on his neck and dearly embraceth him but he had no other than tears to utter What then can Iacob say Ah! my Son saith he now that I have seen thy face I am content and after this I shall willingly dye for it sufficeth me to leave thee alive After this Ioseph turning himself towards his Brethren and towards all those of Jacobs house began to say unto them that he was going unto Pharaoh to advertise him that his Brethren were arrived with their whole Family and that they had brought their Flocks and goods with them and when Command should be given them to see the King if he chanced to ask them of what Trade they were they should answer they had no other than that of meer Sheapheards and that all their â—indred who were as well as themselves his most humble servants and resolved to live and dye in his service never had any other employment since their birth Behold the instructions Joseph gave to all his Brethren whilst he conducted them with his Father to salute Pharaoh Now it was not out of Complement he put these words into their Mouths but upon Design that the King hearing they were Sheapheards and brought up in this Profession might permit them to live peaceably together with their Father in the Land of Gessen Vt habitare positis in terra Gessen quia detestantur Aegyptii omnes pastores ovium Gen. 46. v. 34. which was neerest unto Chanaan where there were also lovely Pastures and where they should be severed from the Egyptians who mortally hated all the Sheapheards which were in their Country by reason they had not the religious impiety of Egypt which adored Animals for Gods and who for that effect durst not kill them detesting for that reason all the Sheapheards of other Regions who had the care of Feeding their Flocks to the end they themselves with others might be nourished by them In fine Extremos quoque fratrum suorum quinque viros constituit coran Rege Gen. 47. v. 2. Hebraei Hemerus Pererius Oleaster In optimo loco fac eos habitare trade eis terram Gessen Gen. 47. v. 6. Quod si nosti in eis esse viros industrios constitue illos magistros pecorum meorum Gen. 47. v. 6. Post haec introduxit Joseph patrem suum ad Regem statuit eum coram co Gen. 47. v. 7. Et benedicto Rege egressus est soras Gen. 47. v. 10. the advice of Ioseph and his desire found happy success For assoon as he was returned unto the Court he presented unto Pharaoh five of his Brethren who in shew promised the least The King having cast his eyes on them and knowing they were Sheapheards gave them Gessen for their quarter and Commanded from that time they should take care of his Flocks Not long after Iacob entred who bore on his brow the Majesty of a King the authority of a Patriarch the wisedome of a Prophet and the glory of a Father of Nations When first he saw the King he besought Heaven to pour on him and his Kingdome all sorts of Benedictions The holy Scripture hath not otherwise declared unto us Iacobs entry into the presence of Pharaoh for my part I have often represented him unto my thoughts at the door or in the Kings anti-Chamber bare-headed and with hair whiter than Snow a beard down to his girdle and a neck bowed with old age eyes watered with tears and all his whole body somewhat trembling Me thinks I see him supported on one side with Ioseph on the other by Benjamin I even hear some sighs which issue forth of his mouth to refresh the ardors of his heart for notwithstanding all the coldnesse of his age he alwayes conserved in a dying body the sense of a truly generous soul and of a spirit of fire which was never out of Motion or Action I know not what Pharaoh thought seeing this good old man Et interrogatus ab eo quot sunt dies annorum vitae tuae Gen. 47. v. 7. Respondit Dies peregrinationis meae centum triginta annorum sunt parvi mali non pervenerunt usque ad dies patrum meo um quibus peregrinati sunt Gen. 47. v 9. Floscule mane puer media vir floscule luce Floscule sub nocte sole cadents senex Sic oreris morcrisque uno tu floscule Phoebo Vno sisque puer virque senexque die but he asked him how old he was to which he made answer Sir for the space of a hundred and thirty years I have been a Pilgrim on the Earth This journey truly is very short if you onely consider its durance but very long if you cast your eyes on the miseries of my life Nevertheless I am not yet arrived to the Term of my Fore-fathers Few old men will be found in the World who may not say the same For life is but a course in which we go from our Cradle to the Tomb. Dayes months years and entire Ages are but moments in the sight of God Man is but but a Flower which begins to blow at the break of day to fade about Noon and to drop away at night He is a shadow which passeth away a Feather which flyes a Reed which breaks an Image which loseth its Luster a Vapour which is dissipated a Beauty which perisheth a breath a smoak and a puff of Air which swells