true breadth his Eternity is true length his Omnipotency is true height and his Incomprehensibility is true depth But for him that desireth to Ascend and to finde what he seeketh It is not enough to consider these thinges lightly but he must Comprehend That you may be able saith the Apostle to Comprehend with all the Saintes what is the Breadth and Length and Height and Depth Hee surely â—oâ—h comprehend who considereth attentiuely and is so fully perswaded by the Truth that selling all hee hath hee maketh hast to buy the Treasure he hath found And the Apostle added With all the Saintes because the Saintes onely comprehend these thinges or for that none comprehendeth them as he ought vnlesse hee become a Saint Neither doth St. Augustine contradict what wee haue said who in his Epistle to Honoratus writeth Epist 120 cap 26 That the Apostle describeth the Crosse of Christ by the breadth length height and depth thereof The breadth of the Crosse was where his handes were nayled the length to which his body cleaued the height where his tytle was written and the depth was fastned and hid in the earth I say St. Augustine doth not contradict our meaning but rather much confirme it For the Crosse of Christ is the way to obtaine true breadth length height and depth For although to the eyes of men the Crosse seeme small short base and of no depth Yet the armes thereof haue bin extended from East to West and from North to South that is the glory therof hath reached to the Highest Heauen which like a key it hath opened for the Elect and hath pierced to the lowest Hell which from the same Elect it hath shutt for euer Let vs begin from the essence Cap. 2 and then passe on to the Attributes The Essence of God may many wayes be said most Broad First in it selfe because it is truely Insinite and comprehendeth all the perfections of Creatures which are or may be without end For whatsoeuer is shall be Or may be is without doubt contained in God In a most eminent manner Creatures therefore are Good with an addition As a good Man a good Horse a good House a good Garment and the like but God is All good For when Moses said Shew me thy Glory God answered Exod. 3 I will shâ—w the all Good If one had a thing at home that contained all the Sences obiects in the highest perfection so that hee should neuer need to goe abroad because he had at home as many delightes in that one thing as any sensuall man could desire should not that thing be very precious And if moreouer that thing contained in it selfe such abundent wealth of all sortes as any couetous man could wish weare it not the more precious And againe if that thing should bring as much honour and dignity to the possessor thereof as any ambitious man could imagine would it not now seeme vnualewable And further if that thing sufficed to satisfie not onely the desires of men but also of Angells who exceed men in desires as they excell them in knowledge what wouldest thou say Yet notwithstanding should the goodnesse of that thing be farre inferiour to the goodnesse of God which is so great that it sufficeth to satisfie the Infinite desire or rather Infinite capacity of God For God neuer goeth out of himselfe because he hath All good thinges within himselfe and before the world was made he was as rich as happy as he was afterward for nothing was made by him but was from euerlasting after a most eminent manner in him Dost thou vnderstand my soule what happinesse thou shalt enioy in heauen if thou loue God on earth And what happinesse thou shalt loose if thou loue him not For then God will giue himselfe to wit All good to those that loue him Math. 25 when he shall say Good and faithfull seruants enter into the ioy of your Lord. Cap. 3 God also is immense because he filleth all creatures Hier 23 I fill heauen and earth saith our Lord And Psal 12. If I shall ascend into heauen saith Dauid thou art there Psal 128 if I descend into hell thou art present I add also if I shall goe aboue heauen or vnder heauen or out of heauen I shall not be aloue because thou art there neither can I be any where but in thee and by thee Which carriest all thinges by the word of thy power Heb 1 Moreouer God by his immensitie not onely filleth all bodies but also all spirits For how else could he search the hart vnlesse he were in it and how could he heare the Prayers of the hart vnlesse he gaue eare to them And how could the Prophet say Psal 84 I will heare what our Lord God will speake in me vnlesse God did put his mouth to the eares of the hart Happy therefore is that soule which loueth God there God dwelleth For he that abydeth in Charitie 1 Ioh. 4 abydeth in God and God in him Neither doth God fill all things with his presence onely but also with his glory For the Seraphins cry Isay 6 That the earth is ful of his glory And Dauid addeth O Lord Psal 8 our Lord how merueylous is thy name in the whole earth Because thy magnificence is eleuated aboue the heauens as if he should say Thy name fame and glory hath not onely filled all the earth with admiration but also hath ascended and is eleuated aboue the heauens Ecclesiasticus saith likewise Eccle 42 Full of the glory of our Lord is his worke For there is no creature in heauen or on earth but continually prayseth God Psal 148 For which cause Dauid in the Psalmes and the three Children in Daniel doe inuite all creatures to prayse and magnifie their maker Dan 3â— albeit they were not ignorant many creatures to be of such a nature that they could not heare what they sayd but because they knew that all Gods workes were good and with their beautie therefore praysed their maker they reioyced in them and exhorted them to doe as they did And truely whosoeuer hath inward eyes may see that all Gods workes are as Censcers sending vp an odour of the sweetnesse of his glory And who so hath inward eares may heare them as it were a consort of all kinde of Musicall instruments praysing God and saying He made vs psal 99 and not we our selues For although there are of the wicked which cursse and blaspheme the name of God yet they also are enforced euen against their wills to prayse God as the worke doth the Worke-man because in them likewise Gods power doth merueylously appeare whereby he made them his goodnesse whereby he preserueth them his mercy whereby he expecteth and inuiteth them to repentance And his iustice whereby he condemneth them to punishment There are many truely in the world which heare not these voyces of Creatures albeit they cry
