and bracelets are tokens of loue whose true proofe is the worke saith S. GREGORIE and is not the worke signified by the arme and hand the principall instruments of operation Now in euery well-ordered marriage the Bride receaues some dowrie of the Bridegroome whervpon in this great Sacrament of IESVS CHRIST and his Church and the faithfull Soule which is a member of this Church the misticall body of our Sauiour the Doctors doe assigne dowries to the soule which enters into Glorie according to that doctrine of ISAIE our Lord hath clothed me with garments of saluation and hath adorned me with a chayne as his Spouse And that of S. IOHN in his Apocalipse who compares the triumphant Hierusalem to a Bride well deckt being so adorned by her spouse And touching those dowries in particular they reduce them to three heades conformably to the three powres of the Soule and to the three Diuine vertues which God infuseth herebelow into the hearts of the faithfull Faith Hope and Charitie For they say that the Memorie is endowed with the possession of God which doth referre to Hope The vnderstanding with vision or knowledge in reward of Faith and the Will with the Diuine Fruition in recompence of Charitie This is the triple band which in Heauen shall inseparably tye vs to God a heauenly band which can neuer be broken Touching the qualities of the glorified bodies LIV. LEt 's now make a passage Athanasia from the interiour to the exteriour from the felicitie of the Soule to that of the body and let vs say that to those dowries which I haue deciphered in the former stroke admirable qualities shall be adioyned which without distroying the beeing of the bodie shall worke wonderfull changes and make them far more noble then they are in this mortall life We shall all rise againe saith the Apostle that is as well the Elect as the Reprobate but all shall not experience this happie change for the bodies of the dāned shall remayne passible heauie grosse and darke but the bodies of the Blessed shall become impassible subtile light and resplendant And to these foure qualities it is that the Doctors haue reduced the dowries of the glorious bodies Impassibilitie is a qualitie which shall make the body of an incorruptible temper not obnoxious to change exempt from hungar thrist cold heate greife infirmitie and from euery thing that can subiect vs to death or paine Glorified bodies cannot burne nor suffer in the fire nor be drowned in the water In a word nor can the tooth of Tyme nor any other force distroye them They shall enioy a continuall youth like to a flowre that cannot fade a vigorous health against which sicknesse can attempt nothing a qualitie of the heauenly bodies that suffer no alteratiō Which made the Apostle say that that which was sowen in corruption he meanes the corps layed in the graue shall ryse incorruptible and that which is mortall shall put-on immortalitie And againe the dead shall rise to incorruption The second dowrie is subtiltie which shall indewe the body as it were with a spirituall qualitie I doe not say that it shall become spirit for that is the errour of some auncient Heretikes refuted by S. AVGVSTINE in his bookes of the Citie of God nor yet that the glorious body shall be made aire an Heresie which S. GREGORIE in his Morales ascribes to EVTICHIVS Bishope of Constantinople but I say its subtiliti◠shall be so great that it shall passe through another body as through Heauen and earth which the Maisters tearme Penetration of dimensions And of this dowrie is vnderstoode that of the Apostle this sensible body shall rise againe spirituall that is resembling the spirit in sundrie things yet in such a spiritualitie as shall not depriue it of its palpabilitie according to that saying of our Sauiour to his disciples after his resurrection touch and see a spirit hath nether flesh nor bones as you see me haue And the same Sauiour did shew the subtiltie of his glorious body while he issued out of his Tombe not opening it and entred into the Hall where the Apostles were the gates being shutt The third qualitie shall be an incredible Agilitie and such as S. AVGVSTINE teacheth that the body shall be where the Spirit desireth not that this motion saith S. THOMAS is performed in an instant and without a meane but that the swiftnes of the passage shall be in a sort imperceptible and like to that of fire or lightning as saith the wiseman For the rest saith ISAIE they run without labour and trauell as far as they list without being wearie at all because this body sowen in infirmitie shall rise againe saith the Apostle in such vigour a vigour which S. THOMAS takes for Agilitie or Mobilitie that it shall be indefatigable and shall performe in a smale tyme an incredible iorney The fourth and most noble dowrie shall be Brightnes of which it is said in S. MATHEW that the Iust shall shine like the Sunne in the Kingdome of their heauenly Father and againe that they should flie like sparkes as it is in the wiseman And S. PAVLE writing to the Corinthians assures them that that which is sowen in infirmitie shall rise vp in glorie that is in brightnes according to S. THOMAS his interpretation grounding vpon the same Apostle who saith presently after as one starre differs from another in brightnes so shall the glorious bodies differre after their resurrection And the same Apostle speaking to the Philippians tells thē that our Lord will reforme the body of our humilitie and will cōforme it to his brightnes a brightnes wherof he gaue a proofe in his Transfiguration vpon the Mount-Thabor of his Agilitie by walking vpon the waters of his subtiltie in his birth and of his impassibilitie escapeing often tymes without hurt out of the hands of the Iewes who one while would stone him at another tyme would throw him headlōg downe while as yet the tyme of his suffering death for our sake was not arriued The pleasure of the Senses LV. THe glorious bodie being in this sort as it were transformed by the foure qualities which I haue touched in the former stroke O Athanasia iudge you how exquisite the pleasures of the senses shall be which they shall enioy in Organes so perfectly well disposed It is a delightfull question in Diuinitie to know whether the dowrie of impassibilitie shall exclude the act of the senses which S. THOMAS deneyes by no lesse solide then subtile arguments and shewes contrariwise that the perfection of those qualities shall render the pleasures of the Senses more pure and their delightes more excellēt He seemes to make some exception of the Sēse of tasteing for that the Kingdome of Heauen being nether meate nor drinke but ioy and Peace in the Holy Ghost and the beatified body stāding in no neede of foode to sustaine it he thinkes that this Sense made to relish meates remaynes vnprofitable and he would
