his order rancke place distance and proportion And one not acquainted with the secret would be astonished to see proceede from one Act so great varietie of effects So THEOTIME Nature as a Painter multiplies and diuersifies her Acts according as the workes she hath in hand are diuerse and she takes great time to finish great effects But God as the Stamper gaue being to all the diuersitie of Creaturs which haue bene are or shall be by one onely touch of his omnipotent will drawing from his Idea as from a well grauen stampe this admirable difference of persons and other things which succeede in seasons ages and times in their due order and being this Soueraigne vnitie of the diuine Act being opposed to Confusion and Disorder not to Distinction and Varietie which it implies in the composition of beautie reducing all Differences and Diuersities to Proportion Proportion to Order and Order to the Vnitie of the world which compriseth all things created visible and inuisible all which together are called the Vniuerse peraduenture because their Diuersitie is reduced to Vnitie as though one would saie One-diuerse that is One and Diuerse Vnitie with Diuersitie or Diuersitie with Vnitie 6. In somme the soueraigne diuine Vnitie doth diuersifie and his permanent Eternitie giues change to all things because the perfection of this vnitie being aboue all difference and varietie it is able to furnish all the diuersities of created perfections with their being and contains a vertue to produce them In signe of which the Scripture relats that God in the beginning saied let the lights be made in the firmament of heauē and let them separate daie from night and let them be signes for times daies and yeares further we see euen to this daie a perpetuall reuolution of times and seasons which shall continew till the end of the world to teach vs that as One word of his commanding will Doth all the world with motion fill So the onely eternall will of his diuine Maiestie extends his force from age to age yea to the ages of ages to all that hath bene is or shall be eternally nothing at all hauing any beeing but by this sole most simple and most eternall diuine Act to which be honour and glorie Amen Touching the diuine prouidence in generall CHAPTER III. 1. GOd then THEOTIME needes no diuersitie of Acts syth that one onely diuine Act of his All puissant will by reason of it's infinite perfection is sufficient to produce all the varietie of workes But we mortalls must treate of them in such an intelligible methode and manner as our small capacities may attaine vnto Following which in treating of the Diuine prouidence let vs consider I praie you the raigne of the great SALOMON as a perfect modell of the art of good gouernment 2. This great king then knowing by diuine inspiration that the Weale-publicke dependeth vpon Religion as the Bodie vpon the Soule and Religion vpon the Weale-publicke as the Soule vpon the Bodie he disposed in his minde of all the parts requisite as well for the establishment of Religion as that of the Common-wealth and touching Religion he determined that a Temple was to be erected of such and such a length breadth and hight so many Porches and Portalls so many windowes and so fourth concerning the rest which belonged to the Temple Then so many Sacryficers so many Singers and other officers of the Temple And as for the Common wealth he ordained to make a Royall Palace and a Court for his Maiestie in it so many Stewards so many Gentlemen and other Courtiers And for the people Iudges and other Magistrats who were to execute Iustice further for the assurance of his kingdome and establishment of the wealpublicks repose wherof himselfe was partaker he appointed in time of peace a powrefull Preparation for warre and to this effect two hundred and fiftie Commanders in diuerse charges fortie thousand horse and all that great furniture which the Scripture and Historians doe testifie 3. Now hauing thus made his count and disposed in himselfe of all the principall things requisite for his Kingdome he came to the Act of Prouidence and passed in his cogitation all things necessarie for the structure of the Temple to maintaine the sacred Officers Ministers Royall Magistrats and men of armes which he had proiected he resolued to send to HIERAM for fit timber to begin commerce with PERV and OPHIR and to take all conuenient meanes to procure all things requisite for the entertainement and good conduct of his enterprise Neither staied he there THEOTIME for hauing made his proiect and deliberated in himselfe about the proper meanes to accomplish it comming to the practise he created officers according to his determination and by a good gouernment caused prouision to be made of all things requisite to comply with and execute their charges so that hauing the knowledge of the art of well gouerning he executed that disposition which he had passed in his mind touching the creation of Officers of euery sort and effected his Prouidence by the good gouernment which he vsed and so his art of good gouernment which consisted in disposition prouidence or foresight was practised in the creation of Officers Gouernment and good carriage of things But for so much as that dispositiō was frutelesse without the Creation of Officers and Creation also vaine without Prouidence which lookes for necessaries for the conseruation of Officers created or erected and in fine that this Conseruation effected by good gouernment is no other thing then Prouidence put in execution and therfore not onely the Disposition but also the Creation and good gouernment of SALOMON were called by the name PROVIDENCE nor doe we indeede saie that a man is prouident vnlesse he gouerne well 4. Now THEOTIME speaking of heauenly things according to the impression made in vs by the consideration of humane things we affirme that God hauing had an eternall and most perfect knowledge