in the same measure And he that sowes in benedictions shall reape a plentuous crope of benedictions O centuple of this life how oft shalt thou be centupled in the life to come In those Diuine and celestiall Abodes called by the Scripture MANSIONS some are placed higher then others saith S. AVGVSTINE and doe behold God more clearely And S. GREGORIE speaking of the same subiect The great and litle saith he are in Glorie but they enioy it more or lesse according to the diuersitie of their merit Nor are we vpon this word Mansions to imagine to our selues separated Celles or Quarters a part in the heauenly Hierusalem where there is a perfect societie amongst the Blessed together with a Communitie of all good things each one reioyceing no lesse in anothers felicitie then in his owne all this holy Compainie hauing but one Soule and one Heart in God the one and onely Obiect of their desires But by that word saith S. THOMAS after S. AVGVSTINE we are to conceaue diuers degrees of Charitie and rewards which are had in this plentifull Rest where the Saintes doe reside for euer as in the happie repose of the LAND OF PROMISSE In what measure the beatified vnderstanding sees God in Heauen XLIX IT is no smale question Athanasia to know how far the vnderstanding fortified with the light of Glorie doth extend it selfe in the cōtemplation of the Diuine Essence which it beholds without all helpe of species or representation But the Angell of the schoole giues a worthy satisfaction to this holy curiositie in teaching vs that God according to IEREMIE being by reason of his infinitie incomprehensible to euery created thought can neuer be comprehēded by any vnderstāding with what euer light of Glorie they be adorned and assisted Because euery creature being bounded is not capable to comprehend an infinite Obiect Hence we haue that fine and necessarie distinction that the blessed shall see God All indeed but not totally they shall see him all because being most simple he cannot be seene but he is all seene But againe wheras he is infinite there nether is nor can be any capacitie out of himselfe which can totally comprehend him nor imbrace that immense Infinitie which is onely knowen of him selfe Wee haue some semblance of this Truth which cannot be seene vnlesse it be all seene and yet is it neuer totally seene though it be euen a limited creature and hath nothing comparable to the Creatour So doe the fish and fowles inioy the vast extent of the Sea and ayre yet what fish did euer swime in all the waters and what bird did euer with flight measure the ayres extent All this notwithstanding is possible because it is finite But the Diuinitie which is boundlesse cannot be totally seene For who did euer sound the depth of such an Abisse And who hath euer knowen the sense of our Lord Herein is discouered the impertinencie of AETIVS and ENNANIVS old Heretikes who affirmed that God could be comprehended by a creature as though forsooth an illimited thing could be shut vp within limites An impertinencie pertinently refuted by those great lightes of the Church S. BASILE S. GREGORIE OF NAZIANZENE S. CHRISOSTOME S. AVGVSTINE and after them by the Angelicall Doctor Yet this doth not impeach the full and intire satisfaction of the Blessed nor doth the naturall incapacitie which they find in thēselues to behold God totally any white vexe them yea contrariwise it doth augment their ioy and contentmēt which hath no other of-spring then the loue of God a loue of friendshippe which doth rather respect the greatnesse and glorie of the obiect beloued then it s owne interest what a pleasing rauishment shall possesse them to behold the most simple onely and incomposed simplicitie of that Diuine beautie which they contemplate all though not totally by reason of its incomprehensible infinitie In beholding it their desire is filled with euery good thing And beit they see it diuersly as we haue showen yet are they throughly content according to the comon similitude of a glasse wherof the least is as well filled with a litle as the greatest with much liquor And after the desire is saciated with the fruition of this ineffable Good with what an excesse of ioy are they taken to know that this adorable Deitie hath an infinite compainie of other graces and perfections still remayning to be seene relished which are not totally comprehēded nor knowen saue onely by himselfe Man doth then rayse himselfe aboue himselfe and liftes vp his heart But God greater then all hearts doth yet rise higher nor can he be encōpased by any other then himselfe in his full extent O how rauishing and admirable is that they behold And how good cause haue they to sing with the Angells the three Sanctuses to so dreadfull a Maiestie in so high a strayne that the Gates of Heauen shall tremble at it and to pronounce Thou art great and exceeding laudable ô Lord and who can worthily enough sing thy excellēces in thy sacred Citie in thy holy mountaines Though all creatures should ouerset themselues yea melt away in ioy and admiration yet shall they neuer arriue at the least of thyne infinite excellēcies Hence it is that the HYMNE of silence is the best suiting praise that can be offered vnto thee in thy Heauenly Sion Yet ô God how much more admirable is that which those soules doe not discouer in thee since it surpasseth all created vnderstandings euen strengthened with the light of Glorie And to what a violent paine would the desire of knowing thee totally and louing thee deseruedly that is infinitly put them vnto if thy sweete and fatherly prouidēce least the puritie of their inspeakable ioyes might be stayned with the mixture of any discontent did not change the knowledge they haue that they cannot totally comprehend and imbrace thee into a soueraigne delight that the glorious Obiect of their view and loue is so immense that it cannot be perfectly and intirely knowen and beloued but by thy selfe