The Amendment of Life, Book 4 · Chapter 9
The ninth cauſe of amendment, taken hereof, that the kingdome of God which we looke for in heauen, doth admoniſh vsus that we are ſtrangers pilgrimes, and trauelers in this life. Chap. 9.
THe holy ſcripture doth many times tearme vsus ſtrangers, pilgrims and trauellers: neither is it onelyonly as it was with Abraham,Gen. 23.4. when he ſpake to the Cananites, ſaying: I am a ſtranger and a forrener amongſt you, and as it is daylye with thoſe who flying from perſecution, and forſaking the land of their natiuitie, doe goe to dwell in another prouince and kingdome wherein they are ſtrangers: but we are ſo tearmed in reſpect of the kingdome of heauen, our true and eternall countrey, And indeed if we be Burgeſſes of heauen,Eph. 2.10. Proſper. in his ſentences out of Auguſt. Sent 17. as S. Paul teacheth, we are ſtrangers to the earth, according to the ſaying of S. Auguſtin alſo: All they that belong to the heauenly Cittie, are pilgrimes and ſtrangers in this worlde, & ſo long as this their tēporary life doth continue, they do liue in an others countrey. And that wee maye the better vnderſtand this, we call that land our countrey wherein we were borne and brought vp, wherin our parents and anceſtours ſucceſsiuely hauehave made their abode, and wherein we hauehave our principall goods, poſſeſsions and inheritances. Now whence doe we take our ſpirituall birth, but frō our father which is in heauen?Phil 3.20. where doe we receiue the ſoule of our ſpirituall birth, but in the Church, which is the kingdome of God? or where is the houſe of our father, but in heauen, and there dwelleth our eldeſt brother Ieſus Chriſt and al other our brothers and ſiſters in him.1. Pet. 1.4. Moreouer, our treaſure & immortal inheritāce, vndefiled and vncorruptible, are reſerued in heauen, as ſaith S. Peter, for vsus that beleeue in Ieſus Chriſt, heauen is then our true coū trey, and in reſpect thereof are we here called ſtrangers, pilgrimes, and trauellers on the earth.
2 This doth the Apoſtle writing to the Hebrews euidently declare,Heb. 11.13. where ſpeaking of the ancient fathers, he ſaith: All theſe died in the faith, and receiued not the promiſes; but ſaw them a farre of and beleeued them, and receiued them thankefullye, and confeſſed that they were ſtrangers and pilgrims on the earth: For they that ſay ſuch things, declare plainely that they ſeeke a countrey. And if they had beene mindefull of that countrey from whence they came out, Gen. 12.1.they had leiſure to hauehave returned. But now they deſire a better, that is an heauenly. Wherfore God is not aſhamed of them to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a Cittie. Heere the Apoſtle ſheweth, that Abraham, Iſaack, and Iacob were ſtrangers in the land of Canaan, in reſpect of Vr in Chaldea, from whence they came, when Abraham at Gods commandement, left his countrey, his kinred, and the houſe of his father. But in that they were called forreiners and ſtrangers, it was not in that reſpect, but in reſpect of heauen, where God had prepared a Cittie for them: and therefore albeit they had time to returne to Vr, their natiue countrey, yet ſought they a better, namely the heauenly and in that regarde, conuerſing vponupon earth, they are called ſtrangers.
3 Now the remēbrance that we are ſtrangers, pilgrims & trauellers, ought to induce vsus to lift vp & ſettle our thoghts, minds & cogitations vponupon our heauenly country: that in the cōtemplation of God, of the glory of Chriſt, and of the excellency of our inheritance, we might reioyce with the angels & ſouls of the ſaints that are already gathered thither, and inceſsātly ſing praiſes vntounto God with them. And indeed as the Apoſtle ſaith:Heb. 12.22. Wee that beleeue in Chriſt, are come to the hill of Syon, and to the cittye of the liuing God, to the heauēly Ieruſalem, to millions of angels, to the church of the firſt born, that are written in the heauens, to God who is the iudge of all, to the ſoules of the righteous that are ſanctified, and to Ieſus the mediator of the new couenant. Being aſcended ſo high, & hauing our cōuerſation in heauen, as Burgeſſes therof, if frō thence we look vponupon the earth, and caſt our view vponupon the kingdomes, riches, dignities, men, and the moſt excellent things in the world, all will ſeem in our eyes ſo ſmall, that wee will be euen aſhamed to eſteeme of them, yea euen ſo much as to think vponupon them: ſo far will we be from ſetting our affections thervpon: and truly goe vp vntounto a high ſteeple, and look from the top therof, looke vponupon men that go in the ſtreets, and they wil ſeem to you not to be men, but children, & their houſes euen cabbins: for if it were poſsible to climbe fiue or ſix leagues higher, ye ſhould ſee no men: yea, the greateſt townes would ſeeme but as one houſe, and the Sea a poole. Moreouer, if poſsibly ye could aſcend to the heauen of the moon, which is the loweſt, the greatnes of the whole world would ſeem nothing it would not ſhew ſo much as a good pinnes head hanging in the middeſt of a great Church. What would it be, in caſe hee were in the higheſt heauen among the ſtarres? or aboue the heauens in the houſe of our father, and in the heauenly citie wherof we are burgeſſes? Much rather, in thoſe dayes will the vniuerſall worlde be vntounto vsus nothing at all.
