fight with an armie and overcome and kill at one time 185000. as in the case of the Assyrian army If then an Angell can doe these things what can the LORD of Angels doe Certainly he which made all things of nothing can againe reduce all things to nothing A mans mind also by the Art of painting and graving with labour and industry can make mens counterfeits and represent them so to the life that they may be thought to live and breath the Angels without labour hands or instruments in a moment of time can so apt and fit to themselves a body out of the elements that by wisemen it shal be conceived to be a humane body that shall walke speake eate drinke be touched felt and washed So Abraham prepared meat for the Angels and washed their feet and his nephew Lot received Angels as pilgrimes into his house and the Angel Raphael accompanied young Tobias many dayes walking speaking eating and drinking as if he had beene a true and reall man yet he being to leave him said I seemed to eate and drinke with you but I did neither eate nor drinke but you did see a vision and presently vanisht out of their sight Certainely it is a great and admirable power to assume a body presently which shall seeme to differ nothâ—ng from a humane and living body and to dissolve it at pleasure as sodainely so that no signe of it shall remaine Now if the power of Angels be so great and wonderfull how great is the power of the Creator of Angels who hath given this and what power he pleaseth As the knowledge of Angels and men being compared with the knowledge of GOD is but ignorance and as the righteousnesse of Angels and men compared with the righteousnesse of GOD is unrighteousnesse so all the power of Angels and men compared with the power of GOD is weaknesse and therefore GOD is truely called onely wise onely good and onely mighty 4. Lastly if we consider the place of Angels and the place of men we shall finde also in this respect that man or the soule of man is not onely little lesse but much lesse the Angels For GOD hath given to the soule of man a place in earth but to the Angels a place in heaven in his owne Palace All the whole heavens are the Lords the earth hath he given to the sons of men Hence it is that our Saviour calleth them the Angels of heaven and in anothâ—r place Joy shal be in heaven for one sinner that converteth and a little after There is joy in the presence of the Angels of GOD for one sinner that converteth Againe GOD hath so bound the soule to the body as that without the one the other cannot move but GOD hath not tyed the Angels to any body but hath given them power to passe from heaven to earth and from the earth to heaven whensoever they will and that speedily so that an Angel bâ— the dignity of his nature being neerest to GOD by his subtility also after a sort imitateth the omnipresence of GOD. For GOD is alwaies every where by the immensity of his nature neither needs hee change of place seeing he is every where and an Angell by the swiftnesse of his motion so easily passeth from place to place and exhibits his presence so easily to all places that in a manner he seemes to be every where If then thou wilt give eare to the LORD of Angels there will be no cause why thou shouldst envie the Angels or their high place or swift motion for not onely thy soule when it shal be loosened from thy body shall be equall with them but also when thy soule shall returne to thy body which Christ shall fashion like to his glorious body with that body thou shalt possesse heaven as thy proper mansion and that body being made a spirituall body it shal be there continually without labour and wearinesse where thy soule will and commands it Thy Lord God will not faile thee in his promise In my Fathers house are many mansions and I goe to prepare a place for you and I will that they be with me where I am c. but where Christ is and what body he hath we know for we confesse every day and say the third day he arose from the dead and ascended into heaven and we know also that his body after his resurrection used to enter to his Disciples the doores being shut and when he left them it was not by walking away but vanishing that is he conveighed his body with so speedy motion from place to place as if he had bin a spirit and not a body But if thou aspire to that place it is necessary that thou first conforme thy selfe to him here thy body to the body of Christs humility and so it will come to passe that Christ will fashion thy body like to his glorious body Againe thou must follow his footsteps for Christ suffered for you leaving you an eâ—sample that you should follow his steps and what are they St. Peter answers in the next verses That did no sinne neither was there any guile found in his mouth Who when he was reviled reviled not againe when he suffered he threatned not These are the two steps to tract him by from which if thou errest thou hast lost thy way and shalt never come to thy Countrey 1 Thou must doe no evill but suffer and 2dly Thou must doe good and expect none here againe and which is the summe of all thou must love thy neighbour for Gods sake with the true and pure love of amity and not of concupiscence freely not for the retribution of man being contented with Gods recompence which exceedeth all proportion and measure 2 We come now to speake of the dignity of Angels according to grace And in this respect it may be truly also said that God made man little lesse and more then little lesse then the Angels For in the beginning GOD so created every Angell that together with their nature he infused grace as St. Augustine testifies Sooneafter they which cleaved to GOD by love were crowned with glory and blessednesse and they which rebelled and were reprobate fell Therefore their pilgrimage must needs be short and their mansion everlasting if we may call that short distance betweene their creaation and blessednesse a pilgrimage We men in our creation received also grace with our nature but it was in our first parent not in our selves and therefore he falling we all fell In whom all men have sinned as St. Paul saith although by the Mediator of GOD and Man CHRIST IESUS we are reconciled to GOD yet we are condemned to a long banishment and while we are in this body we wander from God for we walke by Faith and not by sight and that which much grieveth good men and those who desire their Countrey is that in the meane time they
in making or changing ' dissolving or preserving them I will consider the heavens saith the Psasmist even the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordayned For those transcendent workes hath the moâ—â— highest reserved to himselfe he began to lay the foundation and he hath brought the fabrique to perfection As also spirituall things Angels and the soules of men which are the most noble and sublime workes of all other the most high GOD by his power onely hath crâ—ated prâ—serveth and so will for ever neither hath any creature hand or part in making of them nor though all the creatures should joyne together could they â—ither make or destroy one Angell or one soule 2. Secondly the altitude of the divine power is most perspicuously seene in Gods miracles which as St. Augustine saith are workes beyond the ordinary course and order of nature and doe amaze men and Angels to behold as when at the command of Josue the Sun and Moone which are carried by most swift motion stood still And least we should conceive that this hapned by any chance or that so unusuall a thing should be done by any mortall the holy Ghost saith That the LORD heard the voyce of a man Neither indeed did Iosue properly speake to the Sun and Moone who he knew could not heare his command but he spake to the LORD as if he should say by the commandement of the LORD Sun stay thou in Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Ajalon And the LORD heard the voyce of a man that is he brought to passe that these great lights obeyed the voyce of a man for GOD oftimes in Scripture is said to doe those things for whose sake they are done as in Genesis GOD said to Abraham Now I know that thou fearest the Lord the meaning of these words being