and say to GOD with the Prophet Thou hast beene my helper forsake me not and speake to him not out of custome but heartily againe and againe Thou art my helper and redeemer O LORD make no long tarrying Mans soule hath also a rationall will which not onely can desire good things present particular and corporall such as are proper to beasts to covet but also good things absent generall and spirituall which are demonstrated by faith or reason and indeed GOD himselfe which is the chiefe and infinite good And this is it which makes a Man capable of great vertues especially of love the chiefe of all other and the fâ—â—â—taine from whence all good guists are derived and which joyneth Man to GOD in so strong a tye that GOD shall remaine in him and he in GOD For GOD is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him But if this be so great a happines of the created will how great will that happinesse be with which the uncreated will is replenished The will of God is onely capable of infinite love where with the infinite goodnes of God is worthy to be beloved Neither doth this will want vertues nor hath it need to bee directed by the understanding for Gods will and understanding are both but one as his wisedome and love are one and the same thing in him Besides Mans soule is in a humane body but farre otherwise then the soules of bruire beasts are in their bodies for the soules of bruits are materiall and extended through all parts of their bodies so that part of it is in part and all in the whole body But Mans soule which is an indivisible spirit is after an admirable manner all in the whole and all in every part of the body and whereas it fills the whole body yet it occupies no speciall place in it neither increaseth it as the body encreaseth but only begins to be where formerly it was not and if a member of the body bee cut off or wither the soule is not lessened or made dry by it but leaves to be in that member without any may me or impayring This is a true mirrour of Gods existencie in things created for God is an indivisible spirit yet fills the whole world and all the parts of it nor occupies it any one place alone but is all in the whole world and all in every part of it and when a new Creature is made God begins to bee in it and yet is not moved and when any Creature perisheth or dyeth God dyes not but onely leaves to bee there and yet changeth not his place And therefore in these things God and the soule of man agree but God is much more excellent then the soule for the soule to be in a body to rule and stirre it must of necessity have a forme of a body made for it and to be so joyned to it that of the soule and body a man may bee made God needes not the forme or soule of a world nor that of him and the world one compounded substance should bee made but of his owne immensitie he hath this preheminence to bee every where of his indivisible unitie to bee all every where of his omnipotence to governe move and sustaine all things Againe the soule of man though it bee said to be in the whole body yet properly it is not but in the living or animate parts of it and therfore is not in the humors in the hayre nailes dry or dead members God absolutely is in all things not onely corporall but spirituall nor can it be that there should be any thing in which God is not Lastly it is not a soule but in it's owne body and that a streight and small one wherein all the parts are tyed together for if any part as is said be severed from the other in that part the soule cannot be But God is all in this universe of things though it be great and the parts thereof not tyed or joyned together though they be neere one another and if there were more worlds God would be in them all to which purpose it is said Heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot conteine thee for if there were other heavens and another earth created or more heavens and earths without number God would fill them all and where he were not nothing would be at all Againe mans soule hath in it though obscure the Image of the most holy Trinitie aswell in that it hath a fruitfull memorie power to understand and power to love as also because the mind thereof by understanding formes a certaine word and from the mind and word proceeds love because that which is knowne by the mind and represented by the word is presently as it is good loved and desired by the will But after a much higher and diviner manner God the Father begets God the Word the Father and the Word breath God the Holy Spirit who is the living love and the living fountaine of all chast love And in this respect the mystery of the Trinitâ—e transcends the naturall meanes of knowing nor can a learned Philosopher come to the knowledge of this without a supernaturall light for the soule of man produceth a word and a love which are not substances but accidents and in that regard are not Persons but GOD the Father begets to himselfe the Consubstantiall Word and the Father and the Word breath the Holy Spirit consubstantiall likewise to them both whereby it is that the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost are rightly and worthily called three Persons The soule of Man also produceth a Word which is of no long continuance and the will bringeth forth a love which lasteth not long but GOD the Father begets the eternall Word and the Father and Word breath the eternall Holy Spirit nor can GOD be without his Word and Spirit Againe Mans soule by one word represents but one thing and therefore multiplyeth words not onely of the mind but of the mouth and mans will must produce many acts of love if it will love many things But GOD by one Word speaketh all true things and with one act of love loves all good things 10 Lastly the soule of Man while it is in the body hath this property that though it be not seene heard nor moved and is hardly conceived to be in it and that leaving it the body seemes to want nothing it had before yet it is that which causeth all good to the body sense motion speech subsistence beauty and strength for what is the cause that while a man liveth hee seeth heareth talketh walketh and is strong and beautifull nothing but because he hath a soule in him and why cannot a man see nor heare nor speake but lies deformed unprofitable and unserviceable after hee is dead but that his soule is departed from him from whence all these benefits and good things were derived to him So thy GOD whilst
more Gods mercy appeared to him by removing the plagues the more he was animated to despise him But whensoever it pleaseth GOD to kindle a sparkle of the true fire of His love in a heart though never so hard presently it growes soft and melteth like waxe nor doth it any way resist the power of it but is of a stony become a heart of flesh and the breath of Gods spirit thawes the congealed snow therof into water We have an example in the Gospell of that woman who being a notorious sinner in the City could not be perswaded either by the admonition of her brother or the chiding of her sister or the honour of her family or her owne disgrace to amend her life yet one of the beames of our Saviour pierced so deepe into her heart and kindled a sparkle of his divine love there so that she was sodainely transformed as it were into another woman insomuch as she being of a noble stocke was not ashamed at a publique feast to fall downe at Christs feet and being wholly turned into tears of them made a bath for his feet and with her owne haire in stead of Linnen wiped them and moved with the vehemencie of that love kissed them and annointed them with a most costly oyntment signifying by these her acts of Repentance that from thenceforth she purposed wholly to devote her selfe to his service and therefore shee worthily heard that comfortable speech of our Saviour Many sins are forgiven her for she loved much And these effects hath the power of divine fire wrought which no hardnes of heart can resist The last property of fire is that it maketh Iron light which formerly was heavy And it is the chief cause that men which are not heated and inflamâ—d with divine love are heavy in heart and to such the Kingly