hath gotten them into hys handes and possession shall bee as well assured that he shall neuer lose them as he hath earnest desire neuer to forgo them ¶ The .xvii. Chapter ¶ Of the benefit of God his promise RIght highly therefore is God to bee loued in his promises in asmuch as he hath behight vs greater thinges then hetherto hee hath geuen vs For hee hath promised vnto vs rest from paine libertie from thraldome securitie from feare comfort from sorrow resurrection from the dead and after that our bodyes are raysed vp agayne suche full and perfect blysse as neuer shall haue ending Finallye he hath promised him selfe vnto vs euen as he sware to our fathers that hee would geue him selfe for vs Great therfore are the promises of God vnspeakable and for these and in these will God be loued of vs and in such sort and maner as it behoueth vs. But if thou wylt know in what sort it behoueth vs to loue God vehementlye to desire to haue the promise performed is onely the maner that in this our loue is of duty required The promise of God yet how soeuer it bee desyred is muche lesse desired then it ought for to be And howe soeuer the Louer of God profiteth and increaseth in louyng hym hee ought styll to profite and to encrease to more For the earnest and true longyng after God in some respect hath no mean nor measure when as it can neuer so exceede that it maye be thought to muche And where as in al other thinges impaciencie is euer blamed vehement impaciencie of the delay in the expectacion of gods promises that is to haue and possesse God deserueth laud and praise as a thing most commendable For the more a man loueth God and the more he longeth after hym the impatiencie in that delaye tormenteth the more the hope which is differred sore vexeth the soule But these precious iewels in this world promised are onelye had and enioyed in the heauenly palace And therfore of that good whych is chiefe of all goodnes what it is and how it is shal first be declared ¶ The .xviii. Chapter ¶ Of the consideration of the Deity ioyes of heauen LEt vs styrre vp therefore and aduaunce all our vnderstanding as far forth as the grace of God may assist it to waigh and confider how great the onelye and proper ioy of the chosen is there where the place is prepared for them That is to say that onely high soueraigne good which is lyfe lyght blyssefulnes wysedome eternitie and such other like and yet is but onelye one in nature most excellent and high good sufficing to it self in all thinges needing or wanting nothing and which all haue neede of not onely to be but also well to be Thys good is God the Father thys is the word that is the Sonne of the Father and this is that one and common loue to the Father and the Sonne namelye that holy Spirite which from them both equally doth issue and proceede And that which euerye one of these is in parson particularly the same is the whole Trinitie the Father the Sonne the holye Ghost For euery singuler parson of this Trinitie is doubtles nothyng els but that high soueraigne vnitie of the god-head I meane and the Deitie which can neither be multiplied encreased nor altered Moreouer this is that onely one thing which is needefull and necessarye And that onely is necessarye in the which all good is or which of it selfe is the onelye one and aloue good For if eche seuerall good thing be good and delectable then thinke with thy selfe how delectable that good is which containeth in it the pleasure and delight of all that is good and not suche as wee fynde or taste in Gods creatures but so far differing in al kinde of excellency as the Creator in worthynes doth excell the creature For if lyfe created be good howe good is that lyfe which did create it If health made or geuen be good how good is that health that made or gaue it If the wisedome amiable that consisteth in the knowledge of thinges that be made how amiable is that wisedome that made all those things of nothing Finally if in things delectable the delight be great and manifold howe great is the same in him that made and ordained what soeuer is delectable O how happye is that Soule which maye haue vse of that good What shall hee haue mysse of that hath it or what shal he not want that lackes it For who so hath that shall together haue the goodes both of body and soule and those suche also so passing and so excellent as neyther eye hath sene nor eare hath heard nor the hart of man hath thought or conceaued Why then wander we through so manye thinges to seeke the goodes of our bodie and soule Let vs rather loue that one God in whom is all that good is and it shall be inoughe and sufficient for vs Let vs longe after that simple good which of it selfe is all good and we shal be well and shall nede to seeke no further For what louest thou O my flesh or what desirest thou O my Soule There and in that same selfe good that is in thy Soueraigne Lord God is doubtles al whatsoeuer ye loue or desire To speake therefore of the goods of the heauenlye kingdome or to conceaue or vnderstād them no man cloathed in the flesh suffiseth or is able For in truth they are much greater better then eyther they are thought or perceyued to bee For the kingdome of God excelleth all fame passeth all