a resemblance with GOD his Creator that I know not whether a Man may ascend with more facility to the knowledge of GOD any other way then by the consideration of his owne soule And therefore man is inexcusable if he have not knowledge of him seeing he may attaine to it Gods grace assisting without difficulty by knowing his owne soule First then Mans soule is a spirit for so doe the holy Fathers expound those words in Genesis And the LORD formed Man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and Man became a living soule and that of Tobias Command my spirit to be taken from me and that of the Preacher Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne to GOD that gave it For although the word spirit agreeth to the wind also of which it is said in the Gospel Spiritus spirat ubi vult The wind bloweth where it listeth and in the Psalmes Spiritus procellarum as S. Ierome Wind and storme as our translation yet without doubt that spirit the wind is a most thinne body which for its great subtilty and raritie doth more imitate and resemble the spirituall nature then any other body But the soule of man is properly a spirit not a body neither is it produced or made of any matter but is immediately created by GOD. And here begins the excellencie of the soule in the resemblance to GOD for GOD is a spirit as our Saviour saith and they which worship him must worship him in spirit and truth But though GOD be a spirit and mans soule be a spirit also yet GOD is a spirit uncreated and the Creator and mans but a spirit created by which it followes that there is a great disproportion betweene the spirit which is the soule and the spirit which is GOD. And in this respect how greatly may the soule rejoyce that it is in the kind of a spirituall substance and so of a higher and more noble nature then heaven or the Starres and againe it should be the more humble and obedient to GOD because it was made of nothing and of it selfe is nothing Againe the soule of man because it is a simple spirit is also immortall for it hath nothing in it from whence it may be divided or severed And in this regard how much may it boast above the soules of bruit animals which die with their bodies and so behold and admire the great excellencie of the creator who is not onely immortall but everlasting For the soule of man sometime was not and came to a being by the onely will of GOD and by the will of the same GOD may againe be reduced to nothing although in it selfe it have no beginning of corruption therfore truly said the Apostle of GOD Who onely hath immortality for he onely cannot be dissolved neither by force chance or ought else because it is his property to be he is life it selfe and the fountaine of being and life Thirdly mans soule is endued with the light of understanding for it is not onely able to know and distinguish of colours tasts smells and sounds heate cold hard soft and other things of the like kind which are plaine to the sences of the body but is able to judge of substantialls and of things singular and universall and knoweth not onely things present but can conjecture at things to come transcends the heavens dives into the deep searches effects from causes and from effects hath recourse to causes Lastly by the eye of the mind it comes to the knowledge of GOD himselfe which dwelleth in inaccessible light and this is the light of which Saint John speakes This was the true light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the World which David calls the light of Gods countenance Of the light of the understanding the same Kingly Prophet saith Be ye not like to horse and mule who have no understanding Certainely this is a great priviledge and dignity of the soule by which man becomes like to GOD and unlike the beasts and by this a man may also conjecture of the excellent sublimity of his creâ—â—â—â— for though the soule of man be endued with this light of understanding yet GOD is the light and understanding The soâ—lâ— as is said runnes from causes to effects and againe from effects to causes and therby hunts as it were with great labour to attain this knowledge but GOD with one aspect and at the first sight knoweth all things The soule understandeth those things which are so that his knowledge depends upon things GOD by his understanding bringeth to passe that things are so that the existence or being of things depends upon his knowledge The soule doth but conjecture of things to come GOD beholds all things past and to come as perspicuously and plainely as if they were present The soule wants many things to exercise the office of its understanding as the object forme fancie and the like GOD wants nothing for essence it selfe is his all things even his owne essence is his understanding Lastly the soule whiâ—e it is in the body neither seeth GOD the Angels nor it selfe nor any substance though corporeall properly and is deceived in many things is ignorant in many of many things he hath but an opinion and of few things the true knowledge but GOD is ignorant of nothing thinks nothing is never deceived never erreth All things are naked and opened c. Therefore if Man hath such an opinion and esteemeth so much of his knowledge as that according to the Apostle his knowledge puffe him up how much ought he to admire the knowledge of his Creator to whose if mans be compared it is no knowledge but ignorance There is also another kind of knowledge in the soule of Man which consists not in speculation but in action from whence it cometh that there are so many Bookes of Philosophers which treat if vices and vertues so many Lawes of Princes Lawyers and others so many