amongst women And infinite other the like amorous tearmes and kind speeches expressing the passages of chast loue spirituall pleasures and delights exercised betweene God Almightie and a Soule his fauorite Whereupon S. Augustine in his Booke of Confession calleth God Almightie His sweet happinesse the God of his heart God the light of his heart the inward bread of the mouth of his soule and the vertue marrying his minde and the bosome of the thoughts of his minde c. Insomuch as all the kindnesses in nature and exchanges of lawfull naturall affections vsed amongst creatures are but shadowes infinitely a farre off imitating the kinde passages and spirituall affections betweene God Almightie and a Soule his loue and fauorite which are so great that neither eye 1. Cor. 3. 9. hath seene nor eare hath heard neither hath it ascended into the heart of sensuall man what thinges God hath prepared for them that loue him So thou must not maruell though the friendship and passages of amitie which I write of betweene God Almightie and a Soule that loueth him with all her heart seeme strange and almost incredible since such he saith they are and ought to be as exceede the capacitie of men These are the workes of God and they are maruelous in our eyes He that hath my Commandements Io. 14. 21. and keepeth them hee it is that loueth me and hee that loueth me shall be beloued of my Father and I will loue him And of this ariseth the filling increase or extention of Loues motions whereof the first is Feruor which is an increase of desire to our Lord beloued whereof the Prophet Dauid speaking saith My heart waxed hot within me and in Ps 38. 4. my Meditation a fire shall burne The second is Languor or languishing in loue which is an extension of feruor to our Lord beloued but not yet in spirit inioyed and so remayning betweene extension of desire and not inioying little esteeming of any thing else sweetly languisheth after our Lord beloued whereof the Spouse in the Canticles speaking saith Stay me vp with Flowers Cant. 2. compasse mee about with Apples because I languish with loue The third Extasis which is a passing of the soule out of her selfe that shee may bee in our Lord beloued Whereof the Prophet Ieremie speaking saith He shall Ierem. Lam. 3. 28. sit solitarie and hold his peace because he hath lifted himselfe aboue himselfe The fourth is Liquefaction which is a certaine dilatation or ratifying of the heart for the better receiuing and inioying of our Lord beloued Whereof the Spouse speaking saith My soule melted Cant. 5. 6. as he spake The fift Vnion which is as it were a certaine being together with our Lord beloued whereof the Spouse speaking said My beloued to me Cant. 6. 2. and ◠to him The sixt Mutuall inhesion which is a cleauing to our Lord beloued whereof the Prophet speaking saith It is Ps 72. 28. good for me to cleaue to God The seuenth Penetration which is an entring of our Lord into the bottome of the soule and vnion with all the powers which cannot bee better explicated then by the words of S. Paul This is Eph. 5. 32. a great Sacrament but I speake in Christ and the Church The same vnion that is betweene Christ Iesus and the whole Church the same is with one soule his beloued the Church as it is vnited with Christ our Head by Charitie cōsisting of the iust onely with whom he is so vnited that they are but one spirit as man and wife are two in one flesh so Hee 1. Cor. 6. 16. that cleaueth to our Lord is one spirit with him saith S. Paul Thou must not thinke that God Almightie in these delights with the sons of men is altered or changed who is one and the same for euer but that we are changed by his grace and fauour and so we speake of these things according to the changes which his grace doth make in our soules and explicate them the best we can by these actions of sensuall loue which are through the miserie of mankind better knowne and so though our words sound carnall yet if thou wilt vnderstand our meaning thou must abstract from the senses and vnderstand them vnder spirituall conceptions Wee speaking of the loue betweene a soule louing our Lord with all her force and our Lord rendring by his grace and fauour mutuall exchange of spirituall loue whereof the bodie for the vnion it hath with the soule hath his part at least in the two first Feruor and Languor though little in the latter which happen as S. Paul saith in bodie 2. Cor. 12. or out of bodie I know not The auersion of his intention was such from the senses of this life in his Extasis that he saith he knew not whether it was in bodie or out of bodie Aug. epist 112. That is saith S. Augustine whether as it happeneth in vehement extasies his mind was alienated from this life into the other the bond betweene it and the bodie still remaining or there was a ful dissolution of his soule from his bodie as happeneth in complete death he knew not And thou must not maruell at it for first the attention is so great and the obiects so exceeding all things that this World can afford that the admiration drowneth all other thoughts Secondly he neither can nor may see or know more in vehement extasies and rapts then it pleaseth God Almightie to shew him The chiefest effect of all or any one of these Loues motions is Zeale of the honour and glorie of God and the keeping of his Commandements and an holy impatience detestation and horror of sinne as well in himselfe as in others as is admirably to be seene in our Father Elias the Prophet 3. Reg. 19. Dauid Saint Paul and all the Apostles and Saints as to our Father our Lord said What doest thou here Elias But he answered With zeale haue I beene zealous for our Lord the God of Hostes because the children of Israel haue forsaken thy Couenant thy Altars they haue destroyed and thy Prophets they haue slaine with the Sword c. And not to see these wickednesses and miseries desired to die saying It sufficeth me Lord take my soule for I am not better then my Fathers And the Prophet Dauid Who had 3. Reg. 15. 5. done right in the sight of our Lord and had not declined from all things which he commaunded him except the matter of Vrias the Hethite had such a detestation of his sinne that hee sayth My sinne is before mee alwayes Ps 50. 5. to detest bewaile and lament it and expressing his further sorrow and griefe for the said sinne sayth For the voice of my Ps 101. 6. groaning my bone hath cleaued to my flesh I am become as a Pellican of the Wildernesse I am become as a night-Crow in the house I haue watched and am become as
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
be weeping and gnashing of teeth Neither can the Passion of our Lord or merite of his Sacrifice vpon the Crosse as it sanctifieth and iustifieth be applyed by parts as that any one might be sanctified iustified by only Faith or only Hope in him also haue iniquitie for that grace which iustifieth and mortall sinne or iniquitie cannot dwell together in one and the same Soule For what participation 1. Cor. 6. 14. hath Iustice with Iniquitie or what societie is there betweene Light and Darkenesse and what agreement with Christ and Belial or what part hath the Faithfull with the Infidell Againe No Mat. 6. 24. man can serue two Masters you cannot serue God and Mammon Not onely Faith nor onely Hope nor Faith and Hope with Impietie and Vice and want of other Vertues are sufficient to Rest Content and Happinesse There shall Apoc. 21. 27. not enter into it any polluted thing nor that doth abhomination and maketh a lye without euer finding Rest or Ioy are Dogges Heretikes whom S. Peter calleth Dogges for that they hauing beene once conuerted to Christianitie are returned to Infidelitie and Sorcerers and the Vnchast and Apoc. 22. 15. Murtherers and seruers of Idols and euery one that loueth and maketh a lye according to the words of our Sauiour saying Mat. 7. 23. Depart from me you that worke iniquitie I neuer knew you and they shall goe into punishment euerlasting As in Arts Sciences euery one is made expert cunning in his Art by frequent acts so in Vertues euery one becommeth groūded in Vertue Pietie Godlinesse by frequent acts and exercises of Vertue according to the saying of the Holy Ghost Ps 17. With the holy thou shalt be holy and with the peruerse thou shalt be peruerted So it resteth here to set down acts of Hope in God Acts of Hope MOst mercifull Lord and my God I most firmely hope by meanes of thy helpe and the good workes which by thy particular grace I intend to doe at the end of my life to enioy eternall glorie Deere Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ although in euerie moment I commit manie Imperfections yet I hope by thy gracious helpe to arriue to Christian perfection Most mercifull Lord whose Mercies are aboue all his Workes if I alone had committed all the sinnes and enormious crimes vvhich haue beene committed from the beginning of the World vntill this day yet would I not despaire of thy mercie I hope most firmely O Sonne of God and my Redeemer by meanes of thy holy Sacraments to come to possesse eternall glorie All my hope deere Lord and Sauiour is in the merite of thy sacred Passion Graunt sweet Sauiour that I may vse the meanes which thou hast ordained should be vsed by all those who shall receiue benefite by it O Lord of infinite Mercie there was neuer sinner that did call vpon thee to whom thou diddest not shew mercie so I hope that thou wilt haue mercie vpon mee who calleth vpon thee with all my heart In thee onely I hope O Lord Thou art the portion of Ps 15. 5. mine inheritance thou art he that will restore mine inheritance vnto me From them that resist thy right hand keepe me as the apple of thine eye vnder the shadow Ps 16. 8. of thy wings protect me from the face of the impious that haue afflicted me Our Lord is my firmament and my refuge and my deliuerie Ps 17. 1. my God is my helper and I will hope in him Deere Lord in all my tribulations Ps 21. 6. I will hope in thee In thee our Fathers haue hoped they hoped and thou diddest deliuer them They cryed to thee and were saued they hoped in thee and were not confounded Lord of infinite power and Maiestie Although I Ps 22. 4. shall walke in the middest of the shadow of death I will not feare euill because thou art with me Our Lord is my saluation whom should I feare our Lord is the Protector of my life of whom shall I be afraid If Campes stand together against mee my heart shall not feare If Battels rise vp against mee in thee will I hope In thee O Lord haue I hoped Ps 30. 1. let me not be confounded Be vnto mee for a God a Protector and for a house of refuge that thou mayest saue mee because thou art my strength and my refuge Into thy hands I commend Ps 30. 