we may draw the detestation of sinne the care of leading a good life Chap. X. chapter 11 How a Christian is to draw out of the consideration of the diuine Iudgement a great feare of offending God that so he may fly far from it Chap. XI chapter 12 How it is very necessary ful of profit that a Christian do exercise himselfe in this holy feare accompany it with the exercise of diuine loue Chap. XII chapter 13 Of how great value and merit this holy Feare is Chap. XIII chapter 14 Of the fauours which Christ our Lord will do to the good at the day of Iudgement and of the Ioy which they shall conceaue by seeing the signes which precede that Iudgment and by beholding the glory of the Crosse which shall go before Christ our Lord. Chap. XIV chapter 15 Of the fauour which Christ our Lord will do his seruants at the day of Iudgment by separating them from the wicked Chap. XV. chapter 16 Of the fauour which Christ our Lord imparteth to his seruants at the day of Iudgment by giuing them his benediction and communicating his kingdome to them Chap. XVI chapter 17 Of the felicity which Christ our Lord will communicate to his seruants in the kingdome of heauen Chap. XVII chapter 18 Of other benefits which Christ our Lord cōmunicateth to his seruants in his heauenly kingdome and of the fruit of gratitude which we must gather from the Consideration of this reward Chap. XVIII chapter 19 How all the things of this life which are good and which giue delight do induce vs to a desire of the kingdome of heauen Chap. XIX chapter 20 How from this knowledge concerning the kingdome of Heauen which Christ our Lord will giue his seruants we are to gather a resolute purpose to fly from sinne and to fullfill the Commandments of God and to despise the commodityes of this life Chap. XX. chapter 21 How we are much to animate our selues towardes the exercise of good works considering the great estimation which Christ our Lord doth make of them at the day of Iudgement the reward which he also imparteth to them Chap. XXI THE IVDGE CHAP. I. How the office of being our Iudge doth belong to Christ our Lord as he is man and of the great benefit which God imparteth to vs in giuing him to vs to be our Iudge ALTHOVGH the indignation wrath of Christ our Lord against the wicked and the punishment which he inflicteth vpon their sins do belong to the office which he hath of being a Iudge yet so also doth it belong to him vnder the same Title to doe fauour to such as are Good to defend them to imparte benefites to them and both to expresse mercy towardes them in the Iudgment which he exerciseth vpon their faults to giue thē reward for their good deeds and for this reason it is that I wil declare the benefits and fauours which we obtaine by Christ our Lord in respect that he is our Iudge It a Why it was wholy fit for the second Person of the most holy Trinity to be our Iudg at the last day belongeth to Christ our Lord that he be our Iudge in regard that he is a man and because he tooke the nature of man vpon him as being a most conuenient thing that the Iudge be seene by all such as are to be iudged by him and that the guilty may wel vnderstand and heare the sentence that shal be giuē against them that for as much as men are composed of a body a soule they may perceaue it with their soule and heare it with the senses of their body Now if Christ our Lord as he is only God were to be the Iudge he could not then be seene by the wicked and the sentence which immediatly he should pronounce would not interiourly be perceaued by them and therefore it was fit that he should be our Iudge as man and should passe his Iudgment vpon men that so he might be seene and heard by all This Mystery was discouered to vs by Christ our Lord and Sauiour himselfe whilest he was saying Ioan. 5. The Father iudgeth no man but he hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne and he gaue him au hority to exercise Iudgement as the sonne of man That is to say Although the eternal Father haue the supreme authority and power of Iudging that to him it doth principally belong to approue reward that which is good as also to reproue and punish that which is euill the same also hath the Sonne and the holy Ghost the same as being one the same God with the Father yet the office of Iudging exteriourly and after a visible manner to be seene in the Tribunall and with the authority Maiesty of a Iudge to giue exteriourly a sentence which may sensibly be perceaued by such as are Iudged this doth only belong to the person of the Sonne of God Who by meanes of the most sacred humanity which he hath immediatly vnited to himselfe by the power which frō all eternity he hath as God and by that which in Tyme was communicated to him as man he is to make this visible and exteriour Iudgment this being an execution of the interiour inuisible Iudgmēt which is made of all the most Blessed Trinity And although this exteriour Iudgment be also ascribed to the Father and to all the Blessed Trinity as to the prime cause of all things yet he who is the immediate executour of this Iudgement is Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing God because the sacred Humanity is only vnited immediatly to the person of the Sonne that Humanity doth make this Iudgment as the instrument of Diuinity Now b An vnspeakable benefit of God who gaue vs Christ our Lord for our Iudge an immense benefit and an imcomprehensible mercy it was for God the Father to giue vs Christ Iesus for the Iu ge of our cause as he is man as he is our brother and our Sauiour If a delinquent were in prison for greiuous Crymes deseruing death and that he had a brother who most tenderly loued him and esteemed him and did so much desire his liberty and his good that to deliuer him out of prison and from death he had spent his fortune and had exposed himselfe to many troubles and euen to the hazard of death and if the king should assigne that brother of the party for the Iudge of his cause with Soueraigne power to Iudge him without appeale what kind of fauour what clemency would it be which heerin should be vsed towards that man How full of ioy and comfort would he be vpō the naming of such a Iudge How confident and secure would he make himself that the sentence would be full of pitty and as fauourable to him as possible his cause might beare Well therfore since all men according to the c From which Christ our Lord his B. Mother
