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
thinke hee offended if being at his Prayers his minde wandered after vayne phantasies When any such thing happened hee spared not Confession but foorthwith made satisfaction This course hee practised so often that seldome was he troubled with those molestations Oâ—ce in a time of Lent he had made a little Basket to passe away some short vacation without being altogether vnocupied which comming to his minde when he said his Houres did somewhat distract it Wherefore being mooued with zeale of Spirit hee burned the basket sâ—â—ing I will sacrifice it to God whose Sacrifice it hindred Therefore distraction of minde in time of Prayer and praising God is not so small an offence as many imagine but great is the Mercy and Longanimitie of God in that hee is no more angry nor presently punisheth vs therefore Next followeth the Height of Gods Mercy Cap. 3 which is taken from the cause moouing God to mercy And truely it is most High and exalted aboue all the Heauens according to that of the Psalmes Lord thy mercy is â—n Heauen Psal 35 And Mercy shall be built vp for euer in the Heauens â—sal 88 Some men haue mercy of other men because they need their helpe and this indeed is the lowest degree of mercy for it goeth not beyond priuate commodity After which manner we also haue compassion of our Horses Dogges and Cattle Others haue mercy by reason of Consanguinity or friendship to witt because they are their Children Brothers Familiars or Friendes and this degree is a little higher and beginneth to haue the Forme of a vertue Lastly others haue mercy because they are their neighbours to wit men as they are made by the same God and of the same molde And therefore they respect not whether they be their friends or enimies good or euill country-men or strangers but they take compassion of all whom they know created according to Gods Image and this is the highest degree of mercy to which mortall men can ascend But God hath mercy vpon all thinges because they are his Creatures and especially vpon men because they are his Images And more especially vpon the righteous because they are his Children heyres of his Kingdome and coheyres of his Onely begotten Sonne But if thou aske why God created the world Why hee made man to his likenesse Why he iustifieth the wicked and adopteth them to be his Children and heyres of his Kingdome Nothing can be answered but because he so would And why would he so but because he is Good For Goodnesse is liberall and doth willingly bestow it selfe Mercy therefore is built vp in Heauen Psal 88 and from a most high habitation to wit from the Heart of the Highest she descended to the Earth and filled it as was foretolde by the Prophet Psal 32 The earth is full of the mercy of our Lord. Lift vp now my soule the eyes of thy minde to that most high fountaine of mercy Consider the absolute purity thereof not mixed with any intention of priuate commodity And when thon hearest the Maister of all exhorting and saying Luk. 6 Be yee therefore mercifull as also your Father is mercifull endeauour all thou canst to haue compassion of thy fellow seruants with that pure affection wherewith thy Heauenly Father hath compassion of vs. If thou forgiue an iniury forgiue it with a true heart and commit to perpetuall forgetfulnesse euery offence For Our Father forgetteth our offences as the Prophet Ezechiell writeth Ezech. 18 And As farre as the East is distant from the West Psal 112 doth he make our iniquityes farre from vs as Dauid speakteh If thou giue an Almes to the poore make account thou dost rather receiue then giue Because hee lendeth our Lord that hath mercy on the poore Pro. 19 Giue it therefore with humity and reuerence not as an Almes to the poore but as a guift to a Prince If thou suffer any discommodity to benefit thy poore neighbour thinke yet how sarre thou commest short of thy Lord who to benefite thee gaue his bloud and life So shalt thou without hope of earthly reward without any motion of vaine glory meerly for the loue of God thy neighbour profite in the vertue of mercy It remaineth that we consider the Depth of Gods mercy Cap. 4 For as the height thereof appeareth chiefly in the cause so the Depth thereof is seene especially in the effect That mercy therefore is not said to be deepe but rather shallow and superficiall which descendeth but to wordes onely That deeper which comforteth the needy not onely with