The godly mans iourney to heauen containing ten seuerall treatises. Viz. 1. An heauenly chariot the first part. 2. An heauenly chariot the second part. 3. The blessed chariots man. 4. The lanthorne for the chariot. 5. The skilfull chariot driuer. 6. The gard of the chariot. 7. The sixe robbers of the chariot. 8. The three rocks layd in the way. 9. The only inne Gods babes aime at. 10. The guests of the inne. By maister David Lindsey Minister of Gods word at Leith.

THE INNE WITHIN THE WHICH THE BABES of God carried in this heauenly Cha∣riot, lookes to lodge and alwayes to rest; is that new Ierusalem which is aboue, where there is fulnesse of ioy to be found in Gods presence, and pleasures lasting for euermore at his right hand.

THat Inne towards the which this heauenly gol∣den Chariot drawne by these heauenly white hor∣fes, carries these babes of God, (happily ledde and directed by the Spirit, and enlightned by the lanterne of the word, held in the hand of the Prea∣chers thereof) free of the foresaid Rob∣bers, and Rockes; is that new Ierusalem which is aboue, made vp of pure gold, like cleare glasse; whose wall, ô my soule, is of lasper, founded vpon twelue precious

stones: euen vpon a Iasper, a Saphire, a Chalcedome, an Emeraud, a Sardonix, a Sardin, a Chrysolite, a Berill, a Topaz, a Chrysophrasus, a Iacinth, a Amathist: whose twelue gates, are twelue pearles also, whose streetes are pure gold shining like glasse, whose temple the Lord God al∣mightie and the Lambe is, which hath neither Sunne, nor Moone, beside the glo∣rie of God, and of the Lambe. In the light whereof the people that are saued do walke, and to the which the kings of the earth shall bring their glorie, and ho∣nour; whose gates are neuer shut, which is inriched with a pure riuer of water of life, cleare as cristall, springing out of the Throne of God, and of the Lambe; ha∣uing in the midst of the streete of it, and on the other side of the riuer that tree of life which beareth twelue manner of fruites, and giueth fruite euerie moneth, the leaues whereof do heale the nations, where Gods seruants being free from all curse, (for no curse can possibly enter there) shall serue him, seeing alwayes his face, and hauing his name written in their foreheads, reigning with him for euer. But canst thou tell me, ô my soule, what

shall be the estate and condition of those who shall be admitted to be citizens within this new Ierusalem, and Inne of heauen, they being once happily possessed of it? To handle this matter to the full, and so to lay open to thee, ô my soule, the nature of this Inne as it deserueth, and as it is in it selfe; it is not in the power of Angels, or of men: for heare I note first that royall, Euangelicke, Prophet Isaiah, and then that great Apostle Paul crying out: The eye hath not seene, the eare hath not heard, neither came it to mans heart, to thinke of these things which God prepareth for them that loue him? Yea, Paul who had a greater proofe of the beautie, glory, aand superabundant riches of the things which are to be found in this Inne, being rauished vp towards it, confesseth that he saw things there not to be vttered. Hear∣ken, hearken therefore, ô my soule, I pray thee, for heare I must tell thee that the skilfulnesse of Arithmeticke can not num∣ber out these good things which are to be found there. That the deepenesse of Geometrie, cannot measure the length, and breadth, the higth, and the depth of those good things which be layed vp

there: Yea, that the swiftest and sweetest tongue of the most rarely eloquent Ora∣tor, is not sufficient to expresse the wor∣thie, and excellencie of them: for when this Citie, and Inne is looked vpon by him whose eyes be enlightened from aboue by the Lord of it. The Arithmetician, the Geomerticiā the Orator must stand ama∣zed and crie out. Neuer saw I an Inne be∣fore, y^e pleasures, the plenishing, the beau∣tie whereof I was not able to reckon, to measure, and to declare. But behold here an Inne, filling my eares so, my eyes so, my smelling so, my tasting so, my touching so, yea, my heart aboue all things so; that I am like (through the superabundance of passing excellent things, may delight my hearing my seeing, my tasting, my touch∣ing, and if I were not sustained by a stronger, euen by that blessed, yea, onely Lord and Ma••ster of this Inne) to loose my hearing by hearing, my sight by beholding, my smelling by smelling, my tasting by tasting, my touching by touch∣ing; those things which be there to be heard, seene, smelled, tasted, and touched. Yea, I would loose my verie heart and life. And no wonder, ô my soule, y^t it be so, for