the guifts of grace what kind of profit what kind of comfort will it be to haue communication with so many Saints both men and Angells in the guifts of glory O with how much reason is it sayd Psal 23. Blessed are they O Lord who dwell in thy house they shall prayse thee there through the eternity of all eternityes Amen CHAP. XVI Of the fauour which Christ our Lord imparteth to his seruants at the day of Iudgment by giuing them his benediction and communicating his kingdome to them THIS benefit and fauour is followed by another which yet is greater For the good being once separated from the wicked being plac't vpon the right hand of Christ our Lord this celestiall King shall cast towards them his most gracious countenance being all full of suauity and delight And passing his sentence of fauour on them he will say Come yee blessed of my Father The benediction of God is the good guift of God and so to be blessed by him is to be filled withal those good gifts and graces which God communicates to his seruants That is withal those principall benefits which the Saints haue heere on earth when once they are made pure and cleane from all imperfections and withall those others also which the Angells doe possesse in heauen which is more with all those goods graces which the King of heauen himselfe doth possesse and enioy For as S. Iohn affirmeth 1. Ioan. 3. When he shall appeare we shall be made like to Iesus Christ our Lord participating of his power of his beauty of his wisedome of his goodnes of his ioy of his glory He a How grace and glory proceed from God the Father and how also from the other persons of the most B. Trinity calleth them Bl ssed of his Father to declare the fountayne first ofspring from whence all the benefits of grace and glory spring and this is the eternall Father and besides because all that which the Father operateth is also the worke of God the Sonne as he is God as also it is the worke of God the holy Ghost For the Diuinity the Goodnes and the Power is the very same in all the three Persons and to attribute them all to the Father as to the first Authour of all that is good is to offer them also to the Sonne as he is God and it is also to offer them to the holy Ghost who is one God with the Father and the Sonne O happy men who are to receaue such a benediction A benediction giuen by Christ our Lord in the face of heauen and earth of all the creaturs A benediction authorized by all the most Blessed Trinity as the Authour and fountaine of the same A benediction which comprehendes all the chiefe guifts of grace al the guifts of glory A benediction full of benefits vnspeakable most high and truly heauenly which containe all the most chiefe and choice part of heauen A Benediction of eternall benefit A Benediction irreuocable which can neuer be changed as long as God shall be God! O how highly is this benediction to be esteemed O how much is it to be desired procured which maketh men so truely happy as our Lord himselfe declareth saying Come and possesse the kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world Kingdoms b The great differences which are betweene an earthly a heauenly kingdom dominions you had on earth but temporall kingdoms dominions they were of little valew cōfort or ratherful of miseries whatsoeuer they were they are now growne to an end Laying aside those miserable kingdomes which already are ended come and possesse another kingdome which is celestiall full of incomparable happines a kingdome of infinite value a kingdome which eternally shall contynue And although euery one of you is to be a king of this kingdome and is to raigne and possesse the same yet the kingdom is still but one For all of you are to be subiect and obedient but it is to be with supreme loue to this Soueraigne King in whose company you are to raigne And because all of you are to be of one hart and of one will vnited by most perfect loue in such sort that the blessings belonging to any one in particuler to be of you all so farre forth as to reioyce therin and they of you all to be of euery one to reioyce with them to whome in particuler they belonge this kingdome is also to be but one Yet still though this kingdome be but one you shall all be kings and you all shall raigne For the kingdome is infinite in the greatnes of the felicity which is possest therin and it is infinite also in the contynuance since it is eternall And to the end that you may discerne the altitude of this kingdome and the great affection wher with it is giuen you Behould it hath bene prepared for you since the beginning of the world The election c Of our election to the kingdom of heauen and the preparation which is made for vs toward the same of the inhabitants of this kingdome was made before the world was created for they were chosen and predestinated from all eternity to raigine therin But