THE FIRST DEGREE of our spirituall 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 himselfe. For we are every one of us the creature and image of GOD: and nothing is neerer to us then our selves. And ther­fore [Page 2] not without cause said Mo­ses, Attende tibi, Take heed to thy selfe. For whosoever shall Deut. 4. 9. strictly and narrowly look into himselfe, shall finde 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 foure ordinary and easie questions wilbe neces­sarie.

• 1 Who was Mans Creator.
• 2 Of what matter he was cre­ated.
• 3 What forme 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 soule when it was not, thou shalt finde, that it was GOD and not thy Parents. For what­soever comes of the flesh is fleshly; and thy soule is a spirit. Not [Page 3] Heaven, Earth, Sun or Starres, for they are corporeall; thy soule incorporeall. Not Angels or Archangels, for thou were not made of any matter, but meerely of nothing: and none but GOD is able to make something of nothing. He therefore, without helpe of any others, with his owne 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 chiefe worke-man and creator, both of body and soule.

For if thy Parents had been the chiefe authors and makers of thee, they may as well be a­ble without skill in Anatomy to know all thy bones, nerves, veines, muskles, and other things, which they are ignorant of: they might also be as well able when thou art sicke or lame, to cure thee, as to make [Page 4] thee: like a clock-maker, who can take in pieces, and amend the watch or clocke formerly made by him.

But the joyning of soule and body in so strong a tye, as that they become one substance, is a worke of such transcendence, that none can performe, but he, who is of infinite power.

Therefore, this question is resolved, and we may and must confidently affirme, that GOD is Mans creator, who onely doth wonderfull things. And there­fore Moses inspired by the spirit of GOD, may seeme to confirme 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 Iob 10. 11. fashioned me: and a little after, Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and joyned me together with bones and finewes. The [Page 5] Kingly Prophet also acknow­ledgeth asmuch, Thy hands Ps. 119. 41. have made me and fashioned me: and againe, Thou hast fashio­ [...]ed me behind and before. To 139. 4. these I may adde that excel­ [...]ent speech of that heroicall woman in the Booke of the Maccabees to her soun [...]s. I cannot tell how ye came into my 2 Mac. 7. 22, 23. Wombe, for I neither gave you breath nor life: it is not I that [...]et in order the members of [...]our body; but doubtlesse the Creator of the World, which formed the birth of man, and found out the beginning of all things. And upon this it was, that CHRIST himselfe 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 naturall Sonne Adeodatus, said to GOD, Thou didst make him well, for I had nothing in that 9 Conf. 6 [Page 6] childe, besides the fault.

Well then, If GOD be au­thor both of body and soule, 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 contemne all things in respect of him, but sufferest thy selfe to be over­swayed with vaine desires and delights? Lift up thine eyes to him, feare not what any mor­tall crea [...]ure can doe 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 [Page 7] 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 feare him as thy Lord, love him as thy Father; and loath those things which should di­vert thee from his love.

The second quaere is, Of what 2. matter was Man created? The resolution is easie, even of that which is most vile and contemp­tible: and by how much the [...]aser, the better occasion is mi­nistred to every one of us, to labour for that most pretious and profitable vertue of hu­mility.

And doubtlesse the matter of which the prime part of Man (the soule) was made, was no­thing; and what can be imagi­ned or thought to be of lesse esteeme then nothing?

Now what was the first ma­teriall to the making of the body [Page 8] 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 ab­horres to thinke 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 returne. Which Gen 3. 19. caused Abraham (remembring the vile materialls 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 vilenes of these mate­rialls. For the earth or dust it selfe, 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 othe [...] heaven and earth, but even o [...] [Page 9] nothing. So that this proud thing Man, (whether you consider soule 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 workes of artifi­cers, vessels of gold and the like, if they had sense might boast and expostulate with their workemen in this manner. It is true, lowe to thee for my form, but not for my materialls; and that which I had of my selfe, before thou tookest me in hand, is farre more pretious then that which I received from thee: But Man, that hath nothing of himselfe, and is altogether no­thing of himselfe, can glory in, nor of nothing. And therefore S ^t. 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. [Page 10] seeme to himselfe that he is some­what when he is nothing, he de­ceiveth himselfe in his imagina­tion. To which S ^t. Cyprian a­greeth, Lib. 3. ad Quirinū. when he saith we ought to boast of nothing, when there is nothing that we may call ours.

But thou wilt say, men doe many excellent things, for which they are worthily com­mended; that according to the proverb, virtus laudata crescat, goodnes having due praise may increase. It is true. Men doe many good workes, for which they may deservedly be praysed, and of which they may boast; but with this limitation, that they rejoyce in the Lord, and not in themselves; as it is writ­ten: 1 Cor. 1. 31. 2 Cor. 10. 17. He that rejoyceth, let him rejoyce in the Lord.

For let me aske these que­stions. When a Man doth any good worke, of what matter, by what power, by whose aid and direction doth he it? surely o [...] [Page 11] the matter which GOD created: by that power and strength which GOD gave him: and lastly by GODS direction and assistance, without which hee could doe 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 Ministery and ser­vice of Man in doing good; which of himselfe he could do without Man, that thereby he might acknowledge himselfe 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 thy selfe the last place; steale not Gods glory from him, neither in little or much: enter into thine heart and consider well, that nothing of thine which is onely, and all that thou hast, and [Page 12] all the World shall not be able to puffe thee up. And because this pretious vertue 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 Jewes; it pleased the M ^r. of Humility himselfe to descend from Hea­ven, Who when he was in the form of God equall to the Father, made Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8. himselfe of no reputation; and tooke on him the forme of a ser­vant, and humbled himselfe, &c. saying to mankind, Learne of Math. 11. 29. me that am meeke and lowly of heart, and ye shall finde rest to your soules. So that if thou per­haps art ashamed to imitate the humility of Men, be not asha­med to follow the humility of Iam. 4. 6. CHRIST, Who resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

The third question followes 3. now to be answered: that is▪ [Page 13] What forme 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 forme is found to be the more excellent.

To omit the out ward shape of the body, (which yet may justly challenge eminencie above the shapes of all other crea­tures:) for this is not the sub­stantiall, but the accidentall forme. The substantiall forme therefore of a MAN, which makes him to be a MAN, and distinguisheth him from other creatures, is the immortall Soule, indued 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 likenesse, and let him rule over the fish of the Sea, and over the foule of Heaven, and over the [...]easts, and over all the Earth; and over every thing that cree­peth [Page 14] 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 S ^t. 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, indued 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.

Rowse thy selfe then, and frame thy selfe after thy pat­terne; and consider that all the good thou receivest by this Image, consists in the likenesse and resemblance thou hast to it▪ Thy patterne is GOD, whose beauty is infinite, Light, in whom 1 Io. 1. 5. [Page 15] there is no darknes; whose beau­ty the Sun and Moone admire. And that thou mayst the more easilie imitate thy patterne, on which thy whole perfection, profit, honour, joy, rest, and in­deed thy whole good depends: conceive the beauty of GOD (thy patterne) to consist in wis­dome and holinesse. For as the beauty of the body ariseth from the just proportion of the mem­bers, and sweetnesse of the co­lour; so in the spirituall substance, the pleasantnesse of the colour is the light of wisedome; the pro­portion of the members is san­ctitie and righteousnesse: not any particular justice, but universall, which conteyneth all other vertues; and therfore, that may be said to be the most beautifull spirit, whose mind shineth with the light of wisedome, and whose will hath the greatest measure of perfect righteousnesse. GOD then thy patterne, is that Wis­dome, [Page 16] and that Righteousnes, and in respect thereof, is beauty it selfe. 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 himselfe cry­eth to his Images, Be holy, for I Lev. 11. 4. 4 am holy: and our Saviour in the Gospell, Bee perfect, as your Mat. 5. 48. Father which in Heaven is per­fect.

Wherefore, if thou desirest to be like thy patterne, thou must love Wisedome and Righte­ousnesse above all things.

True Wisedome (which is one part of spirituall 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 Wisedome, thou must not lend thine eare to [Page 17] what the Law of the flesh shall dictate; what thy sences shall judge to be good; what the World shall approve of; what any Man shall insinuate to thee; but stop thine eares to them, and marke onely what the will of GOD thy LORD is, and account that most profitable, and above all things to be de­sired, which shalbe most con­formable to his will and Law. This is the wisedome 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 spiri­tuall 2. beauty is Righteousnesse, and this containes all vertues which adorne and beau [...]ifie the will, the chiefe whereof is love, the mother of all graces; which not onely comprehends all the [Page 18] 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 patterne, must hearken to, and obey this counsaile, Be ye fol­lowers of GOD as deare chil­dren, and walke 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 patterne.

Oh, if thou wouldst fully understand these things, and that being made like unto GOD (by the beauty of true Wise­dome and Righteousnesse) thou much pleasest him, what peace wouldst thou enjoy? how joy­full wouldst thou be? how easi­ly wouldst thou despise all the [Page 19] blandishments of this deceit­full world? Againe, if thou wouldst consider, how highly GOD wilbe displeased, when he shall see his image wanting the light of wisedome, and the robe of Righteousnesse, to be pollu­ted, defiled and darkned; 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: certainely thou wouldst be amazed, and trem­ble; neither wouldst thou be at rest, untill by floods of teares springing from bitter contriti­on, thou shouldst wash away all thy spots and steynes, and returne to the likenes of thy most beau­tifull patterne.

But because in the meane time, (while thou walkest a­way, and wandrest 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 [Page 20] abide in that likenes which thou hast, as that daily thou mayst become more like, that is more beautifull and clearer: mourne heartily, and pray to him, and say O holy Lord and most merci­full, whom it hath pleased to make this my soule, thine Image; make perfect I beseech thee thy worke: increase my Wisedome, in­crease my Righteousnesse: hide my soule in the secret place of thy Tabernacle, that it be not defiled with the mud of carnall concupis­cence, nor with the smoke of secu­lar honour, nor the dust of earthly thoughts.

The last quaere remaines to be resolv'd, which is, Whereto, 4. or for what, Man was brought into the World. The end of his Creation. This end was no o­ther, then GOD himselfe. But because there is a double end, Internall or Inward, and Exter­nall or Outward. We will con­sider them apart, briefly.

[Page 21] The Internall or Inward end is the perfect state or condition of any thing, to which the same may attaine: 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 then it is said to have attayned 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 obtayned 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 happinesse: and his body being becom immortall and impassible, shall live in perpetu­all peace and joy. And because the essence of this finall beati­tude is the vision of GOD, by [Page 22] which we (the Images of GOD) shall come to a perfect state, and perfect similitude with our di­vine patterne: therefore it is that S ^t 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 shalbe 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 alwaies sees himselfe as he is, and enjoyes himself with­out intermission, from all eter­nitie, with a most cleare 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 [Page 23] end: which these words signifie, Enter into the joy of thy Mat. 25. 21. Lord, that is, be partaker of the joy which God himself enjoyes: and these of our Saviour. I ap­point unto you a Kingdome, as my Luke 22. 29. Father hath appointed unto me, that you may eate and drinke at my table in my Kingdome, that is, I will make you partakers of my Kingdome, and of my roy­all Table; that you may enjoy that honour, that power and that pleasure that I enjoy, and that God my Father enjoyes. And who can conceive how great that honour, power, pleasure and happinesse may be? Certainly he that shall ascend in his thoughts, and hope to this height of his end, wilbe ashamed to contend for the earths possession, or to be tormented for the losse of tem­porall things, or to rejoyce for the gaine of them.

The externall or outward end of a thing is that, or he, for 2. [Page 24] 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 onely for the Lord his God. For he made him, he made him of his owne, he made him for himself; he preserves, feeds and payes him his wages. Ther­fore most justly he commands, and saith, Thou shalt worship the LORD onely, and him onely shalt thouserve. Math. 4. 10.

But marke and observe dili­gently. Other things which are created for Man, are pr [...]fi­table for him, and not for them­selves: Beasts [...]abour for Man, not for them [...]elves: the fields, vines and orchards fill the barnes, cellars and granaries of Men, [...]ot of their owne. Lastly, servants labour, sweat and are wearie, and the gaine, pleasure and ad­vantage redound to the Master, not to themselves. But the LORD thy GOD, who wanteth [Page 25] nothing, will have Man to serve him; and wills that the profit and reward be Mans, and not his owne.

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 sweetnesse of thy service? What dost thou command ô LORD, to thy servants? Thou bidst us to take thy yoke on us; and what Math. 11. 30. is thy yoke, is it heavie? no: easie, and the burden light. Who would not most willingly beare 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 finde rest unto your soules. And what is that yoke of thine that brings not wearinesse, but rest? even only that first, and chiefest Commandement, Thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with 22. 37. all thine heart. What easier, [Page 26] sweeter, pleasanter injunction can there be, then to love good­nesse, beautie and love, which wholly thou art Ô LORD my GOD? Thy servant David judged aright, when he con­ceived, that thy Commande­ments were more to be desired then gold, yea then much fine Ps. 19. 10. gold; and sweeter then 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 keepe Comman­dements of this nature? yet so it is, and a most ample re­ward, according to that of S ^t. James, a Crowne of life. And what may that be? certainly a greater blessing then we can either imagine or desire: for so saith S ^t. Paul, quoting a place in Esay, The eye hath not seen, Ia. 1. 12. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Es 64. 4. the eare hath not heard, nor hath come into Mans heart, the things which GOD hath prepared for [Page 27] them that love him. Truely therefore may it be said, that in keeping thy Commandements there is great reward.

And not onely that great Commandement, but the rest, doe make him good and hap­py that keepes them. If thou be wise then, understand, that thou wert created to the glory of GOD and thine owne eter­nall salvation; that this is thine end, this the centre of thy soule; and this ought to be the trea­sure of thine heart. If thou shalt attaine to this end, thou shalt be blessed; if thou shalt fall from thence, then misera­ble: and therefore thinke that truely good, which brings thee to thine end; and that truely evill, which causeth thee to fall from thine end: prosperi­ty and adversity, wealth and poverty, health and sicknesse, honour and disgrace, life and death with a wise man, are [Page 28] neither to be desired or avoy­ded of themselves: but if they conduce to the glory of GOD and thine owne happinesse, they are good, and to be sought af­ter: if they hinder either Gods honour, or thy salvation; they are evill and to be shunned.

DEGREE II. By the Consideration of the Greater WORLD.

THe first Degree of our ascent towards GOD, was raysed out of the consid [...]ra­tion 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 S ^t 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 then it, in vertue, though not in greatnesse, capacity or masse: but if we [Page 30] comprehend the Angels with­in the World, as in this tract we doe; 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 wonderfull and very conside­rable and remarkable; yet these I conceive most worthy our admiration in it.

• 1 The Magnitude or Great­nesse of it.
• 2 The Multitude or Number of things created in it.
• 3 The Variety of those things.
• 4 The force, vertue, and effi­cacie of them.
• 5 The Beauty and Comlines of them.

It is without doubt, that the 1. compasse of the earth is very spacious; yea so great that the Sonne of Syrach said of it, Who can measure the bredth of the Ecclus. 1. 2. Earth, or the depth? This may be the better understood, if [Page 31] we consider how many thou­sand yeares have passed since the Creation, and as yet the whole superficies of it, (which he calls the breadth) is not knowne, notwithstanding the many dangerous and costly voyages to discover it. Yet what is this heape or masse of the Earth, if it be compared to the circuit and compasse of the highest Heaven: Astrologers say, like a point or pricke to it, and true enough; and that eve­ry Starre in the firmament is greater then the Earth, (though for the infinite distance they seeme little to us) who can con­ceive the spaciousnesse of Hea­ven, where so many thousands of Starres doe shine? and ther­fore if he asked with such ad­miration concerning the super­fioies and depth of the Earth, what would he have said of the outward superficie [...] of Hea­ven, and of the depth of the [Page 32] whole World; from the highest Heaven, to the botome of Hell? And indeed, the corporeall heape or masse 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? Certainely he is great, and there is no end of his greatnesse. 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 expressely and punctual­ly, 2 Chr. 6. 18. Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot containe thee; which is therefore true, becau [...]e 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, [Page 33] 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 wisedome.

Wherefore, if thou beest faithfull to him, (whosoever be against thee) feare 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, then thou hast just cause to feare, 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 raine, as it is in the place before cited. But to omit them, as the least of things created. [Page 34] Within the earth how many mines are there of gold and sil­ver, of lead, brasse, tinne, and the like? what number of pre­tious stones and pearles. Above the earth, how many kinds, species, and individualls, of herbs, fruits and plants? and how many parts in each of them? and how many kinds, species and indivi­dualls of perfect and imperfect living creatures, foure footed beasts, creeping and flying crea­tures? In the Sea, how many kinds, species, and individualls of fishes? who can number them? What shall we say of the mul­titude of Mankinde, of which it is written, He blesseth them so Psa. 107. 38. that they multiply exceedingly. Lastly, how many starres in Heaven, of which it is said by GOD, Number the Starres if Ge. 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 [Page 35] Daniel writeth, Thousand thou­sands Dan. 7. 10. ministred 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 knowne 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 goodnesse or per­fection, that thereby Man might judge of the goodnesse 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 contayneth the value of many brasse pieces of coyne.

When therefore any thing which seemes admirable shall [Page 36] 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 passe, that these created things (which as Wise­dome teacheth, are stumbling blocks to the soules 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, jewells, or the like, thou must say in thine heart, My GOD is more precious, who hath promised to give himselfe to me, if I contemne those things. If thou admire the dignitie of earthly Empires and honours, thou maist say in thine heart, how much more excellent is the Kingdome of Heaven, which endures for e­ver; and which GOD who can­not [Page 37] lie, hath promised to them that Tit. 1. 2. love him? If pleasures and de­lights begin to tickle thy car­nall sense, thou maist say in thine heart, much more delightfull is the pleasure of the spirit, then of the flesh; and of the minde, then the belly: the last whereof, the mortall 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 faire, new, unusuall, great or wonderfull, 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 coyne; pretious jewels for brittle glasse; great [Page 38] things for small, certaine for doubtfull; 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 seene in this multiplication, and doth more easily bring us to the knowledge of GOD.

For it is no hard, but an easie matter, with one seale to make many figures alike; nor with one [...]ast Letter, to Print many Letters: but to vary the formes in infinite manner, as GOD did in the Creation; this is a work meerly divine, and most worthy our admiration. To omit the kinds and species of things, which we plainely see to be very different, and of much va­riety. In the individualls of herbs, plants, flowers, and fruits, what variety is there? their [Page 39] shapes, colours, smells and tastes; doe they not differ infinitely? Is not the like seene in living creatures? But what shall I say of men? when in a numberlesse army almost, not two men are to be found in all respects alike; and the like may be said of the Starres, One Starre differs from 1 Cor. 15. 41. another in glory, saith the Apo­stle.

Lift then up thy mind to GOD, in whom onely are the reasons of all things, and from whom (as from a fountaine of infinite plenty and fertilitie) 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 wisedome and knowledge of God. But thou wilt say, these things seeme to be true: the good things created we see with our eyes, touch with our hands, [...]ast with our mouthes; we possesse and enjoy them really. GOD [Page 40] we see not, touch, tast nor possesse, and searce apprehend him in our imagination, as a thing farre remote from us: and therefore no mervaile, if these things take us sooner, and with more de­light then GOD: But if Faith have any vigor, or be vig [...]lant in thee, thou canst not deny, that after this life (which flyes away as a shadow) if thou con­tinue in Faith, Hope and Chari­ty, thou shalt see GOD him­selfe truly and clearely as he is in himselfe, and shalt enjoy him farre better, and more inti­mately, then thou now dost these created and transitorie things: For hearken to Christ, who saith, Blessed are the pure Mat. 5. 8. in heart, for they shall see GOD. Heare what St. Paul saith, Now 1 Cor. 13 12. we see through a glasse darkly; but then face to face. And lastly, heare what St. Iohn saith, We shalbe like unto him, for we shall 1 10. 3. 2. see him as he is.

[Page 41] Besides, I aske thee how much of the world, or of the things belonging to it dost thou enjoy? Certainely but a small portion or part of it, in comparison of the magnitude before spoken of: and this also in short time, thou knowest not how soone; will'st thou, nill'st thou, thou must leave and forgoe. But GOD in whom are all things thou shalt enjoy 1 Cor. 15 28. for ever: for GOD shall be all in all: He will be life, meate, ap­parell, house, honour, riches, de­lights, and all things. To which we may adde, that GOD is so gracious and mercifull, that in this time of thy pilgrimage, he forbiddes thee not the com­fort of his creatures, from which he is so farre, as that he created them all for thy service: but this he commands, that thou use them moderately, soberly, and temperately, and that thou impart them to, and commu­nicate [Page 42] them with those which want; and that chearefully: and lastly, that they rule not over thee, but thou over them. Lay these things together, and be­thinke thy selfe, whether it wilbe better for thee in this life to be contented with these created things, asmuch as shall be necessary for thy sustentati­on; and in the other life to enjoy GOD the Creator, in whom are all things: or in this life to so covet them, as never to be satisfied; and in the other life to be bereft of all these temporalls, and those spirituall and eternall also. Consider al­so, that GOD is not so farre from those which love him, as not to afford them great con­tent and delights in this life, and those greater, then the lovers of the world find in these created things: For it is not written in vaine, Delight in the LORD, and he shall give [Page 43] thee thy hearts desire, and the Ps. 37. 4. 11. meeke spirited shall possesse the earth, and shalbe refreshed, &c. and the Apostle, I am filled 2 Cor. 7. 4. with comfort, &c. And the Psal­mist againe, In the multitude of sorrowes that were in my heart, Ps. 94. 19. thy comforts ô LORD have re­freshed my soule. Of which two last cited places, the meaning is not, that comfort ariseth out of tribulation, joy out of griefe; for thornes doe not bring forth grapes, nor thistles figges: but Mat. 7. 16. that GOD doth Minister to those which love him, such pure and solid comforts to as­swage their troubles, as that temporall joyes are not to be compared with them. There­fore, let this be thy firme con­clusion; be thus ever perswa­ded in thy heart, That he which findeth GOD, findeth allthings, and he which loseth him, loseth allthings.

