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
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
Christ suffered for vs 1 Pet. 2 leauing vs an example that we may follow his stepps saith St. Peter the Apostle And what are his Stepps Who saith he did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth Who when howâ—s reuyled did not reuyle when he suffered be threatned not There are two Stepps of Christ which if thou tread not thoâ— shalt loose thy way to heauen First doe not but suffer euil Secondly Doe good and here expect no good Or which is the summe of all Loue thy neighbour for Gods sake not for reward of man and for friendship not for lust Let vs now come to the dignitie of Angells according to Grace Cap. 5 Truely in this also Man is lessened more then a little lesse then Angels For God so created Angels in the beginning that at the same instant he made their Nature and infused in them grace as St. De Cin lib 12 c 9 Augustine witnesseth in his bookes of the Cittie of God And then so soone as by the first conuersion of their mindes to God they adhered to him by loue the reprobate Angels falling they were crowned with beatitude and glory Therefore their Pilgrimage was very short but their Mansion in heauen eternall If yet that short space which passed betweene their creation and beatitude may be called a Pilgrimage But we in our creation receaued grace with our nature in our first parent and not in our selues therefore by his fall we al fell In whom as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. all sinned For although by the Mediator of God and men Christ Iesus we are reconciled to God yet we are condemned to continual banishment and whiles we are in body we are Pilgrims from our Lord For we walke by saith and not by sight 2 Cor 5 And it much afflicteth pious men and such as sighafter heauen that we are heere conuersant among our cruell eneâ—â—ies where there is danger lest being circumuented and taken by them we be at leugth excluded from the possâ—ssion of our most sweete country Hence proceeded these wordes Psal 119 Woe is me that my soiourning is prole ged I haue dwelt with the inhabitants of Cedar my soule hath beene long a soâ—ourner But although â—n this we are lesse then Angels yet Gods mercy doth greatly comfort vs for that it hath pleased him of our kinde to exalt Christ aboue all the Angels of heauen as also his Blessed Mother Many men likewise being inferior to Anâ—els in the guists of Nature haue surmounted some of them in the guiftes of grace and equalled the Highest Truely St. Iohn Chrysistome expounding the Epistle to the Romans Hom 32 doubteth not to place the chiefe Apostles Peter and Paul whereas the Seraphins doe flye and gloryfie God Which also is pious to beleeue of St. Iohn baptist and others Adde moreouer that as the good Angels after their first merit entred into glory so the euill Angels after their first sinne were condemned to perpetuall punishment Men ought not therefore to complaine of a longer space since they may therein often â—mend and by repentance â—rocure pardon for their offence It now remaineth that we speake somewhat of the offices of Angels Cap. 6 Angels haue fiue Offices The first is alwayes with Hymnes and songes to prayse their maker And that we may vnderstand how much God esteemeth this ministerie we must consider that the highest Angels are appointed for this Office who being as it were the first singers in that Quire all the other Orders of Angels follow with incredible exultation Heare what the Prophet Isay saith Isay 6 I sâ—we our Lord sitting vpor a high thrâ—ne eâ—uated those things that were vnder hâ—m filled the Temple Seraphins stood vpon the same six wings to one six winges to the other with two they couered his face and with two they couered his feete and with two they flâ—we Aâ—d they cryed one to in other and said Holy hâ—ly holy the Lord God of hostes all the earth is full of his glory Heere thou hearest the name Seraphin which are the Chiefe of the Heighest Order Thou seest them couer his face and feete in signe of reuerence as if they durst not behold his face or touch his bare feete â—hou seest they flye continually whiles they sing which signifieth their desire to approach still nearer vnto God which two things are needfull for those who desire to please God that while they sing his prayses they loue him with reuerence and reuerence him with loue This the Prophet Dauid declareth saying Psal 2 Serue our Lord in feare and reioyce to him with trembling From hence thou mayst learne my soule with what veneration God is to be serued since the chiefe Angels in heauen which alwayes beholde his face dare not notwithstanding their highe estate and long familiaritie but reuerently feare him whiles they prayse him And what wilt thou Dust and Ashes answere at the day of iudgement when thou shalt be reprehended for thy drowsinesse and distractions in a worke so diuine that thou wast not worthy