to the third Heauen Concer-a House the Sonne of God himselfe thus speaketh In my Fathers House there be many Mansions Ioan. 14. Touching a Citty these be the wordes of the Apostle You are come to the Citty of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem Hebr. 12. To conclude of the Kingdome of Heauen our Lord himselfe thus in S. Matthew 5. Beatipauperes spiritu c. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen And no other name through out the whole body of the Scripture is more frequently vsed then this of the Kingdome of Heauen The Place of the Saints in Heauen is called a Paradise because Heauen is a most pleasant place abounding withall spirituall delicacies But because some Men may coniectuâ—e that a Paradise is but a small Garden placed in some one corner of a House capable to receaue but few Men the Holy Ghost did adioyne in the Scripture the Word name of House because a Regall and Princely House is accustomed to be a great Pallace in which besides the Garden or Orchard there are certaaine open Halls or places of disport diuers Chambers and roomes of repose and retirement besides many others of different sort Now seeing a House notwithstanding it be great cannot containe many men therefore that wee should not thinke that they are but few who belong to the Kingdome of Heauen the Scripture doth annexe the Name of a Citty which vsually comprehendeth in it selfe many Orchards and many Pallaces of Pleasure But seeing S. Iohn writeth in the Apocalyps 7. of the nuÌ„ber of the Blessed Vidi turbam magnaÌ„ c. I saw a great multitude which no man could number And that there is no Citty which is capable of an innumerable multitude therefore the Holy Scripture vseth the name of a Kingdome and of the Kingdome of Heauen then which place no other throughout the whole Vniuersity of things created is more capacious But now againe to shew other reasons in warraÌ„t of the former foure different Appellations or Names Because in a most ample Kingdome there are many Men who neuer see nor know the Names of d uers inhabitaÌ„ts of the same Kingdome nor know not whether such Men are or haue an Existence or Being and also in that it is certaine that all the Blessed doe see and know one another and as friends conioyned in a strait bond of loue do familiarly conuerse among themselues therefore the Scripture as not being content with the Name of a Kingdome added the Name of a Citty giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that all those who doe dwell in that though most vast Kingdome are truly Citizens of the Saints and are so conioyned in familiarity among themselues as the Citizens of one small Citty are accustomed to be And that we may be further instructed that all those happy Men are not only the Citizens of the Saints but also the domesticke friends of God yea the Sonnes of God therefore the same Holy Ghost who had called it a Citty calleth it also a House To conclude in that all the Blessed in Heauen do enioy the same delights and pleasures in Heauen therfore is that place entituled by the Name of Paradise Thus these foure Wordes to wit a Kingdome a Citty a House a Paradise do signify one and the same thing And that Paradise heere mentioned is so spacious and large as that it may be truly called a House a Citty a Kingdome Therefore I haue heere determined to commit to Print whatsoeuer God shaâ—l vouchsafe to suggest and minister to me by way of meditation in the secret Closet of my soule of this most happy place And this first vn-the name of a Kingdome next vnder the name of a Citty then of a House and lastly of Paradise Towards the end of the discourse I will subioyne six other Names not of places but of things out of the Parables of our Lord to wit A Treasure hidden in a field A precious Pearle or Margarite The dayly Penny The ioy of our Lord A great supper And a regall or Princely mariadge As also two other Names out of the Apostle which are a Price or Reward and a Crowne so in all there shal be twelue distinct Considerations by the which the Eternall Felicity of the Saints is described in the sacred Scriptures OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Name or Title of the Kingdome of God THE FIRST BOOKE Of the Amplitude or largenesse of the Kingdome of God CHAP. I. OF what worth and dignity the doctrine of the Kingdome of Heauen is may partly be knowne in that our Heauenly Maister did begin his Sermons to his Auditory froÌ„ those words of Matth. 4. De pennance for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand And further in that he made the Kingdome of Heauen the Subiect of most of his Parables saying Matth. 13.18.20.21.22.25 The Kingdome of Heauen is resembled c. And after his Resurrection in the time of those fourty dayes before his Ascension appearing to his Disciples he discoursed of the Kingdome of Heauen as S. Luke doth witnesse in the Acts of the Apostles Therefore we see the beginning progresse and consummation or end of the speaches of Christ were euer of the Kingdom of HeaueÌ„ Now we in this place will not vndertake to dispute of all points touching the Kingdome of Heauen but only so farre forth as concernes the place and state of the Blessed Saints And first we will explicate why the place and state of the Saints is named in the holy Scriptures The Kingdome of Heauen Well then the Habitation of the Saints for seuerall respects is entitled The Kingdome of Heauen First because Heauen is a most ample Region and far more ample and large then the narrow limits euen of Mans thought can comprehend The whole Earth which is but a Pricke or Point in comparison of the highest Heauen doth containe so many and so great Kingdomes as that with difficulty they can be numbred Of what immensenesse and huge Vastnesse then shall that Kingdome be which is but one and yet dispersed and spread throughout the whole latitude and breadth of the Heauen of Heauens For the Kingâ—ome of Heauen doth not only containe through its owne capacity the Celestiall Region but also all this Vniuersity â—nd generall State of things For that supercelestiall Region as I may tearme it which is properly the Kingdome of Heauen is as it were the first Prouince of the Kingdome of God in which the chiefe Princes all which are the Sons of God doe reside and dwell The sâ—cond Prouince may be called Eternall in which the Stars are seated Which Starres though they be inanimate neuerthelesse they are so obedient and seruiceable to the will beck of their Creatour as that they may be well said to haue life and sense according to that of Ecclesiasticus Come and let vs adore the King to whom all things doâ— liue The third Prouince is that of the Aire wherein the Winds
