the huÌ„ger of righteousnes is the sole good of Chriâ—â— which alone is able to consâ—mmate all desires his water satisfies in the wildernes whâ— deserted of al other succour Esa 48.21 that is wonderfull Christs water takes away hunger and his bread thirst Ioh. 6.37 Every thing that is his being of infinite vertue and comprizing all satisfactions The repast of the soule is summed up in the Apostles blessing 2. Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Iesus Christ S. Ambr. ibid. The grace of our Lord Iesus seemes to be set afore the love of God because God set his love upon us in him his merits deserve all the favours which vve receive the love of the Father and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all The love of God sent us a Saviour by whose grace we are saved the Communion of the spirit states us in that grace All good desires are perfectly satisfied in the love of God that love compleatly merited in the grace of Christ that grace fully communicated by the fellowship of the Holy Ghost in whose sole communion to use the words of blessed d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hom 5. Macarius the faithful soule can find rest for all its affections Manna was a principall type of Christs satisfying power Wis 16.20.21 Manna serving the appetite of the eater tempered it selfe to every mans liking now whereas Moses records onely the taste of wafers made of honey the most learned Doctour St. AUGUSTINE e S. Aug. retract l. 2. c. 20. S. Gregor in Iob. l 6. c. 9. l 20. c. 16 and the Fathers resolve that scruple thus That Manna to them that tooke it as ordinary food tasted as is expressed by MOSES but to them that received it as Sacramentall and adored the mystery in it the taste was as is declared in the Booke of Wisdome after the verse of RUSTICUS ELPIDIUS f Nam dignis quem quisque velit dâ—t Manna saporem Manna's tâ—â—â—e was that which best pleased â—â—rthy reâ—eivers Nor was that a vaine type for our hidden Manna Revel 2.17 which CHRIST gives hath correspondence to each particular appetite and gives every one that delights in God the speciall desires of his heart Psal 37.4 for it killes brutish and diabolicall appetite satisfies reasonable and godly desire confirmes us that remembring our selves to bee as CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS finely speakes g Strâ—m 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Children not of Concupiscence but of will wee may not covet but desire not lust but will Ioh. 1.13 Our LORD saith that he who drinkes of the water which Hee gives shall never thirst Ioh. 4.14 Because that water allayes the fire of Concupiscence after stolne waters that hee which drinkes thereof may onely thirst righteousnesse Quench mee the enâ—mies fiery darts in the Fountaine of Wisdome and the River of Living water that spring in thee which is the swasive of St. PAULINE to his friend h Episâ— 6. Tria inimici câ—â—â—â—ntia foâ—â— sâ—pientia sâ—â—â—lâ—e aquâ— in 〈…〉 â—â—tingâ—e SEVERUS and if the will be good and of good CHRIST satisfies hunger in giving desert to desire 3. The goodnesse of CHRIST satisfies especiâ—lly the hunger of Righteousnesse by sustaining the Christian in strength of appetite and labour it was our Saviours meate and drinke to doe his Fathers worke as satisfying his desires of his Fathers glory Ioh. 4.34 in nâ—tâ—re earnest indeavours are the satisfaâ—â—ion of strong desires which render insensible of hunger 〈…〉 and feed the soule in a mans pursuing his aâ—â—ecâ—ion in religion vigorous following good deeds iâ— the best refreshment to godly dâ—sâ—res â—ugâ—entatiâ—n of love and the labour of love is the 〈◊〉 of a pious minde Honey seemes not sweet to those that are sicke of a Feaver and have their tongue imbittered with Choler so hee that is in the Gall of bitternesse saith as it is in St. BASIL The Law is i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In exhortatione ad S. Script good but sinne is sweeter but hee that hath his senses exercised to discerne good and evill hath experience that more sweetnesse is tasted in obeying the Law then in satisfying lust of which every man may easily have tryall in himselfe To which St. LEO the great appeales saying that if a rationall l De jejunio sept Menfis serm S. Sâ—seipsum sibi rationalis homo comparet omnesque suorum actuum qualitâ—tes vera inspectione dijudicet nunquid in intimis conscientiae suae hoc delectationis inveniet de iniquitate commissa quod de equitate servata man compares himselfe with Himselfe and with true inspection discusses all the qualities of his acts shall hee in the secrets of his conscience finde that delectation of iniquity committed that he doth in righteousnesse observed enter into your consciences after holy actions try if they make you not a Feast Wee cannot desire and much lesse doe any thing according to divine will but wee shall meet with food in it for how should not that which is pleasant to GODS will bee satisfactory to any good will Hence to the Righteous the Word is sweeter then honey the Holy day is a Festivall the Sacrament a Supper teares are breâ—d and bounty is a blessing Taking therefore notice of the satisfaction which is in Holy services let us follow the advice of the famous Prelate HINCMOR m Hincmar Episc Rhemens in opusculo 55. c 54. Sicut cotidianas necessarias pensiones corpori re â—dimas ita cotidianas atque continuas bonorum operum scilicet continentiae lectionuÌ„ vigiliarum orationum atque lachrymarum eleemosynarum atque sacrae hostiae oblationum gemituum quod ex praeteritorum poenitentia Sancto futurorum desiderio pensiones animabus nostris effuÌ„dentes eas in conspectu domini reddere studeamus As we render our body dayly and conâ—â—nient allowance so let us study to give our soules their dayly and continuall pensions of good workes pâ—â—â—ing them forth before God in Sobriety reading watching and Prayers in teares almes and oblations of the sacred best CHAP. 7. in sighes also from Repentance for our sinnes past and holy desires of things to come CHAP. VII Concluding in admiration of the satisfactions which are in Righteousnesse BOnum hominis the good which all men would have shewen them is found in Righteousnesse Whatsoever man as man in the utmost extent of reason can desire is with overplus contained in Religion of necessity the degree of satisfaction must bee answerable to the good whereof wee have fruition the higher the good the larger the content there is no comparison betweene the joy in a Million and a Miâ—e Hence profound observations and rare inventions in Arts and Sciences promote to deeper and more sincere delights then riches and honour because they are the contents of the intellective part these of the sensible Thus the graces and gifts of the Lord IESVS create purer and more intire pleasure then
wayes imperfect and short of Gods goonesse but in the mercies of God who notwithstanding all their unworthinesse vouchsafes his grace to them and in the merits of CHRIST which supply all their defects and be equall to the whole will of God The poore consider that if they should pride themselves in the effâ—cts of Gods grace he might justly withdraw his liberall hand and permit them to their owne nothing and that in true esteeme seeing that it is God that workâ—s all as St. Bernard concludes d De donis Sancti spiritâ—s c 2. Tanto quisque humilior esse debet quanto est superior so much the humbler should they be by how much the more they are advanced because the more they receive grace to doe the more they are indebted to the donor that inricht their poverty True humility retaines its owne propriety in the greatest fulnesse of grace as agnizing that it is still nothing of it selfe but all is of grace and in God that gives and continues Therefore our Lord that would not have us lye for humility e B Aug de verbis Apâ—st fol 28. wils us when we have done all to say wee are unprofitable Luk 17.10 In the flowre of our best deeds to be mindfull in whose vertue wee worke and how nothing is of our selves without CHRIST but imperfection and deficiency and how farre in our utmost wee are lesse then Gods mercies to us how remisse concurrers we were and users of Gods grace and gifts that our all is nothing to that we ought nothing to that we might were it not for our