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A20673 The practise how to finde ease, rest, repose, content, and happines. Written by a religious man of the congregation of St. Elias the prophet, and the order of our Blessed Lady of mount Carmell, restored by the Blessed mother Teresa. The second part. Containing directions how to end all controuersies, and take away all discontentments, and euils, and attaine vnto true ioy of minde, and content of heart, and all good; Practise how to finde ease, rest, repose, content, and happines. Part 2 Doughty, Thomas, fl. 1618-1638. 1619 (1619) STC 7072.6; ESTC S106011 123,081 516

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Flesh are dead to Grace in this life and to Glory in the other But such as liue according to the wisedome of the Spirit in Continencie and Chastitie by mortifying their inordinate appetites shall liue with the life of Grace in this life of Glory in the other and in Temporall peace of minde in this life and Eternall in the other Because the Wisedome of the Rom. 8. 13. Flesh is an enemie to God for to the Law of God it is not subiect neither can it be for if you liue according to the Flesh you shall die but if by the Spirit you mortifie the deedes of the Flesh you shall liue For whosoeuer are led by the Spirit of God and mortifie the deeds of the Flesh they are the sonnes of God But if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of Continencie and Mortification the same is not his but the Deuils Whereupon Saint Paul yet further saith I say walke Gal. 5. 16. in the Spirit that is in doing acts of Mortification and Continencie and the lust of the Flesh you shall not accomplish for the Flesh lusteth Gal. 5. 17. against the Spirit so these are enemies one to another and combate for the victorie If the inordinate lust and desires of the Flesh preuaile so farre with thee as that they bring thy Will Reason and Soule to consent to their desires then the inordinate lust and concupisences of the Flesh are Lords and Masters and thy Will Reason and Soule become slaues to their owne vassals and thou becommest a beast and a beastly man to runne after thy fleshly Lusts and Concupisences like the wilde Asses and beasts of the Forrest and that is thy life and felicitie If thy Soule or vpper part make continent and mortifie thy Lusts and Carnall desires and inordinate appetites of thy flesh then thy Soule or vpper part is Lord and Master and thou liuest like a man or reasonable creature and not like a beast and commest by perseuerance in Continencie and Mortification to enioy these delicate Fruits of the Holy Ghost which heere we treate of And for this cause the Life of Man is Iob. 7. called a Warfare For the Flesh Gal. ● ●7 lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh for these are aduersaries one to another that not what things soeuer you will those you doe without combate But combating the lust of the Flesh with Continencie and Mortification which are the fruits of the Spirit you come to enioy inestimable libertie of doing alwaies by combate what you will and will nothing but that which is reasonable according as it is written Where the Spirit of our 2 Cor. 3. 17. Lord is there is Libertie Againe Brethren you are called Gal. 5. 13. into Libertie And S. Paul setting down wherein this libertie consisteth saith Make Gal. 5. ●3 not this Libertie an occasion to the Flesh but by Charity serue one another For the Law is fulfilled in one word Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy self This is the Libertie vnto which we are called a Libertie of doing good alwaies and when we will by being conquerers ouer the inordinate lust of our Flesh and wicked temptations of the World and Diuell by the assistance of the Holy Ghost his gifts and fruits in vs. Who shall deliuer me saith Rom. 7. S. Paul from the bodie of this death the Grace of God by Iesus Christ our Lord. Again The Grace of God our Sauiour 1. Ti● 2. 1● hath appeared to all men instructing vs that denying impietie and worldly desires we liue soberly and iustly and godly in this World expecting the blessed hope and comming of the glory of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ Whereby thou seest deare Reader the excellencie of Continencie since that by instructing thee how to deny impietie and worldly desires it will bring thee to liue soberly and iustly and godly in this world euen as one that continually expecteth the comming of the great God to Iudgement which is the greatest Happinesse we can attaine vnto in this life according to the words of our Lord saying Blessed is Luk. 12. 43. the Seruant who when the Lord commeth he shall finde so doing verily I say vnto you that ouer all things which he possesseth he shall appoint him OF THE TVVELFTH fruit of the Holy Ghost which is Chastitie THe twelfth fruit which the Holy Ghost doth produce in the Hearts of those who loue him is Chastitie which is an abrenuntiation of carnall pleasures and sensuall delights not absolute necessary to Nature wherby they attaine to perfect libertie of Spirit and freedome of Minde and easily and without impediment attend vnto the Exercises of the Heauenly Ierusalem according to the words of S. Paul saying He that is 1. Cor. 7. 