The Pastour's Dutie.
CHAP. I.

THE Prince of the Apostles commands vs by God's order, to be continually readie to render an accompt of our Faith, to whosoeuer shall de­mand [Page 2] it; * Could I then, ô Theopiste, turne a deafe eare to your friendly inuitation, without violating this diuine ordinance, and infringing brotherly charitie which we owe to euery one, as the great Apostle said, since God hath commended our neighbour to euery one of vs; * and hath put downe in his law, that we should loue them as ouer selues? * And seeing by Gods prouidence I was ordayned to be one of the Pastours of his Church, am I not obliged by my state and condition, to contribute to the necessities of my bretheren, * vnlesse I would be lyable to the re­proch, and expect the sad ef­fect [Page 3] of the dreadfull threates, which the diuine zeale, thun­ders out by the mouth of one of his Prophetes: woe be to the Pastours, who feede thē ­selues; who eate the flesh, and are couered with the woole of their flocke; who sucke the marrow and drinke the milke, and yet nourish them not: They doe not strengthen that which is weake; cure not that which is sicke; reioyne not that which is broken; re­duce not what is strayed; they seeke not that which is lost; so that the sheepe were scat­tered, and exposed to the rage of the rauiuous beastes. But behold I liue, saith our Lord, and I will exact my flocke at [Page 4] their hands. * And my hande vpon them shall take ven­gance of their blood. * And behold, saith he by the organe of another Trumpet, how my people are led away ca­ptiue, because they wanted knowledge, *the knowledge of Saintes * which doth re­claime from the slauerie of sinne, and enlarge vs with that precious libertie, which doth cast off the heauie yoake of sinne, and which is the true libertie of the children of God. * Now to whom doth it belong to communicate to others this knowledge of the God of knowledge, but to those who are called the salt of the earth, *and the light of [Page 5] the world, * who together with the holy Ghost, re­ceaued the knowledge of the voice, * by the imposition of hands in their ministerie; and whose lipps keepe the depo­situm of the diuine know­ledge, who are to be a law,† and a Rule of life to their subiectes, and to the soules of whom they are liable to giue an accompt? Shall it euer be said, that the Samaritane powred his wine and oyle, into the wounds of the hurt­man, * and performed euen workes of supererogation,† to saue his life; and that yet the Preist and Leuite shall passe without pittie, not ca­sting an eye of mercy vpon [Page 6] him? * He, saith the beloued Disciple of our Sauiour, who is possest of good things, and seeing his brother in necessi­tie, shutts his bowells of mer­cy vpon him, with what face can he affirme, that the Cha­ritie of God is in him? * No, saith he going on, whosoeuer saith he loues God, and yet takes no thought for the ne­cessitie (he vnderstands spiri­tuall and temporall.) Of his neighbour, is a lyar, and the truth of God doth not inha­bite his soule. * Loue one ano­ther, saith the Apostle, to all Christians, with a brotherly, and mutuall charitie, * and beare one anothers burden, and so you shall fulfill the law [Page 7] of CHRIST, * reputing your selues each others members, or rather members of IESVS CHRIST; and that you doe but compose one misticall body with him. But it doth principally apertaine to the Heades of the People, * which are the Pastours, and who haue the bands of Charitie and perfection * for the por­tion and honorable part of their inheritance, to watch ouer the necessitie of the sou­les committed to their trust, as the shee heards who were first of all aduertised by the Angells of the birth of our redeemour; because during the deade of the night they were watchfull ouer their flocks. [Page 8] Blessed is that seruant, who shall be found wakeing in the day of the coming of the great Maister: * and who shall be able to say with him of the Ghospell: behold fiue talents profit, which I haue made out of the fiue which thou gauest me to vse: * and with Iob, I haue bene the foote of the lambe, and the eye of the blinde: * and with the Do­ctour of the Gentils: Who is infirme, with whom, by com­passion, I become not infirme? * Who are those litle ones as­king for bread, to whom I haue not communicated what I haue learnt without enuie or fiction, in simplicitie of heart? *

Prayer to God for a soule in temptation.
CHAP. II.

OIESVS my Lord! can I haue the hart to see my brother in tribula­tion without bearing a part of his paines, since I clearely discouer that thou thy selfe art together with him in that anguish which doth trouble him, with intention to deli­uer him from it, and crowne him for it with Glorie? Art thou not continually neere vnto those who haue their hearts shutt, and doe inuoke thy holy name? * Art not thou [Page 10] he who doth saue the hum­ble of hart? * ô what a hight of happinesse is it to be Coad­iutour, and Cooperatour with thee, * in this good worke? what am I not able to doe to­gether with thy helpe, * veri­ly I can doe all things, not I, but thy grace within me. Woe be vnto me if I Euange­lise not, * if I reteine veritie prisoner in Iniustice, * if I hold my peace, when there is que­stion of Sion, * and of the good of a soule, redeemed with the inestimable price of thy precious blood: If I be­come a dume dogge, which ether cannot or will not open his mouth; * If my tongue be not a penne, or my penne a [Page 11] tongue, to direct in thy wayes, the foot-steps of such as want direction. * Alas most amiable Sauiour! Loe THEOP. poore THEOPIST whom thou louest, * and who I know lo­ues thee, with an vnfayned Charitie, and a true affection: * THEOPIST my deare brother in thy holy Spirit, is not onely sicke, but euen suffers violence, ti's thy part to make answere for him, * since being vnited vnto thee, as a vine­branch to its stocke; as a mem­ber to its head, * thou bearest part in his afflictions, as in the tymes of Saule, whom thou madest a PAVLE, thou didst resent the persequution of thy Faithfull. That which doth [Page 12] most torment him, is the knowledge he hath of his owne frayletie, and a feare to offend thee, in this great tem­pest which the enemy of his saluation hath sturd vp against his Faith. He is driuen to the maine sea: being weather­beaten he dreads ship-wrake: he cryes out vnto thee, saue me ô Lord, I perish * thou who sauest those which hope in thee * how long wilt thou be forgetfull of him, ô Lord, how long wilt thou turne thy fauorable face from him? * thou who dost com­mand the sea and the winds. * And who in the twingling of an eye, dost turne the most desperate storme, into a pla­sant [Page 13] calme? * O God increase his Faith, * purifie his hart with that vertue * Restore him the ioy of thy saluation, * and with thy principall spi­rit confirme him. * This is the prayer, my deare THEO, which I make vpon your af­fliction. It is the balme which I powre into your wound, following therin the Apo­stles counsell, who will haue vs pray ouer him that is sad. * weepe with him that is soe­rowfull. * And me thinkes, I heare I know not what secre­te voice giue me assurance, that this infirmitie shall not be to death, but that the glorie of God shall be therby more manifested in you. * And if [Page 14] with patience you expect his blessed pleasure, you shall shortly see the splendour of his diuine face shine vpō you.

An incouragement.
CHAP. III.

ATTEND therefore Gods pleasure; be cou­ragious. Let your hart rise as a palme-tree against that which doth oppresse it; su­steyne this assault. * What doth he know who is not temp­ted? Blessed is he who suffers temptation, for being once tryed, he shall receaue the crowne of life. * Patience workes probatiō, begets Hope, [Page 15] and such a hope as is not con­founded: For by patience we possesse our selues in Peace. * Say to the pusilanimous; lift vp your deiected minds, * saith the Prophete. Tell them, that they are to hope euen against all hope. * And that whē they conceaue they are lost, they are neerer to their saluation then they can beleeue. * Loose not then your confidence, THEOPISTE, sith so great a re­ward is promised vnto it. * Giue care vnto your sweet Sauiour, who cryes vnto you; be con­fident, for I haue ouercome the world. * And what vertue is it which giues vs victory ouer the world? The Apostle makes answere, it is our Faith. * [Page 16] But alas, say you THEOPISTE, This is that which. I want, this is my desease: and you say vnto me, be well. From that quarter warre is waged against me, & your counsell is, liue in Peace. That is the euill which doth afflict me, and you say vnto me, ô man of litle faith, why dost thou feare? * It is not I that say thus vnto you THEOPISTE, it is our Sauiour himselfe, the very words of whose Testament you vse. It is his Apostle that assures you, that vertue is perfected in in­firmity; * that euen from its owne infirmity it gaines new strength: & oftentimes when we apprehend we haue lost all, we winne all. For God is [Page 17] faithfull and neuer tempts vs in euil. He permits vs not to be tēpted aboue our strēgth. * Contrariwise, he makes vs draw profit from our tribula­tion: * and find out our salua­tion in the midst of our ene­mies. * When we thinke that our vertue doth fayle vs, and that the light of our eyes hath forsaken vs; * he serues vs as a Pillar of fire in palpable dark­nesse, and makes a light shine amongst the obscurities, to those that are of a right hart. * That which you repute a ser­pent taken by the tayle vpon a soudaine, is in our hand a florishing rodde, and a rodde of directiō in the Kingdom of Heauē. Beleeue it THEOPISTE, [Page 18] ether am I a very badde Pro­phete, or els this temptation against Faith which doth af­flict you, will more affright thē hurt you: for all the temp­tations which doe not please, cannot hurt, * as a Father of the Church saith. Contrari­wise, if you will please to fol­low my counsell and aduise, with as much confidence as God hath giuen you free­dome to reueale your cause, and discouer vnto me the wayes and feelings of your interiour man, I doubt not but you will draw confusion vpon the house of NABV­CHODONOSOR; * cut of HOLOPHERNES his head with his owne sword; * and [Page 19] with the dint of a stone from a slinge, beat downe that proude PHILISTIAN, who would out-braue the army of your good desires. *

The profit of Temptation.
CHAP. IV.

I Dare promise my selfe, that as DAVID found bitternesse in Peace; * so contrariwise you shall meete with sweetnesse in this warre. And that honie-combes shall not onely spring out of rockes to you, * but euen out of the Lion's iawes which you thinke is about to deuoure you, * ac­cording to SAMSON'S Em­bleme: [Page 20] That you shall draw fresh water out of the midst of this brinish sea, as vaines ther­of are found in the bosome of the Oceā: & that one day you shall sing with the Psalmist; it was good for me, ô Lord, to haue beene humbled by thy hand, to th'end I might learne thy iustifications. * Then shall you know, that that affli­ction, which giues you the same blowes in matter of Faith, which the Angell of Satan gaue S. PAVL in point of dishonestly, * shall haue the like effect in you, as the waters of the Deluge in the Arke of Noë. And what effect had they in it? Marry they lanched it from the shore, they bore it [Page 21] vp towards Heauen: brought it safe at length to the toppe of the highest Armenian Mountaines? * I would say hereby, that this trouble, in lieu of depressing, shall exalte your faith: and that this essay of your vallour, shall purge and purifie your Faith as gold in the Crurible *, and shall giue it a deeper colour; and perhaps, whereas she now creepes vpō the earth, (amidst shades, Enigma's, Mirrours, * fantomes and imaginary sha­pes) her youth being renewed like vnto the Eagle *, she shall become cleare-sighted, resembling that bird, which, without shutting her eyelides, can fixe the aples of her eyes [Page 22] vpon the brightest sunne beames. Yea may it not be, that after my, Theopiste haue once read this Practise, or spi­rituall Combat (and when I say Practise, my meaning is that that which is read should be practised) he shall heare with the theife vpon the Crosse (who seeing himselfe with in two fingars breath of ship-wrake, receaued yet pardon from the King of mercy, in these fewe words) amen amen, I say vnto thee, this day thou shall be with me in Paradice? * Which was accomplished euen in Hell, or in Abraham's bosome, whither this good theife dis­cending, saw the glorious and [Page 23] triumphant soule of our Sa­uiour, who defeated Death, and blunted the sharp point of the sting of Hell, * while he bore away the spoyles, and ledd Captiuity captiue after him. * ITHEOP. my beleife is, that we shall not die, but liue; * and that if we doe firmely & cōstantly beleeue, floodes of waters of life *, run­ning to eternity, * shall issue out of our breastes. * This blessed Hope is surely lodged in my bosome. *

The estate of a soule in temptation.
CHAP. V.

BVT before I begin to dresse your wound, which seemes to me more daunting then dange­rous, I must behold it neerer. You are, say you, for some tyme past so vext with thoug­htes of blasphemie and infi­delitie, that all your wisdome is defeated in this hot assault, and the malignitie of the sore, surpassing all the remedies, you apprehend your wound incurable. You haue had re­course [Page 25] to the seeing, to the Prophetes, and to the Angells of God, to be deliuered by their assistance, from the Monsters, and perills which are found in the way of Rage, or rather in the way of this rage of infernall furies, which seeme to stand with open iawes readie to swallow you vp. You haue runne from li­uing to dead Oracles, that is, you haue betooke your selfe to pious bookes, especially those which doe treate of temptations; and of the mea­nes to put them to flight, or to vanquish them. As the PHILOTHEE of our B. Fa­ther: the Spirituall workes of Grenado: Point, ALVEREZ; [Page 26] RODRIGVEZ; and the like. And as great fires are enkin­dled by the same wind which doth extinguish litle weake ones; so you apprehend that your greife gathers strength from the very meanes which you vse ether to lessen or loose it. Following your Di­rectours Counsell, you haue multiplied the hearbe Borith, which is that whereof the Fullers make vse, to take spotts out of cloth: I meane, you haue had recurse to the sacred exercises of Penance and mortification, knowing that a contrite and humble hart * is the greatest present which can be offered vnto God. You haue extraordina­rily [Page 27] frequented the vse of prayer, reading spiritualitie, of the Sacraments of Confes­sion and the Euchariste, with due attention to the word of God; being all of them soue­raigne Antidotes to streng­thē assaulted Faith. In a word, there is no practise of deuo­tion, whether counselled by writing, or word of mouth; whether inspired, or found out by your owne vnderstan­ding being opened by vexa­tion, which you haue not imployed, opportunely, im­portunely, to make those hor­rible thoughts vanish away, which like a broode of vipers, doe threaten their parents death, according to that [Page 28] which the Psalmist saith of him who hath conceaued iniquitie, ingendred greife, and brought forth iniustice. To what Saintes did you not make vowes to be deliuered of those importune motions which keepe a continuall bussing in the Temple of your hart, which being consecra­ted vnto God by Pietie that raignes therin, ought onely to be adorned with Sancti­tie, not admitting any thing that is profane or defiled, since the Temple of the Citie of God, had a priuiledge that it should not be disturbed with any of those lothsome bea­stes. What violent endeauours haue you not vsed, like ano­ther [Page 29] ABRAHAM, to driue away those rauinous birds from aboue your interiour sacrifices? How oft haue you taken your hart, as it were, in both your hands, to force it to produce Actes of a liuely Faith, and quickned with Charitie, to repelle the firie dartes, of the midday-Diuell, who doth dazle your eyes with his execrable illusiōs? Me thinkes I see my Theopiste vseing all kind of defence in this skrimish, imploying, as it were, his whole man vpon it, inuokeing Heauen and earth to this succour, Heauen which seemes to be Brasse to him, and the earth iron: and God pittifull and rich in mer­cy, [Page 30] becomes cruell and inexo­rable to him. Being thus aban­doned, he is burdensome to himselfe: his sinnes (as he thinkes) multiplied beyond number, doe oppresse him as a heauie loade. Euen Giants would grone vnder so many waters of anguish. And his greatest torture is the verie same which affected Iob, who complayned of nothing so much, as to find himselfe con­trarie to God, euen while God himselfe, (a thing farre from his conceipt) calld him iust, vpwaight, and a man full of a chaste feare.

Happy estate, and signe of Gods fauour.
CHAP. VI.

MY deare THEOPISTE, the ey which seeth all things, sees not it selfe, so blind we are in our owne deedes! Whence Phici­tions and Aduocates doe ra­ther referre their owne de­seases and suites to the iudge­ment of some other of the same professions, then to their owne directions. I doe not wonder, that the wayes of of God which are Mercy, Truth and Iudgement, are as [Page 32] farre beyond our reach and capacity, as the Heauen is di­stant from the earth: And if the thoughtes of our imagina­tions be so different, sithens in that which you now propose vnto me, the opinion which I constantly imbrace of you is so far different from your owne, and that which you tearme Gods Iustice, Rigour, and abondoning of you, I consider as Gods Grace, Be­nignity, Bounty and Mercy to your soule. O my dearest THEOPIST, if you knew the gift of God, * his hand which now seemes so heauy vnto you, would appeare light; and you would perceaue that that sweete and fauorable hand, [Page 33] doth sustaine you by the right hand, and doth leade you in the way of his will, to con­duct you to his Glory. These temptations which doe essay and affray you, and which you take for torents that doe violently beare away your Faith, are to me as so many honorable argument, of your loyalty: and your wounds, in this good Combat of Faith as the Apostle calls it, appeare in mine eyes so many glorious markes; and euen this also, vnlesse I deceaue my selfe, will be the iudgement of all those that loue and setue God, and who haue any experience in this interiour commotion and Combat, which is raysed [Page 34] not against flesh and blood, but against the powres of darkenesse, and spirituall ma­lice. You curse, and I blesse it, and though I would curse it, yet should it be no more in my power, then it was in Ba­laam's to fasten his impreca­tions vpon the Armie of Is­rael. Why, are we ignorant, that he, who like vnto your selfe, doth range himselfe in the discipline of God, is to pre­pare his soule against tempta­tion * as the wise man said: and the Angell to the good To­bie; because thou wast ag­greable to God, it was neces­sary (marke this word) that temptation should trie thee. * Who knowes not that the [Page 35] trees which are most shaken with the winds, doe spread their rootes more deeply in­to the ground: that incense doth not smell but when it is burnt: that the Vine is not fruitfull vnlesse it be prun'd: that a souldiers vallour doth onely appeare in dangerous exploites: nor doth vertue shew its solidity but by resi­sting its contrarie. Take cou­rage, THEOPISTE, thou walkest in good companie. No saincte doth serue for a liuely stone in the celestiall Citie, which was not squared cut, carued, in the quarrie of this world by temptatiō. And the Saint of Saintes was he not tempted in the desert? [Page 36] Yea and that in all things, as saith his great Apostle, euen to that great abandoning, whereof he complaines, and with a loude voice cries out vpon the Crosse. And the same Apostle, speaking of the members of his misticall body, to witt, the faithfull, saith he not (after the great wonders of Faith which he racounts in the eleauēth chap­ter of his Epistle to the He­brewes) some were stoned, others hewed, all were tem­pted, and many put to death by diuers sorts of punishmēts, or banished & dispersed into diuers parts of the world, for­saken, afflicted, tormented, wandering in deserts, and [Page 37] mountaines, and rockie den­nes, the world being vn­worthy of their presence: and by their sundrie tribulations they bore testimonie to Faith, and gaue a triall of their fide­litie. You apprehend, perad­uenture, THEOPISTE, that I flatter your griefe and that to asswage it by the leuitiue of consolation, I vse these dis­courses more delightfull then true, and that mine aime is to inchante that Aspe * with pleasing passages, which not­withstanding you apprehend doth kill you, and doth extin­guish the light of your faith with her could poison, and the feruour of your first Charitie. * But in very deed, THEO­PISTE, [Page 38] I doe not proceede with you in spirit of guile, but speake out of the abundance of my hart* and according to the true sense of my soule. A sense so true and solide, that all the holy Scripture, which is the word of Truth, of Truth and of life euerlasting, * is all full of it, nor are pious bookes furnished with any other in­structions vpon the matter of temptations. Which, I assure my selfe, you will be con­straind to confesse vnto me, if allaying for a while, the tu­mult of your hart, and si­lencing the noise of your dis­quiete, you would call to mind the precepts of our B. F. in the fourth part of his Phi­lothee. [Page 39] For what he speakes there of temptations in gene­rall, ought and may easely be applyed to yours in particular. And if my ignorance dare adde any thing to so great an Oracle, I beseech your humi­litie to arme her selfe with patience, to reade what I am about to put downe.

