afflict vs therin which being well husbanded doe worke in vs a crowne of eternall glorie No No what sufferances soeuer doe vexe vs in this dying life they enter into no comparison with the glorie which shall one day be reuealed vnto vs. The force of the thought of Eternitie XIX NO neuer Athanasia though our mynd turne it selfe on euerie side make choyce of subiects most pregnant to moue it and to giue it the most forceable impressions to imbrace good or auoyd euil neuer shall it light vpon any thought so fruitfull to produce this effect as the thought of Eternitie O momēts you are but chaffe and dust before the face of this great wind This is the great vanne which can separate the corne from the chaffe and separate precious from vile things Eternitie is that Moyses his rod able to deuoure the serpents of our sinns and to draw water from rockes that is can beget compunction in the most flintie heart It is a violent blast which driues vs forwards towards the Desert of penāce which vrgeth vs to returne into the Sheepe-fold of grace if by errour we haue strayed from it or by sinne like lost sheepe It is the end of all ends the end of all consommation and the extreamitie of extreamities wither the wiseman doth send vs if we desire to abstayne from sinning euerlastingly For if death if iudgement ensuing if the terrours of Hell serue for a bitt to the strongest mouth and for a restraynte to the most desparate soule what will it be if we add thervnto the importance of an Eternitie If we consider the Blessed Eternitie it is a Ionathas his honie if the Accursed it is a Tobie's gale soueraigne to cure the thickest and deepest blindnes There is no Filme which falls not from the 〈◊〉 washed with this water No Torrent of sinne which may not both be sustayned and repelled by this stronge banke It is a Sunne which doth breake disperse the cloudes of vice which striue to hide the light of grace Le ts approch then Athanasia to this Torch and our darknes shall be blowen ouer If we desire to be borne againe to Heauen let vs imitating that onely bird consume our selues in the beames of that great starr And if the thought of the worlds last day Iudge of all the other dayes filled S. Hieromes heart with such dread that it made him loose both foode and repose his sleepe being interrupted by the terrible found of the Archangells trumpet which sounded incessantly in his imagination what waight shall that eternall doome haue in our hearts which shall crowne the iust with roses that cannot fade and shall inuolue the wicked in quenchlesse flames which being kindled with the blast of Gods wroth shall cōtinue as long as the Deitie it selfe No I doe not beleeue that all the Antidotes which Spiritualists prescribe against the poyson of sinne that all their remedies put together in one masse can haue the like effect in the purging of a soule that the importance of an Eternitie well pondered can worke therin O Lord thou hast giuē a signe to those who haue thy feare imprinted vpon their heartes that they may auoyd the arrowes which thou shuttest from the bow of thy wroth and that by flight they may free themselues from the eternall torments which doe attend them torments by which such onely are ouertaken as for want of foresight and consideration dread them not as an auncient Father doth teach vs. O how happie is the soule whose eyes God daynes to open ouer so perilous a precipice that therby she may auoyde it and please our Lord in the Land of those that liue in his grace For they that passe their dayes in this happie Abode are not subiect to this seconde death which hath no resurrection for out of Hell there is no redemption or escape Their eyes owe no tributarie teares since they are not afflicted with the torment of malice nor doth their feete stumble in the way of saluation which is that of the blessed Eternitie Thinke of the last end saith the wisest of men and thou shal◠neuer offend If then the thought o◠death and of that which followe◠death hath so much force in a soule that is occupied in it as to diuert it from all euil what will it doe I pray you in a well composed heart which can iudiciously ponder the waight of things when it shall come to thinke that temporall death is but an instant which separates the soule from the body and that the particular iudgement which doth immediately follow this separation is past in a moment marrie that the decree of this iudgement is of an eternall and vninterrupted continuance Why the threate of a temporall death and the losse of a florishing estate written vpon a wall by a celestiall hand was able to seaze the soule of Baltazar with so daunting a terrour that the scripture assures vs that all his bones were thereby disioynted so throughly did feare possesse both body and soule How forceablely then shall the feare of an eternall death worke in a solide iudgement and in a heart that thinkes seriously of its saluation Will it not in this thought pronounce with the kingly Prophete All my bones were troubled that is to say all my powres were disordered and againe All my bones shall say vnto thee ô eternall Lord who is like vnto thee That this life is onely lent vs to thinke vpon Eternitie XX. O Momentes of this mortall life how carefully ought you to be managed since by you as by so many stepps we mount to Eternitie I for God hath onely placed vs in this region of death to breath continually to that of the liueing nor are we in this Desert for any other end then to trauell to the Land of Promisse Which shall one day be distributed amongst vs according to the line of distribution The Angells at their first creation were placed in a state of grace and full freedome and had a tyme to resolue their choyce of glorie or reprobation by obedience or reuoulting and following their election that great diuision was made which doth eternally separate the Blessed who kept their principalitie from the accursed who fell from Heauen into the Abisses below Men afterwardes created of so noble substances to repaire the ruines of those that were fallen haue also the tyme of their life to resolue and determine what shall become of them for all Eternitie For which cause they were created straight and free fire and water were put before them that they might make election of which they liked And they applie according to their owne will the vse of their freedome nor are they to impute it to others then themselues if by their owne malice misfortune befall them He that shall sowe benedictions shall reape benedictions but he that shall commit wickednes shall draw a curse vpon his owne heade and that an eternall one according as it is written Goe you accursed into
