to eate of the tree Apoc. 7. â—7 of life which is in the Paradise of my God And the Lamb shall conduct them to the liuing Fountaines of Waters Tenthly their Touch and whole Bodie shal be delighted with delitious Rayment And I saw saith S. Iohn a Apoc 7. 9. great multitude which no man could number in the sight of the Lamb clothed in white Apoc. 19. 7. Robes for the mariage of the Lamb is come his wife hath prepared her selfe And it was giuen to her that she clothe her selfe with silke glittering and White for the Silke are the Iustifications of the Saints Those who lose their liues for the loue of God and innocencie of his Law and othes made to the Prophets shall be crowned with Crownes of glory according to the Scriptures saying Be Apoc. 2. faithfull vntill Death and I will giue thee the Crowne of Life and also they shall for euer beare Palmes of victorie and triumph ouer their Persecutors in their hands as S. Iohn witnesseth saying I saw a great multitude which no man could number standing Apoc. 7. 9. before the Throne and in the sight of the Lamb clothed in white robes Palmes in their hands c. These are they which come out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe And Virgins who die in Charitie shall sing a Song which none else in Heauen shall sing but they and also they shall accompany our Sauiour wheresoeuer he shall goe according to the words of S. Iohn saying I heard a voice from Apoc. 1â— Heauen and the voice which I heard was as of Harpers harping on their Harpes and they sung as it were a new Song before the Seate of God c. and none could sing the Song but those These are they which were not defiled with Women for they are Virgins These follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he shall goe Eleuenthly the Phantasies of the Charitable shall be delighted with beautifull formes of glorious Bodies according to the words of Saint Paul Now I know 1. Cor. â—3 12. in part but then I shall know as also I am knowne Twelfthly their Memorie shall be pleased with a forgetfulnesse of all Disgustes and Discontents whatsoeuer and with an easie Remembrance of all thinges which belong vnto their Happinesse which shall be easie for that in Heauen there shall be no more Was or Shall be or this Past or To come to be troubled with searching for them in the Memorie but Present for euer and altogether an Eternall Felicitie and Life Mat. 25. euerlasting which is as Boetius sayth a perfit possession Boet. li. 5. Pro. 6. altogether of an endlesse Life The Thirteenth Their Vnderstandings shall be delighted with Diuine Wisedome Vnderstanding Counsell Knowledge c. according to the words of Saint Peter saying If you 1. Pet. 4. be reuiled in the Name of Christ you shall be blessed because the Spirit which is his shall rest vpon you which is as the Prophet Isay sayth the Spirit of Isa 11. Wisdome and Vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsell and Strength the Spirit of Knowledge and Pietie and the Spirit of the Filiall feare of our Lord. The Foureteenth their Wills shall be delighted and fully satisfied and content with the enioying hauing and possessing of God Almightie who is all the good they can desire and shall be as S. Paul saith all in all the 1. Cor. 15. 25. Saints The Fifteenth their Minds and whole Man shall be fully and compleately made happy by the seeing of God Almightie whom they haue and possesse according to the words of our Sauiour saying Blessed are the cleane Mat. 5. in heart for they shall see God August epist 111. 1â—2 not as they did in this life vnder that likenesse which his will had chosen and not his nature formed But they shall see him saith S. Iohn as he is in his Diuine Nature Essence and Glory as further witnesseth S. Paul saying We see now by a glasse 1. Cor. 23. 1â— in a darke sort but then face to face This seeing of God whom they possesse all in all is as Saint Augustine saith their chiefest good for though Aug. li. trinit ca. 13. many things do concurre together to the making of vs Happy and Content Yet this seeing of God Face to Face and as he is in his glorie is the Fountaine of all good and the accomplishment and perfection of full Happinesse which our Sauiour signifieth saying This is Life euerlasting that Ioh. 17. 3. they know thee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And the reason is for that God Almightie is onely He which is as he said I am which Exod. â— 14. am and all other thinges being by participation from his Goodnesse depending vpon his Will As it is written For thy Will they Apoc. 4. 11. were and haue beene created All other Pleasures and Contentments which are not God are farre more excellent in God himselfe then they are in themselues or in their owne natures So that take whatsoeuer true Pleasure which in this Life thou art capable to receiue either in Body or Soule and when by happie Vision thou commest to enioy God as I desire thou shouldest thou shalt enioy that same in another degree much more perfitly according to the words of the Prophet saying I shall be filled Lord Ps 16. 15. when thy glory shall appeare And hereupon it commeth to passe that the seeing and enioying of God by blessed vision as he is in himselfe is Happinesse it selfe for that whatsoeuer may truely delight either Body or Soule is there in him found altogether alwaies most perfitly euen in such sort as that it is not possible for thee to imagine wish or desire any Ioy Content or Happinesse whatsoeuer but the same is found in God in his full perfection Whereupon our Sauiour saith If you keepe my Ioh 15. 10. precepts you shall abide in my loue as I also haue kept my Fathers precepts and do abide in his loue These things I haue spoken to you that my ioy may be in you and your ioy may be filled Againe He Ioh 14. 12. that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loueth me and he that loueth me shall be beloued of my Father and I will loue him and will manifest my selfe to him that is he will bestow vpon him all Goods Contentments and Happinesse that can be imagined or desired according to the words of God to Moses saying I will shew thee all good Exod. 3â— â—â— and shewed vnto him Himselfe The Sixteenth they shall be confirmed in this perfect Happie estate that they cannot but loue it and possesse it for euer so our Sauiour calleth it euerlasting life Mat. 25 46. and S. Peter calleth iâ— an eternall Kingdome where â— Pet. â— â—â— there are no Temporal Ioyes or Contentments which are no sooner had then passed But an Eternall Ease Rest Repose and Happinesse and all goods and pleasures alwayes and for euermore remayning without End Which I heartily wish vnto thee deare Reader and so conclude this our Second Part of Ease and Rest with the words of Moyses the Prophet and faithfull Seruant of our Lords humbly beseeching thee to consider That I haue Deut. 30. set before thee Life and Good and contrariwise Death and Euill That thou mayest loue our Lord thy God and walke in his Wayes and keepe his Commaundements and thou mayest liue in the Happinesse of Grace in this Life and Glorie in the other But if thy heart be auerted and thou wilt not heare and deceiued with Error thou adore strange Gods in Spirit and serue them eyther by puplike or priuate breaking of the Commandements of the true and lining God I fore-tell thee this day that thou shalt perish and the Wretchednesse and Miseries spoken of in the foureteenth Chapter of this Booke shall fall vpon thee And I call for witnesse Heauen and Earth that I haue proposed to thee Life and Death Blessing and Cursing choose therefore Life that thou mayest liue and mayest loue our Lord thy God and obey his voice and cleaue to him for he is thy life and the length of thy daies To whom be all honour and glory now and for euermore Amen FINIS IESVS MARIA IOSEPH Errata Page 1. line 18. for this manner â—ead his manner p. 7. l. 1. seeke wherein â— seeke out wherein p. 7. l. 16. as that they â— as they p. 32. l. 21. sinne and malice r. sinne of malice 49 in Chap. 6. the Faith of God planted r. the Faith planted 67. 19 aboue all the r. aboue â—he 77. 22. there hath beene r. there â—ere 78 8. hath so r. haue so 106. 16. Faith the Faith of r. Faith and the Charitie of 109. 14. foun r. founded 112. 16. necessitie be r. necessitie mâ—st be 123. 4. that r. true 139. 16. in thee r. â—n this 153. in the margent Mal. 3. 7. 203. 15. 8. Iohn r. S. Paul 205. 6. serue â—heir God r. serue God 205. 17. in praise â— in his praise 208. 2. he doth not r. he doth 244. 13. may be r. must be 245. 8. I answere r. I inferre 291. 21. thy low r. thy two l. 22. low Faunes r. two Faunes 333. 16. Mines r. Ruines 369. in the Margent Exo. 33. 397. 14. wast r. vast 417. 1. saith r. say 4â—9 2. liberalitie â— liberally
the Prophet told him Fables such like as these that we may be saued and iustified by onely Faith or only Hope but not as the Law of God which teacheth saying Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God from thy whole heart c. Fourthly It esteemeth them to be malignant people who out of their malice would fraudulently conduct others into Hell and Torments saying Depart from me ye malignant V. 115. and I will search the Commandements of my God which consist in Loue and not in onely Faith or onely Hope If I should haue saith Saint 1. Cor. 13. 2. Paul Prophecie and know all Misteries and all Knowledge and I should haue all Faith so that I could remoue Mountaines and haue not Charitie I am nothing and if I should distribute all my goods for meat for the poore and if I should deliuer my bodie so that I burne and haue not Charitie it doth profit me nothing If wee will beleeue Saint Paul neither Prophecies nor Science nor Knowledge nor Faith nor Almes-deeds nor Martyrdome for the Religion any one professeth is sufficient to the attayning vnto Happinesse without Charitie and so he concludeth saying Now these remaine Faith Hope and Charitie these three but the greater of these is Charitie according to the words of our Lord where he saith He that shall breake one of Mâ—â— â— 20. these least Commandements and shall so teach men shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heauen But he that shall doe and teach he shall be called great in the Kingdome of Heauen So our Sauiour saith I tell Mat. 5. 21. you that vnlesse your iustice abound more then that of the Scribes Pharises you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Yet the Scribes and Pharises had Faith as witnesseth our Sauiour saying Vpon the Mat. 23. 2. Chaire of Moyses haue sitten the Scribes and Pharises All things therefore whatsoeuer they shall say vnto you obserue yee and doe yee Whereby is manifest that the Scribes preached faithfull and true Doctrine otherwise our Sauiour would not haue wished their Auditors to obserue and doe whatsoeuer they said But they wanted Charitie in themselues to doe good Workes and keepe the Law as witnesseth our Sauiour saying But according Mat. 23. â— to their workes doe yee not for they say and doe not and so for want of Charitie or loue towards God they shall not as our Sauiour sayth enter into the Kingdome of Heauen or euer enioy Rest or Happinesse but endlesse Paines Againe our Sauiour sayth If God were your Father verily Io. 8. 42. you would loue me for from God I proceed Whereby our Sauiour giueth vs to vnderstand that such as doe not loue God with all their hearts according to the Commaundement haue not God for their Father and are not the sonnes of God but of the Deuill As in another place he sayth You are of your Father the Deuill and the desires Io. 8. 43. of your Father you will doe who though he beleeue that there is a God as S. Iames witnesseth Iam. 2. yet hee doth not loue God with all his heart and keepe his Commandements Whereupon it is written of our Sauiour That for this appeared 1. Io. 3. 