the misery of pouertie and sores Luk 16 that with greater mercie he might be carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome And how should the rich exercise the workes of mercie if none were poore hungry thirstie naked sicke Pilgrimmes and imprisoned And if there were not tentations nor combats with deuils where were the crownes of virgins and confessors If also there were no labours and dolors where were the Crowne of patience And if there were no persecutors where were the Crowne of Martyres Therfore it is true that in this banishment the earth is full of miseries For sinnes onely are great miseries And it is also true that The earth is full of the mercie of our Lord because the conuersion of sinners the merittes of Saintes and other almost infinite benefitts of God both spirituall and temporall are nothing els but the great and continuall mercies of God our Creator Let vs therefore â—iue thankes to â—â—m That is its 〈…〉 our Tribulation 〈…〉 2 Cor. 1 so also by his 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 Psal 35 Lord by mercie is in heaum 〈◊〉 Dauid For there shall be mercy without miserie because mercy shall take away all miscrie whatsoeuer The length also of his mercy is Longanimitie or patience which the Scripture vseth to ioyne with mercy as a part thereof Cap. 2 For so speaketh Dauid Psal 102 Our Lord is pittifull and mercifull Long suffering and very mercifull And againe Our Lord is pittifull and mercifull Psal 144 pattent and very mercifull Truely the Longaminitie and patience of God toward mankinde is admitable the like whereof we finde neither in masters toward their seruants nor in parents toward their children albeit they both are men And first God is long suffering toward sinners expecting them with vncrediâ—le patience sometime from their first childe-hoode to their last old age permitting them to blaspheme his name to breake his Lawe And in the meane while Being beneficiall to them from heauen Act. 14 giuing raynes and fruitefull seasons filling their hartes with foode and gladnesse as the Apostle speaketh And what master or parent is there among men so mercifull and gentle who seeing himselfe a long time iniured and contemned by his seruant or childe would not at length put them out of his house Yet is not the mercy of God ouercome by the malice of men But he doth patiently not willing that any perish 2 pet 3 but that all returne to penarce as St. Peter affirmeth in his Epistle And the wise man saith Wisd 11 Thou hast mercy on all O Lord dissembling sinnes for repentance Moreouer this patience seemeth yet greater in that many sinners being by Gods grace brought out of the lake of miserie Psal 39 and from the mire of dreggs and of the children of darkenesse made the children of light and called from the guiltinesse of eternall death to the adoption of the children of God and hope of heauen fall notwithstanding backe againe oftentimes to their former vncleannesse and vnthankefulnesse Yet are they not forsaken by the longanimitie of God but most louingly expected and inuited to repentance And if they truely repent as Prodigall sonnes they are receaued by their most mercifull Father to the kisse of peace Luke 15 and to their former dignities St. Peter demanding of our Sauiour if he should forgiue his brother offending against him vntill seauen times Math 18 He answered I say not to thee vntill seauen times but vntill scauentie times seauen times For that course which he vseth in forgiuing oftences the same would he haue vs vse also but he hath set downe no certaine time for recontiliation but the terme of this life As long as a sinner liueth although it be an hundred yeares or more and often falleth backe yet is he receiued and pardoned by his most mercifull Father For there is no repentance to late with the mercy of God so it be truely from a contrite heart Yet none ought to abuse Gods mercy and deferre their conuersion from day to day because none knoweth at what day or in what houre he shall dye and appeare before the Tribunall of the most iust Iudge Yea rather all ought by this so great and incredible goodnesse of God to come vnto repentance For if God be so mercifull to sinners that often fall What will he be to those which hauing once tasted the Sweetnesse of his grace can neuer after by any temptations be seperated from it There is also another Longanimity of God exceeding admirable and amiable which he vseth in suffering the offences of the righteous For albeit God of his infinite mercy hath made vs of slaues his children and friends and of persons condemned to eternall death heyres of his Kingdome yet such is our ingratitude that daily we render him euill for good For if Saint