eternall fire For at last in the periode of our life when as tyme shall be no more to vs certaine it is that God will examen our workes be they good or bad and according to them will reward each one Then euery ones prayse or blame shall proceede from the mouth of God Now we are in the forked way of vertue or vice which was shewen to the young Hercules as an Auncient Authour writeth It is in our power to take towards the right or left hand and to sowe the seedes in this life whose fruites we shall gather in the next Certes as the lines drawen from the Center of the earth might goe to the circumfereÌ„ce of the Heauens so according to our comportment in these short momentes which we are to liue in earth the definitiue Sentence of our eternall Abode shall be giuen It is our part therfore tymely to thinke of our affaires and to foresee what shall become of vs for the scripture doth teach vs that we shall reape according as we haue sowen He that shall sow in spirit shall reape eternall life The chaste Susanna being pinched with bitter perplexities while those two infamous firebrands of dishonestie threatned her the ruine of her reputation vnlesse she condescended to their lewd desire chowsed rather to fall innoceÌ„t into the hands of men then stayned into his to whom nothing is hid who tryes the hearts and reynes and who can cast the body and soule into eternall torments Me thinkes sure each considerate heart will take her part and will pourchace at the price of transitorie and momentarie pleasures endlesse paines For t is a thinge too horrible to fall into the hands of the liueing God the God of vengeance terrible ouer all those of the earth Contrariwise he will easely and willingly imbrace all kind of paynes and sufferances who shall waigh as he ought that is in the waightes of the SANCTVARIE these words of the sacred ORACLE That we are to enter into the Kingdome which knowes no end to the resideÌ„ce of Glorie through many tribulations since that our Sauiour Iesus Christ was as it were forced to suffer before he could enter into his eternall Felicitie which he had wholy obtayned and which was necessarily due vnto him The Parobolicall historie of the wicked Rich-man and the poore Lazarus is a rich Table representing this truth vnto our eyes set out in liuelie colours Euerie one knowes the different successe of the one and the other and what answere Father Abraham made to this miserable reprobate's complaintes Call to mynd Sonne that thou tookest thy pleasures during thy life and that Lazarus suffered many afflictions Now your estates are much changed for he is replenished with ioy and delight and thou oppressed with desperate greeues and with punishments which shall neuer end O double Eternitie thou art like to those figues which were presented vnto the Prophete wherof some were strangly bitter the others extreamely sweete The Blessed Eternitie is a LAND OF PROMISSE and rest whose fruites are of an vnmeasurable greatnes and incomparable sweetnes The accursed is a forraine Region full of disorder a daunting desert far remoued from the face of God where the firie serpents doe stinge without cure and kill without all hope of recouerie O ETERNITIE The more I consider thee the lesse doe I know thee and the deeper I endeauour to diue into thy bottome more bottomelesse I find thee Thou art the floode of the Prophete which cannot be past nether at the ford nor otherwise The Gyantes grone vnder thy waters nor can any beaste euen though it were an ElephaÌ„t passe ouer thee by swiming to vse S. Gregories words All that can be said of thee is nothing in regard of that which should be said Though a man speake all he is able yet can he not sufficiently expresse thee euen to represent the least stroke of thyne infinitie Birdes although they cannot soare to the highest region of the aire leaue not for all that to flie And what if we cannot comprehend Eternitie yet ought we not cease to speake what we conceaue of it though we cannot conceaue what we ought to speake therof A man may enioy the light of the Sunne walke in its resplendant rayes and now and then steale a looke vpon it though he be not able to haue his sight still fixed vpon its globe We are to doe the like in this subiect of Eternitie and be it that our sight doth disperse and loose it selfe in the immensitie of its extent yet are we from tyme to tyme to consider it since life is â—ent vs for no other end but to be spent for the most part in this attention This is that which the Prophete termes couragiously to attend God and with patience to supporte this attention And the Apostle To attend the blessed hope of the coming of the great God I Lord said the great S. Augustine burne cute pinch slice here below so that I may not perish eternally An enterie to the consideration of the accursed Eternitie XXI BVt doe you not thinke it high tyme Athanasia that we should draw neerer by the consideration of both the Eternities and that for our spirituall profit we should make a kind of particular examen and as it were an Anatomie