in the midst of a storm and appears on the water to dissolve at the same instant Nevertheless we need no longer space to see and feel much misery For it is enough to be born of a woman to be consumed with sorrows and to serve as a pittifull Subject to all sorts of Accidents Vicissitudes of life Witness Iacob who was no sooner come into the World but he must leave his Fathers house to go from thence with a staff in his hand into Forein Countries and like a fugitive to shun the persecution of his Brother We need but follow him in this sad journey and spend with him Twenty years in quality of a Servant at Labans house From thence we must depart out of Mesopotamia and bondage to expose our selves unto dangers of Death and to meet with Esau who comes to assail him with four hundred men We must see him in the affrightment he took at the Murther his Children committed upon the Sichemites Had he not also some cause to die at the death of Rachel and to expire on her body which inclosed the moitie of his life But who could behold the sorrow which pierc'd his heart when his Children were so impudent as to bring incest even into his house Surely he would have said that his life was but a web of misfortunes if we joyn with it the loss of Joseph the separation of Benjamin the captivity of Simeon and finally his last departure out of Chanaan Life both very short and long who will deny he had reason to say that his life had been very short if
possess lascivious Souls it was neither deceitfull nor violent neither indiscreet nor arogant neither irregular nor impious neither variable nor impudent neither capricious nor sporting neither phantastick nor stupid neither remiss nor unworthy of a vertuous Man but sincere moderate prudent humble stayed constant respectfull simple condescending equall provident couragious and such as could be desired in a good Man There are in the World inchained Captives Slavery of Love and Houses often become Gallies where we behold slaves rowing against the Wind and Tide These are unfortunate Argonautes who goe in quest of a Golden Fleece which they shall never bring home The Haven and the shore fly before them and there Bark will ever be in the disastrous Hand where nothing is to be seen but refusals disdains and despairs Mean while Dayes and Years pass away in Captivity where nothing is to be found but sorrows furies envies aversions sighs regrets and tears for having courted a painted and plaistered Idol and for having erected Altars to it offering a thousand Vows without ever being able to render it propitious and for having expended their Goods in Masks and Feasts in presents and a thousand poor and shifting devices which served only to swell a Cloud of storms Ah! what blindness what weakness Shamefull blindness what indignity for a Cavalier to be seen at the Feet of some curious and dainty Dame where he burns his Heart where he immolates his Strength and Courage where he dryes up his Bloud and where he prostitutes his Body his Fortunes and Honour In fine the Life of such kind of men is an unhappy vassallage their whole inquest a Martyrdom and all their pursutes meet with nothing but shadows where they find as in an abyss of miseries the loss of their joy and Liberty Jacob fell not into these misfortunes but his Courtships were most just and holy He lived like an Angell incarnate amidst the flames and ardors of a most pure and holy affection Servivit erge Jacob pro Rachel septem annis videbantur illi pauci dies prae amoris magnitudine he excited himself to patience and labour by the sight and upon the hopes of Rachel and he did like those who running at Rings fix only their Eyes on the prize proposed to them he found also no weariness at the end of his course and saw himself upon the point of enjoying his reward after seaven years service which scarce seemed unto him to have lasted so many Dayes But what Et vespere Liam suam introduriâ— ad cum Gea 29. v. 23. Ad quam cum ex amore Jacob fuisset ingressus facto mane vidâ—t Liam Gen. 29. v. 24. as the Hopes we repose in Men very often deceive us so after the Wedding Night the Day discovered unto Jacob the cheats of Laban who instead of Rachel gave him Leah Never was any man more astonished than Jacob who expected nothing less than such a Metamorphosis He fayles not to complain unto Laban of this deceit Et dixit ad sorcerum suum Quidest quod facere voluisti Gen. 29. v. 25. Respondit Laban non est in loco nostro consuetudinis ut minores ante tradamus ad nuptias Gen. 29. v. 26. Imple bebdomadam dierum hujus copulae hanc quoque dabo tibi pro opere quo serviturus es miln septem annis aliis Gen. 29. v. 27. but for answer they told him that it was not the custome to marry the younger Daughter before the Elder that if he would yet for one week accomplish this Mariage with Leah Rachel should be given him for his second wife provided that he