diuell comforting himselfe in the meane time in God and relying on his loue This same friendship among the faithfull will serue the better to make them know themselues For seeing we be blind in our imperfections we ought to borrow our friends eyes and lend them ours to the end we may mutually reprehend and correct one another The serious reprehensions of a friend do more good then praises were they neuer so true Whoso shall take away from friendship the libertie of reprehending leaueth nothing that may distinguish it from flatterie And seeing that we are naturally lame and benūmed in things touching Gods seruice we must employ the helpe of our friēds to the end they may bring vs into this bath to receiue healing For God communicateth not his graces vnto vs that they should fade and vanish with vs but that we might multiply our talent and that the spring of his spiritual benedictions which he causeth to breake forth in vs may run out and serue for instruction to our neighbors as Christ saith to S. Peter But thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren For if God command vs to take vp our enemies strayed beast how much more to reforme the soule of our friend when it wandereth out of the way of saluation This communication also among the faithfull bringeth comfort in affliction which being deuided among many is more easily borne Many small brooks reunited in one channell carrie great vessels many afflicted spirits ioyning thēselues together by concord mutuall support will easily beare an affliction And the word of God witnesseth vnto vs that God looketh on hearkneth vnto and taketh pleasure in the consolations and mutuall exhortations of his children So the Prophet Malachie in the 3. chapter saith that when the proud are esteemed happie and the bad aduanced then those which feared the Lord spake one vnto another the Lord was attentiue and heard and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them which feare the Lord and think on his name and they shall be mine said the Lord when I shall lay apart my most precious iewels O how precious a treasure is a vertuous friend fearing God! And would to God that as we are vsed to know by certaine markes the goodnesse and courage of a horse so also in the choise of friends that we might with the sight of a man know his vertue but the lurking holes of the spirit of a man are so deep that he deceiueth both himselfe and others and he is hidden euen from himselfe Yet by a mans innocencie of his actiōs sobrietie of his words by the simplicitie of his habit by his zeale and ardour in Gods cause by his disesteem of gain by his eschuing of pleasures you may very probably know the puritie of his mind within euē as by the sparks coming forth of a heape of ashes men know the hidden fire The third helpe of the loue of God THe disesteeme likewise and hatred of the world doth not a litle aide vnto the loue of God For the loue of the world saith S. Iames is enmitie against God And S. Iohn likewise If anie one loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him By the world I vnderstand humane busines worldly pomp carnall enticements earthly desires deceitful and vncertaine hopes who so loueth God will looke on these things with disdaine He wil passe ouer all the ages of man from his conception vnto his rotten sepulcher he will consider in all the conditions and states of his life his certaine miserie his vncertain hopes vnfruitfull gaine that he may say with Salomon Vanitie of vanities all is vanitie Looking on these things with a disdaine mingled with compassion a disdaine extending euen vnto hatred when he shall consider wickednesse to be mingled with vanitie and the diuell to haue so established his reigne in the world that it is a kind of miracle and prodigie to see therein a good man So as the Prophet Esay acknowledgeth chap. 8. Behold me saith he and the children which the Lord hath giuen me for a signe and for a miracle in Israel Now if it were a miracle in Israel to see a familie instructed in the feare of the Lord how much more amongst infidels and if in Ierusalem how much more in Babylon It is then without reason that we wonder when wee see examples of disloyaltie crueltie vncleannesse seeing that on the contrary the Spirit of God teacheth vs to hold the example of pietie and the feare of God for a miraculous and vnusual thing These and such like considerations ioyned vnto the feeling of the excellencie of the children of God will cause the faithfull to esteeme himselfe better then the world and looking on the earth as a place cursed will liue therin as a passenger and traueller as an Englishman that should trauell ouer Persia or Tartaria intending to returne into his countrey For hee will not answer as that Philosopher who being enquired of what countrey he was answered that he was a citizen of the world but the faithfull saith he is a stranger in this world and a citizen of heauen and therfore withdrawing his affection from the world and raising vp his heart vnto God he doth like him who from the top of the Alpes where the aire is cleer looketh vpō the fields beaten with tempest the country all about foggie and mistie and there reioyceth him self resting himselfe vpō the loue of God which hath deliuered him frō this general male dictiō So in the 29. Psalme after hauing represented the tearing of the Cedars the shaking of the mountaines and the discouering of the forrests by the force of the thundering voice of God he withdraweth the children of God out of this confusiō and assembles them into Gods pallace where hee is glorified and assures himselfe that God wil giue peace and strength vnto his people For in this pallace of God which is his church doth sound that voice not which shaketh the mountains but which assureth our hearts not that voice which rooteth vp the Cedars but that which comforteth our consciences not that which causeth the Hindes to cast their yong ones but which maketh vs to conceiue hope It is the word of the Gospell in which God layeth open the treasures of his loue in which whosoeuer shall take a relish he shall finde the sweetes of the world to be bitternesse and hating the same wil learne to loue God Now we say this not to discharge our selues of all earthly things this carelesnes of the world hindereth not the loue of our children nor the care of our family nor our endeuour in the administration of our magistracie but the faithful will do these things as a passenger fits himselfe in the best manner he may at some Inne He who is not to stay there aboue a night will not stand to build a wall and if he suffer there any discommodity he wil patiently digest it because it is but a
which God hath giuē you serueth you but to feele griefe more sensibly or that God hath made you great that your teares might haue the greater fall Time which easeth the most ignorant people of their euils cannot it finish the sighes of a person whom God hath so much enriched with his knowledge Shall it not be better to ioy in future good things which are great and certaine then to afflict our selues for euils past which are remediles Herein surely God is offended if in worldly crosses we find more occasion of griefe then matter of ioy in heauēly riches And wrongfully do we complaine of our afflictions seeing we hurt our selues we doe vnderhand as it were confesse that God hath not afflicted vs enough The Psalmist saith indeed that God putteth vp our teares into his bottels as precious things but he speaketh of teares bred of repentance or of griefe to see God blasphemed and despised amongst men For God gathereth not vp obstinate tears which extending themselues beyond their limits occupie the time due to consolation How many times giuing your selfe to reading haue you bedewed the holie scripture with your teares and yet this booke containeth the matter of our ioy And in the booke of Psalmes the tunes wherof you loue and yet much more the matter where you see your own picture and the anatomie of your inward affections Haue you not obserued that all the Psalmes which haue their beginnings troubled and whose first lines containe nothing but profoūd sighes and broken complaints do end in delight and termes which witnes contentment and peace of conscience Let your tears Madame be formed vpon this example and let them end in spirituall ioy Let your faith raise her selfe from vnder her burthen and let the sluces of afflictions which God hath stopped her course withal make her to runne forth with the greater impetuousnes let her take strēgth from resistance Hereunto the meditation of Gods graces will much serue you the which if you coūterballance with your euils they will mightily weigh them downe The onely attention of future glorie which you apprehend by faith can it not digest all bitternesse That faith which filled the Martyrs with ioy in the midst of their present torments may she not in our rest comfort vs against the memorie of passed euils And you who acknowledge what seruitude those people liue