that the charity which we give and exercise to our neighbours hee will accept as done to himselfe alas who would be so savage and hardened with rigour who would be so defiled with ingratitude that having received favours from a King would yet refuse to obey him and to serue him with all his power should not hee be worthy of the greatest torments of the most cruell punishments that have ever beene imagined would not the heaven the elements and all the creatures together rise up in judgement to aske punishment for so grievous a crime since it is most true that ingratitude is the basest and damnablest vice that can infect the soule of man Let us remember that we have nothing but what we haue received of our heavenly Father and if wee have received it from his favourable and fatherly hand why should wee be so ungratefull as to refuse him a small portion of it when â—ee asketh for it Now and at all times when we heare and see the poore praying and crying unto us in the streetes or at our doores it is the voyce of God himselfe tha calleth us to acknowledge his benefits as often as wee see one afflicted that asketh us helpe and consolation let us râ—nâ—e to him and give him occasion of joy and gladnesse for it is Christ himselfe which was comforted by an Angell in the Garden when praying to God his Father hee sweated drops of blood which made him pronounce these lamentable words so full of griefe My soule is full of sorrow even unto death When we have bin offended by our neighbour and that he will cast himselfe at our feete to aske us forgivenesse let us not be such tygers and so unnaturall as to refuse him his request remembring that it is a condition needfull to obtaine the pardon for our owne sinnes which wee shall never obtaine untill wee have first forgiven our brethren their offences but let us follow the example of our heavenly Father who saith That at what time so ever a sinner repenâ—eth him of hiâ— sinnes he will put away his wickednesse out of his remembrance And when wee must appeare before the terrible and dreadfull Throne of the Soveraigne Iudge when wee shall be called to a strict account for the talents and administration which hath beene committed to our charge by our heavenly Master let us then I say follow the example of that wise Steward let us make our selues friends with the riches of iniquity let us fill the hand of the poore which is the Alâ—ar of God upon the which hee affectionatly recâ—iveth the Incense of our prayers as a delightfull and pleasing Sacrifice to the glory of his holy name Then I say shall wee heare that sweet and heavenly voyce of the Saviour of our soules speaking graciously to us after this manner Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world Amen Amen The Prayer O Lord God full of mercy and compassion O favourable Father that art the fountaine of pardon and remission and the refuge of them that truely repent who desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that hee may turne from his wickednesse and live wee thy poore and miserable creatures who by the weaknes of our flâ—sh by the malice of our mindes by our owne vitious inclination to follow ill examples have provoked thee to make thy wrath and indignation fall upon our sinfull heads we have many wayes and times by our transgressions incited thee to cast upon our sinfull soules the thunderbolts of thy judgements we have made sinne our delight and iniquity the height of our happinesse Thy juâ—tice did cry and runne after us like a roaring and ravening Lyon seeking to devoure us thy judgements were ready to cast our bodies and soules into hell but that the excellent greatnesse of thy mercie O bountifull and gracious Father hath interposed her selfe and hath not permitted that we should be cast downe into the depth of eternall death and condemnation thy hand O sweet Saviour hath upheld us and thy clemencie O our Redeemer hath perfectly delivered us therefore O gracious Father seeing thou hast preserued us from evill conserue us still in good things receive if such bâ— thy good pleasure the incense of our prayers oâ—r sacriâ—ice of thankesgiving which wee most humbly offer upon the sacred Alâ—ar of thy divine compassions Put up our teares into thy bottels accept our contrite hearts broken with griefe to have offended thee for a pleasing Sacrifice receive our griefes and displeasures for thy satisfaction and behold thy Sonne thy onely thy welbeloved Sonne his head pricked with thornes for our sinnes his hands his sides and his feete pierced with Lances and nayles for our iniquities for his torments sake for his paines and for his deaths sake restore us unto life forgive us our sinnes O great God blot out our iniquities that so following thy example wee may doe the like to them that have offended us change in us our hard hearts and make them gentle and easie to pardon and forgive and suffer not our soules to be defiled and infected with the venome of revenge but that leaving it unto thee we may thinke of nothing else but to be obedient unto thee blessing those that curse us speaking well of those that slaunder us and praying for those that persecute us O good God kindle in our soules an holy love towards our afflicted brethren that wee may partake with them in their afflictions and so ease them that they may the better beare that burthon which thou hast imposed upon them We most humbly beseech thee also O good Saviour to give us charitable hearts and full of compassion to helpe the poore in their neede remembring that they are oâ—r brethren that thou art the Father of us all and that we are the children of the same mother that a glasse of cold water onely given unto them is of an inestimable price before thee because thou acceptest of it as willingly and recompensest it as largely as if it had beene given to thy selfe make us understand and know that thou art the King and great Master of the world that all that is therein justly belongeth unto thee that wee are but thy Stewards to dispose of thy goods to them of thy houshold to wit the poore who as well as we have that honour to beloâ—g to thy house to be thy servants yâ—a to beare the name of thy children that when it shall please thee to call us to account wee may bee found to have used with profit the talent committed unto us and that it may please thine infinite goodnesse not for our sakes but through thy mercy for thy welbeloved Sonneâ— sake to call us good and faithfull servants and to make us enter into our Masters joy which is the heavenly Ierusalem Amen The second Way to Sion THE PRAISE OF PVRITIE MATH 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall
and blood his domesticall enemies that often overcome him and would quite keepe him downe if hee were not upheld and fortified by the spirit of grace and by â—he Almighty hand of God that raiseth and delivereth him The faithfull servant of the Lord is againe called pure in heart because â—ee is such in part already and that besides the great disposition that is in him to tend to his perfection hee already here begins to tast the excellent sweetnes of that delicate fruit whereof he shall hereafter be fully and perfectly satisfied and satiated in Gods Paradise Blessed then are the pure in heart for they shall see God Wee have another circumstance here very pregnant and remarkable to wit that Christ exhorteth us here to be pure in heart and not of our head or hands because that the heaâ—t being the seate of the soule sinne is most busie to vitiate and infect it with his foule and filty corruption which it doth not in the other parts of the body and therefore you see that God doth so strictly command us to keepe our hearts for his part and behoofe saying My sonne give mee thy heart Now to omit or let passe nothing worthy consideration like the inhabitants of Nilus wee will draw water in running We say then that this word heart is diversly taken in the Scripture First it is taken for faith as Rom. 10. For with the heart man beleeveth unto rightâ—ousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation 2. It is taken for the thoughts and for the gift of regeneration as 1. Epist. of Saint Peter Chap. 3. ver 4. The hidden man of the heart in that which is not corrupâ—ible even the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price and estimation 3. For the understanding as Rom. 2. They shew the worke of the law written in their hearts 4. It is taken for the conscience as in the 1. of Sam. the 24. chap. 5. ver Davids heart smote him because he had cut off Sauls skirt And in the 1. to the Thessal chap. 3. To establish your hearts unblameable in holinesse before God Here is yet another very cleare passage in the 1. Epist. of Saint Iohn chap. 3. ver 2â— If our heart condemne us God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things and if our heart condemne us not wee have confidence towards God And in this last signification it is taken in our Text to wit for the Conscience as if Christ had said Blessed are those that possesse a holy pure and just soule a good cleane and spotlesse conscience David desirous to raise himselfe from his fall and to restore the temple of his body polluted by wicked adultery desired of God a new Altar praying him to create in him a cleane heart and to renew a right spirit within him Psal. 51.12 Iudas Maccabeus having seene the Temple of Ierusalem prophaned by Antiochus his sacrilegious hands he purifieth it destroyes all the Altars where that Pagan had sacrificed to his Idols and called that the renewing of the Temple Our bodies are the living temples of the holy Ghost our hearts the Altars on the which having wickedly sacrificed to the Idols of our passions we must breake them and destroy them by our true repentance and conversion to God who despiseth not a broken and a contrite heart And afterward we must build new ones pure and clean on the which wee must offer to God Hecatombes of Iustice and solemne burnt offerings and sacrifices wherein hee delighteth The Etymologists hold that this word Cor is derived of Cura that is care because that part communicateth sendeth and doth distribute blood and life to the rest of the body Even so all our study all our exercise and occupation should be to seeke the meanes fit for the conservation of our soules for what will it profit a man if hee gaine the whole world and loose his soule Math. 16.26 As soone as the Embrion is conceived the first part which is formed in the heart being as it were the center whence the severall lines are drawne to the circumference of our bodies it is also the first member living and when the paines of death have compassed a man the blood from all parts retires to the heart as to a citadell so that it is also the last part that dieth in us according to that common saying Cor est primum vivens ultimum moriens So when the faithfull of the Lord resolveth to live piously he must cast for a sure and unmoveable foundation the righteousnesse of a pure and cleane conscience which must be the Ocean where all the rivers of hisaffections must runne and tend the corner and fundamentall stone on the which must be edified this his Pilgrimage All the building of this mortall and transitorie life must begin with the just mans beginning and never end till his death when it shall bee augmented and perfected in heaven It was Gods commandement under the law that all Israelites all the seed of Abraham should offer and consecrate to him the first borne both of man and beast now if wee unvayle the letter and consider what it therein figured unto us we may note among other things that God desired by this Decree whose letter and figure