the fire which proceedes from thyne irritated face Who continues the furnace where they are plunged in its wounted heate by the torrent of burning brimstone which flowes from the face of thy iust indignation O God of reuenge let this thought make so liuely an impression in our â—magination that we may be therby roused out of the lethargie of pleasures concupiscence and wordly ambition which keepe vs asleepe Let the fire which walkes before thee as executioner of thy terrible Iustice and which doth consume thyne enemyes to witt the reprobate neuer depart from our memorie may it be vnto vs a torch and pillar of light in the darknesse of the world and our errours a Lampe to our feete and a light to our wayes wherby we may discouer the gulfe which will swallow vs vp vnlesse we prohibite the feete of our affections to follow wicked wayes and command them to walke in the wayes of thy law Thou ô Lord who didst deliuer the three children out of the Babilonian furnace a figure of that wherin the reprobate burne for euer preserue vs from those abominable flames where thou art continually blasphemed and exempting vs from the sharpe and burning ones of thy wroth place vs in the light and bright ones of thy loue where like Pyralides and sacred Salemanders we shall liue happie without paine or consummation singing honour praise and benediction vnto thee for the Canticle of our deliuerance Of interiour paines XXVIII LEt vs now come Athanasia to the consideration of interiour paines And let vs iudge of the torments of the soule as well by the aduantages which it hath ouer the bodie as by the large share it hath in the malice of sinne which is consummated in the will If a Stoicall philosopher had light enough to discerne that euery disordered mynd is its owne TormeÌ„ter what a torture shall the reprobate find in their owne hearts in this accursed place of disorder which is replenished with the horrour of an eternall confusion There their vnderstanding shall be darkned with cloudes because they shall be ouertaken with a night of obscuritie and be couered with the thicke shades of death I will omitt the subtile schowle questions whether they shall be intangled in errours and ignorances wherof those accursed inhabitaÌ„ts of that black prison seeme to complaine in the booke of wisdome when they say that the Sunne of vnderstanding doth not enlighten them Vpon this subiect I will onely stike to that vndoubled truth which teacheth vs that they are fallen for euer into a reprobate sense which causeth their will still following that which the vnderstanding proposeth vnto it being bent to vice like a crooked bowe as the Psalmist tearmes it to hate God with an implacable and extreame hatred But if some subtile disputant goe about to teach vs that since the will cannot hate Good which is its proper obiect it is impossible that it should coÌ„ceaue a true hatred against God who is the soueraigne good we will answere him with the Angelicall S. THOMAS that the damned doe not hate God in himselfe because they know him not such as he is as doe the Blessed who by reason of that knowledge cannot leaue to loue him but onely in his workes for the vnderstanding of the damned conceauing God as Authour of the torments they endure causeth their will to be incensed against him with a mortall and raging hatred And wheras nor God nor the payne which they suffer can cease to bee their courrage ceaseth not and their will is continually tortured with this vnsufferable auersion Their memorie also shall haue its peculiar tormeÌ„t for if the blessed in Heauen reioyce in the labours reproaches which they endured for the loue of God and that through the fire and water of tribulations they are entred into rest the memorie of pleasures past shall be an extreame torment to the reprobate when they call to mynd that for those transitorie moments they are fallen into pinching and endlesse paines They shall roare out with ESAV to haue sold their heauenly inheritance for a mease of potage For comparing in their mynd pleasures past with those that are eternall and apprehending the approach of torments whose cruell panges they feele will not this memorie thinke you draw vpon them an insupportable affliction With what Phantomes and monsterous imaginations shall their fantisie be tortured Frame a iudgement of it by that which happens to such as in this life finding themselues guiltie of greeuious crimes feare to fall into temporall Iustice They may indeede sometymes be in a secure place but neuer in securitie They may be hid from the eyes of men and be placed out of their reach but neuer shall they be able to hide themselues from themselues or escape the assault of their owne conscience While they wake they are vexed with feares and suspicions their sleepe is interrupted with wicked dreames dreade doth still haunt them at each ones approach they quake with feare and the Furies hauing seased vpoÌ„ them grant them nether Peace nor Truce their dissipated thoughts put their hearts vpon the Racke Now if the apprehension of humane Iustice which hath power onely ouer the bodie giue so daunting Alarumes to the imagination what will the sense of the dartes of the Diuine Iustice doe which are so many vessells of death and burning arrowes shot at the damned soule But who can expresse the strange Chaos and horrible confusion which shall inhabite the inferiour appetite of the lost crue For if all the disorder of mans life spring from his passions which as blustering blastes are shut vp in the two caues Concupiscible and irascible what disorder iudge you must those wretched soules needs feele in that part what contradictions in themselues what conuulsions what rage what furie Alas that noble passion LOVE Queene of all the rest the Sunne and salt of life that passion which might haue made them happie for euer if they had turned it towards God that soueraignely amiable obiect being as it were razed out of them the perpetuall auersion they haue to loue shall afflict them as the panges of a woman in childbirth who cannot yet be deliuered S. CATHERINE OF SIENNA being vpon a day present while a possessed person was exorcised the Diuel being commanded to declare his name he answered with a hideous how leing I am the accursed DEPRIVED-OF-LOVE At which the Sainte was so moued that she thought she should haue fallen downe in a Traunce Touching the passion of hatred it shall be outragious in the daÌ„ned whence shall proceede their continuall blasphemies against God and the perpetuall maledictions and imprecations which they shall make against the creatures And if they haue any Desires they shall be execrable ones to see all the world partakers of their paynes not that they are at all solaced therby but onely to giue way to the incredible malice of which they are full Their auersion from all good shall be as much tormenting as in
be I pray you continually to ly extended vpon inconceaueably hote burning coales and amongst execrable stinches and all the torments that can be imagined without repose without intermission without coÌ„fort without hope and without release for a whole Eternitie O you that are deafe saith ISAYE harke ô you blind behold But who is blind but he that is slaue to sinne who is deafe but he that is made slaue to his vices And thou who seest so many things seest thou not this And thou that hast thyne eares open hearest thou not this But alas how many are there in the world who haue eyes but not to see and eares but not to vnderstand truthes so manifest O Lord thou who dost euery thing so well who makest the blind see and the deafe heare open the eyes and eares of those whom the vanities and filth of the world doe make blind and deafe To th end that those that doe run to their ruine and doe precipitate themselues into horrible misfortunes for want of foreseeing theÌ„ may by the feare of thy iudgments reclaime their footsteps from those so slipperie wayes O God who is able to relate the powre of thy wroth and to know without amaysement the effectes of thyne indignation ô how horrible a thing it is to fall into the hands of the liuing God! hands so heauie that IOB being onely touched with the tippe of one of the fingars therof and that for a smale space too inuites all creatures to take pittie of him ô how burdensome and insuportable are they to the reprobate Whether it were better for the damned not to bee XXXV FOrme a iudgment of it out of this consideration Athanasia that without respite they search after death and it comes not they shall wish for it and it shall fly