sinfull negligence and unproficiency Away then with all vaine-pleasing our selves and resting in what we have done S Chrys in Phil hom 2. Zaver in vita ejus l. c. 16. such coÌ„siderations beget solid humility f S. Chrys de compunctione Which is to do like Saints and yet tremble deject our selves more then sinners because our best is not correspondent to our receipts but unworthy of God and his loving kindnesse to us the poore of Sion in the faithfull use of their talents be much in judging themselves for their unfruitfulnesse and penutie in good and that is their glory to humble themselves more in their good deeds then ordinary people doe for their g Vtinam fratres mei utinam nos illam haberemus humilitatem in peccatis nostris quam Sancti habaerunt in virtutibus suis Guarricus in purificatione S. Mariae serm 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinnes The Poore as in despaire to acts of grace without attracture from above carry all their vertue in God not in themselves For as the ship attaines the Haven more by the benefit of the winde then the sayle so wee prosper more by actuall influences from God then our owne habits and h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S Basil de humilitate Labours A man may bee himselfe in the very habits and use of grace if he goe upon his own strength therein and not the grace of CHRIST to bee sufficient for him to begin and finish each Christian duty according as it is not he that lives but CHRIST that lives in him and breathes upon him by fresh and continuall inspirations St. PETER in confidence of graces received and habits in him put himselfe before his Brethren and thought to doe something of himselfe by vertue of those graces and Gods generall concourse who presuming of himselfe fell into a presumptuous sinne and came behinde those before whom he preferred himselfe CHAP. 3. and is an instance that except the LORD build a house the labourers labour in vaine and that our best way to have present and effectuall aid is to lie low in our selves and hang entirely upon GOD as our duty is to know our selves but poore men or rather wormes and therefore as comming out of the earth to S. Greg. Naz. ep 119 inter Basilianas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creepe by the ground to follow our Saviour and be of his company minding not high things but the least of the little ones for of our selves we are nothing yea as much worse then nothing as grace is better then sinne CHAP. III. The demeanure of the poore in externals SAint Gregory a i. Reg. l. 2. c. 1. pauper spirita esse non pâ—terit qui amare adhuc aeternos the sauros noscit ibid. l 5. c. 4. shewes that to make one of Gods poore is in contemplation of goods that never faile to raise the minde unto contempt of those that must needs perish Therefore he cannot be poore in Spirit that hath not learnt to love everlasting riches for till then he is not driven out of the creature whence Luk. 6.24 our Lord pronounces a woe to the rich because they have their consolation declaring their condition miserable that can satiate their joy with any worldly good which is no proofe of Gods speciall love which cannot remoove the guilt of sinne nor fill up the defâ—ct nor cure the maladie of the Spirit no more then fine apparell can heale an inner sore albeit the carnall heart dwels in flesh and rests in the contents thereof and attends not this insufficiency unlesse God pursue it and suffer not the creature to yeeld its common satisfaction Hos 2.7.5.13 Luk. 15 16.17 Saint Iames chap. 1.9 aptly enjoynes the brother of low degree to rejoyce in his exaltation that in Christs fraternitie hee was participant of true riches the rich in his humillation vers 10. as made low in spirituall poverty and apprehension of want in abundance and having outward things as if hee had them not without any repose in them wheras generally high degree keepes away sense of what is needfull to blisse and staies the soule in sensuall pleasures the portion of unreasonable creatures Psal 49.20 Homo cum in honore esset non intellexit ac si diceretur bonâ—r absorbuit intellectum S. Bern. ep 237. Iob was rightly called a perfect man when he was able in his hard triall with a noble imprecation to curse himselfe if he had rested his joy in transitory riches Cha. 31.25 If hee rejoyced because his wealth was great and his hand had gotten much Humilitie is a meere dependance on God and therefore stands alike affected to povertie riches ignominy honour sicknesse health as God bewils them and orders them for his glory and our soules good and nothing should so joy the lover of God as his will and the good pleasure of his eternall counsell in which hee ought to satisfie himselfe and bee as glad at the least as another would be the greatest De Kemp. de imitatione Christi l. 3. 12. Perfect humility inclines other things equall to that which hath most congruitie with the state of Christ in this world CHAP. 4. and which he hath sanctified adde the apter way of perfection and familiaritie with him and therefore to be as the LORD IESUS was rather abased in poverty and
be sufficient for him that he may both have it in aboundance and plentifully minister it unto others The Baptist must humble himselfe and say he is but the voyce of a Cryer in the Wildernesse and what is more fraile then a voyce which fades as soone as sounded especially in a Desert That CHRIST might magnifie him so farre as to say there had not beene a greater borne of a woman when he thought not himselfe worthy to stoope downe and tye the latchets of Christs shooes Christ thought him fit to whom himselfe would stoope downe and let him lay his hand on his head as he baptized him g Valles secundum Psalmistamfrumento abundant hoc est humiles spiritu potioribâ—s livinae largitatis muncribus Tancmar in vit Bernwood Epis c. 44. Novemb. â—0 The Vallyes according to the Psalmist abound with corne the humble in Spirit with the choysest gifts of divine Liberality The more we goe out of our selves and are contented to bee any or nothing as God will the neerer wee are to be made something and so much as wee remove from our selves and our private interests distrust in our selves and depend altogether on God so much we proceed in him and the common spirit and abilities to doe him service and his Church God loves to follow their poore indeavours with good event that ascribe it to his blessing and not their owne industry 1. Cor. 15.9 when the paines of proud Labourers are dashed with ill successe because they would assume the glory to themselves St. OWEN h In vita S. Eligii l. 1. c. 9. Nihil n. ex omnibus quae egisset bonis meritis suis tribuebat sedomne opus suuÌ„ ad Deum semper conferens in cunctis actibus ejus auxilium implorabat writes That all the speech of blessed ELIGIUS was usefull to edification for that of all the good that hee had done he attributed nothing to his owne merits but alwayes referring all his workes to God implored his assistance in all his actions Whereas God hath no pleasure to cooperate with them that worke in their owne strength and if they succeed sacrifice to their owne net Although good workes have great account with God and undoubted efficacy to rewards in Heaven yet not onely in humility but in duty we ought to referre all unto God for that all is of God and put case we be infallibly certaine that our workes are done in charity yet in all wisdome and security must wee resigne all to God and trust in his free goodnesse and mercy Because the more wee put good deeds from our selves and set all over to his grace the more he accepts them and imputes againe all his worke to us and grants us the honour and recompence thereof and so all is reserved intire for us to the great reckoning with good expectation thereof in the interim and sweet experiences of Gods approbation In fine They who learne of Christ to bee humble and let God be all and meeke to bee thankfully what God will they finde rest to their owne soules Math. 11.28.29 Quieting it alwayes in God CHAP. 5 and his good pleasing and perfect will which is a blessed repose and a very Kingdome of Heaven CHAP. V. Discoursing further why God assists the Humble and resists the Proud HVmility is a great dignity even above other vertues that whereas they frame the minde