and body of man is onely capable of spirituall grace and in it consume themselves like Oyle so on the contrary the Lampes of Gods servants are their soules and bodies the Oyle wherewith they are filled are the graces of Gods Spirit as shall hereafter evidently appeare Seeing that God hath onely made Man and Angels participes rationis Born Ser. 1. Advent capaces beatitudinis partakers of reason and capable of happinesse it followeth The spirit of man is the Lampe of the Lord c. Prov 20.27 that nothing can be meant by our Lamps but soule and body the faculties and powers whereof are onely capable of the grace that leadeth and directeth us to glory Saint Paul exhorteth us to offer up our soules and bodies unto God as a living and acceptable sacrifice Rom. 12.1 his reason is that this onely is our reasonable serving of him he that would prepare and offer all things else to receive Gods benefits in and not himselfe is without understanding and sheweth not himselfe a reasonable server of God Christ held himselfe unfit to meete both with God and man in the office of a Mediatour untill hee had an humane soule and body made as his Lampe wherein hee should receive the Oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes which soule and body being given him he said Psal 40. Hebr. 10. A body hast thou given me I come to doe thy will ō God You learne therefore both what your Lampes are and how you are forewarned to prepare them And therefore God must bee served with them or els all wee doe is in vaine it is onely your selves that are capable of Gods grace and that are to be prepared for receiving and enterteining Christ King Balak was not capable of a blessing who prepared dumbe beasts enough for offering to God but never meant to prepare himselfe yea the first mercenary Prophet Balaam though the spirit of prophecy came upon him yet there was no grace in him his Lampe was counterfeit it had no place to receive and containe this Oyle his heart was so filled with ambition and covetousnesse that hee could not cease from perverting the straight way of the Lord he had a body for the outward service of God but hee had no soule for him Whilest wicked King Saul in bodily humility and consonancy of words prophecied with the Schoole-Prophets at Ramath 1 Sam. 19.24 his heart was filled as Samuel had tolde him before with rebellion against the manifest will and commandements of God from which it appeareth 1 Sam. 15 23. that all servers of God by goods deputies or mustering shewes shall be banished from Gods favour Mark 7. The young libertine Iewes in Christs time thought that they had honoured their parents well enough when they offered any thing in sacrifice or to the Temple-Treasurie for their health and prosperity though notwithstanding they neither supplyed their wants nor obeyed them in any lawfull demand whatsoever in no better fashion doe they serve God who prepare with their goods their friends servants to serve God yea or their bodies when their hearts are the most gainsayers of his will the first ought to be done but the second must not be left undone God must be served with all but especially with a sincere and unfeigned heart which is more than all as himselfe saith Prov. 23. My sonne give me thy heart Remember the miserable examples of many like Salomons Proverbiall adulteresse Prov. 7.14 who had done well enough when all her vowes and sacrifices were performed and offered her duties and offerings paid to the Priest yet went she to her old wickednesse for that was next her heart God saith that she made swift pace to destruction Prov. 2.18 Balaam before named for this fault hath a pittifull complaint Numb 24.2 He was by prophecy blessing Israel who standing afarre off from them even by this action confessed that he was not in the number and company of the blessed so he said that his state should be at the comming of Christ Verse 17. I shall behold him but not neere so all whose heart and affections are now estranged from God he shall be estranged in the end from them and shall say Depart from mee but in this life and day of salvation hee exhorteth you saying Iam. 4.8 Draw neere to God and hee will draw neere to you This can neither be urged nor considered of too much As the Israelites were to carry the Candlestickes and Lampes of the Tabernacle with instruments sitting for their keeping and use For the right ordering of soule and body so wise Christians must have with them such things as be usefull for the orderly keeping of soule and body The Lampe in Moses Tabernacle had two necessary instruments the snuffers and receiving-pipe in which they powred the Oyle and that nothing be wanting I make bold to adde a third A manuscript to which the Author set not his name In Prafat after the example of one who wrote the life of St. Patrike out of diverse uncertaine and fabulous scattered legends at the request of Hugh de Lacy Earle of Vlster Thomas Archbishop of Ardmagh and Malachy Bishop of Doune who said that he behooved to use the instruments appointed for Lampes in Moses law which were emunctorium infusorium extinctorium snuffers infusers extinguishers Exod 25. Gods word onely nameth the first two for it was commanded that the Lampe should continually burne because saith hee the idle and superfluous things are to bee snuffed away the things that were true to be received into the worke the things that were altogether false were to be cleane put out So Christians in their soules and