the Authour of sweetnes was thither come But if the glorifyed Body of our Redeemer did breath an odour of such sweetnes then it is altogether credible that all the Bodies of the Saints shall send forth in Heauen a wonderfull sweetnes For it is fitting that the members should be conformable to the Head not only in splendour but also in suauity of Odour Those men therefore who are delighted with Odours let them thinke with what sweetnes they are to be replenished when they shall draw into their glorified sent the diuerse and most sweet odours of so many thousands of Celestiall flowers on euery syde breathing forth in that diuine garden Of the Ioy of the senses of Tasting and Touching CHAP. VIII COncerning the Sense of Tast Deuines do write that the Blessed shall not vse any mortall meates Notwithanding they shall haue some delight in that sense that it may not seeme to be superfluous But concerning the Sense of touching or Feeling all do agree that the Vse thereof shall not be wanting in Heauen Since the Bodies of the Blessed as being true bodies with life may doubtlesly be touche Our Lord thus speaking Touch and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me to haue Luc. 24. Yet all impure touching shal be most remote from their bodies for they shall haue no desire of Generation And therefore our Lord speaketh thus Math. 22. In the Resurrection neither shall they marry nor be marryed But are as the Angels of God in Heauen But we will not heere stay about these things which are daily disputed in the Schooles This one thing we affirme that the Sense of Touching shall receaue no small pleasure from the perpetuâ—ll and most excellent habitude or disposition of a Glorious Body through its qualities of which the Apostle thus speaketh 1. Cor. 15. The body is sowen in Corruption it riseth in Incorruption It is sowen in Dishonour it shall ryse in Glory It is sowen in Infirmity it shall rise in Power It is sowen a naturall Body it shall rise a spirituall Body Of these foure qualities or priuiledges of a glorified Body that of glory or splendour belongeth to the sense of Seeing as aboue we haue said the other three seeme properly to belong to the sense of Touching For euen as when the Body is oppressed with strokes diseases or wounds endangering the life the Sense of Touching is that which suffereth and grieueth so in like manner when the Body enioyeth perfect health is sound and of a strong constitution the Sense of Touching doth reioyce Therefore this sense shall haue great ioy in Heauen vvhen after the Resurrection it shal be clad with Immortality Impassibility and Health in the highest degree and this for all Eternity What charges would not men willingly be at especially Princes and others of great estates to be freed all their life time from the dolours of the Goute or of the Heade the stomack or the reynes What ioy shall it then be in Heauen from whence not only death but all diseases and griefs shal be altogeather exiled Furthermore those Qualities through the which a corruptible body doth rise incorruptible and a body that is infirme riseth impassible do belong to the ioy of the Sense of Touching In like sort the qualities of Agility or Subtility by which a Naturall Body shall rise spirituall seeme to belong to the same Sense of touching since that Body shaâ—l be called spirituall and shal be a glorious Body not in that it hath not truly flesh and bones but because it shal be so subiect to the spirit as that at the very beck and pleasure of the spirit or soule it shal be able without any difficulty toyle or wearines to be moued most swiftly to ascend and descend to goe and returne to penetrate and pierce all places and this in such sort as if it were not a Body but a spirit Therefore euen as the Sense of Touching grieueth and beareth it selfe not well when a heauy and weighty body is forced to ascend high or with great swiftnes speed to be remoued from place to place so also on the contrary it much reioyceth and exulteth when a Body without any toyle or wearines either ascendeth aboue or passeth most speedily from place to place Behould therefore from what seruitude of Corruption the Blessed shal be freed when as they shaâ—l no more stand in neede of Horses Coaches Gards of men Weapons nor any other thing but those Blessed Bodies euen by their ovvne forces shall passe and goe into what places themselues Will and they shall be euery where most safe and exempt from all danger yea in the middest and thickest troupes of armed men I would to God that such men who cannot tast or resent spirituall delights in that they haue an inuenomed and corrupted palate or Tast at least would entertayne with due consideration these most great and perpetuall Corporall Goods and Pleasures and that they would labour with all endeauour bent of Will for the purchasing therof For thus it might come to passe that by litle and litle they would aspire to higher Matters and so by these degrees they might at length through the assistance of God arriue to euerlasting Ioyes Of the Comparison of the Ioyes of the Earth with the Ioyes of Heauen CHAP. IX VVE haue vnfoulded and explicated according to our small ability what Ioyes are prepared in Heauen for those that loue God Now we will endeauour to demonstrate by certaine externall ArgumeÌ„ts how great and transcendent those Ioyes are Our first argument shal be taken from the comparison of the Ioyes which God often in this World giueth euen to his professed Enemies and to the Reprobate And certainly there is such a confluence of Ioyes consisting in Riches Honours Power and diuers pleasures which God imparteth to sinners to his Enemies either blaspheming against his dignity or not belieuing in him as that of most men they are judged to be Blessed and most happy according to the vvords of the Prophet Psal 143. They haue said it is a happy People which hath these things Which of the Louers of this world doth not enuy and grudge at Salomons Prosperity who reigned fourty yeares abounded with all affluence of riches and delights had seauen hundred wyues and three hundred Concubines Who neuerthelesse according to the iudgment of S. Austin was a Reprobate for thus this Father writeth in Psal 126. Euen Salomon himselfe was a louer of VVomen and was reprobated of God And in his booke de Ciuitate Dei c. 20. he sayth the same of Salomon which Salust did of Cataline This man had a good beginning but an euill ending S Gregory followeth S. Austins iudgment herein thus writing l. 2. moral cap. 2. Hence it is that Salomon though receauing VVisdome did not perseuere in Gods fauour c. Neither are the Kings or Emperours of the Turks the Persians those of China and Tartary vnlike to Salomon herein
