and say to GOD with the Prophet Thou hast beene my helper forsake me not and speake to him not out of custome but heartily againe and againe Thou art my helper and redeemer O LORD make no long tarrying Mans soule hath also a rationall will which not onely can desire good things present particular and corporall such as are proper to beasts to covet but also good things absent generall and spirituall which are demonstrated by faith or reason and indeed GOD himselfe which is the chiefe and infinite good And this is it which makes a Man capable of great vertues especially of love the chiefe of all other and the fâ—â—â—taine from whence all good guists are derived and which joyneth Man to GOD in so strong a tye that GOD shall remaine in him and he in GOD For GOD is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him But if this be so great a happines of the created will how great will that happinesse be with which the uncreated will is replenished The will of God is onely capable of infinite love where with the infinite goodnes of God is worthy to be beloved Neither doth this will want vertues nor hath it need to bee directed by the understanding for Gods will and understanding are both but one as his wisedome and love are one and the same thing in him Besides Mans soule is in a humane body but farre otherwise then the soules of bruire beasts are in their bodies for the soules of bruits are materiall and extended through all parts of their bodies so that part of it is in part and all in the whole body But Mans soule which is an indivisible spirit is after an admirable manner all in the whole and all in every part of the body and whereas it fills the whole body yet it occupies no speciall place in it neither increaseth it as the body encreaseth but only begins to be where formerly it was not and if a member of the body bee cut off or wither the soule is not lessened or made dry by it but leaves to be in that member without any may me or impayring This is a true mirrour of Gods existencie in things created for God is an indivisible spirit yet fills the whole world and all the parts of it nor occupies it any one place alone but is all in the whole world and all in every part of it and when a new Creature is made God begins to bee in it and yet is not moved and when any Creature perisheth or dyeth God dyes not but onely leaves to bee there and yet changeth not his place And therefore in these things God and the soule of man agree but God is much more excellent then the soule for the soule to be in a body to rule and stirre it must of necessity have a forme of a body made for it and to be so joyned to it that of the soule and body a man may bee made God needes not the forme or soule of a world nor that of him and the world one compounded substance should bee made but of his owne immensitie he hath this preheminence to bee every where of his indivisible unitie to bee all every where of his omnipotence to governe move and sustaine all things Againe the soule of man though it bee said to be in the whole body yet properly it is not but in the living or animate parts of it and therfore is not in the humors in the hayre nailes dry or dead members God absolutely is in all things not onely corporall but spirituall nor can it be that there should be any thing in which God is not Lastly it is not a soule but in it's owne body and that a streight and small one wherein all the parts are tyed together for if any part as is said be severed from the other in that part the soule cannot be But God is all in this universe of things though it be great and the parts thereof not tyed or joyned together though they be neere one another and if there were more worlds God would be in them all to which purpose it is said Heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot conteine thee for if there were other heavens and another earth created or more heavens and earths without number God would fill them all and where he were not nothing would be at all Againe mans soule hath in it though obscure the Image of the most holy Trinitie aswell in that it hath a fruitfull memorie power to understand and power to love as also because the mind thereof by understanding formes a certaine word and from the mind and word proceeds love because that which is knowne by the mind and represented by the word is presently as it is good loved and desired by the will But after a much higher and diviner manner God the Father begets God the Word the Father and the Word breath God the Holy Spirit who is the living love and the living fountaine of all chast love And in this respect the mystery of the Trinitâ—e transcends the naturall meanes of knowing nor can a learned Philosopher come to the knowledge of this without a supernaturall light for the soule of man produceth a word and a love which are not substances but accidents and in that regard are not Persons but GOD the Father begets to himselfe the Consubstantiall Word and the Father and the Word breath the Holy Spirit consubstantiall likewise to them both whereby it is that the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost are rightly and worthily called three Persons The soule of Man also produceth a Word which is of no long continuance and the will bringeth forth a love which lasteth not long but GOD the Father begets the eternall Word and the Father and Word breath the eternall Holy Spirit nor can GOD be without his Word and Spirit Againe Mans soule by one word represents but one thing and therefore multiplyeth words not onely of the mind but of the mouth and mans will must produce many acts of love if it will love many things But GOD by one Word speaketh all true things and with one act of love loves all good things 10 Lastly the soule of Man while it is in the body hath this property that though it be not seene heard nor moved and is hardly conceived to be in it and that leaving it the body seemes to want nothing it had before yet it is that which causeth all good to the body sense motion speech subsistence beauty and strength for what is the cause that while a man liveth hee seeth heareth talketh walketh and is strong and beautifull nothing but because he hath a soule in him and why cannot a man see nor heare nor speake but lies deformed unprofitable and unserviceable after hee is dead but that his soule is departed from him from whence all these benefits and good things were derived to him So thy GOD whilst
satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing as saith the Preacher whatsoever is offered to man cannot satisfie his desire why because he is capable of infinite good and all created things are circumscribed within certaine limits But he whch beginneth to drinke this heavenly water in which all things are contained covets nor desires any thing more But of this hath beene formely spoken in the rest of the mind in God alone as its proper Center Fourthly Water joynes together and reduceth into one those things which one could not imagine would have beene so united As many graynes of wheate by the mixture of water make one loafe of bread and of many parts of the earth by the same mixture bricks and tiles are made But much easilier and with a stronger tye or band doth the water of the Holy Spirit bring to passe that many men become one heart and one soule as it was with the Primitive Christians in the Acts of the Apostles upon whom the holy Ghost descended This unity Christ himselfe going to his Father commended and foretold when he said I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me by their word that they may be all one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they may be also one in us and a little after that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one To which unity the Apostle also exhorts endeavoring to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your vocation O happy Vnion which makes many men to be one Body of Christ which is governed by one Head and to eate of one meate and drinke of one drinke and to live with one spirit and being joyned