wordes but also with deeds That most deepe which not onely with wordes and deedes conforteth them but also endureth laboures and dolours for their sakes God therefore whose mercie is infinite hath beene mercifull vnto vs after all these manners For first he sent vs letters of comfort to wit the holy Scriptures whereof the Machabies speake Mach. 12 We haue for our comfort the holy Bookes that are in our handes Neither doth he speake to to vs by letters onely but also by the Sermons of Preachers Which are Legates of Christ 2 Cor 4 and by inward inspirations promising vs his helpe and protection I will heare saith Dauid what our Lord will speake in me Psal 84 because he will speake peace vpon his people and vpon his Saintes and vpon them that are conuerted to the hart Secondly the benefits of Gods mercies against our manifold miseries both spirituall and temporall are so many that they cannot be numbred For euery where He crowneth vs in mercie â—sal 102 and commiserations That is he compasseth vs about euery where with the benefits of his mercie Thirdly Gods mercie deseended by the mysterie of the holy Incarnation to labours and dollours to hunger and thirst to ignominyes and reproches to stripes and woundes and to the death of the Crosse to redeeme vs from our sinnes and from eternall death due vnto vs therefore Is there any greater depth to which Gods mercy did descend Yes surely For he did all these thinges not of dutie but out of Loue. Iay 53 He was offered saith the Prophet because himselfe would For who compelled the sonne of God Who thought it no robbery phil 2 himselfe to be equall to the Father but â—e exiranitâ—d himselfe taking the forme of a seruant 2 Cor 8 To be made poore for vs that by his pouerty we might be rich Phil 2 â— To be humbled vnto death euen the death of the Crosse to exalt vs Truely loue onely compelled him mercy onely constreyned him It also descendeth yet farther For he would in the worke of our saluation bestowe on vs honour and glorie That diuision which the Angels made seemed very fit Glory in the highest to God Luk 2 and in earth peace honour be to God and profit to men But Gods mercie would haue all the profite to be ours and part of the glorie to be his and
least Malice should change their vnderstanding as the wise man speaketh of Enoch And many he taketh not away but suffereth them to fall from vertue to vice and to end their dayes thâ—â—in What shall we say of whole Nations some whereof are very soone others very long before they be called vnto the Faith without which none can be â—aned For hee that beleeueth not it already iudged Ioh. 5 And as the Apostle speaketh Rom â—0 Euery one whosoeuer shall innocate the 〈◊〉 of our Lord shall be saued How then shall they inuocate in whâ—â— they haue not beleeued Oâ— how shall they beleeue him whome they haue not heard And how shall they heare without a Preacher but how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent These are therefore most high and deepe Secrets which the eternall Father hath hidde in the Depth of his Wisdome whereat the Apostle wondereth but declareth them not when he saith Rom 11 O depth of the riches of the wisdome and of the Knowleâ—ge of of God how incomprehensible are his iudgements and his wayes vns â—â—chable For who hath knowne the minde of our Lord or who hath bin his Counceller This onely is lawfull for vs to know That in God there is no iniquity And that at the last day there shall be none but shall â—â—ely say Psal 118 Thou art iust O Lord and thâ— Iudgement right Moreouer this Secret is profitable to vs all for hereby it commeth to passe that the wicked shall not dispaire of their saluation nor the righteous presume therof Good men also shall not be hopelesse of the conuersion of the wicked but pray for all and carefully seeke their saluation And againe none how good and holy soeuer shall haue occasion to be proude but with Feare and trembling worke their saluation Phil. 2 And thou my soule hauing considered all these thinges Labour by good workes to make sure thy vocation and election as St. 2 Pet. 1 Peter the Apostle doth admonish thee in his last Epistle But what those good Workes are which make sure thy Vocation and Election St. 1 Ioh. 3 Iohn the Apostle teacheth thee when he saith My little Children let vs not loue in worde nor in tongue but in deede and truth For Charity is a vertue with which none shall be damned without which none shall