plyable to the rule of God in some subject humility submits it in all things to Gods ordination and government As it is the evill of Pride above other sinnes that the inordination which makes other sinnes to be sinnes is in a manner specificall and essentiall to pride as Pride Syr. 10.12 The beginning of Pride is when one departs from God and his heart is turned from his maker Therefore it hath for its propriety that which constitutes the formality of sinne aversation from God and converting to the creature and for that reason is rightly called the beginning of sinne So it is the good of Humility above other vertues that what makes them vertues S. Aug. de verbis dom serm 13. that they leave not the heart in the creature but convert and subordinate it unto God that is properly distinctive of humility which therefore is made the beginning of grace and honoured in the prime of the Beatitudes as causing the soule to put no barre to the spirit but set it selfe in absolute subjection unto God and so in capacity to receive his graces and the full benefit of all his institutions and inner teaching Psal 25 9. Math. 11.27 For humility subjecting the intellect to God and the whole man to his direction disposes to irradiation from Heaven when as pride swelling in conceit of understanding and refusing to be ordered shuts out divine illumination St. PROSPER in his incomparable Epistle to the illustrious Virgin DEMETRIAS among other mischiefes in pride numbers this That a Difficile peccatum suum superbus agnoscit â—uretiamsi intellexerit non currit ad medicum sed de se sibi remedium pollicetur nec unquam ibi proficit cura ubi morbus est ipsa medicina cum aliae cupiditates ea tantum bona quibus adversantur iniminuant haec dum omnia ad se trahit simul universa corrumpit the Proud man hardly takes knowledge of his sinne or if he understand it he runnes not to the Physitian but promises himselfe recovery of himselfe nor can the cure proceed where the remedy is a malady and this that whereas other lusts waste onely that good and vertue to which they are contrarie Pride whiles it arrogates all to it selfe corrupts all at once Therefore God withstands the proud as who are averters from him and meere opposites to him b Cum omnia vitia fugiunt a Deo sola superbia se Deo opponit Boëthius When all vices flye from God Pride alone opposes it selfe unto God for by other vices men turne from God unto some good conceived in the creature onely by pride they contend to disthrone God and set themselves in his roome and bee all of themselves and for themselves whence to speake with Saint Ambrose c 1. Tim. 6. God as repeller of his owne wrong enters a speciall kind of combat against pride as if hee should say it is my adversary CHAP. 3. it sets it selfe against mee that encounter belongs to me Iames 4.6 The word signifies to stand appointed against another in martiall forces and array and consequently implies that God as it were raises all his powers against the proud â— Chrystom 3. de verbis Esai â— The proude oppose God in his being Alpha and Omega the first efficient and last end Therefore God resists them and so blowes upon them that they lose their efficiencies and ends where he is said S. Basil in Hexam l. n 10. ad f. â— Luk. 1.51 To scatter the proud that have sparsum cor and become unsetled ever wandring and vagrant
St. CHRYSOSTOME urges thee to tell him where Christ laughed No where but thou readest that he was often sad when he saw Ierusalem he wept when he considered the traytour he was troubled when hee was about to raise LAZARUS he groaned and doest thou laugh k In Hebr. hom 15 Not so good Christians but our head mourning let all the members condole and mourne together with him The God of all consolation stay the weake hearts of his children that they be not carryed away with the streames of Corruption but that they may be dissolved in griefe for this wicked generation that if it be possible they may so lift up their voyce and weepe that their cry may get above the clamâ—ur of those sinnes that make the heavens weepe and the Land mourne He grant that we joy not the joy that is the begetter of sorrow l S. Chrys in Phil. serm â—lt in fo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but greeve the griefe which is the mother of joy and by which we shall enter into the joy of our Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST To whom with the Father and blessed Spirit bee glory as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen FINIS BEATI MITES THE MEEKE A TREATISE OF MEEKNESSE handling the third Beatitude By IAMES BUCK Bachelour of Divinitie and Vicar of Stradbrooke in SVFFOLKE S. Aug. de Sanctis Serm. 19. Solent medicinae periti aegritudines quas curandas suscipiunt aliquando curare per contraria aliquando per similia Majores nostri planxerunt dies sues avi eorum planxerunt dies suos nullis hominibus dies placuâ—runt quos vivendo egorunt Sed posteris placent dies majorâ—us illis iterum illi dies placebunt quos ipsi non sentiebant ideo placebant quod enim presens est acrom habet sensum B. Aug. de diversis Serm. 19. cap. 3. NON SVM MELIOR PATRIBVS LONDON Printed for IOHN CLARK and WIL COOKE 1637. BEATI MITES MATTH 5.5 Blessed are the Meeke for they shall inherit the earth CHAP. I. Of Meekenesse and the blessednesse and subjects thereof MEeknesse doth aptly follow immediately after Mourning as which moderates the Soule that it refuseth nor comfort in any occasion of griefe but in all sorrow voides disturbance Thus St. BASIL describes a In Psal 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They who are of restrained manners and freed of all passion so â—â—to 〈◊〉 no perturbation habit in their soules CHAP. 1. those are termed Meeke Without this meeknesse calme it the heart of man is as a trâ—ubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast upon it and dirt Esa 57.20 b S. Gregor in Iob. l. 4. cap. 2â— lib. 5 c. 30. St. Aug epist 149. rayses soyle out of its owne distemper casting plat-formes of debates and stuffe and fancying imaginary contentions and vehemently acting them with him and him giving ill words and returning worse answers yea many times when in the Act of provocation it retained patience bethinking c S. Greg. past lib. 3. 10. Clem. Alexand Strom. 4. p. 356. 357. it selfe thereof it is exasperated and angry with it selfe for such forbearance Hence it is that the Scripture useth verbs in a moode which the Hebricians call Hithpael and which purports reciprocall working Isychius in Lev 3. to intimate how an unmeeke mind reflects upon and troubles it selfe Psal 37.1 Ps 73.21 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My heart is leaven'd swelled and imbittered with repine and wrath for Iam. 3.14 Emulation is bitter when once the heate of anger hath any thing violently inflamed the spirit * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I whetted sharpned my selfe Iracos and so was cut to the heart and pricked with choller in my reynes to wit the seate of the iÌ„rascible facultie the ordering whereof not after the motions and lusts of the flâ—sh but according to the inclination and guidance of the spirit is the meekenesse of which wee intreat The Stoickes were so farre tâ—â—â— deâ—â—â—ding passions from a wile and vertuous man because anger griefe and other affects which be perturbations in others carried by passion in a wise man are disposers of the sensuall part agreable to the direction of the intellectuall and so subordinated to God made religions Hence it comes that the wrath of Man as fuming from the flesh workes not the righteousnesse of God Iam. 1 but unfits and sets off from good duties but the anger of the spirit prepares men to all godly operations and aversation of sinne Bee angry and sinne not Ephes 4. As Iob. 11.33 CHRIST groaned in his spirit and troubled himselfe his Deitie limiting how much his Humanitie should greeve and be molestâ—â—â— and all his trouble issuing from inward principles of voluntary heavinesse and bounded by wisdome and grace So they that are Christs have of his Spirit to governe their affections and excite and allay them not by carnall instigations but by godly considerations which makes that when others are contemptible in their passions they be venerable in their affections 1. Sam. 11.6 The spirit of God came upon Saul and his anger was kindled greatly which is well deduced by St. Gregrie d 1. Reg. l. 5. 