A Treatise OF THE Felicity, of the life to come.  
UNSAVOURY TO THE obstinate, alluring to such as are gone astray, and to the faithful, full of consolation.  
By A.H.  HEB. 12.22. 
But ye are come unto the mount Zion, and to the City of the living God, the celestial jerusalem, and to the company of innumerable Angels.  
EDINBURGH PRINTED BY ROBERT Walde-graue, Printer to the King's Majesty. 1594. Cum Privilegio Regali.   

THE PREFACE TO the faithful Readers.  
WITH great humility, and reverence (Brethren) and not without a warrant of God's Word, ought we to speak of heavenly things: and specially in treating of the life to come, there is a singular discretion & modesty required, both in the teacher, and the hearer: For the matter is so lofty, and transcends so far the understanding of man, that as a godly Pastor hath said, It is much more easy to describe and understand the way to heaven and eternal life, nor to describe the place, and life itself. Therefore, when we cannot utter the dignity of the matter itself, which is above our capacity, we are forced to speak by similitudes, and under shadows of natural things which we can conceive, that thereby the things supernatural, may be better conceived. And this is no wonder, seeing the Apostle saith, 
2. Cor. 12.4  that he was taken up into Paradise, and heard words which cannot be spoken, which are not possible for man to utter. Yea, the very spirit of God speaking of the glory of the Elect in the world to come he makes their dwelling place to be made of gold, 
Esai. 25.6, Apoc. 22.  and of precious stones, their meat to be of fat things, and of twelve manner of fruits, and their drink to be of clear springing waters, and of sweet fined Wines. And why speaks he after this manner? Because we understand this language, and by reason of our weakness and ignorance, can mount no higher, nor conceive any farther. Now then, when I say, that in the world to come, we shall be delighted with bodily and sensual pleasures: and that our senses of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and of feeling, shall be delighted with their own objects, that are proper unto them: I speak so, for penurity of language: For how shall that spiritual matter be otherways expressed, seeing there is not an other language for spiritual things, nor there is for things natural, but that there is many attributions common to them both: We see, that in the scriptures, mention is made of the mouth of God, and of the hand of God: when notwithstanding the Lord is a spirit, and hath neither mouth, nor hands, as man hath: but by the one is signified his word, and by the other his power, in preserving or punishing. Likewise, the life is called, life, aswell of the soul, as of the body: Death, also is a word common both to the soul, & the body: There is no other word for the joy of the soul, and the joy of the body, but joy: and the nourishment of the soul, is called, Food, aswell as the nourishment of the body. Yet, there is no doubt, but our bodies shall arise at the last day perfect in all the senses: If then, we have the senses of necessity they must have their own objects: and consequently, that delectation which results of the objects may be pertinently called, a bodily, or sensual delectation: because it falls under the senses of the body. Nevertheless, neither shall our bodies and our senses, nor yet their objects be natural, mortal, or corruptible, as they are in this life: But they shall be spiritual, immortal, and incorruptible: for as the Apostle saith: 
2. Cor. 15.44.50.  There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body: neither can flesh and blood inherit the kingdom of God. That is, our natural bodies as they are now, while they be made new and incorruptible by the spirit of jesus Christ, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Farther, the substance, and form of this little treatise, to declare it shortly, is this: Having laid this ground, that the miseries of the righteous are many: There is hereupon two questions moved, the one is, why the Lord doth so hardly entreat his servants in this life, not only in withholding his temporal benefits from them: but also in sending them great troubles? To the which bipartite question it is answered severally, that he measures his gifts according unto our strength, and the pilgrimage which we have to make, that his chief reward is not temporal, but everlasting: and that he knows affliction to be good for us. The other question is, why the godly suffers patiently these wrongs, which they might resist? The answer is, that the reverence which they bear to the Lords commandment, and the hope which they have of the reward promised (which is eternal life) is the very cause of it. And forasmuch, as that reward seems to the natural man, to be far of, and the passage thereunto, to be fearful and difficile: It is therefore shown, that neither the reward of the godly is far off, nor yet death by them to be much feared. And to remove all doubtings of the resurrection: It is proved by divers similitudes taken from things which we see daily wrought by God in nature, to be nothing impossible. This done, unto such as believe the resurrection of the bodies, and the everlasting life, is described the felicity thereof: which is collected of the excellency of the place, of the dignity of the indwellers, of the perfection of the pleasures, and of the diuturnity of the time. The excellency of the place is taken from the situation, the fabric, and the beauty thereof, from the high styles that are given unto it in the Scriptures, and from the worthiness of the architoure, and inhabitants thereof, which is also aggreged by the lively description of a beautiful terrestrial place, and consideration of the beauty of the firmament, the Sun, the Moon, and the stars, and argumentation from the less to the more. The dignity of the indwellers is manifested by their righteousness, and are the three persons of the Trinity, the holy Angels or ministering spirits, and all the Saints or elect people of God: which is confirmed by the scriptures. Thereafter to express the pleasures of the life to come, comparison is made betwixt them, and the pleasures of this life, whereby the perfection of the one, more evidently appears, by the consideration of the other. The pleasures of this life are divided in the pleasures of the body, and the pleasures of the mind: The bodily pleasures, are severally described by giving an instance of the most pleasant objects that can fall under the outward senses. And the pleasures of the mind (which exceeds the sensual in greatness) are conceived under the rare gifts of the body, and of the spirit joined with all kind of honour, and worldly promotion. This done, enumeration is made, by an Epilogue, of the greatest pleasures which the wit of man can devise, and yet are proved to be inferior to the joys of the life to come. But forasmuch as such naked assertions upon conjectures and appearances without farther warrant of God's word, might seem inauthentic, and to make no faith: Therefore, the premises are authorized by diverse testimonies of the Scripture, whereby the certitude of the joys of the life to come is confirmed. Thereafter, it is declared how these eternal pleasures shall not only be extended to the soul of man, but also to the body which shall rise again, perfect in all the members and senses, and shall be delighted with the own objects: But the chief object shall be the Majesty of God, containing the perfection of all things: wherewith they shallbe wholly replete. So being clothed with the glory, and filled with the perfection of the most high, the Son of man's perfection, is thereby summarily collected: together with the manner how the elect shall be exercised in the world ro come. Last in order follows, the perpetuity of the time, during the which, this unspeakable joy and glory shall endure: The which, in respect it shall admit no period, but shall be comprehended under an infinite eternity, the felicity appears the more admirable and great. Finally, by reason of the exorbitant affliction of the godly, and raging insolency of the enemies: The conclusion contains a brief prayer to our Lord jesus Christ, to shorten and accelerate his glorious coming, that thereby all these miseries may take an end, and the eternal felicity hoped for, may begin. This briefly is the sum, and deduction of all: which if we consider (Brethren) with sanctified and well disposed hearts, I think it may serve to our singular comfort in all seasons, & be as a buckler against all temptations: For in time of prosperity, we may lift up our minds and be assured, that there is yet a greater prosperity abiding us, which shall endure for ever, in the world to come. And in the midst of troubles, we may settle ourselves, and find relief here, when we remember that our sorrows shall shortly take an end, and that we are to receive a reward, even a perpetual glory of body and soul, whereof all our sufferings cannot be worthy. Herefore, let us comfort ourselves in these things, 
Heb. 11.9.10.  and be content with faith. full Abraham, to abide here a while upon this earth, as in a strange country: ever looking (as he did) for a City having a foundation, whose builder and maker is God: 
Heb. 10.23  Let us keep the profession of our hope without wavering, for he is faithful that promised. Let us have grace, whereby we may so serve God, that we may please him with reverence and fear: 
Heb. 12.28  for yet a very little while, 
Heb. 10.37  and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. The love of God, and grace of our Lord jesus be with you all, Amen. At Polwart the 8. day of April, 1594. years.  
