worldly felicity can delight them and thus the only remembrance and expectation of future ioyes is sufficient in this their banishment to comfort them I hold it conuenient to close vp this Booke with the words of S. Austin that such who will not perhapps belieue me may not doubt to giue credit vnto so great and worthy a man This Father in these following words doth expresse which is the true note of the inhabitants of the Citty of the world and of the Citty of God Thus he then writeth Omnes qui terrena sapiunt c All those who are wholly immersed in earthly affayres All who doe preferre a temporary felicity before God All who seeke after their owne things not after those of Iesus Christ doe belong vnto thâ—t one Citty which mystically is called Babylon and which hath the Diuell for their King But all such others who bend their labours to things which are supernall and aboue who are euen absorpt in the meditation of Celestiall matters who liue in this world with all sollicitude and care that they doe not offend God or sinne who sinning are not ashâ—med to confesse their offences finally who are humble meeke holy iust pious good All such I say belong to that one Citty which hath Christ for its King Thus faâ—re Saint Austin in explicat Psal 61. OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Title of the House of God THE THIRD BOOKE That all the Blessed are the Domesticks and Sonnes of God CHAP. I. I Reioyced in these thinges which were said to we VVe shal go into the House of our Lord sayth the Royall Prophet Psal 121. Certainly it is a great and ineffable cause of reioycing for a good and faithful seruant after he hath painefully laboured in the Vineyard or hath multiplyed his Talents through negotiation and trafficke or as first hath gained the Prize in the race or hath deserued the Crowne in warre spirituall fight or hath diligently fed the sheep committed to his charge couragiously and valiantly defending them from wolues for then such a man after the accomplishment of all these his labours doth with all alacrity cheerfulnes enter into the House of his Lord. But let is first consider why that is called a House which a litle before was called a Citty Truly we cannot thinke that the cause of this appellation is that this House is strait or narrow and therefore doth deserue the name of a Citty since indeed it is of that largenes as that in greatnes it giueth not place to any Citty or Kingdome Giue eare to what the Prophet Baruch cap. 3. by way of acclamaaion speakes hereof O Israel how great is the House of God and how great is the place of his Possession It is great and hath no end Why then may not so great a House iustly be called a Citty The first reason heerof then is because the blessed though they be spred throughout the Kingdome of Heauen are the domesticks and familiars of our Lord. For perhaps a man might imagine that if mention were made only of a Kingdome or of a Citty that many might be in the Kingdome of Heauen and in the Citty of God who did neuer see God nor were euer admitted to speake or haue any entercourse with God but onely by the mediation of other greater Saints But because the matter standeth farre otherwise and that all the Saâ—nts do euer see God do coÌ„uerse with him and do speake to him face to face whether they be the supreme Seraphims and Cherubims Patriarches Apostles Prophets inferiour Angels and the lowest Saints For euen of our Angels Gardians who belong to the least degree of Angells our Lord thus saith Matth. 18. Their Angels in Heauen alwayes do see the face of my Father which is Heauen And the Apostle writing to the Ephesians cap. 4. auerreth that all the Saints are not only the Citizens of God but euen the domestick friends of God Therefore from hence I inferre that the habitation of the Saints is not only called a Citty but also a House There are doubtlesly diuers MaÌ„sions in Heauen to wit greater and lesser there are also seuerall Crownes some more illustrious others not so illustrious according to the disparity and inequality of merits neuertheles all those Cittizens are blessed and happy and are cleane in hart and replenished with Charity We may then from hence coÌ„clude that there is no Saint who is not in that ceâ—estiall house and who seeth not God and conuerseth not with him as a domesticall and familiar friend howsoeuer contrary heerto in other Kingdomes and Citties there are many who neuer see the King and most few they are to whome he vouchsafes any speach or familiarity Another reason why the Citty of God is called a House may seeme to be in that in a Citty many do see the King and do speake to him yet all those are not the Domesticks Sonnes heyres of the King but only those who dwelling in the Kings Pallace are acknowledged by the King for such But now in the Kingdome of Heauen and in the Citty of God all the Saints whether oâ— higher or low degree are truly the Domestickes of God and Brethren of Christ by reason heerof they are linked togeather in the strait coniunction of fraternity or brotherhood so as the Superiours among them do not contemne their inferiours neither with them is any coÌ„tention or malignity For when our Lord did teach the Pater noster that chiefe Prayer which is daily to be recited he in these words excluded not any man and when at the day of Iudgement he shall say Come you Blessed of my Father possesse you the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation the VVorld Matth. 25. he shall not except any out of this most confortable inuitation And when the Apostle said to the Romans cap. 8. whosoeuer are gouerned with the spirit of God those are the Sonnes of God and if Sonnes Heyres also Heyres truly of God and Coheires of Christ He in these words shutteth out no man whether great or litle so that he enioyeth the Spirit of God and will suffer himselfe to be sterned and guided therewith Which one Point is doubtlesly common to all the regenerate in Christ perseuering in Fayth Hope Charity In like sort S. Peter 1. Pet. 1. promiseth to all the regenerate an incorruptible inheritance incontaminate and not decaying being reserued in Heauen To conclude S. Iohn without any exception thus preacheth to all the iust See I pray what manner of Charity the Father hath giuen vs that we should be named and be the Sonnes of God 1. Ioan 3. From all this then we gather that the Place of habitation of the Saints is a House and not only a Citty or Kingdome in which house all are Domestickes Sonnes and heyres of the great King and all of them are beloued of God as Sonnes and of Christ as brethren that they may by good right say with the
to the third Heauen Concer-a House the Sonne of God himselfe thus speaketh In my Fathers House there be many Mansions Ioan. 14. Touching a Citty these be the wordes of the Apostle You are come to the Citty of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem Hebr. 12. To conclude of the Kingdome of Heauen our Lord himselfe thus in S. Matthew 5. Beatipauperes spiritu c. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen And no other name through out the whole body of the Scripture is more frequently vsed then this of the Kingdome of Heauen The Place of the Saints in Heauen is called a Paradise because Heauen is a most pleasant place abounding withall spirituall delicacies But because some Men may coniectuâ—e that a Paradise is but a small Garden placed in some one corner of a House capable to receaue but few Men the Holy Ghost did adioyne in the Scripture the Word name of House because a Regall and Princely House is accustomed to be a great Pallace in which besides the Garden or Orchard there are certaaine open Halls or places of disport diuers Chambers and roomes of repose and retirement besides many others of different sort Now seeing a House notwithstanding it be great cannot containe many men therefore that wee should not thinke that they are but few who belong to the Kingdome of Heauen the Scripture doth annexe the Name of a Citty which vsually comprehendeth in it selfe many Orchards and many Pallaces of Pleasure But seeing S. Iohn writeth in the Apocalyps 7. of the nuÌ„ber of the Blessed Vidi turbam magnaÌ„ c. I saw a great multitude which no man could number And that there is no Citty which is capable of an innumerable multitude therefore the Holy Scripture vseth the name of a Kingdome and of the Kingdome of Heauen then which place no other throughout the whole Vniuersity of things created is more capacious But now againe to shew other reasons in warraÌ„t of the former foure different Appellations or Names Because in a most ample Kingdome there are many Men who neuer see nor know the Names of d uers inhabitaÌ„ts of the same Kingdome nor know not whether such Men are or haue an Existence or Being and also in that it is certaine that all the Blessed doe see and know one another and as friends conioyned in a strait bond of loue do familiarly conuerse among themselues therefore the Scripture as not being content with the Name of a Kingdome added the Name of a Citty giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that all those who doe dwell in that though most vast