because they are minded to doe evill and no good They flatter and deceave themselves with a voluntary and pleasing ignorance they love to walk in crooked and by paths Such of this rank and number were yee O you Inhabitants of hell Ye would not understand that yee might doe well therefore now you may tyre your selves with howlings and bitter cries to all Eternity Ergo erravimus therefore we have erred and the light of Righteousnesse hath not shind unto us This is the Psalm and these the dolefull notes which shal be for ever chanted by those spirits in the infernall pit Attend then O ye Christians and lift up the eyes of your soules and delude not out of a wilfull blindnesse those rayes of Truth which God in his word hath manifested unto us â—â—rue 12. The Lord give us strength and enlighten our eyes By the vertue of this light it will bee apparent to us that men are not to bee more esteemd then God nor riches more than Conscience neither mans favour more than Gods It will moreover direct our judgements in the choice of what is best for us teaching us that no pleasure bee it never so delightfull is to bee preferred before heavens joyes no temporary things before those that bee Eternall and not subject to Natures law And truly sayes Chris there is not the thing in this world on which a man can fasten his affection who hath had a tast of heavens sweet delights wherewith hee shall be filled when he partakes of the beatificall Vision This light of the understanding our good and Gracious God was pleased to infuse in a full measure into the mind of Saint Austine l. 1. Conf. clo. I being advertis'd sayes he by Gods privy Monitor the Holy spirit to returne after my long wandring home to my selfe I entred into the closet of my heart where I beheld with the eye such as then it was of my soule the incommutable or unchangeable light of the Lord hee that knowes it or hath had a sight of it that man hath had a glimpse of eternity By that light so the Father goes on I found that I was farre remote from thee O God even in a Region of darknesse farre unlike to thee who art all light and most glorious From this light of the understanding and Justice little differs that light of devotion of which Saint Bernard thus Entreate the Lord sayes hee to give thee the light of Devotion a cleere day in thy understanding and that spirituall Sabbath of the soule by meanes whereof as a Souldier discharg'd by reason of Age in all thy labours thou mayst live without sense or feeling of thy labour and paynes taken in Gods service whilst thou dost run cheerfully Serm. 3. de Circ thy heart being enlarged with joy in the way of his Commandements And pray that what thou didst before with anguish or bitternesse of heart and restraint of thy will thou mayst ever after performe with delight and alacrity of spirit To this light of Devotion the Kingly Prophet David invites us Come sayes he and be enlightned Psal 33. tast and see how Gracious the Lord is This inward light of the soule is pleasant and lovely it is a slame full of comfort and delight which discovers unto man daily more and more the nature of the Deity As this light set up by God in mans brest growes greater and greater So what may seeme wonderfull to relate hee who is not capable of Augmentation may finde growth in our understandings hee may encrease even God who is immense without bounds and limitation our eternall and mercifull Creatour SYMBOLVM I. Lux interna Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum et lumen semitis meis Psal 118. Embleme II. A preparation to death I am in a straight betwixt two haueing a desire to depart to be with Christ phis i. v. 23. The second Signe A promptnesse or readinesse to die Set out by a Scull the Motto that of St Paul to the PHIL. 1.23 J am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ BY the scull is set out unto us a mind prepar'd and ever ready for what death soever And be ye saith Christ like unto men that expect their Masters returne from the wedding that when hee comes and knocks yee may open presently unto him The Lord then knocks so Saint Gregory when Hom. 13. in Evang. afflicting thee with some sore disease he denounces the neare accesse of death to whom we presently open if we entertaine him thus comming unto us by sicknesse with love That man does not willingly open to the Judge thus knocking who trembles to thinke of his exit from the body when he shall be haled by his executioner into the presence of that God whom hee remembers to have contemn'd whilst he lived the thoughts of standing one day before him as his Iudge this fills the sinners conscience with horrour and dread But contrariwise he whose mind is setled with the Anchor of a firme Hope and secured with the Conscience of his good works to man and piety to God that man opens without delay at Gods first knocke he rejoyces that hee is now called to his desired Haven of rest and for the glory of the future reward even the everlasting joys of the heavenly Paradise he rejoyces even in the midst of sorow when his eyes are water'd with tears Why doe wee not desire then to bee dissolv'd Phil. 1. Aug. de doctrina Christiana and to bee with Christ This no doubt is farre better then that the time of our sad sojourning here be prolong'd He cannot dy ill that hath liv'd well neither hee dye well who hath liv'd ill whose life hath beene a continued practise of impiety and profanenesse And what is that we so much feare should be taken and snatcht from us What is our life but a Scene of mockeries and follies a sea of miseries Be the shippe what it will wherein thou art carryed bee it made of Gold or of Silver of precious stones or Wood thou canst not avoyd the fury of the waves which will beate against it many rockes shalt thou meet with on many a shallow or shelfe wilt thou sticke Blessed and happy is the man who hath sailed over this Sea Blessed is hee who is escap'd the danger of it and is now in the heaven of security and rest If there bee any as there are many who in the middle or prime of their dayes are snatch'd out of this life by an unexpected death they ought no more to complaine of this then hee that hath soone and safely pass'd over the Sea Why then doe we feare death which is the end of our labours and the beginning of our rewards The sentence of death is pass'd upon all flesh by him who is the Iudge of Heaven and Earth None escap'd it in the former ages and none shall avoyd it in those that are
