we loue him not and complaynes that he is made a solitude in Israel and that he is not beloued and that the wayes of the eternall Sion weepe that none doe frequent their solemnities Let vs therfore goe with confidence to the Throne of his Grace if we desire to haue part in his Glorie Let vs permit him to wash the feete of our affections if we will with S. PETER haue Societie with him This God then who is an essentiall Charitie doth not onely permit vs to loue him but euen commands it and that vnder paine of death death euerlasting The first and greatest of his Commandements is all of the Loue we owe him This loue did once vnite the Diuine and humane nature in the Person of the WORD and did so farre exinanite the eternall Sonne of the eternall Father as to become man to take vpon him the forme of a seruant to appeare in earth and to be conuersant with men A loue which may well rayse man towards God since it could bring God downe to man A loue the band of perfection which vnites the equall and doth equalise such as it doth vnite A Loue which hauing once personally vnited as S. AVGVSTINE saith the light of the Diuinitie to the clay of our mortalitie is able to eleuate our desires euen vnto God and make vs participant of the Diuine nature which is done by Charitie infused into our hearts by the Holy Ghost It is this Diuine Loue which separating our affections not onely from dangerous and superfluous things but euen from things which are not euil yet are subiect to be loued with excesse and with too strong and inordinate a passion shall make vs behold all created things in God and will so gouerne our inclinatiōs that we shall affect no creature but in God for God and according to God wherin consisteth the perfect practise of that Diuine Cōmandement which commands vs to loue God with all our heart with all our soule with all our spirit with all our strength and euen aboue all things For a soule that is come to this degree of perfection that she loues nothing but in God and God in all things in proper speach loues not many things nor is not in the folicitude inseparable from the multiplicitie of louely obiects but she loues but one onely thing which is God the one true necessarie thing and out of whom all is but miserie and affliction of spirit And because in all that which the order of Charitie proposeth vnto her to be loued she loues God alone she loues him equally in all and as couragiously in her enemy as tēderly in her friend because she loues him onely out of all other things and without all other things but nothing at all without him or out of him If it be ESTHER alone that ASSVERVS loueth saith my blessed Father in his Theotime why should he loue her more when she is parfumed and adorned then when she is in her comon attire If it be our Sauiour onely that a soule loueth why should she not as well loue the Mount-Caluarie as Thabor sith he is as truly in the one as the other and why should she not pronounce as cordially in the one as in the other It is Good for vs to be here She can loue our Sauiour in Egipt without louing Egipt why then shall she not loue him in the banquet of SIMON the LEPROVS without louing the banquet And if she loue him amidst the blasphemies which are vomited out against him without louing the blasphemies why shall she not loue him parfumed with MAGDELAINES precious oyntments without louing the parfumes or smells It is a true signe that one loues God onely in all things when one loues him equally in all things since he being alwayes equall to himselfe the inequallitie of loue towards him must needs spring from some thing which is not he Whence the soule that loues God purely and singulary loues him no more with the whole vniuerse to boote then all alone without the vniuerse because all that which is out of God and is not God is as nothing to her O pure soule who loues not euen Paradice it selfe but because God is there loued and is so soueraignely loued in his Paradice as that if he had not a Paradice to bestow yet would he nether be lesse loulie or lesse beloued of this generous soule who knowes not how to loue the Paradice of her God but onely her God of Paradice and who puts no lesse rate vpon the Caluarie where her Sauiour was crucified then the Heauen where he is glorified O how well doth this saintly Bishope speake my Athanasia whose tearmes I durst not paraphrase nor disguise or change his venerable words least I might loose his deuoute sēse expressed in words of so great energie and so full of spirit and vertue that all the flanting tearmes of worldly wisdome seeme to me far lesse persuasiue powrefull How forcibly and sweetly doth he teach vs in this discourse not to looke vpon the two hands of God that of Iustice and vengance and that other of Mercy and reward but to search after his face alone and to feare and loue him for himselfe not for the punishments which he threatens vice nor for the reward which he proposeth to vertue because he is altogether to be honored worshiped and serued for the loue of him selfe yea although he had nether Paradice for reward nor yet Hell for Punishment The blessed and accursed Eternitie are onely to be considered as things accessorie Our prime intention and cheife attention are to be set vpon the Diuine Eternitie or the eternall Diuinitie vnlesse we would loose the title of the children of God and through feare of eternall punishments or desire of eternall rewards beesteemed slaues and hirelings Let 's loue God Athanasia and let him dispose of vs as he pleaseth Let vs be in his hands as clay in the hand of the Potter Let him make of vs vessells of honour or ignominie Be it nobly or ignobly so we be his it sufficeth Le ts turne our eyes from rewards or punishments and let vs fixe them vpon our Lord. Let vs behold his amiable face Let vs set our view vpon his hands but as a faithfull hand-maide vpon those of her Mistrisse Let vs receaue indifferently that which comes from the right hād of prosperitie and the left of aduersitie Although he should euen kill vs le ts hope in him And let vs hope without hope yea euen against all apparence that nothing shall separate vs from his Charitie Let vs cast all our thoughtes vpon him And in steed of staying our thoughtes vpon the created and as it were the accidentall Eternitie of Heauen or Hell let vs onely be fastened vpon the essentiall Eternitie which is God himselfe who hath in his hand the extreamities of the earth And who keepes the keyes of eternall life and death Let vs not so dwell vpon the thought of Heauen or