8. the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the Deuill bring men to loue God Almightie vvith all their hearts and winne them to keepe his Law and so saith of the reprobate Iewes I haue Io. 5. 42. knowne you that the loue of God you haue not in you And of the elect Apostles You haue Io. 16. 27. loued me Loue being the fulnesse of the Rom. 13. 19. Law the want of loue is the worke of the Deuill in the hearts of all the wicked and the loue of God the workes of our Lord in the hearts of the elect Whereupon our Sauiour saith Verily verily I Io. 8. 15. say vnto you if any man keepe my word hee shall not see death for euer and yet againe saith He that loueth me not keepeth not my words So loue God Almightie with all thy heart and thou shalt not see death for euer He that loueth not abideth in Io 3. 14. death dead to Grace in this life and to Glorie in the other By which is manifest that happie life cannot be without the louing of God Almightie with all our hearts Insomuch as if thou haddest Happinesse and Content and yet diddest not loue it with all thy heart thou shouldest not be happie as witnesseth S. Augustine saying He is not De Ciuitat li. 14. ca. 15. happie of whom happie life is not beloued Which thou mayest find true by experience seeing thy selfe and all others to take comfort and content in that which they loue and not in that which they neglect Whereupon S. Paul sayth If any man loue not 1. Cor. 16. 2. our Lord Iesus Christ be he Anathema his bodie cut off from the communion of the Catholike Church vpon earth and his soule excluded from the ioyes of Heauen CHAP. XI How to attaine vnto the loue of God and how to loue his diuine Maiestie with all our hearts SEeing that Diuine Loue or Charitie is necessarie to the Content and Happinesse of Man it is requisite also to set downe the meanes by which thou mayest attaine vnto this Diuine Loue or Charitie that thou mayest be happie Charitie saith S. Paul is 1. Tim. 1. 15. from a pure Heart and a good Conscience and a Faith not fained So that the first thing which thou oughtest to doe if thou desire to loue God Almightie with all thy heart is to separate thy selfe for a time from all other affaires and businesses onely to attend vnto the examining of thy Conscience how thou hast spent thy life past and to call to minde all thy cuill thoughts words deeds and vniust actions which haue stayned and made filthie thy heart and soule to confesse them with contrition and sorrow to one of the Pastors of the Church of God to whom God Almightie hath giuen authoritie to forgiue sinnes saying Whose sinnes you shall forgiue Io. 20. 23. they are forgiuen that thy sinnes being forgiuen thou mayest haue a cleane and pure heart fit to receiue Diuine Loue or Charitie and God Almightie will bestow it vpon thee according to his Word saying Returne to me and I Mat 3. 7. will returne to you No bodie putteth new Wine Mat. 9. 17. into old Bottles otherwise the Bottles perish But new Wine they put into new Bottles and both are preserued together So if thou wilt receiue the new Wine of Diuine Loue and Charitie thou must first lay away thy old Conuersation Eph. 4. 22. the old Man which is corrupted according to the desires of Error thy selfe-loue proper iudgement priuate spirit inordinate appetites and passions and by sorrow for thy sinnes and Penance be renued in the spirit of thy mind and put on the new Man
In the same book against our wills that now men are become worse and more irreligious more ingrate more vnfaithful more shamelesse and that greater wickednesse and sinnes cannot bee found in the whole world no not amongst the Turkes truly or the Iewes or Pagans then in those places where the worde of the Lord of Protestants is most diligently preached Againe I am compelled to say because Musculus in Prophetia Christi it is true that there are not to bee found no not among the heathen Iewes or Turkes men more selfe-willed in whose mindes the sparkes of all vertues are extinct and amongst whome sinne is accounted nothing then amongst the professors of the Gospell of Protestants amongst whome the Deuill altogether loosed from his chaynes and in free libertie doth florish And that I may in few words tell all it is euen so and this is the estate of vs Lutherans that if any be desirous to see a great multitude of Knaues Athists Vsurers and Coseners hee must goe to some Citty where the Gospell of Protestants is preached and there he shall finde of this sorte of men by multitudes and repeating almost the same wordes in another place he saith The case standeth thus with vs Lutherans that if any bee Musculus Domi. 1 Aduentus desirous to see a great table of Knaues of persons turbulent deceitfull coseners vsurers let him go to any Citty where the Gospell is purely Preached and he shall finde them there by multitudes for it is more manifest then the day light that there were neuer among the Ethnicks Turkes and other Infidels more vnbridled and vnruely persons with whome all vertue and honestie is quite extinct then are among the professors of the Gospel And Iacobus Andreas another Protestant saith The other part and multitude Andreas adu 11. Luc. of Germans doe giue libertie indeede to the Preaching of the worde But there is not perceiued an amendment of manners amongst them but horrible Epicurisme beastly life is seene amongst them in their conuersations compositions of body desires c. In stead of fasting they attend wholly to feastings and drinkings night and day And Melancton a Protestant saith The thing it selfe doth speake Ad cap 6. Math. that in these Countries where the Protestant Gospell was preached almost all their studies are imployed in sumptuous preparations for banquets drunkennesse and exceeding great cuppes c. Such barbarousnes is in the people that the most part perswade themselues if they should fast one day the night following they should dye So these Protestants of the fruites of their owne Doctrine Of the comming of these Epicures Libertines and loose liuers three of the Apostles prophecied saying In the last daies 1 Tim. 3. 1. shall approch perilous times and men shal be louers of theÌ„selues Couetous Haughtie Proude Blasphemous not obedient to their Parents vnkinde wicked without affection without peace accusers incontinent vnmerciful with out benignity Traytors stubborne puffed vp and louers of voluptuousnes more then of God hauing an apparance indeed of pietie euery one his Bible but denying the vertue thereof the keeping of the Law Againe In the last dayes shal come mockers in deceit walking 2 Pet. 3. 3 according to their owne concupicenses Againe my dearest bee mindefull of the Iud. 1. wordes which haue been spoken before by the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ who told you that in the last times shall come mockers according to their owne desires walking in impietie These are they which seperate them selues Sensuall hauing not the Spirit of God whose fruits are Charitie Ioy Peace Patience Gal. 5. 22 Benignitie Longanimitie Goodnes Mildenes Faith Modestie Continencie Chastitie but the Spirit of the Deuill and Flesh whose workes are FornicatioÌ„ vncleannes wantonnes Gal. 5. leacherie seruing of Idols Witchcraft enmities Contentions emulations angers brawles dissention Sects enuyes murders drunkennesse banquettings and such like forbidden workes by the Commandements of God For the discouering of whose deceits out of loue to my Countrey and desire to gaine some who out of ignorance are fallen into these follyes and deceitfull contentments in Carnall liberty and sensuall life I haue written this our Second part of Ease and Rest to shew vnto them the meanes how to attaine vnto true Ioy of minde and Content of heart and suppresse these base desires which are common to men with Beastes that all euills Contentions Strifes Suites in Law the lamentable Ciuill warres of this Land being taken away and true goods and pleasures ingrafted in their places Without feare being deliuered out of the handes of Luc. 1. 74 our enemies wee may serue God in Holines and Iustice Isay 32. 17. before him all our dayes And the workes of iustice shall be Peace and the seruice of iustice Silence and securitie for euer And my people saith God shall sit in the beauty of Peace and in the tabernacles of Confidence and in wealthie rest According as it was promised to true Christians by the Prophets in both Testaments saying There shall arise Psal 71. 7 Rom. 14. 16. in his dayes Iustice and aboundance of peace vntill the Moone bee taken away for the Kingdome of God vpon earth is not saith St. Paul meate and drinke but Iustice and Peace and Ioy in the holy Ghost according to the wordes of our Sauiour saying Peace I leaue to you Iohn 14. 27. my peace I giue you not as the world giueth doe I giue to you Not such a Peace or Content as the world giueth to her fauorites doth our Sauiour giue vnto his followers but â—uch a Peace and Content as is â—ithout trouble and seruile â—eare as followeth immediately in his worâ—es saying Let not your hearts bee troubled or Luc. 1. 74 feare Without feare saith the Prophet Zacharie deliuered from the handes of our enemies we may serue him in holines and iustice all our dayes This is the Ease Rest and Peace which euery where is promised to Christians the followers of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST a peace or content without seruile feare or trouble not as the world giueth peace doth our Sauiour giue peace and Content The peace which the world giueth to worldlings is a feeding of their inordinate Concupiscenses and carnall desires with a Carnall and Sensuall delight mixt with seruile feares Ielousies and troubles The peace and content which our Sauiour doth giue vnto his followers is a peace without seruile feare Iealousie or trouble A Peace which as the holy Ghost saith passeth all vnderstanding A Peace Rest Repose Phil 4. 7. and Content to their bodyes by bringing their passions appetites and carnall affections vnder the obedience of right reason that they may liue in Corporall peace and rest and keepe their bodyes free from seruile slauerie and vile subiection to their inordinate passions which are vnreasonable Masters Peace to their hartes and soules by possessing all good Peace with God by louing him