of the Art of making the world for his glorie First in his diuine Vnderstanding he disposed all the principall parts of the Vniuerse which might render him honour to wit Angelicall and Humane Nature and in the Angelicall Nature the varietie of Hierarchies and Orders taught vs by the sacred Scripture and holy Doctours as also amongst Men he ordained that there should be so great diuersitie as we see Further in this same Eternitie he made accompt in himselfe and foresaw all the meanes requisite for Men and Angels to come to the end for which he had ordained them and so made the Act of his prouidence and without staying there to effect his Disposition he Actually created Angels and men and to effect his Prouidēce he did and doth furnish reasonable Creatures with all things necessarie to attaine Glorie So that to speake in a word the Soueraigne prouidence is no other thing then the Act wherby God doth furnish mē or Angels with the meanes necessarie or profitable to the obtaining of their end
two proofes by two reprochlesse witnesses that STOIKES were touched with Feare and with Feare which doth leaue it's effects in the Eyes Face and Countenance and is consequently a Passion 5. Ah greate follie to wish to be wise by a wisdome which is not possible Truely the Church hath cōdemned the Follie of this wisdome which certaine presumptuous ANCORITS would haue long agoe introduced against which the whole Scripture but especially the great APOSTLE crieth out That we haue a law in our bodie which resisteth the law of our mind Amongst vs Christians saieth that great S. AVGVSTINE according to holy Scripture and Sound doctrine the Citizens of the sacred Citie of God whose liues are agreeable to Gods owne heart in the pilgrimage of this world doe Feare Desire Greeue Reioice Yea euen the soueraigne King of this Citie did Feare Desire Greeue Reioice euen to teares palenesse trembling sweating of blood though in him these were not the motions of Passions like to ours whence the great S. HIEROME and after him the Schoole durst not there vsurpe the name Passions for reuerence of the person in whome they were but the respectfull name PRO-PASSIONS to testifie that sensible motions in our Sauiour held the place of Passions though they were not such indeede seeing that he suffered or sustained nothing by them saue that which was thought good to him and in manner which liked him best gouerning and guiding them at his pleasure which we sinners cannot doe who suffer and endure these Motions with disorder against our wills to the great preiudice of the good estate and pollicie of our soule That loue rules ouer all the affections and passions yea gouerns the will albeit the will hath also a dominion ouer it CHAPTER IIII. 1. LOue being the first complacence which we take in good as we will presently shew certes it preceedes desire and in deede what other thing is it which we Desire but that which we Loue It forerunes Delectation for how could we reioice in the fruition of a thing if we loued it not it goes before Hope for we hope for nothing but the Good which we loue it preuents Hatred for we hate not euill but in respect of the good which we loue nor is euill euill but because it is contrarie to good And THEOTIME it is the like touching all other passions and affections for they doe all flow from loue as from their source and roote 2. For which cause the other passions and affections are good vitious or vertuous according as the Loue whence they proceede is good or bad For Loue doth so bedewe them with her owne qualities that they seeme to be no other then very Loue it selfe S. AVGVSTINE reducing all these passions to foure as did also BOETIVS CICERO VIRGIL with the greatest part of the Auncients Loue saieth he tending to the possession of that he loues is termed Concupiscence or Desire hauing and possessing it t' is called Ioie flying that which is contrarie to him is named Feare but if Loue perceiue it arriued he puts on the name of Griefe and consequently these passiōs are Euill if the Loue be Euill Good if it be Good The Citizēs of the heauēlie Citie doe Feare Desire Greeue Ioie and because their loue is iust all their affections are also iust Christian doctrine doth subiect the Reason to God to th' end he should guide and succour it and to the Reason all the passiōs that it may bridle and moderate them so that they might be conuerted to the seruice of iustice and vertue The rectified will is the good loue the disordred will is the euill loue That is to saie in a word THEOTIME Loue hath such dominion ouer the will that he makes her iust such as he is 3. The wife doth ordinarily change her condition into that of her Husband becoming noble if he be noble Queene if he be King Dutches if he be Ducke The will doth also change her condition into that of Loue which she espouseth if he be carnall she becomes carnall if spirituall she turnes spirituall and all the affections Desire Ioie Hope Feare Griefe as issues of the mariage betwixt Loue and the will doe consequently receiue their qualities frō Loue to be short THEOTIME the will is not moued but by her affections amongst which Loue as the PRIMVM MOBILE and prime affection giues motion to all the rest and causeth all the other motions of the soule 4. Nor doth it follow hence that the will doth not also rule ouer Loue seeing that the will doth not Loue but in willing to Loue and that of the diuersitie of Loues which present them selues she can apply her selfe to which she list otherwise Loue would neither be prohibited nor commanded She is then Mistresse ouer Loues as a Dāfelle ouer her Suters amongst which she may make election of whom she pleaseth But as after the mariage she looseth her libertie and of Mistresse becomes subiect to her Husbands power remaining taken by him whom she tooke so the will which at her owne pleasure made election of Loue after she hath embraced any one she