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The Importance of Mans Salvati∣on, manifested by divers Mo∣tives and Considerations.
IT is an observation of St. Bonaventure, that there are two things which God doth allow, which are the Creation and Conserva∣tion of the world; there is one, which is the work of Man alone, and that is Sin; to the production of which, God doth not formally concur, as the
Psalmist affirms of him [Psal. 44] in these words, He loves Justice, and detesteth Ini∣quity, and therefore is far from being the Author and cause of it; There is yet a third thing which God and Man work to∣gether, which is our Salvation; for the obtaining of which, to his Grace we must joyn our endeavour, according to that common saying of St. Augustine, Qui fecit te sine te, non salvabit te, sine te. He who made thee without thee, will not save thee without thee; this is the work of Grace and our Will together, as the Apostle affirms of himself; Non ego sed gratia Deimecum; not I alone, but the grace of God with me; and therefore we are stiled by him Coadjutors and fellow-Labourers with God in this work.
Hence is that of St. Augustine, [St. Aug. lib. Hypog. c. 3.] Nec gratia sine libero arbitrio facit hominem habere vitam beatam, nec liberum arbitrium si∣ne gratia. Grace without our free will cannot make us blessed, nor our free will without grace, though it be true
what the Prophet said of the Son of God; operatus est salutem in medio terrae; he wrought Salvation in the mid'st of the Earth. Yet it is as true, that he re∣quires, that we should deny our selves, and assist him in carrying his Cross, the instrument of our Redemption; and so fulfil, as the Apostle speaks of himself, In our flesh, those things which are want∣ing of the Passion of Christ; that is, we should apply his merits and benefit of his Passion, and render them efficatious to us by our cooperation: Wherefore it highly concerns us seriously to consi∣der this grand affair of our Salvation, that we become not deficient in our en∣deavours concerning it.
Containing divers Considerations and Motives concerning the Importance of this Affair.
THe important Consequence of this, first appears, in that it seems to be the greatest of Gods works, and the end of all the rest. This our blessed Saviour insinuated in his Answer to the people, when they thus demanded of him in St. John, [John 8. 9.] what shall we do, ut operemur opera Dei? to perform the works of God? he replyes, Hoc est opus Dei, this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent.
As if he should have said unto them, you demand what are the works of God? in the Plural number. I answer you in the Singular number, that there is but One, for which he doth all the rest, and that is the Salvation of man.
Hence Tertullian considering all things in this world, said, Horum bono∣rum unus est titulus, salus hominis: they all carry this Title upon them, The Sal∣vation of man. When God had Cre∣ated this sensible world with the Hea∣vens, Elements, and all Creatures in it, he put this Title upon them, Salus ho∣minis; this was the end of their being, to which they were ordered; when he Created the Angels, he placed this as a Frontisepiece upon them, Salus homi∣nis, The Salvation of man; this is the affair in which they are imployed, as the Apostle [Heb. 1.] informes us, Om∣nes administratores Spiritus; All of them are administrating Spirits, sent for those who are to receive the inheritance of Sal∣vation. They labour incessantly in this affair, knowing it is the greatest work
of God, in which they can be imploy∣ed.
If God became Man, if he Preached, gave us examples of all Vertues, insti∣tuted the Sacraments, these and the like Marvels, have this Inscription upon them, Salus hominis, having no other end but this.
