Of the punishmentes which the Lord threatneth vnto such as liue a sinfull life. Chap. I.

ONe of the principal means which the Lord hath vsed often times to bridle the hearts of men, and to draw them vn­to the obedience of his com­mandements, hath bene to set before their eyes the horrible plagues and punishments, that are prepared for such persons as be rebels, and transgressors of his lawe: for although the hope of the rewardes that are promised to the good in the life to come, may moue vs very much hereunto, yet are we cō ­mōly more moued with things [Page 50]that be irkesome vnto vs, than with things that be pleasant: e­uen as we see by dayly experi­ence, that we are vexed more with an iniurie done vnto vs, than delighted with any honor: and we are more troubled with sicknesse, than comforted with health: and so by the discom­moditie of sickenesse we come to vnderstand the commoditie of health: as by a thing so much the better perceiued, by how much more it is sensibly felt. Nowe for this cause did the Lorde in times past vse this, meanes more then any other, as it appeareth most clearely by the writings of the Prophets, which are euery where full of dreadfull saying and threat­nings, [...]hy the [...]ord ordi­arily vseth [...]reatnings. wherwith the Lord pre­tended to put a terror into the hearts of men, and so to bridle [Page 51]& subdue them vnder the obe­dience of his law: and for this end he commaunded the Pro­phet leremie, Ier. 36.2. that hee should take a white booke, and write in the same all the threatnings and calamities which he had reuea­led vnto him, euen from the first day he began to talke with him, vntill that present houre: and that hee should reade the same in the presence of all the people, to see if peraduenture they would be mooued there­with to repentance & to chāge their former life, to the end that he might also change the deter­mination of his wrath, which he had purposed to execute vpon them: and the holy Scripture sayth, That when the Prophet had done according as he was commaunded by Almightie God, and had read all those [Page 52]threatnings in the presence of the people, and of the Rulers, there arose such a feare and ter­ror amōg them, that they were all astonished, and as it were bestraught of their wits, loo­king one in anothers face, for the exceeding great feare which they had conceiued of those wordes.

This was one of the princi­pal meanes that Almighty God vsed with men in the time of the law written, and so did hee also in the time of the lawe of grace; in which the holy Apo­stle sayth, [...]om 1. that as there is reuea­led a iustice whereby God ma­keth men iust, so is there also reuealed an indignation and wrath, wherwith he punisheth the vniust. For which cause Saint Iohn Baptist, the glori­ous forerunner of our Sauiour [Page 53]Christ, was sent with this com­mission & embassage, to preach vnto the worlde, Matth. 3. verse 10. luke 3.9. that the axe was now put to the roote of the tree, and that euery tree that brought not foorth good fruite should be cut downe, and cast in­to the fire. He sayd moreouer, that there was another come in­to the world more mightie then he, that caried in his hande a fanne, to winnow & clense ther­with his flower, and that hee would put vp his corne into his garnard, but the chaffe he would burne in a fire that should neuer be quenched. This was the prea­ching and embassage, which the holy fore-runner of our Sa­uiour Christ brought into the worlde, and so great was the thunder of these wordes, and the terrour which entred into mens hearts so dreadfull, that [Page 54]there ran vnto him of all state and conditions of men, euen o [...] the very Pharisees and Publi­cans, yea and souldiers also (which of all others are woo [...] to be most dissolute, & to hau [...] least care of their conscience and each of them for himself [...] demaunded particularly of the holy man, what he should d [...] to attaine vnto saluation, an [...] to escape those terrible threa [...] ­nings which he had denounce vnto them: so great was th [...] feare they had conceiued [...] them.

Now this is that (my dear Christian brother) which I do [...] at this present in the behalfe [...] Almightie God preach vnt [...] thee, although not with su [...] feruencie of spirit, and like ho [...] lines of life, yet (that which in porteth more to this case) wit [...] [Page 55]the same truth, and certaintie: for so much as the faith and Gospel that Saint Iohn Baptist preached at that time, was no other, but this which we preach at this present.

Now if thou be desirous to vnderstand in few words, how great the punishment is, that Almightie God hath threatned in his holy Scriptures to the wicked, that which may most briefely and most to the pur­pose be saide in this matter, is this: that like as the rewarde of the good is an vniuersall good thing, euen so the punishment of the wicked is an vniuersall euill, which comprehendeth in it all the euils that are. For the better vnderstanding whereof it is to be noted, that all the e­uils of this life are particular e­uils, and therefore doe not tor­ment [Page 56]all our senses generally, but onely one or some of them. As taking an example of the diseases of our bodie, The mise­ries of this life are par­ticular. wee see that one hath a disease in his eies, another in his eares, one is sicke in his heart, another in his stomacke, some other in his head, and so diuerse men are diseased in diuerse parts: how­beit in such wise, that none of all these diseases bee generally throughout all the members of the bodie, but particular to some one of them. And yet for all this we see what griefe onely one of these diseases may put vs vnto, and howe painefull a night the sicke man hath in any one of these infirmities, yea al­though it be nothing else but a litle ache in one tooth. Now let vs put the case, that there were some one man sicke of such an [Page 57]vniuersall disease, that hee had no part of his bodie, neither any one ioynt or sense free from his proper griefe and torment, but that at one time and instant he suffered most exceeding sharpe paines in his head, in his eyes and eares, in his teeth and sto­make, in his liuer and heart, and to be short, in all the rest of the members and ioynts of his bo­die, and that hee lay after this sort stretching himselfe in his bed, pained with these griefes and torments, euery member of his bodie hauing his particu­lar torment, he I say, that shold lie thus pained, and afflicted, how great torment and griefe of minde, thinke ye, should he sustaine? O what thing could any man imagine more misera­ble, and more worthy of com­passion? Surely if thou sholdest [Page 58]see but a dogge so tormented the streete, How the damned are tormented in [...]ell. his very paines wo [...] moue thee to pittie him. No [...] this is that (my deere Christi [...] brother, if any comparison m [...] be made between them) which is suffered in that cursed hom [...] ­ble place of hell, not onely [...] the space of one night, but [...] uerlastingly, for euer and eue [...]. For like as the wicked haue o [...] fended Almightie God with [...] their members and senses, a [...] haue made armour of them [...] to serue sinne: euen so will h [...] ordaine that they shall there [...] all tormented each one of the with his proper torment: Eyes. the shall the wanton and lechero [...] eyes be tormēted with the t [...] rible sight of diuels: Eares. the ear [...] with the confusion of such ho [...] rible cries, and lamentations shall there be heard: Nose. the no [...] [Page 59]with the intollerable stench of that filthy and lothsome place: the taste, Taste. with a most rauenous hunger and thirst: the touching, Touching. and all the members of the bo­die, with extreame colde and fire: the imagination, Imagina­tion. shall bee tormented by conceiuing of griefes present: the memorie, Memorie. by calling to minde the plea­sures past: the vnderstanding, Vnderstan­ding. by considering what benefites are left, and what miseries are to come. This multitude of pu­nishmentes the holy Scripture signifieth vnto vs, when it faith, that in hell there shall be hunger, Mat. 5. Psal. 10. thirst, weering, wailing, gnashing of teeth: swordes double edged, spirits created for reuengement, serpents, worms, scorpions, ham­mers, and wormewood, water of gall, the spirit of tempest, and o­ther things of like sort. Wherby [Page 60]are signified vnto vs, as in a fi­gure, the multitude and dread­full terror of the most horrible paines and torments, that be in that cursed place, there shall be like wise darkenesse, both in­ward and outward, both of bo­die and soule: farre more ob­scure then the darkenesse of E­gypt, Exod. 10. which might be felt e­uen with hands. There shall be fire also, & not as this fire here that tormenteth a litle, & short­ly endeth, but such a fire as that place requireth, which tormen­teth exceedingly, and shall ne­uer make an end of tormēting. Now if this be true, what grea­ter wonder can there be, than that they which beleeue and confesse this for trueth, should liue with such a strange negli­gence and carelesnesse as they doe? What trauailes and paines [Page 61]would not a man willingly take to escape euen one onely day, yea one houre, the very least of all these torments? And where­fore do they not then to escape the euerlastingnesse of so great paines, & horrible tormēts, en­dure so litle a trauell, as to fol­lowe the exercise of vertue? Surely the consideration of this matter were able to make a man besides himselfe, in case he would deepely weigh it.

