A Description of the celestiall dwelling place.

AS to the Name and Description of the dwelling place: It is called by the spirite of God, the Heaven, an holy mountaine,Isai. 57.13. a high place, a great and ho­lie [Page 24] citie, holy and newe Ierusalem, a ce­lestiall and glorious Kingdome,Apoc. 21.2 the Ta­bernacle and dwelling place of the Lord.Psal. 15. These are high stiles: Whereby wee may gather,Isai. 57.15. that the situation thereof is on high, aboue the circle of the Sunne, and circumference of the starrie firmament: I dwell in the high, and holy place (saith the Lord) and the Psalmist saith:Psa. 148.1. Praise yee him in the high places. The fabrick and bewtie thereof, may be likewise vn­derstood to be most exquisit: For seing it is the dwelling place of the Lord, which is most perfite; yea, which is very perfe­ction it selfe; no question but his taber­nacle, & dwelling place is accomplished with al perfections. Therefore, the Evan­gelist Iohn, whome our Saviour Iesus Christ loved, being about the descripti­on of that great Citie, holy Ierusalem; to expresse the fabrick, bewty, and perfecti­on thereof, according to the capacitie of man, and as it was revealed vnto him by the spirit of God: he saith, That the Ci­tie is of pure gold,Rev. 21.10. like vnto cleare glasse, that it is four square, and is twelue thou­sand furlongs, or fiftene hundreth miles of length, asmuch of bredth, and asmuch of height: Hee makes it to haue twelue [Page 25] gates, and every gate to be of a pretious Pearle; and hee makes the streets of the citie to be of pure gold, as shining glasse; The wall of the which citie, he makes to be a hundreth fourtie and foure cubits of height, and saith that it is made of a pretious Iasper stone: Such like, that the foundations of the wall of the Citie, are garnished with all manner of pretious stones; and there be numbers out twelue foundations, garnished & set with twelue divers sorts of most pretious stones: In such sort that he saith, the shining of the Citie is like vnto a stone most pretious, even as a Iasper stone (which is alwaies greene and flourishing) cleare as Cristal. This is spoken according to the capaci­tie of the weak wit of man: But because the sense is allegorick, and is rather re­ferred vnto the Church of Christ, and number of the elect, nor vnto the place it selfe, I will not insist farther therein: Alwaies to declare the extreame light, and bewtie thereof, he saith, that the Ci­tie hath no neede of the Sunne, nor the Moone to shine in it; for the Glory of God doth make it light, and the Lambe of God Iesus Christ is the light thereof, and there shall be no night there.

[Page 26]But forasmuch as the bewtie and ex­cellencie of that place, shal be most liuely set down before our eies, by making comparison of the same with bewtiful places here vpon earth, which we may see with our eies, and conceiue by our vnderstan­ding: Let vs enter in the consideration & description of a bewtiful place, which may be devised here vpon Earth: For if there appeare any singularitie or mag­nificence in the one, it may be easily considered that the other is much more sin­gular and magnifick.

I presuppose, that there is a faire Pal­lace situat on a pleasant greene field, on the head of a devalling banke, which is devised by most skilful Architectors, and is builded by most perfite and cunning artificers in Geometrie, in the Mecaniks and in all kinde of handicrafts: hauing at their will all kinde of fine materialls, requisite for building: as Marble, Por­phyre, Alabaster, timber, yron, brasse, I­vorie, leade, glasse, gold, and azor. The which place is garnished within with all kind of pretious movables & plenishing. At the foot of the devalling bank, there is plaine, greene, and fertill haughs, and a faire portatiue River running by, replenished [Page 27] with divers kindes of fishes: and not far from the Pallace, there is a faire Forrest, wherein is great store of Harte, Hynde, Roe, and of fallow Dear, and of al other sorts of four footed beasts, & of fouls which are either plesant to behold, or profitable for the vse of man: There is store of faire Cedar, Firre, oak, and of pyne trees. And neer vnto the Palace are planted faire and pleasant Gardens, di­stinguished with vallies, and casten with knots, and laberinths, of all sortes of o­doriferant and savorie flowers: Wherein there is also cleare ponds, replenished with divers sorts of rare and delicate Fi­shes: Volories prepared for pleasant and well singing birds; & medalls of sattyres, and of all kind of creeping things. There is aboundance of Oliues, Oranges, a bri­cois, and all kinde of fruite trees, which brings forth their delicius fruits in their owne seasons: and in the Sommer season, while the weather is temperat & calme, and the bright Sun-shining in the cleare firmament, which to behold, the birds & the fowles makes a loud noyce, and na­turall melodie among the greene trees; who would not think but this place were pleasant and delectable to dwell in? But [Page 28] if wee think that there is any bewtie or excellencie into this place, which may be devised by the wit of man: There is no doubt but that place where the Majestie of God doth remaine and dwel, is much more bewtifull and excellent: Considde­ring, that he is the chief Architector and artificer of all others, and hath both cre­ated all the world, and hath giuen the Exo. 31.2. spirit, and cunning vnto all craftismen. Moreover, if this place may be imagined and devised, and appears delectable and pleasant here vpon earth, which is not a place of pleasure but a little point, and centre situate in the midst of that ample circumference of the heaven, a vaill of miserie, wherein we are banished as strangers, to suffer paine, & to make our peni­tence for a time, for our sins: How much more, shal the