wil. Is this that fleshe for the which I haue committed so many fornications so many wickednesses For the which I haue so many times giuen my selfe to gluttonie and carnal pleasures Is this that face which with so great care I haue kept from sunburning O vnhappy pallace for thy sake I haue wearied my selfe by land and by seas O vnfortunate belly how became I such a foole that I would worship thée for God Haue I lost the kingdome of heauen for this most abiect body for this most foule stinke of al filthinesse and haue purchased to my selfe euerlasting torments O ye furies O ye spirits of hel why doe ye stay why teare ye me not in péeces why doe ye not bring me to nothing These such like words shal the soule vtter against the flesh with excéeding rage and hatred the which notwithstanding it liued so wel when it was here vppon earth that it worshipped the same for a Lady and God and to fulfil the lustes thereof if feared not to violate and breake the lawe and commandements of God 23 And when all are risen againe and are gathered together into the place which God hath appointed for this iudgement then shal hée appeare in the clowdes of heauen with power and great maiestie whom God hath appointed to be the iudge of the quicke and dead And he shal not come alone but accompanied with an innumerable multitude of heauenly Princes 24 The feare which shal come by reason of that maiestie shal be so great that the prophet Isaias saith Isay 2. They shall goe into the holes of rockes into the caues of the earth from before the face of the Lord and from the glory of his maiestie when he shal arise to destroy the earth Apoc. 20. And the Apostle Saint Iohn addeth I sawe a great white throne and one that sat on it fron whose face fledde away both the earth and heauen For as when the flood of the Ocean swelleth they are wont to tremble which dwel vpon the shore and yet can take no harme euen so when the Lord beginneth to poure foorth his wrath and indignation vpon wicked men the Saints also and the Angels and men which are in no peril shal after a sort tremble and feare If therefore the iust shal feare and the pillers of heauen shal shake what shal the wicked and vngodly doe 25 And in very déed so soone as the Lord shal appeare there shal be heard immediatly a great cry and howling among the Nations Mat. 24. Apoc. 1. Zach. 12. for then as the Lord himselfe saith shal al the kinreds of the earth mourne and they shal sée him whom they pearced and they shal lament for him as one mourneth for his onely son and he sorie for him as one is sorry for his first borne O how many causes of wéeping howling shal miserable and vnhappy men then haue They shal wéepe because they shal sée that their euils and miseries are past all remedy They shal wéepe because they shal sée that their repentance is too late and vnprofitable They shal weepe because they cannot appeale from Gods sentence neither can flée the iudgement at hand and it shal séeme a thing intollerable to bée at the iudgement and to heare the sentence of euerlasting condemnation They shal wéepe because when they liued here on earth they despised those which forewarned them They shal wéepe because the pleasures which are gone as a shadow haue brought vpon them endlesse sorrowes and torments To be briefe as men beset on euery side and brought into ineuitable straights destitute of al counsaile and hope they shal wéepe because they shal sée that they cannot preuaile any thing at all neither with wéeping nor yet with scratching and tearing of themselues 26 Neither wil the Iudge bée moued by any meanes with these cries and sorrowes but wil rather seperate the wéepers from those that reioyce that is to say the wicked from the godly euen as a Shepheard diuideth the Sheepe from the Goates and shal set the godly on his right hand and the wicked on his left 27 And then hée wil beginne to discusse the cause of euery one and hee wil not forget any one offence For wée shal sée all things registred in perfect bookes by which bookes all men shal be iudged I sawe saith Saint Iohn the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes So that al our workes are written in those euerlasting bookes Thou hast scarcely committed an adulterous thought but the same wickednesse is written in Gods booke 28 And not onely Church-robbings and sacrileges parricides periuries and such like faults but also impure thoughtes and idle wordes the neglecting of good workes or the same done to no good ende shal bée brought into iudgement For so great is the excellencie estimation of Christian integritie purity that no one or the very least vice that may be is not permitted to Christian men 29 The cafe standing thus whereof I beséech you commeth it that there is in vs so great loosenesse so great carelesnesse so great sloothfulnesse and such securitie Do we not flatter our selues when so great iudgement hangeth ouer our heades Holy was the prophet Dauid a man after Gods own hart and yet he so feared this iudgement that hée saide Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for no man liuing shal bée iustified in thy sight Holy was the Apostle Paul and yet he saith I knowe nought by my selfe and yet hereby I am not iustified it is the Lord that iudgeth me as if he should say therefore I dare not pronounce my selfe iust because he that iudgeth me is the Lord. For such are the eyes of the Lord that the starres are not cleane