institutions to acquire the art of living well In which appeâ—â—eth mans admirable light of reason by which alone he differs farre from beasts in excellencie but all this is nothing to the eternall Law which is powerfull in the mind of the Creator from whence as from a most plentifull fountaine all other Lawes flow and are derived for there is one Law giver and Iudge which is GOD as St. Iames tells us He is Truth Justice and Wisedome By whom Kings raigne and Princes decree Iustice So that we shall never find out the Art of living well and happily till we come to the Schoole of CHRIST who is the true and onely Master by whose word and example we shall learne that righteousnesse which exceeds the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees yea and of Philosophers too whose end is love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and
satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing as saith the Preacher whatsoever is offered to man cannot satisfie his desire why because he is capable of infinite good and all created things are circumscribed within certaine limits But he whch beginneth to drinke this heavenly water in which all things are contained covets nor desires any thing more But of this hath beene formely spoken in the rest of the mind in God alone as its proper Center Fourthly Water joynes together and reduceth into one those things which one could not imagine would have beene so united As many graynes of wheate by the mixture of water make one loafe of bread and of many parts of the earth by the same mixture bricks and tiles are made But much easilier and with a stronger tye or band doth the water of the Holy Spirit bring to passe that many men become one heart and one soule as it was with the Primitive Christians in the Acts of the Apostles upon whom the holy Ghost descended This unity Christ himselfe going to his Father commended and foretold when he said I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me by their word that they may be all one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they may be also one in us and a little after that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one To which unity the Apostle also exhorts endeavoring to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your vocation O happy Vnion which makes many men to be one Body of Christ which is governed by one Head and to eate of one meate and drinke of one drinke and to live with one spirit and being joyned to God to be made one spirit with him What more can be desired by a servant then not onely to be partaker of all the goods of his Lord but also by an indissoluble bond of love to be made one with him And all this the grace of the Holy Spirit brings to passe as a living and quickning water when it is devoutly received into the heart and there kept with diligence and care Lastly Water asâ—â—nds and riseth as high as it falls low And because the Holy Spirit descends into earth from the highest heaven therefore in that man into whose heart it is received is made a well of water springing to eternall life as our Saviour said to the Samaritane woman Wherefore being thus instructed in the properties of this uncreate water let us thirst after it and say with groanes and sighs unutterable Lord give us of this water which may wash off all our staines coole the heat of our concupiscences appease and qualifie the thirst of our desires may make us one spirit with thee and raise us to the height of thy eternall mansion It was not without cause that the Sonne of God said If ye then being evill know to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that aske it He saith not he will give you bread or apparell or wisdome or love or the Kingdome of heaven or eternall life but he saith He will give the Holy Spirit because in it are conteinâ—d all things Cease not then to put God daily in mind of his Sons promise and say to him with earnest affection and assured hope of obteining Holy Father I powre out my prayers unto thee not trusting in mine owne righteousnes but in the promise of thine onely begotten Sonne Make good therefore this promise of thy Sonne who glorified thee upon earth and was obedient to thee unto death even the death of the Crosse give to me that aske thy good Spirit give me the spirit of thy feare and love that I thy servant may feare nothing but offending thee and may love nothing but thee and my neighbour for thee Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me Restore to me the joy of thy salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit We come now to the resemblance which rivers or fountaines of water have with God and by it the mind may be lift up to contemplate the wonderfull and excellent work of the Creator For it is not without cause that the Scripture saith that God is a Well of life a Fountaine of Wisedome the Fountaine of living waters And that he is the very Fountaine of being may be gathered out of his owne words to Moses I am that I am and I am hath sent me unto you All which the Apostle seemes to comprehend in this speech In him we live and move and have our being In him we live as in a Fountaine of life in him wee move as in a Founteine of wisedome and in him wee have our being as in the Founteine of being A Founteine of water here with us hath this propertie that from it the flouds arise and whensoever they leave to flow immediately they dry up but the Founteine it selfe depends not upon the flouds because it receives no water from them but not onely hath water in it selfe but communicates with others This is a true resemblance of God and an Embleme of the Godhead for