Iames the Apostle said Iam 2 In many thinges we all offend what may wee say which are so farre from the Apostles perfection Beholde wee speake in prayer to God and on the suddaine we are carryed away by the imagination to thinke of other thinges and to turne as it were our backes to God What maister in the world would suffer his seruantes which stand in his presence and speake to him to turne away on the suddaine and neglecting him to prattle with their fellow seruantes What shall I say of idle wordes Of vaine thoughts Of fruitlesse workes Of excesse in eating drinking sleeping and playing Of negligence in holy thinges Of omission of brotherly correction And of innumerable other such like wherin we daily All offend And yet our God Is sweete and milde Psal 85 and of much mercy to all that inuocate him He suffereth these Follyes and rude inciuilities as I may call them in his children which truely Men will not suffer in men This St. Austen noteth in his Treatise vpon the eighty three Psal August in psal 83 expounding those wordes O Lord thou art sweet and milde where he bewaileth mans infirmity concerning the distractions of his minde in time of prayer and magnifieth the mercy of God in suffering so many iniuryes of his seruants But he knoweth whereof we are made and therefore dealeth with vs as a mother doth with her childe whom she cherisheth nourisheth although perhappes it strike her But albeit God suffreth so many of our offences without breaking the bond of loue or depriuing vs of the right of our inheritance yet will he not leaue them vnpunished at the day of Iudgement when as wee must render to him an accompt for Our idle wordes vnlesse he finde them purged before by teares prayers or some other kinde of satisfaction And least thou my soule perhappes mayst thinke these offences light and therfore deceiue thy selfe and neglect to amend them Heare what Saint Bonauenture writeth in the life of St. Francis In eius vit c. 10 Grauiter se putabat offendere c. Greatly saith he did he
with the brightnesse thereof they iudge truely of all things not searing in that Meridian light of Wisdome the darkenesse of errors blindenesse of ignorance or clowde of opinions Seeke after that happinesse and that thou mayst assuredly attaine to it loue our Lord Iesus Christ withall thy hart Col 2 In whom be all the treasures of the Wisdome and knowledge of God For he hath said in his Gospell Ioh. 14 He that loueth me shall be loued of my Father and I will loue him and will manifest my selfe to him And what meaneth I will manifest my selfe to him but that I will manifest to him the treasures of Wisdome and knowledge which are in me Truely euery man doth naturally desire knowledge and although carnall concupiscence doth now in many lull as it were this desire a sleepe Yet when this corruptible body shall be laid aside which now dulleth the soule then will the fire of this desire breake forth more then any other How great will thy Happinesse be then my soule when as thy Louer and beloued Christ shall shew thee the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of God But lest thou be frustrated of so great hope endeauour to keep the commandements of Christ Ioh. 14 For he said If any loue me he will keepe my word and he that loueth me not keepeth not my wordes And in the meane while haue thou that Wisdome which holy Iob describeth saying Iob. 28 The feare of God that is wisdome and to depart from euill vnderstanding And what goodnes soeuer thou seest in Creatures acknowledge it to be deriued from God the fountaine of goodnesse that heere in the Riuers of Creatures thou maist begin to tast of that Fountain as St. Frauncis did Whereof read St. Bonauenture in the life of St. Francis the ninth Chapter THE FIFT STEPP From the Consideration of the ayre THe element of Ayre may be to men a notable document in manners Cap. 1 if the nature therof be considered For it not onely teacheth them Morall Philosophy but also declareth the mysteries of Diuinitie and eleuateth the minde vnto God when as the manifold commodities therof are pondered which by Gods Ordinance it affoordeth vnto mankinde First therfore the Ayre serueth for aspiration or breathing and thereby preserueth the life of man and of terrestriall liuing Creatures Secondly it is so necessarie for sight hearing and speach that without it though nothing els were wanting none could see heare or speake Lastly without ayre there could be no Motion among men and other terrestriall liuing creatures so that all artes and sciences must needs cease and haue end Let vs begin with the first part If men would vnderstand that the soule needeth her Aspiration or breathing as much as the body many should be