in which are dragged into perdition by the inuisible chaines of opiniō and custome can you sufficiently magnifie the grace which God hath giuen you in honoring you with his alliance and enlightning you with his truth Yea and in your life time how many of Gods assistances how many difficulties happily ouergone God hauing giuē you the grace to be alone in your family an example of constancie and holy perseuerance in the profession of his truth hauing made you great that in the contradiction of the world you might be an example of firmenesse and constancie And yet admit your wounds were more grieuous as taking all at the worst our liues being so short they cānot long last for you are not troubled to seeke consolations against death seeing that death it selfe is a consolation vnto vs. For God if he receiue the sighs which wee powre foorth in our praiers much more regardeth he the sighes which our soules giue vp vnto him in our deaths Which being a place of shelter and which putteth our soules into securitie we ought not onely looke for his coming but euen go forth to meete him hastening his comming by our desires by the example of S. Paul who saith that his desire tendeth to dislodge and be with Christ And to say with Dauid O when shall I present my selfe before Gods face For our soules being bound vnto our bodies by two bonds wherof the one is naturall and the other voluntarie if through hatred and contempt of life present we vntie the voluntary bond waiting the time when God shall breake the naturall death then coming shall find the businesse begun and our soules prepared to this dissolution These cogitations Madame and such like haue hitherto giuen you consolation the which although you be sufficiently prouided of and haue alwayes readie many spirituall remedies yet you borrow from other the receipts and haue thought that I could contribute something to your consolation And to this effect hauing heard talke of some of my Sermons vpon the Loue of God you would needs make vse of the power you haue ouer me demanding them of me in writing knowing well that of the discontentments of this life there is no such gentle remouall as the loue of God or more stronger remedy then that he loueth vs. Herefrom I drew backe a long time partly through idlenesse accompanied with some other distractions partly through feare apprehending your iudgement which far surpassing ordinarie spirits feedeth it self not vpon vulgar meates At length after long delay being not any longer able to striue against your instant requests which are vnto me as so many commandements I haue let this discourse come forth in publick vnder the protection of your name to the end that the imperfections thereof may likewise be imputed vnto you and that you might beare also a part of the blame for hauing assisted at the birth of that which ought not to haue seene the light but I shall be easily excused as hauing obeyed you For honor shal it euer be vnto me to execute your cōmandements and to employ my selfe to do you most humble seruice as being your Most humble and most obedient seruant Peter du Moulin A Table of the Chapters and principall points contained in this Treatise of the Loue of God OF true and false loue Chap. 1. fol. 1. Fiue degrees of the loue of God Chap. 2. fol. 24. 1. Degree to loue God because of the good he doth vs and which we hope to receiue of him fol. 28. 2. To loue God for his own sake because he is soueraignlie excellent and chieflie to be beloued fol. 45. 3. Not onlie to loue God aboue all things and more then our selues but also not to loue anie thing in this world but for his sake Fol. 67. 4. To hate our selues for the loue of God Fol. 79. 5. Is the loue wherewith we shall loue God in the life to come Fol. 94. Of the marks and effects of the loue of God Cha. 3. Fol. 102. 1. Marke is that it extinguisheth all voluptuous loue Fol. 105. 2. That it is the peace and tranquillitie of the soule Fol. 122. 3. That it is charitie to our neighbours Fol. 136. 4. And the pleasure to cōmunicate often with God Fol. 153. 5. It is the zeale of the glorie of God Fol. 184. Fiue meanes or aids to inflame vs in this loue of God Chap. 4. Fol. 202. 1. Meanes is the image of vices Fol. 206. 2. The choise of friends Fol. 215. 3. The hatred of the world Fol. 226. 4. Prayer Fol. 238. 5. The hearing and reading of the word of
God Fol. 254. CHAP. I. Of true and false Loue. LOue is that point of our spirites whereby she ioyneth her selfe vnto obiects That which is weight in heauie things Loue is the verie same in our soules For as weight moueth earthly bodyes towardes the place of their rest so loue moueth our soules towardes that obiect which promiseth rest contentment Whereupon it followeth that as heauie things doe moue in a direct line towards the place of their rest so if we will attaine vnto any perfect repose our loue must go right and haue an equall motion 1 True loue then is that same which giueth rest and contentment vnto the soule whereas false loue is an irregular agitation and endlesse motion Such is worldly loue which we see to be filled with vnquietnesse and not to stay his agitation but through wearisomnesse or despaire which is no rest but an vnablenesse to moue because that force failing desire doth still continue like vnto a tied horse which gnaweth his bit Such are almost all men they haue many desires and little power they most desire that they can least do neither being able to obey or command their couetousnes They cannot obey it because of their weaknes nor commaund it because of their incontinencie So that if a man enioy without any let that which he loueth that verie easinesse it selfe bringeth him a distast withal For worldly loue is enflamed by resistaÌ„ce and nourished with difficulties like vnto those fishes which loue to be in violent streames and floud-gates but do die in a still water The cause of this vnquietnesse is because that our loue chuseth false obiects and which cannot satisfy couetousnesse For if you passe your eie vpon all which is best and most pleasing in the world you shall not finde therein any firme and stable quiet but a chaine of cares linked together a web of perpetuall vnrest The most graue sweetes are sowâ—ed in bitternes The atcheiuement of riches pleasure and honour is painfull and many perish in the pursuite therof the possession is vncertaine but the losse certaine For if these things leaue not vs by some accident we shall leaue theÌ„ by death These are things which are bestowed not onely vpon the wicked but euen because they are bad as being rewards of wickednesse To expose a mans loue towards these things is but a pursuing of the winde and a perpetuall trauell For euen when these things might be termed alwaies good yet are they vncertaine A man cannot take good aime at a flying fowle nor haue any assured designement aiming after transitorie goods and pleasures We must seek our rest then some other where theÌ„ on earth and turne the edge of our loue towards heauen For euen as the lower part of the elementary region is the seate of windes tempests and earthquakes but that part towards heauen is alwaies peaceable stil so our loue shall be euer full of vnquietnes whilest it setteth it self vpon base things but it shall find rest if it raise it selfe towards heaueÌ„ Gods promises And for this cause is it that in the middest of tempestuous wether at sea the needle of the Compasse remaineth alwayes vnmoueable and stayed vpon one point namely be cause it gouerneth it self by the Pole In like sort the soule of a faithfull Christian in the midst of the confusioÌ„s of this world most grieuous afflictions shall enioy a most assured peace because his loue aimeth at heauen and stayeth it selfe vpon Gods promises which is the true obiect of our loue which alone is to be chiefly loued which can make vs louely in louing vs and which alone can yea will make them happie who loue them As the Apostle S. Paul saith The eie of man hath not seene his eares heard nor hath euer entred into his hart what things God hath prepared for those which loue him Also he promiseth in S. Iohn To come vnto him which loueth him and to dwell with him Admirable loue which maketh our soules to be the pallace of the King of heauen and the sanctuarie of his Spirit 2 Philosophie leadeth vs hereunto at vnawares for it hath for a generall Maxime that God and nature make nothing in vaine Now this infinit desire this vn satiable appetite which is in man should be in vaine if there were not something to content it which being not found vpon earth must be sought for in heauen and towards God who is infinite goodnesse 3 Adde hereunto that God hauing created the world for mans vse hath without all doubt created man for some better thing then the world to wit for God himselfe 4 And that amongst all creatures God hath created man alone vnto his Image alone with vpright stature visage erected vpwards to the end he might loue him whose resemblance hee beareth and that his desire and his loue might