If he dyed on the Cross, it was for this design, he suffered Death to give us Life. It was from this consideration that Tertullian said, Nihil tam dignum Deo, quam salus hominis; nothing so worthy, or beseeming God, as the Salva∣tion of man: and St. Thomas gives this Reason of it; because the whole Uni∣verse, with all the Orders, Dispositions, and Marvels in it, do not so clearly and fully manifest his grandeurs as the Salva∣tion of man; for here he makes appear his Attributes and Perfections, which are his Power, Wisdome, Love, in a most eminent manner; which caused the holy Doctor to affirm, In rebus creatis nihil potest esse majus quam salus rationalis creaturae; In all Created things, there
is not any greater than mans Salvation. God could have Created Heavens more extended, and more richly adorned, than those which now rowl over our heads; an Earth more fruitful, than that which now supports us: Angels more intelligent, than those which now sing his Praises in Heaven; but he could not do any thing more Great, Noble, and Divine, than the Salvation of man: this is it, which after a soveraign manner, manifests his Attributes and Perfections. This consideration should cause us high∣ly to esteem, & incessantly to endeavour our Salvation which concerns so much the glory of God, which we are obliged to advance to our power. And seeing that God, on his part, so really and seri∣ously desires our Salvation, and so high∣ly esteems it, that he Created and Or∣dered all things in this universe for it; surely, by our neglecting it, we frustrate as much as in us lyes, all his designes, and dissolve and reduce to nothing the Creation of the world, with all things in it; for all things have their being, and
conservation, for no other end but this; what a stupendious ingratitude and con∣tempt of God and his benefits are invol∣ved in this neglect, who is so blind as not to discern it; and therefore most incon∣siderate and insensible to be guilty of such a crime.
The second is taken from our own proper Interests, which is no less than our Salvation; the loss of which, ren∣ders us miserable for all Eternity.
We will begin this consideration with those remarkable words, with which the Wise man concluded his Ecclesiastes, Deum time; fear God and observe his Commandements: hoc est omnis homo; for this is every man; or as St. Jerome translates it, This is the end of every mans Birth and Being; from which St. Ber∣nard draws this Consequence, Ergo absque hoc nihil est homo; then without this, man is nothing: Popes are not in the world to be Popes, nor Kings to be
Kings, nor Wise men to be Learned, and the like; but all universally to be saved. All the conditions and employ∣ments which possess the Spirits of men, ought to give place to this, and aime at it, as their proper object and end, without which they are in vain. This our Blessed Saviour affirms in those words of St. Matthew, [cap. 16.] quid prodest ho∣mini; what will it advantage a man, to gain the whole world, and to suffer detri∣ment in his Soul? what will it profit a man to have all the pleasures of the vo∣luptuous? all the riches the world can afford him? all the honours that men can confer upon him? if he were abso∣lute Monarck of the whole world, if at last he loseth his Soul. If he had all the knowledg of things natural and Divine; all the beauty that the body is capable of, such health for so long a time as he could desire, all the advantages of the world which men so ardently thirst after; all these, in the judgment of Christ, the Divine Wisdome of his Father, will be unprofitable if he comes not only to
lose, but to suffer detriment in his Soul: For this reason, the Royal Prophet stiles his Soul, his Darling, or his One; Erue a framea Deus animam meam, & de manu canis unicam meam: Deliver my Soul from the power of the Sword, and my One from the hand of the Dog: He calls his Soul his One, not only because as o∣ther men, he had but one Soul, but be∣cause it was most dear unto him, he lo∣ved it, and procured the conservation of it with all the care and diligence; which one imploys to preserve things; the rarity and worth of which, renders them preti∣ous and amiable. This caused St. Chry∣sostome [Hom. 12. de po.] to say, God hath given us two Eyes, two Ears, two Hands, two Feet, that if any Misfortune deprive us of the use of one, we may help our selves by the use of the other. Animam vero unam dedit nobis; but he hath given us but one Soul; if we lose this, we lose all irrevocably.
The Prophet David [Psal. 116.] well considered this, when he said Ani∣ma mea in manibus meis semper; my
Soul is always in my hands, to hold it fast, that I might not lose it, but exercise it in good works, defend it from all Enemies who would ruine it, and always consider the condition of it, according to that of St. Bernard, Non facile obliviscimur; We do not easily forget those things which we hold in our hands: the care of our Souls should always thus be present to us. That Holy Father thus continues his discourse about this subject; If thou art so sollicitous as not to neglect small things, so vigilant to preserve thy Corn, thy Cattel, thy Money, thy Earthly possessi∣ons, such inferiour and transitory things; art thou not then foolish and unreasonable to neglect the Salvation of thy Soul, which is thy true treasure? This as St. Gregory speaks, is to pervert Reason into extream Folly.
