2. All the senses shall be filled §2with joy; and, at once; The eye shall be filled; What joy to see that Orient ⟨p. 110⟩brightness in the face of Christ? there you may see the Lily and the Rose mixed, white and ruddy, Cant. 5.10. The Ear shall be filled; What joy to the Spouse to hear Christs voice? The voice of God was dreadful to Adam, after he had listened to the Serpents voice: I heard thy voice in the garden, and was afraid, Gen. 3.10. But how sweet will the Bridegrooms voice be? What joy to hear him say, My Love, my Dove, my undefiled? What joy to hear the music of Angels, even the heavenly host praising God? If the eloquence of Origen, the golden mouth of Chrysostom did so affect and charm the ears of their auditors, Oh then what will it be to hear the glorious tongues of Saints and Angels, as so many divine Trumpets sounding forth the excellencies of God, and singing Hallelujahs to the Lamb? The smell shall be filled; What joy to smell ⟨p. 111⟩that fragrancy and perfume that comes from Christ? All his garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and Cassia. The sweet breath of his Spirit blowing upon the soul, shall give forth its sent, as the wine of Lebanon. The taste shall be filled; Christ will bring his Spouse into the banqueting house, and she shall be inebriated with his love; O what joy to be drinking in this heavenly nectar? This is the water of life: This is the wine on the lees well refined. The touch shall be filled; the Saints shall be ever in the embraces of Christ; Behold my hands and my feet; handle me▪ and see me, Luk. 24.39. That will be our work in heaven; we shall be ever handling the Lord of life: Thus all the senses shall be filled. Yet though there be a fullness of joy, there shall be no surfeit; *the soul shall not be so full, but it shall desire: nor shall it so desire, but it shall be full: That ⟨p. 112⟩which prevents a surfeit in heaven, is that there shall be every moment new and fresh delights springing forth from God into the glorified soul: Well might the Apostle say, to be with Christ is far better. Great is the joy that faith breeds. Whom not seeing, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory*. If the joy of Faith be such, what will the joy of fruition be? There is joy when we fall into temptations, Jam. 1.2. If Christs sufferings are full of joy, what then are his embraces?
2. All the senses shall be filled §2with joy; and, at once; The eye shall be filled; What joy to see that Orient ⟨p. 110⟩brightnesse in the face of Christ? there you may see the Lily and the Rose mixed, white and ruddy, Cant. 5.10. The Eare shall be filled; What joy to the Spouse to heare Christs voice? The voice of God was dreadful to Adam, after he had listened to the Serpents voice: I heard thy voice in the garden, and was afraid, Gen. 3.10. But how sweet will the Bridegrooms voice be? What joy to hear him say, My Love, my Dove, my undefiled? What joy to heare the musick of Angels, even the heavenly hoast praysing God? If the eloquence of Origen, the golden mouth of Chrysostome did so affect and charme the eares of their auditours, Oh then what will it be to heare the glorious tongues of Saints and Angels, as so many divine Trumpets sounding forth the excellencies of God, and singing Hallelujahs to the Lamb? The smell shall be filled; What joy to smell ⟨p. 111⟩that fragrancy and perfume that comes from Christ? All his garments smell of myrrhe, aloes, and Cassia. The sweet breath of his Spirit blowing upon the soule, shall give forth its sent, as the wine of Lebanon. The taste shall be filled; Christ will bring his Spouse into the banqueting house, and she shall be inebriated with his love; O what joy to be drinking in this heavenly nectar? This is the water of life: This is the wine on the lees well refined. The touch shall be filled; the Saints shall be ever in the embraces of Christ; Behold my hands and my feet; handle me▪ and see me, Luk. 24.39. That will be our work in heaven; we shall be ever handling the Lord of life: Thus all the senses shall be filled. Yet though there be a fulnesse of joy, there shall be no surfeit; *the soule shall not be so full, but it shall desire: nor shall it so desire, but it shall be full: That ⟨p. 112⟩which prevents a surfeit in heaven, is that there shall be every moment new and fresh delights springing forth from God into the glorified soul: Well might the Apostle say, to be with Christ is farre better. Great is the joy that faith breeds. Whom not seeing, yet believing, ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory
- *Ibi nec fames, nec fastidium. Bern.
- *1 Pet. 1.8.