to the third Heauen Concer-a House the Sonne of God himselfe thus speaketh In my Fathers House there be many Mansions Ioan. 14. Touching a Citty these be the wordes of the Apostle You are come to the Citty of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem Hebr. 12. To conclude of the Kingdome of Heauen our Lord himselfe thus in S. Matthew 5. Beatipauperes spiritu c. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen And no other name through out the whole body of the Scripture is more frequently vsed then this of the Kingdome of Heauen The Place of the Saints in Heauen is called a Paradise because Heauen is a most pleasant place abounding withall spirituall delicacies But because some Men may coniectuâ—e that a Paradise is but a small Garden placed in some one corner of a House capable to receaue but few Men the Holy Ghost did adioyne in the Scripture the Word name of House because a Regall and Princely House is accustomed to be a great Pallace in which besides the Garden or Orchard there are certaaine open Halls or places of disport diuers Chambers and roomes of repose and retirement besides many others of different sort Now seeing a House notwithstanding it be great cannot containe many men therefore that wee should not thinke that they are but few who belong to the Kingdome of Heauen the Scripture doth annexe the Name of a Citty which vsually comprehendeth in it selfe many Orchards and many Pallaces of Pleasure But seeing S. Iohn writeth in the Apocalyps 7. of the nuÌ„ber of the Blessed Vidi turbam magnaÌ„ c. I saw a great multitude which no man could number And that there is no Citty which is capable of an innumerable multitude therefore the Holy Scripture vseth the name of a Kingdome and of the Kingdome of Heauen then which place no other throughout the whole Vniuersity of things created is more capacious But now againe to shew other reasons in warraÌ„t of the former foure different Appellations or Names Because in a most ample Kingdome there are many Men who neuer see nor know the Names of d uers inhabitaÌ„ts of the same Kingdome nor know not whether such Men are or haue an Existence or Being and also in that it is certaine that all the Blessed doe see and know one another and as friends conioyned in a strait bond of loue do familiarly conuerse among themselues therefore the Scripture as not being content with the Name of a Kingdome added the Name of a Citty giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that all those who doe dwell in that though most vast Kingdome are truly Citizens of the Saints and are so conioyned in familiarity among themselues as the Citizens of one small Citty are accustomed to be And that we may be further instructed that all those happy Men are not only the Citizens of the Saints but also the domesticke friends of God yea the Sonnes of God therefore the same Holy Ghost who had called it a Citty calleth it also a House To conclude in that all the Blessed in Heauen do enioy the same delights and pleasures in Heauen therfore is that place entituled by the Name of Paradise Thus these foure Wordes to wit a Kingdome a Citty a House a Paradise do signify one and the same thing And that Paradise heere mentioned is so spacious and large as that it may be truly called a House a Citty a Kingdome Therefore I haue heere determined to commit to Print whatsoeuer God shaâ—l vouchsafe to suggest and minister to me by way of meditation in the secret Closet of my soule of this most happy place And this first vn-the name of a Kingdome next vnder the name of a Citty then of a House and lastly of Paradise Towards the end of the discourse I will subioyne six other Names not of places but of things out of the Parables of our Lord to wit A Treasure hidden in a field A precious Pearle or Margarite The dayly Penny The ioy of our Lord A great supper And a regall or Princely mariadge As also two other Names out of the Apostle which are a Price or Reward and a Crowne so in all there shal be twelue distinct Considerations by the which the Eternall Felicity of the Saints is described in the sacred Scriptures OF THE ETERNALL FELICITY OF THE SAINTS Vnder the Name or Title of the Kingdome of God THE FIRST BOOKE Of the Amplitude or largenesse of the Kingdome of God CHAP. I. OF what worth and dignity the doctrine of the Kingdome of Heauen is may partly be knowne in that our Heauenly Maister did begin his Sermons to his Auditory froÌ„ those words of Matth. 4. De pennance for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand And further in that he made the Kingdome of Heauen the Subiect of most of his Parables saying Matth. 13.18.20.21.22.25 The Kingdome of Heauen is resembled c. And after his Resurrection in the time of those fourty dayes before his Ascension appearing to his Disciples he discoursed of the Kingdome of Heauen as S. Luke doth witnesse in the Acts of the Apostles Therefore we see the beginning progresse and consummation or end of the speaches of Christ were euer of the Kingdom of HeaueÌ„ Now we in this place will not vndertake to dispute of all points touching the Kingdome of Heauen but only so farre forth as concernes the place and state of the Blessed Saints And first we will explicate why the place and state of the Saints is named in the holy Scriptures The Kingdome of Heauen Well then the Habitation of the Saints for seuerall respects is entitled The Kingdome of Heauen First because Heauen is a most ample Region and far more ample and large then the narrow limits euen of Mans thought can comprehend The whole Earth which is but a Pricke or Point in comparison of the highest Heauen doth containe so many and so great Kingdomes as that with difficulty they can be numbred Of what immensenesse and huge Vastnesse then shall that Kingdome be which is but one and yet dispersed and spread throughout the whole latitude and breadth of the Heauen of Heauens For the Kingâ—ome of Heauen doth not only containe through its owne capacity the Celestiall Region but also all this Vniuersity â—nd generall State of things For that supercelestiall Region as I may tearme it which is properly the Kingdome of Heauen is as it were the first Prouince of the Kingdome of God in which the chiefe Princes all which are the Sons of God doe reside and dwell The sâ—cond Prouince may be called Eternall in which the Stars are seated Which Starres though they be inanimate neuerthelesse they are so obedient and seruiceable to the will beck of their Creatour as that they may be well said to haue life and sense according to that of Ecclesiasticus Come and let vs adore the King to whom all things doâ— liue The third Prouince is that of the Aire wherein the Winds
and Clouds doe mooue to and fro where also stormes Raine Snow Hayle and Thunder are ingendred and in which the Birds of seuerall kindes doe liue and flie The fourth Prouince is that â—f the water comprehending the Sea Fountaines Riuers Lakes in which the fishes are procreated And which walke the paths of the Sea Psal 8. The â—f Prouince is thâ—s of the Earth which being as it were emulous of that of Heauen is enriched with most noble Inhabitants though not blessed to wit with men indued with Reason but yet mortall and obnoxious to death Who neuerthelesse haue dominion of the beasts of the Earth the birds of the Aire and the fishes of the Sea The last Prouince is that which may be called subterranea as being vnder the Earth being as it were as other desert of Arabia and producing no good fruits but only thornes and bryars In which the wicked Spirits do liue who through their Pride deserued this punishment and who aspiring to be the first came thereby to be the last And thus they endeauouring to aduance their Seates aboue the stars of heauen were for such their attempt detruded from thence and cast out to â—he lowest Hell And this place doth daily expect the arriuall of such Men who as being companions to the diâ—ells wallow in all flagitious sinnes â—nd enormities and who depart from the stage of this life without true repentance All these seuerall Prouinces God doth hold within his Empire and Gouerment according whereunto the Psalmist saith All things doe serue thee Psal 118. All which most spatious Kingdomes God will communicate to such as loue and serue him as hereafter we will shew Now O Christian Soule spread and dilate thy hart suffer not