Lord Apoc. c. 1 19. because they rest as it were in the bosome of the Lord and they thus resting their death to them is but a sleepe Acts 7. So wee reade of Stephen when he was assaild with a storme of stones even in the midst of so great a tumult and noise of his enraged enemies the Text sayes that He fell a sleepe hee slep't in the Lord. So Our Lord and Saviour speaking of his beloved Lazarus uses these comfortable words Jo. 11.11 Our friend Lazaras steepeth Deut. 34 So Moses the servant of the Lord breath'd out his last breath where and when his Lord commanded And as a loving Mother kisses her tender infant sleeping in her bosome and afterwards says it downe softly in it's Cradle to take its rest so there be some who holding close to the Scripture phraise sticke not to say that Moses was dandled as it were by the hands of the Almighty was if wee may so speak with a kisse and embrace layd to sleepe in Abrahams brest The Psalmist in a manner insinuates thus much 1 27. Psa 3. so hee giveth his beloved sleepe And this gift is an inheritance which comes from the Lord a blessing which he bestowes onely on his Elect. Thrice happy are these soules who thus sleep in death Yea from henceforth saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours for their workes doe follow them as servants doe their Master sons their Father and Nobles their Prince they follow them to Gods Tribunall they attend them to the high Court of Heaven where will bee admittance only for so noble a train Whosoever therefore is predestinated to life hee will commend death as the onely remedy to ease and sweetten Natures griefe because he knows there is no other way to passe to heavenly joyes and for that such a man is alwayes prepared for death he thus reasons with himselfe Why doe I tremble at the name of Death why should I feare to dye I doe but walke that way I tread but that common and beaten path which my Fathers and all men have trod why then should I alone desire that priviledge which as yet has beene enjoyd by none I will then doe that willingly which will I nill I must bee done I know whatsoever is undertaken with a willing mind the burden that attends it is lessend if not quite taken away and where the cheerfulnesse of the will comes there the vexation which necessity commonly brings with it findes no roome Neither have I any just cause to decline or shrink at Death sith by the meanes of it I cease to be that which I unwillingly am and that is mortall and subject to corruption I receivd this flesh wherewith my soule is clad upon these termes of restoring it when it was demanded to its Lord and I will therefore restore it cheerfully knowing that I shall at the Resurrection receave it againe with an addition and encrease of glory As yet I am detaind from the sight of my God by meanes of those delayes which Mortality does enforce and which are but a praeludium to a better life For that last houre which most men so dread and feare is the beginning of that day which shall last for ever When a man then is upon his death bed and feeles the night of death approaching Let him solace himselfe with these words There will come a day which will redeeme me from the darksome prison of the Grave and reduce me to the comforts of everlasting life I will therefore cheerefully and most willingly goe out of this world in assurance that I shall bee admitted into a better with what great joy shall I entertaine that gladsome day wherein I shall bee assign'd to my proper home here I am but a stranger and wherein I shall bee snatch'd from the fetters of my body and snares of the flesh to an everlasting inheritance in the heavenly Paradice I confesse O Lord the guflt of many and great sinnes wherewith my Conscience is stain'd yet this is my comfort that thy Mercy is like the great Ocean wherewith the earth is bounded Into this Ocean will I throw my selfe with bosdnesse and confidence when I finde my thoughts dejected and feele deaths approach being assaulted by its forerunner a mortall sicknesse Thus casting my selfe into the bosome of the Almighty and throwing my soule into the Armes of his Mercy I shall quit my selfe of all the bands of this life 's sinfull misery And in an holy subjection to Gods will I wish that death would hasten his approach whensoever hee comes and knockes at my doore he shall finde me willing and prepar'd to entertaine his message and so to rest from my labours I am no â—uch an enemy to quiet and case as to refuse after the toylesome working dayes of this life to keepe Holy-day and to solemnize an eternall Sabbath with God and his holy Angels in heaven And why should I not then rejoyce with gladnesse when I shall close the dayes of this sorrowfull life which is nothing else but an Aegypt of Calamities and shop of miseries when I shall cut off that Yoke the world calls fortune being no more subject to casualties and vexations and troubles and begin a day which shall not bee shut up with night but be freed from all gloomy just and darknesse Most welcome will that Messenger be whom the King of glory shall send unto me to summon me out of this world to releaseme out of this dark prison to enjoy everlasting felicity being loosn'd from the fettars of mortality I then shall be enabled to performe those holy duties which I could never doe so long as I was clogg'd with the burden of my flesh The Bird needs no ejectment but speedily flyes out so soone as ever the Cage is open'd even so I being long since cloid with the toyles of this life most willingly when God shall call me will take my slight to those large and pleasant fields of immortall glory I am solicitous about the place and manner of my death but of the time alrogether carelesse whether I dye to day or to morrow this weeke or the next I â—are not His will bee done who made me and all things of nothing The will of God is my rule according to which I square my desires and proportion my thoughts both for life and death No ill can bee fear'd or expected from him who is goodnesse it selfe and the Author of our life and salvation And may not the Potter doe what he lists with an earthen Pitcher may he not break it if hee will or polish it upon the wheele I am an earthen Vessell made by the handâ—â— that great Celestiall Potter be it spoken with Reverence shall I then complaine and whimper when hee that fram'd and fashion'd me shall crumble me into dust that he may cast me into a new mould and turne my misery into joy making me for ever blessed and happy Is it
