CHAP. I. That Man hath a complete Ioy and Content, proportionable to his being.

ALmightie God hauing created all things of Ps. 113. 1 [...]. nothing, according to the disposition of his will; as a pious Parent, and mercifull Creator, hath giuen to euerie thing a Content and Happinesse; which had, then it is so well satisfied, that it seemeth to desire no more, but resteth (and after his manner reioy­ceth) [Page 2] as content, and well pleased.

As wee see by experience, that he hath giuen to a Stone, a Content, to be in his Cen­ture; Water, a Rest, in the hollow places of the Earth; Ayre, a Repose, in his Regi­on; and Fire, in his Sphere; Trees, Plants, and Hearbes, a Delight, in the fat and firme­nesse of the Earth, tempered according to their proper­ties; Birds, Beasts, and Fishes, a Pleasure, in Meates, Places, Companie, and sensuall De­lights.

And out of his infinite goodnesse, in creating euerie thing, hath also annexed vnto it such a disposition to order, and such a propension to his good, and content; that take [Page 3] but out of his place, a piece of Earth, (which of all the crea­tures of God Almightie is the meanest) and giue it all things you can deuise, and make the most of it that possible you can inuent, yet it will tend thither, and neuer be quiet, vntill it returne; insomuch, as doe but take away that which holdeth it vp, presently it goeth thither of it selfe, and that infallibly.

And if by some accident, a subtile Vapour become to be in­closed in some hollow place, or caue of the Earth, where it hath, as it were, a chamber prepared for to rest in; it will be so vnquiet, that it wil teare in pieces Rockes and Moun­taines, ouerthrow Castles and Towers, and, as angrie, shake [Page 4] the whole Earth, to ascend vp to his place; and if it find but an issue, or you make but a passage, it is gone.

Or if a grosse vapour, by the heat of the Sunne, be drawne vp into the Region of the Ayre (as though it should be exalted to higher dignitie) and there come, to be enui­roned about with clouds, that it cannot descend, but must stay there, it taketh his exal­ting in such disdaine, and stayeth with so great discon­tent, that by collision of bo­dies, and through earnest pressing, it throweth fire downe from Heauen, and causeth such a thunder, as though it would teare the Heauens in pieces, and all to descend to his place of rest, [Page 5] there to remaine, where it was ordained, that it should be, in his first creation.

And the same we may ob­serue in Birds, Beasts, and Plants: put them in a Soyle not accommodated to their properties, and they die; or take from Birds or Beasts, their naturall Companie, Foodes, Places of abode, &c. and giue them what other thing else you can, yet out of anguish and grief they wil pine away; and let them but loose, they are gone, to their ordained Companie, Meat, and Rest.

Whereby wee may inferre, that since all creatures what­soeuer haue a Content and Rest (which once had, then they seeme well pleased, and desire no more) that also Man hath [Page 6] his Rest & Happinesse, where­in also he may be satisfied and well pleased.

And seeing God Almightie, as a most prudent Creator, hath giuen to euerie thing a Content, proportionable to his being; it must needes be, that Man, being a farre more excellent creature, then any of the Elements, Birds, Beasts, Fishes, and Plants, must haue a more excellent Content, then any of them; vnlesse we should esteeme God Almigh­tie iniurious to the nature of Man; which cannot be, His Mercies (to Man) exceeding all Ps. 144. his Workes, being duely consi­dered.

So hauing found out, that Man hath a Happinesse, and Content; it will be worthie of [Page 7] our labour, to seeke, wherein it consisteth, and set downe the meanes, how to attaine vnto it; which wee will doe, by Gods grace, in the ensuing Chapters.

CHAP. II. That there is a God.

THe foole hath said in his Ps. 1 [...]. heart, there is no God. Fooles, whose grieuous sinnes and horrible crimes haue ex­tinguished the right vse of Reason, denie the first Cause. Agent, Mouer, and Creator of all things; and descend to such grosse ignorance, as that they attribute that to Nothing, Chaunce, For­tune, or Accident, which pro­ceedeth [Page 8] from God: as though Nothing, or that which hath no being, were more potent then that which is; and could giue being, beginning, and motion to all things.

To dispute against fooles, obstinate, and wilfull people, who haue lost wit and rea­son, is but to become foolish. To conuince them, there is no better argument, then to put them to the practice of their Doctrine; as when they are sicke, hungrie, afflicted, or want any thing, to let them haue no other helpe, or suc­cour, then their Nothing, or Chance, to helpe them, vntill they change their Opinions; since, in their iudgements, Nothing is so potent, and actiue, as that it can giue be­ing, [Page 9] motion, and action to all things; it must of necessitie also, in their iudgements, be of sufficient force, to helpe them in their necessities, to rest and content, without any other assistance.

Aristotle setting downe common places, and meanes how to find out arguments to conuince errors, and esta­blish truths, against Atheists would not dispute, but set downe this for an argument, saying, Such as doe doubt, whe­ther Top. lib. 1. c. 9. they should honor the Gods, or no, stand in need of paines. Such as are become so depri­ued of reason, as to thinke, that there was no God, nor honor due vnto God; to con­uince them, were necessarie paines, sicknesses, and torments; [Page 10] that the Truth, which Argu­ments, deriued from Reason, could not proue (against such as had lost the right vse of Reason;) yet Affliction and Paines might force them to confesse. So the Deuils in Hell, though they cannot loue GOD Almightie, or serue, or adore him, as they ought, for that they are confirmed in Malice, and multitude of Sinnes; yet compelled by Affliction and Paines, Beleeue, that there Ia. 1. 19. is one God, and tremble: So forcible an argument is Paines and Afflictions against Atheists, who denie God in their hearts; that it is of force sufficient to conuince euen the Deuill, that there is a God.

So doe but leaue these Atheists, who denie that there is a God, and esteeme all things to happen by Chaunce and Fortune; in their Distresses, and Afflictions, to Chaunce and Fortune; and permit no­thing else to helpe them: then they vvill not onely beleeue, that there is a God, but also earnestly perswade others, that there is a God; and that hee is the rewar­der of those, vvho shew and vse mercie to others; and punisheth the cruell, and hard-hearted: Accor­ding as it is vvritten in the Scriptures, saying, Bles­sed Mat. 5. 8. are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercie. And in Mat. 7. [...]. what measure you meate, it shall be measured to you againe. [Page 12] And God will render to euery Mat. 16. 27. man according to his workes: As it fell out of late yeeres in a certaine English Souldier, in the Garrison at Flushing in Zealand; who whiles he was well in health, could not be perswaded, that there was a God; but falling, by lewd­nesse of life, into many dis­eases, wherewithall hee was grieuously afflicted and tor­mented, hee cryed out vnto him for helpe and mercie: Their infirmities were multi­plied, Ps. 15. 3. after they made hast to seeke for remedies, and to call vpon God for helpe.

And this for proofe against Atheists, that there is a God.

CHAP. III.That God is the content of Man, and that it is not possible for Man to find any true Ioy, or Content, without enioying of God Almightie.

MAn hauing lost by sinne that which was giuen him by grace and fauour, the Content and Pleasure of Para­dise, Gen. 1. 8. wherein, after his creati­on, he was placed, still seeketh to recouer his auncient inhe­ritance, Ease, Rest, Repose, Ioy, Content, and Happinesse; old, and young; rich, and poore; Kings, and Pesants; wise men, and fooles; all seeke after Ease, and Content: No man so forlorne, or decayed from [Page 14] the first originall of his Hap­pinesse, that loueth and affe­cteth Affliction, Torments, and Paines, as they are Vex­ations and Griefes: but eue­rie one, how corrupt soeuer his nature is, through sinne, yet he desireth Repose, and Happinesse.

O Sonnes of Adam! seeke that you seeke; but there it is not, where you seeke it: you seeke for Ease, Rest, Re­pose, Content, and Happinesse, in the Honour, Glory, Riches, Wealth, sensuall Pleasures, and Commodities of the World; where neuer yet was found, but their Opposites; Griefes, Anguishes, Discon­tents, and Vnhappinesse: And whom shall we call for wit­nesse of this truth? the fooles [Page 15] of the World? No; heare the Wise man speake: I haue seene Eccl. 1. 14. all things that are vnder the Sunne; and behold, all are vani­tie, and affliction of mind.

Is it possible, that the sonnes of the Earth cannot remem­ber their Parents fall? That in the enioying, & familiar con­uersing with God in Paradise, the place of Pleasure, was all Ease, Content, and Ioyes; and banished from thence, they were put, with all their poste­ritie, into a cursed Land, of Paines & Trauels: Cursed is the Gen. 3. 17. Earth in thy work; with much toy­ling shalt thou eat thereof all the dayes of thy life; thornes & thistles shall it bring forth to thee. Great is the ignorance of Mankind, that looketh to gather Grapes of Thornes, and Figs of Thistles; Mat. 7. 16. [Page 16] to seeke for Ease, Rest, Repose, and Content, in the commodi­ties of a cursed creature; in the Mettalls, Herbage, skins of Beasts, dead Fish & Flesh, sensuall Pleasures, and cor­ruption of the Earth: base minds, to be deluded with such base contents, and grosse ignorance, against which no reason or experience can pre­uaile.

God Almightie, in creating of Man, out of his infinite goodnesse, gaue him Vnder­standing, Will and Memorie, ac­cording to his owne Image, as it is written; God created Gen. 1. 17. Man to his owne Image, to the Image of God he created him, male and female he created them; their soules, and formed their bodies of the slime of the [Page 17] earth: God formed Man of the Gen. 2. 7. slime of the earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life, and Man became a liuing soule, bearing in his mind the Image and likenesse of God, Vnder­standing, Will, and Memorie.

Vnderstanding, to vnderstand what was the chiefest good; God his Creator, of infinite Goodnesse, Beautie, Glorie, Maiesty, Excellencie, and Per­fection.

And a Will, to will, loue, and seeke him at all times.

And a Memorie, to remem­ber him in all his actions; with such a capacitie of him, and hunger after him, that whatsoeuer else hee seeketh, hee should erre, and whatso­euer else hee should finde, yet hee should want; that, as it [Page 18] were perforce, though other­wise hee would not, yet hee must needes seeke after his glorious Maiestie; since no­thing else is able to content the soule of man, but God: as Cicero, a Pagan man, well ob­serueth; there were neuer any De Leg. lib. 1. people in the world so barbarous and irreligious, but that, although they knew not what God they ought to serue, and adore, yet they knew, that they ought to serue and adore some God. The light of reason, in the most barbarous people, manifesting to them, that there could be no true Content and Happinesse, but in seruing and adoring God: though, for want of grace, they erred in the manner, and through ignorance, were de­ceiued, in their opinions, of [Page 19] his diuine Maiestie; yet all, with one consent, cryed out, that God was to be serued, loued, and adored; seeing that there could be no true cōtent, without the enioying of him.

God Almightie being onely He, that is Sum qui sum, I am Exo. 3. 14. which am, and all other things being by participation frō his goodnes, depending vpon his Apo. 4. will; no creature can haue any true good content, or rest, but in him, and from him: he being all Ease, Rest, Repose, Content, and Happinesse, holdeth them in his hand, & cōmunicateth them to his creatures at his pleasure; according to the saying of the Prophet: Thou hast made the Ps. 35. 11. wayes of life known to me, thou shalt make me full of ioy with thy coun­tenance, delights are in thy right hand, euen to the end.

Againe, Thou openest thy hand, Ps. 103. 28. and fillest euery liuing thing with thy blessing.

All things created, being finite, and hauing limited per­fections, cannot satiate the heart of Man; as wee see by experience, in the most fa­mous Mynions, and greatest Potentates of the Earth; who though the world (ambitious to shew and set forth her pride and iolitie) hath raised to the highest fortunes and greatest glorie shee had; yet could she neuer bestow vpon them one moment of true Content, or Rest; but forced them to march, like galld-backt Mules, couered ouer with painted Saddles, and burdened with heauie bur­dens of Cares and Iealousies [Page 21] all the time of their liues; af­ter death, to descend into e­ternall Miseries and Tor­ments.

And to begin with Nynus, who liued in the third hun­dreth yeeres after the Floud, and was the Earths first fa­mous Mynion, exalted by her to that height of worldly ho­nor and dignitie, that his Fa­ther Belus, and his Grandfa­ther Nemrod, were stiled Gods, his Father called Iupi­ter, and his Grandfather Sa­turne, as Sator Deorum, the Fa­ther of the Gods; that for Nobilitie of Birth, Stiles, Ti­tles, Discents, and Dignities, he was not inferiour to the highest that euer was vpon the Earth: and that his earth­ly power and might, might be [Page 22] correspondent to his Styles Oros. li. 1. c. 1. et 4. and Titles, he was aduanced to the Monarchie of the Assy­rians, Medes, and Persians; so large Dominions, that vpon the first view, hee alone see­med to enioy all the pleasures and best commodities of the Earth, from the South, vnto the Sea Euxinus, of foure Em­pires: Yet if wee seriously looke into the Content hee had in this his Greatnesse, you shall find nothing, but that the poore man was de­ceiued with bare Imaginati­ons; liued fortie yeeres, the time of his reigne, vnder a heauie burthen of Cares, Iea­lousies, Warres, and Dan­gers, to die a miserable death (wounded with an Arrow, shot from his enemies) with­out [Page 23] any other benefit of all his worldly Greatnesse, Maie­stie, and Might, then encrease of eternall Torments.

The same we shall find in 4. Reg. 18. 19. Senacherib, the Earths second Fauorite; whom shee raysed to the Monarchie of the Assy­rians, and made Conqueror of manie Kingdomes, and Vanquisher of manie Kings, to adorne him with all their Treasures and Pleasures: All which could not endue him with one moment of true Content, but loadened him for eighteene yeeres, the time of his reigne, with manie Troubles, and much Discon­tents; afterward, to be mise­rably murdered by two of his owne sonnes, so to descend into eternall Torments.

The like we read of Nabu­cadonosor, Dan. 2. another Mynion of the Earths; Monarch of the Chaldeans, and ouer so many Countries and Nations, that Daniel affirmed of him, that he had all earthly things vn­der his power: yet this was so farre off from yeelding him true Content, that he was put to liue like a Beast.

Cyrus, so high a fauorite of 1. Esd. cap. 1. Iust. lib. 1. Oros. li. 2. c. 6. et 7. the Earths, that hee had the Monarchie of the Medes, Persians, and Chaldeans, con­quered King Cressus, and pos­fessed all his Wealth; yet therein could finde so little content, that after two and twentie yeeres, the time of his reigne, passed in Warres, Troubles, and Afflictions of Minde, he was killed misera­bly [Page 25] by a woman, and so des­cended into eternall Tor­ments.

The like wee shall finde in Alexander the Great, Iulius Cae­sar, Aniball, and all Heathen or Christian Kings, who liued vnchristian liues (and did not seeke after God with all their hearts) that they liued in this life in perpetuall anguish, and affliction of minde, and died Wretches, discontent, and mi­serable.

This is the generall mala­die of all the sonnes of A­dam; but especially, of the Princes and Nobles of the Earth; who pretend to be wise, and will by no meanes seeme to be deceiued; and yet all deceiue themselues, and that so egregiously, as [Page 26] that by pretending pleasures, they are turned into paines, and by seeking for Riches, Ease, and Content, they fall into Penurie, Disgusts, and e­ternall Torments; for that they seeke them where neuer yet they were found, in the sensual pleasures of the earth, and vgly pretentions of sinne (which obtained, loathe; and ended, breed affliction) when they are onely to be found in God Almightie: who being of infinite wisdome, beautie, ri­ches, honour, glorie, with all that is great, precious, and de­licious, that thou canst wish, is able to endue thy soule with Happinesse, and thy body with true Content. So that ha­uing him, thou mayest haue all things; and possessing him, [Page 27] possesse all things; and know­ing him, know all things; and louing him, be filled and raui­shed with all diuine delights. Seeke him, and He healeth all Ps. 10 [...]. 3. thy infirmities; follow him, and He redeemeth thy life frō deadly falling; serue him, and He crow­neth thee with Mercie, and Com­miserations; loue him, and He replenisheth thy desire in good things; enioy him, and thy youth shall be renewed as the Eagle.

As the Soule is life of the Bo­dy, from whom the Body hath his liuely motions, sensible gustes, and pleasures; so God Almightie is God, & life of the Soule, from whom, in whom, and by whom, shee hath her spirituall diuine motions, hea­uenly gustes, pleasures, & de­lights. Wherupon the Prophet [Page 28] called our Lord, The God of his Ps▪ 4. [...]. life. And as the Bodie, how­soeuer it may haue some false and deceitfull contents of his owne, without the consent of the Soule, or Spirit, as witnes­seth S. Paul, saying, For that Rom. 7. 15. which I worke, I vnderstand not; for not that which I will, the same I doe, but that which I hate, that I doe: Yet it cannot haue any full Content, Pleasure, or De­light, without the consent, pleasure, and concurrence of the Soule, or Spirit: as is ma­nifest by experience, when the will of the Mind resisteth the desires of the Flesh; so the Mind, or Spirit, howso­euer it may haue some false and deceitful contents, which it may enioy without the will and consent of God Almighty [Page 29] (such as are, Ambitious Thoughts, vaine Imaginati­ons, and pride of Mind) yet it can neuer haue any true Content, perfect Pleasure, or Delight, without the full con­sent and concurrence of the will and consent of God Al­mightie: according as it is written, Without me you can Io. 15. 5. doe nothing, that is good, or of true content. Againe, Our 2. Cor. 3. 5. sufficiencie is of God. So our Sa­uiour exhorting vs, sayth, Seeke first the Kingdome of God, Mat. 6. 3 [...]. and the Iustice of him (which is his Will, and Law) and all these things (Meat, Drinke, Appar­rell, &c.) shall be giuen you be­sides. Whereupon S. Augustine De Ciuit. Dei li. 19. c. 25. et 26. sayth, As it is not of the flesh, but aboue the flesh, that which maketh the flesh liue; so it is not of man, [Page 30] but aboue man, which maketh man to liue happily: Wherefore, as the life of the flesh, is the Soule; so the happie life of man, is God. Whereby it is manifest, that happy life cannot be, without the enioying of God Almigh­tie.

CHAP. IIII. That Faith, or beleefe in God Al­mightie, is necessarie to Mans Content and Happinesse: but not onely Faith, without the coniunction and connextion to other vertues.

THat Faith, and beleefe in God, is necessarie to Mans Content & Happinesse, is first manifest by reason: for that the first thing which is to be [Page 31] sought for, in any Question, is, Whether the thing be, or no; and Arist. post. li. 2. c. 1. vntill we beleeue it to be, it is in vaine to seeke how, or after what manner it is.

Secondly, by the Scriptures, which say, that without faith, it Heb. 11. 5. is vnpossible to please God: for he that commeth to God, must be­leeue that he is, and is a rewarder of them that seeke him. Againe, He that beleeueth not, shall be Mat. 16. 16. Io. 3. condemned. Again, He that doth not beleeue, is alreadie iudged.

Yet that Faith only, without the connexion to other ver­tues, is not of it selfe sufficient to Happinesse, is manifest by the light of Grace & Nature.

First, For that wee beleeue many things to be, which we would not haue, nor enioy; as Hell, and eternall paines.

Secondly, To beleeue that there is Happinesse, is not to be happie; otherwise, the De­uils, and damned soules in Hell, should be happie, since they beleeue, that there is Happinesse, and lament for the losse of it, saying, Wee Sap. 5. 4. sencelesse, esteemed their life mad­nesse, and their end without ho­nour: Behold, how they are ac­counted among the Children of God, and their lot is among the Saints.

Thirdly, Faith endeth with 1. Cor. 13. 12. 1. Io. 3. 2. this life: so, if Happinesse consisted in onely Faith, there were no Happinesse after death.

Fourthly, Faith may stand with sinne, and malice: sinne, and malice, is wittingly to doe against that we beleeue [Page 33] in conscience; and so one might be both happie and wretched together; which is contrarie to experience.

Fiftly, If onely Faith were sufficient to Happinesse, with­out the connexion or coniun­ction to other vertues, there could be no impietie commit­ted; nor no man should be wicked, vniust, or vnhappie, for any fact, how horrible so­euer, vnlesse hee denied Arti­cles of Faith: and all Lawes, and execution of Iustice vpon any one whosoeuer, but vpon such as denyed Articles of Faith, should be Tyrannie and Crueltie; as made, to put to death a happie and iust man, who had committed no vn­happinesse, or impietie.

Sixtly, It is contrarie to ex­perience, [Page 34] that a man should be happie by Faith onely: For though the whole English Clergie of Protestants, in the eleuenth Article of their En­glish Creed, affirme in these words, That we are iustified by Faith onely, is a most wholesome Doctrine, and very full of com­fort; yet we shall neuer heare, or find, that any of their Cler­gie hath left the comfort of a Benefice, good Fare, fine Ap­parrell, worldly Riches and Commodities, to practise and enioy this most wholesome Do­ctrine, and very full of comfort, Happinesse by faith onely. Nei­ther will they be well con­tent, to be put to the practice of their Doctrine, and liue se­parated from all other Con­tents, to enioy no other com­forts, [Page 35] but what they can re­ceiue by Faith onely, without connexion or adherence to a­ny other vertue.

Againe, the Scriptures ne­uer absolutely affirme, but ab­solutely denie Iustification by Faith onely, saying, By Workes Ia. 2. 23. a man is iustified, and not by Faith onely. Againe, Doe not 1. Cor. 6. 9. erre, neither Fornicators, nor ser­uors of Idols, nor Adulterers, nor the Effeminates, nor the Lyers with Mankind, nor Theeues, nor Couetous, nor Drunkards, nor Raylers, nor Extortioners, shall possesse the Kingdome of Heauen. Againe, The workes of the flesh Gal. 5. [...]. are manifest, which are Fornicati­on, Ʋncleanenes, Immodestie, Le­chery, seruing of Idols, Witchcraft, enmity, cōtentions, angers, brawles, cōmessations, & such, I foretell you, [Page 36] as I haue fore-told you, that they which doe such things, shall not obtaine the Kingdome of God. Not onely such as want faith, shall goe to Hell, but also the Apo. 21. 8. fearefull, and incredulous, and exe­crable, and Murderers, and For­nicators, and Sorcerers, and Ido­laters, and all Lyers, their part (as well as the incredulous) shall be in the Poole, burning with fire and brimstone, and the smoake Apo. 14. 11. of their torments shall ascend vp for euer and euer.

And our Lord esteemeth those who should heare the Scriptures read, or preached, and doe not practise what they say, to be so farre off from Happinesse, that he ac­counteth them fooles, saying, Euery one that heareth these Mat. 7. 26. my words, and doth them not, [Page 37] shall be like a foolish man, that built his house vpon the Sand. And to conuince fooles, there cannot be found a more for­cible argument, then that of Aristotles; When they are in affliction, necessitie, & paines, to let them haue neither the loue of God, nor loue of their Neighbours, to helpe, com­fort, or giue content vnto them, but their comfortable Doctrine of onely Faith; and you shall see how quickly they will not onely beleeue with S. Iames, that by workes a Ia. 2. 23. man is iustified, and not by faith onely; but also preach the do­ctrine of our Sauiour, and his Saints: Blessed are the merci­full, for they shall obtaine mercie. Mat. 5. 7. Againe, Get you away from me, Mat. 25. ye cursed, into fire euerlasting, [Page 38] which was prepared for the De­uill and his Angels: for I was an hungred, and you gaue me not to eat; I was thirstie, and you gaue me not to drinke; I was a stranger, and you tooke me not in; naked, and you couered me not; sicke, and in Prison, and you did not visit me: as long as you did it not to one of these lesser, nei­ther did you it to me: And these shall goe to punishment euerlasting, not for want of faith, but for want of good workes.

That S. Paul, in his third Epistle to the Romans, and third to the Galathians, sayth, that we are iustified by faith; he there, and many times, ex­plicateth himselfe, saying, The Rom. 3. 22. Iustice of God by faith of Iesus Christ. Againe, Iustifying him Rom. 3. 26. that is of the faith of Iesus Christ: [Page 39] whose faith was, as he fayth, not to breake the Law, but to fulfill. For assuredly I say vnto Mat. 5. 18. you, vntill Heauen and Earth passe, one iot or one tittle shall not passe of the Law, vntill all be ful­filled. This is the faith, of which S. Paul speaketh of: a faith, that doth establish the Law; as hee himselfe in plaine words confesseth, say­ing, Doe we then destroy the Rom. 3. 31. Law by faith? God forbid: but we doe establish the Law.

Whereas S. Paul, in the same Chapters, seemeth to speake against Iustification by workes, hee disputeth against workes done without faith in Iesus Christ; such as are Circumcision, the Ceremo­niall Law, and workes done before our Conuersion to [Page 40] the Faith; as is manifest by his words, in the same Chapters and places, saying, What pre­heminence Rom. 3. 1. hath the Iew? or what is the profit of Circumcision? A­gaine, Rom. 3. 29. Is he God of the Iewes on­ly? Is he not also of the Gentiles? for it is one God that iustifieth Circumcision by faith, and Pre­puce by faith. Doe we then de­stroy the Law by faith? God for­bid: but we do establish the Law, by denying Iustification by Faith onely, without Workes, and Iustification by Workes onely, without Faith in Christ Iesus; he established the Law and the Prophets.

The same Law-giuer Moy­ses, and the same Law which telleth vs, that we ought to obserue it; the same also tel­leth vs, that we ought to be­leeue Deu. 18. 13. [Page 41] in Christ Iesus. A Pro­phet Act. 3. [...]. (sayth Moyses) shall the Lord your God raise vp to you, of your brethren, as my selfe: And Deu. 18. [...]5. it shall be, euery soule that shall not heare that Prophet, shall be de­stroyed out of the people. So the Apostle, by denying Iustifica­tion by Workes of the Law onely, without Faith in this Prophet, our Sauiour, and by denying Iustification by faith onely, without obseruing the Law, saying, Not the hearers of Rom. 8. 13. the Law are iust with God, but the doers of the Law shall be iusti­fied, establisheth the whole Law; Faith in Christ, and kee­ping the Commandements of God.

And for the vnderstanding of many places of S. Paul, thou must obserue, that the Faith [Page 42] which Saint Paul speaketh of, when he saith, that we are iu­stified by faith, is a Faith, that worketh by Charitie, a Faith roo­ted Gal. 5. 6. and founded in Charitie. Eph. 3. 18.

So likewise, when our Lord promiseth saluation by faith, saying, He that beleeueth in me, Io. 21. 26. shall liue, &c. He meaneth such a faith, as is rooted and foun­ded in Charitie. Faith with­out Charitie, being but a dead faith, deserueth not the name of faith, no more then a dead man deserueth the name of a man: As it is an error in speech, to discourse of men without addition, and meane dead men; so it should be an error in speech, to speake and discourse of faith, with­out addition, and meane a dead faith; vvhich serueth [Page 43] those, who haue it, for no­thing else, but encrease of eternall Torments: Accor­ding to the Testimonie of our Lord, who sayth, Hee Luc. 12. 47. that knoweth his Masters will, and doth it not, shall be bea­ten with many stripes. Faith, Ia. 2. 17. if it haue not Workes, is as dead in it selfe. Without Loue Aug. in Ioan. trea. 10. (sayth S. Augustine) Faith is vaine: the Faith of Christians is with Loue, the Faith of Deuils without Loue. Againe, If neg­lecting De Fide et Operib. c. 1 [...] ▪ tom. 4. the Commaundements, we might be saued by onely Faith, which without Workes is dead; how should it be true which he wil say to them, whom he shall place on his left hand, Goe ye into eter­nall fire, which was prepared for the Deuill and his Angels? nei­ther doth he find fault with them, [Page 44] for that they did not beleeue in him, but because they did not good Workes, &c. So they shall goe into euerlasting com­bustion, there shall be an euer­lasting combustion, as of Fire, and they shall goe into it, saith Truth, whose not Faith, but good Workes, he hath declared to be wanting. So Saint Augustine. Whereby is manifest, that Faith is necessarie to Con­tent and Happinesse, but not Faith only.

CHAP. V. That Man cannot be content, and happie, without embracing and beleeuing the Faith which was planted vpon Earth by our Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ, the Sonne of God.

HAuing found out, that Faith is necessarie to Mans Content and Happi­nesse, and excluded the Faiths of all sorts of Protestants, who defend Iustification by Faith only, from euer finding any true Content, or Happi­nesse; it followeth, to seeke out, what Faith is necessarie to Mans Happinesse, that we may embrace it, and be hap­pie.

First, That it is the faith vvhich vvas planted vpon Earth by our Lord and Saui­our Iesus Christ, is manifest to reason; for that the Faith which our Lord planted, tea­cheth vs many Truths, Secrets, and Mysteries, which to the greatest Philosophers were not knowne, neither in any other Doctrine, can or may they be learned; as of the Tri­nitie, the Creation, and Redemp­tion of the World, the Communion of Saints, the Forgiuenesse of Sinnes, the Resurrection of the Dead, the Life to come, and ma­ny things more, of the grea­test content and comfort that can be to the heart of Man; which were not made known vnto the World, but by the Sonne of God, our Sauior; that [Page 47] it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophets, saying, The Orient from on high Luc. 1. 78. hath visited vs, to illuminate them that sit in darkenesse, and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet in the way of peace. Againe, The Land of Zabulon, and Land Mat. 4. 16. of Nephtali, the way of the Sea, beyond Iordan of Galilee, of the Gentiles, the people that sat in darknesse, hath seene great Light; and to them that sat in a Coun­try of the shadow of Death, Light is risen to them: By knowing Truths & Verities, before the comming of our Sauiour, not knowne vnto the World.

Secondly, It is manifest by the Scriptures, that the Faith which conducteth vs to Hap­pinesse, is the Faith which was planted by our Lord and [Page 48] Sauior, Iesus Christ; for that, when the Scriptures say, that we are iustified by faith, they intend the Faith planted by our Sauior; as, Iustifying him Rom. 3. 26. that is of the faith of Iesus Christ. Againe, We also beleeue in Iesus Gal. 2. Christ, that we may he iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ. A­gaine, Gal. 3. 23. The Scriptures haue concluded all things vnder sinne, that the Promise, hy faith of Iesus Christ, might be giuen. Where­by is manifest, that none can be truely content, or happie, who doe not beleeue and em­brace the Faith planted vpon Earth by our Lord and Sa­uiour Iesus Christ, the Sonne of God. Wherefore it is ne­cessarie, that we seeke it out, that thou mayest embrace it, and lay a sure foundation of [Page 49] thy happinesse; which I will doe in the three next ensuing Chapters.