saued which now perish The body needeth continuall breathing because the naturall heate wherewith the hart boyleth is so tempered by the longues which drawe in the coole ayre and cast out the hott that life is thereby preserued without which it could not be Whereupon it is commonly said That those thinges which breath doe liue And those things which breath not liue not And thou my soule that thou maist by Gods grace liue a spirituall life dost also want thy continuall breathing which is performed by sending forthe warme sighes in thy prayers to God and receauing from God new grace of the holy ghost For what els doe those words of the Lord import It behoueth alwayes to pray and not to be weary Luk. 18 But that thou must alwaies sigh and receaue a new spirit that the spirituall life be not quenched in thee Which thing he repeateth when he saith Watch therefore praying at all times Luke 21 And the Apostle confirmeth the same in his first Epistle vnto the Thessalonians saying 1 Thes 5 Pray without intermission With whom agreeth St. Peter the Apostle in his first Epistle when as he writeth 1 Pet. 4 Be wise therefore and watch in prayers For true wisdome willeth vs to aske Gods help at all times which at all times we stand in neede of Our heauenly Father knoweth indeede what we want and is ready to giue vs abundantly especially if it belong to our eternall saluation but he will giue it vs by meanes of prayer for that is more to his honour and our proffit then if he should giue vs all thinges when as we sleepe and doe nothing Therefore our most liberall Lord doth exhort and vrge vs to aske when he saith Luk. 11 Aske and it shall be giuen you Seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall be opened to you For euery one that asketh receaueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened And what is chiefely to be asked and what without doubt shall be granted he declareth a little after saying If you then being naught knowe how to giue good giftes to your children how much more will your father from heauen giue the good spirit to them that aske him This good Spirit therefore is chiefly to be daily asked which doubtlesse will be giuen vs if it be well asked whereby we may breath in God and by breathing in him preserue our spirituall life So did holy Dauid who said in the psalme Psal 118 I opened my mouth and drewe breath That is I opened my mouth crauing with vnexplicable sighes And I drew the most sweete breath of Gods spirit which hath cooled the heate of my concupiscence and strengthned me in euery good worke which being so who can say that they liue to God who in whole dayes monthes and yeares sigh not after him nor breath in him Not to breath is an euident signe of death therefore if to pray be to breath it is an euident signe of death not to pray The spirituall life wherby we are made the sonnes of God consisteth in charitie See saith St. 1 Ioh. 3 Iohn in his Epistle what manner of Charitie the Father hath giuen vs that we should be named and be the sonnes of God And who is there that loueth but desireth to see the thing he loueth who desireth any thing and asketh not when he knoweth that for asking it shall be giuen him Therefore who so doth not dayly pray to see the face of his God desireth not to see him if he desireth not to see him he loueth him not if he loueth him not he liueth not What then followeth but that we account them dead to God although they liue to the world which doe not giue themselues to prayer And yet such are not said to pray and thereby to breath and liue which with their corporall voyce pray onely For prayer is defined by the learned to be an eleuation of the minde vnto God and not of the voyce into the ayre Therfore my soule deceaue not thy selfe thinking thou dost liue to God vnlesse thou seeke God withall thy hart and sigh after him day and night Say not that
world from the first Creature to the last I say nothing so perfectly as that hee is able to explicate the Nature Propertyes Accidents and secret virtues thereof Into what errors shall he fall if hee vndertake to search out the thinges which are aboue Heauen Therefore if thou be Wise my soule follow the knowledge of Saluation and Wisdome of Saintes which consisteth in fearing God keeping his Commaundements Delight more in prayer then in DisputatioÌ„ and in edifying Charity then in proud knowledge For that is the way which leadeth vnto life Eternall where we little ones shal he made equall with Angells which alwayes see the face of their Father which is in Heauen Luk â—0 Mat. 18 There is also a third thing wherein Mans soule is not a litle lesse but much lesse then Angells to witt in the power and commaund ouer Bodyes For Mans