ALTHOVGH the indig­nation, & wrath of Christ our Lord against the wic­ked, and the punishment which he inflicteth vpon their sins, do belong to the office which he hath of being a Iudge; yet so also doth it belong to him, vnder the same Title, to doe fauour to such as are Good, to defend them, to imparte benefites to them; and both to expresse mercy to­wardes[Page 34]them in the Iudgment which he exerciseth vpon their faults, & to giue thē reward for their good deeds, and for this reason it is that I wil de­clare the benefits and fauours which we obtaine by Christ our Lord, in respect that he is our Iudge. It Why it was wholy fit for the second Person of the most holy Trinity to be our Iudg at the last day. be­longeth to Christ our Lord, that he be our Iudge, in regard that he is a man, and because he tooke the nature of man vpon him; as being a most conuenient thing, that the Iudge be seene by all such as are to be iudged by him; and that the guilty may wel vnderstand, and heare the sentence that shalbe giuē against them; & that for as much as men are composed of a body & a soule, they may perceaue it with their soule, and heare it with the senses of their body. Now if Christ our Lord, as he is only God, were to be the Iudge, he could not then be seene by the wicked; and the sentence which immediatly he should [Page 35]pronounce would not interiourly be perceaued by them; and therefore it was fit that he should be our Iudge as man, and should passe his Iudgment vpon men, that so he might be seene, and heard by all.

This Mystery was discouered to vs, by Christ our Lord, and Saui­our himselfe, whilest he was saying:Ioan. 5. The Father iudgeth no man, but he hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne, and he gaue him au hority to exercise Iudge­ment, as the sonne of man. That is to say, Although the eternal Father haue the supreme authority, and power of Iudging, & that to him it doth prin­cipally belong to approue, & reward that which is good, as also to repro­ue and punish that which is euill (& the same also hath the Sonne; and the holy Ghost the same, as being one & the same God with the Father) yet the office of Iudging exteriourly, and after a visible manner to be seene, in[Page 36]the Tribunall, and with the authori­ty & Maiesty of a Iudge; to giue ex­teriourly a sentence which may sensi­bly be perceaued by such as are Iud­ged, this doth only belong to the per­son of the Sonne of God. Who by meanes of the most sacred humanity which he hath immediatly vnited to himselfe, & by the power which frō all eternity he hath as God; and by that which in Tyme was communi­cated to him as man; he is to make this visible and exteriour Iudgment, this being an execution of the interi­our inuisible Iudgmēt, which is made of all the most Blessed Trinity. And although this exteriour Iudgment, be also ascribed to the Father, and to all the Blessed Trinity, as to the prime cause of all things, yet he who is the immediate executour of this Iudge­ment, is Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing God; because the sacred Hu­manity is only vnited immediatly to[Page 37]the person of the Sonne, & that Hu­manity doth make this Iudgment, as the instrument of Diuinity.

Now An vnspeak­able be­nefit of God who gaue vs Christ our Lord for our Iudge. an immense benefit, and an imcomprehensible mercy it was, for God the Father to giue vs Christ Iesus for the Iu ge of our cause, as he is man, as he is our brother, and our Sauiour If a delinquent were in pri­son for greiuous Crymes, deseruing death, and that he had a brother who most tenderly loued him, and estee­med him, and did so much desire his liberty, and his good, that to deliuer him out of prison, and from death, he had spent his fortune, and had ex­posed himselfe to many troubles, and euen to the hazard of death; and if the king should assigne that brother of the party for the Iudge of his cause, with Soueraigne power, to Iudge him without appeale; what kind of fauour, what clemency would it be, which heerin should be vsed towards[Page 38]that man? How full of ioy and com­fort would he be, vpō the naming of such a Iudge? How confident and se­cure would he make himself, that the sentence would be full of pitty, and as fauourable to him, as possible his cause might beare? Well therfore, since all men, according to the From which Christ our Lord & his B. Mother are excepted. ordinary law are faulty and guilty, & it being necessary, according to the diuine Iustice and wisedome, that Iudgment be giuen vpon them; & the cause of all them, who haue comit­ted mortall sinne, being so important, that either they must be condemned to immense & euerlasting torments, or be declared not guilty, but wor­thy to enioy the kingdome of heauē; what greater fauour, what clemency could be desired, or euen thought of, then that God the Father should be pleased to giue vs, for our Iudg, Christ Iesus, who is our brother, and of the selfe same nature with vs; and who [Page 39]loues vs with an vnspeakeable loue; and who doth so much esteeme, and desire both our liberty, & our glory, that for the procuring therof, he hath offered himself to most bitter paines, and scornes, and euen to the death of the Crosse? O how great a com­fort, O how incomparable a ioy is this, for those sonnes of Adam, who feele the greatnes of this benefit? O how confident, and secure ought they to be, that Iudgment shall goe vpon them with greate mercy; and that the rigour of Iustice, shalbe tē ­pered with much pitty; and that the sentēce shall passe in fauour of them, for as much as shalbe possible, with­out impeachment of the holy law, & most sweet ordination of Almighty God.

THIS most mercifull Iudg, hath giuen vs some most euident testi­monies, of the most ardent desire which he hath, not to condemne vs in his diuine Iudgment; but to deli­uer vs as free & safe, & that the sen­tence may wholy passe in fauour of vs. One of these testimonies, and that a very admirable one, is this; That before he would come, the second tyme, to make an vniuersall Iudgment of sinners, & to condemne & punish such as he should finde to be faulty, Marke this excel­lent do­ctrine, for it is ful of truth and comfort. he came, in that first cōming of his, to passe a Iudgment vpon sinns themselues; to destroy, and to con­sume, and to depriue them of being,[Page 41]and life; and in like manner also to passe a Iudgement, against all the eni­mies of our soules namely the World, the Flesh, and the Diuell; and to ouer­come, and dispossesse them of all power, and Tytle, which they might make to men; and to defeate those forces which they mainteyned to the preuidice of mens soules; and to giue men strength, and meanes, wherby they might defend themselues, and obteine perfect victory against them all. That so, when he should come to passe a Iudgment vpon men, he might finde them free from sinne; and if not all of them, yet so many, at least, as would take profit by the grace he gaue them; and consequently that he might haue nothing to punish in them. Yea and moreouer, that he might finde them conquerours ouer their enemies, that so he might giue them that reward of glory, for their victory, which he had promised to[Page 42]such as should ouercome.

This is that high Mystery which Christ our Lord discouered to vs in the Ghospell, somtyme saying,Ioan. 3. That he came not to Iudge the world, but to saue the world. At other times he saith, that he came to make iudgment vpō the world, as he teacheth vs by the E­uangelist saying,Ioan. 12. I came into the world to Iudge it. And yet in another place:Ioan. 8. Now is Iudgmēt to passe vpon the world. Our Lord meanes to say heerby, as himself declares, That at his first cō ­ming when he came, in a mortal and passible body, he came not to passe a Iudgement vpon men, to chastise & condemne the wicked, by doing Iustice, and pronouncing a sentence of condemnation against them. For if he had come to this end, and that he would haue passed this Iudgement at his first comming; he would, in effect, haue bin obliged to comdem­ne all the world; for, in effect he [Page 43]found them all in sin; and euen those few Iust persōs who were free, were so, in vertue of his being come to saue them. And if that first coming of his, had beene to Iudge men, euen those few had also bene in state of sinne, and had beene condemned. He ther­fore explicates himselfe by saying I came not to iudg the world, but to saue it, That is, I came not as a Iudge, but as a Sauiour, I came not to condemne sinners by doing Iustice on them, & by passing a sentence of condemnation against them; But Christ our Lord deliuereth no man from the paynes of hell, by his sacred Passion, but such as first are deliuered by it from sinne. I came to saue them, by suffering and dying for them, and by communicating my Iustice and merits to them; that so I might free them from sinne, and Iustify them; and giue them the spi­rituall health of grace, and of eter­nall glory. And to this very office of sauing men, is ordeyned that Iudge­ment, which he saith he came to make in that first comming, and which he[Page 44]was to passe against sinnes, & against the diuell also in fauour of men. So doth he declare himselfe, saying: Through my Passion and Death, Iudgment is now to passe, and sen­tence is to be giuen, in fauour of the men of this world, against the diuell. For till now, he held men subiect, and captiued vnder his power and tyranny; but now, by the payment which I am making for thē, they are to remaine safe and free. Now, the diuell, who is the Prince of this world, who held men subiect vnder sinne, is to be deposed from that do­minion which he held in the world; for innumerable soules, which were captiued in error and sinne, are to be conuerted and saued; and remedy shalbe imparted to them all, wherby they may be deliuered from him, and may obtaine eternall glory.

So also, in that first cōming of Christ our Lord to saue mankind,[Page 45]he made a kind of distinguishing and deuiding Iudgement, betweene the good, and the bad; the elect, and the reprobate. For when he was prea­ching, and working miracles, and procuring the saluatiō of the world; some did profit by his comming, re­ceauing his fayth, and obeying his Ghospell, & participating of his me­rits. And others againe, because they would not belieue in him, nor serue themselues of his remedyes, did still remaine in their sins; yea, & through their ingratitude, and the hardnes of their harts, they grew therein. And thus by the occasion of the comming of Christ our Lord, the distinction grew more apparent, betweene the faythful & the vnfaithfull; between Iust persons, and sinners; betweene the elect, and such as were reproued by God.

For they who receaued the faith of Christ, & did follow him, by the[Page 46]imitation of his life, & by the taking vp of his Crosse, according to their That is according to the state, wherein they were at that tyme. present iustice, were iust persons; & as long as they did perseuere, they had signes in them, of being prede­stinated; and they who receaued not the fayth, according to their then present state, were wicked & repro­bate This did our Lord declare, whē he sayd: I came into this world, that they who see not, might se [...]; & they who see might be blind. Which was as much to say, Vpon my comming, did this iudgment follow, and this distincti­on was made amongst men; that ma­ny who in their soules were blind, through ignorance and errour, and vice, and who did not see the truth, nor did walke in the right way to heauen, by beleeuing in me, with a liuely fayth, they I say, might see the truth, and follow it. And that many others, who saw, and had knowledg of the Scriptures, and did know the [Page 47]law, and the Prophets; & who both in their own, and in the peoples opi­nion, & estimation, were held wise, and had a spirituall light wherwith to looke into diuine things; they, I say, for their pride and ingratitude, should remaine blind; and, going a­stray from the right way, should not find their errour and perdition.

Another diuine and most sin­gular testimony, which Christ our Lord hath giuen vs, of the desire which he hath, in this iudgment of his, not to finde any sinnes which he might punish, nor any sinners whom he should be so obliged to condemne, is, That Let all Angells a­dore him for this inestima­ble bene­fit to men. at his first comming he made a law, which was to last till the end of the world, wherby he gaue faculty to all sinners, that during the whole tyme whilst their life should last, they might passe a Iudgement vpon themselues; acknowledging their sinns, and accusing themselues [Page 48]therof with greefe, and confessing them to a Priest, who should hould the place of Christ our Lord; and sa­tisfying for them, according to the iudgment of the same Ghostly father; and that they performing this, he would not, in his Iudgment, either cōdemne or punish them, but would declare them to be not Guilty, and would impart the kingdome of hea­uen to thē. And that, if hauing once passed this Iudgement vpon them­selues, they should yet return againe to sinne, & become abnoxious ther­by to eternall condemnation; yet stil as long as their life should last, they might returne to passe the same Iudg­ment vpon themselus, as often as they would; and that if they should do it according to Con­fessing them all clearely with great sorrow & firme pur­pose of amendmēt Truth, he would not condemne them, but would admit them into his company, and make them happy. O Iudgment which is so deerely sweet! O Iudge, who is so ful [Page 49]of mercy! and how vnanswerable is it proued by this most pitteous Iudge, that his intention and desire, is not to punish but to pardon; not to condem­ne, but to absolue and saue; since be­fore he comes to passe his Iudgment, he vseth so many meanes, & applyes so many remedies, to the end that he may finde no sinnes to punish, nor no sinners to condemne.

If an earthly Iudge, had his prison ful of delinquents & theeues, & mur­therers, and should make a kind of a­greement and bargaine with them, that Consi­der seri­ously heerof & admire the infinit goodnes of God in that, wherein the blind world thinkes it hath hard measure, namely in the Insti­tution of the Sacra­ment of Confessi­on. euery one of them might choose what friend or kinsman of his owne he would, and in secret should declare his offence to him, deliuering to him the whole truth, and vnder­going but that penalty which he should impose vpon him for the same; And that, vpon some day of the same yeare, himselfe would come to the prison to Iudge them; and that he[Page 50]would pronounce them to be free, who had declared their offences to friend or kinsman of theirs; & who had performed the penalty which he had imposed; and that he would on­ly cōdemne those others, who would not haue recourse to that remedy; what would you say of this Iudge, & of this agreement? You would say, that there nether is, nor euer was, nor euer will be in the world any Iudge, who sheweth, or is to shew any such mercy; nor who euer made, or will euer make any such Capitulation, with persons who had deserued to dye; nor are there any laws on earth, which can permit any such thinge. And if there were any Iudge, who would submit himselfe to the like cō ­dition, there would no delinquent be found, who would not ioyfully performe this agreement, and so be declared for not guilty.

Well then, Christ Iesus, the E­ternall[Page 51] Iudge, and who is of infinite power and Maiesty, doth shew this mercy to all such sinners as are wor­thy of eternall death. And he hath made this bargaine, and agreement with them all; and that is yielded to by the laws of heauē, which the laws of earth will not endure. Let vs ther­fore serue our selues of this mercy, let vs performe the articles of this a­greement; and let vs, in tyme, passe a Iudgment vpon our selues; let vs con­fesse our sinnes with true sorrow; & let vs amend our liues, to the end that when at the houre of our death, in the particuler Iudgment; and at the end of the world in the Vniuersal iudgment we shal come before this great Iudge, he may find no sinnes to punish or condemne in vs. For it is sayd by S. Iohn the Apostle, concerning this Lord:1. Ioan. 1. If we confesse our sins, repenting our selues truly of them before God and his substitute, God is iust, and faithfull, [Page 52]in fulfilling the promises, and rewarding the meritts of Chri [...] our Sauiour; and so he will pardon vs our sinnes, through his merits, and will cleanse vs from all wic­kednes, as he hath promised.

O most vnhappy men who de­ferring to do pennance, and to make amendment of their liues, despise this mercy of God, as S. Paul sayth by making ill vse thereof;Rom. 2. And Woe be to thē who will needes be wicked euen be­cause God is so infi­nitely good. by this meanes they treasure vp the wrath and punishment of God for themselues, against the day of his wrath, which is, that, of his Iudgement. These lawes of mercy were not made, nor are they proclaimed vnto men, to the end that thereupon, they should take such a wicked strange presumption to sinne; but that, if they haue sinned, they should not be dismaid; but that in hope of this diuine mercy, they should instantly correct themselues, and reforme their liues and obtaine pardon. So doth the glorious Apostle [Page 53] S Iohn aduertise vs; for hauing sayd: That if we confesse our selues well, God will pardon vs, he instātly addeth this,1. Ioan. 2. These thinges haue I written, to you my children, to the end, that you may not sinne but that you may fly from sinne at full speed but yet if any man do sinne, we haue an Aduocate before the Father. That is to say, let him not be dismaid, nor out of hope; but let him instant­ly be conuerted to God, confessing his sinnes, and doing pennance for the same; because we haue an Ad­uocate and Mediatour before the e­ternall Father, which is Iesus Christ the Iust, and the very fountaine of Iustice, who made satisfaction for al our sinnes.

ANOTHER most singular be­nefit, which Christ our Lord imparteth to vs, vnder the quality of his being our Iudge; is to make vs know and feele, the grieuousnes of of sinne, that so we may be drawne to abhorre it greatly, & to conceaue a true feare of falling into any offen­ce of God. This knowledg, and this holy Feare do we fetch from the con­sideration of that diuine Iudgment, since notwithstanding that Christ our Sauiour, is of his owne Nature most pitteous, and most benigne; &[Page 55]being the very fountaine of pitty and mercy; and being most profoundly meeke, and sweet, and the very foun­taine of sweetnes; and being so great a louer of men, that he dyes for them; and so much desiring, and esteeming the saluation of their soules, that he giues his life for the same; we The terrour wherwith Christ our Lord will ap­peare, at the later day. yet see, that in his Iudgment he will come extremely full of cause, to make vs horribly feare; and most terrible wil he be in the highest degree, and full of wrath and fury, & for zeale of iu­stice against sinners. He will come sitting downe, vpon those horses of the heauen which are the cloudes;Matt. 25. he will come in a warlike manner, ac­companyed by all the squadrons and armies of heauen;Sap. 5. he will draw with him the whole world of creatures, being all ranged & placed in forme of battaile against sinners.Sopho. c. 1. Yea, and euen the very Saintes, and Blessed soules themselues, who are so full of [Page 56]pitty, and haue beene the Aduocates of sinners, will come armed, & shall be made both Iudges, and the Mini­sters of diuine Iustice against them. He shall haue, for the Messenger which speakes of his comming,Psal. 96. a most furious fire, which shall burne and purge all corporeall creatures; & a most hideous frightfull sound of mysterious trumpets, which shal spēd themselues ouer the whole world; & shall make all creatures tremble; and shal passe and pierce euen to the low­est bottome of hell, and shall make those soules spring out of those infer­nall habitations of theirs, full of hor­rible confusion, to resume their bo­dyes and appeare in Iudgment. In this manner doth the Scripture describe the comming of Christ our Lord to Iudgement.

Let vs now consider, who it is that causeth this mutation of Christ our Lord. Who changeth him in so[Page 57]strang a fashion? Who maketh him, of most pittifull, so extremly fierce? Who, of most profoundly meeke, so full of wrath? Of must delightfully sweet, so full of fury and terrour? Of peaceable, so giuen to warre? Of a refuge and shelter for sinners, to be growne such a seuere punisher of the faulty? Sinnes See heere, if sinne be not a dan­gerous compani­on to liue withall. they are which cause this great mutation, and which do so farre estrange him from that most benigne, and sweet condition of his. The hatred and profound detestation which he hath of sinne; the liuely feeling he hath, to see him­selfe so foulely offended; the greiuous weight which our faultes do carry in his diuine presence, wherby his will is transgrest, and his law despi­sed, do make him grow so frightfull, and so very fierce, towards the do­ing of iustice, and taking vengance vpon sinners. So saith the Apostle of Christ, Iudas Thadaeus, Iud. 1. speaking of[Page 58]this Iudgment: Marke well, for our Lord doth come accompanied with the innumerable troupes of holy Angells to passe a Iudgment vpon all wicked men; to conuince them of all the euill workes which they haue comitted, and of all the euill words which they haue spoken, con­trary to the law of God; and to pro­nounce a sentence of condēnation against them.

Since then the hatred which God doth carry against sinne, is so very great; since the punishment which he will execute vpon sinners in that Iudgment of his is so immense; O it is full of reason, that from the faith and infallible notice which we haue of this truth, all we, who are beleeuers, should fetch a knowledge of the grieuousnes of sinne; and a perfect detestation of the same, and a profound griefe and sorrow for such sinne as we haue already cōmitted; & much feare in respect of them which[Page 59]we may commit heerafter. That so we may fly them, and be freed from the fury of that diuine Iudgment, and from that sentence of eternal damna­tion, which is to be thundered out against sinners. For The true vse which we are to make of conside­ring the terrour of the day of Iudge­ment. this is the true reason, why this Iudgment is disco­uered, and notified to vs, as S. Paul affirmed whilst he was preaching to the Athenians to this effect: God doth now anounce the truth of his Ghos­pell, to men: to the end that all men and in all places may do penance of their sins; since he hath, with firme deliberation, ordeyned a day, at which tyme he will iudg the whol world with great vpright­nes of iustice; giuing to euery one, that reward and punishment which his workes deserue. And this Iudgment he will passe vpon the world, by the meanes of Christ our Lord; who as man, hath au­thority from the eternall Father, to giue visible Iudgment vpon all men. Act. 17.