remaine subiect to him And as the wife is still subiect to the Husband which she hath chosen so long as he shall liue doth after her Husbands death regaine her precedent libertie to marrie an other so while one Loue liues in the will it reignes there and the will is subiect to his motions but if this Loue come to die she can afterwards take an other And againe there is a libertie in the will which a wife hath not and it is that the will can reiect her Loue at her pleasure by applying her vnderstanding to motiues which makes it disgustfull and by vndertaking to chainge the obiect For in this manner to make the diuine Loue liue and reigne in vs we ought to mortifie Proper Loue if we cannot altogether annihilate it at least we must weaken it in such sort that though it liue yet it doe not reigne in vs. As contrariwise in forsaking Diuine Loue we may adheare to that of creaturs which is that infamous adulterie wherewith the Diuine Loue doth so often reproch sinners Of the affections of the will CHAPTER V. 1. THere is no lesse motion in the Intellectuall or Reasonable appetite which is called the will then there is in the Sensitiue or Sensuall but those are customarily named Affections these Passions The Philosophers and Pagans did in some sort loue God their Common wealth Vertue Sciences they hated Vice aspired after Honours expected not to escape Death or Calumnie were desirous of knowledge yea euen of Beatitude after Death They did encourage them selues to surmount the difficulties which did crosse the way of Vertue dreaded Blame fled diuers Faultes reuenged publicke Iniuries disdained Tyrants without any proper interest Now all these Motions were seated in the Reasonable part syth that neither the Senses nor consequently the Sensuall appetits are capable of application to these obiects and therefore
this kind of fauour one could desire no more and as the sunne-beames remaine Sunnne-beames notwithstanding that they are reiected and repulsed by some obstacle so God's signified will remaines the true will of God though it be resisted true it is it hath not the effects which it would haue being seconded 4. The conformitie then of our heart to the signified will of God consisteth in this that we should will that which the diuine goodnesse doth signifie vnto vs to be his intention beleeuing according to his doctrine hoping according to his promises fearing according to his threats louing and liuing according to his ordinances and aduertissements to which all the protestations which we make thereof in the holy Ceremonies of the Church doe tend Hence we stand while the Gospell is red as being readie to obay the holy signification of Gods will contained therein Hence we kisse the booke at the Gospell side in adoration of the sacred word which doth declare his heauenly will Hence many Saints meÌ„ and women carried in the old time in their bosoms the Gospell written as an Ephitheme of Loue as it is reported of S. CICILE And indeede S. MATHEWES Gospell was found vpon S. BARNABIES breast written with his owne hand Wherevpon in the auncient Councells in the midst of the assemblie of Bishops they erected a Throne and put vpon it the Booke of the holy Gospells which represented the person of our Sauiour king Doctour Directour Spirit of all the Councells and of the whole Church so much did they reuerence the signification of Gods will expressed in this holy booke Certes that great Myrrour of Pastours S. CHARLES Archbishop of Milau neuer studied the holy Scripture but bare head and vpon his knees to testifie with what respect we are to reade and heare the signified will of God Of the Conformitie of our will to the will which God hath to saue vs. CHAPTER IV. 1. GOd hath signified vnto vs so diuersly and by so diuerse meanes that his will was that we should all be saued that none can be ignorant of it to this purpose he made vs to his owne Image by Creation and himselfe to our Image and likenesse by his Incarnation after which he suffered death to ransome and saue all mankind which he performed with so much loue that as the great S. DENIS Apostle of France racounteth he saied vpon a day to the holy man Carpus that he was ready to suffer an other passion to saue maÌ„kind and that this would be pleasant vnto him if it could be done without any mans offence 2. And although all are not saued yet is this will the truâ— will of God who doth worke in vs according to the condition of our and his nature For his Bountie moues him liberally to communicate â—nto â—â— the succours of his grace to bring vs to the felicitie of his glorie but our nature reqâ—â—â— that his liberalitie should leaue vs in libertie to make vse of it to our saluation or to neglect it to oâ—r damnation 3. I haue demanded one thing saied the Prophet and it is that which I will demand for euer that I may see the delightes of our Lord and visite his temple But what are the delightes of the soueraigne Goodnesse but to poure out and communicate its perfections Verily his delightes are to be with the children of men to showre his grace vpon them Nothing is so agreeable and delightfull to free Agents as to doe their owne will Our Sanctification is the will of God and our Saluation his good pleasure nor is there any difference at all betwixt good pleasure and Good liking or consequently betwixt good-liking and goodwill yea the will which God hath to aduantage man is called good because it is amiable propitious fauorable agreeable delicious and as the Grecians after S. PAVLE saied it is a true PHILANTROPIE that is a beneuolence or a will entirely affectionate to men 4. All the celestiall Temple of the TriumphaÌ„t and Militant Church doth resound on euery side the delicious Canticles of God's loue towards vs. And the Sacred bodie of our Sauiour as the most holy Temple of his Diuinitie is wholy adorned with markes and tokens of this Beneuolence so that in visiting the