Kingdome are truly Citizens of the Saints and are so conioyned in familiarity among themselues as the Citizens of one small Citty are accustomed to be And that we may be further instructed that all those happy Men are not only the Citizens of the Saints but also the domesticke friends of God yea the Sonnes of God therefore the same Holy Ghost who had called it a Citty calleth it also a House To conclude in that all the Blessed in Heauen do enioy the same delights and pleasures in Heauen therfore is that place entituled by the Name of Paradise Thus these foure Wordes to wit a Kingdome a Citty a House a Paradise do signify one and the same thing And that Paradise heere mentioned is so spacious and large as that it may be truly called a House a Citty a Kingdome Therefore I haue heere determined to commit to Print whatsoeuer God shaâ—l vouchsafe to suggest and minister to me by way of meditation in the secret Closet of my soule of this most happy place And this first vn-the name of a Kingdome next vnder the name of a Citty then of a House and lastly of Paradise Towards the end of the discourse I will subioyne six other Names not of places but of things out of the Parables of our Lord to wit A Treasure hidden in a field A precious Pearle or Margarite The dayly Penny The ioy of our Lord A great supper And a regall or Princely mariadge As also two other Names out of the Apostle which are a Price or Reward and a Crowne so in all there shal be twelue distinct Considerations by the which the Eternall Felicity of the Saints is described in the sacred Scriptures OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Name or Title of the Kingdome of God THE FIRST BOOKE Of the Amplitude or largenesse of the Kingdome of God CHAP. I. OF what worth and dignity the doctrine of the Kingdome of Heauen is may partly be knowne in that our Heauenly Maister did begin his Sermons to his Auditory froÌ„ those words of Matth. 4. De pennance for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand And further in that he made the Kingdome of Heauen the Subiect of most of his Parables saying Matth. 13.18.20.21.22.25 The Kingdome of Heauen is resembled c. And after his Resurrection in the time of those fourty dayes before his Ascension appearing to his Disciples he discoursed of the Kingdome of Heauen as S. Luke doth witnesse in the Acts of the Apostles Therefore we see the beginning progresse and consummation or end of the speaches of Christ were euer of the Kingdom of HeaueÌ„ Now we in this place will not vndertake to dispute of all points touching the Kingdome of Heauen but only so farre forth as concernes the place and state of the Blessed Saints And first we will explicate why the place and state of the Saints is named in the holy Scriptures The Kingdome of Heauen Well then the Habitation of the Saints for seuerall respects is entitled The Kingdome of Heauen First because Heauen is a most ample Region and far more ample and large then the narrow limits euen of Mans thought can comprehend The whole Earth which is but a Pricke or Point in comparison of the highest Heauen doth containe so many and so great Kingdomes as that with difficulty they can be numbred Of what immensenesse and huge Vastnesse then shall that Kingdome be which is but one and yet dispersed and spread throughout the whole latitude and breadth of the Heauen of Heauens For the Kingâ—ome of Heauen doth not only containe through its owne capacity the Celestiall Region but also all this Vniuersity â—nd generall State of things For that supercelestiall Region as I may tearme it which is properly the Kingdome of Heauen is as it were the first Prouince of the Kingdome of God in which the chiefe Princes all which are the Sons of God doe reside and dwell The sâ—cond Prouince may be called Eternall in which the Stars are seated Which Starres though they be inanimate neuerthelesse they are so obedient and seruiceable to the will beck of their Creatour as that they may be well said to haue life and sense according to that of Ecclesiasticus Come and let vs adore the King to whom all things doâ— liue The third Prouince is that of the Aire wherein the Winds
confidence not in thy ovvne strength neither in thy ovvne vvisdome but in the Omnipotency and infinite Charity of God Which tvvo Points if thou do performe Crooked things shall become straight and rough wayes plaine Esa 40. And thou shalt serue our Lord vvith ineffable comfort ioy and exultation And thou shalt sing in the wayes of our Lord because the glory of our Lord is great Psal 137. OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Title of the Citty of God THE SECOND BOOKE Of the Beauty of the Citty of God CHAP. I. GLORIOSA dicta sunt de te Ciuitas Dei Glorious things are said of thee O Citty of God Psal 86. In regard herof I much couet to behold thy Beauty by way of meditatioÌ„ though it be as it were by a glasse in a dark manner And among other things this first occurreth to be considered why the Felicity of the Saints which in the holy Scriptures is called the Kingdome of Heauen is also called the Citty of God One chiefe reason thereof seemeth to be because as it is called a Kingdom in respect of its amplitude largnes so it also deserueth to be called a Citty with reference to its splenstour and beauty When one heareth any speach of a most large and vast Kingdome he may easily thinke that in the same there are many solitary and vnpleasing places left onely for beasts to inhabit many hills vncultiuated many Vales ouergrowne with wood many Rocks inaccessible wayes vneauen and vnhaunted and finally most deepe precipices and the lyke But because all this infelicity of place ought to be most distant and remote from the felicity of Saints Therfore the holy Ghost doth instruct vs in the Scriptures that the Kingdome of Heauen is like to a most fayre and adorned Citty and though this Kingdom be of a most immense and almost infinite Circuite yet that it doth euen shine and appeare fayre as any Citty that is most populous and most rich is accustomed to doe For in the chiefest and greatest Citties there are to be seene most sumptuous and adorned Temples or Churches most stately and haughty Pallaces most pleasant Orchards most large places for resort of the Citizens most replenished houses with people besids goodly fountaines Columnes Pyramisses Theaters Towers and shops fraught with all things necessary for the vse of Man What had beene the splendour of Italy if wanting the barraine Apennines it all should shyne not as Rome as this day but as it was vnder Augustus Caesar who turned its Mud-wals into edifices of Marble And how beautifull had Syria beene long since if all of it had beene lyke to Ierusalem before Ierusalem had come to desolation by the Romans For Iosephus describeth the magnificence of it with all wounder so as the Prophet might not without iust cause say thereof Gloriosa dicta sunt de te Ciuitas Dei and yet euen then it was not brought to that height of eminency to the which after Dauid and Salomon Herod the great had aduanced it Of what luster had Chaldaea and all Assyria and Mesopotamia or rather all the East beene if the Citty of Babylon could haue contained all the parts thereof within the compasse of its owne Walles For both Pliny and Strabo describe that Citty in such manner as that the largenes and beauty thereof may seeme to be incredible And therfore the Citty of Babylon was worthily ranged among the seauen Miracles of the World But now to parallell things togeather What kind of Citty then shall that heauenly Citty that supernall Ierusalem be which possesseth or containeth the whole Kingdome of Heauen I meane that Citty which maketh that great Kingdome of Heauen so to cast forth its splendour and light as if it all were but one most faire and glorious Citty in the which there is no vacancy of place no deformity nothing vile or base Doubtlesly the supernall Citty is of such nature as that no man can seriously and with due attention meditate thereof but that he must instantly burne with desire of so great a matter And no man can trulâ— burne therewith but that abandoning all things he must thirst after it and neuer cease till he hath found it Obserue what Tobias the yonger reioycing in spirit speaketh of this Citty c. 13. Thou shalt shine with a glorious light and all the coasts of the earth shall adore thee c. The gates of Ierusalem shall be built of Saphire and Emerauld and all the compasse of the walls of precious stones VVith white and cleane stone shall all the streetes thereof be paued and in the streets Alleluia shal be sung And S. Iohn accordeth to Toby herein saying Apoc. 21. And the building of the wall thereof was of Iaspar-stone c. And the Citty was pure gold as it were transparent glasse c. And the foundation of the Citty was adorned with all precious stones and the seuerall gates thereof were of seuerall margarites and the streetes of the Citty pure gould Now heere we are not to imagine that the heauenly Ierusalem shal be seene as adorned with gould and precious stones such as are heere vpon the earth â—ut these things are so deliuered in holy Writ that thereby we