contentment of the mind might appear more imaginarie nor substantiall where they fall not vnder the outward senses and where the body is not made participant thereof For the soul is but a spirit and is delighted with spirituall things neither can it be rejoiced or yet troubled with things sensuall or corporall being free from the bands of the fleshe Therefore to the effect thou may the better conceiue haue a more sensible feeling of the joyes of the life to come I wil assure thee that not only the soules and spirits of the Elect shal rejoice and be delighted with spiritual plesures but also the bodies shall bee delighted with bodily and sensual pleasures which falles vnder the senses In respect the bodie shal rise againe from death the soule or spirit shall enter againe therein and reallie and with effect both the soule the senses shall be delighted albeit not with such naturall corruptible things least any man should dreame such an vnperfite delectation as that where with our mortall bodies are delighted in this life but with heavenly and incorruptible things like as our bodies shall then be incorruptible and immortall And let no man think that at the day of the resurrection any of vs shall resume a fantastical body of an other forme shape nor that which we haue nowe but a very corporal and substantial body which may be seene and felt having all the senses in greater quicknes and perfection nor it hath them in this life but free alwaies from such fragilitie and naturall infirmities wherevnto the mortall body is subject For looke in what maner and with what body our Saviour Iesus Christ rose againe from death which after his resurrection but before his ascention full glorification was seene and knowne by his Disciples conversed with them and was griped by his Disciple Thomas In like maner and with the like bodies shall hee raise vs vp againe at the latter day And when we shall be glorified our bodies shall not be hinderfull vnto the actions of the spirit nor a fasheous prison vnto it as the body is in this life but it shal be a pleasant tabernacle and a necessarie organe vnto the spirite reddy to yeeld and obey it in all the offices and functions therof In such sort that where the spirit shall desire to be the body shall be transported with it as swift as the thought without any resistance So that in all our actions we shal be like vnto the Angells and celestiall bodies Our eyes then I say shall be delighted with beholding of things bewtifull our eares with hearing of heavenly sounds and harmony our taist with such celestiall and Angellike foode as shall be agreable therevnto our nostrells with smelling of pleasant and delectable odours and our sense of feeling with feeling of all kind of volupteous and perfite pleasure my reason is this because we shal haue a perfit sight of the face of God and the full fruition of his divine Majestie which is the consummation perfection of al pleasures For he that seeth the face of God seeth eminently and after a most excellent maner the bewtie and perfection of all his Creatures because from him they receiue all their bewtie and perfection Therefore by necessarie consequence in injoying the majestie of God the Creator we shal also injoy through him in him all the pleasures which can be taken of any Creature which the Lorde hath made either living or without life What thing vpon earth is comparable to the majestie and throne of God which Iohn saw by Revelation He that sate vpon the throne saith he was to looke vpon like vnto a Iasper stone a Sardine and there was a Rainbowe round about the throne in sight like to an Emerande and out of the throne proceeded lightenings and thunderings and voices and there were seene Lamps of fyre burning before the throane which are the seaven spirits of God The rest of the description thereof for brevitie I omit and remits the Reader to the place it self where it is described And did not the whole people of Israell see with their corporall eies and heare with their eares thunderings and lightenings and a thick cloud vpon mount Sinay and the sounde of a trumpet exceeding loude so that they were all afraide And did they not see mount Sinay al on a smoke the smoke thereof ascending as the smoke of a fornace because the Lord came downe vpon it in fyre and the mount trembling exceedinglie Likewise Moses Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventie of the Elders of Israell saw a part of the Majestie of God onely in so farre as their infirmitie and weaknes was able to beare And vnder his feet they sawe as it were a worke of a Saphire stone and as the very heaven when it is cleare And did not the skinne of the face of Moses shine bright after that God had talked with him In such sort that the Israelites were affraide to come neere him Howe then shall wee shine that shall behold him face to face and injoye his presence for ever Surely in beholding the bewtie of his glorious face we shall be made bewtifull And in injoying the presence of his Majestie we shall also injoy all these joyes and pleasures presently expressed and besides them many other greater which as the Apostle saith It is not possible to the wit and toung of man to vtter and declare We shall be filled with al vertue and perfection we shall be healthie wee shall be strong wee shall be joyfull and glad wee shall haue perfit contentment we shal be assured and in perfit securitie we shall be wise we shall be patient we shall be constant