will set downe three differences betweene the washing of the one and the other The created water doth wash away corporall spotts yet not all for many it cannot wash away vnlesse it be holpen with soape or some other meanes The increated water doth wash away alâ— spotts for so we reade in the place aboue â—ited And you shall be cleansed from all your Contaminations The created water doth seldome so wash away spots but that some little signe of them remayneth The increated water doth wash in such sort that the thing washed becommeth more white and cleane then before it was contaminated Thou shalt wash me saith Dauid and I shall be made whiter then Snowe Psal 50 And our Lord saith by Isay If your sinnes shall be as Scarlet they shall be made white as Snowe Isay 1. and if they be red as vermition they shall be white as Wooll Also the created water doth wash naturall spottes which resist not the washing the increated water doth wash voluntary spotts which cannot be cleansed vnlesse the soule consent thereunto And so admirable is the vertue of this water that it sweetly entreth into hardened hartes and is not refused because as St. Augustine doth truely teach It selfe is the cause that it is not refused Lib. de praed ss c. 8. Who can conceaue O Lord how thou giuest faith vnto the vnfaithfull humilitie vnto the proude and charitie vnto thine enemies that he who once breathed forth threates and slaughter and persecuted thee in thy Deciples being changed on the sodaine most willingly suffered for thee and thy Church threates and persecutions Farr be it from me to diue into thy secrets for I had rather seele then search after the force of thy grace And because I knowe that water of thine to be A voluntary raine Psal 57 separated to thine inheritance as the Prophet sayd Therefore I humbly beseech thee let me be found in thy inheritance and let the dwe of thy grace descend into the earth of my hart that it remaine not like earth without water to thee for so barren it is that of it selfe it can thinke no good But to proceede Water quencheth fire Cap. 2 and the heauenly Water that is the grace of the holy ghost doth strangely quenche the fire of carnall lust Fasting and bodily afflictions auayle much also if they be vsed as instruments of grace otherwise of themselues they are of small force For loue is the cheife among the affections and perturbations of the minde which ruleth all and is obeyed by all Loue will not be forced and if it be stopped one way it breaketh out an other way Loue feareth nothing dareth any thing and vanquisheth all thing Lastly Loue yeeldeth onely vnto greater lone So flâ—shly loue which followeth the wealth and pleasures of the world yeildeth onely to the louâ— of God and the water of the holy ghost distilling into the hart of man quickly cooleth the heate of concuâ—â—scence Witnesse St. Augustine who being long accustomed to lust thought it vnpossible to want the company of a woman yet beginning to taste the grace of the holy ghost he cryed out in the ninth booke of his confessions 9 Cons c. 1. Quam suaue c. O how sweet was it to me on the sodaine to want the pleasures of trâ—flles and what before I feared to loose I now reioyced to firsake For thou the true aâ—d chiefest Happinesse didst cast them from me Thou didst cast them from me and didst enter for them more sweet then any pleasure but not to flâ—sh and blood more brigh then any light more inward then any secret more high then any honour but not to those that are high iâ— themseâ—ues Water also quencheth thirst Cap. 3 and onely the water of the holy ghost can quench the manifold and almost endlesse desires of mans hart So the truth speaking to the Samaritan woman plainely taught Euery one saith he that drinketh of this water Ioh 4 shall thirst againe but he that shall drinke of the water that I will giue him shall not thirst for euer Indeede so it is The eye is not filled with seeing neither is the eare fulfilled with hearing For the minde of man is capable of infinite good and all creatures are finite But he that beginneth once to drinke of this diuine water wherein all things are seeketh after no more And of this we haue spoken before were we treated that the rest of our soules is in God onely as in their proper center Water ioyneth diuers things together Cap. 4 as many graynes of corne to make one loafe and many peeces of earth to make one bricke But more easily and more vnsepeperably doth the Water of the holy Ghost make Act. 4 many men to be of one hart and one foule as we read in the Acts of the Apostles of the first Christians Act. 4 vpon whom the holy ghost did next after the Apostles descend And our Lord being to Ascend to his father commendeth that vnitie which the water of the holy gost causeth saying Ioh. 17 And not for them onely do I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleâ—ue in me that they all may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that they also in vs may be one And a little after That they may be one as we also are one I in them and thou in me that they may bee consummate in one To which vnitie the Apostle also exhorteth vs in his Epistle to the Ephesians saying Be carefull to keep the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephe. 4 One body and one spirit as you are called in one hope of your vocation O happy vnion which maketh many men one body of Christ 1 Cor. 10 1 Cor. 6 gouerned by one head participating of one bread drinking of one Cup and liuing by one spirit of God is made one spirit with him What can his seruants more desire then to participate not onely of all their masters goods but also by the vnseparable bond of loue to be made one with the Almighty All which is wrought by the grace of the holy Ghost when as liuing water it is deuoutly receiued and diligently kept in the hart Lastly the water ascendeth as high as it descendeth lowe Cap. 5 And as the holy ghost came from heauen to earth so that hart in whom he is receaued Ioh. 4 Is made a fountaine of water springing vp into life euerlasting as our Lord said to the Samaritan woman that is man borne againe of water and the holy Ghost who hath the same spirit dwelling within him causeth his merits to ascend from whence grace did descend Therefore my soule being taught and incited by these passages of Scripture say often to thy heauenly Father with deepe sighes Giue me this water which washeth cleane all spotts quencheth all fire of Lust colleth all heat of thirst and maketh me one spirit
why haue you done this And when the Angell of our Lord spake these wordes to all the Children of Israell they lifted vp their voyce and wept Aâ—d the name of that place was called the place of Weepers or of teares and there they immolated hoastes to our Lord. And that it was a great and generall lamentation and a signe of true repentance the 〈◊〉 name giuen to that place beareth perpetuall record For it was called the place of Weepers or of teares What shall I say of the Prophets They euery where teach and proclaime that God desireth not the death of sinners but that they would be conuerted and liue Ezech 18 Hier 3 It is commonly said saith God by Hieremy if a man put away his wife and she departing from him marry another man will he returne to her any more But thou hast committed fornication with many louers Neuerthelesse returne vnto me saith our Lord and I will receiue thee And by Ezechiell Ezech 33 Thus you haue spoken saying Our iniquities and our sinnes are vpon vs and in them wee fade away How then can wee liue Say to them liue I saith our Lord God I will not the death of the Impious but that the impious conuert from his way and liue Conuert conuert yee from your most euill wayes and why will you dye O house of Israell But to omit the wicked none can expresse the more then fatherly or motherly loue which our Lord sheweth to those that feare and hope in him Dauid in the Psalmes saith Psal 102 According to the height of Heauen from Earth hath he strengthned his mercy vpon them that feare him And after As a Father hath compassion of his Children so hath our Lord compassion on them that feare him And againe The mercy of our Lord from euerlasting and vnto euerlasting vpon then that feare him And in another place Tast yee and see that our Lord is sweet Psal 33 Blessed is the man that hopeth in him And againe Psal 72 How good is God to Israell to heÌ„ that are of a right heart That is who can expresse the great goodnesse mercy and sweetnesse of God vnto righteous soules Isay 49 God also faith by Esay Can a Woman for gether Infant that she will not haue pitty on the Sonne of her wombe And if she should forget yet will not I forget thee And â—teremy in his Lamentations Lamen 3 Our Lord is my pâ—rtion said my soule thâ—refore will I exâ—cct him Our Lord is good to them that hope in him to the Soule that secketh hâ—m It is good to waite wâ—h silence for the saluation of God If I should set downe moreouer what the Apostles say in their Epistles of the loue of God towardes the righteous I should neuer make an end Let that stand for all which St. Paul hath writ in the beginning of his last Epistle to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 1 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercyes and God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation That wee also may be able to comfort them that are in all distresse Hee saith not God is a comforter but most full of all comfort Nor that hee comforteth vs in some tribulation but in all tribulation Nor that wee may bee able to comfort them that are in some distresse but in all distresse So that hee could not more sett forth the mercy of God to those whome hee loueth and by whome he is beloued But to conclude it shall not bee amisse to set downe the wordes of St. Prosper in which he declareth the mercy of God not onely to the righteous but also to the wicked to make them righteous Lib 2 de voc gentium c. 26 Gratia omnibus iustificationibus principaliter praeeminet c. Grace saith he doth chiefly excell all iustifications by perswading with exhortations by admonishing with examples by terrifying with dangers by incyting with miraclet by giuing vnderstanding by inspiring counsaile by illuminating the heart and induing it â—ith the affections of faith But â—â—t mans will is toâ—red and adioyned thereunto Which therefore is inciteâ—s by the former helpâ—s that it shâ—uld coop rate wâ—th the diuine worke in it selfe and bâ—gin to vse for merite what from heauenly seede it conceiued fâ—r exercise proceeding from selfe inconstancy if it decay and from the assistance of grace if it increase which assistance is giuen vnto all by innumerable wayes either secret or manifest and that it is refused of many proceedeth from their wickednesse But that it is receiued of many is a worke of Gods grace and mans will Thus he Goe too now my soule Cap. 4 if thy maker bee so Sweete and mercifull suffering Sinners with incredible benignitie to conuert them and comforting the righteous that they may increase the more in vertue Oughtest not thou to beare meekely with thy neighbours and to become All thinges to all men 1 Cor. 9 that thou maist gaine all vnto thy Lord God Thanke with thy selfe to what high excellency the Apostle doth exhort theâ— when he saith â—phâ— 5 Be yee therefore followers of God as 〈…〉 deare Children And walke 〈◊〉 Loue as Christ also loued vs and deliuered himselfe fâ—r vs an oblation and hoast to God in an odour of sweetnesse Imitate God the Father who maketh his Sunne to rise vpon good and bad Mat 5 and raineth vpon iust and vniust Imitate God the Son who taking humane Nature spared not his owne life to deliuer vs from the power Of darknesse and eternall damnation Imitate God the holy Ghost who infuseth plentifully his most precious guiftes into vs to make vs being carnall to become spirituall THE SIXT STEPP From the Consideration of the Fire THe Element of Fire is so pure and noble Cap. 1 that God himselfe would be called fire as Moses and St. Paul witnes saying Our Lord is a consuming Fire Deut 4 Heb 12 And when God first appeared vnto Moses hee appeared in a flame of Fire burning a bush and not consuming it Exod 3 Our Lord appeared saith Moses in aflame of Fire out of the midst of a bush And he saw that the bush was on fire and was not burnt And when the same God came to giue the Law vnto the people hee came in the forme of fire For so speaketh Moses Exo. 19 All the Mount Sinai smoaked For because our Lord was descended vpon it in Fire According to the similitude of which mistery when as the new Law was to bee promulged the holy Ghost appeared vnto the Apostles in fiery tongues Act. 2 Those spirits also which are most neare to God in Heauen are called Seraphins that is to say Fiery because they are more inflamed with the Fire of Diuine Loue then other Angells Which being so it is not a thing difficult for vs from the element of Fire and the nature and properties thereof to frame