may vnderstand that the Heauenly Citty is so farre more noble then any earthly Citty by how much gould is better then mud or dyrt Margarites then common stones starres then lights the Sunne then a torch or lampe Heauen then the earth and finally God the immortall Workeman then any mortall Architect But because we are heerafter more fully to discourse of the beauty of all the parts of the Citty of God I will heere forbeare further speach thereof Of the Concord and Peace of the Citty of God CHAP. II. ANother reason why the Kingdome of God may be called the Citty of God seemeth to be in that a Kingdome is accustomed to comprehend within it almost an infinite multitude of persons being among themselues distinct in language Manners and Lawes of which number though all of one Kingdome many did neuer see one another much lesse euer contracted any mutuall friendship or familiarity Now a Citty contayneth onely those which speake one and the same tongue who are of lyke manners and are gouerned by the same customes or lawes Thus the same thing is called both a Kingdome and a Citty because the inhabitants of the Heauenly Kingdome are so many as that they can hardly be numbred and as S. Iohn sayth Apoc 7. they are gathered togeather of seuerall Nations of seuerall Tribes and People and of seuerall tongues as also of Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Vertues Dominations Thrones Cherubims and Seraphims who exceed men in number of which euery one of them do differ from another not in Country people language but in diuersity of nature I meane in a specificall difference And yet neuertheles they are all true Cittizens all of vnanimous consent and are gouerned only by the law of Charity And hence it is
that they are all one Hart and one Spirit And since charity cannot brooke Hatred Enuy Contentions discord and the lyke therefore all such dissentioÌ„s iarres are most remoted froÌ„ that holy Citty of Ierusalem and only Charity there raigneth being atteÌ„ded on with â—ustice peace ioy in the Holy Ghost In the beginning of the Creation of things there was a great waâ—re in Heauen betweene S. Michael the Archangell and the Dragon But S. Michael and the other Angells who ranged themselues with him and remayned in the Truth and performed their loyalty and obedience to their Lord obtained victory ouer the Dragon and his Associats who breathing nothing but pride reuolted from their common Lord and Soueraigne And the great Dragon was cast forth the old Serpent whâ—ch is called the Diuell and Satan which seduceth the whole world and he was cast into the earth Apoc. 12. From which time the Holy Citty the heauenly Ierusalem did border it selfe within the limitts of Peace Neither hath any warlike Trumpet beene hard therein neyther shall hereafter be heard and this for aâ—l Eternity Now to reflect vpon what is aboue said What can be reputed more pleasing or happy then this Citty Such men who by their owne experience haue tryed the euills of warres robberies slaughters Rapines deuastation of places by Lies sacriledges and the like may easily and truly preach of the great pleasure and sweetnes of peace But passing ouer publike warres and Hostility who hath not made triall in his owne Citty yea in his owne house how distastfull and vnpleasing it is daily to conuerse with men of an irefull and froward disposition who doe interprete euery thing in the worst â—art Depart from the wicked and euill shall fall from thee saith Ecclesiasticus c. 7. But whither can we fly where we shall not be encountred with wicked men And if euery place doe swarme with such men then doubtlesly must many euills discontents and vnquietnes attend vpon vs during this our tyme of exile Giue eare to what the foresaid Ecclesiasticus pronounceth of an euill wife It shall be more pleasant to abide with a Lion and Dragon then to dwell with a wicked woman c. 25. And if she who is the fellow and companion of mans lâ—fe be through wickednesse turned into a Lyon or Dragon to how great angours and infelicities are many men exposed All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus faith the Apostle â— Tim. 3. shall suffer persecution Therefore how vnhappy is the Citty of this world in vvhich a man of necessity must be affronted vvith Aduersaries and vvage vvarre For if thou vvilt liue piously and godly thou shalt suffer persecution at the hands of men And if thou vvilt giue the bridle to all impiety thereby to decline and auoid persecution of men thou shalt then fall into the wrath and indignation of that most high and powerfull King who shall persecute and punish thee both liuing and dead whose anger no man can resist Most vnfortunate therfore and calamitous is that Countrey in which no man can escape warre no man can fly from persecution no man can find true peace What then remaineth but that euen from the bottome of our heart we doe prosecute with a I loue and prayse the Heauenly Citty wherein no persecution can be found no warres broyles or discord can take place Of the liberty or freedome of the Citty of God CHAP. III. THe third Reason why the Kingdome of God may be called a Citty is in that a Kingdome hath a Monarchicall forme o gouerment which seemeth to be opposed to liberty whereas all the Cittizens of Heauen are free and our Mother which is the supreme Ierusalem is also free as S. Paul witnesseth to the Galathians c. 4. Which blessed Apostle did well know what he did speake since he being once taken vp in spirit into the third Heauen was thereby acquainted with the manners and lawes of that Citty Therefore seeing a Kingdome doth seeme to include seruitude and a Citty liberty that Kingdome may well be called a Citty in whâ—ch all who serue the King are free Now among the holy inhabitants of Heauen there is not one only liberty but a liberty of seuerall kinds For first all the Cittizens of Heauen are free from the bondage of sinne seeing the first liberty which was in the terrestriall Paradise was to haue power not to sinne wheras the second liberty in the celestiall Paradise is far greater to wit not to be able to sinne as S. Austin teacheth lib. de correp gra c. 11. Another kind of liberty consisteth in being free from death being like to the former liberty For Adam vvas so free in the terrestriall Paradise as that it vvas in his povver not to dye And the Sonnes of Adam are so free in the celestiall Paradise as that they cannot dye Neyther must it seeme strange that vve pâ—ace liberty in that vvhich consisteth in not being able to doe seeing not to be able to sinne and not to be able to dye imply an eminency of freedome from the captiuity of sinne and thraldome of mortality For vvho hath not povver to sinne is not only free from sinne but also is so farre from the bondage thereof as that he remaines secure that sinne shall neuer haue any soueraignty ouer him In like sort he vvho cannot dye remaines not only free from death but is so farre distant from death as that he is ascertained that death shall neuer make any assault tovvards him Which liberty only God through his owne Nature enioyeth according to those words of the Apostle 1. Tim. 6. VVho alone hath immortality For although the Angells and rationall soules be said to be naturally immortall because they haue no Principle or cause of Corruption in their â—ature Neuerthelesse God who first created them can at his pleasure reduce them to Nothing But the Angells and the blessed Saints are most secure that they shall for neuer after sinne nor dye and are in this respect most free from the seruitude of sinne or death which priuiledge is a most honorable participation of the diuine liberty of God The third kind of liberty is to be free from Necessity and this liberty is also of seuerall sorts For now mortal men are forced through a certaine constraint of necessity to eate to drinke to sleepe to labour sometymes to stand another time to walke or to lye downe and repose themselues But the Saints in Heauen stand subiect and thra l to no such necessity but are freed from all corporall necessitudes And this is the liberty of the glory of the Sonnes of God of which the Apostle speaketh in his Epistle to the Romans Now of what dignity this liberty is first poore men secondly spirituall men lastly rich men such as are louers of this world do fully testify Men oppressed with penury and want in the highest degree what indefatigable paynes dâ— they vndergoe thereby to prouide for themselues and theirs meate
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
