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
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
hast thou receivest from him if what thou hopest thou hopest from him Why boastest thou not of such a Father Why dost thou not love him with all thy heart why dost thou not contemne all things in respect of him but sufferest thy selfe to be overswayed with vaine desires and delights Lift up thine eyes to him feare not what any mortall creaâ—ure can doe to thee Say with David I am thine save me Certainly if thou wouldst but seriously consider how gracious GOD is to thee in that he who needs none of thy goods neither if thou perish doth he lose any thing hath his eye of providence still and continually over thee yea so loveth directeth and cherisheth thee as if thou wert his greatest treasure thou wouldst be moved with these his extraordinary favours and put thy whole confidence in him thou wouldst feare him as thy Lord love him as thy Father and loath those things which should divert thee from his love The second quaere is Of what matter was Man created The resolution is easie even of that which is most vile and contemptible and by how much the â—aser the better occasion is ministred to every one of us to labour for that most pretious and profitable vertue of humility And doubtlesse the matter of which the prime part of Man the soule was made was nothing and what can be imagined or thought to be of lesse esteeme then nothing Now what was the first materiall to the making of the body but menstruous blood a thing so loathsome as that the eye flies the sight of it the hand the touching of it and the mind abhorres to thinke of it Thirdly the matter whereof the first Man Adam was made was but red and barren earth or dust or mud Out of the earth wast thou taken saith GOD to Adam because thou art dust and to dust thou shalt returne Which caused Abraham remembring the vile materialls he was made of to say to GOD I am but dust and ashes And yet we have not said all which may be spoken concerning the vilenes of these materialls For the earth or dust it selfe of which his body was created came not from any matter but of nothing also For in the beginning GOD createâ— heaven and earth and surely he created them not of any otheâ— heaven and earth but even oâ— nothing So that this proud thing Man whether you consider soule or body coming from nothing in the end must be reduced to nothing What then hath he to boast of but that which he hath received from GOD. Other things as the workes of artificers vessels of gold and the like if they had sense might boast and expostulate with their workemen in this manner It is true lowe to thee for my form but not for my materialls and that which I had of my selfe before thou tookest me in hand is farre more pretious then that which I received from thee But Man that hath nothing of himselfe and is altogether nothing of himselfe can glory in nor of nothing And therefore St. Paul saith What hast thou that thou hast not received If thou hast received it why boastest thou as though thou hadst not received it and If any man seeme to himselfe that he is somewhat when he is nothing he deceiveth himselfe in his imagination To which St. Cyprian agreeth when he saith we ought to boast of nothing when there is nothing that we may call ours But thou wilt say men doe many excellent things for which they are worthily commended that according to the proverb virtus laudata crescat goodnes having due praise may increase It is true Men doe many good workes for which they may deservedly be praysed and of which they may boast but with this limitation that they rejoyce in the Lord and not in themselves as it is written He that rejoyceth let him rejoyce in the Lord. For let me aske these questions When a Man doth any good worke of what matter by what power by whose aid and direction doth he it surely oâ— the matter which GOD created by that power and strength which GOD gave him and lastly by GODS direction and assistance without which hee could doe no good thing For GOD doth many good things in Man without Man but Man doth no good but that which GOD giveth him power to do And therefore he vouchsafeth to use the Ministery and service of Man in doing good which of himselfe he could do without Man that thereby he might acknowledge himselfe the greater debtor to GOD and not by growing proud to rob God of his honour Therefore if thou be wise in the good thou dost give to thy selfe the last place steale not Gods glory from him neither in little or much enter into thine heart and consider well that nothing of thine which is onely and all that thou hast and all the World shall not be able to puffe thee up And because this pretious vertue of true humility was almost clean gone out of the World and was neither to be found in the Books of Philosophers or in the lives either of the Gentiles or Jewes it pleased the Mr. of Humility himselfe to descend from Heaven Who when he was in the form of God equall to the Father made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a servant and humbled himselfe c. saying to mankind Learne of me that am meeke and lowly of heart and ye shall finde rest to your soules So that if thou perhaps art ashamed to imitate the humility of Men be not ashamed to follow the humility of CHRIST Who resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble The third question followes now to be answered that is What forme was given to Man at his creation Surely by how much the viler the matter was of which he was made by so much the forme is found to be the more excellent To omit the out ward shape of the body which yet may justly challenge eminencie above the shapes of all other creatures for this is not the substantiall but the accidentall forme The substantiall forme therefore of a MAN which makes him to be a MAN and distinguisheth him from other creatures is the immortall Soule indued with reason and will the Image of GOD for so we read that GOD said when he would make Man Let us make Man in our Image according to â—ur likenesse and let him rule over the fish of the Sea and over the foule of Heaven and over the â—easts and over all the Earth and over every thing that creepeth and moveth on the Earth Man therefore is the Image of GOD not in respect of his body but of his spirit For GOD is a Spirit not a body And there is the Image of GOD saith St. Basil where that is which commands the other creatures Now Man commands and rules over the beasts not by the members of his body
too fearefull a thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD. It remaines that we speake of the last consideration which is the Beauty of things created of which King David said Thou hast made me glad by thy workes and I will rejoyce in the workes of thine hands And certainely as GOD made all things good so are they all beautifull if they be rightly considered But to omit some consider we those which by the judgement and approbation of all men are beautifull Without doubt great is the beauty of a greene meadow of an orchard well trimmed of pleasant groves of the sea in a calme of the ayre when it is cleare of fountaines rivers cities of the bright Heaven bedeckt with innumerable starres like so many gemmes or jewells How are we taken with the beauty of flowers and fruit-bearing trees with the various shapes of foure-footed beasts with the flying and melody of birds and the playing of fishes what shall we say of the beauty of the Starres of the Moone and especially of the beames of the most cleare and resplendent Sun which by his rising glads the universe and lastly of Men and Women whose shape and beauty doth breed the greatest delight Many have perished by the beauty of Women It hath often hapned that Men otherwise most prudent have been taken with their beauty and on the other side many grave matrons and honourable to have been brought to that madnesse with the love of Mens beauty that they have neglected their estates goods children and parents their lives nay I feare their everlasting happinesse for the fond love of Men. The stories of David Solomon and Sampson are notorious in holy Scripture with others If then such beauty be infused in the Creatures by GOD how wonderfull beauty may we imagine to be in the Creator himselfe no Man can give to another what hee hath not to give and if Men beeing delighted with the forme of the Sunne and Starres thought those lights of Heaven to be Gods yet they should have knowne how much more beautifull Hee is that made them for the first Author of beauty hath made these things saith the Wiseman How much this beauty of GOD may be is not onely knowne certainely by this that the beautie of all the creatures after a more eminent manner is found to bee as it were gathered and compact together in him but also hereby that whereas hee is invisible to us while wee are in this Pilgrimage and may bee knowne onely by us through Faith in the Scriptures and in the glasse of the Creatures yet many holy Men have been so enflamed with His love that some of them have withdrawne themselves into desert and solitarie places wholly to spend their time in contemplating on this beautie and others have willingly opposed their lives to many dangers to come to the sight of this excellent beauty If then this heavenly beautie which as yet cannot perfectly bee seene but onely beleeved and hoped for kindles such a zeale of desire what will it doe when the veyle shall bee removed and that hee shall be seene as Hee is No mervaile then if the Angels and blessed soules ever see the face of the Father without yrkesomenesse or satietie when GOD himselfe beholding his owne beautie from eternity rests and takes delight onely in it Seeke then after this beautie desiring and longing earnestly after it night and day saying with the Kingly Prophet My soul is athirst for God yea even for the living God when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God and with the Apostle We are bold and love rather to remove out of the body and to dwell with the LORD Neither need wee to feare that wee shall be defiled with the ardent love of this beautie for it perfects not infects sanctifies but pollutes not the heart But if thou affectest and desirest the sight of this increate beauty of thy Creator thou must doe that which the same Apostle addes in the same place strive to be acceptable to him If the beauty of GOD please thee thy workes must please him and if thou wilt walke before GOD in the land of the living thou must strive to walke before him uprightly in this pilgrimage and thou must keepe his Image undefiled from staines and spots DEGREE III. By the Consideration of the Earth WE have considered the corporall World in the Vniverse now we will take a view of the particular principall parts of it that we may thereby come as neere as we can to the sight and contemplation of the Creator and first we will begin with the Earth This though it holds the meanest and lowest part and seemes to be lesse then the other elements yet in truth is not lesse but excelleth all the other in dignity and value We read in diverse places of Scripture that GOD made Heaven and Earth as the principall parts of the World the Heaven as a Palace for himselfe and the Angels the Earth as a Palace for Men as it is in the Psalmes All the whole Heavens are the LORDS the Earth hath He given to the children of men And for this cause it is that the Heaven abounds with glittering Stars and the Earth with immense riches of mettalls pretious stones herbes trees living creatures of many kinds whereas the water onely is stored with fish and the ayre and fire are poore and almost empty elements But to let these passe The Earth hath three qualities by the consideration of which the mind if it be not asleepe may with ease ascend to GOD. First the Earth is the surest foundation of the whole World which it we wanted we could neither walke rest worke nor live He hath made the round World so sure saith the Psalmist that it cannot be moved and againe He hath laid the foundations of the Earth that it should never be moved at any time Secondly the Earth is as a good Nurse to Man and other creatures it daily produceth herbs corne fruit grasse and other things of that kinde innumerable for so GOD speaketh Behold I have given â—nto you every herb bearing seed which is upon all the Earth and every tree wherein is the fruit of a tree bearing seed that shal be to you for meate Thirdly it bringeth forth stones and tymber to build and mines of brasse and iron for many uses and gold and silver for money and traffique The first property of the Earth in that it is a place in which our bodies may rest whereas neither in ayre fire or water they cannot is an Embleme of the Creator in whom onely the soule of Man may finde a place of rest Thou ô Lord saith Saint Augustine hast made us for thy selfe and our hearts are not quiet untill they rest in thee If ever any it was King Salomon that found rest in riches Kingdome command and pleasures he was possessed of a most large and peaceable