A Spiritual REPOSITORY containing Godly Meditations Demonstrated by 12. Signs of our Adoption to Eternal Glory By H. Drexelius And now Translated into English by R. W. of Trinity Colledge Cambridge Psal 119.97 95. O how I love thy Law T is my Meditation all the day The wicked have waited for me to destroy me but I will consider thy Testimonies LONDON Printed for R. B. to be sold by most Booksellers 1676. ZODIACVS CHRISTIANVS locupletatus Seu Signa XII Divinae PRAEDESTINA TIONIS Totidem Symbolis explicata Ab Hierem Drexelio è Societate Insv. COL AGRIPPINAE Apud Cornelâ—ab Egmond M.DC.XXXII THE EPISTLE TO THE READER THe multitude of Books that have already to too much plenared the World with a variety of notions hath been an Argument of no little prevalency to regulate my undertakings and more particularly when Imployed about a Concern of so great and of so good Importance by presenting unto the world a president for meditations but before I did proceed in my undertakings I thought it absolutely requisite to consult with grave Learned and worthy persons not only with a particular respect to the Author of this Ensuing Treatise that most Heroick and renowned person H. Drexelius but with a particular relation to this Treatise to whom when I had Imparted my Resolution they continued no longer my Incouragers but presently became my strict obligers and soon refuted my former objection and further demonstrated that this divine Treatise would he rather a Vniter then a discomposer of pious Meditations And now Christian Reader give me leave additionally to speak a word or two concerning the Author He was a person not only Epedemically Renowned in Learning but did Illustrate it in the three Theological graces Faith Hope and Charity and did continually endeavour to suppress that most crying sin of unsatiable Voluptuousness so that you see his whole pilgrimage upon this earthly Tabernacle was an Optick of Vertue and Piety And he that desires to know more of the worth of this Author Let him but read that most Excellent piece of his entituled Confiderations upon Eternitie and whosoever doth so I question not but he will be fully Convinced of the truth of what I assert and that it may be as seed sowed in good ground God out of his Abundant plentitude water it with the due from Heaven R. W. Approbatio R. P. Provincialis ZOdiacum Christianum locupletatum quem P. Hieremias Drexelius Societatis nostrae presbyter de duodecim Praedestinationis signis conscripsit atiquot ejusdem Societatis Theologis censum probatumque Ego Christophorus Grenzing Societatis Iesu per superiorem Germaniam Praepositus Provincialis facta mihi potestate ab admodum R. P. N. Generali Mutio Vitellesco in lucem dari permitto fidemque mea manu facio more Societatis consigno Monachii III. Idus Septembres Anno M.DC.XXI Christophorus Grenzing Embleme 1. Inward Light Thy word is a Candle vnto my feete a light vnto my pathes psalme 119. v. 106 The first Signe Internall Illumination OR Enlightning of the Understanding Set out by the Author by a burning Taper Under it these words of the PSALMIST Thy word is a Lanterne unto my feete and a light unto my paths Psal 119. BY that burning Taper is denoted that inward light which so clearly discovers unto us the benefits of God the vanity of the world the shortnesse of life the filthinesse of sinne and the fading shadowes of all worldly pleasures so that he who begins to apprehend them with the eye of reason cannot but earnestly gaspe after Heavens joyes and cry out with the Kingly Prophet Psal 42. My soule is a-thirst for God even for the living God VVhen shall J come and appeare before the presence of God There be many that say who will shew us any good Psal 4. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and in thy light we shall see light First Wee have a Master within us the sight of Reason which being as it were a bright beame darted from the splendor of his countenance GOD hath placed in the better and nobler part of man his soule This light doth not onely distinguish us from beasts but advances us to a more noble condition to a likenesse of God This light set up in the soule of man is as it were an indelible and speaking Sermon which ever and anon suggests this heavenly admonition Not to doe that to another which wee would not have done to our selves For whatsoever wee doe to another foe or friend wee must expect the like from him with what measure yee meete withall it shall be measurd to you againe Luk. 6.38 For this cause ought wee neither by force nor fraud to injure another either by robbing him of his goods or staining his reputation Sdly again this light demonstrates unto us both all things created and God Almighty the Creator though in a darke manner under a vaile wanting nothing most perfect most Happy The everlasting Father enrich'd with a full sufficiency of all good things which without want to himselfe hee imparts freely to all creatures The beginning the midle and end of our happines who dwels in light