by reason of the Diuine infinitie of thyne infinite Diuinitie Meane while they draw from this great ALL as from an vndraynable fountaine all their comon and particular delightes diuersely glorious according to the diuersitie of the light of Glorie which is distributed vnto them wherby they see him more or lesse with proportion to their Charitie and merit We haue some darke resemblance of this here below in the vse of our Senses For is it not true that the same Picture is diuersely beholden according to the varietie of their opinions and skill that doe behold it Is not a daintie musike diuersely receaued into the eare of the hearer according as their organes are disposed and they are attentiue vnto it And to conclude this discourse with an excellent similitude The miraculous MANNA which pleased euery palate was doubtlesse of a diuerse relish to the Israelite yet neuer any of them nor ioyntly all of them felt euer all the tastes
in the dust of this life I would to God that the Spirit of wisdome vnderstanding and Counsell would descend into their soules and the diuine goodnesse grant that it way be found in ours to speake with S. BERNARD thaâ— we may sweetly dispose of thing present with wisdome condemne our former offences by a iudicious vnderstanding and foresee things to come by a clearesighted counsell God grant we may be wise in our present behauiour vnderstanding to correct our life past and prouident for the tyme to come that by Gods mercy wee may dy the death of the iust and our end way be like vnto theirs and that the end of our life may be precious In the sight of the iust Iudge who prouids crownes to such as haue lawfully fought Heauens grant my Athanasia that our soule departing this life may be like vnto the lampe whose flammes â—re fed by an aromaticall oyle and which neuer smell so well as when â—t is extinguished and that it doth â—nfranchise it selfe out of this clayie â—ouse of our body for no other end â—ut to breath out it selfe towards â—eauen leauing the earth embaulmed with a good odour in IESVS CHRIST as it is written that the memory of the iust should be sweete as the sent of perfumes powered out Which shall be most deare soule if from this vally of teares we prouide stepps in our hearts towards the blessed eternity and if vpon each occasion we eleuate our thoughts thitherwards thoughts which shall be to God as that litle rodde of smoake compouÌ„ded of all the perfuming ponders Whereof mention is made in the heauenly Epithalamion and if separating our selues from the troopes of those who sleeping in a letergy amidst their riches delights and vanities shut their eyes against the cleare light of eternity and repulsâ— the rayes of the Sunne of Iustice Alas these wretched slaues to theâ— owne riches possessed by the which they thinke they possessâ—â— sleepe at their ease passe in an imaginary felicity the momeÌ„ts of their dayes but at their awaking they find their hands empty put into the waights they are found light and which is yet worse in one pointe in an instant they descend into eternall torments So slept SAMSON after he was bereft of his force TOBIE when he had lost his eyes and Isboseth when he was depriued of life God looked downe from his heauenly mansion saith the kingly Prophets to see whether amongst men their were any of a good iudgment and a wise foresight who sought him as he merits that is with his whole heart But he found that euery one diuerted from his seruice and conuerted themselues to vaine and vnprofitable things forsooke the Creatour for the Creature Eternity for a moment whereupon none doth doe good no not one The wayes of Syon that is of the Blessed Eternity weepe to see themselues forsaken and abaÌ„doned none frequenting their solemnities O Eternity how considerable thou art but ô the misery and misery vvpon misery how litle thou art considered That all the euill in the world comes from want of thinking of Eternity II. YET Athanasia we may affirme it with an vndaunted bouldnesse since with an vndoubted truth all the euill in the world comes through defaut of this consideration For Eternity being well waighed is a light which doth dissipate the shadowes and disperse the clouds of sinne Thy iudgment ô Lord are razed out of his memory that offendeth and thence it is thaâ— he defiles all his wayes and falls at euery foote sayth the diuine Psalmist Where you are to note that in this place he speakes of that iudgment whose irreuocable verdict shall bring some to eternall rewards others to eternall paynes CoÌ„trariwise the same Prophete confesseth that he betooke himselfe to the workes of Iustice out of the apprehension he had conceaued of the chaste feare of this eternall iudgment How can an Archer vnlesse by meere chance Hit the marke he remarkes not and how should he arriue at Eternity that thinks not of it nor directs his course that way And with what face can one that will not follow Gods commandements begge of him that he would conduct him in the way of eternity The generall desolation of the earth saith IEREMIE yea the abomination of desolation is that none considers in his heart that is seriously this great and vniuersall end of Eternity and thence their are so few cleane and ruminating beastes which can be offered to God in the Sacrifice of Iustice Whence so many shipwrakes in the world that vast and spacious sea where so many weake mortall vessels are split against the manifests shelues but through want of the CoÌ„passe for that we direct not our thoughts in the point of Eternity How profitable it is to thinke of Eternity III. COntrariwise next to Gods grace one of the Principles of eternall saluation is to thinke of it It is a marke so faire ample that he that lookes vpon it hits it And who euer hath a firme and stayed ayme cannot misse this Butt The meanes to attaine to it are easie the wayes sometimes vncouth are now playne and bet the mountaines reduced into