who sate vpon an high throne Euery one sayth he had sixe wings with twaine hee couered his face and with twaine he couered his feete But to signifie that those excellent spyrits who haue so high a place in heauen and are the nearest vnto God himselfe cannot comprehend all that is found in God neyther come from one to an other that they may knowe and vnderstand these things al though they see him in his proper Essence beauty For euen as one standing vpon the shoare doth see the Sea and yet doth not see the breadth and depth of it so those excellent spyrits and all the other elect which be in heauen doe see God really yet they cannot comprehend eyther the depth of his greatnes or the altitude of his eternity And although God in the Scriptures is sayd to sit vpon the Cherubines yet rather hee may be sayd to stand vpon them so that they cannot approach vnto him much lesse comprehend him This is the darknes which as the Psalmist sayth he made his secret place and his pauilion round about him euen darknes of waters and cloudes of the ayre that that might be signified which the Apostle sayth that God dwelleth in the light that none can attayne vnto and to which there is no passage open therefore the Prophet calleth it darknes because it hindrethas well the sight as the apprehension of God For euen as as a certaine Philosopher sayth although there can be found nothing more bright and visible then the Sunne yet nothing is lesse seene then it by reason of the excellencie of his brightnes and the weakenes of our sight so although there is nothing in it selfe more intelligible then God yet there is nothing in this lyfe lesse vnderstoode then he for the same reasons Wherfore he that after any manner knoweth God after he shall come to the end and furthest limit of those perfections which may be knowne he shall confesse that hee must further proceede by infinite wayes and that God is greater then those infinite wayes then that he may be comprehended and by how much the more he acknowledgeth that â—ncomprehensibility by so much the more hee vnderstandeth more of him Heere-vpon it is that Saint Gregory saith vpon those words of Iob Who doth great thinges and vnsearchable and meruailous things without number sayth he then we speake better of God when as vnder the awe of consideration through admiration we hold our peace For then a man conueniently and seasonably doth prayse that thing he cannot vtter when hee is silent In the same opinion also is Dionysius The secret and mistery â—f the Diuinity sayth he which passeth all vnderstanding wee â—onour and adore with the holy worship and veneration of our minde and with ineffable and chast silence In which place he seemeth to allude to that of the Prophet according to the translation of Hierome For thee ô God all prayse wayteth and resteth and is silent in Sion signifying that this is the most perfect praise which is done by holding the peace and by that ineffable and chast silence that is by confessing the incomprehensibility and altitude of that vnspeakeable substance whose magnitude is aboue all magnitude and whose substance infinitely exceedeth and differeth from all other substance of things as well visible as inuisible Wherfore Saint Augustine also sayth When I seeke for my God I doe not seeke for a shape of a body not for the glory of time not for the cleerenes of the light not for beauty not for the sound of sweet melody and whatsoeuer plesant tunes not for the sweete sauours and odours of flowers oyntments and spices not for honey and Manna pleasant and delightfull to the tast not for other things gratefull and welcome to the touch or embrace neyther doe I seeke for any other thing subiect to these sences when I doe seeke for my God God forbid that I should thinke these to be my God which also are apprehended of the sences of bruite beastes And yet when I seeke for my God I seeke for neuerthelesse a certaine light aboue all light which mine eye is not capable of a certaine voyce aboue all voyces which mine eare doth not conceaue a certayne sauour aboue all sauours which my nosthrils cannot conceaue a certaine sweetnes aboue all sweetnes which my tast cannot conceaue a certaine embracing aboue all embracings which my touch cannot conceaue This light doth shine where place doth not receaue it this voyce doth sound whereas no ayre doth moue it this sauour doth smell whereas no blast doth carry it this tast doth there sauour where there is no feeding and this embrace is there touched where it is not sundered But if thou wilt conceaue and vnderstand any thing of this incomprehensible magnitude behold the frame of this world which is the worke of his hands that by the quality of the effect thou mayst know the noblenes of the cause presupposing that of Dionysius in the beginning that in all things there is sound a Being an Ability and a Worke which three doe so agree betweene themselues that of what sort the Being of a thing is of the same sort is the Ability of it and what the Abilitie of the thing is such is the Worke of it This principle being thus layde let vs foorth-with enter into contemplation how beautifull how well ordered and how great this world is for in the firmament there are certayne starres of such great magnitude as Astrologers say that in their quantity they exceede eighty times the earth and the water which together make but one Globe Then agayne consider how beautifully adorned the world is and how full of infinite variety of things which are found in the earth in the water in the ayre and in euery part of it all which are made with such perfection that monsters being excepted from the beginning of the world euen to this day there is nothing found to which any thing is wanting to the furnishing or perfection of his Essence Then consider as Saint Augustine sayth that God created this huge and admirable frame of the world in a moment and made it of nothing for he made it without any matter beeing without workmaisters without any workmen without any instruments without patterne without any exteriour thing contayning example and without space of time but only according to the pure and simple conceipt of his owne will he brought foorth into light this great worke and this whole vniuerse of things Consider furthermore that with the same facility he created this world he could haue created infinite thousands of worlds euery one of which should haue beene greater more beautifull and inhabited of moe people And after hee had made them hee could with the same facilitie haue cast them downe againe and ouerthrowne them and brought them to nothing without any resistance Therefore tell mee if according to the doctrine of Dionysius as it is presupposed