Prophet thus speaketh after some translations Vsquequo gravi corde How long will ye be heavy in heart loving vanity and seeking after lyes and the Wiseman saith the corruptible or earthly body weigheth downe the soule And in Ecclesiasticus A heavy yoake is upon the sons of Adam Which heavy yoake he afterwards explaines to be wrath envy feare trouble and unquietnes and the like which are usually stiled the passions of the mind These doe so loade and burden a man that he looks upon nothing but the earth to which hee cleaveth and can neither rise to seeke God nor to run the way of his commandements But as soone as this divine fire begins to inflame the heart of man those passions forthwith decrease and are mortified and that heavy burthen is made light so that hee is able to saâ— with the Apostle Our conversation is in Heaven and with an enlarged heart to say with King David I will runne the way of thy Commandements when thou hast set my heart at liberty Certainely after our Saviour had said I am come to put fire on the earth w see how light many 〈◊〉 became by casting off the affections and desire of honour flesh and riches insomuch as they cryed with the spouse in the Canticles Draw me we will run after thee O blessed fire which enlightens but consumes not and consumes the ill humour onely if it consume but kills not Who will give me this correcting fire 1. that will take away the blacknesse of ignorance and purge the darkenesse of my conscience with the light of true wisedome 2. That will change the coldnesse of my sloth into the heate of devotion and of my negligence into the fervencie of love 3. Which will never suffer my heart to be hardned but keep it soft with its heate and make it obedient and devâ—ut 4. Which will lastly remove and take away the heavy yoke of earthly cares and will so lift up my heart with the wings of contemplation which nourisheth and increaseth love that I may say with the Psalmist Comfort the soule of thy servant for unto thee ô LORD doe I lift up my soule DEGREE VII By the Conâ—ideration of Heaven that is of the Sun Moone and Starres IT will be no hard taske out of the consideration of Heaven to erect one step for our ascent to GOD for the Kingly Prophet hath done it to our hands The Heavens saith he declare the glory of GOD and the firmament sheweth his handie-worke Now forasmuch as there are two times wherein we should ascend to GOD by the wings of contemplation namely the day and night of the former of them the same Prophet saith in the same Psalme In the Sun hath he placed his Tabernacle according to some translations or as others In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun which cometh forth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber and rejoyceth as a Giant to run his course His going forth is from the end of Heaven and runneth about to the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heate thereof Of the latter he writes in another Psalme I will consider the Heavens the worke of thy hands the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained We will begin with the first Of the Sun which is seene by day the Psalmist in the former mentioned place sets down foure severall prayses or commendations 1. That it is the Tabernacle of GOD. 2. That it is most beautifull 3. That it ever runnes most speedily and without wearinesse 4. That by enlightning and heating it chiefly manifests its power In regard of all which qualities the Sonne of Syrach calls it A merveilous vessell the worke of the most High 1. First therefore GOD the creator of all things according to the old translation of St. Jerom hath placed his Tabernacle in the Sun as in a most noble thing to reside in that is he hath chosen the Sun among all corporeall things as a royall palace or divine sanctuarie to dwell in for though GOD fill Heaven and Earth and the Heaven of Heavens cannot containe him yet he is said to dwell more there where he hath manifested the greatest signes of his presence by working wonders But because in the originall it is said In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun that is in Heaven we may gather out of this place in the Pâ—alme another excellencie of the Sun not contradicting or opposing the former The Sun is a great thing for whom GOD hath prepared a large faire and noble palace for as he would have heaven to be the palace of the Sun wherein he might freely walke and worke so hee would have the Sun to be his owne palace So that as we may apprehend the greatnesse and excellencie of the Sun by this that the heaven is its tabernacle so may we conceive the greatnesse and excellencie of GOD in that the Sun an admirable vessell and then which nothing corporeall is more wonderfull is his tabernacle 2. Secondly the Psalmist to denote unto us the great beauty of
Prophet Esay and not have compassion on the Sonne of her wombe though she should forget yet will I not forget thee And the Psalmist Like as a Father pittieth his owne children even so is the LORD mercifull to them that feare him And least any should say that there may be parents found whose love is sometime changed into hatred The mercifull goodnesse of the LORD endureth for ever and ever upon them that feare him and for the continuance of this his mercy the Apostle maketh us secure when he calls GOD The Father of mercies and GOD of all consolation and therefore hee is not onely a Father of them that feare him but a most mercifull Father and most ready to comfort his children for hee taketh away and easeth them of the miseries of their afflictions and tribulations which hee judgeth fit to deliver them from and in that respect shewes himselfe a Father of mercies and in those miseries which he thinketh not expedient for them to be taken away hee endueth them with unspeakeable comfort whereby they may beare them with ease and in that regard hee declares himselfe to bee a GOD of all consolation Now the Apostle calleth him the GOD of all consolation for two causes 1. Because GOD knoweth how to comfort his in every kind of tribulation which certainely the world cannot doe because it oftimes understands not the cause of the affliction and therefore it was that Job called his friends miserable comforters because they knew not the cause of his disease and misapplyed the cure Or else sometimes the tribulation is so great that no humane comfort can asswage it but GOD is a most wise and omnipotent Physician hee can cure any disease and therefore the Apostle saith that he comforteth us in all our tribulation 2. Secondly GOD is called GOD of all Consolation because hee knoweth how to comfort us so plentifully that it is better to suffer tribulation with such comfort then to want both as in the case of Martyrdome Therefore no mervaile if the Apostle said I am filled with comfort and am exceeding joyous in all our tribulation and againe Which comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which are in affliction And what thinkest thou of this so large deepe daily pure and immense mercy of GOD who needs none of our goods and yet out of the abundance of his love is so sollicitous of his poore servants as if all his good depended on them What thankes therefore wilt thou returne to him what canst thou ever doe to avoyd the staine of ingratitude for such mercy at the least endeavour asmuch as thou canst to please him And because it is written Bee mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull and Love thine owne soule begin first carefully to finde out the miseries of thine owne soule for the miseries of the body are obvious enough and there is no need to admonish a man to pittie his body for if it want meate or drinke but one day or sleepe but one night or by chance receive a wound presently we bewaile the case of it and seeke remedy for it But the soule may fast whole weeks without food or lye languishing with infirmities or peradventure lye dead and no body lookes after it no body hath compassion of it Therefore visite thy soule often examine the severall powers of it whether they be well or not whether they profit in the knowledge and love of the true good or on the other side whether it be ill