TO the end that from the decla­ration of the office which Christ our Lord hath of being the Iudge; & of the Iudgement which is to passe vpon the whole world, we may draw the great fruite of knowing and fee­ling the greiuousnes of sinne, and of abhorring it, and doing penance for it; and, that we may also draw from thence, a feare of sinne, and of the punishment therof, we will go de­declaring those points, and misteries of this diuine Iudgment; which may best discouer to vs the immensnes of the hate, which God doth carry to­wards [Page 61]sinne; and of the punishment which he inflicteth vpon sinners. The first point which doth discouer to vs the hate which God doth carry to­ward sinne, is, that in this his ter­rible Iudgment, he will not onely pu­nish the sinners who did offend him by their sins,Matt. 24. but How insensible creatures, shall after a sort be punished, for ha­uing been made the instrumēt of mans sinne. he will, after a sort, punish all the Creatures of the whole world, wherby sinners were assisted and serued. The Sunne shall grow darke; not as now it doth som­tymes, by naturall causes; or in respect that any cloude may ouershadow it; or because the Moone may cast it self betweene it, and the earth, (as it hapneth in the case of an Eclipse) but it is to be obscured, by a superna­turall and miraculous cause; and so it is to be vnderstood, that for a while it shall loose the whole light it had. The Moone shall also loose her light. The Stars shall fall from heauenIoel. 2. either be­cause when they are without light,[Page 62]it shall seeme to be, as if they were fallen, or els for that, in very deed, they shall dislodge themselues from that high firmament, where they are fixt, and for some tyme shall fall from thence, and deteine themselues in the ayre, till they returne againe into their place.

The powers of the heauen shalbe moued, that is, those celestiall bodies, with their naturall vertue shall trem­ble, and so shift their places, as in an earthquake the earth is wont to do; or if it be vnderstood of Angells, the meaning is, how in that day, they shall make some kind of spiritual de­mōstration, & motion of great admi­ratiō. The Sea shalbe troubled, & shal­be moued in a most wōderful māner, and with the waues thereof, shall make such a hideous noyse, as will a­stonish the whole world; & oppresse and afflict with excessiue feare and horrour, the harts of mortall men, & [Page 63]will make them euen whither againe with woe. The Earth, shall tremble,2. Pet. 3. and shalbe open in many partes, and shall disclose euen the pits of hel. The Ayre, with the same Earth, and Sea, shall burne by that most ardent ouer­flowing of fire, which shall consume al the liuing bodyes, of fishes, beasts, and men. God in his law, comman­ded the children of Israel, Deut. c. 13. v. 20. that when they should be to fight against the I­dolatours, and Pagans (who dwelt in the Land of Promise, and whome he was pleased to punish for their sinnes) not only that they should kill the men, but euen the very beasts, which did them seruice; and so in particuler he A sign of this truth in the old Testamēt exacted this of Saul, when he went to fight against the Amalecites; and because he did not punctually comply with this cō ­mandment, but suffered some of the Cattle to liue, God was offended, & Saul was punished.1. Reg. 3.

[Page 64]Let vs now see why God did not content himselfe, with causing the men who had sinned to be put to death, but the beasts also, which had no fault. It was to make men vnderstand and feele, that sinne is so great a mischeife, and is so worthy to be abhorred and punisht, and that God doth indeed, so much abhor it, that it is a most cōuenient thing, not onely to punish sinners with eternall tormēts & death, but to destroy also, and consume, and as it were to cha­stice, the creatures wherof they did serue & help thēselues towards their sinnes. Therfore is it, that resoluing in the Vniuersall Iudgment to chastice the wickednes of all men, in a most complete manner, he will not con­tent himselfe to deliuer ouer sinners themselues to those eternall ardours of fire & those other immense paines of hell; but to the creaturs also wher­of they made some vse in sinning, he[Page 65]giues as it were a kind of payne, and punishment, in detestation of the sins themselues; as also, to the end that they may be purged, and cleered frō that indecency, and deformity which grew to them, by the seruice, which they did to sinners. For thus it is, that the Sunne, the Moone, & Stars, which did illuminate sinners whilest they were committing their sinnes, shalbe depriued by him for a whyle, of all the light, & beauty which they haue, & he shall conuert it into thick dark­nes. And as for the Sea, & the Earth, & Ayre, which gaue food to sinners, & did maintaine them, whilest they were offending God, he will make them as it were feare, and tremble, & will depriue them, for a tyme, of the naturall quality and disposition they haue; and will consume, and kill all those liuing creatures, and plantes, which were the food of sinners; and wil destroy al those buildings, which[Page 66]were the habitation of wicked men. And thus, through the mutation, & demonstration, & desolation which in the Iudgment, God will shew in al the creatures which serued sinners, he doth teach and testify the infinite ha­tred which he hath against sin. And he doth induce, & perswade vs, that now, through the knowledge of this truth, we may be drawn to abhor & detest them; and that with a peniten­tiall & holy life, we may cleanse our soules, as well as possibly we can, frō al fault & offence of his diuine Maie­sty. 2. Pet. 3. S. Peter This truth is insinua­ted by S. Peter. doth admonish vs of the good effect which we are to draw from the change which is to be made vpon the creatures, by saying to this effect: Since there is a day of the vni­uersall Iudgement to come wherin all the creatures, for hauing serued sinners are to be purged with fire and burnt; inferre my brethren from hence, how diligent, and constant it is fit for you to be, in the[Page 67]leading of a good life; and how holily and purely you are to conuerse in this world, and how vigilant, and carefull, it will becom you to be, in performing the works of piety towards God; and of mercy tow­ards your Neighbour; expecting with a liuely fayth, that day of our Lord; and approaching and drawing neere to him with speed not with paces of the body, but with the desires & affections of the soule, desiring and louing this day, and prepa­ring to see your selues at that tyme, ac­companyed with purity of life, and with the exercise of vertue.

ANOTHER mystery of this di­uine Iudgement, discouering the[Page 68]mighty demonstration, and detesta­tiō which God doth expresse against the faults whereby he is offended; is the so particuler accompt which he will take of vs, & which we all must giue, of all the facultyes or powers, & al the senses, both of our body and soule; & of all the creaturs which we haue vsed; and If you beleeue this point of fayth to be true I shall not need to wish you to looke wel about you. of all the workes which we haue performed, all the wordes which we haue spoken, and all the thoughts which we haue con­ceaued, how little soeuer they fall out to haue beene; without leauing out, so much as any one idle word, or any one idle thought. We shall giue accompt of how we imployed our Vnderstanding; if we did set it on worke, vpon the inquiry and search of God, and his truth, and in con­templating on him, & his holy Cō ­mandments, and the workes of his handes, and the diuine words of his mouth. As for the memory, we shal­be [Page 69]questioned, if we haue vsed it, in calling our Lord God to mind, to­geather with his presence, his good­nes, his power, and all his benefits, and mercies. We shalbe arraigned v­pon the point of our Will, if perhaps it haue beene busyed, in the loue, and estimation, and desire of God, and the accomplishment of his Law, and of his will; and in the search of all those thinges, which concerne the glory of our Lord God.

We shall We shall not only giue account of our sinnes, & the facul­ties of our mind, but also of the senses of our body and of the vse of all Gods cre­atures. giue account, of how we put the senses of our body on worke; if we imployed our eyes vpon behoulding this fabrike of the world, and these Heauens, and Ele­ments, and the other works of God, that so, behoulding in these creaturs, the trace, and sent which they carry in them, of all his diuine perfections, we may raise our selues vp by them: So to consider with our soules, the power, and the wisedome, and the[Page 70]goodnes, and the beauty of God, and by this meanes, to loue and praise him with our whole harts. So also, if we imployed our ears, to hear the words of the true God; and those instructi­ons, and doctrines, & admonitions, and examples, which were profita­ble to the soule; and in hearing the sweet musicke of mans voice; and of the instruments which he can vse, & of the birds also of the ayre, so to stir our selues vp, towardes deuotion, & to contemplate the much sweetnes of that Celestiall musicke; and so to loue and esteeme the blessinges of heauen. And concerning the Smell, if we imployed it onely, vpon those things which are necessary for mans life; & through the sent of creaturs if we aspir'd towardes the sweet sauour of vertues, and of good example; & of the glory of the next life. So also for the Tongue, if it was mouing in the prayse of our Lord God, & in offe­ring[Page 71]him deuout prayers, & in lear­ning and teaching those thinges, which are necessary both for our sel­ues and our Neighbours; and in dis­couering, and confessing our sinnes for the obtayning of pardon, and re­dresse thereof, and in taking but that food, which was necessary for the sustenance of our life; and in draw­ing out of the gust & sauour of cor­poral meate, a consideration and fee­ling of the vnspeakeable sweetnes, and sauour of those spirituall foods of grace, and glory. So also, if we haue imployed the sense of Feeling with our handes, and all the rest of our bo­dy, vpon the onely taking of those thinges, which were necessary for the same body; and profitable for our soule, and for our Neighbours, and for the vse of our life, and for the ex­ercise of the workes of Charity and Mercy.

This good vse of all the powers[Page 72]of our souls & senses of our body doth our Lord God demaund of vs, when he saith,Deut. 4. Keepe thy selfe, and keepe thy soule, with great care; and of this are we to make a very exact accompt, in his diuine Iudgement. Wee shall also giue accompt in the same Iudg­ment of all our sinnes of speach; such as are vaine Oathes, Reproaches, murmurations, cursings, scoffing of our neighbours, and words of anger and impatience, of lying, of sowing discord: Of these and others which are either lasciuious, or curious, or vaine, of euery idle word, saith Christ our Redeemer,Matt. 12. shall men giue accompt in the day of Iudgment; and that word goeth for idle which is neither neces­sary, nor profitable. Accompt must also be giuen of all sinnes of deed; such as are disobedience to parents, and other Superiours, reuenge, ill in treaty of our neighbours, dishone­sty, iniustice, vsurping & detayning[Page 73]the goods of others against right, vnlawfull bargaines, pride in go­uernement, excesse in the furniture of houses, of clothes, of expences otherwise, and in the intertaine­mēt of seruants; excesse also in dyet, in play, and in other superfluous and vaine things: Of all these, and of all other euill deeds, accompt must be giuen, as Ecclesiastes saith;Eccles. 12. All things which are done by man, both good & bad, shallbe presented in that diuine Iudge­mēt, to be there examined; & for euery work which shalbe found erroneous and ill, he shalbe punished. We shall giue accompt of al our thoughts, such as are rash Iudgmēt; consents which are giuen to reuenge, or els vncleanes or voluntary delights, in any thing which is ill; or to inward hatred; or in fine, to thoughts which are vn­profitable For as the Wise man saith,Sap. 1 God will examine, & iudge the thoughts of the wicked.

[Page 74]Besides this, we shall giue A point of great mo­ment and little thought on. accompt of our sinnes of Omission, which are the most in number, and ly most hidden from our sight. For hauing forborne to pray, to read good bookes, to fast, to performe other penances, and mortifications, and to confesse, and communicate. For hauing omitted to do the workes of Iustice, and mercy, in certaine cases, and at certaine tymes, when either some particuler precept, or the great necessity of doing those wor­kes, did oblige vs to them. For ha­uing fayled to comply with many dutyes of our calling, and offices, to which we were bound by the obliga­tions either of God or man. We shall giue accompt, how we haue profit­ted by those spirituall and supernatu­rall graces, which God hath giuen vs; such as are his Sacraments; the guifte of Fayth; the Doctrine of the Ghospell; good Sermons, holy exampls,[Page 75]vertuous conuersations, the admo­nitions, and reprehensions of our Superiours, and Ghostly Fathers; and the interiour inspirations which God hath giuen vs. We shall giue ac­count, how we haue vsed our natu­rall and temporall benefits, as namely our Health; if we haue imployed it vpon the seruice of that Lord who gaue it; Our Tyme, if we haue spent it profitably; our Reputation, if we vsed it to the glory of God, and the good of our Neighbour. Our Estate & temporal goods, if we haue imployed them, onely to the succour of the true necessities of our selues, our family, and our neighbours, and of those things which are profitable to the life of a Christian man, and to the honest Condition of euery one.

The accompt which is to be gi­uen for these sinnes of Omission, and the punishment which is allotted to them, Christ our Lord declared in[Page 76]that Parable of the Talents, when he told that vnprofitable seruant, that the Talent which God gaue him, (which are his naturall and spirituall guifts, as also his temporall goods) was not well imployed by him, nor vsed in those workes which were a­greable to God; and he said thus to him;Matt. 25. Thou negligent and wicked seruant, since thou sayst, that I am rigorous, and that I expect more then I laid out, why didst thou not put out that Talent, to profit which I gaue thee? That is, why didst thou not make the right vse of what I gaue thee, imploying it well in the exer­cise of vertue, in the increase of merit, and in the multiplication of good works? And so, when he had rebuked this sloathfull seruant, he commaunds the ministers of his Iustice, to exce­cute the sentence, which he giues a­gainst him, when he sayth, Take that vnprofitable seruant, and cast him into exteriour darknes, which is that of Hell;[Page 77]where there is lamentation, and euer­lasting torment, through the paines of intollerable both heat and could, & other torments also, which are to be endured there.

THESE are the things, wherof a man is to giue accompt in that diuine Iudgment of God. And this is that, which now is to be considered, that so he may know how deeply God doth feele the weight of sinne, and consequently how to moue him­selfe to detest it. And withall let him ponder, how after, that Christ our Lord hath demāded this accompt, of [Page 78]thē whom he findeth to be culpable, for not hauing complyed with these obligations; but proceeded contrary to his commaundements: How, I say, that most iust Iudge will conuince them in that terrible Tribunall, before all the Inhabitants both of heauen and earth, saying to them in his man­ner.

You If this do not mooue thee, pray to God that it may, for els thou art in ill case. men, why haue you thus offended mee? why haue your done me so many Iniuries, I being your God, of in­finity Maiesty, Goodnes, and wisedome? I being your Creatour, your Father, and your Sauiour, who for you did giue my life, and shed my bloud? Why haue you spoken so many wordes in affront of me? Why haue you wrought so many wicked deeds, in dishonour and disobedience to my Law? Why did you consent to those bad desires, and thoughts, whereby you came to cast me vnder the feet of those creatures, esteeming & louing them more then me? Me, whom you ought to haue[Page 79]praysed, & glorifyed with your tongues; whome you should haue serued, and obey­ed with your workes; whome you should alwayes haue desired and loued with your whole harts; for whom you ought to haue giuē your liues & a thousand liues, if you had been Maisters of so many. Why haue you so dishonoured me, transgressing & trāpling vpō my Precepts? Why haue you exchāged me, with so extreme contempt, for those most base aduantages and gayns of earth, and for those most vaine de­lights, & guifts of creatures? Since you confessed me by your wordes, to be your Lord and God, why would you deny me by your workes? Tell me you men since I haue imparted to you so many supernatu­rall guifts, which I gayned for you, by my Passion, & Death; A guift of Fayth, and Baptisme, whereby I made you Christians; a guift of Grace, whereby I adopted you for my Children; so ma­ny Vertues, whereby you might adorne your soules, & be enabled to worke well;[Page 80]The guift of Sacraments, which might conferre and conuey my Grace into your soules; and innumerable inspirations, which might quicken you vp towardes vertue; and so many most high, and most pretious guifts, which I purchased at my so great cost; why haue you set them at so low a rate? VVhy haue you despised thē, and permitted them to passe away, with­out being of any profit to you at all? More account did you make of the vanity of your descent, according to your linage of flesh & bloud, then of the fayth of Chri­stians, and the adoption of the sonnes of God.

More account did you make of money, which is made of dead mettall; & of the goods of this life, and of the vaine punctillios of honour, then of the blessing of my grace, and of those immense, eter­nall treasures of my glory: I hauing gi­uen you such a holy Law, a Doctrine so pure, so profitable, and so celestiall, that you might obserue and keepe it; hauing[Page 81]giuen you so many Prophets, Apostles, ho­ly Doctours, & so many Preachers, and teachers of my Ghospell, to the end that they all might counsaile, & perswade you to the obseruation of my Commandmēts, and to the accomplishment of my will; yea and my selfe, being come visibly downe to earth in flesh & bloud, to teach & preach this Law to you, by the very wordes of myne owne mouth, why haue you made no more account of this law, nor comply­ed with my will, nor obeyed my wordes? Why would you rather do that which Sa­thā that did tempt you to, thē that which was commanded you by me? VVhy would you rather follow, and obey that peruerse enemy, who abhorred you, and endeauou­red nothing but your damnation, then me, who am your God, & who was your Father, & who loued you, and did pro­cure your saluation & euerlasting glory? Tel me yet further, O you vngrateful mē, since it is I who gaue you life, & health, and temporal goods, & space of tyme,[Page 82] that you might sacrifice it all to my ser­uice; how commeth is to passe, that you would needs imploy it in offence of me? I gaue you life, I say, and health, and strength, whereby you might haue ac­quired vertues, and haue exercised good workes, and so you might haue throgh the passiō & promise of Christ our Lord good workes arriue to be meri­torious, and not of themsel­ues. meri­ted eternall happines. And you on the o­ther side, haue imploied it in the pursuite of vaine honour, & of pleasing men, for certaine interests which passe and perish; and in the search of those deadly delights which now are carrying you on, towards eternall torments. I gaue you temporall meanes, for the necessary supply of this life, and that you might relieue the mi­series of your Neighbours; and you haue wasted them, vpon the foolish complemēts of the world, and vpon banquets, which serued not for necessitie but for gluttony; and vpon certaine attires, & ornaments, which did but serue for vanity; and vpon sports, and other vicious imployments. I gaue you Tyme, to the end that you[Page 83]might imploy it vpon praying, and rumi­nating, and meditating vpon my benefits and mercyes, and vpon the Mysteryes of my law, and in performing workes which might haue relation to euerlacting life; but you haue wasted it vpon vnprofitable conuersations, and vpon wicked deedes, which deserue to be rewarded with eter­nall fire.

These complaintes doth God make against sinners, by his Prophet; and there will he make them at that day, with greater demonstration of mislike, then euer, till that tyme, he will haue shewed. And thereby he will conuince them all, & they shal­be able to make no excuse or defēce, nor haue so much as one word to an­swere; and so shall that be fullfilled which the Psalmist sayth,Psal. 106. All wicked­nes, that is, all wicked men, shal haue the mouth stopped vp.

Let vs now consider, what e­uery one of these sinners will thinke[Page 84]within himselfe, in that point of the diuine Iudgement, when Make this case thyne owne be­tymes; for one day it wilbe thy case, whe­ther thou wilt or no he shall see a Theater made round about him, of all the creatures, both of heauen and earth; and that himselfe is placed in the middest of them; & that both all the Angells, and men, and Diuels are looking on him. And when he shall obserue, that his sinnes are pu­blished, and proclaymed before them all; and not only his wicked words, and workes, but euen all his bad de­sires, and thoughts; & when he shall perceaue that all that lewdnes which he committed in the most retyred corners; yea and those impurityes, which did not so much as issue out of his hart, shall then be cleare and pa­tent to all the world. To see that all those Diuels shal stand accusing him, & that his own very conscience is stil vpbraiding & cōdemning him. And to see the Iudge himselfe offended, & enraged against him; and that he be­houlds[Page 85]him with a countenance full of terrour, and of reuenge, for iniu­ryes receaued; and to see that hideous pitt of hell, all open, in expectation to swallow him vp; and to see him­selfe so euidently conuinced, & that he hath no word to plead for himself. And A sad conside­ration but most cer­tainely true. that finding himselfe hem­med in, by such an excesse of afflicti­ons, & such incomparable miseryes, he cannot fly away, nor hath he any one hole wherein to hide his head; nor any one thing to alleadge, nor a­ny one person to whome he may ap­peale, or by whom he may be succou­red. For to defend himselfe against the Iudge, is impossible, since he is of infinite power. To deceaue him with false informations, cannot be, since he is of infinite Wisedome. To work vpon him by way of presents or pe­titions, is not to be thought of, since he is infinitely iust. To goe in search after Patrons, and Aduocats, is losse [Page 86]of labour. For in that day, neither the Angels, nor the Apostles can in­tercede for any one, no nor euen the Queene A hea­uy and most des­perate case. of heauen, and the mother of mercy, can plead the cause of sin­ners in that day. The gate of pardon and sauing mercy, is then closed vp, against all the wicked; & all the iust and blessed soules, shall approue of the diuine Iustice, in that day; and shall reioyce, in that it is to be execu­ted; because so it is fit for the glory of God our Redeemer. And then shal that be perfectly fullfilled, which the Psalmist sayth:Psalm. 57. The Iust man, seeing the punishment, and vengeance which is to be taken vpon the wicked shall reioyce, not for the payne which those sinners shallbe subiect to; nor out of any de­sire of reuenge; but only for the zeale they haue to the glory of God, & for the loue they beare to his diuine Iu­stice.