to God to be made one spirit with him What more can be desired by a servant then not onely to be partaker of all the goods of his Lord but also by an indissoluble bond of love to be made one with him And all this the grace of the Holy Spirit brings to passe as a living and quickning water when it is devoutly received into the heart and there kept with diligence and care Lastly Water asâ—â—nds and riseth as high as it falls low And because the Holy Spirit descends into earth from the highest heaven therefore in that man into whose heart it is received is made a well of water springing to eternall life as our Saviour said to the Samaritane woman Wherefore being thus instructed in the properties of this uncreate water let us thirst after it and say with groanes and sighs unutterable Lord give us of this water which may wash off all our staines coole the heat of our concupiscences appease and qualifie the thirst of our desires may make us one spirit with thee and raise us to the height of thy eternall mansion It was not without cause that the Sonne of God said If ye then being evill know to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that aske it He saith not he will give you bread or apparell or wisdome or love or the Kingdome of heaven or eternall life but he saith He will give the Holy Spirit because in it are conteinâ—d all things Cease not then to put God daily in mind of his Sons promise and say to him with earnest affection and assured hope of obteining Holy Father I powre out my prayers unto thee not trusting in mine owne righteousnes but in the promise of thine onely begotten Sonne Make good therefore this promise of thy Sonne who glorified thee upon earth and was obedient to thee unto death even the death of the Crosse give to me that aske thy good Spirit give me the spirit of thy feare and love that I thy servant may feare nothing but offending thee and may love nothing but thee and my neighbour for thee Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me Restore to me the joy of thy salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit We come now to the resemblance which rivers or fountaines of water have with God and by it the mind may be lift up to contemplate the wonderfull and excellent work of the Creator For it is not without cause that the Scripture saith that God is a Well of life a Fountaine of Wisedome the Fountaine of living waters And that he is the very Fountaine of being may be gathered out of his owne words to Moses I am that I am and I am hath sent me unto you All which the Apostle seemes to comprehend in this speech In him we live and move and have our being In him we live as in a Fountaine of life in him wee move as in a Founteine of wisedome and in him wee have our being as in the Founteine of being A Founteine of water here with us hath this propertie that from it the flouds arise and whensoever they leave to flow immediately they dry up but the Founteine it selfe depends not upon the flouds because it receives no water from them but not onely hath water in it selfe but communicates with others This is a true resemblance of God and an Embleme of the Godhead for God is the very Founteine of being he receives no being from any thing but from him all things take their being because the essence of God is to be and his existence is his essence so that it cannot come to passe and it were blasphemie to think that God was not or will not be for ever Other things may be not be for a time because a being is not properly to their essence For example it is of the essence of man that he be a reasonable creature and therefore he cannot be a man not be a reasonable creature if it were of the essence of man to be it could not be otherwise but that he must be alwayes but because it is not of his essence to be therefore he may be not be God therefore â—s the onely Founteine of being because in his essence the act to be is alwayes included And these words signifie so much I am that I am that is I am the thing to be and receive not being from any but have it in my selfe to me onely it is proper that essence to me should be to be and hence also it comes that eternity immortality is proper to him onely as the Apostle speakes To the King everlasting immortall c and Who onely hath immortality All other things receive their being from God so that unlesse they alwayes depend on him and be preserved by a certaine influence
clearely as he is in himselfe and shalt enjoy him farre better and more intimately then thou now dost these created and transitorie things For hearken to Christ who saith Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. Heare what St. Paul saith Now we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face And lastly heare what St. Iohn saith We shal be like unto him for we shall see him as he is Besides I aske thee how much of the world or of the things belonging to it dost thou enjoy Certainely but a small portion or part of it in comparison of the magnitude before spoken of and this also in short time thou knowest not how soone will'st thou nill'st thou thou must leave and forgoe But GOD in whom are all things thou shalt enjoy for ever for GOD shall be all in all He will be life meate apparell house honour riches delights and all things To which we may adde that GOD is so gracious and mercifull that in this time of thy pilgrimage he forbiddes thee not the comfort of his creatures from which he is so farre as that he created them all for thy service but this he commands that thou use them moderately soberly and temperately and that thou impart them to and communicate them with those which want and that chearefully and lastly that they rule not over thee but thou over them Lay these things together and bethinke thy selfe whether it wil be better for thee in this life to be contented with these created things asmuch as shall be necessary for thy sustentation and in the other life to enjoy GOD the Creator in whom are all things or in this life to so covet them as never to be satisfied and in the other life to be bereft of all these temporalls and those spirituall and eternall also Consider also that GOD is not so farre from those which love him as not to afford them great content and delights in this life and those greater then the lovers of the world find in these created things For it is not written in vaine Delight in the LORD and he shall give thee thy hearts desire and the meeke spirited shall possesse the earth and shal be refreshed c. and the Apostle I am filled with comfort c. And the Psalmist againe In the multitude of sorrowes that were in my heart thy comforts ô LORD have refreshed my soule Of which two last cited places the meaning is not that comfort ariseth out of tribulation joy out of griefe for thornes doe not bring forth grapes nor thistles figges but that GOD doth Minister to those which love him such pure and solid comforts to asswage their troubles as that temporall joyes are not to be compared with them Therefore let this be thy firme conclusion be thus ever perswaded in thy heart That he which findeth GOD findeth allthings and he which loseth him loseth allthings It followeth that by the vertue and power of things created and which GOD hath given to them we ascend to the knowledge of the infinite power and vertue of the Creator There is hardly any thing at all which hath not some extraordinary or admirable vertue power or efficacie in it The earth or stone if it fall from high with what force and violence doth it alight what doth it not crush in pieces what doth it not breake what can resist the force of it The holy Spirit in the Revelation when he would describe the fall of Babylon saith thus Then a mighty Angel tooke up a great stone like a Mill-stone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall that great Citie be cast and shall be found no more The water which flowes gently and pleasingly upon the face of the earth if it be stirred in rivers or swift streames with what violence it overthrowes and destroyes all it meets with not onely Cottages