be saued And it is shewed by the Workes to witt when one doth giue almes to the poore or forgiue his enemies for the true loue of God and his neighbour and not for hope of temporall teward or for inordinate loue to the Creature And because it is not enough to begin well Math. 10 But hee that shall perseuer to the end he shall be saued Therefore the Apostle saith Labour That is attentiuely carefully and diligently follow the businesse of your Eternall saluation And truely there is no signe more probable of Gods election then when a mâ—n being more carefull of his saluation then of any other thing prayeth continually vnto God for the guift of true repentance true humility perfect charity and perseuerance vnto the end and not being content with prayer onely stnueth also all he can to seeke and finde The Kingdome of Heauen and the iustice thereof Math 6 As our Sauiour doth exhort THE FOVRETEENTH STEPP From the Consideration of Gods mercie THe holy Ghost doth in holy scripture merueylously commend the mercy of God Cap. 3 in so much that he doubteth not to extoll it aboue all Gods workes For so faith the Prophet Dauid Psal 144 Orr Lord is sweete to alâ— and his commiseratiors are euer all his workes we shall easily deicerne the greatnesse of thâ— diuine at tribute if we consider sâ—â—ewhat attentiuely the brâ—aâ—â—h length higth depth therof The breadth of Gods mercy is seene in that he onely can take away all miseries and from all creatures he taketh away some for the loue he beareth them and not for any profit to himselfe Creatures indeed can take away some miseries as bread hunger drinke thirst cloathes nakednesse knowledge ignorance and so of the rest but no creature can take away all miseries Moreouer there are some miseries the greater the more secret and inward they are which God onely can remedie Such are the subtile decreates of the Deuils who are many mighty and much incensed against vs. Such also are the errors of our minde and conscience which we in our selues see not But oftentimes are deceaued thinking our selues very sound when as indeede when we are very sicke Who can deliuer vs from these miseries but onely our Almighty phisition And he also doth often mercifully deliuer vs from them without our knowledge for which cause we all may iustly be said vnkinde to God as our Lord himselfe doth witnesse when he saith Luk. 6 That his heauenly Father is Beneficiall vpon the vnkinde and the euill For we scarcely knowe the least part of Gods benefits and therefore we thanke him not for them with such deuotion and humilitie as we ought Creatures moreouer cannot take away all miseries but onely a fewe nor from all but from a few but God can take away all miseries from all and albeit he doe not so yet there is none but is in some sort partaker of his mercie Truely therefore saith the Prophet Phil. 32 The earth is ful of the mercie of our Lord. The Church also in her prayer saith O God to whom it is proper to haue mercie c. For he can take away miserie properly who wanteth misery and he can take away all unseries from all who wanteth all miserie And that is God onely who is a pure Act whose Effence is Happinesse O my soule if thou couldest conceaue what the life of thy God is which is exalted aboue a I miserie and is Happinesse it selfe How â—â—weuldest thou sigh from thy hart to be in the bâ—some thereof that of thee it might also be said Psal 90 There shall no euill come to thee and scourge shall not approach to thy Tabernacle But thou wilt say If God can take away all miseries from all thinges why doth he not since he is The Father of mercies to wit a most mercifull Father 2 Cor. 1. Why are there so many miseries in mankinde vnder the gouernment of the Father of mercies Why also is it faid The earth is full of the mercy of our Lord And not econtra The earth is full of all miserie God truely can take away all miseries yet he onely taketh away those which his wisdome iudgeth fitt to be taked away But his wisdome iudgeth it not expedient for men that all should be taken away For it is mercie sometimes not to take away some miserie that greater mercie might afterward be shewed The Apostle prayed thrice to our Lord That the pricke of the flesh might be taken from him 2 Cor 12 and he was not heard Because power is persited in infirmitie God tooke not from Lazarus
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
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.
