CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

2.¹ In this life there is an affluence and an accumulation of all things to make it blessed; The very Philosophers thought happiness must be such a state wherein was an aggravation of all good things, so that if a man could have all good things, and want but one, he could not be called an happy man; Hence in the Scripture the Hebrew word for happiness is in the plural number, because ⟨p. 60⟩it is not one or two, or twenty good things can make a man happy, but there must be all things; And for this reason it is that the Scripture hath so many variety of resemblances to represent this blessedness; To show you, that it hath all desirable things; It's called a Kingdom, a Crown of glory, a Feast and Banquet, a place of joy; Heaven is said to be paved with all precious stones; Now why doth the Scripture use such expressions? Not that we should conceive any carnal pleasures or worldly contents there, as Mahomets Alcoran speaketh, of a brutish happiness altogether sensual, but from earthly things would lift up your hearts to heavenly, it would gather you a Posy of the finest flowers, and tell you, heaven is this, Do but abstract the imperfections of the creatures, and the perfection that is in heaven; Even as Divines say concerning the perfections of creatures, God hath them, but in an eminent manner abstracted from the imperfections, he hath wisdom but not the imperfection of mans wisdom, he doth understand, he willeth as well as a man, but not with the imperfection of a man, So it is here: Heaven is riches, heaven is health, heaven is glory, heaven is honour, but still without the imperfection of these earthly comforts.

2.¹ In this life there is an affluence and an accumulation of all things to make it blessed; The very Philosophers thought happinesse must be such a state wherein was an aggravation of all good things, so that if a man could have all good things, and want but one, he could not be called an happy man; Hence in the Scripture the Hebrew word for happinesse is in the plural number, because ⟨p. 60⟩it is not one or two, or twenty good things can make a man happy, but there must be all things; And for this reason it is that the Scripture hath so many variety of resemblances to represent this blessednesse; To shew you, that it hath all desirable things; It's called a Kingdom, a Crown of glory, a Feast and Banquet, a place of joy; Heaven is said to be paved with all precious stones; Now why doth the Scripture use such expressions? Not that we should conceive any carnal pleasures or worldly contents there, as Mahomets Alcoran speaketh, of a bruitish happinesse altogether sensual, but from earthly things would lift up your hearts to heavenly, it would gather you a Posie of the finest flowers, and tell you, heaven is this, Do but abstract the imperfections of the creatures, and the perfection that is in heaven; Even as Divines say concerning the perfections of creatures, God hath them, but in an eminent manner abstracted from the imperfections, he hath wisedom but not the imperfection of mans wisedom, he doth understand, he willeth as well as a man, but not with the imperfection of a man, So it is here: Heaven is riches, heaven is health, heaven is glory, heaven is honour, but still without the imperfection of these earthly comforts.