is this temporall miserie if it be compared to the eternall sorrow which shall torment the reprobate aduertised by so many remonstrances as well by writing as by word of mouth which bett vpon their eyes and eares and made them inexcusable in not hauing redeemed lost tyme and in hauing by the hardnesse and inpenitence of their heart heaped vp a treasure of anger in the day of our Lords anger What a remorse shall they feele to see that their wounds waxe old in the face of their imprudence And that while they might haue purchased an eternall and priselesse felicitie for a glasse of cold water giuen in the loue and for the loue of God yea haue borne away the crowne of glorie by naturall and necessarie actions being done in grace with conformitie to Gods will at so easie a rate doth the supreame Goodnesse sell heauen and that these truthes were so frequently proposed vnto them by the Ghospell and the preachers therof who as trumpets made them resound in their eares they not being moued with all this lesse sensible then the walls of Hierico who fell at the sound of the prestly trumpett What a heart-breake it shall be vnto them to thinke how litle they inioyed and for how litle a space they possessed the same what benefits they haue lost from how faire aduātages they are fallen how litle was demanded at their hands for a priselesse glorie together with the torments passing conceit which they shall endure without all hope of end To speake the truth as there is no head so strong that turnes not nor body so stiddie that shakes not at the aspect of a deepe descent so me thinkes there is no braine that is not troubled by bending its attētion towards the eternall sorrow which shall incessantly gnaw vpon those miserable catiues The Eternitie of the torments of Hell XXXII BVt when all is done Athanasia reason must render the Ghost and humane wisdome must be drunk vp in the consideration of the Eternitie of those paines which we haue set out in weake colours For if those torments how euer great how euer long were to haue end yet hope would in habite the bottome of Pandoras bote nor should this hope be voyd of some sparke of consolation But alas in saying neuer we say a terme without terme and which for the tyme to come shall continue as long as God shall be God The Reprobate saith the sacred texte shall be forsaken of God eternally Eternally shall God be angrie with them and that without reconcilement This Abisse neuer renders any thing it once swallowes vp the soules that are once cast headlong thither neuer returne Out of that Gaole there is no redemption There no thoughts of God but such as are blasphemous no praise is rendred him in that accursed dungeon The flame of the Babilonian furnace burnt 49. handfulls high but could neuer rayse it selfe to the fiftith a number of IOVBILIE and Pardon as figure of that wherof we speake where there is no remission of sinnes There saith the Psalmist are the damned deuoured of death no otherwise then sheepe doe grase for as the grasse putts vp againe vnder the sheepes nibling tooth so shall the reprobate be continually struke with the sting of a liuing death and still as they shall be deuoured by it they shall reuiue to new punishments wherin the truth of that shall be seene which the Poetes did onely fabulously relate of the liuer still renewed as by the vultour it was deuoured The wicked saith the holy Ghospell shall be cast into the fire and they burne in steed of saying they shall burne A wonderfull speech which by a present tense in lieu of a future doth represent the Eternitie of this endlesse torment For after a thousand ages as many milliōs as cētenaries of million of millions one may still affirme of these accursed soules they burne while incessantly they pay the reuenew of a rent whose principale they shall neuer extinguish No for Eternitie being a perpetuall To-day and a continuance remayning still in the same beeing how can that run by which stands still in the same state And if there be any thing new it shall be the Canticles of ioy which shall continually be new in the blissed Eternitie In the accursed the reprobate shall suffer and dayly shall attend new sufferances and their sense still liuely shall neuer be hardened therby Their being accustomed to endure shall not make their tormēt lighter or lesse insupportable Whateuer euer calamities we suffer in this life be they neuer so great and greuious they dure onely for a tyme saith the Prophete DANIEL but to the damned tyme shall not be Le ts call to mynd saith S. PACION that in Hell there is no place left for repentance For the tyme therof is past Happie is he who by a good confession foreruns the face of the Iudge iustly irritated with our crymes who doth promptly performe all the good in this world which his hand is able to worke And who doth well in euery thing while in this life precious tyme is lent him For now it is the houre to rise from the sleepe of the death of sinne for our saluation or dānation are neerer then we beleeue But will it please you Athanasia that to giue life to this Draught we may borrow from this subiect of the Eternitie of those paynes the colours of some excellent pincell of antiquitie Heare S. AVGVSTINE then or rather see how he setts out this eternall miserie in its colours As for the accursed soules saith he their death is without death their end without end their tearme without tearme For their death shall be still liuing their end shall still be begining and their tearme shall neuer expire Death shall stifle without killing them The Torture shall bruse without distroying them The flame shall burne them without affording light at all for this fire shall be darke and horrour shall inhabit this darknesse and darknesse shall increase the torment of the flame Thus shall they be sett vpon with the sense of dolour and horrour incessantly suffering and dreading S. GREGORIE the GREAT almost in the same aire giues vs assurance of the Eternitie of paines In this torture of the reprobate saith he death is immortall and end endlesse Because death liues there continually and continually the end begins anew Where be now saith S. BERNARD the children of the flesh the louers of the world whose conuersation in earth was amongst vanities and delightes what haue we left of them but corruption and a most distastefull memorie They had a life of it in the earth they eate and drunke delicately they liued at their ease and in an instante they descended into Hell Their flesh in earth serues onely now for wormes-meate and their soule burnes in eternall flames For what did their glorie and vanitie serue them what benefit did they reape of their transitorie ioyes what aduantage did their great powre bringe them say what
to earthly obiects It discryes nothing but the fayding shapes of this world And as hounds fall easily at default in the Spring when the fresh smells of flowres make them loose the sent of the game they poursue So the mynd that is carried to the search of heauenly things runns counter misled by the neerenesse of present things That we put a rate vpon present things rather by their neerenesse then worth VIII FOr though many of those that are carried away by their allurements know well that they are not comparable in worth to eternall things yet rather by their neighbourhoode then valour they make a stronge impression Who would not say that the full moone is greater thē the starrs it appearing as another Sunne amongst the lesser lightes which the night discouers in the heauens yet is it not so as the Astrologers assure vs but her proxmitie causeth this mistake Present things obnoxious to the decay of tyme are so short in continuance that they are but flying vapours as soone bet downe as blowen vp seeming rather appearances or the shadowes of a dreame then solidities while yet beeing neerer they appeare to the eyes of such as muse or rather abuse themselues therin more worthy of consideration then eternall things which are not limited in their extention nor haue end in their beeing And who knowes not to keepe in our comparison that the influences of this starre the nights great eye are more forceable then any other excepting that which is the fountaine of all light and which doth communicate it to all the rest We must say the like of things present that by reason of their neerenesse they strike the soule by the senses a more violent blow then the future doe which are beheld as a thing in absence Whence we haue a MAXIME that present obiects moue the powres which things in distance doe but slowly shake But all this proceeds from want of Fayth as hereafter we will declare for if this vertue were closely vnited in the mynds of those that doe beleeue her propositions she would make things hoped for appeare as present inuisible things visible according to the definition therof deliuered vs by the great Apostle The Moone appeares in diuers shapes or altogether disappeares according to the different oppositions of the earth betweene it and the Sunne We may say the like in the matter we treate of that Eternitie is seene or shut vp from soules according as they are more or lesse infected with earthly affections ô Loue of the world how long wilt thou obscure the faire light of heauenly loue ô thicke cloude why dost thou shut from so many eyes the aspect of the glorious rayes issuing from eternall lights behold this torch throwen downe the waxe which while it was below the flame did feede it is the very bane of it The loue of inferiour things guided according to the order of Charitie doth not impeach eternall loue but when perishable things are preferred before those that are permanent then this cleare lampe which shines to our feete to conduct vs in the way of eternall peace being smothered with materiall things dies out ô Smoke ô vnfortunate dung how many Tobies thou beatest blind Iron doth naturally run after the Loadstone yet many things hinder this stones attraction as when it is rubd with garlike or greese when it is neere vnto a Diamant or when it is placed in too great a distāce from the iron And our soules who of their owne natures are immortall by their owne instinct doe tend to Eternitie as to that which they most affect but as soone as the garlike or greese of the pleasures and delights which are tasted in things present doe attrape them or when the lying luster of worldly honours keepes them at a gaze it is not strange that Eternitie which they behold as a thing a far of doth so litle worke vpon their affections Shall I speake in a word what is the Remora which stops the shippe of our hearts vnder the sayles of our desires sayling towards Eternitie it is that euery one seekes himselfe and not the glorie of God It is as that old Antipheron that in euery thinge hauing our eyes turned vpon our selues in euery thing we seeke our owne interest Few hate their soules in this world to gayne them to Eternitie Few renounce all things present and yet fewer themselues who are more not onely present but pressing to follow Iesus Christ and to doe the will of God in earth as it is in heauen The weaknesse of Fayth makes Eternitie lesse considerable IX BVt what doe I say to doe the will of God Alas how many wicked how many mad men say in their heart their is no God Our lipps are to our selues who is our Lord Come let 's crowne our selues with present roses before death the death of all pleasures make them fade away let not a flowre of vanitie of loose desire of lucre put vp the heade in the meades of this mortall life which we take not a taste of before the graue shut vs vp And it is there that this want of beleife maks vs loose the veiw of the North-starre of Eternitie which I giue for a third cause Yes quoth our Sauiour himselfe to his Disciples doe you thinke that the sonne of man coming to iudge the world in his last coming shall find Faith in the earth and doe we thinke there is Faith in this end and dreges of ages wherin we liue Verily if we forme a iudgement of Faith by workes as the scripture teacheth vs it will easily be gathered by the fruite the world brings out that there is nether Truth nor Faith nor Memorie of Gods iustice or Eternitie left in the heart of man All erre from their mothers wombe and stray from the pathes of equitie being heauie hearted slow to beleeue that which is taught them by faith touching things to come They loue vanitie and seeke after falsitie and lyes ô how deceitfull are the children of men in their waightes suffering themselues to be deceaued in the Vanitie of their senses Let vs consider this more neerely and practically Faith tells vs many glorious things of the Citie of God where he raignes eternally with his Elect where he makes his loue take roote as in a fertile feild It tells vs that this Kingdome is of all ages that all the Blessed are Kings heires of God and coheires with Iesus Christ. That God is there all in all filling them with an eternall felicitie that his power is an eternall powre That his Kingdome shall haue no end And in our Crede we protest that we beleeue life euerlasting the life of the world to come That such as doe well shall enter into the blessed Eternitie and the wicked into an eternall tormēt That is one of the principale articles of our Faith and as it were the pinne vpon which the rest moue and turne for if all should die to vs togeither with the
