oures in these matters whoe will now maruayle of the wisdome of the world iudged folie by God and of the wysdome of god iudged foly by the worlde Oh children of men sayeth the prophet vvhy doe ye loue vanitie and seeke after a lye why doe you embrace strawe cōtemne golde strawe I say and most vile chaffe and such as finally will set your own howse on fyre be your ruyne and eternall perdition But now to drawe towardes an end in this matter though there be no end in the thing it selfe lett the Christian consider wherto he is borne and whereof he is in possibilitie yf he will He is borne heyre apparet to the kyngdome of heauen a kyngdome without end a kyngdome without measure a kingdome of blysse the kyngdome of God him selfe he is borne to be ioynt heyre with Iesus Christ the sonne of God to raigne with hym to triumph with hym to sitt in Iudgement of Maiestie with hym to iudge the very Angeles of heauē with hym VVhat more glorie can be thought vpon except it were to become God hym selfe All the ioyes all the riches all the glorie that heauen contayneth shall be poured out vppon hym And to make this honour yet more the gloriouse lambe that sitteth on the throne of Maiestie with his eyes lyke fyre his feet lyke burning copper and all his face more shynyng than preciouse stone from whose seat there procedeth thunder and lightening without end and at whose feet the fower twētie elders lay downe their erownes this lambe I say shall ryse and honour him with his own seruice VVhoe will not esteeme of this royall inheritance especiallie seing the gayning therof by the benefit of our redemption and grace pnrchased to vs therin is brought novv to be in our own handes The kyngdome of heauen suffereth violence sayeth Christ and men lay handes now on it by force That is by force of gods couenāt made with Christians that lyuing vertuouslre they shall haue the same VVhat soeuer Christian then doeth good woorkes and lyueth vertuouslie taketh heauen by force as it were and by violence The matter is put in the power of the doer sayeth S. Austen for that the kyngdome of heauen suffereth violence This thing o man that is the kingdome of heauen requireth no other price but thy selfe yt is so muche vvoorthe as thou art vvoorthe geue thy selfe and thou shalt haue it By whiche he signifieth that euery man how poore or needye soeuer he be in this world may gayne this ā heritāce to him selfe may make hym selfe a prince a king a Monarche yf he will euen the moanest and miserablest man in the wourlde O wunderfull bountie and liberalitie of our Sauiour o princelie hart and vnspeakable mercie o incredible prodigalitie as I may saye of God in treasures so inestimable as are his infinite and endlesse riches Tell me now gentle reade why wilt thou not accept of this his offer why wilt thou not account of this his kyngdome why wilt thou not buye this glorie of hym for so litle a labour as he requireth Suadeo tibi emere a me aurum ignitum probatum vt locuples fies sayeth Christ. I counsaile the to buye pure and tried golde of me to the end thou mayest be riche VVhy wilt thou not folow this counsaile deare brother sepecialie of a marchāt that meaneth not to deceaue thee Nothing greeueth this our Sauiour more than that men will seek with such paynes to buy straw in Egypt whereas he wolde sell them fyne gold at a lower price and that they will purchase pudle water with more labour than he wolde require for ten tymes as muche pure liquor out of the verie sontaine it selfe There is not the whickedest man in the world but taketh more trauaile in gayning of hell as after shall be shewed than the moste paynfull seruant of God in purchasing of heauen Folow thow not their folie then deare brother for thow shalt see them doe heauy penance for it one day when thy harte shal be full glad thow hast no parte among them Let them goe now and bestow their time in vanitie in pleasures in delites of the world Lett them buyld palaces purchase dignities add peeces and paches of ground together let them hunt after honours and buyld castells in the ayer the daye will come yf thow beleeue Christ hym selfe wherin thow shalt haue small cause to enuye their felicitie Yf they talke baselie of the glorie and riches of Saintes in heauē not esteeming them in deede in respect of their owne or contemnyng them for that carnall pleasures are not reckonned therein make litle account of theyr woordes For that the sensuall man vnderstandeth not the things vvhiche are of God Yf horses were promised by their maisters a good banquet they could imagin nothing els but prouander and water to be their best cheere for that they haue no know lege of dayntier dishes so these men accustomed