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
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
to the third Heauen Concer-a House the Sonne of God himselfe thus speaketh In my Fathers House there be many Mansions Ioan. 14. Touching a Citty these be the wordes of the Apostle You are come to the Citty of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem Hebr. 12. To conclude of the Kingdome of Heauen our Lord himselfe thus in S. Matthew 5. Beatipauperes spiritu c. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen And no other name through out the whole body of the Scripture is more frequently vsed then this of the Kingdome of Heauen The Place of the Saints in Heauen is called a Paradise because Heauen is a most pleasant place abounding withall spirituall delicacies But because some Men may coniectuâ—e that a Paradise is but a small Garden placed in some one corner of a House capable to receaue but few Men the Holy Ghost did adioyne in the Scripture the Word name of House because a Regall and Princely House is accustomed to be a great Pallace in which besides the Garden or Orchard there are certaaine open Halls or places of disport diuers Chambers and roomes of repose and retirement besides many others of different sort Now seeing a House notwithstanding it be great cannot containe many men therefore that wee should not thinke that they are but few who belong to the Kingdome of Heauen the Scripture doth annexe the Name of a Citty which vsually comprehendeth in it selfe many Orchards and many Pallaces of Pleasure But seeing S. Iohn writeth in the Apocalyps 7. of the nuÌ„ber of the Blessed Vidi turbam magnaÌ„ c. I saw a great multitude which no man could number And that there is no Citty which is capable of an innumerable multitude therefore the Holy Scripture vseth the name of a Kingdome and of the Kingdome of Heauen then which place no other throughout the whole Vniuersity of things created is more capacious But now againe to shew other reasons in warraÌ„t of the former foure different Appellations or Names Because in a most ample Kingdome there are many Men who neuer see nor know the Names of d uers inhabitaÌ„ts of the same Kingdome nor know not whether such Men are or haue an Existence or Being and also in that it is certaine that all the Blessed doe see and know one another and as friends conioyned in a strait bond of loue do familiarly conuerse among themselues therefore the Scripture as not being content with the Name of a Kingdome added the Name of a Citty giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that all those who doe dwell in that though most vast Kingdome are truly Citizens of the Saints and are so conioyned in familiarity among themselues as the Citizens of one small Citty are accustomed to be And that we may be further instructed that all those happy Men are not only the Citizens of the Saints but also the domesticke friends of God yea the Sonnes of God therefore the same Holy Ghost who had called it a Citty calleth it also a House To conclude in that all the Blessed in Heauen do enioy the same delights and pleasures in Heauen therfore is that place entituled by the Name of Paradise Thus these foure Wordes to wit a Kingdome a Citty a House a Paradise do signify one and the same thing And that Paradise heere mentioned is so spacious and large as that it may be truly called a House a Citty a Kingdome Therefore I haue heere determined to commit to Print whatsoeuer God shaâ—l vouchsafe to suggest and minister to me by way of meditation in the secret Closet of my soule of this most happy place And this first vn-the name of a Kingdome next vnder the name of a Citty then of a House and lastly of Paradise Towards the end of the discourse I will subioyne six other Names not of places but of things out of the Parables of our Lord to wit A Treasure hidden in a field A precious Pearle or Margarite The dayly Penny The ioy of our Lord A great supper And a regall or Princely mariadge As also two other Names out of the Apostle which are a Price or Reward and a Crowne so in all there shal be twelue distinct Considerations by the which the Eternall Felicity of the Saints is described in the sacred Scriptures OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Name or Title of the Kingdome of God THE FIRST BOOKE Of the Amplitude or largenesse of the Kingdome of God CHAP. I. OF what worth and dignity the doctrine of the Kingdome of Heauen is may partly be knowne in that our Heauenly Maister did begin his Sermons to his Auditory froÌ„ those words of Matth. 4. De pennance for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand And further in that he made the Kingdome of Heauen the Subiect of most of his Parables saying Matth. 13.18.20.21.22.25 The Kingdome of Heauen is resembled c. And after his Resurrection in the time of those fourty dayes before his Ascension appearing to his Disciples he discoursed of the Kingdome of Heauen as S. Luke doth witnesse in the Acts of the Apostles Therefore we see the beginning progresse and consummation or end of the speaches of Christ were euer of the Kingdom of HeaueÌ„ Now we in this place will not vndertake to dispute of all points touching the Kingdome of Heauen but only so farre forth as concernes the place and state of the Blessed Saints And first we will explicate why the place and state of the Saints is named in the holy Scriptures The Kingdome of Heauen Well then the Habitation of the Saints for seuerall respects is entitled The Kingdome of Heauen First because Heauen is a most ample Region and far more ample and large then the narrow limits euen of Mans thought can comprehend The whole Earth which is but a Pricke or Point in comparison of the highest Heauen doth containe so many and so great Kingdomes as that with difficulty they can be numbred Of what immensenesse and huge Vastnesse then shall that Kingdome be which is but one and yet dispersed and spread throughout the whole latitude and breadth of the Heauen of Heauens For the Kingâ—ome of Heauen doth not only containe through its owne capacity the Celestiall Region but also all this Vniuersity â—nd generall State of things For that supercelestiall Region as I may tearme it which is properly the Kingdome of Heauen is as it were the first Prouince of the Kingdome of God in which the chiefe Princes all which are the Sons of God doe reside and dwell The sâ—cond Prouince may be called Eternall in which the Stars are seated Which Starres though they be inanimate neuerthelesse they are so obedient and seruiceable to the will beck of their Creatour as that they may be well said to haue life and sense according to that of Ecclesiasticus Come and let vs adore the King to whom all things doâ— liue The third Prouince is that of the Aire wherein the Winds
of Heauen Another in the same Ghospell cap. 15. Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the VVorld The third is in the Apocalyps cap. 3. He that shall ouercome I will giue vnto him to sit with me in my throne as I haue also ouercome haue sitten with my Father in his throne What can be more clearely spoken then this We haue heare the Kingdome of God promâ—sed to vs we haue the possession of the same Kingdome assigned to vs in the day of Iudgment We haue granted to vs seates in the Regall Throne of the Sonne of God of his Father the Eternall King And what other thing is all this then the participation of the same Kingdome of Heauen which God possesseth from all Eternity We may heer adioyne the testimony of S. Paul 2. Tim. 2. saying If we shall sustaine we shall reigne togeather And of S. Iohn in the beginning of the Apocalyps and of S. Iames in his Epistle c. 2 thus writing God hath chosen the poore of this world rich in fayth and heyres of the Kingdom which God hath promised to them that loue him Neyther are we to feare that because the Kingdome of Heauen is communicated to many and almost innumerable Angels and men it is therefore diminished or lessened Since the Kingdom of HeaueÌ„ â—s not lyke to earthly Kingdomes which cannot brooke any corriualls or participation but if they be deuided by diuision they are euer made lesse and in the end are brought to nothing I say the Kingdome of Heauen beareth no proportion 〈◊〉 lyknes to these but being whole it is entirely possessed of all as a so being whole it is entirely possessed of eâ—ery particular Euen as â—he Sunne â—s wholy seene of all men and wholy â—â—ene of euery particuâ—ar Man And iâ— selfe doth no lesse â—eate and illuminâ—â—e ech particular Man then a l Men. Which â—oint shal be more clearely â—llâ—â—trated in our explication of the Gâ—ods of the K ngdome of Heauen But now before we are heere to assigne the condâ—tions and qualities required to be â—n Kings that no Man may reâ—t doubtfull but that the Blessed Saints in Heauen are iustly called Kings and Kings euen of Heauen There are two qualities with which kings ought necessarily to be inuested Tâ— wit VVisdome and Iustice. But with Wisdome the Scripture doth ioyne Pâ—â—dence Councell all other things â—â—â—onging to Intelligence with Iustice â—â—ngeth Mercy Clemency and the 〈◊〉 of the Vertues which do beautiâ—â—nd perfect the VVill. Wisdome â—efore is required that a King may â—â—w how to gouerne his Subiects â—â—â—â—ice how to gouerne them well And according heerto Salomon being admonished from God in the beginning of his Reigne that he should demand what he most desired he demaunded Wisdome which is the Queene of all good qualities necessarily required in Kings And this his petâ—tion was so pleasing vnto God as appeareth out of the third booke of Kings that it was granted vnto him as he desired I could haue wished he had demaunded also Iustice for then perhaps he had not precipitated and cast himselfe into so many crimes and sinnes as afterward he did But with more iudgement did Dauid pray for the good and prosperity of his Sonne Salomon in those words of the 71. Psalme O God giue thy iudgment to the King and thy Iustice to the Sonne of the King In which words he may be thought to haue forseene that Salomon would aske for Wisdome and that therefore himselfe prayed that Iustice Iudgment might be giuen also to his Sonne the which without Wisdome â—annot be wheras Wisdome at â—east sâ—ming and imperfect may be with out Iustice In lyke sort the Booke of Wisdome which was principally written for the erudition and instruction of Kings thus speaketh vnto them Diligite IustitiaÌ„ qui iudicatis terram c. Sap 1. and it beginneth at the vertue of Iustice because that alone and of its owne nature is not only necessary to Kings but it is also a dispositioÌ„ to Wisdomâ— for a litle after followeth Because wisdome will not enter into a malitious soule To conclude pretermitting other testimonies Ieremy prophesying of Christ the eternall King thus sayth cap. 23. Behould the dayes do come sayth our Lord and I will rayse vp Dauid a iust branch and he shall reigne a King and shal be wife and shall do iudgment and Iustice in the earth From all this then it ineuitably followeth that Wisdome and Iustice are the endowments chiefly required Kings That all the Blessed in Heauen though many of theÌ„ perhaps whiles they liued heere vpon earth were but ignorant persons do excell in Wisdom and Iustice so as they may deseruedly be Kings of any K ngdome is so euident that it can admit no contradâ—ction since there is not any one of the Blessed in Heauen who doth not see the Essence of God which is the first Cause of all things and consequently he draweth so much Wisdome out of that fountaine of increated Wisdome as that neyther Salomon not any other Mortall man euer had in lyke degree our Lord Iesus Christ only excepted who euen in the tyme of his mortality did see God and in whome were all the Treasures of Wisdom knowledge of God Now to the measure of Wisdome in all the Saints is giuen a proportionable measure of Iustice so as for the tyme after neyther haue they a desire to sinne neither can they sinne For thus S. Austine speaketh hereof de grat cor cap. 12. Prima libertas voluntatis c. The first liberty of the will was to haue power not to sinne but the last liberty of the will shal be farre greater it being not to haue power to sinne And who cannot sinne cannot therefore become vniust And since Charity is perfect therefore Iustice is also perfect And accordingly S. Austin affirmeth that he who caÌ„not loue God but wâ—th a supreme perfect loue cannot also but possesse supreme and perfect Iustice They also who behould God their supreme pure and infinite Good cannot diuert their eyes from him neither can they but prosecute him euer with most ardent and burning Affection From whence it is euicted that all the Saints in Heauen are perfectly wyse and perfectly Iust and are therefore most apt euer to reigne as Kings Now raise thy selfe vp O Christian Soule and ascend in spirit as much as thou canst and meditate how great a felicity it is to reigne with God and penetrate with the Wings of conteÌ„plation the very Heauens behould that sublime Throne of which our Sauiour speaketh Apoc. 3. He that shall ouercome I will giue vnto him to sit with me in my throne O how ineffable a glory will it be for a Soule in the presence of an infinite multitude of Angells to be placed in the Throne or seate it selfe of Christ and God And to be proclaimed by the iust iudgment of God as conquerour ouer the World ouer the gouernours