tabernacle of the almigh­tie Lord be delectable & pleasant, which is the place of perfit felicitie, where both the lord hath placed his glorious throne where his holy Angels doth remain, and which he hath promised as a most singu­lar reward to his Elect and chosen Chil­dren; where hee hath also promised to bring the glory of Kings of the earth, & the glory of the Gentiles or Nations? [Page 29] Farthermore, the bewtie of the Sunne, Moone, starres, and of the firmament is very singular, and pleasant to beholde: The Sun is so extreame bright that with great difficultie the eies of man are able to looke vpon it, and it giues light to all the world: The Moone at her full is of great bewtie & whitenes, and is appoin­ted to governe the night: The glistering starres innumerable for multitude, twin­kels in the firmament, like vnto cleare diamonds; The skies being purified from the clouds, are blewe like vnto a Saphyre stone, and are cleare as the Cristal, which wee see at sometime partie colloured, e­ven damasked (as it were) with thinne & white clouds: and at the going downe of the Sunne, we see the west of times over­fret, and painted with rednes, more ple­sant and bewtiful to behold, nor the Ru­bie or the precious Charbukle. Notwith­standing of all this, the bewtie of our he­uenly dwelling place shal be much more excellent, which may be proved by these two reasons: Our eies sees, & our vnder­standing is able to conceiue their bewtie foresaide;1. Cor. 2.9. but as to the excellencie of the celestial tabernacle, which the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him (accor­ding [Page 30] to the testimonie of Paul before al­leadged) Our wit is not able to conceiue it in this life. The other reason is this: The Prophet Esay, the Apostle Peter, and the Evangelist Iohn doth plainly testifie,Isai. 51.6. & 65.17. & 66.22. 2. Pet. 3.13 Reve. 21.1 that the heavens and the earth which are nowe, and all that is therein, shall be dis­solved and passe away, and that the Lord shal creat a new heaven, and a new earth: Which without all question shal be more bewtifull and excellent nor the heavens, and the earth that are nowe: For other­wise it is to be presupposed, that the lord would not destroy the more perfite, and creat others more vnperfit in their place and roome. Finally, that dwelling shalbe exceeding large and spatious, for there shal be no separation betwixt the heaven and the earth, betwixt the dwelling place of the Lord, and the dwelling place of Men, but conforme to his promise, hee shall dwell with vs, and wee with him, as Citizens of a Citie. And thus much con­cerning the Description of the dwelling place.

A Declaration of the Company which we shall inioye in the World to come.

AS to the Companie which we shall haue in that heavenly habitation, it is first to be marked, that wee shall be quite of all evil company: For all wicked men shall be perpetually banished from that faire cuntrie. Know ye not, saith the Apostle Paul, that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God?1. Cor. 6.9. Be not deceived, Neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wanton persons, nor buggerers, nor theeues, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor raillers nor extortioners shall inherite the king­dome of God; which is to be vnderstood, except they be washen, sanctified, and ju­stified in the name of Iesus Christ, and by the spirit of God, like as the Corinthians were, to whome Paul wrote this Epistle, which did repent and amend their liues. The same is affirmed by Saint Iohn in his Revelation,Reve. 21.& 27. saying: the fearfull and vn­beleving, and the abhominable, & mur­therers, and whoremongers, and sorce­rers, and Idolaters, and all liers shal haue [Page 32] their part in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. And again, speaking of that holie Citie, he saith: There shal enter into it no vncleane thing, neither whatsoever wor­keth abhomination or lies. The compa­nie then which we shall injoy, shall be all holy and righteous:Isai. 60.21. Thy people shall be all righteous, (saith the Lord, speaking to his Church) they shal possesse the land for ever.Psal. 15.1. Lord, who shall dwell in thy Ta­bernacle? saith the Psalmist, who shal rest in thine holy mountaine? He that walks vprightlie, and works righteousnes, and speakes the trueth in his heart. In such sort, that wee shall continuallie converse with the Saints; that is to say, with men and women which served God in spirit, and trueth in this life; and that not one­lie of the people of our owne cuntrie, or of the Iewes, and Israelites, which are called Gods people: But also of all cuntries and nations of the earth, and that of all estates & degrees. Assemble your selues, and come, (saith the Lord) drawe neere togither ye abject of the Gentiles:Isai. 45.20. Look vnto me, and yee shall be saved: All the ends of the earth shal be saued: For I am God, and there is none other: I haue [Page 33] sworne by my selfe, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnes, and shall not returne: That every knee shall bowe vnto me, and every toung shal sweare by me. And againe, the Lord saith to his Son Christ Iesus, It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my servant, to raise vp the tribes of Iacob,Isai. 49.6 and to restore the deso­lations of Israell: I will also giue thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou maist be my salvation to the end of the world. Likewise, the Apostle Iohn saith, that the glory and honour of the Gentiles (that is to say of all Nations,Rev. 21.26 aswell as of the Iewes) shall be brought vnto the holie Citie. And this shall not onely be of the faithful of one age, or of them which are living nowe, but of all ages which hath bene from the beginning of the worlde, and shal be vnto the consumation