reward one and common to all the elect For there shall be perfect charity and God shall be all in all For that cause it shall be the common exercise of all to loue and praise God without end or intermission CHAP. 4. BVT in that we haue already aboundantly discoursed of the condemnation and sentence which attendeth impious and sinfull men it consequently foloweth that we speake som-whâ—â— also of the beatitude and reward of good men Now this blessednes iâ— that desired and holy Kingdome of heauen and that happy life which God from the beginning of the created world prepared for those who loue and follow him There is no tongue eyther humaine or angelicall that can worthily expresse what that reward shall be or what that life will be But that thou mayst haue some tast and receaue some knowledge of the same I will by the way report that which Saint Augustine wrote of it in certaine of his Meditations O thou life saiâ—h â—e that God hath prepared for those â—hat loue him liuing life blessed â—ife amiable life cleane life chast â—ife holy life life ignorant of death deuoyd of sorrow life without blot without greefe without anxietie without corruption without perâ—urbation without varietie and muâ—ation lyfe full of all elegancie and dignitie where there is no aduersaâ—ie to impugne where there is no â—llurement of sinne where there is â—erfect loue and no feare where â—he day is eternall and one spirit of â—ll Where GOD is beheld face to â—ace and with this foode of life the minde is satiate and satisfied without defect It dooth mee good to intende to â—hy cleerenes thy beauties delight my greedy hart the more power I haue to consider with my selfe the more doe I languish with the loue of thee with the vehement desire of thee and I am greatly delighted with thy sweete memory O thou most happy life ô thou truly blessed kingdome wanting death void of end to which no times succeede by â—ge where as the continuall day without night cannot haue time where as the conquering Souldiour accompanying those hymne-singing quires of Angels singeth vnto God without ceasing a song of the songs of Sion hauing his noble heade inuironed with a perpetualâ— crowne Would to God the pardon of my finnes were graunted mee and that presently laying aside this burthen of my flesh I might enter into the true rest of thy ioyes and that possessing the most beautifull admirable walls of thy citty I might receiue the crowne of life from the handes of our Lorde that I might accompany these holy quires that with those blessed spirits I might asist the glory of the Creator that face to face I might behold Christ that I might alwayes looke vppon that high ineffable and vncircumscribed light Happy is that soule which deliuered froÌ„ this earthly body may freely ascend to heauen that secure and peaceable neither feareth the deuil nor death Happy eternally happie my soule if after this corporall death it may be counted worthy to behold thy glory thy maiesty thy beautie thy gates walls streetes thy many mansions thy noble cittizens and thy most mightie kingdome in thy comlines For thy vvalls are of precious stone and thy gates of the purest Margarites thy streetes are of burnisht golde wherein without intermission Alleluia is sunge thy mansions are many founded on squared stones builded with Saphires couered with golden tile into which no man entreth except he be cleane wherein no one inhabiteth that is defiled Mother Ierusalem thou art made faire and sweet in thy delights there is no such thing in thee as we suffer heere and behold in this miserable life They differ very far from those thinges which are daily present before our eyes in this life full of calamitie There is no darknes in thee neither night or any change of time The light of the candle shyneth not in thee or the bright Moone or the beamy starres but God of gods the light of lights the sunne of iustice alwaies illuminateth thee The white and immaculate Lambe is thy cleere delightfull light The King of Kings is in the midst of thee his children round about him There the quires of hymne-tuning Angels there the societie of the supernall Cittizens there the sweete solemnitie of all those that returne from this wofull pilgrimage vnto thy ioyes There the prouident company of the prophets there the twelue number of the Apostles There the victorious host of innumerable Martyrs there the sacred couent of the saints Confessors there the true and perfect Monks there the holy women that haue ouercome the pleasures of the world and the infirmities of theyr sexe There the young men maidens that flying the snares of thys world with sacred manners haue past theyr time in all vertues there are the sheepe and lambes which haue already escaped the snares and pleasures of thys life All reioyce in theyr peculier mansions The glory of euery one is different yet is the ioy of them all common Full and perfect charitie raigneth there because God is there all in all whom they beholde without ende and seeing him alwaies burne in his loue loue laude him They praise and loue All theyr labour is the prayse of God wiâ—hout end without defect without labor Happie were I and truly happy for euerlasting if after the resolution of thys body of mine I shall deserue to hear those canticles of celestiall melody which are sung in praise of the eternall King by those cittizens of the celestiall country troopes of blessed spirits Fortunate were I and incredibly blessed if I likewise might deserue to sing them and assist my King my God my guide and see him in his glory euen as hee hath dayned to promise saying Father I will that those whoÌ„ thou hast giuen me be with me that they may beholde my beauty and maiestie which I had with thee before the beginning of the world Tell me I pray thee brother what a day shal that be which shal knock at thy gate the course of this thy pilgrimage beeing ended that if thou hast liued in the feare of God may from death transferre thee to immortality wherein others were wont to feare thou shalt beginne to lyft vp thy heade because thy râ—demption is at hand Come out I pray thee a little while sayth S. Ierosme writing to Eustochia the Virgine froÌ„ the prison and depaint before thine eyes the rich reward of thy present labor which neyther eye hath seene nor eare heard neyther hath the hart of man conceiued the like VVhat day shall that be when as the Virgine Mary shall meete thee attended by all the troopes of Virgins who on the otherside of the Redde-sea the host of Pharao being drowned who bearing a tymbrel shal sing to those that aunswere Let vs sing to our Lord for he hath gloriously honored vs he hath cast down the horse and the ryder into the sea TheÌ„ shal the Spouse himselfe meete her