from them VpoÌ„ which the Deuines moue a fine questioÌ„ to witt whether it were not better for the damned to bee no more or neuer to haue bene at all then to subsiste without anihilation amidst so many liuing deathes To which the Angell of the schowle S. THOMAS makes answeare with no lesse subtilitie then soliditie that the non-esse being considered purely in it selfe is the euil of euils and the most miserable condition imaginable and that thus it cannot in generall be desired But being taken as deliuering vs from a beeing accompained with all sorts of miseries and as it is a priuation of so many calamities it may be wished for of those who are in so deplorable a state Whence it is said in the Ghospell of that reprobate which betrayed the sonne of man and who through despaire hanging himselfe was burst in the midst It had bene better for this man that he had neuer bene And IOB in the extreamitie of his afflictions curseing the day of his birth wished that he had neuer bone S. AVGVSTINE confirmes this opinion when he saith The wicked and impious persons that are plunged in eternall fires shall liue in despite of themselues for they would be glad if it were in their powre to end so accursed a life but none will oblige them with the benefit of such a death as would make them senselesse of their paines And againe the Scripture daignes not this continuall sufferance with the name of life for to be continually in such extreame torments seemes not so much to be a life as a perpetuall death Whervpon in Sacred writt this damnation is called a seconde death to distinguish it from the first wher vnto all that are vpon the face of the earth are lyable And albeit it be called death yet is none extinguished therby for to liue in continuall torment is not to liue but to dic The same Doctor in another passage saith to the same pourpose If the damned soules liue in those eternall paines where the vncleane spirits aâ— tormented they are rather to be said tâ—dy then liue and that eternally Foâ— there is no worse nor more dreadfâ—â— death then when death cannot dyâ— Pope INNOCENTIVS giues authoritie to that beleife in these tearmes Then speaking of the accurseâ— Eternitie death shall be immortall 〈◊〉 death how much more sweete should thou be if thou didst extinguish so dolorous a life then to constraine one tâ— liue in such hellish torments and which is yet worse torments of so long continuance I for the number of yeares in Hell is numberlesse The last yeare of those punishments shall neuer arriue After a thousand million of yeares there will remayne as many againe to be counted and those also being sommed vp we are to begin anew againe CAIN after fiue thousand yeares of a liuing death is as in the first day of his tortures and after a thousand million â—f million of yeares he shall begin â—new to suffer And though the â—icked richman hath thirsted two â—â—ousand yeares in the flames which â—oe burne but not consume him he 〈◊〉 yet to expect and shall expect for â—ternitie one droppe of refreshing â—â—ater which shall for euer be deâ—yed him When humane iustice â—oth adiudge a criminall to exquiâ—te tortures for some great and â—â—ormious crimes to dy is reputed a â—uour since by that meanes he is â—eed from the cruell tormeÌ„ts which â—reife doth imprint in his body But 〈◊〉 the Diuine iustice which is exeâ—uted in Hell there is no stroke faâ—orable where one is to languish â—or euer in a death which cannot â—ie Which is a Hell in Hell worse â—hen a thousand Hells Why there paines are eternall XXXVI BVt le ts withdraw our view Athanasia from so horrible spectacle whose topp is Eternitie And let vs put the last fingaâ— to this draught all red with flames with the reason which Deuines giue of the Eternitie of those paynes Iâ— there any thing more conformable to the Diuine Iustice say they theâ— to punish those eternally who foâ— loosse pleasures vanities and transitorie toyes haue contemned thâ— torrent of eternall delightes glorie riches since that by the rule of equitie the punishment is to haue proportion with the fault Further adâ— they he that dyes in mortall sinne renouncing grace which is as thâ— Herbingar and Porter of Glorie iâ—surprised by death in a state of sâ—peruerted a sense and in such an auersion from God that it is credible that if he had liued for euer he had still persisted in his malice and had bene buried in euil dayes in so much that by loosing his life he did not for all that loose his will to offend which makes him perish in his reprobation and makes him worthy of an Eternitie of paines Againe seemes it not reasonable that he should be punished in Gods great Eternitie who hath offend God in the litle Eternitie of his life Let vs add to this that all which is in God being God himselfe because he is all beeing all essence all substance without accidents and consequeÌ„tly his iustice being equall with his mercy if he reward a cup of cold water giuen in his grace and for his loue with an Eternitie
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
body if there remaynd no hope if another life doth not the Apostle say plainely that vnder our Christian law we were the most miserable creatures aliue But ô God how weake and faint is faith in these articles if we look vpon the liues of most Christians ô sinners who beleeue so well and liue so ill hauing onely a deade Faith not quickned with Charitie nor seconded with workes suiting with your beleife doe you not blush to see your hands contrarie to your tongues your actions to your words and so great contradiction in your selfe by the continuall warre which your will makes against your vnderstanding whence is bred in your heart that remorse and griping that gnawing worme which permits you not euen in your pleasures false follies and superfluities any contentment that is pure and without mixture of bitternesse tempering your laughter with greife and ouersowing a thousand thornes amongst the roses of your fleeting delightes ô miserable wretches willingly would I say ether liue as you beleeue or beleeue as you liue not crucifying a new againe the sunne of God by your vices and that far more cruelly and vnworthyly then the executioners did to the crosse betwixt two theeues vpon the Mount-Caluarie for the scripture assures vs that if they had knowen him as you professe to doe to be the King of glorie they had neuer treated him so barbarously but you barbarously crucifie him not now in his passing and passible life nor vpon Mount-Caluarie nor yet betwixt two theeues but euen set at the right hād of the maiestie of the Highest and raigning in the Eternitie of ages betwixt the Father and the Holy Ghost What doe you thinke Athanasia of the infidelitie or crueltie of the most part of wicked liuers who haue the face to professe themselues of the faythfull Yet if they beleeued as they liue their actions would be like their beleife and as Ethnikes vpon whom the light of truth hath not shun they would be lesse punished but the seruant that knowes the will of his maister and doth it not merits he not a double punishment And these wilfully blind creatures deserue they not to fall into the accursed ditch full of snares of fire and brimstone and to haue part in the chalice of eternall tempests and tormoyles Origene's errour touching the Eternitie of the paines of Hell X. ANd it happens somes tymes that for the punishment of this contradiction betwixt their life and beleife God permits them to fall into a reprobate sense and suffers them to perish in the Deluge of their errour leauing them in the obscuritie of their vnderstanding to walke in