wordes lyke to pure glasse that is trasparent and of a whyte colour lyke vnto Cristall From this it followeth that the whole Citty whether you respect the gates the wall or the streets is most precious which hath not within it any ordure or any thing that is base abiect sordid or of small continuance And withall the Citty is sayd to be whyte and plainly lyeth open to the eye for therin is nothing couered All the Citizens then see all things neither is there any suspicion or any imposture or deceyte And perhaps this is the reason why S. Iohn subnecteth in the same place this short passage Anâ— the Gates thereof shall not be shut because there shal be no darknes no theeues no Enemies for feare of whome the Gates should be shut Neither is this repugnant to the wordes of the Psalmist who celebrateth the prayse of his Heauenly Ierusalem in these words Psal 147. O Ierusalem praise our Lord because he hath strengthened the locks of thy Gates Since both the Propheâ— the Euangalist do insinuate one and the same thing to wit that there are not any enemies or theeues who can threaten danger to this heauenly Ierusalem For the Prophet by the Gates being euer shut sign fyeth that Gods holy Protection will not suffer the enemy at any time to inuade or enter into that Citty so much beloued by him The Euangelist by the gates being open sheweth that that Citty is so secure and free from all hostile incursions as that it needeth n t to shut its Gates much lesse to keep any Watch or Centinall But let as proceed and shew what the Gates the VValls and the Streetes of his Citty do import The Gates by their standsng euer open declare that now after the Passion of our Sauiour entrance into this Citty of God and Angels is giuen to men since Christ himselfe after he had suffered death did open the Kingdome of Heauen to the faithfull Neither is there one only Port or gate but twelue by which the faythful may enter into this Citty for thus S. Iohn speaketh On the East side three gates on the North three and on the South three and on the VVest three Since not only the Iewes as themselues dreamed doe enter into that Citty but men euen from â—ll the most remote and discosted parts of the whole World Yea so few Iewes do enter there into as with reference to men of other Nations they may be said to be almost none at all for thus did our Lord speaking to the Centurion prophesy of them Matth. 8. I haue not found so great faith in Israel And I say vnto you that many shall come from the East and the VVest and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of Heauen but the children of the Kingdome shal be cast out into exteriour darknes In like sort in the Parable of the Vine our Lord thus saith Matt 21. The Kingdome of God shal be taken away from you and shal be giuen to a Nation yielding fruit thereof And the same point is inculcated most clearly in S Luke VVhen you shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God you to be thrust out And there shall come from the East and the VVest and the North and the South shal sit down in the Kingdom of God Now there are said to be three Gates from euery part of the World so in number twelue because entrance sha be giuen not only to those comming from the East the South the West and the North but also from the beginning or first entrance of the East from the middle of the East and from the end of the East the lyke may be sayd of the three other Parts of the World Except this other construction following of the foresaid number of the Gates may be perhaps more pertinent to the purpose to wit that three gates are assigned to seuerall parts of the Heauenly Citty with reference to the mistery of the Blessed Trinity and the three most necessary Vertues since they all from all the foure parts of the World doe enter into this Heauenly Citty who being baptizâ—d in the name of the three diuine Persons haue perseuered to their last end in Fayth Hope and Charity Of the Wall and streetes of the Citty of God CHAP. VI. TO proceed The VVall of the Citty signifieth nothing els then Gods holy ProtectioÌ„ custody which one thing alone is sufficient to preserue this Citty without any watch forces or fortresses I will be to it saith God by the mouth of Zachary A wall of fyer round about and I wil be in glory in the middest thereof Zach. 2. A most wonderfull Promise He saith I will be a wall of fyer round about that I may hinder the entrance of Enemies and I will be a glory in the middest thereof that I may enlighten the Cittizens as if he would say Fyer burneth and shyneth therefore I will consume the enemy with fyer and will illuminate and comfort the Cittizens So I shal be a wall of fyer round about and a light of glory in the middest which very point S. Iohn a little after doth explicate when he saith Apoc. 21. And the Citty needeth not Sunne nor Moone to shine in it for the glory of God hath illuminated it and the Lambe is the Lampe thereof The clarity and brightnesse of God as a Sunne doth enlighten the minds and Christ being the Lambe of God as a Lampe doth illuminate the bodyes of the blessed Now Christ is here called a Lampe not as if this Lampe were necessary in the night time but is so called in comparison of the Diuinity For if the faces of the Saints shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of God as our Lord himselfe testifieth Matth. 13. then how much more shall the face of Christ not as a Lamp but as a chiefe Sunne enlighten the Citty of God And hence it is that S. Iohn doth there subioyne that there shal be no Night in that Citty Here yet remaineth the street of this Citty to be discoursed of This street coÌ„prehendeth the whole space whâ—ch is within the compasse of the walls And this street is the common habitation of all the Celestiall Cittizens The which is all of pure gold that is of a fiery and bright Charity which shall containe all those Cittizens and through force of which one of the Inhabitants shall euen liue in another through the vertue of pure Loue. Neither only shall one liue in another but all of them shall liue in God and God in theÌ„ all for who remayneth in Charity remaineth in God God in him 1. Ioan. 4. The which point that it might be affected Christ our Lord asked of his Father in that praier which ready to goe to his Passion he made in the hearing of all of his Apostles saying Ioan. 17. Not for them alone doe I pray but for theÌ„ also
said not because thou wert a sinner and hatefuâ—l to God it was needfull that thou shouldst be punished with blindnes and pouerty But the Angell said Because thou art gratefull to God as being a iust and holy man therefore as a liuing stone designed to the celestiall edifice it was necessary that thou shouldst suffer the hammer of Persecution Which of the Prophets escaped Persecution and Iniuries comming from the wicked What torments did not the blessed children of the Machabees endure But let vs heare the Apostle touching this point preaching of the Saints of the Old Testament They had triall of mockery and stripes and also of bands and prisons They were stoned they were hewed they were tempted they died in the slaughter of the sword They went abroad in Sheep-skins in Goate-skins needy in distres afflicted of whome the world was not worthy wandering in deserts in mountaines and dennes and in the Caues of the earth Heb. 11. And now ô Christian Soule what canst thou reply hereto If the hammer of the builder did not spare those Men of whome the world through their eminent sanctity was not worthy that thereby they might be squared laboured and made fit for the celestiall Edifice what then shall become of thee and such as are lyke to thee to whome sinne is pleasing and gratefull but all pennance satisfaction for sinne most grieuous and vngratefull One of these two fortunes perforce thou must vndergo to wit eyther thou must be hammered in this life or in Purgatory or els thou shalt not haue any place in that sublime building but in lieu thereof the hammer of Hell for all eternity shal be striking vpon thee Why then O poore Soule wilt thou not rather suffer to be wrought fayre polished in this life through a short and sleight tribulation then in the next lyfe to be reprobated and cast into that place where thou must suffer an euerlasting and intollerable pressure and bruising of the hammer Neither oughtest thou to sleight or litle regard the Purgatory-refyning and hammering in the lyfe to come since that punishment though not eternall is most grieuous and oftentimes of longer continuance then any Paine of this life Heare S. Austin in Psal 37. discoursing of this point Dicitur suluus eris sic tamen quasi per ignem c. It is said Thou shalt be saued as it were by fyar And because it is sayd thou shalt be saued therefore this fyar is contemned and yet is more insupportable then any thing which man can suffer in this lyfe Thus this holy Father who further addeth that the paines of Purgatory do exceed all punishments inflicted vpon Theeues and other malefactours as also all the torments of the Martyrs Therefore such men are euen fooles and depriued of all true Iudgement who contemne the fyre of Purgatory and do abhorre all tribulations of this present lyfe But obserue how other fathers conspire with S Austin herein S Bernard thus writeth Know you this that such sinnes which are in this lyfe neglected shall be punished a hundred tymes more in the purging places euen till the very last farthing be payed serm de obitu Humberti Monachi To conclude S. Anselm in these words agreeth with the former father Sciendum est quia grauior est ille ignis c. VVe are to know that this fyre is more insufferable then any thing which man can endure in this lyfe For all the torments heere vpon Earth are more sufferable and easy And yet men for the auoyding