obedience nothing can be imagined greater or more meritorious or more honourable to GOD then that humble obedience of CHRIST wherefore most truely said He in the Gospell I have glorified thee upon earth for he truely glorified GOD his Father with an unspeakable glory in the sight of the Angels and spirits of the holy Prophets and others who could take notice of it and if the Angels at Christs nativity in respect of the humility of the Cratch did sing Glory to GOD on high with much greater exultation and joy did they sing the same song for the humility or the Crosse So that whereas if man had not sinned he had onely attayned to be equall with the Angels now mankind hath obtained by the redemption which is in CHRIST JEsus that one man being exalted above all the Angels sits at the right hand of GOD and is become head and Lord of Angels and men for so St. Peter writes of CHRIST Hee is gone into heaven to whom the Angels and Powers and might are subject and St. Paul Wherefore also GOD hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name That at the name of JESVS should every knee bowe both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth So that the Son glorified the Father by the humility of his passion after an unspeakable manner and the Father glorified the Son after an unutterable manner also by exalting him to his right hand which glorification resulted upon all mankinde in such a manner that whosoever shall not acknowledge this great benefit and give GOD thankes for it may justly be called most unthankfull And as the holy Angels were much grieved at the fall of the first man as for a heavie affliction befallen their younger brother so also are they taken and affected with much joy and delight for the plentifull redemption of him by IESUS CHRIST for if there be joy in heaven with the Angels for one sinner repenting how great may wee beleeve their joy to bee when they saw that the justice of GOD was fully satisfied for mankind by CHRIST the man and that by the key of his Crosse the Kingdome of heaven was opened to all beleevers Nor is it to be thought that the holy Angels did take it grievously that the man CHRIST was exalted by GOD above them for they have neither spite or â—nvy in them but are replete with all ardent and true love and Love is not puffed up grieveth not at the good of others but sympathizeth and rejoyceth together congratulateth no lesse for it then if it were its owne for the Angels understand that this was a most just act of Gods who doth nothing but most justly and wisely and they also have their will so unseparably proportionable and agreeable to the will of GOD and tyed with such an indissoluble knot of love that whatsoever is pleasing to GOD is most acceptable to them But the Devill who for a time rejoyced for his victory over the first Man was much more sorrowfull for the conquest of CHRIST the man then he was joyfull before For by the victory of CHRIST it is come to passe that not onely men such as Adam was but also children and women shall insult and triumph over the Devill It had not beene a disgrace for him to have beene overcome by Adam in Paradise when he wanted ignorance and infirmity and was armed with originall righteousnesse which so subjected the inferiour parts to reason that hee could not have rebelled if his minde had not beene rebellious to GOD before but now to be subdued by a mortall man a pilgrime obnoxious and subject to ignorance and concupiscence is a disgrace in the highest degree and yet by the grace of Christ he is many times so overcome as that diverse erect trophees of chastity patience humility and love not withstanding his fiery darts of tâ—ntations and persecutions And here we are againe to admire the altitude of the divine wisedome even beyond admiration For GOD foresaw that the contempt of riches pleasures and honour and the like which are snares of the Devill and lead men captive to utter perdition was necessary to withstand the tentations of the Devill What course did then GOD take that these pleasures and the like might grow bitter to men and chastity poverty humility patience and contempt of the world might seeme pleasant and delightfull Why surely this he came down himselfe from heaven and having taken the shape of a servant and by his example made this bitter but wholesome medicine so pleasant and sweet that many men had rather fast then feast be poore then rich delight in virginity rather then marriage and in martyrdome then pleasure to obey rather then to command to be despised then to be magnified to be humble then to be exalted for who is there that truly considers GOD in the shape of a man full of wisedome and grace and who can neither deceive nor be deceived to be poore humble patient chaste and which is more wonderfull for the redemption of mankinde to be nayled to the Crosse and to dye voluntarily having shed his most pretious blood plentifully even out of a most ardent love but wil be incouraged to imitate his example And this was a high invention of the wisedome of GOD though to the wise of the World and to carnall men enemies to the Crosse of CHRIST it seeme to be foolishnes But let us gather honey out of the rocke and â—yle out of the hardest stâ—ne that is Wisedome out of foolishnes the wisedome of GOD from the foolishnes of the Crosse Search and examine diligently who that is that hangeth on the Crosse and why he should so hang and we shall finde it to be the same which sitteth betweene the Cherubims yea at the right hand of GOD and we shall also finde that he hung not on the Crosse for his owne faults nor his owne infirmity nor by the power of others but voluntarily out of his earnest desire to satisfie Gods justice for the sinnes of the whole world for the honour and glory of his Father and for the eternall salvation of all the elect and as the Apostle speaketh that he might make unto himselfe a most glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle Lastly for the love of us for he loved us and hath given himselfe for us to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to GOD. And when we shall have found all these to be true as they are most true let us lift up our selves in our greatest and most intimate love to so great a benefactor and in imitation of him begin ardently to thirst after Gods glory the salvation of the Gentiles but chiefly the Churches beauty and honour and our owne eternall salvation let us begin to have a hate to iniquity and to love purity of heart to partake of the Crosse of Christ to glory in tribulations
satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing as saith the Preacher whatsoever is offered to man cannot satisfie his desire why because he is capable of infinite good and all created things are circumscribed within certaine limits But he whch beginneth to drinke this heavenly water in which all things are contained covets nor desires any thing more But of this hath beene formely spoken in the rest of the mind in God alone as its proper Center Fourthly Water joynes together and reduceth into one those things which one could not imagine would have beene so united As many graynes of wheate by the mixture of water make one loafe of bread and of many parts of the earth by the same mixture bricks and tiles are made But much easilier and with a stronger tye or band doth the water of the Holy Spirit bring to passe that many men become one heart and one soule as it was with the Primitive Christians in the Acts of the Apostles upon whom the holy Ghost descended This unity Christ himselfe going to his Father commended and foretold when he said I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me by their word that they may be all one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they may be also one in us and a little after that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one To which unity the Apostle also exhorts endeavoring to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your vocation O happy Vnion which makes many men to be one Body of Christ which is governed by one Head and to eate of one meate and drinke of one drinke and to live with one spirit and being joyned to God to be made one spirit with him What more can be desired by a servant then not onely to be partaker of all the goods of his Lord but also by an indissoluble bond of love to be made one with him And all this the grace of the Holy Spirit brings to passe as a living and quickning water when it is devoutly received into the heart and there kept with diligence and care Lastly Water asâ—â—nds and riseth as high as it falls low And because the Holy Spirit descends into earth from the highest heaven therefore in that man into whose heart it is received is made a well of water springing to eternall life as our Saviour said to the Samaritane woman Wherefore being thus instructed in the properties of this uncreate water let us thirst after it and say with groanes and sighs unutterable Lord give us of this water which may wash off all our staines coole the heat of our concupiscences appease and qualifie the thirst of our desires may make us one spirit with thee and raise us to the height of thy eternall mansion It was not without cause that the Sonne of God said If ye then being evill know to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that aske it He saith not he will give you bread or apparell or wisdome or love or the Kingdome of heaven or eternall life but he saith He will give the Holy Spirit because in it are conteinâ—d all things Cease not then to put God daily in mind of his Sons promise and say to him with earnest affection and assured hope of obteining Holy Father I powre out my prayers unto thee not trusting in mine owne righteousnes but in the promise of thine onely begotten Sonne Make good therefore this promise of thy Sonne who glorified thee upon earth and was obedient to thee unto death even the death of the Crosse give to me that aske thy good Spirit give me the spirit of thy feare and love that I thy servant may feare nothing but offending thee and may love nothing but thee and my neighbour for thee Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me Restore to me the joy of thy salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit We come now to the resemblance which rivers or fountaines of water have with God and by it the mind may be lift up to contemplate the wonderfull and excellent work of the Creator For it is not without cause that the Scripture saith that God is a Well of life a Fountaine of Wisedome the Fountaine of living waters And that he is the very Fountaine of being may be gathered out of his owne words to Moses I am that I am and I am hath sent me unto you All which the Apostle seemes to comprehend in this speech In him we live and move and have our being In him we live as in a Fountaine of life in him wee move as in a Founteine of wisedome and in him wee have our being as in the Founteine of being A Founteine of water here with us hath this propertie that from it the flouds arise and whensoever they leave to flow immediately they dry up but the Founteine it selfe depends not upon the flouds because it receives no water from them but not onely hath water in it selfe but communicates with others This is a true resemblance of God and an Embleme of the Godhead for God is the very Founteine of being he receives no being from any thing but from him all things take their being because the essence of God is to be and his existence is his essence so that it cannot come to passe and it were blasphemie to think that God was not or will not be for ever Other things may be not be for a time because a being is not properly to their essence For example it is of the essence of man that he be a reasonable creature and therefore he cannot be a man not be a reasonable creature if it were of the essence of man to be it could not be otherwise but that he must be alwayes but because it is not of his essence to be therefore he may be not be God therefore â—s the onely Founteine of being because in his essence the act to be is alwayes included And these words signifie so much I am that I am that is I am the thing to be and receive not being from any but have it in my selfe to me onely it is proper that essence to me should be to be and hence also it comes that eternity immortality is proper to him onely as the Apostle speakes To the King everlasting immortall c and Who onely hath immortality All other things receive their being from God so that unlesse they alwayes depend on him and be preserved by a certaine influence