The excellence of true reason and judgment consists, in discerning the price of things, and esteeming them ac∣cording to their worth, and consequent∣ly to make more acccount incomparably of the Soul than of the Body; of things
Eternal than Temporal; of the affair of his Salvation, than of all other things; and he who doth not do this, is as one without sence and judgment, seeing he judgeth so ill of things, which with such an excess are disproportionable in va∣lue. Plato said true, that the effect of true Wisdom, is, to be Wise for one's own good. Solomon affirmed [Pro. 9. 12.] as much before him, Si sapiens fueris, tibimetipsi eris; true Wisdom consists in being Wise to ones self. The Devil hath more knowledg than all the Learn∣ed men on Earth, but not one grain of true Wisdom, being miserable for E∣ternity, and so infinitely distant from essential Wisdom, which is God himself. For this reason, Sinners unmindful of their Salvation, of what spirit and know∣ledg soever they be, are stiled in sacred Scripture, Fools and Insensible Creatures; so great is the concern for the Salvation of our Souls, that it is stiled by the A∣postle, and commended by him to the Thessalonians [1 Thes. 4.] as properly and particularly our affair; ut vestrum
negotium agatis, that you may do your work: as though we had but only this to attend to; for other things, about which we employ our labour and care, deserve not this name; they are affairs in which the success oftentimes doth not corres∣pond with our designs; affairs which pass away with little profit, and often contrary to the grand affair of our Sal∣vation.
This great affair of our Salvation would make us admire that manner of speech so frequent amongst us, when seeing any one busied amongst the intri∣gues of Courts, in the commerce of Mer∣chandize, in the negotiation of treaties and alliances, and the like; we use or∣dinarily to say, that he is a man of great businesse and affairs; it is an improper speech to give this name to imploy∣ments, which are but petite amusements, in which one for the most part loses his time, and often Heaven. We do not give the name of affairs to the employ∣ments of Children; as when they build their little houses of dirt, when they
ride upon a stick, and contend with such earnestness to carry away the glory, and to be Kings in their sports; these pueri∣lities and pastimes deserve not the name of affairs, being in themselves so little, and so momentary: In like manner the enterprises of men, to build houses, to purchase honours, to amass riches and the like; being not much more greater and durable than those of Children, de∣serve not the name of affairs: All men in the world have but one affair, about which they ought continually to imploy themselves, which is their Salvation; and if they mind this, then one may say, they are wise and able men, and busied about a grand affair.
This Tertullian well considered, when he said, In me unicum negotium: I have but one business in the world to at∣tend unto, which is the Salvation of my Soul: I abandon what the world calls af∣fairs, I decline the intrigues of the Court, the School of Philosophy, the company of Friends, to be vacant to this one affair, which I treat of with my self, and con∣cerning
which I am interessed. Our Blessed Saviour confirms all this, in call∣ing the young man in the Gospel to follow him; for when he required leave, first to go bury his Father, our Blessed Savi∣our replyed, Dimitte mortuous sepelire mortuos; let the dead bury the dead: as if he should have said, as St. Peter Chry∣sogolus observes, to bury the body of your Father, is not the most important affair you have to do; it is to follow me, and to look after your Salvation, which ought to be the first in execution, as it is in worth and merit; Terrenus pater post ponendus est patri coelesti, as that Holy Father concludes, The care of a Tempo∣ral Father is to come after that of our Heavenly.