aime at heauenly things 5 Adde we hereunto that the perfection of our spirits cannot be but in the vnion with the Chiefe of spirits which communicateth his vertue vnto the creature in like fashioÌ„ as the Sunne darteth out his beames that is giueth it in such sort that it yet dependeth vpon him after hauing giuen it 6 Moreouer true loue is that which transformeth the louer into the thing beloued Now if a deformed man loue a corporall beautie neuer shall hee by that loue correct his owne imperfection contrariwise by louing God we become like to him and as the Apostle saith in the 2. Corinth chap. 3. Beholding as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face we are changed into the same image 7 Finally beauty being the first sparke of loue we shall see hereby how that which we call loue is not so but only a superficial colour which couereth filth but that light is true beautie God then being the first light father of lights is also the chiefe beautie and by consequent hee that we ought chiefly to loue Yet humane Philosophie disagreeth here in one point from diuine which is the word of God For naturall Philosophie holdeth that naturall motion is alwayes better then that which is against nature On the coÌ„trarie in matter of loue the Scripture teacheth vs that the loue contrarie vnto our nature is better then the natural For sithence Sathan by seducing Adam hath disfigured the Image of God in man mans desires haue turned towards the world and in a maner our loue hath bene fallen headlong downe from heauen to earth The affections of the flesh are enmity with God Rom. 8. If any one loue God it is not of his owne nature but it is a gift of God Wherefore our Lord Iesus in the eight of Saint Iohn saith that none can come to him if his Father draw him not And the Apostle S. Paul pulling vs out of the mire and thicke mud commandeth vs to seeke the things which are on high Coloss 3. ver 1 2. For the saying of the Apostle S. Iohn is most true
that we must loue God because he hath loued vs first This is also one of the effects of the loue of God towards vs to wit our loue towards him And there is nothing that we ought to demaund of God with more feruencie then to haue the grace to loue him for this is vnto the faithfull a witnesse that God loueth him it is the first effect of faith it is a most expresse trace of Gods image it is the most liuely marke of Gods children This loue is the soule of other vertues the rule of our actions the summary of the law This loue is the vpholder of Martyrs the ladder of heauen the peace of conscience yea I dare say it is a tast and a beginning of the vnion and communication which we shal haue with God in heauen Our meditation cannot chuse a more excellent subiect for what is there which is greater then God or more sweete thē his loue The profit likewise is no lesse then the sweetnesse for men are good or bad not because they beleeue but because they loue Those be good which loue good things and amongst good things what is there like vnto God who not onely is soueraignely good but who also maketh them good which loue him Let vs then endeuour so to do and to be disciples vnto the holy Spirit which is loue it selfe and which will forme our hearts vnto loue lest we be deceiued vnder this name of loue and lest we should take for this true loue a corporall loue an importunate itching a furious heate to wit the worst of vices for the chiefe of vertues a brutall sicknesse for an Angelicall perfection I know truly that he who shall dispose himselfe to loue God with al his heart to neglect all other considerations in regard of his seruice shall necessarily incurre the hatred of the world whose loue is enmitie with God as the Apostle Saint Iames saith But God causeth this hatred of the world to profite vs for as the Apostle saith All things together one with another turne to the good of those which loue God Euils become blessings vnto them corporall afflictions are so many spiritual exercises vnto them the sicknesses of the bodie are medicines vnto their soules for in the hands of this soueraigne Physitiō verie poison it selfe becometh a medicine his strokes are balme as Dauid saith and in suffering for Gods cause there is not onely matter of patience but euen occasion of glory They are like scarres on the forehead honorable maimes conformities vnto Iesus Christ liueries of a Christian souldier And all through the vnderpropping of this loue whose sweetnesse tempereth this bitternesse and maketh vs reioyce for his names sake Some one will say that the loue of God is an excellent vertue indeed but that to loue him we must know him before and that we cannot know him in this life but with a slender obscure knowledge This is true but for all this we must not let to study the same we must not suffer ignorance to be cause of negligence for wee cannot haue so litle knowledge of God but it will profit vs and stirre vs vp vnto the loue of God One beame of his light is worth the whole Sun A man were better to haue an obscure knowledge of God then a cleare vnderstanding of naturall things If a beam of the Sun do enter into an obscure den or dungeō the prisoner by this little snip knoweth the beautie of light so the little which wee haue of the knowledge of God is sufficient to giue vs a taste of his excellencie and to inflame vs with his loue Moreouer the knowledge which Gods giues vs of himselfe is not so small but it is sufficient vnto saluation and the obligations which we owe vnto the goodnesse of God the causes of our loue are fully represented vnto vs in the word of God where the Apostle Saint Paul herald of the said word saith That vnto vs is declared all the counsell of God Acts 20. 27. CHAP. II. Fiue degrees of the Loue of God WE are so vncapable of the loue of God that we are euen ignorant what it is This herbe groweth not in our garden it is a gift from aboue comming from the Father of lights who is loue charitie it selfe as saith Saint Iohn It is a licour which God powreth into our soules by drops as into narrow mouthed vessels Wherefore to deale with our selues according to our owne slownesse we will endeuour to receiue it into our mindes by little and little and by easie steps to bring our selues to the highest degree of loue There are fiue degrees of this loue the lowest whereof being the most imperfect doth serue notwithstāding to raise vs to the highest 1 The first degree is to loue God because of the good which hee doth vs and which we hope to receiue of him 2 The second degree is to loue him for his owne sake because he is soueraignely excellent and most excellently amiable 3 The third is not only to loue God aboue al things and more then our selues but also not to loue any thing in the world but for Gods loue 4 The fourth is to hate our selues for Gods sake 5 Aboue all which degrees that loue of God excelleth wherewith we shall loue him in the life to come A loue which burneth in the breasts of Saints and Angels which stand before his throne of glorie We call these sorts of loue degrees and not kinds because the higher degrees containe the inferiour euen as the most excellēt white differeth frō other whitenesse lesse cleare not in kinde of colour but in degree steps vpō which wee must get vp and vpon each of them stay a little our spirits The first degree THe first and lowest step is to loue God because of the good which he doth vs. Vpon this degree of loue was Dauid when in the 116 Psalme he saith I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice and so in the 18. Psalme For God will be loued for doing good vnto vs. It is God which hath made vs which keepeth and guideth vs which nourisheth our bodies and instructeth our soules redeemeth vs by his Sonne gouerneth vs by his holy Spirit teacheth vs by his word maketh vs his seruants yea his friends yea his children yea euen one with himselfe Plato philosophizing vpon the grace of God according as he was able gaue thankes vnto him for three things 1. For that he had created him a mā not a beast 2. That he was borne a Grecian and not a Barbarian 3. That not onely so but a Philosopher also We that are instructed in a better schoole do otherwise distribute our thanksgiuing and do praise him for three things also 1. That amongst all his creatures he hath made vs men created after his owne image 2. That frō amongst all sorts of men hee hath made vs Christians 3. That amongst those which beare
