why haue you done this And when the Angell of our Lord spake these wordes to all the Children of Israell they lifted vp their voyce and wept Aâ—d the name of that place was called the place of Weepers or of teares and there they immolated hoastes to our Lord. And that it was a great and generall lamentation and a signe of true repentance the 〈◊〉 name giuen to that place beareth perpetuall record For it was called the place of Weepers or of teares What shall I say of the Prophets They euery where teach and proclaime that God desireth not the death of sinners but that they would be conuerted and liue Ezech 18 Hier 3 It is commonly said saith God by Hieremy if a man put away his wife and she departing from him marry another man will he returne to her any more But thou hast committed fornication with many louers Neuerthelesse returne vnto me saith our Lord and I will receiue thee And by Ezechiell Ezech 33 Thus you haue spoken saying Our iniquities and our sinnes are vpon vs and in them wee fade away How then can wee liue Say to them liue I saith our Lord God I will not the death of the Impious but that the impious conuert from his way and liue Conuert conuert yee from your most euill wayes and why will you dye O house of Israell But to omit the wicked none can expresse the more then fatherly or motherly loue which our Lord sheweth to those that feare and hope in him Dauid in the Psalmes saith Psal 102 According to the height of Heauen from Earth hath he strengthned his mercy vpon them that feare him And after As a Father hath compassion of his Children so hath our Lord compassion on them that feare him And againe The mercy of our Lord from euerlasting and vnto euerlasting vpon then that feare him And in another place Tast yee and see that our Lord is sweet Psal 33 Blessed is the man that hopeth in him And againe Psal 72 How good is God to Israell to heÌ„ that are of a right heart That is who can expresse the great goodnesse mercy and sweetnesse of God vnto righteous soules Isay 49 God also faith by Esay Can a Woman for gether Infant that she will not haue pitty on the Sonne of her wombe And if she should forget yet will not I forget thee And â—teremy in his Lamentations Lamen 3 Our Lord is my pâ—rtion said my soule thâ—refore will I exâ—cct him Our Lord is good to them that hope in him to the Soule that secketh hâ—m It is good to waite wâ—h silence for the saluation of God If I should set downe moreouer what the Apostles say in their Epistles of the loue of God towardes the righteous I should neuer make an end Let that stand for all which St. Paul hath writ in the beginning of his last Epistle to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 1 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercyes and God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation That wee also may be able to comfort them that are in all distresse Hee saith not God is a comforter but most full of all comfort Nor that hee comforteth vs in some tribulation but in all tribulation Nor that wee may bee able to comfort them that are in some distresse but in all distresse So that hee could not more sett forth the mercy of God to those whome hee loueth and by whome he is beloued But to conclude it shall not bee amisse to set downe the wordes of St. Prosper in which he declareth the mercy of God not onely to the righteous but also to the wicked to make them righteous Lib 2 de voc gentium c. 26 Gratia omnibus iustificationibus principaliter praeeminet c. Grace saith he doth chiefly excell all iustifications by perswading with exhortations by admonishing with examples by terrifying with dangers by incyting with miraclet by giuing vnderstanding by inspiring counsaile by illuminating the heart and induing it â—ith the affections of faith But â—â—t mans will is toâ—red and adioyned thereunto Which therefore is inciteâ—s by the former helpâ—s that it shâ—uld coop rate wâ—th the diuine worke in it selfe and bâ—gin to vse for merite what from heauenly seede it conceiued fâ—r exercise proceeding from selfe inconstancy if it decay and from the assistance of grace if it increase which assistance is giuen vnto all by innumerable wayes either secret or manifest and that it is refused of many proceedeth from their wickednesse But that it is receiued of many is a worke of Gods grace and mans will Thus he Goe too now my soule Cap. 4 if thy maker bee so Sweete and mercifull suffering Sinners with incredible benignitie to conuert them and comforting the righteous that they may increase the more in vertue Oughtest not thou to beare meekely with thy neighbours and to become All thinges to all men 1 Cor. 9 that thou maist gaine all vnto thy Lord God Thanke with thy selfe to what high excellency the Apostle doth exhort theâ— when he saith â—phâ— 5 Be yee therefore followers of God as 〈…〉 deare Children And walke 〈◊〉 Loue as Christ also loued vs and deliuered himselfe fâ—r vs an oblation and hoast to God in an odour of sweetnesse Imitate God the Father who maketh his Sunne to rise vpon good and bad Mat 5 and raineth vpon iust and vniust Imitate God the Son who taking humane Nature spared not his owne life to deliuer vs from the power Of darknesse and eternall damnation Imitate God the holy Ghost who infuseth plentifully his most precious guiftes into vs to make vs being carnall to become spirituall THE SIXT STEPP From the Consideration of the Fire THe Element of Fire is so pure and noble Cap. 1 that God himselfe would be called fire as Moses and St. Paul witnes saying Our Lord is a consuming Fire Deut 4 Heb 12 And when God first appeared vnto Moses hee appeared in a flame of Fire burning a bush and not consuming it Exod 3 Our Lord appeared saith Moses in aflame of Fire out of the midst of a bush And he saw that the bush was on fire and was not burnt And when the same God came to giue the Law vnto the people hee came in the forme of fire For so speaketh Moses Exo. 19 All the Mount Sinai smoaked For because our Lord was descended vpon it in Fire According to the similitude of which mistery when as the new Law was to bee promulged the holy Ghost appeared vnto the Apostles in fiery tongues Act. 2 Those spirits also which are most neare to God in Heauen are called Seraphins that is to say Fiery because they are more inflamed with the Fire of Diuine Loue then other Angells Which being so it is not a thing difficult for vs from the element of Fire and the nature and properties thereof to frame
Doctors are rewarded with Crownes of Gold in the kingdome of heauen For Crownes of gold to wit certaine rewardes beside eternall life are giuen to Martyres Doctors and virgins To Martyres for their excellent charitie Ioh. 15 because Greater loue then this no man hath that a man yeild his life for his friends To Doctors for their excellent wisdome of whome Daniel speaketh Dan. 12 They that iustruct many to Iustice shall shine as starres vnto perpetuall eternities To virgins for their vnualuable chastitie for which cause the virgins in the Apocalips are said to sing a New song that no man els could say Apoc. 14 These are they saith St. Iohn which were not defiled with women For they are virgins and follow the Lambe whether socuer he shall goe Neither shall the charitie of Martyres wisdome of Doctors and puritie of virgins onely be approoned by the fire of Gods iudgement and fully rewarded but also all other good workes done in charitie shall be esteemed as vessells of golde and endure that dâ—â—ine fire and receiue their reward For to them will our Lord say at the day of Iudgement Mat. 25 Come ye blessed of my Father possesse you the Kingdome prepared from the foundation of the world You who haue giuen bread to the hungry drinke to the thirstie lodging to strangers clothing to the naked and comfort to the sicke and such as are in prison And the same Lord promiseth also that Whosoeuer shall out of charitie giue a cup of cold water Mat. 10 onely in the name of a Disciple he shall not lose his reward Dost hoâ— vnderstand O my soule how great is the difference of Workes And what then can be more fond and miserable then hauing time and place wherein if thou be wise thou maist easily gather gold siluer and pretious stones to seeke rather with great labour after wood Hay and stubble O that thou were wise and vnderstood Deut. 32 and would prouide for the last thinges when all these Workes shall be examimned and tried in the fire of Gods iudgement and the former shall be praised and crowned but the latter shall be burned to smoake and ashes Why dost thou now choose that which doubtlesse thou wilt repent to haue chosen And why dost thou not now for thy profit dislike what heereafter thou wilt without profit condemne And if perhapps thou see it not now for that the veyle of thinges present is drawne before thyne eyes that they cannot beholde