We may discern the importance of our Salvation, by the many crafts and endeavours the Devil useth to hinder it, which are so many and so great, that he hath his name given him from them, be∣ing
called the Tempter; and as Tertullian speaks, Eversio hominis, operatio ejus; his only work is the ruine of man. The Prophet Hab. saith, that cibus ejus e∣lectus; his food is very choice, he desires to devour the Elect: he loves these deli∣cate morsels; he labours not, but to re∣sist the Salvation of men, and to procure their Damnation; this is his joy and triumph: And in the estate of misery, in which he is plunged, if he be capable of any satisfaction, it is the Damnation of man; for which reason, he is stiled by our Blessed Saviour in the Gospel, Inimi∣cus hominis, the Enemy of man; for be∣ing not able to revenge himself on God, he turns his fury against his Servants; and thinks he commits a great outrage against him, if he can reverse the design he hath for the Salvation of man, and de∣face Gods Image in our Soul. He is the Enemy of man, because he knows man is to possess the place he left vacant by his revolt. He is the Enemy of man, because by this, he thinks to find some solace in his misery, having Compani∣ons
with him in his sufferings, and sub∣jects upon which to exercise his fury; he useth all artifices, employs all his po∣wer; he is Prodigal in promises to com∣pass this, and to be an Usurper of Souls. He speaks as the King of Sodom did to Abraham, Da mihi animas, caetera tolle tibi; Give me the Souls, and take all the rest.
The pleasures of the Flesh are not for me; I misprise Riches, I leave Honours to the Ambitious; but for Souls, I con∣tinually thirst, and can never be satisfied. He was so bold, as to attempt against our Blessed Saviour himself, and to perswade him to adore him; he promised to give him Honours, Riches, Pleasures, all the Kingdoms of the Earth to do it; haec om∣nia tibi dabo; All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me. See here the esteem he makes of one Soul, from which Salvianus takes an oc∣casion to condemn the stupidity of men, who truly consider not the price of their Souls; Quis furor? viles habere ani∣mas, quas diabolus putat esse pretiosas?
What madness, to have a vile esteem of our Souls, which in the opinion of the Devil are judged so pretious? To sell that for a little money, for a momentary pleasure, for a blast of Honour, which the proper Enemy of it, valued above the whole world, seeing he presented that to pur∣chase it. This extream folly moved the said Salvianus, thus to exclaim, No∣vum genus emptionis & venditionis! A strange kind of buying and selling! the Devil gives nothing, and takes all! man receives nothing, and parts with all! When a Merchant contracts for any Ware, he receives the price agreed up∣on for it, and the buyer receives the Mer∣chandize: But here is the contrary. See the foolish traffick of Sinners, the Devil sells them the pleasures of the sences, he promiseth them Honours, which are but smoak; Riches, which a Theif, a Violence, an Injustice may de∣prive them of; and in selling these, he gives them nothing, because these are not at his disposal, he being not Lord of them; and for these, he receives from
us all the pretious things which concerns our Salvation. What a deplorable blind∣ness is this of Sinners, to esteem so lit∣tle of their Souls? I earnestly desire, that every one of them would follow that Counsel of the Wise man, [Eccles. 10. 31.] Serva animam tuam & da illi honorem secundum meritum suum: Save thy Soul, and give it that honour which is due unto it, according to its worth and dignity. And he adds, Quis honorifica∣bit? Who shall honour him, who dishonours his Soul? and who can defend or excuse him against the justice of God, who offends against his own Soul?
We may clearly discern the worth of our Soul, and the esteem and care we ought to have of the Salvation of it, by what Christ did do, and suffer, for this end.
The Salvation of our Soul avails as much as it cost; but it cost the Blood, the Merits, the Life of Christ, which are in∣finite;
from which we must necessarily conclude, that it is of an infinite value. I advance in this further; for ordinarily we value a thing, more than the price we paid to make it ours, if we be not de∣ceived in it; but the Son of God, who hath an infinite Wisdome, and so cannot be deceived in the esteem and valuing of things, gave his Life and Merits to purchase the Salvation of our Souls; may we not then say, that in some man∣ner, he esteemed them more than the price he gave for them.
I can declare unto you a clearer mani∣festation of this; Having redeemed our Souls with his pretious Blood and Mer∣rits, he esteemed this infinite price so little, as he esteemed them given him gratis by his Heavenly Father, Quos dedisti mihi, [John 10] whom thou hast given me. Again, to know what e∣steem the Son of God had of our Souls, after having purchased them with so great a price, he calls the Angels ••o Feast and Congratulate, not only man, but himself, as St. Thomas observes,
[Opusc. c. 63.] and to speak with him, as if man were the God of God, and that the felicity of the Soveraign Majesty de∣pended on the Salvation of man; as if he could not be happy, if man were mi∣serable.
