of forgetfulnes Therfore the first lesson that Socrates taught his Scholler was Remember For he thought that knowledge is nothing els but a calling of those things to remembrance which the mind knew before it knew the body But the first lesson that Christ teacheth his Scholler is Forget Harken ô daughter saies he see Forget thine owne Country and thy fathers house So that faith is that faire Hellena which drinketh to vs in a cup of Nepenthes and saith Be of good cheere there shall be no more sorrow neither crying neither death neither paine for the first things are past And the water of the word of God is that fountaine Lethe which when we come to drinke of it speaks to vs as it were in this sort Remember not the former thinges neyther regard the things of olde For as they which die cloth doe not immediatly change one contrarie into an other but first turne a white into an azure and then make a puke of it so wee can neuer holde colour as a good puke except first our white be turned into an azure that is as Lirinēsis saith except first we do well to Forget that which wee did ill to get except first we do happily vnlearn that which we did vnhappily learne And like as they which work in wax cannot frame any new impression in it till the olde bee defaced so the Image of Caesar the Prince of thys world the deuil must first be defaced before the image of Christ can be formed in vs. For this image of Christ as Clemens testifieth is seene only in them which Forget the hil of Helicon and dwell in mount Sion Wherfore though thou haue had a bloody issue twelue yeeeres yet thine issue being now stopt Forget all bloodines though thou haue had a crooked bodie eyghteene yeares yet thy body beeing nowe straightned Forget all crookednes thogh thou haue had blind eyes yet thine eyes beeing now cleared Forget all blindnes in seeing the truth though thou haue had deafe eares yet thine eares being now opened Forget all deafnes in hearing the word though thou haue had a dry hand yet thy hand beeing now restored Forget all drinesse and nigardlines with men though thou haue had a lame foote yet thy foote being now recured Forget all limping and halting with God though thou haue beene dead and buried in the graue foure dayes as Lazarus was yet being now reuiued Forget all deadnes in sin though thou haue ben possessed tormented with seauen deuils as Mary Magdalen was yet beeing now deliuered renounce the deuill and all his works and Forget all thy wicked workes which are behind thee Yea and all thy good works also For if thou Forget them then will God remember them The patriark Abraham was content for Gods pleasure to sacrifice his Son Isaac But as soone as he had done he Forgets it Therfore God remembers it and sets downe euery seuerall circumstance of it By mine owne selfe haue I sworn saith the Lord because thou hast don this thing There is the general But what thing The particuler followes And hast not spared yea not thy seruant but thy Son nay not onely thy Sonne but thine onely Sonne And hast not spared thine only Sonne therefore I will surely blesse thee That good woman gaue Christ louing and frindly intertainment But as soone as she had don she Forgets it Therfore Christ remembers it and amplifies it from point to point He turned to the woman and said to Simon Seest thou this woman when I came to thy house thou gauest me no water for my feet but she hath washed my feet with the teares of her eies and wiped thē with the haires of her head Thou gauest me no kisse but she since the time I came in hath not ceased to kisse me feet My head with oyle thou didest not anoynt but she hath anointed my feet with ointment Lo yee how true it is which I said before that if wee remember our good workes then God will forget them but if we Forget them then God will remember them yea he wil reward them when we haue forgotten them If we wage warre with God think to ouercome him with ten thousand of our good deeds then will he like a puisant Prince bring forth into the field a huge army of our sins twentie thousand of our sins against vs and with twenty thousand of our sins will easily ouerthrow ten thousand of our good deedes and so finally confound vs. But if one the other side wee can bee content to Forget all our good workes and to strowe our best garments and our most florishing branches at Christs feete and to cast downe our verie crownes before the throane of the Lambe then he will be a right Lambe indeed hee will not fight with vs but hee will crowne vs with honour glory Almighty God appoynted his people not to sheare the first borne of the sheepe The first borne of the sheepe are the best of our good works These we must not sheare nor lay naked and open to the view and knowledge of all men but Forget them and hide them