eternall fire For at last in the periode of our life when as tyme shall be no more to vs certaine it is that God will examen our workes be they good or bad and according to them will reward each one Then euery ones prayse or blame shall proceede from the mouth of God Now we are in the forked way of vertue or vice which was shewen to the young Hercules as an Auncient Authour writeth It is in our power to take towards the right or left hand and to sowe the seedes in this life whose fruites we shall gather in the next Certes as the lines drawen from the Center of the earth might goe to the circumfereÌ„ce of the Heauens so according to our comportment in these short momentes which we are to liue in earth the definitiue Sentence of our eternall Abode shall be giuen It is our part therfore tymely to thinke of our affaires and to foresee what shall become of vs for the scripture doth teach vs that we shall reape according as we haue sowen He that shall sow in spirit shall reape eternall life The chaste Susanna being pinched with bitter perplexities while those two infamous firebrands of dishonestie threatned her the ruine of her reputation vnlesse she condescended to their lewd desire chowsed rather to fall innoceÌ„t into the hands of men then stayned into his to whom nothing is hid who tryes the hearts and reynes and who can cast the body and soule into eternall torments Me thinkes sure each considerate heart will take her part and will pourchace at the price of transitorie and momentarie pleasures endlesse paines For t is a thinge too horrible to fall into the hands of the liueing God the God of vengeance terrible ouer all those of the earth Contrariwise he will easely and willingly imbrace all kind of paynes and sufferances who shall waigh as he ought that is in the waightes of the SANCTVARIE these words of the sacred ORACLE That we are to enter into the Kingdome which knowes no end to the resideÌ„ce of Glorie through many tribulations since that our Sauiour Iesus Christ was as it were forced to suffer before he could enter into his eternall Felicitie which he had wholy obtayned and which was necessarily due vnto him The Parobolicall historie of the wicked Rich-man and the poore Lazarus is a rich Table representing this truth vnto our eyes set out in liuelie colours Euerie one knowes the different successe of the one and the other and what answere Father Abraham made to this miserable reprobate's complaintes Call to mynd Sonne that thou tookest thy pleasures during thy life and that Lazarus suffered many afflictions Now your estates are much changed for he is replenished with ioy and delight and thou oppressed with desperate greeues and with punishments which shall neuer end O double Eternitie thou art like to those figues which were presented vnto the Prophete wherof some were strangly bitter the others extreamely sweete The Blessed Eternitie is a LAND OF PROMISSE and rest whose fruites are of an vnmeasurable greatnes and incomparable sweetnes The accursed is a forraine Region full of disorder a daunting desert far remoued from the face of God where the firie serpents doe stinge without cure and kill without all hope of recouerie O ETERNITIE The more I consider thee the lesse doe I know thee and the deeper I endeauour to diue into thy bottome more bottomelesse I find thee Thou art the floode of the Prophete which cannot be past nether at the ford nor otherwise The Gyantes grone vnder thy waters nor can any beaste euen though it were an ElephaÌ„t passe ouer thee by swiming to vse S. Gregories words All that can be said of thee is nothing in regard of that which should be said Though a man speake all he is able yet can he not sufficiently expresse thee euen to represent the least stroke of thyne infinitie Birdes although they cannot soare to the highest region of the aire leaue not for all that to flie And what if we cannot comprehend Eternitie yet ought we not cease to speake what we conceaue of it though we cannot conceaue what we ought to speake therof A man may enioy the light of the Sunne walke in its resplendant rayes and now and then steale a looke vpon it though he be not able to haue his sight still fixed vpon its globe We are to doe the like in this subiect of Eternitie and be it that our sight doth disperse and loose it selfe in the immensitie of its extent yet are we from tyme to tyme to consider it since life is â—ent vs for no other end but to be spent for the most part in this attention This is that which the Prophete termes couragiously to attend God and with patience to supporte this attention And the Apostle To attend the blessed hope of the coming of the great God I Lord said the great S. Augustine burne cute pinch slice here below so that I may not perish eternally An enterie to the consideration of the accursed Eternitie XXI BVt doe you not thinke it high tyme Athanasia that we should draw neerer by the consideration of both the Eternities and that for our spirituall profit we should make a kind of particular examen and as it were an Anatomie We will begin at the accursed Eternitie that we may follow the methode which the Spiritualistes obserue in the reformation of the soule begining with feare according to that of the wise man the feare of our Lord is the begining of true wisdome And is it not true wisdome to thinke seriously and tymely of eternall saluation and to direct our stepps towards the pathes of this peace which passeth all vnderstanding nor shall at any tyme be troubled with the noyse of warrs but shall enioy with God the abundance of a plentifull repose I haue done Iudgement and Iustice that is I haue behaued my selfe iustly in all myne actions saith the Royall Prophete Will you haue the reason of this vprightnesse because I haue dreaded the seueritie of the eternall Iudge And another Prophete brings in Sinners conuerted to the father of mercyes speaking in this wise O Lord through thy feare we haue conceaued good pourposes and by it we haue at length produced and brought forth the spirit of saluation The needle following the Contemplatiues worne similitude goes alwayes through before the silke and sharpe and pearceing FEARE according to that word of Dauid Lord pearce my body and soule with the FEARE of thy iudgements is still the forerunner of ioy ioy the inseparable fruite of the tree of true Charitie I see then that there I must begin but a secrete horrour doth fasten vpon myne imagination when I represent vnto my selfe so mournfull and daunting a matter It is a far other thing theâ— that place of horrour and vaste solitude wherof the Prophete speakes for it is the verie herbour of eternall horrour eternall reproach It is the accursed denne where DEATH doth eternally inhabite
said to be eternall and death to be defeated for euer as also the fire which shall torment the damned is named eternall it is also cleare in right reason that Beatitude which is a sufficient good or rather the collection of all good would not be compleat vnlesse it did exclude all euil and miserie especially the miserie of miseries which is death or annihilation For take away the perpetuitie of the life of the Blessed and they would be afflicted with a continuall sorrow for the losse of the beloued felicitie and a most distastefull bitternesse would disturbe the sweetnesse of the peaceable fruition Adde that Beatitude cannot be imperfect on the part of the Obiect which is God all whose workes are perfect and his guiftes without repentance which he neuer reuokes but for sinne which can neuer haue accesse to the Blessed cōfirmed in grace by Glorie And vnchangeably vnited to God whose nature is goodnesse his workes mercy And who can nether will nor can abide iniquitie Againe that word of our Sauiours to his Disciples is an Oracle of infallible truth and a promisse which shall remayne for euer Your ioy saith he shall not be taken from you God's seruants the Elect shall adore him in beholding his face and they shall raigne for euer and euer that is eternally saith S. IOHN in his Reuelations And S. BERNARD explicating that of the Psalmist I will fill my friends with the length of dayes and will shew them my SALVATION what is longer saith he then that which is eternall what continuance more longe then that which hath no end O how good an end is eternall life how good is that end which is infinite How faire is the day which hath no Sunne-setting nor is followed out by night and what is this day but the eternall VERITIE the true ETERNITIE O Societie of the Blessed eternally true and truely eternall those are they onely who may be truly said to be liuing and enioying a life truely long in heauē which knowes no end as they are truely dead and that of a long death who continually die in Hell where they continually liue without tasteing the fruite of life S. BERNARD's meditation shall make way to S. AVCVSTINE's touching the Eternitie of that blessed life O life saith he which God hath prepared for his friēds thou art a life full of happinesse crowned with assurance a quiete life and excellent life a pure life a chaste life a holy life a life that knowes no death a life without sorrow without labour without greife without vexation without corruption without varietie or chāge a life adorned with euerie beautie accomplished with honour a life that is not laboured with enuie nor subiect to anger where Loue raignes in its perfection and from whence feare is banished where the day is eternall and the hearts of all is but one where God is seene face to face and this vision is foode to those that behold him with an ardent affection O how thy shineing brightnes doth delight me and how aggreable are thy felicities to the desires of my heart The more I consider thee the more I loue thee I swoone with desire in contemplating thee yet that desire insteede of afflicting me affords me an extreame content and thy memorie is more sweete vnto mee then the honie-combe O happie life ô Empire of eternall felicitie where death hath no iurisdiction which shall neuer haue end Where the succession of tyme hath no raigne nor