and say to GOD with the Prophet Thou hast beene my helper forsake me not and speake to him not out of custome but heartily againe and againe Thou art my helper and redeemer O LORD make no long tarrying Mans soule hath also a rationall will which not onely can desire good things present particular and corporall such as are proper to beasts to covet but also good things absent generall and spirituall which are demonstrated by faith or reason and indeed GOD himselfe which is the chiefe and infinite good And this is it which makes a Man capable of great vertues especially of love the chiefe of all other and the fâ—â—â—taine from whence all good guists are derived and which joyneth Man to GOD in so strong a tye that GOD shall remaine in him and he in GOD For GOD is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him But if this be so great a happines of the created will how great will that happinesse be with which the uncreated will is replenished The will of God is onely capable of infinite love where with the infinite goodnes of God is worthy to be beloved Neither doth this will want vertues nor hath it need to bee directed by the understanding for Gods will and understanding are both but one as his wisedome and love are one and the same thing in him Besides Mans soule is in a humane body but farre otherwise then the soules of bruire beasts are in their bodies for the soules of bruits are materiall and extended through all parts of their bodies so that part of it is in part and all in the whole body But Mans soule which is an indivisible spirit is after an admirable manner all in the whole and all in every part of the body and whereas it fills the whole body yet it occupies no speciall place in it neither increaseth it as the body encreaseth but only begins to be where formerly it was not and if a member of the body bee cut off or wither the soule is not lessened or made dry by it but leaves to be in that member without any may me or impayring This is a true mirrour of Gods existencie in things created for God is an indivisible spirit yet fills the whole world and all the parts of it nor occupies it any one place alone but is all in the whole world and all in every part of it and when a new Creature is made God begins to bee in it and yet is not moved and when any Creature perisheth or dyeth God dyes not but onely leaves to bee there and yet changeth not his place And therefore in these things God and the soule of man agree but God is much more excellent then the soule for the soule to be in a body to rule and stirre it must of necessity have a forme of a body made for it and to be so joyned to it that of the soule and body a man may bee made God needes not the forme or soule of a world nor that of him and the world one compounded substance should bee made but of his owne immensitie he hath this preheminence to bee every where of his indivisible unitie to bee all every where of his omnipotence to governe move and sustaine all things Againe the soule of man though it bee said to be in the whole body yet properly it is not but in the living or animate parts of it and therfore is not in the humors in the hayre nailes dry or dead members God absolutely is in all things not onely corporall but spirituall nor can it be that there should be any thing in which God is not Lastly it is not a soule but in it's owne body and that a streight and small one wherein all the parts are tyed together for if any part as is said be severed from the other in that part the soule cannot be But God is all in this universe of things though it be great and the parts thereof not tyed or joyned together though they be neere one another and if there were more worlds God would be in them all to which purpose it is said Heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot conteine thee for if there were other heavens and another earth created or more heavens and earths without number God would fill them all and where he were not nothing would be at all Againe mans soule hath in it though obscure the Image of the most holy Trinitie aswell in that it hath a fruitfull memorie power to understand and power to love as also because the mind thereof by understanding formes a certaine word and from the mind and word proceeds love because that which is knowne by the mind and represented by the word is presently as it is good loved and desired by the will But after a much higher and diviner manner God the Father begets God the Word the Father and the Word breath God the Holy Spirit who is the living love and the living fountaine of all chast love And in this respect the mystery of the Trinitâ—e transcends the naturall meanes of knowing nor can a learned Philosopher come to the knowledge of this without a supernaturall light for the soule of man produceth a word and a love which are not substances but accidents and in that regard are not Persons but GOD the Father begets to himselfe the Consubstantiall Word and the Father and the Word breath the Holy Spirit consubstantiall likewise to them both whereby it is that the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost are rightly and worthily called three Persons The soule of Man also produceth a Word which is of no long continuance and the will bringeth forth a love which lasteth not long but GOD the Father begets the eternall Word and the Father and Word breath the eternall Holy Spirit nor can GOD be without his Word and Spirit Againe Mans soule by one word represents but one thing and therefore multiplyeth words not onely of the mind but of the mouth and mans will must produce many acts of love if it will love many things But GOD by one Word speaketh all true things and with one act of love loves all good things 10 Lastly the soule of Man while it is in the body hath this property that though it be not seene heard nor moved and is hardly conceived to be in it and that leaving it the body seemes to want nothing it had before yet it is that which causeth all good to the body sense motion speech subsistence beauty and strength for what is the cause that while a man liveth hee seeth heareth talketh walketh and is strong and beautifull nothing but because he hath a soule in him and why cannot a man see nor heare nor speake but lies deformed unprofitable and unserviceable after hee is dead but that his soule is departed from him from whence all these benefits and good things were derived to him So thy GOD whilst
to touch him by any pious affection or to cleave to him unlesse he take us up and draw us after him by his power Therefore when David had said I have set GOD alwaies before mee or in my sight he presently addes for he is on my right hand or as St. Jerâ—me me suscepit dextratua Neither are we onely in these three respects farre from GOD that we can neither see him nor easily thinke of him nor joyne to him in affection but wee easily forget him scarce sounding forth his name by praise or prayer the reason is because wee are entangled and taken up with temporall affaires which compasse us round and even overwhelme us This then is the cause why the Holy Ghost in sacred writ as wee said even now so often perswades and counsailes us to seeke GOD. As Seeke yee after GOD and your soule shall live And Seeke the LORD and his strength seeke his face evermore And The LORD is good to the soule that seeketh him And Seeke the LORD while hee may be found and Seeke the LORD in simplicity of heart And If thou shalt seeke the LORD thy GOD thou shalt finde him if thou seeke him with all thy heart and with all thy soule No man of what condition soever is tyed so to give himselfe up to the affaires of the World as not to refresh himselfe with meate drinke and sleepe And if the bodie require such refreshing and repast how much rather should the soule desire food and sleepe Prayer and contemplation one being the meate and the other the sleepe of the soule and by these two are ascents framed in the heart by which wee are to see the GOD of GODS in Sion even asmuch as hee may be seene in this vale of teares Now there can bee no plainer or more easie way for us mortalls to ascend to GOD then by the consideration of his workes For wee cannot properly say that they ascended which by the singular guift of GOD were admitted by another way into Paradise and there to heare the secrets of GOD which are not lawfull to bee spoken or uttered but onely that they were rapt as Saint Paul plainely confesseth in his owne case But that it is possible for a man to ascend to the knowledge of GOD and love of his Creator by his workes that is by his creatures the Booke of Wisedome the Apostle Saint Paul and reason it selfe sufficiently prove seeing the efficient cause may bee knowne by its effects as a Man by his picture or Image And there is no doubt but that all Created things be the workes of GOD and holy Scripâ—ure teacheth us that Man and Angels be not onely the workes but the images of GOD. Being therefore provoked and stirred up with these reasons and having a little ease and rest from other affaires I have attempted to make a LADDER out of the Consideration of the Creatures by which after a sort GOD may bee ascended unto And I have distinguished it into fifteene Staves or Steppes after the similitude of the fifteene Degrees by which men went up to SOLOMONS Temple and of the fifteene Psalmes of DAVID his Father usually called the Gradualls or Psalmes of Degrees THE FIRST DEGREE of our spirituall ascending to GOD is by the Consideration of MAN DEGREE I. WHosoever is desirous to erect his thoughts to God-ward must first begin with the consideration of himselfe For we are every one of us the creature and image of GOD and nothing is neerer to us then our selves And therfore not without cause said Moses Attende tibi Take heed to thy selfe For whosoever shall strictly and narrowly look into himselfe shall finde that he is the very compendium or abridgement of the whole World and by this view with little labour and difficulty he may ascend to the creator of all things And to this search the resolution of these foure ordinary and easie questions wil