Prophet Psal 132. O how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell in one For what greater consolation and comfort can be imagined to a man then to conuerse with innumerable Angels with men of all degrees eyther superiour equall and inferiour to him and he to be beloued of them all with most sincere affectioÌ„ as a brother to be vsed as a brother imbraced entertained as a brother Of the greatnes and Beauty of the House of God CHAP. II. ANother reason for which the Habitations of the Saints is called a House may be taken from that Houses especially the houses of Kings haue many ornaments in their Hals in their BedchaÌ„bers in other withdrawing roomes which the rest of the Citty doth want For who can recouÌ„t the Arras Tapestry precious vestmeÌ„ts plate of Gold and Siluer with the which the Palaces of Kings do glitter and shine Neither are these interiour ornaments only of great worth and pryce but also the externall and outward building it selfe is accustomed to be most admirable for the goodly marble stately Pillars guilded Porches hanging gardens and such other delicacies which is ouer long to relate Salomon King of Ierusalem after he had built a Temple to our Lord with such cost and charges as was fitting did make a Pallace for himselfe with such profuse cost as that he spent thirteene yeares in the building of it although he had many Maisters and Ouerseers of the whole Fabricke and had at hand with small labour great store of precious and curious marble and other stones and abundance of Cedar-trees And not with lesse charge and magnificence did he erect a Pallace for his vvife being the daughter of the King of Egypt so sumptuous as it seemed incredible Therefore when the Sacred Scripture calleth that Habitation the House of God which in other passages therof it calleth the Citty of God and the Kingdome of Heauen it seemeth to insinuate that all that Citty and Kingdome is as resplendent and glorious as any Regall house or Pallace For as we haue learned aboue out of the Prophet Baruch the House of God is of that largenesse and extension as that it is able to comprepend and containe the whole Kingdome of Heauen It seemed a little aboue a thing worthy of admiration if any whole Kingdome should appeare to be of that splendour and fayrenesse with which its chiefe Citty is adorned Who then will not rest astonished â—â—en he shall thinke that the whole Kingdome of Heauen is styled the House of God in that it is all stately all fayre all precious as beseemeth the House of God to be Therefore with good reason did the Prophet Dauid burst forth into those words Psal 83. My soule euen coueteth and fainteth vnto the Courts of our Lord. For who doth not thirstingly desire to see and possesse a most noble Kingly house which in its spacious greatnesse may equall any Kingdome As on the contrary to see and enioy a most ample and large Kingdome which for ornaments splendour and magnificence may contend and compare with any Princely house or Pallace Neither would our soule only desire the fruition of such a House such a Kingdom if attentiuely it did thinke thereof and confidently belieue the same but it would be wholy absorpt and euen faint and transgresse its owne limits through the incredible beauty and worth of so great a matter But alas we who lie vpon the ground and are become thrall to temporalities and earthly things and doe admire so much what we here see doe little busy our thoughts with inuisible matters we bearing our selues herein like to little children who neuer going out of their Fathers house doe so loue that poore Cottage as that they neuer once thinke of the Pallaces of Kings In like sort we imitate herein the Countrey-pesants who neuer saw any Citty but are busied in tilling their ground and in repayring their poore wodden and clayie house neuer thinking on Pallaces Towers Theaters Honours dignities increasing of siluer chargeable banquets and the like And perhapps these Rusticks and Children are more happy then many rich Cittizens and great Princes because those things which are in this world much prized and highly esteemed are commonly attended on with more anxiety care and danger then with solid profit and dignity But the goods which are in that Heauenly house of our Father are inestimable neither are they accoÌ„panied with any sollicitude discontent or perill but are exempted from all griefe and molestation and this not for any short time but for all Eternity Therefore S. Paul who was neither a Ch ld nor a Rusticke and who well knew the goods and commodities of this worâ—d for he was a man most learned and conuersed with most wise men He also had beene in the House of God and had perused and viewed the Heuenly Citty as being rapt into the third Heauen doth thus speake of himselfe 2. Cor. 4. VVe not considering the things which are seene but which are not seene for the things that are seene are temporall but the things that be not seene are eternall And againe Phil. 3. Our conuersation is in Heauen And according hereto he exhorteth vs all Colloss 3. To seeke the things which are aboue where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God And to mind the things which are aboue not the thinges which are vpon the Earth Of the Dyning Chamber of the House of God CHAP. III. ANother reason why that which is cal ed a Citty and a Kingdome is also called the House of God may be taken from those words of our Lord Ioan. 14. In my Fathers House there be many mansions Thus we see that in Houses there be Chambers or Partours to dine and sup in Chambers also for men to take their repose and sleepe Halles and other spacious roomes for the exercise of seuerall Actions which out of the House are not accustomed to be done But to begin with the Great Chamber as I may say or place of Refection Certainly there is a place in the House of our Lord in which all the Saints are not only fed wâ—th Princely viands but which is wonderfull and scarcely credible were it not that the Holy Ghost teacheth vs so much where the King himselfe shal be girded and prepared to minister and serue the Table For thus doth our Lord himself speake Luc. 12. Blessed are those seruants whome when our Lord commeth he shal find watching Verily I say vnto you that he will gird himselfe and make them sit downe and will come forth minister vnto them What kind of baÌ„quetting House is this Who euer heard of the lyke The Lord standeth the seruant sitteth downe the Lord is girded that without any hinderance or let he may wayte The Seruant is vngirded that so more freely and coÌ„modiously he may sit at Table The Lord goeth vp and downe to bring in and serue the meates The Seruant quietly feedeth vpon those Princely viands O if we
good Theefe hanging with him vpon the Crosse Luc. 23. To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise For by the vvord Paradise our Sauiour did vnderstand the Kingdome of Heauen and essentiall Beatitude For when the Theefe had said O Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome our Lord promising to him the participation of his Kingdome did answere To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The same is also witnessed by S. Paul when he said 2. Cor. 12. I know a man in Christ rapt euen to the third Heauen he was rapt into Paradise S. Iohn doth witnesse the same in his Apocalyps cap. 2. where he bringeth in our Lord thus speaking To him that ouercommeth I will giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of my God Now from these passages of Scripture it is euident that the Region of the Blessed is a place of delight and Pleasure Furthermore when our Lord said to the good and faythfull seruant Math. 25. Enter into the ioy of thy Lord doth he not most openly declare the House of God or the City of God to the which all the good and faythfull Seruants are admitted after their passing out of this world to be a place of Ioy And where in many places be compareth the Kingdome of Heauen to a Supper as in Luc. 14. A certaine mâ—n made a great supper And againe cap. 22. where he sayth And I dispose to you as my Father disposed to me a kingdome that you may eate and drinke vpon my Table in my kingdome To conclude in the Apocalyps â—t is said cap. 19. Blessed are they who are called to the supper of the Mariage of the Lambe Certainly the Scripture by the Metaphor of a supper signifieth delectation and pleasure except we will maintayne that in the sense of Tasting there is no pleasure And we may annex hereto that in the Gospell and in the Apocalips the Kingdome of Heauen is compared to a Regall or Princely Supper as is euident out of that King VVho made a mariage for his sonne and out of the Parable of the Wise foolish Virgins of which the Wise Virgins did enter with the Bridegroome to the Mariage but the Foolish Virgins were shut out We also fynd in the Apocalyps many things to be spoken of the Mariage of the Lambe in the Kingdome of Heauen being celebrated with all magnificent preparation Furthermore the felicity of the Saints is compared to Princely Mariages at what tyme all kind of pleasures almost are enioyed of which point we are further to discourse in the next ensuing Booke To conclude S. Iohn in the Apocalyps did see a Company of Virgins who did follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he went and did sing a new song which no others could sing Which place S. Austin expoundeth of certaine holy ioyes and pleasures which the Virgins either men or Women do enioy His words are these You shall bring to the Mariage of the Lambe a new song which you shall sing vpon your Citherns that is you shall sing prayses in your Harts not such as the whole Earth singeth but such as not any can sing but your selues Aug. de sancta Virgin c. 27. And then after Whither may we thinke this Lambe will goe Where none shal be able or dare to follow him but your selues Whither may we thinke him to goe into what gardens or other pleasant places Thither I belieue where the grasse is ioyes not the vayne ioyes of this VVorld being but lying Madnes neither the ioyes which are graunted in the kingdome of God to others not being Virgins but they are ioyes distinguished from all other kind of ioyes And then againe a little after The rest of the multitude of the faithfull shall see you which cannot follow this Lambe They shall see but the shall not enjoy and reioycing with you that which they haue not in themselues they shall haue in you for they shall not be able to sing that new song peculiar to you but they shal be able to heare it and to be delighted in your great delight But you who shall both sing and heare this new song because in that you shall sing it you shall heare it you shall with more felicity exult or reioyce and with more pleasure reigne ibid. c. 29. Thus from all aboue expressed it is manifest that in the Heauenly Kingdome and City or House there be many true Ioyes and most true and most great Pleasures Of the Ioy of the Vnderstanding CHAP. II. SEing aboue we haue proued out of the Holy Scripture that there are true Ioyes in the Kingdome of Heauen we wiâ—l now explicate what those Ioyes be And first we will vndertake to shew what the Ioyes of the Vnderstanding VVill and Memory be all which do belong to the spirit or soule next what the ioyes of the seuerall senses be which do appertaine vnto the Body VVe do not intenâ— herby to maintayne that the Vnderstanding the Memory and the sâ—nses of the Body are the proper seats of Ioy for we are not ignorant that Ioy as also desire do properly beloÌ„g to the will in the superiour part and to the Appetite in the inferiour But we heare speake as men do vulgarly speak who forbeare not to say that the Eye is delighted with the beauty of Colours and the Eare with sweetnes of sounds Therefore we vnderstand by the Ioy of the mynd or of the Memory or of the Externall senses a delectation or pleasure which a man taketh from those things which either he doth vnderstand or remember or which he doth draw from the externall senses The first Ioy then of the Blessed shal be to see with the eyes of the mind God euen face to face as S. Paul speaketh and as S. Iohn sayth to see him as he is Now how great a Ioy this wil be we may in part coniecture in that the Prophet Isay and the Apostle do witnes that it exceedeth all the Ioyes which any maÌ„ hath either seene heard desired or euer imagined The eye hath not seene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entred into the harâ— of man what things God hath prepared for them that loue him Isa 64. 1. Cor. 2 For the Scripture here speaketh of the chiefe and Essentiall Beatitude or Happines which is placed in the vision and sight of God himselfe according to that saving of our Lord Matth. 5 Blessâ—d are the cleane of Hart for they shall see God And This is life euerlasting that they know thee the only true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. And truly there semeth in the former VVords a great amplification to wit That no man hath either seene or heard or desired or thought what kind of ioy consisteth in the Vision of God Notwâ—thstanding it is no amplification but a simple Truth because the Eyes the eares and the harts of men are accustomed to perceaue only ioyes that haue end but the Vision of God is
