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A20673 The practise how to finde ease, rest, repose, content, and happines. Written by a religious man of the congregation of St. Elias the prophet, and the order of our Blessed Lady of mount Carmell, restored by the Blessed mother Teresa. The second part. Containing directions how to end all controuersies, and take away all discontentments, and euils, and attaine vnto true ioy of minde, and content of heart, and all good; Practise how to finde ease, rest, repose, content, and happines. Part 2 Doughty, Thomas, fl. 1618-1638. 1619 (1619) STC 7072.6; ESTC S106011 123,081 516

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and yet you enuie it The Passion of our Lord is the price of the whole World he redeemed the whole World and you with the whole World for your gaine cannot agree but rather to your losse in a part doe striue that you may loose the whole Heare in the Psalme They Ps 21. 19. haue diuided my Apparrell amongst them and vpon my Coats they cast Lots Why will you be diuiders of the Apparrell of our Lord and will not hold with the whole World the Coat of Charitie wouen aboue which his Persecutors haue not diuided In the same Psalme it is said Ps 21. 28. that all the World shall hold it he saith All the ends of the Earth shall remember and be conuerted to our Lord and all the Families of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight Open the eyes of your heart Ps 49. 1. and heare for the God of Gods our Lord hath spoken and hee hath called the Earth from the rising of the Sunne euen to the going downe out of Sion the beautie of his comelinesse If you will not heare this heare the Gospell our Lord speaking and saying by his proper mouth All things ought to be fulfilled of Christ which of him are written in the Law and Prophets and Psalmes and Penance and Remission of sinnes in his Name to be preached throughout all Nations beginning at Ierusalem That which is said in the Psalme He hath called the Earth from the rising of the Sun vnto the going downe This is vnderstood in the Gospell by all Nations And that which in the Psalme is said out of Sion the beautie of his comelinesse in the Gospell is said beginning from Ierusalem Wherefore doe you beleeue that the Cockle hath growne and hath filled the World and the Wheat to haue diminished in Brittanie onely to haue remained Doe you call your selues Christians and yet contradict Christ Hee saith suffer both to grow vntill the Haruest Hee did not say let the Cockle grow and the Wheat diminish Hee said the Field is the World and did not say the Field is Brittanie Thus Saint Augustine Epist 171. and we with him So deare Reader not to liue seeking after lyes and publikely professing in deeds and actions that God Almightie is forsworne when Sathan shall tempt thee in matters of Faith or any controuersie ariseth betweene thee some Protestant about Religion as about the Reall Presence Prayer for the Dead Intercession to Saints c. make some of the aforesaid Acts set downe in the former Chapter with zeale and feruor and hold fast the hope proposed which Heb. 6. 18. wee haue as an Anchor of the Soule sure and firme the Oath of God and that it is impossible for God to lye Be not remoued away from the two things vnmoueable the Oath of God and Impossibilitie for God to lye Whereupon is grounded all the whole course of the Scriptures and founded the House of God the Church of the 1. Tim. 3. 15. liuing God the Pillar and ground of Truth And neither Death Rom. 8. nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers neither things present nor things to come neither might nor height nor depth nor other creature shall be able to make thee a Protestant Sectarie or Heretike and separate thee from the vnitie of our Catholike Faith the Faith of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And in arguing and disputing with Sectaries who denie our Catholike Faith put them to proue that the Oath of God the Promises and Prophecies are verified and fulfilled vpon their Sects and then thou shalt finde that their Doctrine proceedeth from this Sourse or Gulfe that Sathan is encreased in Pride hath got him a new Coat and reformed his Religion Whereas heretofore he was wont to goe like a Serpent and preach out of a Tree and taught that God Almightie could lye and men that would beleeue him should be as Gods No you shall Gen. 3. not die you shall be as Gods now he hath encreased his Pride and got a new Coat and goeth like a Precisian Minister and preacheth out of Pulpits and hath reformed his Faith and Religion teaching for God can lye and you shall be as Gods God can be forsworne and you are Gods and cannot lye erre or be deceiued but be assured to enioy Heauen and vpon this hath founded his reformed Religions the violating of the Oathes of God and publike profession in acts and deeds that God Almightie is periured and forsworne Heb. 6. 