be necessarie 1 Who was Mans Creator 2 Of what matter he was created 3 What forme was given him 4 To what end he was brought into the World First if thou wilt examine diligently who it was that made thy soule when it was not thou shalt finde that it was GOD and not thy Parents For whatsoever comes of the flesh is fleshly and thy soule is a spirit Not Heaven Earth Sun or Starres for they are corporeall thy soule incorporeall Not Angels or Archangels for thou were not made of any matter but meerely of nothing and none but GOD is able to make something of nothing He therefore without helpe of any others with his owne hands which are his understanding and will created thee And though GOD used thy Parents to the begetting of thy flesh as labourers to a building yet is he the chiefe worke-man and creator both of body and soule For if thy Parents had been the chiefe authors and makers of thee they may as well be able without skill in Anatomy to know all thy bones nerves veines muskles and other things which they are ignorant of they might also be as well able when thou art sicke or lame to cure thee as to make thee like a clock-maker who can take in pieces and amend the watch or clocke formerly made by him But the joyning of soule and body in so strong a tye as that they become one substance is a worke of such transcendence that none can performe but he who is of infinite power Therefore this question is resolved and we may and must confidently affirme that GOD is Mans creator who onely doth wonderfull things And therefore Moses inspired by the spirit of GOD may seeme to confirme this point when he saith by way of question and answer Is not he thy Father he hath made thee and proportioned thee And Job likewise Thy hands have made me and fashioned me and a little after Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh and joyned me together with bones and finewes The Kingly Prophet also acknowledgeth asmuch Thy hands have made me and fashioned me and againe Thou hast fashioâ—ed me behind and before To these I may adde that excelâ—ent speech of that heroicall woman in the Booke of the Maccabees to her sounâ—s I cannot tell how ye came into my Wombe for I neither gave you breath nor life it is not I that â—et in order the members of â—our body but doubtlesse the Creator of the World which formed the birth of man and found out the beginning of all things And upon this it was that CHRIST himselfe said Call no man your Father upon the earth for there is but one your Father which is in Heaven upon which Saint Augustine speaking of his naturall Sonne Adeodatus said to GOD Thou didst make him well for I had nothing in that childe besides the fault Well then If GOD be author both of body and soule if he be thy Father and preserver if what thou
which are stronger in many beasts then in Man but by the mind indued with reason and will that is not by that which he hath common and alike with them but by that by which he is distinguished from them and made like unto GOD. Rowse thy selfe then and frame thy selfe after thy patterne and consider that all the good thou receivest by this Image consists in the likenesse and resemblance thou hast to it Thy patterne is GOD whose beauty is infinite Light in whom there is no darknes whose beauty the Sun and Moone admire And that thou mayst the more easilie imitate thy patterne on which thy whole perfection profit honour joy rest and indeed thy whole good depends conceive the beauty of GOD thy patterne to consist in wisdome and holinesse For as the beauty of the body ariseth from the just proportion of the members and sweetnesse of the colour so in the spirituall substance the pleasantnesse of the colour is the light of wisedome the proportion of the members is sanctitie and righteousnesse not any particular justice but universall which conteyneth all other vertues and therfore that may be said to be the most beautifull spirit whose mind shineth with the light of wisedome and whose will hath the greatest measure of perfect righteousnesse GOD then thy patterne is that Wisdome and that Righteousnes and in respect thereof is beauty it selfe And because both these Attributes of GOD are specified in Scripture under the name of sanctity it is that the Angels in Esay cry unto him Holy Holy Holy is the LORD GOD of Hosts and GOD himselfe cryeth to his Images Be holy for I am holy and our Saviour in the Gospell Bee perfect as your Father which in Heaven is perfect Wherefore if thou desirest to be like thy patterne thou must love Wisedome and Righteousnesse above all things True Wisedome which is one part of spirituall beauty is to judge of all things according to the supreme cause and the most high cause is the divine will of GOD or his Law which manifests his will to Man If therefore thou love Wisedome thou must not lend thine eare to what the Law of the flesh shall dictate what thy sences shall judge to be good what the World shall approve of what any Man shall insinuate to thee but stop thine eares to them and marke onely what the will of GOD thy LORD is and account that most profitable and above all things to be desired which shal be most conformable to his will and Law This is the wisedome of the Saints of which the wiseman wrote I loved her above health and beauty and purposed to take her for my light for her light cannot be quenched All good things therefore came to me with her The other part of this spirituall beauty is Righteousnesse and this containes all vertues which adorne and beauâ—ifie the will the chiefe whereof is love the mother of all graces which not onely comprehends all the rest as St. Augustine speaketh but indeed as St. Paul affirmeth is the fulfilling of the Law and on the other side He which keepeth his word that is his Law in him is the love of GOD perfect indeed as St. John They therefore which would be made like to the Divine patterne must hearken to and obey this counsaile Be ye followers of GOD as deare children and walke in love The Son is the image of his Father and all the good which ariseth from this image as is before said is to become like to the patterne Oh if thou wouldst fully understand these things and that being made like unto GOD by the beauty of true Wisedome and Righteousnesse thou much pleasest him what peace wouldst thou enjoy how joyfull wouldst thou be how easily wouldst thou despise all the blandishments of this deceitfull world Againe if thou wouldst consider how highly GOD wil be displeased when he shall see his image wanting the light of wisedome and the robe of Righteousnesse to be polluted defiled and darkned and that Man being placed in such honour as to be like to GOD to be now compared to the beasts that perish certainely thou wouldst be amazed and tremble neither wouldst thou be at rest untill by floods of teares springing from bitter contrition thou shouldst wash away all thy spots and steynes and returne to the likenes of thy most beautifull patterne But because in the meane time while thou walkest away and wandrest from GOD and that thou walkest by Faith and not by sight thou continually wantest his aid and assistance aswell that thou mayst abide in that likenes which thou hast as that daily thou mayst become more like that is more beautifull and clearer mourne heartily and pray to him and say O holy Lord and most mercifull whom it hath pleased to make this my soule thine Image make perfect I beseech thee thy worke increase my Wisedome increase my Righteousnesse hide my soule in the secret place of thy Tabernacle that it be not defiled with the mud of carnall concupiscence nor with the smoke of secular honour nor the dust of earthly thoughts The last quaere remaines to be resolv'd which is Whereto or for what Man was brought into the World The end of his Creation This end was no other then GOD himselfe But because there is a double end Internall or Inward and Externall or Outward We will consider them apart briefly The Internall or Inward end is the perfect state or condition of any thing to which the same may attaine as for example a Palace or any other structure is then and not till then accounted perfect and finished when nothing is wanting which is requisite to the building of it So the inward end of a tree is the perfect state thereof and then it is said to have attayned his end when after the full growth it beareth fruit A Man therefore who is created to a most high end may then be said to have obtayned his end when his mind shall see God as he is and by seeing him shall know all things his will shall most ardently love and enjoy that chief good and happinesse and his body being becom immortall and impassible shall live in perpetuall peace and joy And because the essence of this finall beatitude is the vision of GOD by which we the Images of GOD shall come to a perfect state and perfect similitude with our divine patterne therefore it is that St John saith Now are we the Sons of GOD but yet it is not made manifest what we shall be and we know that when he shall be made manifest we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Oh! if thou couldst imagine what this is that we shal be like him for we shall see him as he is how quickly would all the clouds of earthly desires be dispersed GOD is most blessed and therefore most blessed because he alwaies sees himselfe as he is and enjoyes
himself without intermission from all eternitie with a most cleare sight and ardent love Which inestimable good he would have thee partaker of also with the holy Angels and hath created thee to this most sublime and transcendent end which these words signifie Enter into the joy of thy Lord that is be partaker of the joy which God himself enjoyes and these of our Saviour I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me that you may eate and drinke at my table in my Kingdome that is I will make you partakers of my Kingdome and of my royall Table that you may enjoy that honour that power and that pleasure that I enjoy and that God my Father enjoyes And who can conceive how great that honour power pleasure and happinesse may be Certainly he that shall ascend in his thoughts and hope to this height of his end wil be ashamed to contend for the earths possession or to be tormented for the losse of temporall things or to rejoyce for the gaine of them The externall or outward end of a thing is that or he for whose sake the thing is made as the end of a Palace or house for the dweller the end of a Tree for the owner and the end of Man onely for the Lord his God For he made him he made him of his owne he made him for himself he preserves feeds and payes him his wages Therfore most justly he commands and saith Thou shalt worship the LORD onely and him onely shalt thouserve But marke and observe diligently Other things which are created for Man are prâ—fitable for him and not for Beastsâ—abour â—abour for Man not for themâ—elves the fields vines and orchards fill the barnes cellars and granaries of Men â—ot of their owne Lastly servants labour sweat and are wearie and the gaine pleasure and advantage redound to the Master not to themselves But the LORD thy GOD who wanteth nothing will have Man to serve him and wills that the profit and reward be Mans and not his owne O LORD good and gracious and of much mercy who would not serve thee with his whole heart if he but once tasted the sweetnesse