a step by which through prayer and meditation wee may Ascend vnto God For surely it is more easie to Ascend with Elias in a Chariot of Fire then of Earth Water or Ayre to make a Ladder Let vs therefore consider the properties of the Fire The fire is of such a nature that in diuers thinges it worketh after a diuerse and often after a contrary manner Wood Hay and stubble it burneth presently Gold Siluer and precious stones it maketh more pure and bright Iron which of it owne nature is blacke colde hard and heauy the Fire so changeth into contrary quallities that forthwith it becommeth white hot soft and light yea to shine like a starre to burne like fire to melt like water and to bee so light that the Smith may easily mooue and remoue it as he pleaseth All these thinges doe manisestly agree vnto Almighty God For Wood Hay and stubble according to the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians signifie Euill workes which cannot indure the fire of Gods Iudgement 1 Cor 3 And truly it is vncredible how greatly all sinne displeaseth God who is a Most pure Fire and with what zeale he consumeth and destroyeth it if by repentance it may be destroyed that is If the sinner bee in state to repent But if hee be not capable of repentance as the Deuils are not nor men after this life then is Gods wrath turned vpon him For to God the impious and his impiety are odious alike saith the wise man Wis 14 And how exceeding great this hatred is the Deuill can witnes who sinned once and being a most noble Angell Greg. lib. 32 moral c 24 alias 18 and as St. Gregory saith Prince of the first Order and the most excellent of Gods Creatures was notwithstanding presently cast downe from Heauen depriued of all beauty and supernaturall grace changed into a most deformed monster and condemned vnto eternall punishment Our Sauiour Christ can witnesse who descended from Heauen to destroy the Workes of the Deuill to wit sinnes Ioh. 3 and therefore hee is called The Lambe of God that taketh away the Sinnes of the world Ioh. 1 But who is able to declare or conceiue what our Sauiour suffered to destroy the workes of the Deuill and perfectly to satisfie the iustice of God Who when hee was in the forme of God tooke the forme of a Seruant Being made poore for vs when as he was rich Hee had not where to repose his head albeit hee made Heauen and Earth He came into his owne Phil. 2 2 Cor. 8 Luk. 9 Ioh â— 1 Pet 2 and his owne receaued him not Who when hee reuiled did not reuile When hee suffered he threatned not but deliuered himselfe to him that iudged him vniustly Who himselfe bare our Sinnes in his body vpon the tree Phil 2 1 Pet 2 He humbled himselfe made obedient vnto death euen the death of the Crosse By whose stripes wee are healed Lastly hee was mocked spitten on whipped crowned with thornes and being crucified with exceeding ignominy and paine he rendred vp his life to destroy the workes of the Deuill and to wipe away our sinnes The Law of God can witnes which prohibiteth and punisheth all sin yea leaneth not one idle worde vnpunished Mat 12 How greatly then doth God abhorr enormious crymes that cannot indure one idle worde Psal 18 The Law of our Lord is imaculate the precept of our Lord lightsome detesting sinne and darkenesse for betweene light and darkenesse 2 Cor. 6 iustice and iniquitie there can be no society Hell also can witnesse which God hath prepared for sinners who when as they had time neglected or refused to be washed with the blood of the immaculate Lambe For it is iust that they who haue committed Eternall sinnes should haue eternall punishments But what and how great the paines of Hell are is horrible to thinke Whereof we wil speak more in the last step Therefore my soule since Gods hatred is so great against sin if thou louest God aboue all thinges thou oughtest also to hate sinne aboue all thinges Take heed they deceaue thee not who vse to extenuate or excuse sinne Looke also that thou deceaue not thy selfe with false reasons for if sinne displease thee not both in thy selfe and others thou louest not God and if thou louest not God thou art vndone Againe if thou bee not vngratefull vnto Christ how greatly mayst thou reckon thy selfe indebted to his loue laboures blood and death Who hath washed thee from sinne and reconciled thee to his father And shall it then be greeuous vnto thee to suffer somewhat for Christ or for his sake by his grace to resist sinne euen vnto blood Lastly if thou canst not patiently indure the Hell of eternal fire surely thou oughtest not patiently to indure sinne but As from the face of a Serpent flye from it Eccle. 21 and from euery light occasion or suspition thereof Endeauour therfore all thou mayst to hate sinne aboue all things and to loue God aboue all things The fire also destroyeth not but perfecteth and purisieth golde Cap. 2 siluer and pretious stones For as the same Apostle doth there declare those mettalls signifie good workes which are approoued by the fire of Gods iudgement 1 Cor. 3 These workes God doth approoue because they are his guiftes And when he crowneth our merits saith St Augustine Con. 2. in psal 70 he crowneth his guiftes For they are done by his commandement asistance and powre and by the lawe and precepts which he hath appointed Gold also signifieth the Werkes of Charâ—â— 1 Ioh. 4 and how can the workes of Charitie but please God since God himselfe is Charitie Siluer signifieth the workes of Wisdome Dan. 12. to wit of them that instruct mony vnto iustice And they also are very pleasing and acceptable vnto God For the Wisdome of God saith Mat. 5 He that shall doe and teach he shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen Pretious stones are the workes of a continent soule of which Ecclesiasticus speaketh Eccle. 26 All Weight is not worthy a continuent soule And that is the cause why in the office of the Church the Gospell of One pretious Pearle found is read in the praise of holy virgins Math. 13 And how greatly the puritie of virginitie is pleasing to God may be vnderstood by the Prophet Esay who by Gods appointment and in his name prophesied vnto such Eunuches as haue gelt themselues for the Kingdome of heauen Math. 19 I will giue vnto them in my house and with my walles a place Isay 56 and a name better then Sonnes and Daughters An euerlasting name will I giue them which shall not perish Which place St. De Sanct virg c. 21 24 Augustine in his booke of holy virginitie excellently declareth to be vnderstood of holy virgins of either sex And these three sortes of workes by the consent of