Diuine Temple we behold the louely delightes which he takes to doe vs fauours 5. Let vs then a thousand times a day behold this louing will of God aÌ„d grounding ours therein let 's deuotely crie-out O Bountie infinitly sweete how amiable is thy will How desirable thy fauours Thou created vs for an eternall life and thy motherly breast swolen in the sacred dugges of an incomparable loue abounds in the milke of mercy whether it be to pardon sinners or perfect the Iust Ah why doe not we then glew our wills to thyne as a child is locked to the nible of his mothers dugge to lucke the milke of thy eternall benedictions 6. THâ—O we are to will our Saluation in such sort as God will's it and he wills it by way of desire must not we then following his desire incessantly desire it Nor doth he will it onely but in effect enables vs with all necessarie meanes to attaine it we then in sequele of the desire we haue to be saued must not onely desire but in effect accept all the graces which he hath prouided for vs and presents vnto vs. It is sufficient to saie I desire to be saued yet it is not sufficient to saie I desire to embrace the meanes conuenient to the attaining of saluation but we must with an absolute resolution desire and embrace the grace which God bestowes vpon vs for our will must necessarily correspoÌ„de to God's And whereas Gods will giues vs the meanes to saue our selues we ought to receiue them as we ought to desire saluation in such sort as God desires it and vs. 7. But it fals often out that the meanes to come to Saluation considered in grosse and in generall are according to our hearts liking but considered by peecemeale and in particular they are dreadfull to vs for haue we not seene the poore S. Peter prepared to vndergoe all kind of torments in generall yea death it selfe to follow his Maister and yet when it came to the deede doing and performance waxe pale tremble and at the word of a simple maide denie his Maister Euery one deemes himselfe able to drinke our Sauiours CHALICE with him but when indeede it is presented vnto vs we flie and forsake all Things proposed in particular make a more strong impressioÌ„ and more sensibly wound in the Imagination And for this reason we gaue aduice in the INTRODVCTION that after generall affections one should descend to particular ones in holy Meditation Dauid accepted particular afflictions as an aduancement to his perfection when he sunge in this wise O Lord how good it is for me that thou hast humbled me that I might learne thy iustifications So also did the Apostles reioyce in their tribulations in that they
not to affect them nor reinuest our heart therewith saue onely so farre forth as we discerne it to agree with God's good pleasure And as Iudith wore still moorning weedes except onely in this occasion wherein Gods will was that she should be in pompe so are we peaceably to remaine vested in our miserie and abiection amidst our imperfections and infirmities till God shall exalt vs to the practise of excellent actions 3. One cannot long remaine in this nakednesse voide of all affection Wherefore following the aduise of the holy Apostle as soone as we haue turn'd off the garments of the old Adam we are to put on the habits of the new man that is to saie of IESVS CHRIST for hauing renounced all yea euen the affection to vertues neither desiring of these nor of other things a larger portion then may beare proportion with God's will we must put on againe diuers affections and peraduenture the very same which we haue renounced and resigned vp yet are we not therefore to resume theÌ„ for that they are agreeable profitable honorable and proper to content our selfe-love but because they are agreeable to God profitable to his honour and ordained to his glorie 4. Eliezer carried eare-jewels bracelets and new attire for the mayde whom God had prouided for his Maisters sonne and in effect he presented them to the virgine Rebecca as soone as he knew it was she New garmeÌ„ts are required to our Sauiour's Spouse If for the Loue of God she hath bereft her selfe of the auncient affections which she had to Parents Countrie Father's house and allie she must take a span new affection louing euery of these in their ranke not now accorcording to humane considerations but because the heauenly Spouse doth will command and intend it so and hath established such an order in Charitie If one haue once put off his old affectioÌ„ to spirituall consolations to exercises of deuotion to the practise of vertues yea to his owne aduancement in perfection he must put on another new affection by louing all these graces and heaueÌ„ly fauours not because they perfect and adorne our minde but for that our Sauiours name is sanctified in them his kingdome enriched his good pleasure glorified 5. So did S. PETER vest himselfe in the Prison not at his owne election but at the Angels command He puts on his girdle then his Sandales and afterwards the rest of his garments And the glorious S. PAVLâ— bereft in a moment of all affections Lord quoth he what wilt thou haue me doe that is what is thy pleasure I should affect since throwing me to the ground thou hast deaded me to myne owne will Ah Lord plant thy good pleasure in the place of it and teach me to performe thy will for thou art my God THEO he that hath forsaken all for God ought to resume nothing but according to Gods pleasure he feeds not his bodie but according to Gods ordinance that it may be seruiceable to the Spirit all his studie is to assist his neighbour and his owne soule according to the Diuine intention he practiseth not vertues as being according to his owne heart but according to God's 5. God commanded the Prophet Isaie to stripe himselfe naked which he did going and preaching in this sort for three dayes together as some hold or for three yeares together as others think and then the time prefixed him by God being expired