they that haue conceaued the spyrit of God in their soules, by meanes of whom they are regenerated, and made his sonnes, whose spirit they haue receaued, all these haue God in them, who dwelleth in them by grace: and they can doe more then all that that is not God, and so neyther the world, nor the deuill, nor all the power of hell can hurt them. And here-vpon it fol∣loweth, that although the yoke of Gods commaundements be heauy and burthenous, yet that newe strength and fortitude, which is giuen by grace, doth make it light and tollerable.

¶ How Charity also maketh the way easie and pleasant, which leadeth vnto heauen.

WHat wilt thou think, if to all these precedent another help be ioyned, which is deriued in vs from Charity? For it is certaine that it is one of the most principall conditions of Cha∣rity, to make the yoke of the Diuine law most sweet.* 1.160 Wherfore, as Saint Augustine sayth: by no manner of meanes the labours of louers are burthenous or combersome, but are delightfull and pleasurable, as the labours of Hunters, Fowlers, and Fishers. For in that which is loued, eyther there is no labour, or the la∣bour is loued.* 1.161 And in another place: He that loueth, sayth he, laboureth not.: For all labour is contrary vnto them that doe not loue. It is onely loue, that blusheth at the name of diffi∣culty. What is it that maketh, that a mother doth not feele the continuall labours and troubles, which she hath in bringing vp her children, but onely loue? What is it that maketh an honest and a good vvife, to attend night and day vpon her weake and sickly husband, but onely loue? What doth moue beasts also, that they are so carefull to bring vp and foster their young ones, and to giue them meate from their owne mouthes, that theyr yong may haue to eate; what doth moue them I say so to trou∣ble and torment themselues, that they may liue safely, and what doth moue them so strongly to defend them endangering their owne lifes, but true loue? What is the cause why Saint Paule sayd with so magnanimous a spirit:* 1.162 Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ, shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or fa∣mine, or nakednes, or perill, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake are we killed all day long: we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter. Neuertheles, in all these things we are more then conquerers through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neyther death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor thinges present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. What is the cause, why the holy Martyrs of Christ, so feruently desired martirdome, as the hart desireth the water brookes, but true loue? What is the cause, why Saint Lawrence lying vpon the Gridiron, in the midst of his torments sayde

cheerefully, that the flames did comfort and refresh his limbs, but that great desire,* 1.163 by which he longed for martirdom, which was kindled with the flames of this loue? For true loue think∣eth nothing hard, nothing bitter, nothing greeuous, nothing deadly: as Petrus Rauennas sayth. What sword, what wounds, what paynes, what death can preuaile against perfect and true loue? Loue is an impenetrable coate offence, it resisteth darts, it beateth backe the sword, it tryumpheth ouer dangers, it scor∣neth death; if it be loue, it ouercommeth all things. Therefore ô man loue God, loue him wholy, that thou mayst ouercome and subdue all sinnes without labour. The warre is pleasant, and the combat delicate onely by loue to carry the victory ouer all crimes and vices. This sayth he. Neyther is true loue con∣tent, if it conquer all labours and troubles, but the very nature of loue, desireth to sustaine moe labours and troubles for his sake, whom it affecteth. Hence ariseth that ardent desire of mar∣tyrdome, which righteous and truly religious men haue, that is, to shed and poure forth their blood for him, who first shed his for them: and when they cannot come vnto that they desire, they rage against themselues, becōming their owne tormenters; for they doe torment their bodies by hunger and thirst, by cold and heate, and by many other afflictions, and by such works af∣ter some manner they satisfie their desire. This Idiome and propriety the louers of this world vnderstand not, neyther can they imagine, how he can be loued so ardently whom they so abhorre, and on the contrary part, that they are so abhorred for that, which they so tenderly loue: and yet this is the truth of the thing.* 1.164 We reade in the Scriptures, that the Aegyptians had for their Gods vnreasonable creatures, and that they did worship them. But the Israelites called them an abhomination, and that which they called their God, the Israelites killed, and sacrificed to their true God. After the same manner also the righteous, as the Israelites, call the Gods of this world an abhomination, as are honours, pleasures, and riches, which notwithstanding the the world adoreth; these false Gods the righteous as abhomi∣nations doe sacrifice to the glory of their true God. So he that would offer an acceptable sacrifice to God, let him haue an eye to that, which the world adoreth, and let him offer that; and

let him embrace that, which the world abhorreth. Doe not they seeme vnto thee to haue so done, who after that they had recea∣ued the first fruites of the holy Spirit, departed from the Councel, reioycing,* 1.165 that they were coūted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus? What sayest thou vnto these things? that which can make bonds, whyps, fire, and other torments sweet, shall it not make the obseruation and keeping of the commaundements of God sweet? Thou errest my brother, thou errest, not knowing the nature of Vertue, and the force of charitie and the Diuine grace.

¶ Of other things, which make the way of saluation easie & sweete.

THis that we haue hetherto said, is sufficiēt to take away that common impediment, which many alledge. But let vs put the case that this is not, which wee haue spoken of, and there∣fore this way is hard and difficult: I pray thee tell mee, why should it be troublesome and grieuous vnto thee, to do that for thy soule, which thou refusest not to doe for thy body? Shall it seeme a great thing vnto thee, to suffer a little trouble here, that hereafter thou maist escape eternall torment? What would not the rich couetous man buried in hell willingly doe, if he might haue licence to come into the world againe, that he might a∣mend his errors? It is not meete, that thou shouldest doe lesse now, then he would doe, seeing that, if thou doost perseuere in thy wicked maliciousnesse, the same torments remaine for thee, and therefore thou oughtest to haue the same desire.

Furthermore, if thou wouldest diligently perpend and con∣sider, the manifold and great things, that GOD hath doone for thee, and greater, which he hath promised thee; and also thy hainous sinnes, by which thou hast offended him; moreouer, the great torments which the Saints haue suffered, but most of all, those exceeding great ones, which the Holy of Holies him∣selfe hath borne, without doubt it would shame thee to be vn∣willing to abide so little for the loue of God; yea to be vnwil∣ling to flie that which delighteth thee.* 1.166 Therfore Saint Bernard saith: The afflictions of thys world are not worthy of the fault past, which is pardoned, nor of the present grace of consolation,

which is giuen, nor of the future glory, which is promised vnto thee. Euery one of these considerations ought worthily to moue vs to enter into this way, although it be very laborious. But, that we may confesse the truth, although our life in euery part, and in euery proceeding, is grieuous, and full of tribulations, yet without cōparison, greater is the griefe & trouble, that is found in the lyfe of wicked men, then that which is found in the life of good men.* 1.167 For although to goe or walke in the way be labori∣ous, for which way soeuer thou walkest, at the length thou shalt be wearie, yet much greater is the trouble of him, who walketh blindly and often dasheth his feete against the stones, then of him, who goeth with open eyes, and seeth where and howe he passeth. Seeing therefore that our life is a way, it cannot be, but man must be wearied, vntill he come to the place of re••••. But a sinner who vseth not the light of reason, but his own affections, and is gouerned by the perturbations of his minde, it is certaine that he walketh blindfold: for there is not any thing founde in the world more blinde then the perturbations of the mind. But good men who are gouerned of reason, when they meete with rockie and breake-necke downfalls, they shun them, and so they walke with lesser labour, and with greater securitie.

That great wise man long agoe vnderstood this, and there∣fore said:* 1.168 The way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day: But the way of the wicked is as the darknes, they know not wherin they shall fall. Neyther is the way of the wicked onely obscure and darke,* 1.169 as Salomon sayth here, but also difficult, slipperie, and full of Caues & Dennes, as Da∣uid saith: that thou mayst thereby learne, how often they flyp and slide, that tread in that path. Besides, in thys short and small trouble, which meeteth with the godly, a thousand kind of helps are giuen, which doe lighten & diminish this trouble. For prin∣cipally, the presence & fatherly prouidence of God doth help, which guideth them: and the grace of the holy Ghost, which encourageth them; & the Sacraments which strengthen them, and the Diuine consolations, which cheere them, and the ex∣amples of good men, which comfort them, and the holy Scrip∣tures which teach them, and the peace of a good conscience, which doth ioy them, and lastly the hope of glory, which ma∣keth

them constant and vnmoueable, with a thousand other graces and benefits of God, which maketh thys way so easie & pleasant to the walkers in it,* 1.170 that they say with the Prophet; How sweet are thy promises vnto my mouth: yea, more then Honny vnto my mouth. Let it be whosoeuer it will that considereth of this thing diligently, he shal find very many authorities of scrip∣ture concerning this matter; notwithstanding some of them make thys way harde and sharpe, others make it easie, light, and pleasant.* 1.171 For the same Prophet in another place sayth: For the wordes of thy lippes, I haue kept straight and difficult wayes.* 1.172 And in another place: I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches. For thys way hath two things, Difficulty and Suauitie: the one by reason of nature, the other by reason of grace: & so that which is difficult by reason of the and, is made sweet & pleasant by reason of the other. As well the one as the other,* 1.173 the Lord sheweth when he sayth, that his yoke is easie, and his burthen light. For when he calleth it his yoke, he signifieth the heauines, which is in the way of the Lord, but when he calleth it easie, he intimateth facilitie, which is in respect of the grace that is giuen.

But if thou shalt demaund of me, how both it can be a yoke, and easie and light, seeing that it is of the nature of a yoke to be heauy? I aunswer, that the reason of it is this; because the Lord maketh it easie and light,* 1.174 as he promiseth by his Prophet: And I will bee to them, as hee that taketh of the yoke from theyr iawes. What maruell is it then, if the yoke be light, seeing the Lord supporteth, easeth, & as it were carrieth it himselfe? If the bush burned & was not consumed,* 1.175 because the Lord was in it, what maruell is it, that it is a burthen, and also light; if the same Lord be in it, who helpeth vs to carry it? Wilt thou that I shall show thee as well the one as the other, in one and the selfe same per∣son? heare what the Apostle sayth:* 1.176 We are afflicted on euery side, yet are we not in distresse: in pouertie, but not ouer-come of pouer∣tie. We are persecuted, but not forsaken: cast downe, but we perrish not. Behold, here on the one side trouble and distresse, and on the other side comfort and consolation, which the Lord giueth in them. The same thing also the Prophet Esay, insinuateth, when he sayth;* 1.177 They that waite vpon the Lorde, shall renue theyr

strength: they shall lift vp the wings as the Eagles: they shall runne, and not be wearie, and they shall walke and not faint. Doost thou not see, that the yoke is here made light through grace? Doost thou not see here, that the strength of the flesh is changed into the strength of the spirit? Or that I may speake better, the strength of man, into the strength of God? Doost thou not see how the holy Prophet doth not conceale eyther the trouble or the ease? Therefore, thou hast not my brother any cause, for which thou shouldest shrinke from this way, albeit it be rough and difficult, seeing that there be so many and so great meanes, which make it plaine and easie.

¶ All the precedent matters are proued by examples to be true.

