vnto God CHAPTER I. 1. VErtue is of it's owne nature so amiable that God doth fauour it wheresoeuer he finds it The PagaÌ„s though they were enemies to the Diuine Maiestie did now and theÌ„ 〈◊〉 certaine ciuill and morall vertues which were not by their nature placed aboue the forces of a reasonable spirit Now you may thinke THEOT how small a matter this was for though these vertues made a great shew yet in effect they were of little worth by reason of the lownesse of their intention that practised them who laboured in a manner for no other thing then honour as S. AVGVSTINE saieth or for some other pretention of light consideratioÌ„ as for the entertainement of ciuill societie or by reason of some weake inclination they had to good which meeting with no great contradiction carried them oâ— to minute actions of vertue as for example to mutuall salutations to aide their friends to liue moderatly not to steale to fidelitie towards ones Maister to paie hirelings wages And neuerthelesse though this was so slender and full of diuers imperfections God tooke it in good part at those poore peoples hands and recompensed it largely 2. The midwiues whom Pharao commanded to kill all the male children of the Israelits â—ere without all dispute Egyptians and Pagans for making their excuse that they had not executed the Kings pleasure The hebrow women saied they are not like Egyptians for they know how to receiue the child and before we come vnto them they are deliuered an excuse which had not bene to the purpose if these midwiues had bene Iewes besids that it is not credible that Pharao would haue graunted so sharpe a Commission to Iewish-women against Iewish-women being of the same nation and religioÌ„ and with all Iosephus doth witnesse they were indeede Egiptians And be it they were Egiptians and Pagans yet did they feare to offend God by so barbarous and vnnaturall a crueltie as had bene the Masacre of so many little children which the diuine sweetenesse tooke so well at their hands that he built them houses that is to saie he made them become fruitfull in children and in temporall riches 3. NABVCODONOZOR king of Babilon had waged a iust warre against the towne of Tyrie which the Diuine Iustice would chastice and God signified to Ezechiel that in recompence thereof he would deliuer vp Egipt into the hands of NABVCODONOZOâ— and his armie Because saieth God they haue laboured for me hence addes S. HIEROME in his commentaries we learne that in case the Pagans themselues doe any Good they are not vnrewarded by God's Iudgement So did DANIEL exhort NABVCODONOZOR an Infidell to redeeme his sinnes by almes that is to ransome himselfe out of the temporall paines due vnto his sinne which hung ouer his head Doe you see then THEO how true it is that God doth esteeme vertues though practised by persons otherwise wicked If he had not approued the mercye of those Midwiues and the iustice of the Babilonian warrs would he haue taken the paines I praie you to haue rewarded them And if Daniel had not knowen that notwithstanding Nabucodonozors infidelitie his almes-deedes were agreeable vnto God why would he haue counselled him them Certes the Apostle assures vs that Pagans who haue no faith doe naturally performe that which belongs vnto the law and in doing so who can doubt but they doe well or that God doth make accompt of it Pagans vnderstoode that marriage was good and necessarie they saw that it was conuenient to haue their children brought vp in sciences in loue of their countries in ciuilitie and they did so Now I leaue it to your consideration whether this was not gratefull vnto God since to this end he indewed them with the light of reason and a naturall propention 4. Naturall reason is a good tree which Gods owne finger planted in our soule the fruits that spring from it cannot otherwise be then good yet in truth in comparison of that which springs from grace they are of a very lowe rate though not of no value sith God put a rate vpon them bestowing in respect of them temporall rewards as he rewarded the morall vertues of the Romans according to S. AVGVSTINE with the great extention and glorious reputation of their Empire 5. Sinne without question makes the soule sicke whence she is not able to performe great and powerfull operations though little ones she can for all the sicke mans actions are not sicke he speakes he sees he heares he drinkes The soule in sinne can doe good workes which being naturall are rewarded with naturall rewards being ciuile they are payed with ciuile and humane money that is with temporall commodities The sinner is not in the state of the diuills whose wills are so drunke vp and incorporated in euill that they can will no good at all No THEO the sinner in this world is not in this estate He is thereby indeede wounded to death in the way betwixt Hierusalem and Ierico but as yet is not dead for saieth the Ghospell he is left halfe aliue and as such he can produce actions halfe a liue t is true he can neither walke nor rise nor crie for aide no not so much as speake saue onely languidly by reason of his faint heart yet can he open his eyes stirre his fingers sigh make some little complaints which are weake actions notwithstanding all which he might haue bene found miserably lying dead in his owne blood had not the mercifull Samaritaine poured his owne honie and wine into his wounds and carried him to a lodging where he gaue charge that he should be dressed and looked too at his cost 5. Naturall reason is deeply wounded and halfe slayne by sinne so that being so at vnder it cannot obserue all the Commandements which notwithstanding it apprehends to be conuenient It knowes its dutie but cannot acquit it selfe thereof It 's eyes hath more light to discouer the way then its legges hath strength to vndertake it 6. The sinner may indeede here and there obserue some of the Commandements