And if among so great a number of paines, The dam­ned have no kind of cō ­fort, or hope of any case, or end of their most horri­ble tormēts. there were any maner of hope of ende or release, it would be some kinde of comfort: but alas it is not so, for there the gates are fast shut vp from all expectation of anie maner of ease, or hope: in all kind of paines, and calamities that be in this world, there is al­wayes some gappe lying open, [Page 62]whereby the patient may [...] ceiue some kinde of comfo [...] sometimes reason, sometime the weather, sometimes friendes, sometimes the hea [...] that others are troubled w [...] the very same disease, & some­times at the least the hope of [...] end, may cheere him somewh [...] Onely in these most horri [...] paines and miseries that bee hell, all the wayes are shut vp such sort, and all the hauen [...] comfort so embarred, that miserable sinner cannot he [...] for remedie on any side, neith [...] of heauen, nor of earth, neith [...] of the time past, or present, [...] of the time to come, neither by any other meanes. The da [...] ­ned soules thinke that all m [...] are shooting darts at them, [...] that all creatures haue con [...] ­red against them, and that [...] [Page 63] [...]y themselues are cruell a­ [...]nst themselues. To this may [...]e applied that saying of the [...]ly Prophet Dauid: Psal. 17.6. The so­ [...]wes of bill haue compassed [...] round about, and the snares [...]death haue besieged mee. For [...] which side so euer they [...]oke, or turne their eyes, they [...]oe continually behold occa­ [...]ions of sorrowe and griefe, [...]nd none at all of any ease, or [...]omfort. Mat. 25.10. The wise Virgines sayeth the Euangelist) that [...]loode readie prepared at the [...]ates of the bridegroome entred [...], and the gate was foorthwith locked. O locking euerlasting! O inclosure immortall! O gate of all goodnesse, which shal ne­ [...]er any more be opened again, [...] if he had said more plainely, [...]e gate of pardon, and mercie, of comfort, of intercession, of [Page 64]hope, of grace, and of all go [...] nesse is shut vp for euer and [...] uer. Sixe dayes & no more [...] Manna to be gathered, but seuenth day, Exod. 16. which was the both day, there was none to found, and therefore shall fast for euer, that hath not due time made his prouision forehand. The sluggard (sa [...] the wise man) will not till ground for feare of colde, Pro. 20. [...] therefore shall hee begge [...] bread in sommer, and no [...] shall giue him to eate, an [...] an other place he faith: He [...] gathereth in sommer is a [...] sonne, and hee that giueth [...] selfe to sleeping at that season the sonne of confusion. For w [...] confusion can there be great then that which that misera [...] couetous riche man suffer [...] who with a fewe crumme [...] [Page 65]bread that fell from his table, [...]ight haue purchased to him­ [...]fe abundance of euerlasting [...]elicitie, and glorie in the king­ [...]ome of heauen: but because [...]e would not giue so small a [...]ning, he came to such an ex­ [...]eame necessitie, that he beg­ [...]d, yea and shall for euer [...]gge, but onely the droppe [...]colde water, and shall neuer [...]taine it: who is not mooued [...]ith that request of this infor­ [...]nate damned person, who [...]ryed: O father Abraham, haue [...]mpassion vpon me, & send La­ [...]arus vnto mee, that hee may [...]ppe the tippe of his finger in [...]ater, and touch my tongue, for [...]hese horrible flames doe tor­ [...]ēt me exceedingly. What smal­ [...]r request could there be desi­ [...] then this? hee durst not re­ [...]uest so much as one cuppe of [Page 66]water, [...]either that Laza [...] should put this whole handing the water, not yet (which more to be wondre [...]d at) did request so much as th [...]e w [...] finger, but onely the tip [...]ed that it might touch his to [...] and yet this onely would be graunted vnto him, wh [...] by thou maiest perceiue, h [...] fast the ga [...]e of all consolation shut vp, and howe vniuer [...] that interdict and excommu [...] cation is, which is there laid [...] on the damned, fith this m [...] glutton could not obtaine much as this small request [...] that where soeuer the damn [...] persons do turn their eies, & [...] which side soeuer they sire [...] forth their hands, they shall [...] finde any maner of comfort, i [...]neuer so small, and as he th [...] is in the sea choked, and almo [...] [Page 67]drowned vnder the water, not [...]inding any stay wherewith to [...]ttle his foot, stretcheth forth [...]is handes often times on eue­ [...]e side in vaine, (because all [...]hat he graspeth after is thinne and liquid water, which de­ceiueth him) euen so shall it [...]re with the damned persons, [...]en they shall be drowned in [...]hat deepe sea of so many mise­ [...]ies, where they shall striue and struggle alwayes with death, without finding any succour or place of stay, whereupon they may rest themselues. Now this is one of the greatest paines wherewith they be tormented in that cursed place. For if these tormēts should haue their con­tinuance limited but for a cer­taine time, though it were for a thousand, yea, a hundred thou­sand millions of yeres, yet euen [Page 68]this would bee some litle com­fort vnto them, for nothing perfectly great in case it hau [...] an end, but alas, they haue no [...] so much as this poore and mi­serable comfort, but contra [...] wise, their paines are equall continuance with the eterni [...] of Almightie God, In hell shall be no end of torment. and the sting of their miserie, with t [...] eternitie of Gods glory: as lon [...] as Almightie God shall liue, [...] long shall they die: and whe [...] Almightie God shall cease t [...] bee God, then shall they all [...] cease to be as they are. O dea [...] ­ly life! O immortall death! know not whether I may true­ly tearme thee either life, [...] death: for if thou be life, wh [...] doest thou kill? and if thou be death, how doest thou endure wherefore I will call thee ney­ther the one, nor the other: fo [...] [Page 69]so much as in both of them there is contained some that is good, as in life there is rest, and in death there is an end (which [...]s a great comfort to the affli­cted:) but thou hast neither rest nor end: what art thou thē? Marie, thou art the worst of life, and the worst of death, for of death thou hast the torment without end, and of life thou [...]ast the continuance without any rest. Almightie God hath [...]poyled both life and death of that good which they had, and hath put in thee, that which [...]emained to be a punishment or the wicked. O bitter com­ [...]osition! ô vnsauerie purga­ [...]ion of the Lords cup, Psal. 74. of the which all the sinners of the [...]arth shall drinke their part.

Now in this continuance, in his eternity, I would wish that [Page 70]thou (my deare Christian bro­ther) wouldest fixe the eyes o [...] thy consideration a litle while & that as the cleane beast che­weth her cud, euen so tho [...] wouldest chew and weigh th [...] point within thy self with grea­ter deliberation: and to the in­tent thou maist do it the bet­ter, consider a litle the pain [...] that a sicke man abideth in o [...] ­cuill night, especially if he [...] vexed with anie vchemēt grie [...] or sharpe disease: marke ho [...] often he tumbleth and toss [...] in his bed, what disquietnes [...] hehath, how long and tedio [...] one night seemeth vnto hi [...] how duly he counteth all th [...] houres of the clocke, and ho [...] long he thinketh each of the to be, how he passeth the tim [...] in wishing for the dawning the day, which notwithsta [...] [Page 71]ding is like to helpe him verie litle towards the curing of his disease. If this then be accoun­ted so great a torment, what a torment shall that be (trow ye) in that euerlasting night in hell, which hath no morning, nor so much as anie hope of dawning of the day? O darknesse most obscure! ô night euerlasting! ô night accursed euen by the mouth of Almightie God, and of all his Saints: that one shall wish for light, and shall neuer see, neither shall the bright­nesse of the morning arise [...]ie more; consider then, what a kind of torment that [...]hall be, to liue euerlasting­ [...]y in such a night as this is, [...]ing not in a soft bed, (as [...]e sicke man doth) but in a [...]te burning furnace foming [Page 72]out such terrible raging flames what shoulders shall bee a­ble to abide these horrible heates? Oh how it maketh ma [...] euen to tremble & quake, only to thinke of it! If it seeme to vs thing intollerable, to haue on­ly some part of our feet stan­ding vpon a panne of burning coales for the space of saying one Pater noster, what shall be (trowe ye) to stand body and soule, burning in the mi [...] dest of those euerlasting h [...] ­raging fiers in hell, in compa­rison whereof the fiers of th [...] world are but painted fires! there any wit or iudgement this world? haue men th [...] right senses? do they vnde [...] ­stand what these words [...] import? or are they peradue [...] ­ture perswaded, that these [...] onely fables of Poets? or [...] [Page 73]they thinke that this apper­taineth vnto them, or else that it was meant onely for others? none of all this can they say, for so much as our faith as­sureth vs certainely herein: and our Sauiour Christ him­selfe, who is the euerlasting truth, cryeth out in his Gos­pell, Mat. 24.35 Mar. 13. 31. saying: Heauen and earth shall faile, but my word shall ne­uer faile.