BVT if all those things, which hetherto we haue spoken, can not conquer and breake open thy hard and obdu•••••• hart; and thine incredulitie be like that of Saint Thomas, who would not beleeue, vnlesse he first saw, and touched: yet I will vnder∣goe this labour, that at the length I may satisfie thee. For I will not grutch to take any paines, so that I may defend a cause so honest, profitable, and iust. Therefore let vs take a man, that hath tryed both estates: that is, who hath some-times serued the world, and hath carnally liued vnder the slauery of sinne; who afterwards by the mercy of God is changed, and becommeth al∣together another man, quite altered from the former. Such a man shall be the best iudge for vs in this cause: for he shall not iudge by heare-say, but by sight & certaintie, seeing that he hath tryed and learned both conditions by experience. Aske thys man, whether of these estates is easier, sweeter, & more pleasant. Of men of this sort they know howe to yeeld the best testimo∣nie, to whom the ouersight of the Church is committed, who see into the courses of men, and watch theyr pathes and procee∣dings. For these be they that descend into the Sea in shyps, and see the workes of God in many waters: which are the works of the Diuine grace, and the great changes and alterations, vvhich by the meanes of it are daily wrought in men: which certainlie are worthy of all admiration. For in very deede, there is nothing found in the world worthy of greater astonishment, and vvhich is daily more renued and recreated (if any one consider well of

it) then those things,* 1.178 which are wrought in the soules of the righteous by the Diuine grace; how it trans-formeth a man, rai∣seth him vp, strengtheneth, and comforteth him, and beautifi∣eth him both within & without; how it changeth the manners of the old man; how it altereth al his affections; how it maketh a man to hate that, which before hee loued; and to loue that, which he hated: & maketh him to find sweetnes in that, which before hee despised: what strength it giueth, that it may worke constancie in the soule; what ioy, what light, what peace it ef∣fecteth to attaine the knowledge of Gods will, to know the va∣nitie of the world, and the dignitie of spirituall things, which be∣fore he contemned and set at naught. But that is most of all to be wondred at, that we see all these things to be doone in a very short time: so that it is not needfull by many yeeres to frequent the schooles of Phylosophers,* 1.179 and to expect gray hayres, that time and age may helpe the vnderstanding, and mortifie the af∣fections: but in the midst of the heate of youth, & in the space of a few daies, a man is so changed, that he seemeth vtterly to be made another, and not the same man that he was before.

Wherefore, Saint Cyprian saith, that thys change is sooner felt then learned; neyther is it attained by the study of many yeeres, but by grace, and that in a very short time. Which grace we may worthily call a spirituall enchauntment, by which God after an admirable manner, dooth so change the hart of man, that with a most ardent longing he doth loue that, which be∣fore with the greatest hate he abhorred, I meane the exercise of Vertue; and he doth execrate & detest that with an hate more then that which followed Vatinius, which before he most ten∣derly loued, that is, the pleasure of vices.

But for the greater confirmation, and more euidence of these things that haue been spoken, I will remember in this place the examples of two famous Doctors of the church, who almost at one and the selfe same time liued in this errour: but afterwards when it pleased the Diuine mercy, that they saw how they were deceaued, they were conuerted; and haue left in wryting both their error and their conuersion, to the edifying of all posterity. One of them is S. Cyprian, who writing to his friend Donatus, and relating the beginning and progresse of his conuersion,

sayth:* 1.180 When I lay in darknes and in the blacknes of the night, and when I nodding and reeling floted vpon the Sea of this billowy and tempestuous world, & walked staggering by blind and erroneous wayes, I being ignorant of mine owne life, and an alien and stranger vnto the truth, and vnto the light; I being at that passe thought that altogether difficult and hard, which the Diuine fauour and mercy promised for my saluation, that is, that any one should be borne againe, and made a new lyuing soule by the bath of that wholsome water; and should put off that he had on before, and although the same lineaments and ioynts of the body remayned, yet he should change his minde and disposition. I sayd, how may such a conuersion be possible, that that should speedily and on a sodaine be put off, which ey∣ther being bred in the bone, is soundly confirmed by reason of the solidity of naturall matter, or being accustomed, is so deeply rooted by the customary frequentation of continuall practise? These are firmely and profoundly fixed, and haue taken fast rooting. When shall he learne thriftines and frugality, who hath continually, accustomed himselfe to delicates, feasts, and large banquets? Or how shall hee fit himselfe to homely and simple attire, who hath vsually been inuested with glorious gar∣ments, and shined in gold and purple? He being delighted and setting his pleasure vpon honours and dignities, cannot abide to be priuate or inglorious. Hee being wayted vpon with multi∣tudes of men, and honoured with a company of officious ser∣uants, thinketh it a punishment and a plague when he is alone. He that continually entangleth himselfe with the fast-hold en∣ticements of pleasures and vices, it becommeth a necessity vnto him, still to frequent them: his drunkennes inuiteth him, his pride puffeth him vp, his wrath inflameth him, his rapes dis∣quiet him, his cruelty prouoketh him, his ambition allureth him, and his lust carrieth and driueth him headlong, whether it list. I often considered of these things with my selfe: for as I my selfe was wrapped in very many errors of my former life, which I thought vnpossible to be shut of; so also I was obsequious vn∣to the vices that did sticke and cleaue vnto me, and despayring of a better estate I abounded with mine owne euils, as though they were proper and naturall vnto me. But afterwards the ble∣mish

of my former life was washed away, by the helpe of that begetting water, and the heauenly light poured it selfe into my purged and clensed breast, and afterwards the second birth had made me a new man, by the operation of the heauenly spirit; after a wonderfull and strange manner, by and by doubtfull matters were confirmed vnto me, secret matters layd open, and matters altogether obscure and darke did appeare; and that be∣fore seemed difficult, now began to be easie; and that seemed possible, which before was thought impossible: as it was to ac∣knowledge; that to haue beene earthly, which before had liued carnally, was borne in sinne, and endangered with vices; and this to be of God, which now the holy Ghost hath quickened. Thou assuredly knowest, and in like manner thou canst recog∣nize with me, what this death of vices hath hindered vs of, and what this life of vertues hath bestowed vpon vs. Thou thy selfe knowest, neyther need I publish it: because oftentation of selfe∣prayse is odious: albeit this cannot be taken as a boast or brag, but acceptably, for it is not ascribed to the vertue of man, but divulged to be the gift of God; that now not to sinne, began to be of fayth; which before to sinne, was of humane errour. He∣therto be the words of Cyprian; by which both thine, and the errour of many others is layd open, who measure the difficulty of Vertue by their owne strength; and therefore they deeme it a thing difficult and impossible to attayne vnto; not conside∣ring, that if they runne to Gods armes, and firmely purpose to auoyde sinne, that the grace of God will embrace them: which maketh this way plaine and easie: as here it is manifest by this example remembred: seeing that it is most certaine, that heere no lyes are told: neyther shall that grace fayle thee, which fayled not this holy man, if thou wilt be conuerted vnto God, as he was conuerted.

I will remember heere another example no lesse admirable then the former.* 1.181 Augustine, that famous and excellent Doctor of the Church, writeth of himselfe, that when as he now pur∣posed in his hart to leaue the world, a mighty difficulty repre∣sented it selfe vnto him in that change. Trifles of trifles, sayth he, toyes of toyes, and vanities of vanities, my olde and auntient friends and louers held me backe, and pulled and shaked my

fleshly vesture, and whispered vnto me, saying: Doost thou dis∣misse vs? and from this moment shall wee neuer any more be with thee? and from this moment shall it neuer any more be lawfull for thee to doe this and that? And what they suggested in this, that I call this and that; for this ô my God take not away thy mercy from the soule of thy seruant: what vncleannes ô my God, and what dishonesty did they suggest? And I heard them now not halfe so much as before, not so freely, nor so stoutly gayne-standing me in my way, but as muttering behinde my back, and priuily pulling me going on, that I might looke back: yet they hindered me, I lingering to escape & rid my selfe from them, and to passe whether I was called, when as violent cu∣stome sayd vnto me: Thinkest thou that thou shalt be able to passe without these? But this was spoken somwhat coldly. On the other side, he sayd, that Vertue appeared vnto him: The chast dignity of Continency appeared (sayth he) on that side to∣wards which my face was, and whether I was afrayd to goe, of a cheerefull, peaceable, and quiet countenance, not garishly mer∣ry; honestly, and vertuously enticing mee, that I should not doubt, but come vnto her, stretching out her religious and de∣uout hands to take and embrace me hauing in them an army and a huge band of good examples. There were many young men and maydes, there was much youth, and men of all ages, also matronely widdowes, and graue virgins, and in them all Continency her selfe was not barren, but a fruitfull mother of ioyfull children, thou ô Lord being her husband. And she de∣rided me with an exhortatory irrision, as if she would haue said: Canst not thou doe that which these and these can doe? Or doe these and these it of themselues, or not rather in the Lord their God? The Lord their God hath giuen me vnto them. Why doost thou stand in thy selfe, and not stand? Cast thy selfe vpon him, feare not, he will not withdraw himselfe from thee that thou shouldest fall. Cast thy selfe securely vpon him, hee will receaue thee, and will heale thee. In the midst of this com∣bat, this holy man sayth,* 1.182 that he began wonderfully to weepe, I, sayth he, cast my selfe prostrate vnder a certaine figge tree, I know not how, and I gaue my teares their fill, and floods gush∣ed from mine eyes, thine acceptable sacrifice. And I sayd vnto

thee many things not in these words, but to this purpose: And how long ô Lord? How long ô Lord? vvilt thou be angry without end? Be not mindfull ô Lord of our olde iniquities. For I perceaued that I was held back of them, and therefore I cast out miserable and wofull plaints and bewaylings: Howe long, how long, to morrow, to morrow? Why not now, why not at this houre is an ende of mine vncleannes? I sayd these things, and I did weepe in the very bitternes of my hart. These and other things being past & finished, which he remembreth, forth-with the light of security being infused into his hart, the darknes of al doubt fled away. The Lord so changed his mind, that afterwards he neyther desired any carnall vices, nor any o∣ther vanity in this world.* 1.183 And being losed from these chaynes, he beginneth at the entrance of the booke following to giue thanks to God his deliuerer, saying: Lord, I am thy seruant, I am thy seruant, and the sonne of thine Hand-mayde: Thou hast broken my bonds, I will sacrifice vnto thee the sacrifice of prayse. My hart and my tongue doe prayse thee, and all my bones doe say: Lord, who is like vnto thee? Let them say so, and Lord aunswer me, and say to my soule, I am thy saluation. Who then am I, and what an one? What euill am I not? Or was it my deedes; or if not my deedes, was it my words, or if not my words, was it my will? But thou Lord art good and mercifull, and thy right hand respected the profundity of my death, and thou drewest the depth of corruption from the bot∣tome of my hart. And this was wholy that vnwillingnes, which thou willedst, and that willingnes which thou wouldest not. But where was all this long time my wil to doe wel, and from vvhat bottome and deepe Abysse didst thou in a moment call it forth, vvhereby I might submit my necke vnder thine easie yoke, and my shoulders vnder thy light burthen, ô Christ Iesus, my helper, and onely redeemer? How sweete on a sodaine was it for me to want the sweetnes of trifles, and which I was afrayd to lose, now it was a ioy vnto me to lose them. For thou being the true and chiefest sweetnes didst cast them from mee, thou didst cast them away, and for them entredst in thy selfe, being sweeter then any pleasure, but not to flesh & blood: and brigh∣ter then any light, but to the inward secret man, and higher then

all honour, but not to those that are high in themselues. Hether∣to are the words of Saint Augustine. Tell me now, if the mat∣ter standeth thus, if the vertue and efficacie of the Diuine grace be so powerfull, what is it that holdeth thee captiue, vvhereby thou canst not doe that, vvhich they haue done? If thou belee∣uest that these things are true, & that the grace of God is effec∣tuall, to worke so admirable a change, if it be denied to no man that with all his hart desireth it, (because now also he is the same God, vvhich he vvas then, vvithout respect of persons) vvhat doth hinder thee, vvhy thou goest not out of this wretched ser∣uitude, and embracest that chiefest good, vvhich freely is offered thee? Why hadst thou rather vvith one hell to gayne another, then vvith one Paradice to gayne another Paradice? Be not negligent, or vvithout hope. Assay once his busines, and trust in God: vvhich vvhen thou shalt scarcely begin to doe, behold he vvill come to meete thee, as the father met his prodigall child with open armes. Certainly it is a matter of wonder & astonish∣ment; That if some cosener should promise thee the Art of Alcumy, vvhereby thou mightest extract gold out of brasse, thou vvouldest not cease (although it vvere very chargeable vn∣to thee) vntil thou hadst tried and experimented it: and heere the vvord of the Lord teacheth thee to make heauen of earth, spirit of flesh, and an Angel of a man, and vvilt thou not assay and make trial? And when as in the end, eyther later, or sooner, eyther in this life, or in that to come, at the length thou shalt know the truth of this matter, I desire thee, that with attention thou wouldest consider, how thou shalt finde thy selfe decea∣ued in the day of rendering an account, when thou shalt see thy selfe damned, because thou didst forsake the way of Vertue, be∣cause thou imaginedst to thy selfe that it was hard and difficult. And there thou shalt know most manifestly, that this way is much more sweet and pleasant, then the way of vices and plea∣sures; which leade thee onely to earthly delights, of which then there shall not be any footsteps or reliques left.

