a Sparrow solitarie in the house top I did eat ashes as bread and mingled my drinke with weeping So great was the detestation and sorrow this holy Prophet had for his sinne that hee withered away through sighing and groaning fled the companie of men for shame and liued as a Crow or Owle that flyeth onely by Night and as a Sparrow who hauing lost her Mate and young remayneth mourning all alone and did eat ashes as bread and would take no comfort but in weeping My teares haue Ps 41. 4. beene bread vnto me day and night I haue laboured in my sighing I will euerie Night Ps 5. 7. wash my Bed and will water my Couch with my teares And of his zeale against sinne in others hee sayth My zeale hath made me pine Ps 118. 139. away because my enemies haue forgotten thy wordes Againe I saw the Preuaricators Ps 118. 138. and I pined away because they kept not thy wordes Againe Did not Ps 138. 21. I hate them that hate thee O Lord and pined away because of thine enemies With perfect hatred I did hate them That is hee did hate their sinne and loue their persons and seeke their saluation and in this was so zealous that hee would neither permit any one who liued in the breach of the Commandements of God either to sit at his Table with him or wait vpon him or dwell in his Pallace laying One of proud eye and vnsatiable Ps 100. 5. heart with him I did not eate mine eyes are towards the faithfull of the Earth that they may sit with me A man that walketh in the immaculate way he did minnister to me He that doth proudly shall not dwell in the middest of my house And wishing all others to follow the same rule saith With the Ps 17. 16. holy thou shalt be holy and with the innocent man thou shalt be innocent with the elect thou shalt be elect and with the peruerse thou shalt be peruerted And out of his zeale of the glorie and honor of God composed the Psalmes and prepared for the building of the Temple of God The like example of Zeale wee may finde in the Apostles and Saints Loue cannot be idle nor spirituall Iealousie euer be satisfied with labouring for God Almightie and the more it laboureth and doth the lesse it esteemeth it hath done according to the words of our Lord When you haue Luc. 17. 10. done all thinges that are commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruants The infinite mercies and liberalitie of God Almightie so ouerwhelming and drowning all their affections in the Sea of his goodnesse that they finde no paines but in not suffering paines and vndergoing labours for his loue So Saint Paul sayth Who shall separate Rom. 8. 35. vs from the Charitie of Christ Tribulation or Distresse or Famine or Nakednesse or Danger or Persecution or the Sword In all these things we ouercome because of him that hath loued vs. Once wounded with his loue farewell all the base pleasures and delights of the sonnes of Agar and estimation of the commodities and vanities of the World I haue Phil. 3. 8. made all things as detriment and doe esteeme them as dung that I may gaine Christ and may be found in him to know him and the vertue of his Resurrection and the societie of his Passion configured to his death If by any meanes I may come to the Resurrection which is from the dead Then so high an estimation of God Almightie and of the glorie of the other life entreth into his soule by the taste of a few droppes of his grace and fauour that paines are turned into pleasures and labours into delights for his loue and all earthly things seeme dung base and vile as they are indeed in comparison of the enioying God Almightie and the attaining vnto eternall life the force of Charitie hauing so ouercome the weakenesse of humane nature that now they liue not they but Christ in them Loue hauing so drawne them out of themselues as that they are no more that they were but that they loue To the fulfilling of the Promises and Prophecies saying in the person of our Lord I will Osce 11. 4. pull them vnto me in the coardes of Loue in the bonds of Charitie Againe This is the Iero. 31. Testament which I will make with them After these dayes Heb. 10. 15. saith our Lord giuing my Lawes in their hearts and in their mindes will I superscribe them This is the Testament which God made with our Fathers That hee would giue vs his Loue and Charitie in our hearts and soules and draw and pull vs vnto him with coardes and chaynes of Loue and Charitie This is it which our Lord promised before his Passion saying If I be exalted from the Earth Io. 12. 32. I will draw all things to my selfe Signifying that by his Passion hee would obtaine so great Charitie and Loue for his Elect who are all things all things being for them That he would draw them to himselfe into Heauen according to the saying of S. Paul Our conuersation is in Heauen and Phil. 3. 20. the wordes of our Lord saying For where thy treasure is Mat. 6. 22. there is thy heart also The treasure of the Saints is our Lord Iesus in Heauen and their hearts being wounded with the abundance of his Loue and Charitie of them it may more properly be said that they liue in Heauen then here vpon Earth for that their hearts and affections are there and man is said rather to be there where his soule loueth then where his bodie liueth and according to this our Lord saith Father whom thou hast giuen Io. 17. 24. me I will that where I am they also may be with me by grace in this life and glory in the other and so saith Iust Father Io. 17. 2â— I will that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them This he said before his Passion and before his Ascension and by his Ascension Hee departed Aug. li. con 4. ca. 12. from our eyes that wee might returne into our hearts and finde him Hee departed indeed and yet he is heere He would not be long from vs and yet he neuer left vs Hee is in our inward hearts but our hearts haue erred from him turne sinners into your hearts and keepe his Commandements that made you stand with him and you shall stand rest in him and you shall finde Ease and Rest which God of his infinite mercies grant thee deare Reader CHAP. XX. The third Content and Happinesse which such enioy as loue God Almightie with their whole hearts and their Neighbours for God as themselues which is the becomming sonnes of God and coheires with our Sauiour THe next happines of such as loue God Almightie with all their hearts is that they become the sonnes and children of God according to the wordes of
or enioy God or haue anie true content that hath anie vice or iniquitie in his soule as S. Paul sayth If any man 1. Tim. 6. 3. consent not to that doctrine which is according to pietie he is proud knowing nothing because all men may and ought to know that God Almightie is of infinite pietie and so cannot plant a Faith or Religion which is not pious and teaching all vertues as necessarie to saluation and vnion of heart with him their happinesse Thirdly that Faith and Religion in all reason must be the Faith and Religion planted by God which teacheth and sheweth men the most and best meanes how to loue God this being an Argument in Nature and Grace That euerie one loueth his owne 3. Reg. 3. 26. Ioh. 5. 19. Whereby is manifest that our Catholike Religion is the true Faith for that it teacheth vs how to loue God with all our hearts and how to obtaine Saluation and Happinesse by louing God VVhereas Protestants doe teach Saluation by onely Faith and that it is impossible to loue God or keepe the Commaundements And can there be a more vile and wicked Religion inuented then to teach that it is impossible to loue God Almightie with all our hearts Fourthly by generall consent of all People and Nations though of different Religions who all generally say and affirme That Catholikes liuing according to their Faith and Religion may be saued and haue a sparing as some tearme it sauing Faith And the consent of all People and Sects and Nations cannot erre in Reason CHAP. VII That it is as certaine that our Catholike Faith which Protestants call Papistrie is the Faith of God planted by our Sauiour as it is certaine that God Almightie cannot lye or be forsworne and how easily to end and determine all Controuersies by maintaining the Oath of God as true BY my own selfe haue I sworne Gen. 22. 16. saith the Lord to Abraham because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thy onely begotten sonne for my sake I will blesse thee and I will multiply thy Seed as the starres of Heauen and as the sand that is by the Sea shoare thy Seed shall possesse the gates of his enemies and in thy Seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the Earth because thou hast obeyed my voice Againe our Lord promised to Isaack saying In thy Seed Gen. 26. 4. shall be blessed all the Nations of the Earth for because Abraham obeyed my voice Againe our Lord promised to Iacob Thy Seed shall be as Gen. 28. the dust of the Earth thou shalt be dilated to the West and to the East and to the North and to the South and in thee and thy Seed all the Tribes of the Earth shall be blessed Of these Promises the Prophet Esay speaketh saying Israel shall flourish and spring Isa 27. 5. and they shall fill the face of the world with Seed Againe I Isa 61. 8. the Lord that loue Iudgement and hate Robberie in Holocaust And I will giue their worke in truth and make a perpetuall Couenant with them And they shall know their Seed in the Gentiles and their Budde in the middest of Peoples All that shall see them shall know them that those are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed And of this Oath the same Prophet speaking sayth As in the dayes of Noe is this thing Isa 54 9. to me to whom I sware that I will no more bring the Waters of Noe vpon the Earth so haue I sworne not to be angrie with thee and not to rebuke thee for the Mountaines shall be moued and the little Hills shall tremble before the Day of Iudgement but my Mercie shall not depart from thee and the Couenant of my Peace shall not be remoued said our Lord thy Miserator Of this Oath the Prophet Daniel in the Captiuitie of Babylon maketh mention saying Take not away thy Dan. 3. 35. Mercie from vs for Abraham thy beloued and Isaack thy seruant and Israel thy holy one to whom thou hast spoken promising that thou wouldest multiplie their Seed as the starres of Heauen and as the Sand that is in the Sea shoare Of this Oath the Prophet Dauid speaking sayth I will Ps 88. 28 put him the first begotten high aboue all the Kings of the Earth I will keepe my Mercie vnto him for euer and my Testament faithfull vnto him I will put his Seed for euer and euer and his Throne as the dayes of Heauen But if his children shall forsake my Law and will not walke in my Iudgements if they shall prophane my Mercies and not keepe my Commaundements I will visit their Iniquitie with a Rod and their sinnes with stripes But my mercies I will not take away from him neither will I hurt in my Truth Neither will I prophane my Testament violate his Oath Againe speaking of this Oath and these Promises hee sayth He hath beene Ps 104. mindfull for euer of his Testament of the Word which he commaunded vnto thousand of Generations which he disposed to Abraham and his Oath to Isaac and he appointed it to Iacob for a Precept and to Israel for an eternall Testament That this Oath of God and Promises to the Patriarkes were to be fulfilled in Christ Iesu and in Christians maintaining and professing the Faith of God planted by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ the Scriptures abundantly do testifie Our Lord expounding the Parable of the Cockle of the field sayth He that Mat. 13. 37. soweth the good Seed is the Sonne of Man and the Field is the World and the good Seed those are the Children of the Kingdome dispersed ouer the World according to the Oath of God to Abraham Againe our Lord sayth Doe Mat. 5. 18. not thinke that I come to breake the Law or the Prophets I am not come to breake but to fulfill Againe All things must needes Luc. 24. be fulfilled which are written in the Law of Moyses and the Prophets and the Psalmes of me Our Blessed Ladie speaking of the fulfilling of this Oath in our Sauiour and his Seede the Christians saith Hee hath receiued Israel his Luc. â— 54. Child being mindfull of his mercie as he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his Seede for euer And Zacharie replenished with the Holy Ghost prophecied saying Blessed be Luc. 1. 68. our Lord God of Israel because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets that are from the beginning to remember his holy Testament the Oath which he sware to Abraham our Father Of the fulfilling of this Oath and these Promises in our Sauiour and Christians S. Peter speaketh saying You are the Children of the Act. 31. 24. Prophets and of the Testament which God made to our Fathers saying to Abraham And in thy Seed shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed That this Oath of God