the LORD praise him and exalt him above all things for eveâ— Seeing then that all things after their manner praise the LORD with what affection oughtst thou to blesse and praise him for all the benefits which thou continually receivest whose hand is continually open to manifest his fatherly and most pure love to thee never ceasing to doe thee good from Heaven but continually providing in most plentifull manner for thee But all this is little in the sight of GOD thy LORD for it is hee which causeth that most noble root of love to sprout out and grow in thee For Love cometh not of the World but of GOD as Saint John speaketh And out of love as out of a Divine and Heavenly plant spring the most faire and sweet smelling flowers of holy thoughts the greene leaves of profitable words to salvation and the fruit of good workes by which GOD is glorified and our neighbours relieved Woe then to those who like foolish beasts covet to be filled with the fruits of the Earth gather them greedily and hide them never thinking of the Author of them nor praising him for them whose soules are like to the Earth which GOD cursed bringing forth onely thornes and thistles for what doe they thinke upon but onely Fornication Adultery Homicide Sacriledge Thefts Treasons and the like what doe they speake but Blasphemies Perjuries Curses Contumelies false Testimonies Lyes and the like which they have learned of their Father the Devill And lastly what fruit bring they forth but those poysonous fruits which as we said they continually thinke and speake of even the workes of the flesh as they are called by the Apostle These are the thornes which first of all pricke them that bring them forth with most sharpe and bitter pricks of feares and cares then they pricke the fame of their neighbours with most grievous and irreparable losse But if thou beest the garden of that Heavenly Husbandman take heed that thornes and briers bee not found in thee and above all things cherish the Tree of love and the Lilly of chastity and the sweet Spikenard of humility and take heed that it never creepe into thee to think that these vertues and plants of grace be of thy selfe and not of GOD neither attribute the preservation and increase of the fruits of good workes to thy selfe but commit them to him and his care placing all thy strength wholly in him The third and last property of the Earth is that in the bowels of it are Mines of gold silver and pretious stones iron brasse and lead Yet we must understand that the Earth produceth not these things of its owne power but by GODS which thing hee himselfe affirmes by the mouth of the Prophet Aggee the Silver is mine and the gold is mine saith the LORD of Hosts O thou lover of mankinde hath it thus pleased thy goodnesse not onely to furnish Man with stones tymber brasse iron lead and other the like necessaries for the building of houses and ships and all other things expedient for his use but to bestow upon him gold silver and jewels for ornament also And if thou givest such things to Pilgrims on Earth oft times thine enemies and blasphemers of thy holy name what wilt thou bestow upon thy beloved who shall blesse thee and raigne with thee in Heaven Thou wilt not give them small pieces of gold or silver nor a few jewels and precious stones but that City of which Saint John speaketh in the Revelation That the building of the wall of it was of Jasper and the Citie was pure gold the foundations of the Citie wall were garnished with all manner of pretious stones and the twelve gates were twelve pearles Yet wee must not conceive that this high Citie Jerusalem the Heavenly was built indeed of gold silver or pearles as is described by Saint Iohn onely we are to know that the holy Spirit useth these speeches for our understanding that apprehend not greater nor better things But without all doubt much more excellent shall that Citie be which is the Citie of the Elect of GOD and â—urpasse in glory all the Cities in this world much more then a golden Citie adorned and beautified with Iewels doth exceed any Countrey Towne made of mud and straw Lift up then the eyes of thy mind to Heaven and consider of what value and estimation the things of Heaven are when as gold silver and jewells which are here so much accounted of are but as dust and straw compared with them and that these things are but corruptible and they incorruptible and eternall But if thou wouldst have them layd up for thee as treasures and become incorruptible in Heaven send them by bills of exchange as it were by the hands of the poore and thou shalt finde and receive them there againe For the truth cannot lye which saith Give to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven and againe Give almes make you bagges which waxe not old a treasure that can never faile in Heaven where no thiefe cometh neither moth corrupteth O the unbeliefe of Men deceitfull and lying Man promiseth ten for a hundred besides the principall and is beleeved and trusted and GOD which cannot lye promiseth to repay one hundred for one and eternall life to boot and the covetous wretch distrusteth and chooseth rather to hide his treasure where moth consumeth and theeves breake through and steale then to lay it up in Heaven where it is subject to no such casualties But tell me ô unhappy Man if these goods which thou hast gotten with much labour and hast kept with no lesse feare be neither stollen by theeves nor corrupted with moth or rust whose shall they be not thine certainly Experience teacheth us that the wealth of the covetous come commonly to prodigall heires which consume them with farre more speed then the covetous Fathers scraped them together yet in the mean time the sin of covetousnes remaineth and shall for ever and the worme of their conscience shall not die and the fire prepared for their reward never goeth out Therefore let the folly of others be thy instruction and give eare to thy Lord and Master preaching to thee Beware of covetousnesse for though a Man have abundance yet his life standeth not in his riches A covetous Man gathers together and keepes it thinking long to possesse it but it hapneth otherwise as it did to the rich man that filled his enlarged barnes in the Gospell and his wealth covetously heaped up begate such a worme as never will dye and kindled such a fire as never wil be quenched O thou unhappy miser wert thou so sollicitous to gather that which should prepare a fire in Hell wherein thou must continually burne Hearken to St. Iames Goe to you rich men weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come upon you Your riches are corrupt and your garments are moth eaten Your
and say to GOD with the Prophet Thou hast beene my helper forsake me not and speake to him not out of custome but heartily againe and againe Thou art my helper and redeemer O LORD make no long tarrying Mans soule hath also a rationall will which not onely can desire good things present particular and corporall such as are proper to beasts to covet but also good things absent generall and spirituall which are demonstrated by faith or reason and indeed GOD himselfe which is the chiefe and infinite good And this is it which makes a Man capable of great vertues especially of love the chiefe of all other and the fâ—â—â—taine from whence all good guists are derived and which joyneth Man to GOD in so strong a tye that GOD shall remaine in him and he in GOD For GOD is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him But if this be so great a happines of the created will how great will that happinesse be with which the uncreated will is replenished The will of God is onely capable of infinite love where with the infinite goodnes of God is worthy to be beloved Neither doth this will want vertues nor hath it need to bee directed by the understanding for Gods will and understanding are both but one as his wisedome and love are one and the same thing in him Besides Mans soule is in a humane body but farre otherwise then the soules of bruire beasts are in their bodies for the soules of bruits are materiall and extended through all parts of their bodies so that part of it is in part and all in the whole body But Mans soule which is an indivisible spirit is after an admirable manner all in the whole and all in every part of the body and whereas it fills the whole body yet it occupies no speciall place in it neither increaseth it as the body encreaseth but only begins to be where formerly it was not and if a member of the body bee cut off or wither the soule is not lessened or made dry by it but leaves to be in that member without any may me or impayring This is a true mirrour of Gods existencie in things created for God is an indivisible spirit yet fills the whole world and all the parts of it nor occupies it any one place alone but is all in the whole world and all in every part of it and when a new Creature is made God begins to bee in it and yet is not moved and when any Creature perisheth or dyeth God dyes not but onely leaves to bee there and yet changeth not his place And therefore in these things God and the soule of man agree but God is much more excellent then the soule for the soule to be in a body to rule and stirre it must of necessity have a forme of a body made for it and to be so joyned to it that of the soule and body a man may bee made God needes not the forme or soule of a world nor that of him and the world one compounded substance should bee made but of his owne immensitie he hath this preheminence to bee every where of his indivisible unitie to bee all every where of his omnipotence to governe move and sustaine all things Againe the soule of man though it bee said to be in the whole body yet properly it is not but in the living or animate parts of it and therfore is not in the humors in the hayre nailes dry or dead members God absolutely is in all things not onely corporall but spirituall nor can it be that there should be any thing in which God is not Lastly it is not a soule but in it's owne body and that a streight and small one wherein all the parts are tyed together for if any part as is said be severed from the other in that part the soule cannot be But God is all in this universe of things though it be great and the parts thereof not tyed or joyned together though they be neere one another and if there were more worlds God would be in them all to which purpose it is said Heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot conteine thee for if there were other heavens and another earth created or more heavens and earths without number God would fill them all and where he were not nothing would be at all Againe mans soule hath in it though obscure the Image of the most holy Trinitie aswell in that it hath a fruitfull memorie power to understand and power to love as also because the mind thereof by understanding formes a certaine word and from the mind and word proceeds love because that which is knowne by the mind and represented by the word is presently as it is good loved and desired by the will But after a much higher and diviner manner God the Father begets God the Word the Father and the Word breath God the Holy Spirit who is the living love and the living fountaine of all chast love And in this respect the mystery of the Trinitâ—e transcends the naturall meanes of knowing nor can a learned Philosopher come to the knowledge of this without a supernaturall light for the soule of man produceth a word and a love which are not substances but accidents and in that regard are not Persons but GOD the Father begets to himselfe the Consubstantiall Word and the Father and the Word breath the Holy Spirit consubstantiall likewise to them both whereby it is that the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost are rightly and worthily called three Persons The soule of Man also produceth a Word which is of no long continuance and the will bringeth forth a love which lasteth not long but GOD the Father begets the eternall Word and the Father and Word breath the eternall Holy Spirit nor can GOD be without his Word and Spirit Againe Mans soule by one word represents but one thing and therefore multiplyeth words not onely of the mind but of the mouth and mans will must produce many acts of love if it will love many things But GOD by one Word speaketh all true things and with one act of love loves all good things 10 Lastly the soule of Man while it is in the body hath this property that though it be not seene heard nor moved and is hardly conceived to be in it and that leaving it the body seemes to want nothing it had before yet it is that which causeth all good to the body sense motion speech subsistence beauty and strength for what is the cause that while a man liveth hee seeth heareth talketh walketh and is strong and beautifull nothing but because he hath a soule in him and why cannot a man see nor heare nor speake but lies deformed unprofitable and unserviceable after hee is dead but that his soule is departed from him from whence all these benefits and good things were derived to him So thy GOD whilst