thy selfe to be confined within the niggard and narrow bouÌ„ds of things only that are present why dost thou so incessantly sweat and toyle to obtaine some small part of this world since if thou wilt thou maist purchase it all Certainly if mortall men would with a serious and earnest thirst aspire to this Kingdome or would with mature reflexion of the soule meditate thereon they would euen blush to wage warre for any small or narrow portion of the earth God O Man offereth to thee the society and partage of his immense and eternall Kingdome And thou for the defence or gaining of one little Towne dost enter into warre and open hostility by meanes whereof many rapines bloudsheds and other innumerable sinnes are committed all which must iustly prouoke the King of Kings to wrath and indignation Where then is there any wisdome in this thy proceeding Where any iudgement or true consideration I speake not this as if I were perswaded it were vnlawfull for Christians to mooue warre in defence of their owne Townes and Citties For I well know that iust warres are maintained and allowed not only by the holy Fathers and particularly by S. Austin Ep. ad Marcel but also by S. Thomas 2.8 q. 40. the chiefe of all Schoolemen Yea the Precursour of our Lord then whome not any was borne gteater of Women Luc 3. admonisheth souldiars not that they should forsake a lawfull warre but that as being content with their stipends and payes should forbeare to wrong any man And I my selfe in my Books of Controuersies of Religion 〈◊〉 defended lawful warres Therefore weâ— doe not â—bsolutely forbid diâ—aâ—low of warre but we only exhort to that which is more perfect and for the most part more profitabâ—e with the same intenâ—ion with which Saint Paul speakech to the Corinthians cap. 6. It is a fault in you that you haue iudgments among â—ou VVhy do you not rather take wrong VVhy doe you not rather suffer fraud And S. Iames in his Epistle cap. 4. From whence are warres contentions â—mong you Are the not of your Concuâ—iscences which warre in your memâ—ers You couet and haue not you kill â—nd enuy and cannot obtaine you conâ—end and warre and you haue not beâ—ause you aske not Certainly who is â—ruly sollicitous of the Kingdome of Heauen would be little afflicted with â—he losse of any one Towne or Citty â—ut rather would be desirous to vse â—â—e mediation of others for the comâ—ounding all depending Controuerâ—ies without the calamities and danâ—ers of warre But let vs passe on forward Of the Concourse and Frequency of the Inhabitants in the Kingdome of God CHAP. II. THat supreme habitation is for â— second respect called the Kingdom of God to wit because it containetâ— a greater multitude and diuersity of Inhabitants within the capacity and largenesse of its owne Orbe then any House or Citty yea more then large vast Kingdomes are accustomed to comprehend For there is as the Apostle speaketh in his Epistle to the Hebrewes cap. 22. the entercourse of many thousand Angells There is also a confluence of the Spirits and Soules of all iust and perfect men vnder which number are comprized all those who shall close vp their dayes of this life in the feare of our Lord euen from the day of Abel the Iust vntill the consummation of the world Neither shall only the Spirits of lust men stay there after the ending of the world but also their glorious bodyes being reunited to their soules All which and eâ—ery one of them shall shine euen as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their â—ather as our Lord assureth vs Maâ—hew 13. Now so much as appertaineth to the diuersity of the Angels we during our â—eregrination here vpon earth are â—carsely suffered to know any thing â—ut only their Names For wee know out of the vision of Esay c. 6. that some of them are called Seraphims â—thers Cherubims out of the Prophet â—zechiele 28. others Thrones others Cominations others Principalities â—thers Powers from the Apostle to â—he Colossians c. 1. Others Vertues â—rom the same Apostle to the Ephesiâ—ns c. 1. Some Archangels from â—he same Apostle 1. Thess 4. and from â—he Epistle of S. Iude. To conclude others Angels of whom most frequent mention is much celebrated in all the â—acred Books of Scripture From these â—ifferent nine names and appellations â—he holy Doctors with an vnanimous â—onsent doe proue that there are nine different Orders of Angels vnder â—uery particular Order whereof many thousands of Angells are ranged according to the words of Daniel c. 7. Thousand of thousands ministred vnto him and ten thousand hundred thousand assisted him with whom Iob conspireth saying Is there any number of his souldiers And although the Angells be doubtlesly most blessed and shine with the splendour and brightnesse of all vertues and diuine gifts notwithstanding those are tearmed Seraphims who are more remarkable preeminent for their ardour and zeale of Charity Those Cherubims who exceed in knowledge Those Thrones who enioy an ineffable and silent tranquillity of Contemplation Those Dominations to whome as to the Ministers and Deputies of the supreme Emperour the charge of this inferiour world is committed Those Vertues who at the command of God are exercised in
doe euer busy their mind with the thought of it and breathlesly labour after it and which is the chiefest do humbly beseech it of God with inutterable sighs and lamentations God doth willingly heare men praying in this manner and is ready to replenish them with the guifts of Iustice so as they being satiated therwith may euen breath nothing but words and works of Iustice But money or riches is not a good of this nature as that who desireth or prayeth for it to God is presently heard Since many abuse the vse of money our riches but of Iustice there can be no abuse To conclude Iustice is like to Wisdome of which S. Iames sayth cap. 1. If any of you lack VVisdome let him aske of God who giueth to all men abundantly and vpbraydeth none O ineffable clemency of God who is more ready and wiâ—ling to giue vs those things which conduce to our Soules good then we are eyther to demaund or desire them Whosoeuer therefore wanteth the wisdome of Saints or the guift of Iustice which are the chiefe dispositions for the gayning the Kingdome of Heauen let him most humbly beseech God by most earnest prayers and deep sighs and coÌ„plaints and he shall infallibly obtaine his desire For God giueth to men thus praying and he do not repell or exclude any man neither doth he giue sparingly and nigardly but largely abondantly without any vpbraiding or delay for God is not agrieued with mans importunity herein Now what may we heer say With what colour of excuse can a man plaiâ—ter ouer eyther his ignorance or weakenes at the day of iudgement Onâ—y thirst after Iustice and demaund it of God and thou shalt fully drinke thereof to thy owne satiety but do not thirst after the blandishments or allurements of the flesh neyther after the empty smoake of Honours nor â—ny other earthly benefits so shalt thou draw out thy dayes in this world in all iustice sobriety and Piety in the next thou shalt arriue to the euerlasting Kingdome of Heauen The second Path to the Kingdome of God CHAP. VIII ANother Tract or Path of the Kingdome of God the which our Captaine sheweth vs is that of Matt. 5. Blessed are the poore in spirit By which words we are not commanded to empty our chests and bags altogeather of money but only to keep our harts voyde of all greedy affection and desire of earthly things Our Lord doth offer to vs great wealth