CHAP. VI. That our Catholike Faith, which Protestants call Papistrie, is the Faith of God, planted by our Lord and Sauiour vpon Earth, is proued by the light of Reason in generall.

FIrst, by reason taken from the vnitie of our Catho­like Faith; that people of all Nations, Tribes, and Coun­tries, differing in Languages and Gouernment, dispersed ouer the whole Earth, should all beleeue as one, and one as all, and all with one voice, and in one sense, and signifi­cation, [Page 50] professe one and the same Articles of Faith; and those of so deepe vnderstan­ding, high mysteries, and se­crets, as in particular, the reason of Man is not able to reach, or comprehend, is a sufficient demonstration to anie reasonable Man, that our Catholike Faith is the Faith of God, planted by our Lord and Sauiour Ie­sus Christ: For as God Al­mightie is, so must his Faith and Religion be. God Al­mightie (as Aristotle found out by the light of Rea­son) is most Simple, One, Actus purus, without com­position; so must his Faith and Religion be one, most simple, and without compo­sition [Page 51] of diuers Faiths; as Saint Paul sayth, One God, Eph. 4. 5, one Faith.

Againe, God Almightie is One, and of infinite Goodnesse, without Malice or Diuision; and so could not plant a Faith, or Re­ligion, that should diuide Men into Sects, Dissenti­ons, and Diuisions in Faith, because it is contrarie to his Goodnesse, and Vnitie in himselfe; he being God 1. Cor. 14. 33. of Vnitie, and Peace, and not of Dissention: So, that Faith, and Religion, by all reason, must be his, which can endure no Dis-vnion, or Disparities, in matters of Faith: vvhich all men see to be our Catholike Faith; [Page 52] which with such zeale main­taineth her vnitie, that shee reiecteth all that differ from her in matters of Faith, as He­retikes, and Schismatikes; and refuseth to make compo­sition of her Faith with any other, in any the least thing, vpon any condition or benefit whatsoeuer. Insomuch, as that the vnitie of our Catho­like Faith is one, as Punctum, a point, Vnum, one, or Indiuisi­bile, that which cannot be di­uided; vnto which you can neither adde, nor abstract a­ny thing, but they passe either into nothing, or into things of another nature, as to be a line, a number, or a bodie. So to our Catholike Faith, if ei­ther you adde any Opinion, or take away any Article, it [Page 53] is no more Catholike Faith, but humane opinion, Schisme, or Heresie. As for example; if you take away the Reall Pre­sence of the Body and Bloud of our Lord, in the Commu­nion, and affirme, that it is but a signe; then it is Zwin­glianisme, of Zwinglius, who was the first Author of this Opinion. Againe, if you adde any thing vnto it, and say, that both the Bodie & Bloud of our Lord is there really, and also the Bread, then it is Lutheranisme; and so forth, of any other Article of our Ca­tholike Faith. And if any op­pose and say, that some estee­med Catholikes haue or doe obstinately maintaine anie one point of Doctrine, con­trarie to the Catholike Faith [Page 54] (held and receiued ouer the World) and would not, nor will not, submit his or their iudgements to the Catholike Church, and her Superiors; I answere, that hee or they were, and be, Schismatikes, or Heretikes, and haue, or are, to perish euerlastingly: Accor­ding to the Article of our Creede, which sayth, Whoso­euer Athana. Creede. will be saued, it is needfull, before all things, that he hold the Catholike Faith; the which, vn­lesse each one shall keepe whole, and inuiolate, hee shall, without doubt, eternally perish. Inso­much, as that it is impossible for any one of our Catho­like Church to dissent obsti­nately from our Catholike Church, since hee is bound by his Faith, to beleeue in­uiolately, [Page 55] and before all things, all the Articles of our Catholike Faith; and if hee obstinately faile herein, in any one point of Faith, hee is bound to beleeue, that hee shall, without doubt, eternally perish, according to our Creede.

So that the words which S. Ireneus (who liued so neere the Apostles times, that hee affirmed to haue seene S. Po­licarpe, who was S. Iohn the Euangelists Scholler) vsed a­gainst the diuers Sects of Heretikes in his time, wee may vse now, without ex­change. The Church, sowne throughout the World, doth di­ligently keepeth is preaching, which it hath receiued, and this Faith, as wee haue said, as it were [Page 56] dwelling in one house, and doth be­leeue them, as if it were hauing one soule, and one heart, and con­sonantly doth preach, teach, and deliuer these things, as if it had but one mouth. For although in the world there are different Lan­guages, yet the vertue of Traditi­on is one and the same. So that neither the Churches which are founded in Germanie, doe beleeue otherwise; neither otherwise doe deliuer these which are in Spaine, neither those which are in Ara­gon, neither those which are in the East, neither those which are in Egypt, nor those which are in Li­bia, nor those which are founded in the middest of the world. So Saint Ireneus, in his first Booke, and second Chapter, against Heresies; and we with him.

Protestants, though they haue but few affirmatiue Arti­cles, which in the same words and sense they defend as mat­ters of Faith, and are but few in number, in respect of Ca­tholikes; yet are they in them few Articles first generally di­uided into many Sects, as into Elizabethians, Lutherans, and Caluinists; and many more les­ser Sects, as Anabaptists, Brow­nists, Desperates, Pig-Recusants, or Trasquites, &c. The Elizabe­thians defend, that a woman may be Head of the Church, and hold the Supremacie, in all causes, and ouer all Ec­clesiasticall persons whosoe­uer, and put those to death as Traitors, who refuse to swear it as true; and giue Authori­tie to Parliaments, to alter [Page 58] formes of Religion: Luthe­rans and Caluinists denie both. Caluinists denie the Authori­tie of Bishops, and Ordi­nation of Ministers by Bi­shops; Lutherans and Eliza­bethians defend both. The Lutherans defend Consub­stantiation in their Supper, which they esteeme a Sacra­ment; both Caluinists and E­lizabethians denie it. And se­condly, besides this Diuision into generall Sects, they are all so particularly diuided, one from all, and all from euerie one, that there can­not be found anie two of them, which agree in vnitie of Faith; one to beleeue the same Faith, in the same words and sense, that his companion doth beleeue, to Saluation: [Page 59] All beleeuing, that the whole The English Creed, art. 19. et 2 [...]. Church and generall Coun­cels may erre; yet euerie one beleeueth of himselfe in par­ticular, that he is assured to be saued, and that he can­not erre. So that Faith which one Protestant beleeueth, to be saued by, all the rest doubt, whether it be true, or no: And no other else will beleeue that which his companion beleeueth, for an Article of Faith; vide­licet, That Titius is assu­red to be saued, and cannot erre. Whereby they are di­uided into as manie Sects, as Men. So that supposed, that vnitie of Faith, in the same sense and meaning, were necessarie to Saluation, Con­tent, and Happinesse, as it is; [Page 60] and that any one Faith pro­fessed by any one Protestant man, could saue, and bring to Content and Happinesse; yet of all the Protestants that are, or euer were, or shall be, one on­ly can be saued, and happie, since onely one agreeth with himselfe in vnitie of faith, and with none of his companions Protestants whosoeuer.

Secondly, it is manifest by reason, taken from the good­nesse of God Almightie, that our Catholike Faith is the Faith of God, planted by our Sauiour; for that God Almigh­tie is of infinite goodnesse, and vertue, and so could not plant a Faith, or Religion, wherby men might be saued, and attaine to all goodnesse, content, and happinesse; but [Page 61] it must consist of all vertues: because hee cannot doe con­trarie to his will; which is al­waies to will good, & vertue: which is our Catholike Faith, which teacheth, that it is not possible for any man to be saued, or enter into Heauen, or enioy God, or haue anie true content, that hath anie vice, or iniquitie in his soule; as S. Paul sayth, If any man 1. Tim. 6. 3. consent not to that doctrine which is according to pietie, he is proud, knowing nothing: because all men may and ought to know, that God Almightie is of infi­nite pietie, and so cannot plant a Faith, or Religion, which is not pious, and tea­ching all vertues, as necessa­rie to saluation, and vnion of heart with him, their happi­nesse.

Thirdly, that Faith and Religion, in all reason, must be the Faith and Religion planted by God, which tea­cheth and sheweth men the most and best meanes how to loue God; this being an Ar­gument in Nature and Grace, That euerie one loueth his owne. 3. Reg. 3. 26. Ioh. 5. 19. Whereby is manifest, that our Catholike Religion is the true Faith; for that it tea­cheth vs, how to loue God with all our hearts, and how to obtaine Saluation, and Happinesse, by louing God: VVhereas Protestants doe teach Saluation, by onely Faith; and that it is impos­sible to loue God, or keepe the Commaundements. And can there be a more vile and wicked Religion inuented, [Page 63] then to teach, that it is impos­sible to loue God Almightie with all our hearts?

Fourthly, by generall con­sent of all People and Nati­ons, though of different Re­ligions; who all generally say and affirme, That Catho­likes, liuing according to their Faith, and Religion, may be saued, and haue a spa­ring (as some tearme it) sa­uing Faith: And the consent of all People, and Sects, and Nations, cannot erre in Rea­son.

CHAP. VII. That it is as certaine, that our Catholike Faith, which Pro­testants call Papistrie, is the Faith of God, planted by our Sauiour, as it is certaine that God Almightie cannot lye, or be forsworne; and how easily to end and determine all Con­trouersies, by maintaining the Oath of God as true.

BY my own selfe haue I sworne, Gen. 22. 16. saith the Lord to Abraham; because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy onely be­gotten sonne for my sake, I will blesse thee, and I will multiply thy Seed as the starres of Heauen, and as the sand that is by the Sea shoare; thy Seed shall pos­sesse [Page 65] the gates of his enemies, and in thy Seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the Earth, because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Againe, our Lord promised to Isaack, saying, In thy Seed Gen. 26. 4. shall be blessed all the Nations of the Earth, for because Abraham obeyed my voice.

Againe, our Lord promised to Iacob, Thy Seed shall be as Gen. 28. the dust of the Earth; thou shalt be dilated to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the South, and in thee and thy Seed all the Tribes of the Earth shall be blessed.

Of these Promises, the Pro­phet Esay speaketh, saying, Israel shall flourish, and spring, Isa. 27. 5. and they shall fill the face of the world with Seed. Againe, I Isa. 61. 8. the Lord, that loue Iudgement, [Page 66] and hate Robberie in Holocaust. And I will giue their worke in truth, and make a perpetuall Couenant with them. And they shall know their Seed in the Gentiles, and their Budde in the middest of Peoples: All that shall see them, shall know them, that those are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed.

And of this Oath, the same Prophet speaking, sayth, As in the dayes of Noe, is this thing Isa. 54 9. to me; to whom I sware, that I will no more bring the Waters of Noe vpon the Earth: so haue I sworne, not to be angrie with thee, and not to rebuke thee: for the Mountaines shall be mo­ued, and the little Hills shall tremble (before the Day of Iudgement) but my Mercie shall not depart from thee, and [Page 67] the Couenant of my Peace shall not be remoued, said our Lord, thy Miserator.

Of this Oath, the Prophet Daniel, in the Captiuitie of Babylon, maketh mention, saying, Take not away thy Dan. 3. 35. Mercie from vs, for Abraham thy beloued, and Isaack thy ser­uant, and Israel thy holy one, to whom thou hast spoken, pro­mising, that thou wouldest mul­tiplie their Seed as the starres of Heauen, and as the Sand that is in the Sea shoare.

Of this Oath, the Prophet Dauid speaking, sayth, I will Ps. 88. 28 put him, the first begotten, high aboue all the Kings of the Earth; I will keepe my Mercie vnto him for euer, and my Testa­ment faithfull vnto him: I will put his Seed for euer and euer, [Page 68] and his Throne, as the dayes of Heauen. But if his children shall forsake my Law, and will not walke in my Iudgements; if they shall prophane my Mercies, and not keepe my Commaunde­ments; I will visit their Ini­quitie with a Rod, and their sinnes with stripes: But my mer­cies I will not take away from him, neither will I hurt in my Truth: Neither will I prophane my Testament; violate his Oath. Againe speaking of this Oath, and these Promi­ses, hee sayth, He hath beene Ps. 104. mindfull for euer of his Testa­ment, of the Word which he com­maunded vnto thousand of Gene­rations, which he disposed to A­braham, and his Oath to Isaac, and he appointed it to Iacob for a Precept, and to Israel for an eter­nall Testament.

That this Oath of God, and Promises to the Patriarkes, were to be fulfilled in Christ Iesu, and in Christians, main­taining and professing the Faith of God, planted by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, the Scriptures abundantly do testifie. Our Lord expoun­ding the Parable of the Coc­kle of the field, sayth, He that Mat. 13. 37. soweth the good Seed, is the Sonne of Man, and the Field is the World, and the good Seed those are the Children of the King­dome, dispersed ouer the World, according to the Oath of God to Abraham. Againe, our Lord sayth, Doe Mat. 5. 18. not thinke, that I come to breake the Law, or the Prophets; I am not come to breake, but to fulfill. Againe, All things must needes Luc. 24. [Page 70] be fulfilled, which are written in the Law of Moyses, and the Pro­phets, and the Psalmes of me.

Our Blessed Ladie, spea­king of the fulfilling of this Oath in our Sauiour, and his Seede, the Christians, saith, Hee hath receiued Israel his Luc. [...]. 54. Child, being mindfull of his mer­cie, as he spake to our Fathers, to Abraham, and his Seede for euer. And Zacharie, repleni­shed with the Holy Ghost, prophecied, saying, Blessed be Luc. 1. 68. our Lord God of Israel, because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people, as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, that are from the beginning, to remember his holy Testament, the Oath which he sware to Abraham our Fa­ther.

Of the fulfilling of this Oath, and these Promises, in our Sauiour, and Christians, S. Peter speaketh, saying, You are the Children of the Act. 31. 24. Prophets, and of the Testament, which God made to our Fathers, saying to Abraham, And in thy Seed shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed.

That this Oath of God to Abraham, was to be fulfilled in Christians, S. Paul euerie where witnesseth, saying, Of Act. 13. 25. his Seed, God▪ according to his Promise, hath brought forth to Israel a Sauiour, Iesus. Againe, Wee preach vnto Act. 13. 32. you the Promise, which was made to our Fathers, that God hath fulfilled the same to our Children. Againe, Paul Rom. 1. 1. the Seruant of Iesus Christ, [Page 72] called to be an Apostle, separated in the Gospel of God, which be­fore he had promised by his Pro­phets, in the holy Scriptures of his Sonne, by whom we receiue grace and Apostleship, for obedience to the Faith, in all Nations. A­gaine, Abraham contrarie to Rom. 4. 18. hope, beleeued in hope, that he might be made the Father of many Nations, according to that which was said to him, So shall thy Seed be, as the starres of Heauen, and the sand of the Sea. Againe, Know yee therefore, that they that are Gal. 3. 7. of Faith, the same are the chil­dren of Abraham. And the Scripture fore-seeing, that God iustifieth the Gentiles by Faith, shewed vnto Abraham before, that in thee all Nations shall be blessed. Againe, Christ hath Gal. 3. 17. [Page 73] redeemed vs from the Curse of the Law, that on the Gentiles, the blessing of Abraham might be made in Christ Iesus, that wee may receiue the Promise. Againe, to the Galathians con­uerted to Christianitie, he saith; Wee brethren according to Isaack, are the children of the Promise.

And speaking of this Pro­mise of God to Abraham more at large, saith; God promising Heb. 6. 13. to Abraham, because he had none greater by whom hee might sweare, hee sware by himselfe; saying: Vnlesse blessing I shall blesse thee, and multiplying I shall multiply thee, &c. for mensweare by greater then themselues, and the end of their controuersie, for confirmation, is an oath: Where­in, God meaning more abundant­ly [Page 74] to shew to the Heires of the Promise the stabilitie of his Coun­sell, he interposed an Oath, that by two things vnmoueable, wher­by it is impossible for God to lye, we may haue a most strong com­fort, who haue fled, to hold fast the Hope promised, which wee haue as an Anchor of the Soule, sure and firme. So S. Paul.

Whereby thou seest, deare Reader, that our Catholike Faith is as certaine the Faith of God Almightie, planted by our Sauiour, as it is certaine, that God Almightie cannot lye, or be forsworne: since there is not, nor euer was, any one Faith, or Religion, so di­lated ouer the World, as our Catholike Faith is at this day; in the East, West, North, and South, in Europe, Asia, Africa, [Page 75] and America, ouerflowing the Isa. 66. 12. glorie of the Gentiles; accor­ding to the Oath of God, and Promises to the Patriarks and Prophets.

Though Sects and Heresies haue somtime occupied many parts of the World; yet they either in short time returned to the vnion of our Catholike Church, or else were conque­red by barbarous Nations, and made their slaues, accor­ding to the Promises and Pro­phecies: As the Arrians in Lumbardie, and other pla­ces, by the Gothes; the Donatists in Africa, by the Vandales; the Greekes, by the Sarazens, and Turkes. The Brittans (auncient In­habitants of this Island) ad­mitting of the Pelagian Here­sie, [Page 76] were soone after conque­red by the Pagan Saxons, and their name extinguished, and they, for the most part, de­stroied; that poore remnant of them excepted, which were hemmed vp in that part of the Realme which is now called Wales: For a few yeares before the comming of the Sax­ons into this Land, the Pelagian Heresies were brought in, saith Beda in his first Book and 15. Chapter.

Since Schismatikes and He­retikes will not honour God, by maintaining his Oathes and Promises to his Seed, and returne vnto the vnion of our Catholike Church, that they may be partakers of his Bles­sings; God Almighty will be honoured, by manifesting the [Page 77] fulfilling of his Maledictions and Curses vpon them: that the Iust may see, and feare and Ps. 51. 8. confesse, that God is true and iust in all his Wordes and Oathes. Reuenge is mine, saith Deut. 32. our Lord, and I will repay them in time, that their foote may slide. They haue prouoked me, in that which was no God, and haue an­gred me in their vanities; and I will prouoke them, in that which is no People, and in a foolish Na­tion will I anger them. And in this, God Almightie hath been so faithfull in his Promises, that he alwaies raised vp the most barbarous foolish Nati­ons of the Earth, to be their Conquerors.

And as for Protestants; if euer there hath beene any Kings, Kingdomes, or Nati­ons, [Page 78] which haue made profes­sion of that Faith Protestants doe now, before King Henrie the eight; we see by experi­ence, that the Curses and Ma­ledictions of God Almightie, spoken of by the Prophets, hath so fallen vpon them, that they were as people that descended into Hell quick; Ps. 54. 16. of vvhom there is no me­morie in any Booke, Chro­nicle, Antiquitie, or Historie: Those enemies of God, vp­on whom the Prophet Moy­ses speaking, sayth in the Person of GOD: I said, Deut. 32. 26. Where are they? I will make their memorie to cease from among Men. In such sort, that there is lesse memorie of them, then of Sodome and Gomorra, vvhich vvas [Page 79] destroyed by fire from Hea­uen; or of Core, Dathan, and Abiron, who were swal­lowed vp into the Earth quicke; of whom yet there is some mention made, in other mens Writings: But of Protestant Kings, King­domes, or Nations, profes­sing the Faith Protestants doe now, there is not a­nie mention, or memorie. Yet a little while, and the Ps. 36. 10. sinner shall not be; and thou shalt seeke his place, and shalt not finde it. The ene­mies Ps. 36. 20. of our Lord, forthwith as they shall be honoured and exalted, vanishing, shall va­nish as smoake. I haue seene the Impious highly exalted, and aduanced, as the Caedar of Libanus, And I passed by, [Page 80] and behold he was not: and I sought him, and his place was not found. The Vniust shall perish together, the remaines of the impious shall perish. Againe, He loued Cursing, & it shall come Ps. 108. to him; and he would not Blessing, and it shall be farre from him: In one generation let his name be cleane put out.

Which Prophecie wee see, of late yeares, to be fulfilled in Henrie the eight, King of England, and Henrie the se­cond, King of France. Henrie the eight was the first foun­der of the Parliamentarians, and author of giuing autho­ritie to Parliaments, to deter­mine matters of Faith and Re­ligion: Henrie the second, Serres in the life of Henry the second. King of France, became Pro­tector of the Protestants of [Page 81] Germanie, rebelling against Charles the fift, their lawfull Emperour; and went in per­son to their ayde, with thir­tie thousand men.

Henrie the eight had sixe Wiues, and fiue or sixe Chil­dren: Henrie the second had fiue Sons; Francis the second, after, King of France; Lewis, Duke of Orleans; Charles, after King of France; Henrie the third, King of France; and Hercules, after called Francis. Yet in one generation, both the names of these potent Kings vvere extinguished from the face of the Earth, according to this Prophecie: so faithfull is God Almightie in fulfilling of his Word.

So, supposing thou belee­uest, that God Almightie can­not [Page 82] lye, not be forsworne, and that thou, as a creature of his, wilt glorifie him, and maintaine both in words and deedes, the fulfilling of his Oath and Promises, that hee may blesse and glorifie thee; I set downe these Acts of Faith following, thereby to end and determinate all mat­ters of Controuersies, or Dif­ferences in Faith, or Beleefe; that hereafter thou mayest re­maine alwayes firme, stable, and vnmoueable, in the Faith Eph. 2. 20. built vpon the foundation of the Apostles, and Prophets, Iesus Christ himselfe being the highest corner Stone, in whom all Building, framed together, groweth into an holy Temple in our Lord: Which is that I wish vnto thee; and desire [Page 83] thee to pardon me, if I speake for thy content, boldly.

CHAP. VIII. How our Catholike Faith is so founded vpon the Oathes and Promises of God, that it is not possible for any man to be an Heretike, or Protestant, of any Sect, or sort, without affir­ming in effect and deed, that God Almightie is periured and forsworne.

OVR Catholike Faith, which Protestants call Papistrie, is not founded vp­on Men, as Protestant Mini­sters tell thee, but vpon two things immoueable, The Oath of God, and, That it is impos­sible for God to lye. By my selfe Gen. 22. haue I sworne, saith our Lord, I will multiply thee, and I will [Page 94] multiply thy Seede as the Starres of Heauen, and as the sand which is by the Sea-shore: thy Seede shall possesse the Gates of his ene­mies, and in thy Seede shall be blessed all the Nations of the Earth. Not only the Brittans, in an Iland, diuided from the whole World, but all the Nations of the Earth. The Scripture foreseeing, that God Gal. 3. 8. iustifieth the Gentiles by Faith (by Faith, that worketh by Gal. 3. 22. Charitie) shewed vnto Abraham before, that in thee shall all Nati­ons Gal. 5. 6. be blessed. For God promising Heb. 6. 13. to Abraham, because he had none greater by whom hee might sweare, hee sware by himselfe; saying: Vnlesse blessing, I shall blesse thee, and multiplying, shall multiply thee, &c. for mensweare by greater then themselues, and [Page 95] the end of all their controuersie, for confirmation, is an oath: So God meaning more abundant­ly to shew the heires of the Pro­mise the stabilitie of his Counsell, hee interposed an Oath, that by two things vnmoueable, where­by it is impossible for God to lye, wee may haue a most strong com­fort, who haue fledde, to hold fast the Hope proposed, That in the Seede of Abraham, our Saui­our, not one, or few Nations, but all the Families of the Earth Act. 3. 25. should be blessed.

Vpon these two things vn­moueable, are founded our Ca­tholike Church, & holy Faith; the Oath of God, & That it is im­possible for God to ly, or violate his Oath & Promises; euery where spoken of in the Scriptures, to be fulfilled vpon Christians, [Page 96] beleeuing in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, of the Seed of Dauid, of the Seed of Abraham, that in his Seed Gen. 22. Luc. 1. 55. should be blessed all the Nations of the Earth, as hee spake to our fathers, to Abraham and his Seed for euer.

So, that it is not possible for any man, by any means, to become an Heretike, or Pro­testant, of any Sect or sort, vn­lesse he affirme in effect, and deeds, that God Almightie is a lyer, and forsworne; nor possible for any man sincerely to maintaine or defend in ef­fect, and deeds, that God Al­mightie cannot lye, or be for­sworn, but he must be of that Religion which Protestants call Papistrie, doe what hee can.

Whereupon S. Paul sayth, An Heretike sinneth, being con­demned 1. Tit. 3. 10. by his owne iudgement: For that he knoweth, that he preacheth against the Oathes and Promises of God; and pronounceth in his workes, and deeds, God Almightie to be forsworne, and a lyar: and hereupon our Sauiour sayth, He that doth not beleeue, is al­readie iudged. Hee that will not beleeue God Almightie, when hee sweareth, and re­neweth his Oath so often as hee doth in the Scriptures; there are no meanes left to conuince him, but by Aristo­tles argument, viz. Punish­ment, and Paines: Those who Li. 1. Top▪ ca. 9. doubt (sayth Aristotle) whether they should honour the Gods, or no, stand in need of Paines. [Page 98] And according to this, are the words of our Sauiour, where Luc. 16. 30. hee sayth, If they heare not Moyses, and the Prophets; nei­ther if one should rise from the dead, will they beleeue. Such as will not beleeue the Oathes of God Almightie, recorded by Moyses, and the Prophets, there is no other meanes left, for to make them confesse truth, but by eternall Tor­ments.

Eua beleeued the Deuill, that God Almightie could lye, when he told her, No; you shall not die, whereas God Almigh­tie Gen. 3. 4. had told her, that shee should, if she eate of the for­bidden fruit; and by this meanes deceiuing her, hee de­priued her and all her posteri­tie of the Ioyes of Paradise, [Page 99] and brought them to Mise­ries, and temporall Death. Take thou example by thy Mothers fall, and doe not be­leeue the Deuill, or Secta­ries, when in effect and deeds they shall perswade thee, that God Almightie can lye, or be forsworne, and suffer his Catholike Church to erre, faile, and decay, contra­rie to his Oath and Promi­ses; that they draw thee not from the Content and Hap­pinesse of Grace in this life, and Glorie in the other, into the horror of all temporall Discontents, and after death, into eternall Torments.

Saint Augustine in his time vrged the Donatists with this foundation of our Catholike Faith, the Oath of God, and the [Page 100] Impossibilitie for him to lye; say­ing to them, as wee, in his wordes, say now to Prote­stants; changing onely Do­natists for Elizabethians, and Africa for Brittanie.

To you Elizabethians, the Ca­tholike Church doth say: O sonnes of men, how long are yee of heauie heart? Why doe you loue vanitie, and seeke after a Lye? Wherefore haue you diui­ded your selues, by a wicked sacri­legious Schisme, from the vnitie of the whole World?

You giue eare to Falsehoods, which are told you of Man, ei­ther lying, or erring, from the tradition of the Scriptures, that you may die in your Hereticall Seperation, And doe not attend what the Bookes themselues say, that you may liue in Catholike [...].

Wherefore doe you open your eares to Men, telling you that which they could neuer proue? and are deafe against the Word of God, which saith, Our Lord Ps. 2. 7. said to me, Thou art my Sonne, this day haue I begotten thee: Aske of me, and I will giue thee, the Gentiles for thine Inheri­tance, and thy Possession, the ends of the Earth.

To Abraham are the Promi­ses Gal. 3. 16. made, and to his Seed: hee doth not say, to his Seedes, as in many, but as in one, and to thy Gen. 22. Seed, which is Christ, In thy Seed Gal. 3. 8. shall be blessed all Nations.

Lift vp the eies of your hearts, and consider the whole Globe of the Earth, how in the Seed of Abraham all Nations are bles­sed. Then it was beleeued of one, when it was not yet seene; now [Page 102] you see it, and yet you enuie it.

The Passion of our Lord, is the price of the whole World: he redeemed the whole World, and you, with the whole World, for your gaine, cannot agree; but rather to your losse, in a part doe striue, that you may loose the whole.

Heare in the Psalme; They Ps. 21. 19. haue diuided my Apparrell a­mongst them, and vpon my Coats they cast Lots. Why will you be diuiders of the Apparrell of our Lord? and will not hold with the whole World, the Coat of Chari­tie, wouen aboue, which his Per­secutors haue not diuided.

In the same Psalme it is said, Ps. 21. 28. that all the World shall hold it; he saith, All the ends of the Earth shall remember, and be conuerted to our Lord, and all [Page 103] the Families of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight.

Open the eyes of your heart, Ps. 49. 1. and heare; for the God of Gods, our Lord, hath spoken, and hee hath called the Earth, from the rising of the Sunne, euen to the going downe; out of Sion the beautie of his comelinesse.

If you will not heare this, heare the Gospell, our Lord spea­king, and saying, by his proper mouth: All things ought to be fulfilled of Christ, which of him are written, in the Law, and Prophets, and Psalmes; and Pe­nance, and Remission of sinnes, in his Name, to be preached throughout all Nations, begin­ning at Ierusalem.

That which is said in the Psalme, He hath called the Earth from the rising of the Sun vnto the [Page 104] going downe. This is vnderstood in the Gospell, by all Nations. And that which in the Psalme is said, out of Sion, the beautie of his comelinesse, in the Gospell is said, beginning from Ierusa­lem.

Wherefore doe you beleeue, that the Cockle hath growne, and hath filled the World, and the Wheat to haue diminished, in Brittanie onely to haue remai­ned? Doe you call your selues Christians, and yet contradict Christ. Hee saith, suffer both to grow vntill the Haruest. Hee did not say, let the Cockle grow, and the Wheat diminish, Hee said, the Field is the World, and did not say, the Field is Brittanie. Thus Saint Augu­stine, Epist. 171. and we with him.