4 To this purpoſe doe we read of a great Romain perſonage, who in a dreame or conceit being aſcended into the region of heauen among the Starres,Cicero in Scipios dreame. and beholding their greatnes and brightneſſe, thence caſting downe his eyes vponupon the earth, it ſeemed that the whole worlde was ſo little, that hee was aſhamed of the Romain empire, which neuertheleſſe extended into ſo many realmes. Now as this Ethnick could in his diſcourſe clymbe no higher: ſo if wee that are burgeſſes of heauen doe aſcend aboue al heauens, & there conuerſing in ſpirit, doo behold the glorye of God, and his pallace of light, of an incomprehenſible extent, and afterward ſhal looke downe to the earth: we will be aſhamed of the ſmalneſſe thereof, and of all the kingdomes therein, which thence will not ſhewe ſo great as a graine of ſande, but euen nothing at all. The three Apoſtles when they had ſeene ſome parte of the glorye of Chriſt in his transfiguration vppon mount Thabor, were ſo mooued, that they ſaide:Mat. 17.4. Lord, it is good for vsus to be heere, let vsus builde three tabernacles. What then would we doe if we ſhould conuerſe in heauen, and there beholde the maieſtye of God, and the glorye of Ieſus Chriſt? wold not euen the apprehenſion therof allure vsus to wiſh to dwell there, and to forget and deſpiſe the earth? or then remembring and looking towardes the ſame, woulde wee not reproue our ſelues, as that Romain was reproued by his father, who ſaide vntounto him, why doſt thou yet caſt downe thine eyes vponupon the earth?
5 Among other the vanities that men doe ſeeke and ſo feruently deſire, is glory, and the reputation of vertue, valour, riches, power, wiſedome, and ſuch other like: but this Romain Ethnick being in a dreame, rapt aboue the ſtarres, is by his father admoniſhed in the ſmaleneſſe of all the worlde, to contemplate the vanity of this ambition, men will talke ſaith hee, of thee and thy vertues, but wher? be it throughout the Romain Empire: yet ſhall not thy fame paſſe ſuch and ſuch mountains: there will no man once ſpeake of thee. What a folly is it therefore ſo to delight in the reputation of great welth, ornaments of body, exceſſe in banquets, goodly houſes, honourable functions, euen wiſedome and humaine diſcretion, ſith all this fame and glory ſhalbe ſhut vp in ſo ſmall a corner of the worlde, that when thou art aſcended into the Citie whereof thy ſelfe art a Burgeſſe, thou ſhalt not be able to ſee it: moſt men labour to hauehave faire houſes, gardens of pleaſure, lordſhippes, and to heape vp poſſeſsion vponupon poſſeſsion, as if themſelues ſhould dwell alone vponupon the earth, as Eſay ſaith:Eſay 5.8. and yet when they hauehave purchaſed whole townes and kingdomes, if they ſhould from heauen, looke vponupon them, they would diſdaine and contemne the ſmalnes and baſenes of them. And indeed, let a man looke vponupon a towne platted in foure leaues of paper, hee ſhall ſomewhat diſcerne the order of the ſtreetes and houſes thereof, but afterward laye downe in the like quantity of paper the whole prouince wherein that cittie ſtandeth, and the ſame will not ſhew ſo great as a mans nayle: And laſtly, let him repreſent the whole worlde in aſmuch paper, and he ſhall ſee neither houſe nor towne, yea ſcarſely the whole prouince, perhaps hee may finde the names of the realmes, and ſee their extent in the breadth of two or three nayles: and looking from heauen the whole worlde will not ſeeme ſo much. What a folly then, or rather a madneſſe is it for thoſe that are ſtrangers vponupon earth, and burgeſſes of heauen, diuerſly and by ſundry meanes to offend God,Gen. 25 34. Heb. 12.16. for the getting of ſo ſmall a portion of earth, which is as nothing, wherein they reſemble Eſau, who for a peece of bread and a meſſe of pottage, ſolde his birth-right?