but Gates and Walls and Bridges of stone and what not The winds which sometimes blow sweetly being enraged dash Ships against Rockes and turne up old and strong Oakes and other Trees by the roots What shall we say of fire a comfortable element with what speed a little sparkle of it increaseth into so great a flame as consumes and devoures whole Townes Cities and Forrests Behold saith Saint James how great a matter a little fire kindleth Againe how many vertues lye secret in herbs and stones In some beasts what strength appeares as in the Lyon Elephant Beare Horse and Bull. In others what wit and craft as in the little Ant Spider the Bee and the Foxe To say nothing of the power of Angels of the vertue of the Sun and Starres which are farre from us and looke upon and consider the wit of Man whereby so many Arts are invented as that sometime it is a disputable question whether art should give place to nature or nature to art Raise thy mind then againe to GOD and consider how great power efficacie and vertue is in the Creator the LORD GOD of whom the Scripture saith most truely Moses in his song Who is like unto thee O LORD among the Gods and King David Who onely doth great wonders and Saint Paul The blessed and onely Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords for the Creatures have their power onely from him and that so long as he pleaseth Who kept Ionas in the Whales belly so that neither the teeth of the Whale nor the violence of the water could doe him any hurt but GOD Who shut the mouthes of the hungry lyons from touching Daniel but GOD Who preserved the three Children in the fiery hot furnace from the force of the fire but GOD Who rebuked the raging Sea and the furious winds but CHRIST who is true GOD GOD it is that hath no power nor vertue from any but his will is his power and a power that cannot be resisted and he hath infinite power alwaies hath it and hath it in all places all the power of Man being compared with his is not small and little but none at all for so speakes the Prophet Esay All nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Are not they then unwise who fearing the Creature feare not the Almighty GOD and that trust either in their owne or their friends strength and not in GOD Almighty If GOD be on our side who can be against us and if GOD be against us who can be on our side Therefore if thou be wise Humble thy selfe under the mighty hand of GOD cleave to him in true piety and thou shalt not need to feare what either Man the Devill or other creature can doe against thee If perhaps thou hast fallen from goodnesse and hast provoked thy GOD to anger give no rest to the temples of thy head untill thou hast made thy peace againe with him for it is
Kingdome for he raigned over all Kingdomes from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistims unto the border of Aegypt and they brought presents and served Salomon all the daies of his life he had besides so great wealth that he had 40000. stalls of Horses for his Charriots and 12000. Horse-men besides his Ships trading to Ophir brought such store of gold and precious stones that silver was nothing esteemed in his daies and was given by him as stones in Jerusalem His pleasure also he tooke after such an unlimited manner that delighting in Women he tooke to him 700. Wives princesses and 300. concubines And yet heare what he saith of himselfe after he had reckoned up these pleasures and many more as you may read at large in the Booke of the Preacher after he had well look'd into them behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit and there is no profit under the Sun Therefore you see he found no true rest either in his riches honour pleasures or wisedome nor could he have found any had they beene many more because the mind of Man is immortall and these things are mortall and of no continuance nor it cannot be that the mind capable of infinite good should be satisfied with finite good For as the humane body cannot rest either in the ayre though it be large or in the water though it be deepe because the earth and not the water or ayre is its center so the minde of Man can never rest in ayrie honour or watry riches which are sordid pleasures but in GOD onely who is the true center of the minde and the onely place of rest for it and proper to it How divinely and wisely then did his Father King David cry out after he had gone into GODS Sanctuary and understood the end of the wicked in their prosperity Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none that I desire in earth in comparison of thee GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Consider this then and thou wilt confesse that GOD is the Rocke upon which thou most rest and relye other things are but vanitie and vexation of spirit which are not things in true existence but in false apparaence they comfort not but torment being gotten with labour kept with feare and lost with sorrow and griefe Despise therefore if thou beest wise all tranâ—itory things least they snatch thee away with them and set thy rest on GOD alone cleave to him with the bond of love who remaines the same for ever Lift up thy heart to GOD in Heaven least it putrifie in Earth Learne true Wisedome by the folly of many in whose persons the wiseman speaketh Therefore we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us and the Sun of understanding rose not upon us We have wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction and we have gone through dangerous waies but we have not knowne the way of the Lord. What hath pride profited us or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought us All those things are passed away like a shadow and as a Post that passeth by Againe this foundation the Earth is an Embleme of GOD in another respect which CHRIST himselfe hath explained unto us in the Gospell by his similitude of a house built upon a Rock which though the raine fell upon it the winds beat upon the side of it and the floods attempted to undermine it yâ—t stood firme and unmovable but the house built upon the sand could resist none of them but fell So the mansion of mans soule which consists of many vertues and graces as of so many roomes and chambers if it be founded upon GOD as upon a Rocke thatis if it stedfastly beleeve him if it put its whole trust and confidence in him if it be rooted and founded in the love of him it may say with the Apostle Who shall separate us from the love of CHRIST The soule so founded may be secure because neither spirituall wickednesses which are above it nor carnall concupiscences which are beneath it nor domesticall enemies our kinsmen and acquaintance which are about it shall at any time prevaile against it Great I confesse are the forces and subtilties of spirituall powers but greater is the power greater is the wisedome of the Holy Spirit which is ruler and president over the house which is built upon GOD. Very much and earnestly doth the flesh fight against the Spirit and concupiscences have overcome many strong Men but the love of GOD easily overcometh the love of the flesh and the feare of the LORD the feare of the World Lastly Mans homebred enemies many times draw them by evill example and conversation to the perpetrating of sinne but the soule whose confidence is that it hath GOD to Father and friend easily shakes such friends off and will say with the Apostle I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities noâ— Powers nor things present nor things to come nor any other creature shal be able to separate me from the love of GOD which is in CHRIST JEsus our LORD The second property of the Earth consists in this that it is as a good nurse to Men and other living creatures in bringing forth herbs fruits and other sustenance in plentifull manner for their preservation And this property â—eads us to the Creator who is the true Nurse For it is not properly the Earth but GOD by the Earth which produceth these good things For so the holy Spirit speaketh by the mouth of David He bringeth forth grasse for the cuttell and greene herbe for the service of men and a little after These all wayt upon thee that thou mayest give them meat in due season When thou givest it them they gather it and when thou openest thine hand they are filled with good and our Saviour in the Gospell Behold the foules of the ayre for they sowe not neither reape nor cary into the barnes yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them and the Apostle Saint Paul in the Acts Neverthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good and gave us raine from Heaven and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse Yet is that true which GOD commanded at the Creation Let the Earth bud forth the bud of the herbe that seedeth seed and the fruitfull tree which beareth fruit according to his kind but it is by the power and vertue which GOD hath given it and GOD himselfe by the Earth producing increasing and preserving these things And for this cause it was that King David inviting all creatures to praise the LORD among the rest calls upon fruitfull trees to doe the same and that the three Children in Daniel sang All things that grow on the Earth blesse ye
