said The things that please him I do alwayes Ioan. 8. And the like did the Apostle the true imitatour of Christ saying 2. Cor. 5. We striue whether we be ahsent or present to please him This perfect renunciation and disclayming from all things which a man possesseth or desires to possesse this abnegation of a mans selfe that he may serue only God is the true Pryce of Paradise Neither followeth it that who giueth himselfe away after this manner that he may buy Paradise doth loose himselfe but most truly most happily he doth find himselfe according to those words of our Lord Matth. â—0 He that loseth his life for me shall find it He that hateth his life in this VVorld doth keep it to life euerlasting But because this Wisdome is hidden from the wyse and prudent men of this wor d who truly are fooles in the sight of God and because the number of fooles is infinite therefore many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22. OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder Parabolicall Names THE FIFTH BOOKE Of a Treasure hidden in the field CHAP. I. HITHERTO I haue written so far forth as God hath vouchsafed to dictate to me in my Meditations of the felicity of the Saints vnder the name of those places which they do inhabit I meane vnder the places of the kingdome of Heauen of the Citty of God of â—he House of our Lord and of the Para◠〈◊〉 â—elights and Pleasures I will in this next place add something concerning the same Felicity vnder the name of such Things to the which our Lord in Parables hath compared the Felicity of Saints And heere in the beginning it is to be aduertized that those Words of our Lord The kingdome of Heauen is like c. the which our Lord doth commonly vse are not euer referred to the Words immediatly following As where our Lord sayth The kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a Merchant man he meaneth not that the Kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a Merchant man but he referreth those words to the whole Narration in which by way of similitude the way to the Kingdome of Heauen is demonstrated And further we are to obserue that the Kingdome of Heauen is sometimes in the Parables described more obscurely at other tymes more clearely and sometimes not touched at all I wil explicate the seuerall members of this diuision Whereas our Lord in S. Matthew setteth downe the Parable of the sower he describeth the fruite which the Preaching of the Ghospell bringeth forth according to the diuers dispositions of the earth and this he calleth the Mistery of the Kingdome of God but touching the Beatitude of the Saints he speaketh nothing But where our Lord in the same place doth add the Parable of the Cockle he briefly toucheth the felicity of Saints when he sayth that the good Seede or wheat is to be gathered vp into the barne of our Lord and the Cockle to be tyed togeather and burned But when in the same Chapter he relateth the Parables of him that sought for good Pearles and of him that did find the Treasure hidden in the field then more perspicuously he compareth the Kingdome of God to a Pearle and to a Treasure And of this third kind among the Parables of our Lord I find only six One of a Treasure hidden in a field another of a precious Margarite or Pearle The third of the daily Penny the fourth of the Lord or Mayster distributing the Talents The fift of a Great supper the sixt of a Mariage To the which we will adioyne two similitudes out of the Apostle the one of those who runne in a race the other who fight or stryue for the Maistery So as there shal be eight Considerations touching the Blessed life of the Saints deduced from Parabolicall Names or Titles The first Parable then is taken from S. Mathew cap 13. The kingdome of heauen is like to a Treasure hidden in a field VVhere our Lord teacheth how it may be gotten when he sayth Which when a man hauing found did hide it and for ioy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field Treasure signifieth a great aboundance of gould siluer and precious stones as Paulus the Ciuill Lawyer teacheth de acquir rerum dom L. Nunquam this Treasure ought to be so ancient as that there remayned no memory therof before and therfore it hath no proper Lord but belongeth by right to him that findeth it This Treasure in S. Mathew is the Diuinity it selfe which is hid in the field of the Humanity of Christ as S. Hilarius and S. Ierome in Com. cap. 13. Matth. do rightly expound For in Christ as the Apostle sayth all the Treasures of the knowledge and VVisdome of God are hidden Now the Diuinity is the most true Treasure of all goods and is indeed so ancient since it is eternall and did precede all Ages as that there can be no former memory of it extant Neither had this Infinite Treasure any proper Lord to own it for it selfe is the Lord of all things Neuerthelesse this Treasure of the Diuinity is said to belong to the right of them that find it because God giueth himselfe