hee must little esteeme that as it is his owne good if it bee compared to the second namely that it is the seruice of God and the fulsilling of his holy will flowing from thence and to this point the second Instruction serueth well Let vs obserue that euery one whilst hee loueth himselfe doth greatly desire to better either his ornaments or else all his houshold furniture and all things else that he hath if it be not such as he would haue it and so must he do who spiritually loueth himselfe For our Lord God hath giuen vs a pretious ornament or pearle wherewith at all times to inrich our selues This pearle wee haue but couered with brasse or copper whilst wee desire any thing to our owne good or profit nor must wee euer rest vntill by the right hand of the highest there bee such a change made that our appetite which is euer agitated and tossed vp and downe in vs wishing our owne profit may now onely regarde those things wherewith GOD is delighted chiefely that thing being such as that not onely GOD would that wee should haue it but also that we our selues shold be more inriched with it For the more wee doe forget our owne proper benefit that wee may record it call to minde the glory of God the more care hath hee of inriching vs with al good things this forgetfulnesse is worthy of eternall memory this remembrance worthy of eternall glory What a most pretious loue is this which maketh men Gods For of this loue is that to bee vnderstood which a good father spake Si Deum amas Deus es if thou louest GOD August thou art God for I haue said yee are Gods Psal 81. that therefore wee might obtaine this so excellent loue of our selues our GOD would haue vs to hate our selues in that thing wherein wordly men doe loue themselues and this hee willeth whilst in the Gospell hee commaunds Luk. 14. That we should hate our selues as before is spoken Besides all these things I forewarne him that will truely loue himselfe that the sweetnesse hee findes in the seruice of GOD doe not suffice him for the glory expected For albeit this sweetnesse bee good yet GOD giues it not to this end that we should rest in it alone but that by it wee might come to take a taste in the consideration of the good glorie and dominion which God himselfe possesseth and that with a great minde wee should praise him For the beautifull praise of God is nothing else then that should reâ—oyce to declare the wonderfull things of God to the whole world as in the psalmes and euery where in Scripture is to bee seene and in all created things Of which and or euery other thing which we shall relate speak or heare wee must feele a new motion of ioy such as worldly men doe feele whilst they see themselues or those whom they most loue to be commended Seeing then that they doe vainely reioyce at the commendations which are not due vnto them it is very iust that the seruant of God should mightily reioyce at his praise whom heauen and earth suffice not sufficiently to praise Besides hee who truely loues himselfe when he shall haue vnderstood that hee hath receiued any benefit from God ought from his most intimous bowels to giue him thankes not for that he findes himselfe more iuriched but that he findes himselfe the more inabled to serue God Euen as if some of the Kings chiefe seruants should reioyed that they had receiued some great benefit from the King that from those greater riches they might doe him greater and more acceptable seruices without respect of other benefits or gifts Nor is it any other thing to giue God thankes which thing many know not then an inward act of the soule whereby hee who hath receiued the gift or benefit from him acknowledging that God is an infinit Lord from whom comes cuery good thing reioyceth at all the glory of God and that by such gift hee sees himselfe more apt the more to loue and serue him and by how much that which is said is inlarged seeing it is a thing of great moment wee may obserue that besides this recognition and ioy spoken of at the receipt of euery benefit from God wee ought to offer vnto God all that wee are in our owne wills annihilating our selues whereby we may giue our selues wholy in body and soule to his seruice producing then mosâ— great acts wherwith for the great power goodnes of God we may reioice froÌ„ whence that benefit comes for which we now giue him thankes And that wee may more clearely vnderstand that which I now speake of annihilating our selues I would hereby signifie that seeing wee may euer increase in the diminution and despising of our selues we ought as oft as we giue thaÌ„ks vnto God after a singular maner to dis-esteeme of our selues in respect of his benefits whereby we may the better giue our selues to his Maiesty Therefore the seruant of God must be very present to himselfe that as often as he giues thanks to God for any benefit that motion of the mind that will wherby he reioiceth at the benefit receiued do actually proceede as before is said that he may loue God the more serue him reiecting all confideration froÌ„ this that hence it coÌ„meth vnto him whereby hee may of good from him that he knoweth may come vnto him thence so be made more strong in the loue of GOD alone and more acceptable thankes may bee rendred vnto him and he must also haue the eyes of his soule open for sometimes these things will fall out not without some defects and we will thinke that al things are rightly done But the ground-worke of that which hitherto is spoken is taken from that which Diuines Prophets are wont to say that he who would be thankful must returne to the benefactour a worke of as great a value or greater then that which bee hath receiued Seeing thou that all our good things are receiued from God whatsoeuer wee can performe in his seruice is of little worth in respect of the least of his benefits Therefore at the least wee ought to giue him thankes for them in this manner as we haue spoken and that with as much affection and indeauour as we are able By this very motion of our vnderstanding and will and by all the foresaid preparation of our annihilation we must euery day giue thankes for so great a benefit bestowed on vs namely that he that great Maiesty hath receiued to himself so great good as he hath In the same manner must wee giue like dayly thankes vnto him for the benefit of his Incarnation our Redemption and the Redemption of the whole world For the benefits conferred vpon all the company of that blessed Court of heauen and for all the benefits bestowed vpon his Saints in earth but chiefly on those that doe affect vs with iniuries and
ought to doe vnlesse withall wee know the order and manner of proceeding in it and how wee ought to doe it therefore I will onely set before your eyes certaine short methodes and formes of meditation vpon euery of the matters of meditation before named and such as are easie for euery vulgar capacity to learne and frequent 1 Concerning Death these things may bee chiefly considered and meditated 1 What great and ineuitable necessity of dying is laid vpon euery man of what condition soeuer 2 How vncertaine a thing it is to know when where and how death will seize vpon vs. 3 How that in death all things in this world euen the things that were most endeared to vs will leaue and abandon vs. Or thus 1 What are the things which do vsher vs to our death and as it were leade the dance euen all all our infirmities and weakenesses all our griefes and paines in body or minde all the potions and receits of Phisick our friends and neighbours visitations and condolements 2 What things do accompany our death euen most bitter and extreme conuulsions and torments of the body the losse of our senses depriuation of sound reason departure of the naturall heate anxieties and troublednesse of the minde strong temptations and often fearefull visions 3 What things doe follow death buriall in the earth neglect and forgetfulnesse amongst those that seemed sometimes to bee incorporated into vs rottennesse stincke and loathsomnesse and lastly the iudgement of the soule either to the ioyes of heauen or torments of hell Or thus 1 That death is the most terrible and fearefull thing of all the fearefull things that can bee conceiued 2 That it is to be feared contemned and desired feared least it take vs suddenly contemned least the conceite of it should make vs saint cowardly desired least wee should seeme to die vnwillingly 3 How iust and reasonable a thing it is that euery Christian should with all care and diligence addresse himselfe to a fit and due preparation of well dying that hee may bee assured at what time soeuer death sets vpon him yet shall it neuer take him tardy and vn-prouided 2 Of the last Iudgement these things are principally to be meditated 1 Those most fearefull signes spoken of by our Sauiour in the Gospell which shall be the forerunners of that iudgement Math. 24. the powers of heauen shall bee shaken and all the kinreds of the earth shall then mourne 2 The renouation of the world 2. Pet. 3. There shall bee a new heauen and a new earth this present world being burnt vp with fire 3 The resurrection of all the sonnes and daughters of Adam at the blast of a trumpet 4 The Maiesty of that Iudge round about whom the whole Court of heauen shall stand 5 The account that must then bee rendred of all things that are done in the flesh whether good or euill the opening of the bookes of our conscience wherby the secrets of all hearts shall bee manifested to the whole world 6 The sentencing of them that haue done good vnto eternall ioy and glory Mat. 25.41 and of them that haue done euill to infinite and eternall vengeance and torment of body and soule of which sentence euery word is aduisedly to bee pondered 7 The most certaine execution of both those sentences how and how long time to endure euen for euer and euer and beyond all times 3 How to meditate on the torments of hell In this meditation thou maist contemplate these three points first the place it selfe and the eternity of it secondly the tortures of the body in that place eternally thirdly the torments of the soule euerlasting First conceiue that hell is a certaine perpetuall prison full of fire and other innumerable torments wherewith those are affected that die in their sinnes vnrepented Or thus Hell is a certaine eternall state and condition in which all impenitent sinners are tormented with that punishment that they shall want all the things that may make for their comforts and shall suffer all the things that may increase feare and horrour so that there shall bee the want of all good things mans heart can conceiue and the presence and aboundance of all euils wherewith either man in this world or the deuils in hell are tormented and all these to bee endured not for some thousands of millions of yeares but for euer and euer Heere then consider that whatsoeuer is in hell is eternall First the damned himselfe is eternall not onely in soule but in body too so that neither himselfe nor any other can kill him nor will God bring him to nought They shall seeke death but shall not finde it They shall desire to die Apoc. 9.6 but death shall flee from them so that God shall bee so farre from fulfilling their desires that their mad desire to bee brought to nothing shall encrease their horrible torment in seeing they cannot obtaine what they so infinitely desire Secondly the place it selfe is eternall Eccles 1.4 for as the earth and heauen are eternall so is hell also Thirdly the fire is eternall and vnquenchable Esay 30. For the breath of the Lord as a Riuer of brimestone doth kindle it so that it is not extinguisht not consumed Esay 66. and yet doth euer burne Fourthly the worme neuer dyeth the worme of conscience for the rottennesse of the sin of which it is ingendred and nourished shall haue no end and the liuely apprchension of sin and the punishment of it shall neuer cease Mar. 9. neither shall the cruell biting of it whereby it wounds the conscience euer haue any end Fifthly the decree of God is vnchangeable and eternall the sentence is past From hell there is no redemption no price sufficient to ransome them Sixthly all the punishments there are eternall because the sinnes for which they are inflicted are eternall in as much as the Reprobate if hee could haue liued for euer hee would euer haue had a purpose of sinning against God Why then will wee make our selues guilty of eternall punishments Why doth not this eternall fire feare vs Why doth not this breath of God this worme this vnchangeable decree of God disturne vs And heere further meditate first the continuednesse of these torments without any interruption or diminution for a moment nay rather by how much more as their wicked liues haue beene occasions of others damnations by so much their torments increase secondly yet for all this continuance there is no habite attained in suffering to make them the lighter but rather they seeme to be new and by the impatience of the damned to waxe fresh For euen as the pride of them that hate God ascends euer more and more so their anger Psal 73. fury enuy impatience and madnesse increaseth thirdly that it is an vgly and most odious place in which no light though all bee on a fire fourthly a most narrow place in respect of the multitude that
Therefore whosoeuer will profite in GODS Schoole hee must wholy addict himselfe to the reading of the booke of the creatures of this great and most beautifull world which booke is opened to euery eye and the Lecture is reade obuious to the meanest capacity therefore out of this booke euery man is frequently to meditate on what hee reades there The manner of his meditation must bee either first on all the creatures of this world together or secondly on some one creature and therein to consider the power wisedome and goodnes of God And hee shall doe well euery houre necessity not taking him away whilst hee beholds any creature as Horse Flower and the like to lift vp his heart vnto God and consider with himselfe who made it and how many foot-steps of the power wisedome and goodnesse of God doe appeare in it 1 Then in meditating on the creatures in generall hee shall consider first that the greatnesse of this world doth demonstrate the greatnesse of the Creatour of it secondly the multitude and variety of things the infinite perfections that are in God thirdly the beautifull frame and order of this world the vnsearchable wisedome of God fourthly the benefites and profites wee reape by the creatures the goodnesse of God fifthly the beauty of this world sets forth the admirable beauty comlinesse glory of God sixtly the roundnesse of the world wanting beginning and end the Eternity and Euerlastingnesse of God seuenthly the vnity of the world in that but one world demonstrates the vnity of God eighthly the aboundance of the good things wee receiue from the creatures the liberality of God ninthly the sâ—â—nenesse and constancy of the world in that still remaining in one state the immutability of God 2 But in meditating on the creatures seuerally by themselues let him consider first the Beginning and Authour of that creature which is God secondly the end why hee made it namely to his owne glory and mans seruice thirdly whence and how it was made fourthly the qualities and effects of that creature fifthly how often and much wee haue abused this creature 14 How to meditate on the Perfections and Attributes of God This meditation as it is of all other the most fit for the learned so of all others it is the most excellent some therefore of his Diuine Attributes are these his infinite Essence his Power Goodnesse Wisedome Loue Mercy Iustice Prouidence Liberality Patience Gentlenesse In all and euery of which it behoues vs to know and consider the workes and effects which God hath shewen concerning these to which purpose wee must call to minde the examples and sentences of the holy Scripture which indeed do bring no small help hereunto As for example to the knowledge of the Essence of God this sentence of the Prophet doth much further vs I fill heauen and earth Ier. 2. Act. 3. and that of Paul In him wee liue moue and haue our being to set forth his Power that in the Psalme helpes much Hee spake the word Psal 32. and they were made and so of the rest 1 If wee would meditate of the infinite bounty of God to man we may consider First that hee giues innumerable benefites to man not for that hee is bound to do it or expects any benefite from it secondly his liberality to them that are liberall with him hearing their prayers remembring them in the things they forgot to aske giuing them store of spirituall consolations and infinite gifts of grace thirdly how niggardly I haue dealt with God who hath beene so liberall to mee and therefore I doe binde Gods hands from being any more so liberall 2 If we would meditate of the immensitie and presence of God in euery place first consider that he fills heauen and earth Ier. 23. and is euery where present Heb. 11. and therefore doe thou euer thinke thou seest him that is inuisible by thee secondly how hee is present in euery place namely by his essence presence and power by his essence that is his Diuinitie so that euery