of thy service What dost thou command ô LORD to thy servants Thou bidst us to take thy yoke on us and what is thy yoke is it heavie no easie and the burden light Who would not most willingly beare a yoke which presseth not but cherisheth and a burden which is not grievous but refresheth and therefore thou hast added not without cause and ye shall finde rest unto your soules And what is that yoke of thine that brings not wearinesse but rest even only that first and chiefest Commandement Thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with all thine heart What easier sweeter pleasanter injunction can there be then to love goodnesse beautie and love which wholly thou art Ô LORD my GOD Thy servant David judged aright when he conceived that thy Commandements were more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold and sweeter then the honey and the honey comb adding that in keeping them there was great reward What is this Ô LORD Dost thou promise reward to those which keepe Commandements of this nature yet so it is and a most ample reward according to that of St. James a Crowne of life And what may that be certainly a greater blessing then we can either imagine or desire for so saith St. Paul quoting a place in Esay The eye hath not seen the eare hath not heard nor hath come into Mans heart the things which GOD hath prepared for them that love him Truely therefore may it be said that in keeping thy Commandements there is great reward And not onely that great Commandement but the rest doe make him good and happy that keepes them If thou be wise then understand that thou wert created to the glory of GOD and thine owne eternall salvation that this is thine end this the centre of thy soule and this ought to be the treasure of thine heart If thou shalt attaine to this end thou shalt be blessed if thou shalt fall from thence then miserable and therefore thinke that truely good which brings thee to thine end and that truely evill which causeth thee to fall from thine end prosperity and adversity wealth and poverty health and sicknesse honour and disgrace life and death with a wise man are neither to be desired or avoyded of themselves but if they conduce to the glory of GOD and thine owne happinesse they are good and to be sought after if they hinder either Gods honour or thy salvation they are evill and to be shunned DEGREE II. By the Consideration of the Greater WORLD THe first Degree of our ascent towards GOD was raysed out of the considâ—ration of Man who is called the lesser World now our intent is to erect the second out of the consideration of the great heap which is called the Greater World Indeed St Gregory Nazianzen saith that GOD placed Man as a Great World in a little which is true if we sever the Angels from the World for Man is greater then it in vertue though not in greatnesse capacity or masse but if we comprehend the Angels within the World as in this tract we doe then Man is but the little in the great World Therefore in this great World which comprehends the universality of things though many things be wonderfull and very considerable and remarkable yet these I conceive most worthy our admiration in it 1 The Magnitude or Greatnesse of it 2 The Multitude or Number of things created in it 3 The Variety of those things 4 The force vertue and efficacie of them 5 The Beauty and Comlines of them It is without doubt that the compasse of the earth is very spacious yea so great that the Sonne of Syrach said of it Who can measure the bredth of the Earth or the depth This may be the better understood if we consider how many thousand yeares have passed since the Creation and as yet the whole superficies of it which he calls the breadth is not knowne notwithstanding the many dangerous and costly voyages to discover it Yet what is this heape or masse of the Earth if it be compared to the circuit and compasse of the highest Heaven Astrologers say like a point or pricke to it and true enough and that every Starre in the firmament is greater then the Earth though for the infinite distance they seeme little to us who can conceive the spaciousnesse of Heaven where so many thousands of Starres doe shine and therfore if he asked with such admiration concerning the superfioies and depth of the Earth what would he have said of the outward superficieâ— of Heaven and of the depth of the whole World from the highest Heaven to the botome of Hell And indeed the corporeall heape or masse of this World is so great as the
from him they presently leave to be and therefore the Apostle saith of him that he beareth up allthings by hiâ— mighty Word and unlesse heâ— should alwayes preserve anâ— uphold the creatures theâ— could no longer subsist or be Elevate thy mind then anâ— admire the goodnes of God who so lovingly and carefully preserves and supports all things having no need of them and no lesse wonder at and imitate the patience of thy Creator who is so kind to the unkind and evill as to susteine and help those which blaspheme him and preserve those who deserve to be reduced to nothing and be not unwilling to beare the infirmities of thy brethren nor to doe good to thine enemies But the eminency of the Fountaine of being consists not in this property alone that it receives its being of another Fountaine and communicates that being with other things for the waters of Fountaines and the waters of rivers with us are of the same kind and although the waters of fountaines receive not waters from other fountaines yet have they a cause of their being as vapors and the vapors have other causes till we come to the first cause which is God But God is not of the same kind with things created but differs in an infinite distance of dignity and excellency from them is truly and properly the Fountaine of being because not onely he taketh not his being from another Fountaine of being but is so farre from that as that hee knoweth no other cause at all The fountaine of created water as is said is derived not from another water yet from another cause the uncreate Fountaine of being hath nothing precedent dependeth of nothing wanteth nothing nothing can hurt it but all things depend upon it and hee can with one nod destroy all things created as the Machabee speaketh Wee may worthily admire this excellency this beginning without beginning this cause without cause infinite unlimited and absolutely necessary whereas all other things in comparison of this are but contingencies And therefore cleaveâ—o â—o this alone serve him onely delight in his love alone and despise all other things in reâ—pect of him at the least vexe not thy selfe with too much soâ—icitude about many matters â—eeing this one thing is necessaâ—y and is all sufficient for thee â—nd all other men and let it be â—ne chiefe care of thine never â—o fall from his grace and study to please him onely ever â—nd every where 3 Againe God is most truly â—alled the Fountaine of life â—ecause hee liveth and hath lifeâ—n â—n himselfe yea and is life eternall it selfe and all things that â—ive receive life from this Founâ—aine and that when hee ceaâ—eth to give them life when he taketh away their breath they die and are turned againe to their dust as the Prophet David speaketh To beget a thing like it selfe is the property of the living now God begot a Son most like to himselfe God begate God and the living the living For as the Father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath he given to the Sonne to have life in himselfe as St. John testifies and the Father hath life in himselfe because he is the Fountaine of life and receives no life from any other place and gave his Sonne to have life in himselfe the same life which he hath himselfe and by this it is that the Sonne is the Fountaine of life also yet so as the Fountaine of life from the Fountaine of life as hee is God of God light of light Who can expresse nay who can conceive what manner of life this life of God is and what manner of Fountaine of life that is from whence all things which live either in heaven or earth sucke small drops The life known to us in this our banishment is nothing els but an internall beginning of motion for those things are said by us to live which after any sort move themselves from whence it comes to passe that the warers in rivers by a kind of similitude are called living waters because they seeme to move stir of themselves those in ponds and pooles are called dead because they cannot move of themselves nor are stirred but by winds or some externall force It is thy God then which is onely he that most truely liveth and that is the author and Fountaine of life which God himselfe doth often beate and inculcate to us throughout the holy Scriptures As I live saith the Lord and the Prophets often repeate this The Lord liveth And God himselfe complaineth of his people in Jeremy They have forsaken me the Fountaine of living waters And yet he is not moved either by himselfe or any other I am the Lord saith he and am not changed and God is not as man that he should lye nor as the son of man that hee should be changed And if God begate a Sonne he begate him without changing or if hee see heare speake love pity judge all or any of these things he doth without changing and if he create preserve or on the contrary destroy dissolve and againe renew and alter yet hee worketh quietly and changeth without motion If you a ke how he liveth if hee move not or how liveth hee not if hee be the author and Fountaine of life it is easily answered It is absolutely sufficient to life if a living thing act of it selfe not being moved by another but life as it is for the most part in created things is an internall beginning of motion because things created are imperfect and want many things to perfect and finish the actions of life But God is infinite perfection and needeth nothing without himselfe because hee worketh of himselfe not moved by any other as needing no motion or change Againe things created need change to beget and to be begotten because they beget without themselves and things which generate must be changed from a not being to a being But God begets the Sonne within himselfe and produceth the Holy Ghost within himselfe neither need the Sonne or the Holy Ghost to be changed from a not being to a being because they receive that esse or being that ever was and that not in time but from eternitie Againe things created want the motion of augmentation because they are borne imperfect but God the Sonne is borne most perfect and God the Holy Ghost is breathed and produced most perfect Things created need alteration as divers qualities which they must necessarily get but God wants nothing because hee hath the essence of infinite perfection Things created need motion to place because they are not every where but God is whole every where Againe things created want many things to cause them to see heare speake and worke because though they have life yet it is imperfect and deficient but God needeth nothing without himselfe to see and heare all things to speake to all and to worke in all For he worketh all things in