4. my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth Be delighted my Soule in Ps 36. 4. our Lord and he will giue thee the petition of thy heart Reueale thy way vnto our Lord and hope in him and he will doe it Why art thou heauie O my Ps 41. 12. Soule And why doest thou trouble me Hope in God because yet I will confesse to him the Saluation of my Countenance and my God CHAP. X. That Charitie or loue of God together with Faith and Hope is necessarie to the Content and Happinesse of Man THat it is not possible for Man to be content and happie without the loue of God is manifest by the light of Reason For if I had what things soeuer can be giuen me and yet did not loue them I should not find or receiue any true content or ioyes from them and yet those who loue things that are not good are deceiued and Time discouering Deceits they will remaine afflicted Againe those who loue such things as haue an end at their end or parting they will rest comfortlesse whereby is manifest by the light of reason that true Content and Ioyes cannot be without true Loue nor true Loue vnlesse it be placed in louing a perpetuall Good Againe this perpetuall Good must be such as I may at all times and in all places loue talke with and in some sort enioy which is God Almightie who is euery where and in all places eternall and of infinite goodnesse Neither is it lesse manifest by the light of Grace the Scriptures euery where promising Happinesse to such as loue God Almightie with all their hearts and Miserie and Wretchednesse to such as fornicate from him saying If thou wilt enter into Mat. 19. 17. life keepe the Commandements whereof the first is Thou shalt Mat. 22. 37. loue the Lord thy God from thy whole Heart and with thy whole Soule and with thy whole Minde Insomuch as the holy Ghost pronounceth them first Accursed who who doe not loue God with their whole hearts saying Cursed are they that decline from thy Commandements Ps 118. 21. Secondly the holy Ghost accounteth them Fooles without wit and vnderstanding saying Giue me vnderstanding and I will search thy Law and Psal 118. will keepe it with my whole heart Thirdly It tearmeth them vniust reserued for to endure Torments in the Poole of Fire and Brimstone for euer and euermore saying The vniust Ps 118. 85. haue told me Fables but not as thy Law Wicked people sayth
towards the Heauens as though she would in gratitude offer them to the Heauens as a Present for all benefits receiued The Elements liue in a perpetuall interchange of amitie the Fire transporting it selfe into Ayre the Ayre into Water and the Water into Earth and the Earth condensing and becomming hard returneth againe to yeeld Fire and their intercourse of friendship is confirmed in so firme a league that rather then the Earth should in any thing perish by suffering vacuum the Ayre or Fire forgetfull of his owne well and content of his owne will and desire leaueth his Region to descend in hast to supply the Earths want that vacuum bee not found in Nature The most vntame Birds and sauage Beasts keepe companie together each one reioycing at others good Insomuch as that the wilde Boare or Beare who amongst the beasts are accompted the most sauage will not sticke to turne against Man vvhen hee shall perceiue that he hath hurt or wounded any of his companie So strait is the bond of Amitie betweene all liuing things in their kinde that the weale of one seemeth in some sort to be the content of all And as for Man the greater he is the more neede he standeth of the common people Kings there could be none if Common people were not nor yet Common people liue long in vnitie and peace if Kings they had not Princes and Peeres depend vpon their meanest Subiects and their Subiects liue in peace vnder the Protection of their greatnesse So Nature hath combined all in vnity and friendship that he must be a monster in nature that should deny the loue of his Neighbour to be necessary to his Content and Happinesse Againe some are so yong that they cannot helpe themselues some so old that their forces are spent some in Prison many lame and none so exquisite in all Arts and Sciences that he is able completely to furnish himselfe with whatsoeuer he wanteth Whereby appeareth that there is nothing more manifest then that the loue of our Neighbour is necessary to Mans Happinesse And it is no lesse manifest by the Scriptures and light of Grace that the loue of our Neighbours is necessarie to Content and Happinesse He that saith he is in the Light Io. 2. 9. and hateth his brother is in the Darkenesse euen vntill now Hee that loueth his brother abideth in the Light and scandall is not in him But he that hateth his brother is in darkenesse and walketh in the darkenesse and knoweth not whither hee goeth because the Darkenesse hath blinded his eies Againe Euery one Io. 3. 10. that is not iust is not of God and he that loueth not his brother because this is the Annuntiation which you haue heard from the beginning That you loue one another Againe Whosoeuer hateth his 1. Io. 3. 16. brother is a Murtherer and you know that no Murtherer hath life euerlasting abiding in him Againe My dearest 1. Io. 4. 7. let vs loue one another because Charitie is of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loueth not knoweth not God If any man shall say that I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyar for he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth God whom he seeth not how can hee loue And this is the Commandement we haue from God That hee which loueth God loueth also his brother whereby and by many more passages of holy Scriptures it is manifest that the loue of our Neighbour is necessarie to Happinesse and Saluation and that no man whatsoeuer shall either in this World or in all Eternitie euer attaine vnto any true Content or Happinesse who doth not keep the Law or tenne Commandements which consist in the loue of God and loue of our Neighbour as witnesseth our Lord saying Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God from thy whole heart Mat. 22. 37. and with thy whole soule and with thy whole minde This is the greatest and the first Commandement And the second is like to this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe on these two Commandements dependeth the whole Law and the Prophets So Saint Paul saith Hee that loueth his Rom. 13. 9. Neighbour hath fulfilled the Law For thou shalt not commit Adulterie Thou shalt not Kill Thou shalt not Steale Thou shalt not beare False witnesse Thou shalt not Couet And if there be any other Commandement it is comprehended in this word Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe The loue of thy Neighbour worketh no euill Againe All the Law is fulfilled in one Gal. 5. 14. word Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe CHAP. XIII The meanes how to become heartie wel-willers of our seuerest Persecutors and most alienated Aduersaries ALthough it be easie to loue men of meeke and milde disposition yet it may seeme hard heartily to loue and pray for our enemies and persecutors especially for such persecutors as haue for office to draw vs by spoile of goods losse of libertie and life from temporall and eternall Happinesse into temporall and eternall Myserie which is the case of our Persecution in England wherefore it is necessarie heere to set downe the meanes how to loue our most alienated enemies or aduersaries and fulfill the Precept of our Lord which saith Loue your enemies doe Mat. 5. 44. good to them that hate you pray for them that persecute and abuse you that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heauen who maketh his Sunne to shine vpon the good and bad and raineth vpon the iust and vniust Againe Reuenge not your selues Rom. 12. 19 my deerest but giue place vnto Wrath for it is written Reuenge to me I will reward saith our Lord but if thy enemy hunger giue him meate if he thirst giue him drinke be not ouercome with euill but ouercome in good the euill If saith the Prophet Dauid I haue rendred to them that repayed me euill let me worthily fall emptie from mine enemies Let the enemie persecute Ps 7. 6. my soule and take and treade downe my life in the Earth and bring downe my glory in the dust The practise of which Doctrine though to worldly men it seeme hard and haue great difficultie yet by the grace of God and the good meanes which he hath left for vs to vse it is light and easie Of our selues as 2. Cor. 3. 4. of our selues we be not sufficient to thinke any thing But our sufficiencie is of God Christ Rom. 8. 34. Iesus that dyed for vs who is on the right hand of God also maketh intercession for vs Who then shall seperate vs from the Charitie of Christ Tribulation or Distresse or Famine or Nakednesse or Danger or Persecution or the Sword as it is written For we are killed for thy sake all the day we are esteemed as sheepe of slaughter But in all these things we ouercome because of him that hath loued vs. I can all things
in the great Multitude which no Apoc. 7. 9. man could number of all Nations Tribes and Peoples and Tongues which are to be signed with thy Marke and to be conducted Apoc. 7. 17 to the Fountaine of liuing Waters O Lord of infinite Maiestie let the petition of thy seruant be accepted in thy sight and graunt that this my King and his Seed may be numbred amongst that Seed to which thou promised I will put his Seed for euer and Ps 88. 30. his Throne as the dayes of Heauen Thou art faithfull deare Lord and iust and right without any iniquitie and hast promised That whosoeuer shall 1. King 2. 