vicissitude where the day hath no night where change can get no footing where the victorious Champion accōpaigned with the troopes of Angells his heade being enuironed with a crowne of glorie incessantly sings to God the Song of the heauenly Sion How happie shall my soule be if after her departure out of this mortall pilgrinage she may haue the happines to see thee and to contemplate thy beautie thy walls thy gates thy Pallaces thy places thy noble citizēs and thyne omnipotent King seated in his admirable Throne of Maiestie Thy walls are built of pretious stones of an inestimable value thy Gates are inriched with peerlesse gemmes Thy streetes are paued with purest gold and in them the Diuine prayses doe continually resound Thy houses are made of fouresquare stones beautified with Saphires wrought with vinebranches and grapes of gold None enters within thy confines who are not pure for all that is defiled is repulsed The light which doth enlighten thee is nether from Lampe nor torch nor Sunne Moone nor starrs it is God alone proceeding from God that light which doth spring from light who is thyne eternall and vniuersall light The King of Kings resides continually in the midst of thee waited vpon with a numberlesse number of Courtiers and Officiers more resplendant then the lightning more bright then the flame Will you yet further giue eare to the same Sainte heare then what he saith of that liuely Eternitie that eternall life The wicked saith he shall goe into eternall fires but the iuste into eternall felicities That is the eternall life which is promised vs. And wheras men take no greater content here below then to liue behold how life is promised them and wheras they dread nothing so much as death see how an Eternitie of life is proposed vnto them What dost thou loue ô man To liue Thou shall enioy this great benefit What dost thou feare To dy Thou shalt be exempt from it Yet is it not all to liue long to liue for euer but the toppe of felicitie is to liue happie for euer What can we add to this Oracle of truth deliuered in so good tearmes by that incomparable witt but fruitlesse words in a subiect so fruitfull that the abundance therof doth oppresse him that handles it Meanes wherby to arriue at this happie Eternitie LXV BVt we are rather Athanasia to search out the meanes to attaine to this great happinesse then to enlarge our selues vpon curiosities to know it or loose our selues in the admiration therof since it is written that not all that shall say Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen but those that doe the will of our Lord that is such as shall liue according to his law and shall make force against his holy citie Dost thou desire to enter into true life said our Sauiour to the young man who asked his counsell which way he was to hold keepe the Commandements Of all the wayes which are taught vs by the holy scripture and the writings of Doctors to worke our saluation in feare and trembling I will onely touch two which next vnto God's grace without which we are able to doe nothing I find verie necessarie The Philosopher Epictetes made all his philosophicall Precepts turne vpon these two poles or pinnes SVSTAYNE and ABSTAYNE I am persuaded that all morall Christianitie may turne vpon the same pinnes The one doth teach vs to suffer difficulties labours paines the other the perfect contempt of worldly vanities pleasures and riches If we
body if there remaynd no hope if another life doth not the Apostle say plainely that vnder our Christian law we were the most miserable creatures aliue But ô God how weake and faint is faith in these articles if we look vpon the liues of most Christians ô sinners who beleeue so well and liue so ill hauing onely a deade Faith not quickned with Charitie nor seconded with workes suiting with your beleife doe you not blush to see your hands contrarie to your tongues your actions to your words and so great contradiction in your selfe by the continuall warre which your will makes against your vnderstanding whence is bred in your heart that remorse and griping that gnawing worme which permits you not euen in your pleasures false follies and superfluities any contentment that is pure and without mixture of bitternesse tempering your laughter with greife and ouersowing a thousand thornes amongst the roses of your fleeting delightes ô miserable wretches willingly would I say ether liue as you beleeue or beleeue as you liue not crucifying a new againe the sunne of God by your vices and that far more cruelly and vnworthyly then the executioners did to the crosse betwixt two theeues vpon the Mount-Caluarie for the scripture assures vs that if they had knowen him as you professe to doe to be the King of glorie they had neuer treated him so barbarously but you barbarously crucifie him not now in his passing and passible life nor vpon Mount-Caluarie nor yet betwixt two theeues but euen set at the right hād of the maiestie of the Highest and raigning in the Eternitie of ages betwixt the Father and the Holy Ghost What doe you thinke Athanasia of the infidelitie or crueltie of the most part of wicked liuers who haue the face to professe themselues of the faythfull Yet if they beleeued as they liue their actions would be like their beleife and as Ethnikes vpon whom the light of truth hath not shun they would be lesse punished but the seruant that knowes the will of his maister and doth it not merits he not a double punishment And these wilfully blind creatures deserue they not to fall into the accursed ditch full of snares of fire and brimstone and to haue part in the chalice of eternall tempests and tormoyles Origene's errour touching the Eternitie of the paines of Hell X. ANd it happens somes tymes that for the punishment of this contradiction betwixt their life and beleife God permits them to fall into a reprobate sense and suffers them to perish in the Deluge of their errour leauing them in the obscuritie of their vnderstanding to walke in the vanitie of their thoughts poursuing the desires of their hearts following the straying rowtes of their owne inuentions Alas who would not tremble who would not quake with feare to see this mightie this prodigious this incomparable wit Origene fallen into this errour to beleeue that after a longe continuance of torments the damned should be drawen out of Hell to inioy the vision of God and this because he could not comprehend eternall torments which are so rightuous in Gods iustice This so learned and well disposed a man who knew all the Scripture did he not find in a thousand places of these diuine writts that there is nothing more inculcated nor more solidly proued then eternall fire then the immortall worme then eternall death So true it is that Faith and experience are incompatible that to vnderstand we must beleeue and to beleeue we must captiuate our vnderstanding and the soule that doth imbarke her selfe vpon the Ocean of the misteries of our beleife taking humane reason for her guide suffers a woefull shipwrake in the midst of the course of her nauigation While the discouerie of the Indians had not yet brought vs the newes of a new world situated vnder another Pole and another Horison then ours the opinion of the Antipodes was laught at learned men improued it and S. Augustine himselfe held it ridiculous But this concernes this world onely not eternall saluation The errour is far more dangerous which stumbles at the Eternitie of paynes because it takes also away the Eternitie of recompences ouerthrowes the truth of the soules immortalitie brings a foote againe the fopperies of transanimation or passage of soules out of one body into another and breakes downe the fundations of all truth Yet this great wit and withall of so good a life suffered shipwrake vpon this shelfe blinded in his owne imaginations as the auncient Philosopher who lost his sight by fixing it too setledly vpon the globe of the Sunne experiencing the Truth of this oracle who too curiously searcheth into the secreetes of the diuine Maiestie shall be oppressed which the greatnesse of his glorie It shall suffice vs for the present to oppose the strong buckler of our beleife against this errour a buckler not onely of a double but a centuple temper and not pearceable by the darts of humane reason since the scripture which we will shew in its place doth minace nothing more frequently nor establish nothing more strongly then eternall punishments prepared for the Diuel his Angells Apostates and all such as by sinne shall betake themselues to that reuoulted crue's side We will ponder the reason of this eternall curse as the order of this subiect shall require Eternitie cannot be defined XI NOw I set vpon the hardest peece of my taske to wit the begining and who knowes not that a good begining is halfe the deede doing And who can be ignorāt that to enter into a discourse and put ones selfe vpon it by a reasonable conduct an ouerture must be made vnto it by the definition of the subiect which a man is about to handle And here it is that euen at the very threshwood my pen falls out of my hand since the matter wherof I am about to represent a poore draught is none of those that can be defined for I pray you Athanasia this word Definition doth it not sound as it were some finite thing And what proportion can an infinite thing beare with a finite or what line can measure an infinite thinge Now Eternitie being of this nature who sees not that no definition can comprehend or compasse that which in it selfe hath no bound To what end then should we offer to shut vp wthin the termes of a definition that which neuer had begining nor shall haue end were it not to essay to shut vp the Ocean in a shell according as an Angell in a childs liknesse said to S. Augustine while he proiected in his vnderstanding that admirable worke of the Trinitie which he left vs And tell me how can that flow from a slender penne or be exprest by a drope of inke which cannot enter into the imagination nor the vnderstanding of man who being finite is in no sort able to contayne an infinite thing such as is Eternitie In vaine therfore haue some great and curious witts strayned themselues in defining a thinge indefinite