and this not in Body but in Hart also as S. Gregory teacheth Past. l. 2 c. 6. more perspicuously S. Austin Ep. 109. saying Let Gouerment before men be in Honour with you but before God let it become euer prostrate to your feete Since euery one ought to belieue that all others are better then himselfe and therefore greater then himselfe For that man is truly and simply greater who is greater with God Now with God he is greater who is better and he is better who more excelleth in Vertue notwithstanding their Gouerment riches titles crownes or diademes Since they are Vertues not Prelacy Riches Honours and the like which make a man good And if Vertues do make man good then the greater Vertues he hath make him better and the most Vertues make him best and consequently they who are inuested with Vertues in a more high degree do the more excell others Now that Humility is one of these Great and prime Vertues appeareth from that our Lord giueth exaltation and aduancement to Humility in that so often by him repeated sentence Matth. 23. Euery one that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted Which sentence the Blessed Virgin followed in her Canticle Luc. 14. He hath deposed the mighty from their Seate and hath exalted the Humble In like sort S. Peter saying 1 Pet. 5. Be you humbled vnder the mâ—ghty hand of God that he may exalt you in the day of Visitation And S. Iames cap. 4. Be you humbled in the sight of God that he may exalt you And to conclude S Paul Philip. 2. thus speaketh of Christ himselfe He hath humbled himselfe for which thing God hath exalted him Now because Vertues and especially Charity and Humility do make men truly Good before God and so proportionably better and best of all And because no man knoweth certainly how he stands in the sight of God and how he now is or others are or hereafter may be therefore it is dangerous to prefer himselfe before others and most profitable to humble himselfe after others Therefore our Lord absolutly pronounceth Sit downe in the lowest place But who is he thâ— obserueth our Lords Precept herâ— For about vvhat matter is there greater contention and distast among men then about Precedency of place And what paynes do men take who labour to reduce to peace and friendshâ—p such as contend about Points of Honouâ— â—ovv may haue we heard alledging that sentence of Scripture Isa 4 or rather vsurping it I will not giue my Glory to another But let such remember that the Prophet speaketh these words in the Person of Almighty God to whom alone Glory iustly agreeth For God alone ought not to be humble since Humility is a Vertue which bridleth the desires of a man and will not suffer him to ascend aboue himselfe But God who is most high hath nothing aboue him Therefore it is an insufferable pryde that a poore Worme of the Earth dare contest and say I will not giue my glory to another And yet we may obserue that these poore Wormes vvhom winde and pryde do so puff vp as that they say with God I will not giue my Honour to another do neuerthelesse so debase and cast themselues â—â—wne as that confessedly they beâ—â—â—â—e thrall and slaues to Honour I meane to a wyndy estimation consisting in the breath of othâ—r men And thus they do so faythfulâ—y serue this their Lord or rather Idoll as that they rather chuse in â—ingle fight or Duellisme to be cruelly slayne and so by desceÌ„ding to Hell to loose both eternal and temporall life then that their Honour should suffer any dispargement forsooth or disgrace from them O Vanity of Vanities and how wonderfully doth this smoake of Honour blind the eyes of the soule And yet notvvithstanding this we are Christians and vve know that Christ himselfe did heare from the mouths of his Enemyes these ensuing reproaches Behould a man that is a glutton and a Wine-drinker Matth. 11. And againe Thou art a Samaritane and hast a Deuill Ioan. 8. And more He casteth forth Deuills in Belzebub the Prince of Deuills And yet in answere to all this no man did heare from the mouth of our Lord this Word Thou liest or the like But what was the reason hereof to wit because he was meeke and humble of Hâ—rt and when he was reuiled did not reuyle and when he suffered he threatned not As S. Peter sayth 1 Pet. 2. Now from these Points aboue discussed it appeareth that the Gate of Eternall life is encompassed with great straites and penetrable but vnto few and this no lesse in regard of Humility then of the Theologicall Vertues Fayth Hope and Charity And therefore if it be demanded whether They be few that are saued it may most truly be replyed That they are but few because there are but few who as they ought to doe do labour with all their force and endeauour to enter by the strait way of that Heauenly Gate A second Discourse of Fayth which is the first Part of the Gate of the House of God CHAP. X. TO the end that we may not be thought through ouer much terrour and feare to auert men froÌ„ their entrance into this Gate since our only drift and scope throughout this booke is to inflame the minds of the faythfull to desire and seeke after our most sweet and most blessed Country I will therefore briefly shew that that Gate which by reason of the eminency and perfection of the former vertues is most narrow strait may also through the Omnipotency truth and mercy of God be sayd to be most wyde and large and easy for entrance if so a man do truly desyre to enter thereinto And that we may beginne with Fayth True it is that fayth teacheth Articles and Points most hard far transcending all sense and reason and farre aduanced aboue the naturall capacity euen of the Angells yet when we are admonished by fayth it selfe that we are to belieue those points or spâ—â—â—lations through the authority of God who cannot lye of Angels or of men then the straytnes of this Port of Gate begins to be delated and enlarged If Fayth should command say Belieue that there are three Persons and one God belieue that the Sonne of God is made the Sonne of a Virgin belieue that Christ did rise after three dayes from the dead by his own vertue and power after being immortall And belieue all these things most firmely and vndoubtedly because S. Peter S. Paul S. Iohn Isay Ieremy Ezechiel haue deliuered these points for true I should without doubt wauer and rest doubtfull therein neither could I be easily induced to giue crediâ— thereto only for the authority of Men lyke vnto my selfe Because it is written Psal 115 Euery man is a lyar and therefore so many Oaths Sureties are exacted that we may credit men But whereas Fayth sayth All these former articles of beliefe God hath first reuealed and that neyther Peter nor
