most sincere and seuere Friends to giue testimonie of the Ingenuitie Vtilitie of those spirituall children and so in the mouth of two or three Witnesses let the words of such Writings stand Surely such haue a great aduantage aboue the Authour in censuring his Workes their Iudgments being free from the spectacles of self-selfe-loue which make al our own things seeme great in our owne eyes But wee ought to know that these must bee men of Iustice and Valour as well as of Iudgement to execute as well as to know for such only will not feare to displease their Friend that they may profit him they will saue a publique reproofe by a priuate and by the Chastisement of a Friend will preuent the torturing of an Enemie And Writers in this case must be more then patient for they must bee thankfull vnto to Censure which squareth fashioneth their Workes vnto their true end the common good And now that both the Authour and his Witnesses may haue a Rule and Remedie for the Riot and Excesse of writing euen of things of worth let them harken to an order alreadie set forth that new writings should still bring forth some new Addition to their subiect And indeed if this were obserued it wold stop the mouth of Detraction euen at the widest For in this case there is nothing left for Detraction to say but that it is offended with the increase of those Workes which increase either Knowledge or Vertue And if heere the Reader tell mee Physician heale thy selfe I answere him againe That except the Readers bee all healthy I am not sicke for he is not sick of writing that by writing cures the sicke Besides it must be confessed that when Diuinitie is the subiect this Rule though it may not wholy bee broken yet it doth sometimes receiue Dispensations and Inlargements for in some cases there may bee a great vse of repetitions and doublings And first this is very requisite in things chiefly necessary whereof the retention is highly profitable and the neglect and ignorance full of danger Secondly when the thing is full of difficultie eyther in regard of apprehension or practise so that it is not easily known or performed In these cases the saying of the Apostle is most true That to write the same things is for vs a most sure thing for euen heere also Detraction it selfe shall be forced to confesse that repetition is not vnnecessary where the matters repeated are not sufficiently conceiued or receiued neyther hath beene enough taught which hath not beene well heard No more then that man hath knockt enough to whome the doore was not yet opened Therefore if men would finde a fault about this kinde of repetition let them seeke it in themselues and then they cannot misse it for it is their owne dulnesse their neglect or at least their infirmitie that causeth it and vntill these faults be amended they cannot well lay a fault vpon repetition yet withal we may still remeÌ„ber that euen in these Patents of Licence there is a measure and reseruation for if the transcendent workes and words of our Sauiour Christ were in part suppressed because the World could not beare them I think thence doth plainely arise this Doctrine That the Capacitie of Mankind is the most commendable measure of writing Man may carry away for his vse that which is within his strength of bearing but a burthen greater then his strength spoyleth his strength and falleth it selfe to the ground Therefore fiue words remembred are better then a thousand forgotten and it is for losse and not for profit when so much is deliuered as the plentie destroyeth the memorie or tyreth the indeuours of the Learner Yet I confesse that a little redundance is safer and better then a little want For in outward vses we desire that a streame should carrie more water then we vse rather then to â—arrie till the springs rise It is easie to let the superfluous water to slide away it is easie for a man to read no farther then he reades for a tryal But here I cannot but speake to the nicensse and cloyednesse of this time a disease of Readers Plenty of knowledge hath beene turned into an occasion of lothing and knowledge only by plenty is become a light and dry meate as Manna to Israel Surely we are in an extreme faultinesse when in steed of thankfulnesse to God for plentie we returne lothsomnesse the blessings which he recheth to vs in mercie we put backe to him with neglect and scorne When thy friend inuiteth thee to a Feast and sets before thee plentie of Dishes thou takest kindly his abundance as a signe of his loue and except thou art a Glutton thou art not angry with him nor his meate because some of it is left vneaten Surely God heere giueth thee the foode and delicates of Heauen in the sundry dishes of the seuerall expressions and labours of his Seruants And why art thou not as thankfull to God as thou art to thy Neighbor Though there bee more then enough thou mayest take but enough the plentie forceth nothing vpon thee but only giueth thee choice Take therefore but that which sitâ—eth thee so much as thou mayest well ouercome and bee not angry but thankfull for that which is left for that may serue another as fitly as thy choice serueth thee A miserable disproportion it is that Gods plenty of goodnesse to vs should be made an occasion of diminishing our goodensse to him the more hee giues the lesse thankes hee should receiue Yea much rather let the abundance of his blessings procure an abundance of Thankesgiuing for this is verily the right duty of proportion to increase our thankes as God increaseth his blessings Now for the disease of not publishing I meane only of such things as haue worth in them this proceedes commonly of two causes The one is an errour in Iudgement when men being wisely mad they thinke it an especiall piece of reason to sit down in a selfe contentment and to delight themselues in themselues by themselues These men are their owne ends and indeed are no other then Churles in knowledge for as wretches keepe their Gold only for sight and not for vse so these hoarders of Knowledge make their Knowledge but a selfe-recreation not a matter of profit to others They are Fathers Nurses and Murderers of their owne Children hauing begotten them they kisse them and then burie them But these high-spirited men in their owne behalfe haue as they thinke a generous obiection What say they shall wee prostitute our high conceptions and heauenly raptures to the common vse and censure of the vulgar Here the word Common is the most emphaticall part of the question And surely in that very word I thinke lyes the best part of the answere For as these singulars make commonnesse the reason of their distaste of publishing So communicatiue men and louers of the publike haue thought that goodnesse doth
