preserued no tongue is able to expresse with what radiant splendour light those most holy impressions shall shyne seing all the glory of Saints compared to the Glory of Christ is lesse then the Beauty of the starrs with reference to the Beauty of the sunne But now what shall I speake of the Pleasures which the Eyes of the Blessed shall take in behoulding that most spacious and large City which Tobias and S. Iohn as aboue we haue proued as not hauing Words worthy inough to set out and proclaime its beauty said That it was all made of gould and garnished with rich Iewels Margarites and other precious stones Tob. 13. Apoc. 21. What lastly may I say of the New Heauen and the New Earth the which the Holy Scriptures do promise to vs after the day of Iudgment and of the renouation of all things into a better state For these things as they are vnknowne to vs so they shall delight the Eyes of the Blessed with a new and admirable ioy when their Beauty shall begin to be seene Of the Ioy of the Eares CHAP. VI. THat the sense of Hearing and the Instruments of speach shal be in the Kingdome of Heauen no man may doubt For the Bodies of the Blessed shal be true and liuing Bodies and in euery part perfect And such was the Body of Christ after his Resurrection as all the Apostles many disciples and others haue testified For they did heare him speake and he did answere to their demaunds And S. Paul himself did heare Christ speaking to him from Heauen he answered to Christ hearing him That there shal be Canticles and songs and chiefly of that Word Alleluia the aforesaid Toby and S. Iohn do witnes From hence then we may gather that in that Heauenly City there shall not be wanting many most sweet Sonnets with the which God may be praysed and the Blessed eares of Holy men may be wonderfully delighted And if these things ought to be performed in proportion and measure thē doubtlesly those songs ought to be the more sweet harmonious by how much the singers shal be more skilfull and he that is praysed more noble and sublime the place where the Musicke is made more high and the Company or presence of the Auditours more intelligent and in greater number What consolation therefore will it be in that most high peace and in the concord of soules and in that ardour and heate of Charity towards their supreme Benefactour to heare the most cleare voyces of those which shall sing Alleluia If S. Francis as S. Bonauenture hath left written was so rapt and moued at the sound of a Citherne played vpon but a very short tyme by an Angell as that he thought himselfe to haue beene in a new World what delights then shall our Eares enioy when millions of musitians with most concordant and sweet voyces shall with full accord and consent prayse God and other Millions with like melody and feruour shall many tymes repeate the said Prayses And perhaps in that Heauenly Citty not only the prayses of God shal be celebrated with Musicall voyces but also the Triumphs of Martyrs the Honour of Confessours the Glory of Virgins and the victories of all the Saints against the Deuill shal be extolled with Celestiall Musicke For we thus read Eccl. 31. Who is proued therein and perfect shall haue eternall Glory He that could transgresse and hath not transgressed and do Euill and hath not done it therfore are his good things established in our Lord and all the Church of Saints shal declare his Almes Although this may be vnderstood of the prayses of mortall men in the militāt Church here vpon Earth yet withall it may be meant of the immortall Citizens and of the triumphant Church in Heauen Since there the Saints shall haue truly eternall glory and that is truly and properly the Church of Saints And whereas our Lord in the Gospell sayth that the faythfull and prudent seruants shal be praysed of God in the Heauenly Kingdome Matth. 28. Well farre thee good and faythfull seruant because thou hast beene faythfull ouer a few things I will place thee ouer many things Enter into the ioy of thy Lord Why may we not thinke that those words of our Lord shal be celebrated with the singing of the whole Celestiall Court shall againe and againe be most sweetly repeated Certainly the Catholike Church doubted not thus to speake of S. Martin Martinus hic pauper modicus diues Caelum ingreditur hymnis caelestibus honoratur Martin being but poore and temperate did enter into Heauen rich and is honored with Celestiall Hymnes To conclude S. Austin affirmeth the same point in expresse Words l. 22. de Ciu. c. 30. saying There shal be true glory where no man shal be praysed through the errour or adulation of the Prayser True Honour which shall not be conferred vpon any not worthy Neither shall any vnworthy seeke after that Honour where none but he that is worthy shall be permitted to be O therefore thrice Happy Soules who in that place where all flattery is banished and exiled and no lye is found to be shall heare their owne Prayses and Trophees to be celebrated without danger of Pryde but not without increase of ioy and comfort Of the Ioy of the sense of smelling CHAP. VII TOuching the other senses litle is to be said not in that they want their great Pleasures but because what Pleasures those shal be the Holy Scripture hath not declared Neuerthelesse this is euident to vs that many Bodies of Holy Saints haue after their deaths braathed out a most sweet Odour This S. Ierome testifieth of the Body of S. Hilarion For he affirmeth that ten Months after the Body was interred it was found entyre as if it were then liuing and did cast from it such a fragrant smel as if it had beene imbalmed with sweet oyntments The like doth S. Gregory witnes of the body of S. Seruulus the Palsey-man His words are these l. 4. Dial. c. 14. The soule departing such a fragrancy of smell did rise as that all there present were replenished with incredible sweetnes And a litle after Till the Body was buried the sweetnes of that smell did not depart from their Noses Neither are there wanting many other such like Examples both of former later tymes from all which we may gather that if the Bodies of the dead Saints after the Soule is glorifyed do send forth such sweet smells then much more the liuing and glorifyed Bodies of the saints shall breath forth a most delicious and sweet Odour I will adioyne hereto that which the said S. Gregory relateth of the liuing and most glorious Body of our Sauiour Thus he writeth lib. 4. c. 16. hom 38. sup Euang. Tarsilla the Virgin then looking vp sow Iesus comming and suddenly there was as it were sprinkled such a fragrancy of a wounderful Odour as that the sweetnes therof did assure all that
to the third Heauen Concer-a House the Sonne of God himselfe thus speaketh In my Fathers House there be many Mansions Ioan. 14. Touching a Citty these be the wordes of the Apostle You are come to the Citty of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem Hebr. 12. To conclude of the Kingdome of Heauen our Lord himselfe thus in S. Matthew 5. Beatipauperes spiritu c. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen And no other name through out the whole body of the Scripture is more frequently vsed then this of the Kingdome of Heauen The Place of the Saints in Heauen is called a Paradise because Heauen is a most pleasant place abounding withall spirituall delicacies But because some Men may coniectuâ—e that a Paradise is but a small Garden placed in some one corner of a House capable to receaue but few Men the Holy Ghost did adioyne in the Scripture the Word name of House because a Regall and Princely House is accustomed to be a great Pallace in which besides the Garden or Orchard there are certaaine open Halls or places of disport diuers Chambers and roomes of repose and retirement besides many others of different sort Now seeing a House notwithstanding it be great cannot containe many men therefore that wee should not thinke that they are but few who belong to the Kingdome of Heauen the Scripture doth annexe the Name of a Citty which vsually comprehendeth in it selfe many Orchards and many Pallaces of Pleasure But seeing S. Iohn writeth in the Apocalyps 7. of the nuÌ„ber of the Blessed Vidi turbam magnaÌ„ c. I saw a great multitude which no man could number And that there is no Citty which is capable of an innumerable multitude therefore the Holy Scripture vseth the name of a Kingdome and of the Kingdome of Heauen then which place no other throughout the whole Vniuersity of things created is more capacious But now againe to shew other reasons in warraÌ„t of the former foure different Appellations or Names Because in a most ample Kingdome there are many Men who neuer see nor know the Names of d uers inhabitaÌ„ts of the same Kingdome nor know not whether such Men are or haue an Existence or Being and also in that it is certaine that all the Blessed doe see and know one another and as friends conioyned in a strait bond of loue do familiarly conuerse among themselues therefore the Scripture as not being content with the Name of a Kingdome added the Name of a Citty giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that all those who doe dwell in that though most vast Kingdome are truly Citizens of the Saints and are so conioyned in familiarity among themselues as the Citizens of one small Citty are accustomed to be And that we may be further instructed that all those happy Men are not only the Citizens of the Saints but also the domesticke friends of God yea the Sonnes of God therefore the same Holy Ghost who had called it a Citty calleth it also a House To conclude in that all the Blessed in Heauen do enioy the same delights and pleasures in Heauen therfore is that place entituled by the Name of Paradise Thus these foure Wordes to wit a Kingdome a Citty a House a Paradise do signify one and the same thing And that Paradise heere mentioned is so spacious and large as that it may be truly called a House a Citty a Kingdome Therefore I haue heere determined to commit to Print whatsoeuer God shaâ—l vouchsafe to suggest and minister to me by way of meditation in the secret Closet of my soule of this most happy place And this first vn-the name of a Kingdome next vnder the name of a Citty then of a House and lastly of Paradise Towards the end of the discourse I will subioyne six other Names not of places but of things out of the Parables of our Lord to wit A Treasure hidden in a field A precious Pearle or Margarite The dayly Penny The ioy of our Lord A great supper And a regall or Princely mariadge As also two other Names out of the Apostle which are a Price or Reward and a Crowne so in all there shal be twelue distinct Considerations by the which the Eternall Felicity of the Saints is described in the sacred Scriptures OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Name or Title of the Kingdome of God THE FIRST BOOKE Of the Amplitude or largenesse of the Kingdome of God CHAP. I. OF what worth and dignity the doctrine of the Kingdome of Heauen is may partly be knowne in that our Heauenly Maister did begin his Sermons to his Auditory froÌ„ those words of Matth. 4. De pennance for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand And further in that he made the Kingdome of Heauen the Subiect of most of his Parables saying Matth. 13.18.20.21.22.25 The Kingdome of Heauen is resembled c. And after his Resurrection in the time of those fourty dayes before his Ascension appearing to his Disciples he discoursed of the Kingdome of Heauen as S. Luke doth witnesse in the Acts of the Apostles Therefore we see the beginning progresse and consummation or end of the speaches of Christ were euer of the Kingdom of HeaueÌ„ Now we in this place will not vndertake to dispute of all points touching the Kingdome of Heauen but only so farre forth as concernes the place and state of the Blessed Saints And first we will explicate why the place and state of the Saints is named in the holy Scriptures The Kingdome of Heauen Well then the Habitation of the Saints for seuerall respects is entitled The Kingdome of Heauen First because Heauen is a most ample Region and far more ample and large then the narrow limits euen of Mans thought can comprehend The whole Earth which is but a Pricke or Point in comparison of the highest Heauen doth containe so many and so great Kingdomes as that with difficulty they can be numbred Of what immensenesse and huge Vastnesse then shall that Kingdome be which is but one and yet dispersed and spread throughout the whole latitude and breadth of the Heauen of Heauens For the Kingâ—ome of Heauen doth not only containe through its owne capacity the Celestiall Region but also all this Vniuersity â—nd generall State of things For that supercelestiall Region as I may tearme it which is properly the Kingdome of Heauen is as it were the first Prouince of the Kingdome of God in which the chiefe Princes all which are the Sons of God doe reside and dwell The sâ—cond Prouince may be called Eternall in which the Stars are seated Which Starres though they be inanimate neuerthelesse they are so obedient and seruiceable to the will beck of their Creatour as that they may be well said to haue life and sense according to that of Ecclesiasticus Come and let vs adore the King to whom all things doâ— liue The third Prouince is that of the Aire wherein the Winds
of Heauen Another in the same Ghospell cap. 15. Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the VVorld The third is in the Apocalyps cap. 3. He that shall ouercome I will giue vnto him to sit with me in my throne as I haue also ouercome haue sitten with my Father in his throne What can be more clearely spoken then this We haue heare the Kingdome of God promâ—sed to vs we haue the possession of the same Kingdome assigned to vs in the day of Iudgment We haue granted to vs seates in the Regall Throne of the Sonne of God of his Father the Eternall King And what other thing is all this then the participation of the same Kingdome of Heauen which God possesseth from all Eternity We may heer adioyne the testimony of S. Paul 2. Tim. 2. saying If we shall sustaine we shall reigne togeather And of S. Iohn in the beginning of the Apocalyps and of S. Iames in his Epistle c. 2 thus writing God hath chosen the poore of this world rich in fayth and heyres of the Kingdom which God hath promised to them that loue him Neyther are we to feare that because the Kingdome of Heauen is communicated to many and almost innumerable Angels and men it is therefore diminished or lessened Since the Kingdom of HeaueÌ„ â—s not lyke to earthly Kingdomes which cannot brooke any corriualls or participation but if they be deuided by diuision they are euer made lesse and in the end are brought to nothing I say the Kingdome of Heauen beareth no proportion 〈◊〉 lyknes to these but being whole it is entirely possessed of all as a so being whole it is entirely possessed of eâ—ery particular Euen as â—he Sunne â—s wholy seene of all men and wholy â—â—ene of euery particuâ—ar Man And iâ— selfe doth no lesse â—eate and illuminâ—â—e ech particular Man then a l Men. Which â—oint shal be more clearely â—llâ—â—trated in our explication of the Gâ—ods of the K ngdome of Heauen But now before we are heere to assigne the condâ—tions and qualities required to be â—n Kings that no Man may reâ—t doubtfull but that the Blessed Saints in Heauen are iustly called Kings and Kings euen of Heauen There are two qualities with which kings ought necessarily to be inuested Tâ— wit VVisdome and Iustice. But with Wisdome the Scripture doth ioyne Pâ—â—dence Councell all other things â—â—â—onging to Intelligence with Iustice â—â—ngeth Mercy Clemency and the 〈◊〉 of the Vertues which do beautiâ—â—nd perfect the VVill. Wisdome â—efore is required that a King may â—â—w how to gouerne his Subiects â—â—â—â—ice how to gouerne them well And according heerto Salomon being admonished from God in the beginning of his Reigne that he should demand what he most desired he demaunded Wisdome which is the Queene of all good qualities necessarily required in Kings And this his petâ—tion was so pleasing vnto God as appeareth out of the third booke of Kings that it was granted vnto him as he desired I could haue wished he had demaunded also Iustice for then perhaps he had not precipitated and cast himselfe into so many crimes and sinnes as afterward he did But with more iudgement did Dauid pray for the good and prosperity of his Sonne Salomon in those words of the 71. Psalme O God giue thy iudgment to the King and thy Iustice to the Sonne of the King In which words he may be thought to haue forseene that Salomon would aske for Wisdome and that therefore himselfe prayed that Iustice Iudgment might be giuen also to his Sonne the which without Wisdome â—annot be wheras Wisdome at â—east sâ—ming and imperfect may be with out Iustice In lyke sort the Booke of Wisdome which was principally written for the erudition and instruction of Kings thus speaketh vnto them Diligite IustitiaÌ„ qui iudicatis terram c. Sap 1. and it beginneth at the vertue of Iustice because that alone and of its owne nature is not only necessary to Kings but it is also a dispositioÌ„ to Wisdomâ— for a litle after followeth Because wisdome will not enter into a malitious soule To conclude pretermitting other testimonies Ieremy prophesying of Christ the eternall King thus sayth cap. 23. Behould the dayes do come sayth our Lord and I will rayse vp Dauid a iust branch and he shall reigne a King and shal be wife and shall do iudgment and Iustice in the earth From all this then it ineuitably followeth that Wisdome and Iustice are the endowments chiefly required Kings That all the Blessed in Heauen though many of theÌ„ perhaps whiles they liued heere vpon earth were but ignorant persons do excell in Wisdom and Iustice so as they may deseruedly be Kings of any K ngdome is so euident that it can admit no contradâ—ction since there is not any one of the Blessed in Heauen who doth not see the Essence of God which is the first Cause of all things and consequently he draweth so much Wisdome out of that fountaine of increated Wisdome as that neyther Salomon not any other Mortall man euer had in lyke degree our Lord Iesus Christ only excepted who euen in the tyme of his mortality did see God and in whome were all the Treasures of Wisdom knowledge of God Now to the measure of Wisdome in all the Saints is giuen a proportionable measure of Iustice so as for the tyme after neyther haue they a desire to sinne neither can they sinne For thus S. Austine speaketh hereof de grat cor cap. 12. Prima libertas voluntatis c. The first liberty of the will was to haue power not to sinne but the last liberty of the will shal be farre greater it being not to haue power to sinne And who cannot sinne cannot therefore become vniust And since Charity is perfect therefore Iustice is also perfect And accordingly S. Austin affirmeth that he who caÌ„not loue God but wâ—th a supreme perfect loue cannot also but possesse supreme and perfect Iustice They also who behould God their supreme pure and infinite Good cannot diuert their eyes from him neither can they but prosecute him euer with most ardent and burning Affection From whence it is euicted that all the Saints in Heauen are perfectly wyse and perfectly Iust and are therefore most apt euer to reigne as Kings Now raise thy selfe vp O Christian Soule and ascend in spirit as much as thou canst and meditate how great a felicity it is to reigne with God and penetrate with the Wings of conteÌ„plation the very Heauens behould that sublime Throne of which our Sauiour speaketh Apoc. 3. He that shall ouercome I will giue vnto him to sit with me in my throne O how ineffable a glory will it be for a Soule in the presence of an infinite multitude of Angells to be placed in the Throne or seate it selfe of Christ and God And to be proclaimed by the iust iudgment of God as conquerour ouer the World ouer the gouernours
lyeth open to all men that the getting thereof may be had without suffering of blowes or sheeding of bloud and that it incoÌ„parably surpasseth all earthly Kingdomes If I should say to one Contemne a whole Kingdome that thou maist obtaine a litle field or vineyard thou wouldest deseruedly eyther laugh or wonder at me But when I say or rather God sayth Contemne a small earthly Kingdome and seeke after â— most precious great and eternall Kingdome the which thou mayst purchase if thou wilt through the grace of God which will neuer be wanting why dost thou not raise vp thy spirits both for the desiring and gayning of it Doubtlesly I cannot conceaue what may be answered heerto but that the glory of an earthly Kingdome as being present to the eye may be as it were touched with the hand whereas the Kingdome of Heauen cannot be seene cannot be touched nor scarse apprehended by Fayth This indeed is true notwithstanding if a man will seriously and intensly consider what force and efficacy the Verity Antiquity Sincerity and grauity of the sacred Scripture enioyeth and how perspicuously and cleerly the sayd Diuine VVrit speaketh of this poynt and how great a cloude of witnesses during already so many ages not only with miracles but euen with bloud haue confirmed the authority of the sayd diuine writings doubtlesly he cannot but burst out with the Prophet and say Thy testimonyes O Lord are made ouer much credible Psal 98. Wherefore we may conclude that it is not the obscurity and darknes of Fayth which withdrawes vs from seeking after the Kingdome of Heauen but it is because our mynds are wholy absorpt in exteriour things and burdened with the weight of custome therefore we do not take sufficient tyme and leasure to meditate and ponder of such things as conduce to our Soules good neyther do we according to the counsell of our Lord Mat. 6. enter into the closet of our hart and the dore being shut we do not euen besiege God with our feruerous prayers that in so great and wayghty â— busines he would assist vs. Certainty â—f once laying a syde all care of inferiour and lesser matters we would seriously and with due preparation take into our thought what the Kingdome of Heauen is and how easily certainly it might be obtayned and what infinite disparity there is betweene things euerlasting and temporall betweene matters of greatest weight and trifles and briefly betweene the Kingdome of Heauen earthly Kingdoms without doubt so great a contempt of temporall Thrones Crownes and Scepters would be ingendred in vs and on the contrary so ardent a desire of celestiall affayres would so inflame vs as that we should without difficulty yea with much ease and facility bestow all our labour and diligence in pursuite of the Kingdome of Heauen to the which as to one true and last end we are made by our Creatour The first path-way or Tract leading to the Kingdome of God CHAP. VII HEre we are now to know what is necessarily to be done that we may arriue to the most desired and most happy Kingdome of Heauen But to know this is no great difficulty since the King of Heauen himselfe to teach vs the same did descend to the Earth And being become our Master and Captaine setteth before vs foure chiefe and most safe wayes thereunto Of these the first is contayned in those words of Mat. 6. Seeke first the Kingdome of God the Iustice of him and all these things shall be giuen to you Morall doctrine beginneth from the end our End is the Kingdome of God which Kingdome shal be ours if so we will walke in that path wherein our Captaine walked Also the Iustice of the Kingdome of God is as it were â—he scope or marke whereat we â—re to â—euell if so we desire to enioy â—he reward of the Kingdom of Heauen For as Cassianus rightly teacheth col â— cap. 2. The End is one thing the scope an other thing The Scope is a signe or marke vnto which arrowes â—re directed in shooting But the End is the reward which those do take who haue shot more neere the scope or marke In lyke manner the Scope of our Actions propounded by God is â—ustice the Reward of those who obâ—aine this marke is the Kingdome of Heauen But the Iustice of the Kingdome of God is not the Iustice of the Scribes and Pharisies which was placed in the externall obseruation of â—he Preceps Neyther it is the Iuâ—â—ice of the Philosophers which did â—ot transcend the light of naturaâ—l â—eason corrupted by Sinne. But it â—s the Euangelicall Iustice which teaâ—heth to loue God with all our hart withall our soule withall our strength and to loue our neighbour though our Enemy as our selfe Of this Scope End S. Paul Rom. 6. speaketh saying You haue your fayth vnto Iustification but the End life euerlasting This is that whereunto the Apostle admonisheth vs that the first of all things we do seeke the Kingdome of Heauen and the Iustice therof that is that our earnest and chiefest thoughts be not caryed away to any temporall goods but be directed to the gayning of the Kingdome of Heauen and to a most diligent and inuiolable keeping of that first and greatest Precept The which Precept being neglected and broken by most men therefore it is sayd Matt. 22. Many are called but few are chosen For most men do so liue and comport themselues in their maÌ„ners as that their furthest thought is to seeke how they may come to this Kingdome of Heauen neither is there anything which they more couldly looke after then the Kingdome of Heauen the Iustice therof As if our Lord had said First seeke after the Kingdom of this world and its iniustice and deceyt and the Kingdome of God shal be giuen vnto you But that celestiall Kingdome is not of that basenes and meane esteeme as that it should be thrust vpoÌ„ those who do preferre all other things before the obtaining thereof Therefore he that will learne a certaine and easy way for gayning the Iustice of the Kingdome of God which leadeth directly to the Kingdome it selfe let that man heare our forsayd Mayster and Lord Christ Iesus thus affirming Matt. 5. Blessed be they that hungar thirst after Iustice for they shall haue their fill But what ô Lord is the facility of fynding Iustice so great with thee as that it is sufficient onely to be hungry or thirsty of it Certainly all poore meÌ„ would be blessed if only by thirsting after money they should be so replenished therewith as that they should not need to be satiated with any other thing But the matter heere is farre otherwise for it is one thing to be hungry and thirst after money and other thing after Iustice For they who suffer hunger and thirst after Iustice that is who so greedily and anxiously seeke after Iustice as men doe who thirst after water and are hungry after meate those men certainly
