thereby a knowing and consequently a love and service of him is necessarily required of us That it is commanded as a speciall duty appeares by many places in holy writ of which I will select a few Seek the LORD and his strength seeke his face continually and Set your hearts and your soules to seeke the LORD your GOD. And GOD himselfe by the Prophet Amos Seeke ye me and live Secondly it was ever the counsaile of GODS Prophets and servants as of King David to his Sonne Know thou the GOD of thy Fathers c. If thou seek him he will be found of thee He adviseth him to know him by seeking him The same King gives the same counsaile to his Princes as also to his Quire and Church-men in the two places before mentioned to shew that neither Prince Nobility nor Clergy are exempt from this duty Againe it hath alwaies bin the practise of Godly Princes and others King Iehosaphat set himselfe to seek the LORD King Hezekiah prayed for those that prepared their whole heart to seeke the LORD King Iosiah when he was yet a child began to seeke after the GOD of David his Father It was also the fame King Davids practise For when GOD said Seeke my race he answers presently Thy face LORD will I seeke And in another place I have set GOD alwaies before me And surely not without reason was this duty either câ—mmanded counsailed or practised for there is a promise of reward annexed we shall not lose our labour but receive much good in seeking to know him In the Booke of Deuteronomie GOD promiseth not onely to be found of them that seeke him but to deliver them from misery and heape blessings upon them King David found by experience that GOD never failed them that seeke him And seeke ye after GOD saith he and your soule shall live And GOD himselfe by the Prophet Esay I said not in vaine to the seed of Jacob Seeke ye me And lastly not to trouble you with many The LORD is good to the soule that seeketh him saith the Prophet Ieremie Lastly it is the end for which Man was created St. Paul after he had beaten much upon the point that a GOD was to be sought out whom men should worship and had made it plaine by the creation of all things who that GOD was came to the end of Mans creation which was to seeke him Man being created for that purpose and end adding that it would be no great labour to find him as being not farre from every one of us He then which shal be negligent in this duty is not worthy of his creation and deserves not to live it being a most absurd and undecent thing for a Manto be ignorant of his Creator having recerved from him the guift of understanding and made capable to know him We see that Rivers naturally returne to the Sea whence they come and all things elso to their first being Wherefore then should not Man returne in his thoughts and desires to GOD who-gave him his being and why should his heart be as rest till be returne to him considering as I said that he made the understanding whereby he might know him the memory that he might ever be mindfull of him and the will ever to love him And now since we have in some sort seene that it is a duty enjoyned by GOD to seeke him that it hath beene the counsaile and practise of many holy Kings and Prophets that we shall not lose our labour but receive benefit by our seeking and lastly that it is the onely end for which we were created let us take a further view how we may so seeke that we may find and know him To the due performance of which act we must observe these cautions 1 That we prepare our hearts carefully and diligently to seeke 2 That we seeke him in sincerity and simplicity without hypocrisie 3 That we be humble and not curious seekers 4 That we seek him in Faith without wavering 5 That wee be earnest and zealous and not cold or luke-warme seekers This carefull preparation of the heart hath ever been commended as most necessary before the undertaking of any pious act and indeed is the foundation and first degree to this seeking Iehosaphat prepared his heart to seeke the LORD as you have seene Iothan became mighty because he prepared his waies And S. Ieâ—ome saith that purgandus est animus ut perspicere illam lucem valeat a man shall never be able to see the clearenesse and beauty of that light if he first prepare not nor fit himselfe before-hand if hee seeke him not in due order It was the Wisemans advice to seeke GOD in simplicity of heart and it is the Pure in heart that shall see GOD. as our Saviâ—â—r speakes The Sun beames shâ—ne brightest upon a cleare glasse and in a cleane heart the beames of Divine grace shine most The uncleane shall not see GOD saith the Apostle Saint Ierome calls the humble Man DEI Templum the Temple or habitation of GOD. He shall not onely see GOD but GOD will abide with him GOD giveth grace to the humble And CHRIST himselfe while he was conversant upon Earth delighted not in great or proud company but chose fishermen to converse with and the Centurions non sum dignus with the Publicans humble confession pleased him more then all the proud vaunts of the Scribes and Pharises He desires not but abhorres to be looked on with curious and prying eyes and therefore St. Augustine writing against the Manichees saith and his counsaile is Compescat se humana temeritas id quod non est non quaerat ne illud quod est inveniat after the fearfull example of Vzza Faith is the beginning of cleaving to GOD saith the Sonne of Syrach And Fides humanae salutis initium saith St. Augustine For by it we understand what soever is necessary for us to know concerning GOD. Now that there is a GOD some Deity all people even the Heathen that had their intellectualls held as a maxime Hee in the Psalme that said there was no GOD said it but in his heart was not so impudent as to speake it out and yet for his thought onely had the brand of a foole This Faith St. Augustine saith Valet ad cognitionem DEI non tanquam omnino incogniti sed quò cognoscatur manifestius And Si quis hic non ambulaverit per Fidem non perveniet ad speciem beatae visionis By it the children of light are distinguished from those of darknesse and per ipsam discitur veritatis scientia et percipitur cognitio Divinitatis By it the knowledge of the truth is learned and of the Divinity perceived Lastly zeale love and hearty affection is of all vertues the clearest sighted and will see GOD soonest For it is the affection to a
gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shal be a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire as if he should say Because you were rich you accounted your selves happy but indeed you are miserable yea more wretched then all poore men and have great cause to weepe and howle for the great calamities which surely shall befall you for the overplus of your riches which you suffered to corrupt rather then to bestow them on the poore and your supersluous garments which you suffered the mothes to eate rather then to clothe the naked shall rise up and beare witnesse in the day of judgement against you And therefore we will conclude with the Kingly Prophet Happy are the people say the unwâ—se that are in such a case that is abounding with all manner of wealth when as indeed blessed are the people and they onely blessed who have the LORD for their GOD. DEGREE IV. By the Consideration of Water especially of Rivers and Fountaines AMongst the Elements of the World Water challengeth the second place by which also we may raise our thoughts a step higher to Godward First we will consider Water in generall and afterward â—raw one speciall ascent O GOD out of Fountaines and Rivers Water is moist and cold and in these respects hath five properties First to wash and clense from spots Secondly to extinguish fire Thirdly to coole and temper the heat of thirst-Fourthly to joyne many and diverse things into one Fifthly and lastly it ascends or riseth as high as it falls lowe All these are apparent resemblances or Emblems of GOD the Creator of an things Water washeth and taketh away corporall steines and spots so doth GOD spirituall Wash me and I shal be whiter then snow saith King David for though contrition the Sacraments the Priest almes and other workes of piety wash out the spots or steines of the heart sinne yet all these are but instruments or dispositions and the onely author of this clensing is GOD I even I saith GOD by Esay am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for myne owne sake And therefore the murmuring Pharisees though they beleeved not in CHRIST but blasphemed him yet were in the right when they said Who can for give sinnes but GOD onely Besides God doth not onely wash our sinnes as water doth spots but will be called water also for so writes St. John He that beleeveth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters But this he spake of the spirit which they that beleeved in him should receive for the holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified therefore the Holy Ghost which also is God is living water and of this Water Ezechiel speaketh I will powre cleane water upon you you shall be cleane from all your filthines Now because this heavenly and uncreate water far surpasseth the power of created water you may observe 3. differences between them 1 Created water washeth away the spots or staines of corporall things yet not of it selfe without the help of sope or other meanes but uncreate water washeth out all staines fully as you see in the place last before quoted 2 Water created doth seldome so cleanse as to leave no signes or markes of a spot uncreate doth so wash as that the thing washed becomes much whiter and fairer then before Wash me and I shall be whiter then the snow saith David and God himselfe by Esay If your sinnes be as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as white as wooll 3 Lastly Created water cleanseth naturall spots that resist not but yeeld to the Washer Uncreate not onely washeth away voluntary spots which cannot be cleansed without the soules consent but withall such is the admirable force and vertue of it it sweetly entreth into stony hearts and therefore is rejected of no hard hearts because it worketh so in them that they have no power to oppose as St. Augustin rightly saith Who can conceive in what admirable manner thou O Lord inspirest faith into the hearts of unbeleevers humility into the hearts of the proud and charity or love into the hearts of thine enemies c. It is much that I should search into these thy secrets and I would rather have experience of the efficacy of thy grace then search into it And because I know that this water is avotuntary gracious raine sent by thee upon thine inheritance as the Prophet David speaketh I humbly dâ—sire that I may be found to be of thine inheritance and that it would please thee to descend into the earth of my heart least it continue as a land without water barren and drie as of it selfe it is so that it is not able of it selfe to thinke a good thought The second property of created water is to extinguish or put out fire and this heavenly water that is the grace of the Holy Spirit quencheth the fire of carnall concupiscence after a wonderfull manner And to this quenching afflicting of the body by fasting and the like doe much avayle as they are instruments of grace onely and not otherwise for of themselves they are nothing avaylable For love is