first storme of rayne winde or flouds it is cast downe and the fall thereof is great Thy house my soule hath diuers powers and faculties as it were Chambers or parlors and if it be built vpon God as vpon a Rock that is if thou dost firmely beleeue in God if all thy trust be in God and thou be grounded in the loue of God that thou mayst say with the Apostle Who shall seperate vs from the charitie of Christ Ephes 3 Rom. 8 Then be assured that neither the spirituall wickednesse which is about thee nor carnall concupiscence which is vnder thee nor thy domesticall enemies which are on the side of thee to wit thy kinsfolkes and acquaintance shall euer by their temptations preuaile against thee Great surely is the force and subtiltie of the spirituall powers but greater is the power and wisdome of the holy Ghost who ruleth in that house which is founded on God The flesh also fighteth eagerly against the spirit and sometime ouercommeth the strongest but the loue of God doth ouercome the loue of the flesh and the feare of God doth vanquish the feare of the world Those also of a mans houshold are his enemies and with their peruerse councells drawe his soule into the company of sinners But that soule which trusteth she hath a Lord a Father a brother and spowes in heauen will easily contemne and in that respect hate her carnall friendes and kinsfolkes and say with the Apostle Luke 14 Rom. 8 I am sure that neither death nor life nor other Creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But that soule is indeede miserable whose house being built vpon the sand cannot continue long And the fall therof will be great because it beleeueth lyes and trusteth to a staffe of Reede Whose God is the belly or money or the smoake of honour all which things passe away and perish very speedily drawe the soule which followeth them into eternal distruction It is also an other property of the earth like a good Nursse Cap. 3 plentifully to bring forth hearbes and fruites for the sustenance of men and beasts This propertie directeth vs to our maker as to our true Nursing Father For not the earth but God in the earth bringeth forth all good things So speaketh the holy ghost by the mouth of Dauid Psal 103 Who bringeth forth grasse for be astes and hearbe for the seruice of men And againe All expect of thee that thou giue them meate in season Thou giuing to them they shall gather it thou opening thy hand all thinges shall be filled with bounâ—ie And our Lord in the Gospel Math. 6 Behold the foules of the ayre that they sowe not neither reape nor gather into barnes and your heauenly Father feedeth them And the Apostle Act. 14 And truely not without testimony hath God left himselfe bestowing benefites from heauen giuing raine and fruitfull seasons filling with foode and ioy our harts Neither is that false which is said in the beginning of Genesis Gen. 1 Let the earth shoote forth green hearbes and such as may seede and fruit trees yeilding fruite after his kinde For although the earth shoote forth hearbs and fruit trees yet it is by the vertue which God gaue vnto it and God by it keepeth and increaseth them Therefore Dauid inuiting all creatures to prayse their maker ioyneth with the rest Psal 140 Fruitfull trees and all Cedars And the three children in Daniel are exhorted with all other thinges to blesse Dan. 3 prayse and magnifie him for euer And if all creatures after their manner praise God with what affection oughtest thou my soule to prayse him for all his benefites which thou dost dayly enioy acknowledging in them his fatherly loue which neuer ceaseth to prouide all things for thee But this is not much in the eyes of thy Lord God For he produceth in thee as in his spirituall field the noble branche of Charitie For Charitie is not of the world but of God 1 Iohn 4 as the most beloued Disciple speaketh in his Epistle From Charitie also as from a heauenly tree spring the white and odoriferous flowers of holy cogitations the greene leaues of profitable wordes for the saluation of Nations and the ripe fruites of good workes by which God is glorified our neighbour edified and merits increased and kept for eternall life But woe to those who after the manner of foolish beastes desire to be filled with the fruites of the earth not thinking of their giuer nor thanking him for them their soules are like the earth which God did cursse that bringeth forth nothing but thorns thistles For what do they think in whose minds God soweth not chaste intentions but of adulteries homicide sacriledge theftes trecheries and the like And what doe they speak but blasphemies periuries reproches heresies detractions contumelies false testimonies and lyes which they haue learned of their father the deuil finally what fruites do they bring forth but those whereof we haue spoken and which the Apostle calleth The workes of the flâ—sh Gal. 6 These indeed are the thornes which first pricke the minde which bringeth them forth with bitter thoughts of feares and cares And then they pricke the fame mindes and bodies of others with vncurable woundes whereby great hurt often times ensueth But leauing this my soule if thou wilt be the Garden of God take heed that thornes and thistles be neuer found in thee but with all diligence cherish the tree of Charitie the Lilly of chastitie and the Spiknard of humilitie Take heede it neuer enter into thy minde to thinke that these braunches of heaueâ—ly vertues come from thy selfe and not from thy Lord God who is the Lord of vertues Neither attribute to thy selfe the keeping increase and ripenesse of the fruite of good workes but as much as thou canst commend them vnto God There remaineth the last Cap. 4 commendation of the earth for that in her bosome are conteyned gold siluer and precious stones but truely the earth doth not by her owne vertue bring forth such precious kindes of thinges but he who by Aggeus saith Mine is the siluer Agg. 2 and mine is the gold O louer of men did it please thy goodnesse not onely to produce stones wood yron brasse lead and such like thinges necessarie for the building of houses shippes and other instruments but also gold siluer and precious stones for beauty and ornament And if thou giuest these thinges to Pilgrims on earth and often also to thy enemies which blaspheme thy name what wilt thou giue to thy friendes who shall prayse thee and raigne with thee in heauen Thou wilt giue them doubtlesse not some little peeces of golde and siluer or some fewe precious stones but that Cittie whereof Iohn the Apostle speaketh in the Apocalips when he saith Apoc. 21 And the building of the Wall thereof was of Iasper
the misery of pouertie and sores Luk 16 that with greater mercie he might be carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome And how should the rich exercise the workes of mercie if none were poore hungry thirstie naked sicke Pilgrimmes and imprisoned And if there were not tentations nor combats with deuils where were the crownes of virgins and confessors If also there were no labours and dolors where were the Crowne of patience And if there were no persecutors where were the Crowne of Martyres Therfore it is true that in this banishment the earth is full of miseries For sinnes onely are great miseries And it is also true that The earth is full of the mercie of our Lord because the conuersion of sinners the merittes of Saintes and other almost infinite benefitts of God both spirituall and temporall are nothing els but the great and continuall mercies of God our Creator Let vs therefore â—iue thankes to â—â—m That is its 〈…〉 our Tribulation 〈…〉 2 Cor. 1 so also by his 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 Psal 35 Lord by mercie is in heaum 〈◊〉 Dauid For there shall be mercy without miserie because mercy shall take away all miscrie whatsoeuer The length also of his mercy is Longanimitie or patience which the Scripture vseth to ioyne with mercy as a part thereof Cap. 2 For so speaketh Dauid Psal 102 Our Lord is pittifull and mercifull Long suffering and very mercifull And againe Our Lord is pittifull and mercifull Psal 144 pattent and very mercifull Truely the Longaminitie and patience of God toward mankinde is admitable the like whereof we finde