We will begin at the accursed Eternitie that we may follow the methode which the Spiritualistes obserue in the reformation of the soule begining with feare according to that of the wise man the feare of our Lord is the begining of true wisdome And is it not true wisdome to thinke seriously and tymely of eternall saluation and to direct our stepps towards the pathes of this peace which passeth all vnderstanding nor shall at any tyme be troubled with the noyse of warrs but shall enioy with God the abundance of a plentifull repose I haue done Iudgement and Iustice that is I haue behaued my selfe iustly in all myne actions saith the Royall Prophete Will you haue the reason of this vprightnesse because I haue dreaded the seueritie of the eternall Iudge And another Prophete brings in Sinners conuerted to the father of mercyes speaking in this wise O Lord through thy feare we haue conceaued good pourposes and by it we haue at length produced and brought forth the spirit of saluation The needle following the Contemplatiues worne similitude goes alwayes through before the silke and sharpe and pearceing FEARE according to that word of Dauid Lord pearce my body and soule with the FEARE of thy iudgements is still the forerunner of ioy ioy the inseparable fruite of the tree of true Charitie I see then that there I must begin but a secrete horrour doth fasten vpon myne imagination when I represent vnto my selfe so mournfull and daunting a matter It is a far other thing theâ— that place of horrour and vaste solitude wherof the Prophete speakes for it is the verie herbour of eternall horrour eternall reproach It is the accursed denne where DEATH doth eternally inhabite
That we see now obscurely but in glorie face to face And in S. IOHN we shall see him such as he is which doth sufficiently proue that supreme felicitie consisteth in the intimate vision of God When againe we marke this passage thy Elect ô Lord shall be drunk with the aboundance of thy house and thou shall giue them to drinke of the torrent of pleasure And in the Ghospell enter into the ioy of thy Lord. And againe your ioy shall not be taken from you by which is sufficiently showen what part the will is to haue in the essentiall glorie And who would not gather hence that it consisteth in the vision and fruition of the two faculties God who is infinitly greater then our harts filling them both with vnimaginable delightes being in qualitie of Soueraigne Truth the obiect of our vnderstanding and as he is the Soueraigne Good the obiect of our will its repose and Center But when the Psalmist sings Taste and see how sweete is our Lord doth he not ioyne them both together being no lesse proper to the will to taste then to the vnderstāding to see and herein we follow the interpretation of the learned HVGH OF S. VICTOR And yet after the same Diuine Psalmist had said thou shall giue them to drinke of the torrent of pleasure doth he not add and in thy light we shall see light This opinion is cōfirmed by a Bull of Benetts the twelueth who defines that the soules of the Elect are blessed by these actes of seeing and enioying And the Romane Cathechisme put out by the Councell of Trents order placeth essentiall Beatitude in the vision and fruition of God It were an easie thing to show that the auncient Fathers of the Church placed the essentiall beatitude sometymes in the one sometymes in the other Power and sometymes also ioyntly in both but the breuitie which I proposed vnto my selfe from which I doe insensibly stray makes me cut of many peeces of those great Oracles which would wonderfully beautifie this stroke Le ts soberly content our selues with this smale reason If the Blessed soule did not imbrace the heauenly Spouse in his glorie with both her armes which are the vnderstanding and will doubtlesse she would not be wholy satisfied for who knowes not euen by experience that the will is not carried with lesse bent toward Good then the vnderstanding towards the Truth Whence I gather that necessarily her desire must be replenished with all sorts of good things according as the Scripture doth teach vs and the ensuing strokes will giue vs more amply to vnderstand Therfore to speake properly essentiall Beatitude doth consiste in the perfect vnion of the soule to God being made as the Apostle tearmes it one selfe same spirit with him which is done in the soule by Gods inward penetration called by the Diuines nor can we expresse it in any other terme an illaps which me thinkes vpon necessitie we may make vse of in our tongue as well as of the word Relaps finding that nether more rude nor more improper then this which is receaued and authorised by custome Now this illaps of God into the soule doth replenish it with the glorie of God himselfe and doth as it were deifie it according as S. IOHN speakes we know that we shall be made like vnto him when we shall see him as he is So that the soule shall be filled and replenished with God as the Moone when she is perfectly full with the light of the Sunne or as a sponge when it