eternall fire For at last in the periode of our life when as tyme shall be no more to vs certaine it is that God will examen our workes be they good or bad and according to them will reward each one Then euery ones prayse or blame shall proceede from the mouth of God Now we are in the forked way of vertue or vice which was shewen to the young Hercules as an Auncient Authour writeth It is in our power to take towards the right or left hand and to sowe the seedes in this life whose fruites we shall gather in the next Certes as the lines drawen from the Center of the earth might goe to the circumfereÌ„ce of the Heauens so according to our comportment in these short momentes which we are to liue in earth the definitiue Sentence of our eternall Abode shall be giuen It is our part therfore tymely to thinke of our affaires and to foresee what shall become of vs for the scripture doth teach vs that we shall reape according as we haue sowen He that shall sow in spirit shall reape eternall life The chaste Susanna being pinched with bitter perplexities while those two infamous firebrands of dishonestie threatned her the ruine of her reputation vnlesse she condescended to their lewd desire chowsed rather to fall innoceÌ„t into the hands of men then stayned into his to whom nothing is hid who tryes the hearts and reynes and who can cast the body and soule into eternall torments Me thinkes sure each considerate heart will take her part and will pourchace at the price of transitorie and momentarie pleasures endlesse paines For t is a thinge too horrible to fall into the hands of the liueing God the God of vengeance terrible ouer all those of the earth Contrariwise he will easely and willingly imbrace all kind of paynes and sufferances who shall waigh as he ought that is in the waightes of the SANCTVARIE these words of the sacred ORACLE That we are to enter into the Kingdome which knowes no end to the resideÌ„ce of Glorie through many tribulations since that our Sauiour Iesus Christ was as it were forced to suffer before he could enter into his eternall Felicitie which he had wholy obtayned and which was necessarily due vnto him The Parobolicall historie of the wicked Rich-man and the poore Lazarus is a rich Table representing this truth vnto our eyes set out in liuelie colours Euerie one knowes the different successe of the one and the other and what answere Father Abraham made to this miserable reprobate's complaintes Call to mynd Sonne that thou tookest thy pleasures during thy life and that Lazarus suffered many afflictions Now your estates are much changed for he is replenished with ioy and delight and thou oppressed with desperate greeues and with punishments which shall neuer end O double Eternitie thou art like to those figues which were presented vnto the Prophete wherof some were strangly bitter the others extreamely sweete The Blessed Eternitie is a LAND OF PROMISSE and rest whose fruites are of an vnmeasurable greatnes and incomparable sweetnes The accursed is a forraine Region full of disorder a daunting desert far remoued from the face of God where the firie serpents doe stinge without cure and kill without all hope of recouerie O ETERNITIE The more I consider thee the lesse doe I know thee and the deeper I endeauour to diue into thy bottome more bottomelesse I find thee Thou art the floode of the Prophete which cannot be past nether at the ford nor otherwise The Gyantes grone vnder thy waters nor can any beaste euen though it were an ElephaÌ„t passe ouer thee by swiming to vse S. Gregories words All that can be said of thee is nothing in regard of that which should be said Though a man speake all he is able yet can he not sufficiently expresse thee euen to represent the least stroke of thyne infinitie Birdes although they cannot soare to the highest region of the aire leaue not for all that to flie And what if we cannot comprehend Eternitie yet ought we not cease to speake what we conceaue of it though we cannot conceaue what we ought to speake therof A man may enioy the light of the Sunne walke in its resplendant rayes and now and then steale a looke vpon it though he be not able to haue his sight still fixed vpon its globe We are to doe the like in this subiect of Eternitie and be it that our sight doth disperse and loose it selfe in the immensitie of its extent yet are we from tyme to tyme to consider it since life is â—ent vs for no other end but to be spent for the most part in this attention This is that which the Prophete termes couragiously to attend God and with patience to supporte this attention And the Apostle To attend the blessed hope of the coming of the great God I Lord said the great S. Augustine burne cute pinch slice here below so that I may not perish eternally An enterie to the consideration of the accursed Eternitie XXI BVt doe you not thinke it high tyme Athanasia that we should draw neerer by the consideration of both the Eternities and that for our spirituall profit we should make a kind of particular examen and as it were an Anatomie We will begin at the accursed Eternitie that we may follow the methode which the Spiritualistes obserue in the reformation of the soule begining with feare according to that of the wise man the feare of our Lord is the begining of true wisdome And is it not true wisdome to thinke seriously and tymely of eternall saluation and to direct our stepps towards the pathes of this peace which passeth all vnderstanding nor shall at any tyme be troubled with the noyse of warrs but shall enioy with God the abundance of a plentifull repose I haue done Iudgement and Iustice that is I haue behaued my selfe iustly in all myne actions saith the Royall Prophete Will you haue the reason of this vprightnesse because I haue dreaded the seueritie of the eternall Iudge And another Prophete brings in Sinners conuerted to the father of mercyes speaking in this wise O Lord through thy feare we haue conceaued good pourposes and by it we haue at length produced and brought forth the spirit of saluation The needle following the Contemplatiues worne similitude goes alwayes through before the silke and sharpe and pearceing FEARE according to that word of Dauid Lord pearce my body and soule with the FEARE of thy iudgements is still the forerunner of ioy ioy the inseparable fruite of the tree of true Charitie I see then that there I must begin but a secrete horrour doth fasten vpon myne imagination when I represent vnto my selfe so mournfull and daunting a matter It is a far other thing theâ— that place of horrour and vaste solitude wherof the Prophete speakes for it is the verie herbour of eternall horrour eternall reproach It is the accursed denne where DEATH doth eternally inhabite