is abrogated though the truth and sence of it be eternall that wee should offer and consecrate unto him our hearts which are the first borne of our selues The greatest part of Physitians hold that the soule being generally all over the body hath her principall seat in the heart as the King hath in his Court although his power reach thorow all his Kingdome so that the soule being that very man which God requireth it is then not without reason that God demandeth our heart which is her throne My sonne give me thy heart The heart is knowne to bee the originall of naturall heat now God being a burning fire of love and affection towards his children wee ought to consecrate that part to him for his Tabernacle The heart is red and bloody to shew us the fervencie and zeale that should be in us to Gods service and glory and that our thoughts should alwayes burne with love to him and with charity to our neighbours It is little whence wee may learne not to puffe or swell it with pride but to keepe it alwayes humble and modest Vertues that seeke not afâ—er large and spacious Pallaces but are contented in the narrowest and remorest places His beating and panting is upwards so all our desires and thoughts should tend towards the end of our supernaturall vocation according to the Apostles advice Seek the things that are above The heart is agitated by a continuall motion by reason of his vitall spirits that animate and nourish it So our thoughts should beare and conduct us to the actions of Iustice innocencie and godlinesse and to follow the steps of the Scripture Charity alwayes worketh and is never
labour if wee left it to God but hee seeing that wee will neither referre it to his justicâ— nor to his commaundements nor to his promises being unwilling to endure a companion in any of his works hee suffereth us to try our uttermost which is most commonly the cause of our ruine Let us then breake off this discourse which would never end if wee should punctually follow it and let us remember that revenge is our Masters owne dish which none can touch without incurring his indignation And let us imitating our heavenly Father forgive our enemies for if hee should take revenge of all the offences which wee at every moment commit against his sacred Majestie hee would then reduce us to that nothing from whence we came or would inflict upon us eternall paines and punishments since the least offence committed against an infinite goodnesse deserveth an infinite paine and torment Let us then follow Saint Lukes admonition Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull and presently after wee shall heare that blessed recompence which we shall receive for it to wit Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie Wee have already shewed how God recompenseth the mercifull yea in this life with blessings favours and graces spirituall and temporall giving unto them a hundred times more then they have given to the poore and giving them consolation in their distresse as they also have suffered with their neighbour in his affliction But let us consider the third fruit of charitable workes which is the highest degree of honour unto which the mercifull shall ascend to wit eternall blessednesse and withall we will also examine the cause wherefore the faithfull receive graces spirituall temporall and eternall which doeth clearely enough appeare in our Text Blessed are the meâ—cifull for they shall obtaine mercie The onely and perfect felicity of man both in this life and in that to come consisteth simply and soly in the possession of the favour of God which the wicked cruell and impious shall never be partakers of but only the Saints the bountifull and mercifull shall pitch their teâ—ts there the reason why the one are put backe from this infinite good and that the others shall bee received and cheriâ—hed therein for ever is because the first have lived in crueltie rigour and tyrannie and shall therefore be thus punished but the second having beene gracious bountifuâ—l and meeke they shall obtaine mercy according to that saying of Christ With what measure you mete it shall bee measured unto you againe In these words to obtaine mercie wee have many very remarkable circumstances for God will shew himselfe such unto us as wee shall shew our selues to our neighbours if wee give a crumme of bread to the poore languishing at our doores hee will call us into his royall Pallace hee will make us sit downe at his Table he will fill us with the dainties of his house and will make us drinke abundantly in the rivâ—r of his delights if wee beare with griefe our neighbours affliction if wee dresse his wounds and powre oyle on them hee will comfort uâ— in our sorrowes hee will wipe off the teares from our eyes and will fill our hearts with joy and gladnesse if wee forgive our brethren their offences when either maliciously or through infirmity they have offended us hee promiseth and assureth us to be so bountifull and mercifull to us that hâ—e will drive our sinnes away from before his face hee will scatter our misdeedes like a cloud dispersed by the parching beames of the Sunne and in this part shall wee finde the center where the fulnesse of our felicitie resteth and resideth This forgivenesse of our sinnes is that which covereth us from the divine justice that giveth into our hands the shield of assurance which is impenetrable by the revenging shot of his just judgements that maketh us walke voyd of feare towards the throne of grace and that without the least doubting for since God is with us who shall be against us shall the world why it is vanquished shall hell why it is fettered and shackled Shall death why it is dead shall sinne why it is prevented and pardoned Finally shall the flesh why it is crucified Wee may therefore say and conclude with the Apostle