is throughly wett and filled with liquor And God vniting himselfe vnto her as the fire is vnited to the burning iron following the Contēplatiues ordinarie similitude shall be ioyned vnto her and shall vnite her so inly to himselfe that she shall be as it were transformed into God who shall be as saith the Spouse in the Canticles intirely hers as she againe shall be intirely his Which caused S. BERNARD to pronounce those holy and louing words our Beatitude and our reward is to see God to liue with God to liue of God and in God to be with God and in God who shall be all in all Now where this soueraigne Good is who can doubt but there is also the soueraigne ioy and Felicitie true Libertie perfect Charitie eternall Assurance and assured Eternitie In God is true Gladnes compleat Knowledge perfect Beautie continuall Peace Pietie Bountie Light Vertue Honestie Sweetnes true Life Glorie Praise Repose gracious Friendshipp and greatfull Concord Hitherto are the words of this mellifluous Doctor The happines of the point of the soule XLIV BVt perfectly to vnderstand in what this essentiall glorie doth consiste we must call to mynd Athanasia the diuision of the bodie and the soule wherof the Prophete speakes administring an occasion to misticall Diuines to diuide man's soule into three degrees the inferiour superiour and supreme Or if you had rather into three portions the lowest the highest and the middle And they seate Appetite in the lowest region the powres in midle but in the highest the point of the mynd the flowre vnitie or essence of the soule the Latines Mens the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebritians Nesamah for all these words doe but signifie one and the same thing Now to speake onely in this place of the highest God being Spirit a most pure Act and most-one essence although in glorie he be vnited to euerie blessed soule yet is his vnion more excellent and eminent in this highest portion of the soule then in those below euen as we obserue in mans soule which is all in all the body and all in euery part therof yet is more nobly that is it doth more nobly exercise its functions in the head then in the other members of the bodie So say the Mistikes that this highest portion of man's soule is the Spouse his bed Salomon's coutch his Cabinet and the place of his more particular delights Ther is the Diuine essence vnited to the essence of the soule there the spirituall marriages marriages the fullnesse of our eternall felicitie celebrated wherof so much mention is made in the holy Scripture For as the Bridegroome and Bride are two in one flesh by the sacred band which doth tye them together so the Blessed soule by this vnion with her Principle and application to her end becomes one spirit with him through the excesse of that Charitie which is the band of all perfection Thus is the soule transformed and transfigured into light by the spirit of God made participant of the Diuine nature and conformable to the liknesse of his Maiestie T is true that we are by nature made to the liknesse and similitude of God whose picture is so liuely exprest in the soule which is one in Essence and trine in faculties Yet much more by grace which makes vs as it were certaine looking-glasse wherin that glorioule Sunne makes the rayes of his light and loue meete while he expresseth his perfections therin
fire wheeles gibbets swords haire-shirts disciplines austerities and whither the King of Saints entred by sufferaâ—nces O miserable bodie too delicate a member to liue vnder a Heade crowned with thornes and wholy couered with blood Tell me accursed carcasse and victime of death what priuiledge thou pretendst that thou darst presume by a manifest iâ—iustice wallowing in soft lux and delicacies to enter into a Kingdome all whose gates are made with Crosses in a Paradice where none enters that is not pearced with the firâ—e sword of a louing mortification Heare this doome or rather this thunder clapp ô my body and thou ô my soule If thou dost not mortifie with the spirit the actions of sensualitie thou shalt die marrie if thou mortifiest them thou shalt liue And againe mortifie your meÌ„bers which are vpon earth and carrie still in your body the mortification of IESVS CHRIST so shall you be as dead but to th' end you may liue eternally Of the Aureola LVII BEsides the essentiall Glorie which the Blessed shall enioy Athanasia in the sight of the Soueraigne well-beloued in the loue of the Soueraigne well-seene the Diuines doe note certaine accidentall ones and as it were accessorie to the prime and principall which they haue named Aureolas grounding vpon a passage of Exodus where there is command giuen to make a litle crowne called Aureola ouer the Arke bisides the crowne of gold with which it was to be wholy inuironed Now this Aureola doth chiefely reside in the soule albeit by a certaine rebounding saith S. THOMAS as also DENIS THE CARTHVSIAN and ouerswelling it breakes out and spreads it selfe ouer all the bodie and doth euen outwardly appeare with a certaine peculiar