and abundaÌ„ce of riches but he will not giue them to vs except we do bring an open hart free and estranged from all worldly couetousnes The roote of all euils is couetousnes 1. Tim. 6. Which in the Greeke is called Philargyria that is loue of Siluer The roote of all good is Charity which two things cannot stand togeather Therefore except a man become truly and wholy poore in spirit so as whether he haue great or small store of riches his mynd be not fixed vpon them but that he be ready to distribute to them â—hat want and reserue to himselfe â—nâ—y what is necessary to his state this â—an I say cannot fulfill the Iustice of â—he Kingdome of Heauen and conseâ—uently cannot obtaine that Kingâ—ome This is the true Tract to the Kingâ—ome of Heauen in this path Christ â—imself did first tread who for vs was â—ade poore that he might enrich â—s through his Pouerty And although â—e had some money yet he deliuered â—t to Iudas to keepe whome he knew â—o be a thiefe that thereby we might â—nderstand his mynd was not possesâ—ed with the desire of money This Tract the Apostles also did follow â—ho might easily haue procured abunâ—ance of riches since they were faâ—ous for working of wondrous siâ—nes and Miracles did speake the tonâ—ues of all Countries and became adâ—irable throughout the whole world â—or their Wisdom But they who once â—yd Behould we haue left all things â—nd followed thee did tast the sweetâ—es of liberty as being free from the â—ares and loue of riches and contenâ—ng themselues with meate drinke cloaths did esteeme piety and the Iustice of the Kingdome of God to be the greatest riches This path not only Monks and Hermites but also Kings and supreme Bishops haue walked in who are arriued to the Kingdome of Heauen Certainly S. Lewis King of France was rich but withall he was poore in spirit for he did vse but ordinary cloathing did much fast was liberall and open-handed to the poore and onely to himselfe most sparing nor do we read that he wasted any money in Playes or Banquets S. Gregory also being Pope did possesse in diuers places great store of Ecclesiasticall Patrimony and riches yet because he was poore in spirit he was most profuse and bountifull in giuing Almes and most sparing yea euen almost couetous in bestowing any thing vpon himselfe or his kinred Thus he might well be thought to haue exceeded the bonds of liberality towards others and of sparingnes towardâ— himselfe and his friends But this is the way which leadeth to life euerlasting We will adioyne to the former Examples two rare Women S. Paula â—e Roman whose lyfe was written 〈◊〉 S. Ierome was no lesse rich in possessions and reuenues then poore in sâ—irit for being a Woman of most â—â—ble extraction she bestowed all her â—ealth riches in erecting of Monaâ—â—ries and relieuing the poore and â—â—is with such feruour of charity as â—â—at she desired in soule to be brought 〈◊〉 that low degree of want as that the Charity and mercy of others should discharge her funeralls Now how sparing in charges she was to herselfe appeareth in that she forbore to feed vpon flesh or egs or to drinke wyne for linnen next to her body sâ—e wore a haire-cloath she did lie vpoÌ„ the ground and did purge cancell euen her smallest offences with continuall prayers and teares To proceed to the next Heduigis Queene of Polonia was rich in temporall faculties but more rich in poâ—erty of Spirit She did content herselfe with one poore gowne and wore iâ— alone euen in the greatest frosts She fâ—sted euery day SuÌ„dayes great festiuall dayes only excepted She afflicted her tender body with sharpe disciplines with great watching and all maÌ„ner of austerities Now from this he course of lyfe we may easely coniecture vpon what things she did spenâ— all her Regall wealth and how smal an affection or rather none she bare to riches Therefore we are not to wounder that a woman so poore iâ— spirit and so desirous to shake of alâ— temporall cares did at the last through such spirituall endeauours arriue to Heauen The third Path way to the Kingdome of God CHAP. IX THE third way appointed by ouâ— Spirituall Captaine is this Maâ—â— S. Blessed are they who suffer persecutiâ—â— for Iustice for theirs is the Kingdomâ— of Heauen The wisdome of Iesas Chriâ—â— our Doctour is most admirable yet altogether secret and vnknowne to thâ— wisemen of this world For who woulâ— belieue were it not
would seriously take these things into our consideration how loathing and cloying would all earthly pleasures seeme vnto vs Our Lord did sometime gird himselfe with a towel that he might wash his Disciples feete Peter was affrighted at this sight and could not endure that his feete should be washed by his Lord. But Peter was iustly affrighted because he saw therein maiesty humbled to the end to giue an Example of Humility to his seruants But in that Celestial Mansion thiâ— ministery of our Lord is not of humiâ—iation but of dignation or vouchsafing for the seruants of God in Heauen shall not need any example of humility and submissiuenes since not one of them shall be once touched with any pryde of mind but they all shall be confirmed and strengthened in all kind of vertue Therefore that girding of our Lord doth signify that he shall so freely so readily and without any delay be present to euery one of his Seruants and Brethren euen heaping vpon them all goodnesse as if there were no other imployment remayning for him but only this O Christian Soule what thing is this would to God thou wouldst once truly conceaue and vnderstand what honours and true pleasures our Lord will abundantly bestow vpon his seruants for euâ—r For certainly if the thought and cogitation heereof did deeply descend into thy Hart thou as eueÌ„ boyling in feruour of spirit wouldest gird thy loynes togeather and wouldest prostrate thy self most cheerfully in all obsequy and seruice before our Lord. And if any one of thy brethren oppressed with want did meete thee thou wouldest not onely not disdaine him with a scornefull and side-cast eye but euen dilating thy Bowells of Charity thou wouldst with all willingnes refresh and feed him sollacing thy selfe with those wordes of the Ghospell Matth. 25 Amen I say vnto you as long as you did it to one of these my least Brethren you did it to me Now where it is sayd that our Lord shall make all his seruants to sit downe this sheweth that they being admitted into the House of his Father may most safely and without any daÌ„ger or sollicitude repose and rest theÌ„selues and enioy all those goods with the which the House of our Lord is replenished for there shall not be any after who eyther by force or by deceite shall depriue them of the fruition of the same To conclude where further it is said that our Lord himselfe passing vp and downe shall minister and serue the meaning hereof is that the chiefest dainties and meates of the Saints are in our Lord himselfe for He is the Bread of life He is the fountaine of VVisdome He is that hidden manna which no man knoweth but he who receaueth and tasteth of it Therefore our Lord passeth through all he ministreth to all vnspeakable Viands and Banquets the which doe satiate without fastidiousnesse and fill without saciety Of the Bed-chambers of the House of God CHAP. IIII. LEt vs passe from the Chamber of Repast to the Chambers of Rest and repose Dauid saith The Saints shall reioyce in glory they shal be ioyfull in their Bedds This Bed is nothing els then a full and continuall Repose of the Saints and of that sleepe which the same Prophet Psal 126. thus praiseth VVhen he shall giue sleepe to his Beloued behold the inheritance of our Lord. Of which point he thus speaketh Psal 4. In peace in the selfe same will I sleepe and rest To conclude This is that Rest of which it was thus said to S. Iohn Apoc. 14. VVrite Blessed are the dead which dye in our Lord for hence forth saith the spirit they shall rest from their labours for their works follow them This is a great felicity and peculiar only to the Blessed For in this life there is no man wholy disburdened of all labour and euen those men who seeme most to be at rest and quietnes to wit noble and rich men are commonly pressed with greater anxieties And therefore not without cause did our Lord coÌ„pare Riches vnto Thornes in the Parable of the Sower Matth. 