So deare Reader, not to liue, seeking after lyes, and publikely professing in deeds and actions, that God Almigh­tie is forsworne; when Sathan shall tempt thee in matters of Faith; or any controuersie a­riseth betweene thee & some Protestant, about Religion; as about the Reall Presence, Prayer for the Dead, Interces­sion to Saints, &c. make some of the aforesaid Acts, set downe in the former Chapter, with zeale and feruor; and hold fast the hope proposed, which Heb. 6. 18. wee haue as an Anchor of the Soule, sure and firme, the Oath of God, and that it is impossi­ble for God to lye. Be not re­moued away from the two things vnmoueable, the Oath of God, and Impossibilitie for God to [Page 106] lye. Whereupon is grounded all the whole course of the Scriptures, and founded the House of God, the Church of the 1. Tim. 3. 15. liuing God, the Pillar and ground of Truth, And neither Death, Rom. 8. nor Life, nor Angels, nor Prin­cipalities, nor Powers, neither things present, nor things to come, neither might, nor height, nor depth, nor other creature, shall be able to make thee a Protestant, Sectarie, or He­retike, and separate thee from the vnitie of our Catholike Faith, the Faith of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord.

And in arguing and dis­puting with Sectaries, who denie our Catholike Faith; put them to proue, that the Oath of God, the Promises, [Page 107] and Prophecies, are verifi­ed and fulfilled vpon their Sects; and then thou shalt finde, that their Doctrine proceedeth from this Sourse, or Gulfe, that Sathan is en­creased in Pride, hath got him a new Coat, and refor­med his Religion. Whereas heretofore he was wont to goe like a Serpent, and preach out of a Tree, and taught, that God Almightie could lye, and men that would beleeue him, should be as Gods; No, you shall Gen. 3. not die, you shall be as Gods: now he hath encreased his Pride, and got a new Coat, and goeth like a Precisian Minister, and preacheth out of Pulpits, and hath refor­med his Faith, and Religion, [Page 108] teaching for, God can lye, and you shall be as Gods; God can be forsworne, and you are Gods; and cannot lye, erre, or be de­ceiued, but be assured to en­ioy Heauen: and vpon this, hath founded his reformed Religions; the violating of the Oathes of God, and pub­like profession in acts and deeds, that God Almightie is periured and forsworne.

Heb. 6. 17. God meaning more abundant­ly to shew the heires of his Pro­mise the stabilitie of his Counsell, in performing what hee did promise; for the establish­ing of the hearts of men, in the infallibilitie of our Christian Catholike Faith, Church, & Priesthood, swore two Oathes; the one, in con­firmation of the Priesthood [Page 109] of our Lord for euer: Ps. 129. Heb. 7. Our Lord hath sworne, and it shall not repent him, thou art a Priest for euer aecording to the Order of Melchisedeck. The other, this which we treate of, The Oath of God to Abraham; Act. 3. Of mul­tiplying Gen. 22. his Seed as the Starres of Heauen, and as the sand that is by the Sea-shoare: Thy Seed shall possesse the gates of his ene­mies: In thy Seed shall be blessed all the Families of the Earth. And vpon these Oaths is foun­our Catholike Faith.

And the Deuill meaning more abundantly to shew his malice and power in the hearts of wretched men, the heires of his Myseries and endlesse Torments; hath brought them to plant a Faith and Religion, grounded and [Page 110] founded vpon the denying, in actions and deeds, of the ful­filling of both these Oathes of God: First, by winning men to denie in effect and deeds, that God Almightie hath multiplied Christians, his children, as the Starres of Heauen, possessing the Gates of their enemies; and mouing them to affirme in acts and deeds, that for many hundreth yeares together, God Almigh­tie hath failed in fulfilling of his first Oath; he hath plan­ted in their hearts his new Ministeriall Doctrine. And secondly, by winning Men to deny in action and deeds, that our Lord was a Priest for e­uer, according to the Order of Melchisedeck; and mouing them to affirme in acts and [Page 111] deeds, that he was a Priest but for once; and that according to the Order of Aaron, in offe­ring vp of himselfe once vpon the Crosse, he hath destroied all the Christian Priest-hood, life, and Religion, which was amongst them. And so by mo­uing men in acts & deeds, pub­likely to professe, that God Al­mightie hath beene twice for­sworn; the Diuel hath founded and planted amongst them his new reformed Religions, groū ­ded and founded vpon two cōtradictories to the grounds of our Catholike Faith: viz. God Almightie cannot lye, or be forwsorne; God Almighty is periured, and can lye.

Which is so manifest, that if Malice and Passion doe not blinde thy heart, and [Page 112] extinguish the light of reason in thy vnderstanding, I will make thee touch it, as we vse to say, with thy finger.

For graunt me but that God Almightie cannot be for­sworne nor violate his Oaths; and in euery opinion of Faith and Religion, as a creature of God Almighties, maintaine in act and deed, that he cannot be periured or forsworne; and thou caust not be a Protestant of any Sect or sort, by any means possible; but of necessi­tie be of that Faith and Religi­on Protestants call Papistrie.

As for example; the questi­on is, whether our Catholike Church, or your Protestant Congregation, bee the true Church of God. Let vs goe to the Oath of God, and as crea­tures [Page 113] of God Almightie, let vs in actions and deeds firme­ly and faithfully beleeue this Oath of God to Abraham to be true, and submit our vnder­standings and iudgements vn­to it, as vnto the most infalli­ble and most certaine truth that can be: and as willing to honour God without passion or malice, let vs simply seeke whether this Oath of God (By my selfe haue I sworne, I will blesse thee, and will multiply thy Seed as the Starres of Heauen, and as the Sand that is by the Sea shoare: Thy Seede shall possesse the Gates of his Enemies, and in thy Seede shall be blessed all the Nations of the Earth) be more verified vpon our Ca­tholike Church, or your Pro­testant Congregation.

First, for Temporall bles­sings, all the Christian Kings and Kingdomes, that euer haue beene flourishing vpon the face of the Earth, before Henrie the eight, were so Ca­tholike, that thou canst not name me one, who was in Faith and Religion a Prote­stant, and held the Religi­on Protestants now main­taine.

For spirituall blessings, we haue written in all Ages, Bookes, and Volumes, of the Spirituall blessings and gifts of God, the gifts of the ho­ly Ghost bestowed vpon vs; Exercises of Spirituall life, loue and vnion of heart with God: amongst you, there is not any one professing such things, all denying inhe­rent [Page 115] grace and infused ver­tues.

And whether the Seede of Protestants, or Seede of Ca­tholikes, haue beene multi­plied as the Sand that is by the Sea-shore, possessing the Gates of their enemies; not only all the Chronicles and Histories of Countries and Nations, doe beare witnesse for vs; but euen Protestants themselues; conuinced with truth, doe confesse it: Perkins vpon the Creede, pag. 307. af­firmeth, That during the space of nine hundreth yeares, the Popish Heresie hath spread it selfe ouer the whole Earth. Fulke in his Treatise against Stapleton, pag. 25. affir­meth, That some Prote­stants haue written, that the [Page 116] Pope hath blinded the World these many hundreth yeares; some say, a thousand; some say, one thou­sand two hundred; some, nine hun­dred yeares. And Napper in his Treatise vpon the Reuelations pag. 68. affirmeth, That be­tweene the yeare of Christ three hundreth, and three hundreth and sixteene, the Antichristian and Papisticall reigne begun, reigning (saith he) vniuersally, and without any debatable contradiction twelue hundred and threescore yeares: & pag. 145. saith, The Pope and his Clergie during all that time possessing the outward visible Church of Christians. So these English Protestants. And it is a thing of it selfe so mani­fest, that Protestants are not able to name any one Mini­ster [Page 117] or Preacher for one thou­sand foure hundred yeares together, who held and main­tained the Doctrine they now teach.

And to let passe other States, Countries and Towns, and make instance in the Ci­tie of Venice: The Gothes Michele Zappulo in his Historie of Venice. afflicting Italy, many Catho­like Italians flying the fury of those barbarous people, did retire themselues into that place of Venice which is now called Riualta, before called Lupa; which being then not inhabited, and vnknowne to the Gothes, with the consent of the Senate of Padoa, chose three Consuls, Alberto Faliero, Thomaso Candiano, and Canone Dauolo, and by their help, be­gun the Foundation of the [Page 118] Citie of Venice vpon the fiue and twentieth day of March, in the yeare of our Lord foure hundred twentie and one, which hath continued euer since in the Catholike Faith, & vnion of the Church of GOD, dilated ouer the World, without alteration or change in Religion or State; or hauing beene sacked or spoiled, as their Histories and succession of Men, from age to age, doe abundantly te­stifie.

Whereby thou seest, that our Catholike Church is so manifestly the true Church, that vnlesse thou wilt first af­firme in effect and deed, that God Almightie is periured and forsworne, thou canst not denie it; & that the Church of [Page 119] the Protestants is so manifest­ly the false Church, that with­out affirming in effect and deeds, that God Almightie may be forsworne, it cannot in any one Article bee defen­ded.

And the same thou shalt finde in any other questi­on: as for example; thou wouldest examine whether Catholike Priests, that offer to God the Sacrifice of the Masse, or Protestant Mini­sters, who haue no exter­nall Sacrifice, be true Chri­stian Priests: admit but of the Oathes of God for true, without malice and passion, and the Controuersie is en­ded; and it is as manifest vnto thee, by both the Oathes of God, that Massing [Page 120] Priests are true Christian Priests, as it is manifest, that God Almightie cannot be for­sworne. Of the first Oath we haue spoken before. The se­cond Oath is; Ps. 109. Heb. 7. Our Lord hath sworne, and it shall not repent him, thou art a Priest for euer, according to the Order of Mel­chisedeck. First, of Protestant Ministers, there were none for many hundreth yeares to­gether, visibly knowne in the World, as they confesse: so this eternall Priesthood of Christ could not be verified in them, as in his Priests or Ministers.

Secondly, they haue no ex­ternall Sacrifice.

That Catholike Priests haue beene these many hun­dreth yeares offering to God [Page 121] (as Ministers of his Sonne) his Bodie and Bloud, vnder the formes of Bread & Wine, according to the Order of Melchisedeck, as they doe now; that, Protestants confesse; as wee haue immediatly before set downe.

So do but admit, that God Almightie is not forsworne in both these Oathes; and of ne­cessitie thou must defend, that Massing Priests are true Chri­stian Priests, and Protestant Ministers false. And in all o­ther Questions & Controuer­sies firmely beleeue the Oaths of God, which are the most cer­taine and infallible truths that may be; and such, as where­vpon all the rest of the Scrip­tures depend; and honour God Almightie, by maintaining [Page 122] them in words and deeds, and thinke, that thy Vnderstan­ding, Wit, and Iudgement, may deceiue thee, as they ma­ny times doe; but the Oathes of God cannot, and thou canst not but be a Roman Catho­like, or Papist. So manifest it is, that our Catholike Faith is founded vpon the Oathes of God, and Protestantisme of all Sects and sorts, is foun­ded vpon Publike profession in acts and deeds, that God Almightie is periured and forsworne; that if passion and malice doe not blinde the light of reason in thee, thou canst not but see it, and con­fesse it.

Thus hauing laid the foun­dation of our Ease, Content, and Rest, vpon the surest foun­dations [Page 123] which are to be found in Heauen or Earth; the Oathes of God: hoping thou desirest to finde that Ease, Content, and Rest, and wilt not bee offended, for that I plainely defend the honour of my God; I proceed.

CHAP. IX. That hope in God is also necessa­ry to the Content, and Hap­pinesse of Man, but not only Hope, without other vertues. And how acts of Hope made by Catholikes, include Sacra­ments, and other Vertues, and not exclude them.

THat it is impossible to be saued, or finde Content without hope in God, is ma­nifest by reason.

First, for that no man la­boureth for that which he no waies hopeth to obtaine, nor yet is carefull to keepe that which he esteemeth impossi­ble to inioy.

Againe, vpon want of hope ariseth despaire and pusillani­mitie of mind; both which be­ing passions of sadnesse and discontent, depriue vs of the Ioy and Content we seeke after.

Secondly, it is manifest by the Scriptures, which in plain tearms affirme, That by Hope we Rom 8. 39. Rom. 15. 4. are saued. Againe, What things soeuer haue beene written to our learning, they haue beene written, that by the patience and consolati­of the Scriptures wee may haue Hope. So Saint Paul saith, The Rom. 15. 13. God of Hope replenish you with all [Page 125] Ioy and Peace in beleeuing, that you may abound in Hope. In the Psalmes it is said, They that Ps. 124. hope in thee, shall not be confoun­ded. Againe, They that trust in Ps. 33. 9. our Lord, as Mount Sion, he shall not be moued for euer. Againe, Blessed is that man that hopeth in Ps. 36. 4. God. Againe, He will take them Ps. 144. away from Sinners, and saue them, because they haue hoped in him. Whereby is manifest, that without the vertue of Hope, no man can be happy, or sa­ued.

But as wee said before, of onely Faith; that Faith, with­out other vertues, is dead to Grace in this life, and Glorie in the other, and serueth such as haue it, for nothing but for the increase of eternall tor­ments: so also it is manifest, [Page 126] that onely Hope, without o­ther vertues, is a vaine and dead Hope; without any true Content in this life, or in all eternitie; as is manifest first by reason.

Because Hope endeth with Death: so if the Content and Happinesse of Man should consist in onely Hope, there should be no Content in the other life.

Secondly, we see (some few excepted, who fall into vtter despaire) that all men, of all Sects and sorts, and how wic­ked soeuer, hope for Happi­nesse, and Content: So, if Hope, without the assistance of other vertues, were suffici­ent to Happinesse, men might be happie and wretched both together; which is contrarie to experience.

Thirdly, to hope for Hap­pinesse, is not to be happie; since none hopeth for that he hath, but enioyeth. Whereby is manifest, that onely Hope is not sufficient to be happie.

Againe, the Scriptures say, Not euerie one that saith, Lord, Mat. 7. 21. Lord, shall enter into the King­dome of Heauen, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heauen. Againe, Many shall say to me in that Day, Mat. 7. 22. Lord, Lord, haue not wee pro­phecied in thy Name, and in thy Name cast out Deuils, and in thy Name wrought many Mira­cles? And then I will confesse vnto them, that I neuer knew you depart from me you that worke iniquitie.

And our Sauiour compa­reth those who hope to be [Page 128] saued, and are negligent in gai­ning other vertues, and vsing the meanes he hath ordained for the saluation of mankind, vnto foolish Virgins; who in­uited to a Mariage, neglected to prepare themselues for the Mariage vntil it was too late, and so were shut out with this answer, Amen I say to you, I know you not. Mat. 25. 12.

Whereby is manifest, that the Promises are not made to a dead Hope, which is void of other vertues, but to such a Hope, as is conioint to all other vertues, and is void of all iniquitie.

Heere thou mayest ob­serue, deere Reader, the er­ror of many Protestants; who being driuen from the im­pious Doctrine of Iustifica­tion [Page 129] by Faith only, fall vpon Iustification by Hope onely, without Faith, Charitie, Sa­craments, or other vertues: and not knowing nor regar­ding what Faith they ought to professe, nor what Com­mandements they haue bro­ken; presume to be saued by a vaine Hope, in the Passion of our Lord, and so perish in their presumption; thinking, that to say onely, I hope to be saued by the Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ, without Faith, Charitie, Sacraments, &c. is sufficient to remit their sinnes, and saue their soules, how e­uill and wicked soeuer they haue liued; and so die Here­tikes and Infidels; of no Faith nor Religion, for all their hope.

When Catholikes say, they hope to be saued by the merits of the Passion of our Lord and Sa­uiour; they doe not exclude the Sacraments, Faith and other vertues, but suppose them, and include them & all other meanes whatsoeuer God Almightie hath giuen or left vs for our Saluation: yea, the whole merit or benefit of his Passion, and things gained for vs; as Faith, Hope, Charitie, Sacraments, assistance of the holie Ghost, &c. And the sense of the words are; I hope to be saued by no other meanes, then those which thou hast gained for me by thy Passion.

And so likewise in all other acts of vertues, or Sacraments, Catholikes doe include the whole merit of [Page 131] the Passion of our Sauiour: as whether they make acts of Contrition; as, Lord bee mercifull to mee a poore sinner: or of Loue; as, I desire to loue thee, deare Lord, with all my heart: or of Hope; as, I hope by the helpe of the Sa­craments to be saued: they doe not exclude any other vertue, or meanes, but in all and e­uery one of these Actes doe include all the meanes and benefits of our Lords whole Passion; offering vp these Actes, and whatsoeuer Chri­stian worke they doe, to God the Father, in vnion with the Passion of our Lord, vpon the Crosse, for the remission of their sinnes; and vse these Acts, Sacraments, and good Deedes, done in Grace, as a [Page 132] meanes which God Almighty hath ordained they should vse, for the receiuing of the merit and benefit of the Sa­crifice of the Passion of our Lord.

For though our Lord died fo all the World; yet none receiue the benefit of his Pas­sion, but those who diligently and carefully vse the meanes he hath ordained should be vsed, for the receiuing of the benefit thereof; which are, Faith, Sacramēts, good Deeds, and acts of vertue: by these, as by instruments, receiuing the merit and benefit of our Lords Passion, his graces and fauours purchased for vs. So Saint Paul exhorting vs, saith; Our desire is, that euery one of Heb. 6. 11. you shew forth the same careful­nesse, [Page 133] to the accomplishing of hope vnto the end, that you may be­come, not slouthfull, but imitaters of them, which by faith and pati­ence shall inherite the Promise.

The slouthfull seruant re­ceiued of our Lord a Talent; Mat. 25. 15. yet because he did not en­crease it, he was cast into vtter Mat. 25. 30. darkenesse, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Neither can the Passion of our Lord, or merite of his Sa­crifice vpon the Crosse, as it sanctifieth and iustifieth, be applyed by parts; as that any one might be sanctified & iu­stified by only Faith, or only Hope in him, & also haue ini­quitie: for that grace which iustifieth, and mortall sinne, or iniquitie, cannot dwell to­gether in one and the same [Page 134] Soule. For what participation 1. Cor. 6. 14. hath Iustice with Iniquitie; or what societie is there betweene Light and Darkenesse; and what agreement with Christ and Belial; or what part hath the Faithfull with the Infidell. Againe, No Mat. 6. 24. man can serue two Masters; you cannot serue God and Mammon.

Not onely Faith, nor onely Hope, nor Faith and Hope, with Impietie, and Vice, and want of other Vertues, are sufficient to Rest, Content, and Happinesse. There shall Apoc. 21. 27. not enter into it any polluted thing, nor that doth abhominati­on, and maketh a lye: without (euer finding Rest, or Ioy) are Dogges (Heretikes, whom S. Peter calleth Dogges; for that they hauing beene once conuerted to Christianitie, [Page 135] are returned to Infidelitie) and Sorcerers, and the Vnchast, and Apoc. 22. 15. Murtherers, and seruers of Idols, and euery one that loueth and ma­keth a lye: according to the words of our Sauiour; saying, Mat. 7. 23. Depart from me, you that worke iniquitie, I neuer knew you, and they shall goe into punishment e­uerlasting.

As in Arts & Sciences, euery one is made expert & cunning in his Art by frequent acts: so in Vertues, euery one becom­meth groūded in Vertue, Pie­tie, & Godlinesse, by frequent acts and exercises of Vertue: according to the saying of the Holy Ghost; Ps. 17. With the holy thou shalt be holy, and with the peruerse thou shalt be peruerted. So it resteth here, to set down acts of Hope in God.

CHAP. X. That Charitie, or loue of God, together with Faith and Hope, is necessarie to the Content and Happinesse of Man.

THat it is not possible for Man to be content, and happie, without the loue of God, is manifest by the light of Reason.

For if I had what things soeuer can be giuen me, and yet did not loue them, I should not find; or receiue, any true content, or ioyes, from them: and yet those who loue things that are not good, are deceiued; and Time discouering Deceits, they will remaine afflicted. [Page 142] Againe, those who loue such things as haue an end; at their end, or parting, they will rest comfortlesse: whereby is manifest by the light of rea­son, that true Content, and Ioyes, cannot be without true Loue; nor true Loue, vn­lesse it be placed in louing a perpetuall Good. Againe, this perpetuall Good must be such, as I may at all times, and in all places, loue, talke with, and in some sort en­ioy; which is God Almigh­tie, who is euery where, and in all places, eternall, and of infinite goodnesse.

Neither is it lesse mani­fest by the light of Grace; the Scriptures euery where promising Happinesse to such as loue God Almightie with all [Page 143] their hearts; and Miserie and Wretchednesse to such as fornicate from him; say­ing, If thou wilt enter into Mat. 19. 17. life, keepe the Commandements; whereof the first is, Thou shalt Mat. 22. 37. loue the Lord thy God from thy whole Heart, and with thy whole Soule, and with thy whole Minde. Insomuch, as the holy Ghost pronoun­ceth them first Accursed, who who doe not loue God with their whole hearts; saying, Cursed are they that decline from thy Commandements. Ps. 118. 21.

Secondly, the holy Ghost accounteth them Fooles, with­out wit and vnderstanding; saying, Giue me vnderstanding, and I will search thy Law, and Psal. 118. will keepe it with my whole heart.

Thirdly, It tearmeth them vniust, reserued for to endure Torments in the Poole of Fire and Brimstone, for euer and euermore, saying, The vn­iust Ps. 118. 85. haue told me Fables, but not as thy Law. Wicked people, sayth the Prophet, told him Fables, such like as these; that we may be saued and iustified by onely Faith, or only Hope; but not as the Law of God, which teacheth, saying, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God from thy whole heart, &c.

Fourthly, It esteemeth them to be malignant people; who out of their malice, would fraudulently conduct others into Hell, and Torments, say­ing, Depart from me, ye malig­nant, V. 115. and I will search the Com­mandements of my God; which [Page 145] consist in Loue, and not in onely Faith, or onely Hope.

If I should haue (saith Saint 1. Cor. 13. 2. Paul) Prophecie, and know all Misteries, and all Knowledge, and I should haue all Faith, so that I could remoue Mountaines, and haue not Charitie, I am nothing; and if I should distribute all my goods, for meat for the poore, and if I should deliuer my bodie, so that I burne, and haue not Charitie, it doth profit me no­thing.

If wee will beleeue Saint Paul; neither Prophecies, nor Science, nor Knowledge, nor Faith, nor Almes-deeds, nor Martyrdome, for the Reli­gion any one professeth, is sufficient to the attayning vn­to Happinesse, without Cha­ritie; and so he concludeth, [Page 146] saying; Now these remaine, Faith, Hope, and Charitie: these three; but the greater of these is Charitie, according to the words of our Lord, where he saith; He that shall breake one of M [...] ▪ [...]. 20. these least Commandements, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heauen: But he that shall doe, and teach, he shall be called great in the Kingdome of Hea­uen.

So our Sauiour saith, I tell Mat. 5. 21. you, that vnlesse your iustice a­bound more then that of the Scribes & Pharises, you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Hea­uen: Yet the Scribes and Pha­rises had Faith, as witnesseth our Sauiour, saying, Vpon the Mat. 23. 2. Chaire of Moyses haue sitten the Scribes and Pharises. All [Page 147] things therefore whatsoeuer they shall say vnto you, obserue yee, and doe yee. Whereby is ma­nifest, that the Scribes prea­ched faithfull and true Do­ctrine; otherwise our Saui­our would not haue wished their Auditors, to obserue and doe whatsoeuer they said: But they wanted Cha­ritie, in themselues, to doe good Workes, and keepe the Law; as witnesseth our Sauiour, saying, But accor­ding Mat. 23. [...]. to their workes doe yee not; for they say, and doe not: and so, for want of Charitie, or loue towards God, they shall not (as our Sauiour sayth) enter into the Kingdome of Heauen; or euer enioy Rest, or Happinesse, but endlesse Paines.

Againe, our Sauiour sayth, If God were your Father, verily Io. 8. 42. you would loue me, for from God I proceed. Whereby our Sauiour giueth vs to vnder­stand, that such as doe not loue God with all their hearts, according to the Commaun­dement, haue not God for their Father, and are not the sonnes of God, but of the Deuill: As in another place he sayth, You are of your Fa­ther the Deuill, and the desires Io. 8. 43. of your Father you will doe: who though he beleeue that there is a God, as S. Iames witnes­seth; Iam. 2. yet hee doth not loue God with all his heart, and keepe his Commandements. Whereupon it is written of our Sauiour, That for this ap­peared 1. Io. 3. 8. the Sonne of God, that he [Page 149] might dissolue the workes of the Deuill; bring men to loue God Almightie vvith all their hearts, and winne them to keepe his Law: and so saith of the reprobate Iewes, I haue Io. 5. 42. knowne you, that the loue of God you haue not in you: And of the elect Apostles, You haue Io. 16. 27. loued me.

Loue being the fulnesse of the Rom. 13. 19. Law, the want of loue, is the worke of the Deuill, in the hearts of all the wicked; and the loue of God, the workes of our Lord, in the hearts of the elect. Whereupon our Sauiour saith, Verily, verily, I Io. 8. 15. say vnto you, if any man keepe my word, hee shall not see death for euer: and yet againe saith, He that loueth me not, keepeth not my words. So, loue God Al­mightie [Page 150] with all thy heart, and thou shalt not see death for euer. He that loueth not, abideth in Io 3. 14. death; dead to Grace in this life, and to Glorie in the o­ther.

By which is manifest, that happie life cannot be, with­out the louing of God Al­mightie with all our hearts: Insomuch, as if thou haddest Happinesse and Content, and yet diddest not loue it with all thy heart, thou shouldest not be happie; as witnesseth S. Augustine, saying, He is not De Ciuitat. li. 14. ca. 15. happie, of whom happie life is not beloued: Which thou mayest find true by experi­ence; seeing thy selfe, and all others, to take comfort and content in that which they loue, and not in that which [Page 151] they neglect. Whereupon S. Paul sayth, If any man loue not 1. Cor. 16. 2. our Lord Iesus Christ, be he A­nathema; his bodie cut off from the communion of the Catholike Church vpon earth, and his soule excluded from the ioyes of Heauen.

CHAP. XI. How to attaine vnto the loue of God, and how to loue his diuine Maiestie with all our hearts.

SEeing that Diuine Loue, or Charitie, is necessarie to the Content and Happinesse of Man, it is requisite also to set downe the meanes, by which thou mayest attaine vnto this Diuine Loue, or Charitie, that thou mayest be happie.

Charitie (saith S. Paul) is 1. Tim. 1. 15. from a pure Heart, and a good Conscience, and a Faith not fai­ned. So, that the first thing which thou oughtest to doe, if thou desire to loue God Al­mightie with all thy heart; is to separate thy selfe for a time from all other affaires and businesses, onely to at­tend vnto the examining of thy Conscience, how thou hast spent thy life past; and to call to minde all thy cuill thoughts, words, deeds, and vniust actions, which haue stayned and made filthie thy heart and soule; to confesse them, with contrition and sor­row, to one of the Pastors of the Church of God, to whom God Almightie hath giuen authoritie to forgiue sinnes, [Page 153] saying, Whose sinnes you shall for­giue, Io. 20. 23. they are forgiuen; that thy sinnes being forgiuen, thou mayest haue a cleane and pure heart, fit to receiue Diuine Loue, or Charitie; and God Al­mightie will bestow it vpon thee, according to his Word, saying, Returne to me, and I Mat 3. 7. will returne to you.

No bodie putteth new Wine Mat. 9. 17. into old Bottles, otherwise the Bottles perish: But new Wine they put into new Bottles, and both are preserued together. So, if thou wilt receiue the new Wine of Diuine Loue, and Charitie, thou must first lay away thy old Conuersation, Eph. 4. 22. the old Man, which is cor­rupted according to the desires of Error; thy selfe-loue, pro­per iudgement, priuate spirit, [Page 154] inordinate appetites, and pas­sions, and by sorrow for thy sinnes, and Penance, be re­nued in the spirit of thy mind, and put on the new Man, which according to God, is created in Iustice, and holinesse of the Truth. Whereupon Saint Iohn Baptist, speaking of the way, or meanes, how to attaine vnto Content, and Happi­nesse, sayth, Who hath shew­ed Mat. 3. 7. you to flye from the wrath to come? yeeld therefore fruit worthie of Penance. Which is as if he should haue said; If any one hath shewed you the way to Content, and Happinesse, and not by con­trition, and detestation of sinne, the fruites of Pe­nance; hee hath deceiued you. So our Lord and Sa­uiour, [Page 155] in his first Sermon ac­cording to Saint Matthew, taught Penance, as the first meanes to Happinesse; the Text saying, that Mat. 4. 17. Iesus began to preach, and to say, Doe Pe­nance, for the Kingdome of God is at hand.

Heere thou mayest see, how many men, which are of short Capacities, and weake and shallow Wits, and Vnderstandings, are de­ceiued; in framing to them­selues a conceit, that to doe Penance, is to be tormented, deiected, and oppressed in minde; when it is nothing lesse: but the greatest ease, remedie, and rest, to a de­iected and oppressed minde, that can be had, or found; and the way, and meanes, to [Page 156] all true Content and Happi­nesse. If thou wilt beleeue the Scriptures, and Experi­ence; Contrition, or sorrow for sinne, doth much differ from the sorrow, or lamen­ting of worldly men; when out of selfe-loue, they la­ment the losse of their world­ly Commodities, or Pleasures. The fruites of this Sorrow, are Sadnesse, Oppression of Minde, and Discontent, as being inordinate, and not ordained by God to be vsed as a meanes of finding Hap­pinesse: vvhereas Penance, Contrition, and Sorrow for Sinnes, beeing meanes or­dained by God, to Content and Happinesse; the more thou vsest them, the more rest, and content of heart, [Page 157] thou shalt finde; because God Almightie doth reuiue the Isa. 57. 15. heart of the Contrite, by the as­sisting of the holy Ghost, Gal 5. whose fruits are Charitie, Ioy of heart, and Peace of minde; of which wee are to speake more in his place.

A second meanes of attay­ning vnto the loue of God, is often to Communicate, accor­ding to the words of our Lord, saying; He that eateth Ioh. 6. my Flesh, and drinketh my Bloud, abideth in me, and I in him: which is the Charitie wee seeke for.