Saint Paul O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory now thanks be to God that hath given us victory through his Sonne Iesus Christ. From this word obtaine wee will also derive and draw this remarkable doctrine for he presupposeth asking seeing wee cannot obtaine a thing before wee have demaunded it which teacheth us our duties towards God acknowledging our selues poore weake and miserable both in body and soule subject in body to thousands of sicknesses weaknesses and necessities troubled in minde with a world of businesse crosses and afflictions and so laden in soule with sinnes misdeedes and iniquities that they are more in number then the sand that is on the Sea shore But the onely remedy to these sicknesses is to have our recourse to Gods mercie which is the sacâ—ed anchor of our hopes the haven of our salvation and the eternall residence of our incomparable and incomprehensible felicities And let us hold for certaine and infallible that wee shall never bee refused by his sacred goodnesse which calleth out aloud unto us Math. 11. â—8 come unto me all ye that are troubled â—nd â—eâ—vie laden and I will ease you take my yoake upon you for it is â—ight and ye shall finde rest to your soules his yoake is nothing else but the affliction weakenesse and necessity of the poore that is the yoake he commandeth us to beare that is to 〈◊〉 we â—ust take off the loade of misery and calamity from the poore to lade it upon our owne shoulders and wee shall finde that his yoake is easie and his burthen light because he will then augment our strength and will make us so able to beare it that we should be sorrowfull ever to cast it off againe As a King findeth the waight of a crowne but small when it is upon his head by reason of the wealth honour and power that follow the heavinesse of this burthen as hee would never leave his Kingdome his power and his Empire for the waight of a Sâ—epter seeing they make him honourable to his Subjects and feared of Strangers so that faithfull man which hath compassed and environed his forehead with the crowne of love to his neighbour that hath adorned his hand with the Scepter of charity to the needy and miserable hee without doubt shall finde rest in his soule which is the fulnesse of all felicity Now since such great and admirable effects since so excellent profits and advantages proceede from our mercie charity and bounty to our neighbour since in the practise of it wee finde our felicity which consisteth in the love which God beareth unto us in the confirmation of the pardon for our offences since againe God assureth us
see God IN the holy and sacred Temple of wise King Salomon there were three things chiefely considerable that is 1. The body of the temple whereto the people came 2. The holy place appointed for the Levites and those that ministred at the Sacrifices And 3. the Sanctum Sanctorum or the most holy place consecrated for the Arke of the Lord who had appointed it for his ordinarie dwelling and residence wherein he commonly appeared in the forme of a darke clowd out of whicâ— were heard the divine Oracles and the irrevocable sentences of his sacred judgements It was a place whereinto none upon paine of death could come except the high Priest and that but onely once every yeare and yet with many precautions and circumstances for hee was first to purifie himselfe to wash his body and to change his cloathes before he appeared in the terrible and fearefull presence of the living God By this faire and meruailous Temple of King Salomon is lively represented unto us the world adorned and diversified with so many faire and admirable creatures By the Body of the Temple where the children of Israel heard the reading of the law of God his Spouse the Church is naturally denoted and figured unto us By the holy place whereunto came onely the Levites and those which ministred at the Sacrifices are signified unto us the Ministers of the word of God who are chosen and put a part in his Church to be Heraulds and Embassadours of his holy will offering the ordinary Sacrifices of pâ—ayer and thanksgiving which are his dâ—lectable and well accepted service By the Sanctum Sanctorum or the most holy place is truly figured unto us Heaven for as the high Priest entred not into that place before he had first purified washed himselfe according to the Divine ordinance so the faithfull cannot enter into heaven untill hee hath first divested sinne and be covered with the cloake of Iustice holinesse and innocencie therfore Iesus Christ himselfe declareth the same thing unto us with his owne sacred mouth saying Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. The Prophet David expresseth exceeding well the same words in the 15. Psalme saying Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth in his heart And in the 24. Psalme Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place hee that hath cleane hands and a pure â—earâ— who hath not lifted up his soule unto vanity nor sworne deceitfully Hee shall râ—ceive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his salvation And in the 33. Chap. of Isaiah ver 14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with â—verlasting burnings He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gaine of oppressions that shakeâ—h his hands from receiving of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evill He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rockes bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure His eyes shall see the King in his beauty they shall behold the land that is very farre off O what admirable places how many faire and rare promises doe all these Prophets make to the faithfull who shall keepe his heart from sinne and his hands from iniquity and Iesus Christ himselfe commeth after to confirme their