to the pudle of their fleshlie pleasures can mount with their mynde no higher than the same But I haue shewed thee before gentle reader some wayes and considerations to conceaue greater matters albeit as I haue aduertised the often we must confesse still with S. Paul that no humaine hart can conceaue the least parte therof for whiche cause also it is not vnlike that S. Paul him selfe was forbidden to vtter the thinges whiche he had seene and heard in his miraculouse assumption vnto the third heauen To conclude then this game and gole is sett vpp for them that will runne as S. Paul noteth and no man is crowned in this glorie but suche onelie as will fight as the same Apostle teacheth It is not euerie one that sayeth to Christ lord lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but they onelie which shall doe the will of Christ his father in heauē Thoughe this kingdome of Christ be sett out to all yet euerye man shall not come to raigne with Christ but such onelie as shal be contēt to suffer with Christ. Thoughe the kingdome of heauen be subiect to violence yet no man can enter there by force but he onelie whose good deedes goe with hym to helpe open the gates that is except he enter vvithout spott and hathe vvroght iustice as the prophet testifyeth My meaning is that as I haue shewed the greatnesse and woorthynesse of this treasure gentle reader so thow shouldest also conceaue the right way of gayning the same whiche is no other but onelie by holie and vertuouse lyfe as God hym selfe hathe assured the. Thow art therfore to sitt downe and consider according to thy Sauiours counsaile what thou wilt doe whether thow haue so muche spirituall money as is sufficient to buyld this tower and make this warre
seruice of God thoughe it were to gayne all the kyngdomes of the earthe yet is it meere vanitie follie lost labour will turne vs one daye to grefe repentāce and confusion for that it is not the matter for whiche we came into this lyfe or of whiche we shal be asked accompt at the last daye except it be to receaue Iudgement for the same Secondlie it folowethe of the premisses that seinge our onely ende busines in this worlde is to serue God that all other earthelye creatures are putt here to serue vs to that ende we should for our partes be indifferent to all these creatures as to riches or pouertie to healthe or sicknes to honour or contempt and we should desire onely so muche or litle of the same as were best for vs to our sayd ende that we entende that is to the seruice of God for whoe soeuer desiethe or seekethe thes creatures more than this runnethe from his ende for the which he came hither By this nowe maye a carefull Christian take some scantelinge of his owne estate withe God and make a coniecture whether he be in the right waye or no For yff he attende onely or principallye to this ende for whiche he was sent hither that is to serue God and gayne heauen yf his cares cogitations studies endeuours labours talke and other his actiōs runne vpon this matter and that he careth no more for other creatures as honour riches learninge the lyke then they are necessarie vnto hym for this ende whiche he pretendethe If his dayes and lyfe I saye be spent in this studie of the seruice of God and procuringe his saluation in feare and tremblinge as the Appostle willethe vs then is he doubtles a most happye blessede man and shall at lengthe attayne to the kyngedome whiche he lookethe for But yf he finde hym selff in a contrarie ease that is not to attende to this matter for which onelye he was sent hither nor to hane in his harte studie this seruice of God and gayninge of heauen but rather some other vanitie of the world as promotion wealthe pleasure sumptuous apparell gorgious buyldinges bewtie or any other thinge els that partaynethe not to this ende yf he spende his tyme I saye abowt these tryfles hauinge his cares cogitations his talke delight more in thes then about the other great busines of gayninge heauen for which he was sent Then is he in a perilouse course leadinge directlie to perdition except he alter and change the same For most certaine it is that who soeuer shall not attende vnto the seruice he came for shall neuer attayne to the rewarde promised to that seruice And because the most parte of the world not only of infidels but also of Christiās doe amisse in this pointe and doe not attende to this thinge for which they were onely created and sent hyther Hence it is that Christ his holye saintes haue alwayes spoken so hardly of the small number that shal be saued euen amonge Christians and haue vttered some speeches which seeme very rigorous to fleshe and bloode and scarce trewe albe it they must be