to be of their nearenesse subiection and coniunction with God the Father of Light The Moone signifieth Man the Sunne God When the Moone is opposite against the Sunne then with her light borrowed from the Sunne she onely beholdeth the Earth and turneth her backe as it were to Heauen Therfore she then appeareth very beautifull to the Inhabitants of the Earth but very deformed to those in Heauen Euen so Men when they are farr from God as that prodigall Son that departed froÌ„ his Father went into a far Countrey then doe they abuse the light of reason which they receiued froÌ„ him to behold the earth onely are altogether occupied in getting the wealth therof And then of the children of this world they are accounted wise and happy But of the heauenly Cittizens they are esteemed Poore Apoc. 3 and blinde naked deformed and miserable Againe when the Moone is vnder yâ— Sun or very near it she then shineth in the higher part and onely beholdeth Heauen turning as it were her back to the Earth vanishing from the eyes of men Euen so when a sinner beginneth to returne vnto virtue and to be truely subiected vnto God the true Sunne of Soules by Humility and ioyned vnto him by Charity then will he fulfill that which the Apostle aduiseth Col 3 Seeke the thinges that are aboue where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God and minde the thinges that are aboue not the thinges that are vpon the Eâ—rth And then shall hee be dispised by fond Worldlings and accompted a dead man For indeed he is dead to the world And his life is hid with Christ in God But when Christ shall appeare his Life Then he also shall appeare with Christ in Glory as the same Apostle saith in that place And this is the cause as St. Epist 19 c. 4 5 6 Augustine in his Epistle to Ianuarius hath noted why the Pasch of our Lord neither in the olde or new Law could be rightly Celebrated vntill the full Moone were past to wiâ—t vntill the Moone which at the full is opposite beginneth by conuersion to returne to coniunction with the Sunne For God by this coelestial Planet would shew how by the Passion and Resurrection of Christ Man that was opposite vnto God by his iniquity should begin to returne vnto God and by the merites of Iesus Christ seeke to vnite himselfe vnto his grace But thou my soule if perhapps by Gods grace thou finde thy selfe subiected in true humility vnto the Father of Light and ioyned vnto him in feruent Charity doe not imitate sooles who Are changed as the Moâ—ne Eccle 27 but emulate Wise men which remainâ— as the Sunne as Ecclesiasticus witnesseth For the Moore increafeth quickly and decreaseth But if thou be wise abandon not grace once receiued depart not from it for nothing canst thou finde better in any place Neither knowest thou hauing once lost it whether thou shalt returne to it any more for hee that promised pardon and grace vnto the penitent hath not promised the Guift of repentance or a long life vnto thee Therefore thou mayest without feare turne thy backe to the Earth and behold thy Sunne Râ—st delight and remaine in him Say with the Apostle St. Mat. 17 Peter It is good for vs to be here Epist Ad Com. And with the Martyr Ignatius It is better for me to liue with Christ then to rule the Earth Care not what they thinke of thee which loue the world for he is not approued whom the world coÌ„mendeth but whom God coÌ„mendeth The Moone hath also an other property Cap 5 which God is accustomed to vse towardes his elect For the Moone gonerneth the night as the Sunne the day saith Moses in Genesis Gen. 7 and Dauid in the Psalmes Psal 135 but the Sun shineth all day long the Moone somtime in the night casteth a great light somtimes a small and sometimes none at all So God like the Sunne alwayes shineth vpon the holy Angels and blessed Soules which inioy perpetuall day For theresh all be no night there saith St. Iohn in the Apocalips but in this night of our Pilgrimage and banishment Apoc. 21 2 Cor. 5 In which we walke by Faith and not by Sight And Attend to holy Scripture as to a candle shining in a darke place as St. Peter saith in his last Epistle 2 Pet 1 God like the Moone doth sometime visite and illuminate our hearts and sometime leaueth vs in the darknes of desolation Yet thou oughtest not my soule to be too sorrowfull albeit thou enioy not the Light of consolation nor reioyce too much if shortly after thou breathe in the Light of comfortable Deuotion For God is as the Moone and not as the Sunne in the night of this world Neither doth hee onely appeare vnto vs poore and vnperfect creatures sometimes as a Moone full of the Light of Consolation and sometimes without Light leauing vs in the darke night of Desolation For the Apostle St. Paul the vessell of election who was rapt into the Third Heauen 2 Cor. 12 and heard secret wordes which is not lawfull for a man to speake saith sometimes 2 Cor. 7 I am replenished with Consolation I dâ—e exceedingly abouâ—d in ioy in all our tribulation And sometimes he sigheth and lamenteth saying