valuation and lastly if this were able to fill the desire not onely of men but of Angels of what value wouldst thou thinke it to be Yet the goodnes of this one thing would come farre short of the goodnes of GOD which is so great that it is able to satisfie and satiate the infinite desire or rather the infinite capacity of GOD himselfe Oh the admirable latitude of the perfection of the essence of GOD which containes such immensity of good thingâ— as is sufficient for the infinite capacity which is in himselfe for GOD cannot at any time goe out of or from himselfe because he hath all good things in himselfe and was as rich and blessed before the creation and wil be after because there is nothing which GOD hath made but would not alwaies be after a more transcendent manner in himselfe Therefore consider what kind of good thou shall enjoy in thy Countrey if thou love God while thou art in the way and from what good thou shalt be excluded if thou love him not For GOD offers himselfe to those which love him and he is the onely good and will say to the good and faithfull servant Enter into the joy of thy LORD 2. Againe GOD is immense in another manner because he fills all created things altogether Doe not I fill heaven and earth saith the LORD and if there were more worlds he would fill them all If I climb up to heaven saith David thou art there if I goe downe to hell thou art there also that is if I goe above heaven or beneath it or about it I shall not be alone because thou also art there for I cannot be if thou be not in me and thou sustainest me who bearest all things by thy mighty word Neither doth God fill all bodies onely with his immensitie but spirits hearts and mindes For how could he search the hearts of men if he were not in their hearts how could he heare their prayers unlesse he had his eares to our hearts and how could the Prophet say I will hearken what the LORD GOD will say in me if he moved not his mouth to the eares of our hearts It is a happy soule which loveth GOD because he hath alwaies his beloved with him and cherisheth him in his bosome For he which dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 3. Neither doth GOD onely fill all things with his presence but with his glory also For the Seraphims cry The earth is full of his glory and the Psalmist addeth O LORD our Governour how excellent is thy name in all the world thou hast set thy glory above the heavens As if he should say not onely thy name fame and glory hath filled the whole earth with admiration but it hath ascended to heaven and above the heavens also And the Son of Syrach of the creation of the Sun saith The worke thereof is full of the glory of the LORD for there is no creature either in heaven or earth which continually praiseth not GOD. And this is the cause why David in the Psalmes and the three children in Daniel doe exhort all creatures to blesse and celebrate the praises of the Creator not that they were ignorant that most of the creatures were of that nature that they could not heare their exhortations but because they knew that all the works of GOD were good and by their species or beauties brought praiâ—e unto him and therefore congratulated and perswaded them to continue in doing that which rhey did And cortainely if we had inward eyes we might see that all the works of the Lord were as so many censers sending upward the sweet savour of his glory and if we had inward eares we should heare a harmonicall concent as it were of all kind of musicall instruments sounding out his praises and saying It is he that hath made us and not we our selves And although the wicked many times speake evill of GOD and blaspheme his name yet they are compelled against their wills in that manner that the worke commends the workeman to praise him for in them also the power of GOD shineth merveilously by which he made them and his wisedome by which he governes them and his goodnesse by which he preserves them though unthankfull and evill and his mercy and justice by which he ordaines them either justly to punishment or mercifully expects them to repentance And though many are so deafe here on earth to heare the voyces of the creatures incessantly crying to GOD yet there are a multitude of Angels and holy men who hearken unto and are delighted with those praises they themselves daily chaunting out the same with hymnes and songs Now the length of Gods divine Essence is his Eternity which as it had no beginning of continuance so neither shall it have end but shall remaine the same without change or alteration Thou art the same saith David to GOD and thy yeares shall not faile and the Apostle calls him The King everlasting because he is not subject to time but is above it and governes all ages and was before all ages Other things have their beginning and end and never continue in one state nor have beginning without end without alteration but may at the will of the Creator leave to be And therefore eternity is onely proper to GOD so as it can agree with no other creature in that measure for never was Prince so arrogant to use eternity amongst his other titles unlesse perhaps in another sense as Constantius did who was stiled Imperator aeternus because he was not Emperour for a time but during life A mans soule may be reckoned among the creatures of both kinds for it hath a body which began to be when it was conceived and borne and by degrees increased to that stature which was prefixed by GOD and then againe it began to decrease and soone after leaves to be by death but it never stands in the same state and condition in all respects every houre being subject to alteration Of this body the Prophet speaks by a similitude of grasse In the morning it is greene and groweth up but in the evening it is cut downe dryed up and withered That is in its childhood it waxeth reene as grasse soone after it passeth to youth in the nooneday whereof it flourisheth and by and by passeth to old age in the evening whereof it hangs the head and is cut downe in death it continueth in the grave it dryeth up and returnes to dust By which we may perceive how farre the body differs from eternity Now the soule was created in time being nothing before and in this regard is much unlike the Creator but being created it shall have no end of continuance which is common to it with the Creator But for asmuch as it is subject to change while it lives in the body from sinne to goodnesse from vertue to vice
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
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
therefore thou canst not see him because he is a spirit more high and sublime and more inward then thou art and that thou after a sort stayest without and he within in his most secret and deep retyring place But shalt thou never be admittted into that secret place God forbid Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see GOD saith our Saviour who cannot lye and Now we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face saith one Apostle And We know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is saith another And how great will that joy be when being admitted to that sâ—cret place we shall see and possesse that light that shape that beauty even goodnes it selfe then it will plainely appeare how vaine and fading and like shadowes these temporall things were and with which men as drunken and besotted neglected the true and everlasting good things But if thou truly thirstest after GOD and If thy teares have beene thy meate day and night while they daily say unto thee where is thy GOD be not slowe or slacke to cleanse thy heart with which thou must see GOD nor be weary in erecting these degrees in thine heart untill the GOD of Gods appeare in Sion neither waxe cold in thy love to GOD and thy neighbour nor love him onely in word and tongue but in worke and truth for this is the way which leadeth to life DEGREE XI By the Consideration Of the Greatnes of GODS Power by the similitude of Corporeall greatnes GReat is the LORD and of his greatnesse is neither end nor measure Neither is he great only because his height is his omnipotence his depth unsearchable wisedome his bredth mercy spread and extended every where and his length justice like an Iron rod but also because every one of these attributes are great in the magnitude of his infinite latitude altitude longitude and profundity To begin with his power or rather omnipotence This power of GOD hath its latitude which is so placed in him as that it extendeth and stretcheth it selfe to things altogether infinite 1. First it extendeth it selfe to all things which are created for there is nothing in the whole universe from the chiefest Angel to the poorest worme and from the highest heaven to the lowest abysse which is not made by the power of GOD. Allthings saith St. Iohn were made by him and without him was nothing made and a little after The world was made by him 2. Againe it reacheth to all things which shal be made for ever for as without him nothing could have been made so neither shall any thing be made without him Of him and through him and in him are all things saith the Apostle 3. Thirdly it stretcheth it selfe to all things that can be made although they never shall be for so saith the Angell With GOD nothing shal be impossible And Christ himselfe said With GOD all things are possible 4. It also extends it selfe to the dissolution and destruction of all things made For as God could destroy by the deluge all men and creatures upon the face of the earth except a few reserved by himselfe in Noahs Arke so will he be able at the last day to destroy by fire not onely all men and living creatures but Trees Cities and other things in the earth also The day of the LORD saith St. Peter shall come as a thiefe in which the heavens shall passâ— away with a great noyse and thâ— Elements shall melt with heateâ— the earth also and the workes thâ—â— are therein shall be burnt up Great without doubt is â—hiâ— latitude of Gods power which no man can sufficiently admire unlesse he could number the multitude of things which God partly hath partly will and partly can make but who can number such a multitude but he onely whose knowledge is infinite 5. Againe the greatnesse of this power encreaseth much if we consider how great a work it is in a moment to dissolve with great facility the things which are made or as Judas Maccabeus speakes Vno nutu delere at a becke to destroy the whole world Let us then say with Moses Who is like unto thee ô LORD in fortibus among the Gods Now the longitude of Gods power is seene in this that he cooperateth daily with those things he hath made neither is or shal be at any time weary in cooperating for this power of God can neither be diminished weakned nor broken by any meanes being joyned with true eternity the divinity being eternity 1. Many men mervaile how the Sun Moone and Starres for so long time have continued their motions with such swiftnesse and without intermission and it were a thing worth our admiration but that we know that they are carried by Almighty GOD Who beareth all things by his mighty word 2. Others wonder how it comes to passe that in hell either the fire is not consumed with burning so long or that the bodies of the damned should not be dissolved with so long burning And this were not onâ—y to be thought wonderfull but impossible also were it not that he is eternall and omnipotent that makes the fire so to burne alwaies that it shall never be extinguished and so keepes the bodies of the damned in that fire as that they shal be ever tormented and never consumed 3. Lastly others there are that wonder that GOD should sustain and beare all things and without wearinesse support so great a weight almost infinite It is true that a strong Man a Horse an Oxe or an Elephant can carry a great weight but it is for a small time onely but to carry so great a masse for ever without wearinesse passeth the strength of all things created And yet they might well mervaile if GOD had strength by weight and measure as things created have but inasmuch as the strength of GOD exceeds all measure and that he is wholly infinite it is no mervaile at all if an infinite strength beare a great weight or masse without defatigation although it be for an infinite time Let us heare againe say with the holy Prophet Who is like unto thee ô Lord among the Gods The next thing to be considered is the height of Gods power which is chiefly manifested in two things 1. His omnipotencie may be called most high because he onely made most high things Those things which are under the Moone onely GOD made in the first creation and they may by the act of creatures be begotten changed and corrupted for the elements are changed by course according to their parts and of the earth are Herbs and Trees begotten of animals are animals increased and propagated fishes are borne in water clouds and raine in the ayre and comets in the fire But the heaven and starres which are the highest bodies GOD onely created onely preserves neither can the creature have any act