reuelations represent vnto vs this heauenly Sion as a Citie all of gold and precious stones these being but shadowes of its true greatnes since the Heauens which we discouer with the Sunne and all the other starrs are but the pauement of the eternall firmament the inhabitants wherof treade vnder their feete the front of the brightest starrs All this vniuers the obiect and wonderment of the beholding eye and all this great world which hath so many louers and admirers is but a miserable stable full of dunge and durt in comparison of this seate of glorie of God's elect the God of the Elect. O great Apostle how good reason thou hadst in contemplation of this eternall Felicitie which consists in the sight of the true God and of that IESVS which he sent to esteeâ—â— all the rest durt and dung These visible heauens which in so high a strayne sing the glorie of their maker These nights and dayes which doe proclame his prayses through all the earth and so many wonderfull works which doe rayse our mynds by sense towards the greatnes of this Architect who sustaines this great bulke with three fingars are but the footstooles of the Throne of the eternall SalomoÌ„ and stayres onely by which we mount to his glorie If we should here giue bridle to our consideration and permit our mynd to walke through the multitude of different creatures which by their varietie doe so beautifie the face of the vniuers doe you not thinke Athanasia that it would be a course of too long a breath and such as was a subiect to so many the pens of antiquitie amongst others S. BASILS S. AMBROSES and ORIGENS in their Exam. and the Expounders of Genesis Let vs content our selues to draw from this spacious prospect this inference If the world a place of Nature be a Stage wherin is presented so many pleasant things how rauishing shall those beauties be which God shall manifest vnto his friends in the Mansion of his glorie the Paradice of his delightes If he permit the wicked his enemies such as offend him to inioy in this visible world so many delightes and pleasures what will he coÌ„municate to those whom he daignes to crowne with his heauenly and eternall fauours in the State of glorie A Stoicall Philosopher speaking of the felicitie of blessed soules according to the light of nature obscured with the shadowes of Paganisme could say that as much difference as there is betwixt the dungeon of a womans wombe and this great world so much is there betweene the wonders of this heaueÌ„ly beatitude of vertuous soules departed from their bodies and the greatest beauties which are seene in heauen and earth To what length are we to driue this dissimilitude we that are enlightened with the light of fayth and taught by so many faithfull promises as are contayned in the Scripture touching this blessed and vnconceauable Eternitie O Israel how goodly are thy tabernacles how delightfull thy Pauillions gardens watered with floods and fountaines are not so florishing nor are the vallies abounding with fruite so aboundant These are the words of a Prophete who yet doth but sparingly expresse the delightes of this happie Abode where the light is continuall and the dayes without nightes by reason of Gods presence who is wholy light and who doth not suffer those that doe follow and adore him to remayne in darknesse Wherevpon the spirits which doe serue before his Throne are called Angells of light It is a resplendant Residence not standing in need of those tortches the Sunne and Moone which are onely made to giue light to this low and elementarie world the heauenly Lambe being the Lampe which doth lighten the eternall Sion A Residence where the flowres doe continually accompaignie the fruites and where the extreamitie of heate and cold are banished to make place to an agreeable temperature and farr other then that earthly Paradice a garden of delight wherin were placed our first Parents created in originall Iustice A Residence in conclusion wholy constant and of an eternall durance From whence death is excluded and the qualities subiect to bring in alteration and change are banished and where all the inhabitants shall in some sort be made participant of the immutabilitie of God This stabilitie is in my opinion as it were the crowne of this faire place euen in that name farr differing froÌ„ the figure of this world which incessantly slides away not vnlike to ones shape in a mirrour which in an instant is both form'd and past according to S. IAMES O Citie of peace ô triumphant Hierusalem ô Court of the eternall Salomon when shall we come when shall we appeare before the face of this King of glorie when shall we be led into his Cellers when shall we passe through thy peaceable gates gates dearer to God then all the Tabernacles of IACOB O delightfull Abode ô wishfull Residence if euer I forgett thee let me not onely forget my right hand but euen my selfe for if I loose thee am I not eternally lost without all hope of redresse or mercy Of the essentiall happines of the blessed XLIII BVt you will aske me Athanasia what will be the highest point of the glorie of those that doe inhabite this place of delightes O my deare soule if neuer mortall ey saw what they see how doe you thinke I shall be able to expresse it with tongue or pen Is it in your opinion any thing which can fall within the compasse of a discours or can be put downe vpon paper Howbeit we will declare vnto you that which we haue discouered by the obscure light of faith rather