1. Vt irasci mionis potuorit prius in eum spiritus Domini insâ—liâ—t quam metuenda sit ergo Sanctorum ira cerniâ—â—â— si â—â—sâ—â—ta meâ— in eoâ— Domini 〈◊〉 cogitâ—tums 〈◊〉 ergo 〈…〉 regintur 〈…〉 indigâ—â—te deâ—â—â—â—tèr pollumus povunt Si eorum 〈◊〉 mortum Sâ—â—â—â— spiritus creliâ—â—e The spirit of God came vpon him that his anger might be kindled greatly Was not see thou how much the anger of Saints is to bee diueded if wee 〈◊〉 Gods spirit comming vpon them if 〈…〉 â—old them cowardly moraâ—â— wee attend not haâ—â—â—pirit inwardly mâ—â—ning So est therefore 〈…〉 are correctedby the 〈◊〉 of our Superioâ—◠〈◊〉 â—ee accordingly â—remble under their indigniâ—◠〈◊〉 if not so swâ—â—â—â—he Jovaâ— that their impulsion 〈…〉 of the Holy Christ The 37. and 73. Psalmes may serve in place of a Commentary to this text and by them it appâ—ares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Meekenesse is a just proportion'd temper of the minde whereby it is prepared to the well abearing of it selfe e Mansueti scilicet portantes â—ugum Domini Matth. 11. Remigius in Psal 36. in the yoke of CHRIST to commit the kingdome unto God to be quiet and silent not to take displeasure at any of the Lords dealings with our selves or others to be affected unto God in Plato's f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phrase exceeding exceedingly and to all other things to stand indifferent This the sentence of the most learned g S. Aug tom 10. in append de eo quod coÌ„monemur ab scandalis mundi cavere Mites sunt quâ—ous in omnibus bonis qu e faciunt non placet nisi Deus in omnibus quae mala patiuntur non displicet Deus Father They are
all the favours and sufficiencies of the world for that all these are but a naturall good and the other are a spirituall A man of indifferent conceit may fancy greater contentment then all the good of the world could minister if it were in his possession but the most exquisite wit cannot devise a satisfaction any thing neere that which accrewes from righteousnesse satisfying God from peace beyond all understanding of man and Angell from joy in the Holy Ghost most glorious and unspeakable who as an infinite Agent stampes incredible worth and contenting vertue on all his actions Wherefore the righteous are willed to rejoyce againe and againe Phil. 4.4 because it is impossible for them to over-joy their Spirituall good I can no lesse then commend that of Cabasilâ—s a De vita in Chrisio l. 2. The thirst of humane Soules needeth some infinite water which therefore the finite world cannot suffise he that drinkes of that water shall thirst againe but they that drinke of Christ in whom are all things there is no let but they should love as much as nature can effect and joy as much as they can joy c. For as the good of the world is much lesse then our desires and thoughts so our desires and thoughts are farre inferiour to the good of Christianity Yet Tertullus is a witnesse that b Despectaculis Plures denique invenias quos magis periculum voluptatis quam vitae avocat ab hac secta delicatus es Christiane si in hac vita voluptatem concupiscis imo nimium stultus si haec existimus voluptatem a man might finde many whom hazard of pleasure more detained from Christian profession thou perill of life I will not say as he doth to such thou art nice O Christians if thou covetest pleasure in this life 〈…〉 wise if thou conceivest carnall pastimes to be pleasureâ— Suerly they are foolish that for the sports of the world forsake the pleasure of the Church which God meats with so overflowing a cup that his servants are at times driven to beseech him to hold his hand as doth blessed Ephrem in that petition c De vita religiosa p. 557. Now Lord my God I adore and implore thy ineffable goodnesse confessing my infirmity remit somewhat the sourges of thy grace and reserve it for me in thy treasury Excellently St. LEO Gods people have their Spirituall d De quadragesima serm 12. habet populus dei spiritales epulas castasque dâ—licias banquets and chaste delights whosoever hath had the lightest say in the taste of his inner man of the sweetnesse of GODS mercy and truth whereby all his providence is dispensed and made any experiments of those joyes that shall never bee allaid with any regrate in admiration of eternall hee will despise all corrupt and fading good well doth hee say who so hath tasted and the Psalmist Come taste and see that the Lord is good Psal 34 8. For as BONAVENTVRE a man of curious devotionall expression saith e Dominic 1. advertus serm 20. taste see quia dominus est adeo dulcis ut qui cum gustaverit quam sit dulcis Augustanti credere omniâ—â— non poterit God is so good that he who hath not tasted him how good he is will not any wise be able to credit another tasting that he is so sweet The good things which God hath prepared and revealed in his Saints here below are above the capacity credulity of a man in nature 1 Cor. 2.9.10 Eie hath not seene nor eare heard which are the senses of discipline and learning nor hath it entred into the heart of man which is the seate and throne of reason They so farre surmount all secular indignation and much more contentations that as St. Bernard testifies The soule that hath tasted and bin satisfied with Super Cant. serm 35 B. Aug. Epist 121. God feares as to be cast out of Paradise into hell to fall from those pure joyes to the consolation and or rather desolations of the world Matth. 22.2 The satisfaction of the Gospell is resembled to a feast no ordinary but a marriage feast made by no common person but a King and that for no subject but a sonne and therefore carried in all variety and state to shadow out he exceeding abundance of all manner of delights which the soule participates in Gods kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof Apocalyps 3.20 If any man open I will come in and suppe with him the transcendance of which offer forc't this exclamation from Bishop Agobard Serm de trinitate quid unquam tam dulce quid tam jucundum vae illis qui talem hospitem a se repellunt what was ever so sweet what so pleasant woe be to them that exclude such a guest that enters not onely as a guest but as a feast that cheeres the heart with himselfe The Soule is too greedy that God doth not satisfie he that hath God for his what would hee what can he have more Psal 73.25 whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I dâ—sire besides thee nor heavenly thing nor earthly doe I desire but thee alone Seeing that God alsuffizing now suppes with his and at the Lambes suppâ—r will gird himselfe and minister to them by presenting all his good before them Can wee doe otherwise then wonder with ORIGEN h In Cant. hom 2. as St. Hier. translates Beata illius latitude animae beata strata illius mentis vbi pater filius non dubita una cum Spiritu Sancto â—â—cumbit conat mansimeus facit Pax ubi primus ciâ—â—t est Blessed is the latitude of that Soule blessed the table of that heart where the Father and Sonne no doubt with the holy Spirit sit downe suppe lodge where the first service is Peace Ioy Righteousnesse and what the second course shall bee passes the apprehension of men the comprehension of Angels Lord IESV all our desires are to thee who onely hast satisfied for us and who onely canst satisfie us FINIS BEATI MISERICORDES THE MERCIFVLL A TREATISE OF MERCIE handling the Fift Beatitude By IAMES BUCK Bachelour of Divinitie and Vicar of Stradbrooke in SVFFOLKE St. VALERIAN Serm. 4. Manus arida nihil colligit aut si collegerit mox amittit NON SVM MELIOR PATRIEVS LONDON Printed by B. A. and T. F. for IOHN CLARK and WIL COOKE 1637. BEATI MISERICORDES MATTH 5.7 Blessed are the Mercifull CHAP. I. Of Mercie especially in Spirituall miseries and namely in condoling with others in their infirmities HArd times and harder hearts call for treaties of Mercy and require another S. Chrysostome who for much pressing of mercy was called of many a Georg. Alexandrinê° in vita ejus cap. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Preacher of Almas the Prelate of Mercy Which mercy is the vertue whereby wee are affected with other mens miseries and ready to succour them
