on forward By how much a man draweth more neare to the Prize by so much he better knoweth the greatnes of the Prize which greatnes inspireth strength and causeth that a man though spent tired out do not intermit his Course Whosoeuer therefore aspireth to the Celestiall Prize let him not depart or decline from the race of the Precepts of our Lord let him run ardently and constantly and he being Vnited with Christ by true Fayth and Charity let him neuer turne the Eye of his Hart from the Pryze it selfe Of the Crowne CHAP. VIII THe last Name or Appellation of eternall Felicity is the Crowne of Iustice of which Crowne the Apostle speaketh thus in the same place where he speaketh of the Prize saying 1. Cor. 9. Euery one that striueth for the Maistry refraineth himselfe from al things that he may receaue a corruptible Crowne but we an incorruptible Neither can it be heere doubted whether by the word Agon the Maistry Race or Course may be vnderstood So as this similitude should be the same with the former or rather that a conflict or conteÌ„tion be to be vnderstood thereby Now those words a litle after following do demonstrate that by the word Maistry a Fight or Contention is meant to vvit I therfore do so runne not as it were at an Vncertaine thing do so fight not as it were beating the ayre The same do those words of the Apostle shew 2. Tim. 4. I haue fought a good fight I haue consummated my Course I haue kept the Fayth concerning the rest there is laid vp for me a Crowne of Iustice. For in both S. Paul distinguisheth a Course from a Fight vsing in the one the name of Brauium in the other the name of Corona which two words are in sense euidently distinct and diuerse Certainly by the name of a Crowne eternall felicity is signifyed which by the Apostle is called 2. Tim. 4. The Crowne of Iustice because it is giuen as a Reward for workes proceeding from Iustice With S. Iames it is styled Corona vita Iac. 1. in that it coÌ„taineth euerlasting lyfe With S. Peter An incorruptible Crown 1. Pet. 5. seeing it comprehendeth in it selfe the splendour and beauty of Eternall Honour To conclude in Esay God himselfe is sayd to be heereafter A Crowne of glory to the residue of his People Esa 18. From which place of Scripture we are to vnderstand that the Crowne whereof S. Paul speaketh and which is allotted for the OuercoÌ„merrs or Maisters in the fight is most honourable most sublime since God himself vouchsafeth to be the crowne encompassing adorning and glorifying the heads of the residue of his People that is of those few of his People who in their spirituall Warre haue become victorious For as often I haue sayd out of the testimonies of the Scripture Many are called but few elected and at the day of Iudgement the Crowne of the Saints shall so much the more become glorious by how much the fewer can iustly entitle themselues thereto In this place we must to obserue in what kind of fight we are to exercise our selues and what is incumbent to vs to doe whereby to gaine the victory And without doubt the fight which we are to all vndergoe is most cruell and fraught with danger especially if comparison therewith be made to the fight which men heere vpon the earth do sustaine for a corruptible Crowne For the Apostle speaketh of a sportfull fight openly perfâ—rmed in the eye and sight of the People Therfore the Agonists or ChaÌ„pions heere did fight with men lyke vnto themselues with equall weapons and but for a base Crowne and becamâ— subiect eyther to a popular applause or ignominy But Christians are to enter in combat with those enemies whome they see not yet by whome themselues are seene and who are in number many being most strong and most subtile who fight with vnlyke weapons in the sight of God and his Angells and for a Crowne of eternall lyfe and this vnder the danger of eternall Damnation To conclude ChristiaÌ„s here fight not in a sportfull game but in a most true most fierce and cruell Warre Our Antigonists or Enemies in this battell are the Diuells whome the holy Scripture sometimes calleth Lyons sometimes Dragons at other tymes Basilisks who haue Traytors euen within our owne houses I meane the Concupiscences of the flesh vvhich are our Bodies which do wage war against our soules in behalfe of our Enemies as S. Peter teacheth saying 1. Pet. 2. I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes to refrayne your selfes from carnall desires which war against the Soule We may add hereto which is most miserable and calamitous that this fight is to be vndertaken euen at that very tyme at vvhich the Course in the Race is to be performed And therefore the Apostle hath conioyned these two different Points togeather that therby we may vnderstand that those who are running for the Pryze or Reward are hindered throughout their whole Course by their Enemyes and â—â—at therefore it is necessary that such men do at one and the same tyme run with their feet and fight with their hands O if Christian men would haue a full resent and feeling of these things and of their owne dangerous estates they would not so willingly rauell out their time in trifles sports playes in banquetting and good fellowship in heaping vp togeather of riches in seeking after Honours and dignities as if the mayne matter of all were secure and in safety But let such men heare the Apostle preaching and crying out in these words Eph. 6. Take the armour of God that you may resist in the euill day being cloathed with the Breastplate of Iustice in all things taking the shield of fayth wherewith you may extinguish all the fiery darts of the wicked One. And Take vnto you the Helmet of Saluation and the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God In all prayer and supplication praying at all tymes in spirit and in the same watching in all instance Good God vvhat an Exhortation is this how full of feare terrour and vehemency especially if a man do throughly ponder these former words In all prayer supplication at all tymes in all instance And yet many of vs do beare our selfs in leading our liues as if vve had no occasion either to run in the Race nor fight in the Conflict But alas what are we to doe that in this dreadfull ware we may come of with victory against our enemies The Apostle dispatcheth and declareth this very point in few wordes wheÌ„ he saith 1. Cor. 9. Euery one that striueth for the maistry refraineth himselfe from all things they indeed that they may receaue a corruptible Crowne but we an incorruptible Of which Words the sense and meaning is this All those Champions that they may gaine a corruptible Crovvn do abstaine from al such things vvhich may debilitate or weaken the Body make it lesse
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
often it so falleth out that the King cannot command at least dare not the effecting of a thing if so he stand in feare to the multitude of his Subiects For how many Kings and Emperours haue beene dethroned whose authority the Subâ—ects haue shaken off and often with death to the said Kings and Emperours Histories are fraught with Examples of this subiect Therefore that chiefe gouerment in mortall Kings is languide and weake since those Kings cannot performe any thing or atcheiue any exploite without the approbation and allowance of the People But the Soueraignty of God who alone is stiled and truly is The great King hath no dependancy of any thing but only of his owne VVill. The which his VVill since it is Omnipotent cannot brooke any resistance neither standeth it in need of souldiers warlike prouision or any other endeauour out of it selfe And although God doth vse Angels or Men as also euen dead and senselesse things as his inferiour Ministers yet this he doth not out of any necessity but because it so best pleaseth his diuine Will For he who without the ministeriall assistance of any created only by the vertue of his VVord Heauen and Earth and euery thing therin contained and doth conserue them only by his VVill may also no doubt gouerne all things so created only by his owne imperiall dominion Neither only is God said most truly to rule because supreme or as I may tearme it superlatiue power remaineth in him alone but also in that the chiefe mistery of gouerning is peculiar only to him For God needeth not any Senatours or others to consult withall VVho hath knowne saith S. Paul Rom. 11. the mind of our Lord or who hath beene his counsellour And before the Apostle Isay c. 40. thus contesteth the same saying VVho hath holpen the spirit of our Lord Or who hath beene his counsellour and shewed to him VVith whom hath he taken counsell and who hath instructed him and taught him the path of Iustice and taught him knowledge and shewed him the way of Prudence Therefore it followeth ineuitably from the Premisses that a Monarchy which is the best kind of gouerment is not only found to bee in God but it is found to be in him alone true and perfect For hee is not only formidable ouer all the Kings of the earth as we reade Psal 75. but also is a most Maiesticall King ouer all the Gods as is said againe in Psalm 94. For there are certaine false Gods who are rather to bee called diuells according to that of the Prophet The Gods of the Gentils are diuells Psal 95. There are also other Gods by participation as the Kings of the Earth and the Angells of Heauen are for we reade Psal 81. I haue said you are Gods But all these Gods stand subiect and obedient to that one ouerruling God who reigneth in Heauen The refore it necessarily followeth from what is aboue said that that King is truly a King and most puissant whom Nabuchodonosor that fastigious King of Babylon after his pride was iustly punished in these words fully acknowledgeth Dan. 4. Therefore after the end of the daies I Nabucodonosor lifted vp mine eyes to Heauen and blessed the Highest and praysed him for euer because his power is an euerlasting Power and his Kingdome in generation to generation And all the Inhabitants of the earth