World of Action into the company of persecuting Iewes seducing and hypocriticall Pharisies yea into the winnowing of Satan himselfe And indeed generally the Apostles liues were liues of Action and liues of Passion And if these Apostles bee the foundation and Christ the Corner stone then are Actiue men the chiefest in Heauen as beeing next vnto Christ and no Contemplatiue men may euer sit aboue them for the foundation will still be neerest to the corner stone and nothing may goe betweene them Contemplation indeed is absolutely necessary and in her owne turne and time more necessary then Action as Maries hearing in the time of Christs preaching was more necessary then Marthaes seruing but the same Maries action of anoynting Christ in a due season is as famous as her hearing of Christ. Contemplation must not end in it selfe but it must proceed and the due proceeding of it is to end in Action When Contemplation ends in it selfe we may reape some pleasure to our selues but nothing is reaped to God But so it may not bee for the end of our life is the seruice of God and the seruice of God is Faith working by Loue and the fruits of Loue are good Workes therefore we must proceed as farre as these good Workes or else wee are short of the end and scope of our life appointed by God And Gregory himselfe confesseth that the Contemplatiue Life is barren like Rahel and the Actiue fruitfull like Leah euen fruitfull in sauing of soules Now Rahel pleased not herselfe in her barrennesse nor should the Church of God but it should cry as heartily though not so impatiently Giue me Children or else I dye Neyther doth Christ the Husband of the Church loue or reward barrennesse but hee desires that wee beare much fruit and the especiall fruit especially crowned with the glory of Starres is sauing of soules Accordingly Christ when thrise he had questioned Peter of his louing him Peter had thrise affirmed it Christ doth not say to Peter If thou louest mee be thou still looking on mee sit still and enioy mee and reade and thinke only of me But Peter If thou louest me feed my Sheepe Feed my Lambes which shewes that a life of Action and Edification is the most noble Fruit notable Effect which Christ expects from his Louers And accordingly shall the last Sentence be pronounced Come ye blessed of my Father not who haue continually carryed me in your thoughts and beheld mee with your Contemplations but yee who haue spiritually and corporally fed me clothed me visited me in my members Therefore let vs take heed that wee take not heauen too soone neyther spend so much ouâ— time in enioying the earnest that we abate the inheritance assured vs by that earnest And indeed which is the second thing God deales so with vs in this life that contemplation cannot be a whole imployment to Man Therefore as before it appeared to be vnlawfull now it also appeares to be impossible For well doth euery Saint of God know that the glory and comfort of contemplation lasts but some turnes and then comes an ebbe of grace a night of vision and perchance a long storme of Satans buffettings Eyther the Spirit withdrawes his glorious beames from the soule or the soule it selfe is forsaken of the body as not able to endure a long bent of high Meditations or else the flesh hath leaue to take vs downe by temptation that the height of Contemplation may not hurt vs by an equall height of Pride For the height of Contemplation is made most safe and profitable to vs by the lownesse of Humilitie and Infirmity is a chiefe preseruer of Humilitie And euen in these times though we haue not the ioy ability of Contemplation yet are wee outwardly able for Action and we can profit others when we seeme wholly vnprofitable to our selues Therefore to fall into a true moderation and indifferency betweene Contemplation and Action let this be our Rule that Contemplation nourish and feed Action but not deuoure it that we contemplate to know God and to loue God that we know and loue him to please him and serue him in the Actions of some profitable vocation We may not quench Contemplation for it warmes the soule cheereth and heateth her to action Againe wee must not exclude Action for that is to water the roote and to pull away the buds and so to preuent the fruit The excellency of Contemplation and Action is the Concord of them therefore let vs bee contemplatiue that wee may bee actiue and in our actiuenesse striue verily to expresse our Contemplation For Contemplation is then most commendable when it is expressed in deeds and not when it is meerly borne and buried in thoughts And it shall be more true glory to a true Christian amid the world to despise the world to resist it to ouercome it then wholly to runne away from it Yet briefly for caution let no man take any more to his taske then he is duely called to and his strength can beare let not the horse take on him the burden of an Elephant neither let men indanger themselues farther in secular imployments then grace giues them good hope to returne with safety I will conclude in the saying of c Gregor in Ezek. hoâ—il â— in Iob. lib. 10. c. 11. Gregorie The holy beasts did goe and returne and did goe and not returne So the Saints they goe from their sinnes and returne no more to them but in another kind of going they goe from Contemplation to Action and returne again from Action to CoÌ„templation for these continuall returnes nourish and refresh each other and it is vnprofitable or vnpossible for a Christian to continue still in one without returning to the other Thus doing we shall be those labouring Contemplators who onely are the blessed ones that dye in the Lord wee shall rest from our labours of Action and our workes shall follow vs and then our good Actions shall bee turned into the ioyes of an eternall Contemplation CHAP. X. Against hungry and pinching Holinesse a foolish craft of some that if they may saue much here they care not though they be saued but a little hereafter IT is a lamentable thing to see not so much how the men of the world but how some men of Religion doe fit their seruice for God For in these men is the greatest wonder who professe friendship and familiarity with God and yet deale deceitfully with Him So stedily doth Nature worke on her worke of Corruption in the Children of Nature though hauing vndertaken a profession of Grace yea euen in the very Children of Grace though not wholly or finally for euen Peter in something is to be blamed and Barnabas is seduced Gal. 2. Nature I say continues her old worke euen the same which in the dayes of old shee wrought in the inhabitants of the Land of Israel who being taught by the Priest to serue the God of heauen were
by the rule of riches the latter which is stark naught must bee the better man and if it bee so Loue if thou canst this admirable excellence superiority which sets thee vp higher in place by being worser in wickednesse Wouldest thou be this better man if thou mightst or rather wilt thou not rather scorne this so much valued place which is to bee gotten by excelling in wickednesse Surely a most pittifull eminence which is bought by the deprauation of a mans chiefest excellence the Image of God A lamentable dignity where the price of the soule must pay for the preferment of the body and thou must inwardly be most vgly that thou mayst outwardly bee glorious It were farre better for thee to bee the better man that thou mayst bee the worse then to bee the worse man that thou mayst bee the better But to giue thee comfort against this confusion I will tell thee Fourthly That this confused order shall bee righted by an order without confusion The day draweth neer wherein euery man shall bee seated in his right place euen according to true reall and inward excellence That as I told thee is the Image of God wherein whosoeuer now shines aboue the rest by grace shall hereafter shine aboue the rest in the eminence of Glory Therefore lift vp thy heart from earthly dignity vnto heauenly honour and set thy heart on that which shall bee thine by true iudgement by due administration and in an eternall fruition Thy worth shall bee truly valued and accordingly thy glory shall duly bee giuen thee and this glory shall bee giuen thee in a Kingdome which hath no end And then shalt thou see those glorious slaues whom vice heere