in his sight and many times his eyes doe beholde wickednesse where we sée nothing but holines Holy also was the friende of God Iob. 31. Iob and yet he said What shall I doe when God ariseth to iudgement and when he maketh inquisition what answere shal I giue him Why doeth this man of God so commended of Gods owne mouth who was so iust and simple that hee could say without lying I was an eye to the blinde and a foote to the lame Iob. 29.27 and againe My heart doeth not reproue mee in all my life why I say is a man of such singular innocencie so afearde of Gods iudgement namely because he knoweth that God hath no eyes of flesh and that he iudgeth far otherwhise then men doe 30 Moreouer when all mens causes are diligently discussed and examined the Iudge wil pronounce against the wicked the irreuocable sentence of eternall damnation Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels O bitter word which wil
and trauailes in short time they are compelled to giue place to their successors before they had wel warmed their seat Yesterday one raigned to day he is dead and an other possesseth his throne To morrow this man shall die and another shal sit in his seat none as yet could therein sit fast They all play this part as on a stage they ascend they sit they salute they descend and suddenly they are gone 7 Therefore deerly beloued mans life is a way and a seducing way to them which forget themselues that they are Pilgrimes and trauellers and do stand too much vpon those thinges which are oceurrent in their iourney with long delay For the night will come and it wil come quickly wherein no man can walke and these men shal not come vnto that heauenly Hierusalem but shall be a praie for the wilde beasts which walke in the night and for the infernall wolues For the which cause our Sauiour Christ crieth in the Gospel Iohn 12. Walke walke while ye haue the light lest the darknesse come vpon you 8 There is nothing that doth so euidently set before mens eyes the deceits of the world and the vanitie of thinges present as doth the due and diligent consideration of the incertaintie shortnesse frailtie and of other gréeuances and calamities of mans life For all humane pride and the whole glorie and aboundance of the world hauing mans life for a staie and foundation can certainly no longer endure then the same life abideth Witnes the death of many thousands of late amongst vs and let our mercifull deliuerance neuer O neuer be forgotten So that riches dignities honors Offices and such like which men here in earth haue in great regard do many times forsake a man he being yet aliue and do neuer continue longer with him then vnto the graue For then when the foundation faileth the whole building must néeds fall 9. These claie Tabernacles as Iob calleth them do faile daily The Prophet Dauid therefore compareth our life to the fat of Lambs which wasteth away in the rosting and to a new coate which soone waxeth olde and is eaten with mothes Isai to grasse and the flower of the field which to day florisheth and to morow is cutte down and withered Iob to the burning of a candle which in the end anoyeth then euery man crieth Put it out What thing els is mans life but a bubble vp with the water and downe with winde What then is to be thought of humane pompe and glorie the which is more transitorie and fraile then life it selfe 10 This consideration verelie Humbling themselues before the Lord in prayer hath opened the eyes of many and hath brought to passe in them that they begin to wonder at the common blindnes of men the which effect that it may worke in vs let vs call to minde a fewe things concerning the breuitie and miseries of mans life And to the end our meditation may haue an order and that we may kéepe the parts thereof in memorie it shal principally consist vpon the words of holy Iob written in the beginning of the fourtéene Chapter of his Booke where he saith thus Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of miseries He shooteth foorth as a flower and is cut downe hee vanisheth also as a shadowe and continueth not 11 To the end we might want nothing in this description of humane calamities it seemeth that his purpose was to begin with the verie matter it selfe of the which man was made For he saith not Vir but Homo that he might expresse the basenes of the matter of the which this most proude creature was made For hée is called Homo ab humo because he was procreated and made of the earth Neither was he made of the best of the earth but of the slime of the earth as the scripture testifieth being the most filthy and abiect part of the earth Among all bodies the most vile element among all the elements the earth is the basest among all the parts of the earth none is more filthy and abiect then the slime Wherefore man was made of that matter then the which there is nothing more vile and base 12 And wheras he saith that he was born of a woman he hath in fewe words comprehended many miseries of humane condition For first of all our very fashioning and originall is so impure and vncleane that it is not for chast eares to heare but to be passed ouer in silence as a thing most filthie horrible to be tolde This one thing I say mans conception is so foule that our most mercifull Lord taking vpon him all our sorrowes and calamities for our redemption would in no wise beare this although he vouchsafed to take vpō him our humane nature to