there­of and latter comming of Iesus Christ. Wee shall then frequent the societie and fellowship of al the godly Martyrs, which constantly hath suffered for the name of Christ Iesus in this life: And likewise, of the Disciples and Apostles of Christ Ie­sus, which hath sounded his Gospel tho­row the whol world: Of the holy Priests, and true Prophets of the Lord; of the [Page 34] godly Kings and Rulers of the Earth, which as the Lords lieftenants did mini­strate justice and judgment in their liues. We shall haue for our familiar brethren and companions our first progenitor A­dam, Noe, Lot, Abraham, Isaac & Iacob, and the twelue Patriarks, the sonnes of Iacob: Likewise wee shall see, by familiar, and contract friendship & brotherhood which never shall be dissolved, with Mo­ses, Aaron, Iosua, and the just judges of Israell, with Samuell, Elias, and Elisha, E­say, Ieremie, Ezechiell, and Daniell, with David, Ezechias, and Iosias, with Iohn the Baptist, Peter, Paul, & Iohn, whome our Saviour loved: with whome wee shal dwell as brethren and Citizens of a Cit­tie. Moreover, not onely shall wee be in company with faithful men and women, but also with the whole armie of the ho­ly Angels of the Lord, whome hee hath appointed to preserue and defend vs in this life: The whole ordour of them shall rejoyce greitumlie of our comming and salvation, and shall be continually con­versant with vs in perpetual societie and friendship:Gen. 3 24. Col. 1.16. There shal we enter in fellow­shippe with the Cherubims, Seraphins, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Po­wers, [Page 35] Arch-angels, Angels, and with the whole number of the celestiall Legions: Which receiveth those styles, to declare their glory, power, & distinct ofices. These shal delight to magnifie & extol the Ma­jestie of the lord togither with vs, insati­antlie, with vnspeakable joy & gladnes. But the chief company wherein we shuld most rejoice, is: That we shall haue the ful fruition of almightie God the Father, of his Sonne Christ Iesus our Saviour, and of the holy Ghost, which is the spirit of God: There we shal see them face to face in their full majestie and glory, which none can behold, nor apprehend in this life, but by faith only. The almighty God shall behold, and blesse vs from his high and holy throne, as his owne sonnes and heires whome hee hath adopted: The Lambe Christ Iesus shall imbrace & kisse vs, as his brethren & sisters, he shall con­gratulate our comming, and present vs faultlesse vnto his Father: And the Com­forter, the spirit of trueth, which nowe doth secreetly assist vs, governe vs, and work in our hearts by measure: shal then be visiblie, and personally ever present a­mong vs; and really and with effect shall possesse both our soules and bodies, and [Page 36] replenish vs with ful measure. Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of the Com­pany which wee shall injoye, and with whom we shal liue in the world to come.

A Rehearsall of the Pleasures which we shall inioy in the world to come.

LET vs nowe come to the pleasures, whereof we shal be made participant in the life to come. Like as the Geogra­phor by symmetrie and proportion, de­scribes all the Cuntries of the earth, into the bounds of a litle globe, and is acco­stomed to write throughout the partes thereof: This is a cuntrie, this is a famous Citie, this is a river, these are mountains, this is an arme of the sea, & this is a port or hauening place. Nevertheles, he is so far distant from the likenes, and perfe­ction of the things which hee describes, that if it were possible that the Geogra­phor were transported vnawares into a­ny strange Cuntrie, hee should neither knowe the cuntrie, the cities, nor what way to go betwixt them, for all his Geo­graphie, while it were first shewen & de­clared [Page 37] vnto him: Even so, although I be as farre distant, in describing the joies of the Life to come, from the perfection thereof, as a thing vnperfite is from that which is perfite; or the thing finite and bounded, from the thing infinite and without bounds: Notwithstandng, I wil point out as the Geographor doeth, a certaine similitude and likenesse thereof by comparing the same vnto joies earth­lie, and pleasures which may be devised in this life: For if the one appeare nota­ble and great, which is but temporal and imperfit of it self, the other shal appeare farre greater, and shall be easilie concei­ved to transcend it by many degrees, see­ing it is called by the spirit of God, an e­ternall and perfit felicitie, and therefore lacks nothing that is requisite to perfe­ction. The pleasures which man can re­ceiue in this life, they are either bodily and sensual, whereby the outward senses are delighted: or else, they are inwarde pleasures of the mind, whereby the heart and soule of man is rejoiced: But so long as the body and the soule are joyned to­gither, there is such an vnion and con­cord between thē, that that thing which delights the one, delights also the other; [Page 38] and that which is displeasant to the one, is likewise displeasant to the other: That which is delectable to the body and out­ward senses, is delectable also to the spi­rit, and makes the heart to rejoice: And that which contents the mind, and rejoi­ceth the heart, doth likewise recreat and plesure the body after a marvelous ma­ner. To returne then to those pleasures, whereby the outwarde senses and body are delighted: Is it not extreame plea­sant to the eies to beholde the face of a Princes Court, and the great assemblies of bewtifull and great personages, both of men and women, apparelled with all kinde of pretious and costly garments, and attyred with riche jewells, togither with all the rest of precious & glistering planessing, which is accustomed to be in the houses of greate Princes, at a so­lemne feast, or at their