CHAP. I. What povertie in Spirit is, and what the kingdome insured to it.

THE skilfull in Architecture lay foundations proportionable to the height whereunto they would raise their buildings,S. Carsar [...]us. hom, 18. therefore our Lord minding to erect a fa­brick,Luc. [...].1 [...]. that should reach to the highest (heaven) layes the foundation under the earth in low­nesse [Page 2] it self.CHAP. 1. Because the bottome of humility is the principle of vertue, hee begins there, say­ing; Blessed are the poore, and orders the first beatitude against Pride, the first sinne of the Divell: and Man, for the better insight into which beatitude, wee will discusse in briefe, what is meant by poore, what by the addition in spirit, what by the kingdome of heaven.

For the first, Tertullian is right,Nullas profecto spiriru pauper est nisi humilis. In libro de patientia. There is none poore in spirit but the humble, and hee that is not proud is poore, St. Gregor. in Iob. lib. 6. c. 16. poore as conscious of his owne nothing; for which St. Basil notes, One is said to bee a servant and poore, for that hee hath nothing of his owne, In Psal. 33. [...]. poore in spirit as apprehending his need, and well pleased to be nothing in himselfe, all in God, as the indigent and necessitous are sensible of their owne wants, so they of their emptinesse and vacuity of all good, and in that respect they be meet guests for Gods table (Luc 14.21) as finding no suste­nance out of him; hence the servants that were sent to invite others are willed to bring in the poore, as certaine of their ready comming, who being privie to their owne necessities, neither had nor pretended succour else-where, [...]v. [...].4. In [...]pes sensu ve [...]ant ad me, si qui sunt humiles corde —. quod ali­bi dicitur spiritu pauperes, s [...]d side d [...]vi­tes, ista veniant ad e­pulas s [...]pientie. Ori­gen. in Gen. hom. 16. and (Prov. 9.4) they are by name called to Wise­domes banquet, to which feast no rich proud Haman may approach.

The poore is an absolute selfe-de [...]yer, is and loves to be in pure dependance, abandons all propriety, clayme or longing for one thing ra­ther then another, will never choose but resignes [Page 3] to God,[The Poore.] to be and have what the Lord sees most fitting in reference to his glory and service, a­mong other creatures, hee preferres not himselfe above others for sufficiencies, because the meere good pleasure of God made the difference, hee is content with whatsoever the wise providence of God disposes to him; in the first of these, hee honours Gods loving kindness that freely gives all, in the second, his judgement, that diversly gives to sundry; in the third, his righteousnesse, that duely proportions to every one (Ier. 9 24) Hee is not poore but proud, that conceives he hath, or desires to have, or grieves that hee can­not have something of himselfe not of Gods free grace (1. Corinth. 4.7.) for one may desire that which is impossible (after hee hath fancied and wisht it to be possible) As Lucifer and Adam affected a kind of divinity and likenesse to God in knowing and working of themselves, and would have promoted themselves out of Gods order, and without obedience, merit, and inhe­ring in him.

There is an insolency in high lookes, gate, apparrell, attendance, which is, as it were, the froth of pride, and beares its reproach amongst men; but the pride most detested in Scripture, is that of the Spirit, whereby the Creature that is of nothing, would bee something of it selfe. So there is an humility of the face in counte­nance, gesture, but the principall humility is that of the heart, in conscience wee are nothing of our selves.

The humble are expressed by the name of the Poore, because the poore are commonly sub­misse,S Leo fin de Bea­titud pag. 867. and the rich high-minded; and to imply, that God generally chooses the poore of the world to bee rich in Faith (Iam. 2.5) not onely to have grace, but to abound in it; and such are brought to God by a more easie and ordinary worke of grace, when the rich that have much of the world and the man, are hardly turned to become as children and not trust nor be lift up in their wealth;S. Gregor. in Iob. lib. 4. cap. 3. Sayes this is eff [...]cted ex solo miraculo — as CHRIST'S saying inti­mates, (Math. 19.24) There must be an extra­ordinary hand of God in way of converting grace, to make them that excell in gifts of for­tune, body, or mind (1. Cor. 1.26) to deny all and become nothing for him. For albeit there are none worse, then the extreame poore for the most part be,As St. Peter Da­ [...]an [...]ves of y^e coun­ [...]ey ab [...]ut Eugubi­um, Hec regio, quo magis invenitur alie­na livitus, eo magis exuberat viti [...]s In vi­ [...]s Rodulph [...] Episc: [...]uguben [...] yet God most familiarly calls of the poorer sort, and in that sense also the poore receive the Gospell, as aptest to live by Faith, and delight themselves in the exercise and riches of CHRIST.

(2) The addition in Spirit carries much sense and imports foure things especially: First, that the fountaine of their povertie is the holy Spi­rit, by which in all good doings men are acted, like as in wicked they are informed by the Spi­rit of the world; whence sprang that phrase, Yee know not what Spirit yee are of (Luk. 9.55) and the word Spirit imports Gods blessed Spirit, when it is put absolutely without any li­mitation signifying what Spirit, or whose spirit. [Page 5] wherefore it notes here, that our Lord speakes not of common but of Spirituall poverty: hence (Luk. 6.20.) Lifting up his eyes on his Disciples, he sayes, Blessed are yee poore, for a signe that he blest onely such poore, as were his Apostles, that neglected all things for him.

2. In Spirit notes that the blessed humilitie is sincere, not alone in shew, but in Spirit: as (Math. 11.29) Penitents are moved to learne of CHRIST, that he is humble in heart, not in face onely; for He S. Bern de Passione domini, c. 17. that is humble in heart is not pleased with counterfeit humility, but with true humility. And it's the solid humility that does good, and drawes others to imitation and per­fection in vertue, the fained beares no fruit. Humility is so gracefull a vertue,S. Novat. Catho­lic. that Pride it selfe is affected to goe vayled under the colour of it, l [...]st i [...] should be abhorred; many that are farre from it, assume on themselves a semblance thereof, to get esteeme: therefore our Master requires the reality, not the bare pretence of it. as (Luk. 1.48) The blessed Virgin sayes,S. Bern. de gradibus humilitatis, pag. 978. Gloriosares humili­tas, qua ipsa quoque superbia pallia [...]e se apperit, ne vilescat, God lookt upon her lownesse in minde, aswell as in her estate; she sayes lownesse in the abstract, the more to debase her selfe; as we say your Highnesse to exalt, and the lownesse of his Handmaid, as agni­zing her selfe the meanest of all Gods servants: but her lowlinesse was in Gods eye, as well as mans, and therefore was unfained.

3. In Spirit exacts, that this poverty be vo­luntary; not that all Christians are bound to renounce their Temporalties (although they [Page 6] that humbly so did in furtherance to perfection, had the prelation in this [...]. S. Nazian. fin 15. beatitude) but that all are universally obliged in preparation of minde, to admit poverty as riches, and humble their spirits under Gods dispensing hand, with­out any repining at their Fortunes. Many are poore in [...]. S. Basil. in Psal 33. Quantos n [...]videmus humiltatos, sed non humiles: S. Bern. su­p [...]r illud omnis qui se exa [...]tat. condition, but very covetous in affection; these are humbled, but not humble; humbled with penury and other extremities, not humbled to make at least a vertue of necessity: frame their mindes to Gods providence, and take their spi­rit off from lying vanities.

4. In Spirit, declares that humility doth chief­ly consist in the prostration of superiour reason, and the higher powers of man, subjecting them­selves to God, as nothing without him (Ioh. 1.12, 13) As spirit is put for the most pure and sublime part of the soule (1. Thes. 5.25) And as one sayes well, The Humility of the Minde and Spirit is a noble Nobilis inopia est ment [...]s humilitas, v. inter opera S. Aug. tom. 9. de duo lecem a­basin [...]um gra [...]bas, e. [...]. povertie: This poverty is pla­ced in the Spirit, because the fear of humblenesse is in the estimation of the minde, setting naught by it selfe; contrary whereto is the imagination of the minde, and rising of the Spirit in high thoughts, robbing God of his glory. Wilt thou understand that there is robberie in the very thought? he thought it not robbery, sayth thePhil. 2.6. Vi [...] audire in solaest [...]tione ra­pinam esse &c Gille­ [...]ert supra Cant. ser. 19. Apostle, the most extorting pride is in the minde by thoughts, arrogating to it selfe, and affecting what belongs and is proper to God; as the D [...]vils would have beene, and were in spirit and will,T [...]tian contr. Greces p. 17 [...]. latrones Divinitatis — and ADAM [Page 7] propounding this end to his prevarication, that he might be as God, was deepe in conspiring for the Deitie, and in the guilt of high Treason against Faustus Rhegion­sis de libero arbitrio, l. 1. c. 1. usque ad di­vinitatis ambitū, & usque ad crimen ma­jestatis accessit. [...]. God, as the Subject that should strive for the royall seate, and to be King, or as King.

5. By the Kingdome of Heaven assigned the Poore for their blisse, is meant the good of the Gospell, both in grace and glory, which is ap­propriated to them: The Poore receive the Gospell. Because Spirituall poverty initiates into the Kingdome of grace, intitles to the Kingdome of glory; as the condition which renders capable of all Evangelicall good, which the poore may and ought to apply unto themselves; Hee that hath no money, is to buy Wine and Milke without price, Esa. 55.1. The poore receive the Gospell to be soveraigne over them, they are willing the Kingdome should be Gods; their minde is not a Kingdome to them but Gods spirit, which they accept to rule over them and guide them.

It is true, that in all the beatitudes, the blisse is not onely injoyed in Heaven, but tasted also upon Eearth; yet the poore and the persecuted, as most going out of their selves, and having least of the Earth, have most of Heaven, and pe­culiar fruitions of God and blessednesse: and that is the reason, that whereas in the rest, the promise and reward runs in the future, they sh [...]ll be comforted, they shall bee satisfied, &c. As St. BERNARD hath observed, To Poverty it is not so much promised as exhibited, therefore Aliis virtutibus promissio futuro tem­pore indicatur, p [...]u­pertati non tam pro­mittitur, quàm datur, unde & praesenti tem­pore enunciarum est, quoniam ipsorum est regnum coelorum, ser. 4. de adventu. it goes [Page 8] in the present, for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven: for b [...]cause in poverty and persecution there is great hardnesse in the duty, they are prevented with a fore-running presence of reward.

By the discussion of the words we finde, that notwithstanding the stately flourishes and faire shewes that some sinnes make, the creature that is poore of it selfe is undone by sinne: and in­deed what is sinne but meere privation and want?

That in truth the spirit is not poore, that ex­pects to be happy in any thing, besides God and his Kingdome. Whence (Luk. 15.14.16) all the while the Prodigall desired to fill his belly with huskes, hee was b [...]t beginning to bee in want. He that is throughly poo [...]e, knowes that nothing but CHRIST can satisfie for sinne, or satisfie a soule: the windy and empty creature nour [...]sheth not the hungry soule, but the hunger of the soule.

That this blessed p [...]verty, is not so much any speciall vertue, as a sweet di [...]pose of the soule, turning it from the empty creature, and conver­ting it to God, that it may bee filled, and so it [...]unnes through all the life, and all the graces of a true Christi [...]n; and causes denying of himselfe, and seeking God in them: in Faith it humbles us to beleeve without evidence or demonstration, in Chari [...]y to respect Gods glory, and our neigh­bours [...]ood, &c. Humility is with the most ex­celling Divine, what pronunciation is with the famous Orator; that is the grace of the whole [Page 9] Oration, this of the whole conversation: it is not to be restrained to the first entrance, but ex­tended to all progresse in religion; [...], &c S. Basil. in As [...]ct, in sin. the soule can­not thrive in Grace, except it grow withall in Humility. For in the Kingdome of Grace, great­nesse is measured by degrees in humility, He that will bee great among you let him bee your Servant. A Religious person asked the holy man Evita ejus [...]. 36. BERNAR­DIN [...], how he might bring a Spirituall life to good issue; alwayes increasing vertue: who for an­swer, required that he should prostrate himselfe flat before him on the ground; signifying humilitie, to be the foundation of proficiency and perfection in Christianity. In summe, the grace here blessed in poverty is perfect humility, the blessing of that grace, that it states in the Kingdome of hea­ven a sacred frame of spirit, divinely ruling, in due subjection to God, according to Lawes Ce­lestiall.

CHAP. II. Of the carriage of the Poore, in matters Spirituall.

THe Poore, remembring the creatures make, that the best was of nothing; and hath more of darkenesse and of nothing, then of light and of something; for it is infinite that it hath not, that which it hath is finite, and the light thereof is not without a shadow, as [Page 10] mutable of it selfe if not sustain'd: this the poore remembring abhorres the thought of being in­dependant, and a rule to himselfe to doe his own will (Ioh. 6.38) and not seeke the good of others, as the Devill would have bin in his pride a law to himselfe and in no kind subject to others;G [...]rson. com. 4. Serm [...]. de Angelis. whereas every reasonable Creature put in supe­riotie is tyed to serve unto the profit of inferi­ours, that proud Spirit by ambition to exempt himselfe out of Gods government, fell out of his protection and ruined himselfe.

The Angels that stood were thus farre poore, as not to presume on themselves, but Gods free grace and concourse, they using the abilities wherewith God had graced their nature. Now a lapsed creature is not poore so onely, but fur­ther in absolute inabilitie to doe any thing of himselfe pleasing to God, so all the power which wee have, to cooperate with God and worke our salvation, is from the sufficiency of that grace which for CHRIST'S sake is offered unto all, to whom the Gospell is vouchsafed.

The good in order to salvation is not educed out of our nature, but infused of Gods grace, (Rom. 7.18.)R [...] 7.18. In my [...] divels nothing [...] good, Signi­ [...]rs [...]uoniam non à [...]ob [...], sed à Deo e bonam [...]alatis nostrae S Ir [...]n [...]s, l. 3 c 23. Wee are so directly poore as not to have the least Spirituall and good thought of our owne (2. Cor. 3.5) Therefore the propriety of this vertue is in the acknowledgement of Gods grace, that there S Pr [...]per [...]e voca­tion [...] ge [...] Lib 1. [...]. Epi [...]t. ad Deme­triadem. is no act, nor moment wherein it would not be ill with vs, if, the Holy Ghost should leave us to our selves.

Wee are to confesse.

[Page 11]1 That the grace which pleaseth God in ri­gour of justice is not in us, but in CHRIST,CHAP. 2. ours onely, as we are made one with him. Phil. 3.9.

2 That our workes are not acceptable and rewardable for themselves, and as proceeding of naturall forces, but because of Gods cove­nant and the promises whith for CHRISTS me­rits, be made to them, and as they flow from, and be actuated by CHRISTS grace.

3. That it is not we that worke, but CHRIST and his grace in us and by us, we being but in­feriour agents, or rather instruments under him, (but voluntary & obedient instruments) 1. Cor. 15.10. Hereupon (as it is in the relation of the slaugh­ter of the Fathers in Sina) He that excels in ver­tue, ascribing all, De interemptione patrum Sinae, cap. 15. 19. Iun, 14. in Mera­phrast. not to his owne labours, but Gods vertue, may beare himselfe humbly, as who perswades himselfe, that he is not of himselfe the worker of good and honest things; but the Instru­ment of grace which worketh in him.

4. That the good workes, whereby we please God and grow in his favour, have their efficacie from the grace of the Gospell,Adrian de Sacra­mento Eucharistiae, fol. 20. and our Lord CHRIST, as receiving tincture from him; and being preferred in his dignity and desert by E­vangelicall contract, applyable to them.

The Humble thus confessing all good recei­ved, and that of grace, (which prevents and as­sists and followes and crownes our indeavours) glory not in their gifts, but the giver and his grace (1. Cor. 4.8) assume nothing to them­selves, as infinitely wanting to divine concourse and [Page 12] helpes, confide not in their owne deeds many wayes imperfect and short of Gods goonesse, but in the mercies of God, who (notwithstan­ding all their unworthinesse) vouchsafes his grace to them, and in the merits of CHRIST, which supply all their defects, and be equall to the whole will of God.

The poore consider, that if they should pride themselves in the eff [...]cts of Gods grace, he might justly withdraw his liberall hand, and permit them to their owne nothing, and that in true e­steeme, seeing that it is God that work [...]s all, as St. Bernard concludes;De donis Sancti spi­rit [...]s, c 2. Tanto quisque humilior esse debet, quanto est supe­rior. so much the humbler should they be, by how much the more they are ad­vanced: because the more they receive grace to doe, the more they are indebted to the donor that inricht their poverty.

True humility retaines its owne propriety in the greatest fulnesse of grace, as agnizing that it is still nothing of it selfe, but all is of grace, and in God that gives and continues. Therefore our Lord that would not have us lye for humility,B Aug de verbis A­p [...]st. fol, 28. wils us, when we have done all, to say, wee are unprofitable. (Luk 17.10) In the flowre of our best deeds, to be mindfull in whose vertue wee worke, and how nothing is of our selves, with­out CHRIST, but imperfection and deficiency, and how farre in our utmost wee are lesse then Gods mercies to us, how remisse concurrers we were, and users of Gods grace and gifts that our all is nothing, to that we ought, nothing to that we might, were it not for our sinfull negligence and [Page 13] unproficiency. Away then with all vaine-pleasing our selves, and resting in what we have done:S Chrys. in Phil hom. 2. Zaver in vita e­jus. l. c. 16. such cōsiderations beget solid humility.S. Chrys. de com­punctione. Which is to do like Saints, and yet tremble & deject our selves more then sinners: because our best is not correspon­dent to our receipts, but unworthy of God and his loving kindnesse to us: the poore of Sion in the faithfull use of their talents be much in jud­ging themselves for their unfruitfulnesse and pe­nutie in good, and that is their glory to humble themselves more in their good deeds, then ordi­nary people doe for theirƲtinam fratres mei, utinam nos illam haberemus humilita­tem in peccatis no­stris quam Sancti ha­baerunt in virtutibus suis: Guarricus in purificatione S. Ma­riae, serm. 1. [...]. sinnes.

The Poore as in despaire to acts of grace, without attracture from above, carry all their vertue in God, not in themselves. For as the ship attaines the Haven more by the benefit of the winde then the sayle: so wee prosper more by actuall influences from God, then our owne ha­bits and [...]. S Basil. de hu­militate. Labours.

A man may bee himselfe in the very habits and use of grace, if he goe upon his own strength therein, and not the grace of CHRIST, to bee sufficient for him to begin and finish each Chri­stian duty, according as it is; not he that lives, but CHRIST that lives in him and breathes up­on him, by fresh and continuall inspirations. St. PETER, in confidence of graces received and habits in him, put himselfe before his Bre­thren, and thought to doe something of himselfe, by vertue of those graces, and Gods generall con­course; who presuming of himselfe, fell into a presumptuous sinne, and came behinde those [Page 14] before whom he preferred himselfe,CHAP. 3. and is an in­stance, that except the LORD build a house, the labourers labour in vaine, and that our best way to have present and effectuall aid, is to lie low in our selves, and hang entirely upon GOD, as our duty is to know our selves but poore men, or rather wormes, and therefore as comming out of the earth toS. Greg. Naz. ep. 119 inter Basilianas [...]. creepe by the ground to fol­low our Saviour, and be of his company, minding not high things, but the least of the little ones: for of our selves we are nothing; yea, as much worse then nothing, as grace is better then sinne.

CHAP. III. The demeanure of the poore in externals.

SAint Gregory i. Reg. l. 2. c. 1. pau­per spirita esse non p [...]terit, qui amare ad­huc aeternos the sau­ros noscit ibid. l 5. c. 4. shewes that to make one of Gods poore, is in contemplation of goods that never faile to raise the minde unto contempt of those that must needs perish: Therefore he cannot be poore in Spirit that hath not learnt to love everlasting riches: for till then he is not driven out of the creature, whence, Luk. 6.24. our Lord pronoun­ces a woe to the rich, because they have their con­solation, declaring their condition miserable that can satiate their joy with any worldly good, which is no proofe of Gods speciall love, which cannot remoove the guilt of sinne, nor fill up the def [...]ct, nor cure the maladie of the Spirit, no [Page 15] more then fine apparell can heale an inner sore, albeit the carnall heart dwels in flesh, and rests in the contents thereof, and attends not this in­sufficiency, unlesse God pursue it, and suffer not the creature to yeeld its common satisfaction. Hos. 2.7.5.13. Luk. 15, 16.17.

Saint Iames chap. 1.9. aptly enjoynes the brother of low degree to rejoyce in his exaltation, that in Christs fraternitie hee was participant of true riches, the rich in his humillation, vers, 10. as made low in spirituall poverty and apprehension of want in abundance, and having outward things, as if hee had them not, without any repose in them; wheras generally high degree keepes away sense of what is needfull to blisse, and staies the soule in sensuall pleasures, the portion of unreasona­ble creatures, Psal. 49.20.Homo cum in honore esset non intellexit, ac si diceretur, bon [...]r ab­sorbuit intellectum. S. Bern. ep. 237. Iob was rightly called a perfect man, when he was able in his hard triall with a noble imprecation, to curse himselfe if he had rested his joy in transitory riches, Cha. 31.25. If hee rejoyced because his wealth was great, and his hand had gotten much.

Humilitie is a meere dependance on God, and therefore stands alike affected to povertie, riches, ignominy, honour, sicknesse, health, as God bewils them and orders them for his glory and our soules good: and nothing should so joy the lover of God as his will, and the good plea­sure of his eternall counsell, in which hee ought to satisfie himselfe, and bee as glad at the least as another would be the greatest.De Kemp. de imita­tione Christi. l. 3. 12. Perfect humility inclines other things equall to that which hath [Page 16] most congruitie with the state of Christ in this world,CHAP. 4. and which he hath sanctified; adde the apter way of perfection and familiaritie with him, and therefore to be as the LORD IESUS was: rather abased in poverty and contemned, as simple to the world, then magnified for poli­cy, riches, honours.Bonaventura. ser. [...], de omnibus sanctis. No marvell if poverty was refused before Christ: but since Christ chose it, Et in suam accepit partem, it is to bee savorie unto Christians, and embraced by them. Seneca reasons against them; who when some point after them as they walk in the street and say, O virū doctum! see a learned man, are more delighted, then if it were said, O virum probum! there goes a vertuous man. And yet the Christians bee rare, that are not gladder of the gifts that make admirable with men,Of gratiae gratis da­gae, then of gratiae gratum facientis. then of the graces that make accepta­ble with God, Luk. 10.18.20. When the se­venty exulted; that even the Divels were sub­ject unto them: our M [...]ster insinuates, that Satan for his pride fell as lightning from heaven, and represses the rising of the Spirit for such privi­ledges, and forbids staying in our joyes in the gift of miracles,Tertul. adversus Marcion. l. 2. or any endowments or operati­ons that men may perish with, and propounds as a due object of our rejoycing, they having our names written in the booke of life, which is the rowle of them that be in the state of true grace.

All which is not against high places in Church or Common wealth, for degrees are of God; but ambitious seeking of them, and loftie beha­viour in them. An Emperour may be humble, [Page 17] a beggar proud, it is the low minde Christ re­quires, not the low estate, that men should not affect inordinate eminency, nor thinke them­selves worthy honour, which God casts not up­pon them, but lay themselves downe to Gods providence, and the order of his word, for reputation and advancement, and get a good report by Faith, Heb. 11.39. It is against the faith of GODS kingdome and wise government to de­sire of accept glory of men out of his wayes. Iohn 5.43.

And without doubt it is culpable for a man to climbe up into a state (moribus suis et meritis im­proportionatū that suits not with his manners and merits, and so makes not of necessitie a vertue, Vid. S. S. Hilar. de Trinitate l. 9. but of vice necessitie. Gers [...], [...]plici­tudine [...] [...]sti­corum. fol. 26. v. mo­ribus suis et meritis inproportionatum. Otherwise promotion is of GOD, and many in their ignoble ranke are as e­mulating and conceited of their worth, as who is most, and given to aspire, if they had any pos­sibilitie, and because of their forlorne hopes, fu­ming against men of qualitie and desert, and cry­ing downe prelacie.

The Poore seekes not great things for him­selfe, and if God allot them, lookes farther then himselfe in them: It is a passage worthy St. CYPRIANS preferment, As it is De jejunio et ten­tatione. Sicut perepto­ria est altitudo qu [...] ­sita, et periculo fissima est oblata, non quod potestas quae ex Deo est, sit damnabilis, aut ordinatio divina pec­catorum sit obsterrix, sed quod excellentiā, cujus spiritus sanctus author, ita debet com­plecti humilitas, ut qui vocatus est supe­rior nesciat se subli­mem, & per omnia agroscat conditio cō ­ditorem, gratia largi­torem. pernitious if it bee sought, so offered it is very perillous: not that the power which is of God is condemnable, nor that the ordinance of God is the midwife of sinnes; but that bumblenesse ought so to embrace highnesse, whose Author is the Holy Ghost, that hee which is called higher may not know himselfe aloft, and the [Page 18] creature in all things agnize the Creator, and grace the giver.

CHAP. IIII. Of the Kingdome which the Poore enjoy.

NO man will doubt that the Poore are blessed, that beleeves them possessed of a Kingdome, in which is all variety of contents, and the Kingdome of God, which, according to his super-eminency, transcends all humane satisfactions and apprehensions, (Ps. 4.7) Because men seeke in Riches and Honour excellency and abundance, therefore CHRISTD. Thom. 12.69.4. promised the Poore that take their affections from them, the King­dome of Heaven, whereby man attaines the excellency and abundance of all good things. When mans dominion ceaseth, Gods Kingdome begins: when we see wee have no power to rule our selves, God erects his Kingdome in our hearts; and puts upon us the holy Regiment of his Spi­rit: when man is nothing, God is all in all: when the heart is broken and despaires of the creature, God helpes;S. Basil. ibid because Physitians relinquish, the broken in heart God himselfe drawes nigh to them, and undertakes their cure (Psal. 34.18)

(Es. 66.2) The Lord lookes to the poore and contrite, as the Virgin Mother sayd, GOD lookt on her lowlinesse; and a looke from the highest Majesty is such a grace, that King David, [Page 19] who knew the estimate of such favours, admi­reth it should be showne a man. Lord what is man that thou shouldst looke on him? Such te­stimony and imparting of his grace, satisfies the illighten'd heart (Psal. 4.6)Origen. in Lev. It is full happinesse if God looke on a man (Lev. 26.9) PETER was almost perisht, CHRIST recovered him with a looke; as the Sunne looking upon the fields, that would else remaine barren, makes them flourish with its rayes; so God looking upon us, illuminates and makes us fruitfull with his beames.

The poore that hath nothing in himselfe, pos­sesses all things in Christ (Gal. 2.20)B. Aug. de continen­tia, c. 22. Vivo jam non ego, sed Christus, & ubi non ego, ibi faeliciùs ego. Now I live not, but Christ; and where I am away there I do best. We are happiest in not being, that CHRIST may be instead of our selves, an agent in us, and for us, infinitely more blessed, potent and satisfactorie. (1. Pet. 5) God gives grace to the humble (and as Lorinus there notes) grace no where maintaines its name more then in the humble, who takes whatsoe­ver is given, as freely given by grace, and according­ly gives thankes. As waters runne to low grounds, so Gods graces to lowlyB. Aug. de S. Ʋir­ginitate, c. 35. hearts; where he hath the whole praise of them,Pauper & mendi­cus ille est, qui nihil sibi tribuit, sed totum de misericordia Chri­sti expectat. [...]. Pros­per. in Ps. 106. for the poore and Gods Begger attributes nothing to himselfe, expects and takes all of CHRISTS mercy.

The more the Centurion humbled himselfe and disswaded CHRIST from entring his roofe as unworthy, the more CHRIST enters his heart as capacious of him, and admires and ren­ders him admirable. The lower MARY sate [Page 20] at CHRISTS feet, the more of CHRIST and his heavenly doctrine descended intó her: the Moone must be emptyed of light, that it may receive light from the Sunne, and diffuse light and influence to inferiour bodies. PAUL must be nothing in his flesh, that CHRIST may bee all, the Spirit informe him and grace be suffici­ent for him; that he may both have it in aboun­dance, and plentifully minister it unto others. The Baptist must humble himselfe, and say, he is but the voyce of a Cryer in the Wildernesse: and what is more fraile then a voyce which fades as soone as sounded, especially in a Desert? That CHRIST might magnifie him so farre as to say, there had not beene a greater borne of a wo­man: when he thought not himselfe worthy to stoope downe and tye the latchets of Christs shooes, Christ thought him fit to whom him­selfe would stoope downe, and let him lay his hand on his head as he baptized him.

Valles secundum Psalmistamfrumento abundant, hoc est hu­miles spiritu potiori­b [...]s livinae largitatis muncribus. Tancmar. in vit. Bernwood, E­pis. c. 44. Novemb. [...]0. The Vallyes (according to the Psalmist) a­bound with corne, the humble in Spirit with the choysest gifts of divine Liberality. The more we goe out of our selves, and are contented to bee any or nothing as God will, the neerer wee are to be made something; and so much as wee re­move from our selves and our private interests, distrust in our selves, and depend altogether on God, so much we proceed in him and the com­mon spirit, and abilities to doe him service and his Church.

God loves to follow their poore indeavours [Page 21] with good event, that ascribe it to his bles­sing and not their owne industry (1. Cor. 15.9) when the paines of proud Labourers are dashed with ill successe; because they would assume the glory to themselves. St. OWENIn vita S. Eligii, l. 1. c. 9. Nihil n. ex omnibus quae egisset bonis meritis suis tri­buebat, sedomne opus suū ad Deum semper conferens, in cunctis actibus ejus auxilium implorabat. writes, That all the speech of blessed ELIGIUS was usefull to edification, for that of all the good that hee had done, he attributed nothing to his owne merits; but alwayes referring all his workes to God, implored his assistance in all his actions. Whereas God hath no pleasure to cooperate with them, that worke in their owne strength, and if they succeed, sacri­fice to their owne net.

Although good workes have great account with God, and undoubted efficacy to rewards in Heaven, yet not onely in humility but in duty we ought to referre all unto God; for that all is of God: and put case we be infallibly certaine, that our workes are done in charity, yet in all wisdome and security, must wee resigne all to God, and trust in his free goodnesse and mercy. Because the more wee put good deeds from our selves, and set all over to his grace, the more he accepts them, and imputes againe all his worke to us, and grants us the honour and recompence thereof: and so all is reserved intire for us to the great reckoning, with good expectation thereof in the interim, and sweet experiences of Gods ap­probation.

In fine, They who learne of Christ to bee humble, and let God be all, and meeke, to bee thankfully what God will, they finde rest to their owne soules, [Page 22] (Math. 11.28.29) Quieting it alwayes in God,CHAP. 5: and his good, pleasing, and perfect will, which is a blessed repose, and a very Kingdome of Hea­ven.

CHAP. V. Discoursing further, why God assists the Humble, and resists the Proud.

HVmility is a great dignity, even above other vertues; that whereas they frame the minde plyable to the rule of God in some subject, humility submits it in all things to Gods ordination and government. As it is the evill of Pride above other sinnes, that the inordination which makes other sinnes to be sinnes, is in a manner specificall and essen­tiall to pride, as Pride (Syr. 10.12) The begin­ning of Pride is when one departs from God, and his heart is turned from his maker. Therefore it hath for its propriety, that which constitutes the for­mality of sinne, aversation from God and con­verting to the creature; and for that reason is rightly called the beginning of sinne. So it is the good of Humility above other vertues, that what makes them vertues;S. Aug. de verbis dom. serm. 13. that they leave not the heart in the creature, but convert and subor­dinate it unto God: that is properly distinctive of humility, which therefore is made the begin­ning of grace, and honoured in the prime of the [Page 23] Beatitudes, as causing the soule to put no barre to the spirit, but set it selfe in absolute subjecti­on unto God, and so in capacity to receive his graces, and the full benefit of all his institutions, and inner teaching (Psal. 25 9. Math. 11.27) For humility subjecting the intellect to God, and the whole man to his direction, disposes to irradiation from Heaven; when as pride swel­ling in conceit of understanding, and refusing to be ordered, shuts out divine illumination.

St. PROSPER in his incomparable Epistle to the illustrious Virgin DEMETRIAS, among other mischiefes in pride numbers this; ThatDifficile peccatum suum superbus agnos­cit, [...]uretiamsi intel­lexerit, non currit ad medicum, sed de se si­bi remedium pollice­tur, nec unquam ibi proficit cura, ubi mor­bus est ipsa medicina, cum aliae cupiditates ea tantum bona qui­bus adversantur ini­minuant, haec dum omnia ad se trahit, si­mul universa cor­rumpit. the Proud man hardly takes knowledge of his sinne, or if he understand it, he runnes not to the Physitian, but promises himselfe recovery of him­selfe, nor can the cure proceed, where the remedy is a malady: and this, that whereas other lusts waste onely that good and vertue to which they are con­trarie, Pride whiles it arrogates all to it selfe; cor­rupts all at once: Therefore God withstands the proud, as who are averters from him, and meere opposites to him.

Cum omnia vitia fugiunt a Deo, sola superbia se Deo op­ponit. Boëthius. When all vices flye from God, Pride alone op­poses it selfe unto God, for by other vices men turne from God unto some good conceived in the creature, onely by pride they contend to dis­throne God, and set themselves in his roome, and bee all of themselves, and for themselves: whence to speake with Saint Ambrose, 1. Tim. 6. God as repeller of his owne wrong enters a speciall kind of combat against pride, as if hee should say, it is my [Page 24] adversary, CHAP. 3. it sets it selfe against mee, that encoun­ter belongs to me, Iames 4.6. The word signifies to stand appointed against another in martiall for­ces and array; and consequently implies that God, as it were, raises all his powers against the proud.

[...]. Chrystom. 3. de verbis Esai [...].The proude oppose God in his being, Alpha and Omega, the first efficient and last end. There­fore God resists them and so blowes upon them that they lose their efficiencies and ends: where he is said,S. Basil. in Hexam. l. n 10. ad f. [...]. Luk. 1.51. To scatter the proud that have sparsum cor, and become unsetled, ever wandring and vagrant in their designes, as who having no certaine bound, being repugnant to the true beginning and end, [...]. and they are scattered in the imagination of their owne hearts, and the high thoughts and plots wherein they glory as ratio­nall men, which being not governed by the Spi­rit, and out of subordination to GOD are er­rings, alwayes faile of their last end, and deter­mine in vexation of the dispersed and unquiet minde.

Haughty spirits are well compared to smoake, Psalm. 37.20.Ioh. diacon. ex S. Grreg. in vit. ci [...]s, l. 1. [...]. Which perisheth in ascending and vanisheth in dilating of it selfe: and to a wheele, Psal. 83.13. That rising in the hinder part, with the fore­part fals to the ground, and they are also made like a wheele, in that [...]. [...]. they moove not to any spirituall height, but runne a vaine circle and endlesse round, Luk. 14 11.

The humble is raised in and by his humility, because subject onely to God, and for God, and [Page 25] in God: now for that God is the most supreame, he that is immediately subject to him, is exalted by that humilitie to be neare unto God; contra­riwise, the more the proud lift up themselves, and goe about to bee somewhat of themselves, the further they remove themselves from God, which is the most debasement of the creature, Psal. 136.6. The Lord knewes the proud a farre off, because they are onely in his apprehension, not in his approbation, saith the Master of the sentences. Lib. 1. dist. 36. The Lord knowes the humble, and all good things neere hand by their resemblances, and Ideas in his Divine understanding; but there is nothing in God whereby he knowes the proud,Ego arrogantesnescio id est, eorum vitam in sapientiae mea arte non approbo. S. Greg. moral. l. 28. c. 3. he knows them afarre off by the opposition of humilitie, whose rule is in him, hee knowes them afarre off, as standing in furthest distance from him. So sure is that of St. Augustine. Ad Monimum L. 1. 18. the creature fiout fit clatione humilis, sic fit humilitate sublimis. The creature as by pride, it is debased, so by humilitie it is raised. Hee that insolently attempts to be more then he is, shall be lesse then hee was: and to subdue our naturall inclinations under Gods providence, and willingly suffer his pleasure is the directest way to bee raised out of a desolate condition: Humble your selves to God that hee may exalt you. 1. Pet. 56.

The greatest judgements of God have come upon the proud, and his greatest mercies on the humble. Pride made Angels Divels,Vid. S. August. in psal. 118. humilitie makes poore men Gods, Exod. 6.30.7. Lucifer the Prince in the highest of all the orders of An­gels, in pride assaying to be like God, fell from [Page 26] the top of Heaven to the bottom of Hell,CHAP. 5. as the blackest and worst of Divels:S. Isidor. Pelusiot. l. 1. [...]p. 15. and hee that suc­ceeded him in place, hath a fit name Michael. For a monition that the creature must not con­ceit or covet to be like God,Quis ficut Deut. but subservient un­der his grace. Adam proudly aspiring to bee as God, knowing good and evill, became as the beasts that have no understanding, Psal. 49. Vlt. whiles the proud word was in Nebuchadnezzars mouth, Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the honour of my Majesty? hee was strangely metamorphosed into the fashion of a brute, Dan. 4.30.31.

Herod vain-gloriously accepting the honour of speaking like a god, was instantly smit by an Angel of God, and eaten up of wormes. Arrogant Pharaoh that asked who was God, was taught by vermin to take notice of the Lord, which also was the discipline of proud Antiochus.

Read 2. Mach. 9.As notable are the mercies wherewith A­braham, Iob, Moses, and whoever most hum­bled themselves have beene of all other most re­nowned. The sacred Virgin, because she hum­bled her selfe more then any other woman or man, therefore found the greater favour and grace with God then any other woman or man, I or Angel, to be compare [...]is Deo Patri: Vid. acta concilij Ephesimi primi, and this phrase is used by Gerson, and Diony­sus C [...]thus. mo­ther to him to whom God was father. The Lord Christ because hee humbled himselfe in­comparably more then all; more then his holy mother: therefore God highly exalted him, gave him exaltation,Phil 2. to which all other hath no com­parison, [Page 27] or proportion,CHAP. 6. and by that title of hum­bling himselfe our Saviour merited (what other­wise was his due) the advancement of his name, and that lowly and manifest veneration at his blessed name IESVS should be here done by all Orthodox and devout Christians, & hereafter in­solent gainsayers that now refuse, be forced with infidels, pagans and all wicked men and divels to doe the same.

CHAP. VI. Of the chiefest exercise of humility.

MAny are like Caligula, humble servants, but proud Masters; humble till they get meanes to bee proud with authori­tie, but the triall of humilitie is not to be proud in honours▪ as David behaves himselfe like a child, Psal 131. when hee was a Monarch and might have domineerd over men;B. Greg. i [...] [...]. 7. c. 12. qua [...] [...] [...]r­tute na [...] [...] so­ler, nōnunquam tamē stulta meas, de perpe­trata se nequitia ex­altat, et quod omni vitio sit gravius, etiā de commisso vitio superbitur. not to bee proud, when men have something to bee proud of, that is humilitie; true it is, that such is the corruption of our na [...] [...] then farre, it will rake pride [...] dunghill, glory in shame: some are [...] base as to be proud of egre­gious sinnes, so foolish as to count every thing glorious that is notorious, but a little common modestie expels that shamelesse insolency.

The taske for humilitie, is to carry a deser­ving [Page 26] man through honour and dishonour with­out prejudice. That hee neither swell, when wrongfully dispraised, nor be puft up, when iust­ly extolled: for after the sentence of Saint Nile, De superbia. It's a great matter to endure reproach, but more to passe by praise without any damage to the soule. Hence our Lord is frequent in prohibiting the publi­cation of that which concerned his commendati­on,Ser. 4. de quadra­ges. Vicinum est rectis actionibus superbi e malum et de proximo semper virtutibus in­fideatur elatio, quia difficile est, ut lauda­biliter viventem laus non capiat humana, nisi ut scriptum est, qui gloriatur in Do­mino glorietur. [...]. Vid S. Nyssen in vit. ejus. that wee might have a precedent to use all meanes of avoyding vaine-glory for good do­ing. Gravely St. Leo, Pride is an ill neighbour to good actions, and haughtinesse ever lies at the catch in vertues, because it is hard for one that lives com­mendably, not to be tooke with humane commendati­on, wherefore I have to admire the rare qualitie of blessed Ephrem, that was all of water and sweat till he dropt hearing of his owne prayses, out of Chri­sti [...]n sh [...]mefastnesse, and a confl [...]ct of humilitie, not to be ov [...]rcome of honour.

It's not impossible that the most laudable deedes should be done in pride, for in them pride hath i [...]s principall throne, and it is easier to doe good, then to bee humble when we have done it, 1. Cor. 13.3. Which Saint Augustine observing writes,Imps. 43. prorsus in ipsa ecclesia [...]i [...]am c [...]tholica, pat [...]tis ca­tholicos defuisse aut deesse posse. qui causa [...]m [...]nae gloriae p [...]tr [...]e tur, si non essent hu­ [...]mo [...]i homine [...], non d [...]ceret apostolus, si tradi [...]ero corpus meū, &c. I will speake [...] true Catholick Church: thinke you that therein [...] were or can be wanting Catholiks, that would suffer [...] [...]mane glories sake, if there were not such men, the Apostle would not have said, if I give my body to be burned, and have not charitie, &c. And againe,B. Aug in psal. 72. sunt quidamqui faci­liu [...] o [...]ni [...] [...] pau­peribus d [...]r [...]nt [...], quam ips [...] p [...]p [...]es De [...] sunt. there be some that doe more easily give all that they have to the poore, then themselves become Gods poore. In such that [Page 27] of Saint Prosper is verified, loftinesse In Epist. ad Deme­triadem, infl [...]tio & ambitio, & proprio­rum bonorum superba defensio, possunt de­struere cleemosy nas, possunt evocuare martyria, si & mag­nas opes amore quis humanae laudis, & saeva supplicia non ca fortitudine quam De­us tribuit, sed quam de se praesumpsit, ex­cipiat. Hoc est nolle habere, quae Dei sunt, & ibi constituere me­ritum, ubi divinum cessavit auxilium. and am­bition, and proud ostentation of our owne good make almes, of no grace, martyrdome of no effect: If a man give away a great estate in affection of humane praise, and suffer d [...]re torments, not with the forti­tude which God infused, but which he presumed of himselfe.

Here is then the activitie of grace, to make the poore in Spirit rich in Vertue, and the rich in Faith and good workes humble in heart. That he which is rich in Gods Spirit, Spiritu Dei dives es, tuo pauper, S. Pau­lin ad Alothium may be poore in his owne, as Saint Paulin saith, Alethius was, he which is high in operation, low in opinion. [...]. Ser. in S. Athanasium. As Saint Nazienzen saith, that great Saint Athanasius was, hee that excels in knowledge not to bee puffed up, but the most learned Vir maximè dectus, & minimè superbus. in Prologo Hist. be least proud, as Malmes­bury saith, that venerable Beade was; he that works miracles, bee more admirable for his humilitie, then his wonder-working, asS. Bern ser. 2. De ramis palmarum. Elias, that after fire and raine miraculously fetcht from heaven, submitted himselfe in lowly wise to run before wicked Ahab.

All pride is odious, but that is most in grace, which is proud of grace and oppugnes God with his own best gifts; yet because the Spirit of vaine­glory, In Math. Hom. 5. Hom. 15. (as the author of the imperfect worke notes) is chiefely nourished by sanctitie, as the greatest excellency that man partaketh off, there­fore the most learned Father affirmes, that he who Qui expertus est vitiorum superando­rum gradus, intelligit hoc virium inan [...]s glo­riae, vel solum vel maximè cavendū esse perfectis, quo primo e­nim vitio lapsa est a­nima, hoc ultim [...] vin­cit. B. Aug in Ps. 7. hath experienced the degrees of quelling vices, perceiveth that the vice of vaine-glory, is either one­ly, or mostly to bee shunned, of them that are per­fect, [Page 30] for the vice into which the soule first fell, CHAP. 7. it last gets out. Pride is the heart of the old man, which first liv s, and last dyes; worthily the glorious Martyr Cyprian, Lib. 3. Ep 1 [...] Quia is ex [...]t [...]bit [...]r qu [...] [...]e [...], hand­li [...] est, ut magis i [...]f [...]d [...] ­an [...] aduersar [...]um [...], qui f [...]iti [...]em [...] ag­ [...]tur, & acrior [...], quia [...] [...]perant [...]m [...]. Because he that hum­bles himselfe shall be exalted; It is the humble mans pa [...]t, most to feare hutreacherous adversary, who most assaults the strongest, and being the fiercer for his fall, straines all his powers to conquer his Con­querour.

That same Phoenix of sinne revives out of its owne ashes, and oft regaines its life, out of the humility that kils it, and erects trophees over it: for as holy St. AUSTIN tells us,De natura & gra­tia, c. 31. Ʋbi l [...]ta­tus homo fuerit in ali­quo b [...]no opere, se eti­am s [...]perasse superbi­am, ex ipsa l [...]titia ca­put erigit & dicit quia trium [...]has? ecce ego vivo, & ideo vi­vo quia triumph [...]s. When a man is joyed of any good worke, and that hee hath got Pride under too, out of that very joy pride lifts up the head, and saith, why doest thou triumph, loe I am alive, and therefore alive because thou doest tri­umph? Wee must take great heed to hu [...]ble our selves as wee grow in grace, because the more wee humble our selves, the greater progresse wee shall make in grace; Quanto pl [...] profici­m [...], t [...]nto plas h [...]mi­liem [...]r, quia quanto p [...]us humiliati fueri­mus, tanto ampl [...]us pr [...]mus Faustus [...] and as wee humble our selves in the processe of grace, have vigilant care that wee waxe not proud of growing in humility.

CHAP. VII. Touching some evidences of blessed Poverty.

THe poore trembles at Gods word, re­putes any service of God too good for him, conceives himselfe the unworthi­est [Page 31] of all Gods creatures, and is contented that o­thers should so judge of him.

First, the poore trembles at Gods word,This [...] meete­ly fetches his deriva­tion from [...], for his dreading to [...]ffēd God and crosse the rule of holinesse and happinesse. (Es. 66.2) As understanding the least variance from it, a great hinderance to his comfort and felicity; and awfully reverencing it, as the word of the Lord of Kings, mighty in operation (Heb. 4 Ier. 23.29.) and rightly called the Kingdome of Heaven, for the dominion that it hath over the conscience, and the manifold graces and contentments, that every part of it ministers to the due observer, who shall not tremble at thy word, O Lord God of Hosts?

It is Luciferian pride to venture on courses a­gainst the knowne will of God (Ier. 13.15.17) Michael the Archangell durst not.Iude 9. Principali­ties, and powers, and the prime in all the rankes of Angels, that excell in strength; they dare not offend. and weake men thinke they should for­feit their greatnesse and gentility, if they made scruple of breaking Gods commandements. But the Poore that have sense of the Majesty of God, and his word, revealing the evill of sinne, and dejecting the soule for it; horror possesses him, lest he should incurre their offence: he holds no­thing little, forbidden by so great a word; and as altogether of no ability,S. Greg. in Iob l. 34. 17. ad tenuissimum malum suum infir­mari trepidat. is afraid of beeing mastered by his least sinnes.

2. The Poore not ignorant of his owne un­worthinesse, makes without any indenting, com­plete submission unto God, to serve in any worke, with what allowance the Lord pleaseth. [Page 32] (Luc. 15.19. Math. 20.7) And counts himselfe undeserving prelation in Gods grace and ser­vice, and that such is CHRISTS preheminence, as any reference to him exceeds all worldly promotion (Ps. 84.10) any office about him any other function, and [...]quires more reve­rence and purity, then is found in any man. For which cause, hee that was not inferiour to any womans childe, protested that hee was not worthy to carry CHRISTS shooes (Matth. 3.11)

He that is poore, by experience of the crea­tures unsufficiencie, aymes at nothing temporall nor created, but abstracted there-from refuseth any portion besides God; and knowing himselfe lesse then any of Gods mercies, seekes not them; but onely to please him in CHRIST, and that hee may bee satisfied in all Gods pleasure ful­filled in him. As RUSHBROCHApud Ludovic. Blo­sium, p. 540. in­treates, Like a Spirituall man, bee little and low, and whatsoever thou doest or leavest undone, desire no other reward but God, and if thou receivest any consolation, glory not; but avouch thy selfe unworthy of GODS gifts, and please not thy selfe in them, but returne them entire to GOD.

3. The Poore, conceives himselfe the un­worthiest of GODS creatures, [...]. this was St. PAULS doctrine (Phil. 2.3) In humblenesse of minde, let each esteeme other better then himselfe. And his practice (1. Tim. 1.15) reckoning him­selfe the chiefe of sinners: and (Ephes. 3.8) he [Page 33] accounts himselfe lesse then the least of all Saints: where he elegantly compares a superlative, that as hee had put himselfe above all sinners for extent of concupiscence and evill motions, so hee might put himselfe under all Saints, in omissions and good inclinations; Which the A­postle S. Bern. de vita so­litaria. Neque enim hoc dicebat Paulus mentiendi praecipita­tione, sed aestimandi affectione, quim. per­fectè examinando se­metipsum intelligit, suo peccato nullius peccatum par esse ex­istimat, quod non sicut suum intelligit, &c. spake not in a humour of faining, to gaine applause for underweening himselfe, but sin­cerely, as hee thought, by diligent search, know­ing more sinne by himselfe, then by any other, or then any charitie will mistrust by ano­ther.

This to doe, consider not onely thy owne good, but thy evill also; nor onely thy present vertues, but thy past vices; and weigh thy neigh­bours good as well as thine owne (Phil. 2.4) his good rather then his evill,Every man grie­vously sick complains of his sicknesse, as the most painfull of all other; so hee their is humbled under [...], supposes his [...] the most intolerable. S Chrys. tom. 4. hom. 67. and thinke that as there is in thee much latent evill, so there may be in him much secret good.

The Poore, though in divers things hee bee not so extravagant as some other, feares lest close corruption, Pride and Vanity should make his restraint worse then others outrage, his glistering, worse then their grosse sinnes.S. Bas [...]l. de humilitate. Hee ponders himselfe as himselfe, not the gifts of nature in him, which may possibly ex­cell the naturall endowments of other, and so the gifts of the spirit the graces of some other, he ponders not them, for they are Gods; but his owne concurrence therewith, and behaviour therein, and then hee is farre from ascribing any good to his owne deserts; and wonders at the [Page 34] patience of GOD, vouchsafing to coworke, and continue his grace, in so dry and barren a heart, and verily concludes that if the gifts, graces,Latroni si tanta con­tulisset Deus gratior te foret Francisce. and assistants afforded him, had beene collated on the vilest wretch in the world, hee would have been more proficient and thank­full.

Servus S. Ado in Marty­rologio. Nov, 29. Th. Martyr Sisinnius whē Maximinus the Em­peror asked what hee was, answered, ego peccator Sisinnius servus servorum Iesu Christi. servorum, was a terme, which ho­ly Martyrs and Confessors, speaking of them­selves, used long before St. GREGORIE, to ex­presse themselves the most unworthy of all Gods p [...]ople, and that they and all they had, was for the Church, and of dutie to bee in service to the least of CHRISTS brethren. And that there was none without some perfection which they wanted, and in that regard ought to bee subject to every one. (1. Pet. 5.5)

How remote from this poverty are those a­mong us; that separate themselves and say (Es. 65.5) Stand by thy selfe, come not neere mee, for I am holyer then thou (Revel. 3.18) Proudly ap­propriate to themselves the title of Professours, common to all true Christians, dreame them­selves and their Geneva to be the onely one, the Dove, the Queen; other Churches to be none, or but Concubines, As Brightman doth on the Revelation, and the Canticles. contemne government, debase the Church, vilifie others, vaunt thēselves as the peo­ple and singularists of the world, blesse thēselves that they are not as such and such, who in truth are good livers, and right worshippers of God, as the vaine-glorious Pharisee preferr'd himselfe afore all other men, and thank'd God, that hee [Page 35] was not as the Publican, to have been like whom, would have been his happpinesse, and the change of Gods right hand.

4. The Poore is not inraged that others think and speake of him as of no worth. PAUL that reputed himselfe of all sinners the chiefe, could meekely indure to bee used as the refuse and off­scouring of all things (1. Cor. 4 13) Then onely men really thinke themselves vile, when they are not vext that others thinke and say the like.

In the primitive times, some were noted for affectation of humility, by this; that they never spake of themselves, but percatores was every se­cond word; yet if any did never so little crosse or slight them, they could not containe them­selves from uttering Pride in all bitternesse of revenge. So in our dayes, many by demure looks and loud sighes, professe great spectacles of hu­mility, and at Feasts and meetings, are much in large invectives against themselves, for hypocri­sie and all untowardnesse; but they will never indure him that takes them at their word: and if any goe close to them, and say, thou hypocrite, &c. such breathing on them, melts the painted colours from their counterfeiting faces, and their pride breakes out in reviling, and damning all that question their new Profession.

St GREGORY observesIn Iob. l. 7. c. 12. Esse humiles sed fine despectu, esse contenti propriis sed fine neces­sitate, esse casti sed si­ne maceratione co [...]po­ris, esse patientes sed sine contumeliis vo­lunt. them vaine, that long after contradictions; To be humble, but with­out debasement; to be content, but without any want; to be chaste, but without any chastizing their body; to be patient, but without any provocation. Whereas [Page 36] they who are perfect at humility (1. Cor. 4.13) Rejoyce in contempt, CHAP. 8. though in respect to the glo­ry of truth and edification of others, when need is they justifie themselves, and wipe off asper­sions of error and ill life, and maintaine their calling and fidelity; yet what concernes them­selves, they choose rather to be esteem'd impure and abject, then holy and humble: because that more accords with their owne inner judgment, and more furthers them to mortification.

The Apostle mentioning his stripe above measure, and the rest which are written in the Schedule of Et caetera quae scrip­ta sunt in catalogo gl [...]riandi, S. Hierom. in Gal. 3. boasting, as St. HIEROME wittily tearmes that rehearsall (2 Cor. 11.23) premi­ses, that he speakes as a foole; noteing that al­though, he in condescending to their good, and constrained thereto, did lawfully and by gui­dance of the Spirit, recite his owne praises; yet out of such circumstances and simply in it selfe, it is folly to bee offended for disesteeme, and tooke with the opinion that others have of us, or any opinion of our selves, as Gnaricus sayes pret­tily,Serm. de Purifica­tione. Caterum qui in se gloriatur, & si­bi placet, stulto ho­ [...] placet. That hee which pleases himselfe, pleases a foolish man.

CHAP. VIII. Pointing at some wayes that facilitate Humiliation.

ST. BERNARD tells us, thatDe Quadrag [...]s. ser. [...]. Nihi est fa [...]t [...]tus [...], qu [...]m humil [...]ate [...]emetips [...]m. There is no­thing easier to him that is willing, then to humble himselfe. Which he may well be­leeve, [Page 37] that hath a heart sensible of the manifold inducements, or rather inforcements to humili­ty, that every one beares about him in sundry and great infirmities; if wee discusse our selves and search our wayes, wee cannot but finde our selves desperate and broken debtors, and unpro­fitable servants, and that when we doe our best, our wine is abated with water, our choise per­formances lamed with indevotion, and soyled with mixture of sinister aymes, haughtinesse and ingratitude; farre from that which beseemes Gods infinite worthinesse, and the multitude and quality of his favours to us, both common of creation redemption, &c: And speci­all which our consciences partly know, and partly suffice not to comprehend, in innumera­ble kindnesses and obligations to duty. And can we recount how guilty we are before God, how unworthy the least mercy, and meanest provisi­on, how deserving all punishments, for our ini­quities, misdeeds and omissions, for good gifts lost, impayred, unfruitfully detained, and yet that the Lord hath borne with us, and heaped num­berlesse benefits upon us, can wee recount these things and the like, and not humble our selves in the sight of God?

Notwithstanding, if proud flesh finde the hu­mility hard which God exacts, let us first sue to our Saviour CHRIST, who being infinitely lo­ving, and liberall, will not deny to give grace, and teach us, what he wils us, to learne of him, how to be humble. And the very praying for it, [Page 38] is a step to it; seeing as St. ISAAC testifies,De contemptuman­di, c, 21. Nullus n. e­gens & postulans potest non humi­liari. The more a man multiplies Prayer, the more his heart is humbled, for he that needs and begges cannot but be humbled Therefore God most communicates himselfe in Prayer, and therby measures his bles­sings to us, because that is the proper exercise of humility, wherein a Christian goes altogether out of himselfe, and relyes on Gods succour in CHRIST.

2. There is no finer way to confound Pride then this, when any stirrings thereof arise, and violently transport us, to take confusion to our selves for our weakenesse, who with all our for­ces are not able to suppresse the least proud thought. Sweetly St. BARNARD,Dominica 4. post Pentecost. Elata co­gitatione pulsatus, si ex ipsa materiam & o [...]casionem sumas hu­militatis, quo nimiru humiliùs, leinc [...]ps & objectiùs le [...]ipso tā ­quam le super [...] ho­mine sentias, Goliam utique Go [...]gladio p [...]remi [...]i being buf­feted with a proud thought, if thou take from it mat­ter and occasion of humility, to thinke thenceforward more basely and meanely of thy selfe, as of a proud man, thou hast slaine the great Goliah with his owne Sword.

