no words which can manifest the ioy hee finds in his heart whose soule with the whole heart shall thus say Oh what an infinit good doe I possesse seeing God which is more I or more mine then I am my owne doth possesse so infinit good things whom I now see albeit imperfectly yet I seeke him and hold him for my owne more then euer I held or possessed any thing for mine Let vs not thinke that this can bee expressed in words but let vs to our purpose conclude only that so great a good ought to mooue vs that wee should not otherwise feele our griefes but as wee now haue spoken seeing wee ought not to desire for our selues any other thing then the diuine goodnesse hath ordeined for vs and after that manner he shall thinke fit to dispose But it is fit that we diligently ponder all the words wee now speake because they are of great vse and conteine great perfection Therefore euery seruant of God must be prouident that by the said coÌ„siderations he presently put from him the infinit paines and sorrowes which the miseries and discâ—nteâ—tments of the world thrust vpon him To which thing are necessary the acts spoken of in the sixth Instruction presently casting away the vnwillingnesse as it is there spoken and that so often as such griefe shall occurre or to speake more rightly euery one should in will occurre and meete the sorrowes that hee may desire those things from whence sorrowes and afflictions arise For when these are desired then the sorrow ceaseth which first did arise from heauen euen that we hated these things and it is most iust that wee should desire those things from whence commeth such grieuances aswell for that they come from the hand of God Iob. 1. as also for that our sinnes haue deserued them and with all many good things doe come vnto vs by them Therefore from hence it followeth as from a certain rule that the faithfull seruant of God ought either so to expell or else to direct his ioy and griefe to Godwards that nothing else should occupy his thoughts besides God wherby perfectly to expel it he may indeauour to make it a custome to take vp some painefull thing and as often as any delightfull thing or ioye shall fall out to bring fourth the act of sorrow and griefe and againe on the other side to reioyce as often as any grieuous thing shall fall out And surely it is most iust that he who offeÌ„ding God and expelling him from the soule hath deliuered his soule to Satan should ioy at euery griefe and grieue at euery ioy that befalls him In this manner is that to be vnderstood which is wont to bee spoken Let thy ioy bee euer vnto thee for a punishment and thy punishment for a loy And hee onely shall performe this perfectly who shall more manifestly know that all things in themselues and in respect of vs are nothing but so farre fourth as they are of themselues or by vs directed to Godward And albeit euery man thinkes he knowes this yet happy is that man in the world that sall truely know and feele this in truth 3. Now as for the affection of hope we must know that it is not the same with that vertue which is called Hope For that which is the vertue is not common to all men but that which is the affection of the minde all men haue so that it is naturall as well to Heathens as Christians in so much that as we see it is naturall as well to the one as the other to reioyce and to feare so shall wee see the Heathen hope for diuerse things as well as the Christian Of this hope which is no vertue but an affection common to all wee may obserue that albeit wee are inclined to Hope for many things often yet nothing ought to reft in our hearts to bee hoped for besides God and those things by which we thinke wee may the better draw neere to God to serue him for whatsoeuer thing else we must thinke to be of no worth anâ— if at any time we see the hope of any thing to fix it selfe more in our hearts then felicity and vertues we must presently expell it seeing that it is euidently against the due and right end 4. So must wee also doe in feare namely cast oft all that which is not concerning God The reason whereof the Prophet shewes The Lord it my light and my saluation Psal 26. whom then shall I feare and so the Sonne of God feare not them that can kill the body but feare him that can cast body and soule into hell fire q. d. You are much to feate the offending of God or to prouoke him to anger but he cannot be more prouoked to anger then if by your sinnes you giue him occasion to send body and soule into hell fire Hence it is that hee cries Alas I will reuenge my selfe of my enemies Is 1. Therefore most iust it is that this great God be so feared with a filiall feare For it is more to be desired that we should pluck out our eyes theÌ„ to doe any thing to displease so great a God and so good a Father and Lord as he is Nay hee is not to be feared with any other kinde of feare seeing he only can giue both life and death eternall and fearing him there is no cause thou shouldest feare any thing else in the world Qui timet Deum omnia timent eum qui non timet DeuÌ„ timet omnia He that feares God all things feare him but he that feares not God feares all things For albeit all the calamities of the world rush in vpon vs if we feare them not they can affect vs with no euill which can truely be called euill But rather if we boldly confront them and take them with a thankfull minde in that our God and Redeemer would haue vs to imbrace them in memory of those things which hee suffred for vs they will increase in vs perpetuall dignity and glory Therefore being prepared hereunto that we esteeme of no worth or rather esteeme as a pretious ornament whatsoeuer calamity can befall vs in the world if any feare creepe vpon vs by and by in will wee meet it to repell it that it haue not that place in vs. In which the reuerent feare of God necessary for vs ought to be placed to this the sixth Instruction is necessary Surely hee that shall thus rule the passions of the soule shall liue without vitious passions in a great perfection and shal come to that peace which maketh the peace-makers bee called the Sonnes of God Of the passions SEeing it is impossible for him to get the victory that doth not know his enemies and the more cruelly they vex vs and grieuously wouÌ„d vs the more need there is to know their wiles it cannot but be a matter of singular consequence for the true inriching of our soules to know how to
thy Maiesty Let all the guifts of thy holy Spirit rest vpon me O Lord the spirit of Wisdome and Vnderstanding the spirit of Counsaile Strength the spirit of Knowledge and Piety and let the spirit of thy Feare fill my heart that by these guifts I may bee made immoueable from thee and may grow vp to be a perfect creature in Iesus Christ Of other guifts graces which do not belong vnto sanctification giue mee so much onely as may serue to the saluation of my soule and performance of thy will And grant that I may bee imploied all my life in such businesse as may bee to the glorie of thy name my owne saluation Giue me O my God this grace that in all the talents and guifts which thou hast giuen mee I may neuer seeke my selfe but thy praise glory giue mee of thy goodnesse the guift of perseuerance that by no sin I may euer be separated from thee but vntil death and for euer may perseuer in thy grace Giue me by thy immortality and the most blessed death of my Redeemer a happie end of my daies in him and that after a good life in thee I may die the death of the Righteous take from mee the too much loue of this life and the immoderate feare of death graunt that I may so liue that I may say with the Apostle Phil. 1. I desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ Giue me an inward light of the houre of death that I may flee the flattering inâ—icements of the world giue me an inward sauour of blessed eternity that I may ioyfully forsake all transitory things Giue me a true resignation in thy most holy will that I may willingly depart hence when how thou shalt dispose receiue my spirit cloathed with thy grace loue that for euer it may cleaue vnto thee To conclude take from me whatsoeuer may keepe me from thee giue me O Lord my Redeemer most potent helps to liue holily and die happily These are my petitions O my God these are the desires of my heart which I pray beg by all thy mercies the infinit merits of thy Son may be fulfilled not onely in me but in all my brethren vnto the worlds end that we may euer please thee in this life and inioy thy blessed presence in the life to come Amen Being thus prepared for some good time before the communion it followeth that comming into the Temple thou shouldest cast downe thy selfe vpon thy knees and prepare thy selfe further inuocating the name of God thus O blessed Trinity my God and my Lord I doe now come to be partaker of all those heauenly riches of my Sauiours life death and resurrection 1. In confession of that supreme dominion which thou hast ouer all creatures and of all manner of subiection which wee haue towards thee 2 In commemoration of the most bitter passion and death of Iesus Christ thy Sonne and my Sauiour according to his commandement saying As often as you doe this doe it in remembrance of mee 3 In thankfulnesse for all those infinit riches conferred vpon vs by his most precious death 4 In thankfulnesse for all his benefits wherewith he hath in this world magnified his Saints and mee his most vnworthy seruant O most omnipotent Father I come to this thy true refreshment of soules confirme in mee by thy grace all things which may make me worthily receiue the same I come vnto thee that thou who art life it selfe may by thy grace quicken mee thou which art the light may illighten me thou which art the fire may inflame me thou which art the rest may quiet mee thou which art the purity may purifie mee and thou which art ioy it selfe may reioice me I humbly pray by thy wisdome illuminate me that I may worthily vse these holy mysteries adorne my soule with those seauen fold graces of the blessed spirit that by thy infinit charity I may bee inflamed to receiue it worthily O my God I come vnto thee as smalnesse vnto greatnes as darkenesse vnto light as vncleannesse to holinesse as infirmity to power as the creature to God his Creator O make mee great in thy eies turne my darkenes into light my vncleannes to holines my infirmity to power shew thy selfe in mee as a most wise and potent Creator so a most wise and louing Recreator Redeemer I am most vnworthy to receiue so great fauours I confesse altogether vnworthy because I haue