Rom 7 I see another Law in my members repugning to the Law of my minde and captiuing me in the Law of sinne that is in my members Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death 21 Cor. 1 And in his last vnto the Corinthians We will not haue you ignorant Brethren concerning our tribulation which hath happened in Asia that we were pressed aboue measure aboue our power so that it was teadious vnto vs euen to liue And thus as St. Iohn Chrysostome noteth God dealeth with all his Saints Hom. 8 in Math. to wit not suffering them to haue continuall tribulations nor to enioy continuall consolations but in an admirable varietie of prosperitie and aduersitie to spend as it were their liues Thus much of the moone The Starres also are numbred among the ornaments of heauen Cap. 6 of which Ecclesiasticus saith The glory of the starres is the beauâ—y of heauen but he presently addeth Eccle. 43 Our Lord illuminating the world on high For all the beauty of the Starrs Sunne and Moone proceedeth from God the Father of light neither doth the Sunne by day or Moone and starrs by night giue light but it is Our Lord that dwelleth on high who by the Sun Moone starrs giueth light to the world For it is he who as the Prophet Baruch speaketh Baruch 3 Sendeth forth light and it goeth hath called it it obeyeth him with trembling And the starrs haue giuen light in their watches and reioyced they were called and they sayd here we are they haue shined to him with checrefulnesse
without ceasing but there are innumerable Angels and holy men which heare them and are delighted therewith and they also with Hymnes and songes continually prayse their maker But to proceed The length of Gods essence is his eternitie Cap. 4 which neither hath beginning of duration nor euer shall haue end but is alwayes the same without any change Psal 101 Thou art saith Dauid the selfesame and thy yeares shall not fayle Tobyas also Tob 13 1 Tim. 6 and after him the Apostle calleth God The king of worlds because he onely was before all worlds is not subiect to worldes but ruleth and gouerneth them Other thinges haue beginning and end and neuer continue in the same state Or els they haue beginning without end or change of substance yet if their maker please they may cease to be Eternitie therfore is proper to God onely Nor was there euer any Prince so prowde that among his many other Tytles durst arrogate to himselfe the tytle of eternall except perhaps in an other seÌ„ce As Constantius who was called eternal Emperour because he was not Emperour for a certaine time but for terme of life But thou my soule mayst be numbred among both kindes of Creatures For thou hast a body which began to be when it was conceaued and borne and by degrees it grewe to that stature which God appointed then it began to decrease and shortly by death it shall cease to be Therefore it neuer wholy continueth in the same state but is euery hower subiect to change Of thy body the Prophet spake this sentence resembling it to Hay In the morning as an hearbe hee shall passe Psal 89 in the morning he shall flourish and passe in the euening he shall fall be hardened and withered For in the morning to wit in Childhood Mans body flourisheth like an bearbe and soone after followeth youth In the Noone-tyde of youth it flourisheth and soone after followeth olde age in the euening of olde age it falleth by death and in the graue it is hardened withered and turned to dust Beholde therefore O my soule how farre thy bodie is from eternitie But thou wast created in time where as before thou wast nothing and therein thou â—rt farre vnlike thy eternall Creator but being created thy duration is endlesse wherein thou dost resemble thy Creator And because whiles thou art in the body thou changest often from vice to vertue and from vertue to vice And according to the state in which thou shalt be found at thy departure from the body thou shalt be iudged either to raigne for euer with God or for euer to be tormented with the Deuill therefore thou oughtest to haue a very great care to eschew vice and to follow vertue Take heede then least thou be seduced by the allurements of thy flesh to the euerlasting perdition both of thy selfe and it Gal 5 but rather Crucifie it with the vices and concupiscences thereof that thou mayst hereafter liue eternally and thy flesh may rise in glory and in glory remaine with thee for all eternitie But although the Angells and soules of Saintes are to be partakers of eternitie in that high and happy Vnion with God by his beatifying vision and loue which vnion shall continue for euer without change yet may they alter change their thoughts affections and places after diuers manners therefore they shall alwaies reuereÌ„tly admire Gods eternitie aboue them in whom can be no change of thought affection or place for he wanteth nothing but hath all things present which in eternitie of time he might by diuers changings haue procured Therefore eternitie is a length without end no lesse proper to God then the breadth of his immensitie It followeth then Cap. 5 that we consider the Height of God of whom it is sayd Thou onely the Highest Psal 82 For God is most heigh in excellencie of Nature Other thinges are the more heigh and excellent the more pure they are and more free from matter This is euident first in corporall things For the Water is higher then the Earth because it is more pure and for the same cause the Ayer is higher then the Water and the Fire then the Ayer and the Heauen then the Fire The like also wee finde in Spirituall thinges for the vnderstanding is higher then the sence because the sence hath a Corporal organ which the vnderstanding needeth not Likewise the vnderstanding of Angels is higher then mans Because Mans vnderstanding needeth the