said The things that please him I do alwayes Ioan. 8. And the like did the Apostle the true imitatour of Christ saying 2. Cor. 5. We striue whether we be ahsent or present to please him This perfect renunciation and disclayming from all things which a man possesseth or desires to possesse this abnegation of a mans selfe that he may serue only God is the true Pryce of Paradise Neither followeth it that who giueth himselfe away after this manner that he may buy Paradise doth loose himselfe but most truly most happily he doth find himselfe according to those words of our Lord Matth. â—0 He that loseth his life for me shall find it He that hateth his life in this VVorld doth keep it to life euerlasting But because this Wisdome is hidden from the wyse and prudent men of this wor d who truly are fooles in the sight of God and because the number of fooles is infinite therefore many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22. OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder Parabolicall Names THE FIFTH BOOKE Of a Treasure hidden in the field CHAP. I. HITHERTO I haue written so far forth as God hath vouchsafed to dictate to me in my Meditations of the felicity of the Saints vnder the name of those places which they do inhabit I meane vnder the places of the kingdome of Heauen of the Citty of God of â—he House of our Lord and of the Para◠〈◊〉 â—elights and Pleasures I will in this next place add something concerning the same Felicity vnder the name of such Things to the which our Lord in Parables hath compared the Felicity of Saints And heere in the beginning it is to be aduertized that those Words of our Lord The kingdome of Heauen is like c. the which our Lord doth commonly vse are not euer referred to the Words immediatly following As where our Lord sayth The kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a Merchant man he meaneth not that the Kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a Merchant man but he referreth those words to the whole Narration in which by way of similitude the way to the Kingdome of Heauen is demonstrated And further we are to obserue that the Kingdome of Heauen is sometimes in the Parables described more obscurely at other tymes more clearely and sometimes not touched at all I wil explicate the seuerall members of this diuision Whereas our Lord in S. Matthew setteth downe the Parable of the sower he describeth the fruite which the Preaching of the Ghospell bringeth forth according to the diuers dispositions of the earth and this he calleth the Mistery of the Kingdome of God but touching the Beatitude of the Saints he speaketh nothing But where our Lord in the same place doth add the Parable of the Cockle he briefly toucheth the felicity of Saints when he sayth that the good Seede or wheat is to be gathered vp into the barne of our Lord and the Cockle to be tyed togeather and burned But when in the same Chapter he relateth the Parables of him that sought for good Pearles and of him that did find the Treasure hidden in the field then more perspicuously he compareth the Kingdome of God to a Pearle and to a Treasure And of this third kind among the Parables of our Lord I find only six One of a Treasure hidden in a field another of a precious Margarite or Pearle The third of the daily Penny the fourth of the Lord or Mayster distributing the Talents The fift of a Great supper the sixt of a Mariage To the which we will adioyne two similitudes out of the Apostle the one of those who runne in a race the other who fight or stryue for the Maistery So as there shal be eight Considerations touching the Blessed life of the Saints deduced from Parabolicall Names or Titles The first Parable then is taken from S. Mathew cap 13. The kingdome of heauen is like to a Treasure hidden in a field VVhere our Lord teacheth how it may be gotten when he sayth Which when a man hauing found did hide it and for ioy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field Treasure signifieth a great aboundance of gould siluer and precious stones as Paulus the Ciuill Lawyer teacheth de acquir rerum dom L. Nunquam this Treasure ought to be so ancient as that there remayned no memory therof before and therfore it hath no proper Lord but belongeth by right to him that findeth it This Treasure in S. Mathew is the Diuinity it selfe which is hid in the field of the Humanity of Christ as S. Hilarius and S. Ierome in Com. cap. 13. Matth. do rightly expound For in Christ as the Apostle sayth all the Treasures of the knowledge and VVisdome of God are hidden Now the Diuinity is the most true Treasure of all goods and is indeed so ancient since it is eternall and did precede all Ages as that there can be no former memory of it extant Neither had this Infinite Treasure any proper Lord