Now I have brought it to passe that it may be knowne that thou truly fearest the Lord. Such another worke declaring the height of the divine power was at the passion of our Saviour when the Moone being in a great distance from the Sun with a most swift course came to be in conjunction with it and for three houres space made darknesse on the earth and after those three houres returned as swiftly to the place from whence it came all which St. Dionysius the Areopagite testified that he observed in an Epistle to St. Polycarpus This though it were a miracle contrary to the former yet no lâ—sse wonderfull seeing it is alike new and unusuall for the Moon to stand still as to exceed its bounds beyond custome To omit the restoring sight to the blind and life to the dead and many other acts and miracles of the like nature which GOD doth and hath done by his Prophets Apostles and faithfull servants all which cry Who is like unto thee ô LORD among the Gods But I cannot let passe the most supreme and highest miracle which GOD will shew in the last day when all the dead shall rise againe together of which many of their bodies have been reduced to ashes and scattered or consumed and devoured by beasts and changed into other bodies 〈◊〉 buried in fields and gardens and transformed into diverse herbs Which of the Angels will not be amazed when in the twinkling of an eye at the command of the Almighty so many myriads of men shall resume their bodies although they have bin buried scattered or devoured many ages before This is therefore the altitude or height of Gods omnipotence in regard of which we may likewise say Quis similis tibi in fortibus Domine Who is like unto thee ô Lord among the Gods It remaines that we speake of the depth of Gods power which as I conceive consists in the meanes or manner he useth in making things for who can dive or wade into the meanes of making something of nothing they could never pierce into the depth of it who resolved it for a certaine and true principle that of nothing comes nothing And we our selveâ— beleeve what we see not in this point but we securely beleeve GOD who caennot lye We beleeve I say that the heaven and earth and all things in them were created by GOD himselfe when there was nothing before to make them of neither could it be truely said that GOD made all things if there had bin any thing before of which they had bin made but how they could be so made there being nothing before to make them of is a most deepe abysse which we can neither search into nor finde out 2. Againe as GOD made all things of nothing so he made them also in nothing that is without a space preceding or a place where to bestow what he made which especially in corporall things can hardly be understood Take away distances spaces of places saith St. Augustine from bodies and they wil be no where and if they will be no where they will not be at all Well then if there were nothing no place before GOD created heaven and earth where did GOD place heaven and earth certainly in nothing they could not be placed and yet they were created and were themselves a place to themselves because he so would and could which can doe all things although we cannot understand how they could bee done And to this GOD had an eye when holy Job desirous to declare his omnipotence said in the person of GOD Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth declare if thou hast understanding Who hath layd out the measures thereof if thou knowest or who hath stretched the line over it Whereupon are the foundations thereof set or who layd the corner stone thereof And that we might understand that these workes of the Lord were most worthy of all praise he addeth in the next verse When the Starres of the morning praised me together and all the children of GOD rejoyced that is the holy Angels who were created at the same time with heaven and earth and are as it were spirituâ—ll Starres and most bright and may be called the children of GOD as soone as they perceived the heavens and earth to proceed from nothing and placed in nothing yet most surely founded upon their owne stability they I say with wonderfull astonishment and joy magnified the omnipotence of the Creator 3. Nor is it lesse deep to be understood that GOD by the onely command of His will should erect such immense heapeâ— or piles for we know by expâ—rience that in buildings without all comparison farre lesse what instruments what engines what laborâ—rs workemen need who can then apprehend how it came to passe that by his onely internall will which went not out of the willer so many immense and severall workes were performed GOD said that is with himselfe for the word of GOD is in GOD and is GOD himselfe by commanding and expressing the command of his will Let the
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
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
If a Man had seene not onely with the eyes of his body but of his heart enlightned by GOD the rich Glutton clothed in silke and purple sitting at a Table furnished with all kinds of delicates many wayters attending him and withall had seene poore Lazarus halfe naked full of sores lying at the rich mans gate desiring to be fitted with the crummes that fell from his Table â—ee had seene the rich man whom the World accounted most happy to seeme most abominable in the sight of GOD and his Angels and as vile as the mud and dung of the earth and poore Lazarus to seeme noble and honourable For the first as hated by GOD was hurried by the Devills into hell and the last as beloved of GOD was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome But what doe we speake of Lazarus None was ever in higher account with GOD then our Lord Jesus Christ even according to his humanity and yet none ever so humble as he truely reported of himselfe Learne of me that am meeke and lowly in heart For by how much the clearer his most holy soule knew above all others the infinite height of the divinity by so much the more he knew the basenesse of the creature made of nothing and therefore while he was a creature above all others he became subject to GOD and exalted him and therefore also is he exalted above all creatures by GOD. The like we might say of the blessed Angels and holy Saints for there are none more humble then they which are high in the heavens because the neerer they are to GOD the more clearely they see and perceive by how much the greatnesse of the Creator is in distance from the exiguity of the creature Wherefore love humility if thou desire to be exalted Imitate the Lambe without spot and imitate the holy Saints and Angels who as they excell in height excell in humility And not onely doth GOD possesse the highest seat because he judgeth all men but because he excells all in quiet and makes those to be quiet in whom he rests and fits Gods highest seat is his supreme rest for although he governeth the universe wherein are continuall warres and conflicts of elements men and beasts yet he governeth peaceably and quietly nor is there any thing that can disturb his quiet or his contemplation of himselfe wherein consists his everlasting delight Gods proper seat is the blessed spirits upon which it is said by the Psalmist He sitteth betweene the Cherubims and in Samuel the LORD of hosts who dwelleth betweene the Cherubims and GOD is said rather to dwell or sit betweene the Cherubims then the Seraphims because the Cherubims signifie multitude of knowledge and Seraphim the heate of charity now rest followes wisedome and care and anxiety accompany love and charity unlesse it be joyned with wisedome Lastly where Esay saith Heaven is my seat and David The Lords throne is in heaven and all the heaven of heavens are the Lords by the heaven of heavens are understood the spirituall heavens the blessed spirits which dwell in the corporall heavens as S. Augustine expounds that place These heavens saith he GOD causeth to be quiet so admirably that this is the peace which passeth all understanding St. Bernard compares it to a King who being tyred as it were with hearing of causes retyres himselfe and takes his ease and quiet with his