of those paynes here will performe any labour whatsoeuer imposed vpon them How much better then is it more profitable to do those things which God commaÌ„ds vs that thereby we may not suffer those other paines farre more horrible and grieuous Ansel in explicat cap. 3. ad Cor. 1. Of flying from the Citty of the World CHAP. XII NOw hauing explicated the structure and building of the Citty of God it remaineth that we briefly shew what is chiefly requisite that men may be ascribed and admitted Citizens into this most happy Citty This may be declared euen in one word to wit that we doe renounce and disclaime from the Citty of this World and that in the meane time we liue here as strangers or pilgrims for it is impossible for vs to be both Citizens of this world and Citizens in the Heauenly Citty And a man no sooner giueth by disclayming from it his last farewell to this World but that he is instantly admitted into the bosome of the Citty of God But let vs stir more fully the earth or mould about the roote of this point Well then there are two Citties set downe and declared to vs in the Holy Scripturs The Earthly Citty which began in Cain who first vpon earth builded a Citty as we reade in the booke of Genesis cap. 4. And the Celestiall Citty taking its beginning in Abel of which Citty not Abel but God was the Builder and Workman as aboue we haue shewed out of the Apostle Heb. 11. Babylon the Great which signifieth the Confusion was a figure of that Citty of the world And Ierusalem which is called Vifio Pacis was the type of this Heauenly Citty which is the Citty of the supreme King The Cittizens of the earthly Citty are those who not only in body but in soule doe inhabite the earth who euen adore the earth who gape after earthly pleasures and profitts who tumultuously fight and striue for them finally who are wholly drowned in the pursuite thereof The Prince of this Citty is the Diuell who being cast out of the Celestiall Citty first possessed the Tyranny of the earthly Citty for though our Lord approaching were vnto his Passion said Ioan. 12. Now is the iudgment of the world Now the Prince of this world shall be cast forth and accordingly our Lord did truly driue him forth with the staffe of his Crosse and through the said Crosse did triumph ouer him according to those words of the Apostle Coloss 2. Spoyling the Principalities and Potentates haue led them confidently in open shew triumphing ouer them in himselfe notwithstanding this is not so to be vnderstood as if the Diuel were wholly cast out of this world or had lost all Principality thereof but that he is caâ—t out from all those and among all such hath lost his dominion and Empyre as haue ranged themselues vnder Christ and who flying out of the terrene City are designed to the Heauenly That the Diuell exerciseth his rule and gouerment yet in this Citty of the world the Apostle teacheth when he saith Our wrestling is not against flesh and bloud but against Princes and Potentates against the rulers of the world of this darknesse Ephes 4. Therefore as yet Sathan with his ministers hath h s rule and gouerment in this world and is Prince thereof I meane of worldly men and Cittizens of the earthly Citty of which world S. Iohn saith cap. 5. The whole world is set in
wickednesse As if he would had said The world adhereth to its head who is called maligne or wicked transcendently or the world is vnder the gouerment and power of the wicked Diuell But to proceed further The Cittizens of this Heauenly Citty are those who being already blessed doe reigne in the Kingdome of Heauen as also all those who remaining yet in mortall body doe inhabitate the Earth yet this not in Heart but only in Body since in heart and soule their Conuersation is in Heauen and they couet to be dissolued and with Christ who is the King of the Celestiall Citty But now because the celestiall Cittizens are promiscuously mixed with the earthly Citizens therefore the holy Scriptures say for greater distinction That the Cittizens of Heauen are in the VVorld but not of the VVorld And that they are in the World not as Cittizens thereof but as strangers and Pilgrims for S. Peter speaketh I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrimes to refraine from carnall desires 1. Pet. 2. But of the Citizens of the earth the Scripture changeth its style and thus speaketh of them They are strangers of the Testament hauing no Hope of the Promise and without God in this world Ephes 2. Now these things being thus Let no man deceaue himselfe nor dreame that he can be a Cittizen of the world and withall a Cittizen of Heauen The Cittizens of the World are of the World The Cittizens of Heauen are not of the World To be of the world and not to be of the world are contradictory and incompatible togeather and therefore cannot brooke any conuinction In regard whereof let those men then to whom the world and earthly matters are gratefull not perswade themselues that they can haue any place in the Heauenly Citty except they first goe out and as it were wholy forsake the world voyding their iudgements and wills of all earthly Pleasures and Benefitts But because these Points are high mysteries and are vnderstood by few at least not thought and meditated on as they ought to be therefore to the end that no man at the last day may pretend ignorance there is not any thing which the Apostles and Euangelists doe more often inculcate and repeate then this one point Heare our Lord Ioan. 8. You are of this world I am not of this world Againe he thus speaketh to the Apostles If you had beene of the world the world would loue its owne but because you are not of the world therefore the world hateth you Heare S. Paul 2. Cor. 3. The wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God And againe You ought to haue gone out of this world And yet more That we may not be damned with this world Heare S. Iames cap. 4. Know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God VVhosoeuer therefore will be a friend of this world is made an enemy of God Heare S. Peter Fly the corruption of the concupiscence which is in the world 2. Pet. 1. Heare S. Iohn Doe not you loue the world or those things in the world 1. Ioan 2. And againe If any man loue the world the charity of the Father is not in him And yet more cap. 5. The whole world is set in wickednes To conclude heare our Lord himselfe speaking in prayer to his Father Ioan 17. For them doe I pray not for the world doe I pray but for them whom thou hast giuen me And the world doth hate them because they are not of the world as also I am not of the world Now from hence we may gather most euidently that the world is so as it were excommunicated and cursed by God as that Christ thinketh it not conuenient to pray for it Yet may it be here obiected that if Christ doth not pray for the world how is it said Ioan. 3. God so loued the world as that he gaue his only begotten Sonne what doth the Father loue the world and the Sonne hate the World Or how doth the Sonne exclude the world from his prayer which the Father doth not exclude from his loue S. Austin expounding this later place saith that the world for whom Christ denyed to pray signifieth only the wicked according to which acceptance the Apostle saith so that wâ— may not be damned with this world 1. Cor. 11. But we may here furtheâ— say Christ did not pray for the world because such things as he then prayeâ— for his Apostles did not in any soâ— agree to the world For he prayed foâ— the gift of Perseuerance Keepe theâ— saith our Sauiour Ioan. 17. in mâ— Name And withall he 〈◊〉 that they might obtaine eternity of glory saying I will Father that where I am they may be also with me that they may see my glory But these things are not agreeable to the world for neither is the world except it be afore cleansed of its filth aâ—d ordure apt for the Kingdome of Hâ—auen euen as it is not fitting for a man that is bemyâ—ed with dirt in riding to enter into the bedchamber of a K ng God doth truly loue the world and for it gaue his only Sonne thereby to clense and purge the world thaâ— it may be fit for his Kingdome And so Christ prayed for his Crucifiers not that they should perseuere in that state in which they then were buâ— tâ—at his Father might pardon them and in p rdoning of them might cause them to leaue and goe out of the world Anâ— therefore though Christ did say I do not pray for the world yet he adioyne a little after these words That 〈◊〉 world may belieue that thou hâ—st 〈◊〉 me Thus the closure of all 〈…〉 Christ prayed for his owne Discipâ—â— not for the world because exceâ—â— man doe first goe out of the world bâ—fore he goe out of his Body he can neuer arriue to the Kingdome of Heauen Whosoeuer therefore doth thirst after that supreme and high Citty let him hasten to goe out of the world for feare least his last day may suddenly and vnexpectedly surprize him and take him out of this life when he shall be depriued of all hope of his conuersion But if he be once happily gotten out of the world then let him forsake the same with all its concupiscences that he may daily meditate only of the Citty of our Lord and that he may euen protest with the Holy Prophet If I shall forget thee O Ierusalem let my right Hand be forgotten let my tongue cleaue to my mouth if I do not remeÌ„ber thee if I shall not set Ierusalem in the beginning of my ioy Psal 136. For this is the true Character or Note of the Cittizens of the Eternall Citty to wit to be more desirous to want both tongue and hands then to speake or attempt any thing against the loue of God their Father and their Celestiall Countrey that so the beginning of their ioy may be the Citty it selfe which replenisheth its Cittizens with such beatitude as that no