we shall be charitable wee shall be holy we shall be glorious All our actions desires studies and imaginations shal be good and we shall not haue so much as an intention or inclination vnto evill To be short as it is promised in the Apocalips we shal inherit all things the Lord shal be our God and we shal be his sons And as the Prophet Daniel saith we shal shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes shal shine as the starres for ever and ever Wee shall receiue a crowne of righteousnes as sainct Paul saith which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue at that day to all them that loues his appearing Wee shall sing these praises and newe songes which Iohn heard by Revelation Holy holy holy Lord God Almightie which was and which is and which is to come Thou art worthie O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy wills sake they are and haue bene created Item worthie is the Lamb that was killed to receiue power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory praise Praise and honour and glory and power be vnto
forasmuch as such naked assertions vpon conjectures and appearances without farther warrant of Gods word might seeme inautentik and to make no faith Therefore the premises are authorised by divers testimonies of the Scripture wherby the certitude of the joies of the life to come is confirmed Thereafter it is declared how these eternall pleasures shall not onely be extended to the soule of man but also to the body which shall rise againe perfit in all the members and senses and shall be delighted with the owne objects But the chiefe object shall be the Majestie of God containing the perfection of al things wherewith they shalbe whollie repleat So being clothed with the glory and filled with the perfection of the most high the Sonne of mans perfection is thereby summarly collected together with the maner howe the elect shall be exercised in the world ro come Last in order followes the perpetuitie of the time during the which this vnspeakable joy and glory shall endure The which in respect it shall admit no period but shall be comprehended vnder an infinite eternitie the felicitie appeares the more admirable and great Finally by reason of the exorbitant affliction of the godly and raging insolencie of the enemies The conclusion containes a briefe praier to our Lord Iesus Christ to shorten and accelerat his glorious comming that thereby all these miseries may take an end and the eternall felicitie hoped for may beginne This brieflie is the summe and deduction of all which if wee consider Brethren with sanctified and well disposed hearts I think it may serue to our singular comfort in all seasons be as a buckler against al temptations For in time of prosperitie we may lift vp our mindes and be assured that there is yet a greater prosperitie abiding vs which shall endure for ever in the world to come And in the midst of troubles we may settle our selues and find reliefe here when we remember that our sorrowes shal shortly take an end and that we are to receiue a reward even a perpetuall glory of body and soule whereof all our sufferings cannot be worthie Herefore let vs comfort our selues in these things and be content with faith full Abraham to abide here a while vpon this earth as in a strange countrie ever looking as he did for a Citie having a foundation whose builder and maker is God Let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wavering for he is faithfull that promised Let vs haue grace whereby wee may so serue God that we may please him with reverence and feare for yet a very little while and he that shall come wil come and will not tary The loue of God and grace of our Lord Iesus be with you all Amen At Polvvart the 8. day of Aprill 1594. yeares A loving Brother of all Christs little Flock A. H. OF THE FELICITIE OF THE Life to come WEe see that according to the saying of the Psalmist The miseries are manye which righteous men do suffer in this life As povertie sicknes ignominie imprisoning banishment grief of mind and death of the body And these miseries they not only suffer perforce as sent by God whose mightie hand no fleshe is able to resist but voluntarily they incur the miseries trobles which they might eschew all for professing of the name of Christ and imbracing of his true worshipping and service which if they wold forsake deny they might be free from the cruell torment of their bodies they might saue their owne liues enjoy their owne goods and liue at libertie in their owne cuntries Likewise we see that willinglie they suffer wrong injurie and reproch and receiues great shame losse of them whome they might recompence and requite with the like offences Neverthelesse they avenge not themselues although they might but remits the revenge to God Nowe then there results here two questions The one is why the Lord seeing all things are at his gift and disposition doeth so hardly intreate his servants in this life For all the earth is the Lords All beasts are mine saith the Lord on the hilles on the mountains Gold silver and riches hee may giue at his pleasure and high honours for promotion comes neither from the East nor from the West but from aboue To be short he giues libertie and makes the heart cheerfull and glad he hath power to conserue the body in health and to prolong or abridge the daies of man as seemes good in his eies The other question is Why righteous men do voluntarilie suffer and vnderlie those