which really exist cannot divide it from GOD but no other thing that might bee should be able to estrange it If God should create more excellent creatures then any are how excelling soever they should never alienate the affection of a pure heart from the Lord himselfe That of DE Kâ—MRIS agrees with the experience of a Spirituall man De imitatione Christi l. 2. c. 6. Refusall to bee â—â—â—forted by any creature is a signe of great Puritie and inner repose The pure hâ—â—rt denyes coniunction with any creature and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above 〈…〉 after the 〈…〉 of God himselfe 〈…〉 of his 〈…〉 aside Riches CHAP. 3. Honour Pleasure Earth and Heaven Angels Archangels Cherubin Seraphin stand you also aside It is immediate union with God himselfe and the sweet confirmations of his love made by himselfe in his owne person that I seeke and which alone can content mee CHAP. III. Of the Excellency of Puritie WOrthily RADULPHUS FLAVIACENSIS on Lev. 21.28 Whatsoever living thing is consecrated to God it must dye They that are CHRISTS crucifie the flesh and the affections thereof let men therefore praise their Fastings their Watchings their relieving the Poore their visiting the Sicke sancta sunt ista omnia these things are all holy but if any purifying his conscience before God mortifie the vices thereof hoc sanctum sanctorum est this is the holy of holies whose praise is not of men but of God Naturally looke how much more excellent any creature is so much more simple and pure and the most perfect condition of the creature is to retaine its simplicitie and be purged from all things adventicall and meaner then it selfe By Puritie the Soule returnes in Gods helpe to its originall integrity and this none can be ignorant of that any 〈◊〉 in polluted by mixture of that which is baser then it selfe as gold by that of silver wine by that of water whence PLATO a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 defines purity a separation of the worse from the better Now for that all things in the world are inferiour to the soule the mingling it selfe in them defiles it and as it separates from them it growes purer and more accommodate for God In like sort things are improved by ingredience of that which is better then themselves as other mettals by that of gold Iudge then what the prerogative of Purity is whereby the soule inheres in God and comes to bee one with him that is infinitely good It is an elegant observation of St. VINCENTIUS b Domin 15 ser 15. that a Pope or Emperour receives more honour from being Gods servant then a commander of men because every creature that is middle between inferiour and superiour takes greater dignity from subjection to the superiour then by dominion ever the inferiour as water takes pollution from the earth purification from the ayre If there were any grace diviner then Puritie GOD that iâ— the Ocean of all perfections would not from it bee called light and call his 〈◊〉 Children lights as keeping their Puritie in coâ—â—â—â—t geâ—erations as the Sunne beames doe theirs when they shine on most impure places thâ—â— holy Ephâ—â—â— c De perfections Mâ—naâ—â—i p. 474. gives the reason Blessed 〈◊〉 the pâ—â—e in heâ—â—â— because like the Sunne they shine even in darknesse Albeit our God and Saviour hath not in vaine the name admirable and all things that are his are wonderfull Neverthelesse nothing so taâ—es Saints as his holinesse and beares them into eternall admiration Psal 57.4.10 Holy DAVID in God praises his word magnifies more the goodnesse and holinesse of God in his word then his hignesse and greatnesse in the world and therefore gives the booke of Scripture the prelation to the booke of Nature The holy Angels that are of all creatures the nearest to God and see him in his light cry holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Psa 6 3. Rev 4.8 Thrice holy Father Sonne and blessed Spirit as admiring God for his holinesse and rejoycing therein to be like unto him The Seraphims that have high degree among Angels burne most in the love of God and sing most in the praise of his holinesse crying to utter vehement affection in them and joyful adoration of the holines so repeated by them the holy Angels and perfected spirits might cry all and onely wise omniscient and innumerable other Epithors of divine exaltation but without ceasing they reiterate the memoriall of holinesse as most pleasing to God of all his titles and for the honour whereof he principally ordained the greatest of all his works Gods incarnation and mans redemption Whence we may be astonished considering the dulnesse of lapsed man that having possibility and commandement to be holy as God is holy nills that but would faine be like God in greatnesse not in goodnesse forgetting that the divell and man sell for that the 〈◊〉 and the other as St. GREGORY d In Iob. l. 29. c. 6. Esse Deo similis non per justitiam sed per potentiam concupivit notes CHAP. 6. was affectate to bee like God not in purity but in power men are desirous to follow CHRIST on the water but not on dry ground ambitious to be like him in miraculous actions not studious to take after him in the morall But whatever carnals may fancie who so as have any sense of holinesse desire likenesse therein to God above all other things that are excellent and wherein they might possibly resemble God For Bâ—loved ponder all the degrees wherein it is possible for men to bee like God are they like him in being So are stones Are they like him in motion So are starres Are they like him in life So are trees Are they like him in sense So are beasts Are they like him in reason So are Divels There remaines onely being like him in Grace and so are none but Saints and Angels Why then resolve we not that the best that can bee in the Creature is to be pure as GOD is pure To bee pure God is impossible for the creature sicut Deus to be pure as God is the next altitude thereunto hence that word Psal 80.6 I have said you are Gods is by the Fathers applyed to the adopted and sanctified as advanced to the highest representation of God The Arâ—â—pagite among others passeth this sentence e D. Dionysus de Ecclesiastica hierarchiâ— c. 1. There is no other way to salvation but for him that would come to salvation to become a God And what would he be 〈…〉 not be a God 〈◊〉 would he wish to 〈…〉 regards not to be like God CHAP. 3. We say of those that are eminently gracious that they have much of God in them and the holy man is stiled the man of God Vertues what are they f Lib. 4. cap. 80. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee void of anxiety duplicity impuritiâ— to speake with St. Damascene other then Characters of the divine nature Is
about the divine and blessed Nature on whose lightnings and grace whosoever fixes his eye participates somewhat from it as it were in a tincture dying his owne sight with a flourishing lustre Psal 4.6 7. Lord lift up the light of thy Countenance upon us and thou shalt put gladnesse in our hearts For as f Gradu 30. Climacus takes up a Simile If the face of a Friend whom wee love doth most truely change us and render us all chearie and pleasant and voyd of heavinesse what shall the face of GOD doe comming invisibly on the Soule that is cleansed from all filthinesse CHAP. 9. CHAP. IX Of the fulnesse of this Beatitude in beatificall vision FOrasmuch as Man is an intelligent creature therefore his Happinesse must needs bee in the acts and exercise of his intellectuals hence our fruition of GOD is set out by sight Iohn 17.3 The prelation of Man above Beasts is to know his Maker the highest exaltation of man in the best and immediate knowledge of his maker if 1. King 10.48 the Queene of Sheba was strooke with admiration at the order of SOLOMON'S Court how shall it not bee full happinesse to see the forme of the celestiall Court I extoll the wit of PICVS Earle of Mirandula a In Heptapio in proumio lib. septâ—â—i Haec est vera faelicitas vt simus vâ—us cum Deo Spiritus vt apud Deum non apud nos Deum possâ—â—â—mus cognoscâ—mâ—â— sicut 〈…〉 ille enim nos non per nos sed per seipsum aguavit ita nos cognoscamus illum per ipsum non per aut 〈◊〉 est tota mercer haec est vtt◠〈◊〉 Naturally the Creatures cannot know GOD as hee is in himselfe but as hee is in their selves This is true felicity that wee may be one spirit with God that