The Christians zodiake, or, Twelve signes of predestination unto life everlasting written in Lattin by Ieremie Drexelius.

The Eighth Signe, Of Predestination,

IS an abject opinion of our selves, which beares for its Impressa the Cypresse tree, whith this Motto Ni∣si efficiamini,* 1.1 sicut parvuli non intrabi∣tis in regnum coelorum, Ʋnlesse ye be∣come like one of these little ones, ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdome of Heaven. This tree remaines alwayes fragrant and flourishing, and not one∣ly admits not corruption in it selfe, but also preserves all other things from noysome savours, which are imbalmed with it, and therefore with good reason it serves for the expres∣sion of thi abject opinion of our selues, which both destroyes this worme of pride in us, and preserves us from being rotted and corrupted by selfe∣complacence, a sort of infection of all others most contagious. O di superbos & arceo, &c. J abhorre,* 1.2 and reject the proud, (saith the royall Prophet) neither shall he whose actions savour of any pride, inhabite in the midst of my

House. There is rarely any physick as they say, that is soveraignly medici∣nall indeed, that hath not its mixture of some poyson, or sophisticated drug. This I am sure, there is no vice that is not compounded of some secret pride, as you shall perceive if you but consider them Initium omnis peccati, est superbia,* 1.3 &c. The beginning of every sinne is pride, and he who per∣sists in it shall have his fill of Male∣diction; and it wil be his ruine in the end. Pride is the nuzler of a dan∣gerous wit, and from thence it breaks forth into various and exorbitant vi∣ces at every turne; now of hate, now love, but chiefely of envy, whilst it is obnoxious to the distresses of all casualities, for there are not more anxious, or subject to more continu∣all disquiet, than those who onely co∣vet prayse, but think it absolutely due to their deserts: since they are ever apt to imagine themselves con∣temned, when that debt is not paid to their expectation, and in the mean while, wrea•••• their spight of others contumelies (as they conceit) with fretting and inward repining on themselves. They live in as dar••e an ignorance of others vertues, as of their owne defects, and out of this

swolne arrogancy of theirs, breake with all piety and fidelity, and in a word, with whatsoever should bee most deare unto a man, for a little same and covetousnesse of esteeme. And whereas the subject of other vi∣ces, are but commonly abject and ig∣noble things, that of pride ordinarily is the most excellent, it making a prey of all worthy actions, of eminency in any knowledge, and even of vertue and sanctity it self, much like those little worms which lye gnawing at the coares of every better fruit. A proud man represents the devils man∣ners most unto the life, for as one sought to equallize himselfe unto the highest, so the other will not onely stand in competency, but even seek to be preferred to all Sed nus∣guam non resistit superbis Deu. But God never failes to resist the proud, he can throw him downe with more ease from his highest aymes, than some stout defendant standing upon the battlements of a Tower, doth those who scale the walls, and cut them off with as much facility, as a Gardner crops off with a light hand those little sprouts which shoot out above the rest. Saul in his humility was advanced unto a Throne, from

whence in his pride he was tumbled downe againe. There are some who have a naturall aversion from Cats, spiders, or some particular food It is naturall to God to execrate and abhorre the proud. Abominatio domi∣ni est omnis arrogans, immundus est apud Deum omnis qui exaltat cor suum. As the most contagious diseases doe use to break out in severall parts of man, so pride will not be stinted to any particular place; but now it ex∣presses it selfe in our eyes, now it takes possession of our tongues, it ap∣propriates this mans hands unto its use, in anothers garments it useth to cloath itselfe, and sits with so much settled gravity in a••others carriage as an hundred Preachers could not re∣move it thence: some againe there are, who affect such a kind of careless behaviour, as if you did not know the secret arts they have to professe their pride, and sumptuositi••s in banquets, edifices, their children•• breeding, the splendor of their retinue, and their furniture, you would imagine them sworne enemies of so much vanity. Insomuch, as the very ayre we breath, is pride in all we do, though it be so delicate as it is scarce perceptable. Now we descend even below ab∣jection