freely to those who by selling all their substance and Goods earnestly labour to acquire purchase him It is further said to be had as it were and digged in a field to wit in the Humanity of Christ for although the Diuinity be euery where yet it is in no place so properly and peculiarly as in the Humanity of Christ to the which it is so vnited as that one and the same Person is both God and Man And therefore the Apostle sayth 2. Cor 5. God was in Christ reconciling the VVorld to himselfe And though the Diuinity be in no place more then in the Humanity of Christ notwithstanding it seemeth to be so hid therein as that it is needfull to vse a light or candle to demonstrate and shew God to be in Christ And this light was S. Iohn Baptist who as S. Iohn writeth cap. 5. was the lampe burning shining Of whom Dauid in the Person of God the Father did thus prophesy Ps 131. I haue prepared a Lampe vnto my Christ. For S. Iohn Baptist did manifest Christ and did shew that he was God and the only begotten sonne of God when he said Ioan. 1. God no man hath euer seene the only begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared And againe He that commeth from Heauen is aboue all And a litle after The Father loueth the Sonne and he hath giuen all things in his hand he that belieueth in the sonne hath life euerlasting but he that is incredulous to the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God remaineth vpon him Ioan. 3. But although this burning and shining Lampe did manifest Christ openly to be the Sonne of God neuerthelesse the blinded Iewes could not at least would not acknowledge the
noyse or Watchword shal be heard Behould the Bridegrome commetg goe you forth to meete him Math. 25. they with incredible ioy may presently run to meete him and enter into the Mariage place with him But woe to them who being forgetfull of so great a Busines and are deafe to the words of holy Srciptures who hauing their Lamps put forth are found sleeping and thereby being excluded from the most pleasing and most delightfull Mariage they shall in vayne cry out Lord Lord open to vs. Matth. 25. Of the Price or Reward CHAP. VII THe Parabolicall Names which do occur in the Ghospell being explicated it remayneth that we vnfould the Names vsed by the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians which are Brauium A Pryze or Reward Corona a Crowne Of Braâ—iuÌ„ or Prize the Apostle thus then speaketh They that runne in the race all do runne indeed but one receaueth the Prize So runne you that you may obtaine And that in this place by the Word Prize or Reward the celestiall Beatitude is vnderstood the same Apostle teacheth in his Epistle to the Philippians cap. 3. saying Forgetting the things that are behind but stretching forth my selfe to those that are before I pursue vnto the marke to the praise of the supernall vocation of God in Christ Iesus Therefore we see there is a Prize or Reward in Heauen to the which God doth call vs through Christ Iesus Now although the Prizes which the Princes of the vvorld are accustomed to propose be of no extraordinarie valew or worth Notwithstanding the Celestiall Prize must of necessity in euery respect be of greatest estimation And this whether thou considerest God who doth propose the Prize he being of infinit Power and magnificence of whom the Prophet thus speaketh Psal 8. Thy magnificency hath ascended aboue the Heauens or els the Persons that do runne and striue to whom the Pryze is set forth who are his Sonnes and the Brethren of Christ vvhome doubtlesly the King their Father would not haue inuiâ—ed to runne if the Prize or Reward were not of that Worth and dignity as that the Sonnes of God might worthily desire and couet it But it importeth muâ—h to shew what it is to runne for the Prize and with what art and skill we may so run as we may wynne or obtaine the same To runne for the Prize is entirely to obserue and keep the Commandements of our Lord God For stadium or a Raâ—e heere signifieth the Law of God eueÌ„ as Dauid witnesseth in those words Ps 118. Blessed are the immaculate in the way which walke in the law of our Lord c. I ran the way of thy Commandements when thou didst dilate my hart Therefore they who run the way of the Commandements do runne in a Race for a Prize or Reward To proceede the skill of running so as that vve may arriue to and obtaine the Prize comprehendeth three Documents The first is that we do not decline or depart any vvay from the Race for he vvho leaueth the Race although he may runne speedily yet he shall neuer gaine the Prize since not to the Prize or reward but to some other Vnceâ—taine scope he directeth his Course The which errour the Apostle testifiâ—th that he diligently auoyded saying 1. Cor. 11. I do so runne not as it were at an vncertaine thing VVhat then is it to runne out of the place of the Race It is not to runne in the way of the Commandements but in running to decline either to the right or left hand To instance this The Law sayth Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Leuit. 