Here after ensueth two fruytfull sermons, made [and] compyled by the ryght Reuerende father in god Iohn̄ Fyssher, Doctour of Dyuynyte and Bysshop of Rochester

FYrste, the Joyes and pleasures of this lyfe, be they neuer so great, yet they haue a werynesse and a fastydyousenes with them adioyned, whereby men at length of tyme be wery of theym, as thus. There is no meate nor drynke so delycate, so pleasaunt, so delectable, but yf a man or a woman be longe accusto∣med therwith, he shal haue at the length a loth∣somnes thereof. Take the mooste delycate and pleasaunt fysshe or flesshe that thyne hart stan∣deth vnto, and vse it customably & none other, and thou shalte be full soone wery thereof. And in lyke maner it was of those goodly sygh¦tes whiche were had and done beyonde the see. I say nat the contrary but they were very plea¦saunt syghtes. But yet doubtlesse many were full wery of theym at length, and had a loth∣somnes

and a fastydyousnes of theym, and som of theym had moche leuer haue bene at home. And verely in suche a condycyon are and shall be the pleasures of this worlde. For the which kynge Salamon the which past all other kyn∣ges of Israhell that reygned before hym / gy∣uynge his harte and studye to folow all ma∣ner of pleasure, fynally sayd that all pleasure, all myrth, and all Joye worldly, was but one∣ly Vanitas, labor, et afflictio spiritus. That is to saye, vanytye, werynesse, and dyspleasure. And suche a kynge that had tastyd soo many plea∣sures, and of the moost exquysyte, and had suche a great wysdom to deserue them dyd thus say: we may well be assured that there is no plea∣sure of this worlde so perfyte, but that fynally it hath a werynesse, a fastydyousnes, and a ve∣ry displeasure adioyned therunto.

¶ But contrary wyse it is of the Joyes of he∣uyn / for they be pure, clene, and parfyte with∣outen any admyxture of dyspleasure or wery∣nesse. The Joyes of heuyn neuer shal make one wery. They haue in theym no lothesomnes, no fastydyousnes, ne no werynesse, at all / but euer they be lusty, euer newe and newe, euer alyke fresshe, and neuer doth wydder. For the whiche saynt Peter calleth it (Immarcessibilem) The pleasure of heuyn wydderyth nat nor corrup∣tyth nat for any longe tyme. And therfore the Prophete Dauyd spekyng of the Joyes of that kyngdom, sayth (Melior est dies vna in atriis tu∣is super milia). Better is one day within thyne

entresse, than many thousandes els where. This is than one great difference of the Joyes of heuyn fro the Joyes of this worlde.