God is the very Founteine of being he receives no being from any thing but from him all things take their being because the essence of God is to be and his existence is his essence so that it cannot come to passe and it were blasphemie to think that God was not or will not be for ever Other things may be not be for a time because a being is not properly to their essence For example it is of the essence of man that he be a reasonable creature and therefore he cannot be a man not be a reasonable creature if it were of the essence of man to be it could not be otherwise but that he must be alwayes but because it is not of his essence to be therefore he may be not be God therefore â—s the onely Founteine of being because in his essence the act to be is alwayes included And these words signifie so much I am that I am that is I am the thing to be and receive not being from any but have it in my selfe to me onely it is proper that essence to me should be to be and hence also it comes that eternity immortality is proper to him onely as the Apostle speakes To the King everlasting immortall c and Who onely hath immortality All other things receive their being from God so that unlesse they alwayes depend on him and be preserved by a certaine influence
which conduce to our eternall happinesse and salvation yet His will is to bestow them by the instrument of prayer wee must pray for them because it is more honourable for him and profitable for us to give them to us as labourers and petitioners for them then as to sleepy and idle persons Therefore our most bountifull GOD exhorts and urges us to this dutie saying Aske and it shal be given to you seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shal be opened unto you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened And what that is that is chiefly to be asked and that shal be given without doubt he declareth a little after If ye then which are evill can give good guifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that desire him Therefore that which is in the first place to be required is the holy Spirit by which we breath in GOD and by this breathing preserve our spirituall life which holy David did as appeares by that in the Psalmes I opened my mouth and drew in my breath that is I opened my mouth by prayers sighs and grones unutterable and I drew in the most comfortable breath of Gods spirit which cooled the heat of concupiscence and confirmed me in every good worke This being so who can say that they live to GOD who spend dayes moneths and yeares and neither breath to nor receive breath from him It is an evident signe of death not to breath and if to breath be to pray then it is a signe of death not to pray Now the spirituall life by which the Children of GOD are reputed to live chiefly consists in love Behold saith St. Iohn what love the Father hath given unto us that we should be called and be the sonnes of God Now who is there that loves and desires not to see that which he loveth and who desires any thing and asketh not for it of him who he knoweth will give it him if he make suit for it Therefore he which prayeth not continually to see the face of GOD desires not to see him he which desires not to see him loves him not hee which loves him not lives not whereupon it necessarily followes that they are dead to GOD though they live to the world who seriously devote not themselves to prayer Nor is it enough onely to pray with the lippes to make us reputed amongst the living for prayer is rightly defined to be a lifting up of the mind to GOD and not an elevating of the voyce into the ayre Therefore deceive not thy selfe thinke not that thou livest to GOD if thou earnestly breath not to him with all thine heart night and day and say not to thy selfe that thine other affaires will not give thee leave to spend thy time in prayer and divine meditations for the holy Apostles were much imployed aswell in their own affaires as in the worke of the LORD and salvation of soules in so much as one of them said of himself Besides the things which are outward I am combred daily and have the care of all Churches c. yet he besides other recitall of his often prayers writes to the Philippians that his conversation was in Heaven and that because in the heate of his other imployments he was conversant in Heaven in his desire nor ever was unmindfull of his beloved otherwise he would never have said I am crucified with Christ but I live yet not I any more but Christ liveth in me The second property of the ayre is that it is the medium or meanes by which the species or formes of colours are conveighed to our eyes and of sounds to our eares and without which we could neither see heare nor speake For which first we are to give thankes to Almighty GOD for giving such an ornament and benefit to our nature and secondly we are to admire his wisedome in a worke of such finenesse subtiltie and thinnesse 1. In respect that the ayre of it selfe is a true body and so great that it almost filles the universe yet it can neither be seene nor felt for the incredible subtilty of it Antiquity admired the skill and subtilty of one line which Apelles drew with his pencill and yet it was seene and touched and in that regard was by no meanes to be compared with the tenuity and subtilty of this veyle which compasseth and toucheth all men and yet is seene of none 2. But it increaseth our admiration that being a most subtile and thinne body yet when it is divided it closeth againe with so great facility as if it had never been divided when as but a Spiders web being once broken can never be so cunningly amended that the first breach