soule moueth the body by commaundment of the Will but other Bodyes it cannot so moue And it moueth the body by Progressiue motion vpon the Earth but cannot suspend it vpon the Water cleuate it aboue the Ayer or carry it whether it will But Angells onely by Force of Spirit and commaundment of Will eleuate heauy bodyes and carry them whether they lift So an Angell tooke vp Abachue Dan. 14 and in a very short time carried him to Babilon to bring Daniel his â—inner recarried him again to Palistine A man also cannot fight in spirit onely with his enemies but with his handes and weapons but an Angel by power of spirit without hands or weapons can encounteâ— and ouercome a whole army of men So one Angel â—â—ew at once a hundred fourescore and fiue thousand Assyrians 4 Reg. 19 And if Angels can do these thinges what can the Lord and maker of Angels doe He truely made all thinges of nothing and can reduce all thinges to nothing Mans soule moreouer can by the art of paynting with industry and labour make the image of a man so lively that it may seeme to liue and breath But an Angell can without labour of handes or instruments almost in a moment of time assume in such sort a body Elementarie that wise men will iudge it to be the true body of a man because it can walk speake eate drinke be touched handled and washed So Abraham prepared meate for the Angells Gen. 18 and washt their feete For as the Apostle declareth Ieb 13 He receaued Angels to harbour thinking they had bene men Which also happened to his nephew Loth when he receaued two Angels as strangers into his house Gen. 19 The Angell Raphael in like manner remayned with young Tobias many-dayes walking speaking eating and drinking as if he had bene a man indeede yet notwithstanding being after to depart he said I seemed indeede to eate with you and to drinke Tob. 12 but I vse an inu sible meate and drinke and sodainly he vanished from their sight Surely it is admirable and proceedeth from great power so to frame a body on the sodaine as that it may seeme to differ in nothing from the liuing body of a Man and againe at pleasure on the fodaine so to dissolue the same body that nothing therof remayne If then the power of Angels be so great how great is the power of the maker of Angels who gaue them that power Truely as the knowledge of Angells and men being comâ—ared with the knowledge of God is ignorance and as the iustice of Angells and men being compared with the iustice of God is iniustice so the power of Angells and men being compared with the power of God is infirmitie Therefore it is truely said Rom. 16 â—uke 18 1 â—â—m 6 Cap 4. Our God onely wise onely good and onely mighâ—ie Lastly if we consider the place of Angels and of men we shall finde mans soule in that respect also Not a little lesse Heb. 2 but much lessened vnder Aâ—gells I willingly vse that word which the Apostle vâ— sâ—th For God hath appâ—inted a place on earth for the soule of man and in heauen to wit in his Pallace a place for Angels Psal 113 For the heauen of heauen is to our Lord but the earth he hath giuen to the children of men Whereupon our Lord in St. Math 24 Mathew calleth them The Angels of heauen And in St. Luke he saith There shall be ioy in heauen vpon one sinner that deth penance Luke 15 And a little after There shall be ioy before the Angels of God vpon one sinner that doth penance God also hath so tyed the soule to the body that it cannot without it remoue from place to place but Angels are not tyed to any body but haâ—e power giuen them to pâ—sse from heauen to earth and from earth to heauen or whether soeuer they will with very great speede so that Angels being next vnto God in dignitie of Nature doe also in some sort by their celerity immitate his vbiquitie For God is euery where by immensitie of Nature and therefore needeth no change of place Angels by swiftnesse of motion passe so speedily from place to place and so exhibit their presence in cuery place that they seeme after a sort to be euery where But my soule if thou wilt heare the Lord of Angels there is no cause why thou shouldest enuy that Angels haue so high a place and so vnsatigable a motion For not onely thou my soule when thou art loosed from the body shalt be equall vnto Angels but when thou shalt returne vnto thy body which Christ Will corfigure to the body of his glory Phil. 3 with that body shalt thou possesse heauen as thy owne-house it being made spirituall shall without labour or wearinesse be presently there wheresoeuer thou the soule shalt will and command it 1 Cor. 5 Thy Lord doth not deceaue thee who saith in his Gospel Ioh. 14 In my Fathers house there be many Mansions And I goe and prepare you a place And If I go