Prophet Psal 132. O how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell in one For what greater consolation and comfort can be imagined to a man then to conuerse with innumerable Angels with men of all degrees eyther superiour equall and inferiour to him and he to be beloued of them all with most sincere affectioÌ„ as a brother to be vsed as a brother imbraced entertained as a brother Of the greatnes and Beauty of the House of God CHAP. II. ANother reason for which the Habitations of the Saints is called a House may be taken from that Houses especially the houses of Kings haue many ornaments in their Hals in their BedchaÌ„bers in other withdrawing roomes which the rest of the Citty doth want For who can recouÌ„t the Arras Tapestry precious vestmeÌ„ts plate of Gold and Siluer with the which the Palaces of Kings do glitter and shine Neither are these interiour ornaments only of great worth and pryce but also the externall and outward building it selfe is accustomed to be most admirable for the goodly marble stately Pillars guilded Porches hanging gardens and such other delicacies which is ouer long to relate Salomon King of Ierusalem after he had built a Temple to our Lord with such cost and charges as was fitting did make a Pallace for himselfe with such profuse cost as that he spent thirteene yeares in the building of it although he had many Maisters and Ouerseers of the whole Fabricke and had at hand with small labour great store of precious and curious marble and other stones and abundance of Cedar-trees And not with lesse charge and magnificence did he erect a Pallace for his vvife being the daughter of the King of Egypt so sumptuous as it seemed incredible Therefore when the Sacred Scripture calleth that Habitation the House of God which in other passages therof it calleth the Citty of God and the Kingdome of Heauen it seemeth to insinuate that all that Citty and Kingdome is as resplendent and glorious as any Regall house or Pallace For as we haue learned aboue out of the Prophet Baruch the House of God is of that largenesse and extension as that it is able to comprepend and containe the whole Kingdome of Heauen It seemed a little aboue a thing worthy of admiration if any whole Kingdome should appeare to be of that splendour and fayrenesse with which its chiefe Citty is adorned Who then will not rest astonished â—â—en he shall thinke that the whole Kingdome of Heauen is styled the House of God in that it is all stately all fayre all precious as beseemeth the House of God to be Therefore with good reason did the Prophet Dauid burst forth into those words Psal 83. My soule euen coueteth and fainteth vnto the Courts of our Lord. For who doth not thirstingly desire to see and possesse a most noble Kingly house which in its spacious greatnesse may equall any Kingdome As on the contrary to see and enioy a most ample and large Kingdome which for ornaments splendour and magnificence may contend and compare with any Princely house or Pallace Neither would our soule only desire the fruition of such a House such a Kingdom if attentiuely it did thinke thereof and confidently belieue the same but it would be wholy absorpt and euen faint and transgresse its owne limits through the incredible beauty and worth of so great a matter But alas we who lie vpon the ground and are become thrall to temporalities and earthly things and doe admire so much what we here see doe little busy our thoughts with inuisible matters we bearing our selues herein like to little children who neuer going out of their Fathers house doe so loue that poore Cottage as that they neuer once thinke of the Pallaces of Kings In like sort we imitate herein the Countrey-pesants who neuer saw any Citty but are busied in tilling their ground and in repayring their poore wodden and clayie house neuer thinking on Pallaces Towers Theaters Honours dignities increasing of siluer chargeable banquets and the like And perhapps these Rusticks and Children are more happy then many rich Cittizens and great Princes because those things which are in this world much prized and highly esteemed are commonly attended on with more anxiety care and danger then with solid profit and dignity But the goods which are in that Heauenly house of our Father are inestimable neither are they accoÌ„panied with any sollicitude discontent or perill but are exempted from all griefe and molestation and this not for any short time but for all Eternity Therefore S. Paul who was neither a Ch ld nor a Rusticke and who well knew the goods and commodities of this worâ—d for he was a man most learned and conuersed with most wise men He also had beene in the House of God and had perused and viewed the Heuenly Citty as being rapt into the third Heauen doth thus speake of himselfe 2. Cor. 4. VVe not considering the things which are seene but which are not seene for the things that are seene are temporall but the things that be not seene are eternall And againe Phil. 3. Our conuersation is in Heauen And according hereto he exhorteth vs all Colloss 3. To seeke the things which are aboue where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God And to mind the things which are aboue not the thinges which are vpon the Earth Of the Dyning Chamber of the House of God CHAP. III. ANother reason why that which is cal ed a Citty and a Kingdome is also called the House of God may be taken from those words of our Lord Ioan. 14. In my Fathers House there be many mansions Thus we see that in Houses there be Chambers or Partours to dine and sup in Chambers also for men to take their repose and sleepe Halles and other spacious roomes for the exercise of seuerall Actions which out of the House are not accustomed to be done But to begin with the Great Chamber as I may say or place of Refection Certainly there is a place in the House of our Lord in which all the Saints are not only fed wâ—th Princely viands but which is wonderfull and scarcely credible were it not that the Holy Ghost teacheth vs so much where the King himselfe shal be girded and prepared to minister and serue the Table For thus doth our Lord himself speake Luc. 12. Blessed are those seruants whome when our Lord commeth he shal find watching Verily I say vnto you that he will gird himselfe and make them sit downe and will come forth minister vnto them What kind of baÌ„quetting House is this Who euer heard of the lyke The Lord standeth the seruant sitteth downe the Lord is girded that without any hinderance or let he may wayte The Seruant is vngirded that so more freely and coÌ„modiously he may sit at Table The Lord goeth vp and downe to bring in and serue the meates The Seruant quietly feedeth vpon those Princely viands O if we
vvith Vertue And so the cōformity or beauty of Iustice shall stir vp an incredible ioy in the minds of the Blessed Of the Ioy of the Will CHAP. III. BEsides that Pleasure vvhich the Will taketh from the good of the Vnderstanding there are three things vvhich shall properly beget and cause Ioy in the VVill it selfe One of these is a most ardent Loue of God and of our Neighbour For Loue is a principall sauce or seasoning of all things that are to be beloued He that loueth iudgeth all those things which he loueth to be most fayre and good and therefore he much reioyceth at the presence and sight of them As contrary-wise at their absence he greatly lamenteth We see that Parents who out of a naturall affection loue their Children dearely do belieue that they are most fayre most witty and most wyse although often they be deformed and but shallow-witted if choyce were giuen them they vvould not change them for any others though in an impartiall Eye far better and fayrer In like sort we see that men either through VVitchcraft or some vnexpected accident are taken and surprized with the Loue of deformed persons houlding it a most pleasant thing to conuerse with them and most infortunate to be separated from their company and familiariry Which proceeding only Loue causeth being as aboue we said a sauce to all things which are the subiect of Loue. Now seeing these thinges stand thus what and how ineffable shall the pleasure of the Saints be euer to conuerse with God and all the Blessed whom they shall most ardently loue who are truly most fayre and most good euen in a cleare and vnpartiall iudgment and from whom they shall know that they are neuer to be separated As on the contrary it shal be one of the greatest punishments of Hell to be forced euer to be in the Company of those damned spirits whom they extremely