fields as Paradises of pleasure wherein was layd by the author of nature a reward for those who had not abused nature but grace being above nature affordeth vs more motives to vertue more helps to flie vice 11 What adamant heart can be so hardned with vice that the blood of Christ shall not breake why was he drawne vp the Crosse but to draw vs to vertue from vice Why cryed he longe à salute mea verba delictorum but because he crucified indeede our sinnes in his owne body which in vaine before without vertue of this passion had been washed with blood of goats and calves 12 The Sacraments of his Church those fountaines of grace those conduits of his passion those heavenly medicines those linckes and chaynes wherewith the members of Christes church are vnited in religion for what other effect were they instituted than for the watering of our soules to the encrease of vertue and the whole supplanting of vice 13 The internall gifts of God the armour of Faith Hope and Charitie with graces and favors wherewith the holy ghost endueth our soules fortifie vs against vice and habilitate exceedingly to vertue 14 The manifold inspirations of God the illustrations of his holy Angels which stand in battell aray to defend vs tend to no other end than to perswade vs to vertue and disswade vs from vice 15 Why hath God provided so many teachers and preachers but to be so many watchmen over the house of Israel to cry like Trumpets and blaze the sinnes of the house of Iacob lest by wallowing in wickednesse they reclaime no more to goodnesse 16 The holy scriptures were written with the finger of God as Registers of his eternall will letters of love to invite vs to vertue and threatnings of ire to dehort vs from vice therein by more sure authoritie he delivereth vnto vs whatsoever he had written more obscurely in the booke of Nature perswading directing counselling to goodnes pietie and religion disswading diverting threatning and terrifying from vice impietie and vngodlines wherefore one of the chiefest scopes for which the sacred Volume was sent from Heaven was to make vs decline from evill and do good dye to old Adam and live with Christ crucifie sinne and follow vertue 17 God by his infinite wisedome and charitie gave vs not only teachers in words but also actors in deeds not only them who filled our eares with godly perswasions but also them which represented vertue most lively to our eyes with good examples and holy actions so were the lives of Saintes in all ages as so many Orig. libr. 1. in Iob Grego ibid. Starres which gave vs light how to walke in the darkenesse of this life and so many spurres to pricke vs forward that we should not linger in so divine a voyage Their fervent charitie reprehendeth our tepiditie their diligence in Gods service our negligence their watching and praying our sluggishnes and indevotion 18 If there were a Kings sonne of most beautifull countenance and divine aspect resembling his father as much as a sonne could doe who would not iudge this Prince both inhumane and mad if he would cut mangle and disgrace his owne face with grieslie woundes and vgly formes What an iniurie were this against his father what an offence against all his parents Even such crueltie vse sinners to themselves and God because by sinning they deface and mangle that lively Image of the holy Trinitie drawne by God himselfe in the substance of theyr soules and so are iniurious not onely to themselves but also to their God their Father their King the holy and individed Trinitie 19 Who spoyleth Gods Temple is accounted irreligious who prophaneth his Church is thought sacriligious and who but he which hath lost all sparks of pietie dare adventure to attempt so heinous a crime Yet Vitious adventure and performe it they prophane their bodyes and soules they fell them to lust and wickednesse they expell the holy ghost from them they put him forth of his iust possession which he holdeth over them as a Father by vertue and after by wicked deserts enforce him as a iudge like prisoners to iayle them by iustice 20 Those which live in Christs true Catholike Church by communion of Saints enioy an other meane to doe well and that is the common prayers and supplications of the faithfull which beate continually at the gates of Gods mercy and doubtlesse returne not voyde agayne for many petitions God hardly can deny 21 A dioyne hereunto the supernaturall providence of God which feedeth the foule of the ayre and cloatheth the lillies of the field the which being so carefull of vnreasonable creatures what shall we thinke he doth to the faithfull questionlesse he neither will sleepe nor slumber that watcheth the house of Israel he will keepe his servants as the apple of his eye he will give them meate in due season he will finally sustaine their weakenesse erect them if they fall direct them if they erre succour them if they want refresh them in the heates of concupiscences mittigate the tempests of their temptations moderate the waves of wicked occasions 22 The horrible paines of Hell thundred in holy Writ the weeping and gnashing of teeth the woorme which will gnaw perpetually vpon the very heart of the soule with remorce of conscience those inextinguible flames of infernall fornaces that cruell hatred of griesly Divels and vgly hell-hounds those remedilesse paines and torments without hope of recoverie remission or mittigation and above all that privation and losse of the sight of the face of God prepared for all those that would serve him in sanctitie and holinesse of life all these evils certainely to be incurred I thinke might move sufficiently any wise man to looke about him what he doth whether he goeth what reckoning he must make for these be not May-games or Esops fables but sacred truths registred in Scriptures dayly put in execution hourely felt and of every wicked man to be prooved 23 If God had onely terrified vs from sinne with inexplicable paynes every discreete man might have had sufficient cause to abhorre it but besides having invited vs to vertue by promising ineffable ioyes who can now excuse vs what can we pretend With reward he pricks vs forward with torments he drawes vs backward he bridles our wantonnesse with one and spurres on our slouthfulnesse with the other 24 Vertue of it selfe even naked if neither reward had been promised nor punishment threatned might sufficiently have mooved vs to love her and follow her because she carrieth such a shew of honestie such internall beautie such a grace and excellencie that her possession may be thought a sufficient remuneration 25 The horrible punishments mentioned in Scriptures inflicted for sinne even in this life if we had grace might inforce vertue vpon vs for what cast Adam out of Paradise Sinne what wounded him in nature and spoyled him of grace Sinne what drowned the world Sinne what rained fire and