It followeth, that by the [Page 44] vertue and power of things created, and which GOD hath given to them: we ascend to the knowledge of the infinite power and vertue of the Cre­ator.

There is hardly any thing at all, which hath not some extraordinary or admirable vertue, power, or efficacie in it. The earth or stone, if it fall from high, with what force and violence doth it alight? what doth it not crush in pie­ces? what doth it not breake? what can resist the force of it? The holy Spirit in the Re­velation, when he would de­scribe the fall of Babylon; saith thus, Then a mighty An­gel tooke up a great stone, like Apoc. 18. 21. a Mill-stone, and cast it into the Sea, saying, With such violence shall that great Citie be cast, and shall be found no more. The water, which flowes gently and pleasingly upon the [Page 45] face of the earth, if it be stir­red in rivers or swift streames; with what violence it over­throwes and destroyes all it meets with; not onely Cotta­ges, but Gates, and Walls and Bridges of stone, and what not? The winds, which some­times blow sweetly, being enra­ged, dash Ships against Rockes; and turne up old and strong Oakes, and other Trees by the roots. What shall we say of fire, a comfortable element, with what speed a little spar­kle of it increaseth, into so great a flame, as consumes and devoures whole Townes, Ci­ties and Forrests, Behold saith Saint James, how great a mat­ter a little fire kindleth! Iam. 3. 5.

Againe, how many vertues lye secret in herbs, and stones? In some beasts, what strength appeares; as in the Lyon, Ele­phant, Beare, Horse and Bull. In others, what wit and craft, [Page 46] as in the little Ant, Spider, the Bee and the Foxe? To say nothing of the power of Angels, of the vertue of the Sun and Starres, which are farre from us: and looke upon, and consider the wit of Man, whereby so many Arts are in­vented; as that sometime it is a disputable question▪ whether art should give place to nature, or nature to art.

Raise thy mind then againe to GOD, and consider, how great power, efficacie and ver­tue is in the Creator the LORD GOD, of whom the Scripture saith most truely. Moses in Exo. 15. 11▪ his song, Who is like unto thee O LORD among the Gods? and King David, Who onely doth great wonders: and Saint Ps. 136. 4 Paul, The blessed and onely Po­tentate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, for the Creatures 1 Tim. 6. 15. have their power onely from him, and that so long as he [Page 47] pleaseth. Who kept Ionas in Ion. 2. the Whales belly, so that nei­ther the teeth of the Whale, nor the violence of the water could doe him any hurt, but GOD? Who shut the mouthes of the hungry lyons from touch­ing Daniel, but GOD? Who 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? Marke 4. GOD it is, that hath no power nor vertue from any; but his will is his power, and a power that cannot be resisted; and he hath infinite power, alwaies hath it, and hath it in all pla­ces; all the power of Man be­ing compared with his, is not small and little, but none at all: for so speakes the Pro­phet Esay, All nations before him are as nothing; and they Es. 40. 17 are counted to him lesse then [Page 48] nothing and vanity. Are not they then unwise, who fea­ring the Creature, feare not the Almighty GOD? and that trust either in their owne or their friends strength, and not in GOD Almighty? If GOD 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 thy selfe under the 1 Pet. 5. 6. mighty hand of GOD, cleave to him in true piety, and thou shalt not need to feare, what either Man, the Devill, or o­ther creature can doe against thee. If perhaps thou hast fallen from goodnesse, and hast provoked thy GOD to anger, give no rest to the tem­ples of thy head, untill thou hast made thy peace againe Heb. 10. 31. with him; for it is too feare­full a thing, to fall into the hands of the living GOD.

It remaines, that we speake [Page 49] 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 workes, and I will re­joyce in the workes of thine hands. And certainely, as GOD made all things good, so are they all beautifull, if they be rightly considered. But to o­mit some, consider we those, which by the judgement and approbation of all men are beautifull. Without doubt, great is the beauty of a greene meadow, of an orchard well trimmed, of pleasant groves, of the sea in a calme, of the ayre when it is cleare; of foun­taines, rivers, cities, of the bright Heaven, bedeckt with innumerable starres, like so ma­ny gemmes or jewells. How are we taken with the beauty of flowers, and fruit-bearing trees, with the various shapes of foure-footed beasts, with [Page 50] the flying and melody of birds, and the playing of fishes? what shall we say of the beau­ty of the Starres, of the Moone, and especially of the beames of the most cleare 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 hapned 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 madnesse with the love of Mens beauty, that they have neglected their e­states, goods, children and pa­rents, their lives; nay I feare their everlasting happinesse, for the fond love of Men. The stories of David, Solo­mon and Sampson, are notori­ous [Page 51] in holy Scripture, with o­thers.

If then, such beauty be in­fused in the Creatures by GOD; how wonderfull beauty may we imagine to be in the Cre­ator himselfe? no Man can give to another what hee hath not to give: and if Men beeing delighted with the forme of the Sunne and Starres, thought those lights of Hea­ven to be Gods, yet they should Sap. 13. 3. have knowne how much more beautifull Hee 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 onely knowne cer­tainely by this; that the beau­tie of all the creatures, after a more eminent manner, is found to bee as it were ga­thered and compact together in him: but also hereby, that whereas hee is invisible [Page 52] to us, while wee are in this Pilgrimage; and may bee knowne onely by us, through Faith in the Scriptures, and in the glasse of the Creatures: yet many holy Men have been so enflamed with His love, that some of them have withdrawne themselves into desert and solitarie places, wholly to spend their time in contemplating on this beau­tie: and others have willing­ly opposed their lives to ma­ny dangers, to come to the sight of this excellent beauty. If then this heavenly beautie (which as yet cannot perfe­ctly bee seene, but onely be­leeved and hoped for) kin­dles such a zeale of desire; what will it doe, when the veyle shall bee removed, and that hee shall be seene as Hee is? No mervaile then, if the Angels and blessed soules e­ver see the face of the Father [Page 53] without yrkesomenesse or sa­tietie, when GOD himselfe beholding his owne beautie from eternity, rests, and takes delight onely in it.

Seeke then after this beau­tie, 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 appeare 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 wee to feare, that wee shall be defiled with the ardent love of this beau­tie: 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 doe that which the same Apostle addes in the same place, strive [Page 54] to be acceptable to him. If the beauty of GOD please thee, thy workes must please him: Ps. 116. 9. and if thou wilt walke before GOD in the land of the living, thou must strive to walke be­fore him uprightly in this pilgrimage, and thou must keepe Gen. 17. 1. his Image undefiled from staines and spots.

DEGREE III. By the Consideration of the Earth.

WE have considered the corporall World in the Vniverse, now we will take a view of the par­ticular principall parts of it, that we may thereby come as neere 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 seemes to be lesse then the o­ther elements; yet in truth is not lesse, but excelleth all the other in dignity and value.

We read in diverse places of Scripture, that GOD made [Page 56] Heaven and Earth, as the prin­cipall parts of the World; the Heaven as a Palace for him­selfe and the Angels, the Earth as a Palace for Men, as it is in the Psalmes, 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 mettalls, pretious stones, herbes, trees, living creatures of many kinds; whereas the water onely is stored with fish, and the ayre and fire are poore and almost empty elements. But to let these passe. The Earth hath three qualities, by the consideration of which, the mind if it be not asleepe, 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 walke, rest, worke, nor [Page 57] live. He hath made the round Ps. 93. 2. World so sure (saith the Psal­mist) that it cannot be moved; and againe, 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, corne, fruit, grasse, and other things of that kinde innumerable, for so GOD speaketh, Behold, I have given [...]nto you every herb bearing seed, Ge. 1. 29. which is upon all the Earth▪ and every tree wherein is the fruit of a tree bearing seed, that shalbe to you for meate.

Thirdly, it bringeth forth stones and tymber to build, and 3. mines of brasse and iron for many uses; and gold and silver for money and traffique.

The first property of the 1. Earth, (in that it is a place in which our bodies may rest; [Page 58] whereas neither in ayre, fire or water they cannot:) is an Embleme of the Creator, in whom onely the soule of Man may finde a place of rest. Thou ô Lord (saith Saint Augustine) hast made us for thy selfe, and our hearts are not quiet untill they rest in thee.

If ever any, it was King Sa­lomon that found rest in riches, Kingdome, command and plea­sures; he was possessed of a most large and peaceable King­dome, for he raigned over all Kingdomes from the river (Eu­phrates) to the land of the Phi­listims; unto the border of Aegypt, 1 Reg. 4. 21. and they brought presents and served Salomon all the daies of his life: he had besides so great wealth that he had 40000. stalls 26. of Horses for his Charriots, and 12000. Horse-men: be­sides 9. 28. his Ships trading to O­phir brought such store of gold and precious stones, that silver 10. [...]. [Page 59] was nothing esteemed in his daies, 27. and was given by him as stones in Jerusalem. His pleasure also he tooke after such an unlimi­ted manner, that delighting in Women, he tooke to him 700. Wives princesses, and 300. con­cubines. 11. 3. And yet, heare what he saith of himselfe, after he had reckoned up these plea­sures and many more, (as you may read at large in the Booke of the Preacher:) after he had well look'd into them, behold all is vanity and vexation of spi­rit, 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 wisedome; nor could he have found any, had they beene many more, because the mind of Man is immortall, and these things are mortall, and of no continuance; nor it can­not be, that the mind (capable of infinite good) should be [Page 60] satisfied with finite good: For as the humane body cannot rest, either in the ayre, though it be large, or in the water, though it be deepe; because the earth, and not the water or ayre is its center: so the minde of Man can never rest in ayrie honour, or watry riches, (which are sordid pleasures,) but in GOD onely, who is the true center of the minde, and the onely place of rest for it, and proper to it. How divinely and wisely then, did his Father King David cry out, after he had gone into GODS Sanctu­ary, 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 confesse, that GOD is [Page 61] the Rocke upon which thou most rest and relye; other things Ps. 18. 2. are but vanitie and vexation of spirit, which are not things in true existence, but in false ap­paraence; they comfort not, but torment, being gotten with la­bour, kept with feare, and lost with sorrow and griefe.

Despise therefore, (if thou beest wise) all tran [...]itory things, least they snatch thee away with them; and set thy rest on GOD alone, cleave to him with the bond of love, who remaines the same for ever. Lift up thy heart to GOD in Heaven, least it putrifie in Earth. Learne true Wisedome, by the folly of many, in whose persons the wiseman speaketh, Therefore, we have erred from Sap. 5. 6. the way of truth, and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us; and the Sun of under­standing rose not upon us. We have wearied our selves in the 7. [Page 62] way of wickednesse and destru­ction, and we have gone through dangerous waies; but we have not knowne the way of the Lord. What hath pride profited us? or what profit hath the pompe 8. of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a 9. shadow, and as a Post that pas­seth by.

Againe, this foundation the 2. Earth, is an Embleme of GOD in another respect, which CHRIST himselfe hath ex­plained unto us in the Gospell, by his similitude, of a house built upon a Rock, which (though Mat. 7. 24. the raine fell upon it, the winds beat upon the side of it, and the floods attempted to undermine it,) y [...]t stood firme and unmo­vable; but the house built upon the sand, could resist none of them, but fell. So the mansion of mans soule, which consists of many vertues and graces, as of so many roomes and cham­bers, [Page 63] if it be founded upon GOD as upon a Rocke, thatis, if it stedfastly beleeve him, if it put its whole trust and con­fidence in him; if it be rooted and founded in the love of him; Ephes. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 35. it may say with the Apostle, Who shall separate us from the love of CHRIST? The soule so founded may be secure, be­cause neither spirituall wicked­nesses, Ephe. 6. 12. which are above it, nor carnall concupiscences which are beneath it; nor domesticall enemies, our kinsmen and acquaintance which are about it, shall at any time prevaile against it. Great I confesse are the forces and subtilties of spiri­tuall powers; but greater is the power, greater is the wise­dome of the Holy Spirit, which is ruler and president over the house which is built upon GOD. Very much and ear­nestly doth the flesh fight a­gainst the Spirit, and concupis­cences [Page 64] have overcome many strong Men: but the love of GOD easily overcometh the love of the flesh; and the feare of the LORD, the feare of the World, Lastly, Mans homebred enemies many times draw them by evill example and conversation, to the perpetra­ting of sinne: but the soule whose confidence is, that it hath GOD to Father and friend, easily shakes such friends off, and will say with the Apostle, I am perswaded that neither life nor death, nor Angels, nor Principalities no [...] Powers, nor things present nor Rom. 8. 38, 39. things to come; nor any other creature, shalbe 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, [Page 65] in bringing forth herbs, fruits, and other sustenance in plen­tifull 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 grasse for the cuttell, and greene herbe for the service of men; and a little after, These all wayt 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 Gospell, Be­hold the foules of the ayre, for Mat. 6. 26. they sowe not, neither reape, nor cary into the barnes, yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them: and the Apostle Saint Act. 14. 17. Paul in the Acts, Neverthe­lesse [Page 66] he left not himselfe with­out witnesse, in that hee did good, and gave us raine from Heaven, and fruitfull seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladnesse. Yet is that true, which GOD commanded at Ge. 1. 11. the Creation, Let the Earth bud forth the bud of the herbe, that seedeth seed; and the fruit­full tree which beareth fruit according to his kind: but it is by the power and vertue which GOD hath given it, and GOD himselfe by the Earth produ­cing, increasing and preserving these things. And for this cause it was, that King David inviting all creatures to praise the LORD, among the rest, calls upon fruitfull trees to doe the same: and that the three Children in Daniel sang, All things that grow on the Earth, blesse ye the LORD, praise Dan. 3. 76. him and exalt him above all things for eve [...] ▪

[Page 67] Seeing then, that all things (after their manner) praise the LORD, with what affe­ction oughtst thou to blesse and praise him; for all the be­nefits which thou continually receivest? whose hand is con­tinually open to manifest his fatherly and most pure love to thee, never ceasing to doe thee good from Heaven, but continually providing in most plentifull manner for thee.

But all this is little in the sight of GOD thy LORD, for it is hee which causeth that most noble root of love to sprout out and grow in thee. For Love cometh not of the World, but of GOD, as Saint 1 10. 4. 7. John speaketh: And out of love as out of a Divine and Hea­venly plant, spring the most faire and sweet smelling flow­ers of holy thoughts, the greene leaves of profitable words to salvation, and the fruit of [Page 68] good workes by which GOD is glorified, and our neighbours relieved.

Woe then to those, who like foolish beasts covet to be filled with the fruits of the Earth, gather them greedily and hide them, never thinking of the Author of them, nor praising him for them: whose soules are like to the Earth which GOD cursed, bringing forth onely thornes and thi­stles: for what doe they thinke upon, but onely Fornication, Adultery, Homicide, Sacri­ledge, Thefts, Treasons and the like? what doe they speake but Blasphemies, Perjuries, Curses, Contumelies, false Te­stimonies, Lyes and the like, which they have learned of their Father the Devill? And lastly, what fruit bring they forth, but those poysonous fruits which (as we said) they continually thinke and speake [Page 69] of, even the workes of the flesh, Ga. 5. 19. as they are called by the Apo­stle? These are the thornes which first of all pricke them that bring them forth, with most sharpe and bitter pricks of feares and cares: then they pricke the fame of their neigh­bours, with most grievous and irreparable losse.

But if thou beest the gar­den of that Heavenly Hus­bandman, take heed that thornes and briers bee not found in thee, and above all things cherish the Tree of love, and the Lilly of chastity, and the sweet Spikenard of humility: and take heed, that it never creepe into thee to think, that these vertues and plants of grace be of thy selfe and not of GOD: neither attribute the preservation and increase of the fruits of good workes to thy selfe; but commit them to him, and his care, placing [Page 70] 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 pretious stones, iron, brasse, and lead. Yet we must understand, that the Earth pro­duceth not these things of its owne power, but by GODS; which thing hee himselfe af­firmes, by the mouth of the Prophet Aggee, the Silver is mine, and the gold is mine saith Agg. 2. 8. the LORD of Hosts. O thou lover of mankinde, hath it thus pleased thy goodnesse, not onely to furnish Man with stones, tymber, brasse, iron, lead, and other the like necessaries for the building of houses and ships; and all other things ex­pedient for his use, but to be­stow upon him gold, silver, and jewels for ornament also? And if thou givest such things to Pilgrims on Earth, oft times thine enemies and blasphemers [Page 71] of thy holy name, what wilt thou bestow upon thy beloved, who shall blesse thee, and raigne with thee in Heaven? Thou wilt not give them small pieces of gold or silver, nor a few jewels and precious stones; but that City, of which Saint John speaketh in the Revela­tion, That the building of the Apoc. 21. 18. wall of it was of Jasper, and the Citie was pure gold; the foun­dations of the Citie wall were garnished with all manner of 19. pretious stones, and the twelve gates were twelve pearles. Yet 21. wee must not conceive, that this high Citie Jerusalem the Heavenly, was built indeed of gold, silver, or pearles, as is described by Saint Iohn; onely we are to know, that the holy Spirit useth these speeches for our understanding, that appre­hend not greater, nor better things. But without all doubt, much more excellent shall that [Page 72] Citie be, which is the Citie of the Elect of GOD, and [...]urpasse in glory all the Cities in this world; much more, then a gol­den Citie adorned and beauti­fied with Iewels doth exceed any Countrey Towne, made of mud and straw.

Lift up then the eyes of thy mind to Heaven, and consider, of what value and estimation the things of Heaven are; when as gold, silver and jewells, which are here so much accounted of, are but as dust and straw com­pared with them: and that these things are but corruptible, and they incorruptible and eternall. But if thou wouldst have them layd up for thee as treasures, and become incorruptible in Heaven, send them by bills of exchange (as it were) by the hands of the poore, and thou shalt finde and receive them there againe. For the truth cannot lye, which saith, Give [Page 73] to the poore, and thou shalt have Mat. 19. 21. treasure in Heaven, and againe, Give almes, make you bagges which waxe not old, a treasure Luke 12. 33. that can never faile in Heaven, where no thiefe cometh, neither moth corrupteth.

O the unbeliefe of Men! deceitfull and lying Man pro­miseth ten for a hundred, be­sides the principall; and is be­leeved and trusted; and GOD which cannot lye, promiseth to repay one hundred for one, and eternall life to boot; and the covetous wretch distru­steth, and chooseth rather to hide his treasure, where moth consumeth, and theeves breake through and steale, then to lay it up in Heaven, where it is subject to no such casualties. But tell me ô unhappy Man, if these goods which thou hast gotten with much labour, and hast kept with no lesse feare, be neither stollen by theeves, [Page 74] nor corrupted with moth or rust, whose shall they be? not thine certainly. Experience teacheth us, that the wealth of the cove­tous come commonly to prodi­gall heires, which consume them with farre more speed, then the covetous Fathers scraped them together; yet in the mean time, the sin of covetousnes re­maineth, and shall for ever, and the worme of their conscience shall not die, and the fire (prepared for Es. 66. 24 Mar 9▪ 46 their reward) never goeth out.

Therefore, let the folly of others be thy instruction, and give eare to thy Lord and Ma­ster preaching to thee, Beware of covetousnesse, for though a Luke 12. 15. Man have abundance, yet his life standeth not in his riches. A covetous Man gathers toge­ther, and keepes it, thinking long to possesse it: but it hap­neth otherwise, as it did to the rich man, that filled his enlar­ged barnes in the Gospell; and his [Page 75] wealth covetously heaped up, begate such a worme as never will dye, and kindled such a fire as never wilbe quenched. O thou unhappy miser, wert thou so sollicitous to gather that, which should prepare a fire in Hell, wherein thou must continually burne? Hearken to St. Iames, Goe to you rich men, weepe and howle for your miseries that shall Iam. 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 shalbe a witnesse against you; and shall eate your flesh as it were fire; as if he should say, Because you were rich, you accounted your selves happy, but indeed you are miserable; yea more wretched then all poore men, and have great cause to weepe and howle for the great cala­mities which surely shall be­fall you: for the overplus of your riches which you suffered [Page 76] to corrupt, rather then to bestow them on the poore, and your supersluous garments, which you suffered the mothes to eate, rather then to clothe the na­ked, shall rise up, and beare witnesse in the day of judge­ment against you. And there­fore, we will conclude with the Kingly Prophet, Happy are Ps. 144. 15. the people (say the unw [...]se) that are in such a case; that is, abounding with all manner of wealth, when as indeed blessed are the people, (and they onely blessed) who have the LORD for their GOD.

DEGREE IV. By the Consideration of Water, especially of Ri­vers and Fountaines.

AMongst the Elements of the World, Water challengeth the second place; by which also we may raise our thoughts a step higher to Godward. First, we will consider Water in ge­nerall, and afterward [...]raw one speciall ascent O GOD, out of Fountaines and Rivers.