Who so would have a lively feeling of his owne poverty, let him contemplate Gods riches, for [...] S. Basi [...]. [...]. he knowes himselfe, that knowes the distance betweene God and man: Muse in thy owne heart, O my God and all things who art thou! and who am I? and thou wilt be comp [...]lled to exclaime, Vnde mihi hoc, whence is this to me, that the Lord of Sabbath should vouchsafe to admit mee for his servant,Deus meus & omnia, quis est [...] & quis sum ego? friend, child, and judge himselfe honou­red in my poore service, so remisse, scant, and unbeseeming his immense dignity and per­fections!

Hence St. Iames would have us set our selves b [...]fore God that wee may bee humble, Iam. 4.10. Iob was full of arguments, and would faine have beene disputing with God upon even tearmes; but when God had lightly toucht his marvel­lous providence in the ordinary passages of na­ture, Iob confesseth himselfe vile, and layes his hand upon his mouth, as having nothing else to say, Iob 40.4. A glimpse of Christs Deity in a miraculous draught of fish, cast Peter downe at his feet in acknowledgement of sinne, and feare of his dreadfull presence, Luk. 5, 8. Which is al­so taught by Saint Gregory the great in these words,Gen. 18.27 Sancti omnes quāto magis di­vinitatis arcana con­spiciunt, tanto magis se nihil esse cogno­scurt, nusquā quippe legit [...], quod Abrahā cincrem et pulverem se esse professus est, nisi cum babert Dei meruit collocutionem, in Job. l. 18. c. 27. All the Saints how much the more they be­hold the secrets of the Divinitie, so much the more they know themselves nothing; for it is not read that Abraham profest himselfe dust and ashes, but when he had the dignity to have conference with God. Is dust and ashes proud? not if it remind what it is, there­fore by the speech the Patriarch takes humilitie on himselfe, and is a proofe, that the neerer men stand, and the more they see into God, they hum­bler they shall be: men may deeme themselues and their righteousnesse something, all the while they referre to creatures; but when they enter into Gods sight, in comparison with whom the light and puritie of the Heavens and Angels, is darknesse and obscuritie, they discerne them­selves nothing as creatures, worse as siners. Thus we cannot seriously thinke of Gods riches with­out poore thoughts of our selves.

4. But the surest course of all other to re­dresse [Page 40] swelling of the heart, is to prick it, Ps. 41. Contrite and humble be fitly joyned: Contrite that is, broken for sinne past, humbleS. Greg. in psal. 5 [...]. alledging S Hierom, to th [...]t [...]ff ct. that lifts not up his heart to sinne againe, Es. 66.2. but keepes it alwayes under by godly sorrow. We may credit St. Chrysostome Tom. p. 1 [...]0. hee said not simply [...]umble, b [...]t conti [...]e [...]. In 2 Cor. [...]er. 4 In l to [...]. and our owne sen­ses: that which is contrite and broken cannot bee puft up, though you would never so faine, rend thy heart therefore, saith hee, suffer it not to bee puft up nor sweld: for that which is rent, is not subject to windy swellings, and if there bee any thing that blowes it up, it cannot containe the inflāmation, in that it is rent.

All the wind of vaine-glory and popular ayre flyes out of a rent heart. O man looke with contrition upon thy feete, which have neede of washing, for the soile which they contract, even in the matter of which thou gloriest: and then downe Peacocks feathers, downe high thoughts, avant proud devill, get thee behind me, get thee to hell.

CHAP. IX. Propounding some swasives to labour humiliation.

IT much indeeres humilitie, that it is a ver­tue peculiar to Christianitie: learne of me to be humble, Mat. 11. that Doctrine is purely Christian, therfore Christ is said by St. Augustine [Page 41] De virginitate. c. 31. primus docuisse humilitatem. to have first taught humilitie, CHAP. 8. and to have in his proper stile Doctor humilitatis. Philosophers knew neither the name nor the thing. It is a vertue a­bove their Ethicks: for though among them mode­ration to know and keepe our measures bee com­mended for vertue; yet that this should be done in humble dependance on God by grace derived from him, [...]. in our Redeemer was above their lear­ning. Clemens Alexandrinus said right, thatStrom. 7. p, 527. [...]. men in nature may doe the same good that a good Chri­stian, but not from the same cause, nor with the same intention; for they cannot make God in Christ, neither their beginning, nor their end. Therefore the acting vertus in sup [...]rnaturall strength, and re­ferring them primarily to God and his glory in Christ, which is the Essence of humilitie, is a­bove the pitch of Philosophicall contemplation. As blessed Macarius determines, [...]. hom. 26 p. 326. This humilitie is the differencing note of Christianitie: when one is rich in grace, and yet sayes, another betrusted this treasure in me, for I my selfe am a poore man, to doe all in Gods power, and for Gods praise subje­cting our selves to him, and men as graced by him, confessing our povertie, and ascribing no good to our selves. This humilitie is De S. Thoma c, 8. in Meta­phrastus word, the cognizance of a Christian.

3. And the experienced Christian is urged to be that humble man, were it but to prevent the most fearfull scourge, substraction of grace, and falling into grievous sinnes. It is the observati­on of Saint Bernard, Supra Cart. ser. [...], habes huj [...]s rei evi­dens documentum de Apostolo, &c. that sometimes grace is sub­stracted, not for pride, which already is, but which [Page 42] would be, CHAP. 9. if it were not substracted of which you have a manifest experiment in the Apostle, 2. Cor. 12.7. so it is beneficiall to anticipate the blowes of a withdrawing hand, by studying humilitie, that wee may not bee trained thereto, by the harsh exerc [...]ses of firie, temptations to blasphemy, A­theism [...], and like ab [...]minable suggestions, as Saint Antiochus admonisheth,L [...]re S Sab [...]. 44. Give not thy soule to pride, and thou shall not bee constrained to suffer hor­rible fantasies and injections.

Sometimes when Christians will not other­wise humble themselves, God fearefully hum­bles them, by letting them runne into sinnes, which make them contemptible, and so cures sinne by sinne. As trecle to expell poyson is compounded of poyson: so of the Serpents poy­son God gives a soveraigne Antidote against the Serpent,A [...]d [...] t [...]er [...]m [...]. Rom [...]g [...] ­us in 2 [...]r. wh [...]rein God approoves the exquisited dexteritie of his healing hand. Thou wilt, saith Tertullian, In S [...]orp [...]a [...]o contra G [...] [...]. [...]. admire the Ppysitian, when he [...] cures [...]t by contraries, but a contrary way, easing by that which caused paine, asswaging heates, by overcharg­ing with heats. Thus God remedies pride; either gently, when his children are preserved from heavy falls, and overcome in light and familiar, [...]t humbl [...]d they may not trust to themselves in g [...]at things, who are mastered in small, or if that suffice not, by the bitter and deadly oper [...]ti­on of mortall sinne. I dare bee bold to say with St. Augustine [...] that it is requisite for the proud to sa [...] into some ope [...] & haynous sin, that so at least they may sa [...] out of conceit with themselves, that fell by [Page 43] standing in their owne conceit: Howbeit, some by ill taking of this physick adde to their disease,Gerson de consol. Theol. l. 1 prosa. 1. Sūt quos eo pericu­losiùs, quo subtiliùs decipit aestimatio sua, dum, &c. while they regard not to amend their sundry falls, but rather wax the prouder, imagining it be with them, as it was with the Apostle, that as hee was buffe­ted, that he might not be exalted with abundance of revelations, so they, that they should not bee puft up with the plenty of their vertues. Thus in scanda­lous fals they suppose not themselves fallen from grace; but onely checkt that they should not glory too much in their store.

But pittying them in their illusions, the tem­perate Christian may understand that nothing more forces God to withdraw his hand, then pryding our selves in his liberalitie, and that as fire is best kept alive under ashes: so the fire of the spirit in an humble soule remembring our selves dust and ashes. Whence humilite is called by St. Basil, [...]. 16. the storehouse for safe custody of ver­tues treasure.

3. It is humilitie that keepes vertue in grace, without that God would not have respected the greatest rarities of his servants, not the virginitie of blessed Mary; D. Bern. de laudib. virginis, serm 1 Sinc humilitate audeo di­cere nec virginitas Mariae placuisset nay, humilitie in ill deedes is more pleasing to God then pride in good, as Saint Au­stine collects from the Pharisee and Publican, Luk. 18.14. Who therefore resolves, Videte fratres, ma­gis placuit Deo hu­militas in malis fa­ctis, quam superbia in bonis, in ps. 93 melior est peccator humilis quam justus superb. tempore, serm. 49, a humble sinner to be in better case then a righteous boaster.

4. But there is no such attractive to humilitie as C [...]rists humbling himselfe, all whose forme was a representation of umilitie, whose humili­ty was the satisf [...]ction for Adams pride, and coun­terpoison of ours.

Well might Saint Austine say, God man is a grand remedy; if this remedy cure not pride, I know not what should cure it: Deus homo magna medicina, [...]ec medi­cina superbiam si non curet, quid eam curet n [...]scio [...] semp serm. [...]4. if we cannot thinke of Gods riches, without being dejected in appre­hension of our poverty, how shall wee thinke of his making himselfe poore for our sakes, and not goe wholly out of our selves, and bee lesse then nothing in our owne eyes?

Blessed Pachomius justly cryes out,In vita ejus. c. 53. Maij 14. O stu­pendious miracle! God who is high by nature, humbled himselfe, becomming obedient unto death, and we who are by nature base, are puffed up! As our famous countrey-man Gilbert reasons,Iure inan [...] reputa­tur substantia nostra­ [...] cuj [...]s assumptione ex [...]ss [...] se dicitur [...] pl [...] sup. [...]. our substance is rightly esteemed vacuitie, & emptinesse: in assuming whereof the fulnesse of all things is said to empty himselfe, Es. 40.7. Phil. 2.7. But if Christ emptied himselfe of Majestie, shall wee fill our selves with vanitie? if the King of all glory made himselfe of no reputation for us men, and for our sinnes, shall a Christian be asIn [...] de anima, [...] gloriae [...]. Tertullian sayes, A Philosopher was a creature of vain glory, what shall induce him to humilitie, that is not mooved with the humiliation of God? as it is urged by holy Macarius, H [...] s [...]r. [...]. hath God humbled himselfe for thee, and doest not thou humble thy selfe for thine owne soule? but art thou proud? a [...]t thou lifted up?

And then let all sound Christians as they grow to perfection, and to their end, imitate th [...]ir Lord, who after his glorious actions, and upon his mo [...]e glorious passion, was not the prouder but the more humble, [...]er [...]p [...]l p. 10. for then to teach [Page 45] humility, he washt his Disciples feet (Ioh. 13.2. 17) And as St. AUSTIN presseth the example,De Virginitate. c. [...] & quantum commen­davit humilitatem cui commendanda cri­am illud tempus ele­git, in quo illum prox­imè moriturum, cum magno desulerio i [...]tu­ebātur, hoc utiq, prae­cipuè memoria reten­turi, quod magister i­mitandus ultimum demonstrasset. How much did hee commend humility, for com­mending whereof he chose that time, in which his A­postles beheld him with strong desire, as who was rea­dy immediately to dye; Therefore they would of all other things, chiefly retaine that in memory, which so imitable a Master made the last demonstration of his grace. Wherefore let the astonishing humi­lity of our Saviour abasing himselfe to wash the feet of his servants, yea the filthy feet of the cur­sed Traytor Iudas, force us unto humblenesse of minde, devoted to the ministry of our brethren, in all services for their good; well considering, that it is infinitely lesse for us, to stoope unto a­ny offices, towards our fellow-servants, nay our profest enimies, then it was for the Lord IESUS, to lay aside his habit of glory, and descend so low, as the feet of his poore servants, I of his vile Traytor. [...]

Deare Christian should the mysticall body, or any part thereof be proud under a most hum­ble head? Pride and envie are the speciall sinnes of Devils, other vices be attributed to them by figure, these properly inherent in them; and one­ly the wicked Devils and their followers bee proud. Gods people, on earth bee poore and humble, the perfected Spirits humble, the holy Angels humble, the mother of God humble, God man most humble. After Gersons fine observati­on,De consolatione Theol. l. 1. Prosa. 4. Christs humanitie, Sicut in esse supposi­tali ficinnititur perso­nalitati filii Dei, qui­a propriam deserit, nec in se subsistit ita in esse gratta vel glo­riae, sic innititur Deo, quia nullatenus in se, & ita de Sanctis, quarto perfectiores, tanto humi [...]ùs & re­verentiùs in adjuto­rium Dei refluunt. the humanitie of Christ as in the personall be­ing, it so stayes on the personalitie of the Sonne of [Page 46] God, as to bee without its owne, and not subsist in it selfe, so in the beginning of grace and glory, it stayes on God, and not at all on it selfe, and likewise the Saints, how much more perfect they bee, so much more humbly and reverently doe they cast themselves on the ayde, and support of God. Hee that gives grace to the humble, grant us grace to bee humble, and in all grace to give glory to God, &c.

CHAP. I. Of blessed mourning, and the sub­ject thereof.

THIS [...]ning were an unpleasant and harsh subject, had it not blessed going before, and comfort [...] follow­ing after; but now the very bitter­nesse of the mourning is [...], which hathe blessing in it, [...] with it: well [...] to his [Page 50] Corinthians how hee rejoyced not they were made sorry,CHAP. 1. but that they sorrowed to repen­tance, so wee treat of mourning, not that wee would your sorrow, or that you should simply mourne, but that you may be blessed with such mourning as operates to saving and eternall con­solation.

But are all that mourne blessed? If they mourne spiritually; for of such Christ must bee under­stood, as of spirituall povertie, hunger, our Lord appeares to declare sufficiently who are the bles­sed mourners by placeing them betweene the poore and the meeke,In Cor. ser 4. in eth. [...] as if he should say, blessed is every one that being sensible of his spirituall indigence: doth from a broken heart and humble spirit lament the ill estate of himselfe and others, yet so meekely to rest content with the pleasure of his God in suffering evill, and wanting good. Particles in part continued acts, therefore our Lord saying, blessed be they that are mourning, intends them that doe it constantly, which Saint Chrysostome hath observed for us. Blessed are they that are mourning, that is, that doe it continually, and our Master assuring o [...]n solution to them on­ly that be mourning, intimates that the sorrow which is efficacious to [...] perma [...]nt [...] must be constant and [...], as Saint [...] declares,in ps. 29. ad fin. [...]. the sorrows [...] inta [...], [...] be such as d [...]plo [...]eth sonne [...] cryes and continuall [...] The dayes are evill, should [...] should wee [...] [Page 51] it is the judgement of Climactus: a true penitent conceives himselfe to loose every day in which hee mournes not. Gradu. 5. ad finem.

This spirituall mourning is called sorrow ac­cording to God, 2. Cor. 7.9. because as Aben-Ez­ra In his Comment upon the Decalogue. [...]. teaches more like a Christian then a lew: A man is bound to remember God every moment, so that whatsoever he doth he may not doe it but for his honour, and that hee refraine himselfe from things prohibited onely for the glory of God alone. After this rule sorrow according to God, as God would have it and mooves it, is devoted to him, and grieves more for the dishonour of God in a sinne, then for our owne pollution or punish­ment, which sorrow is said to worke repentance unto salvation, for that it causes daily usage of penitentiall practises by remembrance of sinnes past, and consideration of the present preserving the soule in horrour of them, and holy confusion of heart, and face for them, and so preparing it to walke humbly with God, and inferring a re­solution, to forbeare whatsoever is offensive, and for to please God, that it may rejoyce in him and his salvation.

Sorrow is the soules averting and withdraw­ing it selfe from that it apprehends evill, all evill is either of fault or paine, and both of them ei­ther our owne or others, therefore the holy gro [...]es, mournes: first, for his owne sinnes: se­condly, for the sinnes of others: thirdly, for his owne afflictions: fourthly, for judgements upon others.

CHAP. II. Of mourning for our owne sinnes.

THE godly sorrower is toucht with griefe, first and chiefely for his owne sinfulnesse, not sorrowing, but the cause makes the mourner; blessed are they that mourne not for their dead, nor their losse, but for their sinne, saith holy Chrysostome, to mourne for worldly things is a vexation annexed to them to mourne for heavenly things in a worldly man­ner, is our vanitie about them: but to mourne for Tamm [...]z, Ezech. 8.14. or with the Merchants of the earth to weepe over the mother of har­lots, Revel. 18.11. that mourning is most fleshly and diabolicall, as theirs is worse then bellish that mourne because they cannot sinne, in many particulars so much as they would, have not wherewithall to avenge themselves, have not meanes for their lusts in bravery, riot, and other excesses.

Hom. 22. ad pop.We cannot complaine of the world for lack of mourning, there is lamentation enough in e­very corner; this is our complaint, that men mourne in vaine, when sorrow cannot further them.S. Anastas. serm. in ps. 6.9. St. Chrysostome Ad pop. hom, 5.7.18. in divers homilie [...] wit­tely notes, that sermon remedies u [...] evil [...] [...], therefore God appointed it to homile faine, and of a malady of sinne made a remedy. E [...] 6.21. Bles­sed [Page 53] are they that weepe, exercise their sorrows a­bout their sins, the onely object in which griefe availes; I but some will say, wee are of such a constitution as is not capable of teares, if so Christ speakes againe to them, blessed are they that mourne, are you of such a temper as is not capable of mourning, neither it is not so much the trickling eye, as the bleeding heart that mournes before God, bemoaning and greatly condemning it selfe, 2. Sam. 24.10. Ier. 8.6.31.18. The heart of sorrow is in the sorrow of the heart: where there is most turning from, and flight of the heart, there is most of the definiti­on of sorrow, as Rom. 9.2. the Apostle defines his griefe by the great heavinesse, and continuall sor­row of his heart, Prov. 15.13. by the sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

And herein there is no sorrow like the sorrow for sinne, Zachar. 12.10.11. it equals the greatest sorrow in a familie which is mourning for a first borne, for one onely sonne,2. Chron. 35.25 [...] the greatest sorrow in a common wealth, which is the mourning for the untimely and unfortu­nate death of a pious and worthy Prince, as was Iosiah, for whom Ieremy made his lamentations, and in the name of the Church and state, [...] [...]f there were ever griefe like that griefe, I [...]. 1.12. The sorrow of grace may come short of that of nature extensively in teares & othe [...] ex­pressions, because therein grace is lef [...] unto [...] false and hindred, rather then assis [...]d from nature [...] spirituall sorow witho [...]: comp [...]iseth exceeds [Page 54] the naturall (intensively) & in the essence of griefe that we most really sorry for, which in our judg­ments and affections we most avert and shrinke from. Intell [...]ctuall griefe is the principall, be­cause of the highest faculty (and belonging to su­periour reason) whereby the understanding con­ceives sinne the greatest evill, and the will ab­horres it more then any other, and adjudges grea­ter heavinesse to the soule for it. Whereas in or­dinary griefes men would be without all sorrow, or sorrowlesse; holy griefe is voluntary, which the soule assumes on it selfe, and would encrease according to God and religion, in great desire of godlinesse embracing all griefes in order thereto. The godly heart prayes for the removall and keeping away of sinne, more then any dammage or misfortune, and for that it more composeth it selfe to sorrow, and in dislike of it selfe is smit­ten with horrour and shame, so as it is not in o­ther griefes.

I shall enlarge my selfe a little in this matter, to provoke them that can, and quiet them that would abound in teares: a meane conceit may make a man laugh more then hearing of a rich fortune befalne him, in which he more rejoyces; likewise lesser griefes may wet the eye, when great sorrowes dry the heart. And although there may be much difference betwixt the tears shed for joy, which trickle warme downe, and the scalding sharpe and salt teares that issue fromCassian. Col. 9.29. S. Isaac de contemptu mundi, c. 29 p. 698. sorrow, when all that is within a man is affec­ted with griefe, the teares that proceed a turba­to [Page 55] felle, from a troubled gall bring bitternesse with them, and running from the eyes, evidence by proofe of the taste the nature of salt which they contracted in theDe mirabilib. S. scripturae. inwards. Yet griefe begins to breake away when it sheds forth inS. Basil. [...]. teares: indeed teares are the sustenance of a sorrowfull minde, therefore our Saviour justly calles them blessed that weepe, because the grie­ved soule receive [...] therein great content, many mourners would buy that repast at high rates.

But it is manifest from holy DAVID, that Re­ligion extracts teares, and that in plentifull mea­sure, from the most valiant and warlike, when­soever it findes a constitution apt thereunto: they that can weepe upon any occasion, if Reli­gious, doe oft weepe for their sinnes, one of the Ancients resolves,De vera & fals [...] poenitentia. c. 9 Seiat se culpabulitèr duru [...] qui dest [...]t dama [...] tem­poris, vel mortem a­mici, & dolorem pec­cati lachrìmis non o­stendi [...]. Hee may k [...]ow himselfe viti­ously hard, that weepes for temporall losses, or the death of friends, and utters not his griefe for sinne in teares. It is reported of St. PETER, that he wept so often as he heard a Cocke crow, and that by continuall running of his teares, as it were Chan­nels, came to bee made in his blessed face. And of St. ARSENIUS,In vit. Pat [...]. par. 2. Sect. [...] 3. P [...]t con­lora [...] ejus [...] jugi fle­tu ceciderunt. That by perpetuall weeping the haires fell from his eyes, and that all his life long, sitting at worke [...] had a cloth in his bosome, because [...]f the teares tha [...] powred downe out of his eyes.

(Lam. 3.48, 49.51) The Prophets eyes affected his heart, fo [...]un [...]ing in a manner the sorrow thereof, and streaming teares, till the heart mel­ted in griefe; such tendernesse [...] by Prayers, [...]athe [...], [...] th [...]gh by any [...] after [Page 56] windes comes raine, invoke we then the South winde to blow upon us, the spirit to descend into our harts, as a mighty wind, to raise showers and floods of teares:Cassian. collat 9. cap. 29.30. no violence is to be used here, ^h but God to be wayted on, that with the influence of his gracious looke he would thaw our frozen hearts. All consciences witnesse with St. BER­NARD,De modo bene vi­vendi, c 10. Omnis Peccator tunc se cognoscit visitari a domi­no, quando compungi­tur in lachrymas, uam & Petrus tunc flevit, quando in eam Chri­stus respexit. Every sinner knowes himselfe to bee then visited of God, when he is strucke with compunction, that teares follow.

And though Thunder inferre Raine, the threats of judgments wring teares from beleevers eyes, yet the soule is more easily melted into such ex­pressions,So S. Gregor. A­moris flamma succen­si ordeamus in lachry­mis cum odore virtu­tum, in Ezechibom 22. p. 1222. by consideration of Gods innumerable mercies, then by any representation of torments, and the sweetest way of distilling teares, is by vehement and burning love, which is full of soft and tender affects. Which to have at command, and be baptized and will (as the Fathers speake) with holy teares, is an advantage of a contempla­tiveQui provecti sunt in arcem contempla­tionis, fletum habent in virtute potestatis, S. Gregor. in 1. Reg. l. 4. c. 5 p. 339. person, that oft retyres himselfe from the world, and warmes his heart in meditation, in resemblance whereof wee see MARY the devo­tianall sister that sate alone she was the weeper.

But to them that would weepe because they cannot weepe, I say with St. ANASTA [...]IUS,Sinaita serm. de sa [...]a synaxi, p. 108. If thou caust not weepe, at least sigh and hee sad. And truly if there be a good man, which cannot possi­bly weepe, how can hee possibly but mourne, when he takes to heart, how his sinnes are increa­sed over his head, mee in number than the haires thereof, yea passing all Arithmeticks, and is [Page 57] neare to infinity as number can make them.

Now God be mercifull to us, and soften our obdurate hearts, if there be no blisse for any that mourn not for sin: Where shal they appeare, who (Pro. 2.14) rejoyce to do evill, and delight in the frowardnes of the wicked: Are so hungry that they cannot be satisfied with their owne sinnes, but they must be glutting themselves also with the Reprobate acts of others, applauding and taking pleasure in them (Rom. 1.32.) You may conceive how few are blessed, so few mourne; now a dayes it is as it was to DAVID, a reproch to weepe (Psal. 69.10) Men can mention their sinnes with dry eyes and light hearts, yea make themselves and others merry with them, I glory in them, Hinc est quod lachry­maram causas tripu­d [...]tes peragunt, hinc est quod mortis sua negotium ridentes ex­equurtur, B. Gregor in Iob. l. 20. c. 15. and act causes of teares with triumph, and dispatch the businesse of their death laughing. Fooles make a pastime of sinne, (Pro. 14 9) As if it were but a laughing matter, which the blessed Apostle could not tell men of without weeping (Phil. 3.18.19.)

What that the world hath brought us forth Roarers instead of Weepers, a generation of men so abandoning all sorrow for sinne, that they often bely themselves, and faine to have com­mitted the sinnes they never did, to advance their credit as they take it with evill companiōs, as St. AUG. confesses of himselfe before his con­version,Confess. l. 2. c. 3. Ʋbi non suberat qua assso aquarer per­ditis, fingebam [...] furcisse quae non sec [...] ­nem, ne viderer ab­juctior, quo eram in­ [...]cention. Many make no burthen of grievous and mortall sinnes, but goe light away, crying is this such a matter? Which matter neverthe­lesse, cost the LORD CHRIST his dearest blood, and would appeare to [...], where they [...]kened [Page 58] out of their dead sleepe and securitie,CHAP. 3. enough to sinke all creatures into the bottomlesse pit. A few soft words, wee are all sinners, God helpe us, bee they never so coldly spoken, and on the by, suffice the most to bewaile sinne; but whe­ther that bee the broken and contrite heart that God d [...]spiseth not, whether it be the mour­ning here blessed, I leave to the common sense of experienced Christians, and proceed to the se­cond head of mourning for the sinne of others.

CHAP. III. How Christians are tyed to mourne for the sinnes of others.

HEre I must intreat you to looke backe a little and observe, that none can religi­ously mourne for the sinnes of another that is not first heartily sorrowfull for his owne, a publick mourner must beginne at home ac­knowledging with Nehemiah. Chap. 1.6. I and my fathers house have sinned, and with Daniel, chap. 9.20. confessing his sinne, and so the sinne of his people.S. Aug. ep. 122. Vide que [...]admoda [...] sua peccata priùs di­xit, & postea populi sui. How bold is the profane mul­titude that never tooke upon them so much as a sad countenance for their sinnes, and yet make as if they were heavy, and presume to cast forth words of discontent at the times. There are a­bundance that finde much to mourne for in the Church, much in the common-wealth, either in [Page 59] their owne houses,CHAP. 2. nothing in their owne hearts that ascribe all evill to the faults of others, that turne their mourning for sinne into censuring.

Hypocrite, first cast out the beame out of thy owne eye, that thou mayest see the sinne that is in thy right hand: leave thy usury, thy sacriledge, thy hard & fradulent dealing, and then we will be patient to hear thee charitably lamēting some scādal [...] (it may be) in the Church, & abuses in the State. Of a truth, if these people could be perswaded to keep with­in and note their owne deficiency, they would not have the tythe of the leasure, & forwardnesse that now they have, to usurpe judicature over whole Churches and kingdomes; nay the strict­est of them might espie in his owne soule such haughtinesse, such insensiblenesse of sin, such im­patience, such indevotion, see himselfe so im­pure, so unmercifull, so implacable, so unable to suffer one ill word for righteousnesse, for Christs sake: that his conscience would compell him to cry out, Va mihi quia tacui, Woe is me for my owne innumerable omissions, Ecce ego peccani, I am the man whose sinnes pull downe judge­ments on the world, (as Bradfords frequent con­fession is) It's my hypocrisie, va [...]itie, inco [...] ­cy: It is my pride, my in [...]tude, my unpro­ficiency that deserve uns [...]ble [...] her, and contagious diseases, that urge GOD [...] the common-weale bee [...]dled with male-coo­ [...]s, the Church with two confor [...]itan [...]s: and [...] with the [...]st of [...] [...]ourning, sighe [...] and dep [...]on, for the spread­ing [Page 56] [...] [Page 57] [...] [Page 58] [...] [Page 59] [...] [Page 60] vices of our ti [...] and nation.CHAP. 3.

But (care ever had that wee begin with our owne) wee stand obliged to goe on in mour­ning also for the sinnes of other men:S. Basil. Ascet. defin. contract. qu. 296. which is a demonstration that a man hates & sorrowes for sinne as sinne, when hee grieves not onely for his owne (which is his owne plague) but for others also, whose punishm [...] should not touch him.

A proofe of godly sorrow, when one mour­neth for that God is dishonoured and disobeyed by whomsoever. An argument of brotherly low, when a Christian is grieved for anothers e­vill as his owne. An evidence that wee hate not the person, but the sinne, when wee are sorry for the party sinning. The Philosopher is right,In his Rhetonques, [...] [...]. Hee that hates i [...] [...] grieved, Christs anger is implyed to issue fro [...] charitie, because Marc. 3.5 he was grieved for the hardnesse of their hearts, with whom hee was angry for the obstinacy of their spirits.Redivivam in illis partibus infidelium perversitatem suspi­ras, dignissi [...]s do or qui dedita deo corda contristet, nec est a­pud eos laps [...] illa­mentabilis, apud quos est igniculus charita­tis. Qui [...] unum spiri­tualium votum est, salus inconcussa cun­ctorum. Hormisda, in Epistola ad Possesso­re [...]. So the Psalmist protests his hating the haters of God, with a perfect, not a malici­ous hate, for that it was accompanied with griefe, Psal 139.21.22. The soule that is inst [...]ed with charitie, longing for the salvatio [...] of all, [...] without griefe take knowledge of any [...]at [...]s per­dition: the str [...]e griefe is a testimony of a living member in Christs mysticall body, nor [...] be [...] without feeling in the ma [...]ectes of those [...] whom God hath joyned [...] by love, 2. C [...]. 22.2 [...] ▪ which made devo [...] [...] De benè viven­do, c. 13. Tam diu­d [...]let me [...], quā ­diu in co [...]pore conti [...] ­ror [...]. say, [...] memeber is sens [...] [...] body, so is it [...] [Page 61] [...] grieved and mournes not for the [...] ande [...]str­ [...]ares of his fellow members, he hath [...] in the body of the Church ( [...] a corp [...]r [...] ecclesia) And truly considering the worth of a soule, how can a true Christian [...] grieve, see­ing so fine and noble creatures perish a [...] are me [...] soules, each whereof i [...] [...] the whole aspectable world,Lu [...]r [...]los. [...]n [...]. Spirit. c. 6. The soule as cre­ated by God is more pretious then all the rari­ties, ornaments, and wonders of the universe. All the brave Fo [...]ts, famous Towers, i [...]preg [...]ble Castles and goodly Cities of the whole [...]. And yet if a man could stand in a [...] of the world, and see them all as once perishing, his heart were harder then an Adama [...], if he could restraine sorrow. How then should a Christian forbeare grieving for the perdition of soules! Especially when he contemplate, that their va­lue is more than doubled in the pries which CHRIST hath layd downe for them, wherein they are dignified above Angels. And [...] Christian doe lesse then [...], that they should perish for whom [...] dyed?

There are very many [...] [...]e guilty of another [...] [...] [...] is by not grieving [...] the sinne thine [...] [Page 62] griefe, for that they are insensible of their evill, and understand not how, and how miserably they goe to ruine: S. Basil. de morte. Perhaps while we weepe, they will laugh, and even that invites our lamentation: for if by our mourning they assumed any sense of griefe, wee might cease mourning because they would amend: but by reason that no sense of griefe affects them, let us continue S. Basil. Sel. ser. 42. weeping.

In this our godly mourning we must adde griefe to our sorrow for them, to whom we are obliged in severall interests. And forasmuch as spirituall bands tye closer then the naturall, wee ought in peculiar manner to deplore the faylings of them that are truly Catholicke and Ortho­doxe in Religion, and have a name for right Christian profession, for that they more nearly concerne our LORD CHRIST, and scandalize his Faith and worship.

Sweet IESU how accursed is their jollitie, that make themselves mirth with the sinnes of o­thers, and especially with the diversions of thy best servants, taking thence their occasions to declame against all forwardnesse in Christian ser­vice, and conversation; when if they had the least drop of holy sorrow, it would expresse It selfe in such an opportunity (Psal. 69.6) Let none of those that feare thee be ashamed because of me, O Lord God of Hosts. All they that waite on God, and arigh [...] [...]ecnd his honour and worstly, are ashamed when [...] that have reference to him in a pious way doe openly transgresse▪ St. CYPRIANDe dupl. Martyrio. Totum ecclesia catū demittere vultus at (que) e [...]ubescere. [...] might see then, [Page 63] when a sacred Virgin lapsed, that shame filled the face of the whole Congregation, and cast [...] their countenance. And all they that with good minds set themselves to serve God, most ardently crave his continuall helpe, that the Church and holy, courses, may not suffer for th [...] d [...]faults.

Here I must advise them that mourne for the sinnes of others, to be [...] that they abuse not a good affection for [...], gree­ving at the liberty of others, [...] of greater knowledge and [...].

That they use it not in hypocrisie or colour, for disgracing others under shew of sorrow, and praying God to forgive them, and [...] their hearts. Dissemble not with God and the world. If thou greevest for thy neighbours finde, thou wilt beseech God to pardon and [...] him, in secret, and not i [...] the hearing of others.

[...] to hide [...] [...] ­tablenesse, and set out thy, [...] with the figures of Divine and Heavenly griefe. God markes for his, [...] and [...] in sec [...] for the [...] those that [...] themselves [...] loud s [...]ghing and g [...]aning in [...] and [...]ling out in [...]

[...] [Page 64] Religious FatherSuper. Cant. ser. 24 Sr. BERNARD, There be that endeavour to sha [...] the [...] they have con­ceived and cannot conceive, with the false author of counterfeit demurenesse; you may see deepe sighes premised, [...] with a sad countenance, dejected looke, and dolefull voice, slander comes grav [...]ly and slowly forth; And truly so much the more perswa­sive, by how much it is beleeved of those that heare it, to be uttered with an unwilling minde, and rather with the affection of a Condoler, then any fetch of malice: I am grievously sorry saith hee, for that I love him very well, and never could reforme him in this thing: Another tells you, I knew so much of him before, but it should never have g [...]e further for­me, but seeing the matter is come out by another, I cannot deny it, I speake it with griefe, indeed it is e­ven so, and then addes (gr [...]nde damnum) it is great pitie; for truly otherwayes hee excels in many things, but in this particular, to confesse the very truth, he can no way be excused.

These motes removed out of the Mourners eye, it is the mirrour of Christian heart; there­fore I may not in conscience omit to reprove those that traduce the spirits mourning, and im­pute it to melancholy and de [...]emper. Whereas it cannot consist with charity and true Religion, to bite in sorrow, when God is openly [...]. The sonnes of [...] with the children of God, first by their [...] teares from their eyes, then to upbraid them with their sorrowes; who [...] can looke cheerfully, when [...] [Page 65] places and companies, there is much blasphe­ming of holy [...] the and [...]orders▪ much patro­nizing of irreverence and singularity, much ar­guing for sacriledge and usury, much swearing, cursing, drunkennesse and other exersses. Let the followe [...] of mirth desist from the [...] and the like enormities that extent griefe, and if the righte­ous testifie not joy in their countenances, we will joyne with their reprehendars. In the meane while it is good to be perswaded by St. CHRY­SOSTOME,Ser. L [...]e compunctin [...], one. And what others due for the bodies of men, to doe for our [...] their soules; [...] them dead in sinne.

Shall an One lawe and m [...]ne over [...] Oxe, and not a man have racionall griefe, a Christian spirituall, for a d [...]d soules Wherefore as IONAS the Fa [...]her [...] [...] S. Chrys. tom. [...]. ser. [...]4. in sin. exh [...]. If thou he fro [...] thy selfe, land thy neighbour [...] for th [...] [...] that [...] so much as weepe for [...] S. Chrys. in Heb [...]. hom. 15. [...]

CHAP. 4. CHAP. IV. How many Saints being very transcendent in their griefe for other mens sinnes, leave them without excuse that have no common measure of godly sorrow.

DIVines, and of Divines the most learned and glorious St. AUGUSTINE writes agreeable to all Christian sense,S. Aug. de Trin. l. 8. c. 9. I know not how, we are more quickened to love of the rule through Faith, whereby we beleeve that some have so lived, and hope whereby we no whit despaire; that we also who are men may so love, in that some men did so live, and thereupon both desire more ar­dently, and crave more confidently: wherefore it shall not be unusefull for us to weigh how some have exceeded the measure of injoyned griefe, that wee may not defect in this sorrow comman­ded. How large was IEREMIES heart, cap. 9.1. who lamenting the Iewes for their sinnes and judgements cryed out, O that my head were wa­ters, and mine eyes a fountaine of teares! The good Prophet affected to bee metamorphosed into a fountaine (as the Poets [...]) that with weeping continuall Rivers of teares, hee might overflow and wash away the iniquity of the times, which the Kingly Prophet performed [...] [Page 67] some degree (Psal. 119 136) Rivers of teares runne downe mine eyes, because men keepe not thy Law: as if it were said, I oppose flouds of teares to the deluge of other mens sinnes.

O the almost altogether inimitable transcen­dency of MOSES and St. PAUL in this kinde of sorrowing, of whom excellently St. CHRY­SOSTOME;Ser. 1. in S. A­post. Fauluns. [...]. S. Basil. de flu. lat. q. 3. Origen in Rom. 9, B. Na [...]. apol p. 23. S. Eulogius in Bibli­otheca Photij co [...]. ult. p. 1604. S. Isidor. Pelus. l. 2. Ep. 58. MOSES indeed chose to have peri­shed with others; but St. PAUL chose, not to perish with others, but others being saved himselfe to fall from endlesse glory (Rom. 9.1, 2, 3) In a rapture and holy trance of superabundant charity, his affe­ction got as high as any speculation. St. BER­NARDNonne me [...]th bene affecta sana quadem videtus esse [...]s [...]la cunt impossibile sir ef­fectu, h [...]b [...]r [...] si [...]cu [...] i [...] affectu, pro Ch [...]s [...] a­ [...]hem [...] velle esse a Christo. De natura & dignitute a [...]ris Divae. 3. Optat [...] es­se a Christo id est so­lus [...]er [...]e no o [...]ne Is­ra [...]uer [...] [...] po­ra [...], S. Hieron ad M [...] ­di [...] quest. [...]0. Ad [...]g a [...] qu. [...]. askes, Doth it not seeme in a well affected minde a certaine sober being besides it selfe, to have that fixt in the affect, which is impossible to be in ef­fect, to be willing for CHRIST, to be anathema from CHRIST?

The blessed Apostle bore such love to soules, and good will to his nation, that he would glad­ly have suffered such paines, as a separate from Christ indures, to have bought off their unbeliefe, that they might have injoyed Christ and his be­nefits. As in [...]he charity St. CATHARINE of S [...]es, is reported [...]o have kissed the ground which Preachers trod on, for that they did [...]perate with God in the fat [...] of soules: and [...] Gra [...] [...] in c [...] ­pendis [...]ntrad [...] [...] ad s [...]dulum f [...]d [...] [...]. 3. cap. 7. besought God that [...] her faith and body [...] might step up the passage [...], tha [...] [...] [...]ght [...]. St. Chrys. is frequent in the [...] of the A­postles charity, saying PAULDe la [...] [...]. 2. [...] be for and with the [...] of Christ [...] [...] ­ber [Page 68] of the punished, thou without it in the highest of honour. And againe, PAUL loved his enemies, so as no man loves his friends, for who would indure to goe to Hell for his friends, when he might goe to Hea­ven? Likewise blessed MOSES before him, would have beene blotted out of the Booke of God for his ene­mies that (would have) stoned ^f him. In Hebr. hom. 19.

To understand that they were not exorbitant in their profound griefe, but fetcht an high com­passe of devotion, let us informe our selves that there is in hell and damnation, a plenitude of sin and paine; in Heaven and salvation, fulnesse of grace and glory: Now a gracious soule may bee affected with such griefe for sinne, and Gods dis­honour, and the losse of other mens soules as to be willing to divert them, if it might bee, with suffering the utmost paines that condemned crea­tures doe or can endure. And happie i [...] hee that hath so farre denyed and mortified himselfe, Didaem Stella de contemptu mundi l. 3. c. 11. Adrian. fol. 112. Ioh. Avila apud Rosignol. de Christiana perfectio­ne, l. 5. 26. as to bee ready to undergoe even all the pa [...]es of hell for Gods love, so hee may continue in his grace. For no good heart can indure the thought of being sepa­rate from Christ, as freeing us from sinne, and a [...] being the fountaine of grace and acceptance with God, in well doing and holy suffering. Ma [...] mesh. writes,De gestis Pontifi­cum, l. 1. Ʋt dicerer, ma [...]e se esse sine pec­cato in inferas quam cum peccato in co [...]lo. that S. Ansel [...] so abhorred sin, That he said he had rather h [...] an [...]all [...] sinne, then in Heaven with sinne [...] might be [...] admitted) By like Christian inclinations, devoti­onall man may bee so [...]oured with grace and divine service as that hee would with cont [...] h [...] in hell with more fruit and honour to God, then in heaven with lesse.

And that there is possibility for the most dreadfull torments, griefes and dolors to bee suf­fered, without being divided from God, as the welspring of grace in suffering them, is evident from our LORD CHRIST, to whom God was then nearest by grace, when hee complained as forsaken of him. Put the case here, the Saints fore-mentioned had enjoyed their wish, they should have beene infinitely happy in not being happy, for the most glorifying of the Creator, is the greatest glory of the creature.

This is alway to be remembred, that such de­gree of love and griefe in them, was heroicall and befell them as cast into a [...] [...] of love, and wrapt therein somewhat beyond the [...] of a traveller; to love God, not for themselves and their owne good, but themselves onely in God and for his service andS. Durn. de diligen­do Deo. glory.

This flower growes not in every good [...] Garden: many ignorant of what spirit they are become vaine in their protestations, and have oft in their mouthes, how they could wish to be [...]o­ [...]rsed for the conversion of their Comm [...], for the reformation of their Parishes, [...] [...]ey that know themselves will not be so presumptu­ous, as to talke of doing [...] [...]ch very few word [...] by [...] [...]ink [...], Let Pro [...]lent [...] by the [...] possi­ble, and what [...]ey should [...] to [...]ee like [...]ded in their [...] they rise not to [...] [Page 70] at the Sunne, though hee come farre short, will shoot higher then if he aymed but at a shrubbe.

And truly, to consider their Cup over run­ning with teares, it will at least moisten our eyes. LOT was a rare man, that wrought such sorrow upon his Soule, that continuing in Sodome, the flaming Fornace thereof could not dry up the Fountaine of his teares and mourning from day to day (2. Pet. 2.8) He is an instance that a Chri­stian sojourning where Hell is broke loose, and overspreads the face of the earth, may by much exercise, neverthelesse maintain continuall mour­ning, and nourish godly sorrow, even with the impiety that besets him.

Our holy Saviour in the midst of the chiefe ho­nours afforded him in the world weeps amaine, (Luke 19.36.41) considering the unrepentance of the Iewes, and the miseries which after ma­ny yeares should come upon them for it, that we might learne to shake off all security, and use meanes, that our hearts be not at any time so tooke with the contents of the earth, but that we may be ever ready to mourne, as just occasion shall invite [...] then our Master,Ier. 12.15, 17: when he admo­nished Ierusa [...], and she profited not, wept o­ver her, so if thou livest in a perverse quarter, that benefits not by thy example and monitions, mourne and weepe for them. And if obstinacies will die, helpe to bury them with teares. This shall demonstrate in thee a good and gracious dis­position, after the saying of St. CHRIS, If the Hom. 23. in Hebr. [...]. body be dead, [...]h [...] repute [...] them without [...]as [...]ion [Page 71] that mourne not, a soule perisheth; and doest thou say, CHAP. 5. mourne not, but I cannot be a father and not weepe. Nor canst thou be a brother and not weepe, and not mourne for men and brethren wilfully living and dying in trespasses and sinnes.

CHAP. V. Of mourning for our owne miseries, and the calamities of others.

I Am something afraid, lest I have beene lon­ger handling, then many will bee in practise­ing godly sorrow for the sinnes of others. Therefore, and that I weary not the Peruser, I will but briefly touch the third and fourth exer­cises of mourning for corrections and punish­ments upon our selves and others. I [...]. 12. [...]7. Our Lord Iesus himselfe was in much perplexitie a­bout his passion, for this among other reasons, which Saint Bernard well prosecutes,De. pass. Dom. c. 13. to pre­scribe his followers (d [...]i [...] [...] example fr [...] ­man) a rule for doctrine, and pra [...]es, th [...] [...] hanging over our heads [...] when they [...] pro [...]e Lord may and [...] of us, that he would [...] the scour­ges of his anger. And yet [...] not remooved by example [...] them thankfully patiently [...] [...]ot hee insensible under [...] [...] ­rections, but oft, and [...] [Page 72] and beg forgivenesse and favour upon our knees, 2. Cor. 12.8. What? a child, and not in all hum­blenesse to crave pardon under the fathers rod!Iam. 3.33. Deare Christians, should not wee grieve that wee constraine God to take hard and harsh courses with us, against the earning of his father­ly bowels. Compare, Es. 52.5. Ezek. 26.20. Rom. 2 24. and it will bee manifest, that as God is glo­rified in great deliverances, so hee is blasphemed in grievous distresses of his people, many feet slip thereat, and many mouthes are opened to say (however most profanely) if they were good God would use them better: if their faith were right, God would rebuke their enemies. Is not true Religion reproached, when the adversaries thereof prevaile by force of our sinnes? should it seeme a light thing in our eyes, wee occasion such blasphemies against God and his truth, and the generation of his children, by provoking him to bring as under the [...]aile!

That of griefe in our owne miseries. Now as briefly to speake of commiseration in other mens calamities exercising as men, humanitie and compassion to them, as Christians pitie and fel­low-seeking:Read ps. 79.80. Esai. 22.4. Ier. 4.19. read Psal, 90. how Moses the man of God was affected, beholding in the wildernesse the death of [...]o [...]o [...] men, and remember how our sweet Lord i [...] [...] [...]t visit o [...] Ierusalem, wept wh [...] [...] came within sight thereof, Luk. 19 40. [...] de [...]g [...]e [...] of the chi [...] and the multitude o [...] [...]ule [...] therein, it mooved his bowels that [...] should miserably [Page 73] be destroyed, the glory of all Asi [...] the beauty of the whole earth raced to the ground.

Verely if we cast our eyes over the wor [...]d we shall see, that if ever, now is time to weepe: to passe by the holy land, which yet who hath un­der dominion,Read Idiot. de mor­te. c. 7. wee cannot thinke of without sighing; who can but lament the fortunes of Greece, whose children are pitifully oppressed by the Turke, and tyrannically kept from meanes of learning, which if they had, so as to peruse their ancient fathers, and accordingly to reforme themselves, in divers particulers, possibly they might be as flourishing a Church as ever. Is there any Christian bea [...] that can without sorrow meditate the desolation of the [...] Churches, and the poore termes of Christ [...] [...] there, to those of former ages, that three Patriach's, and the reliques of famous Churches under them should bee enslaved to Pagans, that from Ierusa­lem to I [...]rirum in the most goodly countreys of the earth, in the prime of Saint Pauls travailes and plantations, Tarcisius should overflow, and Mahomet bee honoured, where CHRIST was worshipped. And [...] ho [...], what sorrow sufficeth in behalfe of [...] [...] ­ring nations, the hea [...] of [...] religion is [...] of dangerous superstition, [...] novelty. Oh Christianitie, [...] dome Religion should [...] of so many brave [...] and [...] the fury of warre. [...] noble and worth [...] [...] [Page 74] held out of their dominions. That our land is af­flicted with unkindly seasons, letting in evill dis­eases and inconveniences upon us; that the plague, the perpetuall fore-runner of an angry God, the Lords harbinger (before him goeth the pestilence, Hab. 3 5) hath set an heavy foot in severall pla­ces. And who is ignorant of other numberlesse causes for our greatest griefe.

But alas for griefe, These times in our exi­gents and the excision of other Churches and States, in stead of mourners, produce us wantons that make much of themselves, Amos 6. with Wine and Oyle: Intus vino, extus oleo. Wine within to make the heart glad, and oyle without to make the face shine, but they are not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph, the troubles of the Catholique Church, which argues their mirth unordinate and unchristian. Es. 22.11.13.14.

Now lest any man should slack his griefe with conceit, that it is good for men to bee af­flicted, good for the Church to be tryed in Gods fornace, good that offenders should be punished by God and men, Let him heare Tertullian, In lib. de spectaculis bonum est cum puni­untur nocentes. Who but onely offenders will deny this; and yet in­nocent persons ought not to rejoyce in the punishment of others, when it rather suits with the innocent to grieve, that a man like himselfe should become such an offender Tom. 4. Hom, 18. and [...] the grave sentence of St. Chrysostome. If God punishing saith, as I live I delight not in the death of [...] dies, [...]e should imitate the Lord, [...] because a s [...]une [...] [...]at [...] given occasion to be justly [...].

CHAP. VI. CHAP. 6. Of the consolation that attends mourners, and the speciall comforts of the former kinds of mourning.

BLessed are they that mourne, why? be­cause holy sorrow is of it selfe a blessed affection, and the rectifying of our griefe is a part of our happinesse, and makes our mour­ning beatificall, They shall bee comforted, Es. 61.1.2.3. Christ was therefore Christ anoin­ted with the oyle of gladnesse to comfort all that mourne, and give them the oyle of joy;S. Chrys. wee cannot but blesse the sorrow that renders men the subjects of his comforting. They shall bee comforted, both here and hereafter; and the lesse here, the more hereafter, Luk. 16.25. And for that no content of this life is comparable to the least degree of joy in the other, they are hap­piest that receive least of their consolation in this world.S. Hi [...] in ps. 89. It is a most pleasing consequent of godly sorrow, that wee shall [...] it, 2. Cor. 7.10. which is [...] inducement a­mong men to any action of di [...]g.

For the inte [...], it i [...] [...] Chri­stians very mourning is so [...], as an [...] grace, so that his continuall mourning [...] not him to rejoyce, [...] mournes a [...] [Page 76] Bernard fits our purpose,De conversione ad clericos c.. 19. beati qui lagent, lugeat a­bundanter; lugeat, sed ron sine pietatis af­fectu, et obtentu con­solationis. Blessed are they that mourne, let men mourne abom [...]ly, [...] as they can, let them mourne, but not without godly affection and taking of consolation, such as the Gos­pell affords the faithfull in their mourning. A heart most rejoycing in GOD is ap [...]est to sorrow for that which might interrupt communion in God; and mourning then proceeds most kindly, when the soule most delights it selfe in God, and in [...] love acts sorrow.

S. Chrys. in Phil. 4.4. &. in Col. ser. ult. in Eth.If you marke it, the greatest mourner in Israel was the sweet finger of Israel. A Christian is ne­ver more assuredly joyfull, then after, yea in reli­gious sorrow, Psal. 94.19. Much the fitter for my holy performance, worldly sorrow workes de [...], eating the heart and marrow, and drinki [...] up the vitall spirits. Sorrow according to God not [...] [...] ­pentance and life, chear [...]th and quickneth [...]he Spirit, to worke out the full worke of repentance and salvation. Sorrow at things for which wee ought to bee sad, is worldly and of the flesh, so farre as it vexeth, distempers and indisposeth to any good action, not raising the heart to God­ward, but making it averse and unready [...] [...] ­ces of Religion.

Cassian de Coenob. institutis, l. 9. c. 11.One spirituall affection ex [...] [...], one scripture ex [...]ort [...]th [...], Blessed are they [...] mourne, rejoyce [...]. Have your affect [...] Gods command, [...] red for all [...] and workes of [...] the sorrow [...] of [...] [Page 77] involuntary and [...]ing, but spontaneous,CHAP. 5. g [...]full and quieting the [...], this mourning is not by necessity of nature, but liberty of free grace (Zach. 12.10) The spirit of grace is pow­red upon converts and so they mourne, whence their errour is discovered th [...] thinke amisse of Religion, o [...] it is killed the spirits of men with sorrow and mortification, who doe not minde that it [...]th [...]om [...]ter which [...] [...]th the [...]ld of sinne and causes [...] sorrow (Jud. 16 8) [...] should forget his name if he caused disconso [...] griefe and mourning without comfort. There [...] was spirituall man, who in his sharpest conviction and contrition, thought not himselfe [...] th [...] [...]ver before, who [...] God [...] sensible of his sinne, that be ch [...] [...], [...]o would exchange the sorrowes [...] full, [...]e [...] or any world by pleasures. [...] proved by St. BERNARD, [...] saying, [...] had [...] that a [...] the griefe which pr [...]eds from aba [...] [...] world.

[...] to Saints, the [...] [Page 78] earthly solaces.CHAP. 6. Common teares have operati­on, that heavy mindes take great pleasure in wee­ping: how should not then the teares which through Divine griefe are distilled from a pure heart, bee most satisfactory? Oh that men could perceive the fruit of godly sorrow, that it is not frustraneous but effectuall to everlasting conso­lation. The Spirit that is our Comforter descen­ded in forme of a Dove as having no gall, and that which carnals account gall, is sweeter then their honey.

Now let us in few words point at some com­forts, which are peculiar to the severall heads of mourning before specified; first, he that mourns for his owne speciall sinnes, hath for his comfort the assurance of their pardon written in his face, and on the Tables of his sorrowfull heart. Teares (sayth St. AMBROSE)Latrymae solens le­gationem accipere pro peccatis. in ps. 37. are went to undertake an embassage for sinnes: and they are Embassadours that alway returne peace to the melting spirit, and assure deliverance from the sinnes, for which there is such weeping, Luk. 7.38.47. It is no s [...]ll comfort to a penitent, that though he cannot bee without sinne in the body, hee can ever [...] for the sinnes of his flesh.

2. They that mourne for the sinnes of [...] marked for Gods peculiar, [...]h [...].4. [...] in the forehead with the [...] Ta [...]. Before [...] Hebrew letters were changed by Ezra, Ta [...] had theS. Hierom in Ezech. et in 1. Esaia vis [...]e. Tertul. adversus Iud. os. forme of a Crosse (as the Greek and Ro­man [...]) God therefore would here them [...] with his owne imp [...] the figure of his Crosse, [Page 79] in token that in his passion of all others they should be freed, and so are they signed in their foreheads, because all may read in mourners faces testimonies of Religion. That signe is a seale that Christians shall not be charged with their sinnes, whose iniquities they lament: worthily St. Gre­gory the great, Holy men In Reg. l. 4. c. 2. Divina propitianis auxilio [...]uninutur. by this that they devout­ly sue unto God, for sinners are fenced with the aid of Gods mercifull grace, The same Signe is a confirmation, as St. Chrys. speakes, That wee shall receive a re­tribution for every Christian sigh. [...]. In Rom. serm. 31. that they may not be in any sort defiled with their crimes, whose uncleannesse they could not wipe away with their prayers.

3 They that mourne in their afflictions, con­vert themselves to him that smites, and greeve that they compell their loving father to deale strangely with them, shall have their chastise­ments sanctified to them, and find that of God in them, as to blesse the time that ever they were afflicted, as Lewis the godly King of Erance in his conference with Henry the third told him.Apud Gulielm. Paris. p. 1201. Re­versus aurem ad me­ipsum, [...]r ad cor me­um regressus & in­gressin. It is hard to recount the troubles of body and mind that I endured as Christs Pilgrim, and all things went ill with mee [...] I thanke thee oh most highest, but re­turning [...] my selfe and my owne heart, and retire­ing in the cl [...]fer [...] which the Lord of his grace varable fed mee, then if the whole would had [...] subdued unto mee.

4. They that mourne [...] all judgements and the causes thereof, and pu [...] themselves be­tweene Gods w [...]h and [...] p [...] of the [...] [Page 80] Ephrem reports of the holy Fathers def [...]nct in his time,Pag. 767. They were usefull to the Lord, they saved themselves and others, by excellent examples of life. They were hold out as a glasse to all beholders, One of them was able to [...] God for many men, Two of them were able to stand before God in holy prayer, and assuredly pacifie the Lord God for many thou­sand men.

This is certaine, that mourners and supplients doe the best service in the world, and in univer­sall judgements exempt themselves, [...]onah. 14.14. Ier. 15.11. have at least quietnesse of mind, in and under them; and this noble record in their conscience that they drew not on the vengeance of God, but withheld it what was in them, when secure Christians, that doe not lament publique sinnes, that doe not deprecate common judge­ments, in nationall and overflowing scourges have this cold comfort, that they may [...] themselves, they made up on breaches but in lieu of mourning for iniquitie, reviled au­thoritie.

CHAP. VII. Of the encouragements to the exercise of [...].