base and drudging life Besides if all creatures by the instinct of Nature endevor so much to win theyr full and compleat perfection why should we degenerate so farre from our owne nature as not to accomplish that we lacke marke but the seede cast into the ground how it laboureth to die after to live how it fixeth his rootes pierceth the ground to enioy the Sunne and ayre erecteth the stem springs the huskes issues the eare yeelds with the wind and never giveth over till the corne bee brought to a full maturity we see how new wines beere and all liquors worke by boyling the rawer parts expelling the dregs reducing themselves to a due temper proportionated mixture and perfection if these insensible creatures so industriously labor to come to theyr end shal not we endevour to atchieve our end and felicity If they according to theyr small ability imploy theyr naturall talentes why should not wee endued with so many graces procure our owne good and perfection Why standeth God at Apoc. 3. 20. the doores of our heart beating but to enter in Why doe Gods servants crye out vpon our negligence but Iere. 25. 34. to bring vs to diligence Why doth God punish many in the prime of theyr yeeres in the fatte of theyr fortune in the glory of theyr prosperitye but to advertise vs by theyr examples of the inconstancy of this world and that wee might learne to bee wise by theyr losses to be vigilant and carefull by their carelesnesse Some more Impediments I could deliver as the many occasions offred dayly to do ill the great readinesse of matter and favourers thereof the insatiable desire possesseth our heartes of inordinate pleasures the admirable diligence in procuring temporall treasures the extreame delight all men conceyve in theyr owne actions the great account and estimation they do make of them how soone they despise or abase the enterprises of others how perverse and obstinate they live in their own opinions I could I say make long discourses vpon these particular obiects but that they may all be reduced to selfe-love inordinate Passions the world and the divell of which we have intreated largely before onely I will here adioyne the reason and cause of all this Treatise why we having so many meanes so forcible so divine Mat. 7. 15. 20. 16. 1. Pet. 4. 18. so continuall so supernaturall to serve God to follow Vertue to fly sinne and scarce halfe so many impediments leading vs to vice and vngodlinesse yet for one that doth well thousands doe ill and for one that goes to Heaven almost a million goes to hell and that the difficulty may seeme more apparant adde another consideration questionlesse all vniversall effectes proceede from vniversall causes as we see all men die therefore we gather that all have a Nature corruptible all men are subiect to Passions preventing and dissenting from reason therefore we inferre that Nature is corrupted even so since most men doe ill and few good and after this tenour in all Countries and Nations therefore we must finde out some generall cause Some will say that this proceedeth from originall sinne whereby our nature remayned corrupted and therefore prone to evill slow to good this reason indeede toucheth some remote cause but yet it doth not fully satisfie first because we have set downe all the internall effects and impious of-springs of originall sinne and yet they can not amount or countervaile the number of those helps we have to do good Besides it ought to be declared how originall sinne hath so infected nature that it is so feeble to vertue and so strong to vice for all the wounds which internally moove vs to sinne reside either in the wit will or sensitive appetite the which we have conferred with those stayes both God and good nature hath bestowed vpon vs to do well Furthermore by the passion of Christ his merits grace originall sinne is forgiven vs who by baptisme have put Gala. 3. 27. Ephes 5. 6. Tit. 3. 5. Eze 33. 12. Ioel. 2. 25. Ephes â— 5. Eze. 36. 26. Psal 33. 8. Psal 90. 13. on Christ he hath restored vnto vs his former favours adopted vs for children changed hearts of stone into hearts of flesh fortified our soules against vice enabled our faculties against sinne protected and guarded vs about with Angels for our defence against Sathan that our feet should not be stayed in the way of vertue by blocks stones our ghostly enemies cast in the narrow way that leadeth to heaven to hinder our voyage or frustrate our designements Therefore to conclude this matter I resolve my selfe that we have more meanes to do good then occasions to do ill and them also of their nature to be more forcible and potent neverthelesse for foure reasons more men are wicked then vertuous first for lack of prudent meditations secondly for ill education thirdly for palpable present delectation lastly for defect of due prefervation I meane first that men miscarrie so often in this peregrination for lack of good consideration because most of those meanes God hath vouchsafed to bestow vpon vs require a certaine meditation and ponderation for they be like hot coales the which you may take in your hands and presently cast away without burning because all actions welnie require time or space for their operations but if you hold them a while you shall feele their effects So it falleth forth in the mysteries of our faith he that meditateth burneth he that perfunctorily runneth over them scarse feeleth their heate In meditatione mea sayth David exardescit ignis in my Psal 38. 3. prayer fire is kindled because meditation bloweth the coales by consideration whereunto followeth the flame of love and affection for otherwise what profit can we take of the inconstancie of our lives and certaintie of our deaths of the severe and infallible iudgement of God the inexplicable paynes of hell the ineffable ioyes of heaven if we never consider them What availeth vs to have the scriptures that God punished in this life so many with extraordinary deaths that by sinnes we are spoyled of grace wounded in nature disenabled to goodnes incited to ilnes if we never ruminate them in our minds or ponder them in our considerations Questionlesse it were to swallow meate without chewing which rather endammageth health then restoreth the lost forces Wherefore I like well those wise godly men which every day allot themselves a certaine time stinting their howers for meditation propounding before the eyes of their consideration now one mysterie now an other now the passions of Christ then the pangs of death now the strict iudgements and punishments of God then the eternall delights layd vp for vs in his heavenly Paradice these therefore like fruitfull Psal 1. â— trees planted by the river sides render their fruites in due season these arme themselves in the morning to resist all encounters which may occurre the day time these be