yea all of them for some small time while there is not presented vnto him high subiects in which commanded vertues are to be practised or some violent temptation of committing a prohibited sinne But that a sinner should siue loÌ„g in his sinne whithout adding to it new ones is not a thing that can be done but by God's speciall protection For mans enemie is hot stirring and in perpetuall action to precipitate him and when he sees that occasion of practising ordinarie vertues doe not occurre he stirrs vp a thousand temptations to make him fall into forbidden things at which time NATVRE without GRACE cannot warrant it selfe from falling for if we ouercome it 's God giues vs the victorie through IESVS CHRIST as S. PAVLE saieth watch and praie that you enter not into temptation If God had saied onely WATCH we should apprehend our owne power sufficient but adding PRAIE he showes that if he keepe
his heart and hands towards heauen whether the inspiration drawes him and beginning to displaie the winges of his affections flying betwixt the diffideÌ„ce which he hath of himselfe and the confideÌ„ce which he reposeth in God he intons in an ayre humbly amourous the Canticle of his conuersion by which he testifieth that euen already he knew one onely God Creatour of heauen and earth but withall he knew that he did not know him sufficieÌ„tly to serue him as he ought and therefore he petitions that a more perfect knowledg may be imparted vnto him that therby he may come to the perfect seruice of his diuine maiestie 4. Behould in the interim I beseech you THEO how God in a sweete manner fortifieth by little and little the grace of his inspiration in the consenting hearts drawing them after him as it were stepp by stepp vpon this IACOBS ladder But of what sort are his drawhtes The first by which he doth preuent and awake vs is his worke in vs without our cooperation All the other are his works and in vs but not without our concourse Draw me saied the sacred spouse that is begin thou first for I caÌ„not awake of my selfe I caÌ„not moue vnlesse thou moue me but when thou shalt once haue giuen motion then ô thou deare Spouse of my heart we runne we two thou runns before me drawing me still forward and as for me I will follow thee in thy course consenting to thy draught but let no man thinke that thou haist me after the by compulsion as a slaue or as a liuelesse charret ah no thou drawes me by the odour of thy perfumes though I follow thee it is not that thou trayles me but that thou dost intice me thy drawghtes are puissant but no way violent sith their whole force is placed in their sweetenesse Perfumes haue no other force to draw men to follow them then their sweetenesse and how could sweetenesse draw but sweetely and delightfully Of the feeling of the diuine loue which is had by faith CHAPTER XIV 1. VVHen God giues vs faith he enters into our soule and speakes to our heart not by manner of discourse but by way of inspiration proposing in so sweete a manner that which ought to be beleeued vnto the vnderstaÌ„ding that the will receiues therby a great complacence and such indeede as that it incites the vnderstanding to consent and yeeld to TRVTH without doubt or distrust at all and heare lyes the miracle for God proposeth the mysteries of faith to our soules amid'st obscurities and cloudes in such sort that we see not but onely ENTER-VIEVV it as TRVTH it happens somtimes that the face of the earth being couered with fogges we cannot view the Sunne but onely a little more then ordinarie brightnesse about where it is so that as one would saie we see it without seeing it because on the one side we see it not so faire as that we can well affirme we see it nor yet againe doe we see it so little that we may auerre we see it not and this is that which we terme ENTER-VIEVV And notwithstanding this obscure brightnesse of faith hâ—â—ing got entrie into our soule not by way of discourse or show of argument but by the onely sweetenesse of it's presence it workes the vnderstanding to beleeue and obey it with as great authoritie as the assurance which it giues vs of the TRVTH surpasseth all other assurances and doth keepe the vnderstanding and all the discourse therof in such subiection that they haue no credit in comparison of faith 2. Good God THEO may I well saie this Faith is the great friend of our vnderstanding and may iustly saie to humane sciences which vante they are more cleare then she as did the sacred spouse to the shepheards I am black yet faire ô humane discourses of sciences acquired I am black for I am seated amongst the obcurities of simple reuelatioÌ„s which haue no appareÌ„t euideÌ„ce but makes me looke blacke putting me well nigh out of knowledge yet I am faire in my selfe by reason of my infinite certaintie and if mortall eies could behould me such as I am by nature they would finde me entirely faire And must it not necessarily follow that in effect I am infinitly amiable since that the gloomie darknesse and thicke mistes amongst which I am not viewed but onely ENTER-VIEVVED could not hinder me to be so agreeable but that the vnderstanding prising me aboue all things and breaking the presse of other knowledges caused way be made vnto me and receiued me as his Queene into he most sublime throne of his Pallace from whence I giue lawes to all sciences and doe keepe all discourse and humane sense vnder yea verily THEO euen as the Commanders of the Armie of Israel stripping themselues put all their clothes in a heape and made them as a royall throne vpon which they placed IEHV crying IEHV is kinge so at faiths arriuall the vnderstanding puts of all discourse and arguments and submitting them to faith sets her vpon them acknowledging her for Queene and with a great ioye cries out VIVE LA FOY Discourse and pious arguments miracles and other aduantages of Christian religion make faith wonderfull credible