fulfilled as that it is easier for a camell to goe thorovvghe a needles eye then for a riche man to enter into heauen The reason of which sayenge and many more standethe in this that a riche man or worldlinge attēdinge to heape riches can not attende to doe that whiche he came for into this worlde and consequenetly neuer attayne heauen except God worke a miracle so cause hym to contemne his riches and to vse thē onely to the seruice of God as some tymes he dothe and we haue a rare example in the gospell zacheus whoe beinge a very riche man presently vpon the enteringe of Christ into his house muche more into his harte gaue half his goodes vnto the poore and whome so euer he hadd iniuried to hym he made fower tymes so muche restitutiō And so entered into heauen whiche otherwyse he hadd not done But hereby now maye be seene the lamentable state of manye a thowsande Christians in the world which are so farrof from bestowinge winge there hole tyme trauell in the seruice of God and the gayninge of heauen as they neuer almost thincke of the same or yf they doe it is with very litle care or attētiō Good Lorde howe manye men and women be there in the world which bearinge the name of Christians scarse spende one houre of fower and twentie in the seruice of God howe manye doe beate their braynes about wordly matters and how fewe are troubled withe this care howe manye finde tyme to eate drinke sleepe disporte deck painte thē selues out to the worlde and yet haue no tyme to bestowe in this greatest busines of all other howe manye spend ouer whole dayes weekes monethes and yeares in hauking hunting and other pastymes without any care or earnest cogitation of these thinges Other in ambition promotiō without makinge accounte or regrade of the matter what shal be come of these people what will they saye at the daye of iudgment what excuse will they haue If the marchand factour which I spake of before after manye yeares spent beyond the seas returninge home to geeue accountes to his maister should yeald a reconninge of so muche tyme spent in singinge so much in daunsinge so muche in courtinge and the lyke who would not laughe at his accountes but beinge further asked by his maister what tyme he bestowed on his marchandise which he sent hym for yf he should answere none at all nor that he euer thought or studyed vppon that matter whoe wold not thynke hym worthie of all shame and punishemene and surelve withe muche more shame and confusion shall they stande at the daye of iudgemēt whoe beinge placed here to so great a busines as is the seruice of almightie God the gayninge of his eternall kyngdome of heauē haue not withstādinge neglected the same bestowinge their studdies labours and cogitations in the vaine trifles of this world which is as muche from the purpose as yf men beinge placed in a course to runne at a golden game of infinite price as we are all placed to runne at heauen as S. Paule sayeth they should leaue their marke 〈◊〉 steppe a side after flyes or fethers in the ayre and some other stande styll gatheringe vpp the dunge of the grounde and how were these men worthie trowe you to receaue so greate arewarde as was proposed to them VVherfore deare Christian yf thow be wyse consider thy case whyle thou haste tyme. Followe the Apostles counsaile examine thy owne worke wayes and deceyue not thy selfe Yet thowe maiste reforme thy selfe because the daye tyme of lyfe yet remayneth The dreadfull night of deathe will ouertake thee shortly whē there wil be no more tyme of reformation VVhat will all thy labour toyle in procurynge
signifieth an vtter destroyer At the sixth blast of the triumpet were loosed sower angels tyed before and then rushed forth an armye of horsemen in number twentie hundred times ten thowsand and I sawe the horses and they which satte vpon them had breastplates of fyre and brymstone The heades of these horses were as lyons and out of their mouthes came fyre and smoke and brymstome wherby they slewe the third parte of men which had not repented and their strength was in their tailes whiche were like serpentes Then was there an angel whiche puttinge one foote vppon the fea and an other vppon the land did sweare by hym that lyuethe for euer and euer that after the blast of the seuenth trumpett there should be no more tyme. And so when the seuēth angell had sounded their came greate voyces from heauen sayinge the kyngdome of this world is made to our lorde and his Christ and he shall raigne for euer And I hearde a great voice sayinge to the seuen angels goe and powre out seuen cuppes of godes wrath vpon the earth so they did And the first brought foorth cruell wounds vppon men the second turned the sea