to his divine providence an inclination facultie or power to conserve it self procure what it needeth to resist impugne whatsoever hindereth it of that appertaineth vnto his good and conservation So we see fire continually ascendeth vpward because the coldenesse of the water earth and ayre much impeacheth the vertue of his heate heavie substances descend to their centre for their preservation the hare flieth from the houndes the partridge hideth her selfe from the tallent of the hawke and in fine God hath enabled every thing to eschew his ennemy and enioy his friend Whereuppon grew that protrite distinction of a triple appetite naturall sensitive and reasonable the first we finde in elements and plants the second in beasts and men the third in men and angelles the first Philosophers call a naturall inclination the second a sensitive appetite the third a reasonable or voluntary affection neverthelesse the naturall inclinations of inanimate creatures and the sensitive appetites of living thinges dissent in some points because they with one motion eschew their contraries procure their owne good and obtaine that they need as for example the fire by the same motion ascendeth to heaven getteth his place and flieth from earth and water as contraries the boyling water set from the fire cooleth it selfe and withall expelleth the vnnaturall heate Men and beastes with one appetite prosecute the good they desire and with an other they slie the evill they abhorre as for example with one appetite a man desires good wine and with another detesteth ill wine An other difference besides there is because men and beasts in their appetites have a certaine pleasure and delectation paine or griefe the which affections can not be found in any inanimate creatures This delight or payne God imparted vnto vs that wee might thereby be stirred vp to attempt those actions which were necessary for vs or flie those inconveniences or harmes which might annoy vs for who would attend to eating or drincking to the act of generation if Nature had not ioyned thereunto some delectation A pregnant proofe of this may be seene in sicke men who having lost their appetites loathe nothing so much as meate Heere we may beginne to discover the coasts of Selfe-love for God having so bountifully granted vs meanes to provide for such thinges as were needefull and to avoyde such things as were harmefull adioyning pleasure to the one and paine to the other wherevppon ensued that having a reasonable soule the which like an Empresse was to governe the body direct the senses guide the passions as subiects and vassalles by the square of prudence and rule of reason the inferior partes were bound to yeeld homage and obey Then Selfe-love vpstarts and for the affinitie with sense for the causes alleadged in the precedent chapter will in no case obay reason but allured with the baite of pleasure and sensualitie proclaymeth warres and rebellion against prudence against the love of GOD in so much this tyrant prevaileth that if reason commaund a temperate dyet she will have exquisite and superfluous dishes if reason will be contented with a meane decent attire she will have gorgeous and above her state and condition In summe from this infected love sprung all the evils welnie that pester the world the which Saint Augustine Aug. lib. 22. deciv cap. 2â— With saint Augustine consenteth Plato 5. de legibus And Arist 9. Eth. c. 8. doth gather together yet leaveth out many Mordaces curâ— c. griping cares perturbations moanes feares madde ioyes dissensions strifes warres stratagems angers enmities falshood flatterie theft rapine and a number more which there he reckneth and I to avoyd tediousnes omit Yet by this may also be vnderstood that famous distinction more practized than knowen of many I meane of two loves the one that buildeth the citie of Ierusalem the other the citie of Babylon Aug super psal 64. that is the love of God buildeth the cittie of the predestinate Selfe-love the cittie of the reprobate that repaireth the ruines of Angelles this filleth the infeâ—â—all dennes with Divels for charitie and the love of God being the base and foundation of all goodnesse without which all vertues are dead and not availing to life everlasting rendreth a spirituall life animating the iust to serve God flie vice follow vertue with which vertues and good workes Gods church is replenished and Sathans synagogue emptied Contrariwise Selfe-love following inordinate affections inticeth the cittizens of Ierusalem to prosecute pleasures vnbridle their senses enioy the roses till they flourish not to let wither the Mayie flowres of their flesh haleth the poore soules from the libertie of Ierusalem to the captivitie of Babylon thereby casting the children of God into the thraldome of Sathan By this it appeareth howe God gave every man an inclination to love himselfe yet subordinated to reason and how by the pleasure of sensualitie it is growne to such a head that rather it ruleth reason than reason ruleth it Selfe-love then may bee defined an inordinate inclination of the soule affecting too much the pleasures of the body against the prescript of right reason this may well be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 olde Adam the law of the flesh sensualitie the enemie of God the spring of vice the roote of impietie the bane of godly conversation the obiect of mortification the sincke of sinne ever craving never concent tyrannizing over the greatest and overthrowing the least How the Passions may be well directed and made profitable CHAP. III. IT hath beene declared I thinke sufficiently howe most men inordinately followe the vnbrideled appetite of their sensual passions yet no doubt but they may by vertue be guided and many good men so moderate and mortifie them that they rather serve them for instruments of vertue than foments of vice and as an occasion of victory than a cause of foyle For Christ our Saviour in whom neyther sinne nor inordinate affection could fall no doubt was subiect to these passions Tristis est anima Matth. 26. Luke 22. Marke 14. mea sayth he vsque ad mortem My soule is sadde even vntill death And Coepit pavere toedere He beganne to bee afrayde and heavy Feare and heavynesse no doubt are passions of the mind yet because in Christ they were prevented with reason and guided by vertue neyther alluring him to sinne nor ingendring vitious Hieron ep 22. ad Eustoch quem sequuntur scolastici Psalme 4. Philip. 2. habites therefore of Divines they rather were called propassions than passions Moreover the Scriptures exhort vs to these passions Irascimini nolite peccare Be angry and sinne not Cum metu tremore salutem operamini with feare trembling worke your salvation And therefore it were blasphemous to say that absolutely all passions were ill for so the Scriptures should exhort vs to ill The reason also commonly allowed of Philosophers and Divines most pregnantly prooveth this veritie for if the motions of our willes be