affected with ignorance or languish with concupiscences of diverse kinds whether the mind be blinded with malice or the will corrupted with the disease of hate or pride and if thou findest thy soule in this evillstate call unto GOD and say Have mercy upon me ô LORD for I am weake Seeke spirituall Physicians and use remedies in time Then pitty other poore soules where of a number perish and yet CHRIST died for them O if thou didst but know and well weigh the price of soules that is the pretious blood of the Son of GOD and withall the exceeding great slaughter of them by the infernall wolves and roaring Lyons the Devils certainely thou couldst not choose but with all thy heart take compassion on them and labour aswell by prayer to GOD as by all other meanes to obtaine their deliverance Lastly have compassion also upon the corporall necessities of thy neighbour and that not in word onely but in workes and truth remembring alwaies that Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy DEGREE XV. By the Consideration of GODS Justice compared with a Corporall magnitude THe Iustice of GOD in holy Scriptures is taken foure wayes 1. For Vniversall Iustice or Righteousnes which containes all vertues and is the same with sanctity or goodnesse The Lord iâ— righteous iâ— all his waies and holy in all his workes 2. Secondly it is taken for Truth or faithfullnes as in another Psalme That thou mayest be justified in all thy sayings 3. Thirdly for dâ—stributive Iustice Iustice in rewards according to that of St. Paul A Crowne of righteousnesse is layd up for me which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day 4. For revenging Iustice Iustice punishing offences as it is in another Psalme Vpon the ungodly he shall raine snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shal be their portion to drinke The greatnesse therefore of this divine Iustice will appeare the better if we consider the latitude of universall Iustice the length of it that is his truth and faithfulnes the height of it in Gods distributing rewards in heaven the depth of it in scourging the wicked with eternaâ—l punishments in hell To begin with the latitude That is said to be universall Iustice or Righteousnesse in men which disposeth a man to carry himselfe in all his dealings according to all Lawes and by that hath in him all vertues aswell theologicall as morall But there is one vertue above the rest which containeth all other vertues and commands and rules the acts of them directing them to the last end and this is called love which vertue although in it selfe it be but particular and but one of the Theologicall vertues yet it may be truly called universall for it disposeth a man to behave himselfe well both to God and towards his neighbour and thereby fulfilleth the whole Lawe for so speaketh the Apostle Love doth not evill to his neighbour therefore is Love the fullfilling of the Lawe and he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law And therefore St. Angustine saith Love begun is Righteousnes begun Love increased is Righteousnesse increased Great Love is great Righteousnes perfect Love is perfect Righteousnes Now in GOD are all vertues which presuppose no imperfection and instead of those which presuppose imperfection there is some what far better and more excellent where by it is
thereby a knowing and consequently a love and service of him is necessarily required of us That it is commanded as a speciall duty appeares by many places in holy writ of which I will select a few Seek the LORD and his strength seeke his face continually and Set your hearts and your soules to seeke the LORD your GOD. And GOD himselfe by the Prophet Amos Seeke ye me and live Secondly it was ever the counsaile of GODS Prophets and servants as of King David to his Sonne Know thou the GOD of thy Fathers c. If thou seek him he will be found of thee He adviseth him to know him by seeking him The same King gives the same counsaile to his Princes as also to his Quire and Church-men in the two places before mentioned to shew that neither Prince Nobility nor Clergy are exempt from this duty Againe it hath alwaies bin the practise of Godly Princes and others King Iehosaphat set himselfe to seek the LORD King Hezekiah prayed for those that prepared their whole heart to seeke the LORD King Iosiah when he was yet a child began to seeke after the GOD of David his Father It was also the fame King Davids practise For when GOD said Seeke my race he answers presently Thy face LORD will I seeke And in another place I have set GOD alwaies before me And surely not without reason was this duty either câ—mmanded counsailed or practised for there is a promise of reward annexed we shall not lose our labour but receive much good in seeking to know him In the Booke of Deuteronomie GOD promiseth not onely to be found of them that seeke him but to deliver them from misery and heape blessings upon them King David found by experience that GOD never failed them that seeke him And seeke ye after GOD saith he and your soule shall live And GOD himselfe by the Prophet Esay I said not in vaine to the seed of Jacob Seeke ye me And lastly not to trouble you with many The LORD is good to the soule that seeketh him saith the Prophet Ieremie Lastly it is the end for which Man was created St. Paul after he had beaten much upon the point that a GOD was to be sought out whom men should worship and had made it plaine by the creation of all things who that GOD was came to the end of Mans creation which was to seeke him Man being created for that purpose and end adding that it would be no great labour to find him as being not farre from every one of us He then which shal be negligent in this duty is not worthy of his creation and deserves not to live it being a most absurd and undecent thing for a Manto be ignorant of his Creator having recerved from him the guift of understanding and made capable to know him We see that Rivers naturally returne to the Sea whence they come and all things elso to their first being Wherefore then should not Man returne in his thoughts and desires to GOD who-gave him his being and why should his heart be as rest till be returne to him considering as I said that he made the understanding whereby he might know him the memory that he might ever be mindfull of him and the will ever to love him And now since we have in some sort seene that it is a duty enjoyned by GOD to seeke him that it hath beene the counsaile and practise of many holy Kings and Prophets that we shall not lose our labour but receive benefit by our seeking and lastly that it is the onely end for which we were created let us take a further view how we may so seeke that we may find and know him To the due performance of which act we must observe these cautions 1 That we prepare our hearts carefully and diligently to seeke 2 That we seeke him in sincerity and simplicity without hypocrisie 3 That we be humble and not curious seekers 4 That we seek him in Faith without wavering 5 That wee be earnest and zealous and not cold or luke-warme seekers This carefull preparation of the heart hath ever been commended as most necessary before the undertaking of any pious act and indeed is the foundation and first degree to this seeking Iehosaphat prepared his heart to seeke the LORD as you have seene Iothan became mighty because he prepared his waies And S. Ieâ—ome saith that purgandus est animus ut perspicere illam lucem valeat a man shall never be able to see the clearenesse and beauty of that light if he first prepare not nor fit himselfe before-hand if hee seeke him not in due order It was the Wisemans advice to seeke GOD in simplicity of heart and it is the Pure in heart that shall see GOD. as our Saviâ—â—r speakes The Sun beames shâ—ne brightest upon a cleare glasse and in a cleane heart the beames of Divine grace shine most The uncleane shall not see GOD saith the Apostle Saint Ierome calls the humble Man DEI Templum the Temple or habitation of GOD. He shall not onely see GOD but GOD will abide with him GOD giveth grace to the humble And CHRIST himselfe while he was conversant upon Earth delighted not in great