ANOTHER Article of the di­uine Iudgement, which doth ad­mirably discouer the excessiue hatred which Christ our Lord doth carry a­gainst sin, is the last sentence which he will thunder out against the wic­ked. As soone as he shall haue publi­shed their sinnes, & conuinced them thereof, he wil deuide them from the company of the Iust; and then tur­ning his terrible and fierce counte­nance towardes them, he will pro­nounce this most hideous sentence a­gainst them. Depart Our Lord de­liuer vs from so great a misery. from me, you[Page 88]accursed into that eternall fire which is prepared for the Diuell, and the wicked Angells. Depart from me, who am an infinite good, and the fountaine of all benediction, of grace, of com­fort, of ioy, of life, of saluation, & of glory. If then, they be deuided from that only fountaine of al Good, what kind of miserable thinges will they find themselues to be? It is plaine that they must find themselues with­out comfort, without grace, without ioy, without repose, or ease; and ful, on the contrary side, of all misery, of all mischiefe, & of all paine. Depart all you accursed; because cursed are they, who breake the Commandments of the true God; for the greatest ill of all ill, is sin, and to this ill do they sub­mit themselues who do any thing a­gainst that which our Lord cōmāds. So sayth Dauid, & so doth the church sing euery day, when she speakes to God, Cursed are they, O Lord, who de­part[Page 89]from keeping of thy Cōmandments. Psal. 118. In particuler manner are they accursed in the Law, who doe not offer the first fruits, and tithes of those things, which God had giuen to them;Matt. 3.1. and cursed also are those others, who ha­uing promised some beast, in sacri­fice, to Almighty God, do offer him such a one, as is leane and lame, and worth nothing. Into all these curses haue you fallen, because you haue broken the Commandmēts of God, and gaue him not the honour, and glory, of all the good deeds which once you wrought, nor of all the be­nefits which you receaued. And ha­uing consecrated and dedicated your soules to our true God, by Fayth, and Baptisme; and being obliged to giue him the best and chiefe part thereof, which is your loue, and obedience, & fidelity, and a watchfull care to doe him seruice; you did not giue this to God, but to the world, and to your[Page 90]owne will; and for these reasons you are indeed accursed, and your selues are the authors of your malediction.

Let Be at­tentiue, to see whi­ther the wicked are to be sent, whē they are once dri­uen from God. vs now consider, whither it is, that he sends them, when once he driues them from himselfe. Go, saith he, you accursed, into euerlasting fier; & because in this life you sought for contentments, for delights, and gusts according to your owne will, against the will of God, you shal now be burnt, body, and soule, with a most furious and impetuous fier, a­gainst your will. And because by sin­ning you haue offended and despised God, who is infinite Good, and an infinite Maiesty, that fier shall be in­finite in the continuance therof. And who now shalbe the ministers of Iu­stice, to torment these accursed crea­tures? And with what companions shall they be sorted, in that tor­ment of eternall fire? Go, saith our Lord, into eternal fire, which is prepa­red [Page 91]for the diuell and his wicked Angells. For the principall authors of any wic­kednes, the punishement is princi­pally to be prouided; and because the deuill, was the first author of sinne, therfore was the torment of eternall fier, prouided first for him. And be­cause wicked men did follow the deuill in the fault, they shall follow him also in the paine. And because they chose to obey the perswasion & will of the deuill, rather then the commaundement and will of God; they shall therfore haue him for their tormentor, and companion, in that euerlasting fier.

O what kind of paine, what kind of torment is this which is pre­pared for the wicked! O what an It is sad swim­ming in this sea. huge Sea of paines and torments is this; so very incomprehensible, tho rough the intensenes and fiercenes, and so infinite in the continuance therof! The thing, which in this life [Page 92]doth most of all torment, and doth cause most excessiue paine, is fire. But the fire of this life, doth worke after a limitted manner, according to the naturall power which it hath; & it cannot passe beyonde those con­fines. Wheras the fire of hell, how­soeuer it be of the same nature with this of ours, yet worketh it as a su­pernaturall instrument of God; and so it receiues no other tax or limit, but the onely will of God. And An excellent conside­ration. as the thinges which God doth take for Instruments, whereby he sheweth mercy to such as serue him, are sub­lymed by himselfe, aboue the pow­er which they had in nature; and are enabled to produce admirable effects; As namely he exalteth the water of baptisme, so farre as to be the instrument of iustifying a soule; and the Balsamum of Confirmation, and the Oyle of Extreme Vnction, to giue strength and increase of grace; so the[Page 93]fire of hell, which is so deadly fierce of his owne nature, is supernaturally strecht vp, to inflict a kind of paine and torment which is incomparably more great, and fierce, then that to which the whole power of nature can arriue. And so it shall not onely torment the body, but the soule with all. And it shall not leaue anie one part, or power either of body or sou­le vntormented; and the torment & greife which it will cause, shalbe greater then all, which either we can say, or thinke.

The Prophet Reade and trem­ble. Isay doth sig­nify thus much when he saith,Isai 30. That Topheth, which is hell, is prepared for the wicked by God the eternall king, from the begining of the world. It is mightily deepe, for it is in the very Center of the earth. It is mightily wide and capable, for the receiuing of all such as shalbe damned. The nourishment and food which shall maintaine it, is [Page 94]fier, which shall neuer be quencht (as euen heere, the fier doth neuer go out, if alwaies it haue matter to in­tertaine it,) for the breath of God, as if it were some torrent of brimstone, doth inflame it. His meaning is, that as a mighty quantity of brimstone will inflame this fier which we haue, & as longe as the brimstone lasteth, so longe, doth the fyre also last; iust so, the will of God will kindle that fier of Hell; and as his will is eter­nall, so the fier can neuer haue an end. Now this fire, being supernatu­rally so fierce, and furious, to tor­ment and burne; the wicked will not also faile to be very How conbusti­ble the wicked shallbe in the last day. well disposed, and prepared, to be tormented and burnt. Therefore doth the Prophet Malachy say,Malac. 4. That they shalbe like straw. The day of our Lord, sayth he, shall come burning like a fornace of fire; & such as are proud withall the workers of wickednes, shallbe like straw to be infla­med;[Page 95]and the fire of that place shall burne them. And S. Iohn Baptist saith, that they shall be as straw; when he telleth vs, that Christ our Lord shal come to iudge. He shall carry, saith he, in his hand his Fanne; and like a labourer he shall cleanse his barn, which is his Church; and he shall lay vp, in his granaryes, his cleane and choice corne, which are the iust; & the straw (which is the wicked) he shall cast into vnquenchable fire. This chaffe and straw, are thinges which be easily kindled by the fire, & they make a mighty flame; and so the wic­ked are made apt, and well disposed, by the diuine iustice to be burnt, in that eternall fire, both in body and soule.

But yet, although they shall be burnt like chaffe and straw, and to be penetrated by the fire, from side to side; yet are they neuer to be con­sumed, but they shall liue for euer, and for euer shall their paine endure.[Page 96] The wicked man shall pay for his sinnes (sayth Sophar, the friend of Iob)Iob. 20. but he shall not be consumed, nor shall he loose either his being, or his life. D. Thom. in additio­nibus q. 74. This fire, to which Christ our Lord will deliuer the wicked, is to be increased by that other fire, which shall come before him; and wherewith, as hath been said, he will purge all the in­feriour creatures. And he will also purge those iust persons, whome he shall finde aliue when he comes to iudge; which persons shal dye by that forerunning fire; and in a very short tyme they shal be purged, & they are to rise, with all the rest. And this very Marke now, or neuer. fire, when once the sentēce shalbe giuen, will wrap vp all the wicked, both in body and soule; and the earth opening it selfe, in many places, that fier, shall discend with them all, through those ouertures of the earth, into the bottomles pitt of hell; and the earth, shall then shut vp it selfe, [Page 97]& some do hould, that the waters shal then returne to couer the earth, as they did when God first created thē. Titelm. l. 7. de Caelo c. 4. Ia [...]el. l. 4. Me­teor. For the cause of his discouering the earth from vnder the waters, was to giue conuenient habitation to men, and beasts; and that cause growing once to cease, the waters shall return into their due place, and the wicked shall remaine locked vp in the center of the earth, enuironed vpon all sids, with that fire of hell. And The braue spi­rits of our tyme, will be might­ily to seek when they come hi­ther. being couered first with the whole globe of the earth, and next with the pro­foundnes of the Sea, they are neuer to get out, from that lamētable place, and that euerlasting fire. For as S. Iohn affirmeth,Apoc. 20.14. They shalbe tormented in it day and night, for all eternity.

Nor shall this torment of fire, whereby the wicked are to be tor­mented go alone; but togeather with that they shall suffer other most bit­ter paines; whereof euery one wilbe[Page 98]a kind of hell to the damned. They shall haue such a cruell and fierce rage of hunger, The deadly hunger of hell. that if it were possible, they would teare in peeces and eate themselues; and this so ra­ging hunger they shall euer feele, in all the moments of their tyme, nor shall they euer be at peace. Withall, they shall haue a most The scalding thirst of hell. scalding thirst, which will afflict them in all extremity. If a man who were sicke of a burning feuer, should be, for some dayes, denyed a draught of wa­ter, towardes the appeasing of his thirst; he would feele so much tor­ment by it, that he would rather chose death, then it. And what then shall they feele, who burning in that hideous fire, are possessed with such a most raging thirst: wheras yet they shall not get the least drop of water, for all eternity. For, as S. Iohn affir­meth,Apoc. 14. The smoke of their torments shall ascend, for euer and for euer; and neuer [Page 99]shall they rest, either by day or night. They The indissolu­ble chains of hell. shall also continue in that euerlasting prison, bound hand and foot; and so are they to be cast into that fire, as Christ our Lord signify­eth, when giuing sentence against him that came into the Feast (which is the bosome of his Church) with­out his wedding garment (which is charity and grace) he sayd thus to the Ministers of his Iustice: Bind him hand & foot, and so cast him bound into exterior darknes, where shalbe weeping, & gnashing of teeth. Matt. 22. That is, the wic­ked shall remaine obstinate, & hard­ned for euer, without meanes of re­medy, or deliuery. And this is, to haue the hands and feet tyed vp; To be incapable of doing any one work or conceauing any one good desire; in such sort, as that whatsoeuer they shall do, or thinke for all eternity, is to be wickednes and sinne. And as a man, who being bound hand & foot[Page 100]and cast into the bottome of the sea, cannot swimme nor scape from be­ing drowned; so those wretches can neuer wrastle out of those paynes. For if there could be any remedy, it must be by pennance, and amende­ment of their liues; but that can ne­uer be, because they are to remaine obstinate in euill, and disabled to do any thing which is good.

These miserable damned crea­tures, shal also be subiect to most The filthy smells of hel. offensiue smells, which shall extrem­ly afflict and torment them. This is signifyed by S. Iohn who sayth,Apoc. 14.19.20. That into that lake of fire (which is Hell) the Diuell shalbe cast (who is the occasion of the paynes of Hell, and of death, (for which cause he is called some­tymes, by the name of death, and hel it selfe) Aug. de ciuit. Dei l. 20. c. 14. & that into the same lake, all the wicked who are not written in the booke of life shalbe also cast; and that this lake of fire, shall burne with brimstone; [Page 101]which signifyeth the detestable smell of that horrible prison, which is cau­sed supernaturally, either by brim­stone, or some such thing.

These and innumerable other paynes there are, in that most hide­ous prison; and although they be all so immense, as that they exceed all expression; Riber. in Apoc. c. 19 num. 37. yet the If thou be­lieue not this truth it is a sign that thou art extra­ordinarily in ill case. greatest of thē all, is hauing lost the glory of God; and then being to want it for al eter­nity. For as the greatest good, and suprem felicity of man, is to see God, and to enioy him: so the greatest mi­sery, and mischiefe, and torment, is for euer to want the sight of God, & the possession of his celestiall King­dome. This is that, which aboue all things, doth torment those most vn­happy soules of the damned; to see that they might haue gained an infi­nite good, and that they had tyme & commodity for it; and that through their owne fault, & negligence they [Page 102]gained it not, nor did serue themsel­ues well of their tyme, and of those other meanes which were giuen thē by our Lord for that purpose. And to see, that innumerable other men of their owne naturall condition, & fraile like themselues, doe, for the good imployemēt which they made of the guifts of God, obtaine to en­ioy so great a good, and to possesse it with a perpetuall security; whereas they, by their negligence, or malice, lost it: The remēbrāce heerof, which for euer shallbe imprinted in their minds, will be so liuely and fresh, as that they will neuer be able to cast it off; and this will breed in them an intollerable griefe beyond all griefs; and a most vehement indignation, & a hoat boyling rage against them­selues, for hauing so lost God. But yet this torment doe they not feele, for the respect of God; for they doe not loue, but do abhorre him, but on­ly[Page 103]for the interest & profit which they might haue had by his glory. And this torment of indignation is that, which Christ our Lord, did signify by the gnashing of teeth, which springeth from the inraged wrath of the hart. That Note this cer­tain truth so piously deliuered. excel­lent writer Rusbrochius, doth ponder the grieuousnes of these torments ve­ry excellently well; and particulerly he sayth, That the hauing lost the glory of God is the greatest of them all; and he expresseth it, by these wordes:Rusbroch. Epist. 1. Belieue me, that whatsoeuer can be sayd of the paynes of hell; if it be compared with that which there is felt, in very deed is lesse then a drop of water is, in respect of the whole Sea; and yet neuerthelesse, all those paynes of hell put togeather, are nothing, in respect of that one only payne, which is felt by hauing for euer, lost the sight of God. And of this paine, S. Iohn Chrysostom said:Chrys. in Matt. c. 7. hom. 24. If thou put before me a thousand hells,[Page 104]they are not all so great a mischiefe, as is to loose the glory of Christ our Lord, & to be abhorred and driuen away by him, with those O infi­nite affli­ction. wordes: I know you not.

ANOTHER point very worthy of Consideration in this diuine Iudgment which discouereth also the mighty hatred which Christ our Iudg doth carry against sinne, which she­weth also the greiuousnes of those paines wherewith he is to punish the same, are the faults which he relates, and which he alledgeth at the tyme of his Iudgment, in the sentence of damnation, which he pronounceth [Page 105]against the wicked, saying;Matt. 25 So that men shall not be iustifyed by faith alone, sin­ce they are to be dā ­ned for want of Charity I was hungry and you did not giue me to eate; I was thirsty and you did not giue me to drinke; I was a stranger and you did not harbour me; I was naked and you did not cloth me; I was sicke and in prison & you did not visit me. For it is euident, that amongst all mortall sins the very least, and they whereof men make least accompt and scruple, are the forbearing to succour their neigh­bours; euen in those cases of necessi­ty wherin yet they are bound to do it, by the precept of Charity. And for this reason, Christ our Lord, who had no meaning in this relatiō, which he makes at the tyme of his Iudgment, to reckon vp all those sins for which he is to cōdemne the wicked (for that would be a long That is, it wold haue bee­ne longe for Christ our Lord, to haue spoken of all a mans sinnes, in that speach of his. busines) did only speak of such as go for the lightest, & vpon which men vse to make the least reflection; wherby all men may gather and inferre concerning those[Page 106]other great sins, for which he is to passe the sentence of condemnation vpon the wicked. And this follo­wing circumstance a man is to con­sider and ponder, euen in the very bottome of his hart: If A most necessary consequē ­ce which deserues to be dee­ply pon­dered. these sins of Omission, and negligence, in the performing of the workes of mercy (which in reason, and in the estima­tion and iudgment of all men are the lightest of all mortall sins) be yet ne­uertheles so abhorred by Almighty God, as that, in the vniuersall Iudg­ment, he doth publish them in a par­ticuler manner, as being very grie­uous, and worthy of eternall con­demnation; and will complaine a­gainst them, as against faults which are full of iniury, and affront, against his diuine and eternal Maiesty; and will proceed against such as fell into them, as against his enemies; and will excommunicate them as cursed people, dryuing them away for euer[Page 107]out of his company, and the commu­nion of the Church triumphant; and will deliuer them ouer into euerla­sting fiers; and will execute the same paines vpon them which are suffred by the very Diuells themselues, in whose infernall company they are to be tormented, & that for euer; what will he not be sure to do to wicked men for the sins of cōmission, wherby they offend their neighbours; which are more expresse sinnes; and wher­in, there is more malice shewed; and which are committed by men v­pon more deliberation. If the ouer­sights and voluntary negligences in not giuing bread to him who is hun­gry, or drinke to him who is thirsty, or clothes to him who is naked, or visits to him who is sicke & impriso­ned, in cases when piety doth oblige men to it, are yet so abhorred by Christ our Lord, and so seuerely pu­nished, what will he do to men for[Page 108]those impieties, when a sinfull man will take from another the goods which he had honestly gayned; and if he robb him, or vsurpe it otherwise by vnlawfull and vnconscionable waies; and for those other sins, when one man takes the health and life from another, by wounding, and killing him, or doing it at least in his desire; and when he depriues him of his honour, and good name, by murmurations, detractions, and re­proaches; or when he takes from him his wife, or his daughter, or his kins­woman by fornications or adultries, or the like? And The spirituall workes of charity are of far­re more impor­tance, then the corporall if negligence in releeuing the corporall necessities of ones neighbor when there is comodi­ty for the same, be so abhorred and punished by Allmighty God; how much more will he abhorre and pu­nish any slacknes in releiuing the ne­cessities of soules, by teaching the ig­norant, those things which are ne­cessary [Page 109]to saluation; by reprehending their vices; and by admonishing and exhorting them to a good life, in cases of necessity and obligatiō. Thus doth the blessed Laurētius Iustinianus ponder this truth in these words:Laurent. Iustin. l. de humili [...] ‘"If Christ our Lord in his Iudgment do so exactly and precisely examine & chastice the faults which are comitted, in failing to shew those works of mercy which are expressed towards the bodies of men which dye; what kind of exa­men, and what kind of punishment wil he impose vpon their faults, who forbeare to shew the spirituall works of mercy which they ought to haue imparted, for the saluation of soules, which are immortall?"’ Let him that readeth this conceaue rightly, and be well assured that there is no doubt, but that, as this latter fault is greater, so shal the examen be more rigorous, & the punishment more seuere. And if the denying of any spirituall beni­fit[Page 110]which is due to his neighbour for the good of his soule, be a fault of so high quality, how much more will it be so, to rob the soule of life, by gi­uing it wicked Counsell, and by tea­ching it false doctrine; and by indu­cing it to vice by all perswasions, and lewd examples. Let the good Chri­stian passe on, and consider & pon­der yet more deepely, that the sins which are Sinnes cōmitted immedi­atly a­gainst God, are the grea­test of all others. committed imediately against God, such as are the crimes of infidelity of seuerall kinds, of su­perstitions, and blasphemies, and Sacriledges in breaking vowes and promises made to God; and of periu­ries which draw God as a witnes of lyes, and falshood, be greater sins then they which are committed a­gainst our neighbours; and conse­quently the hatred which God doth carry against them, and the punish­ment which he wil execute for them, is incomparably greater.

[Page 111]From The true vse which is to be made of this consi­deration. hence the Christian man will gather the great necessity that he is in, to abhor in a most pro­found internall manner, all kinde of sins; and to flye them with a most watchfull care; & to feare them with his whole hart. For if the lighter sort of sinnes, and they wherof men are wont to make least accompt, are so publikely to be recorded & reproued in that diuine iudgment, & to be sen­tenced as worthy of condemnation, and punished with eternall torments; the case is plaine, that the sins which are more greiuous, and in greater hurt & preiudice of our neighbours; and they againe which are of more imediate iniury, and affront to God himselfe, shalbe proclaimed in that diuine iudgment, to the greater con­fusion of sinners; & they shalbe more sharply rebuked by Christ our Lord, and more grieuously punished. And although the other torments were al­so [Page 112]eternall, yet these shalbe greater and more intense then they. For this truth was reuealed to S. Iohn by the Holy Ghost, who sayth:Apoc. 18. So much as the wicked man hath glorified himselfe and hath deliuered himselfe ouer to vici­ous pleasure; and so much more, as he pre­sumed of himselfe, and lifted vp his face of pride against God, affronting his diuine Maiesty with greater sins; and so much more as he yeilded obedience to vice, in contradiction to the law of God; so much greater torment shalbe imposed vpon his body; and so much more greife and sor­row shallbe inflicted vpon his soule.