and Clouds doe mooue to and fro where also stormes Raine Snow Hayle and Thunder are ingendred and in which the Birds of seuerall kindes doe liue and flie The fourth Prouince is that â—f the water comprehending the Sea Fountaines Riuers Lakes in which the fishes are procreated And which walke the paths of the Sea Psal 8. The â—f Prouince is thâ—s of the Earth which being as it were emulous of that of Heauen is enriched with most noble Inhabitants though not blessed to wit with men indued with Reason but yet mortall and obnoxious to death Who neuerthelesse haue dominion of the beasts of the Earth the birds of the Aire and the fishes of the Sea The last Prouince is that which may be called subterranea as being vnder the Earth being as it were as other desert of Arabia and producing no good fruits but only thornes and bryars In which the wicked Spirits do liue who through their Pride deserued this punishment and who aspiring to be the first came thereby to be the last And thus they endeauouring to aduance their Seates aboue the stars of heauen were for such their attempt detruded from thence and cast out to â—he lowest Hell And this place doth daily expect the arriuall of such Men who as being companions to the diâ—ells wallow in all flagitious sinnes â—nd enormities and who depart from the stage of this life without true repentance All these seuerall Prouinces God doth hold within his Empire and Gouerment according whereunto the Psalmist saith All things doe serue thee Psal 118. All which most spatious Kingdomes God will communicate to such as loue and serue him as hereafter we will shew Now O Christian Soule spread and dilate thy hart suffer not thy selfe to be confined within the niggard and narrow bouÌ„ds of things only that are present why dost thou so incessantly sweat and toyle to obtaine some small part of this world since if thou wilt thou maist purchase it all Certainly if mortall men would with a serious and earnest thirst aspire to this Kingdome or would with mature reflexion of the soule meditate thereon they would euen blush to wage warre for any small or narrow portion of the earth God O Man offereth to thee the society and partage of his immense and eternall Kingdome And thou for the defence or gaining of one little Towne dost enter into warre and open hostility by meanes whereof many rapines bloudsheds and other innumerable sinnes are committed all which must iustly prouoke the King of Kings to wrath and indignation Where then is there any wisdome in this thy proceeding Where any iudgement or true consideration I speake not this as if I were perswaded it were vnlawfull for Christians to mooue warre in defence of their owne Townes and Citties For I well know that iust warres are maintained and allowed not only by the holy Fathers and particularly by S. Austin Ep. ad Marcel but also by S. Thomas 2.8 q. 40. the chiefe of all Schoolemen Yea the Precursour of our Lord then whome not any was borne gteater of Women Luc 3. admonisheth souldiars not that they should forsake a lawfull warre but that as being content with their stipends and payes should forbeare to wrong any man And I my selfe in my Books of Controuersies of Religion 〈◊〉 defended lawful warres Therefore weâ— doe not â—bsolutely forbid diâ—aâ—low of warre but we only exhort to that which is more perfect and for the most part more profitabâ—e with the same intenâ—ion with which Saint Paul speakech to the Corinthians cap. 6. It is a fault in you that you haue iudgments among â—ou VVhy do you not rather take wrong VVhy doe you not rather suffer fraud And S. Iames in his Epistle cap. 4. From whence are warres contentions â—mong you Are the not of your Concuâ—iscences which warre in your memâ—ers You couet and haue not you kill â—nd enuy and cannot obtaine you conâ—end and warre and you haue not beâ—ause you aske not Certainly who is â—ruly sollicitous of the Kingdome of Heauen would be little afflicted with â—he losse of any one Towne or Citty â—ut rather would be desirous to vse â—â—e mediation of others for the comâ—ounding all depending Controuerâ—ies without the calamities and danâ—ers of warre But let vs passe on forward Of the Concourse and Frequency of the Inhabitants in the Kingdome of God CHAP. II. THat supreme habitation is for â— second respect called the Kingdom of God to wit because it containetâ— a greater multitude and diuersity of Inhabitants within the capacity and largenesse of its owne Orbe then any House or Citty yea more then large vast Kingdomes are accustomed to comprehend For there is as the Apostle speaketh in his Epistle to the Hebrewes cap. 22. the entercourse of many thousand Angells There is also a confluence of the Spirits and Soules of all iust and perfect men vnder which number are comprized all those who shall close vp their dayes of this life in the feare of our Lord euen from the day of Abel the Iust vntill the consummation of the world Neither shall only the Spirits of lust men stay there after the ending of the world but also their glorious bodyes being reunited to their soules All which and eâ—ery one of them shall shine euen as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their â—ather as our Lord assureth vs Maâ—hew 13. Now so much as appertaineth to the diuersity of the Angels we during our â—eregrination here vpon earth are â—carsely suffered to know any thing â—ut only their Names For wee know out of the vision of Esay c. 6. that some of them are called Seraphims â—thers Cherubims out of the Prophet â—zechiele 28. others Thrones others Cominations others Principalities â—thers Powers from the Apostle to â—he Colossians c. 1. Others Vertues â—rom the same Apostle to the Ephesiâ—ns c. 1. Some Archangels from â—he same Apostle 1. Thess 4. and from â—he Epistle of S. Iude. To conclude others Angels of whom most frequent mention is much celebrated in all the â—acred Books of Scripture From these â—ifferent nine names and appellations â—he holy Doctors with an vnanimous â—onsent doe proue that there are nine different Orders of Angels vnder â—uery particular Order whereof many thousands of Angells are ranged according to the words of Daniel c. 7. Thousand of thousands ministred vnto him and ten thousand hundred thousand assisted him with whom Iob conspireth saying Is there any number of his souldiers And although the Angells be doubtlesly most blessed and shine with the splendour and brightnesse of all vertues and diuine gifts notwithstanding those are tearmed Seraphims who are more remarkable preeminent for their ardour and zeale of Charity Those Cherubims who exceed in knowledge Those Thrones who enioy an ineffable and silent tranquillity of Contemplation Those Dominations to whome as to the Ministers and Deputies of the supreme Emperour the charge of this inferiour world is committed Those Vertues who at the command of God are exercised in
often it so falleth out that the King cannot command at least dare not the effecting of a thing if so he stand in feare to the multitude of his Subiects For how many Kings and Emperours haue beene dethroned whose authority the Subâ—ects haue shaken off and often with death to the said Kings and Emperours Histories are fraught with Examples of this subiect Therefore that chiefe gouerment in mortall Kings is languide and weake since those Kings cannot performe any thing or atcheiue any exploite without the approbation and allowance of the People But the Soueraignty of God who alone is stiled and truly is The great King hath no dependancy of any thing but only of his owne VVill. The which his VVill since it is Omnipotent cannot brooke any resistance neither standeth it in need of souldiers warlike prouision or any other endeauour out of it selfe And although God doth vse Angels or Men as also euen dead and senselesse things as his inferiour Ministers yet this he doth not out of any necessity but because it so best pleaseth his diuine Will For he who without the ministeriall assistance of any created only by the vertue of his VVord Heauen and Earth and euery thing therin contained and doth conserue them only by his VVill may also no doubt gouerne all things so created only by his owne imperiall dominion Neither only is God said most truly to rule because supreme or as I may tearme it superlatiue power remaineth in him alone but also in that the chiefe mistery of gouerning is peculiar only to him For God needeth not any Senatours or others to consult withall VVho hath knowne saith S. Paul Rom. 11. the mind of our Lord or who hath beene his counsellour And before the Apostle Isay c. 40. thus contesteth the same saying VVho hath holpen the spirit of our Lord Or who hath beene his counsellour and shewed to him VVith whom hath he taken counsell and who hath instructed him and taught him the path of Iustice and taught him knowledge and shewed him the way of Prudence Therefore it followeth ineuitably from the Premisses that a Monarchy which is the best kind of gouerment is not only found to bee in God but it is found to be in him alone true and perfect For hee is not only formidable ouer all the Kings of the earth as we reade Psal 75. but also is a most Maiesticall King ouer all the Gods as is said againe in Psalm 94. For there are certaine false Gods who are rather to bee called diuells according to that of the Prophet The Gods of the Gentils are diuells Psal 95. There are also other Gods by participation as the Kings of the Earth and the Angells of Heauen are for we reade Psal 81. I haue said you are Gods But all these Gods stand subiect and obedient to that one ouerruling God who reigneth in Heauen The refore it necessarily followeth from what is aboue said that that King is truly a King and most puissant whom Nabuchodonosor that fastigious King of Babylon after his pride was iustly punished in these words fully acknowledgeth Dan. 4. Therefore after the end of the daies I Nabucodonosor lifted vp mine eyes to Heauen and blessed the Highest and praysed him for euer because his power is an euerlasting Power and his Kingdome in generation to generation And all the Inhabitants of the earth are reputed with him for nothing for he doeth according to his will as well in the Powers of Heauen as in he Inhabitants of the earth And there is none that can resist hiâ— hand and say to him VVhy didst thoâ— it c. Now therefore I Nabuchodonosor prayse and magnify and glorifâ— the King of Heauen because all hiâ— VVorks are true and his wayes Iudgements and them that walke in pride he can humble Thus Kâ—ng Nabuchodonosor confessed of himself who may be an exaÌ„ple to all others that they doe humble and prostrate themselues vnder the powerfull hand of God as S Peter admonisheth And that they stand more prepared to serue the King of Kings thereby to deserue his beneuolence and fauour then through pride and clâ—tioâ— of heart to resist his Wiâ—l by which their course they are in the end forced to suffer