Water is moist and cold, and in these respects, hath five pro­perties. First to wash and clense from spots. Secondly, to extin­guish fire. Thirdly, to coole and temper the heat of thirst-Fourthly, to joyne many and [Page 78] diverse things into one. Fifthly and lastly, it ascends or riseth, as high as it falls lowe. All these are apparent resemblan­ces or Emblems of GOD the Creator of an things.

Water washeth and taketh away corporall steines and spots; 1. so doth GOD spirituall, Wash me and I shalbe whiter then snow, saith King David; for though Ps. 51. 7. contrition, the Sacraments, the Priest, almes, and other workes of piety, wash out the spots or steines of the heart (sinne) yet all these are but instruments or dispositions, and the onely author of this clensing is GOD, I even I (saith GOD by Esay) am he that blotteth out thy trans­gressions Es. 43. 25 for myne owne sake. And therefore the murmuring Pha­risees, though they beleeved not in CHRIST, but blasphemed him, yet were in the right, Luke 5. 21. when they said, Who can for give sinnes but GOD onely?

[Page 79] Besides, God doth not onely wash our sinnes, as water doth spots, but will be called water also: for so writes St. John. He 10. 7. 38. that beleeveth on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. But this he spake of the spirit which they that beleeved in him should receive: for the ho­ly Ghost was not yet given, be­cause that Jesus was not yet glo­rified, therefore the Holy Ghost (which also is God) is living wa­ter, and of this Water Ezechiel Ezec. 36. 25 speaketh, I will powre cleane wa­ter upon you, & you shall be cleane from all your filthines. Now be­cause this heavenly and uncreate water, far surpasseth the power of created water, you may observe 3. differences between them.

1 Created water washeth away the spots or staines of cor­porall things: yet not of it selfe, without the help of sope, or other meanes: but uncreate wa­ter washeth out all staines fully, [Page 80] as you see, in the place last be­fore quoted.

2 Water created doth sel­dome so cleanse, as to leave no signes or markes of a spot; un­create, doth so wash, as that the thing washed, becomes much whiter and fairer then before. Wash me, and I shall be Ps. 51. 7. whiter then the snow, saith Da­vid; and God himselfe by Esay, If your sinnes 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 wooll.

3 Lastly, Created water clean­seth naturall spots, that resist not, but yeeld to the Washer. Uncreate, not onely washeth away voluntary spots, which cannot be cleansed without the soules consent, but withall (such is the admirable force and ver­tue of it) it sweetly entreth into stony hearts, and therefore is rejected of no hard hearts, be­cause it worketh so in them, [Page 81] 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 unbeleevers, humility into the hearts of the proud, and charity or love into the hearts of thine enemies, &c. It is much that I should search into these thy se­crets, and I would rather have experience of the efficacy of thy grace, then search into it. And because I know that this water is avotuntary & gracious raine sent by thee upon thine inheritance, Ps. 68. 9. as the Prophet David speak­eth: I humbly d [...]sire, that I may be found to be of thine in­heritance, and that it would please thee to descend into the earth of my heart, least it continue as a land without wa­ter, barren and drie, as of it selfe it is, so that it is not able of it selfe, to thinke a good thought.

[Page 82] The second property of crea­ted water, is to extinguish, or put out fire: and this heavenly water, that is, the grace of the Holy Spirit, quencheth the fire of carnall concupi­scence, after a wonderfull manner. And to this quen­ching, afflicting of the body by fasting and the like, doe much avayle, as they are in­struments of grace onely, and not otherwise, for of them­selves they are nothing avayl­able. For love is the prince or principall of all affecti­ons and perturbations of the mind, it rules over them all, and they all obey it one­ly. Love will not be forced, and if the way or passage be stopped to it one way, it will breake through another. It feares nothing, it over­comes all things, it accounts nothing hard or impossi­ble; lastly, love yeeldeth to [Page 83] nothing, but to a love greater and more powerfull then it selfe: and in this last case, car­nall love, whether it follow either the riches or pleasures of the world, if once the water of the holy Spirit begin to distill into the heart of a man, it pre­sently wa [...]eth cold, and gives place to the love of God. Saint Augustin testifieth this, in his owne case, who having ac­customed himselfe to follow too much his owne lusts, yet when he began to tast of the grace of the Holy Spirit, he cryed out. How suddenly be­came it pleasant to me to want L. 9. Conf. c. 1. the sweetnes of toyes, and that which before I was afraid to lose, now it was pleasure to me to let goe. Thou O Lord, the onely true joy didst cast these from me, and entredst into me in their stead, being sweeter then all other plea­sure, although not to flesh and blood, &c.

[Page 84] Againe, this created water qualifieth and asswageth thirst, and the uncreate heavenly wa­ter, can onely give an end to the manifold, grievous, and almost infinite desires of mans heart. This Christ the Truth plainly teacheth us, by that speech of his to the Sa­maritane woman. Whosoever, (saith he) drinketh of this wa­ter, shall thirst againe: but whosoever shall drinke of the water which I shall give him, shall never thirst. Thus stands Io. 4. 13, 14 the case. The eye is not satis­fied with seeing, nor the eare Eccl. 1. 8. filled with hearing, (as saith the Preacher) whatsoever is offered to man, cannot satis­fie his desire, why? because he is capable of infinite good, and all created things are cir­cumscribed within certaine limits. But he whch begin­neth to drinke this heaven­ly water, in which all things [Page 85] are contained, covets nor de­sires any thing more. But of this hath beene formely spoken, in the rest of the mind in God alone, as its pro­per Center.

Fourthly, Water joynes to­gether, 4 and reduceth into one, those things, which one could not imagine would have beene so united. As many graynes of wheate by the mix­ture of water, make one loafe of bread; and of many parts of the earth by the same mix­ture, bricks and tiles are made. But much easilier, and with a stronger tye or band, doth the water of the Holy Spirit bring to passe, that many men become one heart and one soule, as it was with the Primitive Christians (in the Acts of the Apostles) upon whom the holy Act. 4. 32. Ghost descended. This unity Christ himselfe (going to his Father) commended and fore­told, [Page 86] when he said, I pray not for these alone, but for them also which shall beleeve in me by their word, that they may be all one, as thou O Father art in me, 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, endeavo­ring Eph. 43. to keepe the unity of the Spi­rit in the bond of peace. There is one Body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your 4. vocation. O happy Ʋnion, which makes many men to be one Body of Christ, which is governed by one Head, and to eate of one meate, and drinke of one drinke, and to live with one 1 Cor. 10. 3. 4. 6. 17. spirit, and being joyned to God, to be made one spirit with him. What more can be desired by a servant, then not onely to be partaker of all the goods [Page 87] of his Lord, but also by an in­dissoluble bond of love to be made one with him? And all this the grace of the Holy Spi­rit brings to passe, as a living and quickning water, when it is devoutly received into the heart, and there kept with di­ligence and care.

Lastly, Water as [...]nds 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 eternall life, as our Saviour Io. 4. 14. said to the Samaritane wo­man.

Wherefore, being thus in­structed in the properties of this uncreate water, let us thirst after it, and say with groanes and sighs unutterable: Lord give us of this water which may wash off all our staines, coole the heat of our concu­piscences, [Page 88] appease and qualifie the thirst of our desires, may make us one spirit with thee, and raise us to the height of thy eternall mansion.

It was not without cause, that the Sonne of God said, If ye then being evill know to give good gifts to your children, how Luc 11. 13. much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that aske it? He saith not, he will give you bread, or ap­parell, or wisdome, or love, or the Kingdome of heaven, or eternall life; but he saith, He will give the Holy Spirit, be­cause in it are 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 obteining, Holy Fa­ther, I powre out my prayers unto thee, not trusting in mine owne righteousnes, but in the promise of thine onely begot­ten [Page 89] Sonne. Make good there­fore this promise of thy Sonne, who glorified thee upon earth, Io. 17. 4. Phil. 2. 8. and was obedient to thee unto death, even the death of the Crosse, give to me that aske thy good Spirit, give me the spirit of thy feare and love, that I thy servant may feare nothing but offending thee, and may love nothing but thee, and my neighbour for thee. Create in me a cleane heart O God, and re­new 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 sta­blish me with thy free Spirit.

We come now to the resem­blance which rivers or foun­taines of water have with God, and by it, the mind may be lift up to contemplate the wonderfull and excellent work of the Creator. For it is not without cause, that the Scrip­ture [Page 90] saith that God is a Ps. 35. 9. Well of life, a Eccl. 1. 5. Fountaine of Wisedome, Ier. 2. 13. the Fountaine of living waters. And that he is the very Foun­taine of being, may be gathered out of his owne words to Mo­ses. I am that I am, and, I am Exo. 3. 14. hath sent me unto you. All which the Apostle seemes 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 Fountaine of life: in him wee move, as in a Founteine of wise­dome, and in him wee have our being, as in the Founteine of being.

A Founteine of water here with us, hath this propertie, that from it the flouds arise, and whensoever they leave to flow, immediately they dry up: but the Founteine it selfe depends not upon the flouds, because it receives no water from them, but not onely hath water in it selfe, but communicates with [Page 91] others. This is a true resem­blance of God, and an Embleme of the Godhead: for God is the very Founteine of being; he re­ceives no being from any thing, but from him all things take their being, because the essence of God is to be, and his existence is his essence: so that it cannot come to passe, and it were blas­phemie to think, that God was not, or will not be for ever. O­ther things may be & not be for a time, because a being is not properly to their essence. For ex­ample, it is of the essence of man that he be a reasonable creature, and therefore he cannot be a man & not be a reasonable crea­ture; & if it were of the essence of man to be, it could not be o­therwise, but that he must be al­wayes: but because it is not of his essence to be, therefore he may be, & not be. God therefore [...]s the onely Founteine of being, because in his essence the act [Page 92] to be is alwayes included. And these words signifie so much, I am that I am, that is, I am the thing to be, and receive not being from any, but have it in my selfe: to me onely it is proper, that essence to me should be to be; and hence also it comes, that eternity & immor­tality is proper to him onely, as the Apostle speakes; To the King everlasting, immortall▪ &c▪ and, Who onely hath immortali­ty. 1 Tim. 1. 17. 6. 16. All other things receive their being from God, so that unlesse they alwayes depend on him, and be preserved by a cer­taine 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 unlesse he [...] should alwayes preserve an [...] uphold the creatures, the [...] could no longer subsist, or be. Heb. 1. 3.

Elevate thy mind then, an [...] admire the goodnes of God▪ [Page 93] who so lovingly and carefully preserves and supports all things having no need of them; and no lesse wonder at and imi­tate, the patience of thy Crea­tor, who is so kind to the unkind Luc 6. 35. and evill, as to susteine and help those which blaspheme him, and preserve those who deserve to be reduced to nothing; and be not unwilling to beare the infirmities of thy brethren, nor to doe good to thine enemies.

But the eminency of the 2 Fountaine of being consists not in this property alone, that it receives its being of another Fountaine, and communicates that being with other things, for the waters of Fountaines and the waters of rivers with us, are of the same kind, and al­though the waters of fountaines receive not waters from other fountaines, yet have they a cause of their being, as vapors, and the vapors have other causes, [Page 94] 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 Fountaine of being, because not onely he ta­keth not his being from another Fountaine of being, but is so farre from that, as that hee knoweth no other cause at all. The fountaine of created water (as is said) is derived, not from another water, yet from ano­ther cause: the uncreate Foun­taine of being, hath nothing precedent, dependeth of no­thing, wanteth nothing, no­thing can hurt it, but all things depend upon it, and hee can with one nod destroy all things 2 Macc. 8. created, as the Machabee spea­keth.

Wee may worthily admire this excellency, this beginning without beginning, this cause [Page 95] without cause, infinite, unlimi­ted and absolutely necessary; whereas, all other things in comparison of this are but con­tingencies. And therefore cleave [...]o this alone, serve him onely, delight in his love alone, and despise all other things in re­ [...]pect of him: at the least, vexe not thy selfe with too much so­ [...]icitude about many matters, [...]eeing this one thing is necessa­ [...]y, and is all sufficient for thee [...]nd all other men: and let it be [...]ne chiefe care of thine, never [...]o fall from his grace, and stu­dy to please him onely, ever, [...]nd every where.

3 Againe, God is most truly 3 [...]alled the Fountaine of life, [...]ecause hee liveth and hath life [...]n himselfe, yea and is life eter­nall it selfe, and all things that [...]ive, receive life from this Foun­ [...]aine, and that when hee cea­ [...]eth to give them life, when he taketh away their breath, they [Page 96] die, and are turned againe to Ps. 104. 29. their dust, as the Prophet Da­vid speaketh. To beget a thing like it selfe, is the property of the living: now God begot a Son most like to himselfe, God begate God, and the living, the living. For as the Father hath life in himselfe, so likewise hath 10. 5. 26▪ he given to the Sonne to have life in himselfe, as St. John te­stifies, and the Father hath life in himselfe, because he is the Fountaine of life, and receives no life from any other place, and gave his Sonne to have life in himselfe, the same life which he hath himselfe: and by this it is, that the Sonne is the Foun­taine of life also, yet so, as the Fountaine of life from the Foun­taine of life, as hee is God of God, light of light. Who can expresse, nay who can conceive, what manner of life this life of God is? and what manner of Fountaine of life that is from [Page 97] whence all things which live, either in heaven or earth sucke small drops. The life known to us in this our banishment, is no­thing els, but an internall begin­ning of motion; for those things are said by us to live, which af­ter any sort move themselves: from whence it comes to passe, that the warers in rivers, by a kind of similitude, are called li­ving waters, because they seeme to move, & stir of themselves, & those in ponds and pooles, are called dead, because they can­not move of themselves, nor are stirred, but by winds, or some externall force.

It is thy God then, which is onely he, that most truely li­veth, and that is the author and Fountaine of life, which God himselfe doth often beate and inculcate to us, throughout the holy Scriptures. As I live, saith the Lord: and the Pro­phets N [...]mb. 14. 28. often repeate this, The [Page 98] Lord liveth. And God himselfe complaineth of his people in Jeremy, They have forsaken Jer. 2. 13. me, the Fountaine of living wa­ters. And yet he is not moved, either by himselfe, 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 lye, nor as the son of man, that hee should be changed. And if God Num. 23. 19. begate a Sonne, he begate him without changing, or if hee see, heare, speake, 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 againe renew, and alter, yet hee worketh quietly and changeth without motion. If you a ke how he liveth, if hee move not, or how liveth hee not, if hee be the author and Fountaine of life? it is easily answered. It is absolutely suf­ficient to life, if a living thing [Page 99] act of it selfe, not being moved by another: but life, (as it is for the most part in created things,) is an internall 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 himselfe, because hee worketh of himselfe, not moved by any other, as needing no motion or change. Againe, 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 Sonne within himselfe, and produceth the Holy Ghost within himselfe, neither need the Sonne or the Holy Ghost to be changed from a not being, to a being, because they receive that [Page 100] esse or being that ever was, and that not in time, but from eternitie. Againe, things created want the motion of augmentation, because they are borne imperfect: but God the Sonne, is borne most perfect, and God the Holy Ghost is brea­thed and produced most perfect. Things created need alteration, as divers qualities, which they must necessarily get: but God wants nothing, because hee hath the essence of infinite per­fection. Things created need motion to place, because they are not every where; but God is whole every where. Againe, things created want many things to cause them to see, heare, speake, and worke because though they have life, yet it is imperfect and deficient; but God needeth nothing without himselfe, to see and heare all things, to speake to all, and to worke in all. For he worketh [Page 101] all things in all, as having a life most happy, and most plen­tifull, being life, and the Foun­taine of life. Take an example in the act of seeing. A man, to cause him to see, wants a seeing power, which is distinct from the soule, which properly liveth: he wants an object, that is some colored body placed without him: hee wanteth the light of the Sunne, or some other en­lightned body: hee wanteth a medium, that is, some perspi­cuous body; he wants a sensible species, as forme, which may be conveyed from the object to the eyes: he wants a corporall organ, that is, an eye furnished with divers humours, and fleshly tunicles: hee wants sen­sitive spirits, and optique nerves, by which those spirits may passe: hee wants a proportiona­ble distance, and the application of power: you see, what a num­ber of little helpes are wanting [Page 102] to men, and other creatures, to performe one action of life. But God, who truely hath all life in himselfe, wants nothing: his infinite essence is unto him, power, object, species, light, and all other things. Of, and by, and in himselfe, God sees all things which are, have beene, and shall be, and perfectly knowes what might have beene: and before the world was made, God saw all things, neither is there any new thing added to his know­ledge or sight, by the creation of things.

Consider duely then, what thou shalt be, when thou shalt be partaker of that life? what great thing doth God com­mand thee, when he bids thee despise this fraile and tempo­rall life (altogether deficient and imperfect) for his sake, that thereby, thou maist en­joy that eternall life? And if [Page 103] he command thee therein no hard taske; how little and meane injunction is that, when hee bids thee give thy dead superfluities liberally to the poore; to abstaine from fleshly lusts and concupiscences, to for­sake and renounce the Devill and his tentations, and wholly to desire fervently, and with all the affections of thy heart, to attaine to that which is the onely and true life?

But it is time now to ascend to the fountaine of wisedome, by what meanes we can. The Word of GOD most high, (or in Ecclus. 1. 5. the highest as some translate it) is the fountaine of wisedome, as it is in Ecclesiasticus; and it may very truly be said in the highest, because the fountaine of wise­dome most abundantly and plen­tifully floweth in the holy An­gels and soules of the blessed, who inhabit in the highest ha­bitations: but to us, who live [Page 104] in this desert and pilgrimage, not wisedome, but a kinde of vapour or smell of wisedome is allotted.

Therefore looke not after higher things then befits thee, search not too narrowly into the Majesty of GOD, least thou be overwhelmed with his glo­ry; but admire his wisedome, of which the Apostle sp [...]aketh, Rom. 16. 27. To the onely wise GOD: congra­tulate the blessed spirits, who drinke out of the fountaine of wisedome; and though they com­prehend not GOD, a thing onely proper to the fountaine of wisedome, yet they behold the face of GOD without any veyle; and (being enlightned with the brightnesse of his rayes) judge most rightly of all things, neither in that noon­day light of wisedome, feare they the darkenesse of errors, nor the obscurity of ignorance, nor myst of opinions. Aspire to that [Page 105] happines, and that thou maist securely come to it, love the LORD JESUS with all thine heart, in whom are all the trea­sures Col. 2. 3. of the wisedome of GOD, for he hath said in the Gospell, He that loveth me, shalbe loved of my Father, and I will love him, Io. 14. 21. and shew mine owne selfe unto him: and what will he shew, by shewing himselfe, but all the treasures of knowledge and wise­dome of GOD which are in him? Certainely, men are na­turally desirous to know, and although fleshly concupiscen­ces doe in this life in a sort lull this desire asleepe, yet when this body (which corrupts and bur­dens the soule) shalbe layd a­side, then the fire of this desire shall waxe fervent.

How great will thy happi­nesse then be, when thy belo­ved CHRIST IESUS shall impart to thee all the treasures of the knowledge and wisedome [Page 106] of GOD? But that thou mayst not hereafter be frustrate of thy expectation, study and en­deavour to keepe his Com­mandements. For he hath said, Hee that keepeth my Comman­dements, Iohn 14. 21. is he that loveth me, and Hee that loveth mee not, keepeth not my words. In the 24. meane time, let that be thy wisedome, which holy Job de­scribeth. The feare of the Lord Iob 28. 28. is wisedome, and to depart from evill is understanding, and what good soever thou seest in the creature, know that it flowes from GOD the fountaine of all goodnesse.

DEGREE V. By the Consideration of the AYRE.

THe Element of Ayre may serve as an ex­cellent and notable Schoolemaster, if the nature of it be well considered; not onely to instruct us in natu­rall Philosophy, but to open to us the mysteries of Divinity, and to raise our minds to GOD: for the benefits are diverse, which by Divine ordination, and appointment, arise by the ayre to mankind.

First of all, Ayre while it serves for breathing, preserves the life of every creature.

2. Againe, it is so necessary for the use of the eyes, eares and [Page 108] tongue, that if it be wanting, presently wee become blinde, deafe and dumbe.

3. Lastly, it is so necessary for the motion of men, and all other living creatures, that if it should be taken away, all motions, and consequently all Arts and workes would be at an end.

First, if men would consider that their soules have asmuch 1. need of breathing as their bo­dies; many would be saved that now perish. The body needs a continuall breathing, because if the naturall heate which in­flames and makes the heart as it were to boile, were not tempered and qualified by the ministerie and office of the lungs, drawing in coole ayre to eject the hot, the life could not be preserved; which con­firmes the usuall received opi­nion, that to live and breath are one, and the same: for [Page 109] every thing that breathes, li­veth, and that which leaves to breath, ceaseth also to live. The soule in like manner (which lives a spirituall life by GODS grace) needs a continuall breath­ing, which is done, by sending hote and fervent sighes by pray­er to GOD, and by receiving from him new grace, even that of the holy Spirit. And what else indeed is the meaning of our Saviour by this, that wee ought alwaies to pray, and not to Luke 18. 1. faint, but that we must ever sigh up to GOD, and receive his good spirit downe, that our spirituall life be not dissolved; which hee seemes to repeat, when he saith, Watch therefore Luke 21. 36. and pray continually: and the A­postle, Pray without ceasing; to all which the Apostle S ^t. Peter agreeth, saying, Be therefore 1 Pet. 4. 7 sober, and watching in prayer.