THESE For Iesus sake read ouer this Chap­ter with sober and sound at­tention. are the points and articles of that diuine Iudgment, which discouer to vs the hatred, that God doth carry against sinne. And these we are to consider, with great attention; that so we also may gather this fruit out of the diuine Iudgement to abhorre sinne extremely, to grieue vnfaygnedly for those which we haue committed, to feare it with our whole harts, and to fly from it with cōtinual care. For it is all reason that we should abhorre that which God doth so highly abhorre; and that we should be mightily grieued, for ha­uing[Page 114]committed such things against God, as he mislikes so much, & wher­by he is so much offended. And it is most iust, & fit, to feare a Iudgment, which is so seuere, and ful of terrour; and such torments as are so excessiue and so without all end. And now, that we may with the more efficacy, rowse our selues vp towards a perfect hatred of sinne, and a feare of the diuine Iudgement, let euery one of vs go casting vp his accompt, after this manner.

God Resol­ue thy selfe to suffer eter­nally in hel if thou refuse the grace, which God is de­sirous to giue thee euen very now, if thou wilt concurre. who is my Creatour, hath resolued, that the day shall come when he will Iudge me and from this Iudgment it is impossible for me to flye So also hath he resolued, that he will reward me in this Iudgment, according to my works. If he find me in the state of Grace, and with the stocke of a good life in my hand, he will giue me the reward of eternall fe­licity. If he find me in mortall sinne, and that I haue ill imployed my life, he will [Page 115]driue me out of the sight of his glory, & wil cōdemne me to euerlasting torments. Now, that I consider my selfe, I see that I haue lead a carelesse kind of life; & that I haue committed many offences against his holy Commaundmentes. If now, he should call me to his Iudgment, I am sure that I should be condemned; for I haue not done pennance for the sinnes, which I haue committed, nor haue I yet reformed my life. At least I am in much doubt of my saluation; for the pennance which I haue done, was luke-warme; & I haue sought to mend m life, but slack­ly It is necessary therefore, now, & euen very now, that I change my course, that I betake my selfe to my pennance, & that I do it in good earnest. I will obey the voyce of God, who commands me by Ec­clesiastious, saying: Before thou come to the diuine Iudgement, prouide thy selfe of workes, which may be holy and iust, to the end that it may suc­ceed well with thee. Before thou come [Page 116]into the hāds of God to be iudged by him, aske thy selfe the question, examine thy conscience well; passe an vpright Iudge­ment vpon thy selfe; reprouing thy selfe with griefe, & punishing thy faults with pennance; and so thou shalt find mercy in the sight of God; thou shalt find him a fauourable Iudge, and he will cast the sentence on thy side.

Let Atten­tion. the Christian man consider further, in the bottome of his hart, & let him reason thus within himselfe. If I Of the litle diffe­rence, which there is to be for vs in substāce betweene the day of our death & the day of the last Iudge­ment. knew now that the end of the world and the Vniuersall Iudgment were to be held within ten or twenty yeares; it would more seriously worke vpon me, and would make me more carefull to do pen­nance, and to endeauour a totall renoua­tion of my life; and I should more cordi­ally feare the Iudgement, and eternal punishment of God, & the sinnes which make me subiect to euerlasting damnati­on. Yet certainly, for as much as concerns me, the day when I shall dye, is after [...] sort [Page 117]the very day of the Vniuersal Iud­gement, and of the end of the world. For the chiefe of that which passeth in the Vniuersall Iudgement, and which maketh it to be feared so much, is the ir­reuocable sentence of eternall damnation which is then to passe vpon the wicked; & This maketh not against purgatory but shew­eth only that if a man dye in state of sinne, he shall con­tinue so for euer: and if in state of grace, he shall also for euer continue so; thogh till all be satisfyed, he shal stay in purgatory and then he flyes vp to hea­uen. that where a man shall then be lodged he shall lye for all eternity. And he shall then, no more, haue any vse of any crea­ture of this world; or of tyme wherin he may do pennance, or procure saluation. Now this is, in effect, the same thing, which is to be done with me in the houre of my death. For then I shall be iudged; and if then I be found guilty, an irreuo­cable sentence of damnation shall passe v­pon me; and where I shall then be cast, I shall remayne for euer; and in the Vni­uersall Iudgment, there is no more to be done, but to confirme and proclaime the sentence, which was giuen in the par­ticuler Iudgment. And in the houre of my death, for as much as concerneth me, [Page 118]the whole world is at an end; & so is the vse of all the creaturs therof; since I shall returne to it or them, no more; and so is the Tyme also at an end, wherein pen­nance might haue beene performed, and merit might haue been procured. If ther­fore it be so, that the houre of my death, is to be the same thing for me, which the Vniuersall Iudgment; and the end of the world, and the same it is to be for all men; and The certainty of death and the vncertianty of the houre of our death. since it is most certain that the day of my death, will arriue eare long; and that according to my age, and to the tyme which men are wont to last it cannot exceed twenty, or thirty years; and since it is so casuall, as that perhaps it may be eare night, it followeth, as a most iust and necessary consequence, that I should, euen from this very instant, dis­pose my selfe to do pennance for my sins, with greater care; and to make a totall a­mendment of my life; & to do that which Christ our Lord commandes me, saying: Matt. 24. Watch, for you know not the houre [Page 119]when your Lord will come; and that also which the Apostle S. Peter,2. Pet. 3. in the name of the same Lord, doth aduise me saying: Brethren the day of our Lord will come like a theefe. Now the theef who steales by night, comes without gi­uing any news of himselfe; and then he doth it, when he is lookt for least. Iust so will christ our lord come to iudg vs in the end of the world, and in the houre of our death, and no man shall know when he is to come; & the tyme willbe at hand when many willbe least ready for it. Doe you therefore earnestly labour to lead a ver­tuous life, that so you may be free from sinne, and that there be nothing in you which may deserue reproofe; but that, with a quiet and safe conscience you may expect our Lord, when he shall come to iudge.

LET a man also consider with himself, the sentence, & punish­ment which followeth this Iudg­ment; and let him be perswaded to feare God, vpon this ensuing reason. What Is it possible that thou shouldest be so mad as not to be able to frame this argument in thyne owne per­son. are those things, which a man in this life will not do, for the auoyding of paine and griefe? A man who is in prison, and expects or feares a sentence of violent death, what doth he not, for the deliuering of himselfe? He thinks of nothing, but how he may escape; he neuer gi­ues ouer to make friends, who may intercede for him; he humbles him­selfe to all such as are able to do him fauour, and to giue him helpe; he spends his meanes vpon Atturneyes & Lawyers, and in sending presents [Page 121]to [...]ch as may do him any good. A mā who lyes sicke vnder great pains which torment him day and night without ceasing, being caused by some surcharge of humours, which he hath in his body, or by some sto­ny grauell, which perhaps he hath in his bladder, or by some Me­lancholy, which is lodged at his hart; what will he not do for his re­couery? How willingly doth he im­ploy what he hath, in giuing fees to Phisitians, and in paying of Apo­thecaries bills, for druggs, which way giue him ease? With what faci­lity and diligence, doth he take pur­ges; and permit that issues be made, and buttons of fire be applyed; yea and he endureth to be cut & opened, offring himself to one extreme paine & daunger, to excuse another which is a greater, if he can tell how.

If this be so, what then will it be fit for me to do, that I may free my[Page 122]selfe from those miseries & torme [...]s, to which the wicked must be senten­ced, in that diuine Iudgement. Which Tor­ments both into­lerable, & eternall. besides that they are, in thēselues, extrem, beyond al that can be said or thought; they are neuer to haue any end, but in their contynuance, they are to equall the eternity of God him­selfe. For as God, in his owne nature is eternall, so are those torments to be eternall, by the determination of God, which can neuer faile. Al­though these torments were no grea­ter then for a man to be cast into fire, such as heere we haue, (but so as that he shold not dye of it for the spa­ce of thirty yeares) the very thinking of it, would strike into him extreme horrour; and there is nothing ima­ginable which a man would not do to keepe himselfe from vndergoing such a torment. Nay although it were no more, but that a man were to re­maine thirty yeares, laid in a bed;[Page 123]without being able once to rise or stirre from thence, it would be of intollerable paine to him; and he would performe things of very great difficulty and labour, to deliuer him­selfe from the same.

But what then will it be, to re­maine in the fire of Hell, together with all those other torments, which there are felt; and that, for the space of all eternity; and what then will it not be fit for a man to do, that so he may not be to endure those tormēts? And If thou desire to vnderstād eternity thou must procure to take it thus in sunder. to the end that a man may haue some little tast of this eternity, let him thinke of so many thousands of yeares which are to passe ouer the head of the damned, as there are grains of dust in the whole world, or drops of water in the sea, or moates in the ayre; and that at the end of all those thousands of yeares, they shall not get out of those torments, but still shalbe, as if they did but then [Page 124]beginne to suffer, and that then as many more thousands of years are so to passe; and then againe as many more; and that still, that wheele shal­be running round without any end. And let him also knowe, that by this so large contynuance, his torments are not yet to cease, nor to be in the diminution of a haires breadth; but that they shall be as The tormentes of hell are not made more tol­lerable by a custome of endu­ring them a while. liuely felt at the end of so many thousandes of yeares, as at the first instant. Because those torments, do not worke after a naturall manner, that so they might be the lesse felt by custome, but they worke as instruments of the diuine Iustice, which is inuariable; and doth conserue them at the end of in­numerable yeares, in the same force and fury which they had at the first. O with how great reason did the Prophet Hieremy exclaime to God & say:Hier. 10. Who is he that will not feare thee, O thou King of the Nations? Thyne is[Page 125]supreme Dominion, and there is none like thee in wisedome and power.

By these Considerations, a Christian being assisted by God, will get, out of the diuine Iudgement, a­great remorse and griefe for sinne, which doth so much offend God, and which is so greatly abhorred, and so greiuously punished by him. And The cure of sin is pennan­ce. with this griefe, he is to accuse, and reprehend, and condemne, and with penances and mortifications, to in­flict punishment, and take reuenge vpon himselfe. So did holy Iob, when he confessed saying:Iob. 23. Place me before God, and I will come to Iudgement, and consider what he is to do with me; and I will loade my selfe with reprehensions. For as S. Gregory Greg. ibid. Thus S. Grego­ry sayd & thus he did. sayth vpon these wordes: A man contemplating the so strict, and perfect examen, which God doth make of his sinnes in that terrible Iudgment of his, he turneth in, vpon, & against himself, & he reprehends himself[Page 126]with griefe and sorrow, for the offences which he hath committed against God. The A man is to carry a quick & watchfull eye ouer all his workes. faithfull seruant of God, is also to drawe from this diuine Iudge­ment, a great watchfulnes and deli­gence, to consider well, and with attention, al the workes that he doth; and to see that they be good, and be wrought with a pure intention of pleasing God. Not being negligent in the performing of exteriour workes, & much lesse, giuing place in his hart to the desire or loue of any thing that is ill, or consenting to any thing which is contrary to the will of God; nor principally to seeke his owne interest in any thing, but onely the glory and good pleasure of God. To the end, that when our Lord shall come to iudge vs, he may find vs pre­pared, and may meete with nothing in vs which he will punish.

This Counsell was giuen vs by S. Paul, who said,Thess. 5. You know well my [Page 127]brethren, that the day of our Lord is to come vpon vs like a theefe in the night. For although it be true, that when he will come to make the vniuersal Iudg­ment, he will do it with great Maiesty and very manifestly to all the world; yet, for as much as concernes the ty­me, the day, and houre, wherein he is to come, aswell in the vniuersall Iudgment, as in the particular, he will do it suddenly and conceald; and so as that men shall not know either of the houre or day. He will come like a theefe, who hath a mind to robbe, when men are sleeping and incon­siderat; so I say will he come, sudden­ly, & at vnawares to passe his Iudg­ment, vpon many when they liue ca­relesly in their sinnes. Therefore Take heed of sloath in Gods ser­uice. we who are faithfull Christians, and who by liuely faith are made the son­nes of light; we, I say, must not slumber, nor giue place to the sleepe of negligence and sinne, as others are [Page 128]content to do, who want this faith. But let vs watch in prayers and good workes, following the light of faith, and the word of God; and let vs carry our selues in al things, with sobriety: That is, we must be very temperate & moderate, as the Euāgelicall law, & as the example of Christ our Lord, and of his Saints doth exact at our hands, both in our eating, drinking, clothing, sleeping, speaking, and whatsoeuer els. This fruit doth holy Iob draw out of the consideration of of the diuine Iudgement, as himselfe expressed saying,Iob. 19. I did obserue & exa­mine my workes, with much reflection & care, to the end that none of them might be wicked; and to the It is not inough to doe good thinges, but they must also be well done. end also, that all they which were good, might be well done; for I know that in thy Iudgement, thou art not to let any sinne passe with­out punishment. Which yet is to be vn­derstood of When due pen­nance is done for sinne, it is no longer lyable to any puni­shment. sinns, which formely shall not haue beene purged and dis­charged by pennance.

THE faythfull Christian, from the consideration of this diuine Iudgement, is to draw a very reall, & true feare of God. And this feare of God, and of his Iudgment, is the most particuler and proper fruite, which from that Iudgment, is to be drawn. So doth the Psalmist signify, when he speakes to God, and sayth:Psalm. 118. O Lord I haue feared thy Iudgments; and vpon the consideration how thou dost exercise them vpon the wicked, I haue conceaued an excessiue feare. And Salomon his Sonne, speaking to God in the pray­er which he made in the Temple, de­clared the same truth by saying:2. Paral. 6. Giue[Page 130]O Lord, to euery one, in thy Iudgment, the reward which is fit for their workes; & according to the desire of their harts, to the end that they may feare thee, and may walke in the way of thy Command­ments, all the dayes of their liues. And the Angell, whome S. Iohn saw, did say:Apoc. 14. Feare our Lord, for the houre of his Iudgement is come. When a A ser­uile feare. man delights in wickednes, & yet calleth to mind the diuine Iudgment, & the punishment which God doth exer­cise vpon sinners, he doth conceaue a feare of the payne; and being prin­cipally moued by that feare he abstai­nes from sinning, which feare is a feare of slaues, and therfore it is cal­led seruile. And although this feare be good, and doth grow from a root which is supernaturall, it is yet im­perfect, and insufficient for the ob­tayning of euerlasting life, or for the iustification of a soule. Nor is it me­ritorious, but it is a ground from[Page 131]whence iustification may rise, and it is a disposition towards grace, wher­by we may merit; and this it is wher­of the Wiseman sayth:Prouer. 2. That the Feare of God, is the beginning of Wisedome. Which is as much as to say, That it is a beginning for the obteyning of an experimental knowledge of God, which growes from Charity. And so doth Ecclesiasticus declare it saying,Cap. 25. The feare of God, is the beginning of the loue of God. But Of fi­lial feare. when a man who loueth vertue, and is resolued to serue God, doth by cōsidering the diuine Iudgment, ponder the grie­uousnes of sinne, by meanes of the seuerity of the same Iudgment, & the excessiue greatnes of those paynes, wherewith God doth punish it, and therupon he doth incline himselfe to a great feare of sin; and doth trem­ble to thinke of doing any thing, which may offend the pure eyes of God, this feare is a feare of sonnes; &[Page 132]therfore it is called a filiall feare; be­cause he feareth God his heauenly Father, more then he doth the puni­shment, which otherwise is due to him for the same.

So also, when a faithfull seruant of God, through the desire which he hath to flye from al offence of his di­uine Maiesty, and in all thinges to comply with his holy wil, doth settle himselfe after a sincere, and serious manner, to consider the Iudgements of God, and those eternall punish­ments and tormentes, whereby he is to take vengance vpon the wicked, thereby to moue himselfe so much the more, to a feare of those Iugdmēts and paynes; and the more to animate himselfe to flye from all offence of God, and to keep his diuine Com­mandments; this feare, howsoeuer it carry a kind of respect to paine, is not yet to be accōpted a seruile feare. Nor doth it spring from selfe loue,[Page 133]but it is a filiall loue, and it growes from Charity. Because A clear proofe of the truth which he deliuered before of the two Feares. in these thinges which are morall, and vo­luntary, the nature and denominati­on of the work, is principally taken from the end at which it aymes. And as a man who should steale money wherby he would enable himselfe to commit an adultery, were more to be esteemed an adulterer then a theef; so the iust man, who disposeth him­selfe to feare the punishment, due to sinne, that so he may feare and abhorre the sinne, is rather to be ac­compted to feare the sinne, then the punishment. So therefore the feare of this man, is a holy feare, and be­longeth to a sonne, & friend of God; & this very feare maketh a man iust and holy, yea it is euen iustice and sanctity it selfe. This feare doth make a man acceptable to God, and is me­ritorious of eternall life, and it ma­keth also the workes which proceed [Page 134]from thence, to be acceptable to God and meritorious both of grace and glory. Holy The places of holy scripture reconci­led which seemed to differ. Iob sayth of this feare, Iob. 18. The feare of God is wisedome it selfe. And Ecclesiasticus sayth,Eccles. 1. To feare God is entire and perfect wisedome. A seruile feare is sayd to be the beginning of wi­sedome; because it disposeth a soule towards wisedome and so is this filiall feare sayd, to be very wisedome it selfe, because it imbraceth wisedome, it loc­keth it vp, and it doth perfect, and increase it. For he that hath this feare hath the guift of holy wisedome to­geather with it, which is that prin­cipall guift of the holy Ghost, wher­by God is knowne and loued. And through the exercise of this holy feare, this guift is increased; and for this reason the Wiseman sayth of this feare: Prou. 14. That it is the fountaine of life, because it giueth spirituall life to the soule, and from thence do spring the workes of life; since they be such [Page 135]as are throgh the grace of God in Christ our Lord, & throgh his pro­mise. meritorious of eternall life. For they, who after this manner do feare God, as Ecclesiasticus sayth,Eccles. 18. do procure with diligēce, to please God in all things.

Let vs therfore, much, and many tymes cōsider this diuine Iudg­mēt that so we may draw a holy Feare from thence, and grow therin, and conserue our selues therby, in a ver­tuous life, so long as we shall conty­nue in this pilgrimage; so doth Saint Peter aduise vs saying,1. Pet. 2. If you call him Father, as indeed he is (who is also our God, and our Lord, and who as a most righteous Iudge, shall iudge, & reward euery one according to his workes) most iust and reasonable it is, that during all the tyme of our being in pilgrimage in this world (as persons who are banished from the house of our Father) we should liue in such feare, as becommeth his chil­dren.

BVT to this, one A doubt cō ­cerning the exer­cise of the actes of Feare and Loue, cleerely solued. may say, by way of question; Since the act, & exercise of the Loue of God, is more excellent, and acceptable then that of Feare, why is it not better to ex­ercise our selues alwaies in the loue of God, and in the consideration of his benefits and mercies, and of his goodnes, and Loue, and the rest of his deuine perfections, which may induce vs to loue, then to be conside­ring his diuine Iudgment and the pai­nes of Hell, which oblige vs to feare? To The first an­swere. this I say, first, That the act & exercise of loue, is more excellent and acceptable to God, then any other act[Page 137]of vertue, when that loue of God, is cleane and pure from faults, & from selfe loue. But Take heed thou walke not in the way of spirit without aduice. if a person shal on­ly giue himselfe to the exercise of diuine loue (for as much as [...]oue doth cause a kind of security and comfort to the soule) a man may grow from thence, many tymes, to be slacke in vertue, & forward to commit faults, and come to be remisse in doing of pennance, and mortifications, and admit of certaine delicacies, and so increase in selfe loue. And he may also come to presume vpon himselfe; conceauing that he doth greatly loue God; and by that very meanes, he goes disposing himselfe, to loose the same loue of God, by cōmitting ve­niall sinnes, & by increasing in them; he arriueth also to fall at last, into mortall sinne, wherby he doth wholy loose loue and grace. But in the meane tyme, this negligence which grew to end in mortall sinne, doth not [Page 138]grow from that very loue of God, which of it selfe is all good, and per­swadeth vs also to all good; but So weake is man that he may well be suspected euen whē he mea­neth best. it groweth from the infirmity of mā, and from his bad inclination, and so it is wholly the fault of man; who, as he vseth many other things ill, so also he vseth ill, the loue of God.