good Theefe hanging with him vpon the Crosse Luc. 23. To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise For by the vvord Paradise our Sauiour did vnderstand the Kingdome of Heauen and essentiall Beatitude For when the Theefe had said O Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome our Lord promising to him the participation of his Kingdome did answere To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The same is also witnessed by S. Paul when he said 2. Cor. 12. I know a man in Christ rapt euen to the third Heauen he was rapt into Paradise S. Iohn doth witnesse the same in his Apocalyps cap. 2. where he bringeth in our Lord thus speaking To him that ouercommeth I will giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of my God Now from these passages of Scripture it is euident that the Region of the Blessed is a place of delight and Pleasure Furthermore when our Lord said to the good and faythfull seruant Math. 25. Enter into the ioy of thy Lord doth he not most openly declare the House of God or the City of God to the which all the good and faythfull Seruants are admitted after their passing out of this world to be a place of Ioy And where in many places be compareth the Kingdome of Heauen to a Supper as in Luc. 14. A certaine mâ—n made a great supper And againe cap. 22. where he sayth And I dispose to you as my Father disposed to me a kingdome that you may eate and drinke vpon my Table in my kingdome To conclude in the Apocalyps â—t is said cap. 19. Blessed are they who are called to the supper of the Mariage of the Lambe Certainly the Scripture by the Metaphor of a supper signifieth delectation and pleasure except we will maintayne that in the sense of Tasting there is no pleasure And we may annex hereto that in the Gospell and in the Apocalips the Kingdome of Heauen is compared to a Regall or Princely Supper as is euident out of that King VVho made a mariage for his sonne and out of the Parable of the Wise foolish Virgins of which the Wise Virgins did enter with the Bridegroome to the Mariage but the Foolish Virgins were shut out We also fynd in the Apocalyps many things to be spoken of the Mariage of the Lambe in the Kingdome of Heauen being celebrated with all magnificent preparation Furthermore the felicity of the Saints is compared to Princely Mariages at what tyme all kind of pleasures almost are enioyed of which point we are further to discourse in the next ensuing Booke To conclude S. Iohn in the Apocalyps did see a Company of Virgins who did follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he went and did sing a new song which no others could sing Which place S. Austin expoundeth of certaine holy ioyes and pleasures which the Virgins either men or Women do enioy His words are these You shall bring to the Mariage of the Lambe a new song which you shall sing vpon your Citherns that is you shall sing prayses in your Harts not such as the whole Earth singeth but such as not any can sing but your selues Aug. de sancta Virgin c. 27. And then after Whither may we thinke this Lambe will goe Where none shal be able or dare to follow him but your selues Whither may we thinke him to goe into what gardens or other pleasant places Thither I belieue where the grasse is ioyes not the vayne ioyes of this VVorld being but lying Madnes neither the ioyes which are graunted in the kingdome of God to others not being Virgins but they are ioyes distinguished from all other kind of ioyes And then againe a little after The rest of the multitude of the faithfull shall see you which cannot follow this Lambe They shall see but the shall not enjoy and reioycing with you that which they haue not in themselues they shall haue in you for they shall not be able to sing that new song peculiar to you but they shal be able to heare it and to be delighted in your great delight But you who shall both sing and heare this new song because in that you shall sing it you shall heare it you shall with more felicity exult or reioyce and with more pleasure reigne ibid. c. 29. Thus from all aboue expressed it is manifest that in the Heauenly Kingdome and City or House there be many true Ioyes and most true and most great Pleasures Of the Ioy of the Vnderstanding CHAP. II. SEing aboue we haue proued out of the Holy Scripture that there are true Ioyes in the Kingdome of Heauen we wiâ—l now explicate what those Ioyes be And first we will vndertake to shew what the Ioyes of the Vnderstanding VVill and Memory be all which do belong to the spirit or soule next what the ioyes of the seuerall senses be which do appertaine vnto the Body VVe do not intenâ— herby to maintayne that the Vnderstanding the Memory and the sâ—nses of the Body are the proper seats of Ioy for we are not ignorant that Ioy as also desire do properly beloÌ„g to the will in the superiour part and to the Appetite in the inferiour But we heare speake as men do vulgarly speak who forbeare not to say that the Eye is delighted with the beauty of Colours and the Eare with sweetnes of sounds Therefore we vnderstand by the Ioy of the mynd or of the Memory or of the Externall senses a delectation or pleasure which a man taketh from those things which either he doth vnderstand or remember or which he doth draw from the externall senses The first Ioy then of the Blessed shal be to see with the eyes of the mind God euen face to face as S. Paul speaketh and as S. Iohn sayth to see him as he is Now how great a Ioy this wil be we may in part coniecture in that the Prophet Isay and the Apostle do witnes that it exceedeth all the Ioyes which any maÌ„ hath either seene heard desired or euer imagined The eye hath not seene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entred into the harâ— of man what things God hath prepared for them that loue him Isa 64. 