ineffable p. 50. 14. An imperfect description of Eternity p. 53. 15. What Tyme is p. 56. 16. Eternitie compared to Tyme p. 62. 17. An eleuation of the mynd to God vpon the comparison of tyme to Eternitie p. 67. 18. Mans life compared to the worlds continuance p. 70. 19. The force of the thought of Eternitie p. 74. 20. That this life is onely lent vs to thinke vpon Eternitie p. 80. 21. An enterie to the consideration of the accursed Eternitie p. 88. 22. The horrour of this subiect p. 92. 23. It is an vniuersalitie of euils p. 95. 24. The paynes of sense and first of the sight and hearing p. 100. 25. The paines of other two senses the Smelling and tasteing p. 107. 26. The paine of the sense of touching p. 110. 27. A sith to God p. 116. 28. Of interiour paines p. 118. 29. The Prison of Hell p. 127. 30. Of the paine of Damni p. 131. 31. The continuall greife p. 135. 32. The Eternitie of the torments of Hell p. 144. 33. Of the desperation of the damned p. 153. 34. Paines without intermission p. 156. 35. Whether it were better for the damned not to bee p. 161. 36. Why there paines are eternall p. 166. 37. An Apostrophie to God and the soule vpon the accursed Eternitie p. 171. 38. A passage to the blessed Eternitie p. 181. 39. The finenesse of this subiect p. 186. 40. That the eternall felicitie is the petfection of all good things p. 189. 41. Of the place of the Blessed Eternitie p. 195. 42. Of the magnificence of the place p. 199. 43. Of the essentiall happines of the blessed p. 207. 44. The happines of the point of the soule p. 215. 45. Of the felicitie of the powers of the soule and first of the memorie p. 221. 46. The aduantages of the vnderstanding p. 227. 47. Of the light of Glorie p. 236. 48. Of diuers degrees of Glorie p. 240. 49. In what measure the beatified vnderstanding sees God in Heauen p. 245. 50. Whether the beatified vnderstaÌ„ding sees all in God p. 252. 51. The pleasures of the Will p. 256. 52. The felicitie of the inferiour portion of the soule p. 264. 53. Of the dowries of the beatified soule p. 268. 54. Touching the qualities of the glorified bodies p. 271. 55. The pleasure of the Senses p. 276. 56. A continuation of the precedent subiect p. 283. 57. Of the Aureola p. 287. 58. The Blessed societie of the Elect. p. 292. 59. The Excellences of this holy Societie p. 296. 60. Other excellencies p. 302. 61. A continuation of the excellencies p. 308. 62. A flight of the mynd towards this happie compaignie p. 317. 63. Another flight of mynd p. 320. 64. Eternitie is the fulnesse of Beatitude p. 326. 65. Meanes wherby to arriue at this happie Eternitie p. 334. 66. A continuation of the former discourse p. 345. 67. Another meane p. 352. 68. That this thought of Eternitie is the abridgement of all spirituall life p. 363. 69. A continuation of the formar discourse p. 368. 70. Of the essentiall Eternitie p. 376. 71. That this essentiall Eternitie is all things p. 384. 72. An application of the Heart to this essentiall Eternitie p. 391. 73. An aspiration of Hope p. 403. 74. A practise to engraue in our heart the memorie of Eternitie p. 409. 75. Other indeuours p. 420. 76. An other memoriall of Eternitie p. 424. 77. The moments wher vpon Eternitie doth depend p. 444. 78. The present moment p. 450. 79. The eternall doome p. 458. 80. Adoration of the essentiall Eternitie p. 474. FINIS ATTESTATIO LIbrum hunc cui titulus A Draught of Eternitie Authore Reuer mo IOANNE PETRO CAMO Episcopo Bell. diligenter perlegi adeoque nihil in eo Fidei aut bonis moribus contrarium reperi vt aeternâ laude lectione dignum Iudicem ac proinde ob quem tam Interpreti quam Authori aeternam debeant ad aeternitatem aspirantes GVILIELMVS TALBOTTVS S. Theol. Professor APPROBATIO HIc liber cui titulus Crayon de l'Eternité gallico Idiomate à R.mo Domino D. IOANNE PETRO CAMO Episcopo Bell. Conscriptus in Anglicum sermonem opere R d D. MILONIâ— CARRAEI versus cum nihil contineâ— contra Fidem seu bonos more 's vt mihâ— docti Fide digni viri testimonio constatâ— imprimatur Actum Duaci die 26. Maijâ— 1632. GEORGIVS COLVENERIVâ— S. Theol. Doctor Professor aâ— librorum Censor A DRAVGHT OF ETERNITY That Eternitie is litle considered THE FIRST STROKE O People deuoyde of the spirit of counsell and vnprouided of true prouidence God grant thou wouldst be wise and vnderstanding and that by a mature foresight thou couldst reach to the end of future things These are the words of the great law giuer of the Iewes taxing that Nation of inconsideration of an incircuncised heart and a stiffe necke and laying the greatest part of their faults vpon the litle attention they had to foresee future things To which pourpose saith S. BERNARD excellently well In these words of Moyses three things are recommended vnto vs. Wisdome Vnderstanding and Prouidence And I conceaue them to be assined and applyed to three times to represent in vs a Draught of Eternitie Which we will doe in this manner in moderating things present by wisdome in discering things past by the iudgment which we will make of our selues and by an exacte prudence in disposing our selues for the time to come Anâ—certes wisely to dispose of thing present and seriously to recogitatâ— things past in the bitternesse of ouâ— soule is the abridgement yea the toppe of all spirituall exercises and the forme of all interiour discipline To th' end that according vnto the Apostles Counsell we may liue in this life soberly and piously by obseruing sobriety in the vse of things present by redeeming with a worthy satisfaction tyme vnprofitably spent without gathering any fruit towards our saluation and by opposing the Buckler of Piety against the dangers which doe menace vs for the tyme to come Tell me now my deare Athanasia whether that with which the diuine MOYSES did so iustly and truely vpbraid the Israelites may not and ought not by as good right be cast in the â—eeth of the new Israel of God a people of acquisition and of an acquisition so paynefull and bloody of â—he soules of the greatest part of Christians redeemed with so great a price and with so plentious a redemption since worldlings are so lulled a sleepe in the region of the shadow of death that they loose the remembrance of this so wholesome a thought of Eternity which should neuer be razed out of their memory in any moment of this mortall life Let vs wish in their behalfe that which the great Conductour of the children of IACOB wished for his bretheren who was held the swetest and mildest amoÌ„gst men what euer be reported of the sharpenesse of his spirit amongst the waters of contradiction and let vs pronoune of men buried