helpe of Imagination and Phantasie which Angells need not and among Angells they are the Highest which vnderstand most by fewest Formes God therefore who is A pure Act needeth neither Organ nor Imagination nor Forme nor the presence of any Obiect without himselfe for his essence is to him all thinges Neither can he haue any thing which he hath not alwayes actually had and to haue Alwayes actually is alwayes to be a Pure and simple Act Therefore the Nature of God is most high and which cannot by any meanes haue an equall For which cause he who said I will be like to the Highest Isay 14 was suddainly cast downe from Heauen into the lowest Hell as Esay doth describe And Christ our Lord saith of him Luke 10 I saw Sathan as a lightning fall from Heauen God also is most High for that he is the first and Highest efficient exemplar and finall cause of all thinges He is the highest efficient cause for that there is no Creature which hath any working vertue but from God but God receiueth not from any other Againe no cause can worke vnlesse it be moued by God but God is mooued by no other Moreouer among Creatures such causes are said to be highest whiah are vniuersall and of whom particular causes depend As the Heauens and Angells which moue the Heauens but God made both the Heauens and Angells He therefore is the first and highest efficient cause And hee is the first exemplar cause for he made all thinges according to the Ideas or Formes which in him selfe he hath Lastly hee is also the first Finall cause For hee created all thinges for himselfe Pro. 16 to witt for manifestation of his glory as the wise man saith in the Prouerbes Moreouer God is most high because he sitteh in a most high Throne I saw our Lord saith Isay sitting vpon an high Throne and eleuated Isay 6 A seate hath two vses the one to Iudge the other to rest in let vs then consider each of them apart First God hath a most Throne because hee is the Highest Iudge For Abraham said vnto God Gen. 18 Psal 81 Thou doest iudge all the Earth And Dauid In the middes hee iudgeth goddes That is God iudgeth the Iudges themselues who in the Scripture are called Goddes And St. Iames saith plainly Iam 4 There is one Law-maker and Iudge That is to say God onely is the true Law-maker and Iudge For he onely giueth Lawes to all
thinke hee offended if being at his Prayers his minde wandered after vayne phantasies When any such thing happened hee spared not Confession but foorthwith made satisfaction This course hee practised so often that seldome was he troubled with those molestations Oâ—ce in a time of Lent he had made a little Basket to passe away some short vacation without being altogether vnocupied which comming to his minde when he said his Houres did somewhat distract it Wherefore being mooued with zeale of Spirit hee burned the basket sâ—â—ing I will sacrifice it to God whose Sacrifice it hindred Therefore distraction of minde in time of Prayer and praising God is not so small an offence as many imagine but great is the Mercy and Longanimitie of God in that hee is no more angry nor presently punisheth vs therefore Next followeth the Height of Gods Mercy Cap. 3 which is taken from the cause moouing God to mercy And truely it is most High and exalted aboue all the Heauens according to that of the Psalmes Lord thy mercy is â—n Heauen Psal 35 And Mercy shall be built vp for euer in the Heauens â—sal 88 Some men haue mercy of other men because they need their helpe and this indeed is the lowest degree of mercy for it goeth not beyond priuate commodity After which manner we also haue compassion of our Horses Dogges and Cattle Others haue mercy by reason of Consanguinity or friendship to witt because they are their Children Brothers Familiars or Friendes and this degree is a little higher and beginneth to haue the Forme of a vertue Lastly others haue mercy because they are their neighbours to wit men as they are made by the same God and of the same molde And therefore they respect not whether they be their friends or enimies good or euill country-men or strangers but they take compassion of all whom they know created according to Gods Image and this is the highest degree of mercy to which mortall men can ascend But God hath mercy vpon all thinges because they are his Creatures and especially vpon men because they are his Images And more especially vpon the righteous because they are his Children heyres of his Kingdome and coheyres of his Onely begotten Sonne But if thou aske why God created the world Why hee made man to his likenesse Why he iustifieth the wicked and adopteth them to be his Children and heyres of his Kingdome Nothing can be answered but because he so would And why would he so but because he is Good For Goodnesse is liberall and doth willingly bestow it selfe Mercy therefore is built vp in Heauen Psal 88 and from a most high habitation to wit from the Heart of the Highest she descended to the Earth and filled it as was foretolde by the Prophet Psal 32 The earth is full of the mercy of our Lord. Lift vp now my soule the eyes of thy minde to that most high fountaine of mercy Consider the absolute purity thereof not mixed with any intention of priuate commodity And when thon hearest the Maister of all exhorting and saying Luk. 6 Be yee therefore mercifull as also your Father is mercifull endeauour all thou canst to haue compassion of thy fellow seruants with that pure affection wherewith thy Heauenly Father hath compassion of vs. If thou forgiue an iniury forgiue it with a true heart and commit to perpetuall forgetfulnesse euery offence For Our Father forgetteth our offences as the Prophet Ezechiell writeth Ezech. 