with my God that being in me a Fountaine of water springing vp into life euerlasting it may cause in me merits to ascend thether wheras I hope to liue for euer Not without cause did the Son of God say If you then being naught knowe how to giue good guifts to your children Luk. 11 how much more will your Father in heauen giue the good spirit to them that aske him And he saith not that he will giue bread cloathes wisdome charity or life euerlasting but the good spirit for in it al things are conteyned Cease not then O my soule daily to admonish the Father of the promise of his son saying with great deuotion assured hope to obtaine O holy father not in mine owne iustification doe I pray vnto theâ— but in the promise of thy onely begotten Sonne For he hath said vnto vs How much more will your Father in heauen giue the good Spirit to them that aske him Surely thy Sonne is the Truth he deceaueth vs not Fuifill therefore the promise of thy Son who hath glorified thee vpon earth Ioh. 17 Phil. 2 and was obedient to thee vnto death euen the death of the Crosse Giue the good â—pirit to them that aske it of thee Giue the spirit of thy loue and feare that thy seruant may loue nothing but thee his neighbour in thee nor feare but onely to offend thee Create a cleane hart in me O God Psal 50 and renew a right 〈…〉 in my bowells Cast me 〈…〉 from thy face and thy holy spirit take not from me Render vnto me the ioy of thy saluation and confirme me with a principall spirit Now I come to the resemblance which Fountaines of water haue with God Cap. 6 for from them also may the minde be eleuated to consider his wonderfull workes And not without cause is God called in holy scripture A Fountaine of life Psal 35 Eccle. 1 And A Fountaine of liuing water And that he is the Fountaine of Being Hier. 2 We gather by these wordes of God to Moyses I am which am Exod. 3 he which is hath sent me to you All which the Apostle seemeth to haue included when he saith Act. 17 In him we liue and moue and be For in him we are as in a Fountaine of being In him we liue as in a Fountaine of life And in him we mooue as in a Fountaine of Wisdome Wisd 7 because Wisdome is more moueable then all moueable things reacheth euery where because of her cleannesse as it is said in the booke of Wisdome A fountaine of water with vs hath this propertie that Riuers spring from it and when they cease to flowe from their fountaine they are soone dried vp but the fountaine dependeth not of the riuers for it receaueth not water from them but from it selfe and giueth it vnto others This is a true resemblance of the diuinitie For God is the most true fountaine of Being because he receaued his Being from no other thing but all thinges receiued their being from him God receaued his being from no other thing because his essence is to be and his being is his existence so that it cannot be conceaued or caused but that God hath beene alwayes and alwayes shall be Other thinges may be for a time and for a time not be because existence doth not necessarily belong vnto their offence For example It belongeth to the essence of a man to be a reasonable creature and therefore he cannot be a man vnlesse he be a reasonable creature and if existence belonged also to the essence of a man he should then alwayes exist but because it belongeth not to his essence therefore hee may exist and not exist God then is the Fountaine of Being because his essence includeth actuall existence for euer as is signified by those wordes I am Which am Exod. 3 That is I am essence it selfe and receaue not my Being from any other thing for to me onely my essence is my existence Therefore eternitie and immortalitie is proper vnto God onely as the apostle saith To the king of the worldes immortall 1 Tim 1 1 Tim. 6 onely God And who onely hath immortalitie For all other things receaue in such sort their essence from God that vnlesse they doe alwaies depend one him and be preserued by him they presently cease to be Wherevpon the same Apostle saith Heb. 1 Who carieth all thinges by the word of his power Therefore O my foule admire and reuerence the infinite goodnesse of thy maker who maintaineth and preserueth all thinges so louingly although he needeth not their seruice Admire and Imitate also the patience of thy sayd maker who is so mercifull vpon the vnkinde and the euill Luke 6 that he feedeth and preserueth those which blaspheme him and deserue to be brought to nothing Let it not therefore seeme much vnto thee to beare sometimes with the infirmities of thy brethren and as thou art commanded to doe good to those that hate thee But the being a Fountaine doth not onely consist in not receauing being from an other Fountaine and in giuing being vnto other things For the water both of Fountaines and Riuers with vs is of the same kinde and albeit that fountaines receaue not their water from other fountaines yet they haue a cause of their being to wit vapours which also haue other causes successinely vntill we come vnto God the first cause But God thy maker my soule is not of the same kinde with creatures but infinitely surpasseth them in dignitie nobilitie and excellencie He also is truely and properly the Fountaine of Being because he doth not onely not receaue his being from an other fountaine of being but also for that he hath no cause at all A Fountaine of created water as is said is not deriued from any other water but from an other cause but the increated Fountaine of Being hath not my thing before himselfe dependeth not of any thing wanteth not any thing nor can he hurt by any thing but all thinges depend of him 2 Mach. 8 and he can Destroy the whole world with a becke as saith the valiant Machabaeus Admire this eminencie O my soule this beginning without beginning this Cause without Cause this essence that is infinite vnlimited immense and absolutely necessary in comparison wherof all other things are but casuall And of this perhappes the Truth said But one thing is necessary Luk. 10 Adhere therefore to him onely serue him onely and delight in his loue onely Despise all other thinges for his sake or els be not troubled with too much care about many thinges since one thing is necessarie which onely is enough for thee and al others but let thy care be neuer to fall from his grace studying alwaies and euery where how to please him God also is most truely called a Fountaine of life Cap 7 because he hath life in himselfe and is life eternall it selfe
the more he was hardened and the more Gods mercy appeared in remoouing his punishments the more was he animated to despise and contemne God But when our Lord is pleased to enkendle one sparke of the fire of his true loue in a hard heart presently it waxeth soft and melteth like waxe so that no obstinacy though neuer so continuall and obdurate can hinder it And of a heart of stone it becommeth a heart of flesh Psal 147 For when the spirit of our Lord bloweth Waters will slowe from the frozen Snowe We haue an example in the Gospell Luk. 7 of that woman that was a Sinner in the Citty whome neither the admonitions of her Brother reprehensions of her Sister honour of her Family nor her owne shame could moue to abstaine from sinne And yet one beame of Christ peircing her heart and there enkindling a sparke of Diuine loue did so strangely alter her that being a Noble woman she blushed not in a publicke Feast to cast her selfe at Christes feete All weeping with her teares to bathe them and with her haire in steede of a towell to wipe them oftentimes most louingly to kisse them and with a most precious odoriserous oyntment to annoint them signifying thereby that from thenceforth she bequeathed her selfe and all that was hers vnto the seruice of Christ Therefore she heard that saying of our Sauiour Many sinnes are forgiuen her Luk 7 because she hath loued much But it shall not be from our purpose to sett downe another example also of late time William Duke of Aquitane liued in the time of St. Bernard a man most wilfull and obstinate In defending Anacletus the Scismatical Pope against Innocentius the lawfull He banished all the Catholicke Bishops out of his Countrey and tooke an oath that hee would neuer be at peace with them and because all men knewe him obdurate in wickednesse and cruelty and terrible for his pride there was none that durst admonish him It pleased God by his seruant Bernard to visite the hard heart of this man and to kindle a great sparke of Diniue loue therein Presently of a Lyon he became a Lambe humble of proude and most obedient of most obstinate For at one onely worde of St. Bernard hee friendly imbraced the Bishop of Poyters and with his owne hand placed him in his Chaire And which seemeth to surpasse all admiration demaunding of a certaine Hermit remedy of soule for his sinnes past He was commanded by the same Hermit to weare a coate of Brasse next his skin so buckled that it could neuer be put off and presently hee obeyed and it was so donne And being sent by the Hermite to the Pope for absolution he went But the Pope suspecting that hee did not heartily repent or else desirous to try his patience commaunded him to goe on Pilgrimage to Ierusalem to demaund absolution of the Patriarke of that Citty Without delay he vndertooke that iourney and fulfilled the Popes commandement Lastly of a potent Prince he became an humble Monke So that in that age there was scarce any found to surpasse him in humility patience pouerty deuotion and piety This indeed is the change of the right hand of the heighest Psal 76 this is the force of the Diuine fire against which no heard heart can resist There remaineth the last property of the Fire which is to extenuate heauy thinges and cause them easily to mount aloft And this is the cause why men that burne not with the fire of Diuine loue are heauy of heart and to them the Prophet said Psal 4 How long are you of heauy heart Why loue you vanity and secke lying This also is the cause why The body that is corrupted burdeneth the soule as the wise man saith Wisd 9 And an heauy yoake vpon the Children of Adam from the day of their comming foorth of their mothers wombe vntill the day of their burying Eccle. 40. into the mother of al saith Ecclesiasticus And what this heauy yoake is which in this mortall body so burdeneth the soule the same Author declareth a little after when he addeth Fury Euâ—y Wauering Feare Anger and such like commonly called the Passions of the minde These so depresse the minde of Man that it beholdeth nothing but earth to which it cleaueth in such sort that it cannot ascend to seeke God nor speedily run the way of his Commondements But when the fire of God beginneth from aboue to inslame it forthwith those passions begin to deminish and be mortified and this heauy burden to wax lighter And if the heate increase it will so vnburthen the haâ—t that it may flye vp like a Doue say with the Apostle Our conuersation is in heauen Phil. 3 And being also dilated by this fire it may say with Dauid Psal 111 I haue runne the way of thy commandements when thou hast delateâ— my harâ— Truely since our Sauiour said Luk. 12 I came to cast fire on the earth and what will I but that it be kindled We haue seene many so enlightned therewith that they haue wholy forsaken the loue of honour pleasure and wealth and haue said to Christ ascending into heauen Draw vs after thee This hath caused so many Monasteries to be erected so many desertes to be inhabited so many companies of virgins to be instituted who did not onely with ease runne the way of the Commandements but also ascended into the way of Counsells To follow the Lambe whethersoeuer he shall goe Apoc. 14 O Blessed fire which giueth light and wasteth not and if it waste it wasteth but the peccant humors that lise be not extinguished thereby Who will cause me to be inflamed with this fire which with the light of true Wisdome expelleth the darknesse of ignorance and blindenesse of an erronious conscience And which changeth the coldenesse of slothe indeuotion and negligence into the heate of loue That it neuer suffer my hart to be hardened but with the heate thereof to be mollified and made deuout And that it take from it the heany yoake of earthly cares and desires that with the winges of holy contemplation wherewith Charitie is nourished and increased it may be so lifted vp that I may say with the Prophet Make ioyfull the soulc of thy seruant Psal 85 because to thee O Lord I haue lifted vp my Soule THE SEVENTH STEPP From the Consideration of Heauen to wit of the Sunne Moone and Starres WE shall not labour much in this place from the consideration of Heauen Cap. 1 to frame for our selues a Stepp to contemplate God for we haue the kingly Prophet going before vs who in the Psalmes saith Psal 18 The Heauens shew forth the glory of God the â—â—â—mament declareth the workes of his hands And because there are two seasons to wit the day night in which we may from the consideration of heauen ascend vnto God with the wings of contempâ—ation of the first he writeth