A loving Brother of all Christ's little Flock. A. H.   

OF THE FELICITY, OF THE Life to come.  
We see, that according to the saying of the Psalmist; The miseries are many, 
Psal. 34.19  which righteous men do suffer in this life: As poverty, sickness, ignominy, imprisoning, banishment, grief of mind, and death of the body. And these miseries they not only suffer perforce, as sent by God (whose mighty hand no flesh is able to resist) but voluntarily, they incur the miseries & troubles which they might eschew▪ & all for professing of the name of Christ, and embracing of his true worshipping and service: which if they would forsake & deny, they might be free from the cruel torment of their bodies, they might save their own lives, enjoy their own goods, and live at liberty in their own countries. Likewise, we see that willingly they suffer wrong, injury, and reproach, and receives great shame & loss of them whom they might recompense and requite with the like offences. Nevertheless, they avenge not themselves although they might, but remits the revenge to God. Now then, there results here two questions: The one is, why the Lord, seeing all things are at his gift and disposition, doth so hardly entreat his servants in this life? For all the earth is the Lords: All beasts are mine (saith the Lord) on the hills & on the mountains: 
Psal. 50.10  Gold, silver, and riches, he may give at his pleasure, and high honours: for promotion comes neither from the East, nor from the West, 
Psal. 75.6  but from above: To be short, he gives liberty, and makes the heart cheerful and glad, he hath power to conserve the body in health, and to prolong, or abridge the days of man, as seems good in his eyes.  
The other question is, Why righteous men do voluntarily suffer and underlie those troubles which they might easily eschew; and takes up patiently the reproaches & wrongs, which they might resist, and acquit? which is a thing most hard of digestion to flesh and blood, and is plain repugnant to man's own nature and inclination.  
The first question contains two parts: The one is, why God gives not all kind of temporal benefits to his servants according to their hearts desire? The other part is: Why God doth so miserably 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 us, 
Psa. 103.14  he knows our strength and weakness, 
Mat. 6.8.  what is most meet for us, and how able we are to bear, and use his gifts and benefits. Therefore we may lay this for a sure ground: That the Lord bestows his temporal gifts on his servants, ever in such measure, and in so far as he knows 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 less, or more of his benefits upon him, nor is expedient for the making of his journey, & for his everlasting salvation: which I think should move every man to settle himself, and to be heartily well content with the worldly gifts which God hath given him, whether they be much or little, in great measure, or in small An other reason there is, why the Lord gives not these worldly gifts to his servants, according to their manly hearts desire; because God rewards not his own according to their worthiness, but according to his greatness: Which reward, by the self same reason, cannot be worldly nor temporal, but eternal and everlasting, like unto the giver thereof: Thus much concerning the disposition of temporal benefits to the righteous.  
I come now to the other part of the first question: Why the Lord not only denies prosperity to his servants, in such measure as they would wish: but also, doth visit them with great trouble and affliction in this life? The causes are many and diverse, wherefore the Lord doth afflict his own servants: First, forasmuch as we have no permanent dwelling, or long residence here, he visits us with trouble, to the effect, that our mind and delectation be not fixed on earthly things, but rather should be lifted up, to the place where our everlasting residence should be: which if the Lord did not, the nature of man is so corrupt, and the vanities of the world so agreeable to him, that without all question, he would be more careful, and mindful of the earth, and earthly things, which are daily present before his eyes; nor of the heaven and of heavenly things which he sees not, and are only to come, and not present. Secondly, by affliction the heart of man is stirred up to serve God, and to be charitable towards his neighbour: For we see that in time of sickness, of poverty, of sorrow, of apparent or imminent danger, we are very devout, and loving one to another, and will both cry unto the Lord for help, and will have compassion upon such as are in distress; which in time of prosperity we regard but little: For when we have things flowing with us according to our hearts desire, Incontinent, we fall in a careless security, and becomes cold and slothful in religion, and froward one towards another, which thing, adversity doth remove and remeid. Thirdly, the Lord by trouble lets us know when we are cast down, how unable we are to help ourselves: And likewise, he lets us know his great mercy, and power in raising us up again: which makes us to draw near unto him in time of trouble, and to fear to offend, and fall from him, when we have once apprehended him, and tasted of his mercy & loving kindness. fourthly, the seed of sin, and of all vice which is naturally sown in all our hearts, is snibbed and pressed down with trouble: But in time of prosperity, it ever springs up, and brings forth the fruits of iniquity. Fiftly, affliction brings forth great patience in us; for being experimented with the discipline and correction of the Lord, that experience of his justice and mercy, 
Rom. 5.3.  and of his wonderful works, engenders (as the Apostle saith) Patience, and Patience brings forth experience, and experience engenders hope. Last of all, the sharpness of adversity which we suffer, makes us both to know the sweetness of prosperity, and what our Saviour jesus Christ suffered for us: which should inflame us with an exceeding great love, and thankfulness towards him. But it is a small thing of any trouble, which can come to the righteous man; for as David subjoins to his saying which I cited in the beginning, The Lord delivers him out of them all: 
Psal. 39.19  Therefore, let us lay this for a ground infallible: That the Lord shall ever send either an hasty deliverance to his servants in their trouble, or else shall give them such strength and patience to abide the same, that they shall have as great joy and contentment in time of adversity, as others have in time of prosperity: And when it pleaseth the Lord to glorify himself by their death, they are sure of the joy and life eternal: Take heed to the hasty deliverance of 
2. King. 20.4.  Hezekiah when he was sick, to the patience of job, and to the long suffering of Paul, which he did bear with joy and gladness. The other question, why the righteous suffers willingly the troubles and wrongs, which they might easily eschew, contrary to man's nature and natural reason; shall receive this answer. This saith our Saviour jesus Christ: If any man will come after me, 
Luk. 9.23.  let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. To deny ourselves, is to quite and renounce all those things, which are agreeable to our corrupted affections; and not to seek and haunt our own pleasures, our own profit, our own praise, our own wit, and our own will: But to set them all aside, in so far as they may be hinderful to the true service and worshipping of God. To take up our cross daily, is to prepare us for daily affliction, and to underlie one trouble after another, for the obedience that we own to God, and to follow the example of our Master and Saviour jesus Christ, in leading an holy, pure, and sincere life. Again he saith: Whosoever shall forsake houses, 
Mat. 19.29  brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, he shall receive an hundredth fold more, and shall inherit everlasting life. And again he saith: He that looseth his life for my sake, 
Mat. 10.39  shall save it. Now, concerning suffering of injury and wrong, thus saith the Lord: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, 
Mat. 5.10.  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; whereby it is to be understood, that they that suffers for their faults and offences, are not partakers of this blessing, but only such as innocently and patiently suffers injury and wrong: Herefore, the Apostle Peter saith: Let none of you suffer as a murderer, 
1. Pet. 4.15  or as a thief, or as an evil doer, or as a busy body in other men's matters: but if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this behalf. Again, our Master saith to his Disciples: 
Mat. 5.11.  Blessed are ye when men reviles you, and persecutes you, and saith all manner of evil against you for my sake falsely: Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven. And again he saith, 
Mat. 5.39.44.  Resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also: Item, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, & pray for them which hurt you and persecute you, that ye may be the Children of your Father, that is in heaven: For he makes the Sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust. Farther, he saith, 
Luke 6.38  do good, and lend, looking for nothing again, and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the most high: for he is kind to the unkind, and to the evil. Now, of these sayings, I gather the conclusion of my answer: That the righteous bears such reverence and obedience to these precepts and commandments; and believes these promises so constantly, having a sure hope of the reward which is promised: That they despise the world, and the vanities thereof, forsakes and renounceth their houses, riches, countries, wives, children, friends, and possessions, and exposes and offers themselves willingly to all kind of affliction and trouble, yea, to the very death itself: knowing that their reward is prepared for them, and as the Apostle Paul saith, that all the troubles which they can suffer in this life, 
Rom. 8.18  is not worthy of that glory which they shall receive.  