and establish this question and matter vnlesse also the contrarie arguments and obiections bee refuted therefore the third part of this Booke is occupied and conuersant in ouerthrowing and confuting them in which we plentifully aunswere all the excuses and obiections which are wont to be alledged of naughtie men why they doe flie and eschew Vertue Because the matter and subiect of these two Bookes is Vertue wee would not haue the Reader to be ignorant that by this word Vertue we barelie or solely vnderstand the habite of Vertue but also her actions and duties to the which that noble habit is ordered and disposed because the Figure is very well knowne that the effect is signified by the name of the cause the cause by the name of the effect THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which is contayned a large and copious exhortation to keepe Gods commaundements THE FIRST TITLE That man is bound to seeke after Vertue and to serue GOD and of the excellencie of the Diuine perfection CHAP. I. TWO things chiefely Christian Reader are wont to mooue and stirre vp the will of man to any good action One is the bond by which we are bound to iustice the other is the profit and fruite which proceedeth issueth of this action For it is the iudgement of all wisemen that these two things are to be considered of in euery matter and action to wit Honestie and Profit which are as it were the two spurres of our Will which pricke it forward and encourage it to take any action in hand Of these two although for the most part Profit is more sought after and desired yet Honestie is more effectuall and powerfull For there is not any profit or commoditie to be found in this world although it be great which may compare with the excellencie of Vertue as also there is no losse or discōmoditie so great or grieuous which a wise man ought not rather to choose then to runne into anie vice as Aristotle auerreth Seeing therefore that it is our purpose and meaning in this Booke to inuite men to the loue of Vertue and to ensnare them with the beautie of it I take it that we shall doe very well if we begin of this more principall part declaring the bond by which we stand bound to Vertue and therefore to God himselfe also who seeing that he is goodnes it selfe doth commend nothing in this world doth desire nothing doth not account any thing precious but onely Vertue Therefore with great care and diligence let vs consider those iust titles and claimes which God hath to demaund and exact this so great debt and bond of vs. But seeing that they be innumerable wee will onely induce sixe of the chiefest euery one of which seuerally do binde man with out any excuse to him in whatsoeuer he can or may The first and greatest and which can lesse be declared or expressed is to be him that he is to which is referred the greatnes of his Maiestie and all his perfections Hetherto pertaine the incomprehensible magnitude of his goodnes mercy iustice wisedom infinite power noblenes beautie faithfulnesse truth benignitie happines maiestie and the other riches and perfections that be in him which are such and so immeasurable that as a certaine famous Doctor saith if the whole world were ful of bookes and all creatures Writers and all the water of the Sea ynck first all the bookes should be filled first all the Writers should be wearied and first all the Sea should be exhausted and drawne drie then one alone of his perfections should be described absolutelie and as it is in deede and in it selfe The same Doctor also saith if God should create a newe man and should giue vnto him a hart so ample capable and spacious as are all the harts of men ioyned and mixed together if that hart should apprehend with an immeasurable and vnusuall light the qualitie and quantitie of one of these perfections it would faint die or breake in peeces by reason of the greatnes of that ioy and pleasure which should redound to it except it were preserued by the singuler power of GOD. This therefore is the first the most equall and iust reason by which we are bound to loue God and to serue obey him who is truth it selfe in so high a degree that the very Epicures themselues who are the ouerthrowers and destroyers of all Philosophy for they denie the diuine prouidence and the immortalitie of soules doe not denie that there is a Religion which is the worship and adoration of God For one of them disputing in that Booke which Tully writ of the nature of the Gods confesseth and prooueth very strongly that there is a God and also he acknowledgeth the altitude of his admirable and wonderfull perfections and for them he saith that he is to be worshipped adored and reuerenced for this is due to the greatnes and excellencie of this most noble substance Therefore he is to bee worshipped by that name and title onely if hee had not anie other For if we honour and reuerence a King for the onely dignitie of his presence although hee be without his kingdome where we receiue no benefit by him why rather should we not giue and exhibite all honour and reuerence to this Lord who as Iohn testifieth hath written vpon his garment and vpon his thigh The King of Kings and Lord of Lords It is he that with his three fingers doth beare vp the round Globe of the earth doth dispose of causes moueth the heauens it is he that changeth times altereth the elements diuideth the waters bringeth forth the windes engendereth causes giueth influence to the Planets and as an vniuersall King and Lord doth nourish and sustaine all creatures That also is of greater moment that his kingdom is not by succession or by election or by inheritance but by nature For euen as a man naturally is greater thē a Pismier so that most noble substance in greatnes doth far excell all other things created insomuch that euery thing whatsoeuer it be and the whole vniuersall world in his eyes haue scarce the quantitie and bignes of an Emmot If that vnhappy Philosopher acknowledged and confessed this truth why shall not Christian phylosophy acknowledge and confesse it This therefore teacheth that although there be many titles and names by which wee are bound to God yet this that we now entreate of doth excell them all the which is of such weight valuation that if there were no other this alone deserueth all the loue and seruice of man yea though he had infinite and innumerable soules and bodies which might attend and waite vpon his worship and loue That alwaies hath beene the care and studie of the Saints whose loue were so pure and sincere that of it S. Bernard saide Pure loue doth not take strength from hope and yet feeleth not the hurt of distrust As if hee