may not bee seene 3. Lastly that which is most worthy our admiration and done or caused onely by the wisedome of GOD that through one and the same part of the ayre should be mingled together innumerable severall species of colours as those in the rainebow He that shall place himselfe in a cleare Moone-shine night in some open field where hee may behold at one time starres in the heaven fields in the earth bedeckt with severall sorts of flowers together with houses trees and many other beautifull â—ights shall not be able to deny but that the severall species of them are contained in that part of the ayre which is neere unto him But who well can understand this who can conceive it for how can it be that so thinne and subtile a thing as the ayre should comprehend together so great varietie of shapes and formes And what if it happen that at the same time and in the same place he shall heare the melodious musique of birds on one side from another diverse musicall instruments in another the silent murmuring of falling waters will it not follow and that of necessitie that all these sounds or species of sounds must be received together with those of the colours before-named and who brings these things to passe are they not wrought by the wisedome of thy Creator who onely doth wonderfull things alone 3. Againe there is yet another benefit which ariseth by this admirable tenuity and thinnesse in the ayre that it hinders not but helpes the motion of all things which passe from one place to another We all know with what labour Shippes or Boats are drawne through water though it be of a liquid quality or substance and is easily divided and parted For many times neither the winds nor Oares serve to make them passe but they are many times forced by the strength of Horses And if at any time upon some occasion a way be to be made through a hill or mountaine what labour sweat and time it costs before a short cut be made But through the ayre horses runne swiftly birds and arrowes flie speedily and men in exercising
and say to GOD with the Prophet Thou hast beene my helper forsake me not and speake to him not out of custome but heartily againe and againe Thou art my helper and redeemer O LORD make no long tarrying Mans soule hath also a rationall will which not onely can desire good things present particular and corporall such as are proper to beasts to covet but also good things absent generall and spirituall which are demonstrated by faith or reason and indeed GOD himselfe which is the chiefe and infinite good And this is it which makes a Man capable of great vertues especially of love the chiefe of all other and the fâ—â—â—taine from whence all good guists are derived and which joyneth Man to GOD in so strong a tye that GOD shall remaine in him and he in GOD For GOD is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him But if this be so great a happines of the created will how great will that happinesse be with which the uncreated will is replenished The will of God is onely capable of infinite love where with the infinite goodnes of God is worthy to be beloved Neither doth this will want vertues nor hath it need to bee directed by the understanding for Gods will and understanding are both but one as his wisedome and love are one and the same thing in him Besides Mans soule is in a humane body but farre otherwise then the soules of bruire beasts are in their bodies for the soules of bruits are materiall and extended through all parts of their bodies so that part of it is in part and all in the whole body But Mans soule which is an indivisible spirit is after an admirable manner all in the whole and all in every part of the body and whereas it fills the whole body yet it occupies no speciall place in it neither increaseth it as the body encreaseth but only begins to be where formerly it was not and if a member of the body bee cut off or wither the soule is not lessened or made dry by it but leaves to be in that member without any may me or impayring This is a true mirrour of Gods existencie in things created for God is an indivisible spirit yet fills the whole world and all the parts of it nor occupies it any one place alone but is all in the whole world and all in every part of it and when a new Creature is made God begins to bee in it and yet is not moved and when any Creature perisheth or dyeth God dyes not but onely leaves to bee there and yet changeth not his place And therefore in these things God and the soule of man agree but God is much more excellent then the soule for the soule to be in a body to rule and stirre it must of necessity have a forme of a body made for it and to be so joyned to it that of the soule and body a man may bee made God needes not the forme or soule of a world nor that of him and the world one compounded substance should bee made but of his owne immensitie he hath this preheminence to bee every where of his indivisible unitie to bee all every where of his omnipotence to governe move and sustaine all things Againe the soule of man though it bee said to be in the whole body yet properly it is not but in the living or animate parts of it and therfore is not in the humors in the hayre nailes dry or dead members God absolutely is in all things not onely corporall but spirituall nor can it be that there should be any thing in which God is not Lastly it is not a soule but in it's owne body and that a streight and small one wherein all the parts are tyed together for if any part as is said be severed from the other in that part the soule cannot be But God is all in this universe of things though it be great and the parts thereof