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
10 For what desert can be more base and obscure then to giue a cup of cold water to one that is a thirst And yet for it also hath God promised a reward And of the large rewards which our Lord hath promised Saint Luke writeth Good measure Luk. 6 and pressed downe and shaken together and running ouer shall they giue into your bosome Neither is it to be feared least God should want any thing to giue for reward vnto the righteous since hee is the Lord of all thinges and can by his worde onely increase and multiply them without end Nor is it to be doubted lest perhaps he be deceiued in the true number value of their desertes since hee is most Wise beholdeth all things searching the Harts reynes of his well deseruing seruants to see with what minde intention zeale and diligence they doe all thinges Neither may it be thought that God hath an ill meaning to defraude his children and seruantes of their due recompence because he is faithfull in all his wordes Lastly neither can he dye because he is more immortall then any thing whatsoeuer so that there is no danger lest by preuention of death they should be thereof deprined Certaine therefore it is that all the good workes of the righteous are with lustice rewarded Wherefore it is most safe to haue to doe with God in matter of labour and Reward and dangerous to trust in men and to expect from them true recompence for desert Let vs now compare rewardes with rewardes thinges Coelestiall Diuine with thinges Terrestriall and Humane O blindnesse of Men. What I pray you can men render to those who labour all day watch all night and hazard their liues for them in battaile What can they render but small base and abiect thinges which shall continue but a short time But God rendâ—eth great high and eternall thinges Yet are the other desired and these contemned St. Iohn Chrisostome in his foure twentieth Homily vpon St. â—athew Compareth the Pallaces Cittyes and Kingdomes of this world which men so admire vnto houses of clay which Children make with great labour but by those that are elder they are laughed at And oft times also when the father or maister seeth his children to neglect their bookes and giue themselues too much to those tryfles he throweth downe all with his foot and destroyeth in a moment what they with great care had a long time bin making Euen so the great Pallaces Towers Castles Townes Cittyes and Kingdomes of mortall men are but as houses of clay in comparison of Coelestiall and Eternall riches and are laughed at by the blessed Angells which beholde them from aboue and oftentimes they are by our heauenly Father and Maister ouer-throwne in a moment that wee may there by vnderstand how vaine and of no moment all these thinges are Which albeit few doe now obserue yet at the day of Iudgment all shall see when as the seeing thereof will little auayle them Saint Hillary in his Comentary vpon the tenth Chapter of Saint Mathew saith That the day of Iudgement will reueale how all these thinges were vayde But let vs declare somwhat more particularly what these heauenly rewardes are which many now contemne in respect of earthly rewardes First in the Kingdome of Heauen there shal be all good thinges that can be desired for all that liue there shal be happy And happinesse is defined to be A heape of all good things perfectly gathered together Therefore the goods of the minde shall be there to witt Wisdome and vertues the goods of the body to witt beauty health and strength And externall goods to wit wealth pleasure and glory Moreouer all these thinges shall be in a most high perfect and excellent degree For God who hath shewed his Power in creating the world of nothing and his wisdome in the order and gouernment thereof and his Loue in the Redemption of man-kinde by the mistery of the incarâ—ation and Passion of his Son will then shew his glory and liberality in rewarding those which haue tryumphed ouer their enemy the Deuill 〈…〉 there God shall not be 〈…〉 onely 〈…〉 himselfe who is the 〈…〉 of Causes and the first 〈…〉 Highest â—uth through which most beautifull vision the â—â—â—les of Saiâ—tâ—s shall shine so bright that St. Iohn speaking of that future Glory saith 1 Ioh. 3 Wee shall be liâ—â— vnto him because we shall see him as he is From this high Happinesse shall proceed most feruent Loue wherby they shall alwayes adhaere vnto God in such sort that they neither will nor can be seperated from him So then the soule with all her powers shall remaine in a most happy estate And the body shall shine as the Sunne as our Lord himselfe doth witness◠〈…〉 the â—â—st 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 Meth. 15 And 〈…〉 of the health 〈…〉 be immortality and the strength impassibility Lastly that which now is a Naturall body 2 Cor 5 shall then be a Spirituall body that is to say so obedient to the Spirit that it shall exceed the Windes in Agâ—litie and penetrate the Walls through Subtilitie