inaccessible who is both amyable and powerfull in his works and Graces whose will is his deed who is all Mercy and all Goodnes yet withall an holy severe and incorrupt Judge who cannot be seduced by smoothing flattery The same God is all justice whose magnitude forme or fashion farre transcends the best humane expression to whom nothing in the world may bee likened neither hee can by any thing we see here be truely represented In comparison of whose Excellency all the beauties and fairest things in this world are meere darknesse a shadow which is a thing without substance and reality To this most lovely and excellent beautie I meane God Almighty nothing is more acceptable then to be repay'd for all his benefits with the Tribute of our Love and Charitie Thirdly This light set up within us discovers unto us the workes of God our Maker such as are without us viz. the vicissitude of times of night and day the glorious greatnesse of the spangled Heaven the long journeys of the Sunne and Moone which they dispatch daily with a speedy motion the beauty of the earth decked with variety of flowers The spatious windings and turnings of Rivers the vast widenes and furious raging of the Sea the diverse kinds of beasts the great encrease and store of fruits all which God made not with hands nor any labour the onely cause they were made in that order Excellency as they are was Gods wil and pleasure Fourthly Moreover this light of reason enlightned by a cleare and lively faith discovers by an undenyable demonstration that mans felicity consists in this that hee attaine as much as is possible here to the likenesse of God his Maker which is the only means to purchase Gods love and favour for similitude or likenesse is
the cause of love and that picture is best that comes nearest â—its patterne This happinesse one day shall befall us when wee shall bee made more like unto God when wee shall partake of the beatificall vision in the other world the land of he living Jt doth not yet appeare saith St. John what wee shall bee but wee know 1 Ioh. 3. â— that when hee shall appeare wee shall bee like him for we shall see him as he is From this sanctified light of knowledge in the understanding from this thought or full perswasion of seeing one day God face to face springs joy in the will hereby our Hope is rais'd and takes its flight from Earth to Heaven and by this too our hearts are enflamed with an ardent affection towards God the Author of our happinesse and the fountaine of all good For what can be imagin'd more sweet or comfortable to a glorified soule then to behold it selfe invested with the glorious Image of an infinite beauty to know for a certaine that he is deare and precious in the esteeme of God who is the patterne according to whose likenes our soules were framd and wrought But because this light of faith shines not alike to all holy David having found by experience that every man partakes not of this joy and happinesse rejoyceth with thanksgiving to God for this special grace and benefit Psalm 4. Thou hast saith he put gladnesse in my heart not every mans heart but in mine and those who are predestinated by thee O goodnesse to everlasting life therefore so he in another Psalme wee will walke in the light of thy countenance and in thy name will we triumph with gladnesse all our dayes rejoycing and glad for this that we are pluck'd out of the darknesse of sinne and ignorance that wee may bee instructed more and more in the knowledge of thy most holy will by our Obedience to which we as Abraham once shall enter with thee into a secret bond of friendship and be called thy friends O Israel happy are wee Baruc. 4.4 for things that are pleasing to God are made knowne unto us Job when hee felt the weight of Gods displeasure and and burden of mans contempt when he was beset with the darknesse of Adversity on every side then hee solac'd himselfe with the remembrance of this spirituall light Job 29.3 His light saith he shined upon my head and by his light I walk'd through darknesse Therefore saith Eccles Eccl. 2. Isaiah 58. Yee that feare the Lord love him and your hearts shall be enlightned Your light shall rise in obscurity and the Lord shall alwayes give you rest shall fill your soules with the splender off his Grace but if you turne from God Eccl. 11.16 you shall bee involv'd with Egyptian darknesse For error and darkenesse had their beginning together with sinners Wisd 5. These words sayes the spirit of God sinners in hell utterd and what are they may some demand This Quere is not to bee branded with the note of an idle and fruitlesse curiosity Wee greedily listen to the report of those things which among other Nations have beene practised in Kings Palaces and Princes Courts to know what is done to the damned in Hell if it bee not unpleasant to bee heard much lesse will it be unprofitable to bee understood especially seeing this narration is not as the story many times of Novelties doubtfull and uncertain What then is the speech or language of the damned in Hell Wisd 5.6 Wee have err'd from the way of Truth and the light of Righteousnesse has not shin'd unto us Therefore we have err'd This indeed is the consequence but where is the Antecedent Come and let us enjoy the good things that are present Ch. 2.6.7.8 let us fill our selves with costly Wine and Oyntment and let not the floure of the spring passe by us Let us crowne our selves with Rose-budds before they bee withered and let us leave tokens of our joyfulnesse in every place Behold this is the Antecedent made by them an Antecedent of joy they surfeited themselves on earth the consequent or conclusion a consequent of Eternall woe is made in hell Silly Logicians for when they had fram'd to themselves the