condigne punishments vnder his most rigorous hand accordâ—ng to their iust deserts That all the Blessed in Heauen are Kings CHAP. IV. THE fourth and most principall reason why the place and state of the Blessed may be called the Kingdome of Heauen is because all the Blessed in Heauen are Kings and in that all the conditions of Regall Authority doe most aptly agree to them For although all the Saints in Heauen doe serue and obey God as is said in the Apocalyps c. 22. yet with all they gouerne and rule For whereas it is sayd in the same place his seruants shall serue him it is also there sayd And they shall reigne for euer and euer Neyther only doe all the Bâ—essed serue togeather and rule togeather but withall they may be tearmed both Seruants and Sonnes for thus God speaketh in the Apocalyps cap. 21 They who shall ouercome shall possesse these things c And I will be his God he shal be my Sonne Thus therfore as the same Saints may be said to be SeruaÌ„ts Sonnes so also may they be sayd to be Seruants and Kings They are Seruanes in that they are created of God and do owe all obedience and vassalage vnto him of whome they receaue them Being lyfe and other thinges for nothing created is excepted out oâ— this homage euen by the testimony of Dauid saying All things do seruâ— thee Psal 118. They may be also called the Sonnes of God because theâ— receaue their regeneration from God by water and the Holy Ghost Finally they are Kings since Regalâ— Poweâ— and Dignity is communicated vntâ— them by the King of Kings who euer in thâ—s respect is styled in the Apocalyps cap. 19. The King of Kings anâ— Lord of Lords Perhaps it may be heere vrged that it is not repugnaÌ„t that one the same man should be a temporall King and withall a Seruant of God as it iâ— said accordingly in the 2. Psalme Anâ— now your Kings vnderstaÌ„d take instructioÌ„ you that iudge the earth But to be King of the Kingdome of Heauen and withall to be a seruant of the King of Heauen seeme to be incompatible togeather How then can a man apprehend this difficuâ—ty or belieue it â— answere notwithstanding it is so â—nd facile to fayth both to conceaue and to belieue it Therefore the Iust â—n the Kingdome of Heauen shall aâ—so be Kings of the Kingdom of Heauen because they shall participate of that Regall Dignity and power as also of the spiritual riches aâ—l other goods which are in the Kingdome of Heauen The Verity of which point the Holy Ghost contesteth in three places of Scripture One is in the Ghospeâ—l of S. Matthew cap. 5. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome
and eatth and what is therein contayned belong to the riches of the Saints for what do not they possesse who are the heyres of God the coheyres of Christ Rom. 8. And whome the Father will constitute the heyres of all things Heb. 1. There now remayneth to speake of Pleasure Certainly the pleasure which the celestiall Kings enioy is most pure and cleare not contaminated with any drosse of griefe or dolour For we haue aboue learned out of the Apocalyps c. 21. that God shall wype away euery teare from their eyes and that they shall not suffer any more lamentation But touching Pleasure we shal enlarge our selues more in discourse hereafter when we treate of Paradise Now it is euident from what we haue aboue deliuered that the goods of the Kingdome of Heauen shal be common to all the Saints and Blessed and that they are of that worth as that they cannot brooke any comparison with the goods of this world especially since all terrene goods are temporary but celestiall goods euerlasting How much earthly Kingdomes are prized by Men and how much the Kingdome of Heauen ought to be esteemed CHAP. VI. NOw let vs a little obserue with what vehemency and heate of endeauour are earthly Kingdomes desired and sought after by men though they be vncertaine small in their own nature and euen fraught with infinite feare and sollicitudes that from thence we may gather with what a thirsty desire ardour the Kingdome of Heauen ought to be sought after The greedines of Domination Rule doth incomparably exceed all other humane desires Since a Kingdome is not one only particular good but it is a massing or heaping togeather of all the goods which may be desired of men For there is Power Honour Riches pleasure as is aboue sayd There also is found a liberty of liuing after ones owne will which is incident gratefull not only to men but also to beasts There is also a supereminency and as it were a certaine Diuinity in respect whereof Kings haue no Equals in the Kingdome but are aboue all command all and are worshipped of all And hence it riseth that when Kings wil promise any thing of greatnes they are often accustomed out of a glorious boasting of their owne sublimity and height to promise the halfe of their Kingdome Thus we read of Assuerus in Hester cap. 5. VVhat dost thou desire to be giuen thee c. Though thou aske the halfe of my Kingdome thou shalt obtaine And in lyke fort of Herod to the daughter of Herodias Mar. 6. VVhatsoeuer thou askest I will giue thee though the halfe of my Kingdome And from this grouÌ„d it riseth that for the obtayning of a Kingdome men hould it lawfull to peruert all lawes and right neyther do they thinke any thing so sacred and holy which they may not violate to satisfy their thirst of raigning Ninus was the first Man who prouoked his friends and neighbours by vniust warres that by that meanes whether right or wrong he might enlarge his Empire as S Austin relateth out of Iustin lib. 4. de Ciuit. c. 6. Maximinus the Thracian hauing receaued many and great benefits from Alexander the Emperour notwithstanding caused him to be slayne by his owne Souldiers that therby he might succeed in the Empyre The lyke facinorous and vnheard of act did Philip of Arabia commit vpon Gordianus his Lord and Emperour Neither this vnquenchable lust of raigning hath caused men to wash their hands in the bloud only of their Neighbours and Benefactours but also of their Brethren Nephews yea their owne Father Romulus killed Remus his brother and Caracalla Geta his brother and both through desire of raigning Athalia depriued of lyfe all the nephews of Ochozias King that herselfe might after gouerne the sterne as we read in the 4. Booke of Kings cap. 11. Thus we see that this greedines of Soueraingty inciteth not only men but euen women to commit most flagitious crymes Sinochus the Persian procured the murdering of Cosdroas his Father and Medarses his brother that himselfe alone might sway the Gouernment Yea which is more the Mother of Nero hauing receaued answere from the Astrologers that the Sonne should reigne but the mother should perish is reported to haue said Interimat dum imperet Let Nero be the cause of my death so that himself may raigne So much did this ambitious Woman affect that her Sonne should gouerne as that in respect therof she nothing pryzed her owne lyfe Neyther doth this insatiable honger of raygning and gouerning make Iniustice only to seeme iust and ouercome the loue vvhich men vse to beare to Brethren Nephews and Parents but withall it maintayneth that euen any religious oath is to be violated for that end which act of Religion was euer houlden most sacred in all Countryes and was thought most fit to be kept euen by the most fierce and cruell Souldiers though with dangers of life And according to this if we may belieue Cicero Iulius Caesar had euer in his mouth those verses of Euripides Si iusiurandum violandum est regnandi causa violandum est in caeteris pietatem colas If an Oath be to be broken it is to be broken for gouernment sake in other respects thou oughtst to keep it religiously Cic. l. 3. de Off. I pretermit infinit examples demonstrating that in all ages nothing hath been so much esteemed as a Kingdome though the Kings do not raigne long and though the Kingdomes also do in a short tyme come to vtter ruine and dissolution whereas the Kingdome of the Saints in Heauen shal be established for all Eternity Heare the Prophet Daniel of this point say cap. 2. In these dayes of those Kingdomes the God of Heauen will raise vp a Kingdome that shall not be dissipated for euer and his Kingdome shall not be deliuered vp to another People and it shal breake in peeces and consume all other Kingdomes and it selfe shall stand for euer This Prophesy is to be accomplished in the consummation and end of the world at what tyme not only greater monarchies but also lesser Kingdomes and Magistracies and power of temporall Princes shall vanish away and resolue to smoake the Kingdome of Christ and his Saints shall remaine euerlasting according to that of the Angell Et regni eius non erit finis and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Luc. 1. Now if a Kingdome which is to continue but for a moment which of its one Nature is weake and vncertaine which belongeth but to few and which standeth obnoxious and subiect to many anxieties and troubles be so â—rdently loued and sought after be to be preferred before all other things yea to be acquired and obtained by slaughter and great effusion of bloud what is then the cause why so few do loue the Kingdome of Heauen but most negligently and carelesly doe sleight it And neuerthelesse it is euident if we belieue the Sacred Scriptures that this Kingdome of Heauen
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
doe euer busy their mind with the thought of it and breathlesly labour after it and which is the chiefest do humbly beseech it of God with inutterable sighs and lamentations God doth willingly heare men praying in this manner and is ready to replenish them with the guifts of Iustice so as they being satiated therwith may euen breath nothing but words and works of Iustice But money or riches is not a good of this nature as that who desireth or prayeth for it to God is presently heard Since many abuse the vse of money our riches but of Iustice there can be no abuse To conclude Iustice is like to Wisdome of which S. Iames sayth cap. 1. If any of you lack VVisdome let him aske of God who giueth to all men abundantly and vpbraydeth none O ineffable clemency of God who is more ready and wiâ—ling to giue vs those things which conduce to our Soules good then we are eyther to demaund or desire them Whosoeuer therefore wanteth the wisdome of Saints or the guift of Iustice which are the chiefe dispositions for the gayning the Kingdome of Heauen let him most humbly beseech God by most earnest prayers and deep sighs and coÌ„plaints and he shall infallibly obtaine his desire For God giueth to men thus praying and he do not repell or exclude any man neither doth he giue sparingly and nigardly but largely abondantly without any vpbraiding or delay for God is not agrieued with mans importunity herein Now what may we heer say With what colour of excuse can a man plaiâ—ter ouer eyther his ignorance or weakenes at the day of iudgement Onâ—y thirst after Iustice and demaund it of God and thou shalt fully drinke thereof to thy owne satiety but do not thirst after the blandishments or allurements of the flesh neyther after the empty smoake of Honours nor â—ny other earthly benefits so shalt thou draw out thy dayes in this world in all iustice sobriety and Piety in the next thou shalt arriue to the euerlasting Kingdome of Heauen The second Path to the Kingdome of God CHAP. VIII ANother Tract or Path of the Kingdome of God the which our Captaine sheweth vs is that of Matt. 5. Blessed are the poore in spirit By which words we are not commanded to empty our chests and bags altogeather of money but only to keep our harts voyde of all greedy affection and desire of earthly things Our Lord doth offer to vs great wealth and abundaÌ„ce of riches but he will not giue them to vs except we do bring an open hart free and estranged from all worldly couetousnes The roote of all euils is couetousnes 1. Tim. 6. Which in the Greeke is called Philargyria that is loue of Siluer The roote of all good is Charity which two things cannot stand togeather Therefore except a man become truly and wholy poore in spirit so as whether he haue great or small store of riches his mynd be not fixed vpon them but that he be ready to distribute to them â—hat want and reserue to himselfe â—nâ—y what is necessary to his state this â—an I say cannot fulfill the Iustice of â—he Kingdome of Heauen and conseâ—uently cannot obtaine that Kingâ—ome This is the true Tract to the Kingâ—ome of Heauen in this path Christ â—imself did first tread who for vs was â—ade poore that he might enrich â—s