wayes imperfect and short of Gods goonesse but in the mercies of God who notwithstanding all their unworthinesse vouchsafes his grace to them and in the merits of CHRIST which supply all their defects and be equall to the whole will of God The poore consider that if they should pride themselves in the effâ—cts of Gods grace he might justly withdraw his liberall hand and permit them to their owne nothing and that in true esteeme seeing that it is God that workâ—s all as St. Bernard concludes d De donis Sancti spiritâ—s c 2. Tanto quisque humilior esse debet quanto est superior so much the humbler should they be by how much the more they are advanced because the more they receive grace to doe the more they are indebted to the donor that inricht their poverty True humility retaines its owne propriety in the greatest fulnesse of grace as agnizing that it is still nothing of it selfe but all is of grace and in God that gives and continues Therefore our Lord that would not have us lye for humility e B Aug de verbis Apâ—st fol 28. wils us when we have done all to say wee are unprofitable Luk 17.10 In the flowre of our best deeds to be mindfull in whose vertue wee worke and how nothing is of our selves without CHRIST but imperfection and deficiency and how farre in our utmost wee are lesse then Gods mercies to us how remisse concurrers we were and users of Gods grace and gifts that our all is nothing to that we ought nothing to that we might were it not for our sinfull negligence and unproficiency Away then with all vaine-pleasing our selves and resting in what we have done S Chrys in Phil hom 2. Zaver in vita ejus l. c. 16. such coÌ„siderations beget solid humility f S. Chrys de compunctione Which is to do like Saints and yet tremble deject our selves more then sinners because our best is not correspondent to our receipts but unworthy of God and his loving kindnesse to us the poore of Sion in the faithfull use of their talents be much in judging themselves for their unfruitfulnesse and penutie in good and that is their glory to humble themselves more in their good deeds then ordinary people doe for their g Vtinam fratres mei utinam nos illam haberemus humilitatem in peccatis nostris quam Sancti habaerunt in virtutibus suis Guarricus in purificatione S. Mariae serm 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinnes The Poore as in despaire to acts of grace without attracture from above carry all their vertue in God not in themselves For as the ship attaines the Haven more by the benefit of the winde then the sayle so wee prosper more by actuall influences from God then our owne habits and h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S Basil de humilitate Labours A man may bee himselfe in the very habits and use of grace if he goe upon his own strength therein and not the grace of CHRIST to bee sufficient for him to begin and finish each Christian duty according as it is not he that lives but CHRIST that lives in him and breathes upon him by fresh and continuall inspirations St. PETER in confidence of graces received and habits in him put himselfe before his Brethren and thought to doe something of himselfe by vertue of those graces and Gods generall concourse who presuming of himselfe fell into a presumptuous sinne and came behinde those before whom he preferred himselfe CHAP. 3. and is an instance that except the LORD build a house the labourers labour in vaine and that our best way to have present and effectuall aid is to lie low in our selves and hang entirely upon GOD as our duty is to know our selves but poore men or rather wormes and therefore as comming out of the earth to S. Greg. Naz. ep 119 inter Basilianas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creepe by the ground to follow our Saviour and be of his company minding not high things but the least of the little ones for of our selves we are nothing yea as much worse then nothing as grace is better then sinne CHAP. III. The demeanure of the poore in externals SAint Gregory a i. Reg. l. 2. c. 1. pauper spirita esse non pâ—terit qui amare adhuc aeternos the sauros noscit ibid. l 5. c. 4. shewes that to make one of Gods poore is in contemplation of goods that never faile to raise the minde unto contempt of those that must needs perish Therefore he cannot be poore in Spirit that hath not learnt to love everlasting riches for till then he is not driven out of the creature whence Luk. 6.24 our Lord pronounces a woe to the rich