into Reade bloode the thirde turned the riuers and fountaines into bloode the fowrth afflicted men with fyre and made them blaspheme God the fifthe made them eate their owne tougues for sorowe the sixth dried vp the water And I sawe three foule spirites lyke frogges issew out of the mouth of a dragon And finallie the seuenth cuppe beinge powred out there came a mightie voyce from the throne of God sayinge it is dispatched And there followed lyghtninges and thunders and voices and earthquakes such as neuer were sence men dwelt vppon the grounde Can any tongue in the world expresse a thinge more forcybly than this matter is expressed by the holie Apostle him selfe VVhat mortall harte can but tremble in the middest of this vnspeakeable terrour is it meruaile yf the verie iust men the Angels them selues are sayde to feare it and then as S. Peter reasoneth yf the iust shall scarse be saued vvhere shall the vvicked man and sinner appeare vvhat a dreadfull daye vvil it be for the careles and loose Christian which hath passed his tyme pleasantlye in this worlde when he shall see so infinite a sea of feares miseries to rushe vpon hym But besides all thes most terrible and fearce preparations there wil be many other matters of no lesse dreadfull consideration as to see all sepulchres open at the sounde of the trumpett to yelde forth all their dead bodies which they haue receaued from the beginninge of the world to see all men wemen and children kynges and Queenes princes and potentates to stand there naked in the face of all creatures their sinnes reueiled their secrete offences laide open done committed in the closettes of their palacies and they cōstrayned and compelled to geeue a counpte of a thowsande matters wherof they would disdaine to haue ben tolde in this lyfe as how they haue spent the tyme how they haue imployed their wealth what behauyour they haue vsed towardes their brethren how they haue mortifyed their senses how they haue ruled their appetites how they haue obeied the inspirations of the holie ghost and sinallye how they vsed all godes gyftes in this life Oh deare brother it is vnpossible to expresse what a great treasure a good consciēce wil be at this daye it wil be more worth then tenne thowsande worldes For wealth will not helpe the iudge will not be corrupted with monye no intercession of worldly frindes shall preuaile for vs at that daye no not of the Angels them selues whose glorie shal be then as the prophet saieth to binde kynges in fetters and noble men in yron manacles to execute vpon them the iudgment prescribed and this shal be glorie to all his sainctes Alas what will all those wyse people do thē that now lyue in delites and can take no paine for their saluatiō what shyft will they make in those extremities whether will they turne them vvhose helpe vvill they craue they shall see all thinges crye vēgeance about them all thinges yelde cause of feare terror but nothinge to yelde them anye hope or comforte Aboue them shal be their iudge offended vvith them for their vvickednes beneath them hell open the cruell fornace readie boilynge to receaue them on their right handes shal be their sinnes accusinge them on their left handes the deuilles redye to execute gods eternall sentence vpon them vvithin them their conscience gnavvinge vvithout them their frendes bevvaylinge on euerie side the vvorld burninge Good Lorde vvhat vvill the vvretched sinner doe enuironed with all thes miseries how will his harte sustaine thes anguishes what waie will he take to goe backe is impossible to goe forwarde is intollerable what thē shall he doe but as Christ foretelleth he shall drie vp for verie feare seeke death death shall flye from him crye to the hilles to fall vpon him and they refusinge to doe hym so much pleasure he shall stāde there as a most desperate forlorne miserable caytife wretch vntill he receaue that dreadfull irreuocable sentēce Goe you accursed into euerlastinge fyre VVhich sentence once pronunced consider vvhat a dolefull crye and shout vvill streight follow The good reioysinge and singinge prayses in the glorie of their Sauyour the vvicked bevvailinge blaspheminge and cursinge the daye of their natiuitie Consider the intollerable vpbraydinge of the vvicked infernall spirites against these miserable condemned soules novv delyuered to them in pray for euer VVith how bitter scoffes and tauntes will they hale them on to tormentes Consider the eternall seperation that then must be made of fathers children mothers and daughters frindes and companions the one to glorie the other to cōfusion without euer seinge one the other agayne and that whiche shal be as greate a greefe as anye other the sonne