which conduce to our eternall happinesse and salvation yet His will is to bestow them by the instrument of prayer wee must pray for them because it is more honourable for him and profitable for us to give them to us as labourers and petitioners for them then as to sleepy and idle persons Therefore our most bountifull GOD exhorts and urges us to this dutie saying Aske and it shal be given to you seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shal be opened unto you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened And what that is that is chiefly to be asked and that shal be given without doubt he declareth a little after If ye then which are evill can give good guifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that desire him Therefore that which is in the first place to be required is the holy Spirit by which we breath in GOD and by this breathing preserve our spirituall life which holy David did as appeares by that in the Psalmes I opened my mouth and drew in my breath that is I opened my mouth by prayers sighs and grones unutterable and I drew in the most comfortable breath of Gods spirit which cooled the heat of concupiscence and confirmed me in every good worke This being so who can say that they live to GOD who spend dayes moneths and yeares and neither breath to nor receive breath from him It is an evident signe of death not to breath and if to breath be to pray then it is a signe of death not to pray Now the spirituall life by which the Children of GOD are reputed to live chiefly consists in love Behold saith St. Iohn what love the Father hath given unto us that we should be called and be the sonnes of God Now who is there that loves and desires not to see that which he loveth and who desires any thing and asketh not for it of him who he knoweth will give it him if he make suit for it Therefore he which prayeth not continually to see the face of GOD desires not to see him he which desires not to see him loves him not hee which loves him not lives not whereupon it necessarily followes that they are dead to GOD though they live to the world who seriously devote not themselves to prayer Nor is it enough onely to pray with the lippes to make us reputed amongst the living for prayer is rightly defined to be a lifting up of the mind to GOD and not an elevating of the voyce into the ayre Therefore deceive not thy selfe thinke not that thou livest to GOD if thou earnestly breath not to him with all thine heart night and day and say not to thy selfe that thine other affaires will not give thee leave to spend thy time in prayer and divine meditations for the holy Apostles were much imployed aswell in their own affaires as in the worke of the LORD and salvation of soules in so much as one of them said of himself Besides the things which are outward I am combred daily and have the care of all Churches c. yet he besides other recitall of his often prayers writes to the Philippians that his conversation was in Heaven and that because in the heate of his other imployments he was conversant in Heaven in his desire nor ever was unmindfull of his beloved otherwise he would never have said I am crucified with Christ but I live yet not I any more but Christ liveth in me The second property of the ayre is that it is the medium or meanes by which the species or formes of colours are conveighed to our eyes and of sounds to our eares and without which we could neither see heare nor speake For which first we are to give thankes to Almighty GOD for giving such an ornament and benefit to our nature and secondly we are to admire his wisedome in a worke of such finenesse subtiltie and thinnesse 1. In respect that the ayre of it selfe is a true body and so great that it almost filles the universe yet it can neither be seene nor felt for the incredible subtilty of it Antiquity admired the skill and subtilty of one line which Apelles drew with his pencill and yet it was seene and touched and in that regard was by no meanes to be compared with the tenuity and subtilty of this veyle which compasseth and toucheth all men and yet is seene of none 2. But it increaseth our admiration that being a most subtile and thinne body yet when it is divided it closeth againe with so great facility as if it had never been divided when as but a Spiders web being once broken can never be so cunningly amended that the first breach may not bee seene 3. Lastly that which is most worthy our admiration and done or caused onely by the wisedome of GOD that through one and the same part of the ayre should be mingled together innumerable severall species of colours as those in the rainebow He that shall place himselfe in a cleare Moone-shine night in some open field where hee may behold at one time starres in the heaven fields in the earth bedeckt with severall sorts of flowers together with houses trees and many other beautifull â—ights shall not be able to deny but that the severall species of them are contained in that part of the ayre which is neere unto him But who well can understand this who can conceive it for how can it be that so thinne and subtile a thing as the ayre should comprehend together so great varietie of shapes and formes And what if it happen that at the same time and in the same place he shall heare the melodious musique of birds on one side from another diverse musicall instruments in another the silent murmuring of falling waters will it not follow and that of necessitie that all these sounds or species of sounds must be received together with those of the colours before-named and who brings these things to passe are they not wrought by the wisedome of thy Creator who onely doth wonderfull things alone 3. Againe there is yet another benefit which ariseth by this admirable tenuity and thinnesse in the ayre that it hinders not but helpes the motion of all things which passe from one place to another We all know with what labour Shippes or Boats are drawne through water though it be of a liquid quality or substance and is easily divided and parted For many times neither the winds nor Oares serve to make them passe but they are many times forced by the strength of Horses And if at any time upon some occasion a way be to be made through a hill or mountaine what labour sweat and time it costs before a short cut be made But through the ayre horses runne swiftly birds and arrowes flie speedily and men in exercising
divers offices ascend descend walke runne move feet armes and hands upwards and downwards every way neither doth the ayre which is diffused in all places any thing at all hinder them insomuch as if it were not of a corporeall but of a spirituall substance and nature nay indeed as if it were nothing at all Laftly the ayre hath a propertie serving for the benefit of Man that is it changeth it selfe into every forme and suffereth it selfe to be divided and as it were broken asunder to comply to the service and use of Man so that it seemeth to be given to him as a Master and instructor to him in humility patience and charity But that which should chiefly stirre up and kindle in thee the love of thy Creator is that the ayre doth represent the great sweetnesse and gentlenesse of thy maker to men For doe but recollect thy selfe and seriously consider his goodnesse thou shalt finde that thy GOD is ever present with his creatures ever working with them and of such infinite gentlenesse that he accommodates his working to the severall condition and nature of them all as if he should say with the Apostle I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some hee worketh together with necessary workes that they may worke necessarily with voluntary that they may worke voluntarily with those which are free in their working that they may worke freely The fire he moveth stirreth and helpeth so that it may ascend the earth that it may tend downeward the ayre that it may glide by declive and bending places the ayre that it may passe which way soever it be driven starres that they may keepe alwayes in a circular motion herbs furittrees and plants that they may bring forth fruit according to their natures creatures upon earth in the water and the ayre to doe those things which are agreeable to their nature And if the goodnesse of GOD be so eminent in cooperating with his creatures in the worke of nature what may we thinke it to be in the workes of grace He hath given man free power of his will but so as that he will governe him by his command terrifie him with destruction and allure him by his bounty He will have all men saved but so as that he will also have them to be willing and therefore he sweetly prevents excites leads and guides them in such manner as is most admirable These are the meanes which the wisedome of GOD hath found out for the good of Man of which the Prophet Esay speaketh in these words Praise the LORD call upon his Name declare his Workes adinventiones ejus say some among the people And certainely the wicked sometimes hee terrifies exceedingly sometimes perswades them lovingly sometime admonisheth them mildly and sometime correcteth them mercifully as he in his wisedome thinkes expedient and agreeable to their conditions and inclinations Observe how tenderly he dealt with the first transgressor Adam saith GOD where art thou his answer was I heard thy voyce in the Garden and was afraid because I was naked I hid my selfe the LORD replyed with the like meekenesse Who told thee that thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eate and by this gentle correction or insinuation Adam without doubt repented as the Scripture saith Shee that is the Wisedome of GOD preserved the first Father of the World that was formed and kept him when he was created alone and brought him out of his offence Observe againe how gently and sweetly he by his Angell in the Booke of the Iudges rebuked and provoked the people of Israel to repentance What shall I say of the Prophets who in all their sermons as we may call them teach this and beate upon this that GOD desires not the death of a sinner but rather that he should returne and live They say saith GOD by Ieremie if a man put away his Wife and she goe from him and become another mans shall he returne unto her againe shall not the land be greatly polluted But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers Yet returne againe to me saith the LORD And by Ezechiel Thus ye speake and say If our transgressions and sinnes be upon us and we are consumed because of them how should we then live Say unto them as I live saith the LORD I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live turne you turne you from your evill wayes for why will ye die ô ye house of Israel But to let passe the wicked and consider how great GODS more then Fatherly meeknesse and gentlenes is to those that feare and hope in him Holy David is desirous to expresse it Looke how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth so great is his mercy also toward them that feare him And Like as a Father pittyeth his owne Children so is the LORD mercifull to them that feare him And The mercifull goodnesse of the LORD endureth for ever and ever upon them that feare him And in another Psalme Taste and see how gracious the LORD is blessed is the man that trusteth in him and againe Truely GOD is loving unto Israel even to such as are of a cleane heart And againe GOD saith by Esay Can a woman forget her childe and not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will not I forget thee and Ieremy in his lamentations The LORD is good to them that trust in him and to the soule that seeketh him Now if I would adde what the Apostles testifie of his Fatherly tendernesse to the Godly I should never make an end Take one place for all the rest of St. Paul Blessed be GOD even the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST the Father of mercies and Gâ—D of all comfort which comforteth us in all our tribulation c. he saith not that GOD is our comfort barely but of all comfort and not that hee comforteth us in some but in all our tribulation And to end this point take the words of St. Prosper Grace saith he exceeds all justification by perswading in exhortations admonishing by examples terrifying by dangers provoking by miracles giving understanding inspiring counsaile enlightning the heart and endowing it with affections of Faith c. If then thy Creator bee so loving and kind to his servants and with such incredible patience and meeknesse beares with sinners for their conversions comforting the just that they may proceede and grow in righteousnesse and holinesse oughtest not thou to beare the infirmities of thy neighbour to gaine all men to thy GOD Consider with thy selfe to what sublimitie and excellencie the Apostle exhorts thee when he saith Be yee followers of GOD as deare Children And walke in love even as CHRIST hath loved us c. Imitate the