30. glorifie thee thou wilt glorifie him and they that contemne thee shal be base Graunt deare Lord that this my King Queene and Prince may so glorifie thee in all their actions and deeds that thou mayest glorifie them vpon Earth and in Heauen eternally Most mercifull Lord I beseech thy infinite Goodnesse so to illuminate the hearts of all sinners that they may come to doe heartie penance for their sinnes and seeke to loue thee with all their hearts Graunt deare Lord for the Passion of thy onely Sonne Iesus Christ that all those Schismatikes and Heretikes who in effect defend that thou hast fayled in maintaining thy Oath and Promises to Abraham the Prophets and Patriarkes for many hundred yeares may see their errors and returne vnto our Catholike Church in which are abundantly fulfilled all thy Oathes and Promises Forgiue sweet Sauiour all those who persecute me and graunt that they may come so to loue thee in this life that after death they may for euer enioy thee in Heauen I beseech thee my Lord by the bowels of thy infinite mercie that all such as seeke after Ambition and earthly Dignities may turne all their Affections vpon thee who art their onely true felicitie Graunt deare Lord that I may rather die then not heartily loue and pray for my seuerest Persecutors Deare Lord for thy infinite mercies I beseech thee so to illuminate the hearts of all the Protestant English Clergie our deare Countreymen that they may see thy Oathes and Promises fulfilled in our Catholike Church and returne vnto it with all their hearts CHAP. XIIII Of the wretchednesse and miseries into which those fall who liue in breach of the Commandements of God and doe beleeue that it is not necessarie or impossible to keepe them HAuing shewed thee deare Reader that it is not possible for thee euer to be happie or find any true Content Ease or Rest vnlesse thou keepe the Commaundements of God and also hauing set downe vnto thee the meanes by which thou mayest easily keepe them Now it resteth to set downe the miseries and wretchednesse into which those fall who liue in breach of them and esteeme it a thing impossible for to keepe them that either for the loue of thine owne good and content or else for feare of thy falling into miseries torments thou mayest be woon to keepe them zealously so be happy which is that I heartily wish vnto thee First those who doe not loue God with all their hearts and keepe his Commaundements are spirituall Idolaters and doe liue in spirituall Idolatrie For our Sauiour explicating of the first Commaundement which is made against Idolatrie and the hauing of Exod. 20. 1. strange Gods sayth Thou shalt Mat. 22. 37. loue the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soule and with thy whole mind This is the greatest and the first Commandement sayth our Sauiour So if thou wilt beleeue our Sauiour himselfe thou must confesse that those who doe not loue God with their whole hearts and keepe his Commandements are Idolaters And the part of Idolaters Apoc. 21. 8. saith S. Iohn shal be in the Poole burning with fire and Brimstone An Idoll of it selfe is not 1. Cor. 10. 19. any thing as witnesseth Saint Iohn but the loue affection which any one beareth to any creature imagination or conceit more then to God contrarie to the first Cōmandement whereupon couetous men are called Idolaters because that Col. 3. 5. they loue Gold and Riches more then God and lasciuious Men or Gluttons are said Phil. 3. 19. to make their bellies their God And according to this our Sauiour sayth You cannot Mat. 6. 24. serue God and Mammon God will haue all thy heart and loue or none Whereupon S. Iohn sayth Euery one that In his 2. Epist Ver. 9. reuolteth and persisteth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God that is hath no true God but is an Idolater Againe He that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar Whereupon it commeth to passe that howsoeuer these who thinke it impossible to keepe the Commaundements of God seeme to adore laud and praise God and haue the Lord the God alwaies in their mouths sing Geneua Psalms in their Congregations yet they doe neither serue their God nor acknowledge him in their words or song but commit spirituall Idolatrie apprehending vnder these termes the Lord the God c. such a God as they haue feigned and not such a God as he is indeed All Heathen and Cicero de Leg. li. 1. Pagan people that euer were haue acknowledged a God and haue sung songs in praise but they did not acknowledge him to be as he is but as they feigned him to be as those doe who affirme that they are assured to be saued without keeping the Commandements of God confesse that there is a God a Trinitie c. but doe not confesse him to be such a God as he is that is a God who curseth all these who decline from his Commandements Psal 118. according to his Mat. 25. word but such a God Trinitie as they haue feygned that is to say a God which will admit and receiue into Heauen filthie soules stained with Pride Idolatrie Fornication Couetousnesse c. when there is no such God but onely in their imaginations as witnesseth Saint Paul saying Doe not erre neither ◠Cor. 6. Fornicators nor seruers of Idols nor Adulterers nor the Effeminate nor the Lyers with mankinde nor Theeues nor the Couetous nor Drunkards nor Raylers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God For he that hath done iniurie shal Col. 3. 25. receiue that which he hath done vniustly and there is no acception of Persons with God There shall Apoc. 22. not enter into Heauen saith S. Iohn any vncleane thing or that doth abhomination or maketh a lye Whereby is manifest that all those who do liue in the breach of the Commandements of God do beleeue that either it is not necessary or else that it is impossible to keepe them are spirituall Idolaters and doe adore and serue strange Gods in their soules and spirits contrary to the first Commandement as it is also manifest to experience for aske of any one of these
Ministers if when he Praieth or Preacheth and saith The Lord The God hee doe not meane the Lord the God that sent him to Preach that it is impossible to keepe the Commandements of God and he will say Yes and yet there is no such God but in there imaginations as we haue proued before Againe aske of these Ministers if they doe not adore as God the Lord the God who sent them to Preach this and the like doctrine and they will say Yes Moreouer aske of their Disciples and followers if they doe not beleeue in the God who sent these Ministers to Preach Iustificatiō by Faith only without keeping the Commandements and they will say Yes and yet if thou wilt beleeue the liuing God there is no such God but in their imaginations as we haue shewed in the former Chapters Whereby is manifest that all those who liue in the breach of the Commandements of God and do beleeue that it is not necessary or impossible to keepe them are Idolaters and haue made to themselues strange Gods Gods who will saue and make happie by Faith in them or beleefe in them onely without keeping their Commandements or louing them with all their hearts Strange Gods that are so black and vgly that it is impossible for men to loue them with all their hearts Secondly they are sonnes of the Deuill as witnesseth our Sauiour saying You are Io. 8. 44. of your Father the Diuell and the desires of your Father you will doe that is breake the Commandements as our Sauiour testifieth saying He was a man-killer from the beginning Io. 44. and he stood not in veritie And the Law of God is Ps 118. 242. veritie So our Lord saith of Iudas that hee was a Diuell Haue I not chosen you twelue Io. 6. 71. and one of you is a Diuell and he meant Iudas who by liuing in the breach of the Commandements of God became a Diuell Saint Paul saith Giue not place to the Diuell He Eph. 4. 27. that stole let him now not steale Hee that doth not loue God with all his heart doth not steale from men but doth steale from God the loue and respect which is due vnto his diuine Maiestie whereupon Saint Iohn saith He that committeth sinne is of the Diuell 1. Io. 3. 8. because the Diuell sinneth from the beginning For this appeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the Diuell which are the the violating of the Commandements of God Againe In this are the Children of God manifest and the Children 1. Io. 3. 10. of the Diuell Euery one that is not iust is not of God and he that loueth not his brother is not of God because he fulfilleth not the law for al the Law is fulfilled in one word Thou Gal. 5. 14. shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Thirdly the Diuell dwelleth in them as in his house and home as witnesseth our Sauiour saying And when Mat. 12. an vncleane Spirit shall goe out of a man he walketh through dry places mortified men seeking rest but findeth not Then he saith I will returne into my house whence I came out and comming he findeth it vacant of good works Then goeth he and taketh with him seuen other Spirits more wicked then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there Againe of Iudas Io. 13. 26. it is said When our Sauiour had dipped Bread he gaue it to Iudas Iscariot and after the morsell then Sathan entred into him And our Sauiour cast out of Mar. 16. 9. Luk. 8. 2. Mary Magdalene seuen Deuils which dwelt in her before her Conuersion Thou must not imagine that all those who haue the Diuell dwelling in them are sensibly Lunatike and Mad neither Mary Magdalene nor Iudas were sensibly Mad but had the Diuell dwelling in them vnsensibly and secretly keeping and possessing their soules as his right Those who are sensibly Lunatike and Mad are generally of the two the least possessed by the Diuell for that such as are sensibly Lunatike may be possessed only in body to doe outward foolish corporall actions and not be possessed in soule to giue free consent of heart to what they doe whereas the other who liue in breach of the Commandements of God are possessed in spirit with a spirituall frensie giddinesse and madnesse in spirituall things to the perdition of their owne soules and many others and to the committing of greeuous sinnes by the vnion of their spirits and free consent of minde to the desires of the Diuell though it be neither sensible to themselues nor others Fourthly the Diuell is their Master in spirituall things insomuch as they must doe for the most part what he will for they being void of inherent grace and of the assistance of the holy Ghost Which will Wis 1. 4. not enter into a malitious soule nor dwell in a body subiect to sinne for what agreement 2. Cor. 6. is there with Christ and Belial and hauing none other strength or force to resist him dwelling in them more then their naturall forces he obtaineth of them for the most part what he will according to the words of our Lord You are of your Father Io. 8. 44. the Diuell and the desires of your Father you will doe What the Deuill suggesteth vnto them that they will doe being obedient vnto him as sons to their Father and so he calleth their hearts his house saying I will returne into my Mat. 12. 46. house his house and home where as a Master hee commandeth and as captiues they obey Such as resist truth saith Saint Paul are intangled in the snares of the Diuell Tim. 2. 25. of whom they are held captiue Ps 118. at his will and the Law of God is truth So by resisting the Law of God and not keeping his Commandements they become slaues captiues of the Diuell so thou must not maruel that these who affirme it to be impossible to keepe the Commandements of God or that the keeping of them is not absolutely necessary to Saluation doe Teach and Preach in effect and deeds that God Almightie is forsworne by suffering his Church to decay and become inuisible for many hundreth yeares together contrary to his Oathes and that now after 1500. yeares they are sent from Heauen to Preach the Gospell before not knowne vnto the World and such like follies as these For the Diuell as our Sauiour saith dwelling in them as in his house and home holdeth them as S. Paul saith captiues at his will that they must say what he will and obey him as his slaues and captiues 2. Pet. 2. 19. For wherewithall a man is ouercome saith S. Peter of that he is the slaue also Whereupon S. Paul saith Rom. 6. 16. Know you not to whom you exhibite your selues seruant to obey you are the seruants of him whom you obey whether it be of sinne to death or of obedience to iustice