Moreouer their Wealth there shall be to want nothing because with God and in God they shall possesse all thinges Mat. 24 For ouer all his gâ—â—ds shall hee appoint them Of their Pleasure what shall I say since it is written They shall be inebriâ—ted with the plenty of thy house Psal 35 and with the torrent of thy pleasure thou shalt make them drinke What minde can conceiue what pleasure it is to enioy the cheife Happinesse To see beauty it selfe To tast sweetnesse it selfe To enter into the ioy of our Lord that is to be partakers of that pleasure which maketh God happy The honour and glory of Saintes exceedeth all eloquence For amidst the Theater of the whole world of all men and Angells the Saintes shall be praised by God and as Champions crowned and which is the highest honour of all they shall be placed in Christes throne as partners of his kingdome For so we read in the Apocalips Apoc. 3 He that shall ouercome I will giue him to sit with me in my throne as I also haue ouercome and haue sitten with my Father in his throne At this height of honour the Prophet wondred when he sayd Psal 13 But to me thy friendes O God are become honoralle exceedingly their prine palitie is exceedingly strengthened And now if to this multiplicitie excellencie of good things we add eternitie as an vnspeakeable Adiunct who can conceaue the greatnesse of this heauenly selicitie And yet what we now cannot conceaue in thought we shall prooue in deede if by our pious righteous and sober life we shall at length arriue vnto that happy country For those goodes indeede shall continue for euer which now with momentary labours Christes seruants purchase by his grace What sayst thou O my soule to these thinges Hadst thou rather immitate the sportes of children
shall not be mooned Psal 103 And Thou hast founded the earth vpon the stabilitie thereof it shall not be inclined for euer and euer Secondly the earth like a good Nursse to men and other liuing creatures doth daily bring forth herbs fruits grasse innumerable things of like kinde For so God speaketh Gen. 1 Behold I haue giuen you all maÌ„ner of hearb that seedeth vpon the earth all trees that hane in themselues seede of their own kinde to be your meat and to all beastes of the earth Thirdly the earth bringeth forth stones wood to build houses and mettalls of brasse and yron for diuers vses and gold and siluer wherof money is made which is the instrument whereby all thinges necessary for the life of man are easily procured And truely that first propertie of the earth to wit to be the place in which our bodies rest and not in the water ayre or fire is an embleme of our Creator in whom onely mans soule findeth a place of rest Thou hast made vs O Lord saith St. Augustine for thy selfe Cib. 1 Confes c. 1 and our hart is vnquiet vntill it rest in thee Salomon as much as euer any king sought after rest in honour wealth and pleasure He possessed a most ample peaceable kingdome so that the Scripture witnesseth He had in his dominion all the kingdomes with him 3 Reg. 4 from the riuer of the land of the Philistimes vnto the border of Aegypt of them that offered him presentes and serued him all the dayes of his life His wealth also was incomparable so that he kept forty thousand horses for Chariots twelue thousand to ryde vpon And as we read in the same booke the Nauy of Salomon brought gold and precious stones from Ophir in such plenty that siluer was nothing worth and as great was 3 Reg. 9 10. the plenty thereof in Ierusalem as stones in the streetes So many also were the pleasures which he had prouided for himselfe that they may seeme vncredible For falling into the inordinate loue of women 3 Reg. 11 he tooke seauen hundred wiues as Queenes and Concubines three hundred as weread in the same book But let vs heare himselfe speak of himselfe Eccle 2 I haue magnified my workes saith he I haue built me houses and planted vineyardes I haue made gardens and Orchardes and set them with trees of all kindes and I haue made me ponds of waters to water the wood of springing â—rees I haue possessed men seruants women seruaÌ„ts haue had a great family heardes also and great flockes of sheep aboue all thâ—t were before me in Ierusalem I haue heaped together to my selfe siluer gold and the substance of kings Prouinces I haue made me singing men singing womeâ— and the delights of the children of men Cuppes and Gobletts to serue to poure out Wines and I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Ierusalem Wisdome also hath perseuered with me and all things that mine eyes desired I haue not denied to them neither haue I stayed my hart but that it enioyed all pleasure and delighted it selfe in these thinges which I had prepared And this I esteemed my portion if I did vse my labour Thus he who doubtlesse had as great contentment as could be had in Creatures For he neither wanted kingdomes nor wealth nor pleasures nor humaine wisdome so much esteemed And lastly he enioyed peace a long time to possesse so great happinesse Let vs see now if all these things could content satisfie the desires of his minde When I had saith he turned my selfe to all the workes which my hands had don Eccle. 