euer offended thee and past by al thy coÌ„mandements vnworthy because I haue euer coldly negligeÌ„tly serued thee vnworthy because I neuer fully with all my heart loued thee vnworthy because I am but dust and ashes nay very filth if any thing be worse worse then that I come vnto thee whom the heauen of heauens is not capable of how much lesse this house I come vnto thee who art the coÌ„mon Father of Men and Angels and who will not reuerence his Father I come vnto thee who art the Lord of all creatures who will not doe homage to such a Lord I come vnto thee as to the Father and Lord whose honour I haue contemned whose sonnes and brethren I haue not once but often both by word and example smitten and who will not tremble to stand before him so offended I come vnto thee my Lord whose seruant I haue smitten vnto thee my Father whose Sonne I haue slaine I smit him by word I slew him by example and shall I not feare such a Lord and reuerence such a Father Yes surely but yet as I come with feare so will I come with hope as I come with reuerence so will I come with confidence For thou hast appointed thy Sonnes bloud whom I haue slaine to be the only soueragin antidote heauenly remedie to heale my wounds and this thy blessed Sacrament to be the Cabinet out of which I must take that sacred plaister for it is the bloud of Iesus Christ thy Sonne 1. Io. 1. that clenseth vs from all sinne He is the bread of life Io 6. hee that cateth of it shall neuer die These words indeed are Spirit and Life they giue Spirit vnto my wounded spirit and life vnto my dead soule O looke vpon thy seruant that I may liue O blesse mee with the guift of such a faith as that out of my belly may flow riuers of water of life Amen 6 How to giue thanke after the Lord Supper is receiued IT were very absurde to receiue so vnspeakable a gift and not to returne thankes if after dinner rest from businesse and imployment be necessary for the health of man that the naturall heate may concoct the meate turne it into the nourishment of the body much more necessary is rest this feast being ended from distractions and businesse that the benefit of this Sacrament may come vnto vs and that it may diffuse his vertue strength into our soules But who will be so
make an ill beginning forespeake themselues as it were at the very first Therefore happy are they that haue the arrow yet in their hand and day before them For if wee haue not ouercome sinne in youth before it take root in vs how shal we struggle with it when the roaring lyon hath vs in his pawes and when sinne being like an olde man that hath lost his hearing will not be charmed but tells vs it was a custome and could not be left And because no man is borne to idlenesse nor for himselfe only I haue bethought my selfe of some course to discharge at least some part of my seruice duty to your High and in generall to benefit al such as with holy deuotion aspire to perfection in the seruice of God Vir. Eneid lib. 5. imitating herein Palinurus who finding that he could not saile against the wind into Italy turned his course with Aeneas his approbation into Sicily where they had before been friendly entertained It being a point of wisedome when a man caÌ„not saile by a fore-wind where he would and happily where he shold to saile by a bowling and side-wind or at least-wise to cast anchour where hee may Act. 16.6 Paul his companions being forbidden by the spirit to preach the Gospell in Asia and Bythinia by a vision appearing to Paul on the night a certaine Macedonian intreating him to come into Macedonia and helpe them collected that they were called of the Lord into Macedonia to preach the word and what shall I thinke of my selfe to whom God would haue that ordinary coÌ„mand of his word to be in stead of Pauls extraordinary vision to him Heb. 10.24 but that the holy commandement of sharpning pronoking others to good workes 1. Thes 5.11 Eze k. 13.5 of edisying one another and of rising vp in the gap and making vp the hedge hath sufficiently animated me and warranted my aduenture in putting Gods talent to the exchangers Mat. 25.27 that at his comming hee might receiue his owne with aduantage I am not ignorant that Aulus Albinus was reproned of Cato because he would rather deprecari culpam quaÌ„vacare culpa Aul gell 11.8 excuse his fault theÌ„ want a fault in that himselfe a Romane borne and writing a Hystory in Greek desired pardon if he chanced to offend in a strange tongue Yet Catoes reason excusing such as offeÌ„d by constraint and Albinus case and mine differing much he being a stranger in that language but I at home in mine owne element giues mee no small hope of a generall pardon albeit I should offeÌ„d in taking on me an office altogether vafit for my weake and weary shoulders for I grant this heauy taske requires a fuller pen a riper iudgement a sweeter singer then my selfe Yet when the equity of my calling the imploiment in so high a sernice as a Princes Court and the necessity of the times and manners called vpon me for some duty and the importunity of some whose words haue much weight and authority with me had wrung this worke from me I am the more bold to intreat that Catoes censure if any be may be made with Catoes equity because I had rather be without a fault then make an excuse for it The wise Orator feinedly reproted Cic. pro deiot that therefore applause was not giuen to Caesar because hee was pressed with men astonished with admiration but I must vnfainedly confesse that I must passe by in silence the commendations of this kind of seruing God methodized in this little worke because the admiration of it Isa 6.5 as the sunne beames dazles the sharpnesse of my weake sight But as the Prophet witnesseth when he saw the Lord sitting on his throne that he was amazed because a man of polluted lippes vn-worthy to see the glory of God so do I ingenuously professe when I ponder the great Maiesty of Gods word the absoiute perfection wherewith he lookes to be serued I am struck starke dambe because I am a man of polluted lips indeed of an vncircumcised heart and far vnfit to expresse the praise of such wonderfull things Therfore I willingly leaue such luy-bushes to the worldly wisdome of Philosophers Physitians and Lawiers whose learning I confesse are good for mans life but that life which perisheth excellent but yet humane laudable but yet mortall high but yet most shippery and brittle The story roports Liuy liâ— XX that Hanniball before hee would ioyne battell with the Romans proposed to his army certaine couples of captiues contending withtheir swords that by this kind of playing conslict the Carthaginians might the more wisely attend and the more cheerefully be armed to vnder-take the condition of a serious sight but such is the combat and seruice wherein by this little booke I must imploy all that purpose to haue the victory against sinne Satan hell and damnation that if they depart from the rule of combat and seruice prescribed it is not the losse of Captiues but of Carthaginians not of Carthaginians but Christians not be life of the body but of the soule is in danger not the law of man but of God is contemned not transitory riches nor health nor all the pleasures of life but euen the most blessed possession of the kingdome of heauen the eternall saluation of our soules lies at the stake to be lost A matter if euer any of great consequence and therefore timely to bee begun and constantly to be continued For hee that hath a great taske to bee performed in a short time is euer prouident not to let slippe that time Our taske is our conuersion to GOD our time of returne is this short span of life a short time for so sore a taske our wages for this taske is our soules saluation therefore no wisdome to mis-pend the least portion of time and to loose our glorious inheritance in heauen It is strange to see our toylings and sweatings for these sub-lunary vanities and yet how remisse we are to make our calling and election sure how negligent and sloathfull to lay hold on that good part which cannot be taken from vs. As the spider spends her owne bowels in spinning sine threeds weauing cunning nets to catch slies when suddenly a pusse of wind or a broâ—me comes and marres all that fine fabricke So we torment our selues for the base honors baser pleasures of this life and when we are at the height of all comes but one paffe of dis-grace sicknesse or death defeats all wee did all wee hoped for Therefore seeing all doe agree that God is to bee serued but dispute of the time let vs take the present time for youth had neede of legges and age of wings I confesse indeed that this manner of seruing God which I propose is something strict vncouth and vnsauory to flesh and bloud but most of all to such whose glory and greatnesse all men adore and also to such whose breasts are
passe that we are afraid to be too holy whereas we haue a weight for all kind of mettals a touch stone for golde and a measure for grame and we wil not take lesse then measâ—ne waight and that which is good in both yet wee slicke not to â—ut God short of his waight and measure and which worse is to offer him drosse in stead of gold water in stead of wine and chaffer in stead of corne waighing our seruice in false ballances and gruing him false drugs false and counterfeit stuffe false worship shadowes for substances But let vs take heede for as God after twelue moneths came to Nebuchadnezar to take an account of his dreames that he sent him so will he shortly come to euery of vs to take an account of the sermons we haue heard the books we haue read the talents wee haue receiued the stewardship committed to vs and all the holy meanes be hath vsed to winne vs vnto him Wisedome and honour and greatnesse without the seare of God will then doe vs no more good then the Arke did the Philistims procure our greater plagues And I doubt much though light be come amongst vs yet it may truely be said the Gentils sit in darknesse and the shadow of death Therfore let not our owne gifts or Gods infinit goodnes to vs in fatuate our harts For as Noah was drunke with his owne grapes so we may easily offend God with our owne gifts and bee drunke with the abundance of his goodnesses This dotage of the world should forewarne vs as sonnes of the day and light Tert. with the Eagle and all other birds a cano ad â—â—rlum euolare to mount from the dung hill of this world to the exceeding weight of glory in heauen For neither are the fowles of the heauen in-tangled and caught Ambr. whilst they cut the highest region of