first entrie in a po­tent and opulent Cittie? Or to beholde from the top of an high mountaine, in the time of Sommer, or of Harvest, while the ayre is cleare and purified, the noble & faire Cities adjacent about, the green hilles and dales, the faire woods and fo­rests, the cornes, wines, and fruits of the ground, the fresh Loches and rivers, and [Page 39] the sapheir firmament, the bright Sunne and Moone, and the glistering starres ar­rayed in good order? Or to beholde a great armie of horsemen, and of foote al in their cleare armour, well arrayed and marching in battell: To see their glaun­cing harnes, and armour both invasiue and defenciue, their Plumages, standarts and displaied hand seignes, togither with their couragious bairded Horses, Ele­phants, and Drummodaries? Or to be­hold a faire Navie of shippes, of Gallies, and of Galliasses, all vnder saill on the smooth Sea, with their streamers, flaggs, aires, and great artillerie? Or to beholde a publick Faire or Mercat place, wherein all kinde of bewtiful and pretious wares are exposed and laid forth to be sold? To see the faire bords of divers sorts of viue and liuely portrators, the faire rapestrie of silkes, and cloth of golde, all kinde of cullours of fine and well lustered stuffes for apparelling of the body, the cleare polist vessell of silver and of gold, the fine varnished musical Instruments, with ma­ny other proper inventions, and vtensils devised and wrought by subtill handie crafts for the vse and ease of man? These I say, and such like sights, are very plea­sant [Page 40] and delectable to the eies, and con­sequently comfortable and recreatiue to the spirit. In like maner, it were very de­lectable to the eares, to heare notable and good doctrine out of the mouth of a cunning & eloquent teacher: To heare rehearsed plesant and notable histories, delectable novelties of rare and strange things, glad and good tydings, and to heare thy selfe well reported off, and thy workes rehearsed and praised in thine own presence: To heare the merry inter­loquutors of facetious Dialogues, pretty and quicke conceits, and rancounters of Comediens, in their comedies, and stage plaies: To hear the singing and na­tural melodie of the sweet singing birds firdoning their notes after their kinde, and on divers waies, in the time of som­mer, or of spring time: but most of all, earlie in the morning as the day begins to dawne, when al is vnder great silence, and every thing quiet and at rest, then to heare the pleasant harmonie of Musicall Instruments cunninglie handeled, as of Cornets, or fine Violls: Or to heare the sweet and delicat voices of cunning sin­gers, intermedled with the melodious sound of Lutes, Cisters, Clairshoes, or of [Page 41] other quiet Instruments of that kinde: which I esteeme worthie to be reckoned among the chiefest of earthly pleasures. What thing can be more delectable to the taste & appetite of man, nor to haue a table at all times richly decked, with all manner of savoury and delicate meates, finely prepared? as of fat & tender fleshe, rare and delicious fishes, al kind of fruits hearbs, spices, of drogs wet and dry, and other confections pertaining to the A­potecarie: And in like maner to haue re­die at mans desire, all kinde of delicious and delicate drinks and lickquors? as Milk, meid, hony, sweet and sharp wines, hypocrise, and fined wines, with al man­ner of fresh refreshing drinks, which may be either agreable to the mouth, or meat for the sustentation of mans body. As to the sense of smelling, it is delighted with pleasant and sweet odours: as of sweete smelling flowers, perfumes, pretious ointments, goomes, and with fine o­dours mixed and prepared by the Apo­tecars. And finally, is it not delectable and pleasant to the body of man, when in time of cold he is fostered with warm­nes, and in time of heat is refreshed with temperat coldnesse? Likewise when his [Page 42] bodie is annointed and refreshed with balme, and with oyle, or when he is pur­ged and purified in the bathstoffs, or is eased & releeved of his naturall infirmi­ties, by such volupteous pleasures as are naturall vnto him, and falles vnder the sense of feeling? Al these aboue rehearsed are sensuall and bodely pleasures, which man would esteeme a great happines, to injoye alwaies at his pleasure, being very delectable first to the body, and then to the spirit, as vnto that which hath a na­turall & perfit conjunction with the bo­die: For if it were separated from the bo­die, it would not be delighted with no such sensuall pleasures. But those plea­sures which do chiefly content the mind, and inwardly rejoiceth the heart & soul of man, are much more excellent, and doeth farre exceede the pleasures of the fleshe, in dignitie and worthines. Were it not a great contentment to the mind, to haue thy body als bewtiful, and of seem­lie proportion as thy heart would wishe? And that thou were equall in strength, speed, and agilitie with any other man? Likewise that thou were of such skil and dexteritie at al games and exercitions of the body, aswell these that are naturall [Page 43] vnto man, as in these which needes art and instruction, (as summing, balling, handeling of thine armour, and others such like) that none were able to out­match thee? and therewithal to haue thy bewtie ever flourishing & never to fade, and thy body never to decay, but ever to remaine in perfite vigour and strength? Moreover, wouldest thou not think it a great felicitie, to be so pregnant & quick of spirit, that nothing could seeme hard or difficil vnto thee? But that thou hadst the knowledge of all artes and sciences, of all tongues and languages, and with thy knowledge to haue a facund and or­nate tongue to vtter the conceptions of thy mind? Farther, is it not very delecta­ble to the heart of man to haue obtained a great