the prince or principall of all affections and perturbations of the mind it rules over them all and they all obey it onely Love will not be forced and if the way or passage be stopped to it one way it will breake through another It feares nothing it overcomes all things it accounts nothing hard or impossible lastly love yeeldeth to nothing but to a love greater and more powerfull then it selfe and in this last case carnall love whether it follow either the riches or pleasures of the world if once the water of the holy Spirit begin to distill into the heart of a man it presently waâ—eth cold and gives place to the love of God Saint Augustin testifieth this in his owne case who having accustomed himselfe to follow too much his owne lusts yet when he began to tast of the grace of the Holy Spirit he cryed out How suddenly became it pleasant to me to want the sweetnes of toyes and that which before I was afraid to lose now it was pleasure to me to let goe Thou O Lord the onely true joy didst cast these from me and entredst into me in their stead being sweeter then all other pleasure although not to flesh and blood c. Againe this created water qualifieth and asswageth thirst and the uncreate heavenly water can onely give an end to the manifold grievous and almost infinite desires of mans heart This Christ the Truth plainly teacheth us by that speech of his to the Samaritane woman Whosoever saith he drinketh of this water shall thirst againe but whosoever shall drinke of the water which I shall give him shall never thirst Thus stands the case The eye is not
as speedily as she comes to the conjunction of the Sun as speedily departs from it but if thou beest wise and hast obtayned grace forsake it not depart not from it for thou shalt finde nothing better in any place neither dost thou know whether if thou voluntarily leave it thou shalt have it againe For he that hath promised pardon to the repentant and grace to converts hath not promised longer life nor the guift of repentance to thee Therefore in Gods name turne thy backe to the earth and looke upon thy Sun rest in him delight in him and continue in him say with St. Peter It is good for us to be here and with the blessed Martyr Ignatius It is better for me to live with Christ then to be a King upon earth and esteeme not nor regard what they which savour of the earth thinke of thee for it is not he which the world condementh but whom GOD commnedeth that shall be approved in the end 2. There is another custome of the Moone which GOD also observes with his elect The Moone rules the night as the Sun doth the day as Moses and David speake but the Sun enlightens the world with his splendâ—r all the day and the Moone shines sometime with a greater sometime with a lesser light and sometimes not at all in the night So GOD by his perpetuall brightnesse illustrates the Sun Angels and soules of the blessed to whom he is a perpetuall day for there shal be no night to them there but in this night of our pilgrimage and banishment wherein we walke by Faith and not by sight and we apply our selves onely to the Scriptures as unto a light that shineth in a darke place GOD as the Moone by courses visits us by enlightning our hearts and sometime leaves us in the darknesse of desolation Yet ought we not to be too much afflicted if at any time we enjoy not the light of comfort nor to be too much overjoyed if after a time we be refreshed with that comfortable light for GOD in this night of the world doth not carry himselfe towards us as the Sun but as the Moone for he not onely in these times appeareth as in the full Moone of comfort and sometime in the wayne of discomfort to us imperfect creatures but he hath formerly done so too St. Paul a vessell of election who was taken up into the third Heaven and heard words which cannot be spoken which are not possible for man to utter yet he could say sometime I am filled with comfort otherwhile he could complaine and lament his case I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captive unto the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death and againe We would not have you ignorant of our affliction how we were pressed out of measure passing strength so that we doubted even of life And this is it which S. Chrysostome notes to us that GOD usually dealeth thus with his Saints suffering them neither to be alwaies pressed with tribulation nor lifted up with pleasure but to weave into their lives sometime adversity and at other times prosperity as it were with an admirable variety And so much for the Moone Now follow the Starres as the other ornaments of heaven of which the Son of Syrach speaking saith that they are the beauty of heaven the glory of the Starres yet addes as some translate it GOD in the highest enlightning the World and at whose commandement they stand in their order for whatsoever order or comelinesse is in the Starres or in the Sun or Moone they have it wholly from the Father of lights and neither is it the Sun by day or the Moone or Starres by night which give light to the world but it is GOD who dwelling in the highest enlightens the World by the Sun Moone and Starres for it is he of whom it is said When he sendeth out light it goeth and when he calleth it againe it obeyeth him with feare And the Starres shine in their watch and rejoyce When he calleth them they say Here we be and so with cheerefulnesse they shew light unto him that made them In which words are expressed the infinite power of GOD who with such incredible dexterity and facility in a moment createth adorneth and sets to worke so vast and beautifull bodies for vocare with us is â—reare with