the vanitie of their thoughts poursuing the desires of their hearts following the straying rowtes of their owne inuentions Alas who would not tremble who would not quake with feare to see this mightie this prodigious this incomparable wit Origene fallen into this errour to beleeue that after a longe continuance of torments the damned should be drawen out of Hell to inioy the vision of God and this because he could not comprehend eternall torments which are so rightuous in Gods iustice This so learned and well disposed a man who knew all the Scripture did he not find in a thousand places of these diuine writts that there is nothing more inculcated nor more solidly proued then eternall fire then the immortall worme then eternall death So true it is that Faith and experience are incompatible that to vnderstand we must beleeue and to beleeue we must captiuate our vnderstanding and the soule that doth imbarke her selfe vpon the Ocean of the misteries of our beleife taking humane reason for her guide suffers a woefull shipwrake in the midst of the course of her nauigation While the discouerie of the Indians had not yet brought vs the newes of a new world situated vnder another Pole and another Horison then ours the opinion of the Antipodes was laught at learned men improued it and S. Augustine himselfe held it ridiculous But this concernes this world onely not eternall saluation The errour is far more dangerous which stumbles at the Eternitie of paynes because it takes also away the Eternitie of recompences ouerthrowes the truth of the soules immortalitie brings a foote againe the fopperies of transanimation or passage of soules out of one body into another and breakes downe the fundations of all truth Yet this great wit and withall of so good a life suffered shipwrake vpon this shelfe blinded in his owne imaginations as the auncient Philosopher who lost his sight by fixing it too setledly vpon the globe of the Sunne experiencing the Truth of this oracle who too curiously searcheth into the secreetes of the diuine Maiestie shall be oppressed which the greatnesse of his glorie It shall suffice vs for the present to oppose the strong buckler of our beleife against this errour a buckler not onely of a double but a centuple temper and not pearceable by the darts of humane reason since the scripture which we will shew in its place doth minace nothing more frequently nor establish nothing more strongly then eternall punishments prepared for the Diuel his Angells Apostates and all such as by sinne shall betake themselues to that reuoulted crue's side We will ponder the reason of this eternall curse as the order of this subiect shall require Eternitie cannot be defined XI NOw I set vpon the hardest peece of my taske to wit the begining and who knowes not that a good begining is halfe the deede doing And who can be ignorāt that to enter into a discourse and put ones selfe vpon it by a reasonable conduct an ouerture must be made vnto it by the definition of the subiect which a man is about to handle And here it is that euen at the very threshwood my pen falls out of my hand since the matter wherof I am about to represent a poore draught is none of those that can be defined for I pray you Athanasia this word Definition doth it not sound as it were some finite thing And what proportion can an infinite thing beare with a finite or what line can measure an infinite thinge Now Eternitie being of this nature who sees not that no definition can comprehend or compasse that which in it selfe hath no bound To what end then should we offer to shut vp wthin the termes of a definition that which neuer had begining nor shall haue end were it not to essay to shut vp the Ocean in a shell according as an Angell in a childs liknesse said to S. Augustine while he proiected in his vnderstanding that admirable worke of the Trinitie which he left vs And tell me how can that flow from a slender penne or be exprest by a drope of inke which cannot enter into the imagination nor the vnderstanding of man who being finite is in no sort able to contayne an infinite thing such as is Eternitie In vaine therfore haue some great and curious witts strayned themselues in defining a thinge indefinite
why should we find it strange that he should eternally punish sinne that accursed nothing or rather that proud Giant which doth oppose his darksome priuation against that diuine beeing souueraignely lightsome Yea this truth though heauen and earth passe shall stand in force for euer that God shall destroy euerlastingly all that shall worke iniquitie and that being driuen from the sight of his face they shall suffer mortally eternall paynes Those accursed soules shall one day heare the folish Virgins dismission who came without the oyle of grace and Charitie Begone the gate of the eternall marriages are shut against you for euer Begone I know you not And this daunting sentence which shall be without Appeale is pronūced in the burning Court of the worlds comsūmation Goe you accursed into eternall fires prepared for the Diuell and the partakers in his reuoult The Manna which of old fell for 6. dayes vpon Israel ceased to fall the seauenth and he that neglected to make prouision of two measures therof the day before the Saboath with fasting was forced to pay his negligence Such as in the tyme of this life lent to negotiate and labour haue bene flouthfull in gathering the Manna of grace shall not be receaued in the other life which is the tyme wherin all worke ceaseth The sluggard saith the wiseman who in winter fearing the cold hath neglected to till shall reape onely in his feild bryers and nettles in haruest tyme and pouertie and hungar shall encompasse his gate For which cause the same wiseman calls him prudent and considerate who tills and sowes in its season threatening him with confusion and miserie who sleepes and takes his ease while he is to put his hand to the worke Verily such a man deserues to be compared to horses and mules who haue no vnderstanding and yet not to a generous horse nether but euen to a iade who hauing still at his sides so quicke and bloodie a spurre as that of the thought especially of the accursed Eternitie doth not striue to draw himselfe out of the durt of vice and to spring swiftly on in the course of vertue Alas what doth not a sick-body endure to be quite of his desease what bitter potions doth he not take downe what bleedings lancings burnings In a word what doth he not resolutly vndergoe to recouer his health and to prolong for a tyme this mortall and miserable life and yet to draw our selues out of the gates of death and those also eternall and out of the horrible tortures wherof this litle draught makes a weake representation shall wee vse no endeuours An Apostrophie to God and the soule vpon the accursed Eternitie XXXVII OEternitie ô powrefull rigourous and iealous God! God of Reuenge ô Lord thou art iust and all thy iudgments are iustice and equitie it selfe I adore them great God yea my soule cast vpon the earth and my mouth ioyned to the dust I confesse that all thou dost proceeds from a true and iust iudgmēt and that all thy wayes are replenished with iustice For who am I dust and ashes a worme and not a man to enter a dispute with thee Who if thou wouldst obserue and examine our faults who is able to sustayne thy face and to enter into iudgment with thee Yet as thou art soueraignely Good thou permitst men to discusse matters with thee And being Truth it selfe thou art willing that they should propose vnto thee the things they conceaue to be iust and true In this Confidence ô Lord