IF [...] specially [...] [Page 81] [...]em, Ier. 13. [...].CHAP. 7. Though Moses and Samuel stood [...] me, a [...] yet my mind and [...] people, Moses and Samuel are mentioned above others, because they praied for their ene­mies, the God of love most regarding their inter [...]essiō, that have the charitie to mourn for the evill, and bee earnest for the good of an [...]. [...] supposition shewes, that i [...] any thinges be [...] devised can prevaile, the standing up of the righ­teous shall speed. God himselfe infini [...]s that he inforced, and suffers [...] by the prayers of his children, Dead [...] alone, sh [...]w [...] that he may be held by the prayers of his S [...]i [...]s, [...] Saint Hierom cel [...]sta.In l [...]. 2 [...]. Therefore God say­ing, let me [...] animatedTertul. [...] Marc [...] l. [...]. [...] dis [...] illos, ut ille postul [...]do et s [...]t ipsum [...]ffere­do non sinrret. S. Greg. in Ioh. l. 5. 9. qui [...] est se [...] d [...] ­re admitte [...] procandi [...] pra­ [...]re [...] di­diretur, [...] pro populo [...] qod qu [...] [...] [...]san to strive in prayer, as implying how [...] might doe with God, and that the [...] over­come of him unlesse hee should let his hold goe. And the Prophets thus understood God, there­fore Ieremy desists [...]ot [...] praying for this people, though the Lord himselfe [...] my [...], [...]led him to leave off, Ion. [...]4. [...]. but [...] [...]ore fervent in prayer, [...] perceiving thereby in what ill condition [...], and dreading lest [...] duty and service, which hee [...] Lord, Exod. 32.9. [...]. [...]1.

Moses will not bee [...] [Page 82] proffer and entreaty induce to omit dutie! That hee had rather forgoe his part in heaven, and bee ever in extreame paines, in and for love to his Church and Countrey, then with the neglect of mediating for them to enjoy soveraigne honour in this world, and glory in the other! Clemens Alexandrinus justly exclaimes, How great was his perfection, that had rather perish with his people, then be saved alone! Strom. 2, [...]. S. Clem. ad Corinth. p. 69. What a gappe might a soule so extended in love stop? what would not the Lord doe, if good Christians should intervene and wrastle with him in this manner?

Oh therefore all that make mention of the name of the Lord keepe not silence, give him no rest; pray and begge audience for the prayers of others, as godly Nehemiah doth, Neh. 1.11. Now is a time to remember that Elias was a man like us, that we may endeavour to bee like him in effectuall fervent prayer, Iames 5.16.17. It is a desperate case with any people, when good mens hearts are as it were benummed and indisposed to pray for them, and their owne hardened, that they cannot faithfully petition for themselves. Wee have no greater cause of lamentation, then that generally men are averse from holy recour­ses unto God in set prayers, and set fasts, the chiefe helpes of devotion and holy mourning, and they, whose profession hinds them to bee o­therwise, bee more ben [...] [...]o inveigh against the times then mourne for the abominations, and be­leevingly to follow God, and importune him of remedy.

And what can enharten them to be importu­nate, if this doth not, that our God is not onely easie to be intreated, but ready to bee comman­ded in this kind, Es. 45.11? Who can tell whether of those two astonishing wonders most to ad­mire, either that Almighty God should beseech sinfull men by his Embassadours (2 Cor. 5.19) as if God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead be yee reconciled unto God; Or that the same omnipotent God should descend so low, as to will us to command him in the behalfe, and for the good of sinfull men, Concerning the workes of my hands command you mee (Si quid apus est im­pera) command what you stand in need of is an elegant kind of speaking used oft in Plantus, and frequented by the courteous in our and other languages, to expresse inclination and forward­nesse to minister and doe a kindnesse.S. Chrys. Tom. 7. serm. 1. c. 6. Sure I am God bids us not command him in deepe complement, but in Divine sinceritie,Ian. Guliel. in Plant. as facill to be over-ruled by the mediation of his trusty ser­vants, 1. Sam. 16.1. Ierem. 11.14. God forbad Sa­muel and Ieremie to pray when hee was resol­ved to punish. By which prohibition hee mani­fests that hee is not minded that his servants should lose their labour in Praying. Thereby wee may be certaine, that Abraham and Gods friends shall cease asking, before hee cease gran­ting, Gen. 18. If wee can mourne and pray,Gen. 11. God can and will reforme and comfort.

And to speake a little more generally, mervel­lous is the efficacy of godly sorrow and teares [Page 84] to all entents and effects of grace, as bitter Po­tions and salt water kill wormes, so the water of brinish and salt teares (such as PETER shed when he wept bitterly) kill the wormes that other­wise would be ever gnawing the conscience. They quench the enemies fiery darts, they sup­ple the soule that the heavenly seed may take and beare fruit in it. The Lord imposeth not on us vaine and barren griefe, but the religious sow in teares,Psal. 126. that have vertue stampt on them to fructifie unto life eternall. And to use the words of St. BASIL. [...]. Every pious teare becomes a seed and loane of everlasting joy. They are a soveraigne bath to cleanse the soule, I meane teares issuing from a pure heart: for as foule waters purge not but pollute; so teares that flow not from pure hearts and heads (Ia. 4.8, 9) as ESAUS teares of indignation and terrene affection. But teares of devotion & heavenly inspiration have a purify­ing faculty. Therefore blessed Chrys. prettily calles teares the spunge of Tom. h. 51. sinne, and oft magnifies Gods mercy that hath granted us this laver to wash away our deadly sinnes; Our duty is, as all civil persons every day wash their face and hands in faire water, so daily to wash our hearts and hands and purifie our whole man and whole life in holy teares. We ought (sayes RURICIUS) to rinse our face in teares, Ruricius Lemovic. episc. l. 2. ep. 14. fa­ciem nostram debemus magis lachrymis ri­gare, quā Levacris. rather then in any lavers, and to complaine of our spirituall drought, and begge raine that the windowes of Heaven might open, and cause a floud in us. Such was the act of holy St.De eo quod legitur in Iob in sex tribula­tionibus fortè enim non reperiret ignis exureus, quod interim fluens lachryma di­luisset. BERNARD, would to God some body could g [...]ve [Page 85] waters to my head, and a fountaine of teares to my eyes: It may bee that burning fire should not finde, what running water had before washt away.

Observe that CHRIST promiseth his mour­ners in sorrow, what men seeke in pleasures, con­tent and comfort. Fill we then our earthen vessels with teares the water of cōtrition, that CHRIST may convert it into wine of supernaturall conso­lation. Once it is decreed that none shall eate the Lambe without sowre hearbes, and let it not seeme burthensome to us to mourne,Rom. 8.22, 23. seeing even brute creatures by their instincts grone for mens sinnes: and the whole world condoles with us, and vehemently longs for the day of Redempti­on, that an end may be put to sinne. In all the universe there is no creature, that joynes not with us in griefe for sinne, but devils and un­righteous men. And our Faith owes homage to CHRIST, affirming that they also who now ex­cessively rejoyce and laugh, out of place in the valley of teares, out of time, in the day of visi­tion and mourning; whereas now they have no pure nor solid joy, shall hereafter have entire and meere griefe, [...] and nothing but griefe in all the kindes and degrees of it (Luke 6.25.) Yee shall mourne and weepe too. Wherefore let not them that mourne regard though carelesse people give them for melancholique,Weepers shall laugh, as their griefe hath a Rod and [...]ci [...] an ch [...] bodies, so shall their joy, which they shall not be able to [...] for the exc [...]ing [...]fied. but say Mourners shall rejoyce when you shall be sorry, they shall laugh when you shall cry.

Of this all beleevers may be out of d [...]. As any increase in grace so they more anch [...] fa­vour [Page 86] penitentiall sadnesse, and their sorrow growes according to God, then which there is not a duty more purely religious, nor more ac­cepted of CHRIST, who hath girt himselfe with a towell to wipe all teares from mourners eyes, in the other life, and in this, lets not one reare fall besides his bottle. It is a precious martyrdome before God, when a Christian torments himselfe for the evill converse of others (2. Pet. 2.8.) is so good, as to greeve for all that are bad. Mour­ning is the proper vane of the spirit, who appea­red (as St. CYPRIANDe spirito Sancto. notes) in the forme of a Dove (Matth. 3.16) which served for a hiero­glyphick of the holy Ghosts mourning in the hearts of true Christians, and breaking his affe­ctions in unutterable groanings.

Finally Beloved, no Christian must entertain thoughts of travailing to Hierusalem any other way then CHRIST went, and it is written that our Lord went to Hierusalem (that signifies, the sight of Peace) by Bethany, which signifies, the house of griefe. In a mystery to decipher, that the hearts must be acquainted with sorrowes, the eyes with teares, that would come to the sight of true peace in beatificall vision.

St. PAUL would have us looke unto IESUS the authour of our Faith, and if we looke upon him, shall we not see him a man of sorrowes, com­pounded as it were of sole griefe, who having no sinnes of his owne to sorrow for, lamented the sinnes of all the world, assuming on his bles­sed soule a sorrow equivalent to them all: and [Page 87] the pure griefe of the Religious mourning for the sinne of others, hath the best proximity to the holy sorrow of our Lord.

I conjecture that men said, our Lord was Iere­mie rather then some other of the Prophets; for that the vehemencie of Christs bewayling those cor­rupted times, presented the spirit of that mourn­full Prophet.

St. CHRYSOSTOME urges thee to tell him where Christ laughed? No where, but thou readest that he was often sad, when he saw Ierusalem, he wept, when he considered the traytour he was troubled, when hee was about to raise LAZARUS he groaned: and doest thou laugh? In Hebr. hom. 15: Not so good Christians, but our head mourning, let all the members condole and mourne together with him.

The God of all consolation stay the weake hearts of his children, that they be not carryed away with the streames of Corruption, but that they may be dissolved in griefe for this wicked generation; that if it be possible, they may so lift up their voyce and weepe, that their cry may get above the clam [...]ur of those sinnes that make the heavens weepe, and the Land mourne: He grant that we joy not the joy that is the begetter of sor­row,S. Chrys. in Phil. serm. [...]lt. in fo. [...] but greeve the griefe which is the mother of joy, and by which we shall enter into the joy of our Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST. To whom with the Father and blessed Spirit bee glory, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

CHAP. I. Of Meekenesse and the blessednesse and subjects thereof.

MEeknesse doth aptly follow im­mediately after Mourning, as which moderates the Soule that it refuseth nor comfort in any occasion of griefe, but in all sor­row voides disturbance. Thus St. BASIL describes,In Psal. 33. [...] They who are of restrained manners, and freed of all passion, so [...]to [...] no per­turbation [Page 92] habit in their soules, CHAP. 1. those are termed Meeke. Without this meeknesse calme it, the heart of man is as a tr [...]ubled Sea, when it cannot rest whose waters cast upon it and dirt, Esa 57.20.S. Gregor. in Iob. l. 4. cap. 2 [...]. lib. 5, c. 30. St. Aug epist. 149. rayses soyle out of its owne distemper, casting plat-formes of debates and stuffe, and fan­cying imaginary contentions and vehemently acting them with him, and him, giving ill words and returning worse answers; yea many times when in the Act of provocation it retained pati­ence, bethinkingS. Greg. past. lib. 3. 10. Clem. Alex­and. Strom. 4. p. 356. 357. it selfe thereof, it is exaspe­rated and angry with it selfe for such forbea­rance. Hence it is, that the Scripture useth verbs in a moode which the Hebricians call Hithpael, and which purports reciprocall working,Isychius in Lev 3. to in­timate how an unmeeke mind reflects upon, and troubles it selfe. Psal. 37.1. Ps. 73.21. [...] My heart is leaven'd, swelled and imbittered with repine and wrath; for (Iam. 3.14) Emulation is bitter when once the heate of anger hath any thing vi­olently inflamed the spirit. [...] I whetted & sharp­ned my selfe (Iracos) and so was cut to the heart and pricked with choller, in my reynes, to wit, the seate of the īrascible facultie, the ordering whereof not after the motions, and lusts of the fl [...]sh, but according to the inclination and gui­dance of the spirit, is the meekenesse of which wee intreat.

The Stoickes were so farre t [...], de [...]ding passions from a wile and vertuous man, because anger, griefe and other affects, which be pertur­bations in others, carried by passion in a wise [Page 93] man are disposers of the sensuall part, agreable to the direction of the intellectuall, and so subor­dinated to God, made religions. Hence it comes that the wrath of Man as fuming from the flesh, workes not the righteousnesse of God (Iam. 1) but unfits and sets off from good duties: but the anger of the spirit prepares men to all godly o­perations, and aversation of sinne, Bee angry and sinne not. Ephes. 4.

As (Iob. 11.33) CHRIST groaned in his spirit and troubled himselfe, his Deitie limiting how much his Humanitie should greeve and be mole­st [...], and all his trouble issuing from inward principles of voluntary heavinesse, and bounded by wisdome and grace. So they that are Christs have of his Spirit to governe their affections and excite and allay them, not by carnall instigati­ons but by godly considerations, which makes, that when others are contemptible in their pas­sions they be venerable in their affections.

(1. Sam. 11.6) The spirit of God came upon Saul and his anger was kindled greatly, which is well deduced by St. Gregrie, 1. Reg. l. 5. 1. Ʋt irasci mionis potuorit, prius in eum spiritus Domini ins [...]li [...]t, quam metuenda sit ergo Sanctorum ira cerni­ [...], si [...]s [...]ta me [...] in eo [...] Domini [...] cogit [...]tums; [...] ergo [...] regintur, [...] indig [...]te & de [...] ­tèr pollumus povunt, Si eorum [...], mortum S [...] spiri­tus creli [...]e — The spirit of God came vpon him, that his anger might be kindled greatly. Was not see thou how much the anger of Saints is to bee diueded, if wee [...] Gods spirit comming vpon them, if, [...] [...]old them co­wardly mora [...], wee attend not ha [...] [...]pirit inward­ly m [...]ning. So est therefore [...] are correctedby the [...] of our Superio [...] [...] [...]ee accordingly [...]remble under their indigni [...] [...], if not so sw [...] [...]he Jova [...] that their impulsion [...] of the Holy Christ.

The 37. and 73. Psalmes may serve in place of a Commentary to this text, and by them it ap­p [...]ares, [...]. that Meekenesse is a just proportion'd temper of the minde, whereby it is prepared to the well abearing of it selfeMansueti scilicet portantes [...]ugum Do­mini, Matth. 11. Re­migius in Psal 36. in the yoke of CHRIST, to commit the kingdome unto God, to be quiet and silent, not to take displeasure at any of the Lords dealings with our selves or others, to be affected unto God, in Plato's [...]. phrase, excee­ding exceedingly, and to all other things to stand indifferent. This the sentence of the most learnedS. Aug tom. 10. in append. de eo quod cō ­monemur, ab scandalis mundi cavere. Mites sunt qu [...]ous — in om­nibus bonis, qu e fa­ciunt, non placet nisi Deus, in omnibus quae mala patiuntur, non displicet Deus. Father. They are meeke whom nothing but God pleaseth in the good which they doe, and whom God displeaseth not in the evils they undergoe.

Those meeke are blessed, because they shall in­herit the earth, and have a comfortable fruition of Gods mercies in all conditions, enjoy the be­nefit of all the promises which godlinesse hath for this life, and that which is to come, with per­petuall gladnesse and cheerefulnesse in the land which the Lord their God gives them. What the rigorous, fierce and violent seeke in differen­ces and endlesse desires, security and to have their will, that the meeke finde in accommodation, refusing to choose for themselves, and accepting what God sends. As Salvian sayes,De gubernatione Dei, l 1 p 324, — Nullienim ut opinor beatiores sunt, quam qui ex sententia sua atque vtto agunt. The godly, contenting themselves alwayes in all estates with the will of God, are ever blessed; for none (I suppose, o [...] are more blessed then they that fare according [...] their owne desire and wish, seeing this is the very notion of blessednesse, for a man to have which [Page 95] hee will, and will what is convenient.

The wordTanquam possessi­onem haereditariam recipinum ea, quae promissa sunt nobis. St. Ambros. de obitu Theodosit. Inherit notes, that wee receive those things which are promised us, as an here­ditary possession, and Inheritance is a free, sure, and honourable title. That the meeke, as rege­nerate and adopted in CHRIST, have not onely a lawfull, but a sanctified use of common favours. That they confine their desires to that portion which their heavenly Father hath allotted them by his will, abhorring that which comes not by meanes and wayes prepared and approved in Gods testaments: certaine of this, that if they should possesse all the earth, there would bee no blessing in it, were it not Gods legacie to them. That as their heritage they intaile the goodnesse and mercies of God, for both lives to their po­sterity, as in any after generation they shall be ca­pable thereof. Psal. 37.22.26.29.

The meeke inherit the earth; condescending to others so much as reason and Religion suffer, they purchase themselves good-will and furthe­rance to promotion; and whereas the difficult and angry, vexe their owne ghost and make their lives tedious, displeasing God and their neigh­bours, the meeke and moderate enjoy themselves and the creature, with the favour of God and man. Wisely St. Chysostome; [...]omil. 75. The meeke, that put up wrongs, shall not thereby prejudice themselves, but preserve their estate, when the proud and peremp­torie oft lose their patrimonies and their Soul [...]. They that depart sometimes with their right for [...]iets sake, and what they may forbeare suits in [Page 96] Law,CHAP. 2. increase their substance, when they that are extreame in maintaining their owne, and hasty to contend, doe frequently spend their stocke, alwayes lessen their store.

But this is but a little part of our Masters in­tent, ayming at higher things, and propounding that meekenesse, which is not onely a worke but a fruit of the Spirit; and therefore sweet of it selfe, and desirable for it selfe, participating as of the labour, so of the gaine in godlinesse.

Let us then in search of our Lords meaning, inquire into the chiefe subjects about which Meeknesse is versed; namely, in matters Spiri­tuall,Thom. de Kemp. de imitatione Christi. l. 2. 9. 10. ad fin. and Temporall, in the successe of our pri­vate businesses, and in the issue of publique af­faires, in each whereof, wee may observe both the vertue of meeknesse in the practice of lenity, and the blessednes in the inheritance of the earth.

CHAP. II. Touching the Exercise and reward of Meeke­nesse in matters Spirituall.

IN Spirituall matters the worke of Meeknesse is, at the pleasure of God to take alike the with-drawing of inner sweetnesse, and the over-flowing of the cup in sensible devotion o­bediently to endure the molestation of the Old man and presence of evill, the imperfection of the New man and absence of good.

Concupiscence is ever inhabiting in us, but it doth not ever equally assault us, God in grace re­straining it, and curbing the enemy that hee may not stirre it, nor tempt so much as hee could, disquieting the Soule with his fiery darts, and violent injections. But when to humble God's servants and let them know themselves, and for other holy ends, Sinne and Sathan are let loose upon them, with all forces to invade and buffet them (2. Cor. 12.7) that incumbrance passeth all other vexations.

PAUL met with infinite miseries, calamities, oppositions, persecutions, but all of them did not so weary him of his life as the incounter of Concupiscence, in which he bemoan'd his wret­chednesse, and sued to bee speedily delivered from the mortall body, Rom 7.24.

Therefore it is the perfection of Meeknesse, and manifests the power thereof in the greatest measure of resignation, not to despise the cha­stisement of God smiting Subtractionis verbare, nor be impatient under his most grievous hand, scourging with the Rod of the oppressour, per­mitting strong temptations.

The inhabitation of Sinne is more redious then any prison or penance, and it is a servitute worse, then Turkish, worse then Egyptian or Babylonian, to be captive and sold under sinne, so that it may act in a man whether hee will or not, and pro­voke and molest all his senses and faculties with offensive motions.

For albeit Concupiscence, as remitted in Bap­tisme, [Page 98] be not reckoned for a sinne, unlesse it be consented to in its inclinations, and therefore the Apostle urged much, but not consenting, said; It is no more I, but sinne that dwelleth in mee, Rom. 7.17. Yet because Concupiscence is in its owne nature evill, the stirrings of it are more then any thing else ingrate and irkesome to a re­newed mind.

Notwithstanding in the bitter conflicts there­of and strivings of the Flesh and the Spirit, the Meeke saith not (with Rebecca) why is it thus with mee? But rather sayth, it is the Lord, and I will beare the Indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, untill hee pleades my cause, and judge the Enemy (Mich. 7.9) it suffi­ces me that his grace is sufficient for mee, that, though I bee burthen'd, I doe not fayle, though I be hard driven, I doe not yeeld, but resist. Al­though Grace detest and abandon Sinne more then Hell, more then the Devill, and ever ear­nestly labours and solicites for complete purifi­cation from all the reliques and fomes of it, yet attends it therein Gods leisure, contented to serve him in hard battels, with lusts warring in the flesh, till hee shall thinke fit to release. Thus St. Paul in the heate of contention with Sinne, praying for deliverance meekely thankes God (Rom. 7.25) as glad hee could stand in so cruell assaults, and willing to continue the fight so long as God should judge it meete to hold him in warres, which is a worke of perfect Meeknesse.

Moreover the Meeke is not male-content, [Page 99] though in Spirituall things his abilitie of perfor­mance be not answerable to his will,Dacxian in speen­lo Monachorum. pag. 386. 387. desirous to doe the will of God in earth, as it is done in hea­ven, but satisfied with the daily bread, which to that end hee begs, the allowance of necessaries for Soule and Body, which God affords him for the fulfilling of his Will in this life, who alone is the meere determiner what quantities even of Heavenly and Angelicall bread are most fitting for us, that wee may not be lift up, but glorifie him in his gifts.

Now the inheritance of this Meeknesse is to repose the soule that complies with God in cele­stiall peace and tranquillitie, that it may rejoyce and be quiet evermore, and in every thing, bal­lanced against all tempests, releeved in all mala­dies: According to that Proverbe, Mansuetus homo cordis est medicus, now hee were an ill Phy­sitian if hee could not cure himselfe, an ill Phy­sitian of the heart, if hee could not cure his owne impassion'd heart with the prescripts of reason and receits of grace.

Wee may take knowledge that the graces of the Spirit, that seeme repugnant, feare, joy, hope, griefe, — have their mutuall intercourse as from the same Spirit, whose operations bee divers, but not contrary, and as spontaneous and moved by faith they be coassistant, and worke according to occasions from God, without any impediment one to the other. And Meeknesse therefore with­stands not the acting of any Christian vertues, but the miscarriage of the Flesh in them, which [Page 100] faine would that its melancholike and distem­per'd passions,Inter lachrymas & suspiria. turbulent resistance of evill and inordinate appetite of good might goe for grac [...]s.

Thereupon in the ranke of the Eight happie men, the Meeke is seated betweene the teares of the blessed Mourner and the fighes of blessed hunger, Meeknesse is in the middle betweene bit­ter griefe and burning desire, because it is not the lenity of the Spirit but the stupidity of the flesh, which sorrow according to God doth not goe before, and desire in the Lord follow.

Therefore the Meeke lament Sinne, as who are with sorrow to fight against it, and waste and wash away the remainders of it with their teares, but so, that repenting they pacifie themselves in CHRIST, and be not tormented greatly with the remembrance of past and pardon'd sinnes, but humbled onely and provoked to more abundant care and diligence (1. Cor. 15.9.10) They mul­tiply also vehement desires but not impatient, desire ever freedome from Concupiscence, desire all perfection (Phil. 4.8) but content those de­sires perpetually with Gods present assistance and dispensation.

CHAP. III. CHAP. 3. Of the carriage and benefit of Meekenesse in Temporalties.

WEe have done with the worke and (so to say) wages also of meeknesse in Spirituall matters, consider wee now the use and fruit thereof in Temporall things, in which the meeke deprecate excesse, as much as want crave the happie meane, reverence so farre the judgement of their heavenly Father as to count that the happie meane for them, which his wise and good providence orders to them, and so void of repine, anxiety, and cove­ting, roule themselves upon God for the things of this life.

They deprecate excesse as much as want (Pr [...]v. 30.8) Give mee neither poverty nor riches, Pa [...]e canonis mei ale me, there is his craving, the meane and standing to Gods judgement what is medio­crity. The convenient provision for severall men, is such a proportion of outward things as best availeth them to a happie life, as the Philo­sopher admirably well described, [...]. Tanquam bonum no­strum, sed tanquam necessarium nostrum. S. August. de serm. Dom. in monte. lib. 2. 16. Riches (is a state proportioned unto blessednesse, for that wealth is no otherwise to be desired, thou as it promotes to a blisfull and vertuous life:) is not to bee sought as the one thing wee ha [...]ood of, but as things wee may make use of, and [...] our ne­cessary [Page 102] any further, then it may bee used to the Kingdome of God and instrumentall to the righ­teousnesse thereof (Matth. 6.33) must not be ay­med at by men as our scope, but added by God as a vantage in his service.

Now no man can tell what portion of these outward things is most expedient for himselfe or another in order to Gods kingdome (Eccles. 6.12) who knowes what is good for man in this life? Only God is the just and competent Iudge of mediocrity and competencie, as who sees not alone what is in man as things are, but what would bee in him if things were otherwise with him if (Pro re nata) i'th apparant (1. Sam. 23.10. Matth. 11.22) that God fore-knowes not onely what is and shall be, but what might and would be occasions serving, tho in defect of such ap­plying matters it never be.

[...].This is that God, deare Christian, who gives to every of his servants talents according to his severall abilitie (Matth. 25.15) the faculty which hee hath to receive and imploy; wherefore as the quality of Mettals is discern'd by the touch­stone; the weight of mettals by the scales: So our conveniencie of states is discovered by Gods present ministration, to each of the faithfull in their callings; the due pondering whereof indu­ces them to keepe moderation in all fortunes and occurrences. Many may thinke themselves, and be generally by others thought fit for riches, ho­nour, promotion till they have them, and then prove themselves unsufficient to weild them. [Page 103] As TAC. a judicious Historian relates of Galba, Lib. 17 pag. 143. Major privato dum privatua sui, t & om­nium consensu. cap [...]x imperij, nisi imperas­set. that in the joynt esteeme of all men, he had beene held meet for the Empire, if hee had not beene Em­perour.

To them then that exclame of fortune, and i­magine if their meanes were augmented they could better serve God, and more profit men, I tender this thought; that God who loveth them beleeving and in charity more then they can love themselves, is not so neglective, I will not say of their good, but of his owne glory; but that hee who hath in hand the gold of both the Indies, would raine gold into their bosomes, if so they should bee furthered to the setting forth of his most worthy vertues and praises.

The meeke in honour of the divine hand that orders lots, and accommodates to men their for­tunes, purge their spirits of repine and vexing at other mens aboundance and prosperity, and of avaritious and immoderate desires, and cove­ting that which is anothers, and would not fit them, or of any more then God collates on their industry and faithfull serving him in their stati­ons, in which they content themselves with the Revenues of their diligence: and as Lactantius Lib. 1. c. 4. Cibo extemporali quem Deus subministrat. speaks, [...], to utter it in the words of Dionysius Halicarnasseus epito­mizing, the oration of Isocrates [...]. with the extemporarie food which God sup­plies, which is a principall ayme of the 10^th. Commandement. Not to affect that which is anothers, but to be contented with things pre­sent, and in them not to seeke great things for pompe, but indifferent for continuall use; and so howsoever the goods of fortune ebbe or flow, [Page 104] to confide in God, and referre themselves and their wayes unto him.

The Meeke commit themselves to God for their livelyhood, and willingly obey that sweet command (1. Pet. 5.7) cast your care upon God: which is one of the most comfortable precepts in all the Scripture, and we might bee happy if we would exonerate our selves of distracting cares, and labour in hope, before him that sets the heart at liberty but not the hand, enjoynes work, forbids care.

Even reason condemnes their irregular anxie­ty, that disquiet themselves in surmizes of future casualties and uncertainties, projecting and fore­running their owne evils: Labor and providence helpe, care and diffidence what doe they advan­tage! Cast we them therefore into his bosome that orders lots, that our care be no corrivall to the divine goodnesse, so he will liberally provide for us and ours, his Church and people, and cause all things to co-operate to our good, when wee cannot conceive the manner.

Now St. Ephrem De fide, tom. 1. p. 80. is very right, if wee trust not God for things of the body and this life, wee are manifested to want faith for matters of the soule and the other life. By these meane and momentarie things, the Christian is tryed whether he trust God, and if he be not solicitous for the present matters, it is cleere that he keepes hid within him sound and en­tire Faith. By our reposing our selves then on Gods promise for temporall things and the body, wee may discerne whether we in truth relie on him for those of the soule.

It is an easier taske for Faith to beleeve the promises, wherein God ingages his care over us for this life, whereunto common experience and light of reason conduce, then to give credence to the truth of the Resurrection of the Body, the Incarnation of God, the Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead, and other Articles of Christian beliefe, that transcend all demonstra­tion, and compasse of reason: Therefore many that think themselves strong in the Faith of those high mysteries, may understand the deceit of their owne hearts, by distrusting God for small things; if we be unbeleeving in little matters, elude not our selves, we are not faithfull in great. (Luke 16.10) And persecution for Christian Faith would discover our Infidelity, as want doth our unbeliefe for Temporals.De oratione, c. 123. Commit then unto God the things which be requisite for the bodie, and so it shall be manifest that thou committest unto him things that are necessarie for the soule, as St. Nile writes.

And that if the carriage of the Meeke, as in ex­ternals they wholly depend on God, well pleased with what he carves unto them, come we to the inheritance which by such meeknesse they ob­taine upon earth, and that is the gift which God bestowes on him who is good in his sight. To eate, drinke, and make his soule enjoy good in his la­bour (Eccl. 2.24.26) Which by the frequent repetition thereof, seemes a chiefe argument of that booke, an instruction to hope for nothing but vexation, when we will be projectors and [Page 106] cut for our selves, to thinke good of all Gods courses, and use his good as it comes, without diffiding for to morrow.

Which certainly is the fruit of the Holy Ghost for a man to apply himselfe and be content with things present, for the flesh is never satisfied, but whiles it preferres that it hath not, neglects what it hath; and so deptives it selfe of both. And rationall men have herein placed humane and worldly beatitude to minde nothing but that which isCardan de varieta­te rerum, l. [...]. c. 40. p. 383. present, and of that onely the little which sober use requires from day to day. And our Lord holds our desires to the present tea­ching us to say in Prayer (Luke 11.3) Give us this day our dayly bread. And promises to prolong the dayes of obedients in the Land which hee gives theam (Exod. 20) intending them much fruition in life and living,S. Chrys. in Gen. ser. 54. in that they lose not their time, but enjoye themselves and the crea­ture and all their desires, confined to the present and Gods pleasure.

When the immoderate that are of vast spirits and attempts (Psal. 54.23) live not halfe their dayes, cannot bee executors of their owne wills, nor compasse one halfe of their essayes; but be snatcht away before the time come in which they set themselves to be happy (Luk. 12.20.21) with him whom the Gospell surnames a foole, for that hee made not present use of his wealth, but put off and reserved the commoditie thereof to yeares that were not his.

The Meeke inherit the great gaine of godlinesse [Page 107] contentment which is the very good of riches, but growes not of riches nor any things exter­nall, but as the word ( [...]) imports; out of a mans owne sufficiency: when the godly will make perfect resignation of it selfe unto God, and rests in his dispose, as most firting, and by his grace rules the inferiour powers accor­dingly: [...]. Autarkie, or selfe-sufficiencie is that whereby men command themselves and their affecti­ons, and so bring content into every condition (Phil. 4.11, 12) I have learnt in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content, I am instructed both to bee full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need. Faculty to content our selves is a grand mystery, [...]. which they that are initiated in Christianity learne, by practising selfe-denyall, and confor­mity to God. It is Christian art of all other worth the studying, and to be preferred before all liberall Sciences, Professions and dignities of men; B. Gregor in E­zech. hom. 19. Nun­quidnam fratres are est aliqua humiliari? Ars amni [...]o, & mira disciplinae scientia, quae toto nobis est cor­dis anni su disceada. skill in­differently to have and want what the world ad­mires, that neither high things may puffe up, nor low cast downe.

(Matth. 4.4) Man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God: and God commands a blessing on that which the Meeke take in good part, whereby the benefits vouchsafed them are sanctified; and make good their severall ends in them. So that a little of that the Righteous man hath, is better then the riches of many wicked (Psal. 37.16) This is some portion of that hundred fold (Mar. 10.30) which now in this time, and in this earth the Meeke receive, in [Page 108] respect of true use and satisfaction of which, they reape more from their estate, such as it is, then the same an hundred times multiplyed could afford, without Gods grace in a contentfull minde.

There is not any so small a gift of God, which is not tendered by him with infinite good will, which they that have grace taste in the ministra­tion, which they meekly and thankfully accept from Gods hand. Steeped in this love, the least crumme of our daily bread surpasses in content­ment all the treasure of the world, out of that tincture. I dare be bold to affirme, that no man bethinking himselfe, shall ever devise or finde out the thing or things, which being collated on him, he would desire no more, because our un­derstanding cannot apprehend so much as our will can affect, whence it is consequent, that all things which may befall a man are so farre from contenting him, that even all things that a man is able to fancie in his minde, are not sufficient to produce a contented minde.

S. Basil. hom. That God is not the cause of evill.So then onely godlinesse remaineth, which actuating meeknesse, thereby solidly perswadeth the conscience, that God hath us beloved in the Mediator, and therefore careth for us, and all things considered, assignes us that which is mee­test for us; which contents and glads us with the joy that beseemes our fittest condition, Eccl. 9.7. And whereas Nihil tam neces­sa [...]ium est, quam cog­noscere quid non fit necessarium. nothing is so necessary as to know what is not necessarie: this resolves a Chri­stian, that whatsoever the Lord our God with­holds [Page 109] from him,CHAP. 4. is neither necessary nor expedi­ent; and inables him to say in his owne wants, what Socrates is reported to have said in other mens excesses:Quam maltis ego non egeo! How many things can I be well without!

CHAP. IV. Touching the demeanure and support of the Meeke, if in their businesse they have not what successe they would.

THe Meeke accept with all thankfulnesse, that successe with which God followes their endeavours; according to that of ORIGEN:In Ezech. hom. 5. Pondus ultra tene lo­vet: Take not up the burthen thou canst not beare. As servants of Divine providence, they limit their attempts by their power and place; stretch not themselves beyond their tedder, and without teene let the stone lye that they cannot lift. Eccl. 9.1. We reade, that the hearts and the workes of the righteous are in the hand of God: that is, as St. Prosper De vocation [...] gen­tium, l. 1. 9. Tantum in studiis suis profici­unt, quantum ille do­naverit. interprets, they cannot goe no further then God leades them, prevaile no more then is given them from Heaven.

The more to pacifie our spirits, it's worth the observing, that successe is not alwayes after mens dexterity, but Gods good pleasure. However re­wards be according to the worthinesse of their labour, as no doubt the Doctor that with a good a [...]me preacheth most sufficiently to conversion, [Page 110] shall be most glorified, though hee convert not so many as some other lesse sufficientGuigo. Carthus. Meditat. c. 16. teacher. (Es. 49.4, 5) My worke is with my God, though Israel be not gathered together, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, who doth not recompence e­vents but labours (1. Cor. 15.10) I labour'd more then they all. Of which devout St. Bernard writes to the purpose in hand, in this wise: Hee saith De consideratione, l. 4. c. 2. Plus om­nibus laboravi non ait plus omnibus profeci, aut fructificavi, verbū insolens religiosissimē vitans, alias enim noverat homo, quem docuit Deus, quia u­nusquis (que) secundum suum laborem accipi­et, & non secundum proventum, & ob hoc in laboribus potius quàm in profectibus gloriandum putavit. not I profited or did more good then they all, religi­ously shunning an arrogant expression, and otherwise the man that God had taught, knew well that every one shall receive according to his labour, not according to the event, and therefore he chose to glory in labour not in successe.

For their helpe against discouragement in little or no successe, the Meeke promise themselves no great matters, as they use that are yong and un­experienced. Melancthon somewhere writes, that when he first began to preach, he was in hope to convert all that should heare him; but that af­terwards he found their Dutch Proverbe over­true, that he was too yong a Scholler to make a Lambe of an old Foxe. Meere Schollers would rule the world by Books, and therefore fret and take on if Townes and Countries bee not so or­derly as fine wits could contrive they might be. But meeke and wise men expect not to finde Pla­to's Common-wealth, or any Eutopia's upon earth, rather they would looke to finde the Phi­losophers stone, then a people or policy corres­pondent to Philosophers Bookes; therefore they hope not for all that they wish, neither teare [Page 111] they their owne hearts,CHAP. 5. nor exclaime greatly of their Neighbours, though they fall a good deale short of their speculations.

2. They presume not on their owne force in any kinde, forasmuch as God loves to give good event to rash & unapt proceedings, rather then to wiser trusted in; and so much as we diffide in our selves and rely upon God and his assistances, so much ability and likelyhood we have to per­forme and prosper in Gods workes, and no more.

3. They waite evermore for Gods call, assu­red that God will send them when he meanes to use their helpe: and that Gods calling is the ori­ginall of successe, and the onely proofe that la­bour is not lost when it succeeds not. Hereupon our Meeke man determines and sayth in his owne heart, let God use my voluntary service, at what time, in what place, matter and manner he thinks good, I will not runne before he sends me, but I will follow whethersoever he calles me. With all possible care he prepares himselfe, that once he may be fit for Gods service, obtain of this, that if he could doe the worke of a thou­sand labourers, God would in his time lay waight enough upon his shoulders, and that he will not be angry with them for standing idle, that he calles not to worke.

4. The Meeke hold it not the office of servants to choose their worke, but cheerfully to finish the taske imposed by theirs Masters: therefore they stomacke not that God uses their [...] [Page 112] and gifts,CHAP. 4. when and as he pleaseth, beleeving the Psalmist, that it is a blessing to live by labour (Psal. 128.12) they give all diligence in their places, and refuse no labour as vile, which God hath annexed to them; resolved that the Lord hath not a command, in the keeping wherof there is not great reward.

The great Overseer of all things judges it con­venient, that not a few of the strongest parts, and most choyce endowments should be imployed in low rankes, lost those orders should seeme de­spicable, and none be thought deserving, that were not aloft; but in those poore places, God supplyes more hearts ease and contentation to his meeke and worthy servants, then a Kingdome or Popedome acquired by unwarrantable meanes, can in any degree parallel, or any other place yeeld them, till God set them in it; that they of great sufficiences may not disdaine, if their in­feriours be exercised and raysed, but keepe their station till the Lord of all sayes, ascend up higher.

Now the inheritance left unto these Meeke is wondrous beneficiall, to rejoyce in what ever fruit of their labour, to apply themselves to their vocation, remit the event unto God with their prayers, and so rest quiet; though many times that ensues not which they would, alwaies hum­bling their diligent hand under Gods mightie hand.

(Mark. 4.26.27) (When a man hath done) his part, prepared the ground and committed [Page 113] thereto the seed then he may sleepe; leave th'in­crease to God, sleepe and rise night and day to hav [...]n eye to his field, and defend it from wilde Beasts, so securing himselfe in the divine, as not to abate humane providence; which is to trust but not to tempt God. So the sleepe which God gives his Beloved (Psal. 127.2) is after they have done their worke in the Lord to lay them downe resting in Gods blessing, not their owne labour, and not perpl [...]xing themselves with the issues that are in Gods hand.

Iordanus Dominicanus was a wise man, this was one of his sayings.Inscitiae illum ar­gueremus, qui jactis feminibus stratū com­portaret in agrum, ut incrementum, vri decrementum fru­gum observaret &c. In vit. ejus. c. 72. Febr. 13. We would argue him of folly, that when he had sowne his seed should carry a bed into the field to observe how it grew. The fruit of mens labours passeth their observation, often times the seed, that men thinke perisht, lyes safe under the clods and springs up after some showres; so by some peculiar visitation, the paints of men that were esteemed lost come to good effect, and appeare a ground-worke of happy successe unto other mens indeavours. Ioh. 4.36.37. Neither is it a regrate to the Meeke, that things are here involved, and that frequently attributed to one, which was executed by another: (men being foolishly ambitious when there is choyce, to as­cribe the good that is done to them that are of most note, or that strike the last stroake) for they looke to him that is invisible, that knowes how to distinguish and manifest what was compassed by each mans industry, and in the yeare of his Iubilee, the day of revelation, to cause every one [Page 114] to returne to his owne possession,CHAP. 5. and rest upon them the credit and reward of all the good ef­fected or occasioned byB. Gregor. in Job. l 21. c. 8. them.

One rare advantage of Meeknesse is, that it fortifies a man not to be overcome of the evils of his calling, and relinquish it for the crosses thereof; and will to give over all doings, be­cause he cannot doe all he will, but to proceed in his vocation, and doe the worke of the day in the day, maugre all the importunity and ingra­titude of the world.

The Apostle Iude v. 23. bids us save some with feare, pulling them out of the fire, whence the meeke man supposes himselfe to be in the world, as it were in a fire kindled from hel, which utter­ly to extinguish is not in him, it goeth well, if for his part, he can plucke out a few fire-brands. As a Pastor, if in his Parish he can snatch out of the fire be it but one or two (so to say) smoakie brands ends, blesses God, and lets the filthy be filthy still, and ceases not preaching, because the world declines as its ages. The Meeke runne not out of the world because of the crossenesse ther­of, fly not imployment in the Church and State for the griefes, perils and molestations adjoyned thereunto, and for that they cannot ever keep an even course, and have their mindes.

The Prince of Apostles amplifies Lots grace, that setled in Sodome, 1. Pet. 28. He was not discouraged at the wickednesse of the place to fly them and the world, but in confidence of God takes heart, though with much and daily griefe [Page 115] for their sinnes, to continue among them;CHAP. 4. to try if by any means he might convert them to God. St. Paul (1. Tim. 3, 4) willes the domesticall go­vernment of him to be lookt into,Evagr. hist. Ec­cles. l. 5. c. 19. that should be ordered a Bishop, because even petty Magistracy shewes a man, and proves his vertue and meeke­nesse, and much more the greater. I will shut up the point with that (Eccl. 10 15) the labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he know­eth not how to goe to the City: the minde of all men seeks beatitude, the good and consolation it was made for. As Boethius nearly,De consolatione Phi. l. 3. proso. 2. Bo­num suum repetit, sed veluit torius domum, quo tramite reverta­tur, ignorat. It inquires its owne good, but as a drunken man, is ignorant which way to returne home; the home or City the Wise man means is the place of rest, and secure repose where a man may be at quiet, which is the chiefe good that is a Sanctuary to the heart in all gree­vances. And the Meeke skill the paths to this home and City after the sentence of St. Nile, asSerm. de gula. a speedy travailer quickly gets to a City, so he (the student of meeknesse, of wisdome) to tranquillitie and quiet of mind: however accidents may chance he hath where to eate the labour of his hands (1. Sam. 30.6. Psal. 42.5.11) stayes himselfe in God, and sings returne unto thy rest O my soule, in the middest of provocations and infortunate ca­sualties.

CHAP. 5. CHAP. V. How the Meeke demeane themselves in publike affaires.

IN the carriage of publike matters, whether Civill or Ecclesiasticke, the Meeke abide al­wayes the same, as there is nothing new un­der the Sunne, the world is ever like it selfe, bad in all generations; there alwayes have and ever will be offences in officers, corruptiōs in Courts. Its impossible for the most excellent Gover­nours to reforme all things that are forced not to mend some, lest the rent should be the worse, and to looke through their fingers when great men slip, lest curbing a disorder they should make a confusion:Nestat [...]. As David tolerated Ioab with willingnesse by compulsion, which David though we see propounded by God himselfe, to be as an exemplary Ruler unto Kings.

Hezekias and Iosias were they not a couple of incomparable Princes, [...]. yet the Propheticall Scrip­ture records, how prevalent abuses were in their Reignes. What Minister, Master, Supervisor, can so rule his little flocke, small family, petty charge, that there be no defect nor disorder? then if there be any equity in him, let him seriously weigh in what he should doe in a great house, in a very great land. I am not ignorant that every unwise man thinkes what the slave speakes in the [Page 117] Comedian: that he should have been made a King. And he that is unmeet for a sorry Trade and meane science,Oportet me fuisse Regem. conceits himselfe fit for the government of all the world: but wise men are of another minde, therefore Magistrates finde them the most moderate censurers of all their actions. As for us, remembring the generall and great exorbitancie of mans nature, the strange de­pravation of manners, the intractable and rebel­lious indisposition of the times, we may justly thanke God and our Rulers, for any measure of help and happinesse by their authority, and com­paring our Iland with other Countries, it will appeare no Nation hath so little cause to com­plaine, none so much reason to blesse God and their Prince.

A Meeke man will set before his eyes (peccata temporis, vitia gentis) sinnes of the time, sinnes of the Nation, above all force of Law in Sacriledge, faction, usurie, swearing, drunkennesse. If all the vertues of David, Hezekiah, Iosiah, and all other the most famous Princes that ever swayed scep­ters should as we humbly pray, in the most heroicall degree, be conferred and united in our Soveraigne Lord, he might represse I grant, as he hath begun already, and I hope he will more and more represse: But pardon me if I doubt, whether so mighty and gracious a hand could plucke up the roots of these nationall sinnes. In­grate creatures that we be, who inveigh against our Governours, when their good proceedings are crossed by our sinnes: Instead of striking [Page 118] every man upon his breast, and crying Lord be mercifull unto a state that l [...]bours under the bur­then of my many sinnes, and blot out the trans­gressions that slacke the worke of Reformation, and hinder the Honourable designes of them that care for the publike good; if any thing falles out otherwise then well, the generaltie imputes it to some of the great ones and unmeeke, as they be furiously taken on, and thinke it good service to censure and blaspheme dignities.

Taste now how sweet the fruit of this meek­nesse is, as Subjects should to understand what person a man susteineth to discharge his owne part, and not to swim with the streame of cor­ruptions, for the rest to commend the cares of Princes and his Superiors unto God in humble­nesse of prayer, if any thing succeed according to his pious supplication, to render the praise to God, and his Vicegerents; if not to attribute it to the world, and the course of things under the Sunne, and the iniquity of the times. To enter­taine matters that are well carryed with a thank­full minde, and in other with an indifferent; to let things have their course, and tolerate that which God indures. How ever things goe, and times and manners be, not to eate up his owne heart, and consume himselfe with fretting: no, no, since nothing will be the better for his indig­nation. Thrice happy and blessed are the Meeke, in what Land soever, that thus inherit the earth.

CHAP. VI. CHAP. 6. Of certaine Considerations helping and assi­stant unto Meeknesse.

NO doubt by the passages fore-going some may be so farre in love and desire of Meeknesse, as gladly to heare of all furtherances thereunto, who in their devotions may make use of these particulars following.

First, when it is worst with thee, seriously muse whether there bee any of all thou knowest with whom thou wouldst readily exchange thy selfe and all that is thine, for him and all that is his. It is likely there is none would make scru­ple to change his Beauty with one, his Wealth with another, his Honour with a third, his Lear­ning with a fourth; but certainly, there is no wise and godly man, but hee would take a long time before hee would make a totall and com­plete charge with any other under heaven. Bee ashamed then to be discontent if being but one man thou hast not all things, seeing all things ex­pended, thou art not inferiour to any one, thy selfe being Iudge. This veritie was not wholly unknowne unto wise Solon, who (as Valerius tels us) said thatLib. r. c. 2. Aithat si in nuum locum cun­cti mala sua contulis­sunt, futurum ut pro­pria de portare domū, quam eu omni mise­riarum acervo parti­enem suam ferre mal­lent. If all men could bring their severall evils into some one common place, every man would rather carry home what hee brought, then stand to take his share by equall division.

Secondly, meditate what ease and quiet there is in dependency upon God and resignation, and into what bryers they cast themselves that seeke what God casts not upon them. Which (as St. AMBROSESerm, 3. Quod si­liis Israel subtiliter prophetatum est — Manna enim illis con­tra d [...]vina praecepta tractantibus effecti sunt vermes, id est contumacie ultores et vindi [...]s. writes) was finely prefigured in the children of Israell; for when they touched Manna a­gainst Gods command it turned into Wormes, that is, revengers and punishers of their Disobedience. The Manna which God me'tes unto us is heavenly bread, that which wee scrape together of our selves proves a Worme, gnawes the Conscience and makes us fret. It is not in the power of man to fever vanity and vexation from any creature, that is the sole worke of God, removing the curse which mans sinne introduced; hence the best creatures cause vexation, had otherwise then God wils and blesses them to us:Ego animo cupido atque oculis indomi­tas fui. Perpol saepe peccas, ut sit ubi quid tantopere cupias. Et similia multa apud Plaurum. and there­fore, wee must prostrate all our plots at Gods feet, and breake our desires at his will, that our eyes be not untained, set on all they see, nor our hearts longing and sicke of the Creature, that we bee eager of nothing; else wee cannot doe but we shall over-doe, nor have but we shall be had, and so God be urged to scourge us in our loves, and deprive us of comfort in that which abrid­geth him of us.

B. August in Isal. 122.Thirdly, hee that would be Meeke must take heed of being proud (Eccles. 4.8) for the proud are conceited, will elect and cut for themselves; therefore God blowes upon them and scatters them in their imaginations, so that in their best wisdome they reape nothing but vanities and [Page 121] vexations. Wherefore learne of CHRIST to be humble and meeke, first humble and then meeke, and who soever dislikes his fortunes, let him say with DAVID; Quis sum (2. Sam. 7.18) Who am I Lord, that thou hast brought mee hitherto, and with IACOB, (Minor sum) Lord I am lesse then all thy mercies (Gen. 32.10;) and with the BAPTIST, (Non sum dignus) I am not worthy to carry thy shooes (Matth. 3.11) and then, if hee can, let him hold himselfe too meanly intreated in any state, or too basely imployed in any worke.

Fourthly, looke for nothing but evill under the Sunne in the world, and of the world (Eccles. 5.8) If thou seest Oppression and violent perver­ting of judgement in a Province, marvell not at the matter, for hee that is higher then the highest re­gards, who would not permit evill if hee could not draw good out of it. Quiet thy spirit then with that of Boothius, De consolations Philosophiae, lib. 4. prosa, 6. Si disparen­tem providentiā spe­ctes, nihil usquam mali esse perpendim. If you respect the provi­dence that orders all things, you may perceive there is nothing any where ill; for as St. THOMAS there declares it, Very evils, are good, respect had to the divine Providence, which disp [...]ses them to the good of the universe. Suffer we Gods will to bee done (if Gods infinite holinesse can permit what hee hates) wee may hate and grieve for the evils we cannot helpe, and yet be meeke and undistur­bed. Eccles. 7.12. Consider the worke of God who can make that straight which hee hath made crooked, and who requires that at-our hands. Therefore goe to acquaint thine eyes and eares without disturbance, to see and heare what thou [Page 122] abhorrest; expect scandals, and say therein, Sic est mundus, this is the fashion of the world. Hee that would have nothing to offend him shall be more offended then any other.

It is not imposed on thee to expell the Devill out of the world, and rectifie all things, leave them unto Millenaries and Old-wives dreames, of Paradises upon earth, and reforming all things as they were in the good beginnings of your grand-mother Eve. Make thy peace with God and approve thy doings to him, then smile at the frownes of fortune, and advance thy selfe above the contempt & sinister judgment of the world; and with the divine Apostle (1. Cor. 4.3) Care not for mans day, this is their houre, their day wherein they will say what they list. But wee have not learnt where Meeknesse dwels, if we be transported with anger or griefe for their Ob­loquie or censures. Sweetly Dionysius Carthusia­nus, Serm. 6 de St. An­drea. Absit ut adeo pueriles, insipientes, defectuofi, ac debiles simus, ut pacem, vir­tutem ac gratiam cor­dis nostri, in aliorum manu, & in potestate improbitatis eorum ponamus. God forbid, that wee should bee so childish, un­discreet, imperfect and weake, as to seate the peace, vertue and grace of our hearts in other mens hard­nesse, and within the power and reach of their im­pietie.

Fiftly, Let patience have its perfect worke (Iames 14) which is so to subject the will of man unto Gods will, that hee would not have his evill les­sened nor his good increased, but as God well pleaseth. Desires not to have the thing which God (that is wisdome and love) thinkes not good to impart, kisses the soveraigne hand that smites him, in affliction beleeves it good for him [Page 121] to be afflicted; as blessed AVGVSTINE writes,Epist. 149. Ego tu lecto sum— Sed eti­am sic, quoniam id Domino placet, quid aliud dicendum est, nisi quia rectè sumus. I am sicke in bed, but even so, seeing that pleaseth God, what should I say else, but that I am well. The proficient in meeknesse cannot devise the acci­dent or ill hap, which hee findes not in his heart to take patiently, considering it ordered by God, As the noble Earle Picus Mirandula Nisi scrinia quae­dam deperirent, qui­bus elutubrationes e­jus & vigiliae stipa­bantur — E vita ejus per Ioannem Francis­cum Picum. said, hee could not bee angry for any event, unlesse some Cas­kets stuft with his notes and collections should mis­carry, to the losse of his watchings and night-paines, but seeing all his studies were for God and his Church, and no such thing could happen without Gods com­mand or permission, hee hoped that in such a hazard hee should not be over-gone with griefe and passion. For this reason (Luk. 21.18) wee are admonished to possesse our soules inDum arcem in men­te susceperit, omnes mox perturbationes compescit. Exorat 2. ad missam apud St. Ambros. Patience, which as one of the Ancients speaketh;S. Gregor. in Iob. lib. 1. c. 9. No sooner taketh the Fort of the mind, but it instantly allayes all per­turbations, keepes the Soule in possession of it selfe, which in extremity of passions is besides it selfe, whether too much grieved or over-joy­ed; for St. Hierom informes us aright,S. Hierom. in Eccl. 7. Pati [...]ntia non so­lum in augustiis, sed & in latioribus est necessaria, ne plut quàm condecet exal­temur. Patience it necessary not onely in adversity, but also in prospe­rity, that we exalt not our selves more then beseemes us; nay it is held the greater of the two to be temperate in joyes, and passe through praises without dammage. So by the perfect worke of Patience a Christian is perfect, as who in his owne sense is neither wanting in good nor ex­ceeds in evill, and no more tooke with one thing then another, but alwayes and in all things alike, at Gods pleasure and service.

St. Ephrem shall close this discourse,Adeversionem su­perbiae. p. 90. When thou takest heavie and bitter things that are against thy will as if they went with thy will, then acknowledge thy selfe to have attained the measure of a pious and religious man, Iob. 1.21.

Emptie thy selfe then of all propriety, electi­on, pleasure or inclination to, or in one thing more then another, learne how to finde God in every creature, that thou mayest with the same thankfulnesse receive evill and good, unlesse thou mightest see in Gods glasse what would conferre most to thy finall blisse, give no prelation nor make no choise of one thing more then other; but conclude that the best which God assignes, and whiles thou art below bee this thy vote. God in CHRIST is enough for mee, povertie, ri­ches, sicknesse, health, honour, reproach, inferi­oritie, promotion, something, nothing, what God se [...]s fittest for mee to glorifie him and doe service among men, let that come in the name of the Lord.

God all sufficient, grant us in meeknesse so to inherit heaven upon earth through righteousnes, that wee may possesse the earth that is above the heavens, the land of the Living in stabilitie and soliditie of eternall good. Thou Lord that hast created such large desires in us, as nothing can sa­tisfie but thy selfe, be thou the portion of our in­heritance, that however things goe or come, wee may find out lots fallen in good ground, and live eternally contented in and with thee, through IESVS CHRIST our Lord. To whom, &c.

CHAP. I. What Christian hunger is, and the sustenance thereof.

THis Beatitude, which perfects Desire, succe [...]ds orderly after the former qualifying anger that the other ha­ving rectified the Irascible facultie this might accomplish to Concu­piscible, and the Soule having purged ill hu­mours in godly sorrow, and concocted passions [Page 131] in holy Meeknesse growes hungry and thirsty of righteousnesse.CHAP. 1. Spirituall desires are expressed by hungring and thirsting as connaturall to new life, and aspiring after all kindes of good in all extent and variety of affects, and issuing from all parts and powers (Psal. 84.2) and most importu­nate and working Hunger, and Thirst; either of them signifieth ardent desire, both together the most exceeding vehemencie thereof, all this im­plies the excellent vertue of Grace which by guidance of the Spirit is thus desired.

In common hunger and thirst there is a want, and a sense thereof, and a desire of such reliefe as is naturally knowne requisite, and paine till such supply be made. In this Christian hunger & thirst there is likewise an apprehension of our defici­encie, and a longing for the succour which is spi­ritually knowne convenient to strengthen the soule, and much inner straitning and drynesse till therewith refreshed.

ANGELOMVS teaches rightlyIn 1. Reg. c. 2. — Famelicos fidei prae­vidit. that our Lord saying, blessed are they that hunger, had an eye to faiths hunger bitten. For the hunger and thirst must be correspondent to the food, which being Evangelicall comfort in remission and sanctifica­tion, requires evangelicall appetite in faith and repentance, wee must not onely perceive our owne emptinesse by the Law but in the Gospell have sense and knowledge of divine goodnesse and supernaturall sweetnesse, or wee cannot hun­ger and thirst righteousnesse.