preferred tumbled downe into a bottomlesse Pit and as farre below thee as hell is below Heauen Then shall it be no griefe of heart to thee that here thou wert misplaced by mistaking but thou shalt rather grieue for them that they were preferred by wickednesse vnto eternall misery It only remaynes that some of that thought that then shall fully possesse thee partly bee taken vp before hand that so thy future superiority may make thee fully pleased with thy present lownesse and the preferment of others by sinne may mooue in thee no other passion but pitty We see the sonne of a great Man can indure to be below in the Schoole because hee knowes he shall be high in the Countrey and quietly suffers those to take place of him of whome hee knowes by him place shal be taken We walke by faith and not by sight by the sight of the soule and not of the body and the soule seeing that heauenly exaltation let not bodily sight depresse vs but let that glorious eminence which wee see by faith erect and cheere vs. And now because by that vniuersall variety of euents all things comming alike to all or otherwise by diuine fauour immediate blessing wealth and honour comes sometimes to grace and goodnesse I thought it not vnfit to adde some cautions how the great good man should make vse of superiority First the loue of Pride which hath with it a swelling conceit of himselfe and a lesning contempt of others must be farre from being the cause of his being first but he must take it for orders sake which commonly brings two Companions Comelinesse and Quietnesse Secondly if there bee any doubt of the right of priority let him rather incline to the humble side then the proud and rather seeke to goe before in Humility then in place which is indeed Saint Pauls * Ro. 10.12 going before in going behind Thirdly let Charity accompany Humility which sometimes will giue prioritie for loue for some such there are whom you may winne by this Rattle and make them friends of enemies as children are pleased with Apples It is a bad Neighbour that is not worth more then his place though indeed he be not very good that will breake friendship for loue of the place But loue sometimes seeketh not her owne especially where loue must bee lost by seeking her owne for loue aboue all things seeketh loue Fourthly in the difference of place remember the Community of Nature yea perchance the priority of Grace so shalt thou not bee lifted vp in thy heart as thou art in thy place aboue men of thine owne dignity by Creation perchance better then thy selfe by the eminent Graces of Sanctification And where greater Graces sit below thee Let thy loue and courtesie acknowledge their inward dignity as their inferiority doth acknowledge thy outward eminence For as I told thee their excellence is the chiefest excellence and it is farre from Iustice that he should respect thy outward worth which is the meaner and thou shouldest not acknowledge his inward worth which is the better But let each haue his due thou the honour of outward eminence and he the honour and respect due vnto inward excellence CHAP. XVI Anti-Circe A potion that turnes Beasts into Men being before turned from Men into aBests MAny are the sores that afflict the minde of corrupt and miserable Man But of these many there are diuers that bee contented with the hurt of one single part or faculty of the soule as a Mote in the Eie and a Thorne in the Foot There is a single error in iudgement a particular straying of the will and a measured disordinatenesse of the Affections In which cases the amending of that one part where the griefe lyes is sufficient But there is a kinde of Men for such they were once that will not bee contented with such small sores but they will needes turne their minde into one whole sore Facies dicatur an vlcus you shall not distinguish the face of their once-reasonable soules from that of the brutish and still vnreasonable soules of Beasts They cast so much moysture on the Lampe of their vnderstanding so much mudde vpon their wils that the light of their vnderstanding is put out and the fethers of a diuine and celestiall will are vnable to mount and so the soule in her faculties is slaine and there remaynes nothing but the huskes and shels of Men for the Men themselues are turned out of doores To such mending will not serue the turne for they are dead They must goe beyond mending and had need to goe to new making For where the principia be not only laesa but as it were coesa an almost indelible Character of darknesse and sensuality being stamped on the soule how shall the soule be new lighted but by the first inlightner and how shall she of sensuall bee made spirituall but by a new-begetting of the Father of Spirits This masse of moysture is like the first Chaos voyde and without forme and darknesse is vpon the face of it What remedie remaynes but that now as then the spirit moue vpon the waters euen vpon this informed lumpe of Humidity There needs another fiat euen a voyce from Heauen Awake thou that sleepest and arise from
in all Ages hath it and hath need of it But I confesse there is a wisdome of reproouing as well as a libertie and I wish that they who haue this wisdome did especially if not only make vse of this liberty and I wish that they who take the liberty tooke also the wisdome with it The occasion and maner of reproouing oft-times makes the reproofe effectuall and an especiall part of the manner is this That it proceed from a visible Charitie Splenaticke and eager reproofes harden those affections which they pretend to softâ—n because these reproofs looke like a quarrell or reuenge and noâ— like the incisions of Loue which hurt only that they may heale Surely the ayme and end of all admonitions should be the good of the admonished and those are most commendable which are most effectuall to this end and not those which fit most with the humour of the Reproouer Now if such meanes of aduantage bee sought and practised a shame and a curse must needs light on that Man who being sought by Loue to be amended returnes hatred for the best office of Loue. Most commonly to such a one belongs the speech of the Prophet to Amaziah I know that the Lord will destroy thee because thou refusest my counsell As for Babylon let her not think because of such reproofs that her deeds are better then those of Sion For euen because of such reproofes the deeds of Sion are better then those of Babilon For Sion growes more beautifull and glorious by seeing her spots by acknowledging them and by washing them away But a speciall marke and brand it is of the sonne of perdition to hide sinnes as Adam yea to bind them fast with the cart-ropes of Iniquity And this hath the Church of Rome done for by Canons and Councels they haue bound their errours fast to them and by a kind of perpetuity haue intayled Errour to them and their heires for euer Now it is a certaine Rule when there is no Remedie by perswasion then God vseth the Remedie of Destruction This did God with his owne People 2. Chro. 36.16 This did hee with the first Babilon Ierem. 