wee may possesse God in God not in our selves knowing as wee are knowne for he knowes us not by us but by himselfe so wee shall know him by himselfe and not by our selves this is the whole reward this is Life eternall 1. Cor. 13.12 That which mortals cannot wee shall see God as he is 1. Iohn 3.2 and arrive to immediate conjunction with God without any creatures intervening the Lord plainely and without any riddles manifesting himselfe and his Essence to us in his owne light b Ostendum meipsum illâ— â—tique in forma Dei non in forma ser 〈…〉 In thâ—t 〈…〉 of him â—â—lfe â—s eternall Liâ—e Ioh 〈…〉 B Aug de Spiritu litera c 22. Iohn 14 21. And in the forme of GOD not the forme of a Servant or any created forme or representation Luke 12.37 The Lord disposes himselfe to reward in his owne person the fidelity of his servants and makes his faithfull fit downe in eternall rest comes forth and ministers because hee satisfies us with illustration of his owne light and immediately by himselfe and in his owne person wee receive our repast as St. Gregorie c In Evang hom 13. Transiens autem Dominus maistrat quia lucis sua illustratione nos saetiat expounds it unto us Wee shall be as Angels beholding the face of God not onely his back-parts Exod. 33.20.23 as hee is knowne in his effects by his words and workes For the back parts are all notifications of himselfe d The back parts of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Nazian serm 34 after himselfe but wee shall see his face also Matth. 18.10 his nature and substance that which is distinctive and essentiall to God as men are distinguished and knowne by their faces so God by his Essence which knowledge of God is the end wherein meet all the desires of rationall natures And that naturall desire in all Soules tending to see God as St. ANTONINVS e Hist tit 5. cap. 8. sect 17. S. Aug epist 111 112. cap. 8. St. Greg. in Iob. L. 28. c. 28 Inter opera B. Athanasii disputationem cum Arrio p 117 reasons cannot bee in vaine whence it appeares erronious to hold that wee shall not see the divine Essence The request of MOSES Exod. 33.18 I beseech thee shew mee thy glory is the Petition of every good man Iohn 14.8 Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us sight of the Father suffices a reasonable Soule and without that it is not sufficed whatsoever it sees and knowes glorious are the sights which God here shewes his pure-hearted yet as it is in St CYPRIAN f In Prolâ—go ad Cardinalia opera Christi Nec tamen in hac visione plena potest esse sufficientia donec in splendoribus SanctoruÌ„ in die virtutis suae cognoscatur ratio gignentis geniti procedentis They cannot bee fully satisfied in those sights till in the glory of Gods Saints in the day of his Power the mysterie of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost bee disclosed When wee shall see God as he is we shall alike see all the Divine persons because they are one in the same Essence the Father in the Sonne the Sonne in the Father both in the holy Ghost all in each and each in all So the Essence cannot bee seene without sight of the Persons nor one person without the rest otherwise PHILIP and his fellow Apostles would not be satisfied in the sight of the Father if hee could be seene without sight of the Sonne and the blessed Spirit whom they equally desired to see But when God manifests himselfe as St. Gregorie the Divine declares g S. Greg. Nazian in plagam grandinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ineffable light receives the godly and the vision of the Holy and kingly Trinitie shining most clearely and most purely and mingling its whole selfe with the whole minde in which alone I chiefly place the Kingdome of Heaven Because wee shall see God as he is we shall 〈◊〉 knowledge of all the divine attributes which in him are one with themselves and with the divine Essence bee devided onely by our imperfect manner of understanding and therefore in Gods light present themselves as one primary object to the minde Then in thâ—ir platformes and Ideas wee shall see the Idea's of all naturall things in their severall h Ioseph Angles in 4. part 2. p 117. Quilibet beatus videt omnia quae in Deo formaliter id est quidditativè continentur verbi gratia attributa omnia quae formaliter id est quidditativè conveniunt constat ex B. Iohanne dicente videbimus eum sicuti est ergo omnia quae sunt in ipso quidditativè scilicet attributa omnia omnes relationes alioquin enim si beatos aliquod divinum attributum lateret non illuÌ„ sicuttest viderent They see also in God the quiddities of all things c. kinds tho not all individuals for that Beatitude satisfies all naturall desire and the intellect hath a naturall desire to know them and therefore could not bee at rest without knowing them Now the Creatures are perfectly
of alterations sinisterly and unreverently to apprehend and interpret Governours and that there seldome or never come any more pleasing then those they so misprise God punishing upon them the dishonour of his Vice-gerents And so much shall suffice to have spoken of Politicall Peace CHAP. V. CHAP. 5. Concerning Ecclesiasticall Peace PEace is the leagacie that CHRIST bequeathed his Church Ioh. 14.27 De simplicitate prolatorum Dona omnia suae pollicitationis praemia in pâ—cis conservatione promisit Hanc nobis haereditatem dedit My peace I leave unto you as the glorious Martyr Cyprian dilates it he hath ingaged all promises and blessings to us in the preservation of peace and left us peace for our inheritance Therefore wee must sue for this peace as the chiefe inheritance of the Church Our Lord would have all his Church one fold and in it one Faith his truth followed in love and all his members tyed together in the bond of peace The Kingdome of God is in peace therefore out of peace out of grace fiery spirits that inflame and kinâ—le discentions are enemies to the Churches blisse The Churches were at peace with the word for the first and best times Pray we then for the Peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that seeke her quiet Our great Master hath layd two speciall commandements upon us Mark 9.5 Have salt in your selves and have peace one with another injoyning incorruption of doctrine in salt S. Gregor in Evang. hoÌ„ â— Pastor l. 2. c. 4. unitie of affections in peace and implying that the salt of true doctrine is not savourie it nor seasonable but as it consists with the peace of the Church and therefore Churches and States oft times for cause prohibite predicants or disputants to intermeddle one way or other in divers tenets because though one part should have salt neither would have peace Iam. 3.17 The wisdome that descends from above is first pure then peaceable Serm. de multiplici utilitate verbi Dei Tum demum a Deo esse noveriâ— si pacifica siâ—â— c. wherefore devout St BERNARD informes us right if a thought seeme pure not tending to vice but pretending the image of vertue thou shalt finally know it to bee of God if it bee peaceable and subject to the judgement of our Prelates Fathers and Brethren in CHRIST Then as in all sciences and professions the inferiours and learners submit to the superiours and Masters this course ought the Faithfull to take in all opinions of Divinitie private men to inquire of their Rectors or Curates that are knowne to be conformable the Rectors to resort to their superiors in the Church and the present Church to referre it selfe to the generall prime and Apostolicall Private spirits that love by-wayes walke not the beaten way of the Church are farre from the spirit of Christ Prov. 1.8 My Sonne for sake not the Law of thy Mother not of the chiefe mother on earth our holy mother the Church This I may safely assevere that in all ages so much the more Learned Religious and Holy that any man hath beene so much more observant and reverencing the Church the particular Church wherein hee lived 1. Cor. 14.32 Let the Spirit of the Prophets bee subject to the Prophets Hee hath suckt in the proud spirit of Lucifer not the humble spirit of our Lord IESUS that will not conforme and be subject to his Church As if doubt arise what is Law in England and I say not profest Arbitrators or yong Attourneyes but able Lawyers differ in their opinions given under their hands and which is more the Iudges