hate and by whose diuers stratagems and deuises they know themselues to haue beene circumuented and abused An other Consideration which shal much increase the ioy of the Blessed in the will shal be an vnspeakable rest and satiety without cloying vvhich shall make them on all sydes satisfyed and content Heere vpon Earth no man liues contented with his state There is no man but he coueteth many things which he cannot obtaine And hence it riseth that there are so many hungry and thirsty men in the pursuit of temporall Benefits in the VVorld Neither is this to be much wondred at since our mind is capable of an infinite and euerlasting Good wheras the things created are small in themselues of a fading nature and cannot long continue Therefore what exultation and ioy shall it be to that man who shall see himselfe seated in that place where he shall liue in all contentment and sweete repose of mind vvhere nothing shal be wanting nothing shall affright him nothing shal be desired nothing more shal be sought after O Peace surmounting all apprehension of sense the which the VVorld cannot affoard and vvhich is found only in the heauenly Ierusalem the City of the peacefull most great King To thee this our Peregrination doth greedily bend it self VVe are here loaden vvith temptations and sollicitudes and we greatly appease and quiet our selues only in the thought and expectation of thee The third thing which shall bring great Ioy to a Blessed VVill is Iustice and this perfect and more perfect then was the Originall Iustice in Adam The Iustice of him did subiect the inferiour part of the soule to the superiour as long as the superiour was subiect to God But this Iustice subiecteth the inferiour part to the superiour and the superiour to God by a most firme and indissoluble band and connexion That was as it were a wollen or linnen Garment this a silken or goulden Vestment which maketh the VVill most fayre amiable to God to the Angells all Blessed soules This is that perfect Iustice which admitteth no spot nor any veniall blemish So as of a soule cloathed with this Iustice it may be said Thou art all fayre O my Loue and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. This comprehendeth all Vertues as they are vnmixted with the drosse of any imperfection Now how great ioy and pleasure this Iustice may bring to a soule in Heauen the VViseman doth witnesse saying A secure mind is as it were a continuall feast Prou. 15. Heere only that mind is secure which is neuer gnawed with the worme of Conscience in that through a perfect Iustice it is so established in good as that euen for any short moment it cannot slyde Of which point the Apostle is also witnesse saying Rom. 14. The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but Iustice and peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost In which words the holy Apostle clearely teacheth that the Kingdome of Heauen contayneth in it selfe great Pleasure consisting not in delighting the thtoat and repletion of the Belly as carnall and sensuall men perhaps could wish but in Iustice which engenders in the soule a firme Peace and true Ioy. For who is perfectly iust hath nothing in his hart which may vpbraid or reprehend him neither any thing in his Actions at which other men can take exceptions And from hence springeth a most constant and sweete Peace betweene God himselfe and all others From hence also riseth an ineffable ioy in the Holy Ghost with which ioy no earthly or temporall pleasures can be compared Of the Ioy of the Memory CHAP. IV. NOw the faculty of Memory through remembrance of things past shall minister no small matter of Ioy. For first the calling to mind the benefits of God either touching spirituall or corporall matters naturall or supernaturall temporall or eternall throughout our whole life shall bring an incredible Ioy when the iust soule shall call to mind by how many wayes it was preuented in the benedictions of all sweetnes Againe the remembrance of the perills and dangers out of which God by strange meanes hath euen snatched vs throughout all our life how great a comfort will it affoard Among other dangers I put in the first place That a man being very neere vnto committing of a mortall sinne and so thereby neere vnto Hell God moued only through his benignity and loue did hinder the committing therof Certainly this mercy of God being so great and often extended to the Elect when it shall be called to mind in that most safe and most peacefull Region shall affoard most great Ioy. VVhich remembrance if it were wanting to the Saints in Heauen how then could it be said of them in the Psalme 88. I will sing the mercyes of our Lord for euer Then which Canticle sayth S. Austin being song in the glory of the grace and fauour of Christ nothing shal be more pleasant to that Heauenly Citty l 22. de ciuit c. 30. What may I speake of the deuolution and current of Tymes and ages euen from the
preserued no tongue is able to expresse with what radiant splendour light those most holy impressions shall shyne seing all the glory of Saints compared to the Glory of Christ is lesse then the Beauty of the starrs with reference to the Beauty of the sunne But now what shall I speake of the Pleasures which the Eyes of the Blessed shall take in behoulding that most spacious and large City which Tobias and S. Iohn as aboue we haue proued as not hauing Words worthy inough to set out and proclaime its beauty said That it was all made of gould and garnished with rich Iewels Margarites and other precious stones Tob. 13. Apoc. 21. What lastly may I say of the New Heauen and the New Earth the which the Holy Scriptures do promise to vs after the day of Iudgment and of the renouation of all things into a better state For these things as they are vnknowne to vs so they shall delight the Eyes of the Blessed with a new and admirable ioy when their Beauty shall begin to be seene Of the Ioy of the Eares CHAP. VI. THat the sense of Hearing and the Instruments of speach shal be in the Kingdome of Heauen no man may doubt For the Bodies of the Blessed shal be true and liuing Bodies and in euery part perfect And such was the Body of Christ after his Resurrection as all the Apostles many disciples and others haue testified For they did heare him speake and he did answere to their demaunds And S. Paul himself did heare Christ speaking to him from Heauen he answered to Christ hearing him That there shal be Canticles and songs and chiefly of that Word Alleluia the aforesaid Toby and S. Iohn do witnes From hence then we may gather that in that Heauenly City there shall not be wanting many most sweet Sonnets with the which God may be praysed and the Blessed eares of Holy men may be wonderfully delighted And if these things ought to be performed in proportion and measure thē doubtlesly those songs ought to be the more sweet harmonious by how much the singers shal be more skilfull and he that is praysed more noble and sublime the place where the Musicke is made more high and the Company or presence of the Auditours more intelligent and in greater number What consolation therefore will it be in that most high peace and in the concord of soules and in that ardour and heate of Charity towards their supreme Benefactour to heare the most cleare voyces of those which shall sing Alleluia If S. Francis as S. Bonauenture hath left written was so rapt and moued at the sound of a Citherne played vpon but a very short tyme by an Angell as that he thought himselfe to haue beene in a new World what delights then shall our Eares enioy when millions of musitians with most concordant and sweet voyces shall with full accord and consent prayse God and other Millions with like melody and feruour shall many tymes repeate the said Prayses And perhaps in that Heauenly Citty not only the prayses of God shal be celebrated with Musicall voyces but also the Triumphs of Martyrs the Honour of Confessours the Glory of Virgins and the victories of all the Saints against the Deuill shal be extolled with Celestiall Musicke For we thus read Eccl. 31. Who is proued therein and perfect shall haue eternall Glory He that could transgresse and hath not transgressed and do Euill and hath not done it therfore are his good things established in our Lord and all the Church of Saints shal declare his Almes Although this may be vnderstood of the prayses of mortall men in the militāt Church here vpon Earth yet withall it may be meant of the immortall Citizens and of the triumphant Church in Heauen Since there the Saints shall haue truly eternall glory and that is truly and properly the Church of Saints And whereas our Lord in the Gospell sayth that the faythfull and prudent seruants shal be praysed of God in the Heauenly Kingdome Matth. 