and prepare you a place I come againe and will take you to my selfe that where I am you also may be Father I will that where I am Ioh. 17 they also maâ— be with me and that they may see my glory which thou hast giuen me But thou art not ignorant where Christ is and what body he hath For thou dost confesse euery day and say On the third day he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heauen thou knowest also that his body after the resurrection did sometimes enter in among his Disciples the dores deing shut â—châ—â—o Lâ—k 24 and departed from them not walking but vanishing that is he transferred his body from them so speedily as if it had beene a Spirit and not a body But if thou secke after this glory thou must first Consigure thy body Phil. 3 to the body of the humilitie of Christ And then Christ will configure thy body to the body of his glory For
escape by flight or by strugling wrest the sword out of his hand and deliuer thy selfe from death But what wilt thou doe when God is angry From whome thou canst not flye for he is euery where whom thou canst not resist for he is Almighty and whom thou canst not delay for he worketh in a moment by his command onely Not without cause said the Apostle It is horrible to fall into the handes of the liuing God Hâ—b 10 But on the other side if thou please God and haue him thy friend who is more happy then thou For he can if he will and he will if he be thy friend giue thee all good and deliuer thee from all euill It is also in thy power whiles thou liuest heere to offend and make him thine enemy or to please and make him thy friend For God first by his Prophets and after by his Sonne and his Apostles doth in the holy Scriptures continually inuice sinners to repentance and the righteous to keepe his Commandements that hee might therby haue them both to be his friendes or rather his dearly beloued children and heyres of his euerlasting Kingdome Heare Ezechiell Liue I saith our Lord God Eze. 33 I will not the death of the impious but that the impious conuert from his way and line Conuert conuert yee from your euill wayes and why will you dye O house of Israell And after The impiety of the impious shall not hurt him in what day soeuer he shall conuert from his imptety And as Ezechiell speaketh so doe Esay Ieremy and the other Prophets also For the same Spirit spake alike in them all Heare the Sonne of God also beginning his Sermon Math 4. Iesus saith St. Mathew began to Preach and to say doe Pennance for the Kingdome of Heanen is at hand Heare the Apostle St. Paul speaking of himselfe and his fellow Apostles in his last Epistle to the Corinthians For Christ saith he wee are Legates 2 Cor. 5 God as it were exhorting by vs. For Christ wee beseech you be reconciled to God What more plaine What more pleasing The Apostle doth beseech vs in the name of Christ to be reconcyled to God and to please and not offend him Who can doubt of Gods mercy if he truely returne to him For he receiueth them as a most loâ—uing Father receiueth his prodigall Sonne which returne vnto him Luke 15 And when we are returned and pardoned what doth he more require of vs to continue his children and friendes Mat. 19 but to keepe his Commandements If thou wilt enter into Life keepe the Commaundements saith our Lord. And least perhapps thou shouldest say that without Gods assistance the Commaundements cannot be kept Heare St. Augustine in his Exposition of the Psalmes Aug. in Psal 56 where speaking of the hardest commandement to witt of spending our liues for our brethren he saith thus Non imperaret hoc Deus c. God would not commaund vs to doe it if hee iudged it vnpossible for man to doe And if considering thy weakenesse thou faintest vnder the Commandement take comfort by the example for the example concerneth thee much He who gaue the example is present also to giue the ayde Ser. 16. de Pas Dom And That euery worde may stand in the mouth of two Heare St. Leo Iustly saith he doth God require vs by his commaund because hee doth preuent vs with his ayde Why then doest thou feare O my soule to enter into the way of the Commaundements since he runneth before thee who by the mighty helpe of his grace Maketh crooked thinges become streight Isay 40 and rough wayes plaine For by this preuenting Ayde The yoake of our Lord is made sweete and his burthen Light Math. 11 And Saint Iohn the Apostle saith His Commaundements are not heauy 1 Ioh 5 But if they seeme heauy to thee thinke how much more heauy the torments of Hell will be and doe not vnlesse thou be sencelesse seeke to trye them Often thinke with thy selfe and neuer forget that now is the time of Mercy and after of Iustice Now of Freedome to sinne after of intollerable