the cause of love and that picture is best that comes nearest â—its patterne This happinesse one day shall befall us when wee shall bee made more like unto God when wee shall partake of the beatificall vision in the other world the land of he living Jt doth not yet appeare saith St. John what wee shall bee but wee know 1 Ioh. 3. â— that when hee shall appeare wee shall bee like him for we shall see him as he is From this sanctified light of knowledge in the understanding from this thought or full perswasion of seeing one day God face to face springs joy in the will hereby our Hope is rais'd and takes its flight from Earth to Heaven and by this too our hearts are enflamed with an ardent affection towards God the Author of our happinesse and the fountaine of all good For what can be imagin'd more sweet or comfortable to a glorified soule then to behold it selfe invested with the glorious Image of an infinite beauty to know for a certaine that he is deare and precious in the esteeme of God who is the patterne according to whose likenes our soules were framd and wrought But because this light of faith shines not alike to all holy David having found by experience that every man partakes not of this joy and happinesse rejoyceth with thanksgiving to God for this special grace and benefit Psalm 4. Thou hast saith he put gladnesse in my heart not every mans heart but in mine and those who are predestinated by thee O goodnesse to everlasting life therefore so he in another Psalme wee will walke in the light of thy countenance and in thy name will we triumph with gladnesse all our dayes rejoycing and glad for this that we are pluck'd out of the darknesse of sinne and ignorance that wee may bee instructed more and more in the knowledge of thy most holy will by our Obedience to which we as Abraham once shall enter with thee into a secret bond of friendship and be called thy friends O Israel happy are wee Baruc. 4.4 for things that are pleasing to God are made knowne unto us Job when hee felt the weight of Gods displeasure and and burden of mans contempt when he was beset with the darknesse of Adversity on every side then hee solac'd himselfe with the remembrance of this spirituall light Job 29.3 His light saith he shined upon my head and by his light I walk'd through darknesse Therefore saith Eccles Eccl. 2. Isaiah 58. Yee that feare the Lord love him and your hearts shall be enlightned Your light shall rise in obscurity and the Lord shall alwayes give you rest shall fill your soules with the splender off his Grace but if you turne from God Eccl. 11.16 you shall bee involv'd with Egyptian darknesse For error and darkenesse had their beginning together with sinners Wisd 5. These words sayes the spirit of God sinners in hell utterd and what are they may some demand This Quere is not to bee branded with the note of an idle and fruitlesse curiosity Wee greedily listen to the report of those things which among other Nations have beene practised in Kings Palaces and Princes Courts to know what is done to the damned in Hell if it bee not unpleasant to bee heard much lesse will it be unprofitable to bee understood especially seeing this narration is not as the story many times of Novelties doubtfull and uncertain What then is the speech or language of the damned in Hell Wisd 5.6 Wee have err'd from the way of Truth and the light of Righteousnesse has not shin'd unto us Therefore we have err'd This indeed is the consequence but where is the Antecedent Come and let us enjoy the good things that are present Ch. 2.6.7.8 let us fill our selves with costly Wine and Oyntment and let not the floure of the spring passe by us Let us crowne our selves with Rose-budds before they bee withered and let us leave tokens of our joyfulnesse in every place Behold this is the Antecedent made by them an Antecedent of joy they surfeited themselves on earth the consequent or conclusion a consequent of Eternall woe is made in hell Silly Logicians for when they had fram'd to themselves the Antecedent they ought then to have subjoyn'd the consequent Come and let us enjoy the good that are present This the Antecedent the consequent or conclusion should presently have beene added Therefore we erred for wee must either repent in this life or burne in the other We must breake off our sinnes by Repentance and not sinne without ceasing Here we must expect to beare the Crosse not hope to weare the Crowne Here we must fight strive against the world the devill and our owne lusts hereafter triumph therfore we have erred It is a good and true conclusion but fram'd too late and the light of Righttousnesse hath not shin'd unto us And what may one demand is this light of righteousnesse or justice If it bee the property of Iustice to give to every man his due as the law declares it then this cannot bee denyed that it is the Office of justice to give to all things that estimation is due unto them Therefore that light of the soule