and say Arise hast my loue my Doue my delight and come Now is the winter past the showre gone and cleared the flowers haue appeared in our land Then shall the Angels â—â—kewise reioyce say Who is this â—â—at ascendeth froÌ„ the desert flowâ—â—g with delights leaning vppon her â—eloued c. What shal the ioy be â—herewith thy soule shall be affecâ—â—d in that howre when before the â—â—rone of the blessed Trinitie it shal â—e led by the hands of the Angels â—specially of the Angell which was â—iuen thee for thy guide by God â—hilst thou liuedst to whom as a â—â—ythfull pledge thou wert coÌ„menâ—ed VVhen as hee together with â—is associates shall publish thy good â—orks and those afflictions crosâ—es which thou hast sustained for the â—oue of God S. Luke writeth in his â—cts that when that holy Almes-â—iuer Tabitha was dead all the widâ—owes poore stood about S. Peâ—er weeping and showing him the â—oates garments which Tabitha â—ad made for theÌ„ By which spectaâ—le S. Peter being moued he huÌ„bly â—esought our Lord for her and by â—is prayer recald the deuout woman â—o life What ioy therefore vvhat â—omfort shall thy soule feele wheÌ„ aâ—â—hose blessed spirits shall stande aâ—out thee and the Thrones in the sight of the diuine Maiestie shâ—â— report all thy good deeds orderlâ— as it were out of a Catalogue reciâ—â— all thy Almes-deedes thy prayeâ— thy fastings thy innocencie in lyfe sufferance in iniury patience in tribulation in delights temperance with all other thy vertues and good works which thou didst in thy lyfe-time O what ioy shall be accomplished in thee at that time for all the good things in which thou haâ—â— busied thy selfe in this life time howe manifestly shalt thou then know the reward dignitie excellence of vertues There the obedient shal declare his victories there vertue shal receiue her reward and good shall be affected with honorâ— Besides how great shall be thy delight when as thy ship vnshaken arriued in a safe harbour thou shaâ—â— behold with thine eyes thy long perrilous nauigations when as thoâ— shalt see the tempests which a little before thou wert tossed in the narrownesse of the wayes which thoâ— hast ouercome and the incursiâ—â—â— of pyrats theeues to which thoâ— wert exposed and nowe hast safelie escaped There shalt thou sing the song of the Prophet Had not our Lord holpen me my soule had welnie dwelt in hell Especially after thou shalt see so many sinnes committed in the world so innumerable soules daily damned in hell yet amongst such a multitude of damned that GOD would that thou shouldst bee of the number of the elected and of those to whom that most blessed reward was allotted VVhat reioycing shall there be to see the solemnities and tryumphes which are daily celebrated vpon the arriuall of new brothers who hauing ouercome the world atchiued the course of their pilgrimage and that happily arriue at length with the rest that they may be crowned O what ioy shall it be to beholde how the rooms are supplied and the empty are filled with new enhabitants that the celestiall Citty is builded that the walls of Ierusalem are restored O with what alacrity wilâ—ingnes reioycing doe all that ceâ—estiall quire with mutual embraces receaue those who comming out of this worlde loaden with the spoiles they haue extorted from the enemy of man-kind hasten to meete thee For hether vpon a triumphing horse shal the conquering woman enter who beeing as fraile as the vvorld hath ouercome the allurements of her flesh Hether tender virgins and innocent maydes who haue suffred martyrdome for Christes sake and are honoured with a double tryumph of the world the flesh shal make hast hauing their heads crowned vvith purple Roses intermixed with the purest and whitest Lillies Hether daily come young men tryumphing in theyr first flower of youth with chyldren of vnripened age who haue ouer-come theyr tender yeeres with discretion and other their vertues to receaue the reward of their purity There shall they finde theyr friendes there shall they acknowledge theyr Maisters there shall they salute their parents there their parents likewise shal embrace their sonnes wish their peace congratulate their present glory entertaine them with mutuall and charitable kisses O how sweet shal the fruite of vertue be then the fruiâ— â—hereof we loathed in this world as â—ost bitter Sweet is the shadow in â—he burning noone-sted sweete is â—he coole spring to the wearied traâ—aâ—ler sweet is sleepe rest to the â—yred seruant but more sweet shall â—euer-ceasing peace be to the Saints â—fter this wearisome warre After â—iuers dangers a lasting securitie afâ—er wearinesse a lasting rest of foreâ—assed tribulations Then shall the war be ended then shall it no more â—ee needfull for a man to walke armed at all assayes The chyldren of Israell ascended â—rmed into the Lande of Promise â—ut as soone as they had entred the â—ame they layde theyr vveapons aside they forgot theyr feare and rumor of warre Euery one dwelt without any suspition vnder his vine and vnder his figge-tree and there was peace in all parts round about There might the eyes wearied with watchings take theyr rest Heere securely might the vvatching Prophet that stoode vppon his garde and had fixed hâ—s steppes vppon the munition discend and forsake his station Heere was it lawfull for the blessed Father Ierosme to sursease his watchings and strokes with which he wearied his breast during his praiers day and night whilst with earnest endeuour and vndaunted mind he resisted the importunat temptations of sathan Heere shall the blessed soules feele no more the dreadfull armes of the bloody enemy Heere shall be no place for the subtilty of that winding serpent hether pierceth not the eye of that venomous Cockatrice neyther is the hisse of that auncient serpent heard But the gentle breath of the holy spirit ouer-breatheth this Region and the glorie of God illuminateth this place This is the Region of peace and security placed aboue al the Elements whether neither foggs nor immeasurable tempests attaine Glorious things are spoken of thee thou Cittie of God Blessed are all those sayth Toby who loue thee and who reioyce in thy peace My soule blesse our Lord because hee hath deliuered his Citty of Ierusalem I shal be blessed if there remaine some reliques of my seed to see the beauty of Ierusalem The gates of Ierusalem are builded of Saphires Smaragdes and all the circuites thereof are of precious stone Of white and pure stone are all the streetes thereof And thorough the wayes thereof Alleluiah shall be sung O pleasant country ô sweet glory ô blessed society what wil they doe so happy that they may enioy thee as elect It seemeth to be a presumption if any man desire thee yet without thy desire no man can liue O you sons of Adam ô you blind and miserable posterity fearefull and lost sheepe if this be