all humaine capacitie If we say with the Angell of the Schowle that it is an immoueable durance whose continuation shall neuer fayle how shall we compare it with Tyme whose continuance is cut of by euerie moment and which would cease to bee if God by an onely word should stop the motion of the Heauens If we say with the Apostle of France that it is an immortall thing incorruptible inuariable hauing its beeing all at once how can we compare it with Tyme which is a variable corruptible changeable mortall thing and whose beeing consists onely of a succession of instants a transitorie beeing which subsists onely by a flux of moments which tend continually to ruine and change as many faces as it conteynes instants which made Iob say that the life of man doth neuer remayne in the same state For since it is but a successiō of dayes who knowes not that though some dayes resemble others yet are they neuer the same If we say with a Christian philosopher in his Consolatio Philosophiae that Eternitie is an indiuisible and accomplished beeing without end or limite who sees not that it is the true conterpoise of Tyme whose imperfect beeing is bounded with euerie instāt If we say with another Doctor that it is a present without either praeter-perfect or future Tyme and a spheere whose center is continually without any circuit at all who sees not that it is to drinke vp Tyme into a nothing to place a thinge so litle beside so huge a thinge Yes verily heauen and earth shall passe and shall be worne like a garment but Eternitie shall be still itselfe and its constāt and perpetuall youth shall neuer waxe old An eleuation of the mynd to God vpon the comparison of tyme to Eternitie XVII O Eternall God who art authour of Tyme yet makest thyne abode in Eternitie whose gouernement and Royaltie doth extend it selfe PLVS VLTRA adorable Dietie who art from Eternitie to Eternitie that is to say without begining or end subsisting eternally by thy selfe who art seated vpon thyne eternall Throne whose power is an eternall power and whose Kingdome is the Kingdome of all ages bring to passe ô great God by that mercy which thou eternally builsted in heauen that the consideration of the immense and incomprehensible greatnes of eternitie may be so liuely imprinted vpon our heart that the affections which linke them in so strong bands to trāsitorie things and to the moments of things temporall may be so weakened or rather brought to nothing that nothing may stay vs here below or hinder our course toward the goale of eternall felicitie Take vs by the right hand ô Lord conduct vs to thy glorie by the royall way of thy heauenly will and leade vs in the eternall way Thou ô great Iesus sonne of the eternall liueing God who art our way Truth and life direct our steps in the way of true life And which is this true life but life euerlasting which is nothing els but to see thee in the bosome of the Father who begets the great TO-DAY of Eternitie Rayse vp the abbated currage of mortalls and readuance their drooping thoughts towards their origine Let them take so full a taste of the Manna of the blessed Eternitie that things possessed in Tyme may become loathsome vnto them Let them repute all tyme vaine in respect of Eternitie Grant ô Lord that this wholsome thought may be so deeply engrauē in our memorie that it may serue as a threade to conduct vs in the Labirinth of the worlds malice and that we may passe through the vse of temporall things with so well a directed conduct that we may not loose eternall Mans life compared to the worlds continuance XVIII ANd if all the continuance of Tyme be so litle in respect of Eternitie as I haue declared vnto you what shall the course of mans life be if we compare it I will not say to Eternitie for the distance is too great but onely to the continuance of the world How many men tearmed by the old Philosopher the litle worlds hath this world which the same Philosopher tearmed the great man deuoured How many liues haue and shall runne out since the begining of the world to the consummation therof Truly it is not imaginable though other wise finite and limited by number and season If you aske the wisest of men who was wise too by a heauenly wisdome to what he doth compare the shortnes of mans life he will tell you that it resembles a shadow which soudainly vanisheth a courser which passeth with a mimble speede a vessell on the sea vnder full sayles in a fauorable gale which swiftly glides ore the waues The flight of a bird which with a strong and liuely winge cuts the aire and an arrow which being shot from a strong and forcible arme flies home to the marke If you moue Iob vpon this point he will tell you that the dayes of man are verie short vpō the earth that his life is a vapour as soone cast downe as drawen vp that it is a winde whose measure is short nor can it be extended a measure so smale saith the Psalmist that its substance is a verie nothing and withall a measure which is in his hands who keepes the key of life and death It is not in the hands of men to th' end that liuing in so great an vncertaintie he may not rely vpon the continuance of his dayes nor trust to the common course of nature an errour too too ordinarie Measure me a blast of wind and waigh me a flame said a Prophete speaking of the lightnes vanitie of earthly things the shape desire of which passe like a floode But be it that all these things had some waight and soliditie yet since their vse cannot exceede the course of this mortall life one may clearely discouer that they leaue but vpon a slender reede and an earthly fundation For if our life compared to the worlds continuance be but a moment what a inconceaueable part of a nothing will it be if we add that the worlds continuance what euer we fayne to our selues of the length of it is but a momēt in respect of Eternitie A thousand yeares before the face of the Eternall God saith the Psalmist is but as yesterday which is past And all the yeares of men is but as the watch of a might which is reputed for nothing This causeth Iob to say that all the glorie of man is as a dreame that vanisheth and cannot be recalled and that it passeth like vnto a nightly vision Verily all these descriptions dictated by the Holy Ghost are liuely pictures of the vanitie and Nothing of man's life whose durance is so short that an onely instant doth often separate the Cradle and Graue All that we see is but a point saith the great Stoicke yea lesse then a point if any thing lesse can be imagined Shall we then gruge at the moments of tribulatiō which doe
be I pray you continually to ly extended vpon inconceaueably hote burning coales and amongst execrable stinches and all the torments that can be imagined without repose without intermission without coÌ„fort without hope and without release for a whole Eternitie O you that are deafe saith ISAYE harke ô you blind behold But who is blind but he that is slaue to sinne who is deafe but he that is made slaue to his vices And thou who seest so many things seest thou not this And thou that hast thyne eares open hearest thou not this But alas how many are there in the world who haue eyes but not to see and eares but not to vnderstand truthes so manifest O Lord thou who dost euery thing so well who makest the blind see and the deafe heare open the eyes and eares of those whom the vanities and filth of the world doe make blind and deafe To th end that those that doe run to their ruine and doe precipitate themselues into horrible misfortunes for want of foreseeing theÌ„ may by the feare of thy iudgments reclaime their footsteps from those so slipperie wayes O God who is able to relate the powre of thy wroth and to know without amaysement the effectes of thyne indignation ô how horrible a thing it is to fall into the hands of the liuing God! hands so heauie that IOB being onely touched with the tippe of one of the fingars therof and that for a smale space too inuites all creatures to take pittie of him ô how burdensome and insuportable are they to the reprobate Whether it were better for the damned not to bee XXXV FOrme a iudgment of it out of this consideration Athanasia that without respite they search after death and it comes not they shall wish for it and it shall fly from them VpoÌ„ which the Deuines moue a fine questioÌ„ to witt whether it were not better for the damned to bee no more or neuer to haue bene at all then to subsiste without anihilation amidst so many liuing deathes To which the Angell of the schowle S. THOMAS makes answeare with no lesse subtilitie then soliditie that the non-esse being considered purely in it selfe is the euil of euils and the most miserable condition imaginable and that thus it cannot in generall be desired But being taken as deliuering vs from a beeing accompained with all sorts of miseries and as it is a priuation of so many calamities it may be wished for of those who are in so deplorable a state Whence it is said in the Ghospell of that reprobate which betrayed the sonne of man and who through despaire hanging himselfe was burst in the midst It had bene better for this man that he had neuer bene And IOB in the extreamitie of his afflictions curseing the day of his birth wished that he had neuer bone S. AVGVSTINE confirmes this opinion when he saith The wicked and impious persons that are plunged in eternall fires shall liue in despite of themselues for they would be glad if it were in their powre to end so accursed a life but none will oblige them with the benefit of such a death as would make them senselesse of their paines And againe the Scripture daignes not this continuall sufferance with the name of life for to be continually in such extreame torments seemes not so much to be a life as a perpetuall death Whervpon in Sacred writt this damnation is called a seconde death to distinguish it from the first wher vnto all that are vpon the face of the earth are lyable And albeit it be called death yet is none extinguished therby for to liue in continuall torment is not to liue but to dic The same Doctor in another passage saith to the same pourpose If the damned soules liue in those eternall paines where the vncleane spirits aâ— tormented they are rather to be said tâ—dy then liue and that eternally Foâ— there is no worse nor more dreadfâ—â— death then when death cannot dyâ— Pope INNOCENTIVS giues authoritie to that beleife in these tearmes Then speaking of the accurseâ— Eternitie death shall be immortall 〈◊〉 death how much more sweete should thou be if thou didst extinguish so dolorous a life then to constraine one tâ— liue in such hellish torments and which is yet worse torments of so long continuance I for the number of yeares in Hell is numberlesse The last yeare of those punishments shall neuer arriue After a thousand million of yeares there will remayne as many againe to be counted and those also being sommed vp we are to begin anew againe CAIN after fiue thousand yeares of a liuing death is as in the first day of his tortures and after a thousand million â—f million of yeares he shall begin â—new to suffer And though the â—icked richman hath thirsted two â—â—ousand yeares in the flames which â—oe burne but not consume him he 〈◊〉 yet to expect and shall expect for â—ternitie one droppe of refreshing â—â—ater which shall for euer be deâ—yed him When humane iustice â—oth adiudge a criminall to exquiâ—te tortures for some great and â—â—ormious crimes to dy is reputed a â—uour since by that meanes he is â—eed from the cruell tormeÌ„ts which â—reife doth imprint in his body But 〈◊〉 the Diuine iustice which is exeâ—uted in Hell there is no stroke faâ—orable where one is to languish â—or euer in a death which cannot â—ie Which is a Hell in Hell worse â—hen a thousand Hells Why there paines are eternall XXXVI BVt le ts withdraw our view Athanasia from so horrible spectacle whose topp is Eternitie And let vs put the last fingaâ— to this draught all red with flames with the reason which Deuines giue of the Eternitie of those paynes Iâ— there any thing more conformable to the Diuine Iustice say they theâ— to punish those eternally who foâ— loosse pleasures vanities and transitorie toyes haue contemned thâ— torrent of eternall delightes glorie riches since that by the rule of equitie the punishment is to haue proportion with the fault Further adâ— they he that dyes in mortall sinne renouncing grace which is as thâ— Herbingar and Porter of Glorie iâ—surprised by death in a state of sâ—peruerted a sense and in such an auersion from God that it is credible that if he had liued for euer he had still persisted in his malice and had bene buried in euil dayes in so much that by loosing his life he did not for all that loose his will to offend which makes him perish in his reprobation and makes him worthy of an Eternitie of paines Againe seemes it not reasonable that he should be punished in Gods great Eternitie who hath offend God in the litle Eternitie of his life Let vs add to this that all which is in God being God himselfe because he is all beeing all essence all substance without accidents and consequeÌ„tly his iustice being equall with his mercy if he reward a cup of cold water giuen in his grace and for his loue with an Eternitie