testimonie and to ratifie their words saying in this place Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. Words very energeticall and significant as if hee had said Dearely beloved the onely and perfect way to possesse all happinesse all pleasures and all the advantages that you can wish and in a word to enjoy eternall felicity to contemplate face to face Gods divine Majestie wherein consisteth the fulnesse of happinesse and all contentment following the serpents example to cast off the olde skinne that is to pull off the olde coate of sinne infected with the leprosie of iniquity to fly and eschew evill to embrace good to hate vice and perfectly to love vertue which is the true way to heaven to the poâ—session of heavenly graces and in a word to the fulnesse and perfection of all true happinesse Blessed are then the pure in heart for they shall see God Now to enter into a more particular explication of these words we will divide them into two principall parts and will consider 1. who are the pure in heart And secondly the cause why they are blessed The royall Prophet David in the 15. Psalme describeth perfectly unto us those that are pure in heart They are those saith hee that lye not and who live â—prightly they who baâ—kbite not with their tongues nor doe evill to their neighbours and in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but they honour them that feare the Lord they that sweare to their owne hurt and change not they that put not out their money to usurie nor take bribes or reward against the innocent This is a very faire true and ample description of the Righteous man who hath a pure heart that is who hath his conscience pure and just and who lives in integrity justice and innocencie For this word heart is not here to be understood or taken for the materiall carnall heart placed in our breasts which is the fountaine and beginning of life the first living the last dying iâ— man but for the soule that keepeth there her ordinary Sessions as we commonly say that is corne by showing onely the sacks that hold it there is the Kings Treasure by shewing onely the Exchequer Chamber where it is kept the place containing being called and taken by the name of the thing contained so must we understand a pure heart to bee taken for the conscience which therein makes her residence Where at the first sighâ— we finde a thing very remarkable and worthy our consideration that to wit that sinne being as it were a black and venomous Inke or an infected and corrupted poyson as soone as it comes neare our hearts the seate of our soules it defileâ—h infecteth and makes them so stinking that God cannot endure them before his face so much abhorreth he the very sent and smell of sin and so much the very object of iniquity is noysome and troublesome to him Now Iesus Christ knowing that man brought into the world from his mothers wombe with life the cause of death that is originall sinne cursed sinne a disastrous blade or stalke which like the wilde and evill plants casteth continually â—orth so many young sprigges which doth so people and store the field of our soules that in the eâ—d in stead of a Garden of Eden where God tooke pleasure to walke in stead of a delightfull River where the Angels bathed it becomes a hideous and dreadfull wildernesse where the devils and wicked
possessors of the rich treasures of eternall life where it is farre easier to know what is not there then to discourse what is There there is no death no wearinesse no infirmity no hunger no thirst no heaâ— no cold no corruption no want no mourning nor sorrow Wee have told you what there is not there but what there is there eye hath not sâ—ene â—are hath not heard neither is it entred into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that love him now becaâ—se these joyes and felicities have not entred into the heart of man therefore man must strive to enter into them God speakes thus by his Prophet Isaiah chap. 32. My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitatoin and in sure â—wâ—llings and in quiet resting places In this blessed life there is a certaine assurance a sure tranquillity a happy eternity an eternall happinesse a perfect charitâ— a perpetuall day â— quick motion in a word all shall be there led and governed by the same Spirit Here let us burne with zeale to ascend to those faire places let us be enflamed with extreame desire of possessing so goodly an inheritance and if our bodies cannot as yet goe thither yet let our hearts ascend up if our soule be as yet bound and fastned within this mortall prison at the least let our faith flie up to those delicious places and there rest and stay untill our soules be perfectly pure cleane and white that one day both in body and soule wee may contemplate Gods divine Majestie and sing eternally with the holy Angels Holy holy is the Lord God of hosts for evermore AMEN O Most bountifull God and most mercifull King wee thy servants and children here prostrate and humbled before the high and holy tribunall of thy sacred and soveraigne Majestie doe ingenuously confesse that we are not worthy to lift up our eyes or our hands towards heaven to call upon thee in our necessities for our sinnes are raised over our heads like terrible mountaines which seeme to threaten and defie thy judgements from the top of their presumptuous impudencie Iniquity hath made our soules as black as firebrands and the transgression of thy divine commaundements hath made our consciences more red then scarlet in a word forgetting thee we haue forgotten our selues and remember but as a dreame our beginning derived from heaven Wherefore O good Iesus O sweet Saviour of our bodies and soules kindle in our hearts the fire of thy divine love and let it be a candle to our feete and a light unto our pathes that wee may