playnes The commandements are not hard the yoake is sweete and the burthen light Is it not true Athanasia that we runne in the wayes of the diuine commandements when heauenly loue extends our heart towards the glorious Eternity T is this faire RACHEL that makes our dayes seeme moments and our labours delights when we thinke of that pourchace Is it not this thought that doth furnish vs with Eagles wings to take a flight without stooping from the wing by coÌ„tinuing perseuerantly in good and aydes vs with wings of a done to mount vp to our true repose which is no other then Eternity Marke with what courage this Eagle speakes with what sweetnesse and promptitude this done I haue thought of the dayes of old and thought againe of the yeares of Eternity Would you not say that that were the Center where all the lynes of their desires meete that that is their one necessary It is the haire in which all the headhaire of the sacred spouse doth end and the point wherein all the rayes of her sight are receaued and stayed That this point which had neuer any beginning nor shall haue end is that litle seed in the Ghospell whence the great trees of all vertues spring the litle stone of DANIEL which growes vp to a maine mountaine MARDOCHEES litle source which after it had branched out it selfe into faire floodes of good workes becomes an Oceane of light Which makes we stick to this Truth that as the want of this thought of Eternitie is cause of the ruine of all the lost soules so when man prayseth God in this thought the rest of his thoughts doe leade him through the pathes of heroicall vertues to the solemne Feast and delightfull Saboath of Eternitie For the iust shall liue for euer and their reward shall be with our Lord who is himselfe
Yet the Saints who are in glorie whose faces are marked with his splendour and doe shine like the Sunne for perpetuall eternities are yet incomparably more liuely pictures of the Diuinitie For euen as the Sunne meeting with a thicke and darksome cloude in the aire doth sometymes so deeply imprint its beames vpon its face that it appeares another Sunne so are the Blessed in Heauen so transformed into God that they shewe as so many Gods and as so many dearest children of the Highest as DAVID deliuers it This excellent beautie with which the Diuine presence doth adorne them was cause that S. IOHN espying an Angell whom he tooke for God had adored him if that spirit no lesse humble then glorious bright had not giuen him to know that he was his fellow-seruant And in my opinion in this neere resemblance to God the verie toppe of the eternall glorie of the blessed is placed For what thinke you is God's owne glorie and felicitie but the life which he hath eternally of him selfe the most cleare knowledge which he hath of his immutable Truth and the most ardēt loue which he hath towards his owne infinite Goodnes His Beatitude consisting in the vision loue and fruition which the Diuine and increated Persons of the Blessed Trinitie haue of their owne mutuall knowledge Loue and eternall perfect and infinite complacence Now the soule of the Blessed being raysed to the vision loue and fruition of the same Diuine Persōs and of their Diuine and most indiuisible Essēce ought not her supernaturall and inineffable life by the resemblance which is betwixt her and God's felicitie to be said to be the accomplishment of her glorie since that without all feare of change she is wholy attentiue to the cleare contemplation of the prime and soueraigne Truth inflamed with the loue of the supreme and increated goodnes and hath the fruition of the infinite and vnspeakable sweetnes of God O truly liuing and happie life when shall it be that we shall liue in thee and by thee when shall we ô my soule inhabite this heauenly Hierusalem built as a Citie and with her glorious Citizens be made participant of him who is still himselfe immutable and whose yeares neuer decay Of the felicitie of the powres of the soule and first of the memorie XLV THis essentiall Beatitude Athanasia is extended and doth spread it selfe out yet diuersly in the lower degree of the soule to witt there wherin the three principall faculties or powres doe reside For euen as the Prophete to rayse the widowes deade child did shorten himselfe vpon this litle body and did apply his mouth to its mouth his hands to its hands and his feete to its feete So God who shall be all to all shall fill all the soule with the abundance of his bountie and shall cōmunicate vnto it a Diuine life which shall not feare the assaultes of death The memorie being entered into the liberties of our Lord shall call to mynd the effectes of his iustice and no lesse those of his mercy for she shall sing no neuer will I forgett thy iustifications ô Lord since in them thou hast giuen me life Fild with this rauishing and no lesse pressing then present obiect she shall breath out the remembrance of his sweetnes and shall exalt his adorable iudgements This remembrance shall be her soueraigne delight O how she shall call to mynd the sweetnes of the duggs of this incomparable goodnes farr passing the fuming wines of worldly delightes In how high a strayne shall she take the memorie of this supreme sanctitie Alas how can she forget him whom she hath so inwardly present and who shall be more in her then her selfe and to whom she shall be so strongly tyed in adauantine and diamantine chaynes that nothing shall euer be able to diuerte her Blessed memorie replenisht with the fairest Idea's that can possibly inhabit a heart and which then shall be a Magazine and memoriall of heauenly wonders whether she make reflection vpon things past how dearely shall she conserue the memorie of the incomparable obligations which she shall haue to this Creatour Conseruer Redeemour and Glorifier of her beeing Such as grace shall haue led from greatest sinns to repentance fauours before bounding where malice did superabound