Therefore whosoeuer will profite in GODS Schoole hee must wholy addict himselfe to the reading of the booke of the creatures of this great and most beautifull world which booke is opened to euery eye and the Lecture is reade obuious to the meanest capacity therefore out of this booke euery man is frequently to meditate on what hee reades there The manner of his meditation must bee either first on all the creatures of this world together or secondly on some one creature and therein to consider the power wisedome and goodnes of God And hee shall doe well euery houre necessity not taking him away whilst hee beholds any creature as Horse Flower and the like to lift vp his heart vnto God and consider with himselfe who made it and how many foot-steps of the power wisedome and goodnesse of God doe appeare in it 1 Then in meditating on the creatures in generall hee shall consider first that the greatnesse of this world doth demonstrate the greatnesse of the Creatour of it secondly the multitude and variety of things the infinite perfections that are in God thirdly the beautifull frame and order of this world the vnsearchable wisedome of God fourthly the benefites and profites wee reape by the creatures the goodnesse of God fifthly the beauty of this world sets forth the admirable beauty comlinesse glory of God sixtly the roundnesse of the world wanting beginning and end the Eternity and Euerlastingnesse of God seuenthly the vnity of the world in that but one world demonstrates the vnity of God eighthly the aboundance of the good things wee receiue from the creatures the liberality of God ninthly the sâ—â—nenesse and constancy of the world in that still remaining in one state the immutability of God 2 But in meditating on the creatures seuerally by themselues let him consider first the Beginning and Authour of that creature which is God secondly the end why hee made it namely to his owne glory and mans seruice thirdly whence and how it was made fourthly the qualities and effects of that creature fifthly how often and much wee haue abused this creature 14 How to meditate on the Perfections and Attributes of God This meditation as it is of all other the most fit for the learned so of all others it is the most excellent some therefore of his Diuine Attributes are these his infinite Essence his Power Goodnesse Wisedome Loue Mercy Iustice Prouidence Liberality Patience Gentlenesse In all and euery of which it behoues vs to know and consider the workes and effects which God hath shewen concerning these to which purpose wee must call to minde the examples and sentences of the holy Scripture which indeed do bring no small help hereunto As for example to the knowledge of the Essence of God this sentence of the Prophet doth much further vs I fill heauen and earth Ier. 2. Act. 3. and that of Paul In him wee liue moue and haue our being to set forth his Power that in the Psalme helpes much Hee spake the word Psal 32. and they were made and so of the rest 1 If wee would meditate of the infinite bounty of God to man we may consider First that hee giues innumerable benefites to man not for that hee is bound to do it or expects any benefite from it secondly his liberality to them that are liberall with him hearing their prayers remembring them in the things they forgot to aske giuing them store of spirituall consolations and infinite gifts of grace thirdly how niggardly I haue dealt with God who hath beene so liberall to mee and therefore I doe binde Gods hands from being any more so liberall 2 If we would meditate of the immensitie and presence of God in euery place first consider that he fills heauen and earth Ier. 23. and is euery where present Heb. 11. and therefore doe thou euer thinke thou seest him that is inuisible by thee secondly how hee is present in euery place namely by his essence presence and power by his essence that is his Diuinitie so that euery where is his infinite goodnes mercy iustice his residence omnipotencie and all his excellencies by his presence seeing and knowing all things in euery place by his power giuing a being to euery thing and helping euery thing to do that which they doe thirdly how in a speciall manner he is within me and how I liue and am and mooue within him He incloseth me on euery side as the water doth the fish and as the apple is within the eye so am I within him hee carries mee in his wombe as the woman doth the infant to whom she is a house a bed a wall nourishment and all it stands neede of Esay 46. and he is within me more intiâ—â—ously ioyned then the soule is within the body after a more excellent manner so that his infinite goodnesse within me giues me the being and life I haue his wisedome the light and knowledge I haue and his omnipotencie the power I haue to doe anie thing and so I ought to behold God within me most present euen as if I were his house and habitation where he is and doth whatsoeuer I am haue or doe without whose presence I shold presently cease to be and turne to nothing from which I may conceiue affections of ioy admiration trust and loue seeing my selfe thus ioyned vnto GOD. Hence must I accustome my selfe to search for GOD within my selfe for if within me why should I weary my selfe to seeke for him onely without my selfe 3 If I would meditate of his infinite wisedome and knowledge first I consider that by it he knoweth himselfe his essence all his infinite perfections also all his owne Actes Intentions Decrees Dispositions and all things that hee can doe so that nothing can escape his knowledge Secondly that hee hath this Wisedome by his owne Essence and by it as in a most cleere Chrystall hee sees and comprehends all things which by himselfe hee disposeth and ordereth so that hee receiueth it not from any other or hath any Maister or Counsellour or any other booke to teach him Thirdly that this Diuine Wisedome alone without any other helpe is the first Inuentor of all things in the world from which all Sciences Arts and Inuentions in heauen and earth proceedes as namely the inuention of mans creation of the beings of grace which hee communicates to man and the wisedome that hee poures out ouer all his creatures Fourthly that this Wisedome of God hath put all things in the world in number weight and measure comprehending the number of all things which were are or shall bee and of all their parts members offices and workes the weight of euery one of them in quantity or weight of their propensions and affections naturall and supernaturall the measure of euery one of them length bredth thicknesse and depth and the very measure of their perfection talenesse and faculties of them Fifthly that this Wisedome is eternall
Eare and Audition Mynde and Meditation Hart and Affection Hand and Action THE HEAUENLY PROGRESSE By Rich Middleton LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1617. ⧠TO THE truely Great and grace-full Prince CHARLES Prince of WALES SIR I Well fore-see not only how vn worthy I may be esteemed to present your Highnesse with any furtherances of piety being already so richly adorned with plenty of al rare and diuine habiliments of the soule but with all how vn-welcome I shall be to such as doate on their owne shadowes in the meane while dis-liking defacing and dis commending euen the straightest statures and beautifullest parts in others who are not of their owne hue constitution and complexion Seâ— For nunquam desunt qui etiam per ornamenta ferient There will neuer want some to wound a man euen through the sides of his best ornaments and graces But albeit I presume not of that happinesse of learning and iudgement Plin sccun either to act things worth the writing or write things worth the reading which is I confesse a shred of outward and temporall happinesse yet I hold it no presumption to affirme seeing herein I seek not mine owne Phil. 2.21 but that which is Iesus Christs that to goe this Heauenly Progresse and to take delight in it is the true and onely way to eteruizer he soule in blisse 1 Sa. 2.30 hauing Gods hand and seale to warrant that he will honor them that thus honor him Ioh. 17.3 For if it be life eternall to know God and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ and consequently to know a mans selfe then this Progresse leading directly vnto both must needs be worth the going and if it be true herein as it is most true which that wise Historian spake in another case Dinothi aduers histor absurdissimum est soris multum sâ—ire domi prorsus ignarum esse that it is most absurd to know many forraine affaires in the meane while being ignoraÌ„t of home businesse then whosoeuer will taste the ioyes of heauen must goe this Progresse on earth for this onely teacheth him to know wel both the things at home in his owne soule and the things from home in heauen where he would haue his soule Happy is that kingdome family and soule where wisedome and youth are so one that they are neuer sundered but sweetly kisse each other age and wisedome in the meane time not sequestred from the same condition For that makes kingdomes families and soules eternal and euen this happinesse is onely acquired by timely beginning and constantly perseuering to serue God in spirit and truth and walke in this Progresse Therefore it is well obserued that in buildings God and man do hold a different course man beginning euer at the foundation but God at the roofe he stretched out the heauens before he laid the foundation of the world by his naturall workes giuing vs spirituall instruction to follow his order euer begin with care of heauenly things Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 is our Sauiours direction to as many as will build mansions in heauen For as the building rests on the columns and the columns on the bases so the eternall wel-being of the soule is sustained by faith whose foundation is in heauen accompanied with the glorious fruits of the spirit as the roofe at which all true Christians must begin their spirituall building For as we serue God so he serues vs if we begin late or neuer or for fashion or for carthly rewards and respects or faintly or out of his place to serue him hee keepes the same corâ—â—espondency with vs giues vs our hearts desire but with-all sends leannesse into our soules a false comfort for a false worship Psal 106. â—5 a false saith for a false religion a false saluation for a false profession For he that giues God his lips in stead of his heart teacheth God to giue him stones in stead of bread and he that rankes him last and reckons him least in the duties of his life teacheth God to set him at the lower end of the table of his earthly blessings and to reiect him from the enioyment of his heauenly One example for all as a glasse to behold the truth hereof Whilst Adam serued God God serued him he consulted for a mansion for him for meat for him for a sweet companion for him vntill he rebelled against him we reade of nothing but his works for Adam as if he had been hired to worke for him but when hee once lost his innocency then God tooke from him whatsoeuer he had giuen him he lost his wisdome his peace his liberty his glory his dwelling like that man that betwixt Iericho and Ierusalem fâ—ll among theâ—ues Mat. 25.29 For from him that hath not shall bee taken away euen that hee hath God is as a father deliuering a stocke to his sonne to trade with-all if he husband it ill at first he with-draws his hands froÌ„â—error blessings And as they that try vessels first put water into them and then wine when they find them staunch so doth God with vs he that is faithfull in a little shall be made ruler ouer much and he that begins to lay his foundation in heauen shall end with a glorious crown in heauen Now your highnesse hauing most happily taken your patterne from God and begun for many yeeres to build from heauen down-wards making that the corner stone my labour in this little Pro-gresse is to bring some materials to this worke and shew a method how to bring this goodly building to perfection that seeing it is not my happinesse as Paul to plant I may bee allowed as Apollos to water those rare and admirable seeds of religion and piety already sowen in your Princely heart For nihil in te mediocre esse contentus sum Ier. to tum summu totum perfectum esse desidero Lesse then exquisite perfection in all things is lesse then I desire may be found in you Therefore as the Gardiner waters his seeds and plants till they spring and waters them againe till they be aboue ground and lastly till they bring foorth fruit on the earth the seed the water the stalke the fruit and all being from the Lord of the haâ—uest so must this and such like godly books and sweet sermons be suffered to water the garden of your heart seeing they are not onely as the sweet dew of heauen dropping downe grace into the soule but also as so many little chinkes by which the heart is kept open that the beames of heauenly knowledge may enter And so much the rather is this worke now to be entred vpon because as the foundation is laid so is the building raised either soone to ruine or for euer to remaine For as the arrow is directed at the first so doth it flie all the way either home ouer short or besides the marke so that whosoeuer shall
and defend that doctrine and piety which by their places they are bound to promote and defend As it is truly saide quod latet ignotum est ignoti nulla cupido what is hidde is vnknowne and vnknown vnloued and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the sight the affection is mooued Which we find iustly to fall out in such as haue tasted of the waters of the diuine fountaine that albeit they extinguish the desire of all other things yet do they so worke that quo plas sunt potae plus sitiantur aquae the more you drinke them the more you desire them And this your Highnesse wisdome industry in holy things which all men admire in one of your yeeres honors the noblenesse of your birth largenes of your glory fortunes makes more conspicuous re-markeable to all men For as the light of a torch by how much it is placed in a higher candle-sticke by so much doth it giue light to more in the roome so vertue and goodnesse albeit the splendor thereof doe euery where spread it selfe yet doth it more largely send foorth his beames when grafted in a high emineÌ„t person And it is by the good hand of our God vpon vs so ordered in your Princely person aboue the most of your ranke in the world that as gold and siluer are apter mettalls to ingraue pretious stones in then iron or lead so is true nobility but more truly the noblenesse of your nature a better subiect to imprint any vertue in then those of a baser lower coÌ„dition For as waxe is apt to receiue al formes so true nobility and most the truenesse of your noble nature is a disposition fitted by the haÌ„d of God to receiue the impression of any vertue Therefore God hauing done so great things for you aboue others you must not content your selfe to haue abandoned one vice or entertained one vertue but you must empty your heart affections of all the masse of corruptions and fill the cabinet of your soule with the rich treasures and lewels of all manner of vertues For as one vn-tuned instrument destroies the whole harmony of musick so the defect of any one vertue mars the sweet harmony of the soule And as a bird is staid froÌ„ flying away with a little string yea a strong man in swimming is held back by a little twig and often drownd by a little grasse growing in the bottom of the riuer so euen the least sin hinders our passage into heauen as it did Moses from going into Canaan But especially if sinne grow into custome for they seldom euer rise that haue the mil-ston of ill customes pressing them downe Therefore those that would safely arriue at the heauenly Canaan must banish the two pests of ill customes and il companions from them For wheÌ„ a man once begins to like of pleasure and to dally with sinne straight way as many vanities flocke to him as Salomon had concubines Then he runs ouer reason treads on conscience goes by the word posts to destruction as if he ran for a kingdom much like a Larke that retires and falls faster then shee mounted The Crocodiles egge they say is at first no bigger then a Goose egge but her issue growes by little and little till it become eighteen foot long so sinne at first seems but a small matter but once enter and admit him hee will fill the house of the soule and prooue a monster And as it growes so doth the punishment