to own it for it selfe is the Lord of all things Neuerthelesse this Treasure of the Diuinity is said to belong to the right of them that find it because God giueth himselfe freely to those who by selling all their substance and Goods earnestly labour to acquire purchase him It is further said to be had as it were and digged in a field to wit in the Humanity of Christ for although the Diuinity be euery where yet it is in no place so properly and peculiarly as in the Humanity of Christ to the which it is so vnited as that one and the same Person is both God and Man And therefore the Apostle sayth 2. Cor 5. God was in Christ reconciling the VVorld to himselfe And though the Diuinity be in no place more then in the Humanity of Christ notwithstanding it seemeth to be so hid therein as that it is needfull to vse a light or candle to demonstrate and shew God to be in Christ And this light was S. Iohn Baptist who as S. Iohn writeth cap. 5. was the lampe burning shining Of whom Dauid in the Person of God the Father did thus prophesy Ps 131. I haue prepared a Lampe vnto my Christ. For S. Iohn Baptist did manifest Christ and did shew that he was God and the only begotten sonne of God when he said Ioan. 1. God no man hath euer seene the only begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared And againe He that commeth from Heauen is aboue all And a litle after The Father loueth the Sonne and he hath giuen all things in his hand he that belieueth in the sonne hath life euerlasting but he that is incredulous to the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God remaineth vpon him Ioan. 3. But although this burning and shining Lampe did manifest Christ openly to be the Sonne of God neuerthelesse the blinded Iewes could not at least would not acknowledge the
OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Fiue Bookes Writen in Latin by the most Illustrious Cardinall Bellarmine of the Society of Iesus And translated into English by A. â— Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the Iustice thereof Matth 6. Permissu Superiorum 1638. The Epistle Dedicatory of the Translatour to the Reader GOOD Reader I heere present thee with a Translation of one of the spirituall Bookes of the learned and pious Bellarmine memorable in all future Ages But before I proceed further I would wish thee call to mynd that two things necessarily concurre to the perfection and consummation of a Good Christian The first is a true and Orthodoxall fayth residing in the vnderstanding The second a deuout and vertuous life resting in the Vâ—ill Touching the first it is recorded in sacred Writ That without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. and of the other we thus read Decline from euill and do good Psal 36. Now this Blessed deceased Cardinall whose happy Soule I most humbly beseech to pray for me his poore Client endeuouring to forestall as it were surprize the contrary wayes leading to mans perdition did first for the instruction of Christians of this Age in true fayth write his learned Tomes of Controuersies for their worth deseruing to be stamped in letters of Gould and for their continuance to future ages in Characters of Brasse or Marble threatning therin a totall profâ—igation or rather extinguishment of all present Nouellisme After this his labour accomplished himselfe growing into greater yeares then did he turne his penne to write certain spiritual Treatises wholy breathing deuotion and Sanctity teaching the way of performance of the foresayd Precept of declining from Euill and doing Good Among which his deuout Discourses he made one of the Ioyes of Heauen entituling it De aeterna Felicitate Sanctorum The which booke translated into English I do now present vnto thee In thy serious perusing whereof thou wilt rest astonished at the proceedings of most Worldlings who are so wholy buried in Earth as that wheras Man is borne Heyre to the Kingdome of Heauen for wee reade to our comfort that we are Heyres of God and Coheyres of Christ Rom. 8. Neuertheles diuers of them do euen breathlesly labour toyle in seeking to adde earth for their Sonnes to inherit and yet are of such nicenes and delicacy themselues as that they will not once stirre a foote that not their Sonnes but themselues may inherit not Earth but the true Land of promise I meane the kingdome of God but in lieu thereof though their leading a wicked lyfe become inheritours of Hell fyre and euerlastinge damnation But to returne to the most worthy Bellarmine In the reading of this his Booke thou shalt doublesly fynd him not to act Moyses who was permitted only to shew the Israelites the way to the LaÌ„d of Promise not to enter with them therein but rather Iosua who conducted them into the Land and also entred with them which Land