lyeth open to all men that the getting thereof may be had without suffering of blowes or sheeding of bloud and that it incoÌ„parably surpasseth all earthly Kingdomes If I should say to one Contemne a whole Kingdome that thou maist obtaine a litle field or vineyard thou wouldest deseruedly eyther laugh or wonder at me But when I say or rather God sayth Contemne a small earthly Kingdome and seeke after â— most precious great and eternall Kingdome the which thou mayst purchase if thou wilt through the grace of God which will neuer be wanting why dost thou not raise vp thy spirits both for the desiring and gayning of it Doubtlesly I cannot conceaue what may be answered heerto but that the glory of an earthly Kingdome as being present to the eye may be as it were touched with the hand whereas the Kingdome of Heauen cannot be seene cannot be touched nor scarse apprehended by Fayth This indeed is true notwithstanding if a man will seriously and intensly consider what force and efficacy the Verity Antiquity Sincerity and grauity of the sacred Scripture enioyeth and how perspicuously and cleerly the sayd Diuine VVrit speaketh of this poynt and how great a cloude of witnesses during already so many ages not only with miracles but euen with bloud haue confirmed the authority of the sayd diuine writings doubtlesly he cannot but burst out with the Prophet and say Thy testimonyes O Lord are made ouer much credible Psal 98. Wherefore we may conclude that it is not the obscurity and darknes of Fayth which withdrawes vs from seeking after the Kingdome of Heauen but it is because our mynds are wholy absorpt in exteriour things and burdened with the weight of custome therefore we do not take sufficient tyme and leasure to meditate and ponder of such things as conduce to our Soules good neyther do we according to the counsell of our Lord Mat. 6. enter into the closet of our hart and the dore being shut we do not euen besiege God with our feruerous prayers that in so great and wayghty â— busines he would assist vs. Certainty â—f once laying a syde all care of inferiour and lesser matters we would seriously and with due preparation take into our thought what the Kingdome of Heauen is and how easily certainly it might be obtayned and what infinite disparity there is betweene things euerlasting and temporall betweene matters of greatest weight and trifles and briefly betweene the Kingdome of Heauen earthly Kingdoms without doubt so great a contempt of temporall Thrones Crownes and Scepters would be ingendred in vs and on the contrary so ardent a desire of celestiall affayres would so inflame vs as that we should without difficulty yea with much ease and facility bestow all our labour and diligence in pursuite of the Kingdome of Heauen to the which as to one true and last end we are made by our Creatour The first path-way or Tract leading to the Kingdome of God CHAP. VII HEre we are now to know what is necessarily to be done that we may arriue to the most desired and most happy Kingdome of Heauen But to know this is no great difficulty since the King of Heauen himselfe to teach vs the same did descend to the Earth And being become our Master and Captaine setteth before vs foure chiefe and most safe wayes thereunto Of these the first is contayned in those words of Mat. 6. Seeke first the Kingdome of God the Iustice of him and all these things shall be giuen to you Morall doctrine beginneth from the end our End is the Kingdome of God which Kingdome shal be ours if so we will walke in that path wherein our Captaine walked Also the Iustice of the Kingdome of God is as it were â—he scope or marke whereat we â—re to â—euell if so we desire to enioy â—he reward of the Kingdom of Heauen For as Cassianus rightly teacheth col â— cap. 2. The End is one thing the scope an other thing The Scope is a signe or marke vnto which arrowes â—re directed in shooting But the End is the reward which those do take who haue shot more neere the scope or marke In lyke manner the Scope of our Actions propounded by God is â—ustice the Reward of those who obâ—aine this marke is the Kingdome of Heauen But the Iustice of the Kingdome of God is not the Iustice of the Scribes and Pharisies which was placed in the externall obseruation of â—he Preceps Neyther it is the Iuâ—â—ice of the Philosophers which did â—ot transcend the light of naturaâ—l â—eason corrupted by Sinne. But it â—s the Euangelicall Iustice which teaâ—heth to loue God with all our hart withall our soule withall our strength and to loue our neighbour though our Enemy as our selfe Of this Scope End S. Paul Rom. 6. speaketh saying You haue your fayth vnto Iustification but the End life euerlasting This is that whereunto the Apostle admonisheth vs that the first of all things we do seeke the Kingdome of Heauen and the Iustice therof that is that our earnest and chiefest thoughts be not caryed away to any temporall goods but be directed to the gayning of the Kingdome of Heauen and to a most diligent and inuiolable keeping of that first and greatest Precept The which Precept being neglected and broken by most men therefore it is sayd Matt. 22. Many are called but few are chosen For most men do so liue and comport themselues in their maÌ„ners as that their furthest thought is to seeke how they may come to this Kingdome of Heauen neither is there anything which they more couldly looke after then the Kingdome of Heauen the Iustice therof As if our Lord had said First seeke after the Kingdom of this world and its iniustice and deceyt and the Kingdome of God shal be giuen vnto you But that celestiall Kingdome is not of that basenes and meane esteeme as that it should be thrust vpoÌ„ those who do preferre all other things before the obtaining thereof Therefore he that will learne a certaine and easy way for gayning the Iustice of the Kingdome of God which leadeth directly to the Kingdome it selfe let that man heare our forsayd Mayster and Lord Christ Iesus thus affirming Matt. 5. Blessed be they that hungar thirst after Iustice for they shall haue their fill But what ô Lord is the facility of fynding Iustice so great with thee as that it is sufficient onely to be hungry or thirsty of it Certainly all poore meÌ„ would be blessed if only by thirsting after money they should be so replenished therewith as that they should not need to be satiated with any other thing But the matter heere is farre otherwise for it is one thing to be hungry and thirst after money and other thing after Iustice For they who suffer hunger and thirst after Iustice that is who so greedily and anxiously seeke after Iustice as men doe who thirst after water and are hungry after meate those men certainly