are reputed with him for nothing for he doeth according to his will as well in the Powers of Heauen as in he Inhabitants of the earth And there is none that can resist hiâ— hand and say to him VVhy didst thoâ— it c. Now therefore I Nabuchodonosor prayse and magnify and glorifâ— the King of Heauen because all hiâ— VVorks are true and his wayes Iudgements and them that walke in pride he can humble Thus Kâ—ng Nabuchodonosor confessed of himself who may be an exaÌ„ple to all others that they doe humble and prostrate themselues vnder the powerfull hand of God as S Peter admonisheth And that they stand more prepared to serue the King of Kings thereby to deserue his beneuolence and fauour then through pride and clâ—tioâ— of heart to resist his Wiâ—l by which their course they are in the end forced to suffer condigne punishments vnder his most rigorous hand accordâ—ng to their iust deserts That all the Blessed in Heauen are Kings CHAP. IV. THE fourth and most principall reason why the place and state of the Blessed may be called the Kingdome of Heauen is because all the Blessed in Heauen are Kings and in that all the conditions of Regall Authority doe most aptly agree to them For although all the Saints in Heauen doe serue and obey God as is said in the Apocalyps c. 22. yet with all they gouerne and rule For whereas it is sayd in the same place his seruants shall serue him it is also there sayd And they shall reigne for euer and euer Neyther only doe all the Bâ—essed serue togeather and rule togeather but withall they may be tearmed both Seruants and Sonnes for thus God speaketh in the Apocalyps cap. 21 They who shall ouercome shall possesse these things c And I will be his God he shal be my Sonne Thus therfore as the same Saints may be said to be SeruaÌ„ts Sonnes so also may they be sayd to be Seruants and Kings They are Seruanes in that they are created of God and do owe all obedience and vassalage vnto him of whome they receaue them Being lyfe and other thinges for nothing created is excepted out oâ— this homage euen by the testimony of Dauid saying All things do seruâ— thee Psal 118. They may be also called the Sonnes of God because theâ— receaue their regeneration from God by water and the Holy Ghost Finally they are Kings since Regalâ— Poweâ— and Dignity is communicated vntâ— them by the King of Kings who euer in thâ—s respect is styled in the Apocalyps cap. 19. The King of Kings anâ— Lord of Lords Perhaps it may be heere vrged that it is not repugnaÌ„t that one the same man should be a temporall King and withall a Seruant of God as it iâ— said accordingly in the 2. Psalme Anâ— now your Kings vnderstaÌ„d take instructioÌ„ you that iudge the earth But to be King of the Kingdome of Heauen and withall to be a seruant of the King of Heauen seeme to be incompatible togeather How then can a man apprehend this difficuâ—ty or belieue it â— answere notwithstanding it is so â—nd facile to fayth both to conceaue and to belieue it Therefore the Iust â—n the Kingdome of Heauen shall aâ—so be Kings of the Kingdom of Heauen because they shall participate of that Regall Dignity and power as also of the spiritual riches aâ—l other goods which are in the Kingdome of Heauen The Verity of which point the Holy Ghost contesteth in three places of Scripture One is in the Ghospeâ—l of S. Matthew cap. 5. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome
confidence not in thy ovvne strength neither in thy ovvne vvisdome but in the Omnipotency and infinite Charity of God Which tvvo Points if thou do performe Crooked things shall become straight and rough wayes plaine Esa 40. And thou shalt serue our Lord vvith ineffable comfort ioy and exultation And thou shalt sing in the wayes of our Lord because the glory of our Lord is great Psal 137. OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Title of the Citty of God THE SECOND BOOKE Of the Beauty of the Citty of God CHAP. I. GLORIOSA dicta sunt de te Ciuitas Dei Glorious things are said of thee O Citty of God Psal 86. In regard herof I much couet to behold thy Beauty by way of meditatioÌ„ though it be as it were by a glasse in a dark manner And among other things this first occurreth to be considered why the Felicity of the Saints which in the holy Scriptures is called the Kingdome of Heauen is also called the Citty of God One chiefe reason thereof seemeth to be because as it is called a Kingdom in respect of its amplitude largnes so it also deserueth to be called a Citty with reference to its splenstour and beauty When one heareth any speach of a most large and vast Kingdome he may easily thinke that in the same there are many solitary and vnpleasing places left onely for beasts to inhabit many hills vncultiuated many Vales ouergrowne with wood many Rocks inaccessible wayes vneauen and vnhaunted and finally most deepe precipices and the lyke But because all this infelicity of place ought to be most distant and remote from the felicity of Saints Therfore the holy Ghost doth instruct vs in the Scriptures that the Kingdome of Heauen is like to a most fayre and adorned Citty and though this Kingdom be of a most immense and almost infinite Circuite yet that it doth euen shine and appeare fayre as any Citty that is most populous and most rich is accustomed to doe For in the chiefest and greatest Citties there are to be seene most sumptuous and adorned Temples or Churches most stately and haughty Pallaces most pleasant Orchards most large places for resort of the Citizens most replenished houses with people besids goodly fountaines Columnes Pyramisses Theaters Towers and shops fraught with all things necessary for the vse of Man What had beene the splendour of Italy if wanting the barraine Apennines it all should shyne not as Rome as this day but as it was vnder Augustus Caesar who turned its Mud-wals into edifices of Marble And how beautifull had Syria beene long since if all of it had beene lyke to Ierusalem before Ierusalem had come to desolation by the Romans For Iosephus describeth the magnificence of it with all wounder so as the Prophet might not without iust cause say thereof Gloriosa dicta sunt de te Ciuitas Dei and yet euen then it was not brought to that height of eminency to the which after Dauid and Salomon Herod the great had aduanced it Of what luster had Chaldaea and all Assyria and Mesopotamia or rather all the East beene if the Citty of Babylon could haue contained all the parts thereof within the compasse of its owne Walles For both Pliny and Strabo describe that Citty in such manner as that the largenes and beauty thereof may seeme to be incredible And therfore the Citty of Babylon was worthily ranged among the seauen Miracles of the World But now to parallell things togeather What kind of Citty then shall that heauenly Citty that supernall Ierusalem be which possesseth or containeth the whole Kingdome of Heauen I meane that Citty which maketh that great Kingdome of Heauen so to cast forth its splendour and light as if it all were but one most faire and glorious Citty in the which there is no vacancy of place no deformity nothing vile or base Doubtlesly the supernall Citty is of such nature as that no man can seriously and with due attention meditate thereof but that he must instantly burne with desire of so great a matter And no man can trulâ— burne therewith but that abandoning all things he must thirst after it and neuer cease till he hath found it Obserue what Tobias the yonger reioycing in spirit speaketh of this Citty c. 13. Thou shalt shine with a glorious light and all the coasts of the earth shall adore thee c. The gates of Ierusalem shall be built of Saphire and Emerauld and all the compasse of the walls of precious stones VVith white and cleane stone shall all the streetes thereof be paued and in the streets Alleluia shal be sung And S. Iohn accordeth to Toby herein saying Apoc. 21. And the building of the wall thereof was of Iaspar-stone c. And the Citty was pure gold as it were transparent glasse c. And the foundation of the Citty was adorned with all precious stones and the seuerall gates thereof were of seuerall margarites and the streetes of the Citty pure gould Now heere we are not to imagine that the heauenly Ierusalem shal be seene as adorned with gould and precious stones such as are heere vpon the earth â—ut these things are so deliuered in holy Writ that thereby we may vnderstand that the Heauenly Citty is so farre more noble then any earthly Citty by how much gould is better then mud or dyrt Margarites then common stones starres then lights the Sunne then a torch or lampe Heauen then the earth and finally God the immortall Workeman then any mortall Architect But because we are heerafter more fully to discourse of the beauty of all the parts of the Citty of God I will heere forbeare further speach thereof Of the Concord and Peace of the Citty of God CHAP. II. ANother reason why the Kingdome of God may be called the Citty of God seemeth to be in that a Kingdome is accustomed to comprehend within it almost an infinite multitude of persons being among themselues distinct in language Manners and Lawes of which number though all of one Kingdome many did neuer see one another much lesse euer contracted any mutuall friendship or familiarity Now a Citty contayneth onely those which speake one and the same tongue who are of lyke manners and are gouerned by the same customes or lawes Thus the same thing is called both a Kingdome and a Citty because the inhabitants of the Heauenly Kingdome are so many as that they can hardly be numbred and as S. Iohn sayth Apoc 7. they are gathered togeather of seuerall Nations of seuerall Tribes and People and of seuerall tongues as also of Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Vertues Dominations Thrones Cherubims and Seraphims who exceed men in number of which euery one of them do differ from another not in Country people language but in diuersity of nature I meane in a specificall difference And yet neuertheles they are all true Cittizens all of vnanimous consent and are gouerned only by the law of Charity And hence it is