the ayre but whilst they creep below on the ground And to aspire to the future life wee must learne to contemne this present life to contemne the present it behooues vs to know it to know it is to remoue it far from our hearts and banish it from our affections for the things of this world being so neer vs doe but dazle the minde and distract the iudgement And these beata otia these blessed times of peaces these golden seasons of the Gospell can no otherwise be continued to vs but by cashiering the vanities of the world and grasping of heauen Herein for shame out-stripping the Heathen Aristippus who when some of Syracusa sayling to Cyrene askt him would he commaund them any thing to his family answered command mine to care for prouision of such things as with the owner will swimme ashore in ship wrack and let vs not doe this for a sitte or a flash but as Catelines Souldiers were found dead or aliue in the same place they were fust put so must wee in re-signing our selues wholly to the good pleasure of God and contemning the vanities and pleasures of the world bee setled and resolued to dye and liue in that re-signation The way to doe this is euer to meditare on the last date of our dayes when we shal come to that great audit to giue an account of all we haue done in the flesh for the very thought of death is as a strainer cleansing and purging al our thoughts words and actions like a cloth that hath been many times possed and plunged in the water And the rather is this meditatioÌ„ prositable because death comes suddeÌ„ly as a messenger vn lookt for Who would haue thought the enemy shold haue entred Ierusalem so soon and made such a sudden and wofull hauock neuer to be recouered who would haue thought that Herod should so soon haue beene eaten with lice when the people cried the voice of God and not of man Who would haue thought Nebuchadnezzar should so soone haue be on turned out a doore to graze like a beast when he boasted he had built great Babylon for the honor of his name may who would haue thought that Iezabel should haue been a prey for dogs and not an care left to season the graue withal but thus it is great Princes and Peeres nay such as are Peerlesse here must die and though they differ froÌ„ all other in their pompe honors pleasures greatnesse in their apparell meat attendance and all shining like the stars yet is their end like to the beggars at their gates and many times worse in fat worser case are they after their deaths if they haue not bin rich in good works to his glory that made them so rich and glorious Therfore this Morieris thou shalt die is an excellent Motto for all great ones especially it is like a barre in their armes it will make the proudest vaile fall his creast But what need so many words to so religious iudicious well seasoned a nature whoÌ„ I know to be of the resolution of that euer memorable Alphonsus King of Arragon who being highly praised for his nobility in that he was rex regis filius regis nepos regis frater a King a Kings sonne a Kings nephew and a Kings brother answered I esteeme nothing lesse in this life then these vanities for these are not my commendations but rather theirs who by their valour and vertues righteousnes teÌ„perance prudence the like haue gotten me these kingdoms honors nor are kingdomes any thing to the successors but burdens and then only become honours if they be receiued rather for their vertues then by testament and succession This is that only that can make a man truely noble both in this life in a better Therfore Maximilian answered one well suing to him for letters Patents to ennoble him that it was in this power to make him rich but only vertue could make him noble And as all but chiesly those that owe God most hauing receiued most must shuÌ„ the corruptioÌ„s of the world all ill customs so must they be careful to auoide ill company And to this end neuer to suffer Dauids protestation and practise in a whole Psalme depart out of their hearts Psal 101. For as it is great wisedome not onely to shun the plague but euen euery ragge that may seeme to carry the plague with it so it is heauenly wisedom not only to auoid grosse and fowle sinnes and sinners but euen all the peccadilia dwarse-sinnes and all those sine mincers of sinne For as it is policy not to goe so neere the riuers banke as we can for feare of falling in so it is heauenly discretion not to come neere sinne nor apparant wicked persons that are not seasoned with the true knowledge of God the sonnes of Belial corrupt men and reprobate concerning the faith enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose belly is their God whose end is damnation whose glory is to their shame which minde earthly things for feare wee bee ouer-taken and infected before wee bee aware
sound direction and order bee prescribed which may as well delight the soule to apprehend as guide it to follow the true path that leads it to eternall rest for which cause amongst such as haue bestowed their pains and arguments of like nature but not fully and onely to this end I haue deemed it a work of much consequence to frame this Progresse of the Soule wherin by soure labours or dayes iournies of the Soule I doe orderly and fully discourse whatsoeuer may be requisite in the true seruice of God The first Iourney that the Soule must make towards Heauen is to heare the word of God with benefit That this may bee duely performed it sufficeth not that the Preacher bee skilfull to diuide the word of Trueth aright and therein be diligent to do his duetie but it is further required that the Hearer also bee not wanting on his owne behalfe to himselfe The duety then of the Hearer is no other but that both before the Sermon during the time of the Sermon and after the Sermon he consider learne and practise those things that are vnto God glorious and vnto the Church of God and himselfe wholesome and profitable And it consisteth in these two things first That he haue an eye to the scope and end of his calling secondly That he vse the meanes appointed to come to that scope and end First of the first part of the Hearers duety that is of the scope in hearing Sermons Forasmuch as there is one common scope as of all other things so of the Preachers and Hearers namely the glory of God and happinesse of the Church therefore it behooueth the Hearer to follow the guidance and direction on of the Preacher and to labour to come to that chiefe end by such means as leade thereunto namely by hearing the word preached by vnderstanding the thinges heard by louing the good thing vnderstood and hating the euill by a serious and earnest study and practise of the good thing beloued and a slying from the euill by which it will come to passe that God shall be glorified and the church and our selues edified 2 Of the second part of the Hearers duety that is of the meanes appoynted to come to this end and first of the meanes before Sermons That the Hearer may before Sermons as well as at Sermons and after Sermons ponder learne and practise those things which make for the glorie of God the churches comforts and his owne hee must duely prepare himsâ—lâ—â— to the hearing of Sermonâ— and this preparation consisteth in the sanctifying of himselfe vnto the Lord Exod. 19. for so were the people of God commanded to do that it might the more deeply penetrate into their hearts God instituted a peculiar ceremony for the same and it were to be wished that all Hearers would with earnest endeuour regarde for what causes this sanctification is required of them wherein it consists and how it is to be instituted and ordered Therefore heere wee will deliuer three necessary points touching this sanctification and preparation of the Hearers first what are the moouing causes why they ought to sanctifie themselues secondly generall obseruations belonging to the sanctification of the Hearers thirdly the parts and members of sanctification 1 The moouing causes why they ought to sanctifie themselues The causes chiefly moouing sanctification may bee gathered from the Apostles words Heb. 12 from the 12. verse vntill the 22. of the 13. chapter where albeit the Apostle may seeme to speake generally of the sanctification of a christian man yet doth he chiefly respect the time wherein men assemble to heare the word For there all things are holy 1 Then the Church is holie Heb. 12.18 22.19 and the communion of Saints 2 The Word is holy especially that of the Gospel those pretious pearles Matth. 7.6 3 The time is most holy the Sabbaoth of the Lord. 4 The Angels are holy Heb. 12 2â— who are present in the assembly 5 Those spiritually first borne are holy Heb. 12.23 6 A most holy God 23. who is present and President 7 The holy Saints in Heauen 23. whither we that are in the Militant Church ought to striue and contend to come 8 A holy Mediator 24. euen Iesus the righteous 9 The most holy blood of sprinckling which speaketh better things then that of Abel 24. Therefore let vs not contemne the communion with these most holy things neither let vs defile the same with our impurity and vncleannesse but labour for true sanctification vnto which thing let the consideration of these fiue reasons following added to the former stirre vp our hearts 1 The consideration of Gods holy commandement of sanctifying the Sabboath as also of that passage Be yee holy as I am holie 1. Pet. 1.15 16. for seeing he that hath called vs is holy wee must be holy in all manner of conuersation 2 Of that diuine and heauenly interdiction Matth. 7.6 giue not that which is holy vnto dogges nor cast ye your pearles before swine lest they treade them vnder feet and turning againe all to rent you 3 Of that assertion of S. Pauls 2. Cor. 2. that the preaching of the Gospel is vnto the vnsanctified and such as are neuer to be sanctified the sauour of death vnto death 4 Of that most grieuous danger of being smitten with the hidden or the manifest thunder-bolt of Excommunication 1. Cor. 5. to be deliuered vnto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh Where wee may remember that of the Apostle That without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12 1â— neither heere by saith in this world nor in the world to come face to face And what meant our Sauiour by that man which was bound hand and foot and cast into vtter darknes for want of a Wedding Garment but that the want of holinesse is the iust cause of our reiection from the presence of God and his Angells Mat. 2â— 11 5 Let euerie Hearer thinke with himselfe that hee is admitted to the speech and Supper of the great God and prepare himselfe as a meete guest for such a worthy entertainment 6 Let the change of our garments admonish vs of this sanctification namely the putting off of such garments as are soyled with the labours of our vocation and the putting on of cleaner and more precious garments For if the body must be hansomely and cleanely decked at such times how much more is the most pretious soule to bee sanctified and prepared To this purpose may also serue the consideration of the washing of our bodies wherin wee are daily carefull and the ringing of the Bell calling vpon vs for preparation 2 The generall obseruations which belong to the sanctification of the Hearers Seeing then the sanctification of the Hearers is so necessary not vnworthily are we to search with much diligence wherein the same consists here it is to be instituted and ordered as sanctification euen