requested him to auert them Auerte Psal 11. 8. oculos meos ne videant vanitateÌ„ Salomon his sonne inspired by Gods eternall wisedome exhorteth vs to obserue 2. Reg. 11. 1. wherein he himselfe most grossely offended and attend well our eyes and therefore not to looke vpon a woman trimmed and decked vp Auerte faciem tuam a muliere Sap. 9. compta Ieremie putting on the person of many of his carelesse people lamented the losse which was befallen them for not keeping diligently the gates of their eyes Oculus meus depredatus est animaÌ„ meam my eye hath sacked my soule how O holy Prophet can the eye an externall sence rob thy soule of her riches ah it is easie to answere The sence cannot bee free from theft and sinne which openeth the gates letteth the theefe in Wherfore Iob thought to preuent such harmes and dammages and therefore cut off the occasions couenanting with his Iob. 31. eyes that hee would not somuch as thinke of a virgin Pepigi faedus cum oculis meis vt ne cogitarem guidem de virgine And Salomon rendreth a reason hereof Because perhaps he might haue bene scandalized or induced to offend God allured by her beautie Virginem ne conspilias Sap. 9. ne forte scandalizaris in decore illius Questionlesse the holy Ghost in sacred writ would neuer haue so often and so seriously councelled vs vnto a carefull watchfulnesse ouer this sence specially but for some important and waightie reasons For hee well knew that of all sences sight was the surest and certainest of his obiect and sensation no sence rangeth abroad and pierceth the skies like vnto this no sence hath such varietie of obiects to feed and delight it as this no sence imprinteth so firmely his formes in the imagination as this no sence serueth the soule so much for knowledge as this no sence is put so oft in action as this no sence sooner mooueth than this and consequently no sence well guided more profitable to the soule than this nor no sence peruerteth more perilous than this for if the guide be corrupted the followers will hardly escape vninfected Wherefore I would persuade all them that feare God and would auoid occasions of sinnes either not to behold at all such things as may induce them easily to offend or so perfunctorily passe ouer them as they leaue no sting behind them and therfore we are willed not to behold wine when it glistereth and as it were glorieth in the glasse for such alluring sights dart presently into the hart inordinat delights his meaning is we should not demur in sensuall beholding least perhaps ensue too much affectioÌ„ or drinking Epiphanius giueth a very apt morall reason why in the old law when a dead course passed by any house they were commaunded to shut their doores and windowes For saith he by this thou art taught Si audieris vocem Epiphan lib. 1. heres tom 1. heâ—â—s 9. p. q. peccati aut speciem delicti videris claude oculos thos à concupiscentia os à vanitate verborum aurem à prauo sono vt ne mortisicetur tota domus hoc est anima corpus If thou heare the voice of sinne or see the face of offence shut thine eyes from concupiscence and thy mouth from sinfull sounds least all thy house die that is thy body and thy soule For as he addeth after out of the Prophet Mors per fenestras ascendit death ascendeth into the house of our hearts by the windowes of our sences He therefore that intendeth to keepe death from his heart must shut the gates of his sences in the face of sinne For the better performance hereof it is to be considered that passions are not onely mooued by their principall obiects and directly but also by certaine appurtenances apappendices or let me call them for lacke of a better word scraps of the principall obiect indirectly the which appertaine and haue some reference thereunto When Iacob saw the garment of Ioseph sprinkled Gen. 37. with blood it stirred vp in him extreamely the passion Iudith 16. 11. of sorrow The sandals or pantofles of Iudith rauished the eyes of Holophernes Sandalia eius repuerunt oculos eius and hailed his heart to lust The Antiochians were so vexed with certaine extraordinarie exactions the emperour Theodosius imposed vpon them that they for extreame Chry. in variis homil ad populum Antiochâ—uÌ„ spite and anger which the sight of his armes and statues stirred vp in them would no longer endure them in their citie but broke the one and rased the other We see a dog when he cannot or dare not assault him that throweth the stone with whom he is angry runneth to bite the stone and so in part to reuenge his spite Dauid agreeued with the death of Saul and Ionathas cursed the sencelesse mountaines of Gelboe which vpheld their enemies till the Israelits were slaine Montes Gelboe nec 2. Reg. 1. 21. ros nec pluuiae veniant super vos And Iob execrated the day that gaue light when he was borne after hee was plunged into so many miseries Pereat dies in qua natus Iob. 3. 3. sum noxin qua dictuÌ„ est conceptus est homo Raguel wheÌ„ he heard Raphael the Angel tell him how yong Tobie was old Tobies sonne could not absteine from teares the sight of the sonne so mooued and stirred vp the affection he bore to his father the like did Sara his wife and Tob. 7. Anne the daughter And the reason of this enlarged and extensiue affection in passions I thinke proceedeth from the very heart and nature of euery passion For when we loue God our parents or friends we are well pleased and contented with all those treasures of goodnesse honestie wealth and all other perfections they haue and wish them such as beseeme them which they want and this we desire to see performed and reioyce when it is accomplished and therefore since that a man hath many good things of nature as children wife kinsfolke c. and many additions by fortune as seruants horses possessions c. and many prised ornaments as credit glorie fame images statues c. and diuers other things which haue reference and relation vnto him as their master lord and owner and therefore he that loueth intirely his friend loueth all that belongeth vnto his friend and valueth them at that rate it deserueth and his friend priseth them In hatred and enuie contratiwise euery one detesteth not onely the person but also all that appertaineth vnto him for the contrarie reason neither can he abide to see any thing prosper which concerneth him Wherefore Dauid offering his prayer to God requesteth him to defend his innocencie and punish his enemie and not onely his person but also wisheth his children should become orphanes Fiant filij eius orphani Psal 108. and his wife a widow vxor etus vidua That his