vnder the fleece of silence and keepe them secret to our selues So Ioseph whom God did lead as a sheepe hauing a first borne did not sheare this first borne of the sheepe but called him Manasses that is Forgetfulnes of those thinges which were behind when God had now answered the desires of his hart The faithful speaking to Christ say thus wee will make for thee borders of golde guilt with siluer This is quite contrary to the fashion of the world The fashion of the world is to guild siluer with gold to put the best side outward But the faithfull guild gold with siluer and put the best side inward So Moses hauing a glorius countenance did not set it out to the shew but did Forget it and couered it with a vaile Now a glorious countenance couered with a vaile what is it else but a border of gold guilt with siluer But we we alas for the most part haue such base mindes that wee are scarce worth the ground we goe vpon We doe not guild our borders of golde with siluer but wee sheare the first borne of our sheepe We do not cast down our garments and our branches and our crownes-before the throane of the lamb but we war against God with tenne thousand of our good works Or rather indeed which of vs all can muster together so many good works to fight for him Nay if wee haue done one thing well or one time well we think all is well we need do no more we haue done good inough and oft inough Yea if others do not commend vs also we do so wonderfully please our selues in it that wee are ready presently to prayse our selues for it But heere we may all of vp
vp riper and riper till wee come to the haruest which is the ende of the world Alwayes Endeuouring our selues to that which is before and continually singing one of the Songs of Sion that is one of the Psalmes of degrees till wee beholde the Lorde in Sion till wee see the head in the haruest the sonne of GOD in the ende of the worlde Euen as hee did who sayes heere I endeuour my selfe to that which is before Thus much cōcerning this part beeing the thirde degree to perfection TOuching the fourth hee sayth I runne not amisse but I followe hard A man may runne amisse otherwise then he shoulde by running eyther too slowly or too fast Nowe for ouer-much slownesse Rusticus Diaconus sayeth It is a starke shame for vs to bee colde in maintayning a truth seeing our aduersaries are so hot in defending a falshoode VVhen the aduersarie had sowne tares among the good corne the Mayster sayde to his Seruaunts Let both growe together Hee sayeth not Let the tares growe and the good corne not growe but Let both growe together If the tares growe so fast for the fire then let the good corne growe as fast for the barne If the wicked runne so fast to damnation then let the godlie runne as fast to saluation Yet the Prophets haue euer complayned that the children of thys worlde are much more forwarde in theyr kinde then the Children of light Dauid speaking of the Children of thys worlde sayth They encourage them-selues in an ill purpose But Esay speaking of the Children of light sayth No man calleth for iustice no man contendeth for the truth VVhen the time drew neere that our Sauiour should bee taken and carried away to be crucified onely Iudas that vile traytor was vigilant and watchfull to bring his mischieuous purpose to passe but all the other disciples were fast a sleepe Therfore as Ierusalem sayde of her eye Mine eye hath spoiled my soule So might these drousy disciples haue said of their eye Our eie hath spoiled our soule And as the Centurion said of his seruant My seruāt lieth at home sick of the palsey and is ill troubled So might Christ haue said of these his sleepie disciples My disciples lye at home sicke of the palsey and are ill troubled Wel said ill troubled For he that is diligent to discharge his duty and takes paines in his calling as he ought is well troubled But he that hath the palsey and is dissolute and negligent and lies at home sicke of the lazie disease is ill troubled Ill troubled with an euill spyrite with the spirit of slumber which as Iob testifies lyeth in the couert of the reedes They that are lazie and lither fellowes and haue nothing in them are heere called reedes in whom the deuill himselfe lyeth and sleepeth securely But though he be well quieted in them yet as I said before they are ill troubled with him Ill troubled with him as those seauenty Kings were ill troubled with Adonibezec when hee did cut off the thumbs of their hands and feet For he that hath the thumbs of his hands cut off may perhaps do something but hee is so long about a little that he were better sit still do nothing then be so long pidling about nothing So hee that hath the thumbs of his feete cut off may peraduenture goe forwarde but it is such a snayles pace which hee goes