13. And Iob saith cap. 7. The life of man is a warfare vpon the Earth And one of his fellowes conspiringly thus auerreth Iob. 5. A man is borne to labour and a bird to flye But Ecclesiasticus more copiously doth inlarge himselfe vpon this point thus preaching cap. 4. Great trauell is created to all men and a heauy yoke vpon the children of Adam from the day of their comming forth of their Mothers wombe vntill the day of their burying into the mother of all Their Cogitations and feares of the Heart imagination of things to come and the day of their ending from him that sitteth vpon the glorious Seate vnto him that is humbled in earth and ashes from him that weareth Hyacinth and the Diademe euen to him that is couered with rude sackcloth Thus Ecclesiasticus In which words he teacheth vs that no mortall man is at any time made entirely partaker of Rest But to the end that all men may vnderstand of what worth and moment the sleep that is the sweet Repose of the Saints is to be respected therefore I will as it were lay open the seuerall points of the former sentence First then he saith Great trauell is created to all men and an heauy yoke vpon the children of Adam Here occupation busines is opposed to rest But because many are busied in things comfortable and pleasant as in hunting playing singing and the like therefore Ecclesiasticus addeth an heauy yoke thereby to shew that he speaketh of a laboursome vnpleasant and toylesome occupation with which no man is delighted and which All endeauour to decline and auoid And this most troublesome occupation or negotiation he affirmeth to be created for men that is adioyned and assigned to man euen from his Creation as an indiuiduall and inseparable Companion Which point he further explicateth that men may better vnderstand his meaning by adioyning these words From the day of their comming forth of their mothers wombe vntill the day of their burying into the mother of all Therefore a more mild and gentill course is taken with Oxen which beare the yoke in the day-time and rest in the night then with men who both day and night are forced to beare the yoke of labour and sollicitude And after this Ecclesiasticus briefly toucheth vpon particular troublesome molestitions which like vnto a most heauy yoke doe presse and bow down euen the necks of mortall men saying Their cogitations and feares of the hart imagination of things to come and the day of their ending Thus we see that the first part or Scene of their laborious and painefull trauell is a cogitation of thinges to come For a worldly man is euer anxious and carefull of the day to come saying to himselfe VVhat shall heerter fall out Shall we lose the smal good which we now enioy And from this riseth a continuall feare of the Hart which neuer suffereth a Man
noyse or Watchword shal be heard Behould the Bridegrome commetg goe you forth to meete him Math. 25. they with incredible ioy may presently run to meete him and enter into the Mariage place with him But woe to them who being forgetfull of so great a Busines and are deafe to the words of holy Srciptures who hauing their Lamps put forth are found sleeping and thereby being excluded from the most pleasing and most delightfull Mariage they shall in vayne cry out Lord Lord open to vs. Matth. 25. Of the Price or Reward CHAP. VII THe Parabolicall Names which do occur in the Ghospell being explicated it remayneth that we vnfould the Names vsed by the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians which are Brauium A Pryze or Reward Corona a Crowne Of Braâ—iuÌ„ or Prize the Apostle thus then speaketh They that runne in the race all do runne indeed but one receaueth the Prize So runne you that you may obtaine And that in this place by the Word Prize or Reward the celestiall Beatitude is vnderstood the same Apostle teacheth in his Epistle to the Philippians cap. 3. saying Forgetting the things that are behind but stretching forth my selfe to those that are before I pursue vnto the marke to the praise of the supernall vocation of God in Christ Iesus Therefore we see there is a Prize or Reward in Heauen to the which God doth call vs through Christ Iesus Now although the Prizes which the Princes of the vvorld are accustomed to propose be of no extraordinarie valew or worth Notwithstanding the Celestiall Prize must of necessity in euery respect be of greatest estimation And this whether thou considerest God who doth propose the Prize he being of infinit Power and magnificence of whom the Prophet thus speaketh Psal 8. Thy magnificency hath ascended aboue the Heauens or els the Persons that do runne and striue to whom the Pryze is set forth who are his Sonnes and the Brethren of Christ vvhome doubtlesly the King their Father would not haue inuiâ—ed to runne if the Prize or Reward were not of that Worth and dignity as that the Sonnes of God might worthily desire and couet it But it importeth muâ—h to shew what it is to runne for the Prize and with what art and skill we may so run as we may wynne or obtaine the same To runne for the Prize is entirely to obserue and keep the Commandements of our Lord God For stadium or a Raâ—e heere signifieth the Law of God eueÌ„ as Dauid witnesseth in those words Ps 118. Blessed are the immaculate in the way which walke in the law of our Lord c. I ran the way of thy Commandements when thou didst dilate my hart Therefore they who run the way of the Commandements do runne in a Race for a Prize or Reward To proceede the skill of running so as that vve may arriue to and obtaine the Prize comprehendeth three Documents The first is that we do not decline or depart any vvay from the Race for he vvho leaueth the Race although he may runne speedily yet he shall neuer gaine the Prize since not to the Prize or reward but to some other Vnceâ—taine scope he directeth his Course The which errour the Apostle testifiâ—th that he diligently auoyded saying 1. Cor. 11. I do so runne not as it were at an vncertaine thing VVhat then is it to runne out of the place of the Race It is not to runne in the way of the Commandements but in running to decline either to the right or left hand To instance this The Law sayth Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Leuit. 