Of this miserie there follo­weth an other, as great as it, Section. 3. The paines of hell conti­nue euer­more in one degree. which is, that the paynes are alwayes continuing in one like being, and in one same degree, without anie manner of intermission, or decreasing. All maner of things that are vnder the cope of heauen, do moue and turne round about with the same heauen, and do neuer stand still at one state [Page 74]or being: but are continually either ascending or descēding. The sea and the riuers haue their ebbing and flowing, the times, the ages, and the muta­ble fortune of men & of king­domes, are euermore in conti­nuall motion, there is no seue so feruent, that doth not de­cline; neither griefe so sharpe but that after it is much aug­mented, it doth forthwith de­crease. To be short, all the tri­bulations and miseries are by litle and litle worne away with time: and as the common say­ing is, nothing is sooner drie vp then teares, only that pain in hell is alwayes greene: on­ly that feuer neuer decreaseth onely that extremitie of hea [...] knoweth not what is either euening or morning. In the time of Noes floud Almight [...] [Page 75]God rained fortie dayes and fortie nights continually with­out ceasing vpon the earth; and this sufficed to drowne the whole world, but in that place of torment in hell there shall raine euerlasting speares, and darts of furie vpon that cursed land, without euer cea­sing so much as one onely mo­ment; and this is so true, that as (faith a Schoole-man) euen the paines which shall be there giuen for the smallest sinnes, shall be likewise euerlasting, aswell as those paines which be there prescribed for the greatest and most hainous sins, for infinite punishment is due vnto all sinnes, because in the estate of damna­nation there is no absolution or discharge of anie debt, [Page 76](for that the time of paying and satisfying is then past) ther­fore shall the paine due vnto veniall sinne continue euer­more in one same estate, and shall neuer cease. Now what torment can be greater and more to be abhorred, then cō [...] ­tinually to suffer after one like maner without any kind of al­teration or change, though [...] meate be neuer so delicate yet in case we feed continual­ly thereupon, it will in verie short time be verie lothsome vnto vs: for no meate can be more precious and delicate, then that Manna was, which almightie God sent to the chil­dren of Israell in the desert, and yet because they did eate continually thereof, it made them to lothe it, yea, and pro­uoked them to vomite it vp a­gaine. [Page 77]The way that is al plaine (they say) wearieth more then anie other, because alwayes the varietie (yea euen in punish­ments) is a kind of comfort. Tell me then of good fellow­ship, if things that be pleasant and sauorie, when they be al­wayes after one maner, are an occasion of lothsomnesse and paine, what kind of lothsom­nesse will that be, which shall be caused by those most horri­ble paines, & torments in hell, which do continue euerla­stingly after one like sort: what will the damned and cursed creatures thinke, when they shall there see themselues so vtterly abhorred, and forsaken of Almighty God, that he will not so much as with the remis­sion of one small sin, mitigate somewhat their torment? so [Page 78]great shall the furie and rage be which they shal there conceiue against him, that they shall ne­uer cease continually to curse and blaspheme his holy name.

Vnto all these paines there is also added the paine of that euerlasting consumer, Section. 4. The worme of cōscience. Esay. 66. verse. 24. which is the worme of conscience, whereof the holy Scripture makes oftentimes mention, saying: Their worme shall ne­uer die: and their fire shall ne­uer be quenched. This worme is a furious raging despight, & a bitter repentance without a­ny fruit, which the wicked shall haue alwayes in hell, by calling to their remembrance the o­portunitie and time they had whiles they were in this world to escape: these most grieuous and horrible torments, & how they would not vse the benefit [Page 79]therof, & therfore whē the nai­serable sinner seeth himself thus tormented and vexed on euery side, and calleth to mind how manie dayes and years he hath spent idlely in vanities, in pa­stime, and pleasures, and how oftentimes he was aduerti­sed of this perill, and how litle regard he toke thereof. What shall he thinke? what an­guish & sorrow shall there be in his he art? hast thou not read in the Gospell, Luke 13 that there shall be weeping, and wayling and gnashing of teeth. Now these & others the like shall be the causes of this so great & exces­siue griefe. For the better vn­derstāding hereof, being a mat­ter of so great importāce, I will giue thee a like exāple, let vs cal to mind the history of Ioseph & that great famin that cotinued [Page 80]for the space of seuen yeares in Egypt, G [...]. 41. before which famine (as the holy Scripture faith) the abundance of corne in the o­ther seuen yeares before was so great, that it might be com­pared with the sands of the sea and exceeded all measure, but after that these seuen yeares were ended, there followed o­ther seuen yeares of so great barrennesse and dearth, that e­uen in the first yeare of thē all, the people of Egypt came be­fore king Pharao, crying out and saying: Giue vs somewhat to eate. The king sent them to Ioseph, who required of them all the mony they had, & gaue them for the same corne suffi­cient for that yeare: when that was consumed and spent, they returned the yeare following vnto Ioseph, saying, Giue vs [Page 81]to eate: what, wilt thou suffer vs to die for hunger in thy pre­seuce, because wee haue no more money to giue thee? to whom he aunswered: deliuer vnto me al your heards of cat­tell, and for the same I will giue you corne in exchange, since you haue no more money left. After that they had deliuered vnto him all their cattell, and that their prouision was also spent, they came againe to him the next yeare, saying; now thou knowest my Lord that we haue no money, nor cattell to giue thee, and there remai­neth nothing else but onely our bodies and lands, how canst thou suffer vs to die here for hunger in thy sight, our per­sons, and lands, which are only left of all our substance are thine, buy vs as slaues for the [Page 82]king, & giue vs (if it be thy plea­sure) corn to sow the lād that [...] lie not vntilled, & desolate, wh [...] they are al dead that shold til & inhabit it. By this meane came Ioseph to buy al the land in E­gypt, for euery one sould his possessiōs by reason of the great famine which they suffred: thi [...] is the history. Now let vs take that out of it that serueth to out purpose, tell me then I beseech thee, what a griefe was it vnto these miserable mē when the [...] remēbred thēselues of those vi [...] plentifull yeres past, & saw we with how little money they might haue prouided corne a­fore hād, yea, and haue layd v [...] also wherby to inrich thēselue during their liues, how iustly might they lament & reprou [...] thēselues, saying, ô how vnfo [...] tunate are we [...] might so easi [...] [Page 83]haue prouided for this dearth, and would not, if we had not [...]in admonished of this before [...]and, then perhaps our neg­ [...]gence might haue had some excuse, but being thereof [...]duertised so long time before, & seeing with al, what speed & [...]iligence the kings purueyours made to gather together & lay vp all the corne they could get, the which was sufficiēt to giue vs to vnderstād what we ought to haue done in that behalfe, & yet for all this to be so slothfull, & careles as we were, what ex­ [...]use cā we haue? O how much worth wold that be to vs at this present which thē we despised, & contēned! what riches might [...]ee now get with the same [...]orne, which we did thē wilful­ [...]y cast away? But (my good [...]rethren) all this is but as a sha­dow [Page 84]dow compared with the truth That famine in Egypt endure only for seuen yeares, but thi [...] in hel shal indure euerlastingly that found a remedy, though with great difficulty & charge but for this, there shall neuer [...] ­ny remedy be foūd; that might be redeemed with money an [...] cattell, but this can neuer be re­deemed with any maner of ex­change, this punishment can­not be pardoned, this paine ca­not be exchanged, this senten [...] cannot be reuoked: to con­clude, those men of Egypt af­ter that the seuen yeares we [...] ­ended, began to lift vp their heads, and to come out of their miserie, but in hell whosoeur [...] once entreth to be punished shall neuer know againe what rest and ease meaneth. Now if they then notwithstanding al [...] [Page 85]this were during that time so much afflicted and vexed, in how much worse case shall he be that shall see himselfe in hell fire so horribly tormented, and vexed, and that without all hope of remedie? O if thou knewest, and wouldest consi­der how euery one of them shall there stand tormenting, & renting himselfe, weeping, and wayling, and saying, ô mise­rable and vnfortunate wretch that I am, what times, & what oportunities haue I suffered to passe in vaine; a time there was, when with one sup of cold wa­ter I might haue purchased vn­to my selfe a Crowne of glory, wherefore did I not looke be­fore me? how was I blinded with things present? how did I let passe those fruitfull yeares of such abundance, and did not [Page 86]enrich my selfe? yea if I ha [...] bene brought vp among in sidels and pagans, and had be lecued that there had bene no­thing else, but only to be bom [...] and die, then might I haue ha [...] some kind of excuse, and might haue said that I knew not w [...] was forbidden me, but for s [...] much as I haue liued amo [...] Christians, and was my so [...] one of them, and held in for [...] article of my beleefe, that t [...] hower should come, when should giue vpon account a [...] ­ter what order I had spent m [...] life: for so much also as it w [...] daily cried out vnto me, by t [...] continuall preaching and te [...] ­ching of religious persōs who [...] aduertisements many follow­ing made preparation in tim [...] & labored earnestly for the p [...] ­uisiō of their souls health, who [...] [Page 87]life also and example was a greater proofe of that which they spake: for so much I say as I made light of these exam­ples, and preachings, & perswa­ded my selfe very fondly, that heauen was prepared for me, though I tooke no paines for [...] at al, what deserue I that haue thus led my life? O ye infernall suries come and rent me in beeces, and deuour these my bowels, for so haue I iust­ly deserued: I haue deserued to be hunger starued for euer, seeing I would not prouide for my selfe, while I had time: [...] deserue not to reape, because [...] haue not sowne, I am wor­ [...]hy to bee destitute fith I haue not layd vp in store. [...] deserue that now my re­ [...]uest should bee dinied me, [...]th when the poore made re­quest [Page 88]vnto me, I refused to [...] lease them: I haue deserued sigh and lament in vaine, [...] long as God shall bee God; haue deserued that this wor [...] of cōsciēce shold gnaw my o [...] ­trals for euer & euer, by rep [...] ­senting vnto me the little ple [...] ­sure which I haue enioyed, [...] the great felicity which I h [...] lost, and how farre greater th [...] was which I might haue gain [...] by forgoing that little which would not forgo. This is the immortall worme that shal [...] uer die, but shall lie there eue [...] ­lastinglie gnawing at the [...] trailes of the wicked, which one of the most tirrible pain [...] that can possiblie bee im [...] ­gined. Section. 5.