troubles which they might easilie eschew and takes vp patiently the reproches wrongs which they might resist and acquite which is a thing most hard of digestion to fleshe and blood and is plaine repugnant to mans owne nature and inclination The first question contains two parts The one is why God giues not all kinde of temporall benefits to his servants according to their hearts desire The other part is Why God doth so miserablie afflict his servants in this life To the first it is answered That the Lord is a wise discreet stewart and dispensator of his benefits and seeing he hath created and made vs hee knowes our strength and weaknes what is most meete for vs and howe able wee are to beare and vse his giftes and benefites Therefore wee may lay this for a sure ground That the Lord bestowes his temporall gifts on his seruants ever in such measure and in so far as he knowes them to be needful for the pilgrimage of this life and for their eternal salvation Let no man then that fears God think that the Lord hath bestowed lesse or more of his benefits vpon him nor is expedient for the making of his journey for his everlasting salvation which I think should moue every man to settle himselfe and to be hartilie well content with the worldly giftes which God hath given him whether they be much or litle in great mesure or in smal An other reason there is why the Lord giues not these worldly giftes to his servants according to their manlie hearts desire because God rewards not his own according to their worthines but according to his greatnes Which rewarde by the selfe same reason cannot be worldly nor temporall but eternall and everlasting like vnto the giver thereof Thus much concerning the disposition of temporall benefits to the righteous I come nowe to the other part of the first question Why the Lord not onelie denies prosperitie to his servants in such measure as they would wishe but also doeth visit them with great trouble and affliction in this life The causes are many and divers wherefore the Lord doth afflict his own servants First forasmuch as wee haue no permanent dwelling or long residence here he visits vs with troble to the effect that our minde and delectation be not fixed on earthly things but rather should be lifted vppe to
receiue it But ô thou naturall man thou speakes as a man and what higher can dust and ashes go nor the earth neither is that reward far off as thou esteems it to be neither yet is that deth which maketh the seperation betwixt the soul and the body much to be feared For the time which David prescribes to the age and life of man is onely 70. or 80. years which time being expired the righteous receiues their reward promised If that reward then be long delaied in respect of the time which is without end let thy own conscience be judge Neither is this reward alwaies continued for the space foresaide but is graunted sooner vnto some when it pleaseth the Lord For wee see the tearme of mans life is vncertaine in respect that some are called home in their old age some in their midage some in their youth and some in their very infancie But heere it may be demaunded why the Lord wil haue vs first to die and after to liue againe seeing it would appeare to be more easie to continue this life for ever nor to put end to this life and then make vs to liue againe I answere that sinne is the occasion why we must die and depart this life before wee see the Majestie of God or receiue the reward promised which is everlasting life For as the Apostle Paul saith the wages of sinne is death But then thou may reply and say that Iesus Christ hath already suffered for our sinne and hath overcome death and hell How is it then that we must nevertheles vnderly death which is the reward of sinne I answere thee that because Iesus Christ hath suffered for our sinne and hath overcome death by his resurrection therefore hee shall raise vs vp againe from death and giue vs everlasting life which otherwise we would not haue gotten if he had not died for vs but would haue risen againe to everlasting death and torment Herefore as the Apostle subjoines to his saying aboue written but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Notwithstanding of all this the work of the resurrection from the death seemes most hard and difficill to fleshe blood But ô man Where is thy faith Seing thou may by very naturall reason as it were comprehend the same if thou wold haue respect to the rest of the wonderfull workes of God which thou seest daily before thine eies and would compare the same with the resurrection of the dead bodies For what is hee that euer would think that the seede which is sowen on the ground lies roten therein should ever come to perfection and become good and ripe corne vnlesse he had the yearlie experience of it What is hee that ever would thinke that those hearbes and plants which are withered and dead so that nothing remaines but a colde rotten roote within the earth should ever reviue and revert againe and bring forth a perfit stalke a leafe a flourish and seed vnlesse we sawe it with our eies Or what is he that seeing the Sunne going downe and the whole earth overwhelmed with darknes that ever would think that the sunne should rise and giue light againe except he had the daily experience of it Who would think that a man which is fallen in a sounde sleepe whose senses are deade without either sight hearing smelling or feeling should ever awake againe and be a living