An holsome Feare.
CHAP. VII.

YOv thinke you are lost; and I hold that you walke in the way of saluation. You repute your selfe an Ethnike, worse [Page 40] then an Infidele: and I ad­mire your Faith: you appre­hend your selfe defeated: and I sing, not your victorie: (For all victorie proceeds from the God of Hostes) but the victo­rie of the Tryumph of Gods Mercy in you. You neuer saw your selfe, say you, so fee­ble in point of Faith: and I neuer saw you so constant in it. It is true in deede that your aduersarie like vnto a roreing Lion, doth roame about, en­deuouring to make you his prey: marrie the resistance you make against him by the force of Faith, * doth make me iustly beleeue, that grace superaboundeth, where you deeme sinne doth abounde. * [Page 41] For you haue to doe with an enemy, whom IESVS CHRIST by his death, did so weaken, that he can gaine no aduantage against vs but by our owne disloyaltie and dasterdlinesse: all the feelings which he can rayse vp in vs, not being able to forme any sinne at all without our con­sent. So that as from Grace, which is neuer awanting, all our succour comes, so from our selues alone is our ruine. * Which when it arriues, we are not so much to accuse the ene­myes force, as our owne ma­lice. But you feare, say you, to fall by consent, and that force of the Tempest driueing your fraile vessell against the shel­ues, [Page 42] you may suffer ship­wrake in Faith, * which is the most deplorable that can be suffered in spirituall life. While I for my part dare assure you, that he is blessed who feares continually: * for he that feares to offend God, doth truely loue his Law, * and his Faith. This feare of our Lord, doth driue away sinne, * and permits it not to raigne in the soule. * DAVID tearmes it the ferme Pillar and firmamēt of the mynd. * Who knowes not, that it is the will of God that we should worke our saluation in Feare and Trem­bling? * O Lord, said DAVID, pierce my flesh with the nayles of thy Feare, and make [Page 43] me to dreade thy iudgemēts. * I should be exceeding sorie, THEOPISTE, that this Feare should forsake your hart; and I should intertayne a farre worse opinion of your de­sease, if your pulse did not beate so hard. That which makes you sorrowfull, glads me, what afflictes you, com­forts me: what you, conceaue to be signes of death, are to me, markes of life in you.

To doubt and to consent are incompatible.
CHAP. VIII.

YOu stād in feare, THEO­PISTE, that your con­sent should follow your sense or feeling: and I, hold according to all Diuinitie, a farre better warranty then your apprehensions, that it is as impossible to ioyne a doubt and a consent together, as a certaine with an vncertaine thing: For consent doth pre­suppose so full and absolute aggreement and yeelding vp of it selfe, and so constant a de­termination, [Page 45] that it leaues no doubt at all behind it. The Archer that hath a shaking hand, hardly euer hits the white. The ayme, to be leuell and straight, must also be stid­die and constant. The surest signe that we consent not, is to doubt that we consent. So that, the same thing which doth trouble you, doth free and cleare my iudgement of all doubt. Thus your blinding Egiptian fogges, are to me a light, as to the Israelite. The darke cloud which doth in­compasse you, is to me a Pillar of fire, * for its light a fire, for strength a pillar. I would to God that you had ether my eyes, or at least would credit [Page 46] my words, you should pre­sently be cured.

That in the temptation we are to feare the fault and not the paine.
CHAP. IX.

BVt happily it is the too inordinate desire of health that delayes the cure. Fire is fallen vpō them, * saith the Psalmist speaking of the children of Israel, nor haue they seene the sunne. * Nothing doth so much hinder a man to discerne the light of reason, as the heate of a violēt [Page 47] passiō which is neuer without smoke. THEOPISTE, I doe a litle doubt me, that in this tri­bulation which doth afflict you, you doe more fly the Paine then the Faulte; or at least, that you feare and flie not the Faulte, but by reason of the Paine, which followes it, as the inseparable shadowe of this infortunate body. This peraduentures is the roote of your euil. God will be loued for his ownesake: Not for the reward which he promiseth (otherwise the reward would be loued as God, and God as the reward). He will haue vs to abstayne from sinne, not so much for the feare of his Iu­stice, as for feare to offend his [Page 48] goodnes. Thence, it may be, he leaues you to be tempered and seasoned in this tempta­tion. By meanes of it, he vr­geth you on by frightes, to thend that being gotten to a higher degree of Charitie, this sterne and seruile feare, may giue place to filiall feare. And then this yoke shall rott away, that is, shall burst, by the application and force of that heauēly oyle * following the tearmes of one of the Pro­phetes. Lay your hand vpon a good, not an erroneous con­science, and vpō an vnfayned Faith * and tell me in words of Truth, * THEOPISTE, whether I haue not put my fingar vpon your sore, and [Page 49] touched you to the quicke? For the knowledge which I haue of the goodnes of your soule, makes me, as I cōceaue, clearely see, that this feare causeth you to runne vp and downe searching for Dittanie to draw out of your thigh, or rather out of your hart, the arrow of tēptation, the smarte wherof, doth more trouble you, then any ferme beleife you haue of faulte cōmitted. But tell me then in simplicitie of hart, my deare THEOPISTE, if it be not as I say, or rather, as I coniecture, since like vnto NABVCHODONOSOR, you will haue me not onely to inter­prete, but euen to arreade, your dreames and thoughtes. [Page 50] For loe, Phisitians doe onely cure the deseases they know, nor doe they know them, but by a true relation which the patient makes of the state he feeles himselfe in. Those litle duplicities, those windings, that spirituall cunning, those couertures which we some­tymes make vse of, while we treate in matter of cōscience, with those to whom we haue trusted the gouernement of our soule, are oft cause, that the temptations which would but passe through our hart, doe put themselues in garri­sons, and withall falling into mutinie, doe stirre vp re­uoults, seditions and tumults.

But blessed be God, Father [Page 51] of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, Father of Mercies, and God of all consolation who comforts vs in all our troubles. * Bene­diction, light, wisdome, thāks­giuing, honour, vertue, and strength be to God, who hath giuen you courage, as to an­other Acan, to glorifie him, * and to confesse vnto him your owne iniustice against your selfe. A great part of health is to wish to be well. This makes vs couragiously vse all conue­nient kinds of remedies. It is a great stepp to goodnes, to de­sire to become good: for grace, wherby we are made such, is neuer awanting to those who haue a will fruitfully to re­ceaue it, and carefully to ma­nage [Page 52] it. Such may I esteeme you, my deare THEOPISTE, since for so many yeares you haue made profession of pie­tie, and giuen the testimonie of a good life, that you desire to be deuoute.

Greife for Peace lost.
CHAP. X.

ALas, and this it is thē, that drawes so many sobbs frō your breast, such a world of sighes from your mouth, and such floods of teares frō your eyes, while you thinke of the faire wea­ther that is past, wherin you [Page 53] fought with such courage and alacritie. * Ah, say you, the crowne of my head is fallen, woe be to me, for I haue of­fended. * And my misfortune is that I know not myne owne miserie. * Hence I lift vp my hands towards the heauens, and say, ô Lord from my se­crete sinnes cleanse me, and from other mens spare thy seruant. ô Sion! ô wishfull peace of my hart! when I thinke of thee, myne eyes be­come foūtaines, and the aples of myne eyes swime therin! I ranne so well, ay me! what's this that holds me? * What troublesome Remora stopps the shippe of my affections, which sayled vnder full sayles [Page 54] vpon the Sea of Grace and spirituall delightes? What scorching winde hath dryed vp those pleasing fountaines * out of which I drew water of life wherwith I quenched my thirst. While God dilated my hart with sweete affections, I ranne without paine within the compasse of thy wayes. * While he couered me, or ra­ther inuironed me with his good pleasure, as with a buckler, * I contemned the attempts of myne enemye. O who will reduce me to the same estate, in which I was in tymes past, while I washed the feete of myne affections in the butter, * of cōsolations; and while to me, from the [Page 55] Rocke of Faith, flowed floo­des of oyle *. O how my gold is obscured, or rather, turnd blacke! how my redd coulour is changed! * No, let me be called no more Noemi, but Mara, since my soule is fild with bitternesse. * O God what stumbling block is layd to crosse my way, who walked towards thee so directly: and whereas nothinge but holy words of prayse, honour, and benediction, issued out of my mouth, and rose vp in thy sight, like vnto the smoake of incense; * while my tongue did onely meditate thy iu­stice, & my lipps thy glorie; * whence is it, that myne inte­riour doth open its mouth a­gainst [Page 56] the Heauens, * and like to the wells of the Abisse, vo­mits out no other thing, but a smoake of blasphemie and impietie, which doth dimme the starrs, and depriue me of light? THEOPISTE, doe not you lye to the Holy Ghost, as did ANANIAS and SAPHIRA. Tell the truth. Are not these your vexatiōs and anguishes? Are not these the groneings, or rather the roreings of your hart? But alas! why doe you thus wrongfully change iud­gement into Absinth, * honie into Gaule; and mistake the heauenly dewe and Manna for hayle?

A lenitiue.
CHAP. XI.

BE comforted, and I say againe, be comforted, * to speake with ISAYE; for what you apprehend cha­stisements, are caresses. Be it that the tempest is great, must we therfore loose courage, & forsake the sterne? Though euen the whall, had swallowed you vp with IONAS; though the knife were put to your throte *; though God should euen kill you, ought you yet for all that to leaue of to hope in him? * I reioyce in my suf­ferances [Page 58] for CHRIST *, said the Apostle; and delight in myne infirmities, to the end that the vertue of my master may remayne in me. * And what is this vertue but Pa­tience? I but, will you say, I suffer not for IESVS CHRIST, as did his vessell of Election, but against IESVS-CHRIST, so that I am one of the diuels martyres. Why, though the diuell should martyre and tor­ment you, as he did IOB, and saint PAVLE, by the dīuine permission, who told you yet that the torments which pro­ceed from the diuell, are suf­fered for the diuell, and not for IESVS CHRIST? who knowes not, that it is the [Page 59] cause, not the sufferāces which makes the martyrdome? Now the marke and seale of a good sufferance, is patience ioyned to Charitie. He that suffers without this, though he should giue his bodie to be burnt, should onely aduance his owne damnation. Beware then, ô THEOPISTE, least by your impatience, you spoyle the worke of God in you, which can neuer come to its full perfection, but by pa­tience. * Why, doe you thinke that patiēce is meerely vsefull to sustayne exteriour crosses and vexations? and that its imployment doth not also concerne the interiour? As though, forsooth, inuisible [Page 60] enemies were not as much to be feared as visible ones; and we our selues were not as dangerous to our selues, as any other? If you know not this, you are but yet a freshman in the spirituall warfare: But if you be not ignorant of the truth of it, when doe you thinke you can make better vse of this Weapon, then in the present occurrence?

God's assistance in temptation.
CHAP. XII.

BVT giue me leaue, ô man, not of litle Faith, * but of litle courage, a [Page 61] litle to raise vp thy hart, with­out making it swell, like a ba­lowne, with the winde of any presumption, and to tell you, that according to the pro­uerbe, you crie before you be hurt, and imitating the Pro­phete, you crie out that your bellie aketh, * and that death is in the potage, * Without anie iust cause. For I beseech you, what is it that doth af­fright, and so desperately ter­rifie you? It is, say you, that I continually am haunted with a blasphemous spirit, wherewith mine eie is trou­bled, my soule, and my bellie, * that is, my soule and my bodie; my whole man. Alas, doe you not discouer, that [Page 64] [...] [Page 65] [...] [Page 62] there is nothing there but the the shadowe of death, not death it selfe? And with a verie graine of confidence in God, are you not able to walke in the midst of the region of the shadowe of death, without fearing anie wisfortune? * Is it possible that you doe not perceaue God his assistance therein; or at least, that you heare not the voice of him who saith vnto you, walking vpon those angrie waues, T'is I, feare not? * For who can doubt, but that since the be­ginning of your Combate, your soule waighed downe to the verie depth of desolation, had descended into the lower parts of the earth, if God had [Page 63] not beene your ayde? * Doe you not discerne that you re­semble children, who fearing masked-men, rūne into their mothers lappe: and to chick­ens which hide themselues vnder the Henns wings, when they espie the kites approach? For I praie you, the remedies which you seeke all vp and drowne, to appease your paine, what other thing is it then to say vnto God, vnder the shadow of thy winges I will still hope, till iniquitie shall be past by. * And he, though you perceaue it not, will hide you with his wings and Feathers, * or rather, with the protection of his counte­nance, will saue you from the [Page 64] molestation of men *. This diuine Sauiour doth locke you vp in the closet of his sa­cred wounds. He registers your name in his hāds, * Nor shall all the world be able to raze it out. He doth place and lodge you in his open side, as a doue in the hole of a wall *. But you perceaue him not, you see him not, and which is worse, you beleeue him not. Yet so it is, my deare THEO­PISTE, & when the assistance of Grace shall haue opened your eyes, you will say with IACOB: our Lord was truely with me in my tribulation, & I knew it not. * That which I tooke for the gate of Hell, was the gate of Heauen.

Profit drawen from Temptation.
CHAP. XIII.

I Will tell you, THEOPISTE, marrie vpon condition that vanitie shall not en­ter into your hart (for that di­uell would be hardlier dispos­sessed, then he who doth now torment you) If God haue giuen me any insight at all in your interiour, now it is your acceptable time, now are your dayes of saluation. * And if anie had cured you, you were to sue them, to make them re­store your sicknesse vnto you. [Page 66] It is the time of fight; and con­sequentlie the time of victorie and Triumphe. Are you igno­rant, that none is to be crow­ned but such as haue lawfully fought? * It is a time of bootie, and of diuiding the spoiles of the enemie *. Naie further; It is the haruest time of Faith, which you thinke is bet downe and spoiled in you. Who knoweth not, that those that sowe in teares, doe reape in ioye a plentious crope? If you will beleeue me, you shall not onelie find God's assistance in your tribulation, but as the text of the Psalmist saith in ex­presse tearmes, you shal draw it from the verie tribulation *. And you shall turne your [Page 67] greife vpon your aduersaries head, and shall cast his ini­quitie in his teeth. * And as the wilde bore doth whet & sharpen his tuskes against the rocke, so may you edge your vertue against the rocke of temptation, and make it more vigorous. This you shall per­forme, if imitating IVDITH, you offer vp in the temple all HOLOFERNES his mouea­bles; if with ACAN you throw into the fire execrable things: and burie the Idoles with IA­COB: for by this meanes those abominations of desola­tion being detested you may turne those impure and pro­fane vessels to ornaments of the Tabernacle? and with the [Page 68] Wood of Hiram, and gold of Orphir brought out of an Ido­latrous land, you may raise the building of the Temple of God. So true it is, that, to those who doe loue and feare God, all things doe cooperate to good. * And that which is their foode, is an others poison and death.

Temptation glorious.
CHAP. XIV.

I Will yet goe much fur­ther, and will speake (may it be to Gods glory) more aduantagiously in your [Page 69] behalfe, by aduertising you that the temptation, which makes head against you, is not a Combat of Apprentises, the diuell neuer being accu­stomed to vse this kind of bat­tery, but against the most per­fect soules. It is his principall and last peece wherewith he doth ordinarily assault those that are neere vnto their death, as being his most rough and violent engine. What a grace is it THEOPISTE, that God permits you to meet with this most dangerous encoun­ter, before your forces fall in­to decay, while you are yet vigorous * and in perfect health. And while the Amād­tree doth not yet blossome, [Page 70] nor the pitcher is not yet bro­ken vpon the bankes of the fountaine, * That is, to vse the wiseman's manner of speach, before your old age? How much more rough and peri­lous is that on-set in the pāges of death, where it is so full of danger to sleepe in the sha­dowe of sinne * and while the diuell doth vse the extrea­mitie of his furie, finding the time short * in which he is to winne or loose vs for euer. Now we haue a faire and fit time, both to fight and beare away the victorie, by the assi­stance of the Saintes of Heauē and of Earth. Marrie in this Deluge of many waters, * in this periode of life, how much [Page 71] more are temptations to be dreaded?

Further, what an honour is it for you to be vsed not like a fresh-water-soldier, but like a tried Champiō, in a battaile where none are admitted to fight, but old beaten soldiers, and who are most skilfull in handling spirituall weapons. The blast of those winds doe onely tosse the talest and strongest trees. These thun­derbolts doe onely blast the topps of the highest moun­taines: and it is a signe that the diuell, whose, force as S. HIE­ROME saith, is in his Reines, * which he fills with illusions, * saith DAVID, and who hitts vs in the flanke as ELEAZAR [Page 72] did Anthiochus his Elephant, I would say, by sensualitie, the weaker part of man; it is a signe, I say, that you Were too hard for him there, since that he makes head against the su­periour part of your soule, re­sembling in that a Generall, laying seige to a towne, who dispairing to make a breach, or take it by skaling the walls, by reasō of the breadth of the ditch, and thicknsse of the walls and Bastions, plants his Ordonnance, against the top­pes of the steeples, wageing warre against weather-cokes. And doe not I see plainely, that your Ghostly enemie, hath got but a poore aduātage against your Faith by this [Page 73] temptation, while he doth rather assure it by your appre­hensiōs, then shake it? All that he can doe, is but to make de­monstration of his despaire & despite, in tormenting you so much the more temporally, by how much he perceaues his feeble attempt to fall short of tormenting you eternally.