Thou wilt peraduenture b [...] a mazed (good Christian bro [...] ­ther) in reading so many kin [...] [Page 89]of paines in hell, as hath bene [...]ere described, and now thou [...]rt perswaded that there can be added vnto this no more then hath bene sayd, but surely the mighty of God wanteth not force to chastice his enmies more and more, for all the paines that we haue hitherto chearsed, as such as do apper­ [...]aine generallie to all the dam­ned, but besides these generall paines there be other particular paines, which each one of the damned shall there suffer in di­ [...]uerse sort, according to the qualitie of his sinne, and so ac­cording to this proportion, The proud. the [...]aughtie and proude shal there be a based and brought low to their confusion, the couetous shall bee driuen to miserable necessity, The coue­tous. The glutton. the glutton shal rage with continuall hunger and [Page 90]thirst, The Leche­rous. the lecherous shall bur [...] in the very same flames which they themselues haue enkin [...] ­led, and those that haue al the life time liued dissolutely an [...] hunted after their pleasu [...] and pastimes, shall liue the [...] in continuall lamentation an [...] sorrow.

Now then if all this shall [...] suredly come to passe, what m [...] is he that seeing all this so cer­tainely with the eyes of [...] faith, will not turne ouer th [...] lease, and begin to prouide fo [...] himself against that time: who [...] is the iudgement of men not become? where be their with where is at the least their sel [...] loue, which seeketh euermo [...] for his owne profit, & is much afraid of any losse, what? may it be thought that men are be come beastes, that prouide on [...] [Page 91]for the time present & neg­ [...]ct time to come? or haue [...]ey peraduenture so dimmed [...]eir eye-sight, that they can­not looke before them? Hear­ [...]en (sayth Esay) ô yea deaffe, [...]nd yee blind, open your eies, [...]at you may see: who is blind but my seruant? and who is [...]eaffe but ye to whom I haue [...]nt my messengers? and who [...] blind but hee that suffereth [...]mselfe to be sould for a slaue? [...]hou that seest so many [...]hings wilt thou not see this? [...]ou that hast thine eares open, [...]ilt thou not giue eare here­ [...]nto? if thou beleeue nor [...]his, how art thou a Chri­ [...]ian? and if thou beleeue it, [...]nd dost not prouide for it, [...]ow canst thou bee thought [...]reasonable man? Ari­ [...]otle faith, that this is the [Page 92]difference betweene an opinion and imagination, that [...] imagination alone is not suf [...] cient to cause a feare, but an [...] pinion is: for if I do imagi [...] that a house may fall vpon m [...] it is not enough to make me [...] fraid, vnlesse I beleeue or ha [...] an opinion that it will be so [...] deed: for then it is sufficient make me afraid: and here commeth the feare that mu [...] theres alwayes haue, by reaso [...] of the suspition they concei [...] that their enemies doe lie [...] waite for them. If then the [...] pinion and onely suspition [...] daunger, is able to cause th [...] most valiant and couragious [...] feare, how is it that the ce [...] taintie and beliefe of so man [...] and so great terrible miseries which is farre more sure then a­ny opinion or knowledge, do [...] [Page 93]make thee to feare, if thou per­ceiuest that for this many yeres past thou hast led a licentious and sinfull life, and that at the last according to present iustice thou art condemned to these terrible torments of hell: I may also probablie coni [...]cture, that there is no other likelihood of [...]amēdmēt of thy life to come thē thou hast shewed hitherto after so many yeares past: how hapneth it, that running head­long forwards into so manifest a danger, thou art nothing at all afraid, especially considering the sinfull state wherein thou liues [...], and the horrible [...]aines and torments, which do attend for thee, and the time that thou hast lost, and the endlesse repentance which thou shalt haue therefore in the most horrible torments of hell? assu­redly [Page 94]it passeth all common sence, to consider that there should bee such wilfull grosse blindnesse in men.

Of the Glorie of the Blessed Saints in Heauen. Chap. 2.

TO the ende there might want nothing to stirre vp our minds vnto vertue, after the paines which almightie God threatneth vnto the wic­ked, he doth also set before vs the reward of the good, which is, that glorie, and that euerla­sting life, which the blessed Saints doe enioy in the king­dome of heauen: whereby he doth very mightily allure vs to the loue of the same, but what manner of thing this reward, & [Page 95]what this life is, there is no tongue, neither of Angels nor yet of men, that is sufficient to expresse it, howbeit that we [...] may haue some kind of sauour and knowledge thereof, I in­tend to rehearse here euerie word, what Saint Augustine say th in one of his medetati­ons, speaking of this life. O life (sayth hee) prepared by almi­ghty God for his friends, a bles­sed life, a secure life, a quiet life, a bewtifull life, a cleane life, a chast life, a holy life, a life that knoweth no death, a life with­out sadnesse, without labour, without griefe, without trou­ble, without corruption, with­out feare, without varietie, without alteration, a life reple­nished with all bewtie and dig­nitie, where there is neither e­nemie [Page 96]that can offend, nor de­light that can annoy, where loue is perfect, and no feare a [...] all: where the day is euerla­sting, and the spirit of al is one where almighty God is seene face to face, who is the onely meate whereupon they seed [...] without any lothsomnesse: [...] delighteth me to consider thy brightnesse, and thy treasure do delight my longing heart the more I consider thee, the more I am striken in loue with thee: the great desire I haue o [...] thee, doth wonderfully deligh [...] me, & no lesse pleasure is it vn [...] to me to keepe thee in remem­brance. O life most happy! [...] kingdome truely blessed wherein there is no death, no [...] end, neither yet succession e [...] time, where the day continu­ing [Page 97]euermore without night, knoweth not any mutation: where the victorious con­querour being ioyned with the euerlasting companies of Angels, and hauing his head Crowned with a garland of glorie, singing vnto almighty God one of the songs of Siō: O happie, yea and most happie should my soule bee, if when the race of this my pilgrimage is ended, I might be worthy to see thy glory, thy blessednesse, thy beauty, the walles and gates of thy Citty, thy streetes, thy lodgings, and thy noble Citizens, and thine omnipotent king in his most glorious Maiestie: the stones of thy walles are precious, thy gates are adorned with bright pearles, thy streetes are of very fine excellent gold, in which [Page 98]there neuer faile perpetuall praises, thy houses are paued with rich stones, wrought throughout with Saphires, and couered aboue with massie gold: where none entreth in that is not cleane, neither doth doth any abide there that is defiled: faire and bewtifull in thy delights art thou ô Ierusa­lem: none of those things are suffered in thee, that are suffe­red here: there is great diuer­sitie betweene thy things, and the things we doe continually see in this miserable life: in thee is neuer seene neither darke­nesse nor night, neither yet any change of time, the light that shineth in thee commeth nei­ther of lāpes, nor of the moone, nor yet of the bright glistring starres, but God that procee­deth of God, and the light that [Page 99]commeth of light is he that gi­ueth clearnesse vnto thee, euen the very king of kings himselfe keepeth continual residence in the midst of thee, compassed a­bout with his officers, and ser­uants: there do Angels in their order sing a most sweete, and melodious harmonie, there is celebrated a perpetuall solem­nity and feast, with euery one of them that commeth thither after his departure out of this pilgrima ge, there be the orders of Prophets, there is the famous company of the Apostles, there is the inuincible army of mar­tyrs, The bless companie heauen. there are the true and per­fect religious persons, there are the holy virgins which haue o­uercome both the pleasure of the world, and the frailtie of their owne nature, there are the young men, and yong wo­men [Page 100]more auncient in vertue then in yeares: there are the sheepe, and little lambes, that haue escaped from the wolfe, and from the deceiptfull snares of this life, and there doe now keepe a perpetuall feast each one in his place all alike in ioy, though differēt in degree; there charity raigneth in her full per­fection, for vnto them God is all in all, whom they behold without ende, in whose loue they will be al cōtinually enfla­med, whom they alwayes loue and in louing doe praise, and in praysing doe loue, and all their exercises consist in praises, without wearinesse, and with­out trauell. O happie were I yea and very happie indeede, if what time I shall be loosed out of the prison of this wretched bodie, I might bee [Page 101]thought worthy to heare those songs of that heauenly melody, song in the praise of the euer lasting king by all the Citizens of that so noble city: happie were I, and very happie, if I might obtaine a roome among the chaplaines of that chappell, and waite for my turne to sing praises to my God: if I might be neere to my King, my God, my Lord, and see him in his glory, euen as he promised me, when he sayd: O father this is my last determinate wil, that all those that thou hast giuen vnto me, may be with me, and see the glory which I had with thee before the world was created: hitherto are the words of Saint Augustine.

Now tell me (good Christi­an reader) what a day shall that be, that shall shine in thy [Page 102]house (if thou leade thy life in the feare of God) when after the course of this pilgrimage, thou shalt passe from death te [...] immortalitie, & in that passage when others shall beginne to feare, thou shalt beginne to re­ioyce, and lift vp thy head, be­cause the day of thy deliue­rance is at hand. Come foorth a little (sayth Saint Ierome) out of the prison of this body, and when thou art before the gate of the Tabernacle, set before thine eies the reward thou ho­pest for: tel me, what a day sha [...] that be, when the Lord him­selfe with all his Saints, shall come and meete thee in the way, saying vnto thee, Arise, & make hast, ô my beloued, my de­light, and my turtle-doue, for now the winter is past, and the tempestuous waters are ceased, [Page 103]and flowers begin to appeare in our land.