which sets a true estimation upon each thing may fitly bee termed the light of justice or understanding And this is that the damn'd in hell complain'd they wanted here on earth To judge then which were the richest and strongest Wines to deck their heads with Garlands and to provide delicates for their bellies All these things they knew full well but that these fading vanities were not to bee preferr'd before the everlasting delights this they were ignorant of and delighted in that stupid ignorance which lul'd them in security whil'st they tooke their fill in shamefull and short delights which yet they priz'd so highly that in comparison of them they lowly esteemed all the joyes of Heaven set at nought those everlasting delights while they resolv'd not to forsake their surfetting and drunkennesse their venerous wantonnesse and other sinfull pleasures of the flesh So deare and precious to them the liberty they took in sinning that eternity was of no accompt with them they lightly regarded or indeed never thought of the life everlasting But this is a most unjust estimation of things The light of the understanding illuminated with the knowledge of divine truths suggests a quite contrary lesson teaching us that eternity alone is highly to be esteem'd all other things little or nothing to bee regarded Therfore have we erred this the voyce of the damn'd in hell and that they have erred it is plain and evident to themselves who feele the sharp punishment of their short pleasures and to those who heare and reade of their bitter complaints Therefore the light of Righteousnesse hath not shined unto us This is a truth most free from all doubting and exception There be many that will not understand
and art thou moving to it Behold here is thy Viaticum thy provision for the way more costly then that was which Elias had in his passage to mount Horeb. If Christs Garment had such virtue in it that being only to touch'd it could stop an Issue of blood what efficacy what power may we conceive to be in his body when it is received and applyed by the hand of faith But you may say I am unworthy to partake of that divine food neither can I afford or give that reverence unto it which is meet I beseech you deare Brother let us not cover and cloake our sloathfullnesse with a colourable pretence ' of Reverence It is better sayes Aquinas to approach to this banquet out of love then out of a fond feare wholly to abstaine from it Part. 3.2.80 Art 10 and 3. St. Amb. expounds that Petition of the Lords Prayer Give us this day our daily Bread lib. 5 de Sac. c. 4. to be meant of the Supper of our Lord If it be daily Bread why receivest thou it but once a yeare Receive that daily which being received will profit thee So live that thou maist be fitted to receive it daily for he that is not fitted to receive it every day is unworthy to receive it after a yeares space when he has taken a surfeit in sinn and wickednesse lib 4. de Sac. c. 6. For as St. Amb. in another place if as often as the blood of Christ is poured out hee meanes the Wine in the chalice which is a signe of his blood it is poured out for the remission of sins It concerns mee to accept it ever with joy and thankfullnesse and that my sins may be wiped out and pardond I that alwayes wound my soule with sin ought alwayes to apply to those wounds a medicine Gemmadius Massi liensis determines this point well I neither praise nor discommend the Art of those who receive every day the holy Eucharist yet I exhort and perswade all Christians having first subdued their affections and repented heartily of their sins to communicate each Lords Day Hee that comes with a mind not infected with the love of sinne that man comes prepared And who so casts off all affections to his former sinnes that man ceases to hate and begins to love God Surely he is most ungratefull to his maker who for his sake and in obedience to his Command will not throw away and cast out the poyson of every pestilent and foule affection that so he may come prepar'd to the holy Communion with those that will not do this God is highly and deservedly displeased as appeares by that parable of the great man that made a Feast and invited Guests who would not come Luk 14.16 I say unto you said that Mr. of the Family that none of these men shall tast of my supper what Lord not tast of thy Supper why they are those that will not come and tast of it and dost thou Judge this to bee a fit punishment for their obstinate Rebellion so it is Their doome proceeded out of their own mouths They said they will not and God sayes they shall not Thus by their ungodly and rebellious will they shall be punish'd When the City of Samaria was straitned with a sore famine which threatned a generall destruction And Elisha promised that within a few dayes there should be great store and plenty of corne and other provision one of the lords of that City scoffing at his prediction answerd Though the Lord would make windowes in heaven could this thing come to passe to whom Eâ—isha replyed Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but shall not eate thereof It happend to that proud Lord as the Prophet foretold And thus at this day are many puâ—ished They see abundance or good store of this holy bread in the Eucharist but they eat not of it And thou cold Christian whose heart is frozen with hatred and malice ' thou who now contemnest Gods Ordinance thou shalt see the bread upon the Table and the Wine stand by it but God will not give thee grace to drink of this or tast of that Thou shalt see and heare of many who have beene refreshd by this heavenly banquet whilst thou in the meane time art starved and famished Because thou hast excluded thy