THE JUDGE WHEREIN IS showed, how Christ our Lord is to judge the World at the last Day; to the extreme Terror of the Wicked, and to the excessive Comfort of the Good. With a Preface, which it willbe necessary to read before the Book. Translated into English. Nolite errare, Deus non irridetur: Quae enim seminauerit homo, haec & metet. Gal. 6. vers. 7. Be not deceived, God will not be mocked: for the things which a man shall sow, the same he shall reap. Permissu Superiorum, 1621. TO MY NOBLE, FAITHFUL, WORTHY, and most dear Friend, Mr. G. T. SIR, Since I had the joy to see you last, I have looked a little into the next Life, as despairing that in this, I should be able to find any thing which might be worthy to fill up that place, which is made empty by your ABSENCE. And now by chance, or rather by God's good Providence, I have met with a Prospective-glass, which gives me a view of Heaven, and Hell, in a very express & clear manner, though the Countries themselues be far off. I should never have been able to fit the Instrument towards any eye; but finding now, that all was ready made (and that, so excellently) to my hand, I have adventured to frame a case for it, after the English fashion. The thing in itself, you will not choose but like, for it is excellent; and I am but too sure, that you will love the part that I have therein; because the same Love hath ceiled up the eyes of your judgement concerning me. But if (abstracting from that) you chance to like it, I shall stand in little fear of the censure of others, who must give me leave to believe, that there life's not amongst them all (for aught I know) a man that can outstrip you in Translating. Herein I have seen precious things of your doing; both in Prose, and Verse, and in several Languages. And I never misliked any Translation of yours, but that one, when you translated your Presence, from the eyes of my body, by whose Absence, I am in part deprived of being able to translate some of your virtues into my soul. The least that I can do against Absence & Distance, for so great a wrong, is to send them a Defiance; and to bid them be sure, that if they mean to make me love you one hairs breadth the less, they shall lose their labour. Nay they kindle me rather, to make this expression of myself; and to acknowledge (as I may say) this Statute of my heart, before the World. For I am fixed in giving you all power over me, and I glory in being subject to such a Friend. Your, what you will G. M. THE PREFACE. A Learned and holy man of this age, besides the odour of his Sanctity, hath left surviving, diverse Monuments of his writing; and, amongst the rest, three books Of the Imitation of Christ our Lord. In the first of these, he showeth, under several Titles, the several Offices which his divine Majesty is performing to the souls of men; as he is our God; our Redeemer; our King; our Saviour; our Mediator; our Advocate; our Captain; our Sacrifice; our Spouse; our Doctor; our Lawgiver; our Pastor; our Light; our Life; &, to conclude, our judge. The whole book is large, and not only should I have felt the pains in translating it all, but I might have doubted of your Patience, whether or no it would have reached, to the reading of it over, with due intention. The last of the Titles, delivered to us by our Author, I have here translated; and you may see, that he is a Lion by his nails. In this discourse of judge, which is not founded upon private contemplations, and much less, either upon lose coniections, or strained conceits; but even wholly in effect, upon the passages of holy Scriptures (though not cited word for word, but duly pondered, and truly paraphrased, as the best spiritual writers are wont to do) he doth admirably describe the sovereign Majesty, the incomparable Mercy, and the inviolable justice of our judge. And (as incident hereunto) he delivers us such a Map of the next world; and doth so describe the Paradise of heaven, & the Zona Torrida of hell, as may serve, either to ravish us with joy, or strike us through with horror, and make us even whither, for woe; according to the several state that we may be in. If we be members of the true Church of Christ our Lord; and if, withal, we be in the state of grace, we shall look with more hope upon the joys of heaven, then with fear, upon the torments of hell; and so, we shall get courage in the good course begun. But if, on the other side, we be cut off from the communion of the true Church of Christ our Lord, by any one error in belief; or if yet, being Catholics, we be remaining in state of mortal sin, this Treatise, I hope, will help to guide us by the hand out of those Labyrinths; & place us in that high way of Faith & Charity, without which we can have no title to heaven; but the ●aws of hell, will be sure to suck, & swallow, & devour us. Let no man therefore be deceived, or rather let no man deceive himself. God is God, and he willbe served. And it is all reason, that, by our believing, and living as we ought, true Homage may be done to that infinite, invisible, immortal, and most pure Majesty of his. And man is man; a thing of nothing, for of nothing he was made. And as now he is, what is he, but a Pedlars-shop full of trash; or rather a very sink full of filth; and to what height of honour ought he esteem himself to be advanced, if he had but even a single leave, to serve & love such an omnipotent Creator? But now, since besides this, he is to be rewarded with an immortal Crown of glory for so doing (the sublime excellency whereof, no created power can comprehend) what marvel can it be, that the torments be also infinite, to which he shallbe adjudged and chained; if instead of doing reverence to God, by embracing an incorrupted faith, & leading either an innocent, or penitent life, he enter into rebellion and treason against him, by embracing any error in belief, or falling into sensuality, or any one other mortal sin, if withal, he die therein, without repentance. It is not want of Charity, in them who say, That all such as dye with any mortal sin upon their souls shall eternally be tormented in the fire of hell; but it is true Charity to declare this truth, that so, in time men may know to what to trust. S. Paul abounded, and overflowed with Charity; and that very Charity it was, which obliged him to proclaim this doctrine; Gal. 5. v. 20. That, the works of the flesh be manifest, and he saith they are these, Fornication, Uncleanness, Impudicity, Luxury, Serving of Idols, Witchcrafts, Emnities, Contentions, Emulations, Angers, Brawls, Dissensions, Sects, Envies, Murders, Ebrieties, Commessations, and such like. Of these (saith he) I foretell you, as I have foretold you, that they which do such things as these, shall not obtain the kingdom of God. Now if these Sins do exclude men from heaven, others also which are as grievous, willbe as sure to exclude them; and the more certainly will they exclude them, the more grievous, and enormous they fall out to be. For if simple fornication do make a soul liable to the pains of hell, what will not Adultery do? If for a private enmity with a man's neighbour, he shallbe adjudged to those eternal and unquenchable flames, what shall be not be, for deuiding the Church of Christ our Lord, by unbelieving any doctrine, or disobeying the government thereof? I say the unbelieving of any doctrine, as before I said of the committing any other mortal sin. For this is as true, in the law of our faith, as it is, in the law of our life, That, Qui in uno peccat omnium factus est reus; he that offends in one, is made guilty of all. Not that he who offends in all, shall not be more deeply damned, than he that doth it but in one; but because whosoever shall have offended mortally against any one commandment of our Lord God, which concerneth good life, or any erroneous doctrine, in difference from the Catholic belief, is most truly declared to be a breaker of the Law of God, and a corruptour of his truth; and that as such a one, he shall perish, except he repent. Woe be therefore to them (and of woe they will be one day sure) who bring such false weights into the world; and who profane the law of God, and not only the law, but the lawgiver himself; In that they allow him not to be a perfect hater, and a severe punisher of all mortal sin, in what soul soever it be found. Whereas yet he protesteth himself (throughout the whole Current of holy Scripture) not only to hate, but to abhor it. The 1 Sap. 14.10. impious man, and his impiety are hated by Almighty God. The 2 Prou. 3.32. scoffer, the 3 Prou. 12.22. Liar, and the 4 Prou. 16.5. Arrogant person, is an abomination to God. The 5 Prou. 15.9. way of the wicked man, and every wicked thought of man, is abhorred of God. Thou 6 Ezech. 33.8. wicked man, thou shalt dye the death. Behold 7 jerem. 23.19. the whirlwind of the indignation of God shall go forth (saith the Lord of Hosts) and it shall come upon the head of sinners, like a furious tempest. Now, if any man perhaps shall tell me, that these places, & the like, are only meant of Infidels, or such other wicked men, as shall have spent their whole life in the offence of God; but that christians & such as lead not a life so prophanly wicked as those others, are not meant hereby, howsoever they may commit some mortal sin, and continue therein; let such a one behold, how the holy Ghost taketh care to answer his objection, by assuring us, Ezech. 18.26. That, If a man, who had been never so just, should yet forsake that justice by committing sin, he should dye therein. And then he can look for nothing, but that Day, whereof another Prophet saith: Mal. 4.1. That it shall come burning, like a furnace, where all proud men, and all other persons working wickedness, should be like stubble, and that this day, shall set them on fire. Nay it is a fearful thing to see, in the Prophet jeremy, how our Lord doth swear, That how full of privilege soever, & how dear soever a man may have been to him, yet if he fall to sin, & dye therein, he will reject him. For speaking of a sinner he expresseth it, in these words of Terror: jerem. 22.24. As I live (saith our Lord) if jechonias the son of joachim the king of juda, were a ring, which I did wear upon mine own right hand, I would pluck it off. So deadly doth Almighty God hate sin, and sinners; and so infallibly will he judge them to be tormented for the same, in those eternal ardours of hell, if they repent not cordially thereof before their death. And what a fit of frenzy then, must that be, which can possess us so far, as to make us, for any temporal and base delight, to forsake, and be forlorn by that God of eternal Majesty, and of infinite beauty. But in the self same manner, the Fathers and Doctors of the holy Church, have testified this truth upon all occasions. They were not Infidels, but faithful Christians to whom S. chrysostom said Hom. 22. ad pop. Antioch. tom. 5. (when withal, he took himself into the number:) Consider that without fail, we must all depart, to stand before that judge, whom it will not be possible for us to de eve; and where, not only our actions shallbe judged, but even our very words, and thoughts; and where we shall endure extreme punishment for those things, which here have seemed but small. Be always remembering these things; & see thou never forget that fire which is never to be extinguished. Let us therefore (saith S. Ambrose) Ambr. in psal 38. lament our sins that we may deserve pardon. If our sins be not forgiven in this life we shall have no rest in the next. The a Aug. de fide & oper. cap. 15. tom. 4. burning of such as shall be damned, willbe eternal, as the fire is to be which shall burn them: and Truth affirmeth, that not they only are to be sent unto it who wanted Faith, but they also who wanted good works. This last is said by S. Augustine, and he also affirmeth thus in another place: No one good deed is left unrewarded, nor no one sin unpunished. At the last Day (saith b Greg. l. 9 Moral. S. Gregory) that devouring flame shall burn such as are now polluted with carnal pleasures; then shall the infinitely wide mouth of hell, swallow down such persons, as here are puffed up with pride. And they, who through their fault have here performed the will of their crafty Tempter, shall fall like reprobates into those torments, together with that guide of theirs. And c Greg. l. 5. Moral. according to the quality of their sin, the punishment thereof shallbe ordained, and every damned soul shallbe tormented in the fire of hell, after the rate of her demerit. This is then the verdict of the Fathers and Saints of the holy Catholic Church, and of the Apostle Saint Paul; yea and so the holy Ghost himself who wrote by his pen, and which is every where clearly given, to prove this certain truth, That any one mortal sin, whether it might be against good life, or true belief, doth shut up the gates of heaven against us, & set open the bottomless Abyss of hell to swallow us, unless we repent thereof sincerely, before our death. The hour of which death, because it is so wholly hidden from us, it will infinitely concern us, both instantly and exactly, to cast up all the accounts of our Conscience; to be cordially sorry for all our sins; to confess them distinctly; to purpose an amendment firmly; and to satisfy for them entirely. For this is a business which must not be dispatched after a cursory and superficial manner; but we are to consider with what care we would consult about our estates, if they were in danger; or about our lives, if they lay on bleeding. And here we must not fail to use so much more diligence than there, as Eternity is of more importance, than a moment of Time. And in fine, we are to do it so, as, at the hour of our death, (when we shall go to stand before our judge) we would be glad that we had done it. For without this true repentance which signifieth a flight from sin with grief; and supposeth a flight towards God with love, it is no Faith in Christ our Lord, which will serve the turn to preserve us out of that lake of eternal torment. But rather, the more knowledge we shall have had of him by Faith, the greater will our torment be, if we do not penance for the sins which we shall have committed against that Majesty of his Which, the same Faith telleth us to be infinite; and that his hatred against sin is also infinite; and that as, with strange mercy, he will assume to incomprehensible, immortal joy, the soul, which at that day he shall find to be free from sin; so in whomsoever he he shall perceive, that sin remains, the same soul will he then instantly adiudg to that sea of fire & brimstone, where it will sail in sorrow, & blaspheme, and rage, for all eternity. To the precious Death, & Passion of Christ our Lord, we own & must acknowledge (amongst innumerable others) this unspeakable benefit (for which let all the Angels for ever bless & praise his holy name), That through the infinite merit thereof, we may be received to grace, by means of true contrition and penance; how often, and how wickedly soever, we shall have offended that high Majesty. But that Death & Passion, will never save the soul of any one creature, unless both that mystery, and all the other mysteries of Catholic faith, be well believed, & all sin be cordially detested; which sin, is a monster, so fierce and cruel, as that it did cost the very son of God his life. By that life, and by that death I beg, that thou wilt give over to trample with thy dirty feet, in the sacred Blood Royal of our B. Saviour, which he shed for thee upon the Cross. For so thou dost, preferring Barrabas before him, as often as thou committest any mortal sin; and so long thou hast continued to do it, as thy soul hath been spotted with that crime. Or if thou have so little of the noble in thee, as to be moved more by thine own interest, then by the consideration of that immense benefit, which the fountain of Majesty vouchsafed, with such excess of love, to this wicked creature man; then, do I conjure thee, even by that very interest of thine own, that instantly thou make haste into thyself; and that, discharging thy soul by penance, of whatsoever may be offensive to the pure eyes of God, thou implore his mercy now, which may save thee from that inflexible justice of his, in the last dreadful day. At which time, even this very paper will appear to thy extreme, and everlasting confusion, if thou forbear to serve thyself of this admonition. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but the word of God shall remain for ever. Matth. 24. v. 30. And that word hath thus advised us, and thus assured us by the mouth of the most B. Apostle S. Paul, speaking to the Galathians: Gal. 6.7. Nolite errare, Deus non irridetur: Quae enim seminauerit homo, haec & metet. Quoniam qui seminat in carne sua, de carne & metet corruptionem; qui autem seminat in spiritu, de spiritu metet vitam aeternam. The plain and clear sense whereof, is as followeth: Take heed you frame not certain fantastical, and false opinions to yourselves, as if you could overreach Almighty God, & evacuate his truth, & make him believe that he gave you a free law whereby to live, them indeed he gave. But be well assured that the very truth is this: Let every man alive, consider seriously what he sows, for just so, and no otherwise, shall he reap. If you sow works of flesh (which are particularly cited before, in this Preface, out of a former Chapter of S. Paul to the same Galathians) you shall reap nothing but corruption, but destruction, but everlasting damnation. But if you sow works of the spirit, which are wholly contrary to those others, and are there expressed to be Charity, joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, Longanimity, Meekness, Faith, Modesty, Continency &, Chastity, you shall in virtue of that spirit (wherewith you live, and whereby you are to walk) pass on from this transitory to an eternal life; & then at the most liberal hands of God you shall receive a most precious crown of immortal glory. A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS OF THIS DISCOURSE. chapter 1 HOW the office of being our judge doth belong to Christ our Lord, as he is man: and of the great benefit which God imparteth to us, in giving him to be our judge. Chap. I. chapter 2 Of the great desire which Christ our Lord hath (for as much as concerneth him) not to condemn any one, in his judgement, but to save them al. Chap. II. chapter 3 Of the benefit which Christ our Lord imparteth to us, in giving us to understand, and feel the grievousness of sin by the means and manner of his judgement, to the end that we may in time do penance for it. Chap III. chapter 4 How we are to have great sense, of the grievousness of sin, by reason of the demonstrations which shall be made by all the creatures of God before the judgement. Chap. FOUR chapter 5 How Christ our Lord, discovereth the hate which he carrieth towards sin, by the so particular account which he takes thereof. Chap. V. chapter 6 How Christ our Lord declares to us the detestation which he carrieth against sin; whereof the wicked are convinced by that sentence which he pronounceth against them. Chap. VI chapter 7 How Christ our Lord discovereth the grievousness of sin, & the hatred which he carrieth against it, by the last sentence whereby he is to condemn the wicked, and by the punishment which he inflicteth upon them. Chap. VII. chapter 8 How the grievousness of sin is yet more discovered, by the causes of the judgement, which are alleged by Christ our Lord. Chap. VIII. chapter 9 How a Christian is to draw a detestation of sin, out of the consideration of this judgement of God, and great vigilancy in the leading of a good life. Chap. IX. chapter 10 Of other Considerations, from which we may draw the detestation of sin, & the care of leading a good life. Chap. X. chapter 11 How a Christian is to draw out of the consideration of the divine judgement, a great fear of offending God, that so he may fly far from it. Chap. XI. chapter 12 How it is very necessary & full of profit, that a Christian do exercise himself in this holy fear; & accompany it with the exercise of divine love. Chap. XII. chapter 13 Of how great value, and merit, this holy Fear is. Chap. XIII. chapter 14 Of the favours which Christ our Lord will do to the good at the day of judgement; and of the joy which they shall conceive, by seeing the signs which precede that judgement; and by beholding the glory of the Cross, which shall go before Christ our Lord. Chap. XIV. chapter 15 Of the favour which Christ our Lord will do his servants, at the day of judgement, by separating them from the wicked. Chap. XV. chapter 16 Of the favour which Christ our Lord imparteth to his servants at the day of judgement, by giving them his benediction, and communicating his kingdom to them. Chap. XVI. chapter 17 Of the felicity which Christ our Lord will communicate to his servants, in the kingdom of heaven. Chap. XVII chapter 18 Of other benefits which Christ our Lord communicateth to his servants in his heavenly kingdom; and of the fruit of gratitude, which we must gather from the Consideration of this reward. Chap. XVIII. chapter 19 How all the things of this life which are good, and which give delight, do induce us to a desire of the kingdom of heaven. Chap. XIX. chapter 20 How from this knowledge, concerning, the kingdom of Heaven, which Christ our Lord will give his servants, we are to gather a resolute purpose to fly from sin, and to fulfil the Commandments of God, and to despise the commodities of this life. Chap. XX. chapter 21 How we are much to animate our selves, towards the exercise of good works; considering the great estimation which Christ our Lord doth make of them at the day of judgement; & the reward which he also imparteth to them. Chap. XXI. THE JUDGE CHAP. I. How the office of being our judge, doth belong to Christ our Lord, as he is man; and of the great benefit which God imparteth to us, in giving him to us, to be our judge. ALTHOUGH the indignation, & wrath of Christ our Lord against the wicked, and the punishment which he inflicteth upon their sins, do belong to the office which he hath of being a judge; yet so also doth it belong to him, under the same Title, to do favour to such as are Good, to defend them, to impart benefits to them; and both to express mercy towards them in the judgement which he exerciseth upon their faults, & to give them reward for their good deeds, and for this reason it is that I will declare the benefits and favours which we obtain by Christ our Lord, in respect that he is our judge. It a Why it was wholly fit for the second Person of the most holy Trinity to be our judge at the last day. belongeth to Christ our Lord, that he be our judge, in regard that he is a man, and because he took the nature of man upon him; as being a most convenient thing, that the judge be seen by all such as are to be judged by him; and that the guilty may well understand, and hear the sentence that shallbe given against them; & that for as much as men are composed of a body & a soul, they may perceive it with their soul, and hear it with the senses of their body. Now if Christ our Lord, as he is only God, were to be the judge, he could not then be seen by the wicked; and the sentence which immediately he should pronounce would not interiorly be perceived by them; and therefore it was fit that he should be our judge as man, and should pass his judgement upon men, that so he might be seen, and heard by all. This Mystery was discovered to us, by Christ our Lord, and Saviour himself, whilst he was saying: joan. 5. The Father judgeth no man, but he hath given all judgement to the Son, and he gave him authority to exercise judgement, as the son of man. That is to say, Although the eternal Father have the supreme authority, and power of judging, & that to him it doth principally belong to approve, & reward that which is good, as also to reprove and punish that which is evil (& the same also hath the Son; and the holy Ghost the same, as being one & the same God with the Father) yet the office of judging exteriorly, and after a visible manner to be seen, in the Tribunal, and with the authority & Majesty of a judge; to give exteriorly a sentence which may sensibly be perceived by such as are judged, this doth only belong to the person of the Son of God. Who by means of the most sacred humanity which he hath immediately united to himself, & by the power which from all eternity he hath as God; and by that which in Time was communicated to him as man; he is to make this visible and exterior judgement, this being an execution of the interior invisible judgement, which is made of all the most Blessed Trinity. And although this exterior judgement, 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 executor of this judgement, is jesus Christ the Son of the living God; because the sacred Humanity is only united immediately to the person of the Son, & that Humanity doth make this judgement, as the instrument of Divinity. Now b An unspeakable benefit of God who gave us Christ our Lord for our judge. an immense benefit, and an imcomprehensible mercy it was, for God the Father to give us Christ jesus for the In ge of our cause, as he is man, as he is our brother, and our Saviour If a delinquent were in prison for grievous Crymes, deserving death, and that he had a brother who most tenderly loved him, and esteemed him, and did so much desire his liberty, and his good, that to deliver him out of prison, and from death, he had spent his fortune, and had exposed himself to many troubles, and even to the hazard of death; and if the king should assign that brother of the party for the judge of his cause, with Sovereign power, to judge him without appeal; what kind of favour, what clemency would it be, which heerin should be used towards that man? How full of joy and comfort would he be, upon the naming of such a judge? How confident and secure would he make himself, that the sentence would be full of pity, and as favourable to him, as possible his cause might bear? Well therefore, since all men, according to the c From which Christ our Lord & his B. Mother are excepted. ordinary law are faulty and guilty, & it being necessary, according to the divine justice and wisdom, that judgement be given upon them; & the cause of all them, who have commited mortal sin, being so important, that either they must be condemned to immense & everlasting torments, or be declared not guilty, but worthy to enjoy the kingdom of