victory, and to haue defait the e­nemies of his natiue cuntrie, & brought the same to libertie and freedome by his owne deedes and vertue (as the stronge Sampson did in subduing the Philistims, David in slaying of Goliah, Iudith in kil­ling of Olophernes, or as the valiant Roman Cockles did) with great praise and commendation of all men? It is also no litle contentment to the spirit, to haue found out a singular and subtile devise, [Page 44] which may bring both great pleasure, and great commoditie with it, not one­ly to the inventor thereof himselfe, but also to the whole estate of a common wealth. Wee reade that Pythagoras for finding out by his own ingyne & study, of a proposition of Geometrie, (which indeed is esteemed to be very excellent, and of great vse in the Mathematicks) and is the 47. Proposition of the first book of the Elements of Euclide: for ve­ry joy he came forth of his cabinet, run­ning, and crying with a loude voice, as though he had bene transported: I haue found it! I haue found it! and thereafter made a solemne sacrifice and oblation of an hundreth Oxen. See we not also howe great rejoycing it is to the heart of him that hath done a notable and noble act, pronounced a wise sentence, or made a cunning & ornat harangue, to the great admiration and praise of the hearers and beholders? And were it not a pleasant thing to be promoved by a greate Mo­narche, from the estate of a poore mise­rable cotter, to the estate of a welthie & potent Lord, and to be received in great familiaritie & credite with the same mo­narche? To be short, I think the greatest [Page 45] joyes which man can wish or imagine, are these: To haue all thinges that the heart doth require, and to lack nothing: To haue knowledge of all things, and to be ignorant of nothing: To be ever glad, and never sorrowfull: To be ever careles, and without feare, and never careful nor in dread: To be ever in pleasure, and ne­uer in paine: To be alwaies wel content, and never miscontent nor displeased: To be ever in securitie, and never in danger: To be ever in peace and at rest, and never troubled nor disquieted: To be ever at libertie, and never in thraldome: To be ever in health and in good disposition, and never sick nor diseased: To be ever in a constant and stable estate, and never subject to change nor alteration: To be free from all naturall infirmities of the body, and all passions and perturbati­ons of the mind, but in special, from the thraldome of sinne, and to haue an abso­lute power over all our affections & con­cupiscenses: To be delighted with every thing, and never to see nor heare that thing which is grievous or displeasant: To hate or envy no man, nor yet to bee hated or envied of any: But to loue and like all, and to be loved and liked of all [Page 46] men: To be honoured and esteemed of all men: but in speciall to be in the favor of God, and to be reciprocklie beloved of them whome wee loue most intirelie: and to be sure and certaine never to die, but to liue for ever. What then of al these joies and pleasures? were they ever injoi­ed by any man, or is it possible that any man can injoy them in this life? No cer­tainlie, they cannot be fully injoyed so long as wee dwell here vpon earth, and remaines in this tabernacle of fleshe and blood: But these are heavenly joyes, per­taining to the life to come, which all the faithfull shall vndoubtedlie injoye: yea, and greater nor these also: For the wit & ingine of man is able to comprehend and vnderstand these joies before rehearsed: But the perfit joy and felicitie of the life to come, passeth all vnderstanding.

But nowe, let vs see what warrant we haue of the word of God against these things, and howe the spirit of God doth certifie vs hereof. We are first certified by the spirit of God, that in the life to come wee shall be exeemed from all griefe and sorrow, so that our joy and pleasure shall not be mixed with sorrowes, as the plea­sures of this life are: For the Evangelist [Page 47] Iohn saith,Revel. 21.4 God shall wipe away al teares from their eyes, and there shall bee no more death, neither sorrow, neither cry­ing, neither shal there be any more pain, for the first things are passed. The for­mer trobles are forgotten (saith the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet) and shall surely hide themselues from mine eies,Isai. 65.16. for Lo, I will create newe heavens, and a newe earth, and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde: But be yee glad and rejoice for ever, in the things which I shall create: For behold, I wil create Ierusalem, as a rejoicing, and her people as a joy: and I will rejoice in Ierusalem, and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying: There shal be no more there a Child of yeares, nor an old man that hath not filled his daies; for hee that shall be an hundreth yeares old, shal die as a young man. Farther, the spirit of God to expresse the joye of the life to come, compares it to a day of ma­riage, into the which Iesus Christ is the bridegrome, and his Church (that is to say, the number of his elect) is called the bride. The Gentiles (saith the Prophet,Isai. 62.2. speaking of Christs Church) shall see thy [Page 48] righteousnes, and al kings thy glory, and thou shal be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name: Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royall diademe in the hand of thy God: It shal be no more said vnto thee, Forsaken, neither shall it be said any more to thy land, desolate: But thou shalt be called, HEPHZEBAH, (that is to say, My delight in her) and thy Land BEVLAH, or Maried: For the Lord de­lights in thee, and thy Land shall haue an Husband: for as a young man marieth a Virgine; so shall thy sonnes marrie thee: And as a bridegrom is glad of the bride: so shall thy God rejoice over thee. And