The Idea's whcih are in the mynd or before it.
CHAP. XV.

HOwbeit I hold younot so litle experiēced, in interiour skirmishes, as that you know not sufficiētly, [Page 74] (when anie respit giues you leaue to breath, and to make reflection on that which doth passe in you) that all the Idea's which appeare vnto you, and which indeede are so hideous and horrible, that I will not stayne this paper with them, doe but onely beseige your hart, they haue not got entrie into it. I adde further, not so much to comfort you, as to te­stifie the Truth, that they are not inhabitants of your hart; nor can they any more come out of it, then they, can enter into it, and yet much lesse are they able to penetrate it. I had need of a cleare and facile si­militude, to make you plaine­ly conceaue what I say vnto [Page 75] you. There is nothing more cleare or more familiar then the glasse of a Mirrour. Thēce will I drawe it. Behold this glasse then, it doth naturally represent the thing which is opposite vnto it, yet is not the thing in the glasse, but onely before it: say the like of your hart. It is a glasse, where the di­uell by his hellish guiles, cā re­present all that is hideous, infa­mous, or abominable in Hell; but the Will alone hath power to open the Gate, and to per­mit those execrable things en­trie. Let the diuell therefore make as many mimicke and antike faces as he list: Let him forme, in presence of our hart, all the lasciuious representa­tions [Page 76] he can possibly: Let him buze in the eare of our inte­riour, all the blasphemies and detestable impieties that can be imagined. As our vnder­standing is not infected by the knowledge it hath of the greatest euills in the world; & as our eare makes vs not guil­tie of the impieties & blasphe­mies, more stincking then an open graue * which we heare proceed from the mouth of the wicked: so the most blas­phemous thought, and hor­rible infidelitie cānot attainte vs, so long as they displease vs; and that the Diuell doth pronounce them without the gate of our hart, nay euē with­in our hart, yet without our [Page 77] harts consent. Yea contrari­wise, if we doe valiantlie re­pulse them; or if we suffer this interiour humiliation before God with Patience, saying vnto him; behold my humili­ty & deliuer me, * there is noe master of spiritualitie that tea­cheth vs not, that it serues for a whetstone, to sharpen and edge the vertue which is as­saulted by temptation: & that God in those times, is so much neerer vnto vs, by how much we conceaue him further of: and that we doe neuer make so happie progresse in vertue as in those circumstances, not vnlike vnto the stormes which force the shippe to sayle ex­traordinarily fast towards the [Page 78] port for which it is bound, and driue it euen into the Hauen.

Temptation is a tryall.
CHAP. XVI.

THis will seeme hard of beleife vnto you, being in the trouble which you are, which doth darken your iudgement, and hinder you clearely to dis­couer this truth: but if you consider how the Ore-men sit with their backes turnd to­wards the place to which they rowe, you will not find it strange, that God by meanes [Page 79] of the fire and water of tribu­lation, doth conduct you to refreshing: * and that that which you take for an horrible imperfection, yea the verie toppe of imperfections, doth maynely aduance you to per­fection. Through how many cleansings and fornaces are metalls to passe, before they be fully purified, and brought to their true vse? And before corne be eatable vnder what a number of flayles, vanns, milstones, siues must it passe? What handling and working must it vndergoe to make it fit to be imployed? Would you not say that one spoyld it? And if the effect were not fa­miliarly knowne, who would [Page 80] not doubt of the cause therof? When we read the daunting temptations of a S. PAVLE, a S. ANTONIE, a S. HIEROME, a S. BENEDICT, a S. FRANCIS, a S. CATHARINE OF SIENNA, of a B. ANGELVS OF FOLIGNY, and of many others, wholy Seraphicall soules, who will not cry out with DAVID: ô Lord thy friends are exceed­ingly honored * (another ver­sion, hath, afflicted, because to be afflicted for Iustice sake, is an honorable & happie thing) their principalitie was assured by tribulations, that is to say, the dominion which their Reason hath ouer their appe­tite. * But if we doe throughly examine the exēples of those [Page 81] great Sainte's temptatiōs, and how the diuine grace which did assiste them in their Com­bats brought them off, loden with victorious palmes and Laurells, we shall learne that then they were in their pro­bation, and if one might say so, betweene the hammar and the anuile; and that the great Potter holding them in his hand, made them of vessells of ignominie, vessells of ho­nour, and deliuered them frō the disgrace which they fea­red. That of S. CATHARINE OF SIENNA especially, which our Blessed Father handled so delicatly in the 4. Chapter of the 4. part of his Philothee, being well pondered, will [Page 82] serue you THEOPISTE, as I conceaue, yea and vnlesse I be deceaued, will suffice you, to powre into your wounde the precious balme of a solide consolation. I inuite you ther­fore frequently to consider it, & though at the first it seeme bitter, like to the Prophetes volume, yet if you once con­fidently beleeue it, you shall find it as sweete as the honie­combe. But if you desire to cast an eye vpon, or rather profoundly to meditate Saint PAVLE'S temptation, ima­gining it to be the same which doth afflict you, doubtlesse you shall therby exceedingly ease your paine. For if the fire did exercise so absolute an a­ctiuitie [Page 83] vpon greene woode, what will it doe vpon dry woode? And if Satan durst buffet so chaste and virginall a body, whose puritie did mount euē to the third Heauē, what dare not his temeritie attempt vpon your weaker mynd? Againe, those great exēples of the Apostles, those children of the Thunder; and all the exemples which are conteyned in holy write, will haue great force and power in your beleife: for all that which is written, is written for our instruction, to th'end that by the Hope and con­solation of holy Scriptures our Fayth may be confirmed. Who, in your opinion, were [Page 84] further from Faith, then the Centurion, the Cananie, the Hemorroisse? and yet the Sonne of God, with his owne mouth doth extolle their faith euen to the Heauens: tells the one of them, that his Faith hath saued him; * the other, that his Faith is great; * and protests that the faith of the first, doth surpasse all those of Israel. And yet after all this you goe vexe and trouble your selfe with illusions, with thoughtes of blasphemie and infidelitie which doe mortally torment you, and euen in that name, rather proceeding frō the diuell thē from your selfe, as I dare pronounce with as much assurance, as assured [Page 85] truth. That impudēt Tempter durst tell the Sonne of God that he would bestow King­domes vpon him, if falling downe before him, he would adore him: he durst persuade him to throw himselfe head­long downe, and demand of him, for a proofe that he was the Sonne of God, that he would change one substance into another. If the like fan­tomes passe through your spi­rit, is it any thing strange, or to be wondered at? Doe you thinke that he dreades the seruāt more then the Master? the members more then the head? you are too delicate and daintie a soldier, if you seeke to be deuoyd of sufferances, [Page 86] vnder a Capitaine who is nayld to the Crosse? & whose triumphant crowne of glorie is all composed of thornes?

A sleight of selfeloue in temptation.
CHAP. XVII.

I But, reply you, as many Crosses, as many tribula­tions as you please, pro­uided alwayes that I offend not God, that I loose not his grace, that I stray not from the way of Glorie. My dayly prayer to God is, that he re­claime my feete from sinfull wayes, and that I may keepe [Page 87] his law, * which without. Faith I cannot doe, nor with­out it fight a good combate, and beare away the crowne of Iustice. * O who will con­firme my feete for euer in the pathes of Paradice, * so that they may not decline to the right or left hand, sith God doth conduct the iust man through straight wayes, and thereby shewes him his King­dome.

Shall I tell you, THE O­PISTE, this is not your dis­course, t'is the verie language of selfe-loue; let him striue as much as he will to couer him­selfe with the skines of pre­textes, & conterfeit the hands of ESAV, I discouer him by [Page 88] his IACOBS voice. Let this selfe-will disguise and vayle it selfe as much as it will, yet though I be not a Prophete, I will easely discrie this IE­ROBAM'S wife through her clokes and dissimulations, al­beit you your selfe in whom she speakes, be deceaued in her. Howbeit God opens my eyes to discouer her, and to aduertise you to be warie of her treacherie. She is like vnto those wandring nightly fires, or flashes, which in lieu of guiding such as walke in darkenesse, doe leade them, (if they be so wise as to follow) into marrish places, and dan­gerous cliffes. Stand vpō your gard, watch and pray, * shut [Page 89] not your eye in the shadowe of death, * least your enemy may preuaile against you. * But who will bestow vpon you some of that purifying water, to seperate the true mettall from its drosse and scumme? Who will open your eyes to discerne the causeles­nesse of your complaint. Take for your ey-salue the clay of humility, and you shall see clearely: hūble your selfe be­fore God, and acknowledge from your verie hart that he knowes better what is be hoo­fefull for you, then your selfe; and protest vnto him, that in life & death; in time of Peace, and time of warre; in honour and disgrace, you will be con­stantlie [Page 90] his; and that hauing once imbraced him by the holie Faith of the Church, and according to the saying of the Prophete, espoused him in this vertue for euer, * you will forsake him for no creature * no, nor yet for the forces and powers of Hell. * But is it pos­sible that you perceaue not that it is the paine and suffe­rance which you flie, and whereof you complaine; and that the importunitie of those horrible thoughts, which doe but skirmish about you, not vanquish you, doe rather trouble you with the paine thereof, then any fault which you commit? And there it is that selfe-loue doth through­ly [Page 91] play his part, and doth sub­tillie deceaue you, making you apprehend that you feare to offend God, & to loose the sight of the starre of saluation, holie Faith, whereas in verie deed, it is the thornie sting of your anguish, which doth vexe you, and depriues you of the sweete repose which you tasted before that trou­ble; the calme which you en­ioyed before that tempest; & that delightfull peace passing all vndestanding, which had formerly beene your Saboth of delightes. This being now discouered, take that selfe-loue, that child of Babilon, & dash him against the rocke * of God's most holy will: yet [Page 92] take not hold of the firebrand where it is most hote; looke not vpon your temptation as a thing suggested by the wic­ked Spirit; but as permitted by your sweete Sauiour for your probation, and your greater glorie. Receaue it as a Crosse that hath nothing that is amiable in it, but onely the the hand that sent it. As a LIA, whom IACOB did meerely receaue vpon consi­detation that she was LA­BAN'S daughter. Take this serpent by the tayle, that is, by the end, and it will become a miraculous rodde, as that of MOYSES. O no, we must neuer to looke vpon our tem­porall or spirituall afflictions, [Page 93] whether they be interiour or exteriour out of the hand of God, otherwise they will be insupportable vnto vs: for as we are able to doe all things with him; * so without him, we are nether able to doe, or suffer any thing at all.

Distrust of ones selfe and confidence in God.
CHAP. XVIII.

THis self-loue being al­wayes accompayned with some secret pre­sumption, is consequently al­wayes blind. And indeed what greater blindnesse can befall [Page 94] vs, then to thinke, that of our selues we are able to doe any thing, in things that are aboue vs, and which passe the boūds of nature? Be not wise, that is, presumptuous, in things that are aboue you, * saith SALO­MON, but stand in feare: And the great Apostle; doe not af­fect high senses, but accōmo­date your selfe to the lowest.* I haue not walked in great and wonderfull wayes, that are aboue me: my thoughtes haue bene abated, and my soule hūbled * saith the royall Prophete. I beseech you, THEOPISTE, whence doth this feare of loosing faith pro­ceed, but from the opinion that you haue, that it depends [Page 95] in some measure of you, albeit you are not ignorant, that it is an infused light, a pure gift of grace, descending from the Father of lightes * a splendour which hath shun vpon you, without your merit; other­wise, saith the Apostle, grace were not grace. * Whence then doth this feare possesse your mynd? As though, for­sooth, Gods hāds were shorte­ned and weakened. * And as though he were lesse mer­cifull in conseruing his giftes, then in bestowing them. If the wiseman assure vs that none can be continent (this is vnderstood of infused not ac­quired continencie, which euen Pagans haue practised [Page 96] after an heroicall manner,) but by a speciall grace from God, * can we be so vaine as thinke, that Faith can be conserued without the same grace? Let vs goe therefore with cōfidence to the Throne of that Grace, that we may obtaine by God's mercy * the conseruation of our Faith, not trusting in our selues, and in our owne endeuours, as did PHARAO in his troopes of horses and Chariotes: * for commonly they are confoun­ded who put their confidence in their owne vertue, * in the strengh of their horse, or leg­ges, * nothing being so dili­gently recommended vnto vs in holie writ, as the distrust [Page 97] of our selues, (who are but a meere vanitie) and to place our whole cōfidence in God. Place thy thoughtes vpon God, saith DAVID, & thou shalt not be tost in vncertain­ties. * He that hopes in God, is neuer confounded, though a whole armie make head a­gainst him, yet shall he not loose his assurance and resolu­tion. * He, saith the Apostle, who hath recourse, to this cō ­stant hope, hath a most soue­raine solace, a most solide sup­port. * If at any time, saith S. HIEROME to his deuoute EVSTOCIVM, the diuells as­sault you, and vpon these as­saults, your thoughtes say vnto you, what shall we doe? [Page 98] ELIZEVS will make you answere. Feare not; we haue more freinds then foes: and praying for you, he will say; ô Lord open this Maydes eyes, and make her see: and then you shall discouer a fierie cha­riote descending vpon you, which taking you vp, as ano­ther ELIAS, will make you sing with ioye: My soule hath beene deliuered out of the fowlers snares, as a bird that escapes, and flies away from the springs which are set to catch her. In the like aire, S. CHRYSOSTOME comfor­ting a soule layed at by tem­ptations, saith vnto her, giue eare to IESVS CHRIST saying; you shall be afflicted [Page 99] in the world, yet loose not for all that your confidence. And with what reasons doth he encourage her? by the pro­misse of his grace and assi­stance: haue assurance, for I haue ouer come the world. * Hearken to him who promi­seth vs to lighten our burden, by putting himselfe into the yoake with vs. He will not suffer vs to be vanquished by the temptation, since he doth promise vs that we shall draw profit frō it, & that he will not permit it to passe our strēgth. If we on our part contribute what is ours, a litle Patience, courage, acknowledgement of his assistance; when all shall be despared of, according to [Page 100] humane reason, he will make vs victorious. * For who can resiste the will of God? And if he be for vs, who will be able to vāquish vs? let vs therefore put our trust in him, sith he hath made vs such promises, and we expect so ample re­compence from him. Let vs call to mind that a reede be­came as stronge as a pillar in our Sauiours hand: and out of his hand, the pillars of the tēple became a as reede of the desert, * which plainelie ap­peares in the example of S. PETER, who putting confi­dēce in himselfe had so lamen­table a fall, and rising vp a­gaine after that fall, went so couragiouslie to death, place­ing [Page 101] his whole trust in his Masters grace. Sotrue it is that those who confide in our Lord, are no more shaken by temptations, then the moun­taines of Sion! * Their feete are confirmed vpō the rocke. * They are eleuated vpon a hgh rocke, * where they haue built their Abode, an abode which doth resiste the windes and weather * of temptation: For as a tempest doth mani­fest the Pilots skill, saith S. BASILE; wrastling, the wra­stlers strength; fighting, the Capitaines vallour; so doth temptation demonstrate what confidence the Christian doth repose in the diuine good­nesse.

Of Patience.
CHAP. XIX.

EXAMINE further, THEOPISTE whether your complaintes may not proceede from want of patience, and rather be issues of your weakenesse then of the force of the temptation. For as passiō doth often make vs apprehend iniury that is done vnto vs, farre greater thē indeed it is: so impatience makes vs so weake, that a smale burden doth ouer loade vs, and makes vs crie out [Page 103] with those cowardly Disco­uerers of the Land of Promis, that that Contry deuoures its inhabitants, and that there are none but Giāts who liue in it. Contrariwise, Patience ac­compaigned with courage, finds all things supportable; & being assisted with the grace and loue of God, she suffers all, she endures all, * and though she be euen ouerset with the heauie load of cala­mitie, yet doth she neuer say, it is enough, knowing well that the light and passing mo­ments of tribulation, doe worke an eternall waight of glorie in vs. In this sort a pa­tient soule doth out-braue temptations, and remaynes [Page 104] vnshaken amidst assaults, as a Rocke that riseth with a sharp tope out of the midst of the Ocean, and is not moued with the angrie billowes, which are dasht in peeces at its foote. Make head against the diuell saith S. IAMES, & he will flie from you. * He re­sembles those cowardly cur­res, which barke more then they bite: and as the greate S. ANTONIE said, (so Sainct ATHANASIVS remarkes vpon his life) sets onely vpon fainte harts, and flies the resolute: a true wolfe, which dare onely deuoure the innocent lambe, but dare not meddle with ma­stines. Hereupon S. GRE­GORY [Page 105] in this moralls saith, that in the holy Scripture he is tearned MARMICALEON, that is to say Formica-leo, for as much as to weake harts like pismires, he is cruell, arro­gant, violent as though he were a Lion: but to braue and Lion-like spirits, he is as vile and cōtemptible as a Pismire. Which the same S. ANTHO­NIE did frequently obbraide him withall in the desert, while he alone (if one may be said to be alone who hath God in his compagnie) domi­neered ouer so many legions of wicked Spirits; and by a heauenly generousnesse (like to that of SAMSON mowing downe the Philistians) defied [Page 106] all Hell; S. EPHREM consi­dering a soule of this temper, compares her to an Anuyle, which though it be conti­nually beaten, yet doth it not buge an inch out of the place where it is once set. It re­maines immouable. And in steede of being made hollow like to a stone vnder the drops of water, it becomes harder and more solide. He that complaines vnder the as­sault of temption, (vnlike to a Laurell-tree which being burnt crakes not) resembles an emptie Caske; knocke vp­on it, and it redounds vastly; which the full Peece doth not: If he were replemished with grace and vertue; his [Page 107] tune would be gratefull; and he would imitate ISAYE who saith, Our strength is to be placed in Hope and silence.

That a moderate complainte is no signe of impatience.
CHAP. XX.