Prophet Psal 132. O how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell in one For what greater consolation and comfort can be imagined to a man then to conuerse with innumerable Angels with men of all degrees eyther superiour equall and inferiour to him and he to be beloued of them all with most sincere affectioÌ„ as a brother to be vsed as a brother imbraced entertained as a brother Of the greatnes and Beauty of the House of God CHAP. II. ANother reason for which the Habitations of the Saints is called a House may be taken from that Houses especially the houses of Kings haue many ornaments in their Hals in their BedchaÌ„bers in other withdrawing roomes which the rest of the Citty doth want For who can recouÌ„t the Arras Tapestry precious vestmeÌ„ts plate of Gold and Siluer with the which the Palaces of Kings do glitter and shine Neither are these interiour ornaments only of great worth and pryce but also the externall and outward building it selfe is accustomed to be most admirable for the goodly marble stately Pillars guilded Porches hanging gardens and such other delicacies which is ouer long to relate Salomon King of Ierusalem after he had built a Temple to our Lord with such cost and charges as was fitting did make a Pallace for himselfe with such profuse cost as that he spent thirteene yeares in the building of it although he had many Maisters and Ouerseers of the whole Fabricke and had at hand with small labour great store of precious and curious marble and other stones and abundance of Cedar-trees And not with lesse charge and magnificence did he erect a Pallace for his vvife being the daughter of the King of Egypt so sumptuous as it seemed incredible Therefore when the Sacred Scripture calleth that Habitation the House of God which in other passages therof it calleth the Citty of God and the Kingdome of Heauen it seemeth to insinuate that all that Citty and Kingdome is as resplendent and glorious as any Regall house or Pallace For as we haue learned aboue out of the Prophet Baruch the House of God is of that largenesse and extension as that it is able to comprepend and containe the whole Kingdome of Heauen It seemed a little aboue a thing worthy of admiration if any whole Kingdome should appeare to be of that splendour and fayrenesse with which its chiefe Citty is adorned Who then will not rest astonished â—â—en he shall thinke that the whole Kingdome of Heauen is styled the House of God in that it is all stately all fayre all precious as beseemeth the House of God to be Therefore with good reason did the Prophet Dauid burst forth into those words Psal 83. My soule euen coueteth and fainteth vnto the Courts of our Lord. For who doth not thirstingly desire to see and possesse a most noble Kingly house which in its spacious greatnesse may equall any Kingdome As on the contrary to see and enioy a most ample and large Kingdome which for ornaments splendour and magnificence may contend and compare with any Princely house or Pallace Neither would our soule only desire the fruition of such a House such a Kingdom if attentiuely it did thinke thereof and confidently belieue the same but it would be wholy absorpt and euen faint and transgresse its owne limits through the incredible beauty and worth of so great a matter But alas we who lie vpon the ground and are become thrall to temporalities and earthly things and doe admire so much what we here see doe little busy our thoughts with inuisible matters we bearing our selues herein like to little children who neuer going out of their Fathers house doe so loue that poore Cottage as that they neuer once thinke of the Pallaces of Kings In like sort we imitate herein the Countrey-pesants who neuer saw any Citty but are busied in tilling their ground and in repayring their poore wodden and clayie house neuer thinking on Pallaces Towers Theaters Honours dignities increasing of siluer chargeable banquets and the like And perhapps these Rusticks and Children are more happy then many rich Cittizens and great Princes because those things which are in this world much prized and highly esteemed are commonly attended on with more anxiety care and danger then with solid profit and dignity But the goods which are in that Heauenly house of our Father are inestimable neither are they accoÌ„panied with any sollicitude discontent or perill but are exempted from all griefe and molestation and this not for any short time but for all Eternity Therefore S. Paul who was neither a Ch ld nor a Rusticke and who well knew the goods and commodities of this worâ—d for he was a man most learned and conuersed with most wise men He also had beene in the House of God and had perused and viewed the Heuenly Citty as being rapt into the third Heauen doth thus speake of himselfe 2. Cor. 4. VVe not considering the things which are seene but which are not seene for the things that are seene are temporall but the things that be not seene are eternall And againe Phil. 3. Our conuersation is in Heauen And according hereto he exhorteth vs all Colloss 3. To seeke the things which are aboue where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God And to mind the things which are aboue not the thinges which are vpon the Earth Of the Dyning Chamber of the House of God CHAP. III. ANother reason why that which is cal ed a Citty and a Kingdome is also called the House of God may be taken from those words of our Lord Ioan. 14. In my Fathers House there be many mansions Thus we see that in Houses there be Chambers or Partours to dine and sup in Chambers also for men to take their repose and sleepe Halles and other spacious roomes for the exercise of seuerall Actions which out of the House are not accustomed to be done But to begin with the Great Chamber as I may say or place of Refection Certainly there is a place in the House of our Lord in which all the Saints are not only fed wâ—th Princely viands but which is wonderfull and scarcely credible were it not that the Holy Ghost teacheth vs so much where the King himselfe shal be girded and prepared to minister and serue the Table For thus doth our Lord himself speake Luc. 12. Blessed are those seruants whome when our Lord commeth he shal find watching Verily I say vnto you that he will gird himselfe and make them sit downe and will come forth minister vnto them What kind of baÌ„quetting House is this Who euer heard of the lyke The Lord standeth the seruant sitteth downe the Lord is girded that without any hinderance or let he may wayte The Seruant is vngirded that so more freely and coÌ„modiously he may sit at Table The Lord goeth vp and downe to bring in and serue the meates The Seruant quietly feedeth vpon those Princely viands O if we
good Theefe hanging with him vpon the Crosse Luc. 23. To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise For by the vvord Paradise our Sauiour did vnderstand the Kingdome of Heauen and essentiall Beatitude For when the Theefe had said O Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome our Lord promising to him the participation of his Kingdome did answere To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The same is also witnessed by S. Paul when he said 2. Cor. 12. I know a man in Christ rapt euen to the third Heauen he was rapt into Paradise S. Iohn doth witnesse the same in his Apocalyps cap. 2. where he bringeth in our Lord thus speaking To him that ouercommeth I will giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of my God Now from these passages of Scripture it is euident that the Region of the Blessed is a place of delight and Pleasure Furthermore when our Lord said to the good and faythfull seruant Math. 25. Enter into the ioy of thy Lord doth he not most openly declare the House of God or the City of God to the which all the good and faythfull Seruants are admitted after their passing out of this world to be a place of Ioy And where in many places be compareth the Kingdome of Heauen to a Supper as in Luc. 14. A certaine mâ—n made a great supper And againe cap. 22. where he sayth And I dispose to you as my Father disposed to me a kingdome that you may eate and drinke vpon my Table in my kingdome To conclude in the Apocalyps â—t is said cap. 19. Blessed are they who are called to the supper of the Mariage of the Lambe Certainly the Scripture by the Metaphor of a supper signifieth delectation and pleasure except we will maintayne that in the sense of Tasting there is no pleasure And we may annex hereto that in the Gospell and in the Apocalips the Kingdome of Heauen is compared to a Regall or Princely Supper as is euident out of that King VVho made a mariage for his sonne and out of the Parable of the Wise foolish Virgins of which the Wise Virgins did enter with the Bridegroome to the Mariage but the Foolish Virgins were shut out We also fynd in the Apocalyps many things to be spoken of the Mariage of the Lambe in the Kingdome of Heauen being celebrated with all magnificent preparation Furthermore the felicity of the Saints is compared to Princely Mariages at what tyme all kind of pleasures almost are enioyed of which point we are further to discourse in the next ensuing Booke To conclude S. Iohn in the Apocalyps did see a Company of Virgins who did follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he went and did sing a new song which no others could sing Which place S. Austin expoundeth of certaine holy ioyes and pleasures which the Virgins either men or Women do enioy His words are these You shall bring to the Mariage of the Lambe a new song which you shall sing vpon your Citherns that is you shall sing prayses in your Harts not such as the whole Earth singeth but such as not any can sing but your selues Aug. de sancta Virgin c. 27. And then after Whither may we thinke this Lambe will goe Where none shal be able or dare to follow him but your selues Whither may we thinke him to goe into what gardens or other pleasant places Thither I belieue where the grasse is ioyes not the vayne ioyes of this VVorld being but lying Madnes neither the ioyes which are graunted in the kingdome of God to others not being Virgins but they are ioyes distinguished from all other kind of ioyes And then againe a little after The rest of the multitude of the faithfull shall see you which cannot follow this Lambe They shall see but the shall not enjoy and reioycing with you that which they haue not in themselues they shall haue in you for they shall not be able to sing that new song peculiar to you but they shal be able to heare it and to be delighted in your great delight But you who shall both sing and heare this new song because in that you shall sing it you shall heare it you shall with more felicity exult or reioyce and with more pleasure reigne ibid. c. 29. Thus from all aboue expressed it is manifest that in the Heauenly Kingdome and City or House there be many true Ioyes and most true and most great Pleasures Of the Ioy of the Vnderstanding CHAP. II. SEing aboue we haue proued out of the Holy Scripture that there are true Ioyes in the Kingdome of Heauen we wiâ—l now explicate what those Ioyes be And first we will vndertake to shew what the Ioyes of the Vnderstanding VVill and Memory be all which do belong to the spirit or soule next what the ioyes of the seuerall senses be which do appertaine vnto the Body VVe do not intenâ— herby to maintayne that the Vnderstanding the Memory and the sâ—nses of the Body are the proper seats of Ioy for we are not ignorant that Ioy as also desire do properly beloÌ„g to the will in the superiour part and to the Appetite in the inferiour But we heare speake as men do vulgarly speak who forbeare not to say that the Eye is delighted with the beauty of Colours and the Eare with sweetnes of sounds Therefore we vnderstand by the Ioy of the mynd or of the Memory or of the Externall senses a delectation or pleasure which a man taketh from those things which either he doth vnderstand or remember or which he doth draw from the externall senses The first Ioy then of the Blessed shal be to see with the eyes of the mind God euen face to face as S. Paul speaketh and as S. Iohn sayth to see him as he is Now how great a Ioy this wil be we may in part coniecture in that the Prophet Isay and the Apostle do witnes that it exceedeth all the Ioyes which any maÌ„ hath either seene heard desired or euer imagined The eye hath not seene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entred into the harâ— of man what things God hath prepared for them that loue him Isa 64. 1. Cor. 2 For the Scripture here speaketh of the chiefe and Essentiall Beatitude or Happines which is placed in the vision and sight of God himselfe according to that saving of our Lord Matth. 5 Blessâ—d are the cleane of Hart for they shall see God And This is life euerlasting that they know thee the only true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. And truly there semeth in the former VVords a great amplification to wit That no man hath either seene or heard or desired or thought what kind of ioy consisteth in the Vision of God Notwâ—thstanding it is no amplification but a simple Truth because the Eyes the eares and the harts of men are accustomed to perceaue only ioyes that haue end but the Vision of God is
the Authour of sweetnes was thither come But if the glorifyed Body of our Redeemer did breath an odour of such sweetnes then it is altogether credible that all the Bodies of the Saints shall send forth in Heauen a wonderfull sweetnes For it is fitting that the members should be conformable to the Head not only in splendour but also in suauity of Odour Those men therefore who are delighted with Odours let them thinke with what sweetnes they are to be replenished when they shall draw into their glorified sent the diuerse and most sweet odours of so many thousands of Celestiall flowers on euery syde breathing forth in that diuine garden Of the Ioy of the senses of Tasting and Touching CHAP. VIII COncerning the Sense of Tast Deuines do write that the Blessed shall not vse any mortall meates Notwithanding they shall haue some delight in that sense that it may not seeme to be superfluous But concerning the Sense of touching or Feeling all do agree that the Vse thereof shall not be wanting in Heauen Since the Bodies of the Blessed as being true bodies with life may doubtlesly be touche Our Lord thus speaking Touch and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me to haue Luc. 24. Yet all impure touching shal be most remote from their bodies for they shall haue no desire of Generation And therefore our Lord speaketh thus Math. 22. In the Resurrection neither shall they marry nor be marryed But are as the Angels of God in Heauen But we will not heere stay about these things which are daily disputed in the Schooles This one thing we affirme that the Sense of Touching shall receaue no small pleasure from the perpetuâ—ll and most excellent habitude or disposition of a Glorious Body through its qualities of which the Apostle thus speaketh 1. Cor. 15. The body is sowen in Corruption it riseth in Incorruption It is sowen in Dishonour it shall ryse in Glory It is sowen in Infirmity it shall rise in Power It is sowen a naturall Body it shall rise a spirituall Body Of these foure qualities or priuiledges of a glorified Body that of glory or splendour belongeth to the sense of Seeing as aboue we haue said the other three seeme properly to belong to the sense of Touching For euen as when the Body is oppressed with strokes diseases or wounds endangering the life the Sense of Touching is that which suffereth and grieueth so in like manner when the Body enioyeth perfect health is sound and of a strong constitution the Sense of Touching doth reioyce Therefore this sense shall haue great ioy in Heauen vvhen after the Resurrection it shal be clad with Immortality Impassibility and Health in the highest degree and this for all Eternity What charges would not men willingly be at especially Princes and others of great estates to be freed all their life time from the dolours of the Goute or of the Heade the stomack or the reynes What ioy shall it then be in Heauen from whence not only death but all diseases and griefs shal be altogeather exiled Furthermore those Qualities through the which a corruptible body doth rise incorruptible and a body that is infirme riseth impassible do belong to the ioy of the Sense of Touching In like sort the qualities of Agility or Subtility by which a Naturall Body shall rise spirituall seeme to belong to the same Sense of touching since that Body shaâ—l be called spirituall and shal be a glorious Body not in that it hath not truly flesh and bones but because it shal be so subiect to the spirit as that at the very beck and pleasure of the spirit or soule it shal be able without any difficulty toyle or wearines to be moued most swiftly to ascend and descend to goe and returne to penetrate and pierce all places and this in such sort as if it were not a Body but a spirit Therefore euen as the Sense of Touching grieueth and beareth it selfe not well when a heauy and weighty body is forced to ascend high or with great swiftnes speed to be remoued from place to place so also on the contrary it much reioyceth and exulteth when a Body without any toyle or wearines either ascendeth aboue or passeth most speedily from place to place Behould therefore from what seruitude of Corruption the Blessed shal be freed when as they shaâ—l no more stand in neede of Horses Coaches Gards of men Weapons nor any other thing but those Blessed Bodies euen by their ovvne forces shall passe and goe into what places themselues Will and they shall be euery where most safe and exempt from all danger yea in the middest and thickest troupes of armed men I would to God that such men who cannot tast or resent spirituall delights in that they haue an inuenomed and corrupted palate or Tast at least would entertayne with due consideration these most great and perpetuall Corporall Goods and Pleasures and that they would labour with all endeauour bent of Will for the purchasing therof For thus it might come to passe that by litle and litle they would aspire to higher Matters and so by these degrees they might at length through the assistance of God arriue to euerlasting Ioyes Of the Comparison of the Ioyes of the Earth with the Ioyes of Heauen CHAP. IX VVE haue vnfoulded and explicated according to our small ability what Ioyes are prepared in Heauen for those that loue God Now we will endeauour to demonstrate by certaine externall ArgumeÌ„ts how great and transcendent those Ioyes are Our first argument shal be taken from the comparison of the Ioyes which God often in this World giueth euen to his professed Enemies and to the Reprobate And certainly there is such a confluence of Ioyes consisting in Riches Honours Power and diuers pleasures which God imparteth to sinners to his Enemies either blaspheming against his dignity or not belieuing in him as that of most men they are judged to be Blessed and most happy according to the vvords of the Prophet Psal 143. They haue said it is a happy People which hath these things Which of the Louers of this world doth not enuy and grudge at Salomons Prosperity who reigned fourty yeares abounded with all affluence of riches and delights had seauen hundred wyues and three hundred Concubines Who neuerthelesse according to the iudgment of S. Austin was a Reprobate for thus this Father writeth in Psal 126. Euen Salomon himselfe was a louer of VVomen and was reprobated of God And in his booke de Ciuitate Dei c. 20. he sayth the same of Salomon which Salust did of Cataline This man had a good beginning but an euill ending S Gregory followeth S. Austins iudgment herein thus writing l. 2. moral cap. 2. Hence it is that Salomon though receauing VVisdome did not perseuere in Gods fauour c. Neither are the Kings or Emperours of the Turks the Persians those of China and Tartary vnlike to Salomon herein
all who enioy most vast and large Kingdoms and are so deuoted or rather become slaues to all sorts of pleasure of the flesh as that they giue all liberty to the Hart to the Eyes to the eares to their tast vnto Lust wallowing in all such voluptuousnes and sensualities as may content any of these Parts But to passe ouer these Ioyes of which but few are partakers How great are the consolations and Ioyes which God giueth to all men in Common of whom the Greatest part either know not God or at lest do not adore him with that Honour feare with which they oxght Doth he not giue all the Earth with all its riches delights liuing Creatures flowers Mettals to men in generall Doth he not giue the seas the fountaynes Riuers Lakes with so seuerall sorts of fish to all men promiscuously Hath he not created Heauen which is as a Couer of this great House and beautified with so many starrs for the generall vse of Man Hath not this our most gratious and most bountifull Lord commanded the sunne to rise and the Clouds to rayne vpon both the Iust Iniust Now if he be so profuse as I may say in distributing so great benefits comforts to reprobate sinners being his vngratefull bondslaues worthy all punishment in this life Is it then not most iust and reasonable that he should reserue incomparably far greater Ioyes for his friends and his sonnes Heare what S Austin meditateth hereof saying in Psal 10. Seing God giueth to sinners dayly blaspheming him the Heauens the Earth the Fountaines Fruits Health Children Riâ—hes abundance of all temporall Benefits VVhat then dost thou thinke he layeth vp and prouides for his seruants who giuâ—th all these former ioyes and Comforts to sinâ—ers It is written of S. Fulgentius in his life that he once behoulding the glory and magnificence of the Senate of Rome did burst forth into exclamation saying How specious illustrious may the Celestiall Ierusalem be if Earthly Rome do thus shyne And if in this world so great dignity and Honour be ascribed to the Louers of Vanity what Honour and Glory shal be due to the Saints contemplating the Truth Certainly S. Austin who made a prudent and true estimation of things affirmed all earthly pleasures whatsoeuer to be so far short and inferiour to Celestiall as he doubted not to say that it were more to be wished for a man to enioy Heauenly pleasure but for the space of one day then to enioy all temporall pleasures for many thousands of Ages His words are these l. 3. de lib. arbit c. vit So great is the pleasure of eternall Light as that if it were permitted for one to remayne and stay therein no more then the space of one day yet euen for so short a space of the fruition therof innumerable yeares of this life though fraught with all delights and affluence of temporall goods are deseruedly to be contemned For it is not said through any false or mistaking iudgment Psal 83. Better is one day in thy Courtes aboue thousands Thus S. Austin Novv what shall we from all this conclude If these things be true as they are most true haue we not reason as length to begin to be wise and open our eyes Hitherto we haue beene accustomed to say that earthly pleasures are to be contemned because they are but short and momentary and that Celestiall are to be loued because they are euerlasting But we haue heard S. Austin a most wise Doctour inueighing against this our manner of speach and earnestly contesting that if earthly matters were euerlasting and Celestiall but momentary that neuerthelesse in a cleere iudgment Heauenly goods and benefits were to be preferred before Earthly Are we not therefore deafe are we not blind are we not fooles and stupid if for earthly benefits pleasures which are not only base and ignoble but also fading and momentary we do contemne or sleight Celestiall which are most precious and shall continue for all Eternity O most mercifull Lord dissolue this our deafnes enlighten our blindnes dispell our stupidity cure our madnes To what end hast thou signed vpon vs the light of thy Countenance Psal 4. if we cannot discerne and see these so great and so necessary matters And why hast thou giuen vs iudgment of Reason if we do not penetrate points so euident A Comparison of the Terrestriall Paradise with the Celestiall CHAP. X. VVE haue aboue compared the Ioyes of this World with the Ioyes of the kingdome of Heauen In this next place we will briefly parallel togeather the Ioyes of the Terrestriall Paradise How great the Ioyes of the Earthly Paradise were may be knowne from that it was as it were a Garden of Delights allotted to men who were created to the image similitude of God whereas the rest of the Earth was giuen to Brute Beasts And hereupon when Adam by sinning did lose his Honour in which God had constituted him and was made like to Beasts without Vnderstanding Psal 48. he was then cast out of that Place and banished into this S. Alcuinus surnamed Auitas writing vpon Genesis doth liuely describe this Terrestriall Paradise and sheweth it to haue byn a Region most pleasant and most temperate where the Heate of the sommer did not scorch or burne nor the cold of the Winter annoy or hurt but a perpetuall spring of flowers did exhilerate refresh and the Autumne to abound with all kind of fruits His words are these Hic ver assiduum c. In this place the mildnes of the Aire causeth a continuall spring the teÌ„pestuous Southwind is absent the Cloudes do flye away from vnder the cleere firmament giuing place to a continuall serenity Neither doth the nature of the Soyle require any showers since the buds and the young plant are content with the falling dew Thus seing neither Winter to hurt nor Sommer to burne the Autumne furnisheth the yeare with all fruits and the spring-tyme with flowers Thus he S. Basill in like manner lib. de paradiso thus describeth this Terrestriall Paradise saying Illic plantauit Deus c. God placed Paradise there where no violence of wynds nor vnpleasantnes of times nor Hayle nor lightning nor thunder nor frost nor moysture nor scorching eate nor drines is to be found But there is a peacefull and temperate agreement of all times amoÌ„g themselues c. And S. Austin agreeth with the former doctours in describing this Terrestriall Paradise lib. 14. de Ciuit. cap. 10. Quid timere vel dolere poterant illi c. VVhat should those men feare or grieue at who were euen incompassed about with such an affluency of so great goods where neyther death nor any euill disposition of the Body was to be feared neither was there any thing absent which a vertuous will could desire nor any thing there present which could displease or offend the flesh or mynd of a man liuing happily c. And then a litle
OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Fiue Bookes Writen in Latin by the most Illustrious Cardinall Bellarmine of the Society of Iesus And translated into English by A. â— Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the Iustice thereof Matth 6. Permissu Superiorum 1638. The Epistle Dedicatory of the Translatour to the Reader GOOD Reader I heere present thee with a Translation of one of the spirituall Bookes of the learned and pious Bellarmine memorable in all future Ages But before I proceed further I would wish thee call to mynd that two things necessarily concurre to the perfection and consummation of a Good Christian The first is a true and Orthodoxall fayth residing in the vnderstanding The second a deuout and vertuous life resting in the Vâ—ill Touching the first it is recorded in sacred Writ That without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. and of the other we thus read Decline from euill and do good Psal 36. Now this Blessed deceased Cardinall whose happy Soule I most humbly beseech to pray for me his poore Client endeuouring to forestall as it were surprize the contrary wayes leading to mans perdition did first for the instruction of Christians of this Age in true fayth write his learned Tomes of Controuersies for their worth deseruing to be stamped in letters of Gould and for their continuance to future ages in Characters of Brasse or Marble threatning therin a totall profâ—igation or rather extinguishment of all present Nouellisme After this his labour accomplished himselfe growing into greater yeares then did he turne his penne to write certain spiritual Treatises wholy breathing deuotion and Sanctity teaching the way of performance of the foresayd Precept of declining from Euill and doing Good Among which his deuout Discourses he made one of the Ioyes of Heauen entituling it De aeterna Felicitate Sanctorum The which booke translated into English I do now present vnto thee In thy serious perusing whereof thou wilt rest astonished at the proceedings of most Worldlings who are so wholy buried in Earth as that wheras Man is borne Heyre to the Kingdome of Heauen for wee reade to our comfort that we are Heyres of God and Coheyres of Christ Rom. 8. Neuertheles diuers of them do euen breathlesly labour toyle in seeking to adde earth for their Sonnes to inherit and yet are of such nicenes and delicacy themselues as that they will not once stirre a foote that not their Sonnes but themselues may inherit not Earth but the true Land of promise I meane the kingdome of God but in lieu thereof though their leading a wicked lyfe become inheritours of Hell fyre and euerlastinge damnation But to returne to the most worthy Bellarmine In the reading of this his Booke thou shalt doublesly fynd him not to act Moyses who was permitted only to shew the Israelites the way to the LaÌ„d of Promise not to enter with them therein but rather Iosua who conducted them into the Land and also entred with them which Land was but a Type or adumbration of the Celestiall Land or Country heere discoursed of Touching my course held in translating this Treatise thou mayst be aduertized that I haue translated it faythfully and truly Bellarmines grauity scorns to vse in his Writings any flowers of youthful Oratory but only writes whatsoeuer it pleased God to dictate vnto his spirit Therefore I should haue wronged him and his worke in disuesting it of its owne purity and easines of stile by new cloathing it in forced and borrowed robes of speach No let Bellarmine be euer suffered to speake in the dialect of Bellarmine that is grauely and persuadingly for since his wordes are darted out of a fyery deuotion and charity they therefore are most persuading and if he speaketh persuadingly no doubt he speaketh eloquently since Persuasion is the But or scope of true Eloquence I know full well that Translations in this our fastidious age are sleighted or little regarded and that highly prized which commeth heat out of the forge or mint of a Man 's owne wit and inuention Let those men whome God and their owne endeauours haue enriched with such high Talents happily employ them to the good of Gods Church I am not emulous of their due reputation and deserued prayse gayned thereby I content my selfe with the loely title of a poore Translatour aâ— not being able to performe more Only I desire to do good thereby Neuertheles to Apologize and speake in defence of Translatours I may be bould to say that they in some sense may be sayd to be the Authours of other mens Works by them translated seeing they are Authours and Causers why diuers ignorant in the Latin Tongue though benefit of their Translations do participate of the contents of the sayd Works translated of which otherwise they would neuer haue taken notice And thus a good Translatour is a good Enginer since he openeth and â—isâ—loseth the Mynes of the hidden and goulden Treasure of other Mens learning And thus leauing thee to the perusing or rather meditating of this goulden Booke If thou be Catholike reape any profit therby I intreat thy Prayers to God in my behalfe for the remissioÌ„ of my infinite sinnes This I speake not by way of Ceremony and for fashion sake as it is often vsuall to diuers in their Epistles Dedicatory to do but most humbly earnestly beseech of thee this fauour if it shall please his diuine Goodnes out of his bouÌ„d-les mercy to call me before thy death to the most happy place of Eternal Felicity of which this Booke intreateth I will not there forget to requite this thy Charity shewed me Thine in Christ Iesus A. â— The Preface of the Authour THE last yeare I wrote a small Treatise chiefly for my owne spirituall good of the Ascending of the mynd to God by consideration of certaine steps or degrees of things created Now in that it hath pleased the diuine Maiesty to draw out a little longer my feeble old age it came into my thoughts to make the Heauenly Citty to the which all we Sonnes of Adam who bewayling do inhabitate this Vale of mortality do greedily seeke after the subiect of my present meditations and to coÌ„mit the same to print to the end they may not wholy perish Therefore in the sacred Scriptures which are as it were certaine Consolatory Epistles sent from our Father in this our exile or place of banishment I fynd foure Names by which the good and Felicity of that place may in some sort be made knowne vnto vs. The Names an these A Paradise a House a Citty a Kingdome Of Paradise S. Paul thus saith 2. Cor. 12. Scio hominem in Christo c. I know a man in Christ aboue foureteene yeares ago rapt euen to the third Hauen And then a litle after rapt into Paradise And that we might not imagine he spake of the earthly Paradise he did promise and set downe before those words rapt euen