memory by the remembrance of pleasuâ—es past the vnderstanding by the consideration of goods lost and mischiefes by which wretched as they are they are now ceazed This multitude and diuersity of paine the holy Scripture expresseth where it is said That in hell shal be hunger thirst complaint gnashings of teeth doleful swords spyrits created to do vengance worms serpents scorpions wormwood water mixt with gall spirits of tempests such like by which is signified the multitude of the terrible horrible punishments which are ordained for the damned in this Lake Furthermore in this place there shal be darknes as well interior as exterior aswel â—n the soule as in the body vvhich shall be thicker and darker theÌ„ those of Egypt of which the Scripture â—aith that they might be felt with â—he handes There shall be fire not such as ours is which burneth but for a time after a little while wanting fuelâ— is suddainly extinguished but it shal be such a fire as is agreeable with the place which shall infinitely afflict neuer cease burning If therefore all these things be true howe can it be that all they that belieue confesse no lesse can liue in such vnspeakable carelesnesse and slothfulnes What may the trouble be what labor so infinite that a man would not willingly sustaine that he might at least-wise escape the least of these forenamed torments why therefore to auoyd this great and eternall euill doe we refuse a little that pleasant labor such as is the following of vertue Truly this one thing were sufficient to him that seriously coÌ„sidered fixed his whole mind thought hereof to driue him into a swound and drawe him into melancholie And if in so great torments there were at the least some hope of releefe or decreement the damned might haue some consolation buâ— none of these thinges are granted theÌ„ For thâ—re the gates shal be perpetuâ—lly shut by which either consolatioÌ„ or the weakest hope may happily enter In all the calamities of this world there is alwayes some refuge found out whereby those thaâ— suffer at least-wise sometimes receiue some consolation nowe reason now time now friends now others that haue suffered the like mishaps nowe at least-wiâ—e some hope of end yeeldeth the patient some abbridgment of his dolor But only in this kinde of torments the gates are wholy shut all the entrances of consolation are intercepted so that there is no meanes whereby those wretches may expect any refreshment or help neither froÌ„ heauen nor from earth nor from things present neither thinges to come neither froÌ„ any other thing But whether soeuer they turne theyr eyes they shall see the arrowes shot â—gainst them and shalâ— suppose that all creatures haue conspired against them Yea they â—hall be cruell hangmen tormenâ—ors to themselues This is the calaâ—itie this is the greefe perplexity â—hich maketh those reprobate and â—nhappy men to lament and say by â—he Prophet The paynes of death â—aue compassed mee round about â—nd the pâ—rrils of hell haue founde me out For on what side soeuer they tuâ—ne theyr eyes they shal find new causes oâ— greefe but no consoâ—ation The Euangelist Mathewe sayth that those Virgins which were in a readâ—nesâ—e entered into the Bridegroomes house and that suddainlie the doore was shut O perpetuall loâ—king vp ô sempiternall pryson ô gâ—te which shall neuer bee opened As if it were saide the gate of pardon is shutte vp the gate of indulgence the gate of mercy the gate of consolation the gate of intercession the gate of hope the gate of grace and to conclude the gate of all goodnesse is shutte Sixe dayes and no more in times past did the chyldren of Israell gather Manna but in the seuenth that is in the Saboth there was none to be found for which cause he ought to fast thâ—â— day who before had not taken caâ—â— for the prouision thereof For the cold saith the wise-man the sluggard would not plowe hee shall therefore beg in Sommer and it shall not be giuen vnto him And in another place He that gathereth in the haruest is a wise sonne but he that snorteth in the Sommer is the sonne of confusion But what more greater confusion may there bee founde then was that of the rich glutton who might haue obtained the aboundance of heauen by the crommes that fell from his table who vnwilling to giue a thing of so vile price came at last to such pouerty that in his extreame necessity he besought and shall alwaies seek and begging aske a drop of water and it shall neuer be giuen him Alwayes howling shal he cry out Father Abraham haue mercy vppon mee and send Lazarus that he may dippe the typ of his finger in water to coole my tongue because I am tormented in this flame What lesse or more abiect thing might he aske hee durst not aske a â—â—ssell or potte of water and that â—hich is more to be admired at hee â—ayed not that hee shoulde dip his â—â—ole hand in water but onely the 〈◊〉 of his finger that with it alone 〈◊〉 might touch his tongue beâ—â—we the same but hee coulde not â—â—treat euen that little thing Heere-vpon it appeareth howe â—oselie the gate of all consolation is â—â—utte and howe vniuersall this inâ—â—â—diction and excommunication is â—here so slight a petition could not 〈◊〉 admitted For that cause wheâ—â—er so euer they turne theyr eyes 〈◊〉 what part soeuer they extende â—â—eyr hands they shall find comfort 〈◊〉 no place no not a little For euen as hee that falling into 〈◊〉 sea incompassed by the waues â—â—â—ding no place where he may fixe 〈◊〉 foote doth often but in vaine â—â—etch his hands on eyther side beâ—â—use he apprehendeth nothing but 〈◊〉 licquid and floating element â—hich dâ—ceaueth deludeth him 〈◊〉 also these vnhappy wretches in â—â—at place when as they shall lye â—â—owned in these seas of infinite miâ—â—ries agonizing and fighting alwaies with death shall neither finâ—â— remedy nor refreshment whereuppon they may ground themselues This shall bee the greatest of all other paynes wherewith the damned shall be tormented in this accuâ—seâ— place For if this paine had a determinate time wherein it should take end although it were a thousand or rather a thousand thousand yeres euen by this it would breede some consolation for nothing is greâ—â— that hath an end but it shall hauâ— no end And therefore their punishment shall coequall the diuturnitâ—â— of almightie Gods eternitie and so long shall theyr miseries punishments continue as Gods glory shal last and as long as GOD liueth so long shall they die And vvheâ— as God shall cease to be that whicâ— hee is then they also shall no moâ—â— suffer that which they suffer O deadlie lyfe ô immortâ—l death I knowe not by what namâ— to call thee whether life or whetheâ— death If thou bee life why dooâ—â— thou kill If death how doost thoâ— alwayes endure I