heaven; what greater favour, what clemency could be desired, or even thought of, then that God the Father should be pleased to give us, for our judge, Christ jesus, who is our brother, and of the self same nature with us; and who love's us with an unspeakable love; and who doth so much esteem, and desire both our liberty, & our glory, that for the procuring thereof, he hath offered himself to most bitter pains, and scorns, and even to the death of the Cross? O how great a comfort, O how incomparable a joy is this, for those sons of Adam, who feel the greatness of this benefit? O how confident, and secure aught they to be, that judgement shall go upon them with great mercy; and that the rigour of justice, shallbe tempered with much pity; and that the sentence shall pass in favour of them, for as much as shallbe possible, without impeachment of the holy law, & most sweet ordination of Almighty God. CHAP. II. Of the great desire, which Christ our Lord hath (for as much as concerneth him) not to condemn any one, in his judgement, but to save them all. THIS most merciful judge, hath given us some most evident testimonies, of the most ardent desire which he hath, not to condemn us in his divine judgement; but to deliver us as free & safe, & that the sentence may wholly pass in favour of us. One of these testimonies, and that a very admirable one, is this; That before he would come, the second time, to make an universal judgement of sinners, & to condemn & punish such as he should find to be faulty, a Mark this excellent doctrine, for it is full of truth and comfort. he came, in that first coming of his, to pass a judgement upon sins themselves; to destroy, and to consume, and to deprive them of being, and life; and in like manner also to pass a judgement, against all the enemies of our souls namely the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; and to overcome, and dispossess them of all power, and Title, which they might make to men; and to defeat those forces which they maintained to the previdice of men's souls; and to give men strength, and means, whereby they might defend themselves, and obtain perfect victory against them all. That so, when he should come to pass a judgement upon men, he might find them free from sin; and if not all of them, yet so many, at least, as would take profit by the grace he gave them; and consequently that he might have nothing to punish in them. Yea and moreover, that he might find them conquerors over their enemies, that so he might give them that reward of glory, for their victory, which he had promised to such as should overcome. This is that high Mystery which Christ our Lord discovered to us in the Gospel, sometime saying, joan. 3. That he came not to judge the world, but to save the world. At other times he saith, that he came to make judgement upon the world, as he teacheth us by the Evangelist saying, joan. 12. I came into the world to judge it. And yet in another place: joan. 8. Now is judgement to pass upon the world. Our Lord means to say hereby, as himself declares, That at his first coming when he came, in a mortal and passable body, he came not to pass a judgement upon men, to chastise & condemn the wicked, by doing justice, and pronouncing a sentence of condemnation against them. For if he had come to this end, and that he would have passed this judgement at his first coming; he would, in effect, have been obliged to comdemne all the world; for, in effect he found them all in sin; and even those few Just people who were free, were so, in virtue of his being come to save them. And if that first coming of his, had been to judge men, even those few had also been in state of sin, and had been condemned. He therefore explicates himself by saying I came not to judge the world, but to save it, That is, I came not as a judge, but as a Saviour, I came not to condemn sinners by doing justice on them, & by passing a sentence of condemnation against them; But b Christ our Lord delivereth no man from the pains of hell, by his sacred Passion, but such as first are delivered by it from sin. I came to save them, by suffering and dying for them, and by communicating my justice and merits to them; that so I might free them from sin, and justify them; and give them the spiritual health of grace, and of eternal glory. And to this very office of saving men, is ordained that judgement, which he saith he came to make in that first coming, and which he was to pass against sins, & against the devil also in favour of men. So doth he declare himself, saying: Through my Passion and Death, judgement is now to pass, and sentence is to be given, in favour of the men of this world, against the devil. For till now, he held men subject, and captived under his power and tyranny; but now, by the payment which I am making for them, they are to remain safe and free. Now, the devil, who is the Prince of this world, who held men subject under sin, is to be deposed from that dominion which he held in the world; for innumerable souls, which were captived in error and sin, are to be converted and saved; and remedy shallbe imparted to them all, whereby they may be delivered from him, and may obtain eternal glory. So also, in that first coming of Christ our Lord to save mankind, he made a kind of distinguishing and deuiding judgement, between the good, and the bad; the elect, and the reprobate. For when he was preaching, and working miracles, and procuring the salvation of the world; some did profit by his coming, receiving his faith, and obeying his Gospel, & participating of his merits. And others again, because they would not believe in him, nor serve themselves of his remedies, did still remain in their sins; yea, & through their ingratitude, and the hardness of their hearts, they grew therein. And thus by the occasion of the coming of Christ our Lord, the distinction grew more apparent, between the faithful & the unfaithful; between Just persons, and sinners; between the elect, and such as were reproved by God. For they who received the faith of Christ, & did follow him, by the imitation of his life, & by the taking up of his Cross, according to their c That is according to the state, wherein they were at that tyme. present justice, were just persons; & as long as they did persevere, they had signs in them, of being predestinated; and they who received not the faith, according to their then present state, were wicked & reprobate This did our Lord declare, when he said: I came into this world, that they who see not, might se●; & they who see might be blind. Which was as much to say, Upon my coming, did this judgement follow, and this distinction was made amongst men; that many who in their souls were blind, through ignorance and error, and vice, and who did not see the truth, nor did walk in the right way to heaven, by believing in me, with a lively faith, they I say, might see the truth, and follow it. And that many others, who saw, and had knowledge of the Scriptures, and did know the law, and the Prophets; & who both in their own, and in the people's opinion, & estimation, were held wise, and had a spiritual light wherewith to look into divine things; they, I say, for their pride and ingratitude, should remain blind; and, going astray from the right way, should not find their error and perdition. Another divine and most singular testimony, which Christ our Lord hath given us, of the desire which he hath, in this judgement of his, not to find any sins which he might punish, nor any sinners whom he should be so obliged to condemn, is, That d Let all Angels adore him for this inestimable benefit to men. at his first coming he made a law, which was to last till the end of the world, whereby he gave faculty to all sinners, that during the whole time whilst their life should last, they might pass a judgement upon themselves; acknowledging their sins, and accusing themselves thereof with grief, and confessing them to a Priest, who should hold the place of Christ our Lord; and satisfying for them, according to the judgement of the same Ghostly father; and that they performing this, he would not, in his judgement, either condemn or punish them, but would declare them to be not Guilty, and would impart the kingdom of heaven to them. And that, if having once passed this judgement upon themselves, they should yet return again to sin, & become abnoxious thereby to eternal condemnation; yet still as long as their life should last, they might return to pass the same judgement upon themselves, as often as they would; and that if they should do it according to e Confessing them all clearly with great sorrow & firm purpose of amendment Truth, he would not condemn them, but would admit them into his company, and make them happy. O judgement which is so dearly sweet! O judge, who is so full of mercy! and how unanswerable is it proved by this most piteous judge, that his intention and desire, is not to punish but to pardon; not to condemn, but to absolve and save; since before he comes to pass his judgement, he useth so many means, & applies so many remedies, to the end that he may find no sins to punish, nor no sinners to condemn. If an earthly judge, had his prison full of delinquents & thiefs, & murderers, and should make a kind of agreement and bargain with them, that f Consider seriously hereof & admire the infinite goodness of God in that, wherein the blind world thinks it hath hard measure, namely in the Institution of the Sacrament of Confession. every one of them might choose what friend or kinsman of his own he would, and in secret should declare his offence to him, delivering to him the whole truth, and undergoing but that penalty which he should impose upon him for the same; And that, upon some day of the same year, himself would come to the prison to judge them; and that he 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 condemn those others, who would not have recourse to that remedy; what would you say of this judge, & of this agreement? You would say, that there neither is, nor ever was, nor ever will be in the world any judge, who showeth, or is to show any such mercy; nor who ever made, or will ever make any such Capitulation, with persons who had deserved to dye; nor are there any laws on earth, which can permit any such thing. And if there were any judge, who would submit himself to the like condition, there would no delinquent be found, who would not joyfully perform this agreement, and so be declared for not guilty. Well then, Christ jesus, the Eternal judge, and who is of infinite power and Majesty, doth show this mercy to all such sinners as are worthy of eternal death. And he hath made this bargain, and agreement with them all; and that is yielded to by the laws of heaven, which the laws of earth will not endure. Let us therefore serve ourselves of this mercy, let us perform the articles of this agreement; and let us, in time, pass a judgement upon ourselves; let us confess our sins with true sorrow; & let us amend our lives, to the end that when at the hour of our death, in the particular judgement; and at the end of the world in the Universal judgement we shall come before this great judge, he may find no sins to punish or condemn in us. For it is said by S. john the Apostle, concerning this Lord: 1. joan. 1. If we confess our sins, repenting ourselves truly of them before God and his substitute, God is just, and faithful, in fulfilling the promises, and rewarding the merits of Chri●… our Saviour; and so he will pardon us our sins, through his merits, and will cleanse us from all wickedness, as he hath promised. O most unhappy men who deferring to do penance, and to make amendment of their lives, despise this mercy of God, as S. Paul saith by making ill use thereof; Rom. 2. And g Woe be to them who will needs be wicked even because God is so infinitely good. by this means they treasure up the wrath and punishment of God for themselves, against the day of his wrath, which is, that, of his judgement. These laws of mercy were not made, nor are they proclaimed unto men, to the end that thereupon, they should take such a wicked strange presumption to sin; but that, if they have sinned, they should not be dismayed; but that in hope of this divine mercy, they should instantly correct themselves, and reform their lives and obtain pardon. So doth the glorious Apostle S john advertise us; for having said: That if we confess ourselves well, God will pardon us, he instantly addeth this, 1. joan. 2. These things have I written, to you my children, to the end, that you may not sin but that you may fly from sin at full speed but yet if any man do sin, we have an Advocate before the Father. That is to say, let him not be dismayed, nor out of hope; but let him instantly be converted to God, confessing his sins, and doing penance for the same; because we have an Advocate and Mediator before the eternal Father, which is jesus Christ the Just, and the very fountain of justice, who made satisfaction for all our sins. CHAP. III. Of the benefit which Christ our Lord imparteth to us, in giving us to understand, and feel the grievousness of sin, by the means & manner of his judgement, to the end, that we may in time do penance for it. ANOTHER most singular benefit, which Christ our Lord imparteth to us, under the quality of his being our judge; is to make us know and feel, the grievousness of of sin, that so we may be drawn to abhor it greatly, & to conceive a true fear of falling into any offence of God. This knowledge, and this holy Fear do we fetch from the consideration of that divine judgement, since notwithstanding that Christ our Saviour, is of his own Nature most piteous, and most benign; & being the very fountain of pity and mercy; and being most profoundly meek, and sweet, and the very fountain of sweetness; and being so great a lover of men, that he dies for them; and so much desiring, and esteeming the salvation of their souls, that he gives his life for the same; we a The terror wherewith Christ our Lord will appear, at the later day. yet see, that in his judgement he will come extremely full of cause, to make us horribly fear; and most terrible will he be in the highest degree, and full of wrath and fury, & for zeal of justice against sinners. He will come sitting down, upon those horses of the heaven which are the clouds; Matt. 25. he will come in a warlike manner, accompanied by all the squadrons and armies of heaven; Sap. 5. he will draw with him the whole world of creatures, being all ranged & placed in form of battle against sinners. Sopho. c. 1. Yea, and even the very Saints, and Blessed souls themselves, who are so full of pity, and have been the Advocates of sinners, will come armed, & shall be made both judges, and the Ministers of divine justice against them. He shall have, for the Messenger which speaks of his coming, Psal. 96. a most furious fire, which shall burn and purge all corporeal creatures; & a most hideous frightful sound of mysterious trumpets, which shall spend themselves over the whole world; & shall make all creatures tremble; and shall pass and pierce even to the lowest bottom of hell, and shall make those soul's spring out of those infernal habitations of theirs, full of horrible confusion, to resume their bodies and appear in judgement. In this manner doth the Scripture describe the coming of Christ our Lord to judgement. Let us now consider, who it is that causeth this mutation of Christ our Lord. Who changeth him in so strange a fashion? Who maketh him, of most pitiful, so extremely fierce? Who, of most profoundly meek, so full of wrath? Of must delightfully sweet, so full of fury and terror? Of peaceable, so given to war? Of a refuge and shelter for sinners, to be grown such a severe punisher of the faulty? Sinnes b See here, if sin be not a dangerous companion to live withal. they are which cause this great mutation, and which do so fare estrange him from that most benign, and sweet condition of his. The hatred and profound detestation which he hath of sin; the lively feeling he hath, to see himself so foully offended; the grievous weight which our faults do carry in his divine presence, whereby his will is transgressed, and his law despised, do make him grow so frightful, and so very fierce, towards the doing of justice, and taking vengeance upon sinners. So saith the Apostle of Christ, judas Thadaeus, jud. 1. speaking of this judgement: Mark well, for our Lord doth come accompanied with the innumerable troops of holy Angels to pass a judgement upon all wicked men; to convince them of all the evil works which they have commited, and of all the evil words which they have spoken, contrary to the law of God; and to pronounce a sentence of condemnation against them. Since then the hatred which God doth carry against sin, is so very great; since the punishment which he will execute upon sinners in that judgement of his is so immense; O it is full of reason, that from the faith and infallible notice which we have of this truth, all we, who are believers, should fetch a knowledge of the grievousness of sin; and a perfect detestation of the same, and a profound grief and sorrow for such sin as we have already committed; & much fear in respect of them which we may commit hereafter. That so we may fly them, and be freed from the fury of that divine judgement, and from that sentence of eternal damnation, which is to be thundered out against sinners. For c The true use which we are to make of considering the terror of the day of judgement. this is the true reason, why this judgement is discovered, and notified to us, as S. Paul affirmed whilst he was preaching to the Athenians to this effect: God doth now announce the truth of his Gospel, to men: to the end that all men and in all places may do penance of their sins; since he hath, with firm deliberation, ordained a day, at which time he will judge the whole world with great uprightness of justice; giving to every one, that reward and punishment which his works deserve. And this judgement he will pass upon the world, by the means of Christ our Lord; who as man, hath authority from the eternal Father, to give visible judgement upon all men. Act. 17. CHAP. FOUR How we are to have great feeling, of the grievousness of sin, by reason of the demonstrations which shall be made by all the creatures of God before the judgement. TO the end that from the declaration of the office which Christ our Lord hath of being the judge; & of the judgement which is to pass upon the whole world, we may draw the great fruit of knowing and feeling the grievousness of sin, and of abhorring it, and doing penance for it; and, that we may also draw from thence, a fear of sin, and of the punishment thereof, we will go dedeclaring those points, and mysteries of this divine judgement; which may best discover to us the immensnes of the hate, which God doth carry towards sin; and of the punishment which he inflicteth upon sinners. The first point which doth discover to us the hate which God doth carry toward sin, is, that in this his terrible judgement, he will not only punish the sinners who did offend him by their sins, Matt. 24. but a How insensible creatures, shall after a sort be punished, for having been made the instrument of man's sin. he will, after a sort, punish all the Creatures of the whole world, whereby sinners were assisted and served. The Sun shall grow dark; not as now it doth sometimes, by natural causes; or in respect that any cloud may overshadow it; or because the Moon may cast itself between it, and the earth, (as it happeneth in the case of an Eclipse) but it is to be obscured, by a supernatural and miraculous cause; and so it is to be understood, that for a while it shall lose the whole light it had. The Moon shall also lose her light. The Stars shall fall from heaven joel. 2. either because when they are without light, it shall seem to be, as if they were fallen, or else for that, in very deed, they shall dislodge themselves from that high firmament, where they are fixed, and for some time shall fall from thence, and detain themselves in the air, till they return again into their place. The powers of the heaven shallbe moved, that is, those celestial bodies, with their natural virtue shall tremble, and so shift their places, as in an earthquake the earth is wont to do; or if it be understood of Angels, the meaning is, how in that day, they shall make some kind of spiritual demonstration, & motion of great admiration. The Sea shallbe troubled, & shallbe moved in a most wondered manner, and with the waves thereof, shall make such a hideous noise, as will astonish the whole world; & oppress and afflict with excessive fear and horror, the hearts of mortal men, & will make them even whither again with woe. The Earth, shall tremble, 2. Pet. 3. and shallbe open in many parts, and shall disclose even the pits of hell. The Air, with the same Earth, and Sea, shall burn by that most ardent overflowing of fire, which shall consume all the living bodies, 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 dwelled in the Land of Promise, and whom he was pleased to punish for their sins) not only that they should kill the men, but even the very beasts, which did them service; and so in particular he b A sign of this truth in the old Testament exacted this of Saul, when he went to fight against the Amalecites; and because he did not punctually comply with this commandment, but suffered some of the Cattle to live, God was offended, & Saul was punished. 1. Reg. 3. Let us now see why God did not content himself, 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 understand and feel, that sin is so great a mischief, and is so worthy to be abhorred and punished, and that God doth indeed, so much abhor it, that it is a most convenient thing, not only to punish sinners with eternal torments & death, but to destroy also, and consume, and as it were to chastise, the creatures whereof they did serve & help themselues towards their sins. Therefore is it, that resolving in the Universal judgement to chastise the wickedness of all men, in a most complete manner, he will not content himself to deliver over sinners themselves to those eternal ardours of fire & those other immense pains of hell; but to the creatures also whereof they made some use in sinning, he gives as it were a kind of pain, and punishment, in detestation of the sins themselves; as also, to the end that they may be purged, and cleared from that indecency, and deformity which grew to them, by the service, which they did to sinners. For thus it is, that the Sun, the Moon, & Stars, which did illuminate sinners whilst they were committing their sins, shallbe deprived by him for a while, of all the light, & beauty which they have, & he shall convert it into thick darkness. And as for the Sea, & the Earth, & Air, which gave food to sinners, & did maintain them, whilst they were offending God, he will make them as it were fear, and tremble, & will deprive them, for a time, of the natural quality and disposition they have; and will consume, and kill all those living creatures, and plants, which were the food of sinners; and will destroy all those buildings, which were the habitation of wicked men. And thus, through the mutation, & demonstration, & desolation which in the judgement, God will show in all the creatures which served sinners, he doth teach and testify the infinite hatred which he hath against sin. And he doth induce, & persuade us, that now, through the knowledge of this truth, we may be drawn to abhor & detest them; and that with a penitential & holy life, we may cleanse our souls, as well as possibly we can, from all fault & offence of his divine Majesty. 