suffer many reproches of his enemies as to be mocked blasphemed spit vpon bound whipped in the ende most shamefully crucified yet he thought it vnséeming his Maiesty to be conceiued in the womb of the blessed Virgin Marie after the same sinfull manner that other men be 13 Furthermore after that man is once conceiued doth he not indure great calamities in his mothers wombe as it were in a filthy and vncleane prison where euery moment he is in perill of his life At the last hée is borne naked weake ignorant destitute of all help and counsell not able to go to speak nor to helpe himselfe all that he can do is to cry and that is to set foorth his miseries for he is born to labor a banished man from his Country the enemy of God in possibilitie to liue a fewe dayes and the same fewe dayes full of miserie deuoide of all quietnesse and rest 14 Beholde then the very beginnings from whence man hath his first originall who notwithstanding thinketh himselfe to be born to pride who mingleth and cōfoundeth all things who ouerturneth troubleth and subdueth kingdomes he turmoyleth the seas and thinketh not the whole world sufficient for him 15 Iob saith further that man is of short continuance Behold another calamitie of mans bodie The building is scarce finished but it is readie to totter and to fall and sure it is ere long to fal Man is scarce entered into the worlde when as hée is admonished to remember his departure out of the same againe The dayes of man saith the Prophet Dauid are thréescore yéeres and tenne Psal 90. and though some be so strong that they come to fourscore yeeres yet is their strength thē but labour and sorrow c. Therefore the summe of our yéeres whereunto all do not attaine is theéescore yéeres and ten the stronger bodies sometimes continue till fourscore From which yéeres first of all we do deduct those yéeres which Infancie childhood spendeth for all that time we liue not like men neither are gouerned with a certaine violent motion like vnto bruite beastes which are deuoide of reason and vnderstanding If also we
make the eares of them that heare it to tingle O sentence intollerable which depriueth sinners of all good things and bringeth them to all woe The Lord sometime accursed the Fig-trée and immediately not onely the leaues but also the body and rootes were wholy withered Euen so that feareful curse of the last day shal be no lesse effectual For on whomsoeuer it falleth it shal so scortch them and shal so make them destitute of Gods grace that they shal neuer more be able to doe to speake to thinke or to hope for any good thing 31 Then therefore the wicked being stricken with this thundering sentence will lift vp their mouthes towards heauen wil spue foorth their shamefull blasphemies against God the Iudge they will curse this day and the houre wherein they were borne and their Parents which begat them and the wombs which bare them the aier which gaue them breath and the Earth which hath borne them but they shal not be suffered any long time to speake these things against the Iudge 32 For suddenly the Spirite of the Lord shal ouerwhelm them and shal with great violence caste them downe headlong into the déepe Apoc. 18. as in Saint Iohns Reuelation appeareth in these wordes Then a mightie angell tooke vp a stone like a great Milstone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall the Citie of Babilon bee cast Apoc. 20. and be found no more And againe Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the Lake of fire And this déepe shal be shut vp with gates of brasse and with yron barres which cannot bee broken with any force nor cut in sunder by any arte and there they shal drinke of the cup of the Lords wrath and the smoke of their torments shal ascend worlde wtout end they shal not rest day nor night 33 On the contrarie part the iust being in the fruition of ful blessednesse and of euerlasting glorie shall haue in their mouthes the prayses of the Lorde and giuing of thankes and shal with singing and with mirth extol the name of their Lorde and God with whom they shal reigne without ende 34 But although wée heare of those things often yet neuerthelesse wée are not awaked from the sléepe of sinne before wee be ouerwhelmed with the night of death and of darkenes Why doe we which haue this time now looke for another time which peraduenture wée shal neuer haue Now is the accepted time now is the day of saluation There is nothing more profitable for a man then to knowe his time and therefore in our worldly businesse wée obserue times and seasons as a conuenient time to eare a fitte time to sowe to plant and such like Yea the brute beast by the instinct of nature can make choyce of his time for benefite The Swallowe when winter approacheth prepareth himselfe to take his flight into a warmer Countrey The Bée and the Ant in the time of summer prepare their foode against winter And the Prophet Ieremie saith that the Storke knoweth his appointed time If brute beastes deuoide of reason haue this foresight to make choise of time for their good and if man him selfe in a worldly regarde can make choyse of a fitte and due time to gette earthly and transitorie things how much more prouident ought hee to bee for heauenly things that to attaine these hée lose not his fittest time to attaine saluation 35 The olde worlde that liued in the dayes of Noah knewe not their time that was the cause they then perished