And verily, this is true so­brietie and wisedome, that we [Page 110] which continually need the helpe of GOD, should alwaies make petition for the same. Our heavenly Father (it is true) knowes what we stand in need of, and is ever ready to supply our wants in plentifull manner, es­pecially those, which conduce to our eternall happinesse and salvation: yet His will is, to be­stow them by the instrument of prayer; wee must pray for them, because it is more ho­nourable for him, and profitable for us, to give them to us as labourers and petitioners for them, then as to sleepy and idle persons. Therefore, our most bountifull GOD exhorts and urges us to this dutie, saying, Aske and it shalbe given to you, Luke 11. 9. seeke and you shall finde, knocke and it shalbe opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth, 10. and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shalbe opened. And what that is, that [Page 111] is chiefly to be asked, and that shalbe given without doubt; he declareth a little after, If ye then which are evill can give 13. good guifts unto your Children, how much more shall your hea­venly Father give the holy Spirit to them that desire him? There­fore, that which is in the first place to be required, is the holy Spirit, by which we breath in GOD; and by this breathing preserve our spirituall life; which holy David did, as ap­peares by that in the Psalmes, I opened my mouth and drew in Psa. 119. 135. my breath, that is, I opened my mouth by prayers, sighs and grones unutterable, and I drew in the most comfortable breath of Gods spirit, which cooled the heat of concupiscence, and con­firmed me in every good worke. This being so, who can say that they live to GOD, who spend dayes, moneths and yeares, and neither breath to, nor receive [Page 112] breath from him? It is an evi­dent signe of death, not to breath: and if to breath be to pray, then it is a signe of death not to pray. Now the spirituall life by which the Children of GOD are reputed to live chief­ly, consists in love, Behold saith S ^t. Iohn, what love the Father hath given unto us, that we should 1 Io. 3. 1. be called, and be the sonnes of God. Now who is there that loves, and desires not to see that which he loveth? and who de­sires any thing, and asketh not for it of him, who he knoweth will give it him, if he make suit for it? Therefore, he which prayeth not continually to see the face of GOD, desires not to see him; he which desires not to see him, loves him not: hee which loves him not, lives not; whereupon it necessarily fol­lowes, that they are dead to GOD, though they live to the world, who seriously devote [Page 113] not themselves to prayer. Nor is it enough onely to pray with the lippes, to make us reputed amongst the living, for prayer is rightly defined to be a lifting up of the mind to GOD, and not an elevating of the voyce in­to the ayre.

Therefore deceive not thy selfe, thinke not that thou livest to GOD, if thou earnestly breath not to him with all thine heart, night and day; and say not to thy selfe, that thine other af­faires will not give thee leave to spend thy time in prayer and divine meditations: for the ho­ly Apostles were much imploy­ed, aswell in their own affaires, as in the worke of the LORD, and salvation of soules, in so much as one of them said of himself, Besides the things which are outward, I am combred daily, 2 Cor. 11 28. and have the care of all Chur­ches, &c. yet he (besides other recitall of his often prayers) [Page 114] writes to the Philippians, that his conversation was in Heaven, Phil. 3. 20. and that, because in the heate of his other imployments, he was conversant in Heaven, in his desire, nor ever was un­mindfull of his beloved; other­wise, he would never have said, I am crucified with Christ, but Gala. 2. 20. I live: yet not I any more, but Christ liveth in me.

The second property of the ayre is, that it is the medium or 2. meanes by which the species or formes of colours are conveigh­ed to our eyes, and of sounds to our eares; and without which, we could neither see, heare nor speake. For which, first we are to give thankes to Almighty GOD for giving such an or­nament and benefit to our na­ture: and secondly, we are to admire his wisedome, in a worke of such finenesse, subtiltie and thinnesse.

1. In respect that the ayre [Page 115] of it selfe is a true body, and so great, that it almost filles the universe; yet it can neither be seene nor felt for the incredible subtilty of it. Antiquity admi­red the skill and subtilty of one line, which Apelles drew with his pencill, and yet it was seene, and touched; and in that regard, was by no meanes to be com­pared with the tenuity and sub­tilty of this veyle, which com­passeth and toucheth all men, and yet is seene of none.

2. But it increaseth our ad­miration, that being a most subtile and thinne body, yet when it is divided, it closeth a­gaine with so great facility, as if it had never been divided: when as but a Spiders web, be­ing once broken, can never be so cunningly amended, that the first breach may not bee seene.

3. Lastly, that which is most worthy our admiration, and [Page 116] done or caused onely by the wisedome of GOD, that through one and the same part of the ayre, should be mingled toge­ther innumerable severall spe­cies of colours, as those in the rainebow. He that shall place himselfe in a cleare Moone­shine night, in some open field, where hee may behold at one time, starres in the heaven, fields in the earth bedeckt with se­verall sorts of flowers, together with houses, trees, and many o­ther beautifull [...]ights; shall not be able to deny, but that the severall species of them are con­tained in that part of the ayre, which is neere unto him. But who well can understand this? who can conceive it? for how can it be, that so thinne and sub­tile a thing as the ayre should comprehend together so great varietie of shapes and formes? And what if it happen that at the same time, and in the same [Page 117] place, he shall heare the melo­dious musique of birds on one side, from another diverse mu­sicall instruments, in another the silent murmuring of falling wa­ters; will it not follow, and that of necessitie, that all these sounds or species of sounds must be re­ceived together with those of the colours before-named? and who brings these things to passe? are they not wrought by the wisedome of thy Creator who onely doth wonderfull things a­lone.

3. Againe, there is yet ano­ther benefit which ariseth by this admirable tenuity and thin­nesse in the ayre, that it hinders not, but helpes the motion of all things, which passe from one place to another. We all know, with what labour Shippes or Boats are drawne through wa­ter, though it be of a liquid quality or substance, and is ea­sily divided and parted; For [Page 118] many times, neither the winds, nor Oares, serve to make them passe, but they are many times forced by the strength of Hor­ses. And if at any time, upon some occasion, a way be to be made through a hill or moun­taine, what labour, sweat and time it costs, before a short cut be made? But through the ayre, horses runne swiftly, birds and arrowes flie speedily, and men in exercising divers offices, as­cend, descend, walke, runne, move feet, armes, and hands, upwards and downwards, eve­ry way; neither doth the ayre (which is diffused in all places) any thing at all hinder them, insomuch, as if it were not of a corporeall, but of a spiritu­all substance and nature, nay indeed as if it were nothing at all.

Laftly, the ayre hath a pro­pertie, 3. serving for the benefit of Man, that is, it changeth it [Page 119] selfe into every forme, and suffe­reth it selfe 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 stirre up and kindle in thee the love of thy Creator, is, that the ayre doth represent the great sweet­nesse and gentlenesse of thy ma­ker to men: For doe but recol­lect thy selfe, and seriously con­sider his goodnesse, thou shalt finde, that thy GOD is ever present with his creatures, ever working with them; and of such infinite gentlenesse, that he accommodates his working to the severall 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 meanes save some: hee worketh together with neces­sary [Page 120] workes, that they may worke necessarily; with volun­tary, that they may worke vo­luntarily; with those which are free in their working, that they may worke freely. The fire he moveth, stirreth and helpeth so, that it may ascend; the earth that it may tend downeward; the ayre that it may glide by de­clive and bending places; the ayre that it may passe which way soever it be driven; starres that they may keepe alwayes 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 ayre, to doe those things which are agreeable to their nature. And if the goodnesse of GOD be so eminent in cooperating with his creatures, in the worke of nature, what may we thinke it to be in the workes of grace? He hath given man free power [Page 121] of his will, but so, as that he will governe him by his com­mand, terrifie 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 meanes which the wisedome 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 Workes, (adinventiones ejus, say some) among the people. And certaine­ly, the wicked sometimes hee terrifies exceedingly, sometimes perswades them lovingly; some­time admonisheth them mildly, and sometime correcteth them mercifully, as he in his wise­dome thinkes expedient and agreeable to their conditions [Page 122] 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 voyce in the Garden, and was afraid, be­cause I was naked I hid my selfe, the LORD replyed with the like meekenesse, Who told thee that thou wast naked, Hast thou 11. eaten of the tree, whereof I com­manded thee that thou shouldst not eate? and by this gentle cor­rection or insinuation, Adam without doubt repented, as the Scripture saith. Shee (that is the Wisedome of GOD) pre­served Sap. 10. 1. the first Father of the World, that was formed, and kept him when he was created alone, and brought him out of his of­fence. Observe againe, how gently and sweetly he (by his Angell in the Booke of the Iudges) rebuked and provoked the people of Israel to repen­tance. What shall I say of the [Page 123] Prophets, who in all their ser­mons (as we may call them) teach this, and beate upon this, that GOD desires not the death Ezec. 18. 23. of a sinner, but rather that he should returne and live. They say (saith GOD by Ieremie) if a man put away his Wife and Ier. 3. 1. she goe from him, and become a­nother mans, shall he returne un­to her againe; shall not the land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lo­vers; Yet returne againe to me saith the LORD. And by E­zechiel, Eze. 33. 10, 11. Thus ye speake and say, If our transgressions and sinnes 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 turne from his way and live: turne you, turne you from your evill wayes, for why will ye die ô ye house of Israel?

But to let passe the wicked, [Page 124] and consider how great GODS more then Fatherly meeknesse and gentlenes is to those that feare and hope in him. Holy David is desirous to expresse it, Looke how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth, so Ps. 103. 11. great is his mercy also toward them that feare him. And Like as a Father pittyeth his owne 13. Children, so is the LORD mer­cifull to them that feare him. And, The mercifull goodnesse of the LORD endureth for ever 17. and ever upon them that feare him. And in another Psalme, Taste and see how gracious the LORD is, blessed is the man Ps. 34. 8. that trusteth in him, and againe, 73. 1. Truely GOD is loving unto Israel, even to such as are of a cleane heart. And againe, GOD saith by Esay, Can a woman Es. 49. 15 forget her childe, and not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe? though they should for­get, yet will not I forget thee: [Page 125] and Ieremy in his lamentations, Lam. 3. 25. The LORD is good to them that trust in him, and to the soule that seeketh him.

Now if I would adde what the Apostles testifie of his Fa­therly tendernesse to the Godly, I should never make an end. Take one place for all the rest, of S ^t. 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 &c. he saith not, that GOD is our comfort (barely) but of all comfort; and not that hee comforteth us in some, but in all our tribulation. And to end this point, take the words of S ^t. Prosper, Grace Li. 2. de voc. gent. c. 26. (saith he) exceeds all justifica­tion, by perswading in exhorta­tions, admonishing by examples, terrifying by dangers, provoking by miracles, giving understan­ding, inspiring counsaile, enlight­ning [Page 126] the heart, and endowing it with affections of Faith, &c.

If then thy Creator bee so loving and kind to his servants, and with such incredible pa­tience and meeknesse beares with sinners for their conver­sions, comforting the just, that they may proceede and grow in righteousnesse, and holinesse; oughtest not thou to beare the infirmities of thy neighbour, to gaine all men to thy GOD? Consider with thy selfe to what sublimitie and excellencie the Apostle Eph. 5. 1. exhorts thee, when he saith, Be yee followers of GOD as deare Children. And walke in 2. love, even as CHRIST hath loved us, &c. Imitate the Fa­ther, who causeth the Sunne to arise upon the good and evill, and rayneth upon the just and unjust. Imitate the Son, who having taking our humane na­ture for our good upon him, [Page 127] spared not his owne life to deliver us from the power of darkenesse and everlasting per­dition. Imitate the holy Ghost, who plentifully powreth out, and scattereth his most plen­teous guifts, that he may of car­nall make us spirituall.

DEGREE VI. By the Consideration of FIRE.

THis Element is of so pure and noble a na­ture, as that GOD himselfe would bee called Fire, as both Moses and S ^t. Paul testifie, 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 [Page 128] 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 downe 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 neerest to GOD, are called Seraphim, because they receive fervor and heate from that most ardent and di­vine fire, more then 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 greece, whereby wee may ascend to GOD by prayer and meditation; and lesse difficult will it be, with Elias to ascend in a fiery Charriot, then to make [Page 129] a Ladder to rise up by, out of either earth, water, or ayre. Let us therefore examine and con­sider the properties and qua­lities of this element.

Fire is of that nature and quality, that it worketh diversly, and oft times contrarily in many things.

1. It quickly burneth and consumeth Wood, Straw and Stubble.

2. It purifieth and maketh more beautifull gold and silver.

3. It changeth Iron into con­trary qualities, as of blacke, cold, hard and heavie (the na­turall properties of it) it ma­keth it cleare, hote, soft and light, insomuch as it will shine like a starre, burne like fire, melt and be liquid like water, and by the Artificer be moved and lif­ted easily. All these things ap­parently agree and meete in GOD.

And first, Wood, Hay and [Page 130] Stubble, are by the Apostle com­pared with evill workes, which 1 Cor. 3. 12. cannot endure the triall of Gods fire, for it is almost incredible how hatefull and displeasing all sinnes are to GOD, who is a most pure fire; with what zeale hee consumes and de­stroyes them: first, by repen­tance, if the sinner be in that state that he can repent; for by repentance all sinnes 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. ungodlinesse are both hated alike of GOD, saith the wiseman; and the Kingly Prophet David confirmes this saying, Thou hatest all them that worke va­nity. Ps. 5. 5. How much and great this hatred is, the Devill can wit­nesse, who sinning once, and being (as St. Gregory saith) an Angel most noble and glorious, Morael. li. 32▪ c. 24. [Page 131] 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 eternall perdition. Christ him­selfe is a witnesse, who came from Heaven, to dissolve the workes of the Devill (sinne) and therefore is stiled the Lamb of GOD, which taketh away the sinnes of the World. Yet who is able to declare, nay to conceive, what and how great things he suffered, to destroy the workes of the Devill, and fully to satisfie Gods justice? Who being in the forme of GOD, Phil. 2. 6. 7. tooke on him the forme of a ser­vant; and being rich was made poore for our sakes, not having 2 Cor. 8. 9. Lu. 958. 1 Pet. 2. 23. whereon to lay his head, was re­viled, suffered, bare our sinnes in his body on a tree, humbled him­selfe, and became obedient unto [Page 132] the death, even the death of the Crosse; was derided, spit upon, Phil. 2. 8. scourged, crowned with thorns, crucified with all ignominie and grievous torments, shed­ding his life and blood, and all these things to destroy the Devills worke, sinne: Witnesse the Law of GOD, which for­bids and punisheth all sinne, leaving not unpunished so much as an idle word. And how doe Mat. 12. 36. we thinke he detesteth hey­nous sinnes, 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 dark­nesse, 2 Cor. 6. 14. or what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteous­nesse? Lastly, let Hell it selfe be witnesse, 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 sinne al­waies [Page 133] remaines, punishment should bee perpetuall: now what the punishment of hell shalbe, is horrible and fearefull to thinke: of which we shall have occasion to speake more at large, in the last Degree.

Therefore, seeing that Gods hate to sinne is so extreme, if thou love GOD above all things, thou must also above all things detest sinne: take heed thou be not deceived by those, who either extenuate or ex­cuse it; take heed that thou de­ceive not thy selfe with false and ungrounded reasons; for if sinne either committed by thy selfe or others displease thee not, thou lovest not GOD, and if thou lovest not GOD, thou shalt perish everlastingly.

Againe, if thou be not un­thankfull to Christ, how much dost thou conceive thou owest to his love? to his labours? his blood? his death? who washed [Page 134] thee from thy sinne, and recon­ciled thee to his Father: and shall it s [...]eme grievous to thee hereafter to suffer any thing for him, either in his grace and fa­vour, and with his grace to re­sist sinne, even to the losse of thy blood and life? Lastly, if thou canst not endure the fire everlasting in hell patiently, neither oughtest thou patiently to endure sinne, but flee from it as from a Serpent; and let it be Ecclus. 21. 2. thy resolution to joyne thy greatest hate to sinne, with thy greatest love to GOD.

But fire destroyes not, but 2. makes Gold, Silver and Iewels, more perfect and shining; be­cause as S. Paul, (in the place be­fore cited) declares, that those mettalls signifie good works and perfect, which are allow'd and aprov'd by the fire of Gods judg­ment, and shall receive their re­ward. Those workes GOD ratifies for good, because they are his [Page 135] guifts, and St. Augustine saith, he crowns his own guifts, whensoever Conc. 2. in Ps. 70. he crowns our deserts; for they are perform'd by his command, and by his aid, he bestowing power upon us, and enabling us to doe them, and himselfe directing us by the Law and rules which he hath made and appointed. And indeed gold denotes unto us the workes of love and charity, and how is it possible, but the workes of love should excee­dingly please GOD, who is love it selfe? Silver signifies the workes of wisedome, namely of those which instruct many men in the way of righteousnesse. These also are very accepta­ble and pleasing to Almighty GOD, according to the saying of the wisedome of GOD. He Mat. 5. 19 that shall observe and teach them, shalbe called great in the King­dome of Heaven. Jewels and pretious stones are the workes of a chaste soule, of which it is [Page 136] said in Ecclesiasticus, There is no weight to be compared to a Ecclus. 26. 15. continent (or chaste) minde. And how this pure Virginity plea­seth GOD, we may understand, by that which Esay speaketh of Eunuchs, upon which place Esa. 56. 5. S ^t. 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 workes to which are given great rewards, and to their possessors or workers, name­ly Martyrs, Doctors and Virgins. To Martyrs for the excellencie of their love. Greater love then this hath no man, when any man Io. 15. 13. bestoweth his life sor his friends. To Doctors, for the eminencie of their wisedome, of whom Daniel saith, They that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine Dan. 12. 3 as the starres for ever and ever. To Virgins, for the inestimable and incomparable worth of their puritie, for whose sake [Page 137] 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 onely the love of Martyrs, the wisedome of Do­ctors, or purity of Virgins shall be tryed in the fire of Gods judgement, and receive their full reward: but all other good workes also, so they be done in faith and love, and shalbe re­puted among the golden vessels, and be tryed 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 Kingdome pre­pared for you from the foundati­on of the World, even to them which gave bread to the hun­gry, drinke to the thirsty, lodg­ing to the stranger, apparell to [Page 138] the naked, and comfort to the sicke 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 betweene one worke and another; and what is more foolish, more miserable, then in the same place and time wherein (if thou beest wise) thou mayst get gold, silver and pretious 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 tryed by the fire of Gods judgement; when the former shalbe commended and crowned, and the latter burnt and turned into smoke and a­shes. Why dost thou now [Page 139] 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 condemne? If perhaps thou dost not now perceive this, because the veyl [...] of things present hangs over thine eyes, so that thou canst not discerne the pure and cleare truth, pray then to God, and with earnest affection with the blind man in the Go­spell, 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. wonderfull things of thy Law. For certainly it is almost a miracle, that workes done in love, should become gold silver, and precious stones, and that they which are not done in love, should be con­verted [Page 140] into dry and seare wood, straw and stubble.

Now come wee to consider the other property of fire. Hi­therto 3. wee have onely learned from the nature of that Ele­ment, what God worketh in those which depart this world with good workes▪ or end their dayes with evill▪ Now by ano­ther similitude drawne from the same fire, wee may understand what God worketh with those whom he calleth from sinne to repentance.

A sinner is compared to Iron, which when it is farre from the fire, is blacke, cold, hard, and heavy: but being put into the fire; it is made cleare, hot, soft and light.

Every Sinner wanteth his inward light, and walketh in 1 darknesse, and in this respect may be well resembled to the blacknesse of Iron: for though in the knowledge and com­merce [Page 141] with men, he may seeme to bee wise, and of great judge­ment; yet in discerning the true good and evill, he is blind, and more miserable then any blind man. For a blind man seeth no­thing, and therfore stirreth not nor is moved without a guide: but a Sinner thinketh hee seeth that which he seeth not, or ta­keth one thing for another, and judgeth good evill, and evill good, great to be little, and lit­tle to be great, long to be short, and short to bel ong; and ther­fore is ever deceived in his choyce. And this is it which the Apostle speaketh of in the idolatrous Gentiles: Ha­ving Ephes. 4. 18. their understanding dark­ned through that ignorance that is in them, because of the hard­nesse of their heart. This is that also which our Saviour in the Gospell so often upbraideth the Math. 15. 14. 23 16. Lu. 6. 39. Scribes and Pharisees withall, that they were blind leaders of [Page 142] the blind. The Prophet Esay al­so speaking to the Iewes of his Esay 42. 18. time, saith: Heare you deafe, and looke ye blind, that ye may see. And a little before in the same Chapter, (prophecying to them of the comming 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 pathes that they have not knowne: I will make darknesse light before them, &c. Lastly, doe not the wicked themselves confesse as much after this life, when paine shall begin to open their eyes, which sinne had clo­sed? Therefore have wee erred Sap. 5. 6. from the way of truth, and the light of righteousnes 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 [Page 143] light, and in him is no darknesse, 1 Io. 1. 5. saith St. Iohn. Whereupon the same Apostle concludeth, that He that saith he is in the light, 9. and hateth his brother, is in dark­nesse. And a little after. He that 11. hateth his brother is in darknes, and walketh in darknes and know­eth not whither he goeth, because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes.