would again oblige himself to serve for the space of seven years Behold a lively image in the person of Laban of the deceipts and falshoods of the world which give straws for gold briars for roses counterfeits for true Diamonds chains for liveryes bondage for rewards and at last fables errors and lyes which cause us to spend our lives in a detestable blindness Notwithstanding A poor harvest of worldly men there are some who have less pure intentions than Jacob who amuse themselves to gather up all these straws and take pleasure to rowl themselves upon thorns There are weak and ignorant eyes which prefer Glass before Rubies and Emeralds some cherish their own follies some adore their bondage and some glory to languish in the Martyrdome of a shamefull captivity But that which is most to be deplored some fix their eyes on exteriour attractives upon Painted faces and Phantasmes of Love like those Temples of Egypt which as Clement Alexandrinus saith Clem. Alex. lib. 3. paedag were only set forth with gilded Stones carved Marbles and painted beauties without life or soul Nevertheless we there fix our eyes and fasten our hearts we are content with Leah who was a figure of this life and think no more of Rachel who was the Image of Paradise and Eternity At least we would willingly gather this immortall purple flower of Love but we cannot take the pains to water it with some drop of sweat and blood We would gladly catch in our nets this beautifull Bird of heaven Weakness of courage but we will not take the pains to spread them We would willingly take this fish of the Fortunate Islands but we dare not put our hands into the water it is too chil it is too cold we neither can nor will do it seven years of service are too long to merit a Rachel It is too great a conflict to gain a Crown and we cannot resolve to dye one Moment to live Eternally This moves me to cry out Eternity All is short to him who meditates on Eternity Eternity of joy and felicity how long art thou Eternity and how short is the Moment of pain which may deserve thee O Moment moment of this life how quickly dost thou slip away and what immense Durations hath Eternity Ah! Jacob Jacob serve then not only seven dayes but even seven years entire to obtain Rachel Jacob it sufficeth to love her For in loving every thing is animated every thing lives every thing prospers and every thing passeth away most sweetly under the lawes of love and since it is not for a Man but for a God nor for a mortall beauty but for an immortall happiness you captivate your self It was no trouble unto Jacob to receive this yoak Acquievit beneplacito bebdomadae transacta Rachel duxit uâ—orem Gen. 29. v. 28. seeing himself the possessour of his dear Rachel he resumed the trade he had so happily begun and he believed that the shackles of his second service would not be less supportable than the former Behold him happy to see himself in a Bondage where he was a servant to Laban and the master of Rachel All his misfortune was only because he contemned Leah which proceeded from the excessive love be bore unto Rachel But God taking pitty of Leah rendred
is my Sons garment it is the garment of my Joseph Ah my Son Mournfull complaint of Jacob. my Joseph it is not so much thy death I deplore as the loss I procured to my self during thy life by sending thee too soon out of my house And besides by what more strange kind of death couldst thou be taken from me At least if I had been a witness of this sad accident and if thy body had remained with me I should have had this chast pledge to charm my sadness If some sickness had carried thee away in my presence I should have rendred thee all the duties which a father cannot deny a sonne I should have kissed thy mouth I should have closed thine eyes I should have received thy last words and sighes I should possess in a Tomb the ashes of a Phaenix and I might have erected on his Sepulcher a Pile and Altar to enlighten my hopes and entertain my vows But I snatch'd away thy life before thy death I lost thee during thy life and my excessive compliance hath been the cause of it My son I have lost thee I have slain thee and I know not where is thy Tombe O Heaven O God! Alas at least had the toyles of his journey left him at the foot of some Tree or had he been buried in some corner of the Earth I should enjoy the contentment to seek him out and I should comfort my self in possessing but a part of my son with the loss of the other But O the most disconsolate and the most unhappy of all fathers I can have nothing of my Joseph but this bloudy garment the rest hath been devoured by some Tyger or Lyon and the same sweetness hath no other Tombe but the belly of a wild beast Yes surely it was a wilde Beast and a cruell Monster which devoured my Joseph It was the Envy of his Brethren which gave them Talons Clawes and Teeth It was this merciless passion which