selfe thou art debarred from comming to Gods Table by which thou mightst have beene plentifully fed and satisfied However it bee thus with the ungodly and wicked yet those that are predestinated to eternall life that are the genuine and true sons of God count it as a marke of Gods high displeasure to want this heavenly bread and therefore they neglect no opportunity omit no occasion whereby they may obtaine and purchase it for they are not Ignorant that the most provident Creatour hath allotted its proper food to every creature as to Eagles birds to Lyons wild beasts to the Horse Oates to an Ox Hay to sheepe Grasse to the Whale fishes to man bread that comes out of the Earth but to those that are his Sons by the grace of Adoption hee hath appointed better food that is bread from Heaven This heavenly bread this bread of Sons this bread of Angells Gods adopted Saints for the most part receive with an ardent desire with most submissive reverence and with that affection which becomes Gods beloved Children who had rather shew themselves to be Gods sons by immodest piety then appeare to bee his Enemies by an impious modesty If to any ones conscience who is in the number of the praedestinate Christ should thus speake by the still voyce of his spirit whilst he is receiving the holy Sacrament Consider seriously with thy most collected thoughts what and how great things I have done and suffered of my meere love to thee to expâ—ate thy sinnes Lift up the Eyes of thy soâ—â—e and behold with good attention the thornes that peirced my head and the many Sorrowes that rent my heart My body was wounded with whips and nails but my soule received its wounds from many great and unsufferable Injuries For thy sake I had almost in the garden selt deaths stroke There the lashes of my inward griefs did anticipate the whipping of Herods Souldiers Thinke not with thy selfe what I suffered from my foes when such heauy strokes were laid on me by my freinds Thou Knowest upon how hard a bed I dyed for thee If thou hads't not find I had not suffered My loue that thou mayst vnderstand the greatnesse of it moued me to undergoe the most bitâ—er and Ignominious death but none could he sound more bitter and Ignominious then that I did sustaine for thee the death of the crosse Behold I I who am the son of God haue died for thee poore sinfull man and if that death had not beene sufficient I would not haue refused to dye a thousand times more to have redeem'd thee from the power of death and Hell But what wilt thou doe
feathery nest This is the constant practise of many voluptuous worldlings I am asham'd to think that this can bee writ or said of Christians who rather should be ashamd to Act what vve blush to speak on write Such like practises are signes and notes of those whom God has ordained to destruction They doe otherwise who are predestinate to life and salvation Witnesse that of St. Luke And it came to passe saith hee that when the people pressed upon him to heare the word of God Cap. 5.1 c. It seems that this religious thirst this holy hunger of hearing the word could not be pent nor kept in the Synagogues or Temple alone nor yet within the Walls of the Citty It brake forth into the vvide and open fields there Christ found Auditors Neither did the men and Women of those times feare the solitary corners of the dark deserts for they ventur'd to go any where and follow their teachers with the hazard of their lives Many amongst us who dwell nere the Church will not do so little as step over their Thresholds not move a foote out of doores to heare those from whose Godly instruction they might reape benefit to their souls and consciences They loath nothing more then the heavenly food and being so near to the Temple if they refuse now to goe to it can we hope that they ever wil doe as the primitive Christians did who many times would loose their Dinners and Suppers to goe into a Wildernesse or some solitary place that so they might gaine the heavenly repast and food for their souls In this sinfull Age of ours there is not such a want of Preachers as hearers these are scarse the other abound with us We have an hundred excuses to palliate our absence from the Church wee bolster our neglect of Gods service with worldly pleasures and some are not wanting among us who therefore refuse to come to Gods house the Church fearing least by the loud voyce of the Minister thundring out Gods Judgements against mens sinns their consciences should be awaked out of the deep sleep of Security in which for a long time they have been lull'd for he that is conscious to himself of any foul sin and wickednesse feares even himself who is his owne Accuser Judge and executioner The tribunal of his own conscience is as terrible unto him as the Bench and Iudge upon it is to a guilty Prisoner Hieremy once made great lamentation for the sinns of Hierusatem and said That even the wayes that lead to Sion lamented because the solemn Feast was neglected The wayes to our Churches may as well now mourn because the By-paths that leade to Taverns are worne with throngs of Drunkards who sit laughing and quaffing there when they should be singing in Gods house with the Congregation We see not that concourse of people pressing to heare Gods Law read and preached they come not with that alacrity to this as they do to see a Play or shew or to gaze at a Wedding passing through the street If there be a faire at the next Market Town they flock together and run to it But Gods Messengers and Ministers if they be not mock'd and flouted their words are slighted their Doctrine little estemed for which God complains in his word 2. Chr. 36. It is not to be denyed That there be many who come