How great ioy shall thy soule then receiue, when it shall be at that time presented be­fore the throne of the most blessed Trinity, by the hands of the holy Angels? how clearely shalt thou vnderstand the va­lue and excellency of vertue; there the obedient man shall talke of victories, there vertue shall receiue herreward, and the good shall be honored ac­cording to their desert: more­ouer, what a pleasure will it be vnto thee, when thou shalt see thy selfe to be in that sure ha­uen, when thou shalt remem­ber the tempestes wherein thou hast beene tossed, the straights through which thou hastpassed, and the daungers [Page 104]which thou hast passed, and the daungers of theeues, and pi­rates, from whō thou hast esca­ped this is the place, where they shall sing the song of the Pro­phet, which sayth, Had it not bene that the Lord had bene my helper, it could not bee but that my soule had gone to hell. And how it hath pleased almightie God, that among such a mul­titude of damned persons, thou shouldest be of the num­ber of his elect, and one of those to whom hee would graunt such exceeding great felicitie, and glorie. Besides all this, what a goodly sight shall it be to behold the feastes, and triumphes, which they daily celebrate with their new brethren, who hauing con­quered the world, and finished [Page 105]the course of their pilgrimage, do enter in there to be crow­ned with them. O what a ioy will it be to see those seates fil­led vp, and that Citie builded, and the walles of that noble Ierusalem repaired again: with what cheerefull imbracings shall the whole Court of hea­uen intertaine them, beholding them when they come loden with the spoiles of the vanqui­shed enemie? There shall those valiant men and women en­ter with triumph, which haue together with the world, con­quered the weakenesse of their owne frayle nature: there shall the innocent virgins en­ter, which haue suffered martyrdome for Christs sake, with double triumph ouer the flesh, and the worlde, [Page 106]adorned also with garlands o [...] lillies, and roses vpon their heads: there shall also ente [...] dayly manie young men and children, which haue vanqui­shed the tendernesse of their yong yeares with discretion & vertue, and shall receiue their rewarde: ô how sweete and sauerie shall the fruit o [...] vertue then be, although for [...] time before, her rootes seeme verie bitter: sweet is the cold [...] euening after the hote sunny day: sweet is the fountaine to the wearie traueller: sweet i [...] rest and sleepe to the tired ser­uant: but much more sweet i [...] it to the Saints in heauen to en­ioy peace after warre, security after perils, eternall rest after their paines and trauels, for the [...] are the wars at an end, thē need they no more to go all armed [Page 107]on the right & on the left side. The children of Israell went forth armed towards the land of promise, Exod. 13. but after that the land was conquered, they laid downe their speares, & casta­way their armour, forgetting al feare and turmoyle of warre: each one vnder the shadow of his pauilion and harbour, en­ioyed the fruit of their sweet peace. Now may the eyes sleep there, that haue bene wearied with continuall watching, 3. Reg. [...]. now may the watching Prophet come downe from his standing that did watch and fixe his feet vpon the place of the centinell. There is no more feare of in­uasion by the terrible armies of the bloudy enemie, there is no place for the suttle crasts of the lurking viper, there cannot arriue the deadly sight of the [Page 108]venimous Basiliske, neither yet shall the hissing of the ancien [...] serpent be heard there, but on­ly the soft breathing aire of the holy Ghost, wherein is behol­den the glorie of Almighty God: this is the region of plea­sure & place of securitie, situa­ted aboue all the elements, whither the cloudes and stormie windes of the dark [...] aire cannot come. O wha [...] glorious things haue been spoken of thee, ô Citie of God Blessed are they (saith holy Tobias) that loue thee, and en­ioy thy peace. O my soule praise the Lord, for he hath deliuered Ierusalem his Citie from all her tribulations. Hap­pie shall I be, if the remnant o [...] my posteritie might come to see the clearenesse of Ierusa­lem. Her gates shalbe wrough [...] [Page 109]with Saphires and Emeralds, and all the circuit of her walles shall be built with precious stones: her streets shall be pa­ [...]ued with white and polished [...]marble, and in all parts of her territorie shall be song praises. O Ioyful coūtry, ôsweet glory! O blessed company! who shall be so fortunate and so happy as those that are elected for thee? It seemeth a presumptiō to de­sire thee, and yet I will not liue without the desire of thee: ô ye sonnes of Adam, ô race of men miserably blinded and deceiued! ô ye scattered sheep wandering out of the right way, if this be your sheepe­cote, whither go ye backward? what meane you? why suffer you such an excellent benefite to be wilfully lost, for not ta­king so litle paine? If labour & [Page 110]trauell be requisite hereu [...] furely from henceforth I d [...] sire that all the labor & paine of the world were layd vpo [...] me: let all sorrowes po [...] downe vpon me as thicke i [...] haile, let diseases vexe me, l [...] tribulations afflict me, let o [...] persecute me, let another d [...] quiet me, let all creatures [...] the world conspire against m [...] let me be made a laughing stocke to all men, and a ref [...] to the world: yea, and let m [...] life be wholly consumed wi [...] griefes & my yeares with we [...] ­ping, and lamentation, so th [...] after this life, I may rest [...] selfe in the day of tribulation [...] and be thought meete to hau [...] a place among the blessed peo­ple, which are adorned ao [...] beautified with such inestima­ble glorie in the kingdome [...] [Page 111]heauen.

Now then, ô thou foolish louer of this miserable world, go thy way, seeke as long as thou wilt for honors and pro­motions, build sumptuous hou­ses and pallaces, purchase lands & possessions, enlarge thy ter­ritories and dominions, yea, & command, if thou wilt, whole empires and worlds, yet shalt [...]hou neuer be so great as the [...]east of all the seruants of Al­mighty God: who shal receiue that treasure which this world cannot giue, and shall enioy that felicitie which shall en­dure for euermore; thou with thy pompe and riches shalt keepe companie with the rich Glutton, buried in the deepe pit of hell: but the deuout spirituall man shall be caried vp by the holy Angels with [Page 112]poore Lazarus into Abr [...] ­hams bosome. Luke 13.

Of the benefits which the L [...] promiseth to giue in this [...] to such as liue [...]ust & g [...] ­ly life. Chap. 3.

PEraduēture thou wilt no [...] say, that all these things b [...] ­fore rehearsed, be rewards, punishments that are promis [...] onely for the life to come, a [...] that thou desirest to see som [...] ­thing in this present life, be­cause our minds are wont [...] be much moued with the sig [...] of things present. Well, to [...] ­tisfie thee herein, we will like wise giue thee here thy han [...] full, euen of that thou doest [...] earnestly desire: for althoug [...] [Page 113]the Lord do reserue the best wine, and the most delicate dishes vntill the end of the banket, yet he suffereth not his friends to be vtterly desti­ [...]ute of meate and drinke in this tedious voyage: for he knoweth verie well that they could not otherwise hold out in their iourney: and there­fore when he said vnto Abra­ham: Feare not Abraham, for I am thy defender, and thy reward shall be exceeding great. By these words he pro­mised two things: the one for the time present, that was, to be his sauegard and defence in all such things as might happen in this life: and the other for the time to come: and that is the reward of glo­rie, which is reserued for the next life. But how great [Page 114]the first promise is, and ho [...] many kinds of benefits, and fa­uours, are therein included, [...] man is able to vnderstand, b [...] only he that hath with gre [...] diligence read the holy Scri [...] ­tures, wherein no one thing [...] more often rehearsed and [...] forth, then the greatnesse the fauours, benefites, and p [...] ­uiledges which Almighty God promiseth to his friends in th [...] life. Hearken what Salom [...] faith in his Trouerbes as to [...] ­ching this matter: Blessed that man that findeth wisdom for it is better to haue it, th [...] all the treasures of siluer an [...] gold, be they neuer so preciou [...] and excellent, and it is mon [...] worth then all the riches of th [...] world, and whatsoeuer man [...] heart is able to desire, is not comparable vnto it. The lēgth [Page 115]of dayes are at her right hand, [...]nd riches, & glorie at her left. [...]er wayes are pleasant, & her [...]ssages are quiet. She is the [...]e of life to al those that haue [...]tained her: and he that shall haue her in continuall possessiō [...]all be blessed. Keepe there­ [...]re, O my sonne, the lawes of [...]mightie God, and his coun­ [...]ls, for they shall be as life to [...]y soule, and sweetnesse to [...]y taste, then shalt thou walke [...]fely in thy wayes, & thy feet [...]all not find any stumbling [...]ockes: if thou sleepe, thou [...]alt haue no cause to feare, & [...]thou take thy rest, thy sleepe [...]all be quiet.