they should euen anker their hope and confidence vpon Gods good Prouidence becau e sayth he our Heauenly Father doth nourish the litle Bâ—rds which do neither sow nor gather and cloatheth the lyllyes of the fie d which neither labour nor spinne Therefore much more will he prouide for his owne Sonnes for whom he hath reserued the kingdome of Heauen And yet notwithstanding all this there is so smaâ—l or els no confidence in God found in many Christians as that in their necessities they rather flie for their sanctuary to the fraudes and impostures of men or to diabolicall Arts then to God Therefore we may bouldly conclude that if such men do not hope for these things from God which God affordeth euen to the Birds of the field and which himselfe promiseth to giue to those who place their trust and Hope in him that then all these men haue not that Hope which is peculiar to the sonnes of God and which all such ought to haue who hope from God to be partakers of the kingdome of Heauen And hence it commeth that seeing no man without an inexpugnable and liuely Hope which is a part of the gate of this supernall House can obtayne his saluation that therefore they are not many who are saued But there are yet remayning some greater straytes in the Vertue of Hope For Christian Hope commandeth to slâ—ight or rather contemne things present which are seene to Hope for things future which are not seene For example it commandeth to distribute a mans substance to the Poore to the end that it being muâ—tiplied may be restored to the giuer in Heauen where no man hath beene who could see or thincke what are those goods which shal be restored to vs in Heauen if so we sow and diâ—perse our goods here vpon earth We see that a Countrey Plowman is easely persuaded that in sowing of wheate it multiplieth vpon the earth And of this the vse and obseruation of many yeares hath warranted the truth to wit that what is sowed with labour is reaped with comfort But that riches distributed among the poore should be gathered and reaped with great multipâ—ication therof in Heauen no experience hath yet taught vs. Therefore it seemeth a difficult and harsh course to relinquish things present which are seene and to hope for things future which are not seene To conclude it is a great Argument that a firme and vnshaken Confidence in God is a most narrow and straiâ—e Gate in that we find in euery placâ— almost such a multitude of miserable lamenting exclayming blaspheming and despayring Men. For God doth either take away the Miseries from those who do trust in him or at least giueth patience conioyned with so great consolation as that they may well say with the Apostle 2. Cor. 7. I am filled full with consolation I do exceedingly abound in ioy in all my tribulation Therefore that confused Multitude of disconsolate and bewayling Men in their Miseries is an euident argument and demonstration that as S. Basill writeth in Psal 45. there are many who haue in their mouth Deus refugium nostrum Virtus but most few who in their secret hart and mind do truly hope and trust in God Of Charity which is the third part of the Gate CHAP. VIII LEt vs come to Charity which is the Transome or highest stone of the Heauenly Gate Charity is the Queene of Vertues which on the one syde seemeth to be of a greater breadth and Latitude in that it extendeth it selfe to God to Angels to Men yea such as be vnknowne to vs or our Enemyes On the other syde it is made more narrow in regard of the incredible difficulty which doth accompany it in our passing through by it since not only in word and tongue but in worke and truth the Precepts therof are to be fulfilled For what doth this Queene impose by Command vpon her Seruants First she commandeth that we loue God with all our Hart with all our soule with all our strength Matth. 20. Luc. â—0 Certainly Man is brought into great straits when he prepares himselfe to the accomplishment hereof For what other thing is it to loue God withall our strength then to loue him with a true and supreme Loue That with our Harte and soule signifyeth that the Loue towards God shouâ—d be sincere not counterfayted not in word and Tongue but as S Iames sayth in worke and Verity That other with all our strength with all our forces as another Euangelist hath sheweth that our Loue of God ought to be most intense and great Therefore the force of this Precept is that we loue God with a true and chiefe loue and that by no ballancing therof we either prefer or equall any thing before or with him but that all things be cast backe and set in a lower degree in respect of our Loue to him So as a Christian man oâ—ght to be prepared with he Patriarch Abraham if so it conduceth to the glory of God not to spare the life of his owâ—e and only bâ—gotten and most louing Child Neyther is this onely exacted but man is obliged to hate as our Lord commaundeth Luc. 14. Father Mother VVife Children Brothers Sisters yea also his owne Soule and to renouÌ„ce disclayme from all