Father who causeth the Sunne to arise upon the good and evill and rayneth upon the just and unjust Imitate the Son who having taking our humane nature for our good upon him spared not his owne life to deliver us from the power of darkenesse and everlasting perdition Imitate the holy Ghost who plentifully powreth out and scattereth his most plenteous guifts that he may of carnall make us spirituall DEGREE VI. By the Consideration of FIRE THis Element is of so pure and noble a nature as that GOD himselfe would bee called Fire as both Moses and St. Paul testifie The LORD thy GOD is a consuming Fire And when GOD first appeared to Moses he would be seen in a bush burning but not consuming with Fire when also GOD came to give the Law to his people he appeared in the shape of fire as Moses relateth it Mount Sinai was all on smoke because the LORD came downe upon it in fire To resemble which mystery when the new law was to be published the holy Ghost appeared to the Apostles in the shape of fiery tongues Lastly they which in heaven are neerest to GOD are called Seraphim because they receive fervor and heate from that most ardent and divine fire more then the other Angels It will not therefore be hard or difficult for us out of this element and the nature and properties of it to erect one greece whereby wee may ascend to GOD by prayer and meditation and lesse difficult will it be with Elias to ascend in a fiery Charriot then to make a Ladder to rise up by out of either earth water or ayre Let us therefore examine and consider the properties and qualities of this element Fire is of that nature and quality that it worketh diversly and oft times contrarily in many things 1. It quickly burneth and consumeth Wood Straw and Stubble 2. It purifieth and maketh more beautifull gold and silver 3. It changeth Iron into contrary qualities as of blacke cold hard and heavie the naturall properties of it it maketh it cleare hote soft and light insomuch as it will shine like a starre burne like fire melt and be liquid like water and by the Artificer be moved and lifted easily All these things apparently agree and meete in GOD. And first Wood Hay and Stubble are by the Apostle compared with evill workes which cannot endure the triall of Gods fire for it is almost incredible how hatefull and displeasing all sinnes are to GOD who is a most pure fire with what zeale hee consumes and destroyes them first by repentance if the sinner be in that state that he can repent for by repentance all sinnes are purged and if the sinner be uncapable of repentance as Devils and men after this life are his wrath is kindled against them For the ungodly and his ungodlinesse are both hated alike of GOD saith the wiseman and the Kingly Prophet David confirmes this saying Thou hatest all them that worke vanity How much and great this hatred is the Devill can witnesse who sinning once and being as St. Gregory saith an Angel most noble and glorious and the Prince of the first order of Angels and the most excellent creature of GOD yet was forthwith cast out of Heaven and deprived of all honour and grace turned into a most deformed monster and bound to eternall perdition Christ himselfe is a witnesse who came from Heaven to dissolve the workes of the Devill sinne and therefore is stiled the Lamb of GOD which taketh away the sinnes of the World Yet who is able to declare nay to conceive what and how great things he suffered to destroy the workes of the Devill and fully to satisfie Gods justice Who being in the forme of GOD tooke on him the forme of a servant and being rich was made poore for our sakes not having whereon to lay his head was reviled suffered bare our sinnes in his body on a tree humbled himselfe and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Crosse was derided spit upon scourged crowned with thorns crucified with all ignominie and grievous torments shedding his life and blood and all these things to destroy the Devills worke sinne Witnesse the Law of GOD which forbids and punisheth all sinne leaving not unpunished so much as an idle word And how doe we thinke he detesteth heynous sinnes that cannot endure an idle word For the Law of the LORD is an undefiled Law without all spots and what communion hath light with darknesse or what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse Lastly let Hell it selfe be witnesse which GOD hath prepared for the wicked and sinners which refused to be washed with the blood of the undefiled Lamb For it is but just that in whom sinne alwaies remaines punishment should bee perpetuall now what the punishment of hell shal be is horrible and fearefull to thinke of which we shall have occasion to speake more at large in the last Degree Therefore seeing that Gods hate to sinne is so extreme if thou love GOD above all things thou must also above all things detest sinne take heed thou be not deceived by those who either extenuate or excuse it take heed that thou deceive not thy selfe with false and ungrounded reasons for if sinne either committed by thy selfe or others displease thee not thou lovest not GOD and if thou lovest not GOD thou shalt perish everlastingly Againe if thou be not unthankfull to Christ how much dost thou conceive thou owest to his love to his labours his blood his death who washed thee from thy sinne and reconciled thee to his Father and shall it sâ—eme grievous to thee hereafter to suffer any thing for him either in his grace and favour and with his grace to resist sinne even to the losse of thy blood and life Lastly if thou canst not endure the fire everlasting in hell patiently neither oughtest thou patiently to endure sinne but flee from it as from a Serpent and let it be thy resolution to joyne thy greatest hate to sinne with thy greatest love to GOD. But fire destroyes not but makes Gold Silver and Iewels more perfect and shining because as S. Paul in the place before cited declares that those mettalls signifie good works and perfect which are allow'd and aprov'd by the fire of Gods judgment and shall receive their reward Those workes GOD ratifies for good because they are his guifts and St. Augustine saith he crowns his own guifts whensoever he crowns our deserts for they are perform'd by his command and by his aid he bestowing power upon us and enabling us to doe them and himselfe directing us by the Law and rules which he hath made and appointed And indeed gold denotes unto us the workes of love and charity and how is it possible but the workes of love should exceedingly please GOD who is love it selfe Silver signifies the workes of wisedome namely of those which
a resemblance with GOD his Creator that I know not whether a Man may ascend with more facility to the knowledge of GOD any other way then by the consideration of his owne soule And therefore man is inexcusable if he have not knowledge of him seeing he may attaine to it Gods grace assisting without difficulty by knowing his owne soule First then Mans soule is a spirit for so doe the holy Fathers expound those words in Genesis And the LORD formed Man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and Man became a living soule and that of Tobias Command my spirit to be taken from me and that of the Preacher Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne to GOD that gave it For although the word spirit agreeth to the wind also of which it is said in the Gospel Spiritus spirat ubi vult The wind bloweth where it listeth and in the Psalmes Spiritus procellarum as S. Ierome Wind and storme as our translation yet without doubt that spirit the wind is a most thinne body which for its great subtilty and raritie doth more imitate and resemble the spirituall nature then any other body But the soule of man is properly a spirit not a body neither is it produced or made of any matter but is immediately created by GOD. And here begins the excellencie of the soule in the resemblance to GOD for GOD is a spirit as our Saviour saith and they which worship him must worship him in spirit and truth But though GOD be a spirit and mans soule be a spirit also yet GOD is a spirit uncreated and the Creator and mans but a spirit created by which it followes that there is a great disproportion betweene the spirit which is the soule and the spirit which is GOD. And in this respect how greatly may the soule rejoyce that it is in the kind of a spirituall substance and so of a higher and more noble nature then heaven or the Starres and againe it should be the more humble and obedient to GOD because it was made of nothing and of it selfe is nothing Againe the soule of man because it is a simple spirit is also immortall for it hath nothing in it from whence it may be divided or severed And in this regard how much may it boast above the soules of bruit animals which die with their bodies and so behold and admire the great excellencie of the creator who is not onely immortall but everlasting For the soule of man sometime was not and came to a being by the onely will of GOD and by the will of the same GOD may againe be reduced to nothing although in it selfe it have no beginning of corruption therfore truly said the Apostle of GOD Who onely hath immortality for he onely cannot be dissolved neither by force chance or ought else because it is his property to be he is life it selfe and the fountaine of being and life Thirdly mans soule is endued with the light of understanding for it is not onely able to know and distinguish of colours tasts smells and sounds heate cold hard soft and other things of the like kind which are plaine to the sences of the body but is able to judge of substantialls and of things singular and universall and knoweth not onely things present but can conjecture at things to come transcends the heavens dives into the deep searches effects from causes and from effects hath recourse to causes Lastly by the eye of the mind it comes to the knowledge of GOD himselfe which dwelleth in inaccessible light and this is the light of which Saint John speakes This was the true