because they have their consolation declaring their condition miserable that can satiate their joy with any worldly good which is no proofe of Gods speciall love which cannot remoove the guilt of sinne nor fill up the defâ—ct nor cure the maladie of the Spirit no more then fine apparell can heale an inner sore albeit the carnall heart dwels in flesh and rests in the contents thereof and attends not this insufficiency unlesse God pursue it and suffer not the creature to yeeld its common satisfaction Hos 2.7.5.13 Luk. 15 16.17 Saint Iames chap. 1.9 aptly enjoynes the brother of low degree to rejoyce in his exaltation that in Christs fraternitie hee was participant of true riches the rich in his humillation vers 10. as made low in spirituall poverty and apprehension of want in abundance and having outward things as if hee had them not without any repose in them wheras generally high degree keepes away sense of what is needfull to blisse and staies the soule in sensuall pleasures the portion of unreasonable creatures Psal 49.20 Homo cum in honore esset non intellexit ac si diceretur bonâ—r absorbuit intellectum S. Bern. ep 237. Iob was rightly called a perfect man when he was able in his hard triall with a noble imprecation to curse himselfe if he had rested his joy in transitory riches Cha. 31.25 If hee rejoyced because his wealth was great and his hand had gotten much Humilitie is a meere dependance on God and therefore stands alike affected to povertie riches ignominy honour sicknesse health as God bewils them and orders them for his glory and our soules good and nothing should so joy the lover of God as his will and the good pleasure of his eternall counsell in which hee ought to satisfie himselfe and bee as glad at the least as another would be the greatest De Kemp. de imitatione Christi l. 3. 12. Perfect humility inclines other things equall to that which hath most congruitie with the state of Christ in this world CHAP. 4. and which he hath sanctified adde the apter way of perfection and familiaritie with him and therefore to be as the LORD IESUS was rather abased in poverty and
Dacxian in speenlo Monachorum pag. 386. 387. desirous to doe the will of God in earth as it is done in heaven but satisfied with the daily bread which to that end hee begs the allowance of necessaries for Soule and Body which God affords him for the fulfilling of his Will in this life who alone is the meere determiner what quantities even of Heavenly and Angelicall bread are most fitting for us that wee may not be lift up but glorifie him in his gifts Now the inheritance of this Meeknesse is to repose the soule that complies with God in celestiall peace and tranquillitie that it may rejoyce and be quiet evermore and in every thing ballanced against all tempests releeved in all maladies According to that Proverbe Mansuetus homo cordis est medicus now hee were an ill Physitian if hee could not cure himselfe an ill Physitian of the heart if hee could not cure his owne impassion'd heart with the prescripts of reason and receits of grace Wee may take knowledge that the graces of the Spirit that seeme repugnant feare joy hope griefe have their mutuall intercourse as from the same Spirit whose operations bee divers but not contrary and as spontaneous and moved by faith they be coassistant and worke according to occasions from God without any impediment one to the other And Meeknesse therefore withstands not the acting of any Christian vertues but the miscarriage of the Flesh in them which faine would that its melancholike and distemper'd passions Inter lachrymas suspiria turbulent resistance of evill and inordinate appetite of good might goe for gracâ—s Thereupon in the ranke of the Eight happie men the Meeke is seated betweene the teares of the blessed Mourner and the fighes of blessed hunger Meeknesse is in the middle betweene bitter griefe and burning desire because it is not the lenity of the Spirit but the stupidity of the flesh which sorrow according to God doth not goe before and desire in the Lord follow Therefore the Meeke lament Sinne as who are with sorrow to fight against it and waste and wash away the remainders of it with their teares but so that repenting they pacifie themselves in CHRIST and be not tormented greatly with the remembrance of past and pardon'd sinnes but humbled onely and provoked to more abundant care and diligence 1. Cor. 15.9.10 They multiply also vehement desires but not impatient desire ever