familiar servants And therefore by this we may perceive that GOD sheweth himselfe not a Iudge or a Lord to the spirits of the blessed but a familiar friend And certainly it is no small familiarity which GOD shewes to pure minds in this life so that this saying is verified My delight is to be with the children of men Hence it is that the Saints though they sufferd pressures in the World yet in their hearts where GOD is they had peace and therefore ever seemed joyfull and serene and so were For the Truth had told them Your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you The fourth and last part of the greatnes of Gods Essence is the depth and this is manifold 1. First the divinity it selfe is most deep in him because it is not superficiall or sleight but most full most solid The Deity is not a gilded masse which hath onely gold upon the superficiâ—s or outward part and brasse or wood within but as a whole masse of gold great and immense or rather as a mine of gold so deep that by digging it can never be exhausted nor the bottome be discovered so God of whose greatnesse there is no end is altogether so incomprehensible that by a created mind it can never be so well knowne but that it may be ever more and more understood and it is onely God himselfe which can comprehend this infinite depth because he onely hath the infinite power of understanding 2. Againe God is deep in respect of place for as he is most high because he presides and governs all things and is above all so is he most deep because he is under all things to uphold them Bearing up all things by his mighty word saith the Apostle And therefore he is as it were the foundation and roofe of a building In whom we live and move have our being In that regard most truly said Solomon The heavens and the heavens of heavens are not able to containe thee because God doth rather contain the heavens and the things under heaven as being above the heavens and beneath the earth 3. Lastly the profundity of God is his invisibility For God is light but inaccessible he is truth but most inward He made darknes his secret place saith David and verily thou ô God hidest thy selfe saith Esay St. Augustine sometime inquiring after GOD sent his messengers his eyes from earth to heaven and all things answered them that they were not that he sought for but it is he that hath made us and not finding him by outward things he tooke his search by inward and soon understood truly that by them he might sooner approach to God for he knew the soule to be better then the body and the inward sense to be farre better then the outward and the understanding which is more inward to be better then the inward sense and thence gathered that God who was more inward then the understanding was better then it and that by all this that we understand or thinke it was not God but something lesse then God because God is better then we can understand or conceive Well then if the soule be better then the body to which the soule gives life because that is a body and the soule a spirit and if the eye of the body cannot see the soule because that is without and this within think also that thy God is better then thy soule because he gives it understanding and is as it were thy soule and
mind of Man can hardly imagine or conceive it Well then if the World be so great what is he which made it Certainely he is great and there is no end of his greatnesse The prophet Esay speaketh metaphorically of him when he saith That he measureth the waters in the hollow of his hand and meateth all the Heavens with a span But King Solomon more expressely and punctually Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot containe thee which is therefore true becauâ—e if another or many more worlds were created GOD would fill them all which we are not to understand as that by his so fitting the world part of GOD would be in part of the world and wholly in all the world for GOD hath no parts but is whole in all the world and whole in every part of the world and therefore is everywhere present by his power and wisedome Wherefore if thou beest faithfull to him whosoever be against thee feare nothing for what shouldst thou be afraid of having so great a GOD to thy Father and friend but if thou by falling from him hast made him thine enemy and Judge then thou hast just cause to feare and to give no rest to thine eyes till thou hast by true repentance appeased him The next thing considerable in this Great World is the multitude of things created in it which are so many that who can tell them Who can number the sands of the Sea and the drops of raine as it is in the place before cited But to omit them as the least of things created Within the earth how many mines are there of gold and silver of lead brasse tinne and the like what number of pretious stones and pearles Above the earth how many kinds species and individualls of herbs fruits and plants and how many parts in each of them and how many kinds species and individualls of perfect and imperfect living creatures foure footed beasts creeping and flying creatures In the Sea how many kinds species and individualls of fishes who can number them What shall we say of the multitude of Mankinde of which it is written He blesseth them so that they multiply exceedingly Lastly how many starres in Heaven of which it is said by GOD Number the Starres if thou canst tell them and which he parallels in another place with the sands of the Sea And how many Angels of whom Daniel writeth Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before GOD. This infinite number of things therefore created by one Almighty GOD plainly demonstrates that in his divine essence are perfections altogether infinite For GOD would be knowne his creatures and because not any one creature was able to represent the infinite perfection of the Creator therefore he multiplied them and gave to each kind of them some goodnesse or perfection that thereby Man might judge of the goodnesse and perfection of the Creator who comprehendeth infinite perfections under the perfection of one most simple essence not altogether unlike a piece of gold which contayneth the value of many brasse pieces of coyne When therefore any thing which seemes admirable shall come to thy mind let it be a Degree or Step to thee for the knowing of the perfection of thy Maker who without any comparison at all is much greater and more to be admired so it shall come to passe that these created things which as Wisedome teacheth are stumbling blocks to the soules of Men and snares for the feet of the unwise shall not deceive thee nor deject but instruct thee and make an ascent for thee to better things Therefore if thou meet with gold jewells or the like thou must say in thine heart My GOD is more precious who hath promised to give himselfe to me if I contemne those things If thou admire the dignitie of earthly Empires and honours thou maist say in thine heart how much more excellent is the Kingdome of Heaven which endures for ever and which GOD who cannot lie hath promised to them that love him If pleasures and delights begin to tickle thy carnall sense thou maist say in thine heart much more delightfull is the pleasure of the spirit then of the flesh and of the minde then the belly the last whereof the mortall creature offereth but the former the GOD of all comfort gives of which whosoever tasteth may say with the Apostle I am filled with comfort and am exceeding joyous in all my tribulation Lastly if any thing faire new unusuall great or wonderfull be offered to thy view and for thy acceptance so thou wilt depart from thy GOD answer securely there are many more good and fairer things without question to be found in thy GOD and therefore it will not be safe or profitable for thee to change gold for copper coyne pretious jewels for brittle glasse great things for small certaine for doubtfull and everlasting for those which be transitory But though the multitude of things created be admirable and argues the manifold perfection of one GOD yet much more admirable is the variety of things which is seene in this multiplication and doth more easily