too an arrow is swift the Sunne is swift but sin is swiftest of all for in a moment it is arraigned on earth iudged in heauen and condemned to hell O that I might once see great ones turne sinne but euen their great sinnes a begging for want of seruice as good seruants often goe a begging for want of maintenance But I am much afraid that as God looking downe from heauen to see if any would doe good and seeke after God said non est vnus there is not one So this kind of seruing God to shake off om sinnes and acquaint our selues with God may goe from Court to country from City to village from preacher to hearer and find none that will subscribe to it Yet is this required at all our hands vnder paine of eternall damnation For as Rebecca had not only eare-rings of gold but bracelets too so our armes must bee adorned as well as our cares we must not onely haue cares to heare well and mouthes to speake well but also hands to doe well And how can that be done if we giue our selues wholly to the pleasures of the flesh for as moist and plashy grounds bring foorth nothing but frogs so the belly and watry stomacke stuft like a tunne brings forth nothing but foggy thoughts filthy speeches and corrupt affections Therefore Physitians say that nothing is better for the body then abstinence Lawyers say nothing is beter for the wits but diuines say nothing is better for the soule The story tells vs of a bird with a mans face but so cruell to man that it will kill him yet afterwards seeing her owne face in the water like to that shee killed incontinent kils her selfe because she had killed one like her selfe What then will those men doe that haue not onely kild one like themselues but euen their owne bodies and soules by their surfettings drunkennesse vncleannesse malice pride enuy and other beastly intemperancies O why will we not liue ten yeers or twenty yeeres like Christians that we might liue not a thousand but euen millions of yeeres like Angels How long shall it bee a voice from vs a sound to you and so all the matter is ended that wee preach or write all going away like a boy in ones hand from our bookes and sermons remembring and applying nothing that is said or read as the stomacke except it haue power of retention makes no benefit of the meat so except wee lay vp these things in our hearts reading and preaching are but in vaine I will not presse your sacred Highn esse out of your Chaire of State as worthy Gregory did Basil pulling him out of his Doctors chaire from the profession of Rhetoricke to Diuinity saying Omitte ista da saluti â—peram leaue these toyes and haue care of your saluation for I know well it is your principall care to make your calling and election sure but giue mee leaue to put you in minde so to manage the things of this life which belong to profit or pleasure that you euer preserre the things of heauen and make the desire of heaueÌ„ the moderator of all your pleasures and profits For the pleasures of youth are like gilded pilles very bitter like fresh riuers that euer end in the sea loosing their sweete rellish in an ocean of saltnesse True zeale cannot flourish vnder such a delicate gonernmeÌ„t nor yet the perfect knowledge of God he subiect to the paunch I know not how it comes to
ought to doe vnlesse withall wee know the order and manner of proceeding in it and how wee ought to doe it therefore I will onely set before your eyes certaine short methodes and formes of meditation vpon euery of the matters of meditation before named and such as are easie for euery vulgar capacity to learne and frequent 1 Concerning Death these things may bee chiefly considered and meditated 1 What great and ineuitable necessity of dying is laid vpon euery man of what condition soeuer 2 How vncertaine a thing it is to know when where and how death will seize vpon vs. 3 How that in death all things in this world euen the things that were most endeared to vs will leaue and abandon vs. Or thus 1 What are the things which do vsher vs to our death and as it were leade the dance euen all all our infirmities and weakenesses all our griefes and paines in body or minde all the potions and receits of Phisick our friends and neighbours visitations and condolements 2 What things do accompany our death euen most bitter and extreme conuulsions and torments of the body the losse of our senses depriuation of sound reason departure of the naturall heate anxieties and troublednesse of the minde strong temptations and often fearefull visions 3 What things doe follow death buriall in the earth neglect and forgetfulnesse amongst those that seemed sometimes to bee incorporated into vs rottennesse stincke and loathsomnesse and lastly the iudgement of the soule either to the ioyes of heauen or torments of hell Or thus 1 That death is the most terrible and fearefull thing of all the fearefull things that can bee conceiued 2 That it is to be feared contemned and desired feared least it take vs suddenly contemned least the conceite of it should make vs saint cowardly desired least wee should seeme to die vnwillingly 3 How iust and reasonable a thing it is that euery Christian should with all care and diligence addresse himselfe to a fit and due preparation of well dying that hee may bee assured at what time soeuer death sets vpon him yet shall it neuer take him tardy and vn-prouided 2 Of the last Iudgement these things are principally to be meditated 1 Those most fearefull signes spoken of by our Sauiour in the Gospell which shall be the forerunners of that iudgement Math. 24. the powers of heauen shall bee shaken and all the kinreds of the earth shall then mourne 2 The renouation of the world 2. Pet. 3. There shall bee a new heauen and a new earth this present world being burnt vp with fire 3 The resurrection of all the sonnes and daughters of Adam at the blast of a trumpet 4 The Maiesty of that Iudge round about whom the whole Court of heauen shall stand 5 The account that must then bee rendred of all things that are done in the flesh whether good or euill the opening of the bookes of our conscience wherby the secrets of all hearts shall bee manifested to the whole world 6 The sentencing of them that haue done good vnto eternall ioy and glory Mat. 25.41 and of them that haue done euill to infinite and eternall vengeance and torment of body and soule of which sentence euery word is aduisedly to bee pondered 7 The most certaine execution of both those sentences how and how long time to endure euen for euer and euer and beyond all times 3 How to meditate on the torments of hell In this meditation thou maist contemplate these three points first the place it selfe and the eternity of it secondly the tortures of the body in that place eternally thirdly the torments of the soule euerlasting First conceiue that hell is a certaine perpetuall prison full of fire and other innumerable torments wherewith those are affected that die in their sinnes vnrepented Or thus Hell is a certaine eternall state and condition in which all impenitent sinners are tormented with that punishment that they shall want all the things that may make for their comforts and shall suffer all the things that may increase feare and horrour so that there shall bee the want of all good things mans heart can conceiue and the presence and aboundance of all euils wherewith either man in this world or the deuils in hell are tormented and all these to bee endured not for some thousands of millions of yeares but for euer and euer Heere then consider that whatsoeuer is in hell is eternall First the damned himselfe is eternall not onely in soule but in body too so that neither himselfe nor any other can kill him nor will God bring him to nought They shall seeke death but shall not finde it They shall desire to die Apoc. 9.6 but death shall flee from them so that God shall bee so farre from fulfilling their desires that their mad desire to bee brought to nothing shall encrease their horrible torment in seeing they cannot obtaine what they so infinitely desire Secondly the place it selfe is eternall Eccles 1.4 for as the earth and heauen are eternall so is hell also Thirdly the fire is eternall and vnquenchable Esay 30. For the breath of the Lord as a Riuer of brimestone doth kindle it so that it is not extinguisht not consumed Esay 66. and yet doth euer burne Fourthly the worme neuer dyeth the worme of conscience for the rottennesse of the sin of which it is ingendred and nourished shall haue no end and the liuely apprchension of sin and the punishment of it shall neuer cease Mar. 9. neither shall the cruell biting of it whereby it wounds the conscience euer haue any end Fifthly the decree of God is vnchangeable and eternall the sentence is past From hell there is no redemption no price sufficient to ransome them Sixthly all the punishments there are eternall because the sinnes for which they are inflicted are eternall in as much as the Reprobate if hee could haue liued for euer hee would euer haue had a purpose of sinning against God Why then will wee make our selues guilty of eternall punishments Why doth not this eternall fire feare vs Why doth not this breath of God this worme this vnchangeable decree of God disturne vs And heere further meditate first the continuednesse of these torments without any interruption or diminution for a moment nay rather by how much more as their wicked liues haue beene occasions of others damnations by so much their torments increase secondly yet for all this continuance there is no habite attained in suffering to make them the lighter but rather they seeme to be new and by the impatience of the damned to waxe fresh For euen as the pride of them that hate God ascends euer more and more so their anger Psal 73. fury enuy impatience and madnesse increaseth thirdly that it is an vgly and most odious place in which no light though all bee on a fire fourthly a most narrow place in respect of the multitude that
then other workes but much more glorious and pretious Yet doth such coldnesse bring no small benefit to such as are fraile for neither doth the greatnesse of the worke inuite them seeing they perceiue it not nor yet the taste of the thing adde any strength vnto them and from the one and the other of these it commeth to passe that in their labours their strength is defectiue Therefore it is 2. fit that we indeauour to apply some remedies to this soare hauing already seene the causes of this coldnesse The first remedy and most common to cure this malady is to prouide that the corrupt appetite as in the 4. Instruction may be healed and by and by those who before felt that coldnesse shall perceiue their former workes which they iudged to be admirable to bee indeed very abiect if they bee compared to the loue of God This doth the Apostle whose palate was most sound teach vs saving If I speake with the tongue of men and Angels 1. Cor 13. it I giue all my goods to the poore if I giue my body to be burned and haue not loue it profits mee nothing and yet must not these bee iudged to bee of small moment But besides after all these speaking of sublime workes hee affirmes them all to be of lesse value then loue The same hath the Sonne of GOD himselfe taught as wee haue already said Therefore it is manifest that loue is the chiefest of all workes and duties seeing without it all other things are nothing And without any further proofe this ought to suffice vs that the eternall wisdome of God which cannot lie hath willed chosen and commanded vs to doe this before all other things that can bee done in heauen or earth Nothwithstanding 2. There is another remedy more singular which will make vs something feele the inexplicable greatnesse of this worke of the loue of God and the meanes hereof is that wee vnite and most strongly glue our wills to that will which is of infinit excellency and that we ioyne them in that manner that it be caried to nothing else but vnto that which that infinit will would haue it for then shal our wills be of much value when our owne will being abandoned they haue the wills of that infinit will which is God himselfe for he euermore willleth loueth and reioiceth for the infinit good which he himselfe hath Besides for many causes God would haue vs to desire that which hee so greatly desireth 1 For his onely goodnesse whereby hee vouchsafeth to sublimate our wills vnto so great nobility that they should be in his sight of great worth 2 Seeing he hath created vs to so great a good it is iust that wee doe him some seruice but what duty can we doe him seeing his Maiesty hath no need of our seruice although it were the greatest that can bee imagined Wee say therefore that least wee should be idle seeing God hath no neede of any thing nor can haue more good then now hee hath it is very iust that we as the obsequious and dutifull seruants of so great a Lord all our liues long be herein imploied to reioyce at the good and glory of God himselfe and indeed euery one may easily see that it is most iust and of great weight that all things as well in heauen as earth omitting all other things should euermore be herein exercised to reioyce at the good and glory wherwith God is infinitly filled 3 That for which God would aboue all other things haue our wills vnited vnto him is for that being yet on the earth we should begin to seeke that infinit will from the fulfilling wherof all the blessednesse which wee haue or hope for in the heauens is deriued vnto him that is lead with this loue For it is true that learned Diuines do say that gloria nihil aliud est quam gratia consummata glorie is nothing die but grace consummate to possesse charitie here in a measure is to bee glorified there in abundance and so it is begun here but perfected hereafter But it is to our purpose to shew how this glory which is heauenly may be perfected by this loue wherein the excellency of this loue will appeare Therefore wee must consider which is also againe and againe to be read and pondered that all our ioy proceeds from the fulfilling of our owne wiss and by how much more our will desireth any thing and by how much more perfectly it fulfils that which it desireth by so much doth it obtaine a greater ioy To these things let vs consider that the blessednesse or perfect ioy in heauen proceeds from the vision beholding of God who in the same moment wherein he is seene infuseth into all that see him a most perfect knowledge that he is most worthy to haue all the good and infinit glory which he hath For assoone as they see him they become all prudent and wise so that euery one may see what is conuenient for him to which knowledge of God is ioyned the loue of God aboue all created things together with an ineffable desire that hee may possesse all the good and glory which he is worthy of which desire and most intense and inlarged will of euery man this cleere vision of God doth succeed whereby they know and see apparantly that the same their desire is farre more perfectly fulfilled then they are able to comprehend For they see and vnderstand God himselfe whom they so much loue beautified with so great good and glory that for the infinities of it they are not able perfectly to vnderstand nor yet are able to come to die defects or increase of the glory And againe that so much is euery ones ioy the greater by how much his desire is greater and more perfectly fulfilled And here is opened the largenesse of the glory of the blessed seeing their desire in such a sublime manner is fulfilled as that nothing can bee more excellent besides that desire is of the infinit good of GOD himselfe whom they doe more loue and desire then they doe the glorie which properly belongs to themselues Blessed is the man who on earth shall with an intimous will loue and contemplate the being glory of God seeing he shall thereby obtaine that hee may see his owne desire in as high a manner to bee fulfilled in heauen Who is he that can imagine how much of his glory the Lord without any diminution of glory in himselfe shall giue vnto him who dwelling on earth wisheth nothing else but the glory and greatnesse which that Maiesty possesseth all these things doc those words of Paul well declare Eye hath not seene 1. Cor. 2. nor eare heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that loue him And this hee saith because no man can conceiue how intimously those that loue GOD here doe wish and will in heauen that good which God possesseth and in what