freedome from Concupiscence desire all perfection Phil. 4.8 but content those desires perpetually with Gods present assistance and dispensation CHAP. III. CHAP. 3. Of the carriage and benefit of Meekenesse in Temporalties WEe have done with the worke and so to say wages also of meeknesse in Spirituall matters consider wee now the use and fruit thereof in Temporall things in which the meeke deprecate excesse as much as want crave the happie meane reverence so farre the judgement of their heavenly Father as to count that the happie meane for them which his wise and good providence orders to them and so void of repine anxiety and coveting roule themselves upon God for the things of this life They deprecate excesse as much as want Prâ—v 30.8 Give mee neither poverty nor riches Paâ—e canonis mei ale me there is his craving the meane and standing to Gods judgement what is mediocrity The convenient provision for severall men is such a proportion of outward things as best availeth them to a happie life as the Philosopher admirably well described a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tanquam bonum nostrum sed tanquam necessarium nostrum S. August de serm Dom. in monte lib. 2. 16. Riches is a state proportioned unto blessednesse for that wealth is no otherwise to be desired thou as it promotes to a blisfull and vertuous life is not to bee sought as the one thing wee haâ—â—â—ood of but as things wee may make use of and 〈◊〉 our necessary any further then it may bee used to the Kingdome of God and instrumentall to the righteousnesse thereof Matth. 6.33 must not be aymed at by men as our scope but added by God as a vantage in his service Now no man can tell what portion of these outward things is most expedient for himselfe or another in order to Gods kingdome Eccles 6.12 who knowes what is good for man in this life Only God is the just and competent Iudge of mediocrity and competencie as who sees not alone what is in man as things are but what would bee in him if things were otherwise with him if Pro re nata i' th apparant 1. Sam. 23.10 Matth. 11.22 that God fore-knowes not onely what is and shall be but what might and would be occasions serving tho in defect of such applying matters it never be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is that God deare Christian who gives to every of his servants talents according to his severall abilitie Matth. 25.15 the faculty which hee hath to receive and imploy wherefore as the quality of Mettals is discern'd by the touchstone the weight of mettals by the scales So our conveniencie of states is discovered by Gods present ministration to each of the faithfull in their callings the due pondering whereof induces them to keepe moderation in all fortunes and occurrences Many may thinke themselves and be generally by others thought fit for riches honour promotion till they have them and then prove themselves unsufficient to weild them As TAC. a judicious Historian relates of Galba b Lib. 17 pag. 143. Major privato dum privatua sui t omnium consensu capâ—x imperij nisi imperasset that in the joynt esteeme of all men he had beene held meet for the Empire if hee had not beene Emperour To them then that exclame of fortune and imagine if their meanes were augmented they could better serve God and more profit men I tender this thought that God who loveth them beleeving and in charity more then they can love themselves is not so neglective I will not say of their good but of his owne glory but that hee who hath in hand the gold of both the Indies would raine gold into their bosomes if so they should bee furthered to the setting forth of his most worthy vertues and praises The meeke in honour of the divine hand that orders lots and accommodates to men their fortunes purge their spirits of repine and vexing at other mens aboundance and prosperity and of avaritious and immoderate desires and coveting that which is anothers and would not fit them or of any more then God collates on their industry and faithfull serving him in their stations in which they content themselves with the Revenues of their diligence and as Lactantius c Lib. 1. c. 4. Cibo extemporali quem Deus subministrat speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to utter it in the words of Dionysius Halicarnasseus epitomizing the oration of Isocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the extemporarie food which God supplies