6 Againe, ſuch as are ſtrangers in a forraine countrey, and hauehave parents and great wealth in their natiue ſoyle, being hardlye entreated where they ſoiourne, and vponupon the pointe to returne home into their countrey, are vndoubtedly very glad thereof: euen already they ſeeme to ſee their houſes, lands and poſſeſsions, and in their concei…s, doe talke with their parents, and feele a feruent deſire to be ſoone there: euen ſo we, if we remember that in heauen we hauehave treaſures of eternall riches, an vndefiled inheritance, immortall and incorruptible, which is reſerued for vsus: a heauenly father that loueth vsus in his welbeloued ſon, our elder brother Ieſus Chriſt in glory, the angels & holy ſpirits in ioy, and that wee their fellow burgeſſes, hauehave our portion in all theſe goods, and are euen vponupon the point to be really in heauen with them: why ſhould we not be rauiſhed with a feruent deſire to be lifted vp thether? and with S. Paul to ſay: I couet to be diſsolued and to be with Christ: Phil. 1.23.what letteth vsus when wee feele how hardly wee are entreated, and what mortall wounds our ſoules doe daylye receiue, by offending God through their corruptions, to ſay with S. Paul:Rom. 7.24. O wretched men that we are, who ſhall deliuer vsus from this body of death? Shall not the very feeling of ſo grieuous and ſo many bodily afflictions, whereto we are ſubiect in this ſtrange land, cauſe vsus ſeruently to pray to be deliuered from the ſame:2. Cor. 5.1. eſpecially, conſidering that we know (as S. Paul ſaith) that when the earthly habitation of this lodge is deſtroyed, wee hauehave a building in God, euen an euerlaſting houſe in the heauens, which is not made with mans hand. And in this reſpect, we that abide in theſe earthly dwellinges, doe groane vnderunder our burdens, for we deſire to bee clothed with our habitation which is in heauen, as knowing that remaining vponupon earth, wee are abſent from the Lord (for we doe walke in ſaith and not by ſight) albeit we truſt & louelove rather to be eſtranged from this body, and to dwell with the Lord.
7 Howbeit attending vntill we may be really there both in body and ſoule, let vsus be there in ſpirit, let vsus be conuerſant in heauen, and begin to feele the felicity, wherof we ſhall hereafter hauehave full and perfect fruition: in this conuerſation with God, with the angels, and with the holy ſpirits, let vsus more and more learne the language and maners of heauen, to the end wee may reſemble the angels & ſaints there dwelling. When Moſes had conuerſed with God forty daies vponupon the mountaine,Exod. 34.29. at his comming downe his face ſhined and gliſtered with the heauenly glorye: ſo will it bee with vsus, by then we hauehave for twenty or thirty yeares bene conuerſant in heauen, we ſhall become heauenlye and ſpirituall both in worde and deed: euen as by experience wee ſee that when a countryman hath dwelled ſome twenty or thirty yeares in the Court, he forgetteth his country ſpeech and courſe of life, and groweth to be as good a courtier as if he were borne in the Court. Our earthly talke and communication, our worldly courſe of life, and the corruptions of the fleſh, that beare but too much ſwaye in vsus, doe but ouer manifeſtlye ſhew, how little we are conuerſant in heauen, and conſequently doe teſtifie, that we account our ſelues Burgeſſes of earth and not of heauen. That wee may therefore amend, let vsus continually thinke that heauen is our true countrey, that wee are Burgeſſes thereof, that there we hauehave our parents and bleſſed brethren, the treaſures of ioye and glory, an immortall and incorruptible enheritance: and that we are at the very point of going thither, to take poſſeſsion, as in truth wee doe eueryevery houre looke for the time of our departure: let this holye meditation make vsus to conuerſe in heauen, and to liue as heauēly people, ſetting our harts vponupon our treaſure: let it euen make vsus to forſake the ſpeeche, habit, faſhions and manners of thoſe among whom wee are for a ſhort time ſtrangers, that we may enure our ſelues to the language and holy life of the burgeſſes of heauen, and angels with whom we ſhall liue for euer. Let it withdraw our affections from all that we muſt leaue at our departure out of this forrain country, leaſt otherwiſe we loſe the incomprehenſible goods that are prepared for vsus in our heauenly and eternal country: let it cauſe vsus to renounce al that might detaine vsus in this country, repleniſhed with miſery and calamity, that cheerefully we may aſpire to our country which aboundeth in ioy, glory and al felicity. Let it enforce vsus to ſay with Dauid: Woe is me that I remaine in Meſech, Pſal. 120.5.and dwell in the tentes of Keder. That is to ſay, among barbarous nations, that louelove not the Burgeſſes of heauen: let the hard vſage of the prince of this world in this ſtrange country, make vsus to couet to liue among the bleſſed Cittizens of the kingdome of heauen: let all our thoughtes, words & cōmunication teſtifie, that in ſpirit we are already there, yea let all our works be preparatiues and pathes to lead vsus therinto: and to theſe ends, let vsus ouercome all that might break of or hinder our ſo happy iourney from earth to heauen.