Having shewed the price of thy Sal∣vation, the great esteem the Son of God had of it, that as St. Chrysostom speaks, Nihil indignum se putat, quod nobis pro∣ficiat ad salutem; He thought not any thing unworthy of him, which might con∣duce to our Salvation. If thou comest now to neglect this, by this Crime thou committest two grand outrages, One a∣gainst the Son of God, the Other against thy self: for the first St. Augustine observes, [St. Aug. Sermo. 37. de temp.] qui dat pro modica delectatione: He who gives to the Devil for a short pleasure or transitory satisfaction, that, for which Christ gave no less than himself. Stultum reputat Christum mercatorem; By that very acti∣on, condemns Christ as a foolish and ig∣norant Merchant. Who hath not light to discover, nor wisdome to esteem the
true value of Souls, seeing he did give an infinite price for the Salvation of them, which thou esteemest as a thing of nothing. What an affront is this offered to Christ? it is no less, as the Apostle affirms, than to trample his sa∣cred Blood under our feet; of which he complained by the Psalmist, Sicut aqua effusus sum; I am poured out as water: as a thing of no esteem, trampled under the feet of all.
Ah Sinner! this outrage against the Son of God will fall heavy upon thy self, when thou comest to lose thy soul, and to sell it to the Devil for a transitory pleasure: Hast thou any thing so preti∣ous wherewith to purchase it again, as the price that was given for it, and is so contemned by thee? St. Chrysologus assures thee, no. Quando eam tanti emptam perdideris, quomodo poteris eam deinceps emere? When thou losest that which was bought with so great a price, how can'st thou purchase it again? O Christians! after we have seen the esteem that God makes of our Salvation, the
price he hath given for it, the labours and sufferings that his only Beloved Son did undergo to procure it for us; the crafts and endeavours the Devil useth to deprive us of it, what remains but to conclude? that this is the only thing in which you should be employed; the grand affair which deserves the applicati∣on of your Spirits; the affections of your wills, the force of your bodies: when you have effected this, you have done all; if you miscarry in this, all is lost though you should gain the whole world by it.
Containing the Manner, how we must behave our selves in pro∣curing our Salvation.
HE who desires any thing efficaci∣ously, labours to obtain it seriously, diligently, and with perseverance; which are the three Conditions to be ob∣served in this work of our Salvation.
We must labour in it seriously, accor∣ding to the example of our Blessed Savi∣our, who out of zeal to convert the Sa∣maritan Woman, travelled half a day in the heats of the Sun, with great wea∣riness
and thirst to be at the place whi∣ther she was to come, to meet with an opportune occasion for her Conversion: To make, of another Sinner, a Peni∣tent, he went to a banquet, and expected there her coming; and he travelled up and down, and frequented the company of sinners to effect this great business, which was the end of his coming into the world. St. Paul had the perfect knowledg and practice of this truth, and therefore travelled seriously with the whole application of his Spirit, for the Salvation of his Brethren. Hear how he speaks unto them, [2 Corinth. 12.] Ego autem libentissime impendam, & su∣perimpendar, pro animabus vestris; I will gladly spend, and be spent for your Souls sake: There is not any thing which I will not do, to advance your Salvati∣on, which is so dear and pretious to me, that I am ready to give my self to pro∣cure it. Upon which, is that of St. Am∣brose; Non solum sua, pro eis impendere paratum se dicit, sed etiam seipsum pro sa∣lute animarum: He is not only content to
give those things which are his, but also to expose and give himself for the salvation of their Souls. This Zeal of his, he more fully expressed in that to the Ro∣mans, [Cap. 9.] Optabam, ego ipse, Anathemaesse a Christo, pro fratribus meis. I did desire to be separated from Christ, for the Salvation of my Brethren. His own interests drew him to be with Christ as his Cupio dissolvi, I desire to be dissolved, sufficiently testifies; but for the Salvation of his Brethren, he was content for a time, to be separated from the glory of Christ, and to remain here on Earth, to labour in this work.