the cleere and simple truth Pray vnto God and with great deuotion say vnto him with the blinde man in the Gospell Luk. 18 Lord grant that I may see and with the Prophet Reueale mine eyes Psal 118 and I shall consider the meruailous thinges of thy Lawe For truely it is meruailous that workes donne in Charity become Gold Siluer and precious stones but such as are not done in Charitie are turned to wood hay and stubble Cap 3 Let vs now consider the other propertie of the sire For hetherto we haue learned from it what God doth with those that depart out of this life with euill workes or in good workes perseuer vnto the end Now by another resemblance taken also from the fire we may vnderstand what God worketh in those whome he calleth from sinne to repentance A sinner is like Iron which so long as it is kept farre from the fire is blacke cold hard and heauy But if it be put in the fire it becommeth white botte soft and light Euery sinner wanteth inward light and walketh in darkenesse and therein resembleth the blacknes of Iron For although he seeme skilfull in humane scyence and excell in vnderstanding and iudgement therein yet is he blinde in iudgement of the true good and euill and more miserable then any blinde man For a blinde man seeth nothing and therefore goeth not without a guide but a sinfull man thinketh that he seeth what he seeth not or seeth one thing for another iudging good euill and euill good great little and little great long short and short long And therefore he is euer deceiued in his choyce So speaketh the Apostle of the Panim Idolaters Ephe. 4 Hauing their vnderstanding obscured with darknesse by the ignorance that is in them because of the blindenesse of their hart Therefore our Lord himselfe also in the Gospel doth so often reproue the Scribes and Pharisies saying Math. 15 23 They were blinde and guides of the bilnde And the Prophet Isay speaking to the Iewes of his time saith Heare ye deafe Isay 42 and ye blinde behold to see to whom he prophefieth that Christ should come and open the eyes of the blinde And speaking of the new Testament in the person of God he addeth Isay 43 Bring forth the blinde people and hauing eyes the deafe and hee hath eares Moreouer the wicked after this life will confesse that this is true when their punishments shall begin to open the eies of their mindes which their offences had shut Wis 5 We therefore say they haue erred from the way of truth and the light of iustice hath not shined to vs and the sinne of vnderstanding rose not to vs. Neither is it to be meruayled although they are blinde which are auerted from God in vnderstanding and will For God is light 1 Ioh. 2 and no darkenesse is in him Whereupon the same Apostle concludeth He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in the darkenesse euen till now And a little after He that hateth his brother is in darkenesse and walketh in the darkenesse and knoweth not whether he goeth because darkenesse hath blinded his eyes Neither is it the onely cause of blindenesse in sinners for that they are turned from God Who is light but also because Their malice hath blinded them Wisd 2 as the wise man speaketh For loue hatred anger enuy and other such like passions of the minde which are comprehended vnder the name of Malice so blinde the minde that it cannot see the truth they are as coloured spectacles with make white things seem red or else so framed that they make great thinges seeme small small things seeme great things far off seeme neere and thinges neere seeme far off He that is in loue thinketh the thing he loueth most faire profitable good and necessarie and before all other thinges to be procured Againe he that hateth the same thing iudgeeth it most deformed vnprofitable euill and hurtfull and before all other thinges to be forsaken But if this blacke and deformed Iron be put into the fire that is if the sinner begin to auert from sinne and conuert himselfe to God according to that of the Prophet Come ye to him Psal 33 and be illuminated then he beginneth by little and little to receaue light and to see the truth in that light according to the saying of the same Prophet In thy light we shall see light Psal
all chasts lone And therefore the mysterie of the Trinitie doth surpasse all naturall knowledge neither can a learned Philosopher attaine thereunto without supernaturall light For the soule of Man produceth a Word and a loue which are not substances but accidents and therefore no persons But God the Father did beget the word consubstantiall to himselfe And the Father and the word breathed out the holy Ghost consubstantiall likewise to them both Therefore the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are truely three persons The soule of Man also produceth a Word which continueth not long and the Will produceth a loue which lasteth not long but God the Father did beget The Wordeternall and the Father and the Word did breath out the holy Ghost eternall For God cannot be without his Word and Spirit Furthermore the soule of Man by one Word representeth but one thing and therefore it multiplyeth the wordes not onely of the Minde but also of the mouth The will of Man likewise must produce many actes of Loue if it will loue many thinges but God with one Word speaketh all truth and with one Acte of loue loueth all good thinges Tenthly and lastly Cap. 10 the soule of man whiles it is in the body is not seene heard mooued nor scarce conceiued to be there and yet from it all good thinges are deriued to the body as sense motion speech subsistence beauty strength and the like For how could a man see heare speake walke subsist and be strong faire and amiable vnlesse his soule were in him And why doth he not after he is dead see heare speake and mooue but because his soule is departed from whence these benefites proceeded Euen so thy God O my soule whiles he liueth in thee by his Grace maketh thee to see what Faith sheweth thee and to heare what he speaketh in thee That thou mayest walke in the Way of the Commaundements towardes the Heauenly Hierusalem and speake in prayer to God and in good exhortations to thy neighbour and subsist perseuering in good workes and be strong in battaile against thy inuisible enemies and thereby become beautifull in the eyes of the inuisible God and his Angells But take heede least Gods grace departing from thee which is the life of thy soule thou fall into the losses of the First death And from it be carried to the second death froÌ„ whence is no Resurrection O that thy God would open the eyes of thy minde that thou mightest behold the beauty of a Soule that is vnited to him in Charity What place hee prepareth for it What ioyes hee promiseth it How louingly hee looketh on it And with what longing it is ezpected by the Angells and blessed Soules Then wouldest thou not endure that so great beauty should be blemished with the least spott And if it should so happen thou wouldest endeauour to wash it away with floudes of teares For so did St. Francis as Saint Bonauenture reporteth who although he could not follow the immaculate Lambe without some spot endeauoured notwithstanding to purge and clense his soule with daily shewers of teares from all spottes of offences whatsoeuer Againe if thy God would open thy inward eyes that thou mightest see the deformity of a Sinfull soule how it slinketh like a rotten carcasse and how both God and his Angells reiuse to looke thereon although perhaps it dwell in a beautifull body very pleasing to the eyes of men surely thou wouldst be so affrighted that by no meanes thou wouldest become such a one nor long continue in such estate THE NINTH STEPP From the Consideration of Angells WE are come to the highest Stepp of Ascention vnto God Cap. 1 from created substances For if wee speake onely of Naturall perfection there is no created substance higher then that of Angells First therefore we will consider Angells according to their excellency of Nature Secondly according to their sublimity of Grace And lastly according to the Offices which they execute For it is not our meaning to enter into a full Disputation about Angells but onely to touch such thinges as may helpe vs to eleuate ouâ— mindes to God If an Angell then be compared vnto Mans reasonable Soule it may fitly be called a perfect Soule euen as the soule may be called an vnperfect Angell For so of man spake the Prophet by reason of his Soule when he said Thou hast minished him a little lesse then Angells Psal 8 An Angell is a Perfect Spiritual Substance the Soule an Vnperfect Spirituall Substance because it is the Bodyes Forme and but one part of Man Therefore an Angell is all Spirit Man partly Spirit and partly flesh or partly an Angell and partly a beast As if one should say An Angell is all of golde Man partly of golde and partly of clay The