18 And As farre as the East is distant from the West Psal 112 doth he make our iniquityes farre from vs as Dauid speakteh If thou giue an Almes to the poore make account thou dost rather receiue then giue Because hee lendeth our Lord that hath mercy on the poore Pro. 19 Giue it therefore with humity and reuerence not as an Almes to the poore but as a guift to a Prince If thou suffer any discommodity to benefit thy poore neighbour thinke yet how sarre thou commest short of thy Lord who to benefite thee gaue his bloud and life So shalt thou without hope of earthly reward without any motion of vaine glory meerly for the loue of God thy neighbour profite in the vertue of mercy It remaineth that we consider the Depth of Gods mercy Cap. 4 For as the height thereof appeareth chiefly in the cause so the Depth thereof is seene especially in the effect That mercy therefore is not said to be deepe but rather shallow and superficiall which descendeth but to wordes onely That deeper which comforteth the needy not onely with wordes but also with deeds That most deepe which not onely with wordes and deedes conforteth them but also endureth laboures and dolours for their sakes God therefore whose mercie is infinite hath beene mercifull vnto vs after all these manners For first he sent vs letters of comfort to wit the holy Scriptures whereof the Machabies speake Mach. 12 We haue for our comfort the holy Bookes that are in our handes Neither doth he speake to to vs by letters onely but also by the Sermons of Preachers Which are Legates of Christ 2 Cor 4 and by inward inspirations promising vs his helpe and protection I will heare saith Dauid what our Lord will speake in me Psal 84 because he will speake peace vpon his people and vpon his Saintes and vpon them that are conuerted to the hart Secondly the benefits of Gods mercies against our manifold miseries both spirituall and temporall are so many that they cannot be numbred For euery where He crowneth vs in mercie â—sal 102 and commiserations That is he compasseth vs about euery where with the benefits of his mercie Thirdly Gods mercie deseended by the mysterie of the holy Incarnation to labours and dollours to hunger and thirst to ignominyes and reproches to stripes and woundes and to the death of the Crosse to redeeme vs from our sinnes and from eternall death due vnto vs therefore Is there any greater depth to which Gods mercy did descend Yes surely For he did all these thinges not of dutie but out of Loue. Iay 53 He was offered saith the Prophet because himselfe would For who compelled the sonne of God Who thought it no robbery phil 2 himselfe to be equall to the Father but â—e exiranitâ—d himselfe taking the forme of a seruant 2 Cor 8 To be made poore for vs that by his pouerty we might be rich Phil 2 â— To be humbled vnto death euen the death of the Crosse to exalt vs Truely loue onely compelled him mercy onely constreyned him It also descendeth yet farther For he would in the worke of our saluation bestowe on vs honour and glorie That diuision which the Angels made seemed very fit Glory in the highest to God Luk 2 and in earth peace honour be to God and profit to men But Gods mercie would haue all the profite to be ours and part of the glorie to be his and
a drop of colde water Luk 16 shall not be heard Moreouer those proude vaine glorious men with in this life would suffer no disgrace But preferred their honour and estimation before all thinges whatsoeuer shall in that Theater of all mankinde and of all the Angells then the which a greater neuer was nor shall be see all their offences reuealed although they were done in darknesse and kept in the closet of their heartes As Treasons Theftes Incâ—sts Sacriledge and the like For as the Apostle saith in his first Epistle to the Corinthians When our Lord shall come to Iudge the world he will lighten 1 Cor. 4 the hidden thinges of darkenesse and will manifest the councells of the hearts and then the praise shall be to euery man of God And then without doubt the dispraise shall also be to euery wicked and vnrighteous man of God But the disgrace and confusion of the wicked in that Theatre shall be so great that St. Basill in his exposition of the three and thirtieth Psalme doubteth not to say That it shall be the greatest of all punishments especially to Hypocrites and to the proude and vaine glorious which accompted honour as a God or rather as an Idoll in this world But if these thinges which we haue said of the losse of all goods both Coelestiall and Terrestriall and of most vnsufferable dolours ignominies disgraces were to haue end or at least some kinde of comfort or mittigation as all miseries in this life haue they might in some sort be thought tollerable But since it is most certaine and vndoubted that as the happinesse of the blessed shall continue for euer without mixture of misery so likewise shall the vnhappinesse of the damned continue for euer without mixture of comfort Truly therefore are they most blinde and 〈…〉 â—hich endeauour not all they may through any tribulations dangers infamy and death which the Apostle calleth Momentary and light to come to the Kingdome of Heauen and happinesse thereof 1 Cor 4 And if perhappes any one wonder why God who is most mercifull Cap. 5 hath appointed such terrible and continuall punishments for mens sinnes which are soone passed ouer and seeme not to be so great Let him heare St. Austeâ— in his bookes of the Citty of God Lib. 14 cap. 15 Quisquis hâ—â—smâ—di dâ—mnationem c. Whosoeuer saith he thinketh this condemnation too rigorous or vniust knoweth not truely how to measure iniquity in sinning where there is such facility of sinning And after For who can sufficiently declare how wicked a thing it is not to obey in a matter so easie coÌ„manded by so great power threatâ—ed with so great puâ—â—shment St. Aâ—gustine speaketh of Adems sin but the same reason