and it shall come to him and he would not Blessing and it shall be farre from him in all eternitie he shall neuer heare any Their Noses shall be tormented with stinke For sweet sauour sayth the Isa 3. 24. Prophet Isay there shall be stinke The cursed Carkas of one damned man in Hell for want of charitie shall stinke worse then all the carrion vpon the Earth so imagine if thou canst what a pestiferous stinke all the carkasses of the damned together shall make Their Taste shall be tormented with raging hunger and thirst and yet they shall neuer taste so much as one drop of Water to coole their Luc. 16. Tongues Their Touch and whole bodie shal be scorched with fire gnawne vpon by wormes Their Phantasie shall Isa 14. be frighted with vgly formes Their Memorie shal be afflicted with a perpetuall memorie and a continuall thinking vpon their miseries and torments alwaies so present as that they cannot possibly forget them for that they are eternally the same Their Vnderstandings shall be vexed with frensie folly and ignorance according to the saying of the Prophet Our Lord Ps 2. from Heauen shall laugh them to scorne Their Wills shall bee tormented with the losse of eternall weale and the possessing of eternall woe And thus confirmed in this rufull estate without hope of euer finding any alteration comfort or change The smoake of Apo. 14. their torments shall ascend vp for euer and euer And this is sufficient for to shew vnto thee deare Reader the miserable estate of these who liue and die in the breach of the Commandements of God that if the loue of thy owne good and content doe not moue thee to keepe them yet the feare of miserie and torments may winne thee to obserue them that thou maiest by one meanes or other attaine vnto the Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse which I heartely wish vnto thee CHAP. XV. That the Happie Elect and Iust and all those who shall be saued shall keepe the Law loue God with their whole hearts and their Neighbours as themselues FIrst it is an horror to Nature that any man should be truely Happy or Content who keepeth not the whole Law or Commandements of God as that a Fornicator Adulterer Drunkard Man-killer Vsurer Extortioner Periured person or Hater of God should be receiued into Heauen or liue with any Content vpō earth for because we see that such as are guiltie of these crimes and publikely professe in print that they cannot loue God with all their hearts or liue chast according to the Law are not content to be stiled or called haters of God Adulterers or Fornicators because of the repugnance which Nature hath against the guilt of sinne and breach of the Commandements of God which repugnance forceth them to esteeme the very stile of being so called as an infamous thing and badge of vnhappinesse If the guilt of such sinnes were not a horror to Nature there would be no repugnance in such as professe they cannot loue God or liue chast to be stiled haters of God fornicators and adulterers But they would like well of those names more then of others as most agreeable to their Natures and correspondent to their Faith and Religion And if the onely styling of men with these names of fornicators and haters of God which is but an extrinsecall denomination bee so disgustfull that no man though guiltie of the crime for the good opinion fame and estimation he desireth to haue before men will be content to take them for his name and be generally counted a fornicator or hater of God how much more will the vgly guilt and crime of sinne it selfe be disgustfull before men Angels and God Almightie Whereby it is manifest to reason that no man liuing with the guilt or staine of the breach of any one Commandement in his soule can euer bee Content or Happy in this life or in the other but that the Happy Iust and Elect shall keepe the Commandements of God loue him with all their hearts and their Neighbours as themselues And with this reason agreeth the consent of both the Old and New Testament saying Our Lord Deut. 31. 6. thy God will Circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy Seede that thou mayest loue our Lord thy God in all thy heart and in all thy soule that thou mayest liue Againe Ezek. 11. 19. And I will giue them one heart and will giue a new spirit in their bowels and I will take away the stonie heart out of their flesh and giue them a fleshy heart that they may walke in my Precepts and keepe my Iudgements and doe them and they may bee my People and I may bee their God Againe This Ier. 31. 33. shall bee the Couenant that I will make with the house of Israel After these daies saith our Lord I will giue my Law in their Bowels and in their hearts I will write it And I will be Heb. 8. 10. their God and they shall bee my People And Saint Heb. 10. 15. Paul making mention of this Prophesie affirmeth that the foresaid words of Ieremy are to be verified vpon Christians saying Our Lord hath obtained a better Mysterie then Moyses by so much as he is Mediator of a better Testament which is established in better promises For if the former had beene void of fault there should not certainely a place of a second beene sought for blaming them he saith Behold the daies shall come saith our Lord and I will consummate vpon the house of Israel and vpon the house of Iuda a new Testament For this is the Testament which I will dispose to the house of Israel after these daies saith our Lord giuing my Lawes in their minde and in their heart will I subscribe them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith The mouth of the Ps 36. 30. iust shall meditate wisedome and his tongue shall speake iudgement The law of God is in his heart and his steps shall not be supplanted Againe The Iustice Ps 102. 17. of our Lord is vpon the Childrens Children to them that keep his Testament and are mindfull of his Commandements to doe them The Prophet Isay speaking of the estate of our Catholike Church to come saith All thy Children taught of our Isa 54. 13. Lord and a multitude of peace to thy Children and in Iustice thou shalt be founded in keeping the law which is iust iustified Ps 18. in it selfe Whereupon our Lord saith That he came not to breake the Law but to Deut. 30. 6. fulfill it and giue grace vnto euery one to loue God with all their hearts and their Neighbours as themselues without the which no man can be saued as witnesseth our Sauiour saying If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements Againe He that doth the will of my Father Luc. 7. 21. which is in Heauen
he shall enter into the kingdome of Heauen Againe Whosoeuer shall doe the will of my Father that is in Heauen he is my brother and sister and mother For this 1. Thess 4. 5. is the will of God your sanctification that you abstaine from fornication that euery one may know to possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour not in the passion of lust as also the Gentiles that know not God and that no man ouergoe nor circumuent his brother in businesse because our Lord is the Reuenger And according to this Saint Aug. de fide ad Petrum Augustine saith Hold it most firmely and doubt not any waies that not all which are baptised within the Catholike Church shall receiue life euerlasting but they which being baptised liue well that is which haue abstained from the vices and desires of the flesh For the kingdome of Heauen as faithlesse Heretikes and Schismatikes shall not haue so sinfull Catholikes cannot possesse And our Sauiour praying for vs saith And not for the Io. 17. 20. Apostles onely do I pray but for them also that by their word shall beleeue in me that they all may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that they also in vs may be one by Charitie that the world may beleeue that thou diddest send me to fulfill the Promises which say This Ezek. 11. shall be the Couenant I will make with the house of Israel After these daies saith our Lord I will Deut. 30. Ier. 31. Heb. 10. giue my Law in their bowels and in their heares I wil write it c. and so concludeth his prayer saying I will that the loue Io. 17. 26. wherewith thou hast loued mee may be in them and I in them Whereby is manifest that the Elect and all those who shall be saued shall keepe the Law loue God Almightie with their whole hearts and their Neighbours as themselues CHAP. XVI What it is to be content and happie and how Content and Happinesse consisteth in louing God Almightie with all our hearts and our Neighbour for Gods sake as our selues WE see by experience that then euery one is well pleased when he hath that which he loueth and loueth that which he ought Of all the affections in the soule Loue is the strongest insomuch as Loue is said to be Cant. 8. as strong as Death and Iealousie or feare to lose that which wee loue is said to be as hard as Hell euery one beeing so loth to part from that which he loueth that of all paines it is the greatest So that in Loues motion are satisfied and filled all the other affections of our soules for who is delighted but in that which he loueth or who hateth flyeth or is sorrowfull but for some euill which may separate him from the good he loueth or who hopeth or despaireth but in the difficultie he findeth in obtaining the good he loueth or who feareth dareth or is angrie but at the euill which opposeth it selfe to the good he desireth so that in Loues motions are complete all our happinesse and affections If a man shall Cant. 8. giue all the substance of his house for loue as nothing he will dispise it He is violently carryed whom loue driueth and he was neuer poore or discontent that found what he desired and all so earnestly desire that which they loue as aske of any one whosoeuer what is that which hath greatest force with him and he will answere his loue and pleasure Yet all the pleasures which a man can take are in some speciall good that is honest profitable and delightfull for he that desireth that which is dishonest is ashamed he that desireth that which is not profitable looseth and he that desireth that which proueth not delightfull repenteth and he that obtaineth that which is honest and yet hath not in it all honestie is defectiue and hee that obtaineth that which is profitable yet hath not all the profit that he is capable of to receiue is still poore and hee that hath that which delighteth him and yet not all delights wanteth whereby we gather that the good which may giue vs complete content may be of all things honest the most honest of all things profitable the most profitable and of all things delightfull the most pleasing and yet one it must needes be for if in one thing I should loue honestie and in another profit I should be diuided and diuision weakeneth loue breaketh affection and bringeth affliction Againe this one thing must be euery where and in all places present vnto me otherwise I could not alwaies and in all places be present vnto it and happie Whereupon I answere that according to the light of naturall reason Content doth not only consist in Loue but in louing one thing which hath in it all honestie profite and pleasure and all other things for it and that one thing is to be euery where and in all places which is God Almightie call it what you will This is my God and Exod. 15. 