ô God! how highly shall they sing the sacred Canticle of the Diuine mercy And those who by the same grace shall haue conserued the first stole of their innocencie and being preserued from the abomination of desolation whose deluge doth ouerflowe the whole vniuerse shall haue bene drawen to the safe harbour of saluation by the chaynes of loue and humanitie will not they haue reason to beare a part in the fame Canticle and to pronounce that that mercy which conserued them vnstayned amidest the worlds impurities is a portion of that which is eternally grounded and built in Heauē The royall Prophete calling to mynd out of what an Abisse of miseries the Diuine goodnes had reclaymed him recalling him so sweetly to the accnowledgment of his faults coniures his soule and all his interiour powres to blesse God exciting his memorie neuer to permitt his benefites to fall into a disloyall obliuion for he it is that pardons saith he all thyne infirmities who cures all thy wounds who recouers thee from eternall death and who crownes thee with his mercyes O God what must this King of penitents needs say in heauen if he spoke thus in this vaile of teares reduced by a holy repentance from his iniquities to the state of grace When the Saintes whom God hath pardoned many faultes for there are in Heauē penitent sinners of all kinds shall see them selues deliuered from the innumberable torments which they contemplate in the accursed Eternitie and which they had as oft deserued as by their malice they had bene separated from God will they not haue great reason to say with the Psalmist Thy mercy ô Lord and thy iustice shall for euer be the subiect of our song vpon this shall our Psalme-singing be imployed whilst we walke in this immaculate way in which thou hast put vs. And if the memorie of paynes and perills past euen in this world be so delightfull how much more shall the Saintes and martyrs who haue suffered much for the Almighties sake haue cause to reioyce in this memorie While they walked in the way of this mortall life they sowed in teares but in the heauenly Sion they shall reape an eternall ioy They shall sing this pleasant Song We haue past through fire and water but in the end we are entred into refreshment And they shall blesse those light and transitorie moments of tribulation which brought them to eternall glorie And if their memorie doe stay vpon the present felicitie which they feele and of which they haue a liuely sense with what contentment shall they not be crowned in tasting the ineffable goodnes of God who rewards them infinitely beyond their merits Yea if they enlarge themselues vpon the
tyme to come if their be any tyme to come in the immoueable and euer-present state of Eternitie and if they consider the new discoueries of gusts and contentments which they shall continually make in the Abisse of this infinite Beautie and Goodnes of God haue they not a large feild of ioyfullnes and thankesgiueing I will omit the Sciences with which she is furnished by him who is called the God of Sciences and who teacheth men science and especially that Queene of Sciences DIVINITIE which consisteth in the Contemplation of God and which is the true knowledge of Saintes For I pray you what doe not they saith S. GREGORIE know who see him that knowes all The aduantages of the vnderstanding XLVI OVr manner of knowing and vnderstanding during this mortall life stands in need of the meditation of senses whence this Philosophicall Axiome nothing enters into the vnderstanding which past not first through the senses And verily that which comes to the knowledge of sense is but superficiall For example how doth our sight know but by a species or representation which the obiect of this sense sends out to our eye which the Maisters tearme species sensibilis and is the cause that we see and know by sight What soeuer enters into the knowledge of our vnderstanding by this gate is admitted in no other sort In like manner it is of other senses touching sensible and corporall things There are others more spirituall as the Notiōs or Principles of Artes and Sciences which our vnderstanding conceiues by speculation But how doth it conceaue them but by a subtile delicate and spirituall Image which is called Species intelligibilis And then by how many windings doth this species passe how many changes and alterations doth it endure by the Common sense the phantasie the vnderstanding styled actiue and then by the passiue before it put on the proper shape to become intellectuall Loe then how our naturall knowledge is formed by species and Images Yea euen the knowledge of Faith though supernaturall enters not into our soule but vnder some kind of composition some simple vniuersall and abstracte cloud which is Faith Hence it is that the Apostle speaking of that kind of knowledge by Faith compares it to an obscure sight and as it were to that of a glasse And who knowes not that we see but meerely in a glasse by meanes of the species which are formed in it a species which formes another in our eyes So our vnderstāding which is the ey of our soule doth not assēt to the truthes of Faith reuealed by God but by hearing them by the voice of the Church and her Pastures For Faith is by hearing or by reading them in the Creede and Canonicall bookes But it fares not so Athanasia with the knowledge of the vnderstanding in the blessed Eternitie For there it shall see God without species without representation The Deitie vniting ioyning and applying it selfe in such sort vnto it that that inward presence shall be in lieu of species O deare God! how neerely doth this vnion approach vnto vnitie and with what wonders is this application filled The verie proper essence of the Diuine Truth being receaued into the vnderstanding without all Image or species And then the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall conserue and possesse the heartes and vnderstandings