2 to the labours wherin I had swet in vaine I sawe all thinges vanitie and affliction of minde and nothing to be permanent vnder the Sun Salomon therefore found not contentment in all his riches delights wisdome and honours neither could he although he had enioyed much more For the soule of man is immortall and these things are mortall and cannot long remaine vnder the Sunne neither can it be that a soule which is capable of infinite good should be satisfied with finite goods Therefore as the body of man cannot rest in the ayre although it be most spatious nor in the water although it be very deepe because the earth is the place thereof and not the ayre or water so the minde of man is neuer satisfied with ayrie dignities nor watry wealth to wit with soft and deceauing pleasures nor with the false glory of humane knowledge but with God onely who is the center of soules and their onely true resting place O how truely and wisely did the father of Salomon say What is to me in heauen Psal 72 and besides thee what would I vpon earth God of my hart and God my portion for euer As if he should haue said I finde nothing in heauen or earth or in any creature therein that can giue me true contentment thou onely art the God of my hart that is thou onely art a firme rocke to my hart for the word God in the Hebrew text signifieth a rocke in that place Thou therefore art onely a most firme rocke to my hart in thee onely will I rest thou onely art my portion my inheritance and all my good other things are nothing nor of any force to suffice me one day but thou alone wilt suffice me for euer Dost thou not knowe as yet my soule that God onely is the rocke whereupon thou must rest and that in al things els is vanitie and affliction of spirit For they are not but appeare to be they comfort not but afflict because they are gotten with labour kept with care lost with sorrow Despise therefore if thou be wise all transitory thinges least they carry thee away with them and abide in that vnitie and bond of Charitie which continueth for euer Lift vp thy hart to God in heauen least it putrifie on earth and learne true wisdome from the folly of many in whose names the wise man speaketh saying Wis 5 We therefore haue erred from the way of truth and the light of iustice hath not shined to vs and the Sunne of vnderstanding rose not to vs. We are wearied in the way of iniquitie and perdition and haue walked hard waies but the way of our Lord we haue not known What hath pride profited vs Or what coÌ„modity hath the vaunting of riches brought vs All those things are passed away as a shaddow but in our naughtines we are consumed Moreouer Cap. 2 a Rocke is also in an other respect an embleme of our Lord God as the wisdome of God did expound vnto vs in his Gospell when he said Math. 7 That a house built vpon a Rocke should remaine vnmoueable although the rayne fell and the flouds came and the windes blew But a house built vpon the sand cannot stand against any of these things but at the
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
may be forgotten What Prince in the world did euer promise rewardes to those that came to demand of him mercy or iustice And yet those which come to the Princes of the World are men and the Princes themselues also are men made of the same molde and subiect to the same Almighty God But albeit it may seeme much to reward those that aske yet ought it not seeme much to giue them free accesse to appoint faithfull masters of Requestes to keepe their petitions and to offer them vp and sollicite their speedy dispatch The third Office of Angels is to be sent as Ambassadours to denounce such thinges as God will haue denounced especiall concerning our Redemption and saluation So speaketh the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 1 Are not all the Angels ministring Spirits Sent to minister for them which shall receaue the inheritance of saluation We reade also in many places of the olde Yestament Gen 18 how Angels appeared to the Patriarches and Prophets and manyfested to them such thinges as God would haue manifested Dan 9 We finde likewise in the new Testament that the Angel Gaâ—riel was sent as an Ambassador from God to Zacharie and to the virgin Mother of God Luke 1 Luk. 2 Angels also were sent to the shepheards to St. Ioseph and after the Resurrection of our Lord to the women that stayed at the Sepulcher Ioh 20 and after the Ascention Math 28 Act 1 to all the Disciples But if any aske why God who is euery where and can easily by himselfe speake in the hearts of men sendeth notwithstanding his Angels I answer because men may vnderstand that God regardeth their affaires and that all thinges are gouerned and ordered by him For otherwise they might perswade themselues that Gods inspirations