Against them that feare to enter into the way of Vertue for the loue of this world. CHAP. XXIX.

IF we should feele the pulse and life vaine of all them, who feare to enter into the way of vertue, perhaps wee should finde many so slothfull and sluggish, because the loue of this world hath in∣fatuated them, and made them fooles; I say, that it hath infatuated them: for this loue is a false glasse, and an ap∣parance of good things, which in truth are not good: vvhich false glasse, maketh all worldly things to be in so great price a∣mongst the ignorant. Whereupon beasts, which feare shadowes, flie all shadowie things, as hurtfull & dangerous, when in deed they are not: So these men, on the contrary part, doe loue and embrace the things of this world, supposing & estimating them to be louely and delectable, when in deed they are not. There∣fore as they that would bring beasts from their shadowie & idle imagination, doe often leade them through those places which they feare: that they may see that that is but a vaine shadowe which they feared: So now it is necessary, that we leade these men through the shadowes of earthly things, who so ordinarily doe loue them, that we may make them to behold them vvith other eyes, that they may plainly see, how great a vanitie and a shadow all that is, which they so greatly admire and loue: and that as those dangers are not worthy that they should be feared, so also these good things are not worthy, that they should be de∣sired or loued. He therefore, that shall diligently and seriously consider of the world, with all the felicities in it, shall finde sixe euils and mischiefes in it,* 1.184 which no man can denie, as are; short∣nesse; miserie; dangers; blindnes; sinnes; and deceipts; vvith which the felicitie of the world is alwaies mingled: by which it may plainly be seene, who, and what it is. Euery one of these wee will handle in that which followeth; yet briefely and in order.

¶ How short the felicity of this world is.

GOe to, thou canst not denie to me beginning to dispute of this worldly felicitie, but that all the felicitie and sweetnes of this world (or by what name so euer els thou wilt call it), is short, and of small continuance.* 1.185 For this felicitie cannot endure be∣yond a mans life. But how long the life of man is, we haue be∣fore declared; seeing that it reacheath scarcely to an hundred yeeres. But how many be there that come to an hundred yeres? I haue seene diuers Bishops and Cardinals, who haue scarcelie liued two moneths in theyr dignitie; others elected Popes, who haue scarce sit one month. I haue seene others that haue marri∣ed wiues, louing, beautifull, rich, and vertuous, so that nothing seemed to be wanting in them, who haue not enioyed them one week. Very many such examples are remembred vnto vs in the histories of auncient time, which thing to be true, daily experi∣ence also teacheth.

But let vs grant that thy lyfe is longer then other mens: let vs giue thee an hundred yeares (as saith Chrisostome) which is almost the longest time that man liueth: nay let vs adde ano∣ther hundred yeeres: yea, further let vs ioyne to thee other two hundred yeares, what are so many yeares, if they be compared with eternitie?* 1.186 Though a man liue many yeeres, sayth Salomon, and be gladde in them all, let him remember the dayes of darknesse, which shall be many, and that followeth: All things shalbe but vani∣tie. For all felicitie in the view of eternitie, although it be great and lasting, yet it shall seeme to be, and is indeed a vanitie, and nothing. Thys the wicked themselues confesse & acknowledge in the booke of Wisedome,* 1.187 where they say; And as soone as we were borne, we beganne immediatly to drawe to our end. Consider therefore how short all the time of this life shall then seeme to the wicked: for there in very deed they shall thinke, that they haue scarcely liued heere one day, and that presently from their mothers wombe they were carried to theyr graues. By thys it plentifully appeareth, that all the delights, and all the felicity of the world, is vnto them as shadowes of pleasures, which they haue seene onely in a dreame, neyther to haue been so indeede. This Esay teacheth excellently,* 1.188 when he sayth; And euen as when an hungry man dreameth that he is eating, & when he awaketh

his soule is emptie: or as when as thirstie man dreameth, that hee is drinking, when he awaketh he is yet faint, and his soule hath appetite: euen so shal the multitude of all nations be that fighteth against mount Sion. All the prosperitie of whom shall be so short, that after they shal haue opened their eyes, and shall haue seene that short time, they shall acknowledge all theyr felicitie to haue been no∣thing but a dreame. Tell mee I pray thee, what greater glorie can there be in this world, then that of Princes and Emperours, who beare rule and exercise dominion ouer this world? Where are the Princes of the Heathen become, (saith the Prophet Ba∣ruch) and such as ruled the beastes vppon the earth:* 1.189 they that had theyr pastime with the foules of the ayre, they that hoorded vp siluer and gold wherein men trust so much, and made no end of theyr gathe∣ring? What is become of them that coyned siluer, and were so careful, and could not bring theyr workes to passe? They be rooted out and gone to hell, and other men are come vp in theyr steads. Where is the wise? where is the studious? and where the diligent sear∣cher of Natures secrets? Where is the glory of Salomon? the power of Alexander? & the magnifience of Assuerus? where be those famous and illustrious Romaine Caesars? what is be∣come of other Princes and Kings of the earth? What hath all theyr vaine glory, their multitudes of seruants, and theyr huge and puissant Armies profited them? What is become of that myrth and laughter which heir Iesters, scoffers, and fooles pro∣cured them? Where is the guard of their pernicious flatterers, which were wont to encircle them? All these are past away as shadowes: all vaded as dreames, and all theyr felicitie vanished as a smoake. Behold therefore my brother, how short the feli∣citie of thys world is.

¶ Of the great miseries that are mingled with worldlie fe∣licities.

THE felicity of this world, hath furthermore another euill and mischiefe mingled with it (besides that it is short) which is a thousand kinde of miseries, that as attendants at an inche waite vpon it; which in this lyfe, (or that I may speake better) in this valley of teares, in this wretched banishment, in this trou∣blesome and turbulent sea cannot be auoyded. For there are

moe miseries then man hath dayes, or houres of life: for euery day hath his euill, and euery houre hath his misery. But vvhat tongue shall be able sufficiently to expresse all these miseries? Who can reckon vp all the infirmities of our body? all the pas∣sions of our mind? or recount al the iniuries of man, or aduersi∣ties of his life. One wrangleth with thee for thy riches, another lyeth in waite for thy life, a third slaundereth thee; some perse∣cute thee with hatred and enuie; some, thirsting for reuenge, set vpon thee by suborned and false witnes; and this way not pre∣uailing, assaile thee by force & Armes; to be briefe, some make warre against thee with the tongue, which is worser and more dangerous then any weapon. Besides these calamities, there be infinite other, which haue no certaine names; for they are mis∣chaunces vnlooked for, and misfortunes vnexpected. One loo∣seth an eye, another hath his arme cut off in fight, a third falleth from his horse, a fourth out of a window; some are drowned in the water, and others by other mischaunces and misfortunes. If thou desirest to be acquainted with moe mischiefes and euils, aske the men of this world, and they will giue thee many instan∣ces, out of the parcell of their pleasures, and out of the bundle of their miseries (the greater part of which they are) which they haue tryed and experimented in this world. For if all ioyes and sorrowes, all myrth and heauines should be weighed and poy∣zed in equall ballance, thou shouldest euidently see, that these are moe then those; and thou shouldest vnderstand, that for one houre of pleasure, thou hast an hundred of miserie. Wherfore if all thy life be so short, and the greater part of it mingled with so many miseries, I pray thee how much is in thy life, that may challenge true felicitie?

But these miseries are common as well to the good as to the wicked;* 1.190 for they both saile in one and the selfe same sea, & are subiect to the same stormes and tempests. But there are other calamities to be found, which are proper to the wicked, (for they be the daughters of iniquities) the knowledge of vvhich more belongeth to our purpose; for they make their lifes more abhominable, who are within the compasse of such great mise∣ries. What they be, and how many, the sinners themselues con∣fesse in the booke of Wisedome; Wee haue wearied our selues in

the way of wickednesse and destruction, and wee haue gone through dangerous wayes: but wee haue not knowne the way of the Lorde. Therefore, as the righteous in this life haue a Paradice, and in another life hope for another, so the wicked in this life haue hel, and another attendeth them in the life to come: because, out of the hell of an euill conscience, they goe into the hell of euerla∣sting torment. Such euils rise out of many causes. Some are of GOD,* 1.191 who, as a iust Iudge, suffereth not the euill of the fault, to passe without the euill of punishment; which although it be generally reserued vntill the other life, yet oftentimes it begin∣neth in this. For it is most certaine, that God, as hee gouerneth the world by his generall prouidence, so also he swayeth and ru∣leth euery one by his speciall prouidence: and as we daily see, that the greater the store of sinners is, the greater is the aboun∣dance of punishments, as are famine, warre, pestilence, heresies, and such like calamities; so also oftentimes, according to the number of the sinnes of men, so is the number of the punish∣ments.