to the similitude of a man which is the noblest of all the creatures of the worlde Hee gaue â—nto thee that beeing which nowe thou art hee composed and compâ—cted thy body with a certaine singuler harmony and adorned all the parts therefore as well the members as the sences with so admirable perfection and prouidence that eaâ—h one of them if it be well looked into are the arguments of great miâ—acle and greater benefits This is that benefitte which blessed Iob acknovvledged vvith an humble heart when hee sayde Thy hands made mee ô Lord and fashioned me in euery part Remember I pray thee that thou madest mee as of durt and shalt reduce mee into ashes With skinne and flesh hast thou cloathed me with bones and nerues thou compactedst me life and mercy thou gauest me and thâ— visitation hath kept my spirit But what shall I say of the nobility of thy soule and the excellencie of the end for which it was created and of the image and capacity that it hath The image thereof is the image of God himselfe For there is not any thing to be found vppon the earth more like to God and by which wee grow more easely and manifestly into the knowledge of God then is mans soule For which cause those auncient Philosophers but especially Anaxagoras found out no other name that becam God more then that they called him Mind which is naught else then if they should haue said a reasonable soule and that for the great similitude which they founde betweene God and the soule Heere-vpon it groweth that the essence or substance of the soule can be comprehended by no vnderstanding for in that it is so like the dâ—uine substance which since in this life cannot be vnderstoode no otherwise may the other be vnderstoode or comprehended Besides the end to which so noble a creature was made is euery way correspondent to the nobility thereof For it is most certaine that the soule was created that it might be pertaker of incomprehensible glorie and diuine felicity that it might dwell in the house of God enioy the same goods with God and reioyce with the same ioy hee doth and be cloathed with the same garment of immortality and raigne with him for euer And from hence draweth the soule that admirable capacity which she hath which is so great that all creatures and the riches of this world gathered in one are not sufficient to fill the bosome of the capacity thereof yea so farre are they from filling it as is a graine of millet in respect of the engine of the whole world Tâ—ll me therefore ô my brother what shall we returne our Lord for â—o great a benefit what may suffiâ—e â—o recompence our good God for 〈◊〉 much goodnes If wee are much indebted to our carnall parents because in some respects they were coactours in the accomplishment and compacting of this our body how much more stand wee bound to our eternall Father who with them formed our bodies and without them our soules our soule I say which by many degrees is more noble and excellent then our body and our body should be nothing but a very stinking dunghill What else are the parents but certaine instruments by whose weake helpe God buildeth this body If therefore thou owest so much to the meanes how much shalt thou owe to the work-maister that made it and if thou acknowledgest thy selfe to be indebted to him that onely in one part of the work shewed himselfe industrious how much shalt thou be indebted to him that consumated the whole worke If the sword be in such honour with thee whereby the Citty was ouercome in what esteeme shall the King himselfe bee that ouercame it For it is to be vnderstoode that thinges which are borne according to our common manner of speaking are not straight bred in all thâ—ir perfection For they haue manie thinges perfect yet are there manie thinges defectiue in them which after are perfected But that perfection must hee adde who begâ—nne the worke So that to the cause that gaue the beginning of beeâ—ng it pertayneth also to giue the complement of the thing being Hence it is that all effects in their kinde are conuerted to theyr causes and from them receaue theyr last perfections The plantes labour in what they may to seeke the sunne and that they may fixe theyr rootes in the earth which brought them fooâ—th The fishes also issue not from the water which ingendâ—red them The Chicken excluded from his egge presently clicketh her selfe vnder the winges of a Henne and follovveth her whethâ—r so-euer shee goes The lyke dooth the Lambe which is no sooner eaned but that presently it hastneth to the dugge of the Ewe and if a thousand sheepe were of the same fleece and colour yet dooâ—â— he know his proper dam and with her goeth alwayes as if hee sayde From hence I haue receaued what I haue hence will I fetch that which I want That almost in all naturall things is of force and amongst the artificiall also it would grow in vse if they had either sence or motion If a Paynter in finishing a picture should leaue the eyes imperfect and if the saide picture mâ—ght haue vnderstanding or were admonished of that which was wanting in it what thinkest thou it would doe whether would it goe sure it is it would not repaire to the Pallace of the King or to any other Prince for they cannot satisfie his desire but iâ— would returne to the house of the first work-maister and there would request him to make it perfect and consumate the worke which he had bâ—gun Tell me â— reasonable man whaâ— cause there is thou shouldst not doe that which vnreasonable creatures doe For thou art not as yet perfect many thinges are defectiue in thee thou wantest many thinges as yet before thou be compleat perfect The first patterne as they say is but rough-hewd the beauty as yet and the elegancie of the worke is wanting which the continuall appetite of nature it selfe doth most openly approoue which alwaies as it were feeling her necessity doth continuallie sigh and carefully seeke that which â—he wanteth God would preuent thee with famine that beeing enforced by this necessity he might make thee enter by the right gate and build thy selfe â—pon him therefore that made thee Hee would not there presently absolue thee from condition or make thee perfect and for that cause hee would not suddainly enritch thee And this would he thus doe not because he was a niggard but because he was bountifull knowing that it was good for thee to be such a one not that thou shouldst be poore but humble not that thou shouldst alwaies want but that thou shouldst alwaies haue respect vnto him If â—herefore thou art blind poore and â—ndigent in many things why hast â—hou not recourse to thy Father that created thee and to the Painter that shadowed thee that he might perfect that which is defectâ—ue See