made And we also in this beleeue what we see not but we belecue God who cannot lye I say we beleeue that heauen and earth and all thinges that are therein were created by God without anyprecedent matter whereof they were made But how this could be done is a thing too deepe for vs to finde out Moreouer God did not onely make all thinges of nothing but also in nothing to wit without precedent space or place to containe them in which is hard to vnderstand especially in corporall things And therefore this depth also is not to be founded Take away saith St. Augustine in his Epistle to Dardanus the distances of plaeces from bodies Epist 57 and they shall be no where and because they shall be no where they shall not be If therefore nothing was before God created heauen and earth where did he place heauen earth Truely not in Nothing And yet they are created placed in themselues because he so would and could who can do all thinges although we cannot conceaue how they are done This did God himselfe signifie when declaring his omnipotence to holy Iob he said Iob. 38 Where wast thou when I layd the foundations of the earth tell me if thou hast vnderstanding who set the measures thereof if thou knowe Or who stretched out the lyne vpon it Vpon what are the foundations thereof grounded Or who let downe the corner stone thereof And that we might vnderstand these workes of Gods omnipotence to be most worthy of all prayse our Lord himselfe presently addeth When the morning starrs praysed me together and all the sonnes of God mode inbilation To wit the Holy Angells which were created together with heauen and earth and are as it were spirituall starrs so bright that they may be called the sonnes of God when they sawe heauen and earth created of nothing and placed in nothing and yet to be most firmely founded vpon their owne stabilitie with wonderfull admiration and iubilation they praysed the omnipotency of their maker Neither is it lesse profound to vnderstand how God by the onely command of his will did erect such huge buildinges For we knowe that in edifices lesse without comparison how many instruments inginnes and workemen Architeckes want Who therfore can conceaue how by Will onely which neuer goeth out of the thing that willeth so great and manyfold workes could be made God sayd but to himselfe for the word of God is in God and is God He sayd I say commanding and expressing the commandement of his will Gen 1 Ioh. 1 Be Heauen made and heauen was made Be earth made and earth was made Be light made Be a Sunne made Be starrs made Be Trees made Be Beastes made Be Men made Be Angells made And all things were made Add also that the same God can if he will destroy all thinges with one becke as we read in the books of the Machahies 2 Mach 8 It is likewise a depth vnsoundable how God made all these great and manifold thinges consisting of so many partes and members in a moment Nature and Art with vs require a long time to perfect their workes We see hearbes are sowen long before they growe and oftentimes many yeares passe before trees take roote extend their boughes and bring forth fruite Beastes likewise carry their young ones long within them and after they seede them long also before they growe great I will say nothing of Art for experience sheweth that our Artizans can bring nothing to perfection but in a competent time How great therefore is the power of God which in a moment hath brought so great thinges to perfection But I dispute not whether God in a moment made heauen and earth and all thinges therein or whether he spent six whole dayes in the first Creation of thinges For I vndertake not to cleere doubts but to frame Ascentions vnto God from the consideration of thinges That then which I affirme and admâ—re is that euery particular thing was made in a moment by the Omnipotent Creator For of the earth water ayte and fire there is no doubt as also of the Angells but that they were created altogether in a moment Of the Firmament and diuision of waters it is likewise certaine that all was don by the powerfull word onely of the speaker saying Gen 1 Be a Firmament made amidst the waters that in a momeÌ„t For it followeth And it was so done Vpon which place St. Hom 4. in Gen. Iohn Chrysostome saith He onely sayd and the worke followed And the same Author vpon those wordes Let the earth shoote forth green hearbs And it was so done sayth Hom. 5 â—n Gen. Quis non obstupescat cogitans c. Who would not wonder to thinke how at the word of our Lord the earth should shoote forth sundry flowers and adorne her face as it were with an admirable embroyderie You might haue seene the earth which before was without forme on the sodaine to become almost as faire as the heauen And after vpon those wordes Be there Lights made thus he speaketh He onely saâ—d and this admirable element was made I meane the Sunne What if you add that in the same moment and with the same word the same Creator made the Moone and all the Starres Also vpon those wordes Let the waters bring forth thus he speaketh Hom. 7 What tongue can sufficiently prayse the maker For euen as when he sayd to the earth Let it shoot forth and presently there appeared great plenty of sundry hearâ—es and flowers So here he said let the waters bring forth and forthwith so many kindes of Fowles and creeping creatures were made as no tongue can rehearse Who therefore is like to thee among the strong O Lord Thou dost now plainely vnderstand O my soule Cap. 5 how great the power of thy maker is whose breadth is infinite whose length is eternall susteyning and gouerning all thinges without wearinesse whose higth doth thinges which seem vnpossible are so but to him onely whose depth maketh thinges in such sort that the maÌ„ner therof surpasseth the vnderstanding of any Creature For he maketh them of nothing in nothing without tooles without time onely hy his worde and commandement He said saith the Prophet and they were made Psal 148 hee commanded and they were created Whence thou maist gather if thou be wise how much it importeth thee to please and not offend him and to haue him thy friend and not thy enemy For being offended with thee hee can in a moment depriue thee of all Good fill thee with all Misery neither is there any that can deliuer thee from his hands If being â—aked and alone thou shouldest meete with thy mortall enemy who assayled thee with a sharpe Sword what wouldest thou doe how wouldest thou sweat looke pale tremble and casting thy selfe on thy knees begge for mercy and yet he is a man so that perhappes thou mightest
and excellencie it selfe which thou art O my Lord God Thy seruant Dauid iudged right who esteemed thy commaundements To be desired aboue golde and much pretious stone Psal 18 and more sweete aboue hony and the hony Combe And he added And in keeping them is much reward What meaneth this O Lord dost thou promise reward to those that keepe thy commandements To be desired aboue golde and more sireete then the hony Combe Yes truely a most ample reward Iam. 4 for Iames thy Apostle saith Our Lord hath prepared a Crowne of life for those that loue him And what is a Crown of Life Truely a greater Happinesse then we are able to conceiue For so speaketh St. Paul out of Isay 1. Cor. 2 Isay 64 Eye hath not seene nor eare hath heard neither hath it ascended into the heart of Man what things God hath prepared for them that loue him Surely therfore there is great reward for keeping thy commandements Neither is that first greatest cōmandement profitable onely to man obeying not to God commanding but also the rest of Gods commandements do perfect beautifie instruct and illuminate the obedient and finally make them good and happy Therefore my soule if thou be wise vnderstand that thou art created to Gods glorie and thy eternall happinesse that is thy end that is thy treasure and center if thou come to that end thou shalt be happy if thou declyne from it thou art vnhappy Therefore think that assuredly good for thee which directeth thee to that end and that assuredly euill which causeth thee to decline from it Prosperitie and aduersitie wealth and pouertie health and sicknesse honour and ignominy life and death of a wise man are neither to be desired nor auoyded but if they make to Gods glorie and thy eternall welfare they are good and to be desired if they hinder it they are euill and to be auoyded THE SECOND STEPP From the Consideration of the greater world WE haue framed the first Stepp of our Ladder of Ascention vnto God Cap. 1 from the Consideration of Man who is called the Lesser World Now we also purpose to frame the Second Stepp from the Consideration of this most great corporall quantitie commonly called the Greater world St. Gregory Nazianzen writeth in his second sermon of the Pasche That God placed Man as a great world in a lesser world which is true if we seperate Angels from the world For man is greater then the whole corporall world not in quantitie but in qualitie but if that Angels are comprehended in the world as we in this place comprehend them then is man a Lesser world placed in a Greater world In this greater world therefore which conteyneth all things many things are to be wondred at but especially quantitie multitude varietie efficacie and beauty All which if by Gods assistance they be duly considered are of great force to eleuate the minde and to make it become in a manner wrapt with admiration of an infinite greatnesse multitude varietie efficacie and beautie and being returned to it selfe whatsoeuer it beholdeth without God to dispise as vaine and of no moment Truely the earth is so great that Ecclesiasticus saith Eccles c. 1 The breadth of the earth and profunditie of the depth who hath measured which may be vnderstood For that in so many thousand yeares as haue passed since the creation as yet the whole surface of the earth for that Ecclesiasticus calleth the breadth of the earth is not knowne vnto our men who daily haue sought after it And what I pray you is the greatnesse of the earth compared to the compasse of the highest heauen It is said by Astronomers to be as a Poynt and not without cause For we see the sunne beames so to illuminate the opposite starres of the Firmament although the earth be betweene as if the same were nothing at all And if euery starre in the Firmament be greater then the whole earth as the common opinion of wise men is and yet seeme to vs because of their almost infinite distance to be very small who then can conceiue the greatnesse of heauen in which so many millions of starres doe shine If therefore Ecclesiasticus said The breadth of the earth and profunditie of the depth who hath measured What would he haue said of the Compasse of the highest he euen and distance thereof vnto the lowest hell truely it is so great that it cannot be conceiued Goe too now my soule I aske thee if the world be so great how great is he that made the world Great is our Lord and there is no end of his greatnesse Heare Isay Isay 40 Who hath measured the waters with his fist and pondered the heauens with a spanne Who hath poysed with three fingers the huge greatnes of the earth Where St. Ierome saith that according to the translation of Aquila by a fist is vnderstood the little finger so that the sence is The whole element of water which is lesse then the earth is measured with one little finger of God the earth with three fingers the heauen which is greater then the earth and water together is pondered with a spanne But this is spoken metaphorically for God is a Spirit and hath no handes nor fingers properly and the scripture by these comparisons doth sufficiently shewe that God is much greater then his Creatures which Salomon signified more expressely when he said 2 Para. 6 The heauen and heauens of heauens doe not containe thee For if an other world or more worldes yea infinite worldes were made God would fill them all But thinke not my soule thy God doth so fill the world that a part of God is in a part of the world and all God in all the world for God hath no partes but is all in all the world and all in euery part of the world Therefore if thou be faithfull to him although Armies rise vp against thee thy heart shall not feare for what should he feare who hath an almightie Father and freind but if for thy sinnes thou hast God an angry judge and an almightie enemie then hast thou iust cause to dread with horrible feare and to giue thine eyes and feete no rest vntill God being pleased with thy true repentance thou take breath in the light of his mercies But now who can number the multitude of things created by one God maker of heauen and earth Cap. 2 Who saith Ecclesiasticus can number the Sandes of the sea and drops of rayne Eccles cap. 1 But how many mettalls of gold and siluer brasse lead pretious stones Iemmes margarites are there within the earth and Sea how many kindes sortes and Indiuidualls of hearebs fruites and plantes are there vpon the earth also how many kindes sortes and Indiuidualls of perfect and vnperfect liuing creatures foure footed beasts creeping Creatures foules how many kindes sortes and Indiuidualls of fishes in the Sea Who can number them