losses pains and shame might either have an end or some kind of comfort mingled with them as the miseries of this life have they might in some sort be accounted more tollerable Now since it is without all doubt most certaine that as the happinesse of the blessed is to continue for ever without mixture of misery so the unhappinesse of the damned shall for ever be without any temper or mixture of comfort they must necessarily be accounted blind and foolish that labour not with all their might and strength to come to the Kingdome of heaven and heavenly blessednesse through all tribulatious and perills infamie and death all which the Apostle calls but light and momentanie And if any should happily mervaile why a most mercifull GOD hath appointed so sharpe and lasting punishments for the sins of men which quickly passe away and seeme not so grievous let him heare St. Augustine whosoever thinkes this condemnation too much or too unjust cannot measure how great the iniquity was in sinning when there was such a facility not to have sinned and againe Who can sufficiently declare how great a sinne it may be not to obey in an easie matter and in the command of such a power and so great a punishment terrifying this he speakes of Adams sinne but there is the same reason for all sinnes for if we will weigh with just balances we shall finde that all sinnes and offences are most grievous in three respects 1. First it is a fearefull thing that the creature should not obey the Creator confidering the dignity of the Creator is infinitely distant from the basenesse of the creature 2. If the commands of the Creator were heavy and hard yet the creature is bound to obey them but his Commandements are not grievous saith St. John and our Saviour saith that his yoke is easie and his burden light how great an offence is it then that the wormes of the earth should not obey their Creator in so easie a matter 3. If GOD had not threatned sinners with the punishment of everlasting death man perhaps might have covered his sinne with excuse but since GOD by his Prophets and Apostles hath so perspicuously denounced everlasting punishment for sinne who can excuse the contumacie of offendors 4. Lastly if the faults of the damned were not eternall we might mervaile why the punishment of sinne should be everlasting But forasmuch as the obstinacie of the damned is eternall why doe we mervaile though their punishment be eternall And this obstinate will in evill which shall be common with the damned and the Devils this perverse and averse will from GOD which will ever remaine immoveable and firme with them causeth just and holy men to abhorre sinne more then hell Edmer the English man writeth thus of Anselme My conscience beares me witnesse I lye not I have often heard him professe that if he should see on this side the horrour of sinne and on that side the paine of hell and that of necessity he must be plunged in one of them he had rather choose hell then sinne Another thing he was woont to say no lesse wonderfull That he had rather be in hell pure from sinne and innocent then reigne in heaven defiled with the spot or staine of sinne If this holy man so spake and thought because being enlightned by GOD he knew that the grievousnesse of sinne was greater then the paines of hell how much more GOD who searcheth the wickednesse filthinesse and perversitie of sinne to the bottome and will most justly punish and judge it to be most worthy of that punishment which he hath appointed for it from eternity Therefore be not deceived erre not be not like to those who professe themselves to know GOD but deny him by their workes for many have saith but in habit not in act like a sword hidden in a scabbard If they would beleeve in act and by beleeving would seriously consider that GOD is faithfull and just and without doubt hath prepared grievous torments for the wicked never to have end nor to be tempered or qualified with any comforts it could not be that they should consume their time as they do drinking iniquity like water that is so easily so without feare yea with much pleasure and delight without any reluctancie as if there were a reward not a punishment due to sinnes and sinners But let us all beleeve most assuredly and by beleeving seriously consider that GOD in this life is a Father of mercies and ready to pardon the sinnes of all truly penitent and withall that the same GOD after this life wil be altogether a GOD of vengeance and will inflict that punishment upon unrepentant and obstinate sinners which he hath prepared and commanded to be preached and foretold by his Prophets and Apostles and left upon record in writing for the information of posterity For so it will come to passe that by feare of intollerable paines and the hope of great rewards as lifted up by two wings we shall securely passe and escape the perills of this life and come and attaine to rest and life eternall and that through the merits of our Lord and onely Saviour Iesus Christ Amen The end of the Booke A TABLE OF the Degrees or Ascents to God-ward 1 BY the Consideration of Man fol. 1. 2 By the Consideration of the Greater World fol. 29. 3 By the Consideration of the Earth fol. 55. 4 By the Consideration of Water especially of Rivers and Fountaines fol. 77. 5 By the Consideration of the Ayre fol. 107. 6 By the Consideration of Fire fol. 127. 7 By the Consideration of Heaven the Sun Moone and Starres fol. 157. 8 By the Consideration of the reasonable soule of Man fo 185. 9 By the Consideration of Angels fol. 213. 10 By the Consideration of the Essence of GOD fol. 239. 11 By the Consideration of the greatnes of Gods power f. 272. 12 By the Consideration of the greatnesse of the Speculative or Contemplative Wisedome of GOD fol. 297. 13 By the Consideration of the Practicall or Operating Wisedome of GOD fol. 315. 14 By the Consideration of the Mercy of GOD fol. 358. 15 By the Consideration of GODS Iustice fol. 385. FINIS July 31. 1637. Perlegi librum hunc cui Titulus est IACOBS LADDER nec in eo quicquam reperio quò minùs cum utilitate publica imprimatur SA BAKER Psal 49. 20. Iob. 35. Iob 5. 14. 12. 25. Es 59. 10. Act. 1. 11 Ex. 19. 21 1. 1 Chro. 16. 11. 22. 19. Am 5. 4. 6. 2. 1 Chro. 28. 9. 3. 2 Chro. 20. 3. 30. 18. 34. 3. Ps 27. 9 16. 9 4. Deut. 4. 29. c. Ps 9 10. 69. 33. Esay 45. 19. La. 3. 25. 5. Acts 17. 1. 2 Chro. 19. 3. 〈◊〉 27 6. 1 Chro. 15. 13. 2. Sap. 1. 1. Mat. 5. 8. Ephes 5. 5. 3. I am 4. 6. 1 Chro. 13. 9. 4. Eccle. 25. 11. Ps 14. 1. 5. Esay
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
satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing as saith the Preacher whatsoever is offered to man cannot satisfie his desire why because he is capable of infinite good and all created things are circumscribed within certaine limits But he whch beginneth to drinke this heavenly water in which all things are contained covets nor desires any thing more But of this hath beene formely spoken in the rest of the mind in God alone as its proper Center Fourthly Water joynes together and reduceth into one those things which one could not imagine would have beene so united As many graynes of wheate by the mixture of water make one loafe of bread and of many parts of the earth by the same mixture bricks and tiles are made But much easilier and with a stronger tye or band doth the water of the Holy Spirit bring to passe that many men become one heart and one soule as it was with the Primitive Christians in the Acts of the Apostles upon whom the holy Ghost descended This unity Christ himselfe going to his Father commended and foretold when he said I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me by their word that they may be all one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they may be also one in us and a little after that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one To which unity the Apostle also exhorts endeavoring to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your vocation O happy Vnion which makes many men to be one Body of Christ which is governed by one Head and to eate of one meate and drinke of one drinke and to live with one spirit and being joyned to God to be made one spirit with him What more can be desired by a servant then not onely to be partaker of all the goods of his Lord but also by an indissoluble bond of love to be made one with him And all this the grace of the Holy Spirit brings to passe as a living and quickning water when it is devoutly received into the heart and there kept with diligence and care Lastly Water asâ—â—nds and riseth as high as it falls low And because the Holy Spirit descends into earth from the highest heaven therefore in that man into whose heart it is received is made a well of water springing to eternall life as our Saviour said to the Samaritane woman Wherefore being thus instructed in the properties of this uncreate water let us thirst after it and say with groanes and sighs unutterable Lord give us of this water which may wash off all our staines coole the heat of our concupiscences appease and qualifie the thirst of our desires may make us one spirit with thee and raise us to the height of thy eternall mansion It was not without cause that the Sonne of God said If ye then being evill know to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that aske it He saith not he will give you bread or apparell or wisdome or love or the Kingdome of heaven or eternall life but he saith He will give the Holy Spirit because in it are conteinâ—d all things Cease not then to put God daily in mind of his Sons promise and say to him with earnest affection and assured hope of obteining Holy Father I powre out my prayers unto thee not trusting in mine owne righteousnes but in the promise of thine onely begotten Sonne Make good therefore this promise of thy Sonne who glorified thee upon earth and was obedient to thee unto death even the death of the Crosse give to me that aske thy good Spirit give me the spirit of thy feare and love that I thy servant may feare nothing but offending thee and may love nothing but thee and my neighbour for thee Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me Restore to me the joy of thy salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit We come now to the resemblance which rivers or fountaines of water have with God and by it the mind may be lift up to contemplate the wonderfull and excellent work of the Creator For it is not without cause that the Scripture saith that God is a Well of life a Fountaine of Wisedome the Fountaine of living waters And that he is the very Fountaine of being may be gathered out of his owne words to Moses I am that I am and I am hath sent me unto you All which the Apostle seemes to comprehend in this speech In him we live and move and have our being In him we live as in a Fountaine of life in him wee move as in a Founteine of wisedome and in him wee have our being as in the Founteine of being A Founteine of water here with us hath this propertie that from it the flouds arise and whensoever they leave to flow immediately they dry up but the Founteine it selfe depends not upon the flouds because it receives no water from them but not onely hath water in it selfe but communicates with others This is a true resemblance of God and an Embleme of the Godhead for God is the very Founteine of being he receives no being from any thing but from him all things take their being because the essence of God is to be and his existence is his essence so that it cannot come to passe and it were blasphemie to think that God was not or will not be for ever Other things may be not be for a time because a being is not properly to their essence For example it is of the essence of man that he be a reasonable creature and therefore he cannot be a man not be a reasonable creature if it were of the essence of man to be it could not be otherwise but that he must be alwayes but because it is not of his essence to be therefore he may be not be God therefore â—s the onely Founteine of being because in his essence the act to be is alwayes included And these words signifie so much I am that I am that is I am the thing to be and receive not being from any but have it in my selfe to me onely it is proper that essence to me should be to be and hence also it comes that eternity immortality is proper to him onely as the Apostle speakes To the King everlasting immortall c and Who onely hath immortality All other things receive their being from God so that unlesse they alwayes depend on him and be preserved by a certaine influence
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
