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
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
the accomplishing of Signes and miracles Those Powers who haue the commandement and domination of the very powers of the vncleane Spirits Those Principalities who haue a soueraignty ouer the Kings and Princes of this world Those Archangells which are Adiutors and Assistors of the Prelates of the Church Lastly those Angells whose incumbency and charge is of euery particular man whiles he liueth hereupon the Earth Neither are these seuerall Points signified only by the seuerall Names of the Angels but for more proofe therof these very Names are certaine Ensignes or Images of Gods Omnipotency or mirrours wherein we may glasse his Puissance For example The Seraphims as by a certaine marke Image or glasse doe represent the infinit Charity of God who moued only by the force of loue did create the Angels themselues men and all other things and being created doth conserue them The Cherubims by the like Standard Image or glasse doe proclaime and shew the infinite wisdom of God who hath ordained all things in number weight and measure The Thrones doe in like manner demonstrate as it were in a perfect Image that secure Rest which God sitting in his Throne doth enioy Who not being moued moueth and worketh all things and resting in a continuall tranquillity doth dispose and gouerne all things Dominations doe euen preach that it is God who truly and properly hath the full domination and gouerment ouer all Creatures since it is in his power alone eyther to conserue all things or else to annihilate and reduce them to nothing The Vertues also doe signify that it is God alone who worketh mirabilia magna great and stupendious wonders and who hath reserued only to himselfe the power to renew or multiply at his pleasure such prodigious matters The Powers by their name doe figure out how God is absolutely and truly Potent to whom nothing is impossible since in him alone all true Power doth reside The Principalities doe import by their Enseigne that God is the Prince of all Kings of the Earth the King of Kings and the Lord of all those who row at the oare of gouerment The Archangells signify that God is the true and supreme Prelate or President of all Churches Briefely the Angells doe manifest that God is the true Father of Orphanes And that although he hath bequeathed Angells as Guardians to euery particular man yet that himselfe is present to euery man keepeth euery man and protecteth euery Man For that same Prophet who hath savd He that giuen his Angels charge of thee that they keep thee in all thy wayes doth also introduce God thus speaking in the same place VVith him I am in tribulation I will deliuer him I will glorify him Psal 90. And our Lord who saâ—d Matt 18. Their Angels in Heauen alwayes do see the face of my Father who is in Heauen sayd also Matt. 10. Are not two sparrows sould for a farthing and not one of them shall fall vpon the ground without your father But the very hayres of your head are all numbred feare not therefore better are you then many sparrowes And thus much of those few things we know touching the Angels If it please the â—eader he may peruse S. Bernard froÌ„ whome I haue borrowed these few Points l. 5. de consider To these nyne Orders of Angels doth answere so great a multitude of Holy Men as that no man as we haue proued out of the Apocalyps is able to number them which multitude are also reduced to nyne Orders For some are Patriarchs some Prophets some Apostles Others Pastours and Doctours Others Priests and Leuites Others Monks and Hermites To conclude Others are holy Women Virgins Widowes or those who haue continued till death in coniugall State of Mariage And now ô Christian Soule I heere demaund of thee how an ineffable Felicity shall it be to interleague for all eternity with such holy Angels and Saints S. Ierome in his Epistle to Paulinus writeth that many are accustomed to trauayle into other forrayne Prouinces to discourse with People of other Nations as also to passe the very Seas to the end they might see and conuerse with such as were reputed most famous for learning and erudition It is also recorded 3. Reg 10. how the Queene of Saba came from the furthest parts of the Earth to Salomon for the so great opinion she had conceaued of his Wisdome To one Antony by profession of lyfe a poore despicable Hermite men of all parts euen flocked by reason of the report of his â—anctity yea Emperours themselues were ambitious of his friendship and amity What solace then wilâ— it be noâ— only to see so great a confluence of Angels and most holy Men but also dayly to conuerse and consociate with them in most strict loue and participation of their felicity If but one Angell should exhibite himselfe in his full