GOD for he calls those things which are not and by his calling makes them be that they are and that the Starres should say Here we be is no more then that they are ready to be and worke at the voyce of his command But this is most to be admired in the Starres that whereas they are moved most swiftly and never give over that swift motion and that some of them runne in their Orbe more stoutly others more speedily yet still they observe their own manner and proportion in time with one another that thereby they may make a sweet harmoniacall concent And this is not a concent of voyces or sounds which may be heard by bodily eares but of proportions in the motions of the Starres which is perceived by the earâ— of the heart for all the Starres of the firmament with the same swiftnesse runne about the whole compasse of heaven in 24. houres but the seaven Starres which we call planets or wandring Starres are moved some by swifter some by slowâ—r motions Ascend then a little higher if thou canst and from the great splender of the Sun the beauty of the Moone the multitudâ— and varietie of other lights from the admirable conâ—â—â—â— of the heavens from the most pleasant and harmoniacall courses of the Starres gather and conceive what a delight and happinesse it wil be to see GOD above the heaven that Sun which inhabiteth inaccessible light to behold the quire and orders of many thousands of Angels who garnish the heaven of heavens in greater number and shine more bright then all the Starres to see the soules of holy men added to the Quire of Angels and mingled as planets with the Starres of the firmament and how joyfull a thing it will be to heare the songs of praises and that exâ—llent Alleluâ—a resounded by musicall voyces in the streets of that City and by that it will come to passe that neither the beauty of heaven shall see me great to thee and the things which are under heaven thou shalt account small and almost nothing at all and therefore to be 〈◊〉 and dâ—spised DEGREE VIII By the Consideration of the reasonable soule of MAN HItherto we have passed through things corporall to the ascent to GOD and now we have found that the soules of men excell all corporall things in dignity betweene which and GOD we meet with no medium but the Hierarchies and orders of Angels Mans soule hath such
a resemblance with GOD his Creator that I know not whether a Man may ascend with more facility to the knowledge of GOD any other way then by the consideration of his owne soule And therefore man is inexcusable if he have not knowledge of him seeing he may attaine to it Gods grace assisting without difficulty by knowing his owne soule First then Mans soule is a spirit for so doe the holy Fathers expound those words in Genesis And the LORD formed Man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and Man became a living soule and that of Tobias Command my spirit to be taken from me and that of the Preacher Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne to GOD that gave it For although the word spirit agreeth to the wind also of which it is said in the Gospel Spiritus spirat ubi vult The wind bloweth where it listeth and in the Psalmes Spiritus procellarum as S. Ierome Wind and storme as our translation yet without doubt that spirit the wind is a most thinne body which for its great subtilty and raritie doth more imitate and resemble the spirituall nature then any other body But the soule of man is properly a spirit not a body neither is it produced or made of any matter but is immediately created by GOD. And here begins the excellencie of the soule in the resemblance to GOD for GOD is a spirit as our Saviour saith and they which worship him must worship him in spirit and truth But though GOD be a spirit and mans soule be a spirit also yet GOD is a spirit uncreated and the Creator and mans but a spirit created by which it followes that there is a great disproportion betweene the spirit which is the soule and the spirit which is GOD. And in this respect how greatly may the soule rejoyce that it is in the kind of a spirituall substance and so of a higher and more noble nature then heaven or the Starres and againe it should be the more humble and obedient to GOD because it was made of nothing and of it selfe is nothing Againe the soule of man because it is a simple spirit is also immortall for it hath nothing in it from whence it may be divided or severed And in this regard how much may it boast above the soules of bruit animals which die with their bodies and so behold and admire the great excellencie of the creator who is not onely immortall but everlasting For the soule of man sometime was not and came to a being by the onely will of GOD and by the will of the same GOD may againe be reduced to nothing although in it selfe it have no beginning of corruption therfore truly said the Apostle of GOD Who onely hath immortality for he onely cannot be dissolved neither by force chance or ought else because it is his property to be he is life it selfe and the fountaine of being and life Thirdly mans soule is endued with the light of understanding for it is not onely able to know and distinguish of colours tasts smells and sounds heate cold hard soft and other things of the like kind which are plaine to the sences of the body but is able to judge of substantialls and of things singular and universall and knoweth not onely things present but can conjecture at things to come transcends the heavens dives into the deep searches effects from causes and from effects hath recourse to causes Lastly by the eye of the mind it comes to the knowledge of GOD himselfe which dwelleth in inaccessible