By this we may easily apprehend how we ought to employ the things of this world, and expose our life too, if it be necessary for our Salvation, our great af∣fair in this world. But this which con∣cerns us so much is so slightly passed o∣ver, that we may justly complain with those Prophets, [Jerem. Daniel. Osee.] Desolatione desolata est omnis terra, quia non est qui recogitet corde; The whole Earth is become desolate, because there is not any
one who seriously considers in his heart. We may find many who think of their Salvation, but it is only superficially, not with the heart, and so their thoughts are cold and barren; cold, because they produce not an ardent desire to execute what they think; they are barren, be∣cause they produce not holy motions and actions. The Devil and Reprobate have the like; the thought of their Beauti∣tude lost, is continually present to them, they know the excellency of it, by suf∣fering the privation thereof; but this is not with the heart, with a consideration which is affective, ardent, effective: When we Will a thing efficatiously, it doth not only busie our thoughts, but employs our hands, and industry, to la∣bour, our tongues frequently to speak of it; the heart, the hand, the tongue, are joyned in this work; the heart to medi∣tate, the hand to execute, the tongue to publish it. Ex abundantia cordis os lo∣quitur: Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.
From the Zeal and serious considera∣tion of our Salvation, ordinarily pro∣ceeds an exquisite diligence for the pro∣curing of it; which is the second Conditi∣on necessarily required in this work.
Our B. Saviour hath given us an ad∣mirable example in this kind; the sa∣cred Scripture [Heb. 10.] saith of him, that entring into the world by the miste∣ry of his Incarnation, he said unto his Heavenly Father, You Will not the Sacrifices of the Law, therefore I offer up the body you have given me for a Victime, to honour your Majesty, to satisfie your Justice, to appease your Anger. He did not delay his sufferings to the end of this life, but the first moment he entered in∣to the world as Man, he presented him∣self as a Victime. And when he was then adored by the Angels, at the command of his Heavenly Father, even then he would honour him as his Servant and
Victime. In the whole course of his life, he travelled in this affair with such diligence, as the Psalmist resembles him to a Gyant exulting to run his course, with an incredible vigour in all the wayes, wherein he might work our Salvation. His Espouse admiring this in her Canti∣cles, [Cant. 2.] compares this course of his to the swiftness of a Roe and Hart. The Angels descended and ascended in Jacobs Ladder without repose, in the ex∣ercise which they continue indefatigably for the Salvation of men. Job by his own example shewed us with what fer∣vour and diligence we should proceed in this affair, [Job 29.] Causam quam ignorabam diligentissime investigabam: If I did not understand the rights between parties to accord them, I used most exqui∣site diligence to understand it.
I did not defer till to morrow what I could do to day, but apply'd my self with∣out delay to all the good works I could perform for the advance of my Salvati∣on.
Tobias did often rise from the Table,
left his refection, quitted the Company of his Friends; to bury the dead, and to exercise works of mercy towards the poor and needy. Abraham stood in the common ways, to find and invite Pil∣grims to his house, where his Wife and Domesticks were busied in preparing a refection for them. St. Paul [Acts 5.] protested to the faithful, that he used all possible diligence in his Apostolical function. That which the examples of the Saints inform us, the Wise man Councelled in his Proverbs, Diligenter exerce agrum tuum; diligently cultivate thy field. We must not imagine that he speaks here of good Husbandry, but un∣der the symbol of a field, he insinuates that we should labour with diligence to extirpate vices, to acquire vertues; to increase in grace which God bestows up∣on us, to work out our Salvation by: Besides the Examples and Instructions of the Saints for our diligence in this af∣fair, reason perswades also this truth; we see that a man applyes himself with diligence, to affairs of importance, and
to things of consequence, which have an indeterminate and uncertain time, of which he knows not the length or short∣ness: Our Salvation hath these two cir∣cumstances, the thing is most pretious, and of the greatest concern; the time to compass it, is altogether uncertain; Death, after which we cannot work, often steals upon us, as a Thief in the Night, when we think our selves most secure of life; and therefore it concerns us to attend to our Salvation with all di∣ligence, lest we be surprised unexpect∣edly, as the foolish Virgins were, and the rich Glutton in the Gospel.