Antecedent they ought then to have subjoyn'd the consequent Come and let us enjoy the good that are present This the Antecedent the consequent or conclusion should presently have beene added Therefore we erred for wee must either repent in this life or burne in the other We must breake off our sinnes by Repentance and not sinne without ceasing Here we must expect to beare the Crosse not hope to weare the Crowne Here we must fight strive against the world the devill and our owne lusts hereafter triumph therfore we have erred It is a good and true conclusion but fram'd too late and the light of Righttousnesse hath not shin'd unto us And what may one demand is this light of righteousnesse or justice If it bee the property of Iustice to give to every man his due as the law declares it then this cannot bee denyed that it is the Office of justice to give to all things that estimation is due unto them Therefore that light of the soule which sets a true estimation upon each thing may fitly bee termed the light of justice or understanding And this is that the damn'd in hell complain'd they wanted here on earth To judge then which were the richest and strongest Wines to deck their heads with Garlands and to provide delicates for their bellies All these things they knew full well but that these fading vanities were not to bee preferr'd before the everlasting delights this they were ignorant of and delighted in that stupid ignorance which lul'd them in security whil'st they tooke their fill in shamefull and short delights which yet they priz'd so highly that in comparison of them they lowly esteemed all the joyes of Heaven set at nought those everlasting delights while they resolv'd not to forsake their surfetting and drunkennesse their venerous wantonnesse and other sinfull pleasures of the flesh So deare and precious to them the liberty they took in sinning that eternity was of no accompt with them they lightly regarded or indeed never thought of the life everlasting But this is a most unjust estimation of things The light of the understanding illuminated with the knowledge of divine truths suggests a quite contrary lesson teaching us that eternity alone is highly to be esteem'd all other things little or nothing to bee regarded Therfore have we erred this the voyce of the damn'd in hell and that they have erred it is plain and evident to themselves who feele the sharp punishment of their short pleasures and to those who heare and reade of their bitter complaints Therefore the light of Righteousnesse hath not shined unto us This is a truth most free from all doubting and exception There be many that will not understand
to come Many are gone the way before us and wee must all follow their steps Wee were borne with this condition and are bound by this Law to goe whether all men go to the Grave Death is the end of all men the bound which no man shall passe It is a remedy to many who are afflicted with misery in that it cures them of their griefe and translates them to glory It is the Godly mans wish desir'd by those who are predestinated to everlasting life to these death gives a release from sorrowes and sets a period to griefe and beyond which their calamities and misfortunes shall not passe It would bee extreame folly and madnesse to resist the decree of a most bountifull and gracious Lord to deny the payment of that Tribute which all do pay to covet that freedome which is granted to none The Christians Divinity is of a higher straine which teacheth us to have death in our desires and to enjoy our life with patience The Swan if we may believe Solinus in her life time is sadd and makes a lamentable noise Lib de mirabil mun but at her death is joyfull and sings The Elect do the same while they live they sigh and mourne they rejoyce in their death being assur'd that they shall for ever rejoyce and sing with the Saints and Angels in the Quire of Heaven Wee read of a Swan-like song chanted by old Simeon not long before his death Lord Luke 2. now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace And why do we lament and mourn when the cottages of our bodyes are ruin'd and pull'd downe For wee know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolv'd 2 Cor. 5. wee have a building with God an house not made with hand Eternall in the heavens First Who will not rise with hast and speed from an hard bed They onely loyter and delay who being delicately entertaind with the softnesse of their warme Feathers cannot easily forsake their downy nest What art thou sicke of this life art thou afflicted in it I suppose then to passe to a better thou wilt be contented Art thou in a good condition and dost thou flourish with health and happinesse It will not bee hurtfull to thee then if death put a sodaine period to thy life least thy prosperity prove thy ruine and procure to thee as it hath to many a grievous though late destruction Therefore as Tertullian rightly sayes wee ought not to feare that which delivers us from all our feares and that is death God is mercifull to a man releases him from a long torment when he shortens his life and makes it as it were but a halfe a spanne Therefore that Generous and Nâ—ble Martyr Cyprian hearing of Valerians decree against him Thascium Cyprianum gladio animadverti placet It is my wil that Cyprian dye by the sword he hearing this lifting up his hands and eyes to Heaven said Thankes bee to God who is pleased in mercy to quit mee from the bonds and fetters of this body Lib. de bono Mor. Saint Ambrose wonders at some men who when they were to dye would rather be thrust by force out of their prison then led out of it by faire entreaty And what is there sayes hee in this life but a continuall fight and strife with Anger Lust and Gluttony