a high manner this their desire it fulfilled and how much ioy they haue of the one and the other Therefore it is manifest of what great excellency this worke of the loue of GOD is seeing neither tongue nor pen is able to expresse it 3 Now hauing seene the remedite for this coldnesse of the loue of God what this loue of God is what is the beginning progresse and end of it It is fit that wee know how much and how often we must be imploied in this loue And surely so farre as briefly can be gathered wee must know that wee must euer or at the least by infinit turnes euen in the same houre if it bee possible exercise our selues in this loue yet that wee may bee able the more liuely to feele how wee ought continually thus to loue wee must obserue that if the exchange be commendable whereby one takes vpon him the labour of one houre or giues some small mony for the redemption of a thousand men captined by the Moores without all companion he shall and ought to thinke his time better bestowed that himselfe or any other man should sustaine death yea manie deaths that some other man for a most small time may loue God if that loue cannot be had without suffring of the same death or deathes euen for that small space of time and that is so true that it not onely hath place when he who for that smal space of time loueth God by that loue obtayning heauens glory but also if we were certaine that hee might by diuerse other seruices towards God in that small space of time obtaine the said glory which hence is manifest For that short loue hath in it greater good then the euill of of him that is suffred with much griefe who doth also wish death a thousand times Besides it shall yet incomparably be a greater good if we shal consider that for this short time of loue shall be rendered an increase of grace and further also an augmentation of perpetuall loue together with Celestiall glory And how great a good that is hee shall know who vnderstands what is the greatnesse of diuine loue And this being knowne it will yet more cleerely appeace that wee ought euermore or by inumerable vicissitudes to performe this so sublime a duty of loue that doing here that which is our duety wee may increase in strength to doe the same in heauen where those that â—aue obtained glorie doe so much more excellently loue by how much more they haue loued when they were on earth But if we ought by these inumerable turnes wee ought to loue this our most glorious God because the act of this loue is of inestimable goodnesse then let vs turne our selues to consider our owne negligence and malliceâ— and behold how bitterly wee ought to lament euery moment of our liues which hath passed without this loue Againe how much more grieuously wee ought to bewaile al those things which haue disioyned vs from this loue and such are all our sinnes by which we become capitall enemies and most contrarious to this loue and at the best brings a shiuering coldnesse and sluggishnesse ouer our hearts to so great a good and withall let vs consider of what great reprehension he is worthy that doth not intimously from the heart reioyce at euery thing which may promote vs to so great a good such as iniuries contempts persecutions and the like are And on the other side if wee doe not mightily lament as often as wee finde any impediment to so great a good such as humaine fauours and all other complacency and temporall delectations are Surely so reprooueable is it that we do not ioy or grieue at the things wee haue spoken by how much it is more better to suffer death a thousand times then the iniuries and persecutions which mans malice was wont to inferre or the sorrowes which wee can feele whilest wee flee the fauours of men and other things which were wont to be delight-some to vs. Againe that in so excellent a iouruey nothing may hinder vs wee must obserue that if sometimes for the debility of bodie or because wee haue not attained so great vertue in the soule as is necessarie to the suffring of aduersities it is necessary then that wee flee persecutions and the societies of such as affect vs with iniuries or to procure I some delicate and sauory things that wee may doe that with an actuall intention of greater euils and often lamenting for that in fleeing from aduersities we should depart froÌ„ that which is good which may promote vs to so great a good as is the loue of God and that taking vp these pleasant things wee should omit those bitter things vnto which by the malice of our negligence we are obliged And wee must doe this with an humble Prayer vnto GOD supplicating his goodnesse to strengthen verthe both in body and soule whereby hauing receiued power to resist our frailty for which by the defect of our power it was necessary for vs to flee persecutions or to take vp things pleasant vnto vs wee may bee without any impediment disposed to that same heauenly loue of him and his glory And that wee may the more cleerely know how worthy these our negligences are of reprehension whereby wee fall from this pretious loue it will be to good purpose to obserue that which wee haue written before of the hatred of our selues which is the foundation and primary disposition to this loue of God And because wee haue no balances on earth wherewith continually to weigh the same wee must aske of God that he would prouide vs from heauen and God graunt that our liues may neuer bee weary of the consideration hereof From all these is to be obserued what great madnesse it is not to procure that great glory in heauen seeing the sublimity of that glory doth necessarily follow low the seriousnesse of that loue and although the greatnesse of that glory were not much to bee regarded which is ordained for vs yet are wee much obliged to regarde that we may obtaine the greatnesse of the loue that being made glorious we may euer loue him who is most worthy of all to bee most highly loued But that we may see how we may be able often to loue chiefely when the taste in sweetnesse forsakes vs which of it selfe was wont to stir vs vp we must take a helpe from the sixth Instruction seeing God giues grace to the will to incline to this or that as often as the seruant of God shall prepare himself therunto froÌ„ al which the seruant of Christ may obserue what an infinit and irrecouerable losse we receiue when wee omit to loue God in euery moment of time wherein wee may loue him And if it bee to bee lamented whilest by neglecting of great dignities or earthly riches one receiues a great losse How much more lamentable is it seeing the losse is farre greater to omit euen for a
of omission and commission 4. Sorrow and detestation for our sinnes and a purpose of amendment 5. A due censuring and castigation of our selues for them 1. Our examination must begin with thanksgiuing for all his innumerable benefits This gratefull commemoration of benefits and humble confession of sinnes accusing our selues vehemently before God doth strongly impell and enforce our repentance for them Bas and obteine remission from God Hee that affirmes all our praiers should begin with thanksgiuing giues vs this counsell whensoeuer thou determinest to pray leaue thy wife thy children yea euen leaue thy selfe and depart farre from the earth and ouercome euen the heauens and leaue also all created natures as well which may as those which cannot bee seene and begin from the glorification of him who made all things Say vnto him I thanke thee O Lord for thy incredible clemency and thy wonderfull facility in bearing the sinnes of men who doest dayly susteine me with singular patience euery moment sinning against thee and giues vs all space and time and meanes to repent Euen for this cause O Lord thou holdest thy peace and bearest with vs that we might giue thee thankes who gouernest and moderatest the saluation of mankind sometimes by threatning sometimes by gently exhorting and who first by thy Prophets after by the coÌ„ming of thy Christ hast visited vs. For thou hast made vs and not we our selues thou art our God alone But if all prayer must begin with thanksgiuing much more this in which we would begge such light as might bring vs to the knowledge of â—our selues and obteine the remission of all our sinnes A generall thanksgiuing vnder one name comprising all the benefits of GOD is not very profitable a speciall repeating all his benefits is impossible for who can recount all his benefits Therefore a middle course is to bee holden and both certaine generall benefits and some particular of that day are to bee called to minde and thankes to bee giuen vnto God for them the remembrance whereof will something dispose vs to sorrow and repentance Thus then thou shalt say 1. O Lord my God I giue thee infinit thankes because thou hast from all eternity seene and loued mee and as by thy infinit mercy I hope hast effectually elected me to glory and by conuenient meanes hast predestinated mee thereunto 2. Because thou hast created me of nothing and made mee in thine owne image and hast inriched and indowed mee with infinit guifts both in soule and body 3. Because thou preseruest both my selfe and all other things with so long a continuance for my sake without whose actuall assistance wee had presently beene brought to nothing nor could wee haue lasted for one moment of time 4. Because thou gouernest and rulest mee and all things for my sake and disposest all things which belong vnto me with a most effectuall and sweete prouidence 5. Because thou hast redeemed me with thy most pretious bloud and by thy merits and passion hast deliuered mee from the slauery of Sathan 6. Because thou hast giuen thy selfe vnto me for a teacher a phisition a father and an example of holy life 7. Because amongst those little numbers of thy poore flocke thou hast called mee to the profession of the Gospell and to the knowledge and obedience of thy Maiesty 8. Because by thy holy Word thy Sacraments thy Inspirations examples of holy men godly bookes and many other holy meanes thou hast helped me to liue well yet dost helpe me 9. Because thou hast aduanced mee from the miserable estate of an enemy and as I hope in thy mercy to the dignity of a friend and with thy sauing grace hast iustified me and remitted all my sinnes 10. Because thou hast deliuered me froÌ„ innumerable daungers of loosing thy grace and fauour and dost not cease to deliuer me 11. Because thou hast inriched me with many both inward and outward graces gifts as well of nature as of grace 12. Because thou hast as I assuredly hope effectually prepared for mee from before the foundations of the world according to the good pleasure of thy will a sure degree of glory happinesse 13. Because thou hast this day admitted mee to pray and speake vnto thee fed me with the pretious delicates of thy flesh and bloud and hast continued mee in thy obedience 14. Because thou dost follow mee with other infinit benefits and ceasest not still to follow me through my whole life and for euer 15. Because thou hast ministred vnto me health and all such things as may serue to further mee in the obedience of thy Law 2 Thus hauing giuen thanks thou must then aske of GOD grace to know discusse and looke into thy selfe for the heart of man is wicked aboue measure and insearchable and who doth know it And seeing in the same place the demaund is thus answered I the Lord search the heart and prooue the reines Ier. 17. wee must aske of him who can doe it that hee would place our hearts neere vnto vs display the frauds and dissimulations of it and open the veine of the knowledge of our selues This praier must bee short that there may bee time also for the other points of the examen Therefore thus thou maist say in thy affection and minde Thou Oh most bountifull I beseech thee vnto all these thy benefits adde this one more to send mee light from thy glorious Throne and giue mee of thy abundant grace that I may know my manifold sinnes and so repent truly for the sins I haue committed against thee 3 Wee then come to the inquisition of our sins which for better vnderstanding we may distribute into thoughts affections words and workes namely what we are to discusse in these 3. Hugo lib. Med. The affections cogitations workes One saith that in our affections we must consider that they be right i. that they bee directed vnto that which they ought to be And secondly that they be sincere i. directed as they ought to be For to loue that thing which a man ought not to loue is euill and so to loue as a man ought not is also euill Therfore it is a good affection when it is vnto that which it ought to be vnto and also as it ought to be Amnon loued his sister and it was in affection vnto that which it should be 2. Sam. 13. but because he loued her wickedly therefore it was not as it ought to be Therefore the affection may bee to that which it ought to be and yet not as it ought to be But it can neuer be as it ought to be except it be vnto that which it ought to be in that to which it ought to be it is a right affection and how and as it ought to be it is a sincere affection 2. In the cogitations wee must consider that they be 1. Cleane and 2. ordered they are cleane when they are neither ingendred of ill affections
make an ill beginning forespeake themselues as it were at the very first Therefore happy are they that haue the arrow yet in their hand and day before them For if wee haue not ouercome sinne in youth before it take root in vs how shal we struggle with it when the roaring lyon hath vs in his pawes and when sinne being like an olde man that hath lost his hearing will not be charmed but tells vs it was a custome and could not be left And because no man is borne to idlenesse nor for himselfe only I haue bethought my selfe of some course to discharge at least some part of my seruice duty to your High and in generall to benefit al such as with holy deuotion aspire to perfection in the seruice of God Vir. Eneid lib. 5. imitating herein Palinurus who finding that he could not saile against the wind into Italy turned his course with Aeneas his approbation into Sicily where they had before been friendly entertained It being a point of wisedome when a man caÌ„not saile by a fore-wind where he would and happily where he shold to saile by a bowling and side-wind or at least-wise to cast anchour where hee may Act. 16.6 Paul his companions being forbidden by the spirit to preach the Gospell in Asia and Bythinia by a vision appearing to Paul on the night a certaine Macedonian intreating him to come into Macedonia and helpe them collected that they were called of the Lord into Macedonia to preach the word and what shall I thinke of my selfe to whom God would haue that ordinary coÌ„mand of his word to be in stead of Pauls extraordinary vision to him Heb. 10.24 but that the holy commandement of sharpning pronoking others to good workes 1. Thes 5.11 Eze k. 13.5 of edisying one another and of rising vp in the gap and making vp the hedge hath sufficiently animated me and warranted my aduenture in putting Gods talent to the exchangers Mat. 25.27 that at his comming hee might receiue his owne with aduantage I am not ignorant that Aulus Albinus was reproned of Cato because he would rather deprecari culpam quaÌ„vacare culpa Aul gell 11.8 excuse his fault theÌ„ want a fault in that himselfe a Romane borne and writing a Hystory in Greek desired pardon if he chanced to offend in a strange tongue Yet Catoes reason excusing such as offeÌ„d by constraint and Albinus case and mine differing much he being a stranger in that language but I at home in mine owne element giues mee no small hope of a generall pardon albeit I should offeÌ„d in taking on me an office altogether vafit for my weake and weary shoulders for I grant this heauy taske requires a fuller pen a riper iudgement a sweeter singer then my selfe Yet when the equity of my calling the imploiment in so high a sernice as a Princes Court and the necessity of the times and manners called vpon me for some duty and the importunity of some whose words haue much weight and authority with me had wrung this worke from me I am the more bold to intreat that Catoes censure if any be may be made with Catoes equity because I had rather be without a fault then make an excuse for it The wise Orator feinedly reproted Cic. pro deiot that therefore applause was not giuen to Caesar because hee was pressed with men astonished with admiration but I must vnfainedly confesse that I must passe by in silence the commendations of this kind of seruing God methodized in this