and Clouds doe mooue to and fro where also stormes Raine Snow Hayle and Thunder are ingendred and in which the Birds of seuerall kindes doe liue and flie The fourth Prouince is that â—f the water comprehending the Sea Fountaines Riuers Lakes in which the fishes are procreated And which walke the paths of the Sea Psal 8. The â—f Prouince is thâ—s of the Earth which being as it were emulous of that of Heauen is enriched with most noble Inhabitants though not blessed to wit with men indued with Reason but yet mortall and obnoxious to death Who neuerthelesse haue dominion of the beasts of the Earth the birds of the Aire and the fishes of the Sea The last Prouince is that which may be called subterranea as being vnder the Earth being as it were as other desert of Arabia and producing no good fruits but only thornes and bryars In which the wicked Spirits do liue who through their Pride deserued this punishment and who aspiring to be the first came thereby to be the last And thus they endeauouring to aduance their Seates aboue the stars of heauen were for such their attempt detruded from thence and cast out to â—he lowest Hell And this place doth daily expect the arriuall of such Men who as being companions to the diâ—ells wallow in all flagitious sinnes â—nd enormities and who depart from the stage of this life without true repentance All these seuerall Prouinces God doth hold within his Empire and Gouerment according whereunto the Psalmist saith All things doe serue thee Psal 118. All which most spatious Kingdomes God will communicate to such as loue and serue him as hereafter we will shew Now O Christian Soule spread and dilate thy hart suffer not thy selfe to be confined within the niggard and narrow bouÌ„ds of things only that are present why dost thou so incessantly sweat and toyle to obtaine some small part of this world since if thou wilt thou maist purchase it all Certainly if mortall men would with a serious and earnest thirst aspire to this Kingdome or would with mature reflexion of the soule meditate thereon they would euen blush to wage warre for any small or narrow portion of the earth God O Man offereth to thee the society and partage of his immense and eternall Kingdome And thou for the defence or gaining of one little Towne dost enter into warre and open hostility by meanes whereof many rapines bloudsheds and other innumerable sinnes are committed all which must iustly prouoke the King of Kings to wrath and indignation Where then is there any wisdome in this thy proceeding Where any iudgement or true consideration I speake not this as if I were perswaded it were vnlawfull for Christians to mooue warre in defence of their owne Townes and Citties For I well know that iust warres are maintained and allowed not only by the holy Fathers and particularly by S. Austin Ep. ad Marcel but also by S. Thomas 2.8 q. 40. the chiefe of all Schoolemen Yea the Precursour of our Lord then whome not any was borne gteater of Women Luc 3. admonisheth souldiars not that they should forsake a lawfull warre but that as being content with their stipends and payes should forbeare to wrong any man And I my selfe in my Books of Controuersies of Religion 〈◊〉 defended lawful warres Therefore weâ— doe not â—bsolutely forbid diâ—aâ—low of warre but we only exhort to that which is more perfect and for the most part more profitabâ—e with the same intenâ—ion with which Saint Paul speakech to the Corinthians cap. 6. It is a fault in you that you haue iudgments among â—ou VVhy do you not rather take wrong VVhy doe you not rather suffer fraud And S. Iames in his Epistle cap. 4. From whence are warres contentions â—mong you Are the not of your Concuâ—iscences which warre in your memâ—ers You couet and haue not you kill â—nd enuy and cannot obtaine you conâ—end and warre and you haue not beâ—ause you aske not Certainly who is â—ruly sollicitous of the Kingdome of Heauen would be little afflicted with â—he losse of any one Towne or Citty â—ut rather would be desirous to vse â—â—e mediation of others for the comâ—ounding all depending Controuerâ—ies without the calamities and danâ—ers of warre But let vs passe on forward Of the Concourse and Frequency of the Inhabitants in the Kingdome of God CHAP. II. THat supreme habitation is for â— second respect called the Kingdom of God to wit because it containetâ— a greater multitude and diuersity of Inhabitants within the capacity and largenesse of its owne Orbe then any House or Citty yea more then large vast Kingdomes are accustomed to comprehend For there is as the Apostle speaketh in his Epistle to the Hebrewes cap. 22. the entercourse of many thousand Angells There is also a confluence of the Spirits and Soules of all iust and perfect men vnder which number are comprized all those who shall close vp their dayes of this life in the feare of our Lord euen from the day of Abel the Iust vntill the consummation of the world Neither shall only the Spirits of lust men stay there after the ending of the world but also their glorious bodyes being reunited to their soules All which and eâ—ery one of them shall shine euen as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their â—ather as our Lord assureth vs Maâ—hew 13. Now so much as appertaineth to the diuersity of the Angels we during our â—eregrination here vpon earth are â—carsely suffered to know any thing â—ut only their Names For wee know out of the vision of Esay c. 6. that some of them are called Seraphims â—thers Cherubims out of the Prophet â—zechiele 28. others Thrones others Cominations others Principalities â—thers Powers from the Apostle to â—he Colossians c. 1. Others Vertues â—rom the same Apostle to the Ephesiâ—ns c. 1. Some Archangels from â—he same Apostle 1. Thess 4. and from â—he Epistle of S. Iude. To conclude others Angels of whom most frequent mention is much celebrated in all the â—acred Books of Scripture From these â—ifferent nine names and appellations â—he holy Doctors with an vnanimous â—onsent doe proue that there are nine different Orders of Angels vnder â—uery particular Order whereof many thousands of Angells are ranged according to the words of Daniel c. 7. Thousand of thousands ministred vnto him and ten thousand hundred thousand assisted him with whom Iob conspireth saying Is there any number of his souldiers And although the Angells be doubtlesly most blessed and shine with the splendour and brightnesse of all vertues and diuine gifts notwithstanding those are tearmed Seraphims who are more remarkable preeminent for their ardour and zeale of Charity Those Cherubims who exceed in knowledge Those Thrones who enioy an ineffable and silent tranquillity of Contemplation Those Dominations to whome as to the Ministers and Deputies of the supreme Emperour the charge of this inferiour world is committed Those Vertues who at the command of God are exercised in
often it so falleth out that the King cannot command at least dare not the effecting of a thing if so he stand in feare to the multitude of his Subiects For how many Kings and Emperours haue beene dethroned whose authority the Subâ—ects haue shaken off and often with death to the said Kings and Emperours Histories are fraught with Examples of this subiect Therefore that chiefe gouerment in mortall Kings is languide and weake since those Kings cannot performe any thing or atcheiue any exploite without the approbation and allowance of the People But the Soueraignty of God who alone is stiled and truly is The great King hath no dependancy of any thing but only of his owne VVill. The which his VVill since it is Omnipotent cannot brooke any resistance neither standeth it in need of souldiers warlike prouision or any other endeauour out of it selfe And although God doth vse Angels or Men as also euen dead and senselesse things as his inferiour Ministers yet this he doth not out of any necessity but because it so best pleaseth his diuine Will For he who without the ministeriall assistance of any created only by the vertue of his VVord Heauen and Earth and euery thing therin contained and doth conserue them only by his VVill may also no doubt gouerne all things so created only by his owne imperiall dominion Neither only is God said most truly to rule because supreme or as I may tearme it superlatiue power remaineth in him alone but also in that the chiefe mistery of gouerning is peculiar only to him For God needeth not any Senatours or others to consult withall VVho hath knowne saith S. Paul Rom. 11. the mind of our Lord or who hath beene his counsellour And before the Apostle Isay c. 40. thus contesteth the same saying VVho hath holpen the spirit of our Lord Or who hath beene his counsellour and shewed to him VVith whom hath he taken counsell and who hath instructed him and taught him the path of Iustice and taught him knowledge and shewed him the way of Prudence Therefore it followeth ineuitably from the Premisses that a Monarchy which is the best kind of gouerment is not only found to bee in God but it is found to be in him alone true and perfect For hee is not only formidable ouer all the Kings of the earth as we reade Psal 75. but also is a most Maiesticall King ouer all the Gods as is said againe in Psalm 94. For there are certaine false Gods who are rather to bee called diuells according to that of the Prophet The Gods of the Gentils are diuells Psal 95. There are also other Gods by participation as the Kings of the Earth and the Angells of Heauen are for we reade Psal 81. I haue said you are Gods But all these Gods stand subiect and obedient to that one ouerruling God who reigneth in Heauen The refore it necessarily followeth from what is aboue said that that King is truly a King and most puissant whom Nabuchodonosor that fastigious King of Babylon after his pride was iustly punished in these words fully acknowledgeth Dan. 4. Therefore after the end of the daies I Nabucodonosor lifted vp mine eyes to Heauen and blessed the Highest and praysed him for euer because his power is an euerlasting Power and his Kingdome in generation to generation And all the Inhabitants of the earth are reputed with him for nothing for he doeth according to his will as well in the Powers of Heauen as in he Inhabitants of the earth And there is none that can resist hiâ— hand and say to him VVhy didst thoâ— it c. Now therefore I Nabuchodonosor prayse and magnify and glorifâ— the King of Heauen because all hiâ— VVorks are true and his wayes Iudgements and them that walke in pride he can humble Thus Kâ—ng Nabuchodonosor confessed of himself who may be an exaÌ„ple to all others that they doe humble and prostrate themselues vnder the powerfull hand of God as S Peter admonisheth And that they stand more prepared to serue the King of Kings thereby to deserue his beneuolence and fauour then through pride and clâ—tioâ— of heart to resist his Wiâ—l by which their course they are in the end forced to suffer condigne punishments vnder his most rigorous hand accordâ—ng to their iust deserts That all the Blessed in Heauen are Kings CHAP. IV. THE fourth and most principall reason why the place and state of the Blessed may be called the Kingdome of Heauen is because all the Blessed in Heauen are Kings and in that all the conditions of Regall Authority doe most aptly agree to them For although all the Saints in Heauen doe serue and obey God as is said in the Apocalyps c. 22. yet with all they gouerne and rule For whereas it is sayd in the same place his seruants shall serue him it is also there sayd And they shall reigne for euer and euer Neyther only doe all the Bâ—essed serue togeather and rule togeather but withall they may be tearmed both Seruants and Sonnes for thus God speaketh in the Apocalyps cap. 21 They who shall ouercome shall possesse these things c And I will be his God he shal be my Sonne Thus therfore as the same Saints may be said to be SeruaÌ„ts Sonnes so also may they be sayd to be Seruants and Kings They are Seruanes in that they are created of God and do owe all obedience and vassalage vnto him of whome they receaue them Being lyfe and other thinges for nothing created is excepted out oâ— this homage euen by the testimony of Dauid saying All things do seruâ— thee Psal 118. They may be also called the Sonnes of God because theâ— receaue their regeneration from God by water and the Holy Ghost Finally they are Kings since Regalâ— Poweâ— and Dignity is communicated vntâ— them by the King of Kings who euer in thâ—s respect is styled in the Apocalyps cap. 19. The King of Kings anâ— Lord of Lords Perhaps it may be heere vrged that it is not repugnaÌ„t that one the same man should be a temporall King and withall a Seruant of God as it iâ— said accordingly in the 2. Psalme Anâ— now your Kings vnderstaÌ„d take instructioÌ„ you that iudge the earth But to be King of the Kingdome of Heauen and withall to be a seruant of the King of Heauen seeme to be incompatible togeather How then can a man apprehend this difficuâ—ty or belieue it â— answere notwithstanding it is so â—nd facile to fayth both to conceaue and to belieue it Therefore the Iust â—n the Kingdome of Heauen shall aâ—so be Kings of the Kingdom of Heauen because they shall participate of that Regall Dignity and power as also of the spiritual riches aâ—l other goods which are in the Kingdome of Heauen The Verity of which point the Holy Ghost contesteth in three places of Scripture One is in the Ghospeâ—l of S. Matthew cap. 5. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome
or Lords of the world and ouer all the inuisible Powers And with how much ioy shâ—ll that Soule exult when she shall perceaue her to be freed of all danger and labour and to triumph most happily ouer all her enemies And what is left more that she can defir wheÌ„ she shall be made partaker of all the goods of her Lord and Creatour yea euen to the parâ—icipation of his own Throne and Kingdome O with what alacrity doe those Men fight heere vpon Earth and how easily doe they tolerate and vndergoe all aduersities for Christ who with a vigorous faith and erected hope behould with the eye of the vnderstanding such magnificent and supreme honours in Heauen Of the goods of the Kingdome of God CHAP. V. THe fift reason of calling the happinesse of the Saints the Kingdome of Heauen may be taken from the similitude and resemblance of the Saints liuing in Heauen to the goods which terrene Kings do enioy though those of Heauen doe so much ouer-ballance these of the earth and are greater then they by how much Heauen is more worthy and noble then the Earth Therefore the Kingdome prepared for the blessed is not simply a Kingdome but is called for more fulnesse of speach the Kingdome of Heauen that thereby we may be instructed that the like proportion here is of goods to goods which is of the Earth to Heauen that is of a thing in it selfe narrow base sordid temporary to that which is most ample most high most noble and which is the chiefest eternall and euerlasting The goods of a terrene Kingdome are accounted these to wit Power Honour Riches Pleasures A temporall King may commaund ouer his subiâ—cts if they be found disobedient or stiffe-necked he may punish them with bonds imprisonment banishment penalty of money whipping or euen with death And hence it is that Kings become feareful to their Subiects and are reputed as it were certaine Gods Againe Kings wil be honored with a certaine height of veneration and worship almost transcending mans Nature for they expect the bowing of the knee neither will they ofteÌ„ vouchsafe to heare their Subiects speake but with a submisse and humble couÌ„tenance and deportement of body and if they passe through the streets they looke that all men should go backe and giue them the way Againe kings couet to haue a most copious and rich Treasury replenished with gould ane siluer neither do they number their reuenews by hundreds or thousands but by ten huÌ„dred thousands this not without iust reason since they are not to mantayne ten or tweÌ„ty seruants or followers but great powerfull armyes of soldiers against their enemies Lastly they are not content to recreate themselues with accustomed sports but they hould it as necessary to the splendour of their greatnes maiesty to wast many pouÌ„ds of gould and siluer in banqueting huÌ„ting and in publike shewes and sights And these things aboue rehearsed are the sole goods almost belonging to teÌ„porall Princes which goods haue this one thing incident to them all that is that they are but momentary fading beginning at the birth of the Princes and ending with their death except perhaps it may fall so out that the lyfe of the Kings be of longer continuance then their Reigne Furthermore these goods are not pure but are accompanyed with their â—tings Thus power is oftentymes ballanced with infirmity and weakenes Honour with ignominy Riches with Pouâ—rty and Ioy with griefe and lamentation True it is that Regall Dominion is such as that the People do depend vpon the least intimation or signification of the King his mynd yet this his power is mixed with infirmity since the Prince resteth vpon the strength and courage of his people For what can the command of a Prince eyther in beseiging or defending a Citty effect if his subiects eyther be not able or not willing to encounter the Enemy Neyther doth the authority of the Prince rest only vpon the strength of his Subiects but also in the walles of the Citty of the Trenches of weapons of miliitary stratagems and of Money which is vsually called the Sinew of Warre Therefore the people rest at the commaund of the Prince and are subiect to one man But the Prince relyeth vpon the Wills of many Men as also vpon diuers other things in all which he is forced in some sort to be seruiceable To conclude it is in the Power of the King to chastize his subiects with bonds imprisonment banishment yea with death notwithstanding the King himselfe I speake what actually may be done not what by right ought to be done lyeth open to bonds imprisonment banishment wounds death The truth of this point is proued from the pittifull examples of Iulius Caesar Caius Nero Galba Vitellius Domitian Commodus Heliogabalus and from diuers others Neyther do these wicked Princes but such as haue beene of great modesty and moderation in their comportement witnes the same as Alexander MammeÌ„a Gordianus the yonger Pertinax Tacitus Numerianus Probus Gratianus Valentinianus the second I could insist also in such Princes which haue beene most remarkable for piety and Sanctimony of lyfe as S. Edward King of England S. Wenceslaus duke of Bohemia S. Sigismundus King of Burgandy S. Canutus King of Denmark and some others In this next place let vs discourse of Honour Kings indeede in their owne presence and in the presence of others are much reuerenced but in their absence they are often slaundered and their Honours turne aâ—under with contumelious Inuectiues In like sort in their owne presence â—hey are much flattered by such their Sycophants who secretly beare to them a great contempt and inward hatred And if account should be taken both of such as extoll them in prayse and of others their detractours these later would be found far more in number Therfore doubtlesly the glory of Kings is for the most part lesse then their ignominy since those who in the presence of a King do honour him are but few whereas the absent are many of which some doe taxe the King with sordide auarice some with cruelty others with luxury and others with other vices To descend to riches Perhaps some may thinke that Kings haue no mixture of Pouerty adioyned to their riches Nothing lesse For no men are found to be more wanting and poore then Kings They haue indeed great reuenewes and treasure but withall they often are indebted more they their Treasure can discharge And that man is not so poore who hath litle as he who desireth much because he wanteth much And is it not a great argument of Pouerty for Kings to extort farthings or halfpeÌ„nies from their Subiects being poore since they exact small customes or payments of all those who sell things necessary for mans sustenance and prouision I speake not this as reprehending such exactions fot I well know that Kings may iustly require these Tributs according to those words of the Apostle in his Epistle to
the Romans cap. 13. Be subiect not only for wrath but for conscience therefore giue you Tributs also for they are the Ministers of God c. Render therefore to all men their due to whome tribute tribute to whome custome custome Onely my intention heere is to paint out the miserable state of mortall Kings who of necessity are to abound with great affluence of riches and yet are forced to gather no small part thereof from poore and needy men But now in this place what shal we say of the pleasures and delicacies which Kings enioy Kinges indeed haue their gardens their bowers their Orchards most sumptuous tables of meate their hunting sportes their theaters and other such pleasures for their recreation but these are often attended on with the goute the griefe or paine of the stomâ—ke or Head and which is more violent with most grieuous solicitude and cares of the mynd which not seldome do depriue them of their nightly rest such are suspicious feares augours c. Thus if their Bedchamber dore doe but open or make the least noyse in the night they instantly suspect treachery and treason If newes be brought them that there is seene a multude of armed men togeather they feare a combination of their Subiects against them Thus is there made a compound of their ioyes and griefs of their repose and disquietnesse which hath beene the Motiue why diuers Kings abandoning all domination and Rule haue finally choseÌ„ to liue vnder the hatches of a priuate lyfe But let vs heare S. Chrysostome who discourseth of the Emperours of his tyme in these words hom 66. ad pop Antioch Ne diadema respicias sed curarum tempestacem neque purpuram intuere c. Do not so much cast thy eye vpon the diademe or Crowne of Kings as vpon the storme of their Cares neyther behould the Purple garmeÌ„t and Robe but the Soule and mynd more blacke then the Purple The Crowne doth no more incompasse the Head then Care doth the mynd Neyther thinke thou of the great company and traine of Officers and Attendants but of the multitude of troubles For thou shalt â—ot find a priuate house so replenished with cares as Kings Pallaces are For in the day tyme death is feared in the night the very soule seemes to leape out of the body through apprehension of terrours And these thinges happen in tyme of Peace But if the trumpet be once sounded and that VVarres rush on what lyfe is more miserable then the lyfe of Kings How many dangers doe their familiars and subiects threaten to them For the very pauement and stones of Kings Courts doe euen flow with the bloud of their owne friends and kinred This will be fully acknowledged if I doe insist in some examples both of former times and of our dayes This King for example hauing a wife suspected of Adultery did tye her naked leauing her to bee deuoured of beasts in the mountaines though she became mother of many Princes Now what kind of life may wee thinke this man did liue For hee would neuer haue burst out into so great a reuenge had he enioyed the true vse of Iudgment This other Prince did throtle to death his owne Sonne This third being suprised by his enemy became his owne Homicide Another muthered his owne Nephew being Competitour to the Crowne The fifth is reported to haue depriued his owne Brother of life Another ended his life by taking Physicke being impoysoned and the eye of his Sonne was pulled out for the preuenting of future dangers when as yet he had committed no wrong The next Emperour as a Man breathing only misery and infelicity was burned with his horses wagons and other his furniture VVords light short to expresse the calamities which the next Prince to the former was forced to suffer And as for this Emperour that now reigneth is it not most euident that after hee was crowned with the Diademe he spent no short time in labours in dangers in disconsolation and secret endeauours At non talis Caelorum Regia but such is not the Court or Kingdome of Heauen Thus farre S. Chrysostome Who how truly he concluded what wee shall now relate will fully proue For it is certaine that the Kings of the Kingdome of Heauen and such are all the blessed who doe liue with God haue Power without weaknes honour without ignominy riches without Pouerry and pleasure without griefe For of them it is said in the 90. Psalme There shall no euill come to thee and scourge shall not approach to thy Tabernacle And in the Apocalyps cap. 21. And God shall wipe away all teares from cheir eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine Therefore the power of those celestiall Kings is most great their imbecillity and weaknes none Wee reade in the 4. of Kings that one Angell without any military forces without any artillery or svvords or launces did kill at one blow a hundred eighty thousand of Assyrians neither did the Angell feare to receaue any wound from them S. Gregory relateth in his third booke of Dialogues cap. 36. how a holy man being assaulted by a bloody and mercilesse fellow with his arme stretched out and a naked sword in his hand instantly cried out O Saint Iohn hould him And presently thereupon his hand did grow stiffe so as hee could not mooue it Therefore Saint Iohn did heare the prayer of his Client from Heauen and with such celerity did punish that wicked Man as that it preuented the blow being already begun to be giuen Such is the power of Celestiall Kings as that neither almost an infinite distance of place nor the solitarines of one poore iust man nor the multitude of armed men could hinder S. Iohn from deliuering his Suppliant from imminent death Infinite other examples lâ—ke to this might be produced Now concerning the Honour of those Kings of Heauen it is so glorious and great as that not only the godly and vertuous but euen the wicked yea the very Diuells doe reuerence and giue veneration to them Many doe contemne and be trample vpon vertuous and holy men here liuing vpon the earth whome after that they be translated to Heauen their sanctimony celebrated by the publicke suffrage and decree of the Church the former men doe worship and honour And the Diuells themselues doe reuerence and feare the relicks and Images of such holy Saints in Heauen whome whiles they liued in flesh they vexed with their temptations yea often times with stripes blowes through the permission of God What shall I say of the Riches of these Heauenly Kings Their chiefest riches is to want nothing since God to them is All in al 1. Cor. 15. for he is not rich who possesseth many things but he who desireth nothing since he waÌ„teth nothing For it is the mynd which maketh a man to be rich not his stored chests or coffers We may add heerto that Heauen