but an admirable most perfect Iustice which reigneth in that Citty in which there is no Iniustice no obliquity or distortion of mens Actions which point S. Austin toucheth in explicating that of the Psalm 64. mirabile in aequitate that is wonderfull in Iustice. And doubtlesly it vvill deserue admiration to behold so many almost innumerable Cittizens of that Citty all of them enioying a most exact freedome of Will and yet not any one for all eternity to be noted for any exorbitancy or miscariadge either in vvorke vvord or thought Therefore vve may truly say that that Citty is placed in a square so as the length and breadth thereof are equall Furthermore this foure-squared forme may also figure out that the latitude of the Heauenly felicity is equall to the longitude I meane because as the store or abundance of celestiall Goods shal be infinite so also shall their continuance be infinit and interminable For according to the Dialect of holy Scripture Latitude is accustomed to be applyed to the multitude of things and Longitude to their conâ—inuance According heereto vve read that the manifold vvisdome of Salomon is called in the booke of the Kings the Latitude of the Heart like vnto the sand which is in the sea shore and in the Psalmes duration or continuance of time is tearmed the length of dayes Therefore it followeth that in the Citty of our Lord the Latitude shal be equall with the Longitude because there shal be an immensity of good things ioyned with an eternity of their fruition S. Iohn addeth a little after the place aboue alledged that the height of this glorious Citty shal be of the same dimeÌ„sion with its breadth so as the Citty may be foure square euery way the meaning whereof is that the goods of the Celestiall Ierusalem shall not be only many and euerlasting but also most noble and most sublime or high Neither doth it import any thing that Vitruuius and Vigetius doe not allow in Citties a foure-square forme seeing they speake of Citties which stand in feare of the enemy Whereas the Holy Scripture celebrateth in words that Citty whose borders and limitts are Peace and to which in regard of its height no euill can make approach as the holy Prophet hath auerred Psal 90. Of the foundations and gates of the Citty of God CHAP. V. THE foundation of the Citty of God is of that sort or manner aâ— that it alone may deseruedly be said to haue a foundation or worke for thus doth the Holy Apostle speake Heb. 11. He expected that Citty that had foundations whose artificer and maker is God For the Apostle doth in these words giue a reason why Abraham did not build a Citty in the Land of Promise nor so much as any house or place of habitation but did there liue as a stranger The cause being in that he was instructed that that Land of Promise was but a figure of a greater Land of Promise and therefore he was vnwiâ—ling to erect a house or Citty which was after to become a ruine desolation as expecting a Citty built vpon a firme and stable foundation whose Architect or builder is God Therefore from hence it resulteth that the Heauenly Citty is only that Citty which truly and properly hath a foundation and which as being buâ—lt by God shall last for euer The Citty which Cain Nembroth Ninus Nabuchodonosor Romulus and others haue built in that they were after subiect to ruine shall all of them at the end of the world come to vtter desolation doe euen proclaime that they had no foundation And from hence we may gather how much more wise and prudent were the auncient Prophets then we are for they although they lâ—ued as long againe as we doe now liue and were to expect for certaine thousands of yeares before they could enter into the Heauenly Citty neuerthelesse they vouchsafed not to build either Citties or houses but liued only in Tabernacles as strangers and Pilgrims comforting themselues with a certaine and liuely Faith and Hope that since all things vpon earth doe finally come to decay they at last should enioy the eternall Citty of Heauen Whereas we who doe liue but few yeares and may if our selues will presently after our death enter into that most bâ—essed Cit y do so sweat and labour in building and adorning Ciâ—ties and stately Houses as if we were neuer to dye or neuer expected to arriue to Heaueâ— In which our proceeding we doublesly imitate not the belâ—euing Patriarchs but the misbelieuing Heathens And yet we are Christians and doe well know that neither Christ nor any of the Apostles had here vpon Earth any Citty Pallace or so much as an house much lesse that they did build any of these I would not heere be vnderstood to reprehend Princes of this world although Christians for erecting of Citties and priuate men for building conuenient houses for themselues their Posterity for we well know that Dauid a pious King did much inlarge the Citty of Ierusalem and did in the same Citty build himselfe a most Regall Pallace as we read in the second Booke of Kings We likewise know that S. Lewis King of France repayred at his owne peculiar charges certaine much ruined Citties of the ChristiaÌ„s in Palestine Neither are we ignorant that Princes should liue in more magnificent Buildings then priuate men and in lyke sort men of worth dignity then men of the common and vulgar sort All this â—e know but but we onâ—y require and allow a mediocrity in these things the extreme we codemne especially when we see that Priuate men couet to haue Pallaces fiâ—ting for Kings and Kings not content with Pallaces do buyld for themselues huge masles and heights of Edifices equalling euen townes in greatnes To conclude we condemne an ouer-affectionate desire to these temporal chings as if we were to repose and place our chiâ—fe felicity in them and we prayse and allow the contempt of the world and the humiâ—ity of Christ Now touching the Ports or Gates of the Citty of Heauen they are sayd by S. Iohn in the place aboue alledged to consist of Margarites and Pearles In lyke sort the structure of the walls is of Iaspar stone the streets of the Citty as also the whole Citty of pure gould All which descâ—iption doth signify that that holy Citty is moâ—t precious and withall most bright shining For it is well knowne that the Margarite or Pearle is precious and lightsome Now the Iaspar is eyther greene or whyte and therefore for the better distinction of these two colours S. Iohn addeth Et lumen eius simile lapidi precioso and the light thereof lyke to a precious stone as it were to the Iaspar stone euen as Cristal Where he adioyneth the words euen as Cristall to signify that he spake not of the greene but of the whyte and transparent Iaspar So also where he sayth that the streetes are of pure gould he annexeth these
who by their word shall belieue in me that they all may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that they also in vs may be one O most blessed Citty which being seated vpon a most high mountaine dost enioy a most pure ayre Which art founded vpon a Rocke as being supported with eternall stability and firmenes Whose gates doe shine like Margarites and euer stand open for Holy Soules to enter into Whose wall is God encompassing thee about with his vigilancy and protection and as a precious Iaâ—per-stone doth adorne thee Whose street is Charity more bright and glorious then all gould more white then any Crystall Which maketh all the inhabitants to be of one heart of one mind replenishing them with an inutterable ioy and placing them in an interminable and euerlasting tranquillity and peace Concupiscit deficit anima mea my soule coueteth and euen fainteth vnto thy streets Psal 9â— What is more gratefull and more wished for by our labouring and lamenting in the midst of a wicked Nation among false brethren and in that world which is wholy placed in malignity wickednes then euen in all hast to flye to that place in which only Charity reigneth VVhen shall I come and appeare before the face of God Psal 41. What greater consolation and comfort can be to a sâ—ule louing our Lord then to see his beloued and to be seene of his beloued and through an inward and most sweet connexion reciprocally to dvvell the one in the other It is insufferable bouldnes O Holy Citty that dust and ashes should dare to aspire to thy Pallaces and it is greater bouldnes that a vile and deiected soule should dare to approach to the fruition of his Creatour But he vvill excuse and pleade for this boldnes vvho gaue it vvhen he prayed to his Father that vve all might be one and that as the Father is in the Sonne and the Sonne in the Father so vve may be but one in one another Of the Temple of the Citty of God CHAP. VII VVE are heer further to inlarge our discourse of the Citty of God in shewing the Temple therein to prayse God the meate drinke which there is to be eaten and drunkeÌ„ for as for cloathing the Inhabitants need not to be sollicitous For if Adam and Eue needed not any cloathing in the terrestriall Paradise much lesse shall the Saints in the celestiall Pararadise need any such who shall be all cloathed with splendour and light as with a vestment Now concerning meate drinke Adam and Eue could not want them neyther doe the Angells themselues want them according to those words of the Angell Raphael I vse an inuisible meate drinke which cannot be seene of men Tob. 12. And first touching the Temple S. Iohn thus speaketh in the Apocalyps 21. And temple I saw none therein for our Lord God omnipotent is the Temple thereof and the Lambe That S. Iohn did not see any Temple in the Citty may not seeme strange since Temples are erected in the Militant Church for foure ends to wit that the Word of God may be preached in them to the faythfull that the Sacraments and Sacrifices may be celebrated in them that Publike Prayer may be in them offered vp to God And finally that due praises with singing ioy may be performed to him Now the preaching of the Word of God shall cease in Heauen seeing there the increated VVord himsefe shall manifestly speake to all And according to the preaching of Ieremy the Prophet cap. 31. Man shall no more teach his neighbour or his brother saying Know our Lord for all shal know me from the least to the greatest Sacraments in lyke manner and Sacrifices shall not be necessary in that Citty since neither Sins shal be there expiated neither shall signes be there required where things signifyed shall manifestly appeare Prayers and Laudes to God are heer vpon earth performed in Churches and Temples dedicated vnto God because himselfe hath promised that in such sacred places his eyes shal be open eares atteÌ„t for thus he speaketh to Salomon Paral. 