Therefore God sayd to Caine;* 1.192 If thou doe well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doost not well, sinne lyeth at thy doore: that is, the plag••e and punishment of sinne. In Deuteronomie also, Moses sayth vnto the people;* 1.193 And thou shalt know, that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithfull God which keepeth couenant & mer∣cie vnto them that loue him, and keepe his commaundements, euen to a thousand generations: And rewardeth them to theyr face that hate him, to bring them to destruction: he will not deferre to reward him that hateth him, to his face. Marke here how often this Prophet repeateth the word to his face, or such like significatiō, that thou mayst vnderstand, that besides the punishments which are re∣serued for the life to come, that the wicked are oftentimes also punished in this life: seeing that the Scripture so often remem∣breth here that their punishments shal not be deferred. Whence many calamities proceede, and many scourges of sinners: for without intermission they, as a wheele are rouled frō one trou∣ble and sorrance into another; from one necessity, anxietie, and tribulation, into another: which although they very well feele, yet they know not whence and from whom they are sent: and therefore they ascribe them rather to the condition of nature,

then to their sinnes. For euen as they doe not account the bles∣sings of nature, to be the gifts of God, neyther doe they giue thanks to God for them: so neyther doe they acknowledge the scourges of his wrath to be for the punishment of their sinnes, neyther doe they amend themselues.* 1.194 Some punishments also are brought vpon them by Gods Ministers and Iusticers, vvho are the executioners of the Diuine iustice, who oftentimes meet with malefactors, and doe persecute and afflict them, vvith im∣prisonments, banishments, penalties, persecutions, and with ma∣nie other kind of punishments, by which is brought to passe, that the insatiable appetites of sinners seemeth bitter vnto them: and doe afflict thē also in this life.* 1.195 There be also other afflictions, which flow out of their owne affections, and the perturbations of their soules, and from the inordinate appetites of their harts. For what good I pray thee, may be hoped for of a superfluous and an excessiue affection? of vaine feare? of a distrustful hope? and of an inordinate desire? nothing but offences, irksomnes, and troubles, which disturbe the peace and liberty of the hart, of which wee haue spoken before, they make the life vnqui∣et, they allure and entice to sinne, they hinder the prayers, take away sleepe, and doe comber all the dayes of the life with loathing and tediousnes. All these miseries are ingendered of man himselfe, that is, of his inordinate appetites: and of these thou seest, what is to be looked for of other, seeing that man hath these of himselfe: and consider what peace he can haue with others, who hath so great warre with himselfe.

¶ Of the multitude of the snares and dangers of this world.

IF in the world besides the punishments and afflictions of the body, no other euil were to be found, the feare were so much the lesser: bu•• ••n it there are not onely the euils of the body but also the greatest dangers of the soule, of which greater regard is to be had; because they concerne the better and more principall part of man, and doe more hurt it. And they be so many, that the Prophet sayth;* 1.196 God shall rayne snares vpon sinners. How great I pray thee is the number of the snares in the world, which are resembled to the drops of water, which fall from heauen? and he saith specially and perticulerly, Vpon sinners: For they hauing

so little care of their hart and sences, and lesser to fly the occasi∣ons of sinne, and so little regard of spirituall remedies; and be∣sides all this, seeing that they walke through the heate of this world, how can it be, but that they must walke amidst a thou∣sand dangers? He sayth that it shall rayne snares vpon sinners: snares in their youth, snares in their old age, snares in riches, in pouerty, in honour, in reproches, in friendship, snares when they company with men, and when they are alone, snares in prospe∣rity and in aduersity, to be briefe, snares in all the sences of man, which are so many, that the Prophet cryeth out: Snares vpon the inhabitants of the earth. And surely, if the Lord would open thine eyes a little,* 1.197 as hee in times past opened the eyes of Saint Anthony, thou shouldest see the whole world full of snares touching one another; and thou wouldest cry out with him, say∣ing: O Lord, who shall escape all these snares? Hence it is that so many soules perish daily, that Saint Bernard feareth not to say, that of tenne ships which are in the Sea, scarcely one peri∣sheth; and of tenne soules, which floate vpon the Sea of this vvorld, scarce one is saued. Tell me then I pray thee, how is it that thou fearest not the vvorld being so dangerous? that thou studiest not to escape so many snares? vvho amongst so many Serpents dare walke bare-footed? or march vnarmed among so many enemies? or liue securely and inconsideratly amongst so many occasions of sinnes? and conuerse amongst so many deadly and mortal diseases without medicines? Who would not labour to depart out of this Egypt? vvho would not fly out of this Babilon? vvho would not desire to be deliuered from the fire of Sodome and Gomorrha? Seeing therfore that the world is beset with so many snares, and so many downfals and breake∣necks are in the way; and the flame of vices doe so burne vs, who at any time shall be secure and safe? Well therefore sayde the vvise-man:* 1.198 Can a man take fire in his bosome, and his clothes not be burnt? Or can a man goe vpon coales, and his feete not be burnt?* 1.199 He that toucheth pitch, sayth another, shall be defiled with it: and he that is familiar with the proud, shall be like vnto him.

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

¶ Of the blindnes and darknes of this vvorld.

ANother miserie ioyneth it selfe vnto these multitudes of snares and dangers, which maketh them to be farre moe, and much greater; that is, the blindnes and wordly darknes, which most fitly is shadowed by that darknes of Egypt, which was so grosse and thicke, that it might be felt with hands; and the whole three dayes that it lasted, no man remoued himselfe out of his place, neyther saw his neighbour, that stoode by him. Such in deede, or rather greater is the darknes, in which the world now sitteth, and which now hath possessed the vvorld. But if thou doost not beleeue me, looke a little into the worlds darknes and blind guidance, and thou shalt soone discerne it. Tell me I pray thee, what is more blind, then that men should beleeue as they beleeue, and liue, as they liue? What greater blindnes, then so to reuerence and dread men, and so wic∣kedly to contemne and despise God? So carefully to seeke and study for the commodities of the body, which is nothing else but a brutish creature, and to haue no care for the soule, which is the image of the Diuine maiefty, what greater blind∣nes can there be?* 1.200 What greater blindnes, then when wee assuredly know, that we shall dye, neyther doe we know in that houre whether our felicity or misery shall be determined, which for euer shal stand ratified, yet we liue so negligently and se∣curely, as if we should alwayes liue? For sinners liue no other∣wise to day, then if they meant to liue alwayes, and that death would neuer come. What greater blindnes can be thought vpon then this, that men for the satisfying of one desire, should lose willingly their whole inheritance of heauen? So greatly to esteeme of riches, and so finally to set by their conscience. To haue so diligent a regard that all external blessings should be safe, and ordered, and not to care whether the life be ordered and sound?

Such plenty of blindnes and palpable darknes is found in the world, that a man hath good cause to coniecture, that men are inchaunted and bewitched, who hauing eyes, see not, & eares, yet heare not; who when they are cleare and bright sighted to behold earthly things, yet are more blind then Moles, in view∣ing celestiall things. That happeneth to them that in times past

happened to Saint Paule, persecuting the Church of God, who falling vpon the earth, when hee opened his eyes, hee saw no light; so also these miserable and wretched men, who when they haue eyes broad open in earthly matters, doe see nothing in Di∣uine matters, as though their eyes were shut.

¶ Of the multitude of sinnes, that are in this world.

IF there be so many snares in the vvorld, and so great dark∣nes, what is to be hoped therof, but stumblings, slydings, and sinnes? But sinne is the greatest of all the euils of this world, and ought to be the most effectuall motiue to mooue vs to forsake the world.* 1.201 By this only consideration that glorious Martir Cy∣prian, endeuoured to perswade a friend of his to despise & con∣temne this world, imagining him to be set on the top of a very high mountaine, whence he might view all things lying beneath him; his eyes being cast on euery side, the holy Martyr sheweth vnto him all Seas, Lands, Pallaces, and iudgement seates, to be fild and replished with a thousand kinde of sinnes and iniu∣ries, which were committed in euery place; and when he had seene so many and great euils, which were daily perpetrated in the vvorld, he very well knew, with what great circumspection and care he ought to beware of the world, & how great a debter he was to God, who had vouchsafed him such a caueat, wherby he might detest and abhorre the world.

Ascend thou therefore my brother to the top of this moun∣tayne, and cast thine eyes into euery corner of the vvorld, and behold the stormy vvhirle-winds of this boysterous Sea. Looke into the Pallaces of Princes, the Courts and publique meetings of this vvorld; and there thou shalt see so many kind of sinnes, so many lyes, so many cauilations, deceits, iniuries, thefts, enuy∣ings, flatteries, vanities, and that which is greater, so great for∣getfulnes of God, and so little care of saluation, that thou canst not but greatly vvonder, and stand amazed in beholding so ma∣ny and so great euils. Thou shalt see the greater part of men to liue after the manner of beasts, ruled and swayed by the violence of their affections, hauing no respect eyther of iustice, or of the Diuine law, or of nature or reason: lyuing more filthily then the Heathen, who haue no knowledge of the true God, neyther

doe they thinke that any thing further remayneth then to be borne and to die. Thou shalt see Innocents wrongfully puni∣shed, and malefactors escape vvithout danger: thou shalt see good men despised, and vvicked men honoured; thou shalt see poore men afflicted and humbled, and in all things fauour to be preferred before equity and vertue. Thou shalt see the lawe sold, no respect being had vnto the truth, thou shalt see vnlaw∣full Arts maintayned, offices peruerted and depraued, and all estates of men corrupted and turned vpside downe. Thou shalt see many dishonest and vild men woorthy to be seuerely puni∣shed, vvho by theft and frandulent means haue purchased store of vvealth, to be praysed and feared of all men. To be briefe, thou shalt see the vvorld more deuoutly vvorshipping and ado∣ring a penny then God himselfe. And vvhen thou hast beheld and ouer-looked all things, thou shalt confesse that it is most truly and iustly spoken of the Psalmist:* 1.202 The Lord looked downe from heaven vpon the children of men, to see if there were any that would vnderstand, and seeke God. All are gone out of the way: they are all corrupt: there is none that doth good, no not one. Hosea doth no lesse deplore the estate of men:* 1.203 The Lord, sayth he, hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the Land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and whooring they breake out, & blood toucheth blood.

But that thou mayest more plainly discerne the condition and estate of this vvorld, take a view of the head, that gouerneth it, and beholding the Gouernour, thou shalt easily vnderstand, the condition of that thing that is gouerned. For if it be true that the Prince of this vvorld, that is of sinners, be the deuill, (vvhich Christ himselfe also affirmeth) vvhat is to be looked for of that body, vvhich hath such an head, and of that com∣mon vvealth, vvhich hath such a Ruler? This one thing is suffi∣cient to let vs vnderstand, vvhat is to be expected of the louers of this vvorld. What neede we many words? tell me vvhat o∣ther thing is the vvorld, then a denne of theeues, an army of rob∣bers, astie of Swine, a galley full of Pirates, and a lake of Ser∣pents, Cockatrices, and Basiliskes? If the vvorld be thus, and of this kind, why doe I not leaue a place so filthy and impure,

(sayth a certaine Phylosopher) a place so full of traditions and deceits, wherein scarcely any pietie, faithfulnes, or iustice may be found? Wherein all vices raigne, where one brother lyeth in waite for another, where the sonne wisheth the death of his fa∣ther, where the wife desireth the death of her husband, and the husband of his wife; to be briefe, where nothing beareth rule but gluttony; enuie, wrath, luxurie, ambition, and all other e∣uils and enormities? Who would not wish to be deliuered from such a world? it is not to be doubted but that Prophet wished it, who said;* 1.204 O that I had in the wildernes a cottage of way-faring men, that I might leaue my people, and goe from them: for they bee all adulterers, and an assembly of rebels.

Whatsoeuer hath hetherto been spoken, generally apper∣tayneth to wicked men: although it cannot be denied, but that in all estates of the world there are many good men, for vvhose sakes GOD spareth to destroy the world. Therefore, vvhen thou shalt see all these things, consider with thy selfe how iust a cause thou hast, to forsake and auoyde a thing so wicked, cor∣rupt, and abhominable, in which, if GOD would fully open thine eyes, thou shouldest see more deuils, and moe sinnes, then there be moates in the Sunne-beames. Thys consideration will worke in thee, (at least in thy spirit) a desire to leaue this world, so that thou wilt take vp that of the Prophet,* 1.205 and say; O that I had winges like a Doue, then would I flie away, and be at rest.

¶ How deceaueable the felicitie of the world is.