HOwbeit, I doe in no wise affirme, THEO­PISTE (that I may not augment your temptation by scruples, and so adde affli­ction to affliction *) that you offend in groning vnder the burden which doth presse you downe: for we haue euen seene the Mirrour of Patiēce, [Page 108] the good IOB, testifying a dolourous sense of greife in many words. The greife were to too miserable, that were depriued of speach, and prohi­bited to complaine. The verie Sonne of God, Paterne of all vertues, gaue testimonie of sadnes in his annoyes: and vt­tered words that had appa­rance of complaintes: as that his soule was sorrowfull euen vnto death: and those which he tooke in so high a strayne vpon the Crosse. As for the kingly Prophete, he so fre­quently, all through his Di­uine Psalmes, grones vnder the loade of his miseries, as doe also all the rest of the Pro­phetes, especially IEREMIE, [Page 109] that none can deny their plaintes, without affected blindnesse, nor yet blame thē without rashnesse. As it hap­pens therfore, to those who are full of interiour consola­tions, that at vnawares, and euen against their will, some secrete voice doth escape frō them, wherby one may gather the excesse of their delight, and abundance of their ioye: * so how worthy is his cōplainte to be pardoned, who, as IOB said, being oppressed with thoughtes which doe torture his hart, * doth giue therby testimonie, that an interiour greife hath seased vpon his hart? Sainte ANTONIE that famous Champion, said well [Page 110] vnto our Sauiour; where wast thou, ô my master, while I sustayned so rough assaults? Dost thou so abandone those that serue thee? And our Sa­uiour said vnto him, I stood at thy right hand, a spectatour of thy vallour and loyaltie, encouraging the one, crow­ning the other. Sainte PAVLE will haue vs to weepe ouer the deade in a mediocritie. * And I am confident, that mo­derate and modest cōplaintes are pardonable in a violent affliction. Marrie we must be carefull to put a dore of cir­cumspection to our lipps, * least we might commit ex­cesse offensiue to the Diuine Prouidence, as though it did [Page 111] onely walke at pleasure vpon the celestiall valtes, without consideration of that cōcernes vs: For if without it, the least bird doth not flie in the ayre, nor doth one heire fall from our heade, * how much more will it shine in things apper­tayning to our eternall salua­tion? IOB is highly cōmended in the holy scripture, for that in all the rude essayes of his Patience, one onely word did not escape out of his mouth, which could be imputed to him for sinne. O how faithfull is that soule who can say with the Psalmist, I haue not op­ened my mouth because it is thou, ô Lord, who workest in me what thy holy pleasure is. [Page 112] Then shall my wound be healed, when it shall be thy blessed pleasure to say the word. Meane while I will kisse thy alwayes mercifull hand, yea euē when it afflictes vs; because thou dost neuer vi­site but for the conseruation of our soule.

The paine of temptation is a participation of our Sauiours passion.
CHAP. XXI.

THus we are to suffer, my deare THEOPISTE, not onely with pa­tience, [Page 113] but with loue too, (loue an vnseparable compa­nion of ioy, and both of them daughters of a good will) the labours and paines of contra­dictions and Crosses, as well interiour as exteriour: calling to mynd that he (who suffered for the sinners of contradi­ction in himselfe, least we might chance to faile in cou­rage.) Was to passe through many contradictions, euen to the dying of his garments in the purple of his owne pre­cious blood to enter into his owne glorie? * This is pro­perly the Crosse which our Sauiour commands vs to take vp and follow him, * and it is in those sufferances that the [Page 114] true imitation of the passion of our Redeemour consisteth, and that touching of his Cros­se, * which the Apostle com­mends vnto vs. And by how much these paynes are grea­ter, by so much more liuely doe they represent, and so much more conformitie they haue, with those of IESVS CHRIST. For which cause the great Apostle exhorts vs, to haue the same feeling in our anguishes, which the Sōne of God had. * And what feeling had he, but to bathe himselfe in the Baptisme of his bloode? * waighing nothing so much in all his sufferances, as well those of body as of soule, as the holy will of his [Page 115] father, to whom he was made obedient vnto death, and the death of the Crosse. * Such ought our disposition to be in all our afflictions, of what na­ture soeuer they be, esteeming them as a fountaine of IACOB wherin we are to wash our vncleanesse: * or rather as an excellent and noble estate, since that by meanes of them, prouided that we be in grace, we suffer in qualitie of our crucified Sauiours members, not in fansie but in truth; not following our owne choyce, but as it shall please God al­mightie, whom we are con­stantly resolued inuiolably to follow euen to death, through the midst of these contradi­ctions, [Page 116] though they were euē to continew to the last gaspe of our life. It was in this ge­nerous disposition, that the great Apostle with an inuin­cible and heroycall courage, gaue assurance, that all the creatures should not be able to separate him from the Cha­ritie of God. And though at certaine tymes, moued by the contradictions which he felt in his mortall body betwixt the lawes of his members, and those of his spirit, * this mo­tion made him desire to see his soule deliuered out of the prison of his body, * yet was it not out of any desire he had to descend from this Crosse, * as he himselfe assures vs in [Page 117] many passages, where he shewes his indifferencie to liue or to dye: but it was a sa­cred sallie of his loue, which as fire, did continually make towards its Center (and his Center was the bosome of God) there was all his desire, * and his delightfull rest for euer and euer.

How honorable this Tryall is.
CHAP. XXII.

BVt what an honour is it to vs, THEOPISTE, that God by tēptations doth daigne to put vs to tryall, [Page 118] therby to make vs worthy of himselfe! * Is it not a speciall grace done to a souldier, when his Capitaine, out of the good opinion which he hath of his iudgement and vallour, sends him out to discouer the ene­my? and though this honour be attended by danger, yet so farre is he from cōplayning, that of the contrarie, he re­putes it a singular obligation, and an argument of his Ca­pitaines Fauour. Shall we be lesse acknowledging of God's fauours, since faith assures vs, that he nether tempts, nor permits vs to be tempted, but onely to make manifest whe­ther we loue him or no? * as the sacred Oracle speakes in [Page 119] the booke of Deuteronomie. God and the diuell tempts di­uersly, saith sainte AMBROSE, the one to distroye, the other to crowne vs; nor indeed is God's temptation any other thing but a tryall of our fideli­tie, according to the Psalmist: proue me, ô Lord, and tempt me, burne my reynes and my hart: * So was the Patriarke ABRAHAM tempted, so proued, and found obedient. * All this life is but the Noui­shappe of the next, and a con­tinuall essay of our constācie. The Lābe shall one day say to the Elect, receauing thē into his eternall marriages; these are those who remayned con­stāt in my seruice through all [Page 120] their tēptations. * This caused IOB to affirme that all our life was but a warfare vpō earth, * or as S. HIEROME notes v­pon the Ebrew text, a temp­tation vpon the earth. * Whēce we are taught, faith that good Father, that if we pretend the crownes of Glory, we are to haue no other imployment here below but to fight. * O how wōderfull great is God's mercy, saith the Doctour with the golden mouth, to treate vs in temptations like to a Phisitian, who by a light paine, remedies a greater, cu­ring a hote feeuer with a litle hungar and thrist. Certes temptation is equally profi­table to the vertuous and vi­cious, [Page 121] working increase of grace in those; and moueing these to purge themselues of crime, and by the helpe of Pennance to obtayne pardon therof. * And least that you may be troubled to read, that sometymes God doth tempt vs, * sometymes he doth tēpt no man, * as though the diuell onely did tempt, being ther­vpon called, HE THAT TEMP­TETH, * S. AVGVSTINE will teach vs by a cleare distin­ction, that there is a mayne difference, betwixt the temp­tation of deceauing, and that of prouing, the one being frō the diuell alone, the other, from God; * who, as S. BA­SILE writing to Chilon, saith, [Page 122] by such sufferances proues the fidelitie of his seruāts. * Which if they doe not onely endure with patience, saith S. CHRI­SOSTOME, but further, become euen thankfull to him that permits them, then they ascēd to a certaine degree of force and courage, which makes them exceeding agreeable in the sight of God. * As long as we wander in the pilgrimage of this life, saith S. AVGVS­TINE vpon the Psalmes, we can neuer be without tempta­tion, since euen our spirituall profit depends therof, none knowing his owne strength and abilitie, vnlesse he be tēpted: nor cā any be crowned but for victorie; nor be victo­rious [Page 123] but by fight; nor fight vnlesse Temptation assayle him. * It is impossible, saith S. HIEROME, vpō S. MATTHEW, that a soule should not be tempted; whēce in our Lord's Prayer we petition vnto him, that he lead vs not into temp­tation, * not that we refuse it, but we begge grace to be able to resiste it. * I would not o­therwise propose this truth vnto you, but in the testimo­nies of so many great perso­nages who taught others iu­stice, and for that cause doc shine like starrs in the firma­ment of Eternities, * to th'end that their vndenyable autho­rities might captiuate your iudgement, and that this do­ctrine [Page 124] clothed in their sweete tearmes, might with more fa­cilitie and felicitie flow into your beleife.

It is one of the Markes of Election.
CHAP. XXIII.

THEOPISTE, hold for certaine, that to be one of the Elect a­boue, you must be tempted here below; for such as are not approued, are reproued: those that are not marked with the letter Tau, made in forme of a Crosse, haue no part in the Kingdome of Heauen. Ah. [Page 125] what an happinesse it is, to be burnt, cut, carued, mangled here below, according to S. AVGVSTINES wish, to enter into that heauenly repose. Take a good hart, if we be here afflicted for a while, it is to draw many good disposi­tions into vs. I dare be bold to auerre, that one my confidētly range temptation amōgst the Markes of Election. At the least, certaine it is, that it is a sure signe of our fidelitie, to stand constant, like the good Angells, in this storme, and keepe our Principalitie, * that is, to conserue the Empire of our Reason. No No, saith S. HIEROME, writing to EVS­TOCHIVM, the diuell neuer [Page 126] troubles himselfe with tēpting infideles, vagabonds, and such as are swallowed vp by sinne, he setts onely at those that stand right, and are in grace with God; His cheere, accor­ding to ABACVC, is choyce; He will none but the daintiest bitts to please his palate. Loe how he setts vpon IOB to destroy him: and haueing slayne IVDAS, he begins to sift and essay the rest of the Apostles? * Our aduersarie, saith S. GREGORIE in his moralls, doth bandie so much the more violently against vs, by how much we more resolutely resiste him: those that he accompts his owne, he workes not vpon; but the [Page 127] more a hart reiectes him, the more he essayes to make him­selfe master of his afflictions, * resēbling in this the mastiue, which barkes onely at stran­gers, neuer at those of the same familie. O God what a consolation it ought to be to the poore soule, amidst the as­saults of the diuells malignant suggestions, who, by being a stranger to that infernall Cer­berus, doth surely discerne her selfe to be one of God's familie! Esteeme it the ful­nesse of your ioy, saith Sainte IAMES, to fall into many temptations. * And doth not S. PAVLE repute his tempta­tions his glorie, saying that he doth glorie in the hope he [Page 128] hath therin to be the child of God. Yes, for as the Potters clay is hardened by the fire: so a good man is perfected by temptation, *saith the wise­man, his hart being tryed by our Lord like vnto gold or siluer in the Crusible. * O God, saith the Psalmist, thou hast tryed vs, as siluer is tryed in the fire!* And the Prophete ZACARIE saith, that tempta­tion workes the same effect in a iust man, that fire, in gold or siluer, * purifying the one from drosse, and the other from tinne *saith ISAYE. It is a quicke fire of coales, saith S. AVGVSTINE, where the gold seuered from the drosse shines: but the refuse is con­sumed. [Page 129] The iust is made stron­ger therby, but the sinner pe­risheth therin. *If you prune a Cipresse-tree it dies. Yet the Ghospell teacheth vs that the vine is to be pruned, that it may become more fruitfull.

Temptation doth hum­ble vs.
CHAP. XXIV.

ARE we not then, THEOPISTE, to be accompted in some sort enemyes of our owne good, if we flie temptations, or complaine of them, since that, if we haue as much reso­lution [Page 130] and courage for our part, as we shall haue assistāce from God, we may draw so faire aduantages from them? Will you for your cōsolation, that I pointe out some of them in passing by? Peace, the mo­ther of abundance, doth ordi­narily make vs swell with a secrete pride, which while it doth insolently rayse vs aboue our selues, we forget our selues, and turne vngratefull: but in the trouble of warrs, in the anguish which tempta­tion causeth; we enter into our selues; acknowledge our owne weaknesse; and learne that euery man is a pure vanitie, * and that all his strength is a shadowe and a fantome. S. [Page 131] AMBROSE and Sainte AV­GVSTINE iumpe in the proofe of this truth, in the example of Sainte PETER, who was taught by his fall, how low a rate he was to put vpon his owne forces, while temptation cured his desease, presumption. Happie tempta­tion, which makes so excel­lent a vertue, Humilitie, spring vp in a soule, to which saluation is promised in so many places of holy scripture! Sainte PAVLE, vessell of Ele­ction, a vessell of massiue gold adorned with precious stones, doth confesse that thesting of temptation serued him for a counterpoise, least his mynd might haue bene wafted away [Page 132] by some blast of complacēce, caused by the multitude of his reuelations.

It crownes vs.
CHAP. XXV.

HOW! can we euer hope that any crowne shall ouershade our head, vnlesse it be composed by the hand of temptation? Which caused S. AMBROSE to say, that such as feare to be tēpted, feare to be crowned,* for in the same instant in which they are fighting their Prize with temptation, their garland is wrought, which is [Page 133] to girt and adorne their victo­rious head. Was not IOSEPHES temptation the proofe of his vertue? was not the iniury of his imprisonemēt, the crowne of his chastity?* He is sold by his brothers, a rough tempta­tion; Marry it is to raigne in Egypt: how great a recom­pence? When God permits vs to be tempted, saith CAS­SIAN, it is a signe, that he in­tends to strengthen our ver­tue, and that he calls vs out to victories and triumphes. * For if Capitaines of this world doe liberally reward their sol­diers in their returne from bat­taile, distributing amongst them the spoyles of the van­quished enemy: * how much [Page 134] more plentifull shall their re­ward be, who haue suffered in Gods cause, & in his power haue ouercome temptations? Certes they shall haue the same with the Angels who threw downe the diuels, since men are to repaire the ruines of the Heauenly Hierusalem. But what is that? Verily no humane hart can conceaue it, like as no eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard it. * We know onely by the Apostle writing vnto the Romanes, that the pleasures which passe, can enter into no cōparison with the glory which shall be re­uealed vnto vs in Heauen. * And to the Corinthians, that those moments of labour doe [Page 135] worke in vs, aboue mea­sure exceedinglie an eternall waight of glory, * of a won­derous hight.

By it we are holilie Chastised.
CHAP. XXVI.

HOw vniustly then should we thinke that we are forsaken of God, when temptations doe oppresse vs, sith Charity doth then specially presse vs; & that the heauenly rayes doe beate vpon our foreheades? For though we feele the smarte of his rodde, yet who knowes not that he treates [Page 136] vs licke a Father, who doth not chastise his child, but for the loue he beares him, & the desire he hath to bring him to goodnesse? So farre is it, saith S. CHRISOSTOME, from being a signe that we are forsaken by God, that it is euen a peculiar marke of his loue and care, for by that meanes he will rouse vs vp out of our drousie, and lan­guishing neglect, to make vs more diligent in his seruice. * For on the other side, is it not he who cryes out vnto vs, come vnto me ô you that are loaden and oppressed, and I will refresh you? * We are sensible indeede that one of his hands doth waigh a litle [Page 137] heauy vpon vs: but we also see, if we please, the other streched out to support and helpe vs. Though the iust man be euen waighed downe vn­der his burden, yet shall he not be oppressed, saith the Psalmist, because our Lord doth hold him vp with one of his hands. O how worthy to be loued and adored is this hand in the distribution of af­flictions, which it sends vs, since by them he opens our vnderstanding and makes vs know the true good? * How good it is for me, ô Lord, saith the diuine Psalmist, that thou hast humbled me? * and a­gaine, we haue reioyced in the dayes of our humiliation, and [Page 138] when we were taken by ca­lamity. With great reason did this great King speake in this sort, because the rough times, when he was persecuted by SAVL, ABSALON, and SE­MEI, were farre more ad­uantagious vnto him, then his times of prosperity, whe­rein he was cast downe into so grosse faultes, that he stood in need of the great mercy * of God to cleanse him. A vio­lent sicknesse, saith the wise­man, brings the soule to so­briety, * and wisdoms arriuall is accōpagned with the rodde, and correction. * This made IEREMIE say; thou hast cha­stised me, ô Lord, and I haue beene brought vnder the [Page 139] yoake like vnto a yoūg bull. * This is the gall, by which the Angell restored TOBIE his sight; and by the durt of this humiliation, the Sōne of God cured the borne-blind.

God prone to assiste the tempted.
CHAP. XXVII.

IF it please you, THEO­PISTE, maturely and ho­lily to pōder these cōside­rations, I dare assure you, you shall appcase your frightes, & cease your plaints. Verily be a complainte as iust as it will, yet it is alwayes to be suspe­cted [Page 140] of daintinesse: for it is an vndoubted truth, that God who is faithfull in his pro­mises, doth neuer permit vs to be tempted beyond our strength, but makes vs euen from the temptation it selfe, rayse new forces to oppose the temptation. Hence we ga­ther by a necessary conse­quence, that such as doe yeald themselues vp, made not such resistance as they were able: and when they endeauour out of their frailty to pleade their sinnes excuse * one may stoppe their mouth * by say­ing, that iniquity hath lyed to it selfe * as those wicked wret­ches did, whom the wiseman brings in, saying that the [Page 141] Sunne of Iustice hath not en­lightned them; * and that God hauing cultiuated the vine of their interiour, in euery ne­cessary sort, it is their owne onely naughtinesse, which makes branbles spring from their hart in lieu of grapes. * And if before the tribunall of the diuine Iustice they were so audacious as to couer their fault with the cloake of the infirmity of their flesh, * how many Sainctes would rise vp in Iudgment against them, making them clearely fee by their example, that with a lesse measure of grace, they vanquished greater tempta­tions, then those to which their cowerdise rendered vp [Page 142] themselues. No no, God doth neuer deny his helping hand to such as performe their du­ty. * He is good to those that are of a right hart. * He who watcheth ouer Israel, neuer sleepes. * If during the tem­pest he seeme sometimes to slumber, he infallibly awakes in time of neede: for he doth opportunely come in to our ayde, in time of tribulation. * True it is, he doth now and then, let vs come to extrea­mities, to essay our vallour & Patience. He expected till Is­rael was come betwixt the sea & the sword; but to make them way through them, he swallowed vp PHARAO with his chariots & army. He reduced [Page 143] IOB to tearmes that strike temerous and feeble soules with dread, yet he sent the storme according to the ship­pe; the winde with propor­tion to the sayles. Why, if it please him to kill vs that he may rayse vs againe, as he permitted LAZARVS to die, to bestowe a new life vpon him: if he will carry vs downe to Hell, and bring vs backe againe, * who hath right to aske him why he doth so? * doe we not know that he keepes the keyes of death and Hell? that is able to draw backe whom he pleaseth from dea­thes doore, * and from the A­bisses below; to deliuer our soule out of the clawes of [Page 144] death; to wipe the teares from our eyes; and to warrant our foote from falling; * by his power to beare away our soules out of Hell * to effect that its depth deuoure vs not * and that the mouth of the in­fernall Abisses be not wide open to swallow vs vp. * Who is able to declare the power of our Lord? Our ayde then and sufficiēcie, yea more then sufficiencie proceedes from him, but our destruction from our selues, * because we loose courage like to the children of Ephraim, who shot mer­uellous well at Butts, yet fled from the face of the enemy, with whom they were to fight. * We loose Patience, [Page 145] and leaue God, thinking, though falsely, that he hath left vs: whereas the Psalmist assures vs, that those who ex­pect God, shall not be frustra­ted in their expectation. * And ABACVC, though he stay long, yet leaue not to expect, for coming he will come; that is speedily, and he will not delay. * Nor is he indeed long ere he come to our succour, but our patiēce is too short, our hope too weake. O if we had those sacred promises deepe­lye engrauen in our harts, to wit, that God saues those that hope in him: * that he is their Protectour: * their Redee­mour: * that he doth protecte vnder the shelter of his wings [Page 146] such as put their confidence in him: * that those that doe rely vpon him, doe neuer fall into confusion, should we euer then leane vpon the stemme of the Reede * of our owne frayltie? we should not, as IOB saith, goe about to borrow as­sistance from our owne mi­sery, * knowing well that they who put their confidēce in their horse men and Cha­riottes, * that is, in their owne endeuours, are commōly con­founded * but neuer those who doe inuoke the name of our Lord: for he takes plea­sure in abating the pride of the most valiant; and in be­stowing strength and victory on the most weake. * Behold [Page 147] my humility, ô God, that is, myne infirmity, said DAVID, and deliuer me! * Verily such as repose all their confidence in God, doe take for their strength the wings of an Ea­gle, and take a flight from which they neuer fall. *

Against vniust complaintes.
CHAP. XXVIII.