19. VVho so loueth his neighbour as himselfe runneth in the Race and runneth for the Pryze But who so passionatly and vehemently loueth his Neighbour as that for his sake he is not affraid to offend God thus making of a man an Idoll this man declineth to the right hand and running out of the Race runneth not for the Pryze but for some vncertaine thing And by how much he more swiftly runneth in heaping benefits and fauours vpon that Person whome he hath erected to himselfe as an Idol so much the more he erreth and further departeth from the Prize or Reward But he who lesse loueth his Neighbour then he ought to do as when he seeth him to be oppressed with want and penury and yet shutteth his bowells of mercy and commiseration from him as S. Iohn speaketh this man strayeth to the left hand and neither doth he runne in the race neither runneth he for the Pryze although many other good Workes he may seeme to do Therefore we ought to loue our neighbour as our selfs That is we ought so to beare our selfs towards our Neighbour as we expect our neighbour should comport and beare himselfe towards vs And this is to loue our neighbour neither more nor lesse then our selfs For thus doth our Lord God who gaue this Precept explicate the same Math. 7. Luc. 6. And what I haue here spoken of loue of our Neighbour being an affirmatiue Commandement the same vve may speake of Negatiue Commandements For who stealeth another Mans goods declineth to the right hand of that Commandement Thou shalt not steale and strayeth from the race But he vvho doth not steale another mans Goods but maketh profusion and wast of his owne Substance and state such an one declineth towards the left haÌ„d in like sort goeth out of the race For a Iust man who only remaineth in the race doth no lesse depart from the race if he violently take other mens goods as if he did vainly wast his owne Because the Vertue of Liberality which belongeth to Iustice is encompassed with two opposite Vices being extremes to wit Auarice and Effusion or Prodigalitie The summe and Conclusion of all this is that he who will remaine in the Race ought altogeather to auoyde mortall sinne Another document is that he vvho desireth to obtaine the Prize do runne swiftly and constantly He runneth swiftly or speedely vvho with an ardent and feruerous vvill keepeth the precepts according to that of the Prophet Psal 111. Blessed is the man that feareth our Lord he shall haue great delight in his Commandements As also of that other sentence of the Apostle In spirit feruent seruing our Lord. Rom. 12. He runneth Constantly vvho is neuer weary with running nor euer ceaseth from running knowing that it is written He that perseuereth vnto the End shal be saued Matth. 10. And truly these tvvo actions I meane to runne spedily and not to be weary or not to intermit running seeme to be meere Contraries and hardly compatible togeather For he who runneth speedily is quickly tyred But he who will not be vvearied runneth a slow space and vvith moderate gate perseuers in his running This thing is true and therefore few they are who do arriue and gayne the Pryze or Reward For it is most necessary that he who coueteth to gaine the Prize doth runne speedely and incessantly
often it so falleth out that the King cannot command at least dare not the effecting of a thing if so he stand in feare to the multitude of his Subiects For how many Kings and Emperours haue beene dethroned whose authority the Subâ—ects haue shaken off and often with death to the said Kings and Emperours Histories are fraught with Examples of this subiect Therefore that chiefe gouerment in mortall Kings is languide and weake since those Kings cannot performe any thing or atcheiue any exploite without the approbation and allowance of the People But the Soueraignty of God who alone is stiled and truly is The great King hath no dependancy of any thing but only of his owne VVill. The which his VVill since it is Omnipotent cannot brooke any resistance neither standeth it in need of souldiers warlike prouision or any other endeauour out of it selfe And although God doth vse Angels or Men as also euen dead and senselesse things as his inferiour Ministers yet this he doth not out of any necessity but because it so best pleaseth his diuine Will For he who without the ministeriall assistance of any created only by the vertue of his VVord Heauen and Earth and euery thing therin contained and doth conserue them only by his VVill may also no doubt gouerne all things so created only by his owne imperiall dominion Neither only is God said most truly to rule because supreme or as I may tearme it superlatiue power remaineth in him alone but also in that the chiefe mistery of gouerning is peculiar only to him For God needeth not any Senatours or others to consult withall VVho hath knowne saith S. Paul Rom. 11. the mind of our Lord or who hath beene his counsellour And before the Apostle Isay c. 40. thus contesteth the same saying VVho hath holpen the spirit of our Lord Or who hath beene his counsellour and shewed to him VVith whom hath he taken counsell and who hath instructed him and taught him the path of Iustice and taught him knowledge and shewed him the way of Prudence Therefore it followeth ineuitably from the Premisses that a Monarchy which is the best kind of gouerment is not only found to bee in God but it is found to be in him alone true and perfect For hee is not only formidable ouer all the Kings of the earth as we reade Psal 75. but also is a most Maiesticall King ouer all the Gods as is said againe in Psalm 94. For there are certaine false Gods who are rather to bee called diuells according to that of the Prophet The Gods of the Gentils are diuells Psal 95. There are also other Gods by participation as the Kings of the Earth and the Angells of Heauen are for we reade Psal 81. I haue said you are Gods But all these Gods stand subiect and obedient to that one ouerruling God who reigneth in Heauen The refore it necessarily followeth from what is aboue said that that King is truly a King and most puissant whom Nabuchodonosor that fastigious King of Babylon after his pride was iustly punished in these words fully acknowledgeth Dan. 4. Therefore after the end of the daies I Nabucodonosor lifted vp mine eyes to Heauen and blessed the Highest and praysed him for euer because his power is an euerlasting Power and his Kingdome in generation to generation And all the Inhabitants of the earth are reputed with him for nothing for he doeth according to his will as well in the Powers of Heauen as in he Inhabitants of the earth And there is none that can resist hiâ— hand and say to him VVhy didst thoâ— it c. Now therefore I Nabuchodonosor prayse and magnify and glorifâ— the King of Heauen because all hiâ— VVorks are true and his wayes Iudgements and them that walke in pride he can humble Thus Kâ—ng Nabuchodonosor confessed of himself who may be an exaÌ„ple to all others that they doe humble and prostrate themselues vnder the powerfull hand of God as S Peter admonisheth And that they stand more prepared to serue the King of Kings thereby to deserue his beneuolence and fauour then through pride and clâ—tioâ— of heart to resist his Wiâ—l by which their course they are in the end forced to suffer condigne punishments vnder his most rigorous hand accordâ—ng to their iust deserts That all the Blessed in Heauen are Kings CHAP. IV. THE fourth and most principall reason why the place and state of the Blessed may be called the Kingdome of Heauen is because all the Blessed in Heauen are Kings and in that all the conditions of Regall Authority doe most aptly agree to them For although all the Saints in Heauen doe serue and obey God as is said in the Apocalyps c. 22. yet with all they gouerne and rule For whereas it is sayd in the same place his seruants shall serue him it is also there sayd And they shall reigne for euer and euer Neyther only doe all the Bâ—essed serue togeather and rule togeather but withall they may be tearmed both Seruants and Sonnes for thus God speaketh in