their wickednesse then stands there need of a debarring and excluding them from entrance into the Church which answeres to the exclusion banishment Politicall Fourthly yet if not by this meanes hee can bee bridoled then the last remedy is to bee ministred namely excommunication wherewith being cut off from the body of the Church hee is deliuered vnto Satan and this answeres to the capitall punishment of death by the Magistrate And thus do wee see the effects of the Ecclesiasticall censure as well towards Heretiques and Schismatiques as wicked and vngodly Preachers and Hearers Now a word of the effects of the Ciuill censure against the like offenders which answeres squarely to the former Ecclesiasticall censures For first the Ciuill Magistrate blames admonisheth and threatens offenders and what is this but the brotherly Ecclesiasticall correction Secondly hee imprisons or layes some amercement vpon them for some grieuous offence by which imprisonment the wicked doer is suspended from the conuersation of men and depriued of the vse of his accustomed meate and drinke and that by mulct and amercement something is taken from him which belongs to the sustentation of his life and this punishment answeres to the Ecclesiasticall suspension Thirdly there is an exile and banishment out of the Kingdome inflicted vpon him which answeres to the Ecclesiasticall exclusion out of the Church Fourthly there is the punishment of death whereby a man for some capitall offence committed against God or man is taken from the society of men and deliuered to death and what is this but a resemblance of Ecclesiasticall Excommunication All these censures if they were seriously carefully and lawfully extended and practised against offenders wee should in short time see greater fruit of the word of God and Sermons and a most flourishing and happy condition of Churches Policies and Families and not such regardlesnesse and neglect nor such impiety wickednesse and scandals as are euery where rife 2 But because men are indulgent in this great cause of Gods and their owne saluation therefore comes God himselfe as the second Censurer for it is not to bee thought that either hee slumbers or sleepes or yet that hee stands in need of any laborious Inquisition and Demonstration but when men thinke that God regards not their actions not wil distinguish betwixt the good and bad the religious and prophane Teachers and Hearers Hee himselfe doth thus speak of himselfe by the Prophet in a full discourse Ezech. 34. that hee will both by benefites and iudgements shew in deed that hee discernes betwixt the good and bad Teachers and Hearers and that it is not all one to him whether any man doe his duety or doe it not and therefore that hee may shew that hee much regards both the good and godly Teachers and Hearers hee diueisly powreth his benefites vpon thē albeit happily the flesh doe often iudge otherwise but especially he blesseth them whilst by his mighty power hee turnes their crosses into a wholesome medicine vnto them But that hee may shew how much he is offended with vngodly and carnall both Preachers and Hearers and such as make no conscience of Preaching or hearing and for that cause takes their workes and actions into his most iust ballance Hee doth euery where in the Scripture sufficiently declare but aboue all by his most seuere iudgements inflicted vpon men and Nations for their coldnesse and remissenesse in censuring of ill-hearing and practising the will of God which is the last obseruation of this discourse Therefore the miseries and iudgements that befall particular men and whole Kingdomes for the neglect of these censures come now to bee considered Let vs behold them in a three-fold most grieuous kind of singular punishments 1. Internall 2. Externall 3. Eternall First Internall whilst both in the Preachers and Hearers hee punisheth sinnes with sinnes deliuering them into spirituall darkenesse and into a reprobate sense which of all other plagues is the most grieuous For if God so punished the neglect of the Gentiles who by the Sermons of nature Preached vnto them did not regard rightly to know and worship him as wee may reade Rom. 1. from the 18. verse to the 17. of the second chapter what shall wee thinke will hee lay vpon them who haue had that excellent light of the sacred Scripture and yet haue neither rightly in their Sermons handled that Treasure nor yet attentiuely heard it much lesse soundly vnderstood it and carried a right and holy affection towards it Is not this most heauy censure and iudgement of the Apostle verified of them 2. Tim. 3. They haue a shew of godlinesse but haue denyed the power thereof Euer learning but neuer coming to the knowledge of the truth Surely this fearefull punishment seemeth to bee at this day powred out vpon the greatest part of those who haue taken possession of the word of God and boast thereof but haue vtterly denyed the power thereof either wickedly corrupting it or else not exercising themselues in it with that care reuerence and zeale that becommeth or still hearing of it but without profite vnderstanding or fruite and whosoeuer shall vn-partially view either the state of the Popish or yet the reformed Church shall not bee able to deny this truth O that hee who is the Author of all true light and enlightning truth euen God himselfe would bee pleased to take this pest and infectious euill both from the Preachers and Hearers who are infected with it least at length themselues be taken away and cast into eternall darkenesse and extreme torments both of soule and body Secondly the fearefull externall plague and punishment of God doth often follow the internall By externall I doe not vnderstand chiefly the diuerse crosses and afflictions wherewith any man in particular is exercised but those grieuous and vniuersall punishments of impious Kingdomes Countries Leu. 26. Deut. 32. Ezech. 5.16.17 Ezech. 14.21 Cities and Townes of which sort there are foure remembred in the Scriptures as plague warre famine and beasts There is no question but it is a fearefull thing to bee afflicted with any of these plagues but yet more fearefull if two at once bee sent vpon a people and yet more fearefull if three concurre together as wee reade there did at the siege of Ierusalem which would not know the time of her visitation but of all most horrible is it if all foure at once bee inflicted vpon men which hapned to the Iewes who contemned the word of the Lord in the time of Ieremy and Ezekiel And surely the censure of God is most grieuous wee haue had our parts of it in a high measure the plague taking away in one yeare in one Towne 37000 besides the infinite numbers that died thereof in euery quarter of the Land waters breaking into the maine and drowning men women goods and much riches Fires breaking forth and deuouring whole Townes with infinite treasures to speake nothing of famine that hath much infested vs for many yeares
ought to doe vnlesse withall wee know the order and manner of proceeding in it and how wee ought to doe it therefore I will onely set before your eyes certaine short methodes and formes of meditation vpon euery of the matters of meditation before named and such as are easie for euery vulgar capacity to learne and frequent 1 Concerning Death these things may bee chiefly considered and meditated 1 What great and ineuitable necessity of dying is laid vpon euery man of what condition soeuer 2 How vncertaine a thing it is to know when where and how death will seize vpon vs. 3 How that in death all things in this world euen the things that were most endeared to vs will leaue and abandon vs. Or thus 1 What are the things which do vsher vs to our death and as it were leade the dance euen all all our infirmities and weakenesses all our griefes and paines in body or minde all the potions and receits of Phisick our friends and neighbours visitations and condolements 2 What things do accompany our death euen most bitter and extreme conuulsions and torments of the body the losse of our senses depriuation of sound reason departure of the naturall heate anxieties and troublednesse of the minde strong temptations and often fearefull visions 3 What things doe follow death buriall in the earth neglect and forgetfulnesse amongst those that seemed sometimes to bee incorporated into vs rottennesse stincke and loathsomnesse and lastly the iudgement of the soule either to the ioyes of heauen or torments of hell Or thus 1 That death is the most terrible and fearefull thing of all the fearefull things that can bee conceiued 2 That it is to be feared contemned and desired feared least it take vs suddenly contemned least the conceite of it should make vs saint cowardly desired least wee should seeme to die vnwillingly 3 How iust and reasonable a thing it is that euery Christian should with all care and diligence addresse himselfe to a fit and due preparation of well dying that hee may bee assured at what time soeuer death sets vpon him yet shall it neuer take him tardy and vn-prouided 2 Of the last Iudgement these things are principally to be meditated 1 Those most fearefull signes spoken of by our Sauiour in the Gospell which shall be the forerunners of that iudgement Math. 24. the powers of heauen shall bee shaken and all the kinreds of the earth shall then mourne 2 The renouation of the world 2. Pet. 3. There shall bee a new heauen and a new earth this present world being burnt vp with fire 3 The resurrection of all the sonnes and daughters of Adam at the blast of a trumpet 4 The Maiesty of that Iudge round about whom the whole Court of heauen shall stand 5 The account that must then