THese and infinite other, are the attributes of worldly felici∣tie, & as it were the counterpoizes, with which it is weighed and peised, and the vnseparable companions, which waite vpon it: that thou mayst see, that there is more gall then honny in it, and more Wormwood then Sugar. I omit very many other e∣uils & mischiefes, which it hideth from her louers: For besides that this miserable felicitie is short, it is also impure & vncleane: for it maketh a man carnall and filthie; it is also beastly; for it maketh a man like vnto a beast. And mad; for it taketh avvay his iudgement. To conclude, it is deceitfull and faithlesse; be∣cause it faileth and forsaketh a man in his chiefest hight, and in the florish of his best time.

Neyther will I heere be vnwilling to take further paines in manifesting thys latter euill, which perhaps is the worst of all, that is, that it is deceitfull and fraudulent. For it seemeth to be that it not, it promiseth that it performeth not, and yet these not hindering, it draweth vnto it the greater part of people. For euen as there is found both true gold and counterfeit gold; so there are found true good things, & counterfeite good things: true felicity, and false, which appeareth to be such, but is not: of thys sort is this worldly felicity, which deceiueth vs by a vaine disguised apparition, and painted masking face. For as Aristo∣tle sayth, many lyes meete with vs, which although they be lyes, yet they haue greater showe and apparance of truth, then the truth it selfe. So certainly (and it is matter worthy of obserua∣tion) certaine euils and enormities are found, which albeit they be euils indeed, yet they haue greater semblance and apparance of good things, then the good things themselues. And of thys number is the felicity of this world: and by reason of this appa∣rance, the ignorant are deceaued by the show of it, no otherwise then byrds and fishes by a false baite. For it is the nature & con∣dition of corporall and worldly things, that on a suddaine they offer themselues with a flattering countenaunce, and doe fawne and sm••••e vpon men, promising vnto them ioy and felicitie, but afterwards, the very experience of the things themselues, disco∣uereth theyr errour and falshood. For after the pleasures folow calamities, diseases & griefes, by the abseuce of the thing loued, by iealousie, by strifes, and contentions, by the losse of things, by diseases, by the perturbations of the affections, and by very many other sorrowes; and last of all death also followeth. What greater deceit can there be, and what hipocrisie more intollera∣ble? So a virgine merily & reioycing goeth to the house of her Bridegrome; for the hath not eyes to see any other thing, but that which outwardly appeareth, and presently showeth it selfe: but if she could see that seed-plot & seminary of miseries, which are sowen vpon this day for her to reape, surely she should haue greater cause to weep, then to reioyce.

Rebecca desired to bring foorth children, but when she was great with child, &c. the children stroue together in her wombe, she sayd;* 1.206 If it must be thus with mee, what neede had I to conceaue?

O how often dooth such like guile and fraude make heauie the hart of man, after it hath got that it desired; whē as those things offer themselues in the progresse, which were not promised in the beginning.

But what shall I say of offices, dignities and honours? vvith what a smiling countenaunce, & faire aspect do they first shew themselues? but afterwards, to howe many passions, care, en∣uies and labours doe they expose their possessors? But of those that are entangled with vnhonest loues, we may iustly say, that at the beginning they finde a pleasant entrance into that darke and denious Laborinth, but when they haue passed in, alack, how many labours and troubles doe they beare? hovve many nights doe they passe ouer without sleepe? how many & how great dangers are they compelled to vndergoe? For the fury of that venomous dragon (which is the sword of that cruel parent, and of that iealous husband) dooth alwayes keepe the fruite of that forbidden tree, and it often cōmeth to passe, that such men in one moment, doe lose together theyr lifes, riches, honors, and soules.

After the same maner it were no hard matter to examine the lifes of couetous men, seruing the world, and catching at by all meanes by force and fauour, the vaine-glory of it, in whose tra∣gedies we might behold a merry protasis, but a lamentable and mournful epitasis: for this is the nature of that Babylonian cup, which without is gold, but within full of poyfon. These things being thus, what I pray thee (in thy iudgement) is the glory of this world, but the singing of Syrens? sweet, but a deadly poti∣on? a Viper, artificially painted without, but within full of ve∣nomous poyson? If the worlde fawne vpon thee, it doth it, that it may deceitie thee; if it exalt thee, it doth it, that thy fal may be the greater; if it make thee merry, it dooth it, that it afterwardes with sorrow may breake thy hart. It giueth all her goods vvith the mixture of incomparable heauines and griefe, and that with the greatest vsury. If a sonne be borne vnto thee, and soone af∣ter die, thy sorrow will be seauen-fold greater then thy ioy was. The thing lost, more afflicteth vs, then found ioyeth vs: sick∣nes more excruciateth vs, then health gladdeth vs: iniury more tormenteth vs, then honour contenteth vs: insomuch that I am

altogether ignorant, why it is so effected by nature, that euils do more afflict vs, then good things do reioyce vs. All these things being well considered of, they do shew vnto vs clearer then the noone day, how vaine, deceitfull, and fraudulent the felicity of this world is.

¶ The conclusion of all this aforesaid.

THou hast here seene my brother, the true figure of thys world, although with another face, then it outwardly carri∣eth. Behold therefore now, what the felicity of the World is; how short,* 1.207 miserable, dangerous, blind, sinfull, and deceiuea∣ble; and according to these; what other thing is the world, but (as a certaine Phylosopher was wont so say) a Casket of sor∣rowes and grieuances, a Schoole of vanitie, a Laborinth of er∣rours, a dungeon of darknes, a market place of cousenages, a way beset with theeues, a ditch full of mud, and a sea continual∣ly tost and troubled with stormes and tempests? What other thing is the world, but a barren Land, a fielde full of thistles & weedes, a vvood full of thornes, a florishing garden, but bring∣ing foorth no fruite? What is the world, but a riuer of teares, a fountaine of cares, a sweet poyson, a tragedy pleasantly framed, and a delightfull phrensie? What good things I pray thee are found in the world, which are not counterfeit? and what euills which are not so in deed?

The worlds rest hath labour, the securitie of it is without ground, the feare of it is without cause, the labours of it vvith∣out fruite, the teares without purpose, and the purposes vvith∣out successe, the hope of it is vaine, the ioy fained, and the sor∣row true. By all which it is no difficult matter to see, how great the kindred is between the world and hell: for hell is no other thing but a place of punishments and sinnes, and what other thing els is seene in this world? The Prophet testifieth this whē he saith;* 1.208 Day and night iniquitie goeth about it vpon the walls ther∣of: both wickednes & mischiefe are in the midst of it. These be the fruites of the world, these the merchandize, this is the traffique of it, which at all times and in euery place is exercised: so that thou seest that the world may iustly be termed hell. In thys ac∣count Saint Bernard had thys world,* 1.209 when he said; But for that

hope which we haue of the life to come;* 1.210 thys world did not much differ from hell.

¶ That true rest and tranquilitie is found in God alone.

NOW wee haue declared and showen how miserable and deceitfull the felicity of this world is, it remaineth now that we proue that true felicity & tranquility, as it is not to be found in the world, so it is onely to be found in GOD alone: which demonstration, if it were rightly vnderstood of the men of thys world, they vvould not be so carefull for it, nor so tied and fet∣tered ynto it, as they are. And therefore I thinke that it vvill be worth the labour, if I shall adde this manifest truth vnto the precedent, and establish it not so much by the authority and te∣stimonies of fayth, as by reasons. Therfore first we must know, that no creature can perfectly rest and be at quiet, so long as he commeth not to his last end, which is his last perfection agree∣able vnto his nature. For so long as he commeth not thether, he must of necessity be vnquiet, as that creature, that suffereth violence by reason of some defect.

Doost thou then demaund what and who is the last end of man?* 1.211 in whose hand his felicity is placed? vvhat is that, that the Diuines call the obiectiue beatitude? I cannot deny, but that it is God, who as he is the first beginning of man, so is he also his last end. And as it cannot be, that there should be two first be∣ginnings, so it is imposibble, that there should be two last ends. For this were to make two Gods. Furthermore, if God be the last end of man, he is also his last beatitude and felicity; but it is impossible that there should be two last ends, or two felicities. Therfore it cannot be, that without God there should any feli∣city be found.* 1.212 For euen as a Gloue is made for the vse of the hand, and a scaberd, that a sword may be sheathed in it: So also the hart of man is created for the vse of God, neyther without him can any rest be found. The reason is, because seeing that the principall subiect of felicity is in the vnderstanding and will of man, so long as these two faculties are not quiet, so long can∣not man be quiet. But because it is without controuersie, that these two faculties cannot be quiet, but onely in God, therfore these two faculties are neuer at quiet, vntill they finde out some

vniuersall obiect, wherein are all good things. Which when it is once knowne and loued, then there is nothing further, that the vnderstanding desireth to know,* 1.213 or the will to loue. Hence it is, that nothing created, although it be the empire and rule of the vniuersall vvorld, can satisfie the hart of man, he onely being excepted, for whom it was created, that is God alone. Plutarch reporteth of a certaine Souldier, who through many degrees of dignity, at the length came to be made Emperour. Now when he had attayned so great honour, and found not that quiet and peace in it, which before he promised to himselfe to be in this estate, he sayd: I haue runned through al the degrees of all dig∣nities, but I haue not found quietnes and tranquillity in any of them. Neyther is it any meruaile, because that which is created for God, without him cannot finde any quiet or rest.

But that thou mayst vnderstand this the better and more manifestly, behold the Sea-mans needle, and it will teach thee this so necessary Philosophy.* 1.214 It is the nature of that Iron, that in what part it hath touched the load-stone, that that part al∣wayes looketh towards the North. For God, who hath created this stone, hath bestowed vpon it this naturall inclination. Thou seest, the experience of the thing teaching thee, how that nee∣dle runneth, and turneth to and fro, and with great vnquietnes moueth to euery corner, vntill it hath found that poole, & then it resteth and standeth vnmoueable, no otherwise, then if it was fastened downe with a nayle. So hath God created man, and hath infused into him a certaine naturall inclination and readi∣nes, that he should alwayes looke to his maker as to the poole and his last end. Therefore so long as he is without him, like that needle he is vnquiet, yea, if he was the Lord of the whole vvorld: But turning and directing his hart to God, forth-with he resteth, and as that needle standeth vnmoueable; for in him he findeth rest. Of this is followeth, that he is onely happy, who possesseth God, and that he commeth the nearer vnto happi∣nes, who goeth the lesser way from God. But because the righ∣teous in this life are the nearer vnto God, therefore they are the more happy, albeit the world knoweth not their felicity. The reason is, because this felicity consisteth not in a sensible and corporall pleasure, as the Epicures sayde, and after them the

Moores of Mahometistes, and after them the wicked and vn∣godly Christians, who with their mouthes deny the law of Ma∣homet, but in their lifes follow it, and diligently obserue it, nei∣ther seeke for any other Paradice in this life, then that of the Sa∣racens. Therefore true felicity consisteth not eyther in the bo∣dy, or in external things, but in the Spirit, and in spirituall bles∣sings, and inuisible, as both the Philosophers of sounder iudge∣ment, and also good Christians (although after a diuers man∣ner) doe auouch and affirme. The Prophet would signifie the same thing,* 1.215 when he sayd: The Kings daughter is all glorious with∣in: her clothing is of broydered gold. In which she hath so great peace and quite, as all the Kings of the earth neuer had nor shal haue the like: vnlesse we will say that the Princes of this world, haue greater peace and quiet, then the friends of God: which besides that it is false, many Princes themselues haue also deni∣ed, who tasting of the sweetnes of God, haue forsaken their dig∣nities and riches; amongst whom S. Gregory was one, who tri∣ed both estates and fortunes:* 1.216 vvhen he was promoted to high dignity, and to be a Bishop, he was wont much to deplore his estate, and to wish for his former peaceable, quiet, and sweete life, no otherwise then hee is wont to doe, who languisheth for the desire of his Countrey and liberty, beeing in seruitude and slauerie.