Prophet then said truely Man is minished little lesse then Angells And it is also true that the soule of man because it is a part of man is little lesse then an Angell Whereupon it followeth that an Angell is more like to God then a man or his soule for God is a Spirit and not a Body or Forme of of a body And yet notwithstanding this resemblance of an Angell vnto God God is a spirit infinitely excelling the dignity of an Angel For God is a Spâ—rit vncreated eternall immense Almighty onely Good onely Wise onely High If then my soule thou wilt confesse that thou doest with reason admire the Nature of Angells How much more oughtest thou to admire and reuerence the Nature of God who without all comparison excelleth them Neither in Nature or substance onely may an Angell be called a perfect Mâ—n Cap. 2 and Man an vnperfect Angell but also in knowledge and vnderstanding For man because hee vseth the ministery of his sences and discourseth from effectes to causes and from causes to effectes vnderstandeth with lâ—bour and by degrees attaineth vnto knowledge whervpon he oftentimes doubteth oftentimes is deceiued and seldom findeth out the Truth But an Aâ—gell beholdeth aâ— once the effectes and causes together seeth the Substance with the Accidentes and spirituall thinges with corporall Man therfore whiles hee is a Pâ—grim on carth in vnderstanding is not a little lesse but much lesse then Angells So that albeit hee excell in Witt and in the study of Philosophy Yet in comparison of an Angell he may truely be accounted a Childe or sucking Infant Not vntruely therfore spake that Prophet of vs mortall Men Oâ—â— of the mouth of Infantes Psal 8 and Sucklings thou hast perfited praise Heare what the wise Salomon iudged of our Wisdome wherewith we are so puffed vp All thinges are hard saith he Man cannot explicate them in Worde Bccle 1 Bccles 3 And againe God hath deliuered the World to their disputation that man cannot finde â—he Worke which God hath â—rought from the beginning to the end If all thinges then are hard and which man cannot explicate And if man vnderstand nothing in this visible
disposeth a man to behaue himselfe well in all actions according to all lawes And in this all vertues as weâ—l Theologicall as Moral are comprehended There is also another vertue called Charitie which conteyneth all vertues in her bosome and commaundeth and directeth all their actes vnto their endes Which although it be a particular Theologicall vertue yet it may truely be called likewise iustice ingenerall For it disposeth a man to behaue himselfe well towards God and his neighbour and in so doing he fulfilleth all lawes So speaketh the Apostle Rom 13 Lâ—ue worketh no euill And He that loueth hath fulfilled the lawe And Loue is the fulnesse of the Lave St. Augustine also in his booke of Nature and Grace sayth Vnperfect Charitie is vaâ—erfect â—â—stice Charitie increased is iustice increased great Charitie is great Iustice perfect Charity is perfect iustice Moreouer in God are all vertues without any imperfection and in lieu of them which may praesuppose imperfection there is somthing much better more excelleÌ„t for which cause he is most truly called The onely good oneâ—y holy Faith therfore is not in God a Theologicall vertue because Faith is of those thinges which are not seene But God seeth all thinges Neither is their hope in God because hope is an expectation of thinges to come but God expecteth nothing for hee possesseth all thinges from eternitie Neither is there in God repentance for sinne because God cannot sinne Nor Humilitie for Humilitie keepeth a man that he ascend not vainely aboue himselfe but continue in his estate but God hath nothing aboue himselfe because he is most High Yet Charitie the Queene of vertues is in God most ample truely infinite For he loueth himselfe infiintely because himselfe onely perfectly knoweth the insinite goodnesse of his Essence He loueth also all thinges he hath made so speaketh the Wife man Wisd 1 Thou honest all thinges that are and hatest nothing of those which thou â—â—st made For God by his wisdome knoweth how to seperate euill from good to wit defect from nature euen in the Deuils in the most wiâ—ked And he loueth nature which he made hateth defect which he made not Furthermore there is such true Charity in God that himselfe would be called Charitie as St. Iohn speaketh when he saith God is Chrritie 1 Ioh. 4 But our loue being compared with Gods loue is exceeding small For many thinges we loue not because we knowe them not Many thinges also which we knowe we loue not because we decerne not in them good from euill many good thinges likewise we loue not well and therefore not with true charitie because we are naught and follow rather lust then loue And we loue God vnperfectly not onely because we loue him not so much as his goodnesse doth deserue which neither the Angels doe but also because we loue him lesse then we ought and lesse also then we might if we did with more attention and diligence giue our selues to prayer and Meditation This Queene of vertues in the Lord of vertues is accompanied with singular magnificence infinite liberalitie incredible benignitie and humilitie admirable patience and longanimitie most abundant mercie and pietie euerlasting truth and fidelitie perfect iustice and most vnspotted sanctitie so that The Sâ—arres are not cleane in his sight Iob 25 And the Seraphins being astonished â—ive Holy holy holy Isay 6 the Lord God of hâ—stes O my soule if thou didst consider these thinges attentiâ—ely with what feare and membling wouldest thou serue God in thy deuotions and prayers 〈◊〉 And especially at the holy Altar with what reuerence humilitie wouldest thou offer vp to the eternall Father his onely begotten Sonne in the sight of Angels for the health of the quicke and dead But let vs go on Cap. 2 The length of Gods iustice is manifested by the truth fidelitie thereof Our Lord is faithfull in all his wordes saith the Prophet Psal 144 That is The promises of God which were declared many ages since by the Prophets neuer were nor shall be frustrate but more firme and stable then heauen and earth Luke 16 For so saith our Lord It is easier for hearten and earth tâ— passe then one tittle of the lawe to fall And our Lord meaneth by the Lawe not onely the truth of his Commandements but also of his promises For whatsoeuer he hath commaunded must be obserued or punishment followeth and whatsoeuer he hath promised is by eternall truth established and performed Where vpon he also saith Math 5 Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shall not passe And Isay Iâ—â—y 40 The word of our Lord abideth for euer And Dauid Psal 110 All his Commaundements are faithfull Confirmed for euer and euer Rom 3 And the Apostle But God is true and euery man a Lyer And It is vnpâ—ssible for God to lye Heb. 1 The reason of which sayinges is because being Wisdome he cannot be deceaued being goodnesse he cannot deceaue and being Omnipotencie he cannot saile But men although they be wise good and mightie may be deceaued and deceaue because they neither knowe all thinges nor can performe all thinges as they will they also that are good when they promise may soone after become euill and not fulfill their promise Therefore if thou be wise my soule trust onely in God cleaue onely to him and vpon him cast all thy care Walke thou carefully with thy Lord God Mich. 6 and hee will be carefull of thee Take heed all thou canst least thou offend his Iustice and his mercy will alwayes so defend thee that thou shalt not neede to feare what man or deuill can doe to thee The Height of Gods iustice is seene in giuing the reward of Heauen Cap. 3 which God as the Highest and most iust Iudge hath prepared for them that haue liued righteously And first we shall decerne the Greatnesse of his Iustice if wee compare God as a Iudge with men that are Iudges Secondly if we compare rewards with rewardes to wit the rewards which God will giue with those which men vse to giue Men that are Princes Prelates or Iudges and haue vnder them subiectes or seruantes for the most part giue not for many causes iust Rewardes to those that deserue them For either they cannot through want of ability giue to all according to their deserts or they know not all their desertes or they knowe not their true worth which dependeth vpon the sincerity and affection of their mindes or through couetousnesse and malice or some other peruerse inclination they will not iustly reward their iust labours Or lastly they are either preuented by death before they can pay the recompence which they owe or they to whome it is due depart out of this life before they begin to tast the fruits of their trauailes But God giueth the righteous not onely iust rewards for their good workes but also aboue their deserts Math.