in that Inne of heauen, thy God shall be a bright shining looking glasse to thy sight, a sweetly sounding Fluit, & Cimball to thy hearing, a delicious honie combe to thy tast, odoriferous balme to thy smelling, and a passing wonderfull soft pleasant rose to thy touching: What man of sharpest sight can behold this outward Sunne which God himselfe hath appoin∣ted to enlighten this world, which is the common Inne of the elect, and reprobate, in his full brightnesse and glorie, and not haue his eyes hurt thereby? And shalt thou, ô my soule, behold that supreamest Maiestie of the Father, and of the Lambe, that onely Sonne which doth enlighten this Inne, (within the which no reprobate can enter) vnlesse thou be fortified by one stronger then thy selfe, and blessed with a more strong, quicke sight then thou canst here beneath attaine vnto? what mans eares are not transported, when he heares a number of sweete voyces, singing artificiall musicke in diuerse parts former∣ly and melodiously. And shalt thou not find thy selfe wonderfully transported, ô my soule, when thou shalt be brought within thy Inne, to be a hearer, not onely

of the sweetest musicke of the glorified Saints; but of these celestiall Spirits the Angels, there inioying the pleasures of the spring, the glorie of the Summer, the plentie of the haruest, and the sweet rest of the Winter? But no wayes hearing, or seeing, or feeling any hurt which euer came to man by any of these. This moued Bernard meditating vpon the estate of Gods glorified children in heauen, to burst forth in these words, not without a speciall exclamation, and admiration: O perenne Solstitium, quando iam non inclina∣bitur dies! ô lumen meridianum! ô vernalis temperies! ô aestiua venustas! ô autumnalis vbertas! ô quies & feriatio hiemalis! O euer∣during stay of the Sunne, (for that Sunne which shineth in this Inne, neuer goeth downe, but alwayes shineth in his hight) when the day shall not incline to the end! (for the day which riseth in this Inne shall last for euer) O noone-tide light! ô the sweetest temperance of the spring! ô the pleasantnesse of the Summer! ô the plentie and abundance of the haruest! ô the rest and refreshing vacants of the Winter! If this low house of the world, be so richly furnished with a verie world of diuerse pleasant, profitable, and

glorious things, (being the lodging not onely of the children of God, but of the children of wrath) ô how rich must that house of God be furnished with pleasure, profit, and glorie; within the which none can dwell, beside that blessed great Gods elect Angels, and dearest sonnes, and daughters! Augustine finding himselfe o∣uercome by the consideration of the glo∣rie of this Inne of heauen, could say: Si id quod ex parte est non valuit eloqui ne•• ex∣pertus, quid de perfectione inexpertus balbu∣tire conatur. Oculus non viditò Deus absque te, quae praeparasti diligentibus; pax super pacem, indeficiens exultatio, torrens volupta∣tis diuinae, flumen laetitiae, gaudium plenum; cogita quicquid vis, quicquid potes exopta, excedit cogitationem omnem, desiderium omne exuperat illa felicitas, aeternitas illa, beatitudo illa. If that which is but in a part could not be expressed by him who had proofe thereof, wherefore should he who is inexpert, attempt to babble about it. The eye sees not ô God without thee the things which thou hast prepared for those that loue thee: peace a∣boue peace, triumphant indeficient ioy, a peale of heauenly pleasure, a floud of gladnesse, full ioy: thinke vpon any thing thou pleasest, wish

after what thou may; that happinesse, that eternitie, that blessednesse, surmounteth all a man can thinke, and sensibly ouercomes all a man can desire. Augustine pressing to make this his assertion cleere vnto vs, can crie out. Quibus verbis dici, aut qua cogitatione capi potest, praemiū quod Christus in vita fu∣tura daturus est? quando ad consolationem huius itineris tantum dedit de suo spiritu, vt quod faciendum est, non solum sine murmure sed etiam cum dilectione, & delectatione fa∣ceamus, in aduersis etiam gaudentes, & fidu∣ciam in eum, quem non videmus, ponentes: By what words can that reward be expressed, or by what thought can that reward be appre∣hended, which Christ shall giue to his owne in the life to come? seeing for the consolation, and sweetning of this their iourney, he hath giuen them such a measure of his owne Spirit, that we are made to do that which we should do, not onely without murmuring, but also out of loue, and with pleasure, reioycing euen in tribulations, and putting our confi∣dence in him, whom as yet we see not. O what happinesse, what honour, what glorie, what peace, what charitie? yea, what in∣comparable plentie of all things, shall the glorified Saints inioy there? Shall not that