19. VVho so loueth his neighbour as himselfe runneth in the Race and runneth for the Pryze But who so passionatly and vehemently loueth his Neighbour as that for his sake he is not affraid to offend God thus making of a man an Idoll this man declineth to the right hand and running out of the Race runneth not for the Pryze but for some vncertaine thing And by how much he more swiftly runneth in heaping benefits and fauours vpon that Person whome he hath erected to himselfe as an Idol so much the more he erreth and further departeth from the Prize or Reward But he who lesse loueth his Neighbour then he ought to do as when he seeth him to be oppressed with want and penury and yet shutteth his bowells of mercy and commiseration from him as S. Iohn speaketh this man strayeth to the left hand and neither doth he runne in the race neither runneth he for the Pryze although many other good Workes he may seeme to do Therefore we ought to loue our neighbour as our selfs That is we ought so to beare our selfs towards our Neighbour as we expect our neighbour should comport and beare himselfe towards vs And this is to loue our neighbour neither more nor lesse then our selfs For thus doth our Lord God who gaue this Precept explicate the same Math. 7. Luc. 6. And what I haue here spoken of loue of our Neighbour being an affirmatiue Commandement the same vve may speake of Negatiue Commandements For who stealeth another Mans goods declineth to the right hand of that Commandement Thou shalt not steale and strayeth from the race But he vvho doth not steale another mans Goods but maketh profusion and wast of his owne Substance and state such an one declineth towards the left haÌ„d in like sort goeth out of the race For a Iust man who only remaineth in the race doth no lesse depart from the race if he violently take other mens goods as if he did vainly wast his owne Because the Vertue of Liberality which belongeth to Iustice is encompassed with two opposite Vices being extremes to wit Auarice and Effusion or Prodigalitie The summe and Conclusion of all this is that he who will remaine in the Race ought altogeather to auoyde mortall sinne Another document is that he vvho desireth to obtaine the Prize do runne swiftly and constantly He runneth swiftly or speedely vvho with an ardent and feruerous vvill keepeth the precepts according to that of the Prophet Psal 111. Blessed is the man that feareth our Lord he shall haue great delight in his Commandements As also of that other sentence of the Apostle In spirit feruent seruing our Lord. Rom. 12. He runneth Constantly vvho is neuer weary with running nor euer ceaseth from running knowing that it is written He that perseuereth vnto the End shal be saued Matth. 10. And truly these tvvo actions I meane to runne spedily and not to be weary or not to intermit running seeme to be meere Contraries and hardly compatible togeather For he who runneth speedily is quickly tyred But he who will not be vvearied runneth a slow space and vvith moderate gate perseuers in his running This thing is true and therefore few they are who do arriue and gayne the Pryze or Reward For it is most necessary that he who coueteth to gaine the Prize doth runne speedely and incessantly
said not because thou wert a sinner and hatefuâ—l to God it was needfull that thou shouldst be punished with blindnes and pouerty But the Angell said Because thou art gratefull to God as being a iust and holy man therefore as a liuing stone designed to the celestiall edifice it was necessary that thou shouldst suffer the hammer of Persecution Which of the Prophets escaped Persecution and Iniuries comming from the wicked What torments did not the blessed children of the Machabees endure But let vs heare the Apostle touching this point preaching of the Saints of the Old Testament They had triall of mockery and stripes and also of bands and prisons They were stoned they were hewed they were tempted they died in the slaughter of the sword They went abroad in Sheep-skins in Goate-skins needy in distres afflicted of whome the world was not worthy wandering in deserts in mountaines and dennes and in the Caues of the earth Heb. 11. And now ô Christian Soule what canst thou reply hereto If the hammer of the builder did not spare those Men of whome the world through their eminent sanctity was not worthy that thereby they might be squared laboured and made fit for the celestiall Edifice what then shall become of thee and such as are lyke to thee to whome sinne is pleasing and gratefull but all pennance satisfaction for sinne most grieuous and vngratefull One of these two fortunes perforce thou must vndergo to wit eyther thou must be hammered in this life or in Purgatory or els thou shalt not haue any place in that sublime building but in lieu thereof the hammer of Hell for all eternity shal be striking vpon