It is here then to be marked, that the righteous receives not their chief reward in this world, but in the world to come: For the reward promised, is an everlasting reward, and in this world we see that nothing is everlasting, but all temporal & momentine. This is a stumbling block to natural and worldly men: To wit, that the reward of the godly (as appears to them) is long in coming, & that they must die the death before they receive it. But o thou natural man, thou speaks 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 death which maketh the separation betwixt the soul and the body, much to be feared: For the time which David prescribes to the age and life of man, 
Psal. 90.10  is only 70. or 80. years, which time being expired, the righteous receives their reward promised: If that reward then, be long delayed, in respect of the time which is without end, let thy own conscience be judge. Neither is this reward always continued for the space foresaid, but is granted sooner unto some when it pleaseth the Lord: For we see the term of man's life is uncertain, in respect that some are called home in their old age, some in their midage, some in their youth, and some in their very infancy. But here it may be demanded, why the Lord will have us first to die, and after to live again, seeing it would appear to be more easy to continue this life for ever, nor to put end to this life, and then make us to live again? I answer, that sin is the occasion why we must die and departed this life, before we see the Majesty of God, or receive the reward promised, which is everlasting life: 
Rom. 6.23  For as the Apostle Paul saith, the wages of sin is death. But then thou may reply and say, that jesus Christ hath already suffered for our sin, and hath overcome death and hell: How is it then that we must nevertheless underlie death, which is the reward of sin? I answer thee, that because jesus Christ hath suffered for our sin, and hath overcome death by his resurrection: therefore, he shall raise us up again from death, and give us everlasting life: which otherwise we would not have gotten, if he had not died for us, but would have risen again to everlasting death and torment: Herefore, as the Apostle subjoines to his saying above written; but the gift of God is eternal life through jesus Christ our Lord. Notwithstanding of all this, the work of the resurrection from the death, seems most hard and difficile to flesh & blood: But o man, Where is thy faith? Seing thou may by very natural reason, as it were, comprehend the same, if thou would have respect to the rest of the wonderful works of God, which thou seest daily before thine eyes, and would compare the same with the resurrection of the dead bodies. For what is he that ever would think, that the seed which is sown on the ground, & lies rotten therein, should ever come to perfection, and become good and ripe corn, unless he had the yearly experience of it? What is he that ever would think, that those herbs and plants which are withered and dead, so that nothing remains but a cold rotten root within the earth, should ever revive and revert again, and bring forth a perfect stalk, a leaf, a flourish, and seed, unless we saw it with our eyes? Or what is he that seeing the Sun going down, and the whole earth overwhelmed with darkness, that ever would think that the sun should rise and give light again, except he had the daily experience of it? Who would think that a man which is fallen in a sound sleep, whose senses are dead, without either sight, hearing, smelling, or feeling, should ever awake again, and be a living man, unless we saw it a thing customable, and natural to all men? I suppose likewise, that no man would credit by report the wonderful manner of the conception, and birth of mankind, except it were known by experience and proof. Certainly, it is no more hard and difficile to the Lord to raise the dead bodies out of the grave, nor to work these things: Neither is death more to be feared of the godly, nor the going to bed to sleep; which is a perfect similitude of death: For as man goes to bed in the evening, sleeps all the night, and wakens, and rises up again in the morning: So doth the body, in very deed, sleep and repose in the grave, overshadowed with night & darkness; but in the morning when Christ jesus shall appear in the clouds, 
1. Thess. 4.16. 1. Cor. 15.52.  the body shall rise again at the blast of the trumpet, and shall enjoy the perfect light of the day: during the which space man shall not think long, for what languor can the body have which is a sleep? And as to the soul it can have far less, which during the said space is joined with Christ jesus: In such sort, that the space betwixt the separation of the soul from the body, and the coming of our Lord jesus, is but the length (as it were) of a night. But because thou, o worldly man, hath not had the experience of the resurrection, like as thou hast had of the things above specified, which are no less marvelous, thou can hardly believe it.  
But unto such as constantly believes the same, and hopes for the reward of everlasting life, I will briefly declare (by the grace of God) the joy and felicity thereof, in so far as the Lord hath revealed the same to us by his word, & as the weak wit of man is able to conceive. In the first, the Apostle Paul testifies, that the eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, 
1. Cor. 2.9.  neither hath it entered in the heart of man, the joy and glory of the life to come: which thing God hath prepared for all them that love him. Therefore, let man imagine, and descrive what he list, he shall never be able to attain unto it, for it is above his understanding. Nevertheless, I collect the glory and felicity of that life to come, to be extreme great and excellent, in respect of these four circumstances: First in consideration of the situation, fabric, & beauty of the dwelling place. Secondly, in respect of the company and fellowship of them which we shall enjoy. Thirdly, in consideration of the pleasures, and delectation which we shall have there. And last, in respect of the time and space which the dwelling, company, and pleasures shall endure.  

A Description of the celestial dwelling place.  
