Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
THE place is the Heaven of Heavens, 1or the third Heaven called Paradise, whither Christ (in his humane Nature) ascended far•above all visible heavens. The Bridegroom's chamber, 2which by the firmament,3 at by an azured curtain spangled ⟨p. 86⟩with glittering stars and glorious planets, is bid, that we cannot behold it with these corruptible eyes of Flesh. The Holy Ghost (framing himself to our weakness) describes the glory of that place, (which no man can estimate) by such things as are most precious in the estimation of Man. And therefore likeneth it to a great and a holy City, named thea heavenly Jerusalem, where only God and his people (b who are saved and written in the Lamb's book) do inhabit, all built cof pure gold, like unto clear glass, or crystal: the walls of jasper-stone, the foundations of the walls garnished with twelve manner of precious stones, having d
four square, therefore perfect: the length, the breadth, and height of it are equal, 12000 furlongs every way; therefore glorious and spacious. Through
And on either side the river is the tree of Life, ever growing; which beareth twelve manner of fruits, and gives fruit every month; therefore fruitful. And the leaves of Tree are health to the Nations: Therefore healthy. There is therefore no place so glorious by Creation, so beautiful with delectation, so rich in possession, so comfortable for
⟨p. 87⟩
habitation. For there the King is Christ; the law, is Love; the honour, Verity; the peace, Felicity; the life, Eternity. There is Light, without darkness; Mir•h, without sadness; Health, without sickness; Wealth, without want; Credit, without disgrace; Beauty, without blemish; Ease, without labour; Riches, without rust; Blessedness, without misery; and Consolation that never knows end• How truly may we cry out (with David) of this City,
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O th•• City of God: and yet all these things are spoken but according to the weakness of our capacity For Heaven exceedeth all this in glory, so far, as that
no tongue is able to express, nor heart of man to conceive the glory thereof:
THE place is the Heaven of Heavens, 1or the third Heaven called Paradise, whither Christ (in his humane Nature) ascended far•above all visible heavens. The Bridegromes chamber, 2which by the firmament,3 at by an azured curtain spangled ⟨p. 86⟩with glittering stars and glorious planets, is bid, that we cannot behold it with these corrup•ible eyes of Flesh. The Holy Ghost (framing himself to our weakness) describes the glory of that place, (which no man can estimate) by such things as are most precious in the estimation of Man. And therefore likeneth it to a great and a holy City, named thea heavenly Jerusalem, where only God and his people (b who are saved and written in the Lamb's book) do inhabit, all built cof pure gold, like unto clear glass, or crystal: the walls of jasper-stone, the foundations of the walls garnished with twelve manner of precious stones, having dtwelve gates each built of one pearl: ethree gates towards each of the four corners of the world, and at each gate a•. fAngel (as so many Porters) that gno unclean thing should enter into it. It is hfour square, therefore perfect: the length, the breadth, and heighth of it are equal, 12000 •urlongs every way; therefore glorious and spacious. Through ithe midst of her streets ever r•nneth the pure river of the Water of Life, as clear as crystal; therefore wholesome.k And on either side the river is the tree of Life, ever growing; which beareth twelve manner of fruits, and gives fruit every month; therefore fruitful. And the leaves of Tree are health to the Nations: Therefore healthy. There is therefore no place so glorious by Creation, so beautiful with delectation, so rich in possession, so comfortable for ⟨p. 87⟩habitation. For there the Ki•g is Christ; the law, is Love; the honour, Verity; the peace, Felicity; the life, Eternity. There is Light, without darkness; Mir•h, without sadness; Health, without sickness; Wealth, without want; Credit, without disgrace; Beauty, without blemish; Ease, without labour; Riches, without rust; Blessedness, without misery; and Consolation that never knows end• How truly may we cry out (with David) of this City,* Glorious things are spoken of thee, O th•• City of God: and yet all these things are spoken but according to the weakness of our capacity• For Heaven exceedeth all this in glory, so far, as that† no tongue is able to express, nor heart of man to conceive the glory thereof:
as witnesseth S. Paul, 1who was in it, and saw it. O let us no• then do•e so much upon these wooden cottages, and houses of mouldering clay, which are but tents of ungodliness, and habitations of Sinners, […] let us look rather, and long for this heavenly city, *whose builder and maker is God, which he (who is not ashamed to be called our God) •ath prepared for us.3
as witnesseth S. Paul, 1who was in it, and saw it. O let us no• then do•e so much upon these wooden cottages, and houses of mo•ldring clay, which are but tents of ungodliness, and habitations of Sinners, 〈…〉 let us look rather, and long for this heavenly city, *whose builder and maker is God, which he (who is not ashamed to be called our God) •ath prepared for us.3
The blissful and glorious object of all intellectual and reasonable Creatures in Heaven, is the Godhead, in trinity of Persons, without which there is neither jo•, nor felicity, but the very fullness of joy consisteth in enjoying the same.