where is his infinite goodnes mercy iustice his residence omnipotencie and all his excellencies by his presence seeing and knowing all things in euery place by his power giuing a being to euery thing and helping euery thing to do that which they doe thirdly how in a speciall manner he is within me and how I liue and am and mooue within him He incloseth me on euery side as the water doth the fish and as the apple is within the eye so am I within him hee carries mee in his wombe as the woman doth the infant to whom she is a house a bed a wall nourishment and all it stands neede of Esay 46. and he is within me more intiâ—â—ously ioyned then the soule is within the body after a more excellent manner so that his infinite goodnesse within me giues me the being and life I haue his wisedome the light and knowledge I haue and his omnipotencie the power I haue to doe anie thing and so I ought to behold God within me most present euen as if I were his house and habitation where he is and doth whatsoeuer I am haue or doe without whose presence I shold presently cease to be and turne to nothing from which I may conceiue affections of ioy admiration trust and loue seeing my selfe thus ioyned vnto GOD. Hence must I accustome my selfe to search for GOD within my selfe for if within me why should I weary my selfe to seeke for him onely without my selfe 3 If I would meditate of his infinite wisedome and knowledge first I consider that by it he knoweth himselfe his essence all his infinite perfections also all his owne Actes Intentions Decrees Dispositions and all things that hee can doe so that nothing can escape his knowledge Secondly that hee hath this Wisedome by his owne Essence and by it as in a most cleere Chrystall hee sees and comprehends all things which by himselfe hee disposeth and ordereth so that hee receiueth it not from any other or hath any Maister or Counsellour or any other booke to teach him Thirdly that this Diuine Wisedome alone without any other helpe is the first Inuentor of all things in the world from which all Sciences Arts and Inuentions in heauen and earth proceedes as namely the inuention of mans creation of the beings of grace which hee communicates to man and the wisedome that hee poures out ouer all his creatures Fourthly that this Wisedome of God hath put all things in the world in number weight and measure comprehending the number of all things which were are or shall bee and of all their parts members offices and workes the weight of euery one of them in quantity or weight of their propensions and affections naturall and supernaturall the measure of euery one of them length bredth thicknesse and depth and the very measure of their perfection talenesse and faculties of them Fifthly that this Wisedome is eternall
vnchangeable most profound most euident and is wholy altogether for with one onely simple aspect it teacheth from one Eternity to the other seeing with one onely glimpse whatsoeuer is possible to be seene or knowne so that from that that God is God hee so knoweth whatsoeuer hee knoweth that hee can know nothing de nouo which before hee knew not because nothing can bee new vnto him for all things past present and to come and which by any meanes are possible hee knoweth distinctly and euidently without all mixture of doubt opinion or perplexity Whence I learne that as God forgets not mee but remembers mee and all mine so distinctly as if I were in the world alone so I should neuer forget my God nor the things that belong vnto him 4 If I would meditate of Gods Omnipotency I consider first that hee is infinitely Potent to do what hee will Luke 1. without any limits or bounds nothing is impossible with God Secondly that this Omnipotency is onely proper vnto God so that onely God in his owne nature and essence hath power but no creature hath any but participated from God onely God can doe what hee doth without the helpe of any other yet doth hee so participate this to his creatures that euery creature can doe that which is conuenient to his nature Thirdly that this Omnipotency of God doth exercise it selfe euermore in doing good vnto vs this being the Fountaine from whence all his Diuine Benefites do flow For hee created the heauen and the earth for vs wherein what benefites wee receiue by the Light by the Firmament by the Sunne and Moone by the Birds and Fishes by the Beasts of the earth and all the Treasures thereof the tongue of Men and Angels cannot declare And after the creation in that hee conserues the world and all that is in it for vs and by his Prouidence disposeth of all things for our good calling vs to the grace of his Iustification by the Ministery of his blessed Word and Sacraments and neuer leauing to accompany vs with his benefites and graces vntill hee bring vs to himselfe if wee will vse the holy meanes which to this purpose bee hath in Iesus Christ ordained for vs. Heere must wee giue diligence that the whole structure of our liues and of our considerations may chiefly depend vpon these three fingers of Gods Wisedome Omni-potencie and Goodnesse to which the actions and affections of these three Diuine Vertues of Faith Hope and Charity may answere For Faith answers vnto his Wisedome Hope to his Omni-potencie and Charitie to his Goodnesse Albeit all the three vertues and their actions respect the three Attributes of God together 5 If wee would meditate of the infinite Mercy of God then consider first that it goes before all his workes of Iustice for before God punish any sinners hee offers them infinite mercies Secondly that his mercy doth euer accompany the workes of Iustice Psal 76. for in the midst of punishment hee cannot forget to bee mercifull Thirdly Hab. 3. that the latitude of his mercy reacheth to all his creatures Sap. 11. Psal 35. and all their miseries yea euen to the bruit beasts Fourthly that hee is in a speciall manner mercifull vnto sinners and all kinds of sinne Psal 5. expecting â—â—ely their repentance that hee night cast their sinnes into the â—ottome of the Sea Mich. 3. and put them as farre from them as the East is from the West Psal 102 Math. 18 Hee forgiues seuenty times seuen times Ergo should I bee mercifull towards â—ny neighbour in imitation of his â—ercies vnto mee Ergo may I also conceiue great confidence of his mercy to mee a sinner Fifthly that in a more speciall manner hee is mercifull to such is loue and serue him such as are the vessels of mercy Rom. 9. This mercy of his towards his Elect is Eternall Psal 102 hauing neither beginning nor ending but is euen as God himselfe from euerlasting to euerlasting this mercy preuents accompanies and followes them euen to the last gaspe Rom. 8 This mercy is most high Ier. 31. for it aduanceth the elect to most excellent good things Psal 107. so that as the heauen is higher then the earth Psal 35. Psal 102. so is his mercy greater then their misery Sixthly and lastly he hath expressed his Mercie in the most exact manner that can bee possible For seeing as God hee could not bee sorrowfull for our hurt which is an effect of mercy his infinite Mercie prouided that his Sonne should take our nature on him Heb. 2. that hee might in all things bee like his brethren sin excepted and so become mercifull and sorrowfull for vs nay not content to haue inward compassion hee tooke on him all our miseries and paines Heb. 4. and hath not so left vs but by his Word and Sacraments hee helpes our necessities and infirmities considering wee are but men and stand in need of many remedies 6 If wee would meditate of the infinite Goodnesse of God First consider that hee hath in him all the degrees of goodnesse which are in the creatures infinitely more excellent then in them Secondly that all the goodnesse is so in his owne Essence that hee doth not participate it from any other thing nor can bee taken from it Thirdly that this Goodnesse so excels all the goodnesse of the creatures as the thing it selfe doth the name Fourthly that God is most propense and ready to communicate his goodnesse to all but chiefly to man for goodnesse hath a diffusiue power And this hee doth not constrainedly but onely out of his goodnesse nor doth hee communicate his goodnesse for his owne benefite as men doe nor yet doth hee suffer his propensity of goodnesse to bee idle but exerciseth it by all meanes possible powring it out according to the order of his infinite Wisedome Therefore when I pray I will poure out my soule in his sight 1. Reg. 1. Psal 141. I will poure out my prayer before him Nay I will poure out my heart before him O thou infinite Goodnesse which chiefly desirest to bee communicated if thou didst not communicate thy goodnesse it were impossible there should bee any goodnesse besides thee make mee partaker of these excellencies wherwith thou hast communicated thy selfe that I may loue thee serue thee obey thee not for feare but of loue willingly not for my owne benefite but onely for thy seruice not with a sparing minde and heart but with a liberall and generous Spirit Thus may wee meditate of all Gods other Attributes 15 How to meditate on the Lords Prayer or any words of the holy Scripture In meditating on either of them it is very good to pause and stay so long vpon euery word of the Lords Prayer or any sentence of Scripture as long as our soules should finde any rellish or profite by it In euery Petition I may meditate on these points following 1
great difficulty in seruing God after this sublime and heauenly manner For this purpose those that will serue God aright must consider their owne dispositions that they may be able aright to meete with their owne defects therefore they must know that the euill wherby they are drawen from seruing God after this most diuine manner proceeds from sin which hath weakened the soule and subdued it to it selfe For if sinne had not interposed it selfe we should haue done euery good thing with much facility but sinne once arryuing in the Soule all our desires wills and appetites are become so dissolute disordered and rebellious by that grieuous speciall disease arising from sinne that now loathing that which is good wee scarce loue affect or desire any thing saue the most abiect worth lesse and vitious things forgetting that infinit good vnto which wee were created as the thing wherein we haue neither rellish nor sauour And hence proceeds the confusion and perturbation of the soule which we feele in our selues so much distracted from the true God whereunto we were created that the thing which is absolutely and onely good being cast off we incline euer and greedily follow that which is euill Yet must we know that howsoeuer this sin hath made such a slaughter of graces in the soule that there is not one friend left to take armes against it yet doth not our obligation cease from binding vs to doe what is our duty and for which we came into this world For albeit this great infirmity doth so infeeble vs that we doe all good things with great difficulty yet doth it not make vs altogether so impotent but that we are capable of grace and diuine fauour whereby to repaire this our former ouerthrow and destruction Besides we must obserue that by so much more doe we grow to an admirable disposition of seruing God aright which disposition had euer remained in the soule vnto all good things if sinne had not diseased it by how much more we shall haue our appetites and desires repaired and disposed which by sinne were formerly indisposed And he shall haue them repaired who with an attentiue care and profound consideration of the things we speake of shall direct them all to the Lord with a repugnancy to all things that are without the will of this Lord and a following of all such remedies as are here described And in that degree wherein any shall obtaine this in the same shall hee be aduanced here in sanctity and afterwards in glory And there is no doubt but herein one may so profit by assiduity and diligence as that he may doe all things with great faclity and delight to which hee shall be the more easily aduanced if he often and attentiuely read these instructions 5 Instruction That wee haue in our bodies and soules sufficient meanes for the reparation of this decay and ruine if they be stirred vp by the grace of Gods spirit As we haue both body and soule so wee haue in both of them instrumentes wherewith to worke For as the body hath feete to walke hands to worke mouth to speake and the like so the soule hath the vnderstanding where-with to know the will wherewith to desire and diuerse other faculties of the appetite But it must bee obserued that the more excellent the worker is together with the instrument so much more worthy is the worke so that all things concurring to the acte bee suteable Corporall actions haue so much more excellency in them by how much the instrument of the soule concurring to the act is more excellent Now that is called a singular instrument which to the production of the act is mooued by a good end Therefore the most excellent instruments are the vnderstanding and the will which can bee mooued of God alone as wee haue said in the second instruction Therefore of small worth are corporall things which doe not so proceede And this is it that Saint Paul said 1. Tim. 4. bodily labour profiteth little But the actions of the soule are of another kinde namely because of themselues they may bee of great profit As if one exercising his vnderstanding shoulde consider how base and abiect the honors of this world were and of what value those things which God commands are and how vnspeakable that glory is to which we aspire also to know how one may moderate his passions and the like Againe if one exercise himselfe in his will louing that which he knowes is good and refusing that is euill Such refusals of the soule should be very profitable albeit the body were very idle for by such exercises would be produced excellent habits and the euill habits destroied which thing of it selfe is very laudable albeit done for the only loue of vertue as Philosophers did yet much more being in a Christian who hath faith but most of all if in euery worke wee ioyne faith with our intention actually directed vnto God Hence may it be obserued how much euery one ought to be exercised in the actions of the soule which thing he may doe whether he bee imployed in body or no in euery time and place so that speaking with another in any temporall affaire yet may he in soule worke by louing God recaling to mind some of his works This may seeme difficult to him that hath not attained the habit thereof yet custome wil make it easie as we must remember that vertue is practised about difficult things Therefore violence is to be vsed to the wil that thou maist become an industrious workman to doe singular things with facility Which if thou doest not attempt no maruaile is it that thou canst not be more deuout towards God seeing hee is euer ready to assist thy desires vnto that which is good and to withstand thy pronenesse to euill so that thou doe rightly vse the meanes And be sure that if thou desirest on earth to be a great and excellent friend and seruant of God thou shalt the sooner attaine vnto it by how much thou dost daily more and more vse these instrumente of the soule thy vnderstanding and will at all times and places And this is it which aduanceth the Saints of GOD to so much glory in heauen the neglect whereof is so blameable on earth Seeing then our highest glory consists herein for the most part that wee worke by these instruments of the soule and our ruine in the neglect of this exercise Let vs see what course wee must take who haue as yet beene euen liuelesse to vse these instruments of the foule And that wee may begin with the vnderstanding leauing the will to the next instruction we will premise this theologicall and Philosophicall fundamentall rule that our naturall appetite doth naturally desire that to which it is inclined seemes pleasant to it not standing need of any thing to helpe or inuite vnto it but rather necessarily as it were coactedly desiring it But so doth not the will work bur first