God by the footsteps of such things as he hath made visible vnto vs. But is it possible that Tyme which is so litle and diminutiue a thing should rayse vs to the knowledge of Eternitie which is incomprehensible and ineffable The Geometritions who take the measure of all solide bodyes from a point which is not and which not being found in nature is onely in the imagination make a breach to this thought and make vs hope the effect of the proposition of that incomparable Auncient Mathematician who demanded onely a point out of the earth wherin he might place his engine to shake the whole masse of the vniuerse which hath no other fundation as the Prophete saith then its owne waight and stabilitie What is Tyme then properly speaking but an instant as litle perceptible as the mathematicall point It is a moment cutting of things past from things to come and which more quicke then quicksiluer runs away being presst and slides out of his hand that striues to hold it In naming it we loose it so subtile and glib is it by nature It were to waygh the fire and measure the wind according to the tearmes of the Prophete to striue to stay this Protheus In an instāt he vanisheth and while you thinke to shew him with your finger he is gone To count tyme past with Tyme were impertinent since now it is not nor hath that which is not any qualities saith the Philosophers Maxime And yet should we lesse iustly attribute vnto Tyme the tyme to come which as yet hauing no beeing can be no other wise instyled then with the name of nothing What is Tyme then but an instant so closely inuironned or rather asseiged with a not-beeing that in thinking to hold or shew it it is alreadie slid from its beeing in nature Such as haue endeuoured to shew its incomprehensible litlenesse giue it a litle more scope imitating therin the Geometritions who draw their points into lines their lines into superficies and their superficies into bodies vpon which they exercise the Rules of their Art For to make vs vnderstād that Tyme is no other thinge then the measure of the PRIMVM MOBILE they were constrayned to gather together as many instants as are conteyned in 24. howres composing therof a reasonable distance whervpō to enlarge their discourse Wherin they haue followed Democrites fantasie who composed the world of a collection of atomes bringing to a grosse bodie many pettie percells which according to the signification of the word haue no body at all which are emptie and almost chimericall imaginatiōs As then following the Maximes of Philosophie Arithmetique being come to the number of tenne which is a full and perfect nūber is forced to begin againe extending its multiplication to infinitie and as all that is written is framed out of 24. letters euen so the course of the PRIMVM MOBILE whose violence drawes about with it all the other Spheres is ended in the distance of 24. houres though in proper speach Tyme be but an indiuisible and almost imperceptible instant Wence the length of ages yeares and mōthes is drawen from the multiplication of dayes as also the length of dayes from that of houres and houres by the assēbling of many instants Whervpon the Scripture in the Actes and in the first Epistle to the Thessalonensians ioyne together those words Tymes and moments to teach vs that Tyme a thing which should be so precious vnto vs and wherof alone according to an Auncient the auarice is laudable consists onely of moments moments so short and light that the Scripture in an other passage represents them onely by the twinkling of an eye Goe mortells and plot great matters let your proiects in your imagination reach to Eternitie you who haue onely the present tyme that is a moment in your power and a momēt which is lost in the very instant in which you thinke to graspe it being a shadow which flyes such as follow it Who would not stand amaysed at the blind madnesse of most men who build their hopes vpon things so frayle and comforting themselues in the expectation of a fortune say as they beleeue that Tyme workes all miserably for saking the pretensions of the blessed Eternitie for flitting moments which like to lightning meete with death in their birth Vnaduised Atalantases who for aples not of gold but gilt onely stoppe the course of their best designes and loose the aples or rather the crownes of Eternitie Eternitie compared to Tyme XVI TO what end shall we now place thi great torch of Eternitie before the eyes of those blind wretches who are diued so deepe into the darknesse of Tyme that they are not able to sustayne the shine of so glorious a light Yet let vs not omit Athanasia for the consolation of the good to strike sparkes of fire out of Tyme which we haue represented in so smale a shape and reduced to simple moments to the extent of that vast Eternitie whose immensitie doth swallow vp all ages imaginable I must confesse there is alwayes some imperfection in the comparison of things disproportionable For to say it is to place a flie by an Elephant a moate by a mountaine to compare a drope of water with the whole Ocean and earth to Heauen which in regard of the Heauēly Spheeres appeares but as an imperceptible point all this is to say nothing or if to say any thing it is to make knowne the weaknesse of mans wit and imbecillitie of his imagination Le ts hoyste vp the sayles of our thought and say that Eternitie doth as farre out strippe yeares and ages as the great Sunne the lesser starrs eclipsing all their light as soone as it appeares in the Horison And if Antiquitie represented Tyme in Saturne who deuoured his owne children for that it doth incessantly nible away the moments houres dayes monthes yeares and ages Eternitie infinitly passing Tyme doth swallow it vp as a point and when Tyme shall cease to bee Eternitie shall thrust out its continuance into a NEVER which shall neuer haue end as it neuer had begining It is too sparingely spoken to call it an Abisse that cannot be soūded that it is an Ocean receauing all the waters of the world without being augmented Nay rather let vs apply vnto it that which the Auncient Philosopher applyed vnto the Diuinitie that Eternitie is a circle whose center is extended euerie where and whose circunference hath no bounds O Eternitie cryes out a deuoute personage who is able to conceaue what thou art I propose vnto my selfe a thousand yeares I conceaue a thousand thousand yeares I passe in imagination as many millions of ages as are moments in tyme from the begining of the world and yet haue I found nothing that comes neere to Eternitie ô Eternitie thou shalt cōtinue for euer and euer what is it to say for euer and euer It is to say euerlastingly But what will euerlastingly say it is a thing that passeth the reach of