or proud company but chose fishermen to converse with and the Centurions non sum dignus with the Publicans humble confession pleased him more then all the proud vaunts of the Scribes and Pharises He desires not but abhorres to be looked on with curious and prying eyes and therefore St. Augustine writing against the Manichees saith and his counsaile is Compescat se humana temeritas id quod non est non quaerat ne illud quod est inveniat after the fearfull example of Vzza Faith is the beginning of cleaving to GOD saith the Sonne of Syrach And Fides humanae salutis initium saith St. Augustine For by it we understand what soever is necessary for us to know concerning GOD. Now that there is a GOD some Deity all people even the Heathen that had their intellectualls held as a maxime Hee in the Psalme that said there was no GOD said it but in his heart was not so impudent as to speake it out and yet for his thought onely had the brand of a foole This Faith St. Augustine saith Valet ad cognitionem DEI non tanquam omnino incogniti sed quò cognoscatur manifestius And Si quis hic non ambulaverit per Fidem non perveniet ad speciem beatae visionis By it the children of light are distinguished from those of darknesse and per ipsam discitur veritatis scientia et percipitur cognitio Divinitatis By it the knowledge of the truth is learned and of the Divinity perceived Lastly zeale love and hearty affection is of all vertues the clearest sighted and will see GOD soonest For it is the affection to a
Kingdome for he raigned over all Kingdomes from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistims unto the border of Aegypt and they brought presents and served Salomon all the daies of his life he had besides so great wealth that he had 40000. stalls of Horses for his Charriots and 12000. Horse-men besides his Ships trading to Ophir brought such store of gold and precious stones that silver was nothing esteemed in his daies and was given by him as stones in Jerusalem His pleasure also he tooke after such an unlimited manner that delighting in Women he tooke to him 700. Wives princesses and 300. concubines And yet heare what he saith of himselfe after he had reckoned up these pleasures and many more as you may read at large in the Booke of the Preacher after he had well look'd into them behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit and there is no profit under the Sun Therefore you see he found no true rest either in his riches honour pleasures or wisedome nor could he have found any had they beene many more because the mind of Man is immortall and these things are mortall and of no continuance nor it cannot be that the mind capable of infinite good should be satisfied with finite good For as the humane body cannot rest either in the ayre though it be large or in the water though it be deepe because the earth and not the water or ayre is its center so the minde of Man can never rest in ayrie honour or watry riches which are sordid pleasures but in GOD onely who is the true center of the minde and the onely place of rest for it and proper to it How divinely and wisely then did his Father King David cry out after he had gone into GODS Sanctuary and understood the end of the wicked in their prosperity Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none that I desire in earth in comparison of thee GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Consider this then and thou wilt confesse that GOD is the Rocke upon which thou most rest and relye other things are but vanitie and vexation of spirit which are not things in true existence but in false apparaence they comfort not but torment being gotten with labour kept with feare and lost with sorrow and griefe Despise therefore if thou beest wise all tranâ—itory things least they snatch thee away with them and set thy rest on GOD alone cleave to him with the bond of love who remaines the same for ever Lift up thy heart to GOD in Heaven least it putrifie in Earth Learne true Wisedome by the folly of many in whose persons the wiseman speaketh Therefore we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us and the Sun of understanding rose not upon us We have wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction and we have gone through dangerous waies but we have not knowne the way of the Lord. What hath pride profited us or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought us All those things are passed away like a shadow and as a Post that passeth by Againe this foundation the Earth is an Embleme of GOD in another respect which CHRIST himselfe hath explained unto us in the Gospell by his similitude of a house built upon a Rock which though the raine fell upon it the winds beat upon the side of it and the floods attempted to undermine it yâ—t stood firme and unmovable but the house built upon the sand could resist none of them but fell So the mansion of mans soule which consists of many vertues and graces as of so many roomes and chambers if it be founded upon GOD as upon a Rocke thatis if it stedfastly beleeve him if it put its whole trust and confidence in him if it be rooted and founded in the love of him it may say with the Apostle Who shall separate us from the love of CHRIST The soule so founded may be secure because neither spirituall wickednesses which are above it nor carnall concupiscences which are beneath it nor domesticall enemies our kinsmen and acquaintance which are about it shall at any time prevaile against it Great I confesse are the forces and subtilties of spirituall powers but greater is the power greater is the wisedome of the Holy Spirit which is ruler and president over the house which is built upon GOD. Very much and earnestly doth the flesh fight against the Spirit and concupiscences have overcome many strong Men but the love of GOD easily overcometh the love of the flesh and the feare of the LORD the feare of the World Lastly Mans homebred enemies many times draw them by evill example and conversation to the perpetrating of sinne but the soule whose confidence is that it hath GOD to Father and friend easily shakes such friends off and will say with the Apostle I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities noâ— Powers nor things present nor things to come nor any other creature shal be able to separate me from the love of GOD which is in CHRIST JEsus our LORD The second property of the Earth consists in this that it is as a good nurse to Men and other living creatures in bringing forth herbs fruits and other sustenance in plentifull manner for their preservation And this property â—eads us to the Creator who is the true Nurse For it is not properly the Earth but GOD by the Earth which produceth these good things For so the holy Spirit speaketh by the mouth of David He bringeth forth grasse for the cuttell and greene herbe for the service of men and a little after These all wayt upon thee that thou mayest give them meat in due season When thou givest it them they gather it and when thou openest thine hand they are filled with good and our Saviour in the Gospell Behold the foules of the ayre for they sowe not neither reape nor cary into the barnes yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them and the Apostle Saint Paul in the Acts Neverthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good and gave us raine from Heaven and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse Yet is that true which GOD commanded at the Creation Let the Earth bud forth the bud of the herbe that seedeth seed and the fruitfull tree which beareth fruit according to his kind but it is by the power and vertue which GOD hath given it and GOD himselfe by the Earth producing increasing and preserving these things And for this cause it was that King David inviting all creatures to praise the LORD among the rest calls upon fruitfull trees to doe the same and that the three Children in Daniel sang All things that grow on the Earth blesse ye