the LORD praise him and exalt him above all things for eveâ— Seeing then that all things after their manner praise the LORD with what affection oughtst thou to blesse and praise him for all the benefits which thou continually receivest whose hand is continually open to manifest his fatherly and most pure love to thee never ceasing to doe thee good from Heaven but continually providing in most plentifull manner for thee But all this is little in the sight of GOD thy LORD for it is hee which causeth that most noble root of love to sprout out and grow in thee For Love cometh not of the World but of GOD as Saint John speaketh And out of love as out of a Divine and Heavenly plant spring the most faire and sweet smelling flowers of holy thoughts the greene leaves of profitable words to salvation and the fruit of good workes by which GOD is glorified and our neighbours relieved Woe then to those who like foolish beasts covet to be filled with the fruits of the Earth gather them greedily and hide them never thinking of the Author of them nor praising him for them whose soules are like to the Earth which GOD cursed bringing forth onely thornes and thistles for what doe they thinke upon but onely Fornication Adultery Homicide Sacriledge Thefts Treasons and the like what doe they speake but Blasphemies Perjuries Curses Contumelies false Testimonies Lyes and the like which they have learned of their Father the Devill And lastly what fruit bring they forth but those poysonous fruits which as we said they continually thinke and speake of even the workes of the flesh as they are called by the Apostle These are the thornes which first of all pricke them that bring them forth with most sharpe and bitter pricks of feares and cares then they pricke the fame of their neighbours with most grievous and irreparable losse But if thou beest the garden of that Heavenly Husbandman take heed that thornes and briers bee not found in thee and above all things cherish the Tree of love and the Lilly of chastity and the sweet Spikenard of humility and take heed that it never creepe into thee to think that these vertues and plants of grace be of thy selfe and not of GOD neither attribute the preservation and increase of the fruits of good workes to thy selfe but commit them to him and his care placing all thy strength wholly in him The third and last property of the Earth is that in the bowels of it are Mines of gold silver and pretious stones iron brasse and lead Yet we must understand that the Earth produceth not these things of its owne power but by GODS which thing hee himselfe affirmes by the mouth of the Prophet Aggee the Silver is mine and the gold is mine saith the LORD of Hosts O thou lover of mankinde hath it thus pleased thy goodnesse not onely to furnish Man with stones tymber brasse iron lead and other the like necessaries for the building of houses and ships and all other things expedient for his use but to bestow upon him gold silver and jewels for ornament also And if thou givest such things to Pilgrims on Earth oft times thine enemies and blasphemers of thy holy name what wilt thou bestow upon thy beloved who shall blesse thee and raigne with thee in Heaven Thou wilt not give them small pieces of gold or silver nor a few jewels and precious stones but that City of which Saint John speaketh in the Revelation That the building of the wall of it was of Jasper and the Citie was pure gold the foundations of the Citie wall were garnished with all manner of pretious stones and the twelve gates were twelve pearles Yet wee must not conceive that this high Citie Jerusalem the Heavenly was built indeed of gold silver or pearles as is described by Saint Iohn onely we are to know that the holy Spirit useth these speeches for our understanding that apprehend not greater nor better things But without all doubt much more excellent shall that Citie be which is the Citie of the Elect of GOD and â—urpasse in glory all the Cities in this world much more then a golden Citie adorned and beautified with Iewels doth exceed any Countrey Towne made of mud and straw Lift up then the eyes of thy mind to Heaven and consider of what value and estimation the things of Heaven are when as gold silver and jewells which are here so much accounted of are but as dust and straw compared with them and that these things are but corruptible and they incorruptible and eternall But if thou wouldst have them layd up for thee as treasures and become incorruptible in Heaven send them by bills of exchange as it were by the hands of the poore and thou shalt finde and receive them there againe For the truth cannot lye which saith Give to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven and againe Give almes make you bagges which waxe not old a treasure that can never faile in Heaven where no thiefe cometh neither moth corrupteth O the unbeliefe of Men deceitfull and lying Man promiseth ten for a hundred besides the principall and is beleeved and trusted and GOD which cannot lye promiseth to repay one hundred for one and eternall life to boot and the covetous wretch distrusteth and chooseth rather to hide his treasure where moth consumeth and theeves breake through and steale then to lay it up in Heaven where it is subject to no such casualties But tell me ô unhappy Man if these goods which thou hast gotten with much labour and hast kept with no lesse feare be neither stollen by theeves nor corrupted with moth or rust whose shall they be not thine certainly Experience teacheth us that the wealth of the covetous come commonly to prodigall heires which consume them with farre more speed then the covetous Fathers scraped them together yet in the mean time the sin of covetousnes remaineth and shall for ever and the worme of their conscience shall not die and the fire prepared for their reward never goeth out Therefore let the folly of others be thy instruction and give eare to thy Lord and Master preaching to thee Beware of covetousnesse for though a Man have abundance yet his life standeth not in his riches A covetous Man gathers together and keepes it thinking long to possesse it but it hapneth otherwise as it did to the rich man that filled his enlarged barnes in the Gospell and his wealth covetously heaped up begate such a worme as never will dye and kindled such a fire as never wil be quenched O thou unhappy miser wert thou so sollicitous to gather that which should prepare a fire in Hell wherein thou must continually burne Hearken to St. Iames Goe to you rich men weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come upon you Your riches are corrupt and your garments are moth eaten Your
gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shal be a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire as if he should say Because you were rich you accounted your selves happy but indeed you are miserable yea more wretched then all poore men and have great cause to weepe and howle for the great calamities which surely shall befall you for the overplus of your riches which you suffered to corrupt rather then to bestow them on the poore and your supersluous garments which you suffered the mothes to eate rather then to clothe the naked shall rise up and beare witnesse in the day of judgement against you And therefore we will conclude with the Kingly Prophet Happy are the people say the unwâ—se that are in such a case that is abounding with all manner of wealth when as indeed blessed are the people and they onely blessed who have the LORD for their GOD. DEGREE IV. By the Consideration of Water especially of Rivers and Fountaines AMongst the Elements of the World Water challengeth the second place by which also we may raise our thoughts a step higher to Godward First we will consider Water in generall and afterward â—raw one speciall ascent O GOD out of Fountaines and Rivers Water is moist and cold and in these respects hath five properties First to wash and clense from spots Secondly to extinguish fire Thirdly to coole and temper the heat of thirst-Fourthly to joyne many and diverse things into one Fifthly and lastly it ascends or riseth as high as it falls lowe All these are apparent resemblances or Emblems of GOD the Creator of an things Water washeth and taketh away corporall steines and spots so doth GOD spirituall Wash me and I shal be whiter then snow saith King David for though contrition the Sacraments the Priest almes and other workes of piety wash out the spots or steines of the heart sinne yet all these are but instruments or dispositions and the onely author of this clensing is GOD I even I saith GOD by Esay am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for myne owne sake And therefore the murmuring Pharisees though they beleeved not in CHRIST but blasphemed him yet were in the right when they said Who can for give sinnes but GOD onely Besides God doth not onely wash our sinnes as water doth spots but will be called water also for so writes St. John He that beleeveth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters But this he spake of the spirit which they that beleeved in him should receive for the holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified therefore the Holy Ghost which also is God is living water and of this Water Ezechiel speaketh I will powre cleane water upon you you shall be cleane from all your filthines Now because this heavenly and uncreate water far surpasseth the power of created water you may observe 3. differences between them 1 Created water washeth away the spots or staines of corporall things yet not of it selfe without the help of sope or other meanes but uncreate water washeth out all staines fully as you see in the place last before quoted 2 Water created doth seldome so cleanse as to leave no signes or markes of a spot uncreate doth so wash as that the thing washed becomes much whiter and fairer then before Wash me and I shall be whiter then the snow saith David and God himselfe by Esay If your sinnes be as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as white as wooll 3 Lastly Created water cleanseth naturall spots that resist not but yeeld to the Washer Uncreate not onely washeth away voluntary spots which cannot be cleansed without the soules consent but withall such is the admirable force and vertue of it it sweetly entreth into stony hearts and therefore is rejected of no hard hearts because it worketh so in them that they have no power to oppose as St. Augustin rightly saith Who can conceive in what admirable manner thou O Lord inspirest faith into the hearts of unbeleevers humility into the hearts of the proud and charity or love into the hearts of thine enemies c. It is much that I should search into these thy secrets and I would rather have experience of the efficacy of thy grace then search into it And because I know that this water is avotuntary gracious raine sent by thee upon thine inheritance as the Prophet David speaketh I humbly dâ—sire that I may be found to be of thine inheritance and that it would please thee to descend into the earth of my heart least it continue as a land without water barren and drie as of it selfe it is so that it is not able of it selfe to thinke a good thought The second property of created water is to extinguish or put out fire and this heavenly water that is the grace of the Holy Spirit quencheth the fire of carnall concupiscence after a wonderfull manner And to this quenching afflicting of the body by fasting and the like doe much avayle as they are instruments of grace onely and not otherwise for of themselves they are nothing avaylable For love is the prince or principall of all affections and perturbations of the mind it rules over them all and they all obey it onely Love will not be forced and if the way or passage be stopped to it one way it will breake through another It feares nothing it overcomes all things it accounts nothing hard or impossible lastly love yeeldeth to nothing but to a love greater and more powerfull then it selfe and in this last case carnall love whether it follow either the riches or pleasures of the world if once the water of the holy Spirit begin to distill into the heart of a man it presently waâ—eth cold and gives place to the love of God Saint Augustin testifieth this in his owne case who having accustomed himselfe to follow too much his owne lusts yet when he began to tast of the grace of the Holy Spirit he cryed out How suddenly became it pleasant to me to want the sweetnes of toyes and that which before I was afraid to lose now it was pleasure to me to let goe Thou O Lord the onely true joy didst cast these from me and entredst into me in their stead being sweeter then all other pleasure although not to flesh and blood c. Againe this created water qualifieth and asswageth thirst and the uncreate heavenly water can onely give an end to the manifold grievous and almost infinite desires of mans heart This Christ the Truth plainly teacheth us by that speech of his to the Samaritane woman Whosoever saith he drinketh of this water shall thirst againe but whosoever shall drinke of the water which I shall give him shall never thirst Thus stands the case The eye is not
all as having a life most happy and most plentifull being life and the Fountaine of life Take an example in the act of seeing A man to cause him to see wants a seeing power which is distinct from the soule which properly liveth he wants an object that is some colored body placed without him hee wanteth the light of the Sunne or some other enlightned body hee wanteth a medium that is some perspicuous body he wants a sensible species as forme which may be conveyed from the object to the eyes he wants a corporall organ that is an eye furnished with divers humours and fleshly tunicles hee wants sensitive spirits and optique nerves by which those spirits may passe hee wants a proportionable distance and the application of power you see what a number of little helpes are wanting to men and other creatures to performe one action of life But God who truely hath all life in himselfe wants nothing his infinite essence is unto him power object species light and all other things Of and by and in himselfe God sees all things which are have beene and shall be and perfectly knowes what might have beene and before the world was made God saw all things neither is there any new thing added to his knowledge or sight by the creation of things Consider duely then what thou shalt be when thou shalt be partaker of that life what great thing doth God command thee when he bids thee despise this fraile and temporall life altogether deficient and imperfect for his sake that thereby thou maist enjoy that eternall life And if he command thee therein no hard taske how little and meane injunction is that when hee bids thee give thy dead superfluities liberally to the poore to abstaine from fleshly lusts and concupiscences to forsake and renounce the Devill and his tentations and wholly to desire