2. Pet. 3. S. Peter c This truth is insinuated by S. Peter. doth admonish us of the good effect which we are to draw from the change which is to be made upon the creatures, by saying to this effect: Since there is a day of the universal judgement to come wherein all the creatures, for having served sinners are to be purged with fire and burnt; infer my brethren from hence, how diligent, and constant it is fit for you to be, in the leading of a good life; and how holily and purely you are to converse in this world, and how vigilant, and careful, it will become you to be, in performing the works of piety towards God; and of mercy towards your Neighbour; expecting with a lively faith, that day of our Lord; and approaching and drawing near to him with speed not with paces of the body, but with the desires & affections of the soul, desiring and loving this day, and preparing to see yourselves at that time, accompanied with purity of life, and with the exercise of virtue. CHAP. V How Christ our Lord, discovereth the hate, which he carrieth towards sin, by the so particular account which he taketh of them all. ANOTHER mystery of this divine judgement, discovering the mighty demonstration, and detestation which God doth express against the faults whereby he is offended; is the so particular account which he will take of us, & which we all must give, of all the faculties or powers, & all the senses, both of our body and soul; & of all the creatures which we have used; and a If you believe this point of faith to be true I shall not need to wish you to look well about you. of all the works which we have performed, all the words which we have spoken, and all the thoughts which we have conceived, how little soever they fall out to have been; without leaving out, so much as any one idle word, or any one idle thought. We shall give account of how we employed our Understanding; if we did set it on work, upon the inquiry and search of God, and his truth, and in contemplating on him, & his holy Commandments, and the works of his hands, and the divine words of his mouth. As for the memory, we shallbe questioned, if we have used it, in calling our Lord God to mind, together with his presence, his goodness, his power, and all his benefits, and mercies. We shallbe arraigned upon the point of our Will, if perhaps it have been busyed, in the love, and estimation, and desire of God, and the accomplishment of his Law, and of his will; and in the search of all those things, which concern the glory of our Lord God. We shall b We shall not only give account of our sins, & the faculties of our mind, but also of the senses of our body and of the use of all God's creatures. give account, of how we put the senses of our body on work; if we employed our eyes upon beholding this fabric of the world, and these Heavens, and Elements, and the other works of God, that so, beholding in these creatures, the trace, and sent which they carry in them, of all his divine perfections, we may raise ourselves up by them: So to consider with our souls, the power, and the wisdom, and the goodness, and the beauty of God, and by this means, to love and praise him with our whole hearts. So also, if we employed our ears, to hear the words of the true God; and those instructions, and doctrines, & admonitions, and examples, which were profitable to the soul; and in hearing the sweet music of man's voice; and of the instruments which he can use, & of the birds also of the air, so to stir ourselves up, towards devotion, & to contemplate the much sweetness of that Celestial music; and so to love and esteem the blessings of heaven. And concerning the Smell, if we employed it only, upon those things which are necessary for man's life; & through the sent of creatures if we aspired towards the sweet savour of virtues, and of good example; & of the glory of the next life. So also for the Tongue, if it was moving in the praise of our Lord God, & in offering him devout prayers, & in learning and teaching those things, which are necessary both for our selves and our Neighbours; and in discovering, and confessing our sins for the obtaining of pardon, and redress thereof, and in taking but that food, which was necessary for the sustenance of our life; and in drawing out of the gust & savour of corporal meat, a consideration and feeling of the unspeakable sweetness, and savour of those spiritual foods of grace, and glory. So also, if we have employed the sense of Feeling with our hands, and all the rest of our body, upon the only taking of those things, which were necessary for the same body; and profitable for our soul, and for our Neighbours, and for the use of our life, and for the exercise of the works of Charity and Mercy. This good use of all the powers of our souls & senses of our body doth our Lord God demand of us, when he saith, Deut. 4. Keep thyself, and keep thy soul, with great care; and of this are we to make a very exact account, in his divine judgement. We shall also give account in the same judgement of all our sins of speech; such as are vain Oaths, 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 lascivious, or curious, or vain, of every idle word, saith Christ our Redeemer, Matt. 12. shall men give account in the day of judgement; and that word goeth for idle which is neither necessary, nor profitable. Account must also be given of all sins of deed; such as are disobedience to parents, and other Superiors, revenge, ill in treaty of our neighbours, dishonesty, injustice, usurping & detaining the goods of others against right, unlawful bargains, pride in government, excess in the furniture of houses, of clothes, of expenses otherwise, and in the entertainment of servants; excess also in diet, in play, and in other superfluous and vain things: Of all these, and of all other evil deeds, account must be given, as Ecclesiastes saith; Eccles. 12. All things which are done by man, both good & bad, shallbe presented in that divine judgement, to be there examined; & for every work which shallbe found erroneous and ill, he shallbe punished. We shall give account of all our thoughts, such as are rash judgement; consents which are given to revenge, or else uncleanness or voluntary delights, in any thing which is ill; or to inward hatred; or in fine, to thoughts which are unprofitable For as the Wise man saith, Sap. 1 God will examine, & judge the thoughts of the wicked. Besides this, we shall give c A point of great moment and little thought on. account of our sins of Omission, which are the most in number, and lie most hidden from our sight. For having forborn to pray, to read good books, to fast, to perform other penances, and mortifications, and to confess, and communicate. For having omitted to do the works of justice, and mercy, in certain cases, and at certain times, when either some particular precept, or the great necessity of doing those works, did oblige us to them. For having failed to comply with many duties of our calling, and offices, to which we were bound by the obligations either of God or man. We shall give account, how we have profitted by those spiritual and supernatural graces, which God hath given us; such as are his Sacraments; the safety of Faith; the Doctrine of the Gospel; good Sermons, holy exampls, virtuous conversations, the admonitions, and reprehensions of our Superiors, and Ghostly Fathers; and the interior inspirations which God hath given us. We shall give account, how we have used our natural and temporal benefits, as namely our Health; if we have employed it upon the service of that Lord who gave it; Our Time, if we have spent it profitably; our Reputation, if we used it to the glory of God, and the good of our Neighbour. Our Estate & temporal goods, if we have employed them, only to the succour of the true necessities of ourselves, 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 every one. The account which is to be given for these sins of Omission, and the punishment which is allotted to them, Christ our Lord declared in that Parable of the Talents, when he told that unprofitable servant, that the Talon which God gave him, (which are his natural and spiritual gifts, as also his temporal goods) was not well employed by him, nor used in those works which were agreeable to God; and he said thus to him; Matt. 25. Thou negligent and wicked servant, since thou sayest, that I am rigorous, and that I expect more than I laid out, why didst thou not put out that Talon, to profit which I gave thee? That is, why didst thou not make the right use of what I gave thee, employing it well in the exercise of virtue, in the increase of merit, and in the multiplication of good works? And so, when he had rebuked this slothful servant, he commands the ministers of his justice, to excecute the sentence, which he gives against him, when he saith, Take that unprofitable servant, and cast him into exterior darkness, which is that of Hell; where there is lamentation, and everlasting torment, through the pains of intolerable both heat and could, & other torments also, which are to be endured there. CHAP. VI How Christ our Lord declares the detestation which he carrieth against the sins of wicked men; whereof they are convinced, by the sentence which he pronounceth against them. THESE are the things, whereof a man is to give account in that divine judgement of God. And this is that, which now is to be considered, that so he may know how deeply God doth feel the weight of sin, and consequently how to move himself to detest it. And withal let him ponder, how after, that Christ our Lord hath demanded this account, of them whom he findeth to be culpable, for not having complied with these obligations; but proceeded contrary to his commandments: How, I say, that most just judge will convince them in that terrible Tribunal, before all the Inhabitants both of heaven and earth, saying to them in his manner. You a If this do not move thee, pray to God that it may, for else thou art in ill case. men, why have you thus offended me? why have your done me so many Injuries, I being your God, of infinity Majesty, Goodness, and wisdom? I being your Creator, your Father, and your Saviour, who for you did give my life, and shed my blood? Why have you spoken so many words in affront of me? Why have 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 under the feet of those creatures, esteeming & loving them more than me? Me, whom you ought to have praised, & glorified with your tongues; whom you should have served, and obeyed with your works; whom you should always have desired and loved with your whole hearts; for whom you ought to have given your lives & a thousand lives, if you had been Masters of so many. Why have you so dishonoured me, transgressing & trampling upon my Precepts? Why have you exchanged me, with so extreme contempt, for those most base advantages and gains of earth, and for those most vain delights, & gifts of creatures? Since you confessed me by your words, to be your Lord and God, why would you deny me by your works? Tell me you men since I have imparted to you so many supernatural gifts, which I gained for you, by my Passion, & Death; A gift of Faith, and Baptism, whereby I made you Christians; a gift of Grace, whereby I adopted you for my Children; so many Virtues, whereby you might adorn your souls, & be enabled to work well; The gift of Sacraments, which might confer and convey my Grace into your souls; and innumerable inspirations, which might quicken you up towards virtue; and so many most high, and most precious gifts, which I purchased at my so great cost; why have you set them at so low a rate? Why have you despised them, and permitted them to pass away, without being of any profit to you at all? More account did you make of the vanity of your descent, according to your lineage of flesh & blood, then of the faith of Christians, and the adoption of the sons of God. More account did you make of money, which is made of dead mettle; & of the goods of this life, and of the vain punctilioes of honour, then of the blessing of my grace, and of those immense, eternal treasures of my glory: I having given you such a holy Law, a Doctrine so pure, so profitable, and so celestial, that you might observe and keep it; having given you so many Prophets, Apostles, holy Doctors, & so many Preachers, and teachers of my Gospel, to the end that they all might counsel, & persuade you to the observation of my Commandments, and to the accomplishment of my will; yea and myself, being come visibly down to earth in flesh & blood, to teach & preach this Law to you, by the very words of mine own mouth, why have you made no more account of this law, nor complied with my will, nor obeyed my words? Why would you rather do that which Satan that did tempt you to, than that which was commanded you by me? Why would you rather follow, and obey that perverse enemy, who abhorred you, and endeavoured nothing but your damnation, then me, who am your God, & who was your Father, & who loved you, and did procure your salvation & everlasting glory? Tell me yet further, O you ungrateful men, since it is I who gave you life, & health, and temporal goods, & space of time, that you might sacrifice it all to my service; how cometh is to pass, that you would needs employ it in offence of me? I gave you life, I say, and health, and strength, whereby you might have acquired virtues, and have exercised good works, and so you might have b through the passion & promise of Christ our Lord good works arrive to be meritorious, and not of themselves. merited eternal happiness. And you on the other side, have employed it in the pursuit of vain honour, & of pleasing men, for certain interests which pass and perish; and in the search of those deadly delights which now are carrying you on, towards eternal torments. I gave you temporal means, for the necessary supply of this life, and that you might relieve the miseries of your Neighbours; and you have wasted them, upon the foolish compliments of the world, and upon banquets, which served not for necessity but for gluttony; and upon certain attires, & ornaments, which did but serve for vanity; and upon sports, and other vicious employments. I gave you Time, to the end that you might employ it upon praying, and ruminating, and meditating upon my benefits and mercies, and upon the mysteries of my law, and in performing works which might have relation to everlacting life; but you have wasted it upon unprofitable conversations, and upon wicked deeds, which deserve to be rewarded with eternal fire. These complaints doth God make against sinners, by his Prophet; and there will he make them at that day, with greater demonstration of mislike, than ever, till that time, he will have showed. And thereby he will convince them all, & they shallbe able to make no excuse or defence, nor have so much as one word to answer; and so shall that be fulfiled which the Psalmist saith, Psal. 106. All wickedness, that is, all wicked men, shall have the mouth stopped up. Let us now consider, what every one of these sinners will think within himself, in that point of the divine judgement, when c Make this case thine own betimes; for one day it willbe thy case, whether thou wilt or no he shall see a Theatre made round about him, of all the creatures, both of heaven and earth; and that himself is placed in the midst of them; & that both all the Angels, and men, and Devils are looking on him. And when he shall observe, that his sins are published, and proclaimed before them all; and not only his wicked words, and works, but even all his bad desires, and thoughts; & when he shall perceive that all that lewdness which he committed in the most retired corners; yea and those impurities, which did not so much as issue out of his heart, shall then be clear and patent to all the world. To see that all those Devils shall stand accusing him, & that his own very conscience is still upbraiding & condemning him. And to see the judge himself offended, & enraged against him; and that he behoulds him with a countenance full of terror, and of revenge, for injuries received; and to see that hideous pit of hell, all open, in expectation to swallow him up; and to see himself so evidently convinced, & that he hath no word to plead for himself. And d A sad consideration but most certainly true. that finding himself hemmed in, by such an excess of afflictions, & such incomparable miseries, he cannot fly away, nor hath he any one hole wherein to hide his head; nor any one thing to allege, nor any one person to whom he may appeal, or by whom he may be succoured. For to defend himself against the judge, is impossible, since he is of infinite power. To deceive him with false informations, cannot be, since he is of infinite Wisdom. To work upon him by way of presents or petitions, is not to be thought of, since he is infinitely just. To go in search after Patrons, and Advocates, is loss of labour. For in that day, neither the Angels, nor the Apostles can intercede for any one, no nor even the Queen e A heavy and most desperate case. of heaven, and the mother of mercy, can plead the cause of sinners in that day. The gate of pardon and saving mercy, is then closed up, against all the wicked; & all the just and blessed souls, shall approve of the divine justice, in that day; and shall rejoice, in that it is to be executed; because so it is fit for the glory of God our Redeemer. And then shall that be perfectly fulfiled, which the Psalmist saith: Psalm. 57 The Just man, seeing the punishment, and vengeance which is to be taken upon the wicked shall rejoice, not for the pain which those sinners shallbe subject to; nor out of any desire of revenge; but only for the zeal they have to the glory of God, & for the love they bear to his divine justice. CHAP. VII. How Christ our Lord, discovereth the grievousness of sin, and the hatred which he carrieth against it, by the last sentence whereby he is to condemn the wicked, and the punishment which he inflicteth upon them. ANOTHER Article of the divine judgement, which doth admirably discover the excessive hatred which Christ our Lord doth carry against sin, is the last sentence which he will thunder out against the wicked. As soon as he shall have published their sins, & convinced them thereof, he will divide them from the company of the Just; and then turning his terrible and fierce countenance towards them, he will pronounce this most hideous sentence against them. Depart a Our Lord deliver us from so great a misery. from me, you accursed into that eternal fire which is prepared for the Devil, and the wicked Angels. Depart from me, who am an infinite good, and the fountain of all benediction, of grace, of comfort, of joy, of life, of salvation, & of glory. If then, they be divided from that only fountain of all Good, what kind of miserable things will they find themselves to be? It is plain that they must find themselves without comfort, without grace, without joy, without repose, or ease; and full, on the contrary side, of all misery, of all mischief, & of all pain. Depart all you accursed; because cursed are they, who break the Commandments of the true God; for the greatest ill of all ill, is sin, and to this ill do they submit themselves who do any thing against that which our Lord command's. So saith David, & so doth the church sing every day, when she speaks to God, Cursed are they, O Lord, who depart from keeping of thy Commandments. Psal. 118. In particular manner are they accursed in the Law, who do not offer the first fruits, and tithes of those things, which God had given to them; Matt. 3.1. and cursed also are those others, who having promised some beast, in sacrifice, to Almighty God, do offer him such a one, as is lean and lame, and worth nothing. Into all these curses have you fallen, because you have broken the Commandments of God, and gave him not the honour, and glory, of all the good deeds which once you wrought, nor of all the benefits which you received. And having consecrated and dedicated your souls to our true God, by Faith, and Baptism; and being obliged to give him the best and chief part thereof, which is your love, and obedience, & fidelity, and a watchful care to do him service; you did not give this to God, but to the world, and to your own will; and for these reasons you are indeed accursed, and yourselves are the authors of your malediction. Let b Be attentive, to see whither the wicked are to be sent, when they are once driven from God. us now consider, whither it is, that he sends them, when once he drives them from himself. Go, saith he, you accursed, into everlasting fire; & because in this life you sought for contentments, for delights, and gusts according to your own will, against the will of God, you shall now be burnt, body, and soul, with a most furious and impetuous fire, against your will. And because by sinning you have offended and despised God, who is infinite Good, and an infinite Majesty, that fire shall be infinite in the continuance thereof. And who now shallbe the ministers of justice, to torment these accursed creatures? And with what companions shall they be sorted, in that torment of eternal fire? Go, saith our Lord, into eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his wicked Angels. For the principal authors of any wickedness, the punishment is principally to be provided; and because the devil, was the first author of sin, therefore was the torment of eternal fire, provided first for him. And because wicked men did follow the devil in the fault, they shall follow him also in the pain. And because they chose to obey the persuasion & will of the devil, rather than the commandment and will of God; they shall therefore have him for their tormentor, and companion, in that everlasting fire. O what kind of pain, what kind of torment is this which is prepared for the wicked! O what an c It is sad swimming in this sea. huge Sea of pains and torments is this; so very incomprehensible, though rough the intenseness and fierceness, and so infinite in the continuance thereof! The thing, which in this life doth most of all torment, and doth cause most excessive pain, is fire. But the fire of this life, doth work after a limited manner, according to the natural power which it hath; & it cannot pass beyond those confines. Whereas the fire of hell, howsoever it be of the same nature with this of ours, yet worketh it as a supernatural instrument of God; and so it receives no other tax or limit, but the only will of God. And d An excellent consideration. as the things which God doth take for Instruments, whereby he showeth mercy to such as serve him, are sublimed by himself, above the power which they had in nature; and are enabled to produce admirable effects; As namely he exalteth the water of baptism, so fare as to be the instrument of justifying a soul; and the Balsamum of Confirmation, and the Oil of Extreme Unction, to give strength and increase of grace; so the fire of hell, which is so deadly fierce of his own nature, is supernaturally stretched up, to inflict a kind of pain and torment which is incomparably more great, and fierce, then that to which the whole power of nature can arrive. And so it shall not only torment the body, but the soul with all. And it shall not leave any one part, or power either of body or soul untormented; and the torment & grief which it will cause, shallbe greater than all, which either we can say, or think. The Prophet e Read 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 eternal king, from the beginning of the world. It is mightily deep, for it is in the very Centre of the earth. It is mightily wide and capable, for the receiving of all such as shallbe damned. The nourishment and food which shall maintain it, is fire, which shall never be quenched (as even here, the fire doth never go out, if always it have matter to entertain 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 fire which we have, & as long as the brimstone lasteth, so long, doth the fire also last; just so, the will of God will kindle that fire of Hell; and as his will is eternal, so the fire can never have an end. Now this fire, being supernaturally so fierce, and furious, to torment and burn; the wicked will not also fail to be very f 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 shallbe like straw. The day of our Lord, saith he, shall come burning like a furnace of fire; & such as are proud withal the workers of wickedness, shallbe like straw to be inflamed; and the fire of that place shall burn them. And S. john Baptist saith, that they shall be as straw; when he telleth us, that Christ our Lord shall come to judge. He shall carry, saith he, in his hand his Fan; and like a labourer he shall cleanse his barn, which is his Church; and he shall lay up, in his granaryes, his clean and choice corn, which are the just; & the straw (which is the wicked) he shall cast into unquenchable fire. This chaff and straw, are things which be easily kindled by the fire, & they make a mighty flame; and so the wicked are made apt, and well disposed, by the divine justice to be burnt, in that eternal fire, both in body and soul. But yet, although they shall be burnt like chaff and straw, and to be penetrated by the fire, from side to side; yet are they never to be consumed, but they shall live for ever, and for ever shall their pain endure. The wicked man shall pay for his sins (saith Sophar, the friend of job) job. 20. but he shall not be consumed, nor shall he lose either his being, or his life. D. Thom. in additionibus q. 74. This fire, to which Christ our Lord will deliver 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 inferior creatures. And he will also purge those just persons, whom he shall find alive when he comes to judge; which persons shall dye by that forerunning fire; and in a very short time they shall be purged, & they are to rise, with all the rest. And this very g Mark now, or never. fire, when once the sentence shallbe given, will wrap up all the wicked, both in body and soul; and the earth opening itself, in many places, that fire, shall descend with them all, through those overtures of the earth, into the bottomless pit of hell; and the earth, shall then shut up itself, & some do hold, that the waters shall then return to cover the earth, as they did when God first created them. Titelm. l. 7. de Caelo c. 4. Ia●…el. l. 4. Meteor. For the cause of his discovering the earth from under the waters, was to give convenient habitation to men, and beasts; and that cause growing once to cease, the waters shall return into their due place, and the wicked shall remain locked up in the centre of the earth, environed upon all sides, with that fire of hell. And h The brave spirits of our time, will be mightily to seek when they come hither. being covered first with the whole globe of the earth, and next with the profoundness of the Sea, they are never to get out, from that lamentable place, and that everlasting fire. For as S. john affirmeth, Apoc. 20.14. They shallbe 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 together with that they shall suffer other most bitter pains; whereof every one willbe a kind of hell to the damned. They shall have such a cruel and fierce rage of hunger, i The deadly hunger of hell. that if it were possible, they would tear in pieces and eat themselves; and this so raging hunger they shall ever feel, in all the moments of their time, nor shall they ever be at peace. Withal, they shall have a most k The scalding thirst of hell. scalding thirst, which will afflict them in all extremity. If a man who were sick of a burning fever, should be, for some days, denied a draught of water, towards the appeasing of his thirst; he would feel so much torment by it, that he would rather choose death, than it. And what then shall they feel, who burning in that hideous fire, are possessed with such a most raging thirst: whereas yet they shall not get the least drop of water, for all eternity. For, as S. john affirmeth, Apoc. 14. The smoke of their torments shall ascend, for ever and for ever; and never shall they rest, either by day or night. They l The indissoluble chains of hell. shall also continue in that everlasting prison, bound hand and foot; and so are they to be cast into that fire, as Christ our Lord signifieth, when giving sentence against him that came into the Feast (which is the bosom of his Church) without his wedding garment (which is charity and grace) he said thus to the Ministers of his justice: Bind him hand & foot, and so cast him bound into exterior darkness, where shallbe weeping, & gnashing of teeth. Matt. 22. That is, the wicked shall remain obstinate, & hardened for ever, without means of remedy, or delivery. And this is, to have the hands and feet tied up; To be incapable of doing any one work or conceiving any one good desire; in such sort, as that whatsoever they shall do, or think for all eternity, is to be wickedness and sin. And as a man, who being bound hand & foot and cast into the bottom of the sea, cannot swim nor scape from being drowned; so those wretches can never wrestle out of those pains. For if there could be any remedy, it must be by penance, and amendment of their lives; but that can never be, because they are to remain obstinate in evil, and disabled to do any thing which is good. These miserable damned creatures, shall also be subject to most m The filthy smells of hell. offensive smells, which shall extremely afflict and torment them. This is signified by S. john who saith, Apoc. 14.19.20. That into that lake of fire (which is Hell) the Devil shallbe cast (who is the occasion of the pains of Hell, and of death, (for which cause he is called sometimes, by the name of death, and hell itself) Aug. de civet. Dei l. 20. c. 14. & that into the same lake, all the wicked who are not written in the book of life shallbe also cast; and that this lake of fire, shall burn with brimstone; which signifieth the detestable smell of that horrible prison, which is caused supernaturally, either by brimstone, or some such thing. These and innumerable other pains 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 n If thou believe not this truth it is a sign that thou art extraordinarily in ill case. greatest of them all, is having lost the glory of God; and then being to want it for all eternity. For as the greatest good, and suprem felicity of man, is to see God, and to enjoy him: so the greatest misery, and mischief, and torment, is for ever to want the sight of God, & the possession of his celestial Kingdom. This is that, which above all things, doth torment those most unhappy souls of the damned; to see that they might have gained an infinite good, and that they had time & commodity for it; and that through their own fault, & negligence they gained it not, nor did serve themselves well of their time, and of those other means which were given than by our Lord for that purpose. And to see, that innumerable other men of their own natural condition, & frail like themselves, do, for the good employment which they made of the gifts of God, obtain to enjoy so great a good, and to possess it with a perpetual security; whereas they, by their negligence, or malice, lost it: The remembrance hereof, which for ever shallbe imprinted in their minds, will be so lively and fresh, as that they will never be able to cast it off; and this will breed in them an intolerable grief beyond all griefs; and a most vehement indignation, & a hot boiling rage against themselves, for having so lost God. But yet this torment do they not feel, for the respect of God; for they do not love, but do abhor him, but only for the interest & profit which they might have 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 enraged wrath of the heart. That o Note this certain truth so piously delivered. excellent writer Rusbrochius, doth ponder the grievousness of these torments very excellently well; and particularly he saith, That the having lost the glory of God is the greatest of them all; and he expresseth it, by these words: Rusbroch. Epist. 