not tyed or joyned together though they be neere one another and if there were more worlds God would be in them all to which purpose it is said Heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot conteine thee for if there were other heavens and another earth created or more heavens and earths without number God would fill them all and where he were not nothing would be at all Againe mans soule hath in it though obscure the Image of the most holy Trinitie aswell in that it hath a fruitfull memorie power to understand and power to love as also because the mind thereof by understanding formes a certaine word and from the mind and word proceeds love because that which is knowne by the mind and represented by the word is presently as it is good loved and desired by the will But after a much higher and diviner manner God the Father begets God the Word the Father and the Word breath God the Holy Spirit who is the living love and the living fountaine of all chast love And in this respect the mystery of the Trinitâ—e transcends the naturall meanes of knowing nor can a learned Philosopher come to the knowledge of this without a supernaturall light for the soule of man produceth a word and a love which are not substances but accidents and in that regard are not Persons but GOD the Father begets to himselfe the Consubstantiall Word and the Father and the Word breath the Holy Spirit consubstantiall likewise to them both whereby it is that the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost are rightly and worthily called three Persons The soule of Man also produceth a Word which is of no long continuance and the will bringeth forth a love which lasteth not long but GOD the Father begets the eternall Word and the Father and Word breath the eternall Holy Spirit nor can GOD be without his Word and Spirit Againe Mans soule by one word represents but one thing and therefore multiplyeth words not onely of the mind but of the mouth and mans will must produce many acts of love if it will love many things But GOD by one Word speaketh all true things and with one act of love loves all good things 10 Lastly the soule of Man while it is in the body hath this property that though it be not seene heard nor moved and is hardly conceived to be in it and that leaving it the body seemes to want nothing it had before yet it is that which causeth all good to the body sense motion speech subsistence beauty and strength for what is the cause that while a man liveth hee seeth heareth talketh walketh and is strong and beautifull nothing but because he hath a soule in him and why cannot a man see nor heare nor speake but lies deformed unprofitable and unserviceable after hee is dead but that his soule is departed from him from whence all these benefits and good things were derived to him So thy GOD whilst
by his grace he lives in thee causeth thee to see what faith sheweth thee and to heare what GOD speaketh to and in thee and to walke by the way of his commandements to the heavenly Ierusalem to speak to him by prayer and in holy exhortation to thy neighbour to subsist by persevering in good workes to bee strong in battell against thy invisible enemies and to bee beautifull in the sight of God and his Angels But beware least the grace of GOD the life of thy soule depart not from thee if it doe thou wilt soone find the damage which the first death brings with it from whence thou shalt be carried to the second from which there is no resurrection If GOD would open the eyes of thy minde that thou mightst seriously consider and see the exceeding beauty and splendor of a soule acceptable to GOD and joyned to him by true love with how cheerfull and loving countenance he looketh upon it what place he prepares for it what joyes he hath promised to it and with what desire the Angels and blessed spirits wait for it thou wouldst never indure to have the beauty of it defiled with the least spot and if that should happen thou wouldst endeavour to wash it away though little with rivers of teares But if by the same grace of GOD the inward eyes might bee opened that thou mightst behold how filthy a soule is that sinneth what an unsavory stench it sends forth like a putrified body or carrion and how GOD and the holy Angels loathe to looke upon it although perhaps it inhabite a comely and beautifull body without doubt thou thy selfe wouldst also so detest and abhorre it as that thou woulst never be brought to bee such a one or remaine long in that state or condition DEGREE IX By the Consideration of Angels WE are now to come to the highest degree of ascending to GOD from those things which may be taken from substances created for there is no created substance more sublime then the Angelicall if we speake onâ—ly of naturall perfection and there are three things principally to be considered in them 1. First according to the excellencie of their nature 2. Secondly in respect of their sublimity of grace 3. Lastly in regard of their offices Neither is it our purpose to propound and handle the things which concerne them by way of disputation but to touch onely those matters which may helpe us to the lifting up of our minds to GOD. 1. An Angell if we compare him to a reasonable and humane soule may fitly be called a perfect soule as the soule may be termed an unperfect Angell For so the Psalmist speakes of Man in respect of his soule Thou hast made him little lower then the Angels And indeed an Angel is an entire perfect spiritâ—â—ll substance and mans soule is but dimidiata divided as it were into halfes and unperfect because as it is the forme of the body it is part of man So that an Angell