Now wee ought to understand that in Spiri­tuals [Page 132] the appetite is aswell from God as the meate; Neither could wee hunger the bread that comes downe from heaven, unlesse, as St. FVLGEN­TIVS speakes,Ad Monimum de prae destinatione, l. 1. c. 1. Nisiah ipso fa­stidientibus esuries detur, qui se ad sati­andos esarrentes do­nare dignatur. Hunger were granted to them that loath meate by him that vouchsafes to give himselfe for satisfying meate to the hungry. For as an affe­ction above nature it is immediatly frō God the infuser of all grace and donor of all blessednesse, who denies it to none that labour for it, as they are assisted by the helpes which for CHRIST'S sake bee graciously affoorded unto all. Therefore (Paschusius soundly applies) this hungering against sloathfull remisnesse, In Matth. 5. Esuri­entes & non torpen­tes, neque in se, aut in suis quibus (que) rebus affluences — and not doing what in vs lyes, and against all proud resting content in our owne store, and what wee have or can have of our selves without the free grace of God in CHRIST ever inabling us, Luk. 1.53.

Whereas in participles is signified acts with the continuation thereof, when it is said, [...] Blessed are they that be hungering and thirsting, it is implyed that hunger and thirst in those that will be blessed, must be perseverant unto the day of refreshment, and that they must runne through our whole life, and the sounder life the more hun­ger, Psal. 42.12. In Gods temple the fire must not goe out by night, Levit. 6.5. And the mysterie thereof as St. CYRIL declares is,Hom, Pasch. 2, p, 20. That the fire which CHRIST came to send must be cherished in us all the time of our lives, that wee may be ever fer­vent in Spirit (Rom. 12 [...] 11) inflamed in bu [...]ning desires.

Shortly then the hunger here blessed, is the [Page 132] advancing the desire of righteousnesse above all other desires, either that wee have to any inferi­our good,S. Chrys. in Psal. 41.1. S. Aug ad Maximā. Out of which Bishop Prima siut transcribes in Apoc. 1. or that the wicked have to any evill, which is the worke of the Spirit of might and fortitude, that subdues all severall pleasures, and masters all paines in the way to righteousnesse, (1. Iohn, 4.4) Greater is hee that is in you then bee that is in the world; therefore, as a more power­full Agent, hee exciteth stronger desires to holi­nesse in the religious then they be, that transport carnals to ungodlinesse,S. Chrys hom. 75. and make them more hungry of their lusts then of their meate.

The food of the hungry is Righteousnesse that is absolute conformity to Gods will, for wee hunger bread to doe Gods will on earth as it is done in heaven.S. August. contr. 2. epist. Pelagian. lib. 3. c. 7. The world hath a Dogs ap­petite, insatiably hungers and thirsts, but what, rapine of other mens goods, unjust gaine, mammon of unrighteousnesse.Maximus Con­stantinop. de charitate cent. 3: sent, 42. But Christian hunger is to doe equity and all workes of Iu­stice with an abundancie of transcendent affe­ction, as inclined thereto by divine motion, and that it may feede of the heavenly promi­ses made to them; if they bee done from principles of grace. Yet rests it not in parti­cular Iustice,S Chrysost. but extends it selfe to universall righteousnesse in all duties to God and man, to righteousnesse as righteousnesse in all the latitude. And none can bee righteous without such thirsting; because as PLATO defines, Righteousnesse is a [...]. habite whereby the bavir is Indiciously desirous of whatsoever appeares [Page 135] good unto him, Hence the Christian longs not onely himselfe to be completely just, but that Iustice might also have a perfect worke in all o­thers, prayes and labours that the whole world might be a Paradise, all things carried according to the highest right. All righteousnesse is to a good heart as the best meate to a hungry stomach (Psal. 119.130) How sweet are thy words unto my taste, for my owne sustenance and confirmation, sweeter then honey to my mouth in the refreshing of others;Quia plus ut d [...] ­lectat prouemi aedifi­catio, quàm abiqua terrenarū rerum dul­cedo. for the edification of my neighbours doth more delight mee then any sweetnesse of any earthly thing.

CHAP II. Of the effects and Characters of gracious hunger.

IT layes a holy and pleasing necessity upon the minde, will and affections, [...] in Matth. 5. that they can­not but thinke of desire and covet Righteous­nesse, as the hungry and thirsty doe [...] and drinke, Deut. 6.7, 8.9. There is a proverbiall speech, that hunger breakes through stone walls, with what violence doth our sweet Master cast downe the Prince of Apostles (Math. 16.23) when hee was objected an a fence betweene him and his meat, this sacred hunger wrastles through all impediments of divine service, stands not up­on labour or cost, so it may eare the [...], sets the soule besides it selfe in affection to righteou [...]sse [Page 136] that it is senselesse of trouble in Gods cause,CHAP. 2. and distracted, that I may so say after St. BASIL, with divine distraction for the fruition of good, De incorrupta Vir­ginitate, pag. 112. [...]. that it may enjoy as much as it would of that which is re­ally contentfull, nor can there be mingled such a bitter cup, as the thirsty spirit would not for righteousnesse sake gladly drinke. Prov 27.7. The full stomack lo [...]theth the hony-combe, but to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweet: as Salon interprets, to him that hungers and thirsts righteousnesse, all the bitternesse of adversitie in this life is sweetnesse, which he patiently indures for the love of eternall Omnem amaritu­dinem pro du ce [...]ine sum [...]t, quia p [...]t eater sustinet omnem prae­sentis vitae adversi­tatem pro amore su pernae, id est aeternae beatitudines. blessednesse.

Secondly, hunger of Righteousnesse inferres abstinence from the worlds dainties, and labou­ring for the meate which perisheth not. For will, if uns [...]ined workes to its power, and as St. MA­CAR inquires, What is the demonstration of Hom. 37. ad fin. [...]; will but voluntary labour? The hungry Christian makes Religion his meate,In Cant. serm. 5. Quandoquidem pin­guis jam factas est pa­nis Christi. Tracta­tur in conciliis, disce­ptatur in judiciis, dis­putatur in Scholis, cā ­tatur in Ecclesiu, re­ligiosa sunt h ec ne­gotia, sed vade ad ex­itus aquarum: pensa, quis generalior istorū finis fit operum, vide si non per haec omnia quadam exerceantur mercimonia de Chri­sto. quastuosares no­men est Christi, affects other things in reference to that, and not that in reference to o­ther things, as many are hungry of divers offices in Christianity for temporall living, not for eter­nall life; now that CHRIST'S bread is not dry, many would eate it in sensuall appetite. Grave­ly our Countriman GILBERT, Hee is handled in Councils, discussed in Consistories, disputed in Schooles, sung in Churches, all those are Religious imployments, but ponder what is the more generall end of all these workes, see if by all those there bee not made marchandises of Christ, CHRIST'S name is a gainefull thing.

But hee that hungers Righteousnesse is farre from ayming principally or greatly at temporall advantages in Sacred functions. It is an observa­tion of St. GREGORIE, Some that they may enjoy God use the world by the way, and some that they may In Iob. l. 2. cap. 5. Sunt nonnulli qui ut fruantur Deo dispen­satore utuntur hoc saeculo, & sunt non­nulli qui ut fruantur hoc saeculo transitorie uti volunt Deo. enjoy the world will use God on the by; but they that hunger righteousnesse, make it their chiefe and their all (Eccles 12) they are not of them that use God and his worship, as if they used him not in service (to the Scene and Hypocrites stage) but they cause all things to stoope to righteous­nesse, and in the Kingdome of grace, let grace have the dominion and command all.

Thirdly, hunger of Righteousnesse devotes us to Gods word the food of our Soules, as naturall hunger affects men to ordinary meate and drinke.Theod. studita ser. 4. Thus blessed Caesarius resolves, Thou doest hunger righteousnesse, if thou beest disposed meekely and chearefully Iustitiam esuris si verbum Dei patien­ter & libenter audi­re volueris Hom. 26. Where hee much ur­ges this matter. to heare Gods word. There is no hun­ger in him that leaves his stomach at home when hee comes to Gods house. Now hunger is not affectate of this or that juncate but desirous of wholsome food; therefore, they but pretend hunger that are of itching eares or of dainty eares.

Of itching Eares that divert the hearing of sound doctrine proposed by the holy Catholique Church, and are insatiable in g [...]dding to some Lectures where teachers raise doctrines of their owne fancie, and make uses against the publique Spirit, and for the private ghost of every hearer, which sutes to the lust of women and vaine men, [Page 138] who thereby are exempt from all judgements but their owne and made Iudges of Scripture, and at liberty to deny whatsoever they list not to say the Scripture meanes, and take into their faith what they please to hold the Scripture in­tends. 2. Tim. 4.3.4.

Of dainty eares that listen more after curious termes and passages of wit that furnish the tongue, then eff [...]ctuall dispensing of truth, that may convert the conscience, and nourish the heart (Ezech. 33.32) Marke what the great Prea­cher St. Chrys. tells his auditory, this destroyes the Church, that you seeke not to heare a pricking Ser­mon, but one that may delight in the sound and com­position of words, hearing us as it were Ministrels, and we doe miserably following your lusts, when it were expedient to root them out. Tom. 4. ser. 3 4. In Act [...] ser. 16.

To him that hath hunger, the whole Scrip­ture is refection, and profitable to edifie in Righteousnesse (1. Tim. 3.16) which is assu­red by our Lord saying; Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God. Matth 4. Shall not that be favourie which God breathes. DARIAN shews in hisIn speculo Mona­chorum, pag. 389. glasse, that the word of God hath incom­prehensible sweetnesse and vertue, for whatsoever the holy Spirit hath indited, is in very truth, vivisicus cibus, and the delicious fare of a chaste, sober, and humble In speculo Mona­chorum, pag. 389. soule. Hence the more holy desire hath beene kindled in any breast, the more hath it burned in love to the word, as DAVID the man after Gods owne heart, [Page 139] desiring to doe whatsoever might bee pleasing unto God, could not satisfie himselfe in uttering most affectionate longing admiration and respect of the word in all the titles and names thereof.

He that hungers righteousnesse performes ser­vice to God with such content, as the hungrie and thirsty eate and drinke: and applyes himselfe with like speed to Gods worke, as the most hun­gry doth to his meate. St. GREGORY NAZI­ANZEN writes, that zeale indures no delay, and one day is a whole age Ser. 14. in Cyprian. [...] to them that long and are sicke of desire. The Israelites were to eate the Passeo­ver in haste, that is after the application of bles­sed GAUDENTIUS, Non lento corde et ore languido, Tractatu 2. [...]od cum omni avidirare animi, quasi verè [...] ­surientes. but with all greedinesse of minde as truly hungring and thirsting righteousnesse. In the body weake labour and faint exercise abate stomacke and im­paire health; and for the soule, that of St. BA­SIL is a sure rule,Definit. co [...]r. 130. [...]. whatsoever referres to godlinesse if it be not done with love and life it is dange­rous.

We must suppose our selves dying, if wee sa­vour not our meate the things of God, and con­sidering that true habits of vertue and grace act with delight and pleasure, thinke not our selves well if we performe not every spirituall duty in spirituall sense and joy, as tasting the good there­of, and remembring how we ought to serve God with all our strength, unite our powers in all du­ties of his worship, to doe them as to God, hear­tily and with spirit; in Gods matters not to doe our best tends to nothing. So EUSEBIUS GAR­LICANUS [Page 140] Ser 3. ad Monach. Nisi cú aviditate, cū bona voluntate, cum laetitia Dei opera e­geremus, Deo nos pe­rite neverimus. We must know our selves perishing to God-ward, except we act the works of God with gree­dinesse, with good will, with gladnesse. Wherefore they are in an ill condition, that without inner relish and motions, observe Christianity as a custome, and superficially passe over the servi­ces thereof.S. Chrys in Hebr hō. 1 [...]. [...].

Vnder drynesse of heart, when wee taste not the bread of heaven, finde not joy in good du­ties, in such indisposition of soule we must doe as when wee are sickly and out of temper, force our selves to eate against stomacke, and so revive appetite: Exercise and labour will produce health, and health hunger, for as naturall hunger is a signe of bodily health, so spirituall of soules health.

S, Chrys. in Gē. ser. 4.In this point of hunger and content of well doing, we must distinguish betweene that de­light which the will educes, expending the dig­nity of God and his service, and how holy and good all his will is (this is a vertue and in our li­berty by CHRISTS grace) and that joy which flowes from without and recreates in divine of­fices, but is no grace, nor in the compasse of our will, but an arbitrarie incouragement for begin­ners. This is well taught by the most subtleScot. supra 3. Scat. dist. 27. Aliqui qui dicuntur devotr. sentiunt aliquam ma­jorem dulcodinem, quam a [...]ii multò soli­diores in amore Dei, qui centuplum prōp­tiùs sustinerent mar­tyriam, nec dulcedo est actus voluntatis e­licitus, sed passio quae­dam actui retributa, qua Deus allicit, & nutris parvulos ne d [...] fierunt tu via. Doctor in these words. Those that are [...]ed de­vout have gust of greater sweetnesse then others that are farre more solid in Gods love, who would a hun­dred times more readily indure Martyrdome, neither in sweetnesse an act derived out of the will, but a cer­taine passion contributed to the [...], wh [...] re [...]p [...] ad al­lures [Page 141] and nourishes little ones, that they faint not by the way. Thom de Kemp. de Imitatione Christi, l. 6. T. 16. in fin. Rosign [...] de Christia­na perfectione, l. 5 c. 6. Reignald de praxi poenitentiali l. 2.10, 134. It is better for the growne and experi­enced Christians, that they can and will serve God at their own costs and charges without any pay here, and against all inward reluctancie, and difficulty, that they be able to outgoe nature, and quicken appetite purely spirituall to duty, as duty and gladding the spirit,S. Bern. ser. 6. in quadrages. Maltó (que) viriliùs agunt si vir­tutes ipsas, non pro delectatione quam ex­periuntur, sed pro vir­tutibus ipsis, & pro solo bene placito Dei, tota intentione, et si non tota affectione sectantur, nec [...] est, quia out timè com­placeat qui hujusu [...] ­di est, Prophetas ad­monitioni delectare in domino [...] non de affec [...] l [...] ­tur. sed de [...] affect [...] en [...]e beat [...] ­ [...] est, [...] verò vertuti [...]. not delighting the sense, which is the sincerity and quintessence of blessed hunger. This is to doe manfully as St. BERNARD finely deduceth it, to persue vertues for the vertues themselves, and for the sole good plea­sure of God with all affection to them, though not with delectation from them, and such a one complies the best that may bee to the Prophets monition, de­light thy selfe in the Lord; for he speakes of that de­light which is a vertue, not of that which a re­ward.

CHAP. III. Touching the Latitude of blessed Hunger.

HOly hunger is in continuall appetite of well doing, and proficiencie in righte­ousnesse never satiated, nor thinking our selves just enough: as St. BASIL collectsIn ascat. [...]. hence, that a Christian is to doe good with insa­tiable desire alwayes pressing after more. Here on­ly it is a vertue to be avaritious, and never satis­fied. God that is of infinite goodnesse and san­ctity, must be loved and served with illimited [Page 142] desires and endeavours of purity.CHAP. 3. The borne of God strives to be pure as Christ is pure, righteous as he is righteous (Ioh. 3.3.7) aymes at all righ­teousnesse sets himselfe no bounds, erects no pil­lar as if there were not a plus ultra, being confin [...]d to nothing but divine pleasure and imitation, he is universall, for things, times, places, persons, e­ver like himselfe and resembling God.

There is no measure not stints set love and desire, but that may be alwayes greater: charity propounds not to love God for any set time, or with any set degree, as St. BERNARDEpist. 253. Vera virtus finem nescit, tempore non claudi­tur, n [...]e est [...], cha­ritas nunquam exci­dit. Nunquam justus arbitratur se compre­bendisse, nunquam di­cit satis est, sed esu­rit semper, sitit (que) ju­stitiam, ita uti si sem­per viveret, semper quantum in se est ju­stior esse contenderet Non enim ad annum vel tempus instar merce [...]arii, sed in ae­ternum divino se mā ­cipat famulatui. Sempiterna ita (que) ju­sti esuries sempiter­nam meretur refecti­onem. discour­seth; the righteous never sayes enough, but ever hungers and thirsts righteousnesse, and if hee should live ever, would ever doe his best to bee more righte­ous; which perpetuall hunger of the righteous merits everlasting refreshment, and is one reason that our service that is but for a time, is crowned with eter­nall recompence. DAVID the man after Gods own heart, fulfils (Acts 13.22) all his will; that is the plenary will of God in all the particulars where­in it variously notifies it selfe, he that hath the minde of Christ (1. Cor. 2.16) would have no­thing of Gods will and of righteousnesse unfulful­led, but extends his desi [...]e to all that is good in all the denominations and circumstanc [...] of it. Phil. 4.8. [...]NIEL is termed a man of desires, (vir desid [...]rum) for his study to understand the complete will of God, and accommodate him­selfe thereunto (Dan. 10.11) And the vessell of Election powers forth himselfe in most aff [...]ctio­nate intreaties to all Christians, that they would [Page 143] prove not onely the good, but the perfect will of God; that is, have ever in their desire still greater glory unto Resignol, de Chri­stian. perfectione, l. 3. c. 10. God, and direct to that scope all their assayes and consultations.

Let our eyes alwayes looke on, and looke up to see what a distance there is betwixt us & hea­ven, how farre the measure of a man is short of the measure of an Angell, that wee may discerne what a way wee have yet to walke. The Apostle Phil. 3.12.15. as St. Primasius notes, Galli himselfe imperfect perfect, Imperfectum per­fectum se dicit, imperfect as not comprehen­ding what he desired; perfect as hungering Righ­teousnesse in all the plenitudes thereof, and with all labour ayming at the highest prize.

Now wee may justly be provoked, to desire all that is good, because no good desire shall bee unsatisfied (Psal. 81.11) Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it; multiply therefore thy godly desires: thy desire is thy capacity of good, after the say­ing of Mr. Florus, Quantum Al [...] ­veris, tantum cap [...]. Florus Magister ad­versus Amular [...]. Thy receipts shall bee according to thy desires. If wee be open in desiring, God will be free in giving, we may aspire and attempt good enterprises to our pow [...] ▪ yea beyond our power, because CHRIST hath blest such hun­ger, and it can [...]t be in vaine under Gods hel­ping hand, according to the animation of Archi­episc. Eborac. perswading HALITOA [...] to write a Penitentiall,Archiepis [...]. E [...]ora­ [...]s [...]s in Epist. ad [...]olitgarlum. N [...]l [...] timere hujus operis [...] magnitudinem, [...]. Feare not you the greatnesse of this worke; for hee will be with thee that thus said, [...] thy in [...] and , I will fill. And if the Lord [...] ins [...] satisfie our craving sto [...]t [...], [...]t t [...] thi [...] [...] or blunt the edge of our [...], but [...]s [Page 144] in nature the longer we are with-held from meat the more our hunger increases; so if God an­swere not speedily our religious desires, let us not abate but augment them as languishing and wounded with his love, and hee will in issue measure us satisfaction proportionable to our appetite;Qui replet in bonis desiderium tuum, That is the Soules mouth. for he is a God that satisfies the mouth with good things (Psal. 103.5) giving us here to obtaine what wee doe not amisse desire, and here­after accomplishing all our desires in himselfe, Psal. 34.10. Matth. 7.7. If at the command, coun­sell, or allowance of God, wee desire impossibi­lities as things stand, God satisfies in that hee ad­mits those desires and conformes to them his grace and glory. It is an observable speech of Radulphus Flaviensis; Hee that endeavours what he can In Lev. l. 19.7. Qui conatur quantū potest, etiamsi plenè hic illam obtinere non possit jubilem cum venerit conatus illius implebit, beati qui e­suriunt, &c. (totall freedome) though hee cannot fully attaine it here, when the Iubilee comes it will ac­complish his endeavours, blessed are they which hun­ger Righteousnesse, for they shall be satisfied.

Desire wee therefore Angelicall perfection to doe Gods will on earth as it is done in heaven, to be free of all Concupiscence, hee loves not good as good, he hates not evill as evill, that de­sires not the possession of all good and delive­rance from all evill. Pray wee that God would have mercy upon all men, that all men may be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth; that all things in the Church and State may hold plenarie conformity with Gods will, since no godly desire is frustrancous, glory shall fill the mouth that grace opens.

T.C. in his fury against the Surplisse, declaimes that it is a token of purenesse from sinne and infecti­on, T. C. Part. 1. p. 80. and of a glory which neither they have nor can have, nor ought so much as to desire to have, so long as they be in this world, which is marveilous, see­ing we are to desire that to be done in this world which is done in the other (1. Ioh. 3.3) And ma­ny like straines of Holy-writ seeme to argue that it is not absolutely impossible to compasse puri­fication from all sinne, and full sanctification in respect of the liberty of mans will, and libera­lity of Gods grace; for albeit none have attai­ned it, the sole le [...] and defect was in themselves, that were wanting in desires and labours; which St. AUGUSTINE. oft learnedly prosecutes and espe­cially in his Treatise of Perfection. However the desire of the things is not onely lawfull but so necessary, as no charity can subsist without desi­ring to be cleare of all sinne, and in all correspon­dence with God.

Wherefore it was a pious wish of LUDOVI­CUS BLOSIUS, Ah Lord, would to God I had for the honour of thy In specul [...] spirital [...] c. 7. Ʋtinam [...]mine, utinam pro ho [...] nominis tui, haber [...]m tantum amorem & affectum ad [...]re, quan­tum unquam aliqua creatura habuit. name, as great love and affecti­on to thee, as ever had any creature. Nay fur [...], the desire to love God as much as all his Saints put together doe love him, is an excellent desire, Provided (as LANSPERG wisely cautions) there Epist. ad [...]lem animam, [...] be not therein an appetite of singularity, as if thou alone wouldst performe as much as all others, but onely an affecting to love, [...] much as all can love, because love cannot be sa [...]fied.

[...]riefly, as men can no otherwise any [...] [Page 146] neare so much sinne as in thoughts and desires, which may be in short time innumerably multi­plyed and reiterated, so neither can we so heape merits as in spirituall intentions, thoughts and transcendent desires, which for that the forena­med LANSPERGIn Pharetra divini [...]oris, pag 7. a worthy writer of devotion, hath admirably expressed; I wil recommend it to the Reader in his words. Here is the nobility of the Soule that it is able to desire infinite, for God him­selfe being infinite, will not be loved of us with a fi­nite but infinite affection, and there is nothing but our desire that can stretch it selfe to infinity, let our desire therefore exhaust it selfe in infinite love and affection of adoring and honouring God. Seeing that which is not possible to be done, is landable with all inclination to be desired, because whatsoever we aske of God willing it to be and our impot [...]ncy is the sole cause that it cannot be, this desire though it never be effected is crowned by God for a deed, according as our Saviour avouches it to proceed from the heart that our workes are praised or condemned: so then where no work can ensue, the desire of the heart stands for the work: which desire having ability to rea [...]ch it selfe in infinitum, the godly will is able thereby to procure it selfe from God the praise and merit of infi­nite workes, notwithstanding that it cannot (operari infinita) performe infinite workes, for that the pow­er of working is not able to dilate it selfe so farre, as the power of willing; you see then how much it availes to convert from the creature to God, with a will ad­vanced by desires and aspirations, and with mentall Prayers set on fire by love (ab immenso immensa [Page 147] postulare) to require of the Almighty things above all might, since the munificence of God is so great, CHAP 4. so great his loving kindnesse, so great his libe­rality, that he is ready at all thy desires, for asmuch as it is he that [...]oves thee to de [...]re and pray, and per­mits no one desire or s [...]gh sent up to him to returne voide or empty, for that I speake not of other secrets which he work [...]th in thy soule, either he more cleare­ly i [...]ightens thy heart, or more effectually drawes, or more sweetly a [...]ures, or more deepely wounds, or in­flames with more vehement love, or infuses new grace, or increases and confirmes what was given be­fore, or he graciously refresheth thy minde, or inti­mately joynes and unites himselfe.

CHAP. IV. Touching the way of freshing Spirituall appetite.

ST. MARKE the Hermire rightly affirmes it a good beginning De temp [...] in serm. of grace when a man af­flicts himselfe, uses the helpe of hunger and thirst that he may not be full, and thinks himselfe just and rich in grace. It is a fine course to frequent fasting, that men may have a feeling of their im­perfection, and not conceit themselves with Laodicea, to bee wealthy and ne [...]d nothing, as it befell brightman and the Desciplinarians his ad­mirers, to take into their Faith an idle fancie that their Geneva is Paradice, my Heaven upon earth, perfect for Doctrine, and Discipline, [Page 148] and government, and when none are more distem­pered, to imagine none sound but themselves.

That we bee not sicke of like disease, wee must by the meanes aforesaid sharpen our sto­macke to the best things and the emulation of the primitive Church for voluntary discipli­ning our selves with the blessed Apostle (1. Cor. 9) in labour and watching and such kinde of re­straints and devout exercises hath the force of affliction, and the operation of Mandrakes, to provoke appetite, Cant. 7.13. The Mandrokes, as one gathers out ofLucas Abba [...] in summariola ex Apo­nio: Herba magni o­doris inter caeteras virtutes, his maximè dicitur tribuere mede­lam, qui st [...]macho la­borant, ut nec conti­nere, nec appetere pos­sunt cibos, Cum mag­ [...] desiderto in tribu­latione requirunt ci­bos, quos in delitiis fastidiebant. APONIUS, are a hearbe of strong savour and among other vertues chiefly medi­cinable for them that labour of a loathing stomache, that can neither covet nor retaine their food, which he interprets of afflictions, that make men in their distresse, with much desire to crave the food, which they loath in their delights: As surely under tribu­lation, the Saints send forth more odoriferous smell, the sweet odour of whose vertues which they scatter farre and wide, others take to bee resembl [...] by Mandrakes, and no question the zeale an [...] extraordinary devotion of spirituall men,Angelomus. is very operative to raise appetite in langui­shing soules.

Chri [...]tendome is growne coathy-stomackt, men loath Manna and hunger for husks. If notice be given that small doles of common meat shall be dispensed, with what greedines and violence will multitudes cro [...]d in, b [...] when wisedome hath furnisht a table and inv [...], good [...] & constitucions must [...]pell them to come, or [Page 149] Gods house will be empty, and his board unpro­vided of guests. Could we be perswaded now to goe in the Churches fields and scent the Man­drakes (Matth. 13.7) how would the blessed Mar­tyrs and Confessors, religious men, holy Virgins, Widowes, our zealous forefathers, how would they have prized the means and opportunities that we neglect confer we the fresh appetite and active religion of our renowned Ancestors with the deadnesse of our barren faith and professing devotion, and shall not men bee confounded for their indifferency and luke-warmnesse.

Now the best exercises to perfection, holy dayes, holy vowes, holy vigils, holy procession, set fasts, set prayers, are lamentably slighted, and those pious exercises that be frequented, are ge­nerally followed more for custome then consci­ence; and men are induced to [...]te rath [...]r to sa­tisfie others then for any hunger, and whereas they should hunger and thirst heaven, they hun­ger and thirst earth, and this world, nay hell; and make provision for most unreasonable & worse then heathenish lusts. Then if there be any scent or savour in us, let us smell the Mandrakes; a­mong other, royall D [...]d that breathes forth e­very where incomparable affection to Gods sweet ordinances, patient Iob that esteemed the word a­bove his appointed [...], above other our deare Lord Iesus, whose mea [...] and drink was to doe the will of his heavenly father, that if our stomack be not [...] killed, we may recover appetite and be ble [...]d, hungering and thirsting righte [...]shes.

DIONYSTUS CARTHUSIANUS was a lear­ned and godly man, he in his Sermons oft excites to this hunger, therefore I will end this Chapter with a little touch of his ardent incentives to it. Excellent and choise Christians are said to be full of grace, not that they may not receive more grace, but because they abound in the grace of God and gifts of the Spirit, howbeit they dayly grow in grace, and the more plentifull grace they have obtained, the more abundantly they promerit to bee perfected in grace, and the more they are replenished, the apter are they rendered for the increasing of grace, for which cause our SAVIOUR sayth, to him that hath shall be given, and hee shall abound; grace issues of grace, profiting is in order and serves to proceeding: Furthermore, as one sinne by the guilt and burthen of it inclines to another, and makes a man more un­worthy of grace; therefore it is written (peccator adjicit ad peccandum) so one good worke dispose [...] to another, for this is certaine, that how much the more perfect and vehemen [...] any is in love, so much the more earnest, speedy, readie, frequent, and f [...]vent affects hath hee to GOD, and so much the more fully▪ and frequently doth hee execute the Acts of other vertues in due time De S. Stephano ser. 1. Circa Epist. and place.

Wherefore as Student▪ of Spirituall affecti­ons, wee are dayly to exceed our selves in our first fervour and first diligence, and most vigilant custo­die of our hearts and senses, striving to grow in Faith, Hope, Charitie, and the gifts of the In festo conceptio­nis Mariae. ser 6. bles­sed Spirit: Labour [...]e continually to avoid ordinary [Page 153] negligences, vanity, sloth, lightnesse, CHAP 4. I to abhorre all veniall sinnes (quasi mortalia) as if they were mortall, to make dayly progresse in humility, patience, meeknesse, sobriety, and other morall vertues, that we may learne wholly to breake, represse, and beate under foot the beastly movings and assaults of all passions, cease we not a day to advance our hearts in Prayer unto our LORD and Maker, to insist in close medi­tations, wholly to devote our selves to vertuous deeds, and often to intend and direct all things to the ho­nour and glory of God, that wee may truly say with the Psalmist (oculi m [...]i semper ad Deum) ever zealous and praying for the common good of the Church with burning desire, and longing that GOD may be duely honoured of all, our selves especially serving him with all our strength, and not fayling to induce others thereunto to the best of our powers, by intreaties, exhortations, and good living, this consi­der that the Kingdome of God happens not to sleepers, sluggards, slothfull and negligent, but to the vigilan [...], laborious, attentive and fervent, who fruitfully im­prove all the time granted them▪ let us note and trem­ble at that in the Revelations, because thou art luke-warme, I shall spew thee out of my mouth. Let us marke how eagerly and stoutly Taske men labour for small wages, for a few pence; why are wee remisse then in the service of God, why doe we his worke neg­ligently, that have not apetite and temporary rewa [...]d, but eternall blisse, incomprehensible joy, the chiefe good, all good promised unto us, how great is our blindnes, how great our folly and dulnesse, that w [...] are more affected to earthly and carnall things, the [...] to [Page 152] heavenly and eternall, CHAP 5 beseech we God that he would vouchsafe to illighten and inflame our hearts that terrene and temporall matters despised, we may bend unto God with all our affection, and by gracious do­ings, gather our selves a treasure in In Nativ. Domini, serm. 2. Circa Evan­gelium. heaven.

CHAP. V. Of the satisfaction imparted to them that hunger.

SAtisfaction is most fitly propounded to the hungry soules, as the ayme and end of all desires. St. CHRYS. tells us that Wise men d [...]fined pleasure, when desire going before satis­faction Ad Theodorum lap­sum [...]. followes. Therefore blessed are they that hunger in that they are satisfied. Because unjust men therefore extort and taste forbidden fruit, that they may bee filled with temporall goods, Our Lord promiseth sufficiency to them that hunger justice, and that which all wealth cannot afford, satisf [...]ction of heart and minde.

The tenure of our satisfaction doth well runne in the future, that they shall bee satisfied, in as much as all content heere, is but a taste of that intire satisfaction which we shall have, when we come to see God, and eare the bread of Angels. Psal. 126.1. In our greatest joy below, facti su­mus sicut cōsolati, we be but as it were comforted, for that as Remigius expounds, how great soever our consolation be here, it is but a quasi, a shadow, a [Page 153] resemblance Quia quantacun (que) hic sit consolatio, est quasi umbra, & quae­dam t [...]ntum similitu­do futurae consolatio­nis. of future & full consolation. There is no doubt that in the Resurrection we sh [...]lbe fully satisfied with all the righteousnesse we here de­sire, and have every desire then and there abundantly sufficed; when God shall be all in all, and to speake with St. CYPRIAN, his presence filles up all De asce [...]sione Do­mini. Illius praesen­tia omnes animae & corporis implebit ap­p [...]titus. S. Greg. in E­vang. hom. 36. the desire and appetite of soule and body; every af­fection and sense replenished with apt delights, that which they cannot be in this world (Eccl. 1.8) that our soule, and our fl [...]sh, and all our bones may say, Lord who is like unto thee? As the wicked shall be tormented in all their senses, and namely in their taste with famine (Revel. 18.8) and with thirst, as the Gospell treates of the thirst and ever burning tongue of the cruell De siti & lingua semper ardente. Ec­clesia Lugdunensis adversus Iobannem Scotum. Ansbert. in Rev. 16.9. Actus elicitus cha­ritatis. Miser.

And yet Christian hunger shall be sempiter­nall, as which is an act, which properly ariseth out of never failing charity, desire shall never cease, but be ever satisfying never satisfied, they shalbe filled not that they shall surcease desi [...]ing, but that they sh [...]ll desire nothing whereof they are not full, and their desires be sweet unto them. Wittily St. BERNARDS [...]p [...]r Cant. ser. 84. Nunquid consumma­ [...]io gaudii, desiderii consumptio est, oleu [...] magis est illi, n [...]m ip­sa fl [...]m [...]a [...]ic e, t ad­im plebitur letiria, sed desiderit non erit f [...]a, as per hoc nec q [...]rendi. as his [...]nner i [...], shall the Consummation of our joy bee the Consumption of our desire, it shall rather bee oyl [...] unto it a [...] that is fl [...]we, thus it is, our joy shall be filled up, but there s [...]allbe no end of our desiring nor therefore of our see­king. Not that we shall seeke what we have not, but freshly desire, and ever [...]new rejoyce over our eternall joy.

Ioh. 6.35. Our Master sayes, they that drink of the water which he gives, shall never thirst; for that it takes away thirsting, as a p [...]ine, conti­nues it onely as a pleasure, and meane to render drinking contentfull, for without thirst none drinkes with delectation. Hence not onely on earth, but in Heaven also, the Saints shall everla­stingly thirst the waters which they drinke with most pleasing delight; (Psal. 36.8) They shall drinke of the River of Pleasures. The Prophet af­ter the exposition of blessed AMBROSEAviditatem biben­tium voluit exprime­re, quasi torre [...]tem ip­su [...]. vellent ebibore si possent. would thereby expresse the greedinesse of the drinkers, as if they would drinke up the River it selfe if they could. Wisedome saith of her selfe (Syr. 24.21) they that eate me shall yet be hungry, and they that drinke me shall yet be thirsty. Which the incomparable St. PAULINE hath amplified in rich verses, that I translate, like one that chalenge no perfection in the spirit and art of Poesie.

We can desire nothing which wee shall not have, because our satisfaction shall be infinite, and because our satisfaction shall be infinite, therfore it shall exercise and advance endlesse desires. Reade Ansbert In apoc. l. 8. ad finē. magnifying the Marriage feast & blessed banquet of CHRIST, where there is hunger without anxiety and fulnesse without satiety; Parba de statu do­min Dei, l. 4. c. 5. desire without anxiety in fruition, and satisfaction without satiety, because above the sense. As St. MAXIMUS hath it, that which is not sensuall but a­bove the sense cannot cl [...]y the sense.

No question of their being satisfied that are blessed,Constantinopol. in Epist. ad Georg. pres­byterum, pag. 613. but our Lord as in other beatitudes so in this, commends the happy effects here; and that satisfaction which they that hunger and thirst finde in him for such their hungering and thir­sting, so they sh [...]ll be filled, and proclaimes the li­berality of God furnishing all the capacity of the creature with competency, and delighting to infuse, and shed abroad copiously of his good­nesse according to any aptnesse and preparation made, and most of all to them that abstracted from the Creature refuse to be comforted but in him, nay reputing themselves unworthie of all consolation, hunger not to bee filled with comforts in God, but to bee satisfied with his good pleasure (Psal. 107.19) Hee fils the hungry soule with goodn [...]s; he fils, that is, plētifully takes [Page 156] up and supplyes all the desires of the hungry, with goodnesse; though hunger except against nothing that is wholesome, yet God satiates his hungry with the finest wheate (Psal. 91.16) the most choise of evangelicall and coelestiall deli­cates, he filles the hungry with goodnesse, be­cause onely goodnesse satisfies the hunger of Righteousnesse, nor could any be blessed though satisfied if not filled with goodnesse, and indeed it is the propriety of sole goodnesse to fill up the appetite of the soule, meane things may stirre but they cannot stay desire.

The assurance of satisfaction is an infallible difference betweene naturall and spirituall hun­ger, spirituall and carnall desires. The restlesse desires of men after honor, riches, pleasure, prove hunger and thirst to abound in the world, but not blessed hunger and thirst, because ever un­satisfied, and so farre as this concernes particu­lar justice, a little justly got is more satisfactory, then all unrighteous gaines, the hunger whereof can never be allayed, but it makes the soule like hell, and begins to plague it here in a hungrie worme. The proper satisfaction of a man and of rationall desires, cannot consist in meate, drinke and corporall solaces, as thought Epicure, Ari­stippus and other; As St. HIEROM tearmesIn Eccles. 9.8. Cyrenaici, & c [...]ete­rae pecudes philoso­phorum. them, Beasts of Athens, brutes in the habits of Phylosophers, but in vertue and grace, wherein is the perfecting of his chiefe faculties, and the par­ticipation of the divine nature.

Naturall hunger and thirst are tedious, as PLA­TOIn Philebo. [...], &c. discourses and painfull, the members that want nourishment sucking it from the veynes, which having not to minister to them, are there­by distracted, and put out of their union and har­mony. But spirituall hunger and thirst are delici­ous, therefore St. Augustine In Epist. ad Maxi­mum. Nisi quod in spe adjutorii devini, est in illo app [...]rita tran­quillus erdor, & slā ­ma securior. averring the hunger of the righteous to exceed the hunger of the vo­luptuous; addes, saving that in hope of divine as­sistance, there is in Christian appetite a burning that molests not, a flame that consumes not: for that the hungering of grace is with the firme expectation of a quiet minde, reposed in Gods mercy and al­sufficient reply. Besides that, such thirsting is the worke of the Holy Ghost, and heavenly influen­ces, are not only gracious but glorious, very cor­diall, and tasting of highest content.

It is no little satisfaction to the soule, that it can hunger and thirst, desire to desire, desire to greeve when the heart is dry, and melts not into sorrow; that to will is present with us, that by hunger and thirst we may discerne ourselves li­ving: as St. BERNARD alledges his hu [...]r for life,Soltloqui [...] 5. Tame tu domine certe cer­tus sum, per gratiam tuam de siderium de­sideriitui, & amore amoris tui, b [...]bere me, in t [...]to corde & in tota anima mea. O my Lord, certainly I am certain [...] th [...] by thy grace, I have in all my heart and in all my soule a desire of thy desire, and love of thy love. IORDAN hath observed and the NaturalistsSerm 14 [...]. Nam homo plerum (que) aliis intertus, neglige [...]t fami [...] [...]pore & in­dig [...]tiae [...]ibum sum [...] ­re, nisi per famē quae est appetitus cibi d [...]s [...] ­derabilis admorere­tur. signifie as much, that God hath grafted in mans nature that he should take his food with pleasure, as for his ver­tuous exercise in moderating delights and grievances so for his better preservation, that in i [...]ents and infami [...]e, hunger the app [...]tite of conte [...]rf [...]ll fo [...]d [Page 160] might admonish him not to neglect himselfe, CHAP. 6. and they whose soule dwels not in flesh, not forget to re­ceive due sustenance, how much more necessary was it that not alone in eating and drinking, but also in hungring and thirsting spirituall nutri­ture Christians should finde sweetnes, lest other­wise wee should dead our appetite, and let our soules famish if hunger were not gratefull, as ef­fectually in order to eternall health and happi­nesse.

CHAP. VI. Of the hunger that shall be satisfied, of the good­nesse that satisfies, and how goodnesse specially satisfies that hungers by preserving appetite and activity.

1. RIghteousnesse renders not its satisfa­ctions to any, but those that hunger and thirst, aspire after it with soveraigne and most importunate desires, it was said that the gods sold all things to men for labour, here wee see our God sells his meate to us for hunger, and requires no price but thirst for the water of life, he maketh over his greatest blessings to desires,Idiotam de amore divin, [...]. 10. and therefore there is nothing cheaper to buy, nor dearer to possesse. Now because none can hunger and thirst, but by the spirit of life the [Page 161] satisfaction of the Gospell is assured to them, and Christians must bee thankfull, and content themselves in the hungering and thirsting righ­teousnesse, for desires of grace are the dew of Heaven, and the soule could not hunger and thirst grace, if it tasted nothing of the sweetnesse thereof.S. Le [...] serm. de [...]a­tit.

Longing and affectionate desire is only from some taste of the good desired, and that this will which divines say is accepted for the deed, that is the desire which is accepted for the grace desired, when the desire is in the proper faculty that is proportion'd and directly exercised about the good desired, as desire of appetite doth not argue appetite. For it may be in them that have no stomacke, because the appetite is in the inferi­our and [...]eslative powers, the desire thereof in the higher and intellectuall, but desire of meate in the stomacke, which is the feare thereof, doth alwayes prove appetite; so desire of grace in the will which is the proper seate of grace, presup­poses holy inclinations there, and that desire it [...]. Aug. in Ps. 11 [...]. v. 20. ever working, and uncessant till it bee satisfied with more and more grace, but desire of grace in the intellect onely, apprehending it and the necessitie thereof, doth not ever presume; it for that is but a kinde of woulding, and may be with­out intended will to [...].

3. The goodnes [...]e which doth satisfie all the hūger of righteousnes, is the sole good of Chri [...], which alone is able to cons [...]mmate all desires, his water satisfies in the wildernes, wh [...] deserted of al [Page 162] other succour (Esa. 48.21) that is wonderfull, Christs water takes away hunger, and his bread thirst. Ioh. 6.37. Every thing that is his, being of infinite vertue, and comprizing all satisfactions. The repast of the soule is summed up in the A­postles blessing (2. Cor. 13.14) The grace of the Lord Iesus Christ,S. Ambr. ibid. The grace of our Lord Ie­sus seemes to be set a­fore the love of God, because God set his love upon us in him, & his merits deserve all the favours which vve receive. the love of the Father, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all: The love of God sent us a Saviour, by whose grace we are saved, the Communion of the spirit states us in that grace. All good desires are perfectly satisfied in the love of God, that love compleat­ly merited in the grace of Christ, that grace fully communicated by the fellowship of the Holy Ghost; in whose sole communion (to use the words of blessed [...], hom. 5. Macarius) the faithful soule can find rest for all its affections. Manna was a principall type of Christs satisfying power, Wis. 16.20.21. Manna serving the appetite of the eater, tempered it selfe to every mans liking, now whereas Moses records onely the taste of wafers made of honey, the most learned Doctour St. AUGUSTINES. Aug. retract. l. 2. c. 20. S. Gregor. in Iob. l, 6. c. 9. l, 20. c. 16: and the Fathers, resolve that scruple thus: That Manna to them that tooke it as ordinary food, tasted as is expressed by MOSES, but to them that received it as Sacramentall and adored the mystery in it, the taste was as is declared in the Booke of Wisdome: after the verse of RUSTICUS ELPIDIUS,Nam dignis quem quisque velit, d [...]t Manna saporem. Manna's t [...]e was that which best pleased [...]rthy re [...]eivers. Nor was that a vaine type for our hidden Manna (Revel. 2.17) which CHRIST gives hath correspondence to each [Page 163] particular appetite, and gives every one that de­lights in God the speciall desires of his heart, (Psal. 37.4) for it killes brutish and diabolicall appetite, satisfies reasonable and godly desire, confirmes us that remembring our selves to bee as CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS finely speakes,Str [...]m. 3. [...]: the Children not of Concupiscence but of will: wee may not covet but desire, not lust but will. Ioh. 1.13. Our LORD saith, that he who drinkes of the water which Hee gives, shall never thirst. Ioh. 4.14. Because that water allayes the fire of Concupiscence after stolne waters that hee which drinkes thereof may onely thirst righte­ousnesse. Quench mee the en [...]mies fiery darts in the Fountaine of Wisdome, and the River of Li­ving water, that spring in thee, which is the swasive of St. PAULINE to his friend Epis [...]. 6. Tria ini­mici c [...]ntia, fo [...] s [...]pientia, & s [...]l­ [...]e aqu [...] in [...] [...]ting [...]e. SEVERUS, and if the will be good and of good, CHRIST satisfies hunger in giving desert to desire.

3. The goodnesse of CHRIST satisfies espe­ci [...]lly the hunger of Righteousnesse, by sustai­ning the Christian in strength of appetite and la­bour, it was our Saviours meate and drinke to doe his Fathers worke, as satisfying his desires of his Fathers glory (Ioh. 4.34) in n [...]t [...]re ear­nest indeavours are the satisfa [...]ion of strong de­sires, which render insensible of hunger, [...]. and feed the soule in a mans pursuing his a [...]ec [...]ion, in religion vigorous following good deeds i [...] the best refreshment to godly d [...]s [...]res [...]ug [...]entati [...]n of love, and the labour of love is the [...] of a pious minde.

Honey seemes not sweet to those that are sicke of a Feaver, and have their tongue imbit­tered with Choler: so hee that is in the Gall of bitternesse, saith as it is in St. BASIL, The Law is [...]. In exhortatione ad S. Script. good, but sinne is sweeter: but hee that hath his senses exercised to discerne good and evill, hath experience that more sweetnesse is tasted in obeying the Law, then in satisfying lust, of which every man may easily have try­all in himselfe. To which St. LEO the great appeales, saying; that if a rationall De jejunio sept. Menfis serm. S. S [...]se­ipsum sibi rationalis homo comparet, om­nes (que) suorum actuum qualit [...]tes vera in­spectione dijudicet, nunquid in intimis conscientiae suae, hoc delectationis inveniet, de iniquitate com­missa, quod de equita­te servata. man com­pares himselfe with Himselfe, and with true in­spection discusses all the qualities of his acts, shall hee in the secrets of his conscience finde that delectation of iniquity committed that he doth in righteousnesse observed, enter into your consciences after holy actions, try if they make you not a Feast.

Wee cannot desire and much lesse doe any thing according to divine will, but wee shall meet with food in it; for how should not that which is pleasant to GODS will bee satisfacto­ry to any good will? Hence to the Righteous the Word is sweeter then honey, the Holy day is a Festivall, the Sacrament a Supper, teares are bre [...]d, and bounty is a blessing. Taking therefore notice of the satisfaction which is in Holy services, let us follow the advice of the fa­mous Prelate HINCMOR,Hincmar Episc. Rhemens. in opusculo 55. c 54. Sicut coti­dianas & necessarias pensiones corpori re [...] ­dimas, ita cotidianas at (que) continuas bono­rum operum scilicet continentiae lectionū, vigiliarum & orati­onum at (que) lachryma­rum. & eleemosyna­rum, at (que) sacrae ho­stiae oblationum, ge­mituum quod; ex prae­teritorum poenitentia, & Sancto futurorum desiderio, pensiones a­nimabus nostris, effū ­dentes eas in conspe­ctu domini, reddere studeamus. As we render our body dayly and con [...]nient allowance, so let us study to give our soules their dayly and continuall pensions of good workes, p [...]ing them forth before God in Sobriety, reading, watching, and Prayers, in [Page 165] teares, almes, and oblations of the sacred best, CHAP. 7. in sighes also from Repentance for our sinnes past and holy desires of things to come.

CHAP. VII. Concluding in admiration of the satis­factions which are in Righte­ousnesse.

BOnum hominis the good w^ch all men would have shewen them, is found in Righteous­nesse. Whatsoever man as man in the ut­most extent of reason can desire, is with over­plus contained in Religion; of necessity the de­gree of satisfaction must bee answerable to the good whereof wee have fruition, the higher the good the larger the content, there is no compa­rison betweene the joy in a Million and a Mi [...]e. Hence profound observations and rare inventi­ons in Arts and Sciences promote to deeper and more sincere delights, then riches and honour, because they are the contents of the intellective part, these of the sensible. Thus the graces and gifts of the Lord IESVS create purer and more intire pleasure then all the favours and sufficien­cies of the world, for that all these are but a na­turall good, and the other are a spirituall.

A man of indifferent conceit, may fancy grea­ter contentment then all the good of the world [Page 166] could minister if it were in his possession, but the most exquisite wit cannot devise a satisfaction any thing neere that which accrewes from righ­teousnesse satisfying God; from peace beyond all understanding of man and Angell, from joy in the Holy Ghost most glorious and unspeak­able, who as an infinite Agent stampes incredi­ble worth and contenting vertue on all his acti­ons.

Wherefore the righteous are willed to re­joyce againe and againe (Phil. 4.4) because it is impossible for them to over-joy their Spirituall good. I can no lesse then commend that of Caba­sil [...]s De vita in Chrisio. l. 2. The thirst of humane Soules needeth some infinite, water which therefore the finite world cannot suffise, he that drinkes of that water shall thirst againe, but they that drinke of Christ in whom are all things, there is no let, but they should love as much as nature can effect and joy as much as they can joy. &c.

For as the good of the world is much lesse then our desires and thoughts▪ so our desires and thoughts are farre inferiour to the good of Christianity.

Yet Tertullus is a witnesse, thatDespectaculis. Plures deni (que) inveni­as, quos magis peri­culum voluptatis quam vitae avocat ab hac secta delicatus es Christiane, si in hac vita voluptatem con­cupiscis, imo nimium stultus▪ si haec existi­mus voluptatem— a man might finde many whom hazard of pleasure more detained from Christian profession thou perill of life, I will not say as he doth to such thou art nice, O Chri­stians, if thou covetest pleasure in this life, [...] wise if thou conceivest carnall pastimes to be pleasure [...] Suerly they are foolish that for the sports of the [Page 167] world forsake the pleasure of the Church which God meats with so overflowing a cup, that his servants are at times driven to beseech him to hold his hand, as doth blessed Ephrem in that petition;De vita religiosa. p. 557. Now Lord my God I adore and implore thy ineffable goodnesse, confessing my infirmity! re­mit somewhat the sourges of thy grace, and reserve it for me in thy treasury.

Excellently St. LEO, Gods people have their Spirituall De quadragesima, serm. 12. habet popu­lus dei spiritales epu­las, castasque d [...]lici­as — banquets and chaste delights, whosoe­ver hath had the lightest, say in the taste of his in­ner man of the sweetnesse of GODS mercy and truth whereby all his providence is dispensed, and made any experiments of those joyes that shall ne­ver bee allaid with any regrate, in admiration of eternall, hee will despise all corrupt and fading good; well doth hee say, who so hath tasted, and the Psalmist, Come taste and see that the Lord is good. Psal. 34 8. For as BONAVENTVRE, a man of curious devotionall expression saith,Dominic: 1. advertus serm. 20. taste & see, quia dominus est adeo dulcis, ut qui cum gustaverit quam sit dulcis, Augustanti cre­dere omni [...] non po­terit. God is so good, that he who hath not tasted him how good he is, will not any wise be able to credit another tasting that he is so sweet.

The good things, which God hath prepared and revealed in his Saints here below, are above the capacity & credulity of a man in nature. 1 Cor. 2.9.10. Eie hath not seene nor eare heard, which are the senses of discipline and learning, nor hath it entred into the heart of man which is the seate and throne of reason.

They so farre surmount all secular indigna­tion [Page 168] and much more contentations, that as St. Bernard testifies. The soule that hath tasted and bin satisfied with Super Cant. serm. 35 B. Aug. Epist. 121. God, feares (as to be cast out of Pa­radise into hell) to fall from those pure joyes to the consolation and or rather desolations of the world.

Matth. 22.2. The satisfaction of the Gospell is resembled to a feast, no ordinary but a marriage feast, made by no common person, but a King, and that for no subject but a sonne, and therefore carried in all variety and state to shadow out he exceeding abundance of all manner of delights which the soule participates in Gods kingdome, and the righteousnesse thereof.

Apocalyps 3.20. If any man open I will come in and suppe with him, the transcendance of which offer forc't this exclamation from Bishop Agobard Serm, de trinitate, quid unquam tam dulce? quid tam ju­cundum? vae illis qui talem hospitem a se repellunt. what was ever so sweet, what so plea­sant! woe be to them that exclude such a guest, that enters not onely as a guest but as a feast, that cheeres the heart with himselfe!

The Soule is too greedy that God doth not satisfie, he that hath God for his; what would hee, what can he have more? Psal. 73.25. whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I d [...]sire besides thee, nor hea­venly thing nor earthly doe I desire but thee alone?

Seeing that God alsuffizing now suppes with his and at the Lambes supp [...]r will gird himselfe and minister to them by presenting all his good before them. Can wee doe o­therwise [Page 169] then wonder with ORIGEN,In Cant. hom. 2. — as St. Hier. translates, Beata illius latitude animae, beata strata illius mentis, vbi pa­ter & filius, & non dubita una cum Spiri­tu Sancto, [...]cumbit, conat, & mansimeus facit — Pax ubi pri­mus ci [...]t est. Bles­sed is the latitude of that Soule; blessed the table of that heart, where the Father and Sonne no doubt with the holy Spirit, sit downe, suppe, lodge; where the first service is Peace, Ioy, Righteousnesse, and what the second course shall bee passes the apprehension of men, the comprehension of Angels.

Lord IESV, all our desires are to thee, who onely hast satisfied for us, and who onely canst satisfie us.

CHAP. I. Of Mercie, especially in Spirituall miseries, and namely in condoling with others in their infirmities.

HArd times, and harder hearts call for treaties of Mercy, and require another S. Chrysostome, who for much pressing of mer­cy was called of manyGeorg. Alexandrinꝰ in vita ejus, cap. 22. [...]. The Preacher of Almas, the Prelate of Mercy. Which mercy is the ver­tue whereby wee are affected with other mens [Page 174] miseries, and ready to succour them unto the ut­most of our power, considering them as tyed to us in bands of humanitie, and further indeared in the bowels of CHRIST dying for them as for us. Mercy is at both ends of this verse, the Du­ty in the beginning, the Reward in the close, the grace to shew the mercy of man, the blisse to find the mercy of God. And mercy is assured to the mercifull, because our mercy by Gods ordi­nance effectually workes to the procuring of his, and that it may not irke us to be exercised about misery the proper object of Mercy, mercy is thereby ingaged to us, to free us from all mise­ry: and because the mercifull respect not so much the merits as the miseries of men; there­fore mercy is made over to them, that (as St. Tho­mas speaketh) They may receive more then they de­served or could have desired.

Now forasmuch as the miseries of men are ei­ther of Soule or Body, mercy regards both, and disposes to give not onely corporall but spiritu­all almes, which are to be preferred before them, according to the prelation of the soule before the body, in which the poore may equalize the rich, counsell, comfort, correct, forbeare, for­give, pray for others. Some of which at least wee may extend to the proudest [...] their scornfull spire, who would [...] i [...] take other kindnesses from our hands. As STEPHEN can pray for SAVE and those that st [...]ed him, whether they will or not, and therein further them that would not have received other curte­sies [Page 175] from him; moreover, the Lord IESVS takes to himselfe the reliefe of the soule as well as that of the body, agreable to the sentence of St. Gre­gorie, In Ioh lib. 14. c. 27. — Ita cum nescienti cuilibet rectum consi­lium datur, hoc ille accipit cujus membrū est, qui eruditur. As when victuals or rayment is given to the needy, the Lord witnesseth that hee received it; so when good counsell is given to any ignorant, hee re­ceives it, whose members they be that are instructed.

Hereupon the Righteous that know the worth of a soule, tender it in all offices of piety, but the more part of us are not so respective of our Friends soules as God commands us to be of our enemies Asse, Exod. 23.6. Which blessed Chry­sostom observes, saying;Tom. 5. serm, 91. Wee will helpe vp an Asse fallen downe, but wee neglect and despise the soule of our Friends gravelling under worse burthens, (then can oppresse an Asse) and wee smite them not kindly, when wee see them goe shamefully into Ta­ve [...]es, &c.Tom. 5. ser. 91. [...].

For the better remembrance, I will reduce what I intend to deliver touching Mercy expres­sed to the Spirits of men, to the particulars of compa [...]o [...], correction, pardon.