approching towards the Throne of thy mercy after the consideration of those eternall paynes I haue now contemplated I hope thou wilt permit my poore soule to make a weake sallie towards thee Lord those soules which thou dost banish to those endlesse flames which deriue all their heate frō the fire of thy wroth are they not the workmanshipe of thy hands And is not thy worke mercy it selfe as thy nature is goodnesse it selfe Why then dost thou shut thy eares to their cryes and of a pitifull Father to those accursed soules thou becomest an inexorable and seuere I dare not say a cruell Iudge as thy seruant IOB tearmes thee whom thou didst try in manifold sufferances Where are thyne aunient mercyes ô Lord hast thou forgotten to pardon which is thyne ordinarie coustume Why hast thou reiected them for euer and can they neuer appease thy anger Ah! no Lord they know well that which they demande is not for thy glorie they that haue bene prodigall of thy fauours that are not worthy to be called thy children that can pretend nothing in the inheritance of saluation nor in the portion replenished with light reserued to thy Saints Their deeds of darknesse hath rendred them vnworthy of that bright day which knowes no night Being no longer thy children they cannot be heires of thy Sanctuarie heires of the Land of the liuing nor coheires with IESVS CHRIST whose pretious blood and merits they haue troden vnder their feete Nay Lord euen they doe not demande to depart out of Hell nor to be freed from those paynes which are iustly inflicted vpon them for to appeare before thy wrothfull face would be a hell and a Torture vnto them incomparably more rigorous then all the torments they endure Their onely desire is to be reduced to nothing since they haue commit the works of sinne which is a true nothing But if thou daigne them vnworthy of this vnfortunate fauour at least after many ages of paines can they not expect some moment of release shall not some litle drope of refreshment and solace after many thousand of yeares be sent to water their withered lipps their thirsting throtes their burning tongues Say Lord wilt thou for euer laugh at their liuing death Wilt thou not for euer bow to their begging O the God of my heart ô the part of myne euerlasting inheritance What 's this that I heare in the botome of my heart what dradfull Echo makes resound therin these words of horrour I will be inexorable vnto them eternally Softly my soule make a stand here step not a foote further Dost thou not see the firie sword in the Diuine Iustice's hand threatening ouer thy head if thou aduance a foote Dost belonge to thee temerarious wretch to sound God's Maiestie Fearest thou not to be ouerwhelmed with his glorie Dost thou not see that these reprobates are relinquished by the spirit of his heart precipitated into an eternall obliuion in this second death Leaue them there then and kissing the sonne that is adoring the highnesse of the Scepter of this Diuine Iustice reioyce together with the iuste in this iuste reuenge and wash thy hands in the ruine and bloode of those sinners And drawing light from their darknesse compound a wholsome treackle of the venime of their infelicitie Cast thyne eyes rather vpon the malice of sinne and by an effect so horrible forme a iudgment of the greatnesse of the Cause Thinke if thou seest a louing Father iustly casting
his sonne into a burning fornace that thence thou oughtst to coniecture an enormious crime in the child as well by reason of the greeuiousnesse of the punishment as by the Fathers rigour ô Eternall Father whose mercies are numberlesse what an inward hate must thou needs conceaue against the vniust and iniustice since thou dost punish so rigorously and so eternally the soules thou bought at so great a price as is the bloode of thyne owne sonne blood which cryed better then that of Abel bloode able to fetch out any stayne to wash of all offences and to render them sknowie white whom sinne had made cole-blacke so that this ISOPE this sopewort be applyed in a fitt tyme in a tyme capable of receauing this plentuous redemption Where are our thoughts ô my soule how doth not dread put vs into a traunce while sinne presents it selfe vnto our eyes what a monster must it needs be for whom so darksome a Dungeon and boisterous tempest is prepared and fince that God who is infinitly good is irreconciliably irritated against those reprobate soules How oft my poore heart haue we merited those horrible punishmēts wa st not as oft as we withdrew our selues from our dutie by mortall crimes sinthens all the Diuels there were damned for one sinne And are they not then so many singular obligations we haue to God who expected vs so long to repentance in not suffering his vengance to to take vs in the manure If we slile the Doctors who by their care and skill recouere vs out of a dangerous sicknesse our Esculapeses If a deliuerie out of prison draw such an obligation vpon vs towards the workers therof If a Princes grace doe so much ingage vs to him as likewise the fauour of being freed from fire or water to our deliuerers What shall we render to this good God who as often as we haue offended hath recouered vs frō death and death euerlasting Death whose torment doth far surpasse all that can be said or thought of it Propose vnto thy selfe ô my soule a thing that shall neuer happen according to the order of the Diuine Prouidence and Iustice though otherwise possible to him that can doe all that God had drawen out of this darke hole into which redemption enters not some one of the damned crue to giue him tyme of repentance for his sinns and consider what thankes he would render to his Creatour for so great a benefit and how well he would husband this precious tyme to regayne himselfe out of the midst of his dreadfull tortures Now my deare soule thou must needes haue lost all sense and iudgment if thou accnowledge not the benefit of preseruation to be no lesse then this imaginarie deliuerāce since it withdrawes thee from the same tormēts merited by so many faults Why doe not we then spend our selues in thankes giuing why are we negligēt in redeeming lost tyme sloathfull in running to the remedie of Penance The onely Table of safetie after the shipwrake of grace O God full of Goodnes who desires not the death of a sinner but his conuersion and life Ah! I begge this fauour of thee that at least I may performe some part of that which he would doe whom by thyne extraordinarie power and mercy without president thou migstest haue deliuered out of this Gulfe of horrour Ah! Lord I know this onely part would worke my whole penance for neuer would myne eylidds waxe dry the aples of myne eyes would euer swime in their fountaines night and day should I weepe My cheekes should alwayes be watered and my teares should be my dayly bread I would imbrace all sorts of exteriour and interiour sorow to auoyd those deuouring flammes and the eternall rageings of that abominable Mansion where thou art perpetually blasphemed O God my mercy Saue me from the Iawes of those roaring Lyons prepared for their prey Remoue me from before the sharpe hornes of those sauage Vnicornes Indew me ô Lord with the spirit of Compunction and Penance which is so necessarie to auoyde this Abisse And thou my soule why dost thou dwell vpon this thought of horrour why art thou vexed in it Lift vp thy heart and hope in the mercy of the Highest I thou shalt yet againe praise him the tyme of his mercy is not expired to thee He is the saluation of thy face and thy true God no no by his assistance and grace thou shalt beare no part in the