all might since the munificence of God is so great CHAP 4. so great his loving kindnesse so great his liberality that he is ready at all thy desires for asmuch as it is he that â—oves thee to deâ—â—re and pray and permits no one desire or sâ—gh sent up to him to returne voide or empty for that I speake not of other secrets which he workâ—th in thy soule either he more clearely iâ—â—ightens thy heart or more effectually drawes or more sweetly aâ—ures or more deepely wounds or inflames with more vehement love or infuses new grace or increases and confirmes what was given before or he graciously refresheth thy minde or intimately joynes and unites himselfe CHAP. IV. Touching the way of freshing Spirituall appetite ST MARKE the Hermire rightly affirmes it a good beginning a De tempâ—â—â—â—â—â— in serm of grace when a man afflicts himselfe uses the helpe of hunger and thirst that he may not be full and thinks himselfe just and rich in grace It is a fine course to frequent fasting that men may have a feeling of their imperfection and not conceit themselves with Laodicea to bee wealthy and neâ—d nothing as it befell brightman and the Desciplinarians his admirers to take into their Faith an idle fancie that their Geneva is Paradice my Heaven upon earth perfect for Doctrine and Discipline and government and when none are more distempered to imagine none sound but themselves That we bee not sicke of like disease wee must by the meanes aforesaid sharpen our stomacke to the best things and the emulation of the primitive Church for voluntary disciplining our selves with the blessed Apostle 1. Cor. 9 in labour and watching and such kinde of restraints and devout exercises hath the force of affliction and the operation of Mandrakes to provoke appetite Cant. 7.13 The Mandrokes as one gathers out of b Lucas Abbaâ— in summariola ex Aponio Herba magni odoris inter caeteras virtutes his maximè dicitur tribuere medelam qui stâ—â—macho laborant ut nec continere nec appetere possunt cibos Cum magâ—â— desiderto in tribulatione requirunt cibos quos in delitiis fastidiebant APONIUS are a hearbe of strong savour and among other vertues chiefly medicinable for them that labour of a loathing stomache that can neither covet nor retaine their food which he interprets of afflictions that make men in their distresse with much desire to crave the food which they loath in their delights As surely under tribulation the Saints send forth more odoriferous smell the sweet odour of whose vertues which they scatter farre and wide others take to bee resemblâ—â— by Mandrakes and no question the zeale anâ— extraordinary devotion of spirituall men Angelomus is very operative to raise appetite in languishing soules Chriâ—tendome is growne coathy-stomackt men loath Manna and hunger for husks If notice be given that small doles of common meat shall be dispensed with what greedines and violence will multitudes croâ—d in bâ— when wisedome hath furnisht a table and invâ—â—â— good 〈◊〉 constitucions must â—â—â—pell them to come or Gods house will be empty and his board unprovided of guests Could we be perswaded now to goe in the Churches fields and scent the Mandrakes Matth. 13.7 how would the blessed Martyrs and Confessors religious men holy Virgins Widowes our zealous forefathers how would they have prized the means and opportunities that we neglect confer we the fresh appetite and active religion of our renowned Ancestors with the deadnesse of our barren faith and professing devotion and shall not men bee confounded for their indifferency and luke-warmnesse Now the best exercises to perfection holy dayes holy vowes holy vigils holy procession set fasts set prayers are lamentably slighted and those pious exercises that be frequented are generally followed more for custome then conscience and men are induced to â—â—te rathâ—r to satisfie others then for any hunger and whereas they should hunger and thirst heaven they hunger and thirst earth and this world nay hell and make provision for most unreasonable worse then heathenish lusts Then if there be any scent or savour in us let us smell the Mandrakes among other royall Dâ—â—â—d that breathes forth every where incomparable affection to Gods sweet ordinances patient Iob that esteemed the word above his appointed 〈◊〉 above other our deare Lord Iesus whose meaâ— and drink was to doe the will of his heavenly father that if our stomack be not 〈◊〉 killed we may recover appetite and be bleâ—â—â—d hungering and thirsting righteâ—â—shes DIONYSTUS CARTHUSIANUS was a