A third meanes, is Medita­tion; seriously to consider all the benefits thou hast recei­ued from his diuine Maiestie; as, Creation, Redemption, Conseruation, and whatso­euer [Page 158] graces thou hast, or ex­pectest; and likewise, to me­ditate often vpon his diuine Attributes, as his infinite Goodnesse, Beautie, Maiestie, and Power, &c. for the onely meanes to loue any thing that is very good, faire, plea­sing, and beautifull; is but to looke seriously vpon it, and consider it well, and the loue or liking of it pre­sently is begotten in thy heart. And it being ex­cellently good, the more thou thinkest, or medita­test vpon it, the more the loue of it increaseth in thee. So if thou wilt loue much GOD Almightie, doe not omit thy Medita­tions.

A fourth meanes is, al­waies [Page 159] to keepe the Pre­sence of God; that hauing alwayes before thine eyes an infinite Good, from whom all things else bor­row whatsoeuer good they haue; thou canst not but little esteeme of all other goods, in comparison of it, and loue it with thy whole heart, and all things else, as they may conduct thee vnto it: of which Presence wee are to speake in our third Booke.

A fifth meanes is, to make many Acts of the loue of God: As in Arts and Sciences, thy continu­all practise increaseth thy knowledge and skill; so the making of many Acts of the loue of God, increa­seth [Page 160] in thee the loue of God: And to that end, heere I set downe these Acts follow­ing.

CHAP. XII. That true Content and Happi­nesse cannot be without Chari­tie, or loue towards our neigh­bours, and keeping of the Commandements of God.

SO great is the Obligation and bond of Societie, in­terposed betweene all things created; that the good of one, in some sort, dependeth vpon the loue and societie with the other: The Angels in Hea­uen reioice one at anothers good and Happinesse, and re­ceiue increase of Content, by the increase of Glory be­stowed vpon any one: The Heauens send downe showers and dew, to water and make [Page 166] pleasant the Earth; and the Earth shooteth vp all her fruits towards the Heauens, as though she would, in grati­tude, offer them to the Hea­uens, as a Present, for all be­nefits receiued. The Elements liue in a perpetuall inter­change of amitie; the Fire transporting it selfe into Ayre, the Ayre into Water, and the Water into Earth; and the Earth condensing and becomming hard, retur­neth againe to yeeld Fire; and their intercourse of friend­ship is confirmed in so firme a league, that rather then the Earth should in any thing perish by suffering vacuum; the Ayre, or Fire, forgetfull of his owne well, and con­tent; of his owne will and [Page 167] desire, leaueth his Region, to descend in hast to sup­ply the Earths want, that vacuum bee not found in Nature. The most vntame Birds, and sauage Beasts, keepe companie together, each one reioycing at others good; Insomuch, as that the wilde Boare, or Beare, who amongst the beasts are accompted the most sauage, will not sticke to turne against Man, vvhen hee shall perceiue that he hath hurt or wounded any of his companie. So strait is the bond of Amitie be­tweene all liuing things, in their kinde, that the weale of one seemeth, in some sort, to be the con­tent of all.

And as for Man, the grea­ter he is, the more neede he standeth of the common peo­ple: Kings there could be none if Common people were not; nor yet Common people liue long in vnitie and peace, if Kings they had not: Princes and Peeres depend vpon their meanest Subiects; and their Subiects liue in peace, vnder the Protection of their great­nesse. So Nature hath com­bined all in vnity and friend­ship; that he must be a mon­ster in nature, that should de­ny the loue of his Neighbour to be necessary to his Con­tent and Happinesse.

Againe, some are so yong, that they cannot helpe them­selues; some so old, that their forces are spent; some in Pri­son; [Page 169] many lame; and none so exquisite in all Arts and Sci­ences, that he is able com­pletely to furnish himselfe with whatsoeuer he wanteth: Whereby appeareth, that there is nothing more ma­nifest, then that the loue of our Neighbour is necessary to Mans Happinesse.

And it is no lesse manifest by the Scriptures, and light of Grace, that the loue of our Neighbours is necessarie to Content and Happinesse; He that saith he is in the Light, Io. 2. 9. and hateth his brother, is in the Darkenesse, euen vntill now. Hee that loueth his brother, abideth in the Light, and scan­dall is not in him: But he that hateth his brother, is in darke­nesse, and walketh in the darke­nesse, [Page 170] and knoweth not whi­ther hee goeth, because the Darkenesse hath blinded his eies. Againe, Euery one Io. 3. 10. that is not iust, is not of God, and he that loueth not his brother; because this is the Annuntiation which you haue heard from the beginning, That you loue one another. Againe, Whosoeuer hateth his 1. Io. 3. 16. brother, is a Murtherer, and you know, that no Murtherer hath life euerlasting abiding in him. Againe, My dearest, 1. Io. 4. 7. let vs loue one another, be­cause Charitie is of God, and euery one that loueth, is borne of God, and knoweth God; He that loueth not, know­eth not God. If any man shall say, that I loue God, and hateth his brother, he is a lyar; for he [Page 171] that loueth not his brother whom he seeth, God, whom he seeth not, how can hee loue? And this is the Commande­ment we haue from God, That hee which loueth God, loueth also his brother: whereby, and by many more passa­ges of holy Scriptures, it is manifest, that the loue of our Neighbour, is neces­sarie to Happinesse, and Saluation; and that no man whatsoeuer, shall either in this World, or in all Eter­nitie, euer attaine vnto any true Content, or Happinesse, who doth not keep the Law, or tenne Commandements, which consist in the loue of God, and loue of our Neigh­bour, as witnesseth our Lord, saying, Thou shalt loue the Lord [Page 172] thy God from thy whole heart, Mat. 22. 37. and with thy whole soule, and with thy whole minde. This is the greatest, and the first Com­mandement; And the second is like to this, Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe: on these two Commandements de­pendeth the whole Law, and the Prophets. So Saint Paul saith; Hee that loueth his Rom. 13. 9. Neighbour, hath fulfilled the Law: For thou shalt not com­mit Adulterie. Thou shalt not Kill. Thou shalt not Steale. Thou shalt not beare False witnesse. Thou shalt not Co­uet. And if there be any o­ther Commandement, it is com­prehended in this word; Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe. The loue of thy Neigh­bour worketh no euill. Againe, [Page 173] All the Law is fulfilled in one Gal. 5. 14. word, Thou shalt loue thy Neigh­bour as thy selfe.

CHAP. XIII. The meanes how to become hear­tie wel-willers of our seuerest Persecutors, and most aliena­ted Aduersaries.

ALthough it be easie to loue men of meeke and milde disposition; yet it may seeme hard, heartily to loue, and pray for our enemies and persecutors: especially for such persecutors, as haue for office, to draw vs (by spoile of goods, losse of libertie, and life) from temporall and eternall Happinesse, into [Page 174] temporall and eternall My­serie; which is the case of our Persecution in Eng­land: wherefore it is neces­sarie heere to set downe the meanes, how to loue our most alienated enemies, or aduersaries, and fulfill the Precept of our Lord, which saith, Loue your enemies, doe Mat. 5. 44. good to them that hate you, pray for them that persecute and abuse you, that you may be the Children of your Fa­ther which is in Heauen, who maketh his Sunne to shine vpon the good and bad, and raineth vpon the iust and vniust. A­gaine, Reuenge not your selues, Rom. 12. 19, my deerest, but giue place vnto Wrath; for it is written, Re­uenge to me; I will reward, saith our Lord: but if thy [Page 175] enemy hunger, giue him meate, if he thirst, giue him drinke; be not ouercome with euill, but ouercome in good, the euill. If, saith the Prophet Dauid, I haue rendred to them that repayed me euill; let me wor­thily fall emptie from mine e­nemies. Let the enemie per­secute Ps. 7. 6. my soule, and take and treade downe my life in the Earth, and bring downe my glory in the dust.

The practise of which Doctrine, though to world­ly men it seeme hard, and haue great difficultie; yet by the grace of God, and the good meanes which he hath left for vs to vse, it is light and easie: Of our selues, as 2. Cor. 3. 4. of our selues, we be not suffici­ent to thinke any thing. But [Page 176] our sufficiencie is of God: Christ Rom. 8. 34. Iesus that dyed (for vs) who is on the right hand of God, also maketh intercession for vs: Who then shall seperate vs from the Charitie of Christ? Tribula­tion? or Distresse? or Fa­mine? or Nakednesse? or Danger? or Persecution? or the Sword? (as it is written) For we are killed for thy sake all the day, we are esteemed as sheepe of slaughter. But in all these things we ouercome, because of him that hath loued vs. I can all things (saith the A­postle) Phi. 4. in him that comfor­teth mee. Comfort vs, O Lord, and wee can doe all things; yea, loue our hea­uiest Persecutors, as our selues.

Since from God Almigh­tie [Page 177] proceedeth all our good, and strength: the first means of atteining vnto the loue of our Persecutors, as our selues; is much to loue his Diuine Maiestie: To them Rom. 8. that loue God, all things coope­rate in good. Againe, If any Io. 14. 23. loue me, he will keepe my word, (loue his Enemies, and pray for his Persecutors) Loue is Cant. 8. 6. as strong as Death: The Loue of God nothing can ouer­come; Many Waters (of tri­bulation) Cant. 8. cannot quench Cha­ritie, neither shall Flouds (of Persecution) ouerwhelme it. Wherefore the first meanes, is much to loue God Al­mightie, and often to make the aforesaid Acts of Loue, and Charitie, towards God, set downe in the eleuenth [Page 178] Chapter, and then thou wilt easily loue thy most aliena­ted enemies with all thy heart.

The second meanes is, of­ten to reflect vpon the pro­uidence of God Almightie; who since hee intendeth to crowne none, but such as 2. Tim. 2. shall ouercome in combate; first giueth the grace and force to ouercome, and then permitteth myserable peo­ple to practise cruelties and persecutions vpon thee; that thou, by his grace, o­uercomming them, and re­maining, through Patience and Charitie, a Conquerour, he may crowne thee with abundance of temporall Con­tent in this life, and after death, in the other, with eter­nall [Page 179] glory, according to the words of S. Iames, saying; Blessed is the man that suffe­reth Iam▪ 1. 12. temptation; for when he hath beene proued, he shall re­ceiue the Crowne of life, which God hath promised to them that loue him. Insomuch, as by o­uercomming, thy gaine is so great, that if a persecuting King, Prince, or Potentate, should spoile himselfe of his Scepter and Crowne, and be­stow them both on thee, to­gether with his Kingdome; yet, thou shouldest not re­ceiue by his meanes, so great a benefit, as the Martyr whō he putteth to death either pub­likely, or by long priuate im­prisonment, or other distresses for our Catholike Faith: My Num. 23. 10. soule die the death of the iust, and [Page 180] my last ende be made like to them.

So in truth and veritie, there is no cause, why thou shouldest hate or wish any euill vnto thy seuerest Perse­cutors; but much cause, why thou shouldest wish well vnto them, and loue them tenderly: since that by their meanes, and by their losse, both of temporall and eternall Content and Happi­nesse; thou, perseuering in Charitie, art to receiue a greater benefit then other­wise thou couldest expect e­uer to haue receiued, viz. to be crowned with a Crown of Apoc. 3. 10. eternall glory, to rest in the ioy of our Lord, before the throne of God, and serue him Apoc. 7. day and night in his Temple, and [Page 181] be conducted by the Lambe, our Sauiour, to the liuing Foun­taines of Waters.

And for this cause, the wi­sest men that be vpon the face of the Earth, haue a pious enuie at our happinesse here in England, For that we are kil­led Ps. 43. 22. all the day, we are esteemed as Sheepe of slaughter, for the Catholike Faith, which wee professe; and goe continu­ally, as the Prophet Dauid sayth, With our liues alwayes Ps. 118. in our hands, to offer them to God Almightie in Sacrifice; knowing, that our reward is very great in Heauen: for so Mat. 5. 12. they persecuted the Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, that were before vs: To whom our Sauiour sayth; You are they that haue remained with [Page 182] me, in my temptations; and I dispose to you, as my Father dis­posed to me, a Kingdome, that Luc. 22. 28. you may eate and drinke vpon my Table, and in my King­dome, and may sit vpon Thrones, iudging the twelue Tribes of Israel.

Thou seest what labour, paines, and dangers, euerie worldly man would be con­tent to take, if he might but hope to ascend vp to be an earthly King, or Prince, or come to attaine some grace and fauour in the Court; where, in truth and veritie, their greatest Pleasures are mixt with so many Woes, that if they would but looke vpon them with reason, they haue more cause to lament their euill mishap, then to [Page 183] take glorie in their seeming high estate. How much more shouldest thou be content, gladly, and willingly, to suf­fer some seuen yeares paines, and persecution, in hope to enioy the Kingdome of Heauen, the glorie of the other life, and that eter­nally.

A third meanes is, to stirre vp and reuiue thy Faith in thee, by making many Acts of Faith, founded vpon the Promises, to patient suffering Iniuries, and Persecutions, for the loue thou bearest to God; as often to make these or the like Acts.

He that will saue his life, Mat. 16. 25. shall lose it, and he that shall lose his life for me, shall finde it.

What doth it profit a man, if Mat. 16. 26. he gaine the whole world, and sustaine the dammage of his Soule.

What permutation shall a man Mar. 26. giue for his Soule? What wilt thou take, that the Deuill may haue thy Soule, for to burne in Hell eternally? and trie but for a quarter of an houre, how thou canst en­dure thy hand, or foot, to be burnt in this fire, vpon Earth? And then thou wilt laud the mercies of our Lord, that by his Grace, and thy suffering patiently so little paines; he hath ordained, to redeeme thee from eternall Torments.

Wee suffer with Christ Iesu, Rom. 17. that we may be glorified also with him.

The sufferings of this time are not condigne to the glorie to Rom. 8. 18. come, that shall be reuealed in vs.

Our tribulation, which is mo­mentarie, 2. Cor. 4. 17. and light, worketh a­boue measure exceedingly, an e­ternall weight of glorie in vs. If 2. Tim. 2. 11. wee be dead in Christ, then wee shall liue also together with him. If we shall sustaine, we shall also reigne together.

So to liue by Faith, accor­ding as it is written: The iust Gal. 3. 12. liueth by Faith; for without Faith it is impossible to please God: For hee that commeth to God, Heb. 11. 6. must beleeue, that hee is, and is a rewarder of them that seeke him.

And this is the Faith of the Saints; so renowmed, and of­ten spoken of in the Scrip­tures: [Page 186] the Faith of Henoch, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, Ioseph, Moyses, Gedeon, Barac, Sampson, Iephte, (and the A­postles) who by Faith ouer­came Kingdomes, wrought Iu­stice, obtained Promises, stopped the mouth of Lyons, extinguished the force of Fire, repelled the edge of the Sword, recouered of their Infirmities, had triall of Mockeries, and Stripes, of Bonds, and Prisons, were Sto­ned, Hewed, Tempted, dying in slaughter of the Sword, went a­bout in Sheepe skinnes, and Goats skinnes, needie in distresse, affli­cted, of whom the World was not worthie, wandering in Desarts, in Mountaines, and Dennes, and in Caues in the Earth. As thou seest, Religious men, and Priests, and Lay Catholikes [Page 187] doe, in the time of this our persecution in England; who firmely grounded and foun­ded in the infallible certaine­tie of the Oathes and Promi­ses of God, doe thinke what­soeuer they can suffer, or en­dure, in this life, too little to manifest the constancie of their Faith, and Hope, in the Promises of God; that as S. Paul writeth of the Romans, so wee may say of the Eng­lish Catholikes, Your Faith Rom. 1. 8. is renowmed throughout the whole World, and will be, in all Ages, in this life, and after death, for all eternitie, in Hea­uen.

A fourth may be, to re­member, that it is the Pre­cept of our Lord, saying, Loue your enemies, doe good to Mat. 5. 44. [Page 188] them that hate you, pray for them that persecute you, and a­buse you.

Thou seest what paines the Pursuinants take, at the com­maundement of their May­sters, to apprehend, take, spoyle, and torment Priests, and Catholikes; and in all equitie, it must needes be a great shame vnto thee, that the commaundement of a Man should haue more force to moue men to breake the commaundements of God, then the commaundement of God hath to moue thee, to keepe them; especially con­sidering, that all which they can get, is but to diuide the spoyles betweene their May­sters and them, and the good countenance of their May­sters [Page 189] to themselues: And thou expectest the King­dome of Heauen, the hap­pie Vision of God, and eter­nall Glorie.

A fifth may be, to consi­der, what it is that thou de­sirest: Is it not Content, and Happinesse? Wouldest thou not be Content, and Happie? This is the Way. Looke after all those, who euer attained vnto high de­gree of Rest, and Ioy, and obserue their steppes; and thou shalt finde, that they are all gone in this path of outward Tribulation, and Persecution. And supposed, that thou couldest finde ano­ther way to Rest, and Ioyes; wouldest thou forsake the comfort of so good compa­nie, [Page 190] to goe alone, when as by so doing, thou shouldest but depriue thy selfe of much Ease and Ioy.

The seruants of God, who willingly take paines, and readily suffer persecution for the loue of God; in their suf­ferings, and persecutions, doe not suffer, but in outward shew, view, and sight of the World; hauing in their in­ward hearts, and soules, more Ioyes, and Content, then any Penne, or Tongue, is able to expresse.

God Almightie is more ten­der ouer his, who will wil­lingly suffer persecution for his loue, then euer was the most affectioned Mother in the World ouer her onely Child: that giue but thy [Page 191] consent, free will, and resig­nation of minde, readily, by Gods grace, to suffer whatso­euer persecution, or tribula­tion, it shall please his Di­uine Maiestie to permit to fall vpon thee, & willingly march on, in that way to Rest, by which he will conduct thee: and suffer paines of torment thou neuer shalt; but be so full of Ioy, in the greatest see­ming paines, that if they were sensible to others, as they will be to thy selfe, thy suffe­ring would conuert not one, but all the World. And if thou wilt beleeue the Testi­monies of all pious Men, in this Age, and in all Ages past; thou shalt finde it most true, by their Testimonies, and Experiences, that either [Page 192] all Content and Ioyes, which are to be found in this life, or the most part, are to be found in suffering and enduring out­ward paines, labours, and persecutions, for the loue of God: such are the Promises of God, as wee haue said im­mediately before; and God Almightie is iust and faith­full in all his Promises, if there be no defect on thy behalfe. So the Prophet Da­uid affirmeth, saying, Accor­ding Ps. 93. 19. to the multitude of my sor­rowes in my heart, thy consola­tions haue made my soule ioyfull.

Againe, Thou hast proued vs, O Lord, by fire; thou hast Ps. 65. 9. tryed vs, as Siluer is tryed; thou hast brought vs vnto a Snare; thou hast laid Tribula­tions on our backes; thou hast [Page 193] set men vpon our heads; we haue passed through fire, and water, and thou hast brought vs out into refreshing. So Saint Paul often affirmeth, saying, As the 2. Cor. 1. 5. Passions of Christ abound in vs, so also by Christ doth our com­fort abound. Againe, We make 2. Cor. 8. 2. it knowne vnto you, Brethren, the grace of God, that is giuen in the Church of Macedonia, that in much experience of Tri­bulation, they had abundance of Ioy. Againe, to the Corinthi­ans, liuing in persecution, and tribulation, hee writeth, say­ing, Our hope is firme for you, 2. Cor. 1. 7. knowing, that as you are parta­kers of the Passion, so shall you be of the Consolation also: And further affirmeth, saying, All Discipline, for the present, truly Heb. 12. 11. seemeth not to be of Ioy, but [Page 194] of Sorrow: but after, it will ren­der vnto them that are exercised in it, most peaceable fruit of Iu­stice. So S. Peter witnesseth, saying, My dearest, communi­cating [...]. Pet. 4. 12. with the Passions of Christ, be glad, that in the reuelation also of his glorie, you may be glad, reioycing. If you be reuiled in the Name of Iesus Christ, you shall be blessed, because that which is of the honour, glorie, and ver­tue of God, and the Spirit, which is his, shall rest vpon you: The holy Ghost will rest vpon you with his gifts, and fruites; from whose communication, proceedeth all our Content and Happinesse, as wee will shew in his place. So Saint Paul concludeth, That all men, without exception, shall find Content by Persecution, [Page 195] saying, All that will liue god­ly 1. Tim. 3. 12. in Christ Iesus, shall suffer Persecution.

Whereby thou seest, that if either the light of Rea­son, or Grace, may pre­uaile with thee, thou hast no cause to hate, or wish euill vnto the persons of the Pursuinants, or seuerest Per­secutors; but to hate and detest their sinne, impietie, and wickednesse, and loue, cherish, and doe all the ser­uiceable offices thou canst, vnto their persons: since that by patiently enduring the euils and wickednesse they practise vpon thee, God Al­mightie hath disposed, to conduct thee to more tem­porall, and eternall Rest, Content, and Happinesse, [Page 196] then euer otherwise thou couldest haue expected to haue receiued.

Which considered, thou oughtest to haue great com­passion vpon those poore, mi­serable, and wretched peo­ple, which serue for nothing else, but, by God Almighties permission, to conduct thee to Happinesse; after, to des­cend themselues into eter­nall Torments: and out of compassion, to pray much for them, if peraduenture, God Almightie will haue mercie on them also; that they may see their errors, and come to loue God Almighty with their whole hearts, and their neigh­bours as themselues, and saue their soules; that those whom thou hast had as persecutors [Page 197] vpon Earth, thou mayest haue as companions of Glorie in Heauen; which God Almigh­tie graunt vs: and to that end I set downe these Acts following.

CHAP. XIIII. Of the wretchednesse and mise­ries into which those fall, who liue in breach of the Com­mandements of God, and doe beleeue, that it is not necessa­rie, or impossible, to keepe them.

HAuing shewed thee, (deare Reader) that it is not possible for thee euer to be happie, or find any true Content, Ease, or Rest, vnlesse thou keepe the Commaunde­ments of God; and also ha­uing set downe vnto thee the [Page 202] meanes, by which thou may­est easily keepe them: Now it resteth, to set downe the miseries, and wretchednesse, into which those fall, who liue in breach of them, and e­steeme it a thing impossible for to keepe them; that either for the loue of thine owne good, and content, or else for feare of thy falling into mise­ries & torments, thou mayest be woon to keepe them zea­lously, & so be happy; which is that I heartily wish vnto thee.

First, those who doe not loue God with all their hearts, and keepe his Commaunde­ments, are spirituall Idolaters, and doe liue in spirituall Ido­latrie. For our Sauiour expli­cating of the first Commaun­dement, which is made against [Page 203] Idolatrie, and the hauing of Exod. 20. 1. strange Gods, sayth, Thou shalt Mat. 22. 37. loue the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soule, and with thy whole mind: This is the greatest, and the first Commandement, sayth our Sa­uiour. So, if thou wilt beleeue our Sauiour himselfe, thou must confesse, that those, who doe not loue God with their whole hearts, and keepe his Commandements, are Idola­ters. And the part of Idolaters Apoc. 21. 8. (saith S. Iohn) shalbe in the Poole burning with fire and Brimstone.

An Idoll, of it selfe, is not 1. Cor. 10. 19. any thing (as witnesseth Saint Iohn) but the loue & affection which any one beareth to any creature, imagination, or con­ceit, more then to God, contra­rie to the first Cōmandement; [Page 204] whereupon, couetous men are called Idolaters, because that Col. 3. 5. they loue Gold and Riches more then God; and lasciui­ous Men, or Gluttons, are said Phil. 3. 19. to make their bellies their God: And according to this, our Sauiour sayth, You cannot Mat. 6. 24. serue God and Mammon. God will haue all thy heart, and loue, or none. Whereupon S. Iohn sayth, Euery one that In his 2. Epist. Ver. 9. reuolteth, and persisteth not in the Doctrine of Christ, hath not God, that is, hath no true God, but is an Idolater. Againe, He that saith he knoweth God, and keepeth not his Commandements, is a lyar.

Whereupon it commeth to passe, that howsoeuer these, who thinke it impossible to keepe the Commaundements [Page 205] of God, seeme to adore, laud, and praise God, and haue the Lord, the God, alwaies in their mouths, & sing Geneua Psalms in their Congregations; yet they doe neither serue their God, nor acknowledge him in their words or song: but commit spirituall Idolatrie; apprehending vnder these termes, the Lord, the God, &c. such a God as they haue feig­ned, and not such a God as he is indeed. All Heathen and Cicero de Leg. li. 1. Pagan people that euer were, haue acknowledged a God, and haue sung songs in praise; but they did not acknow­ledge him to be as he is, but as they feigned him to be; as those doe, who affirme, that they are assured to be saued, without keeping the Com­mandements [Page 206] of God; confesse, that there is a God, a Trinitie, &c. but doe not confesse him to be such a God as he is; that is, a God, who curseth all these who decline from his Comman­dements, Psal. 118. according to his Mat. 25. word; but such a God, & Tri­nitie, as they haue feygned; that is to say, a God which will admit and receiue into Heauen filthie soules, stai­ned with Pride, Idolatrie, Fornication, Couetousnesse, &c. when there is no such God, but onely in their ima­ginations; as witnesseth Saint Paul, saying, Doe not erre, nei­ther [...]. Cor. 6. Fornicators, nor seruers of Idols, nor Adulterers, nor the Effeminate, nor the Lyers with mankinde, nor Theeues, nor the Couetous, nor Drunkards, nor [Page 207] Raylers, nor Extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdome of God: For he that hath done iniurie, shal Col. 3. 25. receiue that which he hath done vniustly, and there is no acception of Persons with God. There shall Apoc. 22. not enter into Heauen (saith S. Iohn) any vncleane thing, or that doth abhomination, or ma­keth a lye. Whereby is mani­fest, that all those who do liue in the breach of the Com­mandements of God, & do be­leeue, that either it is not ne­cessary, or else, that it is impos­sible to keepe them, are spiri­tuall Idolaters, and doe adore and serue strange Gods in their soules and spirits, contrary to the first Commandement; as it is also manifest to experience: for aske of any one of these Ministers, if when he Praieth, [Page 208] or Preacheth, and saith, The Lord, The God, hee doe not meane the Lord, the God, that sent him to Preach, that it is impossible to keepe the Com­mandements of God; and he will say, Yes: and yet there is no such God, but in there ima­ginations, as we haue proued before. Againe, aske of these Ministers, if they doe not a­dore as God, the Lord, the God, who sent them to Preach this, and the like doctrine; and they will say, Yes: Moreouer, aske of their Disciples and followers, if they doe not be­leeue in the God, who sent these Ministers to Preach Iu­stificatiō by Faith only, with­out keeping the Commande­ments; and they will say, Yes: and yet if thou wilt beleeue [Page 209] the liuing God, there is no such God, but in their ima­ginations, as we haue shewed in the former Chapters. Whereby is manifest, that all those who liue in the breach of the Commandements of God, and do beleeue, that it is not necessary, or impossible to keepe them, are Idolaters, and haue made to themselues strange Gods, Gods who will saue, and make happie by Faith in them, or beleefe in them onely, without kee­ping their Commandements, or louing them with all their hearts: Strange Gods, that are so black and vgly, that it is impossible for men to loue them with all their hearts.

Secondly, they are sonnes of the Deuill, as witnesseth [Page 210] our Sauiour, saying, You are Io. 8. 44. of your Father the Diuell, and the desires of your Father you will doe, that is, breake the Commandements; as our Sa­uiour testifieth, saying, He was a man-killer from the begin­ning, Io. 44. and he stood not in veri­tie. And the Law of God is Ps. 118. 242. veritie. So our Lord saith of Iudas, that hee was a Diuell; Haue I not chosen you twelue, Io. 6. 71. and one of you is a Diuell, and he meant Iudas: who by liuing in the breach of the Com­mandements of God, became a Diuell. Saint Paul saith, Giue not place to the Diuell: He Eph. 4. 27. that stole, let him now not steale. Hee that doth not loue God with all his heart, doth not steale from men, but doth steale from God the loue [Page 211] and respect which is due vn­to his diuine Maiestie: where­upon Saint Iohn saith, He that committeth sinne, is of the Di­uell, 1. Io. 3. 8. because the Diuell sinneth from the beginning: For this ap­peared the Sonne of God, that he might dissolue the workes of the Diuell; which are the the violating of the Com­mandements of God. Againe, In this are the Children of God manifest, and the Chil­dren 1. Io. 3. 10. of the Diuell; Euery one that is not iust, is not of God, and he that loueth not his bro­ther, is not of God, because he fulfilleth not the law; for al the Law is fulfilled in one word, Thou Gal. 5. 14. shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe.

Thirdly, the Diuell dwel­leth in them, as in his house, and home; as witnesseth our [Page 212] Sauiour, saying; And when Mat. 12. an vncleane Spirit shall goe out of a man, he walketh through dry places (mortified men) see­king rest, but findeth not. Then he saith, I will returne into my house whence I came out; and comming, he findeth it vacant (of good works) Then goeth he, and taketh with him seuen other Spirits, more wicked then himselfe, and they enter in, and dwell there. Againe, of Iudas Io. 13. 26. it is said, When our Sauiour had dipped Bread, he gaue it to Iu­das Iscariot, and after the mor­sell, then Sathan entred into him. And our Sauiour cast out of Mar. 16. 9. Luk. 8. 2. Mary Magdalene seuen Deuils, which dwelt in her before her Conuersion.

Thou must not imagine, that all those who haue the [Page 213] Diuell dwelling in them, are sensibly Lunatike, and Mad: neither Mary Magdalene, nor Iudas, were sensibly Mad; but had the Diuell dwelling in them vnsensibly, and secret­ly, keeping and possessing their soules, as his right. Those who are sensibly Lu­natike and Mad, are generally of the two, the least posses­sed by the Diuell: for that such as are sensibly Lunatike, may be possessed only in bo­dy (to doe outward foolish corporall actions) and not be possessed in soule, to giue free consent of heart to what they doe; whereas, the other, who liue in breach of the Commandements of God, are possessed in spirit, with a spi­rituall frensie, giddinesse, and [Page 214] madnesse, in spirituall things, to the perdition of their owne soules and many o­thers, and to the commit­ting of greeuous sinnes, by the vnion of their spi­rits, and free consent of minde, to the desires of the Diuell, though it be neither sensible to themselues, nor others.