holdeth in all sinnes For if we ballance it truely and not deceiptfully we shall finde that euery mortall sinne is exceeding great in 3. respects First it is a dreadfull thing that the Creature should not obey the Creator seeing the dignity of the Creator is infinitely distant from the basenes of the Creature The Creature is also by nature the seruant the Creator is by nature the Lord and whatsoeuer the creature hath it receiueth froÌ„ the Creator but the Creator receiueth nothing froÌ„ it Secondly although the commaundements of the Creator were heauy yet ought the Creature to obey them 1 Ioh. 1 But his Commaundements are not heauy And our Sauiour saith That his yoake is sweete Math. 1â— and burthen light How great an offence then is it for wormes of the earth not to obey their Creator in so easie a matter Thirdly if God had not threatned the punishment of eternall death vnto sinners Men might herhapps haue excused their sinnes but seeing he hath so often and so plainly threatned it by his Prophets and Apostles what sinner can excuse his coÌ„tumacy Lastly if the sinne of the damned were not eternall we might meruaile why the punishment thereof should be eternall but seeing the abstinacy of the damned is eternal why should wee wonder if their punishment be also eternall And this wilfull obstinacy in wickednes which is both in the damned and in the Deuils I say this peruerse will which is in them auerted from God the cheife Happinesse shall so for euer remaine maketh holy men more to feare a mortall sinne then Hell fire Heare what Edinerus an EnglishmaÌ„ writeth of St. Ansclme in the 2. booke of his life My Conscience saith he heareth 〈◊〉 witnesse I lye not That we haue often heard him Anâ—â—â—me to protest by the testimony of truth That if hee might corporally beholde of one side the horror of Sinne and of the other side the paines of Hâ—â—l and that of necessity he must be drowned in one of them hee would rather choose Hell then Since Another thing he vsed likewise to say which to some perhappes will seeme as strange as the former To wit That he had rather haue Hell without sinne then the Kingdome of Heauen with sinne If this holy man did both speake feele these thinges for that being illuminated by God hee knew sin was more greeuous then the paines of Hell how much more will God who penetrateth the malice vncleanesse and peruersnes of sinne to the bottome truly iudge that the punishment which he hath appointed from all eternity for sinne is most due thereunto Therfore O my soule be not deceiued be not seduced be not like to those Tim. 1â— Who say they knon God but by their deeds deny him For many haue faith in habite but not in acte like a sworde in a scabbard For if they did actually beleeue aâ—â— beleeuing did seriously consider that God is faithfull and iust and hath indeed prepared most grieuous and euerlasting punishmentes without any mixture of comfort for the wicked It could not be that they would do the thinges they doe And drinke as it is said in the booke of Iob iniquity as water Iob. 15 To wit so easily so merily so without feare coÌ„mit many great sins as if rewardes and not punishmentes were due vnto sinners But beleeue thou I say most assuredly and belieuing ofteÌ„ remember that God is in this life The Father of mercyes 2 Cor. 1 and ready mercifully to pardon the sins of all that truely repent and the after this life he will become The God of Reuenge Psal 93 and execute the punishments he hath prepared for them by his Prophets and Apostles commaunded to be Preached coÌ„mitted to writing for the Memory of posterity And in so doing it will come to passe that being lifted vp as it were with two winges to wit the Feare of most intollerable punishments Hope of most great rewardes thou maist passe ouer this life with safety and come vnto the rest of life euerlasting Amen Amen Laus Deo qui dedit velle perficere The faultes escaped in printing we trust the gentle Reader will of his curtesie easily amend and pardon FINIS
teares that while time serueth they may be clensed and washed away by thy grace Amen THE THIRTEENTH STEPP From the Consideration of Gods practicall Wisdome WE haue considered the speculatiue Wisdome of God Cap. 1 Let vs now consider his practicall wisdome which also we may call Effectiue This Wisdome hath her Bredth Length Height and Depth The bredth is knowne by the Creation the length by the Preseruation of thinges created the height by the worke of Redemption the depth by Prouidence predestination And to begin from the Creation Psal 103 God hath made all thinges in wisdome as it is said in the Psalme Ecclus 1 And hath powred her out vpon all his workes as Ecclesiasticus writeth As therefore by the Creation of all thinges of nothing wee knowe the power of their Maker So likewise by the admirable work-manshippe which we beholde in euery one of them we wonder at the wisdome of the same Maker Wisd 11 For he hath dispâ—sed all thinges in meâ—sare â—nd number and weight as the wise Man saith And with this sauour God hath seasonâ—â— alâ— things that thereby we may 〈…〉 to knowe 〈…〉 aâ—â—able and desâ—â—â—able Wâ—sdoâ—â— it selfe is All creatures therefore haue a certaine measure number and weight First to distinguish them from God who hath no Measure because he is immense nor Number because he is most perfectly and simply One in Essence Nor Weight because his prise and value exceedeth all estimation Secondly for that they are good and beautifull as Moyses truely sayd Gen 1â— God saw all things that he had made and they were very good All thinges therefore haue that Measure which is needful for them to obtaine the end for which they are made in such sort that there can be no addition or substraction therein but forthwith the thing becommeth deformed vnprofitable