2. I will glorifie him the God of my Fathers and I will exalt him who is most high most sweet most potent most mercifull most iust most secret most present most strong most incomprehensible most wise most beautifull most happie of infinite Honestie Wisedome Beautie Content and Happinesse who giueth all that any hath and yet is neuer the poorer and accepteth what is giuen him and yet is neuer the richer in louing him and all other things for him consisteth all our Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse O deceiued sonnes of Men you seeke Ease Rest and Content in the Earth and it is in your inward soules turne sinners into your hearts and there you shall finde it it is within you and you are without your selues it is present to you and you are absent to it it is before your faces and you put your selues vpon your backs you seeke for it without and it is within your hearts as witnesseth the Prophet Dauid Ps 72. saying God of my heart and God my portion for euer and in all places more present to you then you are to your selues For in him Act. 17. 28. wee liue and moue and bee This is thy Rest Repose Content and Happinesse The Mat. 6. 33. kingdome of Heauen the iustice of our Lord to loue thy God Mat. â—2 37. from thy whole heart and with thy whole soule with thy whole minde and thy Neighbour as thy selfe On these two Commaundements Mat. 22. 38. as our Lord saith doe depend the whole Law the Prophets this is the Mirth Ioy Peace and Content which is not giuen to the wicked but to such as serue God gratis whose Ioy and Content he is This is happie life O Lord to Au. li. Con. 10. ca. 22. reioice in thee of thee for thee this is it and other there is none O all ye that thirst come to the Isa 55. waters
and you that haue no siluer make hast buy and eate come buy without siluer or without any exchange wine and milke why bestow you siluer not for bread Boetius li. 2. Pro. 4. and your labour and not for satietie O mortall men why seeke you for your happinesse abroad which is placed within your selues Hearing heare you me Isa 55. and eate that which is good and your soules shall bee delighted with fatnesse with content vpon Earth and happinesse for all eternitie in Heauen Blessed is the man whose will Ps 1. is in the Law of our Lord and in his Law shall meditate day and night all things whatsoeuer he shall doe shall prosper To them that loue God all Rom. 8. 28. things cooperate vnto good to such as according to purpose are called to bee Saints Loue thou God Almightie with thy whole heart and thy Neighbour for Gods sake as thy selfe and all things will be pleasing all things delightfull all things profitable all things that to thee which thou wouldest desire or wish in Charitie or the loue of God and our Neighbour is satisfied and filled all our affections Charitie Col. 3. 14. is the bond of perfection which comprehendeth in it all other vertues Charitie 1. Cor. 13. 4. is patient is benigne Charitie enuieth not dealeth not peruersly is not puffed vp is not ambitious seeketh not her owne is not prouoked to anger thinketh no euill reioiceth not vpon iniquitie but reioiceth with the truth suffereth all things beleeueth all things Charitie 1. Tim. 4. 8. neuer falleth away is profitable to all things hauing promise of the life that now is and of that to come Whereupon Saint Augustine saith The Apostle Paul Tract 8. in Ioan. initio when against the workes of the flesh hee would commend the fruits of the spirit put Charitie as head saying the fruits of the spirit is Charitie and then putteth the rest in order as rising from this head and bound to it which are Ioy Peace Longanimitie Benignitie Goodnesse Faith Mildnesse Continence Chastitie Which the Saint shewing to be true by experience addeth For who doth well reioice but he who loueth some good wherein he may reioice who hath any true friendship or peace with any but with him whom he sincerely loueth who deth long perseuere in doing good workes vnlesse he be hot in louing who is benigne but he that loueth those whom hee may helpe who is good vnlesse hee bee made by louing who is faithfull to saluation but by that faith which worketh by loue who is courageously meeke but whom loue doth moderate who doth abstaine from that which may make him filthie but hee that loueth something by which hee may be honested Worthily therefore doth our good Master so often commend Loue as though it were onely to be commended without the which other goods can nothing profite vs and which cannot bee had without other goods wherewith a man is to bee made good so Saint Augustine And according to these words of Saint Augustine are the words of Saint Paul saying Circumcision is nothing and Prepuce is nothing 1. Cor. 7. 19. but the obseruation of the Commaundements of God Againe In Christ Iesu neither Gal. 5. 5. Circumcision auaileth ought nor Prepuce but Faith that worketh by Charitie Againe Thes 3. 12. Our Lord multiplie you and make your Charitie abound one towards another and towards all men as we also in you to confirme your hearts without blame in holinesse before God and our Father in the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his Saints Who when hee shall come to Iudgement if wee will beleeue himselfe shall condemne to euerlasting paines all those who wanted Charitie towards their Neighbours and haue broken this Precept Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Iewes Gentiles and Heretikes who doe not beleeue the Oathes of God and the Faith planted by our Lord are alreadie Ioh. 3. 18. iudged because they doe not beleeue in the Name of the onely Sonne of God And shall arise onely to receiue their finall doome and damnation with such Catholikes as had Faith but wanted Charitie To feede Mat. 25. the hungrie giue drinke to the thirstie harbour the stranger couer the naked visit the sicke c. These for all their faith if we will beleeue the Iudge himselfe shall goe into punishment euerlasting which was prepared for the Diuell and his Angels But the Iust such as feede the hungry giue drinke to the thirstie c. shall goe into life euerlasting according to the Prophecies Our Lord Ps 144. keepeth all that loue him and he will destroy all sinners Whereupon S. Paul sayth That the 1. Tim. 1. 5. end of the Precept is Charitie from a pure Heart and a good Conscience and a Faith not fained From a pure Heart according to the words of our Lord Happie are the cleane of Mat. 5. 8. heart for they shall see God and a good Conscience according to the words of S. Peter With modestie and feare 1. Pet. 3. 15. hauing a good Conscience that in that which they speake euill of you they may be confounded which calumniate your good conuersation in Christ A Faith not fained not such a Faith as Protestants haue who faine that they are assured to be saued without keeping the Commaundements of God when neither the Apostles nor Prophets make any mention of any such thing but a Faith founded vpon the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the Ephe. 2. 20. highest corner Stone A Faith which doth establish the Law Rom. 3. 31. a Faith conioyned to a good Conscience according to the words of S. Paul Hauing Faith 1. Tim. 1. 19. and a good Conscience which certaine repelling haue made shipwracke about the Faith Saint Augustine speaking of this definition of Charitie sayth Charitie is our fruit Tract 8. in Ioan. which the Apostle defineth of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and a Faith not fained by this we loue one another by this wee loue God neyther should wee loue one another with true loue but by louing God For euery one doth loue his Neighbour as himselfe if hee loue God for if hee doe not loue God hee doth not loue himselfe Since all Content and Happinesse consisteth in louing of God and all other things for God hee depriueth himselfe of all true good and content who doth not loue God with all his heart as in another place the said Saint further confesseth saying Let vs heare De moâ—ib Ecc. Catho O Christ what end or rest of goods thou prescribest vnto vs that is without all controuersie the end or rest to which thou commandest vs to encline vnto with all loue Thou sayest thou shalt loue the Lord thy God from thy whole Mat. 22. 37. heart and with thy whole soule and with thy whole mind Thither we are altogether to tend to