discourse for a slender insinuation will content a ripe apprehension and affoorde matter enough to a sound iudgement It might have passed a great way further and have explicated the supreame perfections in God all which were able to moove a mans heart much more then these we have delivered because as they infinitly surpasse all here we feele see imagine or vnderstand even so they would aboundantly stirre vp our affections to admire love and adore him yet also them I thought good to omitte as not so proper to our present intent neverthelesse I cannot ore-slip some rude delineaments therof therby opening the way to pregnant wits of pregnant matter The fourth Corollary appertayneth vnto the circumstances of imparting giftes or bestowing benefites wherein it is to be noted for memorie sake that we may consider foure things in the giving of a gift all necessary and all belonging to our purpose as in the subscribed Table shall plainely appeare In bestowing a gift we may consider the Giver and his 1 Greatnesse 2 Strangenesse 3 Friendship 4 Enmirie 5 His danger and dammage Gift 6 If exceeding great in it selfe 7 If marvellous deare to the Giver 8 If common to many Receiver 9 If it tend to his great good or riddance from some great evill 10 If in giving he be singled from the rest Manner of giving 11 If with alacritie 12 If without sute or request 13 If with vehement affection 14 If without interest The fift Corollarie respecteth the practise of the aforesayd Motives the which may be vsed after this manner First I suppose a man that intendeth to move passions ought to have tyme and space to prepare himselfe for cursorie perswasions for extemporall inventions seldome make any deepe impressions because as in such cases the inducements are not well examined nor the manner of delivery premeditated so the poynt in question cannot be so substantially grounded and forciblely perswaded as if Arte in manner and matter had co-operated with Nature Secondly presupposed then a man have leysure to enrich his discourse after one hath perused and well vnderstood the precedent Motives he should glaunce over these Tables and either in his owne meditation or in perusing some short treatise of his matter of Love to be perswaded reduce what he readeth to these heads set downe As for example if he exhort Subiects to love their Countrie Students to love learning Souldiours to love Martiall Discipline Men to love theyr Wives Children to love theyr Parents Women to love Modestie in all these and such lyke a little labour conioyned with this help will minister abundance of matter to stuffe an Oration or Panegericall perswasion Meanes or Motives to moove Hatred Detestation Feare and Ire THe Philosophers vniversally define that Contrariorum est eadem disciplina Contraries are taught in like manner and contrariorum contraria est ratio contraries have contrary reasons so to our purpose with great facilitie we may now declare what Motives stirre vp Hatred by assuming the contraries to Love for example if Love it selfe be a Motive to Love then Hatred contrariwise is a Motive to Hatred If resemblance in nature affection iudgement and exercise cause vnion and love certainely dissimilitude in nature difference in iudgement disparity in affections diversity or opposition in exercise cannot but breed dissention and hatred Wherefore hee that perfitly vnderstandeth the former Treatise of the Motives to Love and of himselfe can siâ—t out their contraries hath a sufficient Panoplie and Treasorie of Reasons to stirre vp Hatred Furthermore for better intelligence it is to be considered that Divines and morall Philosophers distinguish two sorts of Hatred the one they call Odium abominationis Hatred of abomination the other Odium inimicitiae that is Hatred of enmitie For as in Love we affect the Person and wish him well so in Hatred of enmitiâ— we detest the Person and wish him evill as if I love my friend I wish him health wealth and prosperitie If the Iudge hate the theese hee wisheth him the gallowes But in this wee differ that I love my friend and health also as good for my friend so that my love is complete and intire but the Iudge abhorreth the theefe and loveth the gallowes as a due punishment and deserved evil for the theefe Contrariwise as in hatred of enmitie the person stayned with vice mooveth me to detest him and wish him evill so in hatred of abomination for the love I beare any person I hate all evils which may befall him for example a man loveth his child and therefore abhorreth death as evil of the child a iust man loveth God and therefore detesteth sinne as an iniurie done to God a man loveth his owne health and therefore hateth diseases or what else may crosse his health So that here we have three things hatred of evill in respect of the person we love love of evill in respect of the person wee hate hatred and love combined in one respect of perfite enmitie and complete hatred Besides as love levelleth at goodnesse without desiring or hoping for it and onely taketh a good liking and complacence therein so desire passeth further and wisheth the enioying thereof albeit such a wish medleth not with hope of obtayning it for many wish Mines of golde States and Kingdomes which they never exspect nor hope to possesse Hope addeth expectation for perceyving some probable possibility of purchace she standeth wayting how to come by it For example Cardinall Wolsey in his yonger yeeres perhaps loved and desired the degree of a Cardinall but yet being so farre from it he had small reason to expect it but after he was entertained of the King and imployed in affaires for the State then he got ground for expectation and so fell into the passion of Hope On the other side hatred first detesteth the evill in it selfe either of enmitie or abomination as wicked men death dishonor c. without relation to vs or our friends Detestation fuga or flight abhorreth them as hurtfull to vs or our friends but as yet they beeing afarre off and not very likely to befall entereth not into the passion of Feare the which then stirreth when danger approcheth Ire proceedeth from some iniurie offered and therefore hateth the inflictor and by all meanes possible seeketh revenge Wherefore Ire Feare Flight including every one of them a certayne sort or spice of Hatred what generally can be said of it will serve for all them in particular howbeit some speciall considerations we will set downe in speciall for their peculiar Motion Particular Motives to Hatred of Enmitie ALthough as I sayd above the Motives to Love contraried be good meanes to perswade Hatred yet for that as Philosophers say Bonum ex integra causa consistit malum ex quolibet defectu Goodnesse cannot consist without the integrity of all partes evill may and ordinarily doth happen vpon every defect that a man bee in health it is necessary every humour hold his iust temper and