51.9 And this will hee doe with the last Reuel 18.5 7 8. Secondly here is not one corne of our Doctrine pulled vp but only the tares that haue beene mingled among it by humane errour and infirmity or by the malicious diligence of Satan Thirdly among these Tares shall they find their owne Doctrines so that part of this businesse is to shew that the mayne Body of their Religion is a Body of Sores that vpon the knowledge of Babilons vnholsomnesse Sion may flye from her infection It is now time that the Reader bee admitted into the house but I thinke he will be content to stay till hee know what I haue done as at first I told him what I haue not done I haue aymed to the Vices not vsually discouered not rightly cured or not thus cured Vices I call them that are found in the Vnderstanding as well as the Will for error and ignorance are faults â—s wel as outward visible and bodily disorders But when all â—his is done toward the cuâ—e â—f Man there is nothing done vntill the same God who giues the word to the mouth speakeâ— the same word to the heart Therefore with the Centurian let vs intreat the Lord that hee will but speake the word and wee his seruants shall be whole HIERON ad Demetriadem de virgin seruanda Sermo offendit plurimos dum vnusquisque in se intelligens quod dicitur non quasi monitorem libenter audit sed quasi criminatorem sui operis auersatur THE CHIEFE Heads and Contents of this Booke CHAP. I. Two dâ—uers Diseases of them that loue to publish All and Nothing CHAP. II. The Folly of Naturall Wisdome preferring the Hand mayde before the Mist is Philosophie before Diuinitie CHAP. III. A hâ—aling of their Griefe that are â—ffrighted at Christianity and run away from it as fâ—om soâ—e terrible and ugly thing CHAP. IIII. That Religion is the true Roote of Ualour against the waking Dâ—eaâ—es of the Philosophicall Wizard and the angry Russian CHAP. V. A Câ—nâ—er in the Mouth from whence issuâ—th the lothsâ—me Breath of Rankâ— and â—uperflueus Swearing CHAP. VI. Against their Frenze that affirme a bâ—ind Beliefe to be the Soule of Christianitie and make Christians to be the meere Slaues of the Authoritie of Man CHAP. VII Aphorismes of Predestination CHAP. VIII Of the small Health and great Vnhealthynesse of the Church of Rome wherein most conspicuous is a Wenne growne to the likenesse of a Head CHAP. IX A cure of that Monasticall Melanchoâ—y that cuts off a Christians Hands and turnes him all into Eyes CHAP. X. Against hungry and pinching Holinesse a foolish Craft of some Whâ— if they may saue much here care to be saued but a little hereafter CHAP. XI An Errour that forbids men though mortally diseased to bee cured by a sicke Physician CHAP. XII Spirituall Wickednesse in High Places the Remedie CHAP. XIII A doubâ—e fault in teaching one that fâ—etteth the whole Flesh another that nourisheth the proud Flesh one thinkes to saue men by angring and despising them the other will not saue them rather then offend them CHAP. XIIII The diseases of Representation that infect by the Eye and the Eare. CHAP. XV. Of the Pharisies Disease The love of vppermost Seates CHAP. XVI Anti-Circâ— A Potion thaâ— turnes Beasts into Men being before turned from Men into Beasts CHAP. XVII Certaine falfe Appetites that disâ—aste the Fooâ— of Life though drest in it owne Kind if not drest to their owne Mind CHAP. XVIII That the vse of the Keyes is an excellent Remedie for the Diseases of the Church if it selfe be not diseased and that it is not to bee takâ—n for a Priuiledge to bee free from Remedies and not fâ—om Diseases CHAP. XIX The Discouery of certaine mayne causes of Warres and Wounds in the Church and the meanes of their cure THE DISEASES OF THE TIME Attended by their Remedies CHAP. I. Two diuers Diseases of them that loue to publish all and nothing CONCERNING the publishing of Workes and writings besides the commonly exploded Issues of obscoene and friuolous Braines there is a twofold Errour and Infirmitie One is of those that loue to publish as much as they can write and a second is of them that loue to publish nothing The first sort commonly passeth into their extremity by an ouer-flowing Conceit of their owne Abilitie which makes them to loue whatsoeuer is theirs or perchance for want of Iudgement which teacheth Proportion and sayes that euen of things louely good there must be a stint and measure and that an excellence in Qualitie may bee a fault in Quantity Now that men may free themselues of this euill which is selfe-deceit out of selfe conceit let them chuse Witnesses for the Issues of their Soules as the custome is for those of their Bodies Let vs inuite some of our
euen because it is vniforme vnto God Secondly the Diuine is more noble then the Philosopher in the meanes of acting vertue for knowing that from God proceedeth all strength he seekes strength for the action on of Vertue from the Author of strength whereas the Philosopher makes vse of an olde decayed strength which is the remaynder of the gift of God without eyther petition or thankes to God The Diuine indeed commends Vertue for the sparke that it hath of the first Image of the Maker but yet acknowledgeth great defects in it and therefore desires to perfect it by the renuing of the same Maker and then hauing renued it by him hee referres it to him So the vertue of a Christian doubly acknowledgeth God the Author of it and with double strength returnes vnto him both as it came first from God by Creation and after the Creation being defaced as it was renued by Regeneration Thirdly the Diuine is more noble then Philosopher in giuing the Creatour his right in his Creature for knowing that his whole person came from God hee voluntarily freely and ioyfully returnes himselfe wholly to God hee giues the Creatue to the Creatour and makes him his end who is his true Owner by being his beginning But the Philosopher cuts off the Creature from the Creator eyther by denying the Creation and yet he sees no man now adaies spring out of the Earth or otherwise by denying all traffique betweene the Creatour and his Creature As if God had cast out caresly from his hand so admirable a Creation and willingly lost it and so became a Creatour to no purpose or else regardeth it only as a Spectator of Gladiators and Fighters with beasts euen as one that delighteth to behold the miseries that Mankinde wreaketh on it selfe which is a blasphemy against the Fountayne of Goodnesse But farre bee it from vs to account our selues our own but his euen his Creatures Children and Seruants Indeed if our selues our Vertues were originally ours then might we rest in our selues loue both our own selues our own vertues by themselues and for themselues But God hath a propertie in vs and our vertues and therefore as to a father we ought to offer the seruice of Children For a iust vpright soule cannot but take delight in pleasing him who is to her the Authour of being Wherefore I desire hereafter that the Philosopher will not despise the Sonne for a cheerfull pleasing his Father nor the Seruant for a comfortable practice of Vertue because it is acceptable to his Lord the true Owner both of him and his Vertues For although himselfe bee a fugitiue Seruant and hath turned his Liuerie into a Sute of Apparell and swaggers it vp and downe in his run-away freedome yet the Masters propertie lyes as a heauie burthen accusation vpon him and shal one day bring him to the Bar of the highest Iustice and in the meane time he stands heere below indicted for a Vagabond and so is far worse in his stolne Gallantry then a Seruant is in a iust voluntary obedience The seruice of a Christian is a seruice of loue and therefore it is a noble seruice A Christian loues God and therefore pleaseth him by doing that which God loues Now this seruice of loue is noble because it is voluntary pleasant and cheerfull Loue casteth out feare and takes delight in pleasing him whom it loues and therefore it cheerfully obeyes him and indeed such cheerfull