Chrys is of the same minde with him what plea hast thou for thy selfe O man Jn c. 1. ad col Thou art invited to a kingdome to the kingdome of the Son of God and yet thou altogether delayest to come and as idle persons use to doe thou dost scratch thy head and yawne What if thou wert bound every day to meet a thousand deaths wouldst thou refuse to under goe them All so that at length thou mightst by them enter into Heavens joyes And what wouldst thou not doe what paine so grievous which thou wouldst not willingly sustaine for Princely honour for a Diademe or a Crowne Now seeing thou shalt one day raigne with Christ as a King wilt not thou then fly from it court death expose thy selfe naked to the peril of a thousand swords and leape cheerfully into the scorching flames Nay contrariwise thou mournest because thou art to leave this vale of misery and teares and canst bee content to set up thy Tabernacle to dwell here so that in the meane time thou mayst pamper thy flesh with delicacies and good cheare Good God! what a madnesse possesses thy vaine thoughts and yet in the meane time thou supposest death to bee the most terrible of all terribles That which causes this folly this vanity in our desires are the delights of the flesh and earthly pleasures for on the contrary he that grones under the burthen of poverty and griefe such a man with the Prophet David desires the wings of a Dove that so hee may flee away and bee at rest being freed from all his miseries and distresses It is with us Christians as with young Birds newly fledg'd wee are loath to forsake their warme nests but the longer they stay in it the weaker they commonly prove and more unable for flight Now this present life is as it were a nest compacted of mud and mosse bragge never so much of thy stately buildings and pride thy selfe in thy Palaces emboss'd with Gold and shining most gloriously with precious stones thy phancie may swell thee to a high conceit of thy selfe for these my reason tells mee they differ nothing from the Swallowes nests winter defaces these time and death thy pleasures The truth of this is confirm'd by that Golden mouth'd Father Chrys All things sayes he doe fade and fall and we with them and for the most part the safer is our condition how much our fall and dissosolution is more suddaine So the wise man the just man is taken away least wickednesse seasing upon his soule change it being subject to alteration and decay Hee beleeves not the resurrection of his body who hastens not in his desires to passe to the Heavenly joyes from earths sorrowes and miseries If a house totter in a storme and threatens every houre to quash us with his fall doe not wee speedily forsake iâ— and if the ship we are in be in danger of being sunke in a tempest what is more thought of and more desird then a secure and quiet Haven This world and all things in it are subject to ruine and decay wee are tossed here with the waves of affliction and stormes of griefe even as if wee were riding upon the maine sea Shall we not then think of an Haven of repose and rest Why doe wee not greedily desire to goe to our heavenly Father even to the place of blisse where our company is desired by them that are neare and deare unto us those glorious and happy Saints who are secure and certaine of their owne welfare onely carefull and sollicitous for ours O how happy and blessed are the dead that dye in the
and art thou moving to it Behold here is thy Viaticum thy provision for the way more costly then that was which Elias had in his passage to mount Horeb. If Christs Garment had such virtue in it that being only to touch'd it could stop an Issue of blood what efficacy what power may we conceive to be in his body when it is received and applyed by the hand of faith But you may say I am unworthy to partake of that divine food neither can I afford or give that reverence unto it which is meet I beseech you deare Brother let us not cover and cloake our sloathfullnesse with a colourable pretence ' of Reverence It is better sayes Aquinas to approach to this banquet out of love then out of a fond feare wholly to abstaine from it Part. 3.2.80 Art 10 and 3. St. Amb. expounds that Petition of the Lords Prayer Give us this day our daily Bread lib. 5 de Sac. c. 4. to be meant of the Supper of our Lord If it be daily Bread why receivest thou it but once a yeare Receive that daily which being received will profit thee So live that thou maist be fitted to receive it daily for he that is not fitted to receive it every day is unworthy to receive it after a yeares space when he has taken a surfeit in sinn and wickednesse lib 4. de Sac. c. 6. For as St. Amb. in another place if as often as the blood of Christ is poured out hee meanes the Wine in the chalice which is a signe of his blood it is poured out for the remission of sins It concerns mee to accept it ever with joy and thankfullnesse and that my sins may be wiped out and pardond I that alwayes wound my soule with sin ought alwayes to apply to those wounds a medicine Gemmadius Massi liensis determines this point well I neither praise nor discommend the Art of those who receive every day the holy Eucharist yet I exhort and perswade all Christians having first subdued their affections and repented heartily of their sins to communicate each Lords Day Hee that comes with a mind not infected with the love of sinne that man comes prepared And who so casts off all affections to his former sinnes that man ceases to hate and begins to love God Surely he is most ungratefull to his maker who for his sake and in obedience to his Command will not throw away and cast out the poyson of every pestilent and foule affection that so he may come prepar'd to the holy Communion with those