stript him of his garment cast him into the Well and shamefully sold him Behold the Domestick Monster which will never be made tame behold the bloudy beast which lives onely upon the flesh and heart of its like In fine it is envy against which fathers and mothers must be alwaies armed and which they ought to banish for ever out of their families for as much as First it is a Cantharides The nature and qualities of Envy which fastens upon the fairest flowers and seeks out Milk and Hony to spread its venome on them Secondly it is lesse reasonable by how much it hath more of Reason For being found onely amongst men it renders them more inhumane than beasts which cannot be moved by these tragick instigations Thirdly the furies of Envy are so shamefull as they seek alwayes to pass under the colour of some other passion Fourthly its breath though stinking fastens on virtue but the stings of it are as honourable to that person who bears them as infamous to him that causeth them Fifthly it hath the eyes of an Owl which are dazled at the sight of the fairest lights and which cannot endure the splendor of a most luminous day Basilius in Homil. de Invid Sixthly it hath more cruell tallons and teeth than Tygers and Dragons for it spares neither parents friends nor benefactors Seventhly its nourishment repose and delight are in bitterness and acerbity Hence it proceeds that the mouth and heart of it are still infectious Eighthly it is a Viper which draws death upon it self in giving life unto her young and tears its own belly to produce some venemous Serpent Ninthly it is a Camelion which converts it self into a thousand colours and every moment changeth its skin least we discern its nature and inclination In fine it is a monstrous Cerberus which hath the heart and head of all the most dreadfull Animals under heaven It is the Ape which in the time of Augustus entred the Temple of Ceres the Owl which flew even over the Altars of Concord The Dragon with two heads which devasted part of the Universe and which having exhaled his venome upon the Cradle of the world will never cease till he hath vomited forth the remainder of his rage in the tombe CHAP. II. The Combats of Joseph for defence of his Chastity IT is true that Envy is a ravenous beast But yet what ever we may say its furies are not to be compared with those of Love when it hath once broken the chains wherewith God and Nature fastned it It is this Devill which disturbs Families arms Provinces ruines States desolates Paradise and peoples Hell It is a flaming Torch which inkindles fires even in the midst of water a Northern wind which raiseth a Thousand Tempests a Lightning which consumes mens Spirits and in fine it is a Passion ever blind yet covered over with Eyes which serve it as gates by which it useth to steal in under perfidious Baits and inchanting Looks Deadly shafts It was for this reason the prophane painted their Loves with darts of death which they cast at each other and which as a Grecian sayd were as so many glances which they wantonly gave one another though their Eyes ought to be veiled But Love hath insolence enough to lift up the Scarfe which covers its Eyes or at least it sees notwithstanding this veil and commonly it mingles shafts and glances to commit Sacrileges and Murthers This homicide layes ten Thousand Snares he is alwayes watchfull and there is no Dove this Vulture assaults not as soon as she appears and when by mishap he hath seized on her I know not by what Inchantment and by what Spells the heart of this unfortunate prey is taken But it seems in an Instant to become a Furnace and that the flames inkindled therein issuing through the Eyes may change the Earth into a Pyle Franciseas Valeriota lib. 2. obser These are insulphur'd Vapours firy Smoaks dreadfull Exhalations dark Shadows Idols and unchast Images Arist lib. de somno vigilia at the sight whereof the Eyes are dazeled and Reason becomes blind Then Piety is but Idolatry Disorders of Love all duties become scorns Complacences Trecheries Empires Servitudes Liberty Bondage Loves-alurements Snares Thrones Precipices and a Chaos where houses are overthrown Temples prophan'd and all Lawes confounded what horror what disorder what abomination even women who ought to be a Refuge of honour Horrible Chaos and a Sanctuary of purity Mulier amissa pudicicitia null em flagitii respuiâ— Cor. Jac. often serve as a retreat unto the fondest affections and there is no faith no Sacrament no modesty they doe not violate when once their hearts have escaped through their Eyes The wife of Putiphar Enritque eum Putiphar de manu Ismaelitarum Gen. 39. v. 1. to whom Joseph was sold by the Ismaelites made it sufficiently appear when she was so impudent as to attempt the Chastity of her Servant This Female wolf had onely