what of the multitude of mankinde of whom it is written Psal 11 According to thy highnesse thou hast multiplied the children of men How many starres also are there in heauen and Angels aboue heauen For of the starres we read in most true scripture Number the starres if thou canst Gen. 15 Gen. 22 And in another place they are compared to the sandes of the Sea which are innumerable Of the Angels Daniel writeth Dan 7 Thousands of thousandes ministred to him and ten thousand hundred thousandes assisted him And St. Thom. 1. p. q Su. art 3. affirmeth with St. Denis That the multitude of Angels exceedeth in number all materiall things Therefore this almost infinite multitude of things made by one God doth demonstrate that in the diuine essence there are infinite perfections For God would be knowne to man in some sort by his creatures and because no creature can truely represent the infinite perfection of the Creator he hath multiplied the Creatures and hath giuen to euery one some goodnes perfection that therby may be gathered the goodnes and perfectioÌ„ of the Creator who in one most simple offence includeth infinite perfections euen after a sort as one peece of gold conteyneth the value of many peeces of brasse Therefore my soule whatsoeuer thou dost see or conceaue which seemeth to thee admirable let it be a Ladder to ascend to the knowledge of thy Creator who without doubt is much more admirable So shall it come to passe that Creatures which are made for a snare to the feete of the vnwise as Wisdome teacheth Wisd 14 shall instruct not deceaue and direct not misguide thee from the way of vertue And if thou possesse gold siluer and precious stones say in thy hart my God is more pretious who hath promised me himselfe if I contemne these things If thou admire earthly Empires and kingdomes say in thy hart more excellent is the kingdome of heauen which remaineth for euer which God who lyeth not hath promised to those that loue him If pleasures and delights begin to tickle thy carnall senses say in thy hart the pleasure of the spirit is more delightfull then of the flesh and the delights of the minde surpasse those of the belly for the mortal creature offordeth them and the immortall Creator the other which whosoeuer tasteth may say with the Apostle I am replenished with consolation 2 Cor 7 I doe exceedingly abound in ioy in all our tribulation Lastly if any beautifull great or wonderfull thing be offered thee beside thy Lord God answere assuredly what goodnesse soeuer is therein the same without doubt is much more and better in thy Lord and therefore it is not profitable for thee to change gold for brasse pretious stones for glasse great things for small certaine for doubtfull temporall for eternall But although the multitude of Creatures is admirable and declareth the manifold perfections of one God yet more admirable is the varietie of things which is seen in that multiplication For it is not hard with one Seale to expresse many figures alike or with the same mould to print innumerable letters but to distinguish the formes almost infinite waies as God did in the creation is plainely adiuine worke most worthy of admiration To omitte those thinges which are most different and vnlike In the Indiuidualls of hearbes plantes flowers and fruites what great variety there is Their figures colours odours tastes how wonderfully distinguished And is not the like also in liuing creatures that haue sence but what shall I say of men since in a great Armie there can hardly be found two men alike which also is verified in the starres and Angels For one starre differeth from an other in brightnesse as the Apostle witnesseth in the first to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 5 1 par q. 50 art 4 And St. Thomas saith that the Angels although they exceed corporall things in number yet they all differ among themselues not onely in Individuall number but also in specificall forme Lift vp then my soule thine eyes to God in whom are the causes of all things and from whom as from a fountaine of infinite plentie this almost infinite Varietie did flowe For God could not haue imprinted those innumerable formes in creatures without comprehending the causes of them in the bosome of his essence after a most high and eminent manner Not without cause therefore doth the Apostle crie out Rom. 11 O Depth of the riches of the Wisdome and of the knowledge of God! For truely it is a Well of infinite depth wherein the treasures of that Wisdome and knowledge do lie hid which could produce such varietie of things Rightly also did St. Francis say vnto God Deus meus omnâ—a O my God and all things Because what goodnes soeuer is diuided and distributed among creatures is vnited in God after a more high and eminent manner But thou my soule wilt say Though these things seeme to be true yet Creatures we see we touch we taste and really enioy but God wee cannot see touch taste enioy nor scarce conceaue but as a thing very farre from vs therefore it is no meruaile though we loue Creatures more then God But if thou be strong in faith my soule and dost continue in hope and charitie thou canst not denie but that after this life which vanisheth like a shadow thou shalt see God as he is in himselfe and enioy him much more inwardly then now thou dost his Creatures Heare our Redeemer Blessed are the cleane of hart Math 5 because they shall see God Heare St. 1 Cor. 13 Paul We see now by a glasse in a darke sort but then face to face Heare St. Iohn We shall be like vnto him 1 Epist 3 because we shall see him as he is Moreouer how much of the world belongeth vnto thee Truely neither the whole nor the halfe nor a third or fourth part nor scarce a small portion therof falleth to thy share the which in short time thou must be constrained to forsake But God in whom all things are thou shalt enioy for all eternitie For God shall be all in all the Saints and blessed without end He shall be thy life meate cloathing 1 Cor 15 house honour wealth pleasure and thy All. Moreouer thy sweet and mercifull God doth not coÌ„mand thee while thou art a Pilgrim on earth to want altogether the solace of his Creatures For he made them all to serue thee But he commaundeth thee to vse them soberly and temperately and giue ioyfully of thy store vnto the needy hauing dominion ouer thy wealth in vsing it to the glory of God Weigh therefore most diligently if it be not more expedient for thee to want the creatures in this life euen as they are necessarie and in the other to enioy thy Creator eternally in whom as I haue said all things are or earnestly to labour in this life to purchase temporall goods and neuer
men as they haue preferred their loue before their estate and dignitie children and parentes yea their life and eternall saluation The examples which are read in holy Scripture of Dauid Salomon and Sampson are known histories are full of the like Wherefore my soule if so great beautie be giuen by God to creatures how great admirable maist thou think is the beautie of God himselfe For none can giue that which he hath not And if men delighted with the beauty of the Sun and starres though those Bright bodies saith the wise man to be Goddes Wisd 13 Let them knowe how much the Lord of them is more beautifull then they for the author of beautie made all these thinges How great the beautie of God is we may gather not onely because it comprehendeth the beautie of all creatures most eminently within it selfe but also for that it being vnto vs inuisible while we are Pilgrims on earth and onely vnderstood by faith of Scriptures and mirrour of Creatures yet notwithstanding many saints haue bin so inflamed with the loue thereof that some of them haue hid themselues in Desertes and attended onely to the contemplation therof as St. Mary Magdalen Paul the first Heremite the great Anthony and others of whom you may reade in the religious History of Theodoret. Others forsaking their wiues and Children and whatsoeuer els they possessed on earth liued in Monasteries vnder the obedience of others that they might enioy the friendship of God Others desired willingly with rigorous paines to end their liues that they might come to the sight of that infinite beautie Heare one of them to wit St. Ignatius the Martyre in his Epistle to the Romans Let fire gallowes beastes breaking of my bones quartering of my members brusing of my body and all the torments of the Deuill come vpon me so that I may enioy Christ If then this diuine beauty not yet seene but onely beleeued and hoped for could kindle such a feruent desire what will it doe when as the vaile being remooued it shall be seene as it is in it selfe It will doubtlesse bring to passe Psal 3 That being drunke with the torrent of that pleasure we neither will nor can one moment turne our eyes from it And what wonder is it although the Angels and blessed soules which alwayes see the face of their Father in heauen are not wearied or tyred with that sight since God himselfe from all eternity beholding his owne beauty is fully pleased there with and being happie by that sight desireth nothing els entring as it were into a Vineyard or Garden of all delights from whence he neuer shall nor will depart Seeke that beauty O my soule sigh after it day and night say with the Prophet My soule hath thirsted after thee the strong liuing Psal 41 when shall I come and appeare before the face of God Say with the Apostle We are bolde 2 Cor 5 and haue a good will to be Pilgrims rather from the body and to be present with our Lord. Neither doe thou feare to be defiled with the loue of that beauty For the loue thereof doth comfort not corrupt doth purifie and not polute the hart The holy virgin and martyre St. Agnes sayd truely I loue Christ whose mother is a virgin whose Father knoweth no woman whom when I loue I am chaste when I touch I am cleane when I take I remaine a virgin But if thou dost truely desire the vncreated beauty of thy Lord thou must fulfill that which the Apostle addeth in that place 2 Cor. 5 Therefore saith he we endeauour whether absent or present to please him If God please thee thou oughtest likewise to please God And surely we shall please God in the country of the liuing when as we shall be illuminated with his glory as the Prophet saith Psal 114 I will please our Lord in the country of the liuing But in this Pilgrimage we are so easily poluted and defiled with the slime of sinne that the Apostle St. Iames said Iam. 3 In many things we offend all And the Prophet Dauid to shewe how fewe are immaculate in this life affirmeth that it belongeth to Happinesse Psal 118 saying Blessed are the immaculate in the way Therefore my soule if in this absence and Pilgrimage thou wilt please thy Lord it is not enough to desire to please him but it behooueth thee as the Apostle saith to striue to please him that is with great diligence to beware of such spottes as may make thy face deformed and if any happen to sticke therein with like diligence to endeauour to wipe them away Dost thou not see how women which seeke to please their husbands spend many houres in dressing their hayre adorning their face and wiping away the spottes of their garments and all this they doe to please the eyes of a mortall man who soone after must be turned to earth and ashes what oughtest thou therefore to doe to please the eyes of thy immortall spouse who alwaies beholdeth thee and desireth to see thee without spot or wrinkle It is needefull then to striue with all thy force Luc. 1 That thou walke before him in holinesse and iâ—stice and remoue from thee with speed all things that may hinder the same not hauing respect to flesh and blood nor to the speeches and opinions of men For thou canst not please God and the world both at once according to the Apostles saying Yf I yet did please men Gal. 1 I should not be the seruant of Christ THE THIRD STEPP From the Consideration of the earth WE haue considered the Corporall world in generall Cap. 1 Let vs now consider the principall parts thereof that from them we may erect a Ladder to contemplate their maker First there is the Earth the which although it occupie the lowest place among the elements and seemeth to be lesse then the rest yet it is not lesse then the water and in dignitie and worth it excelleth the other elements Whereupon we often read in holy Scripture That God made heauen and earth as the principall parts of the world Gen. 1 For he made heauen as the Pallace of God and Angels the earth as the Pallace of men Psal 113 The heauen of heauen is to our Lord saith the Prophet but the earth he hath giuen to the children of men And that is the cause why the heauen is full of bright starres the earth aboundeth with mettalls precious stones hearbes trees and beastes of diuers kindes whereas the water is stored onely with fish and the ayre and fire are in a manner emptie and naked elements But omitting this The earth hath three thinges most worthy of consideration by which a vigilant minde may easily ascend vnto God First the earth is the most firme foundation of the whole world without which we could neither walke worke Psal 92 rest nor liue He hath established saith Dauid the round world which
