our blessed Lord likened the kingdom of God which He came to set up in the soul: that so having the joys and glory of another world in your view, you may give your best diligence to make your calling and election to the possession of them sure and certain; lest, selling that noble inheritance for a poor mess of perishing pottage, you never enter into his eternal rest. And though this testimony may seem too tedious, yet could it by no means be omitted.--To authorize our last reason, of converting superfluities into the relief of distressed persons, although one would think it so equal and sober, that it needs no other authority than its own, yet I shall produce two testimonies so remarkable, that as they ever were esteemed truly good, so they cannot be approved by any that refuse to do the same, without condemning themselves of great iniquity. Oh, you are called with an high and holy call; as high as heaven, and as holy as God; for it is He that calls us to holiness through Christ, who sent his Son to bless us, in turning us from the evil of our ways; and unless we are so turned we can have no claim to the blessing that comes by Christ to men. [67] Bern de Gir lora. de Hail. Hist. de la Fr. 1. 10. Vesemb. Orat. in Wald. Beza Hist. hom. dig. virer de ver. et fals. Rel. 1. 4, c. 13, p. 249, Cat. Test. ve. 334, Vigin, Bibl. Hist. p. 1. [68] Vieaux Mem. fol. 6, 7. [69] Mut. Par. in Hen. 3, Anno, 1220. Sigonius de Reg. Ital. 1, 7. [70] Sernay, c. 47, Chef. 1. 3, c. 7. [71] The devil is a Scripturian sometimes. [72] Rain. cap. de stud. pervert. alios et modo dicendi. l. 98. Baron. Eccl. Annal. tom. 18, an. 1176, p. 835. Kranz. in Metrop. l. 8. sect. 18, and in Sax. l. 8, cap. 16. XXI. It is reported of Paulinus,[73] bishop of Nola in Italy, that, instead of converting the demesnes of his diocese to particular enrichment, he employed it all in the redemption of poor slaves and prisoners: believing it unworthy of the Christian faith, to see God's creation labour under the want of what he had to spare. All agree this was well done, but few agree to do the same. [73] Eccl. Hist. p. 5, 393.