light and this is the light of which Saint John speakes This was the true light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the World which David calls the light of Gods countenance Of the light of the understanding the same Kingly Prophet saith Be ye not like to horse and mule who have no understanding Certainely this is a great priviledge and dignity of the soule by which man becomes like to GOD and unlike the beasts and by this a man may also conjecture of the excellent sublimity of his creâ—â—â—â— for though the soule of man be endued with this light of understanding yet GOD is the light and understanding The soâ—lâ— as is said runnes from causes to effects and againe from effects to causes and therby hunts as it were with great labour to attain this knowledge but GOD with one aspect and at the first sight knoweth all things The soule understandeth those things which are so that his knowledge depends upon things GOD by his understanding bringeth to passe that things are so that the existence or being of things depends upon his knowledge The soule doth but conjecture of things to come GOD beholds all things past and to come as perspicuously and plainely as if they were present The soule wants many things to exercise the office of its understanding as the object forme fancie and the like GOD wants nothing for essence it selfe is his all things even his owne essence is his understanding Lastly the soule whiâ—e it is in the body neither seeth GOD the Angels nor it selfe nor any substance though corporeall properly and is deceived in many things is ignorant in many of many things he hath but an opinion and of few things the true knowledge but GOD is ignorant of nothing thinks nothing is never deceived never erreth All things are naked and opened c. Therefore if Man hath such an opinion and esteemeth so much of his knowledge as that according to the Apostle his knowledge puffe him up how much ought he to admire the knowledge of his Creator to whose if mans be compared it is no knowledge but ignorance There is also another kind of knowledge in the soule of Man which consists not in speculation but in action from whence it cometh that there are so many Bookes of Philosophers which treat if vices and vertues so many Lawes of Princes Lawyers and others so many institutions to acquire the art of living well In which appeâ—â—eth mans admirable light of reason by which alone he differs farre from beasts in excellencie but all this is nothing to the eternall Law which is powerfull in the mind of the Creator from whence as from a most plentifull fountaine all other Lawes flow and are derived for there is one Law giver and Iudge which is GOD as St. Iames tells us He is Truth Justice and Wisedome By whom Kings raigne and Princes decree Iustice So that we shall never find out the Art of living well and happily till we come to the Schoole of CHRIST who is the true and onely Master by whose word and example we shall learne that righteousnesse which exceeds the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees yea and of Philosophers too whose end is love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and
of Faith unfained Againe the soule of Man hath a third kind of knowledge which consisteth in artificiall manufactures you will say that other creatures have the like faculty as the Spider in weaving her web Birds in making nests and Bees hony and combs and Foxes their deunes for houses but it may be answered that these creatures by the instinct of nature make them and those they make are but of one and the same fashion but mans soule endued with reason and judgement invents many Arts by which he hath dominion over other creatures will they nill they for neither doe the wings of a Bird helpe her nor the depth of waters availe the fish nor sâ—rength profit the Lion or Beare nor wildnesse preserve the Horse or Mâ—le nor swiftnesse advantage the Hart and Goate for we see even little Children catch Birds with nets sâ—ares and lime-twigges and Fishermen take Fish with netâ— Hunters by wit and art take Lions and Beares leading them about the Countrey Bores and Deere either taken with stalls or slain with bowes and speares Horses and Mâ—les made gentle with the bit and subject to the service of Man What shall I say of the Art of navigation what light of wit shined in the soule of Man when he invented and taught great Ships and heavily â—aden to cut the Seas not onely Boats and Galleys to runne with â—ares as it were with feet but great vessels to â—ly as it were through the vast Seas with their sailes as with wings What shall I further say of husbandry who wonders not at the severall inventions of Man if he seriously consider after what manner the earth is tilled vines dressed orchards planted gardens trimmed ponds for fish aqueducts to service gardens fields and cities What may be said of architecture in stately Palaces Temples Cities Towers Amphitheaters Pyramides and Obeliskes To omit the excellent Arts of painting and graving by which as by another History things are so expressed to the life as though they were not painted or graved but living things indeed Leaving all other Arts either for pleasure or necessity let us give humble and hearty thankes to GOD that hath made so great difference betweene the nature of Man and other living creatures and withall let us lift up the eyes of our minds to the same GOD Creator of all things in whom is the true fountaine of wit and invention for from him flowes whatsoever is derived to our nature And if we admire the wit of man in that he hath learned by industry and art to tame and have dominion over other creatures