what they were to doe themselves or else they related by the swiftnesse of their nature what was done afarre off and that with such speed that it seemed as yet or then not done to those which were afarre off from the place in which it came to passe or else what they conjectured by their long experience would happen or be as many times marriners doe of the winds husbandmen of rayne and physitians of diseases but concerning those things wherin the Devils were questioned and were ignorant they would answer with such circuits and equivocations that when they were false they retorted the error upon the wrong interpreters of them It is GOD therefore onely of whose wisedome there is no end and it is he that delivers true Oracles and foretells truly of all future things contingent and free The next point to be considered is the altitude of the divine wisedome which is so high that it exceeds all sublimity of humane or Angelicall wisedome The height of this wisedome is known by the excellencie 1 Of the object 2 Of the power 3 Of the species or forme 4 Of the Act. 1. The object of Gods wisedome is not onely naturall but proportionate with the divine essence which is so sublime that it is not proportionate to the understanding either of men or Angels and therfore the highest Angels themselves cannot come to the fight of GOD unlesse they be lifted up by the light of glory and this is the cause why GOD in holy Scriptures is called invisible To the King everlasting saith St. Paul immortall invisible GOD and the same Apostle that he dwelleth in light which none can attaine to 2. The power which is an accident in us is a divine substance in GOD and in this respect far more sublime and higher then in us 3. The species is so much the higher by how many the more things it represents and in this regard the Angels are reputed to have higher knowledge by having the more universall and fewer species How great then is the height of Gods wisedome that hath no other species or forme then his essence which is but one and onely enough and sufficient to GOD to represent and make knowne himselfe and all things created or to be created or which may be created 4. Lastly that wisedome or knowledge is accounted the more noble and higher which knowes most things by fewest acts But GOD at one onely sight which is ever most strong in him and remaineth unchangeable in him perfectly knoweth himselfe and all other things and therefore the wisedome of GOD is to be accounted the most noble and sublime Lift up thine eyes then and consider how much thy knowledge differs from that of thy Creators for thou although by many acts and by running this and that way canst not attaine to the knowledge of any one thing perfectly but thy Creator beholds and sees all things and himselfe most clearly and distinctly by one act alone And yet thou thy selfe now lying in darkenesse by the wings of Faith and Love mayst if thou wilt ascend so high that after the laying aside of this mortall body being translated from glory to glory thou mayst see GOD the light in Gods light and being made like to GOD mayst at one view see GOD in eternity in himselfe and thy selfe and all created things together in GOD for saith St. Gregory What shall not he see which shall see him that seeth all things and what pleasure glory and plenty will there be then when being admitted to that inaccessible light thou shalt be partaker of all thy Masters joyes The Queene of Saba when she had heard Salomons wisedome and had seene the wise and orderly disposing of the servants of his house was astonished and cryed out Happy are thy men happy are these thy servants which stand ever before thee and heare thy wisedome and what comparison was there between Solomons wisedome and the wisedome of GOD who is onely wise and is wisedome it selfe and what was the order of the servants of Solomon compared with the orders of Gods Angels of which thousands of thousands minister to him certainely if thou wouldst but apprehend and tast these things but a little thou wouldst relish nothing thou wouldst weigh nothing and there is nothing that thou wouldst not willingly suffer to deserve well of him In the meane time therefore humble thy selfe under the mighty hand of GOD that he may exalt thee in the day of visitation humble thy understanding to faith that thou mayst be exalted to the vision of GOD humble thy will to the obedience of his Commandements that thou mayst be exalted to the glorious liberty of the Sons of GOD and humble thy flesh with patience labours and fasting that GOD may exalt it glorified to everlasting rest It remaineth that we consider the depth of Gods wisedome which seemes chiefly to consist in searching the reynes and hearts that is in knowing the thoughts and concupiscences of men especially in things to come Man looketh upon the outward appearance saith GOD himselfe but the LORD beholdeth the heart and David saith Thou Lord understandest my thoughts long before thou art about my pathes and spiest out all my wayes and the LORD saw that all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely evill continually and I the LORD search the hearts and reynes and When JESVS saw their thoughts and But he knew their thoughts and Why reason you thus in your hearts saith our Saviour And therefore all the thoughts and desires of men although present are so deepe that neither Angels Devils or Men can enter into them but farre deeper are their future desires and thoughts and into these Men nor Angels as they cannot search into so neither can they finde out the way whereby GOD onely knowes them And this David seemes to intimate when he saith Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me that is thy knowledge is so wonderfull that I know not how thou attainest to it and this he meaneth concerning Gods knowledge of thoughts and desires to come as may easily be gathered by that which he said in the first verse of this Psalme It may be objected that God foresees these thoughts in his eternity to whom all things are present or in the predetermination of his will and if it be so then this knowledge is not so admirable for wee also may easily know what we intend to doe or what is present to us But the Scripture plainly saith that GOD searcheth the hearts and reynes and sees there what a man either desires or thinks or what he shall hereafter desire or thinke And this is admirable to understand how GOD by searching the reynes and hearts should see what as yet is not there and which depends upon the liberty of mans will whether it shal be there or no. Therefore as it is proper to the height of Gods power to make something
obedience nothing can be imagined greater or more meritorious or more honourable to GOD then that humble obedience of CHRIST wherefore most truely said He in the Gospell I have glorified thee upon earth for he truely glorified GOD his Father with an unspeakable glory in the sight of the Angels and spirits of the holy Prophets and others who could take notice of it and if the Angels at Christs nativity in respect of the humility of the Cratch did sing Glory to GOD on high with much greater exultation and joy did they sing the same song for the humility or the Crosse So that whereas if man had not sinned he had onely attayned to be equall with the Angels now mankind hath obtained by the redemption which is in CHRIST JEsus that one man being exalted above all the Angels sits at the right hand of GOD and is become head and Lord of Angels and men for so St. Peter writes of CHRIST Hee is gone into heaven to whom the Angels and Powers and might are subject and St. Paul Wherefore also GOD hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name That at the name of JESVS should every knee bowe both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth So that the Son glorified the Father by the humility of his passion after an unspeakable manner and the Father glorified the Son after an unutterable manner also by exalting him to his right hand which glorification resulted upon all mankinde in such a manner that whosoever shall not acknowledge this great benefit and give GOD thankes for it may justly be called most unthankfull And as the holy Angels were much grieved at the fall of the first man as for a heavie affliction befallen their younger brother so also are they taken and