praise surmounteth all cunning excelleth what soeuer glorye is thought most royall or famous The kingdome of god therfore is full of light and peace charitye and patience woorshippe and glory pleasure and delight euerlasting in ioy perpetuall in blisfulnes and replenished with all other goodes what soeuer are vnpossible to bee spoken or comprehended And yet ought I not therfore to be mute or silent but to say so muche as I can Bycause I cannot saye so much as I woulde For bycause we beleue that God is vnspeakable it is not forth with reason to thincke our selues not bounde to speake of him that we can or are able Neyther is this tollerable that we shoulde not beleue of that life euerlasting which God by his promise hath sealed vnto vs more a great deale theu is sette forth in wryting For neyther can the toung nor the pen expresse so much as the hart can comprehende and yet the hart which is of greatest capacity and of al things conceaueth most profoundly and depely is farre to light to comprise the Maiesty of God his ioyes and glory Of the lyfe to come therefore we must earnestly beleue that it is both euerlastiug in it selfe and euerlastinglye happy And that ther is assured security and secure tranquility peaceable pleasantnes blysfull eternity and eternall blisfulnes wher is perfytte loue no
An Introduction to the loue of god ⸫ Accompted among the workes of S. Augustine and set forth in his name very profitable to moue all men to loue God for his benefits receaued Math. 22. ¶ Thou shalte loue the Lorde thy God with al thy harte wyth al thy soule and with al thy mynd This is the greatest and the first commaundement The second is lyke to this Thou shalte loue thy neighboure as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hange all the law and the Prophets 1 IOHN 2. Loue not the world neither the things that are in the worlde If a man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in hym Seene and alowed accordinge to the Quenes Maiesties Iniunctions Anno 1574. ¶ TO THE MOST vertuous and noble Princes Queene Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the fayth c. AMong all other benefites most gracious soueraigne Ladie which God in mercie hath bestowed vpon your roial person â–ª the knowledge of GOD is most singuler for the which we your humble Subiectes haue moste cause to prayse god But I meane not the knowledge of hys essence or beyng whych none of the Angels or heauenly powers are able to comprehend Neyther yet that general knowledge of God which is gotten by his creatures and workes from the creation of the world Which although it bee of no force to chaunge the mynde regenerate to true godlynes yet are all men by it made inexcuseable before God in as muche as when they knewe God they glorified him not as god But I mean the chiefe and singuler knowledge of God wherby not onely his vniuersall power and infinite mercy replenishing the whole earth but also his vnsearchable counsel in sauing vs by Christ hidden from the world is well perceiued and knowen This knowledge of God hath eternall lyfe annexed vnto it as sayth Christ Thys is lyfe eternall that they myght know thee the onely true God Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent And as this knowledge of God doth comprehende in it the counsell of God to saue vs by Christ so it doth renue the whole maÌ„ vrgeth hym to apprehend that good thing which it sheweth accordyng to the saying of Christ you shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free That this knowledge of God by hys good spirite already planted in your Maiesties hart might dayly encrease more and more bee confirmed I haue chosen out a litle short treatise stirryng and mouing verye much to the loue of God through the consideration of hys benefites Accompted amonge the workes of saint Augustine set forth in hys name to dedicate the same to your Highnes The diligent vewe and consideration whereof I knowe ryght well wyll not a litle enflame and set on fire those sparkes of the knowledge loue of God already by Gods good spirite kindled in your royall hart For I am not ignorant most gracious soueraigne of your good and gracious nature and how muche your Maiestye is enclined to loue and mercy to pity the poore miserable to respect the causes of such as are in distresse to help the oppressed to pardon offences to doo good to all men which all are nothing els but fruites of that knowledge and loue of God whych by the woorde of God and Gospell of Christ you haue conceaued And as the same hath alredy brought forth these fruites so I nothing doubt but the continuall meditation of Gods infinite loue and innumerable benefits wyl bring forth more loue of God to solace and comfort her selfe onely in his loue in respect whereof all pleasure ioy loue of this world waxeth vyle and chuseth rather wyth him to beare afflictions and suffer hard thinges then with the world to enioye the pleasures of sinne for a season For surely suche is the nature of the loue of God that as it nothing forceth of or regardeth not the afflictioÌ„s of thys life so it vtterlye contemneth and treadeth vnder foote the vanities loue of this world as nothing in respect of his loue who first hath loued vs. To the