Now this is (good Christian [...]other) the sweetnesse and [...]uietnesse of the way of the Godly, but the wayes of the [...]icked are farre different, as [Page 116]the holie Scriptures do ded [...] vnto vs: the paths and [...] of the wicked (faith Ei [...] ­stieus) are full of bramb [...] and at the end of their iou [...] are prepared for thē, hell, [...] nesie and paine. Doest [...] thinke it then a good exth [...] to forsake the wayes of mightie God, for the w [...] of the world, sith there [...] great difference betweene [...] one and the ether, not [...] in the end of the way, but [...] in all the steppes of the sam [...] what madnesse can be g [...] ­ter, then to chuse rather [...] one torment to gaine anot [...] theē with one rest to gaine [...] ther rest? And that thou [...] more clearely perceiue the [...] cellencie of this lest, and wh [...] a number of benefits are p [...] ­sently incident thereunto [Page 117]beseech thee hearken attentiue­ly, what euen Almightic God himselfe hath promised by his Prophet Esay, to the obseruers of his Law, in a maner in these wordes, as diuerse interpreters do expound them: when thou shalt do (faith he) such & such things, which I haue comman­ded thee to do, then shal forth­with appeare vnto thee, the dawning of the cleare day (that is the Sunne of iustice) which shal driue away all thine errors and miseries, & then shalt thou beginne to enioy true and per­fect saluation, and all thy for­mer sinnes shall be blotted out of Gods remembraunce, and the glorie of the Lord shall compasse thee round a­bout: then shalt thou call vp­pon the name of the Lord, and he will surely heare thee, thou [Page 118]shalt call, and he will say, be­hold I am here present and rea­die to graunt thee whatsoeue [...] thou shalt haue neede of: the in the midst of the darknes, tri­bulations and vexations of th [...] life, the light of Gods fauour shal shine vpō thee, which shal [...] comfort thee, and thy darkne [...] shall be as the noone day, (for the Lord wil so ordain, that the very calamities, & withall, eue [...] the very falls of thy sinnes past shall be an occasion vnto thee of thy greater felicitie) & he w [...] giue thee alwayes true peace and quietnesse in thy soule, and in the time of famine & dearth he will sende thee plentie and aboundance: and thy boner shal be deliuered from death, and from the euerlasting fires and thou shalt be like a garden of pleasure, and like a foun­taine [Page 119]of water that neuer cea­seth running: of thee will hee make a building, (which laye for many yeares before deso­late) in such sort that it shall stande stedfastly, and endure with sure foundations from ge­neration to generations. And if thou shalt take pains in sancti­fying my Saboths, not in spen­ding them in leude exercises, nor yet in fulfilling thy owne will against mine, but shalt ob­serue withal diligence and care all such things as I haue com­maunded thee this day, then shalt thou take delight in the Lord (whose delights excell all the delights in the world) and I will lift thee vp aboue the heights of the earth, that is, vn­to a most happie state of life, whereunto all the treasures of fortune or of humaine nature [Page 120]can not reach. Finally, I will giue thee afterwardes plentie and abundance of that precious inheritance, which I haue pro­mised vnto Iacob thy father which is the felicitie of glo­rie: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. All these in a manner, bee the wordes of Almightie God by the Pro­phet Esay.

Nowe these are the bene­fites, which Almightie God hath promised to his seruaunts: and albeit some of them be for the time to come, yet are some of them to bee presently recei­ued in this life, as that newe light and shining from heauen, that sacietie and aboundance of all good things: and assured confidence & trust in Almigh­tie God: that deuine assistance in all our prayers and petition: [Page 121]made vnto him: that peace and tranquillitie of conscience, that protection and prouidēce of Almightie God, that garden of delights (which is the ver­dure and beautie of grace) that fountaine which neuer wan­teth water, (which is the pro­uision & sufficiencie of things.) Thus heauenly delights do ex­cel all the delights of the world, and that eleuation of spirite, whereunto no strength or po­wer of nature is able to aspire. All these are the gracious gifts and fauours which Almightie God hath promised to his ser­uaunt in this life. They all are his workes of his mercie, ef­fectes of his grace, testimo­nies of his loue, and bles­sings which hee of his fatherly prouidence sheweth towardes [Page 122]them, vppon euery one of which there is so much to be sayd, that the breuity of this volume will not suffer me to treate particularly of euery point: but to be short, all these benefits doe the godly enioy, both in this present life, and in the life to come, & of all these are the vngodly depriued, both in the one life, and in the o­ther. Whereby thou maist ea­sily perceiue, what difference there is betweene the one son and the other, seeing the one is so rich, and the other so poore, and needy: for if thou ponder well all these words before de­clared, and do likewise consider the state and conditious both of the good and the wicked, thou shalt find, that the one sort are in the fauour of Almighty God, and the other in his dis­pleasure; [Page 123]the one be his friends, The diffe­rence be­tweene the state of th [...] good & th [...] wi [...]ked. and the other his enemies; the one be in light, and the other be in darknesse; the one do en­ioy the company of Angels, & the other the filthy pleasures and delights of finne; the one are truely free, and Lords ouer themselues, and the other are become bond-slaues vnto Sa­than, and vnto their lustes and appetites; the one are ioyfull with the witnesse of a good conscience, and the other (ex­cept they bee vtterly blinded) are continually bitten with the worme of conscience euer­more gnawing one them; the one in tribulations stand sted­fastly in their proper place, and the other like light chaffe are carried vp & downe with euery blast of wind; the one stand se­cure & firme with the anker of [Page 124]hope, and the other are vnsta­ble, and euermore yeelding vn­to the assaults of fortune: the prayers of the one are accepta­ble and liking vnto God, and the prayers of the other are ab­horred and accursed: the death of the one is quiet, peaceable, & precious in the sight of God, the death of the other is vn­quiet, painefull, and troubled with a thousand frights and ter­rours. To conclude, the one liue like childrē vnder the pro­tection and defence of Almigh­tie God, and sleepe sweetly vn­der the shadow of his pastorall prouidence, and the other be­ing excluded from this kinde of prouidence, wander abroade like straied sheep without their shepeheard and maister, lying wide open to all the perils, dan­gers and assaults of the world. [Page 125]Now then (my deare brother) if a vertuous life be accompa­nied with all these benefites, tell me I pray thee of good fel­lowship, what is the cause shall withdraw thee, and perswade thee not to embrace such a pre­cious treasure? what art thou able to alleage for excuse of thy great negligence? to say, that this is not true, it can not bee admitted, for so much as thou seest, that all is grounded vppon the word of God, and the testimonies of his holie Scriptures: and to say, Esa. 69. that these are but small benefites, thou canst not, for so much as they doe exceede (as we haue before declared) all that mans heart can desire. To say, that thou art an enemie vnto thy selfe, and that thou dooest not defire these benefites, [Page 126]this cannot be sayd, conside­ring that man is euen naturally a friend to himselfe, and the will of man hath euer an eye to his owne benefit, which is the very obiect, or marke that his desire shooteth at: to say that thou hast no vnderstanding or tast of these benefits, it will not serue to discharge thine of­fence, for so much as thou hast the faith and beliefe, though thou hast not the tast, for the tast is lost through sin, but not the faith; Faith is a more cer­ [...]aine wie­ [...]esse, then [...]ll the wit­ [...]asses and experiences [...]n the world. and the faith is a wit­nesse more certaine, more se­cure and better to bee trusted, then all other experiences, and witnesses in the world: why dost thou not then discredit all other witnesses, with this one assured testimony? why dost thou not rather giue credit vn­to faith, than to thine owne [Page 127]opinion and iudgement? O that thou wouldest make a re­solute determination to sub­mit thy selfe into the hands of Almighty God, and to put thy whole trust assuredly in him: how soone shouldest thou see all these prophecies fulfilled in thee? then shouldest thou see the excellency of these deuine treasures, then shouldest thou see how starke blind the louers of this world are, that seeke not after this high treasure. To be short, then shouldest thou see vpon what good ground our Sauiour inuiteth vs to this kind of life: saying: Come vnto me all ye that trauell, Math. 11. and are loden, and I will refresh you: take my yoke vpon you, and you shall finde rest for your soules; for my [...]oke is sweete, and my [Page 128]burthen is light. Almightie God is no deceiuer, not false promiser, neither yet is hee a great boaster of such things as he promiseth, why doest thou then shrinke backe! why doest thou refuse peace and quietnesse? why doest thou despise the gentle offers and sweete callings of thy pa­stors? how darest thou de­spise and banish away vertue from thee, which hath such prerogatiues and priuiledges as these be, and withall confir­med and signed euen with the hand of Almightie God. The Queene of Saba heard far lesse things theē these of Salomon, [...]an. 9. & yet she trauelled frō the vtter­most partes of the earth to trie the truth of those things wh [...] she had heard, & why doest not thou then hauing such notable, [Page 129]yea and so certaine newes of vertue, aduenture to take a little paines to trie the truth and sequele thereof? O my deere Christian brother, put thy trust in Almighty God, and in his word, and commit thy selfe boldly without all feare into his armes, and vn­lace from thy handes triflings knots, that haue hitherto de­ceiued thee, and thou shalt finde that the deedes of ver­tue, doe farre excell her fame, and that all which is spoken in praise of her is nothing, in comparison of that which she is in deed.

That a man ought not to de­ferre his repentance and con­uersion vnto God from day to day, considering that hee hath so many debts to dis­charge, by reason of the of­fences committed in his sin­full life past. Chap. 4.