the naturall goods For whereas a man is a reasonable creature and sinne is a worke made against nature and it is naturall that euery contrary destroy his opposit it followeth that by how much more our sinns are multiplied by so much the powers of the soule are destroyed troubled not in themselues but in theyr toward workings After this manner doe sinnes make the soule miserable infirme slowe and instable to all goodnes but ready and prompt to all euill they make her weake to resist temptations and slowe to walke the way of the commaundements of our Lord. They also depriue her of thâ— true liberty and domâ—nion of the Spirit and make her captiue to the world the deuill the flesh and her owne appetites and after this manner shee liueth in harder captiuitie then that of Babylon or Egypt Besides all the spirituall sences of the minde are made slow so that they neither heare the voyces and diuine inspirations neither see the great euâ—ls that are prepared for them neither smell the sweet odor of vertue nor the woorthy examples of the Saints nor taste how sweet our lord is nor feele his scourges nor acknowledge his benefites by which he prouoketh theÌ„ to loue And besides all this they take away the peace ioy of conscience extinguish the feruor of the Spirit and leaue a man defiled lothsome deformed abhominable in the sight of God and all his Saints This benefite deliuereth vs from all these euils For the Abiss of diuine mercy is not content to haue pardoned our sinnes and to haue receiued man into his fauour except hee also expell all those euills which sinnes bring with them reforming renewing our inward man After thys manner he healeth our woundes hee washeth our vncleannes he breaketh the bonds of sinners destroyeth the yoake of euill desires deliuereth vs froÌ„ the seruitude of the deuil mittigateth the fury of our peruerse affections restoreth vnto vs the tru liberty pulchritude of the soule giueth vs peace ioy of good conscience quickneth our interior sences maketh them prompt to doe all goodnes slow to all wickednes He maketh them strong to resist temptations of the deuill endoweth them with good works To conclude so absolutely renueth hee and repaireth he our interiour man with all his powers as the Apostle feareth not to call such kind of men iustified renewed or rather newâ— creatures This renouation is so great that when it is giuen by Baptisme it is called regeneration and when it is restored by repentance it is called resurrection not onely because the soule is raised from the death of sinne to the life of grace but because in a certaine manner it imitateth the beauty of the future resurrection And that is so true that no tongue of man is sufficient to expresse the beauty of the iustified soule but only that spirit knoweth this that beautifieth the same and maketh it his temple lodgeth himselfe in it Wherefore if thou compare all the ritches of this world all his honours all his naturall graces and all his acquired vertues with the beautie and ritches of the soule that is iustified all of them shall seeme most obscure vild in comparison thereof For as great difference as there is betwixt heauen and earth betweene the spirit and the bodie betweene eternity and time so great also is founde betwixt the life of grace the lyfe of nature between the beauty of the soule and of the body betwixt the interior and exterior riches betweene spirituall and naturall fortitude For all these are circumscribed by certaine termes are temporall and seeme only faire to the out ward eye to which the generall concourse of God is sufficient but to those other a perticuler supernaturall concourse is required neyther can they be called temporall where as they bring to eternity neither any wayes termed finite beâ—ause they deserue God in whose eyes they are so precious and of such value that by theyr beautie they prouoke God himselfe to loue But whereas God might worke all these thinges by his onely presence he would not doe it but it pleased him to adorne the soule with infused vertues and with the 7. dowers of the holie Spirit with which not onelâ— the very essence of the soule it selfe but also all the powers thereof are inuested and adorned with these diuine habits Besides all these diuine benefites that eternall and infinite goodnesse of God annexeth an other namely the presence of the holy ghost or rather of the whole blessed Trinitie which entreth into the iustified soule and commeth to inhabite in the same that it may teach her how to vse in due sort so great riches Like to a good Father who not content to haue giuen his riches to his sonne giueth him a tutor also who knoweth howe to administer them well So that euen as in the soule of a sinner Vipers Dragons and Serpents inhabite who are the multitude of malignant spirits who haue taken vp their lodging in such a soule as our Sauiour in S. Mathew affirmeth So contrariwise into the iustified soule the holy Ghost with the whole sacred Trinitie doe enter and casting out all monsters and infernall beasts consecrateth the same for a temple for himselfe and placeth his seate there As our Lorde himselfe expresly testifieth in the gospell written by Saint Iohn saying If any man loue mee hee wil obserue my sayings and my Father shall loue him and we will com vnto him make our mansion with him By vertue of these wordes all the Doctors as well Ecclesiasticall as Scholasticall doe confesse that the holy Ghost himselfe truly and after a certaine speciall manner dooth dwell in the iustified soule distinguishing betwixt the holy ghost his gyfts saying moreouer that not onely these gifts of the holy Ghost â—re giuen but that the holy ghost also giueth himselfe who entring into this soule maketh her his temple and habitation fixing his seate in â—he same Hee therefore purgeth â—he same sanctifieth decketh her with his vertues that shee may be a sufficient mansion wherein hee may inhabite The aboue named benefites suffice not except another and that admirable be ioyned vnto theÌ„ nameâ—ie that all the iustified are made the lyuing members of our Sauiour who were first but dead members For they dyd not receaue the â—nfluences from theyr Lord head Christ. Hence doe orher and they very great prerogatiues and excellencies arise For hence commeth it that Gods onelie Sonne loueth them as his owne members and hath no lesse care of them then of himselfe hee is no lesse solicitous for them then for his owne members without intermission hee powreth into them his vertues as the heade into his members Finally the eternâ—â—l Father beholdeth them with fauoâ—rable eyes no otherwise then the liuing members of his onely begotten Sonne vnited with him concorporate by the participation of his Spirit and therefore their acâ—â—ons are gratefull and pleasing as