thee Why then O poore Soule wilt thou not rather suffer to be wrought fayre polished in this life through a short and sleight tribulation then in the next lyfe to be reprobated and cast into that place where thou must suffer an euerlasting and intollerable pressure and bruising of the hammer Neither oughtest thou to sleight or litle regard the Purgatory-refyning and hammering in the lyfe to come since that punishment though not eternall is most grieuous and oftentimes of longer continuance then any Paine of this life Heare S. Austin in Psal 37. discoursing of this point Dicitur suluus eris sic tamen quasi per ignem c. It is said Thou shalt be saued as it were by fyar And because it is sayd thou shalt be saued therefore this fyar is contemned and yet is more insupportable then any thing which man can suffer in this lyfe Thus this holy Father who further addeth that the paines of Purgatory do exceed all punishments inflicted vpon Theeues and other malefactours as also all the torments of the Martyrs Therefore such men are euen fooles and depriued of all true Iudgement who contemne the fyre of Purgatory and do abhorre all tribulations of this present lyfe But obserue how other fathers conspire with S Austin herein S Bernard thus writeth Know you this that such sinnes which are in this lyfe neglected shall be punished a hundred tymes more in the purging places euen till the very last farthing be payed serm de obitu Humberti Monachi To conclude S. Anselm in these words agreeth with the former father Sciendum est quia grauior est ille ignis c. VVe are to know that this fyre is more insufferable then any thing which man can endure in this lyfe For all the torments heere vpon Earth are more sufferable and easy And yet men for the auoyding of those paynes here will performe any labour whatsoeuer imposed vpon them How much better then is it more profitable to do those things which God commaÌ„ds vs that thereby we may not suffer those other paines farre more horrible and grieuous Ansel in explicat cap. 3. ad Cor. 1. Of flying from the Citty of the World CHAP. XII NOw hauing explicated the structure and building of the Citty of God it remaineth that we briefly shew what is chiefly requisite that men may be ascribed and admitted Citizens into this most happy Citty This may be declared euen in one word to wit that we doe renounce and disclaime from the Citty of this World and that in the meane time we liue here as strangers or pilgrims for it is impossible for vs to be both Citizens of this world and Citizens in the Heauenly Citty And a man no sooner giueth by disclayming from it his last farewell to this World but that he is instantly admitted into the bosome of the Citty of God But let vs stir more fully the earth or mould about the roote of this point Well then there are two Citties set downe and declared to vs in the Holy Scripturs The Earthly Citty which began in Cain who first vpon earth builded a Citty as we reade in the booke of Genesis cap. 4. And the Celestiall Citty taking its beginning in Abel of which Citty not Abel but God was the Builder and Workman as aboue we haue shewed out of the Apostle Heb. 11. Babylon the Great which signifieth the Confusion was a figure of that Citty of the world And Ierusalem which is called Vifio Pacis was the type of this Heauenly Citty which is the Citty of the supreme King The Cittizens of the earthly Citty are those who not only in body but in soule doe inhabite the earth who euen adore the earth who gape after earthly pleasures and profitts who tumultuously fight and striue for them finally who are wholly drowned in the pursuite thereof The Prince of this Citty is the Diuell who being cast out of the Celestiall Citty first possessed the Tyranny of the earthly Citty for though our Lord approaching were vnto his Passion said Ioan. 12. Now is the iudgment of the world Now the Prince of this world shall be cast forth and accordingly our Lord did truly driue him forth with the staffe of his Crosse and through the said Crosse did triumph ouer him according to those words of the Apostle Coloss 2. Spoyling the Principalities and Potentates haue led them confidently in open shew triumphing ouer them in himselfe notwithstanding this is not so to be vnderstood as if the Diuel were wholly cast out of this world or had lost all Principality thereof but that he is caâ—t out from all those and among all such hath lost his dominion and Empyre as haue ranged themselues vnder Christ and who flying out of the terrene City are designed to the Heauenly That the Diuell exerciseth his rule and gouerment yet in this Citty of the world the Apostle teacheth when he saith Our wrestling is not against flesh and bloud but against Princes and Potentates against the rulers of the world of this darknesse Ephes 4. Therefore as yet Sathan with his ministers hath h s rule and gouerment in this world and is Prince thereof I meane of worldly men and Cittizens of the earthly Citty of which world S. Iohn saith cap. 5. The whole world is set in