grace And if Essentiall Glorie be different according to the diuers degrees of Charitie and merite this accidentall of which we speake shall be varied following the varietie of labours and victories For as there is diuision of graces so is there of rewards to Ordinarily these Aureolae are diuided into three kindes wherof one is attributed to MARTYRES who haue conquered the world the second to VIRGINES who haue surmounted sensualitie the third to DOCTORS who by their learning haue defeated the Artes and errours of the Prince of darknesse And if these Aureolae be compared together the comon consent giues the first rancke and preeminencie to Martyrdome for there is no greater charitie then to giue ones life for that which he loues Neuer durst any saith S. AVGVSTINE preferre Virginitie before Martyrdome Chastitie being but a lent martyrdome wheras to die in torments is a violent one A second is giuen to virgines who follow the Lambe where euer he goes clothed in white stoles The third to Doctors who were the salte of the earth the light of the world and the Lampes of Israel And when I say the Aureola shall be giueÌ„ vnto Doctors I nether vnderstand the learned nor those that shall onely haue taken the degree of Doctor ship in earth and buried their Talent and hid their Lampe vnder the Bushall For such Doctors shall enioy in Heauen the simple guife of Charitie onely a thing common with the rest of the Elect for as DANIEL saith they shall be bright as the Firmament But such as shall instruct others in the way of saluation and rightuousnes shall sparkle and shine as glorious strarrs in perpetuall Eternities Those then it is that haue taught and communicated to the ignorant sound and wholsome doctrine who shall carrie away the Aureola of Doctors For as he is not crowned who hath onely the abilitie and strength to fight and vanquish but he that in effect doth fight and ouercome the enemy according to that none shall be crowned but such as haue lawfully fought so those onely that had knowledge made others participant of it shall partake of the Aureola of Doctors according to that of the Ghospell he that shall teach and doe what is good shall be called great in the Kingdome of Heauen Some vnderstand those words of the Apocalipse of this Aureola I will bestow on him that shall ouercome a hidden Manna and a white stone wherin shall be grauen a new name which none shall know but he that receaues it and that of ISAIE speaking of the Continent vnder the name of Eunukes I will giue them a Mansion within the compasse of the walls of my house and an excellent name amongst the childreÌ„ of men As then here below in earth men are ordinarily distinguished by their clothes so shall those three bands haue some particular signe or marke which shall make them notable amongst the rest of the Blessed The Blessed societie of the Elect. LVIII ANd if an auncient Philosopher Athanasia following comon sense said that felicitie is not full and accomplished without societie what compainie is comparable to that which the Blessed inioy in Glorie Though God be sole and one in Essence yet hath he societie in the distinctions of persons and thence is not solitarie in his Beatitude What shall it be to behold the Societie of the three Diuine persons vnited together in the vnitie of their beeing yea euen to be vnited to this high Societie in the band of Charitie which is that of perfection what shall it be to be associated to the humanitie of IESVS CHRIST our brother according to Flesh as he was Sonne of man which for our sake he tooke vpon him whence we are made children of God and if children heires and if heires of God coheires of IESVS CHRIST in the inheritance of Glorie O how happie shall they be who are inrowled into the holy FELLOWSHIPE of IESVS CHRIST and made partaker of his heauenly and Diuine conuersation And if it be written that euen in this world he that is in Charitie remaynes in God and God in him and that he that keepes the Commandements is made the Tabernacle and lodginge of the three persons of the Sacred TRINITIE what are we to say of the state of consummated Grace which is Glorie where Charitie is compleate O Diuine Societie And if after the Diuinitie and humanitie of our Sauiour we turne the ey of our consideration vpon the admirable beautie of her who is the holy of Holyes yea the MOTHER of the holy of Holyes and who next vnto God to whom is due the worshipe of Latria we honour with Hyperdulia what could be imagined more rauishing since she is the mother of that verie Sonne who was eternally begotteÌ„ in the splendour of Saintes in the breast of the eternall Father were it not a spareing speach to attire her with the Sunne to make the Moone her footstoole and starrs her crowne yes verily since her Sonne and her God are her great crowne and incomparable ioy according to that of the wiseman a vertuous Sonne is the crowne and ioy of his Father and Mother And from this qualitie of MOTHER OF GOD which is in some sorte infinite there rebouÌ„ds in her such an abundance of grace that she is not