before of vs the power and force of the cause is knowne by the effects and work and by the power force the Essence is knowne What maner of power shall it be from whence so great a worke proceeded and if this power be such and so great what an one and howe incomprehensible is that Essence which is knowne by that power This contemplation without all doubt doth farre exceed all humane reach In this we must further consider that all these excellent and great workes not onely as they are but as they might haue beene are as though they were not in the viewe of that diuine power yea after an infinite manner they are lesser for that is infinitely greater to which this power doth extend it selfe Who then will not be astonished considering of the greatnes of such an Essence and of such a power which although a man cannot see with his externall eyes yet he may make a most certaine coniecture and gather of the foresaid reason how great it is how incomprehensible This wonderfull immensitie of God that great Schooleman Thomas Aquinas doth show in his Breuiarie of Diuinitie by this example We see sayth he in things corporall that by how much any thing is more excellent by so much also it is greater in quantitie for we see that the element of the water is greater then the earth and the ayre greater then the water and the fire then the ayre furthermore the first or lowest heauen is greater then the element of fire the second heauen greater thē the first and the third then the second and after the same manner by ascending euen to the tenth Spheare yea euen to that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares whose greatnes is incomparable That any one may plainly see if he haue any consideration how little the Globe and roundnes of the earth and water be if they be compared with the heauens The Astrologers also say that the whole circumference of the earth and water are but as a pricke or a poynt in comparison of heauen which they proue manifestly by their demonstrations For although the circle of the heauen be deuided into the twelue signes of the Zodiacke through which once in a yeere the Sun doth runne yet in eyther Horizon onely sixe are seene for the bignes and standing of the earth dooth take vp and possesse no more place of heauen then a leafe of paper or a tablet will being placed and sette in the Center of the world from whence the compasse of the heauen may be seene without let or impediment Seeing therefore that that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares which is the chiefest and the noblest body of the world is of such an inestimable magnitude aboue all bodies we may easily vnderstand sayth Thomas how God who is without any circumscription the chiefest greatest and best of all things as well of things corporall as spirituall who also is the maker of them ought must exceed all things with a certaine infinite magnitude not in quantitie for he is no body but in excellencie and noblenesse of his most perfect Essence But that we may returne from whence we are digressed after the same manner we may search in all other things how great and of what condition be the magnitudes perfections of this Lord. For it is necessary that they be such as his Essence is Ecclesiasticus confesseth that where he speaketh of Gods mercy According to his greatnes saith he so is his mercy of such sort are all the rest of his perfections Such is his goodnes such is his benignitie maiestie gentlenes wisedome sweetnes noblenes beautie omnipotencie and to be briefe such is his iustice He therefore is infinitely good infinitely sweet infinitely amiable and woorthy whom all creatures should obey feare and reuerence insomuch that if mans hart could containe infinite loue and feare and infinite obedience and reuerence all that should be obliged by the bond and rule of iustice to the dignitie and excellencie of this Lord. For if as euery one is more worthy more excellent so greater reuerence is due vnto him it followeth that seeing the excellencie of God is so infinite that also infinite reuerence is due vnto him Heereupon is inferred that all that which is wanting to our loue and reuerence whereby we doe not come to that measure is therefore wanting because it is indebted to a dignitie of such greatnesse Which thing seeing it is so how great I pray thee is that debt which this onelie title although there were no other doth request of vs in the loue obedience of this Lord What I pray thee will he loue who doth not loue so great a goodnesse What will hee feare who doth not feare so great a Maiestie Whom will hee serue who will not attend vpon such a Lord For what is thy will made if not to loue and embrace that which is good If then he be the chiefest good what is the cause that our will doth not loue embrace him aboue all that is called God And if it bee so heynous an euill not to loue or feare his Lord aboue all things what wil it be not to esteeme or regard him Who would haue euer supposed that the malice of man would haue come to so great impietie Neuerthelesse to that height of peruersitie they are come that for a little beastly pleasure or for a little honour or for a small gaine and filthy lucre doe offend and contemne so great a goodnesse O blindnes to be deplored ô insensiblenes more then bestiall ô deuillish rashnes and presumption What doth not he deserue who dareth such things with what punishment with what kind of torture shall the contempt of so great a maiestie be worthily satisfied It is certaine that it shall be punished with no lesser torment then that which is prepared for such an offence that is that whosoeuer hee be that contemneth God shall be tormented in hell fire euerlastingly and yet neither shall he worthily be punished This then is the first Title which bindeth vs to the loue and seruice of this Lord which bond is so great that all bonds by which by any manner of meanes in thys world we are bound to any person eyther for his excellency or for his perfection are vnworthy the name of bonds if they be compared with this For euen as the perfections of all other things being compared with the diuine are no perfections so neither the bonds which by reason of their perfections and excellencies are named such are bonds beeing compared with this as neyther all the offences made onely to the creatures cannot be called offences if they be compared to them by which the Creator himselfe is offended For which cause Dauid also in that paenitentiall Psalme sayth that he had offended the Lord onely and onely sinned against him albeit he had offended most grieuously against Vrias whō he had commaunded to be slaine being innocent and against