was but a Type or adumbration of the Celestiall Land or Country heere discoursed of Touching my course held in translating this Treatise thou mayst be aduertized that I haue translated it faythfully and truly Bellarmines grauity scorns to vse in his Writings any flowers of youthful Oratory but only writes whatsoeuer it pleased God to dictate vnto his spirit Therefore I should haue wronged him and his worke in disuesting it of its owne purity and easines of stile by new cloathing it in forced and borrowed robes of speach No let Bellarmine be euer suffered to speake in the dialect of Bellarmine that is grauely and persuadingly for since his wordes are darted out of a fyery deuotion and charity they therefore are most persuading and if he speaketh persuadingly no doubt he speaketh eloquently since Persuasion is the But or scope of true Eloquence I know full well that Translations in this our fastidious age are sleighted or little regarded and that highly prized which commeth heat out of the forge or mint of a Man 's owne wit and inuention Let those men whome God and their owne endeauours haue enriched with such high Talents happily employ them to the good of Gods Church I am not emulous of their due reputation and deserued prayse gayned thereby I content my selfe with the loely title of a poore Translatour aâ— not being able to performe more Only I desire to do good thereby Neuertheles to Apologize and speake in defence of Translatours I may be bould to say that they in some sense may be sayd to be the Authours of other mens Works by them translated seeing they are Authours and Causers why diuers ignorant in the Latin Tongue though benefit of their Translations do participate of the contents of the sayd Works translated of which otherwise they would neuer haue taken notice And thus a good Translatour is a good Enginer since he openeth and â—isâ—loseth the Mynes of the hidden and goulden Treasure of other Mens learning And thus leauing thee to the perusing or rather meditating of this goulden Booke If thou be Catholike reape any profit therby I intreat thy Prayers to God in my behalfe for the remissioÌ„ of my infinite sinnes This I speake not by way of Ceremony and for fashion sake as it is often vsuall to diuers in their Epistles Dedicatory to do but most humbly earnestly beseech of thee this fauour if it shall please his diuine Goodnes out of his bouÌ„d-les mercy to call me before thy death to the most happy place of Eternal Felicity of which this Booke intreateth I will not there forget to requite this thy Charity shewed me Thine in Christ Iesus A. â— The Preface of the Authour THE last yeare I wrote a small Treatise chiefly for my owne spirituall good of the Ascending of the mynd to God by consideration of certaine steps or degrees of things created Now in that it hath pleased the diuine Maiesty to draw out a little longer my feeble old age it came into my thoughts to make the Heauenly Citty to the which all we Sonnes of Adam who bewayling do inhabitate this Vale of mortality do greedily seeke after the subiect of my present meditations and to coÌ„mit the same to print to the end they may not wholy perish Therefore in the sacred Scriptures which are as it were certaine Consolatory Epistles sent from our Father in this our exile or place of banishment I fynd foure Names by which the good and Felicity of that place may in some sort be made knowne vnto vs. The Names an these A Paradise a House a Citty a Kingdome Of Paradise S. Paul thus saith 2. Cor. 12. Scio hominem in Christo c. I know a man in Christ aboue foureteene yeares ago rapt euen to the third Hauen And then a litle after rapt into Paradise And that we might not imagine he spake of the earthly Paradise he did promise and set downe before those words rapt euen
weight of the Edifice to tolerate the infirmities of all and in this respect to be vnder all And yet the same Prelate as being the Summity or height of the building ought to be aboue all to coÌ„maund all to be obeyed by All Therfore with much more reason may Christ as the fouÌ„dation of the Church be of Power to beare all vp through his authority and vertue And withall as he is placed in the head of the angle may coÌ„ioyne two Wallâ— togeather and constitute one People of the Gentils and the Iewes and so preside ouer All and commaund ouer All. Of the mysticall Port or Gate of the Citty of God CHAP. X. IT now followeth that we consider the ports or gates of this Celestiall Ierusalem The common exposition of Interpreters is that by the Ports are vnderstood the Apostles which expositours doe herein follow the iudgement of S. Austin in exposit Psal 86. But the Euangelist Apoc. 21. speaking of the Gates maketh meÌ„tion of twelve Angells twelue Tribes of the ChildreÌ„ of Israel whose names