he resumed his clothes Euen so are we to turne our selues out of affections little and great as also to make a frequent examine of our hearts to discouer whether it be willing to vnuest it selfe as Isaie did his garments as also to resume in their time the affections necessarie to the seruice of charitie to the end we might die with our Sauiour naked vpon the crosse and rise againe with him in newnesse of life Loue is as strong as death to make vs quit all it is magnificent as the Resurrection to adorne vs with honour and glorie The end of the ninth booke THE TENTH BOOKE OF THE COMMANDEMENT OF LOVING GOD ABOVE ALL things Of the sweetenesse of the Commandement which God gaue vs to loue him aboue all things CHAPTER I. 1. MAN is the perfection of the Vniuerse the Spirit the perfection of man Loue the Spirits and Charitie the perfection of Loue. WheÌ„ce the Loue of God is the end of perfection and the Excellencie of the vniuerse In this THEO doth consist the hight and primacie of the Commandement of Diuine Loue called by our Sauiour the first and greatest Commandemet This Commandement is as a Sunne giuing luster and dignitie to all the holy lawes to all the Diuine â—ordonances and to all the holy Scripturs All is made for this heauenly Loue and all tends to it Of the sacred Tree of this Commandement all consolations exhortations inspirations and euen all the other Commandements haue dependance as it's flowres and eternall life as it 's fruit and all that tends not to eternall Loue tends to eternall death O great Commandement whose perfect practise remaines euen in the euerlasting life yea it is no other thing then life euerlasting 2. But marke THEO how amiable this law of Loue is ah Lord God was it not sufficient that thou shouldst permit vs this heauenly Loue as KABAN permitted IACOB to Loue RACHEL without daigning farther to inuite vs to it by exhortations and vrge vs to it by thy Commandements Nay more ô Diuine Goodnesse to the end that neither thy Maiestie nor our miserie nor any other pretext at all might delay our loue to thee thou dost command it vs. The poore APELLES could neither abstaine from louing nor yet aduenture to loue the faire COMPASPE because she appertained to ALEXANDER the Great but wheÌ„ he had once leaue to loue her how much did he hold himselfe obliged to him that did him the grace He knew not whether he should more loue the faire COMPASPE granted him by so great an Emperour or so great an Emperour who had granted him the faire COMPASPE O sweete God THEO If we could vnderstand it what an obligation should we haue to this Soueraigne good who doth not onely permit but doth euen command vs to loue him Alas my God I know not whether I ought more to loue thyne infinite Beautie which so great a Bountie hath ordained that I should loue or thy Diuine Bountie which ordaines that I should loue so infinite a Beautie O Beautie how amiable thou art being granted vnto me by a Bountie so immense O Bountie how amiable thou art in communicating vnto me so eminent a Beautie 3. God at the day of Iudgment will imprint after an admirable maÌ„ner in the hearts of the damned the apprehension of their losse for the Diuine Maiestie will make them clearely see the Soueraigne Beautie of his face and the Treasures of his Bountie and vpon the sight of this Abisse of infinite delights the will desires with an extreame violence to cast her selfe vpon
be idle he vrgeth vs by this generall commandement to imploy it and to th' end this commandement might haue effect he furniseth euery liuing creature abundantly with all meanes requisite thervnto The visible Sunne toucheth euery thing with his liuely heate and as the common louer of things belowe doth impart vnto them requisite vigour to produce And euen so the diuine goodnesse doth animate all soules and encourage all hearts to her loue none at all being shut vp from her heate The eternall wisdome sayeth Salomon preacheth in publicke she makes her voice resoūd amōgst the places she cries ād recries before the people she pronoūceth her words in the gates of the Citie saying ô children how long will it be that you will loue your infancie how long will fooles desire hurtfull things and the imprudent hate knowledge Conuert your selues returne to me vpon this aduertissement ah behould how I profer you my spirit and I will shew you my wordes And the same wisdome pursueth in EZECHIEL saying Let no man saye I am dead in sinne and how cā I recouer life againe Ah no! for harke God saieth I am liuing and as true as I liue I will not the death of a sinner but that he be conuerted and liue Now to liue according to God is to loue and he that loues not remaines in death See now THEOTIME whether God doth not desire we should loue him 2. But he is not content to denounce in this manner publickly his great desire to be loued so that euery one might receiue a part of the seedes of his loue but he goes euen from doore to doore knocking and beating protesting that if any one open he will enter and suppe with him that is he will testifie all sorts of good will towards him 3. But what would all this saie THEOTIME but that God doth not onely giue vs a meere sufficiencie of meanes to loue him and in louing him to saue our selues but euen a rich ample and magnificent sufficiencie and such as ought to be expected from so great a bountie as his The great Apostle speaking to the obstinate sinner Dost thou contemne saieth he the riches of the bountie patience and longanimitie of God art thou ignorant that the benignitie of God doth draw thee to penāce But thou according to thy hardnesse ād impenitēt heart dost heape vp against thy selfe anger in the day of Anger My deare THEO God doth not therfore exercise a meere sufficiencie of remedies to conuert the obstinate but imployes to this end the riches of his bountie The Apostle as you see doth oppose the riches of God's goodnesse against the