¶ Those things which haue beene spoken are prooued by examples.

BVt seeing that this errour and deceipt is so great and vniuer∣sall, I will adioyne another reason no lesse effectuall then the former; by which the louers of this vvorld may easily vnder∣stand, how impossible a thing it is to find that felicity in it, which they desire. Thou must therefore presuppose that many moe things are required, that a thing should be perfect, then that it should be vnperfect. For that any thing should be perfect, two perfections are required together: but that it should be vnper∣fect, one onely imperfection is sufficient. These things being presupposed, proceed after this manner; That any man should haue perfect felicity it is required, that he should haue all things according to his harts desire: and if one onely thing be mixed

with the rest, which pleaseth not, that will be sufficient, th•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 both is, and may be called miserable, albeit all other things 〈◊〉〈◊〉 make him happy and blessed.

I haue seene many men of high degree, whose Lands ha••e yeelded them large and rich reuenues, who notwithstanding haue alwaies liued in heauinesse: for that discruciatement was much greater, which they had conceiued by the frustration of that they desired, then the ioy which they reaped of all other things. For it not to be doubted, but all that they possessed, dyd not so much gladde them, as that only appetite afflicted them, which had the deniall, because to possesse many things, maketh not a man quiet, but to haue satisfied & contended hys will. Which thing amongst others, Saint Augustine doth ex∣cellently declare in a booke of the manners of the Church,* 1.217 in these words: In my iudgement, he is neyther sayd to be happy, who hath not that he loueth, whatsoeuer it be: neyther he that hath that he loueth, if it be hurtfull: neyther he that loueth not that he hath, although it be the best thing. For he that desireth that he cannot obtaine, is vexed: & he that hath obtained what was not to be wished, is deceaued: and he that desireth not, that which is to be obtayned, hee is not of a well disposed minde. Whereupon it is inferred, that our felicity consisteth in the pos∣session and loue of the chiefest good, neyther any other to be true without it. So that these three things, possession, loue, and the chiefest good, make a man blessed and happy. Without which, no man at any time shall be blessed and happy, whatso∣euer he be.

Although I could alledge very many examples for the con∣firmation of this conclusion, yet we will content ourselues, with that one of Haman so well beloued of King Assuerus: for whē as he was happy in all things in the iudgement and sight of the world, he thought great iniury was offered vnto him, because Mardocheus dyd not rise vp vnto him when hee pas••ed by. Wherefore, calling together his friends and his wife, he layd o∣pen before them the greatnes of his riches, and the multitude of his chyldren, and what great glory and honour the King had bestowed on him, aboue all other Princes and seruants, how he had exalted him, and sette him aboue them all. Yea Hector the

Queene, sayd he, hath called no man in with the King to the banket, that shee hath prepared, saue me: and to morrow am I bidden vnto her also with the King. But all this doth nothing auaile mee, as long as I see Mardocheus the Iew sitting at the Kings gate, not yeelding me that reuerence I desire. Marke then thys place, & thou shalt see,* 1.218 that thys one small thing, more disturbed and troubled hys hart, then all his other prosperities could make it happy. Consi∣der also, how farre a man is of in this lyfe, from that peace and manquilitie of minde, and how neere vnto disturbance & per∣turbation. Who then in thys world is found, who can effect thys, that he should not be miserable? What Kings or Empe∣rours are found, to whom all things succeed according to theyr desire, and to whom some thing happeneth not, which distur∣beth and disquieteth their mindes? For although in this respect that a man is a man, no aduersity doth touch or come neer vnto him, yet who can escape all the mischaunces of fortune, vvho can auoyde the infirmities of the body, or eschew all the feares, fantasies, and vaine imaginations of the soule, which a man fea∣reth without reason of feare, and so is many times afflicted with∣out cause.

If all these fore-sayd reasons beeing so euident cannot con∣uince thee, and thou requirest moe reasons rather from experi∣ence, then reason, goe to wise Salomon, and he, as one that hath long sayled in thys Sea, with greater prosperity then any other, trying and experimenting all kindes of the delicacies and plea∣sures of thys world: he, I say, will saythfully instruct thee in this matter, what he hath seene, and what he hath tryed; he will tell thee, if perhaps he hath other where found, that which satisfied his appetite, if thou shalt demaund of him what it was, hee will aunswer thee, saying:* 1.219 Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher, va∣nitie of vanities, all is vanitie. Beleeue him, thou shalt not be de∣ceaued: we may safely trust a man so well experimented. For he dooth not speak vnto thee of his theory and speculation, but of his experience and practice; hee dooth not tell thee of those things he heard, but which he saw and proued. Doe not think, that thou thy selfe, or any other, can discouer moe nouelties, and heretofore vnheard of, then he heath discouered and tryed. For what Prince euer lyued in the worlde, that was wiser, or

richer, or more glorious, or famouser then Salomon? Who e∣uer tryed moe kindes of delights, of sports, of huntings, of sing∣ing, of women, of ornaments, of ridings, and of all other things, then he dyd? And when he had tryed them all, hee reaped no other fruite by them, then that thou hast heard. Why wilt thou now experiment that, which hath been already experimented? perswade not thy selfe that thou canst find that, which he found not. For thou hast none other world to search for it, then that that he had. And if all pleasures could not quench the thyrst of thys King in so plentifull a vintage, doe not thinke that thou canst quench it after him, in thys leane & barren gleaning time of Grapes. He bestowed his time to thys onely study, and per∣haps for thys he fell into Idolary: as sayth Saint Ierome, wry∣ting to Eustochium. Why then wilt thou make such hauock of precious time, without expectation of any profit? Yea because men rather credit experience then reason, peraduenture God permitted, that this King should make tryall of all pleasures, de∣lights, and recreations, and of whatsoeuer the world loueth, that after he had tryed them all, hee might giue that testimonie and verdit of them, which euen now thou hast heard: and that this one labour should be instead of all other labours, and this one mans error, should remedy the errour of many, that they might bestow theyr tyme, and cost more profitably.

Which things seeing they are so, not without cause we may cry out with the Prophet;* 1.220 O yee sonnes of men, howe long will yee turne my glory into shame, louing vanitie, and seeking lyes? With good reason he nameth vanity and lyes. For if in the busines & assayres of thys world, there were no other thing but vanity, it were a small euill: but there is another greater euill in it, that is, lyes, and the false & counterfeit apparance of things, by which they perswade men that they are some-thing, vvhen they are nothing. Wherefore, the same Salomon sayth; Fauour is de∣ceitfull, and beautie is vanitie.* 1.221 It were some-what tollerable, if it were but vaine, but it is also deceitfull. For vanity being known, cannot much hurt: but that which is vaine, and appeareth not to be so,* 1.222 that is especially euill and dangerous. By this it appea∣reth, how great an hypocrite this worlde is: for euen as hypo∣crites are studious to couer and palliate theyr defects: so rich

men doe labour, that they may dissemble and hide theyr myse∣ries, by which they are excruciated. They would be accounted Saints, when they are sinners; and these happy when they are wretched.

Come neerer, and if you please open and search the vayne, put thine hand into theyr bosome, & thou shalt see how those things striue and fight, which outwardly seeme so, wyth those things, which in verity lurke within. Certaine hearbes & plants grow in the fieldes, which a farre of seeme very beautifull: but when thou commest neerer them, and gatherest of them, they are eyther altogether leaues, or send forth a stinking and pesti∣lent sauour, which a man forth-with casting away, correcteth the errour of his eyes by the touch of his hands. Such certainly are they, that seeme to be the rich and great men of this world: for if thou beholdest theyr magnificencie, pompe, & the height of theyr dignity, the statelines of theyr houses, theyr seruant, & flatterers, thou wilt thinke them the onely happy men; but if thou shalt come a little neerer vnto them, and shalt narrowlie pry into the secrets of theyr houses, and into the corners of their soules and consciences, thou shalt see that there is great diffe∣rence between these things, and the externall apparance & out∣ward show. Whereupon many, who haue thirstingly desired theyr estate and condition, viewing it a farre of, but a little after more neerely looking into it, haue reiected and refused it, as we reade in many histories of the Heathen. In the lifes also of the Emperours, it is reported, that there haue beene some of them, who when they were elected to that high estate of dignitie of theyr whole Armie, for a time haue resisted that election, ney∣ther would accept of that soueraigntie offered vnto them, be∣cause they very well knew, what pricking thornes lay hyd vn∣der that Rose so faire and beautifull to the sight. Therefore, ô yee sonnes of men, created according to the Image and simili∣tude of GOD, redeemed by the blood of Christ, adopted that ye may be fellow cittizens with Angels, how long will yee loue vanitie? and seeke after lyes? Doe yee looke for peace and rest in these false and counterfeite apparitions, which they neuer gaue, nor will giue? To what end doe yee forsake the table of Angels, and seeke to fill your bellies with the swash of Swine?

To what end doe we leaue the sweetnesse and odoriferous fra∣grancie of Paradice, for the bitternes and stinch of this world? Why are not the calamities and miseries which yoe suffer daily, sufficient to warne you to flye the outragiousnesse of this cruell Tyrant?

Pardon me (gentle Reader), we seeme in this respect not to be much vnlike a harlot, who hath prostituted herselfe vnto an Apple-squire or a Pandar, he eateth, drinketh, and sporteth with her, vntill all be consumed that she hath; after that he doth floute and beate her, neither vouchsafeth he her a faire word: the neuertheles doting on this knaue, the more he beateth her, the more she loueth him. Therefore, recapitulating all that hath beene spoken, if it hath beene prooued manifestly by so many reasons, examples, and experiences, that that peace and felicitie which we seeke for, cannot be found but onely in God, and not in the world; why doe we seeke for it without GOD, and not rather in him?* 1.223 Thys is that which Saint Augustine puts vs in minde of, when he sayth; Runne thorow the sea, the land, and all things; search the world throughout, euery where thou shalt be miserable, vnlesse thou runnest to GOD, and he by thy refuge.

¶ The Conclusion of all this first Booke.

THerefore, of all those things, which haue been handled at large throughout this whole first booke, this at length is ga∣thered; That all the kindes of goods and blessings, which mans hart can obtaine in thys life, are found in Vertue: whereupon it is further collected, that Vertue is a good so vniuersall and so great, that neyther in Heauen nor in Earth any thing can be found, which may be compared with her, but onely God alone. For euen as God is a goodnes so vniuersall, that in him alone are found all the perfections of all good: so after a certaine ma∣ner the same are found in Vertue. For we see in things created, that some are hon••st, some beautifull, some profitable, some ac∣ceptable, or hauing some other certaine perfection: amongst which, that is wont to be so much the more perfecter, and wor∣thier of loue, by how much it more participateth of these per∣fections.