Yet the Saints who are in glorie whose faces are marked with his splendour and doe shine like the Sunne for perpetuall eternities are yet incomparably more liuely pictures of the Diuinitie For euen as the Sunne meeting with a thicke and darksome cloude in the aire doth sometymes so deeply imprint its beames vpon its face that it appeares another Sunne so are the Blessed in Heauen so transformed into God that they shewe as so many Gods and as so many dearest children of the Highest as DAVID deliuers it This excellent beautie with which the Diuine presence doth adorne them was cause that S. IOHN espying an Angell whom he tooke for God had adored him if that spirit no lesse humble then glorious bright had not giuen him to know that he was his fellow-seruant And in my opinion in this neere resemblance to God the verie toppe of the eternall glorie of the blessed is placed For what thinke you is God's owne glorie and felicitie but the life which he hath eternally of him selfe the most cleare knowledge which he hath of his immutable Truth and the most ardēt loue which he hath towards his owne infinite Goodnes His Beatitude consisting in the vision loue and fruition which the Diuine and increated Persons of the Blessed Trinitie haue of their owne mutuall knowledge Loue and eternall perfect and infinite complacence Now the soule of the Blessed being raysed to the vision loue and fruition of the same Diuine Persōs and of their Diuine and most indiuisible Essēce ought not her supernaturall and inineffable life by the resemblance which is betwixt her and God's felicitie to be said to be the accomplishment of her glorie since that without all feare of change she is wholy attentiue to the cleare contemplation of the prime and soueraigne Truth inflamed with the loue of the supreme and increated goodnes and hath the fruition of the infinite and vnspeakable sweetnes of God O truly liuing and happie life when shall it be that we shall liue in thee and by thee when shall we ô my soule inhabite this heauenly Hierusalem built as a Citie and with her glorious Citizens be made participant of him who is still himselfe immutable and whose yeares neuer decay Of the felicitie of the powres of the soule and first of the memorie XLV THis essentiall Beatitude Athanasia is extended and doth spread it selfe out yet diuersly in the lower degree of the soule to witt there wherin the three principall faculties or powres doe reside For euen as the Prophete to rayse the widowes deade child did shorten himselfe vpon this litle body and did apply his mouth to its mouth his hands to its hands and his feete to its feete So God who shall be all to all shall fill all the soule with the abundance of his bountie and shall cōmunicate vnto it a Diuine life which shall not feare the assaultes of death The memorie being entered into the liberties of our Lord shall call to mynd the effectes of his iustice and no lesse those of his mercy for she shall sing no neuer will I forgett thy iustifications ô Lord since in them thou hast giuen me life Fild with this rauishing and no lesse pressing then present obiect she shall breath out the remembrance of his sweetnes and shall exalt his adorable iudgements This remembrance shall be her soueraigne delight O how she shall call to mynd the sweetnes of the duggs of this incomparable goodnes farr passing the fuming wines of worldly delightes In how high a strayne shall she take the memorie of this supreme sanctitie Alas how can she forget him whom she hath so inwardly present and who shall be more in her then her selfe and to whom she shall be so strongly tyed in adauantine and diamantine chaynes that nothing shall euer be able to diuerte her Blessed memorie replenisht with the fairest Idea's that can possibly inhabit a heart and which then shall be a Magazine and memoriall of heauenly wonders whether she make reflection vpon things past how dearely shall she conserue the memorie of the incomparable obligations which she shall haue to this Creatour Conseruer Redeemour and Glorifier of her beeing Such as grace shall haue led from greatest sinns to repentance fauours before bounding where malice did superabound ô God! how highly shall they sing the sacred Canticle of the Diuine mercy And those who by the same grace shall haue conserued the first stole of their innocencie and being preserued from the abomination of desolation whose deluge doth ouerflowe the whole vniuerse shall haue bene drawen to the safe harbour of saluation by the chaynes of loue and humanitie will not they haue reason to beare a part in the fame Canticle and to pronounce that that mercy which conserued them vnstayned amidest the worlds impurities is a portion of that which is eternally grounded and built in Heauē The royall Prophete calling to mynd out of what an Abisse of miseries the Diuine goodnes had reclaymed him recalling him so sweetly to the accnowledgment of his faults coniures his soule and all his interiour powres to blesse God exciting his memorie neuer to permitt his benefites to fall into a disloyall obliuion for he it is that pardons saith he all thyne infirmities who cures all thy wounds who recouers thee from eternall death and who crownes thee with his mercyes O God what must this King of penitents needs say in heauen if he spoke thus in this vaile of teares reduced by a holy repentance from his iniquities to the state of grace When the Saintes whom God hath pardoned many faultes for there are in Heauē penitent sinners of all kinds shall see them selues deliuered from the innumberable torments which they contemplate in the accursed Eternitie and which they had as oft deserued as by their malice they had bene separated from God will they not haue great reason to say with the Psalmist Thy mercy ô Lord and thy iustice shall for euer be the subiect of our song vpon this shall our Psalme-singing be imployed whilst we walke in this immaculate way in which thou hast put vs. And if the memorie of paynes and perills past euen in this world be so delightfull how much more shall the Saintes and martyrs who haue suffered much for the Almighties sake haue cause to reioyce in this memorie While they walked in the way of this mortall life they sowed in teares but in the heauenly Sion they shall reape an eternall ioy They shall sing this pleasant Song We haue past through fire and water but in the end we are entred into refreshment And they shall blesse those light and transitorie moments of tribulation which brought them to eternall glorie And if their memorie doe stay vpon the present felicitie which they feele and of which they haue a liuely sense with what contentment shall they not be crowned in tasting the ineffable goodnes of God who rewards them infinitely beyond their merits Yea if they enlarge themselues vpon the
shall be crowned but such as haue lawfully fought And if we be taken with the greatnes of the reward let vs not be amaysed with the paines we are to vndergoe in obtayning it We must still goe forward and without looking back ouer our shoulders we must perseuere in the way If the roughnesse of the way affright vs let the consideration of Eternitie our end and contrie encourage and comfort vs. Another flight of mynd LXIII IF after the wings of a doue which the successour of the Sōne of a doue S. PETER hath now lent thee thou wilt take those of the Eagle who builds his nest in high places but of an Eagle which is able fixedly to behold the Sonne and who neuer stoopes from his winge of whom can you better borrow them ô my soule then of that greate Doctor who holds the same ranke amongst the Fathers of the Church that S. IOHN holds amongst the Euangelists and who is that great Eagle which is nourished with the sappe of the Cedars of Libanus You will easely imagine that I speake of S. AVGVSTINE Let vs borrow then this second flight of that superlatiue witt in these no lesse affectionate then sublime tearmes If you were saith he euery day to suffer extreame torments yea euen for a longe space to support the tortures of Hell to behold IESVS CHRIST in his glorie and to be admitted into the Societie of his Saintes for so great a good were not all sufferances I will not say supportable but euen desireable Let then the Diuel lay Ambush for vs let him prouide temptations let fasting breake our bodie let our flesh be ouercharged with austerities let labours oppresse vs let watchings drie vs vp let this man torment me let that man persequute me let me be frosen with cold scorched with heate let heade breake in peeces heart ake contenāce waxe wāne let me become wholy abiect let my life pine away with greife and the yeares of my life in gronings let my bones rott it imports not so I find repose in the day of tribulation he vnderstands the day of generall iudgment and that I may rise againe amongst the Elect. For who can conceaue what shall be the glorie of the iust how greate the ioy of Saintes when their faces shall shine like the Sunne when the Sauiour of the world shall number his people of acquisition and shall range them into diuers orders in the house of his eternall Father rēdring to euery one according to their merits and giuing heauenly things for terreane things eternall for temporall There saith the same Doctor in auther place the Angelicall troopes make a rauishing musike there is keepe a feaste of a perpetuall solemnitie with such as doe dayly arriue departing out of their mortall pilgrimage There are seene the Compainie of PROPHETES the assemblie of the APOSTLES is manifested there there the inuincible Armies of MARTIRES are discouered There is the holy congregation of CONFESSORS there the Quire of venerable MVNKES there that of DEVOVTE WOMEN who at once ouercame the weaknesse of their owne sexe and the delightes of the world There the young VIRGINS elder in vertue then in yeares there are the sheepe and tender lambes that haue escaped out of the iawes of the wolues and from the inueigling snares of this life whence they doe now celebrate a perpetuall feaste and though their glorie be different yet is their ioy comon There Charitie raigneth in her full perfection for vnto them God is all in all whom they behold and loue without end or intermission whom in louing they doe praise and in praysing doe loue and all this without wearinesse or trauaile at all O my soule how happie thou shouldst be if being deliuered out of the prison of this wretched body thou mightest be thought worthy to heare the sacred songs of that celestiall harmonie and the praises of the eternall King of that glorious Empire sung in an admirable aire O how accomplished should thy honour and glorie be for so it would come to thy turne to entone that gracious Alleluia which is in the mouth of all the Elect. Let vs yet add that iert of the wing or rather stroke of the same Fathers Pen before we conclude these flightes and eiaculations of mynd From this sacred Residence all feare of pouertie is banished all weaknes miserie infirmitie none there is angerie none doth enuie his neighbours happinesse none stands in need of eating or drinking There is no ambition nor desire to be great There is no apprehension nor of Hell nor Diuell nor yet of death of body or soule Contrariwise there is a life full of alacritie through the assurance they haue of immortalitie Disorder can haue no footing there where all things are maintayned in a constant Peace and conserued in a perfect concord Ioyne to all this the pleasure there is to liue in the compaignie of ANGELLS to enioy the gratefull conuersation of all those excellent and sublime SPIRITS and to behold the Armies of Saintes more bright thē the starrs of Heauē To contemplate the Sanctitie of PATRIARKES the Hope of