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☜In terris; Vita nostra, Dies una.
☞In coelis; Dies una, Lux aeterna.
Ierusalem is builded as a city, that is compact together in it selfe.
NOw, my Brethren, whosoever erect∣eth the light of his mind, whosoe∣ver laieth aside the darknesse
of his flesh, whosoever clea∣reth the eye of his heart, let him lift up and see what this It selse is. How shall I call it selfe, but it selfe? O my Bre∣thren, if you can, understand what is this it selfe. For even I my selfe, if I should speake any thing else but it selfe, doe not speake it selfe; Yet doe we labour by some neere af∣finities of words and signifi∣cant proprieties to bring the infirmity of the mind, to me∣ditate of this It selfe. What is this it selfe? That which is alwayes one and in the same manner, and not now one thing, and then another. What is then it selfe but that which is? And what is this which is? That which eter∣nally is. For whatsoever is al∣waies
altering from one to another, is not, because what it is abides not: Yet not so as locally it is not, but summa∣rily it is not. And what is this which is, but hee, who when he sent Moses, said unto him, I AM THAT I AM? And who also said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. Behold it selfe, I AM THAT I AM; He who IS, hath sent mee to you! But thou canst not conceive it, it is farre from thee to understand it, far from thee to apprehend it. Retaine therefore that which he was made for thee, since to con∣ceive him it is farre from thee. Retaine the flesh of CHRIST, by which raised
being sick thou maist bee re∣lieved, and left halfe-dead by Theeves woūded, thou maist be to an Inne conducted, and cured. Let us then runne to the house of the Lord, and come to the City, where our feet may stand in the gates; that City which is builded as a City, that is compact together in it selfe. It selfe is this where∣of it is said, Thou art the same, and thy yeares shall not faile. Behold it selfe, Whose yeares shall not faile! Brethren, doe not our yeares daily faile and fade in the yeare? For those yeares which are come are not now, and those which are to come are not yet. Now are these failed which are come, and those shall faile which are to come. Houres
past bee already gone, and houres to passe are not yet come, & when they are come they likewise shall passe, and faile. What be those yeeres which do not faile, but those which stand? If yeares then doe there stand, those yeares which stand is one yeare; and that one yeare which stands, is one day: because that one day hath neither rising nor setting, neither begun from yesterday, nor excluded from to morrow, but standeth al∣wayes the same day. And whatsoever thou wilt, thou maist call this day; if thou wilt, they are yeares; if thou wilt, it is a day: thinke what thou wilt, yet it standeth. For this City partakes of stability, being compact toge∣ther
in it selfe. Worthily then, because it becomes partaker of this stability, doth he say who runneth thither; Our feet were standing in thy Courts, O Ierusalem. For all things doe there stand, where no∣thing passeth: Wilt thou then stand there, and not passe? Runne thither. None hath It selfe of himselfe. At∣tend Brethren: Hee hath a body, but this is not it selfe, be∣cause it stands not in it selfe. It is changed by ages, it is changed by removes of places and times, it is changed by corporall diseases and de∣fects; therefore it stands not in itselfe. Heavenly bodies do not stand in themselves, for they have their certaine changes, though secret: cer∣tainly
are these changed from place to place, they a∣scend from East to West, and againe they goe about to the East. These then doe not stand, these are not It selfe. Neither doth Mans Soule stand itselfe. For with how many alterations and cogita∣tions is she varied, with what pleasures is shee changed and from her selfe estranged, with what desires infected and in∣fested? The very mind of man which is said to bee reason∣able, is likewise mutable, it is not it selfe. Now it will, now it will not: Now it knowes, now it knowes not: now it remembers, now it forgets. None then hath It selfe of himselfe. Hee who would have had it selfe of himselfe,
that hee might bee it selfe to himselfe, is falne. He is falne from an Angell, and become a Devill. He drunke a health to man in pride, hee threw himselfe downe by envying him who stood. He would be it selfe to themselves, have principality to themselves, dominion in themselves. They would not have the ••rue LORD, who truly is It selfe, to whom it is said, Thou shalt change them, and ••hey shall be changed, but thou art the same. Now therefore, after ••o long affliction, after so many diseases, difficulties, labours, let the humbled soule returne to it selfe, and be in that City, that is compact to∣gether in it selfe.
Exod. 3.
Psal. 101.
Psal. 102.