happinesse be wonderfull excellent there, where no euill can be found, where no good thing can be wanting? What a glo∣rie shall be there, where none who is prai∣sed can be praised, either by the error, or the flatterie of those who do praise them? What honour shall be there, when honors shall not be refused to any who is worthy of honour, neither can be giuen to anie who is vnworthie; yea, where none vn∣worthie of honour shall presse for ho∣nour, and where none can come but those who be worthie of it? what peace shall be there, where none can possibly suffer any hurt or wrong, either from themselues or from any other? O what loue shall be there, where no inferiour shall enuie the superiour, nor any superiour contemne the inferiour! O how excellent shall the free-will of man be there, ô my soule! When God made Adam to his owne Image, he beautified him with that free-will, where∣by he might haue not sinned. But in that Inne of heauen this shall be mans happie freewill, and mans happinesse, because of this his free-will that he shall not be able to sinne. O what plentie shall be there possessed by man, when he shall haue no∣thing

which he would want, and when he shall want nothing which he would haue? Augustine saw this when he said: In ciuitate superna, atque diuina, iam non est molestè toleranda calamitas, nec laboriosè fraenanda cupiditas, sed sola sine vlla difficul∣tate, & perfecta libertate retinenda, Dei & proximi, charitas. In that heauenly Citie which is aboue, there shall be no calamitie with trouble to be suffered, neither any concu∣piscence or lust with paine to be bridled: but there the onely loue of our God and of our neighbour to be retained and kept without any difficultie and paine, and with perfect li∣bertie and freedome. The sense hereof mo∣ued Bernard to say: In coelis erit securitas libera, & libertas secura, neque aduertendi erunt de caetero oculi ne videant vanitatem; quia purissimam videbunt venustatem, quae est ista copia, vbi nihil quod nolis sit, vbi totum sit quod velis. In the heauens there shall be free securitie, and secure freedome, for there the children of God shall not haue occasion any more to aduert to their eyes, that they be∣hold not vanitie, because they shall alwayes see most pure and pleasant comelinesse: ô what abundance is this, where there is nothing which thou wouldst not haue, and where all

that is which thou wouldst haue. And thus thou mayst see, ô my soule, that the glorie and happinesse of this Inne of heauen con∣sisteth in two things: to wit, in the abso∣lute necessarie presence of all good, and in the absolute necessarie want of all euill things: for in it there is such abundant beautie of euerlasting righteousnesse, such an inexpressible pleasant world of shining, quickening, and refreshing light, that howbeit it were not lawful for a man to stay there, but for the space of a short day; yet for a very short dayes abiding there, he would heartily content himselfe to despise and depriue himselfe of all the pleasures, honour, and wealth can be found here, and with ioy vndergo and vn∣derlye all those euils he can suffer here, to the end he might but liue there but for the space of a short day. Had Dauid (out of the sense of these comforts which were to be found by the exercise of religion) the outward tabernacle of God in such account, y^t he could say: A day in thy courts is better then a thousand other where: I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of my God, then to dwell in the tabernacles of wic∣kednesse. And shalt thou not find in the end

of thy time, when thou shalt enter within that Inne of glorie, that it were better to stay there for one day if it were possible, then to liue with Methusalah 969. yeares, adorned with vncertaine, perishing plea∣sures▪ honours, and riches? Beside this, ô my soule, knewest thou what a stole thou shalt weare in this Inne of heauen? yea, with what a stole this my bodie shall be clothed there, ô with what earnestnesse wouldst thou call for the comming of Ie∣sus! ô with what earnest desire wouldst thou long for the comming of Iesus! yea, ô what praises wouldst thou sing to God thy Father, who hath promised this Inne to thee, to God thy Sauiour, who hath conquised this Inne to thee, and to God the holy Ghost, who assures thee that this Inne belongs to thee! Thou, ô my soule, in that Inne of heauen, shalt be rich∣ly and royally decked with a threefold stole; in beautie, in worth, farre surpassing all those ornaments and iewels, rich Salo∣mon was couered with, when he sat in his royall throne: with the stole of the perfect knowledge of the blessed and glorious Trinitie; Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost; and this perfect knowledge shall fill vp