furtherance whereof the diligent reading of this litle treatise wyll very much helpe Wherein the Author euen of sense and feeling and as one all together rauished with the loue of god setteth forth how diuersly by his benefites and loue we are mooued to loue him and that his vnspeakeable loue towards vs can no waies better be recompenced then by loue againe Wherein if it shall please your Maiesty to bestow some short tyme I know the more it is read the more comfortable delight wil be conceiued therein And though paraduenture this myght bee thought of some a trauaile altogether superfluous to translate the same out of Lattin in which tong it was first wrytten and to dedicate the same to your highnes considering the excellencie of your knowledge in the same tounge wherein you might vvith more delectation pleasure haue solaced your selfe yet to me it should not seeme superfluous beyng set foorth in a language that moste of your Subiectes do vnderstand therfore like to redounde to the profite of the moe And besides forth that vvhich is set foorth vnder the protection and priuiledge of Princes is of all men the more diligently read And to vvhom myght I more aptlye dedicate the introduction to the loue of God then to so godly and vertuous a Prince out of vvhose brest ther flovveth such streames of mercy and flames of loue tovvard her subiectes that shee seemeth an apt meete soyle of God vvherein the loue of God myght profitablye be planted The God of loue therefore enflame your most royal hart vvith his loue and vvith his holy spirit direct you in the ryght course to eternall lyfe That in this life your Maiesty may haue such sence and feeling of hys loue that in tyme to come you may haue the full fruition therof in his eternall glorye Amen Your Maiesties most humble Subiect and faithful seruaunt Edmund Roffen Viuat Regina Ad serenissimam D. D. Elizabetham Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Reginam fidei defens c. ¶ EPIGRAMMATA Nescia virgo viri regni Regina potentis Nobilibus multum sollicitata procis Non sociata tamen quia non mortalevidetur Coniugium mentem tangere posse tuam Accipe diuini coelestia pignora scripti Vnde tuum flagret pectus amore Dei. Qui pius in Christo te tam redamab it Iesu Quam fuerit Christus totus amore tuus Sed tuus ille quidem manet aeternuÌ„que manebit Illius in studio tu quia fixa manes Nil opus est igitur nostro Regina libello Qui docâ—t vt facias quod prior ipsa facis Nil opus est fateor forsan tamen ista legendo Esse tuus poterit multiplicatus amor Ad eandem Principem Sacra deo Princeps et sacro nomine virgo Accipe quae sacro pignora fonte fluunt
be ioyned with a bodye as the Aungell and parte might be coupled to a body as the soule The reasonable creature therfore is deuided into that whiche hath not and to that which hath a bodye That which is voyde of body is called an Aungel And that which hath bodye is called a Man consistinge of the fleshe and a reasonable soule The principall cause therfore why the reasonable creature was ordeyned is the goodnes of god So that both man and Aungell were made bycause of Gods goodnes for by reason that god is good we are in as much as we are we are good also But to what ende was the reasonable creature created To praise God to serue him and to vse and enioy him In the which the creature him selfe profiteth and not god For God is euer perfit and fulfilled of all soueraine bounty and goodnes can neither be increased nor diminished And therefore that reasonable creature was created of god is to bee referred to the goodnes of the Creator and the profyt of the creature In so muche that as oft as this question is asked why or to what ende the reasonable creature was made The aunswer must be for the goodnes of the Creator the profit of the creature For it auayleth the creature to serue God and both to haue and enioy him ¶ The third Chapter ¶ The cause of the creation of Angels men and all other creatures BOth Aungell therefore and Man are sayd to be made for God not bycause God the Creatour and most blysfull hath nede of the seruice either of Angell or Man for hee hath no want of our goods but that both Man and Angell might serue and vse him whom to serue is to raygne For in this the seruant receiueth the profit and not he to whom it is done And as man was made for god so the world was made for man that it might serue hym Man therefore was placed in such state and degree both that he shoulde be serued and that he should serue that on eche syde all the goodnes might redound to hym selfe as well of the seruice which he receiueth as of that which he doth For so God would that Man shuld serue him that not God but Man myght bee profited by the seruice And he also would that the world shuld so serue Man as Man thereby might in like sort be holpen Al the goodnes therfore redoūded to man both of that which was made for hym and of that also for the which him selfe was made For all thynges are ours sayth the Apostle the thynges aboue vs the thynges equall with vs and the thinges inferiour vnto vs The thinges aboue vs are ours to vse and enioy as God in Trinitie trinitie in vnitie The thinges equall with vs are ours to agree wyth all as the Angels who albeit at this present