Word eternall Wisedom God euerlastinglie blessed That Sonne which Esay calleth the Father of Eternitie would make himselfe the Sonne of man to the end that we might be children of God yea was content to be borne in a stable to the end that wee might be receiued into heauen to be borne amongst beasts to the end that wee might be companions with Angels Hee who is the Word it selfe was content to stammer as a childe to the end that wee might speake vnto God in all libertie He who is the bread of life was content to be an hungred to the end we might be satisfied He who is the fountaine of life was content to be athirst to the end our soules might be moistned Briefly he who is life it selfe hath suffered death that hee might giue vs life All this for vile creatures yea enemies vnto God that he might make them of slaues vnto Sathan his owne children and transport them from hel into his kingdom These are the bottomlesse pits of the bountie goodnesse of God which do gently swallow vp our soules there is pleasure to lose ones selfe therein For these are the bottomlesse depths of the grace of God which passe our vnderstanding but doe recreate our hearts which giue matter of admiration and also no lesse subiect of consolation Here are the highest witnesses of his loue here are all his fatherly affections layed open all the riches of that grace which the Angels themselues admire and as Saint Peter saith endeuour to pry profoundly into louing in this case the goodnesse of God not for their owne profit but in respect of God himselfe for Iesus Christ is not come into the world for their redemption Now to what end all this but that wee should loue him who hath so much loued vs and admire with ioy the treasures of his grace O God as thy greatnesse is incomprehensible so also thy bountie is infinite our spirits are stopped with this contemplation our words are beneath our thoughts and our thoughts yet much lower then the truth We speake of this greatnesse but stammeringly our praises do abase thee we draw the picture of the Sun with a coale But ô God raise vp our soules to thee and if our spirits be too weake to know thee make our affections ardent to loue thee Thou who wast pleased to be our Father touch our hearts with a filiall affection Thou which giuest vs occasion to loue thee giue vs also the motions thereof For as much as we are poore in meanes so much are we vncapable to receiue them and to loue thee after hauing receiued them if thou thy selfe doest not plant thy loue in vs. All these considerations do raise vp our spirits to loue God not for our selues but for his owne sake which appeareth also in this that our loue to God cannot be well directed if it be not formed vpon the modell of that loue wherewith God hath loued vs. Now God loueth vs for the loue of himselfe as he saith by the mouth of Esay It is I it is I that blotteth out thy sinnes for mine owne sake And it is the prayer which Daniel maketh in his ninth chapter Lord heare Lord pardon Lord tarrie not but hasten for thine owne sake for thy name hath bene called vpon this citie and vpon thy people God considereth that we beare his image hee considereth that wee are vnworthy of his grace but that it is a thing worthy of his bountie to do good vnto the vnworthy and which is more to make them worthy by doing them good He considereth that his Church is like vnto a flock which carieth his name and is called the people of God and therefore he will not let it be Sathans prey nor a matter of triumph vnto the aduersarie The third degree of the loue of God THe third degree or step is so to loue God aboue all things that we should loue nothing in the world but for his sake For example there are many persons and many things in the world that wee cannot keepe our selues from louing yea and it would be ill done not to loue them So a father loueth his children a wife her husband our kindred allies neighbours and friends haue part in this amitie So a man loueth his health his house his land his studie c. To go about to dispossesse a man of the loue of these things would be an inhumane doctrine and more then tending to brutalitie He is worse then an infidell that hath not care of his familie saith the Apostle Pietie rooteth not out these affections but doth husband them and of mistrisses which they were maketh them but handmaids vnto the loue and feare of the Lord. No more then Iosua would kill the Gibeonites but subiected them vnto the seruice of Gods house For then doth a father loue his children as hee ought if in bringing them vp he purpose to vse them as mē do yong plants which shall one day bring forth fruite to the glorie of God If he so remember himself to be their father that he be yet more mindfull that God is his Then a man loueth his friends as he ought when he loueth them because they loue God and because hee seeth the image of God shining in them So we shall then iustly loue health when wee shall loue it not because it is more gamesom and without paine but because it bringeth vigour vnto our bodies and libertie vnto our mindes to serue God in our vocation The like ought to be said of riches of honours of knowledge things which one may honestly loue prouided that their loue doe not distract vs from the loue of God but may rather thereto aduance help vs to performe good workes And as there is not any so little brooke but it leadeth vnto the sea so let these goodnesses of God seeme they neuer so smal leade our thoughts to this great depth of the goodnes and greatnesse of God Briefly all our liues and affections towards our neighbours shal be well squared out when they shal be branches brooks of Gods loue and a reflection of our sight which from God glanceth vpon his image Neuer loue the persons for that which is about them but for what is in them Esteem not of men as of purses for the money which is therein If you honour a man because he is well clothed by consequēce ought we to salute sattin in whole peeces If you account of a man for his honours sake you tie his dignitie to his titles and to his habite which things being takē away there is no more of any thing which ought to be loued as a horse which carieth an idoll which being takē away hath no more reuerences done about him On the contrary if you loue a man because he feareth God because he is firme in the faith forward in the knowledge of God true in his words iust in his actions charitable towards the afflicted burning with the
to these allurements possessing as saith Saint Paul our vessels in holinesse abstain your selues not onely from euill but also from all appearance and occasions of euill Eschue idlenesse for it is the pillow of vices Let Satan coming to assaile you find you euer occupied Flie bad companie filthy talke books of loue for they are fire-brands of lust the hookes and baits of the diuel None cometh to do euill but by these accessaries yea the euill is alreadie in these accessaries Many will say that they are chast of bodie but their eyes their eares and their thoughts are culpable of lust Yet Christ saith that he who looketh on his neighbours wife to lust after her hath already committed adultery The best companie and the best busines to diuert our minds from this euill is the carefull reading of the word of God ioyned vnto prayer Saint Augustine in the eight book of his Confessions cap. 8. 12. saith that when he was vpon termes of rendering himselfe a Christian that which most troubled him was that hee must leaue his fornication and that in this combatfull anguish hee withdrew himselfe into a garden where twice he heard the voice of a child as it were coming from the houses hard by saying Take and reade At this voice he tooke the booke of the Epistles of S. Paul and chanced at the first opening of the booke on this text of the 13. chapter to the Romains where he saith Let vs walke honestlie as in the day time not in riot and drunkēnesse not in chambering and wantonnesse neither in strife or enuie but put you on the Lord Iesus Christ and haue no care of the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof There was enough for him and thereupon were it that this voice came from God or that it chanced by other meanes he resolued to follow the counsell of the Apostle who without looking for any reuelation therupon doth sufficiently manifest vnto vs the wil of God touching the laying off of these desires The second marke of the loue of God THis same loue bringeth forth another effect by which it is to be knowne to wit the peace and tranquillitie of the soule it chaseth away feares asswageth cares sweetneth afflictions For what euill soeuer happeneth him who loueth God he wil euer remember the sentence of the Apostle Rom. 8. That all things turne to the best for them which loue God Euen their crosses becom blessings their bodily pouerty is a spiritual diet vnto them their banishments teach them to leaue the world their sequestring from honors is their approch vnto God their enemies are their Physitions causing them to be warie and to liue in Gods feare Their corporall diseases are spirituall cares death is an entrie into life and a bringing forth by which the soule is deliuered of the bodie as of her last after-birth and cometh forth of a darke den to enter into Gods light The passage through afflictions resembleth the passage of the red sea for the wicked are ouerwhelmed therein they are vnto them forerunners of damnation but the faithfull and Gods people finde that way a passage vnto the land of promise This verie same loue of God will suggest vnto the faithfull this thought Seeing that I loue God it is