Francis Yet in one generation both the names of these potent Kings vvere extinguished from the face of the Earth according to this Prophecie so faithfull is God Almightie in fulfilling of his Word So supposing thou beleeuest that God Almightie cannot lye not be forsworne and that thou as a creature of his wilt glorifie him and maintaine both in words and deedes the fulfilling of his Oath and Promises that hee may blesse and glorifie thee I set downe these Acts of Faith following thereby to end and determinate all matters of Controuersies or Differences in Faith or Beleefe that hereafter thou mayest remaine alwayes firme stable and vnmoueable in the Faith Eph. 2. 20. built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the highest corner Stone in whom all Building framed together groweth into an holy Temple in our Lord Which is that I wish vnto thee and desire thee to pardon me if I speake for thy content boldly Acts of Faith GOd forbid deare Lord that I should euer think that thou hast broken the Oath and Testament which thou hast spoken to Abraham Isaack and Iacob thy Seruants saying By my Gen. 22. selfe haue I sworne I will multiply thee and I will multiply thy Seed as the Starres of Heauen and as the Sand that is vpon the Sea shoare Thy Seede shall possesse the Gates of his Enemies and in thy Seede shall be blessed all the Nations of the Earth Thy Seed shall be as the dust of Gen. 28. the Earth that shal be dilated to the East and to the West and to the North and to the South and in thee and thy Seed shal be blessed all the Tribes of the Earth I detest O Heauenly Father as Suggestions of the Deuill all opinions whatsoeuer which are contrarie to the vnitie of the Faith dilated ouer the World O God of Heauen I beleeue most firmely that the Christians dilated ouer the World professing one Faith are the Seed of Abraham the Gen. 22. Children of thy Kingdome the Wheat that thou didst sowe the Mat. 1◠Sheepe that thou doest feed and Ioh. 10. the Blessed which at the last day Mat. 25. shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Deare Lord I beleeue most firmely that if we be Christs Gal. 3. 29. then we be the Seed of Abraham and must professe the faith dilated ouer the World O Lord of Infinite Maiestie I humbly beseech thee for thy tender Mercies that I may be one of the great Multitude Apo. 7. 9. which no man could number of all Nations and Tribes and People and Tongues which are to be signed with thy Marke and to be conducted by thee to the Liuing Fountaines Apo. 7. 17. of Waters I detest Eternall God more then Death or Hell to hold or maintaine any opinion which the Catholike Church the Seed of Abraham dilated ouer the World doth not approue Deare Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ I vndoubtedly beleeue that thou art the Sonne of the liuing God to whom this Promise is made I will giue thee the Gentiles for Ps 28. thy Inheritance and for thy Possession the ends of the Earth I beleeue deare Lord all the Articles of the Catholike Faith and for the truth of any one of them by the assistance of thy grace am readie to die not one death but if it were possible as many deaths as all the Martyrs haue suffered from the beginning of the World vntill this day O Lord of infinite Maiestie while I liue I will faithfully beleeue and heartily confesse with thy seruants S. Ambrose and S. Augustine That the holy Church doth Hym. SS Amb. et Aug. confesse thee throughout the World I beleeue most firmely O liuing God that thou art the God of Abraham Isaack and Iacob keeping thy Couenant with them for thousand of Generations and maintaining thy Promise of multiplying their Seed as the Starres of Heauen and possessing the Gates of their Enemies vntill the end of the World Graunt deare Lord that I may rather die a thousand deaths then not confesse with thy Seruant S. Athanasius from my heart in a Catholike sense That whosoeuer will be saued it is needfull before all things that hee hold the Catholike Faith the which vnlesse each one shall keepe whole and inuiolate he shall without doubt eternally perish Man may lye and mine owne iudgement may be deceiued but I beleeue firmely that God Almightie cannot be forsworne deceiue or be deceiued in his Oath I beleeue most firmely deare Lord that the Christians professing one Faith multiplied as the sand that is by the Gen. 28. Sea-shore and dilated to the West and to the East to the North and to the South are the Seed of Abraham thy seruant the children Ps 104. of Iacob thy elect and there is no saluation in any other Act. 4. I doe most firmely hold and doe no waies doubt but that not only Aug. li. de side ad Petrum all Pagans but also all Iewes Heretikes and Schismatikes who doe die out of the Catholike Church are to goe into euerlasting fire which was prepared for the Deuil and his Angels Beare witnesse O ye Heauens and be testimonies all ye that dwell vpon the Earth that I vndoubtedly and most firmely beleeue that God Almighty hath and doth visibly multiply the Christians professing in vnitie the Faith planted by our Sauiour as the starres of Heauen and as the sand that is by the Sea-shoare according as he spoke Luc. 1. 55. to our Fathers to Abraham and his Seed for euer Let mee neuer liue deare Lord to beleeue or thinke that thou hast broken thy Oath and Promises to the Patriarkes and Prophets and canst lye and be forsworne in permitting the Catholike Church to erre or vanish away frō the face of the Earth Deare Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by the assistance of thy grace though as great torments as the sensible paines of the torments of Hell should fall vpon me for it yet will I confesse that thou art the true Messias and came to fulfill the Oath and Promises which God made to Abraham the Patriarks Prophets and not to breake them These Acts grounded vpon the Oath and Promises of God you are to make often and with simplicity and sincerity of heart and they will so direct you to know and finde out truth that your owne conscience will not permit you euer to be an Heretike Iew Infidell or Protestant of any Sect or sort whatsoeuer And by these Acts without disputing of Controuersies thou puttest an end to all Controuersies and Disputes in matters of Faith and Religion beleeuing them thou art as sure that thou beleeuest aright as that it is certaine that God Almightie cannot be forsworn or that our Sauiour was the Messias promised to the Patriarkes Prophets and excludest all Errors Heresies and Temptations of the Deuil in matters of Faith and infallibly setlest thy vnderstanding in
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
the Prophet told him Fables such like as these that we may be saued and iustified by onely Faith or only Hope but not as the Law of God which teacheth saying Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God from thy whole heart c. Fourthly It esteemeth them to be malignant people who out of their malice would fraudulently conduct others into Hell and Torments saying Depart from me ye malignant V. 115. and I will search the Commandements of my God which consist in Loue and not in onely Faith or onely Hope If I should haue saith Saint 1. Cor. 13. 2. Paul Prophecie and know all Misteries and all Knowledge and I should haue all Faith so that I could remoue Mountaines and haue not Charitie I am nothing and if I should distribute all my goods for meat for the poore and if I should deliuer my bodie so that I burne and haue not Charitie it doth profit me nothing If wee will beleeue Saint Paul neither Prophecies nor Science nor Knowledge nor Faith nor Almes-deeds nor Martyrdome for the Religion any one professeth is sufficient to the attayning vnto Happinesse without Charitie and so he concludeth saying Now these remaine Faith Hope and Charitie these three but the greater of these is Charitie according to the words of our Lord where he saith He that shall breake one of Mâ—â— â— 20. these least Commandements and shall so teach men shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heauen But he that shall doe and teach he shall be called great in the Kingdome of Heauen So our Sauiour saith I tell Mat. 5. 21. you that vnlesse your iustice abound more then that of the Scribes Pharises you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Yet the Scribes and Pharises had Faith as witnesseth our Sauiour saying Vpon the Mat. 23. 2. Chaire of Moyses haue sitten the Scribes and Pharises All things therefore whatsoeuer they shall say vnto you obserue yee and doe yee Whereby is manifest that the Scribes preached faithfull and true Doctrine otherwise our Sauiour would not haue wished their Auditors to obserue and doe whatsoeuer they said But they wanted Charitie in themselues to doe good Workes and keepe the Law as witnesseth our Sauiour saying But according Mat. 23. â— to their workes doe yee not for they say and doe not and so for want of Charitie or loue towards God they shall not as our Sauiour sayth enter into the Kingdome of Heauen or euer enioy Rest or Happinesse but endlesse Paines Againe our Sauiour sayth If God were your Father verily Io. 8. 42. you would loue me for from God I proceed Whereby our Sauiour giueth vs to vnderstand that such as doe not loue God with all their hearts according to the Commaundement haue not God for their Father and are not the sonnes of God but of the Deuill As in another place he sayth You are of your Father the Deuill and the desires Io. 8. 43. of your Father you will doe who though he beleeue that there is a God as S. Iames witnesseth Iam. 2. yet hee doth not loue God with all his heart and keepe his Commandements Whereupon it is written of our Sauiour That for this appeared 1. Io. 3. 8. the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the Deuill bring men to loue God Almightie vvith all their hearts and winne them to keepe his Law and so saith of the reprobate Iewes I haue Io. 5. 42. knowne you that the loue of God you haue not in you And of the elect Apostles You haue Io. 16. 27. loued me Loue being the fulnesse of the Rom. 13. 19. Law the want of loue is the worke of the Deuill in the hearts of all the wicked and the loue of God the workes of our Lord in the hearts of the elect Whereupon our Sauiour saith Verily verily I Io. 8. 15. say vnto you if any man keepe my word hee shall not see death for euer and yet againe saith He that loueth me not keepeth not my words So loue God Almightie with all thy heart and thou shalt not see death for euer He that loueth not abideth in Io 3. 14. death dead to Grace in this life and to Glorie in the other By which is manifest that happie life cannot be without the louing of God Almightie with all our hearts Insomuch as if thou haddest Happinesse and Content and yet diddest not loue it with all thy heart thou shouldest not be happie as witnesseth S. Augustine saying He is not De Ciuitat li. 14. ca. 15. happie of whom happie life is not beloued Which thou mayest find true by experience seeing thy selfe and all others to take comfort and content in that which they loue and not in that which they neglect Whereupon S. Paul sayth If any man loue not 1. Cor. 16. 2. our Lord Iesus Christ be he Anathema his bodie cut off from the communion of the Catholike Church vpon earth and his soule excluded from the ioyes of Heauen CHAP. XI How to attaine vnto the loue of God and how to loue his diuine Maiestie with all our hearts SEeing that Diuine Loue or Charitie is necessarie to the Content and Happinesse of Man it is requisite also to set downe the meanes by which thou mayest attaine vnto this Diuine Loue or Charitie that thou mayest be happie Charitie saith S. Paul is 1. Tim. 1. 15. from a pure Heart and a good Conscience and a Faith not fained So that the first thing which thou oughtest to doe if thou desire to loue God Almightie with all thy heart is to separate thy selfe for a time from all other affaires and businesses onely to attend vnto the examining of thy Conscience how thou hast spent thy life past and to call to minde all thy cuill thoughts words deeds and vniust actions which haue stayned and made filthie thy heart and soule to confesse them with contrition and sorrow to one of the Pastors of the Church of God to whom God Almightie hath giuen authoritie to forgiue sinnes saying Whose sinnes you shall forgiue Io. 20. 23. they are forgiuen that thy sinnes being forgiuen thou mayest haue a cleane and pure heart fit to receiue Diuine Loue or Charitie and God Almightie will bestow it vpon thee according to his Word saying Returne to me and I Mat 3. 7. will returne to you No bodie putteth new Wine Mat. 9. 17. into old Bottles otherwise the Bottles perish But new Wine they put into new Bottles and both are preserued together So if thou wilt receiue the new Wine of Diuine Loue and Charitie thou must first lay away thy old Conuersation Eph. 4. 22. the old Man which is corrupted according to the desires of Error thy selfe-loue proper iudgement priuate spirit inordinate appetites and passions and by sorrow for thy sinnes and Penance be renued in the spirit of thy mind and put on the new Man