and intelligible but faith alone makes her beleeued aÌ„d acknowledged enamoring men with the beautie of her VERITIE and making theÌ„ beleeue the veritie of her beautie by meanes of the sweetenesse which she poures into their wills and the assurance which she giues to their vnderstanding The IEWES saw the miracles and heard the wonders of our Sauiour but being indisposed to receiue faith that is their will not being capable of the sweetenesse aÌ„d pleasantnesse of faith by reason of the bitternesse and malice with which they were filled they persisted in their infidelitie They perceiued the force of the argumeÌ„t but they relished not the sweetenesse of the conclusion and therfore did not rest in her truth while notwithstanding the act of faith consisteth in this rest of the vnderstanding which hauing receiued the gratefull light of truth adheares to it as to a sweete yet powerfull and solide assurance and certaintie which it draweth from the authoritie of the REVELATION had therof 3. You haue heard THEO that in generall Councels there are great disputatioÌ„s and inquiries made of truth by discourse reason and theologicall arguments but the matters being discussed the FATHERS that is the Bishops but especially the POPE who is the head of Bishops doth resolue conclude and determine and the determination being once pronouÌ„ced euery one doth fully therin rest and quiet them selues not in consideration of the reasons alleaged in the precedent discussion and inquisition but in vertue of the Holy Ghosts authoritie who presiding inuisibly in Councells iudged determined and concluded by the mouth of his seruants whom he had established Pastours of Christianitie The inquisition then and the disputation is made in the PORCES by Priestes and Doctours but the resolution and determination is passed
inferiour in nature and grace did brauely and couragiously perseuer How came it to passe that Lucifer excellent by nature and superexcellent by grace fell and so many Angels with lesse aduantages stood to theire fidelitie Truely such as stood ought to render the praise therof to God who of his mercy created and maintained them good But to whom can Lucifer and all his crew ascribe their fall if not as S. PAVLE saieth to their owne will which by her libertie deuorced her selfe from God's grace that had so sweetely preuented her How art thou fallen ô great Lucifer who euen like a faire morning came out into this inuisible world clothed with prime charitie as from the beginning of the brightnesse of a faire day who ought to encrease till the mid-day of eternall glorie Thou didst not want grace which correspondant to thy nature thou hadst most excellent of all but thou wast awanting to grace God did not depriue thee of the operation of his loue but thou depriued his loue of thy cooperation God had neuer reiected thee if thou hadst not reiected his loue O most good God thou dost not forsake vnlesse forsaken thou neuer recalls thy giftes till we recall our hearts 7. We robbe God of his right if we take vnto our selues the glorie of our saluation but we dishonour his Mercy if we saie he failed vs. In concealing his benefits we wronge his Liberalitie but we blaspheme his bountie if we denie his assistance and succour In fine God cries faire and high in our eares thy perdition comes from thy selfe ô Israël I onely am thy succour That the diuine bountie's will is that we should haue a most excellent loue CHAPTER XI 1. O God THEOT if we receiued diuine inspiratiōs in the full extent of their vertue in how short a time should we make a great progresse in sanctitie Be the fountaine neuer so copious her streames enter not into a garden according to their plentie but in a measure according to the littlenesse or amplitude of the chanell by which they are conducted thither And though the holy ghost as a source of liue-water doth driue vpon our hearts euery side to water them with his graces yet so as he will not haue them enter without the free consent of our will He will not pouer them out but according to his good pleasure and our owne disposition and cooperation as the Holy Councell saieth which also as I suppose by reason of the correspondance betwixt our consent and grace calls the receit therof a free receit 2. In this sense S. PAVLE exhorteth vs not to receiue God's grace in vaine For as a sicke man who hauing receiued the potion in his hand and should not take it into his stomacke should truely haue receiued the potiō yet without receiuing it that is he receiued it in an vnprofitable and fruitlesse sort so we receiue the grace of God in vaine when we receiue it at the gate of our heart without permitting it to enter into our hearts consent for so we receiue it without receiuing it to wit we receiue it without fruit sith it auails nothing to feele the inspiration vnlesse we consent vnto it And as the sicke man who had the potion giuen into his hand if he tooke it not wholy but in part onely had also the operation therof in part onely not wholy so when God sends a great and puissant inspiration to imbrace his loue if we consent not according to it 's whole amplitude it will but profit vs in the same measure It happens often that being inspired to doe much we consent not to the whole inspiration but onely to some part therof as did those good people in the Gospell who vpon the inspiration which God gaue them to follow him made reseruations the one to goe first and interre his father the other to take leaue of his friends 3. As long as the poore widow had emtie vessells the oyle whose multiplication HELISEVS did miraculously impetrate neuer left running but when she had no more to receiue it in it seased to flow In the same measure in which our heart dilats it selfe or rather in the measure in which it permits it selfe to be amplified and dilated not denying the freedome of it's cōsent to Gods mercy he streames