He is the true God 1 Ioh. 5 and life eternall saith St. Iohn and all thinges that liue receaue life from that fountaine which when it shall cease to giue them life They shall fayle Psal 103 and shall returne into their dust as the holy Prophet Dauid saith It is proper vnto liuing creatures to beget their like God also begott a Sonne most like vnto himselfe Ioh. 5 For us the Father hath life in himselfe So he hath giuen to the Sonne also to haue life in himselfe as St. Iohn witnesseth in the Gospell But the Father hath life in himselfe because he is the fountaine of life and the Sonne hath life in himselfe because the Father hath giuen him the same life which he hath wherby the Sonne also is the fountaine of life yet the Fountaine of life of the Fountaine of life as God of God and light of light Who can declare or conceaue what the life of God is and what this Fountaine of life is from whence all thinges that liue in heauen or earth drawe drops of life The life which we in this banishmēt know is no other but The internall beginning of Motion For those things we say liue which mooue themselues after some manner And therefore the water of Riuers is commonly called running or liuing water because it seemeth to moue of it selfe And the water of Ponds standing or dead water For that it is not mooued but by the Windes or some other externall force Thy God O my soule most truely liueth and is the Author and Fountaine of life For often doth he in holy Scripture inculcate this saying Num. 14 Liue I saith our Lord And the Prophets often repeate The Lord liueth the Lord liueth And in Hieremie God complaineth of the people saying Hier. 2 They haue forsaken me the Fountaine of liuing Water and yet he is not moued either by himselfe or by any other I am God saith he and am not changed And againe Hier. 16 Malae 3 Num. 23 God is not as the sonne of Man that he may be changed We sing also very often in the ecclesiasticall hymne O God which dost preserue the strength of things thy selfe being vnmoueable dost successiuely diuide the day and night c. So that if God beget a sonne he begetteth him without mutation and if he see heare speake loue pardon or iudge he doth all without mutation And if he create and preserue or destroy and dissipate and againe renue and change yet he worketh resting and changeth without being changed How then doth he liue if he moue not And how doth he not liue if he be the Fountaine and author of life This knot is easily vntyed For to liue it is absolutely enough that the thing which liueth worke of it selfe and be nor moued by an other But life for the most part in Creatures is the Internall beginning of motion because Creatures are vnperfect haue need of many things to performe the actions of life But God is Infinite perfection and hath neede of nothing without himselfe and therefore he worketh of himselfe and is not moued by any other Creatures neede mutation to ingender and be ingendred because they ingender without themselues and the thing ingendred must be changed from a not being to a being But God begot a sonne within himselfe And within himselfe produceth the holy ghost neither ought the Son or the holy Ghost to be changed from a not being to a being because they receaue that being which was alwaies and they receaue it not in time but from eternitie Creatures need the Motion of Augmentation because they are borne vnperfect but God the Sonne is borne most perfect and God the Holy ghost is breathed and produced most perfect Creatures need the motion of alteration to attaine diuers qualities which they want but God wanteth nothing for his essence is of infinite perfection Creatures neede locall motion because they are not euery where but God is wholy euery where Moreouer Creatures need many things to see heare speake and worke because their life is poore and vnperfect but God needeth nothing without himselfe to see all heare all speake to all and to worke all For he as is said is life it selfe and the Fountaine of life And that we may put an example in ihe action of seeing A man to see needeth a seeing power which is distinct from the soule which properly seeth he needeth an obiect that is a coloured body distant from him he needeth the light of the Sunne or of some other bright body he needeth a Medium that is a perspicuous body he needeth a sensible Species or forme to be caried from the obiect to the eye he needeth a corporall orgā to wit an eye furnished with humors fleshy tunicles he needeth sensitiue spirits and opticke synowes by which those spirits must passe he needeth a proportionable distance And lastly he needeth the Application of the seeing powre or facultie Behold how many thinges men and other liuing Creatures want to performe one action of life But God who truely hath all life in himselfe needeth nothing His infinite essence doth include power forme obiect light and all other things God of himselfe by himselfe and in himselfe seeth all thinges which are haue bin or shall be and euedently knoweth all thinges which may be And before the world was made God sawe all things so that by the creation of things there came nothing but was before knowne vnto him What then shalt thou be my soule when thou shalt partake of that life Is it much that God commandeth thee when he would haue thee spend this corporall animall poore and vnperfect life for himselfe and thy brethren to obtaine life eternall And if he commaund not much when he commandeth this life to be contemned how light and little ought it seeme to thee when he commandeth thee to bestowe thy dead riches vpon the poore to abstayne from lust to renounce the Deuill and his pompes and with true deuotion of hart to sigh after that life which onely is true life But it is time now to Ascend as we may vnto the Fountaine of Wisdome Cap. 8 A Fountaine of Wisdome the word of God on high saith Ecclesiasticus Eccle. 1 And he saith On high because the Fountaine of Wisdome doth plentifully flowe vpon the holy Angels and blessed soules in heauen but vnto vs that inhabite this Desert and Pilgrimage Wisdome her selfe descendeth not but a certaine vapour or shadow thereof Wherefore my soule seeke not after higher thinges then beseemeth thee Prou. 25 Doe not search the Maiestie least thou be oppressed of the glory Admire his Wisdome of whom the Apostle speaketh Rom. 16 To God the onelywise Congratulate those blessed spirits which drinke of the fountaine of Wisdome And although they doe not comprehend God which onely is proper vnto God yet they beholde the face of God without Vtyle or interposition and being irradiated
with the brightnesse thereof they iudge truely of all things not searing in that Meridian light of Wisdome the darkenesse of errors blindenesse of ignorance or clowde of opinions Seeke after that happinesse and that thou mayst assuredly attaine to it loue our Lord Iesus Christ withall thy hart Col 2 In whom be all the treasures of the Wisdome and knowledge of God For he hath said in his Gospell Ioh. 14 He that loueth me shall be loued of my Father and I will loue him and will manifest my selfe to him And what meaneth I will manifest my selfe to him but that I will manifest to him the treasures of Wisdome and knowledge which are in me Truely euery man doth naturally desire knowledge and although carnall concupiscence doth now in many lull as it were this desire a sleepe Yet when this corruptible body shall be laid aside which now dulleth the soule then will the fire of this desire breake forth more then any other How great will thy Happinesse be then my soule when as thy Louer and beloued Christ shall shew thee the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of God But lest thou be frustrated of so great hope endeauour to keep the commandements of Christ Ioh. 14 For he said If any loue me he will keepe my word and he that loueth me not keepeth not my wordes And in the meane while haue thou that Wisdome which holy Iob describeth saying Iob. 28 The feare of God that is wisdome and to depart from euill vnderstanding And what goodnes soeuer thou seest in Creatures acknowledge it to be deriued from God the fountaine of goodnesse that heere in the Riuers of Creatures thou maist begin to tast of that Fountain as St. Frauncis did Whereof read St. Bonauenture in the life of St. Francis the ninth Chapter THE FIFT STEPP From the Consideration of the ayre THe element of Ayre may be to men a notable document in manners Cap. 1 if the nature therof be considered For it not onely teacheth them Morall Philosophy but also declareth the mysteries of Diuinitie and eleuateth the minde vnto God when as the manifold commodities therof are pondered which by Gods Ordinance it affoordeth vnto mankinde First therfore the Ayre serueth for aspiration or breathing and thereby preserueth the life of man and of terrestriall liuing Creatures Secondly it is so necessarie for sight hearing and speach that without it though nothing els were wanting none could see heare or speake Lastly without ayre there could be no Motion among men and other terrestriall liuing creatures so that all artes and sciences must needs cease and haue end Let vs begin with the first part If men would vnderstand that the soule needeth her Aspiration or breathing as much as the body many should be saued which now perish The body needeth continuall breathing because the naturall heate wherewith the hart boyleth is so tempered by the longues which drawe in the coole ayre and cast out the hott that life is thereby preserued without which it could not be Whereupon it is commonly said That those thinges which breath doe liue And those things which breath not liue not And thou my soule that thou maist by Gods grace liue a spirituall life dost also want thy continuall breathing which is performed by sending forthe warme sighes in thy prayers to God and receauing from God new grace of the holy ghost For what els doe those words of the Lord import It behoueth alwayes to pray and not to be weary Luk. 18 But that thou must alwaies sigh and receaue a new spirit that the spirituall life be not quenched in thee Which thing he repeateth when he saith Watch therefore praying at all times Luke 21 And the Apostle confirmeth the same in his first Epistle vnto the Thessalonians saying 1 Thes 5 Pray without intermission With whom agreeth St. Peter the Apostle in his first Epistle when as he writeth 1 Pet. 4 Be wise therefore and watch in prayers For true wisdome willeth vs to aske Gods help at all times which at all times we stand in neede of Our heauenly Father knoweth indeede what we want and is ready to giue vs abundantly especially if it belong to our eternall saluation but he will giue it vs by meanes of prayer for that is more to his honour and our proffit then if he should giue vs all thinges when as we sleepe and doe nothing Therefore our most liberall Lord doth exhort and vrge vs to aske when he saith Luk. 11 Aske and it shall be giuen you Seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall be opened to you For euery one that asketh receaueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened And what is chiefely to be asked and what without doubt shall be granted he declareth a little after saying If you then being naught knowe how to giue good giftes to your children how much more will your father from heauen giue the good spirit to them that aske him This good Spirit therefore is chiefly to be daily asked which doubtlesse will be giuen vs if it be well asked whereby we may breath in God and by breathing in him preserue our spirituall life So did holy Dauid who said in the psalme Psal 118 I opened my mouth and drewe breath That is I opened my mouth crauing with vnexplicable sighes And I drew the most sweete breath of Gods spirit which hath cooled the heate of my concupiscence and strengthned me in euery good worke which being so who can say that they liue to God who in whole dayes monthes and yeares sigh not after him nor breath in him Not to breath is an euident signe of death therefore if to pray be to breath it is an euident signe of death not to pray The spirituall life wherby we are made the sonnes of God consisteth in charitie See saith St. 1 Ioh. 3 Iohn in his Epistle what manner of Charitie the Father hath giuen vs that we should be named and be the sonnes of God And who is there that loueth but desireth to see the thing he loueth who desireth any thing and asketh not when he knoweth that for asking it shall be giuen him Therefore who so doth not dayly pray to see the face of his God desireth not to see him if he desireth not to see him he loueth him not if he loueth him not he liueth not What then followeth but that we account them dead to God although they liue to the world which doe not giue themselues to prayer And yet such are not said to pray and thereby to breath and liue which with their corporall voyce pray onely For prayer is defined by the learned to be an eleuation of the minde vnto God and not of the voyce into the ayre Therfore my soule deceaue not thy selfe thinking thou dost liue to God vnlesse thou seeke God withall thy hart and sigh after him day and night Say not that