abominable blasphemies of the region of the shadow of death but thou shalt be aggreable vnto him and shalt sing his prayses in the Land of the Liuing A passage to the blessed Eternitie XXXVIII HAppie land of the liuing Athanasia LAND OF PROMIS flowing with the milke and honie of Diuine fauours and blessings Land without thornes free from the captiuitie of IACOB How glorious things are reported of thee ô Citie of God! Sacred citie whose fundations are placed vpon the holy mountaines of Eternitie who art watered with an impetuous flood of felicitie and glorie and with torrents of celestiall delightes How louely are thy tabernacles O mansion of the God of vertues my soule and body doe swoone in the contemplation of thy wonders O Lord how happie are they who doe inhabite thy house◠they praise thee for euer and euer Blessed is he whō thou hast elected and receaued into thy armes he shall remayne for euer in the wishfull porches of thy heauenly Sion Certes Athanasia my heart changing this vnfortunate obiect wherin my pen was imployed in the precedent strokes to this other wholy delightfull one of the blessed Eternitie doth resent the same ioy which the Mariners doe experience when after a rough storme they meet with a calme the same alacritie which doth enlarge the victors hearts when after a dangerous battell they triumphe ouer their foes and diuide the plentuous spoyle Now it is that I may vsurpe the words of the Diuine Epithalamion Winter is past the raine and snow are blowen ouer and flowres begin to appeare in our land but flowres that are of fruite of honour and honestie admirable fruites of the Land of Promis There it is that God doth wipe away the teares of his saintes There are there no greiues or plaintes for all sortes of euils doe vanish in the presence of this vniuersall felicitie euen as shades doe disappeare in the light 's approach And as wine doth taste sweeter after bitter amandes and honie after the tast of wormeseed as deformitie doth raise the luster of an eminent beautie it being the propertie of contraries the one to aduance the other by their neighbourhood so after the harsh contemplation of so many astonishinge torments the splendour of the eternall glorie doth shine in myne eyes as a lightsome day following out an obscure night Such as doe exercise their Arts about fornaces are accustomed from tyme to tyme to releiue their weakned sight in beholding some pleasing table or to recreate them vpon some delightfull prospectiue Sweet light of
and bracelets are tokens of loue whose true proofe is the worke saith S. GREGORIE and is not the worke signified by the arme and hand the principall instruments of operation Now in euery well-ordered marriage the Bride receaues some dowrie of the Bridegroome whervpon in this great Sacrament of IESVS CHRIST and his Church and the faithfull Soule which is a member of this Church the misticall body of our Sauiour the Doctors doe assigne dowries to the soule which enters into Glorie according to that doctrine of ISAIE our Lord hath clothed me with garments of saluation and hath adorned me with a chayne as his Spouse And that of S. IOHN in his Apocalipse who compares the triumphant Hierusalem to a Bride well deckt being so adorned by her spouse And touching those dowries in particular they reduce them to three heades conformably to the three powres of the Soule and to the three Diuine vertues which God infuseth herebelow into the hearts of the faithfull Faith Hope and Charitie For they say that the Memorie is endowed with the possession of God which doth referre to Hope The vnderstanding with vision or knowledge in reward of Faith and the Will with the Diuine Fruition in recompence of Charitie This is the triple band which in Heauen shall inseparably tye vs to God a heauenly band which can neuer be broken Touching the qualities of the glorified bodies LIV. LEt 's now make a passage Athanasia from the interiour to the exteriour from the felicitie of the Soule to that of the body and let vs say that to those dowries which I haue deciphered in the former stroke admirable qualities shall be adioyned which without distroying the beeing of the bodie shall worke wonderfull changes and make them far more noble then they are in this mortall life We shall all rise againe saith the Apostle that is as well the Elect as the Reprobate but all shall not experience this happie change for the bodies of the dāned shall remayne passible heauie grosse and darke but the bodies of the Blessed shall become impassible subtile light and resplendant And to these foure qualities it is that the Doctors haue reduced the dowries of the glorious bodies Impassibilitie is a qualitie which shall make the body of an incorruptible temper not obnoxious to change exempt from hungar thrist cold heate greife infirmitie and from euery thing that can subiect vs to death or paine Glorified bodies cannot burne nor suffer in the fire nor be drowned in the water In a word nor can the tooth of Tyme nor any other force distroye them They shall enioy a continuall youth like to a flowre that cannot fade a vigorous health against which sicknesse can attempt nothing a qualitie of the heauenly bodies that suffer no alteratiō Which made the Apostle say that that which was sowen in corruption he meanes the corps layed in the graue shall ryse incorruptible and that which is mortall shall put-on immortalitie And againe the dead shall rise to incorruption The second dowrie is subtiltie which shall indewe the body as it were with a spirituall qualitie I doe not say that it shall become spirit for that is the errour of some auncient Heretikes refuted by S. AVGVSTINE in his bookes of the Citie of God nor yet that the glorious body shall be made aire an Heresie which S. GREGORIE in his Morales ascribes to EVTICHIVS Bishope of Constantinople but I say its subtiliti◠shall be so great that it shall passe through another body as through Heauen and earth which the Maisters tearme Penetration of dimensions And of this dowrie is vnderstoode that of the Apostle this sensible body shall rise againe spirituall that is resembling the spirit in sundrie things yet in such a spiritualitie as shall not depriue it of its palpabilitie according to that saying of our Sauiour to his disciples after his resurrection touch and see a spirit hath nether flesh nor bones as you see me haue And the same Sauiour did shew the subtiltie of his glorious body while he issued out of his Tombe not opening it and entred into the Hall where the Apostles were the gates being shutt The third qualitie shall be an incredible Agilitie and such as S. AVGVSTINE teacheth that the body shall be where the Spirit desireth not that this motion saith S. THOMAS is performed in an instant and without a meane but that the swiftnes of the passage shall be in a sort imperceptible and like to that of fire or lightning as saith the wiseman For the rest saith ISAIE they run without labour and trauell as far as they list without being wearie at all because this body sowen in infirmitie shall rise againe saith the Apostle in such vigour a vigour which S. THOMAS takes for Agilitie or Mobilitie that it shall be indefatigable and shall performe in a smale tyme an incredible iorney The fourth and most noble dowrie shall be Brightnes of which it is said in S. MATHEW that the Iust shall shine like the Sunne in the Kingdome of their heauenly Father and againe that they should flie like sparkes as it is in the wiseman And S. PAVLE writing to the Corinthians assures them that that which is sowen in infirmitie shall rise vp in glorie that is in brightnes