Because the members 1are carried to union with the head. The happiness of the Soul is in union with the fountain of happiness; and the nearer the fountain of happiness, the more happy: what is it that makes the blessed body of Christ more happy, then all the Angels and men, but because it is hypostatically united to the second Person of the Trinity, and so to the fountain of the God-head? the nearer to God, the happier, the fuller of ⟨p. 53⟩grace and glory; because he is the God of all grace and glory; therefore the nearer to Christ, the more happy. Now after the resurrection we shall be nearer both in soul and body; we may see this by the contrary. What is it that makes Hell so horrible? because there is an utter and eternal separation from the chiefest and choicest good, God himself. Here the wicked men of the world have the presence of God in the creatures; they taste the sweetness of Gods goodness in them; but in Hell they shall have none to all eternity, there shall be an utter separation ⟨p. 54⟩between Christ and them. But now the joining to God, the fountain of all good, in Heaven, makes Heaven to be Heaven indeed: if Christ was not there, Heaven would be no Heaven; therefore Paul saith, I desire to be dissolved, 2and to be with Christ: and so the Church here, Come LORD JESUS: then we shall be near, not in soul only, but also in body and soul, and in both we shall be for ever joined to the fountain of all good. It is that which the Church desires here: and in the Canticles, what is it that the Church prays for in the beginning? Let him kiss me with the kisses of his ⟨p. 55⟩3lips, &c. There she desires the first coming of Christ: but you have it afterwards in the conclusion of the book, make haste 4my beloved, and be thou like to the young Hart or Roe, upon the mountain of Spices. Such is the disposition of the Church, that before Christ was come, good people were known by the desire of his coming. And therefore it was the description of holy men, that they waited for the consolation of Israel. Oh Lord 5come quickly, come in the flesh. But now the first coming is past, they desire as much his second coming, and therefore they are described in the ⟨p. 56⟩Epistle of Saint Paul, to be such as love and long for the appearing of Christ; a Crown of Righteousness is laid up for all those that love his appearance.
Because the members 1are carried to union with the head. The happinesse of the Soule is in union with the fountaine of happinesse; and the neerer the fountaine of happinesse, the more happy: what is it that makes the blessed body of Christ more happy, then all the Angels and men, but because it is hypostatically united to the second Person of the Trinity, and so to the fountaine of the God-head? the neerer to God, the happier, the fuller of ⟨p. 53⟩grace and glory; because he is the God of all grace and glory; therefore the neerer to Christ, the more happy. Now after the resurrection we shall be nearer both in soule and body; wee may see this by the contrary. What is it that makes Hell so horrible? because there is an utter and eternall separation from the chiefest and choicest good, God himselfe. Here the wicked men of the world have the presence of God in the creatures; they taste the sweetnesse of Gods goodnesse in them; but in Hell they shall have none to all eternity, there shal be an utter separation ⟨p. 54⟩betweene Christ and them. But now the joyning to God, the fountaine of all good, in Heaven, makes Heaven to bee Heaven indeed: if Christ was not there, Heaven would bee no Heaven; therfore Paul saith, I desire to be dissolved, 2and to bee with Christ: and so the Church here, Come LORD JESUS: then we shall be neare, not in soul onely, but also in body and soule, and in both we shall be for ever joyned to the fountaine of all good. It is that which the Church desires here: and in the Canticles, what is it that the Church prayes for in the beginning? Let him kisse me with the kisses of his ⟨p. 55⟩3lips, &c. There she desires the first comming of Christ: but you have it afterwards in the conclusion of the booke, make haste 4my beloved, and be thou like to the young Hart or Roe, upon the mountaine of Spices. Such is the disposition of the Church, that before Christ was come, good people were knowne by the desire of his comming. And therefore it was the description of holy men, that they waited for the consolation of Israel. Oh Lord 5come quickly, come in the flesh. But now the first comming is past, they desire as much his second comming, and therefore they are described in the
- 1Reason 5.
- 2Phil. 1. 21.
- 3Cant. 1. 2.
- 4Cant. 8. 14.
- 5Luke 2. 25.