7. Myne eyes shal be open and mine eares erected to his prayer that shall pray in this place But now seeing in the Celestiall Citty God wil be openly seene and heard of all men therefore not any Temple seemeth to be necessary in that place Hence then we may easily gather why S. Iohn said And I saw no Temple in the Citty But hâ—er it may be demauÌ„ded why S. Iohn subioineth these words The God omnipotent is the Temple thereof and the Lambe For if no Temple be required in that Citty why then is God himselfe said to be the Temple thereof and not only the Temple but also the Lambe Or what explication can it haue to say that God and the LaÌ„be shal be called Temples in Heauen Or to what vse shall this Temple be in Heauen In answere heerto we are to recurre to the custome of the holy Scriptures where one text or sentence doth comment and explaine another and the more darke and obscure passage receaues its illustratioÌ„ from that which is more perspicuous and cleare Well then we thus reade in the 90. Psalme He that dwelleth in the help of the highest shall abâ—dâ— in the ProtectioÌ„ of the God of Heaue◠〈…〉 sense and meaning of which Words is this Who by a firme Confidence Hope is ioyned with God he as it were maketh to himselfe a house in God in the which he may securely liue as being exempt and free from all euill The same may be said of Prayses and Prayers to God For he that through an inward reuerence is conioyned with God doth in lyke sort build to himselfe a place of Habitation in God the which he inhabitating in that sort as he ought to doe may therein pray and offer vp his prayses vnto God So heer we say that our Lord the Omniporent God of Heauen is the Temple of the holy Citty because all those holy Cittizens most intensly and with a strong bent of feruour meditating on the omnipotency of God and so by this meanes ioyned to him by an inward reuerence do dwell in him and exhibit to him due prayses and when they pray for vs they are heard with a most willing and ready care In lyke manner when they seriously contemplate the merits of Christ who as an innocent Lambe deliuered himself vp in oblation and Sacrifice to God 〈…〉 odour of sweetnes they being firmely vnited by loue and dwelling in him as in a Temple doe powre out their Prayers and impetrations for vs and doe doubtlesly find the eyes of God open and his eares attentiue that they may obtaine in our behalfe any thing for which they pray But if those blessed Cittizens be accustomed to dwell in God in Christ as in a Temple thereby to offer vp their prayses and prayers for vs what are we poore men to doe who neither see God nor Christ O would to
said not because thou wert a sinner and hatefuâ—l to God it was needfull that thou shouldst be punished with blindnes and pouerty But the Angell said Because thou art gratefull to God as being a iust and holy man therefore as a liuing stone designed to the celestiall edifice it was necessary that thou shouldst suffer the hammer of Persecution Which of the Prophets escaped Persecution and Iniuries comming from the wicked What torments did not the blessed children of the Machabees endure But let vs heare the Apostle touching this point preaching of the Saints of the Old Testament They had triall of mockery and stripes and also of bands and prisons They were stoned they were hewed they were tempted they died in the slaughter of the sword They went abroad in Sheep-skins in Goate-skins needy in distres afflicted of whome the world was not worthy wandering in deserts in mountaines and dennes and in the Caues of the earth Heb. 11. And now ô Christian Soule what canst thou reply hereto If the hammer of the builder did not spare those Men of whome the world through their eminent sanctity was not worthy that thereby they might be squared laboured and made fit for the celestiall Edifice what then shall become of thee and such as are lyke to thee to whome sinne is pleasing and gratefull but all pennance satisfaction for sinne most grieuous and vngratefull One of these two fortunes perforce thou must vndergo to wit eyther thou must be hammered in this life or in Purgatory or els thou shalt not haue any place in that sublime building but in lieu thereof the hammer of Hell for all eternity shal be striking vpon thee Why then O poore Soule wilt thou not rather suffer to be wrought fayre polished in this life through a short and sleight tribulation then in the next lyfe to be reprobated and cast into that place where thou must suffer an euerlasting and intollerable pressure and bruising of the hammer Neither oughtest thou to sleight or litle regard the Purgatory-refyning and hammering in the lyfe to come since that punishment though not eternall is most grieuous and oftentimes of longer continuance then any Paine of this life Heare S. Austin in Psal 37. discoursing of this point Dicitur suluus eris sic tamen quasi per ignem c. It is said Thou shalt be saued as it were by fyar And because it is sayd thou shalt be saued therefore this fyar is contemned and yet is more insupportable then any thing which man can suffer in this lyfe Thus this holy Father who further addeth that the paines of Purgatory do exceed all punishments inflicted vpon Theeues and other malefactours as also all the torments of the Martyrs Therefore such men are euen fooles and depriued of all true Iudgement who contemne the fyre of Purgatory and do abhorre all tribulations of this present lyfe But obserue how other fathers conspire with S Austin herein S Bernard thus writeth Know you this that such sinnes which are in this lyfe neglected shall be punished a hundred tymes more in the purging places euen till the very last farthing be payed serm de obitu Humberti Monachi To conclude S. Anselm in these words agreeth with the former father Sciendum est quia grauior est ille ignis c. VVe are to know that this fyre is more insufferable then any thing which man can endure in this lyfe For all the torments heere vpon Earth are more sufferable and easy And yet men for the auoyding of those paynes here will performe any labour whatsoeuer imposed vpon them How much better then is it more profitable to do those things which God commaÌ„ds vs that thereby we may not suffer those other paines farre more horrible and grieuous Ansel in explicat cap. 3. ad Cor. 1. Of flying from the Citty of the World CHAP. XII NOw hauing explicated the structure and building of the Citty of God it remaineth that we briefly shew what is chiefly requisite that men may be ascribed and admitted Citizens into this most happy Citty This may be declared euen in one word to wit that we doe renounce and disclaime from the Citty of this World and that in the meane time we liue here as strangers or pilgrims for it is impossible for vs to be both Citizens of this world and Citizens in the Heauenly Citty And a man no sooner giueth by disclayming from it his last farewell to this World but that he is instantly admitted into the bosome of the Citty of God But let vs stir more fully the earth or mould about the roote of this point Well then there are two Citties set downe and declared to vs in the Holy Scripturs The Earthly Citty which began in Cain who first vpon earth builded a Citty as we reade in the booke of Genesis cap. 4. And the Celestiall Citty taking its beginning in Abel of which Citty not Abel but God was the Builder and Workman as aboue we haue shewed out of the Apostle Heb. 11. Babylon the Great which signifieth the Confusion was a figure of that Citty of the world And Ierusalem which is called Vifio Pacis was the type of this Heauenly Citty which is the Citty of the supreme King The Cittizens of the earthly Citty are those who not only in body but in soule doe inhabite the earth who euen adore the earth who gape after earthly pleasures and profitts who tumultuously fight and striue for them finally who are wholly drowned in the pursuite thereof The Prince of this Citty is the Diuell who being cast out of the Celestiall Citty first possessed the Tyranny of the earthly Citty for though our Lord approaching were vnto his Passion said Ioan. 12. Now is the iudgment of the world Now the Prince of this world shall be cast forth and accordingly our Lord did truly driue him forth with the staffe of his Crosse and through the said Crosse did triumph ouer him according to those words of the Apostle Coloss 2. Spoyling the Principalities and Potentates haue led them confidently in open shew triumphing ouer them in himselfe notwithstanding this is not so to be vnderstood as if the Diuel were wholly cast out of this world or had lost all Principality thereof but that he is caâ—t out from all those and among all such hath lost his dominion and Empyre as haue ranged themselues vnder Christ and who flying out of the terrene City are designed to the Heauenly That the Diuell exerciseth his rule and gouerment yet in this Citty of the world the Apostle teacheth when he saith Our wrestling is not against flesh and bloud but against Princes and Potentates against the rulers of the world of this darknesse Ephes 4. Therefore as yet Sathan with his ministers hath h s rule and gouerment in this world and is Prince thereof I meane of worldly men and Cittizens of the earthly Citty of which world S. Iohn saith cap. 5. The whole world is set in