I owe all those things to thee which are in me Secondly because thou hast redeemed me I owe the same but by a more iust title Thirdly because thou hast promised thy selfe a reward vnto mee it maketh mee eftsoones to owe my selfe wholy vnto thee Why therfore shal I not giue my selfe once wholy to him to whom I owe my selfe by so many meanes and titles O exceeding ingratitude ô the hardnes of mans hart a hard hart in deede thou art if thou be not bended and moued with so many benefits if thou doest not render ouer and giue thy selfe for so many gifts There is not any thing found in this world so hard but that by some Art and vvorkmanship it may be mollified and softned Mettals melt through fire Iron is made tractable by the same the hardnes of a Diamond is broken by the blood of a Goate but thou ô hart of man art harder then any rocke harder then Iron harder then a Diamond when as neyther hell fire may breake thy hardnes nor the Art of thy most mercifull and louing father may mollifie thee nor the blood of the vnspotted Lambe can make thee tractable Seeing therfore thou ô Lord hast exhibited and giuen vnto vs so great goodnes and mercy doth it seeme a thing tollerable vnto thee that any man should be found who loueth thee not Who is vnmindfull of thy benefits Yea which is most insufferable that blusheth not to offend thee What loueth he that doth not loue thee For what benefit will he be gratefull who doth shew himselfe ingrateful for thy benefits How can I not but worship him but serue him who so deerely hath loued me Who with so great dilligence hath sought for me who with so great labour hath redeemed me from all euill If I were lift vp from the earth sayth our Sauiour I will draw all men vnto mee With what violence ô my Lord With what chaines With the violence of thy loue and with the chaines of thy benefits I will draw thee with the cords of a man sayth the Lord and with bands of loue Who will not willingly be drawne with thy cords Who will not suffer himselfe to be bound with thy bands Who would not couet to be bound and to be ouercome of so great benefits But if it be such an offence not to loue this Lord what will it be to offend him and to violate his commaudements Is it possible ô man that thou hast hands to offend those hands which haue been so liberall towards thee that for thee they were nailed to the Crosse Whē as that lasciuious and vnshamefast woman would haue allured the holy Patriarke Ioseph to adultery and solicited him to be vnfaithfull to his Lord the chast young man defended himselfe after this manner Behold my Maister knoweth not what he hath in the house with me but hath committed all that he hath to mine hand besides thee which art his wife how then can I doe this great wickednes and so sinne against God As if he should say If my Lord hath beene so good and liberall vnto me if hee hath committed all his goods vnto my trust if hee hath me in such great honour how can I haue hands ready to offend so good a Maister who hath bound me to him with so many benefits In which place we are to note that hee was not content to say that it was not decent or meete that I should offend him or I ought not to doe this but he sayd How can I doe this great wickednes c. Signifying that the greatnes of benefits ought not onely to bridle our will but also to take away our power and strength by any meanes to offend our Lord God If these kind of benefits deserued so great gratitude and thankfulnes what doe not the diuine benefits deserue That man had committed to the hands of Ioseph that which he had and God hath committed to thee those things he hath Now compare those things which God hath with those things which that man had and see by how many wayes those are greater and more excellent then these They are double and triple which thou hast receaued of God if thou comparest them with those that Ioseph receaued of this man Tell me I pray thee what wealth what riches hath God which he hath not communicated vnto thee The heauen the earth the Sunne the Moone the starres the Seas riuers birds fishes trees liuing creatures to be briefe all that is found vnder heauen is in thine hands What not onelie those things which are vnder heauen are in thy power but also which are aboue the heauens that is the glory of them and eternall blessednes All things are yours sayth the Apostle whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are yours That is ordained and appointed for your saluation But what if I shall say that thou onely hast not those things which are aboue the heauens but that the Lord himselfe of all heauens is giuen vnto thee by a thousand wayes Hee is giuen vnto thee as a Father as a Tutor as a Sauiour as a Maister he is thy Phisition he is the price of thy redemption he is an example to thee a helpe a remedy a keeper To be briefe the father hath giuen vnto vs his sonne the sonne hath deserued for vs the holy Ghost whom the father and the sonne sendeth vnto vs from whom proceedeth all good things Seeing therefore that it is as true as truth it selfe that God hath giuen all things into thine hands which he hath how can it be that thou hast hands to prouoke and incense him Doest thou thinke that it is a thing to be borne to be ingratefull to a father so good and to a benefactour so liberall Certainly this seemeth to be extreame wickednes but if to this ingratitude thou ioynest the contempt of the benefactour and iniury or offence what a mischiefe will that seeme to be If that young man whom before we remembred tooke himselfe to be so bound and chayned that hee had no power or abillity to offend him who had cōmitted vnto him all the substance of his house how wilt thou finde strength in thy selfe to offend him who hath giuen to thee heauen earth and himselfe Ah vnhappy man more vnthankfull then the beasts more cruell then Lyons and Tygers more insensible then the stones is it possible that thou canst not keepe thee from so great wickednes What Beast what Lyon what Tyger is so vnmindfull of benefits that will hurt him of whom he is benefited Saint Ambrose speaketh of a certaine dogge which a whole night lamented his Maister slaine of one of his enemies with barking and howling In the morning many men came to the dead corps and amongst others he also came that had slaine the man The dogge seeing that homicide made out sodainly against