and lesse good then before Eccle 3 God made all thinges good in their time saith the Preacher Wee cannot add any thing nor take away any from those thinges which God hath made that he may be feared God therfore hath giuen to the heauen a most large Measure that it might containe all thinges belowe within the compasse thereof To the ayre much lesse then to the heauen yet greater then to the earth and waters which make one Globe enclosed round about by the ayre To an Elephant he hath giuen a great measure of body that he might be able to carry great burthens and Castles full of men To a Horse a body somewhat lesse because he is to carry but one ryder Birdes he hath made small that they might hang their Neastes vpon the boughes of Trees Bees and Antes the least of al that they might â—ide themselues in their Hiues or in holes of the earth The like we may say of Number God hath made but one Sunne because one Sunne suffised to giue light to the whole earth and with his brightnesse to make the day He made also but one Moone because one Moone suffised to giue light in the night Yet would he haue many starres that when as the Sunne and Moon were both absent as at their comunction it happeneth they might in some sort put away the darkenesse of the night Neither hath he onely assigned a necessary Number to all thinges ingenerall but also hath appointed to each thing in particular such Number of partes that there can nothing be added or taken away God hath giuen a man two eyes two eares two handes two feete one nose one mouth one breast one head And he hath appeared a very beautifull and comely creature Change this order Let a man haue one eye two noses one â—are two mouthes one hand one foote two breastes or two heades and nothing can be more vnseemely or more deformed Moreouer God hath giuen Weight to wit that estimation to euery Creature as the Nature thereof doth require By the name of Weight or price we vnderstand such qualities as make thinges good and pretious And they are in number three Necessary partes that nothing be superfluous or defecture Commensuration or an apt proportion of partes And an externall amiable colour of the body with such internall vertues as shall be profitable and necessary for diuers actions But it is merueylous to consider what vertue God hath giuen to sundry very small and slender Creatures that as his power is in great so his wisdome might be seen in small-thinges Who can conceaue what vertue is in a graine of Mustard-seede which is the least of all seeds so that the eye can hardly discerne it and yet so great a tree lyeth hidden therein That the Foules of the 〈◊〉 come and dwell in the braunches thereof as the Truth speaketh in the Gospell Math 3 Neither is this proper to Mustard seede onely but common to all other seedes in whose vertue lyeth hidd the roots stâ—mms branches leaues blossomes and fruite of great trees Truely if we did not know this by experience we should not easily perswade men that from so small a seede so many sundry great thinges could euer spring Who likewise would imagine that an Ant a Ghat a Hea and such small câ—â—atures had seete which speedily mooue a head a hart inward and outward senses and prudence and iudgement after their manner although very vnperfect Who also would suppose that in these and such like small creatures there should be such force to pierce and enter the quicke flesh that they become not onely very troublesome to men but also to Elephantes and Lyona whome they terrifie Great therefore is our Lord and great is his Wisdome both in great thiâ—ges and in small The Prince of Phisitions although an Ethnicke did sometimes wonder at the cunning workmanship which God hath wrought in a mans hand Gal inlib depart and cryed out in praise of the Maker What oughtest thou then O Christian to doe who seest that not onely the bodies of men and other liuing creatures but also the heauens the starres the Angells and the immertall soulâ—s of men are made with vncredible Wisdome by the same most wâ—se Creator Moreouer the length of his Practicall wisdome appeareth in the preseâ—â—ation of things Cap. 2 as the breadth therof in their Creation but especially of such as are corruptible First then if any one will but consider how God nourisheth and causeth hearbes plantes beastes and the bodies of men to growe and preserueth them to the vttermost he cannot but with astonishment wonder at Gods Wisdome For with earth and water he nourisheth hearbes and plantes and causeth that the nourishment doth passe from the roote to the stock and from the stock it is drawne vp by a certaine vertue to the boughes leaues and fruite so that it â—unneth into euery part after an admirable manner Men likewise and some beastes he nourisheth with hearbes Aples and with the flesh of beastes and causeth the nourishment to enter and passe through all partes of the body with such facilitie and delight
as may seeme vncredible God dealeth like a learned and gentle Phisition who tempereth his medicines in such sort that the Patients may receaue them not onely easily but also willingly For meates doubtlesse are Medicines which vnlesse men receaue often they cannot escape death But God our most louing and skilfull pâ—isition hath first giuen a taste vnto meates that they may be taken with delight then he hath multiplyed them with infinite variety to take away yerksomnesse And lastly after diuers alterations in the mouth stomach liuer and hart he changeth the meate into so thinne a iuyce that it passeth without sâ—ission or paine through all the veynes and pores of the body vnto all the partes of the flesh bones and synnowes euen when we sleepe and feele it not The Philosophers wonder at the Wisdome of Nature when they consider these thinges But what Wisdome can