Gods or no stand in need of paines Such as are become so depriued of reason as to thinke that there was no God nor honor due vnto God to conuince them were necessarie paines sicknesses and torments that the Truth which Arguments deriued from Reason could not proue against such as had lost the right vse of Reason yet Affliction and Paines might force them to confesse So the Deuils in Hell though they cannot loue GOD Almightie or serue or adore him as they ought for that they are confirmed in Malice and multitude of Sinnes yet compelled by Affliction and Paines Beleeue that there Ia. 1. 19. is one God and tremble So forcible an argument is Paines and Afflictions against Atheists who denie God in their hearts that it is of force sufficient to conuince euen the Deuill that there is a God So doe but leaue these Atheists who denie that there is a God and esteeme all things to happen by Chaunce and Fortune in their Distresses and Afflictions to Chaunce and Fortune and permit nothing else to helpe them then they vvill not onely beleeue that there is a God but also earnestly perswade others that there is a God and that hee is the rewarder of those vvho shew and vse mercie to others and punisheth the cruell and hard-hearted According as it is vvritten in the Scriptures saying Blessed Mat. 5. 8. are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie And in Mat. 7. ◠what measure you meate it shall be measured to you againe And God will render to euery Mat. 16. 27. man according to his workes As it fell out of late yeeres in a certaine English Souldier in the Garrison at Flushing in Zealand who whiles he was well in health could not be perswaded that there was a God but falling by lewdnesse of life into many diseases wherewithall hee was grieuously afflicted and tormented hee cryed out vnto him for helpe and mercie Their infirmities were multiplied Ps 15. 3. after they made hast to seeke for remedies and to call vpon God for helpe And this for proofe against Atheists that there is a God CHAP. III. That God is the content of Man and that it is not possible for Man to find any true Ioy or Content without enioying of God Almightie MAn hauing lost by sinne that which was giuen him by grace and fauour the Content and Pleasure of Paradise Gen. 1. 8. wherein after his creation he was placed still seeketh to recouer his auncient inheritance Ease Rest Repose Ioy Content and Happinesse old and young rich and poore Kings and Pesants wise men and fooles all seeke after Ease and Content No man so forlorne or decayed from the first originall of his Happinesse that loueth and affecteth Affliction Torments and Paines as they are Vexations and Griefes but euerie one how corrupt soeuer his nature is through sinne yet he desireth Repose and Happinesse O Sonnes of Adam seeke that you seeke but there it is not where you seeke it you seeke for Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse in the Honour Glory Riches Wealth sensuall Pleasures and Commodities of the World where neuer yet was found but their Opposites Griefes Anguishes Discontents and Vnhappinesse And whom shall we call for witnesse of this truth the fooles of the World No heare the Wise man speake I haue seene Eccl. 1. 14. all things that are vnder the Sunne and behold all are vanitie and affliction of mind Is it possible that the sonnes of the Earth cannot remember their Parents fall That in the enioying familiar conuersing with God in Paradise the place of Pleasure was all Ease Content and Ioyes and banished from thence they were put with all their posteritie into a cursed Land of Paines Trauels Cursed is the Gen. 3. 17. Earth in thy work with much toyling shalt thou eat thereof all the dayes of thy life thornes thistles shall it bring forth to thee Great is the ignorance of Mankind that looketh to gather Grapes of Thornes and Figs of Thistles Mat. 7. 16. to seeke for Ease Rest Repose and Content in the commodities of a cursed creature in the Mettalls Herbage skins of Beasts dead Fish Flesh sensuall Pleasures and corruption of the Earth base minds to be deluded with such base contents and grosse ignorance against which no reason or experience can preuaile God Almightie in creating of Man out of his infinite goodnesse gaue him Vnderstanding Will and Memorie according to his owne Image as it is written God created Gen. 1. 17. Man to his owne Image to the Image of God he created him male and female he created them their soules and formed their bodies of the slime of the earth God formed Man of the Gen. 2. 7. slime of the earth and breathed into his face the breath of life and Man became a liuing soule bearing in his mind the Image and likenesse of God Vnderstanding Will and Memorie Vnderstanding to vnderstand what was the chiefest good God his Creator of infinite Goodnesse Beautie Glorie Maiesty Excellencie and Perfection And a Will to will loue and seeke him at all times And a Memorie to remember him in all his actions with such a capacitie of him and hunger after him that whatsoeuer else hee seeketh hee should erre and whatsoeuer else hee should finde yet hee should want that as it were perforce though otherwise hee would not yet hee must needes seeke after his glorious Maiestie since nothing else is able to content the soule of man but God as Cicero a Pagan man well obserueth there were neuer any De Leg. lib. 1. people in the world so barbarous and irreligious but that although they knew not what God they ought to serue and adore yet they knew that they ought to serue and adore some God The light of reason in the most barbarous people manifesting to them that there could be no true Content and Happinesse but in seruing and adoring God though for want of grace they erred in the manner and through ignorance were deceiued in their opinions of his diuine Maiestie yet all with one consent cryed out that God was to be serued loued and adored seeing that there could be no true cōtent without the enioying of him God Almightie being onely He that is Sum qui sum I am Exo. 3. 14. which am and all other things being by participation frō his goodnes depending vpon his Apo. 4. will no creature can haue any true good content or rest but in him and from him he being all Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse holdeth them in his hand cōmunicateth them to his creatures at his pleasure according to the saying of the Prophet Thou hast made the Ps 35. 11. wayes of life known to me thou shalt make me full of ioy with thy countenance delights are in thy right hand euen to the end Againe Thou openest thy hand Ps 103. 28. and fillest euery liuing thing with
be weeping and gnashing of teeth Neither can the Passion of our Lord or merite of his Sacrifice vpon the Crosse as it sanctifieth and iustifieth be applyed by parts as that any one might be sanctified iustified by only Faith or only Hope in him also haue iniquitie for that grace which iustifieth and mortall sinne or iniquitie cannot dwell together in one and the same Soule For what participation 1. Cor. 6. 14. hath Iustice with Iniquitie or what societie is there betweene Light and Darkenesse and what agreement with Christ and Belial or what part hath the Faithfull with the Infidell Againe No Mat. 6. 24. man can serue two Masters you cannot serue God and Mammon Not onely Faith nor onely Hope nor Faith and Hope with Impietie and Vice and want of other Vertues are sufficient to Rest Content and Happinesse There shall Apoc. 21. 27. not enter into it any polluted thing nor that doth abhomination and maketh a lye without euer finding Rest or Ioy are Dogges Heretikes whom S. Peter calleth Dogges for that they hauing beene once conuerted to Christianitie are returned to Infidelitie and Sorcerers and the Vnchast and Apoc. 22. 15. Murtherers and seruers of Idols and euery one that loueth and maketh a lye according to the words of our Sauiour saying Mat. 7. 23. Depart from me you that worke iniquitie I neuer knew you and they shall goe into punishment euerlasting As in Arts Sciences euery one is made expert cunning in his Art by frequent acts so in Vertues euery one becommeth groūded in Vertue Pietie Godlinesse by frequent acts and exercises of Vertue according to the saying of the Holy Ghost Ps 17. With the holy thou shalt be holy and with the peruerse thou shalt be peruerted So it resteth here to set down acts of Hope in God Acts of Hope MOst mercifull Lord and my God I most firmely hope by meanes of thy helpe and the good workes which by thy particular grace I intend to doe at the end of my life to enioy eternall glorie Deere Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ although in euerie moment I commit manie Imperfections yet I hope by thy gracious helpe to arriue to Christian perfection Most mercifull Lord whose Mercies are aboue all his Workes if I alone had committed all the sinnes and enormious crimes vvhich haue beene committed from the beginning of the World vntill this day yet would I not despaire of thy mercie I hope most firmely O Sonne of God and my Redeemer by meanes of thy holy Sacraments to come to possesse eternall glorie All my hope deere Lord and Sauiour is in the merite of thy sacred Passion Graunt sweet Sauiour that I may vse the meanes which thou hast ordained should be vsed by all those who shall receiue benefite by it O Lord of infinite Mercie there was neuer sinner that did call vpon thee to whom thou diddest not shew mercie so I hope that thou wilt haue mercie vpon mee who calleth vpon thee with all my heart In thee onely I hope O Lord Thou art the portion of Ps 15. 5. mine inheritance thou art he that will restore mine inheritance vnto me From them that resist thy right hand keepe me as the apple of thine eye vnder the shadow Ps 16. 8. of thy wings protect me from the face of the impious that haue afflicted me Our Lord is my firmament and my refuge and my deliuerie Ps 17. 1. my God is my helper and I will hope in him Deere Lord in all my tribulations Ps 21. 6. I will hope in thee In thee our Fathers haue hoped they hoped and thou diddest deliuer them They cryed to thee and were saued they hoped in thee and were not confounded Lord of infinite power and Maiestie Although I Ps 22. 4. shall walke in the middest of the shadow of death I will not feare euill because thou art with me Our Lord is my saluation whom should I feare our Lord is the Protector of my life of whom shall I be afraid If Campes stand together against mee my heart shall not feare If Battels rise vp against mee in thee will I hope In thee O Lord haue I hoped Ps 30. 1. let me not be confounded Be vnto mee for a God a Protector and for a house of refuge that thou mayest saue mee because thou art my strength and my refuge Into thy hands I commend Ps 30. 4. my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth Be delighted my Soule in Ps 36. 4. our Lord and he will giue thee the petition of thy heart Reueale thy way vnto our Lord and hope in him and he will doe it Why art thou heauie O my Ps 41. 12. Soule And why doest thou trouble me Hope in God because yet I will confesse to him the Saluation of my Countenance and my God CHAP. X. That Charitie or loue of God together with Faith and Hope is necessarie to the Content and Happinesse of Man THat it is not possible for Man to be content and happie without the loue of God is manifest by the light of Reason For if I had what things soeuer can be giuen me and yet did not loue them I should not find or receiue any true content or ioyes from them and yet those who loue things that are not good are deceiued and Time discouering Deceits they will remaine afflicted Againe those who loue such things as haue an end at their end or parting they will rest comfortlesse whereby is manifest by the light of reason that true Content and Ioyes cannot be without true Loue nor true Loue vnlesse it be placed in louing a perpetuall Good Againe this perpetuall Good must be such as I may at all times and in all places loue talke with and in some sort enioy which is God Almightie who is euery where and in all places eternall and of infinite goodnesse Neither is it lesse manifest by the light of Grace the Scriptures euery where promising Happinesse to such as loue God Almightie with all their hearts and Miserie and Wretchednesse to such as fornicate from him saying If thou wilt enter into Mat. 19. 17. life keepe the Commandements whereof the first is Thou shalt Mat. 22. 37. loue the Lord thy God from thy whole Heart and with thy whole Soule and with thy whole Minde Insomuch as the holy Ghost pronounceth them first Accursed who who doe not loue God with their whole hearts saying Cursed are they that decline from thy Commandements Ps 118. 21. Secondly the holy Ghost accounteth them Fooles without wit and vnderstanding saying Giue me vnderstanding and I will search thy Law and Psal 118. will keepe it with my whole heart Thirdly It tearmeth them vniust reserued for to endure Torments in the Poole of Fire and Brimstone for euer and euermore saying The vniust Ps 118. 85. haue told me Fables but not as thy Law Wicked people sayth