in the Apocalips,Apoc. 19.6 Christs flock saith, Hal­leluiah (that is by interpretation, praise yee God) for our God Almightie hath raigned: Let vs be glad and rejoice, and giue glory to him: for the mariage of the Lambe is come, and his wife hath made her selfe reddy: And to her was granted, that she should be arrayed with pure fine linnen and shining, for the fine Linnen is the righteousnes of the Saints: Thereaf­ter, the Angell of God saith vnto Iohn:Apoc. 21.9 I will shew thee the bride the Lambs wife: and he shewed me (saith Iohn) the great [Page 49] Citie holy Ierusalem (which is the num­ber of the Elect) descending out of hea­ven from God, having the glory of God. This comparison, the spirit of God ma­keth betweene Christ and his Church, because, that like as the husband and the wife are made one flesh: so are the faith­full made one with Christ, by participa­tion of his body & blood through faith. And as the bridegrome doth procreate Children with his bride: So doth Christ procreat Children in his Church, by his holy spirit, and makes her to be plenti­ful in bringing forth sonnes and daugh­ters to inherit his kingdome. But to re­turne to the pleasure of the Elect in the life to come, it is also compared to a so­lemne banquet by the spirit of God.Isai. 25.6. And in this mountaine (saith the Prophet E­say) shall the Lord of hosts make vnto all people a feast of fat things: Even a feast of fined wines, and of fat things full of marrow, of wines fined and purified. And Saint Iohn in his Revelation saith,Reu. 22.1. that he saw a pure river of water of life, cleare as Christal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lambe, which is Iesus Christ: and on either side of the River, was the tree of life, which bare twelue [Page 50] manner of fruites, and gaue fruite every moneth, and the leaues of the tree ser­ved to heale the Nations with. It is also saide in the Apocalips,Apoc. 19.9 Blessed are they that are called vnto the Lambes supper. And our maister Christ saith,Ioh. 4.14. whosoever drinks of the water that I shall giue him, shall never be more a thirst: but the wa­ter that I shall giue him, shall be in him a well of water, springing vp into everla­sting life. Moreover, the Lord proposeth to the faithfull, all the blessings which are contained in the Lawe, and so vnder temporall things comprehends the spi­rituall promises. They shall feede in the waies,Isai. 49.9. saith the Prophet, and their pa­stures shall be in al the tops of the hilles, they shal not be hungrie, nether shal they be thirstie, neither shall the heate smite them, nor the sunne; for hee that hath compassion on them shal leade them; e­uen to the springs of waters shal he driue them.Isai. 55.1. Lo, saith the Lord, every one that thirsts come ye to the waters, and ye that haue no silver come buy and eat, come I say, buy wine and milke without silver: Harken diligently vnto me, and eat that which is good, and let your soule delight in fatnes. Likewise, the Lord speaking to [Page 51] his afflicted members saith,Isai. 54.11. O thou affli­cted, and tossed with tempest, that hath no comfort, behold, I will lay thy stones with the Charbukle, and lay thy founda­tion with Saphires, and I will make thy windowes of Emeraudes, and thy gate shining stones, and all thy bordours of plesant stones. And for the farther com­fort of his elect, hee proceeds and saith: All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord, & much peace shal be to thy Chil­dren: In righteousnes shall thou be esta­blished, and be far from oppression, for thou shalt not feare it; and from feare, for it shall not come neere thee:Isai. 54.10.17. For the montains shal remoue, and the hills shal fal downe, but my mercy shal not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace fall away, saith the Lord, that hath compassion on thee: This is the he­ritage of the Lords servants, and their righteousnes is of me, saith the Lord. And insisting in the consolation of his Church; this saith the Lord to it: Where­as thou hast bene forsaken and hated,Isai. 60.1 [...]. so that no man went by thee, I will make thee an eternal glory, and a joy from ge­neration to generation: Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and suck [Page 52] the brests of kings: and thou shalt know, that I the Lord am thy Saviour, and thy redeemer, the mightie one of Iacob: For brasse wil I bring gold, and for yron will I bring silver; and for wood, brasse; and for stones, yron: I will also make thy gar­ment peace, and thy exactors righteous­nes: Violence shal be no more heard off in thy land, neither desolation, nor de­struction within thy borders: But thou shalt call salvation thy walles, and praise thy gates: Thou shalt haue no more the Sunne to shine by day, neither shall the brightnes of the Moone shine vnto thee: For the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and thy God thy glory, thy Sunne shal never go downe, neither thy Moone be hid, for the Lord shall be thy everla­sting light, and the daies of thy sorrowes shall be ended: Thy people also shal be al righteous, they shal possesse the land for ever: The graiffe of my planting shall be the work of my hands, that I may be glo­rified. Moreover, the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet comforts his Elect, and threatneth the wicked, in these wordes: Behold my servants shall eat,Isai. 65.13. and ye shall be hungrie: Beholde, my seruants shall drink, and ye shall be thirstie: Behold, my [Page 53] servants shal rejoice, and ye shall be asha­med: Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, and yee shal cry for sorrowe of heart, and shall howle for vexation of mind, and yee shall leaue your name as a curse vnto my chosen: For the Lord God shall slay you, and call his servants by a­nother name: He that shall blesse