goinge to heauen shall not pitie his owne father or mother goinge to hell but shall reioyse at the same for that it turneth to godes glorie for the execution of his iustice VVhat a seperatiō I say shall this be what a farewell whose harte woulde not breake at that daye to make this seperation yf a harte could breake at that tyme and so end his paines but that will not be lavvfull VVhere are all our delites now all our pleasant pastimes become our brauerie in apparell our glisteringe in golde our honour done to vs with cappe and knee all our delicat fare all our musicke all our wanton daliances recreations we were wount to haue all our good frindes and merie 〈◊〉 panions accustomed to laugh and disporte the tyme with vs where are they become Oh deare brother how sower will all the pleasures past of this worlde seeme at that howre how dolefull will their memorie be vnto vs how vaine a thinge will all our dignities our
transitorie worlde whiche is but a cotage to his owh eternall habitatiō what power what magnificence what Maiestie hath he shewed what heauens and how wounderfull hath he created what infinit starres and other lights hath he deuised what elements hath he framed and how maruailouslie hathe he cōpacte thē together The seas tossing and tumbling without rest and replenished with infinite sortes of fishe the ryuers running incessantlie through the earth like veins in the bodie and yet neuer to be emptie nor ouerflow the same the earthe it selfe so furnished with all varietie of creatures as the hundredth part thereof is not employed by man but onelie remaineth to shew the full hand and strong arme of the creator And all this as I saied was done in an instant with one woord onelie and that for the vse of a small time in respect of the eternitie to come VVhat then shall we imagin that the habitatiō prepared for that eterni tie shall be yf the cotage of his meanest seruant that made onelie for a time to bearof as it were a shower of rayne be so princelie so gorgeouse so magnificet so Maiesticall as we see this worlde is what must we think that the kings palace it selfe is appointed for all eternitie for hym and his freends to raigne together VVe must needs think it to be as great as the power and wisdome of the maker could reache vnto to perfourme and that is incomparablie and aboue all measure infinite The greate king Assuerus which raigned in Asia ouer a hundred twentie and seuen prouinces to discouer his power and riches to his subiects made a feast as the scripture sayeth in his citie of Susa to all princes states and potentates of his dominiōs for a hundred and fovverscore dayes together Esay the prophet sayeth that our God and lorde of hoosts vvill make a solemne banquet to all his people vpon the hill and mount of heauen and that a haruest banquet of fatt meates pure vvines And this bāquet shal be so solemne as the very sonne of God hym selfe cheefe Lorde of the feast shal be contēt to gyrd hym selfe and to serue in the same as by his ovvn vvoordes he promiseth VVhat maner of banquet then shall this be hovv magnificent hovv maiesticall especiallie seing it hath not onely to endure a hundred and fower score dayes as that of Assuerus dyd but more than a hundred and fourscore millions of ages not serued by men as assuerus feaste was but by angels the verie sōne of God hym selfe not to open the povver and riches of a hundred tvventie and seuen prouinces but of God hym selfe king of kings lorde of lordes vvhose povver and riches are vvithout end and greater than all his creatures together can conceaue Hovv gloriouse a banquet 〈◊〉 this be then hovv triumphāt a ioy of this festiuall day o miserable foolish childeren of men that are borne to so rare and singular a dignitie and yet can not be brought to cousider loue or esteeme of the same Other such considerations there be to shew the greatnesse of this felicitie as that yf God hathe geuen so many pleasures cōfortable gyfts in this lyfe as we see are in the worlde being a place notwthstanding of banishment a place of sinners a vale of miserie and the time of repenting weeping and wayling what will he doe in the lyfe to come to the iust to his freends in the time of ioye and mariage of his sonne This was a moste forcible consideration with good S. Augustin whoe in the secret speeche of his soule with god said thus O Lord yf thou for this vile bodie of oures geue vs so great and Innumerable benefites from the firmament from the ayer from the earth from the sea by light by darkenesse by heate by shadow by dewes by showers by windes by raines by byrds by fishes by beasts by trees by multitu de of hearbes varietie of plants by the ministerie of all thy