to be imployed therein Learne therfore from henceforth being taught by such a President to prayse thy God with feare reuerence atention vigilancye and loue An other Office of Angels is to offer vp the prayers of men to God And to commend them also by their suffrage For so speaketh the Angel Raphael in the booke of Tobyas When thou didst pray with teares Tob 12 and didst bury the dead and left thy dinner I offered thy prayer to our Lord. And in the Apocalips Iohn sawe an Angel standing before the Altar with a golden Censer Apoc 8 And there were saith he giuen to him many incenses that he should giue of the prayers of all saintes vpon the Altar of golde which is before the throne of God And in this truely the great mercy of God doth also appeare For he was not content first by his Prophets and after by his sonne and his Apostles to exhort vs to pray but also promised to giue whatsoeuer we should aske Aske saith he and it shall be giuen you Luk. 11 And in an other place Ioh 15 Yf you shall aske my Father any thing in my name he will giue it you And beside this promise he also added A reward to those that aske Math. 9 But thou saith he when thou shalt pray enter into thy Chamber and hauing shut the dore pray to thy Father in secret â—and thy father which seeth thee in secret will repay thee to wit areward beside the thinges which thou didst aske For so our Lord speaketh in that place of prayer and Aâ—mesdeedes saying Thy Father which seeth in secret will repay thee Neither is God content with this demonstration of fahterly loue But hath appointed the Angels as masters of Requestes to take charge of the prayers and petitions of the poore and to present and reade them in his sight that no one of their Petitions
whome he loueth Thus he Whereby he plainely declareth that God sheweth himselfe vnto blessed soules not as a iudging Lord but as a familiar friend And truely the familiaritie which God also sheweth in this life to pure and chaste mindes is vncredible For of him it is sayd My delights to be with the children of men Prou. 8 Prou. 3 And his talke is with the simple Hence was it that all the Saintes albeit they suffered pressures in the world had notwithstanding peace in their harts where God dwelt therefore they seemed and were indeed alwayes ioyfull and quiet For to them the Truth said Ioh 16 Your hart shall retoyce and your ioy no man shall take from you There remaineth the fourth part of dimension which is called depth Cap. 8 The depth of Gods essence is manifold First the Diuinitie is in it selfe most deepe solide and substantiall Not like a guilded wedge which hath gold onely in the outside and within is brasse or wood but like an endlesse wedge of gold or rather like a mine of golde so deepe that by digging it can neuer be emptied So is God vncomprehensible For as a Myne of gold without bottome can neuer be emptied with digging so God whose greatnesse is without end can neuer be so perfectly knowne by any Creature but that there still remayneth more to be known and God onely comprehendeth that depth who onely hath an infinite vnderstanding Depth also belongeth to God in respect of place For as he is most high and aboue all So he is most deep and vnder all Who as the Apostle saith Carrieth all thinges by the word of his power Heb. 1 God therefore is as the foundation and rooâ—e of a house Act. 17 In whom we live and mooue and be So that Salomon sayd most truely Heauen and the heauens of heauens cannot containe thee â— Reg. 8. For God rather containeth the heauens and all thinges vnder them because he is both aboue the heauens and vnder the earth Furthermore Gods depth is his inuisibilite For God is Light but vnaccessible he is truth but most secret Psal 17 Thou hast put darkenesse thy Couert saith Dauid And Isay 45 verily he is God hidden as I say speaketh St. Augustine seeking God on a time sent his eyes as messengers from earth to heauen And all thinges answered Lib. 9 coÌ„â— c. 〈…〉 lib. 10 c. 6. in psal 26. 28 We are not him whom thou seekest but he made vs. Wherefore not finding God by Ascention through outward thinges he began to Ascend through inwrard thinges and from them he learned that God was more easily to be found for he knewe that the soule was better then the body and the inward sence then the outward sence and the vnderstanding then it Whence he gathered that God who is more inward then the vnderstanding was better then the vnderstanding Therefore whatsoeuer we vnderstand or conceaue is not God but some other thing lesse then God for he is better then we can conceaue Goe too then my soule if thou art better then thy body to whome thou giuest life because it is a body and thou a spirit and if the eye of thy body cannot see thee because it is without and thou within So thinke likewise that thy God is better then thou art because he is a spirit more high and inward then thou For thou dwellest as it were without but he resideth in his most profound and