A heavenly treasure of confortable meditations and prayers written by S. Augustin, Bishop of Hyppon in three seuerall treatises of his meditations, soliloquies, and manual. Faithfully translated into English by the R. F. Antony Batt monke, of the holy order of S Bennet of the Congregation of England

What heauen is, and what happines is contained therein. CHAPT. XVII.

LEt vs returne (o my soule) to the hea∣uenlie cittie, in which we are writ∣ten and enrolled as cittizens of the same. Let vs (as cittizens of the sainctes and Gods house-holde seruants, yea as Gods heires and coheires of Christ) consider the felicitie of this our famous cittie, to the vttermost of our possibilitie: Let vs crie out with the Prophet; O how glorious things are saied of thee, o Cittie of God, in thee is the dwellinge of all those, that are trulie glad. Because thou art built as a place to meete and make merrie, for suche as God of his infinitie mercie, dot•••• vouchsafe to take vnto himselfe out of this vale of miserie.

In thee there is noe old age, nor mise∣rie ensuing of the same, in thee there is noe one lame or mamed, crumpe shoul∣dered, or deformed: seing all concurre into a perfect man, into the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ.

What can be imagined more happie then this life, where there is noe feare of pouertie, nor feeblenes of infirmitie, where noe man is wronged, noe man is displeased, noe mā doth enuie at an others good. Where there is noe greedines of gaine, noe appetite of eating or drinking; where there is noe inordinate desire of honoure or ambition, noe dreade of diuel, or of diuellishe temptation, noe horroure of hell or of hellishe damnation. Where there is noe deathe either of bodie or soule, but a delightfull life, endles and immortall.

Noe euill affections or dissentiōs shalbe founde there, but all thinges shall accorde and agree together, because all the Saincts of that heauenly region, shalbe of one minde and affection. Where there is no∣thing but peace and gladnes, repose and quietnes. Where there is perpetual bright∣nes, not that which now is, but by soe much more bright, by how much more blessed; because that cittie (euen as it is written) shall neede neither sunne nor moone, but God almighty shall enlighten the same, and the lampe thereof is the lambe. Where the Saincts shall shine as the starrs for all eternitie, and those that teache many, shall in brightnes resemble the clearenes of the skie.

Wherfore in that place there shalbe noe night, noe darknes, noe concourse of cloudes, noe austeritie of colde or heate, but that temperature of all thinges, which neither eie hath seene, nor eare hath hearde, neither hath it entred into the harte of any man, sauing of those, who are founde worthy to enioy the same, whose names are written in the booke of life.

But a greater content then this will be, to be ioyned in felowship with the quires of Angells, and Archangells, and of all the heauenlie vertues, to beholde the Pa∣triarches and Prophets, to see the Apo∣stles, and all the other Saincts, and amōge the rest, our parents, kinsfolke, and ac∣quaintance.

These thinges without doubte are very glorious; but yet it is more glorious to beholde the face of God there present, and the brightnes proceeding from the same, which is infinitely greate. Finally to see God in himselfe, to see him & enioy him in our selues wilbe a prerogatiue of glory surpassing all the rest in excellēcy, because we shall see him euerlastingly.