ineffable p. 50. 14. An imperfect description of Eternity p. 53. 15. What Tyme is p. 56. 16. Eternitie compared to Tyme p. 62. 17. An eleuation of the mynd to God vpon the comparison of tyme to Eternitie p. 67. 18. Mans life compared to the worlds continuance p. 70. 19. The force of the thought of Eternitie p. 74. 20. That this life is onely lent vs to thinke vpon Eternitie p. 80. 21. An enterie to the consideration of the accursed Eternitie p. 88. 22. The horrour of this subiect p. 92. 23. It is an vniuersalitie of euils p. 95. 24. The paynes of sense and first of the sight and hearing p. 100. 25. The paines of other two senses the Smelling and tasteing p. 107. 26. The paine of the sense of touching p. 110. 27. A sith to God p. 116. 28. Of interiour paines p. 118. 29. The Prison of Hell p. 127. 30. Of the paine of Damni p. 131. 31. The continuall greife p. 135. 32. The Eternitie of the torments of Hell p. 144. 33. Of the desperation of the damned p. 153. 34. Paines without intermission p. 156. 35. Whether it were better for the damned not to bee p. 161. 36. Why there paines are eternall p. 166. 37. An Apostrophie to God and the soule vpon the accursed Eternitie p. 171. 38. A passage to the blessed Eternitie p. 181. 39. The finenesse of this subiect p. 186. 40. That the eternall felicitie is the petfection of all good things p. 189. 41. Of the place of the Blessed Eternitie p. 195. 42. Of the magnificence of the place p. 199. 43. Of the essentiall happines of the blessed p. 207. 44. The happines of the point of the soule p. 215. 45. Of the felicitie of the powers of the soule and first of the memorie p. 221. 46. The aduantages of the vnderstanding p. 227. 47. Of the light of Glorie p. 236. 48. Of diuers degrees of Glorie p. 240. 49. In what measure the beatified vnderstanding sees God in Heauen p. 245. 50. Whether the beatified vnderstaÌ„ding sees all in God p. 252. 51. The pleasures of the Will p. 256. 52. The felicitie of the inferiour portion of the soule p. 264. 53. Of the dowries of the beatified soule p. 268. 54. Touching the qualities of the glorified bodies p. 271. 55. The pleasure of the Senses p. 276. 56. A continuation of the precedent subiect p. 283. 57. Of the Aureola p. 287. 58. The Blessed societie of the Elect. p. 292. 59. The Excellences of this holy Societie p. 296. 60. Other excellencies p. 302. 61. A continuation of the excellencies p. 308. 62. A flight of the mynd towards this happie compaignie p. 317. 63. Another flight of mynd p. 320. 64. Eternitie is the fulnesse of Beatitude p. 326. 65. Meanes wherby to arriue at this happie Eternitie p. 334. 66. A continuation of the former discourse p. 345. 67. Another meane p. 352. 68. That this thought of Eternitie is the abridgement of all spirituall life p. 363. 69. A continuation of the formar discourse p. 368. 70. Of the essentiall Eternitie p. 376. 71. That this essentiall Eternitie is all things p. 384. 72. An application of the Heart to this essentiall Eternitie p. 391. 73. An aspiration of Hope p. 403. 74. A practise to engraue in our heart the memorie of Eternitie p. 409. 75. Other indeuours p. 420. 76. An other memoriall of Eternitie p. 424. 77. The moments wher vpon Eternitie doth depend p. 444. 78. The present moment p. 450. 79. The eternall doome p. 458. 80. Adoration of the essentiall Eternitie p. 474. FINIS ATTESTATIO LIbrum hunc cui titulus A Draught of Eternitie Authore Reuer mo IOANNE PETRO CAMO Episcopo Bell. diligenter perlegi adeoque nihil in eo Fidei aut bonis moribus contrarium reperi vt aeternâ laude lectione dignum Iudicem ac proinde ob quem tam Interpreti quam Authori aeternam debeant ad aeternitatem aspirantes GVILIELMVS TALBOTTVS S. Theol. Professor APPROBATIO HIc liber cui titulus Crayon de l'Eternité gallico Idiomate à R.mo Domino D. IOANNE PETRO CAMO Episcopo Bell. Conscriptus in Anglicum sermonem opere R d D. MILONIâ— CARRAEI versus cum nihil contineâ— contra Fidem seu bonos more 's vt mihâ— docti Fide digni viri testimonio constatâ— imprimatur Actum Duaci die 26. Maijâ— 1632. GEORGIVS COLVENERIVâ— S. Theol. Doctor Professor aâ— librorum Censor A DRAVGHT OF ETERNITY That Eternitie is litle considered THE FIRST STROKE O People deuoyde of the spirit of counsell and vnprouided of true prouidence God grant thou wouldst be wise and vnderstanding and that by a mature foresight thou couldst reach to the end of future things These are the words of the great law giuer of the Iewes taxing that Nation of inconsideration of an incircuncised heart and a stiffe necke and laying the greatest part of their faults vpon the litle attention they had to foresee future things To which pourpose saith S. BERNARD excellently well In these words of Moyses three things are recommended vnto vs. Wisdome Vnderstanding and Prouidence And I conceaue them to be assined and applyed to three times to represent in vs a Draught of Eternitie Which we will doe in this manner in moderating things present by wisdome in discering things past by the iudgment which we will make of our selues