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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 over-fret 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 but as to the excellencie of the celestial tabernacle which the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him according 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 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
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 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 out-match 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 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 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 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 Iohn saith 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 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 speaking of Christs Church shall see thy 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
receiue it But ô thou naturall man thou speakes as a man and what higher can dust and ashes go nor the earth neither is that reward far off as thou esteems it to be neither yet is that deth which maketh the seperation betwixt the soul and the body much to be feared For the time which David prescribes to the age and life of man is onely 70. or 80. years which time being expired the righteous receiues their reward promised If that reward then be long delaied in respect of the time which is without end let thy own conscience be judge Neither is this reward alwaies continued for the space foresaide but is graunted sooner vnto some when it pleaseth the Lord For wee see the tearme of mans life is vncertaine in respect that some are called home in their old age some in their midage some in their youth and some in their very infancie But heere it may be demaunded why the Lord wil haue vs first to die and after to liue againe seeing it would appeare to be more easie to continue this life for ever nor to put end to this life and then make vs to liue againe I answere that sinne is the occasion why we must die and depart this life before wee see the Majestie of God or receiue the reward promised which is everlasting life For as the Apostle Paul saith the wages of sinne is death But then thou may reply and say that Iesus Christ hath already suffered for our sinne and hath overcome death and hell How is it then that we must nevertheles vnderly death which is the reward of sinne I answere thee that because Iesus Christ hath suffered for our sinne and hath overcome death by his resurrection therefore hee shall raise vs vp againe from death and giue vs everlasting life which otherwise we would not haue gotten if he had not died for vs but would haue risen againe to everlasting death and torment Herefore as the Apostle subjoines to his saying aboue written but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Notwithstanding of all this the work of the resurrection from the death seemes most hard and difficill to fleshe blood But ô man Where is thy faith Seing thou may by very naturall reason as it were comprehend the same if thou wold haue respect to the rest of the wonderfull workes of God which thou seest daily before thine eies and would compare the same with the resurrection of the dead bodies For what is hee that euer would think that the seede which is sowen on the ground lies roten therein should ever come to perfection and become good and ripe corne vnlesse he had the yearlie experience of it What is hee that ever would thinke that those hearbes and plants which are withered and dead so that nothing remaines but a colde rotten roote within the earth should ever reviue and revert againe and bring forth a perfit stalke a leafe a flourish and seed vnlesse we sawe it with our eies Or what is he that seeing the Sunne going downe and the whole earth overwhelmed with darknes that ever would think that the sunne should rise and giue light againe except he had the daily experience of it Who would think that a man which is fallen in a sounde sleepe whose senses are deade without either sight hearing smelling or feeling should ever awake againe and be a living man vnlesse wee sawe it a thing customable and naturall to all men I suppose likewise that no man would credite by report the wonderfull manner of the conception and birth of mankind except it were knowne by experience and proofe Certainly it is no more hard and difficill to the Lord to raise the dead bodies out of the graue nor to worke these things Neither is deth more to be feared of the godly nor the going to bed to sleepe which is a perfit similitude of death For as man goes to bed in the evening sleeps all the night and wakens and rises vp againe in the morning So doth the body in very deede sleepe and repose in the graue overshadowed with night darknes but in the morning when Christ Iesus shall appeare in the cloudes the body shal rise againe at the blast of the trūpet and shall enjoy the perfit light of the day during the which space man shall not think long for what langor can the body haue which is a sleepe And as to the soule it can haue far lesse which during the said space is joyned with Christ Iesus In such sort that the space betwixt the separation of the soule from the body and the comming of our Lord Iesus is but the length as it were of a night But because thou ô worldly man hath not had the experience of the resurrection like as thou hast had of the things aboue specified which are no lesse marvelous thou can hardly beleeue it But vnto such as constantly beleeues the same and hopes for the reward of everlasting life I will briefly declare by the grace of God the joye and felicitie thereof in so far as the Lord hath revealed the same to vs by his word as the weak wit of man is able to conceiue In the first the Apostle Paule testifies that the eie hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath it entered in the hart of man the joye and glory of the life to come which thing God hath prepared for all them that loue him Therefore let man imagine and descriue what hee list he shall never be able to attaine vnto it for it is aboue his vnderstanding Neverthelesse I collect the glory and felicitie of that life to come to be extreame great and excellent in respect of these four circumstances First in consideration of the situation fabrick bewtie of the dwelling place Secondly in respect of the company and fellowship of them which we shall injoye Thirdly in consideration of the pleasures and delectation which we shall haue there And last in respect of the time and space which the dwelling company and pleasures shal indure 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 a high place a great and holie citie holy and newe Ierusalem a celestiall and glorious Kingdome the Tabernacle and dwelling place of the Lord. These are high stiles Whereby wee may gather 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 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
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 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 saying the fearfull and vnbeleving and the abhominable murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all liers shal haue 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 Thy people shall be all righteous saith the Lord speaking to his Church they shal possesse the land for ever 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 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 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 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 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 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 There shal we enter in fellowshippe with the Cherubims Seraphins Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers 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 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