1. Cor. 2 For the Scripture here speaketh of the chiefe and Essentiall Beatitude or Happines which is placed in the vision and sight of God himselfe according to that saving of our Lord Matth. 5 Blessâ—d are the cleane of Hart for they shall see God And This is life euerlasting that they know thee the only true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. And truly there semeth in the former VVords a great amplification to wit That no man hath either seene or heard or desired or thought what kind of ioy consisteth in the Vision of God Notwâ—thstanding it is no amplification but a simple Truth because the Eyes the eares and the harts of men are accustomed to perceaue only ioyes that haue end but the Vision of God is
preserued no tongue is able to expresse with what radiant splendour light those most holy impressions shall shyne seing all the glory of Saints compared to the Glory of Christ is lesse then the Beauty of the starrs with reference to the Beauty of the sunne But now what shall I speake of the Pleasures which the Eyes of the Blessed shall take in behoulding that most spacious and large City which Tobias and S. Iohn as aboue we haue proued as not hauing Words worthy inough to set out and proclaime its beauty said That it was all made of gould and garnished with rich Iewels Margarites and other precious stones Tob. 13. Apoc. 21. What lastly may I say of the New Heauen and the New Earth the which the Holy Scriptures do promise to vs after the day of Iudgment and of the renouation of all things into a better state For these things as they are vnknowne to vs so they shall delight the Eyes of the Blessed with a new and admirable ioy when their Beauty shall begin to be seene Of the Ioy of the Eares CHAP. VI. THat the sense of Hearing and the Instruments of speach shal be in the Kingdome of Heauen no man may doubt For the Bodies of the Blessed shal be true and liuing Bodies and in euery part perfect And such was the Body of Christ after his Resurrection as all the Apostles many disciples and others haue testified For they did heare him speake and he did answere to their demaunds And S. Paul himself did heare Christ speaking to him from Heauen he answered to Christ hearing him That there shal be Canticles and songs and chiefly of that Word Alleluia the aforesaid Toby and S. Iohn do witnes From hence then we may gather that in that Heauenly City there shall not be wanting many most sweet Sonnets with the which God may be praysed and the Blessed eares of Holy men may be wonderfully delighted And if these things ought to be performed in proportion and measure thē doubtlesly those songs ought to be the more sweet harmonious by how much the singers shal be more skilfull and he that is praysed more noble and sublime the place where the Musicke is made more high and the Company or presence of the Auditours more intelligent and in greater number What consolation therefore will it be in that most high peace and in the concord of soules and in that ardour and heate of Charity towards their supreme Benefactour to heare the most cleare voyces of those which shall sing Alleluia If S. Francis as S. Bonauenture hath left written was so rapt and moued at the sound of a Citherne played vpon but a very short tyme by an Angell as that he thought himselfe to haue beene in a new World what delights then shall our Eares enioy when millions of musitians with most concordant and sweet voyces shall with full accord and consent prayse God and other Millions with like melody and feruour shall many tymes repeate the said Prayses And perhaps in that Heauenly Citty not only the prayses of God shal be celebrated with Musicall voyces but also the Triumphs of Martyrs the Honour of Confessours the Glory of Virgins and the victories of all the Saints against the Deuill shal be extolled with Celestiall Musicke For we thus read Eccl. 31. Who is proued therein and perfect shall haue eternall Glory He that could transgresse and hath not transgressed and do Euill and hath not done it therfore are his good things established in our Lord and all the Church of Saints shal declare his Almes Although this may be vnderstood of the prayses of mortall men in the militāt Church here vpon Earth yet withall it may be meant of the immortall Citizens and of the triumphant Church in Heauen Since there the Saints shall haue truly eternall glory and that is truly and properly the Church of Saints And whereas our Lord in the Gospell sayth that the faythfull and prudent seruants shal be praysed of God in the Heauenly Kingdome Matth. 28. Well farre thee good and faythfull seruant because thou hast beene faythfull ouer a few things I will place thee ouer many things Enter into the ioy of thy Lord Why may we not thinke that those words of our Lord shal be celebrated with the singing of the whole Celestiall Court shall againe and againe be most sweetly repeated Certainly the Catholike Church doubted not thus to speake of S. Martin Martinus hic pauper modicus diues Caelum ingreditur hymnis caelestibus honoratur Martin being but poore and temperate did enter into Heauen rich and is honored with Celestiall Hymnes To conclude S. Austin affirmeth the same point in expresse Words l. 22. de Ciu. c. 30. saying There shal be true glory where no man shal be praysed through the errour or adulation of the Prayser True Honour which shall not be conferred vpon any not worthy Neither shall any vnworthy seeke after that Honour where none but he that is worthy shall be permitted to be O therefore thrice Happy Soules who in that place where all flattery is banished and exiled and no lye is found to be shall heare their owne Prayses and Trophees to be celebrated without danger of Pryde but not without increase of ioy and comfort Of the Ioy of the sense of smelling CHAP. VII TOuching the other senses litle is to be said not in that they want their great Pleasures but because what