in a glasse after a darke sort then openly face to face which is reserued for the next life as a reward for hauing beleeued it without seeing it It is therfore the constant doctrine of the Catholike Church that the essence of the eternall glorie doth consiste in the sight of the soueraigne well-beloued in the loue of the soueraigne well-beholden doe you vnderstand these few words well Athanasia which doe lay open vnto you all that you are to beleeue in this matter of the essentiall felicitie of the Blessed For leauing a part all the thornie disputes and contestations of the schoole vpon this point of the vision of the vnderstanding or of the fruition of the will the principall faculties of the soule wherin doth reside the happinesse of this supreme glorie whose obiect is God Omitting I say their debate who will place Beatitude in an act of the vnderstanding and theirs that will haue it to consist in an Act of the will we will follow the comon consent of Doctors and all the schooles who reiecting in this behalfe all partialitie haue now for a comon Maxime That it consistes in two actes of the vnderstanding and will grownding therin vpon the Scripture which now assignes the one now the other and somtymes both together As when we reade that eternall life is to know one onely God And againe
That we see now obscurely but in glorie face to face And in S. IOHN we shall see him such as he is which doth sufficiently proue that supreme felicitie consisteth in the intimate vision of God When againe we marke this passage thy Elect ô Lord shall be drunk with the aboundance of thy house and thou shall giue them to drinke of the torrent of pleasure And in the Ghospell enter into the ioy of thy Lord. And againe your ioy shall not be taken from you by which is sufficiently showen what part the will is to haue in the essentiall glorie And who would not gather hence that it consisteth in the vision and fruition of the two faculties God who is infinitly greater then our harts filling them both with vnimaginable delightes being in qualitie of Soueraigne Truth the obiect of our vnderstanding and as he is the Soueraigne Good the obiect of our will its repose and Center But when the Psalmist sings Taste and see how sweete is our Lord doth he not ioyne them both together being no lesse proper to the will to taste then to the vnderstāding to see and herein we follow the interpretation of the learned HVGH OF S. VICTOR And yet after the same Diuine Psalmist had said thou shall giue them to drinke of the torrent of pleasure doth he not add and in thy light we shall see light This opinion is cōfirmed by a Bull of Benetts the twelueth who defines that the soules of the Elect are blessed by these actes of seeing and enioying And the Romane Cathechisme put out by the Councell of Trents order placeth essentiall Beatitude in the vision and fruition of God It were an easie thing to show that the auncient Fathers of the Church placed the essentiall beatitude sometymes in the one sometymes in the other Power and sometymes also ioyntly in both but the breuitie which I proposed vnto my selfe from which I doe insensibly stray makes me cut of many peeces of those great Oracles which would wonderfully beautifie this stroke Le ts soberly content our selues with this smale reason If the Blessed soule did not imbrace the heauenly Spouse in his glorie with both her armes which are the vnderstanding and will doubtlesse she would not be wholy satisfied for who knowes not euen by experience that the will is not carried with lesse bent toward Good then the vnderstanding towards the Truth Whence I gather that necessarily her desire must be replenished with all sorts of good things according as the Scripture doth teach vs and the ensuing strokes will giue vs more amply to vnderstand Therfore to speake properly essentiall Beatitude doth consiste in the perfect vnion of the soule to God being made as the Apostle tearmes it one selfe same spirit with him which is done in the soule by Gods inward penetration called by the Diuines nor can we expresse it in any other terme an illaps which me thinkes vpon necessitie we may make vse of in our tongue as well as of the word Relaps finding that nether more rude nor more improper then this which is receaued and authorised by custome Now this illaps of God into the soule doth replenish it with the glorie of God himselfe and doth as it were deifie it according as S. IOHN speakes we know that we shall be made like vnto him when we shall see him as he is So that the soule shall be filled and replenished with God as the Moone when she is perfectly full with the light of the Sunne or as a sponge when it is throughly wett and filled with liquor And God vniting himselfe vnto her as the fire is vnited to the burning iron following the Contēplatiues ordinarie similitude shall be ioyned vnto her and shall vnite her so inly to himselfe that she shall be as it were transformed into God who shall be as saith the Spouse in the Canticles intirely hers as she againe shall be intirely his Which caused S. BERNARD to pronounce those holy and louing words our Beatitude and our reward is to see God to liue with God to liue of God and in God to be with God and in God who shall be all in all Now where this soueraigne Good is who can doubt but there is also the soueraigne ioy and Felicitie true Libertie perfect Charitie eternall Assurance and assured Eternitie In God is true Gladnes compleat Knowledge perfect Beautie continuall Peace Pietie Bountie Light Vertue Honestie Sweetnes true Life Glorie Praise Repose gracious Friendshipp and greatfull Concord Hitherto are the words of this mellifluous Doctor The happines of the point of the soule XLIV BVt perfectly to vnderstand in what this essentiall glorie doth consiste we must call to mynd Athanasia the diuision of the bodie and the soule wherof the Prophete speakes administring an occasion to misticall Diuines to diuide man's soule into three degrees the inferiour superiour and supreme Or if you had rather into three portions the lowest the highest and the middle And they seate Appetite in the lowest region the powres in midle but in the highest the point of the mynd the flowre vnitie or essence of the soule the Latines Mens the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebritians Nesamah for all