the roome of that liuely iustifying faith wherewith on earth here thou art blessed, and by the which thou apprehendest the promises of God made to thee in thy Sa∣uiour: for when thou shalt enter, ô my soule, within the doores of this Inne of heauen (all being giuen thee which was promised to thee, and beleeued by thee) thy faith shall ceasse, and this perfect knowledge of God shall meete thee, and keepe thee for euer. Secondly, thou shalt be clothed with the stole of the perfect fruition of inioying of the glorious Tri∣nitie; the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost. And this fruition shall fill vp the roome of that Hope which now thou hast; for so soone as thou shalt come to the gates of this heauenly Inne, in that day of iudge∣ment that Hope, whereby thou expectest now those things, thy Father hath promi∣sed, thy Sauiour hath conquised, and the Spirit assures thee of, shall ceasse also. And this fruition shall fill the roome of it, thou being fully possessed with all thou ex∣pected. Thirdly, with the stole of the per∣fect loue of the blessed Trinitie, the Fa∣ther, Sonne, and holy Ghost; and of the Saints his children, for then that loue

wherewith thou, ô my soule, now louest thy Father, thy Sauiour, thy Sanctifier, and his children shall not then end with thy faith and hope, when thou shalt enter within the gates of this Inne; but shall go in with thee, and being there augmented, and perfected by a thousand thousand degrees, shall possesse thee for euermore. This moued that Apostle who was well acquainted with these things which be in heauen to say: Now abideth faith, hope, and loue, euen these three; but the chiefest of these is loue. And therefore Irenaeus taught by the Spirit, and by Paul, subscribing here∣unto could write thus: Charitas pretiosior est cognitione, gloriosior prophetia, & omni∣bus charismatibus supereminet. Loue is more pretious then knowledge, more gracious then prophecie, yea, it surmounts all gifts man hath. This my bodie againe in that hea∣uenly Inne, ô my soule, shall be clothed and adorned with a fourefold stole: first, with the stole of rare beautie and holinesse, so that the Sunne in his full brightnesse did neuer shine so gloriously as my bodie shall shine in that Inne. Tels not Daniel me that in the Inne of heauen: The wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament,

and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starres for euer and euer. Yea, are not these the words of thy Sauiour who can∣not lye: Then shall the iust men shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father. Now thou must not wonder, ô my soule, that euen the blackest & palest coloured bodie of the glorified child of God shall thus shine: for art thou not thus resolued by the Spirit? We looke from the heauens for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ, who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie. Now if Christ giuing his disciples Peter, Iames, and Iohn, before Moses and Elias, a little view of that glorie which is due to him, had his face shining as the Sunne, and his clothes white as the light, while he was onely transfigurate vpon mount Tabur? ô with what a glorie is he now clothed, in that mountaine of glorie with his Father! and and how shall our bodies shine, who in heauen shall be like him, bearing there the image of that heauenly Adam, as here we beare the image of the earthly? Se∣condly, with that singular stole of impos∣sibilitie, so that howbeit the bodies of the Saints of God be subiect to a thousand al∣terations,

and hazards which do manie wayes trouble and annoy them, yet then they shall be free of all suspition of altera∣tion, or hazard, all these first things which here do trouble men being ended. Third∣ly, with that excellent stole of wonderfull Agilitie, for then our lumpish bodies shall be freed of that heauinesse which now doth clogge them, and make vs, that with∣out great difficultie and paine, we cannot go from place to place: yea, that without some outward helpe we cannot vpon a sudden transport our selues, where we would fainest be. For now the spirit can∣not go but where the bodie goeth (the bodie being a burthen to it) but then the spirit being made the full maister of the bodie, shall command it to go without any trouble wheresoeuer it would haue it to go. And therefore Augustine could say: Tanta erit tunc corporis agilitas, vt vbi volet spiritus ibi protinus erit & corpus. Then the child of God being in heauen, the agilitie and nimblenesse of the bodie shall be so great, that where euer the spirit would be, there the bo∣die shall be also incontinent. Now thou must no wayes doubt of this, ô my soule, con∣sidering as thou hast heard that our bo∣dies