in England who firmely grounded and founded in the infallible certainetie of the Oathes and Promises of God doe thinke whatsoeuer they can suffer or endure in this life too little to manifest the constancie of their Faith and Hope in the Promises of God that as S. Paul writeth of the Romans so wee may say of the English Catholikes Your Faith Rom. 1. 8. is renowmed throughout the whole World and will be in all Ages in this life and after death for all eternitie in Heauen A fourth may be to remember that it is the Precept of our Lord saying Loue your enemies doe good to Mat. 5. 44. them that hate you pray for them that persecute you and abuse you Thou seest what paines the Pursuinants take at the commaundement of their Maysters to apprehend take spoyle and torment Priests and Catholikes and in all equitie it must needes be a great shame vnto thee that the commaundement of a Man should haue more force to moue men to breake the commaundements of God then the commaundement of God hath to moue thee to keepe them especially considering that all which they can get is but to diuide the spoyles betweene their Maysters and them and the good countenance of their Maysters to themselues And thou expectest the Kingdome of Heauen the happie Vision of God and eternall Glorie A fifth may be to consider what it is that thou desirest Is it not Content and Happinesse Wouldest thou not be Content and Happie This is the Way Looke after all those who euer attained vnto high degree of Rest and Ioy and obserue their steppes and thou shalt finde that they are all gone in this path of outward Tribulation and Persecution And supposed that thou couldest finde another way to Rest and Ioyes wouldest thou forsake the comfort of so good companie to goe alone when as by so doing thou shouldest but depriue thy selfe of much Ease and Ioy. The seruants of God who willingly take paines and readily suffer persecution for the loue of God in their sufferings and persecutions doe not suffer but in outward shew view and sight of the World hauing in their inward hearts and soules more Ioyes and Content then any Penne or Tongue is able to expresse God Almightie is more tender ouer his who will willingly suffer persecution for his loue then euer was the most affectioned Mother in the World ouer her onely Child that giue but thy consent free will and resignation of minde readily by Gods grace to suffer whatsoeuer persecution or tribulation it shall please his Diuine Maiestie to permit to fall vpon thee willingly march on in that way to Rest by which he will conduct thee and suffer paines of torment thou neuer shalt but be so full of Ioy in the greatest seeming paines that if they were sensible to others as they will be to thy selfe thy suffering would conuert not one but all the World And if thou wilt beleeue the Testimonies of all pious Men in this Age and in all Ages past thou shalt finde it most true by their Testimonies and Experiences that either all Content and Ioyes which are to be found in this life or the most part are to be found in suffering and enduring outward paines labours and persecutions for the loue of God such are the Promises of God as wee haue said immediately before and God Almightie is iust and faithfull in all his Promises if there be no defect on thy behalfe So the Prophet Dauid affirmeth saying According Ps 93. 19. to the multitude of my sorrowes in my heart thy consolations haue made my soule ioyfull Againe Thou hast proued vs O Lord by fire thou hast Ps 65. 9. tryed vs as Siluer is tryed thou hast brought vs vnto a Snare thou hast laid Tribulations on our backes thou hast set men vpon our heads we haue passed through fire and water and thou hast brought vs out into refreshing So Saint Paul often affirmeth saying As the 2. Cor. 1. 5. Passions of Christ abound in vs so also by Christ doth our comfort abound Againe We make 2. Cor. 8. 2. it knowne vnto you Brethren the grace of God that is giuen in the Church of Macedonia that in much experience of Tribulation they had abundance of Ioy. Againe to the Corinthians liuing in persecution and tribulation hee writeth saying Our hope is firme for you 2. Cor. 1. 7. knowing that as you are partakers of the Passion so shall you be of the Consolation also And further affirmeth saying All Discipline for the present truly Heb. 12. 11. seemeth not to be of Ioy but of Sorrow but after it will render vnto them that are exercised in it most peaceable fruit of Iustice So S. Peter witnesseth saying My dearest communicating â— Pet. 4. 12. with the Passions of Christ be glad that in the reuelation also of his glorie you may be glad reioycing If you be reuiled in the Name of Iesus Christ you shall be blessed because that which is of the honour glorie and vertue of God and the Spirit which is his shall rest vpon you The holy Ghost will rest vpon you with his gifts and fruites from whose communication proceedeth all our Content and Happinesse as wee will shew in his place So Saint Paul concludeth That all men without exception shall find Content by Persecution saying All that will liue godly 1. Tim. 3. 12. in Christ Iesus shall suffer Persecution Whereby thou seest that if either the light of Reason or Grace may preuaile with thee thou hast no cause to hate or wish euill vnto the persons of the Pursuinants or seuerest Persecutors but to hate and detest their sinne impietie and wickednesse and loue cherish and doe all the seruiceable offices thou canst vnto their persons since that by patiently enduring the euils and wickednesse they practise vpon thee God Almightie hath disposed to conduct thee to more temporall and eternall Rest Content and Happinesse then euer otherwise thou couldest haue expected to haue receiued Which considered thou oughtest to haue great compassion vpon those poore miserable and wretched people which serue for nothing else but by God Almighties permission to conduct thee to Happinesse after to descend themselues into eternall Torments and out of compassion to pray much for them if peraduenture God Almightie will haue mercie on them also that they may see their errors and come to loue God Almighty with their whole hearts and their neighbours as themselues and saue their soules that those whom thou hast had as persecutors vpon Earth thou mayest haue as companions of Glorie in Heauen which God Almightie graunt vs and to that end I set downe these Acts following Acts of Charitie or Loue toward our Neighbour O King of Kings in whose hands are the hearts of all Kings for thy tender mercies I beseech thee graunt that my King Queene and Prince may so liue and serue thee vpon Earth that after death they may be found
in the great Multitude which no Apoc. 7. 9. man could number of all Nations Tribes and Peoples and Tongues which are to be signed with thy Marke and to be conducted Apoc. 7. 17 to the Fountaine of liuing Waters O Lord of infinite Maiestie let the petition of thy seruant be accepted in thy sight and graunt that this my King and his Seed may be numbred amongst that Seed to which thou promised I will put his Seed for euer and Ps 88. 30. his Throne as the dayes of Heauen Thou art faithfull deare Lord and iust and right without any iniquitie and hast promised That whosoeuer shall 1. King 2. 30. glorifie thee thou wilt glorifie him and they that contemne thee shal be base Graunt deare Lord that this my King Queene and Prince may so glorifie thee in all their actions and deeds that thou mayest glorifie them vpon Earth and in Heauen eternally Most mercifull Lord I beseech thy infinite Goodnesse so to illuminate the hearts of all sinners that they may come to doe heartie penance for their sinnes and seeke to loue thee with all their hearts Graunt deare Lord for the Passion of thy onely Sonne Iesus Christ that all those Schismatikes and Heretikes who in effect defend that thou hast fayled in maintaining thy Oath and Promises to Abraham the Prophets and Patriarkes for many hundred yeares may see their errors and returne vnto our Catholike Church in which are abundantly fulfilled all thy Oathes and Promises Forgiue sweet Sauiour all those who persecute me and graunt that they may come so to loue thee in this life that after death they may for euer enioy thee in Heauen I beseech thee my Lord by the bowels of thy infinite mercie that all such as seeke after Ambition and earthly Dignities may turne all their Affections vpon thee who art their onely true felicitie Graunt deare Lord that I may rather die then not heartily loue and pray for my seuerest Persecutors Deare Lord for thy infinite mercies I beseech thee so to illuminate the hearts of all the Protestant English Clergie our deare Countreymen that they may see thy Oathes and Promises fulfilled in our Catholike Church and returne vnto it with all their hearts CHAP. XIIII Of the wretchednesse and miseries into which those fall who liue in breach of the Commandements of God and doe beleeue that it is not necessarie or impossible to keepe them HAuing shewed thee deare Reader that it is not possible for thee euer to be happie or find any true Content Ease or Rest vnlesse thou keepe the Commaundements of God and also hauing set downe vnto thee the meanes by which thou mayest easily keepe them Now it resteth to set downe the miseries and wretchednesse into which those fall who liue in breach of them and esteeme it a thing impossible for to keepe them that either for the loue of thine owne good and content or else for feare of thy falling into miseries torments thou mayest be woon to keepe them zealously so be happy which is that I heartily wish vnto thee First those who doe not loue God with all their hearts and keepe his Commaundements are spirituall Idolaters and doe liue in spirituall Idolatrie For our Sauiour explicating of the first Commaundement which is made against Idolatrie and the hauing of Exod. 20. 1. strange Gods sayth Thou shalt Mat. 22. 37. loue the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soule and with thy whole mind This is the greatest and the first Commandement sayth our Sauiour So if thou wilt beleeue our Sauiour himselfe thou must confesse that those who doe not loue God with their whole hearts and keepe his Commandements are Idolaters And the part of Idolaters Apoc. 21. 8. saith S. Iohn shal be in the Poole burning with fire and Brimstone An Idoll of it selfe is not 1. Cor. 10. 19. any thing as witnesseth Saint Iohn but the loue affection which any one beareth to any creature imagination or conceit more then to God contrarie to the first Cōmandement whereupon couetous men are called Idolaters because that Col. 3. 5. they loue Gold and Riches more then God and lasciuious Men or Gluttons are said Phil. 3. 19. to make their bellies their God And according to this our Sauiour sayth You cannot Mat. 6. 24. serue God and Mammon God will haue all thy heart and loue or none Whereupon S. Iohn sayth Euery one that In his 2. Epist Ver. 9. reuolteth and persisteth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God that is hath no true God but is an Idolater Againe He that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar Whereupon it commeth to passe that howsoeuer these who thinke it impossible to keepe the Commaundements of God seeme to adore laud and praise God and haue the Lord the God alwaies in their mouths sing Geneua Psalms in their Congregations yet they doe neither serue their God nor acknowledge him in their words or song but commit spirituall Idolatrie apprehending vnder these termes the Lord the God c. such a God as they haue feigned and not such a God as he is indeed All Heathen and Cicero de Leg. li. 1. Pagan people that euer were haue acknowledged a God and haue sung songs in praise but they did not acknowledge him to be as he is but as they feigned him to be as those doe who affirme that they are assured to be saued without keeping the Commandements of God confesse that there is a God a Trinitie c. but doe not confesse him to be such a God as he is that is a God who curseth all these who decline from his Commandements Psal 118. according to his Mat. 25. word but such a God Trinitie as they haue feygned that is to say a God which will admit and receiue into Heauen filthie soules stained with Pride Idolatrie Fornication Couetousnesse c. when there is no such God but onely in their imaginations as witnesseth Saint Paul saying Doe not erre neither ◠Cor. 6. Fornicators nor seruers of Idols nor Adulterers nor the Effeminate nor the Lyers with mankinde nor Theeues nor the Couetous nor Drunkards nor Raylers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God For he that hath done iniurie shal Col. 3. 25. receiue that which he hath done vniustly and there is no acception of Persons with God There shall Apoc. 22. not enter into Heauen saith S. Iohn any vncleane thing or that doth abhomination or maketh a lye Whereby is manifest that all those who do liue in the breach of the Commandements of God do beleeue that either it is not necessary or else that it is impossible to keepe them are spirituall Idolaters and doe adore and serue strange Gods in their soules and spirits contrary to the first Commandement as it is also manifest to experience for aske of any one of these
and you that haue no siluer make hast buy and eate come buy without siluer or without any exchange wine and milke why bestow you siluer not for bread Boetius li. 2. Pro. 4. and your labour and not for satietie O mortall men why seeke you for your happinesse abroad which is placed within your selues Hearing heare you me Isa 55. and eate that which is good and your soules shall bee delighted with fatnesse with content vpon Earth and happinesse for all eternitie in Heauen Blessed is the man whose will Ps 1. is in the Law of our Lord and in his Law shall meditate day and night all things whatsoeuer he shall doe shall prosper To them that loue God all Rom. 8. 28. things cooperate vnto good to such as according to purpose are called to bee Saints Loue thou God Almightie with thy whole heart and thy Neighbour for Gods sake as thy selfe and all things will be pleasing all things delightfull all things profitable all things that to thee which thou wouldest desire or wish in Charitie or the loue of God and our Neighbour is satisfied and filled all our affections Charitie Col. 3. 14. is the bond of perfection which comprehendeth in it all other vertues Charitie 1. Cor. 13. 4. is patient is benigne Charitie enuieth not dealeth not peruersly is not puffed vp is not ambitious seeketh not her owne is not prouoked to anger thinketh no euill reioiceth not vpon iniquitie but reioiceth with the truth suffereth all things beleeueth all things Charitie 1. Tim. 4. 8. neuer falleth away is profitable to all things hauing promise of the life that now is and of that to come Whereupon Saint Augustine saith The Apostle Paul Tract 8. in Ioan. initio when against the workes of the flesh hee would commend the fruits of the spirit put Charitie as head saying the fruits of the spirit is Charitie and then putteth the rest in order as rising from this head and bound to it which are Ioy Peace Longanimitie Benignitie Goodnesse Faith Mildnesse Continence Chastitie Which the Saint shewing to be true by experience addeth For who doth well reioice but he who loueth some good wherein he may reioice who hath any true friendship or peace with any but with him whom he sincerely loueth who deth long perseuere in doing good workes vnlesse he be hot in louing who is benigne but he that loueth those whom hee may helpe who is good vnlesse hee bee made by louing who is faithfull to saluation but by that faith which worketh by loue who is courageously meeke but whom loue doth moderate who doth abstaine from that which may make him filthie but hee that loueth something by which hee may be honested Worthily therefore doth our good Master so often commend Loue as though it were onely to be commended without the which other goods can nothing profite vs and which cannot bee had without other goods wherewith a man is to bee made good so Saint Augustine And according to these words of Saint Augustine are the words of Saint Paul saying Circumcision is nothing and Prepuce is nothing 1. Cor. 7. 