men as they haue preferred their loue before their estate and dignitie children and parentes yea their life and eternall saluation The examples which are read in holy Scripture of Dauid Salomon and Sampson are known histories are full of the like Wherefore my soule if so great beautie be giuen by God to creatures how great admirable maist thou think is the beautie of God himselfe For none can giue that which he hath not And if men delighted with the beauty of the Sun and starres though those Bright bodies saith the wise man to be Goddes Wisd 13 Let them knowe how much the Lord of them is more beautifull then they for the author of beautie made all these thinges How great the beautie of God is we may gather not onely because it comprehendeth the beautie of all creatures most eminently within it selfe but also for that it being vnto vs inuisible while we are Pilgrims on earth and onely vnderstood by faith of Scriptures and mirrour of Creatures yet notwithstanding many saints haue bin so inflamed with the loue thereof that some of them haue hid themselues in Desertes and attended onely to the contemplation therof as St. Mary Magdalen Paul the first Heremite the great Anthony and others of whom you may reade in the religious History of Theodoret. Others forsaking their wiues and Children and whatsoeuer els they possessed on earth liued in Monasteries vnder the obedience of others that they might enioy the friendship of God Others desired willingly with rigorous paines to end their liues that they might come to the sight of that infinite beautie Heare one of them to wit St. Ignatius the Martyre in his Epistle to the Romans Let fire gallowes beastes breaking of my bones quartering of my members brusing of my body and all the torments of the Deuill come vpon me so that I may enioy Christ If then this diuine beauty not yet seene but onely beleeued and hoped for could kindle such a feruent desire what will it doe when as the vaile being remooued it shall be seene as it is in it selfe It will doubtlesse bring to passe Psal 3 That being drunke with the torrent of that pleasure we neither will nor can one moment turne our eyes from it And what wonder is it although the Angels and blessed soules which alwayes see the face of their Father in heauen are not wearied or tyred with that sight since God himselfe from all eternity beholding his owne beauty is fully pleased there with and being happie by that sight desireth nothing els entring as it were into a Vineyard or Garden of all delights from whence he neuer shall nor will depart Seeke that beauty O my soule sigh after it day and night say with the Prophet My soule hath thirsted after thee the strong liuing Psal 41 when shall I come and appeare before the face of God Say with the Apostle We are bolde 2 Cor 5 and haue a good will to be Pilgrims rather from the body and to be present with our Lord. Neither doe thou feare to be defiled with the loue of that beauty For the loue thereof doth comfort not corrupt doth purifie and not polute the hart The holy virgin and martyre St. Agnes sayd truely I loue Christ whose mother is a virgin whose Father knoweth no woman whom when I loue I am chaste when I touch I am cleane when I take I remaine a virgin But if thou dost truely desire the vncreated beauty of thy Lord thou must fulfill that which the Apostle addeth in that place 2 Cor. 5 Therefore saith he we endeauour whether absent or present to please him If God please thee thou oughtest likewise to please God And surely we shall please God in the country of the liuing when as we shall be illuminated with his glory as the Prophet saith Psal 114 I will please our Lord in the country of the liuing But in this Pilgrimage we are so easily poluted and defiled with the slime of sinne that the Apostle St. Iames said Iam. 3 In many things we offend all And the Prophet Dauid to shewe how fewe are immaculate in this life affirmeth that it belongeth to Happinesse Psal 118 saying Blessed are the immaculate in the way Therefore my soule if in this absence and Pilgrimage thou wilt please thy Lord it is not enough to desire to please him but it behooueth thee as the Apostle saith to striue to please him that is with great diligence to beware of such spottes as may make thy face deformed and if any happen to sticke therein with like diligence to endeauour to wipe them away Dost thou not see how women which seeke to please their husbands spend many houres in dressing their hayre adorning their face and wiping away the spottes of their garments and all this they doe to please the eyes of a mortall man who soone after must be turned to earth and ashes what oughtest thou therefore to doe to please the eyes of thy immortall spouse who alwaies beholdeth thee and desireth to see thee without spot or wrinkle It is needefull then to striue with all thy force Luc. 1 That thou walke before him in holinesse and iâ—stice and remoue from thee with speed all things that may hinder the same not hauing respect to flesh and blood nor to the speeches and opinions of men For thou canst not please God and the world both at once according to the Apostles saying Yf I yet did please men Gal. 1 I should not be the seruant of Christ THE THIRD STEPP From the Consideration of the earth WE haue considered the Corporall world in generall Cap. 1 Let vs now consider the principall parts thereof that from them we may erect a Ladder to contemplate their maker First there is the Earth the which although it occupie the lowest place among the elements and seemeth to be lesse then the rest yet it is not lesse then the water and in dignitie and worth it excelleth the other elements Whereupon we often read in holy Scripture That God made heauen and earth as the principall parts of the world Gen. 1 For he made heauen as the Pallace of God and Angels the earth as the Pallace of men Psal 113 The heauen of heauen is to our Lord saith the Prophet but the earth he hath giuen to the children of men And that is the cause why the heauen is full of bright starres the earth aboundeth with mettalls precious stones hearbes trees and beastes of diuers kindes whereas the water is stored onely with fish and the ayre and fire are in a manner emptie and naked elements But omitting this The earth hath three thinges most worthy of consideration by which a vigilant minde may easily ascend vnto God First the earth is the most firme foundation of the whole world without which we could neither walke worke Psal 92 rest nor liue He hath established saith Dauid the round world which
will set downe three differences betweene the washing of the one and the other The created water doth wash away corporall spotts yet not all for many it cannot wash away vnlesse it be holpen with soape or some other meanes The increated water doth wash away alâ— spotts for so we reade in the place aboue â—ited And you shall be cleansed from all your Contaminations The created water doth seldome so wash away spots but that some little signe of them remayneth The increated water doth wash in such sort that the thing washed becommeth more white and cleane then before it was contaminated Thou shalt wash me saith Dauid and I shall be made whiter then Snowe Psal 50 And our Lord saith by Isay If your sinnes shall be as Scarlet they shall be made white as Snowe Isay 1. and if they be red as vermition they shall be white as Wooll Also the created water doth wash naturall spottes which resist not the washing the increated water doth wash voluntary spotts which cannot be cleansed vnlesse the soule consent thereunto And so admirable is the vertue of this water that it sweetly entreth into hardened hartes and is not refused because as St. Augustine doth truely teach It selfe is the cause that it is not refused Lib. de praed ss c. 8. Who can conceaue O Lord how thou giuest faith vnto the vnfaithfull humilitie vnto the proude and charitie vnto thine enemies that he who once breathed forth threates and slaughter and persecuted thee in thy Deciples being changed on the sodaine most willingly suffered for thee and thy Church threates and persecutions Farr be it from me to diue into thy secrets for I had rather seele then search after the force of thy grace And because I knowe that water of thine to be A voluntary raine Psal 57 separated to thine inheritance as the Prophet sayd Therefore I humbly beseech thee let me be found in thy inheritance and let the dwe of thy grace descend into the earth of my hart that it remaine not like earth without water to thee for so barren it is that of it selfe it can thinke no good But to proceede Water quencheth fire Cap. 2 and the heauenly Water that is the grace of the holy ghost doth strangely quenche the fire of carnall lust Fasting and bodily afflictions auayle much also if they be vsed as instruments of grace otherwise of themselues they are of small force For loue is the cheife among the affections and perturbations of the minde which ruleth all and is obeyed by all Loue will not be forced and if it be stopped one way it breaketh out an other way Loue feareth nothing dareth any thing and vanquisheth all thing Lastly Loue yeeldeth onely vnto greater lone So flâ—shly loue which followeth the wealth and pleasures of the world yeildeth onely to the louâ— of God and the water of the holy ghost distilling into the hart of man quickly cooleth the heate of concuâ—â—scence Witnesse St. Augustine who being long accustomed to lust thought it vnpossible to want the company of a woman yet beginning to taste the grace of the holy ghost he cryed out in the ninth booke of his confessions 9 Cons c. 1. Quam suaue c. O how sweet was it to me on the sodaine to want the pleasures of trâ—flles and what before I feared to loose I now reioyced to firsake For thou the true aâ—d chiefest Happinesse didst cast them from me Thou didst cast them from me and didst enter for them more sweet then any pleasure but not to flâ—sh and blood more brigh then any light more inward then any secret more high then any honour but not to those that are high iâ— themseâ—ues Water also quencheth thirst Cap. 3 and onely the water of the holy ghost can quench the manifold and almost endlesse desires of mans hart So the truth speaking to the Samaritan woman plainely taught Euery one saith he that drinketh of this water Ioh 4 shall thirst againe but he that shall drinke of the water that I will giue him shall not thirst for euer Indeede so it is The eye is not filled with seeing neither is