of the wise shall neuer erre If therefore thou shalt obserue these duties vnto God thy neighbour and thy selfe thou shalt wonderfully profit in sanctification of life 7 Prayer O Lord God whose all that is that is best of all who cōmandest thy seruants to shine with vertues the true ensignes of thy house and sendest into their hearts the desire of such excellent beauty kindle I beseech thee in our hearts the flaming desires of all vertues teach vs with prayers and groanes to seeke and obtaine them at thy hands that our vnworthinesse for the worthinesse of thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ may obtaine of thee who art a most bountifull giuer these true and euer enduring treasures Teach vs the nature of vertues that wee take not vices for vertues stirre vp in vs the loue of them that we may loue them and thee the author of them strengthen our armes by the helpe of thy grace that wee by holy liues setting vpon the City of glory may through the merits of Christ be possessors of it let our life be the life of the righteous that wee may die in Christ and liue in thee for euer Amen The conclusion of the Booke IF shall be obiected that this manner of seruing of God is most troublesome and withall most impossible in repect of our many frailties miseries and also our necessary and alloweable imployments in our vocations I answere that hauing fully acquainted our selues with the seuerall rules and instructions conteined in this booke the greatest part of bodily labour in the seruice of God will easily be cut off and we shall lay for a foundation that of the Apostles that bodily exercise profiting but little 1. Tim. 4. our chiefe care must be to reuerence and loue God in our mindes holy cogitations and good desires albeit yet those duties of our bodies may not as time and place will giue leaue be vtterly neglected For it is godlinesse onely that is profitable vnto all things But besides seeing we are to giue an account vnto God for the expence of our times as the most pretious guift of God it is very necessary that euery man haue a knowledge of some profitable forme of seruing GOD that hee may thereby labour so to spend the foure and twenty houres of the day and so consequently all the daies of his life that he may assure his owne conscience this his life hath beene life indeed and not death and so may obtaine the glory of eternall life and auoide eternall death in which all they doe euer die that liue in these insinit streights of the world and doe not make vse of their most deare and pretious time to that end for which it was leut them namely to know loue feare and reuerence God to delight onely in him and the things directed vnto him Therefore experience teacheth vs that there are three considerations which do not only inuit but ought also to enforce euery man but especially great persōs who thinke thēselues most exēpted frō this kind of seruing God duly in such a streight exact manner as this is to serue God The 1. is the nobility of him which serueth The 2. is his greatnesse and goodnes whō we serue The 3. is hope of reward These 3. if we do rightly cōsider thē with many other motiues very effectuall hereunto wil casily so cōmand our affectiōs that we shal neuer omit to serue the high God in this sort 1 The nobility of him that serueth ought to mooue him to serue well For a generous minde in some sort compels a generous man to perform the taske he hath vndertakē after the most sublime excellent maner that possibly he can that especially when he hath to doe with great noble and generous persons Therefore euery man as much as is belonging to this businesse must consider what himselfe is of how great nobility and worth And thus doing wee shall finde our selues to bee of much more excellency then the heauens nay the whole frame of the world seeing wee are created after the image and similitude of God and are his Sonnes if wee serue him a right and shal be heires of his eternall Kingdome This nobility of ours ought much to incite vs rightly and duly to serue God For albeit we may omit that it is iust that the generous should vse his generosity through his fidelity to serue duly nothing else doth so much effect that generous noble persons may come nere to that most high and true nobility which they wish as to serue the most high God For thus Psal 82.1 of men they become Gods and so become farre more noble then if they were borne of the kings line For that is true liberty and nobility and that onely in which the seruice of Christ is found to bee If the Sonne doe make vs free then are wee free indeede Io. 8.36 if hee inoble vs then are wee truely inobled And surely this is not without great reason Matth. 24.47 for onely those shall be kings of heauen and rulers ouer all their Masters goods As the holy Gospell telleth vs Yea in earth shall be more eminent and high then the kings of the earth For in commanding themselues they doe also command whatsoeuer things else But al those that serue not Christ are not onely the sonnes of Satan but euen at length are made his most vile slaues in eternall darkenesse Therefore if there be any whom the former cause namely that he may obtaine most excellent liberty dominion and nobility doth not inuite to serue God surely that man ought to be terrified with the great euill which in the second place is noted namely that so hee becomes the sonne and slaue of the deuill and for this cause should striue with al his powers to serue God 2 Wee must also ponder the greatnesse and dominion and the bounty goodnesse of him for whose seruice we were created And we shall finde that the dominion which God hath ouer euery one of vs also ouer all the Kings and great Potentates and States both in heauen and earth is without al comparison greater then the dominion that all the Kings great ones of the world hath aboue one base basket of earth nor are they indeed the true Lords of so much but God is so the Lord of all them that with one only blast he can turne them vnto nothing and plunge them all into the deepe dungeon of hell except they shall serue him but if they will serue him he shall so exalt them in another life that they shall truely acknowledge that whatsoeuer they possessed here was nothing else but a base basket of earth compared vnto those worthy things which there they shall enioy There is no cause that wee should in many words extoll the greatnesse of this Lord for albeit wee should neuer cease yet should it be nothing that we had said in respect of that which the
thing is And I am resolued to dispatch these things in few words that they may make the better impression in our memories Therefore it is most iust that wee should serue so Great a LORD in respect of whom all creatures in heauen and earth are of so small esteeme as a droppe of water to the Ocean Nor shall his goodnesse methinkes lesse inuite vs which we ought in euery moment of our liues a thousand times to recount Surely amongst the abiect men of the world it would bee accounted for a great fauor if some King or great Lord should for their loue inuite them vnto him by rewards when for some foule Treason committed against their said King or Lord hee might iustly take a seuere reuenge of them Yet should his bounty and goodnesse appeare to be greater if for such Traytors such a Lord should expose himselfe to many afflictions and death it selfe But yet aboue all these beyond all comparison doth the goodnesse of GOD shine towards vs. For being of so great Maiesty and standing neede of nothing yet he choose to leade a life of so great labours and sorrowes vntill by most cruell torments hee laide it downe that hee might giue life vnto them that were worthy of death and that hee might inrich them with more sublime life and eternall riches which were such ingrate Traytors vnto him This Great GOD of his infinit goodnesse besides the benefits wee haue spoken of hath also commanded his Angels continually to serue and guarde vs Hee hath commaunded that heauen and earth should not for a moment of time cease from our seruice And besides all these that hee might shew his exceeding goodnesse the more aboundantly hee hath promised to bee with vs to the ende of the world Hee procures by innumerable meanes that wee should increase in all true good nor doth hee at any time consent that those which serue him shall bee afflicted but vnder condition that by the same there may much good come vnto them for hee more desireth our good then wee out selues But indeed I aske what will hee not doe for our good who was contented for vs with so great afflictions to deliuer himselfe vnto death Surely whatsoeuer can herein be spoken is nothing to him that shall attentiuely consider these things 3 I also said that to the end we might be the more animated to serue this so Great and good a LORD wee ought to consider the greatnesse of rewards wee expect if we doe serue him and seeing they are so great that the whole world sufficeth not to expresse or conceiue them 1. Cor. 2.9 let it suffice for this present consideration that it were a farre more sorrowfull message if it were shewed but to the least of them that liue in Heauen that GOD had determined to take him thence and to make him King of the whole Worlde then if it were shewed to some King of the Earth that GOD would the next day depriue him of his Kingdome and suffer him for to be thrust thorow with his own Subiects speares This is so true and neede so little proofe that no man doubteh of it but hee that Iudgeth ill of all Truth And surely if hee who serueth GOD should not expect these great and excellent rewards in Heauen but onely peace full of the ioy of the heart which they doe possesse in this life that giue themselues to holinesse and the contempt and reiection of the vanities of this world and that they might bee freed from the miserable and neuer contented or quieted life which they liue that liue in sinne euen that onely ought to suffice hereunto that our whole life should bee dedicated to the seruice of this Great GOD how much more whilest wee expect so great and excellent rewards euen such as no man can expresse Therefore he that considereth these things and is not stirred vp and animated to serue God let him certainely know that hee is benummed with the sleepe of death yet let him not omit to labour that hee may be stirred vp for God is readie to giue remedie to our diseases if with humilitie we doe as much as in vs lieth But if anie bee not stirred vp with these things it is good for him to search in himselfe and to get some remedie if happily hee be obnoxious to some secret sin of which he hath had no remorse of conscience which if he finde let him minister a remedy by true amendment and repentance and hee shall by and by feele health and strength to doe all that is good and this sweete sinne may be called inordinate loue which begetteth some inflation and swelling in the soule And hence it is that God often forsakes vs and giues no remedie to our dulnes till we finde out and amend that secret fault for wee must not onelie serue GOD in some things which he commaunds but in all nor must we desire to vnderstand in his seruice that onlie which is pleasant or not very grieuous but euen that which for our pride and malice shall be very laborious therefore let all men bee mooued by these three considerations to acknowledge that they ought to serue this God euen in the highest and strictest course that is heere proposed FINIS LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes and are to be sold by Thomas Adams at the signe of the Bell in Pauls Church-yard 1617.
Eare and Audition Mynde and Meditation Hart and Affection Hand and Action THE HEAUENLY PROGRESSE By Rich Middleton LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1617. ⧠TO THE truely Great and grace-full Prince CHARLES Prince of WALES SIR I Well fore-see not only how vn worthy I may be esteemed to present your Highnesse with any furtherances of piety being already so richly adorned with plenty of al rare and diuine habiliments of the soule but with all how vn-welcome I shall be to such as doate on their owne shadowes in the meane while dis-liking defacing and dis commending euen the straightest statures and beautifullest parts in others who are not of their owne hue constitution and complexion Seâ— For nunquam desunt qui etiam per ornamenta ferient There will neuer want some to wound a man euen through the sides of his best ornaments and graces But albeit I presume not of that happinesse of learning and iudgement Plin sccun either to act things worth the writing or write things worth the reading which is I confesse a shred of outward and temporall happinesse yet I hold it no presumption to affirme seeing herein I seek not mine owne Phil. 2.21 but that which is Iesus Christs that to goe this Heauenly Progresse and to take delight in it is the true and onely way to eteruizer he soule in blisse 1 Sa. 2.30 hauing Gods hand and seale to warrant that he will honor them that thus honor him Ioh. 17.3 For if it be life eternall to know God and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ and consequently to know a mans selfe then this Progresse leading directly vnto both must needs be worth the going and if it be true herein as it is most true which that wise Historian spake in another case Dinothi aduers histor absurdissimum est soris multum sâ—ire domi prorsus ignarum esse that it is most absurd to know many forraine affaires in the meane while being ignoraÌ„t of home businesse then whosoeuer will taste the ioyes of heauen must goe this Progresse on earth for this onely teacheth him to know wel both the things at home in his owne soule and the things from home in heauen where he would haue his soule Happy is that kingdome family and soule where wisedome and youth are so one that they are neuer sundered but sweetly kisse each other age and wisedome in the meane time not sequestred from the same condition For that makes kingdomes families and soules eternal and euen this happinesse is onely acquired by timely beginning and constantly perseuering to serue God in spirit and truth and walke in this Progresse Therefore it is well obserued that in buildings God and man do hold a different course man beginning euer at the foundation but God at the roofe he stretched out the heauens before he laid the foundation of the world by his naturall workes giuing vs spirituall instruction to follow his order euer begin with care of heauenly things Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 is our Sauiours direction to as many as will build mansions in heauen For as the building rests on the columns and the columns on the bases so the eternall wel-being of the soule is sustained by faith whose foundation is in heauen accompanied with the glorious fruits of the spirit as the roofe at which all true Christians must begin their spirituall building For as we serue God so he serues vs if we begin late or neuer or for fashion or for carthly rewards and respects or faintly or out of his place to serue him hee keepes the same corâ—â—espondency with vs giues vs our hearts desire but with-all sends leannesse into our soules a false comfort for a false worship Psal 106. â—5 a false saith for a false religion a false saluation for a false profession For he that giues God his lips in stead of his heart teacheth God to giue him stones in stead of bread and he that rankes him last and reckons him least in the duties of his life teacheth God to set him at the lower end of the table of his earthly blessings and to reiect him from the enioyment of his heauenly One example for all as a glasse to behold the truth hereof Whilst Adam serued God God serued him he consulted for a mansion for him for meat for him for a sweet companion for him vntill he rebelled against him we reade of nothing but his works for Adam as if he had been hired to worke for him but when hee once lost his innocency then God tooke from him whatsoeuer he had giuen him he lost his wisdome his peace his liberty his glory his dwelling like that man that betwixt Iericho and Ierusalem fâ—ll among theâ—ues Mat. 25.29 For from him that hath not shall bee taken away euen that hee hath God is as a father deliuering a stocke to his sonne to trade with-all if he husband it ill at first he with-draws his hands froÌ„â—error blessings And as they that try vessels first put water into them and then wine when they find them staunch so doth God with vs he that is faithfull in a little shall be made ruler ouer much and he that begins to lay his foundation in heauen shall end with a glorious crown in heauen Now your highnesse hauing most happily taken your patterne from God and begun for many yeeres to build from heauen down-wards making that the corner stone my labour in this little Pro-gresse is to bring some materials to this worke and shew a method how to bring this goodly building to perfection that seeing it is not my happinesse as Paul to plant I may bee allowed as Apollos to water those rare and admirable seeds of religion and piety already sowen in your Princely heart For nihil in te mediocre esse contentus sum Ier. to tum summu totum perfectum esse desidero Lesse then exquisite perfection in all things is lesse then I desire may be found in you Therefore as the Gardiner waters his seeds and plants till they spring and waters them againe till they be aboue ground and lastly till they bring foorth fruit on the earth the seed the water the stalke the fruit and all being from the Lord of the haâ—uest so must this and such like godly books and sweet sermons be suffered to water the garden of your heart seeing they are not onely as the sweet dew of heauen dropping downe grace into the soule but also as so many little chinkes by which the heart is kept open that the beames of heauenly knowledge may enter And so much the rather is this worke now to be entred vpon because as the foundation is laid so is the building raised either soone to ruine or for euer to remaine For as the arrow is directed at the first so doth it flie all the way either home ouer short or besides the marke so that whosoeuer shall