according to S. THOMAS his interpretation grounding vpon the same Apostle who saith presently after as one starre differs from another in brightnes so shall the glorious bodies differre after their resurrection And the same Apostle speaking to the Philippians tells thē that our Lord will reforme the body of our humilitie and will cōforme it to his brightnes a brightnes wherof he gaue a proofe in his Transfiguration vpon the Mount-Thabor of his Agilitie by walking vpon the waters of his subtiltie in his birth and of his impassibilitie escapeing often tymes without hurt out of the hands of the Iewes who one while would stone him at another tyme would throw him headlōg downe while as yet the tyme of his suffering death for our sake was not arriued The pleasure of the Senses LV. THe glorious bodie being in this sort as it were transformed by the foure qualities which I haue touched in the former stroke O Athanasia iudge you how exquisite the pleasures of the senses shall be which they shall enioy in Organes so perfectly well disposed It is a delightfull question in Diuinitie to know whether the dowrie of impassibilitie shall exclude the act of the senses which S. THOMAS deneyes by no lesse solide then subtile arguments and shewes contrariwise that the perfection of those qualities shall render the pleasures of the Senses more pure and their delightes more excellēt He seemes to make some exception of the Sēse of tasteing for that the Kingdome of Heauen being nether meate nor drinke but ioy and Peace in the Holy Ghost and the beatified body stāding in no neede of foode to sustaine it he thinkes that this Sense made to relish meates remaynes vnprofitable and he would
fire wheeles gibbets swords haire-shirts disciplines austerities and whither the King of Saints entred by sufferaâ—nces O miserable bodie too delicate a member to liue vnder a Heade crowned with thornes and wholy couered with blood Tell me accursed carcasse and victime of death what priuiledge thou pretendst that thou darst presume by a manifest iâ—iustice wallowing in soft lux and delicacies to enter into a Kingdome all whose gates are made with Crosses in a Paradice where none enters that is not pearced with the firâ—e sword of a louing mortification Heare this doome or rather this thunder clapp ô my body and thou ô my soule If thou dost not mortifie with the spirit the actions of sensualitie thou shalt die marrie if thou mortifiest them thou shalt liue And againe mortifie your meÌ„bers which are vpon earth and carrie still in your body the mortification of IESVS CHRIST so shall you be as dead but to th' end you may liue eternally Of the Aureola LVII BEsides the essentiall Glorie which the Blessed shall enioy Athanasia in the sight of the Soueraigne well-beloued in the loue of the Soueraigne well-seene the Diuines doe note certaine accidentall ones and as it were accessorie to the prime and principall which they haue named Aureolas grounding vpon a passage of Exodus where there is command giuen to make a litle crowne called Aureola ouer the Arke bisides the crowne of gold with which it was to be wholy inuironed Now this Aureola doth chiefely reside in the soule albeit by a certaine rebounding saith S. THOMAS as also DENIS THE CARTHVSIAN and ouerswelling it breakes out and spreads it selfe ouer all the bodie and doth euen outwardly appeare with a certaine peculiar grace And if Essentiall Glorie be different according to the diuers degrees of Charitie and merite this accidentall of which we speake shall be varied following the varietie of labours and victories For as there is diuision of graces so is there of rewards to Ordinarily these Aureolae are diuided into three kindes wherof one is attributed to MARTYRES who haue conquered the world the second to VIRGINES who haue surmounted sensualitie the third to DOCTORS who by their learning haue defeated the Artes and errours of the Prince of darknesse And if these Aureolae be compared together the comon consent giues the first rancke and preeminencie to Martyrdome for there is no greater charitie then to giue ones life for that which he loues Neuer durst any saith S. AVGVSTINE preferre Virginitie before Martyrdome Chastitie being but a lent martyrdome wheras to die in torments is a violent one A second is giuen to virgines who follow the Lambe where euer he goes clothed in white stoles The third to Doctors who were the salte of the earth the light of the world and the Lampes of Israel And when I say the Aureola shall be giueÌ„ vnto Doctors I nether vnderstand the learned nor those that shall onely haue taken the degree of Doctor ship in earth and buried their Talent and hid their Lampe vnder the Bushall For such Doctors shall enioy in Heauen the simple guife of Charitie onely a thing common with the rest of the Elect for as DANIEL saith they shall be bright as the Firmament But such as shall instruct others in the way of saluation and rightuousnes shall sparkle and shine as glorious strarrs in perpetuall Eternities Those then it is that haue taught and communicated to the ignorant sound and wholsome doctrine who shall carrie away the Aureola of Doctors For as he is not crowned who hath onely the abilitie and strength to fight and vanquish but he that in effect doth fight and ouercome the enemy according to that none shall be crowned but such as haue lawfully fought so those onely that had knowledge made others participant of it shall partake of the Aureola of Doctors according to that of the Ghospell he that shall teach and doe what is good shall be called great in the Kingdome of Heauen Some vnderstand those words of the Apocalipse of this Aureola I will bestow on him that shall ouercome a hidden Manna and a white stone wherin shall be grauen a new name which none shall know but he that receaues it and that of ISAIE speaking of the Continent vnder the name of Eunukes I will giue them a Mansion within the compasse of the walls of my house and an excellent name amongst the childreÌ„ of men As then here below in earth men are ordinarily distinguished by their clothes so shall those three bands haue some particular signe or marke which shall make them notable amongst the rest of the Blessed The Blessed societie of the Elect. LVIII ANd if an auncient Philosopher Athanasia following comon sense said that felicitie is not full and accomplished without societie what compainie is comparable to that which the Blessed inioy in Glorie Though God be sole and one in Essence yet hath he societie in the distinctions of persons and thence is not solitarie in his Beatitude What shall it be to behold the Societie of the three Diuine persons vnited together in the vnitie of their beeing yea euen to be vnited to this high Societie in the band of Charitie which is that of perfection what shall it be to be associated to the humanitie of IESVS CHRIST our brother according to Flesh as he was Sonne of man which for our sake he tooke vpon him whence we are made children of God and if children heires and if heires of God coheires of IESVS CHRIST in the inheritance of Glorie O how happie shall they be who are inrowled into the holy FELLOWSHIPE of IESVS CHRIST and made partaker of his heauenly and Diuine conuersation And if it be written that euen in this world he that is in Charitie remaynes in God and God in him and that he that keepes the Commandements is made the Tabernacle and lodginge of the three persons of the Sacred TRINITIE what are we to say of the state of consummated Grace which is Glorie where Charitie is compleate O Diuine Societie And if after the Diuinitie and humanitie of our Sauiour we turne the ey of our consideration vpon the admirable beautie of her who is the holy of Holyes yea the MOTHER of the holy of Holyes and who next vnto God to whom is due the worshipe of Latria we honour with Hyperdulia what could be imagined more rauishing since she is the mother of that verie Sonne who was eternally begotteÌ„ in the splendour of Saintes in the breast of the eternall Father were it not a spareing speach to attire her with the Sunne to make the Moone her footstoole and starrs her crowne yes verily since her Sonne and her God are her great crowne and incomparable ioy according to that of the wiseman a vertuous Sonne is the crowne and ioy of his Father and Mother And from this qualitie of MOTHER OF GOD which is in some sorte infinite there rebouÌ„ds in her such an abundance of grace that she is not