NOw then if on the one side there be so many & so great respects that do bind vs to change our sinfull life, and on the other side, wee haue not any sufficient excuse why we should not make this exchange, I beseech thee tell me, how long time wilt thou tarrie vntill thou fullie resolue to do it; turne thine eyes (ô my Christian brother) and [Page 131]looke backe a little vppon thy life past, and consider that at this present of what age soe­uer thou be, it is high time, or rather the time is well neere past to begin to discharge some part of thine old debts; consi­der that thou who art a Chri­stian, regenerated in the holy water of Baptisme, who doest acknowledge Almighty God for thy father, consider I say, that all this notwithstanding thou hast liued euen as loosely, and dissolutely, as thou hadst bene a meere infidell, that had neuer any knowledge of Al­mighty God: and if thou deny this, then tell me what kind of sinne is there that thou hast not committed, what tree is there forbidden, that thou hast not beholden with thine eyes? what greene meddow is there [Page 132]in which thou hast not (at the least with desire) feasted thy le­cherous lustes? what thing hath bene set before thine eyes, that thou hast not wantonly desi­red? what appetite hast thou left vnexecuted, notwithstan­ding that thou didst beleeue in Almighty God, and that thou wert a Christian? what woul­dest thou haue done more, if thou haddest not had any faith at all, if thou haddest not loo­ked for any other life, if thou haddest not feared the dread­full day of iudgement? What hath all thy former life bene, but a webbe of sinnes, a sinke of vices, a way full of bram­bles and thornes, and a fro­warde disobedience of Al­mighty God, with whom thou hast hitherto liued, but onely with thine appetite, [Page 133]with thy flesh, with thy pride, and with thy goodes, and riches of this transitory world? these haue beene thy gods, these haue bene thine Idols, whom thou hast serued, whose lawes thou hast dili­gently obeyed: make thine ac­counts with Almighty God, with his lawes, with his odedi­ence, and peraduenture thou shalt find that thou hast estee­med him no more then if hee had bene a God of straw, for it is certaine, that there be ma­ny Christians, which beleeuing that there is a God, are induced to sinne with such facility, as though they did beleeue that there were no God at al: & do offend no whit lesse, though they beleeue that there is a God, then they would doe [Page 134]they beleeued that there w [...] none at all. What greater in [...] ­ry, what greater despite c [...] there bee done, then thus to contemne his deuine maiesty. Finally, thou beleeuing all such things, hast notwithstanding so led thy life, as if thou we [...] perswaded that the beliefe [...] the Christians were the gre [...] rest fables or lies in the who [...] world.

And if the multitude of thy sinnes past, and the facility thou hast vsed in committing of them, do not make thee a­fraid, why dost thou not feare at the least the Maiesty & om­nipotency of him, against whom thouhast sinned? Life vp thine eyes, and consider the in­finite greatnesse and omnipo­tency of the Lord, whom the powers of heauen doe adore, [Page 135]before whose Maiestie the whole compasse of the wide world lyeth prostrate, in whose presence all things crea­ted are no more then chasse, carried away with the wind: consider also with thy selfe, how vnseemely it is, that such a vile worme as thou art, should haue audacitie so ma­ny times to offend & prouoke the wrath of so great a Ma­iestie.

Consider the wonderfull & most terrible seueritie of his iustice, The terri­ble seuere iustice of almightie God a­gainst sinners. and what horrible pu­nishments hee hath vsed from time to time in the world, a­gainst sinne, and that not onely against particular persons but also vppon Cities, Nations, Kingdomes, and Prouinces: yea vpon the vniuersall world, and not only in earth, but also [Page 136]in heauen, not only vpon s [...] gers and sinners, but euen vpo [...] his owne most innoce­son, our sweete Sauiour Ies [...] Christ, when he tooke vppo [...] him to satisfie for the de [...] that they owed. And if th [...] seuerity was vsed vppo [...] innocent & greene wood, an [...] for the sinnes of others, wha [...] then will he do vpon drie an [...] withered wood, and agains [...] those that are loden with the [...] owne sinnes? Now what thin [...] can be thought more vnreaso­nable, then that such a vil [...] wretched weake dwarfe a thou, Luke. 13. verse. 43. shouldest be so sawcie and mallaparte, as to mocke with so mighty a Lord, whose hand is so heauie, that in case hee should stricke, but euen one stroke vppon thee, hee would at [Page 137]one blow driue thee downe head-long into the deepe and bottomlesse pitte of hell; [...]here to be tormented for euer by the diuels and his Angles, without all hope of reme­die.

Consider likewise the great patience of this our mer­cifull Lord, The great pacience of Almighty God. who hath ex­pected thy repentaunce so long, euen from the time that thou didst first offend him, and thinke that if after so great patience, and long tarrying for thee, thou shalt still continue thy lewde and sinfull life, abusing thus his mercie, and not ceas­sing to prouoke him to further indignation and wrath, he will then bend his bow, and shake his sworde, and raine downe [Page 138]vpon thee, euen very sharp [...] arrowes of euerlasting death.

Consider also the profoun [...] ­nesse of his iudgements, The pro­foundnesse of the deepe iudgements of almigh­tie God. whe [...] of we reade and see dayly [...] great wonders: we see ho [...] king Salomon himselfe, after be so great wisedome, and afte [...] those three thousand parable and most profound misterie [...] vttered by him in his book called Cantica Canticoru [...] was sorsaken of almighty God and fuffered to fall downe, 1. Reg. 11. a [...] adore Idols: wee see day [...] many starres fall downe from heauen to the earth, with [...] serable falles, Ato. 2. and to wallo [...] themselues in the durt, and to cate the meate of swine, which sate before at Gods table, and were fed with the very brea [...] of Angels. If then the iust and righteous for some secrete [Page 139]pride, or negligence, or else for some ingratitude of theirs, be thus iustly forsaken of almighty God, after they haue bestowed so many yeares in his seruice, what mayst thou looke for, that hast done nothing else all thy life time, but onely heaped vp sinnes vpon sinnes, and hast thereby offended Almighty God, most grieuously.

Now if thou hast liued after [...]his sort, were it not reason that thou shouldest now at the [...]ength giue ouer, and cease hea­ [...]ing sinne vpon sinne, and debt vpon debt, and begin to pacifie the wrath of almighty god, and [...]o disburthen thy sinfull soule: were it meete that that time which thou hast hitherto giuen to the world, to the flesh, and to the diuell, should suffice, and that thou shouldest bestow [Page 140]some litle time of that which remaineth to serue him, [...] hath giuen vnto thee all [...] thou hast? were it not a po [...] of wisedome after so long time and so many great iniuries, [...] feare the most terrible iush [...] of Almighty God, who th [...] more patiently hee suffere [...] sinners, the more doth hee [...] terward punish them wi [...] greater seuerity and iustio [...] were it not meete for thee feare thy long continuance many yeares in sinne, and in th [...] displeasure of almighty God procuring thereby against the such amighty aduersary as [...] is, and prouoke him of a mer­cifull louing father, to be com [...] a seuere terrible judge and [...] nemy? were it not meete to feare, least that the force of [...] ­uill custome may in continu­ance [Page 141]of come be turned into na­ture, and that thy long vicious vsuall maner of committing of sinne, may make of a vice a ne­cessitie, or litle lesse? why art thou not afrayd lest by litle & [...]litle thou maist cast thy felse downe headlong into the deep pit of a reprobate sence, Rom. 1. wher­into after that a man is once falle, he neuer maketh account of any sinne, be it neuer so great.

The Patriarke Iacob sayd vnto Laban his father in law: These fourteene yeares haue I serued thee, & looked to thine affaires, now it is time, that I should looke to mine owne, & begin to attend vnto the af­faires of mine owne houshold. Wherfore if thou hast likewise bestowed so many yeares, in the seruice of this world, and [Page 142]of this frayle transitorie [...] were it not good reason, th [...] thou shouldest now be [...] to make some prouision [...] the saluation of thy soule, [...] son the euerlasting life [...] come? There is nothing mo [...] short, nor more transa [...] ­rie, then the life of a m [...] and therefore prouiding carefully as thou doest for such things as bee necess [...] for this life, which is so sha [...] why doest thou not likew [...] prouide somewhat for the [...] that is to come, which s [...] ­endure for euer and euer?

The conclusion of all the premises. Chap. 5.

IF now all this bee so, beseech thee (ô my de [...] [Page 143]Christian brother) euen for the bitter passion of Iesus Christ, to remember thy selfe, and to consider that thou art a Christian, and that thou be­leeuest assuredly for a most vndoubted truth what thy faith instructeth: this faith telleth thee, thou hast a iudge aboue, that seeth all the steps and motions of thy life; and that certainly there shall a day come, when hee will require an account of thee, euen of euery idle word: this faith tea­cheth thee, that a man is not al­together at an end when hee dieth, but that after this tempo­rall life there remaineth another euerlasting life, and that the soules dye not with the bodie, but that while the bodie re­maineth in the graue, vntill the generall day of iudgement, [Page 144]the soule shall enter into ano­ther new countrey, and into a new world, where it shall haue such habitation, and companie as the faith which it had in this life. This faith telleth thee also, that both the reward of vertue, and the punishment of vice, is a thing so wonderfull, that al­though the world were full of bookes, and all creatures were writers, yet should they all be wearied, and the world come to an end, before they should end their description, and make a perfect declaration, what is comprehended in each one of these points. This faith infor­meth thee also, that the debts, and duties, which we owe vnto Almightie God, are so great, that albeit a man had so many liues, as there be sands in the sea, yet would they not suffice, [Page 145]if they were all emploied in his seruice. And this faith like wise telleth thee, that vertue is such an excellent treasure, that all the treasures of the world, and all that mans hart can desire, Sap. 7. are not to be compared vnto it.