〈◊〉 were the actions of the liuing members of his Sonne who worketh 〈◊〉 them all goodnes From the 〈◊〉 dignitie it proceedeth that when as these iustified require fauor at God handes they demaund it with grâ—â—t confidence for they knowe thâ—â— they aske the same not for themselues onely but also for the 〈◊〉 of GOD himselfe who in them and with them is continually honoured Neyther doe the diuine benefites heere take theyr end for to all the fore-sayd graces thys is annexed at the last to which all the other are disposed namely the right and possession of eternall lyfe which is giuen to the iustified For euen as that our most mightie Lorde in whom at once infinite iustice and mercies doe shine 〈◊〉 adiudgeth all sinners which doe not repent them to eternall punishments so assumeth hee all truly penitent to eternall life These theÌ„ are the benefitâ— which that onely benefite of Iustification comprehendeth in it selfe which Iustification Saint Augustine esteemeth more then Creation for God created heauen earth by his onelie word but that hee might truly sanctifie man he 〈◊〉 his blood and suffered so many and so diuers tortures for him If therefore wee are indebted to this God such and so many wayes for our creation howe much more owe wee him for our sanctification which benefite by how much more greater labors and afflictions it is attained by so much the more it obligeth vs. But although a man doe not yet euidently know whether he be truly iustified yet euery one may haue great coÌ„iectures of his iustification amongst the which this is not the least namely the ameÌ„dment of life when as hee that was wont to perpetrate a thousand sinns in one day now committeth not one Hee that is such a one let him remember with what iust cause he is bound to serue such a sanctifier who redeemed him deliuered him from so many euils stored him with so many blessings as are hetherto reheaâ—sed And if any man yet be entangled in the vngracious race of his life I knowe not by what meanes God may more mooue him to forsake that condition then if he set before his eyes all the â—â—â—lls incommodities and perrils which sinnes bring with them which a little before haue beene numbred vp by vs aâ— also in shewing him the treasure of great benefites which spring from this incomparable blessing The Argument The graces gifts of the holy-Ghost and those wonderfull effects which they worke in vs are such and so many that whether a man will or no except hee will be altogether ingratefull hee ought in leauing his loose behauiour to intend the seruice of God No lesse are the benefites of Baptisme and most great bounties of the Sacrament of the Eucharist all which inuite vs to the amendment of our liues CHAP. 12. THose things which we haue hetherto spoken comprehende not as yet all those kinds of benefits which the holy ghost worketh in the soule of a man that is iustified neyther is Gods liberalitie concluded in those termes For it suffiseth not the diuine Spirit to haue led man in by the gate of iustice but after that man hath entred hee is likewise assisted by the same Spirit and is led by the hand into all his wayes till the waues of this stormy sea beeing ouer-ceased hee attaine safe and secure to the hauen of saluation For after that by the means of the foresaid benefite the holy ghost hath entred into the iustified soule hee sitteth not there idle it suâ—ficeth him not to grace the soule with his presence but with his vertue also hee sanctifieth the same working in her and with her whatsoeuer is conuenient for her saluation Hee sitteth there like the Father of a familie in his house gouerning the same hee sitteth there like a Maister in a schoole administring it like a gardner in his garden trimming it like a king in his kingdom ruling it like the Sun in the world illuminating it Finally like the soule in the body giuing him lyfe sence motion not as the forme in his matter but as the Father of his familie in his houshold What therefore is more blessed and more to bee desired then for a man to haue in him-selfe such a guest such a guyde such a companion such a gouernour finallie such a tutor and helper who beeing all in all worketh also all things in the soule in which it abideth But especially like fire hee illuminateth our vnderstanding inflameth our will and exalteth vs from the earth vnto the heauens Hee like a Doue maketh vs simple milde peaceable and friendes to all men Hee like a clowd cooleth vs and defendeth vâ— from the burning lust of the flesh and tempereth the madnes and fury of our passions Finally hee like a â—â—hement winde mooueth and inclineth our will to all goodnes seâ—ering the same and drawing it away from all euill inclinations vntill 〈◊〉 last the iustified attaine that perfection that all the vices are hatefull vnto them whicâ— they first loued and the vertues beloued which they 〈◊〉 hated As Dauid manifestly coÌ„fesseth the same to haue chaunced vnto himselfe For hee sayth in a certaine place That hee hated and abhorred iniquitie And in another place That heâ— delighted in the way of â—he â—estimonies of our Lord euen as in all â—iches The reason was because the holie Ghost had â—â—illed into 〈◊〉 soule the woâ—â—wood of earthly things and the honey of the diuine Commaundements in which thou seest manifestly that all our blessings are to be ascribed to this holy Spirit so that if wee decline from euill he is the cause if we doe good wee doe it by his meanes if we perseuer in goodnes by him wee peâ—seuer and if reward be giuen for good by him it is giuen Heere also no small oâ—casion and matter iâ— offred vs to discouâ—se of the benefites of the Sacraments which are but as it were the instruments of our iustification but especially of Baptisme and the Eâ—câ—â—rist For 〈◊〉 Baptisme we are clensed from originall sinne deliuered from the power of the deuil made the 〈◊〉 of God and 〈◊〉 of his kingdom In Baptisme my brother Christ espoused thy soule vnto himselfe and decâ—ed it with iâ—wels iemâ— woâ—thy so high an order of which 〈◊〉 are grace vertue the gift of the â—â—ly Ghost and others 〈…〉 ornaments such as Isaac 〈…〉 Rebecca when hee tooke her to wife What therfore hast thou doâ—â—e that thou shouldst deserue to receiue the least of these things How many thousand I say not of men but of nations are excluded from these blessings by the iust iudgement of God What had become of thee if thou hadst beene borne amongst these nations yf thou hadst not attayned the true knowledge of god but hadst adored blocks stones Howe much art thou indebted to thy Lord God that amidst so great infinite a number of reprobates he would that thou shouldst be reckoned among the
