I t86 TheGloriè tocome howexcellent. On the Saturdayafter &c. And on_ Prtu.s7. The pleafures ofthis life arc altogether Vanitie. therein the Painters,whofor to take a picture pettedly neuer haue their eye from off the originali. Saint Cyprian fairh,Thatthere is not any thing that cloth fo muchglad the eyesof God, as our thinking on the reward which is fet be- fore vs. Many Saints turmoyled with a thoufand miferies,dideuermore liueme- rily,bybeingonlycheered vp with thefe good thoughts and hopes. Salomon tellsvs, of rewardit asaßonepleatnt in theeyes of them that hoseit : Noris there any pretious (tone that fo gladdeth his poflèffour , as hope cheetah the Righteous. Gregorie Nitn calleth Afiliétion; the Floure ofGlorie ; Fruilu- um, quifperanturflos,As hethat is to eat of thefruit,takes pleafure inthe floure, for that neighbouringhope which is neere at hand; fo,the Righteous through hope reioyce inAffli&ion. OurSauiour thereforebeingdeurous that we fhouid hue in hope, vnfoldedpart of that Glorie which he retained inhis Soule, that placing our eyesand hearts thereupon,all troubles whatfoeuer, thoughneuer fo great, might feemelittle inregardofour hoped-forreward. Hence it followeth,.howill they proceed,and what adefperate and indite& courfe they take, towhomGodhauing deputed the Earth for theirhopes and Heauen for their bliffe, peruert this his order,bymaking the Earth their Heauen. It is anordinarie phrafeof fpeech inScripture,tocall ourlife,a Warrefare ;now fouldiers that are wife and valiant , reuerfe their pleafures till thebatch is en- ded and the vi&orie obtained. De tarrente inviabibit,propterea exaltauit caput, He draukeofthe torrent by theway, therefore bath heelift vp his head. Saint Chryfo- ßome expoundeth this verfe of our Sauiour,9.Lii nonacquieuit in diebtea tarnsfife, Whoreßedsoot in thedayes ofhisfielh, vntill hehad ouercome Death andHel. Saint Ambrofedeclaringthat placeof the Apoftle, Non eß nobit collutlatio, èc. Wee fight (faithhe) with the Princes ofDarkeneffe, for cceleftiall goods, forthey loofingthembyour occafion , theyarevnwilling that wee fhouldenioy them. And becaufe Reward is that whichgiuesthe Souldier both heart and hands,the laft Sonday,we propofed theWarre ; this,the Reward. TheDeuill offered our Sauiourthe glorieof the World ; but our Sauiour offersvs the glorieof God : the hopesof thisarebetterthanthe enioyingof that. Saint Bernardfaith,T hat the timeofthis life is thevigil ofthat feaft which we hope for'in glory:whence he inferreth thefe two things : Theone ; That itwerefolly in vs,tomake the Vigile,theFeaft. Which isall one with that ofS. LAHBen ; Summaperaerlitasf,vtifruendis,erfruivtendú. It is nogoodchop, conldering thevnequalneffeof the rearmes. Godgaue vs the Earth, that wemight vfe it ; Heauen, that wemight inioy it. And it is beaftly kindof ignorance, tomake the Earth Heauen. The other; Thatthe Feaftbeeingfogreat, thefait oftheVigile ought not to feeme fo longvnto vs . Saint Paul, making a counter- pofìtionofthatwhich maybe fuffered heere ; and that which may be hoped for there : after that hee had fayd,that theone was light and momentary ; the otherweightie, & perdu- rable,he added,Supramadam infublimitate. It is a highnes aboueall highnefFe; the altitude thereofalonecannot be taken : Nor canthe tongueofmanindeare it fomuch,but itmutt fall fhorttherof. This made Saint Gregorie to fay, 9u.elin- gua,&c. What tongue,orwhat vaderfianding is able tovtterthegreat andwonderfull ioyesof that cede. Citie ?. Saint Gregorie, openingthat placeof leremie,Patres naßri,dre. ourfathers ate fowregrapes,andour teeth werefeton edge ; He (tiles the pleafures ofthis life to be fowre grapes,andfruits that arenot yet come totheir true ripeneffe,, which aregood fornothingelfe butto fetour teeth on edge. Philoncalls them, Forte Cali.
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