did proceede from their owne discourse and counsaile But when they see or heare that Angels are sent by God and the thinges which the Angels foretold to come so truely to passe they cannot doubt but that God foreseeth mans affayres doth cheisely direct and dispose such thinges as appertaine to the saluation of his Elect. The fourth Office of Angells is to protect men both in particular and ingenerall For it pleased the mercy of God to commend vnto his strongest seruants the custodye of the weaker And to appoint them as Tutors ouer Children Gardians ouer Infantes Patrons ouer Clyents shepheardes our sheepe Phisitions ouer sicke folkes Defendors ouer Orphans and such as cannot defend themselues but vnder the winges of the more mighty Of the protection of particular men Dauid witnesseth He hath giuen his Angels charge rf thee Psal 90 that they keepe thee in all thy wayes And Christ himselfe is also a faithfull witnesse heereof See saith he that you despise not one of these little ones Math 18 for I say to you that their Angells in heauen alwayes doe see the face of my Father which is in heauen Touching their protection also of Prouinces and kingdomes Daniel witnesseth Dan. 10 Who calleth the Gardian Angel of the kingdome of Persia the king of Persia and the Gardian Angell of the Kingdome of Greece the King of Greece And the Gardian Angell of the Children of Israell he calleth by his name Michaell Apcc. 2 Saint Iohn likewise in the Apocalips writeth of the Angells Gardians of Churches and maketh mention Of the Angell of the Church of Ephesus of Smyrna and of others Therefore in euery Kingdome there are two Kinges the one a visible Man the other an inuisible Angell And in euery Church there are two Bishops the one a visible man the other an inuisible Angell And in the vniuersal Catholique Church there are two chiâ—fe Pastors appointed vnder Christ our Lord the one a vifible man the other an inuisible Angell which wee beleene to be St. Michaell the Archangell For â—s the Synagogue of the Iewes in times past So now the Church of the Christians doth reuerence him for her Patron Dost thou not see my soule how carefull that Maiesty who needeth nothing of ours is of vs his poore seruantes What could he doe more to manifest his great loue then hee hath donne He hath loaded vs with Benefites to make vs to stay wallingly with him He hath guarded vs wâ—th a Watch that we should not Fly from him and he hath appointed ouer vs Protectors least wee should be carried from him What would he doe if wee were his Treasure as indeed he is our onely Treasure Therefore my soule yeild at last to his Loue and being ouercome therewith Mancipate and giue thy selfe wholy by an irreuocable vow vnto his seruice Let not things which are seene moue thee but thinke of and sigh after the thinges thou seest not 2 Cor. 4 For the thinges that be seene are Temporall but those that be not seenâ— are Eternall The fift and last Office of Angells is to be as armed Captaines or Soldiours to workâ— Reuenge vpon Nations and Cotrection among the people They were Angells which burned the Infamous Cittyes Gen 19 with fire and brimstone Which kild the First begotten throughout all Egypt Exod. 12 Which at one Assault destroyed many thousand Assirians 4 Reg. 19 And they shall be Angells which at the day of Iudgement Mat. 13 Shall seperate the euill from among the iust and shall cast them into the Furnace of Fire Let good men therefore loue the holy Angells as their Country-men And let wicked men dread their power which are the Executioners of Almighty Gods wrath from whose handes none can deliuer them THE TENTH STEPP From the Consideration of Gods essence by the similitude of a Corporall quantity WE haue ascended by created sustances as high as we can Cap. 1. And yet we are not come to knowe God so perfectly as by Specularion euen in this Vayle of teares hee may be knowne It remaineth then that we consider if by the Dimensions of a Corporall quantity which we know we may ascend vnto the Breadth Length Height and Depth of Gods inuisible essence For among Creatures those are said to be great which haue foure great Dimensions And God in the Psalmes and in many other places is said To be Great and his greatnesse without end Psal 47 Truely St. Bernard a man excelling in contemplation in his bookes of Consideration which he writ to Pope Eugenius framed from these Dimensions certaine steppes to knowe God Yet was hee not the first Inuentor of a Ladder of this kinde but hee learned this manner of Ascention from the Apostle who was rapt into the third Heauen For so speaketh the Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians That you may be able to comprehend with all the Saintes Ephe 3 what is the Breadth and Length and Height and Depth For if any one consider attentiuely he shall finde indeed that there is nothing without God sound and substantiall But all is small short base vaine and superficiall But in God His immensity is