and by an exacte prudence in disposing our selues for the time to come Anâ—certes wisely to dispose of thing present and seriously to recogitatâ— things past in the bitternesse of ouâ— soule is the abridgement yea the toppe of all spirituall exercises and the forme of all interiour discipline To th' end that according vnto the Apostles Counsell we may liue in this life soberly and piously by obseruing sobriety in the vse of things present by redeeming with a worthy satisfaction tyme vnprofitably spent without gathering any fruit towards our saluation and by opposing the Buckler of Piety against the dangers which doe menace vs for the tyme to come Tell me now my deare Athanasia whether that with which the diuine MOYSES did so iustly and truely vpbraid the Israelites may not and ought not by as good right be cast in the â—eeth of the new Israel of God a people of acquisition and of an acquisition so paynefull and bloody of â—he soules of the greatest part of Christians redeemed with so great a price and with so plentious a redemption since worldlings are so lulled a sleepe in the region of the shadow of death that they loose the remembrance of this so wholesome a thought of Eternity which should neuer be razed out of their memory in any moment of this mortall life Let vs wish in their behalfe that which the great Conductour of the children of IACOB wished for his bretheren who was held the swetest and mildest amoÌ„gst men what euer be reported of the sharpenesse of his spirit amongst the waters of contradiction and let vs pronoune of men buried
with which God did endow that heauenly and Angelicall bread We may say the same of the sight of God the highest point of eternall Glorie a sight which S. IOHN in his Reuelations tearmes a hidden Manna for the reasons which we will reserue for that stroke wherin we set out the pleasures of the Will Whether the beatified vnderstanding sees all in God L. BEfore I come to the Beatitude of the will I desire to show Athanasia whether as the vnderstanding enlightened with the light of Glorie sees God all so it sees all in God We cannot haue an answere to this difficultie from a better mouth then from the ORACLE of the Schoole the Angelicall Doctor who teacheth vs that like as no created vnderstanding can totally comprehend God so consequently can it not see in God all that he doth or is able to doe that being reserued to God alone who is of an infinite capacitie or rather infinitie it selfe Marrie it shall see more or lesse according to the measure of the light of Glorie by which it is sustayned He shall see in God all that he shall see yet shall he not for all that see all which God seeth Not because all that which God seeth is not visible in himselfe but in regard of the created vnderstandings limitation whence it cannot comprehend an illimited thing Nor is it to the pourpose to affirme that the Blessed who shall resemble the Angells shall see like those heauenly spirits in the WORD the true Mirrour without all Spot the likenesse of his Fathers Goodnes and figure of his substance the splendour and candour of his light being God of God and light of light All things as in a Mirrour being a thing comonly knowen that he that sees a Mirrour sees all things represented therin For to make that obiection vanish like smoake we need onely to reply that it is true indeed when we speake of a Mirrour which is comprehēded by the eye But this Mirrour of the WORD and the Diuinitie being incomprehensible how can it be imagined that a finit and limited vnderstanding can comprehēd that which is incomprehensible God therfore doth onely communicate himselfe infinitly vnto himselfe by reason of the infinit capacitie which he hath to giue and receaue such a communication To creatures it is sufficient that he communicate himselfe with proportion to their sufficiencie to receaue him For how can they iustly desire any more after they be replenished with the fulnesse of God so far forth as their capacitie and abilitie can admitt But let vs consider further Athanasia how excellent this sight of things in God shall be by the manner of seeing which shall be much more perfect then though they were seene in themselues in their nature and proprieties or els by their species and representation For the beatified vnderstanding being vnited vnto God and beholding the verie Diuine Essence without species or image shall by consequence see all the creatures in this Diuine Essence without Species or representations in a far more compleate and high manner then though they were seene in themselues because they shall see them in the same manner they see God whose proper Essence shall supplie the Species of things all which it contaynes in a most eminent manner O incomparable glorie of the blessed vnderstanding since thou shalt see the Essēce of God without species without mediation face to face and in it all things Thou shalt be blessed like vnto God and shalt enioy the felicitie which God himselfe enioyeth sith his Beatitude consisteth in the louing contemplation