obeyers doth God only loue Therefore such should only bee called Diuines and their vertue the only vertue of Diuines Which if it be granted then is the slander of the deiection sadnesse and basenesse of the Diuines wholly ouerthrowne Lastly the Diuine is more noble then the Philosopher in his Marke or End For the fruition of God is proposed by the Diuines in their practice of vertue but that by these is turned to an obiection while themselues haue no other end but some transitorie vse of vertue True it is that Christians beholding the beautie of vertue they loue the looke of it and highly esteeme it But yet more Reasons of estimation doe binde more and the adding of strength doth not weaken but strengthen else a threefold cord were easier to be broken then a single one Therefore God knowing the corruption of mans nature and that few men in this state of deprauation haue eyther vnderstanding or worth to value goodnesse sufficiently and accordingly to practise it he hedgeth in the frailtie of man with the double inclosure of punishment and reward and all little enough and too little as Experience shewes to keepe him in his way Though vertue bee lonely to a clarified vnderstanding yet mans vnderstanding being in the most pudled by the fall and in euery one sometimes dimmed by passions the fruits of the fall the beautie of vertue then shines not to an vn-seeing eye but the will by feare or benefit is then most to be wrought on If therefore to ayde so great a weaknesse there bee a supplement of strength by the proposition of danger and profit the nature of man is hereby the more succoured and we are to blame if we blame our helpes But they will say they are most noble that haue no need of them and that tread the path of vertue neither for feare nor couetousnesse I answere that Goodnesse and Happinesse being naturally linked together and wickednesse and miserie the vnderstanding and will more readily imploy and bend themselues to the good and from the euill by reason of that Vnion And surely Happinesse beeing tyed to Goodnesse by the Chayne of Prouidence wee cannot but mend our pace to goodnesse by the sight of annexed Happinesse and it were folly not to looke on that which may both delight incourage vs. Our will desireth good naturally and therefore good being tyed to goodnesse giues more appetite to the will And surely heerein was the same kinde of Action in the Heathen though by mistaking For these did seek a souereigne good in vertue and euen for that sought it the more feruently Now the ods is this that wee haue a souereigne good with vertue though not in vertue conioyned but not confounded So vertue is louely to vs but God the Fountaine of vertue is farre more louely and to him wee walke in the path of vertue Now there is no basenesse in louing vertue well for it selfe neither in louing the Authour of vertue better then it neyther in louing vertue the more for leading vs to the Authour of vertue So we may not be blamed but rather should bee commended vertue being the way to the Author of vertue if we make this vse of this little streame of goodnesse by the guiding thereof to come to the infinite ocean of Goodnesse Surely we then loue vertue best when not contented with the drops of it we labour earnestly to come to the fountayne and sulnesse of it and by practizing a little vertue to come to the
this path of vertue it leades vs to Felicitie And when hee hath magnified his Philosophie to the highest Diuinitie chalengeth all the Goodnesse it hath as her seruant and addes more vnto it Now for the other two Epithites wherewith hee decketh Philosophie and whereof he robbeth Diuinitie Pleasantnesse and Power I haue fitted seuerall discourses for them yet withall respecting other faults But the Reader may set such pieces of them together as being inlayd in his memorie iointly with this may serue for an intire Confutation of these errours And that his memorie may not trauaile farre for the doing of it I heere immediatly adioyne them CHAP. III. A healing of their Griefe that are affrighted at Christianitie and runne away from it as from some terrible and vgly thing THere are some that thinke on Religion as vpon some fearfull Apparition and accordingly receiue the Image thereof into their Mindes in the likenesse of a sowre grim and austere visage And surely some Pharisies haue giuen a Confirmation hereunto But this is an especiall deceit and fraud of the Deuill to rob vs of the greatest ioy by a false feare of the greatest sadnesse Is there any more comfortable thing then the vnion of Man with his Souereigne Good Is there any thing more pleasant then light and true Christians haue in them the beames of the vppermost Light Is there any thing more rauishing then Beautie and these are delighted with the highest Beautie of the Creatour and with the lower Beauties of iust and holy men resembling the higher What delights Man more then to loue and to bee beloued and behold a Christian is the best louer and loued of the best Vertue was glorious in the eyes of the Heathen so that in regard of her they despised all labours and sufferings yea life it selfe Yet their Vertue was but of a bounded Nature as a standing Poole whose waters are by measure But the Vertues of Christianitie are continuall streames flowing from the eternall Fountaine of the Deitie and haue an vnlimited power of daily increasing I cannot I would not say all that the ioy of Christians can afford me I haue * Arté of Happâ—nesse elsewhere saued this labour Neither let men thinke but that these are matters of Fact and not of meere Speculation for the hearts of true Christians are at this day liuing Witnesses and the Sayings of the Dead cry aloud to confirme it Reade DAVID reioycing in his Psalmes and you will thinke him a man rauished so doth euery word swell with ioy prayse and exultation See him dancing before the Arke and if you bee no wiser then a very woman you will thinke him out of his wits but if you bee so wise as a good woman you will say his soule did magnifie the Lord and his Spirit reioyced in God his Sauiour Againe reade the Song of Dauid describing the extasies of loue and delight wherein the Church almost loseth her selfe as vnable to contayne them and you cannot but say that there is a ioy entered into the heart of man which cannot get it selfe wholy into it by comprehension nor get out of it by expression All the Instruments of Musicke all the Creatures both sensible and insensible are summoned together to helpe forth the vtterance of an vnvtterable ioy And how can you blame him for his soule is in the Courts of Heauen Where to be a doore-keeper for one day is better then to bee a thousand yeares in the Courts of Princes and yet most men thinke that Courtiers haue great ioy of their places Againe Gods Words are sweeter to him then the hony and you know Sweetnesse is the God of the Epicure Yea it is more precious then fine Gold and Gold is the God of the Worldling Thus a Christians ioy surmounteth the ioyes of the Naturallist euen Honour Pleasure and Profit But if this bee true you will say how comes it that so few seeke heauenly and almost all seeke earthly ioyes and perchance thou which readest it art also of the same minde Hereunto I answere That the fault is in the Taste not in the Meate in the folly of the Iudgement not in the Pearle when a graine of Corne is preferred before it To taste spirituall ioyes a man must bee spirituall for the spirit rellisheth only the things of the spirit and like loueth his