preachers and also by their brethren ◠2. Let the Magistrate compell them to come who albeit he haue no power to enforce the conscience yet ought he compell his subiects to heare the word of God Thus haue you heard the whole duetie of the hearer before the Sermon 2 The hearers duety during the Sermon time is to bee considered This duty of the hearer whilest hee is at the Sermon I may comprise in three points 1. In the number of the things which are required of the hearer at this time 2. In the connexion of them 3. In the manner which in describing these things is to be obserued 1 That the hearet may attaine to the highest drift and end of hearing Sermons the summe wherof we haue touched before there are foure things required of him 1. attentiue hearing of the word preached 2. sound knowledge of the things heard 3. a right affection of heart towards the things knowne 4. a serious purpose of the practise of the things heard throughout his whole life and these foure being the chiefe things required in hearing of Sermons must be the subiect which I will handle more largely in this duety of the Hearers whilest he is at Sermons 2 The coherence and connexion of these parts thus necessarie to the hearer whilest he heareth the Word preached may easily appeare vnto vs if wee doe but consider these 2. points 1. that if we take but one linke from this Golden Chaine of the things required at hearing of Sermons we neede not looke for any benefite that can issue from that holy exercise For what profiteth it to haue Sermōsif they be not heard and what helpes it to heare Sermons though most heauenly if the hearers like brute beasts horses and mules doe not soundly vnderstand and percelue thesense and meaning of them what profits it to vnderstand and conceiue the things heard if there be not a right holy affection of heart towards the things heard nor any purpose of the practise of them in our liues 2. That the holie Spirit of God doth in sundry places of Scripture make a most close and narrow connexion of these foure things that are required at hearing of Sermons I will enforme thee Psal 32.9 and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt goe saith the Lord and I will guyde thee with mine eye and what saith the Lord by the Prophet to the rebellious Iewes Heare O heauens and hearken O earth Isay 1.2.3 I haue nourished and brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me the Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people haue not vnderstoode The same expostulation GOD vseth in the Prophet Ieremie Not euery one that sayth vnto me Ierem. 8.7 Math. 7.21 Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen but hee that doeth my Fathers will which is in heauen faith our Sauiour For it is most true which the Apostle speaketh The hearers of the Lawe are not righteous before God Rom. 2.13 but the doers of the Lawe are iustified And how strongly doth the same Apostle argue this poynt How shall they call on him in whome they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whō they haue not heard Ro. 10.14 and how shall they heare without a Preacher Be ye doers therefore saith Saint Iames Iac. 1.22 of the Word and not hearers onelie deceiuing your owne selues So that we see the holy-Ghost doth knit these foure seuerall requisite in the hearing of the Word in one indissoluble knot namely to heare attentiuely to vnderstand soundly to be affected towards that is heard heartily and to practise it faithfully without all which no profite redounds to the Hearer be he neuer so wise and learned 3 The manner to be obserued in hearing of this duety 1 To come then to the foure principall necessaries required in hearing of the Word we will so handle them as that first we will shew the nature of euery one of them secondly remoue the impediments and lets that may hinder them and thirdly shew the aduauncements and helpes that may further the fruitfull hearing of the Word 1 The first and most necessary thing to be obserued in this action is the attentiue and diligent hearing of the Word 1. the nature whereof consists in the consideration of the scope and drift of that which is saide and it is the foundation of all the other parts of the duety of hearing to which hearing doth also belong the fixing of the eyes vpon the Preacher for hearing doth properly belong to the Word pronunciation and gestures and is rightly called attentiue hearing for the infinite multitude of Hearers who onely eyther for fashion or for some cause as bad frequent Sermous who being present in their persons are wandering else-where in their mindes or being such as content themselues with one Sermon in a moneth or a quarter of a yeare 2. The impediments that hinder the fruitfull hearing of the Word are very many Sathan euery where and by all meanes labouring to hinder the successe thereof These impediments are of two kindes for 1. they are either such as doe so preuaile that they cause the hearing of Sermons to be altogether neglected and contemned or 2. such as doe cause that the Word is not attentiuely heedfully heard 1. Concerning such hindrances as do vtterly cause the hearing of Sermōs to be neglected and contemned I number them thus 1 The negligent consideration of the singular profite and great necessitie of the Word of God 2 The negligent consideration of the end of the Ministerie of the Word 3 The negligent consideration of euery many duetie in what condition soeuer he liue namely that all are the vassals and seruants of God according to whose holy will in his Word reuealed all our actions are to be squared 4 The carelesse security of the flesh 5 Selfe-loue and desire of the praise of Wisedome 6 Pride causing them to scorne frequenting of Sermons and lest they should bee thought to be subiect to the Minister euen to neglect and contemne the Sermons as if they lost some of themselues like other godly men 7 The care of earthly things and an opinion that the handling of Gods Word onely belongeth to the ministers which conceit hath taken deepe roote as in Popery so no lesse amongest many seeming Professours of the truth 8 Hope of long life whereby many propose vnto themselves that they shall yet heereafter haue time to heare those things which now they neglect and omit 9 An opinion of opus operatum namely that they wil in the time of sickenesse heare the Minister whose voyce whether they vnderstand or not yet they thinke it shall bee of great auaile vnto them 10 A preposterous iudgement and a loathsomnesse arising from some one Sermon or other which they haue not so well approued whereas they should consider that all things do not at all times fall out
maist consider all the good things which the blessed doe enioy and the euils which they want comparing them together that so they may make the stronger impression in thy minde 5 How to meditate on the things that belong to the knowledge of a mans selfe 1 Thou art to consider the time past Ber. present and to come a course of meditation much commended practised by the godly and heere thou art to ponder 1. what thou wast 2. what thou now art 3. what thou shalt bee heereafter Or to meditate duely in thy minde 1. from whence thou art come 2. where thou now art 3. whither thou art to goe Or thus 1. what kinde of entrance there is of man into the world 2. what kinde of dwelling and abiding hee hath heere 3. what kinde of passage hee is to haue hence 2 Thou must consider well as the godly haue euer vsed and prescribed to others for a rule heerein first thy selfe what thou art and of what qualities secondly those things which are vnder thee as the gulfe of hell ready to swallow thee thirdly the things which are about thee as the world the creatures the deuills fourthly those things which are aboue thee as Heauen glory and perpetuall ioy 3 To ponder seriously with thy selfe first what thou art by nature secondly what thou art become by thy sins thirdly what thou oughtest to be by grace and vertues fourthly what thou maist be by the grace of God and thy holy endeuours 4 To weigh diligently that excellent sentence of Moses Deut. 32.29 Oh that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would consider their latter end First Required that thou be wise viz. haue a sound taste and rellish of the things past which are first the good things thou hast omitted to doe secondly the euill and wicked things thou hast committed and done thirdly the most pretious time thou hast mis-spent fourthly Iesus Christ crucified thou hast contemned Secondly thou shouldst vnderstand things present as first the benefites and blessing of God vpon thee in an vnspeakeable manner secondly the extreme vanities of this world thirdly the shortnesse and as it were the nothingnesse of mans life fourthly the difficulty and hard labour of mans saluation Thirdly that thou shouldst consider and fore-see thy latter end those last things of this world first death ineuitable vn-auoideable secondly iudgement where the Iudge most iust and in-exorable thirdly hell toments most in-sufferable and fourthly heauens glory most vn-speakable 5 To expend and consider the foure causes of man from whence hee hath his being and well being first the Efficient cause which is God of whom he was made secondly the Materiall cause that is the earth of which his body was made thirdly the Formall cause that is the soule endowed with the image of God fourthly the Finall cause that is eternall blessednesse for which cause and end man was created 6 Thou maist consider thy selfe according to the diuerse and sundry states and conditions of man first in as much as thou art a man secondly in as much as thou art a Christian thirdly in as much as thou art endowed and enriched with more blessings and graces either temporall or spirituall then many others are fourthly in as much as thou art a publicke person a Preacher or Minister in the Church or a Magistrate in the Policy and State 6 How to meditate on the matter of our sinnes 1 The first thing which wee are to doe is to consider and know our owne proper sins partly to the end that they may bee feelingly knowne vnto vs and partly that being known vnto vs we may take the more true sorow and compunction for them and make our repentance the more syncere and sound And herein it shall bee to good purpose to diuide this point into these considerations first the multitude of our sins secondly the grieuousnesse of them thirdly the harmes and euils they bring with them And for the multitude of our sins that we may haue the more exact knowledge of them it shall not a little profite vs to proportion our whole liues into certaine times and to bethink our selues in what places and with what persons we haue beene occasioned to sin Or to weigh with our selues our sins committed in thought word or deed or by omission of our dueties Or to meditate in what manner we haue sinned against God our neighbour or our selues and so prouoked Gods vengeance against vs. But we must here be very carefull in the calling to mind of our sins that we do not too much fixe vpon the memory of carnall sins nor of anger reuenge withall let it be obserued that the frequent memory of our fore-spent life is very profitable to a man that professeth Religion so that if hee do sometime make his whole meditation of it running ouer the whole course of his life for the space of a quarter of an houre which may easily bee done if hee diuide his whole life into so many parts as are the places wherein hee hath dwelt hee shall finde it no fruitlesse labour 2 Hee is to consider sinne in it selfe that hee may conceiue the greater hatred horrour and detestation of it Meditating first how much it is displeasing vnto God and how contrary it is to his goodnesse secondly how much hurt it heaps vpon man that commits it and oftentimes vpon a mans neighbour too and how much harme comes by it to his soule body honour and other temporall good things thirdly what harme and miseries it brings vpon the whole world and how seuerely God will take vengeance on it as wee see by the fearefull example of the Angels falling from God and the ruin of man-kind by the disobedience of our first parents 3 To consider those seuen capitall and deadly sins which are the roots and parents of all other sinnes and to meditate seuerally vpon one of them euery day of the weeke in this manner following first on the Lords day to meditate on the sin of Pride secondly on Monday on the sin of Couetousnesse thirdly Tuesday on Luxury fourthly Wednesday on Enuy fiftly Thurseday on Gluttony sixthly Friday on Anger seuenthly Saturday on Slouthfulnesse and Wearysomenesse in doing good And concerning euery one of these wee may not vnprofitably consider these three points first how greatly this vice displeaseth God secondly how greatly it hurteth man thirdly how often wee haue in this sin and the spawne that comes from it offended our good God And if wee shall double these points it shall not bee amisse by considering first how much God detests this vice how much he is delighted with the contrary vertue secondly how hurtfull this vice is to man and how behouefull the contrary vertue thirdly how often wee haue giuen entrance and entertainement to this sinne and how often we haue and how obstinately wee do keepe out the contrary vertue 7 How to meditate on the death of Christ 1 The first kind of meditation
Hallowed bee thy Name where wee may meditate first that the name of God is nothing else but his knowledge honour renowne celebration and inuocation Secondly that to sanctifie this Name is to celebrate praise magnifie and glorifie him and that Hee and his Honour and Knowledge may bee such as all the world may acknowledge it Thirdly that wee first begge this of him because wee call him Father and our selues his sonnes and it is the part of sonnes to desire their Fathers honour as nothing doth more reioyce the sons heart then the glory of their fathers so wee being the sonnes of God ought to wish nothing more then that hee may bee acknowledged and honoured for this is the first and chiefe good of which the first and second Commandements and all the first Table chiefly treates This is the first worke of a Christian to wish that Gods name may bee sanctified and his owne name may bee condemned and obscured namely that God may bee knowne such as hee is in heauen and in earth that hee may haue all honour and glory that there bee no creature in which hee bee dishonoured polluted and blasphemed but as hee is holy in himselfe so hee may be taken by all his creatures Fourthly that in doing that hee commands and forsaking that hee forbids wee sanctifie and glorifie his name for wee cannot commit any act whatsoeuer against the Law of God and chiefly against the first Table but wee speake against this demand and hinder the fulfilling of it 2 Thy Kingdome come In which meditate first that the Kingdome of God is nothing else but the Preaching of the Gospel by which the Church is gathered which God rules with his holy Spirit and the abolishing of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan as also all the meanes that conduct thereunto as on the one side the word of God the Ministery of the Gospell the holy Ghost Faith Loue Vnity c. and on the other errours abuses false doctrine heresies schismes and the like Secondly that wee begge this in the second place because sonnes desire nothing more then that their fathers Kingdome may be inlarged that they may dwell in the more safety and honour For if the fathers be aduanced vnto high honours vnder their shadow their sonnes do raigne and what dignity soeuer their fathers haue they think it their owne so the sonnes of God desire nothing more then the amplenesse of his Kingdome that they may bee safe vnder his shadow Thirdly that of all others the Christians dignity is the greatest for hee comes from Gods House hee is a King of his Kingdome Ergo when wee put our selues into the seruice of the deuill and become instruments of his wrath how much worse are wee then the prodigall sonne that kept Swine When wee commit idolatry whooredome couetousnesse gluttony drunkennesse enuy hatred rancor and malice is it not worse then to be in Sampsons case ouercome by a harlot Fourthly that those doe oppose the comming of this Kingdome which are not lead with the Spirit of God by the Word which defend the impious Traditions of men and labour to extinguish the truth of God which defend with tooth and naile Idolatry by which Satan raignes which make of this Kingdome a temporall Kingdome to serue their lusts and ambition as all wicked Magistrates and Ministers doe 3 Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen In this meditate first that the will of God is to know and beleeue in his Sonne Ioh. 6. 