parallel ladders Essentia Dej Omnipotentia Dej justitia Dej Sapientia Theorica Dej Sapientia practica Dej Misericordia Dej Angeli Aêr SOL. Luna. Stellae. Ignis Aqua Mundus Terra Anima Hominis Homo IACOBS LADDER Consisting of fifteen Degrees or Ascents to the knowledge of GOD by the Consideration of His Creatures and Attributes 1638. LONDON. Printed for Henry Seile and are to be sold at the Tigres-head against St. Dunstan's Church in fleetstreet. Will: Martial sculp●it. To the Christian READER. IT is the receivedopinion of all, that of all the creatures which GOD (the Sovereign Creator) made from the beginning, ●one was created by him more noble and excellent, (next to the Angels) than Man: and that for his sake all things were made; as Heaven, Earth, Sea, and all that ●re in them; yea, that the Angels●hemselves ●hemselves, and Principalities●ere ●ere ordained to be subservient ●o him. But Man, being so richly endowed, and tied to his maker, in ●o greater bonds than benefits and blessings, became rebellious and unthankful to his so liber all Benefactor; and not duly understanding his dignity and excellency, nor satisfied with such extraordinary favours, out of those things from which he should have taken occasion to love GOD his Maker, extracted that matter which produced his treason: and affecting no less than a Deity, rebelled, and broke the commands of his Creator: for which he was justly expelled Paradise, and deprived of that honour, which he formerly possessed, and is now compared to the Beasts that perish. Psal. 49. 20. This was a woeful Metamorphosis; an unhappy change: from the best, to become the worst o● Creatures, and that so suddenly Nor was this the worst of hi● misery; for by his fall, the whol● mass of Mankind (his posterity) became so corrupt, as tha● (the Devil excepted) Man wa● the most miserable of all other creatures: by nature frail and weak; headlong in affections; tormented with cares and anxieties; mad in desires; blind in understanding; weak in will, corrupt in memory; obnoxious to all diseases, miseries, and troubles: and lastly, liable to infernal punishment; and not without just cause: for he, which became a companion with the Devil in sin, was worthily made his associate in sufferings. Now, Man being thus wretched and miserable, by incurring GOD'S high displeasure; it pleased the same most good and gracious GOD, not perpetually to look upon the injury done to his high Majesty, but to compassionate his misery; and rather pitying his error, then desiring revenge; determined to repair his woeful condition, and to reconcile him to himself. But what tongue or pen is sufficient to express the manner of this atonement? Nay, who can conceive, what it was, that wrought this reconciliation? Surely nothing but his own meore compassion; and that by such a way, as may breed astonishment in the most senseless heart. By His Son, His only Son, CHRIST JESUS, GOD and Man brought he this great work to pass; who made such a peace between th● Creator and Man; such an agreement or pacification, as that he not only pardoned the offence, but received the delinquent to grace, making him one and the same with himself, by the bond of love. And as we are infinitely indebted for this high benefit in general; so are we no less obliged to him for the manner of our Redemption, then for the Redemption itself. For there were many ways, whereby he might have saved us, without labour, without price: yet so wonderful was his bounty to us; so great his goodness and love, that he would have it wrought by the infinite pains and sorrows, (even to the loss of the dearest blood and life) of His only Son; and that, by the shameful Death of the Cross; and all this (I say) for the love of us, without benefit to himself. For as it is in Job. What profiteth it thee, and what availeth it me, if thou sinnest? job. 35. If thou sinnest, what canst thou do unto him? If thou be righteous, what givest thou unto him? or what receiveth he at thy hands? that is, What prejudice could GOD receive by our evil, or what benefit by our good? For he is nothing the worse if men blaspheme him; nor the better if they praise him. It was His love then to us, and nothing else, which repaired our miserable condition. This love therefore requires love again: the love of the Creator, the love of the Creature. Certainly, in divers respects we are bound infinitely to him. For our Creation, for our Preservation, for our Redemption: and indeed for so many inestimable blessings, as cannot be conceived, much less expressed. What great matter then is required of us, when we are only enjoined to require this love with love? We should and ought to imitate a fertile Field, or piece of ground, which renders much more seed than it receiveth: but GOD help us poor miserable creatures; if this were exacted of us, we should come far short of this retribution. Why yet, if (for the infirmity of our natures while we live in this pilgrimage) we cannot do that which we should; yet let u● do what we may Without question love him we may; nay love him we must, if ever we intent to take the benefit of his Son's passion. But thou wiltsay, how shall I love him that I know not? if I knew him, I would love him with all my heart; with all the affections of my mind and soul: Surely this is no difficult work. For GOD himself hath made us capable of the knowledge of him, and therefore he (knowing our capacity sufficient for that act) hath commanded our performance of it, and that by seeking him. No man can come to the knowledge of anything, but by pains and labour; and the more sublime that is, of which we are ignorant, the more pains, the more labour it will cost, before the knowledge of it be attained. And certainly, GOD being the most excellent object, the worthiest of all other, our knowledge, let us not spare any pains, any travail, to possess ourselves of it; that knowing, we may love him; which is a duty chiefly expected from us, for all the unvaluable benefits we have, and continually do receive from him. Now, that in the search or seeking after this knowledge, job 5. 14. 12. 25. We grope not as blind men, of whom holy job and the Prophet Esay speak: nor that we gaze not, (gazing being an Act Es. 59 10. so contrary to seeking, as that it was not only condemned by the Angels in the Acts of the Apostles; Act. 1. 11 but forbidden by GOD himself; gazers being for the Ex. 19 21 most part a sort of people, desirous only of new fangles and novelties, and no settled searchers or seekers.) It will not be amiss, by prescribing some rules of seeking, to take away films from the eyes of the former, and to strengthen the sight of the other, that so they may be the better enabled to proceed in their search. But before we come to the directions, we will look a little into the necessity of this duty; that we may understand that a seeking, and thereby a knowing; and consequently a love and service of him, is necessarily required of us. That it is commanded as a 1. special duty, appears by many places in holy writ, of which I will select a few. Seek the LORD 1 Chro. 16. 11. 22. 19 and his strength, seek his face continually, and Set your hearts and your souls to seek the LORD your GOD. And GOD himself by the Prophet Amos, Seek ye me and live. Am 5. 4. 6. Secondly, it was ever the counsel of GOD'S Prophets 2. and servants: as of King David to his Son, Know thou the 1 Chro. 28. 9 GOD of thy Fathers, etc. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee. He adviseth him to know him, by seeking him. The same King gives the same counsel to his Princes; as also to his Choir and Churchmen, in the two places before mentioned; to show, that neither Prince, Nobility, nor Clergy are exempt from this duty. Again, it hath always been the practice of Godly Princes 3. and others. King jehosaphat set himself to seek the LORD. 2 Chro. 20. 3. King Hezekiah prayed for those that prepared their whole heart 30. 18. to seek the LORD. King josiah when he was yet a child, began to seek after the GOD of David his Father. It was also the fame King David's practice. 34. 3. For when GOD said Seek my race, he answers presently, Thy face LORD will Ps. 27. 9 I seek. And in another place, I have set GOD always before 16. 9 me. And surely not without reason, 4. was this duty either commanded, counselled or practised, for there is a promise of reward annexed: we shall not lose our labour, but receive much good in seeking to know him. In the Book of Deuteronomie, GOD promiseth not only to be found of them that seek him; but to deliver them from misery, Deut. 4. 29. etc. and heap blessings upon them. King David found by experience, that GOD never failed them that seek him. And Ps. 9 10. 69. 33. seek ye after GOD (saith he) and your soul shall live. And GOD himself by the Prophet Esay. I said not in vain to the Esay 45. 19 seed of Jacob, Seek ye me. And lastly, (not to trouble you with many) The LORD is good La. 3. 25. to the soul that seeketh him, saith the Prophet jeremy. Lastly, it is the end for which Man was created. St. Paul, after 5. he had beaten much upon the point, that a GOD was to be sought out, whom men should worship, and had made it plain, by the creation of all things, who that GOD was; came to the end Acts 17. of Man's creation, which was to seek him; Man being created for that purpose and end; adding, that it would be no great labour to find him, as being not far from every one of us. He then which shallbe negligent in this duty, is not worthy of his creation, and deserves not to live; it being a most absurd and undecent thing, for a Manto be ignorant of his Creator; having recerved from him the gift of understanding, and made capable to know him. We see, that Rivers naturally return to the Sea whence they come, and all things elso to their first being: Wherefore then should not Man return in his thoughts and desires to GOD, who-gave him his being? and why should his heart be as rest; till be return to him? considering (as I said) that he made the understanding, whereby he might know him; the memory, that he might ever be mindful of him; and the will, ever to love him? And now, since we have in some sort seen, that it is a duty enjoined by GOD to seek him; that it hath been the counsel and practise of many holy Kings and Prophets; that we shall not lose our labour, but receive benefit by our seeking: and lastly, that it is the only end for which we were created; let us take a further view, how we may so seek, that we may find and know him. To the due performance of which act, we must observe these cautions: 1 That we prepare our hearts carefully and diligently to seek. 2 That we seek him in sincerity and simplicity without hypocrisy. 3 That we be humble, and not curious seekers. 4 That we seek him in Faith, without wavering. 5 That we be earnest and zealous, and not cold or lukewarm seekers. This careful preparation of the heart hath ever been commended, 1. as most necessary, before the undertaking of any pious act; and indeed is the foundation, and first degree to this seeking. jehosaphat prepared his heart 2 Chro. 19 3. 〈◊〉 27, 6. to seek the LORD, as you have seen. jothan became mighty, because he prepared his ways. And S. Ie●ome saith, that purgandus est animus, ut perspicere illam lucem valeat, a man shall never be able to see the clearness and beauty of that light, if he first prepare not, nor fit himself beforehand; if he seek him not in due 1 Chro. 15. 13. order. It was the Wiseman's advice, to seek GOD in simplicity of 2. Sap. 1. 1. Mat. 5. 8. heart, and it is the Pure in heart that shall see GOD. as our Savi●●r speaks The Sun beams sh●ne brightest upon a clear glass; and in a clean heart the beams of Divine grace shine most. The unclean shall not see Ephes. 5. 5. GOD, saith the Apostle. Saint Jerome calls the humble Man DEI Templum, the 3. Temple or habitation of GOD. He shall not only see GOD, but GOD will abide with him. GOD giveth grace to the humble. I am. 4. 6. And CHRIST himself, while he was conversant upon Earth, delighted not in great or proud company, but chose fishermen to converse with: and the Centurions non sum dignus, with the Publicans humble confession, pleased him more, than all the proud vaunts of the Scribes and pharisees. He desires not, but abhors to be looked on with curious and prying eyes: and therefore St. Augustine writing against the Manichees saith, and his counsel is, Compescat se humana temeritas, & id quod non est non quaerat, ne illud quod est inveniat▪ after the fearful example of Vzza. 1 Chro. 13. 9 4. Eccle. 25. 11. Faith is the beginning of cleaving to GOD, saith the Son of Syrach. And Fides humanae salutis initium, saith St. Augustine: For by it we understand what soever is necessary for us to know concerning GOD. Now, that there is a GOD, some Deity, all people, even the Heathen, that had their intellectuals, held as a maxim. He in the Psalm that said Ps. 14. 1. there was no GOD, said it but in his heart; was not so impudent, as to speak it out and yet for his thought only, had the brand of a fool. This Faith St. Augustine saith, Valet ad cognitionem DEI, non tanquam omnino incogniti, sed quò cognoscatur manifestius: And, Si quis hic non ambulaverit per Fidem, non perveniet ad speciem beatae visionis. By it, the children of light are distinguished from those of darkness; and per ipsam discitur veritatis scientia, et percipitur cognitio Divinitatis. By it, the knowledge of the truth is learned, and of the Divinity perceived. Lastly, zeal, love, and hearty 5. affection is of all virtues the clearest sighted, and will see GOD soon. For it is the affection to a thing, that draws a man's desire to see it. And yet, this virtue naturally depends upon the former, of Faith. For if Faith be wavering, love and affection is soon cooled: Fall from the one, and fall from the other quickly. For no Man can affect or love that, which he believes not to be. But yet, this virtue is so necessary, as that without it, none can ever attain to the sight of GOD. St. Augustine saith, Quantò flagrantius DEUM diligimus, tantó certius sereniusque videamus. We shall see GOD the surer, and more perspicuously, by how much the greater our zeal, affection, and love is to him. And being thus prepared, and fitted with these qualities, we must seek him (as the Prophet Esay 55. 6. counseleth) while he may be found. We must do it in due time; that is, while we are in this vale of misery: we must seek and apply ourselves to see and know him, as much and as soon as we may here, that we may see him face to face to our comfort, as he is hereafter. Time is first either past, and that is not; we cannot make use of that. Secondly, or to come; and that we know not whether we shall have it to use or no, it is only in GOD'S power. Thirdly, or it is present, and that we must lay hold of, and make use of it. Therefore, in what condition, of what age soever thou art, seek the LORD, and that instantly. And if thou shalt take hold of this time, with this preparation; no doubt but GOD job. 33. 26. will be favourable to thee, and thou shalt see his face with joy. Thou shalt find him if thou seek him: (and the rather, if Ps. 63. 1. thou do it early with David; or with King josias, while thou art yet a child;) and finding him, thou shalt know him: and being come to the knowledge of greatness and goodness, thou shalt certainly love him; which is the chief duty he requires of thee. And now give me leave to offer to your view, a generation, Psa. 78. 9 that have neither eyes, nor hearts aright; and with Esay, Esay 43. 8. Let me bring forth the blind that have eyes; that is to say, such as have their sight, yet wander like Jeremy's blind Lam. 4. 14. Deut. 28. 29. Psal. 135. 15. men, and grope at noon day, with those in Deuteronomie, That have eyes and see not, have understanding, but make not true use of it, for which GOD gave it: but it is darkened (as St. Paul saith) because of the hardness of their heart. Among which I will set before you the chief: Worldling's, Ambitious, Selfe-lovers, Rebellious, Covetous and Idle: All which sorts of people, (as I said before) have films before their eyes, that hinder their sight and seeking. The love of this World in general, doth so blind the eyes 1. of men, that worldlings cannot distinguish between good and evil: they are not able, have neither power, nor time to see the true GOD. For the World being once fixed in their hearts, they cannot find out the things Eccles. 3. 11. 2 Cor. 4. 4. Ephes. 6. 12. which GOD made from the beginning: that is, they cannot think of their Creator. And (as St. Paul speaketh) The God of the World hath blinded their eyes, lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine to ●hem: and therefore in another place he calls it the darkness of the World. It was this love 2 Tim. 4. 10. of the World, that caused Demas to for sake St. Paul. And St. john affirms plainly, that he which loveth the World, 1 john 2. 15. hath not the love of GOD in him: and therefore neither can, nor desires to see him. Again, the World (as a false glass) deceives the sight: it's a very hypocrite, promiseth fair; but believe it not; rather fear the reward of its service: for breve est quod delectat, aeternum quod cruciat. It is impossible to look to Heaven with one eye, and to the Earth with the other. It was the dung of a Sparrow or Swallow, that deprived Tob. 2. 10. Phil. 3. 8. Tobias of his sight, and the Apostle calls the things of the world, Terrena stercora: and therefore, while we dote on this world, and the dung there of falls upon our sight, we may be justly reputed blind, we grope for the Esay 59 10. wall like the blind; and grope as if we had no eyes: we may apply that to ourselves which David did unto himself. The Ps. 38. 10 light of our eyes is gone from us: while we are in this estate, we shall never see God. The film of preferment much darkens the sight, and the 2. smoke of honour is so prejudicious to the eyes, that it hinders men from the sight of their Creator: For though they carry their eyes loftily, yet look they Esay 5. not so high as they should; the mist of ambition is so thick before their eyes; and the Sunbeams of honour so dazzles them, that in comparison of a true and clear sight, these may also be justly reckoned among the blind. Not much unlike to the Ambitious. 3. is the Self-lover, proud and vainglorious: he is also blind; for his eves, his sight is wholly reversed, and turned inward. The Pharisee lost his sight by this vanity: and so did Nabuchadonozor, and the Angels their blessed vision. The proud have not so much as a thought of GOD, much less a desire to see him: but all their desire is to see themselves; and that so long, in the burning glass of self conceit, that in the end they lose their sight. And this disease of the eyes 4. begets another worse than the former, namely Rebellion. For the proud (thinks none better than himself,) presently with pharaoh says, Who is the jer. 5. 23. LORD? The vice of pride makes the heart rebellious, as jeremy speaks: and while a man is in rebellion, he never desires to see his Prince. It so hardens the heart, that it can receive no impression of goodness; but their eyes are as it were set in their heads, as it 1 Kings 14. 4. is said of Ahia, in another case. They have eyes, but see not, as jeremy saith, in the same verse 21. Chapter: and as our Saviour, seeing they shall see, and not Mat. 13. 14, 15. perceive; because they have closed their eyes. And this is that blindness of heart which the Apostle St Paul means. For Ephes. 4. 18. indeed, the cause of this blindness is (as of all other evils) the heart; it being to the soul, as the eye to the body. For the eye is but as a conduit or channel, through whose optics, all good or bad desires pass to the heart. Riches are as great an eyesore, as any of the former, for 5. the eye of the covetous is ever fixed upon a wrong object: Avarus est caecus, The covetous Man is blind, saith St. Augustine; and therefore not without cause did our Saviour bid men to be ware of covetousness: Luke 12. 15. For these terrena stercora, of riches, the muck of the World, blind the eyes even of the wise; they divert the eyes of the mind from seeing GOD. The Prodigal having his por●ion, went from his Father. Place ●● lookingglass upward, and you shall see Heaven: but downward, ●nd the Earth is in your sight. ●t is not wealth, but poverty which enlightens the understanding. David in his prosperity said he should never be Ps. 30. 6. removed: GOD did but turn ●way his face, and his sight●egan ●egan to be cleared. Lastly, the Idle person cannot, shall not see GOD, because 6. ●e takes no pains, labours not ●or this sight, he is as a deadman ●an. David in his idleness, ●●st the sight of GOD. For the ●yes of the slothful are also ●losed, they cannot see him. But ●f thou hast a desire to see GOD, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thine heart, and with all thy soul: that is, fervently and diligently. Thus have we a short survey of the blind: for all which I will pray with Elisha, LORD open 2 Kings 6. 20. Eph. 1. 18 their eyes, and that the eyes of their understanding may be enlightened, and advise them with the Prophet, Look ye● blind, that ye may see; that Es. 42. 18 Num. 24 4. when with Balaam, their eyes be opened, they may see the vision of the Almighty. And now that you have seen that to seek and know GOD the Creator, is every man's duty; as being commanded, persuaded and patterned; and the it is the end, for which man w●● created: as also having a sho●● direction set before you, fo● preparation to this sight an● search, together with some cautions, to avoid the hindrance and lets to it; let us consider little, how far we may enter into this search, by sufficient warrant, that we stare not upon the Sun, while we become blind. For Noli altum saper●, sed time, was a good rule. No man hath seen GOD at any time (saith St john, and 10. 1. 18. Exod. 33 20. No man shall see GOD and live, saith GOD himself: For you must know saith St. Augustine; that GOD cannot be expressed in words, nor comprehended in any man's thought or knowledge: and his reason follows, how saith he, could we proclaim him immense and in comprehensible, if he could be included in the speech or thought of any man? and it appears how admirable he is, by that, that he is unutterable by all tongues, and incomprehensible within any thoughts. And again, Because GOD is above all, it follows, that he must needs exceed the capacity of men. Men, by the acuteness of the mind may reach high; but they behold what GOD is, rather in opinion then definition. His fullness, none, either with corporeal eyes, or with the mind itself, have at any time apprehended. If then we can neither see, nor know, nor apprehend him; to what purpose is it, that we are so often commanded and advised to seek him? We must seek, see, and know him i● this parallel. As the Sun is only to be looked on, so that it may be seen and no more; lest by beholding it too steadfastly, we see less than we might: so GOD is to be known, so much as he permits thee to know and understand of him, and no more. And how far, or short are we limited? how far may we go in the lawful sight and knowledge of him? for though we take never so much warrantable pains to know and see him, yet we shall but see him in this 1 Cor. 13 12. pilgrimage, through a glass darkly, as the Apostle speaks. It is true, yet pains we must ●ake, and ways we must and may use to see him. For GOD hath given man understanding above all creatures, to the end, that he should both see and know him in this vale of misery. And ●o hold you no longer in suspense, I conceive, that the best and safest way to come to the sight and knowledge of him, is by the consideration of his Creatures and Attributes. For in the first place, it was David's practice, to muse upon all his Ps. 77. 5 works and the days of old, that is (as some Commentators have it) the six days of the creation. And therefore they are justly taxed with the name of vain, that are ignorant of GOD, and that could not out Sap. 13. 1. of the good things that are seen, know him that is; neither considering the works, did they acknowledge the workemaster. For by the greatness and beauty of the Creature, proportionably the maker of them is seen. And St. Paul affirms, that GOD'S 1 Cor. 9 20. eternal power and Godhead is understood by the things that are made: and St. Augustine goes a little further, when he says, That to see the Creator by the Creature; the Maker by his work; and the Architector of the world by the World, is as much as Man can see concerning GOD. And as he may be seen in his Creatures, so in his Attributes he is no less visible, no less admirable: for if we well consider him (besides his infinite Essence) in his Power, Wisdom, Mercy and Justice, (his principal Attributes) we may see and understand so much of him, as may conduce to the knowledge of him in this life. And yet I must confess, that what sight we have of him here, is but (as St. Paul speaketh in the place formerly quoted) per speculum 1 Cor. 13 in aenigmate, through a glass darkly, to that, which in the beatifical vision we shall see of him, to our comfort most clearly; if by our lives here, he shall hereafter think us worthy of that most blessed sight. And thus having briefly showed the necessity of this duty, and how far; and by what means we may wade to the attaining of the knowledge of the Creator: give me leave to tender to your view, a more ample, devout and pious Treatise, tending to that purpose, which I have turned into true Orthodox English, though in a plain Dialect, which at the first I solely intended for my own private use: but now (not doubting of your favourable acceptance for the public good, as I hope. Commending it and you therefore to the blessing of that Creator, (who so instruct us all in his knowledge here, that hereafter we may (with comfort) see him face to face, and know him, as we are known.) I rest Yours in CHRIST JESUS, H. I. THE PREFACE to the ensuing TREATISE. WE are oft times admonished in holy Scripture, carefully to seek GOD: for though Act. 17. 28. he be not far from every one of us, seeing we live, move, and have our being in him, as the Apostle speaks, yet are we far from him: and unless we daily frame ascents in our hearts, and raise steps and greeces towards Heaven, and seek him with much labour; we do but take our journey with the Prodigal, into a Country far from our own, and from our Father, where we but feed swine. Now, briefly to unfold and resolve how these agree, that GOD i● not far from us, and yet we very far from him: We say, that GOD is not far from us, because he daily seeth us, all things being in his sight. He also thinks daily of us, because he careth 1 Pet. 3. 7. Heb. 1. 3 for us: and he also daily toucheth us, as bearing all things by his mighty Word. And again, we are far from GOD, because we neither do, nor can 1 Tim. 6. 16. see him, dwelling in inaccessible light, and we are not able to think any thing (of GOD) 2 Cor. 3. ●: of ourselves, as of ourselves, much less to touch him, by any pious affection, or to cleave to him; unless he take us up, and draw us after him, by his Cant. 1. 3 power. Therefore when David had said, I have set GOD always before me, or in my sight; he presently adds, for Ps. 16. 9 he is on my right hand; or (as St. Jer●me) me suscepit dextratua. Neither are we only in these three respects far from GOD, that we can neither see him, nor easily think of him, nor join to him in affection: but we easily forget him, scarce sounding forth his name, by praise or prayer: the reason is, because we are entangled and taken up with temporal affairs, which compass us round, and even overwhelm us. This then is the cause, why the Holy Ghost in sacred writ, (as we said even now) so often persuades and counsels us; to seek GOD. As, Seek ye after GOD, and Ps. 69. 33 your soul shall live. And, Seek the LORD and his strength: Ps. 105. 4 seek his face evermore. And, The LORD is good to the Lam. 3. 25. Esay 55. 6. Sap. 1. 1. soul that seeketh him. And, Seek the LORD while he may be found, and Seek the LORD in simplicity of heart. And, If thou shalt seek the Deut. 4. 29. LORD thy GOD, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. No man, of what condition soever, is tied so to give himself up to the affairs of the World, as not to refresh himself, with meat, drink and sleep. And if the body require such refreshing, and repast; how much rather should the soul desire food and sleep, (Prayer and contemplation) one being the meat, and the other the sleep of the soul? and by these two, are ascents framed in the heart, by which we are to see the GOD of GOD'S Ps. 84. 7. in Zion, even as much as he may be seen, in this vale of tears. Now there can be no plainer, or more easy way for us mortals to ascend to GOD, then by the consideration of his works. For we cannot properly say, that they ascended, which by the singular gift of GOD, were admitted by another way into Paradise; and there to hear the secrets of GOD, 2 Cor. 12 4. which are not lawful to be spoken or uttered: but only, that they were rapt, as Saint Paul plainly confesseth, in his own case. But that it is possible for a man to ascend to the knowledge of GOD, and love of his Creator, by his works, (that is by his creatures) the Book of Wisdom, the Apostle Saint Paul, and reason Sap. 13. 5. Ro. 1. 20. itself, sufficiently prove: seeing the efficient cause may be known by its effects, as a Man by his picture or Image. And there is no doubt but that all Created things be the works of GOD; and holy Scripture teacheth us, that Man and Angels be not only the works, but the images of GOD. Being therefore provoked and stirred up, with these reasons; and having a little ease and rest from other affairs, I have attempted to make a LADDER, out of the Consideration of the Creatures; by which after a sort, GOD may be ascended unto: And I have distinguished it into fifteen Staves or Steps, after the similitude of the fifteen Degrees, by which men went up to SOLOMON'S Temple; Eze. 40. and of the fifteen Psalms of DAVID his Father, Ps. 120. etc. usually called the Gradualls, or Psalms of Degrees. THE FIRST DEGREE of our spiritual ascending to GOD, is by the Consideration of MAN. DEGREE I. WHosoever is desirous to erect his thoughts to God-ward, must first begin with the consideration of himself. For we are every one of us the creature and image of GOD: and nothing is nearer to us then ourselves. And therefore not without cause said Moses, Attend tibi, Take heed to thyself. For whosoever shall Deut. 4. 9 strictly and narrowly look into himself, shall find that he is the very compendium or abridgement of the whole World; and by this view with little labour and difficulty he may ascend to the creator of all things. And to this search, the resolution of these four ordinary and easy questions willbe necessary. 1 Who was Man's Creator. 2 Of what matter he was created. 3 What form was given him? 4 To what end he was brought into the World? First, if thou wilt examine diligently, who it was that made 1. thy soul when it was not, thou shalt find, that it was GOD and not thy Parents. For whatsoever comes of the flesh is fleshly; and thy soul is a spirit. Not Heaven, Earth, Sun or Stars, for they are corporeal; thy soul incorporeal. Not Angels or Archangels, for thou were not made of any matter, but merely of nothing: and none but GOD is able to make something of nothing. He therefore, without help of any others, with his own hands, which are his understanding and will, created thee. And though GOD used thy Parents to the begetting of thy flesh, as labourers to a building; yet is he the chief workman and creator, both of body and soul. For if thy Parents had been the chief authors and makers of thee, they may as well be able without skill in Anatomy to know all thy bones, nerves, veins, muskles, and other things, which they are ignorant of: they might also be as well able when thou art sick or lame, to cure thee, as to make thee: like a clock-maker, who can take in pieces, and amend the watch or clock formerly made by him. But the joining of soul and body in so strong a tie, as that they become one substance, is a work of such transcendence, that none can perform, but he, who is of infinite power. Therefore, this question is resolved, and we may and must confidently affirm, that GOD is Man's creator, who only doth wonderful things. And therefore Moses inspired by the spirit of GOD, may seem to confirm this point, when he saith by way of question and answer: Is not he thy Father? he hath made thee and proportioned Deut. 32. 6. thee. And Job likewise; Thy hands have made me and job 10. 11. fashioned me: and a little after, Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and joined me together with bones and finewes. The Kingly Prophet also acknowledgeth as much, Thy hands Ps. 119. 41. have made me and fashioned me: and again, Thou hast fashioned me behind and before. To 139. 4. these I may add that excellent speech of that heroical woman in the Book of the Maccabees to her sounds. I cannot tell how ye came into my 2 Mac. 7. 22, 23. Womb, for I neither gave you breath nor life: it is not I that ●et in order the members of ●our body; but doubtless the Creator of the World, which form the birth of man, and found out the beginning of all things. And upon this it was, that CHRIST himself said, Call no man your Father upon the earth: for there is but one, Mat. 23. 9 your Father which is in Heaven: upon which Saint Augustine speaking of his natural Son Adeodatus, said to GOD, Thou didst make him well, for I had nothing in that 9 Conf. 6 child, besides the fault. Well then, If GOD be author both of body and soul, if he be thy Father and preserver▪ if what thou hast, thou receivest from him: if what thou hopest, thou hopest from him: Why boastest thou not of such a Father? Why dost thou not love him with all thy heart? why dost thou not contemn all things in respect of him, but sufferest thyself to be overswayed with vain desires and delights? Lift up thine eyes to him, fear not what any mortal creature can do to thee. Say with David, I am thine, save me. Certainly, if thou wouldst but seriously consider, Ps. 119. 94. how gracious GOD is to thee, in that he (who needs none of thy goods; neither if thou perish, doth he lose any thing; hath his eye of providence still and continually over thee; yea so loveth, directeth and cherisheth thee, as if thou wert his greatest treasure, thou wouldst be moved with these his extraordinary favours, and put thy whole confidence in him: thou wouldst fear him as thy Lord, love him as thy Father; and loathe those things which should divert thee from his love. The second quaere is, Of what 2. matter was Man created? The resolution is easy, even of that which is most vile and contemptible: and by how much the ●aser, the better occasion is ministered to every one of us, to labour for that most precious and profitable virtue of humility. And doubtless the matter of which the prime part of Man (the soul) was made, was nothing; and what can be imagined or thought to be of less esteem than nothing? Now what was the first material to the making of the body but menstruous blood: a thing so loathsome, as that the eye flies the sight of it; the hand the touching of it; and the mind abhors to think of it. Thirdly, the matter whereof the first Man Adam was made, 3. was but red and barren earth, or dust or mud. Out of the earth wast thou taken, (saith GOD to Adam) because thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return. Which Gen 3. 19 caused Abraham (remembering the vile materials he was made of) to say to GOD, I am but dust and ashes. 18. 27. And yet we have not said all which may be spoken, concerning the vileness of these materials. For the earth or dust itself, of which his body was created, came not from any matter, but of nothing also. For in the beginning GOD create● heaven and earth, and surely he 1. 1. created them not of any other heaven and earth, but even o● nothing. So that this proud thing Man, (whether you consider soul or body) coming from nothing, in the end must be reduced to nothing. What then hath he to boast of, but that which he hath received from GOD. Other things, as the works of artificers, vessels of gold and the like, if they had sense might boast and expostulate with their workmen in this manner. It is true, low to thee for my form, but not for my materials; and that which I had of myself, before thou tookest me in hand, is far more precious than that which I received from thee: But Man, that hath nothing of himself, and is altogether nothing of himself, can glory in, nor of nothing. And therefore St. Paul saith. What hast thou 1 Cor. 4. 7. that thou hast not received? If thou hast received it, why boastest thou as though thou hadst not received it? and If any man Gal. 6. 3. seem to himself that he is somewhat when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself in his imagination. To which St. Cyprian agreeth, Lib. 3. ad Quirinun. when he saith we ought to boast of nothing, when there is nothing that we may call ours. But thou wilt say, men do many excellent things, for which they are worthily commended; that according to the proverb, virtus laudata crescat, goodness having due praise may increase. It is true. Men do many good works, for which they may deservedly be praised, and of which they may boast; but with this limitation, that they rejoice in the Lord, and not in themselves; as it is written: 1 Cor. 1. 31. 2 Cor. 10. 17. He that rejoiceth, let him rejoice in the Lord. For let me ask these questions. When a Man doth any good work, of what matter, by what power, by whose aid and direction doth he it? surely o● the matter which GOD created: by that power and strength which GOD gave him: and lastly by GOD'S direction and assistance, without which he could do no good thing. For GOD doth many good things in Man without Man: but Man doth no good, but that which GOD giveth him power to do. And therefore, he vouchsafeth to use the Ministry and service of Man in doing good; which of himself he could do without Man, that thereby he might acknowledge himself the greater debtor to GOD, and not by growing proud to rob God of his honour. Therefore, if thou be wise, in the good thou dost, give to thyself the last place; steal not God's glory from him, neither in little or much: enter into thine heart and consider well, that nothing of thine which is only, and all that thou hast, and all the World shall not be able to puff thee up. And because this precious virtue of true humility was almost clean gone out of the World, and was neither to be found in the Books of Philosophers, or in the lives either of the Gentiles or Jews; it pleased the Mr. of Humility himself to descend from Heaven, Who when he was in the form of God equal to the Father, made Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8. himself of no reputation; and took on him the form of a servant, and humbled himself, etc. saying to mankind, Learn of Math. 11. 29. me that am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls. So that if thou perhaps art ashamed to imitate the humility of Men, be not ashamed to follow the humility of jam. 4. 6. CHRIST, Who resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. The third question follows 3. now to be answered: that is▪ What form was given to Man at his creation. Surely by how much the viler the matter was of which he was made, by so much the form is found to be the more excellent. To omit the out ward shape of the body, (which yet may justly challenge eminency above the shapes of all other creatures:) for this is not the substantial, but the accidental form. The substantial form therefore of a MAN, which makes him to be a MAN, and distinguisheth him from other creatures, is the immortal Soul, endued with reason and will, the Image of GOD; for so we read, that GOD said when he would make Man, Let us make Man in our Image according to Gen. 1. 26. ●ur likeness, and let him rule over the fish of the Sea, and over the foul of Heaven, and over the ●easts, and over all the Earth; and over every thing that creepeth and moveth on the Earth. Man therefore is the Image of GOD, not in respect of his body, Io. 4. ●4. but of his spirit: For GOD is a Spirit, not a body. And there is the Image of GOD saith St. Basil, Homil. in exam. 10. where that is, which commands the other creatures. Now Man commands and rules over the beasts, not by the members of his body, which are stronger in many beasts then in Man; but by the mind, endued with reason and will: that is, not by that which he hath common and alike with them; but by that, by which he is distinguished from them, and made like unto GOD. Rouse thyself then, and frame thyself after thy pattern; and consider that all the good thou receivest by this Image, consists in the likeness and resemblance thou hast to it▪ Thy pattern is GOD, whose beauty is infinite, Light, in whom 1 Io. 1. 5. there is no darkness; whose beauty the Sun and Moon admire. And that thou mayst the more easily imitate thy pattern, on which thy whole perfection, profit, honour, joy, rest, and indeed thy whole good depends: conceive the beauty of GOD (thy pattern) to consist in wisdom and holiness. For as the beauty of the body ariseth from the just proportion of the members, and sweetness of the colour; so in the spiritual substance, the pleasantness of the colour is the light of wisdom; the proportion of the members is sanctity and righteousness: not any particular justice, but universal, which containeth all other virtues; and therefore, that may be said to be the most beautiful spirit, whose mind shineth with the light of wisdom, and whose will hath the greatest measure of perfect righteousness. GOD then thy pattern, is that Wisdom, and that Righteousness, and in respect thereof, is beauty itself. And because, both these Attributes of GOD are specified in Scripture under the name of sanctity; it is that the Angels in Esay cry unto him, Holy, Holy, Es. 6. 3. Holy is the LORD GOD of Hosts: and GOD himself cryeth to his Images, Be holy, for I Leu. 11. 4. 4 am holy: and our Saviour in the Gospel, Be perfect, as your Mat. 5. 48. Father which in Heaven is perfect. Wherefore, if thou desirest to be like thy pattern, thou must love Wisdom and Righteousness above all things. True Wisdom (which is one part of spiritual beauty) is to 1. judge of all things according to the supreme cause: and the most high cause is the divine will of GOD, or his Law which manifests his will to Man. If therefore thou love Wisdom, thou must not lend thine ear to what the Law of the flesh shall dictate; what thy senses shall judge to be good; what the World shall approve of; what any Man shall insinuate to thee; but stop thine ears to them, and mark only what the will of GOD thy LORD is, and account that most profitable, and above all things to be desired, which shallbe most conformable to his will and Law. This is the wisdom of the Sap. 7. 10 11. Saints, of which the wiseman wrote. I loved her above health and beauty, and purposed to take her for my light: for her light cannot be quenched. All good things therefore came to me with her. The other part of this spiritual 2. beauty is Righteousness, and this contains all virtues which adorn and beautify the will, the chief whereof is love, the mother of all graces; which not only comprehends all the rest, as St. Augustine speaketh; De na. et gra. c. 70. Rom. 13. 10. but indeed as St. Paul affirmeth is the fulfilling of the Law; and on the other side, He which keepeth his word, (that 1 Io. 2. 5. is his Law) in him is the love of GOD perfect indeed, as St. John. They therefore which would be made like to the Divine pattern, must hearken to, and obey this counsel, Be ye followers of GOD as dear children, and walk in love. The Son is the image of his Father, and all the good which ariseth from this image, (as is before said) is to become like to the pattern. Oh, if thou wouldst fully understand these things, and that being made like unto GOD (by the beauty of true Wisdom and Righteousness) thou much pleasest him, what peace wouldst thou enjoy? how joyful wouldst thou be? how easily wouldst thou despise all the blandishments of this deceitful world? Again, if thou wouldst consider, how highly GOD willbe displeased, when he shall see his image wanting the light of wisdom, and the robe of Righteousness, to be polluted, defiled and darkened; and that Man being placed in such honour, as to be like to GOD, to Ps. 42. 20. be now compared to the beasts that perish: certainly thou wouldst be amazed, and tremble; neither wouldst thou be at rest, until by floods of tears springing from bitter contrition, thou shouldst wash away all thy spots and stains, and return to the likeness of thy most beautiful pattern. But because in the mean time, (while thou walkest away, and wanderest from GOD; and that thou walkest by Faith, 2 Cor. 5. 