the eare fulfilled with hearing For the minde of man is capable of infinite good and all creatures are finite But he that beginneth once to drinke of this diuine water wherein all things are seeketh after no more And of this we haue spoken before were we treated that the rest of our soules is in God onely as in their proper center Water ioyneth diuers things together Cap. 4 as many graynes of corne to make one loafe and many peeces of earth to make one bricke But more easily and more vnsepeperably doth the Water of the holy Ghost make Act. 4 many men to be of one hart and one foule as we read in the Acts of the Apostles of the first Christians Act. 4 vpon whom the holy ghost did next after the Apostles descend And our Lord being to Ascend to his father commendeth that vnitie which the water of the holy gost causeth saying Ioh. 17 And not for them onely do I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleâ—ue in me that they all may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that they also in vs may be one And a little after That they may be one as we also are one I in them and thou in me that they may bee consummate in one To which vnitie the Apostle also exhorteth vs in his Epistle to the Ephesians saying Be carefull to keep the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephe. 4 One body and one spirit as you are called in one hope of your vocation O happy vnion which maketh many men one body of Christ 1 Cor. 10 1 Cor. 6 gouerned by one head participating of one bread drinking of one Cup and liuing by one spirit of God is made one spirit with him What can his seruants more desire then to participate not onely of all their masters goods but also by the vnseparable bond of loue to be made one with the Almighty All which is wrought by the grace of the holy Ghost when as liuing water it is deuoutly receiued and diligently kept in the hart Lastly the water ascendeth as high as it descendeth lowe Cap. 5 And as the holy ghost came from heauen to earth so that hart in whom he is receaued Ioh. 4 Is made a fountaine of water springing vp into life euerlasting as our Lord said to the Samaritan woman that is man borne againe of water and the holy Ghost who hath the same spirit dwelling within him causeth his merits to ascend from whence grace did descend Therefore my soule being taught and incited by these passages of Scripture say often to thy heauenly Father with deepe sighes Giue me this water which washeth cleane all spotts quencheth all fire of Lust colleth all heat of thirst and maketh me one spirit
with my God that being in me a Fountaine of water springing vp into life euerlasting it may cause in me merits to ascend thether wheras I hope to liue for euer Not without cause did the Son of God say If you then being naught knowe how to giue good guifts to your children Luk. 11 how much more will your Father in heauen giue the good spirit to them that aske him And he saith not that he will giue bread cloathes wisdome charity or life euerlasting but the good spirit for in it al things are conteyned Cease not then O my soule daily to admonish the Father of the promise of his son saying with great deuotion assured hope to obtaine O holy father not in mine owne iustification doe I pray vnto theâ— but in the promise of thy onely begotten Sonne For he hath said vnto vs How much more will your Father in heauen giue the good Spirit to them that aske him Surely thy Sonne is the Truth he deceaueth vs not Fuifill therefore the promise of thy Son who hath glorified thee vpon earth Ioh. 17 Phil. 2 and was obedient to thee vnto death euen the death of the Crosse Giue the good â—pirit to them that aske it of thee Giue the spirit of thy loue and feare that thy seruant may loue nothing but thee his neighbour in thee nor feare but onely to offend thee Create a cleane hart in me O God Psal 50 and renew a right 〈…〉 in my bowells Cast me 〈…〉 from thy face and thy holy spirit take not from me Render vnto me the ioy of thy saluation and confirme me with a principall spirit Now I come to the resemblance which Fountaines of water haue with God Cap. 6 for from them also may the minde be eleuated to consider his wonderfull workes And not without cause is God called in holy scripture A Fountaine of life Psal 35 Eccle. 1 And A Fountaine of liuing water And that he is the Fountaine of Being Hier. 2 We gather by these wordes of God to Moyses I am which am Exod. 3 he which is hath sent me to you All which the Apostle seemeth to haue included when he saith Act. 17 In him we liue and moue and be For in him we are as in a Fountaine of being In him we liue as in a Fountaine of life And in him we mooue as in a Fountaine of Wisdome Wisd 7 because Wisdome is more moueable then all moueable things reacheth euery where because of her cleannesse as it is said in the booke of Wisdome A fountaine of water with vs hath this propertie that Riuers spring from it and when they cease to flowe from their fountaine they are soone dried vp but the fountaine dependeth not of the riuers for it receaueth not water from them but from it selfe and giueth it vnto others This is a true resemblance of the diuinitie For God is the most true fountaine of Being because he receaued his Being from no other thing but all thinges receiued their being from him God receaued his being from no other thing because his essence is to be and his being is his existence so that it cannot be conceaued or caused but that God hath beene alwayes and alwayes shall be Other thinges may be for a time and for a time not be because existence doth not necessarily belong vnto their offence For example It belongeth to the essence of a man to be a reasonable creature and therefore he cannot be a man vnlesse he be a reasonable creature and if existence belonged also to the essence of a man he should then alwayes exist but because it belongeth not to his essence therefore hee may exist and not exist God then is the Fountaine of Being because his essence includeth actuall existence for euer as is signified by those wordes I am Which am Exod. 3 That is I am essence it selfe and receaue not my Being from any other thing for to me onely my essence is my existence Therefore eternitie and immortalitie is proper vnto God onely as the apostle saith To the king of the worldes immortall 1 Tim 1 1 Tim. 6 onely God And who onely hath immortalitie For all other things receaue in such sort their essence from God that vnlesse they doe alwaies depend one him and be preserued by him they presently cease to be Wherevpon the same Apostle saith Heb. 1 Who carieth all thinges by the word of his power Therefore O my foule admire and reuerence the infinite goodnesse of thy maker who maintaineth and preserueth all thinges so louingly although he needeth not their seruice Admire and Imitate also the patience of thy sayd maker who is so mercifull vpon the vnkinde and the euill Luke 6 that he feedeth and preserueth those which blaspheme him and deserue to be brought to nothing Let it not therefore seeme much vnto thee to beare sometimes with the infirmities of thy brethren and as thou art commanded to doe good to those that hate thee But the being a Fountaine doth not onely consist in not receauing being from an other Fountaine and in giuing being vnto other things For the water both of Fountaines and Riuers with vs is of the same kinde and albeit that fountaines receaue not their water from other fountaines yet they haue a cause of their being to wit vapours which also haue other causes successinely vntill we come vnto God the first cause But God thy maker my soule is not of the same kinde with creatures but infinitely surpasseth them in dignitie nobilitie and excellencie He also is truely and properly the Fountaine of Being because he doth not onely not receaue his being from an other fountaine of being but also for that he hath no cause at all A Fountaine of created water as is said is not deriued from any other water but from an other cause but the increated Fountaine of Being hath not my thing before himselfe dependeth not of any thing wanteth not any thing nor can he hurt by any thing but all thinges depend of him 2 Mach. 8 and he can Destroy the whole world with a becke as saith the valiant Machabaeus Admire this eminencie O my soule this beginning without beginning this Cause without Cause this essence that is infinite vnlimited immense and absolutely necessary in comparison wherof all other things are but casuall And of this perhappes the Truth said But one thing is necessary Luk. 10 Adhere therefore to him onely serue him onely and delight in his loue onely Despise all other thinges for his sake or els be not troubled with too much care about many thinges since one thing is necessarie which onely is enough for thee and al others but let thy care be neuer to fall from his grace studying alwaies and euery where how to please him God also is most truely called a Fountaine of life Cap 7 because he hath life in himselfe and is life eternall it selfe