wickednesse As if he would had said The world adhereth to its head who is called maligne or wicked transcendently or the world is vnder the gouerment and power of the wicked Diuell But to proceed further The Cittizens of this Heauenly Citty are those who being already blessed doe reigne in the Kingdome of Heauen as also all those who remaining yet in mortall body doe inhabitate the Earth yet this not in Heart but only in Body since in heart and soule their Conuersation is in Heauen and they couet to be dissolued and with Christ who is the King of the Celestiall Citty But now because the celestiall Cittizens are promiscuously mixed with the earthly Citizens therefore the holy Scriptures say for greater distinction That the Cittizens of Heauen are in the VVorld but not of the VVorld And that they are in the World not as Cittizens thereof but as strangers and Pilgrims for S. Peter speaketh I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrimes to refraine from carnall desires 1. Pet. 2. But of the Citizens of the earth the Scripture changeth its style and thus speaketh of them They are strangers of the Testament hauing no Hope of the Promise and without God in this world Ephes 2. Now these things being thus Let no man deceaue himselfe nor dreame that he can be a Cittizen of the world and withall a Cittizen of Heauen The Cittizens of the World are of the World The Cittizens of Heauen are not of the World To be of the world and not to be of the world are contradictory and incompatible togeather and therefore cannot brooke any conuinction In regard whereof let those men then to whom the world and earthly matters are gratefull not perswade themselues that they can haue any place in the Heauenly Citty except they first goe out and as it were wholy forsake the world voyding their iudgements and wills of all earthly Pleasures and Benefitts But because these Points are high mysteries and are vnderstood by few at least not thought and meditated on as they ought to be therefore to the end that no man at the last day may pretend ignorance there is not any thing which the Apostles and Euangelists doe more often inculcate and repeate then this one point Heare our Lord Ioan. 8. You are of this world I am not of this world Againe he thus speaketh to the Apostles If you had beene of the world the world would loue its owne but because you are not of the world therefore the world hateth you Heare S. Paul 2. Cor. 3. The wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God And againe You ought to haue gone out of this world And yet more That we may not be damned with this world Heare S. Iames cap. 4. Know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God VVhosoeuer therefore will be a friend of this world is made an enemy of God Heare S. Peter Fly the corruption of the concupiscence which is in the world 2. Pet. 1. Heare S. Iohn Doe not you loue the world or those things in the world 1. Ioan 2. And againe If any man loue the world the charity of the Father is not in him And yet more cap. 5. The whole world is set in wickednes To conclude heare our Lord himselfe speaking in prayer to his Father Ioan 17. For them doe I pray not for the world doe I pray but for them whom thou hast giuen me And the world doth hate them because they are not of the world as also I am not of the world Now from hence we may gather most euidently that the world is so as it were excommunicated and cursed by God as that Christ thinketh it not conuenient to pray for it Yet may it be here obiected that if Christ doth not pray for the world how is it said Ioan. 3. God so loued the world as that he gaue his only begotten Sonne what doth the Father loue the world and the Sonne hate the World Or how doth the Sonne exclude the world from his prayer which the Father doth not exclude from his loue S. Austin expounding this later place saith that the world for whom Christ denyed to pray signifieth only the wicked according to which acceptance the Apostle saith so that wâ— may not be damned with this world 1. Cor. 11. But we may here furtheâ— say Christ did not pray for the world because such things as he then prayeâ— for his Apostles did not in any soâ— agree to the world For he prayed foâ— the gift of Perseuerance Keepe theâ— saith our Sauiour Ioan. 17. in mâ— Name And withall he 〈◊〉 that they might obtaine eternity of glory saying I will Father that where I am they may be also with me that they may see my glory But these things are not agreeable to the world for neither is the world except it be afore cleansed of its filth aâ—d ordure apt for the Kingdome of Hâ—auen euen as it is not fitting for a man that is bemyâ—ed with dirt in riding to enter into the bedchamber of a K ng God doth truly loue the world and for it gaue his only Sonne thereby to clense and purge the world thaâ— it may be fit for his Kingdome And so Christ prayed for his Crucifiers not that they should perseuere in that state in which they then were buâ— tâ—at his Father might pardon them and in p rdoning of them might cause them to leaue and goe out of the world Anâ— therefore though Christ did say I do not pray for the world yet he adioyne a little after these words That 〈◊〉 world may belieue that thou hâ—st 〈◊〉 me Thus the closure of all 〈…〉 Christ prayed for his owne Discipâ—â— not for the world because exceâ—â— man doe first goe out of the world bâ—fore he goe out of his Body he can neuer arriue to the Kingdome of Heauen Whosoeuer therefore doth thirst after that supreme and high Citty let him hasten to goe out of the world for feare least his last day may suddenly and vnexpectedly surprize him and take him out of this life when he shall be depriued of all hope of his conuersion But if he be once happily gotten out of the world then let him forsake the same with all its concupiscences that he may daily meditate only of the Citty of our Lord and that he may euen protest with the Holy Prophet If I shall forget thee O Ierusalem let my right Hand be forgotten let my tongue cleaue to my mouth if I do not remeÌ„ber thee if I shall not set Ierusalem in the beginning of my ioy Psal 136. For this is the true Character or Note of the Cittizens of the Eternall Citty to wit to be more desirous to want both tongue and hands then to speake or attempt any thing against the loue of God their Father and their Celestiall Countrey that so the beginning of their ioy may be the Citty it selfe which replenisheth its Cittizens with such beatitude as that no
vpon vs. To conclude we haue the testimony of him who sayth and cannot lye to wit of the Holy Ghost who preacheth by the Apostles and Prophets in the Holy Scriptures that God is so good and so fayre as that He alone deserueth to be styled Good and Fayre But here some will insist and say It is very hard and euen incompatible with our Nature to be forced for Gods sake to lose our substance and riches our nearest friends yea sometimes our owne liues I confesse that this is hard to men not louing God but to such as do loue him and couet to enioy him say it is light and easy especially seing in recompence of our contempt of these temporaâ—l goods there are prepared for vs goods incomparably far more in number and better O! obserue the disparity Thou losest corruptible and fading riches thou shalt gaine an euerlasting Kingdome Thou losest Father and Brothers and friends thou shalt gaine God to be thy Father and Christ thy Brother and all the Angells Saints thy friends and Companions Thou losest a temporall life euen ouercharged with misery thou shalt gaine an eternall life fraught with all felicity Heare then this Canticle or song of diuine Loue Yf a man shall giue all the substance of his house for loue as nothing shall he despise it Cant. 8. And a litle afore Many VVaters meaning of tribulatioÌ„s caÌ„not queÌ„ch Charity neither shall flouds ouerwhelme it Heare a so one of those who loued God Rom. 8. Who then shall separate vs from the Charity of Christ tribulation or distresse or famine or nakednes or danger or persecution or the sword But in all these we ouercome because of him that hath loued vs. But some do yet further vrge So to loue my neighbour as to communicate and impart my goods to him yea though he were my deadly Enemy and had much iniured me so as I ought not only to pardon him but to heape benefits vpon him this appeareth to be very harsh and repugnant to Humane Nature This perhaps may be truly said being spoken of maÌ„s Nature as it is corrupted by sinne but not of Nature repayred through the Grace of Christ Doth not God himselfe communicate his goods and benefits euen to his Enemies And doth he not duly pardon his enemies rendring to them by way of a strange exchange Good for Bad whiles he maketh the sunne to shyne vpon the good the euill and rayneth vpon the Iust Vniust Matth. 