bring us to the knowledge of GOD. For it is no hard but an easie matter with one seale to make many figures alike nor with one â—ast Letter to Print many Letters but to vary the formes in infinite manner as GOD did in the Creation this is a work meerly divine and most worthy our admiration To omit the kinds and species of things which we plainely see to be very different and of much variety In the individualls of herbs plants flowers and fruits what variety is there their shapes colours smells and tastes doe they not differ infinitely Is not the like seene in living creatures But what shall I say of men when in a numberlesse army almost not two men are to be found in all respects alike and the like may be said of the Starres One Starre differs from another in glory saith the Apostle Lift then up thy mind to GOD in whom onely are the reasons of all things and from whom as from a fountaine of infinite plenty and fertilitie springs this almost infinite variety Worthily therefore doth the same Apostle cry out O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God But thou wilt say these things seeme to be true the good things created we see with our eyes touch with our hands â—ast with our mouthes we possesse and enjoy them really GOD we see not touch tast nor possesse and searce apprehend him in our imagination as a thing farre remote from us and therefore no mervaile if these things take us sooner and with more delight then GOD But if Faith have any vigor or be vigâ—lant in thee thou canst not deny that after this life which flyes away as a shadow if thou continue in Faith Hope and Charity thou shalt see GOD himselfe truly and
instruct many men in the way of righteousnesse These also are very acceptable and pleasing to Almighty GOD according to the saying of the wisedome of GOD. He that shall observe and teach them shal be called great in the Kingdome of Heaven Jewels and pretious stones are the workes of a chaste soule of which it is said in Ecclesiasticus There is no weight to be compared to a continent or chaste minde And how this pure Virginity pleaseth GOD we may understand by that which Esay speaketh of Eunuchs upon which place St. Augustine speaking doth so commend Virginity in men and women that he made a long Oration upon it And these be the three workes to which are given great rewards and to their possessors or workers namely Martyrs Doctors and Virgins To Martyrs for the excellencie of their love Greater love then this hath no man when any man bestoweth his life sor his friends To Doctors for the eminencie of their wisedome of whom Daniel saith They that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for ever and ever To Virgins for the inestimable and incomparable worth of their puritie for whose sake the Virgin harpers in the Revelation sung a new song which none could sing but they These are they which are not defiled with Women for they are Virgins these follow the Lamâ— whither soever he goeth And not onely the love of Martyrs the wisedome of Doctors or purity of Virgins shall be tryed in the fire of Gods judgement and receive their full reward but all other good workes also so they be done in faith and love and shal be reputed among the golden vessels and be tryed by that fire and receive their reward for to those also Christ shall say at the day of judgement Come ye blessed of my Father take the inheritance of the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the World even to them which gave bread to the hungry drinke to the thirsty lodging to the stranger apparell to the naked and comfort to the sicke or captive Nay our Saviour hath promised a reward to those who shall give but a cup of cold water to any in the name of a disciple in love Thou mayest by this easily understand what difference there is betweene one worke and another and what is more foolish more miserable then in the same place and time wherein if thou beest wise thou mayst get gold silver and pretious jewels thou hadst rather and that with no small labour gather dry wood straw and stubble O that thou wouldst be wiâ—e and understand and provide for the last day when all these things shall be examined and tryed by the fire of Gods judgement when the former shal be commended and crowned and the latter burnt and turned into smoke and ashes Why dost thou now choose that which without all doubt will cause thee to repent that ever thou didst choose it and why dost thou not reject that which with thy advantage thou mayst now cast off when a while hence thou shalt without thy profit nay to thy great disadvantage be forced to condemne If perhaps thou dost not now perceive this because the veylâ— of things present hangs over thine eyes so that thou canst not discerne the pure and cleare truth pray then to God and with earnest affection with the blind man in the Gospell say Lord grant that I may see that I may receive my sight or with the Prophet David Open mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things of thy Law For certainly it is almost a miracle that workes done in love should become gold silver and precious stones and that they which are not done in love should be converted into dry and seare wood straw and stubble Now come wee to consider the other property of fire Hitherto wee have onely learned from the nature of that Element what God worketh in those which depart this world with good workes or end their dayes with evill Now by another similitude drawne from the same fire wee may understand what God worketh with those whom he calleth from sinne to repentance A sinner is compared to Iron which when it is farre from the fire is blacke cold hard and heavy but being put into the fire it is made cleare hot soft and light Every Sinner wanteth his inward light and walketh in darknesse and in this respect may be well resembled to the blacknesse of Iron for though in the knowledge and commerce with men he may seeme to bee wise and of great judgement yet in discerning the true good and evill he is blind and more miserable then any blind man For a blind man seeth nothing and therfore stirreth not nor is moved without a guide but a Sinner thinketh hee seeth that which he seeth not or taketh one thing for another and judgeth good evill and evill good great to be little and little to be great long to be short and short to bel ong and therfore is ever deceived in his choyce And this is it which the Apostle speaketh of in the idolatrous Gentiles Having their understanding darkned through that ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heart This is that also which our Saviour in the Gospell so often upbraideth the Scribes and Pharisees withall that they were blind leaders of the blind The Prophet Esay also speaking to the Iewes of his time saith Heare you deafe and looke ye blind that ye may see And a little before in the same Chapter prophecying to them of the comming of Christ who should open the eyes of the blind and speaking of the new Testament in the person of God saith I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not and lead them by pathes that they have not knowne I will make darknesse light before them c. Lastly doe not the wicked themselves confesse as much after this life when paine shall begin to open their eyes which sinne had closed Therefore have wee erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnes hath not shined unto us and the Sun of understanding rose not upon us Nor is it a wonder that they should be blind who are averse from God in will and mind For God is light and in him is no darknesse saith St. Iohn Whereupon the same Apostle concludeth that He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse And a little after He that hateth his brother is in darknes and walketh in darknes and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes Neither is it the onely cause that sinners are in darknesse because they are averse from God who is the light but because also their owne wickednes hath blinded them as the Wise-man speaketh For the passions of the mind hatred anger envy and the like which are comprehended under the name