little worke because the admiration of it Isa 6.5 as the sunne beames dazles the sharpnesse of my weake sight But as the Prophet witnesseth when he saw the Lord sitting on his throne that he was amazed because a man of polluted lippes vn-worthy to see the glory of God so do I ingenuously professe when I ponder the great Maiesty of Gods word the absoiute perfection wherewith he lookes to be serued I am struck starke dambe because I am a man of polluted lips indeed of an vncircumcised heart and far vnfit to expresse the praise of such wonderfull things Therfore I willingly leaue such luy-bushes to the worldly wisdome of Philosophers Physitians and Lawiers whose learning I confesse are good for mans life but that life which perisheth excellent but yet humane laudable but yet mortall high but yet most shippery and brittle The story roports Liuy liâ— XX that Hanniball before hee would ioyne battell with the Romans proposed to his army certaine couples of captiues contending withtheir swords that by this kind of playing conslict the Carthaginians might the more wisely attend and the more cheerefully be armed to vnder-take the condition of a serious sight but such is the combat and seruice wherein by this little booke I must imploy all that purpose to haue the victory against sinne Satan hell and damnation that if they depart from the rule of combat and seruice prescribed it is not the losse of Captiues but of Carthaginians not of Carthaginians but Christians not be life of the body but of the soule is in danger not the law of man but of God is contemned not transitory riches nor health nor all the pleasures of life but euen the most blessed possession of the kingdome of heauen the eternall saluation of our soules lies at the stake to be lost A matter if euer any of great consequence and therefore timely to bee begun and constantly to be continued For hee that hath a great taske to bee performed in a short time is euer prouident not to let slippe that time Our taske is our conuersion to GOD our time of returne is this short span of life a short time for so sore a taske our wages for this taske is our soules saluation therefore no wisdome to mis-pend the least portion of time and to loose our glorious inheritance in heauen It is strange to see our toylings and sweatings for these sub-lunary vanities and yet how remisse we are to make our calling and election sure how negligent and sloathfull to lay hold on that good part which cannot be taken from vs. As the spider spends her owne bowels in spinning sine threeds weauing cunning nets to catch slies when suddenly a pusse of wind or a broâ—me comes and marres all that fine fabricke So we torment our selues for the base honors baser pleasures of this life and when we are at the height of all comes but one paffe of dis-grace sicknesse or death defeats all wee did all wee hoped for Therefore seeing all doe agree that God is to bee serued but dispute of the time let vs take the present time for youth had neede of legges and age of wings I confesse indeed that this manner of seruing God which I propose is something strict vncouth and vnsauory to flesh and bloud but most of all to such whose glory and greatnesse all men adore and also to such whose breasts are
vnchangeable most profound most euident and is wholy altogether for with one onely simple aspect it teacheth from one Eternity to the other seeing with one onely glimpse whatsoeuer is possible to be seene or knowne so that from that that God is God hee so knoweth whatsoeuer hee knoweth that hee can know nothing de nouo which before hee knew not because nothing can bee new vnto him for all things past present and to come and which by any meanes are possible hee knoweth distinctly and euidently without all mixture of doubt opinion or perplexity Whence I learne that as God forgets not mee but remembers mee and all mine so distinctly as if I were in the world alone so I should neuer forget my God nor the things that belong vnto him 4 If I would meditate of Gods Omnipotency I consider first that hee is infinitely Potent to do what hee will Luke 1. without any limits or bounds nothing is impossible with God Secondly that this Omnipotency is onely proper vnto God so that onely God in his owne nature and essence hath power but no creature hath any but participated from God onely God can doe what hee doth without the helpe of any other yet doth hee so participate this to his creatures that euery creature can doe that which is conuenient to his nature Thirdly that this Omnipotency of God doth exercise it selfe euermore in doing good vnto vs this being the Fountaine from whence all his Diuine Benefites do flow For hee created the heauen and the earth for vs wherein what benefites wee receiue by the Light by the Firmament by the Sunne and Moone by the Birds and Fishes by the Beasts of the earth and all the Treasures thereof the tongue of Men and Angels cannot declare And after the creation in that hee conserues the world and all that is in it for vs and by his Prouidence disposeth of all things for our good calling vs to the grace of his Iustification by the Ministery of his blessed Word and Sacraments and neuer leauing to accompany vs with his benefites and graces vntill hee bring vs to himselfe if wee will vse the holy meanes which to this purpose bee hath in Iesus Christ ordained for vs. Heere must wee giue diligence that the whole structure of our liues and of our considerations may chiefly depend vpon these three fingers of Gods Wisedome Omni-potencie and Goodnesse to which the actions and affections of these three Diuine Vertues of Faith Hope and Charity may answere For Faith answers vnto his Wisedome Hope to his Omni-potencie and Charitie to his Goodnesse Albeit all the three vertues and their actions respect the three Attributes of God together 5 If wee would meditate of the infinite Mercy of God then consider first that it goes before all his workes of Iustice for before God punish any sinners hee offers them infinite mercies Secondly that his mercy doth euer accompany the workes of Iustice Psal 76. for in the midst of punishment hee cannot forget to bee mercifull Thirdly Hab. 3. that the latitude of his mercy reacheth to all his creatures Sap. 11. Psal 35. and all their miseries yea euen to the bruit beasts Fourthly that hee is in a speciall manner mercifull vnto sinners and all kinds of sinne Psal 5. expecting â—â—ely their repentance that hee night cast their sinnes into the â—ottome of the Sea Mich. 3. and put them as farre from them as the East is from the West Psal 102 Math. 18 Hee forgiues seuenty times seuen times Ergo should I bee mercifull towards â—ny neighbour in imitation of his â—ercies vnto mee Ergo may I also conceiue great confidence of his mercy to mee a sinner Fifthly that in a more speciall manner hee is mercifull to such is loue and serue him such as are the vessels of mercy Rom. 9. This mercy of his towards his Elect is Eternall Psal 102 hauing neither beginning nor ending but is euen as God himselfe from euerlasting to euerlasting this mercy preuents accompanies and followes them euen to the last gaspe Rom. 8 This mercy is most high Ier. 31. for it aduanceth the elect to most excellent good things Psal 107. so that as the heauen is higher then the earth Psal 35. Psal 102. so is his mercy greater then their misery Sixthly and lastly he hath expressed his Mercie in the most exact manner that can bee possible For seeing as God hee could not bee sorrowfull for our hurt which is an effect of mercy his infinite Mercie prouided that his Sonne should take our nature on him Heb. 2. that hee might in all things bee like his brethren sin excepted and so become mercifull and sorrowfull for vs nay not content to haue inward compassion hee tooke on him all our miseries and paines Heb. 4. and hath not so left vs but by his Word and Sacraments hee helpes our necessities and infirmities considering wee are but men and stand in need of many remedies 6 If wee would meditate of the infinite Goodnesse of God First consider that hee hath in him all the degrees of goodnesse which are in the creatures infinitely more excellent then in them Secondly that all the goodnesse is so in his owne Essence that hee doth not participate it from any other thing nor can bee taken from it Thirdly that this Goodnesse so excels all the goodnesse of the creatures as the thing it selfe doth the name Fourthly that God is most propense and ready to communicate his goodnesse to all but chiefly to man for goodnesse hath a diffusiue power And this hee doth not constrainedly but onely out of his goodnesse nor doth hee communicate his goodnesse for his owne benefite as men doe nor yet doth hee suffer his propensity of goodnesse to bee idle but exerciseth it by all meanes possible powring it out according to the order of his infinite Wisedome Therefore when I pray I will poure out my soule in his sight 1. Reg. 1. Psal 141. I will poure out my prayer before him Nay I will poure out my heart before him O thou infinite Goodnesse which chiefly desirest to bee communicated if thou didst not communicate thy goodnesse it were impossible there should bee any goodnesse besides thee make mee partaker of these excellencies wherwith thou hast communicated thy selfe that I may loue thee serue thee obey thee not for feare but of loue willingly not for my owne benefite but onely for thy seruice not with a sparing minde and heart but with a liberall and generous Spirit Thus may wee meditate of all Gods other Attributes 15 How to meditate on the Lords Prayer or any words of the holy Scripture In meditating on either of them it is very good to pause and stay so long vpon euery word of the Lords Prayer or any sentence of Scripture as long as our soules should finde any rellish or profite by it In euery Petition I may meditate on these points following 1
Hallowed bee thy Name where wee may meditate first that the name of God is nothing else but his knowledge honour renowne celebration and inuocation Secondly that to sanctifie this Name is to celebrate praise magnifie and glorifie him and that Hee and his Honour and Knowledge may bee such as all the world may acknowledge it Thirdly that wee first begge this of him because wee call him Father and our selues his sonnes and it is the part of sonnes to desire their Fathers honour as nothing doth more reioyce the sons heart then the glory of their fathers so wee being the sonnes of God ought to wish nothing more then that hee may bee acknowledged and honoured for this is the first and chiefe good of which the first and second Commandements and all the first Table chiefly treates This is the first worke of a Christian to wish that Gods name may bee sanctified and his owne name may bee condemned and obscured namely that God may bee knowne such as hee is in heauen and in earth that hee may haue all honour and glory that there bee no creature in which hee bee dishonoured polluted and blasphemed but as hee is holy in himselfe so hee may be taken by all his creatures Fourthly that in doing that hee commands and forsaking that hee forbids wee sanctifie and glorifie his name for wee cannot commit any act whatsoeuer against the Law of God and chiefly against the first Table but wee speake against this demand and hinder the fulfilling of it 2 Thy Kingdome come In which meditate first that the Kingdome of God is nothing else but the Preaching of the Gospel by which the Church is gathered which God rules with his holy Spirit and the abolishing of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan as also all the meanes that conduct thereunto as on the one side the word of God the Ministery of the Gospell the holy Ghost Faith Loue Vnity c. and on the other errours abuses false doctrine heresies schismes and the like Secondly that wee begge this in the second place because sonnes desire nothing more then that their fathers Kingdome may be inlarged that they may dwell in the more safety and honour For if the fathers be aduanced vnto high honours vnder their shadow their sonnes do raigne and what dignity soeuer their fathers haue they think it their owne so the sonnes of God desire nothing more then the amplenesse of his Kingdome that they may bee safe vnder his shadow Thirdly that of all others the Christians dignity is the greatest for hee comes from Gods House hee is a King of his Kingdome Ergo when wee put our selues into the seruice of the deuill and become instruments of his wrath how much worse are wee then the prodigall sonne that kept Swine When wee commit idolatry whooredome couetousnesse gluttony drunkennesse enuy hatred rancor and malice is it not worse then to be in Sampsons case ouercome by a harlot Fourthly that those doe oppose the comming of this Kingdome which are not lead with the Spirit of God by the Word which defend the impious Traditions of men and labour to extinguish the truth of God which defend with tooth and naile Idolatry by which Satan raignes which make of this Kingdome a temporall Kingdome to serue their lusts and ambition as all wicked Magistrates and Ministers doe 3 Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen In this meditate first that the will of God is to know and beleeue in his Sonne Ioh. 6. 1. Thess 4. also our sanctification and that all sorts of men may rightly and faithfully doe their duety and obey God that all the contumacy of all men and creatures being tamed their wils may bee to his so subiect that the same thing which hee willeth hee will effect that wee also may will and doe the same Secondly that wee aske this fulfilling of his will after the comming of his Kingdome because heerein is the felicity of the Kingdome and Family that all bee obedient to the authority of the King and Father and that all things may depend vpon his will For God raignes not in vs except we obey him and so our felicity in the House of GOD consists heerein that wee are obedient vnto him Thirdly that we beg of him that hee will frustrate all our desires that are contrary to his will that hee will frame in vs new mindes and new hearts that wee aske nothing of our selues but rather that his Spirit may gouerne our desires to haue a ful consent with God that wee may haue obedience patience perseuerance in the crosse and all this so perfectly as the Angels in heauen doe performe his Will Fourthly that all free-will and power to doe any good of our selues is quite extinguished That who beleeue not in the Sonne obey not the word of God pray not for the Spirit of God are impatient vnder the Crosse doe oppose this will of God 4 Giue vs this day our dayly bread meditate herein first that this bread is nothing else but all things appertayning to the bodie and soule meat drinke clothing health defence peace good successe and all spirituall blessings secondly that we first begge this bread of God for that as sonnes doe aske bread of their fathers so doe wee the sonnes of God aske necessaries of God And the will of God cannot be done in vs except wee be nourished with the bread of God thirdly that albeit wee are commaunded to get our bread with the sweate of our browes yet wee must begge it of him because we must not ascribe it to our labour and industry that wee are nourished but to the onely blessing of God who prospers our labors which other wise would be in vaine Besides it is not by the substance of the meate that we are fedde but by the only power of God for they haue no such naturall power from heauen but God administers it from heauen as to the instrumēts of his bounty fourthly that it is our bread albeit wee begge it of God first ours because by the bounty of GOD it is made ours albeit not due vnto vs secondly ours that we might learne to temper our selues from desiring other mens bread and to be content with that which by lawfull means doth come vnto vs as out of the hand of God thirdly because albeit that it bee the blessing of God yet it is destinated vnto vs for our conseruation as necessary for vs fourthly because as the corporall food so the bread of Life the word of God is ours fiftly because we ought so to aske this bread of God that wee may haue to breake vnto others sixtly for that not for our selues but also for others we must aske it seuenthly that it is so our daily bread that without by both sorts of it daily receiued we be nourished wee come to ruine Whence consider mans misery for except nourished with foode wee cannot continue eightly that it is giuen vs for onely God can