these words doe but signifie one and the same thing Now to speake onely in this place of the highest God being Spirit a most pure Act and most-one essence although in glorie he be vnited to euerie blessed soule yet is his vnion more excellent and eminent in this highest portion of the soule then in those below euen as we obserue in mans soule which is all in all the body and all in euery part therof yet is more nobly that is it doth more nobly exercise its functions in the head then in the other members of the bodie So say the Mistikes that this highest portion of man's soule is the Spouse his bed Salomon's coutch his Cabinet and the place of his more particular delights Ther is the Diuine essence vnited to the essence of the soule there the spirituall marriages marriages the fullnesse of our eternall felicitie celebrated wherof so much mention is made in the holy Scripture For as the Bridegroome and Bride are two in one flesh by the sacred band which doth tye them together so the Blessed soule by this vnion with her Principle and application to her end becomes one spirit with him through the excesse of that Charitie which is the band of all perfection Thus is the soule transformed and transfigured into light by the spirit of God made participant of the Diuine nature and conformable to the liknesse of his Maiestie T is true that we are by nature made to the liknesse and similitude of God whose picture is so liuely exprest in the soule which is one in Essence and trine in faculties Yet much more by grace which makes vs as it were certaine looking-glasse wherin that glorioule Sunne makes the rayes of his light and loue meete while he expresseth his perfections therin
of welth the hight of honours and dignities which haue the reputation of things high placed by those whose desires are abiect and crawling vpon the ground But if once man's heart fixe its sight vpō Eternitie it then clearely discouers how abiect and base all those things are which before he esteemed so high for as those that are vpon the toppe of a high mountaine doe apprehend the things that seemed great vnto them being in the bottome of the valley as litle pointes so those that walke in the wayes of Eternitie doe esteeme temporall things as nothing and that which before seemed to be placed aboue their heade is now found vnder their feete The same Doctour saith in another place nothing makes the calamities which we suffer in this transitorie life more sharpe and bitter vnto vs then the inconsideration of the eternall rewards which are promissed vs. But if a soule be once so happie as constantly to turne her eyes towards those eternall riches which cānot perish all that is transitorie shall be to her as nothing The same Pope explicating that passage of the Diuine Epithalamion where the Spouse saith that her Spouse had ledd her into his wine-cellar what doe you thinke saith he did that Louer vnderstand by the wine-cellar but a secrete and profound contemplation of Eternitie A contemplation which doth so ouersett the soule which takes it in abundance that she is made as it were drunke ther with all but with a drunkenesse of good pourposes and which by a laudable change of life and a wholsome amendment of manners tends to the heauenly Contrie and eternall delightes S. AVGVSTINE vpon the same subiect is of the same aduise whē he councells the deuoute soule nether to swell in prosperitie nor to be deiected in aduersitie grownding vpō the faithfull promisse which God hath giuen her of Eternitie a promisse which will make her contēne temporall felicities yea euen the calamities of this life if she take the eternall fire into her consideration And if one of the Aunciēts speaking of the vaine ambition of humane pretentions knew and following his knowledge could say that what goodly fortune soeuer one were possest of did but yet appeare vile and worthlesse to him that hoped for a better and larger who would not iudge that he who should lodge his hopes in Eternitie should find no more rest in these short momēts then the doue of the deluge vpon the waters which couered the face of the earth And if the children of Egipt vpon the tasting of the heauenly Manna that admirable bread of the desart did no more plaine the losse of their flesh-potts and onions So after a sound iudgement haue once relished by a setled pourpose the delightes of the blessed Eternitie earthly pleasures doe but loath disgust him He doth easily weane himselfe frō the impoysoned milke of the Serpēts of this world haueing once tasted that solide meate which doth nourish for an Eternitie That this thought of Eternitie is the abridgement of all spirituall life LXVIII I Could here expresse many wholsome effectes which this thought of Eternitie causeth in those who doe frequently and seriously ruminate it in their hearts But I conceaue Athanasia that they are all cōprised in this proposition to witt that all spirituall life is comprehended in this so profitable and and necessarie consideration For what archer can hitt a marke without ayming at it and since all this life is but an introduction to Eternitie how should one possibly arriue there vnlesse he begin tymely to tend towards it and addresse all his stepps and actions to that end If euery Agent doe worke for some end and if our principall and soueraigne end consiste in our eternall vnion with God in glorie ought we not in this mortall life to take the path which doth conduct vs to this end If then as I haue shewen in the first strokes of this Draught all the good and euill which is done in the world proceede from the neglect or vse of this thought of Eternitie doth it not follow that this thought is the very thread which must direct vs in the windings of the true life that is the spirituall life All those that doe handle spirituall matters doe diuide such as peculiarly addict themselues to the practise of pietie into three Classes or ranckes Beginners Proficiants and the more perfect making the first walke in the way which they call Purgatiue the second in the Illuminatiue the third in the Vnitiue In the Purgatiue they ranke those who like vnto new Champions doe crucifie their flesh with its concupiscence mortifie the motions of their sensualitie by the vigour and holy rigour of mynd who chastise their body and bring it into subiection renounceing