to which the iust doe direct their course when-so-euer anie tempest of this world dooth assaile them and like a strong shield wherein all our enemies darts are receaued without any wound It is as it were a gadge or prouant hidden to â—hich in time of famine all the poore maâ— repaire and take bread It is that Tabernacle and that shaddowe which our Lord promiseth by Esay that it should be to his elect a shelter in the heate of the day and a couert from the storme and raine that is from all aduersity and prosperity of this worlde Fâ—nally it is a medicine and common remedy for all our euils For it is most certaine that what soeuer we iustly faithfully and prudently hope from God we shall receaue the same so that it be necessary for our saluation and pertaine therevnto Therefore Cyprian caleth the mercy of GOD an inexhaunst fountaine of goodnes and hope or a vessell of confidence wherein those benefites are contayned and hee sayth that according to the quantity of the vessell the proportion of the remedy shall bee likewise correspondent For in regard of the fountaine the water of mercy shall neuer faile Euery place sayth our Lorde to the chyldren of Israell which the step of your foote shall tread vpon I will giue you So all the mercy vpoÌ„ which a man shall settle his foote shall be his The wicked also haue a certaine hope yet not a liuing but a deade hope for sinne taketh away the lyfe thereof therfore their hope worketh not in them the effects which we haue aboue rehearsed Of thys hope it is written The hope of the wicked is like the downe that is tossed vp like the light foame which is scattered by the storme like the â—moake which is dispersed by the winde By which you may perceiue howe vaine the hope of the wicked is And not onely is this hope vaine but hurtfull deceitfull and dangerous also as GOD warneth by the Prophet Wo vnto you you sonnes forsakers that is you that haue forsaken your Father saith our Lord that you might doe counsaile but not of me c. hoping for helpe in the strength of Pharao and hauing trust in the shadow of Egypt And Pharaos strength shall be confusion vnto you that which followeth And in the chapter which foloweth Woe to you that descende into Egipt for help hoping in your horses c. You see heere that the hope of the wicked is flesh of the good spirit the one of them to bee nought els then man the other to be God So that what difference there is between god man the same is there founde betweene hope and hope What difference there is betweene both the hopes the Prophet Ieremie aptly describeth Chapter 17. Cursed saith hee is the man that trusteth in man c And after hee hath expounded this malediction he opposeth the blessing of the righteous Blessed saith he is the man that trusteth in our Lord c. ¶ Of these sixe fore-sayde Priuiledges and their contraries hath he entreated lib 1 part 2 of the Guide of a sinner Chapters 13 14 15 16 17 18. The Argument The riches of vertue are not circumscribed within these priuiledges only but they haue also other six annexed vnto them no lesse valuable theÌ„ the former as are That it maketh the man in whom it abideth possessor of the true liberty of thâ— Spirit and free from all perturbâ—tions That it filleth the hart with incredible peace That God heareth the prayers of good men That the diuine assistance is alwayes neere them in all their tribulations That all good things are bestowed on the godly which are any wayes necessary in this life That the death of the righteous is pleasant blessed peaceable to which goods so many euils are opposed which make the life of dissolute men miserâ—ble and vnhappy CHAP. 15. THe seauenth priuiledge of Vertue is the true liberty of the minde of which the Apostle speaketh Where the Spirit of our Lord is there is liberty Thys liberty our Lorde promised the Iewes when he sayd If you shall continue in my sayings you shall truly be my disciples and you shall knowe the truth and the truth shall deliuer you that is shall giue you true liberty They answered hâ—m We are the seed of Abraham and we haue not as yet serued any man how sayst thou then yee shall be free Iesus answered said vnto them Verily verily I say vnto you Euery one that doth sin is the slaue of sin now the seruant remaineth not in the house for euer but the sonne remaineth for euer If therfore the Son hath deliuered you you shal be truly free In which words there is a double liberty insinuated a false and a true The false is theyrs who haue theyr body free but their soule captiue subiect to the tyrannie of their own passions and sinnes such as was that of Alexander the great who beeing King of the whole worlde was a slaue to his owne appetites and vices The true is of those which haue theyr mindes voyde of all thoâ—e tyrants although they haue theyr bodie sometimes free somtimes thrale and captiue Such as was that of the Apostle Saint Paule who although he were captiue and held in bonds yet in spirit he flew thorow the heauens and by the doctrine of his Epistles seâ— at liberty the whole world This true liberty is of those that follow vertue but the false is of those that lye drowned in vice and sin ¶ Of this liberty of the good thraldome of the wicked there is a most excellent and copious treatise in the first booke of the Guide of a sinner part 2. chap. 19. to which place we refer the Reader The eyght priuiledge is the peace of the interior man which the studious in verâ—ue doe enioy Now it â—s to be noted that there arâ— three sorts of peace The one with our neighbour of which Dauid speaketh when he sayth I was peaceable with those that hated peace when I spake vnto them they imâ—ugned mee without a cause Another peace is with GOD of which the Apostle sayth Being iustified therefore by fayth let vs haue peace with GOD. The thyrd is that which a man hath with himselfe Nowe that I say thus let no man admire for it appeareth that in one and the same man there are foundeâ— two men and they contrary the one against the other as are the interior and exterior or the spirit and flesh the appetite and reason VVhich contrarietie not onely combatteth the minde with cruell assaults but troubleth the whole man also with his passions ardent desires and raging hunger The godly therefore hauing grace the gouernour of aâ—â— their sences appetites and all their wil resigned into the hands of god are not by any encounter so perturbed as that they loose theyr interior peace This peace is promised by our Lord to the louers of vertue by the kingly prophet