For the first, the mercifull are compassionate and despise not others incurable weaknesses, but labour their helpe in mercy and gentlenesse, Iude, vers. 22.23. Reason and naturall love moved [...] that [...] should pitie the Soule that [...].51 [...] How much more will grace and Christian charity cover and recover infirmi­ties, concealing what stands with our vocation, [...], and morally wi [...]ing [...] men in their wants, [Page 176] heale their maladies, not upbraid, exasperate, de­ride, make table-talke, and Towne-talke of them. In other men wee should consider our selves,In aliis hominibus nos ipsos cogitare de­bemus. Lictant. 6. 10. and reminding what we have beene, or might have beene, or may be, put on bowels of fellow-feeling to them (Galath. 6.10. Tit. 3.3) and mur­mure not that God spares the worst livers (as St. Augustine perswades)Noli quia tu tran­sasti, velle misericor­diae Dei pontem sub­vertere &c. in Psal. 93. Have not thou a will, be­cause thy selfe art over, to turne aside the bridge of Gods mercy.

Our Saviour (Matth. 9.13) applyes that of Hos. 6.6. I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice, to exalt charitable interpretations above harsh con­structions, and patient striving to reclaime sin­ners before ungentle use and aversation. Mercy to say pitie of our neighbour is his evils (where­of sinne is the greatest) and endeavour to redresse them is a direct service of God, and another guesse signe of one sincerely religious, then much hearing, reading, receiving, which with all for­malities profit not to salvation without mercy.

This mercy releeves more, convents more, then proud separation and storming against Sin­ners. I reade in the lives of the Fathers,In vit. Patrum, l. 2. In L. contra fornicati­onem, fol. 122. Ne (que) possibile est ut cum duritia & ausserita­te, facile ab intentio­ne sua aliquis revoce­tur, quia nec Daemon expellit Daemonem, sed magis benignitate eum revoca ad re, quoniam & Dominum Deus noster consolan­do ad se homines tra­hit. That it is not possible that any one should easily bee with­drawne from his intention by hard [...]esse and rigour, for neither doth Devill exp [...]ll [...]vill, but [...] him to thee by kindnesses; for even the Lord our God drawes men to himselfe by mercies and comforts. Be wee therefore practisers of mercy in admonish­ing, perswading, advising them that are [...] the way, removing all stumbling blockes from be­fore [Page 177] them, alwayes praying for them, and rea­dy to prevent them with offices of best love.

If you of the Laitie would so exercise mercy, St. CHRYSOSTOME holds, In Hebr. hom. 30. [...]. you might reforme mee things among your selves, then by your publike Tea­chers; because you converse much together and mu­tually know each other, and have speciall interests in one another. Have you not read or heard how in the first flourish of Christianity, the Church was propagated and the world astonished by acts of Mercie. Ah! that mercifull men are tooke away, and in lieu of them is risen up a roote of bitternesse, that cannot afford so much as a sweet looke, or kinde word, be peremptorie to con­demne all they dislike, but who seekes to re­claime men with goodnesse, and by mercy to a­mend them and make such as God would have them!

CHAP. II. Of the mercy exercised in Correction and p [...]rdon.

ARNOBIVSIn Psal. [...] comparabile [...] est, qua [...] [...] qui­cun (que) super [...] terra [...] est [...] ­tur — [...]. junior, doth not without ground pu [...]naunce it an incomparable gift of GOD, that any righteous man is held ou [...] before us upon the face of the [...]th, — and that hee [...] blessed, who hath the happinesse to kno [...] a [...] of God, that may correct him [...], and reprove [Page 178] him in Gods love—. Such correction is either in censuring, or in chastising.

In censuring the mercifull are favourable ar­bitrators, rather then judges of other mens do­ings. For as Cassian declares,Coll. 11.11. aevidens indicium est animae vitiorū facibus non­dum eliquatac, in cri­minibus alienis, non affectu misericordiae condolere, sed rigidam judicantis tenere cen­suram. It is an evident token of a soule not yet purged from the dregs of vice, in other mens offences not to condole in affect of pitie: but demeane themselves after the rigorous severity of a Iudge. If the mercifull judge at all, they judge as God doth of his servants, evangelically pas­sing by many defects, and accepting the good­will and pure intent, and they doe not presume to judge any, untill they have put themselves in his clothes, and made his case their owne. Ad­mirably Guide Carthusianus, Med. 16 ind [...]e eum prius quem judicare vis aut corripore, et sicut tibi expedire senseris, si ita fis, sic facito—nam et Chri­st [...]s prius induit homi­nem, quam judicaret. First put on whom­soever thou wilt judge or reprove, and as thou wouldst thinke expedient for thy selfe, if thou went in his con­dition, so deale by him. Matth. 7.1. for CHRIST also put on man, before hee would judge men.

The mercifull if he knew himselfe to excell o­thers, would in Christian charity be grieved that those he loves as himself cōe short of him in spi­rituall gifts, and adjudge that wanting to himself, wherein his fellow-members were defective. He dares not take up an absolute opinion, that any particular man, is for the present out of grace; for that supposing he understood him a littl [...] be­fore to have committed some mortall sinn [...], hee cannot tell what God may presently worke in his heart by inner contrition. Hee is farre from their malignant nature that makes the worst of e­very thing, and from the evill humour of teme­rarious [Page 179] suspecting,CHAP. 7. especially when he discernes men well imployed, not like the Pharisee that misdeem'd the poore Publican that he saw stand praying by him, as his successours mis-judge them, they call prophane in their devotions, in their reverence in Gods house, in their venerati­on at the name of our Lord IESVS, and say they rest in externals, without pious and inward mo­tions, as if they were gods to know what instincts their hearts were stirred with, or as if when a Christian saw another performe a solemne religi­ous act reverētly, he ought not to think him then penitent, and smit with remorse, and some god­ly inspiration, how bad soever hee had formerly knowne him.

It pitties the mercifull, that generally the world makes the miscarriage of others the bur­then of their talke, but more that they, who glo­ry that they are not of the world, should waste their conference in uncharitable censures, as if the Children of God had nothing else to doe, but finde fault with the sonnes of men, which [...]es nothing so much the mindes of men from all Religion. Dionysius [...] writ [...], Thus [...]. wisedome [...] rash and [...]just suspicious and judging especially of things [...]ternall, unknowne, indifferent, — And yet that is one of the worst cor­ [...]ions r [...]guing in the heart of many of the religi­o [...] that they repro [...]e, bold and [...]advised in judge­ing of others.

Of late there is sprout up a generation, all [...]se shew of [...] [Page 180] if you take their faulting of others,CHAP. 2. their exclai­ming of the times, their complaining of the state, their defaming of the Church, you leave them not so much as one fig-leafe to cover their nakednesse, and destitution of all truth in their sayings, and honesty in their dealings. They speak of a damned crue but there is a more pesti­lentiall order, and that is the damning crue of censurers, they call themselves professours, but their profession is to iudge all but themselves, and there is no mercy with them, nor respect of dig­nities or callings, but they give all that side not with them for little better then Turkes, and all that are against them for worse then Iewes.

In chastising the pitifull Christian opens all his bowels of mercy, and because the duty is un­pleasant of it selfe, sweetens it with much ingre­dience and all kinde circumstances of love. As St. BernardOcto puncta. Fra­terna correctio debet fieri cum magno mo­deramino, cum gemit [...] & benevolentia, suo loco, tempore semper oratione praecedente. teacheth that brotherly correcti­on ought to be carried with great moderation, with sorrrow for them, and good will to them in time and place, and with prayer alwayes premised—and so done it is a worke of excelling mercy, whether it be in words or deeds—according to the wor­thy judgement of Saint Augustine, be In e [...]chiridio. c. 72. Qui emendat verbe­re quē inpotestas da­tur, vel coerc [...]t aliqua disciplina, & tamen poccatum ejus à quo lasus et offensus, di­mittit ex corde — vel orat ut ei dimit­tatur, non solum in eo quod dimittit at (que) o­rat, verum etiam in eo quod corripit, aliqua emendatoria poena plectis, eleemosynam dat, quia misericor­diam praestat, &c. that by stripes amendeth one, over whom hee hath command, or restraineth him by any discipline, and yet forgi­veth him from his heart the sinne wherewith he was injured and offended, or prayer that it may be forgi­ven, not only in that he forgives and prayes, but al­so in that he correcteth and punisheth with some me­dicinable paine, he gives an almes because he shew­eth mercy. By that meanes therefore the Righ­teous reforme [Page 181] their inferiours of sinne, the most extreame mischiefe incident to them, they smite in kinde­nesse, and thence their reproofe is soveraigne as balme. Psal. 141.5

And surely as St. HILARY there com­ments,Veniam prastar [...] illicitis non est mise­ricordiam praestare, sed justitiam miseri­cordia non tenere. To grant an indulgence for unlawfull courses is not to shew mercy, but to neglect the right of mercy, for mercy dispenseth it selfe by just rules and fit conditions in the receiver, Psal. 62.12. all the Lords pathes are mercy and truth, Psal. 25.10.Quia & ipsa mise­ricordia aquis est li­brata a ponderibu [...]. In­ter opera St. Hier. ib. Because even mercy it selfe is equally weigh­ed and distributed.

Yet the mercifull when there is necessity of punishing, doe it not without touch of consci­ence for their owne sinnes, and a heart sensible of humane weakenesse, and commiserating the same, and therefore they put farre away all unchristian menaces, reviling and domineering o­ver offenders, not as many who use superiority as a licence to mistake mens names, and say im­periously what they please of those th [...]t are un­der them. Origen I [...] Rom. 32 notes, That to speake ill and give bitter termes it a vice whereunto humane frail­ty is so bent; especially towards subjects and inferi­ours, that they think it calling not miscalling. And when by way of penalty something accrewes to the poore or himselfe for offences convicted, that causes not a mercifull m [...]n to abate his sor­row that a Christian should [...]o offend, those pe­cuniary amercements being imposed [...] to hinder, not to occasion to remit griefe i [...] [...]y for sinne. So much of mercy in [...] [Page 182] briefly of that which is in pardoning, which is the proper function of Mercy, here it raignes and manifests all its vertue, Ephes. 4.32. There are two kind of Almes expressed in two words, Luke 6 37.38 Give and forgive. Give — Erogando quod habes bonum, Forgive — Remitten­do quod pateris malū [...] St. Aug. hom. 29. Give by imparting of the good thou hast, forgive by remitting of the ill thou sufferest, by which two the most learned Father avou­ches sinnes to bee done away, and that wee make Qua­si faenus trajectitium. This forgiving Mercy con­sists in remission of all displeasure and rancour a­gainst men, & cleeres the mind of all ill thoughts and wishes to them, as our Saviour forgave the world his death, and namely them that had most hand in it, & most effectually desired God, by the sweet relation and affection of a Father, to for­give them also, Luke. 23.34.

Which was gloriously imitated, Act 7.59.60. by the blessed Protomartyr. Who as St. BERNARD dilates it,Serm. de S. Stepha­no, clamat voce mag­na, quia magna uti (que) charitate, positis ge­nibus quia vera & humili simplicitate pro se orans stat & [...]rigitur, pro lapidan­tibus flectit genua, quis audivit unquam talem! — Cryed with a loud voyce, because in great charitie, upon his knees, because in sincere and hum­ble integrity, hee prayed for himselfe standing, for them that stoned him kneeling —; for that hee more doubted of audience for them then for him­selfe, and would as devoutly intercede for them, as hee could for himselfe in the greatest hazard. Imitate thou thy Lord and his faithfull servant, and if thou beest not able to pray for thy trespas­sers, beware of imprecations against them, for so through Gods helpe by daily growth thou shalt proceed at length to supplicate for them.(Vener, Bed.) In Lac. 23. Mer­cy moves and shines in its owne sp [...], wh [...] Charity hath a perfect worke in us, [...] [Page 183] consider the evill of men against us,CHAP. 3. as their mise­ry not ours. Here is the perfection of Mercy, and wee are perfect as our heavenly Father is per­fect, when we are thus mercifull as hee is merci­full. Matth. 5.48. with Luk. 6.36. And therefore the holy Doctors have ever urged this as the touch-stone of Christianitie, and most certaine tryall of sinceritie in grace.

CHAP. III. Of Mercy which the mercifull obtaine, and how they finde Gods mercy in the foresaid exercise of their mercy.

THe mercifull shall obtaine Mercy, and it is the excellencie of this grace, that it is returned upon it selfe for a reward, there can no higher blessing be given for mercy then mercy, it is the blisse of the soule to be Gods Euchamah — The word (they shall obtaine mercy) imports, [...]. that Mercy is the originall of all recompence comming to the gracious, mer­cy that God entred into a covenant of grace with them, that hee makes exceeding precious promi­ses to them, that hee concurres with us to good, and elevates that good in his CHRIST, all is Mercy. The same word intima [...]es that not alone grace and glory, but the mercy of God, which transcends all glory, shall be given in retrib [...] ­o [...] of the workes of mercy, touching which [...] you shall [...] S [...]. AVGVSTINE, [Page 184] De correptione & gratia, c. 13. — cum enim dicitur, judici­um fine misericordia illi qui non fecit mi­sericordiam, manifestatur in his in quibus inveniuntur bona o­pera misericordiae ju­dicium cum miseri­cordia fieri, ac per hoc etiam ipsam miseri­cordiam meritis hono­rum operum reddi.— Mercy shall be rendred in just judgement to the me­rits of good workes,CHAP. 2.for when it is said he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy, it is manifested that he in whom are found the good works of mercy, shall have judgement with mercy, and thereby also that mercy it selfe is rendred to the me­rits of good works.

Now to give a briefe view what divine mercy is obtained by the severall exercises of mercy forementioned. 1. They that are tender to others in their weaknesses shall have experience of Gods pitying them in their infirmities, and in the depth thereof cherishing the sparke of his grace.For as St. Aug sayes de civitate Dei▪ l. 20 30. The Iewes are there compared to a broken reed, perdita integritate▪ and to smoaking flaxe, amis­so lumine. Es. 42.3. CHRIST will beare with their deficiency in knowledge and obedience.

2 God is not strict to enter into judgement with them that forbeare judging; Matth. 7. [...].2. but at his tribunall conceales the sinnes of the righteous who used not to publish their neigh­bours defects, whereas after St. CHRYSO­STOMES fine observation,[Hom. 3 ad Pop. Antioch.] Rash judging others agravats our owne judgement, for God will pron [...]unce sentence against us, not onely according to the nature of our sins, but also according to our judgement of [...]thers. Likewise the merciful providence of God ordereth that they who be indifferent in weigh­ing the actions of others, [...]e [...]t wi [...]h answerable dealing from others. Luke 6.38. Which confers much to their quiet and contentfull living, when as they that like Ismael have a hand against every man, Gen. 16.12. are required with having every mans hand against them, in Plau [...] his phrase they [Page 185] are friends to no men, and have all men their foes. CHAP. 3. Common censurers that approve none are disal­lowed by all.In Bacchid. Nullis amici sunt, inimicos ipsi in se omnes ha­bent.

Shortly thus, they who by vertue of their callings rebuke the world publikely of sinne, and curbe offenders, albeit they exactly observe rules of Mercy, shall have their judges, and ill tongues walking against them, as the Lord IESVS had, and DAVID that sang of Mercy and Iudgement was rewarded evill for good; yet in ordinary converse, they that be out of office and bee no medlers neither censorious, are generally well spoken of. Agreable to that of St. AMBROSE,In exhortatione [...] virgines, si a [...]i d [...] ­rogaveris is ali [...]ona Ita­gua flagellum non metaes. If thou keepest thy owne Tongue s [...]m evill speaking thou shalt not neede to feare the scourge of another mans tongue, Iob, 5.21.

Thirdly, they that execute justice in Mercy, shall taste the mercy of God even in the cup of Iudgement, and be able to repeate after the Psal­mist, Psal. 129.75. Thou hast afflicted me [...] in very faithfulnesse, in the truth of thy loving mercy, and according to the league of grace, favourably offering thy selfe in all thy wayes; all Gods judgements in this life are directed by hi [...], and All Gods ayme [...] the good of men.

That of Galiel [...] Ahi [...]d [...]r a [...]fi [...] In summa [...]. l. 1. c. 14 [...]. 5. Proprie loquendo, [...]quam Dem inflixit [...] in praesenti ad i [...]iti­um [...]tern [...] damnatia­nis, nisi secundi [...] e­ven [...]u [...], quantum e­ [...]m ad intenti [...]em Dei, quant [...] [...] s [...] [...]rat, tam [...]en [...]i, quam M [...]ri [...] Nos [...] s [...]r [...]ri inst [...] p [...]am [...]d [...]. is most [...], In pr [...]pri [...]ty of speech. God never inflicted any p [...]ishment in this life as [...]begi [...]ing of eternall d [...]tion, but onely in [...]gard of the [...] for [...] the la [...]tio [...] of God so [...]rst [...] him, [...]e infli [...]ed p [...]shment [...] Herod for his [...] will [...] Mary the [...] of [...].

Psal. 136.15. The mercy of God which indu­reth for ever is tendred to men in all his carriage and dealings with them, but the most resist the Spirit, and open not to God knocking loud at their doores by hard judgements, but they who administer all their corrections with sweet af­fects, are assisted by God to receive his chastise­ments with the right hand and savour them, and the loving kindnesse that exhibites them and is offered in them.

Fourthly, they who are mercifull to forgive sinnes against them, finde mercy to the forgive­nesse of all their owne sinnes, Matth. 6.14. our forgiving is a condition, meane, and cause inferi­our why wee are forgiven, howbeit the sole obe­dience of CHRIST is the proper merit which deserved this in strict justice, that such respect should be promised and annexed to our pardo­ning. In forgiving others, wee benefit and purge ourselves, that St. Chrys [...]stome Tom. 5 H S. serm: 46. [...] — might say, For­give the sinne of servants, that thou mayest have thy Lord and Masters pardon for thy sinnes.

None are so prevalent to prevaile with God, as they that pardon and pray; therefore Ierem. 15.1.2. MOSES and SAMVEL are set for instan­ces of all possible impetration, as who forgave and interceded for those that did them wrong. Contrariwise, if wee be mercilesse and forgive not, neither will our heavenly Father forgive us, nay wee forfeit and lose his former pardon and grace afforded us (Matth. 18.34, 35) God [...] by our measure, forgives us as wee forgive, is [Page 187] Serm. 5. in Qua­drages. — durissimi [...] nos vinculis illiga­mu [...], nisi quod profite­mur impleamus. Sacratissimum pactum, as St. LEO informes, and therefore so saying, wee binde our selves in hard bands, except wee d [...]e as we speake; We have no license to aske, nor can wee in faith begge Gods gracious pardon, without we be our selves mer­cifull to remit. Whence St. Augustine concludes, thatDe diversis Serm. 9. Tentatio horren­da, molesta, tremen­da. omnibus viribus, omni virtute vitan­da. The having a will to revenge is a horrible, griev [...]us and fearefull tentation, with all our powers and with all our strength to bee avoyded: as which is against the conditions of our peace and reme­dy of our sinnes.

Tenthly, And that I may here propound, that w^ch both animates to those exercises and reflects on all other declarations of Mercy, the mercifull as they doe all their good deeds from mercy to men, so they enjoy all the blessings they reape from mercy in God, and have in the least of them a sense of his infinit goodwill, from which all things issue to them. It is aDe veri [...] virtuti­bus, c. 25. Non enim tam parvū donam cor­porale vel spiriritu­ale a Deo fluit, in quo non sit inclusus immē ­su [...] Deus cum omni divina virtate, pen­sandus enim est affe­ct [...]s Dei da [...]tis. saying of wor­thy Albertus the great, There flowes not from God so small a gift Corp [...]rallor Spirituall, in which God Almighty with all his divine vertue and goodnesse is not included, for the affection with which God gives is to bee expended. — Hence Psal. 126. His mercy endures for ever, is twenty sixe times repea­ted; to signifieS, Prosper, ibid. that eternall mercy is at the bot­tome of all Gods proceedings with us, and that there is no benefit which followed home leades not to it, and wherby the faithfull may not come to the touch of everlasting mercy.

This sets an estimate upon all Gods workes and gif [...] i [...] Christian minds beleeving them testimo­nies [Page 188] of incomprehensible mercy & love,CHAP. 4. & raises them accordingly in comfort and gratitude, they respecting gifts not in themselves but as given by God and that with illimited affection. That in each particular favour should be involved love which passes all understanding of man or Angell. Ephes. 3.19. Loving kindnesse which is sweeter then life (Psal. 63.3) All life is sweet in it selfe, but sweeter in the fountaine from which it springs, the very life of glory delectable in it selfe above all imagination, is not so delicious in it selfe as in the loving kindnesse which conferres it.

CHAP. IV. Of Mercy in outward things:

WEe have a little seene into mens workes of Mercy in spirituall mi­series, and Gods mercy to those workes; let us nextly search how the bowels of the mercifull extend themselves to others in their corporall necessities, where mercy assumes the name of goodnesse, and verifies it in doing good to all in liberality, bounty, charity, &c.

And let not the poore complaine that they are shut out of all possibility to act this part of Mercy, for they officiate in this service, if being in favour with the wealthy, they mediate and excite them thereunto, and if they mourne with them that mourne, grieve and sigh toge­ther with their fellow-members in temporall ca­lamities.

It is a truth delivered by VINCENTIVS an apostolike Preacher in his time,Dominica 2. post Pasch. serm. 2. Hee gives more to a poore distressed man, that yeelds him compassion in his heart, then hee that gives him an almes with­out compassion. For hee that yeelds compassion, gives something of himselfe, he that bestowes externall goods, gives something of himselfe, and hee that hath no compassion sometimes gi­veth, but he that hath compassion never omits to give, but distributes freely, and counts all little, to releeve his owne spirit and bowels, wherein hee is straitned, and the rich oft sooner finde a gift in their hand, then compassion and mercy in their heart; therefore compassion hath the pre­eminence in and over contribution, and in com­passion the poore may have advantage of the rich, as moved by his owne extremity.

Besides, it is bounty in a poore man to be thank­full, and so to deprive the rich of pretending the ingratitude of the poore, for the cause why they slacke their hands: especially it is devotion in him patiently to beare Gods hand for the edi­fying of poore and rich, seeing none can deny it more and more rewardable [...] in adversity to give Thankes, then in prosperity to give St. Chrysost. tom 4 hom 1. Almes, as for Lazarus,Tom. 5. hom. 10. neither to blasphame God nor man, nor murmure in his utmost want; aggravated by fight of the rich man [...] plenty, for him famisht with hunger and to [...]mente [...] with painfull sores, not to repine that an ungodly Miser should be so provided, and himselfe that feared God [...] to crave the use of his Dogs, [...] [Page 190] was the poore mans almes, and a greater bene­volence to the Church, then if hee had given barne-fuls of Corne, millions of gold and silver.

But who can be so poore as justly to moane for inabilitie to be an Almes-giver, when a cup of cold water, if any should want fire, is tooke by CHRIST in good worth. — Is any so poore that hee hath neither victuals to feede the hungry, nor ap­parell to cloath the naked, nor house to harbour the stranger, nor feete to visite the sicke. St Chrysost. tom. 5. hom. 42. Excellently St. Augustine, Wee cannot want to spare for God, if wee spare to spend on our lusts, nothing can suffice Covetousnesse, a little may suffice God, two mites sufficed the Widdow to shew mercy, two mites suffi­ced to buy the Kingdome of In Psal 47. Super­flua multa habemus si non nisi necessaria te­neamus. Suffecerunt duo nummi ad emen­dum reguum Dei. De 12. abusionum gradibus. heaven.

Well then there is no excuse for the Poore, but quartus abusionum gradus est Dives five miseri­cordia, a rich man without mercy is an intolera­ble abuse.

The mercy here blessed is to bee showne in almes, [...] elecmo­syna, almes. which carries its name, and the blessed Fa­thers frequently give notice, that God omnipo­tent to provide for his poverty, could easily by the hand that inricheth some, have ministred un­to the rest, but that he would grace and make us happie by taking us in for instruments to good deeds, as the Mercifull in his good doing, becomes an organ of Gods Clem. Alexandr. Strom 7. pag. 537. [...]. goodnesse. Whence our Lord men­tions it as a priviledge, that we shall alwayes have the poore among us, in whom we may entertaine, and in a sort oblige the rich mans maker, approve our love to him, and make sure his love to us. [Page 191] The exhortation of blessed Casarius fits our pur­pose,S. Caesarius Arti [...]t. Epicsc. hom. 1. Noli despicere inop [...]m, qui cum sibi pauper fit, facere te divitem po­test. Doe not thou despise the needie, who though hee be poore himselfe can make thee rich; for if wee be respective of Gods ordinance, and looke to the poore wee cannot scruple, but that God will see to us, and that our assisting under him shall find acceptance and recompence with him.

And verily nothing more provokes a religi­ous minde unto mercifull workes, then regard of Gods promise and assumption, that the righ­teous should never be deserted. Psal. 37. I have beene young and now am old, yet did I never see the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging Bread, as if hee should say, I have observed that Gods speci­all providence raises them friends, and for my owne part from my youth up I have beene care­full in all my dominion, that the righteous and their issue might not be destitute of convenien­ces. It is a witty speech of Clemens Alexandri­nus, Pa [...]dag. lib. 3. c 7. [...]. If any say, that hee hath oft-times seene the righteous wanting bread, this is [...]so [...], and where there was not another righteous man, that with DA­VID would have seene no such thing, but have had respect to Gods good word, and appeared to them for whom his heavenly Father under­tooke.

Possibly there are none that thinke them not happie, who had the grace to contribute and mi­nister unto CHRIST in his owne blessed person, But B. Aug. de [...] Dom. serm. [...]6. Nol [...] del [...]re. No [...] tibi ob­stultit istam dig [...] ­tionem, cum [...]ni in. quit ex mirtmis. greeve not that thou hast not Christ to see [...], and entertaine as MARTIN had, hee hath [...] reaved thee of that bonum, saying, I was hungry [Page 192] and yee fed mee, in that you did it to the least of my brethren you did it to mee. Our Lord hath left the poore in his roome, you shall not have me al­wayes, but the poore, therefore the wicked so farre as necessitous, it is done to CHRIST, which is collated on them in reference to his will and bloud-shed for them. And the more in­digent they be and unable to requite, the more our charity is advanced by them.

Luk. 14.12.Luc. 14.12. Spoken ne impensae grtiae vi­cissitudinem requi­rant. S. Greg. pastor. l 3. 21. Our Master wills his followers to divert and feare the retaliation of their good turnes (for good duties least rewarded in this world, are most esteemed and retributed with God) and to practise upon them that could not repay their kindnesse in kind, they cannot; there­fore it is atract properly Christian, meere good­nesse, and pure Religion to commiserate and suc­cour them, Iam. 1.27. and of the better expecta­tion, that they cannot recompence, seeing for that cause God substitutes himselfe, who will re­turne more then any could and the more the lesse they could.

Wherefore as God stiles himselfe, The King of Kings, Lord of Princes, Father of Orphans and Widowes, prefixing to those of high degree his title of power, to those of low degree his title of provision; as it is applyed by (St. Isidore L. 3. 291. [...]— Pel [...]sia [...] ▪) So if wee keepe distances, let it be with men of state, but let us condescend to those of poore conditi­on, & let our sweetest influences fall on the low­est ground. It is not Christian to expend more in presents to rich, then in gifts to poore.

But our Saviour did not in vaine foretell,CHAP. 2. that in the latter dayes the love of many that forsook not the right faith, should grow cold in all offices of charity. Matth. 24.12. especially in costly de­votions and chargeable duties of mercie.St. Basill serm. [...]. St. Ba­sil witnesses for his time thus, I know many that fast, pray, sigh, expresse all charglesse religion, but give never a peny to the afflicted, what are those the better for all their other vertue? there are but a few of Davids royall spirit, that preferre a duty of charge in Gods service; 2. Sam. 24.24. who can other then lament that abundance of iniquitie in excesse of apparell, building, gaming, and some few sumptuous feasts (exemplifying all Gesner) should have drunke up the materialls of charitie, in ancient hospitality, and reliefe of the poore, and of piety also, in maintaining the decency of Gods houses and publike worship. Yet true it is, that the proverb of old, and cold hath held in all ages of the Church, the first and best love abating by degrees, of which blessed Cyprian takes up a heavy complaint of his daies, compared with the Apostolicall: Th [...] they sold their houses The simple estate pra [...]tonum at no [...]c de partimon [...]o noc de­cimas damur, et cum vendere jubeat domi­nus emimum popius et argemus. and their lands, & laying up treasure for themselves in heaven, offered the prices to the Apostles, to be distributed for the uses of the poore, but now we give not the tith of our patrimony, and when the Lord bids us sell, we buy rather and turne gatherers.

CHAP. 5. CHAP. V. Touching a serious incouragement to Almes deedes.

THat the coldnesse which respectively possesseth all parts of Christendome kill not our charity, informe our selves what heapes of blessing and reward are assured to it, one little riveret brings us to the ocean of Mer­cy, Luk. 6.37, 38. Our kindnesse shall with much advantage by all kinde of measures be returned into our bosome, that wee may have abundance of solace and inward content, which our Lord there amplifies with admirable elegancie, world­lings take every thing with the left hand, and when they are moved to communicate, say they know not what need they may come to them­selves, when they therefore ought to be pittifull to others because themselves may come to need. Ingeniously St. BASIL, [...]. Serm. habito [...]. Whether neede will ever come or no is uncertaine, but sure the time will come in which you shall repent yee that you did not dispence your wealth. The wise man saith, Eccles. 11.2. Give to fixe and also to seven, for thou knowest no [...] what evill may come on the Earth; because such Iudgements may come on the Nation as may o­verwhelme thee in distresses, therefore whiles thou hast opportunity bee distributive with the freest, and give example unto others how thou [Page 195] wouldst be used thy selfe, and put something in Gods hand against a need. Ponder well the words of the Theologue; S. Naz. inter Epist. S. Basil. 138. [...]. Why shouldst thou treasure up for Theeves and mothes, and mutability of times, re­moving and casting uncertaine riches one while on one, an otherwhiles on another.

Wouldst thou have enough and Gods grace, give plentifully, the prevention of beggery in the seed of the righteous is that hee was ever merci­full, Psal. 37.25, 26. Let him give nothing that would be a begger, or have his begge. God will not be overcome of us in goodnesse, but he will farre exceed our liberality. I beseech you let us not have such meane thoughts of our good God as to imagine wee may come our selves to want, by scattering on his waters. Holy St. Austine shall quit us of that mistrust,B, August. hom. 27. Operarias Dei es, quando dat indigenti. Qui [...] ergo mernas [...] infidelis, ne in tam magus domo tantus, pater familias non pascat operarium su­um. Thou art Gods workman when thou givest to the Poore thou sowest in winter what thou mayest reape in summer, why shouldst thou feare then, O thou unbeleever! lest in so great a house so great a house-keeper should not feede his owne workman.

Can wee maintaine our selves any wayes so well as in Gods worke? Can we lay up any where for our Children any wh [...] so well as in Gods storehouse? Some alledge the multitude of their chil­dren and their great charge, for the extennating of their Charitable workes, who for that very — hoc ipso operari amplius d [...]beas, quo mult [...]rum pig [...] pateres, plure [...] f [...]t pro quibas depreceris — hoc est charis pig­noribus in posterum providere, [...]e▪ cause in the Iudgement of blessed Cyprian, ought to worke the me [...], as having many for whom they must become humble suiters [...] GOD, and this is [...] [...]y ingage for and were pledges, this is to pro­vide [Page 196] before hand for our future heires according to the faith of holy scripture, saying Iunior fui; Psal. 37. I have beene young. But if God take a childe or two from these complainers, they doe not as the fathers presse them, and us that would if there had bin the let of their bounty, send them at least their portions into heaven by the hands of Christs receivers, wherefore we may well beleeve St. ZENOIsta est infidelitatis excusatio. — de sustitio p. 125. that it is but an excuse of unbeleevers.

If a man of worship or credit should speake or write to one that is of reckoning and wish him to disburse such or such a summe of money, to the poore about him, and he would take it as a debt and favour, and see him repai'd, the rich man ha­ving many children would not stop his credence & ready laying out of great sums. And how then would wee be thought beleevers if in like case Gods word and writing, Gods oath and solemne undertaking prevaile not with us? Fitly to our purpose St. PETER CHRYSOLOGVEserm. 25. Vsura mun­di centum ad unum, Deus unum accipit ad centum, et tamen ho­mines cum Deo nol [...]nt habere contractum, sunt forsan de cautio­ne so [...]iciti, quare, nōne homo homini exiguae chartulae obligatione constringitur? Deus tot & tantis volumi­nibus cavet, & debi­tor non tenetur: Psal. 19.17. Men give for use twelve, or ten, or eight in the hundred; God takes it at an hundred for one, and yet men will have no contract with God, peradventure they are doubtfull of his assurance, why is not man bound to man by the obligation of a little paper? God gives assurance in so many and great volumnes and is not held debtor.

St. Iames the Apostle of mercy is terrible to those monsters amongst men th [...]t live without bowells, Chr. 2, 13. There shall be judgement without mercy to him that shewes no mercy, meere judgement without any ingredients of mercy, [Page 197] God causing that which is afflictive in the crea­ture, to excruciate the damned, and suspending in it whatsoever might comfort them. For al­beit Gods mercy be over all his workes, and so over all the paines in hell, punishing them there lesse then sinnes deserve: yet is their judgment without mercy, because their torments are with­out all mixture or sense of my actuall consola­tion. And is it not very equall that they should finde no mercy at CHRISTS hands, that were, I will not say unchristian, but inhumane, as in the common miseries of mankinde to dispractise such mercy, deeds as nature called for and mens abilities might easily afford, and CHRIST so re­commended and fore-declared, that hee would specially proceed by them in his last judgment. (Iam. 8.6.7) The Lord sweares by his excel­lency, even that his mercy which is over all and which rewards above all desert and dignity,Supra condignum. ne­ver to forget them that cruelly use and grinde the face of the poore: unpittifull hard hearted op­pressors, not that to men, which righteous men are to beasts, how should they obtaine or expect the least dram of mercy from God? The unmer­cifull rich man that was so incompassionate to LAZARUS in his wants and paines, as to neglect him desiring a crumme of bread, in Gods su­preme equity is himselfe denyed a droppe of water to coole his tongue, tormented in fla­ming fire, that St. CHRYS. might for just cause say,In Phil. serm. 1. [...] Eth. [...]. Feed the hungry that yee feed not the fire of Hell.

CHAP. 6But mercy rejoyces over judgment, as a strong evidence of freedome from condemnation, and of every soveraigne vertue to cleanse away sinne, Luc. 11.41. Dan. 4.27. Prov. 22.6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged away. S. Clem. Apost. Constitut. l. 7 13. CHRISTS justifying grace is especially confirmed to them and powerfully workes by them as effectuall meanes. So the blessed Fathers apply, that the ransome of a man are his riches, and with them the Faithfull are said to redeeme their sinnes in workes of mercy,Redemptio hominis di [...] ti [...] ipsius redime peccata tua elcemosy­nis. Dan. 4. and to doe them for the re­demption of th [...]ir sins. Not that an all-sufficient redemption for all sins is not made in CHRIST, or that any almes can be pleasing out of Christs satisfaction, but because the redemption and sa­tisfaction of CHRIST is made over to us by and for almes deeds,S, Basil. asc [...]t. def. contract. qu. 271. which God accepts in CHRIST as a reall penance and revenge for sinne, and vertuous under him to prevent sinne, and procure, not onely spirituall and eternall but even temporall blessings. Hence sprang that of the holy Bishop CAESARIUS,Hom. 22. Miseria pauperum medicamē ­tum est divitum. The poore mans miserie is the rich mans medicine, because if he duely accommodate the poore in his misery, there shall bee a healing of his owne infirmities God extending mercy to the mercifull: the Iewes write wittily upon their poore mans box, which they call [...]. the Coffer of Righteousnesse, [...] (Prov. 21.4) A gift in secret pacifieth wrath: a gift presented our Lord CHRIST in his needy members conduceth much to amity and grace with him, and gets friends.

Luke, 16.9.CHAP. 5. Our Saviour so farre dignifies the poore, as to make them the favourites in his house, that as he is received in them, so they might receive in him everlasting habitations and the rich be admitted for their sake and good officers about them, and thence be moved glad­ly to minister to them, and reverence them as their Patrons. Hereupon St. ODOS. Odo Cluniacen­sis. Caecos & claudos Paradisi asserebat futuras ostiarios Ioh. monachus in vit. ejus, l. 2. c. 4. affirmed the Blinde and Lame to be the Porters of Paradise, the Doore keepers at Heaven gate, for that men enter by their furtherance, and for favours done them, looke then what banding there is among men by presents and suits to gaine the assistance, of them that have hand in preferring to high places, or voice in election to beneficiall and ho­nourable functions, such ambition ought there to bee in Christians,Elegantly St. Hier. os Pammachlus: Su­pra obitu Paulinae. Munerari [...] pauperū & ege [...] [...]di­datus sic [...] ad coelum. by all kinde of benevolen­ces to joyne the goodwill of the poore and mi­serable whom our Lord IESUS hath ordained his substitutes here to take Almes, hereafter to re­ceive the Almes-givers into Heavenly Man­sions.

CHAP. 6. CHAP. VI. Touching the manner in which the mercifull practise that they may bee blessed.

THe very name mercy intimates that eve­ry act thereof hath an inner touch of commiseration, and is from bowels af­fectionately inclined and earning after the good of others, as it is recorded of our Lord CHRIST, that in all his doctrines and miracles he was mo­ved with compassion. Hence the mercifull doe their good deeds with that cheerefulnesse, and expression of true respect and pitty, that the re­ceivers are refreshed, as much in their manner of doing, as in the thing done. Pure religion con­tents not it selfe to give, but visits the distressed Iames 1.26) so farre as we may with convenien­cy wee are to minister unto them in our owne persons, and thereby glorifie God in them and comfort them as with the succour given, so with the honour done them in giving.

Historians deservedly give great applause to the incomparable Princesse, the Empresse of Theodosius the Great, that her Majesty would her selfe visite the sicke and miserable, and pre­pare reliefe for them with her owne Emperiall hands.Declam. 5. p. 54. Genus ultionis est pastere & non mise­reri. Ʋoluit nos ille mortalitatis artifex De [...] in commune suc­c [...]rrere, & per mu­tuas auxiliorum vi­ces, in altero quen (que) quid pro se timeret asserere, nondum hac charitas est, nec per­sonis impensa reve­rentia, sed fimilium accidentium provili metus, & communiū fortuitorum religio­sus horror, in altena fame sui quis (que) mi­seretur. Quintilian holds it a kinde of [Page 201] of revenge to feed and not commiserate, and addes that God the Artificer of fraile nature would have us assist in common and by mutuall returnes of helpe, every one to testifie in another, what he is afraid of for himselfe, this is not yet charity nor reverence vouchsafed persons, but provident feare of like casu­alties, and religious horrour of common accidents in another mans hunger, every one pities himselfe. Now then Christians ought not onely to have a naturall fellow-feeling in other mens calamities, knowing themselves obnoxious to the like, but a consideration of CHRIST that suffered for them, and is observed and ministred unto in them. Thus the first Christians (which St. Chrys. also notes,In Rom serm. 7. in Eth. [...]. (Acts 4.25) Put not the moneyes for which they sold their estates, in the Apostles hands, but laid them at their feet, declaring their Faith and the pitie and reverence which they bore the Apostles; for they did not apprehend themselves to give, more then receive: and therefore gave as officiously, as the most needy use to receive.

2. The grace of this glorious vertue is to be directed with a purity to God and his glory, and kept free from ostentation and sinister lookes at vaine glory and renowne among men. Which vice doth dangerously shrowd it selfe in this ex­ercise of Religion, as highly magnified over all the world, and therefore our Master heere put a speciall caveat against it (Matth. 6▪ 1) and as cau­tioned by him, the mercifull at the day of judge­ment, when CHRIST makes commemoration of [...]eir good deeds, are brought in saying▪ Lord [Page 202] when did we minister unto thee (Matth. 25.37) to approve that their left hand did not know what their right hand did, that they aym'd not at no­tice in their devotions, and were, as blessed MACARIUSHom. 36 pag. 296. [...]. would have the righteous, how much soever hee labour, and how many almes soever hee doth to be affected as if hee had done nothing.

(Iam. 1.27) It is religion to shew mercy be­cause Faith regards Gods will and worship, and eyes CHRIST in the judgement, and therefore against naturall inclinations inlarges the hand and heart, and overcomes unwillingnesse to give, he knowes not how to administer an almes that thinks it lost if the poore deserve it not. The Phi­losopher if he likes not the man, can finde in his conscience to tender manhood, and practise humanitie, we must further respect the godhead in our liberality, and referre to CHRIST what wee conferre on the poore;Plus tibi pecunia proderit, si ita deferas pauperi ut conferas Christo. almes as a sacrifice must be first offered unto God, (Heb. 13.16) with a dutifull and holy minde and so communicated to the necessitous. And because we therein serve God, we are to content our selves with his ac­ceptance, and not slacke our hand, though men bee ingrate and misprize our workes. It was no­bly resolved by St. ISIDORE PELU­SIOTE,Lib. 3. Epist. 390. [...], &c. I would gladly be a Benefactour to all, and indure punishment as one that injured all, rather then be injurious unto any and bee crowned and re­nowned, as a benefactour to all.

3. The Righteous is mercifull with discre­tion, [Page 203] and improves his best wisdome in distri­buting, so as may be most profitable to men, and honourable to CHRIST,Origen in Matth. tract. 31. p. 183. especially of Church goods, and that which is sacred to Religious uses, he reckons it high providēce to be ever lay­ing up something in Gods treasurie, and assents to the blessed PrelateManus pauperis ga­zophylacium Christi est, hom. 2. CAESARIUS, that the poore mans hand is CHRISTS jewell-house. And how­beit God hath not put the measure of our almes doing under necessity of command that some­what might be left to our devotion, and our vo­luntary abounding in contributions knowne pleasing God to bee the more rewardable, yet seeing the Iewes (besides many extraordinaries) were to give a disme to the poore, all indifferen­cy bindes us under the Gospell, to exceed what was prescribed them under the Law, because of free promises and times of greater grace, and our exemption from much expence in sacrifices and Leviticall purifications.

This makes the wise Christian to rejoyce, when an occasion of doing good is tendered him, and to looke out for opportunities of dealing Mercie (Psal. 41.1) Blessed is hee which considers the Poore, and tarries not till the needy crave his charitie. One man in his need will seeke to thee, thou must seeke and finde anothers necessity: which holy St. AUGUSTINEIn Ps. 146. [...] qui intelligit supera­genum & pauper [...] non expectat ut peta [...], ali [...] te quo [...]r [...] in [...] ­gens, alium tu [...] quaerere indig [...]. Tanquam deli [...] fisco red [...]endum. affirmes. Men will never doe, except they constantly lay aside something according to their Revenues, as it were a duty that must be payd the King, so CHRIST had his Bagge — render to CAESAR that which [Page 204] is Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods. Let God have his tenths, his subsidia pro pauperi­bus. And in their Alco­ran they have a say­ing, that if men knew what a heavēly thing it were to distribute almes, they would not spare their owne flesh, but slice it into carbonadoes, and give it to the poore. I have read that the Turkes are wont to send their servants abroad purposely to hearken a­mong their neighbors, which of them have most need of victuals, money, rayment▪ who shall con­demne Christians that divert objects requiring mercy and moving to pity. Luc. 10.13.

4. The right performer of mercy shewes it in simplicity, as with a single eye to God, against all by-respects, so with a single eye to his estate, against all vaine excuses, of such as have to waste on their lusts in riotous excesses, have nothing for Christ in pious uses. As men can find money for unnecessary lawing and to satisfie their idle humours, and we heare no great complaint of wants, till we come to motion for CHRIST. But as St. AMBROSESer. 36. Cum dixe­ris ut aliquid paupe­ribus largiantur, sta­tim tibi objicinat, ne­cessitates insi [...]ita suut, tributa sunt gra­via, fiscalia explica­re non possumus, & tanta tibi ingerunt, ut quasi reum te statu­ant, quod hoc illos minoris comm [...]nere, non intelligentes quod omnibus necessitati­bus necessitas solutis [...] praefer [...]d [...], finely sets them out, when once you speake that they would give something to the poore, presently they alledge against you, that in­finite necessities are vpon them, grievous tributes and taxations, that they are not able to pay their composi­tions and other rates, and heape so many things a­gainst you, that they would almost conclude you crimi­nall that you would so much as monish them of such a businesse, little understanding that the necessitie of saving soules should be preferred before all neces­sities.

Now the simplicity we treate of is, in filling up the defects of other with all that is not requi­site to the decencie of our owne state and voca­tion, which appeares equall in all reason, for [Page 205] when by right of nature all things were com­mon, that the division made by Law of nations,CHAP. 7. may stand with justice, and not be dammagious to the more part of men: they who abound, are tyed to supply the want of others out of their abundance. Whence CLEMEN [...] ALEXAN­DRINUS learnedly describes,Paed. l. 3. c. 11 [...] [...]. Singlenesse a ver­tue substracting all superfluities, when we detaine nothing idle by us, but what we doe not need, bestow on others for their use. Pro. 3.27. With­hold not good from the owners thereof, to whom it is due: which justifies the assertion of St. AU [...]U­STIN,In Psal. 47. Res a­lienae possidentur, cū superflua possidentur▪ other mens goods are withheld when super­fluities are possest. Be wee therefore mercifull as our heavenly father is mercifull, perfect as hee is perfect. He is perfect that hath nothing defectu­ous, nothing superfluous, we are then in our pro­portion perfect, when we are content, and faine no causelesse want, when we are communicative and keepe no superfluity.

CHAP. VII. Concerning inducements to workes of Mercy.

1. MErcy is a weighty matter of the Law, (Matth. 23.23) a substantiall dutie which many commandements much drive at, and hath a precedency above other ver­tues related to our Neighbours, as most resem­bling God in goodnesse, to which it is proper to [Page 206] bee diffusive and participate it selfe to subjects needing, and capable thereof; and in power to fill up the emptinesse and lacke of indigent crea­tures without impoverishing it selfe, asIn Ep 10. Inter Fau­stinas, charitie, ad similitudi [...]em divi­nitatis, d [...]t quod ha­bet, habet (que) quod de­derit. Graecus saith, that charity in similitude of the Deity, gives what it hath, and hath what it gives.

Mercy is proper to God he ownes it in speciall manner, and stiles himselfe the Father of mercy, as taking cause from himselfe to shew mercy, not of judgement as receiving inforcement from us to practise Pater misericor­diarum, non ultionū, quia miserendi cau­sam sumit ex propri­o, judicandi ex nostro. S. Bern. in nat. dom. serm. 5. severity: and God declares his Al­mightinesse chiefly in shewing mercy, and magni­fying it over all his workes, in the supporting them in their being (Psal. 144.9) and in that his omnipotency provoked can forbeare and bee kinde to the ill deserving, and punish the worst, lesse then their demerits, and so exalt mercy over all his workes, titles and attributes, as the brigh­test mirrour of divine nature and goodnesse. In mercy therefore is our best resemblance of God, and for that reason mercy invests men in the ve­nerable name of God,Hoc in Deo praecipu­um est, hoc in potente laudandum, non coelū fecisse qui potens est, sed misericordem esse qui justus est, sed mi­serentem esse qui Rex est, sed dissimulantem esse, qui Deus est. S. Hilar. in Ps. 145. I have made thee a God to Pharaoh is the Lords words to Moses, when hee put him in ability to doe good (Exod. 7.1) That Iustine Martyr might determine him an imitator of God, who supplying to the needy whatsoever he hath recei­ved of God, is made a God to them that receive of him. Hereupon Kings are called Gods because of their dominion,Ep. ad Dioguetum. and latitude of power, to slow into, defend & succour whole Countries and Nati­ons, and hence he that is made by another is na­med his creature, and he that raises a man is ter­med [Page 207] his maker, & he that releeves is said to recre­ate. It is vertues part to be an agent rather Truly considering Aristotles Maxime, Eth. l. 4.1. then a pa­tient of goodnes, & the Apophthegme of our mer­cifull Saviour (Act. 20) It is a more blessed thing to give then to receive. We ought as St. Gregorie the Divine observes,S. Naz. [...]. p. 138. 139. to render a thank-offering to God, that we are of them that be able to be good doers, not of them that need to be receivers: and must un­derstand our selves deficient in mercy, untill wee come to take greater delight in ministring to o­thers in their necessitie, then we would in being ministred unto in our owne adversity.

2. It hath affinity with the matter foregoing, and availes much to strike impressions of mercy on the rich, if they shall but seriously pōder, what a great blessing it is to them that there are poore. We may boldly averre with Chrys. that without poverty riches are unprofitable, Hom. 15. ad Pop. if like Adam and Eve, we had a whole world but no body to make ready provision & attend upō us, what joy could great men have of their riches, if there were not poore men to doe meane offices for them (1. Cor. 12.22) the members of the body which are lesse hono­rable are most necessary, so of the body politike & ecclesiasticall, if superiours had not subjects, to grace them with their service, their very dignity would be dishonourable; upon this ground the Prince of Apostle wils us to honour all men. 1. Pet. 2.17. observing there is none that excels us not in some gift, and what l [...] imployments the highest should descend to, if there were not inferior to perform them how than should not a considerat [Page 208] man be respective and free to them in their need, that are so needfull. Hermus that St. Paul greets with a salute by name. Rom. 16. Largely deduces, thatLib 3. Simil. 2. seeing the rich thrive by benefit of the poore mans Prayer begging dayly bread for them, therefore it is meet they should impart their wealth with them, that their bowels may blesse them, and spirits bee quickned in devout supplications for them, and God that despiseth not the poore heare their orisons for them, and so the rich support the poore as the elme the vine, and the poore lade the rich with fruits as the vine the Elme.

3. It is the highest preferment of riches, and our best providence to imploy them in service to God and duties of mercy, which turnes the Mammon of unrighteousnesse into meanes for godlinesse; and of the furniture for covetous­nesse makes provisiō for mercifulnesse, you may beleeve St. Zeno, gold and silver are money if you lay them out, Idols if you hoord them up. De avaritia ser. 2. Si erogaveris pecunia est, si servaveris simulachra. Sed haec de a­varis, non ad avaros. He had a blessed auditory, who preaching against unmer­cifull creatures and slow of giving, could say, But th [...]se things of the covetous, not to the covetous; those things to you brethren, but not concerning you; for our poore have forgot how to beg, our widowes make willes, and more might I say in commendation of your blessednesse, if ye were not mine.

This renders wealth true riches, when it promotes our account and reckoning with God, then are riches justly called goods, when they are instrument all to good uses, but let them that pervert and detaine them from being service [...]ble [Page 209] to Christ and his poverty, listen to the glorious Martyr Cyprian L. [...]. Epist. 2. Pos­sident ad hoc tantam ne possidere alteri li­ceat, & O nominum quanta diversitas! bo­na appellant e [...]quibus nullus illis▪ nisi ad res malas usus est▪ they possesse only to keepe others out of possession, and O the contradiction that they make in adjects and names, they call those goods which they make no use of, but to evill purposes. This likewise is our best providence, and constitutes men truly rich, for Lactantius is thereinL. 5. 16. Divites sunt non qui divitias habent, sed qui utun­tur illis ad opera justi­tiae. Dives in Ecclesia est, qui pauperi, non sibi dives est. S. Ambr. Ep. 82. right, not all that have riches, but that improve them to workes of righteousnesse, they are the rich.

That which we keep must be left to others, that which we dispense is eternally our owne, hence came that of St. Eucher, in his most godly and eloquent Epistle to Valerian, Si amas te, proxi­mum dilige, quia ni­hil magis commodis tuis dabis quam quod contuleris alienis. If thou lovest thy selfe be kinde to thy Neighbour, for thou canst not more advantage thy selfe then in profiting him. And that of Ennodius to Symmachus the Pope: He erres that supposes a conscience neare, L. 4. Ep. 8. Errat qui Deo proximan [...] consc [...]enri [...]m credit commodis invitari, detrimentum est san­ctae voluntati non ex­hibere beneficium, su­la pu [...]aris lucra, qu [...]e vobis de liberalitate nascuntur, qui divi­tias dum [...]ribuitis a [...] ­cipiti [...]. and inward with God, to be allured by advantage, it is damage to a holy will not to bestow favours, you esteeme them the onely gaines which renew to you of liberality, who receive wealth in giving. We have what we give and can alwayes have no more then we give, now after the pretty saying of Bishop Ruricios, Hee loves not goods that would not have them alwayes, he shall depart a Begger out of this world, that sends not his portion before out of his estate unto eternall blisse. The more men transport into the land of the li­ving the richer they are to God-ward▪ L. 2. Ep. 47. Men­dicus de hoc [...]ūdo discedet▪ nisi do rebus suis portionem suàm ad aeternam beatitu­dinem ante praemise­rit. who can other then admire the incredible wealth of St. IOHN the Elcemosynarie Patriarke of Alexan­dria, that dyed one of the richest that ever was read of, as appeares by his last will & testament▪ Ʋit. ejus c. 48. [Page 210] I thanke thee O Lord my God, that they hast counted me worthy to render thine to thee, and that of the goods of the world, there remaines with me but the third part of a penny, which also I bequeath to the poore that are my brethren in CHRIST. Beloved, why should we not be ever giving since we shall carry nothing with us, onely if we have done good workes, we shall carry them with us to the heavens, or rather as St. ELIGIUS speakes, they will carry us with them to heaven. O [...]ra ta [...]tumneo in b [...]n [...] si egerimus, ipsa nobiscum ad coelos po [...]ta [...]imus, imo nos ipsa ad coelum porta­hunt. apud B. Aud [...]e­num in vit. ejus.

4. L [...]stly, wee may meditate how almes and acts of mercy for their prelation above other vertues have appropriated to themselves the name of charity, devotion, good deeds, good workes, because there is no true religion without them. Nay if we go no further then nature leads, this vertue beares the name of humanity, as very proper to men, and because the more humane people be, and instructed in liberall arts and sci­ences, the more tender hearted and mercifull; hence in all Greece mercy had an Altar, and was a­dored onely at Athens Pausanias in Atti [...]is p. 49 [...]. the Nurcery of learning and humanitie. So both Christianity and huma­nity inforce mercy upon us, if wee would bee found true in either; wherefore the Apostles mu­tually exhort each other to remember the poore (Gal. 2.10) And sithence all the holy Fathers and Doctours have urged nothing so much on Chri­stians, as Almes-deeds and workes of mercy. And the Lord IESUS in the representation of his proceedings, at the last judgment specifies mercy alone for the grace eternized with his cō ­memoration.

All which considered, as we have faculty and opportunity, let us doe good to all especially to the houshold of Faith (Gal. 6.10) doe good without exception to worthy and S. Isaac Presb. Antioch. de contemp­t [...] mundi. c, 8. c, 52. unworthy, as St. ISAAC admonishes, by that meanes thou maist bring the unworthy to good, because the soule it quickly drawne by temporals unto the feare of God: goodnesse is of a victorious nature, yet in this case the prescript of St. GREGORY is seasonable, to give panem refectionis, cum verbo correptionis, double food to him that sought, but single instruction for his soule with refectiō for the body. A benevolence kindely exhibited insinuates a wise reproofe into the heart, removes prejudices from the minde a­gainst our good meaning, and opens the inmost affections to receive information.

Doe good especially to Orthodoxe and sound beleevers: For it is seemely to follow God; and where he gives his spirit and best gifts, there to multiply our chief [...] collations. The wicked leaving, what in them is, the godly to wants, discover it to be but an evasion, when they pre­tend to give no more, because [...]he needy are un­grate and undeserving. To him that is not of the world but of the Church St. Chrys. offers a rich thought, thinke To [...] ▪ 5. ser. 4: with thy selfe if heaven were ready to fall, and God should honour thee so farre, as to give thee power to support it, wouldst thou not con­ceive it a great glory? So now God vouchsafes thee a greater, to sustaine that which he respects more then Heaven, his faithfull members of whom the world is not worthy. Heb. 11.38. If all the good of the [Page 212] world were weighed against one of them, his worth would overpoise and weigh it down. To contribute to the Saints is so high a service, that the great Apostle desires the earnest prayers of the Church, that he might be pleasing to them in his ministration (Rom. 15.25.31) It is a noble function to be as Ratbert witnesses St. Adelhard was,Thesaurarius pau­perum. in vit. S. A­delhard. c. 13. Treasurer for the Poore. To be a Kings Al­moner is a great dignity, and shall it not bee ho­nour to be Almes-givers to the God of Heaven, nay to give Almes to the King of Heaven, fea­sting in the refreshed bowels of a Saint.

CHAP. I. Of the subject to be purified.

OVr Ma [...]er is very Methodicall in propounding the [...]des; [...] after that of mer­cy, which d [...]h most accom­plish the practique life; layes forth this of Purity, that (hath correspondence with the gift of understanding, and) doth be [...] dispose the contemplative. And purity [...] justly [...] [...]de of Mercy, as which [...] of in the intention, [...], [Page 216] 27.CHAP. 1. And mercy is of a very purging vertue. Prov. 22.6. and cleansing the soule of uncharitable hu­mours, apts it for embracing and following all truth in love, after the saying of blessed CHRO­MATIUS; The Mercifull that carry the eyes of their heart sincere and cleare even to their adver­saries, may plainly without let or watering behold the unapproachable brightnesse of GOD, for that clearenesse of conscience and puritie of heart, suffer no Cloud betwixt the Lord and our sight.