treasurs of the impenitēt hearts malice and saieth that the malicious heart is so rich in iniquitie that he despiseth euē the riches of Gods mildnesse by which he drawes him to repentance and marke that the obstinate doth not onely contemne the riches of God's goodnesse but euē riches attractiue to repentance Riches wherof one cānot well be ignorant verily this rich heape and abundant sufficiencie of meanes which God freely bestoweth vpon sinners to loue him doth appeare almost through the whole Scripture For see this diuine Louer at the gate he doth not simply beate but stayes beating he calls the Soule goe to rise my well-beloued dispach put thy hād to the locke to try whether it will open When he preacheth amidst the places he doth not simply preach but goes crying out that is he continues his crie and when he proclaims that euery one should conuert themselues he thinkes he hath neuer repeated it sufficiently Conuert your selues conuert your selues doe penance returne to me liue why dost thou die ô house of Israel In conclusion this heauenlie Sauiour forgets nothing to shew that his mercyes are aboue all his workes that his mercy doth surpasse his Iudgment that his Redemption is copious that his loue is infinite and as the Apostle saieth that he is rich in mercy and by consequence that his will is that all men should be saued none perish How the eternall loue of God doth preuent our hearts with his inspirations to th' end we might loue him CHAPTER IX 1. I Haue loued thee with a perpetuall charitie ād therfore haue drawen thee vnto me hauing pitie and mercy vpon thee and againe I will reedifie thee and thou shalt be built againe virgin of ISRAEL These are God's wordes by which he promiseth that the Sauiour coming into the world shall establish a new raigne in his Church which shall be his Virgin-spouse and true spirituall Israëlite 2. Now as you see THEOT it was not by any merit of the workes which we had done that he saued vs but according to his mercy his auncient yea eternall charitie which moued his diuine Prouidence to draw vs vnto him For if the father had not drawne vs we had neuer come to the Sonne our Sauiour nor consequently to saluation 3. There are certaine birds THEOT which Aristotle calls Apodes for that their legges being extreamly short and their feete feable they haue no more vse of them then though they had none at all so that if at any time they light vpon the groūd they are caught neuer after being able to take flight because hauing no seruice of their legges or feete they haue no further power to rayse and regaine themselues into the ayre but remaine there peuling and dying vnlesse some winde fauorable to their impotencie sending out his blastes vpon the face of the earth sease vpon them and beare them vp as it doth many other things For then making vse of their winges they correspond to this first touch and motion which the winde gaue them it also continewing it's assistance towards them bringing them by little and little to flight 4. THEO Angels are like to the birds which for their beautie and raritie are called birds of Paradice neuer seene in earth but dead For those heauenlie spirits had no sooner forsaken Diuine loue to be fixed vpon Selfe loue till sodainely they fell as dead buried in Hell seeing that the same effect which death hath in men seperating them euerlastingly from this mortall life the same had the Angels fall in them excluding them for euer from eternall life But we mortalls doe rather resemble Apodes For if it chance that we quitting the ayre of holy and diuine loue fall vpon the earth and adheare to creaturs which we doe as often as we offend God we die indeede yet not so absolute a death that there resteth in vs no motiō together with legges and feete to wit some weake affectiōs which enableth vs to make some essaies of loue yet so weakly that in trueth we are impotēt of our selues to reclaime our hearts from sinne or restore our selues to the flight of sacred loue which catifs that we are we haue perfideously and voluntarily forsaken 5. And truely we should well deserue to remaine abandoned of God sith we haue disloyally abandoned him but his eternall charitie doth often not
dishonored thee Furthermore he will haue his Philosopher to make an admirable Oth to God neuer to be disobedient to his diuine Maiestie nor to accuse or blame any thing coming from him nor yet in any sort to complaine therof And in another place he teacheth that GOD and our good Angell are present to all our actions You see then THEO that this Philosopher as yet Pagan knew that sinne offended GOD as vertue honored him and consequently he thought repentance necessarie sith that euen he ordained an examen of conscience at night in respect wherof with Pithagoras he gaue this aduertisement Let conscience of the fact be vertues meede Let bitter reprehension vice succeede Now this kind of repentance tyed to the knowledge and loue of GOD which nature can giue was a dependance of morall religion but as naturall reason bestowed more knowledge then loue vpon the Philosophers who glorified him not with proportion to the notice they had therof so did nature furnish them with more light to vnderstand how much God was offended by sinne then heate to stire vp repentance necessarie for the reparation of the offence 5. And abbeit religious penance hath in some sort bene acknowledged by some of the Philolophers yet so rarely and weakly that those which were reputed the most vertuous amongst them to wit the STOIKES gaue assurance that the wiseman was neuer attristated wherevpon they framed a MAXIME so contrarie to reason as the proposition on which it was grounded was contrarie to experience THAT THE WISE-MAN SINNED NOT. 6. We may therefore well saie THEO that penance is a vertue wholy Christian sith on the one side it was so little knowen to the Pagans and on the other side it is so well knowen amongst