as far as the City of Sidon Issachar shall make choice of a more happy and quiet life he shall delight in Tillage and the fertile land which shall fall to his lot he shall cultivate with no lesse peace than perseverance His pains shall not be fruitless and in the Continent he shall have all the advantages of those Countries which lye neer the Sea making an exchange with them of its Corn and fruits for those Merchandises which come from remote Nations Hee will impart the riches which agriculture shall afford him unto those who shall govern the Republick and purchase his repose by the Contributions he shall voluntarily give for the maintenance of such as bear Arms so long as he shall live quietly in the heart of his Possessions Dan judicabit populum suum c. Gen. 49. v. 16. Dan shall be the Judge of his people as well as of the other Tribes of Israel Dan by surprise shall ruine his enemies Fiat Dan coluber in via cerastes in semite mordens ungulas equi ut cadat ascensor ejus retiò Gen. 49. v. 17. even as Snakes which hide themselves on the sides of high-wayes to destroy Passengers who stand not sufficiently on their guard or as that crafty Serpent which bites the hoof of a Horse to make his rider fall and to infect him with his venom when he is thrown on the ground Notwithstanding the artifices men may use to defend themselves I shall never think that all their forces and wiles can equall the effects of the Protection which the Messias will give us Salutare tuum expectabo do nine Gen. 49. v. 18. I shall alwayes expect it and never believe that there is any assurance comparable to that which we shall receive from the affection and power of this great Prince Gad having received his share Gad accinctas praeliabitur ante eum ipse acciugitur retrorssum Gen. 49. v. 19. shall march in the head of his Brethren to establish them in their Possessions and returning unto his Territories loaden with Booty he will make his retreat in so good order as he shall not be disturb'd by his enemies Asser shall possess the portion of Palestine which looks towards the Sea Aser pinguis panis ejus praebebit delicias Regibus Gen. 49. v. 20. this Land doth produce all things desirable for the entertainment and comfort of life both Corn and Fruits are there so excellent as they will serve for delicacies unto Kings Nephtali will testifie his courage Cervus emissus dans eloquia pulcritudinis Gen. 49. v. 21. casting himself into dangers to defend his Brethren and shall give them cause to admire and praise him He will break all the obstaeles which shall oppose his generous design as a wounded Hart which though timorous by nature Vide Caietanum Lipoman breaks yet sometimes through the toyls of Hunters and from the cruell teeth of Dogs to defend that life which they would violently take from him The felicity of Joseph shall still increase Filius accrescens Joseph decorus aspectu filiae discurrerunt super murum Gen. 49. v. 22. Sed exasperaverunt eum jurgati sunt invideruntque Illi habentes jacula Gen. 49. v. 23. his beauty is so extraordinary as Ladyes esteem'd themselves happy to see him and they plac'd themselves at Dores and Windows to look on him as he passed through the streets Nevertheless such as ought most to love him have conspired his ruine and transported by a furious passion of envy sought to hinder the effects of the promises of Heaven But as the designs of men cannot alter the decrees and ordinances of God So Innocence prov'd stronger than malice and the Chains wherewith his unchaste Mistris had loaden him and the slavery to which his own Brethren had reduc'd him were the means whereof Divine Providence made use to make him King of Egypt and to secure and preserve the goods and lives of those who wished his death My most dear Son Deus patris tui erit adjutor tuus Gen. 49. v. 25. the God whom thy Father adoreth will alwaies assist thee he will replenish thee with benedictions and cause the most favourable Dews to fall upon thy Lands he will cause streams of living water to flow into their bosome and bowels for the refreshing and inlivening thy Roots Plants and Trees Thou shalt have a particular blessing in thy Children Vide Lyram Abul Per. Rupert Cajet Lip and their great numbers shall manifest that thou art the object of the dearest and most exquisite Providences which God declares to have for men Thy Father hath been more favoured than his Ancestors thou shalt enjoy both their favours and mine and the blessing I promise thee shall never cease untill God having given himself unto men in the person of the Messias shall no longer testifie his particular affection towards his Friends in giving them perishable goods All these graces and favours are due unto thy vertue which hath conserved its self without stain and hath also rendred thee as considerable amongst thy Brethren as the Nazarites who peculiarly consecrate themselves unto the service of the Divine Majesty Benjamin as a ravenous Woolf shall in