the Sun compares it to a Bridegroome going out of his chamber for never doe men desire to set themselves forth in better manner nor to seeme more lovely and beautifull then when they are bridegroomes as desirous to please the brides eye more at that then at any other time But if we could fasten the sight of our eyes upon the Sun and were neere unto it and could behold it in the true quantity and quality we should not need the similitude of a bridegroome to conceive the incredible beauty of it Certainely all the grace of the eyes depends on the light and without it all the beauty of colours vanisheth and looseth the lustre Againe nothing is more faire then the light and GOD himselfe who is beauty it selfe would be called light GOD is light saith St. John and in him is no darknesse at all And among corporeall things nothing is more cleare then the Sun and in that regard nothing more faire and beautifull Besides if we will adde this that the beauty of inferiour things especially of men soone fadeth but the beautie of the Sun never decayeth never decreaseth but alwaies maketh all things joyfull with equall splendor for if we observe it upon the Sun rising all things seeme in a manner to rejoyce men are merry sweet winds blowe flowers open herbs increase and birds refresh the ayre with their melodious notes and therefore it was the answer of old Tobias to the Angel who gave him joy What joy can I have said he that sit in darkenesse and see not the light of Heaven Consider then with thy self and say that if the created Sun doth so comfort every thing in his rising what joy shall there be to pure soules when they shall behold the uncreate Son without comparison fairer and clearer and that not for a time but for ever and what horror shall be to the wicked when they shall be condemned to everlasting darkenesse where they shall neither behold the beames of the uncreate or create Sun and what joy shall it bring to that soule to whom the Father of lights shall say Enter into thy Lords joy 3. In the next place King David sets forth and describes the admirable course of the Sun He rejoyceth as a Giant to runne his course Without doubt a Giant is strong and if according to the greatnesse of his body he will stretch out his paces and runne as swiftly as by his strength he may he quickly will passe over a great space of ground And as before the Prophet to expresse the Suns beauty compared it to a Bridegroom so to set forth the swiftnesse of his course he likens it to a Giant But though he had not compared him to a strong man or a Giant but to flying birds arrowes winds or lightning yet he had fallen farre short in that comparison between it and them in this property of swiftnesse for if it be true which we see that the Sun passeth the circuit of his Oâ—be in 24 houres and if the circuit of its Orbe doth infinitely exceed the circuit of the Orbe of the earth and if the compasse of the earth comprehends 20000. miles or thereabouts all which are very true then of necessity it must follow that every houre he runneth many thousands of miles Nay what speake we of houres I may say every quarter and almost every minute for if a man doe but observe the rising or setting of the Sun in an open horizon as it is at Sea or in the plain of a champion Countrey he may perceive its whole body to ascend above the horizon in lesse space then the eight part of an houre and yet the diameter or thicknesse of the body of the Sun is much greater then the diameter of the Orbe of the earth and which containes 7000. miles And if we will adde yet further that the body of the Sun which is moved so swiftly is farre greater then the heape or masse of the whole earths Orbe and that the motion of this body so great is so speedy without intermission or wearinesse and that this motion if GOD command it shall continue for ever certainly if thou beest not a stocke or a blocke thou canst not but wonder at the infinite power of thy creator and therefore most truely was it said to be a merveilous vessell the worke of the most High 4. The last property of the Sun that is the efficacie of the light and heate of it comes now to be considered of which the Prophet in the same Psalme speaketh There is nothing hid from the heate of it This one cleare body placed in the midst of the World enlightens all Starres all the ayre all Seas and all the Earth and by its vivifying heate makes all things as plants corne and trees to spring and sprout and bringeth all â—ruit to maturity and ripenesse it spreads and diffaseth its vertue and power also into the earth causing it to bring forth all kinds of mettall And therefore St. James compares GOD himselfe unto it Every good guift saith he and every perfect guift is from above and cometh downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of changing The Sun indeed is the Fathâ—r of lights corporall but GOD of spirituall But in three things there is difference betweene GOD and the Sun 1. The Sun to enlighten and heate the world must of necessity have a perpetuall transmutation or charge from place to place but GOD because he is whole every where needs no such change and therefore well said St. James with whom is no changing 2. Againe the Sun because he continually passeth from place to place makes it day in one place and night in anotheâ— to some it makes light to others darke at the same time But GOD is never moved he is ever present to all and therefore the same Apostle addes with whom is no shadow of changing 3. Lastly whâ—ch is greatest of all from the Sun the Father of corporall lights are all the guifts which grow upon earth but these guifts are neither the best nor perfect but rather small temporall and fraile and not able to make a man good but being evill used may turne to his destruction But from GOD the Father of lights spirituall come all excellent and perfect guifts which make the possessor good and perfect and which none can abuse and which bring them which persevere in them to the state of true happinesse Seek then those good and perfect guifts which come from above from the Father of lights and when thou hast found them be sollicitous to keepe them and there is no need to goe farre for them the very nature of the Sun will demonstrate them unto thee for the Sun doth all things with his light and heate and these two are the guifts of the Father of corporall lights and the good and perfect guifts which come down from the Father of lights even GOD himselfe are the light of wisedome
and the ordinance of love 1. The light of wisedome which makes a man truly wise and which no man can use amisse and bringeth us to the fountaine of wisedome scituate in the heavenly Countrey is that which teacheth the contempt of temporall things and to esteeme highly of spirituall it teacheth not to trust in uncertaine riches but in the living GOD. It teacheth us not to account this exile of ours as our Countrey nor to love our pilgrimage but to endure it Lastly it teacheth to live here in patience being full of perills and tentations and to dye in desire because Blessed are the dead that dye in the LORD 2. The Ordinance of true love what is it but to love GOD without end without measure he being the end of all our desires to love other things in such measure and meane as will be sufficient to bring us to our end that is beatitude Surely there is not any man that in the cure of his body inverts order so that he loves his health but with an ordinary measure and a bitter potion without all measure seeing that he knoweth that the first is the end and the latter but the meanes How then cometh it to passe that so many that would be accounted wise men confine themselves to no moderation in heaping up riches in hunting after the pleasures of the flesh and attayning to the degrees of honour as it these things were the end of mans heart and are contented to streighten themselves in loving GOD and seeking after eternall fâ—licity as if these were but the meanes to the end and not the end of all meanes without doubt this is the cause that they have the wisedome of this world and not that which is from above and cometh from the Father of lights and that they have not ordinate love nor that which is true love but are full of inordinate desires which are not of the Father but of the World Wherefore while thou travailest from thy Countrey and aâ—t among enemies which oppose true wisedome and love and suggest craft for wisedome and inordinate desires for love make thy moane and bewaile thy case to the Father of lights desiring him earnestly to give thee these good and perfect guifts of true wisedome and regulated love and to inflame thy hearâ— with them so that being fitted with them thou mayest so runne the wayes of his Commandements without stumbling that thou mayst come to that Countrey where thou mayst drinke of the pure fountaine of wisedome and live with the pure milke of love 2. I come now to the time of the night wherein the heaven doth frame and erect one step for us to ascend to GOD by the Moone and Starres for so speaketh David I will consider the heavens the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordayned If we could see heaven it selfe the Prophet had not said by way of explication of that which he had set down before The Moon and the Starres which thou hast ordayned and truely if our sences could pierce to heaven it selfe or that we could finde out the nature and qualities of it by any certaine reason without doubt we should have an excellent degree of ascent to GOD thereby We know that there have been some who out of the motion of the Starres have defined the nature of heaven to be a quintessence simple incorruptible and perpetually moving in its Orbe And that there are others who will have heaven to be the Element of fire that is not moved in its Orbe neither is incorruptible according to its parts but it is not our intent to looke after these opinions but to seeke out the certaine knowledge and Doctrine of Faith thereby to raise an ascent to GOD. The Moone hath two properties which may fitly serve to this purpose I The first is the neerer it approacheth to the Sun the more it shineth and is enlightned in its upper part towards heaven being darkned at the same time in the lower part of it towards the earth and when it is wholly subject to the Sun and is in full conjunction with it it is altogether light towards heaven and darke towards the earth On the other side when it is in opposition to the Sun it is seen cleare of the earths inhabitants and hath no light in the upper part towards heaven This pâ—operty of the Moone may be a good document or example to us mortalls to make us sollicitous of our neere conjunction to the true Father of lights GOD himselfe The Moone signifieth Man and the Sun GOD when the Moone is in opposition to the Sun then by the borrowâ—d light from the Sun it onely shines and lookes towards earth and after a sort turnes its back to heaven whereby it shewes beautifull to the Inhabitants of the earth and most deformed to the Citizens of heaven So every mortallâ—hat â—hat goes farre from GOD as the Prodigall which went into a farre Countrey abuseth that light of reason which he received from the Father of lights onely to respect the earth and forgetting GOD thinkes onely upon the earth onely loves it and is wholly taken up with desire of the goods thereof for which by the children of this generation they are esteemed wife and happy but by the heavenly inhabitants they are accounted poore naked blind deformed wretched and miserable On the contrary when the Moone is in conjunction with the Sun and is perfectly subject to it it shineth wholly on the upper part respecteth heaven onely turning its backe to men vanishing cleane from their sight So is it with the wicked when he begins to leave his wickednes and by his full conversion is become truly subject to GOD the true Sun of the souâ—e in humility and is joyned to him in love then he fulfills that which the Apostle warneth he seeketh those things which are above and savours of heavenly not earthly things and then is he despised by fooles and accounted by them as if he were dead but indeed he is dead to the World and his life is hidden with Christ in GOD and When Christ his life shall appeare then shall he also appeare with him in glory And this is the cause as St. Augustine observes why the Passeover aswell in the old Law as in the new could not rightly be kept but after the full Moon that is when the Moon which in the full is in opposition to the Sun begins to returne to the conjunction with it to shew that man in opposition to GOD by sinne should begin to be converted to him and to hasten to the union and grace of GOD by the merits of JESUS CHRIST Therefore if thou find thy selfe by the assistance of Gods grace to be subject to the Father of lights by true humility and to be joyned with him by ardent love doe not imitate fooles who are changed as the Moone but follow the wise who continue unchanged as the Sun for the Moone
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