how bitter is the memorie of death to that man which hath peace and great felicitie in his substance and that loveth extremely this transitory life To move this Hatred two things specially are diligently to be observed first the Person beloved and all those reasons which may stir vp his love then the hurt of the evill and all the harmes it bringeth with it for example we ought for the love of our owne soules and the soules of our neighbours detest and abhorre sinne and the offence of God now all those inducements which moove vs to love our soules strike in our hearts a horrour of sinne which is the death and destruction of soules And all those reasons which shew the deformity of sin stirre vp a detestation thereof The generall Motives alledged above applied to this particular will suffice to perswade vs to love our Soules the nature harmes consequent vnto sinne and all other evils we would induce our auditors to detest may be collected out of the common places of Invention reduced above to Ansit quid sit quale sit propter quid sit Meanes to move flight and feare § 6. WE said that flight or detestation was opposite to desier and that desier was the wishing of a thing abstracted from hope or expectation thereof as every beggar would be a King if he might choose albeit he never had nor is like to have any hope of the aspiring thereunto Flight is a detestation of some evill though not imminent nor exspected yet such an evill as we abhorre it and detest it and possibly may befall vs as a king to fall to poverty beggery or servitude he abhorreth yet because he living in such prosperity conceiveth no danger nor perill therefore he standeth in no feare These two passions of desier and detestation are stirred vp with the same motives that love and hatred of abomination for as all the reasons apportable to render the thing amiable the same make it desiderable so all the inducements which perswade the obiect of hatred to be abominable all the same cause it seeme detestable As for example I have a vertuous friend whom I love intierly he converseth with Atheists the more I love him the more I hate Atheisme as evill to him and therefore I abhorre it should any way befall him I am moved to abominate it as an extreme evill for what can be more sottish then to deny a God whom all creatures confesse and say ipse fecit nos non ipsae nos he made vs and not we our selves what can be more beastly then not to acknowledge him nor his benefits who every moment powreth vpon vs sundry favours What horrible disorders should we see in the world if there were not supposed a God that governeth and knoweth all and at last with the ballance of his inflexible iustice will examine iudge and reward all No doubt but if Atheisme once enter into the hearts of men vertue will be despised and vice esteemed might will rule right and the rich oppresse the poore and epicurisme wil take full possession edamus bibamus cras moriemur let vs gull our selves with eating quaffing for after this life no other remaineth and therefore little it importeth vs to live like beasts and dye like dogs all these and many more such like arguments demonstrate the abomination of Atheisme and also perswade evidently the detestation of the same so that by applying the harmes or dammages of the evill considered in generall and absolutely in it selfe to my selfe or my friend whom I love we may easily force flight and detestation Feare is a flight of a probable evill imminent wherefore two things must be proved amplified to enforce feare first that the evill is great secondly that it is very likely to happen the excesse of the evill may be gathered out of the precedent discourses the likelyhood probability or certainty we draw from sundry circumstances as from our adversaries malice hatred against vs their craft deceit their former maner of proceeding wherunto we may annexe the impossibility or extreme difficulties to avoid it as their might and our weakenes their experience and our rawnesse so that where there is obstinate implacable hatred against vs knowledge and foresight how to overcome vs power and meanes to put in execution potent malice and hatred what wicked effect will not then follow The vicinitie also of the evill moveth much for dangers afarre off we little esteeme as subiect to sundry casualities and encounters but when they are neere and at the doore then it is time to be stirring If an Oratour would by the passion of feare move the Italians Almanes and Spanyards to ioyne in league and waâ—re vpon the Turke he might vrge them in this manner The Romanes in passed ages who with most carefull eye did foresee prevent the dangers of their Empire thought not themselves secure in Italy except the Carthaginians were vanquished but how much more neere are the Turkish Cities to Spaine Germany and Italy then Carthage was to Rome What a swift Navie of Gailies hath Danger imminent he alwayes prepared by Sea and therefore in one night may enter either the coasts of Italy or Spayne What an infinite Army as well of horsemen as footemen hath he alwayes in a readinesse to invade offend and ruine whom he wyll almost at vnawares at least them that border vpon him ere they can be halfe prepared Of what force is this tyrant The Romanes still lived in feare of the Carthaginians though divers times overcome by them and have not we much more reason to feare the Turkish puissance What fortresses hath he woon from Christians what Cities sackt what Provinces The Turks forces vanquished what Kingdomes subdued what Empires spoyled enioyed possessed Who ruleth now Africk The Turke either all or most Who signorizeth over Asia The Turke Who doth domineere over the greatest part of Europe The Turke his treasures are infinite his victuals abundant his people innumerable and so subiect and obedient that they repute it a favour to be bereaved of their lives at their Emperours pleasure Are all Princes Christian able to leavie and maintaine an army of 300000. fighting men Solyman brought so many before Vienna in Austria what wil such a world of combatents do nay what will they not do Cover the fields like Locusts in expugnation of Cities reare vp mountaines of earth in a moment fill vp ditches with dead corps of their owne men to scale the walles with the very sight of such an invincible multitude strike terrour and amazement in the hearts of all them that shall see them or heare of them His malice is The Turks hatred against Christians no lesse then his might what pretendeth he in Constantinople forsooth to be Emperour over all Europe and successor to Constantine the great this he claymeth as right this he meaneth to win by might this he resolveth to inioy at length Did he