creatures O sweet lorde what maner of things how great how good and how innumerable are those which thou haste prepared in our heauenlie countrie vvhere vve shall see thee face to face yf thou doe so greate things for vs in our priso vvhat vvilt thou geue vs in our palace yf thou geuest so many things in this vvorld to good euill men together vvhat hast thou layd vp for onelie good men in the vvorld to come yf thine enemies and freends together are so vvell prouided for in this lyfe vvhat shall thy onelie freends receaue in the lyfe to come yf there be so great solaces in these dayes of teares vvhat ioye shall there be in that day of Mariage yf our iayle cōtain so great matters vvhat shall our countrie and kingdome doo O my lord God thou art a great God and great is the multitude of thy magnificence and sweetnesse And as there is no end of thy greatnes nor nūber of thy wisdom nor measure of thy benignitie so is there nether end number nor measure of thy rewardes towards them that loue and fight for thee Hither to S. Augustin An other way to coniecture of this felicitie is to consider the great promises whiche God maketh in the scriptures to honour and glorifie man in the lyfe to come VVho so euer shall honor me sayeth God I vvill glorifie hym And the prophet Dauid as it were complaineth ioyfullie that Gods freends were to muche honoured by hym VVhiche he might with muche more cause haue sayd yf he had liued in the new testament and had heard that promisse of Christ whereof I spake before that his seruants should sitt down banquet that him selfe wolde serue minister vnto them in the kingdome of his father Vvhat vnderstanding can cōceaue how great this honour shall be But yet ī some part it may be gessed by that he sayeth that they shall sitt in iudgement with hym and as S. Paul addeth shall be Iudges not onelie of men but also of Angels It may also be coniectured by the exceedinge greate honour whiche god at certain times hathe done to his seruants euen in this lyfe VVherin notwithstanding they are placed to be despised not to be honoured VVhat great honour was that he dyd to Abraham in the sight of so many kings of the earth as of pharao Abimalech Melchiseedech and the like Vvhat honour was that he dyd to Moyses Aaron in the face of Pharao all his court by the wōderfull signes that they wrought VVhat excessiue honour was that he dyd to holie Iosue when in the sight of all his armie he stayed the sunne and Moone in the middest of the firmament at Iosue his appointement obeyng therein as the scripture sayeth to the voice of a man what honour was that he dyd to Esay in the sight of kinge Ezechias when he made the sunne to goe backe tenne
eare hath heard nor hart cōceaued A vision that passeth all the beautie of earthlie things of golde of siluer of woodes of feeldes of sea of ayer of sunne of moone of starres of Angels for that all theese things haue their beautie from thence VVe shall see hym face to face sayeth the Apostle and vve shall knovve hym as vue are knouven VVe shall know the power of the father we shall know the wisdome of the sonne we shall know the goodnes of the holie gho ste we shall know the 〈◊〉 nature of the moste blessed trinitie And this seing of the face of God is the ioye of Angels and all saints in heauen This is the rewarde of life euerlasting this is the glorie of blessed spirites their euerlasting pleasure their croune of honour their game of felicitie their riche rest their beautifull peace their inward and outward ioye their diuine paradise their heauenlie Ierusalem their felicitie of lyfe their fullnesse of blysse their eternall ioye their peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding This sight of God is the full beatitude the totall glorification of man to see hym I saye that made bothe heauene and earth to see him that made the that redemed the that glorified the. For in seeyng hym thow shalt know him in knoweing him thow shalt possesse hym in possessing hym thow shalt loue hym in louing hym thow shalt prayse hym For he is the inheritance of his people he is the possession of their folicitie he is the rewarde of their expectation I vvilbe thy great revvard sayeth he o Abraham O lord thou art great and therfore no maruaile yf thow be a great reward The sight of thee therfore is all our hyare all our reward all our ioye and felicitie that we expect seing thou hast sayed that this is lyfe euerlasting to see and know thee our true God and Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent Hauing now declared the two generall partes of heauenlie felicitie the one appertayning to our soule the other to our bodie it is not hard to esteeme what excesse of ioye bothe of