If we have a Suit in Law, for the gain∣ing of a possession, for the reparation of an injury, or the like, we apply all our endeavours, we regard not the rigour of the seasons, nor the suffering of our bo∣dies, nor length of ways; we move e∣very stone that might obstruct or further our designs; but for our Salvation, which is the greatest concern we have in the world, we think much to spend an hour at a Sermon, where we may be in∣structed
in this, and the means to obtain it; to spend half an hour in a day to hear Mass, or to Pray where we may re∣ceive grace to carry on this affair with fervour; we are loath to give an Alms to a poor body, to merit the divine suc∣cours; such is our blindness and stupidi∣ty. When we suffer any maladies in our bodies, as St. Chrysostom [Hom. 22. ad pop.] affirms, we presently send for Physitians, we think no cost much for the cure of them, Animam vero vitiis laborantem negligimus; But we suffer our Souls to corrupt and putrifie in sin. To procure a remedy, and to purchase an immortal life, for them we are ex∣tream negligent.
This unreasonable preferring of the Body before the Soul, the immortal and divine part of us ought to cover us with Confusion in this world, where we would appear judicious & wise; & in the mean time, we shew our selves to be un∣reasonable and senceless.
It was a complaint of St. Bernard, A∣spicio genus humanum; I behold mankind
walking from the rising of the Sun, to the going down of it, through the spatious Mart and Market of the world, where some hunt after Riches, others gape for Honours, many pursue Pleasures, most spend their time in Vanities and Imperti∣nencies; few mind the eternal good of their Souls, for which they came into the World. Seneca discovered this truth, si volueris attendere; if thou wilt consider, thou maist discern that a great part of mens lives pass away in doing Ill, the greatest part in Idleness and nothing, the Image of Death, and pomp of Vices; the whole in minding and doing another thing than which they came for. We read of a Phylosopher, who busied himself thirty years in observing the Oe∣conomie of Bees, of a Graver who spent his whole life in Carving and Pollishing one Statue of Isocrates, who studied ten years to compose an Oration which he was to pronounce at the Olympick Exer∣cises; of many Phylosophers, who Tra∣velled divers Countries, with many dangers and inconveniences to acquire
humane knowledg and experience; shall not these rise up in judgment and con∣demn us, if we think any time tedious to imploy in the affair of our Salvation?
If we desire efficatiously to be saved, we must labour with perseverance, accor∣ding to the example of our B. Saviour on the Cross, who would not descend from thence to put an end to his sufferings, and to the incredulity of the people who de∣sired it; but as he says himself, he would there finish and consummate the work his Father had recommended to him; which was the Salvation of men for his glory. The Wise-man said, that omnia tempus habent, there is a time for all things; a time to Sow, and a time to Reap, and the like; and out of these Seasons, they are not to be done.
But the affair of our Salvation hath no certain time assigned for it; but the whole course of our life, from the first
moment that we have the use of reason, to the last, is to be employed in it. Rea∣son perswades us this truth, and gives us to understand of what importance the assiduity of this work is; because our Salvation depends on the last action of our life; if that be good, meritorious and agreeable to God, it will save us; if bad, sure enough we shall be damned, for as the Tree falls, so it shall lie: But here our death is uncertain, and every moment of our life may be the last, and the fatal stroke may surprise us when we think least of it: have we not reason then to travel incessantly in the affair of our Salvation, to secure it as much as possi∣bly we can? for unless we persevere unto the end in it, we cannot be saved. And the breaking off this work, and declining out of the right way, though it be but for a time, may be the cause of our not persevering to the end, and consequent∣ly of our eternal perdition.
Many examples in this kind, Sa∣cred and Ecclesiastical History afford us; and happy are we, if we become so wise by them, as at all times to be vigilant about this affair.