neither in masters toward their seruants nor in parents toward their children albeit they both are men And first God is long suffering toward sinners expecting them with vncrediâ—le patience sometime from their first childe-hoode to their last old age permitting them to blaspheme his name to breake his Lawe And in the meane while Being beneficiall to them from heauen Act. 14 giuing raynes and fruitefull seasons filling their hartes with foode and gladnesse as the Apostle speaketh And what master or parent is there among men so mercifull and gentle who seeing himselfe a long time iniured and contemned by his seruant or childe would not at length put them out of his house Yet is not the mercy of God ouercome by the malice of men But he doth patiently not willing that any perish 2 pet 3 but that all returne to penarce as St. Peter affirmeth in his Epistle And the wise man saith Wisd 11 Thou hast mercy on all O Lord dissembling sinnes for repentance Moreouer this patience seemeth yet greater in that many sinners being by Gods grace brought out of the lake of miserie Psal 39 and from the mire of dreggs and of the children of darkenesse made the children of light and called from the guiltinesse of eternall death to the adoption of the children of God and hope of heauen fall notwithstanding backe againe oftentimes to their former vncleannesse and vnthankefulnesse Yet are they not forsaken by the longanimitie of God but most louingly expected and inuited to repentance And if they truely repent as Prodigall sonnes they are receaued by their most mercifull Father to the kisse of peace Luke 15 and to their former dignities St. Peter demanding of our Sauiour if he should forgiue his brother offending against him vntill seauen times Math 18 He answered I say not to thee vntill seauen times but vntill scauentie times seauen times For that course which he vseth in forgiuing oftences the same would he haue vs vse also but he hath set downe no certaine time for recontiliation but the terme of this life As long as a sinner liueth although it be an hundred yeares or more and often falleth backe yet is he receiued and pardoned by his most mercifull Father For there is no repentance to late with the mercy of God so it be truely from a contrite heart Yet none ought to abuse Gods mercy and deferre their conuersion from day to day because none knoweth at what day or in what houre he shall dye and appeare before the Tribunall of the most iust Iudge Yea rather all ought by this so great and incredible goodnesse of God to come vnto repentance For if God be so mercifull to sinners that often fall What will he be to those which hauing once tasted the Sweetnesse of his grace can neuer after by any temptations be seperated from it There is also another Longanimity of God exceeding admirable and amiable which he vseth in suffering the offences of the righteous For albeit God of his infinite mercy hath made vs of slaues his children and friends and of persons condemned to eternall death heyres of his Kingdome yet such is our ingratitude that daily we render him euill for good For if Saint Iames the Apostle said Iam 2 In many thinges we all offend what may wee say which are so farre from the Apostles perfection Beholde wee speake in prayer to God and on the suddaine we are carryed away by the imagination to thinke of other thinges and to turne as it were our backes to God What maister in the world would suffer his seruantes which stand in his presence and speake to him to turne away on the suddaine and neglecting him to prattle with their fellow seruantes What shall I say of idle wordes Of vaine thoughts Of fruitlesse workes Of excesse in eating drinking sleeping and playing Of negligence in holy thinges Of omission of brotherly correction And of innumerable other such like wherin we daily All offend And yet our God Is sweete and milde Psal 85 and of much mercy to all that inuocate him He suffereth these Follyes and rude inciuilities as I may call them in his children which truely Men will not suffer in men This St. Austen noteth in his Treatise vpon the eighty three Psal August in psal 83 expounding those wordes O Lord thou art sweet and milde where he bewaileth mans infirmity concerning the distractions of his minde in time of prayer and magnifieth the mercy of God in suffering so many iniuryes of his seruants But he knoweth whereof we are made and therefore dealeth with vs as a mother doth with her childe whom she cherisheth nourisheth although perhappes it strike her But albeit God suffreth so many of our offences without breaking the bond of loue or depriuing vs of the right of our inheritance yet will he not leaue them vnpunished at the day of Iudgement when as wee must render to him an accompt for Our idle wordes vnlesse he finde them purged before by teares prayers or some other kinde of satisfaction And least thou my soule perhappes mayst thinke these offences light and therfore deceiue thy selfe and neglect to amend them Heare what Saint Bonauenture writeth in the life of St. Francis In eius vit c. 10 Grauiter se putabat offendere c. Greatly saith he did he
men as they haue preferred their loue before their estate and dignitie children and parentes yea their life and eternall saluation The examples which are read in holy Scripture of Dauid Salomon and Sampson are known histories are full of the like Wherefore my soule if so great beautie be giuen by God to creatures how great admirable maist thou think is the beautie of God himselfe For none can giue that which he hath not And if men delighted with the beauty of the Sun and starres though those Bright bodies saith the wise man to be Goddes Wisd 13 Let them knowe how much the Lord of them is more beautifull then they for the author of beautie made all these thinges How great the beautie of God is we may gather not onely because it comprehendeth the beautie of all creatures most eminently within it selfe but also for that it being vnto vs inuisible while we are Pilgrims on earth and onely vnderstood by faith of Scriptures and mirrour of Creatures yet notwithstanding many saints haue bin so inflamed with the loue thereof that some of them haue hid themselues in Desertes and attended onely to the contemplation therof as St. Mary Magdalen Paul the first Heremite the great Anthony and others of whom you may reade in the religious History of Theodoret. Others forsaking their wiues and Children and whatsoeuer els they possessed on earth liued in Monasteries vnder the obedience of others that they might enioy the friendship of God Others desired willingly with rigorous paines to end their liues that they might come to the sight of that infinite beautie Heare one of them to wit St. Ignatius the Martyre in his Epistle to the Romans Let fire gallowes beastes breaking of my bones quartering of my members brusing of my body and all the torments of the Deuill come vpon me so that I may enioy Christ If then this diuine beauty not yet seene but onely beleeued and hoped for could kindle such a feruent desire what will it doe when as the vaile being remooued it shall be seene as it is in it selfe It will doubtlesse bring to passe Psal 3 That being drunke with the torrent of that pleasure we neither will nor can one moment turne our eyes from it And what wonder is it although the Angels and blessed soules which alwayes