that is to say the wills and vnderstandings of those happie soules O who is able to expresse the incomparable happines of those who without vayle without glasse without obscuritie shall see face to face being enlightened and freed from all dimnesse and confusion that glorious face which the Psalmist with such instance pursueth O what a glorie shall it be to behold without being oppresst with the greatnes of so high a Maiestie those adorable ineffable incomprehensible misteries of the most holy Trinitie what a gracious fauour shall it be openly to discouer the eternall generation of the WORD issuing out of the Fathers bosome a generation of which the Prophete pronounceth with admiration who is able to relate it what a communication shall it be to see the Diuine communications yea the communication of communications which is that of the eternally reciprocall loue and reciprocally infinite of the Father to the Sonne and the Sonne to the Father whence is produced as from one same Principle the Holy Ghost Because the Father and the Sonne hauing but one will which doth loue and one goodnes which is loued the fountaine of this production can be but one O misterie of misteries which it is better to admire then to deciphere and better to speake nothing of it then too litle I had rather in this place which is not alloted to thy explication imitate the Seraphins who doe vayle their eyes and feete and fold their winges and content my selfe in protesting my beleife and alleagance in these words of the wellbeloued disciple of IESVS CHRIST There are three who giue testimonie in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and those three are one I adore thee ô great God in the Trinitie of thy persons and in the vnitie of thy essence and I doe sinke and become nothing before thyne infinite greatnesse What ioy Athanasia hath this beatified vnderstanding to discouer this great misterie hidden frō the worlds creation to witt the Hypostaticall vnion of the eternall Word with the flesh which we call Incarnation What a number of secretes are conteyned in this great secrete what a number of wheeles are fastened in this one wheele that is what misteries doe depend of this misterie and what a fire amidst this wheele fire which our Sauiour brought into the world to the end it should burne all the hearts of the faithfull with his loue what delight shall it be to behold this Abisse of beauties and perfections which are in God by way of excellencie and infinitly aboue all that we are able to imagine in the Attributes which we frame of him In this heauenly vision as in the liuely fountaine of all light the shades of errours doubtes opinions and ignorances shall vanish which doe inuiron and incompasse vs in the almost palpable darknes of the Egipt of this life Faith it selfe which reuealed vnto vs so many meruelles of God and of his glorious Citie shall disappeare in this happie Abode where we shall see according as we shall haue heard and beleeued Nether shall Hope be any more because we shall enoye that which by Hope we expected Charitie alone shall neuer faile neuer shall any thing cause her holy flame to die out contrariwise in glorie she shall be accomplished and come to the hight of her perfection What a delightfull entertaynement shall it be for the vnderstanding to consider the windings of that wonderfull clocke of the Diuine Prouidence as well in the gouernement of the world in generall as of all the soules in particular and what thankesguings shall it render to the fatherly care of the Diuine Goodnes whilst it shall admire
haue these two winges nothing shall be able to hinder our flight towards the blessed Eternitie the heauēly Hierusalem the mother of the liuing Water shut vp in a narrow pipe doth spirte vp so much the higher The narrow way of sufferances is that which doth make spring vp in vs the fountaine of life which doth run towards Eternitie All the scripture cryes out this truth vnto vs who so euer will come after me to witt to glorie let him take vp his Crosse and follow me saith our Sauiour Happie is he who suffers tribulation for being once tryed he shall receaue the crowne of life which God hath promised to those that loue him And who are those that loue him but whom he doth chastise and whom he doth clothe with the liuerie of sufferances Because thou wast agreeable in Gods sight it was necessarie that affliction should try thee was it said to the good TOBIE Are not the Iust tryed like gold in the furnace to discouer whether they be worthy of God What Christians can be ignorant of this decree which was written with the blood of the Lambe vpon the threshwood of their dores That we are to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen through many tribulations And that all those that would liue piously in IESVS CHRIST must endure the scourge of persecutions to be found wheate worthy to be layed vp in the Granarie of Eternitie For which cause S. IAMES doth exhort the faithfull to reioyce in their afflictions knowing that patience is the proofe of their Faith and that the worke of Patience is perfect that is doth perfect him that doth it Tribulation saith the Apostle worketh patience and Patience probation and probation Hope and such a hope as confoundeth not in its expectation Though we are now for a smale tyme to be afflicted with many tribulations yet it is that the tryall of our Faith may appeare more precious then gold before the face of God who according to his great mercy doth regenerate vs by a liuely hope to possesse the heauēly inheritance which cannot be corrupted nor changed Then we shall behold we shall admire and the plentie of good things shall dilate our heart Then with an incredible ioy we shall be drunke vp in God our SALVATION Then the teares shall be wiped from the eyes of the Elect they shall weepe no more greife and paine shall no more tormēt them because all that is blowen ouer that