that God auerretâ— it that it is good expedient for vs tâ— be poore in riches rich in pressurâ— and Afflictions And notwithstanding â—his is most true nothing more conâ—uceth to the acquiring of true riches 〈◊〉 which are the merits of the Kingâ—om of Heauen then to haue a mind â—oyd of all affection to temporall beâ—efits and withall to haue an ardent desire to suffer for Christ Heare then our Lord himselfe saying Luc. 6. VVoe â—e to you that are rich because you â—aue your consolation VVoe to you that are filled because you shâ—lbe hungry VVoe be to you that laugh because you â—hall mourne and weep As also on the contrary syde Blessed are you poore for yours is the Kingdome of God Blessed are you that now weep Blessed shall you be when men shall hate and reuile you and shall separate you and vpbraid you and abandon your name as euill for the Sonne of Mans sake Be glad in that day and reioyce for behould your reward is great in Heauen Heare also S. Iames how he magnifyeth Tribulation cap. 1. Esteeme it â—ll ioy when you shall fall into diuers temptations knowing that the probation of your faith worketh patience and patience hath a perfect VVorke Where we are to obserue that the Apostle heâ— sayth not Tolerate sustaine be you patient when you fall in tribulation be gaudete reioyce yea esteeme it to be â— ioy That is take tribulation not as tribulation but as matter of all ioy comfort and exultation And as touching riches obserue the iudgement of the same Apostle S. Iames cap. 5. Go too yoâ— Rich Men weep howling in your miseries which shall come to you And iâ— another place the same Apostle saith of rich men Be miserable and mourne and weep let your laughter be turneâ— into mourning and ioy into sorrow Iacâ— 4. But from whence commeth it thaâ— persecution doth make a man blessed the which rather should seeme to make him miserable Many thinges might be alledged in proofe of this verity but I will content my selfe with one reason To wit that persecution is like to a forge of burning fire For fire doth prepare and dresse meates doth purge siluer and proue gould Euen so persecution if it be patiently suffered rectifieth and disposeth Sinners refineth the imperfect and is a touchstone to the Iust And thus is persecution become seruiceable to all sortes of men A sinner is lyke to raw flesh vvhich except it be rightly dressed is cast forth to the beasts to be eaten for â— sinners is full of vnvvholesome and bad humours to vvit concupiscence of the flesh vvhich is Luxury concupiscence of the eyes which is Auarice and pride of life vvhich is Ambition But novv if persecution be at hand threatning a sinner then is he so prepared in that fire as that he may be fit to be honourably brought to the table of our Lord. For persecution or grieuous tribulation violently rushing vpon a sinner he instantly forgetteth all lust lucre and ambition and so becommeth transformed and another man from vvhat before he vvas A iust man but weake and imperfect though hee doth not fall into any grieuous sinne yet he is a fauourer of his flesh followeth his pleasures loueth gaine and wealth doth not detest the vanities of the world This man is like vnto siluer mixed with much drosse but if once the forge of Persecution take hould of him and that with patience hee entertaine it then presently the refuse matter in him doth beginne to bee separated from the siluer For then â—e beginneth to gather his forces togeather to meditate of things which are aboue to abhorre and loath carnall desires and to liue iustly temperatly and piously in this world and to expect with great hope and alacrity the approach and comming of the glory of that great puissant God To conclude a man perfect in Charity is gold yet he is to be tried in the fire of Tribulation that both himselfe and others may be assured that he is gold and not copper For after it is seene that he is able to endure the fire of Peresecution with all patience and euennesse of mind not only others take notice what he in himselfe is but also himselfe with a more erected conscience hope and security doth expect the wages and reward of the Kingdome of Heauen according to that of the Apostle Rom 5. Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Probation and Probation Hope and Hope confoundeth not And God himselfe doth daily more and more raise and exalt his seruant tryed in tribulation vntill he maketh him partaker of his Kingdome and Felicity Behould here how many goods Patience in persecution doth ingender And indeed it deserueth admiration to obserue how few men there are who haue the fruition of these goods of Persecution although they doe lie open to all men to be partakers of them since persecution and affliction may bee found in euery place For in euery place it doth â—ffront vs whether in our owne house in the way in intercourse with others yea euen in the Church because in euery place the wicked doe assault the good and vertuous and that Sentence of the Apostle is most true 2. Tim. 3. All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Notwithstanding we being ouer delicate and nice souldiers doe either flye from this trying-fire of Persecution wholy or else we retort and beate backe the receaued iniury or wrong vpon our Aduersary And thus wee doe not suffer persecution and wrong but we commit it And there are not wanting A mans owne enemyes being they of his owne House who doe prayse and commend him that disburdeneth himselfe of the wrong offered and doe transferre it vpon the Aduersary And yet these men will be accounted Christians who thus doe violate and contemne the Precepts of Christ The fourth Way to the Kingdome of God CHAP. X. BVt because few men there are who vnderstand aright these great difficulties aboue discoursed of and more few who will make triall of them by their owne practice therefore our Captaine Christ Iesus hath shewed vs a fourth way and that a most strait and narrow leading vs to the Kingdome of God saying Matth. 11. The Kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence the violent beare it away As if he would say I well know that it seemes a strange Paradoxe to men that such as are blessed should be poore and miserable men should bee rich and that on the contrary we ought to reioyce in Persecution and weepe in Prosperity Neither am I ignorant that there are fevv vvho vvould loose and exchange goods present for the gayning of goods future and vvould imbrace and vvish for present euills therby to auoid euills to come But I vvho am Truth it selfe neither can I nor ought to conceale the truth and therefore I haue here added That the Kingdome of God cannot be taken but by such as offer great violence so as only men of violence doe carry it
avvay Hence it is that in another place I haue said Luc. 18. How hardly shall they that haue money enter into the Kingdome of God For it is easier for a Camell to passe through the eye of a nedle then a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God And againe How narrow is the gate and how straite is the way that leadeth to life And few there are that find it I haue also compared the Kingdome of Heauen to a Treasure hid in a Field as also to a precious Margarite vvhich cannot be bought vvithout the sale of all other things intimating thereby that a man must depriue himselfe of all things vvhich he holds deare vpon earth if so he hope to possesse the celestiall Treasure and precious Margarite in Heauen I haue furthermore perspicuously and vvithout any ambiguity of vvords protested Luc. 1. VVho doth not renounce all things which he possesseth cannot be my disciple And although this renunciation is to bee vnderstood of the preparation of the mind Neuerthelesse seeing this preparation of the mind to renounce all temporalities vvhen either the health of the Soule or the glory of God doth require it is not easily performed and the accomplishment thereof is found but in few therefore I haue adioyned the similitudes of him vvho vvill build a Tovver not hauing sufficient prouision meanes to performe the same as also of that King vvho thinketh of vvaging vvarre against another King and yet hath not equall forces vvherby hee might hope for victory Novv if the building of a Tovver vvithout good store of money and the encountring in vvarre and hostility against a potent King be things most difficult and almost impossible Hovv much more difficult then is it to performe both these tvvo points together But hee ought to performe them vvho vvil besiege or lay battery to the Kingdome of God For first a Tovver is to be built vvhich may reach to Heauen That is merits and the price of good vvorks are to be procured vvhich may deserue eternall life And with all he is to fight vvith very many and most potent enemies to vvit with the vncleane vvicked Spirits vvho shall labour by their subtile endeauours to hinder the building of the foresaid Tovver The Tipe or figure herof happened to the Israelits vvho endeuouring to reedify and build vp the Citty of Ierusalem then ruined and beaten to the ground by the Chaldeans were hindred by their neighboring Countreyes vvarring against them so as they vvere forced to vse incredible sollicitude and care in building vvith one hand and fighting vvith the other From all vvhich the Conclusion is that the Kingdome of Heauen cannot without great paynes and sweat be purchased by such men who become a prey to earthly and momentary pleasures and benefits not knowing how to bridle and tame the Concupiscence of the flesh or to fight with an inuisible enemy Neuerthelesse whosoeuer being assisted by the the grace of God shall seriously giue his mind to Christian Perfection and shall most attentiuely consider the words of Christ following the examples of him and all other Saints to this man by little and little the way and Tract shall be enlarged the gates shall be opened the vigour and courage of the mind shall increase the enemies shall be enfeebled and thus through the charity of God in Christ Iesus increasing in him the burden shall beginne to be light and the yoke sweet And those words of Esay c. 40. shall be verified They that hope in our Lord shall renew their strength they shall take wings as Eagles they shall runne and not labour walke and not faint And this man shall say with the Royall Prophet I did runne the way of thy commandements when thou didst dilate my heart Psal 118. Certainly it was not grieuous to S. Antony to spend whole nights without sleepe yea the night did seeme most short to him in respect of the sweetnesse of diuine Contemplation as well appeared when he complained of the Sunne it selfe in these words Quid me impedis Sol c. VVhy dost thou hâ—nder me O Sunne which risest so soone to the end thou maist withdraw me from the splendour and brightnesse of the true light Cass Col. 9. cap. 31. Neither seemed it any difficult matter to this Saint and such like holy men to coÌ„tinue their fasts by whole weeks when they euen fed vpon and were refreshed with the reading and meditating of the sacred Word of God as with a celestiall supernaturall bread Neither was it painfull to S. Austin to weane himselfe from the sweetnesse of worldly pleasures to the which euen from his youth he had beene enthralled after he once had tasted the sweetnesse of diuine loue and of internall Contemplation Therefore let no man be disanimated or let his heart and courage fall but cast himselfe with an immoueable Hope into the Armes of Gods most holy assistance who as he made vs for himselfe so will he draw vs to himselfe And who will vouchsafe to place all those in his Kingdome whome hee vouchsafed to redeeme with the precious bloud of his only begotten Sonne Now in regard of all this O Christian Soule thou oughtest not through the asperity of the way to rest disheartned but to trust in our Lord who would neuer haue inuited vs to seeke after his Kingdome before all other things whatsoeuer had he not beene prepared to strenghthen vs in this our iourney with his most powerfull and puissable help Therefore enter into this Path or tract-way towards the Kingdome of Heauen with all cherefull animosity of mind Here is no place left for a wauering mind or iudgement For if the labour be great which here presents it selfe to thee yet the reward propounded for this thy labour is incomparably farre greater and if the forces of thy enemies hindering thee in this thy voyage be powerfull yet the hand of God vvhich leads and conducts thee is more povverfull And if many of all Ages and Sexes could by this vvay arriue to the Kingdome of God vvhy vvilt thou be so faint-harted and deiected in spirit as to despaire by the same vvay to arriue to the same Kingdome Their bodies vvere not made of stone or iron but of flesh and they vvere mortall and fraile And therfore vvhat they atcheiued vvas not through their ovvne strength but through the strength of our Lord. Why therefore mayst not thou though vveake and infirme accomplish the like attempt Cast thy selfe vpon God faith S. Austin l. 8. confess c. 11. and be not afraid He will not withdraw himselfe from thee that thou shouldest fall Cast thy selfe vpon him confidently He will receaue thee He will help thee God is faithfuâ—l hee cannot deny himselfe Two things are required at thy hands The one that most firmely and vnalterably thou wouldst resolue to preferre the glory of God and saluation of thy ovvne Soule before all other things vvhatsoeuer The other That thou vvouldst repose all thy hope and
confidence not in thy ovvne strength neither in thy ovvne vvisdome but in the Omnipotency and infinite Charity of God Which tvvo Points if thou do performe Crooked things shall become straight and rough wayes plaine Esa 40. And thou shalt serue our Lord vvith ineffable comfort ioy and exultation And thou shalt sing in the wayes of our Lord because the glory of our Lord is great Psal 137. OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Title of the Citty of God THE SECOND BOOKE Of the Beauty of the Citty of God CHAP. I. GLORIOSA dicta sunt de te Ciuitas Dei Glorious things are said of thee O Citty of God Psal 86. In regard herof I much couet to behold thy Beauty by way of meditatioÌ„ though it be as it were by a glasse in a dark manner And among other things this first occurreth to be considered why the Felicity of the Saints which in the holy Scriptures is called the Kingdome of Heauen is also called the Citty of God One chiefe reason thereof seemeth to be because as it is called a Kingdom in respect of its amplitude largnes so it also deserueth to be called a Citty with reference to its splenstour and beauty When one heareth any speach of a most large and vast Kingdome he may easily thinke that in the same there are many solitary and vnpleasing places left onely for beasts to inhabit many hills vncultiuated many Vales ouergrowne with wood many Rocks inaccessible wayes vneauen and vnhaunted and finally most deepe precipices and the lyke But because all this infelicity of place ought to be most distant and remote from the felicity of Saints Therfore the holy Ghost doth instruct vs in the Scriptures that the Kingdome of Heauen is like to a most fayre and adorned Citty and though this Kingdom be of a most immense and almost infinite Circuite yet that it doth euen shine and appeare fayre as any Citty that is most populous and most rich is accustomed to doe For in the chiefest and greatest Citties there are to be seene most sumptuous and adorned Temples or Churches most stately and haughty Pallaces most pleasant Orchards most large places for resort of the Citizens most replenished houses with people besids goodly fountaines Columnes Pyramisses Theaters Towers and shops fraught with all things necessary for the vse of Man What had beene the splendour of Italy if wanting the barraine Apennines it all should shyne not as Rome as this day but as it was vnder Augustus Caesar who turned its Mud-wals into edifices of Marble And how beautifull had Syria beene long since if all of it had beene lyke to Ierusalem before Ierusalem had come to desolation by the Romans For Iosephus describeth the magnificence of it with all wounder so as the Prophet might not without iust cause say thereof Gloriosa dicta sunt de te Ciuitas Dei and yet euen then it was not brought to that height of eminency to the which after Dauid and Salomon Herod the great had aduanced it Of what luster had Chaldaea and all Assyria and Mesopotamia or rather all the East beene if the Citty of Babylon could haue contained all the parts thereof within the compasse of its owne Walles For both Pliny and Strabo describe that Citty in such manner as that the largenes and beauty thereof may seeme to be incredible And therfore the Citty of Babylon was worthily ranged among the seauen Miracles of the World But now to parallell things togeather What kind of Citty then shall that heauenly Citty that supernall Ierusalem be which possesseth or containeth the whole Kingdome of Heauen I meane that Citty which maketh that great Kingdome of Heauen so to cast forth its splendour and light as if it all were but one most faire and glorious Citty in the which there is no vacancy of place no deformity nothing vile or base Doubtlesly the supernall Citty is of such nature as that no man can seriously and with due attention meditate thereof but that he must instantly burne with desire of so great a matter And no man can trulâ— burne therewith but that abandoning all things he must thirst after it and neuer cease till he hath found it Obserue what Tobias the yonger reioycing in spirit speaketh of this Citty c. 13. Thou shalt shine with a glorious light and all the coasts of the earth shall adore thee c. The gates of Ierusalem shall be built of Saphire and Emerauld and all the compasse of the walls of precious stones VVith white and cleane stone shall all the streetes thereof be paued and in the streets Alleluia shal be sung And S. Iohn accordeth to Toby herein saying Apoc. 21. And the building of the wall thereof was of Iaspar-stone c. And the Citty was pure gold as it were transparent glasse c. And the foundation of the Citty was adorned with all precious stones and the seuerall gates thereof were of seuerall margarites and the streetes of the Citty pure gould Now heere we are not to imagine that the heauenly Ierusalem shal be seene as adorned with gould and precious stones such as are heere vpon the earth â—ut these things are so deliuered in holy Writ that thereby we may vnderstand that the Heauenly Citty is so farre more noble then any earthly Citty by how much gould is better then mud or dyrt Margarites then common stones starres then lights the Sunne then a torch or lampe Heauen then the earth and finally God the immortall Workeman then any mortall Architect But because we are heerafter more fully to discourse of the beauty of all the parts of the Citty of God I will heere forbeare further speach thereof Of the Concord and Peace of the Citty of God CHAP. II. ANother reason why the Kingdome of God may be called the Citty of God seemeth to be in that a Kingdome is accustomed to comprehend within it almost an infinite multitude of persons being among themselues distinct in language Manners and Lawes of which number though all of one Kingdome many did neuer see one another much lesse euer contracted any mutuall friendship or familiarity Now a Citty contayneth onely those which speake one and the same tongue who are of lyke manners and are gouerned by the same customes or lawes Thus the same thing is called both a Kingdome and a Citty because the inhabitants of the Heauenly Kingdome are so many as that they can hardly be numbred and as S. Iohn sayth Apoc 7. they are gathered togeather of seuerall Nations of seuerall Tribes and People and of seuerall tongues as also of Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Vertues Dominations Thrones Cherubims and Seraphims who exceed men in number of which euery one of them do differ from another not in Country people language but in diuersity of nature I meane in a specificall difference And yet neuertheles they are all true Cittizens all of vnanimous consent and are gouerned only by the law of Charity And hence it is
that they are all one Hart and one Spirit And since charity cannot brooke Hatred Enuy Contentions discord and the lyke therefore all such dissentioÌ„s iarres are most remoted froÌ„ that holy Citty of Ierusalem and only Charity there raigneth being atteÌ„ded on with â—ustice peace ioy in the Holy Ghost In the beginning of the Creation of things there was a great waâ—re in Heauen betweene S. Michael the Archangell and the Dragon But S. Michael and the other Angells who ranged themselues with him and remayned in the Truth and performed their loyalty and obedience to their Lord obtained victory ouer the Dragon and his Associats who breathing nothing but pride reuolted from their common Lord and Soueraigne And the great Dragon was cast forth the old Serpent whâ—ch is called the Diuell and Satan which seduceth the whole world and he was cast into the earth Apoc. 12. From which time the Holy Citty the heauenly Ierusalem did border it selfe within the limitts of Peace Neither hath any warlike Trumpet beene hard therein neyther shall hereafter be heard and this for aâ—l Eternity Now to reflect vpon what is aboue said What can be reputed more pleasing or happy then this Citty Such men who by their owne experience haue tryed the euills of warres robberies slaughters Rapines deuastation of places by Lies sacriledges and the like may easily and truly preach of the great pleasure and sweetnes of peace But passing ouer publike warres and Hostility who hath not made triall in his owne Citty yea in his owne house how distastfull and vnpleasing it is daily to conuerse with men of an irefull and froward disposition who doe interprete euery thing in the worst â—art Depart from the wicked and euill shall fall from thee saith Ecclesiasticus c. 7. But whither can we fly where we shall not be encountred with wicked men And if euery place doe swarme with such men then doubtlesly must many euills discontents and vnquietnes attend vpon vs during this our tyme of exile Giue eare to what the foresaid Ecclesiasticus pronounceth of an euill wife It shall be more pleasant to abide with a Lion and Dragon then to dwell with a wicked woman c. 25. And if she who is the fellow and companion of mans lâ—fe be through wickednesse turned into a Lyon or Dragon to how great angours and infelicities are many men exposed All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus faith the Apostle â— Tim. 3. shall suffer persecution Therefore how vnhappy is the Citty of this world in vvhich a man of necessity must be affronted vvith Aduersaries and vvage vvarre For if thou vvilt liue piously and godly thou shalt suffer persecution at the hands of men And if thou vvilt giue the bridle to all impiety thereby to decline and auoid persecution of men thou shalt then fall into the wrath and indignation of that most high and powerfull King who shall persecute and punish thee both liuing and dead whose anger no man can resist Most vnfortunate therfore and calamitous is that Countrey in which no man can escape warre no man can fly from persecution no man can find true peace What then remaineth but that euen from the bottome of our heart we doe prosecute with a I loue and prayse the Heauenly Citty wherein no persecution can be found no warres broyles or discord can take place Of the liberty or freedome of the Citty of God CHAP. III. THe third Reason why the Kingdome of God may be called a Citty is in that a Kingdome hath a Monarchicall forme o gouerment which seemeth to be opposed to liberty whereas all the Cittizens of Heauen are free and our Mother which is the supreme Ierusalem is also free as S. Paul witnesseth to the Galathians c. 4. Which blessed Apostle did well know what he did speake since he being once taken vp in spirit into the third Heauen was thereby acquainted with the manners and lawes of that Citty Therefore seeing a Kingdome doth seeme to include seruitude and a Citty liberty that Kingdome may well be called a Citty in whâ—ch all who serue the King are free Now among the holy inhabitants of Heauen there is not one only liberty but a liberty of seuerall kinds For first all the Cittizens of Heauen are free from the bondage of sinne seeing the first liberty which was in the terrestriall Paradise was to haue power not to sinne wheras the second liberty in the celestiall Paradise is far greater to wit not to be able to sinne as S. Austin teacheth lib. de correp gra c. 11. Another kind of liberty consisteth in being free from death being like to the former liberty For Adam vvas so free in the terrestriall Paradise as that it vvas in his povver not to dye And the Sonnes of Adam are so free in the celestiall Paradise as that they cannot dye Neyther must it seeme strange that vve pâ—ace liberty in that vvhich consisteth in not being able to doe seeing not to be able to sinne and not to be able to dye imply an eminency of freedome from the captiuity of sinne and thraldome of mortality For vvho hath not povver to sinne is not only free from sinne but also is so farre from the bondage thereof as that he remaines secure that sinne shall neuer haue any soueraignty ouer him In like sort he vvho cannot dye remaines not only free from death but is so farre distant from death as that he is ascertained that death shall neuer make any assault tovvards him Which liberty only God through his owne Nature enioyeth according to those words of the Apostle 1. Tim. 6. VVho alone hath immortality For although the Angells and rationall soules be said to be naturally immortall because they haue no Principle or cause of Corruption in their â—ature Neuerthelesse God who first created them can at his pleasure reduce them to Nothing But the Angells and the blessed Saints are most secure that they shall for neuer after sinne nor dye and are in this respect most free from the seruitude of sinne or death which priuiledge is a most honorable participation of the diuine liberty of God The third kind of liberty is to be free from Necessity and this liberty is also of seuerall sorts For now mortal men are forced through a certaine constraint of necessity to eate to drinke to sleepe to labour sometymes to stand another time to walke or to lye downe and repose themselues But the Saints in Heauen stand subiect and thra l to no such necessity but are freed from all corporall necessitudes And this is the liberty of the glory of the Sonnes of God of which the Apostle speaketh in his Epistle to the Romans Now of what dignity this liberty is first poore men secondly spirituall men lastly rich men such as are louers of this world do fully testify Men oppressed with penury and want in the highest degree what indefatigable paynes dâ— they vndergoe thereby to prouide for themselues and theirs meate