1. Believe me, that whatsoever can be said of the pains of hell; if it be compared with that which there is felt, in very deed is less than a drop of water is, in respect of the whole Sea; and yet nevertheless, all those pains of hell put together, are nothing, in respect of that one only pain, which is felt by having for ever, lost the sight of God. And of this pain, S. john Chrysostom said: Chrys. in Matt. c. 7. hom. 24. If thou put before me a thousand hells, they are not all so great a mischief, as is to lose the glory of Christ our Lord, & to be abhorred and driven away by him, with those p O infinite affliction. words: I know you not. CHAP. VIII. How the grievousness of sin is yet more discovered, by the causes, which Christ our Lord allegeth as the reasons of his judgement. ANOTHER point very worthy of Consideration in this divine judgement which discovereth also the mighty hatred which Christ our judge doth carry against sin, which showeth also the grievousness of those pains wherewith he is to punish the same, are the faults which he relates, and which he allegeth at the time of his judgement, in the sentence of damnation, which he pronounceth against the wicked, saying; Matt. 25 a So that men shall not be justified by faith alone, since they are to be damned for want of Charity I was hungry and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink; I was a stranger and you did not harbour me; I was naked and you did not clothe me; I was sick and in prison & you did not visit me. For it is evident, that amongst all mortal sins the very lest, and they whereof men make least account and scruple, are the forbearing to secure their neighbours; even in those cases of necessity wherein 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 relation, which he makes at the time of his judgement, to reckon up all those sins for which he is to condemn the wicked (for that would be a long b That is, it would have been long for Christ our Lord, to have spoken of all a man's sins, in that speech of his. business) did only speak of such as go for the lightest, & upon which men use to make the least reflection; whereby all men may gather and infer concerning those other great sins, for which he is to pass the sentence of condemnation upon the wicked. And this following circumstance a man is to consider and ponder, even in the very bottom of his heart: If c A most necessary consequence which deserves to be deeply pondered. these sins of Omission, and negligence, in the performing of the works of mercy (which in reason, and in the estimation and judgement of all men are the lightest of all mortal sins) be yet nevertheless so abhorred by Almighty God, as that, in the universal judgement, he doth publish them in a particular manner, as being very grievous, and worthy of eternal condemnation; and will complain against them, as against faults which are full of injury, and affront, against his divine and eternal Majesty; and will proceed against such as fell into them, as against his enemies; and will excommunicate them as cursed people, driving them away for ever out of his company, and the communion of the Church triumphant; and will deliver them over into everlasting fires; and will execute the same pains upon them which are suffered by the very Devils themselves, in whose infernal company they are to be tormented, & that for ever; what will he not be sure to do to wicked men for the sins of commission, whereby they offend their neighbours; which are more express sins; and wherein, there is more malice shown; and which are committed by men upon more deliberation. If the oversights and voluntary negligences in not giving bread to him who is hungry, or drink to him who is thirsty, or clothes to him who is naked, or visits to him who is sick & imprisoned, in cases when piety doth oblige men to it, are yet so abhorred by Christ our Lord, and so severely punished, what will he do to men for those impieties, when a sinful man will take from another the goods which he had honestly gained; and if he rob him, or usurp it otherwise by unlawful and unconscionable ways; 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 deprives 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 d The spiritual works of charity are of fare more importance, than the corporal if negligence in relieving the corporal necessities of one's neighbour when there is commodity for the same, be so abhorred and punished by Almighty God; how much more will he abhor and punish any slackness in relieving the necessities of souls, by teaching the ignorant, those things which are necessary to salvation; by reprehending their vices; and by admonishing and exhorting them to a good life, in cases of necessity and obligation. Thus doth the blessed Laurentius justinianus ponder this truth in these words: Laurent. justin. l. de humili●… " If Christ our Lord in his judgement do so exactly and precisely examine & chastise the faults which are commited, in failing to show those works of mercy which are expressed towards the bodies of men which die; what kind of examen, and what kind of punishment will he impose upon their faults, who forbear to show the spiritual works of mercy which they ought to have imparted, for the salvation of souls, which are immortal?" Let him that readeth this conceive rightly, and be well assured that there is no doubt, but that, as this latter fault is greater, so shall the examen be more rigorous, & the punishment more severe. And if the denying of any spiritual benefit which is due to his neighbour for the good of his soul, be a fault of so high quality, how much more will it be so, to rob the soul of life, by giving it wicked Counsel, and by teaching it false doctrine; and by inducing it to vice by all persuasions, and lewd examples. Let the good Christian pass on, and consider & ponder yet more deeply, that the sins which are e Sins committed immediately against God, are the greatest of all others. committed immediately against God, such as are the crimes of infidelity of several kinds, of superstitions, and blasphemies, and Sacrileges in breaking vows and promises made to God; and of perjuries which draw God as a witness of lies, and falsehood, be greater sins than they which are committed against our neighbours; and consequently the hatred which God doth carry against them, and the punishment which he will execute for them, is incomparably greater. From f The true use 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 internal manner, all kind of sins; and to fly them with a most watchful care; & to fear them with his whole heart. For if the lighter sort of sins, and they whereof men are wont to make least account, are so publicly to be recorded & reproved in that divine judgement, & to be sentenced as worthy of condemnation, and punished with eternal torments; the case is plain, that the sins which are more grievous, and in greater hurt & prejudice of our neighbours; and they again which are of more immediate injury, and affront to God himself, shallbe proclaimed in that divine judgement, to the greater confusion of sinners; & they shallbe more sharply rebuked by Christ our Lord, and more grievously punished. And although the other torments were also eternal, yet these shallbe greater and more intense then they. For this truth was revealed to S. john by the Holy Ghost, who saith: Apoc. 18. So much as the wicked man hath glorified himself and hath delivered himself over to vicious pleasure; and so much more, as he presumed of himself, and lifted up his face of pride against God, affronting his divine Majesty with greater sins; and so much more as he yielded obedience to vice, in contradiction to the law of God; so much greater torment shallbe imposed upon his body; and so much more grief and sorrow shallbe inflicted upon his soul. CHAP. IX. How a Christian is to draw a detestation of sin, out of the consideration of this judgement of God; and great vigilancy in the leading of a good life. THESE a For jesus sake read over this Chapter with sober and sound attention. are the points and articles of that divine judgement, which discover to us the hatred, that God doth carry against sin. And these we are to consider, with great attention; that so we also may gather this fruit out of the divine judgement to abhor sin extremely, to grieve unfaygnedly for those which we have committed, to fear it with our whole hearts, and to fly from it with continual care. For it is all reason that we should abhor that which God doth so highly abhor; and that we should be mightily grieved, for having committed such things against God, as he mislikes so much, & whereby he is so much offended. And it is most just, & fit, to fear a judgement, which is so severe, and full of terror; and such torments as are so excessive and so without all end. And now, that we may with the more efficacy, rouse ourselves up towards a perfect hatred of sin, and a fear of the divine judgement, let every one of us go casting up his account, after this manner. God b Resolve thyself to suffer eternally in hell if thou refuse the grace, which God is desirous to give thee even very now, if thou wilt concur. who is my Creator, hath resolved, that the day shall come when he will judge me and from this judgement it is impossible for me to fly So also hath he resolved, that he will reward me in this judgement, according to my works. If he find me in the state of Grace, and with the stock of a good life in my hand, he will give me the reward of eternal felicity. If he find me in mortal sin, and that I have ill employed my life, he will drive me out of the sight of his glory, & will condemn me to everlasting torments. Now, that I consider myself, I see that I have lead a careless kind of life; & that I have committed many offences against his holy commandments. If now, he should call me to his judgement, I am sure that I should be condemned; for I have not done penance for the sins, which I have committed, nor have I yet reform my life. At least I am in much doubt of my salvation; for the penance which I have done, was lukewarm; & I have sought to mend m life, but slackly It is necessary therefore, now, & even very now, that I change my course, that I betake myself to my penance, & that I do it in good earnest. I will obey the voice of God, who commands me by Ecclesiastious, saying: Before thou come to the divine judgement, provide thyself of works, which may be holy and just, to the end that it may succeed well with thee. Before thou come into the hands of God to be judged by him, ask thyself the question, examine thy conscience well; pass an upright judgement upon thyself; reproving thyself with grief, & punishing thy faults with penance; and so thou shalt find mercy in the sight of God; thou shalt find him a favourable judge, and he will cast the sentence on thy side. Let c Attention. the Christian man consider further, in the bottom of his heart, & let him reason thus within himself. If I d Of the little difference, which there is to be for us in substance between the day of our death & the day of the last judgement. knew now that the end of the world and the Universal judgement were to be held within ten or twenty years; it would more seriously work upon me, and would make me more careful to do penance, and to endeavour a total renovation of my life; and I should more cordially fear the judgement, and eternal punishment of God, & the sins which make me subject to everlasting damnation. Yet certainly, for as much as concerns me, the day when I shall dye, is after ●…sort the very day of the Universal judgement, and of the end of the world. For the chief of that which passeth in the Universal judgement, and which maketh it to be feared so much, is the irrevocable sentence of eternal damnation which is then to pass upon the wicked; & e This maketh not against purgatory but showeth only that if a man dye in state of sin, he shall continue so for ever: and if in state of grace, he shall also for ever continue so; though till all be satisfied, he shall stay in purgatory and then he flies up to heaven. that where a man shall then be lodged he shall lie for all eternity. And he shall then, no more, have any use of any creature of this world; or of time wherein he may do penance, or procure salvation. Now this is, in effect, the same thing, which is to be done with me in the hour of my death. For than I shall be judged; and if then I be found guilty, an irrevocable sentence of damnation shall pass upon me; and where I shall then be cast, I shall remain for ever; and in the Universal judgement, there is no more to be done, but to confirm and proclaim the sentence, which was given in the particular judgement. And in the hour of my death, for as much as concerneth me, the whole world is at an end; & so is the use of all the creatures thereof; since I shall return to it or them, no more; and so is the Time also at an end, wherein penance might have been performed, and merit might have been procured. If therefore it be so, that the hour of my death, is to be the same thing for me, which the Universal judgement; and the end of the world, and the same it is to be for all men; and f The certainty of death and the uncertianty of the hour of our death. since it is most certain that the day of my death, will arrive ear long; and that according to my age, and to the time which men are wont to last it cannot exceed twenty, or thirty years; and since it is so casual, as that perhaps it may be ear night, it followeth, as a most just and necessary consequence, that I should, even from this very instant, dispose myself to do penance for my sins, with greater care; and to make a total amendment of my life; & to do that which Christ our Lord commands me, saying: Matt. 24. Watch, for you know not the hour when your Lord will come; and that also which the Apostle S. Peter, 2. Pet. 3. in the name of the same Lord, doth advice me saying: Brethren the day of our Lord will come like a thief. Now the thief who steals by night, comes without giving any news of himself; and then he doth it, when he is looked for least. Just so will christ our lord come to judge us in the end of the world, and in the hour of our death, and no man shall know when he is to come; & the time willbe at hand when many willbe least ready for it. Do you therefore earnestly labour to lead a virtuous life, that so you may be free from sin, and that there be nothing in you which may deserve reproof; but that, with a quiet and safe conscience you may expect our Lord, when he shall come to judge. CHAP. X. Of other Considerations, from which we may draw the detestation of sin, & the care of leading a good life. LET a man also consider with himself, the sentence, & punishment which followeth this judgement; and let him be persuaded to fear God, upon this ensuing reason. What a Is it possible that thou shouldest be so mad as not to be able to frame this argument in thine own person. are those things, which a man in this life will not do, for the avoiding of pain and grief? A man who is in prison, and expects or fears a sentence of violent death, what doth he not, for the delivering of himself? He thinks of nothing, but how he may escape; he never gives over to make friends, who may intercede for him; he humbles himself to all such as are able to do him favour, and to give him help; he spends his means upon Attorneys & Lawyers, and in sending presents to ●…ch as may do him any good. A man who lies sick under 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 gravel, which perhaps he hath in his bladder, or by some Melancholy, which is lodged at his heart; what will he not do for his recovery? How willingly doth he employ what he hath, in giving fees to Physicians, and in paying of Apothecary's bills, for drugs, which way give him ease? With what facility and diligence, doth he take purges; and permit that issues be made, and buttons of fire be applied; yea and he endureth to be cut & opened, offering himself to one extreme pain & danger, 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 self from those miseries & torme●…s, to which the wicked must be sentenced, in that divine judgement. Which b Torments both intolerable, & eternal. besides that they are, in themselues, extreme, beyond all that can be said or thought; they are never to have any end, but in their continuance, they are to equal the eternity of God himself. For as God, in his own nature is eternal, so are those torments to be eternal, by the determination of God, which can never fail. Although these torments were no greater than for a man to be cast into fire, such as here we have, (but so as that he should not dye of it for the space of thirty years) the very thinking of it, would strike into him extreme horror; and there is nothing imaginable which a man would not do to keep himself from undergoing such a torment. Nay although it were no more, but that a man were to remain thirty years, laid in a bed; without being able once to rise or stir from thence, it would be of intolerable pain to him; and he would perform things of very great difficulty and labour, to deliver himself from the same. But what then will it be, to remain 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 torments? And c If thou desire to understand eternity thou must procure to take it thus in sunder. to the end that a man may have some little taste of this eternity, let him think of so many thousands of years which are to pass over the head of the damned, as there are grains of dust in the whole world, or drops of water in the sea, or moats in the air; and that at the end of all those thousands of years, they shall not get out of those torments, but still shallbe, as if they did but then begin to suffer, and that then as many more thousands of years are so to pass; and then again as many more; and that still, that wheel shallbe running round without any end. And let him also know, that by this so large continuance, his torments are not yet to cease, nor to be in the diminution of a hair's breadth; but that they shall be as d The torments of hell are not made more tolerable by a custom of enduring them a while. lively felt at the end of so many thousand of years, as at the first instant. Because those torments, do not work after a natural manner, that so they might be the less felt by custom, but they work as instruments of the divine justice, which is invariable; and doth conserve them at the end of innumerable years, in the same force and fury which they had at the first. O with how great reason did the Prophet Hieremy exclaim to God & say: Hier. 10. Who is he that will not fear thee, O thou King of the Nations? Thine is supreme Dominion, and there is none like thee in wisdom and power. By these Considerations, a Christian being assisted by God, will get, out of the divine judgement, agreat remorse and grief for sin, which doth so much offend God, and which is so greatly abhorred, and so greivously punished by him. And e The cure of sin is penance. with this grief, he is to accuse, and reprehend, and condemn, and with penances and mortifications, to inflict punishment, and take revenge upon himself. So did holy job, when he confessed saying: job. 23. Place me before God, and I will come to judgement, and consider what he is to do with me; and I will load myself with reprehensions. For as S. Gregory Greg. ibid. f Thus S. Gregory said & thus he did. saith upon these words: A man contemplating the so strict, and perfect examen, which God doth make of his sins in that terrible judgement of his, he turneth in, upon, & against himself, & he reprehends himself with grief and sorrow, for the offences which he hath committed against God. The g A man is to carry a quick & watchful eye over all his works. faithful servant of God, is also to draw from this divine judgement, a great watchfulness and diligence, to consider well, and with attention, all the works 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 exterior works, & much less, giving place in his heart to the desire or love of any thing that is ill, or consenting to any thing which is contrary to the will of God; nor principally to seek his own interest in any thing, but only the glory and good pleasure of God. To the end, that when our Lord shall come to judge us, he may find us prepared, and may meet with nothing in us which he will punish. This Counsel was given us by S. Paul, who said, Thess. 5. You know well my brethren, that the day of our Lord is to come upon us like a thief in the night. For although it be true, that when he will come to make the universal judgement, he will do it with great Majesty and very manifestly to all the world; yet, for as much as concerns the time, the day, and hour, wherein he is to come, aswell in the universal judgement, as in the particular, he will do it suddenly and concealed; and so as that men shall not know either of the hour or day. He will come like a thief, who hath a mind to rob, when men are sleeping and inconsiderate; so I say will he come, suddenly, & at unawares to pass his judgement, upon many when they live carelessly in their sins. Therefore h Take heed of sloth in God's service. we who are faithful Christians, and who by lively faith are made the sons of light; we, I say, must not slumber, nor give place to the sleep of negligence and sin, as others are content to do, who want this faith. But let us watch in prayers and good works, following the light of faith, and the word of God; and let us carry ourselves in all things, with sobriety: That is, we must be very temperate & moderate, as the Evangelicall 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 whatsoever else. This fruit doth holy job draw out of the consideration of of the divine judgement, as himself expressed saying, job. 19 I did observe & examine my works, with much reflection & care, to the end that none of them might be wicked; and to the i It is not enough to do good things, 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 judgement, thou art not to let any sin pass without punishment. Which yet is to be understood of k When due penance is done for sin, it is no longer liable to any punishment. sins, which formely shall not have been purged and discharged by penance. CHAP. XI. How a Christian is to draw out of the Consideration of the divine judgement, a great fear of offending God, that so he may fly far from it. THE faithful Christian, from the consideration of this divine judgement, is to draw a very real, & true fear of God. And this fear of God, and of his judgement, is the most particular and proper fruit, which from that judgement, is to be drawn. So doth the Psalmist signify, when he speaks to God, and saith: Psalm. 118. O Lord I have feared thy judgements; and upon the consideration how thou dost exercise them upon the wicked, I have conceived an excessive fear. And Solomon his Son, speaking to God in the prayer which he made in the Temple, declared the same truth by saying: 2. Paral. 6. Give O Lord, to every one, in thy judgement, the reward which is fit for their works; & according to the desire of their hearts, to the end that they may fear thee, and may walk in the way of thy Commandments, all the days of their lives. And the Angel, whom S. john saw, did say: Apoc. 14. Fear our Lord, for the hour of his judgement is come. When a a A servile fear. man delights in wickedness, & yet calleth to mind the divine judgement, & the punishment which God doth exercise upon sinners, he doth conceive a fear of the pain; and being principally moved by that fear he abstaines from sinning, which fear is a fear of slaves, and therefore it is called servile. And although this fear be good, and doth grow from a root which is supernatural, it is yet imperfect, and insufficient for the obtaining of everlasting life, or for the justification of a soul. Nor is it meritorious, but it is a ground from whence justification may rise, and it is a disposition towards grace, whereby we may merit; and this it is whereof the Wiseman saith: Prover. 