see the face of their Father in heauen are not wearied or tyred with that sight since God himselfe from all eternity beholding his owne beauty is fully pleased there with and being happie by that sight desireth nothing els entring as it were into a Vineyard or Garden of all delights from whence he neuer shall nor will depart Seeke that beauty O my soule sigh after it day and night say with the Prophet My soule hath thirsted after thee the strong liuing Psal 41 when shall I come and appeare before the face of God Say with the Apostle We are bolde 2 Cor 5 and haue a good will to be Pilgrims rather from the body and to be present with our Lord. Neither doe thou feare to be defiled with the loue of that beauty For the loue thereof doth comfort not corrupt doth purifie and not polute the hart The holy virgin and martyre St. Agnes sayd truely I loue Christ whose mother is a virgin whose Father knoweth no woman whom when I loue I am chaste when I touch I am cleane when I take I remaine a virgin But if thou dost truely desire the vncreated beauty of thy Lord thou must fulfill that which the Apostle addeth in that place 2 Cor. 5 Therefore saith he we endeauour whether absent or present to please him If God please thee thou oughtest likewise to please God And surely we shall please God in the country of the liuing when as we shall be illuminated with his glory as the Prophet saith Psal 114 I will please our Lord in the country of the liuing But in this Pilgrimage we are so easily poluted and defiled with the slime of sinne that the Apostle St. Iames said Iam. 3 In many things we offend all And the Prophet Dauid to shewe how fewe are immaculate in this life affirmeth that it belongeth to Happinesse Psal 118 saying Blessed are the immaculate in the way Therefore my soule if in this absence and Pilgrimage thou wilt please thy Lord it is not enough to desire to please him but it behooueth thee as the Apostle saith to striue to please him that is with great diligence to beware of such spottes as may make thy face deformed and if any happen to sticke therein with like diligence to endeauour to wipe them away Dost thou not see how women which seeke to please their husbands spend many houres in dressing their hayre adorning their face and wiping away the spottes of their garments and all this they doe to please the eyes of a mortall man who soone after must be turned to earth and ashes what oughtest thou therefore to doe to please the eyes of thy immortall spouse who alwaies beholdeth thee and desireth to see thee without spot or wrinkle It is needefull then to striue with all thy force Luc. 1 That thou walke before him in holinesse and iâ—stice and remoue from thee with speed all things that may hinder the same not hauing respect to flesh and blood nor to the speeches and opinions of men For thou canst not please God and the world both at once according to the Apostles saying Yf I yet did please men Gal. 1 I should not be the seruant of Christ THE THIRD STEPP From the Consideration of the earth WE haue considered the Corporall world in generall Cap. 1 Let vs now consider the principall parts thereof that from them we may erect a Ladder to contemplate their maker First there is the Earth the which although it occupie the lowest place among the elements and seemeth to be lesse then the rest yet it is not lesse then the water and in dignitie and worth it excelleth the other elements Whereupon we often read in holy Scripture That God made heauen and earth as the principall parts of the world Gen. 1 For he made heauen as the Pallace of God and Angels the earth as the Pallace of men Psal 113 The heauen of heauen is to our Lord saith the Prophet but the earth he hath giuen to the children of men And that is the cause why the heauen is full of bright starres the earth aboundeth with mettalls precious stones hearbes trees and beastes of diuers kindes whereas the water is stored onely with fish and the ayre and fire are in a manner emptie and naked elements But omitting this The earth hath three thinges most worthy of consideration by which a vigilant minde may easily ascend vnto God First the earth is the most firme foundation of the whole world without which we could neither walke worke Psal 92 rest nor liue He hath established saith Dauid the round world which
why haue you done this And when the Angell of our Lord spake these wordes to all the Children of Israell they lifted vp their voyce and wept Aâ—d the name of that place was called the place of Weepers or of teares and there they immolated hoastes to our Lord. And that it was a great and generall lamentation and a signe of true repentance the 〈◊〉 name giuen to that place beareth perpetuall record For it was called the place of Weepers or of teares What shall I say of the Prophets They euery where teach and proclaime that God desireth not the death of sinners but that they would be conuerted and liue Ezech 18 Hier 3 It is commonly said saith God by Hieremy if a man put away his wife and she departing from him marry another man will he returne to her any more But thou hast committed fornication with many louers Neuerthelesse returne vnto me saith our Lord and I will receiue thee And by Ezechiell Ezech 33 Thus you haue spoken saying Our iniquities and our sinnes are vpon vs and in them wee fade away How then can wee liue Say to them liue I saith our Lord God I will not the death of the Impious but that the impious conuert from his way and liue Conuert conuert yee from your most euill wayes and why will you dye O house of Israell But to omit the wicked none can expresse the more then fatherly or motherly loue which our Lord sheweth to those that feare and hope in him Dauid in the Psalmes saith Psal 102 According to the height of Heauen from Earth hath he strengthned his mercy vpon them that feare him And after As a Father hath compassion of his Children so hath our Lord compassion on them that feare him And againe The mercy of our Lord from euerlasting and vnto euerlasting vpon then that feare him And in another place Tast yee and see that our Lord is sweet Psal 33 Blessed is the man that hopeth in him And againe Psal 72 How good is God to Israell to heÌ„ that are of a right heart That is who can expresse the great goodnesse mercy and sweetnesse of God vnto righteous soules Isay 49 God also faith by Esay Can a Woman for gether Infant that she will not haue pitty on the Sonne of her wombe And if she should forget yet will not I forget thee And â—teremy in his Lamentations Lamen 3 Our Lord is my pâ—rtion said my soule thâ—refore will I exâ—cct him Our Lord is good to them that hope in him to the Soule that secketh hâ—m It is good to waite wâ—h silence for the saluation of God If I should set downe moreouer what the Apostles say in their Epistles of the loue of God towardes the righteous I should neuer make an end Let that stand for all which St. Paul hath writ in the beginning of his last Epistle to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 1 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercyes and God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation That wee also may be able to comfort them that are in all distresse Hee saith not God is a comforter but most full of all comfort Nor that hee comforteth vs in some tribulation but in all tribulation Nor that wee may bee able to