7. and not by sight) thou continually wantest his aid and assistance, aswell, that thou mayst abide in that likeness which thou hast, as that daily thou mayst become more like, that is more beautiful and clearer: mourn heartily, and pray to him, and say O holy Lord and most merciful, whom it hath pleased to make this my soul, thine Image; make perfect I beseech thee thy work: increase my Wisdom, increase my Righteousness: hide my soul in the secret place of thy Tabernacle, that it be not defiled with the mud of carnal concupiscence, nor with the smoke of secular honour, nor the dust of earthly thoughts. The last quaere remains to be resolved, which is, Whereto, 4. or for what, Man was brought into the World. The end of his Creation. This end was no other, than GOD himself. But because there is a double end, Internal or Inward, and external or Outward. We will consider them apart, briefly. The Internal or Inward end is the perfect state or condition of any thing, to which the same may attain: as for example, a Palace or any other structure is then, and not till then accounted perfect and finished, when nothing is wanting which is requisite to the building of it. So the inward end of a tree is the perfect state thereof; and than it is said to have attained his end, when after the full growth it beareth fruit. A Man therefore, who is created to a most high end, may then be said to have obtained his end, when his mind shall see God as he is, and by seeing him shall know all things; his will shall most ardently love and enjoy that chief good and happiness: and his body being become immortal and impassable, shall live in perpetual peace and joy. And because the essence of this final beatitude is the vision of GOD, by which we (the Images of GOD) shall come to a perfect state, and perfect similitude with our divine pattern: therefore it is that St John saith, Now are we the Sons of GOD, but yet it is 1 Io. 3. 2. not made manifest what we shall be: and we know that when he shall be made manifest, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Oh! if thou couldst imagine, what this is, [that we shallbe like him, for we shall see him as he is] how quickly would all the clouds of earthly desires be dispersed? GOD is most blessed, and therefore most blessed, because he always sees himself as he is, and enjoys himself without intermission, from all eternity, with a most clear sight, and ardent love. Which inestimable good he would have thee partaker of also, with the holy Angels; and hath created thee to this most sublime and transcendent end: which these words signify, Enter into the joy of thy Mat. 25. 21. Lord, that is, be partaker of the joy which God himself enjoys: and these of our Saviour. I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Luke 22. 29. Father hath appointed unto me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, that is, I will make you partakers of my Kingdom, and of my royal Table; that you may enjoy that honour, that power and that pleasure that I enjoy, and that God my Father enjoys. And who can conceive how great that honour, power, pleasure and happiness may be? Certainly he that shall ascend in his thoughts, and hope to this height of his end, willbe ashamed to contend for the earth's possession, or to be tormented for the loss of temporal things, or to rejoice for the gain of them. The external or outward end of a thing is that, or he, for 2. whose sake the thing is made, as the end of a Palace or house for the dweller, the end of a Tree for the owner; and the end of Man only for the Lord his God. For he made him, he made him of his own, he made him for himself; he preserves, feeds and pays him his wages. Therefore most justly he commands, and saith, Thou shalt worship the LORD only, and him only shalt thouserve. Math. 4. 10. But mark and observe diligently. Other things which are created for Man, are profitable for him, and not for Beasts●abour ●abour for Man, not for themselves: the fields, vines and orchards fill the barns, cellars and granaries of Men, ●ot of their own. Lastly, servants labour, sweat and are weary, and the gain, pleasure and advantage redound to the Master, not to themselves. But the LORD thy GOD, who wanteth nothing, will have Man to serve him; and wills that the profit and reward be Man's, and not his own. O LORD, good and gracious, Ps. 86. 5. and of much mercy, who would not serve thee with his whole heart, if he but once tasted the sweetness of thy service? What dost thou command o LORD, to thy servants? Thou bidst us to take thy yoke on us; and what Math. 11. 30. is thy yoke, is it heavy? no: easy, and the burden light. Who would not most willingly bear a yoke, which presseth not, but cherisheth; and a burden which is not grievous, but refresheth? and therefore thou hast added, not without cause, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. And what is that yoke of thine that brings not weariness, but rest? even only that first, and chiefest Commandment, Thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with 22. 37. all thine heart. What easier, sweeter, pleasanter injunction can there be, then to love goodness, beauty and love, which wholly thou art Ô LORD my GOD? Thy servant David judged aright, when he conceived, that thy Commandments were more to be desired then gold, yea then much fine Ps. 19 10. gold; and sweeter than the honey and the honey comb, adding, that in keeping them there was great reward. What is this Ô LORD, Dost thou promise reward to those which keep Commandments of this nature? yet so it is, and a most ample reward, according to that of St. James, a Crown of life. And what may that be? certainly a greater blessing than we can either imagine or desire: for so saith St. Paul, quoting a place in Esay, The eye hath not seen, ja. 1. 12. 1 Cor. 2. 9 Es 64. 4. the ear hath not heard, nor hath come into Man's heart, the things which GOD hath prepared for them that love him. Truly therefore may it be said, that in keeping thy Commandments there is great reward. And not only that great Commandment, but the rest, do make him good and happy that keeps them. If thou be wise then, understand, that thou wert created to the glory of GOD and thine own eternal salvation; that this is thine end, this the centre of thy soul; and this aught to be the treasure of thine heart. If thou shalt attain to this end, thou shalt be blessed; if thou shalt fall from thence, then miserable: and therefore think that truly good, which brings thee to thine end; and that truly evil, which causeth thee to fall from thine end: prosperity and adversity, wealth and poverty, health and sickness, honour and disgrace, life and death with a wise man, are neither to be desired or avoided of themselves: but if they conduce to the glory of GOD and thine own happiness, they are good, and to be sought after: if they hinder either God's honour, or thy salvation; they are evil and to be shunned. DEGREE II. By the Consideration of the Greater WORLD. THe first Degree of our ascent towards GOD, was raised out of the consideration of Man, who is called the lesser World: now our intent is to erect the second, out of the consideration of the great heap, which is called the Greater World. Indeed St Gregory Nazianzen saith, that GOD placed Orat. 2. in Pasch. Man as a Great World in a little, which is true, if we sever the Angels from the World: for Man is greater than it, in virtue, though not in greatness, capacity or mass: but if we comprehend the Angels within the World, as in this tract we do; then Man is but the little in the great World. Therefore in this great World which comprehends the universality of things; though many things be wonderful and very considerable and remarkable; yet these I conceive most worthy our admiration in it. 1 The Magnitude or Greatness of it. 2 The Multitude or Number of things created in it. 3 The Variety of those things. 4 The force, virtue, and efficacy of them. 5 The Beauty and Comeliness of them. It is without doubt, that the 1. compass of the earth is very spacious; yea so great that the Son of Syrach said of it, Who can measure the breadth of the Ecclus. 1. 2. Earth, or the depth? This may be the better understood, if we consider how many thousand years have passed since the Creation, and as yet the whole superficies of it, (which he calls the breadth) is not known, notwithstanding the many dangerous and costly voyages to discover it. Yet what is this heap or mass of the Earth, if it be compared to the circuit and compass of the highest Heaven: Astrologers say, like a point or prick to it, and true enough; and that every Star in the firmament is greater than the Earth, (though for the infinite distance they seem little to us) who can conceive the spaciousness of Heaven, where so many thousands of Stars do shine? and therefore if he asked with such admiration concerning the superfioies and depth of the Earth, what would he have said of the outward superficies of Heaven, and of the depth of the whole World; from the highest Heaven, to the bottom of Hell? And indeed, the corporeal heap or mass of this World is so great, as the mind of Man can hardly imagine or conceive it. Well then, if the World be so great, what is he which made it? Certainly he is great, and there is no end of his greatness. The prophet Esay speaketh metaphorically of him, when he saith, That he measureth the Es. 40. 12. waters in the hollow of his hand, and meateth all the Heavens with a span. But King Solomon more expressly and punctually, 2 Chr. 6. 18. Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee; which is therefore true, because if another or many more worlds were created, GOD would fill them all, which we are not to understand, as that by his so fitting the world, part of GOD would be in part of the world, and wholly in all the world: for GOD hath no parts, but is whole in all the world, and whole in every part of the world; and therefore is everywhere present by his power and wisdom. Wherefore, if thou be'st faithful to him, (whosoever be against thee) fear nothing, for what shouldst thou be afraid of, having so great a GOD to thy Father and friend: but if thou by falling from him hast made him thine enemy and Judge, than thou hast just cause to fear, and to give no rest to thine eyes, till thou hast by true repentance appeased him. The next thing considerable 2. in this Great World, is the multitude of things created in it, which are so many, that who can tell them? Who can number the sands of the Sea, and the Ecclus. 1. 2. drops of rain, as it is in the place before cited. But to omit them, as the least of things created. Within the earth how many mines are there of gold and silver, of lead, brass, tin, and the like? what number of precious stones and pearls. Above the earth, how many kinds, species, and individuals, of herbs, fruits and plants? and how many parts in each of them? and how many kinds, species and individuals of perfect and imperfect living creatures, four footed beasts, creeping and flying creatures? In the Sea, how many kinds, species, and individuals of fishes? who can number them? What shall we say of the multitude of Mankind, of which it is written, He blesseth them so Psa. 107. 38. that they multiply exceedingly. Lastly, how many stars in Heaven, of which it is said by GOD, Number the Stars if Goe 15. 5. thou canst tell them; and which he parallels in another place 22. 7. with the sands of the Sea. And how many Angels of whom Daniel writeth, Thousand thousands Dan. 7. 10. ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before GOD. This infinite number of things therefore created by one Almighty GOD, plainly demonstrates, that in his divine essence are perfections altogether infinite. For GOD would be known his creatures; and because not any one creature was able to represent the infinite perfection of the Creator, therefore he multiplied them, and gave to each kind of them some goodness or perfection, that thereby Man might judge of the goodness and perfection of the Creator, who comprehendeth infinite perfections, under the perfection of one most simple essence, not altogether unlike a piece of gold, which containeth the value of many brass pieces of coin. When therefore any thing which seems admirable shall come to thy mind, let it be a Degree or Step to thee for the knowing of the perfection of thy Maker; who without any comparison at all, is much greater, and more to be admired: so it shall come to pass, that these created things (which as Wisdom teacheth, are stumbling blocks to the souls of Men, and Sap. 14. 10. snares for the feet of the unwise) shall not deceive thee, nor deject, but instruct thee, and make an ascent for thee to better things. Therefore, if thou meet with gold, jewels, or the like, thou must say in thine heart, My GOD is more precious, who hath promised to give himself to me, if I contemn those things. If thou admire the dignity of earthly Empires and honours, thou mayst say in thine heart, how much more excellent is the Kingdom of Heaven, which endures for ever; and which GOD who cannot lie, hath promised to them that Tit. 1. 2. love him? If pleasures and delights begin to tickle thy carnal sense, thou mayst say in thine heart, much more delightful is the pleasure of the spirit, then of the flesh; and of the mind, than the belly: the last whereof, the mortal creature offereth, but the former the GOD of all comfort gives, of which whosoever tasteth, may say with the Apostle, I am filled with comfort, and am exceeding joyous in all my 2 Cor. 7. 4. tribulation. Lastly, if any thing fair, new, unusual, great or wonderful, be offered to thy view, and for thy acceptance, so thou wilt depart from thy GOD; answer securely, there are many more good and fairer things (without question) to be found in thy GOD: and therefore, it will not be safe or profitable for thee, to change gold for copper coin; precious jewels for brittle glass; great things for small, certain for doubtful; and everlasting for those which be transitory. But though the multitude of things created be admirable, and argues the manifold perfection of one GOD; yet much more admirable is the variety of things, which is seen in this multiplication, and doth more easily bring us to the knowledge of GOD. For it is no hard, but an easy matter, with one seal to make many figures alike; nor with one ●ast Letter, to Print many Letters: but to vary the forms in infinite manner, as GOD did in the Creation; this is a work merely divine, and most worthy our admiration. To omit the kinds and species of things, which we plainly see to be very different, and of much variety. In the individuals of herbs, plants, flowers, and fruits, what variety is there? their shapes, colours, smells and tastes; do they not differ infinitely? Is not the like seen in living creatures? But what shall I say of men? when in a numberless army almost, not two men are to be found in all respects alike; and the like may be said of the Stars, One Star differs from 1 Cor. 15. 41. another in glory, saith the Apostle. Lift then up thy mind to GOD, in whom only are the reasons of all things, and from whom (as from a fountain of infinite plenty and fertility) springs this almost infinite variety. Worthily therefore doth the same Apostle cry out, O the Rom. 11. 33. depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. But thou wilt say, these things seem to be true: the good things created we see with our eyes, touch with our hands, ●ast with our mouths; we possess and enjoy them really. GOD we see not, touch, taste nor possess, and searce apprehend him in our imagination, as a thing far remote from us: and therefore no marvel, if these things take us sooner, and with more delight than GOD: But if Faith have any vigour, or be vigilant in thee, thou canst not deny, that after this life (which flies away as a shadow) if thou continue in Faith, Hope and Charity, thou shalt see GOD himself truly and clearly as he is in himself, and shalt enjoy him far better, and more intimately, than thou now dost these created and transitory things: For hearken to Christ, who saith, Blessed are the pure Mat. 5. 8. in heart, for they shall see GOD. Hear what St. Paul saith, Now 1 Cor. 13 12. we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face. And lastly, hear what St. john saith, We shallbe like unto him, for we shall 1 10. 3. 2. see him as he is. Besides, I ask thee how much of the world, or of the things belonging to it dost thou enjoy? Certainly but a small portion or part of it, in comparison of the magnitude before spoken of: and this also in short time, thou knowest not how soon; will'st thou, nill'st thou, thou must leave and forgo. But GOD in whom are all things thou shalt enjoy 1 Cor. 15 28. for ever: for GOD shall be all in all: He will be life, meat, apparel, house, honour, riches, delights, and all things. To which we may add, that GOD is so gracious and merciful, that in this time of thy pilgrimage, he forbids thee not the comfort of his creatures, from which he is so far, as that he created them all for thy service: but this he commands, that thou use them moderately, soberly, and temperately, and that thou impart them to, and communicate them with those which want; and that cheerfully: and lastly, that they rule not over thee, but thou over them. Lay these things together, and bethink thyself, whether it willbe better for thee in this life to be contented with these created things, as much as shall be necessary for thy sustentation; and in the other life to enjoy GOD the Creator, in whom are all things: or in this life to so covet them, as never to be satisfied; and in the other life to be bereft of all these temporals, and those spiritual and eternal also. Consider also, that GOD is not so far from those which love him, as not to afford them great content and delights in this life, and those greater, than the lovers of the world find in these created things: For it is not written in vain, Delight in the LORD, and he shall give thee thy hearts desire, and the Ps. 37. 4. 11. meek spirited shall possess the earth, and shallbe refreshed, etc. and the Apostle, I am filled 2 Cor. 7. 4. with comfort, etc. And the Psalmist again, In the multitude of sorrows that were in my heart, Ps. 94. 19 thy comforts o LORD have refreshed my soul. Of which two last cited places, the meaning is not, that comfort ariseth out of tribulation, joy out of grief; for thorns do not bring forth grapes, nor thistles figs: but Mat. 7. 16. that GOD doth Minister to those which love him, such pure and solid comforts to assuage their troubles, as that temporal joys are not to be compared with them. Therefore, let this be thy firm conclusion; be thus ever persuaded in thy heart, That he which findeth GOD, findeth allthings, and he which loseth him, loseth allthings. It followeth, that by the virtue and power of things created, and which GOD hath given to them: we ascend to the knowledge of the infinite power and virtue of the Creator. There is hardly any thing at all, which hath not some extraordinary or admirable virtue, power, or efficacy in it. The earth or stone, if it fall from high, with what force and violence doth it alight? what doth it not crush in pieces? what doth it not break? what can resist the force of it? The holy Spirit in the Revelation, when he would describe the fall of Babylon; saith thus, Then a mighty Angel took up a great stone, like Apoc. 18. 21. a Millstone, and cast it into the Sea, saying, With such violence shall that great City be cast, and shall be found no more. The water, which flows gently and pleasingly upon the face of the earth, if it be stirred in rivers or swift streams; with what violence it overthrows and destroys all it meets with; not only Cottages, but Gates, and Walls and Bridges of stone, and what not? The winds, which sometimes blow sweetly, being enraged, dash Ships against Rocks; and turn up old and strong Oaks, and other Trees by the roots. What shall we say of fire, a comfortable element, with what speed a little sparkle of it increaseth, into so great a flame, as consumes and devours whole Towns, Cities and Forests, Behold saith Saint James, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! jam. 3. 5. Again, how many virtues lie secret in herbs, and stones? In some beasts, what strength appears; as in the Lion, Elephant, Bear, Horse and Bull. In others, what wit and craft, as in the little Ant, Spider, the Bee and the Fox? To say nothing of the power of Angels, of the virtue of the Sun and Stars, which are far from us: and look upon, and consider the wit of Man, whereby so many Arts are invented; as that sometime it is a disputable question▪ whether art should give place to nature, or nature to art. Raise thy mind then again to GOD, and consider, how great power, efficacy and virtue is in the Creator the LORD GOD, of whom the Scripture saith most truly. Moses in Exo. 15. 11▪ his song, Who is like unto thee O LORD among the Gods? and King David, Who only doth great wonders: and Saint Ps. 136. 4 Paul, The blessed and only Potentate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, for the Creatures 1 Tim. 6. 15. have their power only from him, and that so long as he pleaseth. Who kept jonas in jon. 2. the Whale's belly, so that neither the teeth of the Whale, nor the violence of the water could do him any hurt, but GOD? Who shut the mouths of the hungry lions from touching Daniel, but GOD? Who Dan. 5. preserved the three Children in the fiery hot furnace, from the force of the fire, but GOD? Who rebuked the raging Sea and the furious winds, but CHRIST who is true GOD? Mark 4. GOD it is, that hath no power nor virtue from any; but his will is his power, and a power that cannot be resisted; and he hath infinite power, always hath it, and hath it in all places; all the power of Man being compared with his, is not small and little, but none at all: for so speaks the Prophet Esay, All nations before him are as nothing; and they Es. 40. 17 are counted to him less than nothing and vanity. Are not they then unwise, who fearing the Creature, fear not the Almighty GOD? and that trust either in their own or their friend's strength, and not in GOD Almighty? If GOD Ro. 8. 31. be on our side, who can be against us, and if GOD be against us, who can be on our side? Therefore, if thou be wise, Humble thyself under the 1 Pet. 5. 6. mighty hand of GOD, cleave to him in true piety, and thou shalt not need to fear, what either Man, the Devil, or other creature can do against thee. If perhaps thou hast fallen from goodness, and hast provoked thy GOD to anger, give no rest to the temples of thy head, until thou hast made thy peace again Heb. 10. 31. with him; for it is too fearful a thing, to fall into the hands of the living GOD. It remains, that we speak of the last consideration, which is the Beauty of things created, of which King David said, Thou hast made me glad Ps. 92. 4. by thy works, and I will rejoice in the works of thine hands. And certainly, as GOD made all things good, so are they all beautiful, if they be rightly considered. But to omit some, consider we those, which by the judgement and approbation of all men are beautiful. Without doubt, great is the beauty of a green meadow, of an orchard well trimmed, of pleasant groves, of the sea in a calm, of the air when it is clear; of fountains, rivers, cities, of the bright Heaven, bedecked with innumerable stars, like so many gems or jewels. How are we taken with the beauty of flowers, and fruit-bearing trees, with the various shapes of fourfooted beasts, with the flying and melody of birds, and the playing of fishes? what shall we say of the beauty of the Stars, of the Moon, and especially of the beams of the most clear and resplendent Sun, which by his rising glads the universe? and lastly of Men and Women, whose shape and beauty doth breed the greatest delight? Many Ecclus 9 8. have perished by the beauty of Women. It hath often happened that Men (otherwise most prudent) have been taken with their beauty: and on the other side, many grave matrons and honourable, to have been brought to that madness with the love of men's beauty, that they have neglected their estates, goods, children and parents, their lives; nay I fear their everlasting happiness, for the fond love of Men. The stories of David, Solomon and Samson, are notorious in holy Scripture, with others. If then, such beauty be infused in the Creatures by GOD; how wonderful beauty may we imagine to be in the Creator himself? no Man can give to another what he hath not to give: and if Men being delighted with the form of the Sun and Stars, thought those lights of Heaven to be Gods, yet they should Sap. 13. 3. have known how much more beautiful He is that made them; for the first Author of beauty hath made these things, saith the Wiseman. How much this beauty of GOD may be, is not only known certainly by this; that the beauty of all the creatures, after a more eminent manner, is found to be as it were gathered and compact together in him: but also hereby, that whereas he is invisible to us, while we are in this Pilgrimage; and may be known only by us, through Faith in the Scriptures, and in the glass of the Creatures: yet many holy Men have been so inflamed with His love, that some of them have withdrawn themselves into desert and solitary places, wholly to spend their time in contemplating on this beauty: and others have willingly opposed their lives to many dangers, to come to the sight of this excellent beauty. If then this heavenly beauty (which as yet cannot perfectly be seen, but only believed and hoped for) kindles such a zeal of desire; what will it do, when the veil shall be removed, and that he shall be seen as He is? No marvel then, if the Angels and blessed souls ever see the face of the Father without yrkesomenesse or satiety, when GOD himself beholding his own beauty from eternity, rests, and takes delight only in it. Seek then after this beauty, desiring and longing earnestly after it night and day, saying with the Kingly Prophet, My soul is athirst for God, Ps. 42. 2. yea even for the living God, when shall I come to appear before the presence of God? and with the Apostle, We are bold, and love 2 Cor. 5. 6. rather to remove out of the body, and to dwell with the LORD. Neither need we to fear, that we shall be defiled with the ardent love of this beauty: for it perfects, not infects; sanctifies, but pollutes not the heart. But if thou affectest and desirest the sight of this increate beauty of thy Creator, thou must do that which the same Apostle adds in the same place, strive to be acceptable to him. If the beauty of GOD please thee, thy works must please him: Ps. 116. 9 and if thou wilt walk before GOD in the land of the living, thou must strive to walk before him uprightly in this pilgrimage, and thou must keep Gen. 17. 1. his Image undefiled from stains and spots. DEGREE III. By the Consideration of the Earth. WE have considered the corporal World in the Universe, now we will take a view of the particular principal parts of it, that we may thereby come as near as we can to the sight and contemplation of the Creator: and first we will begin with the Earth. This though it holds the meanest and lowest part, and seems to be less than the other elements; yet in truth is not less, but excelleth all the other in dignity and value. We read in divers places of Scripture, that GOD made Heaven and Earth, as the principal parts of the World; the Heaven as a Palace for himself and the Angels, the Earth as a Palace for Men, as it is in the Psalms, All the whole Heavens are the LORDS, Psa. 115. 16. the Earth hath He given to the children of men. And for this cause it is, that the Heaven abounds with glittering Stars, and the Earth with immense riches, of metals, precious stones, herbs, trees, living creatures of many kinds; whereas the water only is stored with fish, and the air and fire are poor and almost empty elements. But to let these pass. The Earth hath three qualities, by the consideration of which, the mind if it be not asleep, may with ease ascend to GOD. First, the Earth is the surest 1. foundation of the whole World, which it we wanted, we could neither walk, rest, work, nor live. He hath made the round Ps. 93. 2. World so sure (saith the Psalmist) that it cannot be moved; and again, He hath laid the foundations of the Earth, that 104. 5. it should never be moved at any time. Secondly, the Earth is as a good Nurse to Man and other 2. creatures; it daily produceth herbs, corn, fruit, grass, and other things of that kind innumerable, for so GOD speaketh, Behold, I have given ●nto you every herb bearing seed, Goe 1. 29. which is upon all the Earth▪ and every tree wherein is the fruit of a tree bearing seed, that shallbe to you for meat. Thirdly, it bringeth forth stones and timber to build, and 3. mines of brass and iron for many uses; and gold and silver for money and traffic. The first property of the 1. Earth, (in that it is a place in which our bodies may rest; whereas neither in air, fire or water they cannot:) is an Emblem of the Creator, in whom only the soul of Man may find a place of rest. Thou o Lord (saith Saint Augustine) hast made us for thyself, and our hearts are not quiet until they rest in thee. If ever any, it was King Solomon that found rest in riches, Kingdom, command and pleasures; he was possessed of a most large and peaceable Kingdom, for he reigned over all Kingdoms from the river (Euphrates) to the land of the Philistines; unto the border of Egypt, 1 Reg. 4. 21. and they brought presents and served Solomon all the days of his life: he had beside so great wealth that he had 40000. stalls 26. of Horses for his Chariots, and 12000. Horsemen: besides 9 28. his Ships trading to Ophir brought such store of gold and precious stones, that silver 10. ●●. was nothing esteemed in his days, 27. and was given by him as stones in Jerusalem. His pleasure also he took after such an unlimited manner, that delighting in Women, he took to him 700. Wife's princesses, and 300. concubines. 11. 3. And yet, hear what he saith of himself, after he had reckoned up these pleasures and many more, (as you may read at large in the Book of the Preacher:) after he had well looked into them, behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit, Ecc. 2. 11 and there is no profit under the Sun. Therefore you see, he found no true rest either in his riches, honour, pleasures or wisdom; nor could he have found any, had they been many more, because the mind of Man is immortal, and these things are mortal, and of no continuance; nor it cannot be, that the mind (capable of infinite good) should be satisfied with finite good: For as the humane body cannot rest, either in the air, though it be large, or in the water, though it be deep; because the earth, and not the water or air is its centre: so the mind of Man can never rest in airy honour, or watery riches, (which are sordid pleasures,) but in GOD only, who is the true centre of the mind, and the only place of rest for it, and proper to it. How divinely and wisely then, did his Father King David cry out, after he had gone into GOD'S Sanctuary, Ps●l. 73. and understood the end of the wicked in their prosperity, Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none that I 24. desire in earth in comparison of thee. GOD is the strength of my heart, and my portion for 25. ever. Consider this then, and thou wilt confess, that GOD is the Rock upon which thou most rest and rely; other things Ps. 18. 2. are but vanity and vexation of spirit, which are not things in true existence, but in false apparaence; they comfort not, but torment, being gotten with labour, kept with fear, and lost with sorrow and grief. Despise therefore, (if thou be'st wise) all transitory things, lest they snatch thee away with them; and set thy rest on GOD alone, cleave to him with the bond of love, who remains the same for ever. Lift up thy heart to GOD in Heaven, lest it putrify in Earth. Learn true Wisdom, by the folly of many, in whose persons the wiseman speaketh, Therefore, we have erred from Sap. 5. 6. the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us; and the Sun of understanding rose not upon us. We have wearied ourselves in the 7. way of wickedness and destruction, and we have gone through dangerous ways; but we have not known the way of the lord What hath pride profited us? or what profit hath the pomp 8. of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a 9 shadow, and as a Post that passeth by. Again, this foundation the 2. Earth, is an Emblem of GOD in another respect, which CHRIST himself hath explained unto us in the Gospel, by his similitude, of a house built upon a Rock, which (though Mat. 7. 24. the rain fell upon it, the winds beat upon the side of it, and the floods attempted to undermine it,) y●t stood firm and unmovable; but the house built upon the sand, could resist none of them, but fell. So the mansion of man's soul, which consists of many virtues and graces, as of so many rooms and chambers, if it be founded upon GOD as upon a Rock, thatis, if it steadfastly believe him, if it put its whole trust and confidence in him; if it be rooted and founded in the love of him; Ephes. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 35. it may say with the Apostle, Who shall separate us from the love of CHRIST? The soul so founded may be secure, because neither spiritual wickednesses, Ephe. 6. 12. which are above it, nor carnal concupiscences which are beneath it; nor domestical enemies, our kinsmen and acquaintance which are about it, shall at any time prevail against it. Great I confess are the forces and subtleties of spiritual powers; but greater is the power, greater is the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, which is ruler and precedent over the house which is built upon GOD. Very much and earnestly doth the flesh fight against the Spirit, and concupiscences have overcome many strong Men: but the love of GOD easily overcometh the love of the flesh; and the fear of the LORD, the fear of the World, Lastly, Man's homebred enemies many times draw them by evil example and conversation, to the perpetrating of sin: but the soul whose confidence is, that it hath GOD to Father and friend, easily shakes such friends off, and will say with the Apostle, I am persuaded that neither life nor death, nor Angels, nor Principalities no● Powers, nor things present nor Rom. 8. 38, 39 things to come; nor any other creature, shallbe able to separate me from the love of GOD which is in CHRIST JEsus our LORD. The second property of the Earth consists in this, that it is as a good nurse to Men, and other living creatures, in bringing forth herbs, fruits, and other sustenance in plentiful manner for their preservation. And this property ●eads us to the Creator, who is the true Nurse: For it is not properly the Earth, but GOD by the Earth, which produceth these good things. For so the holy Spirit speaketh by the mouth of David, He Ps. 104. 14. bringeth forth grass for the cuttell, and green herb for the service of men; and a little after, These all wait upon thee, that 27. thou mayest give them meat in due season. When thou givest 28. it them they gather it; and when thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good: and our Saviour in the Gospel, Behold the fowls of the air, for Mat. 6. 26. they sow not, neither reap, nor carry into the barns, yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them: and the Apostle Saint Act. 14. 17. Paul in the Acts, Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from Heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Yet is that true, which GOD commanded at Goe 1. 11. the Creation, Let the Earth bud forth the bud of the herb, that seedeth seed; and the fruitful tree which beareth fruit according to his kind: but it is by the power and virtue which GOD hath given it, and GOD himself by the Earth producing, increasing and preserving these things. And for this cause it was, that King David inviting all creatures to praise the LORD, among the rest, calls upon fruitful trees to do the same: and that the three Children in Daniel sang, All things that grow on the Earth, bless ye the LORD, praise Dan. 3. 76. him and exalt him above all things for eve●▪ Seeing then, that all things (after their manner) praise the LORD, with what affection oughtest thou to bless and praise him; for all the benefits which thou continually receivest? whose hand is continually open to manifest his fatherly and most pure love to thee, never ceasing to do thee good from Heaven, but continually providing in most plentiful manner for thee. But all this is little in the sight of GOD thy LORD, for it is he which causeth that most noble root of love to sprout out and grow in thee. For Love cometh not of the World, but of GOD, as Saint 1 10. 4. 7. John speaketh: And out of love as out of a Divine and Heavenly plant, spring the most fair and sweet smelling flowers of holy thoughts, the green leaves of profitable words to salvation, and the fruit of good works by which GOD is glorified, and our neighbours relieved. Woe then to those, who like foolish beasts covet to be filled with the fruits of the Earth, gather them greedily and hide them, never thinking of the Author of them, nor praising him for them: whose souls are like to the Earth which GOD cursed, bringing forth only thorns and thistles: for what do they think upon, but only Fornication, Adultery, Homicide, Sacrilege, Thefts, Treasons and the like? what do they speak but Blasphemies, Perjuries, Curses, Contumelies, false Testimonies, Lies and the like, which they have learned of their Father the Devil? And lastly, what fruit bring they forth, but those poisonous fruits which (as we said) they continually think and speak of, even the works of the flesh, Ga. 5. 19 as they are called by the Apostle? These are the thorns which first of all prick them that bring them forth, with most sharp and bitter pricks of fears and cares: then they prick the fame of their neighbours, with most grievous and irreparable loss. But if thou be'st the garden of that Heavenly Husbandman, take heed that thorns and briers be not found in thee, and above all things cherish the Tree of love, and the Lily of chastity, and the sweet Spikenard of humility: and take heed, that it never creep into thee to think, that these virtues and plants of grace be of thyself and not of GOD: neither attribute the preservation and increase of the fruits of good works to thyself; but commit them to him, and his care, placing all thy strength wholly in him. The third and last property of the Earth is, that in the 3. bowels of it are Mines of gold, silver, and precious stones, iron, brass, and lead. Yet we must understand, that the Earth produceth not these things of its own power, but by GOD'S; which thing he himself affirms, by the mouth of the Prophet Aggee, the Silver is mine, and the gold is mine saith Agg. 2. 8. the LORD of Hosts. O thou lover of mankind, hath it thus pleased thy goodness, not only to furnish Man with stones, timber, brass, iron, lead, and other the like necessaries for the building of houses and ships; and all other things expedient for his use, but to bestow upon him gold, silver, and jewels for ornament also? And if thou givest such things to Pilgrims on Earth, oft times thine enemies and blasphemers of thy holy name, what wilt thou bestow upon thy beloved, who shall bless thee, and reign with thee in Heaven? Thou wilt not give them small pieces of gold or silver, nor a few jewels and precious stones; but that City, of which Saint John speaketh in the Revelation, That the building of the Apoc. 21. 18. wall of it was of Jasper, and the City was pure gold; the foundations of the City wall were garnished with all manner of 19 precious stones, and the twelve gates were twelve pearls. Yet 21. we must not conceive, that this high City Jerusalem the Heavenly, was built indeed of gold, silver, or pearls, as is described by Saint john; only we are to know, that the holy Spirit useth these speeches for our understanding, that apprehend not greater, nor better things. But without all doubt, much more excellent shall that City be, which is the City of the Elect of GOD, and surpass in glory all the Cities in this world; much more, than a golden City adorned and beautified with jewels doth exceed any Country Town, made of mud and straw. Lift up then the eyes of thy mind to Heaven, and consider, of what value and estimation the things of Heaven are; when as gold, silver and jewels, which are here so much accounted of, are but as dust and straw compared with them: and that these things are but corruptible, and they incorruptible and eternal. But if thou wouldst have them laid up for thee as treasures, and become incorruptible in Heaven, send them by bills of exchange (as it were) by the hands of the poor, and thou shalt find and receive them there again. For the truth cannot lie, which saith, Give to the poor, and thou shalt have Mat. 19 21. treasure in Heaven, and again, Give alms, make you bags which wax not old, a treasure Luke 12. 33. that can never fail in Heaven, where no thief cometh, neither moth corrupteth. O the unbelief of Men! deceitful and lying Man promiseth ten for a hundred, besides the principal; and is believed and trusted; and GOD which cannot lie, promiseth to repay one hundred for one, and eternal life to boot; and the covetous wretch distrusteth, and chooseth rather to hide his treasure, where moth consumeth, and thiefs break through and steal, then to lay it up in Heaven, where it is subject to no such casualties. But tell me o unhappy Man, if these goods which thou hast gotten with much labour, and hast kept with no less fear, be neither stolen by thiefs, nor corrupted with moth or rust, whose shall they be? not thine certainly. Experience teacheth us, that the wealth of the covetous come commonly to prodigal heirs, which consume them with far more speed, than the covetous Fathers scraped them together; yet in the mean time, the sin of covetousness remaineth, and shall for ever, and the worm of their conscience shall not die, and the fire (prepared for Es. 66. 24 Mar 9▪ 46 their reward) never goeth out. Therefore, let the folly of others be thy instruction, and give ear to thy Lord and Master preaching to thee, Beware of covetousness, for though a Luke 12. 15. Man have abundance, yet his life standeth not in his riches. A covetous Man gathers together, and keeps it, thinking long to possess it: but it happeneth otherwise, as it did to the rich man, that filled his enlarged barns in the Gospel; and his wealth covetously heaped up, begat such a worm as never will dye, and kindled such a fire as never willbe quenched. O thou unhappy miser, wert thou so solicitous to gather that, which should prepare a fire in Hell, wherein thou must continually burn? Harken to St. james, Go to you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall jam. 5. 1, come upon you. Your riches are corrupt, and your garments are 2, moth eaten. Your gold and silver 3. is cankered, and the rust of them shallbe a witness against you; and shall eat your flesh as it were fire; as if he should say, Because you were rich, you accounted yourselves happy, but indeed you are miserable; yea more wretched than all poor men, and have great cause to weep and howl for the great calamities which surely shall befall you: for the overplus of your riches which you suffered to corrupt, rather than to bestow them on the poor, and your supersluous garments, which you suffered the moths to eat, rather than to cloth the naked, shall rise up, and bear witness in the day of judgement against you. And therefore, we will conclude with the Kingly Prophet, Happy are Ps. 144. 15. the people (say the unwise) that are in such a case; that is, abounding with all manner of wealth, when as indeed blessed are the people, (and they only blessed) who have the LORD for their GOD. DEGREE IV. By the Consideration of Water, especially of Rivers and Fountains. AMongst the Elements of the World, Water challengeth the second place; by which also we may raise our thoughts a step higher to Godward. First, we will consider Water in general, and afterward ●raw one special ascent O GOD, out of Fountains and Rivers. Water is moist and cold, and in these respects, hath five properties. First to wash and cleanse from spots. Secondly, to extinguish fire. Thirdly, to cool and temper the heat of thirst-Fourthly, to join many and divers things into one. Fifthly and lastly, it ascends or riseth, as high as it falls low. All these are apparent resemblances or Emblems of GOD the Creator of an things. Water washeth and taketh away corporal steines and spots; 1. so doth GOD spiritual, Wash me and I shallbe whiter than snow, saith King David; for though Ps. 51. 7. contrition, the Sacraments, the Priest, alms, and other works of piety, wash out the spots or steines of the heart (sin) yet all these are but instruments or dispositions, and the only author of this cleansing is GOD, I even I (saith GOD by Esay) am he that blotteth out thy transgressions Es. 43. 25 for mine own sake. And therefore the murmuring Pharisees, though they believed not in CHRIST, but blasphemed him, yet were in the right, Luke 5. 21. when they said, Who can for give sins but GOD only? Besides, God doth not only wash our sins, as water doth spots, but will be called water also: for so writes St. John. He 10. 7. 38. that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. But this he spoke of the spirit which they that believed in him should receive: for the holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified, therefore the Holy Ghost (which also is God) is living water, and of this Water Ezechiel Ezec. 36. 25 speaketh, I will pour clean water upon you, & you shall be clean from all your filthiness. Now because this heavenly and uncreate water, far surpasseth the power of created water, you may observe 3. differences between them. 1 Created water washeth away the spots or stains of corporal things: yet not of itself, without the help of soap, or other means: but uncreate water washeth out all stains fully, as you see, in the place last before quoted. 