all humaine capacitie If we say with the Angell of the Schowle that it is an immoueable durance whose continuation shall neuer fayle how shall we compare it with Tyme whose continuance is cut of by euerie moment and which would cease to bee if God by an onely word should stop the motion of the Heauens If we say with the Apostle of France that it is an immortall thing incorruptible inuariable hauing its beeing all at once how can we compare it with Tyme which is a variable corruptible changeable mortall thing and whose beeing consists onely of a succession of instants a transitorie beeing which subsists onely by a flux of moments which tend continually to ruine and change as many faces as it conteynes instants which made Iob say that the life of man doth neuer remayne in the same state For since it is but a successiō of dayes who knowes not that though some dayes resemble others yet are they neuer the same If we say with a Christian philosopher in his Consolatio Philosophiae that Eternitie is an indiuisible and accomplished beeing without end or limite who sees not that it is the true conterpoise of Tyme whose imperfect beeing is bounded with euerie instāt If we say with another Doctor that it is a present without either praeter-perfect or future Tyme and a spheere whose center is continually without any circuit at all who sees not that it is to drinke vp Tyme into a nothing to place a thinge so litle beside so huge a thinge Yes verily heauen and earth shall passe and shall be worne like a garment but Eternitie shall be still itselfe and its constāt and perpetuall youth shall neuer waxe old An eleuation of the mynd to God vpon the comparison of tyme to Eternitie XVII O Eternall God who art authour of Tyme yet makest thyne abode in Eternitie whose gouernement and Royaltie doth extend it selfe PLVS VLTRA adorable Dietie who art from Eternitie to Eternitie that is to say without begining or end subsisting eternally by thy selfe who art seated vpon thyne eternall Throne whose power is an eternall power and whose Kingdome is the Kingdome of all ages bring to passe ô great God by that mercy which thou eternally builsted in heauen that the consideration of the immense and incomprehensible greatnes of eternitie may be so liuely imprinted vpon our heart that the affections which linke them in so strong bands to trāsitorie things and to the moments of things temporall may be so weakened or rather brought to nothing that nothing may stay vs here below or hinder our course toward the goale of eternall felicitie Take vs by the right hand ô Lord conduct vs to thy glorie by the royall way of thy heauenly will and leade vs in the eternall way Thou ô great Iesus sonne of the eternall liueing God who art our way Truth and life direct our steps in the way of true life And which is this true life but life euerlasting which is nothing els but to see thee in the bosome of the Father who begets the great TO-DAY of Eternitie Rayse vp the abbated currage of mortalls and readuance their drooping thoughts towards their origine Let them take so full a taste of the Manna of the blessed Eternitie that things possessed in Tyme may become loathsome vnto them Let them repute all tyme vaine in respect of Eternitie Grant ô Lord that this wholsome thought may be so deeply engrauē in our memorie that it may serue as a threade to conduct vs in the Labirinth of the worlds malice and that we may passe through the vse of temporall things with so well a directed conduct that we may not loose eternall Mans life compared to the worlds continuance XVIII ANd if all the continuance of Tyme be so litle in respect of Eternitie as I haue declared vnto you what shall the course of mans life be if we compare it I will not say to Eternitie for the distance is too great but onely to the continuance of the world How many men tearmed by the old Philosopher the litle worlds hath this world which the same Philosopher tearmed the great man deuoured How many liues haue and shall runne out since the begining of the world to the consummation therof Truly it is not imaginable though other wise finite and limited by number and season If you aske the wisest of men who was wise too by a heauenly wisdome to what he doth compare the shortnes of mans life he will tell you that it resembles a shadow which soudainly vanisheth a courser which passeth with a mimble speede a vessell on the sea vnder full sayles in a fauorable gale which swiftly glides ore the waues The flight of a bird which with a strong and liuely winge cuts the aire and an arrow which being shot from a strong and forcible arme flies home to the marke If you moue Iob vpon this point he will tell you that the dayes of man are verie short vpō the earth that his life is a vapour as soone cast downe as drawen vp that it is a winde whose measure is short nor can it be extended a measure so smale saith the Psalmist that its substance is a verie nothing and withall a measure which is in his hands who keepes the key of life and death It is not in the hands of men to th' end that liuing in so great an vncertaintie he may not rely vpon the continuance of his dayes nor trust to the common course of nature an errour too too ordinarie Measure me a blast of wind and waigh me a flame said a Prophete speaking of the lightnes vanitie of earthly things the shape desire of which passe like a floode But be it that all these things had some waight and soliditie yet since their vse cannot exceede the course of this mortall life one may clearely discouer that they leaue but vpon a slender reede and an earthly fundation For if our life compared to the worlds continuance be but a moment what a inconceaueable part of a nothing will it be if we add that the worlds continuance what euer we fayne to our selues of the length of it is but a momēt in respect of Eternitie A thousand yeares before the face of the Eternall God saith the Psalmist is but as yesterday which is past And all the yeares of men is but as the watch of a might which is reputed for nothing This causeth Iob to say that all the glorie of man is as a dreame that vanisheth and cannot be recalled and that it passeth like vnto a nightly vision Verily all these descriptions dictated by the Holy Ghost are liuely pictures of the vanitie and Nothing of man's life whose durance is so short that an onely instant doth often separate the Cradle and Graue All that we see is but a point saith the great Stoicke yea lesse then a point if any thing lesse can be imagined Shall we then gruge at the moments of tribulatiō which doe