he said were written in the twelue gates of the Citty of God but of the twelue Apostles he there speaketh not at all Yet from hence it followeth not that the sentence of S. Austin and of others following him is false since S. Iohn speaketh mystically and not as the Words doe sound and there speaketh as a Prophet not as an Historian and all that description of his is euen most redundant of mysticall significations The Land of Promise was by the ioint consent of all a figure of this Heauenly Citty Abraham was the first to whom Promise of that Land was made for thus doth God speake to Abraham Gen. 13. All the Land which thou seest will I giue to thee and to thy seed for euer And the Apostle conspirâ—ngly saith the like Gal. 3. To AbrahaÌ„ and his seed the Promises were made And a little after God gaue is to Abraham by Promise Isaac was the sole heyre to Abraham Ismael who was the Sonne of a handmaid being excluded the Scripture thus speaking thereof The Sonne of the Handmaid shall not be heyre with the Sonne of a Freewoman The Sonne of Isaac was only Iacob Esau being excluded who sould his birth-â—ight Of whome the Prophet Malachy thus speaketh I loued Iacob and hated Esau Which sentence the Apostle speaketh to the Romans cap. 9. The Heyres of Iacob were all his Sonnes which were twelue not any of them being disinherited And thus the Land of Promise was deuided among the twelue Tribes of Israel as appeareth out of the Book of Iosue Now this therefore is the cause why S. Iohn in the Apocalyps said that the names of the twelue Tribes of Israel were written vpon the twelue Gates to wit because the Port or Gate of entring into the Land of Promise was that Hereditaâ—y right which belonged to all and only the Sonnes of Israel But as I noted a little aboue the Apostle S. Iohn speaketh mystically and by the twelue Tribes of Israel are vnderstood true Israelits not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit and Faith and consequently the twelue Apostles and their spirituall Children are vnderstood thereby For as S. Paul expresly teacheth Rom. 9. Not all that are of Israel be Israelites Nor they which be the seed of Abraham all be children Which Apostle â— little after compareth Israel to a Tree of which many boughes are brokeâ— through incredulity and others inserted and implanted through faith In this sense the Gentills being conuerted to the faith did begin to become the children of â—srael and many of the Iewes did cease to be true Israelits Saint Austin dâ—monstrateth and expliâ—ateth all thâ—se points very â—argely thus writing Ep ad Asâ—l Are not these great wounders and a deep mystery that many not borne of Israel should be Israel and manâ— should not be the Children who are the seed of Abraham But how commeth it to passâ— that they are not and how commeth is to passe that the other â—re I will shew Those are not the Sonneâ— of the Promiâ—e who do not belong to the grace of Christ but are the Sonnes according to the flesâ— so enioying an empty name or title and thâ—â—â—fore they â—re not Israel as we are Neither are we Israel as they are for we are Israel acâ—ording to spirituall regeneration theâ— are Israel in respect of carnall generation And a little after the said S Austin thus further enlargeth himselfe saying Euen among the Nephewes of Abraham the Sonnes of Isaac those two brethren I meane Esau and Iacob who after was called Israel this great and deepe mystery taketh place of which point the Apostle speaketh when by Isaac he maketh mention of the children of the Promise belonging to the grace of Christ. Certainly this Apostolicall and Catholikâ— doctrine euidently sheweth that according to the origine of the flesh the Iewes did belong to Sara the Ismaelits to Agar But according to the mystery of the Spirit the Christians did appertaine to Sara and the Iewes to Agar In like sort according to the origine of the flesh to Esau who is also called Edom the ofspring of the Idumeans belongeth and to Iacob who was also called Israel the Progeny of the Iewes appertaineth Lastly according to the mystery of the Spirit the Iewes belong to Esau and to Israel the Christians Thus far S. Austin Who fully instructeth vs that Christians are true Israelits not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit and consequently are the true Heyres of the Land of Promise which is in Heauen And thus it appeareth that the Gates of heauenly Ierusalem haue the Names of the twelue Tribes of Israel written vpon them because the Port or Gate by the which entrance is made into that Heauenly Land of Promise is the right or title of the inheritance of the Sonnes of God who alone are true and sincere Christians being the Sons of the Holy Apostles which are vnderstood by the name of Israelits that is by the Sonnes