out continually and without delay poures in his sacred inspirations which still increase and make vs increase more and more in heauenly loue But when there is no more freedome left or that we giue no further consent he staies their course 4. What is the reason then we are not so much aduanced in the loue of God as was S. AVGVSTINE S. FRANCIS S. CATHERINE of GENVA or SAINT FRANCISCA THEOT it is because God gaue vs not the grace and why did not God giue vs the grace for that we did not cōply as we ought with his inspirations And why did we not comply Because hauing libertie we did therin abuse it But why did we abuse our libertie Ah THEO we must stop there For as S. AVGVSTINE saieth the deprauation of our will proceeds from no cause but from the defect of a cause which causeth the sinne 5. The deuote brother RVFIN vpon a certaine vision which he had of the glorie which the great S. FRANCIS should attaine vnto by his humilitie made him this demande my deare father I beseech you tell me in earnest what opinion you haue of your selfe The Sainte answered verily I hould my selfe the greatest sinner in the world and one which serueth God the least But brother RVFIN replied how can you saie that in truth and conscience seeing that many others as we manifestly see commit many great sinnes from which God bethanked you are exempt To which SAINT FRANCIS answered if God saieth he had fauored those others of whom you speake with so great mercy as he hath me certaine I am be they neuer so bad now they had bene farre more acknowliging of God's giftes then I am and would serue him much better then I doe and if my God did abandon me I should commit more wickednes then they 6. You see THEOT the opinion of this man who indeede was rather no man but a Seraphin vpon earth I know it was humilitie that moued him to speake thus of himselfe yet neuerthelesse he beleeued for a certaine trueth that an equall grace granted by a like mercy might be more fruitfully imploied by one sinner then by another Now I hould for an Oracle the feeling of this great doctour in the sciēce of Saints who brought vp in the schoole of the Crosse breathed nothing but diuine inspirations This Apothegme hath also bene praised and repeated by the greatest deuotest that followed him amongst which diuerse are of opinion that the great Apostle S. PAVLE saied in the same sense that he was the greatest of all sinners 7. The blessed mother TERESA of IESVS a virgin indeede altogether angelicall speaking of Praier of repose saieth these words There are
in the SANCTVARIE where the Holy Ghost which animateth the bodie of his Church speaketh by the mouth of the head thereof In like manner the Ostridg layes her egges vpon the Libian shore but the Sunne alone doth hatch her young ones The Doctours by their inquirie and discourse doe propose TRVTH but the onely beames of the Sunne of iustice giues certaintie and repose therein Now to conclude THEOTIME this assurance which man's reason finds in sublime things and mysteries of faith begins by an amorous sense of delight which the will receiues from the beautie and sweetenesse of the proposed TRVTH so that faith doth comprehend a beginning of loue towards heauenly things which our heart resenteth Of the great feeling of loue which we receiue by holy hope CHAPTER XV. 1. AS being exposed to the Sunne beames at mid-day we hardly see the brightnesse till presently we feele the heate so the light of faith hath no sooner spred the splendour of its verities in our vnderstanding but incontinently our will perceiues the holy heate of heauenly loue Faith makes vs know by an infallible certaintie that God is that he is infinite in bountie that he can communicate himselfe vnto vs and not onely that he can but that he will so that by an ineffable sweetenesse he hath prouided vs of all things requisite to obtaine the happinesse of eternall glorie Now we haue a naturall inclination to the soueraigne good by reason of which our heart is touched with a certaine inward griping and a continuall disquiet not being able to repose or cease to testifie that it enioyes not its perfect satisfactiō and solide contentment but when holy faith hath represented vnto our vnderstanding this faire obiect of our naturall inclination ô good God THEO what repose what pleasure how generall an exultation possesseth our soule wherevpon as being surprised at the aspect of so excellent a beautie in loue she cries out ô how faire thou art my well-beloued ô how faire thou art 2. Eliezer sought for a wife to his master ABRAHAMS sonne how knew he that she would appeare faire and gracious in his eies as his desire was but when he had espied her at the fountaine and saw her so excellent in beautie and so perfectly sweete and especially when he had obtained her he adored GOD and blessed him with thankes-giuing full of incomparable ioye Mans heart tends to God by his naturall inclination without discerning well who he is but when he finds him at the fountaine of faith and seeth him so good faire sweete and gentle towards all and so prone as soueraigne good to bestow himselfe vpon all which desire him ô God what contentments and what sacred motions hath the soule to vnite her selfe for euer to this bountie so soueraignly amiable I haue foūd saieth the soule thus inspired I haue found that which my heart desired and now I am at repose And as Iacob hauing seene the faire Rachel after he had holily kissed her melted into treares of ioye for the good he apprehended in meeting with so desired an obiect so our poore heart hauing found out God and receiued of him the first kisse of holy faith it dissolues fourthwith into the delightes of loue by reason of the infinite good which it presently espies in that soueraigne Beautie 3. We somtimes experience in our selues certaine vnexpected delights without any apparent cause and these are diuers times presages