THe blissful and glorious object of all intellectual and reasonable Creatures in Heaven, is the Godhead, in trinity of Persons, without which there is neither jo•, nor felicity, but the very fulness of joy consisteth in enjoying the same.
Thea beatifical vision of God is that only that can content the infinite mind of Man.b For every thing tendeth to its centre: God is the centre of the Soul: therefore (like Noah's Dove) she cannot rest nor joy, till she return and enjoy him.
Thea beatifical vision of God is that only that can content the infinite mind of Man.b For every thing tendeth to its center: God is the center of the Soul: therefore (like Noah's Dove) she cannot rest nor joy, till she return and enjoy him.
aVisio Dei beatifica sola est summum bonum nostrum. Aug. 1. de Trin. c. 13.
bFecisti nos dominead te: inquietum igitur est cor nostrum, donec req•i•• cat in te, Aug. Consol. 1. c. 1. &c.
All that God bestowed upon Moses, could not satisfy his mind, unless he mightc see the face of God. Therefore the whole Church prayeth so earnestly;d God be merciful unto us, and cause his face to shine upon us. When Paul once had seen this blessed sight, he (ever after) counted all the riches and glory of the World (in respect of it) to be bute dung: and all his life after was but a sighing out, (Cupio dissolvi, fI desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. And Christ prayed for all his Elect in his last Prayer, that they might obtain this blessed Vision; 5Father I will that they which thou hast given me, be (Where?) even where I am: 6To what •nd? that they may behold that my glory, 7&c. If Moses's face did so shine when he had been with God but forty days, and seen but his back-parts; how shall we shine when we shall see him face to face for ever?8 and know him as we are known, and as be is? Then shall the Soul no longer, be •ermed Mar•h, bitterness, but Naomi, beautifulness: 9for the Lord shall turn her short ⟨p. 89⟩bitterness to eternal beauty and blessedness, Ruth 1. 20.
All that God bestowed upon Moses, could not satisfie his mind, unless he mightc see the face of God. Therefore the whole Church prayeth so earnestly;d God be merciful unto us, and cause his face to shine upon us. When Paul once had seen this blessed sight, he (ever after) counted all the riches and glory of the World (in respect of it) to be bute dung: and all his life after was but a sighing out, (Cupio dissolvi, fI desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. And Christ prayed for all his Elect in his last Prayer, that they might obtain this blessed Vision; 5Father I will that they which thou hast given me, be (Where?) even where I am: 6To what •nd? that they may behold that my glory, 7&c. If Moses's face did so shine when he had been with God but forty days, and seen but his back-parts; how shall we shine when we shall see him face to face for ever?8 and know him as we are known, and as be is? Then shall the Soul no longer, be •ermed Mar•h, bitterness, but Naomi, beautifulness: 9for the Lord shall turn her short ⟨p. 89⟩bitterness to eternal beauty and blessedness, Ruth 1. 20.
The second means to enjoy this object is by having an immediate and an eternal Communion with God in heaven. This we have, first by being (as members of Christ) united to his Manhood, and by the Manhood (personally united to the World) we are united to him, as he is God: and (by his God-head) to the whole Trinity. Reprobates at the last day shall see God (as a just Judge) to punish them; but (for lack of this Communion) they shall have neither grace with him, nor glory from him. For want of this Communion, the Devils (when they saw Christ) cryed out Quid nobis tecum? what have we to do with thee, •O Son of the most high God? 1but (by virtue of this Communion) the penitent So•l may boldly go and say unto Christ, 2(as Ruth unto Boaz:) Spread, O Christ, the wing of the garment of thy mercy over thine handmaid; for thou art my kinsman. 3This Communion God promised Abraham, when he gave him himself for his great reward;4 And Christ prayeth for his whole Church to obtain it. This Communion Saint Paul expresseth in one word, saying, That God shall be all in all unto us. 5Indeed God is now all in all unto us; but by means, and in a sm•ll measure• But in •eaven, God himself immediately (in fullness of measure, without all […]) will be unto us all the good things▪ […] sou• and bodies can with or desire. He […] ⟨p. 90⟩self will be salvation and joy to our souls, life and health to our bodies, beauty to our eyes, music to our ears, honey to our mouths, perfume to our nostrils, meat to our bellies, light to our understanding, contentment to our wills, and delight to our hearts; And what can be lacking, where God himself will be thea soul of our souls? Yea all the strength, wit, pleasures, virtues, colours, beauties, harmony and goodness that are in men, beasts, fishes, fowls, trees, herbs, and all creatures areb nothing but sparkles of those things, which are in infinite perfection in God. And in him we shall enjoy them in a far more perfect and blessed manner. He himself will then supply their use; nay, the best creatures (which serve us now) shall not have the honour to serve us then. There will bec no need of the Sun, nor of the Moon to shine in that City, for the glory of God doth light it.