escape by flight or by strugling wrest the sword out of his hand and deliuer thy selfe from death But what wilt thou doe when God is angry From whome thou canst not flye for he is euery where whom thou canst not resist for he is Almighty and whom thou canst not delay for he worketh in a moment by his command onely Not without cause said the Apostle It is horrible to fall into the handes of the liuing God Hâ—b 10 But on the other side if thou please God and haue him thy friend who is more happy then thou For he can if he will and he will if he be thy friend giue thee all good and deliuer thee from all euill It is also in thy power whiles thou liuest heere to offend and make him thine enemy or to please and make him thy friend For God first by his Prophets and after by his Sonne and his Apostles doth in the holy Scriptures continually inuice sinners to repentance and the righteous to keepe his Commandements that hee might therby haue them both to be his friendes or rather his dearly beloued children and heyres of his euerlasting Kingdome Heare Ezechiell Liue I saith our Lord God Eze. 33 I will not the death of the impious but that the impious conuert from his way and line Conuert conuert yee from your euill wayes and why will you dye O house of Israell And after The impiety of the impious shall not hurt him in what day soeuer he shall conuert from his imptety And as Ezechiell speaketh so doe Esay Ieremy and the other Prophets also For the same Spirit spake alike in them all Heare the Sonne of God also beginning his Sermon Math 4. Iesus saith St. Mathew began to Preach and to say doe Pennance for the Kingdome of Heanen is at hand Heare the Apostle St. Paul speaking of himselfe and his fellow Apostles in his last Epistle to the Corinthians For Christ saith he wee are Legates 2 Cor. 5 God as it were exhorting by vs. For Christ wee beseech you be reconciled to God What more plaine What more pleasing The Apostle doth beseech vs in the name of Christ to be reconcyled to God and to please and not offend him Who can doubt of Gods mercy if he truely returne to him For he receiueth them as a most loâ—uing Father receiueth his prodigall Sonne which returne vnto him Luke 15 And when we are returned and pardoned what doth he more require of vs to continue his children and friendes Mat. 19 but to keepe his Commandements If thou wilt enter into Life keepe the Commaundements saith our Lord. And least perhapps thou shouldest say that without Gods assistance the Commaundements cannot be kept Heare St. Augustine in his Exposition of the Psalmes Aug. in Psal 56 where speaking of the hardest commandement to witt of spending our liues for our brethren he saith thus Non imperaret hoc Deus c. God would not commaund vs to doe it if hee iudged it vnpossible for man to doe And if considering thy weakenesse thou faintest vnder the Commandement take comfort by the example for the example concerneth thee much He who gaue the example is present also to giue the ayde Ser. 16. de Pas Dom And That euery worde may stand in the mouth of two Heare St. Leo Iustly saith he doth God require vs by his commaund because hee doth preuent vs with his ayde Why then doest thou feare O my soule to enter into the way of the Commaundements since he runneth before thee who by the mighty helpe of his grace Maketh crooked thinges become streight Isay 40 and rough wayes plaine For by this preuenting Ayde The yoake of our Lord is made sweete and his burthen Light Math. 11 And Saint Iohn the Apostle saith His Commaundements are not heauy 1 Ioh 5 But if they seeme heauy to thee thinke how much more heauy the torments of Hell will be and doe not vnlesse thou be sencelesse seeke to trye them Often thinke with thy selfe and neuer forget that now is the time of Mercy and after of Iustice Now of Freedome to sinne after of intollerable torments for sinne Now may a man easily compound with God and with a little labour of repentance obtaine a great pardon and with a short sorrow redeeme eternall lamentation Now also with euery good deed proceeding from Charity obtaine the Kingdome of Heauen After not for all the wealth in the world procure one droppe of colde water THE TWELFE STEPP From the Consideration of the greatnesse of Gods Wisdome by the Similitude of a Corporall quantitie WHo so will attentiuely consider the breadth length Cap. 1 height and depth of Gods wisdome may easily vnderstand how truely the Apostle writ in his Epistle to the Romans Rom. 16 God the onely Wise And to beginne from the breadth Gods Wisdome is most broad because he knoweth all thinges distinctly and perfectly Neither doth hee know their substances onely but also their partes propertyes vertues accidents and actions Hence are these wordes Iob. 14 Thou indeed hast numbred my Stepps And Our Lord doth respect the wayes of a man and considereth all his steppes Wherefore if hee number and consider all his steppes much more doth he the good or bad actions of his minde And if God hath numbred the