Which thing if it be so,* 1.224 how great loue is Vertue worthy of, in which alone all these perfections are found? For if we speake of honesty, what is more honest then Vertue, which is the foun∣taine and roote of all honesty? if of honor, to what is more ho∣nour and reuerence due then to Vertue? If we seeke for beau∣ty, what is more beautiful thē the image of Vertue? If her beau∣ty might be seene with corporall eyes,* 1.225 sayd Plato, she would a∣lure the whole world vnto her. If we respect profit, what thing is more profitable and supported with greater hope then Ver∣tue? for by Vertue we obtayne the chiefest good.* 1.226 Length of dayes, and gifts of eternity are in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour. If thou art delighted with pleasantnes, what greater delight canst thou wish for, then a peaceable and a good conscience, the sweetnes of charity, of peace, and of the li∣berty of the children of God, that in the meane time I may say nothing of the consolation of the holy Ghost, which is most sweet and pleasant.

If thou desirest a perdurant and lasting name;* 1.227 The righteous shall liue, and shall be had in euerlasting remembrance. But the me∣moriall of the wicked shall perish with them.* 1.228 If thou be desirous of vvisedome, that thou mayst finde the way that leadeth to hea∣uen, and the meanes that direct to this end; there is no meane more certaine then Vertue, which leadeth vnto God. If thou desirest to be gracious, and acceptable among all men, there is not any thing more gracious or more conducent to it then Vertue.* 1.229 For, as Cicero sayth, nothing is more amiable then Vertue, nothing that more allureth men vnto loue; seeing that for vertue and honesty we loue them, whom we neuer saw. Such force it hath (which is more) that we loue it in an enemy. Euen as of the conueniency and proportion of the members and lyneaments,* 1.230 and of the humours of the naturall body a cer∣taine beauty ariseth, which is acceptable to the eyes of men: so of the order and vertuous frame of the life, laudably led and for∣med, so great a beauty proceedeth, that not onely it is most ac∣ceptable to the eyes of God and Angels,* 1.231 but it is also amiable and beloued of peruerse men, and enemies. That is truly and simply good, which is good in euery respect, neyther hath any euill in it. Therfore God not without cause sendeth this hono∣rable

embasie to a righteous man, which we haue set in the fore∣front of this booke, and now againe repeate in the end. Say yee, surely it shall be well with the iust. Say yee so, because he is borne vnder an happy starre, and that he shall die in a good houre; because his life and death is blessed, and whatsoeuer after death shall beside him. Say yee so vnto him, because all things shall goe well with him, as well prosperous as aduerfe; as well things pleasant,* 1.232 as heauy; both in quietnes and in labour. For all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God. Say yee vnto him, although the vvorld be turned topsey turuey, and the ele∣ments confounded, if heauen be ruinated and disturbed, let not him feare: yea, then let him lift vp his head, because the day of his redemption is at hand. Say yee, surely it shall be well with the iust. Because a blessing is prepared for him, vvhich in excellen∣cie exccedeth all blessings, that is God himselfe: and that he is free from all euill, and from the tiranny of the deuill, which is the worst of all euils. Say yee, surely it shall be well with the iust. For his name is vvritten in the booke of life; and God the father hath adopted him for his sonne, & the holy Ghost to be a liuely temple vnto him. Say yee, surely it shall be well with the iust. For that estate which he hath gotten, is happy & blessed in euery re∣spect. And if at any time in any temporal matter it seemeth lesse happy, if this be patiently borne, it is turned vnto him for a grea∣ter good: for that which seemed a loose, vnto him that is patient, is made a gayne vnto him; & his labour becomes a reward, and his warre victory,* 1.233 and a perpetuall crowne. As often as Laban changed the wages of Iacob his sonne in law, he thought that it was profitable vnto him, & hurtfull to his sonne in law; but it fell out cleane contrary, for it was vnprofitable vnto him, and profitable to his sonne in law. Wilt thou then, my brother, be so cruell to thy selfe, and such an enemy, that thou shouldest linger to embrace so great a blessing, which promiseth on euery side so great good vnto thee? What counsaile is more wholsome? what more profitable condition or estate of life canst thou fol∣low? Blessed are those that are vpright in their way,* 1.234 and walke in the law of the Lord, saith the Prophet: a thousand times blessed are they, and blessed againe, that keepe his testimonies, and seeke him with their whole hart. If a good thing, as the Philosophers say,

be the obiect of our will, and by how much the more any thing is good, by so much the more it deserueth to be loued & desired: What I pray thee doth make thy will so sottish and insencible, that it tasteth not, nor embraceth this so vniuersall a good? O how much better did that King, who sayd: I haue chosen: the way of thy truth,* 1.235 and thy iudgements haue I layd before me. I haue clea∣ued to thy testimonies ô Lord. And in another place: O Lord, I haue layd vp thy commaundements in mine whole hart: He saith not in a corner, not in his hand, but in the midst or in his whole hart, which is the beginning of life; the chiefest & the best place of all others: as if he had sayd, This is my best part, in which I con∣triue and determine of all my busines, and all my cogitations are in it. The men of this world do contrarily; for vanity possesseth the chiefest roome of their harts, and Gods law lyeth obscured and hid in some corner. But this holy man, albeit he was a King, and troubled with many businesses of his kingdome; yet he put them all vnder his feete; but placed the law of his Lord in the midst of his hart. What hindereth then, why thou doost not imitate this good example, and embrace so great a good. For if thou respectest the bond of the obligation, what greater obliga∣tion can there be, then that which is betweene God and man, or only for that cause, that he is, what he is? All the obligations of this world are not worthy of this name, if they be compared with this, as we haue sayd in the beginning of this booke. If thou loo∣kest vnto the benefits, what benefits can be greater or more ex∣cellent then those, that we receaue from the hand of the Lord? For besides that he hath created vs, and redeemed vs with his blood, we haue receaued frō him all that we possesse both with∣in and without, our body, our soule, life, health, riches, grace, (if so we haue it) the continuance of our life, our purposes, the desires of our harts, and all that which hath the name of essence, or of goodnes, we receaue it I say originally frō him, who is the foun∣taine of all essences and of all goodnes. Words are wanting vn∣to me, by which I might set out her profit; let Angels vtter it, and not men. For what greater profit can there be then to enioy eternal glory, & to be freed from euerlasting paine, which is the reward of Vertue? If the temporall commodities of this world doe rather moue vs, what commodities can be more excellent,

or of greater valuation, then those twelue priuiledges and prero∣gatiues, which Vertue and the vertuous doe solace and delight themselues, the least of which is of more force and validity to quiet a disturbed mind, then al the dignities and treasuries of this world. I kow not truly, what more may be put into the ballance, to weigh and peise those things, which are promised to Vertue, and to her louers.

The excuses also & cauillations, which the men of this world are wont to bring for their defence, are so ouerthrowne & spoi∣led of vs, that I doe not see where such may find a small hole or crany to escape through, vnlesse perhaps of set purpose & pre∣tenced malice they shut their eyes and eares; that they might not see nor heare this manifest and euident truth. What remaineth, but that the perfection and beauty of Vertue being seene and knowne; thou say with Salomon, speaking of Wisedome, the companion and sister of Vertue:* 1.236 I haue loued her, and sought her from my youth: I desired to marry her, such loue had I vnto her beau∣tie. In that she is conuersant with God, it commendeth her nobility: yea, the Lord of all things loueth her. For shee is the Schoolemi∣stresse of the knowledge of GOD, and the chooser out of his works. If riches be a possession to be desired in this lyfe, vvhat is richer then wisedome, that worketh all thinges? For if prudence worketh, what is it among all things, that worketh better then shee? If a man loue righteousnes, her labours are vertuous: for shee teacheth sobernes and prudence, righteousnes, and strength, which are the most profita∣ble things that men can haue in this life. If a man desire great expe∣rience, shee can tell the things that are past, and discerne things to come: she knoweth the subtisties of words, and the solutions of darke sentences: she fore-seeth the signes and wonders, or euer they come to passe, and the successe of seasons and times. Therefore I purposed to take her vnto my company, knowing that shee would counsaile mee good things, and comfort mee in cares and greefes. Hetherto the Wise-man.

Therefore nothing remayneth, but that we conclude this matter with the words of Saint Cyprian,* 1.237 taken out of an Epi∣stle to a friend of his, written of the contempt of this world; Therfore, sayth he, there is one peaceable and faythfull tranqui∣lity; one solide, firme, and perpetuall security, that if any one

be taken out of the whirle-winds of this turbulent world, and be founded and anchored in the hauen of safety, he lifteth vp his eyes from the earth to heauen, and being admitted to the Lords fellowship, and now being neere vnto his God in his minde, whatsoeuer amongst humane things seemeth great and lofty vnto others, he glorieth that it lyeth within the circumference of his conscience. Now he can desire, nor couet nothing of the world, who is greater then the world. How stable and vnfoyled a defence is it, how celestiall a gard abounding with perpetuall good things, to be deliuered from the snares of this entrapping and enthralling world, & to be purged from these earthly dregs and incorporated into the light of eternal immortality? Let him consider of this, and view it well, ouer whom the deceitful dan∣gerousnes of this pernicious enemy before raged & tirannized; we are compelled more to loue, when we know and condemne what we were, and see what we now are and shal be. Neyther is this worke brought to passe by rewards, bribes, and the power of man, but it is the free gift of God, and easily obtayned. As the sunne shineth of his owne accord, the day is enlightned, a fountaine streameth, and a shower falleth; so the heauenly spirit infuseth it selfe. Afterwards the soule beholding heauen, and knowing her Maker, she being higher then the earth, and more noble then any earthly power, beginneth to be that, which she beleeueth her selfe to be. Onely thou whom the heauenly war∣fare hath appoynted a Souldier in these spirituall warres, hold and keepe thy standing incorrupt, and fenced with religious vertues, vse continually eyther praying or reading: Somtimes talke thou with God, and somtimes God with thee: let him in∣struct thee with his precepts, let him haue the guiding and or∣dering of thee: whō he maketh rich, no man shal make poore. There can be no penury, where the heauenly bounty hath fil∣led and blessed. Now coffers stuft with crownes, now stately Pallaces, and gay buildings will seeme base and vild vnto thee; when as thou knowest that thou thy selfe are more beautified and adorned, being a house in which the Lord sitteth as in his temple, and where the holy Ghost dwelleth. Let vs trimme vp this house with the ornaments of innocency, let vs enlighten it with the sun-shine of righteousnes. This house shall neuer

decay through age, neyther shall the deckings of it waxe old. Whatsoeuer things are counterfet, are not lasting, neyther doe they yeeld any stability to the po••••••ssors, which haue not the truth of possession. This perpertually continueth with a colour vndecayed, with honour vntaynted, and with splendour vnob∣scured; it cannot be abolished nor extinguished, it may be only conuerted, into further perfection, the body being glorified. Hetherto Cyprian. Whosoeuer therfore is moued with the reasons and arguments, which copiously we haue handled in this booke (the grace of God and Diuine inspiration assisting, without which all is done in vaine) and desireth to embrace so great a blessing of Vertue; let him reade the booke following, which deliuereth and handleth the method and order how to come vnto Vertue.