Neither is it the onely cause that sinners are in darknesse, be­cause they are averse from God who is the light, but because al­so their owne wickednes hath blin­ded them, as the Wise-man spea­keth. Sap. 2. 21. For the passions of the mind, hatred, anger, envy and the like which are comprehen­ded under the name of malice, doe so blind the mind, that they suffer it not to perceive the truth; but are like coloured glasse, which maketh white to shew like red, and the contrary; or like optique glasses which make [Page 144] great things seeme small, and small great, or those things are a farre off to be neere, and they which are neere, a farre off.

Whatsoever thing a man loves fervently, he ever judgeth it to be most faire and amiable, most beneficiall and profita­ble, most excellent and necessary for himselfe; and despiseth all other things in comparison of it. Againe, whatsoever he hates vehemently, hee reputes it the most deformed, unprofitable, evill and pernicious. But if once this black and foule iron be put into the fire; that is, if a sinner begin to be turned from his sinne and be converted to God, (accor­ding to that of the Psalmist:) Then the Lord shall make his darknesse light, then he begins Ps. 18. 28. by little and little, by degrees to bee enlightned, and by that light to perceive the truth, ac­cording 36. 9. to that in the Psalme, in thy light shall wee see light; [Page 145] then the false glasse of his pas­sions being broken, and a true one look'd upon (which is pure love) hee esteemeth eternall things great, and temporall small, and almost nothing, as indeed they are: and perfectly per­ceives, that all beauty and forms of things created are not to bee compared at all with the light of truth and wisedome which is in God, and is God: and ther­fore 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: hee that is so enlightened, and freed from the bonds and shackles of concupiscence, co­vetousnes, ambition, and all o­ther passions, by the light of truth, shall rejoyce with the Prophet and say; Thou hast bro­ken my bonds in sunder: I will of­fer to thee the sacrifice of thankes­giving, [Page 146] and will call upon the name of the Lord. Ps. 116. 14.

Secondly, fire as it makes iron cleare, which formerly was blacke; so of cold it maketh it hot; yea so scorching and bur­ning, as that it seemeth to bee fire it selfe. Great is the Lord, and great is his power, that a man by nature cold, fearefull and timorous, not daring of himselfe to speake, much lesse to attempt any hard or difficult designe; yet being once heated with the fire of Love, he can make him as bold as a Lyon, who terrifies all others with his roaring, and overcomes by his power, and that nothing shall seeme diffi­cult or hard to him; insomuch as being kindled with this fire, hee shall say with the Apostle; I can do allthings through Christ Phil. 4. 13. which strengthneth me.

But let us speake of the two parts of the efficacie of this fire, severally; namely, of the [Page 147] power of it in words and in deeds.

1 There are many (now a­dayes, 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 sinnes, the same coldnes 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 onely is of power and efficacie 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 Gunnes char­ged with powder onely, and can [Page 148] give a crack as great as a peece of Ordinance; but fruitlesse, be­cause they preferre not the glo­ry of God, and the salvation of soules before the applause of men. Saint Peter was no Rhe­torician, but knew only how to steere a Ship, and mend a net, and to cast it abroad; but as soone 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 Ierusalem, to preach with such power and efficacie, that at one Sermon of his many thousands were con­verted. Act. 2.

And yet wee read not that he used much clamor or laying a­bout with his body, or bang­ing the Pulpit: from whence then proceeded such moving of the Auditors, from whence such gaining of soules? certain­ly by this, that the holy Prea­cher was as a fire, and his Word [Page 149] 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. Againe, this divine fire hath as much efficacie in deeds as in words. God had decreed to subject to himselfe the Citie 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 S [...]ythians, and some to the Brittaines; and by them not onely to destroy the Idols of the World, but to erect [...]nd advance the Trophee of the Crosse, to alter the rites of the Gentiles, and to subvert the [...]yrannicall Kingdome of the Devill.

If any man should have fore­ [...]old these things to the Apo­ [...]tles, when they were fishing in [Page 150] the Lake of Genesareth, or when (during the time of our Savi­ours Passion) they lurked in cor­ners, they would have been be­leeved no more then dreames or old wives fables: yet after a while, all these things came to passe, and that by no other meanes, then the power of most ardent love, which the ho­ly Ghost kindled in their hearts: for as St. Iohn speaketh, Per­fect 1 Ioh. 4. 18. Love casteth out seare; and againe, Love suffereth all things, 1 Cor. 13. 7. hopeth all things, endureth all things; thinks nothing impos­sible, but cryes with the Apo­stle, I am able to doe all things Phil. 4. 13. in him which strengtheneth me▪ So that wee see, that by the endeavour of these men, ar­med with Love onely, Idola­try was expelled, the whole world with little labour, and Churches of Christianity esta­blished every where, in al [...] Kingdomes, without the force [Page 151] of Armies, or warlike pro­vision.

Thirdly, fire hath this pro­perty, that it softens hard Iron, 3. that it may be lengthned out into plates, and (being made thinue) fitted to any forme at the Artificers pleasure. It is true, that this is a great effica­cie of fire in iron: yet farre 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 onely a hard heart (saith he) which is not terribly afraid of it selfe, 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; yeelds not to threats, is hardened with scourges, is unthankfull for benefits, unfaithfull in counsailes, that neither feares GOD, nor reverenceth men. All these things were verified in Phara [...]h, who [Page 152] the more he was plagued, the more he was hardned; and the more Gods 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 growes soft and melteth like waxe, nor doth it any way resist the power of it: but is of a stony become a heart of flesh, and the breath of Gods spirit thawes the congealed snow ther­of into water. We have an ex­ample in the Gospell of that Luke 7. woman, who being a notorious sinner in the City could not be perswaded, either by the admo­nition of her brother, or the chiding of her sister; or the honour of her family, or her owne disgrace, to amend her life; yet one of the beames of our Saviour pierced so deepe [Page 153] into her heart, and kindled a sparkle of his divine love there, so that she was sodainely trans­formed as it were into another woman, insomuch as she (being of a noble stocke) was not a­shamed at a publique feast to fall downe at Christs feet, and being wholly turned into tears, of them made a bath for his feet, and with her owne haire, (in stead of Linnen) wiped them, and moved with the vehemen­cie of that love, kissed them, and annointed them with a most costly oyntment, signifying by these her acts of Repentance, that from thenceforth she purposed wholly to devote her selfe to his service; and therefore shee 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 hardnes of heart can resist.

[Page 154] 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 inflam [...]d with divine love, are heavy in heart: and to such the Kingly Prophet thus speaketh, after some translations: Vsquequo gravi corde, How long will ye be Ps. 4. 2. heavy in heart, loving vanity, and seeking after lyes? and the Wise­man saith, the corruptible or S [...]p 9. 15. earthly body weigheth downe the soule: And in Ecclesiasticus, A Ecclus. 40. 1. heavy yoake is upon the sons of Adam. Which heavy yoake he afterwards explaines to be 5. wrath, envy, feare, trouble, and unquietnes and the like, which are usually stiled the passions of the mind. These doe so loade and burden a man, that he looks upon nothing but the earth, to which hee cleaveth, and can neither rise to seeke God, nor to run the way of his commande­ments. [Page 155] But as soone as this di­vine fire begins to inflame the heart of man, those passions forthwith decrease and are mortified, and that heavy bur­then is made light; so that hee 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 runne the way of thy Commande­ments, when thou hast set my heart at liberty. Certainely, 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 cryed 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 onely (if it consume) but kills not. Who will give me this correcting fire? 1. that will take away the [Page 156] blacknesse of ignorance, and purge the darkenesse of my conscience with the light of true wisedome. 2. That will change the cold­nesse of my sloth into the heate of devotion; and of my negli­gence into the fervencie of love. 3. Which will never suffer my heart to be hardned, but keep it soft with its heate, and make it obedient and dev [...]ut. 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 soule of thy servant, for unto thee ô Ps. 864. LORD, doe I lift up my soule.

DEGREE VII. By the Con [...]ideration of Heaven, that is, of the Sun, Moone and Starres.

IT will be no hard taske 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 shew­eth 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 Psalme, In the Sun hath he placed his Tabernacle (accor­ding 5. to some translations) or as [Page 158] others, In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun, which cometh forth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber, and rejoyceth 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 heate thereof. Of the latter he writes in another Psalme, I will consider the Hea­vens the worke of thy hands, the 8. 3. Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained. We will be­gin with the first.

Of the Sun (which is seene 1. by day) the Psalmist in the for­mer mentioned place sets down foure severall prayses or com­mendations. 1. That it is the Tabernacle of GOD. 2. That it is most beautifull. 3. That it ever runnes most speedily, and without wearinesse. 4. That by enlightning and heating, it chief­ly manifests its power. In regard of all which qualities the Sonne [Page 159] of Syrach calls it A merveilous Ecclus. 43. 2. vessell, the worke 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 corporeall things, as a royall palace, or divine sanctuarie to dwell in: for though GOD fill Ier. 23. 24 2 Chr. 2. 6. Heaven and Earth, and the Hea­ven of Heavens cannot containe him; yet he is said to dwell more there, where he hath manife­sted the greatest signes of his presence, by working wonders.

But because in the originall 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 P [...]alme, a­nother excellencie of the Sun, not contradicting or opposing the former. The Sun is a great [Page 160] thing, for whom GOD hath prepared a large, faire and no­ble palace: for as he would have heaven to be the palace of the Sun, wherein he might free­ly walke and worke; so hee would have the Sun to be his owne palace. So, that as we may apprehend the greatnesse and excellencie of the Sun by this, that the heaven is its ta­bernacle; so may we conceive the greatnesse and excellencie of GOD, in that the Sun (an ad­mirable vessell, and then which nothing corporeall is more wonderfull) is his tabernacle.

2. Secondly, the Psalmist (to denote unto us the great beauty of the Sun) compares it to a Bridegroome going out of his chamber: for never doe men desire to set themselves forth in better manner, nor to seeme more lovely and beautifull, then when they are bridegroomes; as desirous to please the brides eye [Page 161] more at that, then at any other time. But if we could fasten the sight of our eyes upon the Sun, and were neere unto it, and could behold it in the true quan­tity and quality, we should not need the similitude of a bride­groome to conceive the incredi­ble beauty of it. Certainely, all the grace of the eyes depends on the light, and without it all the beauty of colours vanisheth and looseth the lustre. Againe, no­thing is more faire then the light, and GOD himselfe (who is beauty it selfe) would be cal­led light. GOD is light (saith St. John) and in him is no dark­nesse 1 Io. 1. 5. at all. And among corpo­reall things nothing is more cleare then the Sun, and in that regard, nothing more faire and beautifull. Besides, if we will adde this, that the beauty of in­feriour things, especially of men, soone fadeth; but the beau­tie of the Sun never decayeth, [Page 162] never decreaseth, but alwaies maketh all things joyfull with equall splendor: for if we ob­serve it, upon the Sun rising, all things seeme in a manner to re­joyce, men are merry, sweet winds blowe, flowers open, herbs in­crease, and birds refresh the ayre 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 darke­nesse, and see not the light of Heaven?

Consider then with thy self, and say, that if the created Sun doth so comfort every thing in his rising, what joy shall there be to pure soules 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 darkenesse, where they [Page 163] shall neither behold the beames of the uncreate or create Sun: and what joy shall it bring to that soule to whom the Father of lights shall say, Enter into thy Mat. 25. 21. Lords joy?

3. In the next place, King David sets forth and describes the admirable course of the Sun, He rejoyceth as a Giant to runne his course. Without doubt, a Giant is strong, and if accor­ding to the greatnesse of his body he will stretch out his paces, and runne as swiftly as by his strength he may, he quickly will passe over a great space of ground. And as before the Prophet to expresse the Suns beauty, compared it to a Bride­groom; so to set forth the swift­nesse 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, arrowes, winds or light­ning, yet he had fallen farre [Page 164] short in that comparison, be­tween it, and them, in this pro­perty of swiftnesse: for if it be true which we see, that the Sun passeth the circuit of his O [...]be in 24 houres; and if the circuit of its Orbe doth infinitely ex­ceed the circuit of the Orbe of the earth; and if the com­passe of the earth comprehends 20000. miles, or thereabouts, all which are very true; then of necessity it must follow, that every houre he runneth many thousands of miles: Nay what speake we of houres? I may say every quarter, and almost every minute; for if a man doe 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 Countrey, he may perceive its whole body to ascend above the horizon, in lesse space then the eight part of an houre, and yet the diameter or thicknesse of the body of the Sun is much [Page 165] greater then the diameter of the Orbe of the earth, and which containes 7000. miles. And if we will adde yet further, that the body of the Sun which is moved so swiftly, is farre grea­ter then the heape or masse of the whole earths Orbe; and that the motion of this body so great, is so speedy without intermissi­on or wearinesse, and that this motion if GOD command it, shall continue for ever; certain­ly if thou beest not a stocke or a blocke, thou canst not but wonder at the infinite power of thy creator: and therefore most truely was it said to be a merveilous vessell, the worke of the most High.

4. The last property of the Sun, that is the efficacie of the light and heate of it, comes now to be considered, of which, the Prophet in the same Psalme speaketh, There is nothing hid from the heate of it. This one [Page 166] cleare body placed in the midst of the World, enlightens all Starres, all the ayre, all Seas, and all the Earth; and by its vi­vifying heate makes all things, as plants, corne, and trees to spring and sprout, and bringeth all [...]ruit to maturity and ripe­nesse; it spreads and diffaseth its vertue and power also into the earth, causing it to bring forth all kinds of mettall. And therefore St. James compares Ia. 1. 17. GOD himselfe unto it, Every good guift (saith he) and every perfect guift is from above, and cometh downe from the Father of lights, with whom is no variable­nesse nor shadow of changing. The Sun indeed is the Fath [...]r of lights corporall; but GOD of spirituall: But in three things there is difference betweene GOD and the Sun.

1. The Sun to enlighten and heate the world, must of neces­sity have a perpetuall transmu­tation [Page 167] or charge from place to place: but GOD, because he is whole every where, needs no such change, and therefore well said S ^t. James, with whom is no changing.

2. Againe, the Sun (because he continually passeth from place to place) makes it day in one place, and night in anothe [...]; to some it makes light, to o­thers darke at the same time. But GOD is never moved, he is ever present to all; and there­fore the same Apostle addes, with whom is no shadow of chang­ing.

3. Lastly, wh [...]ch is greatest of all, from the Sun, the Father of corporall lights are all the guifts which grow upon earth, but these guifts are neither the best nor perfect, but rather small, temporall and fraile, and not able to make a man good; but being evill used, may turne to his destruction. But from [Page 168] GOD the Father of lights spi­rituall, come all excellent and perfect guifts, 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 happinesse.

Seek then those good and per­fect guifts which come from above from the Father of lights, and when thou hast found them, be sollicitous to keepe them: and there is no need to goe farre for them, the very na­ture of the Sun will demon­strate them unto thee: for the Sun doth all things with his light and heate; and these two are the guifts of the Father of corporall lights: and the good and perfect guifts which come down from the Father of lights, even GOD himselfe, are the light of wisedome, and the ordi­nance of love. 1. The light of wisedome which makes a man [Page 169] truly wise, and which no man can use amisse, and bringeth us to the fountaine of wisedome, scituate in the heavenly Coun­trey, is that, which teacheth the contempt of temporall things, and to esteeme highly of spiri­tuall: it teacheth not to trust in 1 Tim. 6. 17. uncertaine riches, but in the liv­ing GOD. It teacheth us, not to account this exile of ours, as our Countrey, nor to love our pilgrimage, but to endure it: Lastly, it teacheth to live here in patience, being full of perills and tentations; and to dye in de­sire, because Blessed are the dead Apoc. 14. that dye 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 meane, as will be sufficient to bring us to our end, that is beatitude. Surely, there is not any man that in the [Page 170] 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 meanes. How then cometh it to passe, 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 attayning to the degrees of honour, as it these things were the end of mans heart: and are contented to streighten themselves in lov­ing GOD, and seeking after e­ternall f [...]licity; as if these were but the meanes to the end, and not the end of all meanes? with­out doubt, this is the cause, that they have the wisedome 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 [Page 171] 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 Countrey, and a [...]t among enemies, which op­pose true wisedome and love, and suggest craft for wisedome, and inordinate desires for love; make thy moane, and bewaile thy case to the Father of lights, desiring him earnestly, to give thee these good and perfect guifts, of true wisedome and regulated love, and to inflame thy hear [...] with them; so, that being fitted with them, thou mayest so runne the wayes of his Commandements without stumbling, that thou mayst come to that Countrey, where thou mayst drinke of the pure fountaine of wisedome, and live with the pure milke of love.

2. I come now to the time of the night, wherein the hea­ven [Page 172] doth frame and erect one step for us to ascend to GOD by the Moone and Starres: for so speaketh David, I will consider the heavens, the worke of thy fin­gers, the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordayned. If we could see heaven it selfe, the Prophet had not said (by way of explication of that which he had set down before) The Moon and the Starres which thou hast ordayned: and truely, if our sen­ces could pierce to heaven it selfe, or that we could finde out the nature and qualities of it, by any certaine 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 Starres, have defined the nature of heaven to be a quintessence, simple, incorrup­tible, and perpetually moving in its Orbe: And that there are [Page 173] others, who will have heaven to be the Element of fire that is not moved in its Orbe, neither is incorruptible, according to its parts: but it is not our intent to looke after these opinions, but to seeke out the certaine knowledge and Doctrine of Faith, thereby to raise an ascent to GOD.

The Moone hath two pro­perties, which may fitly serve to this purpose. I The first is, the neerer it approacheth to the Sun, the more it shineth and is enlightned in its upper part towards heaven, being darkned 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 darke towards the earth. On the o­ther side, when it is in opposition to the Sun, it is seen cleare of the earths inhabitants, and hath [Page 174] no light in the upper part to­wards heaven. This p [...]operty of the Moone, may be a good document or example to us mortalls, to make us sollicitous of our neere conjunction to the true Father of lights, GOD himselfe. The Moone signifieth Man, and the Sun GOD: when the Moone is in opposition to the Sun, then by the borrow [...]d light from the Sun it onely shines and lookes towards earth, and after a sort turnes its back to heaven whereby it shewes beautifull to the Inhabitants of the earth, and most deformed to the Citizens of heaven: So every mortall [...]hat goes farre from GOD, (as the Prodigall which went into a farre Countrey) abuseth that light of reason, which he recei­ved from the Father of lights, onely to respect the earth, and forgetting GOD, thinkes onely upon the earth, onely loves it, and is wholly taken up with [Page 175] 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 poore, naked, blind, deformed, wretched and mise­rable. On the contrary, when the Moone is in conjunction with the Sun, and is perfectly subject to it, it shineth wholly on the upper part, respecteth heaven onely, turning its backe to men, vanishing cleane from their sight. So is it with the wicked, when he begins to leave his wickednes, and by his full con­version is become truly subject to GOD (the true Sun of the sou [...]e) in humility, and is joyned to him in love; then he fulfills 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 fooles, and accounted by them as if [Page 176] 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 ap­peare, then shall he also appeare 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 returne to the conjunction with it; to shew, that man in opposition to GOD by sinne, 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 thy selfe (by the assistance of Gods grace) to be subject to the Fa­ther of lights by true humility, and to be joyned with him by ardent love; doe not imitate [Page 177] fooles, who are changed as the Moone, but follow the wise, who continue unchanged as the Sun. for the Moone as speedily as she comes to the conjunction of the Sun, as speedily departs from it; but if thou beest wise, and hast obtayned grace, for­sake it not, depart not from it, for thou shalt finde nothing better in any place; neither dost thou know, whether if thou voluntarily leave it, thou shalt have it againe: For he that hath promised pardon to the repentant, and grace to converts, hath not promised longer life, nor the guift of repentance to thee. Therefore, in Gods name turne thy backe to the earth, and looke 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 [Page 178] esteeme not nor regard, what they which savour of the earth thinke 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 custome of the Moone, which GOD al­so observes with his elect. The Moone rules the night as the Ge. 1. 16. Ps. 136. 9 Sun doth the day, as Moses and David speake, but the Sun en­lightens the world with his splen­d [...]r all the day; and the Moone shines sometime with a greater, sometime with a lesser light, and sometimes not at all in the night. So GOD by his perpe­tuall brightnesse, illustrates the Sun, Angels and soules of the blessed, to whom he is a per­petuall day (for there shalbe no Apoc. 21. 25. night to them there) but in this night of our pilgrimage and ba­nishment, wherein we walke by Faith, and not by sight, and we 2 Cor. 5. 7. [Page 179] apply our selves onely to the Scriptures as unto a light that shineth in a darke place. GOD as 2 Pet. 1 19. the Moone by courses visits us by enlightning our hearts, and sometime leaves us in the dark­nesse 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 him­selfe towards us as the Sun, but as the Moone: for he not onely (in these times) appeareth as in the full Moone of comfort, and sometime in the wayne of discomfort to us imperfect creatures, but he hath formerly done so too: St. Paul a vessell 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; [Page 180] yet he could say sometime, I am filled with comfort: other­while 2 Co. 7. 4 he could complaine and lament his case, I see another law in my members, rebelling a­gainst Rom 7. [...]3. the law of my mind, and leading me captive unto the law of sinne, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who 24. shall deliver me from this body of death? and againe, 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 alwaies pressed with tribulation, nor lif­ted up with pleasure; but to weave into their lives, sometime adversity, and at other times prosperity, as it were with an admirable variety. And so much for the Moone.