19. but the obseruation of the Commaundements of God Againe In Christ Iesu neither Gal. 5. 5. Circumcision auaileth ought nor Prepuce but Faith that worketh by Charitie Againe Thes 3. 12. Our Lord multiplie you and make your Charitie abound one towards another and towards all men as we also in you to confirme your hearts without blame in holinesse before God and our Father in the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his Saints Who when hee shall come to Iudgement if wee will beleeue himselfe shall condemne to euerlasting paines all those who wanted Charitie towards their Neighbours and haue broken this Precept Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Iewes Gentiles and Heretikes who doe not beleeue the Oathes of God and the Faith planted by our Lord are alreadie Ioh. 3. 18. iudged because they doe not beleeue in the Name of the onely Sonne of God And shall arise onely to receiue their finall doome and damnation with such Catholikes as had Faith but wanted Charitie To feede Mat. 25. the hungrie giue drinke to the thirstie harbour the stranger couer the naked visit the sicke c. These for all their faith if we will beleeue the Iudge himselfe shall goe into punishment euerlasting which was prepared for the Diuell and his Angels But the Iust such as feede the hungry giue drinke to the thirstie c. shall goe into life euerlasting according to the Prophecies Our Lord Ps 144. keepeth all that loue him and he will destroy all sinners Whereupon S. Paul sayth That the 1. Tim. 1. 5. end of the Precept is Charitie from a pure Heart and a good Conscience and a Faith not fained From a pure Heart according to the words of our Lord Happie are the cleane of Mat. 5. 8. heart for they shall see God and a good Conscience according to the words of S. Peter With modestie and feare 1. Pet. 3. 15. hauing a good Conscience that in that which they speake euill of you they may be confounded which calumniate your good conuersation in Christ A Faith not fained not such a Faith as Protestants haue who faine that they are assured to be saued without keeping the Commaundements of God when neither the Apostles nor Prophets make any mention of any such thing but a Faith founded vpon the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the Ephe. 2. 20. highest corner Stone A Faith which doth establish the Law Rom. 3. 31. a Faith conioyned to a good Conscience according to the words of S. Paul Hauing Faith 1. Tim. 1. 19. and a good Conscience which certaine repelling haue made shipwracke about the Faith Saint Augustine speaking of this definition of Charitie sayth Charitie is our fruit Tract 8. in Ioan. which the Apostle defineth of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and a Faith not fained by this we loue one another by this wee loue God neyther should wee loue one another with true loue but by louing God For euery one doth loue his Neighbour as himselfe if hee loue God for if hee doe not loue God hee doth not loue himselfe Since all Content and Happinesse consisteth in louing of God and all other things for God hee depriueth himselfe of all true good and content who doth not loue God with all his heart as in another place the said Saint further confesseth saying Let vs heare De moâ—ib Ecc. Catho O Christ what end or rest of goods thou prescribest vnto vs that is without all controuersie the end or rest to which thou commandest vs to encline vnto with all loue Thou sayest thou shalt loue the Lord thy God from thy whole Mat. 22. 37. heart and with thy whole soule and with thy whole mind Thither we are altogether to tend to
that all our Counsels are to be referred the chiefest of all good God is vnto vs. God is to vs the chiefest good neither are we to remaine lower nor yet to seeke any thing beyond him The one is dangerous and the other is nothing The following of God is the desire of Happinesse and the attaining God Happinesse it selfe and we follow him by louing him and attaine to him when we are not altogether made that which he is but adorned with his vertue and sanctitie we are neere vnto him and touch him after a wonderfull and vnderstanding manner Againe For what other thing Aug. de morib Ecc. Catho should be the chiefest good of Man but that to which to cleaue vnto maketh most happie and that is onely God to whom verily we cannot cleaue vnto but by Loue and Charitie And if Vertue doth lead vs to happie life I would affirme Vertue to be nothing else but the casting of all our loue vpon God And therefore I will not doubt to define these foure Cardinall Vertues after this manner That Temperance should bee Loue giuing it selfe wholly to him that is beloued Fortitude to be Loue easily suffering or enduring all things for the thing beloued Iustice to be Loue seruing onely the beloued and therefore rightly ruling Prudence to be Loue wittily separating and discerning those thinges wherewith it is helped from those by whom it is hindered But we say that this loue is not of what thing soeuer but of God that is to say of the chiefest Good chiefest Wisedome chiefest Concord Wherefore wee may also after this manner define these foure Cardinall Vertues and say That Temperance is Loue preseruing it selfe whole and vnspotted to God Fortitude to be Loue patiently suffering all things for God Iustice to be Loue onely seruing God and for his sake well gouerning other things which are vnder his charge Prudence to be Loue well discerning these things wherewithall it is helped into God from these by which it may be hindered Againe Charitie is the most Aug. de Nat. et gra ca. 42. ibi ca. 70. true the most full and most perfect Iustice vnperfect Charitie is vnperfect Iustice encreased Charitie is encreased Iustice perfect Charitie is perfect Iustice but we vnderstand Charitie from a pure Heart and a good Conscience and a Faith not fained which then is the most perfect that it can be in this life when for the loue of it life is despised So Saint Augustine Whereupon the Councell of Trent Sess 6. ca. 7. saith Although none can be iust but to whom the mercies of the Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ are communicated that yet is done by the iustification of the wicked whiles by the merite of his most holy Passion the Charitie of God by the holy Ghost is poured into the hearts of them who are iustified and doth inhere in them Whereupon in Iustification with remission of sinnes a man doth receiue all these infused together by Iesus Christ to whom he is ingraffed by Faith Hope and Charitie For Faith vnlesse Hope be added vnto it and Charitie neither doth perfectly vnite with Christ neither doth it make a liuing Member of his Bodie And according to this are the words of S. Paul saying of Rom. 13. 10. Loue That it is the fulnesse of the Law Diuine Loue or Charitie comprehendeth in it all other Vertues fulfilleth the whole Law or Commandements of God If there be Rom. 13. any other Commandement it is comprehended in this word Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe The loue of thy Neighbour worketh no euill So Saint 1. Ioh. 3 10. Iohn sayth Euery one that is not iust that keepeth not the Commandements is not of God and he that loueth not his Brother because this is the Annunciation which you haue heard from the beginning That you loue one another Againe Ioh. 13. 35. In this all men shall know that you are my Disciples if you haue loue one to another Whereupon Saint Augustine sayth In 1. Ep. Ioa. tract 5. Therefore Loue onely discerneth betweene the sonnes of God and the sonnes of the Diuell All signe themselues with the signe of the Crosse of Christ all answer Amen all sing Alleluia all are Baptized all come to the Church and build the walls of Churches The sonnes of God are not discerned from the sonnes of the Diuell but by Charitie Those who haue charitie are borne of God those who haue not charitie are not borne of God Haue a great Iudgement haue a great Discretion or haue what thou wilt if this thou hast not the other doe nothing profit thee Whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith Blessed are Ps 118. 1. the immaculate in the way who walke in the Law of our Lord and loue God with all their hearts and their Neighbours for Gods sake as themselues Blessed are they that search his Ps 118. 2. testimonies that seeke after him with all their hearts for they shall be happie vpon Earth and eternally blessed in Heauen according to the words of our Sauiour saying Blessed Mat. 5. 3. Mat. 19. 29. are the poore in spirit such as haue left all things for the loue of God Blessed are the Mat. 11. 2â— meeke such as for his loue learne meekenesse of him Blessed are they that mourne for that they haue offended God and broken his Law Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Iustice the keeping of the Law Blessed are the mercifull who feede the Hungrie giue drinke to the Thirstie cloathe the Naked c. Blessed are the cleane of heart such as haue Charitie which S. Paul defineth to be of a pure Heart a good Conscience and Faith not fained Blessed are the Peace-makers such as teach men to loue their Neighbours as themselues thereby to take away all Suites and Controuersies no man commencing a Suit against himselfe Blessed are they that suffer persecution for Iustice out of their loues to God defending his Honor the fulfilling of his Oathes and seeking inuiolably to keepe his Commandements Whereupon we conclude that in the louing of God Almightie with our whole hearts and with our whole soules and with our whole mindes and our Neighbour for Gods sake as our selues consisteth all our Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse So God graunt thee deare Reader abundance of Charitie towards God and man that thou mayest be abundantly happie CHAP. XVII Of the temporall Blessing and Contentments which such enioy as loue God with their whole hearts and their neighbour for Gods sake as themselues HAuing established our Doctrine of Content and Happinesse and sufficiently shewed that it consisteth in Charitie from a pure Heart and a good Conscience and a Faith not fained which comprehendeth in it all other vertues and also hauing shewed thee how thou mayest become charitable now it resteth to set downe the Blessings Repose and Happinesse which we may by Gods grace attaine vnto by the practise of this Doctrine The loue
societie is there betweene light and darknesse And what agreement with Christ and Belial or what part hath the faithfull with the Infidel and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols For you are the Temple of the liuing God As God saith That I will dwell and walke in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people God Almightie aduanceth those who forsake sinne and iniquitie to so high a degree of Content and Happinesse that he electeth their soules for his Temple for his chiefest place of honour and glorie dedicated to the setting out of his Magnificence Laudes and Praises vpon Earth a place where are to be sung the Songs of Syon Ps 136. 3. the Song of our Lord in a Ps 104. 27. strange Land and his wonders in the Land of Cham for a place appropriated to his recreation and pleasures as God said I will dwell and walke in them Againe I am come into my Garden Cant. 5. O my sister Spouse I haue reaped my Myrrhe with mine aromaticall spices I haue eaten the hony combe with my honie I haue drunke my wine with my milke Eat O friends drinke and be inebriated my dearest my sister Spouse is a Garden inclosed a Fountaine sealed vp Thy Off-springs a Paradise of Pomegranates with Orchard fruits Cypres with Spikenard and Saffron sweet Cane and Cinnamon with all the Trees of Libanus Mirrhe and Aloes with all the chiefe Oyntments The Fountaine of Gardens the Well of liuing Waters which runne with violence from Libanus To the fulfilling of that which was spoken by the Prophet Isay saying Our Lord therefore will comfort Sion Isa 5. 3. and will comfort all the ruines thereof and he will make her Desart as Delicacies and her Wildernesse as the Garden of our Lord Ioy and gladnesse shal be found in it giuing of thanks and voice of praise Making the soule of such as loue him with all their hearts a kind of Paradise vpon Earth as God Almightie said I will dwell and walke in them in some sort as he did in Paradise with our first Parents Adam and Eua who Gen. 3. 8. heard the voice of our Lord walking in Paradise at the afternoone aire To the fulfilling of the words spoken by the Prophet Isay saying They shall Isa 6. 11. 4. build the Desarts from the beginning of the World and shall erect the old Mines and shall repaire the desolate Cities that were discipated in generation and generation Whereupon our Lord saith If any man loue me hee Io. 14. 23. will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and will make our abode with him Our Lord will not only dwell in the soules of them who loue him with all their hearts but will make their hearts his house and home and abiding place Insomuch as the soules of those who loue God with all their hearts are a kinde of Heauen heere vpon Earth Our Lord said Heauen is my Isa 66. 1. Seat Againe Our Lord hath prepared his Seat in Heauen Ps 102. 