learned and godly man he in his Sermons oft excites to this hunger therefore I will end this Chapter with a little touch of his ardent incentives to it Excellent and choise Christians are said to be full of grace not that they may not receive more grace but because they abound in the grace of God and gifts of the Spirit howbeit they dayly grow in grace and the more plentifull grace they have obtained the more abundantly they promerit to bee perfected in grace and the more they are replenished the apter are they rendered for the increasing of grace for which cause our SAVIOUR sayth to him that hath shall be given and hee shall abound grace issues of grace profiting is in order and serves to proceeding Furthermore as one sinne by the guilt and burthen of it inclines to another and makes a man more unworthy of grace therefore it is written peccator adjicit ad peccandum so one good worke disposeâ— to another for this is certaine that how much the more perfect and vehemenâ— any is in love so much the more earnest speedy readie frequent and fâ—â—vent affects hath hee to GOD and so much the more fully and frequently doth hee execute the Acts of other vertues in due time c De S. Stephano ser 1. Circa Epist and place Wherefore as Student of Spirituall affections wee are dayly to exceed our selves in our first fervour and first diligence and most vigilant custodie of our hearts and senses striving to grow in Faith Hope Charitie and the gifts of the d In festo conceptionis Mariae ser 6. blessed Spirit Labour â—e continually to avoid ordinary negligences vanity sloth lightnesse CHAP 4. I to abhorre all veniall sinnes quasi mortalia as if they were mortall to make dayly progresse in humility patience meeknesse sobriety and other morall vertues that we may learne wholly to breake represse and beate under foot the beastly movings and assaults of all passions cease we not a day to advance our hearts in Prayer unto our LORD and Maker to insist in close meditations wholly to devote our selves to vertuous deeds and often to intend and direct all things to the honour and glory of God that wee may truly say with the Psalmist oculi mâ—i semper ad Deum ever zealous and praying for the common good of the Church with burning desire and longing that GOD may be duely honoured of
Lord my God that they hast counted me worthy to render thine to thee and that of the goods of the world there remaines with me but the third part of a penny which also I bequeath to the poore that are my brethren in CHRIST Beloved why should we not be ever giving since we shall carry nothing with us onely if we have done good workes we shall carry them with us to the heavens or rather as St. ELIGIUS speakes they will carry us with them to heaven Å¿ Oâ—â—ra taâ—tumneo in bâ—nâ— si egerimus ipsa nobiscum ad coelos poâ—taâ—imus imo nos ipsa ad coelum portahunt apud B. Audâ—enum in vit ejus 4. Lâ—stly wee may meditate how almes and acts of mercy for their prelation above other vertues have appropriated to themselves the name of charity devotion good deeds good workes because there is no true religion without them Nay if we go no further then nature leads this vertue beares the name of humanity as very proper to men and because the more humane people be and instructed in liberall arts and sciences the more tender hearted and mercifull hence in all Greece mercy had an Altar and was adored onely at Athens Pausanias in Attiâ—is p. 49 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nurcery of learning and humanitie So both Christianity and humanity inforce mercy upon us if wee would bee found true in either wherefore the Apostles mutually exhort each other to remember the poore Gal. 2.10 And sithence all the holy Fathers and Doctours have urged nothing so much on Christians as Almes-deeds and workes of mercy And the Lord IESUS in the representation of his proceedings at the last judgment specifies mercy alone for the grace eternized with his coÌ„memoration All which considered as we have faculty and opportunity let us doe good to all especially to the houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 doe good without exception to worthy and u S. Isaac Presb. Antioch de contemptâ— mundi c 8. c 52. unworthy as St. ISAAC admonishes by that meanes thou maist bring the unworthy to good because the soule it quickly drawne by temporals unto the feare of God goodnesse is of a victorious nature yet in this case the prescript of St. GREGORY is seasonable to give