more Gods mercy appeared to him by removing the plagues the more he was animated to despise him But whensoever it pleaseth GOD to kindle a sparkle of the true fire of His love in a heart though never so hard presently it growes soft and melteth like waxe nor doth it any way resist the power of it but is of a stony become a heart of flesh and the breath of Gods spirit thawes the congealed snow therof into water We have an example in the Gospell of that woman who being a notorious sinner in the City could not be perswaded either by the admonition of her brother or the chiding of her sister or the honour of her family or her owne disgrace to amend her life yet one of the beames of our Saviour pierced so deepe into her heart and kindled a sparkle of his divine love there so that she was sodainely transformed as it were into another woman insomuch as she being of a noble stocke was not ashamed at a publique feast to fall downe at Christs feet and being wholly turned into tears of them made a bath for his feet and with her owne haire in stead of Linnen wiped them and moved with the vehemencie of that love kissed them and annointed them with a most costly oyntment signifying by these her acts of Repentance that from thenceforth she purposed wholly to devote her selfe to his service and therefore shee worthily heard that comfortable speech of our Saviour Many sins are forgiven her for she loved much And these effects hath the power of divine fire wrought which no hardnes of heart can resist The last property of fire is that it maketh Iron light which formerly was heavy And it is the chief cause that men which are not heated and inflamâ—d with divine love are heavy in heart and to such the Kingly Prophet thus speaketh after some translations Vsquequo gravi corde How long will ye be heavy in heart loving vanity and seeking after lyes and the Wiseman saith the corruptible or earthly body weigheth downe the soule And in Ecclesiasticus A heavy yoake is upon the sons of Adam Which heavy yoake he afterwards explaines to be wrath envy feare trouble and unquietnes and the like which are usually stiled the passions of the mind These doe so loade and burden a man that he looks upon nothing but the earth to which hee cleaveth and can neither rise to seeke God nor to run the way of his commandements But as soone as this divine fire begins to inflame the heart of man those passions forthwith decrease and are mortified and that heavy burthen is made light so that hee is able to saâ— with the Apostle Our conversation is in Heaven and with an enlarged heart to say with King David I will runne the way of thy Commandements when thou hast set my heart at liberty Certainely after our Saviour had said I am come to put fire on the earth w see how light many 〈◊〉 became by casting off the affections and desire of honour flesh and riches insomuch as they cryed with the spouse in the Canticles Draw me we will run after thee O blessed fire which enlightens but consumes not and consumes the ill humour onely if it consume but kills not Who will give me this correcting fire 1. that will take away the blacknesse of ignorance and purge the darkenesse of my conscience with the light of true wisedome 2. That will change the coldnesse of my sloth into the heate of devotion and of my negligence into the fervencie of love 3. Which will never suffer my heart to be hardned but keep it soft with its heate and make it obedient and devâ—ut 4. Which will lastly remove and take away the heavy yoke of earthly cares and will so lift up my heart with the wings of contemplation which nourisheth and increaseth love that I may say with the Psalmist Comfort the soule of thy servant for unto thee ô LORD doe I lift up my soule DEGREE VII By the Conâ—ideration of Heaven that is of the Sun Moone and Starres IT will be no hard taske out of the consideration of Heaven to erect one step for our ascent to GOD for the Kingly Prophet hath done it to our hands The Heavens saith he declare the glory of GOD and the firmament sheweth his handie-worke Now forasmuch as there are two times wherein we should ascend to GOD by the wings of contemplation namely the day and night of the former of them the same Prophet saith in the same Psalme In the Sun hath he placed his Tabernacle according to some translations or as others In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun which cometh forth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber and rejoyceth as a Giant to run his course His going forth is from the end of Heaven and runneth about to the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heate thereof Of the latter he writes in another Psalme I will consider the Heavens the worke of thy hands the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained We will begin with the first Of the Sun which is seene by day the Psalmist in the former mentioned place sets down foure severall prayses or commendations 1. That it is the Tabernacle of GOD. 2. That it is most beautifull 3. That it ever runnes most speedily and without wearinesse 4. That by enlightning and heating it chiefly manifests its power In regard of all which qualities the Sonne of Syrach calls it A merveilous vessell the worke of the most High 1. First therefore GOD the creator of all things according to the old translation of St. Jerom hath placed his Tabernacle in the Sun as in a most noble thing to reside in that is he hath chosen the Sun among all corporeall things as a royall palace or divine sanctuarie to dwell in for though GOD fill Heaven and Earth and the Heaven of Heavens cannot containe him yet he is said to dwell more there where he hath manifested the greatest signes of his presence by working wonders But because in the originall it is said In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun that is in Heaven we may gather out of this place in the Pâ—alme another excellencie of the Sun not contradicting or opposing the former The Sun is a great thing for whom GOD hath prepared a large faire and noble palace for as he would have heaven to be the palace of the Sun wherein he might freely walke and worke so hee would have the Sun to be his owne palace So that as we may apprehend the greatnesse and excellencie of the Sun by this that the heaven is its tabernacle so may we conceive the greatnesse and excellencie of GOD in that the Sun an admirable vessell and then which nothing corporeall is more wonderfull is his tabernacle 2. Secondly the Psalmist to denote unto us the great beauty of
as speedily as she comes to the conjunction of the Sun as speedily departs from it but if thou beest wise and hast obtayned grace forsake it not depart not from it for thou shalt finde nothing better in any place neither dost thou know whether if thou voluntarily leave it thou shalt have it againe For he that hath promised pardon to the repentant and grace to converts hath not promised longer life nor the guift of repentance to thee Therefore in Gods name turne thy backe to the earth and looke upon thy Sun rest in him delight in him and continue in him say with St. Peter It is good for us to be here and with the blessed Martyr Ignatius It is better for me to live with Christ then to be a King upon earth and esteeme not nor regard what they which savour of the earth thinke of thee for it is not he which the world condementh but whom GOD commnedeth that shall be approved in the end 2. There is another custome of the Moone which GOD also observes with his elect The Moone rules the night as the Sun doth the day as Moses and David speake but the Sun enlightens the world with his splendâ—r all the day and the Moone shines sometime with a greater sometime with a lesser light and sometimes not at all in the night So GOD by his perpetuall brightnesse illustrates the Sun Angels and soules of the blessed to whom he is a perpetuall day for there shal be no night to them there but in this night of our pilgrimage and banishment wherein we walke by Faith and not by sight and we apply our selves onely to the Scriptures as unto a light that shineth in a darke place GOD as the Moone by courses visits us by enlightning our hearts and sometime leaves us