to Church and heare Sermons but this with grief wee may say and must confesse that there be few who desire from their heart to goe away betterd from the Sermon and reformed in their conversation They have eares but want hands they heare and do not They goe home not one jot the better for what they have heard There be some that come to heare to satisfie their curiosity some to weare away the time others to obey custome A sort of men there is who frequent the Church to inform their understanding not to reforme their lives to get learning and knowledg not piety and Religion There be others that come to see to feed their eyes vvith the aspect of those beauties vvhich they cannot find in other places Another sort come to be seene and with fleshly enticements to allure mens eyes to gaze upon them There are that entertain the words of the Preacher with detraction and derision others come to pratle some to sleep or if they keep their eyes open their eares are shut and dull'd with the presse of worldly thoughts and cares There be a few and those good hearers who come with a mind prepared to receive wholesom admonitions and draw near to the Preacher for no other end but only that they may return better by his Sermon The end of their hearing is not to wrangle or dispute as they do in the Schooles but to win others to Christ by a Godly example in their lives They heare with both eares fast tyed to the Preacher and slak not in their attention til the Sermon be done at which time they find in themselves ever some change and alteration They are more enflamed with the love of God and moved to an hatred of sin There is none of so feirce a nature and disposition who will not be tam'd and brought to a gentle and mild temper if he refuse not instruction but lend patiently an eare to the Counsell of a Wise monitour And Christs sheep as they may be discernd many wayes and by divers marks from the Goates so they are discernable by this they have an eare-mark which discovers them they heare the word of God with greedinesse and practise it in their lives with a constant and universall obedience Those that are predestinate to salvation know fulwell what St. Aug. truly averreth That he is no lesse guilty that heares the word of God negligently then he that should take the consecrated Bread in the Sacrament and in a scornful disdain trample it under his feet Therefore he that speaketh to us out of the puspit is not so much to be respected as he who dictates to the Minister and suggests vvhat he shall speak What am I sayes St. Aug. but the basket of that heavenly Sower who poures into me what I sow or deliver unto you Attend not the vilenes of the Basket but the excellency of the seed and the power of the sower from whom the seed has its efficacy and vertue to spring up in your hearts and to shew it self in your Godly and Religious practises A Christian is ever learning and never stands still but goes on from one degree of knowledg and grace to another he delights to fit at the feet of his Lord and Master and with Mary to heare his word with that attentive heed so that neither houshold employments not a Brother nor Sisters murmuring nor any entreaty of his friends shall be able to draw him from the presence of Christ speaking unto him by the voyce of his Ministers Lastly we must consider that it is a note of our Election not only
of God and men and art most distastfull to the blessed Angels Thou art made up of Dust and Clay thou Son of Adam thou art compounded of corruption and yet thou castest forth the stench of Lucifers pride which will bring thee to speedy destruction If not only the sweet smell of the Cypresse but also its height and tallness be pleasing to thee if thou desirest to climb upon the staires of fortune Go Ascend but when thou art mounted on high let me give thee this caveat Despise none but thy selfe the subject of sin and the object of misery It argues a brave and noble spirit to be on high yet not to be advanced with an overweening conceit of that felicity He is the only brave one worthy of Admiration who when he is lift up can depress himselfe by an humble demeanour in his life and reaching Heaven with his faith and other heavenly vertues in his selfe estimation and lowly opinion of his owne parts creeps as low as earth and would fall lower to do God or his friend any service Saint Bern. saith that Humility is an individuall companion of Gods Grace which Humility has in it a kind of Sublimity it will not stoop to the bait of honour and preferment and never growes insolent by any acquired glory It is no great matter to be humble in an abject or mean condition Humility in honour is a great and rare vertue proper only to a Saint Heare ye this O ye Kings and. Princes and Potentates of the Earth and heare this all ye that are â—earn'd and proud ye that have riches and despise others Humility in honour is a great Vertue And this is the property of true humility by how much holier a man is even in the judgement of God to seeme more vile in his owne eyes and to judge himself the more wicked Abraham the freind of God most commended for his faith and holiness Gen. 18. yet seemes to himselfe but Dust and Ashes St. Peter who was eminent in graces confesses himselfe to be a finfull man nay the greatest of sinners St Paul a chosen vessell and the prince of the Apostles termes he not himselfe an Abortive a thing borne out of due time and unworthy to be called an Apostle To speak truly there is no better and easier way to be exalted then first to be cast downe and in a meane estimation of himselfe to be humbled Pride is the ruine and death of all vertues the downfall of men and Angels O God what a change once was there