the preparing of those things which concerne this kingdome and the putting of those meanes in practice which had relation to the obteyning therof did begin at the beginning of the world From that tyme were framed those most sumptuous pallaces those most beautifull habitations and those most glorious seats and thrones where the inhabitants of this kingdom were to liue raigne Then were created and were made happy those first Cittizens of this kingdom which are the Angels who were to keepe men company therin and to augument the glory which men were to possesse in this kingdome And so also from the first begining of the world ther were gifts of graces which came to be communicated to men wherby they were to obteyne this kingdome And for God to create man and withal to communicate iustice grace to him wherby he might procure this kingdome all that was done at once from that tyme to this nothing hath beene done but to dispose and help men giue them meanes that they might come to possesse and perfectly inioy this kingdome in glory both of body and soule This is that most blessed sentence which Christ our Lord will giue in fauour of his seruants that being done he will instantly rayse them vp togeather with himselfe and will inuest them with the most glorious possession of his celestiall kingdome CHAP. XVII Of the felicity which Christ our Lord will communicate to his seruants in the kingdome of heauen LET a A most excellent most sweet most profound yet most plaine description of the ioyes of heauen throughout this whole Chapter vs yet more particulerly cōtemplate the Maiesty of this kingdome which Christ our Lord imparteth to
his seruants and of that felicity which is possest therein to the end that we may gather that fruit which it is fit for vs to feed vpon which is nothing els but the disposing of our selues to the obtayning of this kingdome by an imitation of the vertues of Christ our Lord. And b The place of the kingdome of glory first the scituation and place of this kingdome is that supreme heauen which for the glorious brightnes and splendor which is found therein is called Empyreal The altitude and capacity and beauty admirable designe the grace and suauity of this place though it be such as no tongue of flesh and bloud can declare yet to giue vs to vnderstand some part of that which there is found by a comparison of those thinges which heere we know S. Iohn describes it in the Reuelations after this manner Apoc. 21. 22. He was carryed in spirit to a mountaine which was great and very high and he saw that holy Hierusalem the celestiall Citty full of the clarity of God all built of perfect pure and most resplendent gould like cleane pure glasse It had a wall about it of Iaspar both very thicke and very high the foundations wherof were adorned with pretious stone In this wal were twelue gates and euery one of them was made of a most pretious pearle and that pearle alone did make the gate This Citty had within a very spacious open place all paued with gold most pure most resplendent in the midst of that place there was a riuer of infinite sweetnes A Temple also there was to adorne this Citty and a light to illuminate it and this Temple and Light was God himself and therfore it must needs be farre from hauing any necessity of any other Temple or Light By these wordes S. Iohn describeth the scituation of the Kingdome of heauen and the habitation of the Saints And although it be true that there are not there any of those mettalls of gold or siluer or any of these pretious stones of earth for all these thinges are poore and base and of no valew yet c We who are sensible creatures as well as spirituall must be raised towards spirituall things by such as are sensible and therefore the vse of ceremonyes and Images is very necessary he deliuereth himselfe thus that by those thinges which are the most pretious and beautifull of the earth the soule may rise to consider the greatnes beauty of heauenly thinges vnderstanding euer that those are incomparably better then these And as the whole globe of the heauens is so far exceeding the earth in greatnes that the whole earth is but as a point or in effect as nothing in comparison of the heauens so is it in all the rest as well as in greatnes And all the brightnes and beauty and sweetnes of thinges of this world being compared with those of heauen are as if they had not so much as the least being at all So that the aduantage which the habitation of heauen doth carry beyond this of the earth is such that it exceedeth all comparison For in fine such it is as is fit to be carryed by the house of the Creatour in respect of a creatures house and by the Citty of God in respect of the Citty of men and by that sphere of felicity and eternall ioy in respect of this Center of miseryes and this valley of teares The d Mans supreme happynes consisteth in the vision of God chiefe felicity which is enioyed in this soueraigne Citty by cleare vision is God himselfe His seruantes sayth S. Iohn Apoc. 22. in this Citty of God shal see his face What vnspeakable happines what Abisse what immense kind of sea of all felicity will it be to looke the Diuinity of God in the face without the interposition or interpretation of any creature To e A most sweet explication of the most blessed Trinity see that diuine essence in three persons and three diuine persons in one and the selfe same essence to see the power of the Father the wisedome of the Sonne the goodnes of the holy Ghost To see how the Father from all eternity engenders the Sonne communicating to him his diuinity and how the Father and the Sonne as one the same