towards the Heauens as though she would in gratitude offer them to the Heauens as a Present for all benefits receiued The Elements liue in a perpetuall interchange of amitie the Fire transporting it selfe into Ayre the Ayre into Water and the Water into Earth and the Earth condensing and becomming hard returneth againe to yeeld Fire and their intercourse of friendship is confirmed in so firme a league that rather then the Earth should in any thing perish by suffering vacuum the Ayre or Fire forgetfull of his owne well and content of his owne will and desire leaueth his Region to descend in hast to supply the Earths want that vacuum bee not found in Nature The most vntame Birds and sauage Beasts keepe companie together each one reioycing at others good Insomuch as that the wilde Boare or Beare who amongst the beasts are accompted the most sauage will not sticke to turne against Man vvhen hee shall perceiue that he hath hurt or wounded any of his companie So strait is the bond of Amitie betweene all liuing things in their kinde that the weale of one seemeth in some sort to be the content of all And as for Man the greater he is the more neede he standeth of the common people Kings there could be none if Common people were not nor yet Common people liue long in vnitie and peace if Kings they had not Princes and Peeres depend vpon their meanest Subiects and their Subiects liue in peace vnder the Protection of their greatnesse So Nature hath combined all in vnity and friendship that he must be a monster in nature that should deny the loue of his Neighbour to be necessary to his Content and Happinesse Againe some are so yong that they cannot helpe themselues some so old that their forces are spent some in Prison many lame and none so exquisite in all Arts and Sciences that he is able completely to furnish himselfe with whatsoeuer he wanteth Whereby appeareth that there is nothing more manifest then that the loue of our Neighbour is necessary to Mans Happinesse And it is no lesse manifest by the Scriptures and light of Grace that the loue of our Neighbours is necessarie to Content and Happinesse He that saith he is in the Light Io. 2. 9. and hateth his brother is in the Darkenesse euen vntill now Hee that loueth his brother abideth in the Light and scandall is not in him But he that hateth his brother is in darkenesse and walketh in the darkenesse and knoweth not whither hee goeth because the Darkenesse hath blinded his eies Againe Euery one Io. 3. 10. that is not iust is not of God and he that loueth not his brother because this is the Annuntiation which you haue heard from the beginning That you loue one another Againe Whosoeuer hateth his 1. Io. 3. 16. brother is a Murtherer and you know that no Murtherer hath life euerlasting abiding in him Againe My dearest 1. Io. 4. 7. let vs loue one another because Charitie is of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loueth not knoweth not God If any man shall say that I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyar for he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth God whom he seeth not how can hee loue And this is the Commandement we haue from God That hee which loueth God loueth also his brother whereby and by many more passages of holy Scriptures it is manifest that the loue of our Neighbour is necessarie to Happinesse and Saluation and that no man whatsoeuer shall either in this World or in all Eternitie euer attaine vnto any true Content or Happinesse who doth not keep the Law or tenne Commandements which consist in the loue of God and loue of our Neighbour as witnesseth our Lord saying Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God from thy whole heart Mat. 22. 37. and with thy whole soule and with thy whole minde This is the greatest and the first Commandement And the second is like to this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe on these two Commandements dependeth the whole Law and the Prophets So Saint Paul saith Hee that loueth his Rom. 13. 9. Neighbour hath fulfilled the Law For thou shalt not commit Adulterie Thou shalt not Kill Thou shalt not Steale Thou shalt not beare False witnesse Thou shalt not Couet And if there be any other Commandement it is comprehended in this word Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe The loue of thy Neighbour worketh no euill Againe All the Law is fulfilled in one Gal. 5. 14. word Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe CHAP. XIII The meanes how to become heartie wel-willers of our seuerest Persecutors and most alienated Aduersaries ALthough it be easie to loue men of meeke and milde disposition yet it may seeme hard heartily to loue and pray for our enemies and persecutors especially for such persecutors as haue for office to draw vs by spoile of goods losse of libertie and life from temporall and eternall Happinesse into temporall and eternall Myserie which is the case of our Persecution in England wherefore it is necessarie heere to set downe the meanes how to loue our most alienated enemies or aduersaries and fulfill the Precept of our Lord which saith Loue your enemies doe Mat. 5. 44. good to them that hate you pray for them that persecute and abuse you that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heauen who maketh his Sunne to shine vpon the good and bad and raineth vpon the iust and vniust Againe Reuenge not your selues Rom. 12. 19 my deerest but giue place vnto Wrath for it is written Reuenge to me I will reward saith our Lord but if thy enemy hunger giue him meate if he thirst giue him drinke be not ouercome with euill but ouercome in good the euill If saith the Prophet Dauid I haue rendred to them that repayed me euill let me worthily fall emptie from mine enemies Let the enemie persecute Ps 7. 6. my soule and take and treade downe my life in the Earth and bring downe my glory in the dust The practise of which Doctrine though to worldly men it seeme hard and haue great difficultie yet by the grace of God and the good meanes which he hath left for vs to vse it is light and easie Of our selues as 2. Cor. 3. 4. of our selues we be not sufficient to thinke any thing But our sufficiencie is of God Christ Rom. 8. 34. Iesus that dyed for vs who is on the right hand of God also maketh intercession for vs Who then shall seperate vs from the Charitie of Christ Tribulation or Distresse or Famine or Nakednesse or Danger or Persecution or the Sword as it is written For we are killed for thy sake all the day we are esteemed as sheepe of slaughter But in all these things we ouercome because of him that hath loued vs. I can all things
saith the Apostle Phi. 4. in him that comforteth mee Comfort vs O Lord and wee can doe all things yea loue our heauiest Persecutors as our selues Since from God Almightie proceedeth all our good and strength the first means of atteining vnto the loue of our Persecutors as our selues is much to loue his Diuine Maiestie To them Rom. 8. that loue God all things cooperate in good Againe If any Io. 14. 23. loue me he will keepe my word loue his Enemies and pray for his Persecutors Loue is Cant. 8. 6. as strong as Death The Loue of God nothing can ouercome Many Waters of tribulation Cant. 8. cannot quench Charitie neither shall Flouds of Persecution ouerwhelme it Wherefore the first meanes is much to loue God Almightie and often to make the aforesaid Acts of Loue and Charitie towards God set downe in the eleuenth Chapter and then thou wilt easily loue thy most alienated enemies with all thy heart The second meanes is often to reflect vpon the prouidence of God Almightie who since hee intendeth to crowne none but such as 2. Tim. 2. shall ouercome in combate first giueth the grace and force to ouercome and then permitteth myserable people to practise cruelties and persecutions vpon thee that thou by his grace ouercomming them and remaining through Patience and Charitie a Conquerour he may crowne thee with abundance of temporall Content in this life and after death in the other with eternall glory according to the words of S. Iames saying Blessed is the man that suffereth Iam 1. 12. temptation for when he hath beene proued he shall receiue the Crowne of life which God hath promised to them that loue him Insomuch as by ouercomming thy gaine is so great that if a persecuting King Prince or Potentate should spoile himselfe of his Scepter and Crowne and bestow them both on thee together with his Kingdome yet thou shouldest not receiue by his meanes so great a benefit as the Martyr whō he putteth to death either publikely or by long priuate imprisonment or other distresses for our Catholike Faith My Num. 23. 10. soule die the death of the iust and my last ende be made like to them So in truth and veritie there is no cause why thou shouldest hate or wish any euill vnto thy seuerest Persecutors but much cause why thou shouldest wish well vnto them and loue them tenderly since that by their meanes and by their losse both of temporall and eternall Content and Happinesse thou perseuering in Charitie art to receiue a greater benefit then otherwise thou couldest expect euer to haue receiued viz. to be crowned with a Crown of Apoc. 3. 10. eternall glory to rest in the ioy of our Lord before the throne of God and serue him Apoc. 7. day and night in his Temple and be conducted by the Lambe our Sauiour to the liuing Fountaines of Waters And for this cause the wisest men that be vpon the face of the Earth haue a pious enuie at our happinesse here in England For that we are killed Ps 43. 22. all the day we are esteemed as Sheepe of slaughter for the Catholike Faith which wee professe and goe continually as the Prophet Dauid sayth With our liues alwayes Ps 118. in our hands to offer them to God Almightie in Sacrifice knowing that our reward is very great in Heauen for so Mat. 5. 12. they persecuted the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs that were before vs To whom our Sauiour sayth You are they that haue remained with me in my temptations and I dispose to you as my Father disposed to me a Kingdome that Luc. 22. 28. you may eate and drinke vpon my Table and in my Kingdome and may sit vpon Thrones iudging the twelue Tribes of Israel Thou seest what labour paines and dangers euerie worldly man would be content to take if he might but hope to ascend vp to be an earthly King or Prince or come to attaine some grace and fauour in the Court where in truth and veritie their greatest Pleasures are mixt with so many Woes that if they would but looke vpon them with reason they haue more cause to lament their euill mishap then to take glorie in their seeming high estate How much more shouldest thou be content gladly and willingly to suffer some seuen yeares paines and persecution in hope to enioy the Kingdome of Heauen the glorie of the other life and that eternally A third meanes is to stirre vp and reuiue thy Faith in thee by making many Acts of Faith founded vpon the Promises to patient suffering Iniuries and Persecutions for the loue thou bearest to God as often to make these or the like Acts. He that will saue his life Mat. 16. 25. shall lose it and he that shall lose his life for me shall finde it What doth it profit a man if Mat. 16. 26. he gaine the whole world and sustaine the dammage of his Soule What permutation shall a man Mar. 26. giue for his Soule What wilt thou take that the Deuill may haue thy Soule for to burne in Hell eternally and trie but for a quarter of an houre how thou canst endure thy hand or foot to be burnt in this fire vpon Earth And then thou wilt laud the mercies of our Lord that by his Grace and thy suffering patiently so little paines he hath ordained to redeeme thee from eternall Torments Wee suffer with Christ Iesu Rom. 17. that we may be glorified also with him The sufferings of this time are not condigne to the glorie to Rom. 8. 18. come that shall be reuealed in vs. Our tribulation which is momentarie 2. Cor. 4. 17. and light worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glorie in vs. If 2. Tim. 2. 11. wee be dead in Christ then wee shall liue also together with him If we shall sustaine we shall also reigne together So to liue by Faith according as it is written The iust Gal. 3. 12. liueth by Faith for without Faith it is impossible to please God For hee that commeth to God Heb. 11. 6. must beleeue that hee is and is a rewarder of them that seeke him And this is the Faith of the Saints so renowmed and often spoken of in the Scriptures the Faith of Henoch Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moyses Gedeon Barac Sampson Iephte and the Apostles who by Faith ouercame Kingdomes wrought Iustice obtained Promises stopped the mouth of Lyons extinguished the force of Fire repelled the edge of the Sword recouered of their Infirmities had triall of Mockeries and Stripes of Bonds and Prisons were Stoned Hewed Tempted dying in slaughter of the Sword went about in Sheepe skinnes and Goats skinnes needie in distresse afflicted of whom the World was not worthie wandering in Desarts in Mountaines and Dennes and in Caues in the Earth As thou seest Religious men and Priests and Lay Catholikes doe in the time of this our persecution