great difficulty in seruing God after this sublime and heauenly manner For this purpose those that will serue God aright must consider their owne dispositions that they may be able aright to meete with their owne defects therefore they must know that the euill wherby they are drawen from seruing God after this most diuine manner proceeds from sin which hath weakened the soule and subdued it to it selfe For if sinne had not interposed it selfe we should haue done euery good thing with much facility but sinne once arryuing in the Soule all our desires wills and appetites are become so dissolute disordered and rebellious by that grieuous speciall disease arising from sinne that now loathing that which is good wee scarce loue affect or desire any thing saue the most abiect worth lesse and vitious things forgetting that infinit good vnto which wee were created as the thing wherein we haue neither rellish nor sauour And hence proceeds the confusion and perturbation of the soule which we feele in our selues so much distracted from the true God whereunto we were created that the thing which is absolutely and onely good being cast off we incline euer and greedily follow that which is euill Yet must we know that howsoeuer this sin hath made such a slaughter of graces in the soule that there is not one friend left to take armes against it yet doth not our obligation cease from binding vs to doe what is our duty and for which we came into this world For albeit this great infirmity doth so infeeble vs that we doe all good things with great difficulty yet doth it not make vs altogether so impotent but that we are capable of grace and diuine fauour whereby to repaire this our former ouerthrow and destruction Besides we must obserue that by so much more doe we grow to an admirable disposition of seruing God aright which disposition had euer remained in the soule vnto all good things if sinne had not diseased it by how much more we shall haue our appetites and desires repaired and disposed which by sinne were formerly indisposed And he shall haue them repaired who with an attentiue care and profound consideration of the things we speake of shall direct them all to the Lord with a repugnancy to all things that are without the will of this Lord and a following of all such remedies as are here described And in that degree wherein any shall obtaine this in the same shall hee be aduanced here in sanctity and afterwards in glory And there is no doubt but herein one may so profit by assiduity and diligence as that he may doe all things with great faclity and delight to which hee shall be the more easily aduanced if he often and attentiuely read these instructions 5 Instruction That wee haue in our bodies and soules sufficient meanes for the reparation of this decay and ruine if they be stirred vp by the grace of Gods spirit As we haue both body and soule so wee haue in both of them instrumentes wherewith to worke For as the body hath feete to walke hands to worke mouth to speake and the like so the soule hath the vnderstanding where-with to know the will wherewith to desire and diuerse other faculties of the appetite But it must bee obserued that the more excellent the worker is together with the instrument so much more worthy is the worke so that all things concurring to the acte bee suteable Corporall actions haue so much more excellency in them by how much the instrument of the soule concurring to the act is more excellent Now that is called a singular instrument which to the production of the act is mooued by a good end Therefore the most excellent instruments are the vnderstanding and the will which can bee mooued of God alone as wee haue said in the second instruction Therefore of small worth are corporall things which doe not so proceede And this is it that Saint Paul said 1. Tim. 4. bodily labour profiteth little But the actions of the soule are of another kinde namely because of themselues they may bee of great profit As if one exercising his vnderstanding shoulde consider how base and abiect the honors of this world were and of what value those things which God commands are and how vnspeakable that glory is to which we aspire also to know how one may moderate his passions and the like Againe if one exercise himselfe in his will louing that which he knowes is good and refusing that is euill Such refusals of the soule should be very profitable albeit the body were very idle for by such exercises would be produced excellent habits and the euill habits destroied which thing of it selfe is very laudable albeit done for the only loue of vertue as Philosophers did yet much more being in a Christian who hath faith but most of all if in euery worke wee ioyne faith with our intention actually directed vnto God Hence may it be obserued how much euery one ought to be exercised in the actions of the soule which thing he may doe whether he bee imployed in body or no in euery time and place so that speaking with another in any temporall affaire yet may he in soule worke by louing God recaling to mind some of his works This may seeme difficult to him that hath not attained the habit thereof yet custome wil make it easie as we must remember that vertue is practised about difficult things Therefore violence is to be vsed to the wil that thou maist become an industrious workman to doe singular things with facility Which if thou doest not attempt no maruaile is it that thou canst not be more deuout towards God seeing hee is euer ready to assist thy desires vnto that which is good and to withstand thy pronenesse to euill so that thou doe rightly vse the meanes And be sure that if thou desirest on earth to be a great and excellent friend and seruant of God thou shalt the sooner attaine vnto it by how much thou dost daily more and more vse these instrumente of the soule thy vnderstanding and will at all times and places And this is it which aduanceth the Saints of GOD to so much glory in heauen the neglect whereof is so blameable on earth Seeing then our highest glory consists herein for the most part that wee worke by these instruments of the soule and our ruine in the neglect of this exercise Let vs see what course wee must take who haue as yet beene euen liuelesse to vse these instruments of the foule And that wee may begin with the vnderstanding leauing the will to the next instruction we will premise this theologicall and Philosophicall fundamentall rule that our naturall appetite doth naturally desire that to which it is inclined seemes pleasant to it not standing need of any thing to helpe or inuite vnto it but rather necessarily as it were coactedly desiring it But so doth not the will work bur first
consults with reason and finding that the thing is conueniēt for it it is then freely mooued to will and desire it Therefore the Philosopher said that nothing was desired that was not foreknowne Whence we collect that the knowledge of the soule which wee haue in our vnderstanding is like a light whereby the will may see what it ought to desire This therefore being presupposed we must chiefely regard that to doe well and perfectly the vnderstanding doe not erre in knowledge which bceing had presently the will is mooued to desire that which is so knowne but if the vnderstanding doe erre which often comes to passe by the malice which blindeth vs or happily it erreth not but the will through the liberty it hath to euill will not follow that it knowes to be good then man falls into all kind of mischiefe therefore omitting many things which may serue for this purpose this is chiefely to be obserued that we be most attentiue euer when we will vse the vnderstanding that when we would desire to do any good worke or to get a disposition thereunto namely to be despised of men to flee all delights of the world which godly men euer abandoned in these and the like which seeme to be grieuous vnto vs to doe or desire by and by wee must vse the helpe of the vnderstanding whereby wee consider and apprehend these things as most pretious and acceptable to God and such as doe accompany the godly men to heauen without which he is euer out of his way to that happinesse Which assoone as it knoweth to be such then the will takes courage to will and imbrace that thing and also to practise it For albeit the will as it is assisted by Gods Spirt worketh sweetly yet often the difficulty and sharpenesse of the thing so deters it that it fayleth to worke omitting the duty it is bound vnto but as we indeuour to make way vnto it by the vnderstanding as I haue said it will assume such courage and strength that the excellency of the worke being knowne albeit most painfull it will desire to do it and almost with as great facility will doe it as that thing which it naturally desireth Hee that workes after this manner shall easily become a man of singuler vertue and shall make a wonderfull repaire in his soule of the slaughter and ruine which sinne hath there made and shall also with great facility doe that which maketh men happy both in earth and heauen namely know in a great measure the wonderfull things of God and knowing to loue them and louing to reioyce in them contemning all earthly ioyes and pleasures for them 6 Instruction That God is pleased to giue to all his Saints and such as from the heart seeke to serue him such a strength of will whereby they may both desire loue refuse detest euery thing in a great measure which either helps forwards or hinders their saluation This is surely to be knowen of all as the chiefe foundation of all this discourse and of all holinesse of life conteyning a memorable Cannon of the freedome strength of will which God by his Holy Spirit hath renewed and repayred in the soules of his faithful seruants and so rowsing vp the soule from a dead sleepe and spiritual lethargie and benummednesse But here let no man deceiue himselfe as though this freedome of will were naturall and in his owne power for without the goodnesse of God 2. Cor. 3. wee cannot thinke a good thought as of our selues How much lesse can wee will or worke it But presupposing this wee say it is in mans power to desire or not to desire any thing which hee iudgeth to be desired or refused and that to this or that end as often as hee listeth as for the purpose There is no man but he may desire to be dis-reputed and dis-esteemest of men albeit thing to some men be difficult to incline vnto he may also to diuerse ends desire it and make choice of these ends as he listeth For a man may desire it thereby to obtaine the modesty of the minde which is a good end he may also affect it to the end that in something he may be like the Sonne of God which is yet a better end and he may wish it that by abiection contept he may be so disposed to God-wards that God may find in him an acceptable obedience by perfect loue charity this is the best end of all the rest Now to giue an example of refusing to will and desire a thing a man may omit and refuse and not desire to be esteemed or to be he loued before other men and that to the same ends which wee haue spoken albeit by corruption of nature he be inclined hereunto greatly to desire to be esteemed and reputed in like manner as it is in euery mans power in some degree whom Gods spirit hath sanctified to desire or not to desire any thing so is it to doe the same as often as he will bend his will and vse the holy meanes thereunto Yea euery houre as by how much oftner hee inclines and inforces his will to desire or not to desire so much sooner shall he extinguish in the soule all vitious habits and ingender those vertuous For better declaration whereof let it be remarkeable that to produce the act of willing the thing which we abhor we must consider that God is hereby serued in that we doe desire this thing and incline ourwils vnto it and as it were vse violence to the will to effect it euen as the sicke desires the bitter potion because it brings health with it which yet he naturally hateth because it is bitter But the act of not desiring that which naturally wee wish and effect is whilst considering that the thing is not acceptable◠to God nor profitable for vs we incline and in some sort inforce the will that it should not effect and desire it And this shall be truly not to desire when wee inforce the will albeit there remain a certaine repugnancy of sensuality as we see it fall out in the sick man who will not eat the meat albeit hee haue an appetite to it because it is hurtfull to him and it is something profitable for him to be vnwilling to eat it albeit the inordinate appetite hee hath to that meat be not taken away So we see that we may produce the acts of vertue as often as wee will being assisted by the mighty working of Gods holy spirit But we must consider that besides the continuall care we ought to haue of exercising the will to desire the good things that are to be desired and to omit and refuse the euill whereby the euill habits being rooted vp we may plant those that are good it concernes vs much most often to vse this present instruction whereby to restraine those first motions which do much confront and impugne euen men much giuen to vertue or
appeare beautifull and gracefull in his sight Which is to bee performed by these exercises following 1 Exercise is concerning sorrow for our sinnes which helpes much to relieue the discomfiture of the soule and of the manifold euill that comes by sinne He that hath offended so great a Lord as is our God by such grieuous treacheries as wee haue done would now againe come into his seruice it is meet that first he labour to get his offence pardoned that to doe this hee vse those meanes whereby he may more easily be restored to grace and that we may not as desperate persons or conceited ideots thinke that no remedy is to bee found for so great a malady as that of our malice the diuine goodnesse euer desirous of our good hath prouided for vs an easie remedy namely that we shold be sorry for our heinous proditions and offences which we haue committed against his goodnesse and no sooner shall we intimously from the heart conceiue this sorrow but by by all our wiekednesse shall be blotted out of his memory So great is the malice and poison of sinne that to the extinguishing and putting out of the same not all the sorrow and tears of all men in the world is sufficient of it selfe how much lesse the sorrow and teares of one man alone but yet so great is the clemeney and mercy of our Lord and of such value is the vnualuable price of the pretious blood of the sonne of God that he is pleased so that we repent our sinnes with a sincere heart and with a liuely faith apply that pretious merits of that spotlesse Lambe of God to our wounded soules to supply in mercy what is defectiue in our weakenesse and to accept that all sufficient sacrifice of his blessed Sonne vpon the Crosse for a complete and full ransome and satisfaction for all And surely it is but iust and right that wee grieue for our sinnes committed for there is no man lyuing who is not naturally greeued and doth not repene that hee hath done any act whereby either harme may ensue vnto him or he may be depriued of any good thing that hee affected Now sinne is the cause that wee loose that infinite good euren GOD himselfe it is the cause that grace is taken from vs wherein consists all our riches it is the cause that wee become Sathans seruants and GODS sworne enemies it is the cause that hee that dieth in it shall for euer bee depriued of the inheritance of heauen and buried in infernall dennes and iustly ought hee to suffer so great euill who commits Treason against the most supreme GOD who was content to die that hee might giue vnto vs life To recount the euills wherewith sinne affects vs were to number the drops of heauen in a storme of raine Therefore our sorrow for sins ought to be longer thē any words can reach seeing our GOD offended is so good and so worthy of our seruice and neuer to bee offended whose anger and offence ought most to vrge vs and whose will and goodnesse aboue all things to mooue vs to blot out our sinnes with the sobs of our hearts and teares of our soules that being put out of his sight that deuine goodnesse may be pleased with our lame obedience But the maner of acquiring this sorrow if the heart bee found to bee harde is that wee represent to the Soule the euill that proceeds from sinne and compell our will to desire that it were not committed and that God had not been offended by it And