Fourthly, the Diuell is their Master in spirituall things; insomuch, as they must doe, for the most part, what he will: for they be­ing void of inherent grace, and of the assistance of the holy Ghost, Which will Wis. 1. 4. not enter into a malitious soule, nor dwell in a body subiect to sinne; for what agreement 2. Cor. 6. is there with Christ and Beli­al? [Page 215] and hauing none other strength or force to resist him, dwelling in them, more then their naturall forces, he ob­taineth of them, for the most part, what he will: accor­ding to the words of our Lord, You are of your Father Io. 8. 44. the Diuell, and the desires of your Father you will doe. What the Deuill suggesteth vnto them, that they will doe, be­ing obedient vnto him, as sons to their Father; and so he calleth their hearts his house, saying, I will returne into my Mat. 12. 46. house: his house, and home; where, as a Master, hee com­mandeth, and as captiues, they obey.

Such as resist truth, saith Saint Paul, are intangled in the snares of the Diuell, Tim. 2. 25. [Page 216] of whom they are held captiue Ps. 118. at his will; and the Law of God is truth. So, by resisting the Law of God, and not keeping his Commandements, they be­come slaues & captiues of the Diuell: so thou must not mar­uel, that these (who affirme it, to be impossible to keepe the Commandements of God, or that the keeping of them is not absolutely necessary to Salua­tion) doe Teach and Preach, in effect and deeds, that God Almightie is forsworne, by suffering his Church to de­cay, and become inuisible, for many hundreth yeares toge­ther, contrary to his Oathes; and that now after 1500. yeares, they are sent from Heauen to Preach the Gos­pell, before not knowne vnto [Page 217] the World, and such like fol­lies as these. For the Diuell, as our Sauiour saith, dwel­ling in them, as in his house and home, holdeth them (as S. Paul saith) captiues at his will; that they must say what he will, and obey him as his slaues and captiues. 2. Pet. 2. 19. For where­withall a man is ouercome (saith S. Peter) of that he is the slaue also. Whereupon S. Paul saith, Rom. 6. 16. Know you not to whom you ex­hibite your selues seruant to obey; you are the seruants of him whom you obey, whether it be of sinne to death, or of obedience to iustice.

Fiftly, the Diuell not onely causeth them to doe what he will, as his captiues & slaues; but also, for the most part, ma­keth them to thinke and be­leeue [Page 218] what he will: as wit­nesseth our Sauiour, saying, Euery one that heareth the Word Mat. 13. 19 of the Kingdome, and vnderstan­deth not, there commeth the wic­ked one, and snatcheth away that which was sowne in his heart.

To these who do not keepe the Commandements of God, the Diuell becommeth so ri­gorous a Master, that they must not onely doe what hee will, but also beleeue, medi­tate, and thinke what he will: so, that if either they happen to reade any pious Booke, or heare any Christian Speech, Sermon, or Exhortation; the Diuell will not permit them to thinke vpon it long: but dwelling in their hearts, pre­sently snatcheth it out of their memorie, and fantasie, [Page 219] and putteth in of his owne suggestions: that they can neuer haue, for any long space, any one good thought; but must be occupied conti­nually in thinking vpon such things as it shall please the Deuill to suggest vnto them, and sowe in their hearts and soules: As further witnes­seth our Sauiour, saying; He that soweth the good Seed, Mat. 13. 37 is the Sonne of Man (our Sa­uiour) and the Cockle are the Children of the wicked one, (who doe the workes of their Father the Diuell) and the Enemie that sowed them, is the Diuell.

The Diuell, according to the testimonie of our Saui­our, hath such power and au­thoritie ouer those, who doe [Page 220] not keepe the Commaunde­ments of God, that he soweth in their hearts, for the most part, what he pleaseth; inso­much, as they must not haue a thought long remayning there, that is not of his plan­ting and sowing. And from hence ariseth their assured­nesse of saluation, without keeping the Commaunde­ments of God, and the feeling of the Spirit, as they call it; which is a sensible delight, stirred vp by the Diuell in the concupiscible & inferior part of their soules: whereby hee puffeth them vp with such swelling pride of minde, and selfe-conceit of themselues, of being endued with the ho­ly Ghost, as that presently they contemne the iudgement, au­thoritie, [Page 221] and knowledge of all others, as inferiour to their owne, and of lesse certaintie, then is their feeling of the spirit: Insomuch, as though you alledge vnto them the Oathes of God, and Promises, and Prophecies of both Te­staments, Councels, Fathers, and experience of former A­ges, nothing will preuaile a­gainst their priuate spirit; it telleth them, that the whole Church, generall Councels, ancient Fathers, & all others, may be deceiued; but they are assured, they are not. And thus deceiued by the Diuell, they liue in this life in a kind of frenzie of spirit, in spiritu­all things; like the Diuels in Hell, who being confirmed in pride, and malice, thinke well [Page 222] of themselues, and basely of all others.

For the sixt and last Mise­rie of this people in this life, wee put their Blindnesse; which is so great, that liuing in all these Miseries, they can­not see them, to haue com­passion of themselues: And who is more miserable, then he that is in miserie, and in danger to fall into eternall miserie, and yet can haue no compassion of himselfe. Man, beeing a reasonable creature; and Sinne, and breach of the Commaunde­ments of God, being a worke done, or made, against rea­son; and it being a natu­rall thing, for one contrarie to destroy the other: Here­upon it commeth to passe, [Page 223] that those who liue in breach of the Commaundements of God, become blinde in their vnderstandings, and void of the true light of reason, and true discourse of things pas­sed, or to come; and so, as blinde men, without dis­course, or apprehension, of Dangers, Doe spend their dayes in sensuall pleasures, and in an instant descend into Hell. The God of this World (saith 2. Cor. 4. 4. Saint Paul) hath blinded the eyes of the Infidels, that the illumination of the Gospell of the glorie of Christ, who is the Image of God, might not shine to them. That which euerie one loueth, hee ea­sily seeth, and embraceth; and that which hee loueth not, though it be before him, [Page 224] he will flye from it, and not see it; and being impossible for these, as they confesse, to loue God with all their hearts; it is impossible for them to see or know his Truths. So our Lord said, Io. 8. 17. If any man will doe the will of him that sent me (loue God with all his heart) he shall vnderstand of the Do­ctrine, whether it be of God. Againe, If any one loue me, he Io. 14. 23. will keepe my Word. Againe, He that saith he knoweth God, 1. Io. 2. 4. and keepeth not his Commaunde­ments, is a lyar. Againe, Euery Io. 3. 20. one that doth euill, hateth the Light; hateth our Sauior, who is (as he saith) Io. 9. 6. the Light of the World. And what canst thou expect from the haters of Light, but Doctrine of Dark­nesse, and Miserie?

Our Sauiour speaking of their Miseries in the other life, saith, that receiuing his Curse, they shall goe into fire Mat. 25. euerlasting, which was prepared for the Diuell and his Angels: that is to say, they shall goe into Hell; which is, as the Prophet Isay saith, A profound Isa. 30. and spacious roome: His food is fire, and store of wood; the breath of our Lords mouth doth kindle the same, like a maine Ri­uer of Brimstone: And there, bound hands and feet, they shall lye in a Bed of Moathes, couered ouer with a Couer­let of Wormes, or Lice, and bee deliuered vp into the hands of the Diuels, to poure out the wrath, vengeance, and rage of God Almightie vpon them: as is manifest [Page 226] by the Scriptures, saying, Mat. 22. 13. Bind his hands and feete, and cast him into vtter darkenesse. Againe, Ps. 149. This glorie is to all his Saints, to doe reuenge in the Nations, chastisement among the Peoples, to bind their Kings in Fetters, and their Nobles in Iron Manicles. Againe, Ps. 139. Thou shalt cast them downe into fire: in miseries they shall not stand vp. Againe, Isa. 14. Thy Pride is drawne downe into Hell, thy Carkas is fallen, the Moathe shall be strowed vnder thee, and Wormes shall be thy Coue­ring: And lying thus, in this wofull and lamentable estate, they shall be giuen vp into the hands of Diuels, to heape yet more Torments vpon them; as witnesseth the holy Ghost, saying, Eccl. 39. There are spirits [Page 227] created to reuenge, and in their furie, they haue fortified their Torments. When the finall Day shall come, they shall poure forth the force and rage of him that created them; Fire, Haile, Fa­mine, Death, teeth of Beasts, Scorpions, and Serpents. And besides these Torments, their Eyes shall be tormented with vgly shapes of Diuels, toge­ther with the horror of the Place; wherein, as Iob sayth, Iob. 10. 21. no order, but a perpetuall hor­ror doth remaine. Their Eares shall be tormented with hor­rible Schrikes, Lamentations, Rorings, Curses, and Blasphe­mies of Diuels, and damned Soules. He loued Cursing (sayth Ps. 108. the Prophet) and it shall come to him; and he would not Blessing, and it shall be farre from him: [Page 228] in all eternitie, he shall neuer heare any. Their Noses shall be tormented with stinke: For sweet sauour (sayth the Isa. 3. 24. Prophet Isay) there shall be stinke. The cursed Carkas of one damned man in Hell, for want of charitie, shall stinke worse then all the carrion vpon the Earth: so imagine, if thou canst, what a pestife­rous stinke all the carkasses of the damned together, shall make. Their Taste shall be tor­mented with raging hunger, and thirst, and yet they shall neuer taste so much as one drop of Water to coole their Luc. 16. Tongues. Their Touch, and whole bodie, shalbe scorched with fire, & gnawne vpon by wormes. Their Phantasie shall Isa. 14. be frighted with vgly formes. [Page 229] Their Memorie shalbe afflicted with a perpetuall memorie, and a continuall thinking vpon their miseries and tor­ments; alwaies so present, as that they cannot possibly for­get them, for that they are eternally the same. Their Vn­derstandings shall be vexed with frensie, folly, and igno­rance, according to the say­ing of the Prophet; Our Lord Ps. 2. from Heauen shall laugh them to scorne. Their Wills shall bee tormented with the losse of eternall weale, and the pos­sessing of eternall woe: And thus confirmed in this rufull estate, without hope of euer finding any alteration, com­fort, or change, The smoake of Apo. 14. their torments shall ascend vp for euer, and euer.

And this is sufficient for to shew vnto thee, deare Reader, the miserable estate of these, who liue and die in the breach of the Commande­ments of God; that if the loue of thy owne good and con­tent doe not moue thee to keepe them; yet, the feare of miserie, and torments, may winne thee to obserue them, that thou maiest by one meanes, or other, attaine vnto the Ease, Rest, Repose, Con­tent, and Happinesse, which I hearte­ly wish vnto thee.

CHAP. XV. That the Happie, Elect, and Iust, and all those who shall be saued, shall keepe the Law, loue God with their whole hearts, and their Neighbours as themselues.

FIrst, it is an horror to Na­ture, that any man should be truely Happy, or Content, who keepeth not the whole Law, or Commandements of God: as, that a Fornicator, A­dulterer, Drunkard, Man-kil­ler, Vsurer, Extortioner, Per­iured person, or Hater of God, should be receiued into Hea­uen, or liue with any Content vpō earth: for, because we see, that such as are guiltie of these [Page 232] crimes, and publikely pro­fesse in print, that they can­not loue God with all their hearts, or liue chast according to the Law, are not content to be stiled, or called, haters of God, Adulterers, or Forni­cators; because of the re­pugnance, which Nature hath against the guilt of sinne, and breach of the Commande­ments of God: which repug­nance, forceth them to e­steeme the very stile, of being so called, as an infamous thing, and badge of vnhap­pinesse.

If the guilt of such sinnes were not a horror to Nature, there would be no repug­nance in such as professe, they cannot loue God, or liue chast, to be stiled haters of God, for­nicators, [Page 233] and adulterers: But they would like well of those names, more then of others, as most agreeable to their Natures, and correspondent to their Faith, and Reli­gion.

And if the onely styling of men, with these names, of fornicators, and haters of God, which is but an extrin­secall denomination; bee so disgustfull, that no man, though guiltie of the crime, for the good opinion, fame, and estimation, he desireth to haue before men, will be con­tent to take them for his name, and be generally coun­ted a fornicator, or hater of God: how much more will the vgly guilt and crime of sinne it selfe, be disgustfull, before [Page 234] men, Angels, and God Almigh­tie.

Whereby it is manifest to reason, that no man, li­uing with the guilt, or staine, of the breach of any one Commandement in his soule, can euer bee Content, or Happy, in this life, or in the other: but that the Happy, Iust, and Elect, shall keepe the Com­mandements of God, loue him with all their hearts, and their Neighbours as themselues.

And with this reason a­greeth the consent of both the Old, and New Testa­ment, saying, Our Lord Deut. 31. 6. thy God will Circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy Seede, that thou mayest loue [Page 235] our Lord thy God in all thy heart, and in all thy soule, that thou mayest liue. A­gaine, Ezek. 11. 19. And I will giue them one heart, and will giue a new spirit in their bowels, and I will take away the stonie heart out of their flesh, and giue them a fleshy heart, that they may walke in my Precepts, and keepe my Iudgements, and doe them; and they may bee my People, and I may bee their God. Againe, This Ier. 31. 33. shall bee the Couenant that I will make with the house of Israel, After these daies, (saith our Lord) I will giue my Law in their Bow­els, and in their hearts I will write it: And I will be Heb. 8. 10. their God, and they shall bee my People. And, Saint Heb. 10. 15. [Page 236] Paul making mention of this Prophesie, affirmeth, that the foresaid words of Ieremy are to be verified vpon Christi­ans, saying; Our Lord hath ob­tained a better Mysterie, (then Moyses) by so much as he is Me­diator of a better Testament, which is established in better pro­mises. For if the former had beene void of fault, there should not certainely a place of a second beene sought: for blaming them, he saith; Behold, the daies shall come, saith our Lord, and I will consummate vpon the house of Israel, and vpon the house of Iuda, a new Testament. For this is the Testament which I will dispose to the house of Israel, after these daies, saith our Lord, giuing my Lawes in their minde, and in their heart will I subscribe [Page 237] them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Whereupon the Prophet Da­uid saith: The mouth of the Ps. 36. 30. iust shall meditate wisedome, and his tongue shall speake iudge­ment. The law of God is in his heart: and his steps shall not be supplanted. Againe, The Iu­stice Ps. 102. 17. of our Lord, is vpon the Childrens Children, to them that keep his Testament, and are mindfull of his Commandements, to doe them.

The Prophet Isay spea­king of the estate of our Ca­tholike Church to come, saith, All thy Children, taught of our Isa. 54. 13. Lord, and a multitude of peace to thy Children, and in Iustice thou shalt be founded, in kee­ping the law which is iust, iu­stified Ps. 18. in it selfe: Whereupon [Page 238] our Lord saith; That he came not to breake the Law, but to Deut. 30. 6. fulfill it, and giue grace vn­to euery one, to loue God with all their hearts, and their Neighbours as them­selues; without the which no man can be saued: as witnes­seth our Sauiour, saying, If thou wilt enter into life, keepe the Commandements. Againe, He that doth the will of my Fa­ther, Luc. 7. 21. which is in Heauen, he shall enter into the kingdome of Hea­uen. Againe, Whosoeuer shall doe the will of my Father that is in Heauen, he is my brother, and sister, and mother: For this 1. Thess. 4. 5. is the will of God, your sanctifica­tion, that you abstaine from for­nication, that euery one may know to possesse his vessel in sancti­fication and honour, not in the [Page 239] passion of lust, as also the Gen­tiles that know not God; and that no man ouergoe nor cir­cumuent his brother in businesse, because our Lord is the Reuen­ger.

And according to this, Saint Aug. de fide ad Petrum. Augustine saith, Hold it most firmely, and doubt not any waies, that not all which are baptised within the Catholike Church, shall receiue life euerlasting, but they which being baptised, liue well, that is, which haue abstai­ned from the vices and desires of the flesh: For the kingdome of Heauen, as faithlesse Here­tikes, and Schismatikes, shall not haue; so sinfull Catholikes can­not possesse.

And our Sauiour praying for vs, saith, And not for the Io. 17. 20. Apostles onely do I pray, but for [Page 240] them also, that by their word shall beleeue in me; that they all may be one as thou Father in me, and I in thee; that they also in vs may be one (by Charitie) that the world may beleeue, that thou diddest send me, to fulfill the Promises, which say, This Ezek. 11. shall be the Couenant I will make with the house of Israel: After these daies, saith our Lord, I will Deut. 30. Ier. 31. Heb. 10. giue my Law in their bowels, and in their heares I wil write it, &c. and so concludeth his prayer, saying; I will, that the loue Io. 17. 26. wherewith thou hast loued mee, may be in them, and I in them.

Whereby is manifest, that the Elect, and all those who shall be saued, shall keepe the Law, loue God Almightie with their whole hearts, and their Neighbours as them­selues.

CHAP. XVI. What it is to be content and hap­pie, and how Content, and Happinesse, consisteth in lo­uing God Almightie with all our hearts, and our Neigh­bour, for Gods sake, as our selues.

WE see by experience, that then euery one is well pleased, when he hath that which he loueth, and loueth that which he ought. Of all the affections in the soule, Loue is the strongest; inso­much, as Loue is said to be Cant. 8. as strong as Death; and Iea­lousie, or feare, to lose that which wee loue, is said to be as hard as Hell: euery [Page 242] one beeing so loth to part from that which he loueth, that of all paines it is the greatest. So that in Loues mo­tion, are satisfied and filled all the other affections of our soules: for who is delighted, but in that which he loueth? or who hateth, flyeth, or is sorrowfull, but for some euill, which may separate him from the good he loueth? or who hopeth, or despaireth, but in the difficultie he findeth in obtaining the good he lo­ueth? or who feareth, da­reth, or is angrie, but at the euill which opposeth it selfe to the good he desireth? so that in Loues motions are complete all our happinesse, and affections. If a man shall Cant. 8. giue all the substance of his house [Page 243] for loue, as nothing he will dis­pise it. He is violently carry­ed, whom loue driueth; and he was neuer poore, or dis­content, that found what he desired: and all so earnestly desire that which they loue, as aske of any one whosoe­uer, what is that which hath greatest force with him? and he will answere, his loue, and pleasure: Yet all the plea­sures which a man can take, are in some speciall, good, that is, honest, profitable, and delightfull; for he that de­sireth that which is dishonest, is ashamed; he that desireth that which is not profitable, looseth; and he that desireth that which proueth not de­lightfull, repenteth; and he that obtaineth that which is [Page 244] honest, and yet hath not in it all honestie, is defectiue; and hee that obtaineth that which is profitable, yet hath not all the profit that he is capable of to receiue, is still poore; and hee that hath that which delighteth him, and yet not all delights, wan­teth: whereby we gather, that the good which may giue vs complete content, may be of all things honest, the most honest; of all things profitable, the most profita­ble; and of all things delight­full, the most pleasing: and yet one it must needes be; for if in one thing I should loue honestie, and in ano­ther, profit, I should be di­uided; and diuision weake­neth loue, breaketh affection, [Page 245] and bringeth affliction. A­gaine, this one thing must be euery where, and in all pla­ces present vnto me; other­wise I could not alwaies, and in all places, be present vnto it, and happie.

Whereupon I answere, that according to the light of na­turall reason, Content doth not only consist in Loue, but in louing one thing, which hath in it, all hone­stie, profite, and pleasure, and all other things for it; and that one thing is to be euery where, and in all places, which is, God Al­mightie, call it what you will, This is my God, and Exod. 15. 2. I will glorifie him; the God of my Fathers, and I will ex­alt him; who is most high, [Page 246] most sweet, most potent, most mercifull, most iust, most se­cret, most present, most strong, most incomprehensi­ble, most wise, most beauti­full, most happie; of infinite Honestie, Wisedome, Beau­tie, Content, and Happinesse: who giueth all that any hath, and yet is neuer the poorer; and accepteth what is giuen him, and yet is neuer the richer: in louing him, and all other things for him, consisteth all our Ease, Rest, Repose, Content, and Happi­nesse.

O deceiued sonnes of Men! you seeke Ease, Rest, and Con­tent in the Earth, and it is in your inward soules: turne, sinners, into your hearts, and there you shall finde it; it is [Page 247] within you, and you are without your selues; it is present to you, and you are absent to it; it is before your faces, and you put your selues vpon your backs; you seeke for it without, and it is within your hearts: as witnesseth the Prophet Da­uid, Ps. 72. saying, God of my heart, and God my portion for euer; and in all places, more pre­sent to you, then you are to your selues: For in him Act. 17. 28. wee liue, and moue, and bee.

This is thy Rest, Repose, Content, and Happinesse, The Mat. 6. 33. kingdome of Heauen, the iustice of our Lord, to loue thy God Mat. [...]2 37. from thy whole heart, and with thy whole soule▪ with thy whole minde, and thy Neighbour as [Page 248] thy selfe. On these two Com­maundements Mat. 22. 38. (as our Lord saith) doe depend the whole Law & the Prophets; this is the Mirth, Ioy, Peace, and Content, which is not giuen to the wicked, but to such as serue God gratis, whose Ioy and Content he is.

This is happie life, O Lord, to Au. li. Con. 10. ca. 22. reioice in thee, of thee, for thee; this is it, and other there is none. O all ye that thirst, come to the Isa. 55. waters, and you that haue no sil­uer, make hast, buy and eate, come buy without siluer, or without any exchange, wine, and milke: why bestow you siluer, & not for bread, Boetius li. 2. Pro. 4. and your labour, and not for sati­etie. O mortall men! why seeke you for your happinesse abroad, which is placed within your selues? Hearing, heare you me, Isa. 55. [Page 249] and eate that which is good, and your soules shall bee delighted with fatnesse; with content vpon Earth, and happinesse for all eternitie in Heauen. Blessed is the man whose will Ps. 1. is in the Law of our Lord, and in his Law shall meditate day and night; all things whatsoe­uer he shall doe, shall prosper. To them that loue God, all Rom. 8. 28. things cooperate vnto good, to such as according to purpose, are called to bee Saints. Loue thou God Almightie with thy whole heart, and thy Neighbour for Gods sake, as thy selfe, and all things will be pleasing, all things de­lightfull, all things profi­table, all things that to thee, which thou wouldest desire, or wish in Charitie, [Page 250] or the loue of God, and our Neighbour, is satisfied, and filled all our affections. Cha­ritie Col. 3. 14. is the bond of perfection, which comprehendeth in it all other vertues. Charitie 1. Cor. 13. 4. is patient, is benigne; Chari­tie enuieth not, dealeth not per­uersly; is not puffed vp, is not ambitious▪ seeketh not her owne, is not prouoked to anger, thin­keth no euill, reioiceth not vpon iniquitie; but reioiceth with the truth, suffereth all things, be­leeueth all things. Charitie 1. Tim. 4. 8. neuer falleth away, is profita­ble to all things, hauing promise of the life that now is, and of that to come.

Whereupon, Saint Augu­stine saith, The Apostle Paul, Tract. 8. in Ioan. initio. when against the workes of the flesh hee would commend the [Page 251] fruits of the spirit, put Chari­tie as head, saying, the fruits of the spirit is Charitie, and then putteth the rest in order, as rising from this head, and bound to it; which are, Ioy, Peace, Longanimitie, Benig­nitie, Goodnesse, Faith, Mild­nesse, Continence, Chastitie. Which the Saint shewing to be true, by experience, ad­deth, For who doth well re­ioice, but he who loueth some good wherein he may reioice? who hath any true friendship or peace with any, but with him whom he sincerely loueth? who deth long perseuere in doing good workes, vnlesse he be hot in louing? who is benigne, but he that loueth those whom hee may helpe? who is good, vnlesse hee bee made by louing? who [Page 252] is faithfull to saluation, but by that faith which worketh by loue? who is courageously meeke, but whom loue doth mo­derate? who doth abstaine from that which may make him filthie, but hee that lo­ueth something, by which hee may be honested? Worthily therefore doth our good Ma­ster so often commend Loue, as though it were onely to be commended; without the which, other goods can nothing pro­fite vs, and which cannot bee had without other goods, wherewith a man is to bee made good: so Saint Augu­stine.

And according to these words of Saint Augustine, are the words of Saint Paul, saying, Circumcision is no­thing, [Page 253] and Prepuce is nothing, 1. Cor. 7. 19. but the obseruation of the Com­maundements of God. A­gaine, In Christ Iesu, nei­ther Gal. 5. 5. Circumcision auaileth ought, nor Prepuce, but Faith that worketh by Charitie. Againe, Thes. 3. 12. Our Lord multiplie you, and make your Charitie abound one towards another, and towards all men, as we also in you, to confirme your hearts without blame, in holinesse, before God, and our Father, in the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, with all his Saints: Who, when hee shall come to Iudgement, if wee will beleeue himselfe, shall con­demne to euerlasting paines all those who wanted Cha­ritie towards their Neigh­bours, and haue broken this [Page 254] Precept, Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe. Iewes, Gentiles, and Heretikes, who doe not beleeue the Oathes of God, and the Faith plan­ted by our Lord, are alreadie Ioh. 3. 18. iudged, because they doe not be­leeue in the Name of the onely Sonne of God: And shall arise onely to receiue their finall doome, and damnation, with such Catholikes as had Faith, but wanted Charitie, To feede Mat. 25. the hungrie, giue drinke to the thirstie, harbour the stranger, couer the naked, visit the sicke, &c. These (for all their faith, if we will beleeue the Iudge himselfe) shall goe into punish­ment euerlasting, which was pre­pared for the Diuell and his An­gels: But the Iust, such as feede the hungry, giue drinke [Page 255] to the thirstie, &c. shall goe into life euerlasting; according to the Prophecies, Our Lord Ps. 144. keepeth all that loue him, and he will destroy all sinners. Where­upon S. Paul sayth, That the 1. Tim. 1. 5. end of the Precept is Charitie, from a pure Heart, and a good Conscience, and a Faith not fai­ned. From a pure Heart; ac­cording to the words of our Lord, Happie are the cleane of Mat. 5. 8. heart, for they shall see God: and a good Conscience; accor­ding to the words of S. Pe­ter, With modestie, and feare, 1. Pet. 3. 15. hauing a good Conscience; that in that which they speake euill of you, they may be confounded, which calumniate your good con­uersation in Christ: A Faith not fained; not such a Faith as Protestants haue: who [Page 256] faine, that they are assured to be saued, without keeping the Commaundements of God; when neither the Apostles, nor Prophets, make any mention of any such thing: but a Faith founded vpon the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets, Iesus Christ himselfe being the Ephe. 2. 20. highest corner Stone; A Faith, which doth establish the Law; Rom. 3. 31. a Faith conioyned to a good Conscience: according to the words of S. Paul, Hauing Faith 1. Tim. 1. 19. and a good Conscience; which certaine repelling, haue made shipwracke about the Faith.

Saint Augustine speaking of this definition of Charitie, sayth, Charitie is our fruit; Tract. 8. in Ioan. which the Apostle defineth, of a pure Heart, and a good Consci­ence, and a Faith not fained: [Page 257] by this we loue one another, by this wee loue God; neyther should wee loue one another with true loue, but by louing God: For euery one doth loue his Neighbour as himselfe, if hee loue God; for if hee doe not loue God, hee doth not loue himselfe.

Since all Content and Hap­pinesse consisteth in louing of God, and all other things for God; hee depriueth himselfe of all true good and content, who doth not loue God with all his heart: as in another place, the said Saint further confesseth, saying; Let vs heare De mo [...]ib. Ecc. Catho. O Christ, what end (or rest) of goods thou prescribest vnto vs, that is without all controuersie, the end, or rest; to which thou commandest vs to encline vnto with all loue. [Page 258] Thou sayest, thou shalt loue the Lord thy God from thy whole Mat. 22. 37. heart, and with thy whole soule, and with thy whole mind. Thither we are altogether to tend; to that all our Counsels are to be refer­red; the chiefest of all good, God is vnto vs. God is to vs the chiefest good; neither are we to remaine lower, nor yet to seeke any thing beyond him. The one is dangerous, and the other is nothing. The following of God, is the desire of Happinesse; and the attaining God, Happinesse it selfe: and we follow him, by lo­uing him; and attaine to him, when we are not altogether made that which he is; but adorned with his vertue, and sanctitie, we are neere vnto him, and touch him after a wonderfull and vn­derstanding manner.

Againe, For what other thing Aug. de mo­rib. Ecc. Ca­tho. should be the chiefest good of Man, but that, to which to cleaue vnto, maketh most happie: and that is onely God; to whom, ve­rily, we cannot cleaue vnto▪ but by Loue and Charitie. And if Vertue doth lead vs to happie life; I would affirme, Vertue to be nothing else, but the casting of all our loue vpon God. And therefore I will not doubt, to define these foure (Cardinall) Vertues after this manner: That Temperance should bee Loue, giuing it selfe wholly to him that is beloued; Fortitude to be Loue, easily suffering or enduring all things for the thing beloued; Iustice to be Loue, ser­uing onely the beloued, and there­fore rightly ruling; Prudence to be Loue, wittily separating [Page 260] and discerning those thinges wherewith it is helped, from those by whom it is hindered. But we say, that this loue is not of what thing soeuer, but of God, that is to say, of the chie­fest Good, chiefest Wisedome, chiefest Concord: Wherefore wee may also, after this manner, define these foure (Cardinall) Vertues, and say, That Tempe­rance is Loue, preseruing it selfe whole and vnspotted to God; Fortitude to be Loue, patiently suffering all things for God; Iu­stice to be Loue, onely seruing God, and for his sake, well gouer­ning other things which are vn­der his charge; Prudence to be Loue, well discerning these things wherewithall it is helped into God, from these by which it may be hindered.

Againe, Charitie is the most Aug. de Nat. et gra. ca. 42. ibi. ca. 70. true, the most full, and most per­fect Iustice; vnperfect Charitie is vnperfect Iustice, encreased Charitie is encreased Iustice, perfect Charitie is perfect Iu­stice: but we vnderstand Cha­ritie from a pure Heart, and a good Conscience, and a Faith not fained; which then is the most perfect that it can be in this life, when for the loue of it, life is despised. So Saint Au­gustine.