PROPHETES the Crowne of MARTYRES the white and flowrie Garland of VIRGINES And as for the SOVERAIGNE KING who keepes his Residence in the midst of that glorious people what tongue is able to speake his praise That bird of Paridice which hāgs still in the aire doth she not intimate vnto vs by her ingenious hanging the incōceaueable greatnesse of that glorie Eternitie is the fulnesse of Beatitude LXIV BVt in fine Athanasia if you wilt see the garlād and crowne of this glorie adorned with so many bright precious stones you must fixe your eyes vpon its Eternitie for if all those glorious aduantages could end amidst all those felicities one would be accompaigned with a misfortune which would distaste all his ioy and would make him resemble the great-ones of the earth who amidst all the honours which Politike Idolatrie doth sacrifice vnto them are cōtinually stung with the thought of death which shall in the end mow them downe euen like vnto other men and burying them in dust shall equalise their Scepters with hatchets Kings with all their Powre escape not its dart nor doe Giants with all their force auoyd it Herein appeares Origen's errour who walking vpon the wings of the wind perished like to that old Milo Crotoniensis by his owne strength while he was of opinion that the Elect after a long residence in Heauen should fall at length from that felicitie like as he had held before that the paines of the dāned should not be eternall one absurditie drawing on another An errour excellently well refuted by S. AVGVSTINE in his bookes of the Citie of God as also by the Angell of the Schoole An errour in fine which aimes at the ruine of the immortalitie of the soule which is more then a bestiall blindnesse And certes besides that in a thousand places of holy Scriptures the life of the Elect in Heauen is
If he be feircely sicke he freely endures all the paines that the Surgeons putt him to he obeyes the Doctours order takes downe the bitterest pill in the Apothecaries shope he nether grugheth price nor paine so he may escape the graue he is willing to consume all his substance to prolonge for some few moments more his consumeing life and yet to liue eternally how few are willing to endure a litle discommoditie But if worldlings prolonge their miserable dayes with so much instance vigilancie precausion prodigalitie paine and torment what ought not they to doe whose braue and generous myndes eye nothing that is lesse then Eternitie And if they be esteemed prudent who spare nothing to conserue a miserable mortall life how imprudēt must they needs be who for an immortall one will vse no sort of violēce nether against their body nor soule A continuation of the former discourse LXVI VErily vnlesse the graine of wheate falling into the ground die it selfe remayneth alone and fruitlesse And vnlesse we doe mortifie our selues here below there is litle appearance and yet lesse hope that we shall liue euerlastingly in Heauen In the building of SALOMONS Temple there was no noyse heard of hammars nor saw because the timber was disposed and fitted by Carpenters in the Forrest and the stones were cut and pollished in the Quarries so that being led vnto the Mount-Sion it rested onely to applie them It is the like of the vnited stones wherof the heauenly Hierusalem is built to witt the Elect out of the Quarrie of this world they were to be sent readie and so to be disposed in their places in that TEMPLE OF PEACE For which cause some of them haue bene sawen cut carued holed burnt wounded with swords that they might be applied to that eternall building for they are the structure and building of God saith the Apostle No there is no other passage to this TEMPLE of VERTVE but through the GATE OF LABOVR And the Kingdome of Heauen is promised onely in the Sermō which our Sauiour made of Beatitude to the humble of heart and persecuted that is to such as suffer tribulations The Kings coyne with which letters of exchange are payed in that Contrie are Labours and the Saintes doe repose in their labours for there their workes doe sollow them And if a woman with child saith the holy Gospell doe patiently endure the panges of childbirth which are so extreamely violent for the ioy she hath to bring forth a reasonable creature into this miserable world what paines then ought we to feare so our bodie be happily deliuered of our soule to Eternitie and that when our house of clay shall be demolished we may find one in heauen build not with the hand of man but with God's owne hand wherin we shall liue inhabit and bee for euer And if the labours of winter and summer and the length of a plainefull seruice was reputed as nothing of IACOB being pricked on by the loue be bore to RACHEL who will not to be impatient at the short and light labours of this life while he hath Eternitie before his eyes Goe to then saith a Prophete le ts take courage and let not our armes repose for a great reward is promised to good actions Worke faithfully what thou art able while tyme is lent thee to labour Behold the reward and nothing will seeme painefull vnto thee I haue giuen my heart to the Diuine iustificatiōs saith the Psalmist in respect of the reward promised them For the reward of such as keepe Gods law is great Know you not saith the great Apostle that many runne in the race all runne indeede but one receaueth the Price And they certes that they may receaue a corruptible crowne but we run in the race of vertue for an immortall and incorruptible crowne Le ts so runne that we may obteyne Those saith the same Doctour of the Crosse that are afflicted are disposed therby to great rewards and if they be tryed by God it is to th' end they may be worthy to haue a part with him and that he may with his owne hand bestow vpon them a Kingdome of honour and a diademe of beautie For God crownes his Elect with glorie and honour and doth establish them aboue all the workes of his hands Let vs not therfore be discouraged saith S. PAVLE for we haue not as yet resisted sinne nor fought to blood we that are not ignorant that our Guide IESVS CHRIST entered not into the Sanctuarie of Eternitie by meanes of the blood of sheepe and goates but by powreing out his owne at that price obtaineing for vs an eternall redemption But I here heape vp proofes in confirmation of a truth which euen Nouices in Christian discipline cannot doubt of Let vs therfore stay our stepps and shut vp this first meanes in these golden words of S. AVGVSTINE O soule what I haue is vendible consider whether you will buy it And what hast thou to sell ô Lord Rest saith he buy it At what rate saith the soule the price therof is Labour But what labour is required for an endlesse rest If you will make a iust valuation an eternall labour is due to an eternall peace T' is true indeede yet feare not ô soule God is mercifull he knowes well that if thou wert eternally to labour for this pourchase thou shouldst neuer attayne vnto the promissed and desired rest and therfore that thou mightst attayne it he will not haue thy labour to be eternall not that the Eternitie of glorie would not deserue it but that thou mightest be sure to beare it It is worth an eternall and yet is bought for a temporall labour In an other place the same Father doth enlarge and continue this consideration When eternall life saith he is promissed vs let vs place before our eyes a life exempt frō all the tormoyles and troubles which we taste in this and thou shalt more happily find out the calamities and miseries which are not to be found in that blessed life then thou canst the infinite blesse wherwith it is replenished he would say that as God so it is better knowen by negation then affirmation And yet wonderfull Mercy this inestimable fauour is to be sold If thou wilt thou maist buy it nor art thou to be troubled how to procure wherwithall to pay It is not worth more then thou hast or rather respects not at all what thou hast but onely what thou art This Eternitie is worth thyselfe and yet worth no more then thou art giue thy selfe and t is thyne Why dost thou dodge why dost thou stand vpon the price Dost thou apprehend that to make the payment thou art to be sold indeed no thou art not pay thy selfe such as thou art and the purchase is made Alas I am poore and miserable wilt thou say nor shall I be receaued as currant money But I dare assure thee that in freely giuing thy selfe thou wilt become good coyne for to giue ones
and repose of winter In fine all that which may delight their senses or solace the faculties of their soule There saith S. BERNARD God is plenitude of light to the VNDERSTANDING multitude of Peace to the WILL and eternall consolation to the MEMORIE To be short those shadowes of good which are scattered ouer terreane things as droppes of dew and are distributed rarely and onely by parcells are eminently in God and as it were in an infinite Ocean If fleeting toyes doe so desperately delight such as are taken with theÌ„ that their reason is inchanted and their wisdome drunke vp therin how shall they be taken with him whose hands are filled with infinite delightes If this mortall and created life be so precious how precious shall he be who hath not onely life in himselfe but who is life it selfe and in whom we liue and are If the acquaintance of perfect creatures be so pleasing a thing how much more sweete is the perfectioÌ„ of the Creatour which is so compleate and the very modell of all perfection If these fading earthly beauties be so gayning and engaging how rauishing shall his beautie be which is admired by the Sunne and Moone and in whose presence the starrs are not bright If the antiquitie of nobilitie haue such a rate put vpon it by the vanitie of those that doe adore it how much more is his to be prised who is the old of dayes whose begininge is without begining If worldly honours and fortunes be courted by so many how much more is he to be sued for and pursued whose house is replenished with glorie and riches For if it be he who made all things good and coÌ„municated vnto them all that is delightfull or wishfull in them must we not infallibly persuade our selues that he reserued the excellencie therof for himselfe but an excellencie which doth infinitly surpasse all that we are able to imagine What happinesse saith S. AVGVSTINE shall their be in the Blessed Eternitie where there shall be no euil at all nor any thing awanting that is good There our labour shall be to praise God who shall be all in all Blessed are they that dwell in thy house ô Lord for euer and euer they shall praise thee He who gaue the vertue shall be the reward therof promising himselfe as an inestimable price by the mouth of the Prophete saying I will be their God and they shall be my people I will be all things to them which they can honestly desire life saluation foode abundance Glorie Honour Peace and all kinds of felicitie for so is that sacred word to be vnderstood God shall be all in all that is he shall be the fulnesse of all their desires There the Elect peaceably enioying a sacred repose and an eternall Saboath shall see how sweete our Lord is being filld with him who shall be in them all that can be desired O my God thou art my deare Truth my true Eternitie my eternall felicitie The same Doctour speaking of this essentiall Eternitie which is God himselfe comprehending in himselfe all goodnesse discourseth of it in this sort There is nether corruption defect old age nor frowardnesse in thee but contrariwise a perpetuall peace a solemne glorie a ioy without end a continuall solemnitie Thou art true alacritie and a flowre of peerlesse beautie of youth and perfect health There is nether yesterday nor to morrow in thee but a perpetuall TODAY thyne is