it selfe, our words are meere honey and roses, wee utter nothing but the pure silken phrases of the Court, we crouch unto all, to make our way by indirect meanes to rise, and ••aving reached that height once, which we aspired unto, we neither indure equalls, nor superiors. What makes thee so proudly arrogant t••ou silly dust, and a••es, when the least blast of death can scatter all thy greatnesse? In what canst thou re∣ceive such selfe complacence, who stink'st so odiously in the nostrills of men, of Angels, and of God? and whilst thou breathest nothing but earth, (ô limbe of Adam as thou art) thou even poysone•••• the ayre with the stench of Lucifer! But if thou canst be as well deli••hted with the goodly height of the Cypresse, as with its g••atefull smell, thou maist c••imbe up on the condition, that from thence thou reflect a disdainfull eye on none but on thy selfe; and t is is true greatnesse, true magnanimity, to en∣tertaine in high places humble thoughts, and as fast as thou art ex∣alted, to debase thy selfe; and (which is more proper to the Predestinate) to touch heaven with their merits, whilst in their owne conceit they yet lye

groveling on the ground. Divinae gratiae familiaris esse solet humilitas,* 1.4 &c. Betwixt divine grace and hu∣militie (sayes St. Bernard) there is a strait league of friendship. What a sublime humility is that, which ho∣nour cannot remove, nor glory make arrogant? For a despicable person to abase himselfe, is not much, but humilitas honorata; humility in ho∣nour is a rare vertu•• indeed. Doe you heare this O y••e Kings, yee Princes and Potentates of the earth? Do you heare this, ••ou who are no lesse lear∣ned than arrogant, you whose posses∣sions make you despise all other men, Ra••a virtus est humilitas honorata, hu∣mility in honour is a vertue deserving all admiration. It is the proper effect of true humility, to make those con∣demne themselves by their owne ver∣dicts for most unworthines, who in the judgment of heaven are esteemed for grea est sanctity. So Abraham, a man most acceptable to Almighty God, accounted himselfe no other than dust and ashes: St. Peter, the Rock upon whom Christ built his Church, openly and ingenuously, pro∣fessed himselfe a sinfull man St. Paul, that ••••ss••ll of election and Prince of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, reputed himselfe but as

an abortive issue, and unworthy the ti••le of an Apostle. This hold for certaine, the base of all true height and dignity, is no other than humility, and a contemptible opinion of our selves.

The first Paragraph.

PRide is the ruine of all vertues, and the steep precipice of Angels and of men. Good God, what a change, what a commu••ation was then between heaven and earth, when the most glorious amongst Angels was cast headlong downe from hea∣ven to earth, whilst the miserablest po••rest soule on earth was elevated by the hands of Angels unto heaven? Lucifer through his pride did fall from thence, whither poore ulcerous Lazarus was exalted for his humility, who it is credible did not so often number his vertues as his sores; no doubt out of genuine selfe con∣tempt of his, seemed more patient unto all, than unto himselfe, It is a very true and significant saying of a certaine Saint, ••arum valet qui se ali∣quid valere censet, nil penitus valet qui se multum valere autumat. He is worth but littl•• who in his owne

account seems to ••e w••rth any thing, and he nothing at all, who conceits himselfe much worth. With whom St. Bernard doth well accord, where he saith, Omnia ill•• d••sunt, qui nihil sibi deessepu••at, That he wants all, who imagines himselfe to want nothing: And we may add, that they scarcely seeme to be borne for heaven, who whilst they are selfe-conceited of their owne actions, become as sharp censurers of others lives, as they are foolish admirers of their owne; and whilst with an affected blindness they bleare their owne judgements of themselves, can never judge aright of other men. Out upon this vanity! Can we think that heaven will ever give admittance unto such pride as this? no, it is onely for the predesti∣nate, who censure nones lives so ri∣gorously as their owne: who oftner ••••t in judgement on their owne man∣ners, than on other mens, and are so farre mo••e severe unto them elves than to all besides, as they easily par∣don others, never themselves, when they have d••ne amisse. Miserable as we are•• ••ho being but dust and sha∣dow s dayly gliding away after those who are v••nished before, can yet glory in our own Progenitor, & sh••w ong