2. That the Fear of God, is the beginning of Wisdom. Which is as much as to say, That it is a beginning for the obtaining of an experimental knowledge of God, which grows from Charity. And so doth Ecclesiasticus declare it saying, Cap. 25. The fear of God, is the beginning of the love of God. But b Of filial fear. when a man who loveth virtue, and is resolved to serve God, doth by considering the divine judgement, ponder the grievousness of sin, by means of the severity of the same judgement, & the excessive greatness of those pains, wherewith God doth punish it, and thereupon he doth incline himself to a great fear of sin; and doth tremble to think of doing any thing, which may offend the pure eyes of God, this fear is a fear of sons; & therefore it is called a filial fear; because he feareth God his heavenly Father, more than he doth the punishment, which otherwise is due to him for the same. So also, when a faithful servant of God, through the desire which he hath to fly from all offence of his divine Majesty, and in all things to comply with his holy will, doth settle himself after a sincere, and serious manner, to consider the judgements of God, and those eternal punishments and torments, whereby he is to take vengeance upon the wicked, thereby to move himself so much the more, to a fear of those jugdments and pains; and the more to animate himself to fly from all offence of God, and to keep his divine Commandments; this fear, howsoever it carry a kind of respect to pain, is not yet to be accounted a servile fear. Nor doth it spring from self love, but it is a filial love, and it grows from Charity. Because c A clear proof of the truth which he delivered before of the two Fears. in these things which are moral, and voluntary, the nature and denomination of the work, is principally taken from the end at which it aims. And as a man who should steal money whereby he would enable himself to commit an adultery, were more to be esteemed an adulterer than a thief; so the just man, who disposeth himself to fear the punishment, due to sin, that so he may fear and abhor the sin, is rather to be accounted to fear the sin, than the punishment. So therefore the fear of this man, is a holy fear, and belongeth to a son, & friend of God; & this very fear maketh a man just and holy, yea it is even justice and sanctity itself. This fear doth make a man acceptable to God, and is meritorious of eternal life, and it maketh also the works which proceed from thence, to be acceptable to God and meritorious both of grace and glory. Holy d The places of holy scripture reconciled which seemed to differ. job saith of this fear, job. 18. The fear of God is wisdom itself. And Ecclesiasticus saith, Eccles. 1. To fear God is entire and perfect wisdom. A servile fear is said to be the beginning of wisdom; because it disposeth a soul towards wisdom and so is this filial fear said, to be very wisdom itself, because it embraceth wisdom, it locketh it up, and it doth perfect, and increase it. For he that hath this fear hath the gift of holy wisdom together with it, which is that principal gift of the holy Ghost, whereby God is known and loved. And through the exercise of this holy fear, this gift is increased; and for this reason the Wiseman saith of this fear: Prou. 14. That it is the fountain of life, because it giveth spiritual life to the soul, and from thence do spring the works of life; since they be such as are e through the grace of God in Christ our Lord, & through his promise. meritorious of eternal life. For they, who after this manner do fear God, as Ecclesiasticus saith, Eccles. 18. do procure with diligence, to please God in all things. Let us therefore, much, and many times consider this divine judgement that so we may draw a holy Fear from thence, and grow therein, and conserve ourselves thereby, in a virtuous life, so long as we shall continue in this pilgrimage; so doth Saint Peter advice us 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 judge, shall judge, & reward every one according to his works) most just and reasonable it is, that during all the time of our being in pilgrimage in this world (as persons who are banished from the house of our Father) we should live in such fear, as becometh his children. CHAP. XII. How it is very necessary, & full of profit that a Christian do exercise himself in this holy Fear; and accompany it with the exercise of divine love. BUT to this, one a A doubt concerning the exercise of the acts of Fear and Love, clearly solued. may say, by way of question; Since the act, & exercise of the Love of God, is more excellent, and acceptable then that of Fear, why is it not better to exercise ourselves always in the love of God, and in the consideration of his benefits and mercies, and of his goodness, and Love, and the rest of his divine perfections, which may induce us to love, then to be considering his divine judgement and the pains of Hell, which oblige us to fear? To b The first answer. this I say, first, That the act & exercise of love, is more excellent and acceptable to God, than any other act of virtue, when that love of God, is clean and pure from faults, & from self love. But c Take heed thou walk not in the way of spirit without advice. if a person shall only give himself to the exercise of divine love (for as much as ●oue doth cause a kind of security and comfort to the soul) a man may grow from thence, many times, to be slack in virtue, & forward to commit faults, and come to be remiss in doing of penance, and mortifications, and admit of certain delicacies, and so increase in self love. And he may also come to presume upon himself; conceiving that he doth greatly love God; and by that very means, he goes disposing himself, to lose the same love of God, by committing venial sins, & by increasing in them; he arriveth also to fall at last, into mortal sin, whereby he doth wholly lose love and grace. But in the mean time, this negligence which grew to end in mortal sin, doth not grow from that very love of God, which of itself is all good, and persuadeth us also to all good; but d So weak is man that he may well be suspected even when he meaneth best. it groweth from the infirmity of man, and from his bad inclination, and so it is wholly the fault of man; who, as he useth many other things ill, so also he useth ill, the love of God. It is therefore both very profitable, and very fit, & even necessary, that the good Christian, do join the holy Fear of God, to the love of him; and that as he is to exercise himself, in some considerations which may move him to love God, so also he may exercise himself in some other, which may move him to fear him. And although it be true, that at the first when a man is but beginning to serve God, it is more necessary that he bestow himself more upon the consideration of fear, then that of love; yet is it also very convenient, even for them, who have been long in his service, and are very well advanced therein; that although their chief practice, may be in the exercises of the love of God, yet, that many times, also, they do entertain themselves in the thoughts of his divine Fear; and upon those considerations which may help them to it. And e The remedy of this danger. thus, accompanying this holy Fear, with the love of God, the inconvenience, and danger, & loss whereof we have spoken, will cease; which yet will be sure to grow through the frailty of man, if he shall only employ himself in the exercises, and considerations of love. For this Fear, when it is joined with love, keepeth a man from being negligent in God's service; and it leaves no place for any faults to be committed against God, how venial and light soever they be; and it keeps him from giving over his penances and mortifications, or from using tepidity therein. Nay it causeth him to continue them with care, lest else he should indeed grow tepid; & it teacheth him to humble and despise himself, giving no place to pride, but fearing still his own frailty, and the judgement of God. Al this is wrought by this holy fear; & the same is witnessed by Ecclesiasticus who saith, Eccles. 1. The fear of God, drives sin away from the soul. It drives it away by penance, after it is committed, & it drives it away, by caution and resistance of temptation, before it is committed. And in another place, he saith, He that feareth God, is negligent in nothing; but fear makes him careful, and watchful, towards every thing that is good. For this, did the Apostle S. Paul, when he was persuading Christians to procure the purity and sanctity of their souls by efficacious, secure, & certain means, advice them to help themselves herein, with the holy fear of God; saying, Let us cleanse ourselves from all uncleanness both of flesh and spirit. 2. Cor. 7. That is to say, from all sin; as well that which may be committed by these exterior powers of our body, together with the consent of the mind, as that other which is committed by the only consent of the mind without the body. And let us perfect our sanctification, which is that purity & sanctity which we received, either in baptism, or by penance. Let us go conserving & increasing it with good works, and by the exercise of virtue, and by continual revewing our watchfulness and care, in flying all that is offensive to God. And let us do all this, with a fear of his divine Majesty. And S. Thomas giving a reason, why the Apostle saith not, that we should do it with the love, but with the fear, delivereth these words: D. Thom. in 2. Cor. c. 7. The Apostle saith not, with charity, but with fear of God; To teach us that the affection of love, which we are to carry towards God, is to be accompanied by a solicitude, and reverential fear. For this love, causeth security, whereby many times a man groweth careless and negligent in the service of God; but he who accompaineth that affect of love with fear, is watchful in the service of God, and runs diligently towards it, and flies speedily from any offence of him. This is delivered by S. Thomas. And for this reason it willbe fit, many times, to use the considerations of the divine judgement, from whence this holy & chaste fear may be fetched. And so we may comply with that, which the holy Apostle adviseth us saying: Work your salvation with fear, and trembling. Which is as much as to say, With an interior fear to offend God, which may be so great, as that it may appear by your exterior vigilancy and care to perform your works, whereby you may obtain that true and everlasting salvation. S. Bernard f A sweet & secure guide for us to follow. left this truth, confirmed both by his doctrine, and example, in these words: Bernar. in Cant. ser. 7 Happy is that soul wherein Christ our Lord hath set the print of his two feet; and wherein he hath left the marks and footestps of them both, which are the fear of his divine judgement, and the hope of his divine Mercy. For the consideration of the divine judgement alone, breeds disconfidence and despair; and the memory and consideration of his mercy alone, doth occasion a sly deceit of a man's self, & engendereth a very dangerous kind of security. And so have I experimented in myself. For the benignity of God sometimes hath granted to me (miserable creature) that I might sit down at the feet of jesus Christ my Saviour, and that I might with entire devotion, embrace the one foot of fear; & at other times, the other foot of confidence, and of love. And if at any time it happened to me, that, being forgetful for his mercy, I detained myself long in the consideration and apprehension of the divine judgement, I grew all dismayed, & distempered with an incredible kind of fear, and a miserable confusion; and all trembling, I would be crying out with the Psalmist, Psal. 8●. O Lord, who shallbe able to conceive or comprehend the power of thy wrath! And who, through the fear he hath, shallbe able to measure out the greatness, and mightiness of that indignation, which thou wilt execute against sinners in the other life! And g See & imitate the great humility of this excellent Saint, and learn hereby to know thyself. if, on the other side giving over the consideration, and exercise of this fear, I detained myself long in the consideration and meditation of the mercy of God, I should be grown to fall into such a deal of careless negligence, that even then already, my prayer would become more remiss & myself more slothful towards a●… good works, and I should be more disposed towards laughter, and such idle intertaynements; more free and liberal in my speech, and more unsettled both in my inward & outward man. Being therefore taught by experience, which hath been a faithful Master to me, I wi●… sing to thee, O Lord, not only judgement, nor only Mercy, but Mercy & judgement both together; and both these means of justification, will I exercise, and use as long as the time of Pilgrimage, in this banishment of mine shall last, and till I arrive to be possessed of that most happy state, wherein all misery, and all cause of compunction and fear, shall cease, and all my glory shall be to praise thee for all eternity. This saying is of S. Bernard, wherein by the testimony of what he experienced in himself, he confirmeth that, which the holy Scripture and the doctrine of the Saints do teach, concerning the necessity, wherein all the servants of God are, (towards the keeping of themselves still his servants) to join holy fear with love, and the considerations of the divine judgement, & the punishments inflicted by his justice, with the considerations of the mercy of God; and of the favours & benefits, which he communicateth with a most liberal hand, to such as keep his Law. CHAP. XIII. Of how great value, and merit, this holy Fear is. THIS is the first way of answring that which was demanded. The a The second answer of the former objection. second is, that when we speak of servile fear, & of accompanying the same with the love of God, it is true, that the exercise of love is much more excellent than that of fear. For as we have said, servile fear, which hath the eye upon punishment is imperfect, and but of beginners, & it is found even in them who are not yet in state of grace; nor can it be meritorious, nor wholly acceptable to our Lord God. But speaking of filial fear, whereby a man feareth and flieth from sin, because it is the offence of God; and of that reverenciall fear, whereby the soul reveareth his divine Majesty; and doth humble herself to him, by doing his divine will; and comparing this kind of fear with the love of our Lord God, and considering that which indeed doth pass in just persons; it is not an exercise less excellent, nor less pleasing to God, nor less meritorious than is that of love. For b Filial fear riseth out of love. this holy fear springeth out of the true love of God; and embraceth the same love as the fountain, & root from whence it springs. For from loving of God, doth grow the fear of offending him; and from the love of virtue, groweth the fear of losing it; & from the high estimation which the soul makes of God, and the fulfilling of his will, doth grow a profound reverence of God, and the keeping of his law, and the fear of doing any thing which is contrary to the same. And so the good Christian, whilst he is exercising the chaste fear of a son of God, he doth also exercise the love of God. So saith S. Augustine, Aug. in psal 118. serm. 25. The fear through which a man love's not virtue, but flies from the punishment of vice, is a servile fear; and this fear is that, which shutteth Charity out of doors, and the same Charity which also shutteth out this kind of fear, doth produce and breed that other chaste fear, through which the soul fears to sin, though it were never to be punished. And this is that holy fear, which just men do exercise in the consideration of the divine judgement; because, as we have declared, through the great desire which they have to please God, and to do according to his will in all things, they dispose themselves to consider the divine judgement, so to know the better, and as it were to feel, the grievousness of sin, and the punishment, that falls upon it; and the much that God abhors it; & so to procure a sorrow and hatred of sin, as being an offence of God; and to fear it much, and to fly from it with great care, as being contrary to his divine will; and so exercising this chaste fear, which is an effect & fruit of divine love, he exerciseth love with all, which is the cause of that fear: for this it is, that we have said, that the just man exercising this filial fear, doth not lose the least grain of the excellency and merit of his love; and that the exercise of filial fear, is not less pious and acceptable to God, then that of love. For in fine this is the fear of Saints, to all whom the Psalmist speaks by saying, Psal. 33. O all you Saints fear our Lord. And this is that fear, which hath for a reward, That it obtaineth of God what it will, as the Psalmist doth also witness, saying, Psal. 140. God will fulfil the will of them that fear him; and will hear their prayers, granting all which they ask. To b True hope riseth out of filial Fear. conclude, this is that fear which maketh men happy in this life, through the lively hope, and pledge it gives of glory; in the other life it will give the possession thereof. For a truth it is, delivered by the holy Ghost, Prou. 28. Blessed is the man who always life's in the holy fear of God. CHAP. XIIII. Of the favours which Christ our Lord will do to the good at the day of judgement; and of the joy which they shall conceive, by seeing the signs, which precede that judgement; and by beholding the glory of the Cross, which shall go before Christ our Lord. GREAT are the benefits which we find in that divine judgement, & the fruits which we gather thence by our considering that which Christ our Lord will show upon the wicked. For, as we have declared, it doth clearly discover the grievousness of sin, and how mightily it is abhorred by our Lord God, and it moveth us to a hatred, and a fear thereof. But yet greater are the blessings which we find in the judgement of God; and the profit which we reap from thence, by considering that which Christ our Lord will then do for his servants; & the favours which he will impart, and the felicity which he will communicate. For in this, doth he discover his goodness, and the much that he loveth such as are good; and the estimation which he makes of virtue; & he awaketh and provoketh us much to love him, and he doth animate and encourage us much, to labour hard in his service, and that for the pleasing of him, and complying with his holy will, we must employ ourselves in all kind of virtue. Let us therefore go declaring the favours which Christ our Lord will impart to the good, in this his judgement; to the end that we may gather this fruit from thence. A great a How differently the same things do work upon the good and the bad. benefit and favour shall it be for the good, that those very signs which are to precede the divine judgement, as namely the darkening of the Sun, the Moon, & Stars, the swelling up of the Sea, the opening of the earth, withal the rest, which are to strike such excessive horror into the wicked; and will cause in them such an extreme affliction and dismay, so far, as that they shall go like persons even distracted and mad with grief, & shall even be dried up and withered, through the deadly pain and sorrow, which they shall receive, as our Lord himself declareth, saying: Luc. 21. Men shall whither with the fear they willbe in of those miseries which they expect, and of which, those signs are the forerunners: That these very signs, I say, shall give to those just men, the servants of God whom they shall find alive, great strength & courage great confidence and security in God; & shall cause them great alacrity and comfort, and they shall go all refreshed, and fully at ease, as being animated with a new spirit of hope and joy. For b The great reasons, which good men have to be glad of death, and the day of judgement just men, who cordially do love Almighty God, do much desire to leave the miserable estate of this life, where God is so many ways offended; and when themselves cannot forbear to fall into some defects; which although they be light & venial, yet for as much as they go against the will of God, they feel them much, and much pain by them; & where they also find, that they have many impediments to keep them from communicating with God, & from loving him, and tasting him as they desire: These persons do extremely covet the state of immortality & glory, where they shall most perfectly, both in body and soul, enjoy the favours and benedictions of God as the Apostle declareth c The sense is of the B. Apostle, and it is opened and explained by our Author. saying: Rom. 8. We know that all creatures, that is to say, all the whole machine of the world (which conteyns all the sensible creatures) is groaning under the weight, and mutability, and corruption, which it is subject to. And as a woman, who being in labour of her child, doth expect to bring him forth; so doth it remain with a kind of weariness, and grief, from the very first beginning of the world, till this instant; desiring & hoping to see itself free from this corruption and mutability; & to be all renewed, according to the imitation, and resemblance of that glorious liberty of the sons of God. And we the disciples & servants of Christ our Lord, who have received the chief, and first fruits & gifts of the holy Ghost, do sigh, & groan withal the affection of our hearts, towards the perfect & complete adoption of the sons of God; which is the glory, not only of our souls, but even of our bodies also, whereby the whole man shall be delivered from all mortality, and corruption, and from all evil inclination & concupiscence; and shall perfectly enjoy, both in body and soul the redemption, which was wrought by Christ our Lord. This is of the Apostle. And for as much as this desire is of just persons, and that, in itself, it is so very internal, and so vehement; when they shall see the signs of the divine judgement, they shall know that the time is then close at hand; wherein that desire of theirs is to be satisfied, and when they are to be possessed of that happy state, and wherein they are to be free both in body and soul from all corruption and misery both of sin and penance. And they shallbe full of glory in their souls; and their bodies, being adorned with the glorious stole of immortality, are to enjoy God eternally in his kingdom. Now d The joy which the elect will have to see themselues so near the end of their hope. by this so certain, & secure hope, that God willbe so gracious to them, as to grant that they may possess, & enjoy that immense good, which they so mightily desire, and to which, then, they shall be brought so near, they will rejoice, and be revived in a wonderful manner; and give strange thankes to God, for having brought them to see that day, and for having continued them in his service; and vouchsafed to give them such tokens & pledges of his glory. All this did Christ our Lord unfold, in the Gospel. For having reckoned up the signs which are to appear before his coming to judgement, and the fear and sorrow wherewith they shallbe received by the wicked; turning then his discourse to his disciples (and in their persons to all such as would be their imitators, and were to be alive at that time) he saith, after this manner: When these things shall arrive, which are to precede my coming, do you lift up your heads Be not disquieted, be not dismayed, give no place to sorrow, none to fear, or to distrust, as the lovers of the world will do, who will go with the head all hanging down like men afflicted and dismayed But have you great confidence, conceive great courage, be cheerful and rejoice, and with this confidence and joy lift up your hearts & your face, to God, for now your redemption draweth near. The time 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 immortal glory both to body and soul. Another great favour to the just, willbe, to see, appearing in the air (and that high up near heaven, and before the person of Christ our Lord) the sign, and standard of the most holy e Happy souls, which here are devoted to the Cross of Christ our Lord Cross, not made of wood, or mettle, but of other most glorious matter, and more brightly shining, & incomparably with more beauty, than the sun; and in proportion so very large, that being placed on high, it may be seen over the whole earth, by all the inhabitants thereof. For a matter and motive it is of incomparable comfort & joy, for them to see in such high honour and glory, that Cross, which they adored, as the Image of Christ, and which they loved, by enduring and suffering affronts and pains for his sake. When f A profound, & yet a plain consideration. a worldly man doth hate any thing, or any person, and seethe it or him advanced to honour, it puts him to pain. Wicked men, in this life, did abhor the Cross of Christ, because they did extremely love the pleasures and delicacies, & transitory honours of this world, & they detested to suffer pain & shame in the virtue, and for the love of Christ our Lord. So doth S. Paul express it saying: Phil. 3. There are many who live and converse among you (of whom I have advertised you many times, & now again I repeat it with grief & sorrow of my heart) who are the enemies of the Cross of Christ, since they give themselves to delights and delicacies, and to ambition and pride, which the Cross of Christ doth condemn; and they fly from penance, and mortification, and abstinence, and from the exercises of humility, to which the Cross of Christ doth persuade and teach. When therefore these men shall see, in that divine judgement that the Cross of Christ is so highly honoured, and made so glorious, which they with their works did so abhor, it shall replenish them with pain and grief. For thereby they shall more clearly see their error, and the eternal condemnation, which is prepared for them. For that, is to be the end of such men, as the same Apostle declareth saying: Whose end, is death, and the destruction of their souls. On g The same consideration continued. the contrary side, whosoever he be that doth greatly love any thing or person, he rejoiceth & taketh comfort to see that it is honoured & esteemed by others. And now for as much as the servants of God do cordialy love the Cross of Christ which is, To mortify themselues with things of difficulty to flesh and blood; and to suffer pains, and tribulations, and affronts for his love, and in the imitation of his Passion. For as S. Paul saith: Galat. 