2 Water created doth seldom so cleanse, as to leave no signs or marks of a spot; uncreate, doth so wash, as that the thing washed, becomes much whiter and fairer than before. Wash me, and I shall be Ps. 51. 7. whiter than the snow, saith David; and God himself by Esay, If your sins be as crimson, they Es. 1. 18. shall be made white as snow, though they were red like scarlet, they shall be as white as wool. 3 Lastly, Created water cleanseth natural spots, that resist not, but yield to the Washer. Uncreate, not only washeth away voluntary spots, which cannot be cleansed without the soul's consent, but withal (such is the admirable force and virtue of it) it sweetly entereth into stony hearts, and therefore is rejected of no hard hearts, because it worketh so in them, that they have no power to oppose, as St. Augustin rightly saith, Who can conceive in what Lib. de pr. SS. cap. 8. admirable manner thou, O Lord, inspirest faith into the hearts of unbelievers, humility into the hearts of the proud, and charity or love into the hearts of thine enemies, etc. It is much that I should search into these thy secrets, and I would rather have experience of the efficacy of thy grace, then search into it. And because I know that this water is avotuntary & gracious rain sent by thee upon thine inheritance, Ps. 68 9 as the Prophet David speaketh: I humbly desire, that I may be found to be of thine inheritance, and that it would please thee to descend into the earth of my heart, lest it continue as a land without water, barren and dry, as of itself it is, so that it is not able of itself, to think a good thought. The second property of created water, is to extinguish, or put out fire: and this heavenly water, that is, the grace of the Holy Spirit, quencheth the fire of carnal concupiscence, after a wonderful manner. And to this quenching, afflicting of the body by fasting and the like, do much avail, as they are instruments of grace only, and not otherwise, for of themselves they are nothing available. For love is the prince or principal of all affections and perturbations of the mind, it rules over them all, and they all obey it only. Love will not be forced, and if the way or passage be stopped to it one way, it will break through another. It fears nothing, it overcomes all things, it accounts nothing hard or impossible; lastly, love yieldeth to nothing, but to a love greater and more powerful than itself: and in this last case, carnal love, whether it follow either the riches or pleasures of the world, if once the water of the holy Spirit begin to distil into the heart of a man, it presently wa●eth cold, and gives place to the love of God. Saint Augustin testifieth this, in his own case, who having accustomed himself to follow too much his own lusts, yet when he began to taste of the grace of the Holy Spirit, he cried out. How suddenly became it pleasant to me to want L. 9 Conf. c. 1. the sweetness of toys, and that which before I was afraid to lose, now it was pleasure to me to let go. Thou O Lord, the only true joy didst cast these from me, and enterdst into me in their stead, being sweeter than all other pleasure, although not to flesh and blood, etc. Again, this created water qualifieth and assuageth thirst, and the uncreate heavenly water, can only give an end to the manifold, grievous, and almost infinite desires of man's heart. This Christ the Truth plainly teacheth us, by that speech of his to the Samaritan woman. Whosoever, (saith he) drinketh of this water, shall thirst again: but whosoever shall drink of the water which I shall give him, shall never thirst. Thus stands Io. 4. 13, 14 the case. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear Eccl. 1. 8. filled with hearing, (as saith the Preacher) whatsoever is offered to man, cannot satisfy his desire, why? because he is capable of infinite good, and all created things are circumscribed within certain limits. But he which beginneth to drink this heavenly water, in which all things are contained, covets nor desires any thing more. But of this hath been formely spoken, in the rest of the mind in God alone, as its proper Centre. Fourthly, Water joins together, 4 and reduceth into one, those things, which one could not imagine would have been so united. As many grains of wheat by the mixture of water, make one loaf of bread; and of many parts of the earth by the same mixture, bricks and tiles are made. But much easilier, and with a stronger tie or band, doth the water of the Holy Spirit bring to pass, that many men become one heart and one soul, as it was with the Primitive Christians (in the Acts of the Apostles) upon whom the holy Act. 4. 32. Ghost descended. This unity Christ himself (going to his Father) commended and foretold, when he said, I pray not for these alone, but for them also which shall believe in me by their word, that they may be all one, as thou O Father art in me, 10. 17. 20. and I in thee, that they may be also one in us: and a little after, that they may be one as we are one. I in them, and thou in 22. 23. me, that they may be made perfect in one. To which unity the Apostle also exhorts, endeavouring Eph. 43. to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one Body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your 4. vocation. O happy Union, which makes many men to be one Body of Christ, which is governed by one Head, and to eat of one meat, and drink of one drink, and to live with one 1 Cor. 10. 3. 4. 6. 17. spirit, and being joined to God, to be made one spirit with him. What more can be desired by a servant, than not only to be partaker of all the goods of his Lord, but also by an indissoluble bond of love to be made one with him? And all this the grace of the Holy Spirit brings to pass, as a living and quickening water, when it is devoutly received into the heart, and there kept with diligence and care. Lastly, Water ascends and riseth as high as it falls low, And 5 because the Holy Spirit descends into earth from the highest heaven, therefore in that man into whose heart it is received, is made a well of water springing to eternal life, as our Saviour Io. 4. 14. said to the Samaritan woman. Wherefore, being thus instructed in the properties of this uncreate water, let us thirst after it, and say with groans and sighs unutterable: Lord give us of this water which may wash off all our stains, cool the heat of our concupiscences, appease and qualify the thirst of our desires, may make us one spirit with thee, and raise us to the height of thy eternal mansion. It was not without cause, that the Son of God said, If ye then being evil know to give good gifts to your children, how Luc 11. 13. much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it? He saith not, he will give you bread, or apparel, or wisdom, or love, or the Kingdom of heaven, or eternal life; but he saith, He will give the Holy Spirit, because in it are contein●d all things. Cease not then to put God daily in mind of his Sons promise, and say to him with earnest affection, and assured hope of obtaining, Holy Father, I pour out my prayers unto thee, not trusting in mine own righteousness, but in the promise of thine only begotten Son. Make good therefore this promise of thy Son, who glorified thee upon earth, Io. 17. 4. Phil. 2. 8. and was obedient to thee unto death, even the death of the Cross, give to me that ask thy good Spirit, give me the spirit of thy fear and love, that I thy servant may fear nothing but offending thee, and may love nothing but thee, and my neighbour for thee. Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew Ps. 51. 10. a right spirit within me: Cast me not away from thy presence, 11. and take not thy Holy Spirit from me: Restore to me 12. the joy of thy salvation, and establish me with thy free Spirit. We come now to the resemblance which rivers or fountains of water have with God, and by it, the mind may be lift up to contemplate the wonderful and excellent work of the Creator. For it is not without cause, that the Scripture saith that God is a a Ps. 35. 9 Well of life, a b Eccl. 1. 5. Fountain of Wisdom, c jer. 2. 13. the Fountain of living waters. And that he is the very Fountain of being, may be gathered out of his own words to Moses. I am that I am, and, I am Exo. 3. 14. hath sent me unto you. All which the Apostle seems to comprehend in this speech. In him we Act. 17. 28. live and move, and have our being. In him we live, as in a Fountain of life: in him we move, as in a fountain of wisdom, and in him we have our being, as in the fountain of being. A fountain of water here with us, hath this property, that from it the floods arise, and whensoever they leave to flow, immediately they dry up: but the fountain itself depends not upon the floods, because it receives no water from them, but not only hath water in itself, but communicates with others. This is a true resemblance of God, and an Emblem of the Godhead: for God is the very fountain of being; he receives no being from any thing, but from him all things take their being, because the essence of God is to be, and his existence is his essence: so that it cannot come to pass, and it were blasphemy to think, that God was not, or will not be for ever. Other things may be & not be for a time, because a being is not properly to their essence. For example, it is of the essence of man that he be a reasonable creature, and therefore he cannot be a man & not be a reasonable creature; & if it were of the essence of man to be, it could not be otherwise, but that he must be always: but because it is not of his essence to be, therefore he may be, & not be. God therefore ●s the only fountain of being, because in his essence the act to be is always included. And these words signify so much, I am that I am, that is, I am the thing to be, and receive not being from any, but have it in myself: to me only it is proper, that essence to me should be to be; and hence also it comes, that eternity & immortality is proper to him only, as the Apostle speaks; To the King everlasting, immortal▪ &c▪ and, Who only hath immortality. 1 Tim. 1. 17. 6. 16. All other things receive their being from God, so that unless they always depend on him, and be preserved by a certain influence from him, they presently leave to be, and therefore the Apostle saith of him that he beareth up allthings by hi● mighty Word, and unless he● should always preserve an● uphold the creatures, the● could no longer subsist, or be. Heb. 1. 3. Elevate thy mind then, an● admire the goodness of God▪ who so lovingly and carefully preserves and supports all things having no need of them; and no less wonder at and imitate, the patience of thy Creator, who is so kind to the unkind Luc 6. 35. and evil, as to sustain and help those which blaspheme him, and preserve those who deserve to be reduced to nothing; and be not unwilling to bear the infirmities of thy brethren, nor to do good to thine enemies. But the eminency of the 2 Fountain of being consists not in this property alone, that it receives its being of another Fountain, and communicates that being with other things, for the waters of Fountains and the waters of rivers with us, are of the same kind, and although the waters of fountains receive not waters from other fountains, yet have they a cause of their being, as vapours, and the vapours have other causes, till we come to the first cause, which is God. But God is not of the same kind with things created, but differs in an infinite distance of dignity and excellency from them: & is truly and properly the Fountain of being, because not only he taketh not his being from another Fountain of being, but is so far from that, as that he knoweth no other cause at all. The fountain of created water (as is said) is derived, not from another water, yet from another cause: the uncreate Fountain of being, hath nothing precedent, dependeth of nothing, wanteth nothing, nothing can hurt it, but all things depend upon it, and he can with one nod destroy all things 2 Macc. 8. created, as the Machabee speaketh. We may worthily admire this excellency, this beginning without beginning, this cause without cause, infinite, unlimited and absolutely necessary; whereas, all other things in comparison of this are but contingencies. And therefore cleave●o ●o this alone, serve him only, delight in his love alone, and despise all other things in respect of him: at the least, vex not thyself with too much solicitude about many matters, ●eeing this one thing is necessary, and is all sufficient for thee ●nd all other men: and let it be ●ne chief care of thine, never ●o fall from his grace, and study to please him only, ever, ●nd every where. 3 Again, God is most truly 3 ●alled the Fountain of life, because he liveth and hath life●n ●n himself, yea and is life eternal itself, and all things that ●ive, receive life from this Fountain, and that when he ceaseth to give them life, when he taketh away their breath, they die, and are turned again to Ps. 104. 29. their dust, as the Prophet David speaketh. To beget a thing like itself, is the property of the living: now God begot a Son most like to himself, God begat God, and the living, the living. For as the Father hath life in himself, so likewise hath 10. 5. 26▪ he given to the Son to have life in himself, as St. John testifies, and the Father hath life in himself, because he is the Fountain of life, and receives no life from any other place, and gave his Son to have life in himself, the same life which he hath himself: and by this it is, that the Son is the Fountain of life also, yet so, as the Fountain of life from the Fountain of life, as he is God of God, light of light. Who can express, nay who can conceive, what manner of life this life of God is? and what manner of Fountain of life that is from whence all things which live, either in heaven or earth suck small drops. The life known to us in this our banishment, is nothing else, but an internal beginning of motion; for those things are said by us to live, which after any sort move themselves: from whence it comes to pass, that the warers in rivers, by a kind of similitude, are called living waters, because they seem to move, & stir of themselves, & those in ponds and pools, are called dead, because they cannot move of themselves, nor are stirred, but by winds, or some external force. It is thy God then, which is only he, that most truly liveth, and that is the author and Fountain of life, which God himself doth often beat and inculcate to us, throughout the holy Scriptures. As I live, saith the Lord: and the Prophets N●mb. 14. 28. often repeat this, The Lord liveth. And God himself complaineth of his people in Jeremy, They have forsaken Jer. 2. 13. me, the Fountain of living waters. And yet he is not moved, either by himself, or any other. I am the Lord (saith he) and am not changed, and God is Mal. 3. 6. not as man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should be changed. And if God Num. 23. 19 begat a Son, he begat him without changing, or if he see, hear, speak, love, pity, judge, all or any of these things he doth without changing: and if he create, preserve, (or on the contrary) destroy, dissolve, and again renew, and alter, yet he worketh quietly and changeth without motion. If you a ke how he liveth, if he move not, or how liveth he not, if he be the author and Fountain of life? it is easily answered. It is absolutely sufficient to life, if a living thing act of itself, not being moved by another: but life, (as it is for the most part in created things,) is an internal beginning of motion, because things created, are imperfect, and want many things to perfect and finish the actions of life. But God is infinite perfection, and needeth nothing without himself, because he worketh of himself, not moved by any other, as needing no motion or change. Again, things created need change to beget and to be begotten, because they beget without themselves, and things which generate must be changed, from a not being, to a being. But God begets the Son within himself, and produceth the Holy Ghost within himself, neither need the Son or the Holy Ghost to be changed from a not being, to a being, because they receive that esse or being that ever was, and that not in time, but from eternity. Again, things created want the motion of augmentation, because they are borne imperfect: but God the Son, is borne most perfect, and God the Holy Ghost is breathed and produced most perfect. Things created need alteration, as diverse qualities, which they must necessarily get: but God wants nothing, because he hath the essence of infinite perfection. Things created need motion to place, because they are not every where; but God is whole every where. Again, things created want many things to cause them to see, hear, speak, and work because though they have life, yet it is imperfect and deficient; but God needeth nothing without himself, to see and hear all things, to speak to all, and to work in all. For he worketh all things in all, as having a life most happy, and most plentiful, being life, and the Fountain of life. Take an example in the act of seeing. A man, to cause him to see, wants a seeing power, which is distinct from the soul, which properly liveth: he wants an object, that is some coloured body placed without him: he wanteth the light of the Sun, or some other enlightened body: he wanteth a medium, that is, some perspicuous body; he wants a sensible species, as form, which may be conveyed from the object to the eyes: he wants a corporal organ, that is, an eye furnished with diverse humours, and fleshly tunicles: he wants sensitive spirits, and optic nerves, by which those spirits may pass: he wants a proportionable distance, and the application of power: you see, what a number of little helps are wanting to men, and other creatures, to perform one action of life. But God, who truly hath all life in himself, wants nothing: his infinite essence is unto him, power, object, species, light, and all other things. Of, and by, and in himself, God sees all things which are, have been, and shall be, and perfectly knows what might have been: and before the world was made, God saw all things, neither is there any new thing added to his knowledge or sight, by the creation of things. Consider duly then, what thou shalt be, when thou shalt be partaker of that life? what great thing doth God command thee, when he bids thee despise this frail and temporal life (altogether deficient and imperfect) for his sake, that thereby, thou mayst enjoy that eternal life? And if he command thee therein no hard task; how little and mean injunction is that, when he bids thee give thy dead superfluities liberally to the poor; to abstain from fleshly lusts and concupiscences, to forsake and renounce the Devil and his tentations, and wholly to desire fervently, and with all the affections of thy heart, to attain to that which is the only and true life? But it is time now to ascend to the fountain of wisdom, by what means we can. The Word of GOD most high, (or in Ecclus. 1. 5. the highest as some translate it) is the fountain of wisdom, as it is in Ecclesiasticus; and it may very truly be said in the highest, because the fountain of wisdom most abundantly and plentifully floweth in the holy Angels and souls of the blessed, who inhabit in the highest habitations: but to us, who live in this desert and pilgrimage, not wisdom, but a kind of vapour or smell of wisdom is allotted. Therefore look not after higher things than befits thee, search not too narrowly into the Majesty of GOD, lest thou be overwhelmed with his glory; but admire his wisdom, of which the Apostle speaks, Rom. 16. 27. To the only wise GOD: congratulate the blessed spirits, who drink out of the fountain of wisdom; and though they comprehend not GOD, a thing only proper to the fountain of wisdom, yet they behold the face of GOD without any veil; and (being enlightened with the brightness of his rays) judge most rightly of all things, neither in that noonday light of wisdom, fear they the darkness of errors, nor the obscurity of ignorance, nor mist of opinions. Aspire to that happiness, and that thou mayst securely come to it, love the LORD JESUS with all thine heart, in whom are all the treasures Col. 2. 3. of the wisdom of GOD, for he hath said in the Gospel, He that loveth me, shallbe loved of my Father, and I will love him, Io. 14. 21. and show mine own self unto him: and what will he show, by showing himself, but all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom of GOD which are in him? Certainly, men are naturally desirous to know, and although fleshly concupiscences do in this life in a sort lull this desire asleep, yet when this body (which corrupts and burdens the soul) shallbe laid aside, than the fire of this desire shall wax fervent. How great will thy happiness then be, when thy beloved CHRIST JESUS shall impart to thee all the treasures of the knowledge and wisdom of GOD? But that thou mayst not hereafter be frustrate of thy expectation, study and endeavour to keep his Commandments. For he hath said, He that keepeth my Commandments, john 14. 21. is he that loveth me, and He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words. In the 24. mean time, let that be thy wisdom, which holy Job describeth. The fear of the Lord job 28. 28. is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding, and what good soever thou seest in the creature, know that it flows from GOD the fountain of all goodness. DEGREE V. By the Consideration of the AIR. THe Element of Air may serve as an excellent and notable Schoolmaster, if the nature of it be well considered; not only to instruct us in natural Philosophy, but to open to us the mysteries of Divinity, and to raise our minds to GOD: for the benefits are divers, which by Divine ordination, and appointment, arise by the air to mankind. First of all, Air while it serves for breathing, preserves the life of every creature. 2. Again, it is so necessary for the use of the eyes, ears and tongue, that if it be wanting, presently we become blind, deaf and dumb. 3. Lastly, it is so necessary for the motion of men, and all other living creatures, that if it should be taken away, all motions, and consequently all Arts and works would be at an end. First, if men would consider that their souls have as much 1. need of breathing as their bodies; many would be saved that now perish. The body needs a continual breathing, because if the natural heat which inflames and makes the heart as it were to boil, were not tempered and qualified by the ministry and office of the lungs, drawing in cool air to eject the hot, the life could not be preserved; which confirms the usual received opinion, that to live and breath are one, and the same: for every thing that breathes, liveth, and that which leaves to breath, ceaseth also to live. The soul in like manner (which lives a spiritual life by GOD'S grace) needs a continual breathing, which is done, by sending hot and fervent sighs by prayer to GOD, and by receiving from him new grace, even that of the holy Spirit. And what else indeed is the meaning of our Saviour by this, that we ought always to pray, and not to Luke 18. 1. faint, but that we must ever sigh up to GOD, and receive his good spirit down, that our spiritual life be not dissolved; which he seems to repeat, when he saith, Watch therefore Luke 21. 36. and pray continually: and the Apostle, Pray without ceasing; to all which the Apostle St. Peter agreeth, saying, Be therefore 1 Pet. 4. 7 sober, and watching in prayer. And verily, this is true sobriety and wisdom, that we which continually need the help of GOD, should always make petition for the same. Our heavenly Father (it is true) knows what we stand in need of, and is ever ready to supply our wants in plentiful manner, especially those, which conduce to our eternal happiness and salvation: yet His will is, to bestow them by the instrument of prayer; we must pray for them, because it is more honourable for him, and profitable for us, to give them to us as labourers and petitioners for them, then as to sleepy and idle persons. Therefore, our most bountiful GOD exhorts and urges us to this duty, saying, Ask and it shallbe given to you, Luke 11. 9 seek and you shall find, knock and it shallbe opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth, 10. and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shallbe opened. And what that is, that is chiefly to be asked, and that shallbe given without doubt; he declareth a little after, If ye then which are evil can give 13. good gifts unto your Children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that desire him? Therefore, that which is in the first place to be required, is the holy Spirit, by which we breathe in GOD; and by this breathing preserve our spiritual life; which holy David did, as appears by that in the Psalms, I opened my mouth and drew in Psa. 119. 135. my breath, that is, I opened my mouth by prayers, sighs and groans unutterable, and I drew in the most comfortable breath of God's spirit, which cooled the heat of concupiscence, and confirmed me in every good work. This being so, who can say that they live to GOD, who spend days, months and years, and neither breath to, nor receive breath from him? It is an evident sign of death, not to breathe: and if to breath be to pray, than it is a sign of death not to pray. Now the spiritual life by which the Children of GOD are reputed to live chiefly, consists in love, Behold saith St. john, what love the Father hath given unto us, that we should 1 Io. 3. 1. be called, and be the sons of God. Now who is there that loves, and desires not to see that which he loveth? and who desires any thing, and asketh not for it of him, who he knoweth will give it him, if he make suit for it? Therefore, he which prayeth not continually to see the face of GOD, desires not to see him; he which desires not to see him, loves him not: he which loves him not, lives not; whereupon it necessarily follows, that they are dead to GOD, though they live to the world, who seriously devote not themselves to prayer. Nor is it enough only to pray with the lips, to make us reputed amongst the living, for prayer is rightly defined to be a lifting up of the mind to GOD, and not an elevating of the voice into the air. Therefore deceive not thyself, think not that thou livest to GOD, if thou earnestly breathe not to him with all thine heart, night and day; and say not to thyself, that thine other affairs will not give thee leave to spend thy time in prayer and divine meditations: for the holy Apostles were much employed, aswell in their own affairs, as in the work of the LORD, and salvation of souls, in so much as one of them said of himself, Besides the things which are outward, I am cumbered daily, 2 Cor. 11 28. and have the care of all Churches, etc. yet he (besides other recital of his often prayers) writes to the Philippians, that his conversation was in Heaven, Phil. 3. 20. and that, because in the heat of his other employments, he was conversant in Heaven, in his desire, nor ever was unmindful of his beloved; otherwise, he would never have said, I am crucified with Christ, but Gala. 2. 20. I live: yet not I any more, but Christ liveth in me. The second property of the air is, that it is the medium or 2. means by which the species or forms of colours are conveyed to our eyes, and of sounds to our ears; and without which, we could neither see, hear nor speak. For which, first we are to give thanks to Almighty GOD for giving such an ornament and benefit to our nature: and secondly, we are to admire his wisdom, in a work of such fineness, subtlety and thinness. 1. In respect that the air of itself is a true body, and so great, that it almost fills the universe; yet it can neither be seen nor felt for the incredible subtlety of it. Antiquity admired the skill and subtlety of one line, which Apelles drew with his pencil, and yet it was seen, and touched; and in that regard, was by no means to be compared with the tenuity and subtlety of this veil, which compasseth and toucheth all men, and yet is seen of none. 2. But it increaseth our admiration, that being a most subtle and thin body, yet when it is divided, it closeth again with so great facility, as if it had never been divided: when as but a Spider's web, being once broken, can never be so cunningly amended, that the first breach may not be seen. 3. Lastly, that which is most worthy our admiration, and done or caused only by the wisdom of GOD, that through one and the same part of the air, should be mingled together innumerable several species of colours, as those in the rainbow. He that shall place himself in a clear Moonshine night, in some open field, where he may behold at one time, stars in the heaven, fields in the earth bedecked with several sorts of flowers, together with houses, trees, and many other beautiful ●ights; shall not be able to deny, but that the several species of them are contained in that part of the air, which is near unto him. But who well can understand this? who can conceive it? for how can it be, that so thin and subtle a thing as the air should comprehend together so great variety of shapes and forms? And what if it happen that at the same time, and in the same place, he shall hear the melodious music of birds on one side, from another divers musical instruments, in another the silent murmuring of falling waters; will it not follow, and that of necessity, that all these sounds or species of sounds must be received together with those of the colours beforenamed? and who brings these things to pass? are they not wrought by the wisdom of thy Creator who only doth wonderful things alone. 3. Again, there is yet another benefit which ariseth by this admirable tenuity and thinness in the air, that it hinders not, but helps the motion of all things, which pass from one place to another. We all know, with what labour Ships or Boats are drawn through water, though it be of a liquid quality or substance, and is easily divided and parted; For many times, neither the winds, nor Oars, serve to make them pass, but they are many times forced by the strength of Horses. And if at any time, upon some occasion, a way be to be made through a hill or mountain, what labour, sweat and time it costs, before a short cut be made? But through the air, horses run swiftly, birds and arrows fly speedily, and men in exercising diverse offices, ascend, descend, walk, run, move feet, arms, and hands, upwards and downwards, every way; neither doth the air (which is diffused in all places) any thing at all hinder them, insomuch, as if it were not of a corporeal, but of a spiritual substance and nature, nay indeed as if it were nothing at all. Laftly, the air hath a property, 3. serving for the benefit of Man, that is, it changeth it self into every form, and suffereth itself to be divided, and as it were broken asunder, to comply to the service and use of Man, so that it seemeth to be given to him, as a Master and instructor to him, in humility, patience and charity. But that which should chiefly stir up and kindle in thee the love of thy Creator, is, that the air doth represent the great sweetness and gentleness of thy maker to men: For do but recollect thyself, and seriously consider his goodness, thou shalt find, that thy GOD is ever present with his creatures, ever working with them; and of such infinite gentleness, that he accommodates his working to the several condition and nature of them all, as if he should say with the Apostle, I am made all things to all men, that I might 1 Cor. 9 22. by all means save some: he worketh together with necessary works, that they may work necessarily; with voluntary, that they may work voluntarily; with those which are free in their working, that they may work freely. The fire he moveth, stirreth and helpeth so, that it may ascend; the earth that it may tend downward; the air that it may glide by declive and bending places; the air that it may pass which way soever it be driven; stars that they may keep always in a circular motion: herbs furittrees and plants, that they may bring forth fruit, according to their natures; creatures upon earth, in the water and the air, to do those things which are agreeable to their nature. And if the goodness of GOD be so eminent in cooperating with his creatures, in the work of nature, what may we think it to be in the works of grace? He hath given man free power of his will, but so, as that he will govern him by his command, terrify him with destruction, and allure him by his bounty. He will have all men saved, but so, as that he will also have them to be willing; and therefore he sweetly prevents, excites, leads, and guides them in such manner, as is most admirable. These are the means which the wisdom of GOD hath found out for the good of Man: of which, the Prophet Esay speaketh in these words, Praise the LORD, call upon Es. 12 4. his Name, declare his Works, (adinventiones ejus, say some) among the people. And certainly, the wicked sometimes he terrifies exceedingly, sometimes persuades them lovingly; sometime admonisheth them mildly, and sometime correcteth them mercifully, as he in his wisdom thinks expedient and agreeable to their conditions and inclinations. Observe how tenderly he dealt with the first transgressor: Adam (saith GOD) where art thou? his answer Gen. 3. 9 10. was, I heard thy voice in the Garden, and was afraid, because I was naked I hid myself, the LORD replied with the like meekness, Who told thee that thou wast naked, Hast thou 11. eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat? and by this gentle correction or insinuation, Adam without doubt repent, as the Scripture saith. She (that is the Wisdom of GOD) preserved Sap. 10. 1. the first Father of the World, that was form, and kept him when he was created alone, and brought him out of his offence. Observe again, how gently and sweetly he (by his Angel in the Book of the judges) rebuked and provoked the people of Israel to repentance. What shall I say of the Prophets, who in all their sermons (as we may call them) teach this, and beat upon this, that GOD desires not the death Ezec. 18. 23. of a sinner, but rather that he should return and live. They say (saith GOD by jeremy) if a man put away his Wife and jer. 3. 1. she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again; shall not the land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return again to me saith the LORD. And by Ezechiel, Eze. 33. 10, 11. Thus ye speak and say, If our transgressions and sins be upon us, and we are consumed because of them, how should we then live? Say unto them, as I live saith the LORD, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn you, turn you from your evil ways, for why will ye die o ye house of Israel? But to let pass the wicked, and consider how great GOD'S more than Fatherly meekness and gentleness is to those that fear and hope in him. Holy David is desirous to express it, Look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth, so Ps. 103. 11. great is his mercy also toward them that fear him. And Like as a Father pittyeth his own 13. Children, so is the LORD merciful to them that fear him. And, The merciful goodness of the LORD endureth for ever 17. and ever upon them that fear him. And in another Psalm, Taste and see how gracious the LORD is, blessed is the man Ps. 34. 8. that trusteth in him, and again, 73. 1. Truly GOD is loving unto Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. And again, GOD saith by Esay, Can a woman Es. 49. 15 forget her child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? though they should forget, yet will not I forget thee: and jeremy in his lamentations, Lam. 3. 25. The LORD is good to them that trust in him, and to the soul that seeketh him. Now if I would add what the Apostles testify of his Fatherly tenderness to the Godly, I should never make an end. Take one place for all the rest, of St. Paul, Blessed be GOD 2 Cor. 1. 3, 4. even the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Father of mercies, and G●D of all comfort, which comforteth us in all our tribulation etc. he saith not, that GOD is our comfort (barely) but of all comfort; and not that he comforteth us in some, but in all our tribulation. And to end this point, take the words of St. Prosper, Grace Li. 2. de voc. gent. c. 26. (saith he) exceeds all justification, by persuading in exhortations, admonishing by examples, terrifying by dangers, provoking by miracles, giving understanding, inspiring counsel, enlightening the heart, and endowing it with affections of Faith, etc. If then thy Creator be so loving and kind to his servants, and with such incredible patience and meekness bears with sinners for their conversions, comforting the just, that they may proceed and grow in righteousness, and holiness; oughtest not thou to bear the infirmities of thy neighbour, to gain all men to thy GOD? Consider with thyself to what sublimity and excellency the Apostle Eph. 5. 1. exhorts thee, when he saith, Be ye followers of GOD as dear Children. And walk in 2. love, even as CHRIST hath loved us, etc. Imitate the Father, who causeth the Sun to arise upon the good and evil, and raineth upon the just and unjust. Imitate the Son, who having taking our humane nature for our good upon him, spared not his own life to deliver us from the power of darkness and everlasting perdition. Imitate the holy Ghost, who plentifully poureth out, and scattereth his most plenteous gifts, that he may of carnal make us spiritual. DEGREE VI By the Consideration of FIRE. THis Element is of so pure and noble a nature, as that GOD himself would be called Fire, as both Moses and St. Paul testify, The LORD Deut. 4. 24. 5. 25. Hebr. 12. 29. thy GOD is a consuming Fire. And when GOD first appeared to Moses, he would be seen in a bush burning, but not consuming with Fire: when also Exo. 3. 2. GOD came to give the Law to his people, he appeared in the shape of fire, as Moses relateth it; Mount Sinai was all on smoke, because the LORD 19 18. came down upon it in fire. To resemble which mystery, when the new law was to be published, the holy Ghost appeared to the Apostles in the shape of fiery tongues. Lastly, they which Act. 2. 3. in heaven are nearest to GOD, are called Seraphim, because they receive fervour and heat from that most ardent and divine fire, more than the other Angels. It will not therefore be hard or difficult for us, out of this element and the nature and properties of it, to erect one grease, whereby we may ascend to GOD by prayer and meditation; and less difficult will it be, with Elias to ascend in a fiery Chariot, then to make a Ladder to rise up by, out of either earth, water, or air. Let us therefore examine and consider the properties and qualities of this element. Fire is of that nature and quality, that it worketh diversely, and oft times contrarily in many things. 1. It quickly burneth and consumeth Wood, Straw and Stubble. 2. It purifieth and maketh more beautiful gold and silver. 3. It changeth Iron into contrary qualities, as of black, cold, hard and heavy (the natural properties of it) it maketh it clear, hot, soft and light, insomuch as it will shine like a star, burn like fire, melt and be liquid like water, and by the Artificer be moved and lifted easily. All these things apparently agree and meet in GOD. And first, Wood, Hay and Stubble, are by the Apostle compared with evil works, which 1 Cor. 3. 12. cannot endure the trial of God's fire, for it is almost incredible how hateful and displeasing all sins are to GOD, who is a most pure fire; with what zeal he consumes and destroys them: first, by repentance, if the sinner be in that state that he can repent; for by repentance all sins are purged: and if the sinner be uncapable of repentance, (as Devils, and men after this life are) his wrath is kindled against them, For the ungodly and his Sap. 14. 9 ungodliness are both hated alike of GOD, saith the wiseman; and the Kingly Prophet David confirms this saying, Thou hatest all them that work vanity. Ps. 5. 5. How much and great this hatred is, the Devil can witness, who sinning once, and being (as St. Gregory saith) an Angel most noble and glorious, Morael. li. 32▪ c. 24. and the Prince of the first order of Angels, and the most excellent creature of GOD, yet was forthwith cast out of Heaven, and deprived of all honour and grace, turned into a most deformed monster, and bound to eternal perdition. Christ himself is a witness, who came from Heaven, to dissolve the works of the Devil (sin) and therefore is styled the Lamb of GOD, which taketh away the sins of the World. Yet who is able to declare, nay to conceive, what and how great things he suffered, to destroy the works of the Devil, and fully to satisfy God's justice? Who being in the form of GOD, Phil. 2. 6. 7. took on him the form of a servant; and being rich was made poor for our sakes, not having 2 Cor. 8. 9 Lu. 958. 1 Pet. 2. 23. whereon to lay his head, was reviled, suffered, bore our sins in his body on a tree, humbled himself, and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the Cross; was derided, spit upon, Phil. 2. 8. scourged, crowned with thorns, crucified with all ignominy and grievous torments, shedding his life and blood, and all these things to destroy the Devil's work, sin: Witness the Law of GOD, which forbids and punisheth all sin, leaving not unpunished so much as an idle word. And how do Mat. 12. 36. we think he detesteth heinous sins, that cannot endure an idle word? For the Law of the LORD is an undefiled Ps. 19 7. Law, without all spots, and what communion hath light with darkness, 2 Cor. 6. 14. or what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? Lastly, let Hell itself be witness, which GOD hath prepared for the wicked and sinners, which refused to be washed with the blood of the undefiled Lamb: For it is but just, that in whom sin always remains, punishment should be perpetual: now what the punishment of hell shallbe, is horrible and fearful to think: of which we shall have occasion to speak more at large, in the last Degree. Therefore, seeing that Gods hate to sin is so extreme, if thou love GOD above all things, thou must also above all things detest sin: take heed thou be not deceived by those, who either extenuate or excuse it; take heed that thou deceive not thyself with false and ungrounded reasons; for if sin either committed by thyself or others displease thee not, thou lovest not GOD, and if thou lovest not GOD, thou shalt perish everlastingly. Again, if thou be not unthankful to Christ, how much dost thou conceive thou owest to his love? to his labours? his blood? his death? who washed thee from thy sin, and reconciled thee to his Father: and shall it sleme grievous to thee hereafter to suffer any thing for him, either in his grace and favour, and with his grace to resist sin, even to the loss of thy blood and life? Lastly, if thou canst not endure the fire everlasting in hell patiently, neither oughtest thou patiently to endure sin, but flee from it as from a Serpent; and let it be Ecclus. 21. 2. thy resolution to join thy greatest hate to sin, with thy greatest love to GOD. But fire destroys not, but 2. makes Gold, Silver and jewels, more perfect and shining; because as S. Paul, (in the place before cited) declares, that those metals signify good works and perfect, which are allowed and approved by the fire of God's judgement, and shall receive their reward. Those works GOD ratifies for good, because they are his gifts, and St. Augustine saith, he crowns his own gifts, whensoever Conc. 2. in Ps. 70. he crowns our deserts; for they are performed by his command, and by his aid, he bestowing power upon us, and enabling us to do them, and himself directing us by the Law and rules which he hath made and appointed. And indeed gold denotes unto us the works of love and charity, and how is it possible, but the works of love should exceedingly please GOD, who is love itself? Silver signifies the works of wisdom, namely of those which instruct many men in the way of righteousness. These also are very acceptable and pleasing to Almighty GOD, according to the saying of the wisdom of GOD. He Mat. 5. 19 that shall observe and teach them, shallbe called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jewels and precious stones are the works of a chaste soul, of which it is said in Ecclesiasticus, There is no weight to be compared to a Ecclus. 26. 15. continent (or chaste) mind. And how this pure Virginity pleaseth GOD, we may understand, by that which Esay speaketh of Eunuches, upon which place Esa. 56. 5. St. Augustine speaking, doth so commend Virginity in men and 5. women, that he made a long Oration upon it. And these be De S. Virginit. cc. 24. 25. the three works to which are given great rewards, and to their possessors or workers, namely Martyrs, Doctors and Virgins. To Martyrs for the excellency of their love. Greater love than this hath no man, when any man Io. 15. 13. bestoweth his life sor his friends. To Doctors, for the eminency of their wisdom, of whom Daniel saith, They that turn many to righteousness shall shine Dan. 12. 3 as the stars for ever and ever. To Virgins, for the inestimable and incomparable worth of their purity, for whose sake the Virgin harpers in the Revelation Apoc. 14. 