that errours once drunke vp are quickly converted into nature and consequently sealed vp with vitious habites X. Of Distractions AS the earth vnmanured bringeth foorth brambles and briars with many stincking weedes and manured also springeth forth here and there darnell and cockle even so our vnderstanding if it be ill guided yeeldeth not only vayne discourses if it be ill guided yeeldeth not only vayne discourses but also in the middest of most serious meditations it blasteth foorth many impertinent distractions what exercise can be more holy than prayer and where occurre more impertinent thoughts than in the heate of such an holy exercise the which imperfection Saint Ierome feeling and Hieron in dial go adversus Lu. â—serianos lamenting sayd Nunc creberrimè c. Now most often in my prayer I walke in galleries now I reckon my gaines or withdrawne by some vncleane thought I do those things which are shamefull to be spoken Abraham could not offer sacrifice vnto God but with one hand he was constrayned to warde his offring from the molestfull crowes which were about him ready to carry it away Alas how often do the infernall kites seize vpon our soules and hinder the holy sacrifices of our prayers by impertinent thoughts In the depth of studies how oft do we proove that idle cogitations distract our minds and inforce them to wander in forraine countries in such sort as although the body be consistent in one place yet the soule runneth like a vagâ—ant person or rather slieth from country to country and almost in a moment sayleth over the immensive Ocean Sea wherevpon ensueth that the vse of a mans soule lieth not in his owne hands because his actions be subiect vnto so many interruptions which proceede eyther from the malignitie of the Divell the vehemence of some passion a strong imagination and deepe impression or an inconstant mind desirous of varietie and alteration The Defects and Imperfections of our Willes NOt only the land by the vniversall course of God was plagued with sterilitie and vnprofitable ofsprings but also the Sea bordering vpon the Land with horrible tempests mists rocks shelves and other miserable dangers whereupon poore Marriners miscarrie even so not only our vnderstanding by that bitter Apple which edged all mens teeth was distasted by ignorance and infected with errours but also our wills were troubled with tempests of wicked inclinations and shelves of vitious perversitie whereupon soules perish and fall into eternall calamitie Difficultie to do well ONe huge rocke I finde in this vast Ocean of our boundlesse Will common to all men and wherevnto all others may be reduced yet not in like degree I meane an exceeding difficultie to do well our vnderstandings I confesse must labor to find out the truth but no labour to be compared with the labor to do good few beasts you have which do themselves more ill than good and as few men which do themselves not more ill than good Were it not a miracle to see a mightie huge stone ascend by it selfe above all the cloudes or the Sunne descend to the earth Yes doubtlesse but why were this a myracle Because a stone by nature is inclined to descend and the Sunne to rowle about the world therefore it were a wonder to see them move against their owne inclinations As great and as strange a marvell it might seeme to see our wills so prone to vice to descend to the vayne pleasures and delights of the flesh because these motions are most opposite to their naturall and principall inclination for no wise man can be ignorant how the chiefest force of our will bendeth to follow the rule of reason prosecute vertue and honestie detest vice and iniquitie therefore to follow vertue is connaturall to affect vice a vitious miracle Notwithstanding we daily try what difficultie we find in the narrow way to goodnes and what extreame facilitie in the broad way of wickednes for one man that is vertuous how many thousands are vitious Whereupon commeth this notable excesse Of the extreme difficultie meÌ„ find in doing well which deterreth the most part of them from it the rootes of vertue sayeth one are bitter and therefore delicate lips will not taste them well-willers of vertue must resist flesh and blood which worldlings so beastly pamper and cruelly cherrish Yet I know some would desire to vnderstand from whence proceedeth this wonderfull difficultie â— we all prove to do well the reason which may moove a man to doubt questionlesse deserveth good consideration for if we that be Christians well expend what meanes we have to do good and what to do ill we shall finde that these be fewer in number and weaker in force and efficacie then the other the which I thought good briefly to set downe partly to declare our wilfulnes and perversitie who having so many meanes will not vse them partly to remember the Reader that hereafter he may benefit himselfe of them and be confounded for his misdemeanour in them We are moved to do well First by the law of nature imprinted in our harts like a lanterne or a torch to direct vs in the darkenes of the continuall night of this miserable life 2 Our will principally bendeth to follow this lawe as our hands and feet the direction of our eyes 3 The remorce of conscience which in the very act of sinning keepeth the watch of our soules adviseth vs by barking that enimies are present and after that we have sinned how the wall is broken and consequently opened to the invasion of infernall theeves 4 The infamie and discredit which waiteth vpon vice for such aversion all men by nature carry in theyr minds from sinne that no man can esteeme in his heart or love truely any vitious man 5 We see in every good common-weale vertuous men preferred esteemed and accounted of and therefore honos alit artes why then should not credit and reputation nourish and augment vertue 6 By naturall discourse a man may well perceive how the oyle of his carnall Lampe dayly consumeth the naturall heate vanisheth death approacheth and therefore why should not the vicinitie and certaintie of death cause him to leade a vertuous life 7 All states and kingdomes ordered by lawes and governed by reason appoynt punishments for vices according to their qualities for what meane prisons stocks fetters gives racks gallowes hatchets but to warne vs that their creation was for sinnes extirpation 8 Nothing can have more force to allure a man to do well than the peace and tranquillitie of the minde a quiet and serene conscience is iuge convivium this we gayne by vertue this we leese by vice 9 The Infidels brought vp in the mistie fogges of infidelity conceived a terrour of their gods iudgement thinking them ready to punish their sins and condemne their offences which feare even nature teacheth vs when we offend that God being most iust will not permit vnpunished iniustice 10 And did not the same Infidells expect Elizian