with the flood The Cities of Sodome and Gomer knew not their time that brought fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads to their destruction The foolish Virgins knewe not their time therefore when their Lorde came they being altogether vnready were shut out of the Lords ioy Let vs then knowe the season how it is time now that wee should awake out of sleepe Rom. 13.36 1. Thes 5. Let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that are drunken are drunken in the night But let vs which are of the day be sober least the darkenesse come vpon vs wherein we can neither walke nor worke Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes that day and time wherein we shall appeare before God and his Angels and before the whole worlde to answere our cause and either to receiue a Crown of glory or else perpetual shame and confusion Let vs know that we haue here a very short time limitted vnto vs. wherein wée must so endeuour our selues that for short and transitory things we lose not that which is eternall If wee haue this consideration of that great day of the Lorde wée shal not only be the more secure in death but also be the better prepared to méet with our Lord and Sauiour when he shal come to iudgement CHAP. IIII. Concerning Hell and the torments thereof THere is nothing that the Diuell laboureth more then to perswade men that there is no hel that so the more easily hée may leade them thether as it were blindfolde by the way of sinnes while they haue no feare of any punishment euen as shéeues are wont to bee ledde with a vaile before their faces when they are going to the gallowes as Ezechias was serued whose eyes Nabuchadnezer commanded to be put out whē he was caried away captiue into Babilō 2 But it may bée shewed by many reasons and authorities that there is a hel For as a Princely magnificence requireth that a King haue a beautiful Pallace for to entertaine the best sort of men and a prison for the worst Euen so the king of kings and Lord of all glorie and principalities hath a Pallace wherein there are many mansions as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel testifieth which is the kingdom of heauen and he hath also a darke prison or dungeon which is hel 3 The lawe of nations requireth that malefactors for their offences be driuen into exile for euer euen so God doth banish from his presence Luke 16. the impenitent sinners into hel For so it is said of Diues that he dyed was carried into hel Esay 5 And the prophet saith Hel hath inlarged it self hath opened his mouth with out measure and their glorie and their multitude and their pompe and he that reioyceth among them shall discend into it Also S. Iohn saith that the feareful and vnbeleeuing and murderers Apoc. 21. the whormongers sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And Christ Iesus saith Feare him which hath power to cast body and soule into hell 4 But forsomuch as God hath not made Death nor the kingdom of Hell vpon earth Wisd 1. We must vnderstand that the principal procurer of this Hell is Sathan the Prince of darkenesse who béeing in
euen so few shal be saued out of the nubmer of men Who wil not tremble who wil not forget his sport mirth and delights if he begin to thinke vpon this thing 5 Againe in Esdras it is saide The most highe made this world for many 2. Esd 8.1 but the world to come for fewe The earth yeeldeth great store of clay to make pots but little golde So it is with the worke of this world There bee many created but fewe shal be saued Wee see hereby that euen in natural things those that be most excellent are most rare much clay but little gold great plenty of common stones but of precious stones very fewe vnprofitable hearbes spring euery where but wholesome mâ—dicinable hearbs are more geason 6 How many millions of Infidels Barbarians Turkes Iewes which remaine in the darknes of their own ignoraÌ„ce are damned and among Christians so many as hold not their profession truly or otherwise are euil liuers therein Also before the comming of Christ all the world went the broad way to damnation for many thousand yeares together excepting a few Iewes which were a peculiar people vnto God and yet amongst them also it seemeth the greater part were not saued 7 If this be so that God damneth so many thousands for one that he saueth Psal 144. Iames. 2. how is it true that his mercie is aboue al his works and doe surmount his iudgements For if the number of the damned do so much excéed the number that are saued it may séeme that the worke of iustice doeth excéede the worke of mercy 8 To this obiection it may thus bée answered First that mercy may bée saide to excéede his iustice 2. Esdr 7.69 for that our whole saluation is of his mercy and our damnation of our selues as from the first and principall cause thereof Ose 13. Thy onely perdition is from thy selfe O Israel and thine assistance to doe good is onely from me 9 Secondly in that hée desireth that all men might be saued Whereby it appeareth that hee offereth his mercy to all willingly and fréely and is constrained to execute his iustice by our obstinate behauiour onely Mat. 23.37 10 Thirdly in that hee vseth many meanes to saue the damned in this life 1. Tim. 2.9 Iere. 3. First by calling them and assisting them somtimes with his grace to doe good by mouing them inwardly with infinite good inspirations secondly by alluring them outwardly with