worldly felicity can delight them and thus the only remembrance and expectation of future ioyes is sufficient in this their banishment to comfort them I hold it conuenient to close vp this Booke with the words of S. Austin that such who will not perhapps belieue me may not doubt to giue credit vnto so great and worthy a man This Father in these following words doth expresse which is the true note of the inhabitants of the Citty of the world and of the Citty of God Thus he then writeth Omnes qui terrena sapiunt c All those who are wholly immersed in earthly affayres All who doe preferre a temporary felicity before God All who seeke after their owne things not after those of Iesus Christ doe belong vnto thâ—t one Citty which mystically is called Babylon and which hath the Diuell for their King But all such others who bend their labours to things which are supernall and aboue who are euen absorpt in the meditation of Celestiall matters who liue in this world with all sollicitude and care that they doe not offend God or sinne who sinning are not ashâ—med to confesse their offences finally who are humble meeke holy iust pious good All such I say belong to that one Citty which hath Christ for its King Thus faâ—re Saint Austin in explicat Psal 61. OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Title of the House of God THE THIRD BOOKE That all the Blessed are the Domesticks and Sonnes of God CHAP. I. I Reioyced in these thinges which were said to we VVe shal go into the House of our Lord sayth the Royall Prophet Psal 121. Certainly it is a great and ineffable cause of reioycing for a good and faithful seruant after he hath painefully laboured in the Vineyard or hath multiplyed his Talents through negotiation and trafficke or as first hath gained the Prize in the race or hath deserued the Crowne in warre spirituall fight or hath diligently fed the sheep committed to his charge couragiously and valiantly defending them from wolues for then such a man after the accomplishment of all these his labours doth with all alacrity cheerfulnes enter into the House of his Lord. But let is first consider why that is called a House which a litle before was called a Citty Truly we cannot thinke that the cause of this appellation is that this House is strait or narrow and therefore doth deserue the name of a Citty since indeed it is of that largenes as that in greatnes it giueth not place to any Citty or Kingdome Giue eare to what the Prophet Baruch cap. 3. by way of acclamaaion speakes hereof O Israel how great is the House of God and how great is the place of his Possession It is great and hath no end Why then may not so great a House iustly be called a Citty The first reason heerof then is because the blessed though they be spred throughout the Kingdome of Heauen are the domesticks and familiars of our Lord. For perhaps a man might imagine that if mention were made only of a Kingdome or of a Citty that many might be in the Kingdome of Heauen and in the Citty of God who did neuer see God nor were euer admitted to speake or haue any entercourse with God but onely by the mediation of other greater Saints But because the matter standeth farre otherwise and that all the Saâ—nts do euer see God do coÌ„uerse with him and do speake to him face to face whether they be the supreme Seraphims and Cherubims Patriarches Apostles Prophets inferiour Angels and the lowest Saints For euen of our Angels Gardians who belong to the least degree of Angells our Lord thus saith Matth. 18. Their Angels in Heauen alwayes do see the face of my Father which is Heauen And the Apostle writing to the Ephesians cap. 4. auerreth that all the Saints are not only the Citizens of God but euen the domestick friends of God Therefore from hence I inferre that the habitation of the Saints is not only called a Citty but also a House There are doubtlesly diuers MaÌ„sions in Heauen to wit greater and lesser there are also seuerall Crownes some more illustrious others not so illustrious according to the disparity and inequality of merits neuertheles all those Cittizens are blessed and happy and are cleane in hart and replenished with Charity We may then from hence coÌ„clude that there is no Saint who is not in that ceâ—estiall house and who seeth not God and conuerseth not with him as a domesticall and familiar friend howsoeuer contrary heerto in other Kingdomes and Citties there are many who neuer see the King and most few they are to whome he vouchsafes any speach or familiarity Another reason why the Citty of God is called a House may seeme to be in that in a Citty many do see the King and do speake to him yet all those are not the Domesticks Sonnes heyres of the King but only those who dwelling in the Kings Pallace are acknowledged by the King for such But now in the Kingdome of Heauen and in the Citty of God all the Saints whether oâ— higher or low degree are truly the Domestickes of God and Brethren of Christ by reason heerof they are linked togeather in the strait coniunction of fraternity or brotherhood so as the Superiours among them do not contemne their inferiours neither with them is any coÌ„tention or malignity For when our Lord did teach the Pater noster that chiefe Prayer which is daily to be recited he in these words excluded not any man and when at the day of Iudgement he shall say Come you Blessed of my Father possesse you the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation the VVorld Matth. 