certaine that he loueth me For Saint Iohn saith that we loue him because he loued vs first For I had not naturally in me any inclination to loue him but it was hee who louing me framed my heart to loue him Now if God loue mee he intendeth my good and he can do all that he will nothing hapneth but according to his will He will not then permit that any euill happen me he will turne my euils vnto good for my saluation he will leade me thereunto through a way thornie vnto flesh but healthfull to my soule Briefly the loue of God excludeth feares and is the prop of our assurance as saith the Apostle Saint Iohn There is no feare in charitie but perfect charitie driueth forth feare This same loue sweetneth afflictions and maketh our Lords yoake easie and tollerable For you shall see by experience that in a house where loue is great betweene the husband and the wife they passe the bad time ouer with content and haue mutuall consolatiō one of another yea to haue a faithfull friend into whose bosome you may shed your teares and powre forth your complaints doth bring a man much ease although it bring no remedy How much more shall the faithfull soule find feele in the loue of his God of God who not onely knoweth our euils counteth our sighes layeth vp our teares in his vessels but who can and will remedie them and not onely remedie them but turne them to good giuing vs in our afflictions not onely occasion to suffer but euen matter of reioycing So the faithfull speake in the 46. Psalm Let the waters of the sea make a noise and let the mountaines shake by the rising of his waues in the meane time the brookes of the riuer shall reioyce the city of God These troblesome waters are the people banded against God as is expounded in the Apocalypse chapter 17. These brookes which in the meane time do reioyce the holy citie are the instructiōs of Gods word whose voice is our consolation For in his afflictions the faithfull will turne aside his eyes from his enemies and from all second causes and will say Lord it is thou that hast done it I receiue this affliction at thy hand make this proue healthfull vnto me and permit not that I euer come to murmur against thee or to kicke against the pricke We swallow with the better resolution a bitter potion when it is presented vs by a friendly hand whose ignorance or falshood we feare not We finde all these things in God who moreouer maketh venomes themselues to prooue good medicines So the loue of God is a retraite and shelter against all anguish it is the groūd of true peace it is the prop of our assurance which causeth vs to despise the threatnings of men to looke on the enterprises of great men and the risings of people with disdaine which causeth vs to find ease on the rack and to looke on deaths face with assurance and take off his maske to see Iesus Christ which cometh vnto vs vnder that shew which maketh the faithful to stand vpright in the middest of the ruines of his country This holy loue made S. Paul to say Rom. 8. If God be with vs who shall be against vs He which hath not spared his owne Sonne but deliuered him ouer for vs how shall not he giue vs all things with him Let vs likewise say He that laieth vp our teares wil not he gather vp our prayers He without whose prouidēce a sparrow lighteth not on the ground wold he permit that our soules should fall into hell for lacke of caring for them Hee who extendeth his care to gather vp our teares yea to count
zeale of Gods house you shall neuer want occasion to loue him Take away from him his goods his honours yea his cloathes yea euen his bodie all these ornaments will remaine and that excellencie which consisteth in the image of God and the graces of his Spirit I am not ignorant that the secrets of mens hearts are very deep and oftentimes the friends which a man chuseth for vertuous do becom vicious or else shew they were neuer otherwise In this case the man which loueth God ought to reprehend his friend and to reforme him if he can possible Flatterie hath takē away from true friendship all his termes except the libertie to reprehend To be afraid to chide ones friend lest wee should offend him is a respect full of crueltie as if whē hee were readie to be drowned thou shouldst feare to catch him by the haire of the head lest hee should leese a haire or two If by these reprehēsions thy friend do not amēd the friendship of a man must then giue place vnto Gods loue We must do like Moses who made vse of his rod whilest it was a rod but fled from before it when it became a serpent And yet in this case it were better to separate our selues by little and little and to vnsow friendship rather then to teare it asunder Vnto all these difficulties the loue of God serueth as a rule Many heathen haue gathered a number of precepts of friendship but haue not discouered this secret which ruleth all their rules that is to learne first to loue God and to cause our friendships to be deriued frō his loue Such as the braine is vnto the sinewes the liuer vnto the veines and the heart vnto the arteries that very same is the loue of God vnto humane friendships that is to say they are but threds and branches which depend thereon This diuine loue not being therein friendships are no friendships but a conspiration an accord or agreemēt to disagree with God friendships grounded vpon pleasure or vpon gaine which ceasse when pleasures leese their taste through age or when profite diminisheth or is not equally distributed but friendships groūded vpon the loue of God are firme because they are grounded vpon a sure foundatiō Which loue ought so far to aduance it selfe that for the loue of God we ought not onely to loue our friends but euen our enemies because God willeth it Matth. 5. Because that amongst these enmities some marks of Gods image do yet appeare because they are as it were rods in Gods hand for our amendment and inforcements vnto his feare The fourth degree of the loue of God WE are not yet at the highest For we must come euen to the hating of our selues for the loue of God For euen as there is not in man any loue more strong or more naturall then the loue of our selues so is it that same which most resisteth the loue of God and which is most vneasy to be surmounted That which the shirt is in our cloathing the same is the loue of our selues in our affections to wit that which is last put off There we are to fight a great combat it is as it were Sathans last intrenchment frō whence he is vneasily driuen away Yet none can loue God as he ought who hateth not his owne nature who is not grieued at his owne desires and maketh not mortall war against them being desirous to finish this combat by death to be dissolued that he might be with God readie to be prodigall of his bloud that he may be sparing of Gods glorie waxing wearie of this bodie of ours as of a mouing prison or portable sepulcher Like vnto him that being in prison looketh through the grates desiring his libertie so looke you not to get out at the doore you shall onely get out through the ruines thereof by the destructiō of this body as whē the prison sinketh the prisoner escapeth at some breach thereof Hee which shall haue most made warre with himselfe shall haue the more peace with God he which shall not haue pardoned himself God shall pardon him he which shall haue despised yea hated his owne life he shall saue it Here is the fourth degree or step of loue and the highest that man can reach vnto in this life It was this degree of loue which made the Apostle to crie out Alas miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death It was this degree of loue which caused Dauid hauing a scepter in his hand being vanquisher of his enemies and filled with earthly riches and honor to acknowledge himselfe but a stranger and way faring man vpō earth It is this degree of loue which hath sustained Martyrs in their torments the heate wherof hath bene hoter then the heate of the fire can you think that they had their muscles of steele or bodies vncapable of torment and paine it is not so But as the heate of a feauer drieth vp outward vlcers and a lesser heate is surmounted by a greater so the interior heate of Gods loue did surmount the heate of the flame and had more strength to sustain them then paine had power to preuaile against them Martyrs whose vertues do yet vnto this day sustaine our vices whose ashes do yet heate our coldnesse whose bloud doth yet crie speaking both for the truth of the Gospell and against our slacknesse who in a litle time are so farre degenerate from their constancy Surely if they do not serue vs for an example they will serue vs for a reproach and condemnation Now to come to this degree of loue we must haue a long and hard combat for our flesh is rebellious mutinous and couetousnes so rooted therein that to pluck it vp as witnesseth the Son of God himselfe is as if a man should cut off a hand or plucke out an eye And Saint Paul also calleth our desires our members Notwithstanding God saith that he will make an end of his worke in our infirmitie he maketh vs to be victorious but after many fals Oftentimes man being placed as in a crosse-way betweene the spirit and the flesh betweene the loue of God and the loue of the world hee feeleth contrarie suggestions and a maruellous combat How many times commeth it to passe that after the loue of God hath had the vpper hand and that the faithful hath resolued to be good by and by his desires doe reassemble thēselues giue a new assault vnto the feare of God The faithful being thus assailed either with some appetite of reuenge of rapine or lust shall feele this loue of God speaking thus vnto him in his heart Miserable man whither goest thou doth not God see this despisest thou his threatnings reiectest thou his promises forgettest thou thy vocation Wherfore wouldest thou grieue the Spirit of God wherefore wouldest thou bring a scandall vpon his Church Where are the promises which thou