1. Thess 4. also our sanctification and that all sorts of men may rightly and faithfully doe their duety and obey God that all the contumacy of all men and creatures being tamed their wils may bee to his so subiect that the same thing which hee willeth hee will effect that wee also may will and doe the same Secondly that wee aske this fulfilling of his will after the comming of his Kingdome because heerein is the felicity of the Kingdome and Family that all bee obedient to the authority of the King and Father and that all things may depend vpon his will For God raignes not in vs except we obey him and so our felicity in the House of GOD consists heerein that wee are obedient vnto him Thirdly that we beg of him that hee will frustrate all our desires that are contrary to his will that hee will frame in vs new mindes and new hearts that wee aske nothing of our selues but rather that his Spirit may gouerne our desires to haue a ful consent with God that wee may haue obedience patience perseuerance in the crosse and all this so perfectly as the Angels in heauen doe performe his Will Fourthly that all free-will and power to doe any good of our selues is quite extinguished That who beleeue not in the Sonne obey not the word of God pray not for the Spirit of God are impatient vnder the Crosse doe oppose this will of God 4 Giue vs this day our dayly bread meditate herein first that this bread is nothing else but all things appertayning to the bodie and soule meat drinke clothing health defence peace good successe and all spirituall blessings secondly that we first begge this bread of God for that as sonnes doe aske bread of their fathers so doe wee the sonnes of God aske necessaries of God And the will of God cannot be done in vs except wee be nourished with the bread of God thirdly that albeit wee are commaunded to get our bread with the sweate of our browes yet wee must begge it of him because we must not ascribe it to our labour and industry that wee are nourished but to the onely blessing of God who prospers our labors which other wise would be in vaine Besides it is not by the substance of the meate that we are fedde but by the only power of God for they haue no such naturall power from heauen but God administers it from heauen as to the instrumēts of his bounty fourthly that it is our bread albeit wee begge it of God first ours because by the bounty of GOD it is made ours albeit not due vnto vs secondly ours that we might learne to temper our selues from desiring other mens bread and to be content with that which by lawfull means doth come vnto vs as out of the hand of God thirdly because albeit that it bee the blessing of God yet it is destinated vnto vs for our conseruation as necessary for vs fourthly because as the corporall food so the bread of Life the word of God is ours fiftly because we ought so to aske this bread of God that wee may haue to breake vnto others sixtly for that not for our selues but also for others we must aske it seuenthly that it is so our daily bread that without by both sorts of it daily receiued we be nourished wee come to ruine Whence consider mans misery for except nourished with foode wee cannot continue eightly that it is giuen vs for onely God can
sinnes of one man and no more who can bee so ignorant meditating this but easily will arise from the dungeon of despaire and in the midst of his heart conceiue vn-repellable hope This reason is able not onely to giue health to the sicke but life to the dead 3 Reason Besides the most vnspeakeable loue of God exhibited to vs in Christ who is the foundation of our hope Christ himselfe hath spoken in the Gospell many things to stirre vp our hope Aske and you shall receiue c. But aboue all that I say vnto you whatsoeuer you shall aske beleeue that you shall receiue it and it shall be done vnto you These words to stirre vp our minds and beget hope are most forcible I say vnto you As if Christ had giuen his Obligation for the truth of it to bind himselfe to vnworthy man requiring onely this condition of vs that wee hold a good opinion and faith of his goodnesse that hee will giue vs what wee aske And how consonant to reason is this Is there any Prince that promising faithfully hee will giue to some that aske him a peece of siluer so they aske faithfully that performes no this promise Or doe any doubt of it that are wise If then that most high Potentate of heauen and earth that cannot loofe any of his riches nay who the more hee giues tho richer hee is do promise to giue to them that aske faithfully being able to do what hee list with a beck Who is so mad that doth not vndoubtedly hope and aske nay which doth aske and doth not obtaine Now then if God who is most propense to doe good as the first reason prooues and of his owne accord sent his Son his onely begotten Son deliuering him to most bitter death that I might by him obtaine what I aske as appeares in the second reason And to conclude the Son of God himselfe both God and Man my Redeemer haue bound himselfe by promise most ample and most worthy of himselfe to giue vnto mee what I faithfully aske as in the third reason it must needs follow that I must not onely swerue from all Christianity but euen from the right vse of reason or else most constantly hope for the eternall good things of saluation which I pray for The Fourth Daies Iourney of the Soule to Heauen is Holinesse of Life THIS indeed is the full complement of all the rest to heare the word with iudgement to meditate vpon Diuine Mysteries with diligence and to pray vnto God with deuotion are to small purpose except there follow practise and application of all these in the life Our labour then must bee in this discourse first to giue some generall precepts how to acquire those vertues that helpe to the sanctification of life and to roote vp the vices which hinder the increase of godlinesse in our hearts Secondly to propose a daily methode of practising such holy duties as being performed will make our whole liues a sweete smelling Sacrifice to God 1 The ignorance of a sure methode and meanes to beget the seeds of vertues in mans heart is the cause that so few do arriue at the Hauen of Perfection in any measure Insomuch that hardly shall one finde one man in all his life that hath attained to any competent habite of any one vertue All vertues as the learned doe well obserue are either infused into the soule by the onely grace of God which giueth all good things or else are acquired by the industry and labour of man being helped therevnto by the grace of Gods holy Spirit for the obtaining of which let him consider these points following 1 Hee that will attaine to any vertue as humility or the like must know these fiue things to be very necessary 1 An earnest and great desire of that vertue which is ingendred first by pondering the glorious beauty nobility excellency and necessity of that vertue secondly how it pleaseth God that a man be adorned with that vertue thirdly what examples and admonitions Christ left of that vertue fourthly how displeasing and detestable to God the contrary vice is fifthly how farre I am yet from that vertue and what is the cause of it 2 Prayer whereby with most earnest supplications he must beg that vertue of God 3 Frequent meditations vpon that vertue in which hee must reuolue with himselfe these foure points first how pleasing this vertue is to God secondly how excellent in it selfe thirdly how necessary to mans saluation fourthly what worthy benefites and fruites it briugeth with it 4 A continuall exercise and vse as well of the inward as outward acts of that vertue 5 Examination whereby to discusse himselfe daily touching his defects against this vertue 2 Albeit all vertues are desireable yet the more easily to gaine the habite of them wee must take some one by the space of a month or as shall bee needfull wherein to exercise our selues and so long to frequent the actes thereof vntill wee haue gained some habite therein else wee shall hardly euer come to a wished end 3 Before all things those vertues are most to bee loued and laboured for which are of most moment and which euery one knowes to bee most necessary for him the rest by little and little are to bee sought for And surely to speake generally two vertues seeme to bee chiefest and most necessary for all men Humility and Charity 4 It is profitable in acquiring of vertues to reade some booke or chapter writing of that vertue we propose to our selues and of the contrary vice 5 And it will bring no small furtherance to gather some choice sentences from Scriptures and Fathers and prophane Writers to be committed to memory and and often to bee repeated 6 Lastly it is most profitable to propose the example of some Saints of God who haue excelled in that vertue but chiefly the example of Iesus Christ to bee imitated But before I depart from these instructions how to acquire necessary vertues for sanctification of life let mee reueale vnto you the rules of two deuout and learned men which they aduise to bee obserued in this affaire The one is Saint Bernard who giues two rules very profitable for the attaining vnto perfection Ber. libel de formula Hon. vitae If saith hee thou wilt fully obtaine what thou entendest two things are necessary First that thou with-draw thy selfe from all transitory and earthly things that thou regard them no more then if they were not Secondly that thou so giue vp thy selfe to God as that thou neither say nor doe any thing but that which thou constantly beleeuest is pleasing vnto God 1 The first thou shalt by this meanes attaine vnto 1 By all meanes which thou art able to doe thou shalt vilifie thy selfe reputing thy selfe to be nothing and beleeuing all other men to bee good better then thy selfe and more pleasing vnto God 2 Whatsoeuer thou shalt heare or see in men professing Religion except it bee
of our selues which is like drie wood it will as tinder set on fire all our workes but being diuorced from this loue of our selues the loue of GOD will stand in need of the bellowes of many strong labours and actions to keepe it in For scarcely shall wee find any flame of this loue but rather seeme in our selues to bee key cold and therefore by many strong acts must wee succour it by the consideration of those things which according to the loue of our selues seemed sweete vnto vs namely by the consideration of the great good of glory and comforts which wee hope for in time to come and againe that so wee shall escape those great euills which wee doe naturally abhorre and hate And by such breathings blasts of the loue of our selues we may beleeue that some little flame of the loue of God may bee inkindled and by little and little gather strength increase according to the proportion of our indeauour being helped thereunto by the loue of God Yet it is very expedient that wee indeauour earnestly to haue strong acts in all the things afforesaid whereby that so vehement a loue of GOD may bee produced in vs as that was wont to bee which we had before as a loue compounded of the loue of our selues which was great vehement and contentfull together with the loue of God which was but small and very weake And this wee must labour to doe till wee finde so great sweetnesse in being deliuered frō our streights and miseries onely to the end that wee may the better serue God as we were wont to feele whilest wee desired the same being induced thereunto onely that wee might be deliuered from the anguish that did so tire vs. He that shall dot thus may worthily conceiue that hee hath the true and sincere loue of God which we ought euer to seeke begge This is I confesse a great alteration and the change of the right hand of the highest happy is he that tastes it in the earth for now he begins to dwell amongst those fresh pastures which hee shall more plentifully enioy in eternall glorie But it is very needfull herein that whilest wee pray wee be very attentiue in this vntill wee bee habituated and accustomed to such kinde of praying whereby we may feele in all our postulations and demaunds whether the loue of God or the loue of the thing which we aske haue mooued vs to aske it of God nor by any meanes to passe from one demaund vntill we haue inclined the will to accept it on that condition because God would haue vs to aske and in the same to serue him And if herein we bee negligent there is no hope of growing in any good habit of praying As for the point we say Our Father which art in Heauen hallowed be thy name in this first petition we aske that the name of GOD in vs might be had in estimation and loue without any mixture of earthly things to be loued with it This is so high and soueraigne a petition that whosoeuer obtaines it is blessed euen on the earth Therefore if any doe vnderstand it and loue himselfe vndoubtedly he will desire and seeke so great a good to himselfe and with great affection he will desire it and it is a good postulation and desire Yet must not we content our selues herewith but going further must incline and induce the will to another more perfect motiue namely that we desire this thing because God is most worthy onely to be esteemed and beloued in our hearts without all commixtion of our loue or of any other earthly thing and because hee hath created vs to this thing Nor let vs by any meanes passe to any other petition or demaund vntill wee haue obetined this motiue And with all let vs remember what the Sonne of God said Luk. 18. Wee must pray alwaies 2 In this third exercise wee must besides prayer labour to build vp these habits of vertues in vs by many acts of vertues which vertues can no other where be had but from the most pretious mines and veines of the passion of Christ It is true that many excellent things touching the soueraignty of vertues are written in many bookes but happy is hee that reads and learnes them in the booke of life which is Iesus Christ the fountaine of all wisdome in Heauen and Earth Learne of me Matth. 11. saith that wisdome as of the most learned Booke And what shall we learne But a few things as well least they should be forgotten as for that they are such that being learned we need no more learning we are full of true wisdome Learne therefore of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart Let no man then thinke he can be inriched with vertues except hee learne them from the Sonne of God made man and chieftly from his most sacred passion for this is the golden mine giuen vnto the world of our most mercifull Father that thence we may fill our hands and hearts of all things needfull It is great presumption to thinke being seuered from this plentifull mine to gather any vertues or graces but he is happy that is admitted to the inwards of this mine by continuall meditation thereof for there shall he finde most sweete veines of all diuine riches to aduance him to the seats of the Angels seeing in him are all the Treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge the fulnesse of the God-head dwelling in him bodily Of this Master therefore we are to learne two lessons of Humility and Patiēce as in his former inuitation we soe learne of me c. 1 Of humility A vertue that climbes so high and diues so low that the learned haue made sundry ladders to come vnto it Not let any thinke to come to this Heauen of Humility without these ladders But these being so plentifully handled by others Heaue them and passe on to the businesse it selfe In my opinion whosoeuer shall ascend by these degrees shall soone come to the knowledge of all things and sal cleerely see that hee is nothing of himselfe saue nothing indeed and that all whatsoeuer is any thing is GOD himselfe and that seeing it is so he doth worthily exact of vs vnlesse we will commit these or some worse crime to bestow all our thoughts and all our powers by all meanes to magnifie him whose that all is that is any thing Besides Humility being such a vertue as wisheth nothing that is not its owne requires that the whole world should handle and esteeme it for that it is i. a◠nothing and that mens hearts should not for the least space of time that is be imploied in esteeming that for something which indeed is nothing or which is a vessell of all iniquities worse then nothing and such is euery sinfull man That therefore this may bee firme and fixed in euery mans heart by many acts of good consideration in that consists the key of humility in desiring that