I Must yet, THEOPISTE, haue about with our na­turall daintinesse. Our selfe-loue makes vs so feeling in the sēse of our greeues, that we conceaue continually that we haue no companions e­equall [Page 148] to vs in misery, and by an imaginary vallour we fall downe vnder the euill which doth presently presse vs. We imagine that any other would be more supportable vnto vs. It seemes to me, that by the plaintes which you make of your present euill, which is more importune then paine­full (and which by your spea­king of it you augment, while you represent it vnto your mynd, as one of the most hor­rible monsters of Hell) you would make vs beleeue, that all other corporall or spirituall scourges, are but shadowes, and silken whipes, in compa­risō of this spirit of blasphemy and impiety which doth lay seige [Page 149] to your hart. And vpon this ground, you persuade your selfe that those that are temp­ted with despaire, hatred, iea­lousie, ambition, enuie, des­honesty: that such as are affli­cted in their bodies with sick­nesse, whose paines are sharpe and pinching; or horrible vl­cers: whether in their goods of Fortune by an extreame pouerty; or in their honour, by calumny, shame, infamy: In a word, that IOB tempted in all these kinds, and seated vpon the dung-hill, as vpon the Throne of Misery, had no­thing that came neere to those daunting representations of Athisme, and Infidelity which doe affright you. You doe in­stantly [Page 150] beseech God, that he would send you all other sorts of temptation and tribulation, so you may be deliuered of this. Whereas I, my deare THEOPISTE, must needs tell you, that necessarily ether you or I are wonderfully mi­stake in this businesse. For my part, I apprehend your temp­tatiō the lightest in the world, nor would I assure you that the instāces which you make to God to haue it changed, are deuoyed of rashnesse. How doe you know that you should not be defeated by some o­thers, wheras I see you stand to this with your weapons in your hand? Put the case the others were lesse, which yet [Page 151] I doe not easely beleeue, who gaue you yet assurance, that he that resistes greater temp­tations, will be also found in­uincible in lesser? How many shippes doe we see perish euen in the Hauen: and sinke in a litle riuer, after they haue performed a long voyage, & susteyned the furious blasts of the angry tempest? Sainct PETER doth braue & bragge, and dare fight against whole troopes of souldiers: and at the voice of a poore chamber-mayde he abiures his Master. SAMSON prostrates the Phi­listians and Lions, yet sleepes in the lappe of a perfidious wo­mā who cuts his haire, & ther­by depriuing him of strength, [Page 152] puts him into his enemies power. But I discouer suffi­ciently what is the matter; that which is present is pres­sing; and you, forsooth, must haue paines and temptations of your owne chooseing, and those also changable at your pleasure. As though it were in the power of the beseiged, to prescribe lawes to the be­seigers and to command them lay their battery first to such a side; and then to transporte it to another, which is a meere­ly ridiculous homour. You must not thinke to beare your deseases, temptations, and o­ther afflictions, as souldiers carry their muskets, now on one shouldier & then on an­other [Page 153] for their greater ease: for such as they befall vs without our election, such we must be content to beare them. One of the most famous amongst the Stoickes said of old, that if all men were to put their ca­lamities vpon a heape, & that afterwards an equall distribu­tion were to be made to all, there would not one be foūd, who would not demand his owne affliction againe. For though we conceaue our selues neuer fo much tortured with the euill we endure, yet there are others in the world who are incomparably more afflicted, Alas, THEOPISTE, where are your thoughtes, when you doe not onely wish for [Page 154] an other Crosse, but euē dare to demāde it of God, as though you were wiser then that eternall wisdome, to discerne what is most conuenient for you? O what a presumption, how blind an incōsideration, what an immortification is this what irresignation, what selfe-loue! No, my THEO­PISTE, no, not as thou wilt, but as God will: his will not yours be done. * Tell him in a quite contrary tune: yes, Eternall Father, be it so, sith so it hath bene found pleasing in thy blessed sight. * And like as the Ethiopian Ruby neuer shines so bright as when it is steeped in vineger; so what euer contradictions, relucta­tions, [Page 155] and violence you suffer in your will, while you make this Act of resignation, yet omitt not to performe it, and to make that faire rose spring out of the midst of so manie thornes.

That we are to despise cer­taine temptations.
CHAP. I.

LOe here a pill which I assure my selfe will seeme to you a litle too rigorous, and bitter, but if you haue but the hart and stomake to take it downe, I dare pro­mise my selfe, you will per­ceaue a speedie and wōderfull effect in it, and be notably comforted therby. Marrie you must take it downe without chewing it; you must shut your eyes when you take this potion. Shall I tell you in a [Page 159] word what this so soueraigne an Antidote is? it is contempt. I, contempt, THEOPISTE, for since your spirituall Directour hath so often told you (found­ing the botome of your con­science, while you reueale your cause vnto him, * and lay open vnto him the windings of your hart) that in all those thoughtes which seemed so horrible vnto you, there was more paine then faulte, if you desire to free your selfe from the formar, as by Gods grace you are from the secōd, nothing can with more faci­litie or expedition deliuer you from it, then the contempt of those suggestiōs of the diuell. For be the diuell as srtong as [Page 160] he will (and IOB assures vs that there is no earthly power in any sort to be compared to his) yet since our Sauiour IE­SVS CHRIST bound him, he is able to ouercome none but such as deliuer vp their weapons into his hands, as S. AVGVSTINE in one of his Sermons doth teach vs, and like to a mastiue, he can onely bite such as of their owne free accorde put them selues into his mouth, though indeed he haue libertie to barke at all the world. Let him cry then, let him knocke, beate, snarle, keepe a coyle at the gate of our hart: vnlesse our consent open him the doore, he can neuer enter. And herevpon [Page 161] they are conuinced of impru­dence who permitt one to come in to them, whom they know for a theife, and one that comes to robbe them. He that knowes, saith S. LAV­RENCE IVSTINIAN, that the wine which is presented vnto him is impoysoned, is he not deuoyd of all reason, if with­out all compulsion he drinke it? But marke the sleight: The diuell imitates the fisherman, who coueres the pointe of his hooke with a baite, to th'end that the greedie fish may swal­low it downe, without per­ceauing the ambush which is layd to catch him. He resem­bles the Serpents, wherof the Prophete maketh mention, [Page 162] which vnder the faire dugges they shewe, hide a venimous, milke, which they freely communicate to any that will sucke it. But be the venime of temptation as neere vnto vs as it will, yet can it neuer hurt vs, vnlesse it be ioyned vnto the free and deliberate cōsent of our will, according to that infallible Maxime, that no man doth hurt, or is hurt but by himselfe. The diuell may beate the steele as long as he list, and by temptation, may beate sparkles of fire vpon our hart, yet if he want the match of our consent, he shall neuer be able to sett our inward house on fire. Though the temptation should continew [Page 163] all the dayes of our life, saith our B. F. in his Philophee, yet shall it neuer defile vs with sinne: yea, I adde, that if we fight valiantly, it serues for matter to many crownes. But call you that fighting valiētly, will you reply, to contemne the charge the enemy makes vpon vs? yes, THEOPISTE, it is in my opinion one of the greatest feates of vallour. For contempt of the enemy is a signe of assurance, and the first steppe to victorie, is to be confident of it. Those that are doubtfull and disamayed, in, or before the Combate, come hardly euer happily off. Not­withstanding the aduantage which Goliath had in great­nesse, [Page 164] yet the litle DAVID being confident in God, doth despise his brauadoes, and hopes as well to see an end of him, as of the Lions & Beares which formarly he had slayne. And againe, I will discouer vnto you a stratageme t'is this. The diuell, though feeble, and damned to the deepe pitt of Hell, yet comes not an inch short of his auncient pride, but esteemes himselfe as strōg & powerfull as he was, when he made the reuoult against his Creatour, and stroue to be­come like to the Highest, so that he can in no wise endure to be despised, but flyes from those that fight with that weapon, as from such as as­saulte [Page 165] him vpō that side where he is the weakest, and where (as did ELEAZAR, who strucke the Elephant of Antiochus in the flancke) one may easely reach him a deepe and deadly blow. And that the thing goes as I deliuer it you, frame a iud­gemēt by our Sauiours temp­tation in the desert: As long as our Sauiour daigned to make him answere, measuring, as it were, his owne greatnes with his aduersaries force, he dou­bles his blowes, and waxeth hotter in the fight: but as soone as these words of con­tempt, begone Satan, procee­ded out of the Redeemours mouth as thunder and light­ning; he slid away with con­fusion [Page 166] and shame, and shortly forsooke the feild. Further, what reason haue you, THEO­PISTE, to treate those impor­tune thoughtes which molest and toyle you, otherwise, then in termes of contempt. Eagles you know, according to the old Prouerbe, disdayne to flie at Flies. And he that would imploy his best endeuours, & put himselfe into a sweate, to driue away, and keepe those litle troublesome creatures off his face, would more moue his spectatours to laughter then to pittie. Such, doubtlesse, is the vnprofitable, I will not say, the ridiculous imploymēt of many, who by continuall clamours and complaintes, [Page 167] and if I might so say, by force of armes, thinke to driue away their euil thoughtes, vttering now and then such strange speaches, and making such mouthes and faces, that such as see and know their desease, doe rather mocke then pittie them. In this pointe they are not altogether vnlike to that old Emperour, who shutt him­selfe vp in his Chamber, and exercised himself in catching flyes, while it was conceaued that he was imployed in more serious affaires. Let, therfor, THEOPISTE, those curres bawle at you, without euer ta­king notice of their barking, and you shall see, they will hold their peace. If you irri­tate [Page 168] them, they will barke and bawle lowder. Giue those crowes leaue to croake, with­out driueing at them with clodds & stowes, as an aūcient Poete speakes. Imitate him, who in the Sommer tyme walkes in a dustie way, where the winde makes the dust rise frō vnder his feete. He shutts his eyes: holds on his way, without troubling himselfe with the allaying of all this dust: otherwise, it were to follow & fight with his owne shadowe, and feyned fanto­mes: to striue to measure the ayre, and waigh the fire. * An endeuour as fruitlesse as foo­lish. Follow ALEXANDER'S way, who with one twarte [Page 169] blow cutt the Gordian knotte which he could not loose: so by a powrefull disdayne you shall more easely deliuer your selfe out of the snares and netts which the enemy hath set to catch you, then euer you can disengage your selfe by a violent winding and turning. S. IOHN CLIMACVS brings in to this pourpose, the storie of an old Munke, who for many yeares together hauing bene tempted with blasphemie, and endured incredible panges in this tryall, he discouered him­selfe to a neighbouring Her­mite to haue some coūsell and consolation from him: He had no other, then that which I prescribe vnto you, that is, ab­solutly [Page 170] to contemne all his il­lusiōs. In the interim, the Her­mite who was a beaten and experienced souldier in that kind of warre, tooke vpon him all the sinnes which the tempted person apprehended he had commit; wherevpon he receaued such consolation, that vpon the first acte of con­tempt which he made accor­ding to counsell, the diuell forsooke him quite, nor was he afterwards disquieted with the like thoughtes.

That temptation augments vertue.
CHAP. II.

BVt if the terrour which doth possesse you (and which I would tearme vaine, if I did not know that euen seruile feare is a grace of God) doth not permit you to contemne an enemy which you dreade, & whose assaultes are so terrible vnto you, make this cōsideration a rampire to your breaches, and like vnto the fabulous Giant, let your ouerthrowe redouble your forces, representing vnto your [Page 172] mynd that that which fightes against vertue, defeates it not, yea, that opposition contri­butes force and groth vnto it. Why, would you euer fall into that opinion as to thinke, that the vertue of Chastitie should consiste in being wholy vn­sensible, like vnto a stone or a blocke. I cannot persuade my selfe that your iudgement can giue credit to a thought so absurde. In what then doth this faire vertue consiste? doe not you see that it consistes in a perfect resistance of all that is contrarie to puritie: where­vpon it is compared to the white and daintie Lilie, which growes amidst the blacke and rough thornes? Doe you not [Page 173] see, that Gardiners fetch pinc­kes, sweete Marierome, and other odoriferous flowres, out of stincking dung hills. Roses doe smell far more fragrantly being sett neere vnto the strong sauered garlike. We must make the like conceipt of Faith, nothing doth driue it fo farre in, nor imprint it more deeply in our hart, then the temptations of blasphemie and infidelitie: For as fire is neuer so hote, as when it is ex­ceeding cold, so is our Faith neuer so closely vnited vnto God, as when it is violently opposed. We resemble sheepe who run all close together on a heape, and make towards their shepheard, as soone as [Page 174] they perceaue the wolfe draw neere: for as soone as we ap­prehend that the enemy goes about to bereaue vs of the precious treasure of our Faith, which is the grownd of our eternall saluation, we cast our selues into the lappe, or bo­some of the Prince of Good Pastours, and the Bishope of our soules. * This moued S. LEO to say, that without temptation vertue cannot be reduced into Act. For there is no Faith without trouble, and agitation; No Charitie with­out the sting of sensualitie; no fight without an aduersarie; no victorie without fight; nor crowne without victorie. This is a thing of great consolation, [Page 175] if you can well vnderstand and Practise it, THEOPISTE: For thence you may learne to make progresse in vertue, by meanes of that verie thing which seemes opposite vnto it, since it is true, according to the doctrine of S. BONAVEN­TVRE, that by the resistance which we make against temptation, we make a great steppe in the vertue wherin it striues to hinder vs. This is manifest in S. BENNET, S. FRANCIS, S. THOMAS OF AQVINE, whom God voutsafed to fauour with the gift of a perfect Continen­cie & puritie, for that they had by heroicall Actes subdued motions contrarie to honestie. The like happens, saith the [Page 176] same Doctour, to those that are tēpted in matter of Faith: for if they behaue themselues like the braue Souldiers of IE­SVS CHRIST, * the end of their Combat is alwayes accom­paigned with extraordinarie lightes and notions, which are, as certaine rewards of their fidelitie. So doth light rise and increase to the iust, * and in the midst of the dark­nesse, a splēdour doth shine to those that are of a right hart. * In this sort Patience did dilate it selfe in IOB'S hart, (wherof he is a perfect paterne): and in sequall therof, the goods, which by the Diuine permis­sion, were take from him by a violent hand, were restored [Page 177] him to the double. Iudge your selfe then, THEOPISTE, whether I had not great rea­son to tell you aboue, that you did reiect your owne good, when you begged to be deli­uered of temptation. Your sicke hart doth loath this de­lightfull manna: and your craysie iudgement, makes litle esteeme of the wishfull Land of Promis, which God makes flowe with the honie and milke of his benedictions.

Prayer, a good remedie against Temptations.
CHAP. III.

BVT I see plainely, that in vaine I persuade you to remaine vpon this happy Crosse: and that you are resolued to stay at the o­therside of Iourdaine, togei­ther with those two inconsi­derate Tribes: well then, I must prouide a lodging for you there, squared out by the line of distribution. * Doe you apprehend your backe too weake to support so heauy a burden? haue recourse to [Page 179] prayer, according to the Coū ­sell of S. IAMES, Is any sor­rowfull amongst you? Let him pray. * And according to that of S. PAVLE, that to resiste the diuells assaultes, we are to put on the armour of God, which he calls frequent, and in a māner, cōtinuall Prayer. * Yea, euen following our Sa­uiours owne Counsell; who wills his Apostles to pray least they may enter into tempta­tion. And in the forme of Prayer which he taught vs, doth he not order vs to pray, that we be not ledde into temptation? * Cassian doth aduertise vs, that this verse of the Psalmist, which the Church orders to be said be­fore [Page 180] euery houre of the diuine Office, Intend into my ayde ô God, Lord make haste to helpe me, * hath a peculiar force to driue away tempta­tions and distractions in our Prayers. As also that other, let our Lord rise vp, and his ene­mies shall be dispersed. * The many prayers also, which DAVID made to be succou­red in his temptations: Lord forsake me not for euer. * Let thy mercy comfort me. * My deiected eyes say vnto thee, when wilt thou comfort me? restore me the ioy of thy sal­uation, and with thy princi­pale spirit cōfirme me. * Thou who hast promised to deliuer them from paine, who shall [Page 181] call vpon thee in time of tri­bulation. * Myne eyes are al­wayes turnd towards our Lord, that he may pull my feete out of the gyues and snares. * I suffer violence, ô Lord, make answere for me. * Rise ô great God, rise vp, why dost thou sleepe? doe not re­iect me for euer. * Why dost thou turne thy face from my pouerty and affliction? * Take thy sword and buckler, and come in to my succour. * Say vnto my soule, I am thy salua­tion. * How long, alas, wilt thou forget me, & turne from me thy heauēly countenāce? * How long shall my enemies haue aduātage ouer me? * Cast thyne eyes vpon, and giue [Page 199] eare vnto me ô Lord. * En­lighten mine eyes, least I may sleepe in the shadowe of death. * I haue listed vp myne eyes towards the mountaines, whence I am to haue succour, which I expect of that Lord who made Heauē and earth. * To thee it is, ô great Lord, that I lifte vp my eyes, who dost inhabite the Heauens. * Alas, doe not chastise me in thy fu­ry, correct me not in thine angar. * And a number of o­thers the like eleuations of of mind, which the Psalmist breathes out in so many pas­sages of his heauenly Canti­cles. Whereby we are taught, that Prayer is the towre of DAVID, an Armory wher­in [Page 183] are all sorts of armour a­gainst the assaults of tempta­tion, so that we alwayes con­clude ouer prayers in those words of perfect resignation: Let thy will, ô Lord, be done, not myne. * Be it done in earth, as it is in Heauen. * Be it done according to thy blessed pleasure, not according to my guste or liking. For if we desire that God should doe our will, is it not most reasonable, that we should submit our selues vnto his? And that we should repute him our soueraigne law, * put downe in the be­ginning of our booke, * and engrauen in the midst of our hart. We doe often aske and receaue not, because we aske [Page 184] amisse. * And God who is good, doth sometimes out of Loue deny vs that, which, if he were offended with vs, he would grāt vs. S. PAVLE peti­tioned to be freed from that shamefull temptation which did afflict him; but was an­swered, that grace did suffice him, because his vertue was perfected in infirmity. * So that he was heard in one sense, and not in another. Let vs therefore aske what we ought, and as we ought, and Gods promisse will neuer faile vs. For his Truth remaines for­euer, and his word passeth not.