hayres of our head Math. 10 much more doth hee know all the members of our bodyes and all the vertues of our mindes And if hee know the number of the Sea sandes and droppes of rayne as is gathered out of Ecclesiasticus much more may wee beleeue he knoweth the number of Starres and Angells Eccle 1 And if all the Idle wordes of men shall be iudged Math. 12 as our Lord himselfe doth witnesse His eares doubtlesse doe heare at once all the wordes of Men whether they be corporall or mentall How infinite then is this Breadth of wisdome which comprehendeth at once all thinges that are haue beene shall be or may be Neither doth the Diuine minde become more base by the knowledge of so many particuler inferiour thinges as the foolish Wisdome of some Philosphers supposed for perhappes we might thinke so If God did borrow his knowledge from thinges as we doe But since hee beholdeth all thinges in his owne essence there is no danger of basenesse Albeit it be much more noble to borrow Knowledge as Men doe then altogether to want it as Beastes doe Euen as it is better to be blinde as sensitiue liuing creatures may be then without blindnesse to be vnapt to see as stones are Neither are the other members of the body more noble then the eyes for that they caÌ„not be blinde But the eyes are more noble because they can see although they may also be blinde as St. Augustine doth truely teach in his bookes of the Citty of God Lib. 12 Cap. 1 Thou oughtest therefore to be carefull my soule alwaies and euery where what thou dost
what thou speakest and what thou thinkest since thou canst not do speake or think any thing but God seeth heareth and knoweth it And if thou dare not doe or speake any euill although thou neuer so much desire it when thou thinkest a man seeth or heareth thee how darest thou thinke such things when God beholdeth thee and is offended with thee Esto a nemine c. Aug. Ep 109 Suppose no man see thee saith St. Augustine yet how wilt thou escape him who looketh from aboue from whom nothing is hid And St. Basil in his booke of Virginitie speaking to a Virgin shutt vp alone in her Chamber doth exhort her to reuerence that Spowse who is euery where with the Father and holy Ghost accompanied with innumerable multitudes of Angels and soules of holy Fathers For there is none of them saith he but seeth all thinges euery where lib. de virg O happy shouldest thou be my soule if thou were alwayes in this company how perfectly shouldest thou leade thy life How diligently wouldest thou auoyd all lightnesse and wandering For so indeed our Lord sayd once to Abraham Gen 17 Walke before me and be thou perfect That is thinke that I alwayes see thee and without doubt thou shalt be perfect The length of Gods Wisdome is manyfested by the knowledge of thinges to come Cap. 2 For his sight is so sharpe that he sawe from all eternitie what shall be in the last times and for euer after Then which length nothing greater can be imagined Psal 138 Thou hast vnderstood saith Dauid in the Psalmes my Cogitations farre of And a little after Thou hast knowen all the last thinges and them of old To wit all thinges to come and all thinges past The bookes of the Prophets are full of most true and plain Predictions which not they themselues but as Zacharie saith God spake by the mouth of his holy Prephets Luk. 1 that are from the beginning This Prophecying therefore and foreseeing is proper to God onely as God himselfe sayth by Isay Isay 41 Shewe what thinges are to come hereafter and we shall knowe that ye are Gods And to consider a fewe thinges of many Isay speaketh in this manner Isay 45 Thus saith the Lord to my Christ Cyrus whose right hand I haue taken to subdue the Gentyles before his face and to turne the backes of Kinges c. In which wordes the Monarchie of the Persians is foretolde and Cyrus the first King of the Persians is called by his proper name The reason also is set downe why God would exalt Cyrus to wit because he should release the captiuitie of Babilon All which thinges were fulfilled about two hundred yeeres after Daniel likewise Dan 2 by the similitude of a great Statua the head whereof was of gold the breast of siluer the belly and thighes of Brasse the feete partly of Iron and partly of earth doth plainely prophesie of the foure Monarchies of the Babilonians Persians Grecians and Romans and in the time of the last Monarchie of the kingdome of Christ to wit of the Christian Church which should be greater then all those kingdomes And afterward he so plainely describeth the warres of the successors of Alexander the great Dan. 11 that some Infidells thought those thinges were written after those wars were ended Luke 19 And to omit the rest Christ himselfe in St. Luke bewailing the destruction of Hierusalem doth likewise describe all thinges so plainely and particularly as if he had bene to declare it as already past and not as then to come I let passe innumerable other Predictions whereof as I haue sayd the bookes