betweene Heaven and Earth The most beautifull Angell of all was thrown downe from Heaven and a poor most miserable Begger was carried by the Angells thither For from whence proud Lucifer fell thither did Lazarus poore humble Lazarus ascend whom we beleeve to have rather numbred his vlcers to have counted his boiles and botches rather this then to have cast up or made any Account of his vertues And I doubt not but that out of a Genuine contempt of himself his patience seem'd more glorious in others eyes then his owne Wittily well said he who affirmd that little was his strength who thought he was strong at all And no strength at all has he who thinks he has much to this purpose saith St. Bern. thus ' All things are wanting to him who conceives that he wants nothing We may adde that those men have no little or right to Heaven and belong not unto God who are pleasd with nothing but their owne gifts who are most proud Censors of other mens lives and partiall Iudges of their owne they are deceiv'd in other mens matters and bleare-ey'd in their owne assuming a voluntary and pleasing blindness Woe be to these selfe flatteries They will heare one day that heavy sentence Goe ye Cursed c Heaven admits of no such Peacocks who have long Tailes but shorter Crests great and swelling conceits of their owne doings but a bad opinion of other mens Those that are predestinate to eternall life censure no mens lives so rigidly as their owne and condemne themselves more often then they do others They are indulgent to all men never to themselves and are most severe in correcting their owne manners Wretched men that we are we are but Dust and as it were a shadow that departeth passing every moment to the region of darkness the Grave the mansion of the dead yet out of a vaine ostentation we run over our pedigrees we number up the names of our Progenitors as if they are the better men who reckon up most Ancestors Man is like to vanity sayes the Prophet David His dayes pass like a shadow c. Wheresoever we turne our eyes there we may behold matter of Griefe and teares if we look upward to Heaven there we shall see our Country afar off but our selves driven and banish'd from it Looke we downward to the earth there we shall see a Pit which the Earth threatns unto us when we are dead and though we now tread upon it with our feet yet after a little while our lofty heads shall be laid low in it Look we upon our selves we may behold a faire red Apple like that of Sodom in which notwithstanding its beauty there lurks a worme which in time will eat and consume that Apple at the heart filth and rottenness and Death it selfe harbours even in our very bowells Look we into our hearts do we unbowell our consciences there we shall find Cages of Vncleanness and dunghills of Impurity a nest of Snakes Toads and Vipers Alas we abound in sin and infirmities and yet we are not vile to our selves We are overwhelmed with miseries beset with folly and ignorance and yet we desire to seeme happy wise and searn'd and to be pointed at with the finger as if we were most eminent These considerations of our sinfull frailty beget in the elect a meane esteem of themselves and the more they consider their miseries the more humble are they and vile in their owne eyes And all things appeare unto them as they did to St. Paul Drosse and Dung because they themselves are so and worse in their owne opinion They easily despise all earthly things who have learn'd above all things to contemn themselves And whosoever desires to be happy let him inure himself to be contemn'd and learne to contemne all things but God and goodness which only is to be prizd and esteem'd in Gods Saints who have studyed and practised that excellent saying of St. Chrys It is as great a thing to think the most meanely of thy selfe Hom. 3. in Mat. as to do and Act the greatest things that may be Gods elect Children obey his voyce that said He that will be great among you shall be lesse in the Kingdome of heaven and whether he shall come there it is a question it is a place only for the humble and meek The way of humility they likewise know to be rough and ruggy and not easy at
of nature impose upon us a taske which may be done with more facility Forgive ye shal be forgiven Thus Christ againe Our Answer is this we cannot and that you may know we cannot know that we will not bridle our Anger with the curbe of Reason we will not hold in our Teeth nor containe our hand And who can command his thoughts we are therefore resolv'd to meditate and practise revenge If you forgive men their sins your heavenly Father will also forgive you your trespasses This is Christs loving and sweet admonition to us but we ungodly miscreants make ansvver to this vve would vvillingly dye so that vve might first see our enemies perish O my Christian Brethren do you hate Heaven so that you vvill vvith a speedy course post to Hell have you banish'd that Petition in the Lords Prayer out of your thoughts Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us From this you may inferre that either your enemies are to be loved or that you cast a snare upon your selves as oft as you put up this request to God As vve forgive others so Lord do thou forgive us But we forgive nothing out of an implacable hatred to mens persons vve are ever forvvard to punish and revenge the least affront or hurt vve receive from them Therefore O Lord forgive us nothing but punish so oft as vve offend This is the language of our Esawes the Reprobate not of Gods elect ones vvho although they receive never so great hurt and dammage from their enemies yet they are ready to call to God and say vvith their Saviour Father forgive them c. And Lord lay not this sin