like Betweene a spirituall man and spirituall ioyes there is as mighty an appetite and enioying as betweene fleshly meate and a carnall stomack Therefore the want of this taste and apprehension condemneth the World to be carnall but magnifies the ioyes spirituall as being aboue a grosse and carnall apprehension Surely the face of this world at the first view shewes vs a plaine euidence of its vnacquaintaÌ„ce with these ioyes it is so willingly soyled with the sweat of worldly labours so defiled with wallowing in the mire of voluptuousnesse so wrinkled with the cares of this perishing life They still cry out who will shew vs any good but they would haue this good shewed them in their Corne and Wine and Oyle But on the otherside if men did fully taste the sweetnesse and rightly value the preciousnesse of heauenly ioyes the World would run so fast from the World and presse so violently into the Kingdome of God that wee should extremely neede Sermons to perswade to the labours of the six dayes whereas now all Exhortations are too little toward the sanctâ—fying of the Seuenth And indeed the Primitiue times gaue examples hereof when there was plaine need of dehortation to keepe men from too much haste toward Persecution and too much flying from the World If thou therefore be as they were thou shalt bee readie to doe as they did Doe not as Fooles do who because they cannot taste the ioyes of a Christian therefore leaue to be Christians But euen because thou canst not tast them be thou more vehemently desirous to bee a Christian that thou mayest taste them For by being a Christian thou shalt taste the ioyes of a Christian whereas else thou losest thy selfe and them and sinkest downe to the base degree of a grosse and transitory creature and so of base and transitorie ioyes yea below them againe into a bottomlesse pit of endlesse darknesse But rather striue thou by earnest Prayer to the Father of Spirits to make thee spirituall that so spirituall things may be pleasing to thee and thou pleasing to him who is the chiefe of Spirits for Conformitie and Harmonie is the Law of Pleasure and Delight Therefore also on the otherside tread downe thy flesh and the taste thereof whose exaltation is the abatement of spirituall Life Taste and Feeling and whose abatement is the exaltation of spirituall fauour and discerning Another Obiection is framed by the World that Religion cannot bee pleasant because none speak more against Mirth and good Fellowship then these forward Christians and great Religionaries To this I answere That men truely wise and holy doe not preach against Mirth
that thou mayst be glad to bâ—e cured of this Vice by the contrariety of the Spirit see wherein the contrariety consists The surfet of wine makes darknesse in thy Vnderstanding and the Spirit light It makes brutish sensuality strong and heauy vpon the Will and affections and the Spirit exalts and purifies the Will by a cleane and celestiall grace Now if I leaue it to thy choyce whether thou wilt come out of Darknesse into Light from a seruile sensuality a true equality with Beasts into the glorious liberty of holy cleane and heauenly Minds I know thou wilt tell mee that there is no doubt in this choyce but that Light is farre better then Darknesse and a heauenly Mind is farre better then a sensuall Then doe but beleeue what thou sayest and doe what thou beleeuest and thou art cured Preferre in thy workes as well as thy words the light of the Deity shining on thy Soule before the darknesse of excesse sent vp from the grosse vapors of Moysture Bee thou farre more glad to haue thoughts of Purity thoughts of Felicity thoughts of Eternity then the beastly imaginations of filthy Lusts inflamed in thy Soule by the Lake of Brimstone that lies in thy Bowels Let neither the colour nor the tast of Wine be thought a fit counterpoyse to those excellencies of the Spirit but when Wine would tempt thee by them call him Mocker and tell him that pleasure is but a pretence but darknesse sensuality and eternall death is the drift of it Tell it thou hast a Light in thee more precious then the light of the Sunne the Father of Wine yea more excellent then any Creature and thou wilt not change this excellent light into darknesse for so small a price as a sight and a tast Say thou hast a quickening and purifying flame of heauenly Fire sent downe into thy heart and thou wilt not quench it for the World by the inundation of a brutifying Moysture And hauing chased away this tempting Ammonite that will not make peace with thee but by pulling out thy best eye retire into the Light and Vertue of the Spirit inflame it blowe it kindle it by Meditation by Prayer by Reading and the increase of this Light and Vertue wiâ— increase in thee loâ—hing of the Darknesse and Beastlinesse of excesse The Light of the Spirit and the graces therof will bee so highly precious in thy sight that thou wilt wonder that any man should goe downe from that Heauen of the Soule into the darke and miry Dungeons of a stupiâ—ied sightlesse filthy sensuall and sencelesse Mind Thou wilt admire that a man should wilfully put out so glorious a Lampe as the Light of the Spirit and that a man should quench that fire by which in some measure he is partaker of the Diuine Nature and all this to get into him the nature habite and condition of a Swine an Ape a Goat or a Lyon Wherefore take heed to the new Creature of God created in knowledge and holinesse which is farre more glorious then all the old Creatures Let that by all meanes bee preferred in its dignitie and supremacie let all Creatures serue it for so the Creator allowes but let it selfe bee brought in bondage to nothing Let it be kept bright and pure for the seruice and pleasure of the Creator who therefore beautified Man with a likenesse to his owne Heart that his heart might take pleasure in that likenesse And if the chiefe pleasure which God takes on Earth be this Beauty of Man then man himselfe should take his chiefest pleasure in prâ—â—eruing and adorning this Beauty Otherwise hee is an vngratefull Wretch not caâ—ing to gratifie the Creator with the pleasure of his owne Gifts and hee is an ignorant Foole for not taking a chiefe pleasure in that wherein the highest Wisdome is especially delighted But whosoeuer is the truly begotten sonne of that supreme Wisedome cannot but loue and cherish the Wisdome and Graces of the inner Man wherein stands the beautifull Image and likenesse of the most glorious Father And whosoeuer loueth and cherisheth it cannot but hate and abhominate that Excesse that casts blacknesse and filth on so bright rauishing and celestiall a Beauty Neyther doth here the Spirit of God bid vs to our losse but which is the second Remedie euen in those things wherein Wine is desirable the Spirit offers vs aduantage If the Wine bee pleasant to the eye the sights of the Spirit are farre more excellent for they are such as eye hath not seene The Spirit of God reueales sights vnvtterable and our soules anoynted with that eye-salue Looke into heauen and see him that is inuisible Glorious and delectable are the Contemplations of the Saints euen such that they grow rapt by the sights which they behold and are loth to come downe from that high Tabor of Vision into the low and base valley of outward and grosse conuersation The light of the body is the eye but the eye of Man is the Soule The Spirituall sight is mans most excellent Sight and Spirituall obiects are his most excellent obiects When we see outward things wee see