world blood and Hell in a word labouring to spoyle themselues of the old man with his wicked inclinations and vitious habites Walking in the wayes of pennance and mortification and making head against vice least Sinne might raigne in vs and least that Dagon might preuayle against the Arke Now nothing doth so effectually plane and smouth the rough and rugged wayes nothing doth so forceably presse the Sinner to departe out of the Egipt of his iniquitie and to forsake that accursed land of the shadowe of death as the apprehension of eternall paines according to that of the Prophete Lord through thy feare we haue conceaued the spirit of Saluation And the Psalmist I haue done Iudgement and Iustice because I dreaded the irreuocable sentence of the Almightie And indeed as there is nothing which doth so speedily free a feild of rootes and rubbidge as the application of fire to the brambles and vndergroth wherby it becomes thornie and wilde so nothing doth cause a man more quickly to renounce vice nor more efficaciously purge the soule then the horrour of eternall fire prepared for the diuell and his Angells This is to put the hatchet to the roote of the bad tree least it might bring forth the fruites of corruption Let not therfore the thought of the accursed Eternitie depart out of our memorie and we shall see the Diuine truth which issued from the mouth of the wisman fulfilled in vs that we shall neuer offend for it would be to vs as a buckler against the firie darts of tēptations and if we chance to fall into sinne it would be as a sharpe spurre to make vs spring out of the ditch of so dangerous and deplorable an estate There is no remedie so sharpe and bitter that doth not seeme sweete vnto vs if we compare it to those consuming and eternall flames There is no passion so irregular but it becomes orderly and subiect to reason when an eternall paine represents it selfe vnto vs. There is no temptation that doth not vanish nor vice that doth not depart when he that is assaulted with it doth setledly ponder that that which doth delight is but momentarie but the torments due thervnto are eternall This is the effect of the consideration
we loue him not and complaynes that he is made a solitude in Israel and that he is not beloued and that the wayes of the eternall Sion weepe that none doe frequent their solemnities Let vs therfore goe with confidence to the Throne of his Grace if we desire to haue part in his Glorie Let vs permit him to wash the feete of our affections if we will with S. PETER haue Societie with him This God then who is an essentiall Charitie doth not onely permit vs to loue him but euen commands it and that vnder paine of death death euerlasting The first and greatest of his Commandements is all of the Loue we owe him This loue did once vnite the Diuine and humane nature in the Person of the WORD and did so farre exinanite the eternall Sonne of the eternall Father as to become man to take vpon him the forme of a seruant to appeare in earth and to be conuersant with men A loue which may well rayse man towards God since it could bring God downe to man A loue the band of perfection which vnites the equall and doth equalise such as it doth vnite A Loue which hauing once personally vnited as S. AVGVSTINE saith the light of the Diuinitie to the clay of our mortalitie is able to eleuate our desires euen vnto God and make vs participant of the Diuine nature which is done by Charitie infused into our hearts by the Holy Ghost It is this Diuine Loue which separating our affections not onely from dangerous and superfluous things but euen from things which are not euil yet are subiect to be loued with excesse and with too strong and inordinate a passion shall make vs behold all created things in God and will so gouerne our inclinatiōs that we shall affect no creature but in God for God and according to God wherin consisteth the perfect practise of that Diuine Cōmandement which commands vs to loue God with all our heart with all our soule with all our spirit with all our strength and euen aboue all things For a soule that is come to this degree of perfection that she loues nothing but in God and God in all things in proper speach loues not many things nor is not in the folicitude inseparable from the multiplicitie of louely obiects but she loues but one onely thing which is God the one true necessarie thing and out of whom all is but miserie and affliction of spirit And because in all that which the order of Charitie proposeth vnto her to be loued she loues God alone she loues him equally in all and as couragiously in her enemy as tēderly in her friend because she loues him onely out of all other things and without all other things but nothing at all without him or out of him If it be ESTHER alone that ASSVERVS loueth saith my blessed Father in his Theotime why should he loue her more when she is parfumed and adorned then when she is in her comon attire If it be our Sauiour onely that a soule loueth why should she not as well loue the Mount-Caluarie as Thabor sith he is as truly in the one as the other and why should she not pronounce as cordially in the one as in the other It is Good for vs to be here She can loue our Sauiour in Egipt without louing Egipt why then shall she not loue him in the banquet of SIMON the LEPROVS without louing the banquet And if she loue him amidst the blasphemies which are vomited out against him without louing the blasphemies why shall she not loue him parfumed with MAGDELAINES precious oyntments without louing the parfumes or smells It is a true signe that one loues God onely in all things when one loues him equally in all things since he being alwayes equall to himselfe the inequallitie of loue towards him must needs spring from some thing which is not he Whence the soule that loues God purely and singulary loues him no more with the whole vniuerse to boote then all alone without the vniuerse because all that which is out of God and is not God is as nothing to her O pure soule who loues not euen Paradice it selfe but because God is there loued and is so soueraignely loued in his Paradice as that if he had not a Paradice to bestow yet would he nether be lesse loulie or lesse beloued of this generous soule who knowes not how to loue the Paradice of her God but onely her God of Paradice and who puts