to their charge I forgive all I remit all and vvill revenge none This is the voyce of Iacob of one ordain'd to life and salvation But before I put a period to this discourse I must entreat all those who shall peruse this and not love their enemies to tell me ingeniously whether they beseeve these things to be true Certainly they vvill ansvver affirmatively unless they can imagine that Christ vvill deceive us or that Truth it selfe can lye If then these things be true nay most true what wicked contumacy then are they guilty of vvho out of an obstinate spirit make a mock at Gods word and contemne his commands Christ calls and commands Love not only your friends but also your very enemies if they have vvrong'd you pardon and remit al their injuries Christ may command yet you are stifly resolv'd to hate and persecute not to pardon your enemies and detractors What is God and Christ is Heaven and happines of so little vvorth in your esteeme that the promise of so great a revvard cannot vvrest and extort from your tongues and hearts this one vvord I forgive I remit and the Lord pardon that man his sin whosoever he be that has done me any wrong What for all this which has bin delivered do ye stand yet as stocks without sense and voice without any motion or inclination to forgive and pardon Does your Iron brest yet breath Reveng Doe ye yet cry the Devill or the Gallowes take him that has wrong'd mee Doe ye still wish mischief to him do you still hate your enemy And will not ye hearken to Christ listen to what he commands If you are fully minded not to cast out this poyson enjoy your malice but let me tell you for a certaine doe what you will take what course you please you are in the road vvay to hell and out of that vvhich leads to Heaven Faith and loye lead to this malice and hatred to that For most true is that saying of a learned and devout Author He that ceases not to hate his enemy cannot love God SYMBOLVM IX Dilectio inimicorum Noli vinci a malo sed vince in bono malum ad Rom. 12. Embleme X. Detestation of Sins past I will come vnto thee quickly remoue thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent Rou 2. v. 5 The tenth signe IS A detestation and loathing of our former sins The emblem of which he makes Whips and scourges to shew that vvhen vve truly hate our sins vve subdue them and our lust by chastising our selves Ps 69.10 as David did with fasting and religious duties Vnder that Emblem vve have these vvords APOC. 2. I Will come quickly and unless thou repentest I will remove thy Candlestick from thee ST Augustine covnts it an abominable vvickednes for a man to record his former sins and to glory in them with a certaine joy and delight when as he should rather greive for them and use the best meanes to release his soule from their power and his conscience from the guilt of them Lib. 5. de lib. arb For as the same St. Aug. truly affirmes He that beates his breast out of a seeming sorrow for his offence and does not correct his ill life and manners that man rather hardens his heart then removes his sins David mourning for his transgressions sayes thus of himself Psalm 51. My sins is ever before mee and therefore he entreats God so earnestly to create in him a cleane heart and to renew a right spirit within him Happy and blessed are those men who so lament and with a generous hatred so detest their sins that they grieve for this because they can grieve no more nor so much as they should and are therefore sorrovvfull for that they sorrovv less then they ought or vvould And truly this sorrow which is according to God 2 Cor. 7. or Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of i. e. stable and firme which is to be noted with an attentive consideration For many recover and obtaine salvation by their Repentance but not a firme and stable salvation They relapss into sin againe and so lose their former joy and comfort Therefore Christ expresly commands us in St. Luke Lu. 13 not to let our Repentance slip when we have attain'd to it but to keep and preserve it unless ye have repentance ye shall all likewise perish For we must not do with our repentance as we do with money which is borrowed for a sett and certaine time this we must returne but that we must not part with when once we have gotten it into our possession Not unfitly said Aquinas True and serious repentance Part. 3. c. Que. 48. Art 8. does not only expiate and blot out our sins past but also preserves us from sin to come That man hath not repentance who hath not a firme purpose never to commit his former impieties Christ when he had cured the man sick of a Palsy comanded him to take up his Bed walke Io 5. Mar. 2 which the poore man did Thus ought we to do we must take up our Beds remove out of our soules all vitious habits so shall we walke more nimbly and with freer spirits in the path of Gods commandements