5. Now if God do so beare himselfe towards his Enemies it then followeth that it is not contrary either to the Nature of God or of man who is created to the Image of God to loue our Enemies or to do them benefits but it is only contrary to the nature of Beasts and of those men who when they were in Honour did not vnderstand they were compared to Beasts without vnderstaÌ„ding became like to them Ps 48. A second Discourse of Humility which is the fourth Part of the Gate of the House of God CHAP. XIII IN this last place I come to Humility which is like to its Sisters the which Vertue as it begetteth great straits to the proud and arrogant so with ease it beginneth to be dilated and made larger to such who wil be taught in the Schoole of Christ For first we ought to humble our selfes vnder the potent hand of God as the Chiefe of the Apostles hath admonished vs 1. Pet 5. and as his Coapostle S. Iames confirmeth cap. 4. Now what difficulty can be imagined to be in the humiliation of a mortall man to the immortall and Omnipotent God Furthermore we ought also to make choise of the lowest place among men as presuming them to be better then our selues are as the Apostle counselleth vs saying Philip 2. Ech one counting others better then himselfe Therefore who know themselues and are priuy to their owne imperfections but knovv not what secret Vertue may lye hid in the breast of others do suffer no difficulty to repute others superiour to themselues and do willingly honour them and giue to them the higher and more worthy place For as Pryde groweth from the ignorance of a man no knowing himselfe so Humility from the true knowing of himselfe A proude Hart quickly penetrateth into the Vices which it selfe hath not but which others haue because all these are out of him yet his proper Vices though often far greater and knowne to all other men this man seeth not because they are within him Euen as the Eye which seeth not what is within it selfe but only what is without it The Pharisy Luc 18. may be an example hereof to vs who gaue thanks to God that he was not as other men were to wit Robbers Iniust Adulterers for he did see that the Vices of Rapine Iniustice Adultery were not in him but he did not see the more grieuous Vices vvhich did lye lurking within him I meane Pryde blindnes of mind and impenitency and therefore he preferred himselfe before the Publican praying in the same Temple But the Publican who was of a more cleare sight did see the Vices in himselfe but not the Vertues and therefore he tooke the lovvest place standing a far off beating his breast and imploring the mercy of God And so the euent was that by the iudgment of God this poore humbled man departed iustified that other reprobated Wherefore if a man voyding his iudgment of all selfeloue vvill labour diligently to knovv his ovvne imbecillity and imperfections he vvill not suffer any straits in entring into the Gate of the hovvse of God To all these precedent discourses it is needfull to adioyne this one Consideration That vvheras the Port or Gate of the House of God seemeth most narrovv and almost impenetrable to those vvho come to is heauily burdened and loaden or vvho are of a grosse and corpulent body or cloathed vvith many garments or labour to enter therin lifting themselues vp in their full height and stature So is the same Gate become large and easy for entrance to those vvho come vnto it without burden naked leane and crooked or bending themselues and therefore the fault is in vs why vve may not easily enter by that Gate through the vvhich many Saints vvithout any difficulty and trouble haue already passed Therefore let a Christian man lay dovvne the burden of his Riches Let him knovv that riches are giuen by God to him to be a Dispenser and not an absolute Lord therof that so he do distribute them to the needy poore and not reserue them to himselfe alone And then it shall to fall out that his mind being free from the loue of riches and he lightned of the great burden thereof shall fynd the Gate wyde inough for his entrance In like sort let him free and deliuer himselfe of that ouermuch fatnes as I may terme it of carnall delights or rather let him cast out the hurtfull and dangerous Humour of seuerall Concupiscences which
engender a spirituall Dropsy and puffe vp the Body To conclude let him disuest himselfe of all proper estimation and selfe loue let him put on the Humility of Christ let him incline and bend his necke to the obedience of the Commandements and then let him complayne if he can if with all conuenient facility and ease he cannot passe through the Gate of Saluation That it is absolutely necessary to enter through the Gate though it be strait if so a man will be saued CHAP. XIV BVt whether this Gate be large or strait we ought wâ—th all our endeauour labour to enter thereinto For there is no other place left vs after this life which flieth away like a shadow where we can well repose our selues but within this Port and Gate Therefore our Lord exhorteth vs saying Luc. 13. Striue to enter in by the narrow Gate Because as himselfe in the same place subioyneth all those who remaine without shal be cast downe into those places where there is an euerlasting weeping continuall gnashing of teeth Which words do import extremity of dolours with despayre of remedy from whence then riseth certaine fury or madnes which impatiently suffereth those torments which it cannot but suffer and must be forced for all eternity to suffer How much more secure therefore is it to striue to enter by the narrow Gate where after some small paynes and labour endured euerlasting rest and felicity is found If so the matter did stâ—nd as that men might to auoyd the straitnes of the Gate withall the paines of Hell perhaps the weaknes and imbecillity of them might in part seeme excusabâ—e who haue not the courage to lay battery to the narrownes of that Gate but since of necessity men most here for a short tyme labour to enlarge this Gate or otherwise irreuocably fall into eternall paynes and torments what kind of iudgment is that or how can it be styled Reason which dictateth that lesser and shorter labours are to be auoyded that more intollerable paynes therby must after be suffered But admit for the tyme that no torments were ro seyze vpon men after this life but only they should be depriued of the House of God wherein there be euerlasting and endles ioyes yet these very ioyes alone ought to be a sufficient inducement to encourage vs with all alacrity to enter into the House of God not only through the straitnes of the Gate but euen through thornes and bryars yea through sword and fyer And although during our peregrination here we cannot feelingly conceaue what it is to be depriued of euerlasting Beatitude yet after the separation of the soule from the Body then shall the Eyes of the mind be instantly opened that they may most clearly see how great a detriment yea how infinit a losse and ouerthrow it is not to arriue to that last End to the which we are created And this desire is signified by those Words which being related in the Gospell are repeated by those who shall remayne excluded out of the Gate Math. 22. Lord Lord open vnto vs. Which desire truly of the Last end shall euer torment and afflict those miserable Wretches and their remorse of Conscience shall neuer cease And so that sentence shal be fulfilled Marc. 9 Their worme shall not dye and their fyer shall not be quenched O if we could novv seriously consider and thinke with what a greedy desire such men shall say Lord Lord open vnto vs as if they would say and complayne Without entrance into this House of God we cannot liue and yet to dye is not granted to vs therefore we liue not to the end we may liue but to the end we may be euer miserable Open to vs therefore O Lord for we are prepared to vndergoe any torments so that we may enter in But it shal be answered them Matth. 25. I know you not The yeare of Iubily is now expired When you might haue entred you would not now therefore it is but reasonable that when you would enter you cannot Thus these men being irremediably excluded shall neuerthelesse cease to cry out pricked thereto through a naturall desire Lord Lord open vnto vs. But because in this life they were deafe to the exhortatioÌ„s of our Lord crying out and saying Luc. 13. Striue to enter by the narrow Gate Therfore after they shall cry to the deafe eares of our Lord Lord Lord open to vs. To conclude if we haue any spatke of true iudgment let vs prouide and take care for the state of our owne soules whyles we haue tyme Let vs do that now when it is lawfull and in our power the which doubtlesly then from our hart we shall couet to doe or to haue done and yet it shall not be then lawfull nor in our power to do it OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Title of Paradise THE FOVRTH BOOKE That in Heauen there are true Ioyes CHAP. I. PAradise is a name of Pleasure and Delight For it signifieth most pleasant Garden or Orchard most apt for recreation and pleasure In the Booke of Genesis cap. 1. 3. where speach is made of the Terrestriall Paradise it is called oftener then once The Paradise of Pleasure But in Ezechiel cap. 28. touching the Celestiall Paradise it is said to the chiefe Angell who after fell and became a Deuill Thou wast in the delicacies of the Paradise of God Now because we find nothing in the Holy Scriptures touching Paradise but that in it there were many trees and a fountaine of liuing water Therefore I thought good through occasion of the Title or Name of Paradise to explicate the pleasures felicity which the Blessed do enioy in Heauen It will be I trust a profitable contemplation to stir vp and incite mens minds to seeke and meditate vpon those things which be aboue and consequently so to gouerne and order our liues that when we are to leaue this our earthly habitation we may remoue not to lamentation and darknes but by the assistance of God to light and euerlasting consolation Most men some few excepted are accustomâ—â— to be drawne more with pleasure then with any other good or benefit and accordingly the Church in one prayer sayth Let our Harts be fixed there where true ioyes are First therefore we vvill consider vvhat the Holy Scriptures do teach vs touching the celestiall Paradise from whence we shall be able to proue that there are true ioyes therein That done vve vvill attempt to explicate vvhat those Ioyes may be In the last place vve vvill demonstrate by many reasons or rather comparisons that those Ioyes be far greater then vve can either apprehend thinke or but once coniecture First then the name it selfe of Paradise doth euen sound Pleasure and Delight as vve haue shevved before our of the Booke of Genesis And that there is a Paradise in Heauen Ezechiel testified as aboue is said The same doth our Lord in the Ghospell vvitnesse when he said to the
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