very well That hee beholdeth the earth and hee maketh it to tremble he toucheth the mountaines and they smoake And that the starres and pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe And it is said of him not without reason that before his maiesty those great principalities and supreame powers doe tremble not because they are not secure of their owne glory but because the greatnes of the diuine Maiesty doth strike feare and trembling into them If therfore they that be perfect be not without feare what shal they doe that are guilty and contemners of the diuine Maiesty They are those vpon whom hee wil poure out the fury of his indignation This is one of the principal reasons why the greatnes of this punishment is to be feared as S. Iohn plainely teacheth in his Reuelation where he after this manner speaketh of the scourges and torments of the Lord. Therefore shall her plagues come at one day he speaketh of Babilon death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her The Apostle also was not ignorant of the strength of this Lord and therfore he sayd It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. It is not a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of men because they are not so mighty but we may escape their violence and flye from their fury neyther haue they such authority that they can thrust the soule into hel Therfore our Sauiour sayd to his Disciples Feare not them that kill the body but cannot kill the soule but rather feare him who can cast both body and soule into hell fire These be the hands into which the holy Apostle sayth that it is a feareful thing to fall Of these things it is no hard matter to gather what is the nature of those hands of which Ecclesiasticus speaketh If we doe not repent we shall fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of men By all which it is most manifest that as God is great in power in Maiestie and in all his works so he will be great in wrath in iustice and in the punishments of the wicked The same also is yet more plainly seene in examining the Diuine iustice the effects aud executions of which be these punishments Thys is after some manner knowen by the effects that is by the feareful punishments of God inflicted at diuers times vpon wicked men sundry of which are remembred in the Scriptures How terrible was the punishment of Dathan and Abiron and of all theyr complices whom the earth opening her mouth swallowed vp with theyr Tents and all their substance and they went quick into hel because they had stirred vp sedition against Moses and the Priests Who euer heard such like kind of threatnings as those that are read in Deuteronomie and they are purposed and threatned against thē who doe not obserue the Lawe of the Lord where amongst other horrible and feareful threatnings thus sayth the Lord Thou shalt be besieged in all thy Citties throughout all thy Land which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee And thou shalt eate the fruite of thy bodie euen the flesh of thy sonnes and thy daughters which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee during the siege and straightnes wherein thine enemies shall enclose thee So that the man that is tender and exceeding daintie among you shal be grieued at his brother at his wife that lieth in his bosome at the remnant of his children which he hath yet left For feare of giuing vnto any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eate because he hath nothing left him in that siedge and straightnes wherwith thine enemie shall besiedge thee in all thy Citties The tender and daintie woman among you which neuer would venter to sette the sole of her foote vpon the ground for her softnesse and tendernesse shall be grieued at her husband vvhich lieth in her bosome and at her sonne and at her daughter and at her after birth that shall come out from betweene her feete and at her children which shee shall beare for when all things lacke shee shall eate them secretlie during the siedge and straightnesse vvhere-with thine enemie shall besiedge thee in thy Citties Horrible and to be trembled at are these punishments yet both these and al other with which men haue at any time been punished in this world are no other thing then a smal shadow and a figure of those punishments which tarry for the damned in the other world for that shall bee the time in which the Diuine iustice shal shine vpon and against those that heere haue refused his mercy But if the shadow be so horrible who shal be able to sustaine the truth of the matter and the thing it selfe If now when as the Diuine iustice is as yet tempered with mercy and the cup of the wrath of the Lord is mixed with the water of his grace be so bitter what will it be when it shall be drunke pure without mercy especially of those that would shewe no mercy to theyr neighbour although the punishment will alwayes be lesse then the desert and merrit of the sinne Neyther onely dooth the greatnesse of the iustice argue the greatnes of the punishment but also the greatnes of the mercie of the goodnes of which wicked men presume so much For what is more admirable then to see GOD clothed with mans flesh and in it to suffer all kinde of torments reproches euen from his entrance into this life to his going foorth of it which he ended vpon the Crosse What greater mercy then to come into this world and to take vppon him the debts of the vvhole world that he might disburthen the world of them to shed his blood for them who shedde his blood Therefore as the works of the Diuine mercie are admirable so are the workes of the Diuine iustice to be feared for there is not in God lesser or greater but seeing that God is wholy and all that hee is in himselfe therefore as much as his mercie is so much necessarilie is his iustice in those things that pertaine vnto it For euen as by the greatnes of one arme we gather the quantity of the other so by the greatnes of the arme of the Diuine mercy we measure also the quantity of the Diuine iustice seeing that there is one and the same measure of them both Now therefore tell me I pray thee if in that time in vvhich GOD would shewe his mercy to the world hee wrought so admirable things and so incredible to the world that the world supposed them to be foolishnes when the time of hys second comming shall approch in which he determineth to shewe the greatnesse of his iustice what doost thou thinke that hee vvill doe hauing so many moe greater occasions by howe much there