and it shall come to him and he would not Blessing and it shall be farre from him in all eternitie he shall neuer heare any Their Noses shall be tormented with stinke For sweet sauour sayth the Isa 3. 24. Prophet Isay there shall be stinke The cursed Carkas of one damned man in Hell for want of charitie shall stinke worse then all the carrion vpon the Earth so imagine if thou canst what a pestiferous stinke all the carkasses of the damned together shall make Their Taste shall be tormented with raging hunger and thirst and yet they shall neuer taste so much as one drop of Water to coole their Luc. 16. Tongues Their Touch and whole bodie shal be scorched with fire gnawne vpon by wormes Their Phantasie shall Isa 14. be frighted with vgly formes Their Memorie shal be afflicted with a perpetuall memorie and a continuall thinking vpon their miseries and torments alwaies so present as that they cannot possibly forget them for that they are eternally the same Their Vnderstandings shall be vexed with frensie folly and ignorance according to the saying of the Prophet Our Lord Ps 2. from Heauen shall laugh them to scorne Their Wills shall bee tormented with the losse of eternall weale and the possessing of eternall woe And thus confirmed in this rufull estate without hope of euer finding any alteration comfort or change The smoake of Apo. 14. their torments shall ascend vp for euer and euer And this is sufficient for to shew vnto thee deare Reader the miserable estate of these who liue and die in the breach of the Commandements of God that if the loue of thy owne good and content doe not moue thee to keepe them yet the feare of miserie and torments may winne thee to obserue them that thou maiest by one meanes or other attaine vnto the Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse which I heartely wish vnto thee CHAP. XV. That the Happie Elect and Iust and all those who shall be saued shall keepe the Law loue God with their whole hearts and their Neighbours as themselues FIrst it is an horror to Nature that any man should be truely Happy or Content who keepeth not the whole Law or Commandements of God as that a Fornicator Adulterer Drunkard Man-killer Vsurer Extortioner Periured person or Hater of God should be receiued into Heauen or liue with any Content vpō earth for because we see that such as are guiltie of these crimes and publikely professe in print that they cannot loue God with all their hearts or liue chast according to the Law are not content to be stiled or called haters of God Adulterers or Fornicators because of the repugnance which Nature hath against the guilt of sinne and breach of the Commandements of God which repugnance forceth them to esteeme the very stile of being so called as an infamous thing and badge of vnhappinesse If the guilt of such sinnes were not a horror to Nature there would be no repugnance in such as professe they cannot loue God or liue chast to be stiled haters of God fornicators and adulterers But they would like well of those names more then of others as most agreeable to their Natures and correspondent to their Faith and Religion And if the onely styling of men with these names of fornicators and haters of God which is but an extrinsecall denomination bee so disgustfull that no man though guiltie of the crime for the good opinion fame and estimation he desireth to haue before men will be content to take them for his name and be generally counted a fornicator or hater of God how much more will the vgly guilt and crime of sinne it selfe be disgustfull before men Angels and God Almightie Whereby it is manifest to reason that no man liuing with the guilt or staine of the breach of any one Commandement in his soule can euer bee Content or Happy in this life or in the other but that the Happy Iust and Elect shall keepe the Commandements of God loue him with all their hearts and their Neighbours as themselues And with this reason agreeth the consent of both the Old and New Testament saying Our Lord Deut. 31. 6. thy God will Circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy Seede that thou mayest loue our Lord thy God in all thy heart and in all thy soule that thou mayest liue Againe Ezek. 11. 19. And I will giue them one heart and will giue a new spirit in their bowels and I will take away the stonie heart out of their flesh and giue them a fleshy heart that they may walke in my Precepts and keepe my Iudgements and doe them and they may bee my People and I may bee their God Againe This Ier. 31. 33. shall bee the Couenant that I will make with the house of Israel After these daies saith our Lord I will giue my Law in their Bowels and in their hearts I will write it And I will be Heb. 8. 10. their God and they shall bee my People And Saint Heb. 10. 15. Paul making mention of this Prophesie affirmeth that the foresaid words of Ieremy are to be verified vpon Christians saying Our Lord hath obtained a better Mysterie then Moyses by so much as he is Mediator of a better Testament which is established in better promises For if the former had beene void of fault there should not certainely a place of a second beene sought for blaming them he saith Behold the daies shall come saith our Lord and I will consummate vpon the house of Israel and vpon the house of Iuda a new Testament For this is the Testament which I will dispose to the house of Israel after these daies saith our Lord giuing my Lawes in their minde and in their heart will I subscribe them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith The mouth of the Ps 36. 30. iust shall meditate wisedome and his tongue shall speake iudgement The law of God is in his heart and his steps shall not be supplanted Againe The Iustice Ps 102. 17. of our Lord is vpon the Childrens Children to them that keep his Testament and are mindfull of his Commandements to doe them The Prophet Isay speaking of the estate of our Catholike Church to come saith All thy Children taught of our Isa 54. 13. Lord and a multitude of peace to thy Children and in Iustice thou shalt be founded in keeping the law which is iust iustified Ps 18. in it selfe Whereupon our Lord saith That he came not to breake the Law but to Deut. 30. 6. fulfill it and giue grace vnto euery one to loue God with all their hearts and their Neighbours as themselues without the which no man can be saued as witnesseth our Sauiour saying If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements Againe He that doth the will of my Father Luc. 7. 21. which is in Heauen
that all our Counsels are to be referred the chiefest of all good God is vnto vs. God is to vs the chiefest good neither are we to remaine lower nor yet to seeke any thing beyond him The one is dangerous and the other is nothing The following of God is the desire of Happinesse and the attaining God Happinesse it selfe and we follow him by louing him and attaine to him when we are not altogether made that which he is but adorned with his vertue and sanctitie we are neere vnto him and touch him after a wonderfull and vnderstanding manner Againe For what other thing Aug. de morib Ecc. Catho should be the chiefest good of Man but that to which to cleaue vnto maketh most happie and that is onely God to whom verily we cannot cleaue vnto but by Loue and Charitie And if Vertue doth lead vs to happie life I would affirme Vertue to be nothing else but the casting of all our loue vpon God And therefore I will not doubt to define these foure Cardinall Vertues after this manner That Temperance should bee Loue giuing it selfe wholly to him that is beloued Fortitude to be Loue easily suffering or enduring all things for the thing beloued Iustice to be Loue seruing onely the beloued and therefore rightly ruling Prudence to be Loue wittily separating and discerning those thinges wherewith it is helped from those by whom it is hindered But we say that this loue is not of what thing soeuer but of God that is to say of the chiefest Good chiefest Wisedome chiefest Concord Wherefore wee may also after this manner define these foure Cardinall Vertues and say That Temperance is Loue preseruing it selfe whole and vnspotted to God Fortitude to be Loue patiently suffering all things for God Iustice to be Loue onely seruing God and for his sake well gouerning other things which are vnder his charge Prudence to be Loue well discerning these things wherewithall it is helped into God from these by which it may be hindered Againe Charitie is the most Aug. de Nat. et gra ca. 42. ibi ca. 70. true the most full and most perfect Iustice vnperfect Charitie is vnperfect Iustice encreased Charitie is encreased Iustice perfect Charitie is perfect Iustice but we vnderstand Charitie from a pure Heart and a good Conscience and a Faith not fained which then is the most perfect that it can be in this life when for the loue of it life is despised So Saint Augustine Whereupon the Councell of Trent Sess 6. ca. 7. saith Although none can be iust but to whom the mercies of the Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ are communicated that yet is done by the iustification of the wicked whiles by the merite of his most holy Passion the Charitie of God by the holy Ghost is poured into the hearts of them who are iustified and doth inhere in them Whereupon in Iustification with remission of sinnes a man doth receiue all these infused together by Iesus Christ to whom he is ingraffed by Faith Hope and Charitie For Faith vnlesse Hope be added vnto it and Charitie neither doth perfectly vnite with Christ neither doth it make a liuing Member of his Bodie And according to this are the words of S. Paul saying of Rom. 13. 10. Loue That it is the fulnesse of the Law Diuine Loue or Charitie comprehendeth in it all other Vertues fulfilleth the whole Law or Commandements of God If there be Rom. 13. any other Commandement it is comprehended in this word Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe The loue of thy Neighbour worketh no euill So Saint 1. Ioh. 3 10. Iohn sayth Euery one that is not iust that keepeth not the Commandements is not of God and he that loueth not his Brother because this is the Annunciation which you haue heard from the beginning That you loue one another Againe Ioh. 13. 