this act of the will we must labour often to produce sometimes generally for all sinne sometimes discoursing from one sinne to another and with the greatest endeauour we can albeit sometimes we may seeme to haue no sensible griefe for such is not in our power nor is absolutely necessary at all times God in whose hands it is will giue it vs if we often assume that which we can obtaine and in this sorrow he that will rightly begin to serue God must continue a month or more 2 Exercise Must be in the hatred of a mans selfe a thing before all other requisite in expelling the euill customes of the soule For as from the loue of our Sauior spring innumerable euils from which ill customes and habits doe arise to when the loue of our Sauior ceaseth and the hatred of our Sauior entreth to which the Gospell in many places exhorts euery sinne and euill custome is banished But because such kind of hatred seems at the first sight to defer vs from this exercise for the inbred loue which euery one hath towards themselues aboue all things in the world vnto which also euery man is bounde we will first shew the manner how euery one ought to hate himselfe Secondly wherefore euery one ought to hate himselfe and thirdly how this hatred can stand with true charity which begins at the loue of ones selfe I Presupposing the rule and Canon of the sixt instruction the manner wherewith euery one ought to hate himselfe must bee this that he neither will desire nor assume to himselfe any thing that may delight him besides that which without the offence of God he cannot omit but if he must desire it and take it to him then it must be so done that as much as in him is he be sorry for it conconsidering how vnworthy hee is of all delectation and pleasure in respect of his sinnes and thereupon is sorry that he is compelled to admit it yet in as much as it is the pleasure of God he willingly and ioyfully admits it As for the purpose eating drinking the like which bring some delectation with them thou must neuer assume will or desire them for thy owne comforts and delights or to satisfie thy owne appetite nay thou must with a firme will determine with thy selfe that thou wouldest not admit it if the will of God were not such as would haue thee to doe it To hold this firme resolution it is needfull that thou call to minde the sixt instruction And herein shalt thou know that thou hall gained such a will when thou takest onelie so much of these and in that manner as thou thinkest God would haue thee to take and desire God would that thou shouldest take of meate and drinke what is necessarie both in quantitie and qualitie In quantitie so much as is truely and not fainedlie necessarie vnto thee whereby thou maist bee disposed and made strong to the seruice of GOD in qualitie that with all thy power thou reiect all sweete taste therein except when it is necessarie for the remedie of thy infirmities In these and the like it will be euer expedient that wee take something lesse yea whilst yet it may seeme necessarie vnto vs to take so much For often the too much loue of our selues will impose vpon vs but seldome the hatred of our selues Besides it is necessarie together with this hatred of thy selfe that thou doest
of our selues which is like drie wood it will as tinder set on fire all our workes but being diuorced from this loue of our selues the loue of GOD will stand in need of the bellowes of many strong labours and actions to keepe it in For scarcely shall wee find any flame of this loue but rather seeme in our selues to bee key cold and therefore by many strong acts must wee succour it by the consideration of those things which according to the loue of our selues seemed sweete vnto vs namely by the consideration of the great good of glory and comforts which wee hope for in time to come and againe that so wee shall escape those great euills which wee doe naturally abhorre and hate And by such breathings blasts of the loue of our selues we may beleeue that some little flame of the loue of God may bee inkindled and by little and little gather strength increase according to the proportion of our indeauour being helped thereunto by the loue of God Yet it is very expedient that wee indeauour earnestly to haue strong acts in all the things afforesaid whereby that so vehement a loue of GOD may bee produced in vs as that was wont to bee which we had before as a loue compounded of the loue of our selues which was great vehement and contentfull together with the loue of God which was but small and very weake And this wee must labour to doe till wee finde so great sweetnesse in being deliuered frō our streights and miseries onely to the end that wee may the better serue God as we were wont to feele whilest wee desired the same being induced thereunto onely that wee might be deliuered from the anguish that did so tire vs. He that shall dot thus may worthily conceiue that hee hath the true and sincere loue of God which we ought euer to seeke begge This is I confesse a great alteration and the change of the right hand of the highest happy is he that tastes it in the earth for now he begins to dwell amongst those fresh pastures which hee shall more plentifully enioy in eternall glorie But it is very needfull herein that whilest wee pray wee be very attentiue in this vntill wee bee habituated and accustomed to such kinde of praying whereby we may feele in all our postulations and demaunds whether the loue of God or the loue of the thing which we aske haue mooued vs to aske it of God nor by any meanes to passe from one demaund vntill we haue inclined the will to accept it on that condition because God would haue vs to aske and in the same to serue him And if herein we bee negligent there is no hope of growing in any good habit of praying As for the point we say Our Father which art in Heauen hallowed be thy name in this first petition we aske that the name of GOD in vs might be had in estimation and loue without any mixture of earthly things to be loued with it This is so high and soueraigne a petition that whosoeuer obtaines it is blessed euen on the earth Therefore if any doe vnderstand it and loue himselfe vndoubtedly he will desire and seeke so great a good to himselfe and with great affection he will desire it and it is a good postulation and desire Yet must not we content our selues herewith but going further must incline and induce the will to another more perfect motiue namely that we desire this thing because God is most worthy onely to be esteemed and beloued in our hearts without all commixtion of our loue or of any other earthly thing and because hee hath created vs to this thing Nor let vs by any meanes passe to any other petition or demaund vntill wee haue obetined this motiue And with all let vs remember what the Sonne of God said Luk. 18. Wee must pray alwaies 2 In this third exercise wee must besides prayer labour to build vp these habits of vertues in vs by many acts of vertues which vertues can no other where be had but from the most pretious mines and veines of the passion of Christ It is true that many excellent things touching the soueraignty of vertues are written in many bookes but happy is hee that reads and learnes them in the booke of life which is Iesus Christ the fountaine of all wisdome in Heauen and Earth Learne of me Matth. 11. saith that wisdome as of the most learned Booke And what shall we learne But a few things as well least they should be forgotten as for that they are such that being learned we need no more learning we are full of true wisdome Learne therefore of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart Let no man then thinke he can be inriched with vertues except hee learne them from the Sonne of God made man and chieftly from his most sacred passion for this is the golden mine giuen vnto the world of our most mercifull Father that thence we may fill our hands and hearts of all things needfull It is great presumption to thinke being seuered from this plentifull mine to gather any vertues or graces but he is happy that is admitted to the inwards of this mine by continuall meditation thereof for there shall he finde most sweete veines of all diuine riches to aduance him to the seats of the Angels seeing in him are all the Treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge the fulnesse of the God-head dwelling in him bodily Of this Master therefore we are to learne two lessons of Humility and Patiēce as in his former inuitation we soe learne of me c. 1 Of humility A vertue that climbes so high and diues so low that the learned haue made sundry ladders to come vnto it Not let any thinke to come to this Heauen of Humility without these ladders But these being so plentifully handled by others Heaue them and passe on to the businesse it selfe In my opinion whosoeuer shall ascend by these degrees shall soone come to the knowledge of all things and sal cleerely see that hee is nothing of himselfe saue nothing indeed and that all whatsoeuer is any thing is GOD himselfe and that seeing it is so he doth worthily exact of vs vnlesse we will commit these or some worse crime to bestow all our thoughts and all our powers by all meanes to magnifie him whose that all is that is any thing Besides Humility being such a vertue as wisheth nothing that is not its owne requires that the whole world should handle and esteeme it for that it is i. a◠nothing and that mens hearts should not for the least space of time that is be imploied in esteeming that for something which indeed is nothing or which is a vessell of all iniquities worse then nothing and such is euery sinfull man That therefore this may bee firme and fixed in euery mans heart by many acts of good consideration in that consists the key of humility in desiring that
those which iniury vs and such as see vs so iniuried may thinke that we doe not suffer this out of humility but because wee cannot auoide it For we cannot esteeme it any great thing when we desire to bee ill intreated with despight if wee thinke that those who see it doe iudge that wee suffer it out of humility not offended nor feeling the iniury For he that would please GOD must indeauour to be accounted vile and abiect not of an humble and modest minde This is that which I say that we should so desire to be accounted vile of others and to be handled as abiects that we should also wish that they should altogether thinke wee were so handled against our will and that we take it very hardly and are much offended that we are so esteemed and so dealt withall when in truth wee reioyce for the holy hatred of our selues which wee finde to be in vs. Yet we must obserue that if any man were of so great vertue that vsing no violence to himselfe he could wish that other men esteemed him vile and not humble such a man for the edification of his neighbours might wish that they did iudge that he suffered such iniuries with ioy and not against his will but for the loue of God and humility and that should be very heroicall humility and such as the sonne of God would haue vs learne of him But seeing this humility is to be learned of our redeemer let vs set it before our eyes as the rude and vnskilfull in painting vse to put the example which in learning they desire to imitate This humility of the sonne of God is inexplicable yet will we according to our grosse conceit endeauour to know it considering that when he was God infinite and man most perfect he would and with great ioy did chuse to bee esteemed and intreated for the most abiect thing in the world for thy sake suffring all kinde of iniuries and contumelies from the day of his birth vntill he suffred most ignominious death and all these things not for that they were necessary for him but that wee who had so great necessity might learne the manner of humbling our selues which consists in these said things Whence wee may see how reprehensible he is who doth not learne this humility which so great a Master doth teach and which hee exercised in himselfe albeit not for himselfe but that we might learne of him Therefore the humility of our Lord being knowne euery one ought to frame in his heart another humility to the imitation and likenesse hereof not that hee is commaunded to come to the equality thereof for albeit all the creatures did desire and reioyce to be accounted vile and to bee most vnworthily intreated out of the meane conceit they had of themselues from the true knowledge of their owne abiectnesse and basenesse and if all the humility of all these were in one man Yet this humility were nothing compared with our Redeemers humility For many waies there is infinit difference betwixt his Maiestie and our nullity euery of which puts infinit difference betwixt the excellency of his humility and all the humility of all the Saints of God in one therefore I said that wee must frame our humility of the imitation and likenesse of his Some may happily admire that God exacts of vs so great contempt of our selues and humility and which cost him so deare whilest by his example hee taught it vs. Therefore wee may obserue that it was his will so to doe because indeed it was good for vs and because wee haue no good thing of our selues but all from his bountifull hand whom wee ought to glorifie for it and not our selues And it is not onely good for vs but most necessary for such humility is a perfect medicine for our deadly infirmity which proceeds from pride nor shall euer any man be perfectly cured of it but by humility So much as shall want of the perfect cure of it so much shall want of the clensing of the soule and how much we want of the clensing of the soule so much shall we want of the benefits and grace of God and so much also shall we be lesse his And if any aske how one may reioyce to bee agitated and turmoyled with contempts and wrongs seeing it is a thing difficult to desire it I answere that it may be done out of the great consideration of this humility of the Sonne of God and the benefit arising vnto vs by it and chiefly because we are so made able that GOD may haue ioy in vs and an acceptable seruice of vs. But there is no disceete man will cast that from him whereby the will of GOD may be fufilled together with a mans own honour and inestimable and perpetuall profit to himselfe and that with the labour of a most short time But that we may in reason answere this obiection wee must note that to frame so worthy an humility it is necessary as in the sixth Instruction that we often incline our will and againe that wee often nay daily desire with ioy this so pretious an abiection and contempt For how worthily ought he to bee despised who so often is found a Traitor against his eternall Lord and Sauiour by sinne betraying his soule to Sathan and taking it from him who of his onely goodnesse would die for it Surely if seriously we thought on these things with much griefe should wee take honours if they were offered to vs seeing wee cleerely know that hence it may fall out that it may bee a hinderance to vs of most excellent good things which by the contempt of our selues and true humility is the way to the Kingdome of heauen doe vndoutedly remaine for vs. Yet notwithstanding in some cases a man may wish to bee honoured and esteemed namely if hee haue the eye of his intention to some seruice of God which he beleeues or sees may by such honor bee performed but euen in that case also he must desire with great caution feare and some griefe to be honored Now there is a certaine euill fruit and venemous hear be which growes plentifully in the world ouer-growing and indeed ouerthrowing all vertues but chiefly hindering the increase growth of humility namely vaine glory the mother of all euill which infects all that is good in the whole man And little or no vaine glory at all will offer it selfe to him that hath denied himselfe and hates himselfe in such sort as wee haue said For vaine glory is nothing but a complacency and ioy that one takes from that which he ought not to take it or in that maner he ought not to take it Rightly may one reioyce of the good things he receiues of the hand of God so farre fourth as he sees or hopes that any seruice of God or benefit of his soule for both are one if rightly vnderstood may arise therby Else it is vaine ioy and vaine glory