Whereupon the Councell of Trent, Sess. 6. ca. 7. saith, Although none can be iust, but to whom the mercies of the Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ are communicated; that yet is done by the iustification of the wicked, whiles by the me­rite of his most holy Passion, [Page 262] the Charitie of God, by the holy Ghost, is poured into the hearts of them who are iustified, and doth inhere in them. Whereup­on, in Iustification, with remission of sinnes, a man doth receiue all these, infused together, by Iesus Christ; to whom he is ingraffed by Faith, Hope, and Charitie: For Faith, vnlesse Hope be added vnto it, and Charitie, neither doth perfectly vnite with Christ, neither doth it make a liuing Member of his Bodie. And according to this, are the words of S. Paul, saying of Rom. 13. 10. Loue, That it is the fulnesse of the Law; Diuine Loue, or Charitie, comprehendeth in it all other Vertues, fulfilleth the whole Law, or Comman­dements of God. If there be Rom. 13. any other Commandement, it is [Page 263] comprehended in this word, Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe: The loue of thy Neigh­bour worketh no euill. So Saint 1. Ioh. 3 10. Iohn sayth, Euery one that is not iust (that keepeth not the Commandements) is not of God; and he that loueth not his Brother: because this is the Annunciation, which you haue heard, from the beginning, That you loue one another. Againe, Ioh. 13. 35. In this all men shall know that you are my Disciples, if you haue loue one to another. Where­upon Saint Augustine sayth, In 1. Ep. Ioa. tract. 5. Therefore Loue onely discerneth betweene the sonnes of God, and the sonnes of the Diuell: All signe themselues with the signe of the Crosse of Christ; all an­swer, Amen; all sing, Alleluia; all are Baptized; all come to [Page 264] the Church, and build the walls of Churches. The sonnes of God are not discerned from the sonnes of the Diuell, but by Charitie. Those who haue charitie, are borne of God; those who haue not charitie, are not borne of God. Haue a great Iudgement, haue a great Discretion, or haue what thou wilt, if this thou hast not, the other doe nothing pro­fit thee. Whereupon the Pro­phet Dauid saith, Blessed are Ps. 118. 1. the immaculate in the way, who walke in the Law of our Lord; and loue God with all their hearts, and their Neighbours for Gods sake, as themselues: Blessed are they that search his Ps. 118. 2. testimonies, that seeke after him with all their hearts; for they shall be happie vpon Earth; and eternally blessed in Hea­uen: [Page 265] according to the words of our Sauiour, saying, Blessed Mat. 5. 3. Mat. 19. 29. are the poore in spirit; such as haue left all things for the loue of God: Blessed are the Mat. 11. 2 [...]. meeke; such as for his loue, learne meekenesse of him: Blessed are they that mourne; for that they haue offended God, and broken his Law: Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Iustice; the kee­ping of the Law: Blessed are the mercifull; who feede the Hungrie, giue drinke to the Thirstie, cloathe the Naked, &c. Blessed are the cleane of heart; such as haue Charitie: which S. Paul defineth to be, of a pure Heart, a good Consci­ence, and Faith not fained. Blessed are the Peace-makers; such as teach men, to loue [Page 266] their Neighbours as them­selues; thereby to take away all Suites, and Controuer­sies: no man commencing a Suit against himselfe. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for Iustice; out of their loues to God, defending his Honor, the fulfilling of his Oathes, and seeking inuiolably to keepe his Commandements.

Whereupon we conclude, that in the louing of God Almightie, with our whole hearts, and with our whole soules, and with our whole mindes, and our Neighbour (for Gods sake) as our selues; consisteth all our Ease, Rest, Repose, Content, and Happi­nesse. So God graunt thee (deare Reader) abundance of Charitie towards God and [Page 267] man, that thou mayest be a­bundantly happie.

CHAP. XVII. Of the temporall Blessing, and Contentments, which such enioy, as loue God with their whole hearts, and their neigh­bour for Gods sake, as them­selues.

HAuing established our Doctrine, of Content and Happinesse, and sufficiently shewed, that it consisteth in Charitie, from a pure Heart, and a good Consci­ence, and a Faith not fai­ned, which comprehendeth in it, all other vertues; and also hauing shewed thee, [Page 268] how thou mayest become charitable: now it resteth to set downe, the Blessings, Repose, and Happinesse, which we may by Gods grace, attaine vnto, by the practise of this Do­ctrine, The loue of God with all our hearts, and our neigh­bour for Gods sake, as our selues. And first, it is necessa­rie to speake of temporall blessings, and contentments; and after, of spirituall, and eternall.

The practise of this our Doctrine (of louing God with all our hearts, and our neigh­bours for Gods sake, as our selues) yeeldeth such abun­dance of temporall Happinesse, and Content, as that it taketh away all the causes of tempo­rall discontent, and miseries, [Page 269] from amongst men, and plan­teth in their places, all tempo­rall Happinesse, and Content­ments: for supposed, that this our Doctrine were practised amongst men, and that euerie one would loue God with all his heart, and his neighbour for God, as himselfe; first, it would take away all Vsurie, Theft, Murder, Fornication, Adulterie, Suits in Law, Sects, Controuersies, Rebellions, Conspiracies, Enuie, Hatred, Malice, Emulations, Oppressi­ons, Contentions, and what­soeuer miserie is in any King­dome, State, or Common­wealth; and all the euils which are prohibited and forbidden by Lawes. For if we did loue God Almigh­tie with all our hearts, wee [Page 270] should be verie sorrie to of­fend him: As wee see by experience; euerie one hath great care, not to offend him whom hee loueth. So, if men loued God Almigh­tie with all their hearts; there would bee no such sinnes committed, as are spoken of in the Tenne Commaundements, or in a­nie other Ciuill, or Com­mon Law: According to the wordes of our Sauiour, saying; If any loue mee, hee Ioh. 14. 23. will keepe my Word. Againe, Hee that loueth me not, kee­peth Io. 14. 24. not my wordes. So, e­stablish the loue of God in the hearts of men; and you take away all Idolatrie, Theft, Fornication, Adul­terie, Couetousnesse, Ex­tortion, [Page 271] Iniustice, Sinne, and Wickednesse, forbid­den by any Law: To the verifying of the vvordes, spoken by the Prophet I­say, saying; Iustice shall be Isa. 11. 5. the girdle of his Loynes; and Faith, the girdle of his Reynes: The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe, and the Leopard shall lye with the Kid: The Calfe, and Lion, and Sheepe, shall abide toge­ther; a little child shall leade them: The Calfe, and the Beare, shall feede; their young ones shall rest toge­ther: And the Lion shall eate Straw, as it were an Oxe: And the Infant, from the Breast, shall be delighted vpon the hole of the Aspe: [Page 272] and he that is weyned, shall thrust his hand into the hole of the Cockatrice. They shall not hurt, and they shall not kill in all my holy Mountaine; be­cause the Earth is replenished with the knowledge of our Lord, the loue of God, and Man: for he that saith, he knoweth God, and keepeth not his Com­maundements, 1. Ioh. 2. 4. is a lyar, and the truth is not in him. Where­by thou seest, deare Reader, that the practise of our Doctrine, taketh away all temporall miseries, and wret­chednesse, from amongst men; insomuch, as if that it vvere practised, there vvould bee no neede of Lawes, nor any vse of any Lawyers.

Againe, supposed that eue­rie one would loue his neigh­bour, as his second selfe; then, all would relieue the poore, and euerie one would reioyce at others good, and prosperitie, as at his owne; and all seeke to aduance one, and one, all; and found a per­fect Monarchie, in defence inuincible; and in offence, against the enemies of their common good, alwayes con­querors: euery one faithfully seconding of his compani­on, as his second selfe, they would remaine inuincible; and euerie one louing his neighbour as himselfe, eue­rie one would willingly sup­ply, to his power, his neigh­bours wants; and by this [Page 274] meanes they would all liue in happie and quiet tempo­rall Content, like perfect friends, confirmed in socia­ble amitie; according to the Prophecies: Thy People all Isa. 60. 21. iust, for euer shall inherite the Land; the Budde of my plan­ting, the worke of my hand to glorie: The least shall be into a thousand; and the little one, into a most strong Nation: the Lord, in the time thereof, will suddainely doe it. Againe, I will make thy visitation, Isa. 60. 18. Peace, and thy Ouerseers, Iustice; Iniquitie shall no more be heard in thy Land, Waste, and Destruction, in thy Borders; and Saluation shall occupie thy Walls, and Praise, thy Gates.

And this wee see fulfil­led, in the Christians of the Primitiue Church: Of whom it is said; The mul­titude Act. 4. 32. of Beleeuers had one Heart, and one Soule; ney­ther did any say, that ought was his owne, of those thinges which hee possessed: And is, euen vntill this day, fulfil­led in all poore reformed Religious Orders, dilated ouer the World; who neuer stand in need to vse Suites, or Lawyers. And it is also fulfilled in all Countreyes, more or lesse, accordingly, as they are Christians Ca­tholike, or stayned with spots of Heresie.

All the temporall Blessings of Monarchies, Kingdomes, and States, are founded [Page 276] vpon the keeping of the Commaundements of God; according to that Pact, or Couenant, which Moyses made with the people of Israel, which now wee Christians are, saying: If thou wilt heare Deut. 28. the voice of our Lord thy God, that thou doe and keepe all his Commandements, which I com­maund thee this day, our Lord thy God will make thee higher then all Nations that be on the Earth, and all those Blessings shall come vpon thee, and ouer­take thee; yet so, if thou heare his Precepts. Blessed shalt thou be in the Citie, and blessed in the Field, blessed shall be the fruit of thy Wombe, and the fruit of thy Ground, and the fruit of thy Cattell, the troopes of thy Heards, and the foulds [Page 277] of thy Sheepe, &c. Our Lord will raise thee vp vnto himselfe, to be a holy People, as he sware to thee, if thou keepe the Com­maundements of our Lord thy God, and walke in his wayes. And all the people of the Earth shall see, that the Name of our Lord is inuocated vpon thee, and they shall feare thee, &c. And our Lord will make thee the Head, and not the Tayle, and thou shalt be alwayes aboue, and not vnder; yet so, if thou wilt heare the Commandements of our Lord thy God, which I commaunded thee this day, and keepe and doe them, &c.

Which wee see to haue beene fulfilled, in all Ages, amongst Christian People, Emperours, Kings, Empires, Kingdomes, and States: in­somuch, [Page 278] as that these were alwayes the most renowmed, happie, blessed, and fortu­nate Kingdomes, who most followed the Doctrine of the Catholike Church, and at­tended to the keeping of the Commaundements of God. As of Constantine the Great, Saint Augustine writeth, say­ing: Ciuit. Dei, li. 5. ca. 6. Constantine the Empe­rour, not suppliant to Deuils, but worshipping the true God, recei­ued so many gifts and blessings from God, as none durst pre­sume to wish: This one Augu­stus, held, possessed, and defended the whole Romane Empire. In administrating of Warre, he was iust, and victorious; in van­quishing, and repressing Tyrants, wonderfull prosperous: being of great yeares, he died, of sicknesse, [Page 279] and old age; his sonnes, Empe­rours, to succeed him.

Of Theodosius the elder, S. Augustine sayth, That hee De Ciuit. Dei li. 5. ca. 26. had wonderfull successe in all his affaires, because hee was a pious Catholike Em­perour; that in the Battailes he fought with his Enemies, their owne Weapons, Darts, and Arrowes, were turned vpon themselues; God Al­mightie fighting for him.

Of Honorius, a most Ca­tholike Emperour, S. Augustine De Ciuit. Dei li. 5. ca. 28. writeth, That God did so fight for him, as in one Battaile he slew, of the Gothes, aboue a hundreth thousand, and tooke their King, and his sonne, prisoners; and not so much as one of his Armie kil­led, or wounded.

Of Theodosius the yonger, a verie pious Emperor, wri­teth Socrates, That making Lib. 7. hist. ca. 18. his prayers to God, while his Armie skirmished with the Sarazens, a hundred thou­sand of them were driuen, by Angels, into the Riuer Eu­phrates, and there perished.

The same prosperitie fol­lowed Iustine the elder, and Hieraclius, whilest they were Catholike Emperors; but af­ter they became Heretikes, they neuer did any thing prosperously.

And to let passe Charles the Great, Charles the fift, and manie more Catholike Christian Kings, and Empe­rors; who attained to pros­perous successe, in their af­faires, aswell in warre, as in [Page 281] peace, by being pious Catho­like Princes, carefully seeking to keepe the Commaunde­ments of God: And to speake of the Kings and Princes of this Island.

In S. Austines time, there were seuen Kings heere in England: and the rest extin­guished, the Crowne remai­ned, together with the Mo­narchie, in the Line of the West Saxons; who were, of all the rest, most Catholike, and pious defendors of the keeping of the Commaunde­dements of God.

And if wee looke yet fur­ther into the estate of this Monarchie of England; wee shall finde it most true, that the most flourishing times, that euer England saw, was [Page 282] when it most zealously pro­fessed Catholike Religion, and piously labored to keepe the Commandements of God: as in the reigne of Egbert; who first reduced England into a Monarchie, in the time of Alfred his sonne; Edward the first, and Athelstan, his sonne; Edmund, Edred, Ed­ward the Confessor; Henrie the first, fourth, and fifth; to the verifying of the Promises and Prophesies, saying: I would thou haddest attended to Isa. 48. 18. my Commandements; thy Peace had beene as a floud, and thy Iu­stice as the waues of the Sea: And thy Seede had beene as the Sand, and the Stocke of thy Wombe, as the grauell stones thereof: his name had not perish­ed, neither had it beene destroyed [Page 283] before my face. Againe, Who­soeuer 1. King. 3. 30. wil glorifie me, I wil glori­fie him: and they that contemne me, shalbe base.

Whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith; Tribulation and Psa. 118. 143. Distresse haue found me: Thy Commaundements are my medi­tation: Thy testimonies are equi­tie for euer: giue me vnderstan­ding, and I shall liue; by kee­ping them: enioying the Blessings and Promises of God; comfort, and helpe in all his tribulations and neces­sities. Blessed are all that feare Ps. 127. 1. our Lord, that walk in his wayes; Because thou shalt eate the labor of thy hands: Blessed art thou, and it shalbe wel with thee; in this life, and in all eternitie: which God of his goodnesse graunt thee, Reader.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the first spirituall Content, and Happinesse, which such enioy, as loue God with all their hearts, and keepe his Commaundements; which is Beautie spirituall.

THe first spirituall Con­tent, and Happinesse, vvhich God Almightie be­stoweth vpon such as loue him, is remission of their sinnes, cleansing and washing of their soules with the wa­ter of life, and decking and adorning them with spiritu­all Beautie: Let the impious forsake his way, and the vniust Isa. 55. 7. man his cogitations, and returne to our Lord, and he will haue [Page 285] mercie vpon him; and to our God, because he is bountifull to forgiue. So great are the mercies of God Almightie, that at what time soeuer a sinner shall desist from vio­lating the Commaundements of God, and returne to loue him with his whole heart, hee will haue mercie on him, and obserue with him, the faithfull mercies, which hee promised to Abraham and his Seed, saying, Whosoeuer shall Eze. 11. 32. 34. 37. depart from his wicked wayes, and turne vnto me, I will receiue him into the Couenant; which hee made with Abraham, Da­uid, and the Patriarkes, and their Seed for euer. When Deut. 30. 1. thou shalt be turned (sayth Moyses) with repentance of thy heart, and shall returne to our [Page 286] Lord, and obey his Commaun­dements in all thy heart; our Deut. 30. 9. Lord will turne to reioyce vpon thee, in all riches, as he reioy­ced in thy Fathers; yet so, if thou heare the voice of the Lord thy God; and keepe his Precepts.

For thus sayth our Lord; Dissolue the bands of Impietie, Isa. 58. 6. loose the bands that ouer-load; dismisse them free that are bro­ken, and breake in sunder euerie burden. (Depart from sinne, and doe works of Charitie.) Breake thy Bread to the hungrie, and the needie, and harbourlesse, bring into thy house; when thou shalt see the naked, couer him, and despise not thy flesh: then shall thy light breake forth as the mor­ning, and thy health shall sooner arise, and thy Iustice shall goe be­fore [Page 287] thy face, and the glorie of our Lord shall imbrace thee; with spirituall grace and fauour in this life, and eternall glorie in the other: And so sayth, Cease to doe peruersly, learne to Isa. 1. 17. doe good (to keepe the Com­mandements) seeke iudgement, succour the oppressed, iudge for the fatherlesse, defend the widow, and come and accuse me, saith our Lord: if your sinnes shalbe as scar­let, they shalbe made white as snow; and if they be red as vermi­lion, they shalbe white as wooll.

Presently vpon the heartie conuersion of a sinner from his euill wayes, and imbra­cing the Commandements of God, and louing him with all his heart; our Lord maketh his heart pure, clean, & neat, his cōsci­ence good, & his faith not fained: [Page 288] which hee doth by spirituall Water; according to his Word, saying: If thou diddest Io. 4. 10. know the gift of God, and who he is, that saith vnto thee, Giue me to drinke; thou perhaps wouldest haue asked of him, and he would haue giuen thee liuing Water: He that shall drinke of the Water that I will giue him, shall not thirst for euer; but the Water that I will giue him, shall become a Fountaine of Water, springing vp to life euerlasting. Again, He that beleeueth in me (with a faith that worketh according to charitie) as the Scriptures say, out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of liuing Wa­ter. Whereupon it is said, of such as loue God with all their hearts, and keepe his Precepts, that they are whiter Ier. Lam. 4. 7. [Page 289] then Snow, purer then Milke, ruddier then the old Iuorie, fai­rer then Saphire. And more­ouer, the soule of a sinner, heartily conuerted to God, is made so pure, and gracious, by Charitie, that all the Saints and Angels in Heauen doe take pleasure and ioy to be­hold it: as witnesseth our Sauiour, saying; Luc. 15. 7. There shall be ioy in Heauen, vpon one sinner that doth Penance. And a­gaine, Luc. 15. 10. I say to you, that there shall be ioy, before the Angels of God, vpon one sinner that doth Penance. Neither at this must thou maruell; since a soule that loueth God, becommeth, by his grace, so beautifull, as that God Almightie taketh her for his Spouse, and li­ueth with her in chaste de­lights, [Page 290] as in his bed-chamber, house, and home; whereof we are to speake in the next Chapters.

Beautie corporall, is a pro­portion of the members, with a certaine sweetnesse of the mixture of colours.

Beautie spirituall, is a porti­on of vertues, with a certaine sweetnesse of diuine splendor; which is of such excellencie, that it cannot be expressed vnto thee, but by changing literall sense of wordes, in­to spirituall: so abstract from thy senses; that thou may­est, in some part, vnderstand what the Scriptures say, of the Beautie of a soule, lo­uing our Lord, and keeping his Commaundements, vn­der these tearmes: How beau­tifull Cant. 4. [Page 291] art thou, my Loue, how beautifull art thou: Thy eyes as it were of Doues, besides that which lyeth hid within thee: Thy haires as the flockes of Goates, which haue commed vp from Mount Galaad: Thy teeth as flocks of them that are shorne, which haue commed vp from washing, all with twinnes, and there is not a barren a­mongst them: Thy lippes as a Scarlet Lace; and thy Speech sweet, as a piece of Pomegranats, so are also thy cheekes, besides that which lyeth hid within: Thy necke is as the Tower of Dauid, which is built with Bul­warkes, and thousand Targuets hanging on it, all the Armour of the valiants: Thy low breasts are low Faunes, the twinne of a Roe, which feedeth among the Lillies. [Page 292] Thou art all faire, O my Loue, and there is not a spot in thee. So the Scriptures; in expres­sing the beautie of a Soule, endued with Charitie, and louing God Almightie with all her heart. Whereupon S. Augustine sayth, How shall Aug. in epist. Ioan. tract. 9. we become faire, or beautifull, but by louing him, who alwayes is beautifull? As much as the loue of him doth encrease in thee, so much doth thy beautie encrease, because Charitie is the beautie of the soule.

And how great happinesse it is, to haue this beautie of soule, or cleanenesse of heart; our Lord himselfe, in few words, setteth it downe, say­ing, Blessed are the cleane of heart, for they shall see God. For Mat 5. this cause, God Almightie was [Page 293] incarnate, and suffered death, that hee might dissolue sinne, and present vs to God immacu­late, and pure, that we might see him, and enioy him; in see­ing and enioying of whom, is consummated all our hap­pinesse. For this (saith S. Iohn) 1. Ioh. 3. 8. appeared the sonne of God, that hee might dissolue the workes of the Deuill, and present vs to God pure and immaculate: ac­cording to the words of S. Paul, saying; Whereas you were Col. 1. 21. sometime alienated, and enemies in sense in euill works: yet now he hath reconciled you, in the body of his flesh, by death, to present you holy, and immaculate, and blamelesse, before him. And a­gaine, Eph. 1. 3. Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who hath blessed vs in all spirituall [Page 294] blessings, in heauenly things in Christ, as he chose vs in him, be­fore the constitution of the world, that we should be holy, and im­maculate, in his sight, in Cha­ritie. And yet adding, sayth; Christ loued the Church, and Eph. [...]. 15. deliuered himselfe for it, that he might sanctifie it, cleansing it by the Lauer of Water in the Word, that hee might present to himselfe a glorious Church, not hauing spot, or wrinckle, or any such thing; but that it may be holy, and vn­spotted.

So, if it be a Content vn­to thee, to haue and possesse Beautie corporall, or (cleane Linnen, soft Apparrell, state­ly Pallaces, rich Gardens) which are nothing, but a pro­portion of earthly thinges, [Page 295] mixt with varietie of workes, or colours; how farre grea­ter a Content and Happinesse would it be to thee, to haue a pure Heart, and Soule, a good Conscience, and Faith not fained: Which, the loue of God, and keeping his Commaunde­ments, would bring thee vn­to; as affirmeth S. Paul, say­ing, The end of the Precept is 1. Tim. 1. 5. Charitie, of a pure Heart, and a good Conscience, and a Faith not fained; from the which things, certaine straying, are turned into vanitie of words, desirous to be Doctors of the Law, not vn­derstanding, neither what things they speake, nor of what they affirme: As wee see, by experience, in the Solifi­dians of this Age. And this, for the first spirituall [Page 296] Content, and Happinesse, of such as keepe the Commaunde­ments.

CHAP. XIX. Of the second spirituall Content and Happinesse, which such enioy, as loue God Almightie with all their hearts, and their Neighbours as themselues; which is, to be beloued of God Almightie.

WE see by experience, that to loue, and not to enioy, or not to be beloued againe, is painefull: so hauing put all our Content, and Hap­pinesse, in louing his Diuine Maiestie with all our hearts, and all other things for him; if we should not be beloued [Page 297] of his Diuine Maiestie, nor enioy him, we could not be content, or happie.

So supposing, that thou firmely beleeuest, that God Almightie is faithfull in all his Promises, and cannot lye or deceiue, but will performe whatsoeuer hee hath promi­sed, if there bee no impedi­ment on thy behalfe; it is necessarie to shew vnto thee, how hee hath promised to loue such, as loue him with all their hearts, and to make them his Children, Sonnes, and Coheires with our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, and endue them with his Spirit, the holy Ghost, his gifts, and fruits, and maintaine his Oath and Couenant with them, which hee spoke to Abraham [Page 298] and his Seed for euer. And first, for the Promises, to loue them that loue him, and keepe his Precepts, he saith:

He that hath my Comman­dements, Io. 14. 21. and keepeth them, hee it is that loueth me; and hee that loueth me, shall be be­loued of my Father, and I will loue him. Againe, If any man Io. 14. 23. loue me, he will keepe my Word, and my Father will loue him. Againe, If you keepe my Pre­cepts, Io. 1 [...]. 10. you shall abide in my loue, as I also haue kept my Fathers Precepts, and doe a­bide in his loue. Againe, Io. 16. 27. The Father himselfe loueth you, because you haue loued mee. Againe, Hee that keepeth 1. Io. 2. 5. his Word; in him, in verie deed, the Charitie of God is perfited.

Whereby wee see, that God Almightie cannot but loue those, who loue him with all their hearts: and heereupon ariseth all these amorous tearmes, of chast loue, betwixt God Almigh­tie, and a soule that loueth him; so often spoken of in the Scriptures, and repeated in the workes, and wri­tings of the Fathers: as Spouse, and Espouse; Kisse me with the kisse of his mouth, my loue, my beloued, my beautifull one: How beautifull art thou, my loue, my sister Spouse, most beau­tifull amongst women. And in­finite other the like amo­rous tearmes, and kind spee­ches, expressing the passa­ges of chast loue, spiritu­all pleasures, and delights, [Page 300] exercised betweene God Al­mightie, and a Soule, his fa­uorite.

Whereupon S. Augustine, in his Booke of Confession, cal­leth God Almightie, His sweet happinesse, the God of his heart, God the light of his heart, the inward bread of the mouth of his soule, and the vertue, mar­rying his minde, and the bosome of the thoughts of his minde, &c. Insomuch, as all the kindnesses in nature, and ex­changes of lawfull naturall affections, vsed amongst crea­tures, are but shadowes, in­finitely, a farre off, imitating the kinde passages, and spi­rituall affections, betweene God Almightie, and a Soule, his loue and fauorite; which are so great, that neither eye 1. Cor. 3. 9. [Page 301] hath seene, nor eare hath heard, neither hath it ascen­ded into the heart of (sensu­all) man, what thinges God hath prepared for them that loue him.

So thou must not maruell, though the friendship, and passages of amitie, which I write of, betweene God Al­mightie, and a Soule, that loueth him with all her heart, seeme strange, and almost in­credible; since such, he saith they are, and ought to be, as exceede the capacitie of men: These are the workes of God, and they are maruelous in our eyes.

He that hath my Comman­dements, Io. 14. 21. and keepeth them, hee it is that loueth me; and hee that loueth me, shall be be­loued [Page 302] of my Father, and I will loue him. And of this ariseth the filling increase, or ex­tention, of Loues motions; whereof the first is Feruor, which is an increase of de­sire to our Lord beloued: whereof the Prophet Dauid speaking, saith; My heart waxed hot within me, and in Ps. 38. 4. my Meditation, a fire shall burne.

The second, is Languor, or languishing in loue; which is an extension of feruor to our Lord beloued; but not yet, in spirit, inioyed: and so remayning, betweene ex­tension of desire, and not inioying; little esteeming of any thing else; sweetly languisheth after our Lord beloued: whereof the Spouse [Page 303] in the Canticles speaking, saith; Stay me vp with Flow­ers, Cant. 2. compasse mee about with Apples, because I languish with loue.

The third, Extasis, which is a passing of the soule out of her selfe, that shee may bee in our Lord beloued: Whereof the Prophet Iere­mie speaking, saith; He shall Ierem. Lam. 3. 28. sit solitarie, and hold his peace, because he hath lifted himselfe aboue himselfe.

The fourth, is Liquefaction, which is a certaine dilata­tion, or ratifying of the heart, for the better receiuing and inioying of our Lord be­loued: Whereof the Spouse speaking, saith; My soule mel­ted Cant. 5. 6. as he spake.

The fift, Vnion, which is [Page 304] as it were a certaine being together with our Lord belo­ued; whereof the Spouse spea­king, said, My beloued to me, Cant. 6. 2. and [...] to him.

The sixt, Mutuall inhesion, which is a cleauing to our Lord beloued; whereof the Prophet speaking, saith, It is Ps. 72. 28. good for me to cleaue to God.

The seuenth, Penetration, which is an entring of our Lord into the bottome of the soule, and vnion with all the powers; which cannot bee better explicated, then by the words of S. Paul, This is Eph. 5. 32. a great Sacrament, but I speake in Christ, and the Church. The same vnion, that is betweene Christ Iesus, and the whole Church; the same is with one soule, his beloued: the Church [Page 305] as it is vnited with Christ, our Head, by Charitie, cōsisting of the iust onely; with whom he is so vnited, that they are but one spirit: as man and wife are two in one flesh; so, Hee 1. Cor. 6. 16. that cleaueth to our Lord, is one spirit with him, saith S. Paul.

Thou must not thinke, that God Almightie, in these de­lights, with the sons of men, is altered, or changed; who is one and the same for euer: but that we are changed by his grace, and fauour; and so we speake of these things, accor­ding to the changes which his grace doth make in our soules, and explicate them the best we can, by these actions of sensuall loue; which are, through the miserie of man­kind, better knowne: and so, [Page 306] though our words sound car­nall; yet if thou wilt vn­derstand our meaning, thou must abstract from the sen­ses, and vnderstand them vnder spirituall conceptions. Wee speaking, of the loue betweene a soule, louing our Lord, with all her force; and our Lord ren­dring, by his grace, and fauour, mutuall exchange of spirituall loue: where­of the bodie, for the vni­on it hath with the soule, hath his part; at least in the two first, Feruor, and Languor: though little in the latter; which happen, as S. Paul saith, in bodie, 2. Cor. 12. or out of bodie; I know not. The auersion of his inten­tion was such, from the sen­ses [Page 307] of this life, in his Exta­sis, that he saith, he knew not, whether it was in bo­die, or out of bodie: Aug. epist. 112. That is, (saith S. Augustine) whether (as it happeneth in vehement extasies) his mind was alienated from this life into the other, the bond betweene it and the bodie still remaining; or there was a ful dissolution of his soule from his bodie, as happeneth in complete death, he knew not.

And thou must not mar­uell at it: for first, the atten­tion is so great, and the ob­iects so exceeding all things that this World can afford, that the admiration drow­neth all other thoughts. Se­condly, he neither can, nor may, see or know more, in vehement extasies, and rapts, [Page 308] then it pleaseth God Almigh­tie to shew him.