they be aboue vs shall in time to come notwithstanding be our Mates and our equals The thinges inferiour vnto vs are also ours to stand vs in stede and to serue our necessities As the thynges which pertaine to the Lord and Master are also the Seruauntes not by takyng from the Lord or Mayster hys ryght or title but because they also serue to the vse of the seruant It is therfore said in certain places of the scriptures that Angels doo serue vs because they for our sakes are sent forth to minister In consideration wherof the Apostle hath these wordes Are they not all ministring spirites that are sent to minister for theyr sakes which shal be heiers of saluation Neither let this seeme incredible to man in as muche as the creator him selfe and Kyng of aungels came not to be serued but to serue to geue his lyfe for many And the aungels are sayde to offer oure prayers and vowes vnto God not bycause they teache or instruct God of our desires or meaninges who knoweth all things before they come to passe as well hee knoweth them after they are done but bycause they craue to vnderstande Gods pleasure and will touchinge these thinges and what they shall know to be disposed according to Gods hest commaundement that they conuey to vs eyther openly or in secrete Wher vpon the Angell sayd vnto men When ye prayed I offered your prayers vnto god In like manner euen we also whē we pray we do not teach god as if he were ignorant eyther of our desire or of our nede but the reasonable creature must of necessity commit refer his temporal causes to the eternal verity eyther by desiring that which he could haue or by consentinge and asking what Gods will is he shall haue From the highe habitation of the heauens therfore doth the souerayne bountye and loue of God drawe downe vnto vs the aungels of God to enquire Gods will for vs to visite and to helpe vs for God for vs and for themselues For god bycause that as meete is they imitate the merciful bowels of his loue and pity towards vs for vs bicause that in vs they haue their own◠image and lykenes in great admiration and reuerence for them selues because that with feruent desire and longing they awayte the supply of their orders by vs. ¶ The fourth Chapter ¶ Of the loue of God towards vs. THis therfore is most nedefull and necessary that euery man seuerally do consider himselfe and when he hath attained the ful perfect knowledge of his owne worthynes dignity least he do iniury to his creatour in no wise to loue anye thing that anye waye is to him selfe inferiour For the thinges that in them selues considered do seeme to be beutifull when they are compared with other are but homely and vyle And as it is great folly to ioyn foule thinges with fayre thinges So is it not vnsemely of those thinges which haue a meane and no counterfayte beutye to make a comparison and to matche them wyth the things that are most fayre and beutiful Theefore my soule vew well thine own beuty and therby learne and vnderstand what beutye thou shalt loue But if the sight of thy selfe be so duld duskt or darkned by thine own negligence that thou canst behold thine owne selfe neither as it becommeth nor as it behooueth thee Why yet doest thou not by the iudgemēt at the least of som other gather that true estimation of thy self which thou shouldest doo Thou hast a Spouse but hys soueraigne beuty thou knowest not because thou neuer yet saw his face or coūtenance But he seeth thee and if he saw thee not he would not loue thee This Spouse differryng to shewe or present him selfe vnto thee hath sent thee giftes as pledges and tokens of his loue wherby thou mightest know his affection towardes thee If thou myghtest see hys face thou wouldest bee nothyng doubtful for then shouldest thou perceiue that he who is so faire so comelye so beutyfull and so synguler would not be enamoured at the syght of thee if some synguler beutye in thee
pleasāt thing trow you which while I thinke on hym is wonte not onely to touch me but also so effectually and sweetely to affect me that euen presently me thinkes I am distraitt frō my self both drawen and caried hence but God knowes I wot not whether Forsooth this it is that I am altogether altered and chaunged into an other and a new creature and feele my selfe in such felicity as I cannot expresse My conscience is cleared with ioy and solace all the wretchednes and miseries of my sorowes forepast are vtterly forgotten blotted out of memory My mynde reioyceth myne vnderstandyng is made bryght my hart also is lightned with longing made ioyfull and pleasant And now I know not how I see my selfe in an other countrye and as it were in the armes and bosome of loue I inwardlye hold and embrace but what I wot nere And while I labour with all my might continually to keepe it and neuer to lose it my Soule wrestleth after a pleasaunt maner as loth to forgo that so faine it would haue And as if it had found ther in the ende of all desires it highly vnspeakeablye aduaunceth it selfe for ioye seeking none other thing nor desyring any more but alwaies wel willing to be as it is And is not this now thinke ye that most louing and louelye Spouse Yes verelye this is that my Lord and God which visiteth me and yet cōmeth vnto