man vnlesse wee sawe it a thing customable and naturall to all men I suppose likewise that no man would credite by report the wonderfull manner of the conception and birth of mankind except it were knowne by experience and proofe Certainly it is no more hard and difficill to the Lord to raise the dead bodies out of the graue nor to worke these things Neither is deth more to be feared of the godly nor the going to bed to sleepe which is a perfit similitude of death For as man goes to bed in the evening sleeps all the night and wakens and rises vp againe in the morning So doth the body in very deede sleepe and repose in the graue overshadowed with night darknes but in the morning when Christ Iesus shall appeare in the cloudes the body shal rise againe at the blast of the trūpet and shall enjoy the perfit light of the day during the which space man shall not think long for what langor can the body haue which is a sleepe And as to the soule it can haue far lesse which during the said space is joyned with Christ Iesus In such sort that the space betwixt the separation of the soule from the body and the comming of our Lord Iesus is but the length as it were of a night But because thou ô worldly man hath not had the experience of the resurrection like as thou hast had of the things aboue specified which are no lesse marvelous thou can hardly beleeue it But vnto such as constantly beleeues the same and hopes for the reward of everlasting life I will briefly declare by the grace of God the joye and felicitie thereof in so far as the Lord hath revealed the same to vs by his word as the weak wit of man is able to conceiue In the first the Apostle Paule testifies that the eie hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath it entered in the hart of man the joye and glory of the life to come which thing God hath prepared for all them that loue him Therefore let man imagine and descriue what hee list he shall never be able to attaine vnto it for it is aboue his vnderstanding Neverthelesse I collect the glory and felicitie of that life to come to be extreame great and excellent in respect of these four circumstances First in consideration of the situation fabrick bewtie of the dwelling place Secondly in respect of the company and fellowship of them which we shall injoye Thirdly in consideration of the pleasures and delectation which we shall haue there And last in respect of the time and space which the dwelling company and pleasures shal indure A Description of the celestiall dwelling place AS to the Name and Description of the dwelling place It is called by the spirite of God the Heaven an holy mountaine a high place a great and holie citie holy and newe Ierusalem a celestiall and glorious Kingdome the Tabernacle and dwelling place of the Lord. These are high stiles Whereby wee may gather that the situation thereof is on high aboue the circle of the Sunne and circumference of the starrie firmament I dwell in the high and holy place saith the Lord and the Psalmist saith Praise yee him in the high places The fabrick and bewtie thereof may be likewise vnderstood to be most exquisit For seing it is the dwelling place of the Lord which is most perfite yea which is very perfection it selfe no question but his tabernacle dwelling place is
are nowe For otherwise it is to be presupposed that the lord would not destroy the more perfite and creat others more vnperfit in their place and roome Finally that dwelling shalbe exceeding large and spatious for there shal be no separation betwixt the heaven and the earth betwixt the dwelling place of the Lord and the dwelling place of Men but conforme to his promise hee shall dwell with vs and wee with him as Citizens of a Citie And thus much concerning the Description of the dwelling place A Declaration of the Company which we shall inioye in the World to come AS to the Companie which we shall haue in that heavenly habitation it is first to be marked that wee shall be quite of all evil company For all wicked men shall be perpetually banished from that faire cuntrie Know ye not saith the Apostle Paul that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God Be not deceived Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor wanton persons nor buggerers nor theeues nor the covetous nor drunkards nor raillers nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God which is to be vnderstood except they be washen sanctified and justified in the name of Iesus Christ and by the spirit of God like as the Corinthians were to whome Paul wrote this Epistle which did repent and amend their liues The same is affirmed by Saint Iohn in his Revelation saying the fearfull and vnbeleving and the abhominable murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all liers shal haue their part in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone which is the second death And again speaking of that holie Citie he saith There shal enter into it no vncleane thing neither whatsoever worketh abhomination or lies The companie then which we shall injoy shall be all holy and righteous Thy people shall be all righteous saith the Lord speaking to his Church they shal possesse the land for ever Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle saith the Psalmist who shal rest in thine holy mountaine He that walks vprightlie and works righteousnes and speakes the trueth in his heart In such sort that wee shall continuallie converse with the Saints that