a step by which through prayer and meditation wee may Ascend vnto God For surely it is more easie to Ascend with Elias in a Chariot of Fire then of Earth Water or Ayre to make a Ladder Let vs therefore consider the properties of the Fire The fire is of such a nature that in diuers thinges it worketh after a diuerse and often after a contrary manner Wood Hay and stubble it burneth presently Gold Siluer and precious stones it maketh more pure and bright Iron which of it owne nature is blacke colde hard and heauy the Fire so changeth into contrary quallities that forthwith it becommeth white hot soft and light yea to shine like a starre to burne like fire to melt like water and to bee so light that the Smith may easily mooue and remoue it as he pleaseth All these thinges doe manisestly agree vnto Almighty God For Wood Hay and stubble according to the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians signifie Euill workes which cannot indure the fire of Gods Iudgement 1 Cor 3 And truly it is vncredible how greatly all sinne displeaseth God who is a Most pure Fire and with what zeale he consumeth and destroyeth it if by repentance it may be destroyed that is If the sinner bee in state to repent But if hee be not capable of repentance as the Deuils are not nor men after this life then is Gods wrath turned vpon him For to God the impious and his impiety are odious alike saith the wise man Wis 14 And how exceeding great this hatred is the Deuill can witnes who sinned once and being a most noble Angell Greg. lib. 32 moral c 24 alias 18 and as St. Gregory saith Prince of the first Order and the most excellent of Gods Creatures was notwithstanding presently cast downe from Heauen depriued of all beauty and supernaturall grace changed into a most deformed monster and condemned vnto eternall punishment Our Sauiour Christ can witnesse who descended from Heauen to destroy the Workes of the Deuill to wit sinnes Ioh. 3 and therefore hee is called The Lambe of God that taketh away the Sinnes of the world Ioh. 1 But who is able to declare or conceiue what our Sauiour suffered to destroy the workes of the Deuill and perfectly to satisfie the iustice of God Who when hee was in the forme of God tooke the forme of a Seruant Being made poore for vs when as he was rich Hee had not where to repose his head albeit hee made Heauen and Earth He came into his owne Phil. 2 2 Cor. 8 Luk. 9 Ioh â— 1 Pet 2 and his owne receaued him not Who when hee reuiled did not reuile When hee suffered he threatned not but deliuered himselfe to him that iudged him vniustly Who himselfe bare our Sinnes in his body vpon the tree Phil 2 1 Pet 2 He humbled himselfe made obedient vnto death euen the death of the Crosse By whose stripes wee are healed Lastly hee was mocked spitten on whipped crowned with thornes and being crucified with exceeding ignominy and paine he rendred vp his life to destroy the workes of the Deuill and to wipe away our sinnes The Law of God can witnes which prohibiteth and punisheth all sin yea leaneth not one idle worde vnpunished Mat 12 How greatly then doth God abhorr enormious crymes that cannot indure one idle worde Psal 18 The Law of our Lord is imaculate the precept of our Lord lightsome detesting sinne and darkenesse for betweene light and darkenesse 2 Cor. 6 iustice and iniquitie there can be no society Hell also can witnesse which God hath prepared for sinners who when as they had time neglected or refused to be washed with the blood of the immaculate Lambe For it is iust that they who haue committed Eternall sinnes should haue eternall punishments But what and how great the paines of Hell are is horrible to thinke Whereof we wil speak more in the last step Therefore my soule since Gods hatred is so great against sin if thou louest God aboue all thinges thou oughtest also to hate sinne aboue all thinges Take heed they deceaue thee not who vse to extenuate or excuse sinne Looke also that thou deceaue not thy selfe with false reasons for if sinne displease thee not both in thy selfe and others thou louest not God and if thou louest not God thou art vndone Againe if thou bee not vngratefull vnto Christ how greatly mayst thou reckon thy selfe indebted to his loue laboures blood and death Who hath washed thee from sinne and reconciled thee to his father And shall it then be greeuous vnto thee to suffer somewhat for Christ or for his sake by his grace to resist sinne euen vnto blood Lastly if thou canst not patiently indure the Hell of eternal fire surely thou oughtest not patiently to indure sinne but As from the face of a Serpent flye from it Eccle. 21 and from euery light occasion or suspition thereof Endeauour therfore all thou mayst to hate sinne aboue all things and to loue God aboue all things The fire also destroyeth not but perfecteth and purisieth golde Cap. 2 siluer and pretious stones For as the same Apostle doth there declare those mettalls signifie good workes which are approoued by the fire of Gods iudgement 1 Cor. 3 These workes God doth approoue because they are his guiftes And when he crowneth our merits saith St Augustine Con. 2. in psal 70 he crowneth his guiftes For they are done by his commandement asistance and powre and by the lawe and precepts which he hath appointed Gold also signifieth the Werkes of Charâ—â— 1 Ioh. 4 and how can the workes of Charitie but please God since God himselfe is Charitie Siluer signifieth the workes of Wisdome Dan. 12. to wit of them that instruct mony vnto iustice And they also are very pleasing and acceptable vnto God For the Wisdome of God saith Mat. 5 He that shall doe and teach he shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen Pretious stones are the workes of a continent soule of which Ecclesiasticus speaketh Eccle. 26 All Weight is not worthy a continuent soule And that is the cause why in the office of the Church the Gospell of One pretious Pearle found is read in the praise of holy virgins Math. 13 And how greatly the puritie of virginitie is pleasing to God may be vnderstood by the Prophet Esay who by Gods appointment and in his name prophesied vnto such Eunuches as haue gelt themselues for the Kingdome of heauen Math. 19 I will giue vnto them in my house and with my walles a place Isay 56 and a name better then Sonnes and Daughters An euerlasting name will I giue them which shall not perish Which place St. De Sanct virg c. 21 24 Augustine in his booke of holy virginitie excellently declareth to be vnderstood of holy virgins of either sex And these three sortes of workes by the consent of
that made them By which words the infinite power of God is signified who did in a moment produce and cause to worke bodies so great and beautifull And to shine to him with cheerefulnesse that made them is with such readinesse to obey their maker as if in obeying him they were greatly pleased and delighted And surely it is a thing much to be meruayled that the starres moouing so speedily and continually and some performing their course so slowely and some so swiftly in their seuerall orbes yet they alwayes keepe such measure and proportion together that from it ariseth a most sweete and pleasing harmonie Wherof God speaketh in the booke of Iob when he saith Iob. 38 Who shall declare the manner of the heauens and the harmony of heauen who shall make to sleepe This is not the harmony of voyces or soundes heard with corporall eares but the harmony of proportion in the motions of the starres heard onely with the eare of the Hart. For all the starres of the firmament passe with the like speede about the whole compasse of heauen in foure and twenty houres And the seauen Planets or wandring starres are mooued some swifter some slower So that the starres of the Firmament seeme to beare the plaine song to speake after the vulgar manner and the Planets to modulate a sweet and continuall kinde of Descant But these thinges are aboue vs and this Harmony is heard onely by them that are in Heauen and vnderstand the reasons of these motions The starrs also keepe a iust measure alwayes in turning â—ound and therefore they seeme to daunce continually in â—eauen like honest virgins skilfull in that art But thou my soule ascend a little higher if thou canst and by the great brightnesse of the Sunne the beauty of the Moone the multitude and varietie of the other lightes the admirable harmony of heauen and delightfull dauncing of the starrs Thinke what it will be to beholde God aboue heaven to wit That Sunne that inhabiteth light 1 Tim. 6 not accessible to behold the virgin Queene of heauen who being faire as the Moone reioyceth the Cittie of God To behold the quires and orders of Angells which being more in number and brighter then the starres adorne the Emperiall heauen To behold the soules of Saintes among the companies of Angels as Planets among the starres of the Firmament And lastly to heare the songes of prayses and that eternall Alleluia with concording voyces most sweetly to resound in the streetes of that Cittie Then shall it come to passe that neither the beauty of heauen will seeme great vnto thee and the thinges belowe heauen which are small short and of no value will be reiected and contemned THE EIGHT STEPP From the Consideration of the reasonable Soule WE haue hetherto passed onely through corporall things Cap. 1 whiles we intended from the contemplation of creatures to ascend vnto the Creator And now we finde the soule of Man surpassing the dignitie of all bodies to be in the lowest ranke of spirituall substances betweene whom and God there are no other but the Hierarchies and Orders of Angells The soule of man carrieth such a resemblance with God the maker thereof that truely I knowe no way more easie for a man to ascend vnto the knowledge of God then from the consideration of his owne soule And therefore he is vnexcusable before God if he knewe not God since from the knowledge of his owne soule he may by Gods assistance without difficultie attaine thereunto First therefore the soule of Man is a spirit for so the holy Fathers expound those wordes of Genesis Gen 2 Our Lord God formed Man of the slâ—me of the earth and breathed into his face the breath of life And that of Tobias Command my spirit to be receaued â—ob 3 And Ecclesiastes Let thedust returne into his earth Eccl 12 and the spirit returne to God who gaue it For albeit the word spirit agree also to the winde whereof it is said in the psalme The spirit of stormes Psal 148 Ioh. 3 And in the Gospell The spirit breatheth where he will and thou hearest his voyce Yet there is no doubt but that the Spirit of stormes is a body which by reason of the exceeding raritie thereof doth neerer immitate a Naturall spirit then any other body whatsoeuer but the soule of man is a true spirit not a body neither is it produced out of matter but created of God Whereof among Catholiques there is no controuersie Heere then beginneth the excellencie of the soule and her resemblance with God For God is a spirit saith our Sauiour and they that adore him Ioh. 4 must adore in spirit and veritie But although God is a spirit and the soule of man is also a spirit yet God is a spirit vncreated the soule a spirit created whereupon it followeth that there is an infinite difference between that spirit which is the soule and that spirit which is God As therefore the soule may reioyce for being a spirituall substance excelling thereby the heauens and starres in nobilitie of Nature so ought she also to be humbled vnto God her Maker because she is made of nothing and without him of her selfe is nothing Secondly Cap. 2 the soule of Man is a simple spirit and therefore immortall for it hath nothing within it selfe that can dissolue it or cause it to dye but as it hath this priuiledge aboue the soules of brute beastes which dye with the bodie so it ought likewise to admire and reuerence the excellencye of the Creator who is not onely immortall but also eternall For there was a time when the soule of man was not and by the will of God onely it tooke beginning and may likewise if God so please be reduced to nothing although in it selfe it hath no cause of corruption Therefore the Apostle said of God â— Tim. 6 Who onely hath immortalitie for he onely can by no power chance or reason be dissolued because he is the Fountaiâ—e of life Thirdly Cap. 3 the soule of Man hath the light of vnderstanding for it not onely decerneth colours senttes tastes soundes hot cold hard soft and other such like thinges which lye open to the senses of the body But also iudgeth of substances and of generall and vniversall Notions as well as of particular Neither knoweth it onely thinges present but also coniectureth of thinges to come and mounteth by discourse aboue the Heauens penetrateth the depth searcheth out causes by effectes and from causes runneth backe to effectes Lastly by the light of reason it ascendeth vnto God who Inhabiteth Light vnaccessible And of this Light St. 1 Tim. 6 Iohn saith in the Gospell Ioh. 1 It was the true Light which lightneth euery man that commeth into the World Psal 4 And Dauid in the Psalmes The Light of thy countenance O Lord is signed vpon vs. And Psal 31 Doe not become as Horse and Male which haue