most pleasant refreshing 3 The third thing which I proposed to bee considered in this first part of the true ruele and art of seruing God after the instructions and exercises for the reparation of the slaughter which sinne hath made in the soule is the loue of God which being the fire which God would haue euer burning vpon the Altar of our hearts all that we haue yet spoken of the reparation of the soule is onely directed vnto it And if any will know of what dignity this loue of God is hee shall see that whatsoeuer hath beene spoken of the reparation and clensing of the soule is but little to the acting of so worthy and sublime an enterprise For of so great excellency is the loue of God that none of those blessed Spirits nor any other created thing or which can be created is able to doe a more soueraigne worke For which cause the Son of God calls this the great first commandement Nay say that all the labours and powers of Angels and Men together were in any one Angell or Man yet were they not all able to doe a worke more excellent then to loue God Nor can any creature sufficiently so loue this our GOD as his goodnesse and worthinesse requireth Now as this tract of the loue of God followeth that of the reparatiō of the soule because those things are very fit to the obtaining of this loue so this of the loue of God is placed before that of the loue of our neighbours and the loue of our selues because from this loue of God onely proceeds the loue of our neighbours and the loue of our selues 1. Therefore of the loue of God 2. Of our Neighbours And 3. of our selues 1 This loue of God being so glorious and ioy ous a thing when it is expressed in words what ioy I and glory shall it bee to seele it and how much more to doe it This is the holy worke of God I say the holy and whole worke and labour of God for whatsoeuer God worketh withall his infinit powers is onely to loue himselfe so much as his Maiesty deserueth and is worthy that is infinitly For out of his owne infinit goodnesse and excellency he is infinitly to be beloued nor is there any excellency in heauen or earth which is not much more his then it is his that possesseth it and from them all hee hath infinit glory and loues it and reioyceth and glorieth in it and would also that wee should loue it thinke vpon it and reioyce in it seeing nothing is so consonant to equity as that with all our powers we should loue him from the louing of whom we must neuer cease albeit wee had infinit powers so to doe Therefore are we to giue God thankes that in louing himselfe infinitly he supplies by his owne powers what is defectiue in euery one of vs. Let vs euer reioyce in louing him who is so great dignity that neuer ceasing to glory at his excellencies yet that which we doe is nothing if it bee compared to that hee deserueth For of so great glory and Maiesty is God that he stands in no need of our seruice but onely requires it because it is profitable of vs. This onely hee desireth that we loue him and reloyce at his good things for this is his owne holy worke Therefore he would haue all men with all their strength to doe that which hee doth with all his strength And for that which remaines he stands no neede it no nor of this neither but that it is good and iust and vnto vs glorious and therefore hee so much desireth it that hee laide downe his life for it that so by dying he might prouoke vs to loue him Besides that there are other things found in the Scriptures which are by him commanded to bee desired that is for this end because they are helps to this loue and to omit them would bee a great hinderance to it For neither are the vices which are prohibited any other thing then the inordinate loue of vaine things which doe occupie that place which is diputed onely to the loue of GOD. Not doe vertuaes serue to any other purpose but to despose the soule to this loue yet are they so necessary therunto that it were great presumption to thinke to obtaine it without the mighty exercise of such vertues That therefore wee may fitly speake of this pretious loue wee will first declare the various manner of louers but withall iudging that best which is most sublime and high To which purpose wee may vse this example Therefore touching the variety of louers we must obserue that which by the experience of many was a testimony vnto them when they had attained a greater knowledge of truth namely that they had a long time loued God as a most sweete Lord who had communicated himselfe to them as a liberall benefactor in whose seruice they were delighted and often had asked of him many benefits with great delectation in the contemptation of his bounty and of the knowledge of his excellent graces which they asked of him and that often they came vnto him as to the fountaine in which they found so great sweetnesse as that they thought there was nothing a wanting to their loue of God For they thought that the greatnesse of that sweetnesse which they felt in the sensitiue appetite was nothing else but the greatnesse of that loue And would to GOD that all men who doe not loue God did so loue him Yet God forbid that those who loue God should bee content with this loue although it be very good and so good as that it sufficeth thus far that for certaine daies beginners doe exercise themselues therein for they may so easily come to that more excellent manner of louing God which followeth It an argument that this loue I haue spoken of is fraile seeing that hee who so loueth assoone as that sweetnesse is a wanting or gone goes on with an abiect minde in the things of God and is so ouercome of the frailties of his minde as if he neuer had had any such loue For hee doth so much procure vnto himselfe corporall delights as to feede on delicate viands to drinke the most pleasant licours to weare most gorgeous clothes and such other vanities pleasing to his appetite sensuall friendships honours fauours euen as he doth that hath neuer begun to taste the things that are of God Nay oft times at such time as hee is visited with such an apprehension of sweetnesse hee is taken vp with many vaine affections and very sensuall being drawne thereunto by the beauty and pleasures of some persons Againe hee desires to be seene and to be accounted deuoute and grieues if hee bee not reputed for such nor doth hee reioyce when he vnderstands that others are accounted more feruent in deuotion and such other blemishes hee casts vpon himselfe all which are so abiect that they suffer not the society of that excellent
then other workes but much more glorious and pretious Yet doth such coldnesse bring no small benefit to such as are fraile for neither doth the greatnesse of the worke inuite them seeing they perceiue it not nor yet the taste of the thing adde any strength vnto them and from the one and the other of these it commeth to passe that in their labours their strength is defectiue Therefore it is 2. fit that we indeauour to apply some remedies to this soare hauing already seene the causes of this coldnesse The first remedy and most common to cure this malady is to prouide that the corrupt appetite as in the 4. Instruction may be healed and by and by those who before felt that coldnesse shall perceiue their former workes which they iudged to be admirable to bee indeed very abiect if they bee compared to the loue of God This doth the Apostle whose palate was most sound teach vs saving If I speake with the tongue of men and Angels 1. Cor 13. it I giue all my goods to the poore if I giue my body to be burned and haue not loue it profits mee nothing and yet must not these bee iudged to bee of small moment But besides after all these speaking of sublime workes hee affirmes them all to be of lesse value then loue The same hath the Sonne of GOD himselfe taught as wee haue already said Therefore it is manifest that loue is the chiefest of all workes and duties seeing without it all other things are nothing And without any further proofe this ought to suffice vs that the eternall wisdome of God which cannot lie hath willed chosen and commanded vs to doe this before all other things that can bee done in heauen or earth Nothwithstanding 2. There is another remedy more singular which will make vs something feele the inexplicable greatnesse of this worke of the loue of God and the meanes hereof is that wee vnite and most strongly glue our wills to that will which is of infinit excellency and that we ioyne them in that manner that it be caried to nothing else but vnto that which that infinit will would haue it for then shal our wills be of much value when our owne will being abandoned they haue the wills of that infinit will which is God himselfe for he euermore willleth loueth and reioiceth for the infinit good which he himselfe hath Besides for many causes God would haue vs to desire that which hee so greatly desireth 1 For his onely goodnesse whereby hee vouchsafeth to sublimate our wills vnto so great nobility that they should be in his sight of great worth 2 Seeing he hath created vs to so great a good it is iust that wee doe him some seruice but what duty can we doe him seeing his Maiesty hath no need of our seruice although it were the greatest that can bee imagined Wee say therefore that least wee should be idle seeing God hath no neede of any thing nor can haue more good then now hee hath it is very iust that we as the obsequious and dutifull seruants of so great a Lord all our liues long be herein imploied to reioyce at the good and glory of God himselfe and indeed euery one may easily see that it is most iust and of great weight that all things as well in heauen as earth omitting all other things should euermore be herein exercised to reioyce at the good and glory wherwith God is infinitly filled 3 That for which God would aboue all other things haue our wills vnited vnto him is for that being yet on the earth we should begin to seeke that infinit will from the fulfilling wherof all the blessednesse which wee haue or hope for in the heauens is deriued vnto him that is lead with this loue For it is true that learned Diuines do say that gloria nihil aliud est quam gratia consummata glorie is nothing die but grace consummate to possesse charitie here in a measure is to bee glorified there in abundance and so it is begun here but perfected hereafter But it is to our purpose to shew how this glory which is heauenly may be perfected by this loue wherein the excellency of this loue will appeare Therefore wee must consider which is also againe and againe to be read and pondered that all our ioy proceeds from the fulfilling of our owne wiss and by how much more our will desireth any thing and by how much more perfectly it fulfils that which it desireth by so much doth it obtaine a greater ioy To these things let vs consider that the blessednesse or perfect ioy in heauen proceeds from the vision beholding of God who in the same moment wherein he is seene infuseth into all that see him a most perfect knowledge that he is most worthy to haue all the good and infinit glory which he hath For assoone as they see him they become all prudent and wise so that euery one may see what is conuenient for him to which knowledge of God is ioyned the loue of God aboue all created things together with an ineffable desire that hee may possesse all the good and glory which he is worthy of which desire and most intense and inlarged will of euery man this cleere vision of God doth succeed whereby they know and see apparantly that the same their desire is farre more perfectly fulfilled then they are able to comprehend For they see and vnderstand God himselfe whom they so much loue beautified with so great good and glory that for the infinities of it they are not able perfectly to vnderstand nor yet are able to come to die defects or increase of the glory And againe that so much is euery ones ioy the greater by how much his desire is greater and more perfectly fulfilled And here is opened the largenesse of the glory of the blessed seeing their desire in such a sublime manner is fulfilled as that nothing can bee more excellent besides that desire is of the infinit good of GOD himselfe whom they doe more loue and desire then they doe the glorie which properly belongs to themselues Blessed is the man who on earth shall with an intimous will loue and contemplate the being glory of God seeing he shall thereby obtaine that hee may see his owne desire in as high a manner to bee fulfilled in heauen Who is he that can imagine how much of his glory the Lord without any diminution of glory in himselfe shall giue vnto him who dwelling on earth wisheth nothing else but the glory and greatnesse which that Maiesty possesseth all these things doc those words of Paul well declare Eye hath not seene 1. Cor. 2. nor eare heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that loue him And this hee saith because no man can conceiue how intimously those that loue GOD here doe wish and will in heauen that good which God possesseth and in what
a high manner this their desire it fulfilled and how much ioy they haue of the one and the other Therefore it is manifest of what great excellency this worke of the loue of GOD is seeing neither tongue nor pen is able to expresse it 3 Now hauing seene the remedite for this coldnesse of the loue of God what this loue of God is what is the beginning progresse and end of it It is fit that wee know how much and how often we must be imploied in this loue And surely so farre as briefly can be gathered wee must know that wee must euer or at the least by infinit turnes euen in the same houre if it bee possible exercise our selues in this loue yet that wee may bee able the more liuely to feele how wee ought continually thus to loue wee must obserue that if the exchange be commendable whereby one takes vpon him the labour of one houre or giues some small mony for the redemption of a thousand men captined by the Moores without all companion he shall and ought to thinke his time better bestowed that himselfe or any other man should sustaine death yea manie deaths that some other man for a most small time may loue God if that loue cannot be had without suffring of the same death or deathes euen for that small space of time and that is so true that it not onely hath place when he who for that smal space of time loueth God by that loue obtayning heauens glory but also if we were certaine that hee might by diuerse other seruices towards God in that small space of time obtaine the said glory which hence is manifest For that short loue hath in it greater good then the euill of of him that is suffred with much griefe who doth also wish death a thousand times Besides it shall yet incomparably be a greater good if we shal consider that for this short time of loue shall be rendered an increase of grace and further also an augmentation of perpetuall loue together with Celestiall glory And how great a good that is hee shall know who vnderstands what is the greatnesse of diuine loue And this being knowne it will yet more cleerely appeace that wee ought euermore or by inumerable vicissitudes to performe this so sublime a duty of loue that doing here that which is our duety wee may increase in strength to doe the same in heauen where those that â—aue obtained glorie doe so much more excellently loue by how much more they haue loued when they were on earth But if we ought by these inumerable turnes wee ought to loue this our most glorious God because the act of this loue is of inestimable goodnesse then let vs turne our selues to consider our owne negligence and malliceâ— and behold how bitterly wee ought to lament euery moment of our liues which hath passed without this loue Againe how much more grieuously wee ought to bewaile al those things which haue disioyned vs from this loue and such are all our sinnes by which we become capitall enemies and most contrarious to this loue and at the best brings a shiuering coldnesse and sluggishnesse ouer our hearts to so great a good and withall let vs consider of what great reprehension he is worthy that doth not intimously from the heart reioyce at euery thing which may promote vs to so great a good such as iniuries contempts persecutions and the like are And on the other side if wee doe not mightily lament as often as wee finde any impediment to so great a good such as humaine fauours and all other complacency and temporall delectations are Surely so reprooueable is it that we do not ioy or grieue at the things wee haue spoken by how much it is more better to suffer death a thousand times then the iniuries and persecutions which mans malice was wont to inferre or the sorrowes which wee can feele whilest wee flee the fauours of men and other things which were wont to be delight-some to vs. Againe that in so excellent a iouruey nothing may hinder vs wee must obserue that if sometimes for the debility of bodie or because wee haue not attained so great vertue in the soule as is necessarie to the suffring of aduersities it is necessary then that wee flee persecutions and the societies of such as affect vs with iniuries or to procure I some delicate and sauory things that wee may doe that with an actuall intention of greater euils and often lamenting for that in fleeing from aduersities we should depart froÌ„ that which is good which may promote vs to so great a good as is the loue of God and that taking vp these pleasant things wee should omit those bitter things vnto which by the malice of our negligence we are obliged And wee must doe this with an humble Prayer vnto GOD supplicating his goodnesse to strengthen verthe both in body and soule whereby hauing receiued power to resist our frailty for which by the defect of our power it was necessary for vs to flee persecutions or to take vp things pleasant vnto vs wee may bee without any impediment disposed to that same heauenly loue of him and his glory And that wee may the more cleerely know how worthy these our negligences are of reprehension whereby wee fall from this pretious loue it will be to good purpose to obserue that which wee haue written before of the hatred of our selues which is the foundation and primary disposition to this loue of God And because wee haue no balances on earth wherewith continually to weigh the same wee must aske of God that he would prouide vs from heauen and God graunt that our liues may neuer bee weary of the consideration hereof From all these is to be obserued what great madnesse it is not to procure that great glory in heauen seeing the sublimity of that glory doth necessarily follow low the seriousnesse of that loue and although the greatnesse of that glory were not much to bee regarded which is ordained for vs yet are wee much obliged to regarde that we may obtaine the greatnesse of the loue that being made glorious we may euer loue him who is most worthy of all to bee most highly loued But that we may see how we may be able often to loue chiefely when the taste in sweetnesse forsakes vs which of it selfe was wont to stir vs vp we must take a helpe from the sixth Instruction seeing God giues grace to the will to incline to this or that as often as the seruant of God shall prepare himself therunto froÌ„ al which the seruant of Christ may obserue what an infinit and irrecouerable losse we receiue when wee omit to loue God in euery moment of time wherein wee may loue him And if it bee to bee lamented whilest by neglecting of great dignities or earthly riches one receiues a great losse How much more lamentable is it seeing the losse is farre greater to omit euen for a