17. God meaning more abundantly to shew the heires of his Promise the stabilitie of his Counsell in performing what hee did promise for the establishing of the hearts of men in the infallibilitie of our Christian Catholike Faith Church Priesthood swore two Oathes the one in confirmation of the Priesthood of our Lord for euer Ps 129. Heb. 7. Our Lord hath sworne and it shall not repent him thou art a Priest for euer aecording to the Order of Melchisedeck The other this which we treate of The Oath of God to Abraham Act. 3. Of multiplying Gen. 22. his Seed as the Starres of Heauen and as the sand that is by the Sea-shoare Thy Seed shall possesse the gates of his enemies In thy Seed shall be blessed all the Families of the Earth And vpon these Oaths is founour Catholike Faith And the Deuill meaning more abundantly to shew his malice and power in the hearts of wretched men the heires of his Myseries and endlesse Torments hath brought them to plant a Faith and Religion grounded and founded vpon the denying in actions and deeds of the fulfilling of both these Oathes of God First by winning men to denie in effect and deeds that God Almightie hath multiplied Christians his children as the Starres of Heauen possessing the Gates of their enemies and mouing them to affirme in acts and deeds that for many hundreth yeares together God Almightie hath failed in fulfilling of his first Oath he hath planted in their hearts his new Ministeriall Doctrine And secondly by winning Men to deny in action and deeds that our Lord was a Priest for euer according to the Order of Melchisedeck and mouing them to affirme in acts and deeds that he was a Priest but for once and that according to the Order of Aaron in offering vp of himselfe once vpon the Crosse he hath destroied all the Christian Priest-hood life and Religion which was amongst them And so by mouing men in acts deeds publikely to professe that God Almightie hath beene twice forsworn the Diuel hath founded and planted amongst them his new reformed Religions groūded and founded vpon two cōtradictories to the grounds of our Catholike Faith viz. God Almightie cannot lye or be forwsorne God Almighty is periured and can lye Which is so manifest that if Malice and Passion doe not blinde thy heart and extinguish the light of reason in thy vnderstanding I will make thee touch it as we vse to say with thy
Againe Rom. 3. 29. Is he God of the Iewes only Is he not also of the Gentiles for it is one God that iustifieth Circumcision by faith and Prepuce by faith Doe we then destroy the Law by faith God forbid but we do establish the Law by denying Iustification by Faith onely without Workes and Iustification by Workes onely without Faith in Christ Iesus he established the Law and the Prophets The same Law-giuer Moyses and the same Law which telleth vs that we ought to obserue it the same also telleth vs that we ought to beleeue Deu. 18. 13. in Christ Iesus A Prophet Act. 3. ●● sayth Moyses shall the Lord your God raise vp to you of your brethren as my selfe And Deu. 18. ●5 it shall be euery soule that shall not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed out of the people So the Apostle by denying Iustification by Workes of the Law onely without Faith in this Prophet our Sauiour and by denying Iustification by faith onely without obseruing the Law saying Not the hearers of Rom. 8. 13. the Law are iust with God but the doers of the Law shall be iustified establisheth the whole Law Faith in Christ and keeping the Commandements of God And for the vnderstanding of many places of S. Paul thou must obserue that the Faith which Saint Paul speaketh of when he saith that we are iustified by faith is a Faith that worketh by Charitie a Faith rooted Gal. 5. 6. and founded in Charitie Eph. 3. 18. So likewise when our Lord promiseth saluation by faith saying He that beleeueth in me Io. 21. 26. shall liue c. He meaneth such a faith as is rooted and founded in Charitie Faith without Charitie being but a dead faith deserueth not the name of faith no more then a dead man deserueth the name of a man As it is an error in speech to discourse of men without addition and meane dead men so it should be an error in speech to speake and discourse of faith without addition and meane a dead faith vvhich serueth those who haue it for nothing else but encrease of eternall Torments According to the Testimonie of our Lord who sayth Hee Luc. 12. 47. that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Faith Ia. 2. 