affected with much joy and delight for the plentifull redemption of him by IESUS CHRIST for if there be joy in heaven with the Angels for one sinner repenting how great may wee beleeve their joy to bee when they saw that the justice of GOD was fully satisfied for mankind by CHRIST the man and that by the key of his Crosse the Kingdome of heaven was opened to all beleevers Nor is it to be thought that the holy Angels did take it grievously that the man CHRIST was exalted by GOD above them for they have neither spite or â—nvy in them but are replete with all ardent and true love and Love is not puffed up grieveth not at the good of others but sympathizeth and rejoyceth together congratulateth no lesse for it then if it were its owne for the Angels understand that this was a most just act of Gods who doth nothing but most justly and wisely and they also have their will so unseparably proportionable and agreeable to the will of GOD and tyed with such an indissoluble knot of love that whatsoever is pleasing to GOD is most acceptable to them But the Devill who for a time rejoyced for his victory over the first Man was much more sorrowfull for the conquest of CHRIST the man then he was joyfull before For by the victory of CHRIST it is come to passe that not onely men such as Adam was but also children and women shall insult and triumph over the Devill It had not beene a disgrace for him to have beene overcome by Adam in Paradise when he wanted ignorance and infirmity and was armed with originall righteousnesse which so subjected the inferiour parts to reason that hee could not have rebelled if his minde had not beene rebellious to GOD before but now to be subdued by a mortall man a pilgrime obnoxious and subject to ignorance and concupiscence is a disgrace in the highest degree and yet by the grace of Christ he is many times so overcome as that diverse erect trophees of chastity patience humility and love not withstanding his fiery darts of tâ—ntations and persecutions And here we are againe to admire the altitude of the divine wisedome even beyond admiration For GOD foresaw that the contempt of riches pleasures and honour and the like which are snares of the Devill and lead men captive to utter perdition was necessary to withstand the tentations of the Devill What course did then GOD take that these pleasures and the like might grow bitter to men and chastity poverty humility patience and contempt of the world might seeme pleasant and delightfull Why surely this he came down himselfe from heaven and having taken the shape of a servant and by his example made this bitter but wholesome medicine so pleasant and sweet that many men had rather fast then feast be poore then rich delight in virginity rather then marriage and in martyrdome then pleasure to obey rather then to command to be despised then to be magnified to be humble then to be exalted for who is there that truly considers GOD in the shape of a man full of wisedome and grace and who can neither deceive nor be deceived to be poore humble patient chaste and which is more wonderfull for the redemption of mankinde to be nayled to the Crosse and to dye voluntarily having shed his most pretious blood plentifully even out of a most ardent love but wil be incouraged to imitate his example And this was a high invention of the wisedome of GOD though to the wise of the World and to carnall men enemies to the Crosse of CHRIST it seeme to be foolishnes But let us gather honey out of the rocke and â—yle out of the hardest stâ—ne that is Wisedome out of foolishnes the wisedome of GOD from the foolishnes of the Crosse Search and examine diligently who that is that hangeth on the Crosse and why he should so hang and we shall finde it to be the same which sitteth betweene the Cherubims yea at the right hand of GOD and we shall also finde that he hung not on the Crosse for his owne faults nor his owne infirmity nor by the power of others but voluntarily out of his earnest desire to satisfie Gods justice for the sinnes of the whole world for the honour and glory of his Father and for the eternall salvation of all the elect and as the Apostle speaketh that he might make unto himselfe a most glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle Lastly for the love of us for he loved us and hath given himselfe for us to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to GOD. And when we shall have found all these to be true as they are most true let us lift up our selves in our greatest and most intimate love to so great a benefactor and in imitation of him begin ardently to thirst after Gods glory the salvation of the Gentiles but chiefly the Churches beauty and honour and our owne eternall salvation let us begin to have a hate to iniquity and to love purity of heart to partake of the Crosse of Christ to glory in tribulations
their just reward being faithfull in all his words 4 Lastly he cannot dye being immortall and all things live to him so that there is no danger that any shall be prevented or hindered by any meanes from receiving their due rewards and therefore in all these respects it is most safe to transact with GOD as amost just Judge and a dangerous and foolish thing to put any confidence in man or to expect from them any just recompence for our paines and labour 2. Let us now compare rewards with rewards divine with humane heavenly with earthly and I would demand what it is that men can retribute to those who all their lives long labour for them breaking many nights sleepe and putting their lives in danger for them O the blindnesse of men what can men repay but small base transiâ—â—ry and things of small continuance But GOD giveth great sublime and eternall things and yet those are much hunted after and these despised St. Chrysostome compares Palaces Cities and the Kingdomes of this world which worldlings so much admire to those brittle fabriques which children make of chalke or clay which being made by them with much labour are derided by those of elder growth and are spoiled with the kicke of a mans foot and so are all those great stately Palaces Towers Castles and Kingdomes but cotages of lome in respect of the celestiall and eternall and derided by the Angels and easily subverted by our heavenly Father whereby we may understand that all earthly things are altogether vaine and transitory which although there be but few who now consider it yet all of us at the last day shall fully understand how little they have profited us and St. Hilary confirmes this when he saith The day of judgement will discover how vaine and how little worth all these things have beene But let us more narrowly looke and consider what manner of rewards Gods are which are so sleighted of most men in respect of these petty earthly recompences I First in that heavenly Kingdome there shal be all the good things which may be desired for they which shall inherit that Kingdome shall be blessed and blessednesse is a perfect accumulation of all good things heaped together There shall be all the good things of the mind Wisedome and vertues of the body beauty health and strength externall good riches pleasure and honour Lastly all these shall be in full perfection and eminencie For GOD who shewed his power in the creation of the World of nothing and his wisedome in governing and providence and his love and goodnes in the redemption of mankinde by the mystery of the incarnation and passion of his Son will then manifest the magnificence of his glory and the munificence of his bounty in the distribution of rewards prizes and crownes to those who have triumphed here over their enemy the Devill And this wisedome shall not be a speculation of the divinity in things created but the very open vision of the essence of God the cause of all causes and of himselfe the chiefe truth by which most resplendent sight the soules of the Saints shall shine with so cleare a light as that St. John speaking of that future glory saith We shal be like him because we shall see him as he is From this excellent wisedome shall proceede love so ardent as that adhering alwaies to that chiefe good it neither will nor can beseparated from