19. and of the soules of such as loue him with all their hearts hee saith That he will dwell and walke and abide in them Whereby wee see that the soules of such as loue God Almightie with all their hearts are as it were a kind of Heauen vpon Earth where God Almightie keepeth his Court walketh and dwelleth As the hearts of Heretikes and those who liue in breach of the Commandements of God are a kinde of Hell euen heere vpon Earth paines and confirmation in malice excepted So those who loue God with all their hearts keepe his Commandements and seeke to please him in their actions are in a kinde of Heauen heere vpon Earth glorie and confirmation in grace excepted Whereupon our Lord promiseth to those who liue chast Keepe his Sabboths choose the thinges that hee would and hold his Couenant saying I will giue vnto them in Isa 56. 5. my House and within my Walls a Place and a Name better then Sonnes and Daughters an euerlasting Name will I giue them which shall not perish That is he will giue them to be recollected within their soules his Temple wherein he dwelleth and abideth as in his House as hee said before I will dwell in them we 2. Cor. 6. Io. 14. 2. Cor. 6. will make our abode with him You are the Temple of the liuing God Whereupon the Prophet Dauid speaking of his being recollected within his Soule in his Meditations sayth These things haue Ps 41. 5. I remembred and haue poured out my soule in me because I shall passe into the place of a maruelous Tabernacle euen to the house of God So in like manner S. Augustine sayth Our Aug. con li. 12. ca. 31. Lord is high and the humble of heart are his house Againe If we liue holy and iustly whatsoeuer Aug. ser 252. de tempore is done in Temples made with hands the same is wholly fulfilled in vs by spirituall Building Whereupon Saint Paul sayth Christ as the Sonne is Heb. 3. 6. in his owne house which house are we This is Sion and new Ierusalem Isa 62. vpon Earth the soule of him that loueth God Almightie with all his heart and recollected within it hee hath a place within the house and walls of God his owne soule the Bed-chamber of our Lord. And hee will giue him a better name then Sonnes and Daughters which is his Name Isa 7. 14. of Emanuel which is by interpretation God with vs or the Luc. 1. 23. Names of Gods not by nature but by grace and participation from his Goodnesse according as before it is said I will dwell with them wee will Io. 10. 34. make our abode with him It is written in your Law that I said you are Gods If he called them Gods to whom the Word of God was made those may be called Gods in whom God Almightie dwelleth as in his Temple house and home Here Pennes and Tongues and Thoughts and Meditations and Contemplation and whatsoeuer else with excesse of ioyfull Admiration sweetly lose themselues with a happie losse of an infinite gaine and sit alone in silent speech more eloquent then all the eloquence of Greekes and Romans sellers of vaine words and crie out Lord Mat. 8. 8. I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter into my Roofe Thy friends are honoured too Ps 138. 17. much How beautifull are thy Ps 83. Tabernacles O Lord of Hostes my soule coueteth and fainteth vnto the Courts of our Lord my heart and my flesh reioyceth towards the liuing God There the Sparrow hath found her a House and the Turtle a Neast for her selfe where she may lay her young Thine Altars O Lord of Hostes my King and my God Blessed are they that dwell in thy House O Lord for euer and euer they shall praise thee Blessed is the man whose helpe is in
thee he hath disposed ascension in his heart in the vayle of teares they shall goe from vertue into vertue the God of Gods shall be seene in Sion Whereof Boetius speaking in his third Booke and tenth Verse sayth Come hither all yee that are bound Whose base and earthly mindes are drownd By such which doth them tye in cruell Chaines Here is a Seat for men opprest Here is a Port of pleasant Rest Here may a Wretch haue refuge from his Paines No Gold which Tagus Sands bestow Nor which on Herma's Banks doth flow Nor precious stones which scortched Indians get Can cleare the sharpenesse of the minde But rather make it farre more blinde And it in farther depth of darknesse set For this that sets our soules on worke Buried in caues of Earth doth lurke But Heauen is guided by another Light Which causeth vs to shun the Darke And who this Light doth truly marke Must needs denie that Phoebus beames are bright CHAP. XXII Of the fifth Content and Happinesse which such enioy as loue God Almightie with all their hearts and their Neighbours as themselues which is the finding knowing and seeing of God Almightie in this life not as he is in his Essence for so no man can see him and liue but as the Saints say in the disposition of a visible matter sauing the vision of his Diuine Essence for the glorie of the other life HE that hath my Commandements Io. 14. 21. and keepeth them he it is that loueth me and I will Io. 14. 9. loue him and will manifest my selfe to him and he that seeth me seeth also my Father God Almightie will not onely dwell and abide in his heart and soule that loueth him with all his heart but also will manifest himselfe vnto him and thereby giue him the greatest Content Rest and Happinesse that he is capable to receiue in this life the seeing of God or God Almightie manifesting himself vnto him not according to his Diuine Essence for so man is not capable of seeing his Diuine Maiestie and liue but in the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie or which is all one by taking that likenesse which his Will hath chosen and not his Nature formed as affirmeth S. Ambrose in Luc. ca. 1. S. Augustine in his Epistle de videndo Deo S. Gregor Nazia cited there by S. Augustine S. Athanasius quaestio 12. S. Hierome de verb. Isa vid. Dominum S. Chrysostome Hom. 4. de Dei Natura That he may walke by faith and not by sight 2. Cor. 5. or happie Vision Moyses the Patriarks Prophets and Saints did see God in this life as the Scriptures say but not as hee is in his Essence or Diuine Nature for so No man hath seene God Io. 1. 18. at any time nor shall see God and Exo. 33. 20. liue but vnder the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie Moyses conuersing with God face to face as a man is wont to speake to his Exo. 33. friend said vnto him Shew me thy glorie or as S. Augustine In Epist de videndo Dei translateth Shew me thy selfe and our Lord answered Thou canst not see my face or Diuine Nature for man shall not see me and liue Whereupon our Lord to satisfie the desire of Moyses shewed himselfe yet more manifestly to Moyses but still vnder the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie by taking that likenesse which his Will had chosen and not his Nature formed and so sayth to Moyses Behold there is a place with Exo. 33. 21. me and thou shalt stand vpon the Rocke and when my Glorie shall passe I will set thee in a hole of the Rocke and protect thee with my right hand vntill I passe and I will take away my hand and thou shalt see my backe parts In like manner our Lord shewed himselfe in the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie to the rest of the Saints and Prophets as to our Father Elias 3. Reg. 11. in the whistling of a gentle Wind To the Prophet Isay like a Isa 6. man sitting vpon a high Throne and eleuated his Face and Feete couered with the Wings of Seraphins To the Apostles and Saints of the Act. 2. Primitiue Church the holie Ghost appeared in Tongues as it were of fire And S. Iohn in Apo. 4. et 5. et 6. the Apocalypse often maketh mention to haue seene God sitting vpon a Throne And S. Augustine affirmeth That Conf. li. 11. c. 8. wheresoeuer hee did looke hee did see God saying How commeth it to passe my Lord God that wheresoeuer I I looke I see thee but how I should declare or make others vnderstand it I know not vnlesse it be because all that doth begin to bee and doth cease to bee doth then begin to bee and end when it is knowne that it ought to begin or end with eternall reason So the Prophet Dauid did see Ps 15. 8. God alwaies according to his words saying I foresaw our Lord in my sight alwaies not with the eyes of his bodie which dayly decay but with the eye of his heart which was renewed from day to 2. Cor. 4. 16. day according to the words of S. Paul saying God that 2. Cor. 4. 6. commanded Light to shine in darknesse he hath shined in our hearts to the illumination of the knowledge of the glorie of God So our Sauiour sayth Blessed Mat. 5. 8. are the cleane of heart for they shall see God And Saint Paul Heb. 12. 14. sayth Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see God Whereupon Saint Augustine sayth That Aug. ep 111. the wicked though they shall rise in the Day of Iudgement yet they shall not see God Because they would not make cleane their hearts by a true Faith that worketh by Charitie For God is not seene in a Amb. in 111. ep of S. Aug. Place sayth Saint Ambrose but in a cleane or pure heart Whereupon Saint Iohn sayth 1. Io. 4. 8. He that loueth not knoweth not God And Saint Paul defineth 2. Tim. 1. 5. Diuine Loue or Charitie to be from a pure heart And Saint Augustine further Aug. ep 111. sayth That great men truly and most learned in the Scriptures who haue much benefited the Church and the studies of the faithfull as often as occasion hath beene offered haue said That the inuisible God is seene inuisibly that is to say by that nature which in vs is also inuisible that is by a pure heart and minde Againe Because that according Aug. ep 112. to the custome of speech bodies are said to be visible therefore God is said to be inuisible least he should seeme to be a bodie and not because he doth defraud cleane hearts of the contemplation of his substance seeing this great and high reward is promised to the adorers and louers of God
abhorre the signe of my pride and glorie which is vpon my head in the dayes of my ostentation and detest it as the cloth of a woman in her monethly flowers and did neuer reioyce but in thee O Lord the God of Abraham According to this are the many sayings of S. Augustine For that thou O Lord to him that Conf. li. 12. 15. loueth thee as much as thou commandest doest shew thy selfe and art all that he can desire therefore he doth neither decline from thee nor to himselfe And so saith of himselfe That before his conuersion to the Catholike Religion This was all his practise Conf. li. 9. ca. 1. not to will that which God Almightie would he should and to will that which God Almightie would hee should not But after that his Free-will was called to subiect it selfe vnder the light yoake of our Lord and his stout shoulders vnder the burthen of Iesus Christ his Redeemer then hee sayth Of a sudden how sweet it was made to me to want the sweetnesse of Trifles and those thinges which before I feared to lose now I reioyced in shaking them off For thou the true and chiefest Sweetnesse diddest cast them from me thou diddest cast them out of me and diddest enter thy selfe for them who art more sweete then all pleasures Againe Late haue Conf. li. 10. c. 27. I loued thee Beautie so ancient and so new late haue I loued thee and behold thou wast within me and I was without my selfe and there I did seeke thee and amongst these faire things which thou hast made I foulely erred Thou wast present to me but I was absent from thee and these things did separate me farre from thee which if in thee they were not had not beene Thou hast called and cried and hast ouercome my deafenesse Thou hast beene bright and hast shined and hast driuen away my darkenesse Thou hast burned and I haue drawne breath and breathe out after thee I haue tasted and I hunger and thirst Thou hast touched me and I haue burned after thy Peace and Rest Hee which hath knowne Veritie hath Li. 7. ca. 10. knowne it and he who hath knowne iâ— hath knowne Eternitie Charitie hath knowne it O eternall Veritie and true Charitie and deare Eternitie Thou art my God to thee I send forth sighes day and night and when I first knew thee thou tookest me vp that I might see my selfe as I was and that I was not yet that which I would seeme to be and thou diddest beat the weakenesse of my sight excellently shining in me and I trembled with loue and feare and I haue found my selfe to haue beene farre from thee in a Countrey very vnlike thee as if I should heare thy voice from aboue saying I am the Meate of great ones grow and thou shalt eate me Againe What Li. 4. ca. 1. am I when it is well with me but one sucking thy Milke or one enioying thee the Meate which neuer corrupteth So S. Augustine God Almightie in our hearts is the Treasure hidden Maâ— 13. 44. in the Field which a man hauing found did hide and for ioy thereof went and sold all that hee had and bought that Field Finding once God Almightie farwel the world and all his sensuall pleasures Then God forbid that â— should Gal. 6. 14. glorie sauing in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the World is crucified to me and I to it Then vnto me to liue is Christ and to die is gayne Phil. 1. 21. Then thou needest not wish him goe and sell all that hee Mat. 19. 21. hath giue to the poore and follow our Lord he will goe and do it of himselfe though he were King of the whole Globe of the Earth and say with the Prophet What is to Ps 72. 25. me in Heauen and besides thee what would I vpon Earth my flesh hath fainted and my heart God of my heart and God my portion for euer God Almightie manifesting of himselfe in the hearts of these who loue him is that precious Pearle Which Mat. 13. 46. the Marchant man hauing found went his way and sold all that hee had and bought it it being all Content Whereupon S. Augustine saith Whatsoeuer Aug. in Ps 26. is not God is not sweet and whatsoeuer my Lord will vouchsafe to giue me let him take it away and giue me himselfe God Almightie is all Loue and Charitie and If Cant. 8. 