28. Well farre thee good and faythfull seruant because thou hast beene faythfull ouer a few things I will place thee ouer many things Enter into the ioy of thy Lord Why may we not thinke that those words of our Lord shal be celebrated with the singing of the whole Celestiall Court shall againe and againe be most sweetly repeated Certainly the Catholike Church doubted not thus to speake of S. Martin Martinus hic pauper modicus diues Caelum ingreditur hymnis caelestibus honoratur Martin being but poore and temperate did enter into Heauen rich and is honored with Celestiall Hymnes To conclude S. Austin affirmeth the same point in expresse Words l. 22. de Ciu. c. 30. saying There shal be true glory where no man shal be praysed through the errour or adulation of the Prayser True Honour which shall not be conferred vpon any not worthy Neither shall any vnworthy seeke after that Honour where none but he that is worthy shall be permitted to be O therefore thrice Happy Soules who in that place where all flattery is banished and exiled and no lye is found to be shall heare their owne Prayses and Trophees to be celebrated without danger of Pryde but not without increase of ioy and comfort Of the Ioy of the sense of smelling CHAP. VII TOuching the other senses litle is to be said not in that they want their great Pleasures but because what Pleasures those shal be the Holy Scripture hath not declared Neuerthelesse this is euident to vs that many Bodies of Holy Saints haue after their deaths braathed out a most sweet Odour This S. Ierome testifieth of the Body of S. Hilarion For he affirmeth that ten Months after the Body was interred it was found entyre as if it were then liuing and did cast from it such a fragrant smel as if it had beene imbalmed with sweet oyntments The like doth S. Gregory witnes of the body of S. Seruulus the Palsey-man His words are these l. 4. Dial. c. 14. The soule departing such a fragrancy of smell did rise as that all there present were replenished with incredible sweetnes And a litle after Till the Body was buried the sweetnes of that smell did not depart from their Noses Neither are there wanting many other such like Examples both of former later tymes from all which we may gather that if the Bodies of the dead Saints after the Soule is glorifyed do send forth such sweet smells then much more the liuing and glorifyed Bodies of the saints shall breath forth a most delicious and sweet Odour I will adioyne hereto that which the said S. Gregory relateth of the liuing and most glorious Body of our Sauiour Thus he writeth lib. 4. c. 16. hom 38. sup Euang. Tarsilla the Virgin then looking vp sow Iesus comming and suddenly there was as it were sprinkled such a fragrancy of a wounderful Odour as that the sweetnes therof did assure all that
perturbation of mynd therefore our Lord as it were to alleuiate ease such supposed paines adioyneth thereto Enter into the ioy of thy Lord. As if he should say As I haue made thee consort and fellow of all supreme Power so also will I make thee partaker of all desired rest and pleasure the which no anxiety toyle or labour shall be of force to take away or diminish Certainly how great this Ioy is which is promised to the Iust in Heauen is altogether inexplicable neither can we know it before vve haue tasted it by Experience In the meane tyme we may make some cohiecture out of three VVords of this very sentence that this ioy is most great The first word is Intra or Enter into It is not said Let the ioy of thy Lord enter into thee but contrarivvise enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord An euident Argument that that ioy is greater then vve are able to contayne wholy in our selues Therefore we shall enter as it were into a great Sea of euerlasting and diuine Ioy which shall replenish vs both within and without and shall haue in it selfe a redundancy on all sydes Therefore in so great an affluency of Ioy what place can be left for care or sadnes The second word is In gaudium Into the Ioy. Where is not promised this or that ioy of this good or that good but euen ioy it selfe is absolutly promised to wit pleasure it selfe sweetnes it selfe Contentment it selfe And how then can it be otherwise but that the whole soule shall euen melt and be dissolued being thus replenished with so great a sweetnes And the third word which doth mightely exaggerate this point is Domini tui Of thy Lord. For we shall not enter into a Ioy at which men or Angells do reioyce but with which God himselfe in whome all things are infinite doth reioyce What Vnderstanding can comprehend of what nature the Ioy of God is who knoweth perfectly his owne infinite goodnes and who doth enioy the same and reioyceth thereat after an infinite manner And yet notwithstanding all this it is in thy power O Christian to enioy tast and to haue the fruition of that for euer the which now thou art not able to conceaue in thought if so thou wilt be a good and faythfull seruant But now let vs consider to what men such great Promises do belong To them no doubt who haue beene carefull to multiply the Talents deliuered to them by God For this similitude is borrowed from a Rich man who deliuered his goods to his Seruants entrusting one of them with fiue talents an other with two a third with one strictly commanding them that by their carefull and prudent negotiation they should labour to multiply the same Now what these Talents may figuratiuely signify the Iudgments of the learned Interpretes are various For some do by the Talents vnderstand Gratiam gratis datam which is Grace without any interueniency on our part freely giuen Others do vnderstand thereby the holy Scriptures Others will haue the fiue Talents to signify the knowledge of externall things which is gotten by the mediation of the fiue senses And the two Talents to signify the Vnderstanding and the Operation and the one Talent alone to denote only the Vnderstanding But notwithstanding this their disparity of iudgments they all iointly conspire in this That to multiply the Talents is to worke well and painefully for the good of their owne Saluation and of others There occurreth to me another Exposition not repugnant to the former and seemeth to be fitly accommodated to all those things the which our Lord did speake of the Talents And first the Talents in this place are called the Goods of the Lord for it is said He deliuered his goods vnto them Furthermore it is commanded that the Talents by negotiation be multiplyed in the same kynd Fiue talents thou didest deliuer me behould I haue gayned other fiue besids Thirdly the Talents are said to be giuen to euery one according to their proper vertue and ability Lastly the Talent is taken away from the naughty and slouthfull seruant Therefore I by the Talents do vnderstand the Soules of faithfull and pious men which are cōmitted to the trust and diligence of Prelates For these are truly the goods of our Lord the which he doth not giue to vs but only committeth them to our care and multiplication of thē Therefore according heerunto our Lord did not say to S. Peter feede thy sheep but my sheep Ioan. 21. Other things are our goods though giuen to vs by our Lord as Wit Iudgment the Scriptures Grace freely giuen all the rest but faithfull and pious Soules our Lord calleth his Goods his Vineyard his Family his Spouse For these he came into the World for these he shed his bloud to gaine these he sent his Apostles to whom he said I will make you to be fishers of men Matth. 4. Furthermore faythfull soules are said to be multiplied in the same kind when the Prelate by word and example conuerteth sinners Which thing S. Peter performed for when Christ had committed in the beginning to his charge a hundred and twenty faythfull persons when he said Feede my sheep S. Peter vpon the day of Pentecost euen by his first Sermon conuerted three thousand men Act. 2. and after that fiue thousand Act. 4. and after that againe many thousands more In like sort S. Gregorius Thanmaturgus when he was first created Bishop of Neocasarea did find only seauenteene faythfull Belieuers in that Citty but he so multiplied this small number as that being neere to his death he had left before his departure in so populous a Citty only seauenteene Infidels or misbelieuers which point S. Gregory Nyssene relateth in the life of the said Thaumaturgus which he had fully and diligently written But to proceed These Talents are committed to euery one according to his proper Vertue and Ability For God who knoweth the strength that is the prudence knowledge Charity and Fortitude of all men doth not commend soules to any but to such whom he knovveth to be fit and couragious inough to sustaine that burden And therefore no man ought to intrude and thurst himselfe into the care of soules especially into an Episcopall charge except he be first called thereto by him who distributeth the Talents according to the power and sufficiency of euery one Since otherwise it vvill not seeme strange if many do fall vnder the Burden Neither shall they find any excuse with God if they say their shoulders were not able to beare so great a Burden For it shall be ansvvered them Who forced thee to vndertake a burden aboue thy strength Wast not thou willing therto didst thou not petition for it and labouredst by seuerall meanes and endeauours to obtaine it Therfore now suffer thy selfe with thy hands feete bound together to be cast into exteriour darknes To conclude the Talent committed to the slouthfull seruant is taken from