But yet undoubtedly, if we could conceive in our hearts the
marvellous joys of heaven as well as we conceive the fearful pains
of hell--howbeit, we can conceive neither one sufficiently. But if
we could in our imagination approach as much toward the perceiving
of the one as we may toward the consideration of the other, we
would not fail to be far more moved and stirred to suffering for
Christ's sake in this world, for the winning of those heavenly joys
than for the eschewing of all those infernal pains. But forasmuch
as the fleshly pleasures are far less pleasant than the fleshly
pains are painful, therefore we fleshly folk, who are so drowned in
these fleshly pleasures and in the desire of them that we have
almost no manner of savour or taste for any pleasure that is
spiritual, we have no cause to marvel that our fleshly affections
are more abated and refrained by the dread and terror of hell than
spiritual affections are imprinted in us and pricked forward with
the desire and joyful hope of heaven.
Howbeit, if we would set somewhat less by the filthy voluptuous
appetites of the flesh, and would, by withdrawing from them, with
help of prayer through the grace of God, draw nearer to the secret
inward pleasure of the spirit, we should, by the little sipping
that our hearts should have here now, and that instantaneous taste
of it, have an estimation of the incomparable and uncogitable joy
that we shall have (if we will) in heaven, by the very full draught
thereof.
Pages:
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385