the Apocalyps cap. 21 They who shall ouercome shall possesse these things c And I will be his God he shal be my Sonne Thus therfore as the same Saints may be said to be SeruaÌ„ts Sonnes so also may they be sayd to be Seruants and Kings They are Seruanes in that they are created of God and do owe all obedience and vassalage vnto him of whome they receaue them Being lyfe and other thinges for nothing created is excepted out oâ— this homage euen by the testimony of Dauid saying All things do seruâ— thee Psal 118. They may be also called the Sonnes of God because theâ— receaue their regeneration from God by water and the Holy Ghost Finally they are Kings since Regalâ— Poweâ— and Dignity is communicated vntâ— them by the King of Kings who euer in thâ—s respect is styled in the Apocalyps cap. 19. The King of Kings anâ— Lord of Lords Perhaps it may be heere vrged that it is not repugnaÌ„t that one the same man should be a temporall King and withall a Seruant of God as it iâ— said accordingly in the 2. Psalme Anâ— now your Kings vnderstaÌ„d take instructioÌ„ you that iudge the earth But to be King of the Kingdome of Heauen and withall to be a seruant of the King of Heauen seeme to be incompatible togeather How then can a man apprehend this difficuâ—ty or belieue it â— answere notwithstanding it is so â—nd facile to fayth both to conceaue and to belieue it Therefore the Iust â—n the Kingdome of Heauen shall aâ—so be Kings of the Kingdom of Heauen because they shall participate of that Regall Dignity and power as also of the spiritual riches aâ—l other goods which are in the Kingdome of Heauen The Verity of which point the Holy Ghost contesteth in three places of Scripture One is in the Ghospeâ—l of S. Matthew cap. 5. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome
that they are all one Hart and one Spirit And since charity cannot brooke Hatred Enuy Contentions discord and the lyke therefore all such dissentioÌ„s iarres are most remoted froÌ„ that holy Citty of Ierusalem and only Charity there raigneth being atteÌ„ded on with â—ustice peace ioy in the Holy Ghost In the beginning of the Creation of things there was a great waâ—re in Heauen betweene S. Michael the Archangell and the Dragon But S. Michael and the other Angells who ranged themselues with him and remayned in the Truth and performed their loyalty and obedience to their Lord obtained victory ouer the Dragon and his Associats who breathing nothing but pride reuolted from their common Lord and Soueraigne And the great Dragon was cast forth the old Serpent whâ—ch is called the Diuell and Satan which seduceth the whole world and he was cast into the earth Apoc. 12. From which time the Holy Citty the heauenly Ierusalem did border it selfe within the limitts of Peace Neither hath any warlike Trumpet beene hard therein neyther shall hereafter be heard and this for aâ—l Eternity Now to reflect vpon what is aboue said What can be reputed more pleasing or happy then this Citty Such men who by their owne experience haue tryed the euills of warres robberies slaughters Rapines deuastation of places by Lies sacriledges and the like may easily and truly preach of the great pleasure and sweetnes of peace But passing ouer publike warres and Hostility who hath not made triall in his owne Citty yea in his owne house how distastfull and vnpleasing it is daily to conuerse with men of an irefull and froward disposition who doe interprete euery thing in the worst â—art Depart from the wicked and euill shall fall from thee saith Ecclesiasticus c. 7. But whither can we fly where we shall not be encountred with wicked men And if euery place doe swarme with such men then doubtlesly must many euills discontents and vnquietnes attend vpon vs during this our tyme of exile Giue eare to what the foresaid Ecclesiasticus pronounceth of an euill wife It shall be more pleasant to abide with a Lion and Dragon then to dwell with a wicked woman c. 25. And if she who is the fellow and companion of mans lâ—fe be through wickednesse turned into a Lyon or Dragon to how great angours and infelicities are many men exposed All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus faith the Apostle â— Tim. 3. shall suffer persecution Therefore how vnhappy is the Citty of this world in vvhich a man of necessity must be affronted vvith Aduersaries and vvage vvarre For if thou vvilt liue piously and godly thou shalt suffer persecution at the hands of men And if thou vvilt giue the bridle to all impiety thereby to decline and auoid persecution of men thou shalt then fall into the wrath and indignation of that most high and powerfull King who shall persecute and punish thee both liuing and dead whose anger no man can resist Most vnfortunate therfore and calamitous is that Countrey in which no man can escape warre no man can fly from persecution no man can find true peace What then remaineth but that euen from the bottome of our heart we doe prosecute with a I loue and prayse the Heauenly Citty wherein no persecution can be found no warres broyles or discord can take place Of the liberty or freedome of the Citty of God CHAP. III. THe third Reason why the Kingdome of God may be called a Citty is in that a Kingdome hath a Monarchicall forme o gouerment which seemeth to be opposed to liberty whereas all the Cittizens of Heauen are free and our Mother which is the supreme Ierusalem is also free as S. Paul witnesseth to the Galathians c. 4. Which blessed Apostle did well know what he did speake since he being once taken vp in spirit into the third Heauen was thereby acquainted with the manners and lawes of that Citty Therefore seeing a Kingdome doth seeme to include seruitude and a Citty liberty that Kingdome may well be called a Citty in whâ—ch all who serue the King are free Now among the holy inhabitants of Heauen there is not one only liberty but a liberty of seuerall kinds For first all the Cittizens of Heauen are free from the bondage of sinne seeing the first liberty which was in the terrestriall Paradise was to haue power not to sinne wheras the second liberty in the celestiall Paradise is far greater to wit not to be able to sinne as S. Austin teacheth lib. de correp gra c. 11. Another kind of liberty consisteth in being free from death being like to the former liberty For Adam vvas so free in the terrestriall Paradise as that it vvas in his povver not to dye And the Sonnes of Adam are so free in the celestiall Paradise as that they cannot dye Neyther must it seeme strange that vve pâ—ace liberty in that vvhich consisteth in not being able to doe seeing not to be able to sinne and not to be able to dye imply an eminency of freedome from the captiuity of sinne and thraldome of mortality For vvho hath not povver to sinne is not only free from sinne but also is so farre from the bondage thereof as that he remaines secure that sinne shall neuer haue any soueraignty ouer him In like sort he vvho cannot dye remaines not only free from death but is so farre distant from death as that he is ascertained that death shall neuer make any assault tovvards him Which liberty only God through his owne Nature enioyeth according to those words of the Apostle 1. Tim. 6. VVho alone hath immortality For although the Angells and rationall soules be said to be naturally immortall because they haue no Principle or cause of Corruption in their â—ature Neuerthelesse God who first created them can at his pleasure reduce them to Nothing But the Angells and the blessed Saints are most secure that they shall for neuer after sinne nor dye and are in this respect most free from the seruitude of sinne or death which priuiledge is a most honorable participation of the diuine liberty of God The third kind of liberty is to be free from Necessity and this liberty is also of seuerall sorts For now mortal men are forced through a certaine constraint of necessity to eate to drinke to sleepe to labour sometymes to stand another time to walke or to lye downe and repose themselues But the Saints in Heauen stand subiect and thra l to no such necessity but are freed from all corporall necessitudes And this is the liberty of the glory of the Sonnes of God of which the Apostle speaketh in his Epistle to the Romans Now of what dignity this liberty is first poore men secondly spirituall men lastly rich men such as are louers of this world do fully testify Men oppressed with penury and want in the highest degree what indefatigable paynes dâ— they vndergoe thereby to prouide for themselues and theirs meate