of some greater ioyes whence many are of opinion that our good Angell fore-seeing the good which shall arriue vnto vs giues vs by this meanes a foretast therof as contrariwise he strikes into vs with a certaine feare and dread amongst vnknowen dangers to the end we may be moued to inuoke GODS assistance and stand vpon our garde Now when the presaged good arriues we receiue it with open breast and reflecting vpon the content we formely tasted without knowing the cause we onely then begin to perceiue that it was a forerunner of the Hape we now enioye Euen so my deare THEO our heart hauing had for so long a time an inclination to it's soueraigne good knew not to what end this motion tended But so soone as faith hath set it at view then the heart doth clearly discerne that it was that which his soule coueted his vnderstanding serched and his inclination aymed at Certainly whether we wake or sleepe our soule tends toward the soueraigne good but what is this soueraigne good we are like to these good ATHENIANS who sacrificed vnto the true God albeit vnknowen vnto them till the great S. PAVLE taught thē the knowledge therof For so our heart by a deepe and secrete instinct in all his actions doth tend to and pretend felicitie pursuing it here and there as it were by groping without knowing either where it resides or in what it consisteth till faith showes and describs the infinite mysteries therof but then hauing found the treasure he sought for ah what contentment finds this poore humane heart What ioye what complacence of loue ô I haue met with him whom my heart sought for without knowing him ô how I was ignorant to what my pretentions did tend while nothing of that which I pretended could content me because I knew not indeede what I pretēded I pretended to loue yet knew not vpon what to place my affection and therefore my pretention not finding its true loue my loue remained alwayes in a true yet vnknowen pretention I had indeede sufficient touches of loue to make me pretend but not sense enough of the Bountie which I was to loue to exercise loue How loue is practised in hope CHAPTER XVI 1. MAns vnderstanding being conueniently applied to the consideratiō of that which faith representeth touching it's soueraigne good presently vpon it the will conceiues an extreame delight in this diuine obiect which then being absent begets an ardent desire of it's presence whēce the soule holily cries out let him kisse me with a kisse of his mouth To God it is I doe aspire God is all my hearts desire And as the vnhoodded Hawke hauing got her pray at view doth sodainely lanch her selfe vpon the winge and being held in her leash strugles vpon the hand with extreame ardout so faith hauing drawen the vaile of ignorance and made vs see our soueraigne good of which neuerthelesse we cannot yet be possessed retained by the condition of this mortall life alas THEO we then desire it in such sort that The long time chased Hart In panting flight oppress 't Doth not the floods so much desire As our poore hearts distress't To thee ô Lord aspire Our sicklie hearts bring out Desires that still augment And crie alas when shall it be O God of Hostes omnipotent That we thy face shall set This desire is iust THEO for who would not desire so desirable a good But this desire would be vnprofitable yea would be a continuall torment to our heart if we had not assurāce that we should at length satiate it
Paraduenture she dreamed that as our Sauiour had often sleept in her bosome as a tender lampkin vpon his mothers flanke so she sleept in his pearced side as a WHITE DOVE in the caue of an assured rocke so that her sleepe was wholy like to an extasie according to the operation of the spirit though to the bodie it was a sweete and gracious rest and repose But if euer she dreamed as did the auncient Ioseph of her future greatenesse when in heauen she should be clothed with the Sunne crowned with starrs aÌ„d the moone at her feete that is wholy enuironed with her sonnes glorie crowned with that of the Saints and the world vnder her or else if as Iacob she saw the progresse and fruite of her sonnes Redemption for the loue of Angells and men THEO who could euer imagine the immensitie of so great delightes ô what confereÌ„ces with her deare child what deliciousnesse from euery side 5. But marke I pray you that I neither doe nor will saie that this so priuileged a Soule of the Mother of God was depriued of the vse of reason in her sleepe Many are of opinion that Salomon in that rare yea and true dreame in which he demanded and receiued the gift of incomparable wisdome did truely exercise his free-will by reason of the iudicious eloquence of the discourse he made of his choice full of discretion and the most excellent Praier which he vsed and all these without any mixture of impertinences or distractioÌ„s of mind But how much more reason is there that the mother of the true Salomon had the vse of reason in her sleepe that is to saie as Salomon himselfe made her speake that her heart watched while she slept Surely it was a farre greater maruell that S. IOHN had the exercise of reason in his mothers wombe And why then should we denie her a lesse for whom and to whom God did more fauours then either he hath or shall doe for all creaturs besides 6. To conclud as the precious stone Abeston doth by a perlelesse proprietie conserue for euer the fire which it hath conceiued So the virgin-Mothers heart remained perpetually inflamed with holy loue which she receiued pf her sonne yet with this difference that the Abestons fire as it cannot be extinguished so it cannot be augmeÌ„ted but the virgins sacred flames sith they could neither perish diminish nor remaine in the same estate neuer ceased to take vncredible encrease euen vnto heauen the place of their origine So true it is that this Mother is the Mother of FAIRE DILECTION that is as the most