of the Prophets are full But Astrologers and all such South sayers that will seeme to be as it were Gods Apes are vtteâ—ly to be reiected For it cannot be that they should foretell the truth in thinges that happen casually and especially by election vnlesse perhappes some time by chance For seeing the will of God doth gouerne and ouerrule all causes both necessary casuall and free and can when he pleaseth hinder inferior Causes None can foretell the truth in any thing but whom God shall be pleased to manifest his said will vnto as often times he did vnto his Prophets And this is so certaine that the Deuills would be accounted Gods chiefely because they founded Oracles and foretolde thinges to come as St. Augustine doth witnesse in his bookes of the Citty of God Lib. 18 Cap. 24 But that excellent Doctor of the Church in his booke of the Deuination of Deuills doth plainely shewe that their Deuination 〈◊〉 as false as their Diuinitie For they foretell nothing plainely but what themselues are to doe or which being else where already done they by the swiftnesse of their Nature report to those that dwell farre off as a thing to be done or by their long experience coniecture it to be done After which manner Mariners also are accustomed to foretell many thinges of the windes husband-men of the weather and Phisitions of diseases And when the deuills are asked of thinges to come which they knowe not they vse to answere by circumstance of wordes and equiuocation And when those thinges prooue false they lay the fault on their interpreters or Southsayers Therefore our Lord onely whose Wisdome is endlesse soundeth true Oracles and foretelleth the truth in all things to come both casuall and by election Gods wisdome also is most high Cap. 3 and farre aboue the wisdome of men or Angells Higth of wisdome is knowne by the Higth of the obiect power forme and Act. The Naturall and proportionable obiect of Gods wisdome is his diuine essence which is so high that it surpasseth the vnderstanding of men or Angells And therefore the highest Angels cannot ascend to see God vnlesse they be listed vp by the light of gloâ—y For which cause God in the holy Scriptures is called inuisible 1 Tim 1 To the King of worlds immortâ—ll inuisible onely God Saith the Apostle in his first Epistle to Tymothie And after he affirmeth also 1 Tim 6 That God inhabiteth light not accessible Power likewise which is in vs an accident is in God a diuine substance and therefore higher without comparison then in vs. The Forme also is the higher the more it doth represent and therefore those Angels which haue fewer and more vniuersall formes are said to haue most knowledge How high then is Gods wisdome which hath no forme but his owne Essence which being simply one suffiseth alone for God to behold himselfe and all creatures which are made shall be made or may be made That wisdome moreouer is sayd to be most high which knoweth most by fewest Actes But God with one eternall sight perfectly knoweth himselfe and all other thinges Therefore the Wisdome of God is most high Lift vp now thine eyes O my soule and behold how farre thy knowledge is inferiour to the knowledge of thy maker For thou by many Actes
God thankes therefore Yea not onely Christ God and man but also his blessed Mother is exalted aboue all the quires of Angells though she be not God but a humane Creature Wherefore men hauing receiued more glory then they should haue had if the first man had not sinned may iustly cry out O happy fâ—ult which had such a Redeemer Moreouer as the holy Angells were made sorrowfull for the Fall of the first man as for the grieuous mishap of their younger brother so likewise they were made glad through the Copious Redemption wrought by Christ For if there be ioy in â—eauen Before the Angells Luk. 15 vpon one sinner thâ—â— doth pennance how much greater may we beleeue was the ioy before those Angells when they saw Gods iustice fully satisfied by Christ a man for man-kinde and by the key of the Crosse the kingdome of Heauen opened to all beleeuers Neither may we suspect that the holy Angells did repine because God had exalted Christ a man and the Blessed virgin aboue them For there is no enuy in the Angells but they are full of most feruent charity And Charity enuieth not â— Cor 13 is not puffed vp is not sorrowfull for anothers good but reioyceth with all the righteous for their happinesse no lesse then for her owne The Church therfore truely singeth Mary is assumpted into Heauen the Angells reioyce It saith not are sorrowfull But the Angells reioyce to seâ— the Virgin mother of God exalted aboue the Quires of Angells to the Heauenly Kingdomes The Angells knowe also that God hath done it most iustly who doth all thinges in perfect Wisdome and Iustice and their will is so vnited to Gods will by the vnseperable bond of Loue that whatsoeuer pleaseth him pleaseth them likewise and can neuer displease them But the Deuill who triumphed for a time because hee