8 We muſt moreouer remember, that we are pilgrimes and trauellers, and therefore for the attaining to the place whereto wee are trauelling, wee muſt beware of three points. Firſt, of turning backe againe: Secondly, of turning either to the right hand, or to the lefte: Thirdly, of ſtanding ſtill. The offending of God and tranſgreſsing his commaundementes, is a going backe againe, for as in walking after his woorde and in his feare, wee goe to God, to heauen, and to euerlaſting life: ſo by ſinning, in liewe of going forwarde, wee ſlippe backe and drawe toward death, as we hauehave before more at large declared. We cannot therefore turne backe, that is to ſaye, offend God, but with this condition, that wee ſhall fall into ruine and euerlaſting perdition: much like vntounto him, who flying from his enemies that purſue him, in liewe of ſauing himſelfe in ſome towne, turneth backe towardes them, and ſo putteth himſelfe into their handes: neither are we without many and mighty enemies that purſue vsus, and labour to make vsus to turne backe by offending God, and theſe muſt wee fight againſt: Deerely beloued, ſaith the Apoſtle Saint Peter,1. Pet. 2.11. I beſeech you as ſtrangers and pilgrimes, abſtayne from fleſhly lustes, which fight against the ſoule. Let vsus diligently note that hee heere ſaith, not againſt our goods, to rob vsus of them, neither againſt our bodies, to murder vsus: but againſt our ſoules, to induce thē to offend God, & ſo to drawe them into euerlaſting damnation. And heereof hauehave we a notable example in the perſon of Iob:Iob. 1. he was a iuſt man, one that feared God, and eſchewed euill, and ſo walked in the waye to heauen: but Satan would withſtand him, and therefore commenced warre againſt his ſoule: but how? true it is he ſeemed as if he would hauehave fought againſt his goods, in cauſing them to bee taken away, againſt his children, in procuring their death, and againſt his body, in vexing it moſt cruelly: yet was it properly the ſoule that he aſsaulted, as himſelfe declareth, where he ſaith: Doth Iob feare God for nought? Hast thou not made a hedge about him and about his houſe, and about all that he hath on eueryevery ſide. Thou haſt bleſſed the work of his hands, and his ſubſtance is increaſed in the land. But stretch out now thy hand and touch all that he hath, to ſee if hee will not blaſpheme thee to thy face. He therefore fought againſt the ſoule, ſeeking by out ward tribulation to induce the ſame, by blaſpheming to offend God.