17. if it haue not Workes is as dead in it selfe Without Loue Aug. in Ioan. trea 10. sayth S. Augustine Faith is vaine the Faith of Christians is with Loue the Faith of Deuils without Loue. Againe If neglecting De Fide et Operib c. 1● tom 4. the Commaundements we might be saued by onely Faith which without Workes is dead how should it be true which he wil say to them whom he shall place on his left hand Goe ye into eternall fire which was prepared for the Deuill and his Angels neither doth he find fault with them for that they did not beleeue in him but because they did not good Workes c. So they shall goe into euerlasting combustion there shall be an euerlasting combustion as of Fire and they shall goe into it saith Truth whose not Faith but good Workes he hath declared to be wanting So Saint Augustine Whereby is manifest that Faith is necessarie to Content and Happinesse but not Faith only CHAP. V. That Man cannot be content and happie without embracing and beleeuing the Faith which was planted vpon Earth by our Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ the Sonne of God HAuing found out that Faith is necessarie to Mans Content and Happinesse and excluded the Faiths of all sorts of Protestants who defend Iustification by Faith only from euer finding any true Content or Happinesse it followeth to seeke out what Faith is necessarie to Mans Happinesse that we may embrace it and be happie First That it is the faith vvhich vvas planted vpon Earth by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is manifest to reason for that the Faith which our Lord planted teacheth vs many Truths Secrets and Mysteries which to the greatest Philosophers were not knowne neither in any other Doctrine can or may they be learned as of the Trinitie the Creation and Redemption of the World the Communion of Saints the Forgiuenesse of Sinnes the Resurrection of the Dead the Life to come and many things more of the greatest content and comfort that can be to the heart of Man which were not made known vnto the World but by the Sonne of God our Sauior that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets saying The Orient from on high Luc. 1. 78. hath visited vs to illuminate them that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death to direct our feet in the way of peace Againe The Land of Zabulon and Land Mat. 4. 16. of Nephtali the way of the Sea beyond Iordan of Galilee of the Gentiles the people that sat in darknesse hath seene great Light and to them that sat in a Country of the shadow of Death Light is risen to them By knowing Truths Verities before the comming of our Sauiour not knowne vnto the World Secondly It is manifest by the Scriptures that the Faith which conducteth vs to Happinesse is the Faith which was planted by our Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ for that when the Scriptures say that we are iustified by faith they intend the Faith planted by our Sauior as Iustifying him Rom. 3. 26. that is of the faith of Iesus Christ Againe We also beleeue in Iesus Gal. 2. Christ that we may he iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ Againe Gal. 3. 23. The Scriptures haue concluded all things vnder sinne that the Promise hy faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen Whereby is manifest that none can be truely content or happie who doe not beleeue and embrace the Faith planted vpon Earth by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ the Sonne of God Wherefore it is necessarie that we seeke it out that thou mayest embrace it and lay a sure foundation of thy happinesse which I will doe in the three next ensuing Chapters CHAP. VI. That our Catholike Faith which Protestants call Papistrie is the Faith of God planted by our Lord and Sauiour vpon Earth is proued by the light of Reason in generall FIrst by reason taken from the vnitie of our Catholike Faith that people of all Nations Tribes and Countries differing in Languages and Gouernment dispersed ouer the whole Earth should all beleeue as one and one as all and all with one voice and in one sense and signification professe one and the same Articles of Faith and those of so deepe vnderstanding high mysteries and secrets as in particular the reason of Man is not able to reach or comprehend is a sufficient demonstration to anie reasonable Man that our Catholike Faith is the Faith of God planted by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ For as God Almightie is so must his Faith and Religion be God Almightie as Aristotle
Ease Content and Rest and wilt not bee offended for that I plainely defend the honour of my God I proceed CHAP. IX That hope in God is also necessary to the Content and Happinesse of Man but not only Hope without other vertues And how acts of Hope made by Catholikes include Sacraments and other Vertues and not exclude them THat it is impossible to be saued or finde Content without hope in God is manifest by reason First for that no man laboureth for that which he no waies hopeth to obtaine nor yet is carefull to keepe that which he esteemeth impossible to inioy Againe vpon want of hope ariseth despaire and pusillanimitie of mind both which being passions of sadnesse and discontent depriue vs of the Ioy and Content we seeke after Secondly it is manifest by the Scriptures which in plain tearms affirme That by Hope we Rom 8. 39. Rom. 15. 4. are saued Againe What things soeuer haue beene written to our learning they haue beene written that by the patience and consolatiof the Scriptures wee may haue Hope So Saint Paul saith The Rom. 15. 