after How happy therfore were our first Parents who were not troubled with any perturbations of the mynd nor hurt with any discommodities of the Body So happy should all mankind haue beene if they had cōmitted no euill which after they did cast vpon their children nor any of their posterity had perpetrated iniquity which should deserue damnation Thus S. Austin But howsoeuer these particularities of the pleasantnes and frutfulnes of this Terrestriall Paradise went we infallibly gather from the holy Scripture that it was a farre more happy place then this our Habitation is since it is said to Adam by way of punishment of his sinne Gen. 3. Because thou hast heard the voyce of thy VVyfe and hast eaten of the tree whereof I cōmanded thee not to eate cursed he the Earth in thy worke with much toyle labour shalt thou eate thereof all the dayes of thy lyfe thornes and thisles shall it bring forth to thee And to the Woman it was sayd I will multiply thy sorrowes and thy childbearings in trauel thou shalt be vnder thy Husbāds Power and he shall haue dominion ouer thee Thus we see that in Paradise there was not any barrenes of Earth nor was it to be inhabited with any labour or paines neyther did it bring forth any thornes or thisle In lyke sort the Women there should neuer haue conceaued in vaine but their cōceauings should euer haue beene accompanyed with most happy byrths And although they had beene subiect to their Husbands yet this not after any Lord lyke authority ouer them but after a ciuill and moderate māner Therefore men should there haue led a happy lyfe voyd of all feare griefe or labour Now if the Terrestriall Paradise wanted all Euill and abounded with many and great goods and commodities what then may we conceaue of the Celestiall Paradise which ought to be so much the more high and so much the more good by how much the persons for which it is ordayned are better But the Height of the Heauen of the Blessed is without any comparison more sublime and high then the Paradise of Adam and the Blessed men in Heauen who can neither sinne nor dye are by infinit degrees better then the inhabitants of the Terrestriall Paradise who could both sinne and dye Therfore we may ineuitably inferre that the Heauenly Paradise doth not only want all Euill but that it is replenished with Pleasures Goodnes and Felicity and this incomparably greater in worth and more in number then the Earthly Paradise did abound Now these things being most certaine let vs burst out into thanks and gratefulnes to God who for the Terrestriall Paradise taken from vs through the malice and enuy of the deuill hath by the Redemption of his Sonne prepared for vs the Celestiall Paradise farre more blessed and happy And to the end that we may not be vnthankfull to so great a Redemer and also that we may not seeme to be enemies to our selues let vs striue vvith all our endeauour and forces to fynd a way to the Celestial Paradise and to enlarge the way therto by an entyre Fayth sincere Hope perfect Charity and good VVorkes A Comparison of the goods of this World the goods of the Terrestriall Paradise ioyned together with the goods of the Celestiall Paradise only CHAP. XI BVT let vs proceed further in this our ballancing of things and let vs cōpare all the goods of this world as also all the goods of the Earthly Paradise ioyned togeather with the goods only of the Celestiall Paradise and so see whether of these do preponderate and weigh downe the other This we shall more easily effect if we conceaue that Riches Empyres Pleasures and all the glory of Salomon and of all other lyke most happy men could be obtained without labour and retained and kept without feare as also if we further suppose such most fortunate men neuer to sin nor neuet to dye yet so as that they might sinne and might dye Now all this by supposall being granted I most confidently affirme that the goods of the Celestiall Paradise only do infinitly surpasse all the goods of this world and of the Terrestriall Paradise together From whence it will appeare that those goods being ioyned togeather cā neither satisfy the mynd nor satiate the desire of the mynd since the Hart of Man is capable of an infinit and boundlesse good Therefore that shall euer stand for a true maine Position which S. Austin hath left recorded lib. 1. Confess cap. 1. Thou hast O Lord made vs for thy self and to the lykenes of thy selfe yet our Hart is vnquiet till it rest in thy sclfe And so true also is that which the Prophet speaketh Psal 16. I shall be filled whē thy glory shall appeare Now so long as the Hart shal be vnquiet it shal be miserable and if it be miserable so long it cannot be blessed or happy But the Celestiall Paradise enioyeth this priuiledg that it is of power to satiate the soule and to exile and expell all vnquietnesse and solicitude For what can that man want who shal be lyke to God Because he shall see God as he is 1. Ioan. 3. What can he wāt whome God shall constitute or appoint ouer all goods Matth. 24. What can he want who shall reigne with God shal be coheyre with Christ whome the Father hath appointed heyre of all Heb. 1. I say what can this man want except he will dreame that God himselfe is miserable Furthermore those goods of the world and of the Terrestrial Paradise how great or of what Nature soeuer they might be in that they stood obnoxious to be lost were not perfect goods neither could they satiate the mynd or giue to it a full repose or rest and for this respect they did not nor could make a Man Blessed or happy but the goods of the Celestiall Paradise are on euery syde perfect stable neyther are they in any sort subiect to losse or dimunition for the Saints placed in those most happy Seates can neither dye neyther can they sinne and of their euerlasting felicity they are most secure Therefore let mortall men open their eyes let them often call to mynd of what moment it is not to loose the Celestiall Paradise For heare the businesse toucheth the maine matter of all others and is not about trifles or fading vanities And therefore the Wisdome of God euen through a diuine Iudgement hath pronounced VVhat doth it profit a man if he gaine the whole VVorld and sustaine the domage of his soule Matt. 16. Marc. 8. Luc. 9. A Comparison of the price of the Celestiall Paradise and the Paradise it selfe CHAP. XII THe last Comparison shal be of the Pryce with the which Christ did buy Paradise and with the which it ought to be bought of vs with relation to the greatnes and dignity of Paradise it selfe Christ with effusion of his owne most precious bloud did buy Paradise for vs which the Enuy of
perturbation of mynd therefore our Lord as it were to alleuiate ease such supposed paines adioyneth thereto Enter into the ioy of thy Lord. As if he should say As I haue made thee consort and fellow of all supreme Power so also will I make thee partaker of all desired rest and pleasure the which no anxiety toyle or labour shall be of force to take away or diminish Certainly how great this Ioy is which is promised to the Iust in Heauen is altogether inexplicable neither can we know it before vve haue tasted it by Experience In the meane tyme we may make some cohiecture out of three VVords of this very sentence that this ioy is most great The first word is Intra or Enter into It is not said Let the ioy of thy Lord enter into thee but contrarivvise enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord An euident Argument that that ioy is greater then vve are able to contayne wholy in our selues Therefore we shall enter as it were into a great Sea of euerlasting and diuine Ioy which shall replenish vs both within and without and shall haue in it selfe a redundancy on all sydes Therefore in so great an affluency of Ioy what place can be left for care or sadnes The second word is In gaudium Into the Ioy. Where is not promised this or that ioy of this good or that good but euen ioy it selfe is absolutly promised to wit pleasure it selfe sweetnes it selfe Contentment it selfe And how then can it be otherwise but that the whole soule shall euen melt and be dissolued being thus replenished with so great a sweetnes And the third word which doth mightely exaggerate this point is Domini tui Of thy Lord. For we shall not enter into a Ioy at which men or Angells do reioyce but with which God himselfe in whome all things are infinite doth reioyce What Vnderstanding can comprehend of what nature the Ioy of God is who knoweth perfectly his owne infinite goodnes and who doth enioy the same and reioyceth thereat after an infinite manner And yet notwithstanding all this it is in thy power O Christian to enioy tast and to haue the fruition of that for euer the which now thou art not able to conceaue in thought if so thou wilt be a good and faythfull seruant But now let vs consider to what men such great Promises do belong To them no doubt who haue beene carefull to multiply the Talents deliuered to them by God For this similitude is borrowed from a Rich man who deliuered his goods to his Seruants entrusting one of them with fiue talents an other with two a third with one strictly commanding them that by their carefull and prudent negotiation they should labour to multiply the same Now what these Talents may figuratiuely signify the Iudgments of the learned Interpretes are various For some do by the Talents vnderstand Gratiam gratis datam which is Grace without any interueniency on our part freely giuen Others do vnderstand thereby the holy Scriptures Others will haue the fiue Talents to signify the knowledge of externall things which is gotten by the mediation of the fiue senses And the two Talents to signify the Vnderstanding and the Operation and the one Talent alone to denote only the Vnderstanding But notwithstanding this their disparity of iudgments they all iointly conspire in this That to multiply the Talents is to worke well and painefully for the good of their owne Saluation and of others There occurreth to me another Exposition not repugnant to the former and seemeth to be fitly accommodated to all those things the which our Lord did speake of the Talents And first the Talents in this place are called the Goods of the Lord for it is said He deliuered his goods vnto them Furthermore it is commanded that the Talents by negotiation be multiplyed in the same kynd Fiue talents thou didest deliuer me behould I haue gayned other fiue besids Thirdly the Talents are said to be giuen to euery one according to their proper vertue and ability Lastly the Talent is taken away from the naughty and slouthfull seruant Therefore I by the Talents do vnderstand the Soules of faithfull and pious men which are cōmitted to the trust and diligence of Prelates For these are truly the goods of our Lord the which he doth not giue to vs but only committeth them to our care and multiplication of thē Therefore according heerunto our Lord did not say to S. Peter feede thy sheep but my sheep Ioan. 21. Other things are our goods though giuen to vs by our Lord as Wit Iudgment the Scriptures Grace freely giuen all the rest but faithfull and pious Soules our Lord calleth his Goods his Vineyard his Family his Spouse For these he came into the World for these he shed his bloud to gaine these he sent his Apostles to whom he said I will make you to be fishers of men Matth. 