is to say with men and women which served God in spirit and trueth in this life and that not onelie of the people of our owne cuntrie or of the Iewes and Israelites which are called Gods people But also of all cuntries and nations of the earth and that of all estates degrees Assemble your selues and come saith the Lord drawe neere togither ye abject of the Gentiles Look vnto me and yee shall be saved All the ends of the earth shal be saued For I am God and there is none other I haue sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnes and shall not returne That every knee shall bowe vnto me and every toung shal sweare by me And againe the Lord saith to his Son Christ Iesus It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise vp the tribes of Iacob and to restore the desolations of Israell I will also giue thee for a light of the Gentiles that thou maist be my salvation to the end of the world Likewise the Apostle Iohn saith that the glory and honour of the Gentiles that is to say of all Nations aswell as of the Iewes shall be brought vnto the holie Citie And this shall not onely be of the faithful of one age or of them which are living nowe but of all ages which hath bene from the beginning of the worlde and shal be vnto the consumation thereof and latter comming of Iesus Christ. Wee shall then frequent the societie and fellowship of al the godly Martyrs which constantly hath suffered for the name of Christ Iesus in this life And likewise of the Disciples and Apostles of Christ Iesus which hath sounded his Gospel thorow the whol world Of the holy Priests and true Prophets of the Lord of the godly Kings and Rulers of the Earth which as the Lords lieftenants did ministrate justice and judgment in their liues We shall haue for our familiar brethren and companions our first progenitor Adam Noe Lot Abraham Isaac Iacob and the twelue Patriarks the sonnes of Iacob Likewise wee shall see by familiar and contract friendship brotherhood which never shall be dissolved with Moses Aaron Iosua and the just judges of Israell with Samuell Elias and Elisha Esay Ieremie Ezechiell and Daniell with David Ezechias and Iosias with Iohn the Baptist Peter Paul Iohn whome our Saviour loved with whome wee shal dwell as brethren and Citizens of a Cittie Moreover not onely shall wee be in company with faithful men and women but also with the whole armie of the holy Angels of the Lord whome hee hath appointed to preserue and defend vs in this life The whole ordour of them shall rejoyce greitumlie of our comming and salvation and shall be continually conversant with vs in perpetual societie and friendship There shal we enter in fellowshippe with the Cherubims Seraphins Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers Arch-angels Angels and with the whole number of the celestiall Legions Which receiveth those styles to declare their glory power distinct ofices These shal delight to magnifie extol the Majestie of the lord togither with vs insatiantlie with vnspeakable joy gladnes But the chief company wherein we shuld most rejoice is That we shall haue the ful fruition of almightie God the Father of his Sonne Christ Iesus our Saviour and of the holy Ghost which is the spirit of God There we shal see them face to face in their full majestie and glory which none can behold nor apprehend in this life but by faith only The almighty God shall behold and blesse vs from his high and holy throne as his owne sonnes and heires whome hee hath adopted The Lambe Christ Iesus shall imbrace kisse vs as his brethren sisters he shall congratulate our comming and present vs faultlesse vnto his Father And the Comforter the spirit of trueth which nowe doth secreetly assist vs governe vs and work in our hearts by measure shal then be visiblie and personally ever present among vs and really and with effect shall possesse both our soules and bodies and replenish vs with ful measure Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of the Company which wee shall injoye and with whom we shal liue in the world to come A Rehearsall of the Pleasures which we shall inioy in the world to come LET vs nowe come to the pleasures whereof we shal be made participant in the life to come Like as the Geographor by symmetrie and proportion describes all the Cuntries of the earth into the bounds of a litle globe and is accostomed to write throughout the partes thereof This is a cuntrie this is a famous Citie this is a river these are mountains this is an arme of the sea
BEVLAH or Maried For the Lord delights in thee and thy Land shall haue an Husband for as a young man marieth a Virgine so shall thy sonnes marrie thee And as a bridegrom is glad of the bride so shall thy God rejoice over thee And in the Apocalips Christs flock saith Halleluiah that is by interpretation praise yee God for our God Almightie hath raigned Let vs be glad and rejoice and giue glory to him for the mariage of the Lambe is come and his wife hath made her selfe reddy And to her was granted that she should be arrayed with pure fine linnen and shining for the fine Linnen is the righteousnes of the Saints Thereafter the Angell of God saith vnto Iohn I will shew thee the bride the Lambs wife and he shewed me saith Iohn the great Citie holy Ierusalem which is the number of the Elect descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God This comparison the spirit of God maketh betweene Christ and his Church because that like as the husband and the