Now follow the Starres, as [Page 181] the other ornaments of heaven, of which, the Son of Syrach (speaking) saith, that they are the beauty of heaven, the glory of the Starres, yet addes (as some translate it) GOD in the high­est Ecclus. 43. 9. 10. enlightning the World, and at whose commandement they stand in their order; for whatsoever order, or comelinesse is in the Starres, or in the Sun or Moone, they have it wholly from the Father of lights; and neither is it the Sun by day, or the Moone or Starres by night, which give light to the world, but it is GOD who (dwelling in the highest) enlightens the World by the Sun, Moone and Starres: for it is he, of whom it is said, When he Baruch▪ 3 33. sendeth out light it goeth, and when he calleth it againe it o­beyeth him with feare. And the Starres shine in their watch and 34. rejoyce. When he calleth them, they say Here we be, and so with cheerefulnesse they shew light un­to [Page 182] 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 worke so vast and beautifull bodies; for vocare with us, is [...]reare with GOD, for he calls those things which are not, and by his calling makes them be that they are; and that the Starres should say Here we be, is no more, then that they are ready to be and worke, at the voyce of his command.

But this is most to be admi­red in the Starres, that where­as they are moved most swift­ly, and never give over that swift motion, and that some of them runne in their Orbe 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 [Page 183] concent. And this is not a concent of voyces or sounds which may be heard by bodily eares, but of proportions in the motions of the Starres, which is perceived by the ear [...] of the heart: for all the Starres of the firmament, with the same swiftnesse runne about the whole compasse of heaven in 24. houres: but the seaven Starres which we call planets, or wandring Starres, are mo­ved, some by swifter, some by slow [...]r motions.

Ascend then a little higher if thou canst, and from the great splender of the Sun, the beauty of the Moone, the mul­titud [...] and varietie of other lights, from the admirable con­ [...] of the heavens, from the most pleasant and harmoniacall courses of the Starres; gather and conceive what a delight and happinesse it wilbe, to see GOD above the heaven, that [Page 184] Sun which inhabiteth inaccessi­ble light, to behold the quire and orders of many thousands of Angels who garnish the hea­ven of heavens in greater num­ber, and shine more bright then all the Starres, to see the soules of holy men, added to the Quire of Angels, and mingled as pla­nets with the Starres of the firmament: and how joyfull a thing it will be, to heare the songs of praises, and that ex [...]l­lent Allelu [...]a resounded by mu­sicall voyces in the streets of that City: and by that, it will come to passe, 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 d [...]spised.

DEGREE VIII. By the Consideration of the reasonable soule of MAN.

HItherto we have pas­sed through things corporall to the ascent to GOD, and now we have found, that the soules of men excell all corporall things in dignity, betweene which and GOD, we meet with no medium, but the Hierarchies and orders of Angels.

Mans soule 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 owne soule. [Page 186] And therefore man is inexcu­sable, if he have not knowledge of him, seeing he may attaine to it (Gods grace assisting) with­out difficulty, by knowing his owne soule.

First then, Mans soule is a spi­rit, 1. for so doe the holy Fathers expound those words in Gene­sis, And the LORD formed Man of the dust of the ground, Gen. 2. 7. and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life, and Man be­came a living soule, and that of Tobias, Command my spirit to be Tob. 3. 6. taken from me; and that of the Preacher. Then shall the dust re­turne Eccles. 12 7. to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall returne to GOD that gave it. For although the word spirit agreeth to the wind also, of which it is said in the Gospel, Spiritus spirat ubi vult, The wind bloweth where it listeth, and in the Psalmes, Spiritus pro­cellarum (as S. Ierome,) Wind and storme (as our translation) yet [Page 187] without doubt, that spirit (the wind) is a most thinne body, which for its great subtilty and raritie, doth more imitate and resemble the spirituall nature, then any other body. But the soule of man is properly a spirit, not a body, neither is it produ­ced or made of any matter, but is immediately created by GOD.

And here begins the excel­lencie of the soule, in the re­semblance to GOD, for GOD is a spirit as our Saviour saith, and they which worship him, must 10. 4. 24. worship him in spirit and truth: But though GOD be a spirit, and mans soule be a spirit also, yet GOD is a spirit uncreated and the Creator, and mans but a spirit created, by which it followes, that there is a great disproportion betweene the spi­rit, which is the soule, and the spirit which is GOD. And in this respect, how greatly may [Page 188] the soule rejoyce, that it is in the kind of a spirituall substance, and so of a higher and more noble nature then heaven or the Starres: and againe, it should be the more humble and obedient to GOD, because it was made of nothing, and of it selfe is no­thing.

Againe, the soule of man, be­cause it is a simple spirit, is al­so 2. immortall; for it hath no­thing in it, from whence it may be divided or severed. And in this regard, how much may it boast above the soules of bruit animals, which die with their bodies? and so behold and ad­mire the great excellencie of the creator, who is not onely immortall, but everlasting. For the soule of man sometime was not, and came to a being by the onely will of GOD, and by the will of the same GOD may againe be reduced to nothing, although in it selfe it have no [Page 189] beginning of corruption: ther­fore truly said the Apostle of GOD, Who onely hath immor­tality; for he onely cannot be 2 Tim. 6. 16. dissolved, neither by force, chance, or ought else, because it is his property to be; he is life it selfe, and the fountaine of being and life.

Thirdly, mans soule is endu­ed with the light of understan­ding, 3. for it is not onely able to know and distinguish of co­lours, tasts, smells and sounds, heate, cold, hard, soft, and other things of the like kind, which are plaine to the sences of the body: but is able to judge of substantialls, and of things sin­gular and universall, and know­eth not onely things present, but can conjecture at things to come; transcends the heavens, dives into the deep, searches effects from causes, and from effects, hath recourse to causes. Lastly, by the eye of the mind, [Page 190] it comes to the knowledge of GOD himselfe, which dwelleth in inaccessible light, and this is the light of which Saint John speakes, This was the true light which enlightneth every man that Io. 1. 9. Ps. 4. 7. 32. 10. cometh into the World, which David calls the light of Gods countenance. Of the light of the understanding the same Kingly Prophet saith, Be ye not like to horse and mule who have no un­derstanding. Certainely this is a great priviledge and dignity of the soule, by which, man be­comes like to GOD, and un­like the beasts; and by this, a man may also conjecture of the excellent sublimity of his cre­ [...]: for though the soule of man be endued with this light of understanding, yet GOD is the light and understanding. The so [...]l [...] (as is said) runnes from causes to effects, and againe from effects to causes, and ther­by hunts (as it were) with great [Page 191] labour, to attain this knowledge: but GOD with one aspect, and at the first sight knoweth all things. The soule understandeth those things which are, so that his knowledge depends upon things: GOD by his understan­ding bringeth to passe, that things are, so that the existence or being of things depends up­on his knowledge. The soule doth but conjecture of things to come: GOD beholds all things past, and to come, as perspicu­ously and plainely, as if they were present. The soule wants many things to exercise the of­fice of its understanding, as the object, forme, fancie and the like: GOD wants nothing, for essence it selfe is his, all things, even his owne essence is his un­derstanding. Lastly, the soule (whi [...]e it is in the body) neither seeth GOD, the Angels, nor it selfe, nor any substance, though corporeall, properly, and is de­ceived [Page 192] 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, &c. Therefore, if Man hath such an opinion, and esteemeth so much of his know­ledge, as that (according to the Apostle) his knowledge puffe him up, how much ought he to ad­mire 1 Cor. 8. 1. the knowledge of his Cre­ator, to whose, if mans be com­pared, it is no knowledge, but ig­norance.

There is also another kind of knowledge in the soule of Man, 4. which consists not in specula­tion, but in action: from whence it cometh that there are so ma­ny Bookes of Philosophers which treat if vices and ver­tues: so many Lawes of Prin­ces, Lawyers and others: so many institutions to acquire the [Page 193] art of living well. In which ap­pe [...]eth mans admirable light of reason, by which alone, he differs farre from beasts in ex­cellencie: but all this is nothing to the eternall Law, which is powerfull in the mind of the Creator, from whence, as from a most plentifull fountaine all other Lawes flow and are de­rived, for there is one Law giver Ia. 4. 12. and Iudge which is GOD, as S ^t. Iames tells us. He is Truth, Justice and Wisedome, By whom Prov. 8. 15. Kings raigne, and Princes decree Iustice. So that we shall never find out the Art of living well and happily, till we come to the Schoole of CHRIST, who is the true and onely Ma­ster, by whose word and exam­ple we shall learne that righte­ousnesse which exceeds the righ­teousnes of the Scribes and Pha­risees, yea and of Philosophers too, whose end is love out of a 1 Tim. 1. 5. pure heart, and of a good consci­ence, [Page 194] and of Faith unfained.

Againe, the soule of Man hath 5. a third kind of knowledge, which consisteth in artificiall manufactures: you will say that other creatures have the like faculty, as the Spider in wea­ving her web, Birds in making nests, and Bees hony 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 mans soule endued with reason and judgement, invents many Arts, by which he hath dominion o­ver other creatures, will they nill they; for neither doe the wings of a Bird helpe her, nor the depth of waters availe the fish, nor s [...]rength profit the Li­on or Beare; nor wildnesse pre­serve the Horse or M [...]le, nor swiftnesse advantage the Hart and Goate; for we see, even [Page 195] little Children catch Birds with nets, s [...]ares and lime-twigges; and Fishermen take Fish with net [...] Hunters by wit and art take Lions and Beares, leading them about the Countrey: Bores and Deere either taken with stalls, or slain with bowes and speares: 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 soule of Man, when he invented and taught great Ships and hea­vily [...]aden to cut the Seas; not onely Boats and Galleys to runne with [...]ares, as it were with feet, but great vessels to [...]ly as it were through the vast Seas, with their sailes as with wings? What shall I further say of husbandry? who wonders not at the severall inventions of Man, if he seriously consider after what manner the earth is tilled, vines dressed, orchards [Page 196] 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, Amphitheaters, Pyramides and Obeliskes? 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 thankes to GOD, that hath made so great difference be­tweene the nature of Man, and other living creatures: and withall, let us lift up the eyes of our minds to the same GOD Creator of all things, in whom is the true fountaine of wit and invention; for from him flowes whatsoever is derived to our [Page 197] 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 wisedome of GOD, to whom all things are obedient and subject; not onely things that have, but those which want life. And if it seeme 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 seeme grea­ter to us, that the wisedome of GOD hath made the fabrique 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, [Page 198] 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 Gods cooperating, and those which GOD doth, are done by his owne power, without the helpe of any other.

Sixthly, mans soule is endued with free will, onely common to 6. him, with GOD and the An­gels, and wherein he differeth farre from other things created This is a great priviledge and honour: yet the liberty and will of GOD the Creator, so farre transcends that of mans, that if they be compared together, mans will is scarse a shadow of Gods. For first, the liberty even of a regenerate Mans will is weake, and prone and facile to choose evill things, and hurt­full to him: the liberty of Gods will is most strong, that it can­not [Page 199] faile, or encline at all, to that which is evill: for as it is the in­fir [...]ity of a mortallbody, that it is subject to dye, and the sound­nesse of a glorified body that it cannot dye: so also it is the weak­nesse of free-will, to be in subje­ction to sinning; and perfection or strength, not to be able to sinne; which will come to passe, when GOD, in our celestiall Countrey shall conferre this power upon us by grace, which he alwaies hath by nature. A­gaine, our free-will is free in­deed, so that it can will, and not will, or to will and nill; but it is not able to doe what it wills: you may heare the Apo­postle lamenting his case, in this very point, I doe not the good thing which I would; but Ro. 7. 19. the evill which I would not, that doe I. And is not this every mans case? I will and desire to pray attentively and seriously to GOD, and I command my [Page 200] imagination not to wander, while I am at my prayers, nor to draw me to any other cogi­tations, yet I cannot containe it in its duty; for while I am lesse sollicitous of this, I finde my selfe abused by my imagi­nation, and instead of praying, I fall into other thoughts. Againe 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 them selves 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 it selfe, and is diso­bedient: from whence comes this [Page 201] merveilous thing to passe (saith conf. l. 8. c. 9. S ^t. Augustine) The mind com­mands that the hand move, and it doth it with such facility, that the distance betweene 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 doe 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 sicknesse of the mind, because it riseth not whol­ly▪ levated or lifted up by the truth, being over burdened before by custome. But the freedome of the will of GOD is so joyned 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 free-will, un­till thou comest to the glorions 8. 21. [Page 202] liberty of the Sonnes of GOD, when the heavenly Physicion shall heale all thine infirmities, and satisfie thee with good things. Ps. 103. 3 5. In the meane time, pray daily and fervently, and say to GOD with the Prophet, Thou hast beene my helper, forsake me not: 27. 11. and speake to him, not out of custome, but heartily, againe and againe, Thou art my helper and redeemer, O LORD make no 70. 6. long tarrying.

Mans soule hath also a ratio­nall 7. will, which not onely can desire good things present, par­ticular and corporall, such as are proper to beasts to covet; but also good things absent, ge­nerall and spirituall, which are demonstrated by faith or rea­son, and indeed, GOD himselfe which is the chiefe and infinite good. And this is it, which makes a Man capable of great vertues, especially of love, the chiefe of all other, and the f [...] taine, [Page 203] from whence all good guists are derived, and which joyneth Man to GOD, in so strong a tye, that GOD shall remaine in him and he in GOD: For GOD is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. But if this be so 1 Io▪ 4. 16 great a happines of the created will, how great will that hap­pinesse be, with which the un­created will is replenished? The will of God is onely capable of infinite love, where with the in­finite goodnes of God is wor­thy to be beloved Neither doth this will want vertues, nor hath it need to bee directed by the understanding, for Gods will and understanding are both but one, as his wisedome and love are one, and the same thing in him.

Besides: Mans soule is in 8. a humane body; but farre other­wise then the soules of bruire beasts are in their bodies; for the soules of bruits are materiall, and [Page 204] extended through all parts of their bodies, so that part of it is in part, and all in the whole body. But Mans soule which is an in­divisible spirit, is after an ad­mirable manner all in the whole, and all in every part of the body; and whereas it fills the whole bo­dy, yet it occupies no speciall place in it; neither increaseth it, as the body encreaseth, but on­ly begins to be, where formerly it was not: and if a member of the body bee cut off, or wither, the soule is not lessened, or made dry by it, but leaves to be in that member, without any may me, or impayring. This is a true mirrour of Gods existencie, in things created: for God is an indivisible spirit, yet fills the whole world and all the parts of it, nor occupies it any one place alone; but is all in the whole world, and all in every part of it: and when a new Creature is made, God begins to bee in it, [Page 205] and yet is not moved; and when any Creature perisheth, or dy­eth, God dyes not, but onely, leaves to bee there, and yet changeth not his place. And therefore in these things God and the soule of man agree; but God is much more excellent then the soule; for the soule to be in a body to rule and stirre it, must of necessity have a forme of a body made for it, and to be so joyned to it, that of the soule and body a man may bee made: God needes not the forme or soule of a world, nor that of him and the world, one com­pounded substance should bee made; but of his owne immen­sitie, he hath this preheminence, to bee every where; of his in­divisible unitie to bee all, every where; of his omnipotence, to governe, move, and sustaine all things. Againe, the soule of man, though it bee said to be in the whole body, yet properly it is [Page 206] not; but in the living or ani­mate parts of it, and therfore is not in the humors, in the hayre, nailes, dry or dead members: God absolutely is in all things, not onely corporall, but spirituall; nor can it be, that there should be any thing, in which God is not. Lastly, it is not a soule, but in it's owne body, and that a streight and small one, wherein all the parts are tyed together; for if any part (as is said) be se­vered from the other, in that part the soule cannot be. But God is all in this universe of things, though it be great, and the parts thereof not tyed or joyned together, though they be neere one another: and if there were more worlds, God would be in them all: to which purpose it is said, Heaven and 2 Chr. 6. 18. the heaven of heavens cannot con­teine thee: for if there were o­ther heavens and another earth created, or more heavens and [Page 207] earths without number, God would fill them all, and where he were not, nothing would be at all.

Againe, mans soule hath in it 9. (though obscure) the Image of the most holy Trinitie; aswell in that it hath a fruitfull memo­rie, power to understand, and power to love; as also, because the mind thereof (by understan­ding) formes a certaine word, and from the mind and word, proceeds love, because that which is knowne by the mind, and represented by the word, is presently (as it is good) loved, and desired by the will. But af­ter a much higher and diviner manner, God the Father begets God the Word, & the Father and the Word breath God the Holy Spirit, who is the living love, and the living fountaine of all chast love. And in this respect, the mystery of the Trinit [...]e tran­scends the naturall meanes of [Page 208] knowing; nor can a learned Philosopher come to the know­ledge of this, without a super­naturall light: for the soule of man produceth a word, and a love, which are not substances, but accidents, and in that re­gard, are not Persons: but GOD the Father begets to himselfe the Consubstantiall Word, and the Father and the Word breath the Holy Spi­rit, consubstantiall likewise to them both, whereby it is, that the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, are rightly and worthily called three Persons. The soule of Man also produ­ceth a Word which is of no long continuance, and the will bringeth forth a love, which lasteth not long: but GOD the Father begets the eternall Word, and the Father and Word breath the eternall Holy Spi­rit; nor can GOD be with­out his Word and Spirit. Againe [Page 209] Mans soule, by one word represents but one thing, and therefore multiplyeth words, not onely of the mind, but of the mouth; and mans will must produce many acts of love, if it will love many things: But GOD, by one Word speaketh all true things, and with one act of love, loves all good things.

10 Lastly, the soule of Man, while it is in the body, hath this property, that though it be not seene, heard, nor mo­ved, and is hardly conceived to be in it, and that leaving it, the body seemes to want no­thing it had before; yet it is that which causeth all good to the body, sense, motion, speech, subsistence, beauty and strength: for what is the cause that while a man liveth hee seeth, heareth, talketh, wal­keth, and is strong and beau­tifull? nothing, but because he [Page 210] hath a soule in him? and why cannot a man see, nor heare, nor speake, but lies deformed, unprofitable, and unserviceable after hee is dead; but that his soule is departed from him, from whence all these benefits and good things were derived to him? So thy GOD, whilst by his grace he lives in thee, causeth thee to see what faith sheweth thee, and to heare what GOD speaketh to and in thee; and to walke by the way of his commandements, to the heavenly Ierusalem; to speak to him by prayer, and in holy exhortation to thy neigh­bour; to subsist, by perseve­ring in good workes; to bee strong in battell against thy in­visible enemies; and to bee beautifull in the sight of God, and his Angels. But beware, least the grace of GOD (the life of thy soule) depart not from thee: if it doe, thou wilt [Page 211] soone 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 minde, that thou mightst seriously consider and see the exceeding beauty and splendor of a soule acceptable to GOD, and joyned to him by true love, with how cheer­full and loving countenance he looketh upon it, what place he prepares for it, what joyes he hath promised to it, and with what desire the Angels and blessed spirits wait for it, thou wouldst never indure 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 teares. But, if by the same grace of GOD, the inward eyes might bee opened, that thou mightst [Page 212] behold how filthy a soule is that sinneth, what an unsavory stench it sends forth, like a putrified body or carrion, and how GOD and the holy Angels loathe to looke upon it, although per­haps it inhabite a comely and beautifull body: without doubt, thou thy selfe wouldst also so detest and abhorre it, as that thou woulst never be brought to bee such a one, or remaine 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, then the Angelicall, if we speake on [...]ly of naturall perfection, and there are three things principally to be considered in them.

• 1. First according to the ex­cellencie 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 [Page 214] propound and handle the things which concerne them, by way of disputation, but to touch onely those matters, which may helpe us to the lif­ting up of our minds to GOD.

1. An Angell if we compare him to a reasonable and hu­mane soule may fitly be called a perfect soule, as the soule may be termed an unperfect Angell. For so the Psalmist speakes of Man in respect of his soule. Thou hast made him little lower then the Angels. And indeed an Ps. 8 5. Angel is an entire perfect spiri­t [...]ll substance; and mans soule is but (dimidiata) divided as it were into halfes, and unperfect: because as it is the forme of the body, it is part of man. So that an Angell is all spirit, and a man, part spirit, part flesh: or partly an Angell, partly a beast: as if we should say an Angell is all gold, and a man part gold, and part earth or clay. [Page 215] By which, it followes, that an Angell is more like to GOD, then a man or his soule, 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, eternall, im­mense, onely mighty, onely wise, onely good, onely the most high. Therefore if we worthily admire the Angeli­call nature, how much more ought we the divine, which beyond all manner and mea­sure surpasse [...]h the dignity of the Angels.

2. And not onely in nature or substance may an Angel be called a perfect man, and man an unperfect Angell, but also in understanding and knowledge: for a man or the soule of man, takes much paines in under­standing [Page 216] things, because he must use the office of his sences, and running from causes to effects, and from effects to cau­ses, before he can gaine a little knowledge: from whence it is, that he oftentimes stickes as doubtfull, oftimes he is mise­rably deceived, and seldome at­taines to a sure and certaine un­derstanding. But an Angell at the first sight beholds things, and at one time perceiveth the cau­ses and the effects, and dives not onely into the accidents, but the substance, aswell of spi­rituall as corporall things. Ther­fore Man, while he is in this pilgrimage, in asmuch as con­cernes understanding, is not one­ly a little lesse, but a great deale lesse then the Angels; and though he be very wise, and give him­selfe to the study of wisedome, yet compared to an Angell, he is but a childe, or an infant, or suckling. The Prophet there­fore [Page 217] did us no wrong, when he said, Out of the mouthes of babes Ps. 8. 2. and sucklings hast thou ordained knowledge. You may heare 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 againe, He (meaning GOD) hath set the world in their heart, yet man cannot finde out the worke 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 runne, if he should goe about to search after those things which are above heaven?