in the earth, shal blesse himself in the true God, & he that sweares in the earth, shal swear by the true God. These are hevenly con­solations and promises, which are partly begunne in this life, but shall not be ful­lie accomplished while the life to come: Wherevpon the faithfull flock of Christ takes occasion to rejoice, and is prophe­sied to burst out in these wordes:Isai. 61.10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soule shall be joyfull in my God: For hee hath clothed me with the garments of salva­tion, and covered me with the robe of righteousnes: He hath decked me like a bridegrome, and as a bride attyreth her selfe with her jewells: For as the earth brings forth her budde, and as the Gar­den causes to growe that which is sowne in it: So the Lord God will cause righte­ousnes to growe, and praise before the Heathen. But forasmuch, as the pleasures [Page 54] of the soul, & contentment of the mind, might appear more imaginarie, nor sub­stantiall, where they fall not vnder the outward senses, and where the body is not made participant thereof: For the soul is but a spirit, and is delighted with spirituall things; neither can it be rejoi­ced, or yet troubled with things sensuall or corporall, being free from the bands of the fleshe. Therefore to the effect thou may the better conceiue, & haue a more sensible feeling of the joyes of the life to come; I wil assure thee, that not only the soules and spirits of the Elect shal rejoice and be delighted with spiritual plesures;Iob. 19.26 but also the bodies shall bee delighted with bodily and sensual pleasures, which falles vnder the senses: In respect, the bo­die shal rise againe from death,1. Cor. 15.52. the soule or spirit shall enter againe therein, and reallie and with effect, both the soule & the senses shall be delighted:Mat. 25.46. albeit not with such naturall & corruptible things, (least any man should dreame such an vnperfite delectation) as that where with our mortall bodies are delighted in this life: but with heavenly and incorrupti­ble things, like as our bodies shall then be incorruptible and immortall. And let [Page 55] no man think, that at the day of the re­surrection, any of vs shall resume a fan­tastical body, of an other forme & shape nor that which we haue nowe: but a ve­ry corporal and substantial body, which may be seene and felt, having all the sen­ses in greater quicknes, and perfection nor it hath them in this life: but free al­waies, from such fragilitie and naturall infirmities, wherevnto the mortall body is subject. For looke in what maner and with what body our Saviour Iesus Christ rose againe from death,Iohn. 20▪ 17.27. which after his resurrection (but before his ascention, & full glorification) was seene and knowne by his Disciples, conversed with them, and was griped by his Disciple Thomas: In like maner, and with the like bodies shall hee raise vs vp againe at the latter day: And when we shall be glorified, our bodies shall not be hinderfull vnto the actions of the spirit, nor a fasheous pri­son vnto it, as the body is in this life: but it shal be a pleasant tabernacle, and a ne­cessarie organe vnto the spirite, reddy to yeeld and obey it in all the offices and functions therof: In such sort, that where the spirit shall desire to be, the body shall be transported with it, as swift as the [Page 56] thought, without any resistance: So that in all our actions, we shal be like vnto the Angells and celestiall bodies. Our eyes then, I say, shall be delighted with behol­ding of things bewtifull, our eares with hearing of heavenly sounds and harmo­ny, our taist with such celestiall and An­gellike foode as shall be agreable there­vnto; our nostrells with smelling of plea­sant and delectable odours; and our sense of feeling, with feeling of all kind of vo­lupteous and perfite pleasure: my reason is this, because we shal haue a perfit sight of the face of God, and the full fruition of his divine Majestie, which is the con­summation & perfection of al pleasures. For he that seeth the face of God, seeth eminently, and after a most excellent maner, the bewtie and perfection of all his Creatures: because from him they receiue all their bewtie and perfection. Therefore, by necessarie consequence, in injoying the majestie of God the Crea­tor, we shal also injoy through him & in him, all the pleasures which can be ta­ken of any Creature which the Lorde hath made, either living or without life. What thing vpon earth is comparable to the majestie and throne of God, which [Page 57] Iohn saw by Revelation?Revel. 4.3. He that sate vp­on the throne (saith he) was to looke vp­on, like vnto a Iasper stone, & a Sardine, and there was a Rainbowe round about the throne, in sight like to an Emerande; and out of the throne proceeded lighte­nings, and thunderings, and voices; and there were seene Lamps of fyre burning before the throane, which are the seaven spirits of God. The rest of the descripti­on thereof, for brevitie I omit, and re­mits the Reader to the place it self where it is described.Exo. 19.16. And did not the whole people of Israell see with their corporall eies, and heare with their eares, thunde­rings and lightenings, and a thick cloud vpon mount Sinay, and the sounde of a trumpet exceeding loude, so that they were all afraide? And did they not see mount Sinay al on a smoke, & the smoke thereof, ascending as the smoke of a for­nace, because the Lord came downe vp­on it in fyre, and the mount trembling exceedinglie? Likewise, Moses, Aaron, Nadab,Exod. 24. [...] and Abihu, and seventie of the Elders of Israell saw a part of the Maje­stie of God, onely in so farre, as their in­firmitie and weaknes was able to beare: And vnder his feet they sawe as it were, a [Page 58] worke of a Saphire stone, and as the very heaven when it is cleare. And did not the