through his Pouerty And although â—e had some money yet he deliuered â—t to Iudas to keepe whome he knew â—o be a thiefe that thereby we might â—nderstand his mynd was not possesâ—ed with the desire of money This Tract the Apostles also did follow â—ho might easily haue procured abunâ—ance of riches since they were faâ—ous for working of wondrous siâ—nes and Miracles did speake the tonâ—ues of all Countries and became adâ—irable throughout the whole world â—or their Wisdom But they who once â—yd Behould we haue left all things â—nd followed thee did tast the sweetâ—es of liberty as being free from the â—ares and loue of riches and contenâ—ng themselues with meate drinke cloaths did esteeme piety and the Iustice of the Kingdome of God to be the greatest riches This path not only Monks and Hermites but also Kings and supreme Bishops haue walked in who are arriued to the Kingdome of Heauen Certainly S. Lewis King of France was rich but withall he was poore in spirit for he did vse but ordinary cloathing did much fast was liberall and open-handed to the poore and onely to himselfe most sparing nor do we read that he wasted any money in Playes or Banquets S. Gregory also being Pope did possesse in diuers places great store of Ecclesiasticall Patrimony and riches yet because he was poore in spirit he was most profuse and bountifull in giuing Almes and most sparing yea euen almost couetous in bestowing any thing vpon himselfe or his kinred Thus he might well be thought to haue exceeded the bonds of liberality towards others and of sparingnes towardâ— himselfe and his friends But this is the way which leadeth to life euerlasting We will adioyne to the former Examples two rare Women S. Paula â—e Roman whose lyfe was written 〈◊〉 S. Ierome was no lesse rich in possessions and reuenues then poore in sâ—irit for being a Woman of most â—â—ble extraction she bestowed all her â—ealth riches in erecting of Monaâ—â—ries and relieuing the poore and â—â—is with such feruour of charity as â—â—at she desired in soule to be brought 〈◊〉 that low degree of want as that the Charity and mercy of others should discharge her funeralls Now how sparing in charges she was to herselfe appeareth in that she forbore to feed vpon flesh or egs or to drinke wyne for linnen next to her body sâ—e wore a haire-cloath she did lie vpoÌ„ the ground and did purge cancell euen her smallest offences with continuall prayers and teares To proceed to the next Heduigis Queene of Polonia was rich in temporall faculties but more rich in poâ—erty of Spirit She did content herselfe with one poore gowne and wore iâ— alone euen in the greatest frosts She fâ—sted euery day SuÌ„dayes great festiuall dayes only excepted She afflicted her tender body with sharpe disciplines with great watching and all maÌ„ner of austerities Now from this he course of lyfe we may easely coniecture vpon what things she did spenâ— all her Regall wealth and how smal an affection or rather none she bare to riches Therefore we are not to wounder that a woman so poore iâ— spirit and so desirous to shake of alâ— temporall cares did at the last through such spirituall endeauours arriue to Heauen The third Path way to the Kingdome of God CHAP. IX THE third way appointed by ouâ— Spirituall Captaine is this Maâ—â— S. Blessed are they who suffer persecutiâ—â— for Iustice for theirs is the Kingdomâ— of Heauen The wisdome of Iesas Chriâ—â— our Doctour is most admirable yet altogether secret and vnknowne to thâ— wisemen of this world For who woulâ— belieue were it not
that God auerretâ— it that it is good expedient for vs tâ— be poore in riches rich in pressurâ— and Afflictions And notwithstanding â—his is most true nothing more conâ—uceth to the acquiring of true riches 〈◊〉 which are the merits of the Kingâ—om of Heauen then to haue a mind â—oyd of all affection to temporall beâ—efits and withall to haue an ardent desire to suffer for Christ Heare then our Lord himselfe saying Luc. 6. VVoe â—e to you that are rich because you â—aue your consolation VVoe to you that are filled because you shâ—lbe hungry VVoe be to you that laugh because you â—hall mourne and weep As also on the contrary syde Blessed are you poore for yours is the Kingdome of God Blessed are you that now weep Blessed shall you be when men shall hate and reuile you and shall separate you and vpbraid you and abandon your name as euill for the Sonne of Mans sake Be glad in that day and reioyce for behould your reward is great in Heauen Heare also S. Iames how he magnifyeth Tribulation cap. 1. Esteeme it â—ll ioy when you shall fall into diuers temptations knowing that the probation of your faith worketh patience and patience hath a perfect VVorke Where we are to obserue that the Apostle heâ— sayth not Tolerate sustaine be you patient when you fall in tribulation be gaudete reioyce yea esteeme it to be â— ioy That is take tribulation not as tribulation but as matter of all ioy comfort and exultation And as touching riches obserue the iudgement of the same Apostle S. Iames cap. 5. Go too yoâ— Rich Men weep howling in your miseries which shall come to you And iâ— another place the same Apostle saith of rich men Be miserable and mourne and weep let your laughter be turneâ— into mourning and ioy into sorrow Iacâ— 4. But from whence commeth it thaâ— persecution doth make a man blessed the which rather should seeme to make him miserable Many thinges might be alledged in proofe of this verity but I will content my selfe with one reason To wit that persecution is like to a forge of burning fire For fire doth prepare and dresse meates doth purge siluer and proue gould Euen so persecution if it be patiently suffered rectifieth and disposeth Sinners refineth the imperfect and is a touchstone to the Iust And thus is persecution become seruiceable to all sortes of men A sinner is lyke to raw flesh vvhich except it be rightly dressed is cast forth to the beasts to be eaten for â— sinners is full of vnvvholesome and bad humours to vvit concupiscence of the flesh vvhich is Luxury concupiscence of the eyes which is Auarice and pride of life vvhich is Ambition But novv if persecution be at hand threatning a sinner then is he so prepared in that fire as that he may be fit to be honourably brought to the table of our Lord. For persecution or grieuous tribulation violently rushing vpon a sinner he instantly forgetteth all lust lucre and ambition and so becommeth transformed and another man from vvhat before he vvas A iust man but weake and imperfect though hee doth not fall into any grieuous sinne yet he is a fauourer of his flesh followeth his pleasures loueth gaine and wealth doth not detest the vanities of the world This man is like vnto siluer mixed with much drosse but if once the forge of Persecution take hould of him and that with patience hee entertaine it then presently the refuse matter in him doth beginne to bee separated from the siluer For then â—e beginneth to gather his forces togeather to meditate of things which are aboue to abhorre and loath carnall desires and to liue iustly temperatly and piously in this world and to expect with great hope and alacrity the approach and comming of the glory of that great puissant God To conclude a man perfect in Charity is gold yet he is to be tried in the fire of Tribulation that both himselfe and others may be assured that he is gold and not copper For after it is seene that he is able to endure the fire of Peresecution with all patience and euennesse of mind not only others take notice what he in himselfe is but also himselfe with a more erected conscience hope and security doth expect the wages and reward of the Kingdome of Heauen according to that of the Apostle Rom 5. Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Probation and Probation Hope and Hope confoundeth not And God himselfe doth daily more and more raise and exalt his seruant tryed in tribulation vntill he maketh him partaker of his Kingdome and Felicity Behould here how many goods Patience in persecution doth ingender And indeed it deserueth admiration to obserue how few men there are who haue the fruition of these goods of Persecution although they doe lie open to all men to be partakers of them since persecution and affliction may bee found in euery place For in euery place it doth â—ffront vs whether in our owne house in the way in intercourse with others yea euen in the Church because in euery place the wicked doe assault the good and vertuous and that Sentence of the Apostle is most true 2. Tim. 3. All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Notwithstanding we being ouer delicate and nice souldiers doe either flye from this trying-fire of Persecution wholy or else we retort and beate backe the receaued iniury or wrong vpon our Aduersary And thus wee doe not suffer persecution and wrong but we commit it And there are not wanting A mans owne enemyes being they of his owne House who doe prayse and commend him that disburdeneth himselfe of the wrong offered and doe transferre it vpon the Aduersary And yet these men will be accounted Christians who thus doe violate and contemne the Precepts of Christ The fourth Way to the Kingdome of God CHAP. X. BVt because few men there are who vnderstand aright these great difficulties aboue discoursed of and more few who will make triall of them by their owne practice therefore our Captaine Christ Iesus hath shewed vs a fourth way and that a most strait and narrow leading vs to the Kingdome of God saying Matth. 11. The Kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence the violent beare it away As if he would say I well know that it seemes a strange Paradoxe to men that such as are blessed should be poore and miserable men should bee rich and that on the contrary we ought to reioyce in Persecution and weepe in Prosperity Neither am I ignorant that there are fevv vvho vvould loose and exchange goods present for the gayning of goods future and vvould imbrace and vvish for present euills therby to auoid euills to come But I vvho am Truth it selfe neither can I nor ought to conceale the truth and therefore I haue here added That the Kingdome of God cannot be taken but by such as offer great violence so as only men of violence doe carry it
avvay Hence it is that in another place I haue said Luc. 18. How hardly shall they that haue money enter into the Kingdome of God For it is easier for a Camell to passe through the eye of a nedle then a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God And againe How narrow is the gate and how straite is the way that leadeth to life And few there are that find it I haue also compared the Kingdome of Heauen to a Treasure hid in a Field as also to a precious Margarite vvhich cannot be bought vvithout the sale of all other things intimating thereby that a man must depriue himselfe of all things vvhich he holds deare vpon earth if so he hope to possesse the celestiall Treasure and precious Margarite in Heauen I haue furthermore perspicuously and vvithout any ambiguity of vvords protested Luc. 1. VVho doth not renounce all things which he possesseth cannot be my disciple And although this renunciation is to bee vnderstood of the preparation of the mind Neuerthelesse seeing this preparation of the mind to renounce all temporalities vvhen either the health of the Soule or the glory of God doth require it is not easily performed and the accomplishment thereof is found but in few therefore I haue adioyned the similitudes of him vvho vvill build a Tovver not hauing sufficient prouision meanes to performe the same as also of that King vvho thinketh of vvaging vvarre against another King and yet hath not equall forces vvherby hee might hope for victory Novv if the building of a Tovver vvithout good store of money and the encountring in vvarre and hostility against a potent King be things most difficult and almost impossible Hovv much more difficult then is it to performe both these tvvo points together But hee ought to performe them vvho vvil besiege or lay battery to the Kingdome of God For first a Tovver is to be built vvhich may reach to Heauen That is merits and the price of good vvorks are to be procured vvhich may deserue eternall life And with all he is to fight vvith very many and most potent enemies to vvit with the vncleane vvicked Spirits vvho shall labour by their subtile endeauours to hinder the building of the foresaid Tovver The Tipe or figure herof happened to the Israelits vvho endeuouring to reedify and build vp the Citty of