in heauen shall be conforme to the bodie of our blessed Sauiour, and so as Christs bodie after his resurrection was adorned with such agilitie, that in a most short space it could be seene in diuerse places, now at Ierusalem, now out of Ie∣rusalem, comming to his disciples vna∣wares, & vpon a suddaine departing from them, as Iohn witnesseth: our glorified bodies shall euen in this be like vnto his. Yea, what shall I say, shall the bodie of the Prophet Elias, and of Philip the Deacon, soiourning beneath here, be transported vpon a suddaine from place to place by the Lord our God: and shall we doubt that our bodies being glorified, and made like to the bodie of Christ shall be inferi∣our to them in this point? And ô how farre shall this augment the ioy of the glorified Saints, while we liue here: ô how often do we desire to be with those who be dearest to vs, and of whom we are specially loued? yea, is it not a mat∣ter of speciall griefe euen to the dearest Saints of God, that knowing themselues to haue deere brethren and sisters, some in that same kingdome with them, others in diuerse kingdomes farre remoued from

them, lying vnder sharpe crosses and di∣uerse afflictions whom they are not able, notwithstanding of this, to visite, for im∣parting the sweet honie of consolation to them, being hindered through distance of place from them. But in heauen, ô how soone shall we find our selues, not onely in minde but in bodie also present with such we do loue, and who do loue vs. Then Dauid shall haue no cause to crie from a wounded heart, and with a mour∣ning tune and countenance: As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water, so panteth my soule for thee ô God. My soule thirsteth for God, euen for the liuing God, when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God? my teares haue bene my meate day and night, while they say daily where is thy God? There Paul shall haue no neede to crie out: What I would that do I not, but what I hate that do I. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death? If the expectation of these wayes, ô my soule, which be in heauen, made Iob (inuironed with an inward and outward sea of tentations and crosses) not onely to digest them, but digesting them to re∣ioyce in the midst of them: ô what ioy

shall the full fruition of them procure him? Fourthly, in this Inne of heauen thou shalt be cloathed, ô my soule, with the stole of perfect health, and strength; so that where now the bodie of Gods child is not onely subiect to great weake∣nesse, but to innumerable grieuous, and most painfull diseases, there it shall be fully, and finally deliuered from all▪ weak∣nesse, or from all feare of any paine or di∣sease whatsoeuer. This is that whereof the Spirit would assure thee, when he saith: Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them: and they shall be his people, and God himselfe shall be their God with them, and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be any more paine, for the first things are passed, and he that sate vpon the throne said: Behold I make all things new, and he said vnto me, write, for these words are faithfull and true. Yea, in this Inne of heauen, one shall be knowne by euerie one, euerie one by all, embracing one another, as now the members of one bodie embrace one another; so that thou ô my soule, shalt then loue all the children

of God as thou shalt loue thy selfe, and shalt be loued by him, as thou shalt loue them: for whosoeuer shall be there, and all those who shall be there, shall be one bodie, shall be one Church, shall be one spouse to blessed Iesus; and therefore the will of one shall be the will of all: yea, which is more, ô my soule, there the will of God shall not differ from thy will, nor thy will from Gods will; albeit (alas) while thou shalt soiourne beneath here, there shall alwayes remaine most grosse, and fearefull contrarieties, betwixt the good will of thy good God, and thy per∣uerse euill will. Did Adam in his inno∣cencie know Euah whom he had neuer seene before, and giue her a fit name so soone as she was presented before him? and shalt thou being aduanced to a higher dignitie in a farre more excellent pallace, not know all who shall be there? Shall Peter when our Maister was transfigurate vpon mount Tabur, know Moses, and Elias, whom he had neuer seene before? and shall I not know them when I shall be glorified by him, and with them in the mountaine of glorie? I will not denie, ô my soule, but in this Inne of heauen; there