is all spirit and a man part spirit part flesh or partly an Angell partly a beast as if we should say an Angell is all gold and a man part gold and part earth or clay By which it followes that an Angell is more like to GOD then a man or his soule because GOD is a spirit not a body nor the shape of a body Yet this comparison makes not so much for the Angels but that there is an infinite distance of dignity in GOD above this sublimity of the Angels for GOD is a spirit uncreate eternall immense onely mighty onely wise onely good onely the most high Therefore if we worthily admire the Angelicall nature how much more ought we the divine which beyond all manner and measure surpasseâ—h the dignity of the Angels 2. And not onely in nature or substance may an Angel be called a perfect man and man an unperfect Angell but also in understanding and knowledge for a man or the soule of man takes much paines in understanding things because he must use the office of his sences and running from causes to effects and from effects to causes before he can gaine a little knowledge from whence it is that he oftentimes stickes as doubtfull oftimes he is miserably deceived and seldome attaines to a sure and certaine understanding But an Angell at the first sight beholds things and at one time perceiveth the causes and the effects and dives not onely into the accidents but the substance aswell of spirituall as corporall things Therfore Man while he is in this pilgrimage in asmuch as concernes understanding is not onely a little lesse but a great deale lesse then the Angels and though he be very wise and give himselfe to the study of wisedome yet compared to an Angell he is but a childe or an infant or suckling The Prophet therefore did us no wrong when he said Out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained knowledge You may heare wise King Solomon how he conceived of our knowledge with which we are so much puffed up All things are full of labour or hard man cannot utter it and againe He meaning GOD hath set the world in their heart yet man cannot finde out the worke that GOD hath wrought from the beginning to the end If then the things of the world be hard and unutterable by man and if man understand nothing of this visible world from the beginning to the end that is he understand nothing perfectly as not being able to declare the nature properties accidents force and the like thereof into how many errors would he runne if he should goe about to search after those things which are above heaven If thou be wise therefore follow the knowledge which belongs to thy salvation and the wisedome of the Saints which consists in the feare of GOD and keeping his Commandements let prayer delight thee better then disputation and edifying charity rather then swelling knowledge for this is the way which leads to life even to the Kingdome of heaven where we little ones shall be made equall with the Angels who alwaies behold the face of their Father which is in heaven 3. There is also a third thing wherein mans soule is not onely made a little but much lesse then the Angels and that is their power and command over bodies for mans soule can onely by the command of its will stirre and move his owne body other bodies he cannot and he moves his owne too but in an ordinary progressive motion upon the ground he cannot walke upon the waters or raise it up to the ayre and carry it whither he pleaseth but the Angels by the onely force of the spirit that is by the command of their wills raise heavy bodies upward and carry them whither they will as in the case of Abacuk to Daniel Againe one man cannot fight with an host because he wants many hands and weapons but an Angell without hands and weapons can
obedience nothing can be imagined greater or more meritorious or more honourable to GOD then that humble obedience of CHRIST wherefore most truely said He in the Gospell I have glorified thee upon earth for he truely glorified GOD his Father with an unspeakable glory in the sight of the Angels and spirits of the holy Prophets and others who could take notice of it and if the Angels at Christs nativity in respect of the humility of the Cratch did sing Glory to GOD on high with much greater exultation and joy did they sing the same song for the humility or the Crosse So that whereas if man had not sinned he had onely attayned to be equall with the Angels now mankind hath obtained by the redemption which is in CHRIST JEsus that one man being exalted above all the Angels sits at the right hand of GOD and is become head and Lord of Angels and men for so St. Peter writes of CHRIST Hee is gone into heaven to whom the Angels and Powers and might are subject and St. Paul Wherefore also GOD hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name That at the name of JESVS should every knee bowe both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth So that the Son glorified the Father by the humility of his passion after an unspeakable manner and the Father glorified the Son after an unutterable manner also by exalting him to his right hand which glorification resulted upon all mankinde in such a manner that whosoever shall not acknowledge this great benefit and give GOD thankes for it may justly be called most unthankfull And as the holy Angels were much grieved at the fall of the first man as for a heavie affliction befallen their younger brother so also are they taken and affected with much joy and delight for the plentifull redemption of him by IESUS CHRIST for if there be joy in heaven with the Angels for one sinner repenting how great may wee beleeve their joy to bee when they saw