that he were better stand still not go at all forward then go so slowlie forward Wherefore we must not goe so slowly forward as though the thumbs of our hands and feete were cut off but rather we must runne as fast as it is to be supposed that mightie man could vvhich had vppon euery hand sixe fingers and vppon euerie foote sixe toes But yet sayes Bernard As zeale must erect our discretion that we runne not too slowly so discretion must direct our zeale that we runne not too fast That wise woman by whome is meant the Church of Christ laboureth with the counsell of her handes Her handes are full of eyes Shee hath more fore-sight and wisedome euen in her little finger then many a man hath in his whole head Shee laboureth with her handes There is zeale Shee laboureth with the counsell of her hands There is discretion as well as zeale In Leuiticus they are forbidden to bring anie blinde offering to GOD All zeale without discretion is an offering without an eye All blind zeale is a blind offering Which God wil neuer accept So that as Minerua is saide to put a golden bridle vppon Pegasus that hee should not flye too fast in lyke sort our Minerua that is our Christian discretion must put a golden bridle vppon Pegasus that is our earnest zeale least if our zeale bee vnbrideled it make vs followe too fast Therefore Octauian the Emperour did beare in his Eschocheon a Crab-fish and a Butterflie with this mot Softe pace goes farre A Crabfish creepes Thats softe pace A Butterflie flies That goes farre A Crab-fish a Butterflie Softe pace goes farre And Vespasian the Emperour did stampe in his coyne a Dolphin and an anchor with this impresa Soone inough if well inough A Dolphin out-strips the ship Thats soone inough An anchor stayes the shippe Thats well inough A Dolphin an Anchor Soone inough if well inough For as if the lower spheares in the heauen should not bee stayed with the contrarie course of the highest spheare in the firmament they would soone sette the whole world on a light fire So the inferiour affections of the minde if they be not staied with the contrary course of reason and with the milde motion of the spirit of God they will soone ouer-heat thee and ouerthrow all thou goest about Therfore Chilo giueth vs this precept not to ouer-heat Iacobs sheepe by driuing them too fast not to make ouer much hast in the way According to that in the Prophet Esay where it is said Hee which beleeueth shall not make hast The string of an Instrument may be as wel too high as too low If it be too lowe it iarres if it bee too high it breaks So the mind of man may be as wel too intent as too remisse If it be too remis it runs too slowly if it be too intent it runs too fast Wherfore Clemens giueth vs this precept that we should not be strained and wrested too high but set and tuned aright According to that in the second to the Corinths where it is said that we must not outstretch our selues but stretch out our selues not run amisse either too slowly or too fast but Follow hard For the way of the righteous it glittereth as the light which shyneth more and more vnto the perfect day It glittereth as the Sun which commeth forth as a bridegroome out of his chamber and reioyceth as a giant to run his course Indeed the wicked are
signifies stretch our selues to those things which are before And like as Aeolus left all the other winds which might haue beene a trouble to hym with his friend Vlisses to be packt vp in a male kept onely the westerne wind for his owne vse to bring him home into his country so we must reiect all other things which may be as contrary windes to driue vs from the shoare of saluation and retaine onely that westerne winde of the spyrit of God whereby we may Endeuour our â—elues to that which is before and stretch out our sailes so come safelie to the hauen of heauen Euerie thing as Austine testifieth is either a hinderance or a furtherance if it be a hinderance cast it away If it be a furtherance then keepe it For euen as the silke worme keepes her body spare and empty and vses to fast two or three dayes together that she may stretch out her selfe the better and spin her threed the finer so we must Endeuour to bring vnder our bodies and as I may say diet them for the nonce that wee may not any longer weaue the spiders web but with the silk worme spin a new thrid The spiders webb is vinculum the silke wormes thrid vehiculum And like as the viper perceauing her olde skin to bee so stiffe that shee cannot easilie stretch out her self in it strips it quite off after the same sort we which are by nature a generation of vipers must strip off our old skin and perceauing we cannot well do our Endeuour stirre our selues in the armor of Saul wee must with Dauid put it of and put on the armour of light When