Ierusalem then ruined and beaten to the ground by the Chaldeans were hindred by their neighboring Countreyes vvarring against them so as they vvere forced to vse incredible sollicitude and care in building vvith one hand and fighting vvith the other From all vvhich the Conclusion is that the Kingdome of Heauen cannot without great paynes and sweat be purchased by such men who become a prey to earthly and momentary pleasures and benefits not knowing how to bridle and tame the Concupiscence of the flesh or to fight with an inuisible enemy Neuerthelesse whosoeuer being assisted by the the grace of God shall seriously giue his mind to Christian Perfection and shall most attentiuely consider the words of Christ following the examples of him and all other Saints to this man by little and little the way and Tract shall be enlarged the gates shall be opened the vigour and courage of the mind shall increase the enemies shall be enfeebled and thus through the charity of God in Christ Iesus increasing in him the burden shall beginne to be light and the yoke sweet And those words of Esay c. 40. shall be verified They that hope in our Lord shall renew their strength they shall take wings as Eagles they shall runne and not labour walke and not faint And this man shall say with the Royall Prophet I did runne the way of thy commandements when thou didst dilate my heart Psal 118. Certainly it was not grieuous to S. Antony to spend whole nights without sleepe yea the night did seeme most short to him in respect of the sweetnesse of diuine Contemplation as well appeared when he complained of the Sunne it selfe in these words Quid me impedis Sol c. VVhy dost thou hâ—nder me O Sunne which risest so soone to the end thou maist withdraw me from the splendour and brightnesse of the true light Cass Col. 9. cap. 31. Neither seemed it any difficult matter to this Saint and such like holy men to coÌ„tinue their fasts by whole weeks when they euen fed vpon and were refreshed with the reading and meditating of the sacred Word of God as with a celestiall supernaturall bread Neither was it painfull to S. Austin to weane himselfe from the sweetnesse of worldly pleasures to the which euen from his youth he had beene enthralled after he once had tasted the sweetnesse of diuine loue and of internall Contemplation Therefore let no man be disanimated or let his heart and courage fall but cast himselfe with an immoueable Hope into the Armes of Gods most holy assistance who as he made vs for himselfe so will he draw vs to himselfe And who will vouchsafe to place all those in his Kingdome whome hee vouchsafed to redeeme with the precious bloud of his only begotten Sonne Now in regard of all this O Christian Soule thou oughtest not through the asperity of the way to rest disheartned but to trust in our Lord who would neuer haue inuited vs to seeke after his Kingdome before all other things whatsoeuer had he not beene prepared to strenghthen vs in this our iourney with his most powerfull and puissable help Therefore enter into this Path or tract-way towards the Kingdome of Heauen with all cherefull animosity of mind Here is no place left for a wauering mind or iudgement For if the labour be great which here presents it selfe to thee yet the reward propounded for this thy labour is incomparably farre greater and if the forces of thy enemies hindering thee in this thy voyage be powerfull yet the hand of God vvhich leads and conducts thee is more povverfull And if many of all Ages and Sexes could by this vvay arriue to the Kingdome of God vvhy vvilt thou be so faint-harted and deiected in spirit as to despaire by the same vvay to arriue to the same Kingdome Their bodies vvere not made of stone or iron but of flesh and they vvere mortall and fraile And therfore vvhat they atcheiued vvas not through their ovvne strength but through the strength of our Lord. Why therefore mayst not thou though vveake and infirme accomplish the like attempt Cast thy selfe vpon God faith S. Austin l. 8. confess c. 11. and be not afraid He will not withdraw himselfe from thee that thou shouldest fall Cast thy selfe vpon him confidently He will receaue thee He will help thee God is faithfuâ—l hee cannot deny himselfe Two things are required at thy hands The one that most firmely and vnalterably thou wouldst resolue to preferre the glory of God and saluation of thy ovvne Soule before all other things vvhatsoeuer The other That thou vvouldst repose all thy hope and
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
preserued no tongue is able to expresse with what radiant splendour light those most holy impressions shall shyne seing all the glory of Saints compared to the Glory of Christ is lesse then the Beauty of the starrs with reference to the Beauty of the sunne But now what shall I speake of the Pleasures which the Eyes of the Blessed shall take in behoulding that most spacious and large City which Tobias and S. Iohn as aboue we haue proued as not hauing Words worthy inough to set out and proclaime its beauty said That it was all made of gould and garnished with rich Iewels Margarites and other precious stones Tob. 13. Apoc. 21. What lastly may I say of the New Heauen and the New Earth the which the Holy Scriptures do promise to vs after the day of Iudgment and of the renouation of all things into a better state For these things as they are vnknowne to vs so they shall delight the Eyes of the Blessed with a new and admirable ioy when their Beauty shall begin to be seene Of the Ioy of the Eares CHAP. VI. THat the sense of Hearing and the Instruments of speach shal be in the Kingdome of Heauen no man may doubt For the Bodies of the Blessed shal be true and liuing Bodies and in euery part perfect And such was the Body of Christ after his Resurrection as all the Apostles many disciples and others haue testified For they did heare him speake and he did answere to their demaunds And S. Paul himself did heare Christ speaking to him from Heauen he answered to Christ hearing him That there shal be Canticles and songs and chiefly of that Word Alleluia the aforesaid Toby and S. Iohn do witnes From hence then we may gather that in that Heauenly City there shall not be wanting many most sweet Sonnets with the which God may be praysed and the Blessed eares of Holy men may be wonderfully delighted And if these things ought to be performed in proportion and measure thē doubtlesly those songs ought to be the more sweet harmonious by how much the singers shal be more skilfull and he that is praysed more noble and sublime the place where the Musicke is made more high and the Company or presence of the Auditours more intelligent and in greater number What consolation therefore will it be in that most high peace and in the concord of soules and in that ardour and heate of Charity towards their supreme Benefactour to heare the most cleare voyces of those which shall sing Alleluia If S. Francis as S. Bonauenture hath left written was so rapt and moued at the sound of a Citherne played vpon but a very short tyme by an Angell as that he thought himselfe to haue beene in a new World what delights then shall our Eares enioy when millions of musitians with most concordant and sweet voyces shall with full accord and consent prayse God and other Millions with like melody and feruour shall many tymes repeate the said Prayses And perhaps in that Heauenly Citty not only the prayses of God shal be celebrated with Musicall voyces but also the Triumphs of Martyrs the Honour of Confessours the Glory of Virgins and the victories of all the Saints against the Deuill shal be extolled with Celestiall Musicke For we thus read Eccl. 31. Who is proued therein and perfect shall haue eternall Glory He that could transgresse and hath not transgressed and do Euill and hath not done it therfore are his good things established in our Lord and all the Church of Saints shal declare his Almes Although this may be vnderstood of the prayses of mortall men in the militāt Church here vpon Earth yet withall it may be meant of the immortall Citizens and of the triumphant Church in Heauen Since there the Saints shall haue truly eternall glory and that is truly and properly the Church of Saints And whereas our Lord in the Gospell sayth that the faythfull and prudent seruants shal be praysed of God in the Heauenly Kingdome Matth. 28. Well farre thee good and faythfull seruant because thou hast beene faythfull ouer a few things I will place thee ouer many things Enter into the ioy of thy Lord Why may we not thinke that those words of our Lord shal be celebrated with the singing of the whole Celestiall Court shall againe and againe be most sweetly repeated Certainly the Catholike Church doubted not thus to speake of S. Martin Martinus hic pauper modicus diues Caelum ingreditur hymnis caelestibus honoratur Martin being but poore and temperate did enter into Heauen rich and is honored with Celestiall Hymnes To conclude S. Austin affirmeth the same point in expresse Words l. 22. de Ciu. c. 30. saying There shal be true glory where no man shal be praysed through the errour or adulation of the Prayser True Honour which shall not be conferred vpon any not worthy Neither shall any vnworthy seeke after that Honour where none but he that is worthy shall be permitted to be O therefore thrice Happy Soules who in that place where all flattery is banished and exiled and no lye is found to be shall heare their owne Prayses and Trophees to be celebrated without danger of Pryde but not without increase of ioy and comfort Of the Ioy of the sense of smelling CHAP. VII TOuching the other senses litle is to be said not in that they want their great Pleasures but because what Pleasures those shal be the Holy Scripture hath not declared Neuerthelesse this is euident to vs that many Bodies of Holy Saints haue after their deaths braathed out a most sweet Odour This S. Ierome testifieth of the Body of S. Hilarion For he affirmeth that ten Months after the Body was interred it was found entyre as if it were then liuing and did cast from it such a fragrant smel as if it had beene imbalmed with sweet oyntments The like doth S. Gregory witnes of the body of S. Seruulus the Palsey-man His words are these l. 4. Dial. c. 14. The soule departing such a fragrancy of smell did rise as that all there present were replenished with incredible sweetnes And a litle after Till the Body was buried the sweetnes of that smell did not depart from their Noses Neither are there wanting many other such like Examples both of former later tymes from all which we may gather that if the Bodies of the dead Saints after the Soule is glorifyed do send forth such sweet smells then much more the liuing and glorifyed Bodies of the saints shall breath forth a most delicious and sweet Odour I will adioyne hereto that which the said S. Gregory relateth of the liuing and most glorious Body of our Sauiour Thus he writeth lib. 4. c. 16. hom 38. sup Euang. Tarsilla the Virgin then looking vp sow Iesus comming and suddenly there was as it were sprinkled such a fragrancy of a wounderful Odour as that the sweetnes therof did assure all that