shall be crowned but such as haue lawfully fought And if we be taken with the greatnes of the reward let vs not be amaysed with the paines we are to vndergoe in obtayning it We must still goe forward and without looking back ouer our shoulders we must perseuere in the way If the roughnesse of the way affright vs let the consideration of Eternitie our end and contrie encourage and comfort vs. Another flight of mynd LXIII IF after the wings of a doue which the successour of the Sōne of a doue S. PETER hath now lent thee thou wilt take those of the Eagle who builds his nest in high places but of an Eagle which is able fixedly to behold the Sonne and who neuer stoopes from his winge of whom can you better borrow them ô my soule then of that greate Doctor who holds the same ranke amongst the Fathers of the Church that S. IOHN holds amongst the Euangelists and who is that great Eagle which is nourished with the sappe of the Cedars of Libanus You will easely imagine that I speake of S. AVGVSTINE Let vs borrow then this second flight of that superlatiue witt in these no lesse affectionate then sublime tearmes If you were saith he euery day to suffer extreame torments yea euen for a longe space to support the tortures of Hell to behold IESVS CHRIST in his glorie and to be admitted into the Societie of his Saintes for so great a good were not all sufferances I will not say supportable but euen desireable Let then the Diuel lay Ambush for vs let him prouide temptations let fasting breake our bodie let our flesh be ouercharged with austerities let labours oppresse vs let watchings drie vs vp let this man torment me let that man persequute me let me be frosen with cold scorched with heate let heade breake in peeces heart ake contenāce waxe wāne let me become wholy abiect let my life pine away with greife and the yeares of my life in gronings let my bones rott it imports not so I find repose in the day of tribulation he vnderstands the day of generall iudgment and that I may rise againe amongst the Elect. For who can conceaue what shall be the glorie of the iust how greate the ioy of Saintes when their faces shall shine like the Sunne when the Sauiour of the world shall number his people of acquisition and shall range them into diuers orders in the house of his eternall Father rēdring to euery one according to their merits and giuing heauenly things for terreane things eternall for temporall There saith the same Doctor in auther place the Angelicall troopes make a rauishing musike there is keepe a feaste of a perpetuall solemnitie with such as doe dayly arriue departing out of their mortall pilgrimage There are seene the Compainie of PROPHETES the assemblie of the APOSTLES is manifested there there the inuincible Armies of MARTIRES are discouered There is the holy congregation of CONFESSORS there the Quire of venerable MVNKES there that of DEVOVTE WOMEN who at once ouercame the weaknesse of their owne sexe and the delightes of the world There the young VIRGINS elder in vertue then in yeares there are the sheepe and tender lambes that haue escaped out of the iawes of the wolues and from the inueigling snares of this life whence they doe now celebrate a perpetuall feaste and though their glorie be different yet is their ioy comon There Charitie raigneth in her full perfection for vnto them God is all in all whom they behold and loue without end or intermission whom in louing they doe praise and in praysing doe loue and all this without wearinesse or trauaile at all O my soule how happie thou shouldst be if being deliuered out of the prison of this wretched body thou mightest be thought worthy to heare the sacred songs of that celestiall harmonie and the praises of the eternall King of that glorious Empire sung in an admirable aire O how accomplished should thy honour and glorie be for so it would come to thy turne to entone that gracious Alleluia which is in the mouth of all the Elect. Let vs yet add that iert of the wing or rather stroke of the same Fathers Pen before we conclude these flightes and eiaculations of mynd From this sacred Residence all feare of pouertie is banished all weaknes miserie infirmitie none there is angerie none doth enuie his neighbours happinesse none stands in need of eating or drinking There is no ambition nor desire to be great There is no apprehension nor of Hell nor Diuell nor yet of death of body or soule Contrariwise there is a life full of alacritie through the assurance they haue of immortalitie Disorder can haue no footing there where all things are maintayned in a constant Peace and conserued in a perfect concord Ioyne to all this the pleasure there is to liue in the compaignie of ANGELLS to enioy the gratefull conuersation of all those excellent and sublime SPIRITS and to behold the Armies of Saintes more bright thē the starrs of Heauē To contemplate the Sanctitie of PATRIARKES the Hope of PROPHETES the Crowne of MARTYRES the white and flowrie Garland of VIRGINES And as for the SOVERAIGNE KING who keepes his Residence in the midst of that glorious people what tongue is able to speake his praise That bird of Paridice which hāgs still in the aire doth she not intimate vnto vs by her ingenious hanging the incōceaueable greatnesse of that glorie Eternitie is the fulnesse of Beatitude LXIV BVt in fine Athanasia if you wilt see the garlād and crowne of this glorie adorned with so many bright precious stones you must fixe your eyes vpon its Eternitie for if all those glorious aduantages could end amidst all those felicities one would be accompaigned with a misfortune which would distaste all his ioy and would make him resemble the great-ones of the earth who amidst all the honours which Politike Idolatrie doth sacrifice vnto them are cōtinually stung with the thought of death which shall in the end mow them downe euen like vnto other men and burying them in dust shall equalise their Scepters with hatchets Kings with all their Powre escape not its dart nor doe Giants with all their force auoyd it Herein appeares Origen's errour who walking vpon the wings of the wind perished like to that old Milo Crotoniensis by his owne strength while he was of opinion that the Elect after a long residence in Heauen should fall at length from that felicitie like as he had held before that the paines of the dāned should not be eternall one absurditie drawing on another An errour excellently well refuted by S. AVGVSTINE in his bookes of the Citie of God as also by the Angell of the Schoole An errour in fine which aimes at the ruine of the immortalitie of the soule which is more then a bestiall blindnesse And certes besides that in a thousand places of holy Scriptures the life of the Elect in Heauen is
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