eternall spring or roote do by spiration giue proceeding to the holy Ghost and communicate their diuine essence to him To see how all the perfection of God is in euery one of the three diuine persons and how al the perfectiō that any one of the diuin persons hath the very same is possessed by either of the other diuine persons What kind of incomparable ioy wil that be so cleerely to behould an infinite Good which is all amiable all ful of infinite beauty of suauity and of delight And not only to see it in some manner which might be lesse excellent but to behould it with the eyes of an incorruptible soule and they most brightly clarifyed by the light of glory euerlastingly to loue it without ceasing that with a most perfect loue and to possesse it with a perpetuity of security After f Of knowledge Loue and Ioy and how they grow out of one another the rate of the knowledge of any thinge growes the loue to be and after the rate of the loue is the ioy for that which is so much beloued and that knowledge which the Saints haue of God being the greatest which can possibly be had since it is the cleare sight of God the loue must also be so great as that greater cannot be conceaued The g The motiues of loue soule is moued to loue a thing which it knowes because it is good because it is beautifull because it is profitable because it is delightfull because it concernes the soule and is after a sort belonging to it And so much more as that thing is good more beautifull more profitable more delightfull more concerning it and more belonging to it so much more doth the soule if it know that thing well and be hindered by no impediment at all delight in it and loue it with a more intense and perfect loue Well then since all these reasons and tytles motiues of loue are found to be in God with infinite perfection and the soule cleerly seeing God and meeting with no impediment which may hinder loue with what loue so intense and so immense will it be sure to loue him By h The riuers of ioy which ouerflow a soule which is in glory seeing that he is infinite goodnes there is ingēdred in the soule a most copious riuer of loue By seeing that he is infinite beauty there is produced in it another most abundant riuer of loue By seeing how full of aduantage it hath bene and is and euer will be to the soule and that in some sorte it is euen infinite there flowes from the soule another riuer of loue so wide and
and deny what he will meere opinion before the Iudgement of that Church which is is still to be instructed and taught by the holy Ghost And this sinne is of so high a nature as that vnlesse it be remoued by pennance the man in whome it liues shall No heretike without repentance can be saued dye a double death and neuer behould the face of God howsoeuer he may otherwise seeme to be a person of most holy life so ful of Charity as to sell his state and giue it all to the poore and of so valiant and Christian a hart as amongst Infidels to suffer death torments for the name of Christ For to proue that euen this will not serue the turne of an Heretike towards saluation see heere the authority of the greatest Fathers of the church coÌ„cerning this point Who The practise of the primitiue Church in this point See S. Aug. ad Quod-vult Deum the Catalogues of S. Irenaeus and S Epiphanius besids that in the way of practice the Church of their tyme did coÌ„demne many men for Heresy who held though it were but one point of doctrine in contrariety to the Catholike Church and somtymes of some such doctrine as in it selfe did not seeme to be of most importance they do also declare and that in most cleere and constant words in what certainty of damnation they are who dy in any Heresy at all Whosoeuer saith S. Cyprian D. Cypr. epist in Anton. what kinde of person soeuer a man be a No heretike is a Christian any more then only in name Christian he is not vnâ—es he be in the Church of Christ And againe Idem de vnit Eccles He belongs not to the rew rd of Christ who forsakes the Church of Christ such a one is an alien he is a prophane person he is an enemy And to this effect he also sayth if such an one should euen giue his life for the confession of the name of Christ he should yet by the Iudgement of this holy Father be condemned to the flames of Hell for his Heresy and not be receiued to the ioyes of heauen for his constancy he expresseth himself in these words Non esset illi corona fidei sed poena perfidiae S. Hierome in like manner speaking of the Church of Rome affirmeth it to be D. Hier. epist ad Dam. l. 2. The true house of Christ and that whosoeuer eateth the lambe out of that house is a prophane person and that vnles he be found in that Arke of Noe he shall be ouerwhelmed and perish in the floud S. Augustine doth also abound euery where in the profession of this truth D. Aug. tom 7. super gest câ—…m Emer vlt. med A man sayth he cannot obtaine saluation but in the Catholike Church he may haue all except saluation he may haue honour he may haue the sacrameÌ„ts he may sing Alleluia he may answere Amen he may belieue the Ghospell he may be baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost but no where can he haue saluatioÌ„ but in the Catholike Church D. Augu. tom 7. de vnit Eccl. vlt. med No man cometh saith he to saluation and life eternall but he that hath Christ for his head and no man can haue Christ for his head who is not in his body which is the Church Idem tom 3. de fide symb Heretikes by belieuing falsely of God do violate the faith and Schismatikes by their wicked dissentions flye of from fraternall charity although they belieue as we do And therefore