bee rendred of all things that are done in the flesh whether good or euill the opening of the bookes of our conscience wherby the secrets of all hearts shall bee manifested to the whole world 6 The sentencing of them that haue done good vnto eternall ioy and glory Mat. 25.41 and of them that haue done euill to infinite and eternall vengeance and torment of body and soule of which sentence euery word is aduisedly to bee pondered 7 The most certaine execution of both those sentences how and how long time to endure euen for euer and euer and beyond all times 3 How to meditate on the torments of hell In this meditation thou maist contemplate these three points first the place it selfe and the eternity of it secondly the tortures of the body in that place eternally thirdly the torments of the soule euerlasting First conceiue that hell is a certaine perpetuall prison full of fire and other innumerable torments wherewith those are affected that die in their sinnes vnrepented Or thus Hell is a certaine eternall state and condition in which all impenitent sinners are tormented with that punishment that they shall want all the things that may make for their comforts and shall suffer all the things that may increase feare and horrour so that there shall bee the want of all good things mans heart can conceiue and the presence and aboundance of all euils wherewith either man in this world or the deuils in hell are tormented and all these to bee endured not for some thousands of millions of yeares but for euer and euer Heere then consider that whatsoeuer is in hell is eternall First the damned himselfe is eternall not onely in soule but in body too so that neither himselfe nor any other can kill him nor will God bring him to nought They shall seeke death but shall not finde it They shall desire to die Apoc. 9.6 but death shall flee from them so that God shall bee so farre from fulfilling their desires that their mad desire to bee brought to nothing shall encrease their horrible torment in seeing they cannot obtaine what they so infinitely desire Secondly the place it selfe is eternall Eccles 1.4 for as the earth and heauen are eternall so is hell also Thirdly the fire is eternall and vnquenchable Esay 30. For the breath of the Lord as a Riuer of brimestone doth kindle it so that it is not extinguisht not consumed Esay 66. and yet doth euer burne Fourthly the worme neuer dyeth the worme of conscience for the rottennesse of the sin of which it is ingendred and nourished shall haue no end and the liuely apprchension of sin and the punishment of it shall neuer cease Mar. 9. neither shall the cruell biting of it whereby it wounds the conscience euer haue any end Fifthly the decree of God is vnchangeable and eternall the sentence is past From hell there is no redemption no price sufficient to ransome them Sixthly all the punishments there are eternall because the sinnes for which they are inflicted are eternall in as much as the Reprobate if hee could haue liued for euer hee would euer haue had a purpose of sinning against God Why then will wee make our selues guilty of eternall punishments Why doth not this eternall fire feare vs Why doth not this breath of God this worme this vnchangeable decree of God disturne vs And heere further meditate first the continuednesse of these torments without any interruption or diminution for a moment nay rather by how much more as their wicked liues haue beene occasions of others damnations by so much their torments increase secondly yet for all this continuance there is no habite attained in suffering to make them the lighter but rather they seeme to be new and by the impatience of the damned to waxe fresh For euen as the pride of them that hate God ascends euer more and more so their anger Psal 73. fury enuy impatience and madnesse increaseth thirdly that it is an vgly and most odious place in which no light though all bee on a fire fourthly a most narrow place in respect of the multitude that
on Christs death is euery day to take one of the chiefest Mysteries of Christ from the Annuntiation of the Angell to Mary vntill the ascension of Christ into heauen to bee meditated on 2 To distribute the whole life of Christ into seuen parts and euery weeke once in meditation to runne ouer his whole life allotting to euery day his part 3 The third is to diuide Christs whole life into ten parts according to those ten places wherein it pleased him to dwell and to consider what hee did and suffered in euery of those places For the first what in the wombe of his mother nine monthes secondly what in the Stable at Bethlem forty daies thirdly in Egypt seuen yeares or thereabouts fourthly in Nazareth twenty two yeares and more fifthly in the Desart forty daies and forty nights sixthly in Iudaea and Galileâ— Preaching three yeares and a halfe seuenthly in paines and torments one whole day eighthly on the Crosse three houres ninthly in the Sepulchre and in Hell forty houres tenthly on the earth being risen from death forty daies Thus may one in an houres or halfe an houres meditation repeate with himselfe the whole life of Christ pawsing a while vpon euery point which is of no small benefite to the deuoute soule Hee may also if hee please make seuerall meditations vpon euery part as time and place will giue him leaue from the necessary workes of his Calling 4 Another manner of meditating hereon is to distribute the life of Christ into three parts as namely his entrance into the world his abiding in the world his departure out of the world and so cast in his minde what kinde of entrance hee had into the world what kinde of entertainement hee had in it what hee did in it and how hee departed out of the world and on euery one of these to frame one or more meditations 5 Besides to comprehend all the life of Christ in these three generall points first what hee said secondly what he did thirdly what hee suffered Dixit multa fecit mira Ber. pertulit dura Hee spake many things hee did wonderfull things but hee suffered cruell things and heereof also may seuerall meditations be vsed vpon euery one of these 6 Lastly is to take one of the foure Euangelists or the Concordance of the foure Gospels and in meditation to runne ouer it from the beginning to the end 8 How to meditate on the Passion of Christ 1 Is to begin with the last Supper daily to propose vnto our selues one of the Mysteries to bee meditated according to the order of the Text of the Gospell vntill his death and buriall 2 Or to diuide the Lords Passion into seuen parts and in meditation to passe ouer it euery weeke wholy 3 Also to frame so many meditations of it as are places wherein Christ suffered any torment euery day insisting vpon one place first in the lower Parlour wherein his last Supper was celebrated secondly in the Garden wherein hee felt that mighty troublednesse of Spirit and heauinesse of his Soule vnto death thirdly when before Annas fourthly before Caiphas fifthly in Pilates house sixtly in Herods house seuenthly againe when hee was brought to Pilate eighthly in his iourney to Mount Caluary carrying his Crosse ninthly in the Mount Caluary it selfe 4 To meditate our Sauiours seuen sentences which hee spake in those three houres hee hanged on the Crosse which euery Christian ought to commend to memory first Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe secondly to the Thiefe Verily I say vnto thee this day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise thirdly to his Mother Woman behold thy Son c. fourthly My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee fifthly I thirst sixthly It is finished seuenthly Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit 5 One may meditate on the three kindes of paines our Sauiour suffered viz. what hee suffered in his Soule in his Body in his Honour taking the matter of his meditation from the sacred bookes of the Gospels and making one or more meditations thereof 6 We may also consider these foure things who it is that suffered what things hee suffered for whom hee suffered and how hee suffered 7 Wee may also meditate on Christs Passion to diuerse ends and all of them very good first to the end to suffer with Christ if wee consider the bitternesse of his torments secondly to conceiue and beget in vs contrition and sorrow for our sinnes if wee weigh that hee suffered to put away our sinnes and did vndergoe a death of all other most ignominious thirdly to imitate him if wee consider that Christ suffered that hee might leaue vs an example to follow his steps fourthly to bee thankfull to him if we consider the greatnesse and excellency of this benefite fifthly to loue him if wee conceiue the vnspeakeable charity which in this worke hee shewed towards vs sixtly to conceiue hope if wee behold that hee tooke on him the death for the expiation of our sinnes and for our saluation seuenthly to admire if we bee astonished at the consideration of his infinite goodnesse and loue Thus may wee euery week consider all these ends if euery day we propose to our selues one of these or if in the consideration of euery point of the Lords Passion wee stirre vp in our selues one or more of these affections 9 How to meditate on the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper 1 For the History thou maist meditate first how Christ did eate the Paschall Lambe with his Apostles secondly how hee washed their feete thirdly how hee instituted this most holy Sacrament and distributed it to his Apostles 2 As touching the names of it thou maist consider that it is called an Eucharist or Thankesgiuing a Sacrament a Communion of the Body and Bloud of Christ the Supper of the Lord Bread and Wine 3 As concerning the figure of it thou maist meditate that it is represented and figured vnto thee by the Bread and Wine which Melchisedec brought forth to Abraham by the Paschall Lamb by the heauenly Manna by the stony Rocke that gushed out water by the bread of Elias 4 If thou wilt consider the causes for which Christ instituted this holy Sacrament then meditate that the first cause is to continue the memory of his Passion secondly to set forth his loue vnto vs thirdly to feede our soules fourthly to be a Seale and Pledge vnto vs of eternall happinesse 5 Meditate on the fruites and effects of this holie Sacrament the first whereof is that as bread and wine nourish the body and make glad the heart of man so this sacred bread and wine nourisheth and maketh glad the soule preserues the life of it streng theneth it against the assaults of the spirituall aduersary and filles it full of ioy and the marrow of deuotion if with due preparation and a liuely faith assured purpose of amendment of life it bee receiured and digested Secondly it in-lightens