world from the first Creature to the last I say nothing so perfectly as that hee is able to explicate the Nature Propertyes Accidents and secret virtues thereof Into what errors shall he fall if hee vndertake to search out the thinges which are aboue Heauen Therefore if thou be Wise my soule follow the knowledge of Saluation and Wisdome of Saintes which consisteth in fearing God keeping his Commaundements Delight more in prayer then in DisputatioÌ„ and in edifying Charity then in proud knowledge For that is the way which leadeth vnto life Eternall where we little ones shal he made equall with Angells which alwayes see the face of their Father which is in Heauen Luk â—0 Mat. 18 There is also a third thing wherein Mans soule is not a litle lesse but much lesse then Angells to witt in the power and commaund ouer Bodyes For Mans soule moueth the body by commaundment of the Will but other Bodyes it cannot so moue And it moueth the body by Progressiue motion vpon the Earth but cannot suspend it vpon the Water cleuate it aboue the Ayer or carry it whether it will But Angells onely by Force of Spirit and commaundment of Will eleuate heauy bodyes and carry them whether they lift So an Angell tooke vp Abachue Dan. 14 and in a very short time carried him to Babilon to bring Daniel his â—inner recarried him again to Palistine A man also cannot fight in spirit onely with his enemies but with his handes and weapons but an Angel by power of spirit without hands or weapons can encounteâ— and ouercome a whole army of men So one Angel â—â—ew at once a hundred fourescore and fiue thousand Assyrians 4 Reg. 19 And if Angels can do these thinges what can the Lord and maker of Angels doe He truely made all thinges of nothing and can reduce all thinges to nothing Mans soule moreouer can by the art of paynting with industry and labour make the image of a man so lively that it may seeme to liue and breath But an Angell can without labour of handes or instruments almost in a moment of time assume in such sort a body Elementarie that wise men will iudge it to be the true body of a man because it can walk speake eate drinke be touched handled and washed So Abraham prepared meate for the Angells Gen. 18 and washt their feete For as the Apostle declareth Ieb 13 He receaued Angels to harbour thinking they had bene men Which also happened to his nephew Loth when he receaued two Angels as strangers into his house Gen. 19 The Angell Raphael in like manner remayned with young Tobias many-dayes walking speaking eating and drinking as if he had bene a man indeede yet notwithstanding being after to depart he said I seemed indeede to eate with you and to drinke Tob. 12 but I vse an inu sible meate and drinke and sodainly he vanished from their sight Surely it is admirable and proceedeth from great power so to frame a body on the sodaine as that it may seeme to differ in nothing from the liuing body of a Man and againe at pleasure on the fodaine so to dissolue the same body that nothing therof remayne If then the power of Angels be so great how great is the power of the maker of Angels who gaue them that power Truely as the knowledge of Angells and men being comâ—ared with the knowledge of God is ignorance and as the iustice of Angells and men being compared with the iustice of God is iniustice so the power of Angells and men being compared with the power of God is infirmitie Therefore it is truely said Rom. 16 â—uke 18 1 â—â—m 6 Cap 4. Our God onely wise onely good and onely mighâ—ie Lastly if we consider the place of Angels and of men we shall finde mans soule in that respect also Not a little lesse Heb. 2 but much lessened vnder Aâ—gells I willingly vse that word which the Apostle vâ— sâ—th For God hath appâ—inted a place on earth for the soule of man and in heauen to wit in his Pallace a place for Angels Psal 113 For the heauen of heauen is to our Lord but the earth he hath giuen to the children of men Whereupon our Lord in St. Math 24 Mathew calleth them The Angels of heauen And in St. Luke he saith There shall be ioy in heauen vpon one sinner that deth penance Luke 15 And a little after There shall be ioy before the Angels of God vpon one sinner that doth penance God also hath so tyed the soule to the body that it cannot without it remoue from place to place but Angels are not tyed to any body but haâ—e power giuen them to pâ—sse from heauen to earth and from earth to heauen or whether soeuer they will with very great speede so that Angels being next vnto God in dignitie of Nature doe also in some sort by their celerity immitate his vbiquitie For God is euery where by immensitie of Nature and therefore needeth no change of place Angels by swiftnesse of motion passe so speedily from place to place and so exhibit their presence in cuery place that they seeme after a sort to be euery where But my soule if thou wilt heare the Lord of Angels there is no cause why thou shouldest enuy that Angels haue so high a place and so vnsatigable a motion For not onely thou my soule when thou art loosed from the body shalt be equall vnto Angels but when thou shalt returne vnto thy body which Christ Will corfigure to the body of his glory Phil. 3 with that body shalt thou possesse heauen as thy owne-house it being made spirituall shall without labour or wearinesse be presently there wheresoeuer thou the soule shalt will and command it 1 Cor. 5 Thy Lord doth not deceaue thee who saith in his Gospel Ioh. 14 In my Fathers house there be many Mansions And I goe and prepare you a place And If I go and prepare you a place I come againe and will take you to my selfe that where I am you also may be Father I will that where I am Ioh. 17 they also maâ— be with me and that they may see my glory which thou hast giuen me But thou art not ignorant where Christ is and what body he hath For thou dost confesse euery day and say On the third day he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heauen thou knowest also that his body after the resurrection did sometimes enter in among his Disciples the dores deing shut â—châ—â—o Lâ—k 24 and departed from them not walking but vanishing that is he transferred his body from them so speedily as if it had beene a Spirit and not a body But if thou secke after this glory thou must first Consigure thy body Phil. 3 to the body of the humilitie of Christ And then Christ will configure thy body to the body of his glory For
true breadth his Eternity is true length his Omnipotency is true height and his Incomprehensibility is true depth But for him that desireth to Ascend and to finde what he seeketh It is not enough to consider these thinges lightly but he must Comprehend That you may be able saith the Apostle to Comprehend with all the Saintes what is the Breadth and Length and Height and Depth Hee surely â—oâ—h comprehend who considereth attentiuely and is so fully perswaded by the Truth that selling all hee hath hee maketh hast to buy the Treasure he hath found And the Apostle added With all the Saintes because the Saintes onely comprehend these thinges or for that none comprehendeth them as he ought vnlesse hee become a Saint Neither doth St. Augustine contradict what wee haue said who in his Epistle to Honoratus writeth Epist 120 cap 26 That the Apostle describeth the Crosse of Christ by the breadth length height and depth thereof The breadth of the Crosse was where his handes were nayled the length to which his body cleaued the height where his tytle was written and the depth was fastned and hid in the earth I say St. Augustine doth not contradict our meaning but rather much confirme it For the Crosse of Christ is the way to obtaine true breadth length height and depth For although to the eyes of men the Crosse seeme small short base and of no depth Yet the armes thereof haue bin extended from East to West and from North to South that is the glory therof hath reached to the Highest Heauen which like a key it hath opened for the Elect and hath pierced to the lowest Hell which from the same Elect it hath shutt for euer Let vs begin from the essence Cap. 2 and then passe on to the Attributes The Essence of God may many wayes be said most Broad First in it selfe because it is truely Insinite and comprehendeth all the perfections of Creatures which are or may be without end For whatsoeuer is shall be Or may be is without doubt contained in God In a most eminent manner Creatures therefore are Good with an addition As a good Man a good Horse a good House a good Garment and the like but God is All good For when Moses said Shew me thy Glory God answered Exod. 3 I will shâ—w the all Good If one had a thing at home that contained all the Sences obiects in the highest perfection so that hee should neuer need to goe abroad because he had at home as many delightes in that one thing as any sensuall man could desire should not that thing be very precious And if moreouer that thing contained in it selfe such abundent wealth of all sortes as any couetous man could wish weare it not the more precious And againe if that thing should bring as much honour and dignity to the possessor thereof as any ambitious man could imagine would it not now seeme vnualewable And further if that thing sufficed to satisfie not onely the desires of men but also of Angells who exceed men in desires as they excell them in knowledge what wouldest thou say Yet notwithstanding should the goodnesse of that thing be farre inferiour to the goodnesse of God which is so great that it sufficeth to satisfie the Infinite desire or rather Infinite capacity of God For God neuer goeth out of himselfe because he hath All good thinges within himselfe and before the world was made he was as rich as happy as he was afterward for nothing was made by him but was from euerlasting after a most eminent manner in him Dost thou vnderstand my soule what happinesse thou shalt enioy in heauen if thou loue God on earth And what happinesse thou shalt loose if thou loue him not For then God will giue himselfe to wit All good to those that loue him Math. 25 when he shall say Good and faithfull seruants enter into the ioy of your Lord. Cap. 3 God also is immense because he filleth all creatures Hier 23 I fill heauen and earth saith our Lord And Psal 12. If I shall ascend into heauen saith Dauid thou art there Psal 128 if I descend into hell thou art present I add also if I shall goe aboue heauen or vnder heauen or out of heauen I shall not be aloue because thou art there neither can I be any where but in thee and by thee Which carriest all thinges by the word of thy power Heb 1 Moreouer God by his immensitie not onely filleth all bodies but also all spirits For how else could he search the hart vnlesse he were in it and how could he heare the Prayers of the hart vnlesse he gaue eare to them And how could the Prophet say Psal 84 I will heare what our Lord God will speake in me vnlesse God did put his mouth to the eares of the hart Happy therefore is that soule which loueth God there God dwelleth For he that abydeth in Charitie 1 Ioh. 4 abydeth in God and God in him Neither doth God fill all things with his presence onely but also with his glory For the Seraphins cry Isay 6 That the earth is ful of his glory And Dauid addeth O Lord Psal 8 our Lord how merueylous is thy name in the whole earth Because thy magnificence is eleuated aboue the heauens as if he should say Thy name fame and glory hath not onely filled all the earth with admiration but also hath ascended and is eleuated aboue the heauens Ecclesiasticus saith likewise Eccle 42 Full of the glory of our Lord is his worke For there is no creature in heauen or on earth but continually prayseth God Psal 148 For which cause Dauid in the Psalmes and the three Children in Daniel doe inuite all creatures to prayse and magnifie their maker Dan 3â— albeit they were not ignorant many creatures to be of such a nature that they could not heare what they sayd but because they knew that all Gods workes were good and with their beautie therefore praysed their maker they reioyced in them and exhorted them to doe as they did And truely whosoeuer hath inward eyes may see that all Gods workes are as Censcers sending vp an odour of the sweetnesse of his glory And who so hath inward eares may heare them as it were a consort of all kinde of Musicall instruments praysing God and saying He made vs psal 99 and not we our selues For although there are of the wicked which cursse and blaspheme the name of God yet they also are enforced euen against their wills to prayse God as the worke doth the Worke-man because in them likewise Gods power doth merueylously appeare whereby he made them his goodnesse whereby he preserueth them his mercy whereby he expecteth and inuiteth them to repentance And his iustice whereby he condemneth them to punishment There are many truely in the world which heare not these voyces of Creatures albeit they cry