neither doth the Heretike belonge to the catholike Church because he belieueth not God nor the Schismatike because he loueth not his Neighbour Let The schismatik hath no Charity and the Heretike hath neither Charity nor Fayth Idem tom 7. de Bapt. cont Don. l. 4. c. 18. vs suppose that a man were chast and contynent not couetous no worshiper of Idolls but full of hospitality no enemy to any man nor contentious but patient quiet not emulating or enuying any body but sober and frugall but yet withall that he were an heretike and there can no doubt be made but No Heretike can be saued though he be neuer so vertuous otherwise Idem tom 4. l. 1. de serm Do. in monte c. 9. that for this only That he is an Heretike he shall not possesse the kingdome of heauen It is not sayd alone Blessed are they who suffer persecution but these words are added for iustice sake Now where No heretike or schismatike can be a Martyr Tom. 1. de fide ad Petrum c. 39. true Fayth is not there can be no Iustice because the Iust man liues in Fayth Neither yet set Schismatikes promise themselues any thing thereby because where there is no Charity neither can there be any Iustice For Charity towards ones Neighbour doth worke no euill which Charity if they did possesse they would not teare the body of Christ which is his Church Belieue Some doubt whether this book be of S. Augustin or of S. Fulgentius who liued within 40. yeares after S. Augustine most firmely and haue no manner of doubt but that euery Heretike and Schismatike though baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost if he returne not to the Catholike Church how great Euen the giuing al in alms and suffering death for the name of Christ wil not deliuer an heretique from damnation Almes soeuer he distribute yea and though he shed his bloud for the name of Christ he can by no meanes be saued For neither Baptisme nor most liberall almes nor death endured for the name of Christ can auaile any man to saluation who holdeth not fast the vnity of the Catholike Church and so long as any How small soeuer that be hereticall or schismaticall iniquity which leadeth men to destruction remayneth in him These are they amongst many others whome God hath giuen to his Church as lightes whereby all good Christians may be guided towardes their saluation and take heed thou be not so miserable as to follow any ignis fatuus insteed of them for thy error in this life will import thee no lesse then thy eternall damnation in the next FAVLTS escaped in the Printing Page Line Fault Correction â—… 10. intention attention â—… vlt. fo of â—… 1. interiourly exteriourly â—… 12. he is to make deleatur he â—…9 10 vnanswerable vnanswerably â—… 3. to friend to that friend â—… 13. and for zeale and zeale of â—… 1. whither wither â—… 7. for thus for this â—…8 13. infinity infinite â—…9 13. guifts gusts â—… 14. Sathan that deleatur that â—… 16. is infinite is an infinite â—…1 10. is hauing is their hauing â—bid 11. then being their being â—…0 7. by all by ill â—…3 17. my pennance deleatur my
his handes and the diuine words of his mouth As for the memory we shal be questioned if we haue vsed it in calling our Lord God to mind togeather with his presence his goodnes his power and all his benefits and mercies We shal be arraigned vpon the point of our Will if perhaps it haue beene busyed in the loue and estimation and desire of God and the accomplishment of his Law and of his will and in the search of all those thinges which concerne the glory of our Lord God We shall b We shall not only giue account of our sinnes the faculties of our mind but also of the senses of our body and of the vse of all Gods creatures giue account of how we put the senses of our body on worke if we imployed our eyes vpon behoulding this fabrike of the world and these Heauens and Elements and the other works of God that so behoulding in these creaturs the trace and sent which they carry in them of all his diuine perfections we may raise our selues vp by them So to consider with our soules the power and the wisedome and the goodnes and the beauty of God and by this meanes to loue and praise him with our whole harts So also if we imployed our ears to hear the words of the true God and those instructions and doctrines admonitions and examples which were profitable to the soule and in hearing the sweet musicke of mans voice and of the instruments which he can vse of the birds also of the ayre so to stir our selues vp towardes deuotion to contemplate the much sweetnes of that Celestiall musicke and so to loue and esteeme the blessinges of heauen And concerning the Smell if we imployed it onely vpon those things which are necessary for mans life through the sent of creaturs if we aspir'd towardes the sweet sauour of vertues and of good example of the glory of the next life So also for the Tongue if it was mouing in the prayse of our Lord God in offering him deuout prayers in learning and teaching those thinges which are necessary both for our selues and our Neighbours and in discouering and confessing our sinnes for the obtayning of pardon and redresse thereof and in taking but that food which was necessary for the sustenance of our life and in drawing out of the gust sauour of corporal meate a consideration and feeling of the vnspeakeable sweetnes and sauour of those spirituall foods of grace and glory So also if we haue imployed the sense of Feeling with our handes and all the rest of our body vpon the onely taking of those thinges which were necessary for the same body and profitable for our soule and for our Neighbours and for the vse of our life and for the exercise