no lesse rate vpon the Caluarie where her Sauiour was crucified then the Heauen where he is glorified O how well doth this saintly Bishope speake my Athanasia whose tearmes I durst not paraphrase nor disguise or change his venerable words least I might loose his deuoute sēse expressed in words of so great energie and so full of spirit and vertue that all the flanting tearmes of worldly wisdome seeme to me far lesse persuasiue powrefull How forcibly and sweetly doth he teach vs in this discourse not to looke vpon the two hands of God that of Iustice and vengance and that other of Mercy and reward but to search after his face alone and to feare and loue him for himselfe not for the punishments which he threatens vice nor for the reward which he proposeth to vertue because he is altogether to be honored worshiped and serued for the loue of him selfe yea although he had nether Paradice for reward nor yet Hell for Punishment The blessed and accursed Eternitie are onely to be considered as things accessorie Our prime intention and cheife attention are to be set vpon the Diuine Eternitie or the eternall Diuinitie vnlesse we would loose the title of the children of God and through feare of eternall punishments or desire of eternall rewards beesteemed slaues and hirelings Let 's loue God Athanasia and let him dispose of vs as he pleaseth Let vs be in his hands as clay in the hand of the Potter Let him make of vs vessells of honour or ignominie Be it nobly or ignobly so we be his it sufficeth Le ts turne our eyes from rewards or punishments and let vs fixe them vpon our Lord. Let vs behold his amiable face Let vs set our view vpon his hands but as a faithfull hand-maide vpon those of her Mistrisse Let vs receaue indifferently that which comes from the right hād of prosperitie and the left of aduersitie Although he should euen kill vs le ts hope in him And let vs hope without hope yea euen against all apparence that nothing shall separate vs from his Charitie Let vs cast all our thoughtes vpon him And in steed of staying our thoughtes vpon the created and as it were the accidentall Eternitie of Heauen or Hell let vs onely be fastened vpon the essentiall Eternitie which is God himselfe who hath in his hand the extreamities of the earth And who keepes the keyes of eternall life and death Let vs not so dwell vpon the thought of Heauen or
became mortall and the Eternall for your saluation did subiect himselfe to Tyme in vniting his Diuinitie to our humanitie How good occasion doth this descent of the Sonne of God into earth administer vnto you to rayse vp your selfe to Heauen and there to seeke a permanent Citie for euer in the holy Sion Vndertake this holy exercise by taske and for the space of some dayes to th' end that custome may beget in you a habite frequently to thinke of Eternitie For the third PRACTISE oblige your selfe by a firme pourpose yet without vow to say euery day at some houre most comodious for you three PATER NOSTER's And in reciting them to thinke of the Blessed accursed and essentiall Eternitie which is God Vniting your selfe to the last by Loue by desire to the Blessed detesting the accursed rather by the correction of your manners and amendment of life then by emptie words For as we come not to the celestiall Eternitie without doing good so we auoyd not the accursed but by flying euill When you recite your beades or the Crowne of our Blessed Lady a prayer very familiar to all those who make profession of pietie Let this crowne of flowres put you in mynd of the flowres which neuer fade wherof the Garland of Eternitie is wrought Let the round forme of this Crowne make you myndfull that the Sphearicall figure which hath nether begining nor end is the Symbole of the essentiall Eternitie which neuer had begining nor shall euer haue end This you may vse as a fourth PRACTISE None can liue like a good Christian who doth not twice a day at least wind vp the Cloke of his heart and thinke of his wayes to witt in the morning and euening These are two tymes which he that desires to liue according to God and to direct his footsteps in the pathes of Peace ought neuer to omitt Take then some litle part of that tyme to cast a looke vpon Eternitie that totall coÌ„tinuance which is neuer followed with euening nor morning And beseech God Almightie that you may so passe through temporall that you may not loose eternall things This shall be a fift PRACTISE for you Le ts passe to Other indeuours LXXV THere is nothing so frequent in the mouth of Christians Athanasia as the Prayer which our Lord and Maister made to direct vs to his heauenly Father according to his words and spirit to th end that hauing his will in our mouth we might be heard for the reuerence of it If you will beleeue me as often as this holy Prayer shall passe through your lipps you shall call to mynd the Essentiall Eternitie by apprehending that you speake to the Eternall God You shall thinke of the Blessed Eternitie in making this petition Thy Kingdome come and of the accursed Eternitie in pronunceing that other Deliuer vs from euil since it is the collection and fulnesse of all euils And let this aduise passe for THE SIXT ENDEVOVR OR PRACTISE You may doe the like when pietie shall moue you to salute the Blessed virgine in the words of the Angell and the Church And when as you shall beseech her to assiste you by her intercession in the houre of your departure out of this life call to mynd that this houre shall be the tyme and instant which shall decide your Eternitie A moment in which you will stand in great need of her assistance to auoyd the perills of Hell and to acchiue the Land of the â—ueing Let this be the SEAVENTH PRACTISE I say the same of the Apostles Creed When you recite it waigh the Articles therof in the waights of the Sanctuarie The Communion of Saintes of the Triumphant Church with those of the Militant And Life euerlasting and they will serue you as MEMORIALLS to engraue in your soule the Memorie of Eternitie Behold the EIGHT PRACTISE Whether you assiste in the solemne songe of the Diuine Office or you recite your boures apart Remember that for diuers reasons the holy Church hath ordayned that these two versicles should be added to the end of euery Psalme Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost Euen as it was in the begining and