things which he possesseth that is he ought to be ready with that promptitude of mind to be depriued of all his kinred his owne life all his wealth and dignity with the which promptitude he should be depriued of them if so he truly and from his hart did â—ate all these things Doubtlesly these are great straits and who is prepared and ready to penetrate and passe through them And how more easely can we fynd Men and those not few who are pressed and as it vvere ready charged to abandon and renounce euen God himselfe and all his Promises rather then riches and temporall Honours much lesse their owne life and the life of their Children Witnes hereof is S. Cyprian in Tract de lapsis who writeth that euen in the primitiue Church at what tyme the heate of Charity was more boyling in Mens breasts then in these dayes it is for a small number of Martyrs very many were forsakers of the Christian sayth who preferred their temporall states much more their liues before their Charity and Loue of God The same Point is in like sort testified by Eusebius in hist. Eccl. l. 8 c. 2. Now what shall we speake of Charity towards a Mans neighbour What doth Charity prescribe to performe to our Neighbour It teacheth that we must loue him as well as we loue our selues And what proceeding in matters we do expect from him the same we should practise towards him Who is he if he much labour vvith pouerty but that he vvisheth part of the superfluities of rich men might be giuen to him And yet it is no sufficient excuse for the rich-man to say that he taketh money vp at rent or that he hath lately bought a
Paul nor Iohn nor the rest of the Apostles and Prophets taught these Points of their owne Authority but they were instructed therin of God himself they did preach the word of God not their wâ—e word theÌ„ presently is the Hart dilated and prepared to belieue without the least doubt or wauering in fayth Now that it was God who taught and spake by the Apostles and Prophets is made manifest from his working of so many manifest stupendious miracles so as it were not only simplicity but great temerity to rest diffident and distrustfull of the Truth For thus doth the Apostle speake to the Hebrews cap. 2. VVhich when it was begun to be declared by our Lord of them that heard was confirmed on vs God withall testifying by signes and wonders and diuers miracles and distributions of the Holy Ghost according to his VVill. But what things God speaketh who dare deny to be true seeing God cannot possibly lye for if he could iye then were he not God Yet is it vrged what things are propouÌ„ded to vs to belieue are aboue reason This is true but they are not aboue the Power and Wisdome of God And therefore S. Iohn sayth 1. Ioan. 3. God is greater then our Hart because he is able to do and which we are not able to vnderstand And his Essence and Existence is more perfect and worthy then mans Soule can possibly comprehend or take the true height thereof If an vnlearned and ignorant man be ready to belieue the Philosophers and Astrologers discoursing of the greatnes of the Sunne and the starrs vvhich seeme incredible Why then may not man with the like promptitude and facility giue credit to God himselfe touching those points of fayth which it shall please him to reueale and the rather seing the Wisdome and power of God do by infinit degrees differ from that sparke of Reason with which men are endued Those men therfore who haue a true apprehension of these reasons do not suffer any straitnes or difficulty in belieuing those dogmaticall Points which the Church propounds to vs to belieue A second discourse of Hope which is the second Part of the Gate of the House of God CHAP. XI VVHat we haue said of the Vertue of Fayth the same we may bouldly pronounce of the Vertue of Hope for if we should say that what we expect in the life to come we do expect to proceede from the bounty and liberality of men we might be deseruedly reiected as vayne Impostours since men may lye and it is not in their power to afford distribute so great and transcendent Rewards But we teach not that they are to be hoped for from man but from God Who neither can lye since he is Truth nor deceaue since he is Goodnes nor can promise any thing impossible since he is Omnipotent Therefore a Rusticke fellow might deseruedly thinke himselfe to be mocked and derided if any man should promise to him the Wisdome of Salomon or the Greatnes of Augustus because that man who thus should promise should be reputed as a Lyar. But why ought not a Christian to whom God hath promised eternall life the kingdome of Heauen the Paradise of all Pleasure assuredly hope for the same Is there perhaps wanting an Earnest or Pledge of Gods most bountifull Good Will to vs Not so For did not God by way of figure and adumbration of things Present lead his People without any step or print of vvet through the Red Sea did he not rayne Manna from Heauen did he not draw Water from out a Rock To conclude did he not bring his Seruants by the Conduct of Iosue into the Land of Promise And must so remarkable a figure be reputed as empty and of no force Furthermore If God so loued the World that he gaue his only begotten sonne Ioan. 3. Hath be not then giuen with him all things to vs Rom. 8. What great thing do we hope for to be giuen vs from God the which is not inferiour to that guift which already he hath giuen to vs we neither hoping for it nor demanding it Yf God gaue to sinners and his Enemyes the Death of his owne Sonne will he not giue to the lust and his friends the life of his Sonne Neither satisfying himselfe herewith he gaue and adioyned the Holy Ghost as a pledge of our Inheritance who cryeth in our Harts Abba Pater And the spirit giueth testimony to our spirit that we are the Sonnes of God and if Sonnes Heyres also of God and Coheyres with Christ. Rom. 