me inuisibly secrete and incomprehensible This is he which commeth to touche me and not to bee seene of mee which commeth to admonish me not to be comprehended which cōmeth not to infuse him selfe wholy into me but in part to be assayed and tasted of me and neither fulfilleth my desire nor geueth the fulnes of his own sacictie And this is it that chieflye appertayneth to the earnest of hys betrothyng that he which in the world to come shall geue him selfe vnto thee my Soule for euer to be seene possessed of thee doth now presently geue but a say or a taste that thou may know here in this world how pleasant thou shalt finde hym and feele him in his kingdome And therefore it behoueth thee my Soule yea and standeth with thy dutye highly to loue thy God that so diuersly hath benefited thee ¶ The .xi. Chapter ¶ Of the gift of the senses and of the preseruation of lyfe BUt to the end thou mayest be the more kyndled wyth the fire of loue diligently consider whither thy spouse haue endued thee with any moe benefits then those already recited For if he haue thou art the more bounden both for them recited and for them that thou shalt receue hereafter to shew thy selfe obedient and dutyfull and to geue him thankes from the bottom of thine hart For I vnderstand that my God is dearelye to be loued of me for that well vsing the transgression of my Parents he hath created me of their flesh and hath breathed into me the spirite of lyfe seperating me frō them whych were borne before theyr tyme or that beyng suffocated in their mothers wombe semed to be conceaued not to lyue in this world but to dye I haue therefore receaued of him not only to be but also to be man and therto haue also attayned the vnderstauding what difference there is betwene me a beast I haue I saye receaued the shape of my body and in my bodye the distinction of senses myne eyes to see myne eares to heare my nose to smell my handes to feele my mouth to tast my fete to walk and that more is then them al the health of them all And albeit these are great things yet serueth this to augmēt those benefites that to the seuerall delyght of euerye seuerall sence God hath created thinges consonant and agreable as many thinges brightly shining many melodiouslye sounding many pleasantlye sauering many swetely tasting and many delectable in feeling For the prouidence of the Creatour to this vse purpose hath geuen to thinges such diuers and variable qualities that euerye sense of man might haue wherin to be delighted In as much as the sight conceaueth one thyng the hearing an other thing the smelling an other the taste an other the feeling an other The beuty of coulours feedeth the eye the harmonye of musicke pleaseth the eare the fragrancye of sauour delighteth the nose the sweete verder and reales contenteth the taste And who is able to reherse or to recken vp all the delightes of the senses which are so manyfold that if any man should consider eche one in his kinde eche one should seeme wonderfull and straungely enritched Now manye pleasures to the eyes shew we forth in colours how many to the eare heare we in diuersitie of sounds by the which men cōmunicat their mindes and meaninges mutually tell of thinges past demonstrate the present pronosticate thynges to come and reueale things hidden priuy and secret ▪ So that if the lyfe of man shoulde want them it might be compared to the rudenes and brutishnes of beastes What neede I tell you of the warbling of Birdes the pleasant melodye of mens voices or the harmony of musicke in the diuersitie of tunes For there are moe kyndes of consent and concorde in Musicke then thought can conceaue or speeche expresse all the which notwythstanding do serue the eare as thynges create and made to that vse purpose And as I haue examplified the delyght of the eare so may you conceaue the pleasures of taste and feeling being as pleasant and as manyfolde as are the other This therefore by no meanes maye bee gaynsaide but that the goodnes of God in these is exceedyug wonderfull But yet is this to be added so much the more to his glory as it is our greater benefit for my God hath not only made my body and beutified the same with diuersitie such as is before mencioned but hath also made it healthy and sounde that I might neither be noysom to my frends nor a reproch among straungers Neyther is this the whole that I haue receiued for I am also indued wyth reason which can vnderstande and conceaue the veritie in euerye thing and can discerne right from wrong and good from euyll and can search for my Creatour long for and desire him that finallye can prayse him and be cōtented to abide with hym But if I shal confesse a further truth vnto ye nothyng is all thys in respect of this benefit namely that it hath pleased my God so to dispose of me that I shuld be borne bred and fostered in such a time and season and in and among such men and such people as professing his fayth and vsing his Sacramentes may teache and instruct me to beleue and liue accordingly For this I see denyed to an infinite sort of men which I glory and reioyce to be graunted vnto me And yet with the other by all ryght shoulde my state be all one alike and equall They are forsaken through God hys