The word of God another Antidote.
CHAP. IV.

BEsides Prayer, there is yet another weapon, very powrefull against temptations, especially that with which you are afflicted. THEOPISTE, it is the sword of the Holy Ghost, the word of God, * whether it be heard (for faith is by hearing, and hea­ring by the word of Christ) * read, or spoken: for its redoun­ding is the voice of thunder which doth daūt the accursed spirits. The tryall of this re­medie [Page 186] was made by our Sa­uiours temptation in the de­sert, who repelled the Temp­ters darts with the words of life, life euerlasting. * The Authour of it, is S. HIERO­ME writing to his EVSTO­CHIVM, deliuering her verie particular and ample docu­ments touching it; S. GRE­GORIE in his Moralls; S. BA­SILE in his short Rules; and CASSIAN in his twenty two Conference: all who, with one consent, doe aduise vs to store our selues with sacred darts, opposite to the vices which temptation doth sug­gest, as with so manie sharpe arrowes quiuered vp in our memorie, where of we may [Page 187] make vse in time of neede to beate downe all the enemys plots by a constant and coura­gious cōter-batterie. Howbeit I must ingeniouslie confesse, this remedie is not so commō, nor is it vsefull for euerie one, but such as are conuersant in holie write, or bookes of spiri­tualitie. And indeed, THEO­PISTE, I speake to you as to one that knowes the law, * as S. PAVLE saith, that you may make vse of this weapon, in this your extreamitie, accor­ding to the skill you haue therat. All the Holie Fathers hold it soueraigne. Hence DAVID said, that the ar­rowes of God, that is, of his word, were sharpe headed, [Page 188] powerfull aboue his workes, & fit to beate downe the ene­mies of the King of Glory.*

That melancholie is to be auoyded.
CHAP. V.

BVT I perceaue the tem­pest of your mynd re­quiers, that I should sound & search your wound yet deeper, and presse and prie with more diligence into your sore. O God, THEOPISTE, take-heade least that bitter­nesse of mynd which doth possesse you, proceeding, frō the smart of your euil endu­red [Page 189] with melancholie and impa­tience, may be worse then the temptation it selfe. It is a re­medie which nature without the helpe of Grace can applie vnto it selfe: while yet in lieu of disengaging it selfe it in­ueigles it selfe; in lieu of cu­ring, it impoysones its woūd; in lieu of lightening it makes its owne burden more vn­weldie. In vaine, THEO­PISTE, in vaine doe you striue to build your interiour house vpon a solide and sure foun­dation, vnlesse God put his hand to the worke; If God keepe not the Citie of your soule, in vaine doe you stand sentinell, in vaine you walke the round of the walls. * Vn­lesse [Page 190] that strong armed keepe the Fort, you are neuer to hope for Peace. * If he awake not, if he speake not, the storme will not cease, * the calme will not come. * If you thinke to find out the meanes in your selfe whereby to con­serue your Faith against the powers of darkenesse, * you seeke for birds in the sea, fishes on the drie land; you looke to finde out fountaines of liuing water in broken cisternes; and in Nature, fruites not to be found in her garden; effects that are beyōd her reach. Yes, for Faith being infused into our hart, by a diuine and su­pernaturall way, she will not be stayed there By humane [Page 191] meanes, nor by our endeuours & strife alone. If you thinke by your owne endeuours to quite your selfe of the assaultes which are made against you, you shall neuer be freed from them: because this buckler, is not of a temper strōg enough, nor is this armour proofe. The more that you drinke of the water of your Cisterne, * the more you demand, the more you are inflamed, the more your thirst is augmented: and your melācholie will increase by the very meanes you vse to remoue and put it away. It is as oyle cast into the fire, which in steede of extinguishing, doth kindle it. Haue recourse therefore to God in this be­halfe; [Page 192] in him you shall find Peace, and repose: for he assures vs that his yoake is sweete and his burden light. * But that I may no further di­late my selfe vpon this re­medy, I referre you, not to the bare reading, but to the dili­gent and faithfull practise of the eleauenth and twelueth Chapter of the fourth part of our B. F. his Philothee, where he speakes of vnquietnesse & saddesse; There you shall find soueraigne receptes for your desease; and in the storme wherein you are tossed, the Seagalls calme; In fine, that Peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding, and all hu­mane conceipt.

That we are in no wise to omit the ordinarie exer­cises of our vocation.
CHAP. VI.

ABOVE all things, THEOPISTE, be ware that this affliction of mynd which doth crosse you, doe not delay you, as an im­portune Remora, in the course of your nauigation, that is, in the exercises of your voca­tion. For as the Crampe-fish, hauing takē downe the fishers baite, sends out by the line, such a mūnesse into his arme, that he is forced to lett all goe: [Page 194] so the Angell of darknes, who striues still, as the Prouerbe goes, to fish in troubled wa­ters, perceauing him selfe not able to staggar a soule by temptation, takes pleasure at least, to put him out of the racke or path of his dutie, ca­sting woode on his breade, * as well as snares in his way, * that he may forget to eate that, or at least stumble at this. He thinkes he gaynes not a litle, when he delayes vs, if not to doe what is good, at least to doe it well. It is a great steppe to victorie, to haue disrancked the enemyes troopes. He will at least ac­coaste and incumber vs, if he cannot retire and make vs [Page 195] returne backewards. For the guilefull villaine knowes full well, that not to aduance in the way of God, is to recoyle; and that vpon IACOB'S ladder, all ascend or descend, none stay lingering vpon it. He striues to stope the mouth of our Canon, if he cannot carie it away. He is content to make our defence vnprofitable. He will presently after make a new charge vpon vs; and will haue an easie victorie ouer vs, if he find vs disarm'd and di­sordered. Wherfore I doe verie earnestly exhort you, THEOPISTE, that, (be your pensiuenesse, apprehension, dolour & distresse, which this temptation brings vpon you, [Page 196] neuer so great) you growe not slacke and carelesse in any of your spirituall exercises, or any exteriour imploymēt ap­pertayning to your state and condition. In this you will not onely giue a laudable testimo­nie of your courage and skill, but euen of your loue and loyaltie towards God, shewing that the waters of annoyes cannot extinguish, nor the torrents of water beare away that heauenly flame, * It is an easie taske for the least of mortalls to steere the shippe in faire and calme weather: but in rough stormes, the ma­ster Pilote, hath his hands full to guide the sterne. This law­full imployment will worke [Page 197] two good effectes in you at once; for it will frustrate your aduersarie in his plott, which was to withdraw you from your ordinarie course & pro­ceedings, in the functions and actions of the vocation to which God hath called you: and it will withall serue to diuerte your mynd, that the griefe which doth afflict, may not seeme so sensible vnto you. I will adde a third aduan­tage: It is, that as flies doe not sitt vpon runing waters, nor can find good footing vpon a smooth glasse: so doth tēpta­tion gett but smale footing in a soule that is well imployed, and who flies idlenesse. This is the most generall Counsell, [Page 200] [...] [Page 201] [...] [Page 198] that those great Masters of spiritualitie of the old tyme, deliuered vnto their disciples, to auoyd the surprises of their mortall enemy, to witt, so to dispose of thēselues, that they might alwayes be found in some laudable exercise. CAS­SIAN, S. AVGVSTINE spea­king to his brethren in the desert, S. HIEROME in his epistles, S. BERNARD in sun­drie places, doe vrge nothing so much, as the flight of idle­nesse and carelesnesse, which the wiseman names the Mi­stres, and worker of all euill. If you will beleeue me, THEO­PISTE, in lieu of loosing cou­rage, you shall renew your feruour, calling to mynd your [Page 199] first Charitie. * You shall imi­tate those sicke men, who eate rather by reason thē appetite, to cōserue their strength, and more vigourously sustayne the desease that hanges vpon thē. In the end, saith DAVID, the patience of the poore doth not perish. Be ware that the heate of this temptation put you not out of your way; runne with­out intermission for the prize which is proposed vnto you, but runne so that you may beare it away. * Follow not that vnfortunate Hermes-fire of your suggestion, which will seduce and misleade you: Imi­tate the faithfull dogge which cōtinually followes his master, giuing no eare to their hola's [Page 200] and cryes who meete him on the way. In a word keepe your selfe still in action, and the enemye will not know how to catch you. The serpēts of temptations, and the pen­siuenesse which doth accom­paignie thē, resemble serpents and toades, which desire ra­ther to liue in standing and stinking pooles, then in cleare and running riuers. Contrari­wise, as in tyme of warre, one is far more vigilant and stands more vpon his gard, then in the repose of a cōstant Peace, when each one walkes in cōfidence. So in the Cōbate in which you now fight, double your exercises of pietie, giue your selfe more frequently to [Page 201] Prayer, to workes of mercy, to reading spirituall bookes, to mortifications; goe more often to the Sacraments of Pennance, and the holy Eu­chariste. And although you be forced to practise all these things without guste, without feeling, and as you conceaue, without feruour; yea euen with auersion, repugnance, cōtradiction, loathsomenesse, and a certaine violence of mynd, yet omitt not to con­tinew them: for as the most renowmed vallour doth ap­peare in the greatest dangers; so the most generous fidelitie, doth shew itselfe in those dif­ficulties, no otherwise then the strongest wine doth grow [Page 202] in the most rockie ground, and such as are most exposed to the heate of the Sunne at moonetyde. But how is it possible, will you say, that I should produce so ferme actes of Faith, while I hardly thinke I haue any faith at all? No, THEOPISTE, no, you are not depriued of Faith. A man in a swoone is not deade. His hart beates still, though his poulse be verie weake and slowe. Vnder a great heape of hote ashes, ther is yet some hot coale, and so much the more hote, as it is more closely co­uered. Fire that is shut vp in an Ouen is far more actiue, then that which flies in the open aire. The water of the [Page 203] fountaine doth spring vp so much the higher, by how much it is restraynd in a stray­ter conduite. And is it not written, that out of the bellie of him that shall beleeue, li­uing waters shall flowe, * and waters that shall runne to life euerlastinge. * And if you desire to be further instructed in the practise which I pro­pose vnto you, I referre you to our B. F. in his 14. and 15. Chap. of the 4. Part of his Philothee.

Aspirations in the presence of God.
CHAP. VII.

BVT if you be not yet wholy possessed with drinesse, repugnances, and distemper of mind, here it is that you must recollect & call together all your interiour forces, as the kinge in the Ghospell, who raysed all the forces he could possiblie, to goe out to meete him, who was about to set vpon his Cō ­trie. * And you are to make all the actes of liuely Faith that you are able, ether by [Page 205] word of mouth, or at least in hart: For these will be as so manie contermines, which will frustrate and spoyle all the enemies workes: And will fortifie your hart against the assaultes which blasphemous thoughtes shall make against your faith. O what an honour it is for you, to haue God a Spectatour in this your Com­bat, who lookes downe vpon you from the highest heauen, as he did of old vpon S. STE­PHEN in the showre of stones. Is it not in this occurrēce, that you are to encourage your selfe with the kinglie Pro­phete: I consider God present, & at my right hand, what is it that can shake me? * Our Lord [Page 206] is with me as a valiant Cham­pion, and thereby all those that doe persequute me, & doe rise vp against me shall be a­bated and confounded. * O God, said DAVID, place me neere vnto thee, and then let them fight who list against me. * If thou be with me, saith the diuine Apostle, who can be against me? * Now as starrs doe not onelie looke downe vpon the earth, but also doe dart downe vpon it diuerse influences; so the eyes of God are not meerely cast vpon vs, as IOB saith, as one man be­holds another; but, as the scripture doth teach vs, they doe infuse a certaine force in­to vs * which makes vs be­come [Page 207] valourous against our enemies: So we reade of SAM­SON, who ouerthrew the Phi­listians while the spirit of God did assiste him. This supplie of courage doth also appeare in humane vallour: For what doe souldiers performe, when they haue the honour to fight in presence of their Prince, doe they not lend belowes a­bout them, euen beyond their force? Yet are they ordinarily moued therto by humane res­pectes, and vanitie too often is their motiue. * What then ought not a truelie faithfull and generous soule doe for an Eternitie? Is she not in this be­halfe to imitate the Angels of light, who threw downe to [Page 208] Hell those of darknesse in that great battell which was fought in Heauen, by that word which testified their inuiola­ble alleagance: WHO IS AS GOD, who is as God? In like manner when those legions of wicked thoughtes of infi­delitie, abomination, and blasphemie shall discouer thē ­selues to your thoughtes, and as importune Drones shall buze about your hart, you are but to make this protestation: WHO IS AS GOD? Who is like vnto our Lord God who doth inhabite the heauens aboue, and doth lend a fauorable ey to things below? * Thence proceeded those sacred eiacu­lations, which wee see in ma­nie [Page 209] passages of holy Scripture, holy Saintes made in like oc­currences. IOSEPH being tēp­ted protests that he will not offend his Master. SVSANNA also resistes temptation, out of the apprehension she had of Gods presence. S. PAVLE: I liue in the Faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued me, and who gaue himselfe for me. * S. BLANDINE being drawen to martirdome, vsed no other words then that she was a Christian, and dyed in that holy protestatiō. S. PETER MARTYR being wounded to death, and left vpon the place by the Murderers, had yet lea­sure to write these words vp­on a stome with his fingar [Page 210] dipt in his owne blood, I BE­LEEVE. * And Saincte TERESA drawing neere vnto death, said sometimes; at the least Lord, I die a child of thy Church: making thereby a briefe profession of her Faith, whereof she made vse, as of a fierie sword, to driue away all illusiōs cōtrarie to her beleife, and intire loyaltie. Thus it is, that those that are faithfull in Loue, * doe exercise thēselues against the assaultes of the midday diuell. * For the rest, I will assure you, that those who by interiour or exteriour actes of Faith, doe make heade against the temptations of the spirit of infidelitie, doe soudainely dashe all his de­signes, [Page 211] and doe what he can, they frustrate his attēpts: For like as a Maide can neuer be married while she saith, No because it is the consent that tyes the knot of marriage; so temptation can neuer cast a soule into sinne, and by sinne, marrie her to death and Hell, * till free-will yeald it selfe vp to so loose a disloyaltie, as to forsake the Creatour for the Creature, and the liuing foun­taine, for a drie Cisterne.

The difference betwixt Me­ditation and Contem­plation.
CHAP. VIII.

NOw these actes of Faith, wherof I haue spoken, THEOPISTE, are produced in this life, which the Misticalls tearme Actiue, by meanes of vocall Prayer, if they be exteriour; or by Meditatiō if they be in­teriour. But if you desire to make them equall in vigour and force to their excellencie; as dartes, by how much they are sharper, by so much they [Page 213] are the more penetrating, I will yet furnish you with other meanes, which are, in my iudg­ment, two of the most for­ceable remedies that are to be found, not onely to disperse & repell those troublesome tēp­tations, but euen to draw so great a riches out of them, that you will be cōstrayned to crie­out with that Aunciēt, we had bene lost, if we had not bene lost. Both of thē shall be taken out of the boxe of Contem­plation, the vse of which, doth Wonderfully refine Faith, as it doth also inflame Charity, but in two different degrees. For the first shall be drawen out of simple, the other out of eminent Contemplation. [Page 214] And this being said, I haue no more to say vnto you, but one­ly to leaue you in the hands of God almightie, and with MOYSES, to the kisse of our Lord. * You are alreadie, suffi­ciently instructed in spirituall affaires, to discerne the diffe­rence betwixt Meditation and Contemplation: yet to renew in you the memorie therof, you may please to looke what our B. F. saith of it, according to his ordinarie, that is excel­lently, in the 6. booke of his Theotime. I will say onely that which is absolutely ne­cessarie, for the clearing and illustrating of that which I am about to tell you. Medita­tion, which is no other thing, [Page 215] then the groning or murmu­ring of the Doue, * a misticall ruminating, * or recogitating, * wherof frequent mention is made in holy Scripture, is made by an attentiue conside­ration, or interiour discourse, which tends to moue and ex­citate the soule to holy affe­ctions and resolutions. To this pourpose, it doth bend, apply and imploy all the faculties of the soule, replenishing the Memorie with the presence of God, and with the pointes which she is about to exa­mine: The vnderstāding, with discourse, reasons, and intelli­gible species: The will, with aspirations, resolutions, affe­ctions: The Imagination, with [Page 216] figures and Idea's, following that which the Philosopher doth teach vs: that he that doth meditate is to frame vnto himselfe Idea's or Images: So that Meditation doth sound & examine, the truth of things, or hidden misteries by peace­meale, making, as it were, an anatomie of them, imitating therin the Fisher and fowler, the one wherof, doth beate the feilds and bushes; th'other, the riuers, to find out their game: or els to one that is eating, who turnes and chewes the meate in his mouth, before he be fed with it. Its game and foode, are the diuers Actes, which the powers and facul­ties of the soule doe produce [Page 217] which is neuer done without labour and paine, though in­deede that paine is solaced by Charitie. For he that loues, la­bours not; or if he labour, he loues that beloued labour, by reason of the Obiect which is the deare cause therof. All IACOBS labours seemd light to him, by reason of the loue and affection he bore to the beautifull RACHEL. It fares not so with Contemplation; for it resembles drinking, a flowing action, sweete and easie: It is made in vnitie, not in multiplicitie; It leaues the actiuitie of MARTHA to me­ditation, and takes to it selfe MARIE'S best part, which shall neuer be taken frō her. * [Page 218] It is a simple, singular, and louely looke, cast vpon any Truth or Misterie; yet a looke, which in its one onely simple, and naked Act, doth com­prehend in eminēcie, vertue, and substance, all that great varietie of Actes, which Me­ditation doth produce: This, doth exercise the Powers di­stinctly and separately: that doth vnite and gather them together into one pointe, re­duceth them to that vnitie, which is held so famous a­mongst the Misticall Diuines: to that one necessarie thing, * praysed by our Sauiours owne mouth: to that one ey, * to that onely haire, which doth wound the Spouse his hart. [Page 219] An act so excellēt, that it may be tearmed the quintessence of all spirituall extractions. An act, which, like as the herbe Dodecatheon, conteynes in it selfe the vertue of all the other simples, so it comprehends all the force and vigour of all the other Actes, which the soule is able to produce in the life called Actiue. It is a knowen thing, that Empirikes by meanes of fire, are accustomed to draw all the essence of the medcines which they cōpose into a litle water or powder, so that by litle things in appa­rance, they worke wonderfull effectes. The same may be said of the Act of Contempla­tiō in spirituall life, one onely, [Page 220] hath more force, then a great many squised out, with a great deale of beating of the braine, and breaking of the head, by meditation, wherin many are deceaued, as well spirituall Directours as the directed, those, many tymes, loading, ouerloading and oppressing these, with such a multiplicitie of Actes, Methodes, Aduises, and exercises, that the too great varietie of remedies doth verie often augment the desease which they striue to cure.