[Page 218] If thou be wise therefore follow the knowledge, which belongs to thy salvation, and the wisedome of the Saints, which consists in the feare of GOD, and keeping his Com­mandements; let prayer delight thee better then disputation, and edifying charity, rather then swelling knowledge: for this is the way which leads to life, even to the Kingdome of heaven, where we little ones shall be made equall with the Angels, Mat. 18. 10. who alwaies behold the face of their Father which is in heaven. Luke 20. 36.

3. There is also a third thing, wherein mans soule is not onely made a little, but much lesse then the Angels; and that is their power and command over bo­dies: for mans soule can onely by the command of its will, stirre and move his owne body, other bodies he cannot; and he moves his owne too, but in an ordinary progressive motion, [Page 219] upon the ground; he cannot walke upon the waters, or raise it up to the ayre, and carry it whither he pleaseth: but the Angels by the onely 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. A­gaine, one man cannot fight Dan. 14. with an host, because he wants many hands, and weapons: but an Angell without hands and weapons can fight with an ar­mie, and overcome and kill at one time 185000. as in the case of the Assyrian army. If then 2 Reg. 19 35. an Angell can doe these things, what can the LORD of An­gels doe? Certainly he which made all things of nothing, can againe reduce all things to no­thing. A mans mind also, by the Art of painting and graving, with labour and industry can make mens counterfeits, and re­present [Page 220] 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 shalbe conceived to be a humane body, that shall walke, speake, eate, drinke, 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 Lot re­ceived Angels as pilgrimes in­to his house: and the Angel Raphael accompanied young Tobias many dayes, walking, speaking, eating and drinking, as if he had beene a true and reall man, yet he (being to leave him) said, I seemed to eate and drinke with you, but I did neither Tob. 12 19. eate nor drinke, but you did see a vision, and presently vanisht out of their sight. Certainely, it is a great and admirable [Page 221] power to assume a body present­ly, which shall seeme to differ noth [...]ng from a humane and li­ving body, and to dissolve it at pleasure as sodainely, so that no signe of it shall remaine. Now if the power of Angels be so great and wonderfull, 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 righteousnesse of Angels and men compared with the righteous­nesse of GOD is unrighteous­nesse; so all the power of Angels and men compared with the power of GOD is weaknesse, and therefore GOD is truely called onely wise, onely good, and Ro. 16. ult onely mighty.

4. Lastly, if we consider the place of Angels, and the place of men, we shall finde also in [Page 222] this respect, that man or the soule of man, is not onely little lesse, but much lesse the Angels. For GOD hath given to the soule of man a place in earth, but to the Angels a place in heaven, in his owne 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 anoth [...]r place, Joy shalbe 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. Againe, GOD hath so bound the soule to the body, as that without the one, the other can­not move; but GOD hath not tyed the Angels to any body, but hath given them power to passe from heaven to earth, and from the earth to heaven, when­soever they will, and that spee­dily: so that an Angel b [...] the [Page 223] dignity of his nature being nee­rest to GOD; by his subtility also after a sort imitateth the omnipresence of GOD. For GOD is alwaies every where, by the immensity of his nature, neither needs hee change of place, seeing he is every where: and an Angell by the swiftnesse of his motion so easily passeth from place to place, and exhi­bits his presence so easily to all places, that in a manner he seemes to be every where.

If then thou wilt give eare to the LORD of Angels, there will be no cause why thou shouldst envie the Angels, or their high place or swift motion, for not onely thy soule when it shalbe loosened from thy body shall be equall with them, but also when thy soule shall returne to thy body, which Christ shall fashion like to his glorious body; Phil. 3. 21 with that body thou shalt pos­sesse heaven, as thy proper man­sion; [Page 224] and that body being made a spirituall body, it shalbe there 1 Cor. 15 44. continually without labour and wearinesse, where thy soule will and commands it. Thy Lord God will not faile thee in Io. 14. 2. 3 17. 24. his promise, In my Fathers house are many mansions, and I goe to prepare a place for you, and I will that they be with me where I am, &c. but where Christ is, and what body he hath we know, for we confesse 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 doores being shut, and Io. 20. 26 Luke 24. 36. when he left them, it was not by walking away, but vanish­ing; that is, he conveighed his body with so speedy motion, from place to place, as if he had bin a spirit, and not a body.

But if thou aspire to that place, it is necessary that thou [Page 225] first conforme thy selfe to him here, thy body to the body of Christs humility; and so it will come to passe, that Christ will fashion thy body like to his glori­ous body. Againe, thou must follow his footsteps, for Christ suffered for you, leaving you an 1 Pet. 2. 21. e [...]sample that you should follow his steps; and what are they? S ^t. Peter answers in the next verses, That did no sinne, neither was there any guile found in his mouth. Who when he was reviled, reviled not againe; when he suffe­red, he threatned 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 Countrey. 1 Thou must doe no evill, but suffer: and 2 ^dly Thou must doe good and expect none here a­gaine, and (which is the summe of all) thou must love thy neigh­bour for Gods sake, with the true and pure love of amity, and [Page 226] not of concupiscence; freely, not for the retribution of man: be­ing contented with Gods re­compence, which exceedeth all proportion and measure.

2 We come now to speake of the dignity of Angels, according to grace: And in this respect, it may be truly also said, that God made man little lesse and more then little lesse, then the Angels. For, in the beginning, GOD so created every Angell, 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 blessed­nesse, 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 betweene their crea­ation and blessednesse a pilgri­mage. We men in our creation received also grace with our [Page 227] nature; but it was in our first parent, not in our selves, 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 IESUS, 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 walke by Faith and not by sight: and that which much 2 Cor. 5. 7. grieveth good men, and those who desire their Countrey, is, that in the meane 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 [Page 228] my dwelling here is prolonged, or Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech, (the Mes [...] ­kites were Arabian Pagans de­sc [...]nd [...]d from Japhet) that is, Gen. 10. 2. alas that I am forced to live so long among prophane and wicked men. But though in this regard men are lesse then the Angels, yet GOD of his good­nesse hath wonderfully com­forted us, in that out of our kind, he hath preferred one to be above all Angels and Princi­palities, even CHRIST IE­SUS blessed for ever. And men need not so much com­plaine of their long living here, seeing that while they are here, they may many times amend and repaire their lapses and faults, and by repentance, ob­taine remission of them.

It remaines now that we speake of the offices of the An­gels, 3. which are five in num­ber.

[Page 229] 1. The first is, that they al­waies sing praises and Hymnes 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 chiefe chanters or Rectores chori (as we may call them) the other Angels doe beare their parts, of whom you may heare 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 sixe wings, 2. with twaine he covered his face, and with twaine he covered his feet, and with twaine he did flie. And one cryed 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 heare the name Se­raphim, [Page 224] [...] [Page 225] [...] [Page 226] [...] [Page 227] [...] [Page 228] [...] [Page 229] [...] [Page 230] who are the chiefe 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 flye, while they sing, to signifie their affection and desire, more and more to approach neere to GOD, which two qualities are necessary for those which desire to please GOD, while they sing and chant his praises, to joyne love with reverence, and reverence with love; which also the Prophet David expresseth in saying, Serve the LORD with feare, Ps. 2. 11. and rejoyce in him with trem­bling.

Hence we may learne, what honour GOD is worthy to re­ceive from us, when the Princes of heaven, who are alwaies in his presence, and see his face continually, dare not neglect their feare and reverence while [Page 231] 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 shalbe reprooved for our drowsines, wandring thoughts, carelesse­nesse and irreverence in his ser­vice? Learne therefore at the least, henceforth by so great a patterne, to performe thy due prayses, and to sing hymnes unto thy GOD with feare 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 praiers of mortalls to GOD, for so speaketh the Angell 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 [Page 232] 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 odors 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 goodnesse and mercy of GOD is seene, for being not contented, first by his Prophets, and afterwards by his Son and his Apostles to exhort us to pray and aske: but addeth a promise of giving whatsoever we shall require, Aske (saith he) and it Luke 11. 9. shalbe given unto you; and againe, Whatsoever ye shall aske 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 doore, [Page 233] 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 goodnesse, he hath appointed Angels as it were of his privy chamber, that should take care of the prayers of poore 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 Gods Ambassadors or Messengers, to signifie his pleasure; but especially concer­ning the worke of our redemp­tion; for so St. Paul speakes, H [...]b. 1. 14. Are they not all (the Angels) [Page 234] ministring Spirits, sent forth to minister, for their sakes which shalbe heyres of salvation? And we see in diverse places of the old Testament, Angels appea­ring to the Patriarchs and Pro­phets; Gen. 18. Dan. 9. declaring to them what GOD gave them in charge to reveale: as also in the new we reade, that the Angell Gabriel was sent, as a messenger to Za­charie, and to the blessed Virgin Luke 1. 2. Mary, to the Shepheards, to Ioseph: 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 speake by himselfe to the hearts of men,) yet would send Angels, is, that men might understand, that he hath a spi­rituall care of humane things, and that all things are directed and governed by him: for men are prone enough to perswade [Page 235] themselves, that revelations are their reasons and counsailes: but when they see or heare that Angels are sent by him, and that those things come to passe which are foretold by them, they cannot doubt but GOD hath a providence over humane affaires, and that those things which pertaine to the eternall 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 goodnesse of GOD to com­mend the infirmities of mor­talls to his most powerfull ser­vants, and to set them over men as Schoolemasters or Tu­tors to children, as patrons to clients, shepheards to sheep, phy­sicians to the sicke, defenders of orphans, and protectors of those, who are not able to defend [Page 236] 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 wayes, and Christ the most faithfull wit­nesse, 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 alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. Concerning protectors of Provinces and Kingdomes, Daniel testifieth of Michael Dan. 10. the Angel, who is there called a Prince. Lastly, for protection of the Church, take S. Iohn for a witnesse, who mentioneth the Angell of the Church of Apoc. 2. & 3. Ephesus, of Smyrna, and so of the rest.

Consider then, how carefull GOD (who needeth none of our goods) is over us his poore servants. What could he have done to manifest his great love to us, and hath not? he hath [Page 237] loaden us with blessings, that we might abide in him: he hath compassed us with protectors that we might not flye from him: he hath environed us with keepers that we should not be snatched from him: what would he doe for us, if we were his treasure, as indeed he is ours.

Therefore, at the last, yeeld to his love, and being overcome with the love of so great a lover, give thy selfe wholly to his service and will; let no­thing trouble thee which thou seest; but thinke upon invisi­ble things, and desire them ear­nestly: For the things which a [...]e 2 Cor. 4. 18. seene, are temporall; but the things which are not seene are e­ternall.

5. The last office of Angels is, to be Souldiers or Captaines to execute Gods vengeance upon Nations, and threats to people. They were Angels that burnt Gen. 19. 29. the infamous Cities of Sodome [Page 238] and Gomorrah, with fire and brimstone. They were Angels that slew all the first borne of Aegypt. It was an Angell that Exo. 12. 29. slew 185000. Assyrians: and they shalbe 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 Corpo­rall greatnesse.

WE have ascended as high as we can by Created substances, and yet cannot attaine to that knowledge of GOD, to which by speculation we may come, even in this valley of teares: It remaines therefore, that we see, whether by such dimensi­ons of corporall 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 [Page 240] foure great dimensions. And GOD in the Psalmes, and o­ther places of Scripture is cal­led great, and that of his great­nesse Ps. 47. 2. there is no end.

Certainely, St. Bernard (a great contemplative man) of these dimensions made himselfe 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 bredth and length, and depth and height: for if a man shall duely consi­der with himselfe, he shall finde, that there is nothing full and solid without GOD, but all things are narrow, streight, short, poore, empty or superfi­ciall: [Page 241] 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 bottome. Againe, true height, his omnipotence, true depth his infinite wisedome; true lati­tude, his bowels full of mercy; true longitude his ful & perfect justice.

But it will not be sufficient to touch these considerations lightly, if a man would ascend and finde what he lookes for: but to comprehend these di­mensions, as the Apostle hath set them downe in the verse before quoted. And he it is, that comprehends them, which seriously thinking on them, is fully perswaded, that they are so in him indeed, and being so perswaded, sells all that he hath, to buy this knowledge. And the Apostle fitly addes [with all Saints] for onely the Saints comprehend it, or there is [Page 242] 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 Crosse of Christ. The latitude in the transverse or crosse piece, to which our Sa­viours hands were fastned: the longitude, in the upright piece, to which his body ad­hered: the sublimity in that piece above, or on the upper part of the Crosse, whereon the title was written: and the depth in that piece, which was fast­ned into the ground: he doth not I say oppose our intention but rather helpes it. For the Crosse of Christ is the true way to obtaine and comprehend these 4. dimensions: for though the Crosse of Christ to mens [Page 243] eyes seeme streight, short, shal­low, and not high: yet in truth, Christ extended and stretched out his armes, from East to West, and from North to South: that is, he spread his glory, farre and neere, by the preaching of the Apostles; and erected the crowne of his head to the highest heaven, which (like a key) opened it to the Elect; and lastly pierced downe 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 it selfe, and altogether immense, because it comprehends and containes all the perfections of created things; as also of those, which may be created, [Page 244] and so, endlesse without num­ber. For, whatsoever is, or shalbe, 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 apparell and the like: But GOD is all good. When Moses desired GOD to shew him his glory, GOD answered, I will make all good goe before thee. Suppose a man had some one thing, which comprehen­ded all the objects of the sen­ces in full perfection, so that he need not goe out of dores, either to see, heare, smell, tast, 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 pretious thing? but if this also contay­ned in it asmuch wealth as would satisfie a covetous man; [Page 245] were it not more pretious? or if this one thing besides plea­sure and wealth brought with it asmuch honour and dignity, as would content the most am­bitious, would it not seeme to exceed all valuation? and lastly, if this were able to fill the de­sire, not onely of men, but of Angels, of what value wouldst thou thinke it to be? Yet the goodnes of this one thing would come farre short of the good­nes of GOD, which is so great, that it is able to satisfie and sati­ate the infinite desire, or rather the infinite capacity of GOD himselfe.

Oh the admirable latitude of the perfection of the essence of GOD, which containes such immensity of good thing [...] as is sufficient for the infinite capa­city which is in himselfe! for GOD cannot at any time goe out of, or from himselfe, be­cause he hath all good things [Page 246] in himselfe; and was as rich and blessed before the creation, and wilbe after, because there is nothing which GOD hath made, but would not alwaies be after a more transcendent manner in himselfe.

Therefore consider what kind of good thou shall enjoy in thy Countrey, 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 himselfe to those which love him (and he is the onely good) and will say to the good and faithfull ser­vant, Enter into the joy of thy LORD. Mat. 25▪ 23.

2. Againe, GOD is immense in another manner, because he Ier. 23. 29. fills all created things, altoge­ther, Doe 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 [Page 247] art there, if I goe downe to hell, thou art there also; that is, if I goe 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 onely with his immensitie, but spirits, hearts and mindes: For how could he search the hearts of men, if he were not in their hearts? how could he heare their prayers, unlesse he had his eares 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 eares of our hearts?

It is a happy soule which loveth GOD, because he hath alwaies his beloved with him, and cherisheth him in his bo­some, For he which dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in 1 Io. 4. him.

[Page 248] 3. Neither doth GOD one­ly 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. Governour, how excellent is thy name in all the world: thou hast set thy glory above the heavens. As if he should say, not onely 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 worke 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 Psalmes, and the three chil­dren Ps. 148. in Daniel doe exhort all creatures to blesse and celebrate Dan. 3. the praises of the Creator: not that they were ignorant, that [Page 249] most of the creatures were of that nature, that they could not heare 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 perswaded 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 eares, we should heare a harmo­nicall concent (as it were) of all kind of musicall instruments sounding out his praises, and saying, It is he that hath made Ps. 90. 2. us and not we our selves. And although the wicked many times speake evill of GOD and blaspheme his name, yet they are compelled against their wills (in that manner, that the [Page 250] worke commends the worke­man) to praise him: for in them also the power of GOD shi­neth merveilously, by which he made them, and his wisedome by which he governes them, and his goodnesse by which he preserves them, though unthank­full and evill, and his mercy and justice, by which he ordaines them, either justly to punishment, or mercifully expects them to repentance. And though many are so deafe here on earth, to heare the voyces of the creatures incessantly crying to GOD: yet there are a multitude of Angels and holy men, who hearken unto, and are delighted with those praises, they them­selves daily chaunting out the same with hymnes and songs.

Now the length of Gods di­vine Essence, is his Eternity, 2. which, as it had no beginning of continuance, so neither shall it have end, but shall remaine [Page 251] the same without change or alteration. Thou art the same Ps. 102. 27. (saith David to GOD) and thy yeares shall not faile; and the Apostle calls him The King e­verlasting, because he is not 1 Tim. 1. 17. subject to time, but is above it, and governes 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 onely 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, unlesse perhaps in another sense, as Constantius did, who was stiled Imperator aeternus, because he was not Emperour for a time; but du­ring life.

A mans soule may be recko­ned [Page 252] 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 againe, it began to decrease, and soone after leaves to be, by death: but it never stands in the same state and condition in all respects, every houre being subject to altera­tion. Of this body the Prophet speaks, by a similitude of grasse, In the morning it is greene and Ps. 90. 6. groweth up, but in the evening it is cut downe, dryed up and wi­thered. That is, in its childhood it waxeth reene as grasse, soone after it passeth to youth: in the nooneday whereof it flouri­sheth; and by and by passeth to old age, in the evening whereof it hangs the head, and is cut downe, in death it continueth, in the grave it dryeth up, and returnes to dust. By which we [Page 253] may perceive how farre the body differs from eternity. Now the soule 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 as­much as it is subject to change while it lives in the body, from sinne to goodnesse, from vertue to vice; and in what state it shalbe found at the departure from the body, in the same it shalbe judged, either to raigne eternally with GOD, or ever­lastingly to be tormented with the Devill: nothing ought to be more carefull to thee, then to flye sinne, and follow that which is good. Take heed therefore, that to the losse of body and soule thou beest not seduced by the enticements and allurements of the flesh; but erucifie it, with the desires and [Page 254] concupiscences of it; that here­after not onely thy soule may live in blessednesse, but thy body may rise in glory: and remaine together in eternity with God.

But although the soules of the blessed, and of the holy An­gels shall be partakers of that most sublime and happy union with GOD, by his beatificall vision and love; which union, not onely shall have no end, but shall ever stand firme and un­moveable: yet the thoughts and affections may change and alter diverse waies: and therefore they shall admire and behold above them the eternity of God, in whom there shall bee no change of minde, will or place, and yet nothing shalbe wanting to him, but shall possesse all things ever, which he might have gotten to himselfe by di­verse alterations from eternity. Wherefore to conclude this point, the length of Gods eternity [Page 255] is an infinite thing, and no lesse proper and agreeable to him, then the bredth of his immen­sitie.

The height of Gods Essence 3. comes next to our considerati­on, in respect whereof, it is said of GOD, Thou onely art the Ps. 83. 18. most highest. And GOD is onely 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 corporall things; water is more higher then earth, because more pure: and by the same reason, ayre is higher then water, be­cause more pure: and the fire then the ayre, and heaven then fire. Againe, we see it in spiri­tuall things: the understanding is higher then sence, because the sence hath a corporall Or­gan, which the understanding needs not: and the Angelicast [Page 256] understanding is higher then mans, because a man hath need of the office of imagination, and phantasies, which an An­gell need not: and among the Angels they are highest, who understand most things by fewest species.

GOD therefore, who one­ly is pure act, and wants no­thing without himselfe; neither Organ, nor imagination, nor species; nor so much as the presence of any object without himselfe: but his owne 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 alwaies pure act, and uncompound: therefore (I say) is his nature the most trans­cendent, highest and sublime, neither can it by any meanes be equall'd; Hee then which said, I will be like the most high Esay 19. 19. was suddenly thrust downe to hell, and as our Saviour saith, I [Page 257] saw Satanfall downe 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 finall 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. A­gaine, there is no cause, which can exercise its power, unlesse 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 univer­sall, as the heavens and Angels which move the heavens; but GOD made both heaven and Angels. And therefore, he is the onely first and most highest efficient cause. 2 He is also the [Page 258] first exemplary cause, because he made all things according to the formes and idea's which he hath in himselfe. 3 Lastly, he is the first finall cause, be­cause he created all things for himselfe; 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 seates have two uses, one for judicature, and the other for peaceable gover­ning: we will consider them apart.

1. GOD hath the highest seat, because hee is supreme Judge, for Abraham said to GOD, Shall not the Iudge of all Gen. 18 25. Ps. 82. 1. the world doe right? and David, He is a Iudge among the Gods; that is, GOD judgeth even [Page 259] Iudges themselves, who in Scripture are called Gods: but St. Iaemes most plainely, There is one Lawgiver and Iudge, that Ia. 4. 12. is, GOD is properly the one­ly Lawgiver and Iudge; and GOD is Iudge himselfe saith David; againe, GOD is the Ps. 50. 6. 75. 8. Iudge: and Esay, The LORD is our Iudge, the LORD is our Esay 33. 23. Lawgiver: he onely gives Laws to all men, and receives of none; he judgeth all men, and is judged of none.