had ouercome and cast down the First man became after more sorrowfull for the victory of Christ a Man then he was ioyfull before For by the victory of Christ it was brought to passe that now not onely men as Adam was but also women and children insult and tryumph ouer the Deuill It had beene no dishonour to the Deuill to haue beene ouercome by Adam in Paradice when he had no ignorance nor infirmitie but was armed with originall iustice which did in such sort subordinate his sensuall part vnto reason that it could not rebell vntill his minde first rebelled against God But for the Deuill to be now ouercome by a mortall man that is a Pilgrim and subiect to ignorance and concupiscence is a uery great dishonour And yet he is so ouercome by the grace of Christ that many haue triumphed in chastitie patience humility and charitie although he ceaseth not dayly to cast his fierie Dartes of tentations and persecutions And heerein the Highth of Gods wisdome is exceedingly to be admired For God foresawe that the contempt of temporall riches of flâ—shly pleasures and worldly honours Which are the snares of the deuill and drowne men into destruction and perdition was behoouefull for man-kinde against the deceites of the deuill 1 Tim 6 What therefore did he to make them forsake these thinges and to loue their contraries to wit chastitie pouertie humilitie patience and contempt of the world Himselfe descended from heauen and taking the forme of a seruant made this bitter Medicine which was behoouefull for man that was sicke become so pleasant sweet by his example that many men now loue fasting better then feasting pouertie then riches virginitie then Wedlocke martyrdome then daintinesse to obey then to commaund and to be humbled then to be exalted For who seeing God inshape of man to be poore humble patient contment and which is most merueylous nayled to a Crosse and willingly shedding his pretious blood to die for mankinde will not be encouraged to follow him This was the high inuention of Gods wisdome whereof Isâ—y prophesieth saying Isay 12 Mâ—â—k his inuentions knowne among the people Yet notwithstanding this high wisdome of God seemeth solly not onely to the wise men of this world as the Apostle saith in his first Epistle to the Corinthians but also to carnall and fensuall men 1 Cor. 2 who beleeue in Christ but refuse to follow the steppes of Christ whom the same Apostle calleth â—hil 3 The enemies of the Crosse of Christ But thon O my soule endeauour to sucke hony out of the rocke and Oyle out of the hardest stone that is wisdome out of folly the wisdome of God out of the folly of the Crosse search diligently and attentiuely who he is that hangeth on the Roode and why he so hangeth Psal 98 and when thou hast found it is he That sitteth vpon the Cherubâ—ns yea Heb. 1 Who sitteth on the right hard of the maiestie in the high places thou shalt soone vnderstand that he hangeth not there for his offences nor because of his weakenesse or the power of others but voluntarily through his feruent desire to satisfie Gods iustice for the sinnes of all the world for the honour and glory of God the Father for the eternall saluation of the Elect And as the Apostle speaketh Ephe 5 That he might present to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spott or wrincle And lastly for thy sake Because he loue thee and deliuered himselfe for thee Gal 2 a sacrifice and oblationt God into the odour of sweetnesse When as I say thou shalt finde these thinges most true Loue from the bottome of thy hart such a Benefactor Seeke to follow him and begin to thirst feruently after the glory of God and the saluation of all nations but especially after the beautie and glory of the whole Church and thine owne eternall saluation Beginne throughly to hate iniquitie and to thirst after puritie of hart and perfect iustice that at length thou mayst also desire to be partaker of thy Lords Crosse in tribulations and afflictions that heereafter thou mayst rise with the iust to glory and not with the wicked to punishment There remaineth the depth of Gods practicall wisdome which consisieth in his pronidence predestination and indgements Psal 35 For it is written Thy iudgements are great depth First then Gods prouidence is very admirable because he gouerneth all Creatures immediately and directeth them to their endes Wis 6 â—e saith the wise Man hath equally care of all that is God without exception hath care of all Math 10 so that A Sparrow shal not fall vpon the ground without Gods prouidence as our Sauiour saith Truely one chiefe Pastor may gouerne all the Christian world by generall prouidence but not by particular which comprehendeth euery Christian and therefore he calleth many Bishops to take part of the Charge And one king may gouerne many Prouinces â—â—y generall prouidence but not by particular which concerneth euery subiect and therefore he hath many vize-royes Deputies and Presidentes But God hath as much care of euery one in