Wherefore if there be so many and great respectes that do inuite vs vnto vertue, how commeth it to passe, that there be so few louers and follow­ers of the same? If men be mo­ued with gaine and commodi­tie, what greater commoditie can there be, then life euerla­sting? if with feare of punish­ment, what punishment can be greater, then euerlasting horrible tormentes in hell fire, world without end? if with bondes of debtes, and bene­fites, what debtes are greater then thee, which we owe vnto [Page 146]Almightie God, aswell for that hee is which hee is, as also for that which we haue receiued of him? If the feare of perils doe moue vs, what greater perill can there bee then death, the houre thereof being so vncertaine, and the account so strait? If thou bee moued with peace, libertie, quietnesse of minde, and with a pleasant life (which are things that all the world desireth) it is certaine, that all these are founde much bet­ter in the life that is gouer­ned by vertue and reason, then in that life, that is tu­led by the affections and passions of the minde, for so much as man is a reasonable creature, and no beast. How­beit in case thou accountest all this as not sufficient to [Page 147]moue thee thereunto, yet shall it not suffice thee to consider, that Almightie God so abased him selfe for thy sake, that he descended from heauen vnto the earth, and became man? and whereas hee created the world in fix daies, he bestowed thirtie and three yeares about thy redemption, yea & was al­so content for the same to loose his life: Almightie God dyed, that sinne should dye, & yet for all this we doe endeuour that finnes might liue in our harts. Notwithstading that Almigh­tie God purposed to take a­way the life of sinne with his owne death, What shall I say more? assuredly of reasons we haue shewed enough, and enough, if this matter were be to discussed by reason: for I say this, not onely in be­holding. [Page 148]Almightie God him self, but wheresoeuer we turne our eyes, we shall finde that euery thing crieth out vnto vs, and calleth vpon vs to receiue this so excellent a be­nefite, for there is not a thing created in the world, (if we doe well consider it) but doth inuite to the loue and seruice of our Lord and Sauiour: in so much that looke how many creatures there be in the world, so many prea­chers there are, so many books, so many voyces, and so many reasons, which doe all call vs vnto Almightie God.

And how is it possible then, that so many callings as these are, so many pro­mises, and threatnings, should not suffice to bring vs vnto him? What might Almightie [Page 149]God haue done more then he hath done, or promised more then hee hath promi­fed, or threatned more then hee hath threatned, to draw vs vnto him, and plucke vs from sinne, and yet all this notwithstanding, how commeth it to passe, that there is so great (I will not say arrogancie, but) be wit­ching of men, that doe be­leeue those things to be cer­tainly true, and yet bee not afrayd to continue all the dayes of their life in sinne? yea to go to bed in sinne, and to rise vp againe in sinne, and to embrew them selues in euery kinde of sinne: and this is done in such sorte, so without feeling, so without feare, so without scruple of minde, and without [Page 150]breaking of one houres sleepe as if al that they belieued we [...] dreames, and old wiues tales, and as if all that the holy euan­gelistes haue written, were meere vntruthes, & starke lies. Tell me now thou desperare traitor, tell me I say thou fire­brand prepared to burne in those euerlasting and reuenging horrible fires of hell, what wouldst thou haue done more then thou hast done, in case thou haddest bene perswaded that all were meere lyes, which thou hast belieued: for although I see well, that for feare of externall punishment imposed by the Princes law, thou hast somewhat bridled thine appetites, yet can I not perceiue that for any feare of Almighty God thou [Page 151]hast ref [...]ained thy will in any one thing: neither from carnall pleasures, nor from takinge re­uenge of thine enemies, nor from backbiting and slaunder­ing thy neighbours, nor yet from fulfilling thine inordinate and filthie lustes and desires, in case thine ability serued ther unto, tell me thou blind grosse buzzard, and worse then fran­ticke fellow, what sayth thy worme of conscience vnto thee, whiles thou art in such a fond security, and con­fidence, continuing in such a carelesse and dissolue wic­ked life as thou doest, where is now become the vn­derstanding, iudgement, and reason, which thou hast of a man? why art thou not a­fraid of so horrible, so certaine, [Page 150] [...] [Page 151] [...] [Page 152]and so assured perils and dan­gers: if there were a dish of meate set before thee, and some man (albeit he were a lier) should say vnto thee that there were poyson in that dish, tell me, darest thou once ad­uenture to stretch foorth thy hand to take a tast thereof, though the meate were neuer so sauery and delicate, and hee neuer so great a lier that shold beare thee thus in hand? If the Prophets, if the Apostles, if the Euangelistes, yea if Al­mighty God himselfe doe [...] one vnto thee, and say. Take heede miserable man for deal is in that kind of meate, and death lyeth lurking in that glintenous morsell, which the diuell hath set before thee, how darest thou reach for euer [...] sting death with thy owne [Page 153]hands, & drinke thine one dam­natiō: to what vse puttest thou in this meane while thy wits, thy iudgements, and thy dis­course, 4. Reg. 4. and reason, which thou hast of a man, where is their light, where is their force, sith that none of them: doe bridle thee any whit from thy common vse of vices? O thou wretched and madde carelesse ca [...]ise, bewitched by the di­nell, adiudged to euerlasting darhenesse, both in ward and outward, and so goest on from one darkenesse to the o­ther thou are blind to see thy [...] misery, insensible [...] v [...] ­ [...]ersland thy perdition, and harder then any adamant to se [...]le the [...]amer of Gods word. [...]a [...]housand times most mise­rable thou art, worthier to bee [...] with none other [Page 145]then with those where with thy dānation was lamented: whē it was said: O that thou knewest this day the peace, quietnesse, and treasures, which Almighty God offereth vnto thee, and do now lie hidden from thine eyes: O miseraable is the day of thy natiuity, & much more miserable the day of thy death, for so much as that shall be the beginning of thy euerlasting damnation: Mar. 14. ô how much bet­ter had it bene for thee neuer to haue bin borne, The wicked Christians shall be pu­nished in hell more grieuously for their wicked liues more then the in­fi [...]els. if thou shall be damned in the most hor­vible tormē [...] of he fire for euer & euer? How much better had it bene for thee neuer to haue beene baptized, if throughthe abusing thereof by thy wicked life, thy damnation shal be ther­by the greater: for if the light of reason onely sufficeth to make [Page 155]the heathen Philosophers in­excusable, because they know­ing God in some degree, did not glorifie him, nor serue him (as the Apostle sayth) how much lesse shall he be excused, that hath receiued the light of faith, and the water of Bap­tisme, and doth often re­ceiue the representation of the Lords body, and euery day heareth his word prea­ched, Rom. [...]1 if he doe nothing more then these pagan Philosophers haue done?

Now what other thing may we inferre of the premises, but briefely to conclude, that there is none other vnderstanding, none other wisedome, none o­ther counsell in the worlde, but that setting aside al the impedi­mēts & combersome dangerous [Page 156]wayes of this life, we solow on­ly that true and certaine way, whereby true peace and euer­lasting life is obtained? hereun­to we are called by reason, by wisedome, by lawe, by heauen, by earth, by hell, and by the life, death, iustice, and mercie of Almightie God. Hereunto we are also inuited very notably by the holy Ghost, Eccles. 6. speaking by the mouth of Ecclesiasticus in this wise: My sonne bearken to instruction, euen from the first yeares of thy youth, and in thy latter daies thou shalt enjoy the sweete fruite of wisedome: ap­proch vnto it as one that plow­eth and soweth, and with pati­ence expect the fruitfull en­crease which it shall yeeld vnto thee. The paines that thou shall take, shall be but little, and the benefits that thou shalt quickly [Page 157]enioy, shall be great. May sonne hearken to my words, and neg­lect not my counsell which I shall giue, put thy feet willing­lyinto her fetters, and thy necke into her chaines, bowe downe thy shoulders and carry her vp­on thee, and be not displeased with her bonds, approch neere vnto her with all thy heart, and follow her wayes with all thy strength, seeke for her with all diligence, and shee will disco­uer her selfe vnto thee, and after that thou hast found her neuer forsake her, for by her shalt thou findrest in thy latter daies; and that which before seemed painefull, will afterwardes be­come pleasant vnto thee, and her fetters shalbe a defence of thy strength, and foundation of vertue, and her chaine shall be arobe of glorie, for in her is the [Page 158]very beauty of life, & her both are the very bonds of health Hitherto are the words of E [...] ­clesiasticus, wherby thou maist in some degree vnderstād, how great the beauty, the delight, the liberty, and riches of true wisedome are, which is vertue it felse, and the knowledge of Almighty God, whereof we do intreate. But is al this be not suf­ficient to mollifie thy heart, lift vp thine eyes, & fixe thy mind not vppon the water of the world, which vanish away, but vppon the Lord who died for our sins: there stan deth he with his feet nailed fast, looking for thee, with his armes spread a­broad to receiue thee, and with his head bowing downe to giue thee, as to another prodigal son, new kisses of peace, & attone­ment: from thence he calleth [Page 159]thee (if thou couldest here him) with many callings and cries, hearken therefore (ô my Christian brother) and consider this well with thy selfe, that if his prayer bee not heard, that hearkneth not vnto the cries of the poore, how much lesse shall he bee heard that maketh him self deaffe to such cries as these are. Wherfore now determine with thy selfe to hearken vnto these cries, & be fully resolued to change thy sinfull life, & to liue a new life, and so shalt thou at the last possesse the ioyes which neuer shall end.