35. In this all men shall know that you are my Disciples if you haue loue one to another Whereupon Saint Augustine sayth In 1. Ep. Ioa. tract 5. Therefore Loue onely discerneth betweene the sonnes of God and the sonnes of the Diuell All signe themselues with the signe of the Crosse of Christ all answer Amen all sing Alleluia all are Baptized all come to the Church and build the walls of Churches The sonnes of God are not discerned from the sonnes of the Diuell but by Charitie Those who haue charitie are borne of God those who haue not charitie are not borne of God Haue a great Iudgement haue a great Discretion or haue what thou wilt if this thou hast not the other doe nothing profit thee Whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith Blessed are Ps 118. 1. the immaculate in the way who walke in the Law of our Lord and loue God with all their hearts and their Neighbours for Gods sake as themselues Blessed are they that search his Ps 118. 2. testimonies that seeke after him with all their hearts for they shall be happie vpon Earth and eternally blessed in Heauen according to the words of our Sauiour saying Blessed Mat. 5. 3. Mat. 19. 29. are the poore in spirit such as haue left all things for the loue of God Blessed are the Mat. 11. 2â— meeke such as for his loue learne meekenesse of him Blessed are they that mourne for that they haue offended God and broken his Law Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Iustice the keeping of the Law Blessed are the mercifull who feede the Hungrie giue drinke to the Thirstie cloathe the Naked c. Blessed are the cleane of heart such as haue Charitie which S. Paul defineth to be of a pure Heart a good Conscience and Faith not fained Blessed are the Peace-makers such as teach men to loue their Neighbours as themselues thereby to take away all Suites and Controuersies no man commencing a Suit against himselfe Blessed are they that suffer persecution for Iustice out of their loues to God defending his Honor the fulfilling of his Oathes and seeking inuiolably to keepe his Commandements Whereupon we conclude that in the louing of God Almightie with our whole hearts and with our whole soules and with our whole mindes and our Neighbour for Gods sake as our selues consisteth all our Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse So God graunt thee deare Reader abundance of Charitie towards God and man that thou mayest be abundantly happie CHAP. XVII Of the temporall Blessing and Contentments which such enioy as loue God with their whole hearts and their neighbour for Gods sake as themselues HAuing established our Doctrine of Content and Happinesse and sufficiently shewed that it consisteth in Charitie from a pure Heart and a good Conscience and a Faith not fained which comprehendeth in it all other vertues and also hauing shewed thee how thou mayest become charitable now it resteth to set downe the Blessings Repose and Happinesse which we may by Gods grace attaine vnto by the practise of this Doctrine The loue
successe in all his affaires because hee was a pious Catholike Emperour that in the Battailes he fought with his Enemies their owne Weapons Darts and Arrowes were turned vpon themselues God Almightie fighting for him Of Honorius a most Catholike Emperour S. Augustine De Ciuit. Dei li. 5. ca. 28. writeth That God did so fight for him as in one Battaile he slew of the Gothes aboue a hundreth thousand and tooke their King and his sonne prisoners and not so much as one of his Armie killed or wounded Of Theodosius the yonger a verie pious Emperor writeth Socrates That making Lib. 7. hist ca. 18. his prayers to God while his Armie skirmished with the Sarazens a hundred thousand of them were driuen by Angels into the Riuer Euphrates and there perished The same prosperitie followed Iustine the elder and Hieraclius whilest they were Catholike Emperors but after they became Heretikes they neuer did any thing prosperously And to let passe Charles the Great Charles the fift and manie more Catholike Christian Kings and Emperors who attained to prosperous successe in their affaires aswell in warre as in peace by being pious Catholike Princes carefully seeking to keepe the Commaundements of God And to speake of the Kings and Princes of this Island In S. Austines time there were seuen Kings heere in England and the rest extinguished the Crowne remained together with the Monarchie in the Line of the West Saxons who were of all the rest most Catholike and pious defendors of the keeping of the Commaundedements of God And if wee looke yet further into the estate of this Monarchie of England wee shall finde it most true that the most flourishing times that euer England saw was when it most zealously professed Catholike Religion and piously labored to keepe the Commandements of God as in the reigne of Egbert who first reduced England into a Monarchie in the time of Alfred his sonne Edward the first and Athelstan his sonne Edmund Edred Edward the Confessor Henrie the first fourth and fifth to the verifying of the Promises and Prophesies saying I would thou haddest attended to Isa 48. 18. my Commandements thy Peace had beene as a floud and thy Iustice as the waues of the Sea And thy Seede had beene as the Sand and the Stocke of thy Wombe as the grauell stones thereof his name had not perished neither had it beene destroyed before my face Againe Whosoeuer 1. King 3. 30. wil glorifie me I wil glorifie him and they that contemne me shal be base Whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith Tribulation and Psa 118. 143. Distresse haue found me Thy Commaundements are my meditation Thy testimonies are equitie for euer giue me vnderstanding and I shall liue by keeping them enioying the Blessings and Promises of God comfort and helpe in all his tribulations and necessities Blessed are all that feare Ps 127. 1. our Lord that walk in his wayes Because thou shalt eate the labor of thy hands Blessed art thou and it shal be wel with thee in this life and in all eternitie which God of his goodnesse graunt thee Reader CHAP. XVIII Of the first spirituall Content and Happinesse which such enioy as loue God with all their hearts and keepe his Commaundements which is Beautie spirituall THe first spirituall Content and Happinesse vvhich God Almightie bestoweth vpon such as loue him is remission of their sinnes cleansing and washing of their soules with the water of life and decking and adorning them with spirituall Beautie Let the impious forsake his way and the vniust Isa 55. 7. man his cogitations and returne to our Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him and to our God because he is bountifull to forgiue So great are the mercies of God Almightie that at what time soeuer a sinner shall desist from violating the Commaundements of God and returne to loue him with his whole heart hee will haue mercie on him and obserue with him the faithfull mercies which hee promised to Abraham and his Seed saying Whosoeuer shall Eze. 11. 32. 34. 37. depart from his wicked wayes and turne vnto me I will receiue him into the Couenant which hee made with Abraham Dauid and the Patriarkes and their Seed for euer When Deut. 30. 1. thou shalt be turned sayth Moyses with repentance of thy heart and shall returne to our Lord and obey his Commaundements in all thy heart our Deut. 30. 9. Lord will turne to reioyce vpon thee in all riches as he reioyced in thy Fathers yet so if thou heare the voice of the Lord thy God and keepe his Precepts For thus sayth our Lord Dissolue the bands of Impietie Isa 58. 6. loose the bands that ouer-load dismisse them free that are broken and breake in sunder euerie burden Depart from sinne and doe works of Charitie Breake thy Bread to the hungrie and the needie and harbourlesse bring into thy house when thou shalt see the naked couer him and despise not thy flesh then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thy health shall sooner arise and thy Iustice shall goe before thy face and the glorie of our Lord shall imbrace thee with spirituall grace and fauour in this life and eternall glorie in the other And so sayth Cease to doe peruersly learne to Isa 1. 17. doe good to keepe the Commandements seeke iudgement succour the oppressed iudge for the fatherlesse defend the widow and come and accuse me saith our Lord if your sinnes shal be as scarlet they shal be made white as snow and if they be red as vermilion they shal be white as wooll Presently vpon the heartie conuersion of a sinner from his euill wayes and imbracing the Commandements of God and louing him with all his heart our Lord maketh his heart pure clean neat his cōscience good his faith not fained which hee doth by spirituall Water according to his Word saying If thou diddest Io. 4. 10. know the gift of God and who he is that saith vnto thee Giue me to drinke thou perhaps wouldest haue asked of him and he would haue giuen thee liuing Water He that shall drinke of the Water that I will giue him shall not thirst for euer but the Water that I will giue him shall become a Fountaine of Water springing vp to life euerlasting Again He that beleeueth in me with a faith that worketh according to charitie as the Scriptures say out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of liuing Water Whereupon it is said of such as loue God with all their hearts and keepe his Precepts that they are whiter Ier. Lam. 4. 7. then Snow purer then Milke ruddier then the old Iuorie fairer then Saphire And moreouer the soule of a sinner heartily conuerted to God is made so pure and gracious by Charitie that all the Saints and Angels in Heauen doe take pleasure and ioy to behold it as witnesseth our Sauiour saying Luc. 15. 7. There shall be ioy in Heauen
a Sparrow solitarie in the house top I did eat ashes as bread and mingled my drinke with weeping So great was the detestation and sorrow this holy Prophet had for his sinne that hee withered away through sighing and groaning fled the companie of men for shame and liued as a Crow or Owle that flyeth onely by Night and as a Sparrow who hauing lost her Mate and young remayneth mourning all alone and did eat ashes as bread and would take no comfort but in weeping My teares haue Ps 41. 4. beene bread vnto me day and night I haue laboured in my sighing I will euerie Night Ps 5. 7. wash my Bed and will water my Couch with my teares And of his zeale against sinne in others hee sayth My zeale hath made me pine Ps 118. 139. away because my enemies haue forgotten thy wordes Againe I saw the Preuaricators Ps 118. 138. and I pined away because they kept not thy wordes Againe Did not Ps 138. 21. I hate them that hate thee O Lord and pined away because of thine enemies With perfect hatred I did hate them That is hee did hate their sinne and loue their persons and seeke their saluation and in this was so zealous that hee would neither permit any one who liued in the breach of the Commandements of God either to sit at his Table with him or wait vpon him or dwell in his Pallace laying One of proud eye and vnsatiable Ps 100. 5. heart with him I did not eate mine eyes are towards the faithfull of the Earth that they may sit with me A man that walketh in the immaculate way he did minnister to me He that doth proudly shall not dwell in the middest of my house And wishing all others to follow the same rule saith With the Ps 17. 16. holy thou shalt be holy and with the innocent man thou shalt be innocent with the elect thou shalt be elect and with the peruerse thou shalt be peruerted And out of his zeale of the glorie and honor of God composed the Psalmes and prepared for the building of the Temple of God The like example of Zeale wee may finde in the Apostles and Saints Loue cannot be idle nor spirituall Iealousie euer be satisfied with labouring for God Almightie and the more it laboureth and doth the lesse it esteemeth it hath done according to the words of our Lord When you haue Luc. 17. 