sinnes of one man and no more who can bee so ignorant meditating this but easily will arise from the dungeon of despaire and in the midst of his heart conceiue vn-repellable hope This reason is able not onely to giue health to the sicke but life to the dead 3 Reason Besides the most vnspeakeable loue of God exhibited to vs in Christ who is the foundation of our hope Christ himselfe hath spoken in the Gospell many things to stirre vp our hope Aske and you shall receiue c. But aboue all that I say vnto you whatsoeuer you shall aske beleeue that you shall receiue it and it shall be done vnto you These words to stirre vp our minds and beget hope are most forcible I say vnto you As if Christ had giuen his Obligation for the truth of it to bind himselfe to vnworthy man requiring onely this condition of vs that wee hold a good opinion and faith of his goodnesse that hee will giue vs what wee aske And how consonant to reason is this Is there any Prince that promising faithfully hee will giue to some that aske him a peece of siluer so they aske faithfully that performes no this promise Or doe any doubt of it that are wise If then that most high Potentate of heauen and earth that cannot loofe any of his riches nay who the more hee giues tho richer hee is do promise to giue to them that aske faithfully being able to do what hee list with a beck Who is so mad that doth not vndoubtedly hope and aske nay which doth aske and doth not obtaine Now then if God who is most propense to doe good as the first reason prooues and of his owne accord sent his Son his onely begotten Son deliuering him to most bitter death that I might by him obtaine what I aske as appeares in the second reason And to conclude the Son of God himselfe both God and Man my Redeemer haue bound himselfe by promise most ample and most worthy of himselfe to giue vnto mee what I faithfully aske as in the third reason it must needs follow that I must not onely swerue from all Christianity but euen from the right vse of reason or else most constantly hope for the eternall good things of saluation which I pray for The Fourth Daies Iourney of the Soule to Heauen is Holinesse of Life THIS indeed is the full complement of all the rest to heare the word with iudgement to meditate vpon Diuine Mysteries with diligence and to pray vnto God with deuotion are to small purpose except there follow practise and application of all these in the life Our labour then must bee in this discourse first to giue some generall precepts how to acquire those vertues that helpe to the sanctification of life and to roote vp the vices which hinder the increase of godlinesse in our hearts Secondly to propose a daily methode of practising such holy duties as being performed will make our whole liues a sweete smelling Sacrifice to God 1 The ignorance of a sure methode and meanes to beget the seeds of vertues in mans heart is the cause that so few do arriue at the Hauen of Perfection in any measure Insomuch that hardly shall one finde one man in all his life that hath attained to any competent habite of any one vertue All vertues as the learned doe well obserue are either infused into the soule by the onely grace of God which giueth all good things or else are acquired by the industry and labour of man being helped therevnto by the grace of Gods holy Spirit for the obtaining of which let him consider these points following 1 Hee that will attaine to any vertue as humility or the like must know these fiue things to be very necessary 1 An earnest and great desire of that vertue which is ingendred first by pondering the glorious beauty nobility excellency and necessity of that vertue secondly how it pleaseth God that a man be adorned with that vertue thirdly what examples and admonitions Christ left of that vertue fourthly how displeasing and detestable to God the contrary vice is fifthly how farre I am yet from that vertue and what is the cause of it 2 Prayer whereby with most earnest supplications he must beg that vertue of God 3 Frequent meditations vpon that vertue in which hee must reuolue with himselfe these foure points first how pleasing this vertue is to God secondly how excellent in it selfe thirdly how necessary to mans saluation fourthly what worthy benefites and fruites it briugeth with it 4 A continuall exercise and vse as well of the inward as outward acts of that vertue 5 Examination whereby to discusse himselfe daily touching his defects against this vertue 2 Albeit all vertues are desireable yet the more easily to gaine the habite of them wee must take some one by the space of a month or as shall bee needfull wherein to exercise our selues and so long to frequent the actes thereof vntill wee haue gained some habite therein else wee shall hardly euer come to a wished end 3 Before all things those vertues are most to bee loued and laboured for which are of most moment and which euery one knowes to bee most necessary for him the rest by little and little are to bee sought for And surely to speake generally two vertues seeme to bee chiefest and most necessary for all men Humility and Charity 4 It is profitable in acquiring of vertues to reade some booke or chapter writing of that vertue we propose to our selues and of the contrary vice 5 And it will bring no small furtherance to gather some choice sentences from Scriptures and Fathers and prophane Writers to be committed to memory and and often to bee repeated 6 Lastly it is most profitable to propose the example of some Saints of God who haue excelled in that vertue but chiefly the example of Iesus Christ to bee imitated But before I depart from these instructions how to acquire necessary vertues for sanctification of life let mee reueale vnto you the rules of two deuout and learned men which they aduise to bee obserued in this affaire The one is Saint Bernard who giues two rules very profitable for the attaining vnto perfection Ber. libel de formula Hon. vitae If saith hee thou wilt fully obtaine what thou entendest two things are necessary First that thou with-draw thy selfe from all transitory and earthly things that thou regard them no more then if they were not Secondly that thou so giue vp thy selfe to God as that thou neither say nor doe any thing but that which thou constantly beleeuest is pleasing vnto God 1 The first thou shalt by this meanes attaine vnto 1 By all meanes which thou art able to doe thou shalt vilifie thy selfe reputing thy selfe to be nothing and beleeuing all other men to bee good better then thy selfe and more pleasing vnto God 2 Whatsoeuer thou shalt heare or see in men professing Religion except it bee
vpon this course of godlinesse because it is profitable for vs to saluation yet let them for this cause inlarge themselues to the highest extent of seruing God because they know it is the will of God that in all things wee might bee magnified as the sonnes of such an eternall Father who is in heauen and admonisheth vs saying Leu. 19. Beâ— yee holy because I the Lord your God and Father am holy Hauing promised thus much concerning the harmes which ensue the ignorance of a certaine methode in seruing of God I will now descend to the first part which is the generall instructions directing vs in all our actions wherein wee must obserue these seuen seuerall instructions and helpes 1. Instruction That knowing our selues to bee naked miserable and of all good things indigent wee should labour euer by all meanes to procure the grace and helpe of God that there may bee such a change made in our soules whereby wee may seele that our will insists vpon this not to seeke the things that are our owne as our owne but to seeke God and whatsoeuer good thing is in him and our selues as the thing that is of God and whorewith of his infinite goodnesse and mercy hee wisheth himselfe to bee serued so that wee hold euermore his most excellent graces and infinite glory as our owne goods nay farre more excellent then our owne and that wee praise him and reioyce in him more then in any good thing which either wee haue or hope for or can happen vnto vs accounting it a perfect happinesse that the Maiesty of God may possesse infinite good things and now it doth possesse and as not hauing any care or regard of our owne selues yet labouring by all meanes that wee may be receiued into heauen where wee may behold him and more perfectly enioy him not for our owne ioy and comfort alone but for that the Diuine Maiesty being of infinite glory of his infinite goodnesse would haue vs to bee so magnified with the sublime inheritance and riches which himselfe possesseth and with him all those which for their last rest and good doe desire that the Diuine Maiesty may haue so great glory as it hath and this is to bee one Spirit with God and is the summe of all Christian perfection For it is a doctrine cleere by the sacred Scriptures and holy Fathers that wee were all brought forth into this world not to rest and settle vpon the brittle good things of this life and in them to solace our selues seeing they are the least lowest and vilest of the good things of God but that vsing them so farre forth as they serue for our necessity according to Gods ordinance wee spend our whole liues in the sublime and high workes of our great God who to this end created vs that hee might make vs blessed and the enioyers of his owne selfe who is an infinite good in whom wee shall farre more eminently and aboundantly possesse all good things then wee are able to magine Againe wee may obserue that albeit God haue not tyed vs vnder the commination of eternall death that wee should perpetually intend nothing else but his obseruance but onely then when any of his commandements are to bee obserued yet by the law of equity whereby wee ought to obserue our selues as the sonnes of so great a Father not onely men of a Religious Profession but euen all Christians are bound to procure vnto themselues a more sublime and heauenly degree of sanctity and euermore to serue that so mighty a Lord and Father For it was not of some few but of all in generall that the Lord pronounced those words Let vs make man according to our owne Image and Smilitude And then is man wholly found according to the image of God when hee exerciseth himselfe heerein to know and loue the wonderfull things of God taking exceeding great ioy thereat And in the