8. Wherefore if the greatnes of the things promised may seeme to ouercome our Hope yet can they not ouercome the greatnes of him that promiseth Which greatnes since it is infinite may so easely strengthen our Hope as that without any fearefull doubtfulnes it may arriue and attaine to the things promised Which Promise as the Apostle proueth Heb. 6. God hath euen confirmed with a most solemne Oath That so by force of two inexpugnable and immoueable forts to wit the Promise of him who cannot lye and his annexed Oath we may haue Hope as a sâ—â—me and safe Anker leading vs to those Penetralia into which Christ entred for vs who is made a Priest for euer according to the Order of Melchisedech A second discourse of Charity which is the third part of the Gate of the House of God CHAP. XII NOw what shall we speake of Charity This Vertue as in regard of the difficulty of fulfilling its precepts is of a most narrow and strayt extent so in respect of the excellency of the Diuine Goodnes whervnto Charity hath reference it may be said to be of a most great breadth For why ought it to seeme hard to loue God with all our Hart with all our soule with all our strength when as he is most sayre most good most worthy of infinite Loue It is not a hard matter here vpoÌ„ Earth to loue things that are fayre and good but it is hard not to loue them at all or not to loue them too much Therefore God seemeth after a certaine manner to offer vs wrong in commanding vnder so seuere punishments to loue him as if of our owne accord and willingly we ought not to loue him But some may reply saying Those things which are good fayre here vpon the Earth are so ardently loued and affected because they are clearely seene as being subiect to the sense But God no man euer saw Ioan. 1. It is true indeed we see not God neuerthelesse we haue seene and do dayly see his workes which are very fayre of which works the VViseman thus sayth Sap. 13. Yf with whose beauty being delighted meaning with the beauty of the Sunne and the Moone they thought them Gods let them know how much the Lord of them is more beautifull then they for the Authour of Beauty made all those things We in like sort do make triall and tast of the sweetnes of God in his daily Benefits conferred
to remaine and quiet Now this intense cogitation is two-fold For one part is that which the mynd frames and figures out to it self The other is necessary and such as no man can auoyd Of the first he saith Imagination of things to come of the other the day of their Ending A man doth imagine that is he doth frame to himselfe diuers expectations of future things and perils which do no lesse torment him then if it were certaine they should come to passe and take effect But the greatest torment to man is the cogitation and feare of death which Ecclesiasticus aboue calleth the day of mans ending the which day all men haue in so great an a horrour as that the Apostle Heb. 2. calleth it a continuall seruitude since the ineuitable expectation of death doth make better and as it were put wormewood into all the sweetnesse and delicacies of this life To conclude Ecclesiasticus addeth that this laborious occupation and trauell is so common to all the Sonnes of Adam as that euery one of them from the first to the last euen from him who sits enthroned in the Chayre of Soueraignty and weareth the Diademe and Hyacinth to the poore despicable man who liueth vpon the ground and weareth sackcloth is made thrall thereto Thus in all these things men after the sinne of Adam are made more vnhappy then beasts For beasts liue without feare are not sollicitous and forecasting for the morrow neither doe they remember the labour once passed neither are they affrighted with expectation of things to come And therefore the foresaid wise Ecclesiasticus doth heere teach that this burdensome yoke is layd vpoÌ„ the Sonnes as Adan partly to exclude beasts as exempted from this yoke and partly to shew the cause of this misery which is the first sinne of the first Man But this is the height of all misery to those who labour and couer not to ascend to the Celestiall House or mansion to wit that in this life they suffer a grieuous yoake but a farre moâ—â— grieuous shall they find in Hell For here in this life no man is free from labour yet is his labour eased being ioyned with some consolation but after this life in Hell all labour and dolour is without any comfort or repose Only in the blessed House of God Rest is without any labour and consolation without any dolour Therefore the Prophet Psal 149. iustly pronounceth The Saints shall reioyce in glory they shal be ioyfull in their beddes Because they shall not rest as men sleeping who do not feele or perceaue their rest but they shal rest with great exultation and ioy well knowing and acknowledging with an eternall gratitude the good of their most happy rest and quietnes it being most free from all labour griefe feare or molestation Certainly if no other good were in the House of our Lord but only this euerlasting Rest were it not thinke you worthy to ouer-ballaÌ„ce weigh downe all the labours paines and dolours of this life And if in Hell there were no other torment then an euerlasting and vnquiet watching did it not deserue to be redeemed with all daily and nighly Prayers other pennance whatsoeuer O how pleasant and gratefull will it appeare to the Saints at their departure out of the world to behould an end of their labours and other their paines and on the other syde how bitter will it be to the wicked at their lyke leauing this world to see that neuer after they are in hope for any relaxation or ease of their labours and dolours Death is said to be the greatest and last of all terrible things yet because death seemeth to haue some respiration or rest from paines therefore those miserable wretches who shall descend