that the justice of GOD was fully satisfied for mankind by CHRIST the man and that by the key of his Crosse the Kingdome of heaven was opened to all beleevers Nor is it to be thought that the holy Angels did take it grievously that the man CHRIST was exalted by GOD above them for they have neither spite or â—nvy in them but are replete with all ardent and true love and Love is not puffed up grieveth not at the good of others but sympathizeth and rejoyceth together congratulateth no lesse for it then if it were its owne for the Angels understand that this was a most just act of Gods who doth nothing but most justly and wisely and they also have their will so unseparably proportionable and agreeable to the will of GOD and tyed with such an indissoluble knot of love that whatsoever is pleasing to GOD is most acceptable to them But the Devill who for a time rejoyced for his victory over the first Man was much more sorrowfull for the conquest of CHRIST the man then he was joyfull before For by the victory of CHRIST it is come to passe that not onely men such as Adam was but also children and women shall insult and triumph over the Devill It had not beene a disgrace for him to have beene overcome by Adam in Paradise when he wanted ignorance and infirmity and was armed with originall righteousnesse which so subjected the inferiour parts to reason that hee could not have rebelled if his minde had not beene rebellious to GOD before but now to be subdued by a mortall man a pilgrime obnoxious and subject to ignorance and concupiscence is a disgrace in the highest degree and yet by the grace of Christ he is many times so overcome as that diverse erect trophees of chastity patience humility and love not withstanding his fiery darts of tâ—ntations and persecutions And here we are againe to admire the altitude of the divine wisedome even beyond admiration For GOD foresaw that the contempt of riches pleasures and honour and the like which are snares of the Devill and lead men captive to utter perdition was necessary to withstand the tentations of the Devill What course did then GOD take that these pleasures and the like might grow bitter to men and chastity poverty humility patience and contempt of the world might seeme pleasant and delightfull Why surely this he came down himselfe from heaven and having taken the shape of a servant and by his example made this bitter but wholesome medicine so pleasant and sweet that many men had rather fast then feast be poore then rich delight in virginity rather then marriage and in martyrdome then pleasure to obey rather then to command to be despised then to be magnified to be humble then to be exalted for who is there that truly considers GOD in the shape of a man full of wisedome and grace and who can neither deceive nor be deceived to be poore humble patient chaste and which is more wonderfull for the redemption of mankinde to be nayled to the Crosse and to dye voluntarily having shed his most pretious blood plentifully even out of a most ardent love but wil be incouraged to imitate his example And this was a high invention of the wisedome of GOD though to the wise of the World and to carnall men enemies to the Crosse of CHRIST it seeme to be foolishnes But let us gather honey out of the rocke and â—yle out of the hardest stâ—ne that is Wisedome out of foolishnes the wisedome of GOD from the foolishnes of the Crosse Search and examine diligently who that is that hangeth on the Crosse and why he should so hang and we shall finde it to be the same which sitteth betweene the Cherubims yea at the right hand of GOD and we shall also finde that he hung not on the Crosse for his owne faults nor his owne infirmity nor by the power of others but voluntarily out of his earnest desire to satisfie Gods justice for the sinnes of the whole world for the honour and glory of his Father and for the eternall salvation of all the elect and as the Apostle speaketh that he might make unto himselfe a most glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle Lastly for the love of us for he loved us and hath given himselfe for us to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to GOD. And when we shall have found all these to be true as they are most true let us lift up our selves in our greatest and most intimate love to so great a benefactor and in imitation of him begin ardently to thirst after Gods glory the salvation of the Gentiles but chiefly the Churches beauty and honour and our owne eternall salvation let us begin to have a hate to iniquity and to love purity of heart to partake of the Crosse of Christ to glory in tribulations
and troubles that after this life we may be made partakers of the resurrection of the just to glory and not to everlasting punishment with the wicked The depth or profunditie of the practicall wisedome of GOD consisteth in his providence predestination and judgements Thy judgements are like the great deep saith the Psalmist 1. First that the providence of GOD is admirable is gathered out of this that he ruleth all things immediately and leads them to their ends He careth for all alike saith the wiseman that is his care is over all nothing excepted so that a sparrow falls not to the ground without his providence as our Saviour speakes He that could number the multitude of things in the whole universe might in some measure see the profundity of his wisedome governing and directing all and every thing A King may governe many Provinces by a generall but not a particular providence as having many and severall subjects and therefore hath as is fit many subordinate Ministers under him But GOD so taketh