but in the onely fruition of the increated Good which is God the essentiall fountaine of all Goodnes Yet as the most ridged Philosophers haue not denyed that Glorie Reputation meanes and lawfull pleasures doe contribute to tēporall felicitie so Diuines are not so strict as to deny that those qualities doe concurre in Heauen to the accidētall Beatitude of the Elect. I dare therfore as boldly as truely affirme that besides the vertues which are the beauties of the soule and the beauties which are the vertues and graces of the bodie which vertues shall be all together and that in a high measure in all the Saintes since that this heauenly Citie is thervpon called The Citie of vertues the Citie of God the Citie of the God of Vertues DAVID saying they shall goe from Vertue to Vertue to see the God of Gods in Sion Besides the vertues I say the inhabitants of this glorious Citie shall be most holy most illustirous most noble and most eminēt in all kinds of greatnes qualities titles perfections without all mixture of basenesse abiectnesse or imperfection Alas in this poore and miserable world there are a thousand weaknesses and miseries mingled with the most prosperous honour in the earth and oftē tymes they serue onely to make the vice and weaknesse of such as are aduanced vnto them more appearant The greatnesse of their fortunes serue onely to aggrauate their fault if their qualities doe rather moue vs to pittie then enuie their blame-worthy manners doe more moue to enuie then pittie By how much the place is higher whither the Ape climes by so much he is more ridiculous and for want of his tayle discouers all his infamie wheras vpon the ground his deformitie doth lesse appeare There are certaine great-ones whose scandalous proceedings which would be couered in the throng if they were but of a comon condition seeme onely to appeare in the face of the Sunne to fasten shame vpon their foreheades to perceaue in themselues such abiect mynds in qualities so high Certes saith the great Stoicke imagine what greatnes you please in man it neuer passeth the limites of humanitie Though a man be mounted vpon a Throne his stature is no greater for all that To take the dimensions of a Statua one is neuer to measure the Base nor to take the hight of a man doe we measure him with his dignitie of which he is often vnworthy He that is seated in a high seate sitts in the same manner that he would doe being set in a lower place Stiltes and footstooles make not a man taller though he appeare higher A noble out-side doth not rayse an abiect mynd nor doth the brightest luster of nobilitie alwayes light vpon the greatest head There is nothing perfect here-below there are no roses without thornes no wheate without cokle nor corne without chaffe This world is an Arke wherin are cleane and vncleane beastes A Parke wher goates and sheepe liue together A nett wherin both good and bad fish are found The rayne and Sunne doe equally fall and shine vpon the fruitfull and fruitlesse ground But in Heauen it fares not so nothing that is ether impure or imperfect can haue entrie there In that faire place saith S. BERNARD SALOMON 's wisdome will appeare follie his knowledge ignorance ABSALON 's beautie shall be reputed there deformitie SAMSON 's force shall passe there for feablenesse The longest tearme of life in our foreelders will appeare a death and all the riches of all the Kings of the earth shall be there verie pouertie Say the like of all great place honours pleasures and contētments of the earth to which we asscribe the name of good things Verily being compared to eternall things they shall haue the true shape of true euils such as indeed they are when the lawfull vse therof is turnd to abuse And if the conuersation and compaignie of the wise great vallourous vnderstāding vertuous and of personages who are illustrious ether in regard of their qualitie or merite is so witchingly pursued in this world where ther is no gold without drosse where nothing is compleate what a blesse shall it be to a soule to perceaue her selfe associated for euer with so many Angells and Elect all filled by the King of immortall ages with all desireable and imaginable perfectiōs A flight of the mynd towards this happie compaignie LXII BVt ô my soule who will bestow vpon thee the winges of a doue to flie vp into this eternall repose Who will grant thee the wing of an Eagle to take a strōg flight and not to fall from the wing What prosperous gale saue that of grace shall fill the sayles of thy desires to make them sayle vpon the Sea of this world to that Harbour of saluation Why doe we not make haste ô my soule to enter into this happie tranquilitie amongst this holy nation this people of acquisition who is sett in an abūdant peace a rich and magnificent repose What dost thou doe in this Land of Egipt where thou drinkest nothing but troubled and durtie waters leauing the pursuite of that streame of water of life which springs towards Eternitie Alas dost thou not sigh vpon the protraction of thy mortall pilgrinage doth it not vexe thee to be so long detayned amongst the inhabitants of darknesse Canst thou be in peace amōgst such as hate Peace and take a malicious pleasure in crossing thee Goe to thē and sleepe not betweene the two pathes of the two Eternities Take the siluerd wings of the white doue which are guilt in their extremities and full of innocencie puritie of heart and Charitie qualities which make passage into the Tabernacles of the heauenly Hill flie into the porche of that celestiall douecote whether the Sacred Spouse calls thee S. GREGORIE THE GREAT whom PETER his DEACON did see so often accompained with a doue which witnesseth that the holy Ghost spoke by the mouth of that holy Pope and flowed out of his pen will lend thee the flight of a doue to beare thee vp to this Societie of Saintes by his holy words As often as we consider the great reward which is promised vs in Heauen how vile doth all earthly things appeare in our sight For what tongue is able to speake or vnderstanding to comprehend the incomparable delightes of the heauenly Hierusalem the happinesse to be rancked amongst the Quires of Angells to assiste before the Throne of Glorie of the Highest and the compaignie of those blessed spirits the felicitie which is tasted in beholding the splendour of the Diuine face the contentment of being freed from the feare of death and the pleasure to haue assurance of a perpetuall incorruption What mynd is so far benum'd and frosen as will not take heate and fealing from the desire of so great a good and wish speedily to be transported to the place where he hopes to enioy an endlesse ioy But none comes without labour to so excellent a reward whence S. PAVLE saith that none