of Iacob the Patriarke Now where S. Iohn addeth that in those gates were twelue Angells this signifieth that the Angells are the keepers or warders of the gates their office being to take care that not any doe enter therein who haue not right of Inheritance And perhaps for this reason S. Michael the Archangell is pictured with a paire of ballance or weights in his hand in that by the Ministery of the Angells subiect vnto him he doth examine and weigh the meritts of those who doe seeke to aspire to this Heauenly Citty Thus much touching the Gates Of the Mysticall stones of the Citty of God CHAP. XII THE rest of the Edifice consisteth of stones which are all the faithfull that are built vpon the foundation as the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul haue perspicuously expounded Now since this part of the building extendeth it selfe to all men I hould it a thing conuâ—nient to consider the conditions and qualities which are
of Heauen Another in the same Ghospell cap. 15. Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the VVorld The third is in the Apocalyps cap. 3. He that shall ouercome I will giue vnto him to sit with me in my throne as I haue also ouercome haue sitten with my Father in his throne What can be more clearely spoken then this We haue heare the Kingdome of God promâ—sed to vs we haue the possession of the same Kingdome assigned to vs in the day of Iudgment We haue granted to vs seates in the Regall Throne of the Sonne of God of his Father the Eternall King And what other thing is all this then the participation of the same Kingdome of Heauen which God possesseth from all Eternity We may heer adioyne the testimony of S. Paul 2. Tim. 2. saying If we shall sustaine we shall reigne togeather And of S. Iohn in the beginning of the Apocalyps and of S. Iames in his Epistle c. 2 thus writing God hath chosen the poore of this world rich in fayth and heyres of the Kingdom which God hath promised to them that loue him Neyther are we to feare that because the Kingdome of Heauen is communicated to many and almost innumerable Angels and men it is therefore diminished or lessened Since the Kingdom of HeaueÌ„ â—s not lyke to earthly Kingdomes which cannot brooke any corriualls or participation but if they be deuided by diuision they are euer made lesse and in the end are brought to nothing I say the Kingdome of Heauen beareth no proportion 〈◊〉 lyknes to these but being whole it is entirely possessed of all as a so being whole it is entirely possessed of eâ—ery particular Euen as â—he Sunne â—s wholy seene of all men and wholy â—â—ene of euery particuâ—ar Man And iâ— selfe doth no lesse â—eate and illuminâ—â—e ech particular Man then a l Men. Which â—oint shal be more clearely â—llâ—â—trated in our explication of the Gâ—ods of the K ngdome of Heauen But now before we are heere to assigne the condâ—tions and qualities required to be â—n Kings that no Man may reâ—t doubtfull but that the Blessed Saints in Heauen are iustly called Kings and Kings euen of Heauen There are two qualities with which kings ought necessarily to be inuested Tâ— wit VVisdome and Iustice. But with Wisdome the Scripture doth ioyne Pâ—â—dence Councell all other things â—â—â—onging to Intelligence with Iustice â—â—ngeth Mercy Clemency and the 〈◊〉 of the Vertues which do beautiâ—â—nd perfect the VVill. Wisdome â—efore is required that a King may â—â—w how to gouerne his Subiects â—â—â—â—ice how to gouerne them well And according heerto Salomon being admonished from God in the beginning of his Reigne that he should demand what he most desired he demaunded Wisdome which is the Queene of all good qualities necessarily required in Kings And this his petâ—tion was so pleasing vnto God as appeareth out of the third booke of Kings that it was granted vnto him as he desired I could haue wished he had demaunded also Iustice for then perhaps he had not precipitated and cast himselfe into so many crimes and sinnes as afterward he did But with more iudgement did Dauid pray for the good and prosperity of his Sonne Salomon in those words of the 71. Psalme O God giue thy iudgment to the King and thy Iustice to the Sonne of the King In which words he may be thought to haue forseene that Salomon would aske for Wisdome and that therefore himselfe prayed that Iustice Iudgment might be giuen also to his Sonne the which without Wisdome â—annot be wheras Wisdome at â—east sâ—ming and imperfect may be with out Iustice In lyke sort the Booke of Wisdome which was principally written for the erudition and instruction of Kings thus speaketh vnto them Diligite IustitiaÌ„ qui iudicatis terram c. Sap 1. and it beginneth at the vertue of Iustice because that alone and of its owne nature is not only necessary to Kings but it is also a