in making houses of clay then enioy an euerlasting kingdome Hadst thou rather which I abhorre to thinke be delighted with the pleasures of beastes then come to the ineffable delightes of Angels Let thy mercy O Lord auert this from the soule of thy seruant Rather peirce my flesh with thy feare â—â—psal 118 and let the obedience of thy lawe be more sweete to me then hunny or the hunny Combe that crucifying my flesh with the vices concupiscences therof I may aspire to the spirituall and eternall pleasures of thy Paradice Graunt to thy seruant O Lord to follow the steppes of thy Christ who being meeke and humble of hart When he was reuyled 1 Pet. 2 did not reuile when he suffered he threatned not Grannt that I may liue soberly righteously and piously in this world that with some confidence I may expect The blessed hope Tit 2 and aduent of the glory of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ It remaineth that we consider Cap. 4 the iustice which God will vse in punishing sinners in Hell Wherfore if we marke with attention and diligence we shall indeede vnderstand that it is most true which the Apostle teacheth in his Epistle to the Hebrewes It is horrible to fall into the hardes of the liuing God Heb. 10 For to follow that method we obserued in Iustice rewarding the merits of Saintes God the iust iudge will punish all sinnes though neuer so small as for example an idle word for so we read in the Gospell Euery idle word that men small speake they shall render an account for it in the day of iudgement Math 12. Men truely leaue many offences vnpunished either because the offenders resist or flye away or because they knowe not whether they be done or not or perhapps not sufficiently proued by witnesses whether they be done or not or els becausâ— they will not punish them being either corrupted with bribes oppressed with faâ—oâ—â—s or depraued with their owne malice But God is Almighty therefore none can resist his power He is euery where therfore nothing can be hid â—â—d from his sight Whether shall I goe saith Dauid 〈◊〉 thy spirit Psal 138 And whether shall I fire from thy face If I shall ascend into heauen thou art there If I descend into hill thâ—â— are present He is most wise and therfore knoweth euery thing though neuer so secretly hidden in the hart Neither doth he neede witnesses to proue offences since mens consciences shall be against them as a thousand witnesses Lastly no bribes can corrupt his iustice since he wanteth no goods of ours Certaine therefore it is that no sinne whatsoeuer can escape Gods iustice vnlesse it be first purged by repentance For as his mercie in this life is great in pardoning so his iustice after this life will be seuere in punishing Of the time of this life the Prophet Isay speaketh Iay 49 In time acceptable I haue heard thee and in the day of saluation I haue holpen thee Which the Apostle expounding in his last EpiÌ„stle to the Corinthians saith 2 Cor 6 Behold now is the time acceptable beholde now the day of saluation Of the time to come after this life the Prophet Sophontas cryeth out That day a day of wrath Sophon 1 a day of tribulation and distresse a day of calimitie miserie a day of darkeresse and myst a day of Cloâ—de and Whirle-winde a day of the Trumpet and sound Neither shall all sinnes be punished onely but so horribly punished that scarcely can any liuing man imagine it For as no eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor heart of man conceaued what God hath prepared for those that loue him so no eye hath seene noâ— eaâ—â— hath heard nor hart of man conceaued what God hath prepared for those that hate him The punishments o◠〈◊〉 in hell shall be vety many very 〈◊〉 and very 〈…〉 mixed with no 〈…〉 and watch doth 〈…〉 miserie◠〈◊〉 I say they shall be very many because euery power of the â—â—â—le and euery sence of the body shall be tormented Weigh the wordes of the highest iudges sentence set downe in the Gospell Mâ—â— 2â— Get yâ—◠〈…〉 from me 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 Gâ—t 〈◊〉 away saith he that is depart yee from the company of the blessed being for euer depriued of the sight of God which is the highest essential happinesse last end for which ye were created You cursed that is Hope not hereafter for any benediction for ye are depriued of the life of grace and all hope of saluation the water of wisdome dewe of diuine inspirations shall not hereafter raine vpon you the beames of heauenly light shall not hereafter shine vpon you the grace of repentaÌ„ce the flower of Charitie nor the fruits of good works shall not growe in you Luk. 1 The Orient from oâ— high shall neuer from henceforth visite you Neither shall yee onely loose spirituall and eternall goods But also corporall and temporall yee shall haue no riches no delightes no comfortes but shall be like the Figg-tree Math. 21 which being cursed by me withered presently from the roote all ouer Into Fire That is Into the furnace of