comfort them that are in some distresse but in all distresse So that hee could not more sett forth the mercy of God to those whome hee loueth and by whome he is beloued But to conclude it shall not bee amisse to set downe the wordes of St. Prosper in which he declareth the mercy of God not onely to the righteous but also to the wicked to make them righteous Lib 2 de voc gentium c. 26 Gratia omnibus iustificationibus principaliter praeeminet c. Grace saith he doth chiefly excell all iustifications by perswading with exhortations by admonishing with examples by terrifying with dangers by incyting with miraclet by giuing vnderstanding by inspiring counsaile by illuminating the heart and induing it â—ith the affections of faith But â—â—t mans will is toâ—red and adioyned thereunto Which therefore is inciteâ—s by the former helpâ—s that it shâ—uld coop rate wâ—th the diuine worke in it selfe and bâ—gin to vse for merite what from heauenly seede it conceiued fâ—r exercise proceeding from selfe inconstancy if it decay and from the assistance of grace if it increase which assistance is giuen vnto all by innumerable wayes either secret or manifest and that it is refused of many proceedeth from their wickednesse But that it is receiued of many is a worke of Gods grace and mans will Thus he Goe too now my soule Cap. 4 if thy maker bee so Sweete and mercifull suffering Sinners with incredible benignitie to conuert them and comforting the righteous that they may increase the more in vertue Oughtest not thou to beare meekely with thy neighbours and to become All thinges to all men 1 Cor. 9 that thou maist gaine all vnto thy Lord God Thanke with thy selfe to what high excellency the Apostle doth exhort theâ— when he saith â—phâ— 5 Be yee therefore followers of God as 〈…〉 deare Children And walke 〈◊〉 Loue as Christ also loued vs and deliuered himselfe fâ—r vs an oblation and hoast to God in an odour of sweetnesse Imitate God the Father who maketh his Sunne to rise vpon good and bad Mat 5 and raineth vpon iust and vniust Imitate God the Son who taking humane Nature spared not his owne life to deliuer vs from the power Of darknesse and eternall damnation Imitate God the holy Ghost who infuseth plentifully his most precious guiftes into vs to make vs being carnall to become spirituall THE SIXT STEPP From the Consideration of the Fire THe Element of Fire is so pure and noble Cap. 1 that God himselfe would be called fire as Moses and St. Paul witnes saying Our Lord is a consuming Fire Deut 4 Heb 12 And when God first appeared vnto Moses hee appeared in a flame of Fire burning a bush and not consuming it Exod 3 Our Lord appeared saith Moses in aflame of Fire out of the midst of a bush And he saw that the bush was on fire and was not burnt And when the same God came to giue the Law vnto the people hee came in the forme of fire For so speaketh Moses Exo. 19 All the Mount Sinai smoaked For because our Lord was descended vpon it in Fire According to the similitude of which mistery when as the new Law was to bee promulged the holy Ghost appeared vnto the Apostles in fiery tongues Act. 2 Those spirits also which are most neare to God in Heauen are called Seraphins that is to say Fiery because they are more inflamed with the Fire of Diuine Loue then other Angells Which being so it is not a thing difficult for vs from the element of Fire and the nature and properties thereof to frame
God Truly therefore writeth Ecclesiasticus That this is a meruaiâ—ous Instrument the worke of the Highest and great doubtles is our Lord that made it There remaineth also the efficacy of the Sunnes light and beate Cap. 3 wherof Dauid speaketh Neither is there that can hyde himselfe from his heate This one bright body being placed in the middest of the World giueth Light to all the Starres to all the Ayer to all the Sea and to all the Earth and with his quickning heate causeth all Plants Corne and Trees throughout the world to budde blossome and beare fruite and vnder the earth it also produceth all kindes of Mettals Therefore St. Iames in the beginning of his Epistle compareth the Sunne to God Iam 1 Euery best guift saith hee and euery perfect guift is from aboue descending from the Father of Lightes with wheme is no transmutation nor shadowing of alteration The Sunne indeede is the Father of corporall Light as God is the Father of spirituall Light Yet in three thinges there is great vnlikenesse betweene God and the Sunne First the Sunne needeth continuall Transmutation to giue light and heate to the whole World but God is wholy euery where and necdeth no transmutation And therefore Saint Iames saith With whome there is no teansmutation Secondly the Sunne for that it alwayes changeth places causeth by turnes day to some and night to others shining to one people and fetting to another But God is neuer changed and yet is present with euery one and therefore St. Iames addeth There is with him no shadowing of alteration Lastly which is the chiefe from the Sunne the Father of corporall Light all things proceed which growe on Earth And those thinges are good Yet not excellent nor perfect but small temporall and transitory and which make not men good because they may be abused as they are by many to their destruction But from God the Father of Spirituall light Euery best guift and euery perfect guist doth descend by which the â—possessors thereof are made better and more perect These guises none can abuse and whosoeuer perseuereth in them vnto the end shall come to that true Happinesse which is defined to be A state of all good thinges perfectly vnited together Seeke therefore my soule What these best guiftes and perfect guifees are which come from aboue and descend from the Father of Light and when thou hast found them endeauour all thou canst to keepe them But thou shalt not neede to seeke farre for the Sunne doth demonstrate them sufficiently vnto thee The Sunne by his light and heate which are the Guiftes of the Father of Corporall light produceth all thinges So also The best guistes and perfect guiftes which are from aboue and descend from God the true Father of Light are the Light of Wisdome Heate of Charity The light of Wisdome which maketh vs truely wise leadeth vs to the Heauenly fountaine of Wisdome teacheth vs to contemne thinges Corporall and esteem thinges Eternall It teacheth vs 1 Tim 6 Not to trust in the vncertainty of riches but in the liuing God It teacheth vs not to make this banishment our Countrey nor to loue this Pilgrimage but to endure it Lastly it teacheth vs to holde this Life in patience which is so full of dangers and temptations and death in desire because Blessed are the dead that dye in our Lord. Apoc. 14 The order of true charity is to loue God without end who is the end of all desires And to loue other thinges so farre foorth as they shall be needfull to obtaine that Happines Truely there is not any among the Children of men who will proceed so absurdly in the cure of his body as to loue a bâ—tter Potion better then his health For he knoweth that the one is the end and the other is but the meanes to obtaine that end How then commeth it to passe that so many who would be accounted wise keepe no measure in heaping together riches in following the pleasures of the flesh in getting degrees of Honour as if in these thinges consisted the end of Mans desire