by her owne nature is a most noble habite Which if it be true it followeth by a common manner of speaking that she will worke and labour with vs with ease and delight for this is proper vnto all habits Thou must remember that God hath not onely promised to his the blessings of glory but also the blessings of grace partly for this life and partly for the other according to that of the Prophet The Lord will giue grace and glory Which two are two store-houses filled with all good things one for this life the other for the other That thereby at the least may be vnderstood that there is somewhat more in Vertue then outwardly is seene To be briefe thou must consider that seeing that the Author of Nature doth not faile in any necessary thing because hee giueth to all his creatures those things that are necessary and seeing that in the world there is nothing more necessary nor any thing of greater moment then Vertue that he would not leaue her in the hands of a will so weake and crased of an vnderstanding so blind of an appetite so ready to all euill and of a nature so disordered and so corrupt through sinne but that he would prouide her of helpe and hability by ayde of which she might saile through this Sea For it was not meete nor conuenient that seeing the Diuine prouidence was so carefull in giuing to flies spiders and pismires hability and all instruments necessary to preserue their life that he should be vnmindfull of man and that he should not giue him those things which are necessary for the attainement of Vertue I will say more if the world and the deuill do bestow vpon their seruants for the seruice that they yeeld them so manie kinde of tasts pleasures and delights at the least so in appearance how is it possible that God should be so barren vnfruitfull to his friends and faithfull ministers that he should leaue them in the midst of their labours tribulations fasting and with hungry and dry mouthes Howe doost thou thinke then that the condition of Vertue hath so much gall and that there is so much honny in the flowers of vices Doost thou thinke that God will permit and suffer that one should enioy delights and another be exercised with troubles and many tribulations Thou art deceiued Heare what God aunswereth to the lamentations of the wicked by the mouth of his Prophet Returne and see what difference is betweene a righteous man and an vnrighteous and betweene one that serueth God and him that serueth him not In so much that God is not content with the preheminence which the iust shall haue ouer the vniust in the lyfe to come but in this present he saith Returne and see as though he should say I would not that you should onely looke to the world to come that you may know the glory of the blessed and the greatnes of their felicitie but returne now and see the difference in this life which is betweene a good man and an ill man consider of the riches of the one and the pouertie of the other the ioy of the one and the sorrow of the other the peace of the one and the vvarre of the other the light in which the one lyueth and the darknesse in which the other walketh and then ye shall know indeede how much more blessed and happy the estate of the righteous is then your opinion of them The like answere God gaue to certaine others who beeing deceiued with the same perswasion error mocked the good saying as it is in Esay Let the Lord bee glorified but hee shall appeare to your ioy and they shall be ashamed As if they should say Let the Lord declare the greatnes of his power and glory and let him show vnto you his fauor that by this way we may know the prosperitie felicitie that they haue which serue the Lord aboue them which serue him not To which words the Lord doth presently annexe the ioy and prosperitie of the righteous saying Reioyce yee with Ierusalem and be glad with her all yee that loue her reioyce for ioy with her all yee that mourne for her that yee may sucke and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation that ye may milke out and be delighted with the brightnes of her glory For thus saith the Lord Behold I will extend peace ouer her like a flood the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing streame then shall ye sucke ye shal be borne vpon her sides and be ioyfull vpon her knees As one whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you and yee shall bee comforted in Ierusalem And when yee see this your hart shall reioyce and your bones shall florish like an hearbe and the hand of the Lord shall be knowne among his seruants As if hee shoulde say as men by the greatnes of heauen of the earth and of the sea and by the beauty of the Sunne of the Moone and of the starres doe come to the knowledge of the omnipotencie and excellencie of God by the meanes of such excellent and famous works so also the righteous doe come to the knowledge of the greatnesse of the power riches and goodnesse of GOD by the ineffable graces and gifts which they receiue of him and which they feele and perceiue in themselues For euen as God by the punishments and scourges which hee inflicted vpon Pharao declared to the whole world the greatnes of his seueritie against the wicked so by the gifts of his graces and vnmeasurable benefits which daily he bestoweth vpon the good he showeth the greatnes of his goodnes and his singuler loue with which hee embraceth them Blessed and happy without all doubt is that soule which by gifts and benefits receiued of God doth shew the greatnesse of his goodnesse but vnhappy and miserable is that soule which by punishments and torments dooth make manifest the greatnesse of the Diuine iustice Wherefore seeing that the greatnes of all these which we haue spoken of is so inestimable what shall the riuers be which flow frō these most fluent fountaines Adde moreouer that to these sayings If that the way of Vertue seeme to thee barren fruitles what is it that diuine Wisedome speaketh of herselfe Riches and honour are with mee euen durable riches and righteousnesse I cause to walke in the way of righteousnesse in the midst of the paths of iudgement that I may cause them that loue mee to inherite substance I will fill their treasures What be these riches what be these goods if not of the heauenly which exceede all the riches of this world what may bee compared to them who walke in the way of righteousnes which is Vertue herselfe of the which we speake For if heere there be not found riches more excellent and by this name more worthie then those which the world promiseth why doth the Apostle