that will not do this God is highly and deservedly displeased as appeares by that parable of the great man that made a Feast and invited Guests who would not come Luk 14.16 I say unto you said that Mr. of the Family that none of these men shall tast of my supper what Lord not tast of thy Supper why they are those that will not come and tast of it and dost thou Judge this to bee a fit punishment for their obstinate Rebellion so it is Their doome proceeded out of their own mouths They said they will not and God sayes they shall not Thus by their ungodly and rebellious will they shall be punish'd When the City of Samaria was straitned with a sore famine which threatned a generall destruction And Elisha promised that within a few dayes there should be great store and plenty of corne and other provision one of the lords of that City scoffing at his prediction answerd Though the Lord would make windowes in heaven could this thing come to passe to whom Eâ—isha replyed Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but shall not eate thereof It happend to that proud Lord as the Prophet foretold And thus at this day are many puâ—ished They see abundance or good store of this holy bread in the Eucharist but they eat not of it And thou cold Christian whose heart is frozen with hatred and malice ' thou who now contemnest Gods Ordinance thou shalt see the bread upon the Table and the Wine stand by it but God will not give thee grace to drink of this or tast of that Thou shalt see and heare of many who have beene refreshd by this heavenly banquet whilst thou in the meane time art starved and famished Because thou hast excluded thy selfe thou art debarred from comming to Gods Table by which thou mightst have beene plentifully fed and satisfied However it bee thus with the ungodly and wicked yet those that are predestinated to eternall life that are the genuine and true sons of God count it as a marke of Gods high displeasure to want this heavenly bread and therefore they neglect no opportunity omit no occasion whereby they may obtaine and purchase it for they are not Ignorant that the most provident Creatour hath allotted its proper food to every creature as to Eagles birds to Lyons wild beasts to the Horse Oates to an Ox Hay to sheepe Grasse to the Whale fishes to man bread that comes out of the Earth but to those that are his Sons by the grace of Adoption hee hath appointed better food that is bread from Heaven This heavenly bread this bread of Sons this bread of Angells Gods adopted Saints for the most part receive with an ardent desire with most submissive reverence and with that affection which becomes Gods beloved Children who had rather shew themselves to be Gods sons by immodest piety then appeare to bee his Enemies by an impious modesty If to any ones conscience who is in the number of the praedestinate Christ should thus speake by the still voyce of his spirit whilst he is receiving the holy Sacrament Consider seriously with thy most collected thoughts what and how great things I have done and suffered of my meere love to thee to expâ—ate thy sinnes Lift up the Eyes of thy soâ—â—e and behold with good attention the thornes that peirced my head and the many Sorrowes that rent my heart My body was wounded with whips and nails but my soule received its wounds from many great and unsufferable Injuries For thy sake I had almost in the garden selt deaths stroke There the lashes of my inward griefs did anticipate the whipping of Herods Souldiers Thinke not with thy selfe what I suffered from my foes when such heauy strokes were laid on me by my freinds Thou Knowest upon how hard a bed I dyed for thee If thou hads't not find I had not suffered My loue that thou mayst vnderstand the greatnesse of it moued me to undergoe the most bitâ—er and Ignominious death but none could he sound more bitter and Ignominious then that I did sustaine for thee the death of the crosse Behold I I who am the son of God haue died for thee poore sinfull man and if that death had not beene sufficient I would not haue refused to dye a thousand times more to have redeem'd thee from the power of death and Hell But what wilt thou doe
of Good comfort my friends this is but a cloud which will soone vanish Indeed whatsoever horror or griefe we sustaine in this life it is a cloud that darkens all our contents and it is but a Cloud which shall be scattered and driven away by the serenity and shining lustre of that everlasting day wherein all teares shall bee wiped from our eyes Among the Ancients those that were most laborious would let no day passe without a line as their manner of phrase was i.e. no day slipt in which no good was done so carefull were they to make a Progresse in their study and improve their profession But Christians being as Active as those were in the businesse of their calling desire that no day may passe over their head without a cloud that so they may have an occasion to expresse by suffering their love to their Lord God The Heavens saith Tert. were to Job Tert. Li. de pat c. 13 not only clouded but also turnd as it were into Brasse and Iron and yet that holy man out of his quiver of graces did draw a shaft which subdued the Devill and put him to flight and that was patience whereby hee overcame all Satans temptations So that neither the driving away of his flocks nor the death of his sons by the fall of the house nor all the paines and torments which he sufferd in his flesh could drive him from his patient resolution to endure all this and an heavier burthen if God should please to lay it upon him How did God as it were erect in this holy man a pageant whereon he triumphd over Satan what a glorious banner did he set up in signe of the Devills foyle when that holy