it So that the whole soule and all the powers of it shall ever remaine in this excellent state and condition The body shall shine as the Sunne as our Saviour speakes and that shall be its beauty the health of it shal be immortality the strength impassibility lastly the body which is now a creature shall then be spirituall that is obedient to the command of the spirit so that it shall surpasse the winds in agility and pierce even walls with its subtilty The riches of it shall be to want nothing as also to possesse all things in and with God for he shall make him ruler over all his goods What shall I say of pleasure seeing it is said They shal be satisfied with the plenteousnes of thy house and thou shalt give them drinke of thy pleasures as out of theriver now what mind can conceive the delight of enjoying the chiefe happinesse of seeing beauty it selfe of tasting pleasure it selfe of entring into the joy of our Lord that is being made partakers of his pleasure which makes him happy Now the honour and glory of the Saints exceeds all that can be spoken for in the Theatre and view of the whole world of all men and Angels shall the Saints be praysed and crowned by GOD himselfe which exceeds all honour and shall be placed in Christs throne as partakers or partners of his Kingdome for so we read in the Revelation To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I overcame and sit with my Father in his throne And if to all these we will adde eternity as an unspeakeable seasoning and relish to them who then can conceive the greatnesse of this heavenly happinesse and all this which we cannot conceive by thought we shall finde to be true by possessing if by our sober just and godly life we shall attaine to that blessed Countrey for certainely those good things shall endure for ever which the servants of GOD by his grace shall procure with a little labour here What sayest thou then hadst thou rather please thy selfe with children in framing these little buildings of lome then to strive to get possession of an everlasting Kingdome art thou better contented to delight thy selfe with the pleasures of beasts which is horrible to thinke then to enjoy the ineffable joyes which the Angels GOD by his mercy forbid rather pray to GOD to give thee his feare and that the obedience of his Law may be more sweet unto thee then the honey and the honey combe and that crucifying the flesh with the concupiscences thereof thou mayst aspire to the spirituall and everlasting delights of his Paradise and pray to him to give thee grace to follow the steps of thy Saviour Christ who was meeke and lowly in heart Who when he was reviled reviled not againe when he suffered he threatned not and that he would give thee grace to live soberly justly and piously in this present world that thou mayst with some boldnesse expect and wayt for that blessed hope even the coming of the glory of the great GOD and of our Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ It remayneth that we consider the justice which GOD executeth in punishing sinners in the 〈◊〉 aâ—yssâ— of hell which if we will doe seriously we shall understand that to be very true which the Apostle tells us It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God For to follow the order which we held in his rewarding
a resemblance with GOD his Creator that I know not whether a Man may ascend with more facility to the knowledge of GOD any other way then by the consideration of his owne soule And therefore man is inexcusable if he have not knowledge of him seeing he may attaine to it Gods grace assisting without difficulty by knowing his owne soule First then Mans soule is a spirit for so doe the holy Fathers expound those words in Genesis And the LORD formed Man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and Man became a living soule and that of Tobias Command my spirit to be taken from me and that of the Preacher Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne to GOD that gave it For although the word spirit agreeth to the wind also of which it is said in the Gospel Spiritus spirat ubi vult The wind bloweth where it listeth and in the Psalmes Spiritus procellarum as S. Ierome Wind and storme as our translation yet without doubt that spirit the wind is a most thinne body which for its great subtilty and raritie doth more imitate and resemble the spirituall nature then any other body But the soule of man is properly a spirit not a body neither is it produced or made of any matter but is immediately created by GOD. And here begins the excellencie of the soule in the resemblance to GOD for GOD is a spirit as our Saviour saith and they which worship him must worship him in spirit and truth But though GOD be a spirit and mans soule be a spirit also yet GOD is a spirit uncreated and the Creator and mans but a spirit created by which it followes that there is a great disproportion betweene the spirit which is the soule and the spirit which is GOD. And in this respect how greatly may the soule rejoyce that it is in the kind of a spirituall substance and so of a higher and more noble nature then heaven or the Starres and againe it should be the more humble and obedient to GOD because it was made of nothing and of it selfe is nothing Againe the soule of man because it is a simple spirit is also immortall for it hath nothing in it from whence it may be divided or severed And in this regard how much may it boast above the soules of bruit animals which die with their bodies and so behold and admire the great excellencie of the creator who is not onely immortall but everlasting For the soule of man sometime was not and came to a being by the onely will of GOD and by the will of the same GOD may againe be reduced to nothing although in it selfe it have no beginning of corruption therfore truly said the Apostle of GOD Who onely hath immortality for he onely cannot be dissolved neither by force chance or ought else because it is his property to be he is life it selfe and the fountaine of being and life Thirdly mans soule is endued with the light of understanding for it is not onely able to know and distinguish of colours tasts smells and sounds heate cold hard soft and other things of the like kind which are plaine to the sences of the body but is able to judge of substantialls and of things singular and universall and knoweth not onely things present but can conjecture at things to come transcends the heavens dives into the deep searches effects from causes and from effects hath recourse to causes Lastly by the eye of the mind it comes to the knowledge of GOD himselfe which dwelleth in inaccessible light and this is the light of which Saint John speakes This was the true light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the World which David calls the light of Gods countenance Of the light of the understanding the same Kingly Prophet saith Be ye not like to horse and mule who have no understanding Certainely this is a great priviledge and dignity of the soule by which man becomes like to GOD and unlike the beasts and by this a man may also conjecture of the excellent sublimity of his creâ—â—â—â— for though the soule of man be endued with this light of understanding yet GOD is the light and understanding The soâ—lâ— as is said runnes from causes to effects and againe from effects to causes and therby hunts as it were with great labour to attain this knowledge but GOD with one aspect and at the first sight knoweth all things The soule understandeth those things which are so that his knowledge depends upon things GOD by his understanding bringeth to passe that things are so that the existence or being of things depends upon his knowledge The soule doth but conjecture of things to come GOD beholds all things past and to come as perspicuously and plainely as if they were present The soule wants many things to exercise the office of its understanding as the object forme fancie and the like GOD wants nothing for essence it selfe is his all things even his owne essence is his understanding Lastly the soule whiâ—e it is in the body neither seeth GOD the Angels nor it selfe nor any substance