the morning devour his prey Bâ—njamin â—upus rapax mane comedet praedam vesyere dividâ— spolia Gen. 49. v. 27. Vide Procop. Euseb Theodoret. Abul c. Er praecepit eis dicens Ego congregor ad populum meum sepelite me cum patribus in spelunca duplici quae est in agro Ephron Hethaei Gen. 49. v. 29. and in the evening share and divide the Spoiles Behold the Benedictions Jacob by heavens direction gave to each of his Children He afterwards recommended unto them the Buriall of his body in the Tomb of his fore-Fathers and having exhorted them to remain constant in the service of God dyed peaceably in his bed Can we represent unto our selves an end more sweet and quiet I well know that the like deaths are seen in sacred Houses I have seen such with mine own eyes and with my ears I have heard of some Jacobs who have closed their mouths with Benedictions and Canticles of Victory I have seen standers by bath'd in tears and yet their hearts fill'd with Joy receiving the last words and benedictions of dying men I know that the like effects are sometimes seen in the world and there have bin some Kings and Queens Fathers and Mothers Men and Women of all states and conditions who have spoken on their death-beds with so much Judgement and force of spirit as if they had been upon a Throne or in a Pulpit Likewise from thence Edicts Lawes and Lessons are heard in which there can be no deceit nor disguisment But it will be granted me that these examples are very rare amongst those whose lives pass away in noise and tumult For Death is an Eccho which answers life and a night which resents the Calm
is the Lamentable state of a hardned Soul where we must observe that God was the cause of it as Moses said not by fastning his heart with the Chains of a fatall necessity nor by captivating it under the power of Devils and of the Hell it self of this life But first in permitting this obduration and leaving the bridle free to him who afterwards like a wild and unruly Colt had no other guide but his own giddiness fury and impetuositie Secondly in staying the course of these Victories and Conquering Graces which create an amorous tyranny in us and onely granting him but some fruitless favours without which a man would not have the power either to undertake or desire what is necessary for his salvation Thirdly in giving him Possessions Glory Empire and forces which were like so many Bulwarks in which this miserable wretch lives in security Fourthly God hardned him by the Miracles wherewith he solicited his faith who following the malice of a corrupted and pernitious Will was dazeled at the sight of them and by over-slight wounds which did but tickle the rage and fury of this resolved spirit in stead of exciting him unto penance and imprinting in him some sence of Love Obedience and Respect Now from hence spring the frightfull sequences Frightfull sequence of obduration and the sad appertenances of the obduration of those who become Rebellious to the Lights of Heaven first they shut their Eyes and stop their Ears not to see or hear when it concerns their salvation Secondly they triumph in evill and iniquities are their most pleasing delights Thirdly the ordure of their crime cannot be cleansed Scriptum stylo ferreo in ungue adamantino Jerem. 17. and their sin is like that of Judas ingraven with an Iron Pen upon a Diamantine lamen Fourthly the so are shameless people Frons meretricis facta est tibi noluisti erubescere Jerem. c. 3. Considera opera Dei quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit Eccles. 7. and whose foreheads have less sense of modesty than that of common strumpets Fifthly they are incorrigible and though God strike them they yet deride all his chastisements and then all the Counsells of men all the complaints of their friends and even the shame which reflects on their Parents and family cannot move them Sixthly they are full of contempts disdains coldnesses and funestous railleries Seventhly they reside in the depth of the Abysse into which they strive to draw all those that reach out their hands to help them Eighthly all their habits are so inveterate that we may sooner change the skin of a Leopard and the colour of a Negro than the least of their humours Whence it comes that the measure of their iniquities is full and after these persons have passed even into the last degree of blindnesse and impiety they abandon themselves unto the desires of their hearts Cor durum est quod nee compunctione scinditur uec pietate mollitur nec movetur precibus nec cedit minis quin etiam flagell is duratur magis Cor durum est ingratum ad beneficia ad consilia infidum ad judicia saevum vnverecundum ad turpia inpavidum ad pericula inhumanum ad bumana temerarium ad divina praeteritorum obliviscens praesentium negligens futurorum improvidum c. Bern. lib. de consider ad Eugenium and their reason becomes a slave to all the