and receiueth them of none Iudgeth all and is iudged of none Moreouer God is not onely a Iudge but also a King And therefore hee iudgeth not like a Iudge appointed by a King but as the highest coÌ„manding King For which cause hee is called the King of Kinges Apoc 19 And A great King aboue all Godds â—sal 94 psal 75 And terrible to the Kinges of the earth Because hee transferreth Kingdomes and Empyres from one Nation vnto another and Taketh away the spirit of Princes when hee pleaseth Neither is God the Highest King and Iudge onely but also an Abâ—olute Lord which is the highest tytle of all For Kinges are not such absolute Lordes ouer their Subiectes as that they may when they please depriue them of their goods and liues Whereof King Achab can be a witnesse 3 Reg 21 who would haue had Naboths vineyard yet could not but by the treachery and calumnie of his wife For which cause they both miserably perished But God is an Absolute Lord whom all thinges doe serue and yet he serueth none and as can if he so please reduce all thinges to Nothing because hee made them all of Nothing Thinke therfore my soule what great feare and reuerence wee wormes of the Earth owe vnto him that sitteth vpon the Highest Throne If I be the Lord saith he by the Prophet Malachie where is my Feare Mal 1 And if the Highest Angells of Heauen serue him with feare and trembling what ought we fraile mortall men to doe who dwell on the earth with beastes But to some it may seeme strange why God who is most high loueth not creatures that therin resemble him to witt the high and loftie but the humble and poore For so speaketh God by Isay To whome shall I haue respect Isay 66 but to the peore little one and the contrite of Spirit and him that trembleth at my wordes Psal 12 And Dauidâ— Our Lord is high and beholdeth the lowe thinges Yes surely God loueth high and lofty Creatures if therein they resemble him But then they must be high in Deede and not in appearance God therfore loueth not the Proude which are elate and puffed vp not truely high But hee loueth the humble and such as tremble at his wordes and exalteth them And they are high indeed whome be exalteth Those therefore that are humble are High To witt humble in their owne eyes and high in the eyes of God If one had seene not onely with his bodily but also with his mentall eyes illumiminated by God the rich Glutton cloathed in purple sitting at his table furnished with all kindes of costly meates attended with many seruantes diligently doing their offices And at the same time had likewise beheld poore Lazarus halfe naked and full of sores sitting at the rich mans gate and begging to be filled with the crummes that fell from his table He truly should haue seene the rich man whom the world accompted most happy to be in the eyes of God and his Angells as vile and abhominable as the dung and dirt of the earth Luk. 16 For that which is high to men is abhomination before God saith our Lord in the same place where he describeth the rich GluttoÌ„ But on the other side he should haue seene the poore deiected Lazarus to be esteemed and enobled in the eyes of God and his Angells as a precious Margarite which in the end proued true For Lazarus as the beloued of God was carryed by the handes of Angells into Ahrahams bosome And the rich man as hatefull to God was dragged by the Deuills into the Hell of Fire But why speake I of Lazarus There is none higher with God then our Lord Iesus Christ euen according to his humanity And yet neither in Heauen or Earth is there any to be found more humble then hee So that he said most truely Learne of me because I am meeke and humble Math 11 For as that most holy soule doth knowe more perfectly then all other the Infinite height of the Diuinitie So it doth more perfectly know the basenesse of a Creature which is made of nothing And therefore being also it selfe a Creature it is most humbled and subiected to God and by him exalted aboue all Creatures The like we may also say of blessed Angells and soules of holy men For there are none more humble then those which possesse the highest places in Heauen Because they being more neere to God doe more clearely see how great the difference is betweene the greatnesse of the Creator and smalnesse of the Creature Therfore my soule loue humility if thou desire true glory Immitate the Lambe without spott Immitate his virgin mother immitate the Cherubins and Seraphins all which the higher they are the more humble also they are Neither hath God onely a most high Throne Cap. 7. because he iudgeth all but also because he resteth more then all and maketh them to rest vpon whom he sitteth Gods most high Throne is his most high rest For although he gouerneth the whole world in which are continuall conflicts and warrs of elements beasts and men Wisd 1â— yet he iudgeth with tranquilitie as it is said in the booke of Wsdome and alwayes enioyeth most high rest Neither can any thing trouble his quietnesse and the contemplation of himselfe wherein he taketh eternall delight Therefore he is called the king of Ierusalem which is to say the vision of peace But his peculiar Throne is vpon the blessed Angells therefore it is said He that sitteth vpon the Cherubins Psal 79 98 For God is said to sit rather vpon the Cherubins then vpon the Seraphins For the Cherubins signifie multiplicitie of knowledge and the Seraphins heate of loue And rest followeth Wisdome but care and anxietie followeth loue vnlesse it be accompanied with Wisdome Therfore the soule of a righteous man is also called The seate of Wisdome Isay 66 Moreouer when Isay saith Heauen is my seate And when Dauid saith Psal 113 The heauen of heauen is to our Lord by the heauen of heauen is vnderstood the spirituall heauens which dwell vpon the corporall beauens to wit the blessed Angells as St. Augustine saith in his exposition of the hundred and thirtieth Psalme And these heauens God maketh to rest so admirably that it is a peace which passeth all vnderstanding St. Bernard in one of his Sermons vpon the Canticles Ser. 23 setteth downe a very fit similitude to declare this rest in these wordes Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia c. God being quiet quieteth all thinges and to behold his quietnesse is to rest We see a king after dayly suites of causes heard before him to dismisse the company to auoyde the troubles of the Court and to goe at night into his priny Chamber with a sewe whom he familiarly loueth thinking himselfe the more sure the more secret he is and being the more pleasant the more quietly he beholdeth those fewe
Doctors are rewarded with Crownes of Gold in the kingdome of heauen For Crownes of gold to wit certaine rewardes beside eternall life are giuen to Martyres Doctors and virgins To Martyres for their excellent charitie Ioh. 15 because Greater loue then this no man hath that a man yeild his life for his friends To Doctors for their excellent wisdome of whome Daniel speaketh Dan. 12 They that iustruct many to Iustice shall shine as starres vnto perpetuall eternities To virgins for their vnualuable chastitie for which cause the virgins in the Apocalips are said to sing a New song that no man els could say Apoc. 14 These are they saith St. Iohn which were not defiled with women For they are virgins and follow the Lambe whether socuer he shall goe Neither shall the charitie of Martyres wisdome of Doctors and puritie of virgins onely be approoned by the fire of Gods iudgement and fully rewarded but also all other good workes done in charitie shall be esteemed as vessells of golde and endure that dâ—â—ine fire and receiue their reward For to them will our Lord say at the day of Iudgement Mat. 25 Come ye blessed of my Father possesse you the Kingdome prepared from the foundation of the world You who haue giuen bread to the hungry drinke to the thirstie lodging to strangers clothing to the naked and comfort to the sicke and such as are in prison And the same Lord promiseth also that Whosoeuer shall out of charitie giue a cup of cold water Mat. 10 onely in the name of a Disciple he shall not lose his reward Dost hoâ— vnderstand O my soule how great is the difference of Workes And what then can be more fond and miserable then hauing time and place wherein if thou be wise thou maist easily gather gold siluer and pretious stones to seeke rather with great labour after wood Hay and stubble O that thou were wise and vnderstood Deut. 32 and would prouide for the last thinges when all these Workes shall be examimned and tried in the fire of Gods iudgement and the former shall be praised and crowned but the latter shall be burned to smoake and ashes Why dost thou now choose that which doubtlesse thou wilt repent to haue chosen And why dost thou not now for thy profit dislike what heereafter thou wilt without profit condemne And if perhapps thou see it not now for that the veyle of thinges present is drawne before thyne eyes that they cannot beholde the cleere and simple truth Pray vnto God and with great deuotion say vnto him with the blinde man in the Gospell Luk. 18 Lord grant that I may see and with the Prophet Reueale mine eyes Psal 118 and I shall consider the meruailous thinges of thy Lawe For truely it is meruailous that workes donne in Charity become Gold Siluer and precious stones but such as are not done in Charitie are turned to wood hay and stubble Cap 3 Let vs now consider the other propertie of the sire For hetherto we haue learned from it what God doth with those that depart out of this life with euill workes or in good workes perseuer vnto the end Now by another resemblance taken also from the fire we may vnderstand what God worketh in those whome he calleth from sinne to repentance A sinner is like Iron which so long as it is kept farre from the fire is blacke cold hard and heauy But if it be put in the fire it becommeth white botte soft and light Euery sinner wanteth inward light and walketh in darkenesse and therein resembleth the blacknes of Iron For although he seeme skilfull in humane scyence and excell in vnderstanding and iudgement therein yet is he blinde in iudgement of the true good and euill and more miserable then any blinde man For a blinde man seeth nothing and therefore goeth not without a guide but a sinfull man thinketh that he seeth what he seeth not or seeth one thing for another iudging good euill and euill good great little and little great long short and short long And therefore he is euer deceiued in his choyce So speaketh the Apostle of the Panim Idolaters Ephe. 4 Hauing their vnderstanding obscured with darknesse by the ignorance that is in them because of the blindenesse of their hart Therefore our Lord himselfe also in the Gospel doth so often reproue the Scribes and Pharisies saying Math. 15 23 They were blinde and guides of the bilnde And the Prophet Isay speaking to the Iewes of his time saith Heare ye deafe Isay 42 and ye blinde behold to see to whom he prophefieth that Christ should come and open the eyes of the blinde And speaking of the new Testament in the person of God he addeth Isay 43 Bring forth the blinde people and hauing eyes the deafe and hee hath eares Moreouer the wicked after this life will confesse that this is true when their punishments shall begin to open the eies of their mindes which their offences had shut Wis 5 We therefore say they haue erred from the way of truth and the light of iustice hath not shined to vs and the sinne of vnderstanding rose not to vs. Neither is it to be meruayled although they are blinde which are auerted from God in vnderstanding and will For God is light 1 Ioh. 2 and no darkenesse is in him Whereupon the same Apostle concludeth He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in the darkenesse euen till now And a little after He that hateth his brother is in darkenesse and walketh in the darkenesse and knoweth not whether he goeth because darkenesse hath blinded his eyes Neither is it the onely cause of blindenesse in sinners for that they are turned from God Who is light but also because Their malice hath blinded them Wisd 2 as the wise man speaketh For loue hatred anger enuy and other such like passions of the minde which are comprehended vnder the name of Malice so blinde the minde that it cannot see the truth they are as coloured spectacles with make white things seem red or else so framed that they make great thinges seeme small small things seeme great things far off seeme neere and thinges neere seeme far off He that is in loue thinketh the thing he loueth most faire profitable good and necessarie and before all other thinges to be procured Againe he that hateth the same thing iudgeeth it most deformed vnprofitable euill and hurtfull and before all other thinges to be forsaken But if this blacke and deformed Iron be put into the fire that is if the sinner begin to auert from sinne and conuert himselfe to God according to that of the Prophet Come ye to him Psal 33 and be illuminated then he beginneth by little and little to receaue light and to see the truth in that light according to the saying of the same Prophet In thy light we shall see light Psal