a resemblance with GOD his Creator that I know not whether a Man may ascend with more facility to the knowledge of GOD any other way then by the consideration of his owne soule And therefore man is inexcusable if he have not knowledge of him seeing he may attaine to it Gods grace assisting without difficulty by knowing his owne soule First then Mans soule is a spirit for so doe the holy Fathers expound those words in Genesis And the LORD formed Man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and Man became a living soule and that of Tobias Command my spirit to be taken from me and that of the Preacher Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne to GOD that gave it For although the word spirit agreeth to the wind also of which it is said in the Gospel Spiritus spirat ubi vult The wind bloweth where it listeth and in the Psalmes Spiritus procellarum as S. Ierome Wind and storme as our translation yet without doubt that spirit the wind is a most thinne body which for its great subtilty and raritie doth more imitate and resemble the spirituall nature then any other body But the soule of man is properly a spirit not a body neither is it produced or made of any matter but is immediately created by GOD. And here begins the excellencie of the soule in the resemblance to GOD for GOD is a spirit as our Saviour saith and they which worship him must worship him in spirit and truth But though GOD be a spirit and mans soule be a spirit also yet GOD is a spirit uncreated and the Creator and mans but a spirit created by which it followes that there is a great disproportion betweene the spirit which is the soule and the spirit which is GOD. And in this respect how greatly may the soule rejoyce that it is in the kind of a spirituall substance and so of a higher and more noble nature then heaven or the Starres and againe it should be the more humble and obedient to GOD because it was made of nothing and of it selfe is nothing Againe the soule of man because it is a simple spirit is also immortall for it hath nothing in it from whence it may be divided or severed And in this regard how much may it boast above the soules of bruit animals which die with their bodies and so behold and admire the great excellencie of the creator who is not onely immortall but everlasting For the soule of man sometime was not and came to a being by the onely will of GOD and by the will of the same GOD may againe be reduced to nothing although in it selfe it have no beginning of corruption therfore truly said the Apostle of GOD Who onely hath immortality for he onely cannot be dissolved neither by force chance or ought else because it is his property to be he is life it selfe and the fountaine of being and life Thirdly mans soule is endued with the light of understanding for it is not onely able to know and distinguish of colours tasts smells and sounds heate cold hard soft and other things of the like kind which are plaine to the sences of the body but is able to judge of substantialls and of things singular and universall and knoweth not onely things present but can conjecture at things to come transcends the heavens dives into the deep searches effects from causes and from effects hath recourse to causes Lastly by the eye of the mind it comes to the knowledge of GOD himselfe which dwelleth in inaccessible light and this is the light of which Saint John speakes This was the true light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the World which David calls the light of Gods countenance Of the light of the understanding the same Kingly Prophet saith Be ye not like to horse and mule who have no understanding Certainely this is a great priviledge and dignity of the soule by which man becomes like to GOD and unlike the beasts and by this a man may also conjecture of the excellent sublimity of his creâ—â—â—â— for though the soule of man be endued with this light of understanding yet GOD is the light and understanding The soâ—lâ— as is said runnes from causes to effects and againe from effects to causes and therby hunts as it were with great labour to attain this knowledge but GOD with one aspect and at the first sight knoweth all things The soule understandeth those things which are so that his knowledge depends upon things GOD by his understanding bringeth to passe that things are so that the existence or being of things depends upon his knowledge The soule doth but conjecture of things to come GOD beholds all things past and to come as perspicuously and plainely as if they were present The soule wants many things to exercise the office of its understanding as the object forme fancie and the like GOD wants nothing for essence it selfe is his all things even his owne essence is his understanding Lastly the soule whiâ—e it is in the body neither seeth GOD the Angels nor it selfe nor any substance though corporeall properly and is deceived in many things is ignorant in many of many things he hath but an opinion and of few things the true knowledge but GOD is ignorant of nothing thinks nothing is never deceived never erreth All things are naked and opened c. Therefore if Man hath such an opinion and esteemeth so much of his knowledge as that according to the Apostle his knowledge puffe him up how much ought he to admire the knowledge of his Creator to whose if mans be compared it is no knowledge but ignorance There is also another kind of knowledge in the soule of Man which consists not in speculation but in action from whence it cometh that there are so many Bookes of Philosophers which treat if vices and vertues so many Lawes of Princes Lawyers and others so many institutions to acquire the art of living well In which appeâ—â—eth mans admirable light of reason by which alone he differs farre from beasts in excellencie but all this is nothing to the eternall Law which is powerfull in the mind of the Creator from whence as from a most plentifull fountaine all other Lawes flow and are derived for there is one Law giver and Iudge which is GOD as St. Iames tells us He is Truth Justice and Wisedome By whom Kings raigne and Princes decree Iustice So that we shall never find out the Art of living well and happily till we come to the Schoole of CHRIST who is the true and onely Master by whose word and example we shall learne that righteousnesse which exceeds the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees yea and of Philosophers too whose end is love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and
by his grace he lives in thee causeth thee to see what faith sheweth thee and to heare what GOD speaketh to and in thee and to walke by the way of his commandements to the heavenly Ierusalem to speak to him by prayer and in holy exhortation to thy neighbour to subsist by persevering in good workes to bee strong in battell against thy invisible enemies and to bee beautifull in the sight of God and his Angels But beware least the grace of GOD the life of thy soule depart not from thee if it doe thou wilt soone find the damage which the first death brings with it from whence thou shalt be carried to the second from which there is no resurrection If GOD would open the eyes of thy minde that thou mightst seriously consider and see the exceeding beauty and splendor of a soule acceptable to GOD and joyned to him by true love with how cheerfull and loving countenance he looketh upon it what place he prepares for it what joyes he hath promised to it and with what desire the Angels and blessed spirits wait for it thou wouldst never indure to have the beauty of it defiled with the least spot and if that should happen thou wouldst endeavour to wash it away though little with rivers of teares But if by the same grace of GOD the inward eyes might bee opened that thou mightst behold how filthy a soule is that sinneth what an unsavory stench it sends forth like a putrified body or carrion and how GOD and the holy Angels loathe to looke upon it although perhaps it inhabite a comely and beautifull body without doubt thou thy selfe wouldst also so detest and abhorre it as that thou woulst never be brought to bee such a one or remaine long in that state or condition DEGREE IX By the Consideration of Angels WE are now to come to the highest degree of ascending to GOD from those things which may be taken from substances created for there is no created substance more sublime then the Angelicall if we speake onâ—ly of naturall perfection and there are three things principally to be considered in them 1. First according to the excellencie of their nature 2. Secondly in respect of their sublimity of grace 3. Lastly in regard of their offices Neither is it our purpose to propound and handle the things which concerne them by way of disputation but to touch onely those matters which may helpe us to the lifting up of our minds to GOD. 1. An Angell if we compare him to a reasonable and humane soule may fitly be called a perfect soule as the soule may be termed an unperfect Angell For so the Psalmist speakes of Man in respect of his soule Thou hast made him little lower then the Angels And indeed an Angel is an entire perfect spiritâ—â—ll substance and mans soule is but dimidiata divided as it were into halfes and unperfect because as it is the forme of the body it is part of man So that an Angell is all spirit and a man part spirit part flesh or partly an Angell partly a beast as if we should say an Angell is all gold and a man part gold and part earth or clay By which it followes that an Angell is more like to GOD then a man or his soule because GOD is a spirit not a body nor the shape of a body Yet this comparison makes not so much for the Angels but that there is an infinite distance of dignity in GOD above this sublimity of the Angels for GOD is a spirit uncreate eternall immense onely mighty onely wise onely good onely the most high Therefore if we worthily admire the Angelicall nature how much more ought we the divine which beyond all manner and measure surpasseâ—h the dignity of the Angels 2. And not onely in nature or substance may an Angel be called a perfect man and man an unperfect Angell but also in understanding and knowledge for a man or the soule of man takes much paines in understanding things because he must use the office of his sences and running from causes to effects and from effects to causes before he can gaine a little knowledge from whence it is that he oftentimes stickes as doubtfull oftimes he is miserably deceived and seldome attaines to a sure and certaine understanding But an Angell at the first sight beholds things and at one time perceiveth the causes and the effects and dives not onely into the accidents but the substance aswell of spirituall as corporall things Therfore Man while he is in this pilgrimage in asmuch as concernes understanding is not onely a little lesse but a great deale lesse then the Angels and though he be very wise and give himselfe to the study of wisedome yet compared to an Angell he is but a childe or an infant or suckling The Prophet therefore did us no wrong when he said Out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained knowledge You may heare wise King Solomon how he conceived of our knowledge with which we are so much puffed up All things are full of labour or hard man cannot utter it and againe He meaning GOD hath set the world in their heart yet man cannot finde out the worke that GOD hath wrought from the beginning to the end If then the things of the world be hard and unutterable by man and if man understand nothing of this visible world from the beginning to the end that is he understand nothing perfectly as not being able to declare the nature properties accidents force and the like thereof into how many errors would he runne if he should goe about to search after those things which are above heaven If thou be wise therefore follow the knowledge which belongs to thy salvation and the wisedome of the Saints which consists in the feare of GOD and keeping his Commandements let prayer delight thee better then disputation and edifying charity rather then swelling knowledge for this is the way which leads to life even to the Kingdome of heaven where we little ones shall be made equall with the Angels who alwaies behold the face of their Father which is in heaven 3. There is also a third thing wherein mans soule is not onely made a little but much lesse then the Angels and that is their power and command over bodies for mans soule can onely by the command of its will stirre and move his owne body other bodies he cannot and he moves his owne too but in an ordinary progressive motion upon the ground he cannot walke upon the waters or raise it up to the ayre and carry it whither he pleaseth but the Angels by the onely force of the spirit that is by the command of their wills raise heavy bodies upward and carry them whither they will as in the case of Abacuk to Daniel Againe one man cannot fight with an host because he wants many hands and weapons but an Angell without hands and weapons can
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