said to be eternall and death to be defeated for euer as also the fire which shall torment the damned is named eternall it is also cleare in right reason that Beatitude which is a sufficient good or rather the collection of all good would not be compleat vnlesse it did exclude all euil and miserie especially the miserie of miseries which is death or annihilation For take away the perpetuitie of the life of the Blessed and they would be afflicted with a continuall sorrow for the losse of the beloued felicitie and a most distastefull bitternesse would disturbe the sweetnesse of the peaceable fruition Adde that Beatitude cannot be imperfect on the part of the Obiect which is God all whose workes are perfect and his guiftes without repentance which he neuer reuokes but for sinne which can neuer haue accesse to the Blessed cōfirmed in grace by Glorie And vnchangeably vnited to God whose nature is goodnesse his workes mercy And who can nether will nor can abide iniquitie Againe that word of our Sauiours to his Disciples is an Oracle of infallible truth and a promisse which shall remayne for euer Your ioy saith he shall not be taken from you God's seruants the Elect shall adore him in beholding his face and they shall raigne for euer and euer that is eternally saith S. IOHN in his Reuelations And S. BERNARD explicating that of the Psalmist I will fill my friends with the length of dayes and will shew them my SALVATION what is longer saith he then that which is eternall what continuance more longe then that which hath no end O how good an end is eternall life how good is that end which is infinite How faire is the day which hath no Sunne-setting nor is followed out by night and what is this day but the eternall VERITIE the true ETERNITIE O Societie of the Blessed eternally true and truely eternall those are they onely who may be truly said to be liuing and enioying a life truely long in heauē which knowes no end as they are truely dead and that of a long death who continually die in Hell where they continually liue without tasteing the fruite of life S. BERNARD's meditation shall make way to S. AVCVSTINE's touching the Eternitie of that blessed life O life saith he which God hath prepared for his friēds thou art a life full of happinesse crowned with assurance a quiete life and excellent life a pure life a chaste life a holy life a life that knowes no death a life without sorrow without labour without greife without vexation without corruption without varietie or chāge a life adorned with euerie beautie accomplished with honour a life that is not laboured with enuie nor subiect to anger where Loue raignes in its perfection and from whence feare is banished where the day is eternall and the hearts of all is but one where God is seene face to face and this vision is foode to those that behold him with an ardent affection O how thy shineing brightnes doth delight me and how aggreable are thy felicities to the desires of my heart The more I consider thee the more I loue thee I swoone with desire in contemplating thee yet that desire insteede of afflicting me affords me an extreame content and thy memorie is more sweete vnto mee then the honie-combe O happie life ô Empire of eternall felicitie where death hath no iurisdiction which shall neuer haue end Where the succession of tyme hath no raigne nor vicissitude where the day hath no night where change can get no footing where the victorious Champion accōpaigned with the troopes of Angells his heade being enuironed with a crowne of glorie incessantly sings to God the Song of the heauenly Sion How happie shall my soule be if after her departure out of this mortall pilgrinage she may haue the happines to see thee and to contemplate thy beautie thy walls thy gates thy Pallaces thy places thy noble citizēs and thyne omnipotent King seated in his admirable Throne of Maiestie Thy walls are built of pretious stones of an inestimable value thy Gates are inriched with peerlesse gemmes Thy streetes are paued with purest gold and in them the Diuine prayses doe continually resound Thy houses are made of fouresquare stones beautified with Saphires wrought with vinebranches and grapes of gold None enters within thy confines who are not pure for all that is defiled is repulsed The light which doth enlighten thee is nether from Lampe nor torch nor Sunne Moone nor starrs it is God alone proceeding from God that light which doth spring from light who is thyne eternall and vniuersall light The King of Kings resides continually in the midst of thee waited vpon with a numberlesse number of Courtiers and Officiers more resplendant then the lightning more bright then the flame Will you yet further giue eare to the same Sainte heare then what he saith of that liuely Eternitie that eternall life The wicked saith he shall goe into eternall fires but the iuste into eternall felicities That is the eternall life which is promised vs. And wheras men take no greater content here below then to liue behold how life is promised them and wheras they dread nothing so much as death see how an Eternitie of life is proposed vnto them What dost thou loue ô man To liue Thou shall enioy this great benefit What dost thou feare To dy Thou shalt be exempt from it Yet is it not all to liue long to liue for euer but the toppe of felicitie is to liue happie for euer What can we add to this Oracle of truth deliuered in so good tearmes by that incomparable witt but fruitlesse words in a subiect so fruitfull that the abundance therof doth oppresse him that handles it Meanes wherby to arriue at this happie Eternitie LXV BVt we are rather Athanasia to search out the meanes to attaine to this great happinesse then to enlarge our selues vpon curiosities to know it or loose our selues in the admiration therof since it is written that not all that shall say Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen but those that doe the will of our Lord that is such as shall liue according to his law and shall make force against his holy citie Dost thou desire to enter into true life said our Sauiour to the young man who asked his counsell which way he was to hold keepe the Commandements Of all the wayes which are taught vs by the holy scripture and the writings of Doctors to worke our saluation in feare and trembling I will onely touch two which next vnto God's grace without which we are able to doe nothing I find verie necessarie The Philosopher Epictetes made all his philosophicall Precepts turne vpon these two poles or pinnes SVSTAYNE and ABSTAYNE I am persuaded that all morall Christianitie may turne vpon the same pinnes The one doth teach vs to suffer difficulties labours paines the other the perfect contempt of worldly vanities pleasures and riches If we