7. a man saith the holie Ghost shall giue all the substance of his house for Loue as nothing hee will despise it This is the Kingdome of God vpon Earth of which our Lord speaking saith The Luc. 17. 21. Kingdome of God is within you But not euerie one that saith Mat. 7. 21. Lord Lord shall enter into it but he that doth the will of God which is in it He that loueth Mat. 25. God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself he shall enter Luc. 9. 60. into the Kingdome of Heauen God Almighty manifesting of himself to the eies of the harts of these who loue him is the light of the World and men haue Io. 9. 6. loued the darknes rather then the Io. 3. 19. light for their workes were euill euen so euil that they think it impossible or not necessary to keep the CoÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of God Whereupon S. Aug. said to the Aug. li. 9. ca. 4. dead deaf heretiks of his time O that they could see the inward eternall Light which I because I had tasted I was angry at my selfe for that I could not shew it them if they should bring vnto me a heart in their owne eyes without thee should say Who will shew vs good things Of this Light the Prophet Dauid speaking saith The light Ps 4. 7. of thy countenance is signed vpoÌ„ vs thou hast giueÌ„ gladnes in my hart Again With thee is the fountain of Ps 35. 10. life in thy light we shal see light This is that one thing necessarie which S. Marie Magdelen hath chosen the best part which shal not be taken away from her the gracious presence of our Lord in her heart soule according to the words of S. Aug. saying Who wil giue to me Li. Con. â—â— my Lord that he may come into my heart and make it drunke that I may forget all my euils and embrace thee my onlie good God Almightie manifesting of himselfe in the hearts of theÌ„ who loue him is the hidden Manna which no man knoweth but hee that receiueth it spoken of in the Apocalypse saying He that hath an eare Apo. 2. 17. to heare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches To him that ouercommeth sinne I will giue him the hidden Manna and will giue him a white Lot and in the Lot a new Name written which no man knoweth but he that receiueth Whereupon the Prophet Dauid sayth Taste ye and see
Holy Ghost which is Faith THe ninth fruit is Faith not such a Faith as is in Heretikes and Deuils who haue their spirits so full of malice and iniquitie that they thinke it impossible to loue God Almightie with all their Hearts But a Faith in their Hearts rooted Eph. 4. 17. and founded in Charitie that they may be filled vnto all the fulnesse of God and be now no Eph. 3. 19. more Strangers and Forrainers but Citizens of the Saints and the Domesticals of God treating with him in their Soules by Faith that worketh Gal. 5 6. by Charitie A Faith planted in a good Luk 8 15 and very good Heart which hearing the Word doth retaine it and yield fruit in Patience Mat 13 29 some an hundreth fold and other threescore and another thirtie A Faith Light of the World Mat 5 15 shining before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen A Faith dilated all ouer the World Teach ye all Nations Mat. 28 19. And they going forth Mar. 16. 20. preached euery where Into Rom. 16. 18. al the Earth hath the sound of them gone forth and vnto the end of the whole World the words of them In the Col. 1. 6. whole World it is and fructifieth and groweth A Faith Wherein God meaning more abundantly to shew the Heires of the Promise the stabilitie of his Counsell he interposed an Oath because he had none greater by whom he might sweare he sware by himselfe saying Vnlesse blessing I shall blesse thee and Multiplying shall Multiply thee that by two things vnmoueable whereby it is impossible for God to lye we may haue a most strong comfort who haue fled to hold fast the hope proposed in our Faith The Faith of Iesus Christ Gal. 3. 22. giuen to them that beleeue The Iustice of God by Faith Rom. 3. 22. 31 of Iesus Christ whereby we doe not destroy the Law but establish the Law according to the words of our Sauiour saying Doe not thinke that Mat. 5. 18. I came to breake the Law or the Prophets I came not to breake but to fulfill A Faith which whosoeuer beleeueth and doth according to that which he beleeueth As the Scriptures say out of his belly shall flow Ioh. 7. 38. Riuers of liuing water And Isa 12. 3. he shall draw waters in ioy out of the Fountaines of our Sauiour and be inebriated with Psa 35. 9. the plentie of the house of God and with the torrent of his pleasure be made drunke OF THE TENTH fruit of the Holy Ghost which is Modestie THe tenth fruit which the Holy Ghost doth produce in the Hearts of those who loue him is Modestie which is a decencie or honest temperature of the motions of the Minde and Bodie by helpe whereof they alwaies square their actions to a beseeming comlinesse pleasing in the sight of God whom they know to be present So S. Paul exhorting the Ephesians saith All naughtie Eph 4 29. speech let it not proceede out of your mouth but if there be any good to the edifying of Faith that it may giue grace to the hearers And contristate not the holy Spirit of God in which you are signed vnto the day of Redemption And againe to Timothie The Seruant of our Lord must 2. Tim. 2 24. not wrangle but be milde towards all men apt to teach patient with modestie admonishing them that resist the Truth Heretikes and Schismatikes least sometime God giue them Repentance to know the Truth and they recouer themselues from the snares of the Deuill of whom they are hold captiue at his will Againe Let your modestie Phil. 4. 5. be knowne to all men our Lord is nigh Whereupon S. Augustine saith He made Conf. li. 4. ca. 12. these things and is not farre off from them for he did not make them and then goe his waies but of him and in Act. 17. 28. him they are for in him we liue and moue and be And by these meanes they grow and increase dayly in Pietie and tender affection towards God Almightie and liue without any iust cause of reprehension amongst men excelling in ciuilitie and decent behauiour though Modestie is practised in all actions yet it is chiefly noted in the eyes insomuch as of the Foole it is said The eyes of Pro. 17. 24. a Foole are in the end of the Earth gazing after euery thing But the eies of the Eph. 4. 15. Wise are in his Head looking vpon our Lord who is our Head and there so content that he little careth or desireth to see any thing else more then necessitie requireth So the Prophet Dauid saith To thee haue I lifted vp mine Ps 122. eyes which dwelleth in the Heauens Behold as the eyes of Seruants are to the hand of their Master as the eyes of the Hand-maid on the hands of her Mistres so our eies to our Lord God Againe I foresaw our Lord in my sight alwaies because Ps 15. 8. he is at my right hand that I be not moued for this thing my heart hath beene glad and my tongue hath reioiced moreouer also my flesh shall rest in hope OF THE ELEVENTH fruit of the Holy Ghost which is Continencie THe eleuenth fruit which the holy Ghost doth produce in the Hearts of those who loue him is Continencie which is a vertue by which mē liuing amongst the occasions of vsing lawfull sensuall pleasures to get the victorie and conquest ouer their carnall appetites do abstaine from them that by denying to themselues hings which many times be lawfull or indifferent they may easily attaine vnto grace and force to ouercome and suppresse their vnlawfull Desires thereby to bring their passions and inordinate affections to a subordination vnder the obedience of right reason and so liue in great libertie of Spirit and latitude of Minde free from consenting to base Desires Wherefore S. Paul saith in the same Chapter That against such there is no Law and addeth the reason for that they haue crucified their Flesh with the vices and concupiscences Continencie in generall consisting in the acts of Abstinence and Mortification doth crucifie or make dead the inordinate desires of the Flesh That the iustification Rom. 8. of the Law might be fulfilled in vs who walke not according to the Flesh but according to the Spirit For they that are according to the flesh are affected to the things that are of the flesh as we see by too much experience in carnall Heretikes who professe publikely in Print That they cannot liue chaste But they that are according to the Spirit are affected to the things that are of the Spirit that is to say to Continencie Chastitie Charitie c. For Rom. 8. the Wisdome of the Flesh is death but the Wisedome of the Spirit life and peace Such as liue according to the concupiscences and desires of the
in this life bestoweth vpon those who keepe his Commandements and loue him with all their Hearts and their Neighbors for his sake as themselues which Ioyes and Contentments doe increase in them as the zeale of keeping his Commandements Counsels doth increase according to his Word saying Whosoeuer shall glorifie me I will glorifie him and they that shall contemne mee shall be base Whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith I am delighted Ps 118. in the way of thy Testimonies as in all riches I will be exercised in thy Commandements and I will consider thy waies I will keepe thy Law alwaies for euer and for euer and euer And I walked in largenesse because I sought after thy Commandements My portion O Lord I said to keepe thy Law The Law of thy Mouth is good vnto me aboue thousands of Gold and Siluer How haue I loued thy Law O Lord all the day it is my meditation aboue mine enemies thou hast made me wise by thy Commandentents because it is to me for euer and euer Aboue all that taught me haue I vnderstood because thy Testimonies are my meditations I haue vnderstood more then ancient men because I sought thy Commandements I haue inclined my Heart to doe thy Iustifications for euer because of the Reward Corporall and Spirituall Temporall and Eternall Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse Wherfore deare Reader be no more deceiued with vain imaginations of finding Ease and Rest in the sensuall pleasures and vanities of the World but cast out froÌ„ thee those strange Gods who in their eleuenth Article of the English Creede do promise Happinesse and Iustification by Faith only And return vnto our Lord in all thy Heart and in all thy Soule and keepe his Commandements and our Sauiour according to his promise will aske the Ioh. 14. 14. Father he wil giue thee another Comforter that he may abide with thee and be in thee for euer The Spirit of Truth Ioh. 14. 26. he shall teach thee all things He will teach thee Chastitie Continencie Modestie Goodnesse Benignitie Patience Peace of Minde Ioy of Heart and Charitie towards God and Man and thou shalt possesse Ioy and Isa 51. Isa 44. Gladnesse Sorrow and Mourning shall flye away for I euen I my selfe saith our Lord will comfort you I will poure out my Spirit vpon thy Seede and my Blessing vpon thy Stock and they shall spring the hearbes as Willowes besides the running Waters For the Shrub Isa â—5 shall come vp the Firre tree and for the Nettle shall grow the Mirtle tree For thy base afflicting sensuall delights he will giue thee true Ioyes and Content and Rest When thou shalt poure Isa 58. out thy Soule to the hungrie and shalt fill the afflicted Soule thy light shall rise vp in darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the Noone-day And our Lord will giue thee Rest alwaies and will fill thy Soule with brightnesse and deliuer thy bones and thou shalt be as a watered Garden and as a Fountaine of Waters whose water shall not faile which is the Content and Happinesse I wish vnto thee THE Last CHAPTER Of the compleat Ioy Rest Content and Happinesse which those shall haue in Heauen who vpon Earth perseuered in louing God with all their Hearts and their Neighbours as themselues vntill Death FIrst All the Charitable shall be saued and Happy as witnesseth our Sauiour saying Come ye blessed Mat. 25. of my Father possesse you the Kingdome prepared for you from the Foundation of the World For I was an hungred and you gaue me to eate I was thirstie and you gaue me to drinke I was a stranger and you tooke me in naked and you couered me sick and you visited me I was in Prison and you came vnto me Verily I say vnto you as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren you did it to me And for their particular Happinesse first all their Corporall defects as lamenesse crookednesse disproportion of their bodies c. by the power of God shall be supplied as witnesseth S. Paul saying We shall Eph. 4. 13. meete all in the vnitie of Faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God into a perfect Man into the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. Secondly they shall be endued with subtilitie to penetrate and passe through materiall bodies at their pleasures as S. Iohn affirmeth Ioh. â—0 19. of our Sauiour That the dore shut Iesus came and stood in the midst of the Disciples And in the Resurrection our Sauiour will as S. Paul saith Reforme the body Phil. 3. 11. of our humilitie configured to the Body of his glory Thirdly they shall be endued with Agilitie to moue and passe from one place vnto another with the same swiftnesse that their mindes can desire As the Angels of God in Heauen Fourthly they shal be indued with Impassabilitie insomuch as they shall neuer suffer any more hunger or colde or heate or sicknesse or paines or any thing of disgust as affirmeth S. Iohn saying They shall no more Apoc. 7. 16. hunger nor thirst neither shall the Sunne fall vpon them nor any heate Fiftly they shall be endued with Claritie according to the words of our Sauiour saying The Iust shall shine Mat. 13. 43. as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Sixtly their Corporall eyes shall be delighted with the sight of the glorious Body of the Sonne of God and of all the Saints and with the Beautie of Heauen whose Wall is as S. Iohn saith Of Apoc. 21. 18. Iasper stone but the Citie it selfe is of pure Gold like to pure Glasse and the Foundations of the Wall of the Citie are adorned with Pretious Stone And the twelue Gates there are twelue Pearles one to euery one and euery Gate is of one seuerall Pearle and the Streete of the Citie pure Gold as it were transparent Glasse Seuenthly their Eares shall be delighted with the melody of Angels Saints who sing by Quires alwaies new songs Eightly their Senses of Smelling shall be delighted with delicate sweet smells which proceed from the body of our Sauiour and from the bodies of the Martyrs and Saints in Heauen whose Odor is as the Cant. 3. Osc 1â— Aromatical Spices of Mirrhe and Frankencense and all the powder of the Apothecarie If the bodie of our Blessed Mother Teresa the reformer of our Order and the restorer thereof to the obseruance of the first Rule yeeld so sweet a Smell heere vpon Earth as that it exceedeth the delight of all flowers as is testified by sufficient witnesses Imagin if thou canst how exceeding sweet shall be the Smell of the body of our Sauiour and all the glorified bodies in Heauen Ninthly their Taste shall be delighted with exquisite Meates according to the word of God saying To them Apoc. â— 17. that shall ouercome sin I will Apoc. 2. 7. giue him the hidden Manna I will giue him