heaven be made and it was made Let the earth be made and it was made Let the light the Sun and Starres be made Let trees creatures Men and Angels be made and all were made and adde to this which hath been said that the same GOD may if he will destroy with one beâ—ke all these things and the whole world as we said before out of the Booke of the Maccabees 4. To these wee may adde one depth more that all these things so many so great and composed of so many members and parts were made by GOD in a moment With us art and nature must have long time to bring any worke to perfection we see seeds sowen long before the herbs grow trees aske oft times many yeares to fasten the roots to sprout spread and beare fruit the fruit of the womb is long in the womb and long in the nursing before it come to any growth to speake nothing of art seeing it is so obvious to us that artificers must have much time to perfect any thing they take in hand How great then is the power of GOD who sooner then a word can be spoken can perfect so great workes It is not my purpose to dispute whether GOD in one moment absolved and finished heaven earth and all things in them or whether he spent sixe whole dayes in the first creation of things for this Treatise was intended for our ascent to GOD and not for dispute but this is it which I affirme and admire that every thing should be made perfect by the omnipotent Creator in a moment and concerning the earth the water ayre and fire no man doubts but that together with all the Angels they were created in a moment Concerning the firmament and the dividing of waters it is well known that they were all made by the onely power of the word speaking Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and that in a moment for it followeth that it was so done upon which place St. Chrysostome thus He onely spake and the worke followed and the same Authour upon the words Let the earth bud forth c. Who saith he will not be astonisht to thinke how the Word of GOD Let the earth bud adorneth the face of the earth with an admirable embrodery of divers flowers you might suddenly have seene the earth deformed before and untilled and untrimmed to contend with heaven in comlinesse and bravery and upon the words Let there be light he saith He onely spake and this admirable element was brought forth I say the Sun and what if I added that the Moone and all the Starres were made by the same word and in the same moment by the same Creator and lastly upon these words Let the waters bring forth in abundance c. he thus speaketh What tongue can be sufficient to set out the praise and glory of the workeman For as he onely said of the earth Let the earth bud and presently a plentifull variety and multiplicity of flowers and herbs appeared so by saying here Let the waters bring forth so many creeping things and foules were created as no speech can recount Who therefore is like unto thee ô Lord among the Gods By all this thou mayst understand plainly the great power of thy Creator who by his latitude extends himselfe to all things by his longitude continues alwaies and without wearinesse supports and governes all things by his altitude attaineth to the making of those things which seeme to be and are impossible to all but himselfe and by his depth and profundity doth so make all things as that the manner and meanes of making them passeth all created understanding considering that he makes them of nothing into nothing without instruments without time onely by his word and command Hee spake the word saith the Psalmist and they were made hee commanded and they were created By this thou mayst gather if thou be wise how much it concernes thee whether it were best to have him thy angry enemy or thy well pleased friend For he can suddenly bereave thee of all good and load thee with all misery nor is there any that can deliver thee out of his hands for who dares contend with him that is omnipotent If thou shouldst being naked meet with an implacable enemy bending a sharpe weapon against thee what wouldst thou doe but in trembling and fearefull manner prostrate thy selfe at his feet and implore his mercy and yet he being a man thou mightst perhaps escape him by flight or resistance or wresting the weapon from him but what canst thou doe against an angry God from whom thou caust not flee he being every where nor resist him being omnipotent nor make delayes seeing he doth all in a moment and by his sole command and therefore not without cause did the Apostle say It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD. On the other side if thou make him thy friend who more happier then thou for he can if he will and he will if he be thy friend satisfie thee with all good things and deliver thee from all evill and it is in thy power either to make him thy friend or enemy while thou livest here GOD himselfe and he by his Prophets and againe by his Son and his Apostles in the Scriptures ever call and invite sinners to repentance and the just to keepe his Commandements that so he may have both sorts of men his friends or rather deare children and heires of eternall salvation Heare Ezechiel As I live saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live turn you turn you from your evillwaies for why will ye die ô ye houfe of Israel and as Ezechiel so Esay Ieremie and the rest of the Prophets being moved with the same spirit cry for the conversion of sinners Heare the Son of GOD when he began to preach Amend your lives for the Kingdome of God is at hand Heare the Apostle St. Paul speaking of himselfe and his fellow Apostles We are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through us wee pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God What more cleare more comfortable The Apostle in Christs name doth beseech us to be reconciled to God to have him our friend not our enemy Who can doubt of Gods mercy if he seriously returne to him he will receive all converts as the loving Father received the prodigall Son But when we are returned and have found indulgence and favour what doth he require of us even to persevere as frends and children and to keep his Commandements If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements saith our Saviour If thou wilt say without the helpe of God his Commandements cannot be kept heare what St. Augustine saith speaking of the hardest precept of all other that is
they had head heart externall and internall senses and after their manner wisedome and judgement though very unperfect Lastly who could thinke or imagine that in them and other little creatures there should be so great power to pierce into living flesh that not onely they become troublesome to men but that Elephants and Lyons should bee terrified by Gnats and Flyes Great therefore is the Lord and great is his wisedome as in the greatest so in the least of things If that great Prince of Physicians Galen though a heathen admiring the workemanship of GOD brake out into the praise of the Creator what oughtest thou to doe ô Christian who beleevest that he not onely created the bodies of men and other animals but the Heaven Starres Angels and immortall minds of men by his wonderfull wisedome Now the length of this practicall wisedome appeareth in the preservation of things as the latitude in the creation and indeed the great and admirable wisedome of GOD is plainely seene in the preservation and continuance of things created especially of those which are corruptible 1. And truely first if a man would consider in what manner GOD nourisheth and increaseth herbs plants animals endued with life and the bodies of men themselves to preserve them as long as may be it would so astonish him that he could not sufficiently admire Gods wisedome herein for by earth and water he nourisheth herbs and plants and causeth nutriment to passe from the roots to the bodies from the bodies to the boughes from thence to the leaves and fruit in a most admirable manner so also by herbs and fruit and the flesh of creatures he nourisheth other creatures and men themselves and causeth the aliment and nutriment to disperse into all the inward and outward parts of the body with such facility and sweetnesse that it may seeme incredible GOD deales herein as a skilfull and loving Physician that so prepares and fits his drugges as that they may be taken not onely easily but willingly too Our meats are without doubt medicines which unlesse they be often taken we cannot subsist And our loving and wise Physician GOD first of all giveth a good tast and relish to our meats that we may take them with delight then he hath given us great variety that we should not loath it Lastly by diverse alterations in the mouth stomack liver and heart he converts the meate into so subtile and thinne a juyce that without any paine it passeth through all the veynes and pores of the body and to all the parts of the flesh bones and nerves whether we sleepe or wake and without sense of it Philosophers admired the skill and art of nature when they saw and beheld these things but what cunning or art can there be in things inanimate and voyd of sense and reason It is not then the skill of nature but the wisedome of of the Creator who made nature and found out the meanes to doe these things that we ought to admire You may heare Christ the wisedome of GOD speaking in the Gospell Learne how the Lilies of the field doe grow they are not wearied neither spin and a little after If GOD so clothe the grasse of the field c. so that it is not the skill of nature but GOD that makes the Lillies growe and are so clothed as with garments so also the Apostle speakes of the nourishment and increase of living things Neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but GOD that giveth the increase And if the wisedome of GOD after so admirable a manner feeds nourisheth and preserveth the life of plants and creatures consider if thou canst how he feeds the minds of Angels and men in the eternall life for in earth here we are nourished with earthly food yet prepared by the divine wisedome but in heaven his wisedome is meate and drinke to those who live for ever O thou thrice blessed if thou couldst inwardly understand what this of the Apostle meanes That GOD shal be all in all that GOD the chiefe and infinite good should be food rayment and life and all things to all the Saints thou wouldst then Ioath all present and momentany things and onely relish and seeke after those things which are above But to proceed 2. This also is miraculous that GOD in the preserving and continuing of mans life hath given a continuall and long motion of the least things without wearinesse Men have laboured much and taken great paines in making a clocke in which the wheeles by the force of weights runne without intermission 24. houres what may we then think that the wisdome of GOD doth which causeth the nutritive power to worke in plants and creatures in a perpetuall motion while they live and that the lungs and arteryes should be moved in Man without intermission sometimes 70. yeares or more for of necessity they must move till death and therefore they being necessarily to move in some men 80. or 90. yeares yea 900. before the flood he that admires not this and sees not the wisedome of GOD hereby and worships him not for it certainly wants the light of reason and wisedome 3. Againe though the wisedome of GOD could have brought forth and preserved Herbs and Trees for the sustentation of all things without the labour of men and other creatures and without the help of the office of the Sun and other secondary causes yet would he use the office of those causes and the labour of men and other creatures because they should not consume their time in idlenesse but that all things should exercise their severall faculties and powers Besides GOD also would have some men to be rich others poore that every man might have occasion to live godly and be tyed together in the bond of love that the rich might exercise mercy and liberality the poore patience and humility the rich should need the poore mans labour in tilling the ground feeding his cattell and exercising severall Arts necessary for all the poore should want the rich-mans money to buy them food apparrell and other necessaries for the sustentation of his life and yet the poore hath no cause to complaine against the wisedome of GOD for he who knoweth and loveth all things and men gives unto every one that which hee foresees most profitable to obtaine everlasting life as Physicians prescribe fasting to some patients and to open a veyne to others they tolerate yea command flesh and wine to make them merry and revive their spirits And certainely there are many poore men which in the state of poverty intend those things which are necessary for their salvation who if they had bin rich would have perished eternally and though rich men may be saved if they studied to be rich in good workes and willingly impart with that which they received from God to communicate and not to hoord up yet it cannot be denyed but that the safest and plainest way to