But in louing God and in seeking after eternall Happinesse they are content with so little as if it were the meanes to the end and not the end of all other thinges Truely the reason is because they haue the Wisdome of this World and not the Wisdome which is from aboue descending from the Father of Light And because their loue is not orderly therefore it is not true loue which cannot be but orderly for they are full of Couetousnesse which is not from God but from the World Thou therfore my soule whiles thou art a Pilgrim from thy Countrey and among enemies which oppugne true Wisdome and Charity and call subtiltie Sapience and couetousnesse Frugality Sigh from the bottome of thy heart to the Father of Light that it would please him to cause those hest guifes and perfect guiftes to witt the light of true Wisdome and the heaâ—e of orderly Charity to descend into thy heart that being replenished with them it may ruune without stumbling in the way of Gods Commaundements and come to that Countrey where they drinke of the Fountaine of Wisdome liue by the milke of Charity I come now to the Night season Cap. 4 in which the Heauen by the Moone and starres maketh vs a stepp to ascend vnto God For so speaketh Dauid Isal 8 Because I shall see thy Heauens the worke of thy singers The Moone and the Stars which thou hast founded If we could see Heauen it selfe the Prophet would not haue said declaring in a manner what before he set downe The Moone and the Starres which thou hast founded For then doubtlesse we should haue an excellent Ladder to ascend vnto God We know there were some who defined the Nature of the Heauens by the motion of the Starres to be a Fift essence simple incorruptible and alwayes circularly moouing And wee know there haue bin others also who would haue Heauen to be the Element of Fire not moued circularly and in some partes corruptible But we seeke not after opinions but certaine knowledge or Doctrine of faith that wee may frame thereby a firme Ladder to know God We will therfore from the Moone and starres which we see erect a Ladder with the Prophet as we haue done already from the Sunne the Fountaine of Corporall light The Moone hath two properties which may helpe vs to Ascend vnto God First the neerer it commeth to the Sunne the lighter it is in the higher part next to Heauen the darker in the lower part next to Earth And when it is vnder the Sunne and ioyned therewith then is it wholy light toward Heauen and darke toward Earth Againe when it is opposite against the Sunne it shineth at Full to the inhabitants of the Earth and hath no Light in the higher part towardes Heauen This property of the Moone may teach men how carefull they ought
world from the first Creature to the last I say nothing so perfectly as that hee is able to explicate the Nature Propertyes Accidents and secret virtues thereof Into what errors shall he fall if hee vndertake to search out the thinges which are aboue Heauen Therefore if thou be Wise my soule follow the knowledge of Saluation and Wisdome of Saintes which consisteth in fearing God keeping his Commaundements Delight more in prayer then in DisputatioÌ„ and in edifying Charity then in proud knowledge For that is the way which leadeth vnto life Eternall where we little ones shal he made equall with Angells which alwayes see the face of their Father which is in Heauen Luk â—0 Mat. 18 There is also a third thing wherein Mans soule is not a litle lesse but much lesse then Angells to witt in the power and commaund ouer Bodyes For Mans soule moueth the body by commaundment of the Will but other Bodyes it cannot so moue And it moueth the body by Progressiue motion vpon the Earth but cannot suspend it vpon the Water cleuate it aboue the Ayer or carry it whether it will But Angells onely by Force of Spirit and commaundment of Will eleuate heauy bodyes and carry them whether they lift So an Angell tooke vp Abachue Dan. 14 and in a very short time carried him to Babilon to bring Daniel his â—inner recarried him again to Palistine A man also cannot fight in spirit onely with his enemies but with his handes and weapons but an Angel by power of spirit without hands or weapons can encounteâ— and ouercome a whole army of men So one Angel â—â—ew at once a hundred fourescore and fiue thousand Assyrians 4 Reg. 19 And if Angels can do these thinges what can the Lord and maker of Angels doe He truely made all thinges of nothing and can reduce all thinges to nothing Mans soule moreouer can by the art of paynting with industry and labour make the image of a man so lively that it may seeme to liue and breath But an Angell can without labour of handes or instruments almost in a moment of time assume in such sort a body Elementarie that wise men will iudge it to be the true body of a man because it can walk speake eate drinke be touched handled and washed So Abraham prepared meate for the Angells Gen. 18 and washt their feete For as the Apostle declareth Ieb 13 He receaued Angels to harbour thinking they had bene men Which also happened to his nephew Loth when he receaued two Angels as strangers into his house Gen. 19 The Angell Raphael in like manner remayned with young Tobias many-dayes walking speaking eating and drinking as if he had bene a man indeede yet notwithstanding being after to depart he said I seemed indeede to eate with you and to drinke Tob. 12 but I vse an inu sible meate and drinke and sodainly he vanished from their sight Surely it is admirable and proceedeth from great power so to frame a body on the sodaine as that it may seeme to differ in nothing from the liuing body of a Man and againe at pleasure on the fodaine so to dissolue the same body that nothing therof remayne If then the power of Angels be so great how great is the power of the maker of Angels who gaue them that power Truely as the knowledge of Angells and men being comâ—ared with the knowledge of God is ignorance and as the iustice of Angells and men being compared with the iustice of God is iniustice so the power of Angells and men being compared with the power of God is infirmitie Therefore it is truely said Rom. 16 â—uke 18 1 â—â—m 6 Cap 4. Our God onely wise onely good and onely mighâ—ie Lastly if we consider the place of Angels and of men we shall finde mans soule in that respect also Not a little lesse Heb. 2 but much lessened vnder Aâ—gells I willingly vse that word which the Apostle vâ— sâ—th For God hath appâ—inted a place on earth for the soule of man and in heauen to wit in his Pallace a place for Angels Psal 113 For the heauen of heauen is to our Lord but the earth he hath giuen to the children of men Whereupon our Lord in St. Math 24 Mathew calleth them The Angels of heauen And in St. Luke he saith There shall be ioy in heauen vpon one sinner that deth penance Luke 15 And a little after There shall be ioy before the Angels of God vpon one sinner that doth penance God also hath so tyed the soule to the body that it cannot without it remoue from place to place but Angels are not tyed to any body but haâ—e power giuen them to pâ—sse from heauen to earth and from earth to heauen or whether soeuer they will with very great speede so that Angels being next vnto God in dignitie of Nature doe also in some sort by their celerity immitate his vbiquitie For God is euery where by immensitie of Nature and therefore needeth no change