3. sung a new song, which none could sing but they, These 4, are they which are not defiled with Women: for they are Virgins, these follow the Lam● whither soever he goeth. And not only the love of Martyrs, the wisdom of Doctors, or purity of Virgins shall be tried in the fire of God's judgement, and receive their full reward: but all other good works also, so they be done in faith and love, and shallbe reputed among the golden vessels, and be tried by that fire, and receive their reward: for to those also Christ shall say at the day of judgement, Come ye Mat. 25. 34. blessed of my Father, take the inheritance of the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World, even to them which gave bread to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, lodging to the stranger, apparel to the naked, and comfort to the sick or captive. Nay our Saviour hath promised a reward to those, who shall give but a cup Mat. 10. 42. of cold water to any in the name of a disciple in love. Thou mayest by this easily understand, what difference there is between one work and another; and what is more foolish, more miserable, then in the same place and time wherein (if thou be'st wise) thou mayst get gold, silver and precious jewels, thou hadst rather, (and that with no small labour) gather dry wood, straw and stubble. O that thou wouldst be wi●e, and understand, and provide for the last day, when all these things shall be examined and tried by the fire of God's judgement; when the former shallbe commended and crowned, and the latter burnt and turned into smoke and ashes. Why dost thou now choose that, which without all doubt will cause thee to repent that ever thou didst choose it? and why dost thou not reject that, which with thy advantage thou mayst now cast off; when a while hence thou shalt without thy profit, nay to thy great disadvantage be forced to condemn? If perhaps thou dost not now perceive this, because the veil of things present hangs over thine eyes, so that thou canst not discern the pure and clear truth, pray then to God, and with earnest affection with the blind man in the Gospel, say: Lord grant that I may Luc. 18. 41. see, that I may receive my sight; or with the Prophet David, Open mine eyes, that I may see the Psal. 118. 18. wonderful things of thy Law. For certainly it is almost a miracle, that works done in love, should become gold silver, and precious stones, and that they which are not done in love, should be converted into dry and sear wood, straw and stubble. Now come we to consider the other property of fire. Hitherto 3. we have only learned from the nature of that Element, what God worketh in those which depart this world with good works▪ or end their days with evil▪ Now by another similitude drawn from the same fire, we may understand what God worketh with those whom he calleth from sin to repentance. A sinner is compared to Iron, which when it is far from the fire, is black, cold, hard, and heavy: but being put into the fire; it is made clear, hot, soft and light. Every Sinner wanteth his inward light, and walketh in 1 darkness, and in this respect may be well resembled to the blackness of Iron: for though in the knowledge and commerce with men, he may seem to be wise, and of great judgement; yet in discerning the true good and evil, he is blind, and more miserable than any blind man. For a blind man seeth nothing, and therefore stirreth not nor is moved without a guide: but a Sinner thinketh he seeth that which he seeth not, or taketh one thing for another, and judgeth good evil, and evil good, great to be little, and little to be great, long to be short, and short to belong; and therefore is ever deceived in his choice. And this is it which the Apostle speaketh of in the idolatrous Gentiles: Having Ephes. 4. 18. their understanding darkened through that ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart. This is that also which our Saviour in the Gospel so often upbraideth the Math. 15. 14. 23 16. Lu. 6. 39 Scribes and Pharisees withal, that they were blind leaders of the blind. The Prophet Esay also speaking to the jews of his Esay 42. 18. time, saith: Hear you deaf, and look ye blind, that ye may see. And a little before in the same Chapter, (prophesying to them of the coming of Christ, who should open the eyes of the blind, and speaking of the new Testament 16. in the person of God) saith, I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, and lead them by paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, etc. Lastly, do not the wicked themselves confess as much after this life, when pain shall begin to open their eyes, which sin had closed? Therefore have we erred Sap. 5. 6. from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us, and the Sun of understanding rose not upon us. Nor is it a wonder that they should be blind, who are averse from God in will and mind: For God is light, and in him is no darkness, 1 Io. 1. 5. saith St. john. Whereupon the same Apostle concludeth, that He that saith he is in the light, 9 and hateth his brother, is in darkness. And a little after. He that 11. hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. Neither is it the only cause that sinners are in darkness, because they are averse from God who is the light, but because also their own wickedness hath blinded them, as the Wiseman speaketh. Sap. 2. 21. For the passions of the mind, hatred, anger, envy and the like which are comprehended under the name of malice, do so blind the mind, that they suffer it not to perceive the truth; but are like coloured glass, which maketh white to show like red, and the contrary; or like optic glasses which make great things seem small, and small great, or those things are a far off to be near, and they which are near, a far off. Whatsoever thing a man loves fervently, he ever judgeth it to be most fair and amiable, most beneficial and profitable, most excellent and necessary for himself; and despiseth all other things in comparison of it. Again, whatsoever he hates vehemently, he reputes it the most deformed, unprofitable, evil and pernicious. But if once this black and foul iron be put into the fire; that is, if a sinner begin to be turned from his sin and be converted to God, (according to that of the Psalmist:) Then the Lord shall make his darkness light, than he begins Ps. 18. 28. by little and little, by degrees to be enlightened, and by that light to perceive the truth, according 36. 9 to that in the Psalm, in thy light shall we see light; then the false glass of his passions being broken, and a true one looked upon (which is pure love) he esteemeth eternal things great, and temporal small, and almost nothing, as indeed they are: and perfectly perceives, that all beauty and forms of things created are not to be compared at all with the light of truth and wisdom which is in God, and is God: and therefore cryeth out with St. Augustine; L. 10. conf. c. 77. I have loved thee too late, O thou beauty, I have loved thee too late. And because Christ saith, You shall know the Io, 8. 32. truth, and the truth shall make you free: he that is so enlightened, and freed from the bonds and shackles of concupiscence, covetousness, ambition, and all other passions, by the light of truth, shall rejoice with the Prophet and say; Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder: I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. Ps. 116. 14. Secondly, fire as it makes iron clear, which formerly was black; so of cold it maketh it hot; yea so scorching and burning, as that it seemeth to be fire itself. Great is the Lord, and great is his power, that a man by nature cold, fearful and timorous, not daring of himself to speak, much less to attempt any hard or difficult design; yet being once heated with the fire of Love, he can make him as bold as a Lion, who terrifies all others with his roaring, and overcomes by his power, and that nothing shall seem difficult or hard to him; insomuch as being kindled with this fire, he shall say with the Apostle; I can do allthings through Christ Phil. 4. 13. which strengtheneth me. But let us speak of the two parts of the efficacy of this fire, severally; namely, of the power of it in words and in deeds. 1 There are many (now adays, and ever were in the Church of God) Preachers and teachers of great note; yet what is the reason that with so many of their Sermons so few are converted? that so little alteration of manners and conversation appeareth; for still the same vices, the same sins, the same coldness and dissolute behaviour continueth. I can ascribe it to no other cause, but that in these Sermons, though they be learned, fluent and elegant, there wants the life, the fire and love, which only is of power and efficacy to quicken, heat, and inflame the hearts of the Auditors. I deny not, but there are many Preachers who can thunder as it were, and beat the Pulpit; but they are like Guns charged with powder only, and can give a crack as great as a piece of Ordinance; but fruitless, because they prefer not the glory of God, and the salvation of souls before the applause of men. Saint Peter was no Rhetorician, but knew only how to steer a Ship, and mend a net, and to cast it abroad; but as soon as the Holy Ghost came upon him in the shape of fiery tongues, and filled him with most ardent love, he began presently, even in the midst of jerusalem, to preach with such power and efficacy, that at one Sermon of his many thousands were converted. Act. 2. And yet we read not that he used much clamour or laying about with his body, or banging the Pulpit: from whence then proceeded such moving of the Auditors, from whence such gaining of souls? certainly by this, that the holy Preacher was as a fire, and his Word burnt like a Lamp, as it is said in Ecclesiasticus of Elias: his Ecclus. 48. 1. words came from him as from a heart burning and sparkling with L●ve. 2. Again, this divine fire hath as much efficacy in deeds as in words. God had decreed to subject to himself the City of Rome (the head of the Empire) by the preaching of the Apostle St. Peter, and to send abroad other of his Apostles, some for the conversion of the Ethiopians; others of the Indians, others to the Scythians, and some to the Britons; and by them not only to destroy the Idols of the World, but to erect ●nd advance the Trophy of the Cross, to alter the rites of the Gentiles, and to subvert the tyrannical Kingdom of the Devil. If any man should have fore●old these things to the Apostles, when they were fishing in the Lake of Genesareth, or when (during the time of our Saviour's Passion) they lurked in corners, they would have been believed no more than dreams or old wives fables: yet after a while, all these things came to pass, and that by no other means, than the power of most ardent love, which the holy Ghost kindled in their hearts: for as St. john speaketh, Perfect 1 joh. 4. 18. Love casteth out sear; and again, Love suffereth all things, 1 Cor. 13. 7. hopeth all things, endureth all things; thinks nothing impossible, but cries with the Apostle, I am able to do all things Phil. 4. 13. in him which strengtheneth me▪ So that we see, that by the endeavour of these men, armed with Love only, Idolatry was expelled, the whole world with little labour, and Churches of Christianity established every where, in al● Kingdoms, without the force of Armies, or warlike provision. Thirdly, fire hath this property, that it softens hard Iron, 3. that it may be lengthened out into plates, and (being made thinue) fitted to any form at the Artificers pleasure. It is true, that this is a great efficacy of fire in iron: yet far greater is the power of GOD over the obstinate and obdurate hearts of men. St. Bernard describes a hard heart thus, That Li. 1. cap 2 is not only a hard heart (saith he) which is not terribly afraid of itself, because it is insensible: What then is a hard heart? That which is not cut with compunction, nor mollified with devotion, nor moved with prayers; yields not to threats, is hardened with scourges, is unthankful for benefits, unfaithful in counsels, that neither fears GOD, nor reverenceth men. All these things were verified in Phara●h, who the more he was plagued, the more he was hardened; and the more God's mercy appeared to him by removing the plagues, the more he was animated to despise him. But whensoever it pleaseth GOD to kindle a sparkle of the true fire of His love in a heart, though never so hard, presently it grows soft and melteth like wax, nor doth it any way resist the power of it: but is of a stony become a heart of flesh, and the breath of God's spirit thaws the congealed snow thereof into water. We have an example in the Gospel of that Luke 7. woman, who being a notorious sinner in the City could not be persuaded, either by the admonition of her brother, or the chiding of her sister; or the honour of her family, or her own disgrace, to amend her life; yet one of the beams of our Saviour pierced so deep into her heart, and kindled a sparkle of his divine love there, so that she was suddenly transformed as it were into another woman, insomuch as she (being of a noble stock) was not ashamed at a public feast to fall down at Christ's feet, and being wholly turned into tears, of them made a bath for his feet, and with her own hair, (in stead of Linen) wiped them, and moved with the vehemency of that love, kissed them, and anointed them with a most costly ointment, signifying by these her acts of Repentance, that from thenceforth she purposed wholly to devote herself to his service; and therefore she worthily heard that comfortable speech of our Saviour, Many sins are forgiven her, for she loved Lu. 7. 47. much. And these effects hath the power of divine fire wrought, which no hardness of heart can resist. The last property of fire, is that it maketh Iron light, which 4. formerly was heavy. And it is the chief cause, that men which are not heated and inflamed with divine love, are heavy in heart: and to such the Kingly Prophet thus speaketh, after some translations: Vsquequo gravi cord, How long will ye be Ps. 4. 2. heavy in heart, loving vanity, and seeking after lies? and the Wiseman saith, the corruptible or S●p 9 15. earthly body weigheth down the soul: And in Ecclesiasticus, A Ecclus. 40. 1. heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam. Which heavy yoke he afterwards explains to be 5. wrath, envy, fear, trouble, and unquietness and the like, which are usually styled the passions of the mind. These do so load and burden a man, that he looks upon nothing but the earth, to which he cleaveth, and can neither rise to seek God, nor to run the way of his commandments. But as soon as this divine fire begins to inflame the heart of man, those passions forthwith decrease and are mortified, and that heavy burden is made light; so that he is able to sa● with the Apostle, Our conversation is in Heaven: Phil. 3. 20. Ps. ●●9 32. and with an enlarged heart to say with King David, I will run the way of thy Commandments, when thou hast set my heart at liberty. Certainly, after our Luke ●● 49. Saviour had said, I am come to put fire on the earth, w see, how light many 〈◊〉 became, by casting off the affections and desire of honour, flesh and riches, insomuch as they cried with the spouse in the Canticles, Draw me: we will run after thee. Cant. 1. 3 O blessed fire which enlightens but consumes not, and consumes the ill humour only (if it consume) but kills not. Who will give me this correcting fire? 1. that will take away the blackness of ignorance, and purge the darkness of my conscience with the light of true wisdom. 2. That will change the coldness of my sloth into the heat of devotion; and of my negligence into the fervency of love. 3. Which will never suffer my heart to be hardened, but keep it soft with its heat, and make it obedient and devout. 4. Which will lastly remove and take away the heavy yoke of earthly cares, and will so lift up my heart with the wings of contemplation, which nourisheth and increaseth love; that I may say with the Psalmist, Comfort the soul of thy servant, for unto thee o Ps. 864. LORD, do I lift up my soul. DEGREE VII. By the Consideration of Heaven, that is, of the Sun, Moon and Stars. IT will be no hard task out of the consideration of Heaven to erect one step for our ascent to GOD, for the Kingly Prophet hath done it to our hands, The Heavens Ps. 19 1. (saith he) declare the glory of GOD, and the firmament showeth his handie-worke. Now, forasmuch as there are two times wherein we should ascend to GOD by the wings of contemplation; namely, the day and night: of the former of them, the same Prophet saith in the same Psalm, In the Sun hath he placed his Tabernacle (according 5. to some translations) or as others, In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun, which cometh forth as a Bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth 6. as a Giant to run his course His going forth is from the end of Heaven, and runneth about to the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. Of the latter he writes in another Psalm, I will consider the Heavens the work of thy hands, the 8. 3. Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained. We will begin with the first. Of the Sun (which is seen 1. by day) the Psalmist in the former mentioned place sets down four several praises or commendations. 1. That it is the Tabernacle of GOD. 2. That it is most beautiful. 3. That it ever runs most speedily, and without weariness. 4. That by enlightening and heating, it chiefly manifests its power. In regard of all which qualities the Son of Syrach calls it A merveilous Ecclus. 43. 2. vessel, the work of the most High 1. First therefore GOD the creator of all things (according to the old translation of St. Jerom) hath placed his Tabernacle in the Sun, as in a most noble thing to reside in: that is, he hath chosen the Sun among all corporeal things, as a royal palace, or divine sanctuary to dwell in: for though GOD fill jer. 23. 24 2 Chr. 2. 6. Heaven and Earth, and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him; yet he is said to dwell more there, where he hath manifested the greatest signs of his presence, by working wonders. But because in the original it is said In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun, that is in Heaven; we may gather out of this place in the Psalm, another excellency of the Sun, not contradicting or opposing the former. The Sun is a great thing, for whom GOD hath prepared a large, fair and noble palace: for as he would have heaven to be the palace of the Sun, wherein he might freely walk and work; so he would have the Sun to be his own palace. So, that as we may apprehend the greatness and excellency of the Sun by this, that the heaven is its tabernacle; so may we conceive the greatness and excellency of GOD, in that the Sun (an admirable vessel, and then which nothing corporeal is more wonderful) is his tabernacle. 2. Secondly, the Psalmist (to denote unto us the great beauty of the Sun) compares it to a Bridegroom going out of his chamber: for never do men desire to set themselves forth in better manner, nor to seem more lovely and beautiful, then when they are bridegrooms; as desirous to please the bride's eye more at that, then at any other time. But if we could fasten the sight of our eyes upon the Sun, and were near unto it, and could behold it in the true quantity and quality, we should not need the similitude of a bridegroom to conceive the incredible beauty of it. Certainly, all the grace of the eyes depends on the light, and without it all the beauty of colours vanisheth and looseth the lustre. Again, nothing is more fair than the light, and GOD himself (who is beauty itself) would be called light. GOD is light (saith St. John) and in him is no darkness 1 Io. 1. 5. at all. And among corporeal things nothing is more clear than the Sun, and in that regard, nothing more fair and beautiful. Besides, if we will add this, that the beauty of inferior things, especially of men, soon fadeth; but the beauty of the Sun never decayeth, never decreaseth, but always maketh all things joyful with equal splendour: for if we observe it, upon the Sun rising, all things seem in a manner to rejoice, men are merry, sweet winds blow, flowers open, herbs increase, and birds refresh the air with their melodious notes; and therefore it was the answer of old Tobias to the Angel who gave him joy: What joy can I have (said he) that sit in darkness, and see not the light of Heaven? Consider then with thyself, and say, that if the created Sun doth so comfort every thing in his rising, what joy shall there be to pure souls when they shall behold the uncreate Son, without comparison fairer and clearer; and that, not for a time, but for ever? and what horror shall be to the wicked, when they shall be condemned to everlasting darkness, where they shall neither behold the beams of the uncreate or create Sun: and what joy shall it bring to that soul to whom the Father of lights shall say, Enter into thy Mat. 25. 21. Lord's joy? 3. In the next place, King David sets forth and describes the admirable course of the Sun, He rejoiceth as a Giant to run his course. Without doubt, a Giant is strong, and if according to the greatness of his body he will stretch out his paces, and run as swiftly as by his strength he may, he quickly will pass over a great space of ground. And as before the Prophet to express the Sun's beauty, compared it to a Bridegroom; so to set forth the swiftness of his course, he likens it to a Giant. But though he had not compared him to a strong man, or a Giant, but to flying birds, arrows, winds or lightning, yet he had fallen far short in that comparison, between it, and them, in this property of swiftness: for if it be true which we see, that the Sun passeth the circuit of his Obbe in 24 hours; and if the circuit of its Orb doth infinitely exceed the circuit of the Orb of the earth; and if the compass of the earth comprehends 20000. miles, or thereabouts, all which are very true; then of necessity it must follow, that every hour he runneth many thousands of miles: Nay what speak we of hours? I may say every quarter, and almost every minute; for if a man do but observe the rising or setting of the Sun in an open horizon, as it is at Sea, or in the plain of a champion Country, he may perceive its whole body to ascend above the horizon, in less space than the eight part of an hour, and yet the diameter or thickness of the body of the Sun is much greater than the diameter of the Orb of the earth, and which contains 7000. miles. And if we will add yet further, that the body of the Sun which is moved so swiftly, is far greater than the heap or mass of the whole earth's Orb; and that the motion of this body so great, is so speedy without intermission or weariness, and that this motion if GOD command it, shall continue for ever; certainly if thou be'st not a stock or a block, thou canst not but wonder at the infinite power of thy creator: and therefore most truly was it said to be a merveilous vessel, the work of the most High. 4. The last property of the Sun, that is the efficacy of the light and heat of it, comes now to be considered, of which, the Prophet in the same Psalm speaketh, There is nothing hid from the heat of it. This one clear body placed in the midst of the World, enlightens all Stars, all the air, all Seas, and all the Earth; and by its vivifying heat makes all things, as plants, corn, and trees to spring and sprout, and bringeth all ●ruit to maturity and ripeness; it spreads and diffaseth its virtue and power also into the earth, causing it to bring forth all kinds of mettle. And therefore St. James compares ja. 1. 17. GOD himself unto it, Every good gift (saith he) and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of changing. The Sun indeed is the Father of lights corporal; but GOD of spiritual: But in three things there is difference between GOD and the Sun. 1. The Sun to enlighten and heat the world, must of necessity have a perpetual transmutation or charge from place to place: but GOD, because he is whole every where, needs no such change, and therefore well said St. James, with whom is no changing. 2. Again, the Sun (because he continually passeth from place to place) makes it day in one place, and night in another; to some it makes light, to others dark at the same time. But GOD is never moved, he is ever present to all; and therefore the same Apostle adds, with whom is no shadow of changing. 3. Lastly, wh●ch is greatest of all, from the Sun, the Father of corporal lights are all the gifts which grow upon earth, but these gifts are neither the best nor perfect, but rather small, temporal and frail, and not able to make a man good; but being evil used, may turn to his destruction. But from GOD the Father of lights spiritual, come all excellent and perfect gifts, which make the possessor good and perfect, and which none can abuse; and which bring them (which persevere in them) to the state of true happiness. Seek then those good and perfect gifts which come from above from the Father of lights, and when thou hast found them, be solicitous to keep them: and there is no need to go far for them, the very nature of the Sun will demonstrate them unto thee: for the Sun doth all things with his light and heat; and these two are the gifts of the Father of corporal lights: and the good and perfect gifts which come down from the Father of lights, even GOD himself, are the light of wisdom, and the ordinance of love. 1. The light of wisdom which makes a man truly wise, and which no man can use amiss, and bringeth us to the fountain of wisdom, situate in the heavenly Country, is that, which teacheth the contempt of temporal things, and to esteem highly of spiritual: it teacheth not to trust in 1 Tim. 6. 17. uncertain riches, but in the living GOD. It teacheth us, not to account this exile of ours, as our Country, nor to love our pilgrimage, but to endure it: Lastly, it teacheth to live here in patience, being full of perils and tentations; and to dye in desire, because Blessed are the dead Apoc. 14. that die in the LORD. 2. The Ordinance of true love what is it, but to love GOD without end, without measure, he being the end of all our desires: to love other things in such measure and mean, as will be sufficient to bring us to our end, that is beatitude. Surely, there is not any man that in the cure of his body inverts order so, that he loves his health but with an ordinary measure, and a bitter potion without all measure, seeing, that he knoweth, that the first is the end, and the latter but the means. How then cometh it to pass, that so many that would be accounted wise men, confine themselves to no moderation in heaping up riches, in hunting after the pleasures of the flesh, and attaining to the degrees of honour, as it these things were the end of man's heart: and are contented to straighten themselves in loving GOD, and seeking after eternal felicity; as if these were but the means to the end, and not the end of all means? without doubt, this is the cause, that they have the wisdom of this world, and not that, which is from above, and cometh from the Father of lights: and that they have not ordinate love, nor that which is true love; but are full of inordinate desires, which are not of the Father, but of the World. Wherefore, while thou travailest from thy Country, and a●t among enemies, which oppose true wisdom and love, and suggest craft for wisdom, and inordinate desires for love; make thy moan, and bewail thy case to the Father of lights, desiring him earnestly, to give thee these good and perfect gifts, of true wisdom and regulated love, and to inflame thy hear● with them; so, that being fitted with them, thou mayest so run the ways of his Commandments without stumbling, that thou mayst come to that Country, where thou mayst drink of the pure fountain of wisdom, and live with the pure milk of love. 2. I come now to the time of the night, wherein the heaven doth frame and erect one step for us to ascend to GOD by the Moon and Stars: for so speaketh David, I will consider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained. If we could see heaven itself, the Prophet had not said (by way of explication of that which he had set down before) The Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained: and truly, if our senses could pierce to heaven itself, or that we could find out the nature and qualities of it, by any certain reason; without doubt, we should have an excellent degree of ascent to GOD thereby. We know, that there have been some, who out of the motion of the Stars, have defined the nature of heaven to be a quintessence, simple, incorruptible, and perpetually moving in its Orb: And that there are others, who will have heaven to be the Element of fire that is not moved in its Orb, neither is incorruptible, according to its parts: but it is not our intent to look after these opinions, but to seek out the certain knowledge and Doctrine of Faith, thereby to raise an ascent to GOD. The Moon hath two properties, which may fitly serve to this purpose. I The first is, the nearer it approacheth to the Sun, the more it shineth and is enlightened in its upper part towards heaven, being darkened at the same time in the lower part of it towards the earth; and when it is wholly subject to the Sun, and is in full conjunction with it, it is altogether light towards heaven, and dark towards the earth. On the other side, when it is in opposition to the Sun, it is seen clear of the earth's inhabitants, and hath no light in the upper part towards heaven. This property of the Moon, may be a good document or example to us mortals, to make us solicitous of our near conjunction to the true Father of lights, GOD himself. The Moon signifieth Man, and the Sun GOD: when the Moon is in opposition to the Sun, then by the borrowed light from the Sun it only shines and looks towards earth, and after a sort turns its back to heaven whereby it shows beautiful to the Inhabitants of the earth, and most deformed to the Citizens of heaven: So every mortall●hat ●hat goes far from GOD, (as the Prodigal which went into a far Country) abuseth that light of reason, which he received from the Father of lights, only to respect the earth, and forgetting GOD, thinks only upon the earth, only loves it, and is wholly taken up with desire of the goods thereof: for which, by the children of this generation they are esteemed wife and happy; but by the heavenly inhabitants they are accounted poor, naked, blind, deformed, wretched and miserable. On the contrary, when the Moon is in conjunction with the Sun, and is perfectly subject to it, it shineth wholly on the upper part, respecteth heaven only, turning its back to men, vanishing clean from their sight. So is it with the wicked, when he begins to leave his wickedness, and by his full conversion is become truly subject to GOD (the true Sun of the sou●e) in humility, and is joined to him in love; then he fulfils that which the Apostle warneth, Col. 3. 1. he seeketh those things which are above, and savours of heavenly not earthly things: and then is he despised by fools, and accounted by them as if he were dead: but indeed he is dead to the World, and his life is hidden with Christ in GOD, Col. 1. 3. 4. and When Christ his life shall appear, then shall he also appear with him in glory. And this is the cause (as St. Augustine observes) why the Passeover, aswell in the old Law, Epl. ad 1a. 19 c. 4. 46 as in the new, could not rightly be kept, but after the full Moon; that is, when the Moon (which in the full is in opposition to the Sun) begins to return to the conjunction with it; to show, that man in opposition to GOD by sin, should begin to be converted to him, and to hasten to the union and grace of GOD, by the merits of JESUS CHRIST. Therefore, if thou find thyself (by the assistance of God's grace) to be subject to the Father of lights by true humility, and to be joined with him by ardent love; do not imitate fools, who are changed as the Moon, but follow the wise, who continue unchanged as the Sun. for the Moon as speedily as she comes to the conjunction of the Sun, as speedily departs from it; but if thou be'st wise, and hast obtained grace, forsake it not, depart not from it, for thou shalt find nothing better in any place; neither dost thou know, whether if thou voluntarily leave it, thou shalt have it again: For he that hath promised pardon to the repentant, and grace to converts, hath not promised longer life, nor the gift of repentance to thee. Therefore, in God's name turn thy back to the earth, and look upon thy Sun, rest in him, delight in him, and continue in him; say with St. Peter, It is good Mat. 17. 4. for us to be here, and with the blessed Martyr Ignatius, It is better for me to live with Christ, then to be a King upon earth: and esteem not nor regard, what they which savour of the earth think of thee, for it is not he which the world condementh, but whom GOD commnedeth, that shall be approved in the end. 2. There is another custom of the Moon, which GOD also observes with his elect. The Moon rules the night as the Goe 1. 16. Ps. 136. 9 Sun doth the day, as Moses and David speak, but the Sun enlightens the world with his splend●r all the day; and the Moon shines sometime with a greater, sometime with a lesser light, and sometimes not at all in the night. So GOD by his perpetual brightness, illustrates the Sun, Angels and souls of the blessed, to whom he is a perpetual day (for there shallbe no Apoc. 21. 25. night to them there) but in this night of our pilgrimage and banishment, wherein we walk by Faith, and not by sight, and we 2 Cor. 5. 7. apply ourselves only to the Scriptures as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. GOD as 2 Pet. 1 19 the Moon by courses visits us by enlightening our hearts, and sometime leaves us in the darkness of desolation. Yet ought we not to be too much afflicted, if at any time we enjoy not the light of comfort, nor to be too much overjoyed, if after a time we be refreshed with that comfortable light: for GOD in this night of the world doth not carry himself towards us as the Sun, but as the Moon: for he not only (in these times) appeareth as in the full Moon of comfort, and sometime in the wain of discomfort to us imperfect creatures, but he hath formerly done so too: St. Paul a vessel of election, who was taken up into the 2 Cor. 12 4. third Heaven, and heard words which cannot be spoken, which are not possible for man to utter; yet he could say sometime, I am filled with comfort: otherwhile 2 Co. 7. 4 he could complain and lament his case, I see another law in my members, rebelling against Rome 7. ●3. the law of my mind, and leading me captive unto the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who 24. shall deliver me from this body of death? and again, We would not have you ignorant of our affliction, 2 Cor. 1. 8. how we were pressed out of measure passing strength, so that we doubted even of life. And this is it which S. Chrysostome notes to us, that GOD usually dealeth Hom. 8. in Mat. thus with his Saints, suffering them neither to be always pressed with tribulation, nor lifted up with pleasure; but to wove into their lives, sometime adversity, and at other time's prosperity, as it were with an admirable variety. And so much for the Moon. Now follow the Stars, as the other ornaments of heaven, of which, the Son of Syrach (speaking) saith, that they are the beauty of heaven, the glory of the Stars, yet adds (as some translate it) GOD in the highest Ecclus. 43. 9 10. enlightening the World, and at whose commandment they stand in their order; for whatsoever order, or comeliness is in the Stars, or in the Sun or Moon, they have it wholly from the Father of lights; and neither is it the Sun by day, or the Moon or Stars by night, which give light to the world, but it is GOD who (dwelling in the highest) enlightens the World by the Sun, Moon and Stars: for it is he, of whom it is said, When he Baruch▪ 3 33. sendeth out light it goeth, and when he calleth it again it obeyeth him with fear. And the Stars shine in their watch and 34. rejoice. When he calleth them, they say Here we be, and so with cheerfulness they show light unto him that made them. In which words are expressed the infinite power of GOD, who with such incredible dexterity and facility, in a moment createth, adorneth, and sets to work so vast and beautiful bodies; for vocare with us, is freare with GOD, for he calls those things which are not, and by his calling makes them be that they are; and that the Stars should say Here we be, is no more, then that they are ready to be and work, at the voice of his command. But this is most to be admired in the Stars, that whereas they are moved most swiftly, and never give over that swift motion, and that some of them run in their Orb more stoutly, others more speedily: yet still they observe their own manner and proportion in time with one another, that thereby they may make a sweet harmoniacall consent. And this is not a consent of voices or sounds which may be heard by bodily ears, but of proportions in the motions of the Stars, which is perceived by the ear● of the heart: for all the Stars of the firmament, with the same swiftness run about the whole compass of heaven in 24. hours: but the seven Stars which we call planets, or wand'ring Stars, are moved, some by swifter, some by slower motions. Ascend then a little higher if thou canst, and from the great splendour of the Sun, the beauty of the Moon, the multitude and variety of other lights, from the admirable con●●●● of the heavens, from the most pleasant and harmoniacall courses of the Stars; gather and conceive what a delight and happiness it willbe, to see GOD above the heaven, that Sun which inhabiteth inaccessible light, to behold the choir and orders of many thousands of Angels who garnish the heaven of heavens in greater number, and shine more bright than all the Stars, to see the souls of holy men, added to the Choir of Angels, and mingled as planets with the Stars of the firmament: and how joyful a thing it will be, to hear the songs of praises, and that excellent Allelu●a resounded by musical voices in the streets of that City: and by that, it will come to pass, that neither the beauty of heaven shall see me great to thee, and the things which are under heaven, thou shalt account small, and almost nothing at all, and therefore to be 〈◊〉 and despised. DEGREE VIII. By the Consideration of the reasonable soul of MAN. HItherto we have passed through things corporal to the ascent to GOD, and now we have found, that the souls of men excel all corporal things in dignity, between which and GOD, we meet with no medium, but the Hierarchies and orders of Angels. Man's soul hath such a resemblance with GOD his Creator, that I know not, whether a Man may ascend with more facility to the knowledge of GOD any other way, then by the consideration of his own soul. And therefore man is inexcusable, if he have not knowledge of him, seeing he may attain to it (Gods grace assisting) without difficulty, by knowing his own soul. First then, Man's soul is a spirit, 1. for so do the holy Fathers expound those words in Genesis, And the LORD form Man of the dust of the ground, Gen. 2. 7. and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and Man became a living soul, and that of Tobias, Command my spirit to be Tob. 3. 6. taken from me; and that of the Preacher. Then shall the dust return Eccles. 12 7. to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to GOD that gave it. For although the word spirit agreeth to the wind also, of which it is said in the Gospel, Spiritus spirat ubi vult, The wind bloweth where it listeth, and in the Psalms, Spiritus procellarum (as S. Jerome,) Wind and storm (as our translation) yet without doubt, that spirit (the wind) is a most thin body, which for its great subtlety and rarity, doth more imitate and resemble the spiritual nature, than any other body. But the soul of man is properly a spirit, not a body, neither is it produced or made of any matter, but is immediately created by GOD. And here begins the excellency of the soul, in the resemblance to GOD, for GOD is a spirit as our Saviour saith, and they which worship him, must 10. 4. 24. worship him in spirit and truth: But though GOD be a spirit, and man's soul be a spirit also, yet GOD is a spirit uncreated and the Creator, and man's but a spirit created, by which it follows, that there is a great disproportion between the spirit, which is the soul, and the spirit which is GOD. And in this respect, how greatly may the soul rejoice, that it is in the kind of a spiritual substance, and so of a higher and more noble nature than heaven or the Stars: and again, it should be the more humble and obedient to GOD, because it was made of nothing, and of itself is nothing. Again, the soul of man, because it is a simple spirit, is also 2. immortal; for it hath nothing in it, from whence it may be divided or severed. And in this regard, how much may it boast above the souls of bruit animals, which die with their bodies? and so behold and admire the great excellency of the creator, who is not only immortal, but everlasting. For the soul of man sometime was not, and came to a being by the only will of GOD, and by the will of the same GOD may again be reduced to nothing, although in itself it have no beginning of corruption: therefore truly said the Apostle of GOD, Who only hath immortality; for he only cannot be 2 Tim. 6. 16. dissolved, neither by force, chance, or aught else, because it is his property to be; he is life itself, and the fountain of being and life. Thirdly, man's soul is endued with the light of understanding, 3. for it is not only able to know and distinguish of colours, tastes, smells and sounds, heat, cold, hard, soft, and other things of the like kind, which are plain to the senses of the body: but is able to judge of substantials, and of things singular and universal, and knoweth not only things present, but can conjecture at things to come; transcends the heavens, dives into the deep, searches effects from causes, and from effects, hath recourse to causes. Lastly, by the eye of the mind, it comes to the knowledge of GOD himself, which dwelleth in inaccessible light, and this is the light of which Saint John speaks, This was the true light which enlighteneth every man that Io. 1. 9 Ps. 4. 7. 32. 10. cometh into the World, which David calls the light of God's countenance. Of the light of the understanding the same Kingly Prophet saith, Be ye not like to horse and mule who have no understanding. Certainly this is a great privilege and dignity of the soul, by which, man becomes like to GOD, and unlike the beasts; and by this, a man may also conjecture of the excellent sublimity of his cre●●●●: for though the soul of man be endued with this light of understanding, yet GOD is the light and understanding. The so●l● (as is said) runs from causes to effects, and again from effects to causes, and thereby hunts (as it were) with great labour, to attain this knowledge: but GOD with one aspect, and at the first sight knoweth all things. The soul understandeth those things which are, so that his knowledge depends upon things: GOD by his understanding bringeth to pass, that things are, so that the existence or being of things depends upon his knowledge. The soul doth but conjecture of things to come: GOD beholds all things past, and to come, as perspicuously and plainly, as if they were present. The soul wants many things to exercise the office of its understanding, as the object, form, fancy and the like: GOD wants nothing, for essence itself is his, all things, even his own essence is his understanding. Lastly, the soul (whi●e it is in the body) neither seeth GOD, the Angels, nor itself, nor any substance, though corporeal, properly, and is deceived in many things, is ignorant in many; of many things he hath but an opinion, and of few things the true knowledge: but GOD is ignorant of nothing, thinks nothing, is never deceived, never erreth, All things are Heb. 4. 13. naked and opened, etc. Therefore, if Man hath such an opinion, and esteemeth so much of his knowledge, as that (according to the Apostle) his knowledge puff him up, how much ought he to admire 1 Cor. 8. 1. the knowledge of his Creator, to whose, if man's be compared, it is no knowledge, but ignorance. There is also another kind of knowledge in the soul of Man, 4. which consists not in speculation, but in action: from whence it cometh that there are so many Books of Philosophers which treat if vices and virtues: so many Laws of Princes, Lawyers and others: so many institutions to acquire the art of living well. In which appears man's admirable light of reason, by which alone, he differs far from beasts in excellency: but all this is nothing to the eternal Law, which is powerful in the mind of the Creator, from whence, as from a most plentiful fountain all other Laws flow and are derived, for there is one Law giver ja. 4. 12. and judge which is GOD, as St. james tells us. He is Truth, Justice and Wisdom, By whom Prov. 8. 15. King's reign, and Princes decree justice. So that we shall never find out the Art of living well and happily, till we come to the School of CHRIST, who is the true and only Master, by whose word and example we shall learn that righteousness which exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, yea and of Philosophers too, whose end is love out of a 1 Tim. 1. 5. pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of Faith unfeigned. Again, the soul of Man hath 5. a third kind of knowledge, which consisteth in artificial manufactures: you will say that other creatures have the like faculty, as the Spider in weaving her web, Birds in making nests, and Bees honey and combs, and Foxes their deunes for houses: but it may be answered, that these creatures by the instinct of nature make them, and those they make, are but of one and the same fashion: but man's soul endued with reason and judgement, invents many Arts, by which he hath dominion over other creatures, will they nill they; for neither do the wings of a Bird help her, nor the depth of waters avail the fish, nor strength profit the Lion or Bear; nor wildness preserve the Horse or M●le, nor swiftness advantage the Hart and Goat; for we see, even little Children catch Birds with nets, s●ares and lime-twigs; and Fishermen take Fish with net● Hunters by wit and art take Lions and Bears, leading them about the Country: Boars and Dear either taken with stalls, or slain with bows and spears: Horses and M●les made gentle with the bit, and subject to the service of Man. What shall I say of the Art of navigation, what light of wit shined in the soul of Man, when he invented and taught great Ships and heavily ●aden to cut the Seas; not only Boats and Galleys to run with ●ares, as it were with feet, but great vessels to ●ly as it were through the vast Seas, with their sails as with wings? What shall I further say of husbandry? who wonders not at the several inventions of Man, if he seriously consider after what manner the earth is tilled, vines dressed, orchards planted, gardens trimmed, ponds for fish, aqueducts to service; gardens, fields and cities? What may be said of architecture in stately Palaces, Temples, Cities, Towers, Amphitheatres, Pyramids and Obelisks? To omit the excellent Arts of painting and graving, by which (as by another History) things are so expressed to the life, as though they were not painted or graved, but living things indeed. Leaving all other Arts, either for pleasure or necessity, let us give humble and hearty thanks to GOD, that hath made so great difference between the nature of Man, and other living creatures: and withal, let us lift up the eyes of our minds to the same GOD Creator of all things, in whom is the true fountain of wit and invention; for from him flows whatsoever is derived to our nature. And if we admire the wit of man, in that he hath learned by industry and art, to tame and have dominion over other creatures which want reason, then let us admire the wisdom of GOD, to whom all things are obedient and subject; not only things that have, but those which want life. And if it seem so great a thing to us, that the wit of Man hath found out the Arts of navigation, tillage and architecture; why should it not rather seem greater to us, that the wisdom of GOD hath made the fabric of the universe, the heavens, ●●rth, sea, and all things in them, and by his power and providence governeth and preserveth them all? Lastly, if we admire the Arts of painting and graving after the life; why wonder we not at the art of the Creator, which of the earth made a true and living Man, and of the rib of that Man, a true and living Woman? especially, if we take this into our consideration, that the things which are made by man cannot be done without God's cooperating, and those which GOD doth, are done by his own power, without the help of any other. Sixthly, man's soul is endued with free will, only common to 6. him, with GOD and the Angels, and wherein he differeth far from other things created This is a great privilege and honour: yet the liberty and will of GOD the Creator, so far transcends that of man's, that if they be compared together, man's will is scarce a shadow of Gods. For first, the liberty even of a regenerate Man's will is weak, and prone and facile to choose evil things, and hurtful to him: the liberty of Gods will is most strong, that it cannot fail, or incline at all, to that which is evil: for as it is the infirmity of a mortallbody, that it is subject to dye, and the soundness of a glorified body that it cannot dye: so also it is the weakness of freewill, to be in subjection to sinning; and perfection or strength, not to be able to sin; which will come to pass, when GOD, in our celestial Country shall confer this power upon us by grace, which he always hath by nature. Again, our freewill is free indeed, so that it can will, and not will, or to will and nill; but it is not able to do what it wills: you may hear the Apopostle lamenting his case, in this very point, I do not the good thing which I would; but Ro. 7. 19 the evil which I would not, that do I. And is not this every man's case? I will and desire to pray attentively and seriously to GOD, and I command my imagination not to wander, while I am at my prayers, nor to draw me to any other cogitations, yet I cannot contain it in its duty; for while I am less solicitous of this, I find myself abused by my imagination, and instead of praying, I fall into other thoughts. Again I will, not to covet, and not to be angry without reason; and I command (by my will) the irascible and concupiscible faculty which is in me, (& should be by right subject to reason) to submit themselves wholly to reason, and not suffer themselves to be seduced by any senses of the body: but I am oftentimes not obeyed, neither is that done which I will, but what I will not. But that which is admirable, and miserable, the mind commands the body, and presently it obeys; but the mind commands itself, and is disobedient: from whence comes this merveilous thing to pass (saith conf. l. 8. c. 9 St. Augustine) The mind commands that the hand move, and it doth it with such facility, that the distance between the execution and the command is hardly perceived: and the mind is, and the hand is the body. The mind commands that the mind would do somewhat, yet (though it be the same) it doth it not: but it wills not wholly, therefore commands not fully. It is not then a monster, but a sickness of the mind, because it riseth not wholly▪ levated or lifted up by the truth, being over burdened before by custom. But the freedom of the will of GOD is so joined to full and absolute power, as that it is said of it, He doth Ps. 115. 3. whatsoever he will, and There is none that resist thy will. Ro. 9 19 Wherefore if thou be wise, boast not too much of the strength of thy freewill, until thou comest to the glorions 8. 21. liberty of the Sons of GOD, when the heavenly Physician shall heal all thine infirmities, and satisfy thee with good things. Ps. 103. 3 5. In the mean time, pray daily and fervently, and say to GOD with the Prophet, Thou hast been my helper, forsake me not: 27. 11. and speak to him, not out of custom, but heartily, again and again, Thou art my helper and redeemer, O LORD make no 70. 6. long tarrying. Man's soul hath also a rational 7. will, which not only can desire good things present, particular and corporal, such as are proper to beasts to covet; but also good things absent, general and spiritual, which are demonstrated by faith or reason, and indeed, GOD himself which is the chief and infinite good. And this is it, which makes a Man capable of great virtues, especially of love, the chief of all other, and the fountain, from whence all good jousts are derived, and which joineth Man to GOD, in so strong a tie, that GOD shall remain in him and he in GOD: For GOD is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. But if this be so 1 Io▪ 4. 16 great a happiness of the created will, how great will that happiness be, with which the uncreated will is replenished? The will of God is only capable of infinite love, where with the infinite goodness of God is worthy to be beloved Neither doth this will want virtues, nor hath it need to be directed by the understanding, for Gods will and understanding are both but one, as his wisdom and love are one, and the same thing in him. Besides: Man's soul is in 8. a humane body; but far otherwise then the souls of bruire beasts are in their bodies; for the souls of bruits are material, and extended through all parts of their bodies, so that part of it is in part, and all in the whole body. But Man's soul which is an indivisible spirit, is after an admirable manner all in the whole, and all in every part of the body; and whereas it fills the whole body, yet it occupies no special place in it; neither increaseth it, as the body increaseth, but only begins to be, where formerly it was not: and if a member of the body be cut off, or wither, the soul is not lessened, or made dry by it, but leaves to be in that member, without any may me, or impairing. This is a true mirror of God's existency, in things created: for God is an indivisible spirit, yet fills the whole world and all the parts of it, nor occupies it any one place alone; but is all in the whole world, and all in every part of it: and when a new Creature is made, God begins to be in it, and yet is not moved; and when any Creature perisheth, or dyeth, God dies not, but only, leaves to be there, and yet changeth not his place. And therefore in these things God and the soul of man agree; but God is much more excellent than the soul; for the soul to be in a body to rule and stir it, must of necessity have a form of a body made for it, and to be so joined to it, that of the soul and body a man may be made: God needs not the form or soul of a world, nor that of him and the world, one compounded substance should be made; but of his own immensity, he hath this pre-eminence, to be every where; of his indivisible unity to be all, every where; of his omnipotence, to govern, move, and sustain all things. Again, the soul of man, though it be said to be in the whole body, yet properly it is not; but in the living or animate parts of it, and therefore is not in the humours, in the hair, nails, dry or dead members: God absolutely is in all things, not only corporal, but spiritual; nor can it be, that there should be any thing, in which God is not. Lastly, it is not a soul, but in its own body, and that a straight and small one, wherein all the parts are tied together; for if any part (as is said) be severed from the other, in that part the soul cannot be. But God is all in this universe of things, though it be great, and the parts thereof not tied or joined together, though they be near one another: and if there were more worlds, God would be in them all: to which purpose it is said, Heaven and 2 Chr. 6. 18. the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee: for if there were other heavens and another earth created, or more heavens and earths without number, God would fill them all, and where he were not, nothing would be at all. Again, man's soul hath in it 9 (though obscure) the Image of the most holy Trinity; aswell in that it hath a fruitful memory, power to understand, and power to love; as also, because the mind thereof (by understanding) forms a certain word, and from the mind and word, proceeds love, because that which is known by the mind, and represented by the word, is presently (as it is good) loved, and desired by the will. But after a much higher and diviner manner, God the Father begets God the Word, & the Father and the Word breath God the Holy Spirit, who is the living love, and the living fountain of all chaste love. And in this respect, the mystery of the Trinit●e transcends the natural means of knowing; nor can a learned Philosopher come to the knowledge of this, without a supernatural light: for the soul of man produceth a word, and a love, which are not substances, but accidents, and in that regard, are not Persons: but GOD the Father begets to himself the Consubstantial Word, and the Father and the Word breath the Holy Spirit, consubstantial likewise to them both, whereby it is, that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are rightly and worthily called three Persons. The soul of Man also produceth a Word which is of no long continuance, and the will bringeth forth a love, which lasteth not long: but GOD the Father begets the eternal Word, and the Father and Word breathe the eternal Holy Spirit; nor can GOD be without his Word and Spirit. Again Man's soul, by one word represents but one thing, and therefore multiplieth words, not only of the mind, but of the mouth; and man's will must produce many acts of love, if it will love many things: But GOD, by one Word speaketh all true things, and with one act of love, loves all good things. 10 Lastly, the soul of Man, while it is in the body, hath this property, that though it be not seen, heard, nor moved, and is hardly conceived to be in it, and that leaving it, the body seems to want nothing it had before; yet it is that which causeth all good to the body, sense, motion, speech, subsistence, beauty and strength: for what is the cause that while a man liveth he seeth, heareth, talketh, walketh, and is strong and beautiful? nothing, but because he hath a soul in him? and why cannot a man see, nor hear, nor speak, but lies deformed, unprofitable, and unserviceable after he is dead; but that his soul is departed from him, from whence all these benefits and good things were derived to him? So thy GOD, whilst by his grace he lives in thee, causeth thee to see what faith showeth thee, and to hear what GOD speaketh to and in thee; and to walk by the way of his commandments, to the heavenly jerusalem; to speak to him by prayer, and in holy exhortation to thy neighbour; to subsist, by persevering in good works; to be strong in battle against thy invisible enemies; and to be beautiful in the sight of God, and his Angels. But beware, lest the grace of GOD (the life of thy soul) depart not from thee: if it do, thou wilt soon find the damage which the first death brings with it, from whence thou shalt be carried to the second, from which there is no resurrection. If GOD would open the eyes of thy mind, that thou mightst seriously consider and see the exceeding beauty and splendour of a soul acceptable to GOD, and joined to him by true love, with how cheerful and loving countenance he looketh upon it, what place he prepares for it, what joys he hath promised to it, and with what desire the Angels and blessed spirits wait for it, thou wouldst never endure to have the beauty of it defiled with the least spot, and if that should happen, thou wouldst endeavour to wash it away (though little) with rivers of tears. But, if by the same grace of GOD, the inward eyes might be opened, that thou mightst behold how filthy a soul is that sinneth, what an unsavoury stench it sends forth, like a putrified body or carrion, and how GOD and the holy Angels loathe to look upon it, although perhaps it inhabit a comely and beautiful body: without doubt, thou thyself wouldst also so detest and abhor it, as that thou wouldst never be brought to be such a one, or remain long in that state or condition. DEGREE IX. By the Consideration of Angels. WE are now to come to the highest degree of ascending to GOD from those things which may be taken from substances created: for there is no created substance more sublime, than the Angelical, if we speak only of natural perfection, and there are three things principally to be considered in them. 1. First according to the excellency of their nature. 2. Secondly in respect of their sublimity of grace. 3. Lastly in regard of their offices. Neither is it our purpose, to propound and handle the things which concern them, by way of disputation, but to touch only those matters, which may help us to the lifting up of our minds to GOD. 1. An Angel if we compare him to a reasonable and humane soul may fitly be called a perfect soul, as the soul may be termed an unperfect Angel. For so the Psalmist speaks of Man in respect of his soul. Thou hast made him little lower than the Angels. And indeed an Ps. 8 5. Angel is an entire perfect spirit●●ll substance; and man's soul is but (dimidiata) divided as it were into halves, and unperfect: because as it is the form of the body, it is part of man. So that an Angel is all spirit, and a man, part spirit, part flesh: or partly an Angel, partly a beast: as if we should say an Angel is all gold, and a man part gold, and part earth or clay. By which, it follows, that an Angel is more like to GOD, than a man or his soul, because GOD is a spirit, not a body, nor the shape of a body. Yet this comparison makes not so much for the Angels, but that there is an infinite distance of dignity in GOD above this sublimity of the Angels, for GOD is a spirit uncreate, eternal, immense, only mighty, only wise, only good, only the most high. Therefore if we worthily admire the Angelical nature, how much more ought we the divine, which beyond all manner and measure surpasse●h the dignity of the Angels. 2. And not only in nature or substance may an Angel be called a perfect man, and man an unperfect Angel, but also in understanding and knowledge: for a man or the soul of man, takes much pains in understanding things, because he must use the office of his senses, and running from causes to effects, and from effects to causes, before he can gain a little knowledge: from whence it is, that he oftentimes sticks as doubtful, oftimes he is miserably deceived, and seldom attains to a sure and certain understanding. But an Angel at the first sight beholds things, and at one time perceiveth the causes and the effects, and dives not only into the accidents, but the substance, aswell of spiritual as corporal things. Therefore Man, while he is in this pilgrimage, in as much as concerns understanding, is not only a little less, but a great deal less than the Angels; and though he be very wise, and give himself to the study of wisdom, yet compared to an Angel, he is but a child, or an infant, or suckling. The Prophet therefore did us no wrong, when he said, Out of the mouths of babes Ps. 8. 2. and sucklings hast thou ordained knowledge. You may hear wise King Solomon, how he conceived of our knowledge with which we are so much puffed up, All things are full of labour, Eccles. 1. 8. (or hard) man cannot utter it, and again, He (meaning GOD) hath set the world in their heart, yet man cannot find out the work that GOD hath wrought from 3. 11. the beginning to the end. If then the things of the world be hard and unutterable by man, and if man understand nothing of this visible world from the beginning to the end; that is, he understand nothing perfectly, as not being able to declare the nature properties, accidents, force, and the like thereof, into how many errors would he run, if he should go about to search after those things which are above heaven? If thou be wise therefore follow the knowledge, which belongs to thy salvation, and the wisdom of the Saints, which consists in the fear of GOD, and keeping his Commandments; let prayer delight thee better than disputation, and edifying charity, rather than swelling knowledge: for this is the way which leads to life, even to the Kingdom of heaven, where we little ones shall be made equal with the Angels, Mat. 18. 10. who always behold the face of their Father which is in heaven. Luke 20. 36. 3. There is also a third thing, wherein man's soul is not only made a little, but much less than the Angels; and that is their power and command over bodies: for man's soul can only by the command of its will, stir and move his own body, other bodies he cannot; and he moves his own too, but in an ordinary progressive motion, upon the ground; he cannot walk upon the waters, or raise it up to the air, and carry it whither he pleaseth: but the Angels by the only force of the spirit, that is by the command of their wills, raise heavy bodies upward, and carry them whither they will, as in the case of Abacuk to Daniel. Again, one man cannot fight Dan. 14. with an host, because he wants many hands, and weapons: but an Angel without hands and weapons can fight with an army, and overcome and kill at one time 185000. as in the case of the Assyrian army. If then 2 Reg. 19 35. an Angel can do these things, what can the LORD of Angels do? Certainly he which made all things of nothing, can again reduce all things to nothing. A man's mind also, by the Art of painting and graving, with labour and industry can make men's counterfeits, and represent them so to the life, that they may be thought to live and breath: the Angels, without labour, hands, or instruments in a moment of time, can so apt and fit to themselves a body out of the elements, that by wisemen it shallbe conceived to be a humane body, that shall walk, speak, eat, drink, be touched, felt, and washed. So Abraham prepared meat for Gen. 18. 4. 5. 19 2. the Angels, and washed their feet, and his nephew Let received Angels as pilgrims into his house: and the Angel Raphael accompanied young Tobias many days, walking, speaking, eating and drinking, as if he had been a true and real man, yet he (being to leave him) said, I seemed to eat and drink with you, but I did neither Tob. 12 19 eat nor drink, but you did see a vision, and presently vanished out of their sight. Certainly, it is a great and admirable power to assume a body presently, which shall seem to differ nothing from a humane and living body, and to dissolve it at pleasure as suddenly, so that no sign of it shall remain. Now if the power of Angels be so great and wonderful, how great is the power of the Creator of Angels, who hath given this, and what power he pleaseth? As the knowledge of Angels and men, being compared with the knowledge of GOD is but ignorance; and as the righteousness of Angels and men compared with the righteousness of GOD is unrighteousness; so all the power of Angels and men compared with the power of GOD is weakness, and therefore GOD is truly called only wise, only good, and Ro. 16. ult only mighty. 4. Lastly, if we consider the place of Angels, and the place of men, we shall find also in this respect, that man or the soul of man, is not only little less, but much less the Angels. For GOD hath given to the soul of man a place in earth, but to the Angels a place in heaven, in his own Palace, All the whole heavens are the Lords, Ps. 115. 16. the earth hath he given to the sons of men. Hence it is that our Mat. 24. 36. Saviour calleth them the Angels of heaven, and in another place, Joy shallbe in heaven for Luke 15. 7. 10. one sinner that converteth, and a little after, There is joy in the presence of the Angels of GOD for one sinner that converteth. Again, GOD hath so bound the soul to the body, as that without the one, the other cannot move; but GOD hath not tied the Angels to any body, but hath given them power to pass from heaven to earth, and from the earth to heaven, whensoever they will, and that speedily: so that an Angel b● the dignity of his nature being nearest to GOD; by his subtlety also after a sort imitateth the omnipresence of GOD. For GOD is always every where, by the immensity of his nature, neither needs he change of place, seeing he is every where: and an Angel by the swiftness of his motion so easily passeth from place to place, and exhibits his presence so easily to all places, that in a manner he seems to be every where. If then thou wilt give ear to the LORD of Angels, there will be no cause why thou shouldst envy the Angels, or their high place or swift motion, for not only thy soul when it shallbe loosened from thy body shall be equal with them, but also when thy soul shall return to thy body, which Christ shall fashion like to his glorious body; Phil. 3. 21 with that body thou shalt possess heaven, as thy proper mansion; and that body being made a spiritual body, it shallbe there 1 Cor. 15 44. continually without labour and weariness, where thy soul will and commands it. Thy Lord God will not fail thee in Io. 14. 2. 3 17. 24. his promise, In my Father's house are many mansions, and I go to prepare a place for you, and I will that they be with me where I am, etc. but where Christ is, and what body he hath we know, for we confess every day, and say, the third day he arose from the dead, and ascended into heaven; and we know also, that his body after his resurrection, used to enter to his Disciples, the doors being shut, and Io. 20. 26 Luke 24. 36. when he left them, it was not by walking away, but vanishing; that is, he conveyed his body with so speedy motion, from place to place, as if he had been a spirit, and not a body. But if thou aspire to that place, it is necessary that thou first conform thyself to him here, thy body to the body of Christ's humility; and so it will come to pass, that Christ will fashion thy body like to his glorious body. Again, thou must follow his footsteps, for Christ suffered for you, leaving you an 1 Pet. 2. 21. ensample that you should follow his steps; and what are they? St. Peter answers in the next verses, That did no sin, neither was there any guile found in his mouth. Who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not. These are the two steps to tract him by, from which if thou errest, thou hast lost thy way, and shalt never come to thy Country. 1 Thou must do no evil, but suffer: and 2dly Thou must do good and expect none here again, and (which is the sum of all) thou must love thy neighbour for God's sake, with the true and pure love of amity, and not of concupiscence; freely, not for the retribution of man: being contented with God's recompense, which exceedeth all proportion and measure. 2 We come now to speak of the dignity of Angels, according to grace: And in this respect, it may be truly also said, that God made man little less and more than little less, than the Angels. For, in the beginning, GOD so created every Angel, that together with their nature he infused grace, as St. Augustine L. 12. de Civ. Dei, 6▪ 9 testifies, Sooneafter they which cleaved to GOD by love were crowned with glory and blessedness, and they which rebelled and were reprobate, fell. Therefore their pilgrimage must needs be short, and their mansion everlasting, if we may call that short distance between their creaation and blessedness a pilgrimage. We men in our creation received also grace with our nature; but it was in our first parent, not in ourselves, and therefore he falling, we all fell: In whom all men have sinned, as St. Paul saith, although by the Mediator of GOD and Man, Ro. 5. 12. CHRIST JESUS, we are reconciled to GOD; yet we are condemned to a long banishment; and while we are in this body, we wander from God, for we walk by Faith and not by sight: and that which much 2 Cor. 5. 7. grieveth good men, and those who desire their Country, is, that in the mean time, they live among most cruel enemies, and the danger is, that they may be circumvented, and taken by them, and be deprived thereby of their possession. Hence are these complaints, Heu mihi, quia incolatus meus prolongatus est, (as St. Jeromes translation) and as others, Heu mihi, quia exulo in Mesech; they are both to one purpose, Woe is me that my dwelling here is prolonged, or Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech, (the Mes●kites were Arabian Pagans descended from Japhet) that is, Gen. 10. 2. alas that I am forced to live so long among profane and wicked men. But though in this regard men are less than the Angels, yet GOD of his goodness hath wonderfully comforted us, in that out of our kind, he hath preferred one to be above all Angels and Principalities, even CHRIST JESUS blessed for ever. And men need not so much complain of their long living here, seeing that while they are here, they may many times amend and repair their lapses and faults, and by repentance, obtain remission of them. It remains now that we speak of the offices of the Angels, 3. which are five in number. 1. The first is, that they always sing praises and Hymns unto their Creator. And that we may understand how great account GOD maketh of this service, we must consider, that the chiefest of the Angels are appointed to this office; and these are the Seraphims, with whom, as chief chanters or Rectores chori (as we may call them) the other Angels do bear their parts, of whom you may hear the Prophet Esay, I saw the LORD sitting upon Esa▪ 6. 1. a high throne and lifted up, and the lower part thereof filled the Temple. The Seraphims stood upon it, every one had six wings, 2. with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried to another and said Holy, Holy, Holy is the 3. LORD of hosts, the whole world is full of his glory. In which place, you hear the name Seraphim, who are the chief of that high order; and you see that they cover their face and feet, in token of reverence, as though they durst not behold his face, and you see, that they continually fly, while they sing, to signify their affection and desire, more and more to approach near to GOD, which two qualities are necessary for those which desire to please GOD, while they sing and chant his praises, to join love with reverence, and reverence with love; which also the Prophet David expresseth in saying, Serve the LORD with fear, Ps. 2. 11. and rejoice in him with trembling. Hence we may learn, what honour GOD is worthy to receive from us, when the Princes of heaven, who are always in his presence, and see his face continually, dare not neglect their fear and reverence while they praise him; neither for their high degree, nor for their long familiarity with him. And what shall many of us (dust a●dashes) answer, when at the day of judgement, we shallbe reproved for our drowsiness, wand'ring thoughts, carelessness and irreverence in his service? Learn therefore at the least, henceforth by so great a pattern, to perform thy due praises, and to sing hymns unto thy GOD with fear and trembling; with attention and vigilance, and with love and desire. 2. Another office of the Angels (as some are of opinion) is to offer the prayers of mortals to GOD, for so speaketh the Angel Raphael to old Tobias, Tob. 11. 12. when thou didst pray I did bring to memory your prayer before the holy one; and afterwards saith, 15. that he was one of the Angels which present the prayers of the Saints; and St. John (as he testifies in his Revelation) saw an Angel standing before the Altar Apoc. 8. 3. with a golden censer, and much odours was given unto him, that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar, which is before the throne of GOD. And in this the almost incredible goodness and mercy of GOD is seen, for being not contented, first by his Prophets, and afterwards by his Son and his Apostles to exhort us to pray and ask: but addeth a promise of giving whatsoever we shall require, Ask (saith he) and it Luke 11. 9 shallbe given unto you; and again, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it Io. 16. 23. you. And not contented with this promise, he addeth, that he will give a reward to petitioners: When thou prayest (saith he) enter into thy chamber, and Mat. 6. 6. when thou hast shut the door, pray unto the Father in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly; a reward besides those things which thou hast prayed for. But neither contented with this argument of Fatherly goodness, he hath appointed Angels as it were of his privy chamber, that should take care of the prayers of poor men, and offer them in his sight. What earthly Prince was ever heard to promise reward to those which petitioned him for favour or justice? and yet they are made of the same mould as other men are, and subject to the same Prince of Princes, GOD. 3. A third office of the Angels is to be God's Ambassadors or Messengers, to signify his pleasure; but especially concerning the work of our redemption; for so St. Paul speaks, H●b. 1. 14. Are they not all (the Angels) ministering Spirits, sent forth to minister, for their sakes which shallbe heirs of salvation? And we see in divers places of the old Testament, Angels appearing to the Patriarches and Prophets; Gen. 18. Dan. 9 declaring to them what GOD gave them in charge to reveal: as also in the new we read, that the Angel Gabriel was sent, as a messenger to Zacharie, and to the blessed Virgin Luke 1. 2. Mary, to the Shepherds, to joseph: and (after the resurrection of our Saviour) to the Io. 20. Act. 1. women at the Sepulchre: and (after his ascension) to all the Disciples. And the reason why GOD (who is every where, and can easily speak by himself to the hearts of men,) yet would send Angels, is, that men might understand, that he hath a spiritual care of humane things, and that all things are directed and governed by him: for men are prone enough to persuade themselves, that revelations are their reasons and counsels: but when they see or hear that Angels are sent by him, and that those things come to pass which are foretold by them, they cannot doubt but GOD hath a providence over humane affairs, and that those things which pertain to the eternal salvation of the elect, are especially directed and disposed by him. 4. Their fourth office is, the protection of men, either of a particular or of the multitude of men. For it pleased the divine goodness of GOD to commend the infirmities of mortals to his most powerful servants, and to set them over men as Schoolmasters or Tutors to children, as patrons to clients, shepherds to sheep, physicians to the sick, defenders of orphans, and protectors of those, who are not able to defend themselves. Of this protection and guard over every one David witnesseth, He shall give Ps. 91. 11. his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways, and Christ the most faithful witness, saith, Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven Mat. 18. 10. their Angels always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. Concerning protectors of Provinces and Kingdoms, Daniel testifieth of Michael Dan. 10. the Angel, who is there called a Prince. Lastly, for protection of the Church, take S. john for a witness, who mentioneth the Angel of the Church of Apoc. 2. & 3. Ephesus, of Smyrna, and so of the rest. Consider then, how careful GOD (who needeth none of our goods) is over us his poor servants. What could he have done to manifest his great love to us, and hath not? he hath loaden us with blessings, that we might abide in him: he hath compassed us with protectors that we might not fly from him: he hath environed us with keepers that we should not be snatched from him: what would he do for us, if we were his treasure, as indeed he is ours. Therefore, at the last, yield to his love, and being overcome with the love of so great a lover, give thyself wholly to his service and will; let nothing trouble thee which thou seest; but think upon invisible things, and desire them earnestly: For the things which a●e 2 Cor. 4. 18. seen, are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 5. The last office of Angels is, to be Soldiers or Captains to execute God's vengeance upon Nations, and threats to people. They were Angels that burned Gen. 19 29. the infamous Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, with fire and brimstone. They were Angels that slew all the first borne of Egypt. It was an Angel that Exo. 12. 29. slew 185000. Assyrians: and they shallbe Angels that in the 2 Reg. 19 35. Mat. 13. 49. 50. last day shall sever the bad from among the just, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. Wherefore, let every good Man love his fellow Citizens, the holy Angels: let wicked men tremble at the power of the Angels, being Ministers of the wrath of Almighty GOD, out of whose hands, none can deliver them. DEGREE X. By the Consideration of the Essence of GOD, by the similitude of his Corporal greatness. WE have ascended as high as we can by Created substances, and yet cannot attain to that knowledge of GOD, to which by speculation we may come, even in this valley of tears: It remains therefore, that we see, whether by such dimensions of corporal quantities, as we know, we may ascend to the latitude, longitude, height and depth of the invisible essence of GOD. For those things are accounted great among the creatures, which have these four great dimensions. And GOD in the Psalms, and other places of Scripture is called great, and that of his greatness Ps. 47. 2. there is no end. Certainly, St. Bernard (a great contemplative man) of these dimensions made himself degrees to know GOD, in the Book which he wrote to Pope Eugenius about consideration. Neither was he the first finder out, or inventor of the degrees of this kind, but learned this manner of ascending, from the Apostle, who searched into the Eph. 3. 18 third heaven and to Paradise. For thus he saith, That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth and height: for if a man shall duly consider with himself, he shall find, that there is nothing full and solid without GOD, but all things are narrow, straight, short, poor, empty or superficial: but that in GOD is true latitude, his immensity; true longitude, his eternity; true height the sublimity of his nature; true depth, his incomprehensibility, without bottom. Again, true height, his omnipotence, true depth his infinite wisdom; true latitude, his bowels full of mercy; true longitude his full & perfect justice. But it will not be sufficient to touch these considerations lightly, if a man would ascend and find what he looks for: but to comprehend these dimensions, as the Apostle hath set them down in the verse before quoted. And he it is, that comprehends them, which seriously thinking on them, is fully persuaded, that they are so in him indeed, and being so persuaded, sells all that he hath, to buy this knowledge. And the Apostle fitly adds [with all Saints] for only the Saints comprehend it, or there is none that comprehends it as he ought; but it will make him a Saint. St. Augustine is not repugnant to that which hath been Ep. 120. c. 6. said, when in an Epistle to Honoratus he writes, that when the Apostle describes these 4. dimensions, he describes or depicts the Cross of Christ. The latitude in the transverse or cross piece, to which our Saviour's hands were fastened: the longitude, in the upright piece, to which his body adhered: the sublimity in that piece above, or on the upper part of the Cross, whereon the title was written: and the depth in that piece, which was fastened into the ground: he doth not I say oppose our intention but rather helps it. For the Cross of Christ is the true way to obtain and comprehend these 4. dimensions: for though the Cross of Christ to men's eyes seem straight, short, shallow, and not high: yet in truth, Christ extended and stretched out his arms, from East to West, and from North to South: that is, he spread his glory, far and near, by the preaching of the Apostles; and erected the crown of his head to the highest heaven, which (like a key) opened it to the Elect; and lastly pierced down to the depth of hell, which he barred, and closed from the Elect for ever. We will begin from his Essence, and then proceed to his 1. Attributes. The Essence of God may be truly called most broad, and is of the greatest latitude in many respects. 1. First it is most broad in itself, and altogether immense, because it comprehends and contains all the perfections of created things; as also of those, which may be created, and so, endless without number. For, whatsoever is, or shallbe, or can be made, without doubt are contained in God after a more excellent manner. Therefore other things are good with an addition, as a good man, a good horse, a good house, good apparel and the like: But GOD is all good. When Moses desired GOD to show him his glory, GOD answered, I will make all good go before thee. Suppose a man had some one thing, which comprehended all the objects of the senses in full perfection, so that he need not go out of doors, either to see, hear, smell, taste, or touch any thing, having as great delight and pleasure at home in that one thing, as any voluptuous man could wish: were not this a very precious thing? but if this also contained in it as much wealth as would satisfy a covetous man; were it not more precious? or if this one thing besides pleasure and wealth brought with it as much honour and dignity, as would content the most ambitious, would it not seem to exceed all valuation? and lastly, if this were able to fill the desire, not only of men, but of Angels, of what value wouldst thou think it to be? Yet the goodness of this one thing would come far short of the goodness of GOD, which is so great, that it is able to satisfy and satiate the infinite desire, or rather the infinite capacity of GOD himself. Oh the admirable latitude of the perfection of the essence of GOD, which contains such immensity of good things as is sufficient for the infinite capacity which is in himself! for GOD cannot at any time go out of, or from himself, because he hath all good things in himself; and was as rich and blessed before the creation, and willbe after, because there is nothing which GOD hath made, but would not always be after a more transcendent manner in himself. Therefore consider what kind of good thou shall enjoy in thy Country, if thou love God while thou art in the way: and from what good thou shalt be excluded, if thou love him not. For GOD offers himself to those which love him (and he is the only good) and will say to the good and faithful servant, Enter into the joy of thy LORD. Mat. 25▪ 23. 2. Again, GOD is immense in another manner, because he jer. 23. 29. fills all created things, altogether, Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the LORD? and if there were more worlds, he would fill them all; If I climb Ps. 139. 7 up to heaven (saith David) thou art there, if I go down to hell, thou art there also; that is, if I go above heaven, or beneath it, or about it, I shall not be alone, because thou also art there; for I cannot be, if thou be not in me, and thou sustainest me, who bearest all things by thy Heb. 1. 3. mighty word. Neither doth God fill all bodies only with his immensity, but spirits, hearts and minds: For how could he search the hearts of men, if he were not in their hearts? how could he hear their prayers, unless he had his ears to our hearts? and how could the Prophet say, I will hearken what Ps. 85. 8. the LORD GOD will say in me, if he moved not his mouth to the ears of our hearts? It is a happy soul which loveth GOD, because he hath always his beloved with him, and cherisheth him in his bosom, For he which dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in 1 Io. 4. him. 3. Neither doth GOD only fill all things with his presence, but with his glory also, For the Seraphims cry The Esay 6. 4. earth is full of his glory, and the Psalmist addeth, O LORD our Ps. 8. 1. Governor, how excellent is thy name in all the world: thou hast set thy glory above the heavens. As if he should say, not only thy name, fame and glory hath filled the whole earth with admiration; but it hath ascended to heaven, and above the heavens also. And the Son of Syrach, of the creation of the Sun saith, The work thereof is full Ecclus. 42. 16. of the glory of the LORD, for there is no creature either in heaven or earth which continually praiseth not GOD. And this is the cause why David in the Psalms, and the three children Ps. 148. in Daniel do exhort all creatures to bless and celebrate Dan. 3. the praises of the Creator: not that they were ignorant, that most of the creatures were of that nature, that they could not hear their exhortations; but because they knew that all the works of GOD were good, and by their species or beauties brought prai●e unto him; and therefore congratulated, and persuaded them to continue, in doing that which rhey did. And cortainely, if we had inward eyes, we might see that all the works of the Lord were as so many censers, sending upward the sweet savour of his glory: and if we had inward ears, we should hear a harmonical consent (as it were) of all kind of musical instruments sounding out his praises, and saying, It is he that hath made Ps. 90. 2. us and not we ourselves. And although the wicked many times speak evil of GOD and blaspheme his name, yet they are compelled against their wills (in that manner, that the work commends the workman) to praise him: for in them also the power of GOD shineth merveilously, by which he made them, and his wisdom by which he governs them, and his goodness by which he preserves them, though unthankful and evil, and his mercy and justice, by which he ordains them, either justly to punishment, or mercifully expects them to repentance. And though many are so deaf here on earth, to hear the voices of the creatures incessantly crying to GOD: yet there are a multitude of Angels and holy men, who harken unto, and are delighted with those praises, they themselves daily chanting out the same with hymns and songs. Now the length of God's divine Essence, is his Eternity, 2. which, as it had no beginning of continuance, so neither shall it have end, but shall remain the same without change or alteration. Thou art the same Ps. 102. 27. (saith David to GOD) and thy years shall not fail; and the Apostle calls him The King everlasting, because he is not 1 Tim. 1. 17. subject to time, but is above it, and governs all ages, and was before all ages. Other things have their beginning and end, and never continue in one state; nor have beginning without end, without alteration: but may at the will of the Creator leave to be. And therefore eternity is only proper to GOD so, as it can agree with no other creature in that measure: for never was Prince so arrogant, to use eternity amongst his other titles, unless perhaps in another sense, as Constantius did, who was styled Imperator aeternus, because he was not Emperor for a time; but during life. A man's soul may be reckoned among the creatures of both kinds; for it hath a body which began to be, when it was conceived and borne, and by degrees increased to that stature, which was prefixed by GOD: and then again, it began to decrease, and soon after leaves to be, by death: but it never stands in the same state and condition in all respects, every hour being subject to alteration. Of this body the Prophet speaks, by a similitude of grass, In the morning it is green and Ps. 90. 