9 This is a ſtrange war, for any other may hauehave an end, either by making peace with the enemy, by flying farre from him, or by ouer comming him in fight: but in this ſpirituall warre, wee can not lawfully make any peace or agreemēt with our enemies the deuil, the worlde, and the fleſh: God doth forbid it, and it would be our ouerthrow and deſtruction: for they be euen ſo many traitors and i… reconciliable murderers, yea it would be worſe for vsus, then for the ſheepe to make peace with the woolſe: neither can we fly and ſo get from theſe enemies: for the deuill will follow vsus into al places, who hath a whole army of Souldiers within vsus, euen our affections and couetous luſtes that we beare about vsus. Likewiſe wherſoeuer we become, we ſhall ſtill finde the worlde an enemy: it reſteth therefore that onelyonly we ſight and ouercome in battell. Thus doth this warre ſomewhat reſemble the ſame that the Children of Iſrael proſecuted againſt the Kinges of the land that was promiſed vntounto them when they went to take poſseſsion and inheritance thereof:Deut. 27. and 20.16. for in reſpect that God had commanded them to deſtroy them, they might not make peace with them, or make them tributaries: as alſo forbidding his people to feare them, he would not ſuffer them to retyre or to returne into Egipt: they were therefore of neceſsitie to fight and ouercome them. True it is that if we conſider our owne weakenes to withſtand ſuch mightye enemies,Ioſ. 1. it may breede ſome cauſe of feare: but as God in olde time commaunded Ioſua that hee ſhould not feare the Cananites, and aſsured him that he would be with him, and that by ouercomming them, hee would bring his people into the land of promiſe: ſo likewiſe let vsus giuegive eare vntounto God that calleth vsus to this battell, with aſſurance that hee will ſtand with vsus, for vsus and in vsus: to the end that couragiouſly fighting vnderunder his banner againſt our enemies, that labour to turne vsus back and to recoile, we may finally by his grace and power obtaine full and perfect victorye: and ſo ending this bleſſed voyadge, attaine to the fruition of the heauenlye Cittie, and our true countrey, that we may liue with him in glorye for euer.
10 As we muſt therfore beware of turning back by offending of God, ſo is it our duety to take heede that in this bleſſed iourney wee turne neither to the right hand nor to the lefte. By thoſe that turne to the right hand, wee vnderſtand ſuch as doe indeede fulfill Gods commaundement, yet not to glorifie him, but either to glorifie themſelues, or to merite,Mat. 6. and by thoſe that turne to the lefte, ſuch as following the traditions of men, doe forſake the ſtraight and aſſured path of Gods woorde. Praier to God, almes, faſting, and other like workes are commendable and ordeyned by God, to the end by them to walke toward heauen:1. Cor. 13. but ſuch as do them that they may be ſeene and praiſed of men, doe turne to the right hande, and depriue themſelues of all reward in heauen, becauſe they receiue it vponupon earth, as our Sauiour Ieſus doth teach. It is alſo a ſtraying to the right hand, when hauing receiued the gifts of ſpeaking the tongues, euen of the Angels, of prophecying, of knowing all ſecrets and miſteryes, of hauing faith to remoue mountaines, of deſtributing to the poore, and of abandoning the body to the fire: when I ſay all theſe giftes and graces are not accompanied with louelove. Such likewiſe as in the olde time among the Iewes did obſerue the lawes and ordinances of God, to the end to merite, did alſo ſtray to the right hand, and turned out of the way of ſaluation, as S. Paul teſtified of them, that they had zeale of God, but not according to knowledge, Rom. 10.2. Rom. 11.9.and this ſentence doth hee pronounce of them, They ſtrayed out of the right way: Their table ſhalbe made a ſnare and a ſtumbling blocke: On the other ſide, ſuch doe turne to the lefte hand as doe thinke to come to heauen by the path of mens traditions and ſeruices, or voluntary deuotions not commanded by God, as S. Paul tearmeth them:Col. 2.21- as likewiſe Ieſus Chriſt obiected to the Scribes and Phariſees, that in their ordinances they ouer went Gods commandement, wherto he addeth: This people draweth neere me with their mouth, Mat. 15.38. Eſay. 29.1.3and honoureth me with their lippes, but their hand is farre of from me: But in vaine doe they worſhip me, teaching for doctrines, mens preceptes. In as much therfore as God hath ſo farre fauoured vsus, as to teach vsus the way wherein we ſhould walke to heauen: let vsus beware that wee turne not either to the right hand or to the lefte: but reiecting mens traditions, let vsus walke in that path which God in his worde hath ſhewed, yet not to ſeeke any praiſe or commendation to our ſelues, but to the end to glorifie our God.