which according to God is created in Iustice and holinesse of the Truth Whereupon Saint Iohn Baptist speaking of the way or meanes how to attaine vnto Content and Happinesse sayth Who hath shewed Mat. 3. 7. you to flye from the wrath to come yeeld therefore fruit worthie of Penance Which is as if he should haue said If any one hath shewed you the way to Content and Happinesse and not by contrition and detestation of sinne the fruites of Penance hee hath deceiued you So our Lord and Sauiour in his first Sermon according to Saint Matthew taught Penance as the first meanes to Happinesse the Text saying that Mat. 4. 17. Iesus began to preach and to say Doe Penance for the Kingdome of God is at hand Heere thou mayest see how many men which are of short Capacities and weake and shallow Wits and Vnderstandings are deceiued in framing to themselues a conceit that to doe Penance is to be tormented deiected and oppressed in minde when it is nothing lesse but the greatest ease remedie and rest to a deiected and oppressed minde that can be had or found and the way and meanes to all true Content and Happinesse If thou wilt beleeue the Scriptures and Experience Contrition or sorrow for sinne doth much differ from the sorrow or lamenting of worldly men when out of selfe-loue they lament the losse of their worldly Commodities or Pleasures The fruites of this Sorrow are Sadnesse Oppression of Minde and Discontent as being inordinate and not ordained by God to be vsed as a meanes of finding Happinesse vvhereas Penance Contrition and Sorrow for Sinnes beeing meanes ordained by God to Content and Happinesse the more thou vsest them the more rest and content of heart thou shalt finde because God Almightie doth reuiue the Isa 57. 15. heart of the Contrite by the assisting of the holy Ghost Gal 5. whose fruits are Charitie Ioy of heart and Peace of minde of which wee are to speake more in his place A second meanes of attayning vnto the loue of God is often to Communicate according to the words of our Lord saying He that eateth Ioh. 6. my Flesh and drinketh my Bloud abideth in me and I in him which is the Charitie wee seeke for A third meanes is Meditation seriously to consider all the benefits thou hast receiued from his diuine Maiestie as Creation Redemption Conseruation and whatsoeuer graces thou hast or expectest and likewise to meditate often vpon his diuine Attributes as his infinite Goodnesse Beautie Maiestie and Power c. for the onely meanes to loue any thing that is very good faire pleasing and beautifull is but to looke seriously vpon it and consider it well and the loue or liking of it presently is begotten in thy heart And it being excellently good the more thou thinkest or meditatest vpon it the more the loue of it increaseth in thee So if thou wilt loue much GOD Almightie doe not omit thy Meditations A fourth meanes is alwaies to keepe the Presence of God that hauing alwayes before thine eyes an infinite Good from whom all things else borrow whatsoeuer good they haue thou canst not but little esteeme of all other goods in comparison of it and loue it with thy whole heart and all things else as they may conduct thee vnto it of which Presence wee are to speake in our third Booke A fifth meanes is to make many Acts of the loue of God As in Arts and Sciences thy continuall practise increaseth thy knowledge and skill so the making of many Acts of the loue of God increaseth in thee the loue of God And to that end heere I set downe these Acts following Acts of Charitie or Loue towards God AS the chased Hart thirsteth after the Fountaine of Water so I desire that my heart should perpetually thirst after thee deare Lord. O Lord of infinite beautie that my heart were so wounded with thy loue that out of feruour of spirit I might in silent speech perpetually breath forth When shall I come and appeare before thy face O most amiable Sonne of the liuing God take now possession of this my heart which was created for to loue thee and pierce it with a thousand wounds of pure loue that I may for euer sweetly languish after thy eternall beautie How beloued are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my soule coueteth and fainteth after the Courts of my God Decre Iesu to thee I consecrate my heart O deere King of all beautie and glory I will no other inheritance but thee O Life of my life and more beautifull then all beauties created put together inflame me with a most desired burning after thy eternall beautie O Lord of infinite mercy how great are the multitude of thy mercies that thou commandest mee to loue thee and if I doe not thou art angrie and threatenest eternall miseries when in louing thee consisteth all my ioyes and good O who will giue to me my Lord that I may die for thee that by my corporall death my soule may be ingulfed in thee her rest and chast bed-Chamber of all diuine delights Too late haue I loued thee Beautie so ancient and so new too late haue I loued thee but pardon my negligence past deere Lord and graunt that this my beginning may last and increase for euer Thou deere Lord was within mee and I was without my selfe and amongst these faire things which thou hast created I sought thee and fowly erred faire they were because thou createdst them but to me foule for that I loued them and loued them not in thee O how I lament deere Lord that my poore soule hath beene so deceiued with sensuall loue and worldly vanitie now conuert mee so wholly vnto thee deere Lord that nothing created may please me but the only louing of thy diuine Maiestie Thou art all faire my Loue thou art all faire and there is not a spot or staine in thee O my infinite Good I resigne to thee all that thy liberalitie hath bestowed vpon me that thereby I may please thee and offer without ceasing in the Altar of my heart my selfe in Sacrifice If I forget to loue thee my Lord let all my pleasures be turned into sorrowes and let my right hand be forgetfull of her actions if I doe not offer vnto thee vpon the Altar of my heart a Sacrifice of perpetuall Loue Morning Mid-day and Euening CHAP. XII That true Content and Happinesse cannot be without Charitie or loue towards our neighbours and keeping of the Commandements of God SO great is the Obligation and bond of Societie interposed betweene all things created that the good of one in some sort dependeth vpon the loue and societie with the other The Angels in Heauen reioice one at anothers good and Happinesse and receiue increase of Content by the increase of Glory bestowed vpon any one The Heauens send downe showers and dew to water and make pleasant the Earth and the Earth shooteth vp all her fruits
towards the Heauens as though she would in gratitude offer them to the Heauens as a Present for all benefits receiued The Elements liue in a perpetuall interchange of amitie the Fire transporting it selfe into Ayre the Ayre into Water and the Water into Earth and the Earth condensing and becomming hard returneth againe to yeeld Fire and their intercourse of friendship is confirmed in so firme a league that rather then the Earth should in any thing perish by suffering vacuum the Ayre or Fire forgetfull of his owne well and content of his owne will and desire leaueth his Region to descend in hast to supply the Earths want that vacuum bee not found in Nature The most vntame Birds and sauage Beasts keepe companie together each one reioycing at others good Insomuch as that the wilde Boare or Beare who amongst the beasts are accompted the most sauage will not sticke to turne against Man vvhen hee shall perceiue that he hath hurt or wounded any of his companie So strait is the bond of Amitie betweene all liuing things in their kinde that the weale of one seemeth in some sort to be the content of all And as for Man the greater he is the more neede he standeth of the common people Kings there could be none if Common people were not nor yet Common people liue long in vnitie and peace if Kings they had not Princes and Peeres depend vpon their meanest Subiects and their Subiects liue in peace vnder the Protection of their greatnesse So Nature hath combined all in vnity and friendship that he must be a monster in nature that should deny the loue of his Neighbour to be necessary to his Content and Happinesse Againe some are so yong that they cannot helpe themselues some so old that their forces are spent some in Prison many lame and none so exquisite in all Arts and Sciences that he is able completely to furnish himselfe with whatsoeuer he wanteth Whereby appeareth that there is nothing more manifest then that the loue of our Neighbour is necessary to Mans Happinesse And it is no lesse manifest by the Scriptures and light of Grace that the loue of our Neighbours is necessarie to Content and Happinesse He that saith he is in the Light Io. 2. 9. and hateth his brother is in the Darkenesse euen vntill now Hee that loueth his brother abideth in the Light and scandall is not in him But he that hateth his brother is in darkenesse and walketh in the darkenesse and knoweth not whither hee goeth because the Darkenesse hath blinded his eies Againe Euery one Io. 3. 10. that is not iust is not of God and he that loueth not his brother because this is the Annuntiation which you haue heard from the beginning That you loue one another Againe Whosoeuer hateth his 1. Io. 3. 16. brother is a Murtherer and you know that no Murtherer hath life euerlasting abiding in him Againe My dearest 1. Io. 4. 7. let vs loue one another because Charitie is of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loueth not knoweth not God If any man shall say that I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyar for he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth God whom he seeth not how can hee loue And this is the Commandement we haue from God That hee which loueth God loueth also his brother whereby and by many more passages of holy Scriptures it is manifest that the loue of our Neighbour is necessarie to Happinesse and Saluation and that no man whatsoeuer shall either in this World or in all Eternitie euer attaine vnto any true Content or Happinesse who doth not keep the Law or tenne Commandements which consist in the loue of God and loue of our Neighbour as witnesseth our Lord saying Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God from thy whole heart Mat. 22. 37. and with thy whole soule and with thy whole minde This is the greatest and the first Commandement And the second is like to this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe on these two Commandements dependeth the whole Law and the Prophets So Saint Paul saith Hee that loueth his Rom. 13. 9. Neighbour hath fulfilled the Law For thou shalt not commit Adulterie Thou shalt not Kill Thou shalt not Steale Thou shalt not beare False witnesse Thou shalt not Couet And if there be any other Commandement it is comprehended in this word Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe The loue of thy Neighbour worketh no euill Againe All the Law is fulfilled in one Gal. 5. 14. word Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe CHAP. XIII The meanes how to become heartie wel-willers of our seuerest Persecutors and most alienated Aduersaries ALthough it be easie to loue men of meeke and milde disposition yet it may seeme hard heartily to loue and pray for our enemies and persecutors especially for such persecutors as haue for office to draw vs by spoile of goods losse of libertie and life from temporall and eternall Happinesse into temporall and eternall Myserie which is the case of our Persecution in England wherefore it is necessarie heere to set downe the meanes how to loue our most alienated enemies or aduersaries and fulfill the Precept of our Lord which saith Loue your enemies doe Mat. 5. 44. good to them that hate you pray for them that persecute and abuse you that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heauen who maketh his Sunne to shine vpon the good and bad and raineth vpon the iust and vniust Againe Reuenge not your selues Rom. 12. 19 my deerest but giue place vnto Wrath for it is written Reuenge to me I will reward saith our Lord but if thy enemy hunger giue him meate if he thirst giue him drinke be not ouercome with euill but ouercome in good the euill If saith the Prophet Dauid I haue rendred to them that repayed me euill let me worthily fall emptie from mine enemies Let the enemie persecute Ps 7. 6. my soule and take and treade downe my life in the Earth and bring downe my glory in the dust The practise of which Doctrine though to worldly men it seeme hard and haue great difficultie yet by the grace of God and the good meanes which he hath left for vs to vse it is light and easie Of our selues as 2. Cor. 3. 4. of our selues we be not sufficient to thinke any thing But our sufficiencie is of God Christ Rom. 8. 34. Iesus that dyed for vs who is on the right hand of God also maketh intercession for vs Who then shall seperate vs from the Charitie of Christ Tribulation or Distresse or Famine or Nakednesse or Danger or Persecution or the Sword as it is written For we are killed for thy sake all the day we are esteemed as sheepe of slaughter But in all these things we ouercome because of him that hath loued vs. I can all things