that thing beare rule in his heart that was so taken with the loue of it and with a certaine kinde of fruition hee delights in it which is the end of delectation and to conclude doth complete the motion of loue He therefore that is so tempted let him first discerne the fault from the temptation for in such sudden motions of loue and concupiscence often their followes no fault because in men of riper yeares they preuent the consent of reason but if any sinne lie hid by the negligence of reason it is a very small one which I would haue to be obserued in all kindes of temptations that I need not repeate the same thing againe 1 Assoone therefore as any shall perceiue these sudden motions of loue and concupiscence raised in him Hee may many waies represse the appetite that it goe no further for hee may forthwith by reason thus commaund his appetite Let goe this hurtfull concupiscence for it becomes not a man indued with reason and much more excellent in minde then all these bodily things and borne to the studie of wisdome and beauty of vertues to desire this thing whereby the minde is turned away from better goods things But this restrayning of the appetite was in vse amongst heathen Philosephers for it hath nothing in it aboue reason 2 There is therefore yet a more excellent way worthy of a Christian and out of faith which worketh by loue is more effectuall as thus absteine from this noisome concupiscence for it is not lawfull that a man who shall enioy eternall good things and be cloathed with glory as with a garment should by these vile and base things be diuerted from the care of better things 3 But yet there is a way more sublime as thus Let goe thy desire and absteine from this hurtfull concupiscence for it is not conuenient for mee who haue made a couenant with my GOD to keepe his lawes to couet and desire any thing that is anothers And thus may wee doe in all kinde of things bee they honourable profitable or delectable The first of these kinds of repressing the appetite is humaine The second is Christian But the third is diuine But if the appetite doe not giue place yet for all that doe wee not labour in vaine For albeit the appetite doe not obey reason at a becke as the other members doe but after a certaine politike manner and often doe most strongly resist reason Yet wee finde that by thus doing wee are prepared vnto a Christian mortification and by custome of fighting reason at length gets the dominion ouer appetite To end therefore this point with a short but sweet admonition hee that much desres to kill his passions so as that they may not kill his soule must know that if hee shall know to moderate well his loue from whence all passions doe arise hee surely shall carrie awaie the victorie Nor shall he only ouercome but by a wonderfull short cut sooner then others hee shall ouercome and with greater delight contentment And the manner of doing it is this hee must bee very circumspect in the exercise of euery thing that he set not his heart vpō the apparant shew of things but assoone as hee seeth any thing that is pleasant to turne away his heart make hast to breathe after heauenly things For it is altogether impossible that the other passions should wax heauy or hurt vs if the rootes of loue be cut vp Let this bee the example a man sees some profitable good thing and forthwith assoone as he sees it whilest his loue is stirred vp he lifts vp his heart to heauen saying Oh how much more profitable things are prouided for me there He sees something that delights him and whilst his appetite growes in loue of it his heart is instantly lift vp to heauen saying how much sweeter shall my banquet be in heauen where my meate shall be Manna Angels food and my drinke the fountaine of life Hee sees some honourable good thing namely other mens estimation conceiued of his wittie learning dexterity c. And whilst the appetite beginnes to be carried to the loue of honour he runnes and lifts vp his heart saying how much greater estimation and honour shall be conceiued of me in that most ample Court of heauen then if I had the honour of the whole world 2 Of the passions of Hate Flight or abhomination and of sorrow and griefe where also are two things as before 1 The definition of Hate As good so soone as it is seene ingenders the loue of it so euill by and by as it acknowledged begets the hatred of it Now hate is a certaine motion of the concupiscible dissonant from euill or more cleerely it is the motion of auersion wherewith the appetite is affected when any thing dissonant or contrary and repugnant to it is represented for as betwixt the appetite and good there is consent so betwixt the appetite and euill there is dissent Hence comes flight and abhomination of the euill which is the motion of retraction whereby the appetite departs from euill as if we said that that recession or declining whereby the appetite retracts it selfe from euill which displeaseth it were slight or abhomination of the euill which is the intention of flight for after that euill is by the imagination represented the appetite doth not onely disagree and become dissonant which is hatred but also goes backe which is slight Sadnesse or sorrow succeeds when the euill is present sorrow comes from euill ioyned vnto the body with the apprehension of sence but sadnesse is for the euils conceiued by inward apprehension which may also therefore be past and to come which arc inwardly conceiued seeing sorrow onely for the present time continues whilest the body is oppressed Therefore sadnesse or sorrow is a certaine motion whereby the appetite is vexed by the present euill as if I said that it is the motion whereby the appetite is oppressed with the burden of a present euill These passions are of contrarie motion to those we handled in the 9. Chap. for hate is auersion from euill loue the conuersion to good flight is the departing from euill desire is the progresse to good sadnesse is the oppression of euill delectation is the expansion to good But as loue with the two other passions is carried towards the honest profitable and delectable good so hate with the 2. passions arising from it inclines to the 3. fold euill vnhonest vnprofitable vnpleasant Now by good and euill wee vnderstand either the true or the apparant good for whatsoeuer pleaseth the appetite is good and whatsoeuer is repugnant in this kinde is euill But amongst all other things in this place this is most attentiuely to be obserued that sadnesse one of the principall passions which as delight complets the motion of loue so it of hate is a capitall enemy to true vertue for besides the hurt it brings to the body this amongst all passions
to knowledge a threefold appetite doth proportionably answere them 1. The first power is called sensitiue which comprehends all the sences externall and internall namely the common sence the phantasie or imagination cogitatiue or estimatiue the memory or remembrance and the knowledge that is gotten by these sences the sensitiue appetite doth follow being compounded of the concupiscible and irascible part which appetite together with his motions or eleuen passions wee haue before described This power is called the inferiour part of man or of the soule whence it is that those who neglecting the light of the superiour reason and doe giue themselues vnto it are by the Apostle called maturall men 1. Cor. 2. This power is besides called by mysticall diuines the lowest heauen 2 The second power of man is called the reasonable power which together with the third power whereof wee shall speake next doth compose the superiour part of man and it is the vnderstanding it selfe as it deduceth knowledge from knowledge so that if we reason after the manner of men touching temporall things it is named the inferiour portion of reason if concerning eternall things or temporall by the eternall Law then it is called the superiour portion of reason To this doth answere the reasonable appetite or that which they call free will which is the very will it selfe through which reason it is mooued of the inferiour or superiour portion of reason This power is called the middle Heauen from whose superiour part and the third power now to be described the Spirit of man is framed 3 The third and highest power in which is synderesis that is the naturall practique habit whose act is conscince is the vnderstanding it selfe so far as it immediatly from God receiueth light to know the first principles onely by conceiued termes through a naturall or hidden supernaturall force of diuine wisdome and is called intelligence albeit of others not the vnderstanding it selfe so conceiued but his acte is called intelligence Vnto this doth the will answere as it immediatly from God receiueth a certaine naturall propensity vnto good represented vnto it by the simple conceipt of the vnderstanding This power being compounded of the vnderstanding the will is called the Spirit or the third Heauen The Spirit therefore which compriseth the superiour reason and intelligence and the answerable degrees of the will proportion euer obserued doth serue to direct the infeâ—iour reason and to moderate as well the externall as the internall sences and rule the appetite but yet with great difference seeing it commands the externall sences and all the members except the generatiue parts in such sort as a lord commands his seruants but the appetite it commands politically as a gouernour doth his Citizens for meÌ„bers external sences cannot be restrained the appetite doth obstinatly reluct and rebell But this is seriously to bee obserued that the enemy of our saluation doth more maliciously set vpon the true seruants of Iesus Christ theÌ„ other ChristiaÌ„s which are no such enemies to him Therfore he must haue his cuÌ„ning shifts well knowne vnto him For he insinuats himself into the inward sinewes and besides the fircenesse which the passions haue naturally in theÌ„selues he doth vehemently stir vp the appetite therfore it is needful that he vigilaÌ„tly couragiously and quickly shake off the temptations lately stirred vp least the euill grow and waxe heauy Therfore whether as for example any man be tempted with any filthy and vile thing receiued by the outward sences and brought to the imagination or without the vse of the outward sences coÌ„posed or of the diuell himselfe framed which three often fal out hee ought chiefly to reflect most carefully vpon the office of the superiour reason and from thence as from the Kings throne to moderate all the powers For then the violence of the temptation moouing the inferiour part of man if reason by any meanes neglect lect the passions arising in the sensitiue appetite to bee carried vnto vile things which although it come not to a full deliberation yet it is a sinne But if the inferiour reason i. which iudgeth of things after the manner of men bee not corrected of the superiour which iudgeth of things after a diuine manner according to the Law of God or which is more plaine if the superiour reason doe but tacitly assent it is a sinne as this example will declare Some man is tempted vnto lust after hee hath begunne to imagine some beautifull creature forthwith his concupiscence boiles within him then the inferiour reason i. the vnderstanding discoursing after a humane manner doth presently conceiue that it is a wholesome thing to disburthen nature and this conceipt of health is proposed as a certaine profitable and delectable good now if the superiour reason i. the vnderstanding so farre as it is ordered to the eternall Law of God the wil permitting do neglect to consider that this thing is contrary to the Law of God or albeit that it doe obserue it to bee yet it doth so coldly obserue it the will permitting it that it suffer it to please the will that tacit consent is a great sinne and that tacit consent the learned call morosam delectationem a tarying delight not from the time but from the stay of reason so tacitly assenting which may be in a moment of time But if the superiour reason expresly assent which commeth to passe when the vnderstanding doth deliberately thinke on any filthinesse and the will cleaueth to it then it is a grieuous sinne and so much more grieuous as the thing is great whereunto the superiour reason yeeldeth By this is euident that it is generally true that from one expresse or tacit consent of reason and will all sinnes but chiefly great sinnes do arise But let euery man doe his diligence to know a temptation from consent accustome themselues to resist the first assaults valiantly as long as the knowledge of temptations the wil to resist is of force with vs we can neuer such is the goodnesse of God fall vnwittingly into any grieuous sinnes If any grieuous temptations befall vs let vs assuredly hope that God will giue not onely suggest equall but of his bounty greater forces and also giue an issue with the temptation Let vs acquite our selues well and loue to be tried that when we are tried we may receiue the crown of life It is a happy euent of temptations which the Sonne of God who in all things was tempted yet without sinne hath left vnto vs most sweetely comforting his troupes and saying You are they that haue taried with me in my temptations and I giue vnto you a Kingdome as my Father gaue vnto mee a Kingdome that you should cate and drinke at my table And what is a wanting to them that shall feast at that table that they may not valiantly goe together to it Therefore let vs goe thorow sire and water that wee may at last come to this
most pleasant refreshing 3 The third thing which I proposed to bee considered in this first part of the true ruele and art of seruing God after the instructions and exercises for the reparation of the slaughter which sinne hath made in the soule is the loue of God which being the fire which God would haue euer burning vpon the Altar of our hearts all that we haue yet spoken of the reparation of the soule is onely directed vnto it And if any will know of what dignity this loue of God is hee shall see that whatsoeuer hath beene spoken of the reparation and clensing of the soule is but little to the acting of so worthy and sublime an enterprise For of so great excellency is the loue of God that none of those blessed Spirits nor any other created thing or which can be created is able to doe a more soueraigne worke For which cause the Son of God calls this the great first commandement Nay say that all the labours and powers of Angels and Men together were in any one Angell or Man yet were they not all able to doe a worke more excellent then to loue God Nor can any creature sufficiently so loue this our GOD as his goodnesse and worthinesse requireth Now as this tract of the loue of God followeth that of the reparatiō of the soule because those things are very fit to the obtaining of this loue so this of the loue of God is placed before that of the loue of our neighbours and the loue of our selues because from this loue of God onely proceeds the loue of our neighbours and the loue of our selues 1. Therefore of the loue of God 2. Of our Neighbours And 3. of our selues 1 This loue of God being so glorious and ioy ous a thing when it is expressed in words what ioy I and glory shall it bee to seele it and how much more to doe it This is the holy worke of God I say the holy and whole worke and labour of God for whatsoeuer God worketh withall his infinit powers is onely to loue himselfe so much as his Maiesty deserueth and is worthy that is infinitly For out of his owne infinit goodnesse and excellency he is infinitly to be beloued nor is there any excellency in heauen or earth which is not much more his then it is his that possesseth it and from them all hee hath infinit glory and loues it and reioyceth and glorieth in it and would also that wee should loue it thinke vpon it and reioyce in it seeing nothing is so consonant to equity as that with all our powers we should loue him from the louing of whom we must neuer cease albeit wee had infinit powers so to doe Therefore are we to giue God thankes that in louing himselfe infinitly he supplies by his owne powers what is defectiue in euery one of vs. Let vs euer reioyce in louing him who is so great dignity that neuer ceasing to glory at his excellencies yet that which we doe is nothing if it bee compared to that hee deserueth For of so great glory and Maiesty is God that he stands in no need of our seruice but onely requires it because it is profitable of vs. This onely hee desireth that we loue him and reloyce at his good things for this is his owne holy worke Therefore he would haue all men with all their strength to doe that which hee doth with