man at the report of each Messenger utterd nothing out of his mouth but God be thanked This did torment the Devill but was most pleasing to God By this meanes Job recovered all his losses with a double gaine and advantage whilst wee are suffering for the truth of Christ with a good conscience we are on our march to heaven and happinesse There be divers wayes that lead to heaven the safest and most sure of all is the high way of the crosse for through many Tribulations must we enter into the Kingdome of God Act 14. And as the Potters Vessels are tried in the Furnace so Tribulation is the tryall of the Just Only the chaffe is wasted and consumed in the Furnace so the wicked are the worse for their afflictions The Gold is purified in the fire and the Godly are bettered by their misery This world is a furnace the Righteous are Gold Tribulation the fire And God be it spoken with reverence the Artificer Iâ— the Gold which is under the hand of the Smith could speak if it had so much sence to understand and know what the Goldsmith did purpose to do with it which is perhaps to make a Vessell of it for a Kings Table or a Princes Cupboord if the Gold understood so much if it had a voyce it would resigne up it selfe to the will of the artificer it would say Let him do with me as he thinks fit Aug. in Psal 60. cast mee into what shape or fashion he pleases throw me into what place hec will therewith I must and will be contented The Straw and stubble which the Workman uses to kindle that fire wherein I am melted that is wasted and wholly consum'd whilst I am onely purgd and purified Consider this all yee that represent Chaffe and Stubble ponder this all yee that are Gods Gold In that fire wherein Straw and Stubbl is turnd into a black smoak Gold shines and is made the brighter In the very same affliction the wicked blaspheme and accuse God of Injustice in the which the righteous patiently bearing their Crosse praise God for his mercy and loving kindnesse and withall gather strength from their adversity as the fire whose flame is beaten back with the Bellowes growes hotter and is increasd by that very meanes whereby one would think it should be extinguisht Vertue best showes it selfe in extremity and flourishes when it is most tossed with the waves of misery If we run back in our thoughts and take account of all those who from the very first Infancy of the world were deare to God we shall assuredly find that they were all stampt with this mark that they all sufferd affliction which we make a certaine signe of Gods love and affection God tried them sayes the wiseman and found them worthy of himselfe Wisd 3. deseruing his favour and to have with him an habitation If wee look into the Scriptures there we shall find Abraham diversly exercised and chastised Ioseph sold by his Brethren and David persecuted by his ungratefull Son We read that Efay was saw'n asunder Ezechiels braines dasht out against the stones Ieremy stond Michah staine with the sword Amos murderd by a nail struck into his Temples Daniel exposed to the Lyons Mâ—aboth as Jeremy was ston'd to death Elisha mock'd and had in derision Iob full of uscers sitting upon the Dunghill and spit at by those who should have comforted him Tobie strucken with blindnesse Innocent Susanna condemned Many more examples might be alleadged to confirm this truth In what an Ocean of miseries was St. Paul plungd of the other Apostles some were whip'd some crucified some slaine with the sword None of Gods sons were ever spared For whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth and scourgeth every one none excepted whom he receiveth Heb. 12.6 For all those who will live Godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Yet let every one who doth serve and worship thee O Lord know for a certain that if in this life hee be tryed by the Cross hee shall bee crown'd in the other with glory and Salvation Because that after a storm thou ever dost send a calm after teares and weeping thou fillest our hearts with joy and exultation Therefore blessed is the man who is chastisd by God for his correction and amendment For if we suffer we shall Raigne with him 1 Tim. 2.12 Let then no man be afraid to be scourgd but rather least he be disinherited We are fitted and prepar'd for our eternall inheritance by losses and Crosses by stripes and whippings with which God doth exercise us in the way to heaven least our thoughts being taken up with deceiving vanities and so we delighting too much in fading pleasures here below forget our heavenly Country which is above and whither we wish all to goe If thou be exempted from the lash of Sorrowes sayes Aug. thou hast no place in the list of Gods sons Throw away then all childish thoughts and vaine expressions say not my Father is better affected to my Brother whom he suffers to do what he list he loves him better then mee because if I stirr but one foot contrary to his command I am presently whipped and corrected for it Rejoyce rather when thou art chastised