that of Salomons Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thine heart be hasty to vtter a thing before God Eccles 5. for God is in heauens and thou art on the earth therefore let thy words be few If he doe so much exceed all men it is fit that with great feare thou speake vnto him and bee well aduised what thou art to speake By these and such like cogitations thou shalt abandon al vain phantasies collect thy minde and find thy selfe attentiue humble feruent and with other holy affections drawne to pray 3 This preparation being made wee must as our callings will giue leaue allot some time to mentall praier for this is the chiefetaine of our whole iourney the companion of our whole liues our fortitude strength to vndergoe all our labours and cares By this the soule contemplates heauenly things by this it is inflamed with the loue of God and celestiall things by this it speakes vnto God by this it is aduanced and estranged from earthly things both in vnderstanding and affection and lifted vp aboue it selfe and aboue all created things But first of all that thou maist make thy life fit for praier for speech with God thou must labour as much as may be to haue it sequestrated from worldly affaires freed from sinnes and separated from earthly affection When Ioseph was to bee brought into the presence of Pharao Gen. 41. hee was first shauen and his garments changed Those Hebrew children which were to be taken into the King of Babilons Palace to be instructed in wisdome and knowledge Dan. 1. were not onely to be richly apparelled but also for a long time fed with most delicate meates onely to the end they might stand before a barbarous king and might carry a coutenance worthy of the kings Court If these things were required of such as were to bee admitted into the presence of an earthly king what oughtest thou to do who art daily attendant on the King of Heauen to lay open to him thy desires receiue froÌ„ him his gracious answers Surely it is not enough that thou depart out of the prison of thy slagitious life but thou must also shin in all vertues as in most pretious gaments change the food of the country for the portion of the kings meat that is thy earthly affections worldly cares for heauenly affections spirituall cares Besides thou must know that praier is the chiefest work of the whole day to be preferred before al humain affaires this susteins and fattens the soule this ministers the helps of grace to ouer come temptations beare all greeuances this directs and perfecte the actioÌ„s of the whole day this brings vs the diuine mercies Praised be God which hath no kept backe my praier Psal 66. nor his mercy from me For as long as our praier ceaseth not to go vp to God so long will not his mercy cease to descend to vs. For a father worthily speakes As long as we are heere August we pray vnto God For this that he would not reinoue our praier nor his mercy from vs that is that we might euer pray and he might euer haue mercy This our Lord Iesus commanded Luk. 18. Euer to pray and not to waxe faint shewing by the example of the wicked iudge who was mooued by importunity of the poore widdow to doe her ruistice that much more will our heauenly Father reuenge his elect which cry day and night vnto him If wee faint not in praier wee are sure that hee will not faile in his promise albeit for a time hee may seeme to differre it Therefore he saith praised bee God which hath not remooued my praier nor his mercy from mee When thou seeâ—â— thy praier not remoued from thee theÌ„ thou maist be sure his mercy is not remooued froÌ„ thee If therfore it bee plaine by the iudgement of Saint Augustine that the mercy of God towards thee do in some sort depend vpon thy praier to him thou must not for any cause cause to pray If thou failest at thy fittest time to eate or sleepe thou dost afterwards assoone as conueniently thou canst eate rest and sleepe because they are so necessary as that without them thy life cannot long last Praier is the food of the soule the sleepe of the minde whereby the diminished heate of the spirit is renewed and gets strength Therefore if our set times of praier be vpon any occasion interrupted let vs as in the omission of our meate and sleepe take all sit times to repaire that losse In the time of praier of one thing I will aduise thee that thou hast togither with God two guests very diuerse one from another to which thou must minister fit nourishments These guests are thy vnderstanding and thy affection The vnderstanding feeds vpon meditations colloquies and the simple aspect of God the affection is salted with holy desires and purposes and the internall acts and loue of all vertues And few things suffice the vnderstanding but the affection after it hath desired much loued much refreshed it selfe with many purposes acts of vertue will scarce bee found satisfied Therefore so moderate this banquet of praier that thou put but a few things before the vnderstanding which oft times needs not duine coÌ„sideratioÌ„s but is content with the simple beholding of the Lord but thou must prepare many dishes for the affection as being more greedy of the soules saluation Or if thou wilt thinke that God himselfe is thy guest whom thou must feed with such meate that his soule may blesse thee And what are these dainties but the considerations of the vnderstanding the affections of the will Therfore he saith My sonne giue mee thy heart and let thy eyes keepe my waies Why doth he first demaund the heart and afterwards the function of the eyes seeing the eies of the mind do in nature go before the steps of the heart it is for that the affection of the heart is in this busines more excellent and because euery consideration is directed to the motions affections of the hart thou art then out of the way if thou bestowest the houre or time appointed from parier in considerations of the vnderstanding and leauest the will empty fasting Giue vnto the Lord at that time thy vnderstaÌ„ding whilst thou dost exercise it moderatly to stir vp thy affectioÌ„ in godly meditations But guie thy heart more largely to the Lord whilst thou dost satiate it with godly affections Banish froÌ„ thee all distraction tepedity somnolency Let the mind ascend to heauenly things let the vnderstaÌ„ding cal the bridegrome but the affection draw allure and imbrace him that the minde by that most chaft imbracement of him being made fruitfull may in due time bring forth the Sonne of sanctification and may make thee in the midst of Gods people being deliuered from the curse of barrennesse blessed for euer and euer 4 Hauing thus praied
and bands of Charity this his slaue and might reduce him from vnder the yoake of inordinate passions vnto his seruice more happy then to be Lord of all Dominions 3 Who is it that comes Christ our Master Math. 32. who said to â—is Disciples Be not you called Rabbi for there is one that is your Master But not such a Master as binds heauy burdens and insupportable vpon the shoulders of men but will not moue then with their finger but he who first did the things which hee taught and in the Doctrine of perfection instructed all both Men and Angels and euer helpes his to doe their duties 2 To whom comes hee To his ignorant Scholer and Disciple who neuer or seldome comes to heare the doctrine of vertues and besides by the leuity of his minde doth soone depart from the things heard 3 For what cause comes he Can. 8. That I by imitation may follow the bridegrome and apprehend him by faith and may lead me through hope into the house of my minde there shal he teach me his waies the waies of righteousnesse and I in like manner will giue to him spiced wine of loue and wine wrung out of the holy affections of the pomgranates 4 Who is it that comes Christ our friend whose loue to man was so great that not onely of his enemies he made seruants whom hee redeemed with the price of his bloud but aduanced them to the dignity of his greatest frieÌ„ds A faithfull friend Syr. 6. the weight of gold and siluer is not to be compared to the goodnesse of his faith who being forsaken of vs doth yet neuer forsake vs and prouoked by our iniquities yet doth not contemne vs. 2 To whom comes hee To him that hath as often despised his friendship as are starres in the skie and hath preferred sinne before his grace and changed his familiarity for the most vaine conuersation of men 3 To what purpose comes he That he might bee a faithfull friend Syr. 6. a strong protection that whilst I finde him I may finde a treasure that hee might increase in me his loue and more intimously vnite mee to him by loue 5 Who is it that comes Christ our brother who being true God and Lord of men is not ashamed to call them brethren saying Hebr. 2. Psal 21. I will declare thy name vnto my brethren The first begotten brother who hauing right to the whole inheritance yet most willingly admitted others adopted by his Father into the possession of it 2 To whom comes he To mee his brother but the killer of him my brother who as an other Caine haue with my sinnes slaine iust Abel in the field of this world and him as one drunke with loue and not with wine with most bitter death haue I slaine and punished 3 To what ende came hee That hee might preserue me his brother of whom hee was slaine in spirituall life which he had before giuen mee and that he might not turne mee off as a banished and vagabond person vpon the face of the earth 6 Who is it that comes Christ our Father who is called the Father of the world to come and as Father to them that dwell in Ierusalem Is 9. Is 22. and house of Iudah because hee begate all the sonnes of his Church with the word of truth and doth by grace giue them a diuine essence A Father who loued vs most tenderly and calls vs his little children of whom he doth againe and againe trauaile till himselfe be formed in vs. 2 To whom comes he to mee a prodigall sonne who haue wasted all his substance and con sumed my yeares if not with riotous liuing yet with vain and vnprofitable liuing 3 To what purpose comes he That he might put on mee the best garment Luk. 15. and cloathe mee with the roabe of grace that he might giue me the ring of celestiall guifts a signe of dignity in my hand that hee might protect my feete i. my affections with the shoes of his helpe that hee might feed mee with his fatted calfe his pretious body and bloud that he might defend mee from my elder brother and from pride and euer make me a possessor of his eternall inheritance in the house of his glory 7 Lastly who is it that comes Christ our bridgroome who saith to the soule hee loueth I will marrie thee vnto mee for euer I will marry thee vnto mee in righteousnesse Hosea 2. and in iudgement and in mercie and in compassion and I will marry thee vnto mee in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know I am the Lord. Hee marries the soule for euer vnto him because he would neuer depart from the wedlocke of it he marries it in righteousnesse whilst hee iustifies it by grace in iudgement whilst he deliuers it from the aduersaries in mercy and compassion whilst hee inricheth it with celestiall guifts and in faithfulnesse because not by its workes but by faith in Christ and by grace is it admitted vnto so great dignity 2 To whom comes hee to my soule vnto which that of the Prophet doth well agree In euery high hill Ier. 2. and vnder euery greene tree thou hast plaied the Harlot The hill is the occasion of waxing proude and the greene tree is the incitement to adhere to things created in these haue I euer fallen and haue prostrated my selfe to pride and impure loue 3 To what purpose comes hee That the sorrowfull soule might returne vnto him and bee admitted againe most louingly into the bed and bosome of his most sweet familiarity For thus he wooes it thou hast committed fornication with many louers yet returne vnto me saith the Lord and I will receiue thee By these or such like meditations which are euery where to bee seene thou maist easily shake off all sloathfulnesse and stirre vp thy selfe to deuotion Nor doe I thinke any long time required hereunto because the minde being warned by the morning praier and by the care of the diuine presence of which after doth easily collect it self and dispose a man to celebrate the holy Communion with all due and possible deuotion 4 The last point of preparation is the vse of praier which must be generall for all men 1. Tim. 2. but more particularly for our selues for the obtayning of all things necessary and profitable but albeit this praier is to be left to euery mans deuotion affection dependeth not vpon any composition of words but vnction of the holy Spirit yet I thinke it not vnfit to set downe a forme of praier which may fitly be vsed in the morning before the receiuing of the communion that euery one may therby learne the manner of praying and lifting vp the minde to God Thus therefore not with lips but heart not with words but affections being placed in the sight of God let him set forth his desires and pray both for himselfe and others O blessed Trinity O my Lord God O most omnipotent
Father most wise Son most holy Spirit O three Persons truely distinct and one most pure simple Deitie O thou that art the Author of nature giuer of grace the first and vniuersall cause of all things and the most in deficient fountaine of all goodnesse here O Lord I know thou art present after a most heauenly spirituall true comfortable and most effectuall and powerfull manner to the soule of the worthy receiuer I worship thee as my God with my whole heart and with al my strēgth humbly praying thee in the merites of my Sauiour Christ that all my thoughts my desires words and workes may be now euer acceptable vnto thee that thou will heare my praiers and for thy mercies sake not without comfort dispatch them from thee I thank thee O foūtain of goodnesse for the innumerable great benefits which frō the very momēt of my conception vntill this instant houre I haue receiued of thy boūty for the infinit benefits which euē now at this very time I receiue from thee for those infinit benefits which euen vnto the ende of my life and for all eternity I shall receiue out of the treasures of thy immense goodnesse and bounty For I am O Lord without all comparison lesse then least of thy mercies vnworthy altogether whom thou shouldest remember susteine or comfort with the least of thy benefits But now especially most deere Father and mercifull God I giue thee thanks frō the bottome of my heart First for the most infinit riches which thou hast placed in the humanity of thy onely begotten Sonne my Lord Iesus Christ and because thou hast giuen him vnto mee for a Father a Teacher a Guide and a Redeemer Secondly for that great plenty of benefits wherewith thou hast not onely inriched me but also all those whom by thy effectuall grace through the whole Church thou callest to sanctification and newnesse of life and admittest to thy most sweete familiarity Thirdly also I thanke the most deere Father euen with all the strength of my minde for this thy great merey in taking me from the miseries of this world wherein many of thy seruants farre more worthy then I are plunged in calling mee to the knowledge of thy great name and graunting mee so many helps to serue thee as I haue Fourthly for all the talents and guifts both Naturall Spirituall and Temporall bestowed on mee that by them I might profitably spend my time helpe others according to my calling and power and dispose my selfe by thy mercy to attaine eternall felicity Fifthly for this vicissitude and change of consolations and desolations of prosperities and aduersities wherewith thou hast wonderfully wouen and seasoned my life that neither through continuall aduersity I should bee cast downe nor yet by assiduity of prosperity I should be made drunke Sixthly for this inestimable benefit of calling and admitting mee this day to the most heauenly participation of all the rich treasures that are hidden in the life death resurrection ascention glorification of thy onely begotten Sonne and most sweet Sauiour And now O my Lord God being animated with these and other thy innumerable benefits I presume humbly to sue for more Giue mee Lord and all that now are prepared for this heauenly feast Matth. 