6. groweth up, but in the evening it is cut down, dried up and withered. That is, in its childhood it waxeth reene as grass, soon after it passeth to youth: in the noonday whereof it flourisheth; and by and by passeth to old age, in the evening whereof it hangs the head, and is cut down, in death it continueth, in the grave it drieth up, and returns to dust. By which we may perceive how far the body differs from eternity. Now the soul was created in time, being nothing before, and in this regard, is much unlike the Creator: but being created, it shall have no end of continuance, which is common to it, with the Creator. But for as much as it is subject to change while it lives in the body, from sin to goodness, from virtue to vice; and in what state it shallbe found at the departure from the body, in the same it shallbe judged, either to reign eternally with GOD, or everlastingly to be tormented with the Devil: nothing ought to be more careful to thee, then to fly sin, and follow that which is good. Take heed therefore, that to the loss of body and soul thou be'st not seduced by the enticements and allurements of the flesh; but erucifie it, with the desires and concupiscences of it; that hereafter not only thy soul may live in blessedness, but thy body may rise in glory: and remain together in eternity with God. But although the souls of the blessed, and of the holy Angels shall be partakers of that most sublime and happy union with GOD, by his beatifical vision and love; which union, not only shall have no end, but shall ever stand firm and unmoveable: yet the thoughts and affections may change and alter divers ways: and therefore they shall admire and behold above them the eternity of God, in whom there shall be no change of mind, will or place, and yet nothing shallbe wanting to him, but shall possess all things ever, which he might have gotten to himself by divers alterations from eternity. Wherefore to conclude this point, the length of God's eternity is an infinite thing, and no less proper and agreeable to him, than the breadth of his immensity. The height of God's Essence 3. comes next to our consideration, in respect whereof, it is said of GOD, Thou only art the Ps. 83. 18. most highest. And GOD is only the highest, by the dignity of his nature. 1. For things the more pure and more abstract from matter, are ever the more noble and higher. This we see, first in corporal things; water is more higher than earth, because more pure: and by the same reason, air is higher than water, because more pure: and the fire then the air, and heaven then fire. Again, we see it in spiritual things: the understanding is higher than sense, because the sense hath a corporal Organ, which the understanding needs not: and the Angelicast understanding is higher than man's, because a man hath need of the office of imagination, and fantasies, which an Angel need not: and among the Angels they are highest, who understand most things by fewest species. GOD therefore, who only is pure act, and wants nothing without himself; neither Organ, nor imagination, nor species; nor so much as the presence of any object without himself: but his own Essence is all things to him, and can have nothing, that he had not in act; and for him to have in act, is to be always pure act, and uncompound: therefore (I say) is his nature the most transcendent, highest and sublime, neither can it by any means be equalled; He than which said, I will be like the most high Esay 19 19 was suddenly thrust down to hell, and as our Saviour saith, I saw Satanfall down from heaven Luke. 10 18. like lightning. 2. Secondly, GOD is most high in another respect, because he is the 1 first highest efficient; 2 exemplary; and 3 final cause of all things. 1. He is the first highest efficient cause, because there is no created thing which hath any power of making, but that which it hath received from GOD: but GOD hath that power from none. 2. Again, there is no cause, which can exercise its power, unless it be moved by GOD: but GOD is moved of none. 3. Lastly, those are called higher causes amongst created things, upon which particular causes depend, and which are universal, as the heavens and Angels which move the heavens; but GOD made both heaven and Angels. And therefore, he is the only first and most highest efficient cause. 2 He is also the first exemplary cause, because he made all things according to the forms and ideas which he hath in himself. 3 Lastly, he is the first final cause, because he created all things for himself; that is, to manifest his glory, as the wiseman speaketh. Pro. 16. 4. But it is very properly said, that GOD is the most highest, Esay 6. 1. because he sitteth in the highest throne; I saw (saith Esay) the LORD sitting upon a high throne. and lifted up. Now, because sitting or seats have two uses, one for judicature, and the other for peaceable governing: we will consider them apart. 1. GOD hath the highest seat, because he is supreme Judge, for Abraham said to GOD, Shall not the judge of all Gen. 18 25. Ps. 82. 1. the world do right? and David, He is a judge among the Gods; that is, GOD judgeth even judges themselves, who in Scripture are called Gods: but St. jaemes most plainly, There is one Lawgiver and judge, that ja. 4. 12. is, GOD is properly the only Lawgiver and judge; and GOD is judge himself saith David; again, GOD is the Ps. 50. 6. 75. 8. judge: and Esay, The LORD is our judge, the LORD is our Esay 33. 23. Lawgiver: he only gives Laws to all men, and receives of none; he judgeth all men, and is judged of none. 2. Again, GOD is not only a judge, but is also a King: and in this regard, judgeth not as a judge appointed by the King, but as King and chief Prince: of which he is styled King of Kings, and a great King 1 Tim. 6. 15. Ps. 95. 3. 76. 12. above all Gods, and he is terrible to the Kings of the earth, because, that when he pleaseth he translateth Kingdoms and Empires from one Nation to another; and when he pleaseth he taketh away the spirit of Princes. 3 Lastly, GOD is not only the supreme judge and King, but is absolute Lord, which is the greatest title of all. GOD is properly and truly styled LORD, for all things serve him, and he none: and can if he will reduce all things to nothing, because he made all things of nothing. Consider then, what fear, what reverence is due by us worms of the earth to him, who sits upon so high a seat, as that he hath nothing above him, If I be LORD (saith Mal. 1, 6. GOD by Malachi) where is my fear? And if those supreme Princes of heaven do stand by him with such fear and trembling, what ought we to do who are mortal, and frail, and dwell upon the earth with beasts? But this seemeth strange that the highest GOD loves not creatures like to himself, that is, high and sublime, but humble and poor: for so GOD speaks by the Prophet Esay, To him will I look, even to him Esay 66. 2. that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my words, and King David, Though the LORD be high, yet hath he Ps. 138. 6. respect unto the lowly. And yet I will not say, but GOD loveth high things, and in this respect like to himself, so they be truly high, not which seem so and are not; and therefore it is that GOD loveth not the proud, who are lifted and puffed up, and are not to be called sublime: but he loveth the humble, and those which tremble at his words, because that they, the more they abase and deject themselves, are the more exalted by him; and they which are exalted by him, are truly high. If a Man had seen, not only with the eyes of his body, but of his heart, enlightened by GOD, the rich Glutton clothed in silk and purple, sitting at a Table furnished with all kinds of delicates, many waiters attending him; and withal had seen poor Lazarus half naked, full of sores lying at the rich man's gate, desiring to be fitted with the crumbs that fell from his Table: ●ee had seen the rich man (whom the World accounted most happy) to seem most abominable in Luke 16. the sight of GOD and his Angels, and as vile as the mud and dung of the earth: and poor Lazarus to seem noble and honourable: For the first (as hated by GOD) was hurried by the Devils into hell; and the last (as beloved of GOD) was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom. But what do we speak of Lazarus? None was ever in higher account with GOD, than our Lord Jesus Christ, even according to his humanity: and yet none ever so humble, as he truly reported of himself, Learn of Mat. 11. 29. me that am meek and lowly in heart. For by how much the clearer his most holy soul knew (above all others) the infinite height of the divinity, by so much the more he knew the baseness of the creature, made of nothing: and therefore while he was a creature above all others he became subject to GOD, and exalted him: and therefore also is he exalted above all creatures by GOD. The like we might say of the blessed Angels, and holy Saints; for there are none more humble than they which are high in the heavens: because the nearer they are to GOD, the more clearly they see and perceive, by how much the greatness of the Creator is in distance from the exiguity of the creature. Wherefore love humility, if thou desire to be exalted. Imitate the Lamb without spot, and imitate the holy Saints and Angels; who as they excel in height, excel in humility And not only doth GOD 2. possess the highest seat, because he judgeth all men, but because he excels all in quiet, and makes those to be quiet in whom he rests and fits. God's highest seat is his supreme rest: for although he governeth the universe, wherein are continual wars and conflicts of elements, men and beasts: yet he governeth peaceably and quietly: nor is there any thing that can disturb his quiet, or his contemplation of himself, wherein consists his everlasting delight. God's proper seat is the blessed spirits, upon which it is said by the Psalmist, He sitteth between the Ps. 99 1. 1 Sam. 4. 4. Cherubims; and in Samuel, the LORD of hosts who dwelleth between the Cherubims: and GOD is said rather to dwell or sit between the Cherubims then the Seraphims; because the Cherubims signify multitude of knowledge, and Seraphim the heat of charity: now rest follows wisdom, and care and anxiety accompany love and charity, unless it be joined with wisdom. Lastly, where Esay saith Heaven is my seat, Esay 66. 1 and David, The Lord's throne is in heaven; and all the heaven of Ps. 11. 4. 115. 16. heavens are the Lords: by the heaven of heavens are understood, the spiritual heavens, the blessed spirits which dwell in the corporal heavens, as S. Augustine Serm. 23. expounds that place; These heavens (saith he) GOD causeth to be quiet so admirably, that this is the peace which passeth all understanding. St. Bernard compares it to a King, who Serm. sup. Cantr. being tired as it were with hearing of causes, retires himself, and takes his ease and quiet with his familiar servants. And therefore by this, we may perceive, that GOD showeth himself not a judge or a Lord to the spirits of the blessed, but a familiar friend. And certainly it is no small familiarity which GOD shows to pure minds in this life: so that this saying is verified, My delight is to be with the children of men. Pro. 8. 31 Hence it is that the Saints, though they suffered pressures in the World, yet in their hearts (where GOD is) they had peace; and therefore ever seemed joyful and serene, and so were. For the Truth had told them, Your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy shall no man take Io. 16. 22. from you. The fourth and last part of the greatness of God's Essence, is the depth, and this is manifold. 1. First, the divinity itself is most deep in him, because it is not superficial or sleight, but most full, most solid. The Deity is not a gilded mass, which hath only gold upon the superficies or outward part, and brass or wood within: but as a whole mass of gold, great and immense: or rather as a mine of gold, so deep, that by digging it can never be exhausted, nor the bottom be discovered: so God of whose greatness there is no end, is altogether so incomprehensible, that by a created mind it can never be so well known, but that it may be ever more and more understood, and it is only God himself which can comprehend this infinite depth, because he only hath the infinite power of understanding. 2. Again, God is deep in respect of place: for as he is most high, because he presides and governs all things, and is above all, so is he most deep, because he is under all things to uphold them, Bearing up all things by his mighty word, saith the Apostle. And Heb. 1. 3. therefore he is as it were the foundation and roof of a building, In whom we live and move Act. 17. 28. & have our being. In that regard most truly said Solomon, The heavens and the heavens of heavens 1 Reg. 8. 27. are not able to contain thee; because God doth rather contain the heavens, and the things under heaven, as being above the heavens and beneath the earth. 3. Lastly, the profundity of God is his invisibility. For God is light, but inaccessible, he is truth, but most inward, He made darkness his secret place saith David, Ps. 18. 11 and verily thou o God hidest thyself saith Esay. St. Augustine sometime enquiring after GOD, Es. 45. 15. L. conf. c. 10. l. 10. c. 6. sent his messengers (his eyes) from earth to heaven, and all things answered them that they were not that he sought for, but it is he that hath made us: and not finding him by outward things, he took his search by inward; and soon understood truly, that by them he might sooner approach to God; for he knew the soul to be better than the body, and the inward sense to be far better than the outward; and the understanding (which is more inward) to be better than the inward sense: and thence gathered, that God who was more inward than the understanding, was better than it: and that by all this, that we understand or think, it was not God, but something less than God, because God is better than we can understand or conceive. Well then, if the soul be better than the body, to which the soul gives life, because that is a body, and the soul a spirit: and if the eye of the body cannot see the soul, because that is without, and this within: think also that thy God is better than thy soul, because he gives it understanding, and is as it were thy soul: and therefore thou canst not see him, because he is a spirit more high and sublime, and more inward than thou art, and that thou (after a sort) stayest without, and he within, in his most secret and deep retiring place. But shalt thou never be admittted into that secret place? God forbid, Blessed are the pure Mat. 5. 8. in spirit, for they shall see GOD saith our Saviour, who cannot lie; and Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. saith one Apostle. And We know that when he shall appear, we shall 1 Io. 3. 2. be like him; for we shall see him as he is, saith another. And how great will that joy be, when being admitted to that secret place we shall see and possess that light, that shape, that beauty, even goodness itself? then it will plainly appear, how vain and fading and like shadows these temporal things were; and with which men (as drunken and besotted) neglected the true and everlasting good things. But if thou truly thirstest after GOD, and If thy tears have been thy meat Ps. 42. 3. day and night, while they daily say unto thee where is thy GOD? be not slow or slack to cleanse thy heart, with which thou must see GOD, nor be weary in erecting these degrees in thine heart, until the GOD of Gods appear in Zion: neither wax Ps. 84. 7. cold in thy love to GOD and thy neighbour, nor love him only in word and tongue, but in work and truth: for this is the way which leadeth to life. DEGREE XI. By the Consideration Of the Greatness of GOD'S Power, by the similitude of Corporeal greatness. GReat is the LORD, and of his greatness is neither end nor measure. Neither is he great only, because his height is his omnipotence, his depth unsearchable wisdom; his breadth, mercy, spread and extended every where; and his length, justice like an Iron rod: but also, because every one of these attributes are great, in the magnitude of his infinite latitude, altitude, longitude and profundity. To begin with his power, or rather omnipotence. This power of GOD hath its latitude, which is so placed in him, as that it extendeth and stretcheth itself to things altogether infinite. 1. First, it extendeth itself to all things which are created: for there is nothing in the whole universe from the chiefest Angel to the poorest worm, and from the highest heaven to the lowest abyss; which is not made by the power of GOD. Allthings (saith St. john) were Io. 1. 3. 10. made by him, and without him was nothing made; and (a little after) The world was made by him. 2. Again, it reacheth to all things which shallbe made for ever; for, as without him nothing could have been made, so neither shall any thing be made without him; Of him, and through him, and in him are all Ro. 11. 36. things saith the Apostle. 3. Thirdly, it stretcheth it self to all things that can be made, although they never shall be: for so saith the Angel, With GOD nothing shallbe impossible. Luke 1. 37. Mat. 19 26. And Christ himself said, With GOD all things are possible. 4. It also extends itself, to the dissolution and destruction of all things made. For as God could destroy by the deluge all men and creatures upon the face of the earth, except a few, reserved by himself in Noah's Ark: so will he be able at the last day to destroy by fire, not only all men and living creatures, but Trees, Cities and other things in the earth also▪ The day of the LORD (saith St. Peter) shall come as a thief in which the heavens shall pass● away with a great noise, and th● Elements shall melt with heate● 2 Pet 3. 10. the earth also and the works th●● are therein shall be burnt up Great (without doubt) is ●hi● latitude of God's power, which no man can sufficiently admire, unless he could number the multitude of things, which God partly hath, partly will, and partly can make: but who can number such a multitude, but he only, whose knowledge is infinite? 5. Again, the greatness of this power increaseth much, if we consider, how great a work it is, in a moment to dissolve with great facility the things which are made, or as Judas Maccabeus speaks, Vno nutu delere at a beck to destroy the 2 Mac. 8. 18. whole world. Let us then say with Moses, Who is like unto thee o LORD (in fortibus) Exo. 15. 11. among the Gods? Now the longitude of God's power is seen in this, that he 2. cooperateth daily with those things he hath made, neither is or shallbe at any time weary in cooperating; for this power of God can neither be diminished, weakened nor broken by any means, being joined with true eternity, the divinity being eternity. 1. Many men marvel, how the Sun, Moon and Stars, for so long time have continued their motions with such swiftness, and without intermission: and it were a thing worth our admiration, but that we know, that they are carried by Almighty GOD, Who beareth all things by his mighty word. Heb. 1. 3. 2. Others wonder, how it comes to pass, that in hell, either the fire is not consumed with burning so long; or that the bodies of the damned should not be dissolved with so long burning. And this were not on●y to be thought wonderful, but impossible also, were it not that he is eternal and omnipotent that makes the fire so to burn always, that it shall never be extinguished, and so keeps the bodies of the damned in that fire, as that they shallbe ever tormented and never consumed. 3. Lastly, others there are that wonder, that GOD should sustain and bear all things, and without weariness support so great a weight almost infinite: It is true, that a strong Man, a Horse, an Ox, or an Elephant can carry a great weight; but it is for a small time only: but to carry so great a mass for ever without weariness, passeth the strength of all things created. And yet they might well marvel, if GOD had strength by weight and measure as things created have: but inasmuch as the strength of GOD exceeds all measure, and that he is wholly infinite, it is no marvel at all, if an infinite strength bear a great weight or mass without defatigation, although it be for an infinite time. Let us hear again say with the holy Prophet, Who is like unto thee o Lord among the Gods? The next thing to be considered 3. is, the height of God's power, which is chiefly manifested in two things. 1. His omnipotency may be called most high, because he only made most high things. Those things which are under the Moon, only GOD made in the first creation, and they may by the act of creatures be begotten, changed and corrupted; for the elements are changed by course according to their parts: and of the earth are Herbs and Trees begotten: of animals, are animals increased and propagated; fishes are borne in water, clouds and rain in the air and comets in the fire. But the heaven and stars which are the highest bodies, GOD only created, only preserves; neither can the creature have any act in making, or changing ' dissolving or preserving them I will consider the heavens (saith the Psasmist) even the work of thy fingers; the Moon and the Ps. 8. 3. Stars which thou hast ordained. For those transcendent works hath the mo●● highest reserved to himself, he began to lay the foundation, and he hath brought the fabric to perfection. As also spiritual things, Angels and the souls of men, which are the most noble and sublime works of all other, the most high GOD by his power only hath created, preserveth, and so will for ever; neither hath any creature▪ hand or part in making of them: nor though all the creatures should join together, could they ●ither make or destroy one Angel or one soul. 2. Secondly, the altitude of the divine power is most perspicuously seen in God's miracles, which (as St. Augustine saith) are works beyond the Tract. 24. in Joan. ordinary course and order of nature, and do amaze men and Angels to behold: as when at the command of Josue the Sun Ios. 10▪ 11. and Moon (which are carried by most swift motion) stood still. And lest we should conceive that this happened by any chance, or that so unusual a thing should be done by any mortal, the holy Ghost saith, That the 14. LORD heard the voice of a man. Neither indeed did joshua properly speak to the Sun and Moon, who he knew could not hear his command, but he spoke to the LORD; as if he 12. should say, by the commandment of the LORD, Sun stay thou in Gibeon, and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon. And the LORD heard the voice of a man that is, he brought to pass that these great lights obeyed the voice of a man, for GOD oftimes in Scripture is said to do those things, for whose Gen. 21. 12. sake they are done; as in Genesis GOD said to Abraham, Now I know that thou fearest the Lord, the meaning of these words being, Now I have brought it to pass, that it may be known, that thou truly fearest the Lord. Such another work (declaring the height of the divine power) was at the passion of our Saviour, when the Moon being in a great distance from the Sun with a most swift course came to be in conjunction with it, and for three hours' space, made Mat. 27. darkness on the earth; and after those three hours returned as swiftly to the place from whence it came; all which St. Dionysius the Areopagite testified, that he observed (in an Epistle to St. Polycarpus.) This, though it were a miracle contrary to the former, yet no l●sse wonderful, seeing it is alike new and unusual, for the Moon to stand still, as to exceed its bounds beyond custom. To omit the restoring sight to the blind and life to the dead, and many other acts and miracles of the like nature, which GOD doth and hath done, by his Prophets, Apostles, and faithful servants, all which cry, Who is like unto thee o LORD among the Gods? But I cannot let pass the most supreme and highest miracle, which GOD will show in the last day, when all the dead shall rise again together, of which many of their bodies have been reduced to ashes, and scattered, or consumed, and devoured by beasts and changed into other bodies, 〈◊〉 buried in fields and gardens, and transformed into divers herbs. Which of the Angels will not be amazed, when in the twinkling of an eye, at the command of the Almighty so many myriads of men shall resume their bodies, although they have been buried, scattered or devoured many ages before? This is therefore the altitude or height of God's omnipotence, in regard of which we may likewise say, Quis similis tibi in fortibus Domine? Who is like unto thee o Lord among the Gods? It remains that we speak of the depth of God's power, 4. which (as I conceive) consists in the means or manner he useth in making things: for who can dive or wade into the means of making something of nothing? they could never pierce into the depth of it, who resolved it for a certain and true principle, that of nothing comes nothing. And we our selve● believe, what we see not in this point; but we securely believe GOD, who caennot lie: We believe I say, that the heaven and earth and all things in them were created by GOD himself, when there was nothing before to make them of; neither could it be truly said, that GOD made all things, if there had been any thing before, of which they had been made: but how they could be so made, there being nothing before to make them of, is a most deep abyss, which we can neither search into, nor find out. 2. Again, as GOD made all things of nothing, so he made them also in nothing; that is, without a space preceding, or a place where to bestow what he made, which especially in corporal things can hardly be understood. Take away distances, spaces of places (saith St. Augustine) Epl. 57 add Dardanun. from bodies, and they willbe no where; and if they will be no where, they will not be at all. Well then, if there were nothing, no place before GOD created heaven and earth, where did GOD place heaven and earth? certainly in nothing they could not be placed, and yet they were created, and were themselves a place to themselves: because he so would and could, which can do all things, although we cannot understand how they could be done. And to this GOD had an eye, when holy Job (desirous to declare his omnipotence) said in the person of GOD, Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations job. 38. 4 of the earth, declare if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid out the measures thereof, 5, if thou knowest, or who hath stretched the line over it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof 6, set, or who laid the corner stone thereof? And that we might understand that these works of the Lord were most worthy of all praise, he addeth in the next verse, When the Stars of 7. the morning praised me together, and all the children of GOD rejoiced, that is, the holy Angels who were created at the same time with heaven and earth, and are as it were spiritual Stars, and most bright, and may be called the children of GOD, as soon as they perceived the heavens and earth to proceed from nothing, and placed in nothing, yet most surely founded upon their own stability; they (I say) with wonderful astonishment, and joy magnified the omnipotence of the Creator. 3. Nor is it less deep to be understood, that GOD by the only command of His will should erect such immense heape● or piles; for we know by experience, that in buildings without all comparison far less, what instruments, what engines, what labourers, workmen need, who can then apprehend how it came to pass, that by his only internal will, which went not out of the willer, so many, immense and several works were performed? GOD said (that is with himself, for the word of GOD is in GOD, and is GOD himself) by commanding and expressing the command of his will, Let the heaven be made, and Gen. 1. it was made; Let the earth be made, and it was made; Let the light, the Sun and Stars be made; Let trees, creatures, Men and Angels be made, and all were made: and add to this which hath been said, that the same GOD, may if he will, destroy with one be●ke, all these things, and the whole world, as we said before, out of the Book of the Maccabees. 4. To these we may add one depth more, that all these things, so many, so great, and composed of so many members and parts, were made by GOD in a moment. With us, art and nature must have long time to bring any work to perfection; we see seeds sown long before the herbs grow: trees ask oft times many years, to fasten the roots, to sprout, spread and bear fruit: the fruit of the womb is long in the womb, and long in the nursing before it come to any growth: to speak nothing of art, seeing it is so obvious to us, that artificers must have much time to perfect any thing they take in hand. How great then is the power of GOD, who sooner than a word can be spoken, can perfect so great works? It is not my purpose to dispute whether GOD in one moment absolved and finished heaven, earth, and all things in them: or whether he spent six whole days in the first creation of things; for this Treatise was intended for our ascent to GOD, and not for dispute: but this is it which I affirm and admire, that every thing should be made perfect by the omnipotent Creator in a moment: and concerning the earth, the water, air and fire, no man doubts, but that together with all the Angels they were created in a moment. Concerning the firmament, and the dividing of waters, it is well known that they were all made by the only power of the word speaking, Let Gen. 1. 6. there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and that in a moment: for it followeth, that it was so done; upon which place, St. Chrysostome thus, He only spoke, and the work followed; Hom. 4. in Gen. and the same Author upon the words, Let the earth bud forth, etc. Who (saith he) will not be astonished to think how the Gen. 1. 11. Word of GOD [Let the earth bud] adorneth the face of the earth with an admirable embroidery of diverse flowers? you might suddenly have seen the earth, deformed before and untilled and untrimmed, to contend with heaven in comeliness and bravery: and upon the words [Let there Gen▪ 1 14. be light] he saith, He only spoke, and this admirable element was brought forth, I say the Sun, and what if I added that the Moon and all the Stars were made by the same word, and in the same moment by the same Creator? and lastly upon these words, [Let the waters bring forth in 20. abundance, etc.] he thus speaketh, What tongue can be sufficient to set out the praise and glory of the workman? For as he only said of the earth. [Let the earth bud] and presently a plentiful variety and multiplicity of flowers and herbs appeared: so by saying here, [Let the waters bring forth] so many creeping things and fowls were created, as no speech can recount, Who therefore is like unto thee o Lord, among the Gods? By all this, thou mayst understand plainly, the great power of thy Creator, who by his latitude extends himself to all things: by his longitude continues always, and without weariness supports and governs all things: by his altitude attaineth to the making of those things which seem to be, and are impossible to all but himself: and by his depth and profundity doth so make all things, as that the manner and means of making them passeth all created understanding, considering that he makes them of nothing, into nothing, without instruments, without time, only by his word and command, He spoke the word (saith the Psalmist) Ps. 148. 5. and they were made; he commanded, and they were created. By this thou mayst gather if thou be wise, how much it concerns thee, whether it were best to have him thy angry enemy, or thy well pleased friend: For he can suddenly bereave thee of all good, and load thee with all misery; nor is there any that can deliver thee out of his hands: for who dares contend with him that is omnipotent? If thou shouldst (being naked) meet with an implacable enemy, bending a sharp weapon against thee, what wouldst thou do, but in trembling and fearful manner prostrate thyself at his feet and implore his mercy? and yet (he being a man) thou mightst perhaps escape him, by flight, or resistance, or wresting the weapon from him: but what canst thou do against an angry God? from whom thou caused not flee, he being every where, nor resist him being omnipotent; nor make delays seeing he doth all in a moment and by his sole command? and therefore not without cause did the Apostle say, Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD. On the other side, if thou make him thy friend, who more happier than thou? for he can if he will, and he will (if he be thy friend) satisfy thee with all good things, and deliver thee from all evil; and it is in thy power either to make him thy friend or enemy while thou livest here. GOD himself, and he by his Prophets, and again, by his Son, and his Apostles in the Scriptures ever call, and invite sinners to repentance, and the just to keep his Commandments, that so he may have both sorts of men his friends, or rather dear children and heirs of eternal salvation. Hear Ezechiel, As I live saith the Lord God I desire not the death Ezek. 33. 11. of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn you, turn you from your evillwaies, for why will ye die o ye houfe of Israel? and as Ezechiel, so Esay, jeremy and the rest of the Prophets, being moved with the same spirit, cry for the conversion of sinners. Hear the Son of GOD when he began to preach, Amend your lives, for the Kingdom Mat. 4. 17 of God is at hand. Hear the Apostle St. Paul speaking of 2 Cor. 5. 20. himself, and his fellow Apostles, We are Ambassadors for Christ; as though God did beseech you through us, we pray you in Christ's stead, that ye be reconciled to God. What more clear? more comfortable? The Apostle in Christ's name doth beseech us to be reconciled to God, to have him our friend, not our enemy. Who can doubt of God's mercy, if he seriously return to him? he will receive all converts, as the loving Father received the Luke 15. prodigal Son. But when we are returned, and have found indulgence and favour, what doth he require of us? even to persevere as friends and children, and to keep his Commandments, If thou wilt enter into life keep the Mat. 19 17. Commandments saith our Saviour. If thou wilt say, without the help of God his Commandments cannot be kept, hear what St. Augustine saith, speaking of the hardest precept of all Aug, in ps. 56. other; that is of laying our life down for our Brethren. GOD would not have commanded us to do this, if he had thought it impossible to be done; and if considering thy infirmity, thou faintest under a command, strengthen thyself by example for example prevails much with thee; and he is present and ready (who gave thee an example) to give thee aid. And 2 Cor. 13 1. that in the mouth of two witnesses every word may stand; hear St. Leo, GOD is justly Serm. 16. the Pass. Dom. earnest and instant by precept, because he foreruns with his aid. What then shouldst thou fear safely to enter the way of of God's Commandments, when as he foreruns, that by the powerful aid of his grace makes the crooked straight, and Es. 40. 4. the rough places plain. By this aid, the yoke of our Saviour is Mat. 11. 30. made easy and his burden light: and St. john saith that his Commandments 1 Io. 5. 3. are not grievous: But if they do seem grievous to thee, how much more grievous are the torments of hell? and except thou be mad, I wish thee not so bold as to try. But upon this think, and think again, and never forget, that now is the time of mercy, hereafter of justice: if thou sin freely now, look for grievous torments hereafter: Now a man may easily fall to an agreement with GOD, and with the small labour of repentance, obtain much indulgence; and with a little wrestling and striving, redeem himself from much weeping. DEGREE XII. By the Consideration of the greatness of the Speculative or Contemplative Wisdom of GOD, by the similitude of a Corporal greatness. HE that will seriously consider the four mentioned dimensions, in the wisdom of GOD, may easily understand how truly the Apostle spoke. R. o. 16, 27 that GOD is only wise. To begin with the latitude. 1. 1 The wisdom of GOD is manifest and apparent to be the most broad and large by this, in that he distinctly and perfectly knoweth all things in the universe, from the highest Angel to the lowest worm: and not only their entire substances, but also their parts, properties, virtues, accidents and actions. And hence it is, that Iob and David say, Thou numbrest my steps, and The LORD looketh job. 14. 6 Ps. 33. 14 on the ways of men, and confidereth all my ways. Now if he numbereth and considereth every step, how much more the actions of the mind, good and bad? and if he numbereth the hairs of our head as our Saviour Mat. 10. 30. speaks, how much more doth he know all the members of our body, and the virtues or qualities of the mind? and if he know the number of the sands of the Sea, and the drops of rain, Ecclus. 1. 2. as may be gathered out of the Book of Ecclesiasticus; how much more may we believe, that his knowledge extends to the number of Stars and Angels? and if he will bring to judgement all the idle words of Mat. 12. 36. men (as our Saviour tells us) no doubt, but he heareth all the voices of men, not only of their bodies, but of their minds, that is our thoughts and desires. 2. How great therefore and immense is this latitude of wisdom, which at one time knoweth all things which are, have been, shall and may be? neither doth the mind Divine grow or become of less value by the variety of so many several and inferior things, as somefoolish Philosophers held; and we might suspect the same also, if GOD procured or got any knowledge from things as we do: but in regard that he seeth all things in his own essence, there is no danger of becoming of less value: although it be far more noble to procure knowledge like men, then to be altogether without it like bruit beasts; even as it is better to be blind as any living creature may be, then without blindness, not to be apt for sight, like stones: neither are the other members of the body more noble than the eyes, because they cannot be blind, but the eyes are of the greater estimation, as having a faculty to see, though they may be blind, as St. Augustine. Li. 12. c. 1. de civ. dei. Therefore thou oughtest to be very careful what thou dost, what thou speakest, what thou thinkest at all times, and in every place; inasmuch, as thou canst neither do, speak, nor think any thing which GOD sees, hears nor marks not: for if thou darest not do or speak any thing, if thou perceivest that thou shouldst be seen or heard of men, though thou hast a great desire thereto, how darest thou think those things thou shouldst not, GOD looking on thee, and being angry with thee? Grant (saith St. Augustine) no man see Epl. 109. thee, what wilt thou do in respect of that supreme spectator from whom nothing can be hid? and St. Basil (speaking to a Virgin Li. de virg shut up alone in her chamber) saith, Have a reverend respect of thy Spouse present every where, and of his Father, and of the Holy Ghost, as also of the innumerable multitude of the Holy Angels, for there are none of these who see not all things. How blessed and happy shouldst thou be then, if thou wouldst ever conceive thyself to be in this Theatre, even in the deep silence and darkness of the night? how godly and pious a life wouldst thou lead, how diligently wouldst thou avoid all levity and extravagances? And this is it, whereupon GOD spoke to Abraham saying, Walk before me and be perfect, that is, think that thou art always Gen. 17. 1. seen by me, and thou shalt be perfect without doubt. Again, the longitude of the divine wisdom appeareth in 2. the knowledge of things to come: for GOD seeth so perspicuously, as that he saw all things from eternity to the day of judgement, and so forward to eternity, than which longitude nothing can be conceived more; whereupon it is, that King David said, Thou knowest my Ps. 139. 1 thoughts long before: and in Esay, the LORD foretold the Es. 45. reign of Cyrus (by name) 200, years before it came to pass. To this may be added, the prediction in Daniel of the four Dan. 2. 11 Monarchies, and of the wars of Alexander the great, and (to omit others) Christ our Saviour Luke 19 41. deplored the destruction of jerusalem many years before it happened. I omit innumerable predictions of the Prophets, whereof their Books are full. But for those which are called Astrologers or Divines, who would seem to be like God's Apes, they are to be had in derision: for it cannot be, that they can truly foretell of future things, but by chance. For seeing the will of GOD is above all necessary, contingent and free causes, and governs them, and can at his pleasure hinder inferior causes, it is impossible that any should foretell any thing certainly, but they to whom GOD reveals his will, as he did oftimes to his Prophets. And if we duly consider and weigh the opinion which formerly some had of the Devils, whom for their Oracles they accounted Gods, we shall find, that though they pretended to foretell the events of future things, they did, nor said any thing really, and that their deities were as false as their divinations: for they told nothing plainly, but either what they were to do themselves, or else they related by the swiftness of their nature what was done afar off, and that with such speed, that it seemed as yet, or then not done, to those which were afar off from the place, in which it came to pass: or else, what they conjectured by their long experience would happen or be; as many times mariners do of the winds; husbandmen of rain; and physicians of diseases: but concerning those things wherein the Devils were questioned, and were ignorant; they would answer with such circuits and equivocations, that when they were false, they retorted the error upon the wrong interpreters of them. It is GOD therefore only, of whose wisdom there is no end, and it is he that delivers true Oracles, and foretells truly of all future things, contingent and free. The next point to be considered, 3. is the altitude of the divine wisdom, which is so high, that it exceeds all sublimity of humane or Angelical wisdom. The height of this wisdom is known by the excellency. 1 Of the object. 2 Of the power. 3 Of the species or form. 4 Of the Act. 1. The object of God's wisdom is not only natural, but proportionate with the divine essence, which is so sublime, that it is not proportionate to the understanding either of men or Angels: and therefore the highest Angels themselves cannot come to the fight of GOD, unless they be lifted up by the light of glory; and this is the cause why GOD in holy Scriptures is called invisible, To the 1 Tim. 1. 17. King everlasting (saith St. Paul) immortal, invisible GOD: and the same Apostle, that he dwelleth in light which none can 1 Tim. 6. 16 attain to. 2. The power which is an accident in us, is a divine substance in GOD; and in this respect far more sublime and higher than in us. 3. The species is so much the higher, by how many the more things it represents: and in this regard, the Angels are reputed to have higher knowledge, by having the more universal and fewer species. How great then is the height of God's wisdom, that hath no other species or form then his essence, which is but one, and only enough and sufficient to GOD, to represent and make known himself, and all things created, or to be created, or which may be created? 4. Lastly, that wisdom or knowledge is accounted the more noble and higher; which knows most things by fewest acts. But GOD at one only sight, (which is ever most strong in him, and remaineth unchangeable in him) perfectly knoweth himself, and all other things; and therefore the wisdom of GOD is to be accounted the most noble and sublime. Lift up thine eyes then, and consider, how much thy knowledge differs from that of thy Creators: for thou, (although by many acts, and by running this and that way) canst not attain to the knowledge of any one thing perfectly; but thy Creator beholds and sees all things and himself most clearly, and distinctly, by one act alone. And yet, thou thyself (now lying in darkness) by the wings of Faith and Love, mayst if thou wilt ascend so high, that after the laying aside of this mortal body, being translated from glory to glory, thou mayst see GOD the light 2 Cor. 3. Ps. 36. 9 in God's light, and being made like to GOD mayst at one view see GOD in eternity, in himself, and thyself, and all created things, together in GOD, Dial. l. 4. c. 33. for saith St. Gregory, What shall not he see which shall see him that seeth all things? and what pleasure, glory and plenty will there be then, when being admitted to that inaccessible light, thou shalt be partaker of all thy Master's joys. The Queen of Saba, when she had heard Salomon's wisdom, and had seen the wise and orderly disposing of the servants of his house, was astonished, and cried out, Happy are thy 1 Reg. 10 8. men, happy are these thy servants which stand ever before thee, and hear thy wisdom: and what comparison was there between Solomon's wisdom and the wisdom of GOD, who is only wise, and is wisdom itself? and what was the order of the servants of Solomon, compared with the orders of God's Angels, of which, thousands of thousands minister to him? certainly, if thou wouldst but apprehend and taste these things but a little, thou wouldst relish nothing, thou wouldst weigh nothing, and there is nothing that thou wouldst not willingly suffer, to deserve well of him. In the mean time therefore, humble thyself under the mighty hand of GOD, that he may 1 Pet. 5. 