our haires how much more care will hee haue of our soules for which his Sonne hath died This same loue made Dauid say Psal 23. Euen when I should walke in the way of the shadow of death I would feare none euill for thou art with me thy rod and staffe do comfort me Hereby we may iudge what difference there is betweene louing God and men Let vs not speake of the weaknesse of our friends to deliuer vs their little constancie in their loue yea and of the cruel officiousnes of some friends who desire to see their friends in trouble to make them beholding vnto them for succouring them And let vs talke that which is best and honestest in our friendships I say then if there be any one who loueth a douzen persons faithfully he must then necessarily be miserable for it is a very likely matter that one of a douzen persons will euer be in trouble or sicke or afflicted If then a man shall according to the lawes of friendship participate of his friends afflictions shall he not by hauing many friends be in perpetuall miserie And if any one of them be absent it is a subiect of continuall apprehension So that many are of opinion that to be obdurate and without compassion is commodious Faithfull friendships are kindes of sicknesses ingenious to feare and which from diuers parts draw vnto themselues griefe and compassion The loue of God hath none of these incōmodities for we loue him for whom we can be in no feare and who puts vs out of all feare for our selues and warranteth vs from all euill Now if the loue of God be so full of rest in comparison of the most faithful honest friendships amongst mē how much more then in comparison of vnhonest loues which torture the conscience which hide themselues for shame where spending riot ielousie lyings in waite alteration of humors torment the mind with a perpetuall vnquietnes The third marke of the loue of God IN the third place the loue of God is manifested by the loue of ones neighbor It is impossible to loue God hate his image to loue Iesus Christ who is the head hate our neighbours who are his members it were as if a man kissing another should tread on his toes things vnsufferable as saith the Apostle Saint Iohn He who saith he loueth God and hateth his brother is a lier for who so loueth not his brother whom he seeth how can he loue God whom he hath not seene That is to say if he haue not so much as naturall loue how can he haue the supernatural Wherfore in the summarie of the law expressed in the Gospell vnto the loue of God is adioyned the loue of our neighbor as a necessary consequent an vndoubted proofe And the Apostle S. Paul saith that all the law is accomplished in this word alone Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self Not that it is enough to loue ones neighbour without louing God but because the loue of ones neighbor doth necessarily presuppose the loue of God Now if we ought to loue our neighbours for Gods sake it followeth that aboue all we ought to loue those which loue God following the commandement of the Apostle vnto the Galathians chap. 6. Let vs do good vnto all but principally vnto the houshold of faith with whom we haue many good things in common to be together children of one Father and likewise brethren of Iesus Christ nourished with the same meate which is the word of one houshold namely the Church trauellers and pilgrims together combattants for one selfesame cause called vnto one selfesame hope coheires of one selfesame kingdom All which are consideratiōs resembling many lines which doe all meete in one point for these are obligations to loue one another who doe all of vs meete in Iesus Christ in whom we are all one because we are one with him This charity amongst the faithfull is extended two wayes The one is the charitable relieuing of our afflicted brethrē The other is peace and concord amongst our selues As touching our brotherly reliefe it necessarily commeth from the loue of God as S. Iohn saith Who so shall haue goods in this world and see his brother in necessitie and shall shut vp his compassion how shall the loue of God dwell in him Also God appointeth himselfe a rewarder of almes as done vnto him self yea euen vnto a cup of cold water Math. 10. To giue vnto the poore is to lend out money for vsurie vnto God Prouer. 19. Of all that we possesse wee shall saue nothing but that which we shall haue thus giuen By this meanes sayth Iesus Christ in Luke 16. we make our selues friends which shal receiue vs into the euerlasting tabernacles Thou fearest to leese thy money by giuing it and yet the bestowing it in almes is the meanes to keepe it Thou fearest to leese thy mony by giuing it and fearest not to leese thy selfe by keeping it For our goods auariciously reserued are not only spoiled but do also spoile and corrupt our spirits It will be for this sinne that God will iudge the wicked at the latter day Math. 25. The wicked rich man who despised the poore Lazarus crauing a morsell of bread doth now beg of Lazarus a droppe of water to allay his heate An heate begun by the retentiō of those goods which were due to the poore which as Saint Iames saith shal consume the flesh of the rich like fire and are as a treasure gathered for them against the latter day And iustly are they ranked with murderers For as there is two wayes to put out a lampe either by blowing it or not powring in oile in good time so the couetous man if he take not away the life of the poore by killing him at least he suffereth him to wither and drie away for lacke of powring into him some liberalitie The roote of this dutie is the loue of God which redounds vpon his members wherfore also as the loue of God is free and voluntarie so also must not our almes be forced or vnwillingly done but free and voluntarie God loueth a cheerfull giuer 2. Cor. 9. 7. saith the Apostle Saint Paul And to this purpose he calleth there in that same place almes-deeds a seede A seed which wee cast in the earth but gather the crop in heauen Seeing then wee must giue cheerfully it is here the contrarie of that which is said in the 126. Psalm Those which shall sow in teares shall reape in ioy and triumph For hee who shal sow this reliefe with teares shall reape with griefe None shall reape with ioy in heauen if he haue not ioyfully sowed vpon earth An almes giuen vnwillingly doth not onely leese all reward but also deserueth no pardon It fareth alike with almes which are vaingloriously giuen and to be seene of men which our Lord condemneth in the 6. of Matthew Also it fares alike with almes done
word it is inough to cut one anothers throate so that they confesse their liues to be litle worth seeing they will hazard them for so litle making it an euerie dayes exercise but if God be blasphemed his truth slandered if his name be abused before their eyes they remaine vnmoueable and beare a part therein We are leapers without feeling in spirituall things but verie sensible in carnall We go for curiositie vnto sermons where Gods truth is opposed against and our presence by the weake taken for an approbation but we wold be loth to be found i◠a place or companie where the honor of our house should be defamed but to contradict the same Let vs vndergo in this point a voluntary condemnatiō and let vs acknowledge that this spirituall feeling is verie feeble in vs to the end we may craue of God to awaken it by quickening vs with his loue From these fiue degrees and fiue markes you may easily gather that the loue of God consisteth not onely in hauing a good opinion of him or to haue a good feeling or to speak well of him but that chiefly it consisteth in obeying him and conforming vs to his wil. So God in his law saith that he sheweth mercie vnto them which loue him but he addeth which keep my commandements And Iesus Christ Ioh. 14. Who so loueth me will keep my sayings And the same Apostle in another place My litle children loue not in word neither in tongue onely but in deed and in truth So S. Iames saith That pure and vnderfield religion before God is to visit the fatherlesse and widows in their aduersitie and to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world But there be many that are religious in speech not in actions and who studie to be more skilfull not more wise who confesse God with their lips but denie him in their hearts Like vnto those which struck Iesus Christ saying Haile maister or to Rabshakeh who spake not the language of the people of God but for to dishonour him withall He knoweth not God who loueth him not he loueth him not who obeieth not his wil. The children of Eli were instructed in the will of God for being Priests they taught it vnto others and yet the Scripture saith 1 Sam. 2. 