motions of their Concupiscence In fine saith St. Bernard if any one will have an Epitomy of all these miseries and a picture to the life of an obstinate inflexible and obdurate spirit let him represent unto himself a heart which cannot be divided by the salutiferous waters of Compunction nor heated by the flames of a holy Love nor touch'd by the darts of Piety nor made flexible by the allurements of an amiable entreaty nor even affrighted by the horrours of the most dreadfull threats He is ungratefull for the greatest favours he derides the Counsells which are given him he contemns the Judgements of the best understandings he forgets what is past he neglects present things and cannot foresee what will befall him This impudent person is never ashamed even in the most infamous Actions all dangers which make others tremble render him more bold and his insolence passeth yet farther for he is timerarious even in what concerns God and hath no more fear of him than reverence towards men whence it proceeds that he would never cease to sin if he did not first cease to live and these terrors would never end if Death did not set some bounds thereunto Alas what Death what Life what Man what Devill or at least what heart of Man and Devill can be imagined in so detestable a condition My God! give me then rather the heart of a Tyger than so hard a heart to the end if I cannot love thee with the heart of a man I may take revenge on my self with the heart of a beast and make my heart the prey of my liberality But if thy goodness cannot endure such a butchery give me O God of my heart a heart the most loving that ever was Then will I immolate it to thee and thou shalt be the Master of it for all eternity At this instant then I Sacrifice my purest affections to thee At this instant I will obey thy commands and break for this cause with all creatures This is to provoke too long the wrath of a Judge to irritate the clemency of a Father and to heap together a train of miseries a treasure of anger and indignation We must not then expect till the measure be full till we be in the bottome of the Abysse and covered with the dreadfull obscurities of night in which the torches of Love are extinguished and the Lights of hope eternally put out In fine my God burn break and consume my heart for I choose rather to offer unto thee the flames and ashes thereof than to see it insensible and incapable of loving thee CHAP. VIII The Plagues of Egypt THe Law of Grace is not a Law of injustice where all things are permitted and where Vice remains unpunished Witness the Cities which have been swallowed up in a night and where the Elements have as it were conspired to consume places which served for retreats unto all sorts of impurities Witness the Inundation of Ashes the flames of Sulphure which issued forth of Mount Vesuvius about the year four hundred seventy and seven in which Europe was almost absorpt for punishment of the Crimes wherewith it had been polluted Vesuvius Campaniae mons exusta evomuit viscera necturnis que in die tenchris omnem Europae faciem minuto contexit pulvere and whose flames could not be washed away but by a deluge of fire a rain of Ashes and a Hail-storm of Flints which was seen as Salvian relates to come out of the bottome of this Mountain as if it had rent it self and vomited forth
Jesus How sweet is thy yoke and how reasonable is thy Will Anathema to all those who refuse obedience to thy most holy commands whilst these faithful servants shall enjoy those Favors and Benections which thou from all eternity hast reserved for thy Elect. CHAP. XLVIII The last Canticle of Moses WHen once we give up our selves as a prey unto Vices the longest period of our lives commonly serves but to weave the largest Web of misery but also when years pass away in virtuous actions they are but miraculous courses the moments whereof are illustrious and their events most happy And it is for this cause I believe that the Wiseman compared the life of the good to the Sun which produceth nothing but Beauties and Lights whereas the life of the wicked is tenebrous bringing forth nothing but Lightnings and Obscurities Now if ever the life of any person hath been full of glory prosperity and happiness though daily intermixt with afflictions and disquiets it was that of Moses of whom we may justly say what heretofore Carthage did of certain Captains That all the days of his life and all his actions had something I know not of Divine and transcending the capacity of man Nevertheless all the prodigies and miracles he wrought would have been but streams which lose themselves in running and clarities which vanish after some sparklings if his death had not been the Image of his life and even the moment God chose to manifest to him the particular care he took of his people in giving him Josua for a Successor and assuring him that after his death