Pleasures those shal be the Holy Scripture hath not declared Neuerthelesse this is euident to vs that many Bodies of Holy Saints haue after their deaths braathed out a most sweet Odour This S. Ierome testifieth of the Body of S. Hilarion For he affirmeth that ten Months after the Body was interred it was found entyre as if it were then liuing and did cast from it such a fragrant smel as if it had beene imbalmed with sweet oyntments The like doth S. Gregory witnes of the body of S. Seruulus the Palsey-man His words are these l. 4. Dial. c. 14. The soule departing such a fragrancy of smell did rise as that all there present were replenished with incredible sweetnes And a litle after Till the Body was buried the sweetnes of that smell did not depart from their Noses Neither are there wanting many other such like Examples both of former later tymes from all which we may gather that if the Bodies of the dead Saints after the Soule is glorifyed do send forth such sweet smells then much more the liuing and glorifyed Bodies of the saints shall breath forth a most delicious and sweet Odour I will adioyne hereto that which the said S. Gregory relateth of the liuing and most glorious Body of our Sauiour Thus he writeth lib. 4. c. 16. hom 38. sup Euang. Tarsilla the Virgin then looking vp sow Iesus comming and suddenly there was as it were sprinkled such a fragrancy of a wounderful Odour as that the sweetnes therof did assure all that
and eatth and what is therein contayned belong to the riches of the Saints for what do not they possesse who are the heyres of God the coheyres of Christ Rom. 8. And whome the Father will constitute the heyres of all things Heb. 1. There now remayneth to speake of Pleasure Certainly the pleasure which the celestiall Kings enioy is most pure and cleare not contaminated with any drosse of griefe or dolour For we haue aboue learned out of the Apocalyps c. 21. that God shall wype away euery teare from their eyes and that they shall not suffer any more lamentation But touching Pleasure we shal enlarge our selues more in discourse hereafter when we treate of Paradise Now it is euident from what we haue aboue deliuered that the goods of the Kingdome of Heauen shal be common to all the Saints and Blessed and that they are of that worth as that they cannot brooke any comparison with the goods of this world especially since all terrene goods are temporary but celestiall goods euerlasting How much earthly Kingdomes are prized by Men and how much the Kingdome of Heauen ought to be esteemed CHAP. VI. NOw let vs a little obserue with what vehemency and heate of endeauour are earthly Kingdomes desired and sought after by men though they be vncertaine small in their own nature and euen fraught with infinite feare and sollicitudes that from thence we may gather with what a thirsty desire ardour the Kingdome of Heauen ought to be sought after The greedines of Domination Rule doth incomparably exceed all other humane desires Since a Kingdome is not one only particular good but it is a massing or heaping togeather of all the goods which may be desired of men For there is Power Honour Riches pleasure as is aboue sayd There also is found a liberty of liuing after ones owne will which is incident gratefull not only to men but also to beasts There is also a supereminency and as it were a certaine Diuinity in respect whereof Kings haue no Equals in the Kingdome but are aboue all command all and are worshipped of all And hence it riseth that when Kings wil promise any thing of greatnes they are often accustomed out of a glorious boasting of their owne sublimity and height to promise the halfe of their Kingdome Thus we read of Assuerus in Hester cap. 5. VVhat dost thou desire to be giuen thee c. Though thou aske the halfe of my Kingdome thou shalt obtaine And in lyke fort of Herod to the daughter of Herodias Mar. 6. VVhatsoeuer thou askest I will giue thee though the halfe of my Kingdome And from this grouÌ„d it riseth that for the obtayning of a Kingdome men hould it lawfull to peruert all lawes and right neyther do they thinke any thing so sacred and holy which they may not violate to satisfy their thirst of raigning Ninus was the first Man who prouoked his friends and neighbours by vniust warres that by that meanes whether right or wrong he might enlarge his Empire as S Austin relateth out of Iustin lib. 4. de Ciuit. c. 6. Maximinus the Thracian hauing receaued many and great benefits from Alexander the Emperour notwithstanding caused him to be slayne by his owne Souldiers that therby he might succeed in the Empyre The lyke facinorous and vnheard of act did Philip of Arabia commit vpon Gordianus his Lord and Emperour Neither this vnquenchable lust of raigning hath caused men to wash their hands in the bloud only of their Neighbours and Benefactours but also of their Brethren Nephews yea their owne Father Romulus killed Remus his brother and Caracalla Geta his brother and both through desire of raigning Athalia depriued of lyfe all the nephews of Ochozias King that herselfe might after gouerne the sterne as we read in the 4. Booke of Kings cap. 11. Thus we see that this greedines of Soueraingty inciteth not only men but euen women to commit most flagitious crymes Sinochus the Persian procured the murdering of Cosdroas his Father and Medarses his brother that himselfe alone might sway the Gouernment Yea which is more the Mother of Nero hauing receaued answere from the Astrologers that the Sonne should reigne but the mother should perish is reported to haue said Interimat dum imperet Let Nero be the cause of my death so that himself may raigne So much did this ambitious Woman affect that her Sonne should gouerne as that in respect therof she nothing pryzed her owne lyfe Neyther doth this insatiable honger of raygning and gouerning make Iniustice only to seeme iust and ouercome the loue vvhich men vse to beare to Brethren Nephews and Parents but withall it maintayneth that euen any religious oath is to be violated for that end which act of Religion was euer houlden most sacred in all Countryes and was thought most fit to be kept euen by the most fierce and cruell Souldiers though with dangers of life And according to this if we may belieue Cicero Iulius Caesar had