dispositioÌ„ to Wisdomâ— for a litle after followeth Because wisdome will not enter into a malitious soule To conclude pretermitting other testimonies Ieremy prophesying of Christ the eternall King thus sayth cap. 23. Behould the dayes do come sayth our Lord and I will rayse vp Dauid a iust branch and he shall reigne a King and shal be wife and shall do iudgment and Iustice in the earth From all this then it ineuitably followeth that Wisdome and Iustice are the endowments chiefly required Kings That all the Blessed in Heauen though many of theÌ„ perhaps whiles they liued heere vpon earth were but ignorant persons do excell in Wisdom and Iustice so as they may deseruedly be Kings of any K ngdome is so euident that it can admit no contradâ—ction since there is not any one of the Blessed in Heauen who doth not see the Essence of God which is the first Cause of all things and consequently he draweth so much Wisdome out of that fountaine of increated Wisdome as that neyther Salomon not any other Mortall man euer had in lyke degree our Lord Iesus Christ only excepted who euen in the tyme of his mortality did see God and in whome were all the Treasures of Wisdom knowledge of God Now to the measure of Wisdome in all the Saints is giuen a proportionable measure of Iustice so as for the tyme after neyther haue they a desire to sinne neither can they sinne For thus S. Austine speaketh hereof de grat cor cap. 12. Prima libertas voluntatis c. The first liberty of the will was to haue power not to sinne but the last liberty of the will shal be farre greater it being not to haue power to sinne And who cannot sinne cannot therefore become vniust And since Charity is perfect therefore Iustice is also perfect And accordingly S. Austin affirmeth that he who caÌ„not loue God but wâ—th a supreme perfect loue cannot also but possesse supreme and perfect Iustice They also who behould God their supreme pure and infinite Good cannot diuert their eyes from him neither can they but prosecute him euer with most ardent and burning Affection From whence it is euicted that all the Saints in Heauen are perfectly wyse and perfectly Iust and are therefore most apt euer to reigne as Kings Now raise thy selfe vp O Christian Soule and ascend in spirit as much as thou canst and meditate how great a felicity it is to reigne with God and penetrate with the Wings of conteÌ„plation the very Heauens behould that sublime Throne of which our Sauiour speaketh Apoc. 3. He that shall ouercome I will giue vnto him to sit with me in my throne O how ineffable a glory will it be for a Soule in the presence of an infinite multitude of Angells to be placed in the Throne or seate it selfe of Christ and God And to be proclaimed by the iust iudgment of God as conquerour ouer the World ouer the gouernours
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
the Authour of sweetnes was thither come But if the glorifyed Body of our Redeemer did breath an odour of such sweetnes then it is altogether credible that all the Bodies of the Saints shall send forth in Heauen a wonderfull sweetnes For it is fitting that the members should be conformable to the Head not only in splendour but also in suauity of Odour Those men therefore who are delighted with Odours let them thinke with what sweetnes they are to be replenished when they shall draw into their glorified sent the diuerse and most sweet odours of so many thousands of Celestiall flowers on euery syde breathing forth in that diuine garden Of the Ioy of the senses of Tasting and Touching CHAP. VIII COncerning the Sense of Tast Deuines do write that the Blessed shall not vse any mortall meates Notwithanding they shall haue some delight in that sense that it may not seeme to be superfluous But concerning the Sense of touching or Feeling all do agree that the Vse thereof shall not be wanting in Heauen Since the Bodies of the Blessed as being true bodies with life may doubtlesly be touche Our Lord thus speaking Touch and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me to haue Luc. 24. Yet all impure touching shal be most remote from their bodies for they shall haue no desire of Generation And therefore our Lord speaketh thus Math. 22. In the Resurrection neither shall they marry nor be marryed But are as the Angels of God in Heauen But we will not heere stay about these things which are daily disputed in the Schooles This one thing we affirme that the Sense of Touching shall receaue no small pleasure from the perpetuâ—ll and most excellent habitude or disposition of a Glorious Body through its qualities of which the Apostle thus speaketh 1. Cor. 15. The body is sowen in Corruption it riseth in Incorruption It is sowen in Dishonour it shall ryse in Glory It is sowen in Infirmity it shall rise in Power It is