long warre had bin betweene the two houses of Saul and Dauid at length the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker the house of Dauid waxed stronger stronger In like manner the spirit must alwaies Endeuour it selfe to that which is before neuer leaue fighting with the flesh till the house of Saul who was a lim of the deuill that is the flesh waxe weaker and weaker and the house of Dauid who was a figure of Christ that is the spirit waxe stronger and stronger Thus the Baptist being but a child waxed stronger and stronger in spirit And yet speaking of Christ and himselfe he sayes thus He must increase I must decrease But the Baptist was borne of olde Elizabeth Christ vvas borne of young Marie Whereby wee see that that which is borne of the olde man which is the flesh must daily decrease in vs and grow downeward but that which is borne of the new man which is the spirit must daylie increase in vs and grow vpward For so indeede Christ in the beginning of the new world increased in wisdome for his mind and stature for his bodie To teach vs that if wee be liuely members of the same body then we must in like sort Endeuour our selues to that which is before and increase and multiply grow vp into him who is the head till we all come to the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ. The holy ghost also in the beginning of the old world was moued vpon the waters To teach vs that if we be inspired moued by the same spirit then we must in like sort be moued vpon the waters and passe apase ouer the red sea of this world that wee may quickly come to the celestial Canaan which is the kingdome of God We pray indeede that the kingdome of God may come But the kingdome of God commeth not by obseruation if wee stand still gazing and gaping for it Therefore as Abraham dyd runne from the doore of his Tent to meete the Angells So must we Endeuour to runne forward not onely looking for but also hasting vnto the comming of the day of God that wee may if it bee possible meete the Lorde in the ayre with all his holie Angells if wee would haue his kingdome come VVee pray also that the will of God may bee done in earth as it is in heauen But the will of GOD will be not done if wee will doo nothing Therefore as the Cherubins spread out their winges on high and couer the mercy seate So must we spread out our wings and stretch out or Endeuour our selues and bee alwayes prest and ready to flye as it were to do the will of God if wee would haue his will done in the earth as it is in heauen VVhen God at the first had made a paradise vpon earth hee tooke the man and put him into it to dresse it and keepe it Adam was not enioyned to bestow any bodily labour in dressing it at that time For this was a part of his punishment afterward Neither yet had he neede to keepe it from wild beasts For all these were then subiect and obedient vnto him So that he dressed and kept it by keping those graces which God hath giuen him yea and Endeuouring hymselfe to encrease them continually Therfore the Apostle beseecheth vs also that wee receaue not the grace of God in vaine but that in all thinges wee approue our selues as the seruants of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses and so forth See yee how many posts props he putteth vnder vs that we may be stayed vp and confirmed in the grace of God How many tooles as it were implements he giueth vs that we may not receaue the graces of God in vaine but that as they are receaued kept in vs so they may be daylie dressed and bettered by vs. For as Saint Peter witnesseth if these things be and abound we shall neither be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledg of Christ. Wherevpon Oâ—cumenius obserueth that the graces of God as the flowers of a garden must not onely be kept but also bee dressed that they may haue not onely a beeing but also an abounding Because a man may haue great good things being in him and yet be himselfe like a garden that is kept indeed but not dressed altogether idle and vnfruitfull But if they be both being and abounding in him if hee Endeuour himselfe to goe on further euery day then other then surely he is neither idle nor vnfruitful in the knowledge of Christ. Hereupon Charls the fift gaue this Emblem StaÌ„d not stil but go on further Vlterius as God sais to his guest Superius Sit not still but fit vp higher So the water riseth vp higher and higher which Ezechiel speaks of First to the ankles then to the knees theÌ„ to the loines lastly to the head So the wheat grows vp riper riper which Christ speakes of First there is the blade theÌ„ the eare theÌ„ the full corne lastly cometh the haruest So must we with the water rise vp higher and higher till wee come to the head which is the sonne of God and with the wheate grow