of place Angels by swiftnesse of motion passe so speedily from place to place and so exhibit their presence in cuery place that they seeme after a sort to be euery where But my soule if thou wilt heare the Lord of Angels there is no cause why thou shouldest enuy that Angels haue so high a place and so vnsatigable a motion For not onely thou my soule when thou art loosed from the body shalt be equall vnto Angels but when thou shalt returne vnto thy body which Christ Will corfigure to the body of his glory Phil. 3 with that body shalt thou possesse heauen as thy owne-house it being made spirituall shall without labour or wearinesse be presently there wheresoeuer thou the soule shalt will and command it 1 Cor. 5 Thy Lord doth not deceaue thee who saith in his Gospel Ioh. 14 In my Fathers house there be many Mansions And I goe and prepare you a place And If I go and prepare you a place I come againe and will take you to my selfe that where I am you also may be Father I will that where I am Ioh. 17 they also maâ— be with me and that they may see my glory which thou hast giuen me But thou art not ignorant where Christ is and what body he hath For thou dost confesse euery day and say On the third day he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heauen thou knowest also that his body after the resurrection did sometimes enter in among his Disciples the dores deing shut â—châ—â—o Lâ—k 24 and departed from them not walking but vanishing that is he transferred his body from them so speedily as if it had beene a Spirit and not a body But if thou secke after this glory thou must first Consigure thy body Phil. 3 to the body of the humilitie of Christ And then Christ will configure thy body to the body of his glory For
whome he loueth Thus he Whereby he plainely declareth that God sheweth himselfe vnto blessed soules not as a iudging Lord but as a familiar friend And truely the familiaritie which God also sheweth in this life to pure and chaste mindes is vncredible For of him it is sayd My delights to be with the children of men Prou. 8 Prou. 3 And his talke is with the simple Hence was it that all the Saintes albeit they suffered pressures in the world had notwithstanding peace in their harts where God dwelt therefore they seemed and were indeed alwayes ioyfull and quiet For to them the Truth said Ioh 16 Your hart shall retoyce and your ioy no man shall take from you There remaineth the fourth part of dimension which is called depth Cap. 8 The depth of Gods essence is manifold First the Diuinitie is in it selfe most deepe solide and substantiall Not like a guilded wedge which hath gold onely in the outside and within is brasse or wood but like an endlesse wedge of gold or rather like a mine of golde so deepe that by digging it can neuer be emptied So is God vncomprehensible For as a Myne of gold without bottome can neuer be emptied with digging so God whose greatnesse is without end can neuer be so perfectly knowne by any Creature but that there still remayneth more to be known and God onely comprehendeth that depth who onely hath an infinite vnderstanding Depth also belongeth to God in respect of place For as he is most high and aboue all So he is most deep and vnder all Who as the Apostle saith Carrieth all thinges by the word of his power Heb. 1 God therefore is as the foundation and rooâ—e of a house Act. 17 In whom we live and mooue and be So that Salomon sayd most truely Heauen and the heauens of heauens cannot containe thee â— Reg. 8. For God rather containeth the heauens and all thinges vnder them because he is both aboue the heauens and vnder the earth Furthermore Gods depth is his inuisibilite For God is Light but vnaccessible he is truth but most secret Psal 17 Thou hast put darkenesse thy Couert saith Dauid And Isay 45 verily he is God hidden as I say speaketh St. Augustine seeking God on a time sent his eyes as messengers from earth to heauen And all thinges answered Lib. 9 coÌ„â— c. 〈…〉 lib. 10 c. 6. in psal 26. 28 We are not him whom thou seekest but he made vs. Wherefore not finding God by Ascention through outward thinges he began to Ascend through inwrard thinges and from them he learned that God was more easily to be found for he knewe that the soule was better then the body and the inward sence then the outward sence and the vnderstanding then it Whence he gathered that God who is more inward then the vnderstanding was better then the vnderstanding Therefore whatsoeuer we vnderstand or conceaue is not God but some other thing lesse then God for he is better then we can conceaue Goe too then my soule if thou art better then thy body to whome thou giuest life because it is a body and thou a spirit and if the eye of thy body cannot see thee because it is without and thou within So thinke likewise that thy God is better then thou art because he is a spirit more high and inward then thou For thou dwellest as it were without but he resideth in his most profound and secret Tabernacle But shalt thou neuer be admitted thether God forbid Thy Lord doth not lye who saith Math 5 Blessed are the cleane of hart for they shall see God Nor his Apostle who sayd We see now by a glasse in a darke sort 1 Cor. 13 but then face to face Nor St. Iohn the Euangelist who writ We knowe that when he shall appeare 1 Ioh 3 we shall be like to him because we shall see him as he is How great then will thy ioy be when in that secret and sacred Sanctuary thou shalt see and enioy that light beauty and goodnesse it selfe Then shall it plainely appeare how vaine transitorie and of small moment the goods of this earth are wherewith men being inebriated forget the true and euerlasting But if thou thirst indeed after the liuing God And if thy teares be breades vnto thee day and night whiles psal 41 it is sayd where is thy God Be not slowe to cleanse thy hart whereby thou mayst see God Be not weary to dispose ascentions in thy hart vntill the God of Goddes shall be seene in Syon Psal 83 Neither waxe thou colde in the loue of God and thy neighbour 1 Ioh. 3 nor loue in word and in tongue but in deed and truth For that is the way that leadeth to life euerlasting THE ELEVENTH STEPP From the Consideration of the greatnesse of Gods power by the similitude of a corporall quantitie GReat is our Lord Cap. 1 and there is no end of his Greatnesse For he is not great onely because Omnipotencie is his higth infinite wisdome his depth incomprehensible mercie his breadth iustice like a rod of yron his length but also for that these Attributes are infinite in breadth length higth and depth And to begin from his Power or rather his Omnipotency The breath of Gods power consisteth in extention to infinite thinges First it is extended to all thinges made for there is nothing from the greatest Angel to the least Worme or from the highest Heauen to the lowest Hell which was not made by the power of God Ioh. 1 All things saith St. Iohn were made by him and without him was made nothing And after The world was made by him Secondly it is extended to all thinges that shal be made For as nothing hath bin made but by him so likewise nothing shall be made but by him So speaketh the Apostle Rom. 1. Of him and by him and in him are all thinges Thirdly it is extended to all thinges that may be made So speaketh the Angel There shall not be impossible with God any worde Luk. 1 And our Lord himselfe saith Math 19 With God all thinges are possible Fourthly it is extended to the destruction of all thinges made For as God could by a floude of Water destroy at once all men and other liuing creatures vpon earth except a few which it pleased him to preserue within Noahs Arke So be can by a floude of Fire at one time destroy not onely all Men and other Creatures found liuing at the lâ—st day but also all Trees Cittyes and other thinges vpon Earth The day of our Lord saith Saint Peter the Apostle in his last Epistle shall come as a Theefe 2 Pet. 3 in the which the Heauens shall passe with great violence but the Elements shall be resolued with heate and the Earth and the workes which are in it shall be burnt Great surely is the breadth of Gods Power and