2. Againe, GOD is not one­ly a Iudge, but is also a King: and in this regard, judgeth not as a Iudge appointed by the King, but as King and chiefe Prince: of which he is stiled 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 Kingdomes and Empires from one Nation to another; and when he pleaseth he taketh [Page 260] away the spirit of Princes. 3 La­stly, GOD is not onely the supreme Iudge and King, but is absolute Lord, which is the greatest title of all. GOD is properly and truly stiled LORD, for all things serve him, and he none: and can if he will reduce all things to no [...]hing, because he made all things of nothing.

Consider then, what feare, what reverence is due by us wormes of the earth to him, who sits upon so high a seate, as that he hath nothing above him, If I be LORD (saith Mal. 1, 6. GOD by Malachie) where is my feare? And if those supreme Princes of heaven doe stand by him with such feare and trem­bling, what ought we to doe who are mortall, and fraile, and dwell upon the earth with beasts? But this seemeth strange that the highest GOD loves not creatures like to himselfe, that is, high and sublime, but [Page 261] humble and poore: for so GOD speakes by the Prophet Esay, To him will I looke, even to him Esay 66. 2. that is poore, 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 himselfe, so they be tru­ly high, not which seeme 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 seene, not onely with the eyes of his body, but of his heart, enlightned by GOD, the rich Glutton clothed [Page 262] in silke and purple, sitting at a Table furnished with all kinds of delicates, many wayters at­tending him; and withall had seene poore Lazarus halfe na­ked, full of sores lying at the rich mans gate, desiring to be fitted with the crummes that fell from his Table: [...]ee had seene the rich man (whom the World accounted most happy) to seeme most abominable in Luke 16. the sight of GOD and his An­gels, and as vile as the mud and dung of the earth: and poore Lazarus to seeme noble and honourable: For the first (as hated by GOD) was hurried by the Devills into hell; and the last (as beloved of GOD) was carried by the Angels into A­brahams bosome. But what doe we speake of Lazarus? None was ever in higher account with GOD, then our Lord Jesus Christ, even according to his humanity: and yet none e­ver [Page 263] so humble, as he truely re­ported of himselfe, Learne of Mat. 11. 29. me that am meeke and lowly in heart. For by how much the clearer his most holy soule knew (above all others) the infinite height of the divinity, by so much the more he knew the basenesse 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 then they which are high in the heavens: because the nee­rer they are to GOD, the more clearely they see and perceive, by how much the greatnesse of the Creator is in distance from the exiguity of the creature.

Wherefore love humility, if thou desire to be exalted. Imi­tate [Page 264] the Lambe without spot, and imitate the holy Saints and Angels; who as they excell in height, excell in humility

And not onely doth GOD 2. possesse the highest seat, because he judgeth all men, but because he excells all in quiet, and makes those to be quiet in whom he rests and fits. Gods highest seat is his supreme rest: for although he governeth the universe, wherein are continuall warres 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 himselfe, wherein consists his everlasting delight. Gods proper seat is the blessed spirits, upon which it is said by the Psalmist, He sitteth betweene the Ps. 99. 1. 1 Sam. 4. 4. Cherubims; and in Samuel, the LORD of hosts who dwelleth betweene the Cherubims: and GOD is said rather to dwell [Page 265] or sit betweene the Cherubims then the Seraphims; because the Cherubims signifie multi­tude of knowledge, and Seraphim the heate of charity: now rest followes wisedome, and care and anxiety accompany love and charity, unlesse it be joyned with wisedome. Lastly, where Esay saith Heaven is my seat, Esay 66. 1 and David, The Lords 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 spirituall heavens, the blessed spirits which dwell in the corporall 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 tyred as it were with hearing of causes, retyres him­selfe, and takes his ease and quiet with his familiar servants. [Page 266] And therefore by this, we may perceive, that GOD sheweth himselfe not a Iudge or a Lord to the spirits of the blessed, but a familiar friend. And certainly it is no small familiarity which GOD shewes 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 sufferd pressures in the World, yet in their hearts (where GOD is) they had peace; and therefore ever see­med joyfull and serene, and so were. For the Truth had told them, Your hearts shall rejoyce, and your joy shall no man take Io. 16. 22. from you.

The fourth and last part of the greatnes of Gods Essence, is the depth, and this is manifold.

1. First, the divinity it selfe is most deep in him, because it is not superficiall or sleight, but most full, most solid. The Deity [Page 267] is not a gilded masse, which hath onely gold upon the su­perfici [...]s or outward part, and brasse or wood within: but as a whole masse of gold, great and immense: or rather as a mine of gold, so deep, that by digging it can never be exhausted, nor the bottome be discovered: so God of whose greatnesse there is no end, is altogether so incompre­hensible, that by a created mind it can never be so well knowne, but that it may be ever more and more understood, and it is onely God himselfe which can com­prehend this infinite depth, be­cause he onely hath the infinite power of understanding.

2. Againe, 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. [Page 268] therefore he is as it were the foundation and roofe 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 containe 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 dark­nes his secret place saith David, Ps. 18. 11 and verily thou ô God hidest thy selfe saith Esay. St. Augustine sometime inquiring 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 tooke his search by inward; and soon understood truly, that [Page 269] by them he might sooner ap­proach to God; for he knew the soule to be better then the body, and the inward sense to be farre better then the outward; and the understanding (which is more inward) to be better then the in­ward sense: and thence gathered, that God who was more inward then the understanding, was bet­ter then it: and that by all this, that we understand or thinke, it was not God, but something lesse then God, because God is better then we can understand or conceive.

Well then, if the soule be bet­ter then the body, to which the soule gives life, because that is a body, and the soule a spirit: and if the eye of the body cannot see the soule, because that is with­out, and this within: think also that thy God is better then thy soule, because he gives it under­standing, and is as it were thy soule: and therefore thou canst [Page 270] not see him, because he is a spi­rit more high and sublime, and more inward then thou art, and that thou (after a sort) stayest without, and he within, in his most secret and deep retyring 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 lye; and Now we see through a glasse darkly, but then face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. saith one Apostle. And We know that when he shall appeare, 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 s [...]cret place we shall see and possesse that light, that shape, that beauty, e­ven goodnes it selfe? then it will plainely appeare, how vaine and fading and like shadowes these temporall things were; and with which men (as drunken and besotted) negle­cted [Page 271] the true and everlasting good things. But if thou truly thirstest after GOD, and If thy teares have beene thy meate Ps. 42. 3. day and night, while they daily say unto thee where is thy GOD? be not slowe or slacke to cleanse thy heart, with which thou must see GOD, nor be weary in erecting these degrees in thine heart, untill the GOD of Gods appeare in Sion: neither waxe Ps. 84. 7. cold in thy love to GOD and thy neighbour, nor love him onely in word and tongue, but in worke and truth: for this is the way which leadeth to life.

DEGREE XI. By the Consideration Of the Greatnes of GODS Power, by the similitude of Corporeall greatnes.

GReat is the LORD, and of his greatnesse is neither end nor measure. Neither is he great only, because his height is his omnipotence, his depth un­searchable wisedome; his bredth, 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.

[Page 273] This power of GOD hath its latitude, which is so placed in him, as that it extendeth and stretcheth it selfe to things al­together infinite.

1. First, it extendeth it selfe to all things which are created: for there is nothing in the whole universe from the chie­fest Angel to the poorest worme, and from the highest heaven to the lowest abysse; which is not made by the power of GOD. Allthings (saith St. Iohn) 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. Againe, it reacheth to all things which shalbe 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 [Page 274] selfe to all things that can be made, although they never shall be: for so saith the Angell, With GOD nothing shalbe im­possible. Luke 1. 37. Mat. 19. 26. And Christ himselfe said, With GOD all things are possible.

4. It also extends it selfe, 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 himselfe in Noahs Arke: so will he be able at the last day to destroy by fire, not onely 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 thiefe in which the heavens shall pass [...] away with a great noyse, and th [...] Elements shall melt with heate [...] 2 Pet 3. 10. the earth also and the workes th [...] are therein shall be burnt up Great (without doubt) is [...]hi [...] [Page 275] latitude of Gods power, which no man can sufficiently admire, unlesse 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 onely, whose knowledge is infinite?

5. Againe, the greatnesse of this power encreaseth 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 speakes, Vno nutu delere at a becke to destroy the 2 Mac. 8. 18. whole world. Let us then say with Moses, Who is like unto thee ô LORD (in fortibus) Exo. 15. 11. among the Gods?

Now the longitude of Gods power is seene in this, that he 2. cooperateth daily with those things he hath made, neither is or shalbe at any time weary in cooperating; for this power of [Page 276] God can neither be diminished, weakned nor broken by any meanes, being joyned with true eternity, the divinity being eternity.

1. Many men mervaile, how the Sun, Moone and Starres, for so long time have continued their motions with such swift­nesse, 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 passe, 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 wonderfull, but impossible also, were it not that he is eternall and omnipotent that makes the fire so to burne al­waies, that it shall never be ex­tinguished, [Page 277] and so keepes the bodies of the damned in that fire, as that they shalbe ever tor­mented and never consumed.

3. Lastly, others there are that wonder, that GOD should sustain and beare all things, and without wearinesse support so great a weight almost infinite: It is true, that a strong Man, a Horse, an Oxe, or an Elephant can carry a great weight; but it is for a small time onely: but to carry so great a masse for ever without wearinesse, passeth the strength of all things created. And yet they might well mer­vaile, 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 mervaile at all, if an infinite strength beare a great weight or masse with­out defatigation, although it be for an infinite time. Let us heare [Page 278] againe say with the holy Pro­phet, Who is like unto thee ô Lord among the Gods?

The next thing to be consi­dered 3. is, the height of Gods power, which is chiefly mani­fested in two things.

1. His omnipotencie may be called most high, because he onely made most high things. Those things which are under the Moone, onely 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 raine in the ayre and comets in the fire. But the heaven and starres which are the highest bodies, GOD onely created, onely preserves; neither can the creature have [Page 279] any act in making, or changing' dissolving or preserving them I will consider the heavens (saith the Psasmist) even the worke of thy fingers; the Moone and the Ps. 8. 3. Starres which thou hast orday­ned. For those transcendent workes hath the mo [...] highest reserved to himselfe, he began to lay the foundation, and he hath brought the fabrique to perfection. As also spirituall things, Angels and the soules of men, which are the most noble and sublime workes of all other, the most high GOD by his power onely hath cr [...]ated, pr [...] ­serveth, and so will for ever; neither hath any creature▪ hand or part in making of them: nor though all the creatures should joyne together, could they [...]i­ther make or destroy one Angell or one soule.

2. Secondly, the altitude of the divine power is most per­spicuously seene in Gods mira­cles, [Page 280] which (as St. Augustine saith) are workes beyond the Tract. 24. in Joan. ordinary course and order of nature, and doe amaze men and Angels to behold: as when at the command of Josue the Sun Ios. 10▪ 11. and Moone (which are carried by most swift motion) stood still. And least we should conceive that this hapned by any chance, or that so unusuall a thing should be done by any mortall, the holy Ghost saith, That the 14. LORD heard the voyce of a man. Neither indeed did Iosue properly speake to the Sun and Moone, who he knew could not heare his command, but he spake to the LORD; as if he 12. should say, by the commande­ment of the LORD, Sun stay thou in Gibeon, and thou Moone in the valley of Ajalon. And the LORD heard the voyce of a man that is, he brought to passe that these great lights obeyed the voyce of a man, for GOD [Page 281] oftimes in Scripture is said to doe 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 passe, that it may be knowne, that thou truly fearest the Lord. Such another worke (decla­ring the height of the divine power) was at the passion of our Saviour, when the Moone being in a great distance from the Sun with a most swift course came to be in conjunction with it, and for three houres space, made Mat. 27. darknesse on the earth; and after those three houres 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 wonderfull, seeing it is alike [Page 282] new and unusuall, for the Moon to stand still, as to exceed its bounds beyond custome.

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 faithfull servants, all which cry, Who is like unto thee ô LORD among the Gods?

But I cannot let passe the most supreme and highest mi­racle, which GOD will shew in the last day, when all the dead shall rise againe 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 diverse herbs. Which of the Angels will not be ama­zed, when in the twinkling of an eye, at the command of the [Page 283] Almighty so many myriads of men shall resume their bodies, although they have bin buried, scattered or devoured many a­ges before? This is therefore the altitude or height of Gods omnipotence, in regard of which we may likewise say, Quis si­milis tibi in fortibus Domine? Who is like unto thee ô Lord a­mong the Gods?

It remaines that we speake of the depth of Gods power, 4. which (as I conceive) consists in the meanes or manner he useth in making things: for who can dive or wade into the meanes of making something of no­thing? they could never pierce into the depth of it, who re­solved it for a certaine and true principle, that of nothing comes nothing. And we our selve [...] be­leeve, what we see not in this point; but we securely beleeve GOD, who caennot lye: We be­leeve I say, that the heaven and [Page 284] earth and all things in them were created by GOD him­selfe, when there was nothing before to make them of; nei­ther could it be truely said, that GOD made all things, if there had bin any thing before, of which they had bin made: but how they could be so made, there being nothing before to make them of, is a most deepe abysse, which we can neither search into, nor finde out.

2. Againe, 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 cor­porall things can hardly be un­derstood. Take away distances, spaces of places (saith St. Au­gustine) Epl. 57. ad Dardanū. from bodies, and they wilbe 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 [Page 285] 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 doe all things, although we cannot un­derstand how they could bee 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 Iob. 38. 4 of the earth, declare if thou hast understanding. Who hath layd 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 layd the corner stone thereof? And that we might understand that these workes of the Lord were most worthy of all praise, he addeth in the next verse, When the Starres of 7. [Page 286] the morning praised me together, and all the children of GOD re­joyced, that is, the holy Angels who were created at the same time with heaven and earth, and are as it were spiritu [...]ll Starres, and most bright, and may be called the children of GOD, as soone as they per­ceived the heavens and earth to proceed from nothing, and placed in nothing, yet most sure­ly founded upon their owne stability; they (I say) with won­derfull astonishment, and joy magnified the omnipotence of the Creator.

3. Nor is it lesse deep to be understood, that GOD by the onely command of His will should erect such immense heape [...] or piles; for we know by exp [...]rience, that in buildings without all comparison farre lesse, what instruments, what engines, what labor [...]rs, worke­men need, who can then ap­prehend [Page 287] how it came to passe, that by his onely internall will, which went not out of the willer, so many, immense and severall workes were perfor­med? GOD said (that is with himselfe, for the word of GOD is in GOD, and is GOD him­selfe) 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 Starres be made; Let trees, creatures, Men and Angels be made, and all were made: and adde to this which hath been said, that the same GOD, may if he will, destroy with one be [...]ke, all these things, and the whole world, as we said before, out of the Booke of the Maccabees.

4. To these wee may adde one depth more, that all these things, so many, so great, and composed of so many members [Page 288] and parts, were made by GOD in a moment. With us, art and nature must have long time to bring any worke to perfection; we see seeds sowen long before the herbs grow: trees aske oft times many yeares, to fasten the roots, to sprout, spread and beare fruit: the fruit of the womb is long in the womb, and long in the nursing before it come to any growth: to speake nothing of art, seeing it is so obvious to us, that artificers must have much time to perfect any thing they take in hand. How great then is the power of GOD, who sooner then a word can be spoken, can perfect so great workes?

It is not my purpose to dis­pute whether GOD in one moment absolved and finished heaven, earth, and all things in them: or whether he spent sixe whole dayes in the first creati­on of things; for this Treatise [Page 289] was intended for our ascent to GOD, and not for dispute: but this is it which I affirme and admire, that every thing should be made perfect by the omnipo­tent Creator in a moment: and concerning the earth, the water, ayre and fire, no man doubts, but that together with all the Angels they were created in a moment. Concerning the firma­ment, and the dividing of wa­ters, it is well known that they were all made by the onely power of the word speaking, Let 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 onely spake, and the worke followed; Hom. 4. in Gen. and the same Authour upon the words, Let the earth bud forth, &c. Who (saith he) will not be astonisht to thinke how the Gen. 1. 11. Word of GOD [Let the earth bud] adorneth the face of the [Page 290] earth with an admirable embro­dery of divers flowers? you might suddenly have seene the earth, deformed before and untilled and untrimmed, to contend with hea­ven in comlinesse and bravery: and upon the words [Let there Gen▪ 1 14. be light] he saith, He onely spake, and this admirable element was brought forth, I say the Sun, and what if I added that the Moone and all the Starres were made by the same word, and in the same moment by the same Creator? and lastly upon these words, [Let the waters bring forth in 20. abundance, &c.] he thus spea­keth, What tongue can be suffi­cient to set out the praise and glory of the workeman? For as he onely said of the earth. [Let the earth bud] and presently a plentifull variety and multiplici­ty of flowers and herbs appeared: so by saying here, [Let the wa­ters bring forth] so many creep­ing things and foules were crea­ted, [Page 291] as no speech can recount, Who therefore is like unto thee ô Lord, among the Gods?

By all this, thou mayst un­derstand plainly, the great power of thy Creator, who by his la­titude extends himselfe to all things: by his longitude conti­nues alwaies, and without wea­rinesse supports and governes all things: by his altitude at­taineth to the making of those things which seeme to be, and are impossible to all but him­selfe: and by his depth and pro­fundity doth so make all things, as that the manner and meanes of making them passeth all cre­ated understanding, considering that he makes them of nothing, into nothing, without instru­ments, without time, onely by his word and command, Hee spake the word (saith the Psal­mist) Ps. 148. 5. and they were made; hee commanded, and they were crea­ted. By this thou mayst gather [Page 292] if thou be wise, how much it concernes thee, whether it were best to have him thy angry ene­my, or thy well pleased friend: For he can suddenly bereave thee of all good, and load thee with all misery; nor is there any that can deliver thee out of his hands: for who dares contend with him that is omni­potent? If thou shouldst (being naked) meet with an implacable enemy, bending a sharpe wea­pon against thee, what wouldst thou doe, but in trembling and fearefull manner prostrate thy selfe at his feet and implore his mercy? and yet (he being a man) thou mightst perhaps e­scape him, by flight, or resi­stance, or wresting the weapon from him: but what canst thou doe against an angry God? from whom thou caust not flee, he being every where, nor resist him being omnipotent; nor make delayes seeing he doth all in a [Page 293] moment and by his sole com­mand? and therefore not with­out cause did the Apostle say, Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD. On the other side, if thou make him thy friend, who more hap­pier then thou? for he can if he will, and he will (if he be thy friend) satisfie thee with all good things, and deliver thee from all evill; and it is in thy power either to make him thy friend or enemy while thou li­vest here. GOD himselfe, and he by his Prophets, and againe, by his Son, and his Apostles in the Scriptures ever call, and in­vite sinners to repentance, and the just to keepe his Comman­dements, that so he may have both sorts of men his friends, or rather deare children and heires of eternall salvation. Heare Ezechiel, As I live saith the Lord God I desire not the death Ezek. 33. 11. of the wicked, but that the wicked [Page 294] turne from his way and live: turn you, turn you from your evillwaies, for why will ye die ô ye houfe of Israel? and as Ezechiel, so Esay, Ieremie and the rest of the Pro­phets, being moved with the same spirit, cry for the conver­sion of sinners. Heare the Son of GOD when he began to preach, Amend your lives, for the King­dome Mat. 4. 17 of God is at hand. Heare the Apostle St. Paul speaking of 2 Cor. 5. 20. himselfe, and his fellow Apo­stles, We are Ambassadours for Christ; as though God did beseech you through us, wee pray you in Christs stead, that ye be reconciled to God. What more cleare? more comfortable? The Apostle in Christs name doth beseech us to be reconciled to God, to have him our friend, not our enemy. Who can doubt of Gods mercy, if he seriously returne to him? he will receive all converts, as the loving Father received the Luke 15. prodigall Son. But when we are [Page 295] returned, and have found indul­gence and favour, what doth he require of us? even to persevere as frends and children, and to keep his Commandements, If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Mat. 19. 17. Commandements saith our Savi­our. If thou wilt say, without the helpe of God his Comman­dements cannot be kept, heare what St. Augustine saith, speak­ing of the hardest precept of all Aug, in ps. 56. other; that is of laying our life downe for our Brethren. GOD would not have commanded us to doe this, if he had thought it im­possible to be done; and if conside­ring thy infirmity, thou faintest un­der a command, strengthen thy selfe by example for example pre­vailes much with thee; and he is present and ready (who gave thee an example) to give thee ayd. And 2 Cor. 13 1. that in the mouth of two wit­nesses every word may stand; heare St. Leo, GOD is justly Serm. 16. de Pass. Dom. earnest and instant by precept, be­cause [Page 296] hee forerunnes with his ayd.

What then shouldst thou feare safely to enter the way of of Gods Commandements, when as he forerunnes, that by the powerfull ayd of his grace makes the crooked streight, and Es. 40. 4. the rough places plaine. By this ayd, the yoke of our Saviour is Mat. 11. 30. made easie and his burden light: and St. Iohn saith that his Com­mandements 1 Io. 5. 3. are not grievous: But if they doe seeme 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 thinke, and thinke againe, and never forget, that now is the time of mercy, here­after of justice: if thou sinne freely now, looke for grievous torments hereafter: Now a man may easily fall to an agreement with GOD, and with the small labour of repentance, obtaine [Page 297] much indulgence; and with a little wrestling and striving, re­deeme himselfe from much weeping.