13. God of Hope replenish you with all Ioy and Peace in beleeuing that you may abound in Hope In the Psalmes it is said They that Ps 124. hope in thee shall not be confounded Againe They that trust in Ps 33. 9. our Lord as Mount Sion he shall not be moued for euer Againe Blessed is that man that hopeth in Ps 36. 4. God Againe He will take them Ps 144. away from Sinners and saue them because they haue hoped in him Whereby is manifest that without the vertue of Hope no man can be happy or saued But as wee said before of onely Faith that Faith without other vertues is dead to Grace in this life and Glorie in the other and serueth such as haue it for nothing but for the increase of eternall torments so also it is manifest that onely Hope without other vertues is a vaine and dead Hope without any true Content in this life or in all eternitie as is manifest first by reason Because Hope endeth with Death so if the Content and Happinesse of Man should consist in onely Hope there should be no Content in the other life Secondly we see some few excepted who fall into vtter despaire that all men of all Sects and sorts and how wicked soeuer hope for Happinesse and Content So if Hope without the assistance of other vertues were sufficient to Happinesse men might be happie and wretched both together which is contrarie to experience Thirdly to hope for Happinesse is not to be happie since none hopeth for that he hath but enioyeth Whereby is manifest that onely Hope is not sufficient to be happie Againe the Scriptures say Not euerie one that saith Lord Mat. 7. 21. Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heauen Againe Many shall say to me in that Day Mat. 7. 22. Lord Lord haue not wee prophecied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Deuils and in thy Name wrought many Miracles And then I will confesse vnto them that I neuer knew you depart from me you that worke iniquitie And our Sauiour compareth those who hope to be saued and are negligent in gaining other vertues and vsing the meanes he hath ordained for the saluation of mankind vnto foolish Virgins who inuited to a Mariage neglected to prepare themselues for the Mariage vntil it was too late and so were shut out with this answer Amen I say to you I know you not Mat. 25. 12. Whereby is manifest that the Promises are not made to a dead Hope which is void of other vertues but to such a Hope as is conioint to all other vertues and is void of all iniquitie Heere thou mayest obserue deere Reader the error of many Protestants who being driuen from the impious Doctrine of Iustification by Faith only fall vpon Iustification by Hope onely without Faith Charitie Sacraments or other vertues and not knowing nor regarding what Faith they ought to professe nor what Commandements they haue broken presume to be saued by a vaine Hope in the Passion of our Lord and so perish in their presumption thinking that to say onely I hope to be saued by the Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ without Faith Charitie Sacraments c. is sufficient to remit their sinnes and saue their soules how euill and wicked soeuer they haue liued and so die Heretikes and Infidels of no Faith nor Religion for all their hope When Catholikes say they hope to be saued by the merits of the Passion of our Lord and Sauiour they doe not exclude the Sacraments Faith and other vertues but suppose them and include them all other meanes whatsoeuer God Almightie hath giuen or left vs for our Saluation yea the whole merit or benefit of his Passion and things gained for vs as Faith Hope Charitie Sacraments assistance of the holie Ghost c. And the sense of the words are I hope to be saued by no other meanes then those which thou hast gained for me by thy Passion And so likewise in all other acts of vertues or Sacraments Catholikes doe include the whole merit of the Passion of our Sauiour as whether they make acts of Contrition as Lord bee mercifull to mee a poore sinner or of Loue as I desire to loue thee deare Lord with all my heart or of Hope as I hope by the helpe of the Sacraments to be saued they doe not exclude any other vertue or meanes but in all and euery one of these Actes doe include all the meanes and benefits of our Lords whole Passion offering vp these Actes and whatsoeuer Christian worke they doe to God the Father in vnion with the Passion of our Lord vpon the Crosse for the remission of their sinnes and vse these Acts Sacraments and good Deedes done in Grace as a meanes which God Almighty hath ordained they should vse for the receiuing of the merit and benefit of the Sacrifice of the Passion of our Lord. For though our Lord died fo all the World yet none receiue the benefit of his Passion but those who diligently and carefully vse the meanes he hath ordained should be vsed for the receiuing of the benefit thereof which are Faith Sacramēts good Deeds and acts of vertue by these as by instruments receiuing the merit and benefit of our Lords Passion his graces and fauours purchased for vs. So Saint Paul exhorting vs saith Our desire is that euery one of Heb. 6. 11. you shew forth the same carefulnesse to the accomplishing of hope vnto the end that you may become not slouthfull but imitaters of them which by faith and patience shall inherite the Promise The slouthfull seruant receiued of our Lord a Talent Mat. 25. 15. yet because he did not encrease it he was cast into vtter Mat. 25. 30. darkenesse where there shall