10. done all thinges that are commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruants The infinite mercies and liberalitie of God Almightie so ouerwhelming and drowning all their affections in the Sea of his goodnesse that they finde no paines but in not suffering paines and vndergoing labours for his loue So Saint Paul sayth Who shall separate Rom. 8. 35. vs from the Charitie of Christ Tribulation or Distresse or Famine or Nakednesse or Danger or Persecution or the Sword In all these things we ouercome because of him that hath loued vs. Once wounded with his loue farewell all the base pleasures and delights of the sonnes of Agar and estimation of the commodities and vanities of the World I haue Phil. 3. 8. made all things as detriment and doe esteeme them as dung that I may gaine Christ and may be found in him to know him and the vertue of his Resurrection and the societie of his Passion configured to his death If by any meanes I may come to the Resurrection which is from the dead Then so high an estimation of God Almightie and of the glorie of the other life entreth into his soule by the taste of a few droppes of his grace and fauour that paines are turned into pleasures and labours into delights for his loue and all earthly things seeme dung base and vile as they are indeed in comparison of the enioying God Almightie and the attaining vnto eternall life the force of Charitie hauing so ouercome the weakenesse of humane nature that now they liue not they but Christ in them Loue hauing so drawne them out of themselues as that they are no more that they were but that they loue To the fulfilling of the Promises and Prophecies saying in the person of our Lord I will Osce 11. 4. pull them vnto me in the coardes of Loue in the bonds of Charitie Againe This is the Iero. 31. Testament which I will make with them After these dayes Heb. 10. 15. saith our Lord giuing my Lawes in their hearts and in their mindes will I superscribe them This is the Testament which God made with our Fathers That hee would giue vs his Loue and Charitie in our hearts and soules and draw and pull vs vnto him with coardes and chaynes of Loue and Charitie This is it which our Lord promised before his Passion saying If I be exalted from the Earth Io. 12. 32. I will draw all things to my selfe Signifying that by his Passion hee would obtaine so great Charitie and Loue for his Elect who are all things all things being for them That he would draw them to himselfe into Heauen according to the saying of S. Paul Our conuersation is in Heauen and Phil. 3. 20. the wordes of our Lord saying For where thy treasure is Mat. 6. 22. there is thy heart also The treasure of the Saints is our Lord Iesus in Heauen and their hearts being wounded with the abundance of his Loue and Charitie of them it may more properly be said that they liue in Heauen then here vpon Earth for that their hearts and affections are there and man is said rather to be there where his soule loueth then where his bodie liueth and according to this our Lord saith Father whom thou hast giuen Io. 17. 24. me I will that where I am they also may be with me by grace in this life and glory in the other and so saith Iust Father Io. 17. 2â— I will that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them This he said before his Passion and before his Ascension and by his Ascension Hee departed Aug. li. con 4. ca. 12. from our eyes that wee might returne into our hearts and finde him Hee departed indeed and yet he is heere He would not be long from vs and yet he neuer left vs Hee is in our inward hearts but our hearts haue erred from him turne sinners into your hearts and keepe his Commandements that made you stand with him and you shall stand rest in him and you shall finde Ease and Rest which God of his infinite mercies grant thee deare Reader CHAP. XX. The third Content and Happinesse which such enioy as loue God Almightie with their whole hearts and their Neighbours for God as themselues which is the becomming sonnes of God and coheires with our Sauiour THe next happines of such as loue God Almightie with all their hearts is that they become the sonnes and children of God according to the wordes of
thee he hath disposed ascension in his heart in the vayle of teares they shall goe from vertue into vertue the God of Gods shall be seene in Sion Whereof Boetius speaking in his third Booke and tenth Verse sayth Come hither all yee that are bound Whose base and earthly mindes are drownd By such which doth them tye in cruell Chaines Here is a Seat for men opprest Here is a Port of pleasant Rest Here may a Wretch haue refuge from his Paines No Gold which Tagus Sands bestow Nor which on Herma's Banks doth flow Nor precious stones which scortched Indians get Can cleare the sharpenesse of the minde But rather make it farre more blinde And it in farther depth of darknesse set For this that sets our soules on worke Buried in caues of Earth doth lurke But Heauen is guided by another Light Which causeth vs to shun the Darke And who this Light doth truly marke Must needs denie that Phoebus beames are bright CHAP. XXII Of the fifth Content and Happinesse which such enioy as loue God Almightie with all their hearts and their Neighbours as themselues which is the finding knowing and seeing of God Almightie in this life not as he is in his Essence for so no man can see him and liue but as the Saints say in the disposition of a visible matter sauing the vision of his Diuine Essence for the glorie of the other life HE that hath my Commandements Io. 14. 21. and keepeth them he it is that loueth me and I will Io. 14. 9. loue him and will manifest my selfe to him and he that seeth me seeth also my Father God Almightie will not onely dwell and abide in his heart and soule that loueth him with all his heart but also will manifest himselfe vnto him and thereby giue him the greatest Content Rest and Happinesse that he is capable to receiue in this life the seeing of God or God Almightie manifesting himself vnto him not according to his Diuine Essence for so man is not capable of seeing his Diuine Maiestie and liue but in the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie or which is all one by taking that likenesse which his Will hath chosen and not his Nature formed as affirmeth S. Ambrose in Luc. ca. 1. S. Augustine in his Epistle de videndo Deo S. Gregor Nazia cited there by S. Augustine S. Athanasius quaestio 12. S. Hierome de verb. Isa vid. Dominum S. Chrysostome Hom. 4. de Dei Natura That he may walke by faith and not by sight 2. Cor. 5. or happie Vision Moyses the Patriarks Prophets and Saints did see God in this life as the Scriptures say but not as hee is in his Essence or Diuine Nature for so No man hath seene God Io. 1. 18. at any time nor shall see God and Exo. 33. 20. liue but vnder the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie Moyses conuersing with God face to face as a man is wont to speake to his Exo. 33. friend said vnto him Shew me thy glorie or as S. Augustine In Epist de videndo Dei translateth Shew me thy selfe and our Lord answered Thou canst not see my face or Diuine Nature for man shall not see me and liue Whereupon our Lord to satisfie the desire of Moyses shewed himselfe yet more manifestly to Moyses but still vnder the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie by taking that likenesse which his Will had chosen and not his Nature formed and so sayth to Moyses Behold there is a place with Exo. 33. 21. me and thou shalt stand vpon the Rocke and when my Glorie shall passe I will set thee in a hole of the Rocke and protect thee with my right hand vntill I passe and I will take away my hand and thou shalt see my backe parts In like manner our Lord shewed himselfe in the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie to the rest of the Saints and Prophets as to our Father Elias 3. Reg. 11. in the whistling of a gentle Wind To the Prophet Isay like a Isa 6. man sitting vpon a high Throne and eleuated his Face and Feete couered with the Wings of Seraphins To the Apostles and Saints of the Act. 2. Primitiue Church the holie Ghost appeared in Tongues as it were of fire And S. Iohn in Apo. 4. et 5. et 6. the Apocalypse often maketh mention to haue seene God sitting vpon a Throne And S. Augustine affirmeth That Conf. li. 11. c. 8. wheresoeuer hee did looke hee did see God saying How commeth it to passe my Lord God that wheresoeuer I I looke I see thee but how I should declare or make others vnderstand it I know not vnlesse it be because all that doth begin to bee and doth cease to bee doth then begin to bee and end when it is knowne that it ought to begin or end with eternall reason So the Prophet Dauid did see Ps 15. 8. God alwaies according to his words saying I foresaw our Lord in my sight alwaies not with the eyes of his bodie which dayly decay but with the eye of his heart which was renewed from day to 2. Cor. 4. 16. day according to the words of S. Paul saying God that 2. Cor. 4. 6. commanded Light to shine in darknesse he hath shined in our hearts to the illumination of the knowledge of the glorie of God So our Sauiour sayth Blessed Mat. 5. 8. are the cleane of heart for they shall see God And Saint Paul Heb. 12. 14. sayth Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see God Whereupon Saint Augustine sayth That Aug. ep 111. the wicked though they shall rise in the Day of Iudgement yet they shall not see God Because they would not make cleane their hearts by a true Faith that worketh by Charitie For God is not seene in a Amb. in 111. ep of S. Aug. Place sayth Saint Ambrose but in a cleane or pure heart Whereupon Saint Iohn sayth 1. Io. 4. 8. He that loueth not knoweth not God And Saint Paul defineth 2. Tim. 1. 5. Diuine Loue or Charitie to be from a pure heart And Saint Augustine further Aug. ep 111. sayth That great men truly and most learned in the Scriptures who haue much benefited the Church and the studies of the faithfull as often as occasion hath beene offered haue said That the inuisible God is seene inuisibly that is to say by that nature which in vs is also inuisible that is by a pure heart and minde Againe Because that according Aug. ep 112. to the custome of speech bodies are said to be visible therefore God is said to be inuisible least he should seeme to be a bodie and not because he doth defraud cleane hearts of the contemplation of his substance seeing this great and high reward is promised to the adorers and louers of God