of the workes of Charity and Mercy This good vse of all the powers of our souls senses of our body doth our Lord God demaund of vs when he saith Deut. 4. Keepe thy selfe and keepe thy soule with great care and of this are we to make a very exact accompt in his diuine Iudgement Wee shall also giue accompt in the same Iudgment of all our sinnes of speach such as are vaine Oathes Reproaches murmurations cursings scoffing of our neighbours and words of anger and impatience of lying of sowing discord Of these and others which are either lasciuious or curious or vaine of euery idle word saith Christ our Redeemer Matt. 12. shall men giue accompt in the day of Iudgment and that word goeth for idle which is neither necessary nor profitable Accompt must also be giuen of all sinnes of deed such as are disobedience to parents and other Superiours reuenge ill in treaty of our neighbours dishonesty iniustice vsurping detayning the goods of others against right vnlawfull bargaines pride in gouernement excesse in the furniture of houses of clothes of expences otherwise and in the intertainemēt of seruants excesse also in dyet in play and in other superfluous and vaine things Of all these and of all other euill deeds accompt must be giuen as Ecclesiastes saith Eccles 12. All things which are done by man both good bad shall be presented in that diuine Iudgemēt to be there examined for euery work which shal be found erroneous and ill he shal be punished We shall giue accompt of al our thoughts such as are rash Iudgmēt consents which are giuen to reuenge or els vncleanes or voluntary delights in any thing which is ill or to inward hatred or in fine to thoughts which are vnprofitable For as the Wise man saith Sap. 1 God will examine iudge the thoughts of the wicked Besides this we shall giue c A point of great moment and little thought on accompt of our sinnes of Omission which are the most in number and ly most hidden from our sight For hauing forborne to pray to read good bookes to fast to performe other penances and mortifications and to confesse and communicate For hauing omitted to do the workes of Iustice and mercy in certaine cases and at certaine tymes when either some particuler precept or the great necessity of doing those workes did oblige vs to them For hauing fayled to comply with many dutyes of our calling and offices to which we were bound by the obligations either of God or man We shall giue accompt how we haue profitted by those spirituall and supernaturall graces which God hath giuen vs such as are his Sacraments the guifte of Fayth the Doctrine of the Ghospell good Sermons holy exampls vertuous conuersations the admonitions and reprehensions of our Superiours and Ghostly Fathers and the interiour inspirations which God hath giuen vs. We shall giue account how we haue vsed our naturall and temporall benefits as namely our Health if we haue imployed it vpon the seruice of that Lord who gaue it Our Tyme if we haue spent it profitably our Reputation if we vsed it to the glory of God and the good of our Neighbour Our Estate temporal goods if we haue imployed them onely to the succour of the true necessities of our selues our family and our neighbours and of those things which are profitable to the life of a Christian man and to the honest Condition of euery one The accompt which is to be giuen for these sinnes of Omission and the punishment which is allotted to them Christ our Lord declared in that Parable of the Talents when he told that vnprofitable seruant that the Talent which God gaue him which are his naturall and spirituall guifts as also his temporall goods was not well imployed by him nor vsed in those workes which were agreable to God and he said thus to him Matt. 25. Thou negligent and wicked seruant since thou sayst that I am rigorous and that I expect more then I laid out why didst thou not put out that Talent to profit which I gaue thee That is why didst thou not make
sayd to be very wisedome it selfe because it imbraceth wisedome it locketh it vp and it doth perfect and increase it For he that hath this feare hath the guift of holy wisedome togeather with it which is that principall guift of the holy Ghost wherby God is knowne and loued And through the exercise of this holy feare this guift is increased and for this reason the Wiseman sayth of this feare Prou. 14. That it is the fountaine of life because it giueth spirituall life to the soule and from thence do spring the workes of life since they be such as are e throgh the grace of God in Christ our Lord throgh his promise meritorious of eternall life For they who after this manner do feare God as Ecclesiasticus sayth Eccles 18. do procure with diligeÌ„ce to please God in all things Let vs therfore much and many tymes coÌ„sider this diuine IudgmeÌ„t that so we may draw a holy Feare from thence and grow therin and conserue our selues therby in a vertuous life so long as we shall contynue in this pilgrimage so doth Saint Peter aduise vs saying 1. Pet. 2. If you call him Father as indeed he is who is also our God and our Lord and who as a most righteous Iudge shall iudge reward euery one according to his workes most iust and reasonable it is that during all the tyme of our being in pilgrimage in this world as persons who are banished from the house of our Father we should liue in such feare as becommeth his children CHAP. XII How it is very necessary ful of profit that a Christian doe exercise himselfe in this holy Feare and accompany it with the exercise of diuine loue BVT to this one a A doubt coÌ„cerning the exercise of the actes of Feare and Loue cleerely solued