though corporeall properly and is deceived in many things is ignorant in many of many things he hath but an opinion and of few things the true knowledge but GOD is ignorant of nothing thinks nothing is never deceived never erreth All things are naked and opened c. Therefore if Man hath such an opinion and esteemeth so much of his knowledge as that according to the Apostle his knowledge puffe him up how much ought he to admire the knowledge of his Creator to whose if mans be compared it is no knowledge but ignorance There is also another kind of knowledge in the soule of Man which consists not in speculation but in action from whence it cometh that there are so many Bookes of Philosophers which treat if vices and vertues so many Lawes of Princes Lawyers and others so many institutions to acquire the art of living well In which appeâ—â—eth mans admirable light of reason by which alone he differs farre from beasts in excellencie but all this is nothing to the eternall Law which is powerfull in the mind of the Creator from whence as from a most plentifull fountaine all other Lawes flow and are derived for there is one Law giver and Iudge which is GOD as St. Iames tells us He is Truth Justice and Wisedome By whom Kings raigne and Princes decree Iustice So that we shall never find out the Art of living well and happily till we come to the Schoole of CHRIST who is the true and onely Master by whose word and example we shall learne that righteousnesse which exceeds the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees yea and of Philosophers too whose end is love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and
of Faith unfained Againe the soule of Man hath a third kind of knowledge which consisteth in artificiall manufactures you will say that other creatures have the like faculty as the Spider in weaving her web Birds in making nests and Bees hony and combs and Foxes their deunes for houses but it may be answered that these creatures by the instinct of nature make them and those they make are but of one and the same fashion but mans soule endued with reason and judgement invents many Arts by which he hath dominion over other creatures will they nill they for neither doe the wings of a Bird helpe her nor the depth of waters availe the fish nor sâ—rength profit the Lion or Beare nor wildnesse preserve the Horse or Mâ—le nor swiftnesse advantage the Hart and Goate for we see even little Children catch Birds with nets sâ—ares and lime-twigges and Fishermen take Fish with netâ— Hunters by wit and art take Lions and Beares leading them about the Countrey Bores and Deere either taken with stalls or slain with bowes and speares Horses and Mâ—les made gentle with the bit and subject to the service of Man What shall I say of the Art of navigation what light of wit shined in the soule of Man when he invented and taught great Ships and heavily â—aden to cut the Seas not onely Boats and Galleys to runne with â—ares as it were with feet but great vessels to â—ly as it were through the vast Seas with their sailes as with wings What shall I further say of husbandry who wonders not at the severall inventions of Man if he seriously consider after what manner the earth is tilled vines dressed orchards planted gardens trimmed ponds for fish aqueducts to service gardens fields and cities What may be said of architecture in stately Palaces Temples Cities Towers Amphitheaters Pyramides and Obeliskes To omit the excellent Arts of painting and graving by which as by another History things are so expressed to the life as though they were not painted or graved but living things indeed Leaving all other Arts either for pleasure or necessity let us give humble and hearty thankes to GOD that hath made so great difference betweene the nature of Man and other living creatures and withall let us lift up the eyes of our minds to the same GOD Creator of all things in whom is the true fountaine of wit and invention for from him flowes whatsoever is derived to our nature And if we admire the wit of man in that he hath learned by industry and art to tame and have dominion over other creatures which want reason then let us admire the wisedome of GOD to whom all things are obedient and subject not onely things that have but those which want life And if it seeme so great a thing to us that the wit of Man hath found out the Arts of navigation tillage and architecture why should it not rather seeme greater to us that the wisedome of GOD hath made the fabrique of the universe the heavens â—â—rth sea and all things in them and by his power and providence governeth and preserveth them all Lastly if we admire the Arts of painting and graving after the life why wonder we not at the art of the Creator which of the earth made a true and living Man and of the rib of that Man a true and living Woman especially if we take this into our consideration that the things which are made by man cannot be done without Gods cooperating and those which GOD doth are done by his owne power without the helpe of any other Sixthly mans soule is endued with free will onely common to him with GOD and the Angels and wherein he differeth farre from other things created This is a great priviledge and honour yet the liberty and will of GOD the Creator so farre transcends that of mans that if they be compared together mans will is scarse a shadow of Gods For first the liberty even of a regenerate Mans will is weake and prone and facile to choose evill things and hurtfull to him the liberty of Gods will is most strong that it cannot faile or encline at all to that which is evill for as it is the infirâ—ity of a mortallbody that it is subject to dye and the soundnesse of a glorified body that it cannot dye so also it is the weaknesse of free-will to be in subjection to sinning and perfection or strength not to be able to sinne which will come to passe when GOD in our celestiall Countrey shall conferre this power upon us by grace which he alwaies hath by nature Againe our free-will is free indeed so that it can will and not will or to will and nill but it is not able to doe what it wills you may heare the Apopostle lamenting his case in this very point I doe not the good thing which I would but the evill which I would not that doe I. And is not this every mans case I will and desire to pray attentively and seriously to GOD and I command my imagination not to wander while I am at my prayers nor to draw me to any other cogitations yet I cannot containe it in its duty for while I am lesse sollicitous of this I finde my selfe abused by my imagination and instead of praying I fall into other thoughts Againe I will not to covet and not to be angry without reason and I command by my will the irascible and concupiscible faculty which is in me should be by right subject to reason to submit them selves wholly to reason and not suffer themselves to be seduced by any senses of the body but I am oftentimes not obeyed neither is that done which I will but what I will not But that which is admirable and miserable the mind commands the body and presently it obeys but the mind commands it selfe and is disobedient from whence comes this merveilous thing to passe saith St. Augustine The mind commands that the hand move and it doth it with such facility that the distance betweene the execution and the command is hardly perceived and the mind is and the hand is the body The mind commands that the mind would doe somewhat yet though it be the same it doth it not but it wills not wholly therefore commands not fully It is not then a monster but a sicknesse of the mind because it riseth not wholly levated or lifted up by the truth being over burdened before by custome But the freedome of the will of GOD is so joyned to full and absolute power as that it is said of it He doth whatsoever he will and There is none that resist thy will Wherefore if thou be wise boast not too much of the strength of thy free-will untill thou comest to the glorions liberty of the Sonnes of GOD when the heavenly Physicion shall heale all thine infirmities and satisfie thee with good things In the meane time pray daily and fervently