brimstone from heaven vpon those infamous citties of Sodome and Gomorrha Sinne many examples more I could bring out of the old Testament as deaths of private men Princes submersions of armies dispersions of Countries mortalitie of thousands famin warres plagues captivities and imprisonments for no other cause inflicted than wickednesse and sinne but let vs only fixe our eies vpon the Sonne of God nayled vpon the Crosse and we shall see how sinne mangled his body and afflicted his soule those nayles teares streames of blood exclamations gall and paines are monuments of sinne and memories of our perverse and wicked life 26 Above all other evils incident to an evill life of great force to restraine our vntoward willes from vice is the extreame iniurie we offer to God by sinne transgressing his lawe perverting his order disposition and providence iniuring his infinite goodnes which ought of all creatures to be beloved despising his Maiestie to which as to their last end all men ought to direct their actions And finally shewing our selves vngratefull to his love the which ought to be affected with all submission obedience and gratitude 27 What can more deterre men from wickednesse then their owne private losse or move them more to vertue then their owne present gaine By vice our soules are spoyled of their riches their most precious robes heavenly attire by vertue they are apparelled by vice they are wounded even to the centre by vertue they are healed by vice they are impoverished by vertue enriched by vice they are defiled by vertue cleansed by vice they become dennes of devils by vertue seates of Angels 28 But some will obiect the soule is spirituall and her losses cannot so well be perceived but if we had some palpable sensible motives to draw vs from vice to vertue then the case would be altered But sensible reasons want not and no day or hower passeth wherein appeareth not some silent sermon or reall perswasion to avoyd sinne and follow goodnes Do we not see dayly men dye is not death of the body caused by the death of the soule is it not an effect of Adams originall disobedience Whence-from proceed so many diseases plagues and pestilences that Phisitians braines are troubled to know their number for the multitude or reduce them to method they are so disordered But say what brought first hunger and thirst sweate and labour toyling and moyling into this world but our forefathers gluttonie What made so many poore men such a number of beggars but Adams originall theft what causeth our dayes to be so short that many drop away in the very prime of their yeeres few come to the time their complexion requireth the strongest scarce arriveth to a hundred yeeres but our progenitours inordinate appetite of Divinitie and consequently of eternitie finally the terror of death ever imminent the dayly crosses in common conversation the distonsorted courses of the heavens with their influences tempests and stormes contrary to the generation and increase of fruites of the earth the disobedience of beasts the cruelty of men the craft and cosinage we dayly prove all descend from sinne and well admonish vs that if one sinne deserved so many so long so great punishments what will a multitude 29 Wicked men do not only by offences iniurie the maiestie of God but also they abuse his gifts and benefits not only like Scorpions they kill their mother before they be hatched but also like vngratefull debtours oppugne their creditours with their own goods for the vngodly vse that will God gave them to love him to hate him that wit he bestowed vpon them to meditate vpon his law commandements they pervert by thinking how to transgresse them that hart he imparted to affect their neighbours in pure love and charitie that they defile with malice and dishonestie that tongue he lent them to vtter his prayses that they blot with othes and blasphemies those hands he framed as flowing conduits to feede the poore those are wholy imployed to avarice and rapine and to be briefe that vniversall body and soule which ought to have bin kept in holines and sanctification they abuse to offend God with sinne and prevarication 30 To conclude all creatures which God created for the vse of man and as servants attended vpon him as their maister all they I say exclaime against a vitious life they are so many trumpets which cease not to sound the abuses we offer them by offending their Maker the Sunne giveth the light to worke works of light not to live in the shadow of darknes the Moone with her fecunditie inviteth thee to bring forth fruites of iustice and not iniquitie the harmonie of the heavens the multitude varietie brightnes of so many Starres and Planets exhort thee to subordinate thy soule to God to adorne thy minde with vertue to give good example and shine vnto men by a godly conversation Isay 24. 23. for otherwise in signe of revenge before the day of Mat. 24. 29. iudgement they will withdraw theyr beames fall from heaven vpon thee shew themselves as disdainefull to behold Mark 13. 24. sinners as sinners were carelesse to enioy the benefite of their influences and operations to the glory Wisd 5 18. Armabit creaturam ad vltionem immicorum of God and the profite of their soules By this it appeareth what abundance of meanes God hath imparted to vs to the intent all difficulties in the way of Vertue might with facility bee over-commed some be internall some externall some of grace some of nature some instructing the vnderstanding some inclining the affection some continuall some by turnes and to be briefe no man can say that God hath beene a niggard with him but that he hath beene vnanswerable to God The Impediments to Vertue MAn in this world standeth in the middest betwixt God and the divell both pretend to win him to their Kingdomes God to eternall pleasure Sathan to eternall payne God by his power could quickely deliver him and breake all the bondes and chaynes wherewith the divell did or doth bind him but his wisedome thought good not to admit any man of wisedome and discretion to his friendship without his ownâ— consent for as Saint Augustine saith Qui creavit te sine te non iustificabit te sine te He that created thee without thee that is thy consent or cooperation will not iustifie thee without thee that is thy consent cooperation Wherefore wee see Christ in Scriptures so often asked them whom he cured in body and healed in soule Vis Iohn 5. 6. Mat. 9. 2. 22. Luke 8. 50. sanus esse confide crede and such like speeches which signifie that hee would not cure any but them who were willing wherefore God would not oppose all his power and might against our ghostly enemies but onely such sweete meanes as might procure our assent and yet able to overthrow all the troupes of our adversaries he beats at