safely escape out of these terrible downefalls which threaten unto us death and condemnation wash our soules in the precious blood issuing from thy wounds make them by thy favour whiter then snow and then washed wooll we cannot enteâ— into thy Tabernacle before wee be cleansed of our faults graunt then unto us by thy mercy one onely drop of this large and vast ocean of thy great compassions wash our roabes in the blood of the Lambe that wee may be made worthy to follow him whither soever he goeth Change our eyes into two lively fountaines of penitent teares which may become a Iordane of griefe and displeasure for having beene so wicked before thy face within the which wee may dip our selues seaven times yea seaventy times seaven times that we may be delivered of the spirituall leprosie of sinne which makes us so â—oule and ugly in thy sight and presence And after thou hast pulled off from us the old man and cloathed us with the new which is with justice and holinesse when thou hast given us the wedding garmeâ—t then we shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob at the delicate feast which thou hast prepared for us and the which must be kept upon the mountaine of the heavenly Sion where wee shall see thee face to face where we shall be ravished in this contemplation and shall bee quite exchanged and transformed into the extasie of this ravishment Amen The third way to Sion THE CROVVNE OF PEACE AND CONCORD MATH 5.9 Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God WHen two Kings to decide some quarrell are ready to take Armes they first of all â—nkindle the fire of warre in their subjects hearts through all their Dominions then all is in â—rouble combustion and disorder and all newes are sorrowfull and lameâ—table on the one side you may see desolate Parents poore olde men leaning on the brim of their graves considering with eyes overflowing with teares their deare children whom for the greatnes and multiplicity of their cruell wounds they can scarcely know On the other side you are frighted by the lamentable complaints by the loude cries and pitifull lamentâ—tions of the bewayling widowes over the dead bodies of their dearely beloved husbands In a word there is nothing but fire blood and slaughter to be seene so that one may properly say That Warre the mother of all mischiefe is as it were a feast celebrated to the honour of death to whom are continually offered up many pitifull and bloody sacrifices which she exactly keepes in the grave But when some great Prince or earthly Monarch undertaketh to agree them his Embassadors are every where received with open armes bone-fires and triumphall arches erected in token of that joy and contentment which they receive by their mediation for peace according to that saying of the Lord Blessed are the feâ—te of those that bring tidings of peace Rom. 10.16 Iesus Christ here continueth his Sermon to his Disciples where in a continued order hee sheweth them the perfeâ—tion of blessednesse he maketh them scale the heavens by eight degrees which they must ascend here on earth And having spoken formerly of six hee commeth now to the seaventh saying Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God Which words by Gods assistance wee will divide into two principall parts 1. the proposition 2. the reason of it the proposition concerneth the Peacemakers and their felicity the reason of this beatitude is to be called the children of God Now for our better understanding of these words let us handle them all severally and let us for a while leave this concrete word Peace-maker and so come to his abstract to wit peace the which is diversly defined according to the severall sorts and degrees of it For there is the peace of the body which is a just temperature of the parts There is a peace of the irreasonable soule which is an inordinate rest of the appetite There is a peace of the reasonable soule which is a moderated consent of the action and understanding There is a peace of the soule and body which is a well governed life and the health of the living creature There is a peace of mortall man which is a well ordered obedience in faith under the government of the eternall and divine law There is a peace of the house which conâ—isteth in a
just concord of the domeâ—ticall both in commanding and obeying Theâ—e is a peace of the Citie which is a concord among the Citizens There is a peace of the heavenly Citie which is a well governed Societie wholly and eternally to enjoy God There is a peace of men which is a mutuall concord And againe there is a peace of all things which is a perfect tranquillity of order now order is nothing else but a true disposition giving to every thing his true ranke and place The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalom representeth unto us exceeding well her Essence for it signifieth a happy successe of all things in God Where we may note that every word hath his weight and inestimable value For first it is a successe and not a hazard which is happy and not unlucky of all and not of something onely in God and not in the world The Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quiet sweet gracious as deserving that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by excellencie because there is nothing in the world to bee compared to the excellencie of a publick and particular rest and tranquillity The Latines call it 〈◊〉 quasi paecata because it is peaceable and no way mooved by the windes of seditions nor of desperate passions Shee is like the Sea when it is calme and quiet there is nothing fairer to behold then the humid and serene plaines of it all seeming to be an entire piece of Christall And to prove that peace is nothing else but gentlenesse and courtesie let us heare the Apostle St. Paul Heb. 11.