sowen a naturall Body it shall rise a spirituall Body Of these foure qualities or priuiledges of a glorified Body that of glory or splendour belongeth to the sense of Seeing as aboue we haue said the other three seeme properly to belong to the sense of Touching For euen as when the Body is oppressed with strokes diseases or wounds endangering the life the Sense of Touching is that which suffereth and grieueth so in like manner when the Body enioyeth perfect health is sound and of a strong constitution the Sense of Touching doth reioyce Therefore this sense shall haue great ioy in Heauen vvhen after the Resurrection it shal be clad with Immortality Impassibility and Health in the highest degree and this for all Eternity What charges would not men willingly be at especially Princes and others of great estates to be freed all their life time from the dolours of the Goute or of the Heade the stomack or the reynes What ioy shall it then be in Heauen from whence not only death but all diseases and griefs shal be altogeather exiled Furthermore those Qualities through the which a corruptible body doth rise incorruptible and a body that is infirme riseth impassible do belong to the ioy of the Sense of Touching In like sort the qualities of Agility or Subtility by which a Naturall Body shall rise spirituall seeme to belong to the same Sense of touching since that Body shaâ—l be called spirituall and shal be a glorious Body not in that it hath not truly flesh and bones but because it shal be so subiect to the spirit as that at the very beck and pleasure of the spirit or soule it shal be able without any difficulty toyle or wearines to be moued most swiftly to ascend and descend to goe and returne to penetrate and pierce all places and this in such sort as if it were not a Body but a spirit Therefore euen as the Sense of Touching grieueth and beareth it selfe not well when a heauy and weighty body is forced to ascend high or with great swiftnes speed to be remoued from place to place so also on the contrary it much reioyceth and exulteth when a Body without any toyle or wearines either ascendeth aboue or passeth most speedily from place to place Behould therefore from what seruitude of Corruption the Blessed shal be freed when as they shaâ—l no more stand in neede of Horses Coaches Gards of men Weapons nor any other thing but those Blessed Bodies euen by their ovvne forces shall passe and goe into what places themselues Will and they shall be euery where most safe and exempt from all danger yea in the middest and thickest troupes of armed men I would to God that such men who cannot tast or resent spirituall delights in that they haue an inuenomed and corrupted palate or Tast at least would entertayne with due consideration these most great and perpetuall Corporall Goods and Pleasures and that they would labour with all endeauour bent of Will for the purchasing therof For thus it might come to passe that by litle and litle they would aspire to higher Matters and so by these degrees they might at length through the assistance of God arriue to euerlasting Ioyes Of the Comparison of the Ioyes of the Earth with the Ioyes of Heauen CHAP. IX VVE haue vnfoulded and explicated according to our small ability what Ioyes are prepared in Heauen for those that loue God Now we will endeauour to demonstrate by certaine externall ArgumeÌ„ts how great and transcendent those Ioyes are Our first argument shal be taken from the comparison of the Ioyes which God often in this World giueth euen to his professed Enemies and to the Reprobate And certainly there is such a confluence of Ioyes consisting in Riches Honours Power and diuers pleasures which God imparteth to sinners to his Enemies either blaspheming against his dignity or not belieuing in him as that of most men they are judged to be Blessed and most happy according to the vvords of the Prophet Psal 143. They haue said it is a happy People which hath these things Which of the Louers of this world doth not enuy and grudge at Salomons Prosperity who reigned fourty yeares abounded with all affluence of riches and delights had seauen hundred wyues and three hundred Concubines Who neuerthelesse according to the iudgment of S. Austin was a Reprobate for thus this Father writeth in Psal 126. Euen Salomon himselfe was a louer of VVomen and was reprobated of God And in his booke de Ciuitate Dei c. 20. he sayth the same of Salomon which Salust did of Cataline This man had a good beginning but an euill ending S Gregory followeth S. Austins iudgment herein thus writing l. 2. moral cap. 2. Hence it is that Salomon though receauing VVisdome did not perseuere in Gods fauour c. Neither are the Kings or Emperours of the Turks the Persians those of China and Tartary vnlike to Salomon herein