which want reason then let us admire the wisedome of GOD to whom all things are obedient and subject not onely things that have but those which want life And if it seeme so great a thing to us that the wit of Man hath found out the Arts of navigation tillage and architecture why should it not rather seeme greater to us that the wisedome of GOD hath made the fabrique of the universe the heavens â—â—rth sea and all things in them and by his power and providence governeth and preserveth them all Lastly if we admire the Arts of painting and graving after the life why wonder we not at the art of the Creator which of the earth made a true and living Man and of the rib of that Man a true and living Woman especially if we take this into our consideration that the things which are made by man cannot be done without Gods cooperating and those which GOD doth are done by his owne power without the helpe of any other Sixthly mans soule is endued with free will onely common to him with GOD and the Angels and wherein he differeth farre from other things created This is a great priviledge and honour yet the liberty and will of GOD the Creator so farre transcends that of mans that if they be compared together mans will is scarse a shadow of Gods For first the liberty even of a regenerate Mans will is weake and prone and facile to choose evill things and hurtfull to him the liberty of Gods will is most strong that it cannot faile or encline at all to that which is evill for as it is the infirâ—ity of a mortallbody that it is subject to dye and the soundnesse of a glorified body that it cannot dye so also it is the weaknesse of free-will to be in subjection to sinning and perfection or strength not to be able to sinne which will come to passe when GOD in our celestiall Countrey shall conferre this power upon us by grace which he alwaies hath by nature Againe our free-will is free indeed so that it can will and not will or to will and nill but it is not able to doe what it wills you may heare the Apopostle lamenting his case in this very point I doe not the good thing which I would but the evill which I would not that doe I. And is not this every mans case I will and desire to pray attentively and seriously to GOD and I command my imagination not to wander while I am at my prayers nor to draw me to any other cogitations yet I cannot containe it in its duty for while I am lesse sollicitous of this I finde my selfe abused by my imagination and instead of praying I fall into other thoughts Againe I will not to covet and not to be angry without reason and I command by my will the irascible and concupiscible faculty which is in me should be by right subject to reason to submit them selves wholly to reason and not suffer themselves to be seduced by any senses of the body but I am oftentimes not obeyed neither is that done which I will but what I will not But that which is admirable and miserable the mind commands the body and presently it obeys but the mind commands it selfe and is disobedient from whence comes this merveilous thing to passe saith St. Augustine The mind commands that the hand move and it doth it with such facility that the distance betweene the execution and the command is hardly perceived and the mind is and the hand is the body The mind commands that the mind would doe somewhat yet though it be the same it doth it not but it wills not wholly therefore commands not fully It is not then a monster but a sicknesse of the mind because it riseth not wholly levated or lifted up by the truth being over burdened before by custome But the freedome of the will of GOD is so joyned to full and absolute power as that it is said of it He doth whatsoever he will and There is none that resist thy will Wherefore if thou be wise boast not too much of the strength of thy free-will untill thou comest to the glorions liberty of the Sonnes of GOD when the heavenly Physicion shall heale all thine infirmities and satisfie thee with good things In the meane time pray daily and fervently
mind of Man can hardly imagine or conceive it Well then if the World be so great what is he which made it Certainely he is great and there is no end of his greatnesse The prophet Esay speaketh metaphorically of him when he saith That he measureth the waters in the hollow of his hand and meateth all the Heavens with a span But King Solomon more expressely and punctually Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot containe thee which is therefore true becauâ—e if another or many more worlds were created GOD would fill them all which we are not to understand as that by his so fitting the world part of GOD would be in part of the world and wholly in all the world for GOD hath no parts but is whole in all the world and whole in every part of the world and therefore is everywhere present by his power and wisedome Wherefore if thou beest faithfull to him whosoever be against thee feare nothing for what shouldst thou be afraid of having so great a GOD to thy Father and friend but if thou by falling from him hast made him thine enemy and Judge then thou hast just cause to feare and to give no rest to thine eyes till thou hast by true repentance appeased him The next thing considerable in this Great World is the multitude of things created in it which are so many that who can tell them Who can number the sands of the Sea and the drops of raine as it is in the place before cited But to omit them as the least of things created Within the earth how many mines are there of gold and silver of lead brasse tinne and the like what number of pretious stones and pearles Above the earth how many kinds species