the more he was hardened and the more Gods mercy appeared in remoouing his punishments the more was he animated to despise and contemne God But when our Lord is pleased to enkendle one sparke of the fire of his true loue in a hard heart presently it waxeth soft and melteth like waxe so that no obstinacy though neuer so continuall and obdurate can hinder it And of a heart of stone it becommeth a heart of flesh Psal 147 For when the spirit of our Lord bloweth Waters will slowe from the frozen Snowe We haue an example in the Gospell Luk. 7 of that woman that was a Sinner in the Citty whome neither the admonitions of her Brother reprehensions of her Sister honour of her Family nor her owne shame could moue to abstaine from sinne And yet one beame of Christ peircing her heart and there enkindling a sparke of Diuine loue did so strangely alter her that being a Noble woman she blushed not in a publicke Feast to cast her selfe at Christes feete All weeping with her teares to bathe them and with her haire in steede of a towell to wipe them oftentimes most louingly to kisse them and with a most precious odoriserous oyntment to annoint them signifying thereby that from thenceforth she bequeathed her selfe and all that was hers vnto the seruice of Christ Therefore she heard that saying of our Sauiour Many sinnes are forgiuen her Luk 7 because she hath loued much But it shall not be from our purpose to sett downe another example also of late time William Duke of Aquitane liued in the time of St. Bernard a man most wilfull and obstinate In defending Anacletus the Scismatical Pope against Innocentius the lawfull He banished all the Catholicke Bishops out of his Countrey and tooke an oath that hee would neuer be at peace with them and because all men knewe him obdurate in wickednesse and cruelty and terrible for his pride there was none that durst admonish him It pleased God by his seruant Bernard to visite the hard heart of this man and to kindle a great sparke of Diniue loue therein Presently of a Lyon he became a Lambe humble of proude and most obedient of most obstinate For at one onely worde of St. Bernard hee friendly imbraced the Bishop of Poyters and with his owne hand placed him in his Chaire And which seemeth to surpasse all admiration demaunding of a certaine Hermit remedy of soule for his sinnes past He was commanded by the same Hermit to weare a coate of Brasse next his skin so buckled that it could neuer be put off and presently hee obeyed and it was so donne And being sent by the Hermite to the Pope for absolution he went But the Pope suspecting that hee did not heartily repent or else desirous to try his patience commaunded him to goe on Pilgrimage to Ierusalem to demaund absolution of the Patriarke of that Citty Without delay he vndertooke that iourney and fulfilled the Popes commandement Lastly of a potent Prince he became an humble Monke So that in that age there was scarce any found to surpasse him in humility patience pouerty deuotion and piety This indeed is the change of the right hand of the heighest Psal 76 this is the force of the Diuine fire against which no heard heart can resist There remaineth the last property of the Fire which is to extenuate heauy thinges and cause them easily to mount aloft And this is the cause why men that burne not with the fire of Diuine loue are heauy of heart and to them the Prophet said Psal 4 How long are you of heauy heart Why loue you vanity and secke lying This also is the cause why The body that is corrupted burdeneth the soule as the wise man saith Wisd 9 And an heauy yoake vpon the Children of Adam from the day of their comming foorth of their mothers wombe vntill the day of their burying Eccle. 40. into the mother of al saith Ecclesiasticus And what this heauy yoake is which in this mortall body so burdeneth the soule the same Author declareth a little after when he addeth Fury Euâ—y Wauering Feare Anger and such like commonly called the Passions of the minde These so depresse the minde of Man that it beholdeth nothing but earth to which it cleaueth in such sort that it cannot ascend to seeke God nor speedily run the way of his Commondements But when the fire of God beginneth from aboue to inslame it forthwith those passions begin to deminish and be mortified and this heauy burden to wax lighter And if the heate increase it will so vnburthen the haâ—t that it may flye vp like a Doue say with the Apostle Our conuersation is in heauen Phil. 3 And being also dilated by this fire it may say with Dauid Psal 111 I haue runne the way of thy commandements when thou hast delateâ— my harâ— Truely since our Sauiour said Luk. 12 I came to cast fire on the earth and what will I but that it be kindled We haue seene many so enlightned therewith that they haue wholy forsaken the loue of honour pleasure and wealth and haue said to Christ ascending into heauen Draw vs after thee This hath caused so many Monasteries to be erected so many desertes to be inhabited so many companies of virgins to be instituted who did not onely with ease runne the way of the Commandements but also ascended into the way of Counsells To follow the Lambe whethersoeuer he shall goe Apoc. 14 O Blessed fire which giueth light and wasteth not and if it waste it wasteth but the peccant humors that lise be not extinguished thereby Who will cause me to be inflamed with this fire which with the light of true Wisdome expelleth the darknesse of ignorance and blindenesse of an erronious conscience And which changeth the coldenesse of slothe indeuotion and negligence into the heate of loue That it neuer suffer my hart to be hardened but with the heate thereof to be mollified and made deuout And that it take from it the heany yoake of earthly cares and desires that with the winges of holy contemplation wherewith Charitie is nourished and increased it may be so lifted vp that I may say with the Prophet Make ioyfull the soulc of thy seruant Psal 85 because to thee O Lord I haue lifted vp my Soule THE SEVENTH STEPP From the Consideration of Heauen to wit of the Sunne Moone and Starres WE shall not labour much in this place from the consideration of Heauen Cap. 1 to frame for our selues a Stepp to contemplate God for we haue the kingly Prophet going before vs who in the Psalmes saith Psal 18 The Heauens shew forth the glory of God the â—â—â—mament declareth the workes of his hands And because there are two seasons to wit the day night in which we may from the consideration of heauen ascend vnto God with the wings of contempâ—ation of the first he writeth
God Truly therefore writeth Ecclesiasticus That this is a meruaiâ—ous Instrument the worke of the Highest and great doubtles is our Lord that made it There remaineth also the efficacy of the Sunnes light and beate Cap. 3 wherof Dauid speaketh Neither is there that can hyde himselfe from his heate This one bright body being placed in the middest of the World giueth Light to all the Starres to all the Ayer to all the Sea and to all the Earth and with his quickning heate causeth all Plants Corne and Trees throughout the world to budde blossome and beare fruite and vnder the earth it also produceth all kindes of Mettals Therefore St. Iames in the beginning of his Epistle compareth the Sunne to God Iam 1 Euery best guift saith hee and euery perfect guift is from aboue descending from the Father of Lightes with wheme is no transmutation nor shadowing of alteration The Sunne indeede is the Father of corporall Light as God is the Father of spirituall Light Yet in three thinges there is great vnlikenesse betweene God and the Sunne First the Sunne needeth continuall Transmutation to giue light and heate to the whole World but God is wholy euery where and necdeth no transmutation And therefore Saint Iames saith With whome there is no teansmutation Secondly the Sunne for that it alwayes changeth places causeth by turnes day to some and night to others shining to one people and fetting to another But God is neuer changed and yet is present with euery one and therefore St. Iames addeth There is with him no shadowing of alteration Lastly which is the chiefe from the Sunne the Father of corporall Light all things proceed which growe on Earth And those thinges are good Yet not excellent nor perfect but small temporall and transitory and which make not men good because they may be abused as they are by many to their destruction But from God the Father of Spirituall light Euery best guift and euery perfect guist doth descend by which the â—possessors thereof are made better and more perect These guises none can abuse and whosoeuer perseuereth in them vnto the end shall come to that true Happinesse which is defined to be A state of all good thinges perfectly vnited together Seeke therefore my soule What these best guiftes and perfect guifees are which come from aboue and descend from the Father of Light and when thou hast found them endeauour all thou canst to keepe them But thou shalt not neede to seeke farre for the Sunne doth demonstrate them sufficiently vnto thee The Sunne by his light and heate which are the Guiftes of the Father of Corporall light produceth all thinges So also The best guistes and perfect guiftes which are from aboue and descend from God the true Father of Light are the Light of Wisdome Heate of Charity The light of Wisdome which maketh vs truely wise leadeth vs to the Heauenly fountaine of Wisdome teacheth vs to contemne thinges Corporall and esteem thinges Eternall It teacheth vs 1 Tim 6 Not to trust in the vncertainty of riches but in the liuing God It teacheth vs not to make this banishment our Countrey nor to loue this Pilgrimage but to endure it Lastly it teacheth vs to holde this Life in patience which is so full of dangers and temptations and death in desire because Blessed are the dead that dye in our Lord. Apoc. 14 The order of true charity is to loue God without end who is the end of all desires And to loue other thinges so farre foorth as they shall be needfull to obtaine that Happines Truely there is not any among the Children of men who will proceed so absurdly in the cure of his body as to loue a bâ—tter Potion better then his health For he knoweth that the one is the end and the other is but the meanes to obtaine that end How then commeth it to passe that so many who would be accounted wise keepe no measure in heaping together riches in following the pleasures of the flesh in getting degrees of Honour as if in these thinges consisted the end of Mans desire But in louing God and in seeking after eternall Happinesse they are content with so little as if it were the meanes to the end and not the end of all other thinges Truely the reason is because they haue the Wisdome of this World and not the Wisdome which is from aboue descending from the Father of Light And because their loue is not orderly therefore it is not true loue which cannot be but orderly for they are full of Couetousnesse which is not from God but from the World Thou therfore my soule whiles thou art a Pilgrim from thy Countrey and among enemies which oppugne true Wisdome and Charity and call subtiltie Sapience and couetousnesse Frugality Sigh from the bottome of thy heart to the Father of Light that it would please him to cause those hest guifes and perfect guiftes to witt the light of true Wisdome and the heaâ—e of orderly Charity to descend into thy heart that being replenished with them it may ruune without stumbling in the way of Gods Commaundements and come to that Countrey where they drinke of the Fountaine of Wisdome liue by the milke of Charity I come now to the Night season Cap. 4 in which the Heauen by the Moone and starres maketh vs a stepp to ascend vnto God For so speaketh Dauid Isal 8 Because I shall see thy Heauens the worke of thy singers The Moone and the Stars which thou hast founded If we could see Heauen it selfe the Prophet would not haue said declaring in a manner what before he set downe The Moone and the Starres which thou hast founded For then doubtlesse we should haue an excellent Ladder to ascend vnto God We know there were some who defined the Nature of the Heauens by the motion of the Starres to be a Fift essence simple incorruptible and alwayes circularly moouing And wee know there haue bin others also who would haue Heauen to be the Element of Fire not moued circularly and in some partes corruptible But we seeke not after opinions but certaine knowledge or Doctrine of faith that wee may frame thereby a firme Ladder to know God We will therfore from the Moone and starres which we see erect a Ladder with the Prophet as we haue done already from the Sunne the Fountaine of Corporall light The Moone hath two properties which may helpe vs to Ascend vnto God First the neerer it commeth to the Sunne the lighter it is in the higher part next to Heauen the darker in the lower part next to Earth And when it is vnder the Sunne and ioyned therewith then is it wholy light toward Heauen and darke toward Earth Againe when it is opposite against the Sunne it shineth at Full to the inhabitants of the Earth and hath no Light in the higher part towardes Heauen This property of the Moone may teach men how carefull they ought