of God and men and art most distastfull to the blessed Angels Thou art made up of Dust and Clay thou Son of Adam thou art compounded of corruption and yet thou castest forth the stench of Lucifers pride which will bring thee to speedy destruction If not only the sweet smell of the Cypresse but also its height and tallness be pleasing to thee if thou desirest to climb upon the staires of fortune Go Ascend but when thou art mounted on high let me give thee this caveat Despise none but thy selfe the subject of sin and the object of misery It argues a brave and noble spirit to be on high yet not to be advanced with an overweening conceit of that felicity He is the only brave one worthy of Admiration who when he is lift up can depress himselfe by an humble demeanour in his life and reaching Heaven with his faith and other heavenly vertues in his selfe estimation and lowly opinion of his owne parts creeps as low as earth and would fall lower to do God or his friend any service Saint Bern. saith that Humility is an individuall companion of Gods Grace which Humility has in it a kind of Sublimity it will not stoop to the bait of honour and preferment and never growes insolent by any acquired glory It is no great matter to be humble in an abject or mean condition Humility in honour is a great and rare vertue proper only to a Saint Heare ye this O ye Kings and. Princes and Potentates of the Earth and heare this all ye that are â—earn'd and proud ye that have riches and despise others Humility in honour is a great Vertue And this is the property of true humility by how much holier a man is even in the judgement of God to seeme more vile in his owne eyes and to judge himself the more wicked Abraham the freind of God most commended for his faith and holiness Gen. 18. yet seemes to himselfe but Dust and Ashes St. Peter who was eminent in graces confesses himselfe to be a finfull man nay the greatest of sinners St Paul a chosen vessell and the prince of the Apostles termes he not himselfe an Abortive a thing borne out of due time and unworthy to be called an Apostle To speak truly there is no better and easier way to be exalted then first to be cast downe and in a meane estimation of himselfe to be humbled Pride is the ruine and death of all vertues the downfall of men and Angels O God what a change once was there betweene Heaven and Earth The most beautifull Angell of all was thrown downe from Heaven and a poor most miserable Begger was carried by the Angells thither For from whence proud Lucifer fell thither did Lazarus poore humble Lazarus ascend whom we beleeve to have rather numbred his vlcers to have counted his boiles and botches rather this then to have cast up or made any Account of his vertues And I doubt not but that out of a Genuine contempt of himself his patience seem'd more glorious in others eyes then his owne Wittily well said he who affirmd that little was his strength who thought he was strong at all And no strength at all has he who thinks he has much to this purpose saith St. Bern. thus ' All things are wanting to him who conceives that he wants nothing We may adde that those men have no little or right to Heaven and belong not unto God who are pleasd with nothing but their owne gifts who are most proud Censors of other mens lives and partiall Iudges of their owne they are deceiv'd in other mens matters and bleare-ey'd in their owne assuming a voluntary and pleasing blindness Woe be to these selfe flatteries They will heare one day that heavy sentence Goe ye Cursed c Heaven admits of no such Peacocks who have long Tailes but shorter Crests great and swelling conceits of their owne doings but a bad opinion of other mens Those that are predestinate to eternall life censure no mens lives so rigidly as their owne and condemne themselves more often then they do others They are indulgent to all men never to themselves and are most severe in correcting their owne manners Wretched men that we are we are but Dust and as it were a shadow that departeth passing every moment to the region of darkness the Grave the mansion of the dead yet out of a vaine ostentation we run over our pedigrees we number up the names of our Progenitors as if they are the better men who reckon up most Ancestors Man is like to vanity sayes the Prophet David His dayes pass like a shadow c. Wheresoever we turne our eyes there we may behold matter of Griefe and teares if we look upward to Heaven there we shall see our Country afar off but our selves driven and banish'd from it Looke we downward to the earth there we shall see a Pit which the Earth threatns unto us when we are dead and though we now tread upon it with our feet yet after a little while our lofty heads shall be laid low in it Look we upon our selves we may behold a faire red Apple like that of Sodom in which notwithstanding its beauty there lurks a worme which in time will eat and consume that Apple at the heart filth and rottenness and Death it selfe harbours even in our very bowells Look we into our hearts do we unbowell our consciences there we shall find Cages of Vncleanness and dunghills of Impurity a nest of Snakes Toads and Vipers Alas we abound in sin and infirmities and yet we are not vile to our selves We are overwhelmed with miseries beset with folly and ignorance and yet we desire to seeme happy wise and searn'd and to be pointed at with the finger as if we were most eminent These considerations of our sinfull frailty beget in the elect a meane esteem of themselves and the more they consider their miseries the more humble are they and vile in their owne eyes And all things appeare unto them as they did to St. Paul Drosse and Dung because they themselves are so and worse in their owne opinion They easily despise all earthly things who have learn'd above all things to contemn themselves And whosoever desires to be happy let him inure himself to be contemn'd and learne to contemne all things but God and goodness which only is to be prizd and esteem'd in Gods Saints who have studyed and practised that excellent saying of St. Chrys It is as great a thing to think the most meanely of thy selfe Hom. 3. in Mat. as to do and Act the greatest things that may be Gods elect Children obey his voyce that said He that will be great among you shall be lesse in the Kingdome of heaven and whether he shall come there it is a question it is a place only for the humble and meek The way of humility they likewise know to be rough and ruggy and not easy at