ruines of Kingdomes Empires inferred in times past in the Christian world by the Hunes Gothes and Vandales testifie no lesse The twelfth and last priuiledge of vertue is the pleasing and glorious death of the Saints For what is more glorious then the death of the iust Precious sayth the Psalmist is the death of the Saints in the sight of our Lord. And Ecclesiasticus In extreamity all thinges shal be well to those that feare God and in the day of his death hee shall be blessed VVhat greater hope and confidence may bee wished for then that of blessed Saint Martine Who vppon the instant of death espying the enemie of mankinde Cruell beast sayeth hee why standest thou nigh mee Cruell as thou art thou shalt finde nothing in me for the bosome of Abraham shall receaue me in peace So the iust feare not death nay rather they reioyce in theyr departure prayse God and in as much as in them lyeth giue hâ—m thanks for their end for by the benefit of death they are deliuered from all theyr labours and begin to tast the first fruites of theyr felicitie Of these sayeth Saint Augustine Hee that desireth to be dissolued and to be with Christ dyeth not patiently but lyueth patiently and dyeth delightfully The iust man therefore hath no cause to lament or feare death nay rather it is to be sayd of him that likâ— the Swanne hee dyeth singing gyuing glory to GOD that calletâ— him But the death of sinners is most wretched sayth the Prophet for it is euill in the loosing of the worlde woorse in the seperation from the flesh and woorst of all in the double contrition of the woorme and fire layeth Saint Bernard This is the last and not the least euill as vvell of the boddie as of the soule For it is harde to leaue the worlde harder to forsake the body hardest to be tormented in hell fire These and other such like infinite euills doe torment sinners in the houre of their death which make theyr end troublesome disquiet â—euere and cruell ¶ Of all these thinges the Author entreateth very largely lib. 1 Guide of a sinner chap. 19 20 21 22 23 truly most worthy the reading and obseruation ¶ The conclusion of all those thinges which hetherto haue beene spoken of the priuiledges of vertues CHAP. 16. THou hast heard therfore my brother which and of what kind those twelue priuiledges be which are graunted to vertue in this life which are as it were twelue excellent and woorthy fruites of that tree which S. Iohn saw in the Apocalips which was so planted by a flood bearing twelue fruites euery moneth yeelding his seuerall fruite For what other thing may this tree be next the sonne of God then vertue it selfe which yeeldeth the fruite of holines and life And what other fruites thereof are there then those which wee haue reckoned vp in all this part For what fruite is more pleasant to the sight then the fatherly prouidence whereby GOD preserueth his the deuine grace the light of wisedome the consolation of the holy Spirit the ioy of a good conscience a good euent of hope the true liberty of the soule the interiour peace of the hart to be heard in our prayers to be helpt in tribulations to be prouided for in our necessities Finally to be assisted and to receaue ghostly consolation in death Euery one of these priuiledges is truly so great in it selfe that if it were plainely knowne it should suffice man to loue and embrace vertue and amende his life and it should also bring to passe that a man should truly vnderstand how wel it is said by our Sauior Whosoeuer forsaketh the worlde for Gods sake shall receaue a hundreth fold in this lyfe and possesse lyfe eternall Beholde therefore my brother what a benefit it is that heeretofore I haue declared vnto thee see whervnto I inuite thee Consider if any man will say thou art deceaued if for the loue thereof thou shalt leaue the worlde and all that is therein One onely inconuenient hath this good if it may be termed an inconuenient by reason it is vnsauorie to the reprobate namely because it is vnknowne vnto him For this cause sayth our Sauiour the Kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasure that is hidden For this good is a very treasure in deede but hidden not to those that possesse it but to others The Prophet very well acknowledged the price of this treasure who said My secret to my selfe my secret to my selfe Little cared he whether other men knew his treasure or no. For this good is not as other goods are which are not goods vnlesse they be knowne by others for which cause they are not goods of themselues but only in the opinion of the world therfore it is necessary that they be known of him that by that meanes they may be called goods But this good maketh his possessour good blessed and no lesse warmeth his hart when 〈◊〉 only knoweth it himselfe then if all the world knew it But my tong is not the key of this secret deske much lesse of all those things which hetherto haue been spoken for what so euer may be spoken by humane tongue is much lesse abiect then the truth of the thing it selfe The key is the diuine light and the experience vse of vertues This will I that thou ask at Gods hands thou shalt find this treasure yea God him selfe in whoÌ„ thou shalt find al things thou shalt see with how great reason the Prophet said Blessed is the people whose God is our Lord For what can he want that is in possession of this good It is written in the book of the kings that Helcanah the father of Samuel said vnto his wife that bewailed her selfe because shee was barren had no children Anna why weepest thou and why doost thou not eate and wherfore is thy hart troubled am not I better vnto thee then ten sonnes well then if a good husband which is to day tomorrow is not is better to his wife then ten sonnes what thinkest thou of God what shall hee be to thaâ— soule that possesseth him what doâ— you meane whether looke you whatintend you why leaue you the fountaine of Paradise and drinke you of the troubled cesternes of thiâ— worlde why followe you not the good counsaile which the Propheâ— giueth saying Tast and see howe sweet our Lord is why doe we not often passe this Ford why doe weâ— not once tast this banquet Trust the wordes of our Lord and begin and hee afterward will deliuer you out of all doubt In times past that Serpent into which Moses rod was transformed seemed a farre off terrible and fearefull but being neerâ— and handled by the hand it returned into his former state Not without reason sayth Salomon It 〈◊〉 naught it is naught saith euery buiâ—er but when he is gone he glorieth The like