burning and vnquenehable fire which shall not consume one member alone but all the members together with borrible punishment Euerlasting That is into a fire which is blowne by the breath of the Almightie and therefore needeth no fewell to make it alwayes to burne that as your fault shall still remaine so your punishment shall for euer indure Therefore the Prophet Isay most truely exclaimeth Which of you can dwell with deuouring fire Isay 33 Which of you shall dwell with euerlasting heates As if he should say there is none that can patiently indure it but with impatience indignation and desperation they are compelled to beare it against their wills And he addeth Cap 66 Their worme doth not dye and fire is not extinguished which words our Lord repeateth often in St. Mar 9 Marke For there shall be the Worme of conscience remembrance of this life wherein they might easily if they would haue escaped those punishments obteyned eternall ioyes And least some might thinke that the damned receaue some comfort by walking or remouing from place to place heare what our Lord himselfe sayth Math 22 Bynde his handes and feete and call him into vtter darkenesse There shall be weeping and gâ—â—shing of teeth Therefore those wretches hauing their handes and feet bound eternally shall alwayes lye in the same place without the light of the Sun Moone or Starres burning in flames of fire weeping lamenting and gnashing their teeth through rage and desperation Neither shall they onely suffer most greeuous paines but also extreame want disgrace ignominie confusion For in a moment they shal loose their Pallaces Fieldes Vineyards Cattle Cloathes Gold Siluer precious stones and be brought to such misery that with the rich glutton they shall desire
true breadth his Eternity is true length his Omnipotency is true height and his Incomprehensibility is true depth But for him that desireth to Ascend and to finde what he seeketh It is not enough to consider these thinges lightly but he must Comprehend That you may be able saith the Apostle to Comprehend with all the Saintes what is the Breadth and Length and Height and Depth Hee surely â—oâ—h comprehend who considereth attentiuely and is so fully perswaded by the Truth that selling all hee hath hee maketh hast to buy the Treasure he hath found And the Apostle added With all the Saintes because the Saintes onely comprehend these thinges or for that none comprehendeth them as he ought vnlesse hee become a Saint Neither doth St. Augustine contradict what wee haue said who in his Epistle to Honoratus writeth Epist 120 cap 26 That the Apostle describeth the Crosse of Christ by the breadth length height and depth thereof The breadth of the Crosse was where his handes were nayled the length to which his body cleaued the height where his tytle was written and the depth was fastned and hid in the earth I say St. Augustine doth not contradict our meaning but rather much confirme it For the Crosse of Christ is the way to obtaine true breadth length height and depth For although to the eyes of men the Crosse seeme small short base and of no depth Yet the armes thereof haue bin extended from East to West and from North to South that is the glory therof hath reached to the Highest Heauen which like a key it hath opened for the Elect and hath pierced to the lowest Hell which from the same Elect it hath shutt for euer Let vs begin from the essence Cap. 2 and then passe on to the Attributes The Essence of God may many wayes be said most Broad First in it selfe because it is truely Insinite and comprehendeth all the perfections of Creatures which are or may be without end For whatsoeuer is shall be Or may be is without doubt contained in God In a most eminent manner Creatures therefore are Good with an addition As a good Man a good Horse a good House a good Garment and the like but God is All good For when Moses said Shew me thy Glory God answered Exod. 3 I will shâ—w the all Good If one had a thing at home that contained all the Sences obiects in the highest perfection so that hee should neuer need to goe abroad because he had at home as many delightes in that one thing as any sensuall man could desire should not that thing be very precious And if moreouer that thing contained in it selfe such abundent wealth of all sortes as any couetous man could wish weare it not the more precious And againe if that thing should bring as much honour and dignity to the possessor thereof as any ambitious man could imagine would it not now seeme vnualewable And further if that thing sufficed to satisfie not onely the desires of men but also of Angells who exceed men in desires as they excell them in knowledge what wouldest thou say Yet notwithstanding should the goodnesse of that thing be farre inferiour to the goodnesse of God which is so great that it sufficeth to satisfie the Infinite desire or rather Infinite capacity of God For God neuer goeth out of himselfe because he hath All good