euer in his mouth those verses of Euripides Si iusiurandum violandum est regnandi causa violandum est in caeteris pietatem colas If an Oath be to be broken it is to be broken for gouernment sake in other respects thou oughtst to keep it religiously Cic. l. 3. de Off. I pretermit infinit examples demonstrating that in all ages nothing hath been so much esteemed as a Kingdome though the Kings do not raigne long and though the Kingdomes also do in a short tyme come to vtter ruine and dissolution whereas the Kingdome of the Saints in Heauen shal be established for all Eternity Heare the Prophet Daniel of this point say cap. 2. In these dayes of those Kingdomes the God of Heauen will raise vp a Kingdome that shall not be dissipated for euer and his Kingdome shall not be deliuered vp to another People and it shal breake in peeces and consume all other Kingdomes and it selfe shall stand for euer This Prophesy is to be accomplished in the consummation and end of the world at what tyme not only greater monarchies but also lesser Kingdomes and Magistracies and power of temporall Princes shall vanish away and resolue to smoake the Kingdome of Christ and his Saints shall remaine euerlasting according to that of the Angell Et regni eius non erit finis and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Luc. 1. Now if a Kingdome which is to continue but for a moment which of its one Nature is weake and vncertaine which belongeth but to few and which standeth obnoxious and subiect to many anxieties and troubles be so â—rdently loued and sought after be to be preferred before all other things yea to be acquired and obtained by slaughter and great effusion of bloud what is then the cause why so few do loue the Kingdome of Heauen but most negligently and carelesly doe sleight it And neuerthelesse it is euident if we belieue the Sacred Scriptures that this Kingdome of Heauen
Prophet Psal 132. O how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell in one For what greater consolation and comfort can be imagined to a man then to conuerse with innumerable Angels with men of all degrees eyther superiour equall and inferiour to him and he to be beloued of them all with most sincere affectioÌ„ as a brother to be vsed as a brother imbraced entertained as a brother Of the greatnes and Beauty of the House of God CHAP. II. ANother reason for which the Habitations of the Saints is called a House may be taken from that Houses especially the houses of Kings haue many ornaments in their Hals in their BedchaÌ„bers in other withdrawing roomes which the rest of the Citty doth want For who can recouÌ„t the Arras Tapestry precious vestmeÌ„ts plate of Gold and Siluer with the which the Palaces of Kings do glitter and shine Neither are these interiour ornaments only of great worth and pryce but also the externall and outward building it selfe is accustomed to be most admirable for the goodly marble stately Pillars guilded Porches hanging gardens and such other delicacies which is ouer long to relate Salomon King of Ierusalem after he had built a Temple to our Lord with such cost and charges as was fitting did make a Pallace for himselfe with such profuse cost as that he spent thirteene yeares in the building of it although he had many Maisters and Ouerseers of the whole Fabricke and had at hand with small labour great store of precious and curious marble and other stones and abundance of Cedar-trees And not with lesse charge and magnificence did he erect a Pallace for his vvife being the daughter of the King of Egypt so sumptuous as it seemed incredible Therefore when the Sacred Scripture calleth that Habitation the House of God which in other passages therof it calleth the Citty of God and the Kingdome of Heauen it seemeth to insinuate that all that Citty and Kingdome is as resplendent and glorious as any Regall house or Pallace For as we haue learned aboue out of the Prophet Baruch the House of God is of that largenesse and extension as that it is able to comprepend and containe the whole Kingdome of Heauen It seemed a little aboue a thing worthy of admiration if any whole Kingdome should appeare to be of that splendour and fayrenesse with which its chiefe Citty is adorned Who then will not rest astonished â—â—en he shall thinke that the whole Kingdome of Heauen is styled the House of God in that it is all stately all fayre all precious as beseemeth the House of God to be Therefore with good reason did the Prophet Dauid burst forth into those words Psal 83. My soule euen coueteth and fainteth vnto the Courts of our Lord. For who doth not thirstingly desire to see and possesse a most noble Kingly house which in its spacious greatnesse may equall any Kingdome As on the contrary to see and enioy a most ample and large Kingdome which for ornaments splendour and magnificence may contend and compare with any Princely house or Pallace Neither would our soule only desire the fruition of such a House such a Kingdom if attentiuely it did thinke thereof and confidently belieue the same but it would be wholy absorpt and euen faint and transgresse its owne limits through the incredible beauty and worth of so great a matter But alas we who lie vpon the ground and are become thrall to temporalities and earthly things and doe admire so much what we here see doe little busy our thoughts with inuisible matters we bearing our selues herein like to little children who neuer going out of their Fathers house doe so loue that poore Cottage as that they neuer once thinke of the Pallaces of Kings In like sort we imitate herein the Countrey-pesants who neuer saw any Citty but are busied in tilling their ground and in repayring their poore wodden and clayie house neuer thinking on Pallaces Towers Theaters Honours dignities increasing of siluer chargeable banquets and the like And perhapps these Rusticks and Children are more happy then many rich Cittizens and great Princes because those things which are in this world much prized and highly esteemed are commonly attended on with more anxiety care and danger then with solid profit and dignity But the goods which are in that Heauenly house of our Father are inestimable neither are they accoÌ„panied with any sollicitude discontent or perill but are exempted from