drinke cloaths and other necessaries And how much would they acknowledge themselues to be obliged to such men who would disburden and free them from all such seruitude of Want Necessity And hence it is that many of them practise theft and other prohibited courses for the maintayning of their liues for they say with that wicked Steward in the Ghospell Luc. 16. To dig I am not able to beg I am ashamed I know what I will do To witt I will deceaue my Lord I meane I wil free my selfe by theft and rapine from this burden of want and necessity But the close or end of this is to fall into a necessity far more grieuous that is into the seruitude of sinne and the diuell mans greatest enemy To come to holy men who greedly thirst after Heauen these men accouÌ„t it a great burden to haue the care of prouiding al things nâ—cessary for the body standing in need of so many things and spending much tyme therin which they would bestow willingly vpon more noble employments Eusebius l. 2. hist. cap. 16 recordeth out of Philo that the first Christians of Alexandria in Egypt liuing vnder the gouernm nt of S. Marke the Euangelist were so wholy deuoted to their accustomed heauenly meditations as that they neuer refreshed their Bodies with meate till after the Sunne was set that so they might spend the whole day and a great part of the night in such celestiall studies so allotting but a small part of the night for their Bodies ease and cherishment Yea he relateth that diuers for the space of three whole dayes others for six dayes togeather abstayned froÌ„ meate In like sort Ioannes Cassianus in his Collations and Theodoret in his history do affirme that the same long â—bstinence from meate was much practized by many holy â—rmites Therefore from hence we may gather that the seruitude of corporall necessities was a great clogge to these men they complaining and crying out with the Apostle Rom. 7. Vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Now to descend to the Cittizens of this World and particularly to rich men who breath nothing but temporall gaine and pleasures To these this seruitude of necessity is not vngratefull neuertheles if they weighed the matter in an euen ballance they would censure it to be most grieuous Meate drinke and sleep are pleasing to them but if these benefits of nature be taken in a superfluous degree they fill the body wâ—th a troublesome ouercharge of bad humours diseases which after to expell they are forced to drinke diuers better potions and to suffer no sleight paines Agayne such men are violently constrayned eyther to professe open emnity to God and thereupon to vndergoe his most dreadâ—ull wrath and indignation or els most couragiously to wage Warre against concupiscence of the flesh for the obtayning of temperance and sobriety which kind of feight is accustomed to be most laborious and most dangerous Therefore I conclude that both the poore the rich the godly and the wicked are disburdened and freed of a most fastidious wearisom necessity and vassilage when they are freed from the seruitude of this miserable and manifold Necessity The fourth kind of liberty consisteth in being free and vnobliged to the Law and the Precepts since the Law was instituted not for the iust but for the iniust as the Apostle teacheth Now there are none more iust then the Blessed for they are confirmed and corroborated in Iustice neither can they possibly become iniust True it is that the threatning and pressing Law is not ordained for iust men liuing in this World since of their owne accord they are obedient to the Law neuerthelesse it cannot be denied but the Law doth oblige and direct euen them to do that which the law commandeth and to flye that which the Law prohibiteth But the iust who doe enioy the liberty of the glory of the Sonnes of God doe stand in need of no Law for they conteÌ„plate all Iustice in the VVord and as being strenghtned and fortified in perfect Charity they cannot deflect or decline from the will of God This liberty indeed is of great moment which dischargeth one of all sollicitude and anxiety and it is wholy opposite to that captiuity thraldome of those vnfortunate Soules who hauing their hands and feete bound shal be cast into exteriour darknes and into a furnace of fire So as they shall not be able either to tolerate or to auoid those torments And yet there is not any man but of necessity he must vndergoe one of these two contrary lotts or fortunes Notwithstanding men are so blinded with the empty smoake of present Honour and the dust of terrene Benefits as that they make no cogitation no introuersion of iudgment vpon these matters vntill a sudden ouerthrow and calamity doe rush vpon them and thus doth irreuocable punishment open their eyes vvhich sinne had before shut and closed vp Of the Situation and forme or structure of the Citty of God CHAP. IV. BVT let vs returne to the Heauenly Citty let vs attentiuely coÌ„consider the situation forme foundation gates walles and streets therof And to beginne with the situation This Citty is placed in Holy mountaines for thus we read Psal 86. The foundations thereof are in holy mountaines With whome agreeth S. Iohn Apoc. 21. And he tooke me vp in spirit to a Mountaine great and high and shewed me the holy Citty Now Citties are seated vpoÌ„ Hils or mouÌ„taines both for healthfulnes of the ayre as also for strength But what mountaines are higher then Heauen And which is that mountaine that is exalted aboue all mountaines if not the Heauen of Heauens of which Dauid thus singeth Psâ—l 113. Caelum Caeli Domino This is that mountaine to the which the sayd Prophet coueted to aspire when he said againe Psal 23. VVho shall afcend into the mount of our Lord or who shall stand in his holy place And from whence he implored expected aide saying Psal 120. I haue lifted vp mine â—yes vnto the mountaines from whence helpe shall come to me Therefore from all this we may gather that the Seate of the Citty of God is most sublime high and transcendeth alâ— things which may in any sort disturbe the peace and tranquillity of the said Citty for it is erected to a greater height then any dust myre thornes the bitings of venemous beasts of the earth can reach vnto It is more high then any vapours darknes of the ayre hayle thunder or lightning can terrify or annoy Briefly it is more high then those vncleane and rauenous Birds which the Apostle Eph. 6. calleth Spiritualia nequitiae in caelestibus can ascend vnto He meaneth spirituall wickednes in heauenly places The forme of the Citty of God is foure square for thus speaketh S. Iohn Apoc. 2â— And the City is situated quadrangle wise and the length thereof is as great as the breadth This signifieth no other thing
but an admirable most perfect Iustice which reigneth in that Citty in which there is no Iniustice no obliquity or distortion of mens Actions which point S. Austin toucheth in explicating that of the Psalm 64. mirabile in aequitate that is wonderfull in Iustice. And doubtlesly it vvill deserue admiration to behold so many almost innumerable Cittizens of that Citty all of them enioying a most exact freedome of Will and yet not any one for all eternity to be noted for any exorbitancy or miscariadge either in vvorke vvord or thought Therefore vve may truly say that that Citty is placed in a square so as the length and breadth thereof are equall Furthermore this foure-squared forme may also figure out that the latitude of the Heauenly felicity is equall to the longitude I meane because as the store or abundance of celestiall Goods shal be infinite so also shall their continuance be infinit and interminable For according to the Dialect of holy Scripture Latitude is accustomed to be applyed to the multitude of things and Longitude to their conâ—inuance According heereto vve read that the manifold vvisdome of Salomon is called in the booke of the Kings the Latitude of the Heart like vnto the sand which is in the sea shore and in the Psalmes duration or continuance of time is tearmed the length of dayes Therefore it followeth that in the Citty of our Lord the Latitude shal be equall with the Longitude because there shal be an immensity of good things ioyned with an eternity of their fruition S. Iohn addeth a little after the place aboue alledged that the height of this glorious Citty shal be of the same dimeÌ„sion with its breadth so as the Citty may be foure square euery way the meaning whereof is that the goods of the Celestiall Ierusalem shall not be only many and euerlasting but also most noble and most sublime or high Neither doth it import any thing that Vitruuius and Vigetius doe not allow in Citties a foure-square forme seeing they speake of Citties which stand in feare of the enemy Whereas the Holy Scripture celebrateth in words that Citty whose borders and limitts are Peace and to which in regard of its height no euill can make approach as the holy Prophet hath auerred Psal 90. Of the foundations and gates of the Citty of God CHAP. V. THE foundation of the Citty of God is of that sort or manner aâ— that it alone may deseruedly be said to haue a foundation or worke for thus doth the Holy Apostle speake Heb. 11. He expected that Citty that had foundations whose artificer and maker is God For the Apostle doth in these words giue a reason why Abraham did not build a Citty in the Land of Promise nor so much as any house or place of habitation but did there liue as a stranger The cause being in that he was instructed that that Land of Promise was but a figure of a greater Land of Promise and therefore he was vnwiâ—ling to erect a house or Citty which was after to become a ruine desolation as expecting a Citty built vpon a firme and stable foundation whose Architect or builder is God Therefore from hence it resulteth that the Heauenly Citty is only that Citty which truly and properly hath a foundation and which as being buâ—lt by God shall last for euer The Citty which Cain Nembroth Ninus Nabuchodonosor Romulus and others haue built in that they were after subiect to ruine shall all of them at the end of the world come to vtter desolation doe euen proclaime that they had no foundation And from hence we may gather how much more wise and prudent were the auncient Prophets then we are for they although they lâ—ued as long againe as we doe now liue and were to expect for certaine thousands of yeares before they could enter into the Heauenly Citty neuerthelesse they vouchsafed not to build either Citties or houses but liued only in Tabernacles as strangers and Pilgrims comforting themselues with a certaine and liuely Faith and Hope that since all things vpon earth doe finally come to decay they at last should enioy the eternall Citty of Heauen Whereas we who doe liue but few yeares and may if our selues will presently after our death enter into that most bâ—essed Cit y do so sweat and labour in building and adorning Ciâ—ties and stately Houses as if we were neuer to dye or neuer expected to arriue to Heaueâ— In which our proceeding we doublesly imitate not the belâ—euing Patriarchs but the misbelieuing Heathens And yet we are Christians and doe well know that neither Christ nor any of the Apostles had here vpon Earth any Citty Pallace or so much as an house much lesse that they did build any of these I would not heere be vnderstood to reprehend Princes of this world although Christians for erecting of Citties and priuate men for building conuenient houses for themselues their Posterity for we well know that Dauid a pious King did much inlarge the Citty of Ierusalem and did in the same Citty build himselfe a most Regall Pallace as we read in the second Booke of Kings We likewise know that S. Lewis King of France repayred at his owne peculiar charges certaine much ruined Citties of the ChristiaÌ„s in Palestine Neither are we ignorant that Princes should liue in more magnificent Buildings then priuate men and in lyke sort men of worth dignity then men of the common and vulgar sort All this â—e know but but we onâ—y require and allow a mediocrity in these things the extreme we codemne especially when we see that Priuate men couet to haue Pallaces fiâ—ting for Kings and Kings not content with Pallaces do buyld for themselues huge masles and heights of Edifices equalling euen townes in greatnes To conclude we condemne an ouer-affectionate desire to these temporal chings as if we were to repose and place our chiâ—fe felicity in them and we prayse and allow the contempt of the world and the humiâ—ity of Christ Now touching the Ports or Gates of the Citty of Heauen they are sayd by S. Iohn in the place aboue alledged to consist of Margarites and Pearles In lyke sort the structure of the walls is of Iaspar stone the streets of the Citty as also the whole Citty of pure gould All which descâ—iption doth signify that that holy Citty is moâ—t precious and withall most bright shining For it is well knowne that the Margarite or Pearle is precious and lightsome Now the Iaspar is eyther greene or whyte and therefore for the better distinction of these two colours S. Iohn addeth Et lumen eius simile lapidi precioso and the light thereof lyke to a precious stone as it were to the Iaspar stone euen as Cristal Where he adioyneth the words euen as Cristall to signify that he spake not of the greene but of the whyte and transparent Iaspar So also where he sayth that the streetes are of pure gould he annexeth these
wordes lyke to pure glasse that is trasparent and of a whyte colour lyke vnto Cristall From this it followeth that the whole Citty whether you respect the gates the wall or the streets is most precious which hath not within it any ordure or any thing that is base abiect sordid or of small continuance And withall the Citty is sayd to be whyte and plainly lyeth open to the eye for therin is nothing couered All the Citizens then see all things neither is there any suspicion or any imposture or deceyte And perhaps this is the reason why S. Iohn subnecteth in the same place this short passage Anâ— the Gates thereof shall not be shut because there shal be no darknes no theeues no Enemies for feare of whome the Gates should be shut Neither is this repugnant to the wordes of the Psalmist who celebrateth the prayse of his Heauenly Ierusalem in these words Psal 147. O Ierusalem praise our Lord because he hath strengthened the locks of thy Gates Since both the Propheâ— the Euangalist do insinuate one and the same thing to wit that there are not any enemies or theeues who can threaten danger to this heauenly Ierusalem For the Prophet by the Gates being euer shut sign fyeth that Gods holy Protection will not suffer the enemy at any time to inuade or enter into that Citty so much beloued by him The Euangelist by the gates being open sheweth that that Citty is so secure and free from all hostile incursions as that it needeth n t to shut its Gates much lesse to keep any Watch or Centinall But let as proceed and shew what the Gates the VValls and the Streetes of his Citty do import The Gates by their standsng euer open declare that now after the Passion of our Sauiour entrance into this Citty of God and Angels is giuen to men since Christ himselfe after he had suffered death did open the Kingdome of Heauen to the faithfull Neither is there one only Port or gate but twelue by which the faythful may enter into this Citty for thus S. Iohn speaketh On the East side three gates on the North three and on the South three and on the VVest three Since not only the Iewes as themselues dreamed doe enter into that Citty but men euen from â—ll the most remote and discosted parts of the whole World Yea so few Iewes do enter there into as with reference to men of other Nations they may be said to be almost none at all for thus did our Lord speaking to the Centurion prophesy of them Matth. 8. I haue not found so great faith in Israel And I say vnto you that many shall come from the East and the VVest and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of Heauen but the children of the Kingdome shal be cast out into exteriour darknes In like sort in the Parable of the Vine our Lord thus saith Matt 21. The Kingdome of God shal be taken away from you and shal be giuen to a Nation yielding fruit thereof And the same point is inculcated most clearly in S Luke VVhen you shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God you to be thrust out And there shall come from the East and the VVest and the North and the South shal sit down in the Kingdom of God Now there are said to be three Gates from euery part of the World so in number twelue because entrance sha be giuen not only to those comming from the East the South the West and the North but also from the beginning or first entrance of the East from the middle of the East and from the end of the East the lyke may be sayd of the three other Parts of the World Except this other construction following of the foresaid number of the Gates may be perhaps more pertinent to the purpose to wit that three gates are assigned to seuerall parts of the Heauenly Citty with reference to the mistery of the Blessed Trinity and the three most necessary Vertues since they all from all the foure parts of the World doe enter into this Heauenly Citty who being baptizâ—d in the name of the three diuine Persons haue perseuered to their last end in Fayth Hope and Charity Of the Wall and streetes of the Citty of God CHAP. VI. TO proceed The VVall of the Citty signifieth nothing els then Gods holy ProtectioÌ„ custody which one thing alone is sufficient to preserue this Citty without any watch forces or fortresses I will be to it saith God by the mouth of Zachary A wall of fyer round about and I wil be in glory in the middest thereof Zach. 2. A most wonderfull Promise He saith I will be a wall of fyer round about that I may hinder the entrance of Enemies and I will be a glory in the middest thereof that I may enlighten the Cittizens as if he would say Fyer burneth and shyneth therefore I will consume the enemy with fyer and will illuminate and comfort the Cittizens So I shal be a wall of fyer round about and a light of glory in the middest which very point S. Iohn a little after doth explicate when he saith Apoc. 21. And the Citty needeth not Sunne nor Moone to shine in it for the glory of God hath illuminated it and the Lambe is the Lampe thereof The clarity and brightnesse of God as a Sunne doth enlighten the minds and Christ being the Lambe of God as a Lampe doth illuminate the bodyes of the blessed Now Christ is here called a Lampe not as if this Lampe were necessary in the night time but is so called in comparison of the Diuinity For if the faces of the Saints shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of God as our Lord himselfe testifieth Matth. 13. then how much more shall the face of Christ not as a Lamp but as a chiefe Sunne enlighten the Citty of God And hence it is that S. Iohn doth there subioyne that there shal be no Night in that Citty Here yet remaineth the street of this Citty to be discoursed of This street coÌ„prehendeth the whole space whâ—ch is within the compasse of the walls And this street is the common habitation of all the Celestiall Cittizens The which is all of pure gold that is of a fiery and bright Charity which shall containe all those Cittizens and through force of which one of the Inhabitants shall euen liue in another through the vertue of pure Loue. Neither only shall one liue in another but all of them shall liue in God and God in theÌ„ all for who remayneth in Charity remaineth in God God in him 1. Ioan. 4. The which point that it might be affected Christ our Lord asked of his Father in that praier which ready to goe to his Passion he made in the hearing of all of his Apostles saying Ioan. 17. Not for them alone doe I pray but for theÌ„ also
who by their word shall belieue in me that they all may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that they also in vs may be one O most blessed Citty which being seated vpon a most high mountaine dost enioy a most pure ayre Which art founded vpon a Rocke as being supported with eternall stability and firmenes Whose gates doe shine like Margarites and euer stand open for Holy Soules to enter into Whose wall is God encompassing thee about with his vigilancy and protection and as a precious Iaâ—per-stone doth adorne thee Whose street is Charity more bright and glorious then all gould more white then any Crystall Which maketh all the inhabitants to be of one heart of one mind replenishing them with an inutterable ioy and placing them in an interminable and euerlasting tranquillity and peace Concupiscit deficit anima mea my soule coueteth and euen fainteth vnto thy streets Psal 9â— What is more gratefull and more wished for by our labouring and lamenting in the midst of a wicked Nation among false brethren and in that world which is wholy placed in malignity wickednes then euen in all hast to flye to that place in which only Charity reigneth VVhen shall I come and appeare before the face of God Psal 41. What greater consolation and comfort can be to a sâ—ule louing our Lord then to see his beloued and to be seene of his beloued and through an inward and most sweet connexion reciprocally to dvvell the one in the other It is insufferable bouldnes O Holy Citty that dust and ashes should dare to aspire to thy Pallaces and it is greater bouldnes that a vile and deiected soule should dare to approach to the fruition of his Creatour But he vvill excuse and pleade for this boldnes vvho gaue it vvhen he prayed to his Father that vve all might be one and that as the Father is in the Sonne and the Sonne in the Father so vve may be but one in one another Of the Temple of the Citty of God CHAP. VII VVE are heer further to inlarge our discourse of the Citty of God in shewing the Temple therein to prayse God the meate drinke which there is to be eaten and drunkeÌ„ for as for cloathing the Inhabitants need not to be sollicitous For if Adam and Eue needed not any cloathing in the terrestriall Paradise much lesse shall the Saints in the celestiall Pararadise need any such who shall be all cloathed with splendour and light as with a vestment Now concerning meate drinke Adam and Eue could not want them neyther doe the Angells themselues want them according to those words of the Angell Raphael I vse an inuisible meate drinke which cannot be seene of men Tob. 12. And first touching the Temple S. Iohn thus speaketh in the Apocalyps 21. And temple I saw none therein for our Lord God omnipotent is the Temple thereof and the Lambe That S. Iohn did not see any Temple in the Citty may not seeme strange since Temples are erected in the Militant Church for foure ends to wit that the Word of God may be preached in them to the faythfull that the Sacraments and Sacrifices may be celebrated in them that Publike Prayer may be in them offered vp to God And finally that due praises with singing ioy may be performed to him Now the preaching of the Word of God shall cease in Heauen seeing there the increated VVord himsefe shall manifestly speake to all And according to the preaching of Ieremy the Prophet cap. 31. Man shall no more teach his neighbour or his brother saying Know our Lord for all shal know me from the least to the greatest Sacraments in lyke manner and Sacrifices shall not be necessary in that Citty since neither Sins shal be there expiated neither shall signes be there required where things signifyed shall manifestly appeare Prayers and Laudes to God are heer vpon earth performed in Churches and Temples dedicated vnto God because himselfe hath promised that in such sacred places his eyes shal be open eares atteÌ„t for thus he speaketh to Salomon Paral. 7. Myne eyes shal be open and mine eares erected to his prayer that shall pray in this place But now seeing in the Celestiall Citty God wil be openly seene and heard of all men therefore not any Temple seemeth to be necessary in that place Hence then we may easily gather why S. Iohn said And I saw no Temple in the Citty But hâ—er it may be demauÌ„ded why S. Iohn subioineth these words The God omnipotent is the Temple thereof and the Lambe For if no Temple be required in that Citty why then is God himselfe said to be the Temple thereof and not only the Temple but also the Lambe Or what explication can it haue to say that God and the LaÌ„be shal be called Temples in Heauen Or to what vse shall this Temple be in Heauen In answere heerto we are to recurre to the custome of the holy Scriptures where one text or sentence doth comment and explaine another and the more darke and obscure passage receaues its illustratioÌ„ from that which is more perspicuous and cleare Well then we thus reade in the 90. Psalme He that dwelleth in the help of the highest shall abâ—dâ— in the ProtectioÌ„ of the God of Heaue◠〈…〉 sense and meaning of which Words is this Who by a firme Confidence Hope is ioyned with God he as it were maketh to himselfe a house in God in the which he may securely liue as being exempt and free from all euill The same may be said of Prayses and Prayers to God For he that through an inward reuerence is conioyned with God doth in lyke sort build to himselfe a place of Habitation in God the which he inhabitating in that sort as he ought to doe may therein pray and offer vp his prayses vnto God So heer we say that our Lord the Omniporent God of Heauen is the Temple of the holy Citty because all those holy Cittizens most intensly and with a strong bent of feruour meditating on the omnipotency of God and so by this meanes ioyned to him by an inward reuerence do dwell in him and exhibit to him due prayses and when they pray for vs they are heard with a most willing and ready care In lyke manner when they seriously contemplate the merits of Christ who as an innocent Lambe deliuered himself vp in oblation and Sacrifice to God 〈…〉 odour of sweetnes they being firmely vnited by loue and dwelling in him as in a Temple doe powre out their Prayers and impetrations for vs and doe doubtlesly find the eyes of God open and his eares attentiue that they may obtaine in our behalfe any thing for which they pray But if those blessed Cittizens be accustomed to dwell in God in Christ as in a Temple thereby to offer vp their prayses and prayers for vs what are we poore men to doe who neither see God nor Christ O would to