11 Thirdly, by this name Trauellers, we are taught that we muſt not ſtand ſtill in the way, but ſtill goe forward, that we may fructiſie more and more in good workes, and by amendment approche and enter into heauen: and indeed ſuch is the way to heauen, that he that goeth not forward, ſlydeth backward: we nurſſe vp little children to the end they may grow great and waxe ſtrong, and it were a wonder to ſee a child continue as little and weake as at the birth: euen ſo, if we, who being members of the Church of Chriſt, and conſequently entred into the path that leadeth to the kingdome of heauen, and dayly do receiue the food of Gods word and ſacraments, ſhould not encreaſe in faith, working in louelove & amēdment of life, it were a great ingratitude and vnexcuſable obſtinacy, which ſhould not eſcape vnpuniſhed, to ſtand ſtill in the way, and not to goe forwarde; for hauing put a childe to ſchoole, if at the end of foure or fiue yeeres he can neither read nor write any better then the firſt day that he went, there is then good cauſe to take him away, whereby he ſhall forget euen that little which he had at the firſt. Neuertheles, of how many euen of our ſelues may we make the like complaint, as did the Apoſtle of the Hebrues, to whom he writ, ſaying: When, as concerning the time, we ought to be teachers, Heb. 5.12.yet hauehave ye need againe that we teach you the first principles of the word of God, and are become ſuch as hauehave need of milke, and not of ſtrong meate. Thus we ſee how this worde Pilgrimes or Trauellers, doth warne vsus not to ſtand ſtill, but to march on and walke forwarde in that bleſſed path that leadeth to the kingdome of heauen.
12 As they therfore that be vponupon their iournies doe not abide in thoſe hoſtryes o… Innes where they are well vſed, lodged or entertained, and where they finde pleſant gardens, walkes, or ſuch other inticements: but after their ba…t or in the morning doe paſſe on their way. Euen ſo we, albeit God in this life giuegive vsus goods, honours, houſes, and other carnall commodities: yet let vsus remember that we are trauellers, and muſt not ſtay, but goe forwarde on our iourney toward heauen: yea, and in caſe we be afflicted with ſickneſſe, pouerty, or any other calamity, yet muſt we ſtill thinke that we are vponupon our iourney, and therefore taking comfort, ſay: Peraduenture we ſhall be better to morrowe, but howſoeuer it bee, our way lyeth forward, that we may ſoone be at heauen: this doth S. Paul teach vsus, where he ſaith: Becauſe the time is ſhorte, heareafter, 1. Cor. 7.29.that both they which hauehave wine, be as though they had none: and they that weepe, as though they wept not: and they that reioyce, as though they reioyced not: and they th…t buye, as though they poſſeſſed not: and they that vſe this worlde, as though they vſed it not: for the faſhion of the world goeth away. And I would hauehave you without care. Thus we ſee that there ought to be nothing that ſhould let vsus from proceeding and going forward on our way, and that we ſhould not ſtop at any diſturbance or alurement, either of the worlde or of the ſleſh.
13 It now therefore remaineth, that as they who are to departe from a forraine land toward their own country, do prepare things neceſſary for their iourney: ſo that we likewiſe prouide that which is expedient for the happy perfourmance of our iourney towards our heauenly countrey: let vsus therefore make ready the chariots of good conſciences, the horſes of feruent praier to God, the oyle of holineſſe in our lampes, the ſworde of the ſpirite,Eph. 6.16. which is the worde of God, and the buckler of ſaith: that reſiſting all our enemies that warre againſt vsus,Gen. 19.26. Luke 17.32. we may conſtantly proceed in our iourney: let vsus not as Lots wife, looke behinde vsus, but without any ſorrow for leauing the worlde and the fleſh, let vsus cheerefully go forward in this bleſſed voyadge. To conclude, as they that returne into their country, doe leaue none of their goods in thoſe places where they hauehave bene ſtrangers, but doe either ſend them before them, or carry them with them: euen ſo let vsus looke that we leaue not our goods vponupon earth, but ſend and tranſporte them into heauen, by enlarging them plentifully to the poore, who ſhall bee our horſes and moyſes to carry them: and withall let vsus think that all that we leaue vponupon earth at our departure, is euen ſo much loſt: alſo that we ſhall neither keepe nor finde any thing in our heauenly country, more then we hauehave giuen,Apoc. 14.13. neither carry thither any thing but the good that we hauehave done: as S. Iohn ſaith, of thoſe that doe dye in the Lord, that their workes doe follow them.
14 Thus may we ſee how the continuall meditation of this, that in this life we be ſtrangers, pilgrimes and trauellers, wil ſtand vsus in great ſtead for the amendment of life, that denying the worlde, we may prepare our ſelues by al good works, by faith, hope, praier, patience, meditation vponupon Gods word, and deſire to be in fruition of our inheritance in heauen, wherof we are burgeſſes, and finally, taking poſſeſsion therof, we may reioyce in ioy and eternall glory.