shall be degrees of glorie, euen as there is ano∣ther glorie of the Sunne, and another glorie of the Moone, and another glorie of the starres, for one starre differeth from another in glorie. This is that the Spirit would cleere vnto vs, when he saith: They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament, and they that turne manie to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euermore. And we know that there is difference betwixt the brightnesse of the firmament, and the brightnesse of the starres. But I must tell thee, ô my soule, that this is the pri∣uiledge of this Inne of heauen, that none inioying greatest glorie is enuied by him who inioyes lesse, that none possessing lesse glorie is condemned by him who inioyes lesse, that none possessing lesse glorie is condemned by him who pos∣sesseth more; and therefore out of this sense I heare Augustine saying: Quòd ibi futuri sint gradus hominum, nullatenus am∣bigendum est, verum beata illa ciuitas mag∣num in se bonum videbit; quod nulli superiori nullus inferior videbitur, tam nollet vnusquis∣queesse quod non accepit. Sic itaque habebit donum alius alio minus vt hoc quoque donum habeat quod non volet amplius. That in heauē

there shall be degrees of men we must no wayes doubt. That blessed Citie shall see that great good in her, that no inferior shall appeare infe∣rior to any superiour; so farre shall euerie one not desire to be that which he hath not receiued & so one shall haue a gift lesse then another so, that he shall haue this gift also, that he wish∣eth to haue no more then he hath. Now, ô what ioy shalt thou then, ô my soule, and enioying be able to expresse when thou shalt be brought towards this Inne! shall not thy ioy there breake forth in most heauenly inexpressible mirth and musicke, making thee to say to the father! Holy, holy, is the Lord of Hoastes, the whole world is full of his glorie; stirring thee vpto crie to the Sonne. Thou art worthie ô Lord to receiue, glorie, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy wills sake they are and haue bene created. This ioy is compared to the ioy of a marriage, yea, with the marriage of Kings. Our minds be now narrower then they can comprehend this; albeit when the hea∣uens shall receiue vs, we shall be capable of it so farre as a glorified creature may be. Lift vp thy selfe, ô my soule, and proue holy, wise, when thou hearest these things

if thou wouldst not be condemned in that great day by one who neuer saw that, who neuer heard that, which thou seest and hearest daily. Shall the Queene of the South hearing the fame of Salomon, and of the glorie of his court, and kingdome, long to see that which she heard, yea, vn∣dertake and vndergo a long wearie iour∣ney, to the end that she may see? and shouldst thou not, ô my soule, eate vp they selfe (as it were) within me, through lon∣ging and earnest desire; sparing neither for paines, nor expenses, till thou come to the chamber of that thy bridegroome; and to that Citie and Inne which is aboue founded, builded, garnished, and inriched as thou hast heard? for I assure thee, ô my soule, as the Queene of Sheba being come to Ierusalem, and there heard the wise∣dome, and seene the glorie of Salomon, was moued to say: It was a true word that I heard in my owne land of thy sayings, and of thy wisedome; howbeit I beleeued not this re∣port, till I came and had seene with my eyes. But loe the one halfe was not told me, for thou hast more wisedome and prosperitie then, I haue heard by report. So thou, ô my soule, happily by Gods grace being by a liuely

faith ingraft in his Sonne, and without delay repenting thee of thy sinnes, and being by death transported to this his Inne of glorie, to see that with thy eyes, that which I heare onely with my eares, shall not onely find all these things to be there which thy God by his report, spea∣king to thee by his written word, shewes thee to be there; but thou shalt see, and seeing shalt possesse for euermore, ten thousand thousand degrees of more glo∣rie, more ioy, more pleasures, then euer here thou hardst was there, or sawst here whilst thou liuest here, to be there. Shall Peter seeing but a glimps of Christs glory vpon mount Tabur crie out, (neglecting, yea, despising all he eue•• heard or saw in Ierusalem, yea in the verie Temple of God at Ierusalem) Maister it is good to be here. And shalt thou not, ô my soule, thinke in a manner euill to be here on earth, till thou be where thy Iesus is cloa∣thed with that glorie for euermore, farre surmounting that transitorie glimpse which Peter saw beneath here. For wert thou there, ô my soule, be sure thou shouldst say, and sing continually, O my blessed Maister! ô my sole sweetest Redeemer!