So Saint Augustine God Almightie who is in all places and euerie where present is inuisible to the eyes of the bodie and visible to the pure cleane of heart yet not so visible to the cleane of heart in this life as that they shall see him as he is in his essence or diuine nature or as he inhabiteth Light 1. Tim. 6. 16. not accessible whom no man hath seene yea neither can see and Exo. 33. liue but as S. Paul saith in 1. Cor. 13. a darke sort in comparison of the blessed seeing of him in the other life or as the Saints say in such sort as his Will hath chosen and not his Nature formed whose delights are as he saith to be with the children of men Whereupon Pro. 8. 31. S. Augustine saith What doe I Li. Con. li. 10. ca. 6. loue when I loue thee my Lord I doe not loue the beautie of Bodies nor the glorie of Time nor the brightnesse of Light nor the sweete melodie of all kind of delightfull Songs nor the pleasing smels of Flowers and Oyntments and Spices not Manna and Honey nor Members acceptable to the embracements of the Flesh I doe not loue these when I loue my God and yet I loue a certaine Light and a certaine Voice and a certaine Odor and a certaine Meate and a certaine Imbracing when I loue my God the Light the Voice the Odor the Meate the imbracing of my inward Man where doth shine to my Soule that which Place doth not comprehend and where doth sound that which Time doth not take away and where doth smell that which a puffe of Wind doth not scatter and where doth taste that which eating doth not diminish and where doth cleaue that which satietie doth not take away This is that which I loue when I loue my God So great are the mercies of God Almightie and so infinite is his loue towards them who loue him with all their hearts that since they are not capable liuing in this life of seeing his substance and Diuine Nature Essence Deitie and Glorie hee will accommodate himselfe so as that they shall finde know and see him as they may and so enioy the greatest Ease Rest Content and Happinesse that they are capable of in this life and rest in some sort satisfied quiet and content as a Stone in his Centure Fire in his Sphere and Ayre in his Region according as in other places our Lord sayth Io. 17. 3â— This is life euerlasting that they know the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And againe I will see you againe and your heart shall reioyce and your ioy no man shall take from you and in that day you shall not aske any thing because they had by seeing our Lord all that they could desire and all Ease Rest and Content that in this life they were capable of so much content and so great that wee cannot expresse it but by saying that they had more then ynough of Rest and Content Thy friends are Ps 138. honoured too much Insomuch as there ariseth many times a pious contention betweene our Lord and a soule that loueth him who knowing her owne vnworthinesse how vnworthie shee is of any such fauours desireth to loue him and shew her loue towards him onely for his goodnesse without receiuing in this life such infinite rewards and therefore with thankfulnesse and humilitie as farre as resignation to his will permitteth refuseth the acceptance of his great contentments and fauours And then God Almightie being as it were more ouercome with these her humble proceedings poureth them out vpon her the more for in louing her humilitie and making great account of her resignation and desire of louing him onely for his goodnesse as vpon one fit to receiue greater fauours hee will communicate his goodnesse more abundantly vnto her and so they both rest as it were more then satisfied God Almightie in the humilitie resignation and faithfulnesse of the soule that loueth him and the soule that loueth him in the infinite mercies of her Lord. Thou must not thinke that I put Content and Happinesse in Visions Reuelations Gustes Consolations or spirituall delights such errors be farre from me but I put them in Charitie and diuine Loue the louing of God Almightie with all thy heart and thy neighbor for God as thy selfe according to the Precept and speake of those spirituall delights as they doe fill and satisfie Loues motions and so both giue content and encrease thy content and happinesse by mouing thee the more to loue his Diuine Maiestie as hauing tasted of his goodnesse according to the prayer of S. Paul for the Ephesians saying Hearing of your Eph. 1. 15. faith that is in our Lord Iesus and loue towards all the Saints I cease not to giue thanks for you making a memorie of you in my prayers That God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glorie giue you the spirit of Wisdome and of Reuelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your heart illuminated that you may know what the hope is of his vocation and what are the riches of his inheritance in the Saints Thou mayest be happie and neither haue Vision nor Reuelation nor yet many sensible spirituall Consolations yet more cause there is for thee to hope that thou art in a happie estate the more thou partakest of the Promises which God Almightie hath promised to such as are happie and loue him with all their hearts and so saith Blessed are your Mat. 13. 16. eyes because they see the Sonne of God and your eares because they heare God Almightie speaking and preaching And Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Iona Mat. 16. 17. because flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee And againe he sayth Learne of me Mat. 11. 28. for I am meeke and humble of heart and you shall finde rest that is himselfe who is all the Content and Rest that wee either shall finde or can hope to attaine vnto in this life or in all eternitie Whereupon it is said Seeke God and Ps 68. 33. thy soule shall liue not that thou shalt be happie by onely seeing him in this life but by louing him hee being an infinite Good and the chiefest Good of all Goods and onely sufficient to satisfie thy heart with complete content For by seeing him hee will so pierce thy heart with his loue and wound thy soule and all thy affections with the excellencie of his Goodnesse that thou wilt say with S. Paul I esteeme all things to Phil. 3. 8. be detriment and as dung that I may gaine Christ Though thou wert the greatest King Queene Prince or Emperour of the Earth as great as were Assuerus and Ester who reigned ouer the Medes and Persians an hundreth twentie seuen Prouinces Est 1. yet wouldest thou heartily say with Queene Ester to our Lord Thou knowest Est 4. 16. Lord my necessitie that I
thee deare Reader abundance of Charitie that thou maist beare much Fruit of the holy Ghost and be abundantly Happy and Content For with the same Mat. 6. 38. measure you doe mete it shall be measured to you againe saith our Sauiour OF THE SECOND Fruit of the Holy Ghost which is Ioy. THe second Fruit which the Holy Ghost produceth in the hearts of such as loue God is Ioy not such base ioyes as haue gaping hunters when they haue found their prey or sensuall Men in the Lute and Harpe and 〈◊〉 â—0 Timbrell and Psalme and Wines in their Banquets for which cause Hell hath dilated his Soule and opened his Mouth without all measure or limitation and the Strong and High and Glorious ones shall descend into it but Ioy in our Lord according to the words of the blessed Virgine Mary saying My Spirit hath reioyced Luk. 1. 46. in God my Sauiour An exultation of the Heart and Soule in the liuing God according to the words of the Prophet Dauid saying My Psal 83. 5. Heart and my Flesh hath reioyced in the liuing God who is all Pleasure Content and Good An inestimable Ioy and content of Minde and Spirit to finde our Lord there according to his Promise Now indeed you haue Io. 16. â—â— Sorrow but I will see you again and your Heart shall reioyce and your Ioy no man shall take from you Because it shall be in their inward soules with God Almightie which death will not take away but increase according to the words of our Lord saying As my Io. 15. â— Father had loued me I also haue loued you abide in my Loue If you keepe my Precepts you shall abide in my loue as I also keepe my Fathers Precepts and doe abide in his loue These things I haue spoken to you that my Ioy may be in you and your Ioy may be filled with so great Content that in this life you are neither capable nor would receiue or desire more Of this Ioy our Sauiour â—â— 17. 11. further speaking saith Holy Father keepe them in thy Name whom thou hast giuen me that they may be one as also We and these things I speake in the World that they may haue my Ioy filled in themselues Of this Ioy S. Augustine speaking saith God forbid Con. li. 10. ca. 22. my Lord that with what Ioy soeuer I should reioice I should thinke my selfe happie There is a Ioy which is not giuen to the wicked but to such as serue thee gratis whose Ioy thou thy selfe art and that same is happie Life to reioice at thee of thee and for thee this is it and other there is none Againe Con li. 10. ca. 23. Such as will not reioice of thee who only art happie Life will not be happie for happie Life is Ioy of thee who art Truth God mine illumination the health of my face â—nd my God And out of this Ioy are the abundant Prayses and Ioyes of the Prophet Dauid saying Come let vs reioyce Ps â—4 to our Lord Let vs make iubilation to God our Sauiour The habitation in thee as it Iâ— 8â— â— were of all reioycing Light is risen to the Iust and Ioy to the right of heart Be glad ye Iust 〈…〉 1â— in our Lord and confesse ye to the memorie of his sanctification Of this Ioy the Prophet A 〈…〉 〈…〉 writing saith I will 〈…〉 our Lord and will reioice 〈…〉 my IESVS Of this Ioy the Prophet 〈…〉 Isay speaking saith The ioy of 〈◊〉 Asses the pastures of flocks vntill the Spirit be poured out vpon vs from on high and the Desart shall be as Carmell and Carmell shall be reputed for a Forrest and Iudgement shall dwell in the Wildernesse and Iustice shall sit in Carmell The Ioyes and contentments of Men before they he endued with the Spirit of God are as the Prophet saith like the ioyes of wilde Asses all placed in eating drinking sleeping and following their carnall and sensuall appetites but after the Holy Ghost be poured out vpon them then they who were without Fruit and as such abandoned and forsaken and left to the ioyes of wilde Asses shall be as Carmell or Carmelites which is to say knowledge of Circumcision or a Circumcised Lamb and shall abandon and cast off all their wilde Asses pleasures to become partakers of the Promises of God to our Fathers saying Our Lord thy God will circumcise Deut. 30. 6. thy heart and the heart of thy Seede that thou maiest loue thy Lord thy God in all thy heart and in all thy soule that thou maiest liue Whereof S. Paul speaking Rom. 2. saith Circumcision of the heart in Spirit Againe Wee Phi. 3. are the Circumcision which in Spirit serue God and keepe the Commandements And Carmell the Mount from which wee take our Name and vpon which our Fathers Elias Elizeus and the sonnes of the Prophets liued in contemplation and adoration of God in Spirit and veritie shall be so dilated as a Forrest manie giuing themselues to contemplation all ouer the World And Iudgement shall dwell in contemplatiue Men and Iustice shall sit in Carmell in Carmelites or Men hauing circumcised hearts by the Spirit of God As in another place the same Prophet speaking saith Shall Isa 22. not yet within a little while and in a short time Libanus another more waste Mountaine in Palestina be turned into Carmell and Carmell reputed for a Forrest and in that day the deafe shall heare the words of the Booke and out of the Darkenesse and Mist the eies of the blinde shall see and the meeke shall adde ioyfulnesse in our Lord and the poore men shall reioice in the Holy One of Israel c. Againe of these Ioyes Ease and Rest which men endued with Charitie should attaine vnto the Prophet Isay further speaking saith When Isa 2. thou shalt poure out thy Soule to the hungrie and shalt fill the afflicted Soule thy light shall rise vp in darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the Noone-day And our Lord will giue thee Rest alwaies and will fill thy Soule with brightnesse and deliuer thy bones and thou shalt be as a watered Garden and as a Fountaine of Waters whose Water shall not faile And the Desarts of the World shall be builded in thee Thou shalt raise vp the foundations of Generation and Generation and thou shalt be called the builder of the Hedges turning the Paths into Rest. If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will in my Holy day and call the Sabbath delicate and the Holy of our Lord glorious and glorifie him whilest thou doest not thine owne waies and thy will be not found to speake a word Then shalt thou bee delighted vpon the Lord and I will lift thee vp aboue the heights of the Earth and will feede thee with the Inheritance of IACOB thy Father for the Mouth of our Lord hath spoken If the