15 this day our dayly bread It is not good O my God to take the childrens bread and giue it vnto dogs but though this be so yet sometimes the whelps doe eate of the crummes which fall from their Masters table Therefore albeit I am in thy house like a despicable whelpe yet this day by thy mercy let mee feed on the bread of thy children and furnish my soule with all graces which may make me worthily to taste of thy supper Giue me thy most abundant grace that I may come to this my Redeemers bāquet with such assured faith profound humility due reuerence humble feare feruent charity constant hope and thirsting affections that I may there appeare to bee welcome vnto thee and may receiue into my soule all the fruits of this thy most heauenly Sacrament And because O my sweete Father Sauiour and Sanctifier this is a seruice wherewith thou art well pleased and by which thou conueiest vnto vs the bottomlesse Ocean of all thy mercies and graces I will now powre out my heart further in thy sight and because thy Sonne my Sauiour is omnipotent I will for his infinit merits sake pray vnto thee for all men Be mercifull therfore O Father of al mercies to the whole world and replenish it with thy faith and knowledge turning the Nations which are voide of faith to the knowledge of the truth in thy Sonne Christ Iesus Turkes Barbarians Heretiques Schismatiques Idolaters and the perfidious Iewes compell them now at length to enter into the house of the Church Let not so many millions created in thy image perish Let not that most pretious bloud of thy Sonne be shed for them in vaine I lament O Lord before thee these my brethren thus estranged from thee and the miserable condition wherein they lie intangled and if I could I would beleeue in thee with all the vnderstandings of these people I would loue thee with all their willes and I would perpetually serue thee with all their strengths But alas I can doe nothing but desire and lament and powre out my laments and desires before thy great Maiesty Haue mercy O Lord vpon thy whole Church increase in it the purity of faith and cleannesse of sanctification and extend it by the labour of thy good and painfull seruants to the ends of the whole world Behold with the eye of thy mercy thy righteous ones those that labour more and more for a further measure of sanctification preserue and increase in them true righteousnesse Behold all miserable sinners lying and stinking in the puddle of their sinnes draw them vnto thee and take them by a mighty hand out of that so miserable an estate Helpe Lord all those pastours of thy flocke and giue them grace that both by word and example they may shine vnto all men and their light may guide and direct others to saluation O Lord make them the salt of the earth the light of this cloudy world the cities placed vpon a high hill and giue them grace not onely to aspire vnto but to attaine that purity of life that zeale of thy glory which their place and dignity requires O Lord poure out thy mercies vpon our King and all other Kings and gouerours nobles plebeians and all the whole ranke of secular men that call vpon thy name deliuer them from their aduersaries ioyn them together in the peace of thy Gospell inrich them with a zeale and care of obseruing thy commandements that they may liue as it becommeth Christians and may obtaine that eternall saluation to which they were created Forget not the kingdoms principalities of thy Church but make thē more potēt then their enemies giue victory to their armies against the
ingrate as to passe by such and so greate a benefite without thanks who is so colde as that hauing tasted meat so reeking hoate with loue doth not also himselfe waxe hoate surely that were a signe either of spirituall death or of stupidity disposing vnto death After the holy communion if thou doest not feele some spirituall refection it is a signe of spirituall infirmity or death Doest thou put fire in thy bosome and feelest no heate or hony into thy mouth and feelest no sweetnesse how then canst thou eate and drinke at this heauenly Table and not be drunke with the plesures of Gods house therefore let vs learne of others who haue receiued small fauours with thankfull hearts to take this great benefite with no lesse thankfulnesse When Boos perswaded Ruth to gleane the cares after his seruants he said vnto her hearest thou my daughter goe to none other field to gather neither goe from hence but abide with my maydens let thine eyes be vpon the field that they doe reape and goe thou after the maydens haue not I charged the seruants that they touch thee not besides when thou art a thirst goe vnto the vessels and drinke of that which the seruants haue drawne This benefit with what thankfulnesse doth she repay it she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground and said how haue I found fauour in thy sight that thou shouldest know me seeing I am a stranger but thou art called not by a rich man but by God not to gather cares but to eate the bread of life not to drinke water of no value but to drinke the pretious bloud of the Lord art thou inuited with what great humility what great zeale what great affections of loue oughtest thou to giue thankes for this benefit Ester inuiting her Lord Ahashuerosh to a banquet hee so esteemed it that he said vnto her What is thy petition Ester that it may bee giuen thee Est 7. And what wouldest thou haue to bee done Albeit thou askest the one halfe of my Kingdome it shall bee giuen thee Out of doubt here is greater cause without all comparison of thankefulnesse for there the handmaide inuites the King but here the King inuites his vnprositable seruant there are earthly cates here are heauenly viands from the banquet proceeded the death of an enemy and temporall safety but from this ariseth the destruction of sinnes and spirituall saluation Who thē is it that admitted to so magnificēt a feast doth not offer vnto God so inuiting him not onely a part of his heart but the whole heart and whatsoeuer he is or hath Who is it that doth him not all duties of loue and praise 2. Sam. 9. What did Dauid with Mephibosheth that he might shew towards Ionathan his father did not hee promise him all fauour Did he not restore vnto him the things that were Saules and commanded him to eate meate at the Kings table And what answered Mephibosheth Who am I thy seruant that thou shouldest looke vpon such a dead dogge as I am Behold what God hath done for thee euen wonderfull things he hath giuen thee many benefits hee hath left thee a dispensatory and most rich reconditory of all graces the blessed Sacrament hee hath giuen that his flesh to eate and his bloud to drinke And what wilt thou do vnto him Wilt thou bee vnmindefull of so many and great benefits contained in one Sacrament Wilt thou forget the Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing Wilt thou goe from this table by and by to thy worldly imploiments the Lord complains of those ten leapers whereof but one returned to giue thankes Luk. 17. where are the nine and that worthily for nothing is more damnable then vnthankfulnesse And what complaint will hee take vp of thee if thou receiuing not a corporall but a spirituall health shall either returne no thanks or very cold ones and so great a guest being left alone and vnsaluted shalt betake thy selfe presently to the cares of the world It is the duty of all holy men as soone as they haue tasted this heauenly feast to recognize the great benefit of it and to giue God immense thanks for it Holy Dauid may seem to haue prophesied the same all such as are fat haue eaten and worshipped all they that goe down into the dust shal kneele before him And who are these fat ones of the earth are they not the righteous and holy men which in this world possesse the true riches and are fatted with celestiall cogitations and enioy the most pure pleasures of the spirit Who are those that go down into the dust Is it not the humble in heart who in contempt of themselues fall downe vpon the earth and make themselues inferiour vnto all These doe first eate that is take the misteries of the body and bloud of Christ presently praise the Lord and adore him with thankefull hearts I doe no wrong vnto this place of the Psalms in expounding it thus for two worthy learned men long since haue so vsed it Bas Theod. Thou therefore that couetest to imitate these fat ones of the earth and wilt be partaker of their good things doe not thou separate the things which the Spirit of GOD hath ioyned together eate and adore receiue the benefit and at the least returne though not sufficient yet such slender thankes as thou art able Say with the same Prophet Psal 56. vnto thee will I pay my vowes vnto thee will I giue thanks Where wee read thy vowes are vpon mee O God I render praises vnto thee Thy vowes my God and thy desires or those which thou desirest from this thy creature are not farre off I can easily haue them they are ready without mee I haue them within my selfe which are praises and thankefulnesse which for so great a benefit I will answere thee Being with such cogitations as this stirred vp thou must for some halfe houre or as thou shalt thinke fit get thee into some priuate place and bestow thy self in giuing of thanks And if thou hast not better of thine owne or be one of them who being acted and lead by the Spiof God need no preuention of meditations thou maist vse these seauen meditations which may be assigned to euery day of the weeke 1 Meditation 1. Behold Christ Iesus thy Sauiour in thy heart by faith as a most potent King and thy selfe as one guilty of many sinnes standing before him and desiring mercy 2 Giue him infinit thankes 1. That he hath beene pleased to leaue thee so great a pledge of his loue as to be present at this holy Sacrament not as a Iudge punishing thy sinnes but as a most louing Father and King pardoning thy offences 2. That with so great fauour hee hath heard thy praiers put vp with such a polluted heart and lips 3. That hee would condiscend to dwell in that fowle and vnprepared house of thy heart 3 Detest all thy sinnes before him conceiue
anothers burthen Our defects are great burdens by which we sometimes become intollerable to others Therfore the defects churlish manners of our brethren must be born withall that so we may fulfill the Law of charity Measure others by thy selfe I know thou seeft in thy owne conuersation many defects which thou wouldest haue other men to beare So must thou doe with others except thou wilt with diuerse weights and diuerse measures measures other mens and thy owne which is abhominable Therefore beare that thou maist bee born with all dissemble others light defects that thy great ones may be dissembled be thou silent that thy miscries may be silenced 6 Helpe one another Bee profitable to all and by thy industry helpe them for the loue of God Helpe by thy Prayers imploring Gods mercy for them Helpe with holy desires coueting the fruite of their labours with the Lord be they corporall or spirituall helpe with thy speech when thy wisdome findeth opportunity exhorting to all things fitting and honest helpe by thy example of life and helpe by all the meanes which GOD hath giuen thee For to this end hast thou receiued them to bee Gods Steward 7 Liue circumspectly Loue all but be familiar only with the godly For he that toucheth pitch shal be defiled with it Syr. 13. and he that is familiar with the proud will be like vnto him Nor be too familiar with any for out of doubt it spends and consumes the time distracts the heart and makes two men offend at once 3 Our duty towards our selues where consider 1. The care of modesty In all thy actions be mindefull of modesty and so behaue thy selfe that thou no lesse respect thy selfe then others beholding thee Modesty is not onely a vertue but the ornament of all vertues It it that which with men gaines estimation because by the aspect of the face and those things which they see outwardly they are wont to measure our inward parts And as it is a Iudge of inward serenity and fairenesse so is it wont to keepe the same amongst all occasions of trouble Therefore thou shalt shew thy selfe modest as well in the cleerenesse of thy countenance as gracefulnesse of thy gate and in the moderation of all outward actions so that these outward things may shew the inward tranquillity to edifie all and may shew some image as it were of Christ whose modesty was so admirable that Paul besought the Corinthians by the meekenesse gentlenesse of Christ 2. Cor. 10. 2 The contempt of ones selfe Learne to discusse thy selfe to Iudge blame and contemne thy self It is a knowledge more profitable to know to dispise ones selfe then to know the amplitude of heauen and earth This Science of the knowledge of our selues doth euer cast in wholesome and profitable counsailes tending to the humble despising of our selues Therefore turne thy eies from those things which thou thinkest are good and excellent in thy selfe for they are not thine but Gods who gaue them gratis without thy desert and behold in thy selfe the things that are abiect and despicable for these are thy owne proceeding from thy corrupt nature and for these argue and despise thy selfe Let thy words sauour of the contempt of thy selfe and desire to heare the same from others concerning thee and let not the baulme of flattery breake thy heade Flee applauses flee the world and hearken to such willingly who sincerely speake truth and doe reprehend in thee what is worthy of reproofe If thou shalt thus contemne thy selfe and loue thy contemners God shall loue thee as the apple of his eye and shall adorne thee with great blessings of the spirit for this holy hatred wherewith one hates himselfe God doth abundantly recompence with his loue 3 A generall abnegation of our selues This is Christs rule If any will bee my Disciple Math. 16.24 let him deny himselfe take vp the Crosse and follow mee This word himselfe doth not designe one part of the man but the whole man to bee denied Therefore if any will insist in Christs steps he must take vp this generall denying of himselfe mortifie thy sences inward and outward commaund thy appetites restraine thy iudgement and will Chiefely bridle the two tongues of body and soule the tongue of the body that it speake not hurtfull and vnprofitable things The tongue of the soule that is thy thought that it doe not harbour and vtter vaine impure vnfruitful things if thou shalt tame these two beasts the tongue of thy selfe and thy cogitation thou shalt wonderfully dispose thy selfe to the familiarity of God For God vouchsafeth to speake to them whom he sees absteine from vaine words and as much as they can doe recall their thoughts to one that is to God himselfe 4 To beate downe the body This rebell flesh is euer in armes against the spirit Therefore that it may not ouercome let the spirit take armes against the flesh by watching fasting prayer and such holy helpes labour to bring it in subiection Beasts are not perswaded with reasons or arguments to obey men The flesh is a beast which thou shalt neuer tame by consideration alone without some castigation or subtraction of food as men vse to doe that tame beasts 5 Tranquillity of heart Thinke thou hast done nothing vntill thou hast obtained this Let not thy owne defects disquiet thee but presently assoone as thou fallest into any sinne out of the loue of God detest it returne to peace and commit thy selfe and all thine to Christ Let not aduersities trouble thee think they will not tarry nor that they came without the good wil and prouidence of God The tranquillity of the heart depends vpon the purity of it For small sinnes teare the heart but for inordinate affectiōs excruciate tormēt it Prophane businesse doe gripe the heart and such as belong not to our calling infect it If therefore thou wilt haue a quiet heart shunne euen the least sinnes those thou shunnest not presently repent thee of them moderate thy affections flee prophane businesse and withdraw thy selfe from all that belongs not to thy calling 6 Is discretion In these things hitherto treated of and in all others there is great neede of discretion whereby thou shouldest consider the times places the persons thy selfe and such with whom thou dealest thy state and manner of conuersation and according as reason circumstances and the qualities of things persons shall dictate direct thee so thou shouldest carry thy self in things that do occur offer thēselues Many things there are which do displease God trouble thy neighbour hurt thy self because not seasoned with the salt of discretion the same things if they were discreetely don would be of great acceptance both with God and man but the discretion which thou hast not let it be supplied with prayer recourse vnto God with the counsailes of prudent and wise men For hee that in doubtfull thing resorts to GOD and the counsailes