The facilitie of Con­templation.
CHAP. IX.

BVT euery one, will you say, is not capable of CONTEMPLATION; the very word doth affright you, THEOPISTE, because it is not so common as MEDITATION; yet I can assure you, the thing it selfe is far more facile more familiar, and more vsuall then you imagine. Yes, THEO­PISTE, for doe you not e­steeme it an easier thing, to behold simply, that is, with a simple and interiour looke, [Page 222] some Truth, or mysterie, then to thinke of it; and againe, to thinke of it simply, more facile then to frame a multi­plicity of discourses vpon it; so many actes of the vnder­standing, Will, Memory, Pre­ludes, Pointes, Affections, Re­solution, Thankes giuings, o­blations, demands, Prepara­tions, Inuocations, Composi­tions of Place, Representa­tions, with all that great and combersome traine, whereof the instructiōs for Meditation are full: for before you can beate all this into a grosse or shalowe braine, you shall spēd many a faire yeare, and often times, after a greate deale of paines taken, you preuayle [Page 223] nothing but weary his braine, and breede in him a disgust of deuotion, that I may say no worse. I say not this, as con­ceauing these precepts not to be good, and all these Actes profitable, proper, necessary, especially to beginers in spiri­tuall life; for who knowes not, that meditatiō is the fore­runner, and as it were, the Aurora of the light day of Contemplation; and in some sort a necessary meanes, consi­dering the course of nature? O God, be it far from my hart to blame those Actes, not on­ly of the three powers of the soule (especially sith euen, ac­cording to all Diuinity, eter­nall beatitude doth consiste in [Page 224] those of the vnderstanding & will, which are to know, and to loue) but also those of the passions subiect to reason's lore, and interiour sense, as the Imagination and the rest. I know further, thankes be to God, that such as would o­mitt, or leaue them off, con­trary to the Rules which are prescribed by Spirituall men vpon this subiect, would fall into a certaine Idlenesse as blameworthy, as that silence, that holy Rest is laudable which the Spiritualistes haue in such esteeme. But I affirme that excesse in euery thing is to be cut of; and like as too much salte or suggar spoyle the meates wherein they are [Page 225] put, (where as otherwise, the vse of them in a mediocrity, is excellent, the wiseman to this effect aduiseing vs, that me take honie moderately, least that the stomake being ouercharged with it, may render it, not being able to re­taine it;) So is it an Aduise of the best Masters in Spirituali­ty, to cut short, in Meditatiō, the discourses of the vnder­standing and curious Specula­tions, which doe sauour ra­ther of studie, then of the spi­rit of Prayer; yea euen not to multiply the actes of the will so excessiuely: for he that ea­tes too much meate, disgests it not: and oftentimes those that make so many aspiratiōs, [Page 226] Eleuations, affections Resolu­tions, stifeled with the mul­tiplicity, know not which to take or sticke to: and making a number of good pourposes, they performe none at all. They imbrace much & hold litle. One affection or two well chewed well tasted; one or two resolutions well en­grauen, deepely imprinted vpon the soule, In my opiniō, make a man come from his meditations, better disposed, and more resolute to doe well, then when the mynd knowes not at which end to begin to put in execution those pour­poses, which it rather beheld superficially as in a confused heape, then perfectly relish. [Page 227] The Archer that beholds many markes at once, rarely hits any. But here is not the place wherein I am to enlarge my selfe vpō this point, which I haue already done, in a Di­rection which I made and published touching mentall Prayer. I will onely make vse of this digression to proue what I haue vndertaken, to wit, that it is easier to Cōtem­plate, then to meditate; & that more doe contēplate, (though they reflect not of it) then doe meditate, as we see by expe­rience. Tell some simple and vulgare person, that God be­came mā for our sake, or some other Article of the Creede, he will beleeue it simply, and [Page 228] humbly and sweetly will im­brace and assent to that mi­stery of our Faith. Goe when you haue done this, & make him make a Meditation vpon it, according to the long me­thodes which many Dire­ctours deliuer. Let's, for exam­ple, vpon Christmas day, tell a soule that beleeues simply, and adores IESVS borne of the blessed Virgin, that she should place her selfe in the presence of the litle IESVS; that she should frame in her ima­gination the māger of Bethlō together with the oxe, the Asse, haye, straw, the Blessed Virgin, S. IOSEPH, the night, the cold season, the stable opē one euery side to the winde & [Page 229] weather, the child quaking with cold, lying all along vpon the litter, swadled in poore cloutes, adored by his holy mother, his foster-father, the Angels Pastours &c. Tell her further, that she is to in­uoke the diuine grace, to make her preludes, her pre­paratory prayers. From thēce, make her passe on to her three points of Consideration. Shew her how she is to amplifie and enlarge her reasons and dis­courses, by looking vpon, waighing and examining all; the causes, the effectes, the time, place, persons, all the circumstances, actions, words, &c. Thē teache her, how she is to moue herselfe to good af­fections [Page 230] out of her discourse and reasoning, affections of all sorts of loue; Compassion, Feare, Ioy, Greife, Mercy Cō ­punction, &c. Instruct her how out of these affections she is to forme Resolutions. Yet further, giue her a modell of thankesgiuing, vnions and the rest. In fine speake to her touching attentions, Actuall, habituall, vertuall: of distra­ctions, of want of guste, of lightes, visiōs, with a number of other tearmes. Doe you not plainely discouer that in steede of giuing her the wings of a doue to fly, you lay a loade vpon her, vnder which she is not able to sturre, while she knowes not at what end [Page 231] to begin a worke so confused. So that hauing at once more to doe then she is able, she doth lesse then she ought. But if omitting all this, you would moue her to beleeue in sim­plicitie of hart, that IESVS CHRIST was borne of the virgine MARIE, * (as we haue in our Creede) hauing, as she hath the habit of Faith, this simple Act is easie vnto her. Wish her to loue him who by this his birth gaue himselfe vnto her, * and in himselfe, whom he gaue without re­serue; all things, * you will find her moued, with this ex­cesse of Charitie, * freely to offer vp her selfe to him, and perceaue her to be, as it were, [Page 232] in the verie same disposition, which caused the Diuine A­postle to say, I liue in the Faith of IESVS CHRIST; who hath loued me euen vnto death, and the death of the Crosse. * Now, in your aduise, is not this simple and louing aspect a kind of Cōtemplation, since it is made without discourse, and without that multiplicitie of Actes, or rather agitations of the vnderstāding, and will? Hence it is, that simple persōs are sometymes more capable of deuotion, then curious, a­ctiue, reslecting, and pene­trating witts, who make a great deale more brute, but yeald lesse fruit. Endeuour far more, yet performe lesse. Who [Page 233] thinke you, hath more frui­tion of the Sunne, the Rustike who hath a cleare sight to behold and cōsider its beames and brightnes; or the Philo­sopher, who is short sighted, yet is able to discourse of the motions, influences and effe­ctes, of that great light? What man, in his right witts, will not preferre the Rustike be­fore the Philosopher in that consideration? Say the like of him who discourseth verie much in Meditation, and yet hath far lesse taste and light in heauenly things, though he towle a number of Idea's about his imagination, his memorie, his vnderstanding, he falls far short notwith­standing, [Page 234] of the sweet and de­lightfull knowledge which springs from the simple and amiable attention of Contem­plation. Yet doe I ingeniously confesse, that this kind of sim­ple contemplation in simple soules, which forerunns me­ditation, is but vnpolished, rude, and accompayned with much imperfection. And that that which followes a long exercise and practise of Medi­tation, is far more compleate and high: because the soule being persuaded to heauenly Loue, by force of so many considerations, ratiocinations, affections, aspirations, resolu­tions, and other actes of Me­ditatiō, doth with much more [Page 235] facilitie, light and heate, fall into simple actes of Contem­plation, hauing so frequently and so attentiuely beholden tasted and acknowledged a good Truth, or a true Good; and thervpon is inclyned to that loue which doth vnite the hart to God, and thence is cal­led the band of perfection. * Yet this doth in no sort preiu­dice the proposition which I made, to witt, that it was easier to contemplate then to medi­tate, whether we vnderstand that rude and vnpolished Cō ­templation, which forerun's, or that subtile and accom­plished, which followes the long vse of Meditation.

An Act of simple Contem­plation a soueraigne reme­die against temptation.
CHAP. X.

BVT what am I to in­ferre out of all this, THEOPISTE? Marrie, that if by many Actes of Faith, taken out of the Store­house of Meditatiō, you can­not driue away the thoughtes of infidelitie which doe trou­ble and disturbe you, you should haue recourse to the Act of Contemplatiō, which is more efficacious, and lesse forced; more powerfull a­gainst [Page 237] your aduersarie; more cōfortable to your soule: and fitter to fortifie her in the ver­tue which temptation striues to shake. It is a simple and pure acte, deuoyd of all com­position of discourse & Idea's or if it haue any mixture of any, they are so subtile and delicate, that they can hardly be perceaued at all. For it happens often by the indu­strie of that wicked man who ouersowes cockle a­mongst the good corne, * that the same actes, which one would make vse of to repulse the darts of temptation, do more incumber then comfort the mynd, and do rather in­ueigle then illustrate it. Be [Page 238] they faire and easie, be they violent and rough, they do often tymes equally hurt, while the Diuell doth chan­ge cures into poyson, and wounds vs with our owne weapons. Vineger and honie, though contrarie in taste, yet agree in this effect, that they both inflame the wound into which they are powred. Euen touching and rubing of a sore doth venime it. To dispute against a temptation is to irritate it. To endeuour to driue it away by force of armes, is to stope its depar­ture. To striue to put it out of the memorie, is to engraue it therin. Belzebub Prince of Flies, neuer coming so thicke [Page 239] vpon vs, as when we often strike him off. If you will be­leeue me therfore, you shall not wearie your mynd, by producing incessantly Actes of Faith to repelle those as­saults, but you shall practise the counsell of our Blessed Father in the 7. Cap. of the 4. Part. of this Philothee, you shall vse diuersious; and faire and softely taking, and tur­ning the ey of your mind off the dreadfull face of the tem­ptation, you shall simply and louingly place it vpon the truth and assurance of the di­uine Goodnes, and this lo­uing aspect, being an act of liuely Faith, quickened and informed by charitie; and [Page 240] with all produced in contem­plation with great facilitie and simplicitie, will serue you for an impenitrable buckler, against all the darts which temptation shall send out a­gainst your fidelitie. O who is able to expresse vnto you how efficacious this simple aspect is, when it is accom­paigned by Loue, and how dreadfull it is to the Diuells, since it makes the soule as terrible vnto them, as an Ar­mie rancked and put in bat­tell array: because her powers and faculties being vnited in this contemplatiue acte, are far more strong, then when they vse their actiuitie in Meditation distinctly and [Page 241] separately. The old Chāpions in wrastling, whē they would exercise themselues therin, came naked vpō the Theater, and anoynted their bodyes with oyle, that their anta­gonists might catch no hold of them. And wheras tempta­tion, wherof we now speake, is a spirituall wrastling against the Angell of darknes, by how much more naked the soule shall be stript of all represen­tations and actes, and recol­lected in her selfe, drawing all her forces into the vnitie of her Spirit, more vigorous shall she be, and lesse hold shall she afford to her enemy. DAVID when he was to goe out to meete GOLIATH, put off [Page 242] SAVLES armour, which did loade and hinder him more, then it was seruicable vnto him: and with a poore sling, and a stone, slew that dreadfull Giant, who in his brauadoes threatened to make him haul­kes meate. I doe not affirme that the Actes of Meditation are not good weapons, wea­pons, as S. PAVLE saith, of our spirituall warefare, able to ouerthrow the enemy. * But as it happens often, that those that are ouerburthened with too heauie armour, doe fall downe vnder the waight of them, and are lesse able and actiue in the fight, thē though they were but armed with light armour; so in spirituall [Page 243] Combates, the multiplicitie of actes contrarie to the vice wherwith we are tempted, doe more oppresse then suc­cour the soule: and with the simple acte of Contemplation it giues a more victorious blow, then with the varietie of others. All those litle Actes, are like vnto the dew dropes or perles, which the nighte's freshnesse, vpon the Aurora's approach, doth spread ouer the face of the earth, wher­with it is but superficially wa­tered: but the act of Contem­plation resembles a full flood, which ouerflowing it's bākes, doth throughly water the whole feilds, and sinkes euen into the tree rootes. The Fa­ther [Page 244] of a possessed person, as S. MARKE doth teach vs in his Ghospell, brought his sōne vnto our Sauiour, beseeching him to deliuer his child from the wicked spirit, which did torment him, and said vnto him: I beleeue ô Lord, helpe myne incredulitie. This word of Faith, inuoking the Diuine assistāce, inuited our Sauiour's sweetnesse to be mercyfull vnto him. If you could but once, THE OPISTE, recollect all the powers of your soule in the vnitie of your spirit, and with a louly and louing aspect expresse before God this one­ly word, I beleeue, with as much heate of the will, as light of the vnderstanding, I doubt [Page 245] not but ether this Spirit of Blasphemie would depart frō you, or if by the Diuine per­mission, he should persiste to persecute you, it would be to bring the verie vertue which he seekes to ruinate, to a grea­ter perfection in you. Exercise your selfe therfor with care and attention in this interiour recollection, and in this act of simple Contemplation, which is that eye of the doue washed in the milke of mee­kenesse, and mourneing ouer the floodes of afflictions, and you shall see, God will restore you your wished Peace, and will place you in a plentifull & deepe repose, * calling you into the holes of the rocke, [Page 246] into the holow places of the wall.

An act of Contempla­tion.
CHAP. XI.

BVt what is this holow place? Marrie Con­templation, but in a hi­gher degree then the former, and which doth extend it selfe, not to the hight of pas­siue Contemplation (which depends not of him that doth plante and water, but of the onely mercy of God, * who giues that grace to whom he pleaseth, the Spirit being free [Page 247] to blow whet it will, * a hight, which I will in no sort striue to touch, THEOPISTE) but such an one as will beare you vp vpon the wings of the Doue, * that is, of Grace, to the highest point, to which that actiue Contemplatiō can raise a truely faithfull soule, & one that is holily inamoured of the soueraigne good. *Now which is this high point, this supreame degree, but that, whereof the diuine S. DENIS the Areopagite, the Apostle of France, speakes in these tearmes to the Bishope of E­phesus, TIMOTHEE in the first Chap. of his booke of misti­call Diuinity? As for you, my deare Timothee, applying [Page 248] your selfe with an attentiue and recollected study, to mi­sticall speculations, forsake both sense, and intellectuall operations, all sensible and intelligible things, all things that are, and those that are not too: and after an vn­knowen manner rayse vp your selfe (words that doe point out an actiue Cōtemplation, pro­ceeding from our owne ende­uours assisted by Gods grace, without which we are able to doe nothing) rayse vp your selfe, as much as you can pos­sibly to his vnion, who is beyond all essence and know­ledge: for being disintangled from your-selfe, & all things, all which you haue forsaken [Page 249] and cleared your selfe of, with a purely free issue, you shall be carried vp to the super-es­sentiall raye of the diuine darknesses. * Hitherto are the words of this great Sainte, whom all the misticall diuines behold as their light. Words of gold, and which would not onely merit to be written in marble, but vpon the harts of all those that make profession of a spirituall and contempla­tiue life. Here is no place to explicate them; I doe but one­ly represent them to your eye, or rather to your mynd THEOPISTE, to th'ēd that you might note, by the way, the high and inaccessible couert or hole, where you are to take [Page 250] vp your refuge, if your desire with the doue, to saue your selfe from the Hawkes tallon, which by the tēptation of infi­delity, doth so eagerly pursue you. You shall find out this re­fuge, if, during the storme, re­noūcing all the operations of your sense & reason, of the in­feriour & superiour part of the soule, as well sensitiue as rea­sonable, you retire and betake your selfe into your inmost chāber, the Center, bottome, point and vnity of your Spirit, into the essence of your soule (for all these termes signi­fie the same thing amongst the misticall Diuines.) And there in the high silence and repose of all your exteriour [Page 251] and interiour faculties you be quiete & see that God is God* you taste and see how sweete he is. * And if in a close vnion you adheare to him by a liue­ly faith: this adhesion will make you one same spirit with him, according to that of the Apostle, he that ad­heares vnto God, is made one spirit with him. * Thus shall you imitate the shells of the Sea, which that they may not be the billowes game, cleaue to the Rocke, as soone as they perceaue the tēpest approch, remaining there immoueable and vnuariable: and you shall cleaue to God; you shall hold him and not let him goe, like to the Spouse in the Canticles [Page 252] you shall tye your selfe to the pillar & firmamēt of Truth, * the holy Church which doth propose vnto vs his oracles: a pillar, against which all the Gates and Powers of Hell, shall neuer be able to pre­uaile. * This is that secrete to you, * or rather which is in you, wherof the Prophete speaketh, whither you may retire your selfe neere vnto God; who is present to the most inward corner of your hart, as all the Contempla­tiues hold, in a most peculiar manner. This is the couert of his countenance, vnder which we may shelter our selues frō the violence of contradictions and temptations, no otherwise [Page 253] then litle sucking children, who doe thrust into, and hide themselues in their mothers bosome whē any thing feares them. This is the denne where DAVID, persecuted by SAVLE hidde himselfe; and where his very enemy fell into his power. This it that great City of Refuge, that Sanctuary, where you may free your selfe from your inui­sible enemies; and where they are not permitted entrie. This is that high place, that sharpe toppe of the Rocke where the Eagles build their nest, * as IOB saith. And that most high & sublime refuge, whereof the Psalmist makes mention, to which no euill [Page 254] come nor shall any scourg ap­proch. T'is the Desert where the woman in the Apocalipse saued her selfe, least the dragō should haue deuoured her fruite. These are the wings of the doue, which the Psalmist wisheth for, to fly vp to his rest. * It is in this high degree of Contemplation, that he compares himselfe to a Peli­cane in the wildernesse, a night crow in the house, and to a sparow solitary in the house toppe.