It is therfore both very profi­table, and very fit, & euen necessary, that the good Christian, do ioyne the holy Feare of God, to the loue of him; and that as he is to exercise him­selfe, in some considerations which may moue him to loue God, so also he may exercise himself in some other, which may moue him to feare him.

And although it be true, that at the first when a man is but begining to serue God, it is more necessary that he bestowe himselfe more vpon the consideration of feare, then that of loue; yet is it also very conuenient, euen for them, who haue beene long[Page 139]in his seruice, and are very well ad­uaunced therin; that although their cheife practice, may be in the exerci­ses of the loue of God, yet, that many tymes, also, they do intertaine them­selues in the thoughtes of his diuine Feare; and vpon those considerations which may help them to it. And The remedy of this dan­ger. thus, accompaning this holy Feare, with the loue of God, the inconue­nience, and daunger, & losse wher­of we haue spoken, wil cease; which yet will be sure to grow through the frailty of man, if he shall onely im­ploy himselfe in the exercises, and considerations of loue. For this Feare, when it is ioyned with loue, keepeth a man from being negligent in Gods seruice; and it leaues no place for any faults to be cōmitted against God, how veniall and light soeuer they be; and it keepes him from giuing ouer his penances and mortifications, or from vsing tepidity therein. Nay it[Page 140]causeth him to contynue them with care, least els he should indeed grow tepide; & it teacheth him to humble and despise himselfe, giuing no place to pride, but fearing still his owne frailty, and the Iudgement of God. Al this is wrought by this holy feare; & the same is witnessed by Ecclesiasticus who saith,Eccles. 1. The feare of God, driues sin away from the soule. It driues it away by penance, after it is committed, & it driues it away, by caution and re­sistence of temptation, before it is cō ­mitted. And in another place, he saith, He that feareth God, is negligent in nothing; but feare makes him carefull, and watchfull, towards euery thing that is good. For this, did the Apostle S. Paul, when he was perswading Christians to procure the purity and sanctity of their soules by efficacious, secure, & certaine means, aduise thē to help themselues heerein, with the holy feare of God; saying, Let vs [Page 141]cleanse our selues from all vncleanes both of flesh and spirit. 2. Cor. 7. That is to say, from all sinne; as well that which may be com­mitted by these exteriour powers of our body, togeather with the consent of the mind, as that other which is committed by the onely consent of the mind without the body. And let vs perfect our sancti­fication, which is that purity & sanctity which we receiued, either in baptisme, or by penance. Let vs go conseruing & increasing it with good workes, and by the exercise of vertue, and by continual reuewing our watchfulnes and care, in flying al that is offensiue to God. And let vs do all this, with a feare of his diuine Maiesty. And S. Thomas giuing a reason, why the A­postle saith not, that we should doe it with the loue, but with the feare, deli­uereth these words:D. Thom. in 2. Cor. c. 7. The Apostle saith not, with charity, but with feare of God; To teach vs that the affection of loue, which we are to carry towards God,[Page 142]is to be accompanyed by a solicitude, and reuerentiall feare. For this loue, cau­seth security, wherby many tymes a man groweth carelesse and negligent in the seruice of God; but he who accompaineth that affect of loue with feare, is watch­full in the seruice of God, and runs dili­gently towards it, and flyes speedily frō any offence of him. This is deliuered by S. Thomas. And for this reason it wilbe fit, many tymes, to vse the cō ­siderations of the diuine Iudgement, from whence this holy & chast feare may be fetcht. And so we may com­ply with that, which the holy Apo­stle aduiseth vs saying: Worke your saluation with feare, and trembling. Which is as much as to say, With an interiour feare to offend God, which may be so great, as that it may appeare by your exteriour vigilancy and care to performe your workes, whereby you may obtayne that true and euerlasting saluation. S. Bernard A sweet & secure guide for vs to fol­low. left this truth, confirmed[Page 143]both by his doctrine, and example, in these words:Bernar. in Cant. ser. 7 Happy is that soule wher­in Christ our Lord hath set the print of his two feet; and wherin he hath left the markes and footestps of them both, which are the feare of his diuine Iudgment, and the hope of his diuine Mercy. For the consideration of the diuine Iudgment a­lone, breeds disconfidence and despayre; and the memory and consideration of his mercy alone, doth occasion a sly deceipt of a mans selfe, & ingendreth a very dan­gerous kind of security. And so haue I experimented in my selfe. For the benig­nity of God sometymes hath graunted to me (miserable creature) that I might sit downe at the feet of Iesus Christ my Sa­uiour, and that I might with entier de­uotion, imbrace the one foot of feare; & at other tymes, the other foot of confi­dence, and of loue. And if at any tyme it hapned to me, that, being forgetfull for his mercy, I detayned my self long in the consideration and apprehension of the di­uine[Page 144]Iudgment, I grew all dismayd, & distempered with an incredible kind of feare, and a miserable confusion; and all trembling, I would be crying out with the Psalmist, Psal. 8 [...]. O Lord, who shallbe able to conceaue or comprehend the power of thy wrath! And who, through the feare he hath, shalbe able to measure out the gre­atnes, and mightines of that indignati­on, which thou wilt execute against sin­ners in the other life! And See & imitate the great humility of this excellent Saint, and learne heereby to know thy selfe. if, on the other side giuing ouer the consideration, and exercise of this feare, I detayned my selfe long in the consideration and meditation of the mercy of God, I should be grown to fall into such a deale of care­lesse negligence, that euen then already, my prayer would become more remisse & my selfe more sloathfull towards a [...] good workes, and I should be more disposed to­wards laughter, and such idle intertay­nements; more free and liberall in my speach, and more vnsetled both in my inward & outward man. Being there­fore[Page 145]taught by experience, which hath bin a faythfull Maister to me, I wi [...] sing to thee, O Lord, not only Iudgement, nor only Mercy, but Mercy & Iudgment both togeather; and both these meanes of iustification, will I exercise, and vse as long as the tyme of Pilgrimage, in this banishment of myne shall last, and till I arriue to be possessed of that most happy state, wherein all misery, and all cause of compunction and feare, shall cease, and all my glory shall be to prayse thee for all eternity.

This saying is of S. Bernard, wherin by the testimony of what he experienced in himselfe, he confir­meth that, which the holy Scripture and the doctrine of the Saints doe teach, concerning the necessity, wherein all the seruants of God are, (towards the keping of themselues still his seruants) to ioyne holy feare with loue, and the considerations of the diuine Iudgement, & the punish­ments[Page 146]inflicted by his Iustice, with the considerations of the mercy of God; and of the fauours & benefits, which he cōmunicateth with a most liberall hand, to such as keepe his Law.

THIS is the first way of answ­ring that which was demaunded. The The second an­swere of the for­mer obie­ction. second is, that when we speake of seruile feare, & of accompa­ning the same with the loue of God, it is true, that the exercise of loue is much more excellēt thē that of feare. For as we haue said, seruile feare, which hath the eye vpon punishment is imperfect, and but of beginners, & it is found euen in them who are not yet in state of grace; nor can it be[Page 147]meritorious, nor wholly acceptable to our Lord God. But speaking of fi­liall feare, wherby a man feareth and flyeth from sinne, because it is the of­fense of God; and of that reuerenciall feare, wherby the soule reueareth his diuine Maiesty; and doth humble her selfe to him, by doing his diuine wil; and comparing this kind of feare with the loue of our Lord God, and considering that which indeed doth passe in iust persons; it is not an ex­ercise lesse excellent, nor lesse plea­sing to God, nor lesse meritorious then is that of loue. For Filiall fear riseth out of loue. this holy feare springeth out of the true loue of God; and imbraceth the same loue as the fountaine, & roote from whence it springs. For from louing of God, doth grow the feare of offēding him; and from the loue of vertue, groweth the feare of loosing it; & frō the high estimation which the soule makes of God, and the fulfilling of his will, [Page 148]doth growe a profound reuerence of God, and the keeping of his law, and the feare of doeing any thing which is contrary to the same. And so the good Christian, whilst he is exerci­sing the chast feare of a sōne of God, he doth also exercise the loue of God.

So saith S. Augustine, Aug. in psal 118. serm. 25. The feare through which a man loues not ver­tue, but flyes from the punishment of vice, is a seruile feare; and this feare is that, which shutteth Charity out of doores, and the same Charity which also shutteth out this kind of fear, doth produce and breed that other chast feare, through which the soule feares to sinne, though it were neuer to be punished. And this is that holy feare, which iust mē do exercise in the con­sideration of the diuine Iudgement; because, as we haue declared, through the great desire which they haue to please God, and to do according to his wil in al things, they dispose them­selues [Page 149]to consider the diuine Iudgmēt, so to know the better, and as it were to feele, the greiuousnes of sinne, and the punishment, that falls vpon it; and the much that God abhors it; & so to procure a sorrow and hatred of sinne, as being an offence of God; and to feare it much, and to fly from it with great care, as being contrary to his diuine will; and so exercysing this chast feare, which is an effect & fruit of diuine loue, he exerciseth loue with all, which is the cause of that feare: for this it is, that we haue said, that the iust man exercising this fi­liall feare, doth not loose the least graine of the excellency and merit of his loue; and that the exercise of filiall feare, is not lesse pious and acceptable to God, then that of loue. For in fine this is the feare of Saints, to all whome the Psalmist speakes by saying,Psal. 33. O all yow Saints feare our Lord. And this is that feare, which hath for [Page 150]a reward, That it obteyneth of God what it will, as the Psalmist doth also witnes, saying,Psal. 140. God will fullfill the will of them that feare him; and will heare their pra [...]ers, granting all which they aske. To True hope ri­seth out of filiall Feare. conclude, this is that feare which maketh men happy in this life, through the liuely hope, and pledge it giues of glory; in the other life it will giue the possession therof. For a truth it is, deliuered by the holy Ghost,Prou. 28. Blessed is the man who alwaies liues in the holy feare of God.

GREAT are the benefits which we find in that diuine Iudgment, & the fruits which we gather thence by our considering that which Christ our Lord will shew vpon the wicked. For, as we haue declared, it doth cleerly discouer the greiuousnes of sinne, and how mightily it is abhor­red by our Lord God, and it moueth vs to a hatred, and a feare therof. But yet greater are the blessings which we find in the Iudgement of God; and the profit which we reap from thēce, [Page 152]by considering that which Christ our Lord will then do for his seruants; & the fauours which he will impart, and the felicity which he will communi­cate. For in this, doth he discouer his goodnes, and the much that he lo­ueth such as are good; and the esti­mation which he makes of vertue; & he awaketh and prouoketh vs much to loue him, and he doth animate and incourage vs much, to labour hard in his seruice, and that for the pleasing of him, and complying with his ho­ly will, we must imploy our selues in all kind of vertue. Let vs therfore go declaring the fauors which Christ our Lord will impart to the good, in this his Iudgment; to the end that we may gather this fruite from thence.

A great How differētly the same things do worke v­pon the good and the bad. benefit and fauour shall it be for the good, that those very signes which are to precede the diuine Iugdment, as namely the dar­kening of the Sunne, the Moone, & [Page 153]Starres, the swelling vp of the Sea, the opening of the earth, withal the rest, which are to strike such exces­siue horrour into the wicked; and will cause in them such an extreme affliction and dismay, so far, as that they shall goe like persons euen di­stracted and mad with griefe, & shal euen be dryed vp and withered, tho­rough the deadly paine and sorrow, which they shal receaue, as our Lord himselfe declareth, saying:Luc. 21. Men shall whither with the feare they willbe in of those miseryes which they expect, and of which, those signes are the forerunners: That these very signes, I say, shal gi­ue to those iust men, the seruants of God whome they shall find aliue, great strength & courage great con­fidence and security in God; & shall cause them great alacrity and com­fort, and they shall go all refresh't, and fully at ease, as being animated with a new spirit of hope and ioy. [Page 154]For The great reasons, which good men haue to be glad of death, and the day of Iudgment iust men, who cordially doe loue Almighty God, do much desire to leaue the miserable estate of this life, where God is so many wayes offended; and when themselues can­not forbeare to fal into some defects; which although they be light & ve­niall, yet for as much as they goe a­gainst the will of God, they feele thē much, and much paine by them; & where they also find, that they haue many impedimentes to keepe them from communicating with God, & from louing him, and tasting him as they desire: These persons do extre­mely couet the state of immortality & glory, where they shall most per­fectly, both in body and soule, enioy the fauours and benedictions of God as the Apostle declareth The sense is of the B. A­postle, and it is ope­ned and explained by our Authour. saying:Rom. 8. We know that all creatures, that is to say, all the whole machine of the world (which conteyns all the sensible creaturs) is groaning vnder the weight, and mu­tability, [Page 155]and corruption, which it is sub­iect to.

And as a woman, who being in la­bour of her child, doth expect to bring him forth; so doth it remaine with a kind of wearines, and griefe, from the very first beginning of the world, till this in­stant; desiring & hoping to see it self free from this corruption and mutability; & to be all renewed, according to the imita­tion, and resemblance of that glorious li­berty of the sonnes of God. And we the disciples & seruants of Christ our Lord, who haue receaued the chiefe, and first fruits & gifts of the holy Ghost, doe sigh, & groan withal the affectiō of our harts, towards the perfect & complete adoptiō of the sonnes of God; which is the glory, not only of our soules, but euen of our bodyes also, whereby the whole man shall be deliuered from all mortality, and cor­ruption, and from all euill inclination & concupiscence; and shall perfectly enioy, both in body and soule the redemption, [Page 156]which was wrought by Christ our Lord. This is of the Apostle. And for as much as this desire is of iust persons, and that, in it selfe, it is so very inter­nall, and so vehement; when they shall see the signes of the diuine Iud­gement, they shal know that the tyme is then close at hand; wherein that desire of theirs is to be satisfyed, and when they are to be possessed of that happy state, and wherein they are to be free both in body and soule frō all corruption and misery both of sin and pennance. And they shallbe ful of glory in their soules; and their bo­dyes, being adorned with the glori­ous stole of immortality, are to enioy God eternally in his kingdome.

Now The ioy which the elect will haue to see thē ­selues so neere the end of their hope. by this so certaine, & secure hope, that God wilbe so gra­cious to them, as to graunt that they may possesse, & enioy that immense good, which they so mightily desire, and to which, then, they shall be [Page 157]brought so neere, they will reioyce, and be reuiued in a wonderfull man­ner; and giue strange thankes to God, for hauing brought them to see that day, and for hauing continued them in his seruice; and vouchsafed to giue them such tokens & pledges of his glory. All this did Christ our Lord vnfold, in the Ghospell. For hauing reckoned vp the signs which are to appeare before his comming to Iudgement, and the feare and sor­row wherewith they shallbe recea­ued by the wicked; turning then his discourse to his disciples (and in their persons to all such as would be their imitatours, and were to be aliue at that tyme) he sayth, after this man­ner: When these thinges shall arriue, which are to precede my comming, do you lift vp your heads Be not disquieted, be not dismayd, giue no place to sorrow, none to feare, or to distrust, as the louers of the world will do, who will go with[Page 158]the head all hanging downe like men af­flicted and dismayd But haue you great confidence, conceaue great courage, be cheerefull and reioyce, and with this con­fidence and ioy lift vp your harts & your face, to God, for now your redemption draweth neere. The tyme approacheth, and so doth that most happy state and complete redemption, which now with my Passion and Death I am about to gain for you, and that is, both security from all kind of misery, and immortall glory both to body and soule.

Another great fauour to the iust, willbe, to see, appearing in the ayre (and that high vp neer heauen, and before the person of Christ our Lord) the signe, and standard of the most holy Happy soules, which heere are deuo­ted to the Crosse of Christ our Lord Crosse, not made of wood, or mettall, but of other most glorious matter, and more brightly shining, & incomparably with more beauty, then the sunne; and in pro­portion so very large, that being [Page 159]plac't on high, it may be seene ouer the whole earth, by all the inhabitāts thereof. For a matter and motiue it is of incomparable comfort & ioy, for them to see in such high honour and glory, that Crosse, which they adored, as the Image of Christ, and which they loued, by enduring and suffering affronts and paynes for his sake. When A pro­found, & yet a plain conside­ration. a worldly man doth hate any thing, or any person, and seeth it or him aduanced to honour, it puts him to payne. Wicked men, in this life, did abhorre the Crosse of Christ, because they did extremely loue the pleasures and delicacyes, & transitory honours of this world, & they detested to suffer paine & sham in the vertue, and for the loue of Christ our Lord. So doth S. Paul ex­presse it saying:Phil. 3. There are many who liue and conuerse among you (of whome I haue aduertised you many tymes, & now againe I repeate it with griefe & sorrow[Page 160]of my hart) who are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ, since they giue them­selues to delights and delicacyes, and to ambition and pride, which the Crosse of Christ doth condemne; and they flye from pennance, and mortification, and absti­nence, and from the exercises of humili­ty, to which the Crosse of Christ doth perswade and teach. When therefore these men shall see, in that diuine Iudgment that the Crosse of Christ is so highly honoured, and made so glorious, which they with their workes did so abhorre, it shall reple­nish them with paine and griefe. For thereby they shall more cleerely see their errour, and the eternall con­demnation, which is prepared for them. For that, is to be the end of such men, as the same Apostle decla­reth saying: VVhose end, is death, and the destruction of their soules.

On The same con­sideration continu­ed. the contrary side, who­soeuer he be that doth greatly loue a­ny[Page 161]thing or person, he reioyceth & taketh comfort to see that it is hono­red & esteemed by others. And now for as much as the seruantes of God do cordialy loue the Crosse of Christ which is, To mortify thēselues with thinges of difficulty to flesh and bloud; and to suffer paines, and tri­bulations, and affronts for his loue, and in the imitation of his Passion. For as S. Paul sayth:Galat. 5. They who are of Christ, and who re liuely members of him, and who haue his spirit, and who are gouerned by him, doe crucify their flesh, and chastise it with penances, and by willingly imbracing those affronts & paynes, which God presents And by af­flicting their flesh, in this manner, they doe withall, destroy and kill the vices, and ill desires which sprout from thence. Now when the seruants of God, shal see that Crosse, And haue we not reason to loue it, since it was the instrumēt of our re­dempti­on. which they lo­ued so much, and wherein they did so greatly reioyce, become exalted, [Page 162]and so glorious, and so highly ho­noured by Almighty God; and so re­ueared by the whole world, they shal receaue thereby, excessiue ioy, and consolation; to see how well they chanced in following the Crosse of Christ our Lord; and they shall hold it as an expresse signe of the glory, which God will giue to them. For, a truth of God it is, which is pronoun­ced by his Apostle: That whatsoeuer tribulation or paine or trouble is suffered in this life for the loue of God (which how long soeuer it lasts is but momentary, since it liues no longer then we liue) & which how grieuous soeuer it may seeme, yet to the soules that loue God, and are assisted by his holy grace, is light and easy) doth worke in vs, and that as a merito­rious cause, a weight of most soueraigne glory, ouerflowing beyond all measure, and exceeding all that which we can so much as euen imagine; & this is not to be of temporall glory, but a glory which shall neuer end.

ANOTHER benefit & fauour, and that a great one, will Christ our Lord, do to his seruants in the day of Iudgment, and that will be to separate them from the company of the wicked. This was signified by Christ our Lord, who said:Matt. 25. ‘"When the sonne of man shall come to iudge, he shall sit vpon the throne of his Maiesty, & all the nations of the earth shalbe as­sembled before him; and, as the shep­heard deuides the sheepe from the Goates, so shall he deuide the good and bad from one another."’ The good he calleth sheep, for the innocency, simplicity, meeknes, & fruitefulnes in good works wherwith they aboūd [Page 164]and the wicked he calleth Goates, for their barrennes in doing any thing that is good; and for the ill odour of their vices, and the impetuousnes of their passions, to which they are su­biect. Three things there are, which do principally afflict and torment the good, when they are in company of the bad. First, they see before their eyes, many and great offences com­mitted against God, and they are not able to preuent them. This He that finds not this griefe in his hart is not so much in loue with God, as he perhaps conceaues is a greiuous torment; and the more they loue God, & the fulfilling of his lawe, so much greater is the griefe which they conceaue, by see­ing him offended, and it despised. This did S. Peter explicate, when he said of Lot, 2. Pet. 2. That he was a iust man & as such he could not indure to see sins cō ­mitted, and yet he dwelt among such men, as tormented his very soule, by their sins.