care for singular as all and for all as singular The haires of our heads are numbred by him and his porvidence watcheth over us so that none of them perish The young ravens also forsaken by the dammes are not forsaken by GOD. How securely then may we rest in the bosome of such a Father even in the midst of darkenesse among the monthes of Lions and Dragons among innumerable legions of spirits if we adhere to him in sincere love holy feare a hope not wavering and faith not doubting Neither doth his providence onely reach to every thing and things present but stretcheth from one end to another mightily and disposeth of all things sweetly and he is therefore stiled King everlasting because he hath appointed the order of all ages together with the succession of Kingdomes for ever from eternity and nothing can happen to him either new or not foreseene by him and indeed the thoughts of mortall men are fearefull and our forecasts are uncertaine as the wiseman speaketh because we can give none but uncertaine conjectures of things to come but GOD knows all future things with no lesse certainty then if they were past or present and disposed in his minde before the beginning of the world both the orders and successions of things and therefore in our liturgy wee truly say GOD whose providence is never deceived But because the reason of Gods providence is most secret and his judgements deepe it comes to passe that many seeing much mischife committed among men and unpunished they runne headlong into this opinion that humane things are either not governed by Gods providence or at least that all evills are committed by the will of GOD both which opinions are impious but the later the worse as St. Augustine writeth But they runne headlong into these errors who see onely part of Gods providence and see not the other part and whereas they ought to expect the issue and end of things which shal be manifested to all in the day of judgement they are so bold as rashly to judge and by that meanes fall into most grievous errors And therefore the Apostle cryes out Judge not before the time untill the LORD come that will enlighten things that are hid in darknesse and will make the counsailes of the heart manifest S. Augustine illustrates this point by a similitude If saith he a man in a checkred pavement shall see onely one piece of it wrought and not knowing what the forme of it shall be will dispraise the workeman because he onely sees a piece of it and not the greatest part whereas if he saw it finished he would commend the worke and the artificer it would seeme prepostrous so many seeing the wicked to flourish and the just depressed and afflicted and consider nor know not what GOD reserves for the iniquity of the ungodly or the patience of the good and thereupon breake out into blasphemous speeches either with those in Job He walketh in the circle of heaven and considereth not our matters or with them in Malachie Every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the LORD and he delighteth in them Another similitude in this case St. Augustine also useth If a man either in the beginning or the middle of a verse shall say that it is not good he wil be accounted a foole for he should tarry till all the fillables and feet of it be pronounced before he dispraise it so they are very fooles who dare to finde fault with the orderly providence of GOD before the whole order of it be runne out Wherefore if thou be wise endeavour as much as thou canst that evill be not committed for this GOD commands thee but leave to his judgement why he permits evill his judgement may be secret it cannot be unjust 2. But although the reason of the providence of GOD in governing humane things be a deepe abysse yet the reason of eternall predestination and reprobation is deeper by farre For why GOD should loade many wicked men with temporall goods and suffer their sinnes to goe unpunished in this life and on the other side why he should suffer many innocents to be in want and be unjustly vexed scourged and slaine we cannot finde the cause in particulars or singulars yet in the generall or universall we may probably assigne some cause For GOD oftentimes makes the wicked abound with temporall goods to reward some of their morall workes not intended to give them life eternall or to allure them to repâ—ntance and to bring them to desire and hope for eternall benefits and sometimes punisheth not their sinnes in this life because he will sufficiently punish them in hell and suffers godly men to live in poverty ignominy and diverse afflictions aswell to purge their lighter sins in this world as to crowne their goodworkes the more gloriously hereafter But why GOD loved Jacob. and hated Esau before they had done either good or evill who will search after the reason And this it was at which the Apostle wondred that being twinnes the sons of one Father and Mother GOD should love the one by predestination and hate the other by reprobation And least any man should object that GOD foresaw the goodworkes of the one and the evill of the other the Apostle by way of prevention saith that this was done that the purpose of GOD might remaine according to election and alledgeth or quoteth the words of GOD by Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy c. 3. Who also would not be astonished to consider that Iudas the traytor should persevere so long in good workes and in the end of his life to fall and perish and that the thiefe who all the time of his life should continue in evill workes and in the end of his life to be converted and flee from the Crosse into Paradise But thou wilt say Iudas betrayed