torments for sinne Now may a man easily compound with God and with a little labour of repentance obtaine a great pardon and with a short sorrow redeeme eternall lamentation Now also with euery good deed proceeding from Charity obtaine the Kingdome of Heauen After not for all the wealth in the world procure one droppe of colde water THE TWELFE STEPP From the Consideration of the greatnesse of Gods Wisdome by the Similitude of a Corporall quantitie WHo so will attentiuely consider the breadth length Cap. 1 height and depth of Gods wisdome may easily vnderstand how truely the Apostle writ in his Epistle to the Romans Rom. 16 God the onely Wise And to beginne from the breadth Gods Wisdome is most broad because he knoweth all thinges distinctly and perfectly Neither doth hee know their substances onely but also their partes propertyes vertues accidents and actions Hence are these wordes Iob. 14 Thou indeed hast numbred my Stepps And Our Lord doth respect the wayes of a man and considereth all his steppes Wherefore if hee number and consider all his steppes much more doth he the good or bad actions of his minde And if God hath numbred the hayres of our head Math. 10 much more doth hee know all the members of our bodyes and all the vertues of our mindes And if hee know the number of the Sea sandes and droppes of rayne as is gathered out of Ecclesiasticus much more may wee beleeue he knoweth the number of Starres and Angells Eccle 1 And if all the Idle wordes of men shall be iudged Math. 12 as our Lord himselfe doth witnesse His eares doubtlesse doe heare at once all the wordes of Men whether they be corporall or mentall How infinite then is this Breadth of wisdome which comprehendeth at once all thinges that are haue beene shall be or may be Neither doth the Diuine minde become more base by the knowledge of so many particuler inferiour thinges as the foolish Wisdome of some Philosphers supposed for perhappes we might thinke so If God did borrow his knowledge from thinges as we doe But since hee beholdeth all thinges in his owne essence there is no danger of basenesse Albeit it be much more noble to borrow Knowledge as Men doe then altogether to want it as Beastes doe Euen as it is better to be blinde as sensitiue liuing creatures may be then without blindnesse to be vnapt to see as stones are Neither are the other members of the body more noble then the eyes for that they caÌ„not be blinde But the eyes are more noble because they can see although they may also be blinde as St. Augustine doth truely teach in his bookes of the Citty of God Lib. 12 Cap. 1 Thou oughtest therefore to be carefull my soule alwaies and euery where what thou dost
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
10 For what desert can be more base and obscure then to giue a cup of cold water to one that is a thirst And yet for it also hath God promised a reward And of the large rewards which our Lord hath promised Saint Luke writeth Good measure Luk. 6 and pressed downe and shaken together and running ouer shall they giue into your bosome Neither is it to be feared least God should want any thing to giue for reward vnto the righteous since hee is the Lord of all thinges and can by his worde onely increase and multiply them without end Nor is it to be doubted lest perhaps he be deceiued in the true number value of their desertes since hee is most Wise beholdeth all things searching the Harts reynes of his well deseruing seruants to see with what minde intention zeale and diligence they doe all thinges Neither may it be thought that God hath an ill meaning to defraude his children and seruantes of their due recompence because he is faithfull in all his wordes Lastly neither can he dye because he is more immortall then any thing whatsoeuer so that there is no danger lest by preuention of death they should be thereof deprined Certaine therefore it is that all the good workes of the righteous are with lustice rewarded Wherefore it is most safe to haue to doe with God in matter of labour and Reward and dangerous to trust in men and to expect from them true recompence for desert Let vs now compare rewardes with rewardes thinges Coelestiall Diuine with thinges Terrestriall and Humane O blindnesse of Men. What I pray you can men render to those who labour all day watch all night and hazard their liues for them in battaile What can they render but small base and abiect thinges which shall continue but a short time But God rendâ—eth great high and eternall thinges Yet are the other desired and these contemned St. Iohn Chrisostome in his foure twentieth Homily vpon St. â—athew Compareth the Pallaces Cittyes and Kingdomes of this world which men so admire vnto