Another thing which afflicteth[Page 165]good men, when they liue and con­uerse with such as are wicked, is the danger Thou little knowest, the ex­trem dan­ger into which ill company doth cast thee. wherin they are, of loo­sing the vertue which they haue. For as the example of the good, doth in­duce men to the loue of vertue, so doth the example of the wicked to the loue of vice. For this cause, did the Apostle say to the Corinthiās who were men of vertue:1. Cor. 15. Do not suffer your selues to be deceiued; depart from the cō ­pany and communication of the wicked; for euill wordes do preiudice and corrupt goodworkes, and so make men bad of good. For as much therfore as The more ver­tuous mē are, the lesse they presume vpon thē ­selues. good men do vnderstand their owne frailty; they do greately apprehend their spirituall hurt; therfore do they feele great paine, by running hazard of falling into such a thing as sinne, which they do so much abhorre.

The third thing which afflicteth good men, who finde themselues in the company of wilfull sinners, is[Page 166]feare to be punished ioyntly with them. For although, in this life, God doth not punish the soule of one, for the sins of another; yet The iudgmēts of God, are some­tymes se­cret, but they are euer iust. it happe­neth, that for as much as concerneth temporall things, God sendeth puni­shment sometymes to some who are good, for the sins of other with whōe they liue. As he did, to the Children of Israell, Iosu. 7. who for the sins of Acham (who tooke some parte of the ene­mies spoyles against the commaund­ment of God) retyred his hand of succour from them all, and disconti­nued the strength, which he had gi­uen them; and so they were subdued and slaine by their enemies. And God declared, that he sent that puni­shmēt for the sinne of Acham, saying; The children of Israel, shall not be able to resist their enemyes, but they shall flye from before their face; because they are polluted, by his sinnes, who tooke that, which was solemnely forbidden. I will [Page 716]no more declare my selfe in fauour of you, till you punish him. And so A­cham being punished, God retur­ned againe to shew them fauour. Now this course of Gods punishing, in temporall things some one, for the sins of another, may be taken by Al­mighty God (without the least in­iustice to any one, because he is the absolute Lord of all things, and he doth whatsoeuer he doth vpon per­fect reason) to declare, as S. Austine sheweth,Augu. in Iosue q. [...]. what a wicked thing sinne is, and how profoundly it is hated by him. D. Thom. 2. [...]q 108. art. 4. And this is to be vnderstood, when the good, who liue amongst the wic­ked, do not yet participate with them in their sins; for when they do partake or consent therin, and doe It is no smal [...] for a [...] not to [...] prehen [...] sinne in due tyme & place. not reprehend or correct them, as they ought, then God doth not onely chastise them in temporall things, as of the body, or goods, but also in those other which concerne the soule;[Page 168]and that not onely in this life, but in that of the other also, according to the quality of the fault.

These are the things which put good men in paine, when they are in cōpany of the wicked. And so it wil be a most singular benefit, and of su­preme consolation and ioy, for the good to see themselues separated, & that for euer, from the society of the wicked. And to knowe soe cleerly, that then no longer they shall be able to see with their eyes, nor to heare with their eares, in those eternall ha­bitations of theyrs, any thing at all which may be of the least offence to God. But that whatsoeuer they shall either heare, or see, is to be nothing els, but the praising and glorifying of his diuine Maiesty with supreme per­fection. And to knowe, that then they shall not be able to haue so much as any occasion, or daunger of it, nor that there shall be any one, in heauen, [Page 169]who may giue them example of sinne by deed, or perswade them to it by word. For all they whom there they are to haue for companions, & that for euer, are to be Saints; and so tru­ly Saints, that they shall neuer cease, not so much as for one little, single moment from louing God, with the very highest top of all perfection, & from doing the holy will of God in all thinges, with vnspeakable com­fort and ioy. And yet further to know that then they are free for e­uer, from all kind of punishment; & from all danger to suffer any. For as for any sinnes of their owne, they cannot be punished for any such, be­cause they can commit none; and as for the sinnes of others, they cannot be punished for them, because they haue not, nor cannot haue the company of any such as can sinne. But on How euery one of the E­lect will ioy in the glory of each o­ther. the other side they are to haue an augmentation of glory, for the[Page 170]most holy society which they shall enioy of the Blessed, through whose glory their glory also shall increase, For the immense ardour of loue, wherewith they will be carryed to God, will be the cause why they shal take particuler gust, in that loue, wherwith euery one of those blessed soules, shall glorify, & loue Almigh­ty God. And so also the supreme loue which euery one of the same blessed soules shall beare ech other, wil mak thē receaue particuler ioy, by euery one in particuler. O most blessed creatures, who are to liue in such a society; and who are to enioy such a communication of felicity for all e­ternity. If it be a great benediction to enioy the society of good men, heere on earth; what kind of blessed­nes will it be to enioy the company of blessed soules? If it be a matter of much profit and comfort to partici­pate in the communication of the[Page 171]guifts of grace; what kind of profit, what kind of comfort will it be, to haue communication with so many Saints both men and Angells, in the guifts of glory? O with how much reason is it sayd:Psal. 23. Blessed are they, O Lord, who dwell in thy house; they shall prayse thee there, through the eternity of all eternityes, Amen.

THIS benefit and fauour, is fol­lowed by another, which yet is greater. For the good, being once separated from the wicked, & being plac't vpon the right hand of Christ our Lord; this celestiall King shall [Page 172]cast towards them, his most gracious countenance, being all full of suaui­ty, and delight. And passing his sen­tence of fauour on them, he will say, Come yee blessed of my Father. The be­nediction of God is the good guift of God; and so, to be blessed by him, is to be filled withal those good gifts and graces, which God communi­cates to his seruants. That is, withal those principall benefits, which the Saints haue heere on earth (when once they are made pure and cleane from all imperfections) and withall those others also, which the Angells doe possesse in heauen; &, which is more, with all those goods & graces which the King of heauen himselfe, doth possesse and enioy. For, as S. Iohn affirmeth,1. Ioan. 3. When he shall appeare, we shallbe made like to Iesus Christ our Lord, participating of his power, of his beauty, of his wisedome, of his good­nes, of his ioy, of his glory.

[Page 173]He How grace and glory proceed from God the Father and how also from the other persons of the most B. Trini­ty. calleth them Bl ssed of his Father, to declare the fountayne, & first ofspring, from whence all the benefits of grace and glory spring, and this is the eternall Father; and besides, because all that which the Fa­ther operateth, is also the worke of God the Sonne as he is God; as also it is the worke of God the holy Ghost. For the Diuinity, the Goodnes, and the Power, is the very same in all the three Persons; and to attribute them all to the Father (as to the first Au­thour of all that is good) is to offer them also to the Sonne, as he is God; and it is also to offer them to the ho­ly Ghost, who is one God, with the Father, and the Sonne. O happy men, who are to receaue such a bene­diction! A benediction, giuen by Christ our Lord, in the face of hea­uen and earth, & of all the creaturs! A benediction authorized by all the most Blessed Trinity, as the Authour[Page 174]and fountaine of the same! A bene­diction which comprehendes all the chiefe guifts of grace, & al the guifts of glory! A benediction full of bene­fits, vnspeakable, most high, and tru­ly heauenly, which containe all the most chiefe and choice part of hea­uen! A Benediction of eternall be­nefit! A Benediction irreuocable, which can neuer be changed, as long as God shall be God! O how highly is this benediction to be esteemed! O how much is it to be desired, & pro­cured, which maketh men so truely happy, as our Lord himselfe decla­reth saying: Come and possesse the king­dome, which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

Kingdoms The great dif­ferences which are betweene an earthly & a hea­uenly kingdom. & dominions you had on earth, but temporall kingdoms & do­minions they were & of little valew & cōfort; or ratherful of miseries; & what­soeuer they were, they are now growne to an end. Laying aside those miserable[Page 175]kingdomes which already are ended, come and possesse another kingdome, which is celestiall & full of incomparable happines; a kingdome of infinite value; a kingdome which eternally shall contynue. And although euery one of you is to be a king of this kingdome, and is to raigne and pos­sesse the same; yet the kingdom is still but one. For all of you are to be subiect and obedient (but it is to be with supreme loue) to this Soueraigne King, in whose company you are to raigne. And be­cause all of you are to be of one hart and of one will, vnited by most perfect loue, in such sort that the blessings belonging to any one in particuler to be of you all (so farre forth as to reioyce therin) and they of you all to be of euery one (to reioyce with them, to whome in particuler they belonge) this kingdome is also to be but one. Yet still, though this kingdome be but one, you shall all be kings, and you all shall raigne. For the kingdome is infinite in the greatnes of the felicity, which is [Page 176]possest therin; and it is infinite also, in the contynuance, since it is eternall. And to the end that you may discerne the al­titude of this kingdome, and the great affection wher with it is giuen you, Be­hould, it hath bene prepared for you since the beginning of the world.

The election Of our election to the kingdom of heauen and the prepara­tion, which is made for vs toward the same. of the inha­bitants of this kingdome was made before the world was created; for they were chosen and predestinated from all eternity to raigine therin. But the preparing of those things which concerne this kingdome, and the putting of those meanes in practi­ce, which had relation to the obtey­ning therof, did begin at the begin­ning of the world. From that tyme, were framed those most sumptuous pallaces, those most beautifull ha­bitations, and those most glorious seats and thrones, where the inhabi­tants of this kingdom were to liue & raigne. Then were created and were [Page 177]made happy those first Cittizens of this kingdom, which are the Angels, who were to keepe men company therin, and to augument the glory which men were to possesse in this kingdome. And so also from the first begining of the world, ther were gifts of graces which came to be commu­nicated to men, wherby they were to obteyne this kingdome. And for God to create man, and withal to commu­nicate iustice & grace to him, wherby he might procure this kingdome, all that was done at once; & from that tyme, to this, nothing hath beene done, but to dispose and help men, & giue them meanes that they might come to possesse and perfectly inioy this kingdome, in glory both of body and soule. This is that most blessed sentence, which Christ our Lord will giue in fauour of his seruants; & that being done, he will instantly rayse them vp togeather with him­selfe,[Page 178]and will inuest them with the most glorious possession of his cele­stiall kingdome.

LET A most excellent most sweet, most pro­found, & yet most plaine des­cription of the ioyes of heauen, through­out this whole Chapter. vs yet more particuler­ly cōtemplate the Maiesty of this kingdome, which Christ our Lord imparteth to his seruants; and of that felicity which is possest therein; to the end that we may gather that fruit, which it is fit for vs to feed v­pon; which is nothing els, but the disposing of our selues to the obtay­ning of this kingdome, by an imita­tion of the vertues of Christ our Lord. And The place of the king­dome of glory. first, the scituation and place of this kingdome, is that supreme heauen, which for the glo­rious[Page 179]brightnes and splendor which is found therein, is called Empyreal. The altitude and capacity, and be­auty & admirable designe, the grace and suauity of this place though it be such, as no tongue of flesh and bloud can declare; yet to giue vs to vnder­stand, some part of that which there is found, by a comparison of those thinges which heere we know, S. Iohn describes it in the Reuelations after this manner.Apoc. 21. & 22. He was carryed in spirit, to a mountaine which was great and very high; and he saw that holy Hierusalem the celestiall Citty, full of the clarity of God; all built of perfect, pure and most resplendent gould, like cleane, pure glasse. It had a wall about it of Iaspar, both very thicke, and very high, the foundati­ons wherof, were adorned with pre­tious stone. In this wal, were twelue gates, and euery one of them, was made of a most pretious pearle and[Page 180]that pearle alone, did make the gate. This Citty had within a very spaci­ous open place, all paued with gold, most pure & most resplendent, & in the midst of that place, there was a riuer of infinite sweetnes. A Temple also there was, to adorne this Citty; and a light to illuminate it; and this Temple and Light was God himself, and therfore it must needs be farre from hauing any necessity of any o­ther Temple or Light.

By these wordes S. Iohn des­cribeth the scituation of the King­dome of heauen, and the habitation of the Saints. And although it be true, that there are not there, any of those mettalls of gold or siluer, or any of these pretious stones of earth (for all these thinges are poore and base, and of no valew) yet We who are sensible creatures, as well as spirituall, must be raised to­wards spi­rituall things by such as are sensi­ble; and therefore the vse of ceremo­nyes, and Images, is very ne­cessary. he de­liuereth himselfe thus, that by those thinges which are the most pretious and beautifull of the earth, the soule [Page 181]may rise to consider the greatnes & beauty of heauenly thinges, vnder­standing euer, that those, are incom­parably better then these. And as the whole globe of the heauens, is so far exceeding the earth in greatnes, that the whole earth is but as a point, or in effect as nothing, in comparison of the heauens; so is it in all the rest as well as in greatnes. And all the brightnes, and beauty, and sweet­nes of thinges of this world, being compared with those of heauen, are as if they had not, so much as the least being at all. So that the aduantage which the habitation of heauen doth carry beyond this of the earth is such that it exceedeth all comparison. For in fine such it is, as is fit to be carryed by the house of the Creatour in res­pect of a creatures house; and by the Citty of God, in respect of the Citty of men; and by that sphere of felici­ty and eternall ioy, in respect of this [Page 182]Center of miseryes, and this valley of teares.

The Mans supreme happynes consisteth in the vision of God. chiefe felicity which is enioyed in this soueraigne Citty by cleare vision, is God himselfe. His seruantes, sayth S. Iohn, Apoc. 22. in this Citty of God shal see his face. What vnspeakable happines, what Abisse, what immense kind of sea of all feli­city, will it be to looke the Diuinity of God in the face, without the in­terposition or interpretation of any creature? To A most sweet ex­plication of the most bles­sed Trini­ty. see that diuine es­sence, in three persons; and three di­uine persons in one, and the selfe same essence; to see the power of the Father, the wisedome of the Sonne, & the goodnes of the holy Ghost? To see how the Father, from all eterni­ty, engenders the Sonne, communi­cating to him his diuinity; and how the Father and the Sonne, as one & the same eternall spring or roote, do by spiration, giue proceeding to the[Page 183]holy Ghost, and communicate their diuine essence to him? To see how all the perfection of God, is in euery one of the three diuine persons; and how al the perfectiō, that any one of the diuin persons hath, the very same is possessed by either of the other di­uine persons. What kind of incom­parable ioy wil that be, so cleerely to behould an infinite Good, which is all amiable, all ful of infinite beauty, of suauity, and of delight. And not only to see it, in some manner, which might be lesse excellent, but to be­hould it with the eyes of an incor­ruptible soule, and they most bright­ly clarifyed by the light of glory; & euerlastingly to loue it, without cea­sing, & that with a most perfect loue, and to possesse it with a perpetuity of security.

After Of know­ledge, Loue and Ioy, and how they grow out of one an­other. the rate of the know­ledge of any thinge, growes the loue to be; and after the rate of the loue, [Page 184]is the ioy for that which is so much be­loued; and that knowledge which the Saints haue of God, being the grea­test which can possibly be had (since it is the cleare sight of God) the loue must also be so great, as that greater cannot be conceaued.

The The motiues of loue. soule is moued to loue a thing, which it knowes, because it is good, because it is beautifull, be­cause it is profitable, because it is delightfull, because it concernes the soule, and is, after a sort, belonging to it. And so much more as that thing is good, more beautifull, more pro­fitable, more delightfull, more con­cerning it, and more belonging to it, so much more doth the soule (if it know that thing well, and be hinde­red by no impediment at all) delight in it, and loue it, with a more intense, and perfect loue. Well then, since all these reasons, and tytles, & motiues of loue, are found to be in God, with [Page 185]infinite perfection (and the soule cleerly seeing God and meeting with no impediment which may hinder loue) with what loue so intense, and so immense, will it be sure to loue him?

By The riuers of ioy which ouerflow a soule which is in glory. seeing that he is infinite goodnes, there is ingēdred in the soule, a most copious riuer of loue; By seeing that he is infinite beauty, there is pro­duced in it, another most abundant riuer of loue; By seeing how full of aduantage it hath bene, and is, and euer will be to the soule; and that in some sorte it is euen infinite, there flowes from the soule another riuer of loue, so wide, and deepe, as that it hath neither bottom nor brim. By seeing that it is an infinite delight, and sweetenes, and that it concernes the soule so much, and that she doth so dearly truly belong vnto it; and that it is her creator, her father, her God; and that all her being depends vpon it; there is also created in the soule an­other [Page 186]most copious and most abun­dant riuer of loue; and all these riuers of loue, meeting then in one, the soule of euery Saint in heauen growes to haue in it an vnbridled boundles Sea of loue.

He that Be still attentiue. loues a thing, doth wish it well; & if he may see the good he wishes, it giues him ioy; and the more he loues, and the more he desires, and the greater that the good is, so much the greater is the ioy. Now thē, since the Saints in heauen do loue God, with a whole boundlesse Sea of loue; and seeing that he possesseth all the good which they can wish (as namely that he is God himselfe) and that, together with God, he is infi­nitely happy; who can say what de­light, who can say what ioy they shall receiue; since it is bound to be great according to the rate of their loue. Infallibly they shall possesse a whole immense Sea of diuine ioy; an im­mense [Page 187]Sea shall they possesse, of ce­lestiall and supreme delights. This is that delight and ioy, which the soule receiues from God himselfe, being an infinit good; when once she is possest of a cleare vision of him, and that by loue. O Infinit ioy. ioy, which ouercomest all ioy! O ioy, which imbracest all our good! O ioy, without lymit! O eter­nall ioy! O ioy which art the euer run­ning fountaine of al ioyes! O ioy which knowest how to satisfy all the desirs, and canst fill vp all the hollowes and empty places of the soule;Matt. 25. and dost possesse whatsoeuer we shall euer be able to think! To this ioy doth Christ niuite al his faithfull seruants, & this doth he giue them, in reward of their vertue, saying, Reioyce O thou good & faithfull seruant, enter into the ioy of thy Lord.

Another The vnspeak­able ioy, which they shall haue by seeing the the most glorious humanity of Christ our Lord. felicity which the blessed soules shall haue, is to behold the most glorious humāity of Christ[Page 188]our Lord; and to enioye it, and to see him (euen as he is man) in so ex­cessiue Greatnes, and Maiesty, and glory. And to see him withal so amia­ble, and so affable, & so deerly sweet, towards all those happy soules; and to see that that Lord, who is man as they are, and who with his passion and death did for the loue he bare them, redeeme them from eternall damna­tion; the same man, I say, is the infi­nite and eternall God. O how will they loue that most sacred humanity, which loued them so much, & which did and suffered so great things for them? O how will they reioyce to see that humāity so mightily sublymed, and vnited by an incomprehensible manner, to the person of the Word? O how wil they glory in his felicity? O what delight & sweetnes wil they receiue, from such a sight and from such a loue? For as the prophet saithIsa. 33. They shall see the king in his beauty.

[Page 189]Another It wil be an ine­stimable ioy to see how infi­nitly God loueth them. supreme felicity for those happy soules, shalbe to see the loue which God carries towards them; and wherwith the eternall fa­ther, did, from all Eternity loue, and choose them, & did, in Tyme, bestow his Sonne vpon them; and deliuer him ouer to death for them; and to see that this loue, in it selfe, is infinite, and the very same wherewith God loues himselfe. The This truth is proued by a fit com­parison. seruant of a King, will much esteeme, that the king do him fauour, bestowing some important place vpon him in his house, with good prouision belon­ging to it. But much more will he e­steeme it, and much more content­ment & cōfort will he receiue, to see himselfe beloued, by that king; and that he is a fauorite of his And thogh he haue but some coniectures of this loue, and that it may easely be cooled and changed into a disaffection; yet doth he neuertheles esteem it more, [Page 190]then all the other fauours which the king doth him. For by louing him, he giueth him his hart, which is in­comparably more, then if he gaue him a part of his fortune. What then will a Saint in glory feele in himselfe when he shal see, that he is so beloued by God; and although the benefits which God hath done him are very great, yet the loue he beares him is much greater; and although they are most precious benefits which there he is enioying, by the guyft of God, yet much more pretious is the loue. For this loue is the root & fountaine of all the benefites, and guiftes, and graces which he hath cōmunicated; nay this loue, is euen very God him­selfe. Now then to knowe this loue of God, not by coniecture, but by seeing it expresly in God, with as great clarity as that wherewith he seeth God himselfe; and still to see with the same clarity that this loue [Page 191]cannot be lost, no nor changed, but that for euer it shall remaine inuaria­ble, with the selfe same permanency wher with the truth of God himselfe shal remain, of which truth it is saydPsal. 116. that it shall remaine for euer; O how highly wil the Blessed esteeme & value this loue of God! O how imcompa­rable ioy will they receiue to see thē ­selues so beloued by God!