23. without a Wife is carefull for the things that pertaine to our Lord how he may please God But he that is with a Wife is carefull for the things that pertaine to the World how he may please his Wife and he is diuided amongst many Masters that he cannot easily serue and loue God with his whole heart according to the Commandement So likewise S. Paul saith The Woman vnmarried and the 1. Cor. 7. 34. Virgine thinketh on the things that pertaine to our Lord that shee may be holy both in Bodie and Spirit But she that is married thinketh on the things that pertaine to the World how she may please her Husband And this I speake to your profit not to cast a snare vpon you but to that which is honest and that may giue you power without impediment to attend vpon our Lord. If thou wouldest obserue it thou shalt finde that the thing which hindreth thee from meditating and practising spirituall courses pious exercises of life is thy vnchast minde which seeking after the fornications of the World and Flesh perpetually distracteth thee frō well doing or thinking by hir vntame thoughts and wandring discourses after the sensual pleasures vanities of the Earth which if by Chastitie of minde thou couldest cut off thou shouldest as S. Paul affirmeth not onely meditate vpon the things that pertaine to our Lord and be holy both in Bodie and Spirit but also without impediment attend vpon our Lord and liue an Angelicall life vpon Earth according to the words of our Sauiour saying They Luk. ●0 35. that shall be counted worthy of the Resurrection from the dead neither Marry nor take Wiues neither can they dye any more for they are equall to Angels Whereby thou seest the excellencie of chaste Life that it will free thee from Worldly cares and distractions and will indue thee with such a facilitie in seruing God as that thou shalt be able as S. Paul saith to 1. Cor. 7. attend vpon our Lord without impediment And this is sufficient in part to shew vnto thee the Ioy Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse which God Almightie
thy blessing All things created being finite and hauing limited perfections cannot satiate the heart of Man as wee see by experience in the most famous Mynions and greatest Potentates of the Earth who though the world ambitious to shew and set forth her pride and iolitie hath raised to the highest fortunes and greatest glorie shee had yet could she neuer bestow vpon them one moment of true Content or Rest but forced them to march like galld-backt Mules couered ouer with painted Saddles and burdened with heauie burdens of Cares and Iealousies all the time of their liues after death to descend into eternall Miseries and Torments And to begin with Nynus who liued in the third hundreth yeeres after the Floud and was the Earths first famous Mynion exalted by her to that height of worldly honor and dignitie that his Father Belus and his Grandfather Nemrod were stiled Gods his Father called Iupiter and his Grandfather Saturne as Sator Deorum the Father of the Gods that for Nobilitie of Birth Stiles Titles Discents and Dignities he was not inferiour to the highest that euer was vpon the Earth and that his earthly power and might might be correspondent to his Styles Oros li. 1. c. 1. et 4. and Titles he was aduanced to the Monarchie of the Assyrians Medes and Persians so large Dominions that vpon the first view hee alone seemed to enioy all the pleasures and best commodities of the Earth from the South vnto the Sea Euxinus of foure Empires Yet if wee seriously looke into the Content hee had in this his Greatnesse you shall find nothing but that the poore man was deceiued with bare Imaginations liued fortie yeeres the time of his reigne vnder a heauie burthen of Cares Iealousies Warres and Dangers to die a miserable death wounded with an Arrow shot from his enemies without any other benefit of all his worldly Greatnesse Maiestie and Might then encrease of eternall Torments The same we shall find in 4. Reg. 18. 19. Senacherib the Earths second Fauorite whom shee raysed to the Monarchie of the Assyrians and made Conqueror of manie Kingdomes and Vanquisher of manie Kings to adorne him with all their Treasures and Pleasures All which could not endue him with one moment of true Content but loadened him for eighteene yeeres the time of his reigne with manie Troubles and much Discontents afterward to be miserably murdered by two of his owne sonnes so to descend into eternall Torments The like we read of Nabucadonosor Dan. 2. another Mynion of the Earths Monarch of the Chaldeans and ouer so many Countries and Nations that Daniel affirmed of him that he had all earthly things vnder his power yet this was so farre off from yeelding him true Content that he was put to liue like a Beast Cyrus so high a fauorite of 1. Esd cap. 1. Iust lib. 1. Oros li. 2. c. 6. et 7. the Earths that hee had the Monarchie of the Medes Persians and Chaldeans conquered King Cressus and posfessed all