houses of clay which Children make with great labour but by those that are elder they are laughed at And oft times also when the father or maister seeth his children to neglect their bookes and giue themselues too much to those tryfles he throweth downe all with his foot and destroyeth in a moment what they with great care had a long time bin making Euen so the great Pallaces Towers Castles Townes Cittyes and Kingdomes of mortall men are but as houses of clay in comparison of Coelestiall and Eternall riches and are laughed at by the blessed Angells which beholde them from aboue and oftentimes they are by our heauenly Father and Maister ouer-throwne in a moment that wee may there by vnderstand how vaine and of no moment all these thinges are Which albeit few doe now obserue yet at the day of Iudgment all shall see when as the seeing thereof will little auayle them Saint Hillary in his Comentary vpon the tenth Chapter of Saint Mathew saith That the day of Iudgement will reueale how all these thinges were vayde But let vs declare somwhat more particularly what these heauenly rewardes are which many now contemne in respect of earthly rewardes First in the Kingdome of Heauen there shal be all good thinges that can be desired for all that liue there shal be happy And happinesse is defined to be A heape of all good things perfectly gathered together Therefore the goods of the minde shall be there to witt Wisdome and vertues the goods of the body to witt beauty health and strength And externall goods to wit wealth pleasure and glory Moreouer all these thinges shall be in a most high perfect and excellent degree For God who hath shewed his Power in creating the world of nothing and his wisdome in the order and gouernment thereof and his Loue in the Redemption of man-kinde by the mistery of the incarâ—ation and Passion of his Son will then shew his glory and liberality in rewarding those which haue tryumphed ouer their enemy the Deuill 〈…〉 there God shall not be 〈…〉 onely 〈…〉 himselfe who is the 〈…〉 of Causes and the first 〈…〉 Highest â—uth through which most beautifull vision the â—â—â—les of Saiâ—tâ—s shall shine so bright that St. Iohn speaking of that future Glory saith 1 Ioh. 3 Wee shall be liâ—â— vnto him because we shall see him as he is From this high Happinesse shall proceed most feruent Loue wherby they shall alwayes adhaere vnto God in such sort that they neither will nor can be seperated from him So then the soule with all her powers shall remaine in a most happy estate And the body shall shine as the Sunne as our Lord himselfe doth witness◠〈…〉 the â—â—st 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 Meth. 15 And 〈…〉 of the health 〈…〉 be immortality and the strength impassibility Lastly that which now is a Naturall body 2 Cor 5 shall then be a Spirituall body that is to say so obedient to the Spirit that it shall exceed the Windes in Agâ—litie and penetrate the Walls through Subtilitie Moreouer their Wealth there shall be to want nothing because with God and in God they shall possesse all thinges Mat. 24 For ouer all his gâ—â—ds shall hee appoint them Of their Pleasure what shall I say since it is written They shall be inebriâ—ted with the plenty of thy house Psal 35 and with the torrent of thy pleasure thou shalt make them drinke What minde can conceiue what pleasure it is to enioy the cheife Happinesse To see beauty it selfe To tast sweetnesse it selfe To enter into the ioy of our Lord that is to be partakers of that pleasure which maketh God happy The honour and glory of Saintes exceedeth all eloquence For amidst the Theater of the whole world of all men and Angells the Saintes shall be praised by God and as Champions crowned and which is the highest honour of all they shall be placed in Christes throne as partners of his kingdome For so we read in the Apocalips Apoc. 3 He that shall ouercome I will giue him to sit with me in my throne as I also haue ouercome and haue sitten with my Father in his throne At this height of honour the Prophet wondred when he sayd Psal 13 But to me thy friendes O God are become honoralle exceedingly their prine palitie is exceedingly strengthened And now if to this multiplicitie excellencie of good things we add eternitie as an vnspeakeable Adiunct who can conceaue the greatnesse of this heauenly selicitie And yet what we now cannot conceaue in thought we shall prooue in deede if by our pious righteous and sober life we shall at length arriue vnto that happy country For those goodes indeede shall continue for euer which now with momentary labours Christes seruants purchase by his grace What sayst thou O my soule to these thinges Hadst thou rather immitate the sportes of children