the Deuill had afore violently taken from vs not that himselfe might enioy it but only that we might be depriued of it For to this end the Deuill seduced Eue and by her he caused Adam to sinne that so they might be Consorts and fellowes in punishment Christ therefore is that prudent Merchant Matth. 13. who gaue all his goods that he might buy this precious Margarite by the which he clearely inough did teach that the Kingdome of Heauen is signified for it is he of whom the Apostle speaketh when he sayth 1. Cor. 6. You are brought with a great Pryce And the Apostle S. Peter Not with corruptible things gould or siluer are you redeemed but with the precious bloud as it were of an immaculate and vnspotted Lambe Christ 1. Pet. 1. And againe They deny him that bought them the Lord. 2. Pet. 2. For Christ at one and the same tyme did buy Paradise for vs and did buy vs. For we before were made Captiues and had lost Paradise by sinne But Christ redeeming vs from sinne and from the Captiuity of the Deuill did withall adopt vs the Sonnes and heyres of God and in so doing did restore Paradise vnto vs. From hence therefore the greatnes and vvorth of the Celestiall Paradise may be conceaued to wit that in the Wisdome of God it is thought to be vvorthy of an infinite Pryce If heere among men a prudent rich merchant should be content to giue all his vvealth for the buying of a precious Pearle certainly no man vvould once doubt but that the Ievvell vvere of so inestimable Worth and valew as that it could hardly fynd a sufficient pryce Of what account and estimation then if vve haue any sparke of true iudgment ought the Possession of the Kingdome of Heauen seeme to vs to be the vvhich the VVisdome of God the VVord Incarnate vvith all his labours toyles and dolours for the space of thirty three yeares and lastly vvith his owne bloud and most precious death did purchase and buy VVe are vvholy stupid yea mad if vve vvill sell our interest and title of that thing for a base and most vile price of temporall Good vvhich Christ our Lord rated at an infinite Pryce and valevv But vvhat Not only Christ vvas content to buy Paradise with the effusion of his owne bloud but all Saints being herein taught by him did most willingly expose whatsoeuer they had with all their force strength for the gayning of the said Paradise Yea the Blessed Apostle thus bursteth out in words Rom. 8. The Passions of this tyme are not worthy of the glory to come that shal be reuealed to vs. And if any of the Martyrs were demanded whether they did willingly buy Paradise vvith such Torments as also if the Holy Confessours were questioned whether they did in like sort promptly and readily buy Paradise with their so many Watchings Fasts Prayers Almes deedes and Persecutions no doubt they would all cry out in one voyce with the Apostle The Passions and sufferings of this tyme are not worthy of the glory to come which shal be reuealed to vs. For although the Bloud of Christ was not only a worthy price of Paradise for vs but also as I may speake more then a worthy Pryce as being supereminent and exceeding the dignity of the thing which was bought neuerthelesse Christs good pleasure was that we also should buy Paradise thereby the more to honour and exalt vs. The Glory of man is great in that he obtayneth Paradise not only from the merits of Christ but also from his owne merits streaming from the Vertue and force of Christ his merits And if a man will not when it is in his povver do good and suffer euill for the buying of Paradise he is worthily expelled from the buying of Christ as an euill and slouthfull seruant as Christ himselfe admonisheth in the Parable of the Talents Matth. 25. and the Apostle vehemently counselleth Rom. 8. when he sayth Yf sonnes Heyres also Heyres truly of God and Coheyres of Christ yet if we suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him And to preuent that whereas some men may perhaps complayne they haue not a sufficient Pryce for the buying of Paradise let such take notice that nothing more is asked of vs here but what our selues haue For thus S. Austin speaketh The kingdome of God is worth so much as thou hast Which point the same Father proueth from examples of diuine Scripture thus he writing tract in Psal 49. Quid tam vile c. What is so vile what is so terrene and earthly as to breake and giue a peece of bread to the Hungry So much the kingdome of Heauen is worth For it is written Possesse the kingdome prepared for you for I was hungry and you gaue me bread The VVidow did buy it with two mytes Peter bought Paradise by leauing his nets and Zacheus by giuing the halfe of his Patrimony Thus far S. Austin discourseth To whom Venerable Bede is heerein agreable when he sayth that he who hath nothing besides himselfe yet in giuing himselfe he buieth Heauen His words are these Serm. 19. de Sanctis Regnum caeleste c. The kingdome of heauen requireth no other price then thy selfe Tantum valet quantum es tu te da habebis illud Certainly Lazarus the beggar had nothing which he could giue but only his patience in suffering his griefes and paynes and yet he was carryed by the Angells into the bosome of Abraham And the good thiefe had nothing in this World that was his but only a free ready voyce with vvhich he cryed out Remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome and yet he presently did heare To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise O most truly great liberality of God! O ineffable felicity of man who can so easily make bargaine as it were with his Lord for the price of a thing most precious aboue all other things Dost thou O man couet of God and thirst after the enioying of Paradise the height of all delights pleasures Giue thy selfe in pryce thou shalt obtaine it But what is the meaning of these Words Giue thy selfe To wit Loue God from the depth of thy hart Humble thy selfe vnder his potent mighty hand Prayse him at all tymes Submit thy selfe with all promptitude of mind to his will whether it shal be his pleasure that thou shalt be rich or poore glorious or ignoble finally in Health or in sicknes for his Will in euery thing is good and all his Iudgments are iust Say to God I am thyne dispose of me according to thy best pleasure and Will I do not resist I do not reclayme I do not with-draw my selfe out of thy iurisdiction My Hart is prepared and ready O my God my hart is prepared Let not my VVill but thy VVill be done This Holocaust of Obedience did Christ daily offer vp to his Father as himselfe doth testify vvhen he
said The things that please him I do alwayes Ioan. 8. And the like did the Apostle the true imitatour of Christ saying 2. Cor. 5. We striue whether we be ahsent or present to please him This perfect renunciation and disclayming from all things which a man possesseth or desires to possesse this abnegation of a mans selfe that he may serue only God is the true Pryce of Paradise Neither followeth it that who giueth himselfe away after this manner that he may buy Paradise doth loose himselfe but most truly most happily he doth find himselfe according to those words of our Lord Matth. â—0 He that loseth his life for me shall find it He that hateth his life in this VVorld doth keep it to life euerlasting But because this Wisdome is hidden from the wyse and prudent men of this wor d who truly are fooles in the sight of God and because the number of fooles is infinite therefore many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22. OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder Parabolicall Names THE FIFTH BOOKE Of a Treasure hidden in the field CHAP. I. HITHERTO I haue written so far forth as God hath vouchsafed to dictate to me in my Meditations of the felicity of the Saints vnder the name of those places which they do inhabit I meane vnder the places of the kingdome of Heauen of the Citty of God of â—he House of our Lord and of the Para◠〈◊〉 â—elights and Pleasures I will in this next place add something concerning the same Felicity vnder the name of such Things to the which our Lord in Parables hath compared the Felicity of Saints And heere in the beginning it is to be aduertized that those Words of our Lord The kingdome of Heauen is like c. the which our Lord doth commonly vse are not euer referred to the Words immediatly following As where our Lord sayth The kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a Merchant man he meaneth not that the Kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a Merchant man but he referreth those words to the whole Narration in which by way of similitude the way to the Kingdome of Heauen is demonstrated And further we are to obserue that the Kingdome of Heauen is sometimes in the Parables described more obscurely at other tymes more clearely and sometimes not touched at all I wil explicate the seuerall members of this diuision Whereas our Lord in S. Matthew setteth downe the Parable of the sower he describeth the fruite which the Preaching of the Ghospell bringeth forth according to the diuers dispositions of the earth and this he calleth the Mistery of the Kingdome of God but touching the Beatitude of the Saints he speaketh nothing But where our Lord in the same place doth add the Parable of the Cockle he briefly toucheth the felicity of Saints when he sayth that the good Seede or wheat is to be gathered vp into the barne of our Lord and the Cockle to be tyed togeather and burned But when in the same Chapter he relateth the Parables of him that sought for good Pearles and of him that did find the Treasure hidden in the field then more perspicuously he compareth the Kingdome of God to a Pearle and to a Treasure And of this third kind among the Parables of our Lord I find only six One of a Treasure hidden in a field another of a precious Margarite or Pearle The third of the daily Penny the fourth of the Lord or Mayster distributing the Talents The fift of a Great supper the sixt of a Mariage To the which we will adioyne two similitudes out of the Apostle the one of those who runne in a race the other who fight or stryue for the Maistery So as there shal be eight Considerations touching the Blessed life of the Saints deduced from Parabolicall Names or Titles The first Parable then is taken from S. Mathew cap 13. The kingdome of heauen is like to a Treasure hidden in a field VVhere our Lord teacheth how it may be gotten when he sayth Which when a man hauing found did hide it and for ioy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field Treasure signifieth a great aboundance of gould siluer and precious stones as Paulus the Ciuill Lawyer teacheth de acquir rerum dom L. Nunquam this Treasure ought to be so ancient as that there remayned no memory therof before and therfore it hath no proper Lord but belongeth by right to him that findeth it This Treasure in S. Mathew is the Diuinity it selfe which is hid in the field of the Humanity of Christ as S. Hilarius and S. Ierome in Com. cap. 13. Matth. do rightly expound For in Christ as the Apostle sayth all the Treasures of the knowledge and VVisdome of God are hidden Now the Diuinity is the most true Treasure of all goods and is indeed so ancient since it is eternall and did precede all Ages as that there can be no former memory of it extant Neither had this Infinite Treasure any proper Lord to own it for it selfe is the Lord of all things Neuerthelesse this Treasure of the Diuinity is said to belong to the right of them that find it because God giueth himselfe freely to those who by selling all their substance and Goods earnestly labour to acquire purchase him It is further said to be had as it were and digged in a field to wit in the Humanity of Christ for although the Diuinity be euery where yet it is in no place so properly and peculiarly as in the Humanity of Christ to the which it is so vnited as that one and the same Person is both God and Man And therefore the Apostle sayth 2. Cor 5. God was in Christ reconciling the VVorld to himselfe And though the Diuinity be in no place more then in the Humanity of Christ notwithstanding it seemeth to be so hid therein as that it is needfull to vse a light or candle to demonstrate and shew God to be in Christ And this light was S. Iohn Baptist who as S. Iohn writeth cap. 5. was the lampe burning shining Of whom Dauid in the Person of God the Father did thus prophesy Ps 131. I haue prepared a Lampe vnto my Christ. For S. Iohn Baptist did manifest Christ and did shew that he was God and the only begotten sonne of God when he said Ioan. 1. God no man hath euer seene the only begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared And againe He that commeth from Heauen is aboue all And a litle after The Father loueth the Sonne and he hath giuen all things in his hand he that belieueth in the sonne hath life euerlasting but he that is incredulous to the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God remaineth vpon him Ioan. 3. But although this burning and shining Lampe did manifest Christ openly to be the Sonne of God neuerthelesse the blinded Iewes could not at least would not acknowledge the