of God with all our hearts and our neighbour for Gods sake as our selues And first it is necessarie to speake of temporall blessings and contentments and after of spirituall and eternall The practise of this our Doctrine of louing God with all our hearts and our neighbours for Gods sake as our selues yeeldeth such abundance of temporall Happinesse and Content as that it taketh away all the causes of temporall discontent and miseries from amongst men and planteth in their places all temporall Happinesse and Contentments for supposed that this our Doctrine were practised amongst men and that euerie one would loue God with all his heart and his neighbour for God as himselfe first it would take away all Vsurie Theft Murder Fornication Adulterie Suits in Law Sects Controuersies Rebellions Conspiracies Enuie Hatred Malice Emulations Oppressions Contentions and whatsoeuer miserie is in any Kingdome State or Common-wealth and all the euils which are prohibited and forbidden by Lawes For if we did loue God Almightie with all our hearts wee should be verie sorrie to offend him As wee see by experience euerie one hath great care not to offend him whom hee loueth So if men loued God Almightie with all their hearts there would bee no such sinnes committed as are spoken of in the Tenne Commaundements or in anie other Ciuill or Common Law According to the wordes of our Sauiour saying If any loue mee hee Ioh. 14. 23. will keepe my Word Againe Hee that loueth me not keepeth Io. 14. 24. not my wordes So establish the loue of God in the hearts of men and you take away all Idolatrie Theft Fornication Adulterie Couetousnesse Extortion Iniustice Sinne and Wickednesse forbidden by any Law To the verifying of the vvordes spoken by the Prophet Isay saying Iustice shall be Isa 11. 5. the girdle of his Loynes and Faith the girdle of his Reynes The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lye with the Kid The Calfe and Lion and Sheepe shall abide together a little child shall leade them The Calfe and the Beare shall feede their young ones shall rest together And the Lion shall eate Straw as it were an Oxe And the Infant from the Breast shall be delighted vpon the hole of the Aspe and he that is weyned shall thrust his hand into the hole of the Cockatrice They shall not hurt and they shall not kill in all my holy Mountaine because the Earth is replenished with the knowledge of our Lord the loue of God and Man for he that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commaundements 1. Ioh. 2. 4. is a lyar and the truth is not in him Whereby thou seest deare Reader that the practise of our Doctrine taketh away all temporall miseries and wretchednesse from amongst men insomuch as if that it vvere practised there vvould bee no neede of Lawes nor any vse of any Lawyers Againe supposed that euerie one would loue his neighbour as his second selfe then all would relieue the poore and euerie one would reioyce at others good and prosperitie as at his owne and all seeke to aduance one and one all and found a perfect Monarchie in defence inuincible and in offence against the enemies of their common good alwayes conquerors euery one faithfully seconding of his companion as his second selfe they would remaine inuincible and euerie one louing his neighbour as himselfe euerie one would willingly supply to his power his neighbours wants and by this meanes they would all liue in happie and quiet temporall Content like perfect friends confirmed in sociable amitie according to the Prophecies Thy People all Isa 60. 21. iust for euer shall inherite the Land the Budde of my planting the worke of my hand to glorie The least shall be into a thousand and the little one into a most strong Nation the Lord in the time thereof will suddainely doe it Againe I will make thy visitation Isa 60. 18. Peace and thy Ouerseers Iustice Iniquitie shall no more be heard in thy Land Waste and Destruction in thy Borders and Saluation shall occupie thy Walls and Praise thy Gates And this wee see fulfilled in the Christians of the Primitiue Church Of whom it is said The multitude Act. 4. 32. of Beleeuers had one Heart and one Soule neyther did any say that ought was his owne of those thinges which hee possessed And is euen vntill this day fulfilled in all poore reformed Religious Orders dilated ouer the World who neuer stand in need to vse Suites or Lawyers And it is also fulfilled in all Countreyes more or lesse accordingly as they are Christians Catholike or stayned with spots of Heresie All the temporall Blessings of Monarchies Kingdomes and States are founded vpon the keeping of the Commaundements of God according to that Pact or Couenant which Moyses made with the people of Israel which now wee Christians are saying If thou wilt heare Deut. 28. the voice of our Lord thy God that thou doe and keepe all his Commandements which I commaund thee this day our Lord thy God will make thee higher then all Nations that be on the Earth and all those Blessings shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee yet so if thou heare his Precepts Blessed shalt thou be in the Citie and blessed in the Field blessed shall be the fruit of thy Wombe and the fruit of thy Ground and the fruit of thy Cattell the troopes of thy Heards and the foulds of thy Sheepe c. Our Lord will raise thee vp vnto himselfe to be a holy People as he sware to thee if thou keepe the Commaundements of our Lord thy God and walke in his wayes And all the people of the Earth shall see that the Name of our Lord is inuocated vpon thee and they shall feare thee c. And our Lord will make thee the Head and not the Tayle and thou shalt be alwayes aboue and not vnder yet so if thou wilt heare the Commandements of our Lord thy God which I commaunded thee this day and keepe and doe them c. Which wee see to haue beene fulfilled in all Ages amongst Christian People Emperours Kings Empires Kingdomes and States insomuch as that these were alwayes the most renowmed happie blessed and fortunate Kingdomes who most followed the Doctrine of the Catholike Church and attended to the keeping of the Commaundements of God As of Constantine the Great Saint Augustine writeth saying Ciuit. Dei li. 5. ca. 6. Constantine the Emperour not suppliant to Deuils but worshipping the true God receiued so many gifts and blessings from God as none durst presume to wish This one Augustus held possessed and defended the whole Romane Empire In administrating of Warre he was iust and victorious in vanquishing and repressing Tyrants wonderfull prosperous being of great yeares he died of sicknesse and old age his sonnes Emperours to succeed him Of Theodosius the elder S. Augustine sayth That hee De Ciuit. Dei li. 5. ca. 26. had wonderfull
successe in all his affaires because hee was a pious Catholike Emperour that in the Battailes he fought with his Enemies their owne Weapons Darts and Arrowes were turned vpon themselues God Almightie fighting for him Of Honorius a most Catholike Emperour S. Augustine De Ciuit. Dei li. 5. ca. 28. writeth That God did so fight for him as in one Battaile he slew of the Gothes aboue a hundreth thousand and tooke their King and his sonne prisoners and not so much as one of his Armie killed or wounded Of Theodosius the yonger a verie pious Emperor writeth Socrates That making Lib. 7. hist ca. 18. his prayers to God while his Armie skirmished with the Sarazens a hundred thousand of them were driuen by Angels into the Riuer Euphrates and there perished The same prosperitie followed Iustine the elder and Hieraclius whilest they were Catholike Emperors but after they became Heretikes they neuer did any thing prosperously And to let passe Charles the Great Charles the fift and manie more Catholike Christian Kings and Emperors who attained to prosperous successe in their affaires aswell in warre as in peace by being pious Catholike Princes carefully seeking to keepe the Commaundements of God And to speake of the Kings and Princes of this Island In S. Austines time there were seuen Kings heere in England and the rest extinguished the Crowne remained together with the Monarchie in the Line of the West Saxons who were of all the rest most Catholike and pious defendors of the keeping of the Commaundedements of God And if wee looke yet further into the estate of this Monarchie of England wee shall finde it most true that the most flourishing times that euer England saw was when it most zealously professed Catholike Religion and piously labored to keepe the Commandements of God as in the reigne of Egbert who first reduced England into a Monarchie in the time of Alfred his sonne Edward the first and Athelstan his sonne Edmund Edred Edward the Confessor Henrie the first fourth and fifth to the verifying of the Promises and Prophesies saying I would thou haddest attended to Isa 48. 18. my Commandements thy Peace had beene as a floud and thy Iustice as the waues of the Sea And thy Seede had beene as the Sand and the Stocke of thy Wombe as the grauell stones thereof his name had not perished neither had it beene destroyed before my face Againe Whosoeuer 1. King 3. 30. wil glorifie me I wil glorifie him and they that contemne me shal be base Whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith Tribulation and Psa 118. 143. Distresse haue found me Thy Commaundements are my meditation Thy testimonies are equitie for euer giue me vnderstanding and I shall liue by keeping them enioying the Blessings and Promises of God comfort and helpe in all his tribulations and necessities Blessed are all that feare Ps 127. 1. our Lord that walk in his wayes Because thou shalt eate the labor of thy hands Blessed art thou and it shal be wel with thee in this life and in all eternitie which God of his goodnesse graunt thee Reader CHAP. XVIII Of the first spirituall Content and Happinesse which such enioy as loue God with all their hearts and keepe his Commaundements which is Beautie spirituall THe first spirituall Content and Happinesse vvhich God Almightie bestoweth vpon such as loue him is remission of their sinnes cleansing and washing of their soules with the water of life and decking and adorning them with spirituall Beautie Let the impious forsake his way and the vniust Isa 55. 7. man his cogitations and returne to our Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him and to our God because he is bountifull to forgiue So great are the mercies of God Almightie that at what time soeuer a sinner shall desist from violating the Commaundements of God and returne to loue him with his whole heart hee will haue mercie on him and obserue with him the faithfull mercies which hee promised to Abraham and his Seed saying Whosoeuer shall Eze. 11. 32. 34. 37. depart from his wicked wayes and turne vnto me I will receiue him into the Couenant which hee made with Abraham Dauid and the Patriarkes and their Seed for euer When Deut. 30. 1. thou shalt be turned sayth Moyses with repentance of thy heart and shall returne to our Lord and obey his Commaundements in all thy heart our Deut. 30. 9. Lord will turne to reioyce vpon thee in all riches as he reioyced in thy Fathers yet so if thou heare the voice of the Lord thy God and keepe his Precepts For thus sayth our Lord Dissolue the bands of Impietie Isa 58. 6. loose the bands that ouer-load dismisse them free that are broken and breake in sunder euerie burden Depart from sinne and doe works of Charitie Breake thy Bread to the hungrie and the needie and harbourlesse bring into thy house when thou shalt see the naked couer him and despise not thy flesh then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thy health shall sooner arise and thy Iustice shall goe before thy face and the glorie of our Lord shall imbrace thee with spirituall grace and fauour in this life and eternall glorie in the other And so sayth Cease to doe peruersly learne to Isa 1. 