but that which beasts may see with vs but when we see Spirituall things we see that which none but Men and Angels can see wherefore be thou filled with the Spirit wherby thou mayst see the true and kindly obiects of Men and Angels and dwell not in thy outward eies wherin Beasts may excell thee By thy inward sight thou shalt in some measure behold God thy chiefe Felicity the loue of God in Christ Iesus giuen for our Ransome the admirable Graces and Vertues of a holy and sanctifying Spirit In summe thou shalt see such diuine Sights that thou wilt not giue thy Contemplations for a Kingdome For at what price will a heauenly Soule sell his Meditations a Gregor in ps pâ—niâ— 4. Sion is by interpretation a Watch-towre and Sion is a type of the Church The Church of God stands on a Watch-towre and it sees more then seuen men on a Watch-towre and as her height is exalted on the towre of contemplation so her foundation is setled beneath on the Rocke of stability So as shee sees farre by her height shee is also stable by her foundation which amounts to this That Sion is a Watch-towre that cannot be remooued from her Contemplation Now if this heauenly Sight bee the most excellent Sight of Man dwell no longer in thy outward eies to behold eyther the colour spright or motion of Wine or of any earthly obiect But in the stedfast Watch-towre of diuine Contemplation behold sights worthy of a Creature indued with a heauenly Soule Scorne to dwell in an equality with Beasts when thou mayst come into a parity with Angels and if thou wilt needs looke on Wine Looke on the new Wine of the kingdome of Heauen which Christ now drinkes aboue and for which hee hath left the old hauing professed that hee will drinke no more of it But of this
and mighty Language Hee doth what we should do euen make sweetnesse to wayte vpon strength not make strength to melt it selfe away into sweetnesse Let the Bees come vnto Samsons Lion but let not the Lion spend his strength in running after Bees Now the vse which hence I would gather is a double Medicine for a twofold Disease The one is for the Readers or hearers disease For many of these are sick of iudgement and will not reade or heare any but those that are short and sweet euen such as conuey Religion into them by Pils and not by Potions They are like chicken that cannot eate bread except it be in crummes But let such get vnto them the true appetite of a true Christian and then spirituall matter deliuered spiritually that is with euidence force will be very good if not the best food to their soules And I would wish them to condemne their owne stomackes and to seeke to amend them when they condemne or neglect a sound and Apostlicall deliuery of the Word For certainly that Soule is not very spirituall in her appetite that rellisheth not spirituall Doctrine deliuered in it owne that is in a spirituall manner For true in this it is also That Like loues his Like and on the otherside where there is no loue there is no likenesse but that which loues not is vnlike to that which is not loued So the appetite that loues not a spirituall kind of teaching is to be suspected that it selfe is not spirituall and that want of likenesse is the true cause of the want of loue And if it be so then let men looke into themselues for the fault and not out of themselues and after let them looke themthemselues to the Physician of our soules Christ Iesus praying him to touch their hearts as hee did the heart of Lydea with his opening Spirit and then no doubt shall they bee attentiue hearers of the man that speakes spirituall things in spirituall words The other is for the Writers or Speakers disease and this very often is affectation Euery man must be of the fashion and so if this Language of pieces be the fashion that must bee affected But the affectation heereof is vicious both because it affects a vice in speaking and likewise because it marres the naturall ability in which the Affectator would haue better excelled and whereby hee would haue beene more perswasiue So haue I seene a good Trotter make a bad Ambler and fall into a Racke which is neyther of them both Wherefore to draw all to a summe Let edification be the end of speaking and hearing writing and reading that it may bee so spirituall things must be fitted with a spirituall Language The excellence and moouing of diuine Musick is then chiefest when the Tune speaketh like the Ditty So if the light and power of the Spirit vtter themselues in words of light and power it speakes most mouingly to our soules Wherefore let spirituall words haue in them spirituall euidence and spirituall feruor for so doe they best speake to the Vnderstanding Will and Affections And let the whole matter haue a sufficient allowance of words for so doth it best speake to the memory Yet this wee may know that with a large and full expression a sententious definitious and comprehensiue Position is often a very good Companion The largenesse giues a full appearance of the matter to the vnderstanding and workes a full impression of it into the memory then the breuity becomming the modell and pith of the largenes makes it more portable and ready for vse And we may see a string which by the sudden turne of a Key hath broken by a leisurable winding hath risen beyond the degree where it brake Lastly if with the Preacher to the words of Truth and an vpright writing there arise pleasant words let euery man make vse of his Talent to the profit of the lender Instruction pointed with delight pierceth the more sharply and sticks the more stedfastly And these bee the very Nayles of Salomon the fastning of which he commends in the Teachers But let euery man serue God in his owne place and not breake his ranke to doe some strange Exployt For as there is not an expectation of doing God seruice where God hath not giuen ability so neyther is there an acceptation of that seruice which is done without an abilitie giuen of God 1. Pet. 4.11 For such a Worke is not the fruit of the power but of impotence and it cannot please him because it is done without him For as euery good thing comes from God so that which comes not from God is not good and that which is not good can neuer please God CHAP. XVIII That the Vse of the Keyes is an excellent Remedie for the Diseases of the Church if it selfe be not diseased and that it is not to bee taken for a priuiledge to bee free from Remedies and not from Diseases WHen I reade a Cyprian Epis. 10.11.55 de â—aâ—â—s the practice of Penitence in the Times of the first Loue it reioyceth mee greatly to see the beauty of the Church which could not chuse but shine in a notable fairenesse when the spots were so duely and carefully taken away the faces of the spotted being throughly washed by the teares of repentance Open Sinners were not admitted into the Communion of Saints neither was the bread of the Children giuen vnto dogges neyther by an equall bounty to the godly and the wicked was there an equall incouragement to godlinesse and iniquity But a separation was made betweene the sicke and the whole and this separation had no other intent but edification euen an edification of the Spirit by the destruction of the Flesh. So could men finde no fault with the dispensers of this power hauing nothing to complaine of but that their liues thereby were sought to bee amended and their soules to bee saued I confesse the cause was weighty for which the gates of Heauen were to be locked great in matter or great in manner great in the thing done or great in the wilfulnesse of the doer And this not without reason for the doome is heauy and fit for the backe of a strong mighty Euill It was a short damnation a temporall Hell a measured deliuery vnto Satan man being shut out of Heauen vpon Earth euen the company of Saints and shut out of Heauen in Heauen euen the ioyes and comforts of the Spirit of Consolation Neither could it but bee an excellent Remedie because it was so fitted to the Disease A degree of Presumption is incountred with a degree of Despaire the Scorpion is made a medicine against the Scorpion and Satan is set on worke to take him downe by Terror vnto Saluation whom before he animated and puffed vp to destruction Hee that sayd at first Sinne boldly for yee shall not die at all now he changeth his voyce and sayth Thy sinne is greater then can be forgiuen thee But