Gospell hee saith Bee yee perfect Math. 5. as your heauenly Father is also perfect Surely it is most meete that hee bee holy who is the sonne of him whom Seraphines incessantly call Holy Holy Holy that neuer forgetting whose sonnes wee are we should not thinke it sufficient to be holy in a low degree but as our frailty will suffer vs to striue for the goale of all perfection abstracting our hearts from the loue of all earthly things and reflecting them vpon our Father who is of infinite goodnesse and with great affection illuminateth and sanctified all that come to his Maiesty as to the Father of infinite dignities and excellencies Knowing then our Obligation whereby wee are all bound to this duety of holinesse and chiefly such as haue taken vpon them the office of Guides and Shepheards Let vs withall remarke that as in this world the greatest neerenesse and friendship which a mortall man can obtaine with a King is that hee bee of one will desire and affection with him so true sanctity heerein consists that a man bee of one spirit and will with God But to come to this sublimity and heighth of honour it behoueth him to trauaile through the passages of all vertues which the holy Scripture euery where describes and the Sonne of God with so much labour hath taught vs. Thus hauing seene as through a casement wherein consists our change from men naked miserable and destitute of graces to diuine and heauenly seruers of God scil by seeking nothing but the good will of our good God in all our actions wee proceed to the instructions following 2 Instruction That wee euer haue an eye to the end and scope by which wee ought to bee admonished to doe those things that serue for the reparation and remedy of our wounded soules yea whatsoeuer wee determine to doe before all other things the eye of our obseruation must bee vpon the end that moues vs to the action This is most necessary to bee knowne and euery moment to bee looked on for there is no worke that hath in it more goodnesse then it receiues from the end for which the work is done which end if it bee euill the worke also must needs be so although of it selfe otherwise it were good Seeing then God is an infinite Good that must needs bee the greater good worke which is more purely performed in his sight For declaration whereof it is to bee noted that it behoueth the seruant of God who would please his Lord to plant in his soule a very puissant will or habite of willing ingendred of strong and frequent actes of willing it which will or habite so ingraffed in him may moue him and make him thinke that whatsoeuer hee doth in body or soule whatsoeuer hee shall thinke or speake nay all the vertues hee shall acquire together with this same remedy of his soule and all his deuotion I say that all these things are done because God would haue it so doth euer require them of vs and is for his infinite goodnesse most worthy of
those which iniury vs and such as see vs so iniuried may thinke that we doe not suffer this out of humility but because wee cannot auoide it For we cannot esteeme it any great thing when we desire to bee ill intreated with despight if wee thinke that those who see it doe iudge that wee suffer it out of humility not offended nor feeling the iniury For he that would please GOD must indeauour to be accounted vile and abiect not of an humble and modest minde This is that which I say that we should so desire to be accounted vile of others and to be handled as abiects that we should also wish that they should altogether thinke wee were so handled against our will and that we take it very hardly and are much offended that we are so esteemed and so dealt withall when in truth wee reioyce for the holy hatred of our selues which wee finde to be in vs. Yet we must obserue that if any man were of so great vertue that vsing no violence to himselfe he could wish that other men esteemed him vile and not humble such a man for the edification of his neighbours might wish that they did iudge that he suffered such iniuries with ioy and not against his will but for the loue of God and humility and that should be very heroicall humility and such as the sonne of God would haue vs learne of him But seeing this humility is to be learned of our redeemer let vs set it before our eyes as the rude and vnskilfull in painting vse to put the example which in learning they desire to imitate This humility of the sonne of God is inexplicable yet will we according to our grosse conceit endeauour to know it considering that when he was God infinite and man most perfect he would and with great ioy did chuse to bee esteemed and intreated for the most abiect thing in the world for thy sake suffring all kinde of iniuries and contumelies from the day of his birth vntill he suffred most ignominious death and all these things not for that they were necessary for him but that wee who had so great necessity might learne the manner of humbling our selues which consists in these said things Whence wee may see how reprehensible he is who doth not learne this humility which so great a Master doth teach and which hee exercised in himselfe albeit not for himselfe but that we might learne of him Therefore the humility of our Lord being knowne euery one ought to frame in his heart another humility to the imitation and likenesse hereof not that hee is commaunded to come to the equality thereof for albeit all the creatures did desire and reioyce to be accounted vile and to bee most vnworthily intreated out of the meane conceit they had of themselues from the true knowledge of their owne abiectnesse and basenesse and if all the humility of all these were in one man Yet this humility were nothing compared with our Redeemers humility For many waies there is infinit difference betwixt his Maiestie and our nullity euery of which puts infinit difference betwixt the excellency of his humility and all the humility of all the Saints of God in one therefore I said that wee must frame our humility of the imitation and likenesse of his Some may happily admire that God exacts of vs so great contempt of our selues and humility and which cost him so deare whilest by his example hee taught it vs. Therefore wee may obserue that it was his will so to doe because indeed it was good for vs and because wee haue no good thing of our selues but all from his bountifull hand whom wee ought to glorifie for it and not our selues And it is not onely good for vs but most necessary for such humility is a perfect medicine for our deadly infirmity which proceeds from pride nor shall euer any man be perfectly cured of it but by humility So much as shall want of the perfect cure of it so much shall want of the clensing of the soule and how much we want of the clensing of the soule so much shall we want of the benefits and grace of God and so much also shall we be lesse his And if any aske how one may reioyce to bee agitated and turmoyled with contempts and wrongs seeing it is a thing difficult to desire it I answere that it may be done out of the great consideration of this humility of the Sonne of God and the benefit arising vnto vs by it and chiefly because we are so made able that GOD may haue ioy in vs and an acceptable seruice of vs. But there is no disceete man will cast that from him whereby the will of GOD may be fufilled together with a mans own honour and inestimable and perpetuall profit to himselfe and that with the labour of a most short time But that we may in reason answere this obiection wee must note that to frame so worthy an humility it is necessary as in the sixth Instruction that we often incline our will and againe that wee often nay daily desire with ioy this so pretious an abiection and contempt For how worthily ought he to bee despised who so often is found a Traitor against his eternall Lord and Sauiour by sinne betraying his soule to Sathan and taking it from him who of his onely goodnesse would die for it Surely if seriously we thought on these things with much griefe should wee take honours if they were offered to vs seeing wee cleerely know that hence it may fall out that it may bee a hinderance to vs of most excellent good things which by the contempt of our selues and true humility is the way to the Kingdome of heauen doe vndoutedly remaine for vs. Yet notwithstanding in some cases a man may wish to bee honoured and esteemed namely if hee haue the eye of his intention to some seruice of God which he beleeues or sees may by such honor bee performed but euen in that case also he must desire with great caution feare and some griefe to be honored Now there is a certaine euill fruit and venemous hear be which growes plentifully in the world ouer-growing and indeed ouerthrowing all vertues but chiefly hindering the increase growth of humility namely vaine glory the mother of all euill which infects all that is good in the whole man And little or no vaine glory at all will offer it selfe to him that hath denied himselfe and hates himselfe in such sort as wee haue said For vaine glory is nothing but a complacency and ioy that one takes from that which he ought not to take it or in that maner he ought not to take it Rightly may one reioyce of the good things he receiues of the hand of God so farre fourth as he sees or hopes that any seruice of God or benefit of his soule for both are one if rightly vnderstood may arise therby Else it is vaine ioy and vaine glory