all his strength And for that which remaines he stands no neede it no nor of this neither but that it is good and iust and vnto vs glorious and therefore hee so much desireth it that hee laide downe his life for it that so by dying he might prouoke vs to loue him Besides that there are other things found in the Scriptures which are by him commanded to bee desired that is for this end because they are helps to this loue and to omit them would bee a great hinderance to it For neither are the vices which are prohibited any other thing then the inordinate loue of vaine things which doe occupie that place which is diputed onely to the loue of GOD. Not doe vertuaes serue to any other purpose but to despose the soule to this loue yet are they so necessary therunto that it were great presumption to thinke to obtaine it without the mighty exercise of such vertues That therefore wee may fitly speake of this pretious loue wee will first declare the various manner of louers but withall iudging that best which is most sublime and high To which purpose wee may vse this example Therefore touching the variety of louers we must obserue that which by the experience of many was a testimony vnto them when they had attained a greater knowledge of truth namely that they had a long time loued God as a most sweete Lord who had communicated himselfe to them as a liberall benefactor in whose seruice they were delighted and often had asked of him many benefits with great delectation in the contemptation of his bounty and of the knowledge of his excellent graces which they asked of him and that often they came vnto him as to the fountaine in which they found so great sweetnesse as that they thought there was nothing a wanting to their loue of God For they thought that the greatnesse of that sweetnesse which they felt in the sensitiue appetite was nothing else but the greatnesse of that loue And would to GOD that all men who doe not loue God did so loue him Yet God forbid that those who loue God should bee content with this loue although it be very good and so good as that it sufficeth thus far that for certaine daies beginners doe exercise themselues therein for they may so easily come to that more excellent manner of louing God which followeth It an argument that this loue I haue spoken of is fraile seeing that hee who so loueth assoone as that sweetnesse is a wanting or gone goes on with an abiect minde in the things of God and is so ouercome of the frailties of his minde as if he neuer had had any such loue For hee doth so much procure vnto himselfe corporall delights as to feede on delicate viands to drinke the most pleasant licours to weare most gorgeous clothes and such other vanities pleasing to his appetite sensuall friendships honours fauours euen as he doth that hath neuer begun to taste the things that are of God Nay oft times at such time as hee is visited with such an apprehension of sweetnesse hee is taken vp with many vaine affections and very sensuall being drawne thereunto by the beauty and pleasures of some persons Againe hee desires to be seene and to be accounted deuoute and grieues if hee bee not reputed for such nor doth hee reioyce when he vnderstands that others are accounted more feruent in deuotion and such other blemishes hee casts vpon himselfe all which are so abiect that they suffer not the society of that excellent
Prayse thy Lord God euer because not onâ—ly worthy to bee praysed but aboue all praise Praise him with thy tongue praise him with thy worke and life the prayer of lips and life is best of all That as the heauens by their beauty and brightnesse declare the glory of God and the firmament with as many tongues as stars shew forth his handy worke so thou by sanctity of life shalt praise the Lord and shalt inuite as many as see hee to praise and magnifie his name So let the light of thy life shine before men that seeing thy good workes they may glorisie thy father which is in heauen Praise him with thy tongue so that it continually may begin in thy heart and resound in thy mouth Euermore reuolue the mysteries of Christ the attributes of thy God in thy minde and all his admirable perfections extoll with thytongue All his creatures praise him thou being one hee hath done most for be not thou sloathfull to set foorth his praise 6. Thankfulnesse to God Euer giue him thanks for it is iust that re ceiuing euery moment benefits thou shouldest answer him euery moment if it were possible infinit thankes There is no moment wherein thou receiuest not from God being life sense vnderstanding and all other good things naturall and supernaturall in thee or about thee if therefore when thou receiuest a benefit from man by and by thou thankest him shalt thou not be most ingrate to God in receiuing so many blessings and giuing so few thankes Giue him thanks therfore for thy prosperity because giuen for thy comfort and for thy aduersities and crosses because giuen for thy correction and increase of thy crowne Thanke him for spirituall gifts because they inrich the soule for temporall because they serue the body the habitation of the soule Thank him for things giuen to thy selfe because they belong to thy selfe and for things giuen to thy neighbours because they belong to thy brethren to whom thou art ioyned in loue Let thy heart euermore breake foorth a good word of thanksgiuing and thy mouth in euery successe set foorth his praise that whilst thou giuest thaÌ„ks for continued benenfits thou maist be disposed to receiue greater mercies 7. Resignation of our selues to the wil of God Leaue all thine and all thy felfe in the hands of God Commit thy selfe vnto him resigne thy selfe fully into his hands that he may doe with thee what seemeth best in his eyes Say often thy will bee done but with all imbrace his will in thy will For wee often say with the mouth and resist it with our desire and purpose wee offer it him in word but wee reteine it indeede Wee giue it him in speech but in action we foolishly resist GOD when hee would take his owne Doe not thou so but know that thou art not thy owne but GODS thine are not thine but GODS Therefore thou medlest with another mans gods against his will and so in the day of iudgement shal be condemned of theft Bee thou before the Lord as a table cleane wherein nothing is written that hee may write in thee what hee pleaseth Be as the clay in the hand of the potter that hee may breake thee or make thee being made may set thee in a higher or lower place Looke vpon all thou hast thy Life Health honours comforts And all thou possessest not as on thy owne but as on things lent thee and be ready to render them to him that liberally lent them Hee loues thee infinitly more then thou dost thy selfe therefore thou oughtest to put thy selfe into his hands to doe with thee both now and in all eternity what he pleaseth 2 Our duety towards our brethren Where consider 1. In thy brother thou must regarde to thinke and behold not so much man as God for God is in euery thing by his essence presence and power but chiefely and in an excellent manner in man Therefore it is fit that in euery thing but especially in man we behold God Therefore when thou seest or speakest with thy brother thou shouldest not so much behold his aspect with the eyes â—â—â—che flesh as God dwelling in hiâ—â—â— with the eyes of thy â—unde To obtaine this is a great guift of God For so shalt thou not be affected either to his youth or beauty or abhor the aged lame and sicke and shalt obtaine a wonderfull purity of minde and a singular familiarity with God 2 The loue of our brethren Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe is the precept and is like that great commandement of the loue of God for it commaunds loue and commands it for Gods sake and in his amplitude includes all the commandements for he that loues his neighbour hath fulfilled the Law Therefore loue thy neighbour with true and pure loue Rom. 13.8 not for gaine nor for any created thing but onely for thy God This thou shalt doe if thou shalt not conteinue thy brethren in thy heart if thou shalt not iudge them rashly if thou shalt not brawle with them if neither in word or deed thou shalt harme them if according to thy ability thou helpe them To conclud if thou perform that is written not to do vnto another what thou wouldest not haue done to thy felfe Nor is this loue difficult if thou dost contemplate God in thy brother if thou remembrest that hee is holden in high esteeme with God if thou shalt think that he is the sonne of God ordained vnto glory and vnto thee profitable 3. Affability to all men and good example AccoÌ„modate thy selfe to all men speake gently to all let no in-urbanity or in-ciuility or rusticity appeare in thee to offend any A sweet talke multiplieth friends pacifieth them that bee at variance a sweete tongue increaseth much good talke Syr. 6. Therefore so conuerse amongst all men that all may loue thee and euery one desire thy company To all men giue good example and spread abroad the sauour of sanctity and being made the good sauour of Christ in euery place thou maist not only praise him with thy owne mouth but with all mens mouthes For thou dost praise him euen with the mouth and heart of others whom by the purity of thy life thou inuitest to praise him This thou shalt doe if in the good workes thou shewest and circumspection thou keepest thou seeke not thy owne but the praise and glory of GOD. Therefore do nothing whereby others may take any scandall or offence or occasion of liuing at more liberty 4. Honor of our brethren Go one before another in giuing honor It is pride to expect from others the signes of honor and not rather to preuene them in giuing honor Shew thy humility in honoring others not in hunting after honor Let none passe by thee without honor let none come to thee without honor Yea euen thou shalt honor God dwelling in men when thou giuest due honor to euery man according to his place 5. One to beare
of the wise shall neuer erre If therefore thou shalt obserue these duties vnto God thy neighbour and thy selfe thou shalt wonderfully profit in sanctification of life 7 Prayer O Lord God whose all that is that is best of all who cōmandest thy seruants to shine with vertues the true ensignes of thy house and sendest into their hearts the desire of such excellent beauty kindle I beseech thee in our hearts the flaming desires of all vertues teach vs with prayers and groanes to seeke and obtaine them at thy hands that our vnworthinesse for the worthinesse of thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ may obtaine of thee who art a most bountifull giuer these true and euer enduring treasures Teach vs the nature of vertues that wee take not vices for vertues stirre vp in vs the loue of them that we may loue them and thee the author of them strengthen our armes by the helpe of thy grace that wee by holy liues setting vpon the City of glory may through the merits of Christ be possessors of it let our life be the life of the righteous that wee may die in Christ and liue in thee for euer Amen The conclusion of the Booke IF shall be obiected that this manner of seruing of God is most troublesome and withall most impossible in repect of our many frailties miseries and also our necessary and alloweable imployments in our vocations I answere that hauing fully acquainted our selues with the seuerall rules and instructions conteined in this booke the greatest part of bodily labour in the seruice of God will easily be cut off and we shall lay for a foundation that of the Apostles that bodily exercise profiting but little 1. Tim. 4. our chiefe care must be to reuerence and loue God in our mindes holy cogitations and good desires albeit yet those duties of our bodies may not as time and place will giue leaue be vtterly neglected For it is godlinesse onely that is profitable vnto all things But besides seeing we are to giue an account vnto God for the expence of our times as the most pretious guift of God it is very necessary that euery man haue a knowledge of some profitable forme of seruing GOD that hee may thereby labour so to spend the foure and twenty houres of the day and so consequently all the daies of his life that he may assure his owne conscience this his life hath beene life indeed and not death and so may obtaine the glory of eternall life and auoide eternall death in which all they doe euer die that liue in these insinit streights of the world and doe not make vse of their most deare and pretious time to that end for which it was leut them namely to know loue feare and reuerence God to delight onely in him and the things directed vnto him Therefore experience teacheth vs that there are three considerations which do not only inuit but ought also to enforce euery man but especially great persōs who thinke thēselues most exēpted frō this kind of seruing God duly in such a streight exact manner as this is to serue God The 1. is the nobility of him which serueth The 2. is his greatnesse and goodnes whō we serue The 3. is hope of reward These 3. if we do rightly cōsider thē with many other motiues very effectuall hereunto wil casily so cōmand our affectiōs that we shal neuer omit to serue the high God in this sort 1 The nobility of him that serueth ought to mooue him to serue well For a generous minde in some sort compels a generous man to perform the taske he hath vndertakē after the most sublime excellent maner that possibly he can that especially when he hath to doe with great noble and generous persons Therefore euery man as much as is belonging to this businesse must consider what himselfe is of how great nobility and worth And thus doing wee shall finde our selues to bee of much more excellency then the heauens nay the whole frame of the world seeing wee are created after the image and similitude of God and are his Sonnes if wee serue him a right and shal be heires of his eternall Kingdome This nobility of ours ought much to incite vs rightly and duly to serue God For albeit we may omit that it is iust that the generous should vse his generosity through his fidelity to serue duly nothing else doth so much effect that generous noble persons may come nere to that most high and true nobility which they wish as to serue the most high God For thus Psal 82.1 of men they become Gods and so become farre more noble then if they were borne of the kings line For that is true liberty and nobility and that onely in which the seruice of Christ is found to bee If the Sonne doe make vs free then are wee free indeede Io. 8.36 if hee inoble vs then are wee truely inobled And surely this is not without great reason Matth. 24.47 for onely those shall be kings of heauen and rulers ouer all their Masters goods As the holy Gospell telleth vs Yea in earth shall be more eminent and high then the kings of the earth For in commanding themselues they doe also command whatsoeuer things else But al those that serue not Christ are not onely the sonnes of Satan but euen at length are made his most vile slaues in eternall darkenesse Therefore if there be any whom the former cause namely that he may obtaine most excellent liberty dominion and nobility doth not inuite to serue God surely that man ought to be terrified with the great euill which in the second place is noted namely that so hee becomes the sonne and slaue of the deuill and for this cause should striue with al his powers to serue God 2 Wee must also ponder the greatnesse and dominion and the bounty goodnesse of him for whose seruice we were created And we shall finde that the dominion which God hath ouer euery one of vs also ouer all the Kings and great Potentates and States both in heauen and earth is without al comparison greater then the dominion that all the Kings great ones of the world hath aboue one base basket of earth nor are they indeed the true Lords of so much but God is so the Lord of all them that with one only blast he can turne them vnto nothing and plunge them all into the deepe dungeon of hell except they shall serue him but if they will serue him he shall so exalt them in another life that they shall truely acknowledge that whatsoeuer they possessed here was nothing else but a base basket of earth compared vnto those worthy things which there they shall enioy There is no cause that wee should in many words extoll the greatnesse of this Lord for albeit wee should neuer cease yet should it be nothing that we had said in respect of that which the