is to say they entered not into those eternall Bowres but through the fires and waters of tribulation Truly he were iustly reputed an vnworthy soldier who would desire to gaine victorie better cheape then his Capitaine and how did our Capitaine and Law giuer IESVS CHRIST enter into the glorie which was due vnto him by nature was it not by sufferance Let vs behold then the Exemplaire of the mountaine but the mountaine of Caluarie before we take into our consideration that of Thabor Let vs looke vpon the Authour and Comsummatour of our faith IESVS CHRIST who choosed to vndergoe the Crosse while glorie was proposed vnto him Let vs imitate the Apostle who was so loyall to his Maister that he bore in his bodie the stigmates and markes of his crucified Lord. O how ioyfull the Apostles were when it happened that they were to endure something for the loue of CHRIST knowing what an eternall waight of glorie that sufferance treasured vp in heauen for them And if the Asserians vpon the sight of IVDITH's beautie did comfort themselues in the extreamities of that seige with the hope they had to enioy the faire creatures who were in the Citie What extreamities of miseries were we not willingly to endure to be possessed of the inestimable felicities which we haue represented If by labours saith S. AVGVSTINE it must be atchiued from this instant I inuoke you ô all yee torments of the world I coniure you to burst out vpon my head and shewre downe a mayne vpon me Let tribulations be multiplied and presse in troopes vpon me let infirmities vexations pouertie want aduersitie make head against and oppresse me Let euery one persecute me let all creatures bandie against me let me be the Butt of all their arrowes let me be the scorne of men and the reproach of people let my dayes be ended in pinching paines yet will I bee too content so that after this sharpe winter I may gather the flowres of the eternall Spring and that I may be rancked amongst the Elect who are bright with beames of Glorie I cannot be weaned from the plentifull and yndraynable dugges of this great and fruitefull Doctour without suckinge a long draught to giue some colour and life to this Draught of myne Marke then how he doth encourage vs to sufferances for the attayning of Eternitie If we diligently ponder the reward that is proposed vnto vs all that we suffer will seeme litle and light and we shall repute our paines vnworthy of so great a recompence For is it not true that we should buy eternall rest at a iust Rate though we were to pay a perpetuall labour for it and to purchase an eternall felicitie at the price of an eternall sufferance Marrie if you were imployed in an eternall labour when would you come to an eternall reward O the eternall Goodnesse who hath made our tribulation temporall and yet to this passing paine he hath alotted an endlesse pleasure Place a thousand thousand yeares before-Eternitie and yet what doe you doe but compare a limited with an illimited thing Adde to this that God did not onely prefixe a certaine tearme to our labours but that a short one to for what is the life of man but the continuance of a few dayes Though a man therfore were oppressed for the whole course of his life with all sortes of torments labours greeues though prisons hungar thirst and irkesome vlcers should accompaignie him to his graue were it not yet an affliction of a short standing the dayes of man are few in number his labours short and light and yet are followed with an endlesse Kingdome with an eternall Beatitude After these short sufferances we shall be possessed of the Societie of Angells and Saintes the inheritance of IESVS CHRIST God him selfe an inestimable price for so smale a labour Wherfore saith he in another place let vs loue eternall life and let vs learne how much we are to labour for it by the exemple of those who doe passionately loue this mortall life fearing to loose it for when any sicknesse begins to threaten them death what doe they not doe I doe not say to escape it for that is not possible but onely for a tyme to protract deathes fatall blow How much doth a man strugle when death doth catch him by the necke to escape out of its clawes he flies he hides him self and giues all that doth possesse to keepe his bodie in possession of his soule At the price of all his fortunes he is readie to ransome his life
the heauenly Hierusalem whose lampe is the lambe who hath blotted out the sinns of the world how fitly thou art represented to my eyes a litle to solace them after they haue poursued the view of that burning fornace which the wroth of God keepes eternally hote in the center of the earth But on the other side as they that come out of a darke dungeon haue difficultie on a souden to sustayne the splendour of a cleare day so this souden returne from darknesse to light from dolour to delight from sorrow to ioy from vnhappinesse to happ from death to life and from punishments to felicitie doth giue a certaine assault to my hart so true it is that the passage frō one extreamitie to another doth astonish the most constant mynd The best experienced Mariners hauing once passed the line are alwayes a litle troubled when they are to alter the course of their nauigation and to sayle vnder another Pole guided by other Cardes other starrs And yet ô happie change since we passe frō teares to langhter from punishments to reward and from paine to glorie The finenesse of this subiect XXXIX BVt who can without rauishment ô Athanasia expresse the sweetnesses with which this incomparable subiect doth replenish our vnderstanding O God if on day we shall come to behold that which nowme vnderstand of the glorie of thy Citie with what traunce shall we be seased when we shall be made like vnto thee in beholding thee such as thou art and shall be trāsformed into thy Image and shall be conducted by thy spirit from light to light It will be a farr other thing then the