AS to the Name and Description of the dwelling place: It is called by the spirit of God, the Heaven, an holy mountain, 
Isai. 57.13.  a high place, a great and holy city, holy and new jerusalem, a celestial and glorious Kingdom, 
Apoc. 21.2  the Tabernacle and dwelling place of the lord 
Psal. 15.  These are high styles: Whereby we may gather, 
Isai. 57.15.  that the situation thereof is on high, above the circle of the Sun, and circumference of the starry firmament: I dwell in the high, and holy place (saith the Lord) and the Psalmist saith: 
Psa. 148.1.  Praise ye him in the high places. The fabric and beauty thereof, may be likewise understood to be most exquisite: For seeing it is the dwelling place of the Lord, which is most perfit; yea, which is very perfection itself; no question but his tabernacle, & dwelling place is accomplished with all perfections. Therefore, the Evangelist john, whom our Saviour jesus Christ loved, being about the description of that great City, holy jerusalem; to express the fabric, beauty, and perfection thereof, according to the capacity of man, and as it was revealed unto him by the spirit of God: he saith, That the City is of pure gold, 
Rev. 21.10.  like unto clear glass, that it is four square, and is twelve thousand furlongs, or fifteen hundredth miles of length, as much of breadth, and as much of height: He makes it to have twelve gates, and every gate to be of a precious Pearl; and he makes the streets of the city to be of pure gold, as shining glass; The wall of the which city, he makes to be a hundredth forty and four cubits of height, and saith that it is made of a precious jasper stone: Such like, that the foundations of the wall of the City, are garnished with all manner of precious stones; and there be numbers out twelve foundations, garnished & set with twelve diverse sorts of most precious stones: In such sort that he saith, the shining of the City is like unto a stone most precious, even as a jasper stone (which is always green and flourishing) clear as Crystal. This is spoken according to the capacity of the weak wit of man: But because the sense is allegoric, and is rather referred unto the Church of Christ, and number of the elect, nor unto the place itself, I will not insist farther therein: Always to declare the extreme light, and beauty thereof, he saith, that the City hath no need of the Sun, nor the Moon to shine in it; for the Glory of God doth make it light, and the Lamb of God jesus Christ is the light thereof, and there shall be no night there.  
But forasmuch as the beauty and excellency of that place, shall be most lively set down before our eyes, by making comparison of the same with beautiful places here upon earth, which we may see with our eyes, and conceive by our understanding: Let us enter in the consideration & description of a beautiful place, which may be devised here upon Earth: For if there appear any singularity or magnificence in the one, it may be easily considered that the other is much more singular and magnific.  
I presuppose, that there is a fair Palace situate on a pleasant green field, on the head of a devalling bank, which is devised by most skilful Architectors, and is builded by most perfit and cunning artificers in Geometry, in the Mechanics and in all kind of handicrafts: having at their will all kind of fine materials, requisite for building: as Marble, Porphyre, Alabaster, timber, iron, brass, Ivory, lead, glass, gold, and azure. The which place is garnished within with all kind of precious moveables & plenishing. At the foot of the devalling bank, there is plain, green, and fertile haughs, and a fair portative River running by, replenished with diverse kinds of fishes: and not far from the Palace, there is a fair Forest, wherein is great store of Harte, Hind, Roe, and of fallow Dear, and of all other sorts of four footed beasts, & of fouls which are either pleasant to behold, or profitable for the use of man: There is store of fair Cedar, Fir, oak, and of pine trees. And near unto the Palace are planted fair and pleasant Gardens, distinguished with valleys, and casten with knots, and labyrinths, of all sorts of odoriferant and savoury flowers: Wherein there is also clear ponds, replenished with diverse sorts of rare and delicate Fishes: Volaries prepared for pleasant and well singing birds; & medals of satyrs, and of all kind of creeping things. There is abundance of Olives, Oranges, a bricois, and all kind of fruit trees, which brings forth their delicius fruits in their own seasons: and in the Summer season, while the weather is temperate & calm, and the bright Sunshining in the clear firmament, which to behold, the birds & the fowls makes a loud noise, and natural melody among the green trees; who would not think but this place were pleasant and delectable to dwell in? But if we think that there is any beauty or excellency into this place, which may be devised by the wit of man: There is no doubt but that place where the Majesty of God doth remain and dwell, is much more beautiful and excellent: Considering, that he is the chief Architector and artificer of all others, and hath both created all the world, and hath given the 
Exo. 31.2.  spirit, and cunning unto all craftsmen. Moreover, if this place may be imagined and devised, and appears delectable and pleasant here upon earth, which is not a place of pleasure but a little point, and centre situate in the midst of that ample circumference of the heaven, a vale of misery, wherein we are banished as strangers, to suffer pain, & to make our penitence for a time, for our sins: How much more, shall the tabernacle of the almighty Lord be delectable & pleasant, which is the place of perfect felicity, where both the lord hath placed his glorious throne where his holy Angels doth remain, and which he hath promised as a most singular reward to his Elect and chosen Children; where he hath also promised to bring the glory of Kings of the earth, & the glory of the Gentiles or Nations? furthermore, the beauty of the Sun, Moon, stars, and of the firmament is very singular, and pleasant to behold: The Sun is so extreme bright that with great difficulty the eyes of man are able to look upon it, and it gives light to all the world: The Moon at her full is of great beauty & whiteness, and is appointed to govern the night: The glistering stars innumerable for multitude, twinkles in the firmament, like unto clear diamonds; The skies being purified from the clouds, are blue like unto a Sapphire stone, and are clear as the Crystal, which we see at sometime party coloured, even damasked (as it were) with thin & white clouds: and at the going down of the Sun, we see the west of times over-fret, and painted with redness, more pleasant and beautiful to behold, nor the Ruby or the precious Carbuncle. Notwithstanding of all this, the beauty of our heavenly dwelling place shall be much more excellent, which may be proved by these two reasons: Our eyes sees, & our understanding is able to conceive their beauty foresaid; 
1. Cor. 2.9.  but as to the excellency of the celestial tabernacle, which the Lord hath prepared for them that love him (according to the testimony of Paul before alleged) Our wit is not able to conceive it in this life. The other reason is this: The Prophet Esay, the Apostle Peter, and the Evangelist john doth plainly testify, 
Isai. 51.6. & 65.17. & 66.22. 2. Pet. 3.13 Reve. 21.1  that the heavens and the earth which are now, and all that is therein, shall be dissolved and pass away, and that the Lord shall create a new heaven, and a new earth: Which without all question shall be more beautiful and excellent nor the heavens, and the earth that are now: For otherwise it is to be presupposed, that the lord would not destroy the more perfit, and create others more unperfit in their place and room. Finally, that dwelling shallbe exceeding large and spacious, for there shall be no separation betwixt the heaven and the earth, betwixt the dwelling place of the Lord, and the dwelling place of Men, but conform to his promise, he shall dwell with us, and we with him, as Citizens of a City. And thus much concerning the Description of the dwelling place.   

A Declaration of the Company which we shall enjoy in the World to come.  
AS to the Company which we shall have in that heavenly habitation, it is first to be marked, that we shall be quite of all evil company: For all wicked men shall be perpetually banished from that fair country. Know ye not, saith the Apostle Paul, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? 