Hell's Eternitie as that we doe not more thinke of his Eternitie who made them both this for the Diuells and their associates that for the Angells and the Elect. O eternall Diuinitie ô Diuine Eternitie thou art he whom I consider and whom I seake for to thee onely it is that I aspire for without thee the created Eternitie would not bee since it doth not subsiste but by the eternall essence of the essentiall Eternitie which is no other thē God himselfe And yet further to purisie myne affection and bring it to its full perfection henceforth I will not so much loue the Eternitie of God as the God of Eternitie though God be that same Eternitie and that same Eternitie be God himselfe And if by the imagination of an impossible thing one could be in Hell with his grace his accursed Eternitie would not be dreadfull nor is the Blessed Eternitie to be desired but that eternall life is to see God eternally eternally to depēd vpon him O eternall God! who is like vnto thee who is like vnto thee who is like vnto our Lord God who inhabites in the places aboue And what Eternitie can be compared vnto his from whom proceedes all Eternitie seing he hath made the ages of ages O Great God direct my wayes in thy presence and make me walke before thee in perfection that is perfect in such sort my intentions that forgetting myne owne interest and nether staying my selfe in the blessed or accursed Eternitie I may onely looke after thyne essentiall Eternitie which is thy selfe to whom be honour and glorie from generation to generation for euer and euer in the Eternitie of Eternities Amen An aspiration of Hope LXXIII BVt ô Lord will it not be too great a presumption for a worme of the earth to rayse it selfe towards thyne infinite Eternitie and promisse himselfe one day in thy glorie to be vnited thervnto Yea verily it were a manifest vanitie if a soule should persuade her selfe that of her selfe and by the strength of her owne winge she could wind her selfe thither But as of her selfe she can doe nothing so together with thee being fortified by thee what can she not performe ô great God since she holds her whole beeing of thy Grace What may she not what ought she not to expect from thy grace since it is written that thy grace is eternall life And againe with what confidence must not her heart needs be encouraged when she shall cast the eyes of her consideration vpon the great price and infinite merites of thyne eternall Sonne ô eternall Father a Sonne who hath layed her open the way to Eternitie not by the blood of gotes or calues but acquiring vnto her by his owne blood an eternall and plentuous redemption O my soule what are we not to hope from the Mercy of so good a God and who hath loued vs with an eternall and excessiue Charitie a Charitie so excessiue that he bestowed his owne Sonne to be the propitiation for our Sinnes When we were dead by our crymes his grace restored vs to life Our Sauiour dying vpō the Crosse did quicken vs by his death and the same reuiuour doth promise vs a like resurrection and ascending vnto heauen he goes to prepare vs a place before the Throne of his glorie Which made the great Apostle writing to the Ephesians say that God who is rich in mercy for his exceding Charitie wherwith he loued vs euen while we were dead by sinnes quickened vs together in CHRIST by whose grace we are salued and hath raysed vs vp with him selfe making vs sit with him in the celestials in IESVS CHRIST shewing to future ages the abundant riches of his grace through his benignitie towards vs in IESVS CHRIST And the Prince of the Apostles S. PETER Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord IESVS CHRIST who according to his great Mercy hath regenerated vs vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of IESVS CHRIST from the deade vnto an inheritance incorruptible and incontaminate and that cannot fade conserued in the Heauens in you For what ought not those to hope for who are inrowled as members in the misticall body of the Holy Church whose heade he is being most reasonable that the Champions should follow their Commander in his triumph if they did accompanie him in his Combats vnder the Banner of the Crosse You that haue followed me said he to his Apostles you shall be set vpon seates in the Kingdome which my Father hath prepared for you in Eternitie There it is that the Elect like vnto Eagles shall flocke about the bodie of the glorious humanitie of our Redeemour and where crowned with the crowne of Iustice they shall lay them downe at the feet of this Lābe Conquerour of the earth and who vanquished the world And if the eternall Father hath giuen vs his Sonne how will not he giue vs all things with him especially since this Sonne hath the key of DAVID key Scepter of his Empire vpon his shouldiers A key with which he opens and none can shut Behold saith S. IOHN what Charitie the eternall Father hath communicated vnto vs that we should be named and be his Sonnes and if his Sonnes his Heires also Heires truely of God and Coheires of CHRIST It was this holy hope that moued the Psalmists heart so generously to lanch out as by so many flightes towards the blessed Eternitie Come let vs ascend into the Hill of our Lord and into the house of the God of IACOB Hope in him all yee congregations of the faithfull for those that hope in him vnderstād the truth of his promises those that are faithfull in his loue doe place their confidence therin Those that hope in him shall not be confounded for euer for such as put their confidence in him shall be no more shaken then the Mountaine of Sion but replenished with ioy in the expectation of the eternall felicitie they cryed out I reioyced when I was told that we were to goe into the house of our Lord. And indeed what is not a man to hope of an infinite Bountie what ought not one to expect from so solemne promises and whose truth remaynes for euer No Lord neuer neuer will I forget thy iustifications for it is by them that thou hast giuen me life I doe firmely beleeue that if my soule doe constantly adheare vnto thee thy right hand will receaue one into thy bosome O how happie are those whom thou hast chosen and taken as thyne for they shall dwell in thyne eternall Court for euer and euer Let 's make no doubt of it my soule he that by his grace moues vs to tend to this goale will not forsake vs in the midst of our course and in so faire a way but since his workes are perfect he will heape grace vpon grace and will make vs happily arriue at the Port and point of all consummation O God draw vs after thee sith it is thee alone whom we search and