6 exalt thee in the day of visitation: humble thy understanding to faith, that thou mayst be exalted to the vision of GOD: humble thy will to the obedience of his Commandments, that thou mayst be exalted to the glorious liberty of the Sons of GOD; Ro. 8. 21. and humble thy flesh with patience, labours and fasting, that GOD may exalt it (glorified) to everlasting rest. It remaineth, that we consider the depth of God's wisdom, 4 which seems chiefly to consist in searching the reynes and hearts, that is, in knowing the thoughts and concupiscences of men, especially in things to come. Man 1 Sam. 16 7. looketh upon the outward appearance (saith GOD himself) but the LORD beholdeth the heart, Ps. 139. 1 2. and David saith, Thou (Lord) understandest my thoughts long before, thou art about my paths, and spiest out all my ways: and the Gen. 6. 5. LORD saw that all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually: and I the LORD search the jer. 17. 10. hearts and reynes, and When JESUS saw their thoughts; and But he knew their thoughts; and Mat. 9 4. Luke 6. 8 Mark 2. 8. Why reason you thus in your hearts? saith our Saviour. And therefore all the thoughts and desires of men, although present, are so deep, that neither Angels, Devils or Men, can enter into them: but far deeper are their future desires and thoughts: and into these, Men nor Angels, as they cannot search into, so neither can they find out the way, whereby GOD only knows them. And this David seems to intimate, when he saith, Such knowledge Ps. 139. 5 is too wonderful for me; that is, thy knowledge is so wonderful, that I know not how thou attainest to it: and this he meaneth concerning Gods knowledge of thoughts and desires to come, as may easily be gathered by that which he said in the first verse of this Psalm. It may be objected, that God foresees these thoughts in his eternity, to whom all things are present; or in the predetermination of his will: and if it be so, than this knowledge is not so admirable: for we also may easily know, what we intent to do, or what is present to us. But the Scripture plainly saith, that GOD searcheth the hearts and reynes, and sees there, what a man either desires or thinks, or what he shall hereafter desire or think. And this is admirable to understand, how GOD, by searching the reynes and hearts, should see, what as yet is not there, and which depends upon the liberty of man's will, whether it shallbe there or no. Therefore, as it is proper to the height of God's power to make something of nothing, and to call those things which are not, aswell as the things which are, so is it proper to the depth of his wisdom, by searching the reynes and hearts, to see that, which as yet is not there, as if it were already, and which without doubt shallbe. But because (as I said before) this Treatise is not for dispute, but to stir and lift up the soul to God; let this which hath been said, incite thee to awaken thee, and to lift up thyself, above thyself, and to consider that Lam. 3. 40. deep abyss of the wisdom of God, who searcheth the hearts, and the inward parts of them, seeing many things there, which the heart itself sees not. O blessed Peter, when thou saidst to our Saviour [Though I should dye Mat. 26. 35. with thee, I will in no case deny thee,] surely thou spakest not with a double, but a sincere and right heart: neither didst thou see that frailty, which God did foresee in thy heart; when he said before the cock crow thou shalt 34. deny me thrice: for that skilful Physician did see that infirmity in thy heart, which thou didst not perceive, and that proved true, which the Physician foretold, not what the patient bragged of. But withal, give thanks to thy Physician, who as he foresaw and foretold thy disease, so he infused the most powerful medicine of repentance into thy soul, which suddenly cured the disease. Oh thou good, gracious and most wise and omnipotent Physician, Cleanse me from my secret sins. Ps. 19 12. How many are there that I do not bewail, nor wash away with tears, because I see them not? Let thy grace assist me, by which thou searchest the reynes and hearts, and those evil concupiscences and evil works which I see not; I beseech thee, which seest them, to show unto me, and looking upon me with the eyes of compassion, produce and bring out of me a fountain of tears, that while I have time I may wash them out, by bewailing them, and thou mayst utterly put them out of thy remembrance, by pardoning them; and that even for the merits of jesus Christ my Saviour. DEGREE XIII. By the Consideration of the Practical or operating Wisdom of GOD. THis Wisdom hath also four dimensions. Breadth in creating all things. Length in preservation. Height in the work of Redemption, and Depth in providence and predestination. We will begin with the Creation, In wisdom GOD made 1. all things saith the Psalmist; and Ps. 104. 24. Ecclus. 1. 10. He hath poured her out upon all his works saith the Son of Syrach. So, that as by the Creation of all things of nothing, we may know the power of the workman: so by the admirable skill which we see in every thing we may admire the wisdom of the Creator: for He hath disposed all things in measure, number and Sap. 11. 20. weight, saith the wiseman: and this is the savour wherewith GOD hath seasoned all things, that by the same we might learn how savoury and well seasoned the wisdom itself is; how to be loved and desired. All things created then, have a certain measure, a certain number, and a certain weight; aswell that they might be distinguished from GOD, who hath neither measure, as being immense; nor number, as being one and simple in respect of his essence; nor weight, because his estimate and price is above all estimation: as also, that they might be good and beautiful, as Moses said most truly, And GOD saw all that he had made, and lo it was very good. I All Gen. 1. 31. things therefore have that measure which is necessary to obtain the ends for which they were created; nor can there be any thing added to, or taken from them, but that they will become deformed or unprofitable, and in that respect less good. GOD made every thing (saith the Preacher) beautiful in his time; and a little after, to it no man can add, and from it none can diminish. Therefore Eccles. 3. 11. 14. GOD gave a large and most ample measure to the heaven, because it might comprehend all inferior things within its circuit. To the air he gave less than to heaven, yet more than to the earth and waters, which make one globe, and are contained and compassed round with the air. He hath given a great measure of body to an Elephant, that he might carry great burdens, even Tower's filled with men. To a Horse less, being made only to carry one rider. The Birds he made little, that they might make their nests in Trees and boughs. Bees and Ants he created least of all, that the one might hide themselves in the holes of hives, and the other in the earth. 2. The same may be said of number. GOD created but one Sun; because one was enough to enlighten the earth and the day with his splendour: and but one Moon, because one was sufficient to give light in the night: The Stars he would have to be many, because when the Sun and Moon gave no light (as in their conjunction) they should dispel the darkness of the night. Nor did he only assign a necessary number to things in common, but appointed the number of parts to every thing in particular so, that nothing might be added or taken from them. He gave to man two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet, one nose, one mouth, one heart, and one head, whereby he became a most 〈◊〉 creature: invert but the order, and give to any man, but one eye, and two noses, one ear and two mouths, one foot and two hearts and heads; and no creature would seem more ugly, more deformed. 3 Lastly concerning weight, GOD gave to every thing such an estimation as its nature required. Besides, under the name of weight and esteem, we understand qualities: which make things good and precious. And these three make all things perfect. 1 A number of parts, which is necessary, that none be wanting. 2 A measure or apt proportion of parts. 3 Lastly internal or external qualities, as pleasantness of colour in the outward superficies of the body, and virtue within, profitable or necessary for several actions. But it is a marvellous thing to consider, what power GOD hath imparted to some small creatures, that it may seem, he had a desire to manifest his power in great, and his wisdom in small things. Who can conceive the strength and force of a grain of mustardseed? which being the least of all seeds, and so little that a man can hardly discern it, and yet from it grows so great a Tree that the birds make their nests in it, as Mat. 13. 32. our Saviour speaks in the Gospel. Nor is this only proper to mustardseed, but common to all other seeds; within the virtue whereof roots, bodies, boughs, leaves, flowers and fruits of great trees lie hidden. Certainly if we had not learned this by experience, we could hardly be persuaded, that out of so little a seed, so great a mass of several things could ever have risen. Who would conceive that in so diminutive creatures as the Ant, Gnat, and Flea, and others the like, were feet so nimble, and that they had head, heart, external and internal senses; and (after their manner) wisdom and judgement, though very unperfect? Lastly, who could think or imagine, that in them, and other little creatures, there should be so great power to pierce into living flesh, that not only they become troublesome to men, but that Elephants and Lions should be terrified by Gnats and Flies? Great therefore is the Lord, and great is his wisdom, as in the greatest, so in the least of things. If that great Prince of Physicians Galen, though a heathen (admiring the workmanship In lib. de partib us. of GOD) broke out into the praise of the Creator, what oughtest thou to do o Christian, who believest, that he not only created the bodies of men and other animals, but the Heaven, Stars, Angels, and immortal minds of men by his wonderful wisdom? Now the length of this practical 2. wisdom appeareth in the preservation of things, as the latitude in the creation: and indeed, the great and admirable wisdom of GOD is plainly seen in the preservation and continuance of things created, especially of those, which are corruptible. 1. And truly, first, if a man would consider, in what manner GOD nourisheth and increaseth herbs, plants, animals endued with life, and the bodies of men themselves, to preserve them as long as may be, it would so astonish him, that he could not sufficiently admire God's wisdom herein: for by earth and water he nourisheth herbs and plants, and causeth nutriment to pass from the roots to the bodies, from the bodies to the boughs, from thence to the leaves and fruit, in a most admirable manner: so also, by herbs and fruit, and the flesh of creatures, he nourisheth other creatures, and men themselves, and causeth the aliment and nutriment to disperse into all the inward and outward parts of the body, with such facility and sweetness, that it may seem incredible. GOD deals herein, as a skilful and loving Physician, that so prepares and fits his drugs, as that they may be taken not only easily, but willingly too. Our meats are without doubt medicines, which unless they be often taken, we cannot subsist. And our loving and wise Physician GOD, first of all giveth a good taste and relish to our meats, that we may take them with delight: then he hath given us great variety that we should not loathe it: Lastly, by divers alterations in the mouth, stomach, liver and heart, he converts the meat into so subtle and thin a juice, that without any pain it passeth through all the veins and pores of the body, and to all the parts of the flesh, bones and nerves, whether we sleep or wake, and without sense of it. Philosophers admired the skill and art of nature when they saw and beheld these things: but what cunning or art can there be in things inanimate and void of sense and reason? It is not then the skill of nature, but the wisdom of of the Creator, who made nature, and found out the means to do these things, that we ought to admire: You may hear Christ (the wisdom of GOD) speaking in the Gospel, Mat. 6. 28 Learn how the Lilies of the field do grow, they are not wearied, neither spin, and a little after, If GOD so cloth the grass of the field, etc. so that 30. it is not the skill of nature, but GOD that makes the Lilies grow, and are so clothed as with garments; so also the Apostle speaks of the nourishment and increase of living things, Neither is he that planteth 1 Cor. 3. 7. any thing, nor he that watereth, but GOD that giveth the increase. And if the wisdom of GOD after so admirable a manner feeds, nourisheth and preserveth the life of plants and creatures; consider (if thou canst) how he feeds the minds of Angels and men in the eternal life? for in earth here, we are nourished with earthly food, yet prepared by the divine wisdom: but in heaven his wisdom is meat and drink to those who live for ever. O thou thrice blessed, if thou couldst inwardly understand, what this of the Apostle means, That GOD shallbe all in all; that GOD the 1 Cor. 15 28. chief and infinite good, should be food, raiment, and life, and all things to all the Saints, thou wouldst then joath all present and momentany things, and only relish and seek after those things which are above. But to proceed. 2. This also is miraculous, that GOD in the preserving and continuing of man's life hath given a continual and long motion of the least things without weariness. Men have laboured much and taken great pains in making a clock, in which, the wheels by the force of weights run without intermission 24. hours: what may we then think that the wisdom of GOD doth, which causeth the nutritive power, to work in plants and creatures, in a perpetual motion while they live? and that the lungs and arteries should be moved in Man without intermission, sometimes 70. years or more? for of necessity they must move till death: and therefore they being necessarily to move in some men 80. or 90. years, yea 900. before the flood: he that admires not this, and sees not the wisdom of GOD hereby, and worships him not for it, certainly wants the light of reason and wisdom. 3. Again, though the wisdom of GOD could have brought forth and preserved Herbs and Trees for the sustentation of all things, without the labour of men, and other creatures; and without the help of the office of the Sun and other secondary causes: yet would he use the office of those causes, and the labour of men and other creatures, because they should not consume their time in idleness, but that all things should exercise their several faculties and powers. Besides, GOD also would have some men to be rich, others poor, that every man might have occasion to live godly, and be tied together in the bond of love: that the rich might exercise mercy and liberality, the poor, patience and humility: the rich should need the poor man's labour in tilling the ground, feeding his cattle, and exercising several Arts necessary for all: the poor should want the rich-man's money, to buy them food, apparel, and other necessaries for the sustentation of his life: and yet the poor hath no cause to complain against the wisdom of GOD; for he who knoweth and loveth all things and men, gives unto every one, that which he foresees most profitable to obtain everlasting life; as Physicians prescribe fasting to some patients, and to open a vein: to others they tolerate, yea command flesh and wine to make them merry, and revive their spirits. And certainly, there are many poor men, which in the state of poverty intent those things which are necessary for their salvation, who if they had been rich would have perished eternally: and though rich men may be saved, if they studied to be rich in good works, and willingly impart with that, which they received from God, to communicate, and not to hoard up: yet it cannot be denied, but that the safest and plainest way to eternal life is by poverty rather than by abundance. Our heavenly Master doth not deceive us, when he saith Verily I say unto you, that a Mat. 19 23. Luke 6. 20. 24. rich man can hardly enter into the Kingdom of heaven, and again, Blessed be ye poor, for yours is the Kingdom of GOD, and W●e unto you rich, for you have received your consolation, nor doth the Apostle deceive us, when he saith, They that willbe 1 Tim. 6 9 rich, fall into tentations and snares, and into many foolish and noy some lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction: and that which Christ and the Apostles taught in word, they confirmed by example. Our Saviour said of himself, The foxes have holes, Luke 9 58. and the birds of heaven have nests, but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head; and the Apostle of himself and his fellow 1 Cor. 4. 11. Apostles saith, Unto this hour, we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place: and it is not to be doubted, but that the wisdom of GOD, and of his Son and the Disciples of wisdom, chose the most plain and safe way to life eternal. But because the number of Eccles. 2. fools is infinite, few there are, that willingly choose this way, and most men decline it as much as they may. 4. The last thing considerable in the length of the divine wisdom is, that as GOD is eternal himself, so hath he endued every thing with a most lively instinct of defending and preserving their own lives, as long as they can. We see, that when men are in danger of death, how they bestir themselves, and spare neither cost nor labour to preserve their lives. We see beasts, to save theirlives, how they fight beyond their strength, with beasts far stronger than themselves: we see a burning candle, when it is near extinguishing and almost spent, how it will raise itself twice or thrice, and send forth a great flame, as it were to wrestle with that which would put it out: we see sometimes drops of rain or water to hang from a penthouse or a stone, and reduce themselves into an orb, and as long as they can, to keep themselves from loosening and perishing by dropping down. We see heavy things ascend, and light against nature to descend, lest there should be a vacuum, and that being disjoined from other things they cannot subsist. But more wonderful it is, that GOD hath endued parents with such vehement affection in the propagating of the like, and defending their issue, that may seem almost incredible. We see the hen (a weak and infirm creature) to fight most eagerly against Kites, Dogs and Foxes to preserve her chickens: but what pains and labour do women willingly endure in bearing and breeding their infants, is obvious to every one. And the cause of all this is, the connsaile of the wisdom of GOD, who to cherish this propagation as a shadow of eternity, hath imprinted this most vehement and ardent love in all creatures, bruit and wild, towards their issue: for whereas there are many creatures, to whose destruction all men give their minds, either for private pleasure and profit, as Hares, Boars, Hearts, Quarles, Partridges, Pheasants, and all kinds of Fish: or for the common good, as wolves, Foxes, Serpents, and many other noisome creatures: it had not been, but that long ago many species of creatures had been utterly destroyed, if the wisdom of GOD had not provided for their preservation by this affection. Now, if there be naturally such an inbred love in all living creatures towards this short and careful life: what love ought we to have to the life eternal? O the blindness and foolishness of mankind I all things labour beyond their strength for this most short life, being but a shadow of eternity; and Man endued with reason, vouchsafeth not to labour (I will not say beyond his strength) but with all his power for the true eternity of a most happy life: all things by a natural instinct abhor the temporary death, and avoid and shun it above all evil: and Man, reasonable Man, instructed by divine Faith, neither fears nor shuns eternal death, at least, not so much as he useth to shun and fear temporary evils. Truly therefore was it said, The number of fools is infinite; and most truly said the Truth itself, The gate is straight and the way narrow that leadeth unto life, and few Mat. 7. 14 there be that find it. The altitude of height or Gods 3. practical wisdom is seen in the work of Redemption, I was not satisfied (saith St. Augustine) with thy wonderful sweetness, 9 Conf. 6. when I considered the height of thy Counsel for the salvation of mankind. And truly it was a most high Counsel, by the ignominy of the Cross to repair all the losses, which the craft of the Devil by the offence of the first Man, brought to mankind, and so to repair them, that the work repaired was far more fair, then when it began to need reparation. Four especial evils sprang up by the sin of the first Man. 1. The injury to GOD by the pride and disobedience of Adam. 2. The punishment of him and allmankinde, namely the privation of God's grace, and everlasting blessedness. 3. The sorrow of the Angels, who were much displeased at the injury done to GOD, and the misery which befell to men. 4. The joy of the Devil and all malignant spirits, who rejoiced, that man was overcome and destroyed by him. All these evils the wisdom of GOD by the mystery of the Cross converted into greater good. O happy offence which deserved such and so great a Redeemer! Certainly, if any by his skill and labour should so amend a garment which by some mischance came to be rend and torn, that it become more neat and precious, we would say, it was a happy rent, which gave occasion to such an amendment and bettering. The first Man, by the craft and envy of the Devil being lifted and puffed up with pride, affected a likeness to GOD, and being disobedient to his maker, fell from his first happiness, for robbing GOD (after a fort) of the honour due unto him. But the second Adam CHRIST JESUS who is the wisdom of GOD, humbled Phil. 2. himself, and became obedient unto death, and restored more honour to GOD then the first Adam by his pride and disobedience took away: for Adam was a pure Man, and if he had obeyed GOD, he had obeyed him in a most easy matter. And what had it been to have abstained from the fruit of one forbidden tree, when there was abundance of excellent trees beside? and therefore the sin was the more heinous, by how much the easilier the command might have been obeyed, being a matter of no labour or difficulty. But CHRIST was GOD and Man, and humbled himself to obey his Father, in a thing of all things the greatest and most laborious and painful, in the death of the Cross, full of pain and ignominy. Again, if we consider the eminency of the person, and the depth of his humility and obedience, nothing can be imagined greater or more meritorious, or more honourable to GOD, than that humble obedience of CHRIST: wherefore most truly said He in the Gospel, I have glorified thee upon earth: 10. 17 4. for he truly glorified GOD his Father with an unspeakable glory in the sight of the Angels and spirits of the holy Prophets and others, who could take notice of it: and if the Angels at Christ's nativity, in respect of the humility of the Cratch, did sing Glory to GOD on high, with much greater exultation Luke 2. 14. and joy did they sing the same song for the humility or the Cross. So that, whereas if man had not sinned, he had only attained to be equal with the Angels: now mankind hath obtained by the redemption which is in CHRIST JEsus; that one man being exalted above all the Angels, sits at the right hand of GOD, and is become head and Lord of Angels and men; for so St. Peter writes of CHRIST, He is gone into heaven, to whom the 1 Pet. 3. 22. Angels and Powers, and might are subject: and St. Paul, Wherefore also GOD hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name: That at the Phil. 2. 9 10. name of JESUS should every knee bow, both of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: So that the Son glorified the Father by the humility of his passion, after an unspeakable manner, and the Father glorified the Son after an unutterable manner also, by exalting him to his right hand; which glorification resulted upon all mankind in such a manner, that whosoever shall not acknowledge this great benefit, and give GOD thanks for it, may justly be called most unthankful. And as the holy Angels were much grieved at the fall of the first man, as for a heavy affliction befallen their younger brother: so also are they taken and affected with much joy and delight for the plentiful redemption of him by JESUS CHRIST: for if there be joy in heaven with the Angels for one Luke 15. 7. sinner repenting, how great may we believe their joy to be, when they saw, that the justice of GOD was fully satisfied for mankind, by CHRIST the man, and that by the key of his Cross, the Kingdom of heaven was opened to all believers? Nor is it to be thought, that the holy Angels did take it grievously, that the man CHRIST was exalted by GOD above them: for they have neither spite or ●nvy in them, but are replete with all ardent and true love; and Love is not puffed up, 1 Cor. 13 grieveth not at the good of others, but sympathizeth and rejoiceth together, congratulateth no less for it, then if it were its own: for the Angels understand, that this was a most just act of Gods, who doth nothing but most justly and wisely; and they also have their will so unseparably proportionable and agreeable to the will of GOD, and tied with such an indissoluble knot of love, that whatsoever is pleasing to GOD, is most acceptable to them. But the Devil who for a time rejoiced for his victory over the first Man, was much more sorrowful for the conquest of CHRIST the man, than he was joyful before. For by the victory of CHRIST it is come to pass, that not only men, such as Adam was, but also children and women shall insult and triumph over the Devil. It had not been a disgrace for him to have been overcome by Adam in Paradise, when he wanted ignorance and infirmity, and was armed with original righteousness, which so subjected the inferior parts to reason, that he could not have rebelled, if his mind had not been rebellious to GOD before: but now to be subdued by a mortal man, a pilgrim, obnoxious and subject to ignorance and concupiscence, is a disgrace in the highest degree: and yet by the grace of Christ he is many times so overcome, as that divers erect trophies of chastity, patience, humility and love, not withstanding his fiery darts of t●ntations and persecutions. And here we are again to admire the altitude of the divine wisdom even beyond admiration. 1 Tim. 6. For GOD, foresaw that the contempt of riches, pleasures and honour, and the like (which are snares of the Devil, and lead men captive to utter perdition) was necessary to withstand the tentations of the Devil. What course did then GOD take, that these pleasures and the like might grow bitter to men, and chastity, poverty, humility, patience and contempt of the world might seem pleasant and delightful? Why surely this, he came down himself from heaven, and having taken the shape of a servant, and by his example made this bitter but (wholesome) medicine so pleasant and sweet, that many men had rather fast then feast, be poor then rich, delight in virginity rather than marriage, and in martyrdom then pleasure; to obey rather than to command; to be despised then to be magnified; to be humble then to be exalted: for who is there, that truly considers GOD in the shape of a man, full of wisdom and grace, and who can neither deceive nor be deceived, to be poor, humble, patient, chaste, and (which is more wonderful) for the redemption of mankind, to be nailed to the Cross, and to dye voluntarily, having shed his most precious blood plentifully, even out of a most ardent love, but willbe encouraged to imitate his example? And this was a high invention of the wisdom of GOD, though to the wise of the World, and to carnal men, enemies to the Cross of CHRIST, it seem to be foolishness. But let us gather honey out of the rock, and ●yle out of the hardest st●ne; that is, Wisdom out of foolishness, the wisdom of GOD from the foolishness of the Cross. Search and examine diligently, who that is, that hangeth on the Cross, and why he should so hang, and we shall find it to be the same, which sitteth between the Cherubims, yea at the right Ps. 99 1. Heb. 1. hand of GOD: and we shall also find, that he hung not on the Cross for his own faults, nor his own infirmity, nor by the power of others, but voluntarily, out of his earnest desire to satisfy God's justice for the sins of the whole world; for the honour and glory of his Father, and for the eternal salvation of all the elect: and (as the Apostle speaketh) that he might make unto himself a most glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle. Lastly, for the love of us; for he loved us, and hath given Eph. 5. 2. himself for us, to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to GOD. And when we shall have found all these to be true (as they are most true) let us lift up ourselves in our greatest and most intimate love to so great a benefactor, and in imitation of him, begin ardently to thirst after God's glory, the salvation of the Gentiles, but chiefly the Church's beauty and honour, and our own eternal salvation; let us begin to have a hate to iniquity, and to love purity of heart, to partake of the Cross of Christ, to glory in tribulations and troubles, that after this life, we may be made partakers of the resurrection of the just to glory, and not to everlasting punishment with the wicked. The depth or profundity of 1. the practical wisdom of GOD consisteth in his providence, predestination and judgements. Thy Ps. 39 6. judgements are like the great deep saith the Psalmist. 1. First, that the providence of GOD is admirable, is gathered out of this, that he ruleth all things immediately, and leads them to their ends, He careth for all alike saith the wiseman, Sap. 6. 7. that is, his care is over all, nothing excepted, so that a sparrow Mat. 10. 29. falls not to the ground without his providence, as our Saviour speaks. He that could number the multitude of things in the whole universe, might in some measure see the profundity of his wisdom, governing and directing all and every thing. A King may govern many Provinces by a general, but not a particular providence, as having many and several subjects, and therefore hath (as is fit) many subordinate Ministers under him. But GOD so taketh care for singular as all, and for all as singular; The 30. hairs of our heads are numbered by him, and his porvidence watcheth over us, so that none of them perish; The young ravens also forsaken by the dams, are not forsaken by GOD. How securely then may we rest in the bosom of such a Father, even in the midst of darkness? among the months of Lions and Dragons, among innumerable legions of spirits: if we adhere to him in sincere love, holy fear, a hope not wavering, and faith not doubting. Neither doth his providence only reach to every thing, and things present, but stretcheth from one end to another mightily, and disposeth of all things sweetly; and he is therefore styled King everlasting, because he hath appointed the order of all 1 Tim. 1. 17. ages, together with the succession of Kingdoms for ever, from eternity; and nothing can happen to him either new, or not foreseen by him: and indeed the thoughts of mortal men are fearful, and our forecasts Sap 9 14. are uncertain, as the wiseman speaketh, because we can give none but uncertain conjectures of things to come: but GOD knows all future things with no less certainty, then if they were past or present, and disposed in his mind before the beginning of the world, both the orders and successions of things: and therefore in our liturgy we truly say, GOD whose providence is never deceived. But because the reason of God's providence is most secret, and his judgements deep, it comes to pass, that many seeing much mischief committed among men, and unpunished, they run headlong into this opinion, that humane things are either not governed by God's providence, or at least that all evils are committed by the will of GOD; both which opinions are impious: but the later the worse, as St. Augustine writeth, But they run headlong into these L. 1. de Ord. c. 1. errors, who see only part of God's providence, and see not the other part: and whereas they ought to expect the issue and end of things, which shallbe manifested to all in the day of judgement, they are so bold, as rashly to judge, and by that means fall into most grievous errors. And therefore the Apostle cries out, Judge not before 1 Cor. 4. 5. the time, until the LORD come, that will enlighten things that are hid in darkness, and will make the counsels of the heart manifest. S. Augustine illustrates this point by a similitude; If (saith he) a man in a chequered pavement shall see only one piece of it wrought, and (not knowing what the form of it shall be) will dispraise the workman, because he only sees a piece of it, and not the greatest part: whereas if he saw it finished he would commend the work and the artificer, it would seem preposterous: so many seeing the wicked to flourish, and the just depressed and afflicted, and consider nor know not what GOD reserves for the iniquity of the ungodly, or the patience of the good, and thereupon break out into blasphemous speeches either with those in Job, He job 22. 14. walketh in the circle of heaven, and considereth not our matters: or with them in Malachi, Every one that doth evil, is good Mal. 2. 17 in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them. Another similitude in this case, St. Augustine also useth, If a man either in the beginning or the middle of a verse shall say that it is not good, he willbe accounted a fool; for he should tarry till all the fillables and feet of it be pronounced, before he dispraise it: so they are very fools who dare to find fault with the orderly providence of GOD, before the whole order of it be run out. Wherefore if thou be wise, endeavour as much as thou canst, that evil be not committed, for this GOD commands thee: but leave to his judgement why he permits evil; his judgement may be secret, it cannot be unjust. 2. But although the reason of the providence of GOD in governing humane things be a deep abyss, yet the reason of eternal predestination and reprobation is deeper by far. For why GOD should load many wicked men with temporal goods, and suffer their sins to go unpunished in this life: and on the other side, why he should suffer many innocents to be in want, and be unjustly vexed, scourged and slain, we cannot find the cause in particulars or singulars: yet in the general or universal we may probably assign some cause. For GOD oftentimes makes the wicked abound with temporal goods, to reward some of their moral works, not intended to give them life eternal: or to allure them to repentance, and to bring them to desire and hope for eternal benefits: and sometimes punisheth not their sins in this life, because he will sufficiently punish them in hell: and suffers godly men to live in poverty, ignominy, and divers afflictions, aswell to purge their lighter sins, in this world, as to crown their goodworkes the more gloriously hereafter. But why GOD loved Mal. 1. 2. 3. Jacob. and hated Esau before they had done either good or evil, who will search after the reason? And this it was at which the Apostle wondered, that, being twins, the sons of one Father and Mother, GOD should love the one by predestination, Ro. 9 11. and hate the other by reprobation. And lest any man should object, that GOD foresaw the goodworkes of the one, and the evil of the other, the Apostle by way of prevention saith, that this was done, that the purpose of GOD might remain according to election, and allegeth or quoteth the words of GOD by Moses, I will have mercy on Exo. 33. 19 whom I will have mercy, etc. 3. Who also would not be astonished to consider, that judas the traitor should persevere so long in good works, and in the end of his life to fall and perish: and that the thief, who all the time of his life should continue in evil works, and in the end of his life to be converted, and flee from the Cross into Paradise? But thou wilt say, judas betrayed Christ, and the thief confessed him. This is true, but could not Christ have looked upon judas, as he did upon Peter? and could he not infused that effectual grace into judas, which can be rejected by no hard heart? and could not Christ have given faith and repentance to both the thiefs, as to one, or have suffered both of them to have died in their sins, as he did one of them? and who can give a reason why GOD translated some, least wickedness should alter their understanding, as is Sap. 4. 9 said of Henoch; and not others, but suffers them to become evil of good men, and to finish their days in wickedness. What shall we say of whole Countries, whereof some are sooner, some later called to that faith, without which, none can be saved? He that hath not believed is already judged, saith the Apostle; and again, Whosoever Ro. 10▪ 13 14. calleth upon the name of the Lord shallbe saved: But how shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeeved, & c? These are God's highest secrets and most deep, which he hath placed in the abyss of his wisdom, which the Apostle admires, but opens not, when he cries out, O the Ro. two. 33. depth both of the wisdom and knowledge of GOD how unsearchable are his judgements, and his wayespast finding out! Who knew the mind of the LORD, or Ro. 11. 34. who was his counsellor? This only we may kn●w, that there is no iniquity with GOD, and that in the last day there will be none but must confess and say, Just art thou o LORD, Ps. 145. 17. and just are thy judgements; and this use we may make of this secret, that no wicked man despair, nor any good man presume of his salvation: and that good men distrust not of any man's conversion, let them pray for all, and be solicitous of their salvation: and on the other side, let none though good and holy, grow insolent, considering no man knows what to morrow may produce: but let every man work● his own salvation infeare and trembling. Phil. 2. 12 Now all these things considered, strive by good works to make thy vocation and election 2 Pet. 1. 10. sure, saith St. Peter: and what these works are the Apostle St. john tells us, Little children, 1 Io. 3. 18. let us not love in word, neither in tongue only, but in deed and truth. It is love, without which no man is saved, and with which, no man is condemned; and love is showed by works: when any man, neither out of hope of temporal retribution, or out of extraordinary and inordinate affection to the creature, but in hearty and pure love to GOD and his neighbour, either gives alms liberally to the poor, or forgives injuries to his enemies: and that not only for a time, but he which endureth to the end Mat. 10. 22. shallbe saved. Therefore the Apostle saith, Give diligence, that is, be earnest, anxious and solicitous in the business or work of eternallsalvation. And truly, if there be any probable argument of God's election, this is it, when a man being more sollicit●●s of his salvation then of any other thing, ceaseth not to pray to GOD for the gifts of true repentance, true humility, perfect love and charity, and perseverance to the end: and not only satisfied with prayer, but strives to seek the Kingdom of heaven and the righteousness Mat. 6. 33. thereof, and to find● it with all his force and strength. DEGREE XIIII. By the Consideration of the Mercy of GOD. THe spirit of GOD in holy Scripture doth wonderfully excel this mercy of His, insomuch as he prefers it before all the rest of His works, for so saith the Psalmist, The LORD is loving unto every Ps. 145. 9 man, and his Mercy is over all his works. We shall easily see the magnitude of this divine attribute, if we diligently consider it, according to the 4. former dimensions. The latitude of God's mercy 1. consists in this, that GOD, and GOD alone can deliver us out of all our miseries, and this he doth, not for any benefit to himself, but out of the love which he hath and beareth to all things created. It is true, that created things can take away some miseries, as bread, hunger; drink, thirst; clothes, nakedness, and knowledge, ignorance, and so of the rest: but no creature can take away all miseries: beside there are some miseries, which are so much the more grievous, by how much the more hidden and inward: and none can give ease or remedy to these, but GOD only: such are the snares of the Devils, who are many, most subtle, powerful, and ill affected to us: such also are the errors and blindness of the mind, and of an erroneous conscience, which we see not in ourselves; so that oftimes we seem to be very well, touching the inward man, when as indeed we are in a miserable plight and dangerous: and who can deliver us from these maladies, but only the Almighty Physician? And therefore when GOD heals us of these infirmities, and we have no feeling of the cure, we never return him thanks, and so it may truly be said of us, that GOD is good to the unthankful Luke 6. 35. and evil: for we scarce know the least part of God's benefits, neither give him thanks for them with that devotion and humility we ought. Again, created things not only take not away all miseries, but some few: and those they take not away from all men, but from a few. It is GOD only that can deliver all men from all miseries; and although he do not take all from all men, yet there is no man, who participates not of some mercy of God, for as King David saith, The earth is full of the goodness of Ps. 35. 5. the LORD; and as our Church in the Liturgy saith, O GOD whose nature and property is ever to have mercy, because it belongs to him to take away misery, who wanteth misery, and to him only it appertains to free all men from all misery, that only is free himself from all misery; and who is he, but only GOD, who is pure act, and the chief good, and from whose essence proceeds all blessedness. O that thou couldst but attain by thy thoughts what a life is that of GOD thy Father, which is elevated above all misery, and is pure and altogether happiness itself; how wouldst thou desire to be lodged in his breast, that it might be said of thee, There shall no evil happen Ps. 91 10. unto thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. But thou wilt say, If GOD can take away all miseries from all men, why doth he not so, being a Father of mercies, that is a most merciful Father? 2 Cor. 13 whence comes it, that so many miseries abound in mankind under the government of a Father of mercies? why is it rather said, The earth is full of the mercy of the LORD, than the earth is full of misery? It is true, that GOD can take away these and all miseries, but he only removeth those, which his wisdom thinketh fit to be taken away. And the wisdom of GOD thinketh it not expedient for men themselves, to take them all away, and that it is sometimes mercy, not to remove misery, that a place may be prepared for greater mercy. The Apostle prayed three 2 Cor 12. 8. times to have the prieke of the flesh taken from him, but was not heard, because God's power might be shown in weakness. GOD took not away from Lazarus Luke 16. the misery of poverty and sores, that with the greater mercy he might be carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom: and where would there need the work of mercy from the rich, if there were not poor, hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, pilgrims and prisoners, upon whom they should be exercised? and if there were no tentations of the Devil, where should be the reward for them which withstand them? if labours and sorrows were not, where would be the crown of patience? and if no persecutors, what would become of the crown of Martyrdom? and therefore in this pilgrimage, both of these sayings may be true, that the Earth is full of miseries, because even sins themselves are miseries, and great ones; and the earth is full of the Mercy of the LORD, because conversion of sinners, and many almost infinite spiritual and temporal blessings of GOD, what are they, but continual and great mercies of the LORD our Creator? Let us then give thanks to our good GOD, for his mercies, in that, as our tribulations increase in this our pilgrimage, so our comfort increaseth by his mercy to us; Thy mercy reacheth Ps. 36. 5. to the heavens, saith the Psalmist to GOD, because there shall be mercy without misery; and because mercy shall take away all misery altogether. Now the longitude or length 2. of God's mercy, is his long suffering or patience, which the Scripture useth to join with mercy, as a part or species of it, for so speaketh the Psalmist, The LORD is full of compassion Ps. 103. 8. 145. 