Discretion Such workes are excellent both in matter and forme and so they are both good and reasonable But on the other side how lamentable are the defects in eyther when Zeale wants Discretion or Discretion wanteth Zeale Where Zeale wants Discretion can neuer doe a good Worke for the matter of it is naught where Discretion wants a good Worke is neuer well done for the manner of it is naught And then againe how lamentable are the Warres which proceed from these defects Where Discretion abounds but Zeale is defectiue there order is commonly the chiefe obiect calmenesse quietnesse and outward prosperity are chiefly regarded But on the other side true Zeale is sometime condemned of businesse of tartnesse of giddinesse and the Prophet is demanded who hath made him a Counsellor But if Discretion fight against true and sanctified Zeale let it know that it fights against the Spirit of God and then let Gamaliel disswade him from being found a fighter against God yea let Wisdome beare with smaller Indiscretions if accompanyed with the true Zeale of Sanctification for God giues his Graces many times to the weake and by weake and contemptible Instruments we know that God sheweth his owne strength by their weaknesse casting downe the strong holds of the flesh and setting vp his glorious Kingdome And when wee come into the Kingdome of God and see what great returne of Soules and good Workes some weake Saints haue made it shall bee no griefe of heart to the men of Wisedome that they haue winked at some lesser indiscretions and infirmities Yet on the other side there grow sometimes intolerable inconueniences where Zeale abounds and Discretion is much defectiue For by such holinesse is altogether proposed but the fitting shaping of things best to effect that holinesse is not well conceiued Good things are not done with the best aduantage but lose part of their goodnesse for want of good handling Zeale without discretion is but a wild kind of goodnesse and like a mettald horse without a bridle it carries the Rider into waves that are out of the way and makes him runne against all that are in his way And to take a view of it in some particulars I first obseru that it is vnreasonable and full of extremity by following reason beyond reason It is iust ouer-much and knoweth not the right bounds of Right and Trueth but with Peter when the feet only should be washed it will haue the head washed also It strayneth after things beyond possibility and fitnesse and if perchance the things be good in their matter which it aymeth at it doth it in too violent a manner and not proportionably to the value or weight of the things There are some things which ought to bee done and other things that should not bee left vndone and as wee see some oddes betweene Cummin and Righteousnesse so we see ods in Christs inioyning them But inconsiderate Zeale knowing that the paying of Cummin should not bee left vndone with an equall heat sometimes prosecutes both that Righteousnesse yea with a great heat pursues a small Trueth and a greater Truth with lesse heat Such was the Zeale of the Pharises whom Christ therefore iustly taxed as strayners of Gnats and swallowers of Camels And I wish there were none now-adayes that are vehemently hote against small matters of forme and cold euen to death in Couetousnesse Pride Extortion Oppression And to goe on a little farther after these that go on too farre we shall find that they follow little Truthes at too vnreasonable expences Marke we the Law of God in his ten Words marke wee the Gospell of Christ Iesus the Epistles of his Apostles and wee shall find Loue to bee the Soule of the Law the new Commandement by excellence of the Gospell the speciall charge of all the Epistles Aboue all things put on Loue there abide these three Faith Hope and Loue and the chiefest of these is Loue. Loue is the bond of perfectnesse it is the most excellent way it goes into heauen with vs and there it testifies for vs as Iohn saith that wee were the Children of God on earth Now if this be the most excellent thing if it be to be put on aboue all things and is not to bee put off when all things else shall bee taken from vs how is this precious Iewell rashly vndervalued and too often put off by inconsiderate Zeale In the difference of small Truth you shal see Loue throwne aside like a Cloke by one that goes to wrastling and as betweene beasts whom I am ashamed to name in a cōparison with Christians a little bone causeth great and gaping wounds I deny not but all Truth is valuable but all Truth is not equally valuable with Loue but Loue is to bee maintayned euen with those in whom some Truths are defectiue and some such defects of Truth are to be tolerated where they cannot be amended but with the breach of Loue. I speake not God knowes but with a desire that Truth were perfectly embraced but I giue aduice in that case where lesser Truths are remedilesly vnreceiued And in this case I say that this most excellent Loue is not to bee sold for the buying of such little Trueths neyther may wee loose a thing absolutely necessary to Saluation for things not so absolutely necessary There is a Trueth of the foundation euen a fundamentall Trueth that is necessary to Saluation a Trueth by the beliefe whereof we are fastned into Christ Iesus and whosoeuer denyes this Truth is without the compasse of that Loue which is due to the sonnes of God But whosoeuer holdeth this fundamentall Trueth and is thereby become a member of Christ Iesus Loue is due to that man euen the Loue of a sonne of God and doe not thou dare to hate him whom Christ loueth Though by infirmitie of iudgement hee deny some lesser Trueth or by weaknesse of humane nature fall into some small offences cut not thy selfe off from him for if thou doe thou canst not cut him off from Christ but thou cuttest thy selfe off from him who is one with Christ. Therfore beware of this cutting and concision for where Loue wants it hurts the man most where it wanteth and not the man toward whom it is wanting for where Loue is absent there Christ is not present if Faith worke not downward in our hearts by Loue it workes not vpward into vnion with our Head Christ Iesus Let not Zeale therefore buy Truth at too deere a rate but let it be equally earnest for the maintayning of Loue and Trueth What God hath put together let no man put asunder Wee are commanded to follow the Trueth in Loue and therefore woe be to them that diuide the following of the Trueth from Loue yea follow the Trueth in malice and hatred The Law was abrogated yet Paul would not haue the cessation vrged with violence and rigour yea hee tells the iudgers and condemners What are they that iudge and