thinges within himselfe and before the world was made he was as rich as happy as he was afterward for nothing was made by him but was from euerlasting after a most eminent manner in him Dost thou vnderstand my soule what happinesse thou shalt enioy in heauen if thou loue God on earth And what happinesse thou shalt loose if thou loue him not For then God will giue himselfe to wit All good to those that loue him Math. 25 when he shall say Good and faithfull seruants enter into the ioy of your Lord. Cap. 3 God also is immense because he filleth all creatures Hier 23 I fill heauen and earth saith our Lord And Psal 12. If I shall ascend into heauen saith Dauid thou art there Psal 128 if I descend into hell thou art present I add also if I shall goe aboue heauen or vnder heauen or out of heauen I shall not be aloue because thou art there neither can I be any where but in thee and by thee Which carriest all thinges by the word of thy power Heb 1 Moreouer God by his immensitie not onely filleth all bodies but also all spirits For how else could he search the hart vnlesse he were in it and how could he heare the Prayers of the hart vnlesse he gaue eare to them And how could the Prophet say Psal 84 I will heare what our Lord God will speake in me vnlesse God did put his mouth to the eares of the hart Happy therefore is that soule which loueth God there God dwelleth For he that abydeth in Charitie 1 Ioh. 4 abydeth in God and God in him Neither doth God fill all things with his presence onely but also with his glory For the Seraphins cry Isay 6 That the earth is ful of his glory And Dauid addeth O Lord Psal 8 our Lord how merueylous is thy name in the whole earth Because thy magnificence is eleuated aboue the heauens as if he should say Thy name fame and glory hath not onely filled all the earth with admiration but also hath ascended and is eleuated aboue the heauens Ecclesiasticus saith likewise Eccle 42 Full of the glory of our Lord is his worke For there is no creature in heauen or on earth but continually prayseth God Psal 148 For which cause Dauid in the Psalmes and the three Children in Daniel doe inuite all creatures to prayse and magnifie their maker Dan 3â— albeit they were not ignorant many creatures to be of such a nature that they could not heare what they sayd but because they knew that all Gods workes were good and with their beautie therefore praysed their maker they reioyced in them and exhorted them to doe as they did And truely whosoeuer hath inward eyes may see that all Gods workes are as Censcers sending vp an odour of the sweetnesse of his glory And who so hath inward eares may heare them as it were a consort of all kinde of Musicall instruments praysing God and saying He made vs psal 99 and not we our selues For although there are of the wicked which cursse and blaspheme the name of God yet they also are enforced euen against their wills to prayse God as the worke doth the Worke-man because in them likewise Gods power doth merueylously appeare whereby he made them his goodnesse whereby he preserueth them his mercy whereby he expecteth and inuiteth them to repentance And his iustice whereby he condemneth them to punishment There are many truely in the world which heare not these voyces of Creatures albeit they cry
a drop of colde water Luk 16 shall not be heard Moreouer those proude vaine glorious men with in this life would suffer no disgrace But preferred their honour and estimation before all thinges whatsoeuer shall in that Theater of all mankinde and of all the Angells then the which a greater neuer was nor shall be see all their offences reuealed although they were done in darknesse and kept in the closet of their heartes As Treasons Theftes Incâ—sts Sacriledge and the like For as the Apostle saith in his first Epistle to the Corinthians When our Lord shall come to Iudge the world he will lighten 1 Cor. 4 the hidden thinges of darkenesse and will manifest the councells of the hearts and then the praise shall be to euery man of God And then without doubt the dispraise shall also be to euery wicked and vnrighteous man of God But the disgrace and confusion of the wicked in that Theatre shall be so great that St. Basill in his exposition of the three and thirtieth Psalme doubteth not to say That it shall be the greatest of all punishments especially to Hypocrites and to the proude and vaine glorious which accompted honour as a God or rather as an Idoll in this world But if these thinges which we haue said of the losse of all goods both Coelestiall and Terrestriall and of most vnsufferable dolours ignominies disgraces were to haue end or at least some kinde of comfort or mittigation as all miseries in this life haue they might in some sort be thought tollerable But since it is most certaine and vndoubted that as the happinesse of the blessed shall continue for euer without mixture of misery so likewise shall the vnhappinesse of the damned continue for euer without