17. doe good to keepe the Commandements seeke iudgement succour the oppressed iudge for the fatherlesse defend the widow and come and accuse me saith our Lord if your sinnes shal be as scarlet they shal be made white as snow and if they be red as vermilion they shal be white as wooll Presently vpon the heartie conuersion of a sinner from his euill wayes and imbracing the Commandements of God and louing him with all his heart our Lord maketh his heart pure clean neat his cōscience good his faith not fained which hee doth by spirituall Water according to his Word saying If thou diddest Io. 4. 10. know the gift of God and who he is that saith vnto thee Giue me to drinke thou perhaps wouldest haue asked of him and he would haue giuen thee liuing Water He that shall drinke of the Water that I will giue him shall not thirst for euer but the Water that I will giue him shall become a Fountaine of Water springing vp to life euerlasting Again He that beleeueth in me with a faith that worketh according to charitie as the Scriptures say out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of liuing Water Whereupon it is said of such as loue God with all their hearts and keepe his Precepts that they are whiter Ier. Lam. 4. 7. then Snow purer then Milke ruddier then the old Iuorie fairer then Saphire And moreouer the soule of a sinner heartily conuerted to God is made so pure and gracious by Charitie that all the Saints and Angels in Heauen doe take pleasure and ioy to behold it as witnesseth our Sauiour saying Luc. 15. 7. There shall be ioy in Heauen
a Sparrow solitarie in the house top I did eat ashes as bread and mingled my drinke with weeping So great was the detestation and sorrow this holy Prophet had for his sinne that hee withered away through sighing and groaning fled the companie of men for shame and liued as a Crow or Owle that flyeth onely by Night and as a Sparrow who hauing lost her Mate and young remayneth mourning all alone and did eat ashes as bread and would take no comfort but in weeping My teares haue Ps 41. 4. beene bread vnto me day and night I haue laboured in my sighing I will euerie Night Ps 5. 7. wash my Bed and will water my Couch with my teares And of his zeale against sinne in others hee sayth My zeale hath made me pine Ps 118. 139. away because my enemies haue forgotten thy wordes Againe I saw the Preuaricators Ps 118. 138. and I pined away because they kept not thy wordes Againe Did not Ps 138. 21. I hate them that hate thee O Lord and pined away because of thine enemies With perfect hatred I did hate them That is hee did hate their sinne and loue their persons and seeke their saluation and in this was so zealous that hee would neither permit any one who liued in the breach of the Commandements of God either to sit at his Table with him or wait vpon him or dwell in his Pallace laying One of proud eye and vnsatiable Ps 100. 5. heart with him I did not eate mine eyes are towards the faithfull of the Earth that they may sit with me A man that walketh in the immaculate way he did minnister to me He that doth proudly shall not dwell in the middest of my house And wishing all others to follow the same rule saith With the Ps 17. 16. holy thou shalt be holy and with the innocent man thou shalt be innocent with the elect thou shalt be elect and with the peruerse thou shalt be peruerted And out of his zeale of the glorie and honor of God composed the Psalmes and prepared for the building of the Temple of God The like example of Zeale wee may finde in the Apostles and Saints Loue cannot be idle nor spirituall Iealousie euer be satisfied with labouring for God Almightie and the more it laboureth and doth the lesse it esteemeth it hath done according to the words of our Lord When you haue Luc. 17. 10. done all thinges that are commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruants The infinite mercies and liberalitie of God Almightie so ouerwhelming and drowning all their affections in the Sea of his goodnesse that they finde no paines but in not suffering paines and vndergoing labours for his loue So Saint Paul sayth Who shall separate Rom. 8. 35. vs from the Charitie of Christ Tribulation or Distresse or Famine or Nakednesse or Danger or Persecution or the Sword In all these things we ouercome because of him that hath loued vs. Once wounded with his loue farewell all the base pleasures and delights of the sonnes of Agar and estimation of the commodities and vanities of the World I haue Phil. 3. 8. made all things as detriment and doe esteeme them as dung that I may gaine Christ and may be found in him to know him and the vertue of his Resurrection and the societie of his Passion configured to his death If by any meanes I may come to the Resurrection which is from the dead Then so high an estimation of God Almightie and of the glorie of the other life entreth into his soule by the taste of a few droppes of his grace and fauour that paines are turned into pleasures and labours into delights for his loue and all earthly things seeme dung base and vile as they are indeed in comparison of the enioying God Almightie and the attaining vnto eternall life the force of Charitie hauing so ouercome the weakenesse of humane nature that now they liue not they but Christ in them Loue hauing so drawne them out of themselues as that they are no more that they were but that they loue To the fulfilling of the Promises and Prophecies saying in the person of our Lord I will Osce 11. 4. pull them vnto me in the coardes of Loue in the bonds of Charitie Againe This is the Iero. 31. Testament which I will make with them After these dayes Heb. 10. 15. saith our Lord giuing my Lawes in their hearts and in their mindes will I superscribe them This is the Testament which God made with our Fathers That hee would giue vs his Loue and Charitie in our hearts and soules and draw and pull vs vnto him with coardes and chaynes of Loue and Charitie This is it which our Lord promised before his Passion saying If I be exalted from the Earth Io. 12. 32. I will draw all things to my selfe Signifying that by his Passion hee would obtaine so great Charitie and Loue for his Elect who are all things all things being for them That he would draw them to himselfe into Heauen according to the saying of S. Paul Our conuersation is in Heauen and Phil. 3. 20. the wordes of our Lord saying For where thy treasure is Mat. 6. 22. there is thy heart also The treasure of the Saints is our Lord Iesus in Heauen and their hearts being wounded with the abundance of his Loue and Charitie of them it may more properly be said that they liue in Heauen then here vpon Earth for that their hearts and affections are there and man is said rather to be there where his soule loueth then where his bodie liueth and according to this our Lord saith Father whom thou hast giuen Io. 17. 24. me I will that where I am they also may be with me by grace in this life and glory in the other and so saith Iust Father Io. 17. 2â— I will that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them This he said before his Passion and before his Ascension and by his Ascension Hee departed Aug. li. con 4. ca. 12. from our eyes that wee might returne into our hearts and finde him Hee departed indeed and yet he is heere He would not be long from vs and yet he neuer left vs Hee is in our inward hearts but our hearts haue erred from him turne sinners into your hearts and keepe his Commandements that made you stand with him and you shall stand rest in him and you shall finde Ease and Rest which God of his infinite mercies grant thee deare Reader CHAP. XX. The third Content and Happinesse which such enioy as loue God Almightie with their whole hearts and their Neighbours for God as themselues which is the becomming sonnes of God and coheires with our Sauiour THe next happines of such as loue God Almightie with all their hearts is that they become the sonnes and children of God according to the wordes of
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
that Ps 33. 9. our Lord is sweete and doth not say See and Taste because thou canst not see comprehend or imagine as the Prophet sayth How great is the Ps 31. 20. multitude of the sweetnesse which our Lord hath hid for them that loue him yntill thou taste it To haue God Almightie dwelling in our soules by grace and fauour and manifest himselfe vnto vs is all the good and content that wee are capable to receiue in this life Moyses said vnto our Lord Shew me thy glorie and our Lord answered I will shew thee all good and shewed vnto him himselfe vnder the disposition of a visible matter as all the good that he liuing and remaining in this life was capable of to receiue Whereupon S. Iohn saith And the Life 1. Io. 1. 2. was manifested and we haue seene and doe testifie and declare vnto you the life eternall which was with the Father and hath appeared to vs and that which we haue seene and haue heard we declare vnto you that you also may haue societie with vs and our societie may be with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ And these things I write vnto you that you may reioyce and your ioy may be full Doest thou desire deare Reader to enioy all the Content Ease Rest and Ioy which in this life thou art capable to haue and possesse cast out of thy heart thy spirituall Idols and renounce that false impious God and wicked Deuill and his ministers who teach that it is impossible to keepe the Commaundements of God and promise Ease and Rest and Saluation and Iustification by Faith only and cleaue to our Lord who created thee and keepe his Commandements and loue him with thy whole heart and thy neighbor for his sake as thy selfe and thou shalt most assuredly haue and enioy it according to the Promises saying When thou shalt seeke the Deut. 4. 29. Lord thy God thou shalt find him yet so if thou seeke him with all thy heart If you will seeke him Par. 15. 2. you shall find but if you forsake him he will forsake you And Par. 15. â— when they shall roturne in their distresse to our Lord the God of Israel and shall seeke him saith the Prophet Azarias they shall find him Yet so if they seeke him with all their hearts And Asa gathered together Par. 15. 9. all Iuda and Beniamin and when they were come into Ierusalem hee went in after the manner to establish the Couenant that they should seeke our Lord the God of their fathers in all their heart and in all their soule And if any man quoth he shall not seeke our Lord the God of Israel let him die from the least to the greatest from Man vnto Woman And they sware to our Lord with a loud voice in iubilation and in noyse of Trumpet and sound of Shaulmes all that were in Iuda with execration for in all their heart did they sweare and with all their will did they seeke him and found him and our Lord gaue them rest round about If any Io. 14. 