in the darknesse of desolation Yet ought we not to be too much afflicted if at any time we enjoy not the light of comfort nor to be too much overjoyed if after a time we be refreshed with that comfortable light for GOD in this night of the world doth not carry himselfe towards us as the Sun but as the Moone for he not onely in these times appeareth as in the full Moone of comfort and sometime in the wayne of discomfort to us imperfect creatures but he hath formerly done so too St. Paul a vessell of election who was taken up into the third Heaven and heard words which cannot be spoken which are not possible for man to utter yet he could say sometime I am filled with comfort otherwhile he could complaine and lament his case I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captive unto the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death and againe We would not have you ignorant of our affliction how we were pressed out of measure passing strength so that we doubted even of life And this is it which S. Chrysostome notes to us that GOD usually dealeth thus with his Saints suffering them neither to be alwaies pressed with tribulation nor lifted up with pleasure but to weave into their lives sometime adversity and at other times prosperity as it were with an admirable variety And so much for the Moone Now follow the Starres as the other ornaments of heaven of which the Son of Syrach speaking saith that they are the beauty of heaven the glory of the Starres yet addes as some translate it GOD in the highest enlightning the World and at whose commandement they stand in their order for whatsoever order or comelinesse is in the Starres or in the Sun or Moone they have it wholly from the Father of lights and neither is it the Sun by day or the Moone or Starres by night which give light to the world but it is GOD who dwelling in the highest enlightens the World by the Sun Moone and Starres for it is he of whom it is said When he sendeth out light it goeth and when he calleth it againe it obeyeth him with feare And the Starres shine in their watch and rejoyce When he calleth them they say Here we be and so with cheerefulnesse they shew light unto him that made them In which words are expressed the infinite power of GOD who with such incredible dexterity and facility in a moment createth adorneth and sets to worke so vast and beautifull bodies for vocare with us is â—reare with GOD for he calls those things which are not and by his calling makes them be that they are and that the Starres should say Here we be is no more then that they are ready to be and worke at the voyce of his command But this is most to be admired in the Starres that whereas they are moved most swiftly and never give over that swift motion and that some of them runne in their Orbe more stoutly others more speedily yet still they observe their own manner and proportion in time with one another that thereby they may make a sweet harmoniacall concent And this is not a concent of voyces or sounds which may be heard by bodily eares but of proportions in the motions of the Starres which is perceived by the earâ— of the heart for all the Starres of the firmament with the same swiftnesse runne about the whole compasse of heaven in 24. houres but the seaven Starres which we call planets or wandring Starres are moved some by swifter some by slowâ—r motions Ascend then a little higher if thou canst and from the great splender of the Sun the beauty of the Moone the multitudâ— and varietie of other lights from the admirable conâ—â—â—â— of the heavens from the most pleasant and harmoniacall courses of the Starres gather and conceive what a delight and happinesse it wil be to see GOD above the heaven that Sun which inhabiteth inaccessible light to behold the quire and orders of many thousands of Angels who garnish the heaven of heavens in greater number and shine more bright then all the Starres to see the soules of holy men added to the Quire of Angels and mingled as planets with the Starres of the firmament and how joyfull a thing it will be to heare the songs of praises and that exâ—llent Alleluâ—a resounded by musicall voyces in the streets of that City and by that it will come to passe that neither the beauty of heaven shall see me great to thee and the things which are under heaven thou shalt account small and almost nothing at all and therefore to be 〈◊〉 and dâ—spised DEGREE VIII By the Consideration of the reasonable soule of MAN HItherto we have passed through things corporall to the ascent to GOD and now we have found that the soules of men excell all corporall things in dignity betweene which and GOD we meet with no medium but the Hierarchies and orders of Angels Mans soule hath such
and in what state it shal be found at the departure from the body in the same it shal be judged either to raigne eternally with GOD or everlastingly to be tormented with the Devill nothing ought to be more carefull to thee then to flye sinne and follow that which is good Take heed therefore that to the losse of body and soule thou beest not seduced by the enticements and allurements of the flesh but erucifie it with the desires and concupiscences of it that hereafter not onely thy soule may live in blessednesse but thy body may rise in glory and remaine together in eternity with God But although the soules of the blessed and of the holy Angels shall be partakers of that most sublime and happy union with GOD by his beatificall vision and love which union not onely shall have no end but shall ever stand firme and unmoveable yet the thoughts and affections may change and alter diverse waies and therefore they shall admire and behold above them the eternity of God in whom there shall bee no change of minde will or place and yet nothing shal be wanting to him but shall possesse all things ever which he might have gotten to himselfe by diverse alterations from eternity Wherefore to conclude this point the length of Gods eternity is an infinite thing and no lesse proper and agreeable to him then the bredth of his immensitie The height of Gods Essence comes next to our consideration in respect whereof it is said of GOD Thou onely art the most highest And GOD is onely the highest by the dignity of his nature 1. For things the more pure and more abstract from matter are ever the more noble and higher This we see first in corporall things water is more higher then earth because more pure and by the same reason ayre is higher then water because more pure and the fire then the ayre and heaven then fire Againe we see it in spirituall things the understanding is higher then sence because the sence hath a corporall Organ which the understanding needs not and the Angelicast understanding is higher then mans because a man hath need of the office of imagination and phantasies which an Angell need not and among the Angels they are highest who understand most things by fewest species GOD therefore who onely is pure act and wants nothing without himselfe neither Organ nor imagination nor species nor so much as the presence of any object without himselfe but his owne Essence is all things to him and can have nothing that he had not in act and for him to have in act is to be alwaies pure act and uncompound therefore I say is his nature the most transcendent highest and sublime neither can it by any meanes be equall'd Hee then which said I will be like the most high was suddenly thrust downe to hell and as our Saviour saith I saw Satanfall downe from heaven like lightning 2. Secondly GOD is most high in another respect because he is the 1 first highest efficient 2 exemplary and 3 finall cause of all things 1. He is the first highest efficient cause because there is no created thing which hath any power of making but that which it hath received from GOD but GOD hath that power from none 2. Againe there is no cause which can exercise its power unlesse it be moved by GOD but GOD is moved of none 3. Lastly those are called higher causes amongst created things upon which particular causes depend and which are universall as the heavens and Angels which move the heavens but GOD made both