1. Cor. 6.9.  Be not deceived, Neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wanton persons, nor buggers, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor raillers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God; which is to be understood, except they be washen, sanctified, and justified in the name of jesus Christ, and by the spirit of God, like as the Corinthians were, to whom Paul wrote this Epistle, which did repent and amend their lives. The same is affirmed by Saint john in his Revelation, 
Reve. 21. & 27.  saying: the fearful and unbeleving, and the abominable, & murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. And again, speaking of that holy City, he saith: There shall enter into it no unclean thing, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or lies. The company then which we shall enjoy, shall be all holy and righteous: 
Isai. 60.21.  Thy people shall be all righteous, (saith the Lord, speaking to his Church) they shall possess the land for ever. 
Psal. 15.1.  Lord, who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle? saith the Psalmist, who shall rest in thine holy mountain? He that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart. In such sort, that we shall continually converse with the Saints; that is to say, with men and women which served God in spirit, and truth in this life; and that not only of the people of our own country, or of the jews, and Israelites, which are called God's people: But also of all countries and nations of the earth, and that of all estates & degrees. Assemble yourselves, and come, (saith the Lord) draw near together ye abject of the Gentiles: 
Isai. 45.20.  Look unto me, and ye shall be saved: All the ends of the earth shall be saved: For I am God, and there is none other: I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return: That every knee shall bow unto me, and every tongue shall swear by me. And again, the Lord saith to his Son Christ jesus, It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my servant, to raise up the tribes of jacob, 
Isai. 49.6  and to restore the desolations of Israel: I will also give thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation to the end of the world. Likewise, the Apostle john saith, that the glory and honour of the Gentiles (that is to say of all Nations, 
Rev. 21.26  aswell as of the jews) shall be brought unto the holy City. And this shall not only be of the faithful of one age, or of them which are living now, but of all ages which hath been from the beginning of the world, and shall be unto the consummation thereof and latter coming of jesus Christ. We shall then frequent the society and fellowship of all the godly Martyrs, which constantly hath suffered for the name of Christ jesus in this life: And likewise, of the Disciples and Apostles of Christ jesus, which hath sounded his Gospel thorough the whole world: Of the holy Priests, and true Prophets of the Lord; of the godly Kings and Rulers of the Earth, which as the Lord's lieutenants did ministrate justice and judgement in their lives. We shall have for our familiar brethren and companions our first progenitor Adam, No, Lot, Abraham, Isaac & jacob, and the twelve patriarchs, the sons of jacob: Likewise we shall see, by familiar, and contract friendship & brotherhood which never shall be dissolved, with Moses, Aaron, josua, and the just judges of Israel, with Samuel, Elias, and Elisha, Esay, jeremy, Ezechiell, and Daniel, with David, Ezechias, and josias, with john the Baptist, Peter, Paul, & john, whom our Saviour loved: with whom we shall dwell as brethren and Citizens of a City. Moreover, not only shall we be in company with faithful men and women, but also with the whole army of the holy Angels of the Lord, whom he hath appointed to preserve and defend us in this life: The whole order of them shall rejoice greitumlie of our coming and salvation, and shall be continually conversant with us in perpetual society and friendship: 
Gen. 3 24. Col. 1.16.  There shall we enter in fellowship with the Cherubims, Seraphins, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, Archangels, Angels, and with the whole number of the celestial Legions: Which receiveth those styles, to declare their glory, power, & distinct offices. These shall delight to magnify & extol the Majesty of the lord together with us, insatiately, with unspeakable joy & gladness. But the chief company wherein we should most rejoice, is: That we shall have the full fruition of almighty God the Father, of his Son Christ jesus our Saviour, and of the holy Ghost, which is the spirit of God: There we shall see them face to face in their full majesty and glory, which none can behold, nor apprehend in this life, but by faith only. The almighty God shall behold, and bless us from his high and holy throne, as his own sons and heirs whom he hath adopted: The Lamb Christ jesus shall embrace & kiss us, as his brethren & sisters, he shall congratulate our coming, and present us faultless unto his Father: And the Comforter, the spirit of truth, which now doth secretly assist us, govern us, and work in our hearts by measure: shall then be visibly, and personally ever present among us; and really and with effect shall possess both our souls and bodies, and replenish us with full measure. Thus much shall suffice to have spoken of the Company which we shall enjoy, and with whom we shall live in the world to come.   

A Rehearsal of the Pleasures which we shall enjoy in the world to come.  
LET us now come to the pleasures, whereof we shall be made participant in the life to come. Like as the Geographer by symmetry and proportion, describes all the countries of the earth, into the bounds of a little globe, and is accustomed to write throughout the parts thereof: This is a country, this is a famous City, this is a river, these are mountains, this is an arm of the sea, & this is a port or havening place. Nevertheless, he is so far distant from the likeness, and perfection of the things which he describes, that if it were possible that the Geographer were transported unawares into any strange Country, he should neither know the country, the cities, nor what way to go betwixt them, for all his Geography, while it were first shown & declared unto him: Even so, although I be as far distant, in describing the joys of the Life to come, from the perfection thereof, as a thing unperfit is from that which is perfit; or the thing finite and bounded, from the thing infinite and without bounds: Notwithstandng, I will point out as the Geographer doth, a certain similitude and likeness thereof by comparing the same unto joys earthly, and pleasures which may be devised in this life: For if the one appear notable and great, which is but temporal and imperfect of itself, the other shall appear far greater, and shall be easily conceived to transcend it by many degrees, seeing it is called by the spirit of God, an eternal and perfect felicity, and therefore lacks nothing that is requisite to perfection. The pleasures which man can receive in this life, they are either bodily and sensual, whereby the outward senses are delighted: or else, they are inward pleasures of the mind, whereby the heart and soul of man is rejoiced: But so long as the body and the soul are joined together, there is such an union and concord between them, that that thing which delights the one, delights also the other; and that which is displeasant to the one, is likewise displeasant to the other: That which is delectable to the body and outward senses, is delectable also to the spirit, and makes the heart to rejoice: And that which contents the mind, and rejoiceth the heart, doth likewise recreate and pleasure the body after a marvelous manner. To return then to those pleasures, whereby the outward senses and body are delighted: Is it not extreme pleasant to the eyes to behold the face of a Prince's Court, and the great assemblies of beautiful and great personages, both of men and women, appareled with all kind of precious and costly garments, and attired with rich jewels, together with all the rest of precious & glistering planessing, which is accustomed to be in the houses of great Princes, at a solemn feast, or at their first entry in a potent and opulent City? Or to behold from the top of an high mountain, in the time of Summer, or of Harvest, while the air is clear and purified, the noble & fair Cities adjacent about, the green hills and dales, the fair woods and forests, the corns, wines, and fruits of the ground, the fresh Loches and rivers, and the sapphire firmament, the bright Sun and Moon, and the glistering stars arrayed in good order? Or to behold