may say by way of question Since the act exercise of the Loue of God is more excellent and acceptable then that of Feare why is it not better to exercise our selues alwaies in the loue of God and in the consideration of his benefits and mercies and of his goodnes and Loue and the rest of his deuine perfections which may induce vs to loue then to be considering his diuine Iudgment and the paines of Hell which oblige vs to feare To b The first answere this I say first That the act exercise of loue is more excellent and acceptable to God then any other act of vertue when that loue of God is cleane and pure from faults from selfe loue But c Take heed thou walke not in the way of spirit without aduice if a person shal only giue himselfe to the exercise of diuine loue for as much as â—oue doth cause a kind of security and comfort to the soule a man may grow from thence many tymes to be slacke in vertue forward to commit faults and come to be remisse in doing of pennance and mortifications and admit of certaine delicacies and so increase in selfe loue And he may also come to presume vpon himselfe conceauing that he doth greatly loue God and by that very meanes he goes disposing himselfe to loose the same loue of God by coÌ„mitting veniall sinnes by increasing in them he arriueth also to fall at last into mortall sinne wherby he doth wholy loose loue and grace But in the meane tyme this negligence which grew to end in mortall sinne doth not grow from that very loue of God which of it selfe is all good and perswadeth vs also to all good but d So weake is man that he may well be suspected euen wheÌ„ he meaneth best it groweth from the infirmity of maÌ„ and from his bad inclination and so it is wholly the fault of man who as he vseth many other things ill so also he vseth ill the loue of God It is therfore both very profitable and very fit euen necessary that the good Christian do ioyne the holy Feare of God to the loue of him and that as he is to exercise himselfe in some considerations which may moue him to loue God so also he may exercise himself in some other which may moue him to feare him And although it be true that at the first when a man is but begining to serue God it is more necessary that he bestowe himselfe more vpon the consideration of feare then that of loue yet is it also very conuenient euen for them who haue beene long in his seruice and are very well aduaunced therin that although their cheife practice may be in the exercises of the loue of God yet that many tymes also they do intertaine themselues in the thoughtes of his diuine Feare and vpon those considerations which may help them to it And e The remedy of this danger thus accompaning this holy Feare with the loue of God the inconuenience and daunger losse wherof we haue spoken wil cease which yet will be sure to grow through the frailty of man if he shall onely imploy himselfe in the exercises and considerations of loue For this Feare when it is ioyned with loue keepeth a man from being negligent in Gods seruice and it leaues no place for any faults to be coÌ„mitted against God how veniall and light soeuer they be and it keepes him from giuing ouer his penances and mortifications or from vsing tepidity therein Nay it causeth him to contynue them with care least els he should indeed grow tepide it teacheth him to humble and despise himselfe giuing no place to pride but fearing still his owne frailty and the Iudgement of God Al this is wrought by this holy feare the same is witnessed by Ecclesiasticus who saith Eccles 1. The feare of God driues sin away from the soule It driues it away by penance after it is committed it driues it away by caution and resistence of temptation before it is coÌ„mitted And in another place he saith He that feareth God is negligent in nothing but feare makes him carefull and watchfull towards euery thing that is good For this did the Apostle S. Paul when he was perswading Christians to procure the purity and sanctity of their soules by efficacious secure certaine means aduise theÌ„ to help themselues heerein with the holy feare of God saying Let vs cleanse our selues from all vncleanes both of flesh and spirit 2. Cor. 7. That is to say from all sinne as well that which may be committed by these exteriour powers of our body togeather with the consent of the mind as that other which is committed by the onely consent of the mind without the body And let vs perfect our sanctification which is that purity sanctity which we receiued either in baptisme or by penance Let vs go conseruing increasing it with good workes and by the exercise of vertue and by continual reuewing our watchfulnes and care in flying al that is offensiue to God And let vs do all this with a
the other elements and framed by the will of man out of mettall and wood and other mateâ—…alls of this world do cause such â—ontentment and ioy in the hart â—f man by the sight therof that for â—…is sight they endure and suffer much and make long iourneys and much expence what comfort and ioy shall it be for the cleere eyes of the soule being strengthned by supernaturall force and light to behould that beauty of the Angels and blessed spirits yea and the beauty of God himselfe If to heare with our corporall eares that Musicke which is made by the voyce of a man and of other instrumeÌ„ts of Musicke doth impart such sweetnes as that a man will remaine many houres as if his soule were euen suspended and he is content to loose both his food and rest for this earthly gust what sweetnes will it be for those inhabitants of heauen with the eares of their soule to heare those consorts melodious songes