The chiefest effect of all, or any one, of these Loues motions, is Zeale of the ho­nour and glorie of God, and the keeping of his Comman­dements; and an holy impa­tience, detestation, and hor­ror of sinne, as well in him­selfe, as in others: as is ad­mirably to be seene in our Father Elias, the Prophet 3. Reg. 19. Dauid, Saint Paul, and all the Apostles, and Saints; as to our Father, our Lord said, What doest thou here, Elias? But he answered, With zeale haue I beene zealous, for our Lord the God of Hostes; be­cause the children of Israel haue forsaken thy Couenant: thy Altars they haue destroyed, [Page 309] and thy Prophets they haue slaine with the Sword, &c. And not to see these wickednesses, and miseries; desired to die, say­ing: It sufficeth me, Lord, take my soule, for I am not better then my Fathers. And the Prophet Dauid, Who had 3. Reg. 15. 5. done right in the sight of our Lord, and had not declined from all things which he com­maunded him, except the mat­ter of Vrias, the Hethite; had such a detestation of his sinne, that hee sayth, My sinne is before mee al­wayes; Ps. 50. 5. to detest, bewaile, and lament it: and expres­sing his further sorrow, and griefe, for the said sinne, sayth; For the voice of my Ps. 101. 6. groaning, my bone hath clea­ued to my flesh; I am become [Page 310] as a Pellican of the Wilder­nesse; I am become as a night-Crow, in the house; I haue watched, and am become as a Sparrow, solitarie in the house top: I did eat ashes as bread, and mingled my drinke with weeping. So great was the detestation, and sorrow, this holy Prophet had for his sinne, that hee withered a­way, through sighing, and groaning; fled the compa­nie of men for shame, and liued as a Crow, or Owle, that flyeth onely by Night; and as a Sparrow, who ha­uing lost her Mate, and young, remayneth mour­ning all alone; and did eat ashes, as bread; and would take no comfort, but in weeping: My teares haue Ps. 41. 4. [Page 311] beene bread vnto me, day and night; I haue laboured in my sighing: I will euerie Night Ps. 5. 7. wash my Bed, and will water my Couch with my teares.

And of his zeale against sinne in others, hee sayth: My zeale hath made me pine Ps. 118. 139. away, because my enemies haue forgotten thy wordes. Againe, I saw the Preuari­cators, Ps. 118. 138. and I pined away, because they kept not thy wordes. Againe, Did not Ps. 138. 21. I hate them that hate thee, O Lord, and pined away, because of thine enemies; With perfect hatred, I did hate them: That is, hee did hate their sinne, and loue their persons, and seeke their saluation: and in this, was so zealous, that hee [Page 312] would neither permit any one, who liued in the breach of the Commandements of God, either to sit at his Table with him, or wait vpon him, or dwell in his Pallace; lay­ing: One of proud eye, and vn­satiable Ps. 100. 5. heart, with him I did not eate; mine eyes are towards the faithfull of the Earth, that they may sit with me. A man that walketh in the immaculate way, he did minnister to me. He that doth proudly, shall not dwell in the middest of my house. And wishing all others to follow the same rule, saith, With the Ps. 17. 16. holy thou shalt be holy, and with the innocent man, thou shalt be innocent, with the elect thou shalt be elect, and with the peruerse, thou shalt be peruerted.

And out of his zeale of [Page 313] the glorie and honor of God, composed the Psalmes, and prepared for the building of the Temple of God. The like example of Zeale wee may finde in the Apostles, and Saints. Loue cannot be idle, nor spirituall Iealousie euer be satisfied, with labouring for God Almightie; and the more it laboureth, and doth, the lesse it esteemeth it hath done: according to the words of our Lord; When you haue Luc. 17. 10. done all thinges that are com­maunded you, say we are vnpro­fitable seruants. The infinite mercies, and liberalitie, of God Almightie, so ouerwhel­ming and drowning all their affections, in the Sea of his goodnesse; that they finde no paines, but in not suffering [Page 314] paines, and vndergoing la­bours for his loue. So Saint Paul sayth; Who shall separate Rom. 8. 35. vs from the Charitie of Christ? Tribulation? or Distresse? or Famine? or Nakednesse? or Danger? or Persecution? or the Sword? In all these things we ouercome, because of him that hath loued vs. Once wounded with his loue, fare­well all the base pleasures, and delights, of the sonnes of Agar, and estimation of the commodities, and vani­ties of the World. I haue Phil. 3. 8. made all things as detriment, and doe esteeme them as dung, that I may gaine Christ, and may be found in him; to know him, and the vertue of his Resurrection, and the societie of his Passion, configured to his death: If by [Page 315] any meanes, I may come to the Resurrection, which is from the dead. Then, so high an esti­mation of God Almightie, and of the glorie of the other life, entreth into his soule, by the taste of a few droppes of his grace, and fauour; that paines are turned into plea­sures, and labours into de­lights, for his loue; and all earthly things, seeme dung, base, and vile, as they are in­deed, in comparison of the en­ioying God Almightie, and the attaining vnto eternall life: the force of Charitie ha­uing so ouercome the weake­nesse of humane nature, that now they liue; not they, but Christ in them; Loue hauing so drawne them out of themselues, as that they [Page 316] are no more that they were, but that they loue: To the fulfilling of the Promises, and Prophecies; saying, in the person of our Lord: I will Osce 11. 4. pull them vnto me, in the coardes of Loue; in the bonds of Cha­ritie. Againe, This is the Iero. 31. Testament, which I will make with them: After these dayes, Heb. 10. 15. saith our Lord, giuing my Lawes in their hearts, and in their mindes will I superscribe them. This is the Testament which God made with our Fathers; That hee would giue vs his Loue, and Charitie, in our hearts, and soules, and draw and pull vs vnto him with coardes and chaynes of Loue and Charitie: This is it, which our Lord promised, before his Passion, saying; [Page 317] If I be exalted from the Earth, Io. 12. 32. I will draw all things to my selfe. Signifying, that by his Passion hee would obtaine so great Charitie and Loue for his E­lect (who are all things; all things being for them) That he would draw them to himselfe, into Heauen: according to the saying of S. Paul, Our conuersation is in Heauen; and Phil. 3. 20. the wordes of our Lord, say­ing, For where thy treasure is, Mat. 6. 22. there is thy heart also.

The treasure of the Saints, is our Lord Iesus in Heauen: and their hearts being woun­ded with the abundance of his Loue, and Charitie; of them, it may more properly be said, that they liue in Hea­uen, then here vpon Earth; for that their hearts and af­fections [Page 318] are there, and man is said, rather to be there, where his soule loueth, then where his bodie liueth: and according to this, our Lord saith; Father, whom thou hast gi­uen Io. 17. 24. me, I will, that where I am, they also may be with me; by grace in this life, and glory in the other: and so saith, Iust Fa­ther, Io. 17. 2 [...]. I will, that the loue where­with thou hast loued me, may be in them, and I in them. This he said before his Passion, and before his Ascension: and by his Ascension; Hee depar­ted Aug. li. con. 4. ca. 12. from our eyes, that wee might returne into our hearts, and finde him: Hee departed indeed, and yet he is heere: He would not be long from vs, and yet he neuer left vs: Hee is in our inward hearts, but our [Page 319] hearts haue erred from him: turne, sinners, into your hearts, and keepe his Commandements that made you: stand with him, and you shall stand; rest in him, and you shall finde Ease and Rest: which God of his infinite mercies, grant thee, deare Reader.

CHAP. XX. The third Content, and Hap­pinesse, which such enioy, as loue God Almightie with their whole hearts, and their Neighbours for God, as them­selues; which is, the becom­ming sonnes of God, and co­heires with our Sauiour.

THe next happines of such as loue God Almightie [Page 320] with all their hearts, is, that they become the sonnes and children of God: according to the wordes of our Lord, saying; Loue your enemies, doe Mat. 5. 44. good to them that hate you, and pray for them that persecute and abuse you, that you may be the children of your Father, which is in Heauen. Whereby thou mayest see, how happie a thing it is, to liue in perse­cution, and haue persecutors to loue, and pray for: since God Almightie hath orday­ned it, as a meanes, for the greater encrease of thy tem­porall and eternall Content, and Happinesse; and that, of so great a Happinesse, as is to be the sonne of God: And consider with thy selfe, what a great error it should be in [Page 321] thee, not to pray dayly, with heartie and sincere affection, for all such as persecute and abuse thee; since, by doing such acts of high and perfect Charitie, God Almightie in­tendeth to aduance thee to so great a dignitie, as to be his sonne: and with what great reason, our Lord said; Blessed are you, when they shall reuile you, and persecute you, and speake all that naught is (Felons, Tray­tors, &c.) against you vntruly, for my sake; be glad, and reioyce, for your reward is verie great in Heauen: so great a reward, as to be the sonne of God. And if sonnes, heires also; heires Rom. 8. 1& truly of God, coheires of Christ. Againe, Whosoeuer shall doe the will of my Father that is in Hea­uen, he is my brother, my sister, [Page 322] and mother. Such as loue God with all their hearts, doe his will, and keepe his Com­mandements; he is so ouer­come with affection towards them, that hee is not onely content, to diuide what hee hath, amongst them, and com­municate whatsoeuer he hath, vnto them, as to his brothers, and sisters; but to obey them, as children doe their mother. And he went downe with them, Luc. 2. 51. and came to Nazareth, and was subiect to them: and so saith, If you abide in me, and my Io. 13. 7. wordes in you (that is, if you loue me with all your hearts: for, God is Charitie; and hee 1. Io. 4. 16. that abideth in Charitie, abi­deth in God:) You shall aske Io. 15. 7. what thing soeuer you will, and it shall be done to you. Againe, [Page 323] Aske, and you shall receiue, that Io. 16. 25. your ioy may be full. Such as loue our Lord with their whole hearts, doe neuer aske any thing, that is good and conuenient for them­selues (for these two Condi­tions are necessarie in asking) but it is graunted them. And thou mayest obserue, that hee doth not wish them to en­treat, or beseech; but, Aske, Mat. 7. 7. and it shall be giuen you: Ve­rily, verily, I say to you, If you Io. 15. 7. aske the Father any thing in my Name, he will giue it you. Aske, Io. 16. 24. and you shall receiue: as if they had authoritie ouer God Al­mightie. And thou must not maruell at it: If God haue Rom. 8. not spared his owne proper and on­ly begotten Sonne, but hath giuen him vp to death, for gaining vs [Page 324] vnto him; how can it be, that with him, he hath not giuen vnto vs all other things? Euerie one [...]. Io. 4. 7. that loueth (sayth Saint Iohn) is borne of God: not as the Women of this World bring forth their children; who ma­ny times, after they be borne, put them to Nurses, and then regard them no more: but with eternall Charitie; which on his part, neuer decayeth, but alwayes remaineth, with such feruour, and constancie, that before hee would part from one soule, borne of him by Charitie, hee professeth, that hee will rather abandon whole Nations. Euer since Isa. 48. 4. thou hast beene gracious, and glo­rious in mine eyes, I haue loued thee; and for thy soule, will I giue whole Nations. There is [Page 325] no mother so tenderly affe­cted towards her only sonne, as God Almightie is to such as loue him: as he also witnes­seth, saying; Can the Mother Isa. 19. 16. forget her owne Infant? Or can she not be mercifull to the Child of her owne Wombe? If she could, yet can I not forget or reiect thee (Daughter of Sion:) behold, I haue written thee in my hands. Againe, Touch not the vncleane, and I will receiue you, and I will 2. Cor. 6. 17. be a Father vnto you, and you shall Ier. 31. 1. be my Sonnes, and Daughters, saith our Lord omnipotent. And if it be esteemed a happinesse, amongst the sonnes of Adam, to be borne Sonne and Heire to a King of the World; where the greatest Possessions, are but pieces of Earth, and [Page 326] power ouer mortall men, for some seuen yeares; and after­wards, God knoweth what will become of their soules: when at the day of Iudge­ment, they shall not only giue account of all their sinnes committed, but of all the good they haue omit­ted to doe, and that to their eternall torment: See what 1. Io. 3. 1. manner of Charitie the Fa­ther hath giuen vs, that we should bee named, and bee, the sonnes of God; Who hath blessed vs in all spirituall bles­sings, Eph. 1. 3. in heauenly things, in Christ, as hee chose vs in him, before the constitution of the World, that we should be holy and immaculate in his sight, in Charitie; Who hath [Page 327] predestinated vs vnto the a­doption of sonnes, by Iesus Christ.

Whereupon, presently af­ter his resurrection, our Saui­our sent this most comforta­ble Embassage, to those who had left all thinges for his loue: Goe and tell my bre­thren, Io. 20. that I do ascend vn­to my Father, and vnto your Father, vnto my God; and vn­to your God. By which two words of God, and Father, he expresseth the happinesse of such as loue him; sig­nifying vnto them, that God Almightie, of infinite power, riches, glorie, wise­dome, beautie, is become so inamored of them, that hee beareth them endlesse good will.

So God Almightie reioy­cing at the Content he re­ceiued, in a soule that loued him with all his heart, saith: Verily, Ephraim is an honoura­ble Ier. 31. 20. sonne to me; certainely, a de­licate child: therefore are my Bowels moued with a passionate affection towards him; pittying him, I will pittie him, saith our Lord.

And this, for the third Happinesse, and Content, which such enioy, as loue our Lord with all their hearts, and their neigh­bours as them­selues.

CHAP. XXI. Of the fourth Content, and Hap­pinesse, which such enioy, as loue God Almightie with all their hearts, and their Neighbours as themselues; which is, the dwelling of God Almightie in their hearts, and soules, as in his Temple, house, and home.

SO great is the happinesse of those, who flye sinne, loue God Almightie with all their hearts, and keepe his Commandements; that the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, the Blessed Trinitie, one God, with all his Diuine Attri­butes, Excellencies, and Per­fections, commeth to dwell, by grace, and fauour, in their [Page 330] soules, as in his Seate, Taber­nacle, Temple, and House of Content: according to the Promises and Prophecies of the Scriptures; saying, Beare 2. Cor. 6. 14. not the yoake with Infidels: for what participation hath Iu­stice with Iniquitie? or what Leuit. 26. 11. societie is there betweene light and darknesse? And what agreement with Christ and Be­lial? or what part hath the faithfull with the Infidel? and what agreement hath the Tem­ple of God with Idols? For you are the Temple of the liuing God. As God saith, That I will dwell and walke in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

God Almightie aduanceth those, who forsake sinne and iniquitie, to so high a degree [Page 331] of Content and Happinesse; that he electeth their soules for his Temple; for his chie­fest place of honour and glo­rie; dedicated to the setting out of his Magnificence, Laudes, and Praises, vpon Earth: a place, where are to be sung the Songs of Syon, Ps. 136. 3. the Song of our Lord, in a Ps. 104. 27. strange Land, and his wonders in the Land of Cham; for a place appropriated to his recreation and pleasures: as God said; I will dwell and walke in them. A­gaine, I am come into my Gar­den, Cant. 5. O my sister Spouse, I haue rea­ped my Myrrhe, with mine aro­maticall spices; I haue eaten the hony combe, with my honie; I haue drunke my wine with my milke: Eat, O friends, & drinke, and be inebriated my dearest, [Page 332] my sister Spouse is a Garden in­closed, a Fountaine sealed vp. Thy Off-springs, a Paradise of Pomegranates, with Orchard fruits, Cypres, with Spikenard, and Saffron, sweet Cane, and Cinnamon, with all the Trees of Libanus, Mirrhe, and Aloes, with all the chiefe Oyntments: The Fountaine of Gardens, the Well of liuing Waters, which runne with violence from Liba­nus. To the fulfilling of that which was spoken by the Prophet Isay, saying; Our Lord therefore will comfort Si­on, Isa. 5. 3. and will comfort all the ru­ines thereof, and he will make her Desart, as Delicacies, and her Wildernesse, as the Garden of our Lord: Ioy and gladnesse shalbe found in it, giuing of thanks, and voice of praise. Ma­king [Page 333] the soule of such as loue him with all their hearts, a kind of Paradise vpon Earth: as God Almightie said, I will dwell, and walke in them; in some sort, as he did in Paradise, with our first Pa­rents, Adam, and Eua; who Gen. 3. 8. heard the voice of our Lord, walking in Paradise, at the af­ternoone aire. To the fulfilling of the words, spoken by the Prophet Isay, saying: They shall Isa. 6. 11. 4. build the Desarts from the begin­ning of the World: and shall erect the old Mines; and shall repaire the desolate Cities, that were dis­cipated in generation and gene­ration. Whereupon our Lord saith; If any man loue me, hee Io. 14. 23. will keepe my word, and my Fa­ther will loue him, and we will come to him, and will make our [Page 334] abode with him. Our Lord will not only dwell in the soules of them who loue him with all their hearts; but will make their hearts his house, and home, and abiding place: Insomuch, as the soules of those who loue God with all their hearts, are a kinde of Heauen heere vpon Earth: Our Lord said, Heauen is my Isa. 66. 1. Seat. Againe, Our Lord hath prepared his Seat in Heauen: Ps. 102. 19. and of the soules of such as loue him with all their hearts, hee saith, That he will dwell, and walke, and abide in them. Whereby wee see, that the soules of such as loue God Almightie with all their hearts, are, as it were, a kind of Heauen vpon Earth; where, God Almightie kee­peth [Page 335] his Court, walketh, and dwelleth.

As the hearts of Here­tikes, and those who liue in breach of the Commande­ments of God, are a kinde of Hell, euen heere, vpon Earth; paines, and con­firmation in malice, ex­cepted: So, those who loue God with all their hearts, keepe his Comman­dements, and seeke to please him in their actions, are in a kinde of Heauen, heere vpon Earth; glorie, and con­firmation in grace, excep­ted.

Whereupon, our Lord pro­miseth to those who liue chast, Keepe his Sabboths, choose the thinges that hee would, and hold his Couenant; [Page 336] saying; I will giue vnto them, in Isa. 56. 5. my House, and within my Walls, a Place, and a Name, better then Sonnes, and Daughters; an euerlasting Name will I giue them, which shall not perish. That is, he will giue them, to be recollected within their soules, his Temple, wherein he dwelleth, and abideth, as in his House; as hee said be­fore: I will dwell in them; we 2. Cor. 6. Io. 14. 2. Cor. 6. will make our abode with him: You are the Temple of the li­uing God. Whereupon the Prophet Dauid, speaking of his being recollected within his Soule, in his Meditati­ons, sayth: These things haue Ps, 41. 5. I remembred, and haue poured out my soule in me, because I shall passe into the place of a marue­lous Tabernacle, euen to the [Page 337] house of God. So, in like man­ner, S. Augustine sayth, Our Aug. con. li. 12. ca. 31. Lord is high, and the humble of heart are his house. Againe, If we liue holy, and iustly, what­soeuer Aug. ser. 252. de tempore. is done in Temples made with hands, the same is wholly fulfilled in vs, by spirituall Buil­ding. Whereupon Saint Paul sayth, Christ as the Sonne (is) Heb. 3. 6. in his owne house, which house are we. This is Sion, and new Ieru­salem, Isa. 62. vpon Earth; the soule of him that loueth God Al­mightie with all his heart: and recollected within it, hee hath a place within the house and walls of God, his owne soule the Bed-chamber of our Lord.

And hee will giue him a better name, then Sonnes and Daughters, which is his Name Isa. 7. 14. [Page 338] of Emanuel (which is, by inter­pretation, God with vs) or the Luc. 1. 23. Names of Gods, not by nature, but by grace, and participati­on, from his Goodnesse: ac­cording as before it is said; I will dwell with them, wee will Io. 10. 34. make our abode with him. It is written in your Law, that I said you are Gods. If he called them Gods, to whom the Word of God was made; those may be called Gods, in whom God Almightie dwelleth, as in his Temple, house, and home.

Here Pennes, and Tongues, and Thoughts, and Meditati­ons, and Contemplation, and whatsoeuer else, with excesse of ioyfull Admiration, sweet­ly lose themselues, with a happie losse of an infinite gaine; and sit alone, in silent [Page 339] speech, more eloquent then all the eloquence of Greekes, and Romans; sellers of vaine words: and crie out; Lord, Mat. 8. 8. I am not worthie, that thou shouldest enter into my Roofe. Thy friends are honoured too Ps. 138. 17. much. How beautifull are thy Ps. 83. Tabernacles, O Lord of Hostes: my soule coueteth, and fainteth, vnto the Courts of our Lord; my heart, and my flesh, reioyceth towards the liuing God: There the Sparrow hath found her a House, and the Turtle a Neast for her selfe, where she may lay her young. Thine Altars, O Lord of Hostes, my King, and my God, Blessed are they that dwell in thy House, O Lord, for euer and euer they shall praise thee. Blessed is the man, whose helpe is in thee; [Page 340] he hath disposed ascension in his heart, in the vayle of teares, they shall goe from vertue into vertue, the God of Gods shall be seene in Sion. Whereof Boetius spea­king, in his third Booke and tenth Verse, sayth.

CHAP. XXII. Of the fifth Content, and Hap­pinesse, which such enioy, as loue God Almightie with all their hearts, and their Neighbours as themselues; which is, the finding, knowing, and seeing of God Almightie in this life: not as he is in his Essence; for so no man can see him, and liue: but as the Saints say, in the disposition of a visible mat­ter; sauing the vision of his Diuine Essence, for the glorie of the other life.

HE that hath my Comman­dements, Io. 14. 21. and keepeth them, he it is that loueth me, and I will Io. 14. 9. loue him, and will manifest my selfe to him; and he that seeth me, seeth also my Father. God [Page 343] Almightie will not onely dwell and abide in his heart and soule, that loueth him with all his heart; but also will manifest himselfe vnto him: and thereby giue him the greatest Content, Rest, and Happinesse, that he is capable to receiue in this life; the see­ing of God, or, God Almightie manifesting himself vnto him: not according to his Diuine Essence; for so, man is not capable of seeing his Diuine Maiestie, and liue: but in the disposition of a visible matter, sa­uing his inuisibilitie; or, which is all one, by taking that likenesse which his Will hath chosen, and not his Nature formed: as affir­meth S. Ambrose, in Luc. ca. 1. S. Augustine, in his Epistle de videndo Deo; S. Gregor. Nazia. [Page 344] cited there by S. Augustine; S. Athanasius, quaestio 12. S. Hie­rome, de verb. Isa. vid. Domi­num; S. Chrysostome, Hom. 4. de Dei Natura; That he may walke by faith, and not by sight, 2. Cor. 5. or happie Vision.

Moyses, the Patriarks, Pro­phets, and Saints, did see God in this life, as the Scriptures say; but not as hee is in his Essence, or Diuine Nature; for so, No man hath seene God Io. 1. 18. at any time; nor shall see God, and Exo. 33. 20. liue: but vnder the dispositi­on of a visible matter, sauing his inuisibilitie. Moyses con­uersing with God face to face, as a man is wont to speake to his Exo. 33. friend, said vnto him, Shew me thy glorie; or, as S. Augustine In Epist. de videndo Dei. translateth, Shew me thy selfe: and our Lord answered, Thou [Page 345] canst not see my face (or Diuine Nature) for man shall not see me, and liue. Whereupon, our Lord, to satisfie the desire of Moyses, shewed himselfe yet more manifestly to Moy­ses; but still, vnder the dis­position of a visible matter; sauing his inuisibilitie, by taking that likenesse which his Will had chosen, and not his Nature formed: and so sayth to Moyses; Behold, there is a place with Exo. 33. 21. me, and thou shalt stand vp­on the Rocke, and when my Glorie shall passe, I will set thee in a hole of the Rocke, and protect thee with my right hand, vntill I passe; and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my backe parts.

In like manner, our Lord shewed himselfe in the dis­position of a visible matter, sauing his inuisibilitie, to the rest of the Saints, and Pro­phets: as to our Father Elias, 3. Reg. 11. in the whistling of a gentle Wind: To the Prophet Isay, like a Isa. 6. man sitting vpon a high Throne, and eleuated; his Face and Feete couered with the Wings of Seraphins: To the Apostles, and Saints of the Act. 2. Primitiue Church, the holie Ghost appeared, in Tongues, as it were of fire. And S. Iohn in Apo. 4. et 5. et 6. the Apocalypse, often maketh mention, to haue seene God sitting vpon a Throne. And S. Augustine affirmeth, That Conf. li. 11. c. 8. wheresoeuer hee did looke, hee did see God, saying; How commeth it to passe, my [Page 347] Lord God, that wheresoeuer I I looke, I see thee: but how I should declare, or make others vnderstand it, I know not? vnlesse it be, because all that doth begin to bee, and doth cease to bee, doth then begin to bee, and end, when it is knowne, that it ought to begin or end with eternall reason. So the Prophet Dauid did see Ps. 15. 8. God alwaies: according to his words, saying; I foresaw our Lord in my sight alwaies: not with the eyes of his bo­die, which dayly decay; but with the eye of his heart; which was renewed from day to 2. Cor. 4. 16. day: according to the words of S. Paul, saying; God, that 2. Cor. 4. 6. commanded Light to shine in darknesse, he hath shined in our hearts, to the illumination of the [Page 348] knowledge of the glorie of God. So our Sauiour sayth, Blessed Mat. 5. 8. are the cleane of heart, for they shall see God: And Saint Paul Heb. 12. 14. sayth, Follow peace with all men, and holinesse, without which, no man shall see God. Whereup­on Saint Augustine sayth, That Aug. ep. 111. the wicked, though they shall rise in the Day of Iudge­ment, yet they shall not see God; Because they would not make cleane their hearts, by a true Faith, that worketh by Cha­ritie. For God is not seene in a Amb. in 111. ep. of S. Aug. Place (sayth Saint Ambrose) but in a cleane or pure heart. Whereupon Saint Iohn sayth, 1. Io. 4. 8. He that loueth not, knoweth not God: And Saint Paul defi­neth 2. Tim. 1. 5. Diuine Loue, or Chari­tie, to be from a pure heart: And Saint Augustine further Aug. ep. 111. [Page 349] sayth, That great men truly, and most learned in the Scrip­tures, who haue much benefited the Church, and the studies of the faithfull, as often as occasi­on hath beene offered, haue said, That the inuisible God is seene inuisibly, that is to say, by that nature, which in vs, is also inuisible; that is, by a pure heart and minde. Againe, Because that accor­ding Aug. ep. 112. to the custome of speech, bodies are said to be visible; therefore, God is said to be inuisible, least he should seeme to be a bodie: and not because he doth defraud cleane hearts of the contemplation of his sub­stance; seeing this great and high reward is promised to the ado­rers and louers of God. So, Saint Augustine.

God Almightie, who is in all places, and euerie where present, is inuisible to the eyes of the bodie, and visible to the pure & cleane of heart; yet not so visible to the cleane of heart in this life, as that they shall see him as he is in his essence, or diuine na­ture, or as he inhabiteth Light 1. Tim. 6. 16. not accessible; whom no man hath seene, yea, neither can see, and Exo. 33. liue: but as S. Paul saith, in 1. Cor. 13. a darke sort, in comparison of the blessed seeing of him in the other life: or as the Saints say; in such sort, as his Will hath chosen, and not his Nature formed: whose delights are, as he saith, to be with the children of men. Whereupon Pro. 8. 31. S. Augustine saith: What doe I Li. Con. li. 10. ca. 6. loue, when I loue thee, my Lord? [Page 351] I doe not loue the beautie of Bodies, nor the glorie of Time, nor the brightnesse of Light, nor the sweete melodie of all kind of delightfull Songs, nor the pleasing smels of Flowers, and Oyntments, and Spices; not Manna, and Ho­ney, nor Members acceptable to the embracements of the Flesh: I doe not loue these, when I loue my God; and yet I loue a certaine Light, and a certaine Voice, and a certaine Odor, and a cer­taine Meate, and a certaine Imbracing, when I loue my God, the Light, the Voice, the Odor, the Meate, the imbracing of my inward Man; where doth shine to my Soule, that which Place doth not compre­hend; and where doth sound, that which Time doth not take away; [Page 352] and where doth smell, that which a puffe of Wind doth not scat­ter; and where doth taste, that which eating doth not diminish; and where doth cleaue, that which satietie doth not take a­way: This is that which I loue, when I loue my God.

So great are the mercies of God Almightie, and so infinite is his loue towards them, who loue him with all their hearts; that since they are not capable, liuing in this life, of seeing his substance, and Diuine Nature, Essence, Deitie, and Glorie; hee will accommodate himselfe so, as that they shall finde, know, and see him, as they may: and so enioy the greatest Ease, Rest, Content, and Happi­nesse, that they are capable [Page 353] of in this life; and rest, in some sort, satisfied, quiet, and content, as a Stone in his Centure, Fire in his Sphere, and Ayre in his Region: ac­cording as in other places our Lord sayth; Io. 17. 3 [...]. This is life euer­lasting, that they know the onely true God, and whom thou hast sent, Iesus Christ. And againe, I will see you againe, and your heart shall reioyce, and your ioy no man shall take from you; and in that day you shall not aske any thing: because they had, by seeing our Lord, all that they could desire; and all Ease, Rest, and Content, that in this life they were capable of: so much content, and so great, that wee cannot expresse it, but by saying, that they had more then ynough, of Rest [Page 354] and Content; Thy friends are Ps. 138. honoured too much. Insomuch, as there ariseth, many times, a pious contention, betweene our Lord, and a soule that loueth him: who knowing her owne vnworthinesse, how vnworthie shee is of any such fauours; desireth to loue him, and shew her loue towards him, onely for his goodnesse, without recei­uing, in this life, such infi­nite rewards: and there­fore, with thankfulnesse, and humilitie (as farre as resig­nation to his will permit­teth) refuseth the acceptance of his great contentments, and fauours. And then God Almightie being, as it were, more ouercome with these her humble proceedings, pou­reth [Page 355] them out vpon her the more: for in louing her hu­militie, and making great ac­count of her resignation, and desire of louing him, onely for his goodnesse; as vpon one fit to receiue greater fauours, hee will communicate his goodnesse more abundantly vnto her: and so they both rest, as it were, more then satisfied; God Almightie, in the humilitie, resignation, and faithfulnesse of the soule that loueth him; and the soule that loueth him, in the infinite mercies of her Lord.

Thou must not thinke, that I put Content and Happinesse in Visions, Reuelations, Gustes, Consolations, or spi­rituall delights; such errors be [Page 356] farre from me: but I put them in Charitie, and diuine Loue, the louing of God Almightie with all thy heart, and thy neighbor for God, as thy selfe; according to the Precept: and speake of those spirituall de­lights, as they doe fill and sa­tisfie Loues motions; and so both giue content, and en­crease thy content and happi­nesse, by mouing thee the more to loue his Diuine Ma­iestie, as hauing tasted of his goodnesse: according to the prayer of S. Paul for the Ephe­sians, saying; Hearing of your Eph. 1. 15. faith, that is in our Lord Iesus, and loue towards all the Saints, I cease not to giue thanks for, you, making a memorie of you in my prayers, That God of our Lord Ie­sus Christ, the Father of glorie, [Page 357] giue you the spirit of Wisdome, and of Reuelation, in the knowledge of him; the eyes of your heart il­luminated, that you may know, what the hope is of his vocation, and what are the riches of his inheritance, in the Saints.