splendour to our sight now in our exile who would not most willingly hasten to see him What then will it be to behould all the Angels togeather at one sight And if any of the Prophets Apostles or Doctours of the Church should now descend from Heauen with what a thirstines of attention would we euen drinke vp his words and speaches But in the Kingdome of heauen it shal be lawfull for vs to see and heare not only one but all the Prophets all the Apostles all the Doctours and to haue dayly intercourse and familiarity with them How much doth one Sunne exhilerate reioyce the whole Earth What then will so many innumerable Sunnes doe being liuing Sunnes vnderstanding Sunnes and such as do make a continuall Iubiley in the Kingdome of God I will euen vnbreast my selfe and speake what I thinke to wit the consideration of this inward amity and familiarity with the Angels and holy Men of which not any is foolish not any wicked but all most good and most wise is so pleasing and preuayling with me as that it alone would seeme a most great happinesse and for the obtaining only thereof I would most willingly abandone and shake hands for euer with all the comforts and delights of this world Of the true Monarchicall forme of the Kingdome of God CHAP. III. THe third reason why that Celestiall habitation is called a Kingdome is because in that Place is found the perfect forme of Gouerment This is the difference betweene a Kingdome a CoÌ„monwealth whether the CoÌ„monwealth consist of certaine and eminent men or of the Communalty and more vulgar sort To wit that in a Kingdome all supreme Soueraignty is inuested in onely one whereas in a Commonwealth it is shared and deuided among many In these temporall Kingdoms of men the supreme power doth not reside truly and properly in one man For it may be that a King without either the counsell or consent of others may giue commandement that such or such a thing shal be done but yet his directions cannot be put in execution except his Subiects doe affoard their concurrency aide And
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
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
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
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
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
Diuinity to be hidden in Chrisi For if they had knowne so much then as the Apostle sayth 1. Cor. 2. they would neuer haue crucified the Lord of Glory VVho therefore being enlightened from God doth find this Treasure doth hide it and for ioy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth the field To hide the Treasure being found is nothing eâ—s but to conceale and couer the receaued Grace of God vnder the veyle of Humility and not to vaunt of diuine Consolations and Reuelations for feare that vayne and aery glory do corrupt true Glory Therefore Esay cap. 24. was accustomed to say My secret is to my selfe And the Apostle 2. Cor. 12. If I must needs glory it is not expedient indeed I will come to the Visions and Reuelations of our Lord. I know a man in Christ aboue foureteene yeares agoe c. For that most remarkable Reuelation which the Apostle being rapt into Paradise receaued he concealed for the space of foureteene yeares and would haue concealed it but that the necessity of disclosing the same forced him thereto And he plainly pronounceth that it is not expedient to publish and make knowne such guifts or priuiledges and therefore he did discouer it vnder an vncertaine name well shewing thereby how anxiously he suffered the manifestation thereof The like fell out vnto S. Francis when the sacred Prints or wounds were from aboue impressed vpon his body as S. Bonauenture in his life relateth For at other tymes he was accustomed to conceale his diuine reuelations and to say with Esay My secret is to my selfe c. But when he saw the matter could be concealed no longer he related with great feare the whole order of his Vision to his Brethren demanding him therof But to proceed To buy with ioy that field wherein the Treasure did lye hidden signifieth only that he who will enioy God and Cbrist in the Kingdome of Heauen ought to suffer in affection renouncing and casting away of all temporall thinges and to bequeath both himselfe and what he any way hath vnto the seruice and obedience of God and this not with any painefull reluctation of Will or necessity but with all alacrity and ioy seeing that God loueth a chereful giuer 2. Cor. 9. But he who truly knoweth how immense a Treasure it is to enioy Christ in the Eternall Country to behould his Diuinity with the Eyeâ— of his Soule and his Humanity with the Eyes of his Body and to participate of all the goods of God and Christ and to be sure and certaine of so great a Possession for all Eternity will thinke it no great