sentenc'd to that place of torments and by vertue of thy merit my nature was sanctified my vvill changed But if it were so as indeed it cannot be that I must choose one of these two either to be happy that thy just will should be frustrated or damned that it might be executed and fullfil'd I proclaime and pronounce to the praise of thy Justice that it were better for me to be damned that so thy will o God may be in me ratified But o eternall goodness I know am perswaded that thou willest not my death because thou therefore vvould'st have thy Son die upon the Cross that I might not dye an eternall death which is a perpetuall banishment from thee the fountaine of all bliss Wherefore I beseech thee deare Father by the merits of the bitter death of thy Son preserve me from the bands of eternall death Behold the wounds behold that blood that precious blood which was shed for me and by which thy Iustice was satisfied who would'st not spare thy Son that I thy poore servant might be redeem'd from destruction O King immortall and of eternall glory do with me novv what thou pleasest and so sanctifie my vvill that it may yeeld it selfe to be govern'd by thee in all things The Issues of thy will shall be sweet and pleasant to me Whatsoever thou willest most gladly will I doe Psal 106. My heart is ready O God my heart is ready Such servants the great Lord of heaven does love who observe their Masters nod with so vigilant an eye that the will of their Lord is their Law and rule by which their lives and Actions are regulated who likewise can with cheer fullness say It is the Lord let him do what he pleases There is nothing better then to feare God nothing sweeter then to take heed to the Commandements of the Lord. Eccl. 23. God delights in those servants who observe his precepts and keepe his commands with all care and diligence Who are ready at his beck to obey and bow when he would have them bend who likewise though most afflicted can in one day cheerefully even a thousand and more times cry and say with heart and voyce God's will be done and let him doe whatsoever he pleases Thus whatsoever these good men will God wills the same for they most constantly and reselutely will not that which they know God wills not but hate and abhorre it By this meanes such holy minded men obtaine what ever they desire because they desire nothing else but this that they may conforme themselves wholly and onely to Gods good will and pleasure They know how true that is which St. Hierome once said when he writ to Paula concerning the death of Blaesilla God is good and all that a good God doth must needs be good Neither doe men who are well minded who have good and holy wills account any thing evill which comes from a good God Are they in health They give thanks for this to their maker Are they rich even in this they acknowledge the vvill of their Lord and praise their loving Father Are they bereav'd of their deare friends by death They lament and bewaile their loss but because they know this to be the good pleasure of their Lord they sustaine and suffer it with a joyfull mind and are contented Is their onely son taken from them This is hard but to be endured because he is taken away by that God from whom he was sent or rather lent Does poverty which is a sore burden lye hard upon them or sickness which is heavier then that does contumely or contempt afflict their patient soules doe whole troopes of Injuries provoke their spirits for all this and in these great extremities they suffer no other speeches to fall from their Tongues but this What the Lord hath pleased so hath he done and it is well done God be praised God be Blessed for it With such sanctified and reformed wills ever subjected to Gods the righteous are settled and staied as it were with an Anchor in the mid'st of many Tempests Stormes and Changes which shake the minds of those that are not built upon Christ who is a strong foundation But the godly relying upon Christ his all sufficient merits and throwing themselves upon God by an entire subjection to his vvord by suffering vvhat he vvills and doing vvhat he commands standing in this holy posture of their soules they expect their last houre the houre of their change and think every misfortune and calamity short and little that shall be seconded vvith an happy state and condition which shall be eternall and never have end SYMBOLVM XI Voluntatis in bonum propensio Inclinaui cor meum ad faciendas justificationes tuas in aeternum propter retributionem Psal 118. Embleme XII Moderation of our passions Thy desire shall be subiect to thine husband and hee shall rule over thee Genesis 3.16 The twelfth signe IS The moderation of our affections set out by a vvell-tuned Lute The vvord or motto annexed to it GEN. 3.16 Thy desire shall be subjest to thine Husband and he shall rule over thee i.e. The sensitive appetite shall be subject to the command of Reason THey that be Christs have crucified their flesh with the vices and lusts thereof Gal. â— So sayes St. Paul Elegantly Saint Bern. commenting upon Christs words inviting us to come unto him He that will come after me let him deny himselfe It is sayes hee as if Christ had said He that desires to enjoy mee let him despise himselfe and he that would do my will must learn to forsake and break his owne We may be wearied in the fight but after victory we shall be crown'd And this is the way to gaine life to die daily to our selves and to mortifie our affections where and in whom they live there reason is dead And therefore holy David prai'd thus unto the Lord. Psal 119. Open mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy law As if he should have said I know o Lord that in thy law are hid and conteined great and sublime mysteries but I am a poore sinfull man cumbred and pressed vvith the burthen of my flesh subject to divers affections and lusts neither am I Ignorant how great is their power and strength they molest my thoughts and blind my understanding Doe thou therefore of thy goodness open my eyes and dispell the mist of error which is spread in my foule by meanes of my affections Concerning these raging passions Seneca sayes not amiss Ep. 85. et 116. It is far more easy to stop their beginnings then to master or rule their violence for as the body that is cast down headlong from an high Tovver has no command of it selfe nor power to resist or stay its selfe before it falls to the ground even so the mind if it has thrown itselfe upon any base passion if it hath yeelded it selfe captive to any untamed