all griefe and molestation and this not for any short time but for all Eternity Therefore S. Paul who was neither a Ch ld nor a Rusticke and who well knew the goods and commodities of this worâ—d for he was a man most learned and conuersed with most wise men He also had beene in the House of God and had perused and viewed the Heuenly Citty as being rapt into the third Heauen doth thus speake of himselfe 2. Cor. 4. VVe not considering the things which are seene but which are not seene for the things that are seene are temporall but the things that be not seene are eternall And againe Phil. 3. Our conuersation is in Heauen And according hereto he exhorteth vs all Colloss 3. To seeke the things which are aboue where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God And to mind the things which are aboue not the thinges which are vpon the Earth Of the Dyning Chamber of the House of God CHAP. III. ANother reason why that which is cal ed a Citty and a Kingdome is also called the House of God may be taken from those words of our Lord Ioan. 14. In my Fathers House there be many mansions Thus we see that in Houses there be Chambers or Partours to dine and sup in Chambers also for men to take their repose and sleepe Halles and other spacious roomes for the exercise of seuerall Actions which out of the House are not accustomed to be done But to begin with the Great Chamber as I may say or place of Refection Certainly there is a place in the House of our Lord in which all the Saints are not only fed wâ—th Princely viands but which is wonderfull and scarcely credible were it not that the Holy Ghost teacheth vs so much where the King himselfe shal be girded and prepared to minister and serue the Table For thus doth our Lord himself speake Luc. 12. Blessed are those seruants whome when our Lord commeth he shal find watching Verily I say vnto you that he will gird himselfe and make them sit downe and will come forth minister vnto them What kind of baÌ„quetting House is this Who euer heard of the lyke The Lord standeth the seruant sitteth downe the Lord is girded that without any hinderance or let he may wayte The Seruant is vngirded that so more freely and coÌ„modiously he may sit at Table The Lord goeth vp and downe to bring in and serue the meates The Seruant quietly feedeth vpon those Princely viands O if we
and auoyding of euerlasting Ardours 4. There followeth the Fourth Paine of Hel to wit a gnawing VVorme which worme Esay the Prophet and S. Marke the Euangelist do reckon vp among the other torments of Hell Esay his words are these ca. 66. Their worme shall not dye and their fyre shall not be extinguished VVhich sentence our Lord disputing in S. Marke cap. 9. of the Paynes of Hell doth thrice repeate saying VVhere the worme dieth not and the fyer is not extinguished And truly S. Basill affirmeth that this VVorme is to be Corporall to wit a kind of worme casting out venome deuouring the flesh insatiably eating without saturity through gnawing causeth intollerable paynes Notwithstanding S. Austin with more probability teacheth that the fyre which is not extinguished belongeth to the Body and the Worme which dyeth not appertaines to the Soule which Sentence the Deuines do commonly follow Therefore this Worme which neuer dyeth is a guilty Conscience of sinne which as a mad and raging dog is euer barking and as a venomous worme euer gnawing For it alwayes calleth to mind how imprudently and foolishly a maÌ„ hath carryed himselfe by losing the kingdome of Heauen for the gaine of some most base and earthly Pleasure and by buying the most sordid and short delight of the flesh with the price of suffering the intollerable torments of Hell Truly here in this life we do mitigate and as it were ease the like reprehension of a barking Conscience by seuerall meanes as one while by sleeping another while by reading or doing of some other Worke But in Hell where there shal be no rest of sleepe no reading no operation or working that worme of Conscience both day and night without any intermission shal gnaw the very bowells of the soule and the soule shall euen fret against â—t selfe euen withering away without finding any ease or repose For thus shall those wicked soules say and discourse with themselues O that goulden tyme now is past and shall neuer returne O blynd fooles thâ—t we were VVho hath thus depriued vs of all Vnderstanding Who hath closed our eyes Who hath shut vp and stopped our eares so as we did neuer once thinke of these present paines and torments And yet there haue not men beene wanting who haue admonished vs both by their publike priuate exhortations What do those thinges which the deceitfull World did afford and proffer now aduantage vs that for them we should prouoke so terrible a God to wrath and indignation But if the VVorld had proffered vs Kingdomes and Empyres accompanied with all Affluency Riches and Delectations and that it had beene lawfull for vs to haue enioyed them for the space of many thousands of yeares could the fruition of all this stand in any equall ballance with these our paines and torments which are to endure for all Eternity O no Seing then 〈◊〉 Kingdomes and Empyres to continue any long tyme but only are empty shadows of a most bitter and short Pleasure the world hath afforded vs who hath thus cruelly enchaunted and bewitched vs that we should neuer till this present cast an eye vpon our most Calamitous state but euer reiect and sleight the wholesome counsell and aduice giuen to vs by others These and the like words shall those wretched Catiffes whose worme shall not dye nor fyre be extinguished breath out and repeate againe and againe but without any ease or least mitigation 5. The Fift Payne of Hell are those Bonds with the which the Reprobat being fast tyed shackled cannot moue themselues for thus we remember our Lord speaking in the Gospell of that man who was found without his wedding garment to say Bind him hand and foot and cast him into vtter darknes Matth. 