A thousand times I have heard it said that in heaven is
joy and in hell pain; and I grant well that it is so.
Nevertheless, I know this well, that there is no person
dwelling in this land who has been in either hell or
heaven, or who can know of them in any other way
than as he has heard tell or found it written, for no
person can put his knowledge to the test. But God
forbid but men should believe far more than they have
seen with their eyes! A man shall not deem all things
false because he has not beheld them since long ago.
God knows, a thing is nonetheless true even if every
creature cannot see it. Even Bernard the monk2 saw not
all things, by God! 16