them ioined together shall woorke at that happie daye of our glorification O ioye aboue all ioyes passing all Ioye and without whiche there is no ioye when shall I enter in to thee sayeth S. Austen whē shall I enioye thee to see my God that dwelleth in thee o euerlasting kingdome o kingdome of all eternities o light without end o peace of God that passeth all vnderstandinge in whiche the soules of Saintes doe rest with thee euerlasting ioye is vpon their heades they possesse ioye and exultation and all payne and sorovv is fledde from them O how gloriouse a kingdome is thyne o lord wherein all Saintesdoe raigne with thee adorned vvith light as vvith apparell and hauing crovvnes of pretiouse stones on their heades O kingdome of euerlasting blesse where thow o lord the hope of all saintes art the diademe of their perpetuall glorie reioysing them on euerie syde with thy blessed sight In this kingdome of thine there is infinite ioye and myrthe without sadnesse healthe without sorow lyfe vvithout labour light vvithout darknesse felicitie without abatement all goodnesse without any euill VVhere youthe florisheth that neuer waxeth olde lyfe that knoweth no end beautie that neuer fadeth loue that neuer cooleth healthe that neuer diminisheth ioye that neuer ceaseth VVhere sorow is neuer fealt complaint is neuer heard matter of sadnesse is neuer seene nor euill successe is euer feared For that they possesse thee o Lorde whiche art the perfection of their felicitie If we wolde enter into these cōsideratiōs as this holie man and other his like dyd no doubt but we should more be inflamed with the loue of this felicitie prepared for vs than we are and consequentlie should striue more to gayne it than we doe And to the ende thow mayest conceaue some more feeling in the matter gentle reader cōsider a litle with me what a ioyfull day shall that be at thy howse whē hauing liued in the feare of god and atchiued in his seruice the end of thy peregrination thow shalt come by the meanes of deathe to passe from miserie and labour to immortalitie in that passage when other men beginne to feare thou shalt lyft vp thy head in hope accordinge as Christ promi seth for that the time of thy saluatiō cōmeth on tell me what a day shall that be when thy soule stepping furth of prison and conducted by the Angeles to the tabernacle of heauen shall be receyued there with the honorable companies and troupes of that place with all those hierarchies of blessed spirites mētioned in scripture as principalities powers vertues Dominatiōs Thrones Angels Archeangels Cherubines and Seraphines also with the holie Apostles and Disciples of Christ Patriarches Prophets Martyrs Virgines Innocentes Confessors Bishopes Preestes and Saints of Cod All which as they dyd reioyse at thy conuersion from sinne so shall they triumphe now at thy coronation and glorification VVhat ioye will thy soule receyue in that day when she shal be presented by her good Angell in the presēce of all these states before the seat and Maiestie of the blessed Trinitie with recitall and declaration of all thy good woorkes and trauailes suffered for the loue seruice of God when I saye those blessed spirites shall laye doune in that honorable consistorie all thy vertuouse deedes in particular all thy almes all thy prayers all thy fastinges all thy innocēcie of lyfe all thy patience in iniuries all thy constancie in aduersities all thy temperance in meates all the vertues of thy whole lyfe when all I saye shall be recounted there all commended all rewarded shalt thou not see now the valure and profite of vertuouse lyfe shalt thou not confesse that gaynefull and honorable is the seruice of God shalt thou not now be glad and blesse the hower wherein first thou resoluedst thy selfe to leaue the seruice of the woorlde to serue God shalt thou not think thy selfe beholden to hym or her that persuaded thee vnto yt yes verilie But yet more than this when thou shalt cōsider in to what a porte and hauen of securitie thou art come and shalt looke backe vpon the daungers whiche thou hast passed and wherein other men are yet in hazarde thy cause of ioye shall greatlie be encreased For thou shalt see euidentlie how infinite times thow were to perishe in that iourney yf God had not held his speciall hand ouer thee Thow shalt see the Daungers wherein other men are the death and damnation whereinto many of thy freends and acquayntance haue fallen the eternall paynes of hell incurred by many that vsed to laughe be merye with thee in the worlde All whiche shall augment the felicitie of this thy so fortunate a lott And now for thy selfe thow mayst be secure thow art out of all daunger for euer euer There is