there be in thinges without life sence and reason Therefore not the wisdome of nature bur the wisdome of God is to be admired who made nature and found out the way how these merueilous thinges might be done Heare the wisdome of God speaking in the Gospell Math 6 Consider the Lillies of the field how they growe They labour not neither doe they spinne and God doth so clothe c. Therefore not the wisdome of Nature but God maketh the Lillies to growe and as it weare clotheth them with so comely garments Which also may be said of the nourishment and growth of all liuing creatures as the Apostle witnesseth saying 1 Cor 3 Neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that watereth but he that giueth the increase God And if the Wisdome of God doth feede nourish and preserue Plantes and Beastes in this mortall life after so admirable a manner thinke if thou canst O my soule how God doth feede the mindes of Angells and Men in eternall life For on Earth wee are fedd with earthly meates albeit they are seasoned by Gods Wisdome But in Heauen Wisdome it selfe is the meate and drinke of those that liue for euer O Happy shouldest thou be if thou couldest throughly vnderstand what it is God shall be all in all 1 Cor 15 what I say it is that God the chiefe Happinesse shall be to all the Saintes meate drinke cloath life and all thinges whatsoeuer Surely thou wouldest loathe all thinges present Coloss 3 and onely Minde and seeke the thinges that are aboue But let vs proceed It also resembleth a Miracle that for the preseruation and continuance of Mans life God hath giuen to very small thinges a very long and continuall motion without intermission Men take great paines to make the wheeles of a Clocke runne by force of weights foure and twenty houres How great then is the Wisdome of God who causeth the nourishing Facultie to worke without ceassing so long as men beastes or trees doe liue And the longues and pulses to mooue continually seauenty yeares and more For of necessitie the â—ourishing facultye must worke and the longues and pulses must mooue from the first entrance into life vntill the end thereof Those therefore that liue vntill sourescore or ninetie yeares of age must of necessitie haue their longues and pulses mooue all that while And before the sloud when men liued nine hundred yeares their longues and pulses which are thinges very small and soone out of temper wrought nine hundred yeares without rest or intermission Truely they that wonder at these thinges and doe not reuerence and adore Gods Wisdome in them are doubtlesse depriued of all light of Wisdome Moreouer albeit Gods Wisdome can without the labour of men and beastes and without the ministerie of the Sunne or other secondary causes produce and preserue herbes and trees so that all liuing creatures might haue meate in readinesse yet it pleased him to vse the seruice of secundary causes and the labour and industry of men and of beastes that none might be idle but that euery one might exercise their strength He would also that among men some should be rich and some poore that they all might haue occasion to loue vertue and to be tyed together in the bond of Charity For the rich may therefore vse Mercy and Liberality and the poore Patience and Humility The Rich also need the labour of the Poore to till their fieldes to feede their Cattle and by diuers trades to prouide such things as euery one hath neede of The Poore againe want the helpe of the Rich to giue them money and meanes to prouide for themselues meat drinke cloath and other necessaryes Neither is there any canse why the poore should complaine of Gods Wisdome For God who knoweth all and loueth all hath giuen to euery one what hee fore-saw to be most conuenient for them to obtaine euerlasting life As earthly Phisitions commaund some of their Patients to be let bloud others to drinke wine eate flesh and vse recreation Many poore folkes doubtlesse shall now be saued who if they had bin rich had perished eternally And although the rich may also be saued if they seeke to be rich in Good workes and giue that willingly which they receiued of our common Lord not to hide but to bestow Yet it cannot be denied but that pouertie is a safer plainer and shorter way to heauen then wealth Our heauenly master doth not deceaue vs who saith Amen I say to you Math 6 that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen And againe Blessed are yee poore for yours is the â—ingdome of God Luk. 6 and woe to you that are rich because you haue your consolation Neither doth the Apostle deceaue vs who in his first Epistle to Timothie saith 1 Tim 6 They that will be made rich fall into tentation and the share of the deuill and many desires vnprofitable and hurtfull which drowne men into destruction and perdition And what our Lord and his Apostles taught by word they confirmed also by example For our Lord saith of himselfe Luk. 9 The Foxes haue holes and the Foules of the ayre neastes but the Sonne of Man hath not where to repose his head And the Apostle saith of himselfe his fellow Apostles Vntill this houre 1 Cor 4 we doe both hunger and thirst and are nâ—ked and are beaten with buffets and are Wanderers That is haue no bouse of our owne Neither ought we to doubt but that the wisdome of Gods Son of his Disciples chose the plainest and safest way vnto life But because Eccles 1 the number of fooles is insinite Few choose this way willingly but many declyne from it with all their affection and power Lastly the length of Gods wisdome is seene in that as it is it selfe eternall so it hath engrafted in all thinges a most liuely instinct to preserue themselues and to prolong their life and being as long as they can Wee see men when they perceaue themselues to be in danger of their liues endeauour