himselfe to the sacrifice he heard of him Now I know that thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne By my selfe haue I sworne because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne Therefore will I surely blesse thee and will greatly multiply thy seede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand which is vpon the Sea shoare and thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies More-ouer amongst thy sonnes I will giue thee one who shall be the Sauiour of the world and he shal be both thy sonne and the sonne of GOD. Dooth this seeme vnto thee an ample reward Thys is a reward woorthy of God for God is God in all things Hee is God in recompencing hee is God in correcting hee is God in all other things Dauid on a certaine night considered with himselfe howe he himselfe dwelt in a house of Cedar trees and the Arke of GOD remained within the Curtaines and he began to think of building an house vnto the Lord. And the same night the word of the Lord came vnto Nathan saying Goe and tell my seruaunt Dauid thus saith the Lord vvilt thou build mee an house for my dwelling I doe sweare vnto thee I will builde thee an house for euer and for all thy posteritie with a perpetuall kingdome neyther shall my mercy depart from it So he sayd and so he did for to the comming of Christ they raigned in the house of Iuda who descended of the familie and seede of Dauid whō Christ followed who shall raigne for euer Therefore if the glory of Heauen be a recompence and an vniuersall remuneration of the diuine worship and seruice done vnto God of his Saints if God be so liberall in this recompence it is no hard thing to coniecture how great the glory to come of the blessed will be We haue another coniecture if we consider howe great the price is which God requireth for this glorie notwithstanding he is so liberall and bountifull For after sinne hee would not grant this glory to any man at a lesser price then at the death blood of his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ insomuch that this heauenly life is not gyuen to man but for the death of God and for the sorrowes of God celestiall ioy is giuen to man And because God hanged vppon the Crosse between two theeues now man raigneth amongst the assembly of Angels Tell me if by any meane it may be spoken what manner of good is that which that the Lorde might giue it vnto thee first he must sweat out his owne blood he must be apprehended bound beaten mocked crowned with thornes and crucified What will it be I pray thee that the Lord who otherwise of his own nature is so liberall hath prepared that he might giue vnto men for this so inestimable a price Hee that kuoweth well how to fish in thys depth hee by this coniecture shall know the greatnes of thys glory more manifestly then by all others which may be imagined God also exacteth as an appendix of thys former the greatest thing that may be exacted of man for this celestiall glory that is he take vp his crosse that hee pull out his right eye and cast it from him if it offend him that he forsake Father and Mother with all other things created if they at any time perswade any thing contrary to the diuine commandements And when we haue doone all things that we can the Lord willeth that we say that wee are vnprofitable seruants hee willeth that glory be gyuen vnto him onely and all things to be esteemed as his sole and meere grace Which he confirmeth by Saint Iohn when he sayth I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I wil giue to him that is a thirst of the wel of the water of life freely Tell me what ones how great are they thinkest thou for the which the Lord requireth so hard things which when we haue giuen or done yet he would haue vs to confesse that they are gyuen vnto vs freely of his meere grace Tell me therefore if the Lord our God be so magnificent and so liberall in bestowing his graces if his diuine goodnes hath graunted to all men in this life the vse of things so different if all the creatures of heauen and earth indifferently serue all and the possession of them be common as well to the vniust as to the iust who deseruedly can doubt that much greater are those supreame blessings which he hath prepared onely for the righteous Who was euer found that freely bestowed so great treasures vpon him to whom he was not indebted How much greater will he gyue if he shal be indebted to any He that is so liberall in bestowing gifts freely how liberall will he be in repaying and rewarding a debt He that bestoweth so great things freely what will hee not giue to him that continueth faythfull If the magnificence of those things which he giueth be so inestimable vvhat shal be the splendour of those things which he will repay Certainly it cannot be spoken nor be expressed by any words how great that glory will be which the Lord will gyue to his Elect seeing they are so great which of his great bountie he bestoweth vpon the vnthankfull The situation and height of the place may somewhat teach vs also of the quantitie and qualitie of thys glory that this heauen of heauens which is aboue the seauen Spheares as it is greater then all the heauens so it is the noblest of all the most beautifull the most glorious and the most worthy Thys place the Scripture calleth The Land of the liuing that he might signifie that this Land which wee inhabite is a land of those which be dead But if in this region of death the creatures be so noble so precious and so excellent what shall those there be in the land of the euer-liuing Turne thine eyes into what part soeuer thou wilt of thys visible world and behold how many and how beautiful things are found in it Behold how spacious the greatnesse of the heauen is how great the splendour is of the Sunne Moone and of all the s tarres how beautifull the earth is being beautified and adorned with so great multitude and variety of plants byrds and other liuing creatures How pleasant a thing is it to see the plainnesse of the fielde the highnesse of hills and mountaines the greenes of Valleyes the streaming of fountaines the aboundance of riuers vvhich like vaynes runne through the whole body of the earth and that which is more what great pleasure it is to see the largnesse of the Sea full of so many and so admirable things What be the standing pooles vvhat be the lakes of pure and cleere water what other things be they then the eyes of the earth the looking-glasses of heauen What be the meddowes clothed adorned with the pleasantnes
