Chap. 23.

SIxtly, shall*followe the Appēdances, and Quali∣ties, which cleaue vnto the Subiect, wherof we meditate: As,

But were the place lesse Page  114 noble and maiesticall, yet the company which it af∣fords, hath enough to make the soule blessed: For not the place giues ornament to the guest, so much as the guest to the place. How loath are we to leaue this earth, onely for the societie of some few friends in whom we delight? which yet are subiect euery day to mu∣tuall dislikes: what plea∣sure shall wee then take in the enioying of the Saints? when there is nothing in them not ami∣able, nothing in vs that Page  115 may coole the feruor of our loue. There shalt thou my soule, thy selfe glorified, meete with thy deare Parēts and friends alike glorious, neuer to be seuered: There shalt thou see and conuerse with those ancient wor∣thies of the former worlde; the blessed Pa∣triarkes and Prophets, with the crowned Mar∣tyrs and Cōfessors; with the holy Apostles, and the Fathers of that Pri∣mitiue, and this present Church, shining each one according to the measure Page  116 of his blessed labours. There shalt thou liue fa∣miliarly in sight of those Angels, whom now thou receiuest good from, but seest not. There (which is the head of all thy fe∣licitie) thine eyes shall see him whom now thine heart longeth for (that Sauiour of thine) in the onely hope of whom now thou liuest. Alas how dimmely, and a farre off doest thou now beholde him? howe imperfectly doest thou enioy him? while euery tēptation be∣reaues thee, for the time, Page  117 of his presence. I sought him whom my soule lo∣ueth: I sought him, but I found him not; his backe is now towards thee ma∣ny times throgh thy sins, and therfore thou hard∣ly discernest him: Other∣while and ofter thy back is turned to him through negligence, that when thou mightest obscure∣lie see him, thou doest not: Now thou shalt see him, and thine eyes thus fixed shall not be remoo∣ued. Yet neither could this glory make vs happy, if being thus absolute, Page  118 it were not perpetuall. To be happie, is not so sweete a state, as it is miserable to haue beene happie. Least ought ther∣fore should bee wanting beholde, this felicitie knoweth no end, feareth no intermission, and is as eternall for the continu∣ance, as hee that had no beginning. O blessednes, truly infinite! Our earth∣ly ioyes doe scarce euer begin; but when they begin, their ende bor∣ders vpon their begin∣ning. One houre sees vs oft-times ioyful and mi∣serable: Page  119 Here alone is nothing but eternitie. If then the diuine Pro∣phet thought one day in Gods earthly house, bet∣ter than a thousand o∣ther-where; what shall I compare to thousands of millions of yeeres in Gods heauenly Temple? Yea, millions of yeeres are not so much as a mi∣nute to eternitie, and that other house not a cottage to this.