12. that they knew not God because they loued him not The kingdome of God saith S. Paul lieth not in words but in power It is euen so with his loue So Dauid in the 33. Psal saith that praises are very comely but he addeth in the mouths of iust men As for the wicked God saith vnto him in the 50 Psalme Wherefore takest thou my words into thy mouth For this cause was it that Iesus Christ when the diuell confessed him said vnto him Hold thy peace hold thy peace For the praise of God and the truth of religion are vilified and debased in the mouth of the wicked and therby lose their authoritie for shee is made a companion of vice and the liuerie of Gods children becometh by this meanes a cloake of impietie Thou saist I loue God but doest despise his will I loue God but doest hate the image of God Canst thou loue God without following him or follow such as do good to their enemies whilest thou liuest in discord with thy brethren We protest all of vs to loue God but we better loue the increase of our monies then the aduancement of his cause Wee protest to feare him but we do not feare to do before him such things as we would shame to do before men Who is that quarreller or theefe that wil strike or steale in the presence of the Iudge and for all this what do we not in Gods sight the Iudge not onely of our actions but also of our thoughts We protest to loue Iesus Christ and yet abandon his members which are the poore We spend more in a quarter of an houre at play then in a whole yeare in almes The superfluitie of our attire would cloathe a great number of poore All is spent in pleasure and nothing in pietie All is for our couetousnes nothing for Gods sake Doth that man loue God which wil not willingly speake vnto him nor of him or who taketh no counsell of God in his distresse or who is not touched with the zeale of his glory In the mean time there is none amongst vs who maketh not profession to loue God which sheweth that wee loue him in grosse but hate him in retaile this being in generall and gainsaid in particular We speake of heauen but haue our hearts on the earth By this meanes if one mark apart our loue to God it may be found some speciall matter but if we ballance it with our loue of the world our pleasures our riches our preferments it is found verie light so that our loue is a kinde of disesteeme and almost an hatred Let vs take heed to our selues for we shal not be iudged according to this general profession but according to our particular actions And if so it be that we loue not God as we ought or if wee loue some other thing with him otherwise then for his sake how shall we subsist before him louing any thing better better then he yea euen against him louing that which God hateth to wit the world and the desires thereof and cherishing his enemies in his presence CHAP. IV. Fiue meanes or helpes to inflame vs in the loue of God NOw we are to treat of the meanes to nourish in vs this loue It is surely an effect of the Spirit of sanctification which God giueth onely to his children whereupon this spirit is called the spirit of adoption by the Apostle Rom. 8. because it is not giuen to any other then the children of God which he hath adopted in Iesus Christ and that therefore hee frameth their hearts vnto a child-like loue and to haue recourse vnto God as their Father It is requisite that the grace of God should preuēt our wils to make them willing that it may accompanie them that they may will feruently and that it follow them to the end they may not will in vaine and without fruite It is God which bringeth forth in vs with efficacie both the will and the deede according to his good pleasure Notwithstanding God moueth vs not like stones he maketh vs follow willingly he bendeth our wils by an vnconstrained necessitie For this cause is it that we are called workers together with God that in the same place where S. Paul saith that God giueth the will and the deede according to his good pleasure he willeth notwithstanding that we should worke out our owne saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2. 12. 13. The meanes then which we haue to employ our selues in the nourishing and cherishing of this loue of God in vs is in generall to giue our selues to good workes which be pleasing vnto him But in this trauell I finde fiue helpes
by which wisedome ioyned with pietie through a holy industrie do quicken this loue in vs and doe put matches as it were vnto our hearts thereby to kindle this spirituall flame These meanes or aids are I. The image of vices II. The choice of friends III. Hatred of the world IV. Prayer V. The hearing and reading of the word The first helpe or aide of the Loue of God THose who void out of their lodgings their stable dung do fatten their fields withall and by ridding themselues of this infection doe otherwise make a profit thereof The faithfull Christian ought to follow this example For it is the dutie of pietie to discharge our selues of those vices which are of ill sauor before God but Christian wisedom findeth meanes to draw euē from this filth some commoditie He then which would seek some model whereon to form the loue of his God ought to obserue amongst all the rest the most monstrous and the most obstinate vices they are so all indeede Yet I think that extreme auarice doth some deale beare away the bell Let it then be exposed to open view and let this monster which corrupteth man when it is within him teach man being thrust forth and instruct him afarre off For will you loue God as you ought loue him then as a man extremely couetous loueth his money Auarice taketh away rest and troubleth sleepe his money is the first thought at his waking so let the loue of God breake our sleepe possesse our thoughts in the night let it be the first of our thoughts at our awaking to meditate on his former graces to dispose of our future life to bewaile our sinnes at the cock-crowing Couetousnes doth shut the heart of the couetous into his coffer where his treasure is so also let the loue of God fixe our hearts in heauen to the end that there where our treasures be there may our hearts be also Auarice snatcheth out of the niggards hand the bread he should eate and maketh him be content with little so must the loue of God teach vs abstinēce and how to bring vnder our bodies to liue with litle and to depriue our selues when it is requisite of temporall commodities for his seruice The auaricious man vndertaketh for gaine long voyages sequestring himselfe from his wife and children so must the loue of God prepare vs to endure banishmēt to leaue wife and children to follow God remembring the saying of our Lord Mat. 10. Who so loueth father or mother more then me is not worthie of me or who so loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthie of me The couetous man hauing put his money vnto vsurie calculateth the time and with impatience attēdeth the terme so we that know that God hath in his hands our pledge and that hee will render vs our almes with vsurie ought with impatience to attend the time of payment and in the meane time very preciously keepe his obligation which is the doctrine of the Gospell The couetous man the older hee waxeth the more greedy he is to gather he liueth poorely that he may die rich his purpose to gather is at the greatest when the terme of his life is at the shortest so must the old man fearing God make more carefull prouision of faith and good works Let him liue poore in worldly goods that he may die rich in heauenly Old age is the groūds and lees of life but in the faithfull man it reneweth as vnto an Eagle for then he feeleth more liuely and certainly the motions of the life to come then hath he the wager almost in his hand being neere the end of his course Whē the riuers are neer their end and approach vnto the sea the tide cometh towards them and meeteth them so when the course of a faithfull mans life commeth neare his end then God cometh to meete him and before death giueth him some taste and feeling of the life to come Then it is that we ought to haue a holy couetousnesse to husband our time make a stocke of faith send our good workes before vs and to make our selues friends which may receiue vs into the euerlasting habitations This meditation which giueth vice a double construction and maketh it look both waies enforceth it to be an example and helpe vnto vertue as Amorrheā captiues to cleanse decke the tabernacle