23. one loue me sayth our Lord he will keepe my Word and my Father will loue him and wee will come to him and will make abode with him Againe If you Io. 14. 14. loue me keepe my Commaundements and I will aske the Father and hee will giue you another Comforter that he may abide with you for euer the spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but you know him And in this wee 1. Io. 2. 3. know sayth Saint Iohn that vve haue knowne him if vve obserue his Commandements Hee that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his Commaundements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Hee shall abide Io. 14. 17. vvith you and be in you Hee that keepeth his Commandements 1. Io. 3. 24. abideth in him and hee in him Againe I vvill not leaue Io. 14. 18. you that loue me Orphanes I vvill come to you Yet a little vvhile and the World seeth me no more but you see me because I liue and you shall liue in mee In that Day you shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Euerie one 1. Io. 3. 7. that loueth knoweth God Hee that loueth not knoweth not God because God is Charitie Againe A little while Io. 1â— 16. and now you shall not see me and againe a little while and you shall see me because I goe to the Father They said therefore What is this hee saith A little while wee know not what hee speaketh And Iesus said Now indeede you haue sorrow but I will see you againe and your hearts shall reioyce and your ioy no man shall take from you Aske and you shall receiue himselfe into their soules that your ioy may be full These are the Promises of God and as Saint Augustine sayth Who can feare to be Conf. li. 12. c. 1. deceiued when Truth it selfe doth promise O sonnes of Men How long Ps 4. heauie hearts Why loue you Vanitie and seeke Lying Wherefore will you still walke Aug. Conf. li. 4. ca. 12. hard and painefull Wayes There is no rest where you seeke it Seeke that you seeke but there it is not where you seeke You seeke happie life in the Countrie of Death it is not to be found there How will you finde happie life where no life is Our Life descended from hence and tooke away our Death and hath killed it out of the abundance of his life and thundreth out crying that vve vvould returne from hence vnto him into that Secret from vvhence he proceeded vnto vs. Hee departed from our eyes that vve might returne into our hearts and finde him I seeke my God in euerie bodie Aug. vpon the 41. Ps as vvell earthly as heauenly and I doe not finde him I seeke his substance in my soule and I finde it I haue meditated the manner how to finde my God and by those things vvhich are made the inuisible things of my God desirous to behold these things vvhich may be vnderstood I haue poured out my soule in me and now there remaineth nothing which I may touch but my God For there is the House of my God aboue my soule he dwelleth from thence he beholdeth me from thence he created me from thence he gouerneth me from thence he counselleth me from thence he stirreth me vp from thence he calleth me from thence he directeth me from thence he leadeth me from thence he carrieth me about Thus Saint Augustine Whereupon Boetius in his third Booke and eleuenth Verse sayth He that would seeke the Truth with thoughts profound And would not stay in Wayes which are not right He to himselfe must turne his inward sight And guide his Motions in a circled Round Teaching his Minde what euer shall designe Her selfe in her owne treasure to possesse
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. â— â—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. â—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. Tiâ— 2. 1â— 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 froÌ„ 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. â—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
in this life bestoweth vpon those who keepe his Commandements and loue him with all their Hearts and their Neighbors for his sake as themselues which Ioyes and Contentments doe increase in them as the zeale of keeping his Commandements Counsels doth increase according to his Word saying Whosoeuer shall glorifie me I will glorifie him and they that shall contemne mee shall be base Whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith I am delighted Ps 118. in the way of thy Testimonies as in all riches I will be exercised in thy Commandements and I will consider thy waies I will keepe thy Law alwaies for euer and for euer and euer And I walked in largenesse because I sought after thy Commandements My portion O Lord I said to keepe thy Law The Law of thy Mouth is good vnto me aboue thousands of Gold and Siluer How haue I loued thy Law O Lord all the day it is my meditation aboue mine enemies thou hast made me wise by thy Commandentents because it is to me for euer and euer Aboue all that taught me haue I vnderstood because thy Testimonies are my meditations I haue vnderstood more then ancient men because I sought thy Commandements I haue inclined my Heart to doe thy Iustifications for euer because of the Reward Corporall and Spirituall Temporall and Eternall Ease Rest Repose Content and Happinesse Wherfore deare Reader be no more deceiued with vain imaginations of finding Ease and Rest in the sensuall pleasures and vanities of the World but cast out froÌ„ thee those strange Gods who in their eleuenth Article of the English Creede do promise Happinesse and Iustification by Faith only And return vnto our Lord in all thy Heart and in all thy Soule and keepe his Commandements and our Sauiour according to his promise will aske the Ioh. 14. 14. Father he wil giue thee another Comforter that he may abide with thee and be in thee for euer The Spirit of Truth Ioh. 14. 26. he shall teach thee all things He will teach thee Chastitie Continencie Modestie Goodnesse Benignitie Patience Peace of Minde Ioy of Heart and Charitie towards God and Man and thou shalt possesse Ioy and Isa 51. Isa 44. Gladnesse Sorrow and Mourning shall flye away for I euen I my selfe saith our Lord will comfort you I will poure out my Spirit vpon thy Seede and my Blessing vpon thy Stock and they shall spring the hearbes as Willowes besides the running Waters For the Shrub Isa â—5 shall come vp the Firre tree and for the Nettle shall grow the Mirtle tree For thy base afflicting sensuall delights he will giue thee true Ioyes and Content and Rest When thou shalt poure Isa 58. out thy Soule to the hungrie and shalt fill the afflicted Soule thy light shall rise vp in darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the Noone-day And our Lord will giue thee Rest alwaies and will fill thy Soule with brightnesse and deliuer thy bones and thou shalt be as a watered Garden and as a Fountaine of Waters whose water shall not faile which is the Content and Happinesse I wish vnto thee THE Last CHAPTER Of the compleat Ioy Rest Content and Happinesse which those shall haue in Heauen who vpon Earth perseuered in louing God with all their Hearts and their Neighbours as themselues vntill Death FIrst All the Charitable shall be saued and Happy as witnesseth our Sauiour saying Come ye blessed Mat. 25. of my Father possesse you the Kingdome prepared for you from the Foundation of the World For I was an hungred and you gaue me to eate I was thirstie and you gaue me to drinke I was a stranger and you tooke me in naked and you couered me sick and you visited me I was in Prison and you came vnto me Verily I say vnto you as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren you did it to me And for their particular Happinesse first all their Corporall defects as lamenesse crookednesse disproportion of their bodies c. by the power of God shall be supplied as witnesseth S. Paul saying We shall Eph. 4. 13. meete all in the vnitie of Faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God into a perfect Man into the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. Secondly they shall be endued with subtilitie to penetrate and passe through materiall bodies at their pleasures as S. Iohn affirmeth Ioh. â—0 19. of our Sauiour That the dore shut Iesus came and stood in the midst of the Disciples And in the Resurrection our Sauiour will as S. Paul saith Reforme the body Phil. 3. 11. of our humilitie configured to the Body of his glory Thirdly they shall be endued with Agilitie to moue and passe from one place vnto another with the same swiftnesse that their mindes can desire As the Angels of God in Heauen Fourthly they shal be indued with Impassabilitie insomuch as they shall neuer suffer any more hunger or colde or heate or sicknesse or paines or any thing of disgust as affirmeth S. Iohn saying They shall no more Apoc. 7. 16. hunger nor thirst neither shall the Sunne fall vpon them nor any heate Fiftly they shall be endued with Claritie according to the words of our Sauiour saying The Iust shall shine Mat. 13. 43. as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Sixtly their Corporall eyes shall be delighted with the sight of the glorious Body of the Sonne of God and of all the Saints and with the Beautie of Heauen whose Wall is as S. Iohn saith Of Apoc. 21. 18. Iasper stone but the Citie it selfe is of pure Gold like to pure Glasse and the Foundations of the Wall of the Citie are adorned with Pretious Stone And the twelue Gates there are twelue Pearles one to euery one and euery Gate is of one seuerall Pearle and the Streete of the Citie pure Gold as it were transparent Glasse Seuenthly their Eares shall be delighted with the melody of Angels Saints who sing by Quires alwaies new songs Eightly their Senses of Smelling shall be delighted with delicate sweet smells which proceed from the body of our Sauiour and from the bodies of the Martyrs and Saints in Heauen whose Odor is as the Cant. 3. Osc 1â— Aromatical Spices of Mirrhe and Frankencense and all the powder of the Apothecarie If the bodie of our Blessed Mother Teresa the reformer of our Order and the restorer thereof to the obseruance of the first Rule yeeld so sweet a Smell heere vpon Earth as that it exceedeth the delight of all flowers as is testified by sufficient witnesses Imagin if thou canst how exceeding sweet shall be the Smell of the body of our Sauiour and all the glorified bodies in Heauen Ninthly their Taste shall be delighted with exquisite Meates according to the word of God saying To them Apoc. â— 17. that shall ouercome sin I will Apoc. 2. 7. giue him the hidden Manna I will giue him