5. They who are of Christ, and who re lively members of him, and who have his spirit, and who are governed by him, do crucify their flesh, and chastise it with penances, and by willingly embracing those affronts & pains, which God presents And by afflicting their flesh, in this manner, they do withal, destroy and kill the vices, and ill desires which sprout from thence. Now when the servants of God, shall see that Cross, h And have we not reason to love it, since it was the instrument of our redemption. which they loved so much, and wherein they did so greatly rejoice, become exalted, and so glorious, and so highly honoured by Almighty God; and so reveared by the whole world, they shall receive thereby, excessive joy, and consolation; to see how well they chanced in following the Cross of Christ our Lord; and they shall hold it as an express sign of the glory, which God will give to them. For, a truth of God it is, which is pronounced by his Apostle: That whatsoever tribulation or pain or trouble is suffered in this life for the love of God (which how long soever it lasts is but momentary, since it life's no longer than we live) & which how grievous soever it may seem, yet to the souls that love God, and are assisted by his holy grace, is light and easy) doth work in us, and that as a meritorious cause, a weight of most sovereign glory, overflowing beyond all measure, and exceeding all that which we can so much as even imagine; & this is not to be of temporal glory, but a glory which shall never end. CHAP. XV. Of the favour which Christ our Lord will do his servants, at the day of judgement, by separating them from the wicked. ANOTHER benefit & favour, and that a great one, will Christ our Lord, do to his servants in the day of judgement, 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 son of man shall come to judge, he shall sit upon the throne of his Majesty, & all the nations of the earth shallbe assembled before him; and, as the shepherd divides the sheep from the Goats, so shall he divide the good and bad from one another." The good he calleth sheep, for the innocency, simplicity, meekness, & fruitfulness in good works wherewith they abound and the wicked he calleth Goats, for their barrenness in doing any thing that is good; and for the ill odour of their vices, and the impetuousness of their passions, to which they are subject. 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 prevent them. This a He that finds not this grief in his heart is not so much in love with God, as he perhaps conceives is a grievous torment; and the more they love God, & the fulfilling of his law, so much greater is the grief which they conceive, by seeing him offended, and it despised. This did S. Peter explicate, when he said of Lot, 2. Pet. 2. That he was a just man & as such he could not endure to see sins committed, and yet he dwelled among such men, as tormented his very soul, by their sins. Another thing which afflicteth good men, when they live and converse with such as are wicked, is the danger b Thou little knowest, the extreme danger into which ill company doth cast thee. wherein they are, of losing the virtue which they have. For as the example of the good, doth induce men to the love of virtue, so doth the example of the wicked to the love of vice. For this cause, did the Apostle say to the Corinthians who were men of virtue: 1. Cor. 15. Do not suffer yourselves to be deceived; depart from the company and communication of the wicked; for evil words do prejudice and corrupt goodworkes, and so make men bad of good. For as much therefore as d The more virtuous men are, the less they presume upon themselues. good men do understand their own frailty; they do greatly apprehend their spiritual hurt; therefore do they feel great pain, by running hazard of falling into such a thing as sin, which they do so much abhor. The third thing which afflicteth good men, who find themselves in the company of wilful sinners, is fear to be punished jointly with them. For although, in this life, God doth not punish the soul of one, for the sins of another; yet e The judgments of God, are sometimes secret, but they are ever just. it happeneth, that for as much as concerneth temporal things, God sendeth punishment sometimes to some who are good, for the sins of other with whom they live. As he did, to the Children of Israel, Iosu. 7. who for the sins of Acham (who took some part of the enemy's spoils against the commandment of God) retired his hand of succour from them all, and discontinued the strength, which he had given them; and so they were subdued and slain by their enemies. And God declared, that he sent that punishment for the sin of Acham, saying; The children of Israel, shall not be able to resist their enemies, but they shall fly from before their face; because they are polluted, by his sins, who took that, which was solemnly forbidden. I will no more declare myself in favour of you, till you punish him. And so Acham being punished, God returned again to show them favour. Now this course of Gods punishing, in temporal things some one, for the sins of another, may be taken by Almighty God (without the least injustice to any one, because he is the absolute Lord of all things, and he doth whatsoever he doth upon perfect reason) to declare, as S. Austin showeth, Augu. in joshua q. ●. what a wicked thing sin is, and how profoundly it is hated by him. D. Thom. 2. ●…q 108. art. 4. And this is to be understood, when the good, who live amongst the wicked, do not yet participate with them in their sins; for when they do partake or consent therein, and do f It is no small 〈◊〉 for a 〈◊〉 not to ●…prehen● sin in due time & place. not reprehend or correct them, as they ought, than God doth not only chastise them in temporal things, as of the body, or goods, but also in those other which concern the soul; and that not only 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 pain, when they are in company of the wicked. And so it will be a most singular benefit, and of supreme consolation and joy, for the good to see themselves separated, & that for ever, from the society of the wicked. And to know so clearly, that then no longer they shall be able to see with their eyes, nor to hear with their ears, in those eternal habitations of theirs, any thing at all which may be of the least offence to God. But that whatsoever they shall either hear, or see, is to be nothing else, but the praising and glorifying of his divine Majesty with supreme perfection. And to know, that then they shall not be able to have so much as any occasion, or danger of it, nor that there shall be any one, in heaven, who may give them example of sin by deed, or persuade them to it by word. For all they whom there they are to have for companions, & that for ever, are to be Saints; and so truly Saints, that they shall never cease, not so much as for one little, single moment from loving God, with the very highest top of all perfection, & from doing the holy will of God in all things, with unspeakable comfort and joy. And yet further to know that then they are free for ever, from all kind of punishment; & from all danger to suffer any. For as for any sins of their own, they cannot be punished for any such, because they can commit none; and as for the sins of others, they cannot be punished for them, because they have not, nor cannot have the company of any such as can sinne. But on g How every one of the Elect will joy in the glory of each other. the other side they are to have an augmentation of glory, for the most holy society which they shall enjoy of the Blessed, through whose glory their glory also shall increase, For the immense ardour of love, wherewith they will be carried to God, will be the cause why they shall take particular gust, in that love, wherewith every one of those blessed souls, shall glorify, & love Almighty God. And so also the supreme love which every one of the same blessed souls shall bear each other, will make than receive particular joy, by every one in particular. O most blessed creatures, who are to live in such a society; and who are to enjoy such a communication of felicity for all eternity. If it be a great benediction to enjoy the society of good men, here on earth; what kind of blessedness will it be to enjoy the company of blessed souls? If it be a matter of much profit and comfort to participate in the communication of the gifts of grace; what kind of profit, what kind of comfort will it be, to have communication with so many Saints both men and Angels, in the gifts of glory? O with how much reason is it said: Psal. 23. Blessed are they, O Lord, who dwell in thy house; they shall praise thee there, through the eternity of all eternities, Amen. CHAP. XVI. Of the favour, which Christ our Lord imparteth to his servants at the day of judgement, by giving them his benediction, and communicating his kingdom to them. THIS benefit and favour, is followed by another, which yet is greater. For the good, being once separated from the wicked, & being placed upon the right hand of Christ our Lord; this celestial King shall cast towards them, his most gracious countenance, being all full of suavity, and delight. And passing his sentence of favour on them, he will say, Come ye blessed of my Father. The benediction of God is the good gift of God; and so, to be blessed by him, is to be filled withal those good gifts and graces, which God communicates to his servants. That is, withal those principal benefits, which the Saints have here on earth (when once they are made pure and clean from all imperfections) and withal those others also, which the Angels do possess in heaven; &, which is more, with all those goods & graces which the King of heaven himself, doth possess and enjoy. For, as S. john affirmeth, 1. joan. 3. When he shall appear, we shallbe made like to jesus Christ our Lord, participating of his power, of his beauty, of his wisdom, of his goodness, of his joy, of his glory. He a How grace and glory proceed from God the Father and how also from the other persons of the most B. Trinity. calleth them Blessed of his Father, to declare the fountain, & first offspring, from whence all the benefits of grace and glory spring, and this is the eternal Father; and beside, because all that which the Father operateth, is also the work of God the Son as he is God; as also it is the work of God the holy Ghost. For the Divinity, the Goodness, and the Power, is the very same in all the three Persons; and to attribute them all to the Father (as to the first Author of all that is good) is to offer them also to the Son, as he is God; and it is also to offer them to the holy Ghost, who is one God, with the Father, and the Son. O happy men, who are to receive such a benediction! A benediction, given by Christ our Lord, in the face of heaven and earth, & of all the creatures! A benediction authorized by all the most Blessed Trinity, as the Author and fountain of the same! A benediction which comprehends all the chief gifts of grace, & all the gifts of glory! A benediction full of benefits, unspeakable, most high, and truly heavenly, which contain all the most chief and choice part of heaven! A Benediction of eternal benefit! A Benediction irrevocable, which can never 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 truly happy, as our Lord himself declareth saying: Come and possess the kingdom, which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Kingdoms b The great differences which are between an earthly & a heavenly kingdom. & dominions you had on earth, but temporal kingdoms & dominions they were & of little value & comfort; or ratherful of miseries; & whatsoever they were, they are now grown to an end. Laying aside those miserable kingdoms which already are ended, come and possess another kingdom, which is celestial & full of incomparable happiness; a kingdom of infinite value; a kingdom which eternally shall continue. And although every one of you is to be a king of this kingdom, and is to reign and possess the same; yet the kingdom is still but one. For all of you are to be subject and obedient (but it is to be with supreme love) to this Sovereign King, in whose company you are to reign. And because all of you are to be of one heart and of one will, united by most perfect love, in such sort that the blessings belonging to any one in particular to be of you all (so fare forth as to rejoice therein) and they of you all to be of every one (to rejoice with them, to whom in particular they belong) this kingdom is also to be but one. Yet still, though this kingdom be but one, you shall all be kings, and you all shall reign. For the kingdom is infinite in the greatness of the felicity, which is possessed therein; and it is infinite also, in the continuance, since it is eternal. And to the end that you may discern the altitude of this kingdom, and the great affection where with it is given you, Behold, it hath been prepared for you since the beginning of the world. The election c Of our election to the kingdom of heaven and the preparation, which is made for us toward the same. of the inhabitants of this kingdom was made before the world was created; for they were chosen and predestinated from all eternity to raigine therein. But the preparing of those things which concern this kingdom, and the putting of those means in practice, which had relation to the obtaining thereof, did begin at the beginning of the world. From that time, were framed those most sumptuous palaces, those most beautiful habitations, and those most glorious seats and thrones, where the inhabitants of this kingdom were to live & reign. Then were created and were made happy those first Citizens of this kingdom, which are the Angels, who were to keep men company therein, and to augument the glory which men were to possess in this kingdom. And so also from the first beginning of the world, there were gifts of graces which came to be communicated to men, whereby they were to obtain this kingdom. And for God to create man, and withal to communicate justice & grace to him, whereby he might procure this kingdom, all that was done at once; & from that time, to this, nothing hath been done, but to dispose and help men, & give them means that they might come to possess and perfectly enjoy this kingdom, in glory both of body and soul. This is that most blessed sentence, which Christ our Lord will give in favour of his servants; & that being done, he will instantly raise them up together with himself, and will invest them with the most glorious possession of his celestial kingdom. CHAP. XVII. Of the felicity which Christ our Lord will communicate to his servants, in the kingdom of heaven. LET a A most excellent most sweet, most profound, & yet most plain description of the joys of heaven, throughout this whole Chapter. us yet more particularly contemplate the Majesty of this kingdom, which Christ our Lord imparteth to his servants; and of that felicity which is possessed therein; to the end that we may gather that fruit, which it is fit for us to feed upon; which is nothing else, but the disposing of ourselves to the obtaining of this kingdom, by an imitation of the virtues of Christ our Lord. And b The place of the kingdom of glory. first, the situation and place of this kingdom, is that supreme heaven, which for the glorious brightness and splendour which is found therein, is called Empyreal. The altitude and capacity, and beauty & admirable design, the grace and suavity of this place though it be such, as no tongue of flesh and blood can declare; yet to give us to understand, some part of that which there is found, by a comparison of those things which here we know, S. john describes it in the Revelations after this manner. Apoc. 21. & 22. He was carried in spirit, to a mountain which was great and very high; and he saw that holy Jerusalem the celestial City, full of the clarity of God; all built of perfect, pure and most resplendent gold, like clean, pure glass. It had a wall about it of jaspar, both very thick, and very high, the foundations whereof, were adorned with precious stone. In this wall, were twelve gates, and every one of them, was made of a most precious pearl and that pearl alone, did make the gate. This City had within a very spacious open place, all paved with gold, most pure & most resplendent, & in the midst of that place, there was a river of infinite sweetness. A Temple also there was, to adorn this City; and a light to illuminate it; and this Temple and Light was God himself, and therefore it must needs be fare from having any necessity of any other Temple or Light. By these words S. john describeth the situation of the Kingdom of heaven, and the habitation of the Saints. And although it be true, that there are not there, any of those metals of gold or silver, or any of these precious stones of earth (for all these things are poor and base, and of no value) yet c We who are sensible creatures, as well as spiritual, must be raised towards spiritual things by such as are sensible; and therefore the use of ceremonies, and Images, is very necessary. he delivereth himself thus, that by those things which are the most precious and beautiful of the earth, the soul may rise to consider the greatness & beauty of heavenly things, understanding ever, that those, are incomparably better than these. And as the whole globe of the heavens, is so far exceeding the earth in greatness, that the whole earth is but as a point, or in effect as nothing, in comparison of the heavens; so is it in all the rest as well as in greatness. And all the brightness, and beauty, and sweetness of things of this world, being compared with those of heaven, are as if they had not, so much as the least being at all. So that the advantage which the habitation of heaven 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 carried by the house of the Creator in respect of a creatures house; and by the City of God, in respect of the City of men; and by that sphere of felicity and eternal joy, in respect of this Centre of miseries, and this valley of tears. The d Man's supreme happiness consisteth in the vision of God. chief felicity which is enjoyed in this sovereign City by clear vision, is God himself. His servants, saith S. john, Apoc. 22. in this City of God shall see his face. What unspeakable happiness, what Abyss, what immense kind of sea of all felicity, will it be to look the Divinity of God in the face, without the interposition or interpretation of any creature? To e A most sweet explication of the most blessed Trinity. see that divine essence, in three persons; and three divine persons in one, and the self same essence; to see the power of the Father, the wisdom of the Son, & the goodness of the holy Ghost? To see how the Father, from all eternity, engenders the Son, communicating to him his divinity; and how the Father and the Son, as one & the same eternal spring or root, do by spiration, give proceeding to the holy Ghost, and communicate their divine essence to him? To see how all the perfection of God, is in every one of the three divine persons; and how all the perfection, that any one of the diuin persons hath, the very same is possessed by either of the other divine persons. What kind of incomparable joy will that be, so clearly to behold an infinite Good, which is all amiable, all full of infinite beauty, of suavity, and of delight. And not only to see it, in some manner, which might be less excellent, but to behold it with the eyes of an incorruptible soul, and they most brightly clarified by the light of glory; & everlastingly to love it, without ceasing, & that with a most perfect love, and to possess it with a perpetuity of security. After f Of knowledge, Love and joy, and how they grow out of one another. the rate of the knowledge of any thing, grows the love to be; and after the rate of the love, is the joy for that which is so much beloved; and that knowledge which the Saints have of God, being the greatest which can possibly be had (since it is the clear sight of God) the love must also be so great, as that greater cannot be conceived. The g The motives of love. soul is moved to love a thing, which it knows, because it is good, because it is beautiful, because it is profitable, because it is delightful, because it concerns the soul, and is, after a sort, belonging to it. And so much more as that thing is good, more beautiful, more profitable, more delightful, more concerning it, and more belonging to it, so much more doth the soul (if it know that thing well, and be hindered by no impediment at all) delight in it, and love it, with a more intense, and perfect love. Well then, since all these reasons, and titles, & motives of love, are found to be in God, with infinite perfection (and the soul clearly seeing God and meeting with no impediment which may hinder love) with what love so intense, and so immense, will it be sure to love him? By h The rivers of joy which overflow a soul which is in glory. seeing that he is infinite goodness, there is engendered in the soul, a most copious river of love; By seeing that he is infinite beauty, there is produced in it, another most abundant river of love; By seeing how full of advantage it hath been, and is, and ever will be to the soul; and that in some sort it is even infinite, there flows from the soul another river of love, so wide, and deep, as that it hath neither bottom nor brim. By seeing that it is an infinite delight, and sweetness, and that it concerns the soul so much, and that she doth so dearly truly belong unto it; and that it is her creator, her father, her God; and that all her being depends upon it; there is also created in the soul another most copious and most abundant river of love; and all these rivers of love, meeting then in one, the soul of every Saint in heaven grows to have in it an unbridled boundless Sea of love. He that i Be still attentive. love's a thing, doth wish it well; & if he may see the good he wishes, it gives him joy; and the more he love's, and the more he desires, and the greater that the good is, so much the greater is the joy. Now then, since the Saints in heaven do love God, with a whole boundless Sea of love; and seeing that he possesseth all the good which they can wish (as namely that he is God himself) and that, together with God, he is infinitely happy; who can say what delight, who can say what joy they shall receive; since it is bound to be great according to the rate of their love. Infallibly they shall possess a whole immense Sea of divine joy; an immense Sea shall they possess, of celestial and supreme delights. This is that delight and joy, which the soul receives from God himself, being an infinite good; when once she is possessed of a clear vision of him, and that by love. O k Infinite joy. joy, which overcomest all joy! O joy, which embracest all our good! O joy, without limit! O eternal joy! O joy which art the ever running fountain of all joys! O joy which knowest how to satisfy all the desires, and canst fill up all the hollows and empty places of the soul; Matt. 25. and dost possess whatsoever we shall ever be able to think! To this joy doth Christ nivite all his faithful servants, & this doth he give them, in reward of their virtue, saying, Rejoice O thou good & faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord. Another l The unspeakable joy, which they shall have by seeing the the most glorious humanity of Christ our Lord. felicity which the blessed souls shall have, is to behold the most glorious humanity of Christ our Lord; and to enjoy it, and to see him (even as he is man) in so excessive Greatness, and Majesty, and glory. And to see him withal so amiable, and so affable, & so dear sweet, towards all those happy souls; and to see that that Lord, who is man as they are, and who with his passion and death did for the love he bore them, redeem them from eternal damnation; the same man, I say, is the infinite and eternal God. O how will they love that most sacred humanity, which loved them so much, & which did and suffered so great things for them? O how will they rejoice to see that humanity so mightily sublimed, and united by an incomprehensible manner, to the person of the Word? O how will they glory in his felicity? O what delight & sweetness will they receive, from such a sight and from such a love? For as the prophet saith Isa. 33. They shall see the king in his beauty. Another m It will be an inestimable joy to see how infinitely God loveth them. supreme felicity for those happy souls, shallbe to see the love which God carries towards them; and wherewith the eternal father, did, from all Eternity love, and choose them, & did, in Time, bestow his Son upon them; and deliver him over to death for them; and to see that this love, in itself, is infinite, and the very same wherewith God love's himself. The n This truth is proved by a fit comparison. servant of a King, will much esteem, that the king do him favour, bestowing some important place upon him in his house, with good provision belonging to it. But much more will he esteem it, and much more contentment & comfort will he receive, to see himself beloved, by that king; and that he is a favourite of his And though he have but some conjectures of this love, and that it may easily be cooled and changed into a disaffection; yet doth he nevertheless esteem it more, than all the other favours which the king doth him. For by loving him, he giveth him his heart, which is incomparably more, then if he gave him a part of his fortune. What then will a Saint in glory feel in himself when he shall see, that he is so beloved by God; and although the benefits which God hath done him are very great, yet the love he bears him is much greater; and although they are most precious benefits which there he is enjoying, by the