state of the Blessed These materiall things are spoken vnto vs in this our exile because we do not here see better or greater Matters But from these we ought to learne that that Celestiall Supper shall so much excell our suppers vpon earth though neuer so dainty or curious by how much Heauen is better then the Earth and by how much God who shall prepare this Supper doth transcend and surmount mortall Kings in power and riches But heare it may be questioned why the felicity of the blessed is compared rather to a supper then to a dinner of this point the reason is in that the tyme of Dinner is about the midst of the day and the tyme after dinner till supper is commonly spent in executing of busines whereas Supper is prepared at the end of the day when as all negotiations are finished after which Supper followeth Rest and Repose And therefore in another Parable which is in Matth. 22. where meÌ„tion is made of the Incarnation of our Lord the time of Dinner introduced for the Mariage with the Church his Spouse is begunne in the midle of the day that is long before the consummation of the World After which time of Dinner many matters of greatest importance especially the Redemption of the world and the reconciliation of Mankind with God are treated But after all businesse and sollicitudes shall cease then the bringing of the Spouse to the House of the Bridegrome and the Nuptiall Supper shall follow that is Eternall Repose at the close of the day and end of the World But yet it will be worthy of obseruation to knovv vvhat is to be done that vve may be admitted vnto this Supper And of this our Lord himself hath byn pleased to instruct vs in this Parable saying Luc. 14. A certaine Man made a great Supper and called many but they began all at once to make excuse The first said I haue bought a Farme and I must needs goe forth and see it I pray thee haue me excused And another said I haue bought fiue yoake of Oxen and I goe to proue them I pray thee hold me excused The third said I haue maryed a Wyfe and therefore I cannot come A wonderfull matter Men are inuited by God to a Nuptiall and Regall Supper and they refuse to come what then would they do if they vvere called to the labour of Warre or to a long and perillous iourney But this is humane blindnes which can hardly be brought to belieue any thing but what it seeth But what is that which mortall men prefer before the Diuine Supper which is our supreme and eternall good Three things our Lord setteth downe as maine impediments of our Saluation which of their owne nature are not euill and yet through an affection to them not vvell gouerned they hinder mans Saluation To buy a farme to trye Oxen and to marry a Wife are no sinnes but to aduance and prefer them before the kingdome of God is incredible stupidity and blindnes And yet there be found many Christians in euery place who do affect and seeke after these temporalities with a wonderfull thirst and hunger coÌ„suming whole dayes and nights in pursuing of Honour which is noted in buying of the farme and of Lucre or Gayne which is signified in manuring of ground or drawing of Oxen and of Pleasure or Voluptuousnes which it taken throgh new Mariage Yea they are so absort in the depth of these earthly matters as that they remayne wholy forgetfull of the eternall and most great rewards which God hath promised to them that loue him Neither are many men content to buy farmes to proue their Oxen to marry wiues but that they may the further depart from hope of Saluation they seare not to inuade other mens farmes to steale Oxen and to maintayne Concubins and prostituted women neuer euer thinking much lesse maturely considering what hurt and domage it is for such triffles to suffer the losse of the Supper of our Lord. Certainly if God did not promise vnto vs being but poore Wormes of the Earth a Supper of infinite sweetnes in Heauen but only did promise the crums falling from that table or the refuse of the meates yet it vvere most profitable for vs to contemne all temporall things whatsoeuer that so we might feed vpon those Offalls What madnes then is it to aduance small decaying and fleeting pleasures aboue the Supper of our Lord himselfe vvhich abounds with all sempiternall goods and at the which we shall sit downe in the Heauenly Kingdome with the holy Angells and with him who is the Lord of Angells To proceed After our Lord had shevved vvhat might hinder our entrance vnto this great Supper he therpon adioyneth certaine remedies to remoue those lets and impediments for thus he goeth forvvard in his Parable Then the Maister of the House being angry said to his seruants Goe forth quickly into the streets and lanes of the Citty and the poore and feeble and blind and lame bring in hither Because rich men being occupied in buying of farmes of Oxen and in mariage refused to come to the supper of this great Lord he calleth in the Poore Weake and Lame who neither haue money to buy Farmes or Oxen neither can easely get wyues as wanting meanes to maintaine them These men therefore as free from all intanglements wherewith the others vvere ensnared are admitted to the Great Supper who may deseruedly congratulate their ovvne fortune and state that God would haue them to be Poore weake blynd and Lame Many heere in this life do much complaine that they arâ— borne Poore or that they are often sicke or depriued of sight or are lame in their lymmes and for these imperfections they hould themselues most infortunate and miserable not knowing what good God doth prouide for them in the World to come euen for this very cause which many men repute as an Infelicity But if they did know Gods sweete proceeding herein they would doubtlesly exult and reioyâ—e Thâ—rfore no man ought to complaine of the Prouidence of God but in all things to loue him with due thanks who hath a care and vigilancy ouer vs and euer to rest quiet and reposed in his good Will pleasure But how true soeuer these things are in a literall sense yet in this Parable those are said propâ—rly to be poore who are poore in spirit not in riches and those weake not in strength but in confidence and trust of themselues those blynd not in their bodily eyes but in subtilty and craft those lame not in their feete but in their affections I wil speake more plainly The Poore who are admitted to the Supper of our Lord are those who hearing the Apostle 1. Tim. 6. desire not to be rich and if they haue riches they haue them not to heape vp togeather and so to conserue them neither to wait and dissipate them in Vanities but to performe and exercise that vvhich the Holy Ghost speaketh of by the mouth
2. We after considered the same felicity vnder the name of the Citty of God or the Heauenly Ierusalem and there also we found no small difficulty because those who are Cittizens of this World cannot be Citizens amoÌ„g the Saints for it is most hard to liue in the VVorld and not to be of the VVorld 3. In the third place we considered the same Felicity vnder the name of the House of God in the vvhich there are many Mansions and we aduertised that the Port or Gate of this House is most strait and that it cannot be penetrated or entered into without great Labour 4. Fourthly we did consider the same place of Beatitude vnder the name of Paradise but with all we considered with how high a price not of gould or siluer but of teares and bloud our Lord himselfe the Martyrs Confessours all the Saints both Men and VVomen did buy this Paradise For we read Luc. 24. Christ ought to suffer and so to enter into his glory 5. In the fift place we considered the same Felicity vnder the name of a Treasure hidden in a field and we no lesse shevved that this Treasure could not be possessed of him that found it except for the purchasing thereof he did sell all things which he had Matth. 13. 6. Sixtly we considered the same vnder the name of a precious Pearle or Margarite for the obtaining whereof the Buyar also ought to spend all the goods he hath that so he may purchase the same 7. Seauenthly vve considered the same vnder the name of a daily Penny vvhich is not giuen but only to such vvho labour in the Vineyard diligently and daily 8. Eightly we considered the same vnder the title or Name of a Great Supper and we saw that those were not reputed worthy of that Supper whose affectioÌ„s were enthralled vnto Temporall benefits and pleasures 9. Ninthly we haue considered the same vnder the appellation of the Ioy of our Lord to which they onely were admitted who with great paynes labour did multiply the Talents deliuered vnto them such others as did not performe the same being cast into vtter darknesse 10. Tenthly we considered the same vnder the title of a Princely Marriage from the which aâ—l those were excluded who were giuen to Slouth and Idlenes and who did not daily watch in the exercise of good workes and expectation of the Celestiall Bridegrome 11. In the eleauenth place we considered the same vnder the name of a Prize or Reward which they only tooke hould of who did runne in the race towards the Prize speedily and constantly and this not without great â—oyle and labour 12. In the twelft last place we did coÌ„sider it vnder the name of a Crowne which they onely did deserue who most couragiously in fight did ouercome their enemies Novv what way soeuer thou dost turne thy selfe and vnder what name soeuer thou dost consider Eternall Felicity thou shalt find that it cannot be obtayned except in pursuite thereof thou dost labour withall thy forces both of mind and Body Therefore he who desires to become Blessed which no man if he be in his Wits but wisheth to be let him shake off all drowsynes and Slouth let him labour and sweat for the gaining of so great a reward by doing of good VVorkes and suffering of Euills And let him not prefer any temporall affaires before this so great and only necessary Busines And let him euer retaine in memory those words of S. Paul and S. Barnabas By many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdome of God Act. 14. FINIS AN APPENDIX OR Short discourse of the Torments of Hell taken out of another spiritual Booke of the forsaid Card. Bellarmine entituled Of the Mourning of the Doue lib. 2. cap. 2. The Translatour to the Reader THe Common Axiome in Philosophy is that Contraries compared one to the other do affoard a greater illustration and do imprint in the Vnderstanding a more markable difference and disparity betweene them Which Consideration hath caused me now after the former Translation of the Eternall felicity of the Saints and the Ioyes of Heauen to adioyne heerevnto as an Appendix a briefe discourse of the euerlasting Misery of damned soules and of their torments in Hell translated out of another spirituall Booke of the Learned Bellarmine entituled de gemitu Columbae By which meanes the grieuousnes of the paines of Hell hereafter declared may the more stir vp the Christian Reader to be sollicitous in auoyding the same Paines and thereby beget a greater desire in him of gaining the Ioyes of Heauen There are but two Landing places of the soule for all Eternity after its departure from the Body And these two are Heauen and Hell Either Heauen or Hell must be its Lot There is no Medium betweene them A man cannot lose the one and yet auoyd the other This then being a most assured Verity and seing Heauen is made for Man and Hell for the Deuill why will men so much trench as I may say vpon the Deuills right as to share with him in his Vnfortunate Inheritance and to remaine with him in euerlasting fire and so become the vessells of Gods wrath rather then to seeke their owne designed inheritance of Heauen vnto the which Man after his Baptisme is borne Heyre Well We are men and therefore endued with freedome of Will and consequently with freedome of Election and it is engrafted in Man euen naturally to desire what is good and propitious as also to decline from what is domageable and euill How then commeth it to passe that most men will needs cease to be themselues and in a most retrogade manner will choose Eternity of Torments before Eternity of Ioyes the daily vpbraiding of the Infernall Spirits before the continuall society and familiarity of the most Holy Angells and Saints the Enemy of Man before the Creatour of Man the Deuill before God Hell before Heauen O most deplorable bewitching and enchantment Yf any of you Idolatours of this World were put to his choyce whether he would be created a great Prince or Potentate liuing in all Regality and supreme soueraingty or to become a Bondslaue for euer and to suffer daily torments and rackings he vvould no doubt presently dispatch the Election and choose the Better Here then the choyce is giuen you to speake with the Prophet Iosue c. 24. vvhether after the day of Iudgment by your vertuous life you will reigne in the Kingdome of Heauen both in soule and body and so participate of all the Ioyes thereof Or through your wickednes lye fast bound Hand and foote in Hell there suffering euerlasting Torments and Conflagration of fyre Where then by your vnderualewing of Heauen as most of you do is your Iudgment Where is that light of Vnderstanding which the Euangelist sayth doth illuminate euery man But alas it is darkened or rather extinct yea so wholy extinct as that for want of your true vse therof throgh your owne negligence