part of it to be ours For he would giue vs his grace whereby we might worke our saluation Not that the merit of Christ suffised not but to communicate with vs the prayse and glory of our owne saluation Wherevpon it is said in the Gospell Math. 20 Pay them their hyre And the Apostle glorifieth saying 2 Tim 4 There is layd vp for me a Crowne of Iustice Lastly Gods mercie is most deepe because it exceedeth the affection of Fathers and Mothers which is the greatest we can finde on earth Heare the Prophet Isay Isay 49 Can a woman forget her infant that shee will not haue pittie on the sonne of her wombe and if she should forget yet will not I forget thee Heare Dauid psal 102 As a Father hath compassion of his children So hath our Lord compassion on them that feare him And lest thou mightest say there are some parents whose Loue sometime changeth into hacred Dauid saith further of Gods mercie and loue toward his Children The mercy of our Lord from euerlasting vpon them that feare him Of which continuance the Apostle also certifieth vs in his last Epistle to the Corinthians where he calleth God The Father of mercies 2 Cor 1 and God of all Consolation God therfore is not onely a father to those that feare him but a most mercifull Father For he taketh away such miseries and afflictions from his Children as he iudgeth expedient to be taken from them and therein he sheweth himselfe to be the Father of mercies And giueth them vnspeakeable comfort to suffer those which he iudgeth not expedient for them to be taken away And therein he sheweth himselfe to be The God of Consolation But the Apostle saith Of all Consolation for two causes First because God comforteth those that are his in al kindes of tribulations which truely the world cannot doe for oftentimes it vnderstandeth not the causes of tribulations Euen as Iobs friendes Were heauy Comforters as he calleth them Iob 16 because they knew not the cause of his griefe and therefore applyed the remedy where they ought not or els for that the tribulation is sometime so great that no earthly consolation can equall it But God the almighty and most skilfull Phisition can cure euery infirmitie and therefore the Apostle saith Who doth comfort vs in all our tribulation 2 Cor. 1 Moreouer he is called the God of all Consolation because he comforteth so fully that it were better to suffer tribulations with such a comforter then to want them both together as it happened to a young man called Theoderus a confessor in the Persecution of Iulian the Apostata who being tortured ten houres together with such crueltie and change of executioners as in no age is reported the like Sung notwithstanding all that while with great ioy the psalmes of Dauid and when it was commaunded he should be let downe he began to be sorrowfull because of the great comfort he receiued by the presence of an Angell whilest he was in torturing as Ruffinus writeth lib. 10. hist c 36 2 Cor. 7 Wherefore it is no meruaile if the Apostle say I am replenished with consolation I doe exceedingly abound in ioy in all our tribulation And in the beginning of his Epistle 1 Cor 1 Who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we also may be able to comfort them that are in all distresse What thinkest thou O my soule of this so ample continuall pure and infinite mercy of our Lord who needeth nothing of ours and yet out of the abundance of his loue is so carefull of his seruants as if of them depended all his Happinesse What thankes therefore wilt thou giue him What canst thou euer doe not to be vngratefull to so great mercy Seeke therefore all thou canst to please him And because it is written Luk. 6 Be yee mercifull as also your Father is mercifull And Haue mercy on thine owne soule leasing God Eccle 30 Begin diligently first to finde out the miseries of thy soule For the miseries of the body are plaine to the eye so that it is needlesse to put a man in minde of them For if the body be but one day without meate and driuke or one night without sleepe or by a fall or wound be hurt it presently cryeth out and complaineth and is with great care looked vnto But the soule fasteth whole weekes from her meate and is sicke with woundes or perhapps dead and none taketh care or compassion of her Visite therefore thy soule often examine all her powers whether they be well and profit in the knowledge and loue of true Happinesse or whether they be sicke with ignorance or languish with diuers desires Also whether the minde be blinded with malice or the will infected with enuy and pride And if thou finde any such thing Crye vnto our Lord Psal 6 Haue mercy on me because I am weake Seeke spirituall phisitions and apply fit remedies Take compassion likewise of other soules whereof an infinite number perish although Christ dyed for them O my soule if thou didst truely knowe the price of soules to wit the precious blood of the sonne of God and also the great slaughter which is made of them by the infernall Wolues and roaring Lyons the Deuills Surely thou couldest not but from thy hart take pitty on them and by thy prayers to God and by all other meanes seeke to deliuer them Lastly also take compassion on the corporall necessities of thy neighbours not in Word and tongue onely 1 Ioh. 3 Math 5. but iâ— deede and truth hauing in minde the saying of our Lord Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy THE FIFTEENTH AND LAST STEPP From the Consideration of the greatnesse of Gods iustice by the similitude of a corporall quantitie GOds iustice in holy scripture is taken foure wayes Cap 1 First for iustice ingenerall which conteyneth all vertues and is the same with Sanctitie or probitie So in the psalmes Our Lord is iust in all his wayes psal 144 and holy in all his workes Secondly for truth or fidelitie So in another psalme That thou mayst be iustified in thy wordes Psal 50 Thirdly for iustice distributing rewardes so in the last Epistle to Tim thâ—e There is layd vp for me a Crowne of iustice 2 Tim 4 which our Lord will render to me in that day a iust iudge Lastly for iustice punishing sinne So in another psalme He shall rayne snare upon sinners Psal 10 fire and Brimstone and blast of stormes the portion of their cupp because our Lord â—s iust and hath loued iustice The greatnesse therefore of Gods iustice wil appeare to vs if we consider the 〈◊〉 thereof ingenerall the length thereof to wiâ— his truth and 〈…〉 the higth thereof distributing rewardes in heauen and thâ— depth thereof punishing the wicked eternally in Hell And to begin from the breadth That is called iustice ingenerall among men which