In this Beatitude there is a gracious preparing of the minde for God; Blessed are the pure in heart, and a glorious revealing of God to the minde: for they shall see God, in the preparati­on you have the matter disposed, the heart and the manner pure.

To the matter RICHARD VICTORINUS a Schooleman of rare contemplations, saith, That a reasonable In lib. de Patri­arcbis. soule is the chiefe and principle glasse wherein to see God. This the Israel of God must con­tinually hold, wipe, looke on; hold, lest falling down, it sinke to the earth in love; wipe, lest it bee soiled with the dust of vaine thoughts; looke on, that it di­vert not the eye and intention, to vaine studies, but keepe at home and learne to know it selfe, and in it selfe, God. When the Lord in Scripture calles for the heart, hee meanes thereby the powers of the reasonable Soule understanding and will. And so CHRIST blesseth the pure in heart, because that is the spring-head of rationall performances: And therefore all ope [...]ns beeing from faculties, if they bee purified from [Page 217] carnall and secular affections and aymes, the whole man shall be ordered unto God, as if the fountaine bee pure, the streames runne cleere; hence (Matth. 23.26) our Lord willes us to cleanse that which is within, that the outside may be claue also: Druthmar in Matth. and (Prov. 4.23) We are requi­red above all keepings to keepe our heart, be­cause an estimate is tooke of our works by the state thereof. And it matters more how the heart affecteth, then what the hand acteth, whether in good or evill: cleanse we then our hands, cleanse our mouthes, but above all cleansings cleanse our hearts.

But who can say his heart is pure? Well in our Saviours meaning? They are pure in hart, these heart doth not smite them with remorse of deadly sinne, and who intend and indeavour against all sinne; which is to cleave to God with purpose of heart, and serve him with all the heart. Dissem­blers and their sacrifices are monsters in religi­on, because without an heart, and therefore pro­digious and fatall to themselves. The Harlot wipes her mouth, lip-laver and lip labour is the hypo­crites work, he washe [...] his face and makes that shine, But wash thy heart, O Ierusalem: if thou wouldst have the signification of thy name, sight of peace: for none but the pure in heart shall see God, nor enter into his rest.

Cant. 8.6. Set me as a feale upon thy heart, [...] soule upon thy arme: and elsewhere a sense in [...] upon the fore head, as St. Ambrose [...] CHRISTDelsant c. 8. Si [...] [...]lam Christus i [...] f [...] to ut semper con­f [...]reamur, in corde [...]e semper diligamus, in [...], ut semper a­purant [...]. [...] [Page 218] ever confesse, on the heart, that we may ever love, on the hand, that we may ever labour. Wash we then our sace that we may witnesse a good confession, wash our feet because wee cannot stirre abroad and converse in the world, but we shall contract some soyle, though our heart bee right, and our intent holy, Ioh. 13. Wash our hands (Iam. 4.8. in innocency which are the instruments of exter­nall operations, but most of all wash wee our hearts, that are the worke-houses of internall actions.

Reade Lev. 1.6.8.13. They were to flea their burnt offerings, and cut them in pieces, and wash their inwards and their legges. St. CYRIL of Alexandria Hō. pasch. 22. p. 240 [...]. writes, that the fleaing off the skin was a riddle of naked discovery, for nothing at all in as is hid, nor doth any thing lye latent from the di­vine and pure eyes of God, but that pierces to the di­viding asunder of the soule and spirit, Woe is me, that what is latent in me, is not as what is patent. S. Ephrem. conf. & re­prehensio suiipsius. p. 69. of the joynts and marrow, and that is the cutting of the creature in pieces. Besides that, he injoynes the inwards and feet to be washed, which our Redeemer expounds for us, saying; Blessed are the pure in heart. We then for our parts are to flea our sacrifices, not to rest in the superficies and outside of a good life, and bare appearances of good, but to reprove our hearts if the best side be outward, and our inmost intentions, affects and indeavours, equall not our externall shewes. Wee are also to cut them in pieces, that is to examine all and singular the acti­ons of our whole conversation, lest vices should conceale themselves under semblance of vertues. [Page 219] To wash the legges,CHAP. 2. any thing that comes neare the earth; to wash the inwards, all the principles of operation: Many have a demure looke, a fine face, and a white skinne, but flea them and you shall finde their inwards full of avarice, deceit, pride, faction, and all uncharitablenesse.

CHAP. II. Of the Nature of Puritie.

THat briefly of the subject to be prepared, there followes the manner of prepa­ring the heart, to wit, by Purity; which I will open in declaration of the quality, the excellency, the necessity, the maintenance, and the sufficiency thereof, for apting the soule unto the sight of God.

The nature of Purity, is to preserve the soule unspotted from the world, and all things therein that it may bee absolute for GOD, that all our desires be neither to earthly things, nor heavenly things, but to GOD alone: that no creature in heaven or earth, may intervene be­tweene God and our hearts, but that they be re­served intire, free, and ever ready for God, which purification (as Lupus Abbas Epist. 30. Crassū gla [...]coma nostris ob­ductū oculis putimur. testifies) faith begin [...] here, charity finisheth hereafter. Psal. 73 25. Wh [...] have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire besides that, [...] [...] the hope of [...] happinesse [...] of [Page 220] any heavenly creature, or in the contents of any worldly excellency, and not in God that made us, our eyes are ever-runne with a thicke filme, we cannot see God. Purity does away those scales, affects ex­act correspondence with God, averts all alienati­on from him, more then any death; it abhorres the least spot of the flesh, but specially strives to keepe all corruption from the heart, that the vitall and principal parts may be untainted, most of all it purges the spirit from inordinate affects and passions that molest and distract the soule, and so confound the senses that it cannot receive the impression and resemblance of God. It strives daily to refine the thoughts, and spiritualiz [...] the intellect, that cleer'd of fancies and errours, and all created imaginations, it may the more desire to bee immediately joyned and become one spi­rit with him that it apprehends above all appre­hension.

Attend the voice of Davids pure soule, Psal. 16.2. My Soule thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my God: after the true interpretation of IDI­OTA,Idiota in Psal. 15. A man hath that for his God, which hee hath for his chiefe good, and hee hath that for his chiefe good, in which he a conceives all good, which if he have alone, hee thinkes himselfe happy, and which alone if he wants, he holds himselfe miserable. The soule is purged that can s [...]y to God, thou art my God, because God alone suffi­ceth it. So that if there were propounded to it all the Kin [...]domes of the [...]orld, all the goods an [...], all the good in heaven, yet would it not oure offend God to have them all.

The blessed Apostle (Rom. 8.35.3 [...]) makes a royall expression of a [...]ur [...] spirit, wherein he signifies that purity causes t [...] heart to adhere in that wise unto God, as no creature possible can divert the love there of from God in CHRIST, which St. CHRYSOSTOMEDe compunct. in serm. 1. inlargeth in a most loftie and divine rapture to this effect. Nothing can separate a pure heart from GOD, not all the felicitie not all the miserie of this present world, not all the glory, not all the paines of the world to come, not though he should fall from Hea­ven, and be cast into hell, which St. PAUL meanes by height and depth: not possibilities, as life, death, famine, sword; not impossibilities, as for Angels, Principalities, Powers, to joyne together and end [...] ­vour the diversion of his heart from God, [...]ot [...] o­ther creature. Thus hee amplifies his [...]ove, in­timating that not onely all things which really exist cannot divide it from GOD, but no other thing that might bee should be able to estrange it. If God should create more excellent creatures then any are, how excelling soever they should never alienate the affection of a pure heart from the Lord himselfe.

That of DE K [...]MRIS agrees with the ex­perience of a Spirituall man.De imitatione Chri­sti, l. 2. c. 6. Refusall to bee [...] forted by any creature is a signe of great Puritie and inner repose. The pure h [...]rt denyes coniunction with any creature and [...] above, [...] after the [...] of God himselfe [...] of his [...] [Page 224] aside Riches,CHAP. 3. Honour, Pleasure, Earth and Hea­ven, Angels, Archangels, Cherubin, Seraphin, stand you also aside. It is immediate union with God himselfe, and the sweet confirmati­ons of his love made by himselfe in his owne person that I seeke, and which alone can content mee.

CHAP. III. Of the Excellency of Puritie.

WOrthily RADULPHUS FLAVIA­CENSIS on Lev. 21.28. Whatso­ever living thing is consecrated to God, it must dye; They that are CHRISTS cruci­fie the flesh, and the affections thereof: let men there­fore praise their Fastings, their Watchings, their relieving the Poore, their visiting the Sicke (sancta sunt ista omnia) these things are all holy, but if any purifying his conscience before God, mortifie the vices thereof (hoc sanctum sanctorum est) this is the holy of holies, whose praise is not of men but of God.

Naturally, looke how much more excellent any creature is, so much more simple and pure: and the most perfect condition of the creature is to retaine its simplicitie and be purged from all things adventicall and meaner then it selfe,By Puritie the Soule returnes in Gods helpe to its originall integrity. and this none can be ignorant of, that any [...] in [Page 225] polluted by mixture of that which is baser then it selfe, as gold by that of silver, wine by that of water, whence PLATO [...]. defines purity, a sepa­ration of the worse from the better. Now for that all things in the world are inferiour to the soule, the mingling it selfe in them defiles it: and as it separates from them it growes purer, and more accommodate for God. In like sort things are improved by ingredience of that which is bet­ter then themselves, as other mettals by that of gold. Iudge then what the prerogative of Puri­ty is, whereby the soule inheres in God, and comes to bee one with him that is infinitely good.

It is an elegant observation of St. VINCEN­TIUSDomin. 15: ser. 15. that a Pope or Emperour receives more ho­nour from being Gods servant, then a commander of men: because every creature that is middle, between inferiour and superiour, takes greater dignity from subjection to the superiour, then by dominion ever the inferiour; as water takes pollution from the earth, purification from the ayre. If there were any grace diviner then Puritie, GOD that i [...] the Ocean of all perfections, would not from it bee called light, and call his [...] Children lights, as keeping their Puritie in co [...]t ge [...]era­tions, as the Sunne beames doe theirs, when they shine on most impure places, th [...] holy Eph [...] De perfections M [...] ­na [...]i. p. 474. gives the reason, Blessed [...] the p [...]e in he [...], be­cause like the Sunne, they shine even in darknesse.

Albeit our God and Saviour hath not in vaine the name admirable, and all things that are [Page 226] his are wonderfull: Neverthelesse, nothing so ta [...]es Saints as his holinesse, and beares them in­to eternall admiration. Psal. 57.4.10. Holy DAVID in God praises his word, magnifies more the goodnesse and holinesse of God in his word, then his hignesse and greatnesse in the world, and therefore gives the booke of Scripture the pre­lation to the booke of Nature. The holy Angels that are of all creatures the nearest to God, and see him in his light; cry holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, Psa. 6 3. Rev 4.8. Thrice holy Father, Sonne, and blessed Spirit, as admiring God for his holinesse, and rejoycing therein to be like unto him.

The Seraphims that have high degree among Angels, burne most in the love of God, and sing most in the praise of his holinesse, crying, to utter vehement affection in them, and joyful adoration of the holines so repeated by them; the holy An­gels and perfected spirits, might cry all and onely wise, omniscient; and innumerable other Epithors of divine exaltation, but without ceasing, they reiterate the memoriall of holinesse, as most plea­sing to God of all his titles, and for the honour whereof he principally ordained the greatest of all his works, Gods incarnation, and mans redemp­tion. Whence we may be astonished conside­ring the dulnesse of lapsed man, that having pos­sibility and commandement to be holy as God is holy, nills that, but would faine be like God in greatnesse, not in goodnesse, forgetting that the divell and man sell, for that the [...] [Page 227] and the other as St. GREGORYIn Iob. l. 29. c. 6. Es­se Deo similis non per justitiam▪ sed per po­tentiam concupivit. notes,CHAP. 6. was af­fectate to bee like God, not in purity, but in power: men are desirous to follow CHRIST on the wa­ter but not on dry ground, ambitious to be like him in miraculous actions, not studious to take after him in the morall.

But whatever carnals may fancie, who so as have any sense of holinesse, desire likenesse there­in to God above all other things that are excel­lent, and wherein they might possibly resemble God. For B [...]loved, ponder all the degrees wherein it is possible for men to bee like God: are they like him in being? So are stones. Are they like him in motion? So are starres. Are they like him in life? So are trees. Are they like him in sense? So are beasts. Are they like him in reason? So are Divels. There remaines onely being like him in Grace, and so are none but Saints and An­gels. Why then resolve we not, that the best that can bee in the Creature, is to be pure as GOD is pure?

To bee pure God, is impossible for the creature, & sicut Deus, to be pure as God, is the next altitude thereunto, hence that word (Psal. 80.6) I have said you are Gods, is by the Fathers applyed to the adopted and san­ctified, as advanced to the highest representation of God. The Ar [...]pagite among others passeth this sentence:D. Dionysus de Ecclesiastica hierar­chi [...]. c. 1. There is no other way to salva­tion, but for him that would come to salvation to become a God. And what would he be [...] not be a God [...] would he wish to [...] [Page 228] regards not to be like God.CHAP. 3. We say of those that are eminently gracious, that they have much of God in them, and the holy man is stiled the man of God, Vertues what are they, Lib. 4. cap. 80. [...], to bee void of anxie­ty, duplicity, impuri­ti [...]. to speake with St. Damascene, other then Characters of the divine nature. Is not Purity and holinesse the first and best robe of our nature, the grace of Gods image us? Wee would be angry that any should deface and defile our portraiture, and doe wee imagine that God hath not indignation, that wee suffer his image to be polluted in us, yea by us? Well might St. GREGORY NAZIANZEN bee so ur­gent,Serm. 4. [...]. Let us feare onely one thing, to feare any thing more then God, and to disgrace his good image with our naughtinesse. The Psalmist hath not in vaine joyned, holy and reverend is his name, Psal. 111.9. But for insinuation that no quality strikes such reverence on others, as that of holinesse.

Let no man despise thy youth (1. Tim. 4.12) but be an example to beleevers in all puritie: which will raise thee above contēpt. Doubtles there are not upon the earth any such despisers of true sancti­ty as Machiavellians, yet Herod whom CHRIST sirnamed the Foxe, Mark. 6.20. for his subtilty in the craft of a prophane Politician, that HE­ROD observed the Baptist with much reverence and feare, because he knew him a just man. Purity and righteousnesse is a ray of divinity, and there­fore imprints more awe and admiration upon beholders, then riches, honour, strength, bea [...], eloquence, learning, or any [...] qualification.

CHAP. IV. CHAP. 4. How Purity is caused and maintained.

YEe have purified your hearts by obeying the truth, 1. Pet. 1.22. The regenerate are renewed in the holinesse of truth, Ephes. 4.24. Holinesse effected by truth, errour pollutes; [...] it is truth that purifies, and right Catholique saith, Act, 15.9. Sanctifie them in thy truth, Ioh. 17.17. And the truth that sanctifies is not that of Philosophy and humane demonstration, but that of scripture and divine revelation, this truth puri­fies, as it is taught and proposed by holy Church, which is therefore the Pillar and foundation of truth, 1. Tim. 3.17. Whereupon in the Creed after the holy Catholique Church, succeeds the communion of Saints, because there is no true sanctity, save in the holy Catholique Church, the best in Heretickes and Schismatickes is hy­pocrisie and superstition.

Now if any wonder that such should live pre­cisely, let him understand that heresie and schisme (Gal. 5.20) are fruites of the flesh, and therefore consonant to corrupt nature and not crossing the reigne of sinne, and in that regard hath the [...] and our flesh are not against [...] so for demurenesse and [...] grace them. Whereas [...] against [...] [Page 230] backe, and the divell hinders admitting and li­ving in accord to them. Not to goe farre for instance, you see the judaizing sabbatarians and ridiculous pointers as more erroneous, ex­ceed in pretence of sanctimony and zeale the hottest unconformitants. Thus of old Nestorius and Eutyches, and well nigh every ring-leader of untruths, ushered in their accursed falshoods with great sedulity in preaching and appearance of devotion. The Scribes and Pharisees were a generation of vipers, for that they taught pesti­lent opinions, that destroyed their mother-Church, and poysoned their followers, yet they had a righteousnesse, and very bewitching and popular shewes of godlinesse.

Vpon these grounds I will satisfie, if they will be satisfied, the Patronesses of unsound and schis­maticall speakers, and no readers; that make al­legation that our Parishes are full of notorious ill-livers, and uncleane creatures, when as the places where their teachers exercise are most re­formed. First, they shall give mee leave to de­mand this question of them, whether were bet­ter the Scribes and Pharisees, or the Publicans & sinners? And I dare say for them that the Pub­licans and sinners whose vices were indefendi­ble, and written in their faces, were nothing so ill nor dangerous as the Scribes and Pharisees, who leavened their Country [...]h a venemous Creed, and graced their new arti [...]s with civili­ty and curious demeanor of themselves, the bane of whose doctrine was more perilous then the [Page 231] contagion of the others life.CHAP. 5. Then to returne them answer, wee confesse that too many in our Churches are rotten and unsavoury members, for whose amendment we preach and daily pray, expecting their conversion in Gods time, for the interim while they abide in the obedience of the Church, their skin is more foule, but their minds are not so corrupt as be those of the factious Bre­thren, that resist the Truth, abhorre the Disci­pline, despise the government of the Church, withstand antiquity, introduce many prejudici­all novelties against the Sacraments and divers others weighty points of Religion. Our stray Sheepe runne their owne riotous and wrong wayes, but they thinke not themselves wiser then the whole Church and State. You shall have of the wildest of them, that will not against all reason and godly manners; sit at the Gospell, at the Creed, at the Lords Prayer, at the Confes­sion and Absolution of their sinnes, their spirits are not so remote from inclination to our Savi­our as n [...] to bend their bodies, and yeeld some observable obeisance at his venerable name IESVS.

Lord that many of these who insult over o­thers as impure, should not attend how they de­file themselves in the very midst and meanes of their puritie! Tho they heare much, yet gadding from their owne leaders to unlearned declai­ [...]ers, are they not uncleane, tho they strictly keepe (to speake to them in their language) Sab­bath; yet if they prophane Holidayes, established [Page 232] by good authority though they make long pray­ers in private houses,CHAP. 6. yet if they contemne the most religious prayers of the Church, are they not uncleane, though they receive often, yet if it be with that abominable irreverence which I dread to mention plainly, are they not most un­cleane?

Sectaries would perswade the eluded world, that our Preachers are enemies to perfect Chri­stians, because they are as vehement against them, as they be against people of open misdemea­nour.

But they may, and the whole world with them take witting, that the faithfull dispensers of CHRIST, doe to their power cry downe all the sinnes of the time, and that their Lord hath in speciall required that they should not spare but cry aloud, & lift up their voyce like a Trum­pet, Esa. 58.1.2. to the conviction of Hypocrites; and that our sweet Saviour himselfe, was most bitter against them, and said not, W [...]e be to the Drunkards, wee be to the Fornicators, &c. for they denied not their sinnes to be sinnes, they made it not conscience to practice them; whereas hee many a time redoubled, W [...]e be to you Hypocrites, Scribes, and Pharisees hypocrites; because they bore out their courses for pious, and defen­ded their opinions and practises as expedient to life.

No marvell then, if wee be tender of them that conf [...]sse their sinnes, and insinuate lovingly to breake them [...] they acknowledge e­vill, [Page 233] and force the Word more earnestly upon the conscience of disobedients, that maintaine their doings good, and that thinke none good do otherwise.

They complaine that their Professors are dis­countenanced in all parts, and will not regard the reason thereof, that they no sooner begin to professe but they turne practisers against the Church, take up contrariant opinions, distaste her Orders, dispraise her Governours, and at least in every corner murmure and grone against her, and which of all things shee most abomi­nates, upon their knees they twice a day begge that shee might be metamorphosed into another Amsterdam.

When as in all ages Spirituall men, St. AN­TONY, St. BENET, St. BERNARD honoured their Churches and Rulers, brought in no new opinions, nor orders for Gods publique wor­ship. All their care was to excell others in Pie­ty and sequestration from the world, they were for their Churches, and Churches were for them, and they that could not equalize did ca­nonize them.

Had they in their Pulpits and Celles, nothing but exclaimed against the received doctrines and ceremonies of the Church, the Bishops and Cler­gie that interred them under Altars, would have thought it honour enough to have buried them as St. Gregorie did an hypocriticall Monke, un­der a dunghill.

CHAP 5.Passe in your thoughts over Seas, beleeve me not if there be any Church in the world endures like use, what should I remember Rome, Alex­andria, Antioch, Constantinople, Russia, Armenia? Will the Lutherans tolerate any that are knowne to disallow their Doctrines, disuse their rites? Will Geneva suffer any that approve not all her Doctrines, observe not all her orders? And shall the Church of England much more agreable to the Primitive Church then they are, cherish in her bosome those that would eate out her bowels, be in her, but not of her? Let our Complainers, as godly men have done in former ages, and now doe in other Churches, reverence their mother Church, teach her doctrines, use and commend her Ceremonies, honour her grave Fathers and learned Clergie. Themselves and their disciples differ from others but onely in purity and study to please God, and then if any open their mouth or hold up their hand against them, all our Prea­chers and Magistrates will be for them; other­wise let them be silent if they be silenced, and ex­cuse our Governours, if they punish their un­truths and unconformities, and us if for Sions sake wee cannot hold our peace, and for Ierusalems sake wee cannot but maintaine the integrity of our Mother.

Nor let them take on as if they were adversa­ries to Puritie, that disfavour Puritanitie, which assumes some forme of godlinesse to repugne the truths of GOD, and credit the dissensions and troubles that they make in the Church and State. [Page 235] Nay wee are and God forbid we should not to the utmost be exhorters to Puritie,CHAP. 4. and reveren­cers of the pure in heart and life. And beloved, why will yee not all be of their honorable com­pany, that are pure of heart and conscience? If any say hee would but he cannot, let GERSONTom. 2. Serm. 1. I [...] festo omnium Sancto­rum. Si dicis vellem benefacere, vellem mundus esse conscien­tia, vellem abstinere à peccatis, sed neque [...], [...]oli frater dicere ne­queo, sed [...]lo, certè potes, sed non vis ju­varete. pre­vaile with him not to say I cannot, but I will not; cer­tainly thou c [...]nst, but thou wilt not helpe thy selfe Because God prevents all with sufficient grace, and is alwayes ready to assist them doing, and to doe; therefore thou canst not, because thou wilt not leave sinne and be pure.

1. Iohn, 3.3. Purifie we then our selves by espe­ciall pen [...]nce after any deadly sinne, Luke 15.3.

By lifting up pure hands in Prayer, which is most operative to purge and elevate the mind.

By frequent use of the most reverend Sacra­ment, the divinest sustenance of a pure heart.

By watchfulnesse and jealousie of all things suspitious to staine a soule.

By much exercise in good workes, all and e­very whereof raise to similitude with God, and leave upon the heart a tincture of purity. He that long since wrote in the name ofL. 4. c. 16. p. 513. Sanctificatio rationa­libus creaturis, bono­rum operum exhibi­tione & meritorum praerogativis concedi­tur. Ibid. c. 20 p. 598 Ʋitae munditiae secun­dum meritorium di­stantium singulis ex­hibetur, dice [...]te v [...]s [...] electionis, unicuique data est gratia secun­dum mensuram. Gordon de varleta­te rerum. l. 8. [...]. 4 [...]. Charlemagne against the adoration of Images, sayes that San­ctification is granted reasonable cre [...]tures, by performance of good workes, and according to the prerogative of them.

Naturally the Soule is refined by abstinence, by exercise of good arts and good manners. How much more shall it be purified in and by holy fa­sting, religious converse and sacred contempla­tion, [Page 236] used in Catholike faith from a pure heart to godly intents.

Lastly, let us wash our soules in the cristall fountaine of Gods holy Word, hearing, reading, and continually meditating of the same, which is most acceptable to God, most content [...]ull to the good Angell that attends each of us, most offensive to the wicked Spirits that besiege us; For as ORIGENIn Num. hom 27. hath it, It is to them, above all kindes of torment, and all paines, if they see any de­vote his endeavour to the word of God. Yee are pure through the Word, Ioh. 15.3. Hide we then that in our hearts, that they may be kept cleane.

And if through naturall debilities, they can­not retaine it as they would, let not that over­grieve the well disposed; because as a soule seive is clensed by the water that runnes through it, so are our Soules by the Word, and wholsome instructions, and discourses, which they desire to remember, and doe not retaine.Ex vit. Patrum, part. 2. fol. 168. You may reade in the lives of the Fathers, how one bemoaning himselfe to an Abbot, that oft hearing the moniti­ons of the Ancients hee retained nothing, was bade to take one of two emptie vessels, which chanceably stood by, and put water into it, and wash it, which done, the Abbot asked whether of the two vessels was the cleaner, and was answered, that into which the water was put; then the oldman said to him, so is it my sonne, with the Soule that frequently heareth the words of GOD, though it retaineth nothing of the things which it inquires, yet it is more clens [...]d then that which asketh nothing.

CHRIST'S blessing,CHAP. 5. and the blessing of his Church, and the goodwill of his Ministers, is and for ever be upon his servants, that by the wayes aforesaid, and their like pursue this Puri­tie, that follow after holinesse and peace.

CHAP. V. Touching the necessity of Purification.

CASSIAN doth not amisse conclude, thatCollat. 19.2. the Active life may be continued with­out the Speculative: but the Contempla­tive, cannot be compassed without the Practique. Sanctification is necessary to efficacious know­ledge and blisfull sight of God, without holi­nesse none shall see God, Heb. 12. Wisdome enters not into an impure S [...]ule. Sap. 1.4.Tollatur impius ne Deum videat. Es. 26.10. S. Aug de quan­titate animae. c. 33. Neither is it possible with a foule and dustie glasse to take the re­presentation of Images, nor with a minde darkned in passion and prejudice, to undertake the illumina­tion of the Holy Ghost▪ Epist. 64. — [...]. — [...]. which is the resemblance of St. BASIL. The pure light is irkesome to eyes affected with ill humours; so is Gods holy nature and will, to mindes corrupted in sinne; therefore they put farre from them him and his Sanctifying knowledge. Ioh. 21.14. An impure one cannot looke on the brightnesse of true light, and that which is a pleasure to cleane mindes, is a paine to S. Leo. serm de bea­ [...]it. polluted.

Two things are requisite to sight, convenient distance and attention, Puritie supplies them both, for it sets the heart neare God, and renders it vacant for God. They are severally mentio­ned, Psal. 46 8.10. Venite & videte. Vacate & videte.

Verse, 8. Come and see. For as in the bodily eye, remote distances make the discerning of that which is seene obscure, but the approach of the beholder makes that which is discern'd manifest: so in the sight of the minde, hee who drawes not neere to GOD in good-doing, and acts of grace, cannot with the eyes of the minde, purely behold God and his workes. Hence came that of St. ATHANASIVSDe incarnat. in fin. [...]. the great, Without a pure minde, and resembling the Saints in life, a man cannot apprehend the minde of Saints, for as if one would see the Sunne hee purges his eye, and purifies the in­nate light within, to discerne that which shines from without, or if hee would behold a great Citie, hee goes neare to it; so he that would comprehend the minde of Divines, must clense his owne minde, and draw neare to them in similitude of life.

Vers. 10. Vacate & videte. If the mind be o­therwise busied, it oft sees not what stands be­fore the eyes; so MARTHAES cumber and MA­RIES contemplation cannot consist. The mind must keepe holiday from vaine labour after Riches, Honour, Pleasures from Envie and all wickednesse against our neighbour, that the Soule being still and disquieted with no [Page 239] passions, the irradiation of God may come cleere and perspicuous, as in a bright mirrour for a type of this, Levit. 14.8. the clensed of his Leprosie, after hee returned into the Campe, was to abide seven dayes out of his Taberna­cle; Because when the soule desists Radulph. Flav. from sinne, it must tarry to a Sabbath of rest, before the consci­ence afford it a repose, that it may dwell in God by sweet contemplation, and God dwell in it by divine illustration. This is the reason why many of the more perfect Saints were so con­templative and able to inhabite a long time in the secret places of the most high, Psal. 91.1. for that having mortified in themselves all earthly desires that could keepe a long vacation for God, and with inflamed affections continue hea­venly intercourses.

St. PAVL is strucke blind and then given to see, the minde must be abstracted and turne the eyes from vanity and created perfections, or it is not apt to fixe the heart on God and meditate the wonders of his Law, 1. Reg, 19.15. ELIAS covered his face with his mantle when God pas­sed by; for a man ought to avert his eyes from all Creatures as unworthy when hee would be­hold the glory of GOD. And when man tastes the bread of Angels in contemplation,S. Odo Cluniacensis serm. de Magdalena. The sweetnesse thereof meanes the Soule from all things sensible, and from the trouble of their cares, that it sets aside all Temporals, and longs to bee alone with God.

CHAP. 7.They that would bee accurate students of CHRIST, must refraine not onely from forbid­den fruites and pleasures, but from tolerable de­lights, that they may be the more transported in­to heaven. For ordinary Christians it shall bee well if they so order their lawfull pleasures and affaires, that they lose not themselves in them, but finde and see God in the creature; which rule is laide us downe by St. GREGORIE, The heate of businesse is then rightly In 1. Reg. l. 5. pag. 419: Actionis fervor tunc reste disponitur, cum sic insistimus ope­ri, ut tranquillo cor­de, eum cui opera no­stra consecrare niti­mur, videamus. temper'd, when wee so follow our worke, that we may with a quiet heart see him unto whom wee labour to consecrate our workes.

CHAP. VI. Of the sufficiency which Puritie hath unto the sight of God.

THe Soule that charity hath made blind to all things under God is meete to see God; wee are taught byIn Eccl. 7. Practica est praevia introductio ad Theoricam. Olympiodorus, That the Practique is a previous introduction to The­orie. And therefore Socrates did wisely begin with Moralitie and urge vertuous living, that the minde might thereby bee advanced to higher know­ledge, as was long agoe noted by Tom. 1. l. 4. c. 14. Freculphus, Zach. 11.17. If a Sword be upon a mans right hand it sonne strikes out his right [...]e. Thus St. NILE,In Asce [...]ico p 940: The cunning and action of the right hand being neglected through sloath, extinguishes with it selfe [Page 241] the light of Contemplation. Vices,CHAP. 6. are as ill hu­mours in the eyes of the heart, they dimme the visive faculties in Spirituall things. 2 Pet. 1.8.9. Hee that is without the sundry graces of the Spi­rit, is blind with the dissembling Pharisee, can­not looke up unto God in matters of Religion, cannot see a farre off; that which is within the vayle, our future retribution.

Puritie rids the Soule of these humours, and so the heart is a cleere glasse, apt to gather and re­flect divine irradiations, and represent the Image that shines from the Word. 1. Tim. 3.9. The my­steries of Faith are held in a pure conscience; Where­fore the exposition of St. PRIMASIVSIn Apoc l. 2. Vbi pu­rus intellectus & ha­bilis ad intelligendū. is pithy, Blessed are the pure in heart where the intellect is pure and accommodated to understand. What is the in­corruption wherewith wee are to serve God, Ephes 6.24Incorruptio vice est castitas corporis, & puritas mentis, — In tractatu super venite ad me omnes, inter o­pera Iohan. Gerson. but puritie of fl [...]sh and spirit, put­ting away sinne the sole impediment of divine information, and duely preparing the intellectu­als to see God. Take wee then our Lords coun­sell, Revel. 3.18. Annoynt our eyes with eye-salve that wee may see, as Ruricius Ruricius, l. 2. Ep. 16. Collyrio bonorum operum oculos cordis acuamus, ut illic Deū videre possimus. moved his friends with the eye-salve of good workes, let us sharpen the Eyes of our heart, that wee may there see God. The pure in heart may boldly crave to be instructed of God, as ready to embrace all his truth in love, and desiring to know all the pleasure of his will that they may fulfill it, Psal. 119.10.34. St. MAX­IMVS saith,De virtute & vi­tio centur. 3 Sent. 27. Ibid. sent. 42. 45. Vertuous affection is the face of a con­templative Soule raised to the altitude of true know­ledge, and without doubt Spirituall actions are the Eyes of that face.

That the perfecting of the Practive part not the Speculative makes way to divine vision, evinces it intended, & obvious to all even the unletterd, for the meanest servant may have a pure heart.

Ioh. 7.17. CHRIST requires the doing of his Fathers will for the knowledge of his doctrine, intimating that the dispose for supernaturall knowledge by which the Soule is directed unto happinesse, lyes not in dexterity of wit but in puritie of heart. And Ioh. 14 23. hee promises, that his Father and he will manifest themselves to them that love him and keepe his Comman­dements, signifying that the heart which purely affects good things shall not be deserted of con­venient knowledge, whereas the head that would know much for discourse and not for practice, may see many things in common light and no­thing in the light of life.

A head as large as SALOMONS without a pure heart, conferres not so much to inwardnesse with God and initiation into the mysteries of his Kingdome, as doth purity of heart in a shallow braine, which forced that ejaculation from a de­vout man! O most loving Lord IESV CHRIST, thou lovest him that preserves his Idicta de amore di­vino, c. 17. Qui ser­vat munditiae purita­tem. Puritie incorrupt, for like loves its like; and because thou art pure and of all the most pure, therefore thou lovest the pure and makest them of thy counsell, as it is written, Prov. 22.11. He that loves purenesse of heart the King shall be his friend. Keepe wee then with all diligence the white robe wee received in Baptisme undefiled, preserve wee the virgin integritie with which [Page 243] our soules were there endowed,CHAP. 7. strive that there may be no spot in our face, nor wrincle in our cloathes; for the liker wee be to God in puritie, the liker shall we also be in knowledge. Here we are pure but in part, and therefore know but in part, when we shall be pure as God is pure, wee shall see God as hee is, and know as we are knowne.

CHAP. VII. How fitly the Pure as rewarded with Gods sight.

I Have at length done with the gracious pre­paring of the minde for GOD, and will now proceed to the glorious revealing of God to the minde, the pure in heart shall see God that is the portion of their blisse, to know God as he is knowable, imperfectly here in contemplation, all-sufficiently hereafter in beatificall vision, which is the greatest testimony of divine love. Iohn, 14.21. My father and I will love him and shew our selves unto him. To be short, in this reward wee may distinguish the fitnesse and the fulnesse, the fitnesse both in respect of the quality and in regard of the quantity.

First, in respect of the quality, the grace fitted the heart to see, the reward ministers the best ob­ject to the sight, and the pure heart is blessed with the sight of God that is purity it selfe, Psal. 18.26. [Page 244] Tit. 1.15. To the pure all thinges are pure, God is alwayes before their eyes which therefore stay not in the creatures, but by use of them lift up the heart to God. It is a true saying of de Kom­bis, Lib. 1. cap. 1. As in our Countrey GOD is the glasse in which the creatures shine, so by the way the Creatures are the glasse in which God is seene. Vndoubtedly if we beare a pure heart in our brest, every creature will serve us for a Booke of learning and glasse of life: seeing there is not so poore a creature in which wee may not espy God and his praise and goodnesse, filling all things. That we may reve­rence God in his creatures, observe his worke in them, and improve them in some measure to the pure ends, for which they were made.

But to the impure and unbeleever nothing is pure, they gather soyle from the best gifts of GOD; because there is no creature so good if but it be rested in, it abates the puritie and dignity of the soule made for God, and meete to be in communion with him; and because the defiled minde and conscience of the impure, draw from every creature what is agreable to themselves.

Secondly, for the fitnesse in regard of the quan­tity that stands in this, that as all that are pure see God; so the more pure any is, the more hee sees God; after the assertion of blessed PAV­LINVS,In Epist. ad Desi­derium, quanto purior corde, tanto capacior Christi. The purer that any is in heart, the more capacious of CHRIST; which is verified in this life in the sight of grace, in the other life in the sight of glory.

In this life, that of Hesychius Cent. 1. sent. 71. holds; So much the more copiouslie shall men see God by how much the more studiously they purge themselves. God so farre communicates himselfe to pure mindes, that St. ANTONY the great, a man expe­rienc'd therein doth in this wise exhort to Puri­tie,This Hesychius cites out of B. Atha­nasius in the life of S Anton. Cent. 2. sent. 77. Be wee of pure minde, for I beleeve that a soule purified throughout in every power, and standing now in its owne nature may become so quicke-sigh­ted as to see more acutely, and matters more remote then the Devils can, as which hath GOD revealing unto it.

In the life to come, God shall be seene and knowne; as the Theologue resolves, after the proportion of our Naz. de Baptismo ad fin. [...]. Puritie. The Saints shall bee by light of glory advanced to similitude of God void of de­fect, yet as a quality admitting degrees, one ex­ceeding other, and none equalling CHRIST's humanitie; which St. FVLGENTIVSAd Ferrandum qu. 3. p 75. Illa divinita­tis indesinens vesio, ipsa fit beatitudinis indificiens plenitudo, inde enim sunt beati mundo corde quia De­um videat, in tantum ergo divinitate San­ctae trinitatis videbi­mus, in quantum ca­piemus dono gratiae ut videre possimus. St. Ephrem. De mansio­nibus beat. p. 19 St. Isaac de contemptu mundi c. 17. deduceth hence in this sort, The endlesse vision of the Deitie be that the indeficient fulnesse of felicity, for thence are the pure in heart blessed, because they see God; wherefore wee shall so farre see the Deitie of the whole Trinity, as we shall receive by the gift of grace, that wee may be able to see. To which I shall adde that of the worthy authors ELTHERVS and BE­ATVS:L. 1 p. [...]59 Quan­tū plus dilexit proxi­mum, tantum & illic plus videbit majesta­tem Dei. S. Ephrem. de vita religiosa pag. 547 S. Eligius apud B. Audoenum. l. 2. 16. Radulph. Flaviac. in Lev l. 19. Walter Hilton in the devoti­on all Booke j [...]yn'd with Hanpole p. 193. How much the more a man loves his neighbour here, so much the more hee shall see there the majesty of God.

As though all bodies rise in glory, yet they have their distinct lustres in the day of Reve­lation, wherein the different conditions of [Page 246] the Soules in glory bee expressed in the bo­dy. 1. Corinth. 15. There is one glory of the Sunne, and another of the Moone; So albeit that all glorified soules doe see GOD, yet in that sight there is one degree of them, who in the burthen of the flesh made it their chiefe and constant worke to purge their soule to that intent; ano­ther of them that incumbred themselves with worldly cares, and hardly were divided from the world by the violence of death. Likewise as there are divers orders of Angels among whom the higher exceed the lower in extent of know­ledge, as St. Chrysostome [...] — St. Athanas. de com­muni essentia Patris & filii, & spiritus Sancti. reasons of that, Ephes. 13.10. If Principalities knew not, much lesse did Angels know: yet all of them see the face of God. Thus when the day comes that men shall be equall unto Angels, and the measure of a man be as the measure of an Angell (Revelation 21) some more unlearned man that studied puritie may have the place of a Seraphin, when a great Clerke that was more forward to reade then to pray, may bee but in the ranke of an inferiour Angell.

CHAP. 8. CHAP. VIII. Of the fulnesse of that blisse which Saints enjoy upon Earth in contemplation of God.

SO much suffice for the fitnesse, weigh wee now the fulnesse of the reward, they shall see God, and he being the truth,Prìmum verum, & summum bonum. our minds were made to know the good, our wills were made to enjoy the sight of him as intellegible, in this and the other world is the utmost consum­mation of our intellectuall faculties in both; as St Basil more largely prosecutes,In martyrem lulittā [...]. The knowledge of God to them that are counted worthy thereof, is the supreame of all good things, to which all intelligent nature aspireth, which God gvie us to partake in pu­rifying our selves from the affects of corruptible flesh. And againe brethren, [...]. Epist. 139. ad fin. Thinke not the Kingdome of God to bee ought else then the true understanding of things that are, which the Scriptures also call blessednesse; for the Kingdome of heaven is with­in you.

But let us severally expend this fulnesse as it concernes Contemplation while wee live by faith, and vision when wee shall live by sight. For the former, the highest happinesse of a tra­veller is to see God in CHRIST, and to be made privie to his good, holy and perfect will, to ap­prehend in their proper Species and operations his [Page 248] divine verities, such fight therefore is the ayme of a comtemplator. And in this our pilgrimage, wee never are in such a paradice, as when wee be rapt up in holy meditations of God, and the profound mysteries of our Lord CHRIST. One could not be happie had hee all created good, but all our Felicity stands in GOD, Thom. de Kemp. de imitatione Christi. l. 3. 16. not as hee is seene and praised of the simple lovers of the world: but as Christ's true beleevers looke to know him, and as the Spirituall and pure hearted whose conversation is in heaven, doe sometimes taste him.

Psal. 65.4. O God of our salvation, happie is the man whom thou causest to approach unto thy selfe; it is heaven to be with God, when God therefore drawes us neere to himselfe, this is heaven upon earth. When wee draw nigh to him, hee gives peace and quiet to all our powers and affections in him, and when wee are not nigh him, there is nothing but perturbation and vex­ation in our mindes, running wilde and distra­cted after endlesse varieties and vanities.

Wherefore for a Christian to sayle in full gusts of the Spirit, and by divine contemplation to be advanced above sensible devotion, [...]. and have the minde drowned in the depths of God, and his incomprehensible grace; these are the plaine first fruits of heaven, and the abundant recom­pence of our Practiques.

The divine light is as darknesse, invisible for the excelling and supereminent [...] of, and inapproachable for the [...] [Page 249] of supersubstantiall lustre flowing from it, in which, the drawer neere to God is overwhel­med, 1. Tim. 6.16. That light cannot bee attained or guessed at by any argumentation or Art of man; otherwise it had not bin affirmed inapproachable. The Lord should have bin a finite God, if wee could have fully conceived him; therefore the lesse wee can comprehend him, the more we have to admire and adore him, and in that wee see him not, we may touch him, as discerning him to transcend all knowledge, Psal. 139.6.

Darknesse is Gods pavilion, in this life none see him, in the other none comprehend all of him; God appeared in a thicke Cloud, Exod. 19.16. which cloud was to obscure all things that were not God, that so God might be discerned. 1. King. 8.12. In the thicke darknesse GOD will bee seene, when all the Creatures are out of sight and respect, and the soule measures not God by them, but perceives him without and above them, an infinite beeing, of which all the Splendour in the creature is but a darke shadow.

In this darke all things will be indifferent to us, when wee judge not of God, by ought in the Creature, but finde him alike in all, alike with­out all, and therefore doe not distingui [...] nor [...], but let him afford us himselfe in what he please, or remove the creature to reside in [...]s [...].

This is a great priviledge in the time of [...] if wee draw [...]igh unto [...] [Page 250] pure and humble Soules hee will draw nigh un­to us and compasse us with his bright rayes, and thereby inflame our affections, and sublimate us above our selves and conjoyne us immediatly to himselfe to become one Spirit wih him, as the Iron in the fire becomes fire, yet remaines I­ron, a taste of which elevation is so glorious, that Heaven and Earth are shadowed in comparison thereof, which may induce us daily to set apart some space of time to recreate our Soules in I­SAACS walkes, and forget the world in the thoughts of God, and cease not till wee can say, My meditation of him is sweet, Psal. 104.34. and that wee have some relish and sence, how graci­ous the Lord is.

The contemplation of God is like a glasse ex­posed to the Sunne, transformes us more and more from glory to glory in his blessed Image, 1. Corinth. 3.18. Psal. 57.17. I will attempt to translate another straine ofIn Psalm. 129. [...]. St. BASILS, that is; The true beauty and most desirable and visible alone to him who is purified in heart, that is all about the divine and blessed Nature, on whose lightnings and grace whosoever fixes his eye, participates somewhat from it as it were in a tincture, dying his owne sight with a flourishing lustre. Psal. 4.6, 7. Lord lift up the light of thy Countenance upon us, and thou shalt put gladnesse in our hearts. For asGradu. 30. Climacus takes up a Simile, If the face of a Friend, whom wee love, doth most truely change us, and render us all chearie, and pleasant, and voyd of heavinesse; what shall the face of GOD doe, comming in­visibly [Page 251] on the Soule that is cleansed from all fil­thinesse: CHAP. 9.

CHAP. IX. Of the fulnesse of this Beatitude in beati­ficall vision.

FOrasmuch as Man is an intelligent creature, therefore his Happinesse must needs bee in the acts and exercise of his intellectuals; hence our fruition of GOD is set out by sight, Iohn, 17.3. The prelation of Man above Beasts, is to know his Maker, the highest exaltation of man in the best and immediate knowledge of his maker, if 1. King. 10.48. the Queene of She­ba was strooke with admiration at the order of SOLOMON'S Court, how shall it not bee full happinesse to see the forme of the celestiall Court? I extoll the wit of PICVS Earle of Mi­randula; In Heptapio, in prou­mio lib. sept [...]i. Haec est vera faelicitas vt simus v [...]us cum Deo Spiritus, vt apud De­um non apud nos De­um poss [...]mus, cog­nosc [...]m [...] sicut [...], ille enim nos, non per nos, sed per seipsum aguavit, ita & nos cognosca­mus illum, per ipsum & non per aut, [...] est tota mercer, haec est vtt [...] [...]. Naturally the Creatures cannot know GOD as hee is in himselfe, but as hee is in their selves. This is true felicity that wee may be one spirit with God, that wee may possesse God in God; not in our selves, knowing as wee are knowne; for he knowes us not by us, but by himselfe, so wee shall know him by himselfe, and not by our selves, this is the whole reward, this is Life eternall, 1. Cor. 13.12.

That which mortals cannot, wee shall see God as he is, 1. Iohn, 3.2. and arrive to immedi­ate conjunction with God without any crea­tures [Page 252] intervening, the Lord plainely and with­out any riddles manifesting himselfe and his Es­sence to us, in his owne light,Ostendum meipsum ill [...], [...]tique in forma Dei non in forma ser [...] — In th [...]t [...] of him [...]lfe [...]s eter­nall Li [...]e. Ioh [...]. B Aug de Spiritu & litera. c 22. Iohn, 14 21. And in the forme of GOD not the forme of a Ser­vant, or any created forme or representation.

Luke, 12.37. The Lord disposes himselfe to reward in his owne person the fidelity of his servants, and makes his faithfull fit downe in eternall rest, comes forth and ministers because hee satisfies us with illustration of his owne light, and immediately by himselfe and in his owne person, wee receive our repast, as St. Gre­gorie In Evang hom. 13. Transiens autem Do­minus maistrat, quia lucis sua illustratione nos saetiat — expounds it unto us.

Wee shall be as Angels beholding the face of God, not onely his back-parts, Exod. 33.20.23. as hee is knowne in his effects, by his words and workes; For the back parts are all notifications of himselfe The back parts of God, are [...]. S. Nazian. serm 34 after himselfe, but wee shall see his face also, Matth. 18.10. his nature and sub­stance, that which is distinctive and essentiall to God; as men are distinguished and knowne by their faces; so God by his Essence, which knowledge of God is the end wherein meet all the desires of rationall natures.

And that naturall desire in all Soules ten­ding to see God, as St. ANTONINVSHist. tit. 5. cap. 8. sect 17. S. Aug epist. 111, 112. cap. 8. St. Greg. in Iob. L. 28. c. 28 Inter opera B. A­thanasii disputatio­nem cum Arrio. p 117 reasons, cannot bee in vaine; whence it appeares erroni­ous to hold, that wee shall not see the divine Es­sence. The request of MOSES, Exod. 33.18. I beseech thee shew mee thy glory, is the Petition of every good man. Iohn, 14.8. Shew us the Fa­ther and it sufficeth us; sight of the Father suffices [Page 253] a reasonable Soule, and without that it is not sufficed whatsoever it sees and knowes, glorious are the sights which God here shewes his pure-hearted; yet as it is in St CYPRIAN,In Prol [...]go ad Car­dinalia opera Christi. Nec tamen in hac vi­sione plena potest esse sufficientia, donec in splendoribus Sanctorū in die virtutis suae, cognoscatur ratio gig­nentis & geniti & procedentis. They cannot bee fully satisfied in those sights, till in the glory of Gods Saints in the day of his Power the my­sterie of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost bee dis­closed.

When wee shall see God as he is, we shall a­like see all the Divine persons, because they are one in the same Essence, the Father in the Sonne, the Sonne in the Father, both in the holy Ghost, all in each, and each in all. So the Essence can­not bee seene, without sight of the Persons, nor one person without the rest: otherwise PHILIP and his fellow Apostles would not be satisfied in the sight of the Father, if hee could be seene without sight of the Sonne and the blessed Spirit, whom they equally desired to see.

But when God manifests himselfe, as St. Gre­gorie the Divine declares,S. Greg. Nazian. in plagam grandinis. [...]. Ineffable light re­ceives the godly, and the vision of the Holy and king­ly Trinitie shining most clearely and most purely, and mingling its whole selfe with the whole minde, in which alone I chiefly place the Kingdome of Heaven.

Because wee shall see God as he is we shall [...] knowledge of all the divine attributes which in him are one with themselves, and with the divine Essence, bee devided one­ly [Page 256] by our imperfect manner of understanding, and therefore in Gods light present themselves as one primary object to the minde. Then, in th [...]ir platformes and Ideas wee shall see the Ide­a's of all naturall things in their severallIoseph Angles in 4. part. 2. p 117. Quili­bet beatus videt om­nia quae in Deo for­maliter id est quiddi­tativè continentur, verbi gratia, attribu­ta omnia, quae forma­liter id est quiddita­tivè conveniunt, con­stat ex B. Iohanne di­cente, videbimus eum sicuti est, ergo & om­nia quae sunt in ipso quidditativè, scilicet attributa omnia & omnes relationes, alio­quin enim si beatos a­liquod divinum attri­butum lateret, non il­lū sicuttest viderent, They see also in God the quiddities of all things, &c. kinds, (tho not all individuals) for that Beatitude satis­fies all naturall desire; and the intellect hath a naturall desire to know them, and therefore could not bee at rest without knowing them.

Now the Creatures are perfectly and plea­santly knowne in the sight of the Creators wise­dome, as in the Art after which they were made, then the causes of all hidden qualities and secrets in nature shall bee evidenced in God, which is the ambition of Philosophy. Then the stupen­dious depths of Gods free grace shall be opened in the booke of Life, together with all the My­steries of Gods word and our Faith, which is the perfection of Divinitie.

This seeing of God in his Essence, is no let but that one Angell or Saint may see more then another, and CHRIST'S soule more then all o­ther;S. Aug. de Civitate Dei. L. 1. c. 6. cap. 29. for though they all immediately see God, yet hee being infinite none can comprehend the whole of God, and every one apprehends ac­cording to his capacitie, which is diversified by their degrees of grace; for after as they had here more light of grace, they shall there have more light of glory;B. Aug de verbis A­post. serm, 21. c. 7. in which they shall be strength­ned to larger apprehensions.

The finite seer cannot comprehend him that [Page 257] is infinite, therefore the highest orders of An­gels are brought in covering their faces before God, as not able to comprehend his totallTo apprehend God dignè prout est— Vri­que est omni creaturae. S. Bern. in Cant. ser. 5 De Passione Dom. c. 17. S. Chrys. Sermn. [...]. S. Greg. in Iob. l. 10. c. 7. ful­nesse, nor affecting it, which is impossible for crea­tures and would ruinate their beings, were they extended in infinitum beyond their reach. The Soule of our Lord IESVS, although it sees in God all things that are, have beene, or shall be, yet it sees not all things that might be by Gods omnipotencie, but hath knowledge above all Angels and men, yet finite, and in its fullest glo­ry hath not that knowledge of the divine Na­ture which the divine nature hath of it selfe; neither as our worthy Countriman GILBERT writes,Super Cant. ser 40 Nec admitti potest in aqualitatem notitia. May it bee admitted to equality of know­ledge.

So then to see God is not to comprehend him (which is onely proper to God himselfe) that is to know God as hee knowes himselfe, and what­soever is comprised in him and feifable by him. Howbeit which Gerson fitly observes,In Patria dicuntur in patri [...] comprehen­sares esse, quoniam [...] ser [...] ­dum totum poss [...] [...] totum [...] vell [...] [...] Cant. by [...] In Hea­ven they are said to bee comprehensors, because they apprehend according to all their power, all their un­derstanding, all their will. Thus PAVL will hold himselfe a comprehensor when hee hath: attai­ned to the very essence of God, and there ap­prehends all that hee desires and can containe, Phil. 3.13. till when he is restlesse in his desires and endeavours of perfections.

But that I may summarily discover the ful­nesse of that B [...]atitud [...], which is [...] seeing God, [Page 256] the vision of him who comprehends all good, must needs conclude all desires, and replenish all the powers and possibilities of the creature, a [...]d therefore sight of divine nature inferres per­pertuall confirmation in grace, because the un­derstanding sees therein, and the will enjoyes all eminency of good. 1 Iohn 3.2. Wee shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is.

Hence it issues, that the privation of this bles­sed vision is the hell of hells,Idiota de morte. c. 18. to bee punished from the presence of GOD, 2. Thess. 1.9. Departing from the eternall God is worse then entring into ever­lasting fire, the losse is infinite, the paine limited.

The learned FatherIn quo uno est re­quies. S. August. de catechizandis rudibus lib. 4.17. cathechizes, that where there is any right Iudgement, the greatest horrour is not to see him in whom alone is satisfaction, and hee makes a delicateIn Psal. 137. — Cui fueris iratus in­tereat, quem rap [...]re volucris rapintur, quem cedere cadatur, quam domnare dam­netur, quem possidere possideas. supposition, that if God should come and speake with his owne voyce, and say to a man, Wilt thou sinne, sinne doe whatsoever thou plea­sest, whatsoever thou affectest in all the Earth, bee it at thy service, let thy anger be death, let men be beaten and condemned at thy will, or reserved to thy use, let none resist thee, none say what doest thou? none, I will not doe what you would have mee, none why have you so done? Let all those earthly things which thou desirest abound with thee, and live in them, not for a time but for ever, onely thou shalt never see my face. Brethren why did you sigh, sa­ving that there is sprung up in your hearts, the chaste feare that indureth for ever, whereby one would cry out and say, rather let all th [...]se things be tooke away [Page 257] and let me see thy face. If men be in so great desire to see an earthly King in his state and glory; how much should Christians desire to see and accom­pany the King of glorious state in all his glory!

Now beloved, this suspends all wonderment in heaven and earth, that a worme should be exal­ted to see God, falne man be restored and blessed with the same Beatitude wherewth God himselfe is blessed, for the blessednesse of God is in seeing himselfe, & enjoying his own infinite beauty,B. Macar hom. 5. p 74. and that blessednesse is imparted to vs, for wee shall see him and have fruition of his infinite nature and perfections, albeit not in his infinite mea­sureEtherius & Bea­tus, l. 2. p. 379. Per­fecta requies est, quia Deus cernitur, tamen aequanda non est re­quiei illius, qui non à se in alium transit ut quiescat. S. Aug de Trinitate lib. 15. c. 16. who is his owne blessednesse, and alone understands all the infinitie of his goodnesse and happinesse.

Iohn, 17.3. This is life Eternall to know God, and rightly is it termed Eternall, because it alters not, because by reason of their seeing God their thoughts vary not. And for that, God is all in all unto the blessed, all their joy and bles­sednesse is alwayes the same and vnchangeably before them altogether. For in the Beatitude flowing from the divine vision there is no altera­tion, as there is no change in the divine Nature, that which hath beene is, that which is that is the very same which shall bee, this is peculiar to E­ternity that it is altogether at once, and hath no­thing in it first or last. Which proprietie the glo­ry of Saints participates, for that the joy thereof is without all Succession, and is injoyed all at once [Page 260] admitting nor dimunition nor increase for ever. So as the joy that is received throughout all E­ternity, is perceived in every moment thereof; and the elect Angels and men secure of everlasting felicitie, and having before their eyes Eter­nitie replenished with joy, in every instant re­joyce an eternall consolation.

1. Pet. 1.4. Our inheritance is incorruptible, im­polluted, idefeisable. Incorruptible, to say, un­changeable, and ever the same; Impolluted, that is to say, immixt of whatsoever might staine or discontent; for there is no impure lust to dis­quiet, nor any thing to move lust: all things as in God are without all imperfections, all things are Life in him, all things Puritie, and causing pure and glorious thoughts. Indefeisable, be­cause the blessed are immutably confirmed in grace, and therefore cannot sinne, and there­fore cannot lose nor lessen their happinesse. Vn­fading also, because as the Nature corrupts, so the content decayes not; but as every unchange­able is perpetually as solatious, as in the first entrance; and though alwayes the same, never tedious, because infinite; and therefore as con­tenting, so continuing desires.