his Wealth yet therein could finde so little content that after two and twentie yeeres the time of his reigne passed in Warres Troubles and Afflictions of Minde he was killed miserably by a woman and so descended into eternall Torments The like wee shall finde in Alexander the Great Iulius Caesar Aniball and all Heathen or Christian Kings who liued vnchristian liues and did not seeke after God with all their hearts that they liued in this life in perpetuall anguish and affliction of minde and died Wretches discontent and miserable This is the generall maladie of all the sonnes of Adam but especially of the Princes and Nobles of the Earth who pretend to be wise and will by no meanes seeme to be deceiued and yet all deceiue themselues and that so egregiously as that by pretending pleasures they are turned into paines and by seeking for Riches Ease and Content they fall into Penurie Disgusts and eternall Torments for that they seeke them where neuer yet they were found in the sensual pleasures of the earth and vgly pretentions of sinne which obtained loathe and ended breed affliction when they are onely to be found in God Almightie who being of infinite wisdome beautie riches honour glorie with all that is great precious and delicious that thou canst wish is able to endue thy soule with Happinesse and thy body with true Content So that hauing him thou mayest haue all things and possessing him possesse all things and knowing him know all things and louing him be filled and rauished with all diuine delights Seeke him and He healeth all Ps 10● 3. thy infirmities follow him and He redeemeth thy life frō deadly falling serue him and He crowneth thee with Mercie and Commiserations loue him and He replenisheth thy desire in good things enioy him and thy youth shall be renewed as the Eagle As the Soule is life of the Body from whom the Body hath his liuely motions sensible gustes and pleasures so God Almightie is God life of the Soule from whom in whom and by whom shee hath her spirituall diuine motions heauenly gustes pleasures delights Wherupon the Prophet called our Lord The God of his Ps 4. ● life And as the Bodie howsoeuer it may haue some false and deceitfull contents of his owne without the consent of the Soule or Spirit as witnesseth S. Paul saying For that Rom. 7. 15. which I worke I vnderstand not for not that which I will the same I doe but that which I hate that I doe Yet it cannot haue any full Content Pleasure or Delight without the consent pleasure and concurrence of the Soule or Spirit as is manifest by experience when the will of the Mind resisteth the desires of the Flesh so the Mind or Spirit howsoeuer it may haue some false and deceitful contents which it may enioy without the will and consent of God Almighty such as are Ambitious Thoughts vaine Imaginations and pride of Mind yet it can neuer haue any true Content perfect Pleasure or Delight without the full consent and concurrence of the will and consent of God Almightie according as it is written Without me you can Io. 15. 5. doe nothing that is good or of true content Againe Our 2. Cor. 3. 5. sufficiencie is of God So our Sauiour exhorting vs sayth Seeke first the Kingdome of God Mat. 6. 3● and the Iustice of him which is his Will and Law and all these things Meat Drinke Apparrell c. shall be giuen you besides Whereupon S. Augustine De Ciuit. Dei li. 19. c. 25. et 26. sayth As it is not of the flesh but aboue the flesh that which maketh the flesh liue so it is not of man but aboue man which maketh man to liue happily Wherefore as the life of the flesh is the Soule so the happie life of man is God Whereby it is manifest that happy life cannot be without the enioying of God Almightie CHAP. IIII. That Faith or
Ministers if when he Praieth or Preacheth and saith The Lord The God hee doe not meane the Lord the God that sent him to Preach that it is impossible to keepe the Commandements of God and he will say Yes and yet there is no such God but in there imaginations as we haue proued before Againe aske of these Ministers if they doe not adore as God the Lord the God who sent them to Preach this and the like doctrine and they will say Yes Moreouer aske of their Disciples and followers if they doe not beleeue in the God who sent these Ministers to Preach Iustificatiō by Faith only without keeping the Commandements and they will say Yes and yet if thou wilt beleeue the liuing God there is no such God but in their imaginations as we haue shewed in the former Chapters Whereby is manifest that all those who liue in the breach of the Commandements of God and do beleeue that it is not necessary or impossible to keepe them are Idolaters and haue made to themselues strange Gods Gods who will saue and make happie by Faith in them or beleefe in them onely without keeping their Commandements or louing them with all their hearts Strange Gods that are so black and vgly that it is impossible for men to loue them with all their hearts Secondly they are sonnes of the Deuill as witnesseth our Sauiour saying You are Io. 8. 