The second means to enjoy this object is by having an immediate and an eternal Communion with God in heaven. This we have, first by being (as members of Christ) united to his Manhood, and by the Manhood (personally united to the World) we are united to him, as he is God: and (by his God-head) to the whole Trinity. Reprobates at the last day shall see God (as a just Judge) to punish them; but (for lack of this Communion) they shall have neither grace with him, nor glory from him. For want of this Communion, the Devils (when they saw Christ) cryed out Quid nobis tecum? what have we to do with thee, •O Son of the most high God? 1but (by virtue of this Communion) the pe•itent So•l may boldly go and say unto Christ, 2(as Ruth unto Boaz:) Spread, O Christ, the wing of the garment of thy mercy over thine handmaid; for thou art my kinsman. 3This Communion God promised Abraham, when he gave him himself for his great reward;4 And Christ prayeth for his whole Church to obtain it. This Communion Saint Paul expresseth in one word, saying, That God shall be all in all unto us. 5Indeed God is now all in all unto us; but by means, and in a sm•ll measure• But in •eaven, God himself immediately (in fulness of measure, without all 〈…〉) will be unto us all the good things▪〈…〉 sou• and bodies can with or desire. He 〈…〉⟨p. 90⟩self will be salvation and joy to our souls, life and health to our bodies, beauty to our eyes, musick to our ears, honey to our mouths, perfume to our nostrils, meat to our bellies, light to our understanding, contentment to our wills, and delight to our hearts; And what can be lacking, where God himself will be the
bNon potest summus rerum conditor in se non habere quae rebus à see conditis dedit: quemadmodum sol astris▪ Hugo▪ l. 4. de anim. c. 15.Non potest summus rerum conditor in se non habere quae rebus à se conditis dedit: quemadmodum sol astris▪ Hugo▪ l. 4. de anim. c. 15.
When therefore we behold any thing that is excellent in any creatures, let us say to our selves; how much more excellent is he, who gave them this excellency? when we behold the wisdom of men, who over-rule creatures, stronger than themselves; out-run the Sun and Moon in discourse, prescribing many years before, in what courses they shall bed eclipsed, let us say to our selves, How admirable is the wisdom of God, who made ⟨p. 91⟩men so wise! when we consider the strength of Whales and Elephants, the tempest of Winds, and terror of Thunder, let us say to our selves, how strong, how mighty, how terrible is that God, that makes these mighty and fearful Creatures! when we taste things that are delicately sweet, let us say to our selves, O how sweet is that God, from whom all these creatures have received their sweetness! when we behold the admirable colours, which are in Flowers and Birds, and the lovely beauty of Women, let us say, how fair is that God, that made these so fair!
When therefore we behold any thing that is excellent in any creatures, let us say to our selves; how much more excellent is he, who gave them this excellency? when we behold the wisdom of men, who over-rule creatures, stronger than themselves; out-run the Sun and Moon in d•scourse, prescribing many years before, in what courses they shall bed eclipsed, let us say to our selves, How admirable is the wisdom of God, who made ⟨p. 91⟩men so wise! when we consider the strength of Whales and Elephants, the tempest of Winds, and terrour of Thunder, let us say to our selves, how strong, how mighty, how terrible is that God, that makes these mighty and fearful Creatures! when we taste things that are delicately sweet, let us say to our selves, O how sweet is that God, from whom all these creatures have received their sweetness! when we behold the admirable colours, which are in Flowers and Birds, and the lovely beauty of Women, let us say, how fair is that God, that made these so fair!
And if our loving God hath thus provided us so many excellent delights, for our passage through thisa B•chi•, or valley of tears, what are th•se pleasures which he hath prepared for us, when we shall enter into the palace of our Master's j•y! How shall our souls be there ravished with the love of so lovely a God! So glorious is the object of heavenly Saints; so amiable is the sight of our gracious Saviour.
And if our loving God hath thus provided us so many excellent delights, for our passage through thisa B•chi•, or valley of tears, what are th•se p•easures which he hath prepared for us, when we shall enter into the palace of our Master's j•y! How shall our souls be there ra••shed with the love of so lovely a God! So glorious is the object of heavenly Saints; so amiable is the sight of our gracious Savi•ur.
soul of our souls? Yea all the strength, wit, pleasures, vertues, colours, beauties, harmony and goodness that are in men, beasts, fishes, fowls, trees, herbs, and all creatures are
nothing but sparkles of those things, which are in infinite perfection in God. And in him we shall enjoy them in a far more perfect and blessed manner. He himself will then supply their use; nay, the best creatures (which serve us now) shall not have the honour to serve us then. There will be