skinne of the face of Moses shine bright, after that God had talked with him,Exod. 34.29. In such sort that the Israelites were affraide to come neere him? Howe then shall wee shine that shall behold him face to face, and injoye his presence for ever? Surely, in beholding the bewtie of his glorious face, we shall be made bewtifull: And in injoying the presence of his Majestie, we shall also injoy all these joyes and plea­sures presently expressed, and besides them many other greater, which as the Apostle saith, It is not possible to the wit and toung of man to vtter and declare. We shall be filled with al vertue and per­fection, we shall be healthie, wee shall be strong, wee shall be joyfull and glad, wee shall haue perfit contentment, we shal be assured and in perfit securitie, we shall be wise, we shall be patient, we shall be con­stant, we shall be charitable, wee shall be holy, we shall be glorious. All our actions desires, studies, and imaginations shal be good, and we shall not haue so much as an intention or inclination vnto evill. To be short,Apoc. 21.7 as it is promised in the Apo­calips, we shal inherit all things, the Lord [Page 59] shal be our God, and we shal be his sons. And as the Prophet Daniel saith, we shal shine as the brightnes of the firmament;Dan. 12.3 and they that turne many to righteous­nes, shal shine as the starres for ever and ever. Wee shall receiue a crowne of righ­teousnes (as sainct Paul saith) which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue at that day,2. Tim. 4.8 to all them that loues his ap­pearing. Wee shall sing these praises and newe songes, which Iohn heard by Re­velation:Revel. 4.8.11. Holy, holy, holy Lord God Al­mightie, which was, and which is, and which is to come: Thou art worthie (O Lord) to receiue glory and honour, and power: For thou hast created all things, and for thy wills sake they are, and haue bene created. Item, worthie is the Lamb that was killed,Rev. 5. [...] to receiue power, and ri­ches, and wisdome, and strength, and ho­nour, and glory, & praise; Praise, and ho­nour, and glory, and power be vnto him that sits vpon the throne, and vnto the Lambe for ever more. Wee shall also sing the songe of Moses, and the songe of the Lambe,Rev. 15.3▪ saying: Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almightie, just and true are thy waies, King of Saints: Who shall not feare thee, O Lord, and glorifie [Page 60] thy Name? for thou onely art holy, and al Nations shall come and worship before thee: for thy judgments are made mani­fest.Apoc. 19.1 We shall sing Hallel-uiah, hallel-uiah, salvation, and glory, and honour, and power be to the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgements. Thus much concerning the plesures which we shall injoy in the life to come.

Of the Permanence of the world to come.

IT rests now, that we speake somewhat concerning the time and space, howe long the heavenly dwelling place, the company, and the pleasures foresaid shal indure. To augment our joy and felicitie it is to be vnderstood that, that celestiall dwelling, that blessed societie, and those inestimable pleasures shall never take an end: but shall indure eternally, without any limitation of time: For it is called a blessed immortalitie, and an everlasting life. So that ten thousand years, or thou­sand millions of years, hath not so great a proportion with the length thereof, as a moment of time hath, with thousande millions of yeares: For so much, as no [Page 61] prolixitie of time, can approch in any wise to the bounds or end thereof: For the life everlasting, is without bounds or end whatsoeuer. I suppose, that if any Prince or potent man vpon earth, which liues welthelie and well, could be certi­fied that he shuld continue in that estate, and should liue and not see death vnto the end of the worlde: I suppose (I say) that albeit the pleasures and prosperitie of this life be mixed with innumerable sorrows & griefs: Nevertheles, he should rejoyce therein exceedingly, and count himself happy aboue al other men. How much more then ought wee to rejoyce, which shall dwell in that celestiall king­dome, accompanied with the saints, with the holy Angels, and with the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost? And shall injoye all the pleasures aboue rehearsed, and more nor the wit of man is able to de­vise, and shall liue and continue in that estate without diminishing, intermission, or alteration thereof for ever and ever? O felicitie aboue all felicities! the hope whereof, causes the faithfull to suffer great things, makes their extreame pains to appear but gentle & small, and makes the heart to spring for joy with the very [Page 62] remembrance thereof. O sweete Iesus Christ, when shall we be made partakers of that promised felicitie? When shall we see the glory which thou hast with thy Father? Doubtles, even at thy comming againe, Lord, and at thy appearing in the cloudes: Come then, sweet Saviour, for we look and long for thy comming, and deliverance. Thy litle members are grie­vouslie afflicted, they sigh and sob daily vnder thy crosse, and werieth of the yoke and burden of sinne: Thine enemies re­joyce and persecutes thy litle flock, they haue taken a liberty, they delight in wic­kednes, and followes the lusts and affe­ctions of their own hearts: because they esteeme the day of thy comming to be farre off, they attend it not, but esteems thee slowe & slack, like vnto themselues. Thou beholdest these thinges, O Lord, Make hast therefore, and put end to the troubles of thy servants, and to the rage and insolencie of Sathan, and of all his supposts, that we may dwell with thee in thy holy montaine, lauding and praising thee, thy Father, and the holy spirit, in e­ternall vnitie, with all kinde of heavenly praise, for ever and ever, world without end, Amen.