saluation life and peace ô great God who art all things what glorious things are spoken of thee since in thee is the true Abode of all those who liue in true ioy In thee there is no feare no sorrow desire passeth presently into satisfaction being answeared with a speedie and plentuous possession of all that is desired O God thou dost inebriate thyne Elect with the plentie of thy house and with the torrent of thy pleasure thou shalt make them drinke because with thee is the fountaine of life and in thy light we shall see light when they shall see thee in thy selfe and all things in thee and thee in all things with a sight that shall not be interrupted which is the toppe of their eternall felicitie And in another place he saith vpon the same subiect Loue Eternitie and thou shalt raigne for euer with IESVS CHRIST if IESVS CHRIST be thyne onely end And againe Vnite thy heart to God's Eternitie and thou shalt be eternall with God It was an apprehension and feeling of this which drew that asperation so frequently from the mouth and heart of S. FRANCIS O my God thou art myne ALL. And doth not that passage of the heaueÌ„ly harmonie which S. IOHN heard in his Reuelations allude to this Benediction and glorie and wisdome and thankesgiuing honour and power and strength to our God for euer and euer AMEN An application of the Heart to this essentiall Eternitie LXXII BVt that which most importeth Athanasia is to know how we ought to applie our thoughtes to this essentiall Eternitie which is the verie Diuinitie This is rather to be done by a prone and louing humilitie then by a haughtie and swelling knowledge Lord my heart is not exalted nether are myne eyes loftieâ—nether haue I walked in great matters nor in meruelous things aboue me cryed out the Royall Psalmist My thoughtes haue bene humble knowing that thou louest the humble heart and that he that extolles himselfe makes thee ascend yet higher and put thy selfe in a greater distance from him Be thou praysed ô Lord for euer in that thou hidest thy selfe from the wise and great witts and reuealest thy selfe to thy litle humble ones I haue giueÌ„ you some directions Athanasia to auoyd the accursed Eternitie and to attaine the Blessed yet I must here tell you with the great Apostle behold I teach you a way far more excellent more short noble and efficacious Consider an Archer that shutts at a Butt he takes his ayme nether too high nor too low nether of this nor that side but setts his ey and arrow iust vpon the midst of the white Will you beleeue me Athanasia vpon this subiect you shall imitate his manner and ayme and without looking ether to the right or left hand that is without ether considering the powrefull hand of God in the accursed Eternitie or that which distributes crownes and rewards in the Blessed you shall fix the ey of your contemplation vpon the eternall God and vpon his essentiall Eternitie and approaching vnto him in an humble confidence you shall be illuminated and your face shall not be confounded No no Athanasia feare not it is he be confident he hath ouercome the world Feare not to be oppressed with the glorie of so high a Maiestie His delightes are to be with the children of men He is still at their Gate and knockes to haue entrie and to make his abode with them and to inrich them with good things He doth not onely not disdayne that we should loue him but he disdaynes that
whom we couet in the night of this life and we will runne in the odour of thy parfumes Receaue vs according to thy word to th' end we may liue in thee and of thee and confound vs not in our expectation which is wholy in thee our vnchāgeable felicitie and onely Eternitie A practise to engraue in our heart the memorie of Eternitie LXXIV IT is not all to sow Athanasia but the principale thing is to reape the crope The Theorie is faire like vnto RACHEL but yet barraine but the Practise is fertile like LIA though lesse agreeable in the eye It is not enough to make specious speculations vnlesse our actiōs doe answeare vnto them all is worth nothing yea they serue paraduentures to leade vs into ruine for the seruant that knowes the will of his Maister and doth it not shall be bett with many stripes All that say Lord Lord shall not enter into glorie but those that shall obserue the heauēly Fathers Commandements To enter into the Marriage of the Lambe it is not enough to haue the Lampes lighted but there must be oyle in them too Hell is full of the chaffe of good desires but the Granarie of Heauen receaues onely the wheate of good workes Let vs descend therfore to the Practise before we sound the retreate and let vs put the last singer to this DRAVGHT by spirituall endeauours wherby to imprint deeply in our heartes this wholsome memorie of Eternitie be it the Blessed accursed or Essentiall It is reported that the great TAMERLANE who in his tyme was the scourge of God and the terrour of the world was wont in Camping himselfe before a Towne which shut the Gates and resolued to withstand the dreadfull forces of his troopes to put out the first day of the Seige a white Bannar in signe of pardon mildnesse and mercy in case they should freely rēder themselues vp into his hands The second day he caused a reade one be hung out to signifie that in the cōposition some of them should pay for it But the third day he set out a black one as a signe of his indignatiō and to protest vnto them that there was no place left to Clemencie but that taking the Towne by force he would offer vp all the inhabitants victimes to DEATH without all respect to age or sexe These three colours Athanasia wherwith DRAVGHTES are made for ordinarily they are minuted vpon white paper with vermillion and blacke doe represēt vnto vs those three standarts and the reference which they haue to the three sorts of Eternities which I haue deciphered vnto you The white as the ground doth put before your eyes the Essentiall Eternitie which is the proper essence of God the eternall fundation of all created Eternitie If we deliuer our selues vp to his loue and milde Clemencie we may confidently expect from this so sweete a God to them that seeke him that white stone promised to the Elect in the Apocalipse which shall be a better marke of the reward of eternall saluation to such as haue whitened their soule in the blood of the Lambe The rede colour which conteynes light in it and is the colour of the Rose doth prefigure vnto vs the Blessed Eternitie where the Roses doe neuer fade and where the Elect behold the light of the Diuinitie in the light of Glorie But withall this bloodie colour doth intimate that none arriues at this Felicitie but by the price of the blood of the Lambe and that through the fire and water of many tribulations and sufferances They shall be saued according to the Apostle yet as by the fire of anguishes and labours But alas how nakedly doth the black colour a colour of mourning sadnesse and night represent that accursed Eternitie wherin are exteriour darknes without all hope of day where are gnashings of teeth and the rest of the Calamities which rudely and weakely we haue drawen O Athanasia to th' end that those bannars no lesse daunting then the Archangell's trūpet or rather to th' end that that which they represent may neuer depart out of our view and that this thought may not be blotted out of our soule make a full resolution to exercise your selfe in the ensuing Practises Sithens Habits are not begotten in vs according to all Philosophie but by often iterated Actes If your heart be truely touched with a desire of eternall saluation it will be like vnto the Saylers needle touched with a Loadstone which turnes continually towards the North so your thoughtes will incessantly direct themselues towards Eternitie now towards the Blessed now towards the Accursed now towards the essentiall this last imbracing the two former as the Firmament the inferiour Spheares And though the methode which I am about to propose vnto you to helpe to stay your mynd vpon this Obiect may seeme at the first sight verie simple I would aduise you not to dispise it for all that as did NAAMAN at first the aduise of the Prophete to wash himselfe seauen tymes in Iorden if he would be deliuered of his leprosie Call to mynd that the matter of the Sacramentes which are the instrumentes of Diuine graces is verie simple and common yet vnder the vaile of so slender appearances ly hid the infinite treasures of wisdome and Goodnes Why euen the Scripture it selfe sends vs to Pismires litle birds and flowres to gather from them profitable lessons and instructions Take then for your first PRACTISE if I may haue beleife with you that which hath brought a wonderfull profit to some soules of myne acquaintance to thinke as often of Eternitie as you heare the cloke strike night or day Let this sound put you in mynd that stepp by stepp you doe so approach to your end that by an insensible progresse you drawe neere your graue which ought to be the Gate of Eternitie And then soaring in spirit beyond transitorie things which doe vanish as a shade aspire to that blessed Eternitie not subiect to the measure of tyme which is the course of the Sunne or the PRIMVM MOBILE and say when shall my feete be established vpon the liuely Rocke that my stepps may no more slide and that the firmament being as a pauement I may walke vpon the face of the starrs This will come to passe my Athanasia if you doe carefully and duely manage the houres and moments of which we are about to speake and if while tyme serues you will doe good deedes which doe addresse and bring vs to Eternitie For the second PRACTISE take those three tymes The morning Noonetyde and Euening wherof DAVID makes mention saying In the euening morning and the midst of the day I was myndfull of God And to helpe your memorie be attentiue to the ANGELVS DOMINI BELL which doth admonish vs to recite three tymes the Salutation of the Angell in honour of the Misterie of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God and ioyne to this pious custome the memorie of Eternitie by thinking that the Immortall