societie is there betweene light and darknesse And what agreement with Christ and Belial or what part hath the faithfull with the Infidel and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols For you are the Temple of the liuing God As God saith That I will dwell and walke in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people God Almightie aduanceth those who forsake sinne and iniquitie to so high a degree of Content and Happinesse that he electeth their soules for his Temple for his chiefest place of honour and glorie dedicated to the setting out of his Magnificence Laudes and Praises vpon Earth a place where are to be sung the Songs of Syon Ps 136. 3. the Song of our Lord in a Ps 104. 27. strange Land and his wonders in the Land of Cham for a place appropriated to his recreation and pleasures as God said I will dwell and walke in them Againe I am come into my Garden Cant. 5. O my sister Spouse I haue reaped my Myrrhe with mine aromaticall spices I haue eaten the hony combe with my honie I haue drunke my wine with my milke Eat O friends drinke and be inebriated my dearest my sister Spouse is a Garden inclosed a Fountaine sealed vp Thy Off-springs a Paradise of Pomegranates with Orchard fruits Cypres with Spikenard and Saffron sweet Cane and Cinnamon with all the Trees of Libanus Mirrhe and Aloes with all the chiefe Oyntments The Fountaine of Gardens the Well of liuing Waters which runne with violence from Libanus To the fulfilling of that which was spoken by the Prophet Isay saying Our Lord therefore will comfort Sion Isa 5. 3. and will comfort all the ruines thereof and he will make her Desart as Delicacies and her Wildernesse as the Garden of our Lord Ioy and gladnesse shal be found in it giuing of thanks and voice of praise Making the soule of such as loue him with all their hearts a kind of Paradise vpon Earth as God Almightie said I will dwell and walke in them in some sort as he did in Paradise with our first Parents Adam and Eua who Gen. 3. 8. heard the voice of our Lord walking in Paradise at the afternoone aire To the fulfilling of the words spoken by the Prophet Isay saying They shall Isa 6. 11. 4. build the Desarts from the beginning of the World and shall erect the old Mines and shall repaire the desolate Cities that were discipated in generation and generation Whereupon our Lord saith If any man loue me hee Io. 14. 23. will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and will make our abode with him Our Lord will not only dwell in the soules of them who loue him with all their hearts but will make their hearts his house and home and abiding place Insomuch as the soules of those who loue God with all their hearts are a kinde of Heauen heere vpon Earth Our Lord said Heauen is my Isa 66. 1. Seat Againe Our Lord hath prepared his Seat in Heauen Ps 102. 19. and of the soules of such as loue him with all their hearts hee saith That he will dwell and walke and abide in them Whereby wee see that the soules of such as loue God Almightie with all their hearts are as it were a kind of Heauen vpon Earth where God Almightie keepeth his Court walketh and dwelleth As the hearts of Heretikes and those who liue in breach of the Commandements of God are a kinde of Hell euen heere vpon Earth paines and confirmation in malice excepted So those who loue God with all their hearts keepe his Commandements and seeke to please him in their actions are in a kinde of Heauen heere vpon Earth glorie and confirmation in grace excepted Whereupon our Lord promiseth to those who liue chast Keepe his Sabboths choose the thinges that hee would and hold his Couenant saying I will giue vnto them in Isa 56. 5. my House and within my Walls a Place and a Name better then Sonnes and Daughters an euerlasting Name will I giue them which shall not perish That is he will giue them to be recollected within their soules his Temple wherein he dwelleth and abideth as in his House as hee said before I will dwell in them we 2. Cor. 6. Io. 14. 2. Cor. 6. will make our abode with him You are the Temple of the liuing God Whereupon the Prophet Dauid speaking of his being recollected within his Soule in his Meditations sayth These things haue Ps 41. 