The fertility thereof is shewed in that it bringeth forth fruit euery moueth Thus it falleth out that the Inhabitants of that Citty haue euer new rype fruit new I meane of the present moneth rype of the moneth next past so as the fruit is neuer rotten neuer dry neuer vnpleasing to the tast All which descriptions and circumstances do signify and figure out the meate and drinke of the Blessed to wit VVisdom by the which they perfectly vnderstaÌ„d God and Charity by the which they perfectly loue God And this meate and drinke of the Saints being of chiefest worth are neuer wanting Now where the Euangelist speaketh of the leaues of that tree conducing to the health of Nations he may be thought to signify thereby that during our banishment in this world the fruites themselues of the tree of life are neuer sent to vs but only certaine leaues of that tree the which although they do not conferre eternall lyfe neuertheles they are very medicinable to cure our diseases to wit the Concupiscence of the flesh Concupiscence of the eyes Pryde of life and other such maladies of which all of vs eyther in a high meane or low degree are sicke These Leaues are the diuine word of God brought to vs by the Prophets and Apostles from Heauen that is by diuine Reuelation O how sweet an odour do these leaues breath forth to such as haue the spirit of our Lord Reade the Prophets reade the Psalmist reade the Gospeâ—ls read the Apostles Peter Paul Iohn Iames and Iude all these leaues do euen breath forth Humility the Charity of God Virginity into the Readers hart of all which the Philosophers are wholy silent but this we are not to wounder at seeing these leaues are the leaues of Paradise those of the Philosophers the leaues of the Earth Therefore O Christian Soule gather these Leaues most diligently and make to thy self of them a daily medicine and from the worth of these leaues make a coniecture what the fruit is and loathing the draffe of swine aspire with a breathles and incessant desire to this fruite of Eternall lyfe which is aboue of this meditate and let the remembrance thereof be euer deeply fixed in thy mynd Of the Mysticall foundation of the Citty of God CHAP. IX VVE haue already taken into our consideration the structure of the supernall Ierusalem we will now intreate of another structure thereof For a Citty doth not onely containe the fouÌ„dations the wals the streets but also the multitude of the Citizens who in regard of the diuersity of their functions and offices are also said in a figuratiue sense to be the Foundations Ports or Walls and the lyke And perhaps the gathering and liuing togeather vnder the same Lawes is more properly called a Citty then a continuation of a multitude of houses vnder the same walls for thus doth Tully in somniâ— Scipionis speake heereof Concilia coetusque hominum c. The familiarityes and companies of men linked togeather within one Law are called Citties Of this celestiall Citty which consisteth of Citizens not only S. Iohn but also S. Peter and S. Paul do speake In the Apocalyps cap. 21. we read that in the twelue gates were seene twelue Angels and the inscription of their Names were the twelue Tribes of the children of Israel and in the foundations were written twelue names of the twelue Apostles of the Lambe In S. Peter we thus reade Vnto whome approching a liuing stone of men indeed reprobated but of God elect and made honourable 1. Pet. 2. And you as liuing stones be you made c. To come to S. Paul he thus writeth Ephes 1. Now therefore you are not strangers and forreners but are Citizens of the Saints the domestiks of God built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the highest Corner-stone Therfore from all this we gather that the Citty of God hath for foundation or ground worke the Apostles and Prophets for the doctrine of the Apostles and the Prophets doth support the whole fabrick thereof For fayth is the beginning of saâ—uation Now fayth is â—eâ—â—aled by the Apostlâ—s and Prophets eyther by writing or preaching the mysteries of the Trinity the Inâ—arnaâ—ion the Resurrection of the dead the glory of the Saints Eternall punishments and other poinâ—s transcending humane reason all which we haue learned from the Prophets and Apostles to whome God hath vouchsafed to reueale these Mysteries For although Fayth hath no place in the blessed Soules because that which they did belieue they â—ow see buâ— what is seene is not belieued but knowne notwithstanding the Prophets and Apostles are sayd to be the foundation of the supernall Citty because Faith is the beginning of saluaâ—ion and therefore the beginning of Beatitude But because S. Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 2. That we as liuing stones are â—uilt vpon Christ And S. Paul 1. Cor. â— sayth Other foundation no man can â—y besides that which is layd which â— Christ Iesus Therefore there is one â—oundation and there are also twelue â—oundations as S. Austin in explic Ps â—6 teacheth because in the twelue Apostles Christ was for he or his Spirit did speake and teach by theÌ„ Heare the Apostle himselfe 2. Cor. 13. Doe you seeke an experiment of him that speaketh in me Christ Heare Christ himselfe saying VVho so heareth you heareth me And in another place It is not you that speake but it is the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you And it is not to be doubted but that one and the same spirit is of the Holy Ghost of the Father of the Sonne From whence we may further learne that by the twelue foundations not only the twelue Apostles are vnderstood but also all those who first preached the same fayth with them since otherwise S. Paul himselfe Barnabas and the seauenty disciples all who were not of the number of the foresayd twelue disciples should not hauâ— belonged to these foundations yeâ— neyther the Prophets theÌ„selues shoulâ— appertaine thereto And thus whicâ— God forbid we should make the Apostle lyar who said that we arâ— built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets But here occurreth no small doubâ— to wit How Christ can truly be calleâ— the foundotion of this Edifice or building since he is the chiefe Corner-stone thereof as the Apostle speaketh and is exalted aboue the head of the Angle or Corner as the Prophet affirmeth For how can the same stone be in the highest and lowest place be in the foundation and in topp of the building But he that shal call to mind that these words are vsed in a Metaphoricall sense will easily conceaue how by reason of diuers functions or offices contrary words may be applied to one and the same person For not only Christ who is both God and MaÌ„ but euery Prelate in his owne Church is both the foundatioÌ„ height because as he is the foundation he ought to sustaine the burden or
râ—quisite for all those who couet to be â—uâ—â—t vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets vnder the suprâ—me Corner stone Iesus Christ so as they may not only be in the Citty of God but themselues may be that high and most happy Citty of God Three things concurre to the end man may be built vpon so noble and worthy a foundation First that he be a stone Secondly that he be a liuing stonâ— lastly that this stone be curiously polished and squared First then we ought to be stones not Wood not Hay not straw that so we may make a solid and firme Wall that is we ought to be graue and stabâ—e Men perseuering in Fayth in Charity in Humility in obedience of the Commandements and not suffer our selfs to be carryed away and blowne to and fro with euery wind of doctrine as Heretiks are accuâ—tomed to be neyther violently to be possessed with seuerall desires and Passions as some light and vnsteddy Catholiks are wont to be For not any of these Men are admitted by the builders of the eternal Citty but only serue to make poore and weake cottages which are after presently ouerthrowne and ruines We ought also to be liuing stones as S. Peter admonisheth that is to be full of Charity of the Spirit of lyfe as the Corner stone Christ is who though he once dyed in flesh yet he euer liued in Spirit and accordâ—ng to the flesh did reuiue after he had tasted death and is neuer after more to dye Dead stones do buyld and make dead howses I meane corporall howses whereas the spirituall howse or rather the Citty of the great King wh ch is both spirituall and Heauenly requireth spirituall stones and in this respect liuely stones To conclude it is necessary that we be stones artificially wrought and squared not stones vnpolished and without forme because such building is best sorting to the most noble Citty of all Citties So we read in Iudith 1. that Arphaxad the King did build the Citty Echatanis of squared and cut stones And if King Salomon built the Temple of our Lord heere vpon earth of polished carued and curious stones what stones then ought to be vsed for the building of that Eternall Citty which infinitly is exalted aboue all other Citties But this squaring working is to be performed in this life and not in Heauen The figure or Type wherof was the building of the Temple of Salomon for thus we read in the third of the Kings cap. 6. VVhen the House was building neyther hammer nor hatchet nor any toole of Iron was heard in the House Because the stones were hewed cut and so perfectly and euenly squared far from the house of the Lord as that when they were brought to the Temple they were put in their place without any noyse or sound of the Hammer Therfore we gather from hence that no sound or blow of the striking Hammer shal be heard in the Celestiall Ierusalees for ther shal be no persecution no tribulation no penâ—tentiall labour no complayning no dolour no heauines And therefore the stones designed to the glory of this HeaueÌ„ly house ought in this vale of misery and teares to be polished with strokes and pressures for thus the Church singeth Tunsionibus pressuris Expoliti lapides Suis cooptantur locis Per manus artificis Disponuntur permansuri Sacris edificijs That is The stones being polished with knocking 's pressures are made apt for their places by the hands of the VVorkeman And so they are disposed for euer to remaine in the sacred buildings Thus heer in this world the burden of pennance is necessarily to be vndergone since we all offend in many things as S. Iames affirmeth cap. 3. Heer our carnall concupiscences are to be tamed Here our proper Wills are to be ouercome Heer our Body is to brought into seruitude Heere the buckler of fayth through an indefatigable labour is to be interposed against the fyery darts of vncleane Spirits Since otherwise if we cannot endure the stroke of the Hammer how can we then expect to be admitted by the Heauenly Architect vnto the structure of the Celestiall House O! that Men would vnderstood and conceaue of how great a good they depriue themselues whiles they do auoyd and decline the Hammer of persecution and cannot at least will not suffer any incommodity or losse any asperity any thing bitter and aduerse vnto them they would then doubtlesly change their courses they would ruine banquettings and good fellowship into fasting delicate and costly apparell into hayre-shirts and idle discourses and vnnecessary words into watching and prayer And if they suffered any iniustice or wrong at the haÌ„ds of false Brethren or open and professed enemies they would not in requitall meditate vpon reuenge but they would giue thanks to God and pray euen from their heart for their Calumniatours Persecutours because The sufferings of these tymes are not coÌ„digne to the glory to come that shal be reuealed to vs. Rom. 8. And in that Our Tribulation which is now momentary and light worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glory in vs. 2. Cor. 4. And certainly if we cast our eye backe vpon those liuing stones who are gone before vs towards the structure of this Heauenly edifice we shal behould ech one of them to haue bâ—n hewed with knocking 's or strokes and polished with seuerall pressures Christ himselfe the most precious Corner-stone who did not stand in need of any hammering or working vpon did so suffer for vs as that by such a sufferance he did leaue to vs an Example who when he was reuiled did not reuyle and when he suffered he threatned not 1. Pet. 2. In like sort all the Apostles could say with S. Paul vntill this houre we do both hunger and thirst are naked and are beaten with buffets and are wanderers and labour working with our Hands we are cursed and do blesse we are persecuted and sustaine it we are blasphemed and we do beseech we are made the out-cast of this VVorld the drosse of all 1. Cor. 4. What may we relate of the Martyrs did not they all being cut and wrought by many tribulations calamities and most bitter deaths ascend to the edifice of the Heauenly Ierusalem I passe ouer the Holy Confessours Anchorets Virgins Widdowes and all others gratefull to God who had not beene admitted to this Celestiall building if they had not crucifyed their flesh with their vices and had not proclaimed open warre and hostility euen against themselues Neither this refining and polishing of the liuely stones was necessary only after the comming of Christ but it was practised euen from the beginning of the world The first liuing stone was Abel who was cruelly slaine by his owne brother Cain The holy Patriarke Ioseph was sould by his Brethren Tobias receaued these words from the Angell Because thou wast acceptable to God it was necessary that temptation should proue thee Tob. 12. The Angell
wickednesse As if he would had said The world adhereth to its head who is called maligne or wicked transcendently or the world is vnder the gouerment and power of the wicked Diuell But to proceed further The Cittizens of this Heauenly Citty are those who being already blessed doe reigne in the Kingdome of Heauen as also all those who remaining yet in mortall body doe inhabitate the Earth yet this not in Heart but only in Body since in heart and soule their Conuersation is in Heauen and they couet to be dissolued and with Christ who is the King of the Celestiall Citty But now because the celestiall Cittizens are promiscuously mixed with the earthly Citizens therefore the holy Scriptures say for greater distinction That the Cittizens of Heauen are in the VVorld but not of the VVorld And that they are in the World not as Cittizens thereof but as strangers and Pilgrims for S. Peter speaketh I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrimes to refraine from carnall desires 1. Pet. 2. But of the Citizens of the earth the Scripture changeth its style and thus speaketh of them They are strangers of the Testament hauing no Hope of the Promise and without God in this world Ephes 2. Now these things being thus Let no man deceaue himselfe nor dreame that he can be a Cittizen of the world and withall a Cittizen of Heauen The Cittizens of the World are of the World The Cittizens of Heauen are not of the World To be of the world and not to be of the world are contradictory and incompatible togeather and therefore cannot brooke any conuinction In regard whereof let those men then to whom the world and earthly matters are gratefull not perswade themselues that they can haue any place in the Heauenly Citty except they first goe out and as it were wholy forsake the world voyding their iudgements and wills of all earthly Pleasures and Benefitts But because these Points are high mysteries and are vnderstood by few at least not thought and meditated on as they ought to be therefore to the end that no man at the last day may pretend ignorance there is not any thing which the Apostles and Euangelists doe more often inculcate and repeate then this one point Heare our Lord Ioan. 8. You are of this world I am not of this world Againe he thus speaketh to the Apostles If you had beene of the world the world would loue its owne but because you are not of the world therefore the world hateth you Heare S. Paul 2. Cor. 3. The wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God And againe You ought to haue gone out of this world And yet more That we may not be damned with this world Heare S. Iames cap. 4. Know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God VVhosoeuer therefore will be a friend of this world is made an enemy of God Heare S. Peter Fly the corruption of the concupiscence which is in the world 2. Pet. 1. Heare S. Iohn Doe not you loue the world or those things in the world 1. Ioan 2. And againe If any man loue the world the charity of the Father is not in him And yet more cap. 5. The whole world is set in wickednes To conclude heare our Lord himselfe speaking in prayer to his Father Ioan 17. For them doe I pray not for the world doe I pray but for them whom thou hast giuen me And the world doth hate them because they are not of the world as also I am not of the world Now from hence we may gather most euidently that the world is so as it were excommunicated and cursed by God as that Christ thinketh it not conuenient to pray for it Yet may it be here obiected that if Christ doth not pray for the world how is it said Ioan. 3. God so loued the world as that he gaue his only begotten Sonne what doth the Father loue the world and the Sonne hate the World Or how doth the Sonne exclude the world from his prayer which the Father doth not exclude from his loue S. Austin expounding this later place saith that the world for whom Christ denyed to pray signifieth only the wicked according to which acceptance the Apostle saith so that wâ— may not be damned with this world 1. Cor. 11. But we may here furtheâ— say Christ did not pray for the world because such things as he then prayeâ— for his Apostles did not in any soâ— agree to the world For he prayed foâ— the gift of Perseuerance Keepe theâ— saith our Sauiour Ioan. 17. in mâ— Name And withall he 〈◊〉 that they might obtaine eternity of glory saying I will Father that where I am they may be also with me that they may see my glory But these things are not agreeable to the world for neither is the world except it be afore cleansed of its filth aâ—d ordure apt for the Kingdome of Hâ—auen euen as it is not fitting for a man that is bemyâ—ed with dirt in riding to enter into the bedchamber of a K ng God doth truly loue the world and for it gaue his only Sonne thereby to clense and purge the world thaâ— it may be fit for his Kingdome And so Christ prayed for his Crucifiers not that they should perseuere in that state in which they then were buâ— tâ—at his Father might pardon them and in p rdoning of them might cause them to leaue and goe out of the world Anâ— therefore though Christ did say I do not pray for the world yet he adioyne a little after these words That 〈◊〉 world may belieue that thou hâ—st 〈◊〉 me Thus the closure of all 〈…〉 Christ prayed for his owne Discipâ—â— not for the world because exceâ—â— man doe first goe out of the world bâ—fore he goe out of his Body he can neuer arriue to the Kingdome of Heauen Whosoeuer therefore doth thirst after that supreme and high Citty let him hasten to goe out of the world for feare least his last day may suddenly and vnexpectedly surprize him and take him out of this life when he shall be depriued of all hope of his conuersion But if he be once happily gotten out of the world then let him forsake the same with all its concupiscences that he may daily meditate only of the Citty of our Lord and that he may euen protest with the Holy Prophet If I shall forget thee O Ierusalem let my right Hand be forgotten let my tongue cleaue to my mouth if I do not remeÌ„ber thee if I shall not set Ierusalem in the beginning of my ioy Psal 136. For this is the true Character or Note of the Cittizens of the Eternall Citty to wit to be more desirous to want both tongue and hands then to speake or attempt any thing against the loue of God their Father and their Celestiall Countrey that so the beginning of their ioy may be the Citty it selfe which replenisheth its Cittizens with such beatitude as that no
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
would seriously take these things into our consideration how loathing and cloying would all earthly pleasures seeme vnto vs Our Lord did sometime gird himselfe with a towel that he might wash his Disciples feete Peter was affrighted at this sight and could not endure that his feete should be washed by his Lord. But Peter was iustly affrighted because he saw therein maiesty humbled to the end to giue an Example of Humility to his seruants But in that Celestial Mansion thiâ— ministery of our Lord is not of humiâ—iation but of dignation or vouchsafing for the seruants of God in Heauen shall not need any example of humility and submissiuenes since not one of them shall be once touched with any pryde of mind but they all shall be confirmed and strengthened in all kind of vertue Therefore that girding of our Lord doth signify that he shall so freely so readily and without any delay be present to euery one of his Seruants and Brethren euen heaping vpon them all goodnesse as if there were no other imployment remayning for him but only this O Christian Soule what thing is this would to God thou wouldst once truly conceaue and vnderstand what honours and true pleasures our Lord will abundantly bestow vpon his seruants for euâ—r For certainly if the thought and cogitation heereof did deeply descend into thy Hart thou as eueÌ„ boyling in feruour of spirit wouldest gird thy loynes togeather and wouldest prostrate thy self most cheerfully in all obsequy and seruice before our Lord. And if any one of thy brethren oppressed with want did meete thee thou wouldest not onely not disdaine him with a scornefull and side-cast eye but euen dilating thy Bowells of Charity thou wouldst with all willingnes refresh and feed him sollacing thy selfe with those wordes of the Ghospell Matth. 25 Amen I say vnto you as long as you did it to one of these my least Brethren you did it to me Now where it is sayd that our Lord shall make all his seruants to sit downe this sheweth that they being admitted into the House of his Father may most safely and without any daÌ„ger or sollicitude repose and rest theÌ„selues and enioy all those goods with the which the House of our Lord is replenished for there shall not be any after who eyther by force or by deceite shall depriue them of the fruition of the same To conclude where further it is said that our Lord himselfe passing vp and downe shall minister and serue the meaning hereof is that the chiefest dainties and meates of the Saints are in our Lord himselfe for He is the Bread of life He is the fountaine of VVisdome He is that hidden manna which no man knoweth but he who receaueth and tasteth of it Therefore our Lord passeth through all he ministreth to all vnspeakable Viands and Banquets the which doe satiate without fastidiousnesse and fill without saciety Of the Bed-chambers of the House of God CHAP. IIII. LEt vs passe from the Chamber of Repast to the Chambers of Rest and repose Dauid saith The Saints shall reioyce in glory they shal be ioyfull in their Bedds This Bed is nothing els then a full and continuall Repose of the Saints and of that sleepe which the same Prophet Psal 126. thus praiseth VVhen he shall giue sleepe to his Beloued behold the inheritance of our Lord. Of which point he thus speaketh Psal 4. In peace in the selfe same will I sleepe and rest To conclude This is that Rest of which it was thus said to S. Iohn Apoc. 14. VVrite Blessed are the dead which dye in our Lord for hence forth saith the spirit they shall rest from their labours for their works follow them This is a great felicity and peculiar only to the Blessed For in this life there is no man wholy disburdened of all labour and euen those men who seeme most to be at rest and quietnes to wit noble and rich men are commonly pressed with greater anxieties And therefore not without cause did our Lord coÌ„pare Riches vnto Thornes in the Parable of the Sower Matth. 13. And Iob saith cap. 7. The life of man is a warfare vpon the Earth And one of his fellowes conspiringly thus auerreth Iob. 5. A man is borne to labour and a bird to flye But Ecclesiasticus more copiously doth inlarge himselfe vpon this point thus preaching cap. 4. Great trauell is created to all men and a heauy yoke vpon the children of Adam from the day of their comming forth of their Mothers wombe vntill the day of their burying into the mother of all Their Cogitations and feares of the Heart imagination of things to come and the day of their ending from him that sitteth vpon the glorious Seate vnto him that is humbled in earth and ashes from him that weareth Hyacinth and the Diademe euen to him that is couered with rude sackcloth Thus Ecclesiasticus In which words he teacheth vs that no mortall man is at any time made entirely partaker of Rest But to the end that all men may vnderstand of what worth and moment the sleep that is the sweet Repose of the Saints is to be respected therefore I will as it were lay open the seuerall points of the former sentence First then he saith Great trauell is created to all men and an heauy yoke vpon the children of Adam Here occupation busines is opposed to rest But because many are busied in things comfortable and pleasant as in hunting playing singing and the like therefore Ecclesiasticus addeth an heauy yoke thereby to shew that he speaketh of a laboursome vnpleasant and toylesome occupation with which no man is delighted and which All endeauour to decline and auoid And this most troublesome occupation or negotiation he affirmeth to be created for men that is adioyned and assigned to man euen from his Creation as an indiuiduall and inseparable Companion Which point he further explicateth that men may better vnderstand his meaning by adioyning these words From the day of their comming forth of their mothers wombe vntill the day of their burying into the mother of all Therefore a more mild and gentill course is taken with Oxen which beare the yoke in the day-time and rest in the night then with men who both day and night are forced to beare the yoke of labour and sollicitude And after this Ecclesiasticus briefly toucheth vpon particular troublesome molestitions which like vnto a most heauy yoke doe presse and bow down euen the necks of mortall men saying Their cogitations and feares of the hart imagination of things to come and the day of their ending Thus we see that the first part or Scene of their laborious and painefull trauell is a cogitation of thinges to come For a worldly man is euer anxious and carefull of the day to come saying to himselfe VVhat shall heerter fall out Shall we lose the smal good which we now enioy And from this riseth a continuall feare of the Hart which neuer suffereth a Man