light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the World which David calls the light of Gods countenance Of the light of the understanding the same Kingly Prophet saith Be ye not like to horse and mule who have no understanding Certainely this is a great priviledge and dignity of the soule by which man becomes like to GOD and unlike the beasts and by this a man may also conjecture of the excellent sublimity of his creâ—â—â—â— for though the soule of man be endued with this light of understanding yet GOD is the light and understanding The soâ—lâ— as is said runnes from causes to effects and againe from effects to causes and therby hunts as it were with great labour to attain this knowledge but GOD with one aspect and at the first sight knoweth all things The soule understandeth those things which are so that his knowledge depends upon things GOD by his understanding bringeth to passe that things are so that the existence or being of things depends upon his knowledge The soule doth but conjecture of things to come GOD beholds all things past and to come as perspicuously and plainely as if they were present The soule wants many things to exercise the office of its understanding as the object forme fancie and the like GOD wants nothing for essence it selfe is his all things even his owne essence is his understanding Lastly the soule whiâ—e it is in the body neither seeth GOD the Angels nor it selfe nor any substance though corporeall properly and is deceived in many things is ignorant in many of many things he hath but an opinion and of few things the true knowledge but GOD is ignorant of nothing thinks nothing is never deceived never erreth All things are naked and opened c. Therefore if Man hath such an opinion and esteemeth so much of his knowledge as that according to the Apostle his knowledge puffe him up how much ought he to admire the knowledge of his Creator to whose if mans be compared it is no knowledge but ignorance There is also another kind of knowledge in the soule of Man which consists not in speculation but in action from whence it cometh that there are so many Bookes of Philosophers which treat if vices and vertues so many Lawes of Princes Lawyers and others so many institutions to acquire the art of living well In which appeâ—â—eth mans admirable light of reason by which alone he differs farre from beasts in excellencie but all this is nothing to the eternall Law which is powerfull in the mind of the Creator from whence as from a most plentifull fountaine all other Lawes flow and are derived for there is one Law giver and Iudge which is GOD as St. Iames tells us He is Truth Justice and Wisedome By whom Kings raigne and Princes decree Iustice So that we shall never find out the Art of living well and happily till we come to the Schoole of CHRIST who is the true and onely Master by whose word and example we shall learne that righteousnesse which exceeds the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees yea and of Philosophers too whose end is love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and
heaven be made and it was made Let the earth be made and it was made Let the light the Sun and Starres be made Let trees creatures Men and Angels be made and all were made and adde to this which hath been said that the same GOD may if he will destroy with one beâ—ke all these things and the whole world as we said before out of the Booke of the Maccabees 4. To these wee may adde one depth more that all these things so many so great and composed of so many members and parts were made by GOD in a moment With us art and nature must have long time to bring any worke to perfection we see seeds sowen long before the herbs grow trees aske oft times many yeares to fasten the roots to sprout spread and beare fruit the fruit of the womb is long in the womb and long in the nursing before it come to any growth to speake nothing of art seeing it is so obvious to us that artificers must have much time to perfect any thing they take in hand How great then is the power of GOD who sooner then a word can be spoken can perfect so great workes It is not my purpose to dispute whether GOD in one moment absolved and finished heaven earth and all things in them or whether he spent sixe whole dayes in the first creation of things for this Treatise was intended for our ascent to GOD and not for dispute but this is it which I affirme and admire that every thing should be made perfect by the omnipotent Creator in a moment and concerning the earth the water ayre and fire no man doubts but that together with all the Angels they were created in a moment Concerning the firmament and the dividing of waters it is well known that they were all made by the onely power of the word speaking Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and that in a moment for it followeth that it was so done upon which place St. Chrysostome thus He onely spake and the worke followed and the same Authour upon the words Let the earth bud forth c. Who saith he will not be astonisht to thinke how the Word of GOD Let the earth bud adorneth the face of the earth with an admirable embrodery of divers flowers you might suddenly have seene the earth deformed before and untilled and untrimmed to contend with heaven in comlinesse and bravery and upon the words Let there be light he saith He onely spake and this admirable element was brought forth I say the Sun and what if I added that the Moone and all the Starres were made by the same word and in the same moment by the same Creator and lastly upon these words Let the waters bring forth in abundance c. he thus speaketh What tongue can be sufficient to set out the praise and glory of the workeman For as he onely said of the earth Let the earth bud and presently a plentifull variety and multiplicity of flowers and herbs appeared so by saying here Let the waters bring forth so many creeping things and foules were created as no speech can recount Who therefore is like unto thee ô Lord among the Gods By all this thou mayst understand plainly the great power of thy Creator who by his latitude extends himselfe to all things by his longitude continues alwaies and without wearinesse supports and governes all things by his altitude attaineth to the making of those things which seeme to be and are impossible to all but himselfe and by his depth and profundity doth so make all things as that the manner and meanes of making them passeth all created understanding considering that he makes them of nothing into nothing without instruments without time onely by his word and command Hee spake the word saith the Psalmist and they were made hee commanded and they were created By this thou mayst gather if thou be wise how much it concernes thee whether it were best to have him thy angry enemy or thy well pleased friend For he can suddenly bereave thee of all good and load thee with all misery nor is there any that can deliver thee out of his hands for who dares contend with him that is omnipotent If thou shouldst being naked meet with an implacable enemy bending a sharpe weapon against thee what wouldst thou doe but in trembling and fearefull manner prostrate thy selfe at his feet and implore his mercy and yet he being a man thou mightst perhaps escape him by flight or resistance or wresting the weapon from him but what canst thou doe against an angry God from whom thou caust not flee he being every where nor resist him being omnipotent nor make delayes seeing he doth all in a moment and by his sole command and therefore not without cause did the Apostle say It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD. On the other side if thou make him thy friend who more happier then thou for he can if he will and he will if he be thy friend satisfie thee with all good things and deliver thee from all evill and it is in thy power either to make him thy friend or enemy while thou livest here GOD himselfe and he by his Prophets and againe by his Son and his Apostles in the Scriptures ever call and invite sinners to repentance and the just to keepe his Commandements that so he may have both sorts of men his friends or rather deare children and heires of eternall salvation Heare Ezechiel As I live saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live turn you turn you from your evillwaies for why will ye die ô ye houfe of Israel and as Ezechiel so Esay Ieremie and the rest of the Prophets being moved with the same spirit cry for the conversion of sinners Heare the Son of GOD when he began to preach Amend your lives for the Kingdome of God is at hand Heare the Apostle St. Paul speaking of himselfe and his fellow Apostles We are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through us wee pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God What more cleare more comfortable The Apostle in Christs name doth beseech us to be reconciled to God to have him our friend not our enemy Who can doubt of Gods mercy if he seriously returne to him he will receive all converts as the loving Father received the prodigall Son But when we are returned and have found indulgence and favour what doth he require of us even to persevere as frends and children and to keep his Commandements If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements saith our Saviour If thou wilt say without the helpe of God his Commandements cannot be kept heare what St. Augustine saith speaking of the hardest precept of all other that is
this point GOD is mercifull and long suffering he will not alwaies be chiding neither keepeth his anger for ever The height or altitude of Gods mercy comes next in order to be spoken of which is taken from the cause moving him to be mercifull which certainly is most high and exalted above the heavens according to that in the Psalme His mercy reacheth to the heavens and Mercy shall be set up for ever thy truth shalt thou establish in the heavens which mercy of his differs from that of men in diverse respects 1 Some men are mercifull to other because they stand in need of their helpe and this is the lowest Degree of mercy because it reflects upon their owne profit and commodity as to our Dogges Horses and other cattell 2. Others are pittifull for coâ—sanguinity or friendship because they are our children brethren friends or familiars to whom we extend our mercy and this is a Degree a little higher and begins to have some reason or resemblance of vertue 3. Lastly others are mercifull because they are their neighbours and in that respect men created by the same GOD out of the same mould and therefore they make no difference whether they be friends or enemies good or bad kindred or strangers but pitty all alike whom they know to be created after the image of GOD and this is the highest Degree that mortalls can reach unto But GOD hath pitty upon all things because they are his creatures and especially upon men because they are his images and more specially yet upon good men because they are his children heires of his Kingdome and coheires with his onely begotten Son But if thou wilt demaund why GOD created the World why he made man after his owne image why he hath justified the wicked and made them heires of his Kingdome nothing at all can be answered but because he would and if thou askest why he would nothing can be said but because he is good for