secret Tabernacle But shalt thou neuer be admitted thether God forbid Thy Lord doth not lye who saith Math 5 Blessed are the cleane of hart for they shall see God Nor his Apostle who sayd We see now by a glasse in a darke sort 1 Cor. 13 but then face to face Nor St. Iohn the Euangelist who writ We knowe that when he shall appeare 1 Ioh 3 we shall be like to him because we shall see him as he is How great then will thy ioy be when in that secret and sacred Sanctuary thou shalt see and enioy that light beauty and goodnesse it selfe Then shall it plainely appeare how vaine transitorie and of small moment the goods of this earth are wherewith men being inebriated forget the true and euerlasting But if thou thirst indeed after the liuing God And if thy teares be breades vnto thee day and night whiles psal 41 it is sayd where is thy God Be not slowe to cleanse thy hart whereby thou mayst see God Be not weary to dispose ascentions in thy hart vntill the God of Goddes shall be seene in Syon Psal 83 Neither waxe thou colde in the loue of God and thy neighbour 1 Ioh. 3 nor loue in word and in tongue but in deed and truth For that is the way that leadeth to life euerlasting THE ELEVENTH STEPP From the Consideration of the greatnesse of Gods power by the similitude of a corporall quantitie GReat is our Lord Cap. 1 and there is no end of his Greatnesse For he is not great onely because Omnipotencie is his higth infinite wisdome his depth incomprehensible mercie his breadth iustice like a rod of yron his length but also for that these Attributes are infinite in breadth length higth and depth And to begin from his Power or rather his Omnipotency The breath of Gods power consisteth in extention to infinite thinges First it is extended to all thinges made for there is nothing from the greatest Angel to the least Worme or from the highest Heauen to the lowest Hell which was not made by the power of God Ioh. 1 All things saith St. Iohn were made by him and without him was made nothing And after The world was made by him Secondly it is extended to all thinges that shal be made For as nothing hath bin made but by him so likewise nothing shall be made but by him So speaketh the Apostle Rom. 1. Of him and by him and in him are all thinges Thirdly it is extended to all thinges that may be made So speaketh the Angel There shall not be impossible with God any worde Luk. 1 And our Lord himselfe saith Math 19 With God all thinges are possible Fourthly it is extended to the destruction of all thinges made For as God could by a floude of Water destroy at once all men and other liuing creatures vpon earth except a few which it pleased him to preserue within Noahs Arke So be can by a floude of Fire at one time destroy not onely all Men and other Creatures found liuing at the lâ—st day but also all Trees Cittyes and other thinges vpon Earth The day of our Lord saith Saint Peter the Apostle in his last Epistle shall come as a Theefe 2 Pet. 3 in the which the Heauens shall passe with great violence but the Elements shall be resolued with heate and the Earth and the workes which are in it shall be burnt Great surely is the breadth of Gods Power 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
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
part of it to be ours For he would giue vs his grace whereby we might worke our saluation Not that the merit of Christ suffised not but to communicate with vs the prayse and glory of our owne saluation Wherevpon it is said in the Gospell Math. 20 Pay them their hyre And the Apostle glorifieth saying 2 Tim 4 There is layd vp for me a Crowne of Iustice Lastly Gods mercie is most deepe because it exceedeth the affection of Fathers and Mothers which is the greatest we can finde on earth Heare the Prophet Isay Isay 49 Can a woman forget her infant that shee will not haue pittie on the sonne of her wombe and if she should forget yet will not I forget thee Heare Dauid psal 102 As a Father hath compassion of his children So hath our Lord compassion on them that feare him And lest thou mightest say there are some parents whose Loue sometime changeth into hacred Dauid saith further of Gods mercie and loue toward his Children The mercy of our Lord from euerlasting vpon them that feare him Of which continuance the Apostle also certifieth vs in his last Epistle to the Corinthians where he calleth God The Father of mercies 2 Cor 1 and God of all Consolation God therfore is not onely a father to those that feare him but a most mercifull Father For he taketh away such miseries and afflictions from his Children as he iudgeth expedient to be taken from them and therein he sheweth himselfe to be the Father of mercies And giueth them vnspeakeable comfort to suffer those which he iudgeth not expedient for them to be taken away And therein he sheweth himselfe to be The God of Consolation But the Apostle saith Of all Consolation for two causes First because God comforteth those that