It is good to be here, it is onely good to be here, would to God I had bene here sooner; for there the Father is, the Sonne is, the holy Ghost is, his elect Angels, his cho∣sen sonnes and daughters do liue onely, free of all feare of euill, possessed with a very sea of all good. And no wonder it be so, ô my soule, for here by the word of God we are onely acquainted (to speake so with his Maiestie) with the backe parts of God. But when we shall be transported to that heauenly Inne, farre remoued from all euill, and fully possessed with euerie good thing, as hath bene shewed thee, We shall see him as he is. The taste of this be∣fore hand moued Bernard to say: Infeli∣cit as media in hoc seculo est pro qua gemi∣mus, extrema in inferno quam merito for∣midamus: felicitas media in paradise vnde cecidimus, felicitas summa in coelis ad quam suspiramus. The midde degree of miserie is in this life, for the which we do sigh; the extre∣mitie of miserie is in hell, which not without cause we do feare. The midde degree of hap∣pinesse was in Paradise, from the which we haue fallen; the onely great and extreame de∣gree of all true happinesse is in heauen, after the which with sighing and sobbing we do

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long and hasten vnto. And to conclude this point: this shall not a little augment the happinesse of the more then happie estate of the babes of God, being admitted within this Inne of glorie, & there admit∣ted in soule, in bodie, as hath bene said, that being once possessed with these things, they shall neuer be depriued of them againe; but shall vndoubtedly enioy them for euer and euer. The things of this world thou knowest, ô my soule, be sub∣iect to fading, for that shall neuer stand sure: The world passeth away, and the lustes thereof. But as for these ioyes of heauen, they do resemble him by whom they be promised, by whom they be conquised, and who doth assure vs of them, and so be no wayes subiect to decay, but do last for euermore. And therefore Paul doth tell me that the elect of God in that day of iudgement (being caught vp in the clouds to meete our blessed Lord and Sauiour in the aire) shall after that, euer be with that our Lord. Wherefore ceasse not, ô my soule, while I breathe here to crie aloud, and to sing sweetly with the Psalmist: Sing ye loud vnto the Lord all the earth, serue the Lord with gladnesse, come before him with

ioyfulnesse: know ye that euen the Lord is God, he hath made vs and not we our selues, we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture: enter into his gates with praises, and into his courts with reioycing, praise him and blesse his name; for the Lord is good, his mercie is euerlasting, and his truth is from generation to generation. Yea, to the end that thou mayst prooue truly and holily wise, ô my soule, see that while thou soiourne here, that thou vse the world circumspectly, as if thou vsed it not, knowing that the fa∣shion of this world goeth away; and that thou rest vpon nothing but vpon that which is to be found in this Inne of hea∣uen, euer remembring and neuer forget∣ting that of Augustine: Diuitiae si diliguntur ibi seruentur vbi perire non possunt; honor si diligatur, ibi habeatur, vbi nemo indignus honoratur; salus si diligitur, ibi adipiscenda desideretur, vbi adepta nihil timetur; Vita si diligitur, ibi acquiratur vbi nulla morte fini∣tur. If riches be loued, let them be kept there where they cannot perish; if honour be loued, let it be had there where no vnworthie person is honoured; if health be loued, let it be de∣sired to be found there where being once found there can be no feare to loose it; if life be loued,

let it be procured and purchased there, where it can be ended by no death.

Notes

• Esay 64. 4.
• 1. Cor. 2. 9.
• 2. Cor. 12. 4
• Ber. Ser. 33. in cant.
• Aug. de doc. Chrsti. lib. 1. cap. 15.
• Aug ep. 3.
• Bern.
• Psal. 84. 1••
• 1. Cor. 13. 13.
• Dan. 12. 3.
• Mat 8. 43.
• Phil. 3 20. 21.
• 1. Ioh. 3. 2.
• 1. Cor. 5. 49.
• Reuel. 21. 4.
• Ioh. 20. 19. 26.
• Luk. 24. 31.
• 1 King. 18. 12. 46.
• Acts 8. 9.
• Psal. 42. 1. 2
• Rom. 7. 14. 24.
• Iob. 19. 25. 26. 27.
• Reuel. 21. 4. 5. 6.
• 1. Cor. 15. 40. 41.
• Dan. 12. 3.
• August.
• ••say 6 3.
• 1. King. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
• Bern.
• 1. Ioh. 2. 17.
• 1. Thes. 4. 17.
• Psal 100. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
• 1. Cor. 7. 31
• August.