heaven and Angels And therefore he is the onely first and most highest efficient cause 2 He is also the first exemplary cause because he made all things according to the formes and idea's which he hath in himselfe 3 Lastly he is the first finall cause because he created all things for himselfe that is to manifest his glory as the wiseman speaketh But it is very properly said that GOD is the most highest because he sitteth in the highest throne I saw saith Esay the LORD sitting upon a high throne and lifted up Now because sitting or seates have two uses one for judicature and the other for peaceable governing we will consider them apart 1. GOD hath the highest seat because hee is supreme Judge for Abraham said to GOD Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right and David He is a Iudge among the Gods that is GOD judgeth even Iudges themselves who in Scripture are called Gods but St. Iaemes most plainely There is one Lawgiver and Iudge that is GOD is properly the onely Lawgiver and Iudge and GOD is Iudge himselfe saith David againe GOD is the Iudge and Esay The LORD is our Iudge the LORD is our Lawgiver he onely gives Laws to all men and receives of none he judgeth all men and is judged of none 2. Againe GOD is not onely a Iudge but is also a King and in this regard judgeth not as a Iudge appointed by the King but as King and chiefe Prince of which he is stiled King of Kings and a great King above all Gods and he is terrible to the Kings of the earth because that when he pleaseth he translateth Kingdomes and Empires from one Nation to another and when he pleaseth he taketh away the spirit of Princes 3 Lastly GOD is not onely the supreme Iudge and King but is absolute Lord which is the greatest title of all GOD is properly and truly stiled LORD for all things serve him and he none and can if he will reduce all things to noâ—hing because he made all things of nothing Consider then what feare what reverence is due by us wormes of the earth to him who sits upon so high a seate as that he hath nothing above him If I be LORD saith GOD by Malachie where is my feare And if those supreme Princes of heaven doe stand by him with such feare and trembling what ought we to doe who are mortall and fraile and dwell upon the earth with beasts But this seemeth strange that the highest GOD loves not creatures like to himselfe that is high and sublime but humble and poore for so GOD speakes by the Prophet Esay To him will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words and King David Though the LORD be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly And yet I will not say but GOD loveth high things and in this respect like to himselfe so they be truly high not which seeme so and are not and therefore it is that GOD loveth not the proud who are lifted and puffed up and are not to be called sublime but he loveth the humble and those which tremble at his words because that they the more they abase and deject themselves are the more exalted by him and they which are exalted by him are truly high
eternall life is by poverty rather then by abundance Our heavenly Master doth not deceive us when he saith Verily I say unto you that a rich man can hardly enter into the Kingdome of heaven and againe Blessed be ye poore for yours is the Kingdome of GOD and Wâ—e unto you rich for you have received your consolation nor doth the Apostle deceive us when he saith They that wil be rich fall into tentations and snares and into many foolish and noy some lusts which drâ—wne men in perdition and destruction and that which Christ and the Apostles taught in word they confirmed by example Our Saviour said of himselfe The foxes have holes and the birds of heaven have nests but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head and the Apostle of himselfe and his fellow Apostles saith Vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffetted and have no certaine dwelling place and it is not to be doubted but that the wisedome of GOD and of his Son and the Disciples of wisedome chose the most plaine and safe way to life eternall But because the number of fooles is infinite few there are that willingly choose this way and most men decline it asmuch as they may 4. The last thing considerable in the length of the divine wisedome is that as GOD is eternall himselfe so hath he endued every thing with a most lively instinct of defending and preserving their owne lives as long as they can We see that when men are in danger of death how they bestirre themselves and spare neither cost nor labour to preserve their lives We see beasts to save theirlives how they fight beyond their strength with beasts farre stronger then themselves we see a burning candle when it is neere extinguishing and almost spent how it will raise it selfe twice or thrice and send forth a great flame as it were to wrastle with that which would put it out we see sometimes droppes of raine or water to hang from a penthouse or a stone and reduce themselves into an orbe and as long as they can to keepe themselves from loosening and perishing by dropping downe Wee see heavy things ascend and light against nature to descend least there should be a vacuum and that being disjoyned from other things they cannot subsist But more wonderfull it is that GOD hath endued parents with such vehement affection in the propagating of the like and defending their issue that may seeme almost incredible We see the hen a weake and infirme creature to fight most eagerly against Kites Dogs and Foxes to preserve her chickens but what paines and labour doe women willingly endure in bearing and breeding their infants is obvious to every one And the cause of all this is the connsaile of the wisedome of GOD who to cherish this propagation as a shadow of eternity hath imprinted this most vehement and ardent love in all creatures bruit and wilde towards their issue for whereas there are many creatures to whose destruction all men give their minds either for private pleasure and profit as Hares Bores Harts Quarles Partridges Phesants and all kinds of Fish or for the common good as wolves Foxes Serpents and many other noysome creatures it had not beene but that long agoe many species of creatures had beene utterly destroyed if the wisedome of GOD had not provided for their preservation by this affection Now if there be naturally such an inbred love in all living creatures towards this short and carefull life what love ought we to have to the life eternall O the blindnes and foolishnesse of mankind I all things labour beyond their strength for this most short life being but a shadow of eternity and Man endued with reason vouchsafeth not to labour I will not say beyond his strength but with all his power for the true eternity of a most happy life all things by a naturall instinct abhorre the temporary death and avoyd and shunne it above all evill and Man reasonable Man instructed by divine Faith neither feares nor shunnes eternall death at least not so much as hee useth to shunne and feare temporary evills Truly therefore was it said The number of fooles is infinite and most truly said the Truth it selfe The gate is streight and the way narrow that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it The altitude of height or Gods practicall wisedome is seene in the worke of Redemption I was not satisfied saith St. Augustine with thy wonderfull sweetnesse when I considered the height of thy Counsell for the salvation of mankind And truly it was a most high Counsaile by the ignominy of the Crosse to repayre all the losses which the craft of the Devill by the offence of the first Man brought to mankind and so to repaire them that the worke repayred was farre more faire then when it began to need reparation Foure especiall evills sprang up by the sinne of the first Man 1. The injury to GOD by the pride and disobedience of Adam 2. The punishment of him and allmankinde namely the privation of Gods grace and everlasting blessednesse 3. The sorrow of the Angels who were much displeased at the injury done to GOD and the misery which befell to men 4. The ioy of the Devill and all malignant