ranged statutes of our Ancestours, as if he were a man who can number more men of his linage past. Homo vanitati simil s factus est, die ejus sicut umbra praetereunt. Man is become like unto vanity, and his dayes doe vanish away like a shadow. Where∣soever we reflect our eyes, we finde cause sufficient to dissolve them into teares. If we fixe them on heaven, whilst we behold our Country aloof we cannot but consider our selves in banishment,; if on earth, it is but the upbraiding remembrance of our grave, and however we betrample it for the present with our feet, it makes full account to have the disposure of our heads at last: finally, if on our selves, O what a fair and ruddy fruit! but alas all worme-eaten within; where ordour, stench, corruption, death it selfe have taken their lod∣gings up. If we con i••er our owne hearts, what a foule abysse, and depth it is, all beset with knotted beds of Snakes and Add rs? woe, woe's us, we even swarme with vices, and yet cannot cont••mne our ••elves: we bee oppr ssed with a world of follies, miserie, and sinnes, and ye•• aff ct the reput••tion of wise, happy, learned, and holy men. The predestinate the

while convert all this unto their grea∣ter profit, & out of the considerations of their daily actions and themselves, doe draw forth motives of their own contempt These can easily with St. Paul be induced to slight and con∣temne all other things, who have first learned to slight and contemne themselves. This b••ing so, whosoe∣ver desires to be truely happy indeed, must procure to take diligently out this lesson of his owne contempt; from whence he is to proceed (ex∣cepting God) to contemne all other things. The Predestinate can best relish that excellent saying of Saint Chrysostome,* 1.5 Minimum de se sensisse tam m••gram est, quam es maximas fe∣cisse, It is as great matter for a man to account but little of himself as to have exployted mighty things. As also that of our Saviour Christ, he who aspires to be greatest among you, shal be the least in the Kingdome of heaven (if ever they arrive to so much happi∣nes) They are not ignorant how the way of humility is craggy and paine∣full at the first, but afterwards it be∣comes more easie and delightsome. They know there rests ••f their jour∣ney but this one steep ascent, and so gratefull unto all who direct them on

their way, they climb it up with all alacrity. They love to be contemned, they affectionately imbrace the occa∣sions, they reioyce to see themselves despised, and more insult over them∣selves in the meane time, than any e∣nemy. These when they are injured are so far from revenging their quar∣rell by the sword, as they utter not a word in their owne defence. H••re none stretches forth an arme, or bran∣disheth a sword to vindicate a wrong, as knowing the more profit redounds unto them, the more they are con∣temned. The predestinate only know, as ••en deeply read in the schoole of Christ our Saviour, that they are ne∣ver the worse for m••ns deriding, nor lesse for t••eir contemning them Tan∣tus est unusquisque,* 1.6 quantus est in oc∣culis Dei: A man is no more than just as hee appeares in God Almighties eye: non pilo major, &c. not a haire greater, neither doth God judge by mens esti∣mation. When we seeme little to our selves we seeme great to God, and then least to him when we ap∣peare the greatest to our selves. The deeper a Well is, the more purer is it water: and the mo••e vile esteem one conceiveth of himself, the more gratefull he is unto Almighty God:

All which seems eminent in us, is to be abased, our high spirits level ed with the ground, an•• the universall fabrick of our pride buried under the heaps of our miseries, ignorances, and imperfections. Musk, as they say, having lost its savour, by being bu∣ryed in some stink••ng dunghill reco∣v••rs it gaine; and so if we ••ut true∣ly enter into the consideration of our owne vilenesse and surquedy, we shal exhale not any such odour as we did before, but that of the amendment of our selves, the onely conducing meanes to our salvation.