rauishment of IACOB vpon the sight of his faire RACHEL for what comparison is there betwixt the Creatour seene clearly and not in a glasse and a catiue creature Those beauties in that disciples reuelations whom IESVS loued is to the life represented vnto vs by this glorious Hierusalē which he doth compare to a Bride richly adorned coming out to meet her Bridgroome A fit comparison since this glorious Eternitie is no other thing then the eternall banquet of the marriages of the lambe O faire IYDITH who would not willingly endure the labours of the seige of Bethulia to enioy thee and who dare complaine of these moments of tribulation of this afflicting life spent in the conquest of thee All the beauties of the Bridegroome and Bride which are by the fingar of the Holy Ghost so delicately put downe in the Sacred Epithalamion which we instile the Canticle of Canticles are but shadowes compared to the measure of the light of glorie which God in his blessed Kingdome hath prepared for his saintes O choyce soules who like to other ESTERS are designed for the imbracements of this eternall ASSVERVS what can be found that can enter into comparison with your felicitie since it shall passe all humane sense and capacitie No neither the florishing Hierusalem nor yet the Triumphāt Rome can in any thing come neere vnto this happie Abode For she drawes her light from him who is wholy light and darknesse cannot comprehend him and who doth inhabite an inaccessible light O my eyes let fall your eylides ouer your aples and be blind to all that is faire vpon the face of the earth For nothing can be pleasing in presence of this excellēt obiect of the eternall house of the God of Eternitie O God ayde my sight and inrich me with an Eagles ey but let it be a heauenly one that I may not be dazeled with the aspect of so great a splendour That the eternall felicitie is the perfection of all good things XL. EVen as Athanasia the accursed Eternitie is the sinke of all the euils imaginable as we haue alreadie showen so is the blessed a collection of all the good things that can be wished for there the desire shall be replenished with all that good is And the Deuines to giue vs some knowledge of it doe defime it An eternall immutable and certaine condition deuoyd of all euil of fault or paine and odorned with all the aduantages of nature grace and glorie So that saith S. AVGVSTINE togeither with DAVID this estate is absolute in euery point seeing that the hungrie soule is there saciated with all the good things that can be desired We haue called it an eternall condition in which we see what a faire aduantage it hath ouer the crownes and Empires of the earth which stay so short a tyme vpon one head and the ioy of whose possession is mixed with a continuall feare of loosing them for it is writtē of the Kingdome of all ages that it shall neuer haue end We added that it was not subiect to change in which we discouer a notable difference betwixt this eternall felicitie and the temporall ones of this world which neuer continew in the same estate All that is here below are sensible of the perpetuall turning of the Primum Mobile For this eternitie being God himselfe which of his owne nature is immutable it cannot be diminished yea some Doctors doe hold that the Blessed shall continually experience new accidentall glorie which shall be vnto them a perpetuall subiect of new songs We haue said that it is certaine and sure because the impeccabilitie of such as shall be made participant therof by the freindshipp of God as the wisemans tearmes it shall depriue them of all feare of falling from it besids that the sentence of the reprobate being irreuocable that of the blessed shall be of no lesse continuance And of what continuance of the verie fame with Gods beeing But ô feast of contentments where none of those which doe enioy are disgusted no Israelite loathing this hidden Manna for the sweete and delightfull point of desire shall remayne deuoyd of all paine amidst the pleasure of the fruition so that by how much more they possesse what they desire by so much more they desire to possesse it Whence one of the Apostles said that the Angells in heauen desire to behold the glorious face of IESVS set at the right hand of his Father in those places aboue not that they see it not but because the more they contemplate it the more they desire to contemplate it In such sort that as in Hell the continuance of torments doth not harden the reprobate whose paines are still as greene and sensible as they were the first day So in Heauen the Roses of glorie doe neuer fade nor doth custome dull the continually liuely taste of those incomparable delightes Goe then ô worldlings ô children of the earth and forsake goods of such qualitie for the transitorie goods which doe possesse you if we may giue so good a name to those smale blossomes of contentments that florish and fade at once which you gather here below with such strife of mynd blossomes inuironed with thornes Yes for either those goods are false or at the most not purely good and who soeuer would take the paines to seperate from their bulke the