matter to spurne at and contemne all temporalities whatsoeuer yea his owne lyfe for the loue of God and euerlasting felicity Witnes to vs of this Point may be S. Ignatius Martyr thus writing to the Romans Fyar the Crosse cruelty of beasts cutting asunder my Body breaking of my bones a rending of all my members the extinguishment of all my Body yea all the whips and scourges of the diuell let shem full vpon me so that I may deerue to obtaine purchase Christ Now he who out of the fulnes of his Charity towards Christ thus speaketh doubtlesly would litle feare want pouerty ignominy exile prisons so that he might not lose that incoÌ„parable Treasure Whoseuer therfore earnestly coueteth to gaine the Treasure of Eternall life let him most seriously thinke coÌ„sider with himself whether he be prepared with an immoueable resolutioÌ„ to contemne betraÌ„ple vnder his feet all other goods since otherwise neither a liue nor dead shall he euer obtaine that Treasure without the which he shall eternally be most miserable and poore But I heere will demaund what is the reason why so many men in such heate of desire do seeke after the Treasures of Gould and siluer and not content to vse herein humane diligeÌ„ce they flye by most execrable Arts to the help of the Deuill with imminent danger both of their reputation and life And yet thy Treasure O Lord my God so few do seeke which alone is able to enrich a man and which they may easely purchase without labour charge or perill Truly I do see no other Cause hereof but either want of fayth in thy People or their ouermuch negotiation in temporall affaires which leaueth them no tyme to thinke and meditate of thy diuine Promisses made vnto men Therefore O Blessed Lord increase our Fayth and beliefe concerning thy Promisses and extinguish our thirst in the pursuite of temporall riches For so it may come to passe that with greater and more feruerous bent of desire we shall seeke after thy Treasure and finding it with sale of all we haue may resolue to purchase it Of the precious Margarite or Pearle CHAP. II. AN other Parable like to the former and which also next follovveth in S. Mathew cap. 13. is of the Precious Pearle or Margarite For in that there was a Treasure in this a Pearle which may be esteemed as a Treasure In that it was needfull by selling of all a man possesseth to buy the field in which the Treasure was hid In this in like manner it is necessaâ—y to buy the Pearle with the charges and expences of all we haue Therefore it is conuenient only to explicate in what points these two Parables do diffâ—r They differ in two things to wit that in the first a Treasure is mentioned in this a Pearle Againe that the Treasure was found by chance whereas the Pearle was dâ—ligently sought after by the Merchant And truly in this place the Celestiall Beatitude or Christ himselfe is vnderstood by the Pearle as S. Ambrose serm 6. S. Gregory Nazianzen orat 49. Ruffinus and others do interprete That is called the Pearle in this Parable which in the former Parable was called a Treasure to giue vs to vnderstand that the Diuinity of Christ which is the Obiect of Eternall felicity or the Vision whereof to speake in the Deuines dialect is the formall Beatitude or Felicity is indeed a Treasure but not deuided into seuerall kinds of gould siluer and precious stones but is one thing which contayneth in it selfe the price of an infinite Treasure Whereas the Pearle is but one only thing contayning in it selfe according to the iudgment of Pliny lib 9. c. 35. the perfection and height of all Precious things Furthermore a Treasure may consist of only money or goods though in very great quantity which Treasure respecteth only profit not pleasure or outward Pompe Wherefore to preuent that a man do not gather out of the former Parable that Celestiall Beatitude is only profitable and not specious and honourable our Lord did adde this other Parable of the Pearle in which he teacheth that the Diuinity of Christ and our felicity is lyke to the Pearle which besides the profit of a Treasure hath also in it fayrenes and splendour which doth adorne delight We may adde heerto that the Pearle is the Symbole Character
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
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
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