to remaine and quiet Now this intense cogitation is two-fold For one part is that which the mynd frames and figures out to it self The other is necessary and such as no man can auoyd Of the first he saith Imagination of things to come of the other the day of their Ending A man doth imagine that is he doth frame to himselfe diuers expectations of future things and perils which do no lesse torment him then if it were certaine they should come to passe and take effect But the greatest torment to man is the cogitation and feare of death which Ecclesiasticus aboue calleth the day of mans ending the which day all men haue in so great an a horrour as that the Apostle Heb. 2. calleth it a continuall seruitude since the ineuitable expectation of death doth make better and as it were put wormewood into all the sweetnesse and delicacies of this life To conclude Ecclesiasticus addeth that this laborious occupation and trauell is so common to all the Sonnes of Adam as that euery one of them from the first to the last euen from him who sits enthroned in the Chayre of Soueraignty and weareth the Diademe and Hyacinth to the poore despicable man who liueth vpon the ground and weareth sackcloth is made thrall thereto Thus in all these things men after the sinne of Adam are made more vnhappy then beasts For beasts liue without feare are not sollicitous and forecasting for the morrow neither doe they remember the labour once passed neither are they affrighted with expectation of things to come And therefore the foresaid wise Ecclesiasticus doth heere teach that this burdensome yoke is layd vpoÌ„ the Sonnes as Adan partly to exclude beasts as exempted from this yoke and partly to shew the cause of this misery which is the first sinne of the first Man But this is the height of all misery to those who labour and couer not to ascend to the Celestiall House or mansion to wit that in this life they suffer a grieuous yoake but a farre moâ—â— grieuous shall they find in Hell For here in this life no man is free from labour yet is his labour eased being ioyned with some consolation but after this life in Hell all labour and dolour is without any comfort or repose Only in the blessed House of God Rest is without any labour and consolation without any dolour Therefore the Prophet Psal 149. iustly pronounceth The Saints shall reioyce in glory they shal be ioyfull in their beddes Because they shall not rest as men sleeping who do not feele or perceaue their rest but they shal rest with great exultation and ioy well knowing and acknowledging with an eternall gratitude the good of their most happy rest and quietnes it being most free from all labour griefe feare or molestation Certainly if no other good were in the House of our Lord but only this euerlasting Rest were it not thinke you worthy to ouer-ballaÌ„ce weigh downe all the labours paines and dolours of this life And if in Hell there were no other torment then an euerlasting and vnquiet watching did it not deserue to be redeemed with all daily and nighly Prayers other pennance whatsoeuer O how pleasant and gratefull will it appeare to the Saints at their departure out of the world to behould an end of their labours and other their paines and on the other syde how bitter will it be to the wicked at their lyke leauing this world to see that neuer after they are in hope for any relaxation or ease of their labours and dolours Death is said to be the greatest and last of all terrible things yet because death seemeth to haue some respiration or rest from paines therefore those miserable wretches who shall descend into Hell shall seeke for death and shall not find it they shall desire to dye and death shall fly from them Apoc. 9. Therefore the want of al Rest shal be iudged a greater euill and infelicity then the last and greatst of all terrible things And yet neuerthelesse such is the blindnes of Men in this world as that they repute in nothing to lose euerlasting rest quietnes and to descend to that place where torments shall admit no ease rest or intermission whatsoeuer Of the Princely Court of the House of God CHAP. V. IN a House there are seueral roomes designed for seuerall businesses and negotiations but in that supernall blessed House there shal be but one Office or businesse common to all the Saints to wit the praysing and lauding of the King of Heauen Here in this life diuers doe busy themselues to gather and heape vp money and riches others to aspire to honour and dignity others to adorne themselues with learning that so they may be able to teach others againe apply themselues to mechanicall Arts thereby to prouide things necessary for the sustentation of their life But in that region and habitation of Immortality there shal be no penury or want no ignorance no necssity no ambâ—tion since all being contented with their present state shall desire nothing more but shall be wholy occupied and busied in the fruition loue and prayses of their chiefe and supreme good But it may be some men will say that the office of praysing God in Psalmes and Hymnes and especially in reciting the Canonicall Houres is accompanyed with labour and of the Spirits and heerupon perhaps some will auerre yea accomplaine that a heauy burden is imposed vpon them in that they are commanded to spend daily so many houres in singing in the Church and in praysing of God To this I answere that to performe laudes and prayses to God by Prayer is in this lyfe a Merit in the Eternall lyfe a Reward and from hence it coÌ„meth that the exhibiting of laudes prayers is heer laborious and painful to many which in Heauen shal be most pleasant and ioyfull For now we read and sing many passages which we do not vnderstand besides during our tyme of prayer we are not a little troubled in driuing away idle vaine cogitaâ—ions as so many most importune flâ—â—s To conclude the Body which now stands subiect to corrupt on cannot long be intent to the fuÌ„ctions of the Soule without wearisomnes but in that blessed Country the Body shal be immortall it shall be impassâ—ble the flyes of d stractions and vnnecssary thoughts shall be absent Aâ—d which is the chiefest the performance of diuine seruice and prayers shal be nothing els then the exercise of Felicity and therefore if eternall Felicity shall not be troublesome then shall not the eternall praysing of God become troublesome That our prayses and laudes exhibited in Heauen to his dâ—uine Maiesty shâ—llbe the exercise of our Beatitude the Prophet teacheth Psal 82. saying Blessed are they that dwell in thy house O Lord for euer and euer they shall prayse thee For as it appertaineth to Beatitude euer to loue and haue the eye fixed vpon the
they should euen anker their hope and confidence vpon Gods good Prouidence becau e sayth he our Heauenly Father doth nourish the litle Bâ—rds which do neither sow nor gather and cloatheth the lyllyes of the fie d which neither labour nor spinne Therefore much more will he prouide for his owne Sonnes for whom he hath reserued the kingdome of Heauen And yet notwithstanding all this there is so smaâ—l or els no confidence in God found in many Christians as that in their necessities they rather flie for their sanctuary to the fraudes and impostures of men or to diabolicall Arts then to God Therefore we may bouldly conclude that if such men do not hope for these things from God which God affordeth euen to the Birds of the field and which himselfe promiseth to giue to those who place their trust and Hope in him that then all these men haue not that Hope which is peculiar to the sonnes of God and which all such ought to haue who hope from God to be partakers of the kingdome of Heauen And hence it commeth that seeing no man without an inexpugnable and liuely Hope which is a part of the gate of this supernall House can obtayne his saluation that therefore they are not many who are saued But there are yet remayning some greater straytes in the Vertue of Hope For Christian Hope commandeth to slâ—ight or rather contemne things present which are seene to Hope for things future which are not seene For example it commandeth to distribute a mans substance to the Poore to the end that it being muâ—tiplied may be restored to the giuer in Heauen where no man hath beene who could see or thincke what are those goods which shal be restored to vs in Heauen if so we sow and diâ—perse our goods here vpon earth We see that a Countrey Plowman is easely persuaded that in sowing of wheate it multiplieth vpon the earth And of this the vse and obseruation of many yeares hath warranted the truth to wit that what is sowed with labour is reaped with comfort But that riches distributed among the poore should be gathered and reaped with great multipâ—ication therof in Heauen no experience hath yet taught vs. Therefore it seemeth a difficult and harsh course to relinquish things present which are seene and to hope for things future which are not seene To conclude it is a great Argument that a firme and vnshaken Confidence in God is a most narrow and straiâ—e Gate in that we find in euery placâ— almost such a multitude of miserable lamenting exclayming blaspheming and despayring Men. For God doth either take away the Miseries from those who do trust in him or at least giueth patience conioyned with so great consolation as that they may well say with the Apostle 2. Cor. 7. I am filled full with consolation I do exceedingly abound in ioy in all my tribulation Therefore that confused Multitude of disconsolate and bewayling Men in their Miseries is an euident argument and demonstration that as S. Basill writeth in Psal 45. there are many who haue in their mouth Deus refugium nostrum Virtus but most few who in their secret hart and mind do truly hope and trust in God Of Charity which is the third part of the Gate CHAP. VIII LEt vs come to Charity which is the Transome or highest stone of the Heauenly Gate Charity is the Queene of Vertues which on the one syde seemeth to be of a greater breadth and Latitude in that it extendeth it selfe to God to Angels to Men yea such as be vnknowne to vs or our Enemyes On the other syde it is made more narrow in regard of the incredible difficulty which doth accompany it in our passing through by it since not only in word and tongue but in worke and truth the Precepts therof are to be fulfilled For what doth this Queene impose by Command vpon her Seruants First she commandeth that we loue God with all our Hart with all our soule with all our strength Matth. 20. Luc. â—0 Certainly Man is brought into great straits when he prepares himselfe to the accomplishment hereof For what other thing is it to loue God withall our strength then to loue him with a true and supreme Loue That with our Harte and soule signifyeth that the Loue towards God shouâ—d be sincere not counterfayted not in word and Tongue but as S Iames sayth in worke and Verity That other with all our strength with all our forces as another Euangelist hath sheweth that our Loue of God ought to be most intense and great Therefore the force of this Precept is that we loue God with a true and chiefe loue and that by no ballancing therof we either prefer or equall any thing before or with him but that all things be cast backe and set in a lower degree in respect of our Loue to him So as a Christian man oâ—ght to be prepared with he Patriarch Abraham if so it conduceth to the glory of God not to spare the life of his owâ—e and only bâ—gotten and most louing Child Neyther is this onely exacted but man is obliged to hate as our Lord commaundeth Luc. 14. Father Mother VVife Children Brothers Sisters yea also his owne Soule and to renouÌ„ce disclayme from all things which he possesseth that is he ought to be ready with that promptitude of mind to be depriued of all his kinred his owne life all his wealth and dignity with the which promptitude he should be depriued of them if so he truly and from his hart did â—ate all these things Doubtlesly these are great straits and who is prepared and ready to penetrate and passe through them And how more easely can we fynd Men and those not few who are pressed and as it vvere ready charged to abandon and renounce euen God himselfe and all his Promises rather then riches and temporall Honours much lesse their owne life and the life of their Children Witnes hereof is S. Cyprian in Tract de lapsis who writeth that euen in the primitiue Church at what tyme the heate of Charity was more boyling in Mens breasts then in these dayes it is for a small number of Martyrs very many were forsakers of the Christian sayth who preferred their temporall states much more their liues before their Charity and Loue of God The same Point is in like sort testified by Eusebius in hist. Eccl. l. 8 c. 2. Now what shall we speake of Charity towards a Mans neighbour What doth Charity prescribe to performe to our Neighbour It teacheth that we must loue him as well as we loue our selues And what proceeding in matters we do expect from him the same we should practise towards him Who is he if he much labour vvith pouerty but that he vvisheth part of the superfluities of rich men might be giuen to him And yet it is no sufficient excuse for the rich-man to say that he taketh money vp at rent or that he hath lately bought a
engender a spirituall Dropsy and puffe vp the Body To conclude let him disuest himselfe of all proper estimation and selfe loue let him put on the Humility of Christ let him incline and bend his necke to the obedience of the Commandements and then let him complayne if he can if with all conuenient facility and ease he cannot passe through the Gate of Saluation That it is absolutely necessary to enter through the Gate though it be strait if so a man will be saued CHAP. XIV BVt whether this Gate be large or strait we ought wâ—th all our endeauour labour to enter thereinto For there is no other place left vs after this life which flieth away like a shadow where we can well repose our selues but within this Port and Gate Therefore our Lord exhorteth vs saying Luc. 13. Striue to enter in by the narrow Gate Because as himselfe in the same place subioyneth all those who remaine without shal be cast downe into those places where there is an euerlasting weeping continuall gnashing of teeth Which words do import extremity of dolours with despayre of remedy from whence then riseth certaine fury or madnes which impatiently suffereth those torments which it cannot but suffer and must be forced for all eternity to suffer How much more secure therefore is it to striue to enter by the narrow Gate where after some small paynes and labour endured euerlasting rest and felicity is found If so the matter did stâ—nd as that men might to auoyd the straitnes of the Gate withall the paines of Hell perhaps the weaknes and imbecillity of them might in part seeme excusabâ—e who haue not the courage to lay battery to the narrownes of that Gate but since of necessity men most here for a short tyme labour to enlarge this Gate or otherwise irreuocably fall into eternall paynes and torments what kind of iudgment is that or how can it be styled Reason which dictateth that lesser and shorter labours are to be auoyded that more intollerable paynes therby must after be suffered But admit for the tyme that no torments were ro seyze vpon men after this life but only they should be depriued of the House of God wherein there be euerlasting and endles ioyes yet these very ioyes alone ought to be a sufficient inducement to encourage vs with all alacrity to enter into the House of God not only through the straitnes of the Gate but euen through thornes and bryars yea through sword and fyer And although during our peregrination here we cannot feelingly conceaue what it is to be depriued of euerlasting Beatitude yet after the separation of the soule from the Body then shall the Eyes of the mind be instantly opened that they may most clearly see how great a detriment yea how infinit a losse and ouerthrow it is not to arriue to that last End to the which we are created And this desire is signified by those Words which being related in the Gospell are repeated by those who shall remayne excluded out of the Gate Math. 22. Lord Lord open vnto vs. Which desire truly of the Last end shall euer torment and afflict those miserable Wretches and their remorse of Conscience shall neuer cease And so that sentence shal be fulfilled Marc. 9 Their worme shall not dye and their fyer shall not be quenched O if we could novv seriously consider and thinke with what a greedy desire such men shall say Lord Lord open vnto vs as if they would say and complayne Without entrance into this House of God we cannot liue and yet to dye is not granted to vs therefore we liue not to the end we may liue but to the end we may be euer miserable Open to vs therefore O Lord for we are prepared to vndergoe any torments so that we may enter in But it shal be answered them Matth. 25. I know you not The yeare of Iubily is now expired When you might haue entred you would not now therefore it is but reasonable that when you would enter you cannot Thus these men being irremediably excluded shall neuerthelesse cease to cry out pricked thereto through a naturall desire Lord Lord open vnto vs. But because in this life they were deafe to the exhortatioÌ„s of our Lord crying out and saying Luc. 13. Striue to enter by the narrow Gate Therfore after they shall cry to the deafe eares of our Lord Lord Lord open to vs. To conclude if we haue any spatke of true iudgment let vs prouide and take care for the state of our owne soules whyles we haue tyme Let vs do that now when it is lawfull and in our power the which doubtlesly then from our hart we shall couet to doe or to haue done and yet it shall not be then lawfull nor in our power to do it OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Title of Paradise THE FOVRTH BOOKE That in Heauen there are true Ioyes CHAP. I. PAradise is a name of Pleasure and Delight For it signifieth most pleasant Garden or Orchard most apt for recreation and pleasure In the Booke of Genesis cap. 1. 3. where speach is made of the Terrestriall Paradise it is called oftener then once The Paradise of Pleasure But in Ezechiel cap. 28. touching the Celestiall Paradise it is said to the chiefe Angell who after fell and became a Deuill Thou wast in the delicacies of the Paradise of God Now because we find nothing in the Holy Scriptures touching Paradise but that in it there were many trees and a fountaine of liuing water Therefore I thought good through occasion of the Title or Name of Paradise to explicate the pleasures felicity which the Blessed do enioy in Heauen It will be I trust a profitable contemplation to stir vp and incite mens minds to seeke and meditate vpon those things which be aboue and consequently so to gouerne and order our liues that when we are to leaue this our earthly habitation we may remoue not to lamentation and darknes but by the assistance of God to light and euerlasting consolation Most men some few excepted are accustomâ—â— to be drawne more with pleasure then with any other good or benefit and accordingly the Church in one prayer sayth Let our Harts be fixed there where true ioyes are First therefore we vvill consider vvhat the Holy Scriptures do teach vs touching the celestiall Paradise from whence we shall be able to proue that there are true ioyes therein That done vve vvill attempt to explicate vvhat those Ioyes may be In the last place vve vvill demonstrate by many reasons or rather comparisons that those Ioyes be far greater then vve can either apprehend thinke or but once coniecture First then the name it selfe of Paradise doth euen sound Pleasure and Delight as vve haue shevved before our of the Booke of Genesis And that there is a Paradise in Heauen Ezechiel testified as aboue is said The same doth our Lord in the Ghospell vvitnesse when he said to the
vvith Vertue And so the cōformity or beauty of Iustice shall stir vp an incredible ioy in the minds of the Blessed Of the Ioy of the Will CHAP. III. BEsides that Pleasure vvhich the Will taketh from the good of the Vnderstanding there are three things vvhich shall properly beget and cause Ioy in the VVill it selfe One of these is a most ardent Loue of God and of our Neighbour For Loue is a principall sauce or seasoning of all things that are to be beloued He that loueth iudgeth all those things which he loueth to be most fayre and good and therefore he much reioyceth at the presence and sight of them As contrary-wise at their absence he greatly lamenteth We see that Parents who out of a naturall affection loue their Children dearely do belieue that they are most fayre most witty and most wyse although often they be deformed and but shallow-witted if choyce were giuen them they vvould not change them for any others though in an impartiall Eye far better and fayrer In like sort we see that men either through VVitchcraft or some vnexpected accident are taken and surprized with the Loue of deformed persons houlding it a most pleasant thing to conuerse with them and most infortunate to be separated from their company and familiariry Which proceeding only Loue causeth being as aboue we said a sauce to all things which are the subiect of Loue. Now seeing these thinges stand thus what and how ineffable shall the pleasure of the Saints be euer to conuerse with God and all the Blessed whom they shall most ardently loue who are truly most fayre and most good euen in a cleare and vnpartiall iudgment and from whom they shall know that they are neuer to be separated As on the contrary it shal be one of the greatest punishments of Hell to be forced euer to be in the Company of those damned spirits whom they extremely hate and by whose diuers stratagems and deuises they know themselues to haue beene circumuented and abused An other Consideration which shal much increase the ioy of the Blessed in the will shal be an vnspeakable rest and satiety without cloying vvhich shall make them on all sydes satisfyed and content Heere vpon Earth no man liues contented with his state There is no man but he coueteth many things which he cannot obtaine And hence it riseth that there are so many hungry and thirsty men in the pursuit of temporall Benefits in the VVorld Neither is this to be much wondred at since our mind is capable of an infinite and euerlasting Good wheras the things created are small in themselues of a fading nature and cannot long continue Therefore what exultation and ioy shall it be to that man who shall see himselfe seated in that place where he shall liue in all contentment and sweete repose of mind vvhere nothing shal be wanting nothing shall affright him nothing shal be desired nothing more shal be sought after O Peace surmounting all apprehension of sense the which the VVorld cannot affoard and vvhich is found only in the heauenly Ierusalem the City of the peacefull most great King To thee this our Peregrination doth greedily bend it self VVe are here loaden vvith temptations and sollicitudes and we greatly appease and quiet our selues only in the thought and expectation of thee The third thing which shall bring great Ioy to a Blessed VVill is Iustice and this perfect and more perfect then was the Originall Iustice in Adam The Iustice of him did subiect the inferiour part of the soule to the superiour as long as the superiour was subiect to God But this Iustice subiecteth the inferiour part to the superiour and the superiour to God by a most firme and indissoluble band and connexion That was as it were a wollen or linnen Garment this a silken or goulden Vestment which maketh the VVill most fayre amiable to God to the Angells all Blessed soules This is that perfect Iustice which admitteth no spot nor any veniall blemish So as of a soule cloathed with this Iustice it may be said Thou art all fayre O my Loue and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. This comprehendeth all Vertues as they are vnmixted with the drosse of any imperfection Now how great ioy and pleasure this Iustice may bring to a soule in Heauen the VViseman doth witnesse saying A secure mind is as it were a continuall feast Prou. 15. Heere only that mind is secure which is neuer gnawed with the worme of Conscience in that through a perfect Iustice it is so established in good as that euen for any short moment it cannot slyde Of which point the Apostle is also witnesse saying Rom. 14. The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but Iustice and peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost In which words the holy Apostle clearely teacheth that the Kingdome of Heauen contayneth in it selfe great Pleasure consisting not in delighting the thtoat and repletion of the Belly as carnall and sensuall men perhaps could wish but in Iustice which engenders in the soule a firme Peace and true Ioy. For who is perfectly iust hath nothing in his hart which may vpbraid or reprehend him neither any thing in his Actions at which other men can take exceptions And from hence springeth a most constant and sweete Peace betweene God himselfe and all others From hence also riseth an ineffable ioy in the Holy Ghost with which ioy no earthly or temporall pleasures can be compared Of the Ioy of the Memory CHAP. IV. NOw the faculty of Memory through remembrance of things past shall minister no small matter of Ioy. For first the calling to mind the benefits of God either touching spirituall or corporall matters naturall or supernaturall temporall or eternall throughout our whole life shall bring an incredible Ioy when the iust soule shall call to mind by how many wayes it was preuented in the benedictions of all sweetnes Againe the remembrance of the perills and dangers out of which God by strange meanes hath euen snatched vs throughout all our life how great a comfort will it affoard Among other dangers I put in the first place That a man being very neere vnto committing of a mortall sinne and so thereby neere vnto Hell God moued only through his benignity and loue did hinder the committing therof Certainly this mercy of God being so great and often extended to the Elect when it shall be called to mind in that most safe and most peacefull Region shall affoard most great Ioy. VVhich remembrance if it were wanting to the Saints in Heauen how then could it be said of them in the Psalme 88. I will sing the mercyes of our Lord for euer Then which Canticle sayth S. Austin being song in the glory of the grace and fauour of Christ nothing shal be more pleasant to that Heauenly Citty l 22. de ciuit c. 30. What may I speake of the deuolution and current of Tymes and ages euen from the
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
now be illuminated by thee to acknowledge and seeke after the same and by the selling of all that we haue with ioy may purchase and buy it Of the daily Penny CHAP. III. HEere followeth the third Parable touching the daily Penny promised by the Househoulder to such as labored in his Vineyard Which Parable we find in S. Mathew cap. 20. At the first sight the reward of eternall life seemeth to be much extenuated and lessened in this Parable since it is here compared but to a daily Penny which before was compared to a Treasure and precious Pearle But this extenuation is annexed that the reward may be sutable with the labour â—nd the Worke For the similitude would seeme incongruous if a huge Treasure or a Pearle or a Scepter or Regall Crowne should be promised to laboring men only for the space of one day Now that this penny is not a penny of some few brasse peeces but a Celestiall Penny which sufficeth for the procuring of all necessary things and this for all Eternity may be easely demonstrated seing the wages or reward ought to be answerable to the labour Now the labour of those which worke in the Vineyeard of Christ ought not to be prized esteemed only according to the substance of the Worke For in this sense we all ought to say with the Apostle Rom. 8. The passions of this tyme are not condigne to the glory to come that shal be reuealed in vs. But it is to receaue its valew and estimation from the grace of God inhabitant in the harts of the Iust which is a fountaine of liuing Water springing vp vnto life euerlasting Ioan. 4. Alâ—o it is to be weighed from the Veâ—tue of Charity which is infused into vs by the Holy Ghost who is giuen to vs for the Crowne of eternall life is prepared of God for all that loue him as S. Iames writeth cap. 1. It is in like sort to be prized from the CoÌ„iunctioÌ„ the labour hath with Christ who giueth a valew and chiefe estimation to the fruites of the liuing branches as a true Vine and to the works of the liuing members of his mysticall Body of which he is the Head and to whom himselfe said Matth. 5. Be glad and reioyce for your reward is very great in Heauen To conclude shall not our Lord at the day of Iudgment say when the reward shal be giuen to all that haue laboured in the Vineyard Come you blessed of my Father possesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the World For I was hungry and you gaue me to eate c. seing the Works of Charity belong chiefly to labour by the which we toyle and sweat in the Vineyard of Christ Behould therefore how precious and inestimable is that Penny which of our Lord himselfe is called a Kingdome Neither can this Penny vndeseruedly be called a Kingdome since it doth represent and figure out Christ no lesse then a Treasure or a Pearle doth For in a Penny is ingrauen the Image of the Prince in it are also written certaine words and the forme of it is round Now Christ is the Image of the inuisible God as we learne from the Apostle Coloss 1. He is also the VVord of the Eternall Father as S. Iohn the Euangelist sayth and he hath no beginning of dayes nor end of life as the Apostle teacheth Hebr. 7. which is signified by the roundnes of the figure To conclude the most wise Salomon sayth All things are obedient subiect to money and Christ is the Lord of all riches as S. Peter witnesseth Act. 13. Therefore it followeth that the Penny which is giuen to those that labour in the Vineyard is Christ true God and therein Eternall life according to that of S. Iohn That we may know the true God and may be in his true Sonne this is the true God and life euerlasting 1. Ioan. 5. But let vs see to whom this precious Penny is to be giuen the which who haue once obtayned shall not stand in further neede of any thing Our Lord sayth Math. 20. Call the VVorkmen and pay them their hyre Therefore it is to be giuen vnto those that labour in the Vineyard without intermission without cessation without negligence It shall not be giuen to those that stand idle in the Marketplace or to those who spend their tyme in hawking hunting playes or sports For the Reward or hyre is giuen onely to them that merit it is not giuen gratis much lesse is it giuen to those that do demerit Which point the Apostle confirmeth saying Rom. 6. The stipend of sinne is death but the grace of God is life euerlasting The Apostle thus speaketh because without the precedent Grace of God no man can worke well so as the reward of Eternall life may be due to him But Grace being receaued I meane that Grace which is giuen Gratis not by reason of any works then the reward of Good workes shal be Eternall life And according hereto S. Austin thus speaketh As death is giuen as a reward for the merit of sinne so Eternall life is giuen as a reward or stipend for the merit of Iustice Ep. 105. ad Sixtum Neither are we heere to imagine that because the same Penny is giuen indifferently to all the Workemen Labourers that therefore in the Kingdome of Heauen the Rewards are alike to all For thou this Penny doth signify Eternall life or God or Christ that Eternall life and God and Christ shal be common to all Yet here we are to obserue that euen as the same sunne is more clearely seene of an Eagle then of any other Bird and the same fyer doth more heate those who stand neere to it then those who are further distant Euen so among those who shall see God and Christ one shall see more clearely and in seeing shall reioyce with greater pleasure then another And as the merits of men shal be different so also shall their Revvards be different But here one doubt may be vrged why the Lord in distribution of his revvards did change the order saying Pay them their hyrâ— beginning from the last vnto the first So shall the last be first and the first last for many be called but few Elect. But here we are to conceaue that this belongeth to the grace and priuiledge of the new Testament that therby we may vnderstand ourselues to be more happy then the Fathers of the Old Testament and that in this respect we may be more gratefull to God and may with more diligence and alacrity labour in his Vineyard The Holy Fathers who before the Ascension of Christ did cultiuate the Vineyard of our Lord were Adam Noe Abraham Moyses and the rest of the Patriarchs and Prophets They were called in the first the third the sixt the nynth hower they not only laboured a long tyme because they liued long but euen after their deaths for the space of many Centuries of yeares and some