5. I remembred and haue poured out my soule in me because I shall passe into the place of a maruelous Tabernacle euen to the house of God So in like manner S. Augustine sayth Our Aug. con li. 12. ca. 31. Lord is high and the humble of heart are his house Againe If we liue holy and iustly whatsoeuer Aug. ser 252. de tempore is done in Temples made with hands the same is wholly fulfilled in vs by spirituall Building Whereupon Saint Paul sayth Christ as the Sonne is Heb. 3. 6. in his owne house which house are we This is Sion and new Ierusalem Isa 62. vpon Earth the soule of him that loueth God Almightie with all his heart and recollected within it hee hath a place within the house and walls of God his owne soule the Bed-chamber of our Lord. And hee will giue him a better name then Sonnes and Daughters which is his Name Isa 7. 14. of Emanuel which is by interpretation God with vs or the Luc. 1. 23. Names of Gods not by nature but by grace and participation from his Goodnesse according as before it is said I will dwell with them wee will Io. 10. 34. make our abode with him It is written in your Law that I said you are Gods If he called them Gods to whom the Word of God was made those may be called Gods in whom God Almightie dwelleth as in his Temple house and home Here Pennes and Tongues and Thoughts and Meditations and Contemplation and whatsoeuer else with excesse of ioyfull Admiration sweetly lose themselues with a happie losse of an infinite gaine and sit alone in silent speech more eloquent then all the eloquence of Greekes and Romans sellers of vaine words and crie out Lord Mat. 8. 8. I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter into my Roofe Thy friends are honoured too Ps 138. 17. much How beautifull are thy Ps 83. Tabernacles O Lord of Hostes my soule coueteth and fainteth vnto the Courts of our Lord my heart and my flesh reioyceth towards the liuing God There the Sparrow hath found her a House and the Turtle a Neast for her selfe where she may lay her young Thine Altars O Lord of Hostes my King and my God Blessed are they that dwell in thy House O Lord for euer and euer they shall praise thee Blessed is the man whose helpe is in
Flesh are dead to Grace in this life and to Glory in the other But such as liue according to the wisedome of the Spirit in Continencie and Chastitie by mortifying their inordinate appetites shall liue with the life of Grace in this life of Glory in the other and in Temporall peace of minde in this life and Eternall in the other Because the Wisedome of the Rom. 8. 13. Flesh is an enemie to God for to the Law of God it is not subiect neither can it be for if you liue according to the Flesh you shall die but if by the Spirit you mortifie the deedes of the Flesh you shall liue For whosoeuer are led by the Spirit of God and mortifie the deeds of the Flesh they are the sonnes of God But if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of Continencie and Mortification the same is not his but the Deuils Whereupon Saint Paul yet further saith I say walke Gal. 5. 16. in the Spirit that is in doing acts of Mortification and Continencie and the lust of the Flesh you shall not accomplish for the Flesh lusteth Gal. 5. 17. against the Spirit so these are enemies one to another and combate for the victorie If the inordinate lust and desires of the Flesh preuaile so farre with thee as that they bring thy Will Reason and Soule to consent to their desires then the inordinate lust and concupisences of the Flesh are Lords and Masters and thy Will Reason and Soule become slaues to their owne vassals and thou becommest a beast and a beastly man to runne after thy fleshly Lusts and Concupisences like the wilde Asses and beasts of the Forrest and that is thy life and felicitie If thy Soule or vpper part make continent and mortifie thy Lusts and Carnall desires and inordinate appetites of thy flesh then thy Soule or vpper part is Lord and Master and thou liuest like a man or reasonable creature and not like a beast and commest by perseuerance in Continencie and Mortification to enioy these delicate Fruits of the Holy Ghost which heere we treate of And for this cause the Life of Man is Iob. 7. called a Warfare For the Flesh Gal. ● ●7 lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh for these are aduersaries one to another that not what things soeuer you will those you doe without combate But combating the lust of the Flesh with Continencie and Mortification which are the fruits of the Spirit you come to enioy inestimable libertie of doing alwaies by combate what you will and will nothing but that which is reasonable according as it is written Where the Spirit of our 2 Cor. 3. 17. Lord is there is Libertie Againe Brethren you are called Gal. 5. 13. into Libertie And S. Paul setting down wherein this libertie consisteth saith Make Gal. 5. ●3 not this Libertie an occasion to the Flesh but by Charity serue one another For the Law is fulfilled in one word Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy self This is the Libertie vnto which we are called a Libertie of doing good alwaies and when we will by being conquerers ouer the inordinate lust of our Flesh and wicked temptations of the World and Diuell by the assistance of the Holy Ghost his gifts and fruits in vs. Who shall deliuer me saith Rom. 7. S. Paul from the bodie of this death the Grace of God by Iesus Christ our Lord. Again The Grace of God our Sauiour 1. Ti● 2. 