wife are made one flesh so are the faithfull made one with Christ by participation of his body blood through faith And as the bridegrome doth procreate Children with his bride So doth Christ procreat Children in his Church by his holy spirit and makes her to be plentiful in bringing forth sonnes and daughters to inherit his kingdome But to returne to the pleasure of the Elect in the life to come it is also compared to a solemne banquet by the spirit of God And in this mountaine saith the Prophet Esay shall the Lord of hosts make vnto all people a feast of fat things Even a feast of fined wines and of fat things full of marrow of wines fined and purified And Saint Iohn in his Revelation saith that he saw a pure river of water of life cleare as Christal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lambe which is Iesus Christ and on either side of the River was the tree of life which bare twelue manner of fruites and gaue fruite every moneth and the leaues of the tree served to heale the Nations with It is also saide in the Apocalips Blessed are they that are called vnto the Lambes supper And our maister Christ saith whosoever drinks of the water that I shall giue him shall never be more a thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp into everlasting life Moreover the Lord proposeth to the faithfull all the blessings which are contained in the Lawe and so vnder temporall things comprehends the spirituall promises They shall feede in the waies saith the Prophet and their pastures shall be in al the tops of the hilles they shal not be hungrie nether shal they be thirstie neither shall the heate smite them nor the sunne for hee that hath compassion on them shal leade them euen to the springs of waters shal he driue them Lo saith the Lord every one that thirsts come ye to the waters and ye that haue no silver come buy and eat come I say buy wine and milke without silver Harken diligently vnto me and eat that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnes Likewise the Lord speaking to his afflicted members saith O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest that hath no comfort behold I will lay thy stones with the Charbukle and lay thy foundation with Saphires and I will make thy windowes of Emeraudes and thy gate shining stones and all thy bordours of plesant stones And for the farther comfort of his elect hee proceeds and saith All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord much peace shal be to thy Children In righteousnes shall thou be established and be far from oppression for thou shalt not feare it and from feare for it shall not come neere thee For the montains shal remoue and the hills shal fal downe but my mercy shal not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee This is the heritage of the Lords servants and their righteousnes is of me saith the Lord. And insisting in the consolation of his Church this saith the Lord to it Whereas thou hast bene forsaken and hated so that no man went by thee I will make thee an eternal glory and a joy from generation to generation Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles and suck the brests of kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy redeemer the mightie one of Iacob For brasse wil I bring gold and for yron will I bring silver and for wood brasse and for stones yron I will also make thy garment peace and thy exactors righteousnes Violence shal be no more heard off in thy land neither desolation nor destruction within thy borders But thou shalt call salvation thy walles and praise thy gates Thou shalt haue no more the Sunne to shine by day neither shall the brightnes of the Moone shine vnto thee For the Lord shall be thine everlasting light and thy God thy glory thy Sunne shal never go downe neither thy Moone be hid for the Lord shall be thy everlasting light and the daies of thy sorrowes shall be ended Thy people also shal be al righteous they shal possesse the land for ever The graiffe of my planting shall be the work of my hands that I may be glorified Moreover the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet comforts his Elect and threatneth the wicked in these wordes Behold my servants shall eat and ye shall be hungrie Beholde my seruants shall drink and ye shall be thirstie Behold my servants shal rejoice and ye shall be ashamed Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart and yee shal cry for sorrowe of heart and shall howle for vexation of mind and yee shall leaue your name as a curse vnto my chosen For the Lord God shall slay you and call his servants by another name He that shall blesse in the earth shal blesse himself in the true God he that sweares in the earth shal swear by the true God These are hevenly consolations and promises which are partly begunne in this life but shall not be fullie accomplished while the life to come Wherevpon the faithfull flock of Christ takes occasion to rejoice and is prophesied to burst out in these wordes I will greatly rejoice in the Lord and my soule shall be joyfull in my God For hee hath clothed me with the garments of salvation and covered me with the robe of righteousnes He hath decked me like a bridegrome and as a bride attyreth her selfe with her jewells For as the earth brings forth her budde and as the Garden causes to growe that which is sowne in it So the Lord God will cause righteousnes to growe and praise before the Heathen But forasmuch as the pleasures of the soul