A Practise of this Act.
CHAP. XII.

YOu will perhaps aske me what that happy shelter is, that you may spring away towards it, as a Hart dead run by the hounds, his breath and legges failing him, who rūs himselfe into some thicke Groue, as into an vnpregnable Fort, or into some holow denne in the side of some high Rocke, according to the Psalmists song, that the high moūtaines are for the Heart's, the rocke a refuge for the Iechins. * I did point it you out in S. DE­NIS, [Page 256] his words, THEOPISTE, which if you find somewhat obscure, I will here a litle il­lustrate them by an explica­tion fitted to your pourpose. Know then, that if all the re­medies which I haue prescri­bed, be not able to worke the cure: and if you find not your hart deliuered of disquiete by the diuers considerations, and practise of so many vertues, & different Actes, you are to imi­tate the Prophete IEREMIE: The solitary shall sit, and hold his peace, and afterwards he shall rise aboue himselfe. En­deuour then, following this aduise, to settle your thoughts entring into your selfe: and to hold your peace; that is, to si­lence [Page 257] all the noyse of your ex­teriour or interiour senses, of all your passions: to depriue your imagination of all the shapes of created things; to stripe your memory of all the Idea's of creatures & sciences: not to permit your vnderstan­ding to discourse, no not to appease the motions, and boy­lings of the will which is to sing to God the Hymne of sa­cred silence, in the Hierusa­lem, or City of Peace of our hart: to throw downe vpon the ground, or rather to throw out all naturall light, ad­mitting onely into the San­ctuary of the bottome of our soule, the simple, abstract, pure, vniuersall ray of a liuely [Page 258] Faith; exempt from all dis­course, representations, and actes: and in this louing sub­mission or assenting quiet of mind, in this setled attention, in this inward vnion; by so much the stronger, as it is lesse perceaued; so much more ex­quisite, as it is lesse sensible; keepe your selfe neere vnto God: cast your selfe into this sacred blindnesse, clearer-sighted then all sight: into this night, which is brighter then the day: into this darkenesse clearer thē the light: into that resplendant cloud, so much ce­lebrated by the mistikes; and as another MAGDALENE set at our Sauiours feete, remaine inuariable and immoueable, [Page 259] without euer regarding the spoyles which the temptation seemes to make in all the partes of your soule, whether it be sensitiue or reasonable, so it be inferiour to the highest point of your spirit. For as long as that shall say no, let the flesh be moued, let the diuell rage, you can neuer be vāquished. God can take you vp by this haire out of these troubles, as well as the Angell took ABACVC by one of his: and as long as this haire re­maynes intire, you shall neuer loose your interiour strength. And though we apprehend that the inferiour portion of our reasonable part, is disloy­all and impious, yet feare not, [Page 260] the highest point of your spi­rit, like another MOYSES, is with God in the clouds, vpon the toppe of the mountaine, he will appease his wroth a­gainst Israel, who below, ea­tes, danceth, playes, and then adores the golden Calfe. Though all your senses, pas­sions, and powers, should be troubled and disordered by temptation, and as it were, should liue in a kind of impie­ty and idolatry, so that you sticke and adheare to God in the toppe of your spirit, it is enough to warrant you from his wrath, and the dread of his Iustice. And though you seeme to be forsaken of God vpon this Crosse, and that malice [Page 261] seemes to be consummated in you, that is, accomplished in a highest degree, yet as long as in the botome of your hart, you are able to say vnto God, ô heauenly Father I cōmend my poore soule into thy hāds, * you are still in good estate. Your lot is assured in such hāds, * out of which no power can beare you away by force, * till by your free consent, you take your selfe out of them, God neuer forsaking any but such as forsake him.

An Eleuation towards the toppe of the Spirit.
CHAP. XIII.

THe wise-man saith, that it is in vaine to set snares for birds alrea­die flying, * because a man is not able to force them from the wing: and indeede we neuer reade that the bird of Paradice is caught, nor is she euer found in earth, but when death makes her tumble downe: for hauing no feete, she keepes continually in the open aire, where she doth feede and repose. The same [Page 263] may be said of soules, which doe soare aboue all sensible and intelligible things, yea euen beyond themselfes, to­wards God. In vaine doe the diuells set trappes for them: while their eyes still turnd and sett vpon God, doe neuer sleepe, the sleepe of the death of sinne. * The litle flies once inueigled in the Spiders netts, sticke therin: the great ones doe burst and breake them. Temptations are true Spiders-webbs, which doe scarcely euer catch those soules, which doe soare aboue created things, & which entertayne thoughtes of God, more dearely then all other thoughtes, and are more sensible of his touches, then [Page 264] all other feelings. Thunders, winds, stormes, hayle, rayne, and the rest of the impressions of the aire, doe onely beate vpon the midst, and the foote of the Mountaine Olympus, whose toppe enioyes so con­stant and continuall a calme, that that which one writes therin in the dust, remaynes still in the same estate, neuer being touched with the least breath of wind. And though the midst and lowest part of our soule be weather-beaten with the tēpests and stormes of temptation, yet it is in our power, with the assistance of God's grace, to maintayne the toppe of it in a constant peace and serenitie, by so much the [Page 265] greater, by how much it is lesse knowen, and by so much more solide, by how much it is lesse sensible. In two parts of the Tabernacle of the Iewe's Temple, there was nothing seene but fire, flames, flesh, blood, sacryficed victi­mes, sacryfices; nothing heard, but the brute of beastes which were slaughtered, and the harmonie, of the heauenly Hymnes and prayses: But in the SANCTA SANCTORVM, nothing was felt but parfu­mes; and the High Preist, who alone carried them thither, adored God onely in a high silēce. It is into this misterious silence of the Sanctuarie of the botome of your hart that [Page 266] I inuite you to enter, THEO­PISTE, neuer taking notice of the noyce and rustling ou­trages of your interiour po­wers and faculties: and in this sort you shall find out that so much desired Peace, tearmed best * by the wiseman. When a towne is beseiged, at the first the inhabitants make sallies to free thēselues, till the enemy force them in; and then they conteyne themselues within the compasse of the walls: But if the towne come to be taken by assaulte, they retire and betake themselues into the Castle; which being also takē, they imprisone themselues in the dūgeon, where they come to reasonable tearmes of com­position. [Page 267] We are to proceed in like manner in our tempta­tions. First we are to vse sen­sible Actes to rayse the Seige: but finding the enemy too violent and strong, we are to retire our selues into our inte­riour, yea, in case the appetire and Powers suffer violence, we may shutt our selues vp in the verie botome of our soule, where full and absolute Con­sent doth reside) and hart, whence the wiseman saith life doth proceede, * and neuer depart or render vp that place till we accord an honorable composition, to witt, that our Soueraigne be not offended. It is better to fall innocēt, then criminall to liue, saith an aun­cient [Page 168] Father. And doth not holy write say, what better were a mā to gaine the whole world, and loose his owne soule * for an Eternitie. Certes this retireing of our selues, into the bottome or inmost roome of our soule, makes vs resemble the Tortis, who is, as it were, impregnable, while she keepes her selfe within her shell, and the Irchine, which cannot be bitt by a dogge, nor taken by the bare hand of a man, being as a cheshnut vpon the tree, beset on euerie side with prickes. The diuell knowes not where to catch hold on vs in this happie estate, nor where to hitt vs: for hauing renounced [Page 269] sense, humane Reason, and all created things, he knowes not how to assaulte vs, while we leaue no place or footing to his illusions. Happie is the soule that is come to this de­gree: for one may affirme of her, that God hath raysed her a Horne of saluation in his house, where freed from the hands of her enemyes, she may liue deuoyd of feare, in sanctitie and Iustice. And which is yet more remarkable, he makes her draw aduātages from her enemyes, from all that hate her; and profit from her temptations and tribula­tions.

A generall abstraction.
CHAP. XIV.

MAKE haste, THEO­PISTE, to enter in▪ this Repose. * But by what gate are you to enter: by a mentall abstraction from all that is created, and all that can be any impeachment to the vnion of our soule with God. Then it is that you are to imitate the Commanders of the Armie of Israel, who ha­uing made their garments and weapons a troupe of testimo­nies, and placed IEHV vpon them, they proclamed him [Page 271] King, and cryed, liue IEHV, IEHV is King. When you shall haue turnd the old man out of his vitious habites, and shall haue renounced all the impressions of sense and rea­son, then, in that intire hu­mane ignorance, you shall meet with the obscure bright­nesse, or bright obscurity of Faith, which will appeare vnto you, as a Pillar of bright & light fire; a pillar in strēgth, in truth a light, and burning in Charitie. This eminent de­gree of Actiue Contempla­tion, doth not behold God in any affirmation or negation, as the Misticalls speake, nor yet in any particular species, but as an vniuersall Obiect [Page 272] eleuated aboue euery created knowledge and capacity. In which respect, this practise would be soueraignely good against your tēptation, which being onely generall, would be much more efficaciouslie repelled by this generall as­pect, then by anie one in par­ticular.

Against generall tempta­tions.
CHAP. XV.

FOr I must here tell you for your consolation, that in matter of temp­tations, the most vniuersall [Page 273] are the least to be dreaded. For as in good Philosophie, the arguments that conclude too much, conclud nothing at all: so excessiue suggestions doe fill the soule tempted with such a horrour and distaste, that they neuer get admittāce, since the soule cannot be car­ried so soudenlie to such an extreamitie. Whereas parti­cular ones which come with a lesse noyse; doe runne like water into the interiour, and as oyle into the bones, * that is, in a sort insensibly and im­perceptibly. The baite is quicklier swallowed downe, then the hooke that is hid vn­der it, is thought of. We gather Aspalata delightfull to the ey, [Page 274] without euer thinking of the Aske that lyes vnder it, whose sting is mortall. This will be more easily conceaued in an exāple. You are tēpted in ge­nerall against all that faith doth teach vs, and there is no kind of abominable Idea to this effect, no kind of brutish infidelity, of execrable blas­phemie, of detestable im­pietie, which the wicked spirit doth not represent vn­to your hart, to bring you to Athisme. Loe the Picture of your affliction! But doe you not also discouer the folly, & foolerie of the diuell therein, as malignant & mischeeuous as he is? doe you not perceaue that that which you esteeme [Page 275] force and violence, is meere want of force, and infirmity in him, who vsed so little flight and guile in laying his snares. For your soule concea­uing an incōparable horrour against such like illusions, falls into the other extreamity, and, though imperceptibly, (which is admirable, and in­deed is the worke of the fin­gar of God * in you) diues deeper, and takes better roote in faith, which that hellish Feind striues to roote vp, or shake. Whereas, if the temp­tation were against some one article of our beleife, as against the reall presence of the body & blood of the Sonne of God in the Eucharist; of the Trini­tie [Page 276] of persons in vnity of Es­sence; or the like, doubtlesse his battery were more to be feared: for like as in an ALA­RVM if one linke or ring breake the whole is spoyled; so taking away one Article of the Catholike Faith, we faile in the whole, that is, we for­sake vniuersality which makes the true Catholike, and cōse­quently the whole frame doth threaten ruine. At the Seige of a towne, though it be in­uironed rownd about, to pre­uēt the entrie of any succour; yet is batterie layd onely to one side of it, where the breach being made as great as they desire, the assaulte is giuen, & vnlesse good resistance & op­positiō [Page 277] be made, the falls towne into the beseigers hands, who entering onely that way, and not ouer all the walls at once, make themselues notwith­stāding Masters of the towne. The diuell our sworne ene­mie, doth cōtinuallie lay seige vnto our hart, and roaes about it, like a Roaring lyon seeking his prey. * But to make him­selfe Master, he mist his marke in assaulting vs so generally, without making a particular breach, whereby he was to enter. This is it that makes me iudge, that the temptation which doth assault you. THEO­PISTE, being too generall, is but a false ALARVM which the enemie giues rather to [Page 278] trouble your inward repose and quiet, then anie hope which he conceaues to ouer­throwe, or reduce you to the Abisse of misery. Take a good hart therefore, and say with the Psalmist, that though all the forces of Hell should make head against you, yet would you not feare; though a mil­lion of companies incōpassed you, yet would you not dread, because God doth rise vp to succour and saue you. Vnite your selfe vnto him in the high point of Contemplation which I haue discouered vnto you, & keepe your selfe there without all discourse, without all reflection vpon your selfe, without framing any parti­cular [Page 279] act, in a profound and generall silence. For it was in the vniuersall Peace and silēce of all the vniuerse, and in the midst of a darke night, that the Omnipotent WORD came from Heauen to earth to vnite himselfe to our nature, * to enlighten euery man coming into this world * and to illu­minate those who were in darknes and in the Region of the shadow of death, * And with what torch, but the torch of Faith, wherby he makes our darknes lightsome? I re­member, THEOPISTE, I made once a litle spirituall treatise, or EXERCISE OF LIVELY FAITH, which might, as I conceaue, not a litle comfort [Page 280] you, and more amply instruct you, touching this act of Con­templation, which I haue marked you out for your last refuge. I made you this Para­clese or Consolation, being at our villemond, where I am detayned this winter, to distri­bute the word of God. After my returne to my Residence, I will looke out that writing from amongst the papers of my Studie, where it lyes bu­ried, and I will make a copie of it be taken, to send you. Meane while, make vse of the instructions which are con­teyned herein, not onely in the temptation which doth presently presse you, but in all the rest that may chance to as­sault [Page 281] you after you shall be de­liuered of this. For these pre­cepts, which for the most part, I haue gathered out of the ad­uises of that blessed Prelate FRANCIS DE SALES of holy & happie memorie our most ho­noured Father and Directour, may be applyed, not onely to the temptations of blasphemie and infidelititie, but euen to all other temptations, for that these endeuours are not so tyed to particularities, as that they doe not also descend to generalities: being of the number of those Antidotes which are tearmed vniuersall.

An Exhortation to spirituall vallour, in imitation of IACOBS wrastling.
CHAP. XVI.

IN cōclusion, I must make the Apostolike trumpet sound in your eares, fight, I, fight, THEOPISTE, as a good and faithfull seruant of IESVS CHRIST. * Fight generously, māly, incessantly, that by that good Combat you may con­serue your Faith, and obtayne the crowne of Iustice. * Our whole life is a warfare, a temp­tation. Sweete and gentle cal­mes are blowē ouer by rough [Page 283] stormes. In the world as on the Sea, the still & calme day, is most doubted, most subiect to rayne. The Calme of the mynd is still essayed by some rebellion, that so standing al­wayes vpon our gard, temp­tation may not surprise vs. * Doth the greatnes of your ad­uersarie astonish you? call to mynd that IACOB'S antagonist was yet stronger. An Angell at libertie, must needs exceede those Angells of darknes, who be loaden with their chaynes. Yet at IABOC'S well, the Pa­criarke held the Angell play; and though he came halting away, yet victorie and bene­diction was his. Be couragious and the like will befall you. [Page 284] And though you haue not a like aduersarie, yet like IA­COB, you fight by God's per­mission, a try all of your fideli­tie: you fight in the night of Faith, which is inuironed with types, enigma's, clouds. At IA­BOC'S well, signifying that you are to cleanse your selfe from all naturall lightes and reasons, all sensible and intel­lectuall know ledge, to betake your selfe naked and pure to the toppe of the Spirit, with­out all the formes and shapes of terreane things, where li­uelie and pure Faith keepes her Residence. IACOB neuer quitted his hold, till the An­gell blessed him, and the day began to breake. So are you [Page 285] inseparably to hold God, till the rayes of his countenance beginne to shine vpon you. * And till he restore the ioy of his Saluation. * Thus shall you become a true Israelite, victo­rious, and seeing God. * Be not troubled that humane reason in you comes off halting, you shall walke hereafter vpon a right legg, the Diuine reuela­tion, wherin consistes the es­sence of Faith: An essence by so much the more pure, by how much it admitts lesse of the mixture of naturall light and experiēce. For Faith doth loose its merite, saith S. GRE­GORIE, where experience hath place, being saith the A­postle, of inuisible things and [Page 286] such as appeare not. * If you desire to be armed with the Armour of God to defeate the Diuell, throw away, with DAVID, SAVLS armour, stripe your selfe of humane reason, and sense. We are not onely to wrastle against flesh & blood, but Powers and principalities also; against the Gouernour of the world & wordly darknes; against the hyest and most subtile malice of our mortall enemy. * The armour of God therfore is necessarie for vs, to stand constant: to stand immo­ueable like vnto the Mont-Sion. * And to this end we are to retire our selues into the verie topp of our Spirit, where God doth soueraignely rayne. [Page 287] He that remaynes there vn­der the wings of the Highest, shall infallibly be deliuered out of the Fowlers snare; and vnder that shelter, shall sing to God the song of his deliue­rie, adoring this Mercy in the 30. 90. & 123. ps. or in the Can­ticle of our B. La. ZACHARIE. SIMEON. But aboue all, be sure to keepe your selfe in this learned ignorance, and Ad­hearing onely faythfully to the prime & vniuersall Truth, which is God, banish from you hart all manner of curio­sitie in point of Faith. Protest with the Apostle, that you will know nothing here below, but IESVS CHRIST. * Stand fermely, least the enemy be­reaue [Page 288] you of your crowne. Forsake the foule & troubled waters of Egipt, to drinke of the pure source. Sacryfice your ISAAC, your naturall light, vpon the toppe of this mountaine. Repose peaceably in him WHO IS. Be not separated from his Charitie, and your faith is in assurance. CHRIST hath reuealed a faith­full promise by the mouth of his beloued disciples: who­soeuer shall remayne faithfull till death, shall be rewarded with a crowne of life.