1● hath appeared to all men instructing vs that denying impietie and worldly desires we liue soberly and iustly and godly in this World expecting the blessed hope and comming of the glory of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ Whereby thou seest deare Reader the excellencie of Continencie since that by instructing thee how to deny impietie and worldly desires it will bring thee to liue soberly and iustly and godly in this world euen as one that continually expecteth the comming of the great God to Iudgement which is the greatest Happinesse we can attaine vnto in this life according to the words of our Lord saying Blessed is Luk. 12. 43. the Seruant who when the Lord commeth he shall finde so doing verily I say vnto you that ouer all things which he possesseth he shall appoint him OF THE TVVELFTH fruit of the Holy Ghost which is Chastitie THe twelfth fruit which the Holy Ghost doth produce in the Hearts of those who loue him is Chastitie which is an abrenuntiation of carnall pleasures and sensuall delights not absolute necessary to Nature wherby they attaine to perfect libertie of Spirit and freedome of Minde and easily and without impediment attend vnto the Exercises of the Heauenly Ierusalem according to the words of S. Paul saying He that is 1. Cor. 7. 23. without a Wife is carefull for the things that pertaine to our Lord how he may please God But he that is with a Wife is carefull for the things that pertaine to the World how he may please his Wife and he is diuided amongst many Masters that he cannot easily serue and loue God with his whole heart according to the Commandement So likewise S. Paul saith The Woman vnmarried and the 1. Cor. 7. 34. Virgine thinketh on the things that pertaine to our Lord that shee may be holy both in Bodie and Spirit But she that is married thinketh on the things that pertaine to the World how she may please her Husband And this I speake to your profit not to cast a snare vpon you but to that which is honest and that may giue you power without impediment to attend vpon our Lord. If thou wouldest obserue it thou shalt finde that the thing which hindreth thee from meditating and practising spirituall courses pious exercises of life is thy vnchast minde which seeking after the fornications of the World and Flesh perpetually distracteth thee frō well doing or thinking by hir vntame thoughts and wandring discourses after the sensual pleasures vanities of the Earth which if by Chastitie of minde thou couldest cut off thou shouldest as S. Paul affirmeth not onely meditate vpon the things that pertaine to our Lord and be holy both in Bodie and Spirit but also without impediment attend vpon our Lord and liue an Angelicall life vpon Earth according to the words of our Sauiour saying They Luk. ●0 35. that shall be counted worthy of the Resurrection from the dead neither Marry nor take Wiues neither can they dye any more for they are equall to Angels Whereby thou seest the excellencie of chaste Life that it will free thee from Worldly cares and distractions and will indue thee with such a facilitie in seruing God as that thou shalt be able as S. Paul saith to 1. Cor. 7. attend vpon our Lord without impediment And this is sufficient in part to shew vnto thee the Ioy Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse which God Almightie
thee he hath disposed ascension in his heart in the vayle of teares they shall goe from vertue into vertue the God of Gods shall be seene in Sion Whereof Boetius speaking in his third Booke and tenth Verse sayth Come hither all yee that are bound Whose base and earthly mindes are drownd By such which doth them tye in cruell Chaines Here is a Seat for men opprest Here is a Port of pleasant Rest Here may a Wretch haue refuge from his Paines No Gold which Tagus Sands bestow Nor which on Herma's Banks doth flow Nor precious stones which scortched Indians get Can cleare the sharpenesse of the minde But rather make it farre more blinde And it in farther depth of darknesse set For this that sets our soules on worke Buried in caues of Earth doth lurke But Heauen is guided by another Light Which causeth vs to shun the Darke And who this Light doth truly marke Must needs denie that Phoebus beames are bright CHAP. XXII Of the fifth Content and Happinesse which such enioy as loue God Almightie with all their hearts and their Neighbours as themselues which is the finding knowing and seeing of God Almightie in this life not as he is in his Essence for so no man can see him and liue but as the Saints say in the disposition of a visible matter sauing the vision of his Diuine Essence for the glorie of the other life HE that hath my Commandements Io. 14. 