and individualls of herbs fruits and plants and how many parts in each of them and how many kinds species and individualls of perfect and imperfect living creatures foure footed beasts creeping and flying creatures In the Sea how many kinds species and individualls of fishes who can number them What shall we say of the multitude of Mankinde of which it is written He blesseth them so that they multiply exceedingly Lastly how many starres in Heaven of which it is said by GOD Number the Starres if thou canst tell them and which he parallels in another place with the sands of the Sea And how many Angels of whom Daniel writeth Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before GOD. This infinite number of things therefore created by one Almighty GOD plainly demonstrates that in his divine essence are perfections altogether infinite For GOD would be knowne his creatures and because not any one creature was able to represent the infinite perfection of the Creator therefore he multiplied them and gave to each kind of them some goodnesse or perfection that thereby Man might judge of the goodnesse and perfection of the Creator who comprehendeth infinite perfections under the perfection of one most simple essence not altogether unlike a piece of gold which contayneth the value of many brasse pieces of coyne When therefore any thing which seemes admirable shall come to thy mind let it be a Degree or Step to thee for the knowing of the perfection of thy Maker who without any comparison at all is much greater and more to be admired so it shall come to passe that these created things which as Wisedome teacheth are stumbling blocks to the soules of Men and snares for the feet of the unwise shall not deceive thee nor deject but instruct thee and make an ascent for thee to better things Therefore if thou meet with gold jewells or the like thou must say in thine heart My GOD is more precious who hath promised to give himselfe to me if I contemne those things If thou admire the dignitie of earthly Empires and honours thou maist say in thine heart how much more excellent is the Kingdome of Heaven which endures for ever and which GOD who cannot lie hath promised to them that love him If pleasures and delights begin to tickle thy carnall sense thou maist say in thine heart much more delightfull is the pleasure of the spirit then of the flesh and of the minde then the belly the last whereof the mortall creature offereth but the former the GOD of all comfort gives of which whosoever tasteth may say with the Apostle I am filled with comfort and am exceeding joyous in all my tribulation Lastly if any thing faire new unusuall great or wonderfull be offered to thy view and for thy acceptance so thou wilt depart from thy GOD answer securely there are many more good and fairer things without question to be found in thy GOD and therefore it will not be safe or profitable for thee to change gold for copper coyne pretious jewels for brittle glasse great things for small certaine for doubtfull and everlasting for those which be transitory But though the multitude of things created be admirable and argues the manifold perfection of one GOD yet much more admirable is the variety of things which is seene in this multiplication and doth more easily bring us to the knowledge of GOD. For it is no hard but an easie matter with one seale to make many figures alike nor with one â—ast Letter to Print many Letters but to vary the formes in infinite manner as GOD did in the Creation this is a work meerly divine and most worthy our admiration To omit the kinds and species of things which we plainely see to be very different and of much variety In the individualls of herbs plants flowers and fruits what variety is there their shapes colours smells and tastes doe they not differ infinitely Is not the like seene in living creatures But what shall I say of men when in a numberlesse army almost not two men are to be found in all respects alike and the like may be said of the Starres One Starre differs from another in glory saith the Apostle Lift then up thy mind to GOD in whom onely are the reasons of all things and from whom as from a fountaine of infinite plenty and fertilitie springs this almost infinite variety Worthily therefore doth the same Apostle cry out O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God But thou wilt say these things seeme to be true the good things created we see with our eyes touch with our hands â—ast with our mouthes we possesse and enjoy them really GOD we see not touch tast nor possesse and searce apprehend him in our imagination as a thing farre remote from us and therefore no mervaile if these things take us sooner and with more delight then GOD But if Faith have any vigor or be vigâ—lant in thee thou canst not deny that after this life which flyes away as a shadow if thou continue in Faith Hope and Charity thou shalt see GOD himselfe truly and