fervently and with all the affections of thy heart to attaine to that which is the onely and true life But it is time now to ascend to the fountaine of wisedome by what meanes we can The Word of GOD most high or in the highest as some translate it is the fountaine of wisedome as it is in Ecclesiasticus and it may very truly be said in the highest because the fountaine of wisedome most abundantly and plentifully floweth in the holy Angels and soules of the blessed who inhabit in the highest habitations but to us who live in this desert and pilgrimage not wisedome but a kinde of vapour or smell of wisedome is allotted Therefore looke not after higher things then befits thee search not too narrowly into the Majesty of GOD least thou be overwhelmed with his glory but admire his wisedome of which the Apostle spâ—aketh To the onely wise GOD congratulate the blessed spirits who drinke out of the fountaine of wisedome and though they comprehend not GOD a thing onely proper to the fountaine of wisedome yet they behold the face of GOD without any veyle and being enlightned with the brightnesse of his rayes judge most rightly of all things neither in that noon-day light of wisedome feare they the darkenesse of errors nor the obscurity of ignorance nor myst of opinions Aspire to that happines and that thou maist securely come to it love the LORD JESUS with all thine heart in whom are all the treasures of the wisedome of GOD for he hath said in the Gospell He that loveth me shal be loved of my Father and I will love him and shew mine owne selfe unto him and what will he shew by shewing himselfe but all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome of GOD which are in him Certainely men are naturally desirous to know and although fleshly concupiscences doe in this life in a sort lull this desire asleepe yet when this body which corrupts and burdens the soule shal be layd aside then the fire of this desire shall waxe fervent How great will thy happinesse then be when thy beloved CHRIST IESUS shall impart to thee all the treasures of the knowledge and wisedome of GOD But that thou mayst not hereafter be frustrate of thy expectation study and endeavour to keepe his Commandements For he hath said Hee that keepeth my Commandements is he that loveth me and Hee that loveth mee not keepeth not my words In the meane time let that be thy wisedome which holy Job describeth The feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from evill is understanding and what good soever thou seest in the creature know that it flowes from GOD the fountaine of all goodnesse DEGREE V. By the Consideration of the AYRE THe Element of Ayre may serve as an excellent and notable Schoolemaster if the nature of it be well considered not onely to instruct us in naturall Philosophy but to open to us the mysteries of Divinity and to raise our minds to GOD for the benefits are diverse which by Divine ordination and appointment arise by the ayre to mankind First of all Ayre while it serves for breathing preserves the life of every creature 2. Againe it is so necessary for the use of the eyes eares and tongue that if it be wanting presently wee become blinde deafe and dumbe 3. Lastly it is so necessary for the motion of men and all other living creatures that if it should be taken away all motions and consequently all Arts and workes would be at an end First if men would consider that their soules have asmuch need of breathing as their bodies many would be saved that now perish The body needs a continuall breathing because if the naturall heate which inflames and makes the heart as it were to boile were not tempered and qualified by the ministerie and office of the lungs drawing in coole ayre to eject the hot the life could not be preserved which confirmes the usuall received opinion that to live and breath are one and the same for every thing that breathes liveth and that which leaves to breath ceaseth also to live The soule in like manner which lives a spirituall life by GODS grace needs a continuall breathing which is done by sending hote and fervent sighes by prayer to GOD and by receiving from him new grace even that of the holy Spirit And what else indeed is the meaning of our Saviour by this that wee ought alwaies to pray and not to faint but that we must ever sigh up to GOD and receive his good spirit downe that our spirituall life be not dissolved which hee seemes to repeat when he saith Watch therefore and pray continually and the Apostle Pray without ceasing to all which the Apostle St. Peter agreeth saying Be therefore sober and watching in prayer And verily this is true sobrietie and wisedome that we which continually need the helpe of GOD should alwaies make petition for the same Our heavenly Father it is true knowes what we stand in need of and is ever ready to supply our wants in plentifull manner especially those
which conduce to our eternall happinesse and salvation yet His will is to bestow them by the instrument of prayer wee must pray for them because it is more honourable for him and profitable for us to give them to us as labourers and petitioners for them then as to sleepy and idle persons Therefore our most bountifull GOD exhorts and urges us to this dutie saying Aske and it shal be given to you seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shal be opened unto you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened And what that is that is chiefly to be asked and that shal be given without doubt he declareth a little after If ye then which are evill can give good guifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that desire him Therefore that which is in the first place to be required is the holy Spirit by which we breath in GOD and by this breathing preserve our spirituall life which holy David did as appeares by that in the Psalmes I opened my mouth and drew in my breath that is I opened my mouth by prayers sighs and grones unutterable and I drew in the most comfortable breath of Gods spirit which cooled the heat of concupiscence and confirmed me in every good worke This being so who can say that they live to GOD who spend dayes moneths and yeares and neither breath to nor receive breath from him It is an evident signe of death not to breath and if to breath be to pray then it is a signe of death not to pray Now the spirituall life by which the Children of GOD are reputed to live chiefly consists in love Behold saith St. Iohn what love the Father hath given unto us that we should be called and be the sonnes of God Now who is there that loves and desires not to see that which he loveth and who desires any thing and asketh not for it of him who he knoweth will give it him if he make suit for it Therefore he which prayeth not continually to see the face of GOD desires not to see him he which desires not to see him loves him not hee which loves him not lives not whereupon it necessarily followes that they are dead to GOD though they live to the world who seriously devote not themselves to prayer Nor is it enough onely to pray with the lippes to make us reputed amongst the living for prayer is rightly defined to be a lifting up of the mind to GOD and not an elevating of the voyce into the ayre Therefore deceive not thy selfe thinke not that thou livest to GOD if thou earnestly breath not to him with all thine heart night and day and say not to thy selfe that thine other affaires will not give thee leave to spend thy time in prayer and divine meditations for the holy Apostles were much imployed aswell in their own affaires as in the worke of the LORD and salvation of soules in so much as one of them said of himself Besides the things which are outward I am combred daily and have the care of all Churches c. yet he besides other recitall of his often prayers writes to the Philippians that his conversation was in Heaven and that because in the heate of his other imployments he was conversant in Heaven in his desire nor ever was unmindfull of his beloved otherwise he would never have said I am crucified with Christ but