When loue is great, it hath this property & power, that by the band of the same loue, it makes Of the vnion, of seuerall things which is made by loue. him that loues, become the same thing with him that is beloued, and that he lodgeth his whole hart in him; & that with the chaynes of loue he be­comes imprisoned, and euen capti­ued by him, who is beloued, & that he depend wholy vpon him; willing that which he wills, and communi­cating to him all his goods. Now then, since the Blessed soules, know­ing that this is the property of in­tense[Page 192]loue, and seeing themselues so beloued by God with this loue which hath no measure, nor had no begin­ning, nor will haue end; what kind of immense, incomparable ioy, wil this be to them? Without all question except the ioy which they shall haue in the felicity of God, whome they loue more then themselues, this o­ther is their greatest ioy, to see them­selues so beloued by him, who is om­nipotent, and who is infinite beauty and glory, and the infinite fountaine of all Good. Of this Loue God him­selfe giueth testimony, saying by the Prophet Hieremy: Hier. 33. With eternall loue I haue loued thee; and therefore did I in tyme shew mercy to thee, and I cal­led, and drew thee to my friendship and glory.

BESIDES these benefits which are the chiefe, there are others yet, which are enioyed by happy soules in the kingdome of heauen, which are also of inualuable value, and of incomparable ioy. One of them is, to be in cōpany of the Bles­sed; where there is such a multitude of The incom­prehensi­ble num­ber of the Angels. Angelicall spirits, distingui­shed into nine Quires, as that they are in greater number, then all the men, which haue beene, which are, and which shall euer be; yea more, then all the corporeall creatures of [Page 194]the whole world put togeather. And where there are so many Patriarkes, and Prophets, and Apostles, and A­postolicall men, and Martyrs, and Confessours, and Virgins; and so many others, who by pennance haue made their way to heauen, & whom S. Iohn (who saw them in a Reuelati­on) sayth,Apoc. 7. to be so many, as that they cannot be numbred. And The dignity & excellen­cy of those ce­lestiall in­habitants. all of them, are the sonnes of God, and Grandes in the Court of God; and Kings in the kingdome of heauen; and all of them, most perfect in ver­tue, and most sanctifyedly wise, and most beautifull, and full of immense glory; and all of them, so well con­tent, and at ease, that they desire no­thing but what they haue, because they haue as much, as possibly they can desire. And What a noble conuersa­tion will this be? notwithstanding that they are so very high in dignity, and glory, yet withall, euery one of them is most profoundly humble; [Page 195]all affable, and milde, and of most sweet condition. And being so in­numerable as they are, they yet doe all, know one another much better, and in a more intrinsecall manner, then a man on earth can euer arriue to know himselfe. And they all do treate, and communicate with one another; and they loue one another with such a loue, as doth incompa­rably exceede, the loue which any Mother can beare to a child. For in them all, there is but one affection and will, which is that of God, by the vnion, and conformity of will, which euery one hath with his; and the felicity of all, euery one estee­meth as his owne; and the glory of euery one in particuler, is held as pro­per to euery one. And Euery one of them hath excessiue ioy in the glory of any other. so, euery one of the Blessed hath as many par­ticuler ioyes, as there are Angels, & Saints in heauen. For euery one of them reioyceth at the others good, as[Page 196]at his owne; and he enioyeth the ioy of another, as his owne ioy; and so much more will one happy soule be glad of the glory of any other, as he shall see God to be more glorifyed in that other.

But amongst all the The inestima­ble ioy which e­uery of the Blessed haue in behoul­ding, and treating with the all imma­culate Mother of God. Blessed, whether they be Angells, or meere men and women, the creature, who doth more enoble, and engrandize, and delight, and make happy that most glorious court of heauen, is the most sacred Virgin Mary, that Lady, that Queene, that most deerly diui­nely sweet enamoured mother of thē all. For she is the true & naturall mo­ther of him who created them all, & who redeemed them all, and who indued them all with that beatitude. They all are great, they all are most sublimely happy; but this Lady, is more great, more happy, and more glorious, then they all together. All of them do ardētly loue one another, [Page 197]and they all conuerse, and behould ech other with admirable sweetenes; and they are all a cause of excessiue ioy and glory to one another. But And woe will be to thē, who do not loue & honour and ad­mire, and serue this soueraign Queene. this soueraign Queene loues them al, and euery one of them as her deerest Children, and as her brethren and companions, and as the louing mem­bers of Iesus Christ our Lord, who is her naturall sonne. And she behoulds them all, with most gratious, & most amorous eyes; and she treates & com­municates with them all, with a most incomparable sweetenes; and by that presence, and communication of hers, she causeth in euery one of them farre more ioy, and farre more glory, then any other creature doth.

This blessed life, and this com­pany of the blessed is described by the Prophet Isay, Isa. 60. speaking partly of the militant Church, but principally of the triumphāt, which is that celestial Hierusalem, in these wordes: There [Page 198]shall neuer be in thee, O thou Soueraigne Citty, and thou land of the liuing, any sinne or punishement; nor any newes, or noyse therof. Insteed of paine, thou shalt haue perfect & eternal health; & insteed of sinne, thou shalt haue the continuall & euerlasting exercise of the loue of God. Our L [...]rd God shall be al in all to thee; thy Sunne, and thy Moone, and thy light and thy glory, and all thy good. And a [...]l the elect are to make vppe, in thee, a people, and a most glorious and blessed common wealth; to the end that all together, may eternally enioy the inhe­ritance of those celestiall benedictions. And let vs see (since there are to be so many inhabitants in that souerai­gne Citty, and since euery iust person is to be a Cittizen therof) if there may there be found, any one who is weake or impotent, or who is subiect to the least disgust. The Prophet doth in­stantly proceed, and say, The least of them al shalbe so full of power, as that he [Page 199]may stand for a thowsand, of the stron­gest men; and the little one shall stand for a mighty Army. That is to say, euery one of the Blessed shall partici­pate so much of God, and shall finde God to be so truely his, as that what­soeuer he haue a mind to do, for that he shall haue sufficient power. And whatsoeuer felicity he shall de­sire, the same he shall possesse, for in God he can do all, and he hath all.

These The fruites which grow from the consi­deration of the glory of heauen. benefites which we haue heere recounted, & other which be like to these, are possessed and enioyed in that celestiall kingdome which Christ our Lord, who is the iudge both of the quicke and dead, will impart to the iust, in reward of their good life. And now let vs reach towards the fruit which we must pro­cure to gather, from the infallible knowledge of this truth. Whereof Great estimatiō of the be­nefits; & great thansgi­uing to the bene­factour. the first is this: A very great estimation, and profound internall[Page 200]gratitude for this mercy, & vnspea­ble grace of God; that we being so poore creatures, so weake, so igno­rant, and who, by our owne fault, made our selues so miserable, so base, so vnworthy of all good, and who so well deserued the vttermost of all paine, God would yet make choyce of vs, from all eternity; and first cre­ate vs, and after that sinne was com­mitted, redeeme vs; to the end that we might obteine that most sublyme, and supernaturall end of beatitude; which consisteth in seeing God, and in enioying God, and in obteyning and possessing that by grace, which God himselfe doth possesse by na­ture, which is to loue & enioy him­selfe. Againe, that he hath created, and ordayned, and called, and iusti­fied vs, for the enabling vs to a dig­nity so sublime, as it is to be Kings of heauen; and to haue seates, and thrones in that heauen which is cal­led[Page 201]Empyreall, & that for euer. And there to possesse the incomprehensi­ble and eternall felicity of glory; & in this glory, to be companions of the Angells, yea and of God himselfe who is the Lord of the Angels. This I say, is a grace, and mercy, which we are to ponder, and most profoun­dly to esteeme in the very rootes of our harts, and to be gratefull to God for it, withal the powers of our soule; and with our tongue to blesse and prayse him for it, with S. Peter saying; Blessed and praysed be our God, and the naturall fauour of Iesus Christ our Lord, who through his great and most aboundant mercy, hath engen­dred vs anew (who were borne in sinne, and were the Children of wrath, by our descent from Adam) by liuely Fayth, and by the Sacraments; making vs, by this spirituall gene­ration to become the sonnes of God himselfe, and giuing vs a certaine &[Page 202]true hope of the true life, which is that blessed and euerlasting end. And this he wrought in vs, by the Resurre­ction of Christ our Sauiour. For by his Resurrection, he procured that the world should beleeue in him, and should obey his ghospell; and by me­anes of this faith, and obedience, the fruit of his life and passion might be communicated to it; and by this li­uely hope, he first enabled vs to ex­pect, and afterward to obteine, the inheritāce, which is due to the Sonne of God.

The An in­satiable thirst after the ioyes of hea­uen. second thinge which we are to draw from hence, is a very great, and liuely, and efficatious de­sire of this kingdome of heauen; and that once we may arriue to possesse and enioye that celestiall happines. A man desires, euen by the very ap­petit of nature, to be free from the affliction of paine, & other corporal miseries; but this desire cannot be[Page 203]fulfilled in this life. For all this life is full of affliction and sicknes, & pai­nes of body, and sadnes and griefe of mind; and difficulties, and troubles, and contradictions, by his kinsmen & friends, and of persecution by in­iustice, and oppressions of enemies; and of contrary and ill encounters in point of fortune; and of temptations of deuils, and of the world; and of their lawes and rights; and of our owne corrupt nature, and al our euill inclinations. A man, saith Iob, liues but a little tyme, and that little, is full of many miseries. In heauen it is, where a man may haue this desire satisfied, because there, as S. Iohn saith,Apoc. 21. God will wipe away the teares from his frends eyes, & there shall be no death, nor lamentation, nor any sad note, nor griefe. For all this, had an end, in this life; and therfore it is necessary for a man to labour, with desire of the kingdome of heauen, where on­ly[Page 204]this desire can be accomplished.

A man The iust reasō of this thirst, drawne from the sinnes wherwith the world abounds. desires, by the appetite of grace, to see himselfe free from the sins of his soule, which induce him to do ill. In this life, this delight can­not be accomplished; because all this life is full of innumerable sinns; and whersoeuer thou goest, thou shal see sinne, and plenty of wickednes. And althogh, in many places it aboundeth more, or lesse, then in other; yet for the most part, euery one of them is corrupted & defild with diuers kinds of vices; yea and euen the most iust and holy men, haue some veniall sins, of which they cānot free themselues; and the same men run hazard to fall into other which are greater. For as S. Iohn sayth,1. Ioan. 1. If we shall say that we haue no sinne, we deceiue our selues ther­in, and we speake not truth. In hea­uen it is, where this desire is fulfilled; for there, is neither fault, nether can there be any. For as the same Apo­stle [Page 205]saith,Apoc. 21. Into that celestiall Hierusalem nothing can enter, which is spotted. And therfore it is necessary, and most pro­fitable, for a man to aspire to that habitatiō of heauen, where his desire may be satisfied.

NOT We haue rea­son to thirst af­ter the kingdom of heauen through the consi­deration of earthly pleasures, which are miserable things, & yet they make a shift to please vs. onely do the euills of sinne, and punishment (wherof this life of ours is full) incline vs to desire the kingdome of heauē, which is free from al those inconueniences; but so also do all good things, which giue vs in this life any contentment, or gust either corporall or spirituall, perswade and moue vs to the same. For they all discouer to vs, the im­mensity[Page 206]of that celestiall happines; and the greatnes of the appetite of our soule, which cannot be satisfied, and put in quiet, by any thing, which is lesse then that. For a man who, by his senses, taketh experi­ence of the sauour of his meat, and drinke, and of the sweetenes of mu­sicke, and of the contentment which he hath in seeing those things which are artificiall, gallant, and full of beauty; by the light of reason, and of faith, will grow to make this consi­deration. If a creature A most cer­tayne truth, and which en­treth sweetly into the soule. so base and of so small importance, as a bird, a liquor of milke, or wine, or any other thing that concernes our food, being toucht but by the course pallate of a man, do yet cause delight and gust, and such gust, as that for it, some men do expose themselues to much trouble and cost, yea and euen to the very perdition of their soules; what sauour, and what ioy shall it giue the [Page 207]soule, to be most profoundly inter­nally with all the powers and forces therof, vnited with God, and to tast God, he being that infinit good, and that infinit sweetnes and ioy; yea & the infinit fountaine of all ioy and sweetnes. And with the same soule, to swallow downe huge draughtes of that riuer of delights, which is in the house of God; and which, in substance, is in euen God himselfe, and the infinit and inexhausted sea, of all chast and pure delights.

If to see with these corporall eyes of ours, the designe, the beauty, and the grace of creatures (which yet are but compounded of earth, & water, and the other elements; and framed by the will of man, out of mettall, and wood, and other mate­ [...]alls of this world) do cause such [...]ontentment, and ioy, in the hart [...]f man, by the sight therof, that for [...]is sight, they endure, and suffer[Page 208]much; and make long iourneys, and much expence; what comfort, and ioy shall it be, for the cleere eyes of the soule (being strengthned by su­pernaturall force and light) to be­hould that beauty of the Angels, and blessed spirits; yea and the beauty of God himselfe.

If to heare with our corporall eares, that Musicke which is made by the voyce of a man, and of other instrumēts of Musicke, doth impart such sweetnes, as that a man will remaine many houres as if his soule were euen suspended; and he is con­tent to loose both his food and rest, for this earthly gust; what sweetnes will it be, for those inhabitants of heauen, with the eares of their soule, to heare those consorts & melodious songes, wherwith all the Quires of the Angells do praise and glorify Al­mighty God. And to heare that most gratious voyce, wherwith the same[Page 209]God doth comfort, and recreate all those blessed soules, & discouereth to them his Loue, togeather with the secrets of his very hart. And to heare also euē with the ears of their bodies, the sound of that praise, and thanksgi­uing, wherwith all those men who are to be made happy after their Re­surrection, shall glorify Almighty God, & giue ioy to the whole court of heauen.

A man We haue rea­son to as­pire to e­ternall glory, since no­thing of this life can quēch our thirst. who considereth and pondereth by these, and such other discourses both of reason, and faith, the greatenes of these celestiall bles­sings, and who findeth, that nei­ther the naturall appetite of reason, and much lesse the supernaturall, which he hath, being caused in him by grace, is satisfied or contented, or quieted by al the benefits, and gusts, and delights of the earth, but that e­uen whilst he hath them he becometh more hungry, more discontent, and [Page 210]more vnquiet then he was before; & that onely he can be satisfied by the delights and gusts, which are in he­auen, will be induced, vpon this motiue, to desire the happines of heauen with a most vehement ardour of minde. And he is animated and encouraged to begge it of God, and to sigh and grone for it continually; and he sayth with Dauid: Psal. 41. As the Hart with being chased and tired, and hauing deadly thirst, desires the waters and goes panting vp and downe in search therof; so my soule being ouerwrought by the mise­ries of this life, desireth thee o my God & hath a mighty thirst, and an vnsatiable appetit towards thee who art the foun­taine of the liuing water both of grace & glory, which can only satisfie and appease my whole appetit. How longe o Lord am I to liue in this place of banishment! When wil it be granted me that being freed from the miseries of this exile, I may present my selfe before thee, and [Page 211]behould thee face to face, and enioy thy presence, in the society of those happy soules! And as longe as this sentence of banishement lies vpon me, & that the sight of thy Diuinity is deferred, I take contentment in nothing, but spending of sighes and shedding of teares, day and night, throgh the excessiue desire that I haue to be with thee; and by these teares my soule is comforted & mantained. Thus did Dauid, and all those holy Patriarcks and Prophets, and great seruants of God of the old Testament aspire, sigh and groane, with vehe­ment desire of this celestiall beatitu­de. And much more, and with more reason, did the Saints of the newe Testament performe the same, and so should all true Christians do. First because till the passion of Christ our Lord was past, the Saints, how fully soeuer they were purged from all sinne and paine, went not yet to hea­uen, [Page 212]but to the Lymbus of the holy Fathers, where they staid frō entring into heauē, till the redemption of the world were accomplished by Christ our Lord. But since his death, all they, who are purified, either in this life, or in the other, do instantly rise vp, to the possessiō of euerlasting bea­titude. And secondly now in tyme of the lawe of grace, the guifts of the holy Ghost are more aboundantly communicated to the faithfull; & so they receiue more consolations, and spirituall ioy, and haue more gust, & feeling, and experience of celestiall graces; and do more perfectly vn­derstand the height, the value, and the maiesty therof, and consequently they desire them more, & with more ardour of affectiō then did the Saints of the old Testament. It doth also in­crease this desire in the tyme of the lawe of grace, to knowe that heauen is full of blessed creatures, who are of [Page 213]the race of mankinde, and who are expecting vs there; and do greatly desire our Society. For by the entry which any one of the elect doth make into heauen, the glory of God is increased; who is far more beloued and praised, and glorified by the iust in heauen, then on earth; and so also doth the accidentall ioy, and glory of euery one of the elect increase, vpon the arriuall of any other. But much more then they altogether, doth This reason would ex­tremely oblige vs, though ther were no other. Christ our Lord (who redeemed, & saued vs by his death) desire to haue vs there with him. Both because he loueth vs much more then they all are able to do, as also for that by the en­try of the elect into heauen, and by the possession which thē is giuen thē of that kingdome, the whole fruit of his passion, and death is gathered, & all that is perfected and established, which he did and suffred for vs heere; that so he might make vs completely [Page 214]happy, & be like to himselfe in glory; & be partakers of his heauenly king­dome; and in fine, to make vs such, as that togeather with him, we may perfectly prayse, and glorify, and en­ioy his eternall Father. For these reasons doth he much desire to see vs in heauen; and when that desire of his is satisfyed by the ascent which any of the elect maketh thither; that most sacred soule of our Lord doth receaue a new delight, & ioy, which belongeth to his accidentall glory. For as that kind of glory may in­crease in any of those other Blessed Spirits, so may it also do, in the most glorious Humanity of Christ our Lord.

THE The considera­tion of e­ternall glory must a­wake vs to hate & fly from sinne. third, and the principall vse which we are to make, of this our knowledge, and estimation, and desire of heauenly beatitude, is a stout and resolute minde, and a stiffe and effectuall purpose, to put in executiō, all those meanes, which ar either ne­cessary, or but euen conuenient, for the obteyning of this kingdome of heauen. Now, for the entring into heauen, it is necessary to cast sinne away. For Sinne giues impediment to al approach thither; and they who[Page 216]haue the soule loaden with any one mortall sinne, cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen. Let vs therfore clense our soules from former sinne, by penance; and let vs resist all tem­ptations (least els we may returne to fall againe) according to the aduice of the Apostle, who saith, Houlding fast these promises of God, which are so great, and so certaine, and do concerne those sublyme guifts of grace and glory, let vs, my brethren much beloued, clense our selues from all spot of sinne; whether it be interiour, or exteriour. He saith, from all sinne, because it will behooue vs to be clensed from al; and we must fly with diligence from all. From mortall sins, because they are against Charity, & do separate vs from God; and from veniall sins, because they are contrary to the will of God, and they weaken the soule; and dispose it to commit mortall sinne, & consequent­ly to forfaite the kingdome of hea­uen.[Page 217]So also, for entring into heauen, it is necessary to do good works, & such as are acceptable to God; as Christ our Lord affirmeth, saying,Matt. 19 [...] If thou wilt enter into that eternall life, which is true life, keepe the commaund­ments. Complying It must stir vs vp to the pra­ctise of all vertue. therefore with this obligation, let vs per­forme holy workes, wherby we may fulfill the commaundement of God; and let vs put in execution the vertues of Humility, Chastity, Mercy, Iustice, Temperance, Forti­tude, Religion, and Charity; by which if they be wrought in state of grace, and do growe out of Charity, they will make vs worthy of eternall life.