The end of the first booke of the Sinners Guide.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ecclesi. 32.
• * 1.2

  Prou. 18.
• * 1.3

  Diuers re∣fuges of sinners.
• * 1.4

  Againt thē that defer their repen∣tance.
• * 1.5

  August. in the 8 booke of his con∣fessions, the 5. chap.
• * 1.6

  The st••te of the que∣stion.
• * 1.7

  Gregory in an homily.
• * 1.8

  Luke, 12.
• * 1.9

  Apoc. ••.
• * 1.10

  The iust iudgement of God.
• * 1.11

  Ecclesi. 5.
• * 1.12

  Causes frō whence the difficulty of conuersion ariseth.
• * 1.13

  Ierome vn∣to Celantia. Chap. 4. Bernard.
• * 1.14

  Luke, 11,
• * 1.15

  Esay, 62,
• * 1.16

  Osea, 7, and the 9. Apoc, 11,
• * 1.17

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.18

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.19

  Whether now•• or hereafter it is more ea∣sie to turne vnto God.
• * 1.20

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.21

  Ecclus, 10,
• * 1.22

  The force of euillcu∣stome.
• * 1.23

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.24

  The Alle∣gory of La∣zarus foure dayes dead.
• * 1.25

  The losse of time.
• * 1.26

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.27

  See August. his tenne strings.
• * 1.28

  The sinnes which wee nowe com∣mit, wee heereafter shal deplore & lament in vaine.
• * 1.29

  Psal. 6.
• * 1.30

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.31

  The reliques of sinne re∣maine after the sinne.
• * 1.32

  How ab∣surd a thing it is to re∣serue thy re∣pētance for old age. A simili∣tude.
• * 1.33

  Seneca in his book of the shortnes of life.
• * 1.34

  The great∣nes of the satisfaction.
• * 1.35

  Deferring of repen∣tance a cer∣taine infide∣lity. Greg. in his Morals. Repentance is not to be deferred, in regard of benefits re∣ceaued at Gods hand.
• * 1.36

  Ecclesi. 18.
• * 1.37

  Not to be deferred in regard of predestina∣tion.
• * 1.38

  We offer the best part to y^e world, & the worst to God.
• * 1.39

  Seneca in his 109. Epi.
• * 1.40

  Mal. 1.
• * 1.41

  Deut. 25.
• * 1.42

  What we owe vnto God in re∣spect of our redemtion.
• * 1.43

  Eccles. 12.
• * 1.44

  An excel∣lent exposi∣tion of this place of Eccles.
• * 1.45

  The con∣clusion of the first ob∣iection.
• * 1.46

  Ecclus, 25,
• * 1.47

  Ecclus, 17.
• * 1.48

  Iohn, 5.
• * 1.49

  Psalm, 95,
• * 1.50

  It is dange∣rous to di∣spute of fi∣nall repen∣tance.
• * 1.51

  Ezech. 35,
• * 1.52

  Augustine of true and false repen∣tance, ca, 17
• * 1.53

  In the same place.
• * 1.54

  To be con∣uerted what it is.
• * 1.55

  In his ex∣hortation to repen∣tāce, which forthwith foloweth in his second booke of repentance.
• * 1.56

  The iudge∣ment of I∣sidore.
• * 1.57

  In the ninth tome of Plantynes edition, a little before the end.
• * 1.58

  Greg, in his 18, book of his Morals chap. 5. Iob. 27.
• * 1.59

  Prou. 28.
• * 1.60

  Math. 25.
• * 1.61

  The con∣clusion of the Schoole man.
• * 1.62

  The first reason of the Schoole man.
• * 1.63

  The euill disposition and tempe∣rature of the body is an impedi∣ment of cō∣templation.
• * 1.64

  The 2, rea∣son of the Schole-man.
• * 1.65

  Aug. in hys booke of true & false repentance, chap, 17.
• * 1.66

  2, Kings, 16,
• * 1.67

  2, Kings, 19,
• * 1.68

  3, Kings, 2.
• * 1.69

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.70

  The thyrd reason of the Schole-man.
• * 1.71

  The fourth reason of the School-man.
• * 1.72

  Prou, ••.
• * 1.73

  Math, 24,
• * 1.74

  Math. 25.
• * 1.75

  August in an Epistle to Dios.
• * 1.76

  Many mira∣culous and wonderful things reser∣ued to the comming of Christ.
• * 1.77

  Euseb. Emiss. of the good theefe.
• * 1.78

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.79

  2, Cor. 11.
• * 1.80

  Psal. 62.
• * 1.81

  The iudge∣ments of God.
• * 1.82

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.83

  Eccles. 3.
• * 1.84

  An obiecti∣on of the repentance of the Ni∣niuites.
• * 1.85

  Heb, 12,
• * 1.86

  2, Macha, 9,
• * 1.87

  Hester, 4,
• * 1.88

  Deut, 32,
• * 1.89

  Esay, 55,
• * 1.90

  Psalm, 129,
• * 1.91

  The diffe∣rence be∣tween the true Pro∣phets and the false.
• * 1.92

  Ierem, 37,
• * 1.93

  Psalm, 90,
• * 1.94

  Whence the Diuine iustice is knowne.
• * 1.95

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.96

  All men ought to feare.
• * 1.97

  Whence feare is in-gendered.
• * 1.98

  The begin∣ning of the wayes of the Lord.
• * 1.99

  The fall of deuills.
• * 1.100

  Esay, 14,
• * 1.101

  The fall of Adam.
• * 1.102

  Gen. 7.
• * 1.103

  Gen. 19.
• * 1.104

  Numb. 16.
• * 1.105

  Leuit. 10,
• * 1.106

  Acts, 5.
• * 1.107

  The hidden and secret iudgements of God.
• * 1.108

  Luke, 23.
• * 1.109

  The great infidelity of men.
• * 1.110

  2, Kings, 2.
• * 1.111

  Ierem, 5,
• * 1.112

  Chap, 8,
• * 1.113

  In the fore∣said chap.
• * 1.114

  Esay, 61,
• * 1.115

  2, Reg, 24,
• * 1.116

  Ecclus, 23,
• * 1.117

  Psalm, 69,
• * 1.118

  Saint Au∣gustine.
• * 1.119

  Psalm, 147,
• * 1.120

  Luke, 13,
• * 1.121

  Math, 7,
• * 1.122

  1, Pet, 3.
• * 1.123

  Eccles, 1,
• * 1.124

  Math, 26,
• * 1.125

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.126

  1, Tim. 2.
• * 1.127

  What it is to trust in God.
• * 1.128

  Ecclesi. 5.
• * 1.129

  The promi∣ses of God belong to y^e righteous, and y^e thret∣nings to the vnrighteous
• * 1.130

  Psal. 11.
• * 1.131

  Esd. 8.
• * 1.132

  Psal. 37. Psal. 4.
• * 1.133

  August. in his 11. ho∣mily among his 50.
• * 1.134

  Bernard in his 56. Ser∣mon a∣mongst his small ones.
• * 1.135

  Vertue a friend vnto reason.
• * 1.136

  Gal 5.
• * 1.137

  Rom 7.
• * 1.138

  4, Kings, 6.
• * 1.139

  Psal. 119.
• * 1.140

  Psalm, 19,
• * 1.141

  Math, 1,
• * 1.142

  Esay, 40,
• * 1.143

  Esay, 10,
• * 1.144

  Frō whence the difficul∣tie of ver∣tue ariseth.
• * 1.145

  Ezech, 11.
• * 1.146

  Rom, 4.
• * 1.147

  Esay, 41,
• * 1.148

  For what end the re∣liques of sins & euill appetites remaine in vs.
• * 1.149

  Psalm, 27,
• * 1.150

  Another obiection with the an∣swer.
• * 1.151

  Deut. 30.
• * 1.152

  Spirituall circumcisiō.
• * 1.153

  Deut. 10.
• * 1.154

  Augustine.
• * 1.155

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.156

  Esay, 26.
• * 1.157

  The com∣maunde∣ments of God are not impos∣sible.
• * 1.158

  Deut. 30.
• * 1.159

  2, Iohn, 5.
• * 1.160

  August. of holy wid∣dowhood.
• * 1.161

  In the 13. book of his cōfessions.
• * 1.162

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.163

  Petrus Ra∣uennas vp∣pon that, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God, &c.
• * 1.164

  Those things which are vncleane to the world, are cleane to the righ∣teous. Exod. 8.
• * 1.165

  Acts, 5,
• * 1.166

  Bernard in his small Sermons, chap. 30.
• * 1.167

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.168

  Prou, 4,
• * 1.169

  The way of the wicked, hard and difficult.
• * 1.170

  Psalm, 119,
• * 1.171

  Psalm, 17,
• * 1.172

  Psalm, 119,
• * 1.173

  Math, 11,
• * 1.174

  Osea, 11,
• * 1.175

  Exod, 3,
• * 1.176

  2, Cor, 4,
• * 1.177

  Esay, 40,
• * 1.178

  The great changes & ••lterations which the hand of the highest worketh.
• * 1.179

  The disci∣ples of Christ were on a sud∣daine made learned.
• * 1.180

  Cyprian in his 2, book, and 2, Epist.
• * 1.181

  Augustine in the 8, book of his Con∣fessions. Chap. 11.
• * 1.182

  Chap. 11.
• * 1.183

  In the 9, book of his Confessi∣ons. chap. 1.
• * 1.184

  What euils are in the world.
• * 1.185

  No felicitie of y^e world lasting.
• * 1.186

  Eccles, 11,
• * 1.187

  Wisdom, 5,
• * 1.188

  Esay, 29,
• * 1.189

  Baruch, 3,
• * 1.190

  Some mise∣ries are cō∣mon, both to the good and euill, some pro∣per onely to the wicked. Wisdom, 5,
• * 1.191

  Euils of GOD.
• * 1.192

  Gene, 4,
• * 1.193

  Deut, 7.
• * 1.194

  Punishmēts inflicted vp∣on the wic∣ked, by the Ministers of God.
• * 1.195

  The euils that passi∣ons bring.
• * 1.196

  Psal. 11.
• * 1.197

  Athanasius in the life of Saint Anthony.
• * 1.198

  Prou. 6.
• * 1.199

  Ecclesi. 13.
• * 1.200

  The blind∣nes of men.
• * 1.201

  See Cyprian in his 2, booke and 2, Epistle.
• * 1.202

  Psal. 14.
• * 1.203

  Hosea, 4.
• * 1.204

  Ierem, 9,
• * 1.205

  Psalm, 55,
• * 1.206

  Gene, 25,
• * 1.207

  What the world is.
• * 1.208

  Psalm, 55.
• * 1.209

  S. Bernard.
• * 1.210

  The world a hell.
• * 1.211

  Obiectiue beatitude.
• * 1.212

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.213

  Onely God can satisfie the hart of man.
• * 1.214

  The nature of the Sea∣mans nee∣dle.
• * 1.215

  Psal. 45.
• * 1.216

  S. Gregory deplored the losse of his quiet & sweet soli∣tary life.
• * 1.217

  Aug. of the manners of the Church, 1. booke & 3. chap.
• * 1.218

  No man happy in this world.
• * 1.219

  Eccle, 1,
• * 1.220

  Psalm, 4.
• * 1.221

  Psalm, 31.
• * 1.222

  The world an hypo∣crite.
• * 1.223

  S. Augustine
• * 1.224

  In vertue all perfecti∣ons are found.
• * 1.225

  Plato.
• * 1.226

  Prou 3.
• * 1.227

  Psal. 112.
• * 1.228

  Psal. 9.
• * 1.229

  Cicero in Loeli.
• * 1.230

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.231

  Vertue is loued in an enemy.
• * 1.232

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.233

  Gen. 31.
• * 1.234

  Psalm. 119.
• * 1.235

  In the same Psalm.
• * 1.236

  Wisdom. 8.
• * 1.237

  Cyprian in his 2, book, and 2, Epist.