are his in al kindes of tribulations which truely the world cannot doe for oftentimes it vnderstandeth not the causes of tribulations Euen as Iobs friendes Were heauy Comforters as he calleth them Iob 16 because they knew not the cause of his griefe and therefore applyed the remedy where they ought not or els for that the tribulation is sometime so great that no earthly consolation can equall it But God the almighty and most skilfull Phisition can cure euery infirmitie and therefore the Apostle saith Who doth comfort vs in all our tribulation 2 Cor. 1 Moreouer he is called the God of all Consolation because he comforteth so fully that it were better to suffer tribulations with such a comforter then to want them both together as it happened to a young man called Theoderus a confessor in the Persecution of Iulian the Apostata who being tortured ten houres together with such crueltie and change of executioners as in no age is reported the like Sung notwithstanding all that while with great ioy the psalmes of Dauid and when it was commaunded he should be let downe he began to be sorrowfull because of the great comfort he receiued by the presence of an Angell whilest he was in torturing as Ruffinus writeth lib. 10. hist c 36 2 Cor. 7 Wherefore it is no meruaile if the Apostle say I am replenished with consolation I doe exceedingly abound in ioy in all our tribulation And in the beginning of his Epistle 1 Cor 1 Who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we also may be able to comfort them that are in all distresse What thinkest thou O my soule of this so ample continuall pure and infinite mercy of our Lord who needeth nothing of ours and yet out of the abundance of his loue is so carefull of his seruants as if of them depended all his Happinesse What thankes therefore wilt thou giue him What canst thou euer doe not to be vngratefull to so great mercy Seeke therefore all thou canst to please him And because it is written Luk. 6 Be yee mercifull as also your Father is mercifull And Haue mercy on thine owne soule leasing God Eccle 30 Begin diligently first to finde out the miseries of thy soule For the miseries of the body are plaine to the eye so that it is needlesse to put a man in minde of them For if the body be but one day without meate and driuke or one night without sleepe or by a fall or wound be hurt it presently cryeth out and complaineth and is with great care looked vnto But the soule fasteth whole weekes from her meate and is sicke with woundes or perhapps dead and none taketh care or compassion of her Visite therefore thy soule often examine all her powers whether they be well and profit in the knowledge and loue of true Happinesse or whether they be sicke with ignorance or languish with diuers desires Also whether the minde be blinded with malice or the will infected with enuy and pride And if thou finde any such thing Crye vnto our Lord Psal 6 Haue mercy on me because I am weake Seeke spirituall phisitions and apply fit remedies Take compassion likewise of other soules whereof an infinite number perish although Christ dyed for them O my soule if thou didst truely knowe the price of soules to wit the precious blood of the sonne of God and also the great slaughter which is made of them by the infernall Wolues and roaring Lyons the Deuills Surely thou couldest not but from thy hart take pitty on them and by thy prayers to God and by all other meanes seeke to deliuer them Lastly also take compassion on the corporall necessities of thy neighbours not in Word and tongue onely 1 Ioh. 3 Math 5. but iâ— deede and truth hauing in minde the saying of our Lord Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy THE FIFTEENTH AND LAST STEPP From the Consideration of the greatnesse of Gods iustice by the similitude of a corporall quantitie GOds iustice in holy scripture is taken foure wayes Cap 1 First for iustice ingenerall which conteyneth all vertues and is the same with Sanctitie or probitie So in the psalmes Our Lord is iust in all his wayes psal 144 and holy in all his workes Secondly for truth or fidelitie So in another psalme That thou mayst be iustified in thy wordes Psal 50 Thirdly for iustice distributing rewardes so in the last Epistle to Tim thâ—e There is layd vp for me a Crowne of iustice 2 Tim 4 which our Lord will render to me in that day a iust iudge Lastly for iustice punishing sinne So in another psalme He shall rayne snare upon sinners Psal 10 fire and Brimstone and blast of stormes the portion of their cupp because our Lord â—s iust and hath loued iustice The greatnesse therefore of Gods iustice wil appeare to vs if we consider the 〈◊〉 thereof ingenerall the length thereof to wiâ— his truth and 〈…〉 the higth thereof distributing rewardes in heauen and thâ— depth thereof punishing the wicked eternally in Hell And to begin from the breadth That is called iustice ingenerall among men which
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