true Christians that in it consisteth a great part of the Euangelicall Philosophie according to which who soeuer affirmeth that he sinneth not is mad and who soeuer thinketh without penance to redresse his sinne is frantike for it is our Sauiours exhortation of exortations DOE PENANCE Behold a briefe description of the progresse of this vertue 7. We enter into a deepe apprehension why we offend GOD so farre as we are able in despising dishonoring disobeying and rebelling against him who againe of his part holdeth himselfe offended theraat irritated ād contemned distasting reprouing and abhorring iniquitie Out of this true apprehension diuers motiues spring which either all or many together or each one a part may carrie vs to this repentance For it enters into our thoughts some times that GOD the offended hath established a rigourous punishment in Hell for sinners and that he will depriue them of Paradice prepared for the good And as the desire of Paradice is extreamly honorable so the feare to loose it is greatly cōsiderable and not that onely but the desire of Paradice being of high esteeme the feare of its contrarie hell is good and laudable O who would not dread so great a losse so great a torment And this double feare the one seruile the other mercenarie doth greatly beare vs forwards towards a repentance for our sinnes by which we haue incurred them And to this effect in the holy word this feare is a thousand and a thousand times intimated Againe we consider the deformitie and malice of sinne according as faith doth teach vs as for example that by yet the liknesse and Image of GOD is defiled and disuigored the dignitie of our soule dishonoured that we are become like brute beasts that we haue violated our dutie towards the CREATOR of the world forfetted the happinesse of the Angelicall societie to associate and subiect our selues to the Diuell ād to the slauerie of our owne passiōs ouerturning the order of reason offending our GOOD-ANGELS to whom we haue so great obligation 8. At other times we are prouoked to repentance by the beautie of vertue which brings as much good with it as sinne doth euill Further we are often moued to it by the example of Saints for who did euer cast his eies vpon the exercises of the incomparable penance of a MAGDELAINE of a MARIE EGIPTIACA or of the PENITENTS of the Monasterie surnamed PRISON described by S. IOHN CLIMACVS without being moued to repentance for his sinns sithence the very reading of the Historie doth incite therto such as are not altogether insensible That Penance without loue is imperfect CHAPTER XIX 1. NOw all these motiues are taught vs by faith and Christian religiō and therefore the repentance which thence issueth is very laudable though otherwise imperfect very laudable certainly it is for neither the holy Scripture nor Church would euer haue vsed these motifes to haue stirred vs vp if the penance thence proceeding had not bene good and we see manifestly that it is most agreeable to reason to repent for sinne for these considerations yea that it is impossible that he who considereth them attentiuely should not repent Yet it is an imperfect repentance because the diuine loue is not as yet found there ah doe not you see THEO that we haue all these repentances for the interest of our owne soule her felicitie her interiour beautie honour dignitie and in a word for selfe loue yet a lawfull iust and well ordered loue 2. And note that I doe not saie that these repentances reiect the loue of God but onely that they doe not include it they doe not repulse it yet doe they not containe it they are not contrarie to it but as yet are without it it is not excluded nor yet is it included The will which doth simply imbrace good is good yet if she so imbrace it as to reiect the better she is truly disordinate not in accepting the one but in repulsing the other So to vow to giue almes this day is good yet to vow to giue onely this day were bad because it would exclude the better that is to giue both to day to morrow and euery day when cōmoditie serueth Certes it is well done it cannot be denied to repent for our sinns to auoide the paines of Hell and obtaine heauen but he that should resolue neuer to repent for any other thing should wilfully exclude the better which is to repent for the loue of God and commit a great sinne And what father would not find it strang that his sonne would indeede serue him yet not at all with loue or by loue 3. The beginning of good things is good the progresse better the end the best yet the beginning is good in the nature of a beginning and the progresse in the nature of a progresse but to offer in the beginning 〈◊〉 progresse to end the worke were to peruert order Infancie is good but to desire to remain still a child is naught for a child of an hūdred yeares old is despised It is laudable to begin to learne yet he that should begin with intētiō neuer to perfect himselfe should doe against all reasō Feare ād those other motifes of repētāce whereof I spoake
how can this be vnderstoode that the Angels who see the Redeemour and in him all the mysteries of our saluation doe yet desire to see him THEO Verily they see him continually but with a viewe so agreeable and delicious that the complacence they take in it doth satiate them without taking away their desire and makes them desire without remouing their Sacietie the fruition is not lessened by the desire but perfected therby as their desire is not cloied but sharpned by the fruition 5. The fruition of a thing which doth continually content doth neuer fade but is renewed and flourisheth incessantly it is still agreeable still amiable The continuall contentment of heauenly louers produceth a desire perseuerantly content as their continuall desire doth beget in them a contentment perseuerantly desired The good which is finite in giuing the possession doth end the desire and in giuing