I live yet not I any more but Christ liveth in me The second property of the ayre is that it is the medium or meanes by which the species or formes of colours are conveighed to our eyes and of sounds to our eares and without which we could neither see heare nor speake For which first we are to give thankes to Almighty GOD for giving such an ornament and benefit to our nature and secondly we are to admire his wisedome in a worke of such finenesse subtiltie and thinnesse 1. In respect that the ayre of it selfe is a true body and so great that it almost filles the universe yet it can neither be seene nor felt for the incredible subtilty of it Antiquity admired the skill and subtilty of one line which Apelles drew with his pencill and yet it was seene and touched and in that regard was by no meanes to be compared with the tenuity and subtilty of this veyle which compasseth and toucheth all men and yet is seene of none 2. But it increaseth our admiration that being a most subtile and thinne body yet when it is divided it closeth againe with so great facility as if it had never been divided when as but a Spiders web being once broken can never be so cunningly amended that the first breach may not bee seene 3. Lastly that which is most worthy our admiration and done or caused onely by the wisedome of GOD that through one and the same part of the ayre should be mingled together innumerable severall species of colours as those in the rainebow He that shall place himselfe in a cleare Moone-shine night in some open field where hee may behold at one time starres in the heaven fields in the earth bedeckt with severall sorts of flowers together with houses trees and many other beautifull â—ights shall not be able to deny but that the severall species of them are contained in that part of the ayre which is neere unto him But who well can understand this who can conceive it for how can it be that so thinne and subtile a thing as the ayre should comprehend together so great varietie of shapes and formes And what if it happen that at the same time and in the same place he shall heare the melodious musique of birds on one side from another diverse musicall instruments in another the silent murmuring of falling waters will it not follow and that of necessitie that all these sounds or species of sounds must be received together with those of the colours before-named and who brings these things to passe are they not wrought by the wisedome of thy Creator who onely doth wonderfull things alone 3. Againe there is yet another benefit which ariseth by this admirable tenuity and thinnesse in the ayre that it hinders not but helpes the motion of all things which passe from one place to another We all know with what labour Shippes or Boats are drawne through water though it be of a liquid quality or substance and is easily divided and parted For many times neither the winds nor Oares serve to make them passe but they are many times forced by the strength of Horses And if at any time upon some occasion a way be to be made through a hill or mountaine what labour sweat and time it costs before a short cut be made But through the ayre horses runne swiftly birds and arrowes flie speedily and men in exercising
a resemblance with GOD his Creator that I know not whether a Man may ascend with more facility to the knowledge of GOD any other way then by the consideration of his owne soule And therefore man is inexcusable if he have not knowledge of him seeing he may attaine to it Gods grace assisting without difficulty by knowing his owne soule First then Mans soule is a spirit for so doe the holy Fathers expound those words in Genesis And the LORD formed Man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and Man became a living soule and that of Tobias Command my spirit to be taken from me and that of the Preacher Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne to GOD that gave it For although the word spirit agreeth to the wind also of which it is said in the Gospel Spiritus spirat ubi vult The wind bloweth where it listeth and in the Psalmes Spiritus procellarum as S. Ierome Wind and storme as our translation yet without doubt that spirit the wind is a most thinne body which for its great subtilty and raritie doth more imitate and resemble the spirituall nature then any other body But the soule of man is properly a spirit not a body neither is it produced or made of any matter but is immediately created by GOD. And here begins the excellencie of the soule in the resemblance to GOD for GOD is a spirit as our Saviour saith and they which worship him must worship him in spirit and truth But though GOD be a spirit and mans soule be a spirit also yet GOD is a spirit uncreated and the Creator and mans but a spirit created by which it followes that there is a great disproportion betweene the spirit which is the soule and the spirit which is GOD. And in this respect how greatly may the soule rejoyce that it is in the kind of a spirituall substance and so of a higher and more noble nature then heaven or the Starres and againe it should be the more humble and obedient to GOD because it was made of nothing and of it selfe is nothing Againe the soule of man because it is a simple spirit is also immortall for it hath nothing in it from whence it may be divided or severed And in this regard how much may it boast above the soules of bruit animals which die with their bodies and so behold and admire the great excellencie of the creator who is not onely immortall but everlasting For the soule of man sometime was not and came to a being by the onely will of GOD and by the will of the same GOD may againe be reduced to nothing although in it selfe it have no beginning of corruption therfore truly said the Apostle of GOD Who onely hath immortality for he onely cannot be dissolved neither by force chance or ought else because it is his property to be he is life it selfe and the fountaine of being and life Thirdly mans soule is endued with the light of understanding for it is not onely able to know and distinguish of colours tasts smells and sounds heate cold hard soft and other things of the like kind which are plaine to the sences of the body but is able to judge of substantialls and of things singular and universall and knoweth not onely things present but can conjecture at things to come transcends the heavens dives into the deep searches effects from causes and from effects hath recourse to causes Lastly by the eye of the mind it comes to the knowledge of GOD himselfe which dwelleth in inaccessible light and this is the light of which Saint John speakes This was the true light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the World which David calls the light of Gods countenance Of the light of the understanding the same Kingly Prophet saith Be ye not like to horse and mule who have no understanding Certainely this is a great priviledge and dignity of the soule by which man becomes like to GOD and unlike the beasts and by this a man may also conjecture of the excellent sublimity of his creâ—â—â—â— for though the soule of man be endued with this light of understanding yet GOD is the light and understanding The soâ—lâ— as is said runnes from causes to effects and againe from effects to causes and therby hunts as it were with great labour to attain this knowledge but GOD with one aspect and at the first sight knoweth all things The soule understandeth those things which are so that his knowledge depends upon things GOD by his understanding bringeth to passe that things are so that the existence or being of things depends upon his knowledge The soule doth but conjecture of things to come GOD beholds all things past and to come as perspicuously and plainely as if they were present The soule wants many things to exercise the office of its understanding as the object forme fancie and the like GOD wants nothing for essence it selfe is his all things even his owne essence is his understanding Lastly the soule whiâ—e it is in the body neither seeth GOD the Angels