25. he shall not except any out of this most confortable inuitation And when the Apostle said to the Romans cap. 8. whosoeuer are gouerned with the spirit of God those are the Sonnes of God and if Sonnes Heyres also Heyres truly of God and Coheires of Christ He in these words shutteth out no man whether great or litle so that he enioyeth the Spirit of God and will suffer himselfe to be sterned and guided therewith Which one Point is doubtlesly common to all the regenerate in Christ perseuering in Fayth Hope Charity In like sort S. Peter 1. Pet. 1. promiseth to all the regenerate an incorruptible inheritance incontaminate and not decaying being reserued in Heauen To conclude S. Iohn without any exception thus preacheth to all the iust See I pray what manner of Charity the Father hath giuen vs that we should be named and be the Sonnes of God 1. Ioan 3. From all this then we gather that the Place of habitation of the Saints is a House and not only a Citty or Kingdome in which house all are Domestickes Sonnes and heyres of the great King and all of them are beloued of God as Sonnes and of Christ as brethren that they may by good right say with the
or signe of Christ both as he is the Sonne of God also as he is the Sonne of the Virgin For as the Pearle is ingendred of the light of the Sunne and of the dew of Heauen as Pliny in the place aboue cited and others do teach so also the Sonne of God according to his Deity is begotten of the Father of lights who is an increated Sunne and therefore it is said in the Creed Light of Light True God of true God And the same Christ according to his Humanity is begotten of the dew of Heauen because he was conceaued of the Holy Ghost and not of the seed of man To conclude the Pearle is whyte cleare solid pure light and round In like sort the Humanity of Christ much more incomparably his Diuinity is whyte through its innocency lucid or cleare through its wisdome solid for its cōstancy pure as being without spot light in regard of its sweetnes and mildnes round in that it is of ech syde perfect Now the Pearle in the Gospell is not found by chance but it is sought after diligently by the prudent Merchant Neither doth this Parable contradict the former in which the Treasure is said to be found by chance for both these Points are true but in diuers persons And therefore our Lord euen out of a diuine prudence did adioyne this later Parable to the former lest it might be thought to happen to all men to light vpon the Treasure vnexpectedly and casually For God doth illuminate some men vpon a sudden with singular or speciall grace so as they neither seeking nor coueting nor thinking thereof do notwithstanding arriue to truth of Fayth to a most ardent Charity yea to a certaine hope of obtayning eternall lyfe And these men may be said to find this Treasure by chance although God not by chance but through his Eternall Prouidence did preordayne them to this grace and to future Glory Now other men God doth indeed preuent with his Grace but he doth not presently show to them the Treasure but as it were breaths into them a desire of seeking the Truth making them carefull Merchants and helping and directing them vntill they find the Precious Pearle We may glasse this different proceeding of God in S. Paul and S. Austin S. Paul did not seeke the true Treasure which is Christ but did persecute Christ as a seducer and the Christians as men seduced And when he was in his iourney Breathing forth threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of our Lord Christ did appeare vnto him and withall did blynd the eyes of his body that he might illuminate the eyes of his hart and this with so great a splendour and brightnes as that instantly he became of a Persecutour a Preacher And although this by a happy chance did fall vnto him yet that which was chance to S. Paul was Prouidence in God For thus himselfe speaketh to the Galatians cap. 1. You haue heard of my conuersation sometime in Iudaisme that aboue measure I persecuted the Church of God and expugned it and profited in Iudaisme aboue many of myne Equalls in my Nation being more abundantly an Emulatour of the Traditions of my Fathers But when it pleased God that separated me from my Mothers wombe and called me by his Grace to reueale his Sonne in me that I should Euangelize him among the Gentills incontinently I condescended not to