became mortall and the Eternall for your saluation did subiect himselfe to Tyme in vniting his Diuinitie to our humanitie How good occasion doth this descent of the Sonne of God into earth administer vnto you to rayse vp your selfe to Heauen and there to seeke a permanent Citie for euer in the holy Sion Vndertake this holy exercise by taske and for the space of some dayes to th' end that custome may beget in you a habite frequently to thinke of Eternitie For the third PRACTISE oblige your selfe by a firme pourpose yet without vow to say euery day at some houre most comodious for you three PATER NOSTER's And in reciting them to thinke of the Blessed accursed and essentiall Eternitie which is God Vniting your selfe to the last by Loue by desire to the Blessed detesting the accursed rather by the correction of your manners and amendment of life then by emptie words For as we come not to the celestiall Eternitie without doing good so we auoyd not the accursed but by flying euill When you recite your beades or the Crowne of our Blessed Lady a prayer very familiar to all those who make profession of pietie Let this crowne of flowres put you in mynd of the flowres which neuer fade wherof the Garland of Eternitie is wrought Let the round forme of this Crowne make you myndfull that the Sphearicall figure which hath nether begining nor end is the Symbole of the essentiall Eternitie which neuer had begining nor shall euer haue end This you may vse as a fourth PRACTISE None can liue like a good Christian who doth not twice a day at least wind vp the Cloke of his heart and thinke of his wayes to witt in the morning and euening These are two tymes which he that desires to liue according to God and to direct his footsteps in the pathes of Peace ought neuer to omitt Take then some litle part of that tyme to cast a looke vpon Eternitie that totall coÌ„tinuance which is neuer followed with euening nor morning And beseech God Almightie that you may so passe through temporall that you may not loose eternall things This shall be a fift PRACTISE for you Le ts passe to Other indeuours LXXV THere is nothing so frequent in the mouth of Christians Athanasia as the Prayer which our Lord and Maister made to direct vs to his heauenly Father according to his words and spirit to th end that hauing his will in our mouth we might be heard for the reuerence of it If you will beleeue me as often as this holy Prayer shall passe through your lipps you shall call to mynd the Essentiall Eternitie by apprehending that you speake to the Eternall God You shall thinke of the Blessed Eternitie in making this petition Thy Kingdome come and of the accursed Eternitie in pronunceing that other Deliuer vs from euil since it is the collection and fulnesse of all euils And let this aduise passe for THE SIXT ENDEVOVR OR PRACTISE You may doe the like when pietie shall moue you to salute the Blessed virgine in the words of the Angell and the Church And when as you shall beseech her to assiste you by her intercession in the houre of your departure out of this life call to mynd that this houre shall be the tyme and instant which shall decide your Eternitie A moment in which you will stand in great need of her assistance to auoyd the perills of Hell and to acchiue the Land of the â—ueing Let this be the SEAVENTH PRACTISE I say the same of the Apostles Creed When you recite it waigh the Articles therof in the waights of the Sanctuarie The Communion of Saintes of the Triumphant Church with those of the Militant And Life euerlasting and they will serue you as MEMORIALLS to engraue in your soule the Memorie of Eternitie Behold the EIGHT PRACTISE Whether you assiste in the solemne songe of the Diuine Office or you recite your boures apart Remember that for diuers reasons the holy Church hath ordayned that these two versicles should be added to the end of euery Psalme Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost Euen as it was in the begining and now and euer c. And that amongst the others this is not the least prowrefull to imprint the memorie of Eternitie in the mynds of the Faithfull Take this for a NINGHT PRACTISE The Iewes that they might continually remeÌ„ber Gods law carried it about with them yea wore it euen before their eyes written vpon Phylacteries or peeces of parchement VnderstaÌ„ding literally certaine passages of the auncient Couenaunt wherby it is commanded that one should alwayes behold them that is that one should haue them as rules of their actions I would to God that Christians were as carefull to haue still before their eyes the eternall Ghospell and to that effect they had painted Tables in their houses to renew the memorie therof I know some personages who to this pourpose caused the words of a Prophete to be written vpon the chimney of their chambers in letters of Gold WHO IS ABLE TO LIVE FOR EVER IN A CONSVMING FIRE AND AMIDST ETERNALL FLAMES This is facile and Fruitfull and shall be counted for the TENTH PRACTISE An other memoriall of Eternitie LXXVI BEsides these former PRACTISES which are very familiar I will yet bestow vpon you Athanasia a verie facile Memoriall to make you thinke of Eternitie vpon euery occasion It is the vse of Aspirations or Reflections which the Doctours of spirituall life doe so highly recommend to such as desire to liue piously and according to God If you will please to make vse of it you will shortly find by experience that all things will rayse you towards God who is the essentiall Eternitie wherin you will represent vnto your selfe the differeÌ„t Idea's of the Blessed or accursed Eternitie All the creatures being as so many Mirrours vnto you shall discouer the Image of the Eternall God And which way so euer you turne your selfe the inuisible and eternall God shall appeare in visible and temporall things All that can fall within the knowledge of your senses shall beare you aboue your selfe to him that passeth all vnderstanding Or at the least you may make reflection vpon the eternall delightes or colours which doe attend you in the blessed or accursed Eternitie according to your comportment in this life And to afford you some smale scantling of that so familiar an exercise to those that are conuersant in the knowledge of Saintes As oft as you shall behold this vniuersall obiect of heauen and earth which was S. ANTONIE's great booke wherin he read in capitall letters the Authour's greatnes whom all this admirable fabrike cost but one smale word what will hinder you to say with DAVID ô Lord how wonderfull is thy name through all the world thy magnificence is extolled beyond the Heauens Heauens which are but the workes of thy hands Heauens which shall passe while thou shalt still remaync
thy selfe since thy beeing is Eternitie it selfe In contemplating the sundrie beauties which God hath disperâ—â—â— in the world rauishing the beholders eyes with admiration let vs say with an auncient Father if God permit the â—se of so many goodly things euen to his enemyes what will he reserue for his friends in the life to come In beholding the Sunne the world 's onely eye the fountaine of light from whence all the other starrs borrow their brightnes doth not occasion present it selfe in which we may consider the increated light of that God who is all light and whom darknes cannot obscure who doth inhabite an inaccessible light who is the Sunne of Iustice who is the true light by which euery one coming into this world is enlightened And to lift vp our thoughtes towards the Sunne of Iustice the Orient from aboue towards that heauenly Citie which stands in need of no Sunne nor Moone because Gods brightnes doth lighten it and its Lampe is the Lambe When the day doth enlighten vs and discouer vnto vs so many beauties which the nightly vayle doth hide from our eyes Alas may we say when shall the faire day of Eternitie appeare which shall be followed by no night and where we shall see the light of the Diuinitie in the light of Glorie And when the night mother of sleepe and rest shall spreade her darke mantle all besett with starrs ouer the face of the earth if we desire to with-draw our thoughtes from the sad night of the accursed Eternitie marked in the Scripture with the name of exteriour darknes a night which shall neuer see the day of Grace or Glorie what shall hinder vs in beholding so many torches which sparkle in those celestiall vaultes vpon a cleare night to propose vnto our selues the Blessed who shine as starrs for perpetuall Eternities differing in blesse brightnes as one starre differs from another Why may we not also contemplate the essentiall Eternitie of God vnder this Symbole since it is written he set his signet vpon the darknes That his night is as bright as day and his darknes shineth like light So shall the night afford vs a gratefull light And during the obscurities we shall lift vp our hands towards the holy places blessing our Lord till our chaÌ„ge shall draw neere and that we shall see him no more after a darke manner but face to face If the Sunn's course within his annuall circle shewe vnto vs the diuersitie of seasons the floures of the Spring and the fruites of the fall may not these things bring him vnto our consideration who is the flowre of the feild and the lilie of the vally whose lilie is most florishing him in a word who is the fruite of life the fruit of the blessed virgins woÌ„be the Sonne of the Eternall God whose floures are fruites of honour and honestie And the seasons of Summer and winter in the distempered excesse of their heates and cold are they not figures of that infortunate Eternitie where the damned passe out of icie waters into flames If we looke vpon the Elements wherof all the mixt bodies are composed doe not earth and Fire prefigure vnto vs the accursed Eternitie since the earth conteynes the fire of Hell with in its Center which shall neuer be extinguished And are not the Aire and Water a picture of Paradice where the Blessed doe flie and swimme as foole and fishe in the essentiall Eternitie Is it not written that the Elect after the Doome of the last Assises shall be taken vp into the ayre after IESVS CHRIST and that in heauen they shall drinke of the torrent of pleasures eternally and swime in those impetuous floodes which doe make the Citie of God ioyfull Whether we make reflection vpon our owne or other mens liues or whether we consider in an others death the picture of our owne which we cannot escape is it not a iust occasion to thinke of the life which shall neuer dye and of that second death which shall neuer liue although indeede it can neuer dy nether If according to the Apostle we may eate and drinke to God's glorie why may not we also in taking our repast thinke of the sacietie which we hope for in his glorie when as most happie children of the Deitie we shall be set at our heauenly Fathers table fed with the same foode with himselfe because we shall enioy the same Beatitude by which God is happie for being happie of himselfe in himselfe shall be our eternall happines when we shall be made partakers of him made like vnto him coÌ„formable to his Image and to vse the tearme of the holy Scripture partakers of his Diuine nature While we take our repose in our bedd why may we not thinke of him that is eternall and reflect vpon the repose which he prepares for vs in Eternitie if in the tyme of this mortall course we fight lawfully for him O God thou art my repose for euer and euer I haue made choyce of the bosome of thy goodnes to remayne therin eternally Who will giue me the wings of a Doue to flie vp to that assured repose and to passe into the place of the admirable Tabernacle euen vnto the house of God We may intertaine our selues with the same thoughts vpon Sonday the day of rest and repose seeing we are commanded to cease from corporall labours to be free to contemplate the Diuine Goodnesse and that delicate Saboath which the Saintes enioy in Eternitie for there it is saith the holy Ghost that they rest from labours and where they reape in ioy what they had sowen in teares Vpon festiuall days whether it be of the mysteries of our holy Fayth or of the solemnities of our Sauiour IESVS of his holy mother or of Saintes can we be imployed in a better thought then with the desire of imitating them to meet them in Eternitie by walking in the pathes which they haue marked vs out For in vaine should we boast that we are members of IESVS CHRIST and children of Saints if we refuse to walke as they haue walked that so following their example we may come to be made worthy vnto the part of the lot of Saintes in the light of eternall felicitie Vpon worke dayes which the Church Office calls ferialls we are to thinke that none comes to the eternall Ferialls but by labours and sufferaÌ„ces Whervpon the Scripture councelleth vs to walke towards goodnes while the day lasteth and carefully to put our hand to the worke while tyme is fauorable and the day proper to worke our saluation in Whether we be sitting standing or walking euery posture of our bodie represents Eternitie Sitting should reduce vnto our memorie the emptie Seates of the Angells fallen from Heauen which remayne for vs to fill and repaire their ruines And the Seates also prepared for those who are to iudge the world together with our Sauiour If we stand let vs thinke of that which the Psalmist saith we were straight