But I must end, discoursing of the joy that shall never cease: Wherefore in a word of St. PAVLS, Heb. 4.1 Let us feare lest a promise being lest us entring into rest, any of us should so much as seeme to come short. For, seeing it could not justly bee counted grievousDionys. c [...]rtbus. de 88. Philippo & la­c [...]bo serm. 4. to passe through [Page 259] the paines of Hell, if so wee might be purged, and come to see God. What appearance of ex­ception can there bee against the easie taske of going to Siloam to wash and see, to wash away unsavorie lusts, the riddance whereof out of the Soule, is above all the contents of the world, and after, and for that to see the GOD of all Consolation, and from the fountaines head to drinke rivers of Pleasure. To which hee bring us, that hath washed us in his owne Blood (Apoc. 1.5) IESVS CHRIST the righteous, to whom, &c.

CHAP. I. Of Peace-making, & the Peace that is made, and namely of Spirituall Peace.

THere need no Prefaces to excite good will unto a Treatise of Peace, for the very name of Peace is sweet, and therefore a discourse thereof, natu­rally pleasant: haste we then to the [Page 262] discourse it selfe;CHAP. 1. and to avoyde confusion, while I handle Peace, I will distinguish in the Beatitude, the blessed agents, the Peace-ma­kers; and the blessing of those Agents, They shall bee called the Sonnes of GOD. In the blessed agents I shall expend their worke, Peace-making, and also the extent of that worke.

To the First. The worke that CHRIST here blesses is Peace-making, the worke of Righteous­nesse is Peace, Leo serm. de Boatit. Extra dignitatē hu­jus nominis sunt im­probarum perilitates capiditatum, foedera scelerum, & picta vitiorum. but the Combinations of evill lusts, the leagues of wickednesse, the compacts of vice, are without the honour of this name. Peace as a fruit of the Spirit is onely in lawfull agreements, the wicked as wicked have no peace, they may have their confederacies of which that holds, which St. HILARIE presses against CON­STANTIUS the Arian Emperour,Ʋnitatem procurat ne pau sit. hee procures unitie to prevent Peace.

Consent in sinne, and bad fellowship of Bre­thren of iniquitie,Gen 49 5, 6. Esay 8.12. which the Scripture much de­tests and dehorts, merits not the sacred name of Peace,Psal. 34.14. 1. Pet. 3.11. if such peace should follow us, wee ought to flye from it, and buy the sword that CHRIST came to send, Matth. 10.34. for the disban­ding of sinnefull Conspiracies: the Peace wee are to make, is concord in good, and to make such Peace is more then to take it existing and offering it selfe; namely, to doe our best to bring it into being. Holy writ requires to this making of peace, seeking and pursuing, Seeke peace and pursue it.

Seeking notes, that we must looke after it as a true good directly in order to salvation, as an ingredient of Gods Kingdome, and the righte­ousnesse therof, which we are to seeke with our supreame affections and indeavours. Matth. 6.33.

Pursue intimates violence and religious force to be imployed for the production of peace. And the word ( [...]) elegantly insinuates, that with such spirit as contentious men follow suits, wee should contend and sue for peace, all our conten­tion must be for concord, our strife for unity, our warre for peace;Ad fratrem [...] excidit. p. 116. we are (sayes blessed Ephrem) the souldiers of peace, and pilots in a calme. St. Paul moves the Ecbrewes (Heb. 12.14) to follow peace with all men, despising no man, neyther thinking any so ill as not to regard his amity, and accord with him, peace was the ordinary saluta­tion of Gods ancient people, as who were to wish and seeke the peace of all they met, and conside­ring all men sociable creatures, to maintaine at least humane society with them.

2. Chron. 19.2. Good Iehoshaphat is blamed, not that he had a league of civill peace with wic­ked Ahab, but for a league of peculiar familiari­tie, and friendship, whereby hee intangled him­selfe to countenance his person, and bee assistant to him when he went contrary to GOD. Marke with what inforcement the Apostle urges to peace with all (Rom. 12.18) If it be possible, so much as in you, make Peace with all: For that is [...] Hee sayes not if it be facile, but if it be feacible, use all possible meanes for it, by your selves and [Page 264] others, leave no courses unattempted to com­passe it, if you cannot finde it, make it further what may pacifie, forbeare what may provoke; he makes not peace, that does not his utmost to produce it. So farre as is in you have peace, and if the aversenesse of another, hinders perfect peace which is not in the love of one, but the liking of divers; yet let there bee peace ever on your part, no breach on your side, but good will af­fecting atonement also with them.

[...]. Dicturus cum om­nibus hominibus pa­cem habentes, quia hoc di [...]ficile esse per­spexit, praemisit si fie­ri potest, & subj [...]nx­it quod potest fieri, cū dicit quod ex vobis est, quia fi nos mente charitatem erga odi­entes servare cupi­mus, & si illi pa [...]em nobiscum non habent. Nos tamen cum illis [...]ine dubio habeatu [...]. Sixtus 3 Ep. 3.Finely SIXTUS the third, beeing about to say have peace with all men, because he foresaw that to be difficult, he premised if it he possible, and subjoy­ned what is possible, when he saith, so farre as is in you, for if we desire to preserve in our minde charity towards them that hate us, although they have not peace with us, yet without doubt we have peace with them. As DAVID (Psal 120 7) speakes of him­selfe, Ego pax, I am peace, all the interruption of it is by the importunity of my adversaries, as for me I m [...]y be called peace, being peaceable, as Peace it selfe.

And that bri [...]fly of the good worke of our blessed agents the Peacemakers, [...]. because wee are to enlarge our selves in the extent of that happy worke, which is according to all the variety of peace, beatificall vertue flowing over all the kindes of Peacemaking. The Spirituall, the Oe­conomicall, the Politicall, the Ecclesiasticall; of all which I will orderly intreat.

The Spirituall peace is in reconciliation with God, when repenting of sinne, we are reunited to [Page 261] him, and revested in his love and grace. This is the peace of God, because there is no peace to the soule but in God, and from God. Out of whom and without whom, there is nothing but trou­ble, and paine, and infinite misery, he is our Peace­maker. That which St. Basil gravely determines,In Ps. 29. Perturb. [...]. Perturbation is caused by alienation from God, pray we then that the light of Gods countenance, may shine upon us, that wee may be in a constitution beseeming Saints, quiet, and meeke, and every way untroubled, by the preparation of peace ready to every good work. The Lord will blesse his people with peace (Ps [...]l. 29.11) The God of peace sanctifies and makes peace in the soule, through operation and sense of his grace, enables to subject the flesh to the spirit, affection to reason, and by the nurture of God and his discipline to hold correspondence with with him.Pax enim nostra à defiderio creatoris in [...]hoatur, et manifesta visione per ficitur. Quia vide­lin [...]t corpus ejus, quod mente inhabitatur, [...] perversit desiderio­rum moribus, sub ju­stitiae dispositione re­frae [...]ctur. In Gal, 5.22 No p [...]taemus pacem in ea tantum esse quaeren­dum, sicum alio non jurgemur, sed tumpan Christi, hoc est haero­ditas nostra nobiscum est, si tranquilla meus nullis pass [...]n [...] ­bus perturbetur. Great is the peace of those that love Gods law, who enjoy all things with a testimo­niall of reconciliation and peace with God and his creatures, and have the creatures suppliants each to other, and all joyntly to God, that they may receive vertues to bee beneficiall to them. Hos. 2.18.19.21.22. And they shall know their Tabernacle to be peace; which blessed Odo con­tracting the morals of St. Gregory, thus paraphra­seth: Peace is either in the beginnings which Christ gives here, or complete when the beleever departs in­to peace, for our peace begins by the desire of the Crea­tor, and is complete by manifest vision of him, there­fore the tabernacle of the [...]ust hath peace, to wit, because his body that is inh [...]d by the m [...]nde, is [Page 266] bridled under the dispose of [...]ustice, from the disor­derly motions of lusts. Phil. 4.6, 7. The peace of God discharges the heart of care, and allayes the perturbations of the whole man. Ioh. 14.27. Peace I leave unto you, my peace I give unto you, let not your heart be troubled: Strom. 1. [...]. whereupon St. Hierom, Let us not imagine, that peace is onely to bee sought in this, if we wrangle not with others, but then CHRISTS peace thas is our inheritance, is with us, if a quiet minde be disturbed with no passions. How beautifull are the feet of [...]he Embassadors of the Gosp [...]ll, that be dispensers of this peace! Rom. 10.15. In very deed saith Clemens Alexandrinus, Blessed are those Peace-makers, who instruct and induce into that peace, which is in reason, and a life led according to God, them that bee here impugned by ignorance in their life and erring course. Only wee must be­ware that we delude not consciences with false peace. Ier. 6.14. rather let us smite them w^th Christs sword, that cuts asunder the bands of iniquity, then any wayes cast thē into carnall security, in­stead of spiritual peace. The pacifying & making up cōtentiōs amongst mē quarelling for worldly goods is good, but here (potior & sublimior pacifi­catio intelligenda est a nobis, S. Chro [...]ariu [...]. illam dicam qua homines gentiles, qui inimici sunt Dei, per instantiam doctri­na adducuntur ad pacem, qua peccatores emendantur, & Deo per poenitentiam, reconciliantur, qua rebelles baretici corriguntur, qua ecclesia discordantes ad u­nitatem, pacem (que) formantur) justly are such called the sonnes of God, as imitating Christ the son of God, who is our peace and reconciliation.

CHAP. II. CHAP. 2. Of Peace betweene Neighbors and private men, and of unnecessary lawing.

OEconomicall Peace, is that of the family, between husband and wife, Parents and children, masters and servants. 1. Cor. 7.15. Which if it be wanting division ruines the house, neither would God have this neglected by his Ministers, and therefore prescribes, pax do­mui huic, peace be to this house, for the Apostles greeting and benediction. Repugnant to this peace are conventicles, and such as creepe privily into houses, and divide families with the novelties of their superstition, so as the father and master re­maining right to the Church, they corrupt the wife and mayd, and which is evill theft, screwing themselves into the good opinion of females, they draw no small contributions from women and servants, without and against the will of their husbands and masters.

But we shall let these Foxes alone in their bo­roughs, out of a longing to be in the quicker pur­suit of politicall peace, which is either private of some particular persons, or publike of the whole state. For the former it concerns all neighbors to have peace one with another, & not embrace it on r [...]sonable offers (for he hates peace that is spo­ken to for it, and is still for warre, Psal. 120.6, 7. [Page 268] but to tender conditions of peace, and demand it at the hands of others. This office God imposes on every Christian, even towards the worst Pa­g [...]n, therefore it is excesse of pride in any man to affirme that he scornes to seeke to such or such, who it may be, are meaner then himselfe, if they will sue to him; much may be. Indeed when men are faln out, if one chance to bee in worldly re­spects a little better then the other, it is won­drous how they beare themselves upon it, crying let him come and seeke unto me; if they be equals they will spend much, rather then yeeld to make the first tender of an agreement, but to crave a peace, that will they never doe. Heere beloved think how infinitely God almighty is above us. Therefore as St. Gregory divinely reasons, when we by sinning had made difference betweene us and God, and notwithstanding God first sent his Embassadors to us, In Evang. hom. 32. Cum inter nos et De­um discordiam p [...]cc [...] ­do fe [...]imus, & tamen ad nos Deus suos le­gates prior m [...]sit, ut nos ipsi qui peccavi­mus ad pacem Dei rog [...]ti ven [...]amus er [...] ­bescat ergo humana superbia, confunda­tur quis (que) si non sa­tisfaciat prior proxi­mo, quando post cul­pam nostram, ut ei re­concili [...]ri debemus, et ipse qui off [...]nsus est legatis i [...]t [...]venie [...]ti­bus obsecrat Deus. that we who had sinned might be intreated to come unto peace with God, let the pride of man blush, let e­very one be ashamed, if hee doe not first satisfie his neighbor, seeing if after our fault, even God himself, that was offended, doth beseech us by his legats inter­vening, that we would be reconciled to him. Well thē we must aske peace, and if we cannot have it for asking, buy peace, in quiet putting up tolerable losses and injuries, and remitting somewhat of our interest for peace sake. Aptly doth St. Iames ch. 3.17. in the epithets of heavenly wisdome, to peaceable joyne moderate; for there can b [...] no peace without some moderation of extreame right and meere law. (Matth. 17.23) Christ yeelded of his [Page 269] right, to eschew suspicion of scandall, in thē that apprehended not his title. After which example, he that sues should rather depart with some of his right, then commence suit, and he that is sued, should with the Psalmist restore that hee never took, rather then enter his defence in law. Con­sult with flesh and bloud, it will alledge that it cares not to give, but it cannot indure, that ano­ther should take for himselfe. Now listen how St. Chrys. helps us against this infirmity,Hom. 74. ad Populū. One would more willingly part with a thousand talents, & think it losse grievous, then to have three halfe pence tooke from him against his will. This therefore is rather and more an act of religion, and this we see done by Abraham (Gen. 13.8, 9) After strife raised gi­ving liberty to Lot, though his nephew, and infe­riour, to chuse his own end. And let not any sup­pose it will be any prejudice to their cause to proffer peace, nay the good providence of God orders in all experience, that the more condescen­ding men be for peace, and the more faire in the cariage of their suits, the better are their issues.

And hee that hath the best cause may most se­curely, and with most honour make a tender of peace, therfore (Matth. 18.15) Our Lord wils him that is out of the offence to repaire to the offen­der, and (Matth. 5.24) him that is out of passion to mediate for reconciliation, because hee that is in griefe, is not so fit to performe it, they are to be especially for peace, whosoever have best facul­ties, friends and abilities to manage suits. These things so being, quaere is made whether it be law­full [Page 270] to goe to law, to which it is truly answered, that although it be most honourable and coun­sellable to put up wrongs, rather then to right them by legall contestations (1. Cor. 6.7) yet in matters of title and consequence, it is no sinne to take the benefit of law, if peace bee otherwise sought, and cannot be attained. When our Master (Matth 5.40) sayes, if one will sue thee for thy cloak, let him have thy coat also; he counsels, but he com­mands nothing save preparation of mind, patient­ly to suffer trespasses done us by forgery and co­lour of law, and that we should rather admit the doubling of any wrong, then wage law with vin­dicating affections, meaning and menacing the ut­ter overthrow and undoing of the adversary, and yet this complaint observed, would abate a world of processes, which are frequently more out of rage & stomack, then for any wrong or dāmage.

Shortly one may say of our Law that of the A­postle, the law is good if one use it lawfully. Now to use it lawfully the monition of the Wiseman must not be transgressed Contend not with one that is mightier then thy selfe. Luk. 14.31. When one comes against us with 20000 we must compute, whether we be able to withstād him with 10000, & if not, comply with him, & count the first end best, it is against true wisdome, albeit a mans cause be honest and just, to enter lists with them that are too strong for him, and tempt God for unlikely assistance, that might overcome not right (Syr. 13.2.3) Againe, they cannot lawfully use the law, that are not able to dispatch a suit without [Page 271] extraordinary distraction and impediment in the best things, for such are not apted by God to sue; & therfore they should rather lose a little of their worldly goods, then indanger their soules, better then all the good of the whole world. Without controversie it is one of the most difficult of hard duties, to follow a suit in love. Men lightly no sooner begin to indeavour prosecution of suits in charity, and with temper of piety, but their suits readily determine in some equall or convenient order or agreement. It may not be buried in ob­livion that God would not have David build a house to his name,1. Chron. 28.3. because he had bin a man of war, and had shed much bloud; among other rea­sons to signifie, that the best and most just warres (such as Davids were) do yet somewhat staine, for that if neighbors upon an impossibility to expe­dite a war without some tincture of inhumanity, and bad excesses. Likewise some soile & dust will be contracted in following a lawfull suit, for therein will men so long as men, more or lesse walk the wayes of the world, or grace workes a kind of miracle. It is much observable that unne­cessary and frequent use of lawing, habits men in dispositions to contend for small, or no occasiōs: hence it comes, that howbeit, they who are most in law, of all men most complaine, and verbally wish them that are out to keep thē well, & [...] peace; yet thēselves are so bewitched, that though they alwayes declame of the inconveniences in lawing, they seldome or never give over suing.

Peradventure some is musing now, that all this [Page 272] is true, but that he hath such an injury thrust up­on him, as no living soule can brooke, have but the patience to sit downe a little, till thou maist reckon with thy selfe, whether the remedy will not be worse then the malady. Hes [...]od insults o­ver his brother as a childe, that hee could not reade the riddle, [...] that halfe is more then the whole, half with peace,So our Chaucer — If I had righted all my harme, My clothes would not have kept mee h [...]lfe so warme. more then the whole with strife. When the Solicitors, the Attornies, the Coun­sellors, the Serjeants and Court fees, and the charge of your attending are deducted, and the losse of your time and labour summed, the grea­ter halfe is gone.

Now if any bee ambitious to have a day and conquer, cannot the Sunne sooner force a man to lay aside his garment then the winde? A little reflexion of love will more speedily melt and master an adversary, then much boysterous stan­ding out in termes of Law. Men oft sue out of high spirit, and to have their willes, and that is as uncouth a way to come by their will, as any other in this earth. For that a worme when trod upon turnes againe, and windes one into some deale of trouble before he shake it off Commune with thine owne heart, and inquire whether it be not better, fairely to appeare to thy neighbor and seeke peace, then notwithstanding the brave­rie of thy spirit, to bee burried from Court to Court, to stand bare as a poore suitor, when thou givest a rich fee, to dance attendance after a Sub­solicitor, thy selfe to solicit even servants, for ac­cesse and expedition.

General y a tythe of the P [...] losophy, respect and insinuation that is [...]x [...]cised to oun [...]ll, and for judgment would suffice o draw the pa [...]ti [...]s m [...]n impleade, to accord in some rbi [...]ra [...]ion, or other loving end. Lord IESU what a molestation is it to an ingenuous minde to bee intangled and cumbered in sui [...]es, to bee unto his cost, made conscious unto the abuses, th [...]t in some mea [...]ure wil ever be found in some officers of Courts, yea and himselfe to be wound in sometimes to des­cend into dishonourable attempts rather then fail [...]!

The Author of the imperfect worke,Author operis imper­fecti in M [...]tth hom. 12. Quia necesse est ut humilies te coram judice, & subditus fi­as illi, propter necessi­tatem cause. And a­gaine, quia omne ju­dicium irritatio cor­dis est, & cogitatio­num malarum. Aut verbis aut fraudibus, aut pecunii [...] expugne­tur, causae tuae adesse festines; et si ab initio confilium non habui­s [...]i ut ageres, postea si [...] agere ipsius con­troversiae necessitas non compellit, nam primùm pro lucro tā ­tummodo festinabas, postea jam & pro pu­dore contendis, & magis contentus es etiam peccare, tartū ut vincas, quam vinci tantum ut non pecces. hath a rare disswasive from lawing, because thou must needs humble thy selfe before the Iudge, and bee sub­ject to him, for the necessity of thy cause. Againe, because all suite is a provocation of the heart, and e­vill projects. If men b [...] once enter'd, they desire not the truth of the cause may appeare, but how­ever, to have the victory; so if thou seest that thy cause as it often falles out is overborne, ey­ther by favour, or fraud, or bribes, thou makest all haste to assist thy cause, though from the beginning, thou hadst no purpose so to doe, in processe the necessi­tie of the controversie compels thee to doe so, for at first thy strife was onely for gaine, afterward thou contendest also for glory, and art more content even to sinne, onely that thou maist overcome, then to be o­vercome onely that thou maist not sinne.

But if there be no redresse, but a Christian is necessitated to proceed in courses of law, as it familiarly happens, chiefly to beneficed men, [Page 274] who are sworne to defend the rights of the Church, and who in suit are not so much them­selves, as others, because if they succeed, the be­nefit for the greater part issues to their successors. Yet in them and all suits, if a Christian will make no breach in his Christianity, he must imitate our famous Country-man St. RICHARD Bishop of Chichester, Fit [...] ejus c. 10. Apr. 3. Ai [...]bat n. si inter partes fint lites & dissidea, dum suum quae (que) vult yu repe­ [...]ere ac tueri, non debe­re charitatis signa in­ter Christianos omit­ti, aut negari, sin inquit quod meum est volo recuperare, non debeo, quod Dei est alteri subtrahere. The ancient Popes by Apostolicall au­thority refused for testes, Suspectos ini­micos, aut facilè liti­gantes, S. Pontianus Epist. 2. Ejus qui frequenter litigat, & ad cau­sandum facilis est te­stimonium nemo abs­que grandi examine recipiat. Conc. Car­thag. 7. c. 54. who demeaned himselfe most loving­ly to them hee was forced to vary with in de­fence of his Church, expressing all good will, and grace to them in speciall; for sayd he, If be­tweene parties there be actions, & debates, whiles each will demand and defend his right, the expressions of charity ought not to bee omitted, or denyed amongst Christians, for if I will recover that which is mine, I ought not to retaine from another that which is Gods.

When all is sayd, there is no such way to put by an huge masse of contentions, and discharge wranglers of their frivolous suits, as if the grave Iudges shall be pleased to shame, and, as their sage wisdome knowes best how, to censure them that molest their Countrey, with suits of no value. And in truth it is pitie, that without some exem­plary penalty, any one should be permitted to trouble his Countrey, and 24 honest men for a trespasse of a halfepenny, a farthing dāmage, &c. Zach. 8.16. Yee that sit in places of judicature, are to judge judgment of peace, therefore nothing is more congruous to their honourable seate, then to affront quarellers, and absurd plaintisses.

CHAP. III. CHAP. 3. Contayning a double motion to Lawyers, for the advancement of Peace.

WHiles I am searching after all meanes, to qualifie the vaine hu­mour of Lawing, it is not impor­tune to propose a double suite to the Lawyers themselves for the advancement of peace. The one is, that they would refuse to pleade in an ill cause, and use competent diligence, to examine the truth of a cause before they undertake it.Epist. 54. As if a Iudge sell jusium ju­dicium, aut testis ve­rum testimonium, E­pist. 59. For that of St. Augustine is certaine truth, it is theft to sell things not saleable, as for a Iudge to sell just judgement, or a witnesse true testimony, or an advo­cate the defence of a bad cause. It is not denyed,Lib. 12. c. 6. Neque verò pudor obstet, quo minus susceptam cum mellor videretur li­tem, cognita inter di­cendum iniquitate di­mittat, cum prius li­tigatori dixerat ve­rum, nam & in hoc maximum si aequi ju­dices sumus beneficiū est, ut non fallanum vana spe litigantem, neque est dignus ope­ra p [...]troni, qui non [...] ­titur consilio, & certè non convenit ei, quem oratorem esse volu­mus injusta tueri sci­entum. but that by misinformation, though they be wise and wary, they may come to appeare in an evill busi­nesse, all that we request, is their forbearance af­ter they discerne the injustice of the side they stand on, which Quintilian exacts of his Oratour. Let shame be no hinderance but that the injustice per­ceived in the pleading he dismisse the cause, which when it seemed the better hee undertooke, when he hath told the truth before unto his Client: for even in this if we be equall Iudges is very great kindnesse, that we deceive not the Client with vaine hope, nei­ther is he worthy the patronage of an Advocate or Counsellour, who governes not himselfe by his counsell, [Page 276] and verily it suits not with him, whom wee hold for an Oratour, wittingly to maintaine unjust mat­ters.

And if a man could not be a good Pagan Ora­tour, and wittingly defend in an unjust cause, with what face shall he beare the name of a Chri­stian Lawyer, that r [...]gards not causes, but fees? Let them looke to their consciences and practi­ses. Theologues unanimously agree, that Plea­ders are bound to restitution, if after they take knowledge thereof, they beare out an urighteous suite.

Apost. constit. l. 4. c. 3.St. CLEMENT testifies, that from the begin­ning, Bishops were to repudiate the oblations of notorious sinners, and among other to shunne pleaders that undertooke the defence of an unjust cause:S Gelasius p. 1. Ad­versus Lupercalia: Bonarum causorum impugnatio, malarū ­que defensio. And St GELASIUS concludes, among o­ther sinnes that attract generall judgements, the impleading of good causes, and defending of bad. Now if they except that Divines dispute a­gainst the truth, and why then may not they pleade against it? If the cause goe ill, the blame is in the ignorance, or oversight of the Iudge. The answere is ready and cleere, that Divines dispute against the truth, onely for exercise, neither in­tending, nor induring any to be borne into cre­dence by their arguments; which if they con­ceive any to bee, themselves are tyed to solve them. And wee are not against Lawyers plea­ding at their plea [...]ure in their hals and chambers, for triall of their wits, and bolting out cases, but in judiciall pleas, when the reall interests of men [Page 277] are in earnest skanned, every good man must say with PAUL, I can doe nothing against the truth, but for the truth, and by our rules if pleading an ill cause they see it taking, themselves are ob­liged to discover the mist, that obscures the truth.

My other suite to Lawyers is, that they would be pleased to consider, that our speciall vocati­on must hold intelligence with our generall cal­ling, and therefore because all men as Christians are called to peac [...], and ought what in them is to prevent contention, and promote peace, Law­yers when Cli [...]nts repaire to them, like as they give them advice for their suits as Lawyers, so as Christians they are to give them counsell of peace. I spare to suggest how, if God put these good motions into their hearts, they will not want words, to incite unto peace, and a word from one of them will be more prevalent, then an oration of some other. There is reason they should be more jealous of themselves then [...]th [...] men, that they bee not criminall in omitting [...] perswade peace, because their gaining by the contrary puts them in danger to neglect the most Christian office.

As (Hos. 4 8) God complained of the Leviticall Priests, that they did eate up the sinnes of his people, and set their heart on their iniquity. Whereas sacrifices served among other uses for a kinde of mulct to restraine sinne, divers that li­ved thereby, counted other mens sinnes, as their meate and drinke, and because the [Page 278] more sinnes,CHAP. 4. the more sacrifices, they lift up their hearts in desire of them, and joyed upon complaints and informations. So there is perill left the livelihood of men increasing by suits, they should forget to sorrow for the contenti­ons multiplying in their countrey, for preven­ting whereof a conscientious man of law, will binde himselfe seriously to commend peace un­to all that have recourse to him for counsel. And in so doing, we will wish that eminent professi­on good lucke with their honour, and that they may still ride on, and prosper.

CHAP. IV. Touching the publique Peace of a Common­wealth.

PVblique Peace is the happinesse of a State. Psal. 144.13, 14. Blessed are the people that are in such a case. [...]. PLATO sayes, that a City is at the best by peace. The Prophet could wish no greater blisse to his beloved City, then that peace might be within her wals. Wherefore all good subjects must concurre to make peace, praying that Princes may live in peace, 1. Tim. 2.2. And flie the effusion of Christian, of hu­mane bloud, which condemnes their cruell spi­rits, that rejoyce in warres, and are no more affected, with the shedding the bloud of those, [Page 279] that dissent from them, in some controversies of religion, then if they were Turkes, or Iewes, or dogs, but God wil scatter over all desolate places the people that delight in warre, according to the prayer indited by his owne spirit, peace is the end of warre, Deut. 20.10. God give us peace, warre be to his enemies. Ier. 29.7. Chri­stians though captives, under idolatrous and per­secuting states, are to intercede for the peace of them, and their Cities.

Though the Common-wealth should bee a­gainst the Church, yet because the Church sub­sists in it, she ought to seeke the peace of it. Iudge then whose spirit is in too many, both of the Church of Rome, and of our owne Schisma­ticks, that they esteeme it conscience to speake evill of them that are in authority, if they stop the current of their faith, and repute all warre re­ligious, that is against the enemies of their opi­nions, bee such children of peace, or sonnes of confusion?

Surely there is no greater demonstration of the malignant spirit raigning in men, then to blas­pheme the Gods upon earth, to revile dignities, & attribute all publique judgments to publique authority, to be turbulent in all assemblies, given to change and undermine the foundations and pillars of Church and State. 2. Pet. 2.11. The An­gels though by their office they make report of the miscarriage of Princes, yet their accusation is without railing, in contemplation and reverence of their high functions, and Gods image in them.

Iude v. 9 Hath a marvailous amplification that MICHAEL who is the prime in the supreame order of Angels, when he contended with the divell, the captaine of all the rankes of evill spi­rits, durst not bring against him rayling accusa­tion, because though the divell be deserted of all grace, yet he remaines in the principality of his naturals, and in eye to the eminencie thereof, the Angels forbeare his reproach. Here is astonish­ment! Durst not the highest Angell in heaven, revile the most wicked fiend in hell, and how then dare men calumniate and de [...]ame the gods upon earth? But let us turne our thoughts from sectaries, to meditate that where unitie is in a land, illic mandavit Deus benedictionē (Psal 133.1.3.) there God commands a blessing, but a Kingdome divided — therefore all good people must la­bour to preserve good correspondence betweene rulers and their subjects, and good conceit each of others. Seditions, sidings, heart-burnings, distaste of the present regiment is a great unhap­pinesse in a state, and an object of tedious con­sideration to the wise. (Iude. 5.15.) Be­cause of the divisions of Reuben, there are great thoughts of heart. The Politicall writers observe it a dangerous fore-runner of alterations, sini­sterly and unreverently to apprehend and inter­pret Governours, and that there seldome or ne­ver come any more pleasing then those they so misprise, God punishing upon them the disho­nour of his Vice-gerents. And so much shall suffice to have spoken of Politicall Peace.

CHAP. V. CHAP. 5. Concerning Ecclesiasticall Peace.

PEace is the leagacie that CHRIST bequea­thed his Church. Ioh. 14.27.De simplicitate pro­latorum. Dona om­nia suae pollicitatio­nis & praemia in p [...] ­cis conservatione pro­misit. Hanc nobis hae­reditatem dedit. My peace I leave unto you: as the glorious Martyr Cyprian dilates it, he hath ingaged all promises and blessings to us, in the preservation of peace, and left us peace for our inheritance. Therefore wee must sue for this peace, as the chiefe inheritance of the Church. Our Lord would have all his Church one fold, and in it one Faith, his truth followed in love, and all his members tyed toge­ther in the bond of peace. The Kingdome of God is in peace, therefore out of peace, out of grace, fiery spirits that inflame and kin [...]le dis­centions, are enemies to the Churches blisse. The Churches were at peace with the word for the first and best times. Pray we then for the Peace of Ierusalem, they shall prosper that seeke her quiet.

Our great Master hath layd two speciall com­mandements upon us (Mark 9.5) Have salt in your selves, and have peace one with another, injoy­ning incorruption of doctrine in salt,S. Gregor. in Evang. hō. [...]. Pastor. l. 2. c. 4. unitie of affections in peace, and implying that the salt of true doctrine is not savourie it nor seasonable, but as it consists with the peace of the Church: and therefore Churches and States oft times for [Page 282] cause prohibite predicants or disputants to inter­meddle one way or other in divers tenets, be­cause though one part should have salt, neither would have peace. Iam. 3.17. The wisdome that descends from above, is first pure then peaceable;Serm. de multiplici utilitate verbi Dei. Tum demum a Deo esse noveri [...] si pacifi­ca si [...], &c. wherefore devout St BERNARD informes us right, if a thought seeme pure not tending to vice, but pretending the image of vertue, thou shalt finally know it to bee of God, if it bee peaceable, and subject to the judge­ment of our Prelates, Fathers and Brethren in CHRIST.

Then as in all sciences and professions the in­feriours and learners submit to the superiours and Masters: this course ought the Faithfull to take in all opinions of Divinitie, private men to inquire of their Rectors or Curates, that are knowne to be conformable, the Rectors to resort to their superiors in the Church, and the present Church to referre it selfe to the gene­rall prime and Apostolicall. Private spirits that love by-wayes, walke not the beaten way of the Church, are farre from the spirit of Christ. Prov. 1.8. My Sonne for sake not the Law of thy Mother, not of the chiefe mother on earth, our holy mo­ther the Church.

This I may safely assevere, that in all ages so much the more Learned Religious and Holy that any man hath beene, so much more obser­vant and reverencing the Church, the particu­lar Church wherein hee lived. 1. Cor. 14.32. Let the Spirit of the Prophets bee subject to the [Page 283] Prophets. Hee hath suckt in the proud spirit of Lucifer, not the humble spirit of our Lord IE­SUS, that will not conforme and be subject to his Church.

As if doubt arise what is Law in England, and I say not profest Arbitrators, or yong At­tourneyes, but able Lawyers differ in their o­pinions given under their hands, and which is more, the Iudges themselves sitting on the same Bench agree not what is Law, then it is remitted to some generall meeting of the Iudges, and when they have d [...]bated the case, what the grea­ter part concurres in, that must bee held for the Law of England, otherwise there would bee no end of suits in England.

So if question bee what is Church-doctrine in England, and I will not say this or that Apo­thecarie, Weaver and the like, not Masters of Art, but crafts-men, dissent in their conventi­cles, but great Divines are of contrary judge­ments.

And grant that Bishops themselves should disagree in their opinions, then what the greater part of the Fathers of the Church consent upon, that must be held the Faith of the Church of Eng­land, or there can be no end of controversies in the Church of England. O that men would well and seriously consider, that as the law of England is not in bare dead statutes, but in the lively voice and accord of the great masters of law, the grave Iudges, discussing statutes and con­cluding what is law: so the Faith of England is [Page 284] not in the sole dead letter of our Articles and Church booke, &c. but in the living spirit and consent of the Fathers of the Church, as proper Iudges in Spiri [...]ualties, determining the sense of the Articles, and declaring to us, the opinion of our Mother the holy Church of England. And as the Iudges have beene, are, and no doubt shall e­ver be able to resolve what is Law in England: so the worthy Prelates are and will ever be suf­ficient to determine what is Faith in England; for our Bishops will never bee more to seeke in their prof [...]ssion, then the Iudges are in their fa­culty. Wherefore as it were intollerable affecta­tion in a Thealogue, to attempt to shew the lear­ned S [...]rjeants and Iudg [...]s what is common Law, so is it unsufferable presumption in a man of law, or any Lay-man, to goe about to teach skil­full Church men and Bishops, what is Divinitie, what Faith in England.

Walke we then by this rule, that peace may be upon us, let the Priest obey his Ordinary, the Ordinary his Primate and fellow Brethren; and let the Sheep heare the voyce of his conforming Pastor, and inquire knowledge at his lippes, that so the Sheepe may satisfie hims [...]lfe in its Pastor, the Priest in his Bishop, the Prelate in his Me­tropolitan, and all the rest in the unanimi [...]ie, and peace of the Church, which peace of the Church is disturbed, not when ignorant people are in­formed against their fancies, lusts and liking, but when authority is crossed in their rites, rules, and decrees. As to resume the former similitude, [Page 285] they should disturbe the peace of the State, not who deliver for law, what Country-folks, and rurall Counsellours neither know, nor thinke to be law, but who should publish that to be against law, which the Iudges with great assent give for law. So they disturbe the peace of the Church, not who teach against the beliefe of foolish Ga­lathians bewitched by parlour Preachers, but who contradict, what the rulers of the Church generally beleeve, and give out for the Faith of the Church.

And as it should not advantage a Phantasticke crossing the resolution of the Iudges to say, the Iudges are men, and may erre, and that other Lawyers may have as much insight in Law as they; so it excuses not a disobedient to alledge, that Bishops are men, and may be deceived, and that private Divines may have as much skill in Theologie as they. For nothing could bee finally concluded, if under pretence of the Iudges bee­ing men, and the Bishops men, that have not in­fallibility, their sentences might be controled by their inferiors and ordinary subj [...]cts, and as pri­vate Divines and Lawyers may possibly have as much knowledge, as Bishops and Iudges: so many Bishops and Iudges have as much learning in Divine, and humane lawes, as any Lawyers and Theologues; and therefore are of sufficiency to determine, and decree for politicall and Ec­clesiasticall peace.

But which would pitie a mans heart, and in­creases the misery of them that sustaine the go­vernment [Page 286] of the Church, they that will not suf­fer themselves to bee guided by whole learned Churches, indure themselves to be seduced by a few injudicious Sect-masters. And after a deale of fuming against the authority of the Church, whatsoever I. C. or T C. sayes, is with them both Law and Gospell, when not onely Catholique Faith, but common sense adjudges it safer to follow the conduct of whole Churches then singular persons. Of a truth the state of private Christians, that repose themselves in the bosome, and judgement of their Church is very secure, because they conscionably ser­ving God in the Faith thereof, though the Church should be mistooke in some particulars of lesser consequence, the Lord will impute it to her obedient children for invincible ignorance, and accept their devotion, and service.

In Foxe Pag. 1723.Wherefore Bishop Ridley sayes judiciously, He that will not obey the Gospell, must bee tamed, and taught by the Law; gainsayers are to bee openly re­buked, and curbed by spirituall censures, and penall lawes; otherwise Kingdomes, Houses, Churches, States, will bee all in divisions through them, that cause more tumult in Church and Commonweale, then Swearers, Drunkards, and like en [...]rmious li­vers. Which may serve by way of Apology, against the clamours of ignorant Zelots amongst us, crying out of unmercifulnesse in Rulers, be­cause they are (as such as they say) more opposed and punished then prophane ill livers.

Beloved if St. PAUL were alive, he would wish they [Page 287] were (Gal. 5.12) there is all reason it should be as they say, for that they doe more mischiefe by cunning hypocrisie and corrupt doctrine, then the other by dishonest living. Howbeit against their calumnies such vicious livers are deserved­ly made examples for their scandalous conversa­tion, so oft as they be detected in Courts. I pray you if a man live civilly for morall carriage, and yet bee ever complaining of the statutes of the land, and faulting the conclusions, and directi­ons of the Iudges, shall not he deserve to be re­strain'd more then an intemperate liver, that lives in good liking of the present state and is no med­ler: and is there not the same cause that in the Church they that beare a semblance of godlinesse in a malignant talent, that they may be the more popular in resisting the constitutions thereof, should bee censured sooner and more, then obedients that are defective in some mora­lities.

Neither is there any Church except ours, where unconformists are suffered. For whatso­ever copie of a countenance they sometimes make abroad, at home, and where they can com­mand, neither Geneva it selfe, no nor Amsterdam, will permit any of their subjects to be, and goe a­gainst their orders, articles, analogies, and ca [...]e­chismes. No man is ignorant that in some coun­tryes they tolerate divers religions, but what re­ligion soever any man professes, to the doctrine and discipline of that he is close to hold himself, or else he is cast out.

CHAP. 6.Now our disturbers beare themselves for children of our good mother, the holy and anci­ent Church of England, not for New-Englanders nor Amsterdammites, and yet in our Temples will they have fashions by themselves, which is grosse confusion, and a most factious deviation from Ecclesiast [...]cke peace, the fulnesse whereof let us for ever intirely wish to holy Church.

CHAP. VI. Of the Blessing that rests upon the Peace-makers.

WE have done with the blessed work of Peace makers, and will now proceed to their Blessing for that worke; They shall be called the Sonnes of GOD. Which blessing incourages to the worke; if thou findest it a great labour to make peace, consider that it is a great matter to bee a childe of God. They shall bee called, and Gods calling is no emp­tie sound, but constitutes what it calles. 1. Ioh. 3.1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should bee called the Sonnes of God. The honour of that title is so great, that as the highest stile, the creature is capable of, it serves for the chiefe inducement to vertue, and rapts into admiration all con­templators, that God should be so incompre­hensibly gracious, as to advance a poore worme [Page 289] to that sublime dignity. Very divinely St. PRI­MASIUS,In Rom. 5.2. Quod sperare nullus audebat, quod si forte in mentem alicujus in [...]rdisset potera [...] ae­stimare, se in blasphe­miā incurrisse, quod adeò magnum est, ut a mu [...]tis pro ipsa mag­nitudine incredibile videotur, eo quod spe­ramus gloriam filio­rum Dei nos consecu­turos. We are preferred by Faith and Hope high­er then any durst have presumed of himselfe, to bee and bee called the Sonnes of God. Which no man durst have hoped, which if by chance it had come into a mans minde, he might have judged himselfe to have incurred blasphemie, which is so great, that for the very greatnesse it seemes to many incredible, in that we hope, that we shall obtaine the glory of the Sonnes of God.

Therfore our Redeemer rayses the estimate of a Peace-maker to higest by intitling him, to an appropriation in Gods Sonneship. Hence sprang that saying of St. NAZIANZEN,Serm. 17. ad finem. [...]. wee must un­derstand so great a good stored up for Peacema­kers, that in the order of happy saved men, they alone are denominated the Sonnes of God, they and those that love their enemies. The peaceable is the sonne of God in his constitution, the peacemaker in his function. For when the minde is sweetly re­posed in God, without contradiction of the flesh or world, there arises inner peace,In Ps. 28. ad finem. [...] which is the state of the purified soule, and such are most the Sonnes of God; for though mercy resembles men to God, in outer operations, yet peace most of all in the inner affections. Shall I venture to translate a passage of St. BASILS. Peace seemes to bee the most complete of Beatitudes, being a good frame of the ruling power, so that the peaceable man hath his distinctive note, in that his manners are composed, but he that is combatted of evils hath not yet attained the peace that is of God, which the Lord [Page 290] gave to his Disciples, which transcending all intel­lect keepes the soules of the worthy: which the Apostle wishes to the Churches; saying Grace and Peace be multiplyed to you. Thus the peaceable is the Sonne of God in constitution, now the peacemaker is the sonne of God in function by speciall vice-gerency, to the God of Peace; who makes those that are of one minde to dwell in one house, and by officiating CHIRSTS place (qui fa­cit utrum (que) unum) that makes both one (Eph. 2.14) Good Pastors and people are stiled the salt of the earth,Qui facit unanimes habitare in domo una. L. 7. ad fin. Dum pauperes spiritu: Pars erant condimē ­ti, beati dum pacifici totum fuerant condi­mentum. Serm. 53. Non per­venitur ad nomen fi­lii Dei, nisi per nomen pacifici, pax est cha­rissima quae spoliat ho­minem servitute, dat nomen ingenuum, mu­tat apud Deum cum conditione personam, ex famulo filium, li­berū facit ex servo Pastoral. l. 3. 24. S. Leo de quadrages. serm. 11. Dice [...]te do­mino beati pacifici quia filii Dei voca­buntur, deponantur omnium desideriorum, odiorum (que) certamina. Apud enim summum patrem, qui non fuerit in charitate fratrum, non habebitur in nu­mero filiorum. as not onely themselves peaceable, but making peace among others, and so preser­ving the world from tumult and confusion.

Finely St. OPTATUS, the godly as poore in spi­rit, as meeke, as just, were a part of the seasoning, the blessed as Peacemakers are the whole salt. No vertue is more dignified, then that of Peacema­kers, in the hearts and mouths of all men, agni­zing them as the true children of the God of Peace, better and more then men.

Prov. 12 20. The counsellours of peace shall have joy, they that are somewhat angry with them for the present, will thanke them afterward, and highly praise them, which should set an edge on our affection of peacemaking. In the word of CHRYSOLOGUS, There is no comming to the de­nomination of a Sonne, but by the name of a Peacema­ker. This blessing pronounced by CHRIST on the Peacemaker, involves a malediction upon the peace-breaker, as St. GREGORY reasons, if peacemakers be the children of God, make-bates be the [Page 291] children of the divell. And this is heavie newes for tale-bearers, whisperers, medlers, setters of discord, animators of others in suite, men full of debate, and delighting in contentions.

Wherefore as we prize the noble stile of Gods Sonnes, let us studie pacification. Col. 3.12. Let peace be umpire in all our actions, all things be carryed as may stand with peace. Onely be­ware that our inclination to peace degenerate not into a carnall affectation of ease, and forbearance to discharge our conscience and place for feare of troubles. Matth. 10.34. But begge we of God the gift of wisedome,S. Aug. de verbis A­postoli, serm. 24. S. Aug. de civitate Dei. l 10. c 13. Pax est trāquillitas ordi­nis. that as St. AUGU­STINE teaches, corresponds to this Beati­tude, for that executes things in due order, And Peace is defined the tranquillitie of order.

Brethren yee are called unto Peace (1. Thes. 4.11.12) That is our calling, therefore we are every man in his ranke, to officiate the services of peace. St. CALIXTUS piously decrees,S. Cal. p. Ep. 1. Hom [...]ni religioso pa­rum esse debet, mimi­citi [...]s altorum non ex [...]rcere, vel non au­gere malè loquendo, do, nisi etiam eas ex­tinguere bene loquen­do studuerit. that it must be little in a religious man, not to exercise the enmities of other men, or not to adde oyle to the fire of contentions by speaking ill, unlesse by faire spee­ches he studie to quench it. Let none then acute others in strife, but each reminde other of the duties and commodities of Peace, and make it our labour,In vita ejus c. 1. Ma [...] 8. Pacem habe­re cum omnibus pacem suadere, & ad pacē revocare discordes. with the parents of St. PETER Archbishop of Tarentasium, To have peace with all, to counsell peace, and revoke into peace parties at variance.

St. PAUL (1. Cor. 6.5) Blaming the Law-suits among the Corinthians, casts some aspersion upon [Page 292] them all in those words, I speake to your shame, is it so that there is never a wise man among you? Studendum est Epis. copi [...], ut dissilentes fratres, sive clericos, sive laicos, ad pacem magis quam ad judi­cium cohortemur. Conc. Carth. 4. c. 26. So then it is some discredit to wise and under­standing men, not to mediate and use such means that the controversies falling out amongst them may be compromised and composed.

All men are to make peace, but most of all men, CHRISTS Ministers are to ply that blessed worke, publikely and privately, as who not on­ly by generall vocation, but also by speciall cal­ling are the servants of the God of Peace. 2. Tim. 2.22 24. And the servant of God must not strive, nor animate others in strife, but labour a Peace. Hence it hath ever beene a maine endeavour of all holy Bishops, and most famous and worthy Preachers, by their exhortations and intreaties to reconcile parties at difference, as Peter Raizan hath noted in the life of St. Vincentius. In vit S, Ʋincentii Ferrarii c. 8. April. 5 And Guigo Carthusianus relates that St. Hugh In vit. S. Hugonis E­pisc. Gratiano polita­ni c. 11 [...] Omne febre molestiora sibi placi­ta▪ Bishop of Grenople, was induced to be present, and judge litigious causes, onely in respect of peace, espe­cially in behalfe of the poore, and the Church, for he would say that pleas and law termes, were more grievous to him then ague fits, and that by all meanes he would renounce them, if that hee did not know that hee should therein offend God. When hee perceived implacable hatred in any, and irreconcilable defiance, then strongly assured of Gods assistance, and melted in affections of charity, and humility, be would most instantly and devoutly supplicate to the parties offended, for the offendors, and for that cause not sticke to [Page 293] prostrate himselfe at the feet of meane persons,CHAP. 7. forasmuch as the common people are incident to extreames, because they bee of little judge­ment, and so are acted by objects rather then ac­ting, therefore the Ministery that rules the eares and orders the consciences of the multitude,S. Hieron. in Galat. 5.3. must frame them to indifferency, which shall not be impossible to compasse, if by effectuall urging the essentiall and well knowne duties of Christi­anity we winne their hearts, and so traine them on in moderation and accommodation to the State and Church.

I will speake my conscience freely without dissimulation. I apprehend our English people to be as tractable, and inclinable to all obedience in government, and excellency in religion, as any other in the world, save as they are distracted by some unconforming ministers, who by factious and seditious teachings, repugnant to the master of humility and meeknesse, the Lord of pea [...]e, become the authors and fomentors of all rents, schismes, and disquiet in the people. It hath ever been grateful to the multitude, to utter invectives against governours, especially Ecclesiasticall, hereupon to bee gracious with the people, and have them flock to their lectures, these men plea­sers, & (which is baser) these womē pleasers, can never exercise without some fault finding with the higher powers, especially the Clergy, & Of­cers of the Church, for that is a hidde [...] mystery to multiply benevolences, and [...], even from such as can [...]spare the [...] [...] [Page 294] a pride, to terrifie people with feares of alterati­ons, and I know not what, which themselves dread no more then the falling of the skie, onely they are most active and wise in their generation, and know no contributions come, for sermons of repentance and obedience to the God of heaven, and gods upon earth; and that the silly vulgar hold no man zealous and excelling, that exceeds not so farre as to merit censure in some high Court. But I will take my leave of these men of separation, praying that they may once entertain the peace of God and his Church.

CHAP. VII. Of the qualifications prerequisite in a Peace-maker, and Arguments that urge Peace-making.

IT is a good lesson of Aegidius Minorita, Hee that would keepe peace, must preferre all men be­fore himselfe. In vita ejus c. 38. Qui pacem servare vult, debet omnes sibi ante­ferre: Phil. 2.2.3. For so hee will gladly yeeld to other, and suffer by them with­out grudging, as we beare patiently the injuries of our Superiours, Parents, Lords, Masters.

He that is in peace is not suspicious, hee that would be in peace must not cast the worst, but draw things to faire construction, attend the dis­position of men that he provoke them not by in­discretion, but apply himselfe to them in their owne way. Iam. 3.17. He must be equall, and seeing he would not have others stiffe with him, [Page 295] he is to condescend in tolerable matters, both for judgement and manners, and not bee his owne judge, but contented to have his differences arbi­trated by temperate and discreet men. 2. Cor. 6.5. He must be easie to be perswaded by indifferent and intelligent persons, & cautious, when he is in­jured how he runs for counsel to thē that make a living by contention, or that be themselves con­troversie men, and of a quarrelsome nature and conversation, but let him repaire for advice to men of peace and moderation.

Lastly, according to Christs method ordering the Beatitudes, he must be pure in heart, and so a Peace-maker. Wisdome if it be first pure, will then be peaceable. Iam. 3.17. A heart purged of vain-glory, rancour, ill will, is ready to seek and make peace. Take away bitternesse, selfe-will, high-mindednesse and their like, and you raze the Pillars of contention and lawing, for many and many sue not so much for injury done them, as to avenge themselves and damnifie others. In (1. Pet. 3.11. We read, eschew evill, do good, Si contendamus verē ­dum est, ne nos quo (que) jud [...]cemur esse car­noles, scriptum est e­nim. 1. Cor. 3.3.11.16. B. Ambros. de fide l. 5. 6. 1. then followes seeke peace and ensue it, for that is the way to have peace in our consciences, and with God, and with man, for nothing interrupts our peace with God but doing of evill, and omission of good. And a­mong men. Iam. 4.1. Whence come strifes, debates, contentions, come they not from hence, from the lusts that warre in our flesh. Wherefore depart from e­vill, and all unkinde offices; doe good, love all, pray for all, be courteous to al perform not o [...]ly duties of justice but mercy, let charity make that [Page 296] benigne, long suffering, patient, not seeking thine owne things, but the things of others, and thou art in the suburbs of Peace, and if thou seekest, shalt easily inquire and make it.

Thus of the qualifications prerequisite in a Peace-maker, now for the inducements for eve­ry man to make peace in his station, Ministers by monition, Magistrates by power, and all by Prayer and practice.

1. Weigh your owne experiments and com­pare the content of peace and quiet of the whole man therein, with the regrate that accompanies contention, and see if the falling out with one man sprinkles not the soule with more gall, tedi­ous and unpleasant thoughts in one day, then peaceable living with a whole towne all a mans age, that the Psalmist might justly sing, that it is not onely good, but pleasant to dwell in unity. Ps. 133.1. and St. Paul Gal. 5.22. couple joy and peace. That in Esay, there is no peace to the wicked, the Septua­gint in much sense translate, [...]. there is no joy: and for that which we say is he well, the Hebrewes as­ked is there peace to him, for he is ill at ease, that is not in peace. Rom. 14.17. the Kingdome of hea­ven is in righteousnesse, peace, joy, of which wit­tily St. Isidore Polusiate, L. 3. Ep. 246. in Christs Kingdome righ­teousnesse produces peace, and peace brings forth joy.

De simplicitate Prae­latorum. Pacomqua­r [...]re debet filius pacis.2. A true Christian is a childe of Peace, Luk. 10.6. And as St. Cyprian infers, the child of Peace, must seeke peace, the childe of peace that is regenerate and sanctified by vertue of divine peace, and hath thereby unruly passions allayed in him, is in the [Page 297] nature of that peace of God inclined to peace with men, the wicked as at difference with God the fountaine of unity, are prone to jarre with all others, have no peace in themselves, and their owne affections, which prompts them to dis­quiet and injury others, and much more when they are wronged to revenge it on others, the wicked have no peace of conscience, and there­fore make no conscience of peace. Noahs Dove return'd to the Arke with an Olive branch, an ensigne of peace, the Church is the house of peace, and every childe thereof must erect what in him is, the banner and the colour of peace. What is the mystery of that (Es. 11.6, 7) that through the vertue of CHRIRTS Nativitie, the Woolfe shall cohabit with the Lambe, the Leopard with the Kid, the Calfe, the yang Lion and the Fat­ling keepe together, in the leading of a little childe, the Cow feed with the Beare, and the Lion compasture with the Oxe, and a suckling child play with the Aspe and Cockatrice, but that grace acccommodates, and formes the worst, and most harsh natures to peaceable converse, takes the Beast out of a mans bosome, and leaves him humane and reasonable, one that would benefit all, will hurt none. Psa. 85. Righteousnesse and peace kisse each other, grace and peace go inseparably together.

3. Iam. 3.14, 15, 16. Where strife is there is con­fusion, and every evill worke, the confluence of all the mischiefe and evill that is hatcht by the pesti­ferous wisdome of earth, man, divell▪ God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. 1. Cor. 14.33. and [Page 298] what good can be in that, wherein God hath no agency? And what evill can be in that which is of Gods efficiency? It is observable that among the seventeene mortall sinnes annumbred by St. PAUL (Gal. 5) eight of them are of the ad­verse part to Peace, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, envyings, and that all the nine fruits of the spirit, there specified, are peace,Pausanias reports that at Atheas, after the statu [...]s of those that denominated their t [...]ibes, were [...]. the images of the gods Amphia­raus and Eirene, bea­ring the childe Pluto in her armes. In At­ticis. p. 13. Ipse qui pax est, at (que) charitas, sedem in bonis & pacificis voluntatibus constitu­it. B. Hilar. in Matth. Docu [...]sti concordiam simul junctam vinci omninò non posse, quicquid simul peti­tur a cunctis Deum pacis pacificis exhibe­re, B Cypr Ep. 1. In tantum humanae pacis studuit concor­diae, ut unitatis meri­to, omni [...] quae a Deo precanda sunt, impe­tranda esse confirmet, &c. S. Hil. and the assistants thereof; to imply what a concourse of fleshly evils is in strife, and that all the sweetnesse of the spirit issues and meets in peace.

If we were mercenary peace might allure us as breeding plenty, therefore the Greekes prettily contrived Eirene (peace) to be nurse of Pluto (their god of wealth.) Iob. 5.24. Peace is a tabernacle for the custody of outer things, the peace of God keepes, all peace is of a saving nature. Then if we lookt no further then this earth, it is the period of temporall favors, to goe to the grave in peace. Gen. 15.15.

Now if we be for God and his graces, Psal. 76.2. In Salem is Gods Tabernacle, the Lord inhabits in peaceable soules, in pace locus ejus, God would have Solomon the mirror of peace, called Iedidiah (2. Sam. 24.25) beloved of the Lord; God ap­proves his regard of peace, by that respect in which he assumes to gratifie it. Matth. 18.19. If two of you shall agree, whatsoever yee shall aske it shall be done unto you: which St. Hilarie thus ex­pounds, he was so studious of concord, and peace among men, that all things to be desired of God▪ [Page 299] are to be obtained by the merit of unity, for which cause St. CHRYS. affirmes that nothing so promoves our affiance and affaires with God,In Tom. hom. 2. as doth peace, for before his judgements chari­tie, and unity grow cold. And what hath not our Saviour done to dignifie peace, SOLOMON his type after the signification of his name, the very flowre of peace, 2. Chron. 22.9. Melchise­dech the fore-runner of his sacred order King of Salem, which is King of Peace. Heb. 7.2. Our deare Lord IESUS pleased to bee borne, in the time of the most ample Peace, that ever the world enjoyed, for the renowne of peace and to evidence the most supereminent blessings to con­curre with it. Nay this great peace-maker of Heaven and earth. Col. 1.20. Vouchsafed to beare the chastisement of our peace. Esay 53.5. Would rather dye then not make peace.

CABASILAS wills us to take notice,De vita in Christo. l. 6. that peace is so precious, that when CHRIST came upon earth, that he might minister peace to men, and found nothing valuable to it, he layd downe his owne bloud in liew of the worlds peace, for because of those things that were then produced and existing, he saw nothing comparable to the peace and reconciliation he sought, hee framed a new nature to himselfe, his owne proper bloud, which exhibited he immediately became the re­conciler and Prince of Peace.

Seeing then that God is the giver of Peace, Christ the Prince of Peace, the Holy Ghost Peace it selfe (ipsa pax) the Gospell the word of Peace, [Page 300] the Evangelists Embassadors of Peace, Beleevers Sonnes of Peace, and that all Christians are cal­led unto Peace, let all hands joyne to make Peace, let us judge Peace, and afore and after and above all pray for Peace.

Ah Lord IESU! breath once againe upon thy people, and say Peace be unto you, make up the breaches, that are in thy Sion, the rents that are in thy seamlesse Coate, reunite the divided Churches, and grant that all they that confesse thy Holy name, may agree in the truth of thy Holy Word, and live in Vnitie and godly Love, &c. Amen.