a great army of horsemen, and of foot all in their clear armour, well arrayed and marching in battle: To see their glancing harness, and armour both invasive and defencive, their Plumages, standards and displayed hand signs, together with their courageous bairded Horses, Elephants, and Drummodaries? Or to behold a fair Navy of ships, of Galleys, and of Galliass, all under sail on the smooth Sea, with their streamers, flags, airs, and great artillery? Or to behold a public Fair or Mercat place, wherein all kind of beautiful and precious wares are exposed and laid forth to be sold? To see the fair boards of diverse sorts of vive and lively portrators, the fair tapestry of silks, and cloth of gold, all kind of colours of fine and well lustred stuffs for appareling of the body, the clear polished vessel of silver and of gold, the fine varnished musical Instruments, with many other proper inventions, and utensils devised and wrought by subtle handy crafts for the use and ease of man? These I say, and such like sights, are very pleasant and delectable to the eyes, and consequently comfortable and recreative to the spirit. In like manner, it were very delectable to the ears, to hear notable and good doctrine out of the mouth of a cunning & eloquent teacher: To hear rehearsed pleasant and notable histories, delectable novelties of rare and strange things, glad and good tidings, and to hear thyself well reported off, and thy works rehearsed and praised in thine own presence: To hear the merry interlocutors of facetious Dialogues, pretty and quick conceits, and rencounters of Comedians, in their comedies, and stage plays: To hear the singing and natural melody of the sweet singing birds firdoning their notes after their kind, and on diverse ways, in the time of summer, or of spring time: but most of all, early in the morning as the day gins to dawn, when all is under great silence, and every thing quiet and at rest, then to hear the pleasant harmony of Musical Instruments cunningly handled, as of Cornets, or fine Viols: Or to hear the sweet and delicate voices of cunning singers, intermeddled with the melodious sound of Lutes, Sister's, Clairshoes, or of other quiet Instruments of that kind: which I esteem worthy to be reckoned among the chiefest of earthly pleasures. What thing can be more delectable to the taste & appetite of man, nor to have a table at all times richly decked, with all manner of savoury and delicate meats, finely prepared? as of fat & tender flesh, rare and delicious fishes, all kind of fruits herbs, spices, of drogs wet and dry, and other confections pertaining to the Apothecary: And in like manner to have ready at man's desire, all kind of delicious and delicate drinks and liquors? as Milk, meid, honey, sweet and sharp wines, hippocras, and fined wines, with all manner of fresh refreshing drinks, which may be either agreeable to the mouth, or meat for the sustentation of man's body. As to the sense of smelling, it is delighted with pleasant and sweet odours: as of sweet smelling flowers, perfumes, precious ointments, gums, and with fine odours mixed and prepared by the Apotecars. And finally, is it not delectable and pleasant to the body of man, when in time of cold he is fostered with warmness, and in time of heat is refreshed with temperate coldness? Likewise when his body is anointed and refreshed with balm, and with oil, or when he is purged and purified in the bathstoffs, or is eased & relieved of his natural infirmities, by such voluptuous pleasures as are natural unto him, and falls under the sense of feeling? All these above rehearsed are sensual and bodily pleasures, which man would esteem a great happiness, to enjoy always at his pleasure, being very delectable first to the body, and then to the spirit, as unto that which hath a natural & perfect conjunction with the body: For if it were separated from the body, it would not be delighted with no such sensual pleasures. But those pleasures which do chief content the mind, and inwardly rejoiceth the heart & soul of man, are much more excellent, and doth far exceed the pleasures of the flesh, in dignity and worthiness. Were it not a great contentment to the mind, to have thy body als beautiful, and of seemly proportion as thy heart would wish? And that thou were equal in strength, speed, and agility with any other man? Likewise that thou were of such skill and dexterity at all games and exercitions of the body, aswell these that are natural unto man, as in these which needs art and instruction, (as summing, bawling, handling of thine armour, and others such like) that none were able to outmatch thee? and therewithal to have thy beauty ever flourishing & never to fade, and thy body never to decay, but ever to remain in perfit vigour and strength? Moreover, wouldst thou not think it a great felicity, to be so pregnant & quick of spirit, that nothing could seem hard or difficil unto thee? But that thou hadst the knowledge of all arts and sciences, of all tongues and languages, and with thy knowledge to have a facund and ornate tongue to utter the conceptions of thy mind? Farther, is it not very delectable to the heart of man to have obtained a great victory, and to have defait the enemies of his native country, & brought the same to liberty and freedom by his own deeds and virtue (as the strong Samson did in subduing the Philistims, David in slaying of Goliath, judith in killing of Olophernes, or as the valiant Roman Cockles did) with great praise and commendation of all men? It is also no little contentment to the spirit, to have found out a singular and subtle devise, which may bring both great pleasure, and great commodity with it, not only to the inventor thereof himself, but also to the whole estate of a common wealth. We read that Pythagoras for finding out by his own engine & study, of a proposition of Geometry, (which indeed is esteemed to be very excellent, and of great use in the Mathematics) and is the 47. Proposition of the first book of the Elements of Euclid: for very joy he came forth of his cabinet, running, and crying with a loud voice, as though he had been transported: I have found it! I have found it! and thereafter made a solemn sacrifice and oblation of an hundredth Oxen. See we not also how great rejoicing it is to the heart of him that hath done a notable and noble act, pronounced a wise sentence, or made a cunning & ornat harangue, to the great admiration and praise of the hearers and beholders? And were it not a pleasant thing to be promoved by a great Monarch, from the estate of a poor miserable cotter, to the estate of a wealthy & potent Lord, and to be received in great familiarity & credit with the same monarch? To be short, I think the greatest joys which man can wish or imagine, are these: To have all things that the heart doth require, and to lack nothing: To have knowledge of all things, and to be ignorant of nothing: To be ever glad, and never sorrowful: To be ever careless, and without fear, and never careful nor in dread: To be ever in pleasure, and never in pain: To be always well content, and never miscontent nor displeased: To be ever in security, and never in danger: To be ever in peace and at rest, and never troubled nor disquieted: To be ever at liberty, and never in thraldom: To be ever in health and in good disposition, and never sick nor diseased: To be ever in a constant and stable estate, and never subject to change nor alteration: To be free from all natural infirmities of the body, and all passions and perturbations of the mind, but in special, from the thraldom of sin, and to have an absolute power over all our affections & concupiscences: To be delighted with every thing, and never to see nor hear that thing which is grievous or displeasant: To hate or envy no man, nor yet to be hated or envied of any: But to love and like all, and to be loved and liked of all men: To be honoured and esteemed of all men: but in special to be in the favour of God, and to be reciproc'ly beloved of them whom we love most entirely: and to be sure and certain never to die, but to live for ever. What then of all these joys and pleasures? were they ever enjoyed by any man, or is it possible that any man can enjoy them in this life? No certainly, they cannot be fully enjoyed so long as we dwell here upon earth, and remains in this tabernacle of flesh and blood: But these are heavenly joys, pertaining to the life to come, which all the faithful shall undoubtedly enjoy: yea, and greater nor these also: For the wit & engine of man is able to comprehend and understand these joys before rehearsed: But the perfect joy and felicity of the life to come, passeth all understanding.  