that voice of terrour Rise ô yee deade and appeare before the Tribunall of the liueing God how much more reason haue we to thinke of the issue and conclusion then the preparation of this solemne Iudgement since the sentence doth irreuocably decree what shall become of vs for all Eternitie Before and aboue all things said PACOMIVS let vs keepe before our eyes the last of all the dayes and all the moments of our life let vs thinke and throughly thinke of Eternitie A remarkable Sentence and euen worthy to be engrauen with an iron penne not onely in a plate of leade but in the hardest marble and flinte stone as said the good IOB The mother of Simphorian said vnto her sonne while he was haled vnto Martirdome my deare child the fruite of my wombe the beloued of my vowes turne thyne eyes towards Heauen consider him that raignes there for euer renounce him not for a moment of life the paines of death will quickly be past but the reward shall neuer end And S. FRANCIS to encourage his Religions to the lingering martirdome of a religions life said vnto them Bretheren great are the things which we haue promised vnto God yet infinitly greater things God hath promised vnto vs The labour is short the reward is eternall The pleasure doth post by the paine is permanent Many are called few are elected euery one receaues according to his workes But especially at that great day which is the iudge of all the rest euery one shall be rewarded according to his workes and God shall reueale that which is shut vp in darknes and shall manifest the secretes of hearts A day so dreadfull that the powres of Heauen shall be moued the Angells shall quake with feare when the Almightie shall come to iudge the world It is not my pourpose Athanasia to entertayne you with the horrours of that day which would require a whole volume I will onely place before your eyes the eternall Ghospell or rather the irreuocable sentence which shall proceede from his mouth who shall iudge the people in equitie who shall iudge nations and to whom his Father hath giuen all iudgement in heauē and in earth and which shall issue from thence like lightning and thunder farre more dreadfull then that which did appeare vpon the toppe of the mount Sina when our Lord deliuered his law vnto Israel by the hand of MOYSES Mediatour betweene God and the people O Sauiour of the world thou shalt be then a lambe Dominatour of the earth to the good but to the reprobate a roaring Lion When the Lion begins to roare in the Forrest there is nether passinger nor yet wildebeasts that doe not quake and hide themselues O how shall the damned dread thy voice resembling that of thy thunder in the wheele of thy furie since they shall inuoke the mountaines to fall downe vpon them to hide them before the face of thy wroth for who knowes the force of thyne indignation or who is able to somme vp the effectes therof How penetrating shall the two edged sword be which shall proceed from thy mouth whilst thou shalt thunder out against thē that eternall doome which shall reach euen vnto the diuisiō of their soule and their spirit of their ioyntes also and their marowes GOE YEE ACCVRSED INTO ETERNALL FIRE O Athanasia who is able without astonishment to vtter without swonding to vnderstand so dismaying and dreadfull words Be gone Alas dread Lord whither shall they goe to auoyd the encounter of thy spirit and to conuey themselues from before thy wrothfull countenance art thou not in Heauē in Hell and euery where dost thou not euen fill heauen and earth dost thou not hold the vniuerse in thy hand and doth not thy powre comprehend all things Be gone But to whom shall they betake themselues art not thou he who hath the words of eternall life who art euen thy selfe life euerlasting Be gone Whither wilt thou haue those Prodigalls to retire thēselues doe what they can they cannot goe out of thee since in thee all things haue motion beeing and life Be gone But whither shall those ABSALON's resort for succour being eternally banished from the Court of the eternall DAVID King of ages immortall and inuisible Be gone O what a word or rather what a Thunder bolt able to strike Lucifer downe into the Abisse of Hell oh Sauiour IESVS in the day of thy flesh in the tyme of thy sufferances when like an innocent Lambe thou wast lead to be sacryficed if this word It is I was able to prostrate vpon the ground the troopes of Soldiers How shall that word of reprobation precipitate them whom thou driuest eternally from the Paradice of thy presence Be gone ô banishing sword of the Angell of the high Councell who dost banish for an Eternitie the Betrayers of the heauenly inheritance Be gone ô Athanasia if the Auncient prophetes were struke with such astonishmēt while God appearing vnto them vnder diuers formes did impart vnto them his will and pleasure as to his friends and Embassadours to be the Interpreters of the same to the people and if the onely vision of the Angells of light put them into a traunce as we reade euen of S. IOHN in his Apocalipse falling prostrate at the feete of the Angell as though he had fallen downe deade If Israel while he heard God thunder and lighten vpon the Mount-Sina said vnto MOYSES speake thou vnto vs and we will vnderstand thee but let not our Lord speake least we may dye and continuing in his apprehension if we heare any more said he the voice of our Lord God infallibly we are dead for what flesh is able to susteyne the word of the liuing God speaking out of the midst of flames as we heare him how dreadfull I pray you must the condemning voice of the inexorable Iudge needs be The Prophete ISAYE seeing in spirit onely the destruction of Babylone was touched with so deepe a compassion that he affirmed that his reines were filled with dolour and his anguish was like to that of a woman in childbirth that he fell backward in hearing its Condemnation was troubled in beholding it withered away with apprehension and was inuolued in darknesse through amaysement therof Then saith the same Prophete speaking of the last iudgement the day of the furie of the God of Hostes shall be terrible to the proud arrogant and haughtie Then saith IEROMIE they shall be confounded who not haue considered that eternall reproach Then goes on ISAYE The Almightie will make the Maiestie of his voice be heard and will manifest the fearefull force of his arme in the consummation of his wroth and in the flame of deuouring fire For euen as a fire saith the Psalmist which burneth a woode and as a flame that burneth the mountaines so shalt thou pursue them in thy tempest who shall be the obiect of thy wrath Then the Almightie saith the wiseman by his owne vertue shall trample vnder his feete the