CHAP. I. Of Persecution for Righteous­nesse.

THis Beatitude fi [...]ly ensues that of Peace, [...]. Aug. de serm. Domini in monte That we should not think Peace to be al­wayes good, be sub­joynes, Blessed are the Persecuted. S. Chrysost. hom 75. This inlarged by St. Chrom [...]rim. because they that are at peace within thēselves, will not be distur­bed by externall warre, and that we may not look for a Peace here with­out Persecutiō. And it as aptly closeth all the rest, [Page 304] as a golden crosse upon a chaine of many linkes,CHAP. 1. for that the practise of Beatificall vertues, ex­citeth the displeasure and contradiction of sin­ners It is proper to this Beatitude, that CHRIST doubles it, pronouncing them blessed, that are persecuted for righteousnesse sake, vers. 10. And them, that are reviled, and persecuted for his sake, vers. 11. Whence someMoses gave tenne Commandements, IESUS nine Beati­tudes (S. Chrys. upon that 1. Cor. 15.28) when all things are subjected unto him. Cajetani sentacula. have took occasion to part it into two, and number nine Beatitudes; but it seemes better to determine the Beatitude to be but one, for the pious bearing of unjust in­juries, and then to distinguish two degrees therein, the one absolute, for patient induring of any wrong for a righteous cause, as Naboth suffe­red, and that obtaines the Kingdome. The other superlative in such suffering for a religious cause, and that obtaines a great reward in the King­dome. However the reduplication addes to the esteeme of the Beatitude, and animates our na­ture, that is averse from passion.

I will briefly touch upon the blisse that is in suffering for Rigteousnesse sake, and then more largely handle that which is in suffering for CHRIST's sake. Of the former three things, in three words.

1 Persecuted in regard of the inflictor, implies attempts by violent and offensive waies to draw men unto something unlawfull (and persecution imports no single wrong, but a peremptory see­king the ruine of the persecuted) in regard of the sufferer it signifies indurance of that which is most tedious, and which nature flies, rather then [Page 305] to contrary, or divert any office of righteous­nesse, and that sets the price upon passion.

2 They are persecuted for righteousnesse, that suffer for just and sober demeanure of them­selves, and because they will not omit duely to officiate the places wherein God sets them,Opus imperfect. be it by great men for faithfull and discreet applying Gods word against their extravagancies, or by the multitude for not joyning with them in na­tionall or common sinnes, thus the Prophets suffered, and were Martyrs. St. Anselme dis­courseth, how Ʋitam S. Anselm. l. 1. c. 38. Palam est enim quod qui ne le­v [...], contra Deum pec­catum committat, mo­ri non dubitat, multò maximè mori non du­bitaret, priùs quàm aliquo gravi peccato. Deum exacerberet. St. Iohn Baptist is honoured by the Church, as a chiefe Martyr, who was slaine not because he would not deny Christ, but because hee would not conceale the truth, and forbeare to speake against incestuous marriages: and he proves that St. Elphege might justly be reckoned a Martyr, had he been put to death, only because he would not redeeme his life from the Danes, with such a summe of money, as hee could not levie with­out exaction, and oppressing his Tenants. For it is evident that he who stickes not to dye, that hee may not commit a light sinne against God, would a great deale much the more not sticke to dye, sooner then hee would provoke GOD with any grievous sinne.

This matter is most considerable in the Chur­ches greatest prosperity, when they that cannot take up other armes, be whetting their tongues against them that follow after Righteousnesse.In Ps. 93. Magnus in qui [...]et Apostolu [...], [...] c [...]ilum vol [...] q [...]o­modo Elias [...] B. AUSTIN doth oft largely insist in the dan­gerous tentation, that is by the generality of l [...]se [Page 306] Christians insulting over a few strict (quasi de ipsa iustitia) and hee is confident, that not onely in times of Persecution, but every day bee there made Martyrs,De temp. serm. 232 Sed quotidiè marty­res siunt. Domin [...]s ad marty [...]ti gloriam re­putabit. all that suffer any evill, because they will not yeeld to drunkennesse, &c. the Lord will repute it in an aestimate of Martyrdome: And hee treates thus with his auditorie,In Ps. 30. Concio­ne [...]. Incipe quicun (que) me au [...]is vivere quo modo Christianus, & vide si non tibi obji­ctatur & a Christia­nis, sed nomine, non vita, non moribus. Noli erubescere spe tua, quomodo vi­vit in corde tuo, sic habitet in ore tuo, quia non sine causa signum suum Chri­stus in fronte nebis si­gi voluit, tanquam in sede pudoris, [...]e Chri­sti opprobrio Christi­anus erubescat. begin whosoever thou beest that hearest me to live as a Christian, and see if thou beest not upbraided for it even by Christi­ans, but in name, not in life, not in manners — be not thou ashamed of thy hope, as hee liveth in thy heart, so let him habit in thy mouth, for not with­out cause CHRIST would his signe should bee fixed in our forehead, as in the seate of shamefastnesse, that a Christian may not bee ashamed of the reproch of CHRIST.

Truly because as the profession of Christia­nity is hated by the Pagan, so the vertue and power thereof by the prophane, therefore wee are at our Baptisme signed with the signe of the crosse, for signification that we must not be asha­med of Christian deeds for the opprobrious words of them, that are Christians onely in words, but shame and sorrow bee upon them, who as St. BERNARD sayes,De conversione ad Clerices, c. 31. Vs (que) adeò persecutionem non sustinent propter justitiam, vt persecu­tionem malint, quam justitiae pertinere. are so farre from suffering persecution for righteousnesse, that they had leifer be punished, then retaine unto righteous­nesse: as divers suffer for drunkennesse, unclean­nesse, theeverie, perjury, heresie, schisme, and disobedience.

3 The Kingdome of Heaven is assigned un­to sufferers, as theirs by right and title of pas­sion, [Page 307] by which rod the Lord gives deliverie and seisin thereof. And it is sayd theirs is the King­dome, not theirs shall bee: the reward running in the present, because God heere crownes the difficulty of that service, with no small tasts of heavenly joy.

STEPHEN▪ upon earth sees heaven open,Quid est quod Ste­phano exit obviam beatitudo, & quasi extra coeli januas pro­currit. Dronel in Zo­diaco Christiano. sig­no 9. and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God, Act. 7. Beatitude as it were running forth of heaven gates to meet him, for a declara­tion of those say's and preambles of beatificall vision and glory, which sufferers injoy upon earth. Rom. 8.18.Remigius ibid. The passions of this time are not worthy to bee compared to future glo­rie, if one could have indured sufferings from Adams first sigh to the last mans last breath, all those passions should have no full equality, nor just condignity to the value of GODS King­dome, the worth of eternall life transcends the dignitie of good workes even as they is­sue from Grace, but for CHRISTS merits it is especially proposed to them, that have the charity to suffer for it, because if any thing might bee compared to future glory, passions would.

For that of LACTANTIUS holds, theLib. 3. c. 11. Ʋis et natura virtutis in malorum perferentia est. [...]. S. Clem. in Ep. ad Corinth. p. 8. quin­tessence of vertue lyes in the indurance of miserie, therefore godly suffering [...] as the best deserts of the creature, are in highest reference and respect to Gods Kingdome.

Excellently our worthy Countryman GIL­BERT,Supra Cant. ser. 30. Passiones huju [...] tem­poris cooperantur qui­dem, etsi non compa­parantur ad futur [...] gloriae coronam. the passions of this life, though they may [Page 308] not to be conferred, yet they doe conferre to the future crowne of glory, the thought whereof makes the Righteous looke up in their deepest pressures. ALTISIODORENSIS hath a prettie straine.L. Tract. 7. c. 5. quest. 4. Quoniam Petrus passus est pro­priè pro se, crucifix­us est vultu verso in coelum, ac si diceret ego patior pro regno coeli, ut illud habeam, Christus verò passus est pro nobis non pro se, unde crufixus est vultu verso in terrā, ac si diceret, propec­catoribus patior. CHRIST suffered for us and our salvation, not his owne, and therefore was crucified with his face loo­king downe to the earth, as if hee should say, I suf­fer for sinners: PETER because hee suffered pro­perly for himselfe, was crucified with his face loo­king up to Heaven, as if he should say, I suffer for the Kingdome of Heaven.

CHAP. II. Of Suffering for CHRISTS sake.

WEE have toucht upon the posi­tive degree of Blisse, in the suffering for Righteousnesse sake, now let us handle the superlative in suffering for CHRISTS sake, in pursuance whereof wee shall goe through these particulars. 1 The Happi­nesse it selfe, blessed are ye, when men revile and persecute you. 2 The joy required in that Hap­pinesse, rejoyce and bee exceeding glad. 3 The cause urging that joy, for great is your reward in Heaven. 4 The Argument concluding that cause, for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you.

First, for the happinesse in suffering for CHRIST, Reproches, Persecutions, all injuries in word or deed, are blessed to the Sufferers. CHRIST heere shewes himselfe (as is noted by St. CHRYSOSTOME)Lib. 1. Against the disp [...]nisers of Mona­sticall life. Opus imperfect. readie to reward, not onely for death, imprisonment, stripes, but for sim­ple disgrace and injurious speeches. As in acti­on we shall not lose the reward of a cuppe of cold water: so in passion we shall not lose the recompence of a light word, or gesture of dis­daine. Hee which touches you, touches the apple of mine eye, Zach 2.8. Where sayes SALVIAN,De gubern Dei, l. 8. Ad exprimendam teneritudinem pieta­tis suae, tenerrimam partem corporis hu­mani nominavit, ut apertissimè intellige­remus Deumtam par­va suorum contumelia laedi, quam parvi ver­beris tactu, humani visus acies laderetur. to expresse the tendernesse of his gracious affecti­on to us, he named the most tender part of mans bodie, that wee might most plainly understand, that with how little a touch of a small stroke, the sight of mans eye would bee offended, with so little a contempt of his Servants is GOD injured.

And say all manner of evill of you, asperse you with all the evill names and words that are in use, and coyne new termes to diffame you, all evill is not found in any man, but may be forged against him by a spitefull tongue, as DAVID sayth of DOEG, thy tongue deviseth mischiefe, Psal. 52.2. Neately St. HILARIE,Quam natura ad eloquendas rationabi­les cogitationes con­sulti cordis prapara­bat, ipsa potius irrati­onabiles cogitat ini­quitates. that which Nature ordained to utter the reaso­nable devices of an advised heart, that tongue fore-runnes the heart, and it selfe deviseth unreasonable imputations. Broches con­tumelies that the heart knowes not, and ma­ny times cannot beleeve, so the tongue [Page 310] is the deviser, and all the Author.

It is worth the observing that our Master ha­ving spoken of revilings, after one word of per­secutions, which are the paines and penalties inflicted on Christians in their bodies and states, returnes againe to more reproches, and saying all manner evils, that hee might insinuate a me­thode of the divell, in his instruments first to traduce good men and causes, and then to pro­ceed against them as evill, and then to publish more and more obloquie and scandalous fames of them.

And the same order of our Lords speech, im­ports that shame persecutes more then paine, the tongue abstracts more from CHRIST, then the hand, nothing goes more to the quicke in the ingenuous then infamie. Hereupon Infidels, Hereticks, Schismaticks, carnall Gospellers, have alwayes with this weapon most oppugned and prejudiced the Church. Neyther were there ever any more outragious in this kinde, then our Sectaries, and false Brethren, as their libellous Pamphlets witnesse to the all world. Hence the Prince of Apostles in a passage of fierie tryall, interposes the speciall of reproch. 1. Pet. 4.12.14. And St. Paul (Heb. 10.34.11.36) records the triall of cruell mockings, amongst the most vexatious of sufferings, and our Saviour ex­tends the blessednesse fo [...] Persecution to all words of disgrace, to up [...]old generous and noble spirits in bearing vile and ignominious speeches.

Yet it is heere declared, that ill words bring no blisse with them, unlesse they bee spoken falsely, for justice the grace of other things, is the discredit ofThe Christians y^t are mispoken, say it would never greeve them if they had de­served it, may be put to Schoole unto So­crates, who was un­justly condemned to drinke poyson, and as he was setting the cuppe to his lips, his wife Zantippe cri­ed out, innocentem cum perimi quid ergo inquit, innocenti mihi mori, sarius esse duxi­sti. Ʋal. Max. l. 7. c. 2. passions. 1. Pet. 2.20. Let pati­ence therefore have its perfect worke (Iam. 1.4) which is to suffer undeservedly with a quiet minde.

And to the perfection of this Beatitude it is required that we bee mispoken, not alone falsely, but also for CHRISTS sake. As. S. ISIDORE PELU­SIOTE teaches,Lib. 4. Epist. 9. & lib 5 Epist. 138. [...] if wee bee falsely ill spoken of, though not for CHRIST, mee shall receive the reward of patience, but we shall not partake of that high bles­fulnesse, which we should partake of, if both did con­curre.

The Scripture uses in one meaning, for CHSISTS sake, for his name, for his words, in­larging the glory to all sufferings that befall men, because they belong to CHRIST, beleeve and observe his sayings. 1. Pet. 4.14. If you bee re­proched in Christs name; signifies that its not pro­perly the Christians that bee reproached, but Christ in them, in whose person and name, and for whose cause and truth, they are rejected. Luk. 10.16. And therefore he so speakes, PAUL why dost that persecute me? Psal. 69 10. [...] The re­proches of them, that reproch thee are falne upon me, the reproch is cast directly on CHRIST, re­flect [...]d on us, as his name is called upon us, were it not for our reference and obedience to him, the wicked world would neither say, nor doe ill by us.

CHAP. 3.Elegantly St. Paulinus, Epist. 1. ad Aprum. O beata injuria cum Christo displicere. it is a blessed despite to displease with CHRIST, we fare no worse then CHRIST, and his name, and the Gospell of grace, nay the Gospell of glory, which suffer with us, and in us, and therefore sanctifie and con­secrate our sufferings to us.S. Hierom. It is a blessing to be cursed for CHRIST, when CHRIST is in the cause, reproch is desirable, for the reproch of Christ is more honourable, then the renowne of men, and convertible with the glory of Angels: as St. Ba­sil writes,In Ps. 55. in sin. [...]. art thou dishonoured for the name of Christ? Happy art thou, for this thy shame shall be turned into an Angels glory. Wherefore to bee reproched and persecuted not in the name of a morall honest man, and a Philosopher, but in the name of a Christian and true Beleever, is the highest advancement, and doth consummate the blisse of Passion.

CHAP. III. Touching the joy requisite in suffering.

THat for the happinesse in suffering, now to the joy required in that happi­nesse; Rejoyce and bee exceeding glad. Rejoyce, bee not onely patient as in that which hurts not, but joyfull, and thankfull as for a beneficiall favour. Bee exceeding glad, as of an extraordinarie further [...]nce, [Page 313] and preferment in CHRIST. Count it all joy when yee fall into many temptations, Iam. 1.2. For there is no one without a beape of graces and mercies in it, therefore esteeme variety of sufferings a subject deserving not some measure, but the whole affect and faculty of joy.

St. BASIL rehearsing that (Hebr. 11.36, 37, 38) they were scourged, bound, imprison'd, ston'd, sawne a sunder, tempted, slaine, addes ^a these are the braveries of Saints, [...]. Thus the Primitive Christians were af­fected. Act. 16.25. Magis damnati quèm absoluti gau [...]us. Tertul, ad Scapulam. blessed is he that is held wor­thy of sufferings for CHRIST, more blessed he that abounds in such sufferings. Martyrs joyed in a sen­tence of condemnation, as offendours in 2 sen­tence of absolution. 2. Cor. 15.31. The Apo­stles joy in dayly subjection to death, and other passions, and continuall expectance, and preparation for them, was so great, cleere, and undoubted, that he sweares by it, by our reioy­cing in Christ Iesus I die dayly.

The holy Abbot IOHANNICIUSNon solum la [...]ba­tur probris pro Chri­sto affect [...] sed etiam [...]plebat majora p [...]ti. re [...] scient quia per [...]a majora cause quere­tur. Evit [...] ej [...] c. 49. Nov. 4. not onely rejoyced, being reproched and persecuted for Christ, [...] but also wished that he might suffer more, well know­ing that thereby he should reape more fruit. 2. Cor. 12.10. I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproch, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for CHRISTS sake. Which PAUL did as purely loving him­selfe in God, and therefore most pleased with what profited most to his purgation, proficien­cie, perfection. And this may wee take for a proofe of our spiritualitie, if tribulation bee sa­vourie to us, and we finde upon earth a paradise i [...] passion. 2. Cor. 1.5. As the sufferings of Christ [Page 314] abound in us, so our consolation abounds by Christ. Aegidius Minorita askes,In Ʋita ejus. c. 40. Quid causae est, quod [...] aegrè forimus affli­ctiones? Non concu­piscimus medullitus spiritales consolatto [...]es. what [...] the cause that we take afflictions heavily, and answeres, we doe not heartily covet spirituall consolations.

It is meere carnalitie to aspire after an excep­tion from the crosse, and to be alwayes treading upon roses, to wish this beatitude to any, rather then our selves and ours. Faith moves in its own orbe, when it renders exceeding glad, notwith­standing the heavines through manifold tempta­tions. 1. Pet. 1 6. Thus St. VALERIAN,Hom. 16. Perfectae fidei est, lucrativis locum dare suppliciis. it is the exercise of perfect faith to give way to gainfull penalties. At any rate to take up where wee are strangers those disgraces, which in our Country will passe for the highest dignities. That ARNO­BIUS IUNIOR repeating these words, who [...]n say all manner of evill of you falsely for my sake, re­joyce and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, might for cause presse them in this sort,Si recti estis fide, nolite quaerare laudes hominum in terris, quia habehitis Ange­lorum in coelis. In Ps. if yee be right in Faith, seeke not the praises of men upon earth, when ye shall have the applause of Angels in heaven. And this hath brought us to the cause, why we should bee joyfully glad in the happinesse of suffering, for great is your reward in heaven, they purchase a great degree in glory.

CHAP. IV. CHAP. 4. Of the speciall glory comming to Sufferers.

BEsides the reward of heaven which is e­quall in all the saved, there is a reward in heaven, diversified according to our acti­ons and passions for CHRIST,This makes the A­postles straine so hy­perbolicall as it is in the originall▪ 2. Cor. 4.17. and the reward for persecution is the greatest, which therefore for its latitude is not specified, but stiled sim­ply great, as above all the degrees of compari­son, and exceeding all the hyperboles of our speech. 2. Tim. 2.11, 12. If wee suffer wee shall reigne. CHRISTS p [...] may lose their lives, not their rewards. Hee that tooke off [...]aul [...] head, could not take away his crowne.In his Pre­face ad asue [...] f [...]. [...]. Fol­low Christ and conquer, (as St. BASIL admoni­shes) for thou followest, 4 victorious, King, who will have thee partaker of his victorie, and if tha [...] [...] killed thou shalt more then conque [...].

Wee hold our selves more bound, to them that suffer for us, then to them that any other wayes minister to us. CHRISTS specially ac­knowledges them in heaven, that were confessors on earth.

Matth. 10.32. The Martyrs field brings for the [...] fold, the glorified bodies [...] most glori­ous in their skars, every Saint hath his [...] the [Page 316] sufferer (aureolam) an additionall flourish of triumph.Qui vol [...]nt detra­hit famae mea, nolens addit mercedi meae. S. Aug. cont. lit. Pe­tilian. l. 3. c. 7. 12. De bono viduitatis, c. 22. He that with his will detracts from thy reputation, shall against his will adde to thy retri­bution. In all the universe there is not a worthier sight then a Martyr suffering. 1. Cor. 4.9. Wee are made a spectacle to the world, to Angels, and to men. The Lord lookes downe from heaven, and sees no sight so meriting his aspect (as Minutius Faelix sayth)In Octavio p. 10. Quam pulchrum spectaculum Deo cum Christianus cum dolo­re congreditur. How goodly a spectacle for God is a Christian encountring with paine! Therefore CHRIST that fits at the right hand of God, as judge of quick and dead, at the passion of Stephen stands to behold the good fight of faith, stands as Advocate for his,S. Ambr. de fide l. 2. 7. Christus sedot ad dextram Dei, qua­si judex vivorum & mortuorum, stat qua­si advocatus suorum, s [...]abat ergo quasi sa­cerdos, qu [...]ndo patri hostiam boni marty­ris offerebat, stubat quasi lo [...] iu [...]atori braviam, tanti pra­sul certaminis reddi­tur [...]. stands as Priest offering to the Father the sacrifice of a prime Martyr, stands as supervisor, and ready to render the prize to the vali­ant Champion.

Our Lord remembring the persecuted of re­wards, allowes the time of persecution, for a season, to meditate recompences and retaliation. Heb. 11.24.25. MOSES chose afflictions with the people of God, rather then the pleasures of sinne, and esteemed the reproch of CHRIST greater riches, th [...] the treasures of Aegypt, because he had respect to the recompence of reward. So in dammages indigni­ties Christians may support themselves with contemplation of future advantages and ho­nours, and in place have an eye at glory and pre­lation therein, to be thereby the more incoura­ged in the Lord, and the better to subdue the un­willingnesse of the flesh to conflicts, and hard services in Christ.

Iam. 5.11. Behold we count them blessed, that have suffered, invites vs to reflect our judgments on our consciences, and seeing wee count and call the Martyrs and Confessours blessed when­soever we mention them, and thinke their noble armie, the supreme of all orders in the Church militant and triumphant, and preferre their lot, that went out of the world by the glorious way of Martyrdome, before any other departure, and would rather have lived a Confessor and dyed a Martyr, then have beene great Alexander, or ve­ry Caesar, yea or any beleever that was no sufferer.

Therefore in reverence of the opinion, which all Christians have, touching their blessednesse which indured much for CHRIST, we may no [...] only admire it in others, but desire if God please to share in it with others, and by name with the goodly fellowship of Prophets. And so I am come to the argument that concludes the cause, that urges all joy in the happinesse of suffering. For so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you, it manifests conformity to the chiefest Saints and servants of God.

CHAP. 5. CHAP. V. That the best of men have beene Per­secuted.

SO Persecuted they the Prophets from ABEL to ZACHARY.Origen in Ier. hom. 11 Matth. 23.35. From the first to the last, no Prophet without his Persecution. From the beginning to the end of the Churches race,Abel esse renuit quem Cain malitia non exercet. S. Greg. l. 20 c. 29. he must refuse to be an ABEL that is not exercised with the malignitie of a CAIN; therefore thinke it not strange to be reviled and persecuted, all holy men before us did suffer, all CHRISTS fraternity doe suffer, and all that will live godly shall suffer: say then with venerable BEDE (in 1. Pet. 5.9.)Pudeat solos non posse pari. Let not us then for shame be the sole impatients that cannot suffer. There ne­ver was Prophet that was not persecuted, except it was SOLOMON, of whom it is scarce more a­greed that he was a Prophet, then disputed whe­ther he be a Saint. Wisely IDIOTA,De vera patientia c. 9. Solus Solomon in delitiis fuit, & ideo fortè corruit. S. Hier. ad Eustochium. all the Saints were trained through miserie, onely SOLO­MON was the worlds darling, and perhaps therefore fell so greevously. Well whiles wee live by the Rivers of Babylon, let us sing this song, wee are not better then our fathers, & they of the world, are alwayes like themselves, repugnant what they can to the true Church.

Iam. 5.10. Take my Brethren the Prophets that have spoken in the name of our LORD, for an example of suffering affliction — and know­ing that God is unchangable and that hee will free and honour you in distresses and oppositi­ons, as he did them, bee not addaunted, when CHRIST calles to appeare for him, use no in­direct meanes to escape as Clandestine teachers, that have one faith in Widowes houses, ano­ther in Consistories, before authoritie say what they would have them, when they come at home deliver womens dreames for Oracles and for Gospell.

And considering that the closser any draw to GOD, and more they bee separate from the world, the greater is the rage of the Divell, and his agents against them to vexe them in all harsh trials; let us not bee scandall'd at the fl [...]nders that are raised against the Orthodoxe, neither conceive the worse but have wee the higher thoughts of them. GOD will exercise his grace where hee gives it, if wee goe scot-free re­member GODS lot was not on the scape-goue. It is to bee feared our strength is little that GOD doth not vouchsafe us that honour, or that wee are not faithfull in our vocations, but let the world sleepe, that wee may bee [...]iet.

Their case is ill that effeminate themselves, and their doctrines, and their doings, to avoyd female displeasure; but much worse theirs, who to escape the scourge of them, whose [Page 320] tongue acknowledges no Lord, cavill and carpe at the zeale of others, who are stirring in their places, to animate wholesome lawes with execu­tion, and to reforme their charges. Art thou bee that troublest Israel? 1. Reg. 18.17. Thinke yee the Propets were not counted too busie.

I will not deny Gods people to have their slips, but the world doth not for that cause mo­lest them, as it might be thought, they were re­viled and persecuted onely for their infirmities and indiscretions, if the Prophets that were priviledged men, and had the spirit of infallibi­lity, and gift to fore-see and fore-tell futures, that in their whole carriage were guided by the spirit, that spake in the spirit, and by direction, and authoritie from GOD, if those Prophets had not beene crossed and ill used before and above others, nay if CHRIST himselfe (Pro­phetarum opus) the end of all Prophets, the foun­taine of innocencie, wisdome and all perfections had not for the best works, met with the worst, use possible both in words and deeds.

But nowNec nobis ignomi­nia pati a fratribus, quod passu [...] est Chri­stus, nec illis gloria facere quod fecit iu­das. S. Cypr. it is neyther shame for us to suffer of our Brethren, what CHRIST hath suffered, nor credit for them to doe, what IUDAS hath done. Matth. 10.23, 24, 25. It is enough for the Disciple to bee as his Master, and the Servant as his Lord, if they have called the Master of the house BELZEBUB, how much more shall they call them of the houshold, feare them not there­fore.

CHRIST they said, that hee was a Samaritane, worser then a simple Pagan, by a hereticall idola­trous Religion; sometimes that he had a Devill, and wrought by Belzebub; sometimes that hee was Belzebub himselfe the chiefe of Devils; therefore wee are not to feare the suppositions and bruits of men, being the world is trans­ported with such fury against orthodoxalitie, and puritie of Doctrine and Life, that if God himselfe bee incarnated and dwell and teach a­mong them, they will slander him to bee not onely a Devill, but the Prince and worst of Devils. This then is a soveraigne remedy of impatience in crosses and tribulations to call to minde the vsage of Christ and holy Prophets, who meekely indured farre greater calumniati­on and persecution. And after the sentence of de Kempis, De imitatione Christi, l. 2. c. ult. Si eligendum tibi esset, magis optare deberes pro Christo adversa pati quam multis con­solationibus recreari, quia Christo simili [...]r esses & omnibus San­ctis conformi [...]r. If thou mightest bee at thy choyce, thou oughtst to wish rather to indure adversitie, for Christ then to bee recreated with many delights; because so thou shouldst be more agreable vnto Christ and conformable to all Saints.

CHAP. 6. CHAP. VI. That to bee persecuted for Christ, is the chiefe happinesse out of Heaven.

I Have made a survey of this Beatitude in the parts, and will now gather from the whole these foure deductions. First, that the chiefe happinesse under Heaven is to be reviled and persecuted for righteousnesse and CHRIST'S sake. Secondly, that the persecuted therefore must not hate but love and pray for their Perse­cutors. Thirdly, that the Apostles and their suc­cessours, are of all most incident to be persecu­ted. Fourthly, yet they and others according to their place, must not neglect righteousnesse and propagating CHRISTS name.

For the first, a it is choice gift not onely to be­leeve, but also to suffer for Christ's name, Phil. 1.29. To bee not onely followers of Christ, but his ensigne-bearers, and graced with carrying his crosse after him, which is the most creditable, blessed and beatified office in all Religion and Christianitie. St Theodore Studita collects it hence,Serm. 87. Fathers and Brethren, GOD hath collated on us a high priviledge, Persecution for him as hee sayes; Blessed are yee, when men revile and per­secute you for my sake. This the immunitie and freedome of Christians and their principalitie.

St. Ignatius wrote, [...]. Ignatius Ep. 16. ibid. That it was better for him to dye for CHRIST, then to have the Empire of all the ends of the earth. This the highest promotion Gods children can be brought unto, their b [...]st testimonie, and most converting and perswasive declaration of truth. Hence as Sulpitius relates,Histor. Sacra: l. 2. Mu [...]to validius tum martyria gloriosis mortibus queraeban­tur, quam nunc Epis­copatas pravis ambi­tionibu [...] appetuntur. In the tenth most grievous Persecution, Martyr­dome was more strongly sought by glorious passion, then the Popedome afterward by base ambition. St. Chrysostome scruples not to say,Tom 5. hom. 35. In Ephes serm. 33. That if a man love Christ hee would wish to bee bound for Christ, rather then to inhabite Heaven, may be al­so then to sit at Christs right hand. The most glorious act, that can bee in a creature is to suf­fer for the Creator;Gre [...]at. compendi­um introductionis ad fidem, l. 2. c. 19. therefore God founded his Church in bloud, and brings millions to himselfe by Martyrdome and Passions, because hee is no other way so much glorified in any creature, not in the heavenly Bodies, nor in the heavenly Spi­rits, who humbled themselves in an instant, and without any resistance in themselves, or any pas­sion, when Confessors and Martyrs have that re­spect to God, as in regard of his love, fidelitie, and reward, to despise all the favours and con­temne all the frownes of the world, to forsake [...]ll that is deare, to sustaine all that is dolorous notwithstanding the aversenesse of a lapsed and corrupt nature. Wee boast of CHRIST'S active obedience, but glory more in his passive, that hee pleased to suffer insuperable griefe with a painfull and shamefull death for us.

This I am taught by St. CYRIL,St. Cyril Hierosol. ser. Catechet. 13. Every ac­tion of Christ is the glory of the Catholike Church, but the glory of glories is the Crosse; and therefore St. PAVL sayd, God forbid, that I should glory in any thing but in the crosse of Christ, Galat. 6.14. So though all good actions be well-pleasing to God, yet above all holy passions. This St Isaac testifies,De co [...]temptu mun­di, c. 17 p 605 Pre­tiose in conspectu Do­mini tribul [...]tiones, quae sunt pro ipso & propter ipsum: & su­per omnem orationem, & sacrificium & o­dorem, & sudor illa­rum super omnia aro­mata. Pretious in the sight of the Lord are the tribulations▪ which are for him and his sake, and a­bove all prayer, and sacrifice and odour, and the sweat of them is above all perfumes.

That of Origen is most true,In Psal. 37 hom. 2. It is impossible for any s [...]t in this earth not to bee hated, CHRIST IESVS was hated, yea GOD himselfe is hated of the wicked, and his good Spirit, and wouldest not thou be­hated, but loved. Bravely. Picus Earle of Miran­dula to his Nephew. Act 5.41.Epist ad I [...]hannem Franciscum Picum. fol. 104 — Gaudea­mus & nos si t [...]nta apud Deum gloria digni sumus, ut ejus gloria in ignominia nostra manifestetur — Ne omni nobis bene merendi occasione sublata, praemii eti [...]m spes relicta nulla sit. The Apostles rejoyced, that they were counted worthy to suffer reproach for Christs name, let vs also rejoyce if we be worthy of so great glory with God, that his glory should be set forth in our shame. If the world hated him by whom it was made, shall wee vile men, and in respect of our sinnes worthy to bee hated and revi­led, take it so ill, that lest they should say ill, wee should begin to doe ill, rather let us take it gladly, and if wee be not so happie as for vertue and veritie to suffer stripes, bonds, imprisonments, swords, thinke it goes well with us, if wee suffer the de­tractions and hatred of the ungodly.

The course of Christianitie is thus (as blessed Macarius declares)Hom. 15 p. 186.— [...]. Wheresoever the holy Spirit is [Page 325] there followes as a shadow Persecution and opposition, as we see in the Prophets, our Lord CHRIST, and his Apostles, for since Christs Crosse that the Spirit for­sooke the Iewes, and passed to Christians, no Iew hath beene persecuted, but onely Christians have been made Martyrs. It is a prerogative of the true Church, to be capable of saving hatred. The world cannot hate you, sayes CHRIST of carnals, and comply­ers to any Sect and humour. Because I have cho­sen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you, Ioh. 15.19. saith hee of them that are sincere in faith and life. St. Hierom, In Epist. ad Asel­lam. Gratias ago Deo meo, quod dignus si [...] quem mundus od [...]rit. Religiously thankes God that hee was worthy of the worlds hate. For it is a wonderfull kindnesse, to be neither hatefull nor hating, but unjustly hated. Which forced that doxologie from blessedEpist. 1. Domino gratias, qui & mihi miserrimo peccatori dedit dicere, oderun [...] me gratis. Paulinus, The Lord bee thanked, who hath given me also a miserable sinner to say, they hated me without a cause. How have we to blesse God that the world cannot espie its owne ill conditions in us, that when every body in the whole universe is hated, and spoken against for something or other, our portion through Gods goodnesse is to be hated for his truth and grace shining in us, and reviled for his blessed name and image!

When man is borne to misery, they are much bound to glorifie God, whose misery is turned into martyrdome. Discreetly Prudentius, Perl Stepharū [...]. Hymno 10. horreti [...] omnes hasce carnifi­cum manus, num mi­ [...]iores sunt manus m [...] ­dentium? — Yee dread the Tyrants and Executioners hands, are the Physitians and Chirurgians hands any gentler? Who would not choose torments for CHRIST, rather then tortures by diseases, rather to be rackt for [Page 326] Christ, CHAP. 7. then wrung w^th some gout or cramp? rather toS. Clem. Apost con­stit lib. 5 c. 5. have his bowels examined with instruments of crueltie, then to be searcht with the cholicke and stone. Take we it then for a divine love token if in lieu of common defamations and calamities, the reproaches of Christ, and his troubles come upon us. As St. Roch [...]aid in this case,Et si antea dulcissi­me Iesu. me servū tu­um esse existim [...]ve­rim, nunc vero cum me tormentorum tuo­rum parte donaveris, charum me tibi esse et jucundum comper­tum habeo. In vit. e­jus. c. 7. Per Petrum Ludovicum M [...]ld. Aug. 16. Opus imperfect. in Matth 10 hom. 28. Heretofore sweet Iesu, I conjectured my selfe to be one of thine, but now that thou hast given mee part in thy torments, I know assuredly that I am accepted, and gracious with thee.

CHAP. VII. That the persecuted must not hate, but pray for the Persecutors.

SEeing they are occasions of their so great blisse, the persecuted must not hate but love, and pray for the persecutours. Alber­tus the great tels vs, thatDe veris virtuti­bus, c. 1. A Chr [...]stian pro certo majorem gratiam & gloriam consequeretur ex per­secutione, quam ex favore, si modo debito sciret e [...] frui. Christians should, without fayle, compasse more grace and glory by persecution, then by supportation, if they knew how to improve it in due sort, as the enemies of holy Martyrs advantaged them more to eternall felicitie then their friends. Hereupon the holy Father Ammonas gave an ex­cellent rule.C. Paraenetico 2. inter [...]per [...] B. Ephrem p. 499. As oft as thou remembrest them, that have afflicted thee, intercede for them all in truth and with all thy heart, as for them, by whom great advan­tages have beene procured to thee. And St. Leedegar is an admirable example of that rule, who imme­diatly before he was violently put to death pray­ed [Page 327] thus.Ignosc [...] illis qui me affligunt, quandoqui­dem ego, clementissime pater, per eos credo me in conspectu tuo glorificandum. Ʋrs [...] ­nus in vit. ejus. c. 17. Oct. 2. Pardon them that afflict mee, for by their meanes, I beleeve that I shall be glorified in thy sight, most gracious Father. Shall wee take out of Lan­sperg In pharetra divini amoris. p 77. I blesse thee pro paterno amo­re quo mihi patienda omnia in salutem con­vertis, oro etiam t [...] duloissime Pater pro omnibus qui mihi ad­versa unquam intule­runt, ut tu illis non solum ignoscat, sed e­tiam non imputes, imo (quia fuerunt mini­stri aeternae dispensa­tionis ac providentiae tuae) aeternae illis mercedem tuae beati­tudinis couseras. his quire of love, an arrow that flies very high? I blesse thee O Lord, for thy fatherly love, wher­by thou turnest into my safety all that I suffer. I beseech thee also most sweet Father, for all those that have at any time inflicted any adversity vpon mee, that thou wouldst not only pardon, but never impute it to them, nay because they were the ministers of thy eternall di­spensation & providence, collate on them the reward of thy eternall blessednesse. I can but admire that of St. Basil, touching those that disfame us for Christ, De Spir. Sancto c 6 [...]. [...]. If the damage therby growing to them, did not cause in us heavines & cōtinual sorrow, I should almost have said that we acknowledge thanks to them for their blasphe­mies as procurers of our blisse. And no lesse that of his most intimate St. Gregory Nazianzen, Christ wils his to fly from Persecutors, for that being Chri­stians, they ought not onely to looke after their owne things (no not in case they bee most strong and con­stant) but also to spare those that persecute them. Contra Iuliau. [...]. p. 29. [...]. Contr Iulian. erat. 2. ad finem. So that for their part they inferre nothing to their perill. Especially we are to pitie and petition for them that are our adversaries out of an illuded consci­ence, Ioh. 16.2. the Devill transforming himselfe and infatuating of them; wherefore (as Origen moves) Let us not hate but rather love them and take pitie of them, they have a devill and are beside them­selves. In Ezech. hom. 13. — Daemonium habent patiuntur insaniam.

CHAP. 8. CHAP. VIII. That the Apostles and their Successours, are lyable to most persecution.

THe Apostles and their Successours that beare about the world the name of Christ, are most lyable to be reviled, and perse­cuted by all, and most of all by them, that retaine the name, but not the right faith of Christ. There­fore our Lord delivering this Beatitude changes the person, and having said Blessed are they that be reviled for righteousnesse; hee turnes him to the Apostles and sayes, Blessed are yee when men revile and persecute you for my sake, and concludes it with this, So persecuted they the Prophets. That is, as the Prophets were persecuted by seduced people, that boasted themselves to be the temple of God, the temple of God, — So you and your followers, shall meet with worse usage amongst deceived creatures that fancie themselves to be Gods Church and the onely peculiar people. Our Sa­viour, Ioh. 16.2 saying; The time shall come, that whosoever kils you, will thinke hee doth God good ser­vice; after the application of George Patriarch of Alexandria, In vita S. Chrys c. 74. In that he names the one & only God. [...]. Hee specified them that under pretext of the Church make havocke of Gods people, for hi­ding their envies and ill doings, they counterfeit in words to take care for the Church, which in deeds they lay waste. And much more intends hee those that by a perverse creed, beleeve light to be dark­nesse, and darknesse light, antiquities to be old [Page 329] errours, novelties to bee divine faith, and conse­quently holds it the Lords worke to shed Chri­stian blood, and curse them that doe it negligent­ly, and doe not to the utmost pursue true catholicall Christians with the sword of their mouth, and the mouth of their sword.

Quintilian cryes out,Declamatione, 265 Nullam petulantiam magis odi, quam quae se propter hoc exerit, quia pulat licere. I hate no insolencie more then that, which practises out of a conceit of its owne lawfulnesse. I abhorre no ctueltie like that which springs from opinion of dutie, and devotion, and sanctity, and singular zeale. The holy Bishop Sera­pion is my Author,Episcop. Thymeos. Contr. Manichaeos, p. 104. Of all obstinate impietie, this is the most injurious, to carry Christs colours and wage warre against Christ. One would more willingly suffer of a Pagan, then of a Christian, of one that is held whereabouts he suffers for a misbeleever, then of him that is magnified for a sole Gospel­ler. Many suppose they could readily suffer, if it might be generally thought that they suffered for righteousnesse, for Christ; asS. Ado in Martyro­logio. lan. [...]. Sozom. hist. l. 2. c. 8. The noble per­sonage Attalus of Perga, was carried about the am­phitheater a Title going before him, in which was written, Attalus Christianus. But this irkes them that they should be imagined to persecute, when they are persecuted, or to suffer as erring and e­vill men. Now beloved, this is a great piece of self-denyall, which must be antecedent to crosse-bearing, that we deny our owne will in suffering, and take up crosses, not of our choosing, but of Gods appointing.

And the Lord will have it thus, that it may be a matter of Faith, not of sence to suffer one thing [Page 330] to dye for Heaven, another thing to dye for our Country, & Christ himselfe suffered, as a compa­ny-keeper, as a usurper, as a seducer. To intire pa­tience we must beg wisdome, Iam. 1. to distinguish betwixt the allegations of craftie opposers, & the true reasons of their opposition, and attend Gods discerning eye that lookes through vizards and dislikes not his own caus [...]s for forged aspersions.

St. Basil the great, gravely informes,Ep. 70. [...]. Epist. 71. That this is most grievous, when neither the afflicted undergoe passions in full assurance of martyrdome, nor the peo­ple repute & reverence them in the ranke of Martyrs, because the name of Christians is vested upon the per­secutors. There is one crime now vehemently pursued, the accurate observation of the traditions of our An­cestors. How much better pretences & shewes the enemies of truth make, and how much greater fame and opinions be of them in the world, so much more [...]ifficultie there is in suffering, and therefore so much more deserving is the passion.

Some may aske what Persecution there can be where the supreme Magistrate is a defender of the true antient Faith? I answer that w^ch is the won­der of all Persecutions, that he and Governours under him should by disobedients of the Church, whom they curbe, be sl [...]ndered for Persecutors. For the cause making the Martyr, when the cause is good the Sufferer is persecuted, when the cause is uncatholicke the complayner persecutes, char­ging Gods vicegerents, with wrongfull chalenges of the vilest tyrannie. It is a true definitive of Pe­lagius the first,In Epist 3 Non per­sequitur nisi qui ad malum cogit, qui au­tem malum vel factú jam punit, vel prohi­bet ne fiat, non perse­quitur ille sed diligit. He persecutes that compels to evill, [Page 331] but he that either punishes evill done, or prohibits it to be done, hee doth not persecute but love. Wherefore Sec­taries giving themselves out to be persecuted when they are restrained of opinionative vanities and un­conformities, doe therein blaspheme dignities and be themselves by unjust complaints, murmurs, im­precations, Libels, — base persecutors of the higher powers.

Thus in the times of great Theodosius and his sonnes, the Arrians (bridled by penall Lawes) assumed to be the only Catholickes, misnamed the true Catholicks Homousians, burthened the Princes and Bishops for persecutors, & vanted of themselves, as suffering for Christ and Scripture, Scripture,— And the Donatists in much distraction dreaming themselves to be Christs Vnica, and sole peculiar, exclaimed against the Empe­rours, for not granting them toleration freely to pra­ctise their Religion of the new cut, inveighed against the orthodoxe Bishops for indeavours of their cure and restraint, & damned Gods Church of persecuting. St. Augustine oft advertises, that Paucitie and Persecu­tion have ever been the usuall pleas and prescriptions of Heretickes. Paucitie as a semblance of Christs lit­tle flocke. Persecution as a covert for the condigne punishments, blame and shame which for their un­truths they incurre before religious Authoritie.

But it hath lamentably hap'ned in our Church w^ch to my knowledge hath not falne out in any other, that many who yet will needs goe for her members and children before-fet with Geneva —, and thence full of deepe prejudices against the Doctrine, disci­pline, and government of our holy Mother, so as to [Page 332] accuse of halting those that go not their by-way, and divulge such as divert from them to decline, them­selves to be the sole Professors and the Church, o­thers to be temporizers, usurping and practising o­ver and against the Church. And their Sect-masters under cloke and clamour of persecution, suck up the fat of the earth, and in poore stipendiarie, and Lectu­rers places gather great estates in lands and monies, and some now and then politickly force themselves (by their open irregular carriage) to be deprived of pettie livings, that as deposed, and persecuted men, they may get up thrice the value by the benevolen­ces of women, bewitched with their long prayers and endlesse uses. Which women by rude declamati­ons against Schoole-learning, and of deceit by pro­found Schollers and great read men, they have ren­der'd unteachable, and of a speciall Faith that all, who say or doe ought against them are heavie Per­secutors.

Thus a few Schismatickes are a little snibbed for grosse absurdities and disorders, and the Fathers and chiefe of the Clergie, and the whole Church of Eng­land bee by them and their associates without com­pare persecuted and reputed as limmes of Anti-Christ; whence many be abstracted, partly to have the resort, fees and custome, partly to avoyd the cen­sures, and out-cryes of a spreading faction. So ne­cessary it is to take up our last conclusion, that Chri­stians according to their callings must not neglect Righteousnesse, and to propagate the name of Christ for dread of any Persecution, Revel. 21.6, 7.

CHAP. IX. CHAP. 10. That Christians must bee willing to Suffer for righteousnesse and for Christ.

SAint MARTIN is briefe with us,Episc. Dumiens. In libro de moribus. Si vis beatus esse, cogi­ta hoc primum con­temnere & contemni. If thou wilt be happie, cast thy count Inprimis to despise and bee despised. To despise the speech of people that are injudicious and unrighteous, and be despised for courses above the spheare of car­nall and corrupt aymes and judgements, 2. Cor. 6, [...] Heb. 13.13. Let us swim against the streame of the corruptions and errours of our times, sayle a­gainst the winde of popular ayre and breath, let that rather blow up the fire of the Spirit in us. To contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints; for the first Love, first Doctrine, first Discipline. Devout St. Bernard laments in an Epistle, That some great Prelates in his dayes though they assented not to their tenets, connived at the Petrobusians—; because their Officers gained more by some one of them, then by many hundreds of orthodoxall and conformable Christians. This wee see that many in places of action, & cōmand, that by Non-Conformists they may not be proclaimed for Per­secutors, but spoken of as moderate persons, suf­fer not only the Canons & constitutions of their deare Mother, but the Religion of the Fathers, and their fore-fathers to be buried quicke.

But let the Prophets who were contented for ancient Faith and truths sake, to suffer in their names and persons, be a precedent for us, to stand [Page 334] for the old and good way maugre the exclama­tions of upstarts Spirits,CHAP. 9. and their conjured ad­herents. Bee not ambitious of a false Prophets shadow; th [...]t is, vulgar applause. Luk. 6.26. Woe unto you, when all men shall speake well of you, for so did their Fathers of the false Prophets. For com­mon folkes have no fancie to that which antiqui­titie and authoritie countenance.

Now beloved thus, whereas there ought to be penall lawes, against Heretickes, Schismatickes, and Vnconformitants, and Rulers by connivence, and not following those Lawes against them, be guiltie of their Perdition. Wittily St. Hierome, Contra Pelagianos lib. 3. Haereticum in­terficit, qui esse Hae­reticum patitur. St Leo Epist. 93. Hee murthers a Hereticke, that tolerates him to bee a Hereticke. Therefore, the powers are to com­pell men to enter Gods house Luk. 14.23. For in this Tertullian is right,Adversus Gnosti­cot, duritia vincenda est, non suadenda. Obstinacie must be infor­ced, not intreated. Hence the defamatorie words, which the Seducted bruite abroad of them that proceed with constancie herein, have the estimate of martyrdome before God. And lest any should sooth themselves, that because they favour not the way, they be not obnoxious, though they block not up the Schismaticall in their pas­sage, let them ponder that of Gerson, Serm ad regem Franciae nomine uni­versitatu Paris — Ego te non puniam, sed infernales Diabo­li te cruciabunt, eos ego non prohibeam. A man that doth not evill but suffers it to be done, God will judge and say; I will not punish thee, but the infernall Devils will plague thee, them will not I hinder.

It is certaine, that under most Christian and most excellent Princes, not onely subordinate Commanders may meete with affronts, if they bee zealous against deceivers, but the greatest [Page 335] and best of Princes be themselves subject to mis­prisions and taunts, if they bee serviceable to CHRIST, and assistant to holy Church, fur­ther then Women and weake judgements ap­prove. Yet for all that, Royall King DAVID, 2. Sam. 6.21, 22. will dance before the Arke, maintaine with all his might the Orders of the holy Church and bee himselfe humble in Gods publike wor­ship; though not alone Damosels of the Coun­trey, but some Ladies of his Court, gave him in glorious for not taking state before God.Non erubuit David foemineas opiniones, nec opprobria apud mulieres subire, pro religiones negotio ve­recndatus est. St. Ambros. epist. 36. DA­VID blusht not to bee sleighted in the opinion of Fe­males, nor shamed hee to under goe reproaches among Women for the matter of Religion. So St. Am­brose, Neither lost hee any renowne by it; for blessed Gregorie is not alone in his admiration,Quid de ejus factis ab aliis sentiatur ig­noro, ego Davidem pius stupeo saltantem quam pugnantem. In Iob. l. 27. c. 27. I wonder more at DAVID dancing, then fighting.

A betting herefies and schismes gets a name, but for a time, whiles the heate of a faction lasts, but defence of the truth winnes everlasting praise. Whence no Writers are so famous, as they that were the hammers of hereticks, St. Austin, St. Hie­rom, St. Cyril, — no Bishops so illustrious as they that were most active against them, S. Athanasius, S. Ambrose, S. Leo,— no Emperours so glorious, as they that most fortified the Church against them, Theodosius, H [...]norius, Martian.

And whereas of all the Sects in Christendome, that deserve but the name of a Church, there is none for the whole constitution thereof, in Do­ctrine, Discipline and Government, more remote from Gods truth and undoubted antiquitie, [...]i in t [...]to [...] faciam nomi­na [...]i. then [Page 336] the Congregation of the Disciplinarian faction and the rest of that adherency. Therefore, no in­dustry, wisdome, power can be better improved, then in purging all Churches of that leaven, and reducing all to uniformity among our selves, and conformitie of the pure and primitive times, nor is any of them to be suffered in his superstitious and crosse way, for that he may be in some things of laudable converse, seeing there scarce ever was Heretick that fained not a singularity of good li­ving to grace with the multitude his innovati­ons, and contrarieties to holy Church, and the Wolfe that appeares in a Sheepes-skinne, is not therefore to be indured in the fold.

I confesse these Novellists take licence to say all they thinke evill, and doe all they presume incon­venient against those that hinder the building of their Babylon, and they have a Creed that admits for articles all the calumnies, which they forge against a Conformist. But for all the mysts that they cast, and dust which they raise, the bright­nesse of their name, who are obedient to God, and his Church, will breake out at length if not be­fore, yet at the day of revelation; nor may wee thinke long to expect that, since our Lord IESVS that sits at the right hand of GOD hath the infi­nite patience to indure his name to be cast out as evill among Infidels and miscreants untill the last day.

CHAP. X. CHAP. 10. Concluding that our utmost glory is in the honour of suffering for Christ.

THe holy martyresses Faith, Hope, and Charitie, uttered a speech consonant to their names,SS Fidei, spei. cha­ritas,— in vit. illa­rum, c. 6. Aug. 1. What can bee more pleasant to Christians then to suffer for CHRIST? Although wee should not have such recompences as are hoped, what excellency of glory doth it not exceed to suffer for him that made us? Iohn, 13.31. The businesse of Suffering is termed glory, because there is no­thing so opprobrious, which suffer'd for God be­comes not glorious. Whence St. Chrysostome I [...] Matth. homil. 8. [...], &c. St. Primas. in Heb. 2. An boni nostri qua­litas ex populi potius pendebit erroribus, quam ex conscientta nostra, & judicio Dei &c. Lactantius, l. 5. c. 12. Wishes to be disgraced and contemned for God, rather then to be honored of all Kings: for there is nothing, nothing at all parallel to that glory. Be wee ready then to sacrifice that repute which consists not with the suffrage of God and right men, and with conscientious discharge of our vocations.

Looke wee to Gods will, and he will see to his owne and our glory. 1. Pet. 4.14. If yee be reproa­ched for Christs sake, happie are yee, the Spirt of glory rests upon you. To credit you by such contumelies and make you a name with God and his people in both Churches, and the spirit of envie cannot reproach so much as the spirit of glory can ho­nour. Hee will tender the respect of his owne gifts and fruits, and convert the shame that is put upon them into praise. Experience ratifies that of Dionysius Carthusianus, Fer. quinta Paschae serm. 4. Tentatio fa­cit hominem etiam in hoc mundo famosum & gloriosum, ita quod alir innitantur ei u [...] sustentamento. And our Lord said to St. Anthony, Quia viri­liter dimicasti in toto orbe te faciam nomi­nari. Tentations make a man [Page 338] famous and glorious even in this world, so that others rest upon him, as a sure stud. Hence the Lord sayes, Rev. 3.12. Him that overcommeth will I make a pil­lar in the temple of my God. Opposition illustrates a Christian, causes notice to be tooke of him, and his graces to spread their pleasant odours farre and neere.

Serm de Vitali & Ʋaleria. Apr. 28. Si­cut unguenta redolere latius nesciunt, nisi commota, et sicut aro­mata fragrantiam su­am non nisi cum incen­duntur expandunt: i­ta Sancti viri, omne quod virtutibus redo­lent, in tribulationi­bus profundunt. Garolus á Basilica S. Petri, in vita Caroli Card Borromaei. l. 2. c. 11. Ex se res adver­saetum misericordiam movent, tum amorem, quod si exitum habe­ant faelicem at (que) mi­rabilem, si cum opini­one Sanctitatis etiam conjungantur, acce­dit non mediocris ve­neratio. As sweet Oyles yeeld not abroad their sent, unlesse they be stirred, and sweet Spices dilate not their fra­grant savour, except they be burned; so whatsoever is o­doriferous in holy men by vertues, they diffuse in their tribulations; which is the Simile of S. Peter Damian. Cant. 1.2. Thy name is as an oyntment powred forth. None have so precious and ample a name, as they that are molested for their righteousnesse and Christianitie. Malice is talkative, and a Here­ticks ill word is a commendation in an Ortho­doxes eare. Adversitie of it selfe moves pitie and love, and if it be fairly borne, and joyn'd with o­pinion of Sanctitie, there accrues no small vene­ration. God alwayes smelt a pleasant smell in a sacrifice of blood, therefore the Spirit of glory rests upon his patients. As Theodore Edissen capi­tulates,Ex 50. Capitulis Theodori Edisseni — juxta proverbium [...]. Give blood, and take Spirit; if hee that gives a cup of cold water shall not lose his re­ward (as St. Bernard inlarges it)St. Bern in Psal. Qui habitat serm. 9. Scimu [...] quis promisit, [...] eum quidem qui pro nomine suo, calicē aquae frigidae dederit s [...]tienti, mercede propria caritarum, nunquid tamen — In retributione aequabitur ei, qui non aquam porrigens, sed sanguinem funden [...], propinatum sibi hiberit calicem salvatoris, &c. ☞ This passage (delivered by me at Norwich in a Sermon without the least alteration) is as I heare, perverted and distorted by Brother B. in his late lawlesse Pamphlet, as if I had stirred up Princes to shed the bloud of Puritanes, and threatned them with Bloud-shedding. what is his glory, that gives a cup of warme blood.

Iohn, 12.24, 25. Except a corne of Wheat fall into the ground and dye, it abides alone, but if it dye it brings forth much fruit. CHRIST'S death was in effectuall order to a glorious life; so the morti­fying what wee hold deare, is the sowing it, to be multiplyed with the large increases of God. Thus as St. Gregory writes,In Evang hom. 32. Frumentum si servas perdis, si seminas re­novas. The saving of Seed is in the sowing, one bushell of Corne well sowne in good ground, is worth tenne in the barne; Christ is no barren soyle in returning what is sowne in him, that which we keepe from Christ in our granaries and custodie, abides it selfe, and in its owne na­ture and corruption, that which we sow in him, alters, augments and fructisies. Psal. 126.5. The righteous sow in teares, beause their crosses have (Sementivam vim) the force of good Seed to pro­duce fruits of righteousnesse and glory. When Gordius was threatned with painesApud St. Basil. serm. in Gordium. [...]. hee lift up a martyrs voyce, Sow many in me, that I may reape manifold, — How much am I damnified, that I cannot many times dye for Christ?

Matth. 10 39. Hee that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Godlinesse is such gaine, that the los­ses therof are above all the findings of the world. I may say with Tertullian, In lib. ad Martyres, si aliqua amisistis vi­tae gaudia, negotiatio est aliquid amittere, ut majora lucre [...]s. If you have forgone a­ny joyes of this life, it is traffique to part with any thing to gaine much thereby. The true way of fin­ding life, liberty, fame, friend, fortune, or what else we most affect, is to lose it in Christ, a dram of credit scatterd and lost in him is worth an ounce,S. Bern. in Psal. 90. Serm. 10. worth a pound in our owne hands, that wee may learne to admit praise and favors in this life with [Page 340] patience and content, as incouragements for be­ginners to make progresse, and not be weary of well-doing, but to embrace reproach and perse­cution; for divine service with desire and com­fort, as a Prophets condition, and state of per­fection in our Lord IESVS, by whom and in whom, glory be to the Father, and to the Sonne, and to the Holy Ghost.