The Aphorisms (Which Are Called Brief Sentences Partly Declaring the Absolute Meaning of the Thing) of the First Precepts
Before all things, seeing it lies not in the power of man to draw the heart of any one unto the faith of one God although any man should pass in persuading Pericles, but it lies only in God the heavenly Father, who doth draw us unto Him. And yet notwithstanding, according unto the saying of the Apostle, faith is by hearing (so that the hearing be the word of God) not truly that the preaching of the word is of so great force, except the Spirit working in us, give us advertisement unto the same. And therefore faith must be instilled with most pure words, and most used to proceed from the mouth of God. And prayers joined unto the same must be made unto Him, who only doth make the faithful, that whom we teach with word, He may illuminate the same with His Spirit.
And perchance it shall not be alien from the purpose of Christ, if we bring the same into the knowledge of God, yea, by things that are visible. As if we call before our eyes, the image of the universal world, declaring or showing with our finger, that all things are subject unto alteration, but it is necessary that He be immutable, and not moved, the which hath conciled all things, (seeing they be so diverse) in so firm and marvelous a concord. And again it ought not to be suspected that He that hath disposed all things with so great a providence, will He after neglect His own handiwork; for as much as amongst mortal men, it is imputed as a vice or blame, if any man be not diligent or careful in the thing that appertaineth unto his house.
Of this, the same our darling shall learn the providence of God, who careth for all things, disposeth all things and preserveth all things. For of the two sparrows that are bought for a farthing, the one falleth not upon the ground unto us, without His counsel. Who also hath numbered the hairs of our heads; nothing utterly is left out of this care. Whereby it is manifest that the same doth determine not only of things whereof the soul hath need, but also the body, seeing we see the rooks so liberally to be entertained by the same, and the lilies also so gaily to be clad.
Hitherto, the mind being rightly furnished or instructed of the providence of God, it cannot be that it may be at any time careful, or out of order stricken with covetousness. The which affect if in our tender age we cut from us, then have we delivered the mind from a great dangerous and hurtful plague.
He shall know truly that God is not only a Lord, but also a Father of all those that believe in Him, that is, of those that trust in Him and that He desireth that we shall come with as much haste unto Him, to crave for help, as unto the parent or father that hath begotten us, and with His proper words hath promised help, because certainly He loveth to be prayed.
Wherefore if the sickness either of mind or of body do vex or grieve you, the remedy must be obtained from Him; if your enemy do trouble you, if envy do oppress you, you must run unto Him. If we covet wisdom or learning we must woo Him for them, yea both wife and children are also to be desired at His hand.
If the increase of goods and honors come a little too plentifully unto us, we must desire of Him, that He will not suffer our mind to be made too tender with them or effeminate, and so to be brought out of the right way.
What need many words? Generally, he shall know that all things are to be asked of Him and he shall think it a wrong, to ask anything of Him, that shall not be condecent for Him to perform, and finally he shall be ashamed either to covet or to have anything the which by Him is not lawful, and he shall only get and lay up in treasure those things that maketh men truly happy.
He shall understand the mystery of the Gospel this ways; he shall know before all other things the state of the first man, that is to say, how he through death is dead again; how after that he had transgressed the precept of God, he infected by his transgress all his posterity. For the dead cannot beget the livish, neither have we ever seen a black Moor born amongst Englishmen. Whereby, this our friend shall know also his disease.
Also by this he doth know, if he do understand how we do all things by the motions of our affects, how God truly is far off from them. Whereby it followeth undoubtedly, that we also should be most clear without all affects if we shall desire to dwell with God. For like as every innocent hath nothing to do with those that are most given unto mischief, and contrary the wicked cannot abide the just. For as those that are of the nature of Nero do bid and command other like unto Seneca to be handled, even so of the contrary, the same tomb doth hide or cover the Emilians with the Scipians; so none other shall inhabit with God, than he that is without spot and holy, as God Himself is holy, and endued with the pureness of heart. For blessed are the pure in heart because they shall see God. But how shall we get so great an innocency, the which are hedged round about with most impure affects? We being held betwixt the hammer and the stithy, for so much as God doth require so great an innocency, we being corrupted, can of ourselves do nothing but vice; whether we will or not we are compelled to yield unto God and to permit all things unto His grace. Here springeth the light of the Gospel.
When we are enclosed with these straits, Christ doth take us out, the which hath delivered us far better, than any great god of the Gentiles that was thought to preserve them, above all things, erecting the conscience near unto desperation, and soon after when by most assured hope He hath joined the same unto Him, making it fortunate. For seeing He is most clear without all blot of all corrupted affects conceived truly of the Holy Ghost, and born of a pure virgin. First to deliver us He did set forth this His innocency for us. For truly He suffered our labors and pains, and afterward He maketh those which undoubtedly believe this, blessed.
For he that shall believe this liberal pardon, granted of God by Christ, unto the miserable kind of mortal man, he shall be saved, and being made the co-heir of Christ, he shall be in joy with the Father everlasting. For He wills that where Himself is, there also His minister shall be.
The innocency of Christ that was put in danger for those that were guilty, yea for the damned, hath absolved us, and hath made us worthy unto God for this cause specially, because He was able to fulfill the manner and measure of the divine justice. For He was most clear without all corrupted affection. And whereas He is such and so great of Himself, that is to say God, yet was He made ours. Whereof it followeth, that His justice (the which only thing we lack) was also made ours. For He was made unto us from God wisdom, justice, holiness and redemption.
Now, by Him we have an entrance unto God. For He is ours, the pledge of the grace of God, our Advocate, our Surety, our Head, Intercessor and Mediator. He is our whole trust and affiance both first and last.
Those that hitherto understand the mystery of the Gospel and trust upon the same, are born of God; for the capacity of man's weakness cannot attain unto so profound a counsel of the grace of God.
Out of this it cometh, that those that are born anew of the Gospel, cannot sin. For every such one as is born of God doth not sin. But he that believeth the Gospel, is born of God; wherefore they do not sin that are born anew of the Gospel. That is to say, the sins are not imputed unto them unto damnation and death because Christ hath redeemed them with the price of His death. For albeit that we (as long as we are in this body traveling as it were in pilgrimage from God) cannot be without affects, and so by that means also, not without sin. Yet Christ notwithstanding because He is ours, doth supply or amend all this our impotency or weakness. For seeing He is God eternal and a Spirit, He is more precious to redeem the sins of all men, than they themselves are able to deserve.
For God truly as He is a substantial form or power that turneth and moveth all things in itself, not being moved, will not suffer him also, whose heart He hath drawn unto Him, to be slothful or idle. The which sentence truly is not known by probations but by use. For only those that are faithful have in experience how Christ giveth no idleness at all unto His servants, and with how glad a spirit and with how much joy they travail and are exercised in this business.
Wherefore, whosoever understandeth the mystery of the Gospel, he goeth about to live well. Wherefore that must be taught as much as may be very purely and diligently.
And this also must as the time requireth be taught, by what kind of means specially we may deserve the favor of God; by those things certainly, which He Himself useth always towards us, by justice, faith and mercy. For seeing God is a Spirit, He can no otherwise be worshipped rightly with any other sacrifice, than with the spiritual sacrifice of an humble mind. Wherefore let our darling or young man bend his intent to this end, how with all maturity he may be a good man; how he may be innocent, and as near like unto God as may be.
He doth good unto all men; he doth hurt no man, except a man first hurt himself. So he that doth study to do good unto all men, and to be every thing unto all men, and doth abstain utterly his hand from all injury, he is most like unto God. These things are hard, if you have an eye unto our own strength, but unto him that believeth, all things are possible.