now and euer c. And that amongst the others this is not the least prowrefull to imprint the memorie of Eternitie in the mynds of the Faithfull Take this for a NINGHT PRACTISE The Iewes that they might continually remeÌ„ber Gods law carried it about with them yea wore it euen before their eyes written vpon Phylacteries or peeces of parchement VnderstaÌ„ding literally certaine passages of the auncient Couenaunt wherby it is commanded that one should alwayes behold them that is that one should haue them as rules of their actions I would to God that Christians were as carefull to haue still before their eyes the eternall Ghospell and to that effect they had painted Tables in their houses to renew the memorie therof I know some personages who to this pourpose caused the words of a Prophete to be written vpon the chimney of their chambers in letters of Gold WHO IS ABLE TO LIVE FOR EVER IN A CONSVMING FIRE AND AMIDST ETERNALL FLAMES This is facile and Fruitfull and shall be counted for the TENTH PRACTISE An other memoriall of Eternitie LXXVI BEsides these former PRACTISES which are very familiar I will yet bestow vpon you Athanasia a verie facile Memoriall to make you thinke of Eternitie vpon euery occasion It is the vse of Aspirations or Reflections which the Doctours of spirituall life doe so highly recommend to such as desire to liue piously and according to God If you will please to make vse of it you will shortly find by experience that all things will rayse you towards God who is the essentiall Eternitie wherin you will represent vnto your selfe the differeÌ„t Idea's of the Blessed or accursed Eternitie All the creatures being as so many Mirrours vnto you shall discouer the Image of the Eternall God And which way so euer you turne your selfe the inuisible and eternall God shall appeare in visible and temporall things All that can fall within the knowledge of your senses shall beare you aboue your selfe to him that passeth all vnderstanding Or at the least you may make reflection vpon the eternall delightes or colours which doe attend you in the blessed or accursed Eternitie according to your comportment in this life And to afford you some smale scantling of that so familiar an exercise to those that are conuersant in the knowledge of Saintes As oft as you shall behold this vniuersall obiect of heauen and earth which was S. ANTONIE's great booke wherin he read in capitall letters the Authour's greatnes whom all this admirable fabrike cost but one smale word what will hinder you to say with DAVID ô Lord how wonderfull is thy name through all the world thy magnificence is extolled beyond the Heauens Heauens which are but the workes of thy hands Heauens which shall passe while thou shalt still remaync
but for his heart nor the heart but for loue nor loue but to communicate thy goodnes to a reasonable creature and by such communication to make it eternally happie Thou wouldst ô Lord haue me aspire after this communication the toppe of our soueraigne Beatitude when thou commandst me to pray vnto thee that thy Kingdome come It is this onely thing which I begge of thy bountie that I may dwell with thee that is to say in thee for all Eternitie I loue the beautie of thy house which is no other then thyne owne essence and the sole ayme of my desires is the place of thy glorie Let me rest therin for euer and euer and according to my election and dilection let me dwell there euerlastingly Yet that I may enter thither according to thy pleasure ô my GLORIE ô my MERCY ô my God my Light my Saluation Loe how I lay downe all my pretentioÌ„s and proper interests at the Gate of thy holy Sion renouncing from my very heart the spirit of bondage and seruile feare which would make me flie the accursed Eternitie for no other reason ô disaster then that I should be ther the eternall Obiect of thy wroth and hatred renouÌ„cing also that mercenarie spirit which would make me wish for the Blessed Eternitie for other ends then to loue blesse and praise thee therin for euer No Lord I will haue no other motiue to loue and looke after thee then thy selfe who art soueraignely amiable and desirable I will behold thee directly in thy selfe and applie my selfe entirely vnto thee because thou art my God and because ô my deare God thou art what thou art Thou art all my riches all my pretentions for that I know in seeing thee I shall see and possesse in thee all good things Thou thy selfe art the reward of euery good worke and he is vnworthy of all laurells who seekes for any other but thy selfe for thou art a far more ample recompeÌ„ce to those â—hat loue thee then man is able to conceaue It is to thee then alone ô Diuine Eternitie ô eternall Diuinitie that I consecrate all my desires all my thoughtes It is to thee ô eternall Beeing that I consecrate all my beeing in tyme and Eternitie It is to the Trinitie of thy Diuine Persons to whom I dedicate the three powres of my soule To the ADORATION of thy powrefull fecunditie I consecrate my MEMORIE ô eternall Father To thy WISDOME ô eternall Sonne begotten of the Father by his vnderstanding I dedicate my VNDERSTANDING To thee ô HOLY GHOST the reciprocall Loue of the Father and the Sonne proceeding from their one will I offer vp my will O Father of light grant me the LIGHT of thy Glorie that one day I may clearely see that which I now beleeue by the light of FAITH O eternall WORD bestow thy selfe vpoÌ„ me that I may possesse in Heauen that which I seeke by HOPE O Holy Ghost make me partaker of thyne infinite BEAVTIE to th' end I may one day enioy that which now I imbrace by CHARITIE Yes Lord I am wholy thyne be thou also wholy myne and receaue me according to thy word and let me not be confounded in my expectation Thou art myne Eternitie like as thou art my saluation and my hope Thou art the onely Eternitie which I pretend grant that I may prayse thee euerlastingly and according to thy word espouse my soule in a liuely Faith espouse it for euer For with all the sinceritie of heart and puritie of intention that I can possibly conceaue and speake I giue thee this assurance of my fidelitie by a solemne protestation in the words of the Diuine Psalmist No Lord I will nothing nether in HeaueÌ„ nor earth but thy selfe for thou art the God of my heart and the onely part which I pretend in the Eternitie of Eternities FINIS