a high manner this their desire it fulfilled and how much ioy they haue of the one and the other Therefore it is manifest of what great excellency this worke of the loue of GOD is seeing neither tongue nor pen is able to expresse it 3 Now hauing seene the remedite for this coldnesse of the loue of God what this loue of God is what is the beginning progresse and end of it It is fit that wee know how much and how often we must be imploied in this loue And surely so farre as briefly can be gathered wee must know that wee must euer or at the least by infinit turnes euen in the same houre if it bee possible exercise our selues in this loue yet that wee may bee able the more liuely to feele how wee ought continually thus to loue wee must obserue that if the exchange be commendable whereby one takes vpon him the labour of one houre or giues some small mony for the redemption of a thousand men captined by the Moores without all companion he shall and ought to thinke his time better bestowed that himselfe or any other man should sustaine death yea manie deaths that some other man for a most small time may loue God if that loue cannot be had without suffring of the same death or deathes euen for that small space of time and that is so true that it not onely hath place when he who for that smal space of time loueth God by that loue obtayning heauens glory but also if we were certaine that hee might by diuerse other seruices towards God in that small space of time obtaine the said glory which hence is manifest For that short loue hath in it greater good then the euill of of him that is suffred with much griefe who doth also wish death a thousand times Besides it shall yet incomparably be a greater good if we shal consider that for this short time of loue shall be rendered an increase of grace and further also an augmentation of perpetuall loue together with Celestiall glory And how great a good that is hee shall know who vnderstands what is the greatnesse of diuine loue And this being knowne it will yet more cleerely appeace that wee ought euermore or by inumerable vicissitudes to performe this so sublime a duty of loue that doing here that which is our duety wee may increase in strength to doe the same in heauen where those that â—aue obtained glorie doe so much more excellently loue by how much more they haue loued when they were on earth But if we ought by these inumerable turnes wee ought to loue this our most glorious God because the act of this loue is of inestimable goodnesse then let vs turne our selues to consider our owne negligence and malliceâ— and behold how bitterly wee ought to lament euery moment of our liues which hath passed without this loue Againe how much more grieuously wee ought to bewaile al those things which haue disioyned vs from this loue and such are all our sinnes by which we become capitall enemies and most contrarious to this loue and at the best brings a shiuering coldnesse and sluggishnesse ouer our hearts to so great a good and withall let vs consider of what great reprehension he is worthy that doth not intimously from the heart reioyce at euery thing which may promote vs to so great a good such as iniuries contempts persecutions and the like are And on the other side if wee doe not mightily lament as often as wee finde any impediment to so great a good such as humaine fauours and all other complacency and temporall delectations are Surely so reprooueable is it that we do not ioy or grieue at the things wee haue spoken by how much it is more better to suffer death a thousand times then the iniuries and persecutions which mans malice was wont to inferre or the sorrowes which wee can feele whilest wee flee the fauours of men and other things which were wont to be delight-some to vs. Againe that in so excellent a iouruey nothing may hinder vs wee must obserue that if sometimes for the debility of bodie or because wee haue not attained so great vertue in the soule as is necessarie to the suffring of aduersities it is necessary then that wee flee persecutions and the societies of such as affect vs with iniuries or to procure I some delicate and sauory things that wee may doe that with an actuall intention of greater euils and often lamenting for that in fleeing from aduersities we should depart froÌ„ that which is good which may promote vs to so great a good as is the loue of God and that taking vp these pleasant things wee should omit those bitter things vnto which by the malice of our negligence we are obliged And wee must doe this with an humble Prayer vnto GOD supplicating his goodnesse to strengthen verthe both in body and soule whereby hauing receiued power to resist our frailty for which by the defect of our power it was necessary for vs to flee persecutions or to take vp things pleasant vnto vs wee may bee without any impediment disposed to that same heauenly loue of him and his glory And that wee may the more cleerely know how worthy these our negligences are of reprehension whereby wee fall from this pretious loue it will be to good purpose to obserue that which wee haue written before of the hatred of our selues which is the foundation and primary disposition to this loue of God And because wee haue no balances on earth wherewith continually to weigh the same wee must aske of God that he would prouide vs from heauen and God graunt that our liues may neuer bee weary of the consideration hereof From all these is to be obserued what great madnesse it is not to procure that great glory in heauen seeing the sublimity of that glory doth necessarily follow low the seriousnesse of that loue and although the greatnesse of that glory were not much to bee regarded which is ordained for vs yet are wee much obliged to regarde that we may obtaine the greatnesse of the loue that being made glorious we may euer loue him who is most worthy of all to bee most highly loued But that we may see how we may be able often to loue chiefely when the taste in sweetnesse forsakes vs which of it selfe was wont to stir vs vp we must take a helpe from the sixth Instruction seeing God giues grace to the will to incline to this or that as often as the seruant of God shall prepare himself therunto froÌ„ al which the seruant of Christ may obserue what an infinit and irrecouerable losse we receiue when wee omit to loue God in euery moment of time wherein wee may loue him And if it bee to bee lamented whilest by neglecting of great dignities or earthly riches one receiues a great losse How much more lamentable is it seeing the losse is farre greater to omit euen for a
thing is And I am resolued to dispatch these things in few words that they may make the better impression in our memories Therefore it is most iust that wee should serue so Great a LORD in respect of whom all creatures in heauen and earth are of so small esteeme as a droppe of water to the Ocean Nor shall his goodnesse methinkes lesse inuite vs which we ought in euery moment of our liues a thousand times to recount Surely amongst the abiect men of the world it would bee accounted for a great fauor if some King or great Lord should for their loue inuite them vnto him by rewards when for some foule Treason committed against their said King or Lord hee might iustly take a seuere reuenge of them Yet should his bounty and goodnesse appeare to be greater if for such Traytors such a Lord should expose himselfe to many afflictions and death it selfe But yet aboue all these beyond all comparison doth the goodnesse of GOD shine towards vs. For being of so great Maiesty and standing neede of nothing yet he choose to leade a life of so great labours and sorrowes vntill by most cruell torments hee laide it downe that hee might giue life vnto them that were worthy of death and that hee might inrich them with more sublime life and eternall riches which were such ingrate Traytors vnto him This Great GOD of his infinit goodnesse besides the benefits wee haue spoken of hath also commanded his Angels continually to serue and guarde vs Hee hath commaunded that heauen and earth should not for a moment of time cease from our seruice And besides all these that hee might shew his exceeding goodnesse the more aboundantly hee hath promised to bee with vs to the ende of the world Hee procures by innumerable meanes that wee should increase in all true good nor doth hee at any time consent that those which serue him shall bee afflicted but vnder condition that by the same there may much good come vnto them for hee more desireth our good then wee out selues But indeed I aske what will hee not doe for our good who was contented for vs with so great afflictions to deliuer himselfe vnto death Surely whatsoeuer can herein be spoken is nothing to him that shall attentiuely consider these things 3 I also said that to the end we might be the more animated to serue this so Great and good a LORD wee ought to consider the greatnesse of rewards wee expect if we doe serue him and seeing they are so great that the whole world sufficeth not to expresse or conceiue them 1. Cor. 2.9 let it suffice for this present consideration that it were a farre more sorrowfull message if it were shewed but to the least of them that liue in Heauen that GOD had determined to take him thence and to make him King of the whole Worlde then if it were shewed to some King of the Earth that GOD would the next day depriue him of his Kingdome and suffer him for to be thrust thorow with his own Subiects speares This is so true and neede so little proofe that no man doubteh of it but hee that Iudgeth ill of all Truth And surely if hee who serueth GOD should not expect these great and excellent rewards in Heauen but onely peace full of the ioy of the heart which they doe possesse in this life that giue themselues to holinesse and the contempt and reiection of the vanities of this world and that they might bee freed from the miserable and neuer contented or quieted life which they liue that liue in sinne euen that onely ought to suffice hereunto that our whole life should bee dedicated to the seruice of this Great GOD how much more whilest wee expect so great and excellent rewards euen such as no man can expresse Therefore he that considereth these things and is not stirred vp and animated to serue God let him certainely know that hee is benummed with the sleepe of death yet let him not omit to labour that hee may be stirred vp for God is readie to giue remedie to our diseases if with humilitie we doe as much as in vs lieth But if anie bee not stirred vp with these things it is good for him to search in himselfe and to get some remedie if happily hee be obnoxious to some secret sin of which he hath had no remorse of conscience which if he finde let him minister a remedy by true amendment and repentance and hee shall by and by feele health and strength to doe all that is good and this sweete sinne may be called inordinate loue which begetteth some inflation and swelling in the soule And hence it is that God often forsakes vs and giues no remedie to our dulnes till we finde out and amend that secret fault for wee must not onelie serue GOD in some things which he commaunds but in all nor must we desire to vnderstand in his seruice that onlie which is pleasant or not very grieuous but euen that which for our pride and malice shall be very laborious therefore let all men bee mooued by these three considerations to acknowledge that they ought to serue this God euen in the highest and strictest course that is heere proposed FINIS LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes and are to be sold by Thomas Adams at the signe of the Bell in Pauls Church-yard 1617.