of his owne Essence The pleasures of the Will LI. ALthough the aduantages of the vnderstanding be such as we haue set them out in the preceedent stroke yet is the Will alwayes his Mistrisse and all his labours and actions are directed to her He is her Page her Torch-bearer her Forerunner it is he that discouers the GOOD and proposeth it to the Will to be loued who after she hath knowen it she imbraceth it For according to the Philosophers Axiome The will is not carried to an obiect it knowes not Now this Diuine Essence seene without the mediation of Species by the vnderstanding being the essentiall and infinite Goodnes whence all that is good amongst creatures doth flow the will shall so closely attentiuely and inuariably vnite her selfe vnto it that no creature ether in Heauen or earth shall euer be strong enough to separate her from this Charitie so perfect and accomplished And out of this inseparable vnion of the will with the Soueraigne Good her Rest and Center a fountaine of water of life runing to Eternitie shall spring vp in the soule and thence shall flow a floode of continuall ioyes and delightes so shall they be absorpt in the pleasures of our Lord and as it were drunke vp in the Abisses of Diuine sweetnesses And if the wiseman say that all good things did accompainie wisdome in him how much rather may the blessed soule pronounce the same in the possession of the Diuine wisdome and that eternall Kingdome which in the Ghospell we are exhorted to search after with promisse that in possessing of it all good shall befall vs For being accompained with a compleate Charitie Charitie the bond of perfection by a necessarie sequall she shall be attended by all the Vertues whose actes she shall exercise with an incredible delight and facilitie And this louing fruition of God by the Will is that hidden Manna wherof mention is made in the Apocalipse reserued for the victorious inhabitants of the triumphant Hierusalem For as the Manna of the Wildernes did conteyne in it selfe all kind of sauours so this vnion of the Will with the essentiall Goodnes of God doth cōprise all the fauours heart can wish in a most eminent◠māner There is nothing in the pleasures honours and riches of created things which is worthy to be compared to this treasure The Manna was a celestiall Foode taking its name from the admiration of those who tasted it for the word imports What is this and was spoken by the Israelites when they saw it fall from Heauen And this gust of the will can be no otherwise exprest but by rapture so far doth it outstripe all humane capacitie It is called a hidden Manna for that being vnknowen to the world it is onely knowen of such as doe experiēce its sweetnesse inconceaueable sweetnesse which caused the Kingly Prophete to cry out ô Lord how great is the multitude of the sweetnesse which thou hast treasured vp for those that walke in thy feare O God! might I dare to expresse in this poore Draught the vnspeakeable contentmēt of the Will in her vnion and application to the Goodnes of the Diuine Essence to the Diuinitie of the essētiall Goodnes O powrefull Vertue of Faith to what a high point of light dost thou rayse our soules in this vaile of darknesse Yes Athanasia euen as the vnderstāding shall be applied to the Prime Truth which is
and bracelets are tokens of loue whose true proofe is the worke saith S. GREGORIE and is not the worke signified by the arme and hand the principall instruments of operation Now in euery well-ordered marriage the Bride receaues some dowrie of the Bridegroome whervpon in this great Sacrament of IESVS CHRIST and his Church and the faithfull Soule which is a member of this Church the misticall body of our Sauiour the Doctors doe assigne dowries to the soule which enters into Glorie according to that doctrine of ISAIE our Lord hath clothed me with garments of saluation and hath adorned me with a chayne as his Spouse And that of S. IOHN in his Apocalipse who compares the triumphant Hierusalem to a Bride well deckt being so adorned by her spouse And touching those dowries in particular they reduce them to three heades conformably to the three powres of the Soule and to the three Diuine vertues which God infuseth herebelow into the hearts of the faithfull Faith Hope and Charitie For they say that the Memorie is endowed with the possession of God which doth referre to Hope The vnderstanding with vision or knowledge in reward of Faith and the Will with the Diuine Fruition in recompence of Charitie This is the triple band which in Heauen shall inseparably tye vs to God a heauenly band which can neuer be broken Touching the qualities of the glorified bodies LIV. LEt 's now make a passage Athanasia from the interiour to the exteriour from the felicitie of the Soule to that of the body and let vs say that to those dowries which I haue deciphered in the former stroke admirable qualities shall be adioyned which without distroying the beeing of the bodie shall worke wonderfull changes and make them far more noble then they are in this mortall