of Roses and other flowers No other thing then a cleere heauen in a faire night adorned vvith starres What shall I speake of the vaines of gold siluer and other mettals in most rich Mines What of Diamonds Carbuncles Emeralds and other most precious Iemmes which seeme to contend by theyr beautie and brightnes with heauen with the starres themselues What of the shapes and the diuersity of colours which are seene in byrds and in other liuing creatures and flowers Let the pleasantnesse of Art if it please you be ioyned to the beautie of nature and the beautie of all things shall be doubled Because by Art diuers and excellent peeces of curious workmanshyp are wrought in gold siluer by Art vessels images and pictures are made no lesse pleasant then artificiall gardens and Orchards by singuler industrie are set and planted buildings of Churches palaces of Kings are so cunningly made of gold marble and other things that they carry mens minds into admiration astonishment If therfore in this base element the lowest of all which is called the Land of the dead there be so many so delightfull beautifull and pleasant things hovve many and how great thinkest thou shall those things be in that highest place which by how much it is higher then all the heauens and all the elements by so much it is nobler by so much richer by so much more beautifull Especially if wee consider those celestiall bodies which are obuious to our sight as are the starres the Sunne Moone in splendour in vertue in beauty and in perpetuitie by so many degrees to excell and exceed all inferiour things what then wil those things doe which are hid from mortall eyes and are onely open to immortall sight thys excellencie can scarcely be presupposed or thought vpon We know that there are three kind of places appointed of God vnto men in thys life according to the diuersitie of times the first is the mothers wombe after conception the second is this world straightwaies after byrth the third shal be heauen after death if we haue liued well In these orders of places there is that proportion that by how much more the second is more excellent then the first by so much the third is more excellent then the second as wel in the continuaunce and perpetuitie of the tyme as in the largenesse and beautie of the place and in all other things For the diuturnitie and longnes of the first lyfe it is certaine that it is no longer then nine moneths the second life at the most is but an hundred yeeres but the third is endlesse and eternall Moreouer the greatnesse of the place of the first life is no larger then the wombe in which it is contained of the second thys large and spacious world but of the thyrd the place is so much the greater and more spacious then the second place by how much the second is larger then the first and the same excellencie that it hath in largenes and greatnesse the same it hath in beauty fairenes riches and in all other things If therefore thys world by so much is more large more beautiful and more rich then the mothers wombe how great will the largenes the beautie the riches the nobilitie be of that heauenlie place This same thing the difference of the inhabitants dwelling in these two places doe manifestly declare For the frame and fashion of the building ought to be sutable to the condition of the inhabitants dwelling in it This as we haue sayd is the land of the dead that of the liuing this is full of sinners that of the righteous and iust this of men that of Angels this penitentiaries inhabite that those that haue obtayned the remission of sinnes in this dwell the militant in that the triumphant to be briefe this is the habitation of friends and enemies that of friends onely and of the elect If therfore the difference of the inhabitants be so great how great thinkest thou shal the difference of places be Especially seeing that God doth make all places conformable to the inhabitants Great and glorious things are spoken of thee thou Citty of God Thou art large and great in space and latitude faire and beautifull in fight and view precious in matter noble in society sweet in exercises rich in all blessings and free from all euils In all things thou art great for he is the greatest that made thee and the end is most excellent for which thou wast made and thy inhabitants also are most noble for whose vse thou wast made All these pertaine to accidental glory But there is an other glory greater without all comparison which is called essentiall and consisteth in the sight and possession of God himselfe of which Saint Augustine sayth he himselfe shal be the reward of Vertue who gaue Vertue who shal be seene without end loued without loathing and praysed without wearines In so much that this reward is so great that a greater cannot be because it is neyther heauen nor earth nor sea nor any other creature but the Creator himselfe and the Lord of all who also as he is one so he is the most pure and simple good in whom all other good things are found For the further intelligence of this thing we must know that one of the wonderfull thinges which are in this substance is this that we haue spoken of that is that it being but one and the most simple yet it includeth all the perfections of all things and that in the highest eminencie of perfection For seeing that he is the Creator and maker of all and it is he that gouerneth and directeth all to their last end and perfection it cannot be that he hath not that he giueth to another or laboureth with any penury of that thing that hee so aboundantly distributeth to others Hence it is that all the blessed spirits doe reioyce in seeing all things in him alone yet euery one according to the proportion of that glory which they haue gotten For euen as now the creatures are as it were looking glasses in which the beauty of God may after some manner be seene so then God shall be the looking glasse in whom the beauty and fairenes of all creatures shall be seene and that vision shall be much more perfect then if it were seene in the creatures themselues So that God will be there the vniuersall good of all his Saints the perfect felicity and satietie of all their desires There God will be a looking glasse to the eyes of his Saints musicke to their eares Nectar Ambrosia to their palats and ordoriferous Balsanum to their smelling There we shall see the variety and beauty of the seasons the pleasantnes of the Spring the brightnes of Sommer the fruitfulnes of Autumne and the quiet of Winter To be briefe there shall be whatsoeuer may delight our sences and euery faculty of our soules There as Bernard sayth will