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that beleeved not when she had received the spies with peace which is gently and courteously so that she did them no harme nor suffered any to be done unto them any way at all So we read that Christ after his resurrection came among his Disciples saying unto them Peace be unto you We reade also in the 2. Chap. of Saint Luke ver 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word that is thou sufferest him to depart with happinesse and felicity since he hath seene thy face And in the 10. Chap. of Saint Math. ver 13. If the house be worthy to receive you let your peace come upon it but if the house be not worthy let your peace returne to you Where all interpreters agree that by this word peace christ understandeth all things good and favourable all blessings and all graces Now that wee may the more delight in the description of this garden of peace let us therein imitate these Painters who intending to represent unto us some very excellent beauty use to draw and place close by it some black and ghastly picture that by the opposition of that deformity our eyes may take the more pleasure and delight in beholding that faire and beautifull face opposite to it according to the truth of the Latine Proverb Contraria contrarijs opposita magis elucescunt One contrary appeareth better by the opposition of his contrary so the darknesse of the night makes us find the Sunnes light more pleasant the thornes embellish the Roses and the roughnesse of the black briers seeme to adde excellencie to the soft whitenesse of the Lillies Even so if wee speake a little of the mischiefes of warre we shall find the sweetnesse of peace farre the more excellent and without staying let us here say with Plutarch in the life of Fabius Maximus That warre is a time when neither right nor reason can finde place Caesar said that the time of warre and that of lawes were two It is a time when Iustice is trodden under feete when the time of ill doing is in season when unfaithfulnesse is taken for vertue O time pitifully miserable since force trampleth Iustice under foote when nothing is to be seene but fire slaughters treasons robberies cruelties tortures in a word all that fearefulnesse which hell can afford there you may see virgins ravished children hanging on their mothers breast slaine honest women mocked and abused by the insolent souldier Churches robbed houses pillaged there is nothing to be seene but burning but slaughtered bodies but blood nothing is to be heard but lamentable sighes cries and groanes in a word all humanity is banished from thence so that wee say that warre est bonorum mors omnium vero malorum fons scaturigo Warre is the death of goodnesse and the life and beginning of all evill Now is not this face at the first sight capable to make us abhorre it even before we perceive the least lineament or the least draught or shadow of beauty which appeares in the face of his contrary that is of peace But let us see the effects of warre in the hearts where it is praedominant certainly ex malo coruo malum ovum ex malo ovo malum omen Of an ill Raven an ill egge of an ill egge an ill presage for as the Philosophers say Qualis caâ— sa talis effectus as is the cause so is the effect Eagles doe not bring forth Doves nor warre this horrible and fearefull monster any thing else buâ— cruelty rigour and fiercenesse When man is possessed by any of these foolish passions daughters of disaster anâ— mothers of misfortune then his reason is all disfigured by it the use of it is lost Denigrata est super carbones faciâ—s ejus The functions of his minde are turned upside downe they are like a broken clock wherein all is in disorder and to which there is no trusting The royall Prophet David sheweth us the effects of it in few words In mine anger saith he mine eye was troubled my soule and my belly were moved and indeed in that case man is quite perverted his functions depraved hee foames at the mouth his eyes glister he shaketh and sweateth all over his body Ora tument ira nigrescunt sanguine venae Lumina gorgoneo saevius ignemicant As in the clowds are formed all the meteors all the stormes thunders hayles mists raines fogges that trouble the ayre make the earth dirty and cause a thousand incommodities to the world even so in the microcosme or little world wrath confoundeth all and overthroweth all order But when that powerfull planet the sunne of reason hath dispell'd and scattered the mists of those confusions the clowds of so many disorders then his light pierceth and passeth through all those obscure darknesses to shine on the actions and to put the minde in her first station and temper A cholerick man maketh me remember the Bee that being troubled stingeth him that angereth her but in stinging leaveth her sting in the wound and with it her life Animasque in vulnere â—onunt So the cholerick man thinking to wound others killeth his owne soule and murthereth it with his owne weapons patitur teliâ— vâ—lnera facta suis. Salomon that wiâ—e King saith That the Kings