flesh and bloud c. Therefore S. Paul euen from the wombe of his Mother was separated by diuine Prouidence that he should preach the Ghospell of Christ notwithstanding he did not find the precious Pearle or the Treasure in the field but the Treasure did of it selfe offer it selfe vnto him caused it to be beloued of him with so an inflamed Charity as that he spared no labour but exposed himselfe to all dangers prizing all things as dung so that he might gaine Christ Phil 3. But now S. Austin did tread contrary steps to the Apostle herein for euen from his youth he began to burn with desire of fynding out this precious Pearle that is true wisdome eternall Felicity For when he fel into the Sect of the Manichees he much laboured with himselfe in searching and disputing with others how he might fynd the Euāgelicall Truth And whē as he found nothing in that Sect but fabulous and lying Narrations h◠almost despayred of finding the Truth though he had spēt many yeares in the search therof For thus himselfe speaketh lib. 6. Confess c. 6. I descended euen into the depth of the sea and I did distrust and despayre of fynding out the Truth Yet it pleased God that at length he should find out the precious Pearle And then without any delay selling all his substance that is abandoning the desire of mariage with which he was most forcibly with-houlden and contemning all lucre and honours to which he afore had enslaued himselfe he vvholy for euer after espoused himselfe to the obedience and seruice of God this therfore is the cause why our Lord in the first Parable compared the Kingdome of Heauen to a Treasure found without labour and by chance and in the later Parable resembled it to a Pearle found out by the merchant with great labour trauell and study Now this one thing remaineth I meane that a Christian Soule do seriously ponder with it self in the sight God setting aside all other businesse for a tyme what kind of traffique this is how profitable and easy during this time and how difficult or rather impossible vvill it be if once the occasion of the present Market be let slip lost Doubtlesly the children of this VVorld would not pretermit occasion of buying a Pearle vvhich might be sould for many thousands of Crovvnes of gold and yet novv at the present Fayre might be bought for one hundred only of siluer although they should be forced to take vp the momoney at excessiue Vse And shall then the Children of light be so imprudent and negligent as that they cannot be induced to buy that Pearle vvhich shal enrich and beautify them for all Eternity vvhen as they need not neither take vp siluer at vse nor yet run vp and dovvne for enquiry of the price of the Pearle but it may beholdē as sufficiēt freely to giue that vvhich they haue although all their substance arriue not to two Myres Therfore O Lord God let thy light shyne in our Harts giue to vs a desire to know the valuable pryce and Worth of this thy Pearle and withall the vtility of that pryce which is exacted of vs that so we may obtaine the Pearle Adde O Lord to our Mercies that thou wilt not in vaine shew to vs so rich a Pearle And thou who hast said Cast not your Pearles before Swyne Matth. 7. so worke in vs by thy grace that if at any tyme we haue beene like to swyne in not knowing the dignity and worth of this thy Pearle but preferring ackornes and husks before it we may
the Deuill had afore violently taken from vs not that himselfe might enioy it but only that we might be depriued of it For to this end the Deuill seduced Eue and by her he caused Adam to sinne that so they might be Consorts and fellowes in punishment Christ therefore is that prudent Merchant Matth. 13. who gaue all his goods that he might buy this precious Margarite by the which he clearely inough did teach that the Kingdome of Heauen is signified for it is he of whom the Apostle speaketh when he sayth 1. Cor. 6. You are brought with a great Pryce And the Apostle S. Peter Not with corruptible things gould or siluer are you redeemed but with the precious bloud as it were of an immaculate and vnspotted Lambe Christ 1. Pet. 1. And againe They deny him that bought them the Lord. 2. Pet. 2. For Christ at one and the same tyme did buy Paradise for vs and did buy vs. For we before were made Captiues and had lost Paradise by sinne But Christ redeeming vs from sinne and from the Captiuity of the Deuill did withall adopt vs the Sonnes and heyres of God and in so doing did restore Paradise vnto vs. From hence therefore the greatnes and vvorth of the Celestiall Paradise may be conceaued to wit that in the Wisdome of God it is thought to be vvorthy of an infinite Pryce If heere among men a prudent rich merchant should be content to giue all his vvealth for the buying of a precious Pearle certainly no man vvould once doubt but that the Ievvell vvere of so inestimable Worth and valew as that it could hardly fynd a sufficient pryce Of what account and estimation then if vve