into Hell shall seeke for death and shall not find it they shall desire to dye and death shall fly from them Apoc. 9. Therefore the want of al Rest shal be iudged a greater euill and infelicity then the last and greatst of all terrible things And yet neuerthelesse such is the blindnes of Men in this world as that they repute in nothing to lose euerlasting rest quietnes and to descend to that place where torments shall admit no ease rest or intermission whatsoeuer Of the Princely Court of the House of God CHAP. V. IN a House there are seueral roomes designed for seuerall businesses and negotiations but in that supernall blessed House there shal be but one Office or businesse common to all the Saints to wit the praysing and lauding of the King of Heauen Here in this life diuers doe busy themselues to gather and heape vp money and riches others to aspire to honour and dignity others to adorne themselues with learning that so they may be able to teach others againe apply themselues to mechanicall Arts thereby to prouide things necessary for the sustentation of their life But in that region and habitation of Immortality there shal be no penury or want no ignorance no necssity no ambâ—tion since all being contented with their present state shall desire nothing more but shall be wholy occupied and busied in the fruition loue and prayses of their chiefe and supreme good But it may be some men will say that the office of praysing God in Psalmes and Hymnes and especially in reciting the Canonicall Houres is accompanyed with labour and of the Spirits and heerupon perhaps some will auerre yea accomplaine that a heauy burden is imposed vpon them in that they are commanded to spend daily so many houres in singing in the Church and in praysing of God To this I answere that to performe laudes and prayses to God by Prayer is in this lyfe a Merit in the Eternall lyfe a Reward and from hence it coÌ„meth that the exhibiting of laudes prayers is heer laborious and painful to many which in Heauen shal be most pleasant and ioyfull For now we read and sing many passages which we do not vnderstand besides during our tyme of prayer we are not a little troubled in driuing away idle vaine cogitaâ—ions as so many most importune flâ—â—s To conclude the Body which now stands subiect to corrupt on cannot long be intent to the fuÌ„ctions of the Soule without wearisomnes but in that blessed Country the Body shal be immortall it shall be impassâ—ble the flyes of d stractions and vnnecssary thoughts shall be absent Aâ—d which is the chiefest the performance of diuine seruice and prayers shal be nothing els then the exercise of Felicity and therefore if eternall Felicity shall not be troublesome then shall not the eternall praysing of God become troublesome That our prayses and laudes exhibited in Heauen to his dâ—uine Maiesty shâ—llbe the exercise of our Beatitude the Prophet teacheth Psal 82. saying Blessed are they that dwell in thy house O Lord for euer and euer they shall prayse thee For as it appertaineth to Beatitude euer to loue and haue the eye fixed vpon the
vvith Vertue And so the cōformity or beauty of Iustice shall stir vp an incredible ioy in the minds of the Blessed Of the Ioy of the Will CHAP. III. BEsides that Pleasure vvhich the Will taketh from the good of the Vnderstanding there are three things vvhich shall properly beget and cause Ioy in the VVill it selfe One of these is a most ardent Loue of God and of our Neighbour For Loue is a principall sauce or seasoning of all things that are to be beloued He that loueth iudgeth all those things which he loueth to be most fayre and good and therefore he much reioyceth at the presence and sight of them As contrary-wise at their absence he greatly lamenteth We see that Parents who out of a naturall affection loue their Children dearely do belieue that they are most fayre most witty and most wyse although often they be deformed and but shallow-witted if choyce were giuen them they vvould not change them for any others though in an impartiall Eye far better and fayrer In like sort we see that men either through VVitchcraft or some vnexpected accident are taken and surprized with the Loue of deformed persons houlding it a most pleasant thing to conuerse with them and most infortunate to be separated from their company and familiariry Which proceeding only Loue causeth being as aboue we said a sauce to all things which are the subiect of Loue. Now seeing these thinges stand thus what and how ineffable shall the pleasure of the Saints be euer to conuerse with God and all the Blessed whom they shall most ardently loue who are truly most fayre and most good euen in a cleare and vnpartiall iudgment and from whom they shall know that they are neuer to be separated As on the contrary it shal be one of the greatest punishments of Hell to be forced euer to be in the Company of those damned spirits whom they extremely hate and by whose diuers stratagems and deuises they know themselues to haue beene circumuented and abused An other Consideration which shal much increase the ioy of the Blessed in the will shal be an vnspeakable rest and satiety without cloying vvhich shall make them on all sydes satisfyed and content Heere vpon Earth no man liues contented with his state There is no man but he coueteth many things which he cannot obtaine And hence it riseth that there are so many hungry and thirsty men in the pursuit of temporall Benefits in the VVorld Neither is this to be much wondred at since our mind is capable of an infinite and euerlasting Good wheras the things created are small in themselues of a fading nature and cannot long continue Therefore what exultation and ioy shall it be to that man who shall see himselfe seated in that place where he shall liue in all contentment and sweete repose of mind vvhere nothing