8. and mercy, long suffering and of great goodness. And indeed the long suffering or patience of our most merciful LORD is very admirable, such as we cannot find either in masters towards their servants, or in parents towards their children, though both sorts of them be men. 1. And first, GOD is long suffering towards sinners, expecting them with incredible patience, sometimes from their childhood to the extremity of old age, bearing the breaking of his Law, and the tearing of his name; and in the mean time doing them good from heaven, giving them rain and fruitful Act. 14. 17. seasons; replenishing them with food, and their hearts with gladness, as the Apostle speaketh. And where will you find among men, either a master, or a parent so gentle and facile, who if he perceive himself to be slighted or abused by his servant or son, and that they persevere long in this obstinacy, at the last do not turn them out of dor●s? But the mercy of the LORD is not overcome by the wickedness of men, but it dealeth patiently with them, not desiring that any should perish, but all men to come to repentance▪ 2 Pet. 3. 9 and even making as though he saw not their sins because they Sap. 11. 23 should amend. 2. Again, his patience is seen more, in that many sinners by his grace are drawn out of the lake of misery, and the mire of dregges, and of children of darkness are made sons of light, and from the guilt of eternal death, to the adoption of the sons of GOD, and called to the hope of the Kingdom of heaven: and though they relapse often to their former filthiness and ingratitude, yet are they not forsaken by the long suffering of GOD, but are lovingly expected and invited to repentance: and if they shall heartily repent at any time, they are received to a kiss of peace and atonement, and restored to former favour, as the prodigallson was of a most merciful Father. It was not without cause, that St. Peter (demanding of our Saviour how often he should forgive his brother sinning against him) was thus answered by him, I say not unto thee, unto Mat. 18. 22. seven times, but unto 70. times seven times, for he would have us do the same, which he himself doth in pardoning sinners. And he hath set no bounds to his reconciliation, but only the end of our life; for as long as we live, if it be to 100 years or upward, yet we are received at any time before death by a most loving Father, if (after many relapses) we seriously repent: there is no repentance comes too late (if it be serious, and from a heart truly contrite and humble) to receive mercy from GOD. But yet no man ought therefore to abuse the lenity and goodness of GOD, and de●erre his repentance from day to day, seeing no man knows▪ what hour or day the soul will leave the body, and appear before the Tribunal of a most lust ludge: but rather all men should be invited and alured to repentance, by this so great and incredible goodness of GOD: For if GOD be so gracious towards sinners (often relapsing) how great will his favour be to those, who after they have once tasted of it, can never be drawn to be separated from it, notwithstanding any tentations beating against them? 3. There is also another admirable patience and long suffering of GOD, which he useth in tollerating the offences of godly men: for GOD of his goodness hath made us of enemies, his friends, sons of servants, and heirs of his Kingdom, being guilty of eternal death: and yet such is our ingratitude, that we daily render evil for good: for if the Apostle said, In many things we offend ja. 3. 2. all, what may we say? who stand in so far a distance from the Apostles perfection? for we talk with GOD in our prayers, and presently we are distracted by our imagination with other thoughts, and as it were turn our backs to GOD: What Master would suffer his servants standing before him, and speaking to him, to turn to his fellow servants, as it were in contempt of him, and to talk with them? What shall I say of idle words? of vain thoughts? of unfruitful works? of excess in diet, sleep, apparel and play? of our negligence and loose carriage in our holy service to GOD? of our omission of brotherly correction? and of innumerable other offences wherein we daily offend; and yet our GOD is good and gracious, and of great mercy Ps. 86. 5. to all them that call upon him; he bears with this rudeness and incivility, and (as I may so speak) this foolishness of his children, which certainly men would not endure at the hands of men, for he knoweth whereof we are made, and deals 103. 14. with us, as a mother with her little child, whom she cherisheth and nourisheth though perhaps it strike her. Yet though GOD bear with many of our offences here, because they do not so break the bonds of his love, as to deprive us of the right of our inheritance: yet they shall not go unpunished in the day of judgement, when we shall give an Mat. 12. 36. account of every idle word, unless we shall in the mean time wash them away by tears of repentance. But to end this point, GOD is merciful and long suffering, he will not always Ps. 103. 9 be chiding, neither keepeth his anger for ever. The height or altitude of God's mercy comes next in order 3. to be spoken of, which is taken from the cause moving him to be merciful, which certainly is most high, and exalted above the heavens, according to that in the Psalm, His mercy reacheth Ps. 36. 5. 89. 2. to the heavens; and Mercy shall be set up for ever, thy truth shalt thou establish in the heavens, which mercy of his differs from that of men, in divers respects. 1 Some men are merciful to other, because they stand in need of their help, and this is the lowest Degree of mercy, because it reflects upon their own profit and commodity, as to our Dogs, Horses, and other cattle. 2. Others are pitiful for consanguinity or friendship, because they are our children, brethren, friends or familiars, to whom we extend our mercy: and this is a Degree a little higher, and begins to have some reason or resemblance of virtue. 3. Lastly, others are merciful, because they are their neighbours, and (in that respect) men, created by the same GOD out of the same mould: and therefore they make no difference whether they be friends or enemies, good or bad, kindred or strangers: but pity all alike, whom they know to be created after the image of GOD; and this is the highest Degree that mortals can reach unto. But GOD hath pity upon all things, because they are his creatures, and especially upon men, because they are his images, and more specially yet, upon good men, because they are his children, heirs of his Kingdom, and coheirs with his only begotten Son. But if thou wilt demand, why GOD created the World? why he made man after his own image? why he hath justified the wicked, and made them heirs of his Kingdom? nothing at all can be answered, but because he would; and if thou askest why he would? nothing can be said, but because he is good: for goodness diffuseth and communicateth itself willingly. In heaven hath he established his mercy, and from Ps. 89. his highest habitation, (from the heart of the Father) hath it descended and filled the earth, The earth is full of the mercy of the LORD, saith the Psalmist. Ps. 33. 5. Therefore as he found matter enough in us to deserve punishment, so he found enough in himself to have mercy upon us. Lift up thyself then, and with the eyes of thy mind in that high fountain of mercy, behold that purity, mixed with no intention of his own profit; and when thou hearest the Schoolmaster of all men persuading and saying, Be merciful Luke 6. 36. as your heavenly Father is merciful, strive as much as thou canst, to have not only compassion upon thy fellowservants, but be merciful to them with that pure affection, which our heavenly Father pities us. If thou remit an injury to a detractor, or malicious accuser, do it heartily, committing the offence to perpetual oblivion; for our Father forgets our offences saith Ezechiel, and Look how wide the East is from the Eze. 18. West, so far hath he set our sins from us (saith David) lest they should do us harm Ps. 103. 12. any longer. If thou givest alms to a poor man, understand that thou dost rather take then give, because he that giveth to the poor dareth upon Prov. 19 17. usury to the LORD, as Solomon saith, and therefore give it humbly, and reverently, not as an alms to a poor man, but as a present to a Prince. If thou sufferest any ill, to profit thy necessitous neighbour, consider how far short thou comest of thy Lord, who gave his life and blood to do thee good. So it shall come to pass, that without hope of earthly reward, or any itch of vain glory, and out of the pure and only love of GOD and thy neighbour, thou shalt be a good proficient in the School of mercy. In the last place, the depth of 4. God's mercy comes to be considered, and as the height of it shines chiefly in the cause, so the depth seems to be sought in the effects. Therefore, that mercy which descends only to words, hath little depth in it, but may rather be called superficial: and that mercy is to be reputed more deep, which relieveth and refresheth those which are in misery, not only with comfortable words, but real deeds and benefits: and that the most deep of all other, which helpeth those which are miserable, not only by speaking and giving, but in suffering and co-assisting in labours and sorrows. Now our GOD, of whose mercy is neither number nor end, is by all these ways merciful to us. 1. For first, he hath sent comfortable letters, (his holy Scriptures) to us as it is said in the Book of the Maccabees, we have the holy books in 1 Mac. 12 9 our hands for our comfort. And not only doth GOD speak to us, and promise us aid and protection by his letters, but by the sermons of preachers, who are ambassadors to us for CHRIST in this pilgrimage. 2 Cor. 5. 20. I will hearken (saith David) what the LORD GOD will say concerning me, for he shall speak peace unto his people, and Ps. 85. 8. to his Saints, that they turn not again. 2. Again, the benefits we receive by God's mercy in cu●ing our manifold miseries aswell temporal as spiritual are so many, as that they cannot be numbered: for every where he crowneth us with mercy and loving kindness, that is, he compasseth 103. 4. us on every side, with the benefits of his mercy. 3. Thirdly, his mercy descended by the mystery of the Incarnation, to labours, sorrow, hunger, thirst, ignominy, reproaches, stripes and wounds, to the cross and death, to redeem us from all iniquity, and from everlasting death, due to sin. C●n there be any abyss more 〈◊〉 to which the mercy of God could descend? yes, there is, for he did not this out of due debt, but of mere grace: He Es. 53. was offered because he would, saith Esay; for who compelled the Son of GOD (who Phi. 2. 6. 7 thought it no robbery to be equal with GOD) to take on him the form of a servant, to make himself poor for us, that ● Cor. 8. 9 we through his poverty might be made rich: and to humble himself Phil. 2. 8. to death, even the death of the Cross, to quicken and exalt us? certainly it was only his love that forced him, his only mercy compelled him. And yet there is another thing more deep, a deeper degree: for in this work of our salvation, he would have us communicate and participate in his glory and honour. The Angel's song seemed to be a fit division, Glory to GOD in the highest, and peace in earth, the honour to GOD, the profit to men: but the mercy of GOD would have all the profit to be ours, and the honour part his, part ours. 4 Lastly, the mercy of GOD is most profound and deep towards men, especially good men and fearing GOD, in regard that this mercy exceeds the affection of Father or Mother, than which, upon earth we find none greater: Can a woman forget her child (saith the Prophet Esay) and not have Es. 49. 15 compassion on the Son of her womb? though she should forget, yet will I not forget thee, And the Psalmist, Like as a Father pitieth his own children, Ps. 103. 13. even so is the LORD merciful to them that fear him. And lest any should say, that there may be parents found, whose love is sometime changed into hatred, The merciful goodness 17. of the LORD endureth for ever and ever, upon them that fear him: and for the continuance of this his mercy, the Apostle maketh us secure, when he calls GOD The Father of 2 Cor 13 mercies and GOD of all consolation: and therefore he is not only a Father of them that fear him, but a most merciful Father, and most ready to comfort his children: for he taketh away and easeth them of the miseries of their afflictions and tribulations, which he judgeth fit to deliver them from, and in that respect shows himself a Father of mercies: and in those miseries which he thinketh not expedient for them, to be taken away, he endueth them with unspeakable comfort, whereby they may bear them with ease: and in that regard, he declares himself to be a GOD of all consolation. Now the Apostle calleth him the GOD of all consolation for two causes. 1. Because GOD knoweth how to comfort his in every kind of tribulation, which certainly the world cannot do, because it oftimes understands not the cause of the affliction: and therefore it was, that Job job 16. 2. called his friends miserable comforters, because they knew not the cause of his disease, and misapplyed the cure. Or else sometimes the tribulation is so great, that no humane comfort can assuage it: but GOD is a most wise and omnipotent Physician, he can cure any disease; and therefore the Apostle saith, that he comforteth 2 Cor. 1. 3 us in all our tribulation 2. Secondly, GOD is called GOD of all Consolation, because he knoweth how to comfort us so plentifully, that it is better to suffer tribulation with such comfort, then to want both: as in the case of Martyrdom. Therefore no marvel if the Apostle said I am filled with comfort, and am exceeding 2 Cor. 7. 4. joyous in all our tribulation: and again, Which comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them 1. 4. which are in affliction. And what thinkest thou of this so large, deep, daily, pure and immense mercy of GOD, who needs none of our goods, and yet out of the abundance of his love, is so solicitous of his poor servants, as if all his good depended on them? What thanks therefore wilt thou return to him? what canst thou ever do, to avoid the stain of ingratitude for such mercy? at the least endeavour as much as thou canst to please him. And because it is written, Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful, and Luke 6. 36. Ecclus. 30. 23. Love thine own soul: begin first carefully to find out the miseries of thine own soul; for the miseries of the body are obvious enough, and there is no need to admonish a man to pity his body: for if it want meat or drink but one day, or sleep but one night, or by chance receive a wound, presently we bewail the case of it, and seek remedy for it. But the soul may fast whole weeks without food, or lie languishing with infirmities, or peradventure lie dead, and no body looks after it, no body hath compassion of it. Therefore visit thy soul often, examine the several powers of it, whether they be well or not, whether they profit in the knowledge and love of the true good: or on the other side, whether it be ill affected with ignorance, or languish with concupiscences of divers kinds; whether the mind be blinded with malice, or the will corrupted with the disease of hate or pride: and if thou findest thy soul in this evillstate, call unto GOD and say, Have mercy upon me o LORD, for I am weak. Seek spiritual Physicians, Ps. 6. 2. and use remedies in time. Then pity other poor souls, where of a number perish, and yet CHRIST died for them. O if thou didst but know and well weigh the price of souls, that is, the precious blood of the Son of GOD; and withal the exceeding great slaughter of them by the infernal wolves, and roaring Lions, the Devils: certainly thou couldst not choose but with all thy heart take compassion on them: and labour aswell by prayer to GOD, as by all other means to obtain their deliverance. Lastly, have compassion also upon the corporal necessities of thy neighbour, and that not in word only, but in works and truth, remembering always, that Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Mat. 5. 7. DEGREE XV. By the Consideration of GOD'S Justice, compared with a Corporal magnitude. THe justice of GOD in holy Scriptures is taken four ways. 1. For Universal justice or Righteousness, which contains all virtues, and is the same with sanctity or goodness, The Lord i● righteous i● all his ways, and Ps. 145. 17. holy in all his works. 2. Secondly, it is taken for Truth or faithfulness, as in another Psalm, That thou mayest be justified 51. 4. in all thy sayings. 3. Thirdly, for distributive justice, justice in rewards, according to that of St. Paul, A 2 Tim. 4. 8. Crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day. 4. For revenging justice. justice's punishing offences; as it is in another Psalm, Upon the ungodly Ps. 11. 7. he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest, this shallbe their portion to drink. The greatness therefore of this divine justice will appear the better, if we consider the latitude of universal justice: the length of it, that is, his truth and faithfulness; the height of it, in Gods distributing rewards in heaven: the depth of it, in scourging the wicked with eterna●l punishments in hell. To begin with the latitude. 1. That is said to be universal justice or Righteousness in men, which disposeth a man to carry himself in all his dealings, according to all Laws: and by that, hath in him all virtues, aswell theological as moral. But there is one virtue above the rest, which containeth all other virtues, and commands and rules the acts of them, directing them to the last end, and this is called love; which virtue, although in itself it be but particular, and but one of the Theological virtues, yet it may be truly called universal, for it disposeth a man to behave himself well, both to God and towards his neighbour, and thereby fulfilleth the whole Law; for so speaketh the Apostle, Love doth not evil to his neighbour: Ro. 13. 10. therefore is Love the fullfilling of the Law: and he that 8. loveth another, hath fulfilled the Law. And therefore St. Angustine De na. et gr●. 6▪ 70. saith, Love begun, is Righteousness begun: Love increased, is Righteousness increased. Great Love is great Righteousness: perfect Love is perfect Righteousness. Now in GOD are all virtues which presuppose no imperfection: and instead of those which presuppose imperfection, there is some what far better and more excellent: where by it is, that no goodness is wanting to him, but rather ●o great and infinite goodness and holiness, as that he may be justly styled, only good, only holy. And therefore it cannot be ●aid that there is faith in GOD (a theological virtue) Heb. 11. 1. because 〈◊〉 is the evidence of things which are not seen: but GOD seeth all things: neither may Hope be said to be in GOD, for hope is an expectation of things to come, and that which is seen is not hope: but GOD expecteth Ro. 8. 24. nothing, because he enjoyeth all things from eternity. Repentance for sin is not in God, because God cannot sin. Humility is not in God, because this virtue keepeth a man back, lest he vainly ascend above himself, and causeth him to keep his own station: but God hath nothing above himself to ascend unto, being the most high. But most ample love, and almost infinite and immense is in God, for he loveth himself with infinite love, because he only perfectly knoweth infinite goodness, which is his own essence: he also loveth all his creatures, Thou lovest all things which are, and hatest nothing that Sap. 11, 24. thou hast made, saith the Wiseman: for God knoweth by his wisdom to sever evil from good, that is, defect from nature, even in Devils, and the worst of men: and nature he loves, because he made it, defect he hateth, because he made it not. Lastly, love is so true in God, as that he would be called by that name; God is love saith St. john. But our love compared 1 10. 4. 16. with his, is most straight and little. There are very many things which we love not, because we know them not: many of those things also which we know, we love not, because we easily discern not good from evil in them: and we love not many good things well, and in that regard with true love, because we are evil ourselves, and rather lean to concupiscence, then to love. And we love God but with an unperfect love; not only because we love him not so much as his goodness deserus (to which measure or perfection of love, the Angels themselves attain not) but also because we love him less than we should, and less also than we might, if we would give ourselves more carefully and diligently to prayer and meditation. This virtue of love is accompanied in GOD with many other virtues, as with singular magnificence, liberality overflowing, goodness, humanity, patience, long suffering, more than fatherly gentleness, truth & faithfulness never failing, mercy filling heaven and earth, most upright justice and impartial: lastly, most pure holiness, and so clear, that the Stars are not clean in his sight, and the Cherubims job 25. 5. astonished at it, cry Holy, holy, Esa. 6. 3. holy, Lord God of Sabaoth. Oh that thou wouldst consider this seriously, with what fear and trembling wouldst thou perform thy prayers and praises to him? But to proceed to the rest. The longitude of the divine Justice consists in truth and 2. faithfulness. Of his faithfulness we read in divers places of Scriptures, Thy faithfulness reacheth Ps. 36. 5. to the clouds saith the Psalmist, and Faithfulness is the girdle of his reynes, saith the Prophet Esay. Great is thy faithfulness Es. 11. 5. La. 3. 23. 1 Cor. 1 9 10. 13. 2 The. 3. 3 2 Tim. 2. 13. Heb. 10. 23. 110. 1. 9 Ps. 145. 17. saith Jeremy God is faithful saith the Apostle in divers places: He abide the faithful, and He is faithful that promised. He is faithful and just saith St. john, and King David, God is righteous or faithful in all his ways: that is, the promises of God pronounced by the mouths of his Prophets many ages since, never shall, never were void, or of no effect, but are more sure and stable than heaven and earth, for so saith our Saviour, Heaven and Earth shall pass▪ Luke 21. 33. but my words shall not pass: and It is more easy that Heaven and Earth should pass away, than tha● 16. 17. one title of the Law should fall away; where our Saviour understands by the Law, the truth not only of his commandments but of his promises; for whatsoever God hath commanded, are either to be kept, or those to be punished that break them: and what he hath promised, are established with everlasting stability: The word of our God shall stand for ever saith the Prophet Esay 40. 8. Ro. 3. 4. Heb. 6. 18. Esay; and the Apostle, God is true and every man a liar, and again, It is impossible for God to lie; the reason of which speech is, because he can neither be deceived, being wisdom, nor deceive being goodness, nor fail, being omnipotence. But Men, although wise, good and mighty, may be deceived, and deceive: because they neither know all things, nor can perform all things which they can; for though they be good when they promise, a while after, they may become evil, and not willing to perform their promises. Wherefore if thou be wise, put thy confidence in God alone, cleave only to him, and cast all thy care on him alone; Walk Mic. 6. 8. humbly and carefully with God, and he willbe careful of thee; take heed that thou offend not his justice, and his mercy will ever protect thee, neither shalt thou need to fear what the Devil or man can do against thee. The altitude or height of 3. God's justice is seen in the retribution of the heavenly reward, which he as supreme judge hath prepared for those which live well and godly; and we shall soon know what the height of this justice is. 1 If we compare the judge God, with men judges. 2 If we compare reward with reward, that is, the reward which God gives, with that which men usually give. 1. Men judges, and Princes too, have many lets or hindrances from fully rewarding those which serve them: For first either they cannot, for want of sufficient means to reward every one's deserts: 2. Or either they know not the merits of their followers, or cannot justly value them: 3. Or out of the wickedness and covetousness of mind, or some other perverse affection, they will not duly reward them which deserve: 4. or lastly, either they which should give, or they which should receive their rewards, are prevented by death from giving or taking: But God gives to all good men, not only according to their desers, but above them; for what more mean desert can be imagined, then to give a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul? Mat. 10. 43. yet GOD hath promised that this small work of mercy shall not lose its reward: and the largeness of the reward S. Luke describeth, Good measure, pressed Luke 6. 38. down, shaken together. 1 Nor is there any danger, that GOD will not be of ability to perform with us, being Lord of all things, and can by a word speaking increase and multiply all things infinitely. 2 Neither is it to be feared, that GOD should be deceived in the number or value of our deserts, being the most wise, and all things lying open to his eyes, and he searching the reynes and hear●s of his well doing servants, and understands, with what mind, intent, fervour and diligence they have done any thing. 3 Neither may any suspect, that GOD hath any evil meaning to defraud his poor servants and children of their just reward, being faithful in all his words. 4 Lastly, he cannot dye, being immortal, and all things live to him, so that there is no danger, that any shall be prevented or hindered by any means from receiving their due rewards: and therefore in all these respects, it is most safe to transact with GOD, as amost just Judge, and a dangerous and foolish thing, to put any confidence in man, or to expect from them, any just recompense for our pains and labour. 2. Let us now compare rewards with rewards, divine with humane, heavenly with earthly; and I would demand what it is that men can retribute to those, who all their lives long labour for them, breaking many night's sleep, and putting their lives in danger for them? O the blindness of men! what can men repay, but small, base, transitory, and things of small continuance? But GOD giveth, great, sublime and eternal things, and yet those are much hunted after, and these despised. St. Chrysostome Hom. 24. in Mat. compares Palaces, Cities, and the Kingdoms of this world, which worldlings so much admire, to those brittle fabriques', which children make of chalk or clay, which being made by them with much labour, are derided by those of elder growth, and are spoiled with the kick of a man's foot: and so are all those great & stately Palaces, Towers, Castles and Kingdoms, but cottages of lome, in respect of the celestial and eternal and derided by the Angels, and easily subverted by our heavenly Father; whereby we may understand, that all earthly things are altogether vain and transitory: which although there be but few, who now consider it, yet all of us at the last day, shall fully understand how little they have profited us: and St. Hilary confirms Comment▪ in 10. Mat. this, when he saith, The day of judgement will discover how vain, and how little worth all these things have been. But let us more narrowly look and consider, what manner of rewards Gods are, which are so slighted of most men in respect of these petty earthly recompenses. I First, in that heavenly Kingdom, there shallbe all the good things which may be desired; for they which shall inherit that Kingdom shall be blessed: and blessedness is a perfect accumulation of all good things heaped together. There shall be all the good things of the mind, Wisdom and virtues: of the body, beauty, health and strength: external good, riches, pleasure and honour. Lastly, all these shall be in full perfection and eminency. For GOD who showed his power in the creation of the World of nothing: and his wisdom in governing and providence: and his love and goodness in the redemption of mankind, by the mystery of the incarnation and passion of his Son: will then manifest the magnificence of his glory, and the munificence of his bounty, in the distribution of rewards, prizes and crowns to those, who have triumphed here over their enemy the Devil. And this wisdom shall not be a speculation of the divinity in things created, but the very open vision of the essence of God, the cause of all causes, and of himself the chief truth, by which most resplendent sight, the souls of the Saints shall shine with so clear a light, as that St. John speaking of that future glory saith, We shallbe like 1 Io. 3. 2. him, because we shall see him as he is. From this excellent wisdom shall proceed love so ardent, as that adhering always to that chief good, it neither will nor can beseparated from it. So that the whole soul, and all the powers of it shall ever remain in this excellent state and condition. The body shall shine Mat. 13. 48. as the Sun, as our Saviour speaks, and that shall be its beauty: the health of it shallbe immortality: the strength, impassibility: lastly the body, which is now a creature, shall then be spiritual, that is, obedient to the command of the spirit, so that it shall surpass the winds in agility, and pierce even walls with its subtlety. The riches of it shall be, to want nothing, as also to possess all things in and with God, for he shall make him ruler Mat. 24. 47. over all his goods. What shall I say of pleasure? seeing it is said, They shallbe satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house, Ps. 36. 8. and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures as out of theriver: now what mind can conceive the delight of enjoying the chief happiness? of seeing beauty itself? of tasting pleasure itself? of entering into the joy of our Lord, that is, being made partakers of his pleasure, which makes him happy? Now the honour and glory of the Saints exceeds all that can be spoken: for in the Theatre and view of the whole world, of all men and Angels, shall the Saints be praised and crowned by GOD himself, which exceeds all honour, and shall be placed in Christ's throne, as partakers, or partners of his Kingdom: for so we read in the Revelation, To him that overcometh Apoc. 3. 21. will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and sit with my Father in his throne. And if to all these we will add eternity as an unspeakable seasoning and relish to them, who then can conceive the greatness of this heavenly happiness? and all this, which we cannot conceive by thought, we shall find to be true, by possessing, if by our sober, just and godly life, we shall attain to that blessed Country: for certainly, those good things shall endure for ever, which the servants of GOD by his grace shall procure, with a little labour here. What sayest thou then? hadst thou rather please thyself with children, in framing these little buildings of lome, then to strive to get possession of an everlasting Kingdom? art thou better contented to delight thyself with the pleasures of beasts, (which is horrible to think) then to enjoy the ineffable joys which the Angels? GOD by his mercy forbid, rather pray to GOD, to give thee his fear, and that the obedience of his Law may be more sweet unto thee then the honey and the honey comb, and Ps. 19 10 that crucifying the flesh with the concupiscences thereof, thou mayst aspire to the spiritual and everlasting delights of his Paradise: and pray to him, to give thee grace, to follow the steps of thy Saviour Christ, who was meek and lowly in heart, Who when he 1 Pet. 2. 23. was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered he threatened not; and that he would give thee grace, to live soberly, justly Tit. 2. 12. and piously in this present world, that thou mayst with some boldness expect and wait for that blessed hope, even the coming of the glory of the great GOD, and of our Saviour the Lord jesus Christ. It remaineth, that we consider the justice which GOD 4. executeth, in punishing sinners, in the 〈◊〉 a●yss● of hell: which if we will do seriously, we shall understand that to be very true which the Apostle tells us, It is a fearful thing to fall Heb. 10. 31. into the hands of the living God. For to (follow the order which we held in his rewarding justice) GOD the just judge punisheth the very lest offences, such as every idle word, as we read in the Gospel, Of every Mat. 12. 36. idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof at the day of judgement. Now, there are many faults which men punish not, either because the offenders make resistance, or escape by flight; or because they are ignorant of the committing of them, and want sufficient proofs to convict the malefactors: or because they are corrupted with bribes, or favour, so that they will not punish them: or else they themselves are as wicked as the offenders, and so connive at them: But GOD is omnipotent, so that no man can withstand him: and is omnipresent, so that none can be hid from him, Whither shall I go (saith David) from Ps. 139. 6 thy spirit, or whither shall I go from thy presence? If I climb up into heaven thou art there, if I go down to hell, thou art there also. Again, GOD is most wise, and knoweth all things, even in the most secret and inward corners of the heart: neither stands he in need of witnesses to prove the faults of men, when their own consciences are instead of a thousand witnesses to him. Lastly, no bribes nor favours can corrupt his justice, because he needs none of our goods, nor feareth our favour or displeasure. It remains then, that there is no sin, neither great nor little, grievous nor light, that can escape the revenging justice of GOD, unless it be washed away before by repentance: for by how much the more plentiful his mercy is towards us now in pardoning, by so much the more rigid and severe will his justice be after this life in revenging. Of this time of repentance the Prophet Esay speaketh, In an Es. 49. 8. acceptable time I have heard thee, and in a day of salvation I have helped thee, which the Apostle thus expounds, Behold now is the accepted time, behold 2 Cor. 6 2. now the day of salvation. And of the other time, after this life, the Prophet Zephaniah speaks Zeph. 1. 15. thus, That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and heaviness, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of obscurity and darkness, a day of clouds and blackness. And not only shall all sins be punished, but they shall be punished with horrible torments, which willbe so great, as scarce any man can imagine: for as the eye hath not seen, nor the ear hath not heard, nor hath it entered into man's heart, 1 Cor. 9 2. what the LORD hath prepared for them which love him: so likewise hath not the eye seen, nor the ear heard, nor hath it entered into man's heart, what GOD hath prepared for them which hate him: for the miseries of sinners in hell shall be great, 〈◊〉, and pure, that is not tempered with any comfort, and (which infinitely adds to their misery) they shallbe for 〈…〉 shall I say be many, because every power of the soul, and every sense of the body shall have their several tormentors: weigh well the words of the chief judge's sentence in the Gospel, 〈◊〉 Mat. 25. 41. from me ye cursed into everlasting fir●. [Depart] (saith he) that is, separate yourselves from the society and company of the blessed, deprived for ever of the vis●●n and sight of GOD, which is the chiefest and most essential happiness, and the last end for which ye were created, [Ye cursed] that is, hope not hence forth for any kind of blessing, for ye shall be deprived of all spring or growth of grace, of all hope of salvation; the water of wisdom shall no more rain upon you, nor the 〈◊〉 of good inspiratio●● the 〈◊〉 of heavenly light 〈◊〉 no more shi●e upon you: 〈…〉 of repentance shall bud 〈…〉 more in you, nor the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉, nor the fruit of good w●rkes shall not grow in you, for the Sun of my favour shall rise no more upon you hereafter: you shall not only want spiritual good things but corporal: nor eternal only, but temporal: you shall enjoy neither riches, delights nor solace, but ye shall be like the figgetree, which being cursed by me, dried up immediately. Mat. 21. 19 [Into fire] that is, into a f●●nace of burning and unquenchable fire, which shall take hold of all your members, and torture them with unspeakable pains. [Everlasting] that is, into a fire which needs no supply of fuel to make it burn ever, but is kept burning at the appointment of the omnipotent GOD, that as your sin will never be blotted out, so your punishment shall never be ended: and therefore the Prophet Esay most justly demandeth, Who shall dwell Es. 33. 14. with the devouring fire, who shall dwell with the everlasting burnings? as if he should say, no man shallbe able to bear them patiently; but though they be impatient and desperate, bear them they shall, and he adds, Their werme shall not dye, neither shall their fire be quenched, 66. 24. which words our Saviour divers times repeats in S. Marks Gospel, for there shallbe added Mark 9 44. 46. 48 to the t●rments of fire, the worm of conscience, and of remembrance of this time, wherein the wicked might (with a little labour if they had been willing) have escaped their punishment, and have enjoyed everlasting comfort. And lest any should imagine, that the damned by changing of place, may receive any ease, hear what our Saviour saith, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into utter darkness: Mat. 22. 13. there shallbe weeping and gnashing of teeth. Therefore, those miserable creatures being bound hands and feet in everlasting bonds, shall lie for ever deprived of the light of the Sun, Moon and Stars, boiling in the heat of fire, weeping and mourning, and gnashing their teeth for madness and desperation. And they which are cast into this horrible and disconsolate place, shall not only suffer the intolerable pains of hell, but all kind of penury and want, together with shame, ignominy and confusion; for in a moment of time, they shall lose their possessions and riches, and be brought to such want, that they shall beg with the glutton in the Gospel one drop of cold water, and shall not obtain it. And these proud and high minded men, which in this life were impatient of any injury, and preferred their honour before all other things, shall in the presence of all men and Angels (a greater never was or will be) see all their offen●●● openly revealed, though they were committed in darkness, or though they were hid in secret 〈◊〉 of their hearts; for ●s ●he Apostle saith, When the LORD shall come, who will lighten things that are hid in darkness, and 1 Cor. 4. 5. make the counsels of the heart manifest, and then shall every man have praise of GOD: and without doubt, every wicked man shall 〈◊〉 dispraise and condemnation: and so great shallbe the rebuke and confusion of wicked men in that assembly, that St. Bernard is In ps. 33. confident, that this willbe the most grievous punishment of all others, especially to hypocrites, and proud men, who accounted honour their GOD or Idol in this World. But if these forementioned losses, pains and shame, might either have an end, or some kind of comfort mingled with them, as the miseries of this life have, they might in some sort be accounted more tolerable. Now since it is without all doubt most certain, that as the happiness of the blessed is to continue for ever, without mixture of misery, so the unhappiness of the damned shall for ever be without any temper or mixture of comfort: they must necessarily be accounted blind and foolish, that labour not with all their might and strength to come to the Kingdom of heaven and heavenly blessedness, through all tribulatious and perils, infamy and death, all which the Apostle calls, but light and momentany. 2 Cor. 4. 17. And if any should happily marvel, why a most merciful GOD hath appointed so sharp and lasting punishments for the sins of men which quickly pass away, and seem not so grievous, let him hear St. Augustine, Conf l. 14. c. 15. whosoever thinks this condemnation too much or too unjust, cannot measure how great the iniquity was in sinning, when there was such a facility not to have sinned: and again, Who can sufficiently declare, how great a sin it may be, not to obey in an easy matter, and in the command of such a power, and so great a punishment terrifying? this he speaks of Adam's sin, but there is the same reason for all sins: for if we will weigh with just balances, we shall find that all sins and offences are most grievous in three respects. 1. First, it is a fearful thing that the creature should not obey the Creator, confidering the dignity of the Creator, is infinitely distant from the baseness of the creature. 2. If the commands of the Creator were heavy and hard, yet the creature is bound to obey them; but his Commandments 1 10. 5. 3. are not grievous saith St. John: and our Saviour saith, that his yoke is easy and his burden light: Mat. 11. 30. how great an offence is it then that the worms of the earth should not obey their Creator in so easy a matter? 3. If GOD had not threatened sinners with the punishment of everlasting death, man perhaps might have covered his sin with excuse: but since GOD, by his Prophets and Apostles hath so perspicuously denounced everlasting punishment for sin, who can excuse the contumacy of offenders? 4. Lastly, if the faults of the damned were not eternal, we might marvel, why the punishment of sin should be everlasting. But, forasmuch as the obstinacy of the damned is eternal, why do we marvel, though their punishment be eternal? And this obstinate will in evil, which shall be common with the damned and the Devils, this perverse and averse will from GOD, which will ever remain immovable and firm with them, causeth just and holy men to abhor sin more than hell. Edmer the English man writeth thus of Anselm, My conscience L. de vit. Anselmi. bears me witness, I lie not, I have often heard him profess, that if he should see on this side the horror of sin, and on that side the pain of hell, and that of necessity he must be plunged in one of them: he had rather choose hell then sin. Another thing he was wont to say, no less wonderful, That he had rather be in hell pure from sin and innocent, than reign in heaven defiled with the spot or stain of sin. If this holy man so spoke, and thought, because (being enlightened by GOD) he knew, that the grievousness of sin was greater than the pains of hell: how much more GOD, who searcheth the wickedness, filthiness and perversity of sin to the bottom, and will most justly punish and judge it, to be most worthy of that punishment, which he hath appointed for it from eternity? Therefore be not deceived, err not, be not like to those who profess themselves to know Tit. 1. 16. GOD, but deny him by their works: for many have saith, but in habit, not in act, like a sword hidden in a scabbard. If they would believe in act, and by believing would seriously consider, that GOD is faithful 1 10. 1. 9 and just, and without doubt hath prepared grievous torments for the wicked, never to have end, nor to be tempered or qualified with any comforts: it could not be, that they should consume their time as they do, drinking iniquity like water, that job 15: 16. is, so easily, so without fear, yea with much pleasure and delight, without any reluctancy, as if there were a reward, not a punishment due to sins and sinners. But let us all believe most assuredly, and by believing seriously consider, that GOD in 2 Cor. 1. 3. this life is a Father of mercies, and ready to pardon the sins of all truly penitent: and withal, that the same GOD after this life, willbe altogether a GOD of vengeance, and will Ps. 94. 1. inflict that punishment upon unrepentant and obstinate sinners, which he hath prepared, and commanded to be preached and foretold by his Prophets and Apostles, and left upon record in writing for the information of posterity. For so it will come to pass, that by fear of intolerable pains, and the hope of great rewards, (as lifted up by two wings) we shall securely pass and escape the perils of this life, and come and attain to rest and life eternal, and that through the merits of our Lord and only Saviour jesus Christ, Amen. The end of the Book. A TABLE OF the Degrees, or Ascents to God-ward. 1 BY the Consideration of Man, fol. 1. 2 By the Consideration of the Greater World, fol. 29. 3 By the Consideration of the Earth, fol. 55. 4 By the Consideration of Water, especially of Rivers and Fountains, fol. 77. 5 By the Consideration of the Air, fol. 107. 6 By the Consideration of Fire, fol. 127. 7 By the Consideration of Heaven, the Sun, Moon and Stars, fol. 157. 8 By the Consideration of the reasonable soul of Man. fo. 185. 9 By the Consideration of Angels, fol. 213. 10 By the Consideration of the Essence of GOD, fol. 239. 11 By the Consideration of the greatness of God's power, f. 272. 12 By the Consideration of the greatness of the Speculative or Contemplative Wisdom of GOD, fol. 297. 13 By the Consideration of the Practical or Operating Wisdom of GOD, fol. 315. 14 By the Consideration of the Mercy of GOD, fol. 358. 15 By the Consideration of GOD'S justice, fol. 385. FINIS. July 31. 1637. Perlegi librum hunc cui Titulus est (IACOBS LADDER) nec in eo quicquam reperio quò minùs cum utilitate publica imprimatur. SA. BAKER.