themselves sitting on the same Bench agree not what is Law then it is remitted to some generall meeting of the Iudges and when they have dâ—bated the case what the greater part concurres in that must bee held for the Law of England otherwise there would bee no end of suits in England So if question bee what is Church-doctrine in England and I will not say this or that Apothecarie Weaver and the like not Masters of Art but crafts-men dissent in their conventicles but great Divines are of contrary judgements And grant that Bishops themselves should disagree in their opinions then what the greater part of the Fathers of the Church consent upon that must be held the Faith of the Church of England or there can be no end of controversies in the Church of England O that men would well and seriously consider that as the law of England is not in bare dead statutes but in the lively voice and accord of the great masters of law the grave Iudges discussing statutes and concluding what is law so the Faith of England is not in the sole dead letter of our Articles and Church booke c. but in the living spirit and consent of the Fathers of the Church as proper Iudges in Spiriâ—ualties determining the sense of the Articles and declaring to us the opinion of our Mother the holy Church of England And as the Iudges have beene are and no doubt shall ever be able to resolve what is Law in England so the worthy Prelates are and will ever be sufficient to determine what is Faith in England for our Bishops will never bee more to seeke in their profâ—ssion then the Iudges are in their faculty Wherefore as it were intollerable affectation in a Thealogue to attempt to shew the learned Sâ—rjeants and Iudgâ—s what is common Law so is it unsufferable presumption in a man of law or any Lay-man to goe about to teach skilfull Church men and Bishops what is Divinitie what Faith in England Walke we then by this rule that peace may be upon us let the Priest obey his Ordinary the Ordinary his Primate and fellow Brethren and let the Sheep heare the voyce of his conforming Pastor and inquire knowledge at his lippes that so the Sheepe may satisfie himsâ—lfe in its Pastor the Priest in his Bishop the Prelate in his Metropolitan and all the rest in the unanimiâ—ie and peace of the Church which peace of the Church is disturbed not when ignorant people are informed against their fancies lusts and liking but when authority is crossed in their rites rules and decrees As to resume the former similitude they should disturbe the peace of the State not who deliver for law what Country-folks and rurall Counsellours neither know nor thinke to be law but who should publish that to be against law which the Iudges with great assent give for law So they disturbe the peace of the Church not who teach against the beliefe of foolish Galathians bewitched by parlour Preachers but who contradict what the rulers of the Church generally beleeve and give out for the Faith of the Church And as it should not advantage a Phantasticke crossing the resolution of the Iudges to say the Iudges are men and may erre and that other Lawyers may have as much insight in Law as they so it excuses not a disobedient to alledge
according to their place must not neglect righteousnesse and propagating CHRISTS name For the first a it is choice gift not onely to beleeve but also to suffer for Christ's name Phil. 1.29 To bee not onely followers of Christ but his ensigne-bearers and graced with carrying his crosse after him which is the most creditable blessed and beatified office in all Religion and Christianitie St Theodore Studita collects it hence a Serm. 87. Fathers and Brethren GOD hath collated on us a high priviledge Persecution for him as hee sayes Blessed are yee when men revile and persecute you for my sake This the immunitie and freedome of Christians and their principalitie St. Ignatius wrote b â— Ignatius Ep. 16. ibid. That it was better for him to dye for CHRIST then to have the Empire of all the ends of the earth This the highest promotion Gods children can be brought unto their bâ—st testimonie and most converting and perswasive declaration of truth Hence as Sulpitius relates c Histor Sacra l. 2. Muâ—to validius tum martyria gloriosis mortibus queraebantur quam nunc Episcopatas pravis ambitionibuâ— appetuntur In the tenth most grievous Persecution Martyrdome was more strongly sought by glorious passion then the Popedome afterward by base ambition St. Chrysostome scruples not to say d Tom 5. hom 35. In Ephes serm 33. That if a man love Christ hee would wish to bee bound for Christ rather then to inhabite Heaven may be also then to sit at Christs right hand The most glorious act that can bee in a creature is to suffer for the Creator Greâ—at compendium introductionis ad fidem l. 2. c. 19. therefore God founded his Church in bloud and brings millions to himselfe by Martyrdome and Passions because hee is no other way so much glorified in any creature not in the heavenly Bodies nor in the heavenly Spirits who humbled themselves in an instant and without any resistance in themselves or any passion when Confessors and Martyrs have that respect to God as in regard of his love fidelitie and reward to despise all the favours and contemne all the frownes of the world to forsake â—ll that is deare to sustaine all that is dolorous notwithstanding the aversenesse of a lapsed and corrupt nature Wee boast of CHRIST'S active obedience but glory more in his passive that hee pleased to suffer insuperable griefe with a painfull and shamefull death for us This I am taught by St. CYRIL e St. Cyril Hierosol ser Catechet 13. Every action of Christ is the glory of the Catholike Church but the glory of glories is the Crosse and therefore St. PAVL sayd God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the crosse of Christ Galat. 6.14 So though all good actions be well-pleasing to God yet above all holy passions This St Isaac testifies f De coâ—temptu mundi c. 17 p 605 Pretiose in conspectu Domini tribulâ—tiones quae sunt pro ipso propter ipsum super omnem orationem sacrificium odorem sudor illarum super omnia aromata Pretious in the sight of the Lord are the tribulations which are for him and his sake and above all prayer and sacrifice and odour and the sweat of them is above all perfumes That of Origen is most true g In Psal 37 hom 2. It is impossible for any sâ—t in this earth not to bee hated CHRIST IESVS was hated yea GOD himselfe is hated of the wicked and his good Spirit and wouldest not thou behated but loved Bravely Picus Earle of Mirandula to his Nephew Act 5.41 h Epist ad Iâ—hannem Franciscum Picum fol. 104 Gaudeamus nos si tâ—nta apud Deum gloria digni sumus ut ejus gloria in ignominia nostra manifestetur Ne omni nobis bene merendi occasione sublata praemii etiâ—m spes relicta nulla sit The Apostles rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer reproach for Christs name let vs also rejoyce if we be worthy of so great glory with God that his glory should be set forth in our shame If the world hated him by whom it was made shall wee vile men and in respect of our sinnes worthy to bee hated and reviled take it so ill that lest they should say ill wee should begin to doe ill rather let us take it gladly and if wee be not so happie as for vertue and veritie to suffer stripes bonds imprisonments swords thinke it goes well with us if wee suffer the detractions and hatred of the ungodly The course of Christianitie is thus as blessed Macarius declares i Hom. 15 p. 186. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wheresoever the holy Spirit is there followes as a shadow Persecution and opposition as we see in the Prophets our Lord CHRIST and his Apostles for since Christs Crosse that the Spirit forsooke the Iewes and passed to Christians no Iew hath beene persecuted but onely Christians have been made Martyrs It is a prerogative of the true Church to be capable of saving hatred The world cannot hate you sayes CHRIST of carnals and complyers to any Sect and humour Because I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you Ioh. 15.19 saith hee of them that are sincere in faith and life St. Hierom k In Epist ad Asellam Gratias ago Deo meo quod dignus siâ— quem mundus odâ—rit Religiously thankes God that hee was worthy of the worlds hate For it is a wonderfull kindnesse to be neither hatefull nor hating but unjustly hated Which forced that doxologie from blessed l Epist 1. Domino gratias qui mihi miserrimo peccatori dedit dicere oderunâ— me gratis Paulinus The Lord bee thanked who hath given me also a miserable sinner to say they hated me without a cause How have we to blesse God that the world cannot espie its owne ill conditions in us that when every body in the whole universe is hated and spoken against for something or other our portion through Gods goodnesse is to be hated for his truth and grace shining in us and reviled for his blessed name and image When man is borne to misery they are much bound to glorifie God whose misery is turned into martyrdome Discreetly Prudentius m Perl StepharuÌ„â— Hymno 10. horretiâ— omnes hasce carnificum manus num miâ—iores sunt manus mâ—dentium Yee dread the Tyrants and Executioners hands are the Physitians and Chirurgians hands any gentler Who would not choose torments for CHRIST rather then tortures by diseases rather to be rackt for Christ CHAP. 7. then wrung w th some gout or cramp rather to n S. Clem. Apost constit lib. 5 c. 5. have his bowels examined with instruments of crueltie then to be searcht with the cholicke and stone Take we it then for a divine love token if in lieu of common defamations and calamities the reproaches of Christ and his troubles come
they should be imagined to persecute when they are persecuted or to suffer as erring and evill men Now beloved this is a great piece of self-denyall which must be antecedent to crosse-bearing that we deny our owne will in suffering and take up crosses not of our choosing but of Gods appointing And the Lord will have it thus that it may be a matter of Faith not of sence to suffer one thing to dye for Heaven another thing to dye for our Country Christ himselfe suffered as a company-keeper as a usurper as a seducer To intire patience we must beg wisdome Iam. 1. to distinguish betwixt the allegations of craftie opposers the true reasons of their opposition and attend Gods discerning eye that lookes through vizards and dislikes not his own causâ—s for forged aspersions St. Basil the great gravely informes e Ep. 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist 71. That this is most grievous when neither the afflicted undergoe passions in full assurance of martyrdome nor the people repute reverence them in the ranke of Martyrs because the name of Christians is vested upon the persecutors There is one crime now vehemently pursued the accurate observation of the traditions of our Ancestors How much better pretences shewes the enemies of truth make and how much greater fame and opinions be of them in the world so much more â—ifficultie there is in suffering and therefore so much more deserving is the passion Some may aske what Persecution there can be where the supreme Magistrate is a defender of the true antient Faith I answer that which is the wonder of all Persecutions that he and Governours under him should by disobedients of the Church whom they curbe be slâ—ndered for Persecutors For the cause making the Martyr when the cause is good the Sufferer is persecuted when the cause is uncatholicke the complayner persecutes charging Gods vicegerents with wrongfull chalenges of the vilest tyrannie It is a true definitive of Pelagius the first f In Epist 3 Non persequitur nisi qui ad malum cogit qui autem malum vel factú jam punit vel prohibet ne fiat non persequitur ille sed diligit He persecutes that compels to evill but he that either punishes evill done or prohibits it to be done hee doth not persecute but love Wherefore Sectaries giving themselves out to be persecuted when they are restrained of opinionative vanities and unconformities doe therein blaspheme dignities and be themselves by unjust complaints murmurs imprecations Libels base persecutors of the higher powers Thus in the times of great Theodosius and his sonnes the Arrians bridled by penall Lawes assumed to be the only Catholickes misnamed the true Catholicks Homousians burthened the Princes and Bishops for persecutors vanted of themselves as suffering for Christ and Scripture Scripture And the Donatists in much distraction dreaming themselves to be Christs Vnica and sole peculiar exclaimed against the Emperours for not granting them toleration freely to practise their Religion of the new cut inveighed against the orthodoxe Bishops for indeavours of their cure and restraint damned Gods Church of persecuting St. Augustine oft advertises that Paucitie and Persecution have ever been the usuall pleas and prescriptions of Heretickes Paucitie as a semblance of Christs little flocke Persecution as a covert for the condigne punishments blame and shame which for their untruths they incurre before religious Authoritie But it hath lamentably hap'ned in our Church which to my knowledge hath not falne out in any other that many who yet will needs goe for her members and children before-fet with Geneva and thence full of deepe prejudices against the Doctrine discipline and government of our holy Mother so as to accuse of halting those that go not their by-way and divulge such as divert from them to decline themselves to be the sole Professors and the Church others to be temporizers usurping and practising over and against the Church And their Sect-masters under cloke and clamour of persecution suck up the fat of the earth and in poore stipendiarie and Lecturers places gather great estates in lands and monies and some now and then politickly force themselves by their open irregular carriage to be deprived of pettie livings that as deposed and persecuted men they may get up thrice the value by the benevolences of women bewitched with their long prayers and endlesse uses Which women by rude declamations against Schoole-learning and of deceit by profound Schollers and great read men they have render'd unteachable and of a speciall Faith that all who say or doe ought against them are heavie Persecutors Thus a few Schismatickes are a little snibbed for grosse absurdities and disorders and the Fathers and chiefe of the Clergie and the whole Church of England bee by them and their associates without compare persecuted and reputed as limmes of Anti-Christ whence many be abstracted partly to have the resort fees and custome partly to avoyd the censures and out-cryes of a spreading faction So necessary it is to take up our last conclusion that Christians according to their callings must not neglect Righteousnesse and to propagate the name of Christ for dread of any Persecution Revel 21.6 7. CHAP. IX CHAP. 10. That Christians must bee willing to Suffer for righteousnesse and for Christ SAint MARTIN is briefe with us a Episc Dumiens In libro de moribus Si vis beatus esse cogita hoc primum contemnere contemni If thou wilt be happie cast thy count Inprimis to despise and bee despised To despise the speech of people that are injudicious and unrighteous and be despised for courses above the spheare of carnall and corrupt aymes and judgements 2. Cor. 6 â— Heb. 13.13 Let us swim against the streame of the corruptions and errours of our times sayle against the winde of popular ayre and breath let that rather blow up the fire of the Spirit in us To contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints for the first Love first Doctrine first Discipline Devout St. Bernard laments in an Epistle That some great Prelates in his dayes though they assented not to their tenets connived at the Petrobusians because their Officers gained more by some one of them then by many hundreds of orthodoxall and conformable Christians This wee see that many in places of action coÌ„mand that by Non-Conformists they may not be proclaimed for Persecutors but spoken of as moderate persons suffer not only the Canons constitutions of their deare Mother but the Religion of the Fathers and their fore-fathers to be buried quicke But let the Prophets who were contented for ancient Faith and truths sake to suffer in their names and persons be a precedent for us to stand for the old and good way maugre the exclamations of upstarts Spirits CHAP. 9. and their conjured adherents Bee not ambitious of a false Prophets shadow thâ—t is vulgar applause Luk. 6.26 Woe unto you when all