Besides, It ex­horteth vs to perse­uerance. for the obteyning of this kingdome of heauen, it is ne­cessary that we continue in the good begun, till we end in doeing well, as our Lord did teach vs, saying,Matt. 24. He that contynueth to the end, shall be sa­ued. [Page 218]Let vs therfore perseuere in good life; and although the deuills comber vs with their temptations, & though men do persecute vs with their iniuries, and though our Lord God do trye vs by many tribulatiōs, let vs not turne backe, nor be dis­maied, nor suffer our selues to fall downe, to inordinate sorrow, nor impatience, nor disconfidence; but let vs continually make our recour­se to God; and praying to him with humility, let vs beg strengh at his hands, wherwith to suffer, and constancy that we may perseuere, & confidence that we may not dispaire. So doth the Apostle aduise the Gala­thians saying:Galat. 6. We who are liuing well, and do exercise our selues in good workes, let vs not faint, nor giue ouer, no nor growe slacke in the good course begunne; but let vs contynue, and grow therin, with great constancy. For in due tyme we shall gather the fruit, if we doe not[Page 219]faint. That is to say, we shall eat the fruit of glory, which shall haue no end.

Moreouer We must not thinke of finding our hea­uen in this life, if we meane to haue it in the next. for the arriuing to enioy celestial beatitude, we must despise the goodes, and pleasures of this world. And it is necessary that we place not our hartes or endes in them; nor that we seeke for comfort in them, as Christ our Lord did sig­nify to vs by saying,Luc. 6. Woe be to you, who are the louers of riches, and who haue placed your comfort, in the cōmodi­tyes of this life. For this reason it will be necessary, in most particuler man­ner, to contemne all the commodi­tyes of this life; namely riches, ho­nours, and pleasures, as poore things transitory, and base; for by despising them we shall not place our end, nor seeke for comfort in them.

This is therefore that fruit, which we are to gather from the knowledge, and desire of celestiall[Page 220]beatitude. For knowing the great­nes, and beauty, and valew of hea­uenly things, we grow quickly, and clearely, to see the vilenes, & poor­nes of such as be earthly; and by de­siring and tasting eternall things, we grow instantly to loose the loue, and tast of all thinges transitory. And thus shall we perfectly accomplish that which the Apostle asketh at the hands of all the faythfull, saying:Coloss. 3. If you be raysed vp with Christ, seeke the things that are aboue. That is A place of S. Paul excellent­ly ponde­red. to say, Since you are risen vp in soule to a spirituall life of grace, with hope to be raysed vp, in due tyme, to an immortall and glorious life both in body and soule, (in imitation of Christ our Lord, who rose vp from the dead to an immortal and glorious life) seek you with your thoghts, with your desirs, with your good works, and with continuall prayer, the kingdom of heauen. And since Christ our Lord who is your head, is seated at the right[Page 221]hand of his Father, possessing and enioy­ing euen as man, the greatest anthori­ty and the greatest felicity of glory which he did euer communicate in Tyme, or will euer communicate for all Eternity, you that are members of his, take gust and sauour in heauenly thinges; and place not your delight, and loue vpon those of the earth, but desire those others so from the hart, and with so great purity of life, that you may, euen by experience, find the gust and most pure sauour of them; & addresse your life, in order to this end of eternall glory, which you loue, and for which you hope.

This efficacious purpose, & determinate resolution to cleanse the soule from all vice, to imploy it with perseuerance in good workes; and cordially to despise earthly thinges, is the vse which we are to make, of the knowledg and desire of celestiall beatitude, as hath beene sayd. And it is most iust, & due, that so we do, [Page 222]and that, for the going through with this enterprize which we are to make, vpon heauen, we be content to vndertake all labour, and to en­counter with any difficulty. All the things A plaine de­monstra­tion, and I am in good hope, that it will cō ­uince thee. of this life, which are of a­ny valew, & are able to giue but the least cōtentment, do cost some trou­ble, and in all them some difficulty is to be endured. The husband-mā, for gathering in of a little corne, doth manure, and plough the ground be­fore he sowes; and after he hath sow­ed, and that the blade is vp, and the corne is growne, is fayne first to cleanse it, and then to sheere it, with much labour. The Sheepheard for the breeding of his poore flocke, doth content himselfe to endure the heats, and coldes, and raines, and windes, and night-watches. All Marchants and Factors, and all the Maryners & conductors who are of seruice to thē in their negotiations, do, for the get­ting [Page 223]of a little money, passe through intollerable troubles, both by Sea & Land; and do expose themselues to great danger of death. All kind of tradesmen, for the getting of a poore liuing, do labour and sweat both day and night, in their seuerall occupa­tions. The souldier, for his misera­ble pay, and for a little fume of ho­nour, is subiect to extreme inconue­niences, and runs hazard of his life, at euery moment. The seruants and Courtiers of great Princes, for the obtayning of fauour, which yet doe passe, and change like any wind, de­priue themselues of their owne gust, and deny their owne will, and are hanging day and night, vpon that of others; and for the giuing of con­tentment to their Lords, they take an aboundance of discontentment & disgust to themselues. They who are enamoured of this world, the coue­tous, for money; the intemperate,[Page 224]for curious fare; the dishonest, for that filthy pleasure; the proud, for that vaine delight in honour, and commaund; and all of them in fine, for the poore cōmodities of this life, do suffer greiuous paines, and en­dure excessiue torments, and sick­nesses, and other afflictions, which vpon these occasious they incurre; as themselues do confesse when the punishment of God shall haue laid their errour before their face. And then they will say,Sap. 5. We went astray from the way of truth and were estran­ged from that diuine light; and did o­uerworke and tyre our selues in the way of sinne, and vice, and there we endured many difficulties.

If then the men of this world, for the obteyning of most base and transitory riches, and of certaine pleasures, which are vaine and per­nicious, both to body and soule; & for the giuing of contentment to [Page 225]mortall creatures; & for the yeilding of obedience, to those infernall Di­uels, who perswade them to the loue of earthly things, doe ingulfe them­selues into such a sea of troubles, and breake through such a world of diffi­cultyes; what, in the name of God, will it not be fit for Christians and the seruants of Christ to do, for the being faythfull, and loyall, to that diuine Maiesty; and for the exact complying, with that obedience, & loue, which they owe him, both as to a father, and as to a Lord; and for the obtayning of the kingdome of heauen, & the possessing of those im­mortall riches of the house of God; & the honour & glory of being the sons of God; and consequently the ioynt heyres with Christ our Lord, of his patrimony Royall, and of his euer­lasting entaile; and for the inioying, and that for euer, of those incompre­hensible delights of his beatitude?

[Page 226]Certainly, it is most iust, it is most due, that they should vndergo any trouble and ouercome any dif­ficulty, and expose themselues to any temporall hazard, how greatsoeuer. For as the Apostle sayth, by way of confirming this truth:1. Cor. 9. All This truth con­firmed by S. Paul, most di­uinely, & excellent­ly ponde­red by our Author. men who striue, and fight with others, in the place deputed to that end (as the vse of the Romains was to do in their entertai­nements and feasts) do for the ouercomming of their opposites, abstaine from all those thinges of gust, which may be of a­ny impediment to them in their combat, as namely from delicate meates, from wine, from women, and the like, which are wont to make men dull, and weake; and they feed vpon grosse meats, they obserue the rules of continency and tem­perance, and they prepare and accustome themselues before hand, to labour. And all this they do, to obtayne the reward of winning a corruptible crowne, which might perhaps be some Iewell, or some[Page 227]suite of clothes, or some garland of bayes or flowres, or some vaine applause, and flying prayse of men. What then are we Christians obliged to do, in this spiritual contention and strife which we are ma­king against sinne, for the obtayning of that crowne of immortality, and glory; & of that celestiall kingdome? It is most certain, that if for the giuing of con­tentment to Almighty God, and for the obtayning of that eternall and immense beatitude, it were necessary to suffer all those pains put togeather which al the men of the world, from the beginning of it to the end, will haue beene to suffer; and which all the holy Martyrs haue endured; it were all reason, that we should wil­lingly be content to endure them all. And if it were necessary, not only to suffer all the paines of this life, but to endure (yea and that for many ages) all the torments of hell, yea and of many hells; it The ioyes of heauen are more to be desi­red, then euen the paines of hell to be auoyded. were most iust, & [Page 228]fit to endure them all, for the obtay­ning of the kingdome of heauen af­terward. For greater is the good of the glory of heauen, then the euill of the paines of hell. And how much then more iust, and more conuenient will it be, to suffer the payne and dif­ficulty which belongs to vertue, and which accompanyeth the fullfilling of Gods commandments. Which How the diffi­cultyes of vertue grow de­lightfull through the good­nes of God, be­sides that all tempo­ral labour is light, since it is so short. difficultyes besides that they are short (for as much as at the most, they last no longer then this life) they are with all both light and sweet. For the loue of God, and the heauenly conso­lations which he communicateth to his seruants, doth make them sweet; and the helps and succours of grace which otherwise he giues thē, make them light. So doe iust persons find this to be by experience, as the Apo­stle confesseth, saying:2. Cor. 1. After the rate of the tribulations and afflictions, which we suffer for Christ our Lord, and[Page 229]whereby we go in imitation of him, so do the consolations which are giuen by Al­mighty God, through the vertue and me­rit of our B. Sauiour, increase and co­piously abound in vs.

If Con­sider seri­ously of the con­clusion of this dis­course. then the labours & trou­bles of this life, be, on the one side, so momentany and so short; and on the other so sweet and light; and the reward of glory, and of that celestial kingdome, so eternal, and immense; and that as our good workes doe grow to be increased, so also doth the reward of glory go increasing; in such sort, as that to euery of our good workes, yea O infi­nite boun­ty of God! And are we then in our wits when we be either sinnefull, or euen but slou­thfull in Gods ser­uice. and to euery one of our desires, and euen to euery moment of a life which is lead in state of grace, there is a distinct de­gree of glory which correspondeth: what man is that, who will not la­bour for the leading of a vertuous life? Who will not be diligent, in making resistance to all temptations [Page 230]whatsoeuer? Who will not suffer a­ny iniury, or paine, for liuing well; And who will not resolue with strength and courage, to perseuere in that good cause which he hath be­gun? Let vs all both heare, and with great fidelity, obey the voyce of that Prophet who sayth:2. Paral. 25. You who are the people of God, do you encourage, and ani­mate yourselues to serue him, and to con­tinue in that seruice of his without dis­may; for, in fine, your labours shall [...] answered with a great reward.

THERE is also another particu­lar consideration, belonging to [Page 231]this diuine Iudgment, and to the re­ward of good workes, which doth greately moue the soule, to labour hard in the seruice of God. And this is, the Reason, and Tytle which Christ our Lord alledgeth, in giuing his be­nediction, and reward to the iust, when he saith;Matt. 25. Come yee blessed of my Father, possesse the kingdom which is pre­pared for you. For I was hungry, and you gaue me to eat; I was thirsty and you gaue me to drinke; I was a stranger, & you receiued me into your howse; I was sicke, and in prison, and you came to visit me. For The great va­lew which our Lord doth make, e­uen of our least good workes. by these words, Christ our Lord doth mightily discouer the estimation, and price which he hath stamped vpon good workes, which are done in grace; and the great fauour and honor which they receiue in his diuine presence; the much that they please him, and the immense glory wherwith he rewar­deth them; since so meane workes, & [Page 232]so very easy to be wrought, as it is to giue a peece of bread to a poore hūgry body; or a cup of water to a thirsty; or a shirt to couer the naked; or a nights lodging to a stranger; or a visit to an imprisoned or sick person; though it be but to comfort him with good words (for we see he doth not say, I was sicke and you cured me; or I was imprisoned and you freed me; but such easy workes, as are those other, and which put vs to so little cost and trouble;) that excellent Maiesty of his, is pleased to publish & proclaime in that great Theater, vpon the day of Iudgement; in the presence of the whole world, and he setteth out and praiseth them which his owne sacred mouth; & he sublymes then so high, as to take them for seruices and deare fauours imparted to his owne persō, which giue him great contenment & gust. And so much That which maketh a good worke meritori­ous, is the flowing of it, from the grace of God in Christ our Lord, and the being se­conded by his promise of a re­ward, which promise makes the reward due. account he makes therof, as to esteeme them for [Page 233]merits which are worthy of eternall life; and he receaues them as a price of the kingdome of heauen; And he esteemeth them for meritorious; & that, not only, all together, but euery one of them a part; and a part he takes euery one of them for the price of glory, and of that kingdome which hath no end.

But What will not our Lord do to vs, for grea­ter worke since he doth so much for the lesse. now, if Christ our Lord, who so highely esteemes, and vouchsafes the fauour of so great reward, to so light and easy workes as those, what will he do, to such workes of mercy as are great & hard; and which grow out of much Cha­rity? As when a man doth giue all his goods, or a great part therof to the poore; or lodge Pilgrims for a long tyme; and serue them, and pro­uide them of all things necessary; & depriue himselfe of clothes to cloth the poore naked Christian; and to serue sicke persons day and night; [Page 234]and that in the case of troublesome and contagious diseases, as when they may be struckē with the plague; and to drawe with much trouble of person and charge of purse, such as are prisoners, or Captiues, out of their chaines: How much, I say, will Christ our Lord esteeme such works as these, which cost much la­bour and money; and for the perfor­ming whereof a man endures much incommodity, and imbraceth many paineful things, and wrastling with store of difficulties; and mortifies himselfe much, to comfort others; & renounces his owne will in many things, that so others may be com­forted and releeued? There can no doubt be made, but that much more he will esteeme them, and will afford them the fauour in that day of Iud­gement of a reward so much higher, as the works are more excellent, & more acceptable in his eyes, for be­ing [Page 235]growne vp out of greater Cha­rity.

And if the Corporall works of mercy, which are exercised vpon the bodyes of men, which must quic­kly dy; and for the maintenance and preseruation of this corporall life, which is soone to haue an end, be so much esteemed, and fauoured, and so highly rewarded by Christ our Lord; what will he be sure to do to the workes of spirituall mercy, wher­by immortall soules are succoured, & redrest; and wherby they, being de­liuered from the death of sinne, and euerlasting paine, there is imparted to them saluation, and a life of euer­lasting glory? A plaine How much therefore are we bound to such as do assist our soules, though it be with hazard of their liues. case it is, that, the worke of mercy, wherby a soule is assisted, is more excellēt, then that other wherby a body is releeued; & that these works of piety, wherby the spirituall and eternall life is hol­pen, is of much more valew, and[Page 236]merit, then that other, wherby that corporall and fraile life is succoured. For as much, as according to S. Tho­mas, D. Thom. cont. Gen. l. 4. cap. 55. Amongst all those things which are created, no one is greater, then the salua­tion of a reasonable soule, which consi­steth in the enioying of God: So also there is no other greater almes, then that, wherby this saluation, and this life of grace and glory is procured; & consequently a much greater benefit doth he impart to another, who re­medieth the necessityes of his soule, then if he had giuen him a great sūme of money. And since they who giue a little bread to the hungry, and a little water to the thirsty; and they who retyre a Pilgrime to their house, and apparel a naked person, with a peece of cloth; and visit a man who is in prison or sicke, giuing him a little temporall comfort, be so esteemed and honoured by Almighty God, in the presence both of heauen & earth, [Page 237]in that terrible tribunall of his Iudg­ment; and are so enobled, and subly­med with the Crowne of celestiall glory, and with the dignity of the euerlasting kingdome; what will Christ do, that most iust and righte­ous Iudge, and that most liberal God with them who dispense the bread of heauenly doctrine to such as haue need, and are hungry after it; and who powre out the drink of spiritual comfort, and ease, to such as are af­flicted, and deiected, that so they may beare their miseryes with patience; & who cloath their soules with ver­tues and celestiall guifts, who are na­ked & depriued of al spiritual graces, and who cure, and recouer, out of their miserable infirmityes, and who draw and deliuer out of that horri­ble captiuity, them who are sicke of sinne, and are taken prisoners, and made slaues by Sathan. Most certain it is, that although all they who ex­presse [Page 238]mercy towards their neigh­bours, shallbe esteemed & honored in that Tribunal; & shalbe sublimed with glory and royall dignity, yet these others who haue imparted it to­wards the soules of mē, shalbe much more esteemed and honoured, by Christ our Lord, and his Angels, & shalbe raised to greater glory, & more aduaūced in the kingdom of heauen.

It is also to be considered, that although these works of mercy, whe­ther they be corporall, or spirituall, and which respect the spirituall or corporall good of our neighbour, are excellent and of great value, and me­rit, as we haue already sayd; yet the interiour, and exteriour workes of Fayth, Hope, Charity, and Religion, which haue How highly gratefull those acts of vertue are, which do immedia­tly respect Almighty God. imediate relation to Almighty God, and to the worship & seruice which is due to him as our God, and our Creatour, are more ex­cellent, and of greater value, & me­rit, [Page 239]then the workes of mercy, which ayme but at the cōfort of our neigh­bours. And so much more as any vertue doth draw neere, & approach to God, so much more is the vertue more excellent. Now the vertues, which are called Theological, which are Fayth, Hope, & Charity, do looke vp, and serue & immediatly honour Almighty God, belieuing his truth, and louing his goodnes, and hoping in his mercy. And the vertue of Re­ligion, doth respect, and exercise the worship, and veneration, which is due to God, as being soueraigne Au­thour and Lord of all thinges. And these vertues being more excellent, then that of Mercy towardes our Neighbour, it is cleare, that those faythfull Christians, who with firme and liuely fayth, haue beleeued in Christ our Lord, and who confessed his fayth, in the face of Tyrants; & who placed all their confidence, &[Page 240]in Christ, searching, with care, after his glory; and resigning themselues entirely to his most holy will; and honoring him, & reuering him with true worship, & with pure prayers, and with an exact performance of their promises, and the vowes which they make to his diuine Maiesty; cer­taine I say it is, that in the day of his diuine Iudgment, they shall be more esteemed, and honoured by Christ, for hauing done and suffered these thinges, then either they, or any o­thers shallbe; for any other inferiour works which they may haue wroght towardes their Neighbours. And therefore, the reward of glory being so illustrious and so high, which for the workes of spirituall and corpo­rall mercy they shall receaue; & con­sidering that yet, the reward which these others shall obtayne, is to be much more eminent and great; and since, notwithstāding that the king­dome[Page 241]which is to be giuen in reward of these workes of mercy, is celestiall & eternall; yet for these acts of faith, and Charity, and Religion, a greater, and a better portion shall be allotted, and set out in the same kingdome; let vs be most diligent in the leading of a good life; in cōseruing our soules pure and cleane; in exercysing our selues in the acquisitiō of vertue. And let vs be full of feruour towards the works of mercy, whether they be spi­rituall or corporall, euery one accor­ding to his Tallent.

O happy Con­clusion. and for euer most happy they, who shall thus imploy themselues: Happy, because they were elected from all eternity, by almighty God; Happy because they were cal­led in Tyme to his faith, and Religion, and were instructed therin; Happy, because they did correspond to that vocation of God, and did begin to lead a good life; Happy, because they[Page 242]did contynue therin; Happy, because if they fell, they quickly rose againe, by penance, and were constant ther­in; And Happy beyond all happies, be­cause, when our Lord came to call them to accompt, at the houre of their death, he found them imployed in a good life, and watchfull in the exercise of good workes, expecting the tyme of his comming, to receaue the reward of their labours, at his mercifull, and most liberall handes. For it is sayd, by no lesse then Truth it selfe,Luc. 12. Happy is that seruant, whome his Lord, when he commeth, shall find watching, and imployed in the dischar­ge of his duety, with fidelity and pru­dence, and complying with his obliga­tions, whether they be common to all Christians, or particulerly belonging to his state. I tell you as an vndoubted truth, that to such a seruant as this, his Lord shall deliuer vp the possession of all his goods. That is, Christ our most [Page 243]mercifull Lord, and our God, will rayse him vp from the blessinges of grace in this life, to the blessinges of glory in the next; and from the ba­senes of this earth, to raigne eter­nally, together with himselfe, in heauen. Amen.