But now, let us see what warrant we have of the word of God against these things, and how the spirit of God doth certify us hereof. We are first certified by the spirit of God, that in the life to come we shall be exemed from all grief and sorrow, so that our joy and pleasure shall not be mixed with sorrows, as the pleasures of this life are: For the Evangelist john saith, 
Revel. 21.4  God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the first things are passed. The former troubles are forgotten (saith the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet) and shall surely hide themselves from mine eyes, 
Isai. 65.16.  for Lo, I will create new heavens, and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind: But be ye glad and rejoice for ever, in the things which I shall create: For behold, I will create jerusalem, as a rejoicing, and her people as a joy: and I will rejoice in jerusalem, and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying: There shall be no more there a Child of years, nor an old man that hath not filled his days; for he that shall be an hundredth years old, shall die as a young man. Farther, the spirit of God to express the joy of the life to come, compares it to a day of marriage, into the which jesus Christ is the bridegroom, and his Church (that is to say, the number of his elect) is called the bride. The Gentiles (saith the Prophet, 
Isai. 62.2.  speaking of Christ's Church) shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shall be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name: Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God: It shall be no more said unto thee, Forsaken, neither shall it be said any more to thy land, desolate: But thou shalt be called, HEPHZEBAH, (that is to say, My delight in her) and thy Land BEULAH, or Married: For the Lord delights in thee, and thy Land shall have an Husband: for as a young man marrieth a Virgin; so shall thy sons marry thee: And as a bridegroom is glad of the bride: so shall thy God rejoice over thee. And in the apocalypse, 
Apoc. 19.6  Christ's flock saith, Halleluiah (that is by interpretation, praise ye God) for our God Almighty hath reigned: Let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready: And to her was granted, that she should be arrayed with pure fine linen and shining, for the fine Linen is the righteousness of the Saints: Thereafter, the Angel of God saith unto john: 
Apoc. 21.9  I will show thee the bride the Lamb's wife: and he showed me (saith john) the great City holy jerusalem (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 between Christ and his Church, because, that like as the husband and the wife are made one flesh: so are the faithful made one with Christ, by participation of his body & blood through faith. And as the bridegroom doth procreate Children with his bride: So doth Christ procreate Children in his Church, by his holy spirit, and makes her to be plentiful in bringing forth sons and daughters to inherit his kingdom. But to return to the pleasure of the Elect in the life to come, it is also compared to a solemn banquet by the spirit of God. 
Isai. 25.6.  And in this mountain (saith the Prophet Esay) shall the Lord of hosts make unto 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 john in his Revelation saith, 
Reu. 22.1.  that he saw a pure river of water of life, clear as Crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb, which is jesus Christ: and on either side of the River, was the tree of life, which bore twelve manner of fruits, and gave fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree served to heal the Nations with. It is also said in the apocalypse, 
Apoc. 19.9  Blessed are they that are called unto the lambs supper. And our master Christ saith, 
joh. 4.14.  whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall never be more a thirst: but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. Moreover, the Lord proposeth to the faithful, all the blessings which are contained in the Law, and so under temporal things comprehends the spiritual promises. They shall feed in the ways, 
Isai. 49.9.  saith the Prophet, and their pastures shall be in all the tops of the hills, they shall not be hungry, neither shall they be thirsty, neither shall the heat smite them, nor the sun; for he that hath compassion on them shall lead them; even to the springs of waters shall he drive them. 
Isai. 55.1.  Lo, saith the Lord, every one that thirsts come ye to the waters, and ye that have no silver come buy and eat, come I say, buy wine and milk without silver: hearken diligently unto me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight in fatness. Likewise, the Lord speaking to his afflicted members saith, 
Isai. 54.11.  O thou afflicted, and tossed with tempest, that hath no comfort, behold, I will lay thy stones with the Carbuncle, and lay thy foundation with sapphires, and I will make thy windows of Emeralds, and thy gate shining stones, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And for the farther comfort of his elect, he proceeds and saith: All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord, & much peace shall be to thy Children: In righteousness shall thou be established, and be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear it; and from fear, for it shall not come near thee: 
Isai. 54.10.17.  For the mountains shall remove, and the hills shall fall down, but my mercy shall not departed 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 righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. And insisting in the consolation of his Church; this saith the Lord to it: Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, 
Isai. 60. 1●.  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 breasts of kings: and thou shalt know, that I the Lord am thy Saviour, and thy redeemer, the mighty one of jacob: For brass will I bring gold, and for iron will I bring silver; and for wood, brass; and for stones, iron: I will also make thy garment peace, and thy exactors righteousness: Violence shall be no more heard off in thy land, neither desolation, nor destruction within thy borders: But thou shalt call salvation thy walls, and praise thy gates: Thou shalt have no more the Sun to shine by day, neither shall the brightness of the Moon shine unto thee: For the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and thy God thy glory, thy Sun shall never go down, neither thy Moon be hid, for the Lord shall be thy everlasting light, and the days of thy sorrows shall be ended: Thy people also shall be all righteous, they shall possess 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 threateneth the wicked, in these words: Behold my servants shall eat, 
Isai. 65.13.  and ye shall be hungry: Behold, my servants shall drink, and ye shall be thirsty: Behold, my servants shall rejoice, and ye shall be ashamed: Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, and ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of mind, and ye shall leave your name as a curse unto my chosen: For the Lord God shall slay you, and call his servants by another name: He that shall bless in the earth, shall bless himself in the true God, & he that swears in the earth, shall swear by the true God. These are heavenly consolations and promises, which are partly begun in this life, but shall not be fully accomplished while the life to come: Whereupon the faithful flock of Christ takes occasion to rejoice, and is prophesied to burst out in these words: 
Isai. 61.10.  I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God: For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, and covered me with the rob of righteousness: He hath decked me like a bridegroom, and as a bride attyreth herself with her jewels: For as the earth brings forth her bud, and as the Garden causes to grow that which is sown in it: So the Lord God will cause righteousness to grow, and praise before the Heathen. But forasmuch, as the pleasures of the soul, & contentment of the mind, might appear more imaginary, nor substantial, where they fall not under the outward senses, and where the body is not made participant thereof: For the soul is but a spirit, and is delighted with spiritual things; neither can it be rejoiced, or yet troubled with things sensual or corporal, being free from the bands of the flesh. Therefore to the effect thou may the better conceive, & have a more sensible feeling of the joys of the life to come; I will assure thee, that not only the souls and spirits of the Elect shall rejoice and be delighted with spiritual pleasures; 
job. 19.26  but also the bodies shall be delighted with bodily and sensual pleasures, which falls under the senses: In respect, the body shall rise again from death, 
1. Cor. 15.52.  the soul or spirit shall enter again therein, and really and with effect, both the soul & the senses shall be delighted: 
Mat. 25.46.  albeit not with such natural & corruptible things, (lest any man should dream such an unperfit delectation) as that where with our mortal bodies are delighted in this life: but with heavenly and incorruptible things, like as our bodies shall then be incorruptible and immortal. And let no man think, that at the day of the resurrection, any of us shall resume a fantastical body, of an other form & shape nor that which we have now: but a very corporal and substantial body, which may be seen and felt, having all the senses in greater quickness, and perfection nor it hath them in this life: but free always, from such fragility and natural infirmities, whereunto the mortal body is subject. For look in what manner and with what body our Saviour jesus Christ rose again from death, 
john. 20▪ 17.27.  which after his resurrection (but before his ascension, & full glorification) was seen and known by his Disciples, conversed with them, and was gripped by his Disciple Thomas: In like manner, and with the like bodies shall he raise us up again at the latter day: And when we shall be glorified, our bodies shall not be hinderfull unto the actions of the spirit, nor a fashions' prison unto it, as the body is in this life: but it shall be a pleasant tabernacle, and a necessary organ unto the spirit, ready to yield and obey it in all the offices and functions thereof: 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 shall be like unto the Angels and celestial bodies. Our eyes then, I say, shall be delighted with beholding of things beautiful, our ears with hearing of heavenly sounds and harmony, our taste with such celestial and Angelic food as shall be agreeable thereunto; our nostrils with smelling of pleasant and delectable odours; and our sense of feeling, with feeling of all kind of voluptuous and perfit pleasure: my reason is this, because we shall have a perfect sight of the face of God, and the full fruition of his divine Majesty, which is the consummation & perfection of all pleasures. For he that seethe the face of God, seethe eminently, and after a most excellent manner, the beauty and perfection of all his Creatures: because from him they receive all their beauty and perfection. Therefore, by necessary consequence, in enjoying the majesty of God the Creator, we shall also enjoy through him & in him, all the pleasures which can be taken of any Creature which the Lord hath made, either living or without life. What thing upon earth is comparable to the majesty and throne of God, which john saw by Revelation? 