Thou mayest be happie, and neither haue Vision, nor Reue­lation, nor yet many sensible spirituall Consolations: yet more cause there is for thee to hope, that thou art in a hap­pie estate, the more thou par­takest of the Promises, which God Almightie hath promised to such as are happie, and loue him with all their hearts: and so saith; Blessed are your Mat. 13. 16. eyes, because they see, the Sonne of God; and your eares, because they heare, God Almightie speaking, and preaching: And, [Page 358] Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Iona, Mat. 16. 17. because flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee. And a­gaine he sayth, Learne of me, Mat. 11. 28. for I am meeke, and humble of heart, and you shall finde rest; that is, himselfe: who is all the Content, and Rest, that wee either shall finde, or can hope to attaine vnto, in this life, or in all eternitie. Where­upon it is said, Seeke God, and Ps. 68. 33. thy soule shall liue: not, that thou shalt be happie, by one­ly seeing him in this life; but by louing him: hee being an infinite Good, and the chie­fest Good of all Goods, and onely sufficient to satisfie thy heart with complete content. For by seeing him, hee will so pierce thy heart with his loue, and wound thy soule, [Page 359] and all thy affections, with the excellencie of his Good­nesse; that thou wilt say with S. Paul, I esteeme all things to Phil. 3. 8. be detriment, and as dung, that I may gaine Christ. Though thou wert the greatest King, Queene, Prince, or Emperour of the Earth; as great as were Assu­erus, and Ester, who reigned o­uer the Medes, and Persians, an hundreth twentie seuen Pro­uinces: Est. 1. yet wouldest thou heartily say, with Queene E­ster, to our Lord; Thou knowest, Est. 4. 16. Lord, my necessitie, that I abhorre the signe of my pride, and glorie, which is vpon my head, in the dayes of my ostentation, and detest it, as the cloth of a woman, in her monethly flowers, and did neuer reioyce, but in thee, O Lord, the God of Abraham.

According to this, are the many sayings of S. Augustine: For that thou, O Lord, to him that Conf. li. 12. 15. loueth thee as much as thou com­mandest, doest shew thy selfe, and art all that he can desire; there­fore he doth neither decline from thee, nor to himselfe. And so saith of himselfe, That before his conuersion to the Catholike Religion; This was all his prac­tise, Conf. li. 9. ca. 1. not to will that which God Almightie would he should; and to will that which God Almigh­tie would hee should not. But after that his Free-will was called, to subiect it selfe vn­der the light yoake of our Lord; and his stout shoul­ders, vnder the burthen of Iesus Christ, his Redeemer; then hee sayth: Of a sudden how sweet it was made to me, [Page 361] to want the sweetnesse of Trifles; and those thinges which before I feared to lose, now I reioyced in shaking them off: For thou, the true and chiefest Sweetnesse, diddest cast them from me; thou diddest cast them out of me, and diddest enter thy selfe for them, who art more sweete then all pleasures. Againe, Late haue Conf. li. 10. c. 27. I loued thee, Beautie so ancient, and so new; late haue I lo­ued thee: and behold, thou wast within me, and I was without my selfe; and there I did seeke thee: and amongst these faire things which thou hast made, I foulely erred. Thou wast present to me, but I was absent from thee: and these things did se­parate me farre from thee; which if in thee they were not, had not beene. Thou hast called, and [Page 362] cried, and hast ouercome my deafenesse: Thou hast beene bright, and hast shined, and hast driuen away my darkenesse: Thou hast burned, and I haue drawne breath, and breathe out after thee; I haue tasted, and I hunger and thirst: Thou hast touched me, and I haue burned after thy Peace, and Rest. Hee which hath knowne Veritie, hath Li. 7. ca. 10. knowne it; and he who hath knowne i [...], hath knowne Eterni­tie. Charitie hath knowne it. O eternall Veritie, and true Charitie, and deare Eternitie! Thou art my God, to thee I send forth sighes day and night: and when I first knew thee, thou tookest me vp, that I might see my selfe, as I was; and that I was not yet, that which I would seeme to be: and [Page 363] thou diddest beat the weakenesse of my sight, excellently shining in me; and I trembled with loue, and feare, and I haue found my selfe to haue beene farre from thee, in a Countrey very vnlike thee: as if I should heare thy voice from aboue, saying; I am the Meate of great ones, grow, and thou shalt eate me. Againe, What Li. 4. ca. 1. am I, when it is well with me? but one sucking thy Milke, or one enioying thee, the Meate, which neuer corrupteth. So, S. Augustine.

God Almightie in our hearts, is the Treasure hidden Ma [...]. 13. 44. in the Field, which a man ha­uing found, did hide, and for ioy thereof, went and sold all that hee had, and bought that Field. Finding once God [Page 364] Almightie, farwel the world, and all his sensuall pleasures. Then God forbid, that [...] should Gal. 6. 14. glorie, sauing in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ, by whom the World is crucified to me, and I to it. Then vnto me, to liue is Christ, and to die is gayne. Phil. 1. 21. Then thou needest not wish him, goe and sell all that hee Mat. 19. 21. hath, & giue to the poore, and follow our Lord; he will goe, and do it of himselfe, though he were King of the whole Globe of the Earth; and say with the Prophet: What is to Ps. 72. 25. me in Heauen? and besides thee, what would I vpon Earth? my flesh hath fainted, and my heart, God of my heart, and God my portion for euer.

God Almightie manifesting of himselfe, in the hearts [Page 365] of these who loue him, is that precious Pearle, Which Mat. 13. 46. the Marchant man hauing found, went his way, and sold all that hee had, and bought it; it be­ing all Content. Whereup­on S. Augustine saith; What­soeuer Aug. in Ps. 26. is not God, is not sweet, and whatsoeuer my Lord will vouchsafe to giue me, let him take it away, and giue me him­selfe. God Almightie is all Loue, and Charitie: and, If Cant. 8. 7. a man (saith the holie Ghost) shall giue all the substance of his house for Loue, as nothing hee will despise it.

This is the Kingdome of God vpon Earth: of which our Lord speaking, saith; The Luc. 17. 21. Kingdome of God is within you. But not euerie one that saith, Mat. 7. 21. Lord, Lord, shall enter into it; but [Page 366] he that doth the will of God, which is in it. He that loueth Mat. 25. God with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself, he shall en­ter Luc. 9. 60. into the Kingdome of Heauen.

God Almighty manifesting of himself to the eies of the harts of these who loue him, is the light of the World: and men haue Io. 9. 6. loued the darknes, rather then the Io. 3. 19. light: for their workes were euill; euen so euil, that they think it impossible, or not necessary, to keep the Cōmandemēts of God. Whereupon S. Aug. said to the Aug. li. 9. ca. 4. dead deaf heretiks of his time; O that they could see the inward eternall Light! which I, because I had tasted, I was angry at my selfe, for that I could not shew it them, if they should bring vnto me a heart in their owne eyes, without thee, & should say, Who will shew vs good [Page 367] things? Of this Light the Prophet Dauid speaking, saith; The light Ps. 4. 7. of thy countenance is signed vpō vs; thou hast giuē gladnes in my hart. Again, With thee is the fountain of Ps. 35. 10. life, & in thy light we shal see light.

This is that one thing ne­cessarie, which S. Marie Mag­delen hath chosen; the best part, which shal not be taken away from her; the gracious presence of our Lord in her heart & soule: according to the words of S. Aug. saying; Who wil giue to me Li. Con. [...]. (my Lord) that he may come in­to my heart, and make it drunke; that I may forget all my euils, and embrace thee, my onlie good?

God Almightie manifesting of himselfe in the hearts of thē who loue him, is the hidden Manna, which no man know­eth, but hee that receiueth it; [Page 368] spoken of in the Apocalypse, saying; He that hath an eare Apo. 2. 17. to heare, let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches: To him that ouercommeth (sinne) I will giue him the hid­den Manna, and will giue him a white Lot, and in the Lot a new Name written, which no man knoweth, but he that receiueth. Whereupon the Prophet Da­uid sayth, Taste ye, and see, that Ps. 33. 9. our Lord is sweete: and doth not say, See, and Taste; be­cause thou canst not see, com­prehend, or imagine, as the Prophet sayth, How great is the Ps. 31. 20. multitude of the sweetnesse which our Lord hath hid for them that loue him; yntill thou taste it.

To haue God Almightie dwelling in our soules by grace and fauour, and mani­fest [Page 369] himselfe vnto vs; is all the good, and content, that wee are capable to receiue in this life. Moyses said vn­to our Lord; Shew me thy glo­rie: and our Lord answered; I will shew thee all good: and shewed vnto him, himselfe, vnder the disposition of a vi­sible matter; as all the good that he, liuing, and remai­ning in this life, was capable of to receiue. Whereupon S. Iohn saith: And the Life 1. Io. 1. 2. was manifested, and we haue seene, and doe testifie, and de­clare vnto you, the life eternall, which was with the Father, and hath appeared to vs: and that which we haue seene, and haue heard, we declare vnto you, that you also may haue societie with vs, and our societie may be with [Page 370] the Father, and with his Sonne Iesus Christ. And these things I write vnto you, that you may reioyce, and your ioy may be full.

Doest thou desire, deare Reader, to enioy all the Con­tent, Ease, Rest, and Ioy, which in this life thou art capable to haue, and possesse; cast out of thy heart thy spirituall Idols, and renounce that false im­pious God, and wicked De­uill, and his ministers, who teach, that it is impossible to keepe the Commaundements of God; and promise Ease, and Rest, and Saluation, and Iu­stification by Faith only: and cleaue to our Lord, who crea­ted thee, and keepe his Com­mandements, and loue him with thy whole heart, and thy [Page 371] neighbor for his sake, as thy selfe; and thou shalt most as­suredly haue and enioy it: ac­cording to the Promises, say­ing; When thou shalt seeke the Deut. 4. 29. Lord thy God, thou shalt find him: yet so, if thou seeke him with all thy heart. If you will seeke him, Par. 15. 2. you shall find; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. And Par. 15. [...]. when they shall roturne, in their distresse, to our Lord the God of Israel, and shall seeke him (saith the Prophet Azarias) they shall find him: Yet so, if they seeke him with all their hearts. And Asa gathered together Par. 15. 9. all Iuda and Beniamin: and when they were come into Ie­rusalem, hee went in, af­ter the manner, to establish the Couenant, that they should seeke our Lord, the God of [Page 372] their fathers, in all their heart, and in all their soule. And if any man, quoth he, shall not seeke our Lord, the God of Israel, let him die, from the least to the greatest, from Man vnto Wo­man. And they sware to our Lord with a loud voice, in iu­bilation, and in noyse of Trum­pet, and sound of Shaulmes, all that were in Iuda, with execra­tion: for in all their heart did they sweare, and with all their will did they seeke him, and found him, and our Lord gaue them rest round about. If any Io. 14. 23. one loue me (sayth our Lord) he will keepe my Word, and my Father will loue him, and wee will come to him, and will make abode with him. Againe, If you Io. 14. 14. loue me, keepe my Commaunde­ments, and I will aske the Father, [Page 373] and hee will giue you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for euer, the spirit of Truth, whom the World cannot receiue, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but you know him. And in this wee 1. Io. 2. 3. know (sayth Saint Iohn) that vve haue knowne him, if vve ob­serue his Commandements. Hee that saith, he knoweth him, and keepeth not his Commaunde­ments, is a lyar, and the truth is not in him. Hee shall abide Io. 14. 17. vvith you, and be in you. Hee that keepeth his Comman­dements, 1. Io. 3. 24. abideth in him, and hee in him.

Againe, I vvill not leaue Io. 14. 18. you (that loue me) Orphanes; I vvill come to you: Yet a little vvhile, and the World seeth me no more; but you [Page 374] see me, because I liue, and you shall liue (in mee.) In that Day you shall know, that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Euerie one 1. Io. 3. 7. that loueth, knoweth God: Hee that loueth not, knoweth not God, because God is Cha­ritie.

Againe, A little while, Io. 1 [...]. 16. and now you shall not see me: and againe, a little while, and you shall see me; because I goe to the Father. They said therefore, What is this hee saith, A little while; wee know not what hee spea­keth. And Iesus said, Now indeede you haue sorrow; but I will see you againe, and your hearts shall reioyce, and your ioy, no man shall take from you. Aske, and you shall [Page 375] receiue (himselfe into their soules) that your ioy may be full. These are the Promises of God: and (as Saint Augustine sayth) Who can feare to be Conf. li. 12. c. 1. deceiued, when Truth it selfe doth promise?

O sonnes of Men! How long Ps. 4. heauie hearts? Why loue you Vanitie, and seeke Lying? Wherefore will you still walke Aug. Conf. li. 4. ca. 12. hard, and painefull, Wayes? There is no rest, where you seeke it. Seeke that you seeke, but there it is not, where you seeke: You seeke happie life, in the Countrie of Death; it is not to be found there. How will you finde happie life, where no life is? Our Life descended from hence, and tooke away our Death, and hath killed it, out of the abundance of his life; [Page 376] and thundreth out crying, that vve vvould returne from hence vnto him, into that Secret, from vvhence he proceeded vnto vs. Hee departed from our eyes, that vve might returne into our hearts, and finde him. I seeke my God in euerie bodie, Aug. vpon the 41. Ps. as vvell earthly, as heauenly, and I doe not finde him; I seeke his substance in my soule, and I finde it. I haue medita­ted the manner how to finde my God, and by those things vvhich are made the inuisible things of my God, desirous to behold these things, vvhich may be vnder­stood. I haue poured out my soule in me; and now there re­maineth nothing which I may touch, but my God: For there is the House of my God, aboue my soule he dwelleth; from thence [Page 377] he beholdeth me, from thence he created me, from thence he gouerneth me, from thence he counselleth me, from thence he stirreth me vp, from thence he calleth me, from thence he directeth me, from thence he leadeth me, from thence he carrieth me about. Thus Saint Augustine.

Whereupon Boetius, in his third Booke, and eleuenth Verse, sayth.

CHAP. XXIII. The sixt Content and Happinesse which such enioy as loue God Almightie with all their hearts, and their neighbour for God, as themselues; are the gifts they receiue from the holy Ghost dwelling in them, and the fruits which he produceth in them.

THe mercies which God Almightie sheweth to such as loue him with all [Page 379] their hearts, and their neigh­bours as themselues, are so infinite, that he doth not onlie dwell in their hearts, and soules, as in his house and home, and manifest him­selfe vnto them; but also be­stoweth inestimable gifts vp­on them, and decketh and adorneth their soules, in this life, with his Iewels, and produceth in their hearts diuine fruits; that it may be fulfilled, which was spoken by Isay the Prophet, saying: Reioycing, I will reioyce in our Isa. 61. 10. Lord, and my soule shalbe ioy­full in my God, because he hath clothed me with the garments of Saluation: and with the gar­ment of Iustice, he hath com­passed me, as a Bridegroome deck­ed with a Crowne, and as a Bride [Page 380] adorned with her Iewels: For as the Earth bringeth forth her Spring, and as the Garden shoo­teth forth her Seede; so shall our Lord God make Iustice to spring, in the hearts of all those who loue him: accor­ding to the words of our Sa­uiour, saying; If you loue me, Io. 14. 15. keepe my Commandements, and I will aske the Father, and he will giue you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for euer, the spirit of Truth, he shall abide in you, and be in you. He Io. 14. 26. shall teach you all things, and suggest vnto you all things, what­soeuer I shall say vnto you: ac­cording to which wordes, Saint Paul saith; Wee haue 1. Cor. 2. 12. receiued, not the spirit of this World, but the spirit which is of God. Againe, If anie haue Rom. 8. 17. [Page 381] not the spirit of Christ, the same is not his. Whereby we see, that the spirit of Christ doth remaine in all those, who loue him; by whose meanes, they become wise, learned, full of counsell, strength, knowledge, pietie, and feare of God: accor­ding to the wordes of Isay the Prophet, saying; And Isa. 11. 2. the spirit of our Lord shall rest vpon him; the spirit of Wisedome, and Vnderstanding, the spirit of Counsell, and Strength, the spirit of Know­ledge, and Pietie, and the spi­rit of the feare of our Lord shall replenish him. So here, ac­cording to good Method, wee should speake of the aforesaid gifts, or effects, [Page 382] of the Spirit of Christ; the holy Ghost in vs: But ha­uing occasion to speake of them in our fourth Booke; where wee must treat of the interchange of gifts, be­tweene God and Man: not to speake twice of them, wee deferre them vntill then; and proceede to set downe the fruits, which the holy Ghost doth produce in the hearts of those who loue him, and keepe his Comman­dements.

He that beleeueth in me (saith Io. 7. 38. our Sauiour) as the Scriptures say, out of his bellie shall flowe Riuers of liuing Water: and this hee said, of the Spirit they should receiue, which are to beleeue in him: Whose [Page 383] fruits, or liuing Water, Saint Paul setteth downe, saying; The fruit of the Spirit, is Gal. 5. 22. Charitie, Ioy, Peace, Pati­ence, Benignitie, Goodnesse, Longanimitie, Mildnesse, Faith, Modestie, Continencie, Cha­stitie.

These are the delicate fruites, vvhich the Ho­lie Ghost doth produce in the hearts of those, vvho loue him vvith all their hearts; by vvhich, they are made beautifull, and happie: According to the vvordes of Saint Paul, say­ing; 1. Tim. 3. 4. For God, not by the vvorkes of Iustice, vvhich vvee did (of our selues, as of our selues) but ac­cording to his great Mercie, 2. Cor. 3, 5. [Page 384] he hath saued vs by the Lauer of Regeneration, and Renoua­tion of the holie Ghost, vvhom he hath poured vpon vs abun­dantly, by Iesus Christ our Lord, that being iustified by his grace, vve may be heires, according to hope, of life euer­lasting. The holie Ghost is the Tree, of which the Es­pouse in the Canticles spea­king, Can. 2. saith; Vnder his sha­dow, vvhome I desired, I sate, and his fruit was svveet vnto my throat: Hee brought mee into the Wine-cellar, hee hath ordayned in mee, Cha­ritie.

THE Last CHAPTER. Of the compleat Ioy, Rest, Content, and Happinesse, which those shall haue in Heauen, who vpon Earth perseuered in louing God with all their Hearts, and their Neighbours as them­selues, vntill Death.

FIrst, All the Charitable shall be saued, and Hap­py; as witnesseth our Saui­our, saying: Come ye blessed Mat. 25. of my Father, possesse you the Kingdome prepared for you from the Foundation of the World: For I was an hungred, and you gaue me to eate; I was thirstie, and you gaue me [Page 460] to drinke: I was a stranger, and you tooke me in; naked, and you couered me; sick, and you visited me; I was in Pri­son, and you came vnto me: Ʋerily, I say vnto you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.

And for their particular Happinesse; first, all their Corporall defects, as lame­nesse, crookednesse, dispro­portion of their bodies, &c. by the power of God shall be supplied; as witnesseth S. Paul, saying: We shall Eph. 4. 13. meete all in the vnitie of Faith, and knowledge of the Sonne of God, into a perfect Man, into the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ.

Secondly, they shall be endued with subtilitie, to pe­netrate and passe through materiall bodies at their pleasures; as S. Iohn affir­meth Ioh. [...]0. 19. of our Sauiour: That the dore shut, Iesus came, and stood in the midst of the Dis­ciples. And in the Resurrecti­on, our Sauiour will, as S. Paul saith, Reforme the bo­dy Phil. 3. 11. of our humilitie, confi­gured to the Body of his glory.

Thirdly, they shall be en­dued with Agilitie, to moue, and passe from one place vnto another, with the same swiftnesse, that their mindes can desire; As the Angels of God in Heauen.

Fourthly, they shalbe indued [Page 462] with Impassabilitie, inso­much, as they shall neuer suffer any more hunger, or colde, or heate, or sicknesse, or paines, or any thing of disgust; as affirmeth S. Iohn, saying: They shall no more Apoc. 7. 16. hunger, nor thirst; neither shall the Sunne fall vpon them, nor any heate.

Fiftly, they shall be endu­ed with Claritie; according to the words of our Sauiour, saying: The Iust shall shine Mat. 13. 43. as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father.

Sixtly, their Corporall eyes shall be delighted with the sight of the glorious Body of the Sonne of God, and of all the Saints, and with the Beautie of Heauen, whose [Page 463] Wall is, as S. Iohn saith: Of Apoc. 21. 18. Iasper stone; but the Citie it selfe (is of) pure Gold, like to pure Glasse; and the Foun­dations of the Wall of the Ci­tie, are adorned with Pretious Stone. And the twelue Gates there, are twelue Pearles one to euery one, and euery Gate is of one seuerall Pearle; and the Streete of the Citie, pure Gold, as it were transparent Glasse.

Seuenthly, their Eares shall be delighted with the melody of Angels & Saints, who sing by Quires alwaies new songs.

Eightly, their Senses of Smelling shall be delighted with delicate sweet smells, which proceed from the [Page 464] body of our Sauiour, and from the bodies of the Martyrs, and Saints in Hea­uen, whose Odor is as the Cant. 3. Osc. 1 [...]. Aromatical Spices of Mirrhe and Frankencense, and all the powder of the Apothecarie. If the bodie of our Blessed Mother Teresa (the refor­mer of our Order, and the restorer thereof to the ob­seruance of the first Rule) yeeld so sweet a Smell heere vpon Earth, as that it excee­deth the delight of all flow­ers, as is testified by suffici­ent witnesses: Imagin, if thou canst, how exceeding sweet shall be the Smell of the bo­dy of our Sauiour, and all the glorified bodies in Heauen?

Ninthly, their Taste shall [Page 465] be delighted with exquisite Meates; according to the word of God, saying: To them Apoc. [...]. 17. that shall ouercome (sin) I will Apoc. 2. 7. giue him the hidden Manna. I will giue him to eate of the tree Apoc. 7. [...]7. of life, which is in the Paradise of my God. And the Lamb shall conduct them to the li­uing Fountaines of Waters.

Tenthly, their Touch, and whole Bodie, shalbe deligh­ted with delitious Rayment. And I saw (saith S. Iohn) a Apoc 7. 9. great multitude, which no man could number, in the sight of the Lamb, clothed in white Apoc. 19. 7. Robes for the mariage of the Lamb is come & his wife hath prepared her selfe. And it was giuen to her, that she clothe her selfe with silke, glittering, [Page 466] and White; for the Silke are the Iustifications of the Saints.

Those who lose their liues for the loue of God, and inno­cencie of his Law, and othes made to the Prophets, shall be crowned with Crownes of glory; according to the Scriptures, saying: Be Apoc. 2. faithfull vntill Death, and I will giue thee the Crowne of Life; and also, they shall for euer beare Palmes of victo­rie and triumph (ouer their Persecutors) in their hands, as S. Iohn witnesseth, saying: I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, stan­ding Apoc. 7. 9. before the Throne, and in the sight of the Lamb, clo­thed in white robes, & Palmes in their hands, &c. These are [Page 467] they which come out of great tribulation, and haue washed their robes, and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe. And Virgins who die in Charitie, shall sing a Song, which none else in Heauen shall sing but they: and also they shall accom­pany our Sauiour wheresoe­uer he shall goe; according to the words of S. Iohn, say­ing: I heard a voice from Apoc. 1 [...]. Heauen, and the voice which I heard, was as of Harpers harping on their Harpes, and they sung as it were a new Song before the Seate of God▪ &c. and none could sing the Song but those. These are they which were not defiled with Women, for they are Ʋirgins: These [Page 468] follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he shall goe.

Eleuenthly, the Phanta­sies of the Charitable shall be delighted with beauti­full formes of glorious Bo­dies; according to the words of Saint Paul: Now I know 1. Cor. [...]3. 12. in part, but then I shall know, as also I am knowne.

Twelfthly, their Memorie shall be pleased, with a for­getfulnesse of all Disgustes and Discontents whatsoe­uer, and with an easie Re­membrance of all thinges which belong vnto their Happinesse: which shall be easie; for that in Heauen there shall be no more Was, or Shall be, or this Past, or To come; to be troubled [Page 469] with searching for them in the Memorie: but Present for euer, and altogether an Eternall Felicitie, and Life Mat. 25. euerlasting; which is (as Boetius sayth) a perfit possessi­on Boet. li. 5. Pro. 6. altogether of an endlesse Life.

The Thirteenth, Their Ʋnderstandings shall be de­lighted with Diuine Wise­dome, Vnderstanding, Counsell, Knowledge, &c. according to the words of Saint Peter, saying; If you 1. Pet. 4. be reuiled in the Name of Christ, you shall be blessed, because the Spirit, which is his, shall rest vpon you; which is (as the Prophet Isay sayth) the Spirit of Isa. 11. Wisdome, and Vnderstanding, [Page 470] the Spirit of Counsell and Strength, the Spirit of Know­ledge and Pietie, and the Spi­rit of the (Filiall) feare of our Lord.

The Foureteenth, their Wills shall be delighted, and fully satisfied and content with the enioying, hauing, and possessing of God Al­mightie; who is all the good they can desire: and shall be (as S. Paul saith) all in all the 1. Cor. 15. 25. Saints.

The Fifteenth, their Minds and whole Man, shall be ful­ly and compleately made happy, by the seeing of God Almightie whom they haue and possesse; according to the words of our Sauiour, saying: Blessed are the cleane Mat. 5. [Page 471] in heart, for they shall see God, August▪ epist 111. & 1 [...]2. not as they did in this life, vnder that likenesse which his will had chosen, and not his nature formed: But they shall see him (saith S. Iohn) as he is, in his Diuine Na­ture, Essence, and Glory; as further witnesseth S. Paul, saying: We see now by a glasse 1. Cor. 23. 1 [...]. in a darke sort, but then, face to face. This seeing of God, whom they possesse all in all, is as Saint Augustine saith, their chiefest good: for though Aug. li. trinit. ca. 13. many things do concurre to­gether to the making of vs Happy, and Content: Yet this seeing of God, Face to Face, and as he is in his glo­rie, is the Fountaine of all good, and the accomplish­ment [Page 472] and perfection of full Happinesse: which our Sa­uiour signifieth, saying; This is Life euerlasting, that Ioh. 17. 3. they know thee, the onely true God, and whom thou hast sent, Iesus Christ. And the reason is, for that God Al­mightie is onely He, which is, as he said, I am, which Exod. [...]. 14. am; and all other thinges being by participation from his Goodnesse, depending vpon his Will: As it is written; For thy Will they Apoc. 4. 11. were, and haue beene created. All other Pleasures, and Contentments, which are not God, are farre more ex­cellent in God himselfe, then they are in themselues, or in their owne natures: So that [Page 473] take whatsoeuer true Plea­sure, which in this Life thou art capable to receiue, either in Body, or Soule, and when by happie Vision thou com­mest to enioy God (as I de­sire thou shouldest) thou shalt enioy that same, in another degree, much more perfitly: according to the words of the Prophet, say­ing; I shall be filled (Lord) Ps. 16. 15. when thy glory shall appeare. And hereupon it commeth to passe, that the seeing and enioying of God by blessed vision, & as he is in himselfe, is Happinesse it selfe: for that whatsoeuer may truely de­light either Body or Soule, is there in him found altoge­ther, & alwaies most perfitly; [Page 474] euen in such sort, as that it is not possible for thee to imagine, wish, or desire any Ioy, Content, or Happinesse whatsoeuer, but the same is found in God, in his full per­fection. Whereupon our Sa­uiour saith: If you keepe my Ioh 15. 10. precepts, you shall abide in my loue: as I also haue kept my Fathers precepts, and do abide in his loue. These things I haue spoken to you, that my ioy may be in you, and your ioy may be filled. Againe, He Ioh 14. 12. that hath my Commande­ments, and keepeth them, he it is that loueth me; and he that loueth me, shall be beloued of my Father, and I will loue him, and will manifest my selfe to him; that is, he will [Page 475] bestow vpon him all Goods, Contentments, and Happi­nesse, that can be imagined, or desired; according to the words of God to Moses say­ing: I will shew thee all good; Exod. 3 [...]. [...]. and shewed vnto him, Him­selfe.

The Sixteenth, they shall be confirmed in this perfect Happie estate, that they can­not but loue it, and possesse it for euer: so our Sauiour calleth it, euerlasting life; Mat. 25 46. and S. Peter calleth i [...], an eternall Kingdome; where [...]. Pet. [...]. [...] ▪ there are no Temporal Ioyes or Contentments, which are no sooner had, then passed: But an Eternall Ease, Rest, Repose, and Happinesse, and all goods, and pleasures, al­wayes, [Page 476] and for euermore, remayning without End. Which I heartily wish vn­to thee, deare Reader: and so conclude this our Second Part of Ease, and Rest, with the words of Moy­ses the Prophet, and faith­full Seruant of our Lords; humbly beseeching thee, to consider, That I haue Deut. 30. set before thee Life, and Good; and contrariwise, Death, and Euill: That thou mayest loue our Lord thy God, and walke in his Wayes, and keepe his Com­maundements, and thou mayest liue (in the Hap­pinesse of Grace in this Life, and Glorie in the o­ther.)

But if thy heart be auerted, and thou wilt not heare; and deceiued with Error, thou adore strange Gods (in Spirit) and serue them (ey­ther by puplike or priuate breaking of the Comman­dements of the true and lining God) I fore-tell thee this day, that thou shalt pe­rish (and the Wretched­nesse and Miseries spoken of in the foureteenth Chapter of this Booke, shall fall vpon thee) And I call for witnesse Heauen and Earth, that I haue proposed to thee Life and Death, Blessing and Cursing: choose therefore Life, that thou mayest liue, and may­est loue our Lord thy God, [Page 478] and obey his voice, and cleaue to him for he is thy life, and the length of thy daies.

To whom be all honour, and glory, now and for euermore, Amen.

IESVS, MARIA, IOSEPH.