Rom 7 Not the good which I will that doe I but the euill which I will not that I doe And which of vs all but findeth this true by experience I would pray with attention to God and I command my imagination not to wander about and cause me to thinke of other thinges whiles I pray And yet I cannot keepe it in order but when I least suspect I finde my selfe deluded by it and omitting my prayers I fall to muse on other matters I would not be molested with lust nor angry out of reason and by Free-will I command the concupiscible and irascible powers which are in me to obey reason and not to be seduced by the bodily sences And yet reason is not obeyed nor that done which I would but that which I would not But of all other things it is most admirable miserable that the minde coÌ„mandeth the body it presently obeyeth it doÌ„mandeth it selfe it disobeyeth Lib 8. con cap. 4 Vade hoc Monstrum Whence is this strange thing saith St. Augustinâ— the minde coÌ„maâ—deth the hand to moue it doth with such speede that the comman ment can hardly be discerned froÌ„ the execution therof it is the minde the hand a body The minde commaundeth the minde to be willing and it is the same thing and yet it doth it not But it willeth not fully and therefore it doth not fully command It is not therefore any strange thing but an infirmitie of the minde whith doth â—ot fully rise being lifted vp by truth and kept downe by custome But the free will of God is ioyned with absolute power for of him it is written He hath done all thinges whatsoeuer he would And Psal 113 There is none that can resist thy will Esther 13 Wherefore my Soule if thou be wise doe not boast of the force of thy free will vntill thou come into the freedome of glory where thy Heauenly Phisition will cure all thy infirmities and fill thy desire with all good thinges And in the meane while sigh dayly and say vnto God with the Prophet Psal 26 Be thou my helper for sake me not Not coldly also for custome sake but with attention and from thy hart repeate at the least seauen times a day O God intend vnto my belpe Psal 69 Lord make hast to help me Seauenthly Cap. 7 Mans soule hath a reasonable will which not onely hath power to desire good thinges present particular and corporal as beasts doe but also good thinges absent vniuersall and spirituall which are knowne by the light of faith or reason vntill it come to the Highest Happinesse which is God This maketh the soule capable of vertues and especially of Charitie the Queene of vertues Brute beastes indeede haue the loue of Concupiscence but the loue of friendship they knowe not But thou my soule art by God made capable of Charitie the Chiefe of all Guiftes whereby God remaineth in thee and thou in him For God is Charitie 1 Ioh. 4 and he that abideth in Charitie abideth in God and God in him And if the Happinesse of a created will be so great what may we think of the Happinesse wherwith the increated will is filled Onely the will of God is capable of infinite loue wherewith the infinite goodnesse of God is worthy to be loued Neither doth his will want vertues or needeth to be directed by his vnderstanding for they are all one as Wisdome and Charitie in God is the same thing Eightly Cap. 8. the soule of Man is in the body but farre otherwise then the soules of brute beastes in their bodies The soules of brute beastes are materiall and extended according to their bodies so that a part of it is in a part of their body and the whole in their whole body But the soule of Man because it is an indiuisible spirit is after an admirable manner Whole in all and whole in euery part so that albeit it fill all the body yet it occupieth no place in the body And when the body groweth the soule groweth not but beginneth to be where before it was not And if a member be cut away or withered the soule is not deminished nor withered but ceaseth to be in that member where before it was without hurt or mutilation This is a true resemblance of Gods existence in Creatures For God is an indiuisible spirit and yet he filleth all the world and euery part thereof Neither doth he occupie any place But is Whole in all and whole in euery part of the world And when any creature is produced God beginneth to be in it and yet he is not mooued And when any creature is by chance destroyed or dyeth God is not destroyed or dyeth but ceaseth to be in it without locall mutation Thus farre then God and the soule agree but in many thinges God as it is meete doth farre excell For the soule before it can moue and gouerne the body must become the forme of the body and be so vnited vnto it that of the soule and body is made one Man But God needeth not become the forme or soule of the world Neither of him and the world is one Compounded substance made For his immencitie is such that he is euery where his indiuisible vnitie such that he is wholy euery where And his omnipotencie such that he worketh euery where Moreouer although the soule be said to be in all the body yet it is not properly but in the partes which haue life and therefore it is not in the humors in the hayre in the nayles or in dryed and dead members But God is in all thinges both corporall and spirituall without exception neither can it be that any thing exist wherin God is not The soule also is but in her owne body which is narrow and straight where all the partes are continued together But God is in this vniuersalitie of thinges although it be very great and the partes thereof not continued together but contiguous and adioyning And if more worldes were made God should be in them all for of him it is written 1 Par. 6 The heauen and heauens of heauens doe not containe thee And albeit new heauens and earthes were multiplied without end God should fill them all for no place can be where he should not be Ninthly the soule of Man beside those thinges which are said hath also in it an obscure image of the Blessed Trinitie because it hath a power to remember to vnderstand and to loue and also for that the minde doth by the vnderstanding Forme a word and from the minde and the word proceedeth loue For that which is knowne by the minde and represented by the Word as Good is forthwith by the Will loued and desired But God the Father did after a more high and diuine manner begett God the Word and God the Father and God the Word becathed our God the hâ—ly Ghost the huâ—ng Fountaine of
the misery of pouertie and sores Luk 16 that with greater mercie he might be carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome And how should the rich exercise the workes of mercie if none were poore hungry thirstie naked sicke Pilgrimmes and imprisoned And if there were not tentations nor combats with deuils where were the crownes of virgins and confessors If also there were no labours and dolors where were the Crowne of patience And if there were no persecutors where were the Crowne of Martyres Therfore it is true that in this banishment the earth is full of miseries For sinnes onely are great miseries And it is also true that The earth is full of the mercie of our Lord because the conuersion of sinners the merittes of Saintes and other almost infinite benefitts of God both spirituall and temporall are nothing els but the great and continuall mercies of God our Creator Let vs therefore â—iue thankes to â—â—m That is its 〈…〉 our Tribulation 〈…〉 2 Cor. 1 so also by his 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 Psal 35 Lord by mercie is in heaum 〈◊〉 Dauid For there shall be mercy without miserie because mercy shall take away all miscrie whatsoeuer The length also of his mercy is Longanimitie or patience which the Scripture vseth to ioyne with mercy as a part thereof Cap. 2 For so speaketh Dauid Psal 102 Our Lord is pittifull and mercifull Long suffering and very mercifull And againe Our Lord is pittifull and mercifull Psal 144 pattent and very mercifull Truely the Longaminitie and patience of God toward mankinde is admitable the like whereof we finde neither in masters toward their seruants nor in parents toward their children albeit they both are men And first God is long suffering toward sinners expecting them with vncrediâ—le patience sometime from their first childe-hoode to their last old age permitting them to blaspheme his name to breake his Lawe And in the meane while Being beneficiall to them from heauen Act. 14 giuing raynes and fruitefull seasons filling their hartes with foode and gladnesse as the Apostle speaketh And what master or parent is there among men so mercifull and gentle who seeing himselfe a long time iniured and contemned by his seruant or childe would not at length put them out of his house Yet is not the mercy of God ouercome by the malice of men But he doth patiently not willing that any perish 2 pet 3 but that all returne to penarce as St. Peter affirmeth in his Epistle And the wise man saith Wisd 11 Thou hast mercy on all O Lord dissembling sinnes for repentance Moreouer this patience seemeth yet greater in that many sinners being by Gods grace brought out of the lake of miserie Psal 39 and from the mire of dreggs and of the children of darkenesse made the children of light and called from the guiltinesse of eternall death to the adoption