4. Furthermore faythfull soules are said to be multiplied in the same kind when the Prelate by word and example conuerteth sinners Which thing S. Peter performed for when Christ had committed in the beginning to his charge a hundred and twenty faythfull persons when he said Feede my sheep S. Peter vpon the day of Pentecost euen by his first Sermon conuerted three thousand men Act. 2. and after that fiue thousand Act. 4. and after that againe many thousands more In like sort S. Gregorius Thanmaturgus when he was first created Bishop of Neocasarea did find only seauenteene faythfull Belieuers in that Citty but he so multiplied this small number as that being neere to his death he had left before his departure in so populous a Citty only seauenteene Infidels or misbelieuers which point S. Gregory Nyssene relateth in the life of the said Thaumaturgus which he had fully and diligently written But to proceed These Talents are committed to euery one according to his proper Vertue and Ability For God who knoweth the strength that is the prudence knowledge Charity and Fortitude of all men doth not commend soules to any but to such whom he knovveth to be fit and couragious inough to sustaine that burden And therefore no man ought to intrude and thurst himselfe into the care of soules especially into an Episcopall charge except he be first called thereto by him who distributeth the Talents according to the power and sufficiency of euery one Since otherwise it vvill not seeme strange if many do fall vnder the Burden Neither shall they find any excuse with God if they say their shoulders were not able to beare so great a Burden For it shall be ansvvered them Who forced thee to vndertake a burden aboue thy strength Wast not thou willing therto didst thou not petition for it and labouredst by seuerall meanes and endeauours to obtaine it Therfore now suffer thy selfe with thy hands feete bound together to be cast into exteriour darknes To conclude the Talent committed to the slouthfull seruant is taken from
diuers of you are to be sent and relegated into vtter darknes for all Eternity where shall be nothing but weeping and gnashing of Teeth Matth. 22. 25. Most men I say are so vvholy drovvned in the pursuite of worldly Benefits and Pleasures as that it hides from them all true consideration of their Soules spirituall Good O blindnes of mans Nature Woe therefore be to those who breath nothing but Earth and dunghill-Pleasures Woe Woe to those who through their greedy thirst of these Trifles sleight or rather contemne the Ioyes of Heauen But Woe Woe Woe be to all such who not only through their inordinate concupiscence and affection of floating and transitory things neglect the ioyes of Heauen but with all by their sinfull life do incurre the iust indignation of him who is called the God of Iustice reuenge Psal 46. and thereby purchasing to themselues insufferable torments and irreuocable damnation Therefore all those vvho are thus blinded I remit vnto the reading of what immediatly followeth in vvhich they may glasse their ovvne future calamitous states But let them read it with horrour and feare as the weight of the busines requireth that so to speake with S. Bernard they may truly feare death feare Iudgment feare Hell lib. de primordijs medijs nouissimis nostris The Words of learned Cardinall are these HAuing aboue considered of malum culpae the euill of the Offēce we will now take into our consideration malum poenae the euill of the punishment due for the said offence or preuarication For this consideration may well be called the second Fountaine of Teares And although the feare and griefe of the Punishment be lesse perfect then the feare and griefe of the Offence notwithstanding both kinds of this feare and griefe is good and most profitable And the one of them becommeth a Meanes to beget the other Certainly our good Lord and Maister Christ Iesus saith in expresse words Luc. 12. Be not afrayd of them that kill the Body and after this haue no more to doe but I will shew you whome you shall feare Feare him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say vnto you Feare him And agayne touching vveeping Christ thus spake vnto those holy Women vvho follovved him vvith teares to the mount Caluary vvhere he vvas crucified Luc. 12. Daughters of Ierusalem weep not vpon me but weep vpon your selues and vpon your children for behould the dayes will come wherein they shall say blessed are the barren and the wombes that haue not borne and the Paps that haue not giuen sucke Then shal they beginne to say to the mountaines fal vpon vs and to the Hills couer vs For if in the greene wood they do these things in the drye what sball be done Our Lord vvas not offended neyther did he prohibit the Office of Piety by the vvhich those Women did bevvaile his Passion but only he signified in his former vvords that those Women had greater cause of lamenting vvho had brought forth vvicked Sonnes such of them diuers vvere vvho openly cryed out Tolle Tolle crucifige eum Away away with him crucify him And let his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children Io. 19. For these men shall say 〈◊〉 the day of iudgment to the mountaines Fall vpon vs and to the Hills Couer vs. For if in the greene wood that is if in Christ florishing vvithall kind of Vertue the fyer of his Passion hath so burned for the sinnes of others what thē shal become of the dry wood that is of wicked men in whome all humour of Charity is spent and exhausted To these two sacred Text of Scripture in the which Feare and Weeping to auoyde the paynes of Hell is praysed or commended by our Lord vve will adioyne tvvo other places of the ancient Fathers S. Basill explicating that of the Psalme Timorem Domini doceh◠vos thus writeth Cogita profundum Barathrum c. Call to mind the depth of Hell the inextricable darknes there the fyer wanting light yet hauing the force of burning Then thinke of that kind of Wormes casting out their venome and deuouring the flesh insatiably feeding vpon the same and fastening intollerable griefes and paines through their gnawing In the last place which is most grieuous of all remember that shame and euerlasting Confusion which shall there fall vpon then Feare this and through thy feare therof withdraw thy soule and bridle it from all Concupiscences of sinne This feare of our Lord the Prophet promised that he would teach Thus far S. Basill Let vs novv heare S. Bernard thus speaking in serm 16. in Cantica Vt paue◠Gehennam c. How much do I feare Hell and tremble at the teeth of the infernall Beast at the hollownes concauity of the place c. I much feare that gnawing VVorme and the broyling fyer the smoake and the Vapour the sulphurious spirit of stormes I feare those vtter darknesses Who shall giue to my head VVater heere and to myne eyes a fountaine of teares that so I may preuent that weeping and stridour or gnashing of the teeth there But doubtlesly neither S. Basill nor S. Bernard of which the one was of the Greeke Church the other of the Latin were such sinners who only through feare did cease from sinne but they were men perfect learned graue able to instruct others and actually did instruct not only the common People but the Clergy and Monkes reducing them to the rule of Perfection Yet notwithstanding vve see they do not only admit or permit weeping for the feare of the paines of Hell but they also commend it exhorting all men to conceaue Feare and to powre out Teares euen at the thought of the Horrour thereof Now this foundation being laid we will briefly shew what and of what Nature the torments of Hell are And because we will not wander in our discourse in groping as it were at vncertaine or coniecturall points least we may be thought to suggest vaine feares thereby to force Teares from the eyes of the simple and ignorant therefore we will produce and insist only in those things which are fully and clearely deliuered in the holy Scriptures We find then that eight seuerall kinds of Torments are read in the Booke of God which belong to Hell to wit Priuation of eternall Beatitude which is called by the deuines Poena damni the paine of the Losse Darknes Fyar the VVorme Immobility the Company of the Deuils of which paines in the damned weeping and gnashing of the teeth do proceed the which torments are called Poena sensus the Paine of sense or feeling and lastly an euerlasting and interminable duration of all these Torments 1. Well then the first is Paena damni the Payne of the Losse it being a deuiation and straying from our last End A want of the Vision and sight of God an euerlasting banishmēt from our Celestiall Country an amission or depriuation of our hereditary right to