spirits who rejoyced that man was overcome and destroyed by him All these evills the wisedome of GOD by the mystery of the Crosse converted into greater good O happy offence which deserved such and so great a Redeemer Certainely if any by his skill and labour should so amend a garment which by some mischance came to be rent and torne that it become more neate and pretious we would say it was a happy rent which gave occasion to such an amendment and bettering The first Man by the craft and envy of the Devill being lifted and puffed up with pride affected a likenesse to GOD and being disobedient to his maker fell from his first happinesse for robbing GOD after a fort of the honour due unto him But the second Adam CHRIST JESUS who is the wisedome of GOD humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death and restored more honour to GOD then the first Adam by his pride and disobedience tooke away for Adam was a pure Man and if he had obeyed GOD he had obeyed him in a most easie matter And what had it beene to have abstained from the fruit of one forbidden tree when there was abundance of excellent trees besides and therefore the sinne was the more heynous by how much the easilier the command might have beene obeyed being a matter of no labour or difficulty But CHRIST was GOD and Man and humbled himselfe to obey his Father in a thing of all things the greatest and most laborious and painefull in the death of the Crosse full of paine and ignominie Againe if we consider the eminencie of the person and the depth of his humility and
all away and that it is sometimes mercy not to remove misery that a place may be prepared for greater mercy The Apostle prayed three times to have the prieke of the flesh taken from him but was not heard because Gods power might be shewne in weaknesse GOD tooke not away from Lazarus the misery of poverty and sores that with the greater mercy he might be carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome and where would there need the worke of mercy from the rich if there were not poore hungry thirsty naked sicke pilgrimes and prisoners upon whom they should be exercised and if there were no tentations of the Devill where should be the reward for them which withstand them if labours and sorrowes were not where would be the crowne of patience and if no persecutors what would become of the crowne of Martyrdome and therfore in this pilgrimage both of these sayings may be true that the Earth is full of miseries because even sinnes themselves are miseries and great ones and the earth is full of the Mercy of the LORD because conversion of sinners and many almost infinite spirituall and temporall blessings of GOD what are they but continuall and great mercies of the LORD our Creator Let us then give thankes to our good GOD for his mercies in that as our tribulations increase in this our pilgrimage so our comfort increaseth by his mercy to us Thy mercy reacheth to the heavens saith the Psalmist to GOD because there shall be mercy without misery and because mercy shall take away all misery altogether Now the longitude or length of Gods mercy is his long suffering or patience which the Scripture useth to joyne with mercy as a part or species of it for so speaketh the Psalmist The LORD is full of compassion and mercy long suffering and of great goodnesse And indeed the long suffering or patience of our most mercifull LORD is very admirable such as we cannot finde either in masters towards their servants or in parents towards their children though both sorts of them be men 1. And first GOD is long suffering towards sinners expecting them with incredible patience sometimes from their childhood to the extremity of old age bearing the breaking of his Law and the tearing of his name and in the meane time doing them good from heaven giving them raine and fruitfull seasons replenishing them with food and their hearts with gladnesse as the Apostle speaketh And where will you finde among men either a master or a parent so gentle and facile who if he perceive himselfe to be sleighted or abused by his servant or son and that they persevere long in this obstinacie at the last doe not turne them out of dorâ—s But the mercy of the LORD is not overcome by the wickednes of men but it dealeth patiently with them not desiring that any should perish but all men to come to repentance and even making as though he saw not their sinnes because they should amend 2. Againe his patience is seen more in that many sinners by his grace are drawne out of the lake of misery and the mire of dregges and of children of darknesse are made sons of light and from the guilt of eternall death to the adoption of the sons of GOD and called to the hope of the Kingdome of heaven and though they relapse often to their former filthinesse and ingratitude yet are they not forsaken by the long suffering of GOD but are lovingly expected and invited to repentance and if they shall heartily repent at any time they are received to a kisse of peace and attonement and restored to former favour as the prodigallson was of a most mercifull Father It was not without cause that St. Peter demaunding of our Saviour how often he should forgive his brother sinning against him was thus answered by him I say not unto thee unto seaven times but unto 70. times seaven times for he would have us do the same which he himselfe doth in pardoning sinners And he hath set no bounds to his reconciliation but onely the end of our life for as long as we live if it be to 100. yeares or upward yet wee are received at any time before death by a most loving Father if after many relapses we seriously repent there is no repentance comes too late if it be serious and from a heart truely contrite and humble to receive mercy from GOD. But yet no man ought therefore to abuse the lenity and goodnesse of GOD and deâ—erre his repentance from day to day seeing no man knowes what houre or day the soule will leave the body and appeare before the Tribunall of a most lust ludge but rather all men should be invited and allured to repentance by this so great and incredible goodnesse of GOD For if GOD be so gracious towards sinners often relapsing how great will his favour be to those who after they have once tasted of it can never be drawne to be separated from it notwithstanding any tentations beating against them 3. There is also another admirable patience and long suffering of GOD which he useth in tollerating the offences of godly men for GOD of his goodnesse hath made us of enemies his friends sons of servants and heires of his Kingdome being guilty of eternall death and yet such is our ingratitude that we daily render evill for good for if the Apostle said In many things we offend all what may wee say who stand in so farre a distance from the Apostles perfection for wee talke with GOD in our prayers and presently we are distracted by our imagination with other thoughts and as it were turne our backs to GOD What Master would suffer his servants standing before him and speaking to him to turne to his fellow servants as it were in contempt of him and to talke with them What shall I say of idle words of vaine thoughts of unfruitfull workes of excesse in diet sleepe apparrell and play of our negligence and loose cariage in our holy service to GOD of our omission of brotherly correction and of innumerable other offences wherein wee daily offend and yet our GOD is good and gracious and of great mercy to all them that call upon him he beares with this rudenesse and incivility and as I may so speake this foolishnesse of his children which certainely men would not indure at the hands of men for he knoweth whereof we are made and deales with us as a mother with her little childe whom she cherisheth and nourisheth though perhaps it strike her Yet though GOD beare with many of our offences here because they doe not so breake the bonds of his love as to deprive us of the right of our inheritance yet they shall not goe unpunished in the day of judgement when we shall give an account of every idle word unlesse we shall in the meane time wash them away by teares of repentance But to end