The second Paragraph.

A Holy religions man being de∣manded once, which in his opi∣nion was the most expeditious way to heaven, answered. Si se homo sem per accusat. For a man ever to accuse himselfe.* 1.7 And this according to St. Augustine, is the very sum of all Christian learning: and St Ambrose avouches,* 1.8 Signum electorum est, male de ••e sentire, & vulnus suum agnosce∣re. That it is an infallible signe of the ••lect when one ackn w edges his infirmities, and thinks contemp∣tibly of himselfe: on the contrary,

Reproborum est proprium semper prava agere,* 1.9 & nunquam quae egerint retra∣ctare, &c. sayes St. Gregory, It is the custome of the reprobate to bee al∣wayes committing evill, and never wil∣ling to amend their wickednesse, but they passe over all they doe in the blindnesse of their minds, and nothing but punishment can make them sen∣sible of the harme they doe; whereas the elect doe dayly trace out their actions to the very fountaines head of those thoughts, from whence they sprung. Neither for this are they ever the more secure, since they know there are many things may escape their ob∣servation, which onely the all-sear∣ching eye of Almighty God perceives. The Sonne of Syrach counsailes us,* 1.10 quanto magnus es humilia te in omnibus & coram deo invenies gratiam. The greater thou art, humble thy selfe the more in every thing, and thou shalt finde grace before Almighty God; seeing the power of God is onely great, and hee is honoured in the humble. Assuredly among all others it is the greatest perfection to have a true knowledge of our owne imperfe∣ctions, and that soule merits more of true praise, in understanding it selfe,

than in neglecting that, to know the course of the Starres, the li∣mits of the Earth, the vertues of Plants, the abstruse sublimity of Heaven, and the Earths unfatho∣med profundity:* 1.11 Wouldst thou con∣trive some edi••••ce of eminent altitude? thinke first of laying the foundation in Humility; all naturally aspire un∣to the top, but Humil ty is the fi st st••p unto it. Our Co••ntrey is high, the way unto it low; and who can seriously wish to arrive unto it, who refuseth to goe the way? But alas, it is a misery, which Saint Hierom doth worthily deplore,* 1.12 Multi humilitatis umbram, veritatem pauci sectantur, that many follow the shadow of hu∣mility, but few the substance; few in∣deed, but those few ••nely happy, those few of the Predestinate, who the more they behold, the more they disl••ke themselves; and those the more pretious in the eyes of God, the more they appeare contemptible in their ow••e Qui minus se vident,* 1.13 mi∣nus sibi displicent, sayes Saint Gregory. Those who least consider themselves, are those who displease themselves the least. Many whilst they know many things are ignorant of themselves, and

in Gods eyes seeme the lesse the grea∣ter they seeme in their owne. To con∣clude, the best and safest ascent to Al∣mighty God, is by the way of the knowledge of our owne unworthi∣nesse; and Cassiodorus said excellent well,* 1.14 descendendo coelum ascendi∣tur, That by descending wee ascend to heaven.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matth 18.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 101.
• * 1.3

  Eccl. 10.
• * 1.4

  Hom. 4. su∣pra missus est.
• * 1.5

  Hom. 3. in Mat.
• * 1.6

  1. Kin••s 16.
• * 1.7

  Lib de virg. c. 31.
• * 1.8

  Lib de virg. c. 31. A pol. de dau. c. 9.
• * 1.9

  In. c. 5. Iob.
• * 1.10

  Eccl. 3.
• * 1.11

  Aug.
• * 1.12

  Hier. epist. 27.
• * 1.13

  Greg. lib. 33 ••oral. c. 5.
• * 1.14

  Psal. 6.