that no goodnesse is wanting to him but rather â—o great and infinite goodnes and holines as that he may be justly stiled onely good onely holy And therefore it cannot be â—aid that there is faith in GOD a â—heologicall vertue because 〈◊〉 is the evidence of things which are not seene but GOD seeth all things neither may Hope be said to be in GOD for hope is an expectation of things to come and that which is seen is not hope but GOD expecteth nothing because he enjoyeth all things from eternity Repentance for sinne is not in God because God cannot sinne Humility is not in God because this vertue keepeth a man backe least he vainely ascend above himselfe and causeth him to keepe his own station but God hath nothing above himselfe to ascend unto being the most high But most ample love and almost infinite and immense is in God for he loveth himselfe with infinite love because hee onely perfectly knoweth infinite goodnes which is his owne essence he also loveth all his creatures Thou lovest all things which are and hatest nothing that thou hast made saith the Wiseman for God knoweth by his wisedome to sever evill from good that is defect from nature even in Devils and the worst of men and nature hee loves because he made it defect he hateth because he made it not Lastly love is so true in God as that he would be called by that name God is love saith St. Iohn But our love compared with his is most streight and little There are very many things which we love not because we know them not many of those things also which we know we love not because we easily discerne not good from evill in them and we love not many good things well and in that regard with true love because we are evil our selves and rather leane to concupiscence then to love And we love God but with an unperfect love not onely because we love him not so much as his goodnes deservs to which measure or perfection of love the Angels themselves attaine not but also because we love him lesse then we should and lesse also then we might if we would give our selves more carefully and diligently to prayer and meditation This verture of love is accompanied in GOD with many other vertues as with singular magnificence liberality overflowing goodnes humanity patience long suffering more then fatherly gentlenes truth faithfulnes never failing mercy filling heaven and earth most upright justice and impartiall lastly most pure holines and so cleare that the Starres are not cleane in his sight and the Cherubims astonished at it cry Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth Oh that thou wouldst consider this seriously with what feare and trembling wouldst thou performe thy prayers and praises to him But to proceed to the rest The longitude of the divine Justice consists in truth and faithfulnes Of his faithfulnes wee read in diverse places of Scriptures Thy faithfulnes reacheth to the clouds saith the Psalmist and Faithfulnes is the girdle of his reynes saith the Prophet Esay Great is thy faithfulnes saith Jeremy God is faithfull saith the Apostle in diverse places He abide the faithfull and He is faithfull that promised He is faithfull and just saith St. Iohn and King David God is righteous or faithfull in all his waies that is the promises of God pronounced by the mouthes of his Prophets many ages since never shall never were voyd or of no effect but are more sure and stable then heaven and earth for so saith our Saviour Heaven and Earth shall passe but my words shall not passe and It is more easie that Heaven and Earth should passe away then thaâ— one title of the Law should fall away where our Saviour understands by the Law the truth not onely of his commandements but of his promises for whatsoever God hath commanded are either to be kept or those to be punished that breake them and what he hath promised are established with everlasting stability The word of our God shall stand for ever saith the Prophet Esay and the Apostle God is true and every man a lyar and againe It is impossible for God to lye the reason of which speech is because he can neither be deceived being wisedome nor deceive being goodnesse nor faile being omnipotence But Men although wise good and mighty may be deceived and deceive because they neither know all things nor can performe all things which they can for though they be good when they promise a while after they may become evill and not willing to performe their promises Wherefore if thou be wise put thy confidence in God alone cleave onely to him and cast all thy care on him alone Walke humbly and carefully with God and he wil be carefull of thee take heed that thou offend not his justice and his mercy will ever protect thee neither shalt thou need to feare what the Devill or man can do against thee The altitude or height of Gods Iustice is seene in the retribution of the heavenly reward which hee as supreme Iudge hath prepared for those which live well and godly and we shall soone know what the height of this Iustice is 1 If we compare the Iudge God with men Iudges 2 If we compare reward with reward that is the reward which God gives with that which men usually give 1. Men Iudges and Princes too have many lets or hinderaÌ„ces from fully rewarding those which serve them For first either they cannot for want of sufficient meanes to reward every ones deserts 2. Or either they know not the merits of their followers or cannot justly value them 3. Or out of the wickednesse and covetousnesse of mind or some other perverse affection they will not duely reward them which deserve 4. or lastly either they which should give or they which should receive their rewards are prevented by death from giving or taking But God gives to all good men not onely according to their desers but above them for what more meane desert can be imagined then to give a cup of cold water to a thirsty soule yet GOD hath promised that this small worke of mercy shall not loose its reward and the largenesse of the reward S. Luke describeth Good measure pressed downe shaken together 1 Nor is there any danger that GOD will not be of ability to performe with us being Lord of all things and can by a word speaking increase and multiply all things infinitely 2 Neither is it to be feared that GOD should be deceived in the number or value of our deserts being the most wise and all things lying open to his eyes and he searching the reynes and hearâ—s of his well doing servants and understands with what minde intent fervor and diligence they have done any thing 3 Neither may any suspect that GOD hath any evill meaning to defraude his poore servants and children of
Kingdome for he raigned over all Kingdomes from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistims unto the border of Aegypt and they brought presents and served Salomon all the daies of his life he had besides so great wealth that he had 40000. stalls of Horses for his Charriots and 12000. Horse-men besides his Ships trading to Ophir brought such store of gold and precious stones that silver was nothing esteemed in his daies and was given by him as stones in Jerusalem His pleasure also he tooke after such an unlimited manner that delighting in Women he tooke to him 700. Wives princesses and 300. concubines And yet heare what he saith of himselfe after he had reckoned up these pleasures and many more as you may read at large in the Booke of the Preacher after he had well look'd into them behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit and there is no profit under the Sun Therefore you see he found no true rest either in his riches honour pleasures or wisedome nor could he have found any had they beene many more because the mind of Man is immortall and these things are mortall and of no continuance nor it cannot be that the mind capable of infinite good should be satisfied with finite good For as the humane body cannot rest either in the ayre though it be large or in the water though it be deepe because the earth and not the water or ayre is its center so the minde of Man can never rest in ayrie honour or watry riches which are sordid pleasures but in GOD onely who is the true center of the minde and the onely place of rest for it and proper to it How divinely and wisely then did his Father King David cry out after he had gone into GODS Sanctuary and understood the end of the wicked in their prosperity Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none that I desire in earth in comparison of thee GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Consider this then and thou wilt confesse that GOD is the Rocke upon which thou most rest and relye other things are but vanitie and vexation of spirit which are not things in true existence but in false apparaence they comfort not but torment being gotten with labour kept with feare and lost with sorrow and griefe Despise therefore if thou beest wise all tranâ—itory things least they snatch thee away with them and set thy rest on GOD alone cleave to him with the bond of love who remaines the same for ever Lift up thy heart to GOD in Heaven least it putrifie in Earth Learne true Wisedome by the folly of many in whose persons the wiseman speaketh Therefore we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us and the Sun of understanding rose not upon us We have wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction and we have gone through dangerous waies but we have not knowne the way of the Lord. What hath pride profited us or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought us All those things are passed away like a shadow and as a Post that passeth by Againe this foundation the Earth is an Embleme of GOD in another respect which CHRIST himselfe hath explained unto us in the Gospell by his similitude of a house built upon a Rock which though the raine fell upon it the winds beat upon the side of it and the floods attempted to undermine it yâ—t stood firme and unmovable but the house built upon the sand could resist none of them but fell So the mansion of mans soule which consists of many vertues and graces as of so many roomes and chambers if it be founded upon GOD as upon a Rocke thatis if it stedfastly beleeve him if it put its whole trust and confidence in him if it be rooted and founded in the love of him it may say with the Apostle Who shall separate us from the love of CHRIST The soule so founded may be secure because neither spirituall wickednesses which are above it nor carnall concupiscences which are beneath it nor domesticall enemies our kinsmen and acquaintance which are about it shall at any time prevaile against it Great I confesse are the forces and subtilties of spirituall powers but greater is the power greater is the wisedome of the Holy Spirit which is ruler and president over the house which is built upon GOD. Very much and earnestly doth the flesh fight against the Spirit and concupiscences have overcome many strong Men but the love of GOD easily overcometh the love of the flesh and the feare of the LORD the feare of the World Lastly Mans homebred enemies many times draw them by evill example and conversation to the perpetrating of sinne but the soule whose confidence is that it hath GOD to Father and friend easily shakes such friends off and will say with the Apostle I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities noâ— Powers nor things present nor things to come nor any other creature shal be able to separate me from the love of GOD which is in CHRIST JEsus our LORD The second property of the Earth consists in this that it is as a good nurse to Men and other living creatures in bringing forth herbs fruits and other sustenance in plentifull manner for their preservation And this property â—eads us to the Creator who is the true Nurse For it is not properly the Earth but GOD by the Earth which produceth these good things For so the holy Spirit speaketh by the mouth of David He bringeth forth grasse for the cuttell and greene herbe for the service of men and a little after These all wayt upon thee that thou mayest give them meat in due season When thou givest it them they gather it and when thou openest thine hand they are filled with good and our Saviour in the Gospell Behold the foules of the ayre for they sowe not neither reape nor cary into the barnes yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them and the Apostle Saint Paul in the Acts Neverthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good and gave us raine from Heaven and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse Yet is that true which GOD commanded at the Creation Let the Earth bud forth the bud of the herbe that seedeth seed and the fruitfull tree which beareth fruit according to his kind but it is by the power and vertue which GOD hath given it and GOD himselfe by the Earth producing increasing and preserving these things And for this cause it was that King David inviting all creatures to praise the LORD among the rest calls upon fruitfull trees to doe the same and that the three Children in Daniel sang All things that grow on the Earth blesse ye