panem refectionis cum verbo correptionis double food to him that sought but single instruction for his soule with refectioÌ„ for the body A benevolence kindely exhibited insinuates a wise reproofe into the heart removes prejudices from the minde against our good meaning and opens the inmost affections to receive information Doe good especially to Orthodoxe and sound beleevers For it is seemely to follow God and where he gives his spirit and best gifts there to multiply our chiefâ— collations The wicked leaving what in them is the godly to wants discover it to be but an evasion when they pretend to give no more because â—he needy are ungrate and undeserving To him that is not of the world but of the Church St. Chrys offers a rich thought thinke x Toâ— 5. ser 4 with thy selfe if heaven were ready to fall and God should honour thee so farre as to give thee power to support it wouldst thou not conceive it a great glory So now God vouchsafes thee a greater to sustaine that which he respects more then Heaven his faithfull members of whom the world is not worthy Heb. 11.38 If all the good of the world were weighed against one of them his worth would overpoise and weigh it down To contribute to the Saints is so high a service that the great Apostle desires the earnest prayers of the Church that he might be pleasing to them in his ministration Rom. 15.25.31 It is a noble function to be as Ratbert witnesses St. Adelhard was x Thesaurarius pauperum in vit S. Adelhard c. 13. Treasurer for the Poore To be a Kings Almoner is a great dignity and shall it not bee honour to be Almes-givers to the God of Heaven nay to give Almes to the King of Heaven feasting in the refreshed bowels of a Saint FINIS BEATI MVNDO CORDE THE PVRE A TREATISE OF PVRITIE handling the Sixt Beatitude BY IAMES BUCK Bachelour of Divinitie and Vicar of Stradbrooke in SVFFOLKE Prov. 30.12 There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet is not washed from their filthinesse Ier. 51.7 Calix aureus Babylon Quoniam qui a veritate deficit quarit illecâ—bram ut specie saltem pretiosa ad bibendum aliquos illicere possit B. Ambr. de Elia jejunio c. 15. NON SVM MELIOR PATRIBVS LONDON Printed by B.A. and T. F. for IOHN CLARK and WIL COOKE 1637. BEATI MVNDO CORDE MATTH 5.8 Blessed are the Pure in heart CHAP. I. Of the subject to be purified OVr Maâ—â—er is very Methodicall in propounding the â—â—â—â—â—â—des 〈…〉 after that of mercy which dâ—â—h most accomplish the practique life layes forth this of Purity that hath correspondence with the gift of understanding and doth beâ—â— dispose the contemplative And purity 〈◊〉 justly 〈…〉 â—â—de of Mercy as which 〈…〉 of in the intention 〈…〉 27. CHAP. 1. And mercy is of a very purging vertue Prov. 22.6 and cleansing the soule of uncharitable humours apts it for embracing and following all truth in love after the saying of blessed CHROMATIUS The Mercifull that carry the eyes of their heart sincere and cleare even to their adversaries may plainly without let or watering behold the unapproachable brightnesse of GOD for that clearenesse of conscience and puritie of heart suffer no Cloud betwixt the Lord and our sight In this Beatitude there is a gracious preparing of the minde for God Blessed are the pure in heart and a glorious revealing of God to the minde for they shall see God in the preparation you have the matter disposed the heart and the manner pure To the matter RICHARD VICTORINUS a Schooleman of rare contemplations saith That a reasonable a In lib. de Patriarcbis soule is the chiefe and principle glasse wherein to see God This the Israel of God must continually hold wipe looke on hold lest falling down it sinke to the earth in love wipe lest it bee soiled with the dust of vaine thoughts looke on that it divert not the eye and intention to vaine studies but keepe at home and learne to know it selfe and in it selfe God When the Lord in Scripture calles for the heart hee meanes thereby the powers of the reasonable Soule understanding and will And so CHRIST blesseth the pure in heart because that is the spring-head of rationall performances And therefore all opeâ—â—â—â—â—ns beeing from faculties if they bee purified from carnall and secular affections and aymes the whole man shall be ordered unto God as if the fountaine bee pure the streames runne cleere hence Matth. 23.26 our Lord willes us to cleanse that which is within that the outside may be claue also Druthmar in Matth. and Prov. 4.23 We are required