exhortations promises and examples of others thirdly by aduersities forthly by prosperities fiftly by giuing speace to repent lastly by threatnings This must néedes make the very damned confesse in hel that his iudgements are nothing comparable with the greatnesse of his mercies 11 But to returne to our purpose Séeing they are so few that shall be saued if they bee compared with those which shal perish Isaias saith full truly Isaias 24. These shall lift vp their voyce they shall shout for the magnificence of the Lord. That is to say when the kingdome of Antichrist being finished Christ shal come in the clowdes of Heauen with power maiesty when hee hath cast innumerable multitudes of the wicked into hel fire when he hath iudged all blasphemers all fornicators all drunkards and al vncleane persons to eternal torments and when he hath tumbled downe headlong all proud persons then those few which are left shal lift vp their voices and shal breake forth into the praises of the Lord. 12 Now let men which are louers of themselues eate drinke play laugh liue in security and giue themselues to delights and they shall sée what wil come vpon them soone after Verily if there bee but a fewe that be saued these are not like to be in that number but are rather to to bée reckoned among those which play vpon the Simphony and Harpe liuing in prosperitie and pleasure all their dayes and at last descende into their graues 13 Thus haue we the meaning and purpose of our Sauiour Christ in the former sentence now we will begin briefly to expound the same Striue saith hee to enter by the straight gate one moued the question but the Lord maketh answere not to one onely but to many Striue ye to enter in at the straight gate For although one had propounded the question yet there were many which desired to heare the solution of the question 15 But what is that straight gate by which we are commanded to enter Surely no other thing then Christ himselfe For in another place he saith plainly I am the doore Iohn 10.9 by me if any man enter he shall be safe And againe I am the way Iohn 14.6 the truth and the life 16 After what manner then do men enter by Christ Two things are required for this entrance by Christ into Heauen The one is on the behalfe of Christ the other is on our behalfe That which is required on Christs part is Apoc. 3.7 that he open the gate for hée hath the key of Dauid and openeth and no man can shut and he shutteth and no man openeth this is done long since For Christ then opened vnto vs the gate of euerlasting life when liuing here vpon earth hée was obedient to his Father humbling himselfe to the death the most shamefull death of the Crosse For as the disobedience and pride of the first Adam did shut vp the gate of the kingdome of Heauen so the obedience of the second Adam and his humilitie opened the same againe Therefore that which is required on the part of Christ is already done For the gate standeth wide open and shall so stand vnto the end of the world 17 But on our part this is required that we striue and labour by Gods assistance to enter in at this gate which as is said standeth open And we enter when wée vse and receiue those meanes to obtaine saluation which Christ hath appointed Faith commeth by hearing the word of God preached Gael 5.22 namely Faith and Repentance For this was the first sermon the preached Repent and beleeue the Gospell These two doe worke hope charity humility chastitie patience c. But because these things are hard to the carnall man and vnregenerate therefore the gate of saluation is called the straight gate 18 But some man peraduenture will say if the Law of the Lord be a straight way or gate why doth the same Lord in another place affirme that his yoake is sweet and his burden light How doe these things agrée Striue yee to enter by the straite gate Math. 11.30 and my yoake is sweete and my burthen light This knot may be vndone many wayes S. Chrisostome expounding the seuenth Chapter of S. Mathewes Gospel affirmeth that the law of the Lord in it selfe is grieuous and hard but yet also that it is light and swéete if the rewards to come and the torments to come be coÌ„sidered Rom. 8.18 For the sufferings of this life are nothing in
happie yet they all are no wher else to be found but in God For then at the last we shal be happy and blessed when we shal be like vnto God which by nature is blessed And wée shal bee like vnto God when we shal sée him as hée is As the Euangelist Saint Iohn testifieth saying Dearely beloued Iohn 3. wee are now the sonnes of God and it hath not yet appeared what wee shall be and we knowe that when we shall appeare wee shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is Saint Paul also putteth our felicity in séeing God face to face And therefore Saint Austine saith 1. Cor. 13. This onely sight of God is our happinesse 12 For as God is hereof blessed because he séeth and beholdeth himselfe being the first and the chiefe truth euen so wée also shal be blessed and like vnto God according to our measure namely when we shal beholde and see him as hée is the first and most principal trueth 13 Furthermore if the Moone and Stars doe receiue their light and are made like vnto the Sunne when they are opposite vnto him and doe after a sort behold him howe much more shall the pure mindes of the blessed receiue the diuine light and be made like vnto God when as they shal no more in a