shal be wanting nothing shall affright him nothing shal be desired nothing more shal be sought after O Peace surmounting all apprehension of sense the which the VVorld cannot affoard and vvhich is found only in the heauenly Ierusalem the City of the peacefull most great King To thee this our Peregrination doth greedily bend it self VVe are here loaden vvith temptations and sollicitudes and we greatly appease and quiet our selues only in the thought and expectation of thee The third thing which shall bring great Ioy to a Blessed VVill is Iustice and this perfect and more perfect then was the Originall Iustice in Adam The Iustice of him did subiect the inferiour part of the soule to the superiour as long as the superiour was subiect to God But this Iustice subiecteth the inferiour part to the superiour and the superiour to God by a most firme and indissoluble band and connexion That was as it were a wollen or linnen Garment this a silken or goulden Vestment which maketh the VVill most fayre amiable to God to the Angells all Blessed soules This is that perfect Iustice which admitteth no spot nor any veniall blemish So as of a soule cloathed with this Iustice it may be said Thou art all fayre O my Loue and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. This comprehendeth all Vertues as they are vnmixted with the drosse of any imperfection Now how great ioy and pleasure this Iustice may bring to a soule in Heauen the VViseman doth witnesse saying A secure mind is as it were a continuall feast Prou. 15. Heere only that mind is secure which is neuer gnawed with the worme of Conscience in that through a perfect Iustice it is so established in good as that euen for any short moment it cannot slyde Of which point the Apostle is also witnesse saying Rom. 14. The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but Iustice and peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost In which words the holy Apostle clearely teacheth that the Kingdome of Heauen contayneth in it selfe great Pleasure consisting not in delighting the thtoat and repletion of the Belly as carnall and sensuall men perhaps could wish but in Iustice which engenders in the soule a firme Peace and true Ioy. For who is perfectly iust hath nothing in his hart which may vpbraid or reprehend him neither any thing in his Actions at which other men can take exceptions And from hence springeth a most constant and sweete Peace betweene God himselfe and all others From hence also riseth an ineffable ioy in the Holy Ghost with which ioy no earthly or temporall pleasures can be compared Of the Ioy of the Memory CHAP. IV. NOw the faculty of Memory through remembrance of things past shall minister no small matter of Ioy. For first the calling to mind the benefits of God either touching spirituall or corporall matters naturall or supernaturall temporall or eternall throughout our whole life shall bring an incredible Ioy when the iust soule shall call to mind by how many wayes it was preuented in the benedictions of all sweetnes Againe the remembrance of the perills and dangers out of which God by strange meanes hath euen snatched vs throughout all our life how great a comfort will it affoard Among other dangers I put in the first place That a man being very neere vnto committing of a mortall sinne and so thereby neere vnto Hell God moued only through his benignity and loue did hinder the committing therof Certainly this mercy of God being so great and often extended to the Elect when it shall be called to mind in that most safe and most peacefull Region shall affoard most great Ioy. VVhich remembrance if it were wanting to the Saints in Heauen how then could it be said of them in the Psalme 88. I will sing the mercyes of our Lord for euer Then which Canticle sayth S. Austin being song in the glory of the grace and fauour of Christ nothing shal be more pleasant to that Heauenly Citty l 22. de ciuit c. 30. What may I speake of the deuolution and current of Tymes and ages euen from the
the Authour of sweetnes was thither come But if the glorifyed Body of our Redeemer did breath an odour of such sweetnes then it is altogether credible that all the Bodies of the Saints shall send forth in Heauen a wonderfull sweetnes For it is fitting that the members should be conformable to the Head not only in splendour but also in suauity of Odour Those men therefore who are delighted with Odours let them thinke with what sweetnes they are to be replenished when they shall draw into their glorified sent the diuerse and most sweet odours of so many thousands of Celestiall flowers on euery syde breathing forth in that diuine garden Of the Ioy of the senses of Tasting and Touching CHAP. VIII COncerning the Sense of Tast Deuines do write that the Blessed shall not vse any mortall meates Notwithanding they shall haue some delight in that sense that it may not seeme to be superfluous But concerning the Sense of touching or Feeling all do agree that the Vse thereof shall not be wanting in Heauen Since the Bodies of the Blessed as being true bodies with life may doubtlesly be touche Our Lord thus speaking Touch and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me to haue Luc. 24. Yet all impure touching shal be most remote from their bodies for they shall haue no desire of Generation And therefore our Lord speaketh thus Math. 22. In the Resurrection neither shall they marry nor be marryed But are as the Angels of God in Heauen But we will not heere stay about these things which are daily disputed in the Schooles This one thing we affirme that the Sense of Touching shall receaue no small pleasure from the perpetuâ—ll and most excellent habitude or disposition of a Glorious Body through its qualities of which the Apostle thus speaketh 1. Cor. 15. The body is sowen in Corruption it riseth in Incorruption