haue any sparke of true iudgment ought the Possession of the Kingdome of Heauen seeme to vs to be the vvhich the VVisdome of God the VVord Incarnate vvith all his labours toyles and dolours for the space of thirty three yeares and lastly vvith his owne bloud and most precious death did purchase and buy VVe are vvholy stupid yea mad if vve vvill sell our interest and title of that thing for a base and most vile price of temporall Good vvhich Christ our Lord rated at an infinite Pryce and valevv But vvhat Not only Christ vvas content to buy Paradise with the effusion of his owne bloud but all Saints being herein taught by him did most willingly expose whatsoeuer they had with all their force strength for the gayning of the said Paradise Yea the Blessed Apostle thus bursteth out in words Rom. 8. The Passions of this tyme are not worthy of the glory to come that shal be reuealed to vs. And if any of the Martyrs were demanded whether they did willingly buy Paradise vvith such Torments as also if the Holy Confessours were questioned whether they did in like sort promptly and readily buy Paradise with their so many Watchings Fasts Prayers Almes deedes and Persecutions no doubt they would all cry out in one voyce with the Apostle The Passions and sufferings of this tyme are not worthy of the glory to come which shal be reuealed to vs. For although the Bloud of Christ was not only a worthy price of Paradise for vs but also as I may speake more then a worthy Pryce as being supereminent and exceeding the dignity of the thing which was bought neuerthelesse Christs good pleasure was that we also should buy Paradise thereby the more to honour and exalt vs. The Glory of man is great in that he obtayneth Paradise not only from the merits of Christ but also from his owne merits streaming from the Vertue and force of Christ his merits And if a man will not when it is in his povver do good and suffer euill for the buying of Paradise he is worthily expelled from the buying of Christ as an euill and slouthfull seruant as Christ himselfe admonisheth in the Parable of the Talents Matth. 25. and the Apostle vehemently counselleth Rom. 8. when he sayth Yf sonnes Heyres also Heyres truly of God and Coheyres of Christ yet if we suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him And to preuent that whereas some men may perhaps complayne they haue not a sufficient Pryce for the buying of Paradise let such take notice that nothing more is asked of vs here but what our selues haue For thus S. Austin speaketh The kingdome of God is worth so much as thou hast Which point the same Father proueth from examples of diuine Scripture thus he writing tract in Psal 49. Quid tam vile c. What is so vile what is so terrene and earthly as to breake and giue a peece of bread to the Hungry So much the kingdome of Heauen is worth For it is written Possesse the kingdome prepared for you for I was hungry and you gaue me bread The VVidow did buy it with two mytes Peter bought Paradise by leauing his nets and Zacheus by giuing the halfe of his Patrimony Thus far S. Austin discourseth To whom Venerable Bede is heerein agreable when he sayth that he who hath nothing besides himselfe yet in giuing himselfe he buieth Heauen His words are these Serm. 19. de Sanctis Regnum caeleste c. The kingdome of heauen requireth no other price then thy selfe Tantum valet quantum es tu te da habebis illud Certainly Lazarus the beggar had nothing which he could giue but only his patience in suffering his griefes and paynes and yet he was carryed by the Angells into the bosome of Abraham And the good thiefe had nothing in this World that was his but only a free ready voyce with vvhich he cryed out Remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome and yet he presently did heare To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise O most truly great liberality of God! O ineffable felicity of man who can so easily make bargaine as it were with his Lord for the price of a thing most precious aboue all other things Dost thou O man couet of God and thirst after the enioying of Paradise the height of all delights pleasures Giue thy selfe in pryce thou shalt obtaine it But what is the meaning of these Words Giue thy selfe To wit Loue God from the depth of thy hart Humble thy selfe vnder his potent mighty hand Prayse him at all tymes Submit thy selfe with all promptitude of mind to his will whether it shal be his pleasure that thou shalt be rich or poore glorious or ignoble finally in Health or in sicknes for his Will in euery thing is good and all his Iudgments are iust Say to God I am thyne dispose of me according to thy best pleasure and Will I do not resist I do not reclayme I do not with-draw my selfe out of thy iurisdiction My Hart is prepared and ready O my God my hart is prepared Let not my VVill but thy VVill be done This Holocaust of Obedience did Christ daily offer vp to his Father as himselfe doth testify vvhen he