euils wherwith they are mixed should find that chaffe feathers and smoake haue waight in respect of their lightnesse For which cause our Sauiour doth exhort vs in the Ghospell not to treasure vp riches in the earth where they are subiect to ruste and to the theife's violent hand but to heape vp riches in heauen where all is safe and sure No none can possibly heape vp riches in these two so differēt Abodes Heauen and earth for the Beautitude of the Kingdome of heauen is promised to the poore onely witnesse the example of the incompasionate Rich-man and our Sauiours declaration of the almost impossible difficultie of the rich-mans entrie into Heauen O how aduised is he who herebelow gathers together the treasures of grace and who cōuayes thē through the hands of the poore in bills of exchange into the Eternitie of glorie where such money is currant for it is written that good workes follow them that dy in our Lord and that good trees are knowen by their fruite in this land of the liuing where he reapes benedictions that hath sowen them in the land of the deade And I pray you how should not Eternitie be the perfection of all the good things which the senses and heart can neuer comprehend sythēs God himselfe is the very great reward of such as possesse it very great in deed syth they are rewarded beyond their seruice euery perfect gift and euery best present proceeding from the Father of lightes Who doth not see that he him selfe is an vndrainable fountaine of all goodnes being all desire wholy to be desired and the fulnes of all desires He is that one necessarie thing which compriseth in it selfe by way of excellencie all that is to be defired Delightes without end are in his right hand riches also and glorie wisdome goodnesse powre greatnes beautie the source of saluation and the botome of all beatitude as the Psalmist doth excellently sing My saluation is in God he is my glorie my ayde and all my hope is in him For assurance of this truth MOYSES demanding of God the happinesse to behold his face I will shew the all good said our Lord vnto him in appearing vnto thyne eyes Of the place of the Blessed Eternitie XLI I Doubt Athanasia these generall discourses sets your mouth on water and makes you desire to fill your appetite with more particular meates To comply therefor with your inclination I will serue you vp for the first dish a Draught of the place of this eternall Beatitude Truly I might say that it is situated in his bosome who makes Eternitie it selfe and who being infinite cannot be bounded by any place being present in euery place by his beeing and powre since that all is his all comes from him and all is in him in him I say in whom we liue moue and are But that you may not loose your selfe in those IMAGINARIE SPACES where this infinite thing makes abode which cannether be comprised by the Heauen of Heauens nor of heauen nor earth which he filleth with his immensitie nor by any other place I will tell you with all the grauest Doctors of the Church that God from the begining of the world did create this Kingdome which he prouided for his Angells and Elect in the Heauen called Empireall that is to say of fire not that it burnes but by reason of the brightnes of its flame and the splendour of its light This highest Heauen was vnknowen to the auncient Astrologers and is yet to the new vnlesse by the light of faith reuealed by God to the Church and her Doctors For the Astrologers like to all those that make profession of other mathematicall disciplines grownding onely vpon sensible demonstrations and making a iudgement of other places by the diuers motions of the starrs and this that we speake of being inuisible and immoueable is placed aboue the knowledge and lawes of Astrologie It is then a firme stable solide and inuariably settled heauen called in holy Scrip. The firmamēt of heauen the heauen of Heauens the Land of the liuing the Seate and Throne of God and in Geneses Heauen created from the begining as BEDE ALCVINE TOSTATE and the Maister of the sentences doe interprete it And there all the Fathers doe establish the mansion of the glorie of God together with his Angells and Blessed following these words of holy writ We haue a Mansion in heauen not made with the hand of man And our Sauiour said to his disciples your reward shall be plētuous in heauen And againe before his Ascension he said vnto them I goe to prouide you a place And what place is this but that where he is set at the right hand of the Maiestie in the highest S. BASILE THE GREAT S. CLEMENT Rom. S. CLEMENT Alexan. S. IOHN DAMASENE PHILO IVDAEVS STRABON and S. THOMAS amongst other Diuines doe warrant this opinion Of the magnificence of the place XLII THus much concerning the situation Athanasia but for its magnificencie what tongue can expresse it what pen describe it since our thoughts and senses cannot attayne thervnto O Israel how great is the house of God how ample his possessiōs his Abode is goodlie high immense and infinite these are the words of the Prophete BARVCH O eternall wisdome t is thou then that dost powrefully extend thy force from one extreamitie to another disposing all things with an incomparable sweetnesse thus speakes the wise man O how happie should I bee said the good TOBIE if I could see the light of Hierusalem O God said DAVID how I am in loue with the beautie of thy house and with the place of the habitation of thy glorie And if the glorie of God incompassng the Temple of SALOMON that miracle of man's Art and industrie added a grace vnto it which did rayse this maister-peece aboue all the workes of the earth what shall that place be where the Saintes in the light of gloric see the increated and inaccessable light of the Dietie O you DAVID's houses of Cedars hyde your selfes house of SAVLTVS which SALOMON built for his pleasures vpon the Mount-Libane yea euen you beauties of Libane hide your selues faire topps of Carmel and Saron Vayle thy selfe ô thou throne of SALOMON thou incomparable yet humane worke for who dare make the handeworkes of man enter into comparison with the mightie workmanship of God What Pallace euen of those that appeare the most proud and magnificent durst one compare with the King of glorie 's incomparably more great more wise and more powerfull then SALOMON since all the pompe of this sonne of DAVID is lesse prised in the Scripture then the simple nakednes of a place in the feilds yea in this vaile of teares Hath this wretched and miserable world any similitude wherby we might make a conceipt of the excellencie where teares and complaintes are permitted no entrie sith it is crowned with all the contentments and perfections that can be desired In vaine doth S. IOHN in his