1. The Naturall which hath wholly buried in her the senses all Philosophy and the strongest and most assured courage cannot hinder him from shutting his eyes at the suddaine surprise of a flash of lightning or at the feignednesse of a hand which unexpectedly approacheth our face or that we withdraw not or turne not our head from the sight of a fearefull precipice or that a suddaine crack or noyse doe not at first hearing terrifie or astonish us Primi illi motus non sunt hominis The first motions or terrours are not in our power 2. Corporall whereby wee naturally abhorre Death and feare to expose and cast our selues into danger 3. Mundane or worldly whereby we feare to lose our wealth honours and dignities but it is of neither of these sorts of feares which our Apostles speakes unto us but onely of Divine feare which likewise streames foorth in three rivolets 1. Servile whereby we feare God for the apprehension we have of the infernall tortures and torments of Hell and this degree and sort of feare is not good of it selfe because it hath no good object nor is made or formed to a good end neverthelesse it is held and termed good because it conduceth to good 2. Initiant which lookes two wayes 1. towards the torments wee feare 2. towards the glory we desire and it is also termed enterwoven or mixt because it is composed both of a good and bad feare 3. Filiall which is the last and best sort of divine feare whereby we love God not only for our owne glory or for the apprehension of tormenâ—s but for his goodnes excellâ—ncy pâ—rfection and in a word for and in regard of himselfe Saint Bernard lively describes and pertinently represents those three sorts of feare 1. Ne cruciemur à gehenna 2. Ne exclusi à visione tam inestimabili gloria privemâ—r 3. Replet animum sollicitudine ne deseratur à gratia Which is to say The first feare apprehends torments The second the privation of glory and the third wholly possesseth our hearts and â—indes with care and anxiety as fearing not to lose Gods grace and favour The servile feare is attributed to the wicked The filiall to the good I meane to those who are the children of God The Initiant or intermixed is proper as well to the good as the bad and also it is the most frequent and generall Those three sorts of feare are so many wingâ— which conduct elevate soare us up to heaven The Servile begins first which denounceth to sinners eternall death and damnation and that sharpe and sensible apprehension to be devoured with the flames of hell fire It opens him the gate to be sorrowfull for his offences which threaten to precipitate him in that unquenchable fire and afterwards entering into a firme and lively â—epentance for his former sinnes hee begins to conceive the future felicity and glory of Heaven for the love whereof hee partly resolâ—es to forsake and abandon sinne as Salomon saith By the feare of the Lord men depart from evill Prov. 16.6 Although neverthelesse that he doe it partly for feare of punishment which will infallibly follow him and afâ—er that it againe leades him into this perfect filiall feare whereby he so infinitely loves God that hee had rather dye then offend him in the least thing of the world so neerely he loves him so deerely he honoureth and adores him St. Augustine makes onely two sorts of feare to wit Filiall and Servile and makes them different in this That the Servile hath for object malum poenae the evill of punishment and the filiall malum culpae the evill of guiltinesse Illo timetâ—r ne incidâ—tur in tormentum sâ—pplicij isto ne amittatur gratia beneficij By the first wee feare the torments of hell fire By the second wee feare to lose the grace and favour of God It is this faire this sweet spirituall vertue which gives us admittance and entrance into the closet of God which openeth unto us the treasures of his favour and mercy and which makes us enter into the possession â—f life eternall For those who feare the Lord shall behold his face shall have prosperity and see good dayes saith the royall Prophet King David Psalm 34.11 It is this feare of the Lord which makes men prosper on earth as saith Salomon the Prince of wise men and the wisest of Princes The feare of the Lord prolongeth dayes but the yeares of the wicked shaâ—â— be shortned Prov. 10.27 This wise King in all his afflictions and troubles had still his recourse to the fâ—are of the Lord which was his fortresse his Sanctuary his comfort and consolation as wee shall read in the 14. Chap. of Proverbs In the feâ—re of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge The feare of the Lord is a fountaine of life to depart from the snares of death He againe teacheth us that wealth is unprofitable yea prejudiciall to us without this salubrious this sacred feare of God that poverty is to be preferred before fading and perishable riches Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith This feare of the Lord is as it were Iacobs Ladder whereby the Angels of divine consolations descend upon us on earth and our holy prayers and religious thoughts and meditations ascend unto Heaven This Ladder hath three principall steps As the feare of the Lord makes us ascend unto Iesus Christ which is our wisedome for through and by God he hath made us wisedome 1. Cor. 1.30 Iesâ—s Christ leades us to God his Father and God receives and lodgeth us in Heaven and therefore we first feare him if ever we hope or thinke to enter into his favour This feare of God is the head spring and fountaine from whence weâ— draw and exhaust the sacred mysteries of our salvation and Dâ—vid tells us in formall and expresse termes That the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome Psal. III. 10. Thereby to teach us â—hat all this knowledge and learning whereof men vaunt and glory is nothing else but pure folly if it derive not his Origen or beginning from the feare of the Lord. This feare is here taken for the principle of wisedome and Ieâ—us Christ himselfe in many places of Scripture hath assumed and taken the title of Wisedome because he is the wisdome of the Father as wee reade in the former alledged Chapter of 1. Cor. 1.30 But in the book of Genes Chap. 31.42 He himselfe is by Moses called the feare of Isaac Except thâ— God of my Father the God of Abraham and the feare of Isaaâ— had beene with me thou hadst sent me away empty But here the best Interpreters by this feare of Isaac doe undeâ—stand the second person of the Trinity Iesus Christ our Saviour who had not yet assumed and cloathed our humane naâ—ure and of whom Isaac was the true type and figure â—t is an excellent