guyft of God, yet much more precious is the love. For this love is the root & fountain of all the benefits, and gifts, and graces which he hath communicated; nay this love, is even very God himself. Now then to know this love of God, not by conjecture, but by seeing it expressly in God, with as great clarity as that wherewith he seethe God himself; and still to see with the same clarity that this love cannot be lost, no nor changed, but that for ever it shall remain invariable, with the self same permanency where with the truth of God himself shall remain, of which truth it is said Psal. 116. that it shall remain for ever; O how highly will the Blessed esteem & value this love of God O how imcomparable joy will they receive to see themselues so beloved by God When love is great, it hath this property & power, that by the band of the same love, it makes o Of the union, of several things which is made by love. him that love's, become the same thing with him that is beloved, and that he lodgeth his whole heart in him; & that with the chains of love he becomes imprisoned, and even captived by him, who is beloved, & that he depend wholly upon him; willing that which he wills, and communicating to him all his goods. Now then, since the Blessed souls, knowing that this is the property of intense love, and seeing themselves so beloved by God with this love which hath no measure, nor had no beginning, nor will have end; what kind of immense, incomparable joy, will this be to them? Without all question except the joy which they shall have in the felicity of God, whom they love more than themselves, this other is their greatest joy, to see themselves so beloved by him, who is omnipotent, and who is infinite beauty and glory, and the infinite fountain of all Good. Of this Love God himself giveth testimony, saying by the Prophet Hieremy: Hier. 33. With eternal love I have loved thee; and therefore did I in time show mercy to thee, and I called, and drew thee to my friendship and glory. CHAP. XVIII. Of other benefits which Christ our Lord communicateth to his servants, in his heavenly kingdom; and of the fruit of gratitude, which we must gather from the Consideration of this reward. BESIDES these benefits which are the chief, there are others yet, which are enjoyed by happy souls in the kingdom of heaven, which are also of invaluable value, and of incomparable joy. One of them is, to be in company of the Blessed; where there is such a multitude of a The incomprehensible number of the Angels. Angelical spirits, distinguished into nine Quires, as that they are in greater number, than all the men, which have been, which are, and which shall ever be; yea more, than all the corporeal creatures of the whole world put together. And where there are so many Patriarches, and Prophets, and Apostles, and Apostolical men, and Martyrs, and Confessors, and Virgins; and so many others, who by penance have made their way to heaven, & whom S. john (who saw them in a Revelation) saith, Apoc. 7. to be so many, as that they cannot be numbered. And b The dignity & excellency of those celestial inhabitants. all of them, are the sons of God, and Grandes in the Court of God; and Kings in the kingdom of heaven; and all of them, most perfect in virtue, and most sanctifyedly wise, and most beautiful, and full of immense glory; and all of them, so well content, and at ease, that they desire nothing but what they have, because they have as much, as possibly they can desire. And c What a noble conversation will this be? notwithstanding that they are so very high in dignity, and glory, yet withal, every one of them is most profoundly humble; all affable, and mild, and of most sweet condition. And being so innumerable as they are, they yet do all, know one another much better, and in a more intrinsical manner, than a man on earth can ever arrive to know himself. And they all do treat, and communicate with one another; and they love one another with such a love, as doth incomparably exceed, the love which any Mother can bear to a child. For in them all, there is but one affection and will, which is that of God, by the union, and conformity of will, which every one hath with his; and the felicity of all, every one esteemeth as his own; and the glory of every one in particular, is held as proper to every one. And d Every one of them hath excessive joy in the glory of any other. so, every one of the Blessed hath as many particular joys, as there are Angels, & Saints in heaven. For every one of them rejoiceth at the others good, as at his own; and he enjoyeth the joy of another, as his own joy; and so much more will one happy soul be glad of the glory of any other, as he shall see God to be more glorified in that other. But amongst all the e The inestimable joy which every of the Blessed have in beholding, and treating with the all immaculate Mother of God. Blessed, whether they be Angels, or mere men and women, the creature, who doth more ennoble, and engrandize, and delight, and make happy that most glorious court of heaven, is the most sacred Virgin Mary, that Lady, that Queen, that most dear divinely sweet enamoured mother of them all. For she is the true & natural mother of him who created them all, & who redeemed them all, and who endued 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, than they all together. All of them do ardently love one another, and they all converse, and behold each other with admirable sweetness; and they are all a cause of excessive joy and glory to one another. But f And woe will be to them, who do not love & honour and admire, and serve this sovereign Queen. this sovereign Queen love's them all, and every one of them as her dearest Children, and as her brethren and companions, and as the loving members of jesus Christ our Lord, who is her natural son. And she behoulds them all, with most gracious, & most amorous eyes; and she treats & communicates with them all, with a most incomparable sweetness; and by that presence, and communication of hers, she causeth in every one of them fare more joy, and fare more glory, than 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 triumphant, which is that celestial Jerusalem, in these words: There shall never be in thee, O thou Sovereign City, and thou land of the living, any sin or punishment; nor any news, or noise thereof. Instead of pain, thou shalt have perfect & eternal health; & instead of sin, thou shalt have the continual & everlasting exercise of the love of God. Our L●rd God shall be all in all to thee; thy Sun, and thy Moon, and thy light and thy glory, and all thy good. And a●l the elect are to make up, in thee, a people, and a most glorious and blessed common wealth; to the end that all together, may eternally enjoy the inheritance of those celestial benedictions. And let us see (since there are to be so many inhabitants in that sovereign City, and since every just person is to be a Citizen thereof) if there may there be found, any one who is weak or impotent, or who is subject to the least disgust. The Prophet doth instantly proceed, and say, The least of them all shallbe so full of power, as that he may stand for a thousand, of the strongest men; and the little one shall stand for a mighty Army. That is to say, every one of the Blessed shall participate so much of God, and shall find God to be so truly his, as that whatsoever he have a mind to do, for that he shall have sufficient power. And whatsoever felicity he shall desire, the same he shall possess, for in God he can do all, and he hath all. These g The fruits which grow from the consideration of the glory of heaven. benefits which we have here recounted, & other which be like to these, are possessed and enjoyed in that celestial kingdom which Christ our Lord, who is the judge both of the quick and dead, will impart to the just, in reward of their good life. And now let us reach towards the fruit which we must procure to gather, from the infallible knowledge of this truth. Whereof h Great estimation of the benefits; & great thanksgiving to the benefactor. the first is this: A very great estimation, and profound internal gratitude for this mercy, & unspeakable grace of God; that we being so poor creatures, so weak, so ignorant, and who, by our own fault, made ourselves so miserable, so base, so unworthy of all good, and who so well deserved the uttermost of all pain, God would yet make choice of us, from all eternity; and first create us, and after that sin was committed, redeem us; to the end that we might obtain that most sublime, and supernatural end of beatitude; which consisteth in seeing God, and in enjoying God, and in obtaining and possessing that by grace, which God himself doth possess by nature, which is to love & enjoy himself. Again, that he hath created, and ordained, and called, and justified us, for the enabling us to a dignity so sublime, as it is to be Kings of heaven; and to have seats, and thrones in that heaven which is called Empyreal, & that for ever. And there to possess the incomprehensible and eternal felicity of glory; & in this glory, to be companions of the Angels, yea and of God himself who is the Lord of the Angels. This I say, is a grace, and mercy, which we are to ponder, and most profoundly to esteem in the very roots of our hearts, and to be grateful to God for it, withal the powers of our soul; and with our tongue to bless and praise him for it, with S. Peter saying; Blessed and praised be our God, and the natural favour of jesus Christ our Lord, who through his great and most abundant mercy, hath engendered us anew (who were borne in sin, and were the Children of wrath, by our descent from Adam) by lively Faith, and by the Sacraments; making us, by this spiritual generation to become the sons of God himself, and giving us a certain & true hope of the true life, which is that blessed and everlasting end. And this he wrought in us, by the Resurrection of Christ our Saviour. For by his Resurrection, he procured that the world should believe in him, and should obey his gospel; and by means of this faith, and obedience, the fruit of his life and passion might be communicated to it; and by this lively hope, he first enabled us to expect, and afterward to obtain, the inheritance, which is due to the Son of God. The i An insatiable thirst after the joys of heaven. second thing which we are to draw from hence, is a very great, and lively, and efficatious desire of this kingdom of heaven; and that once we may arrive to possess and enjoy that celestial happiness. A man desires, even by the very appetit of nature, to be free from the affliction of pain, & other corporal miseries; but this desire cannot be fulfilled in this life. For all this life is full of affliction and sickness, & pains of body, and sadness and grief of mind; and difficulties, and troubles, and contradictions, by his kinsmen & friends, and of persecution by injustice, and oppressions of enemies; and of contrary and ill encounters in point of fortune; and of temptations of devils, and of the world; and of their laws and rights; and of our own corrupt nature, and all our evil inclinations. A man, saith job, life's but a little time, and that little, is full of many miseries. In heaven it is, where a man may have this desire satisfied, because there, as S. john saith, Apoc. 21. God will wipe away the tears from his friend's eyes, & there shall be no death, nor lamentation, nor any sad note, nor grief. For all this, had an end, in this life; and therefore it is necessary for a man to labour, with desire of the kingdom of heaven, where only this desire can be accomplished. A man k The just reason of this thirst, drawn from the sins wherewith the world abounds. desires, by the appetite of grace, to see himself free from the sins of his soul, which induce him to do ill. In this life, this delight cannot be accomplished; because all this life is full of innumerable sins; and wheresoever thou goest, thou shall see sin, and plenty of wickedness. And although, in many places it aboundeth more, or less, then in other; yet for the most part, every one of them is corrupted & defiled with diverse kinds of vices; yea and even the most just and holy men, have some venial sins, of which they cannot free themselves; and the same men run hazard to fall into other which are greater. For as S. john saith, 1. joan. 1. If we shall say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves therein, and we speak not truth. In heaven it is, where this desire is fulfilled; for there, is neither fault, neither can there be any. For as the same Apostle saith, Apoc. 21. Into that celestial Jerusalem nothing can enter, which is spotted. And therefore it is necessary, and most profitable, for a man to aspire to that habitation of heaven, where his desire may be satisfied. CHAP. XIX. How all the things of this life which are good, and which give delight, do induce us to a desire of the kingdom of heaven. NOT a We have reason to thirst after the kingdom of heaven through the consideration of earthly pleasures, which are miserable things, & yet they make a shift to please us. only do the evils of sin, and punishment (whereof this life of ours is full) incline us to desire the kingdom of heaven, which is free from all those inconveniences; but so also do all good things, which give us in this life any contentment, or gust either corporal or spiritual, persuade and move us to the same. For they all discover to us, the immensity of that celestial happiness; and the greatness of the appetite of our soul, which cannot be satisfied, and put in quiet, by any thing, which is less than that. For a man who, by his senses, taketh experience of the savour of his meat, and drink, and of the sweetness of music, and of the contentment which he hath in seeing those things which are artificial, gallant, and full of beauty; by the light of reason, and of faith, will grow to make this consideration. If a creature b A most certain truth, and which entereth sweetly into the soul. so base and of so small importance, as a bird, a liquor of milk, or wine, or any other thing that concerns our food, being touched but by the course palate of a man, do yet cause delight and gust, and such gust, as that for it, some men do expose themselves to much trouble and cost, yea and even to the very perdition of their souls; what savour, and what joy shall it give the soul, to be most profoundly internally with all the powers and forces thereof, united with God, and to taste God, he being that infinite good, and that infinite sweetness and joy; yea & the infinite fountain of all joy and sweetness. And with the same soul, to swallow down huge draughts of that river of delights, which is in the house of God; and which, in substance, is in even God himself, and the infinite and inexhausted sea, of all chaste and pure delights. If to see with these corporal eyes of ours, the design, 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 mettle, and wood, and other mate●…alls of this world) do cause such contentment, and joy, in the heart ●f man, by the sight thereof, that for ●…is sight, they endure, and suffer much; and make long journeys, and much expense; what comfort, and joy shall it be, for the clear eyes of the soul (being strengthened by supernatural force and light) to behold that beauty of the Angels, and blessed spirits; yea and the beauty of God himself. If to hear with our corporal ears, that Music which is made by the voice of a man, and of other instruments of Music, doth impart such sweetness, as that a man will remain many hours as if his soul were even suspended; and he is content to lose both his food and rest, for this earthly gust; what sweetness will it be, for those inhabitants of heaven, with the ears of their soul, to hear those consorts & melodious songs, wherewith all the Quires of the Angels do praise and glorify Almighty God. And to hear that most gracious voice, wherewith the same God doth comfort, and recreate all those blessed souls, & discovereth to them his Love, together with the secrets of his very heart. And to hear also even with the ears of their bodies, the sound of that praise, and thanksgiving, wherewith all those men who are to be made happy after their Resurrection, shall glorify Almighty God, & give joy to the whole court of heaven. A man c We have reason to aspire to eternal glory, since nothing of this life can quench our thirst. who considereth and pondereth by these, and such other discourses both of reason, and faith, the greatness of these celestial blessings, and who findeth, that neither the natural appetite of reason, and much less the supernatural, which he hath, being caused in him by grace, is satisfied or contented, or quieted by all the benefits, and gusts, and delights of the earth, but that even whilst he hath them he becometh more hungry, more discontent, and more unquiet than he was before; & that only he can be satisfied by the delights and gusts, which are in heaven, will be induced, upon this motive, to desire the happiness of heaven with a most vehement ardour of mind. And he is animated and encouraged to beg it of God, and to sigh and groan for it continually; and he saith with David: Psal. 41. As the heart with being chased and tired, and having deadly thirst, desires the waters and goes panting up and down in search thereof; so my soul being overwrought by the miseries of this life, desireth thee o my God & hath a mighty thirst, and an unsatiable appetit towards thee who art the fountain of the living water both of grace & glory, which can only satisfy and appease my whole appetit. How long o Lord am I to live in this place of banishment! When will it be granted me that being freed from the miseries of this exile, I may present myself before thee, and behold thee face to face, and enjoy thy presence, in the society of those happy souls! And as long as this sentence of banishement lies upon me, & that the sight of thy Divinity is deferred, I take contentment in nothing, but spending of sighs and shedding of tears, day and night, through the excessive desire that I have to be with thee; and by these tears my soul is comforted & mantained. Thus did David, and all those holy Patriarcks and Prophets, and great servants of God of the old Testament aspire, sigh and groan, with vehement desire of this celestial beatitude. And much more, and with more reason, did the Saints of the new Testament perform the same, and so should all true Christians do. First because till the passion of Christ our Lord was past, the Saints, how fully soever they were purged from all sin and pain, went not yet to heaven, but to the Lymbus of the holy Fathers, where they stayed from entering into heaven, 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 up, to the possession of everlasting beatitude. And secondly now in time of the law of grace, the gifts of the holy Ghost are more abundantly communicated to the faithful; & so they receive more consolations, and spiritual joy, and have more gust, & feeling, and experience of celestial graces; and do more perfectly understand the height, the value, and the majesty thereof, and consequently they desire them more, & with more ardour of affection than did the Saints of the old Testament. It doth also increase this desire in the time of the law of grace, to know that heaven is full of blessed creatures, who are of the race of mankind, and who are expecting us there; and do greatly desire our Society. For by the entry which any one of the elect doth make into heaven, the glory of God is increased; who is far more beloved and praised, and glorified by the just in heaven, then on earth; and so also doth the accidental joy, and glory of every one of the elect increase, upon the arrival of any other. But much more than they altogether, doth d This reason would extremely oblige us, though there were no other. Christ our Lord (who redeemed, & saved us by his death) desire to have us there with him. Both because he loveth us much more than they all are able to do, as also for that by the entry of the elect into heaven, and by the possession which them is given them of that kingdom, the whole fruit of his passion, and death is gathered, & all that is perfected and established, which he did and suffered for us here; that so he might make us completely happy, & be like to himself in glory; & be partakers of his heavenly kingdom; and in fine, to make us such, as that together with him, we may perfectly praise, and glorify, and enjoy his eternal Father. For these reasons doth he much desire to see us in heaven; and when that desire of his is satisfied by the ascent which any of the elect maketh thither; that most sacred soul of our Lord doth receive a new delight, & joy, which belongeth to his accidental glory. For as that kind of glory may increase in any of those other Blessed Spirits, so may it also do, in the most glorious Humanity of Christ our Lord. CHAP. XX. How from this knowledge, concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, which Christ our Lord will give his servants, we are to gather a resolute purpose to fly from sin, and to fulfil the Commandments of God, & to despise the commodities of this life. THE a The consideration of eternal glory must awake us to hate & fly from sin. third, and the principal use which we are to make, of this our knowledge, and estimation, and desire of heavenly beatitude, is a stout and resolute mind, and a stiff and effectual purpose, to put in execution, all those means, which are either necessary, or but even convenient, for the obtaining of this kingdom of heaven. Now, for the entering into heaven, it is necessary to cast sin away. For Sin gives impediment to all approach thither; and they who have the soul loaden with any one mortal sin, cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. Let us therefore cleanse our souls from former sin, by penance; and let us resist all temptations (lest else we may return to fall again) according to the advice of the Apostle, who saith, Holding fast these promises of God, which are so great, and so certain, and do concern those sublime gifts of grace and glory, let us, my brethren much beloved, cleanse ourselves from all spot of sin; whether it be interior, or exterior. He saith, from all sin, because it will behoove us to be cleansed from all; and we must fly with diligence from all. From mortal sins, because they are against Charity, & do separate us from God; and from venial sins, because they are contrary to the will of God, and they weaken the soul; and dispose it to commit mortal sin, & consequently to forfeit the kingdom of heaven. So also, for entering into heaven, 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 eternal life, which is true life, keep the commaundments. Complying b It must stir us up to the practice of all virtue. therefore with this obligation, let us perform holy works, whereby we may fulfil the commandment of God; and let us put in execution the virtues of Humility, Chastity, Mercy, justice, Temperance, Fortitude, Religion, and Charity; by which if they be wrought in state of grace, and do grow out of Charity, they will make us worthy of eternal life. Besides, c It exhorteth us to perseverance. for the obtaining of this kingdom of heaven, it is necessary that we continue in the good begun, till we end in doing well, as our Lord did teach us, saying, Matt. 24. He that continueth to the end, shall be saved. Let us therefore persevere in good life; and although the devils cumber us with their temptations, & though men do persecute us with their injuries, and though our Lord God do try us by many tribulations, let us not turn back, nor be dismayed, nor suffer ourselves to fall down, to inordinate sorrow, nor impatience, nor disconfidence; but let us continually make our recourse to God; and praying to him with humility, let us beg strength at his hands, wherewith to suffer, and constancy that we may persevere, & confidence that we may not despair. So doth the Apostle advice the Galathians saying: Galat. 6. We who are living well, and do exercise ourselves in good works, let us not faint, nor give over, no nor grow slack in the good course begun; but let us continue, and grow therein, with great constancy. For in due time we shall gather the fruit, if we do not faint. That is to say, we shall eat the fruit of glory, which shall have no end. Moreover d We must not think of finding our heaven in this life, if we mean to have it in the next. for the arriving to enjoy celestial beatitude, we must despise the goods, and pleasures of this world. And it is necessary that we place not our hearts or ends in them; nor that we seek for comfort in them, as Christ our Lord did signify to us by saying, Luc. 6. Woe be to you, who are the lovers of riches, and who have placed your comfort, in the commodities of this life. For this reason it will be necessary, in most particular manner, to contemn all the commodities of this life; namely riches, honours, and pleasures, as poor things transitory, and base; for by despising them we shall not place our end, nor seek for comfort in them. This is therefore that fruit, which we are to gather from the knowledge, and desire of celestial beatitude. For knowing the greatness, and beauty, and value of heavenly things, we grow quickly, and clearly, to see the vileness, & poornes of such as be earthly; and by desiring and tasting eternal things, we grow instantly to lose the love, and taste of all things transitory. And thus shall we perfectly accomplish that which the Apostle asketh at the hands of all the faithful, saying: Coloss. 