amiable so the most louing and as the most louing so the most beloued mother of this onely sonne who againe is the most amiable most louing and most beloued sonne of this onely Mother A Preparation to the discourse of the vnion of the Blessed with God CHAPTER IX 1. THe triumphant loue which the Blessed in heauen doe exercise consisteth in the finall vnuariable and eternall vnion of the soule with God But what is this vnion 2. By how much more agreeable and excellent obiects our senses meete withall by so much more ardently aÌ„d greedily they giue themselues to the fruition of them By how much more faire delightfull to the veiw and duely lightened they are by so much the eye doth more eagarly aÌ„d liuely behould them and by how much more sweete and pleasant voices or musicke are the attention of the eare is more drawen vnto them So that euery obiect doth exercise a puissant yet amiable violence vpon its proper senses a violence lesse or more strong according as the excellencie is lesse or greater prouided alwayes that it be proportionable to the capacitie of the SeÌ„se which desires to enioy it for the eye which doth please it selfe so much in light cannot yet support the extreamitie of it nor fixe it selfe vpon the sunne And be musicke neuer so sweete if loude and too nigh it doth importune and offend our eares TRVTH is the obiect of our vnderstanding and consequently takes no other content then to discouer and know the truth of things as TRVTH is more excellent so the vnderstanding doth applie it selfe more deliciously and attentiuely to the consideration of it What pleasure thinke you had these auncient Philosophers who had so excellent a knowledge of so many faire TRVTHES in nature Verily they reputed all pleasurs as nothing in comparison of their well beloued Philosophie for which some of them quitted honours others great riches others their countrie yea some there were who deliberatly pulled out their eyes depriuing themselues for euer of the fruition of the faire eÌ„d agreeable corporall light that with more libertie they might applie themselues to the consideration of the veritie of things by a spirituall light for so we reade of Democrites So delicious is the knowledge of truth Hence it was frequent with Aristotle that humane Felicitie and Beatitude coÌ„sisteth in wisdome which is the knowledge of eminent truth 3. But when our mind raised aboue naturall lights begins to see the sacred truthes of faith ô God THEO what ioy the soule melts with pleasure hearing the voice of her heauenly Spouse whom she finds more sweete and delicious theÌ„ the honie of all humane knowledges 4. God hath imprinted vpon all things created his trace gate or foote-steppes so that the knowledge we haue of his diuine Maiestie by creaturs seemes no other thing then God's trace and that in coÌ„parison of it Faith is a veiw of the very face of the diuine Maiestie which we doe not yet see in the cleare day of Glorie but as it were in the breake of day as it happened to IACOB neere vnto the Torrent IABOC for though he saw not the Angell with whom he wrastled saue in the weake light of the day breake yet rauished with contentment he ceased not to crie I haue seene the Almightie face to face and my soule hath bene saued ô how delightfull is the holy light of faith by which we know by an infallible certitude not onely the historie of the beginning of creaturs and their true vse but euen that of the eternall birth of the great and soueraigne DIVINE WORD to and for whom all was made and who with the Father and the holy Ghost is one onely God most singular most adorable and blessed for euer Amen Ah! saieth S. HIEROME to his Paulina the learned Plato neuer knew this Eloquent Demosthenes was ignorant of it How sweete thy words are to my palace ô God quoth that great king sweeter then honie to my mouth was not our heart burning while he spoake to vs in the way saied those happie pilgrims of Emaus speaking of the flames of loue with which they were touched by the word of faith But if diuine TRVTâ—ES be so sweete being proposed in the obscure light of faith ô God what shall they be when we shall contemplat them in the light of the noone-day of glorie 5. The Queene of Saba
who at the greatnesse of Salomons renowne left all to goe see him being arriued in his presence and hauing heard the wonders of the wisdome which he poured out in his speaches as astonished and lost in admiration she cried out that what she had by hearesay of this heauenly wisdome was not halfe of the knowledge which sight and experience had giuen her 6. Ah! how faire and gratefull are the truthes which faith doth discouer vnto vs by hearing but when arriued in the heauenly Hierusalem we shall shee the great Salomon king of glorie seated vpon the Throne of his wisdome manifesting by an incomprehensible brightnesse the wonders and eternall secrets of his Soueraigne TRVTH with such light that our vnderstanding shall see in presence that which it had beleeued here below ah then most deare THEO what rauishments what extases what admirations what loues what sweetes no neuer shall we saie in this excesse of sweetnesse neuer could we haue imagined to haue seene truthes so delightsome Indeede we beleeued all that we were told of thy glorie ô great Citie of God but we could not conceiue the infinite greatnesse of the Abisses of thy delightes That the precedent desire shall much encrease the vnion of the Blessed with God CHAPTER X. 1. THe desire which doth preceede fruition doth egge and refine the feeling of the same and by how much the desire was more vrgent and powerfull by so much more gratefull and delicious is the possession of the thing desired ô IESVS my deare THEO what pleasure will man's heart take to see the face of the Diuinitie a face so much desired yea a face the onely desire of our soules Our hearts haue a thrist which cannot be quenched by