thousands they expected not to receaue their hyre or vvages that is their Peny But the Apostles the Martyrs and other labourers who came to the Vineyard at the eleauenth hower that is as S. Iohn expoundeth at the last hower wrought therein but few yeares and presently vpon their death entring into the Kingdome of Heauen they receaued their Penny Now how great and worthy is this grace that a Christian Man if himselfe wilâ— may through his vndergoing a most short labour ascend to that place to the which the holy Patriarchs and Prophets for a most long tyme earnestly desired to arriue Therefore not without cause did those ancient Fathers say with a certaine murmure which might seeme to signify rather admiration then complaint Matth. 20. These last haue continued but one hower and thou hast made them equall to vs that haue borne the burden of the day and the heat But our Lord did apologize and answere for vs thus Friend I do theâ— no wrong diddest not thou couenant with me for a penny take that is thyne and goe I will also giue vnto this last as vnto thee Which answere doth not imply that men of the New Testament receaued from Grace or fauour and not from Iustice the same reward with them but it only importeth that they of the new Testament had greater abundance of Grace by vertue wherof in a short tyme they laboured no lesse but rather more in the Vineyard then the Patriarchs and Prophets did in a long tyme and therein receaued iustly the like reward or rather greater Certainly the Apostles laboured but a short tyme yet they brought great Profit to the Vineyard of our Lord. When euer did the Patriarchs or the Prophets abandoning all temporalities make a perlustration of almost the whole Wor d and did draw whole Prouinces of Heathens to the true Worship of God When in those ancient tymes was there so numerous an Army of Martyrs suffâ—ring for the fayth of the true God all torments most cruell deaths whatsoeuer When in the Old Testament were found so many Companyes of Holy Virgins who following the immaculate Lambe did deuote and render themselfes in all integrity of mind and Body to God Where were there in that ancieÌ„t time so many Pastours and Doctours who vsing all Vigilancy and care ouer their flock most valorously by their learned Writings resisted and oppugned the Wolues I meane the Heretiks and Heathens To be short where was then that nuÌ„ber of Hermites Monkes and other religious Persons who being vertuously emulous of the life of the Angellâ— did spend both day and night in the prayse of God Prayers to him These and other like Examples of most eminent and remarkable Vertue do belong to the Grace of the New Testament in regard of which Grace our Lord did rightly conclude his Parable in those vvords So shall the last be first and the first last for many be called but few are chosen That is many are called throughout all the ages of the VVorld to worke in the Vineyard euen at the eleauenth hower but few are chosen that is not few in number but that few men of one hower and that the last hower are elected to the grace of the New Testament by vertue and force wherof they made to themselues great benefit by their labouring and receaued in a short tyme most great Rewards Neither are we to thinke that all those who were called at the eleauenth hower did receaue the Penny but only those who in that short time with all their forces euen breathlesly and incessantly laboured in the Vineyard of our Lord. For there are many Men who knowing this hower to be the last and that there is but a short tyme left them do not say as they haue reason to say Our life is short therefore let vs labour couragiously that so in a small tyme we may â—eap great fruit but they say with the foolish men which we read in the Booke of Wisdome cap. 2. They haue said thinking with themselues not well Little and tedious is the tyme of our life and in the end of a man there is no recouery and there is none knowne who hath returned from Hell And a little after Come therefore and let vs enioy the good things that are let vs quickly vse the Creatures as in youth Let vs fill our selues with precious VVynes and ointments and let not the flower of our time passe Let vs crowne our selues with roses before they wither Let there be no meadow which our ryot shall not passe through Let none of vs be exempted from our riotousnes Euery where let vs leaue signes of ioy because this is our portion and this our lot These be the vvords of those who eyther know not God or saying they know him do neuerthelesse deny him in their deeds and Works VVhich men indeed are so many in number as euen to them may be extended that Conclusion Many are called but few chosen Woe therefore be to vs who being called in the last hower do consume a great part of that hower in playing and sleeping whereas we ought to be so sollicitous and carefull of euery litle moment thereof as that we should not suffer any one minute to slip from vs idly and without fruite since of these Moments all Eternity of rewards or punishments do depend And without all doubt by how much the Grace of the New Testament granted to Christians is greater by so much the more grieuously shall they be punished vvho receaue that grace in vayne And as of those who painefully laboured in the last hower the last shal be the first in receauing of hyre or reward so of those who refused to labour manfully in the last hower the last shal be the first in suffering of punishment Of the Talents and Ioy of our Lord. CHAP. IV. THE fourth Parable is that in the which our Lord in S. Matthew cap. 25. speaketh of the reward of Beatitude VVelfare thee good and fay hfull seruant because thou hast beene faythfull ouer few things I will place thee ouer many enter into the ioy of thy Lord. In which place two things are promised to fayhfull seruants to wit most ample Power and most great ineffable Ioy I will place thee ouer many things And which those many things are he explicateth in another place when he sayth Ibid. cap. 14. Blessed is that seruant whome when his Lord commeth shall find so doing for ouer all his goods he shall appoint him Now what other thing is it to be appointed ouer all the goods of our Lord then to receaue power ouer all inferiour things and to be made partaker of that Empyre Soueraingty which God hath ouer all the vniuersall Wolrd Who is able to comprehend how great this Power is What King or Emperour on Earth can be compared with the least Saint in Heauen But because so great power and domination in man is commonly attended on with much sollicitude care and
state of the Blessed These materiall things are spoken vnto vs in this our exile because we do not here see better or greater Matters But from these we ought to learne that that Celestiall Supper shall so much excell our suppers vpon earth though neuer so dainty or curious by how much Heauen is better then the Earth and by how much God who shall prepare this Supper doth transcend and surmount mortall Kings in power and riches But heare it may be questioned why the felicity of the blessed is compared rather to a supper then to a dinner of this point the reason is in that the tyme of Dinner is about the midst of the day and the tyme after dinner till supper is commonly spent in executing of busines whereas Supper is prepared at the end of the day when as all negotiations are finished after which Supper followeth Rest and Repose And therefore in another Parable which is in Matth. 22. where meÌ„tion is made of the Incarnation of our Lord the time of Dinner introduced for the Mariage with the Church his Spouse is begunne in the midle of the day that is long before the consummation of the World After which time of Dinner many matters of greatest importance especially the Redemption of the world and the reconciliation of Mankind with God are treated But after all businesse and sollicitudes shall cease then the bringing of the Spouse to the House of the Bridegrome and the Nuptiall Supper shall follow that is Eternall Repose at the close of the day and end of the World But yet it will be worthy of obseruation to knovv vvhat is to be done that vve may be admitted vnto this Supper And of this our Lord himself hath byn pleased to instruct vs in this Parable saying Luc. 14. A certaine Man made a great Supper and called many but they began all at once to make excuse The first said I haue bought a Farme and I must needs goe forth and see it I pray thee haue me excused And another said I haue bought fiue yoake of Oxen and I goe to proue them I pray thee hold me excused The third said I haue maryed a Wyfe and therefore I cannot come A wonderfull matter Men are inuited by God to a Nuptiall and Regall Supper and they refuse to come what then would they do if they vvere called to the labour of Warre or to a long and perillous iourney But this is humane blindnes which can hardly be brought to belieue any thing but what it seeth But what is that which mortall men prefer before the Diuine Supper which is our supreme and eternall good Three things our Lord setteth downe as maine impediments of our Saluation which of their owne nature are not euill and yet through an affection to them not vvell gouerned they hinder mans Saluation To buy a farme to trye Oxen and to marry a Wife are no sinnes but to aduance and prefer them before the kingdome of God is incredible stupidity and blindnes And yet there be found many Christians in euery place who do affect and seeke after these temporalities with a wonderfull thirst and hunger coÌ„suming whole dayes and nights in pursuing of Honour which is noted in buying of the farme and of Lucre or Gayne which is signified in manuring of ground or drawing of Oxen and of Pleasure or Voluptuousnes which it taken throgh new Mariage Yea they are so absort in the depth of these earthly matters as that they remayne wholy forgetfull of the eternall and most great rewards which God hath promised to them that loue him Neither are many men content to buy farmes to proue their Oxen to marry wiues but that they may the further depart from hope of Saluation they seare not to inuade other mens farmes to steale Oxen and to maintayne Concubins and prostituted women neuer euer thinking much lesse maturely considering what hurt and domage it is for such triffles to suffer the losse of the Supper of our Lord. Certainly if God did not promise vnto vs being but poore Wormes of the Earth a Supper of infinite sweetnes in Heauen but only did promise the crums falling from that table or the refuse of the meates yet it vvere most profitable for vs to contemne all temporall things whatsoeuer that so we might feed vpon those Offalls What madnes then is it to aduance small decaying and fleeting pleasures aboue the Supper of our Lord himselfe vvhich abounds with all sempiternall goods and at the which we shall sit downe in the Heauenly Kingdome with the holy Angells and with him who is the Lord of Angells To proceed After our Lord had shevved vvhat might hinder our entrance vnto this great Supper he therpon adioyneth certaine remedies to remoue those lets and impediments for thus he goeth forvvard in his Parable Then the Maister of the House being angry said to his seruants Goe forth quickly into the streets and lanes of the Citty and the poore and feeble and blind and lame bring in hither Because rich men being occupied in buying of farmes of Oxen and in mariage refused to come to the supper of this great Lord he calleth in the Poore Weake and Lame who neither haue money to buy Farmes or Oxen neither can easely get wyues as wanting meanes to maintaine them These men therefore as free from all intanglements wherewith the others vvere ensnared are admitted to the Great Supper who may deseruedly congratulate their ovvne fortune and state that God would haue them to be Poore weake blynd and Lame Many heere in this life do much complaine that they arâ— borne Poore or that they are often sicke or depriued of sight or are lame in their lymmes and for these imperfections they hould themselues most infortunate and miserable not knowing what good God doth prouide for them in the World to come euen for this very cause which many men repute as an Infelicity But if they did know Gods sweete proceeding herein they would doubtlesly exult and reioyâ—e Thâ—rfore no man ought to complaine of the Prouidence of God but in all things to loue him with due thanks who hath a care and vigilancy ouer vs and euer to rest quiet and reposed in his good Will pleasure But how true soeuer these things are in a literall sense yet in this Parable those are said propâ—rly to be poore who are poore in spirit not in riches and those weake not in strength but in confidence and trust of themselues those blynd not in their bodily eyes but in subtilty and craft those lame not in their feete but in their affections I wil speake more plainly The Poore who are admitted to the Supper of our Lord are those who hearing the Apostle 1. Tim. 6. desire not to be rich and if they haue riches they haue them not to heape vp togeather and so to conserue them neither to wait and dissipate them in Vanities but to performe and exercise that vvhich the Holy Ghost speaketh of by the mouth
diuers of you are to be sent and relegated into vtter darknes for all Eternity where shall be nothing but weeping and gnashing of Teeth Matth. 22. 25. Most men I say are so vvholy drovvned in the pursuite of worldly Benefits and Pleasures as that it hides from them all true consideration of their Soules spirituall Good O blindnes of mans Nature Woe therefore be to those who breath nothing but Earth and dunghill-Pleasures Woe Woe to those who through their greedy thirst of these Trifles sleight or rather contemne the Ioyes of Heauen But Woe Woe Woe be to all such who not only through their inordinate concupiscence and affection of floating and transitory things neglect the ioyes of Heauen but with all by their sinfull life do incurre the iust indignation of him who is called the God of Iustice reuenge Psal 46. and thereby purchasing to themselues insufferable torments and irreuocable damnation Therefore all those vvho are thus blinded I remit vnto the reading of what immediatly followeth in vvhich they may glasse their ovvne future calamitous states But let them read it with horrour and feare as the weight of the busines requireth that so to speake with S. Bernard they may truly feare death feare Iudgment feare Hell lib. de primordijs medijs nouissimis nostris The Words of learned Cardinall are these HAuing aboue considered of malum culpae the euill of the Offēce we will now take into our consideration malum poenae the euill of the punishment due for the said offence or preuarication For this consideration may well be called the second Fountaine of Teares And although the feare and griefe of the Punishment be lesse perfect then the feare and griefe of the Offence notwithstanding both kinds of this feare and griefe is good and most profitable And the one of them becommeth a Meanes to beget the other Certainly our good Lord and Maister Christ Iesus saith in expresse words Luc. 12. Be not afrayd of them that kill the Body and after this haue no more to doe but I will shew you whome you shall feare Feare him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say vnto you Feare him And agayne touching vveeping Christ thus spake vnto those holy Women vvho follovved him vvith teares to the mount Caluary vvhere he vvas crucified Luc. 12. Daughters of Ierusalem weep not vpon me but weep vpon your selues and vpon your children for behould the dayes will come wherein they shall say blessed are the barren and the wombes that haue not borne and the Paps that haue not giuen sucke Then shal they beginne to say to the mountaines fal vpon vs and to the Hills couer vs For if in the greene wood they do these things in the drye what sball be done Our Lord vvas not offended neyther did he prohibit the Office of Piety by the vvhich those Women did bevvaile his Passion but only he signified in his former vvords that those Women had greater cause of lamenting vvho had brought forth vvicked Sonnes such of them diuers vvere vvho openly cryed out Tolle Tolle crucifige eum Away away with him crucify him And let his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children Io. 19. For these men shall say 〈◊〉 the day of iudgment to the mountaines Fall vpon vs and to the Hills Couer vs. For if in the greene wood that is if in Christ florishing vvithall kind of Vertue the fyer of his Passion hath so burned for the sinnes of others what thē shal become of the dry wood that is of wicked men in whome all humour of Charity is spent and exhausted To these two sacred Text of Scripture in the which Feare and Weeping to auoyde the paynes of Hell is praysed or commended by our Lord vve will adioyne tvvo other places of the ancient Fathers S. Basill explicating that of the Psalme Timorem Domini doceh◠vos thus writeth Cogita profundum Barathrum c. Call to mind the depth of Hell the inextricable darknes there the fyer wanting light yet hauing the force of burning Then thinke of that kind of Wormes casting out their venome and deuouring the flesh insatiably feeding vpon the same and fastening intollerable griefes and paines through their gnawing In the last place which is most grieuous of all remember that shame and euerlasting Confusion which shall there fall vpon then Feare this and through thy feare therof withdraw thy soule and bridle it from all Concupiscences of sinne This feare of our Lord the Prophet promised that he would teach Thus far S. Basill Let vs novv heare S. Bernard thus speaking in serm 16. in Cantica Vt paue◠Gehennam c. How much do I feare Hell and tremble at the teeth of the infernall Beast at the hollownes concauity of the place c. I much feare that gnawing VVorme and the broyling fyer the smoake and the Vapour the sulphurious spirit of stormes I feare those vtter darknesses Who shall giue to my head VVater heere and to myne eyes a fountaine of teares that so I may preuent that weeping and stridour or gnashing of the teeth there But doubtlesly neither S. Basill nor S. Bernard of which the one was of the Greeke Church the other of the Latin were such sinners who only through feare did cease from sinne but they were men perfect learned graue able to instruct others and actually did instruct not only the common People but the Clergy and Monkes reducing them to the rule of Perfection Yet notwithstanding vve see they do not only admit or permit weeping for the feare of the paines of Hell but they also commend it exhorting all men to conceaue Feare and to powre out Teares euen at the thought of the Horrour thereof Now this foundation being laid we will briefly shew what and of what Nature the torments of Hell are And because we will not wander in our discourse in groping as it were at vncertaine or coniecturall points least we may be thought to suggest vaine feares thereby to force Teares from the eyes of the simple and ignorant therefore we will produce and insist only in those things which are fully and clearely deliuered in the holy Scriptures We find then that eight seuerall kinds of Torments are read in the Booke of God which belong to Hell to wit Priuation of eternall Beatitude which is called by the deuines Poena damni the paine of the Losse Darknes Fyar the VVorme Immobility the Company of the Deuils of which paines in the damned weeping and gnashing of the teeth do proceed the which torments are called Poena sensus the Paine of sense or feeling and lastly an euerlasting and interminable duration of all these Torments 1. Well then the first is Paena damni the Payne of the Losse it being a deuiation and straying from our last End A want of the Vision and sight of God an euerlasting banishmēt from our Celestiall Country an amission or depriuation of our hereditary right to
perturbation of mynd therefore our Lord as it were to alleuiate ease such supposed paines adioyneth thereto Enter into the ioy of thy Lord. As if he should say As I haue made thee consort and fellow of all supreme Power so also will I make thee partaker of all desired rest and pleasure the which no anxiety toyle or labour shall be of force to take away or diminish Certainly how great this Ioy is which is promised to the Iust in Heauen is altogether inexplicable neither can we know it before vve haue tasted it by Experience In the meane tyme we may make some cohiecture out of three VVords of this very sentence that this ioy is most great The first word is Intra or Enter into It is not said Let the ioy of thy Lord enter into thee but contrarivvise enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord An euident Argument that that ioy is greater then vve are able to contayne wholy in our selues Therefore we shall enter as it were into a great Sea of euerlasting and diuine Ioy which shall replenish vs both within and without and shall haue in it selfe a redundancy on all sydes Therefore in so great an affluency of Ioy what place can be left for care or sadnes The second word is In gaudium Into the Ioy. Where is not promised this or that ioy of this good or that good but euen ioy it selfe is absolutly promised to wit pleasure it selfe sweetnes it selfe Contentment it selfe And how then can it be otherwise but that the whole soule shall euen melt and be dissolued being thus replenished with so great a sweetnes And the third word which doth mightely exaggerate this point is Domini tui Of thy Lord. For we shall not enter into a Ioy at which men or Angells do reioyce but with which God himselfe in whome all things are infinite doth reioyce What Vnderstanding can comprehend of what nature the Ioy of God is who knoweth perfectly his owne infinite goodnes and who doth enioy the same and reioyceth thereat after an infinite manner And yet notwithstanding all this it is in thy power O Christian to enioy tast and to haue the fruition of that for euer the which now thou art not able to conceaue in thought if so thou wilt be a good and faythfull seruant But now let vs consider to what men such great Promises do belong To them no doubt who haue beene carefull to multiply the Talents deliuered to them by God For this similitude is borrowed from a Rich man who deliuered his goods to his Seruants entrusting one of them with fiue talents an other with two a third with one strictly commanding them that by their carefull and prudent negotiation they should labour to multiply the same Now what these Talents may figuratiuely signify the Iudgments of the learned Interpretes are various For some do by the Talents vnderstand Gratiam gratis datam which is Grace without any interueniency on our part freely giuen Others do vnderstand thereby the holy Scriptures Others will haue the fiue Talents to signify the knowledge of externall things which is gotten by the mediation of the fiue senses And the two Talents to signify the Vnderstanding and the Operation and the one Talent alone to denote only the Vnderstanding But notwithstanding this their disparity of iudgments they all iointly conspire in this That to multiply the Talents is to worke well and painefully for the good of their owne Saluation and of others There occurreth to me another Exposition not repugnant to the former and seemeth to be fitly accommodated to all those things the which our Lord did speake of the Talents And first the Talents in this place are called the Goods of the Lord for it is said He deliuered his goods vnto them Furthermore it is commanded that the Talents by negotiation be multiplyed in the same kynd Fiue talents thou didest deliuer me behould I haue gayned other fiue besids Thirdly the Talents are said to be giuen to euery one according to their proper vertue and ability Lastly the Talent is taken away from the naughty and slouthfull seruant Therefore I by the Talents do vnderstand the Soules of faithfull and pious men which are cōmitted to the trust and diligence of Prelates For these are truly the goods of our Lord the which he doth not giue to vs but only committeth them to our care and multiplication of thē Therefore according heerunto our Lord did not say to S. Peter feede thy sheep but my sheep Ioan. 21. Other things are our goods though giuen to vs by our Lord as Wit Iudgment the Scriptures Grace freely giuen all the rest but faithfull and pious Soules our Lord calleth his Goods his Vineyard his Family his Spouse For these he came into the World for these he shed his bloud to gaine these he sent his Apostles to whom he said I will make you to be fishers of men Matth. 4. Furthermore faythfull soules are said to be multiplied in the same kind when the Prelate by word and example conuerteth sinners Which thing S. Peter performed for when Christ had committed in the beginning to his charge a hundred and twenty faythfull persons when he said Feede my sheep S. Peter vpon the day of Pentecost euen by his first Sermon conuerted three thousand men Act. 2. and after that fiue thousand Act. 4. and after that againe many thousands more In like sort S. Gregorius Thanmaturgus when he was first created Bishop of Neocasarea did find only seauenteene faythfull Belieuers in that Citty but he so multiplied this small number as that being neere to his death he had left before his departure in so populous a Citty only seauenteene Infidels or misbelieuers which point S. Gregory Nyssene relateth in the life of the said Thaumaturgus which he had fully and diligently written But to proceed These Talents are committed to euery one according to his proper Vertue and Ability For God who knoweth the strength that is the prudence knowledge Charity and Fortitude of all men doth not commend soules to any but to such whom he knovveth to be fit and couragious inough to sustaine that burden And therefore no man ought to intrude and thurst himselfe into the care of soules especially into an Episcopall charge except he be first called thereto by him who distributeth the Talents according to the power and sufficiency of euery one Since otherwise it vvill not seeme strange if many do fall vnder the Burden Neither shall they find any excuse with God if they say their shoulders were not able to beare so great a Burden For it shall be ansvvered them Who forced thee to vndertake a burden aboue thy strength Wast not thou willing therto didst thou not petition for it and labouredst by seuerall meanes and endeauours to obtaine it Therfore now suffer thy selfe with thy hands feete bound together to be cast into exteriour darknes To conclude the Talent committed to the slouthfull seruant is taken from