Revel. 4.3.  He that sat upon the throne (saith he) was to look upon, like unto a jasper stone, & a Sardine, and there was a Rainbow round about the throne, in sight like to an Emerande; and out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices; and there were seen Lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. The rest of the description thereof, for brevity I omit, and remits the Reader to the place itself where it is described. 
Exo. 19.16.  And did not the whole people of Israel see with their corporal eyes, and hear with their ears, thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon mount Sinai, and the sound of a trumpet exceeding loud, so that they were all afraid? And did they not see mount Sinai all on a smoke, & the smoke thereof, ascending as the smoke of a furnace, because the Lord came down upon it in fire, and the mount trembling exceedingly? Likewise, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, 
Exod. 24. ●  and Abihu, and seventy of the Elders of Israel saw a part of the Majesty of God, only in so far, as their infirmity and weakness was able to bear: And under his feet they saw as it were, a work of a sapphire stone, and as the very heaven when it is clear. And did not the skin of the face of Moses shine bright, after that God had talked with him, 
Exod. 34.29.  In such sort that the Israelites were afraid to come near him? How then shall we shine that shall behold him face to face, and enjoy his presence for ever? Surely, in beholding the beauty of his glorious face, we shall be made beautiful: And in enjoying the presence of his Majesty, we shall also enjoy all these joys and pleasures presently expressed, and besides them many other greater, which as the Apostle saith, It is not possible to the wit and tongue of man to utter and declare. We shall be filled with all virtue and perfection, we shall be healthy, we shall be strong, we shall be joyful and glad, we shall have perfect contentment, we shall be assured and in perfect security, we shall be wise, we shall be patiented, we shall be constant, we shall be charitable, we shall be holy, we shall be glorious. All our actions desires, studies, and imaginations shall be good, and we shall not have so much as an intention or inclination unto evil. To be short, 
Apoc. 21.7  as it is promised in the apocalypse, we shall inherit all things, the Lord shall be our God, and we shall be his sons. And as the Prophet Daniel saith, we shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; 
Dan. 12.3  and they that turn many to righteousness, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. We shall receive a crown of righteousness (as saint Paul saith) which the Lord the righteous judge shall give at that day, 
2. Tim. 4.8  to all them that loves his appearing. We shall sing these praises and new songs, which john heard by Revelation: 
Revel. 4.8.11.  Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and which is, and which is to come: Thou art worthy (O Lord) to receive glory and honour, and power: For thou hast created all things, and for thy wills sake they are, and have been created. Item, worthy is the Lamb that was killed, 
Rev. 5. ●●●  to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, & praise; Praise, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever more. We shall also sing the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb, 
Rev. 15.3.  saying: Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, King of Saints: Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy Name? for thou only art holy, and all Nations shall come and worship before thee: for thy judgements are made manifest. 
Apoc. 19.1  We shall sing Hallelujah, hallelujah, salvation, and glory, and honour, and power be to the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgements. Thus much concerning the pleasures which we shall enjoy in the life to come.   

Of the Permanence of the world to come.  
IT rests now, that we speak somewhat concerning the time and space, how long the heavenly dwelling place, the company, and the pleasures foresaid shall endure. To augment our joy and felicity it is to be understood that, that celestial dwelling, that blessed society, and those inestimable pleasures shall never take an end: but shall endure eternally, without any limitation of time: For it is called a blessed immortality, and an everlasting life. So that ten thousand years, or thousand millions of years, hath not so great a proportion with the length thereof, as a moment of time hath, with thousand millions of years: For so much, as no prolixity of time, can approach in any wise to the bounds or end thereof: For the life everlasting, is without bounds or end whatsoever. I suppose, that if any Prince or potent man upon earth, which lives wealthily and well, could be certified that he should continue in that estate, and should live and not see death unto the end of the world: I suppose (I say) that albeit the pleasures and prosperity of this life be mixed with innumerable sorrows & griefs: Nevertheless, he should rejoice therein exceedingly, and count himself happy above all other men. How much more than ought we to rejoice, which shall dwell in that celestial kingdom, accompanied with the saints, with the holy Angels, and with the Father, Son, and holy Ghost? And shall enjoy all the pleasures above rehearsed, and more nor the wit of man is able to devise, and shall live and continue in that estate without diminishing, intermission, or alteration thereof for ever and ever? O felicity above all felicities! the hope whereof, causes the faithful to suffer great things, makes their extreme pains to appear but gentle & small, and makes the heart to spring for joy with the very remembrance thereof. O sweet jesus Christ, when shall we be made partakers of that promised felicity? When shall we see the glory which thou hast with thy Father? Doubtless, even at thy coming again, Lord, and at thy appearing in the clouds: Come then, sweet Saviour, for we look and long for thy coming, and deliverance. Thy little members are grievously afflicted, they sigh and sob daily under thy cross, and wearieth of the yoke and burden of sin: Thine enemies rejoice and persecutes thy little flock, they have taken a liberty, they delight in wickedness, and follows the lusts and affections of their own hearts: because they esteem the day of thy coming to be far off, they attend it not, but esteems thee slow & slack, like unto themselves. Thou beholdest these things, O Lord, Make haste therefore, and put end to the troubles of thy servants, and to the rage and insolency of Satan, and of all his supposts, that we may dwell with thee in thy holy mountain, lauding and praising thee, thy Father, and the holy spirit, in eternal unity, with all kind of heavenly praise, for ever and ever, world without end, Amen.   
FINIS.