thee deare Reader abundance of Charitie that thou maist beare much Fruit of the holy Ghost and be abundantly Happy and Content For with the same Mat. 6. 38. measure you doe mete it shall be measured to you againe saith our Sauiour OF THE SECOND Fruit of the Holy Ghost which is Ioy. THe second Fruit which the Holy Ghost produceth in the hearts of such as loue God is Ioy not such base ioyes as haue gaping hunters when they haue found their prey or sensuall Men in the Lute and Harpe and 〈◊〉 â—0 Timbrell and Psalme and Wines in their Banquets for which cause Hell hath dilated his Soule and opened his Mouth without all measure or limitation and the Strong and High and Glorious ones shall descend into it but Ioy in our Lord according to the words of the blessed Virgine Mary saying My Spirit hath reioyced Luk. 1. 46. in God my Sauiour An exultation of the Heart and Soule in the liuing God according to the words of the Prophet Dauid saying My Psal 83. 5. Heart and my Flesh hath reioyced in the liuing God who is all Pleasure Content and Good An inestimable Ioy and content of Minde and Spirit to finde our Lord there according to his Promise Now indeed you haue Io. 16. â—â— Sorrow but I will see you again and your Heart shall reioyce and your Ioy no man shall take from you Because it shall be in their inward soules with God Almightie which death will not take away but increase according to the words of our Lord saying As my Io. 15. â— Father had loued me I also haue loued you abide in my Loue If you keepe my Precepts you shall abide in my loue as I also keepe my Fathers Precepts and doe abide in his loue These things I haue spoken to you that my Ioy may be in you and your Ioy may be filled with so great Content that in this life you are neither capable nor would receiue or desire more Of this Ioy our Sauiour â—â— 17. 11. further speaking saith Holy Father keepe them in thy Name whom thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also We and these things I speake in the World that they may haue my Ioy filled in themselues Of this Ioy S. Augustine speaking saith God forbid Con. li. 10. ca. 22. my Lord that with what Ioy soeuer I should reioice I should thinke my selfe happie There is a Ioy which is not giuen to the wicked but to such as serue thee gratis whose Ioy thou thy selfe art and that same is happie Life to reioice at thee of thee and for thee this is it and other there is none Againe Con li. 10. ca. 23. Such as will not reioice of thee who only art happie Life will not be happie for happie Life is Ioy of thee who art Truth God mine illumination the health of my face â—nd my God And out of this Ioy are the abundant Prayses and Ioyes of the Prophet Dauid saying Come let vs reioyce Ps â—4 to our Lord Let vs make iubilation to God our Sauiour The habitation in thee as it Iâ— 8â— â— were of all reioycing Light is risen to the Iust and Ioy to the right of heart Be glad ye Iust 〈…〉 1â— in our Lord and confesse ye to the memorie of his sanctification Of this Ioy the Prophet A 〈…〉 〈…〉 writing saith I will 〈…〉 our Lord and will reioice 〈…〉 my IESVS Of this Ioy the Prophet 〈…〉 Isay speaking saith The ioy of 〈◊〉 Asses the pastures of flocks vntill the Spirit be poured out vpon vs from on high and the Desart shall be as Carmell and Carmell shall be reputed for a Forrest and Iudgement shall dwell in the Wildernesse and Iustice shall sit in Carmell The Ioyes and contentments of Men before they he endued with the Spirit of God are as the Prophet saith like the ioyes of wilde Asses all placed in eating drinking sleeping and following their carnall and sensuall appetites but after the Holy Ghost be poured out vpon them then they who were without Fruit and as such abandoned and forsaken and left to the ioyes of wilde Asses shall be as Carmell or Carmelites which is to say knowledge of Circumcision or a Circumcised Lamb and shall abandon and cast off all their wilde Asses pleasures to become partakers of the Promises of God to our Fathers saying Our Lord thy God will circumcise Deut. 30. 6. thy heart and the heart of thy Seede that thou maiest loue thy Lord thy God in all thy heart and in all thy soule that thou maiest liue Whereof S. Paul speaking Rom. 2. saith Circumcision of the heart in Spirit Againe Wee Phi. 3. are the Circumcision which in Spirit serue God and keepe the Commandements And Carmell the Mount from which wee take our Name and vpon which our Fathers Elias Elizeus and the sonnes of the Prophets liued in contemplation and adoration of God in Spirit and veritie shall be so dilated as a Forrest manie giuing themselues to contemplation all ouer the World And Iudgement shall dwell in contemplatiue Men and Iustice shall sit in Carmell in Carmelites or Men hauing circumcised hearts by the Spirit of God As in another place the same Prophet speaking saith Shall Isa 22. not yet within a little while and in a short time Libanus another more waste Mountaine in Palestina be turned into Carmell and Carmell reputed for a Forrest and in that day the deafe shall heare the words of the Booke and out of the Darkenesse and Mist the eies of the blinde shall see and the meeke shall adde ioyfulnesse in our Lord and the poore men shall reioice in the Holy One of Israel c. Againe of these Ioyes Ease and Rest which men endued with Charitie should attaine vnto the Prophet Isay further speaking saith When Isa 2. thou shalt poure out thy Soule to the hungrie and shalt fill the afflicted Soule thy light shall rise vp in darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the Noone-day And our Lord will giue thee Rest alwaies and will fill thy Soule with brightnesse and deliuer thy bones and thou shalt be as a watered Garden and as a Fountaine of Waters whose Water shall not faile And the Desarts of the World shall be builded in thee Thou shalt raise vp the foundations of Generation and Generation and thou shalt be called the builder of the Hedges turning the Paths into Rest. If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will in my Holy day and call the Sabbath delicate and the Holy of our Lord glorious and glorifie him whilest thou doest not thine owne waies and thy will be not found to speake a word Then shalt thou bee delighted vpon the Lord and I will lift thee vp aboue the heights of the Earth and will feede thee with the Inheritance of IACOB thy Father for the Mouth of our Lord hath spoken If the
Ioy of wilde Asses be so highly esteemed by the Princes and adorers of the Earth as that they put either all or the most part of their content in them how much more are to be esteemed the Ioyes of the holy Ghost which doe so farre exceede all the Ioyes of wilde Asses and carnall pleasures of the censuall Men of the Earth as the Soule doth the Body The one being common to pious Men and Angels the other proper to carnall Men and Beasts OF THE THIRD Fruit of the Holy Ghost which is Peace THe third Fruit which the holy Ghost doth produce in the hearts of them that loue him and their neighbour for him is Peace not such Peace as is giuen to the wicked who can finde no other Rest or Peace but in the following and feeding of their inordinate appetites with sensuall pleasures like the beasts of the Forrest But the Peace of God which passeth Phil. 4. 7. all vnderstanding an Ease Rest Repose of heart and minde in God Almightie which exceedeth the capacitie and vnderstanding of all sensuall men which S. Paul describeth to be an vnion of our hearts and all the vnderstanding Phil. 4. powers of our soule in Christ Iesus Peace which was promised by the Prophet Isay saying When the Spirit shall be poured Isa â—2 17. out vpon vs then the worke of Iustice shall be Peace and the seruice of Iustice Silence and Securitie for euer And my People shall sit in the beautie of Peace and in the Tabernacles of Confidence and in wealthie Rest Resting of their Hearts and all the powers of their Soule in Christ Iesus as a Stone in his Centre Peace spoken of by the Prophet Dauid saying Praise â—â— 147. â— thy God O Syon because hee hath strengthened the Locks of thy Gates he hath blessed thy Children in thee who hath set thy borders Peace and filleth thee with the fat of Corne. Againe In Peace in the self-same I will sleepe and rest Whereupon S. Augustine reading this verse after his Conuersion from Heresie cryed from the bottome of his heart O in Peace O Con. li. 9. 8. ca. 4. in the selfe-same O what did he say I will Repose and take Rest Thou O Lord art the selfe-same exceedingly who art not variable in thee is Rest forgetting of all labours for that there is no other with thee neither are there many more things to be had which thou art not But thou O Lord hast singularly setled me in hope I did reade and did burne in loue Neither did I finde what I should doe to the deafe dead Heretikes amongst whom I had beene an vnsauourie yeller forth of infectious Doctrine and blinde against the Letters honyed with the hony of Heauen and lightened with thy Light O that they could see the inward Eternall Light Which I because I had tasted I was angrie at my selfe for that I could not shew it them if they should bring vnto me a heart in their owne eies without thee and should say Who will shew vs good things So Saint Augustine The Peace spoken of by our Sauiour saying Peace I Io. 14. 27. leaue to you my peace I giue to you not as the World giueth doe I giue to you Againe In me you may haue Io. 16. 55. Peace in the World you shall haue Distresse Whereof the Prophet Isay speaking saith For this cause shall my people Isa 52. â— know my Name in that day because I my selfe that spake Peace I leaue you loe am present How beautifull vpon the Mountaines are the feele of him that euangelizeth and preacheth Peace of him that telleth good preaching Health that faith to Sion the Soule which loueth God with all his heart Thy God shall Isa 9. 5. raigne Because all violent taking of prey with tumult and garment mingled with blood shall be burnt and foode for the fire For a little Childe is borne to vs and a Sonne is giuen to vs and his name shall be called Prince of Peace His Empire shall be multiplied and there shall be multiplied and there shal be no end of his peace At this Peace the Angels reioyced to see it prepared to be planted in the Hearts of Men vpon Earth And Luk. 2. the Angels said I euangelize to you great Ioy that shall be to all People beeause this day is borne to you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lord you shall finde the Infant swadled in Clothes and layd in a Maunger And suddenly these was with the Angell a multitude of the heauenly Armie praysing God and saying Glorie in the highest to God and in Earth Peace to Men of good will For Eph. â— hee our Lord himselfe is our Peace who hath made both one and dissoluing the middle Wall of the Partition the enmities in his Flesh And comming he euangelized Peace to you that were farre off and Peace to them that were nigh for by him we haue accesse both in one Spirit to the Father This is the Peace which Saint Paul wished to the Thessalonians saying The 2. Thes 3. 16. Lord of Peace himselfe giue you euerlasting Peace in euery place And this is the Peace which our Lord often wished to his Disciples after his Resurrection saying Peace be to you This Peace saith S. Augustine In epist ad fratres in eremo Christ left by a Testament to the Apostles as the chiefest good without the which none ought to liue c. This is that glorious Peace which expelleth the fruit of euill Thoughts preserueth the wauering Minde from hurt and purgeth the Conscience He who hath not the peace of Heart of Mouth and Worke ought not to be called a Christian O Peace thou art the serenitie of the Minde the tranquilitie of the Soule the simplicitie of the Heart the bond of Loue and companion of Charitie This is that high Felicitie which taketh away Enmities appeaseth Warres oppresseth Anger 's treadeth downe the Proud loueth the Humble endeth Strifes maketh Enemies friends acceptable to all Men. So S. Augustine And if the Peace of the Earth which is but a cessation from worldly troubles or affaires and a satisfying of thy passions be pleasing vnto thee of how farre greater Content and Happinesse must the Peace of God be which passeth all vnderstanding and keepeth as S. Paul saith Our Hearts and all the Phi. 4. 7. vnderstanding powers of our Soule in Christ Iesus which God of his goodnesse grant thee Reader OF THE FOVRTH fruit of the Holy Ghost which is Patience THe fourth fruit is Patience of which it is said In Patience shall you possesse Luk. 21 19. your Soules Then a man is said to enioy a thing when he receiueth Content in it and vseth it according to the end it was created for he that possesseth a thing to vexe and afflict hath it not to enioy and possesse but to torment Whereupon it commeth to passe that angrie and chollericke men doe not possesse themselues nor