the pleasures of this mortall life whereof the most esteemed and purchased If moderat quench vs not if extreame they stifle vs. Yet we desire them alwayes in the extreamitie and being so desired they are alwayes excessiue insupportable dammagable For we dye of ioye as well as of griefe yea ioye is more actiue to ruinate vs then griefe Alexāder hauing swallowed vp what in effect what in hope this lower world heard of a caitiue fellow that there were yet many other worlds and like a little child who will crie if one refuse him an aple this Alexander whom the world instils the great more foole notwithstanding then a little child began bitterly to weepe because there was no liklihoode that he should conquer the other worlds hauing not as yet got the entire possession of this He that did more fully enioye the world then euer any did is yet so little satisfied with it that he weepes for sorrow that he cannot haue the others which the foolish persuasion of a wretched Babler made him conceiue Tell me I praie you THEO doth he not show that the thrist of his heart cannot be slaked in this life and that this world is not sufficient to quench it O admirable yet amiable vnrest of mans heart be still be still my soule without all rest or repose in this earth till thou shalt haue mett with the fresh waters of the immortall life and the most holy Diuinitie which alone can allay thy drouth and cease thy desire 2. Meane while THEO imagine with the Psalmist how the Hart hard laied at by the Crie hauing now nor breath nor legges doth plunge himselfe greedily into the waters which he quested and with what ardour he doth presse and shut himselfe vp in that Elemēt One would think he would willingly be dissolued and conuerted into water more fully to enioye this coldenesse ah what an vnion of our hearts shall there be with God aboue where after these infinite desires of the true of Good neuer asswaged in this world we shall find the liuing ād puissant source thereof Then verily as we see a hungrie child closely glewed to his mothers breast and fixed to her dugge greedely presse this sweete foūtaine of plesāt ād desired loquor so that one would think that either it would thrust it selfe into its mothers breast or else sucke and draw her breast into his so our soule panting with an extreame thrist of the true Good when she shall meete with that vndrainable source in the Diuinitie ô good God! what a holy and pleasing desire shall she feele to be vnited and ioyned to the plentifull breasts of the All-goodnesse either altogether to diue into it or draw it altogether into her Of the Vnion of the Blessed soules with God in seeing the Diuinitie CHAPTER XI 1. VVHen we looke vpon any thing though presēt to vs it is not in it selfe vnited to our eyes but onely sends out to them a certaine representation or picture of it selfe which is called SPECIES SENSIBILIS by meanes whereof we see So also when we contemplat or vnderstand any thing that which we vnderstand is not vnited to our vnderstanding otherwise then by another representation or most delicate and spirituall image which is called SPECIES INTELLIGIBILIS But further these SPECIES by how many windings and changes get they to the vnderstanding they aboord the exteriour senses thence passe to the interiour after to the Fantasie from thence to the actiue vnderstanding and come at last to the passiue to th' end that passing so many sierces and files they might be purified subtilised and refined and of sensible become intelligible 2. Thus THEOTINE we see and vnderstand all that we see and vnderstand in this mortall life yea euen things of faith for as the Myrrour containeth not the thing we see in it but onely the representation and species of it which representatiō staied by the Myrrour produceth another in the behoulding eye So the word of faith doth not containe that which it announceth but onely represents it and this representation of diuine things which is in the word of faith produceth an other which our vnderstanding helped by Gods grace doth accept and receiue as a representation of holy TRVTH and our will is pleased in it and doth embrace it as an honorable profitable louelie and best TRVTH So that the truthes signified in Gods word are by it represented to the vnderstanding as things expressed in the Myrrour are by it represēted to the eye whēce the great Apostle saied that to beleeue was to see as in a Myrrour 3. But in heauen THEO ô God what a fauour The Diuinitie will vnite it selfe to our vnderstanding without the mediation of any species or representation at all but it selfe will applie and ioyne it selfe to our vnderstanding making it selfe in such sort present vnto it that that inward presence shall be in lieu of a representation or species O true God what a delight shall it be to mans vnderstanding to be vnited for euer to his soueraigne obiect receiuing not the representation but the presence not the picture or species but the very essence of Diuine TRVTH and Maiestie We shall be there as most happie children of the Diuinitie and shall haue the honour