22. And the same thing doth the Apostle S. Iude write in his Epistle of the wicked Angells when he sayth The Angels which kept not their Principality he hath reserued vnder darknes in eternall bondes This tying or binding of hands and feete signifieth no other thing but that the Reprobate in Hell shall not haue faculty and power to walke or moue whither they will but shall for euer remayne in one and the same place And certainly if liberty were giuen to the Inhabitants of Hel to rest and be eased of their torments it were perhaps tollerable still to remaine and stay in one place but when they shal be on ech syde pricked with the bitings of wormes and tormented with the flames of Fyre it shal be most insupportable to them when they see they cannot stir or moue a hand or foote What paines do sicke men endure when they are vexed with but burning feuers and cannot moue themselues How cruell a torment did the impiety of the Gentils excogitate vvhen they did expose Marcus Aretusius the Martyr fast bound naked to the sunne being annointed all ouer with honny and his hands tyed that so the bitings of the VVaspes and the flies the which he could neither by remouing out of his place nor with his hands driue away might more afflict him S. Gregory Nazianzen orat 1. in Iulian relateth this passage to shew how far the subtilty and craft of the Deuill did extend it selfe in torturing of Martyrs But the shortnes of the tyme in which he was forced to endure this vexation and the eternity of ioy which he was after to haue in Heauen did comfort this Martyr And perhaps that saying of the Apostle among his paines might occur vnto his mind This our Tribulation which for the present is momentary and light worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of Glory in vs. 2. Cor. 4. But alas the miserable soules in Hell who are to be bewayled with a whole fountaine of teares and whom their owne wickednes hath thrust and detruded into that vnfortunate Place being bound hand and foote and set open to the bitings of the wormes and to the incendious fyrebrands can neither driue away the VVormes nor put by the Heate nor procure any relaxation of those torments much lesse any comfort and this for all Eternity 6. The sixt torment of the damned shal be the Society and daily accompanying of the Deuill and his Angells For thus doth our Sauiour speake in the Ghospell Matth. 25. Get you away from me you cursed into euerlasting fyre which was prepared for the Deuill and his Angells The which thing we also read in the Apocalyps cap. 20. the words are these And the Deuill which seduced them was cast into a lake of fyre and brimstone where both the Beast and the false Prophet shal be tormented day and night And a litle after is aided that all those are to be sent to that Lake of fyre and brimstone vvho are not writteÌ„ in the Booke of Life Neither only the sacred Scripture which alone were sufficient but also the holy Fathers do vnanimously teach the same to wit S. Basill S. Austin S. Bernard and many others Now how great a punishment it is for
euer to remayne dwell with most cruell Enemyes who do persecute mankind with such a deadly hate and who for their Hate and Malice are compared in the Scriptures to Lyons Dragons Serpents and Basilisks it is easy to iudge It is a great part of the felicity of the Saincts to be daily conuersant and in the company of the holy Angels who are many in number friends among themselues and shyning with the splendour of all wisdome and vertue Therefore by the same reason it shal be no small vnfortunatnes and misery of the Reprobate continually to remaine in the company and sight of vncleane Spirits who are many enemies to man and most deformed and vgly 7. 8. VVherefore it is no wonder if the VVicked in the lowest depth of Hell do daily weepe and gnash with their teeth the which are the two last paines of the damned according to the words of our Lord The Children of the kingdome shal be cast out into exteriour darknes there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth And againe Depart from me all you workers of Iniquity there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth And more Those that worke iniquity he shall cast into the furnace of fyer there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth And yet more Bind him hand and foot and cast him into vtter darknes there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth To conclude in another place we thus reade The vnprofitable seruant cast you out into vtter darknesse there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Not without iust cause did our Lord so often repeate this sentence to wit that by the frequent iteration thereof as a most vvholesome verity it might be more firmely printed in the hart of Men. Since continuall weeping and euerlasting gnashing of the teeth do as it were in an Epilogue and closure of all containe and comprehend all the torments of Hell For weeping discouereth dolour or griefe and gnashing of the teeth sheweth horrour both which do rise from the losse of Beatitude from the broyling fyre from the gnawing VVorme from a darksome Prison and to conclude from the cohabitation of infernall Beasts Therfore the Reprobate who here on earth will not bewayle their sinnes but for a short tyme shall hereafter inconsolably bewayle them for all eternity And because they would not haue a horrour of offending their Creatour in this World as they ought to haue had they shall haue in Hell a perpetuall Horrour of the incredible acerbity of their paines The Apostle did cry out It is horrible to fall into the hands of the liuing God Hebr. 10. but they were before deafe to this voyce now they shall testify the truth of it â—ith the gnashing of their teeth All these things are written for â—ur good who yet are in the vvay of Heauen or Hell Those wretches who â—re arriued at their End can haue no â—ope of health though they should eâ—uall the waters of the mayne Ocean with teares of Pennance Wherefore â—O Christian soule now vse the price â—nd worth of Teares whiles they are of force and whiles they are acceptaâ—le to our Lord God Do not expect and â—ayte for tyme since Time will not waiâ—e for thee Obserue how many are â—arried and snatched away to Hell â—hrough sudden death who if they would haue bewailed and lamented â—heir sinnes and haue had a horrour of Hell when tyme was they should not haue beene at this present in that place where weeping and gnashing of â—eeth that is euerlasting Horrour â—oth inhabitate and dwell FINIS