the kinhdome of Heauen To conclude a losse of all vvhat is good and this for all Eternity Are not then these names and words alone forcing inough to extort teares euen from our stony Harts But where are these names read in the Booke of God Giue eare to the King of Heauen pronouncing his Sentence at the last Iudgment Matth. 25. Depart you Cursed Come you Blessed That is said to the Reprobate This to the Elect. Heare the said King of Heauen againe Luc. 13. Striue to enter by the narrow gate because many I say to you shall seeke to enter and shall not be able But when the goodman of the House shall enter in and shut the dore and you sball begin to stand without and knock at the doore saying Lord open vnto vs and he answearing sball say to you I know your not whence your are depart from me all you Workers of Iniquity Heare the Prophet Esay Cap. 26. Let vs haue mercy on the impious and he will not learne Iustice in the land of the Holy he hath done wicked things and he shall not see the glory of our Lord. To conclude if the Vision of God be promised oÌ„ly to the cleane of Hart our Lord saying Math. 5. Blessed are the cleane of Hart for they shall see God then followeth it that those who are not cleane of Hart shall not see God Neither only shall they not see God but neither the Citty of God which is the supernall Ierusalem fraught with all abundance of Good according to those words of S. Iohn And there shall not enter into it any polluted thing nor that doth abomination and maketh a lye And againe Blessed are they who wash their stoles in the bloud of the Lambe that their power may be in the tree of Lyfe and they may enter by the Gates into the Citty VVithout are doggs and Sorcerers the Vnchast and murtherers and seruers of Idolls and euery one that loueth and maketh a Lye Apoc. 21. 22. To proceede Those Men who are enthralled to the Loue of Temporall things and who haue not tasted Heauenly sweetnes do litle prize this paine of Losse But such whose eyes of the Mynd are pure and eleuated and who haue receaued but some smal delibation and feeling of Celestiall affayres assure theÌ„selues that this Payne of Losse is far more grieuous and insufferable then any Corporall torments Heare I pray you S. Iohn Chrysostome discoursing of this poynt in these words Hom. 24. in Matth. Qui in gehenna vritur c. VVho burneth in Hell wholy loseth the kingdome of Heauen which payne is doublesly greater then that conflagration of flames can be c. I know well that many do much feare Hell Neuerthelesse I affirme the losse of that Glory to be far more heauy and insupportable then the punishment of Hell can be Yf I cannot demonstrate and proue the truth hereof by speach it is not to be wondered For as yet we haue not knowne the beatitude of those Rewards that thereby we might make a iust proportion of the Infelicity proceeding from the Losse of them But this we shall infallibly learne when experience shall teach vs therein For then shall the eyes of men be opened then shal the veyle be drawen away then shall the wicked with inutterable dolour see how great the disparity is betweene Goods eternall or supreme and goods decaying and temporary Thus much S. Chrysostome Therfore whiles we cannot learne experimentally how much the Losse of Beatitude doth exceed all corporall punishment let vs in the meane tyme giue credit to the words of so graue and worthy a man And when by experience we haue learned that the burning of the flesh is plainly intollerable we may then prudently gather and conclude that the losse of eternall felicity is if it be lawfull so to speake more then intollerable Therefore whiles the tyme is acceptable and whiles that losse may be redeemed with the price of teares let vs not be sparing of profitable teares for feare that we after doe deplore that losse but vnprofitably 2. Another punishment of Hell is exteriour Darknes for thus we read in the Gospell Matth. 8. The children of the kingdome shal be cast out into exteriour darknes And againe it is said of him who was found without his nuptiall garment Cast him into vtter darknes In like sort of the seruant who did not multiply his talents Cast you out the improfitable seruant into vtter darknes Which very thing Iob seemeth to signify when he calleth the place of the damned A land of misery and darknesse where is the shadow of death and no Order but euerlasting horrour inhabiteth Iob. 10. And the force of Reason seemeth to euict the same since the place of the Reprobate is in the Center of the Earth to wit in a place most discosted and remote from the Seates of the Blessed vvhich place is called in the Scriptures Psal 85. Infernus the inferiour or the lower Hell Cor terrae Abyssus the Hart of the Earth and an Abisse Luc. 8. For since this place is vnder the Superficies of the Earth certaine thousands of myles it followeth that it is not penetrated of the sunne neither receaueth it any light from the Moone or the starrs And although there be fyer and that Corporall as hereafter vve will shew neuerthelesse it appeareth from the Sentence of S. Basill aboue cited that that hellish fier hath the power of burning but not of shining And if perhaps some sulphurious and duskish light be in it it shall serue only to the end that those miserable VVretches