as a woman of Hethe whose haire and nailes are cut off Deut. 21. For vertue is so feeble in vs that to raise it selfe vp it boroweth helpe of vice it passeth ouer to the Philistiās to whet her tools Because we cānot comprehend how much we owe vnto God but through the consideration of that which we giue vnto our concupiscence for all that is stolen from him The second helpe vnto the Loue of God THe sheepe of Iacob brought forth spotted lambes according to the colour of the rods were layd before them so men produce workes conformable vnto the obiects which they haue before their eyes And this is a great euill that good examples haue nothing like so great force to forme vs vnto goodnesse as bad haue to induce vs vnto euill For as a man strucken with the pestilence will sooner infect a douzen sound men which shall approach to him then these whole men can helpe him in like sort a vicious man will sooner infect many honest mē then he wil correct him selfe by their example For vice is here in his own soile it cometh vp without plāting it groweth without pain much more then being fortified from without wel laboured but vertue is a stranger and resembleth a graine brought from the East which after much care and labour doth yet little prosper but degenerate especially in the contagion of these times which is as the dregges and sinke of all seasons and ages in which vertue is a prodigie and pietie a crime or simplicitie For thus do men call foolishnesse in this age in which that they may rēder or make vertue to be odious they cloath brutishnesse with his habit Euen as it is vneasie that the flocks feeding amongst the thornie bushes should not leaue some of their wooll so is it hard for an honest man liuing amongst so great corruption but he must leaue some of his innocencie We fall away insensibly we go on in badnesse without being aware thereof like people sleeping in a boate and caried downe the stream which make much way without thinking thereon Wherefore we are to looke to our selues and in so contagious an aire to prouide our selues of preseruatiues of which the best is the loue feare of God And this loue is nourished by hanting those which loue him We must acquaint our selues with such as wee should be like to the end that the faithfull with some few friends louing God withdrawing himselfe as it were from vices may looke with horrour vpon them as from a far off vpon this ouerflowing torrent and powerfull reigne of the
passage For the faithfull wil follow domesticall and ciuil affaires not as if he meant there to set vp his staffe to tie therunto his desseignes or therein to place his hope His thoughts will euer be in some other place and during his businesse will euer think of the vanitie of his trauell He will alwayes begin his actions with the seruice of God and inuocation of his name and that shal euer be the first which he will haue last whilest worldlings after the example of Martha paine themselues excessiuely in domesticke affaires he after Maries example will chuse the good part which shall not be taken from him placing himselfe at Christs feete to heare his word If hee haue any worldly feares they wil giue place vnto the feare of God If he haue any hopes they will giue place vnto his hope of the kingdom of heauen If he haue any sorrowes they will be swallowed vp of a greater sorrow proceeding from the sence of his sinnes or the bruisings of Ioseph God himselfe herein is an example vnto vs. For in building of the world he hath done cōtrary vnto men which do build also men begin at the foundation but God beginneth at the top He stretched out the heauens before he laied the foundations of the earth The naturall workes of God are spirituall instructions vnto vs. To the end that wee may follow this order and that wee may euer begin by the care of heauenly things the earthly will present themselues in the second rank to be thought on not of loue or of purpose but by necessitie and as much as is required for not seeming cruell vnto those which be ours or enemies to our selues Seeke ye first the kingdom of God and the righteousnes thereof and all other things shal be administred vnto you Math. 6. 33. The fourth aide of the loue of God FRequent and often prayers doe likewise nourish this loue I mean as well publicke as priuate for the publick are a quire of sighes a harmonie of affections sent vp with one accord vnto God which imitateth that holy consort of the Angels soules of the Saints sounding on their harps in heauen wherof mention is made in the 5. of the Apocalypse In our priuate prayers the faithfull man being hidden from mans eies discouereth himselfe vnto God maketh his complaints to him with a child-like familiaritie prayeth vnto him not of custome but with affectiō with words broken off with sighes which are vsed euen in the midst of businesse through a gentle distraction and wholesom interruption which prayers haue no other motiue but loue nor other subiect but necessitie or other eloquence but affection None craueth an almes with the flowers of Rhetoricke Familiar simplicitie is verie comely in prayer To make these solitary praiers Isaac went out into the fields So king Ezechias turned his face vnto the wall for feare to be troubled in his praier So the Apostle S. Peter went vp vnto an high roome of the house to pray alone Iesus Christ himself in the 6. of Luke withdrew himselfe into a mountain to make his prayers and continued therein all night Both these sorts of prayers haue promise of God to be heard As touching the publick our Sauiour promiseth vs that there where two or three be gathered together in his name he will be in the midst of them and that all which they shall aske with one accord shall be ganted them As for the priuate he also speaketh thus in the 6. of S. Matth. When thou prayest enter into the closet and hauing shut the doore pray vnto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which is in secret shall reward thee openlie These prayers are so many matches of the loue of God For as soone as God will be prayed vnto by vs this is a great witnes vnto vs that he loues vs. Our importunitie is pleasing vnto him he giueth by his commandemēt free accesse vnto our praiers That wee may obtaine his graces hee demandeth no other price of vs but our prayers For riuers of his goodnesse he demandeth but some drops of our thankfulnes He is attentiue vnto the crie of the afflicted He is nigh vnto them which call vpon him If the crie of dead Abels bloud came vp vnto him how much more the cry of his liuing childrē which cal vpon him in the name of Iesus Christ If he reckon our haires how much more our sighes and our prayers which hee himselfe hath prescribed vs Adde hereunto that prayer is a strong bridle vnto vs to hold vs in the feare of God For this onelie thought that it is before him that we present our selues before him who knoweth our harts who seeth all our filthinesse through the cloake of hypocrisie obligeth vs to purifie our hearts and our hands to wit our thoughts and actions according to the commandement of the Apostle I will saith he that all men make praiers in all places heauing vp pure hands without anger or debate On the contrarie God by the Prophet Esai reiecteth hāds full of bloud euen when they lengthen out their praiers Then when we come to frame our prayers each word that we say is a lesson or a reproach For example we thus begin the Lords prayer Our Father which art in heauen In calling him our Father wee learne on the one part to be his obedient children and to be perswaded of his loue on the other side to despise the world as inferiour to our dignitie seeing wee be the children of God This word also of Our frameth vs vnto charity towards our neighbors to procure their good not only in our prayers but in all our actions And these words which art in heauen aduertise vs to seeke for heauenly things and that our conuersation should be as that of heauenly citizens and children of the heauenly King Then when the faithful shall come to propose his demaunds he will chide himselfe on this sort I craue of God that his name may be hallowed and yet I profane and dishonor it I desire that his kingdome may come and be aduanced and notwithstanding I resist and foreslow it as much as lieth in me vnwilling that he should reigne in me not subiecting my selfe vnto the scepter of his kingdome which is his word nor contributing any thing to his Church which is called in the Gospell Gods kingdome Item I pray his will may be done and yet I resist this wil. I beg my bread and yet couet another mans My dailie bread and yet my couetous care extends it selfe vnto many yeares So likewise wee craue that God would forgiue vs as wee forgiue them which haue trespassed against vs and for all that wee are vnreconcileable our hatred is mortall or to say better immortall and yet feare not that God should heare vs pardoning vs according as we pardon our neighbours So we desire not to be led into temptation and yet we runne after temptations