good Theefe hanging with him vpon the Crosse Luc. 23. To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise For by the vvord Paradise our Sauiour did vnderstand the Kingdome of Heauen and essentiall Beatitude For when the Theefe had said O Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome our Lord promising to him the participation of his Kingdome did answere To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The same is also witnessed by S. Paul when he said 2. Cor. 12. I know a man in Christ rapt euen to the third Heauen he was rapt into Paradise S. Iohn doth witnesse the same in his Apocalyps cap. 2. where he bringeth in our Lord thus speaking To him that ouercommeth I will giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of my God Now from these passages of Scripture it is euident that the Region of the Blessed is a place of delight and Pleasure Furthermore when our Lord said to the good and faythfull seruant Math. 25. Enter into the ioy of thy Lord doth he not most openly declare the House of God or the City of God to the which all the good and faythfull Seruants are admitted after their passing out of this world to be a place of Ioy And where in many places be compareth the Kingdome of Heauen to a Supper as in Luc. 14. A certaine mâ—n made a great supper And againe cap. 22. where he sayth And I dispose to you as my Father disposed to me a kingdome that you may eate and drinke vpon my Table in my kingdome To conclude in the Apocalyps â—t is said cap. 19. Blessed are they who are called to the supper of the Mariage of the Lambe Certainly the Scripture by the Metaphor of a supper signifieth delectation and pleasure except we will maintayne that in the sense of Tasting there is no pleasure And we may annex hereto that in the Gospell and in the Apocalips the Kingdome of Heauen is compared to a Regall or Princely Supper as is euident out of that King VVho made a mariage for his sonne and out of the Parable of the Wise foolish Virgins of which the Wise Virgins did enter with the Bridegroome to the Mariage but the Foolish Virgins were shut out We also fynd in the Apocalyps many things to be spoken of the Mariage of the Lambe in the Kingdome of Heauen being celebrated with all magnificent preparation Furthermore the felicity of the Saints is compared to Princely Mariages at what tyme all kind of pleasures almost are enioyed of which point we are further to discourse in the next ensuing Booke To conclude S. Iohn in the Apocalyps did see a Company of Virgins who did follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he went and did sing a new song which no others could sing Which place S. Austin expoundeth of certaine holy ioyes and pleasures which the Virgins either men or Women do enioy His words are these You shall bring to the Mariage of the Lambe a new song which you shall sing vpon your Citherns that is you shall sing prayses in your Harts not such as the whole Earth singeth but such as not any can sing but your selues Aug. de sancta Virgin c. 27. And then after Whither may we thinke this Lambe will goe Where none shal be able or dare to follow him but your selues Whither may we thinke him to goe into what gardens or other pleasant places Thither I belieue where the grasse is ioyes not the vayne ioyes of this VVorld being but lying Madnes neither the ioyes which are graunted in the kingdome of God to others not being Virgins but they are ioyes distinguished from all other kind of ioyes And then againe a little after The rest of the multitude of the faithfull shall see you which cannot follow this Lambe They shall see but the shall not enjoy and reioycing with you that which they haue not in themselues they shall haue in you for they shall not be able to sing that new song peculiar to you but they shal be able to heare it and to be delighted in your great delight But you who shall both sing and heare this new song because in that you shall sing it you shall heare it you shall with more felicity exult or reioyce and with more pleasure reigne ibid. c. 29. Thus from all aboue expressed it is manifest that in the Heauenly Kingdome and City or House there be many true Ioyes and most true and most great Pleasures Of the Ioy of the Vnderstanding CHAP. II. SEing aboue we haue proued out of the Holy Scripture that there are true Ioyes in the Kingdome of Heauen we wiâ—l now explicate what those Ioyes be And first we will vndertake to shew what the Ioyes of the Vnderstanding VVill and Memory be all which do belong to the spirit or soule next what the ioyes of the seuerall senses be which do appertaine vnto the Body VVe do not intenâ— herby to maintayne that the Vnderstanding the Memory and the sâ—nses of the Body are the proper seats of Ioy for we are not ignorant that Ioy as also desire do properly beloÌ„g to the will in the superiour part and to the Appetite in the inferiour But we heare speake as men do vulgarly speak who forbeare not to say that the Eye is delighted with the beauty of Colours and the Eare with sweetnes of sounds Therefore we vnderstand by the Ioy of the mynd or of the Memory or of the Externall senses a delectation or pleasure which a man taketh from those things which either he doth vnderstand or remember or which he doth draw from the externall senses The first Ioy then of the Blessed shal be to see with the eyes of the mind God euen face to face as S. Paul speaketh and as S. Iohn sayth to see him as he is Now how great a Ioy this wil be we may in part coniecture in that the Prophet Isay and the Apostle do witnes that it exceedeth all the Ioyes which any maÌ„ hath either seene heard desired or euer imagined The eye hath not seene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entred into the harâ— of man what things God hath prepared for them that loue him Isa 64. 1. Cor. 2 For the Scripture here speaketh of the chiefe and Essentiall Beatitude or Happines which is placed in the vision and sight of God himselfe according to that saving of our Lord Matth. 5 Blessâ—d are the cleane of Hart for they shall see God And This is life euerlasting that they know thee the only true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. And truly there semeth in the former VVords a great amplification to wit That no man hath either seene or heard or desired or thought what kind of ioy consisteth in the Vision of God Notwâ—thstanding it is no amplification but a simple Truth because the Eyes the eares and the harts of men are accustomed to perceaue only ioyes that haue end but the Vision of God is