3. If you be raised up with Christ, seek the things that are above. That is e A place of S. Paul excellently pondered. to say, Since you are risen up in soul to a spiritual life of grace, with hope to be raised up, in due time, to an immortal and glorious life both in body and soul, (in imitation of Christ our Lord, who rose up from the dead to an immortal and glorious life) seek you with your thoughts, with your desires, with your good works, and with continual prayer, the kingdom of heaven. And since Christ our Lord who is your head, is seated at the right hand of his Father, possessing and enjoying even as man, the greatest authority and the greatest felicity of glory which he did ever communicate in Time, or will ever communicate for all Eternity, you that are members of his, take gust and savour in heavenly things; and place not your delight, and love upon those of the earth, but desire those others so from the heart, and with so great purity of life, that you may, even by experience, find the gust and most pure savour of them; & address your life, in order to this end of eternal glory, which you love, and for which you hope. This efficacious purpose, & determinate resolution to cleanse the soul from all vice, to employ it with perseverance in good works; and cordially to despise earthly things, is the use which we are to make, of the knowledge and desire of celestial beatitude, as hath been said. And it is most just, & due, that so we do, and that, for the going through with this enterprise which we are to make, upon heaven, we be content to undertake all labour, and to encounter with any difficulty. All the things f A plain demonstration, and I am in good hope, that it will convince thee. of this life, which are of any value, & are able to give but the least contentment, do cost some trouble, and in all them some difficulty is to be endured. The husbandman, for gathering in of a little corn, doth manure, and plough the ground before he sows; and after he hath sowed, and that the blade is up, and the corn is grown, is fain first to cleanse it, and then to shear it, with much labour. The Shepherd for the breeding of his poor flock, doth content himself to endure the heats, and colds, and raines, and winds, and night-watches. All Merchants and Factors, and all the Mariners & conductors who are of service to them in their negotiations, do, for the getting of a little money, pass through intolerable troubles, both by Sea & Land; and do expose themselves to great danger of death. All kind of tradesmen, for the getting of a poor living, do labour and sweat both day and night, in their several occupations. The soldier, for his miserable pay, and for a little fume of honour, is subject to extreme inconveniences, and runs hazard of his life, at every moment. The servants and Courtiers of great Princes, for the obtaining of favour, which yet do pass, and change like any wind, deprive themselves of their own gust, and deny their own will, and are hanging day and night, upon that of others; and for the giving of contentment to their Lords, they take an abundance of discontentment & disgust to themselves. They who are enamoured of this world, the covetous, for money; the intemperate, for curious fare; the dishonest, for that filthy pleasure; the proud, for that vain delight in honour, and command; and all of them in fine, for the poor commodities of this life, do suffer grievous pains, and endure excessive torments, and sicknesses, and other afflictions, which upon these occasious they incur; as themselves do confess when the punishment of God shall have laid their error before their face. And then they will say, Sap. 5. We went astray from the way of truth and were estranged from that divine light; and did overworke and tire ourselves in the way of sin, and vice, and there we endured many difficulties. If then the men of this world, for the obtaining of most base and transitory riches, and of certain pleasures, which are vain and pernicious, both to body and soul; & for the giving of contentment to mortal creatures; & for the yielding of obedience, to those infernal Devils, who persuade them to the love of earthly things, do ingulfe themselves into such a sea of troubles, and break through such a world of difficultyes; what, in the name of God, will it not be fit for Christians and the servants of Christ to do, for the being faithful, and loyal, to that divine Majesty; and for the exact complying, with that obedience, & love, which they own him, both as to a father, and as to a Lord; and for the obtaining of the kingdom of heaven, & the possessing of those immortal riches of the house of God; & the honour & glory of being the sons of God; and consequently the joint heirs with Christ our Lord, of his patrimony Royal, and of his everlasting entail; and for the enjoying, and that for ever, of those incomprehensible delights of his beatitude? Certainly, it is most just, it is most due, that they should undergo any trouble and overcome any difficulty, and expose themselves to any temporal hazard, how greatsoever. For as the Apostle saith, by way of confirming this truth: g 1. Cor. 9 All g This truth confirmed by S. Paul, most divinely, & excellently pondered by our Author. men who strive, and fight with others, in the place deputed to that end (as the use of the Romans was to do in their entertainments and feasts) do for the overcoming of their opposites, abstain from all those things of gust, which may be of any impediment to them in their combat, as namely from delicate meats, from wine, from women, and the like, which are wont to make men dull, and weak; and they feed upon gross meats, they observe the rules of continency and temperance, and they prepare and accustom themselves before hand, to labour. And all this they do, to obtain the reward of winning a corruptible crown, which might perhaps be some jewel, or some suit of clothes, or some garland of bays or flowers, or some vain applause, and flying praise of men. What then are we Christians obliged to do, in this spiritual contention and strife which we are making against sin, for the obtaining of that crown of immortality, and glory; & of that celestial kingdom? It is most certain, that if for the giving of contentment to Almighty God, and for the obtaining of that eternal and immense beatitude, it were necessary to suffer all those pains put together which all the men of the world, from the beginning of it to the end, will have been to suffer; and which all the holy Martyrs have 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 pains of this life, but to endure (yea and that for many ages) all the torments of hell, yea and of many hells; it h The joys of heaven are more to be desired, then even the pains of hell to be avoided. were most just, & fit to endure them all, for the obtaining of the kingdom of heaven afterward. For greater is the good of the glory of heaven, than the evil of the pains of hell. And how much then more just, and more convenient will it be, to suffer the pain and difficulty which belongs to virtue, and which accompanieth the fullfilling of God's commandments. Which i How the difficultyes of virtue grow delightful through the goodness of God, besides that all temporal labour is light, since it is so short. difficultyes beside that they are short (for as much as at the most, they last no longer than this life) they are with all both light and sweet. For the love of God, and the heavenly consolations which he communicateth to his servants, doth make them sweet; and the helps and succours of grace which otherwise he gives them, make them light. So do just 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 whereby we go in imitation of him, so do the consolations which are given by Almighty God, through the virtue and merit of our B. Saviour, increase and copiously abound in us. If k 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 kingdom, so eternal, and immense; and that as our good works do grow to be increased, so also doth the reward of glory go increasing; in such sort, as that to every of our good works, yea l O infinite bounty of God And are we then in our wits when we be either sinful, or even but slothful in God's service. and to every one of our desires, and even to every 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 virtuous life? Who will not be diligent, in making resistance to all temptations whatsoever? Who will not suffer any injury, or pain, for living well; And who will not resolve with strength and courage, to persevere in that good cause which he hath begun? Let us all both hear, and with great fidelity, obey the voice of that Prophet who saith: 2. Paral. 25. You who are the people of God, do you encourage, and animate yourselves to serve him, and to continue in that service of his without dismay; for, in fine, your labours shall 〈◊〉 answered with a great reward. CHAP. XXI. How we are much to animate ourselves, to the exercise of good works; considering the great estimation which Christ our Lord doth make of them at the day of judgement; and the reward which he also imparteth to them. THERE is also another particular consideration, belonging to this divine judgement, and to the reward of good works, which doth greatly move the soul, to labour hard in the service of God. And this is, the Reason, and Title which Christ our Lord allegeth, in giving his benediction, and reward to the just, when he saith; Matt. 25. Come ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom which is prepared for you. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, & you received me into your house; I was sick, and in prison, and you came to visit me. For a The great value which our Lord doth make, even of our least good works. by these words, Christ our Lord doth mightily discover the estimation, and price which he hath stamped upon good works, which are done in grace; and the great favour and honour which they receive in his divine presence; the much that they please him, and the immense glory wherewith he rewardeth them; since so mean works, & so very easy to be wrought, as it is to give a piece of bread to a poor hungry body; or a cup of water to a thirsty; or a shirt to cover the naked; or a night's 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 sick and you cured me; or I was imprisoned and you freed me; but such easy works, as are those other, and which put us to so little cost and trouble;) that excellent Majesty of his, is pleased to publish & proclaim in that great Theatre, upon the day of judgement; in the presence of the whole world, and he setteth out and praiseth them which his own sacred mouth; & he sublymes then so high, as to take them for services and dear favours imparted to his own person, which give him great contentment & gust. And so much b That which maketh a good work 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 thereof, as to esteem them for merits which are worthy of eternal life; and he receives them as a price of the kingdom of heaven; And he esteemeth them for meritorious; & that, not only, all together, but every one of them a part; and a part he takes every one of them for the price of glory, and of that kingdom which hath no end. But c What will not our Lord do to us, for greater work since he doth so much for the less. now, if Christ our Lord, who so highly esteems, and vouchsafes the favour of so great reward, to so light and easy works as those, what will he do, to such works of mercy as are great & hard; and which grow out of much Charity? As when a man doth give all his goods, or a great part thereof to the poor; or lodge Pilgrims for a long time; and serve them, and provide them of all things necessary; & deprive himself of clothes to clothe the poor naked Christian; and to serve sick persons day and night; and that in the case of troublesome and contagious diseases, as when they may be strucken with the plague; and to draw with much trouble of person and charge of purse, such as are prisoners, or Captives, out of their chains: How much, I say, will Christ our Lord esteem such works as these, which cost much labour and money; and for the performing whereof a man endures much incommodity, and embraceth many painful things, and wrestling with store of difficulties; and mortifies himself much, to comfort others; & renounces his own will in many things, that so others may be comforted and relieved? There can no doubt be made, but that much more he will esteem them, and will afford them the favour in that day of judgement of a reward so much higher, as the works are more excellent, & more acceptable in his eyes, for being grown up out of greater Charity. And if the Corporal works of mercy, which are exercised upon the bodies of men, which must quickly die; and for the maintenance and preservation of this corporal life, which is soon to have an end, be so much esteemed, and favoured, and so highly rewarded by Christ our Lord; what will he be sure to do to the works of spiritual mercy, whereby immortal souls are succoured, & redressed; and whereby they, being delivered from the death of sin, and everlasting pain, there is imparted to them salvation, and a life of everlasting glory? A plain d How much therefore are we bound to such as do assist our souls, though it be with hazard of their lives. case it is, that, the work of mercy, whereby a soul is assisted, is more excellent, than that other whereby a body is relieved; & that these works of piety, whereby the spiritual and eternal life is helped, is of much more value, and merit, than that other, whereby that corporal and frail 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, than the salvation of a reasonable soul, which consisteth in the enjoying of God: So also there is no other greater alms, then that, whereby this salvation, and this life of grace and glory is procured; & consequently a much greater benefit doth he impart to another, who remedieth the necessities of his soul, then if he had given him a great sum of money. And since they who give a little bread to the hungry, and a little water to the thirsty; and they who retire a Pilgrim to their house, and apparel a naked person, with a piece of cloth; and visit a man who is in prison or sick, giving him a little temporal comfort, be so esteemed and honoured by Almighty God, in the presence both of heaven & earth, in that terrible tribunal of his judgement; and are so ennobled, and sublimed with the Crown of celestial glory, and with the dignity of the everlasting kingdom; what will Christ do, that most just and righteous judge, and that most liberal God with them who dispense the bread of heavenly doctrine to such as have need, and are hungry after it; and who power out the drink of spiritual comfort, and ease, to such as are afflicted, and dejected, that so they may bear their miseries with patience; & who cloth their souls with virtues and celestial gifts, who are naked & deprived of all spiritual graces, and who cure, and recover, out of their miserable infirmities, and who draw and deliver out of that horrible captivity, them who are sick of sin, and are taken prisoners, and made slaves by Satan. Most certain it is, that although all they who express mercy towards their neighbours, shallbe esteemed & honoured in that Tribunal; & shallbe sublimed with glory and royal dignity, yet these others who have imparted it towards the souls of men, shallbe much more esteemed and honoured, by Christ our Lord, and his Angels, & shallbe raised to greater glory, & more advanced in the kingdom of heaven. It is also to be considered, that although these works of mercy, whether they be corporal, or spiritual, and which respect the spiritual or corporal good of our neighbour, are excellent and of great value, and merit, as we have already said; yet the interior, and exterior works of Faith, Hope, Charity, and Religion, which have e How highly grateful those acts of virtue are, which do immediately respect Almighty God. immediate relation to Almighty God, and to the worship & service which is due to him as our God, and our Creator, are more excellent, and of greater value, & merit, than the works of mercy, which aim but at the comfort of our neighbours. And so much more as any virtue doth draw near, & approach to God, so much more is the virtue more excellent. Now the virtues, which are called Theological, which are Faith, Hope, & Charity, do look up, and serve & immediately honour Almighty God, believing his truth, and loving his goodness, and hoping in his mercy. And the virtue of Religion, doth respect, and exercise the worship, and veneration, which is due to God, as being sovereign Author and Lord of all things. And these virtues being more excellent, then that of Mercy towards our Neighbour, it is clear, that those faithful Christians, who with firm and lively faith, have believed in Christ our Lord, and who confessed his faith, in the face of Tyrants; & who placed all their confidence, & in Christ, searching, with care, after his glory; and resigning themselves entirely to his most holy will; and honouring him, & revering him with true worship, & with pure prayers, and with an exact performance of their promises, and the vows which they make to his divine Majesty; certain I say it is, that in the day of his divine judgement, they shall be more esteemed, and honoured by Christ, for having done and suffered these things, then either they, or any others shallbe; for any other inferior works which they may have wrought towards their Neighbours. And therefore, the reward of glory being so illustrious and so high, which for the works of spiritual and corporal mercy they shall receive; & considering that yet, the reward which these others shall obtain, is to be much more eminent and great; and since, notwithstanding that the kingdom which is to be given in reward of these works of mercy, is celestial & eternal; 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 kingdom; let us be most diligent in the leading of a good life; in conserving our souls pure and clean; in exercising ourselves in the acquisition of virtue. And let us be full of fervour towards the works of mercy, whether they be spiritual or corporal, every one according to his Talent. O happy f Conclusion. and for ever most happy they, who shall thus employ themselves: Happy, because they were elected from all eternity, by almighty God; Happy because they were called in Time to his faith, and Religion, and were instructed therein; Happy, because they did correspond to that vocation of God, and did begin to lead a good life; Happy, because they did continue therein; Happy, because if they fell, they quickly rose again, by penance, and were constant therein; And Happy beyond all happies, because, when our Lord came to call them to account, at the hour of their death, he found them employed in a good life, and watchful in the exercise of good works, expecting the time of his coming, to receive the reward of their labours, at his merciful, and most liberal hands. For it is said, by no less than Truth itself, Luc. 12. Happy is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching, and employed in the discharge of his duty, with fidelity and prudence, and complying with his obligations, whether they be common to all Christians, or particularly belonging to his state. I tell you as an undoubted truth, that to such a servant as this, his Lord shall deliver up the possession of all his goods. That is, Christ our most merciful Lord, and our God, will raise him up from the blessings of grace in this life, to the blessings of glory in the next; and from the baseness of this earth, to reign eternally, together with himself, in heaven. Amen. THE CONCLUSION TO THE READER. MAKE account, good Reader, that this discourse is a Letter, & this which now thou art reading, is the Postscript of it. Thou hast seen the torments of Hell, and the joys which are imparted to the elect in heaven. Thou hast seen that if thou die in mortal sin, thou wilt for ever be chained in those torments; & for ever be deprived of those joys. Take heed therefore of all sin; and especially take heed of the sin either of Schism or Heresy, which are of the greatest that can be committed. The nature of Heresy, consisteth in this, That a man will make election of some one doctrine, or more, which is contrary to the belief of that true Church, which is celebrated in the Creed of the first Council of Nice; to be One, to be Holy, to be Catholic, & to be Apostolic. Be sure thou be of that one true Church, which soever that be (for though myself be resolved, yet I will not here handle that question, by way of Controversy;) but there is but one wherein a Christian can be saved, one in the faith which it professeth, howsoever it may be accounted many, in respect of the infinite persons which it containeth, and consequently of the particular Churches which it embraceth. The nature Where in the nature of heresy, doth indeed consist. therefore of heresy, doth not consist in the multitude or quality of the Articles of Religion, which are held, in difference from the dotrine and direction of the holy Catholic Church; but it consisteth properly, in the pride and presumption of that heart, which dares prefer a private opinion, of any one, or several Countries, or any interpretation of holy Scripture (which interpretation, is also no more than a For he will make the scripture affirm and deny what he will. mere opinion) before the judgement of that Church, which is, & is still to be instructed and taught by the holy Ghost. And this sin, is of so high a nature, as that unless it be removed by penance, the man in whom it life's, shall No heretic without repentance can be saved. dye a double death, and never behold the face of God; howsoever he may, otherwise, seem to be a person of most holy life, & so full of Charity, as to sell his state, and give it all to the poor; and of so valiant and Christian a heart, as, amongst Infidels, to suffer death, & torments for the name of Christ. For to prove that even this will not serve the turn of an Heretic towards salvation, see here the authority of the greatest Fathers of the church concerning this point. Who The practice of the primitive Church in this point. See S. Aug. ad Quod-vult Deum, & the Catalogues of S. Irenaeus, and S, Epiphanius. (besides, that in the way of practice, the Church of their time, did condemn many men for Heresy, who held, though it were but one point of doctrine, in contrariety to the Catholic Church (and sometimes of some such doctrine, as in itself, did not seem to be of most importance) they do also declare, and that in most clear and constant words, in what certainty of damnation they are, who die in any Heresy at all. Whosoever, saith S. Cyprian D. Cypr. epist. in Anton. & what kind of person soever, a man be, a No heretic is a Christian any more than only in name. Christian he is not, unnes he be in the Church of Christ. And again: Idem de unit. Eccles. He belongs not to the rue rd of Christ, who forsakes the Church of Christ; such a one is an alien, he is a profane person, he is an enemy. And to this effect, he also saith, if such an one should even give his life for the confession of the name of Christ, he should yet (by the judgement of this holy Father) be condemned to the flames of Hell for his Heresy, and not be received to the joys of heaven for his constancy; & he expresseth himself in these words, Non esset illi corona fidei, sed poena perfidiae. S. Hierome, in like manner, speaking of the Church of Rome affirmeth it to be, D. Hier. epist. ad Dam. l. 2. The true house of Christ; and that whosoever eateth the lamb, out of that house, is a profane person and that unless he be found, in that Ark of No, he shallbe overwhelmed, and perish in the flood. S. Augustine doth also abound every where, in the profession of this truth. D. Aug. tom 7. supper gest. c●…m Emer. vlt. med. A man, saith he cannot obtain salvation, but in the Catholic Church: he may have all except salvation; he may have honour, he may have the sacraments, he may sing Alleluia, he may answer Amen, he may believe the Gospel, he may be baptised in the name of the Father, & of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, but no where can he have salvation, but in the Catholic Church. D. Augu. tom. 7. de unit. Eccl. vlt. med. No man cometh, saith he, to salvation, and life eternal, but he that hath Christ for his head; and no man can have Christ for his head, who is not in his body, which is the Church. Idem. tom. 3. de fide & symb. Heretics by believing falsely of God, do violate the faith; and Schismatics by their wicked dissensions, fly of from fraternal charity, although they believe as we do. And therefore neither doth the Heretic belong to the catholic Church because he believeth not God; nor the Schismatic, because he loveth not his Neighbour. Let The schismatik hath no Charity, and the Heretic hath neither Charity, nor Faith. Idem. tom. 7. de Bapt. cont. Don. l. 4. c. 18. us suppose that a man were chaste, and continent; not covetous, no worshipper of Idols, but full of hospitality; no enemy to any man, nor contentious, but patiented & quiet; not emulating or envying any body, but sober and frugal; but yet withal, that he were an heretic, and there can no doubt be made, but No Heretic can be saved, though he be never so virtuous otherwise. Idem. tom. 4. l. 1. de serm. Do. in monte c. 9 that for this only, That he is an Heretic, he shall not possess the kingdom of heaven. It is not said alone, Blessed are they who suffer persecution, but these words are added, for justice sake. Now where No heretic, or schismatic can be a Martyr. Tom. 1. de fide ad Petrum. c. 39 true Faith is not, there can be no justice because the Just man life's in Faith. Neither yet set Schismatics promise themselves any thing thereby, because where there is no Charity, neither can there be any justice. For Charity towards ones Neighbour, doth work no evil; which Charity if they did possess, they would not tear the body of Christ, which is his Church. Believe Some doubt, whether this book be of S. Augustin, or of S. Fulgentius, who lived within 40. years after S. Augustine. most firmly, and have no manner of doubt, but that every Heretic and Schismatic, though baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, if he return not to the Catholic Church, how great Even the giving all in alms and suffering death for the name of Christ, will not deliver an heretic from damnation. Alms soever he distribute, yea and though he shed his blood for the name of Christ, he can by no means be saved. For neither Baptism, nor most liberal alms, nor death endured for the name of Christ, can avail any man to salvation, who holdeth not fast the unity of the Catholic Church; and so long as any How small soever that be. heretical, or schismatical iniquity (which leadeth men to destruction) remaineth in him. These are they, amongst many others, whom God hath given to his Church, as lights whereby all good Christians may be guided towards their salvation; and take heed thou be not so miserable, as to follow any ignis fatuus, instead of them; for thy error in this life, will import thee no less than thy eternal damnation in the next. FAULTS escaped in the Printing. 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