life We shall all rise againe saith the Apostle that is as well the Elect as the Reprobate but all shall not experience this happie change for the bodies of the dāned shall remayne passible heauie grosse and darke but the bodies of the Blessed shall become impassible subtile light and resplendant And to these foure qualities it is that the Doctors haue reduced the dowries of the glorious bodies Impassibilitie is a qualitie which shall make the body of an incorruptible temper not obnoxious to change exempt from hungar thrist cold heate greife infirmitie and from euery thing that can subiect vs to death or paine Glorified bodies cannot burne nor suffer in the fire nor be drowned in the water In a word nor can the tooth of Tyme nor any other force distroye them They shall enioy a continuall youth like to a flowre that cannot fade a vigorous health against which sicknesse can attempt nothing a qualitie of the heauenly bodies that suffer no alteratiō Which made the Apostle say that that which was sowen in corruption he meanes the corps layed in the graue shall ryse incorruptible and that which is mortall shall put-on immortalitie And againe the dead shall rise to incorruption The second dowrie is subtiltie which shall indewe the body as it were with a spirituall qualitie I doe not say that it shall become spirit for that is the errour of some auncient Heretikes refuted by S. AVGVSTINE in his bookes of the Citie of God nor yet that the glorious body shall be made aire an Heresie which S. GREGORIE in his Morales ascribes to EVTICHIVS Bishope of Constantinople but I say its subtiliti◠shall be so great that it shall passe through another body as through Heauen and earth which the Maisters tearme Penetration of dimensions And of this dowrie is vnderstoode that of the Apostle this sensible body shall rise againe spirituall that is resembling the spirit in sundrie things yet in such a spiritualitie as shall not depriue it of its palpabilitie according to that saying of our Sauiour to his disciples after his resurrection touch and see a spirit hath nether flesh nor bones as you see me haue And the same Sauiour did shew the subtiltie of his glorious body while he issued out of his Tombe not opening it and entred into the Hall where the Apostles were the gates being shutt The third qualitie shall be an incredible Agilitie and such as S. AVGVSTINE teacheth that the body shall be where the Spirit desireth not that this motion saith S. THOMAS is performed in an instant and without a meane but that the swiftnes of the passage shall be in a sort imperceptible and like to that of fire or lightning as saith the wiseman For the rest saith ISAIE they run without labour and trauell as far as they list without being wearie at all because this body sowen in infirmitie shall rise againe saith the Apostle in such vigour a vigour which S. THOMAS takes for Agilitie or Mobilitie that it shall be indefatigable and shall performe in a smale tyme an incredible iorney The fourth and most noble dowrie shall be Brightnes of which it is said in S. MATHEW that the Iust shall shine like the Sunne in the Kingdome of their heauenly Father and againe that they should flie like sparkes as it is in the wiseman And S. PAVLE writing to the Corinthians assures them that that which is sowen in infirmitie shall rise vp in glorie that is in brightnes according to S. THOMAS his interpretation grounding vpon the same Apostle who saith presently after as one starre differs from another in brightnes so shall the glorious bodies differre after their resurrection And the same Apostle speaking to the Philippians tells thē that our Lord will reforme the body of our humilitie and will cōforme it to his brightnes a brightnes wherof he gaue a proofe in his Transfiguration vpon the Mount-Thabor of his Agilitie by walking vpon the waters of his subtiltie in his birth and of his impassibilitie escapeing often tymes without hurt out of the hands of the Iewes who one while would stone him at another tyme would throw him headlōg downe while as yet the tyme of his suffering death for our sake was not arriued The pleasure of the Senses LV. THe glorious bodie being in this sort as it were transformed by the foure qualities which I haue touched in the former stroke O Athanasia iudge you how exquisite the pleasures of the senses shall be which they shall enioy in Organes so perfectly well disposed It is a delightfull question in Diuinitie to know whether the dowrie of impassibilitie shall exclude the act of the senses which S. THOMAS deneyes by no lesse solide then subtile arguments and shewes contrariwise that the perfection of those qualities shall render the pleasures of the Senses more pure and their delightes more excellēt He seemes to make some exception of the Sēse of tasteing for that the Kingdome of Heauen being nether meate nor drinke but ioy and Peace in the Holy Ghost and the beatified body stāding in no neede of foode to sustaine it he thinkes that this Sense made to relish meates remaynes vnprofitable and he would