mixture of comfort Truly therefore are they most blinde and 〈…〉 â—hich endeauour not all they may through any tribulations dangers infamy and death which the Apostle calleth Momentary and light to come to the Kingdome of Heauen and happinesse thereof 1 Cor 4 And if perhappes any one wonder why God who is most mercifull Cap. 5 hath appointed such terrible and continuall punishments for mens sinnes which are soone passed ouer and seeme not to be so great Let him heare St. Austeâ— in his bookes of the Citty of God Lib. 14 cap. 15 Quisquis hâ—â—smâ—di dâ—mnationem c. Whosoeuer saith he thinketh this condemnation too rigorous or vniust knoweth not truely how to measure iniquity in sinning where there is such facility of sinning And after For who can sufficiently declare how wicked a thing it is not to obey in a matter so easie coÌ„manded by so great power threatâ—ed with so great puâ—â—shment St. Aâ—gustine speaketh of Adems sin but the same reason holdeth in all sinnes For if we ballance it truely and not deceiptfully we shall finde that euery mortall sinne is exceeding great in 3. respects First it is a dreadfull thing that the Creature should not obey the Creator seeing the dignity of the Creator is infinitely distant from the basenes of the Creature The Creature is also by nature the seruant the Creator is by nature the Lord and whatsoeuer the creature hath it receiueth froÌ„ the Creator but the Creator receiueth nothing froÌ„ it Secondly although the commaundements of the Creator were heauy yet ought the Creature to obey them 1 Ioh. 1 But his Commaundements are not heauy And our Sauiour saith That his yoake is sweete Math. 1â— and burthen light How great an offence then is it for wormes of the earth not to obey their Creator in so easie a matter Thirdly if God had not threatned the punishment of eternall death vnto sinners Men might herhapps haue excused their sinnes but seeing he hath so often and so plainly threatned it by his Prophets and Apostles what sinner can excuse his coÌ„tumacy Lastly if the sinne of the damned were not eternall we might meruaile why the punishment thereof should be eternall but seeing the abstinacy of the damned is eternal why should wee wonder if their punishment be also eternall And this wilfull obstinacy in wickednes which is both in the damned and in the Deuils I say this peruerse will which is in them auerted from God the cheife Happinesse shall so for euer remaine maketh holy men more to feare a mortall sinne then Hell fire Heare what Edinerus an EnglishmaÌ„ writeth of St. Ansclme in the 2. booke of his life My Conscience saith he heareth 〈◊〉 witnesse I lye not That we haue often heard him Anâ—â—â—me to protest by the testimony of truth That if hee might corporally beholde of one side the horror of Sinne and of the other side the paines of Hâ—â—l and that of necessity he must be drowned in one of them hee would rather choose Hell then Since Another thing he vsed likewise to say which to some perhappes will seeme as strange as the former To wit That he had rather haue Hell without sinne then the Kingdome of Heauen with sinne If this holy man did both speake feele these thinges for that being illuminated by God hee knew sin was more greeuous then the paines of Hell how much more will God who penetrateth the malice vncleanesse and peruersnes of sinne to the bottome truly iudge that the punishment which he hath appointed from all eternity for sinne is most due thereunto Therfore O my soule be not deceiued be not seduced be not like to those Tim. 1â— Who say they knon God but by their deeds deny him For many haue faith in habite but not in acte like a sworde in a scabbard For if they did actually beleeue aâ—â— beleeuing did seriously consider that God is faithfull and iust and hath indeed prepared most grieuous and euerlasting punishmentes without any mixture of comfort for the wicked It could not be that they would do the thinges they doe And drinke as it is said in the booke of Iob iniquity as water Iob. 15 To wit so easily so merily so without feare coÌ„mit many great sins as if rewardes and not punishmentes were due vnto sinners But beleeue thou I say most assuredly and belieuing ofteÌ„ remember that God is in this life The Father of mercyes 2 Cor. 1 and ready mercifully to pardon the sins of all that truely repent and the after this life he will become The God of Reuenge Psal 93 and execute the punishments he hath prepared for them by his Prophets and Apostles commaunded to be Preached coÌ„mitted to writing for the Memory of posterity And in so doing it will come to passe that being lifted vp as it were with two winges to wit the Feare of most intollerable punishments Hope of most great rewardes thou maist passe ouer this life with safety and come vnto the rest of life euerlasting Amen Amen Laus Deo qui dedit velle perficere The faultes escaped in printing we trust the gentle Reader will of his curtesie easily amend and pardon FINIS