shall see by the help of it part of their Calamities to wit their children Brethren and other their neere friends through their fault damned with them Or also it may serue that they may see the Horrible fâ—ces and visages of the Deuills from whome if they could they would most willingly auert and turne their Eyes Now this darknes in Hell is called Exteriour or vtter Darknes that it may be distinguished from the interiour darknes which the VVicked do suffer in this life For now the vvicked and the Idolatours of this world haue their eyes both of mynd and body open to behould the felicity of the world and therefore they repute nothing to be good neither do they affect any thing but what lyeth open to the senses of the flesh As on the contrary they loath and hate nothing but the Calamities and miseries of this life wholy laboring with the strongest bent of Endeauour to decline the same But how Eagle-eyed soeuer they are to externall and corporall things they are possessed with a Meale-like blindnes to interiour and spirituall matters of which men the Apostle thus speaketh Rom. 1. Their foolish hart hath beene darkened And Ephes 4. That now you walke not as also the Gentills do walke in the Vanity of their sense hauing their Vnderstanding obscured with darknes alienated from the life of God by the Ignorance that is in them
euer to remayne dwell with most cruell Enemyes who do persecute mankind with such a deadly hate and who for their Hate and Malice are compared in the Scriptures to Lyons Dragons Serpents and Basilisks it is easy to iudge It is a great part of the felicity of the Saincts to be daily conuersant and in the company of the holy Angels who are many in number friends among themselues and shyning with the splendour of all wisdome and vertue Therefore by the same reason it shal be no small vnfortunatnes and misery of the Reprobate continually to remaine in the company and sight of vncleane Spirits who are many enemies to man and most deformed and vgly 7. 8. VVherefore it is no wonder if the VVicked in the lowest depth of Hell do daily weepe and gnash with their teeth the which are the two last paines of the damned according to the words of our Lord The Children of the kingdome shal be cast out into exteriour darknes there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth And againe Depart from me all you workers of Iniquity there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth And more Those that worke iniquity he shall cast into the furnace of fyer there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth And yet more Bind him hand and foot and cast him into vtter darknes there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth To conclude in another place we thus reade The vnprofitable seruant cast you out into vtter darknesse there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Not without iust cause did our Lord so often repeate this sentence to wit that by the frequent iteration thereof as a most vvholesome verity it might be more firmely printed in the hart of Men. Since continuall weeping and euerlasting gnashing of the teeth do as it were in an Epilogue and closure of all containe and comprehend all the torments of Hell For weeping discouereth dolour or griefe and gnashing of the teeth sheweth horrour both which do rise from the losse of Beatitude from the broyling fyre from the gnawing VVorme from a darksome Prison and to conclude from the cohabitation of infernall Beasts Therfore the Reprobate who here on earth will not bewayle their sinnes but for a short tyme shall hereafter inconsolably bewayle them for all eternity And because they would not haue a horrour of offending their Creatour in this World as they ought to haue had they shall haue in Hell a perpetuall Horrour of the incredible acerbity of their paines The Apostle did cry out It is horrible to fall into the hands of the liuing God Hebr. 10. but they were before deafe to this voyce now they shall testify the truth of it â—ith the gnashing of their teeth All these things are written for â—ur good who yet are in the vvay of Heauen or Hell Those wretches who â—re arriued at their End can haue no â—ope of health though they should eâ—uall the waters of the mayne Ocean with teares of Pennance Wherefore â—O Christian soule now vse the price â—nd worth of Teares whiles they are of force and whiles they are acceptaâ—le to our Lord God Do not expect and â—ayte for tyme since Time will not waiâ—e for thee Obserue how many are â—arried and snatched away to Hell â—hrough sudden death who if they would haue bewailed and lamented â—heir sinnes and haue had a horrour of Hell when tyme was they should not haue beene at this present in that place where weeping and gnashing of â—eeth that is euerlasting Horrour â—oth inhabitate and dwell FINIS