shell THEO if we loue God his be the honour and glorie who did all in vs and without whom nothing was done ours be the profit and obligation for it is a shareing of his diuine goodnesse with him he leaues vs the fruits of his benefits reserues to himselfe the honour and praise thereof and verily sith we are nothing but by his grace we ought to be nothing but to his glorie That we must auoide all curiositie and humbly repose in Gods most wise prouidence CHAPTER VII 1. MAns mind is so weake that whem he would looke too curiously into the causes and reasons of God's will he doth entangle and winde himselfe into a thousand quirks of difficulties out of which he hath afterwards much a doe to recouere himselfe he resembles smoake for in mounting it is subtilised and in being subtilised it vanisheth In striuing to raise our discourses too high in diuine things by curiositie we vanish in our thoughtes and in lieu of arriuing at the knowledge of truth we fall in the follie of our vanitie 2. But of all other things we are most humorous in that which concerns the diuine prouidence in the diuersitie of the meanes which he bestowes vpon vs to draw vs to his holy loue and by it to glorie For our temeritie vrgeth vs still to search why God giues more meanes to one then to another why he did not the miracles amongst the Tyrians and Sidonians which he did in Corozain and Bethsaida seeing they would haue made as good vse of them In fine why he drawes rather one then another to his loue 3. O THEO my friend neuer no neuer must we permit our minds to be carried away with a blasting whirlewinde or thinke to find a better reason of Gods will then the same will which is soueraignely reasonable yea the reason of all reasons the rule of all goodnesse the lawe of all equitie And although the holy ghost speaking in the holy Scripture giues reason in diuers parts of almost all that we can wish to know touching that which this prouidence doth in conducting men to holy loue and eternall saluation yet in diuers occasions he shewes that he ought in no wise renounce the respect which is due to his will whose purpose decree pleasure and resolution we are to adore in conclusion whereof as soueraigne Iudge and soueraignely iust it is not reasonable that he should manifest his motiues but it is sufficient that he saie simply and for reason that if we ought charitably to beare so much respect to the Decrees of soueraigne Courts coÌ„posed of corruptible Iudges of the earth and of earth as to beleeue that they were not made without motiue though we know theÌ„ not Ah Lord God with what a louing reuerence ought we to adore the equitie of thy supreame prouidence which is infinite in iustice and goodnesse 4. So in a thousand places of the holy word we find the reason why God reproued the Iewes because saieth S. PAVLE and S. BARNABIE you doe reiect the WORD of God and iudge your selues vnworthy of eternall life behould we turne towards the gentils And he that shall consider in tranquilitie of heart the IX X. and XI Chap. of the Epistle to the Romans shall clearely see that Gods will did not without reason reiect the Iewes neuerthelesse this reason must not be examined by mans wit which contrariwise is obliged to rest purely and simply in reuerencing the Diuine Decree Admiring it with loue as infinitly iust and vpright and louing it with admiration as inpenetrable and incomprehensible So that the diuine Apostle concluds the long discourse which he had made of it O the profunditie of the riches and wisdome of the knowledge of God how incomprehensible are his iudgments and how vnsearchable his wayes who doth know the thougtes of our Lord or who hath bene his Counsellour By which exclamation he testifieth that God doth all things with great wisdome knowledge and reason yet so that not hauing entred into the diuine counsells whose iudgments and designes are infinitly placed aboue our reach we ought deuotly to adore his Decrees as most iust without searching the motiues which he keepes to himselfe that so he might keepe our vnderstanding at home in respect and humilitie 5. S. AVGVSTINE in a hundred places doth teach vs this practise None comes to our Sauiour saieth he if not drawen whom he drawes and whom he drawes-not why he he drawes him and not him offer not to iudge vnlesse thou wilt erre heare once and vnderstand Art thou not drawen praie that thou maist be drawen Verily it is sufficient for a Christian liuing as yet by faith and not seeing that which is perfect but onely knowing in part to know and beleeue that God deliuers none from damnation but by his free mercy through our Lord IESVS-CHRIST and that he dammes none but by his most iust Truth through the same Lord Iâ—SVS-CHRIST But to know why he deliuers this partie rather then that let him sound who can so great a depth of his iudgemeÌ„ts but let him be ware of the precipice for these iudgements are not therefore vniust because they are hidden But why then doth he deliuer rather this man then that We saie againe ô maÌ„ who art thou that answerest God his iudgemets are incomprehensible and his wayes vnknowen and let vs adde this Doe not looke into things that are aboue thee and examine not that which is beyonde thy strength Now he granteth not them mercy to whom by a Truth most secrete and furdest remoued from mans thoughtes he iudgeth it not fit to communicate his fauours and mercy 6. We see sometimes twins whereof the one is borne aliue and receiues Baptisme the other in his birth loose his temporall life before he be regenerated to the eternall and consequently the one is heire of heauen the other is depriued of the inheritance Now why doth the diuine prouidence follow like birthes with so different effects Verily it might be answered that ordinarily Gods proâ—idence doth not violate the lawes of nature so that one of these twins being strong and the other too feeble to support the trauell of his deliuerie he died before he could be baptised th' other liued while the Diuine prouidence would not stop the course of naturall things which in this occurrence might be the reason why the one was depriued of Bapptisme And truely this is a solide answere But following the aduise of diuine S. PAVLE and S. AVGVSTINE we ought not to busie our thoughtes in this consideration which though it be good yet doth it in no respect enter into comparison with many others which God hath reserued and will shew vs in heauen Then saieth S. Augustine the secreet shall end why rather the one then th' other was christned the causes of both being equall and why miracles were not done amongst those who in case they had bene done had bene brought to repentance and were done amongst such as were not