they should enter into those happy Countries they had so long expected To this effect God descended in the Pillar of the Cloud as on his Throne Apparuitque Dominus ibi in Columna nubis c. Deut. 31. v. 15. and spake familiarly unto Moses concealing nothing from him of all that was to come Was not this an admirable Colloquy God alone with Moses and Josua as to ratifie the choise of the one and to discharge his heart into the bosome of the other Moses saith he Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen Ecce tu darmies cum patribus tuis populus iste consurgens fornicabitur post Deos alienos in terra ad quam ingreditur ut habitet in ea thi derelinquet me irritum faciet foedus quod pepegi cum eo Deut. 31. v. 16. Et irascetur furor meus contra eum in die illo derelinquam eum c. Deut. 31. v. 17. this people for whom I had so much tenderness and love and which thou hast conducted with so much labour and zeal shall shortly enter into the Land I have so long promised them But whilst thou shalt enjoy the repose of thy forefathers these miserable wretches will become fornicators and adhere unto Idols and shamefully break that faith they have so often sworn to me I shall be inforc'd to immolate them unto my severest rigours and as so many victims to sacrifice them to my just indignation to the end in the height of their miseries they may know at last that I have abandoned them and besides all their misfortunes and punishments are but the lamentable effects of their crimes and the inevitable darts of that fury they have provoked Behold the cause Nunc itaque scribite vobis Canticum istud docete filios Israel ut memoriter teueant ore decantent c. Deut. 31. v. 19. why God commanded Moses to compose a Canticle which conteins a description of the Miracles he had done in favour of the people of Israel which ever since the Hebrews have stiled an abridgement of the Law and which as in effect we shall immediatly see is a Summary of the rarest wonders God hath ever done for men and namely for these ingrates unto whom Moses made the first recital thereof enjoyning all of them to learn the same and never to forget it Stop your course saith he you beautifull Planets which move in the day over our heads and march under our feet whilst we are at rest and under the shade Sun who incessantly dost run upon this azure and luminous Chariot Audite caeli quae loquor audiat terra verba oru mei Deut. 32. v. 1. and thou Moon whose so various revolutions are made in a list of Diamonds and Saphirs stand still awhile and listen to this discourse Heaven and Earth I call you for witnesses of my words and it is unto you I address my voice to the end if men doe not hear me you may be more sensible and frame at least some Consort to cause this Canticle of honour and praise to resound Let my words produce in my mouth Concrescat ut pluvia doctrina mea slaat ut ros clequium meum quasi imber super herbam quasâ— stillae super gramina Deut 32. v. 2. Quia nomen Domini invocabo date magnificentiam Deo nostro Deut. 32. v. 3. and in your hearts what water doth in the bosome of the Earth rain upon herbs and dew upon fruits and flowers to the end Virtue may there spring again and that some profit of my discourse may appear in your souls Render then unto God the praises you owe him and exalt his name whilst I shall invoke it and cause the memory of his benefits to resound in all places Is it not true that his works are perfect Dei perfectasunt opera omnes via ejus judicia Deus fidelis absque ullae iniquitate justus rectus Deut. 32. v. 4. and that with weight and measure he hath made all that is visible to our eyes What can be added unto the most beautifull draughts of his Goodness Power Wisedome and Sanctity He is most just most Good most holy most Wise most Powerfull and all the beauties which have any spelndour are but the marks and tracts of such as reside in him as in their Fountain Have you never contemplated his designs and the effects of his Divine Providence which hath ordered the Planets in their Orbs the Elements in their spaces and all bodyes in their temperaments and under those Lawes which best suit with their essence Should not the whole Universe be converted into mouths and tongues to praise him into Spirits to admire him into Hearts to love him What meaneth this great preparation and all this pomp to which honours and congratulations are rendred and to which so many applauses are given unless to shew some rayes of light which have been drawn by his own hand and form'd by his sole word But O horrour and abomination Peceaverunt ei non filii ejus in sordibus generatio prava atque perversa Deut. 32. v. 5 all these discourses are unprofitable for his own Children deride his Paternall goodness and you your selves to whom I direct my speech are so blind and barbarous as to repay all his benefits with contempt and disloyaltie Is this then