clearely as he is in himselfe and shalt enjoy him farre better and more intimately then thou now dost these created and transitorie things For hearken to Christ who saith Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. Heare what St. Paul saith Now we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face And lastly heare what St. Iohn saith We shal be like unto him for we shall see him as he is Besides I aske thee how much of the world or of the things belonging to it dost thou enjoy Certainely but a small portion or part of it in comparison of the magnitude before spoken of and this also in short time thou knowest not how soone will'st thou nill'st thou thou must leave and forgoe But GOD in whom are all things thou shalt enjoy for ever for GOD shall be all in all He will be life meate apparell house honour riches delights and all things To which we may adde that GOD is so gracious and mercifull that in this time of thy pilgrimage he forbiddes thee not the comfort of his creatures from which he is so farre as that he created them all for thy service but this he commands that thou use them moderately soberly and temperately and that thou impart them to and communicate them with those which want and that chearefully and lastly that they rule not over thee but thou over them Lay these things together and bethinke thy selfe whether it wil be better for thee in this life to be contented with these created things asmuch as shall be necessary for thy sustentation and in the other life to enjoy GOD the Creator in whom are all things or in this life to so covet them as never to be satisfied and in the other life to be bereft of all these temporalls and those spirituall and eternall also Consider also that GOD is not so farre from those which love him as not to afford them great content and delights in this life and those greater then the lovers of the world find in these created things For it is not written in vaine Delight in the LORD and he shall give thee thy hearts desire and the meeke spirited shall possesse the earth and shal be refreshed c. and the Apostle I am filled with comfort c. And the Psalmist againe In the multitude of sorrowes that were in my heart thy comforts ô LORD have refreshed my soule Of which two last cited places the meaning is not that comfort ariseth out of tribulation joy out of griefe for thornes doe not bring forth grapes nor thistles figges but that GOD doth Minister to those which love him such pure and solid comforts to asswage their troubles as that temporall joyes are not to be compared with them Therefore let this be thy firme conclusion be thus ever perswaded in thy heart That he which findeth GOD findeth allthings and he which loseth him loseth allthings It followeth that by the vertue and power of things created and which GOD hath given to them we ascend to the knowledge of the infinite power and vertue of the Creator There is hardly any thing at all which hath not some extraordinary or admirable vertue power or efficacie in it The earth or stone if it fall from high with what force and violence doth it alight what doth it not crush in pieces what doth it not breake what can resist the force of it The holy Spirit in the Revelation when he would describe the fall of Babylon saith thus Then a mighty Angel tooke up a great stone like a Mill-stone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall that great Citie be cast and shall be found no more The water which flowes gently and pleasingly upon the face of the earth if it be stirred in rivers or swift streames with what violence it overthrowes and destroyes all it meets with not onely Cottages but Gates and Walls and Bridges of stone and what not The winds which sometimes blow sweetly being enraged dash Ships against Rockes and turne up old and strong Oakes and other Trees by the roots What shall we say of fire a comfortable element with what speed a little sparkle of it increaseth into so great a flame as consumes and devoures whole Townes Cities and Forrests Behold saith Saint James how great a matter a little fire kindleth Againe how many vertues lye secret in herbs and stones In some beasts what strength appeares as in the Lyon Elephant Beare Horse and Bull. In others what wit and craft as in the little Ant Spider the Bee and the Foxe To say nothing of the power of Angels of the vertue of the Sun and Starres which are farre from us and looke upon and consider the wit of Man whereby so many Arts are invented as that sometime it is a disputable question whether art should give place to nature or nature to art Raise thy mind then againe to GOD and consider how great power efficacie and vertue is in the Creator the LORD GOD of whom the Scripture saith most truely Moses in his song Who is like unto thee O LORD among the Gods and King David Who onely doth great wonders and Saint Paul The blessed and onely Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords for the Creatures have their power onely from him and that so long as he pleaseth Who kept Ionas in the Whales belly so that neither the teeth of the Whale nor the violence of the water could doe him any hurt but GOD Who shut the mouthes of the hungry lyons from touching Daniel but GOD Who preserved the three Children in the fiery hot furnace from the force of the fire but GOD Who rebuked the raging Sea and the furious winds but CHRIST who is true GOD GOD it is that hath no power nor vertue from any but his will is his power and a power that cannot be resisted and he hath infinite power alwaies hath it and hath it in all places all the power of Man being compared with his is not small and little but none at all for so speakes the Prophet Esay All nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Are not they then unwise who fearing the Creature feare not the Almighty GOD and that trust either in their owne or their friends strength and not in GOD Almighty If GOD be on our side who can be against us and if GOD be against us who can be on our side Therefore if thou be wise Humble thy selfe under the mighty hand of GOD cleave to him in true piety and thou shalt not need to feare what either Man the Devill or other creature can doe against thee If perhaps thou hast fallen from goodnesse and hast provoked thy GOD to anger give no rest to the temples of thy head untill thou hast made thy peace againe with him for it is