goodnesse diffuseth and communicateth it selfe willingly In heaven hath hee established his mercy and from his highest habitation from the heart of the Father hath it descended and filled the earth The earth is full of the mercy of the LORD saith the Psalmist Therefore as he found matter enough in us to deserve punishment so hee found enough in himselfe to have mercy upon us Lift up thy selfe then and with the eyes of thy mind in that high fountaine of mercy behold that purity mixt with no intention of his owne profit and when thou hearest the Schoolemaster of all men perswading and saying Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull strive as much as thou canst to have not onely compassion upon thy fellowservants but be mercifull to them with that pure affection which our heavenly Father pitties us If thou remit an injury to a detractor or malicious accuser doe it heartily committing the offence to perpetuall oblivion for our Father forgets our offences saith Ezechiel and Looke how wide the East is from the West so farre hath he set our sinnes from us saith David least they should doe us harme any longer If thou givest almes to a poore man understand that thou dost rather take then give because he that giveth to the poore lendeth upon usury to the LORD as Solomon saith and therefore give it humbly and reverently not as an almes to a poore man but as a present to a Prince If thou sufferest any ill to profit thy necessitous neighbour consider how farre short thou comest of thy Lord who gave his life and blood to doe thee good So it shall come to passe that without hope of earthly reward or any itch of vaine glory and out of the pure and onely love of GOD and thy neighbour thou shalt be a good proficient in the Schoole of mercy In the last place the depth of Gods mercy comes to be considered and as the height of it shines chiefly in the cause so the depth seemes to be sought in the effects Therefore that mercy which descends onely to words hath little depth in it but may rather be called superficiall and that mercy is to bee reputed more deepe which relieveth and refresheth those which are in misery not onely with comfortable words but reall deeds and benefits and that the most deep of all other which helpeth those which are miserable not onely by speaking and giving but in suffering and co-assisting in labours and sorrowes Now our GOD of whose mercy is neither number nor end is by all these wayes mercifull to us 1. For first hee hath sent comfortable letters his holy Scriptures to us as it is said in the Booke of the Maccabees we have the holy bookes in our hands for our comfort And not onely doth GOD speake to us and promise us ayd and protection by his letters but by the sermons of preachers who are ambassadours to us for CHRIST in this pilgrimage I will hearken saith David what the LORD GOD will say concerning me for hee shall speake peace unto his people and to his Saints that they turne not againe 2. Againe the benefits wee receive by Gods mercy in cuâ—ing our manifold miseries aswell temporall as spirituall are so many as that they cannot be numbred for every where he crowneth us with mercy and loving kindnesse that is he compasseth us on every side with the benefits of his mercy 3. Thirdly his mercy descended by the mystery of the Incarnation to labours sorrow hunger thirst ignominie reprâ—â—ches stripes and wounds to the crosse and death to redeeme us from all iniquity and from everlasting death due to sinne Câ—n there be any abysse more 〈◊〉 to which the mercy of God could descend yes there is for he did not this out of due debt but of meere grace He was offered because hee would saith Esay for who compelled the Son of GOD who thought it no robbery to bee equall with GOD to take on him the forme of a servant to make himselfe poore for us that we through his poverty might be made rich and to humble himselfe to death even the death of the Crosse to quicken and exalt us certainely it was onely his love that forced him his onely mercy compelled him And yet there is another thing more deep a deeper degree for in this worke of our salvation hee would have us communicate and participate in his glory and honour The Angels song seemed to be a fit division Glory to GOD in the highest and peace in earth the honour to GOD the profit to men but the mercy of GOD would have all the profit to be ours and the honour part his part ours 4 Lastly the mercy of GOD is most profound and deepe towards men especially good men and fearing GOD in regard that this mercy exceeds the affection of Father or Mother then which upon earth wee finde none greater Can a woman forget her child saith the
Prophet Esay and not have compassion on the Sonne of her wombe though she should forget yet will I not forget thee And the Psalmist Like as a Father pittieth his owne children even so is the LORD mercifull to them that feare him And least any should say that there may be parents found whose love is sometime changed into hatred The mercifull goodnesse of the LORD endureth for ever and ever upon them that feare him and for the continuance of this his mercy the Apostle maketh us secure when he calls GOD The Father of mercies and GOD of all consolation and therefore hee is not onely a Father of them that feare him but a most mercifull Father and most ready to comfort his children for hee taketh away and easeth them of the miseries of their afflictions and tribulations which hee judgeth fit to deliver them from and in that respect shewes himselfe a Father of mercies and in those miseries which he thinketh not expedient for them to be taken away hee endueth them with unspeakeable comfort whereby they may beare them with ease and in that regard hee declares himselfe to bee a GOD of all consolation Now the Apostle calleth him the GOD of all consolation for two causes 1. Because GOD knoweth how to comfort his in every kind of tribulation which certainely the world cannot doe because it oftimes understands not the cause of the affliction and therefore it was that Job called his friends miserable comforters because they knew not the cause of his disease and misapplyed the cure Or else sometimes the tribulation is so great that no humane comfort can asswage it but GOD is a most wise and omnipotent Physician hee can cure any disease and therefore the Apostle saith that he comforteth us in all our tribulation 2. Secondly GOD is called GOD of all Consolation because hee knoweth how to comfort us so plentifully that it is better to suffer tribulation with such comfort then to want both as in the case of Martyrdome Therefore no mervaile if the Apostle said I am filled with comfort and am exceeding joyous in all our tribulation and againe Which comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which are in affliction And what thinkest thou of this so large deepe daily pure and immense mercy of GOD who needs none of our goods and yet out of the abundance of his love is so sollicitous of his poore servants as if all his good depended on them What thankes therefore wilt thou returne to him what canst thou ever doe to avoyd the staine of ingratitude for such mercy at the least endeavour asmuch as thou canst to please him And because it is written Bee mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull and Love thine owne soule begin first carefully to finde out the miseries of thine owne soule for the miseries of the body are obvious enough and there is no need to admonish a man to pittie his body for if it want meate or drinke but one day or sleepe but one night or by chance receive a wound presently we bewaile the case of it and seeke remedy for it But the soule may fast whole weeks without food or lye languishing with infirmities or peradventure lye dead and no body lookes after it no body hath compassion of it Therefore visite thy soule often examine the severall powers of it whether they be well or not whether they profit in the knowledge and love of the true good or on the other side whether it be ill affected with ignorance or languish with concupiscences of diverse kinds whether the mind be blinded with malice or the will corrupted with the disease of hate or pride and if thou findest thy soule in this evillstate call unto GOD and say Have mercy upon me ô LORD for I am weake Seeke spirituall Physicians and use remedies in time Then pitty other poore soules where of a number perish and yet CHRIST died for them O if thou didst but know and well weigh the price of soules that is the pretious blood of the Son of GOD and withall the exceeding great slaughter of them by the infernall wolves and roaring Lyons the Devils certainely thou couldst not choose but with all thy heart take compassion on them and labour aswell by prayer to GOD as by all other meanes to obtaine their deliverance Lastly have compassion also upon the corporall necessities of thy neighbour and that not in word onely but in workes and truth remembring alwaies that Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy DEGREE XV. By the Consideration of GODS Justice compared with a Corporall magnitude THe Iustice of GOD in holy Scriptures is taken foure wayes 1. For Vniversall Iustice or Righteousnes which containes all vertues and is the same with sanctity or goodnesse The Lord iâ— righteous iâ— all his waies and holy in all his workes 2. Secondly it is taken for Truth or faithfullnes as in another Psalme That thou mayest be justified in all thy sayings 3. Thirdly for dâ—stributive Iustice Iustice in rewards according to that of St. Paul A Crowne of righteousnesse is layd up for me which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day 4. For revenging Iustice Iustice punishing offences as it is in another Psalme Vpon the ungodly he shall raine snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shal be their portion to drinke The greatnesse therefore of this divine Iustice will appeare the better if we consider the latitude of universall Iustice the length of it that is his truth and faithfulnes the height of it in Gods distributing rewards in heaven the depth of it in scourging the wicked with eternaâ—l punishments in hell To begin with the latitude That is said to be universall Iustice or Righteousnesse in men which disposeth a man to carry himselfe in all his dealings according to all Lawes and by that hath in him all vertues aswell theologicall as morall But there is one vertue above the rest which containeth all other vertues and commands and rules the acts of them directing them to the last end and this is called love which vertue although in it selfe it be but particular and but one of the Theologicall vertues yet it may be truly called universall for it disposeth a man to behave himselfe well both to God and towards his neighbour and thereby fulfilleth the whole Lawe for so speaketh the Apostle Love doth not evill to his neighbour therefore is Love the fullfilling of the Lawe and he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law And therefore St. Angustine saith Love begun is Righteousnes begun Love increased is Righteousnesse increased Great Love is great Righteousnes perfect Love is perfect Righteousnes Now in GOD are all vertues which presuppose no imperfection and instead of those which presuppose imperfection there is some what far better and more excellent where by it is