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☞Summa ••hi∣losophia, Crucis Sci∣entia.
☜Christi vita, Christiani Phi∣losophia.
His praise is above the earth and the heavens: for he hath exalted the horne of his people.
WHat is his Praise in Heaven and in Earth? Is it be∣cause he praiseth? No, But because all things praise him, all things cry un∣to
to him: the beauty of all things is in some sort the voyce of those which praise the Lord. The Heaven cryeth to the Lord; Thou hast made me, not I my selfe. The Earth cryeth, Thou hast fashioned me, not I my selfe. How then doe these cry? When thou consid••rest these and findest this in these, out of thy consideration they cry, out of thy voyce they cry, His praise is in Heaven and in Earth: Consider the Heaven, it is beautifull: consider the Earth, it is beautifull: both of them are together very beautifull. It is he that made them, he that guides them: it is his command that governs them: It is hee that alters times, supplies moments.
Even Hee of himselfe sup∣plies them. All things there∣fore doe praise him, whether they be in station, or motion, whether they be from Earth below, or from Heaven a∣bove, whether they be in de∣clining or renewing. When thou seest these, and rejoy∣cest in these, and art lifted up in Contemplation to Him that made these, and consi∣derest how these invisible things of his are understood by these which are made, then is His praise in Heaven and in Earth, that is, thou prai∣sest him for things earthly, thou praisest him for things heavenly. And because Hee made all things, and that there is nothing better than Him; whatsoever He made
is below Him, and whatso∣ever seemes pleasing in these, is lesse pleasing than Hee is. Let nothing then so much please thee in these which he hath made, as He himselfe, by whom they were made. But if so thou love this which He hath made, thou art much more to love Him, by whom they were made. If these be so beautifull which He hath made, much more beautifull is Hee by whom they were made. His praise is in Heaven and in Earth, and he shall exalt the horne of his people. Now (in this Vale of teares, and field of tares) is the Horne of his people humbled in threshings, tribulations, temptations, beating of brests. When shall the Horne of his people be exal∣ted?
When the Lord him∣selfe shall come, and our Sun shall arise, not this which is seene with our eyes, and ari∣seth on the good and evill, but even that Sunne whereof it is said,* 1.1 unto you that feare the Lord,* 1.2 shall the Sunne of righ∣teousnesse arise, & health shall be under his wings; and whereof the proud and wicked shall say,* 1.3 The light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us, and the Sunne of understanding rose not upon us. Hee shall bee our Summer. Now, fruits in Winter time appeare not in the root. Thou observest how dry Trees are in winter. He that knows not the observa∣tion of these things, prunes the dry Vine before the fruit come, and, perchance, next
Spring it becomes so dry, as it brings forth neither flower nor fruit, when it should come. Both these are alike in winter, this liveth, that is dead: But the life of this, and the death of that, are both in secret. The Sum∣mer approacheth; life ap∣peareth in this, death is dis∣covered in that. Beauty of leaves precedeth, plenty of fruit succeedeth: the Vine is attired with that beauty in her leafe, which she retains in her root. Therefore, my Brethren, we are now while we are here, in our conditi∣on like other men. Like as they are borne, eat, drinke, live, and are cloathed, and so passe over their life; even so the Saints. Sometimes doe
these things deceive men, whence it is they say, Be∣hold, since this man became a Christian, did his head ne∣ver ake? Or now being a Christian, enjoyes hee more than I doe? O dry Vine! Thou observest the Vine planted neere thee how na∣ked it is in winter, but ne∣ver how dry it is by heat of summer. The Lord our beauty will come, who lay hid in the root; and then will He exalt the horne of his people, after this our captivity wher∣in we mortally live. Whence it is that the Apostle saith, Iudge nothing before the time,* 1.4 untill the Lord come, who will lighten things that are hid in darknesse, and then shall everie man have praise of God. But
thou wilt say, where is any root? where is any fruit? If thou beleevest, thou knowest where thy root is. For there it is, where thy Faith is, where thy Hope and Charity is.* 1.5 Heare the Apostle, for yee are dead: They appeared as it were dead in winter. Heare how they live, And your life is hid (saith he) with Christ in God. Behold, where thou hast thy root! When then shalt thou bee adorned with beauty? When shalt thou be multiplied in fruit? Heare what followeth, When Christ which is our life shall appeare, then shall yee also appeare with him in glory.
Mat. 5.
Malac. 4.
Wisd. 5.
I Cor. 4.
Colos. 3.