44. of your Father the Diuell and the desires of your Father you will doe that is breake the Commandements as our Sauiour testifieth saying He was a man-killer from the beginning Io. 44. and he stood not in veritie And the Law of God is Ps 118. 242. veritie So our Lord saith of Iudas that hee was a Diuell Haue I not chosen you twelue Io. 6. 71. and one of you is a Diuell and he meant Iudas who by liuing in the breach of the Commandements of God became a Diuell Saint Paul saith Giue not place to the Diuell He Eph. 4. 27. that stole let him now not steale Hee that doth not loue God with all his heart doth not steale from men but doth steale from God the loue and respect which is due vnto his diuine Maiestie whereupon Saint Iohn saith He that committeth sinne is of the Diuell 1. Io. 3. 8. because the Diuell sinneth from the beginning For this appeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the Diuell which are the the violating of the Commandements of God Againe In this are the Children of God manifest and the Children 1. Io. 3. 10. of the Diuell Euery one that is not iust is not of God and he that loueth not his brother is not of God because he fulfilleth not the law for al the Law is fulfilled in one word Thou Gal. 5. 14. shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Thirdly the Diuell dwelleth in them as in his house and home as witnesseth our Sauiour saying And when Mat. 12. an vncleane Spirit shall goe out of a man he walketh through dry places mortified men seeking rest but findeth not Then he saith I will returne into my house whence I came out and comming he findeth it vacant of good works Then goeth he and taketh with him seuen other Spirits more wicked then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there Againe of Iudas Io. 13. 26. it is said When our Sauiour had dipped Bread he gaue it to Iudas Iscariot and after the morsell then Sathan entred into him And our Sauiour cast out of Mar. 16. 9. Luk. 8. 2. Mary Magdalene seuen Deuils which dwelt in her before her Conuersion Thou must not imagine that all those who haue the Diuell dwelling in them are sensibly Lunatike and Mad neither Mary Magdalene nor Iudas were sensibly Mad but had the Diuell dwelling in them vnsensibly and secretly keeping and possessing their soules as his right Those who are sensibly Lunatike and Mad are generally of the two the least possessed by the Diuell for that such as are sensibly Lunatike may be possessed only in body to doe outward foolish corporall actions and not be possessed in soule to giue free consent of heart to what they doe whereas the other who liue in breach of the Commandements of God are possessed in spirit with a spirituall frensie giddinesse and madnesse in spirituall things to the perdition of their owne soules and many others and to the committing of greeuous sinnes by the vnion of their spirits and free consent of minde to the desires of the Diuell though it be neither sensible to themselues nor others Fourthly the Diuell is their Master in spirituall things insomuch as they must doe for the most part what he will for they being void of inherent grace and of the assistance of the holy Ghost Which will Wis 1. 4. not enter into a malitious soule nor dwell in a body subiect to sinne for what agreement 2. Cor. 6. is there with Christ and Belial and hauing none other strength or force to resist him dwelling in them more then their naturall forces he obtaineth of them for the most part what he will according to the words of our Lord You are of your Father Io. 8. 44. the Diuell and the desires of your Father you will doe What the Deuill suggesteth vnto them that they will doe being obedient vnto him as sons to their Father and so he calleth their hearts his house saying I will returne into my Mat. 12. 46. house his house and home where as a Master hee commandeth and as captiues they obey Such as resist truth saith Saint Paul are intangled in the snares of the Diuell Tim. 2. 25. of whom they are held captiue Ps 118. at his will and the Law of God is truth So by resisting the Law of God and not keeping his Commandements they become slaues captiues of the Diuell so thou must not maruel that these who affirme it to be impossible to keepe the Commandements of God or that the keeping of them is not absolutely necessary to Saluation doe Teach and Preach in effect and deeds that God Almightie is forsworne by suffering his Church to decay and become inuisible for many hundreth yeares together contrary to his Oathes and that now after 1500. yeares they are sent from Heauen to Preach the Gospell before not knowne vnto the World and such like follies as these For the Diuell as our Sauiour saith dwelling in them as in his house and home holdeth them as S. Paul saith captiues at his will that they must say what he will and obey him as his slaues and captiues 2. Pet. 2. 19. For wherewithall a man is ouercome saith S. Peter of that he is the slaue also Whereupon S. Paul saith Rom. 6. 16. Know you not to whom you exhibite your selues seruant to obey you are the seruants of him whom you obey whether it be of sinne to death or of obedience to iustice