It is sowen in Dishonour it shall ryse in Glory It is sowen in Infirmity it shall rise in Power It is sowen a naturall Body it shall rise a spirituall Body Of these foure qualities or priuiledges of a glorified Body that of glory or splendour belongeth to the sense of Seeing as aboue we haue said the other three seeme properly to belong to the sense of Touching For euen as when the Body is oppressed with strokes diseases or wounds endangering the life the Sense of Touching is that which suffereth and grieueth so in like manner when the Body enioyeth perfect health is sound and of a strong constitution the Sense of Touching doth reioyce Therefore this sense shall haue great ioy in Heauen vvhen after the Resurrection it shal be clad with Immortality Impassibility and Health in the highest degree and this for all Eternity What charges would not men willingly be at especially Princes and others of great estates to be freed all their life time from the dolours of the Goute or of the Heade the stomack or the reynes What ioy shall it then be in Heauen from whence not only death but all diseases and griefs shal be altogeather exiled Furthermore those Qualities through the which a corruptible body doth rise incorruptible and a body that is infirme riseth impassible do belong to the ioy of the Sense of Touching In like sort the qualities of Agility or Subtility by which a Naturall Body shall rise spirituall seeme to belong to the same Sense of touching since that Body shaâ—l be called spirituall and shal be a glorious Body not in that it hath not truly flesh and bones but because it shal be so subiect to the spirit as that at the very beck and pleasure of the spirit or soule it shal be able without any difficulty toyle or wearines to be moued most swiftly to ascend and descend to goe and returne to penetrate and pierce all places and this in such sort as if it were not a Body but a spirit Therefore euen as the Sense of Touching grieueth and beareth it selfe not well when a heauy and weighty body is forced to ascend high or with great swiftnes speed to be remoued from place to place so also on the contrary it much reioyceth and exulteth when a Body without any toyle or wearines either ascendeth aboue or passeth most speedily from place to place Behould therefore from what seruitude of Corruption the Blessed shal be freed when as they shaâ—l no more stand in neede of Horses Coaches Gards of men Weapons nor any other thing but those Blessed Bodies euen by their ovvne forces shall passe and goe into what places themselues Will and they shall be euery where most safe and exempt from all danger yea in the middest and thickest troupes of armed men I would to God that such men who cannot tast or resent spirituall delights in that they haue an inuenomed and corrupted palate or Tast at least would entertayne with due consideration these most great and perpetuall Corporall Goods and Pleasures and that they would labour with all endeauour bent of Will for the purchasing therof For thus it might come to passe that by litle and litle they would aspire to higher Matters and so by these degrees they might at length through the assistance of God arriue to euerlasting Ioyes Of the Comparison of the Ioyes of the Earth with the Ioyes of Heauen CHAP. IX VVE haue vnfoulded and explicated according to our small ability what Ioyes are prepared in Heauen for those that loue God Now we will endeauour to demonstrate by certaine externall ArgumeÌ„ts how great and transcendent those Ioyes are Our first argument shal be taken from the comparison of the Ioyes which God often in this World giueth euen to his professed Enemies and to the Reprobate And certainly there is such a confluence of Ioyes consisting in Riches Honours Power and diuers pleasures which God imparteth to sinners to his Enemies either blaspheming against his dignity or not belieuing in him as that of most men they are judged to be Blessed and most happy according to the vvords of the Prophet Psal 143. They haue said it is a happy People which hath these things Which of the Louers of this world doth not enuy and grudge at Salomons Prosperity who reigned fourty yeares abounded with all affluence of riches and delights had seauen hundred wyues and three hundred Concubines Who neuerthelesse according to the iudgment of S. Austin was a Reprobate for thus this Father writeth in Psal 126. Euen Salomon himselfe was a louer of VVomen and was reprobated of God And in his booke de Ciuitate Dei c. 20. he sayth the same of Salomon which Salust did of Cataline This man had a good beginning but an euill ending S Gregory followeth S. Austins iudgment herein thus writing l. 2. moral cap. 2. Hence it is that Salomon though receauing VVisdome did not perseuere in Gods fauour c. Neither are the Kings or Emperours of the Turks the Persians those of China and Tartary vnlike to Salomon herein
depart from the defence of his flock The Apostolicall Trumpet thus soundeth in our eares Ephes 6. Our wrestling is not against slesh and bloud but against Princes and Potentates against the Gouernours of this darknes against the spiritualls of wickednes in the Celestialls And if the Captaine be absent who shall teach the souldiers how to avoid the Weapons of their Enemies Certainly our Lord said to S. Peter and in him to all Pastours Feede my sheepe Of other things he spake nothing that we might vnderstand thereby that the feeding of the flocke is the principall charge incumbent vpon a Pastour In like sort in the Consecration of a Bispop it is said Vade praedica populo tibi commisso Goe preach vnto the people committed vnto thee But touching temporall busines nothing is added or spoken thereby to admonish the Bishop that Temporall things are not to be ballanced and equalled with spirituall and much lesse to be preferred To conclude in the