glasse or darke spéech but face to face behold the vncreated sunne and light of righteousnesse 14 O what a ioye shal it bée when at one view wée behold the most high and hidden mistery of the inseperable Trinity and of the loue of God therein towards vs and when wée shal see all things whatsoeuer in God For what shal not he sée who seeth him that seeth all things Then shal mans minde haue perpetual rest and peace neither shal it desire any further vnderstanding when he hath all before his eyes that may be vnderstood Then shal mans wil bée quiet when he enioyeth that felicitie wherein al other good things as in the fountaine Ocean of all happinesse are contained Then shal faith haue her perfect worke hope shal enioy that which she long desired but charity shal abide for euer Then shal be sung continual praises vnto the Lambe and the song although it be alwaies sung yet it shal be euer new 15 Therefore our true and onely blessednes consisteth in the sight of God as our Lord Christ hath testified Mat. 5. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God This is life euerlasting Iohn 17. that men knowe thee the true God and Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent 16 This blessednesse though it be but one simple thing yet hath it riches power pleasure In this worlde no man is rich no man is satisfied for the heart of man is greater then all the worlde can content But in that most blessed life the soules of the blessed shal be rich and satisfied with God whom it shal possesse This abundance of all things the Lord promised saying Luke 6. Good measure and running ouer and pressed down shall men giue into your bosomes And in another place Mat. 24. Verily verily I say vnto you he shall make him ruler ouer all his substance 17 The blessed soules also shall haue their honour and power For if they shal be Princes if Kings if the sonnes of God and petty Gods and if they shall sitte in Gods throne how can it be but that they shall bee most mighty and glorious For thus saith God in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn To him that ouercommeth Apoc. 3. will I graunt to sit with me in my throne euen as I ouercame and sitte with my father in his throne O incredible glorie what labours and sorrowes wil not they forget which shall be inuested into Gods throne and haue palmes of victory put into their handes and crowns set vpon their heads by Gods owne hands before all the Princes of heauen Therefore the Apostle Paul most truely crieth out saying Rom. 8. The afflictions of this life are nothing in comparison of the glory that shall be shewed vpon vs. 2. Cor. 4. And againe Our tribulation which is momentany and light prepareth an exceeding ioy waight of glory vnto vs. c. 18 The ioy and pleasure that the soules of the blessed shall haue cannot be expressed especially when soule and body shall be vnited againe in the resurrection O ioy aboue all ioyes surmounting all ioyes and without the which there is no ioy when shall I enter into thée saith Saint Augustine when shal I enioy thee to see my God that dwelleth in thée 35 solilo quiorum O euerlasting kingdome O kingdome of all eternities O light without end O peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding in which the souls of saints do rest with thée and euerlasting ioy is vpon their heads they possesse ioy and gladnes and all paine and sorrow is fled from them O how glorious a kingdome is thine O Lord wherin all saints doe raigne with thée adorned with light as with apparell and hauing crownes of precious stones vpon their heads O kingdom of euerlasting blisse where thou O Lord the hope of all saints art and the â—adem of their perpetuall glory reioycing them on euery side with thy blessed sight In this kingdome of thine there is infinit ioy and mirth without sadnes health without sorrow life without labour light without darkenes felicity without ceasing all goodnesse without any euill Where youth florisheth that neuer waxeth old life that knoweth no end beauty that neuer fadeth loue that neuer vanisheth health that neuer diminisheth ioy that neuer endeth Wher sorrow is neuer felt complaint neuer heard matter of sadnesse is neuer séene nor euill successe is euer feared Because they possesse thée O Lord which art the perfection of their felicity 19 Let vs enter into these godly meditations with this holy maÌ„ let vs not neglect so great felicity for the loue of transitorie things which are meere vanity why doe we so earnestly labour for things of no moment and haue that most happy and blessed life offered vnto vs wherein all felicity consisteth Thebrotus when hée had read the booke of Plato of the immortality of the soule was so moued therewith that immediately hée cast downe himselfe headlong from a high wall Shall Platos heathen Philosophy so much preuaile with an Ethnicke which had no féeling of this felicitie that in hope of immortality he bereft himselfe of life and shall not the swéete and most comfortable promises of the Gospell much more perswade vs which haue the true knowledge of Christ and his heauenly kingdom to forsake these vanities and delights and pleasures of the world Remember often that worthy sentence Hoc momentum vnde pendet aeternitas that is This life is a moment of time whereof al eternity of death or life to come dependeth If it be a moment the ioyes thereof must needs be momentany and miserable is that ioy which hath