21. and keepeth them he it is that loueth me and I will Io. 14. 9. loue him and will manifest my selfe to him and he that seeth me seeth also my Father God Almightie will not onely dwell and abide in his heart and soule that loueth him with all his heart but also will manifest himselfe vnto him and thereby giue him the greatest Content Rest and Happinesse that he is capable to receiue in this life the seeing of God or God Almightie manifesting himself vnto him not according to his Diuine Essence for so man is not capable of seeing his Diuine Maiestie and liue but in the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie or which is all one by taking that likenesse which his Will hath chosen and not his Nature formed as affirmeth S. Ambrose in Luc. ca. 1. S. Augustine in his Epistle de videndo Deo S. Gregor Nazia cited there by S. Augustine S. Athanasius quaestio 12. S. Hierome de verb. Isa vid. Dominum S. Chrysostome Hom. 4. de Dei Natura That he may walke by faith and not by sight 2. Cor. 5. or happie Vision Moyses the Patriarks Prophets and Saints did see God in this life as the Scriptures say but not as hee is in his Essence or Diuine Nature for so No man hath seene God Io. 1. 18. at any time nor shall see God and Exo. 33. 20. liue but vnder the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie Moyses conuersing with God face to face as a man is wont to speake to his Exo. 33. friend said vnto him Shew me thy glorie or as S. Augustine In Epist de videndo Dei translateth Shew me thy selfe and our Lord answered Thou canst not see my face or Diuine Nature for man shall not see me and liue Whereupon our Lord to satisfie the desire of Moyses shewed himselfe yet more manifestly to Moyses but still vnder the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie by taking that likenesse which his Will had chosen and not his Nature formed and so sayth to Moyses Behold there is a place with Exo. 33. 21. me and thou shalt stand vpon the Rocke and when my Glorie shall passe I will set thee in a hole of the Rocke and protect thee with my right hand vntill I passe and I will take away my hand and thou shalt see my backe parts In like manner our Lord shewed himselfe in the disposition of a visible matter sauing his inuisibilitie to the rest of the Saints and Prophets as to our Father Elias 3. Reg. 11. in the whistling of a gentle Wind To the Prophet Isay like a Isa 6. man sitting vpon a high Throne and eleuated his Face and Feete couered with the Wings of Seraphins To the Apostles and Saints of the Act. 2. Primitiue Church the holie Ghost appeared in Tongues as it were of fire And S. Iohn in Apo. 4. et 5. et 6. the Apocalypse often maketh mention to haue seene God sitting vpon a Throne And S. Augustine affirmeth That Conf. li. 11. c. 8. wheresoeuer hee did looke hee did see God saying How commeth it to passe my Lord God that wheresoeuer I I looke I see thee but how I should declare or make others vnderstand it I know not vnlesse it be because all that doth begin to bee and doth cease to bee doth then begin to bee and end when it is knowne that it ought to begin or end with eternall reason So the Prophet Dauid did see Ps 15. 8. God alwaies according to his words saying I foresaw our Lord in my sight alwaies not with the eyes of his bodie which dayly decay but with the eye of his heart which was renewed from day to 2. Cor. 4. 16. day according to the words of S. Paul saying God that 2. Cor. 4. 6. commanded Light to shine in darknesse he hath shined in our hearts to the illumination of the knowledge of the glorie of God So our Sauiour sayth Blessed Mat. 5. 8. are the cleane of heart for they shall see God And Saint Paul Heb. 12. 14. sayth Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see God Whereupon Saint Augustine sayth That Aug. ep 111. the wicked though they shall rise in the Day of Iudgement yet they shall not see God Because they would not make cleane their hearts by a true Faith that worketh by Charitie For God is not seene in a Amb. in 111. ep of S. Aug. Place sayth Saint Ambrose but in a cleane or pure heart Whereupon Saint Iohn sayth 1. Io. 4. 8. He that loueth not knoweth not God And Saint Paul defineth 2. Tim. 1. 5. Diuine Loue or Charitie to be from a pure heart And Saint Augustine further Aug. ep 111. sayth That great men truly and most learned in the Scriptures who haue much benefited the Church and the studies of the faithfull as often as occasion hath beene offered haue said That the inuisible God is seene inuisibly that is to say by that nature which in vs is also inuisible that is by a pure heart and minde Againe Because that according Aug. ep 112. to the custome of speech bodies are said to be visible therefore God is said to be inuisible least he should seeme to be a bodie and not because he doth defraud cleane hearts of the contemplation of his substance seeing this great and high reward is promised to the adorers and louers of God