fourth Councell of Carthage Can. 17.18.19.20 Bishops are earnestly commaunded that they shall not vndertake the gouerment of Widdowes strangers Pupils by themselues but by the meanes and labour of the Arch-Priests the Arch-Deacons In like sort that Bishops shall not vndergoe the defence of Wills or Contentions for any transitory matters and that they shall not ingrosse to themselues the care dealing about other mens states but that they shall wholy and only deuote their labours to reading praying and preaching of the Word Therefore the Councell of Africa consisting of two hundred and foureteene Bishops at which S. Austin was present commanded that Bishops should negotiate and execute all temporall affayres occasions though otherwise pious and necessarie by the ministery and labours of other men that so themselues might more freely spend their dayes in defending and multiplying of their flock Therfore this Parable as it sheweth that Eternall Felicity is chiefefly to be desired as containing most great power accompained with most great Pleasure so also it demonstrateth that the way to this felicity is continuall indefatigable labour placed in seeking and procuring the Health of a Man 's owne Soule and of other mens also Which labour whosoeuer doth seeke to decline and auoyd shall not onely be depriued of that felicity and of that most excellent Power and Pleasure but being damned to Hell shall there suffer eternall Punishments For thus doth our Lord speake Matth. 25. The vnprofitable seruāt cast you out into vtter darknes there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth And heer we are diligently to note obserue that the seruant in this place eondemed to such punishment is not called wicked or facinorous but vnprofitable only for admitting that a Bishop a Parish Priest or Prince or Magistrate or Father of a family or any other may be free frō other vices yet in this respect onely that he is vnprofitable that is he doth not procure and labour according to his power his owne health the health of others subiect vnto him in this respect I say he shall be cast out into vtter darknes where shal be weeping gnashing of teeth which shall neuer haue End And if the vnprofitable seruant shall suffer these insufferable calamities what portion then is allotted to the wicked seruant who is couetous malignant proud luxurious and wholy drowned in all kind of vices Yf the vnprofitable Seruāt be reiected what account and reckoning then must he who is wicked render to our Lord touching the talents deliuered vnto him Truly they who deepely intensly consider these things will not ambitiously seeke after Honour or Authority and if it be forcedly imposed vpon them let them euer watch with feare and trembling since they are to render a most exact and strict account for the soules committed vnto their Charge Of the great Supper CHAP. V. THe fift Parable which is in Luke 14. resembleth the felicity of the Saints to a Great Supper and this truly not without iust reason In a Great Nuptiall or Regall Supper all things are there found which may delight the Senses of men or which may shew the Power riches and glory of this World Truly King Assuerus who gouerned ouer an hundred twenty seauen Prouinces desiring in great vaunting to shew the riches and glory of his Kingdomes and the largenes of his power did not find a more fitting and conuenient meanes thereto then to make a most sumptuous and magnificent Banquet For first at a great supper the Eyes are delighted in the most costly furniture and hangings of the Place in the order of Officers in costly and courtlike Apparell in the golden and siluer plate wherin the Meate is serued The Eares are much delighted with melodious musicke The sense of smell is satisfyed with the odour of flowers of precious perfumes and with other things breathing forth fragrant and sweet smells The sense of Tast is rauished with the curious seasoning of the meates of all sorts and with delicious Wynes To conclude the sense of Touching is greatly contented with reposing vpon most soft and downy Beds Therfore at a Regall Supper all corporall goods do meet togeather in the greatest affluency this World can afford So as our Lord willing to represent that Felicity which comprehends in it self all sort of Goods would compare it to a Great Supper Of which Supper we also thus reade in the Apocalyps Blessed are they who are called to the supper of the marriage of the Lambe Apoc. 19. Furthermore the greatnes of that supper of our Lord may be knowne in that the Glory of all the glorified bodies shal be as it were the last Table vpon whome all delicates daintyes shall be placed Now the sweetnes of these Dainties is so great as that S. Peter once seeing the Body of our Lord to shine like to the Sunne said Matth. 17. It is good for vs to be heare And if the dainties of Banquets be of so great worth of what dignity then shall the substance of the supper be which is placed in the fruition of the Diuinity Finally All the goods of this vvorld are nothing els then as barks or huskes of the fruites of Paradise And if these husks be of that force as to enchant men with the loue and desire thereof what then are the fruites themselues able to worke in mens soules And if the fruites be of such Vertue what then may we conceaue the more solid and substantiall meates of this Great Supper to be Doubtlesly they shall be such as that they may be euer eaten and euer desired without any fastidious satiety Neither are we to imagine that there shal be a Supper in Heauen such as great Princes haue in the celebration of their Mariage seing in Heauen we shal be as the Angells are who neither marry nor feed on Meates necessary to the mantaining of a mortall life Therefore that Supper shal be full of riches full of delights full of Ornaments full of glory agreable to the