the desire doth dispossesse while it cannot at once be possessed and desired But the infinite Good makes desire raigne with possession and possession with desire finding a way to saciate desire by a holy presence and yet make it liue by the greatnesse of its excellencie which doth nourish in all those that possesse it a continually contented desire and a contentment continually desired 6. Consider THâ—OT such as hold in their mouth the hearbe SCITIQVE for following report they are neither hungrie nor thristie so doth it saciate and yet doe they neuer loose appetite so deliciously doth it nourish them When our will meetes God she reposeth in him taking therein a soueraigne complacence yet without staying the motions of her desire for as she desires to loue so she loues to desire she hath the desire of loue and the loue of desire The repose of the heart consisteth not in immobilitie but in hauing want of nothing Not in not mouing but in not hauing neede to moue 7. The damned are in eternall motion without all mixture of rest we mortalls who are yet in this pilgrimage haue now motion now rest in our affections The Blessed haue continuall repose in their motion and continuall motion in their repose onely God hath repose without motion because he is soueraignely on substantiall and pure act And though according to the ordinarie condition of this mortall life we rest not in motion yet notwithstanding when we make essaies of the exercises of the immortall life that is when we practise the acts of holy loue we find repose in the motion of our affections and motion in the repose of the complacence which we take in our well-beloued receiuing hereby fore-tastes of the future Felicitie to which we aspire 8. If it be true that the Cameleon liues of aire wheresoeuer he goes in the aire he finds foode aÌ„d though he stirre from one place to another it is not to find wherewithall to be satiated but to exercise himselfe in his element as fishes in the sea Who desires God in possessing him doth not desire him to search him but to exercise affection euen in the good which he enioyes for the heart doth not make this motion of desire as pretending the fruition of a thing not had sith it is already had but as dilating it selfe in the fruition which it hath not to obtaine the Good but to recreate and please it selfe therein not to enioye it but to reioyce in it No otherwise then we moue our selues and goe to some delicious garden where being arriued we cease not to walke and stire our selues yet it is not to come thither but being there to walke and passe our time we went to enioye the pleasantnesse of the garden being there we walke to please our selues in the fruition of it Let not in length of time be found a space In which we cease to search t'Almighties face We alwayes seeke whom we alwayes loue saieth the Great S. AVGVSTINE Loue seekes whom it hath found not to haue him but to haue him still 9. Finally THEO the soule who is in the exercise of the loue of complacence cries continually in her sacred silence It suffiseth me that God be God that his Goodnesse be infinite that his perfection be immence whether I liue or not it little imports me sith that my deare well-beloued liues eternally a triumphant life Death it selfe cannot attristate a heart who knowes that its soueraigne Loue liues It is sufficient for a heart that loues that he whom it loues more then it selfe is replenished with eternall happinesse seeing that it liues more in him whom it loues then him whom it doth animate yea that it liues not but its well-beloued liues in it Of a louing condoling by which the complacence of loue is better declared CHAPTER IV. 1. COmpassion condoling commiseration or mercy is no other thing then an affection which makes vs share in the sufferaÌ„ces and griefes of him whom we loue drawing the miserie which he endures into our heart whence it is called MISERICORDIA as one would saie MISERIA CORDIS as complacence doth draw into the louers heart the pleasures and contentments of the thing beloued It is Loue that workes both the effectes by the vertue it hath to vnite the louers heart to the beloued by this meanes making the good and euill which they haue coÌ„mon betwixt them And that which happens in compassion doth much illustrate that which toucheth complacence 2. Compassion takes her grouth from the loue whence she proceedes So we see mothers doe deeply condole the afflictions of their onely children as the Scripture doth often testifie How great was the sorrow of Agars heart vpon the griefe of her Ismael whom she saw well nigh perish with thirst in the Desert How much did DAVIDS soule commiserate the miserie of his Absolon Ah doe you not marke the motherly heart of the great Apostle sicke with the sicke burning with zeale for such as were scandalized with a continuall dolour for the losse of the Iewes and dayely dying for his deare spirituall children But especially coÌ„sider how loue drawes all the paines all the torments trauells sufferances griefes wounds passioÌ„ crosse and death it selfe of our Redeemour into his most sacred Mothers heart Alas the same Nailes that crucified the bodie of this diuine child did also crucifie the mothers heart the same thrones which pearced his head did strike through the heart of this entirely sweete mother she endured the same miseries with her sonne by commiseration the same dolours by condoling the same passions by compassion to be short the sworde of death which transpearced the bodie of this best beloued sonne did stricke through the heart of this most louing mother whence she might well haue saied that he was to her a POSIE OF MIRRHE amidst her breastes that is in her bosome and in the midst of her heart IACOB hearing the sad though false newes of the death of his deare IOSEPH you see how he is afflicted with it ah saied he in sorrow I will descend to hell that is to saie to Lymbo into