wherwith all the Quires of the Angells do praise and glorify Almighty God And to heare that most gratious voyce wherwith the same God doth comfort and recreate all those blessed soules discouereth to them his Loue togeather with the secrets of his very hart And to heare also eueÌ„ with the ears of their bodies the sound of that praise and thanksgiuing wherwith all those men who are to be made happy after their Resurrection shall glorify Almighty God giue ioy to the whole court of heauen A man c We haue reason to aspire to eternall glory since nothing of this life can queÌ„ch our thirst who considereth and pondereth by these and such other discourses both of reason and faith the greatenes of these celestiall blessings and who findeth that neither the naturall appetite of reason and much lesse the supernaturall which he hath being caused in him by grace is satisfied or contented or quieted by al the benefits and gusts and delights of the earth but that euen whilst he hath them he becometh more hungry more discontent and more vnquiet then he was before that onely he can be satisfied by the delights and gusts which are in heauen will be induced vpon this motiue to desire the happines of heauen with a most vehement ardour of minde And he is animated and encouraged to begge it of God and to sigh and grone for it continually and he sayth with Dauid Psal 41. As the Hart with being chased and tired and hauing deadly thirst desires the waters and goes panting vp and downe in search therof so my soule being ouerwrought by the miseries of this life desireth thee o my God hath a mighty thirst and an vnsatiable appetit towards thee who art the fountaine of the liuing water both of grace glory which can only satisfie and appease my whole appetit How longe o Lord am I to liue in this place of banishment When wil it be granted me that being freed from the miseries of this exile I may present my selfe before thee and behould thee face to face and enioy thy presence in the society of those happy soules And as longe as this sentence of banishement lies vpon me that the sight of thy Diuinity is deferred I take contentment in nothing but spending of sighes and shedding of teares day and night throgh the excessiue desire that I haue to be with thee and by these teares my soule is comforted mantained Thus did Dauid and all those holy Patriarcks and Prophets and great seruants of God of the old Testament aspire sigh and groane with vehement desire of this celestiall beatitude And much more and with more reason did the Saints of the newe Testament performe the same and so should all true Christians do First because till the passion of Christ our Lord was past the Saints how fully soeuer they were purged from all sinne and paine went not yet to heauen but to the Lymbus of the holy Fathers where they staid froÌ„ entring into heaueÌ„ till the redemption of the world were accomplished by Christ our Lord. But since his death all they who are purified either in this life or in the other do instantly rise vp to the possessioÌ„ of euerlasting beatitude And secondly now in tyme of the lawe of grace the guifts of the holy Ghost are more aboundantly communicated to the faithfull so they receiue more consolations and spirituall ioy and haue more gust feeling and experience of celestiall graces and do more perfectly vnderstand the height the value and the maiesty therof and consequently they desire them more with more ardour of affectioÌ„ then did the Saints of the old Testament It doth also increase this desire in the tyme of the lawe of grace to knowe that heauen is full of blessed creatures who are of the race of mankinde and who are expecting vs there and do greatly desire our Society For by the entry which any one of the elect doth make into heauen the glory of God is increased who is far more beloued and praised and glorified by the iust in heauen then on earth and so also doth the accidentall ioy and glory of euery one of the elect increase vpon the arriuall of any other But much more then they altogether doth d This reason would extremely oblige vs though ther were no other Christ our Lord who redeemed saued vs by his death desire to haue vs there with him Both because he loueth vs much more then they all are able to do as also for that by the entry of the elect into heauen and by the possession which theÌ„ is giuen theÌ„ of that kingdome the whole fruit of his passion and death is gathered all that is perfected and established which he did and suffred for vs heere that so he might make vs completely happy be like to himselfe in glory be partakers of his heauenly kingdome and in fine to make vs such as that togeather with him we may perfectly prayse and glorify and enioy his eternall Father For these reasons doth he much desire to see vs in heauen and when that desire of his is satisfyed by the ascent which any of the elect maketh thither that most sacred soule of our Lord doth receaue a new delight ioy which belongeth to his accidentall glory For as that kind of glory may increase in any of those other Blessed Spirits so may it also do in the most glorious Humanity of Christ our Lord. CHAP. XX. How from this knowledge concerning the Kingdome of Heauen which Christ our Lord will giue his seruaÌ„ts we are to gather a resolute purpose to fly from sinne and to fullfill the Commandments of God to despise the commodityes of this life THE a The consideration of eternall glory must awake vs to hate fly from sinne third and the principall vse which we are to make of this our knowledge and estimation and desire of heauenly beatitude is a stout and resolute minde and