of the children of God and hope of heauen fall notwithstanding backe againe oftentimes to their former vncleannesse and vnthankefulnesse Yet are they not forsaken by the longanimitie of God but most louingly expected and inuited to repentance And if they truely repent as Prodigall sonnes they are receaued by their most mercifull Father to the kisse of peace Luke 15 and to their former dignities St. Peter demanding of our Sauiour if he should forgiue his brother offending against him vntill seauen times Math 18 He answered I say not to thee vntill seauen times but vntill scauentie times seauen times For that course which he vseth in forgiuing oftences the same would he haue vs vse also but he hath set downe no certaine time for recontiliation but the terme of this life As long as a sinner liueth although it be an hundred yeares or more and often falleth backe yet is he receiued and pardoned by his most mercifull Father For there is no repentance to late with the mercy of God so it be truely from a contrite heart Yet none ought to abuse Gods mercy and deferre their conuersion from day to day because none knoweth at what day or in what houre he shall dye and appeare before the Tribunall of the most iust Iudge Yea rather all ought by this so great and incredible goodnesse of God to come vnto repentance For if God be so mercifull to sinners that often fall What will he be to those which hauing once tasted the Sweetnesse of his grace can neuer after by any temptations be seperated from it There is also another Longanimity of God exceeding admirable and amiable which he vseth in suffering the offences of the righteous For albeit God of his infinite mercy hath made vs of slaues his children and friends and of persons condemned to eternall death heyres of his Kingdome yet such is our ingratitude that daily we render him euill for good For if Saint Iames the Apostle said Iam 2 In many thinges we all offend what may wee say which are so farre from the Apostles perfection Beholde wee speake in prayer to God and on the suddaine we are carryed away by the imagination to thinke of other thinges and to turne as it were our backes to God What maister in the world would suffer his seruantes which stand in his presence and speake to him to turne away on the suddaine and neglecting him to prattle with their fellow seruantes What shall I say of idle wordes Of vaine thoughts Of fruitlesse workes Of excesse in eating drinking sleeping and playing Of negligence in holy thinges Of omission of brotherly correction And of innumerable other such like wherin we daily All offend And yet our God Is sweete and milde Psal 85 and of much mercy to all that inuocate him He suffereth these Follyes and rude inciuilities as I may call them in his children which truely Men will not suffer in men This St. Austen noteth in his Treatise vpon the eighty three Psal August in psal 83 expounding those wordes O Lord thou art sweet and milde where he bewaileth mans infirmity concerning the distractions of his minde in time of prayer and magnifieth the mercy of God in suffering so many iniuryes of his seruants But he knoweth whereof we are made and therefore dealeth with vs as a mother doth with her childe whom she cherisheth nourisheth although perhappes it strike her But albeit God suffreth so many of our offences without breaking the bond of loue or depriuing vs of the right of our inheritance yet will he not leaue them vnpunished at the day of Iudgement when as wee must render to him an accompt for Our idle wordes vnlesse he finde them purged before by teares prayers or some other kinde of satisfaction And least thou my soule perhappes mayst thinke these offences light and therfore deceiue thy selfe and neglect to amend them Heare what Saint Bonauenture writeth in the life of St. Francis In eius vit c. 10 Grauiter se putabat offendere c. Greatly saith he did he
part of it to be ours For he would giue vs his grace whereby we might worke our saluation Not that the merit of Christ suffised not but to communicate with vs the prayse and glory of our owne saluation Wherevpon it is said in the Gospell Math. 20 Pay them their hyre And the Apostle glorifieth saying 2 Tim 4 There is layd vp for me a Crowne of Iustice Lastly Gods mercie is most deepe because it exceedeth the affection of Fathers and Mothers which is the greatest we can finde on earth Heare the Prophet Isay Isay 49 Can a woman forget her infant that shee will not haue pittie on the sonne of her wombe and if she should forget yet will not I forget thee Heare Dauid psal 102 As a Father hath compassion of his children So hath our Lord compassion on them that feare him And lest thou mightest say there are some parents whose Loue sometime changeth into hacred Dauid saith further of Gods mercie and loue toward his Children The mercy of our Lord from euerlasting vpon them that feare him Of which continuance the Apostle also certifieth vs in his last Epistle to the Corinthians where he calleth God The Father of mercies 2 Cor 1 and God of all Consolation God therfore is not onely a father to those that feare him but a most mercifull Father For he taketh away such miseries and afflictions from his Children as he iudgeth expedient to be taken from them and therein he sheweth himselfe to be the Father of mercies And giueth them vnspeakeable comfort to suffer those which he iudgeth not expedient for them to be taken away And therein he sheweth himselfe to be The God of Consolation But the Apostle saith Of all Consolation for two causes First because God comforteth those that are his in al kindes of tribulations which truely the world cannot doe for oftentimes it vnderstandeth not the causes of tribulations Euen as Iobs friendes Were heauy Comforters as he calleth them Iob 16 because they knew not the cause of his griefe and therefore applyed the remedy where they ought not or els for that the tribulation is sometime so great that no earthly consolation can equall it But God the almighty and most skilfull Phisition can cure euery infirmitie and therefore the Apostle saith Who doth comfort vs in all our tribulation 2 Cor. 1 Moreouer he is called the God of all Consolation because he comforteth so fully that it were better to suffer tribulations with such a comforter then to want them both together as it happened to a young man called Theoderus a confessor in the Persecution of Iulian the Apostata who being tortured ten houres together with such crueltie and change of executioners as in no age is reported the like Sung notwithstanding all that while with great ioy the psalmes of Dauid and when it was commaunded he should be let downe he began to be sorrowfull because of the great comfort he receiued by the presence of an Angell whilest he was in torturing as Ruffinus writeth lib. 10. hist c 36 2 Cor. 7 Wherefore it is no meruaile if the Apostle say I am replenished with consolation I doe exceedingly abound in ioy in all our tribulation And in the beginning of his Epistle 1 Cor 1 Who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we also may be able to comfort them that are in all distresse What thinkest thou O my soule of this so ample continuall pure and infinite mercy of our Lord who needeth nothing of ours and yet out of the abundance of his loue is so carefull of his seruants as if of them depended all his Happinesse What thankes therefore wilt thou giue him What canst thou euer doe not to be vngratefull to so great mercy Seeke therefore all thou canst to please him And because it is written Luk. 6 Be yee mercifull as also your Father is mercifull And Haue mercy on thine owne soule leasing God Eccle 30 Begin diligently first to finde out the miseries of thy soule For the miseries of the body are plaine to the eye so that it is needlesse to put a man in minde of them For if the body be but one day without meate and driuke or one night without sleepe or by a fall or wound be hurt it presently cryeth out and complaineth and is with great care looked vnto But the soule fasteth whole weekes from her meate and is sicke with woundes or perhapps dead and none taketh care or compassion of her Visite therefore thy soule often examine all her powers whether they be well and profit in the knowledge and loue of true Happinesse or whether they be sicke with ignorance or languish with diuers desires Also whether the minde be blinded with malice or the will infected with enuy and pride And if thou finde any such thing Crye vnto our Lord Psal 6 Haue mercy on me because I am weake Seeke spirituall phisitions and apply fit remedies Take compassion likewise of other soules whereof an infinite number perish although Christ dyed for them O my soule if thou didst truely knowe the price of soules to wit the precious blood of the sonne of God and also the great slaughter which is made of them by the infernall Wolues and roaring Lyons the Deuills Surely thou couldest not but from thy hart take pitty on them and by thy prayers to God and by all other meanes seeke to deliuer them Lastly also take compassion on the corporall necessities of thy neighbours not in Word and tongue onely 1 Ioh. 3 Math 5. but iâ— deede and truth hauing in minde the saying of our Lord Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy THE FIFTEENTH AND LAST STEPP From the Consideration of the greatnesse of Gods iustice by the similitude of a corporall quantitie GOds iustice in holy scripture is taken foure wayes Cap 1 First for iustice ingenerall which conteyneth all vertues and is the same with Sanctitie or probitie So in the psalmes Our Lord is iust in all his wayes psal 144 and holy in all his workes Secondly for truth or fidelitie So in another psalme That thou mayst be iustified in thy wordes Psal 50 Thirdly for iustice distributing rewardes so in the last Epistle to Tim thâ—e There is layd vp for me a Crowne of iustice 2 Tim 4 which our Lord will render to me in that day a iust iudge Lastly for iustice punishing sinne So in another psalme He shall rayne snare upon sinners Psal 10 fire and Brimstone and blast of stormes the portion of their cupp because our Lord â—s iust and hath loued iustice The greatnesse therefore of Gods iustice wil appeare to vs if we consider the 〈◊〉 thereof ingenerall the length thereof to wiâ— his truth and 〈…〉 the higth thereof distributing rewardes in heauen and thâ— depth thereof punishing the wicked eternally in Hell And to begin from the breadth That is called iustice ingenerall among men which