nor it selfe nor any substance though corporeall properly and is deceived in many things is ignorant in many of many things he hath but an opinion and of few things the true knowledge but GOD is ignorant of nothing thinks nothing is never deceived never erreth All things are naked and opened c. Therefore if Man hath such an opinion and esteemeth so much of his knowledge as that according to the Apostle his knowledge puffe him up how much ought he to admire the knowledge of his Creator to whose if mans be compared it is no knowledge but ignorance There is also another kind of knowledge in the soule of Man which consists not in speculation but in action from whence it cometh that there are so many Bookes of Philosophers which treat if vices and vertues so many Lawes of Princes Lawyers and others so many institutions to acquire the art of living well In which appeâ—â—eth mans admirable light of reason by which alone he differs farre from beasts in excellencie but all this is nothing to the eternall Law which is powerfull in the mind of the Creator from whence as from a most plentifull fountaine all other Lawes flow and are derived for there is one Law giver and Iudge which is GOD as St. Iames tells us He is Truth Justice and Wisedome By whom Kings raigne and Princes decree Iustice So that we shall never find out the Art of living well and happily till we come to the Schoole of CHRIST who is the true and onely Master by whose word and example we shall learne that righteousnesse which exceeds the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees yea and of Philosophers too whose end is love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and
heaven be made and it was made Let the earth be made and it was made Let the light the Sun and Starres be made Let trees creatures Men and Angels be made and all were made and adde to this which hath been said that the same GOD may if he will destroy with one beâ—ke all these things and the whole world as we said before out of the Booke of the Maccabees 4. To these wee may adde one depth more that all these things so many so great and composed of so many members and parts were made by GOD in a moment With us art and nature must have long time to bring any worke to perfection we see seeds sowen long before the herbs grow trees aske oft times many yeares to fasten the roots to sprout spread and beare fruit the fruit of the womb is long in the womb and long in the nursing before it come to any growth to speake nothing of art seeing it is so obvious to us that artificers must have much time to perfect any thing they take in hand How great then is the power of GOD who sooner then a word can be spoken can perfect so great workes It is not my purpose to dispute whether GOD in one moment absolved and finished heaven earth and all things in them or whether he spent sixe whole dayes in the first creation of things for this Treatise was intended for our ascent to GOD and not for dispute but this is it which I affirme and admire that every thing should be made perfect by the omnipotent Creator in a moment and concerning the earth the water ayre and fire no man doubts but that together with all the Angels they were created in a moment Concerning the firmament and the dividing of waters it is well known that they were all made by the onely power of the word speaking Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and that in a moment for it followeth that it was so done upon which place St. Chrysostome thus He onely spake and the worke followed and the same Authour upon the words Let the earth bud forth c. Who saith he will not be astonisht to thinke how the Word of GOD Let the earth bud adorneth the face of the earth with an admirable embrodery of divers flowers you might suddenly have seene the earth deformed before and untilled and untrimmed to contend with heaven in comlinesse and bravery and upon the words Let there be light he saith He onely spake and this admirable element was brought forth I say the Sun and what if I added that the Moone and all the Starres were made by the same word and in the same moment by the same Creator and lastly upon these words Let the waters bring forth in abundance c. he thus speaketh What tongue can be sufficient to set out the praise and glory of the workeman For as he onely said of the earth Let the earth bud and presently a plentifull variety and multiplicity of flowers and herbs appeared so by saying here Let the waters bring forth so many creeping things and foules were created as no speech can recount Who therefore is like unto thee ô Lord among the Gods By all this thou mayst understand plainly the great power of thy Creator who by his latitude extends himselfe to all things by his longitude continues alwaies and without wearinesse supports and governes all things by his altitude attaineth to the making of those things which seeme to be and are impossible to all but himselfe and by his depth and profundity doth so make all things as that the manner and meanes of making them passeth all created understanding considering that he makes them of nothing into nothing without instruments without time onely by his word and command Hee spake the word saith the Psalmist and they were made hee commanded and they were created By this thou mayst gather if thou be wise how much it concernes thee whether it were best to have him thy angry enemy or thy well pleased friend For he can suddenly bereave thee of all good and load thee with all misery nor is there any that can deliver thee out of his hands for who dares contend with him that is omnipotent If thou shouldst being naked meet with an implacable enemy bending a sharpe weapon against thee what wouldst thou doe but in trembling and fearefull manner prostrate thy selfe at his feet and implore his mercy and yet he being a man thou mightst perhaps escape him by flight or resistance or wresting the weapon from him but what canst thou doe against an angry God from whom thou caust not flee he being every where nor resist him being omnipotent nor make delayes seeing he doth all in a moment and by his sole command and therefore not without cause did the Apostle say It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD. On the other side if thou make him thy friend who more happier then thou for he can if he will and he will if he be thy friend satisfie thee with all good things and deliver thee from all evill and it is in thy power either to make him thy friend or enemy while thou livest here GOD himselfe and he by his Prophets and againe by his Son and his Apostles in the Scriptures ever call and invite sinners to repentance and the just to keepe his Commandements that so he may have both sorts of men his friends or rather deare children and heires of eternall salvation Heare Ezechiel As I live saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live turn you turn you from your evillwaies for why will ye die ô ye houfe of Israel and as Ezechiel so Esay Ieremie and the rest of the Prophets being moved with the same spirit cry for the conversion of sinners Heare the Son of GOD when he began to preach Amend your lives for the Kingdome of God is at hand Heare the Apostle St. Paul speaking of himselfe and his fellow Apostles We are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through us wee pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God What more cleare more comfortable The Apostle in Christs name doth beseech us to be reconciled to God to have him our friend not our enemy Who can doubt of Gods mercy if he seriously returne to him he will receive all converts as the loving Father received the prodigall Son But when we are returned and have found indulgence and favour what doth he require of us even to persevere as frends and children and to keep his Commandements If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements saith our Saviour If thou wilt say without the helpe of God his Commandements cannot be kept heare what St. Augustine saith speaking of the hardest precept of all other that is