bodies must have sinne put out vertue cherished and superfluities snuft and cut away The Prophet Esay saith Esay 40.4 that Christ came to this purpose into the world and St. Iohn Baptist before him that every valley should be exalted here are the receivers when the foule empty of knowledge and comfort is filled up that every hill should be made low here are the extinguishers where every sinne whatsoever is exalted or stiffenecked against the Majesty of God is Gods Word approved Non negligenda sunt ea bona August per quae ad meliora pervenire possumus We are not to neglect these good things by which we may come to better yea our Saviour compareth the first begining of grace unto a graine of mustard-seed Math. 13 31. which hath need of cherishing before it come to the bignesse of a tree And some things moderated and corrected Thirdly some things must be moderated and corrected but not put cleane out these are our naturall affections and the entiesements of this world Our naturall desires would bee satisfied with things naturall but there is a covetise inclosed in it that insteed of satisfiyng is ever in dāger to drawe a surfett vpon us and therefore our naturall desires
their greater griefe and shame August de Verb. Dom. Ser. 23. Non est consulentium sed irridentium est ista responsio This answer is not to give counsell but to mocke them and this is all they get for helpe or pitty To us therefore doth our Saviour speak these words to forewarne us that wee never cast our count so as to thinke that which wee have to be too little for our selves nor thus to answer the distressed lest the shame be shamefully cast in our teeth when wee hope for a more mercifull answere in judgement This reason of the covetous sheweth us what is the cause which maketh men so unwilling to helpe others who are in necessity because they cannot beleeve that ever they can have enough for themselves This is one of the greatest plagues that can fall upon a man to be insatiable in affecting a thing that is farre inferiour to the worth of himselfe The causes of covetousnesse uncharity This Covetice proceedeth from a great blindnesse of the minde which as it seemeth doth build it selfe upon these or the like divelish and darkened conceits First that it cannot possibly stand with his owne felicity that he should love any other or care to helpe him Secondly that there is no meanes to give his minde contentment or to make him happy except it be with worldly pelfe Thirdly that he must needs live many yeares as the rich man in the Gospell concluded and that therefore all he can get cannot be too much Luke 12 19 Fourthly he doth doubt that God will not be carefull to provide for him because he conceiveth that God is disposed as he himselfe is and not much carefull for others or if God were in disposing of goods that he would not be so just as to give him so much as were enough for him It is no wonder where ignorance and unbeliefe prevaileth so farre to bring a man to these conceites that hee presently bends all his wits to scrape together all he can possibly snatch to suffice for use and to satisfie his desire which indeede can never be satisfied No wonder therefore it is that the Lord abhorreth the covetous and cruell man Psal 10 3. and him that speaketh good of him Therefore if we would be mercifull to others and save our selves from the wrath to come man Ephes 4.7 even as he pleaseth and according to what measure hee will So that wee are hereby taught to whom we shall have recourse in all our spirituall necessities even to our blessed Saviour In whom dwelleth all the treasures of grace bodily Col. 2.9 who is able to bestowe this Oyle of his Spirit to enlighten our sinfull soules and bodies and to prepare us for his comming Now if Gods word in the aboue named places be true the works of supererogation cannot be found in any or though it were so Colos 1 19. none is communicable unto another except from Christ in whom onely it hath pleased God that all fulnesse should dwell 1 Cor. 1.30 Act. 4.12 and who only is made our Righteousnes and in whom only we have hope of salvation Goe ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selues In appliyng of these words we finde them to be a bitter mocke of the reprobate to bidde them in the day of account to goe and buy Some take the Kingdome of heaven by violence others steale it some begge it others buy it or provide grace for themselves for then there are no sellers nor meanes to be found We have in these words two things to be considered buying and selling how either of them can be applyed to our labour for salvation For buying It is to us that have meanes and time to provide for that fearefull account that our Saviour speaketh these wordes of seasonable counsell as he did to the Laodiceans to buy and store themselves with the treasures of spirituall life Revel 3.18 The summ of the counsell is that we vse traffique for salvation As there are diverse meanes used some lawfull some unlawfull to mainteyne this mortall life so doth the word of God use the comparison of them to exhort us unto all labour and diligence 2. Peter 1 10. Quis expedivit Psittacosuum Chaiâ—e Magister artis ingeniique largitor venter Persent Ecclesiast 6 7. Bernard in libro sententiarum to make our calling and election sure and to purchase an immortall life The belly saith a Poet makes Master of Art both gives cunning industry for satisfiyng wherof some robbe others steale some begg others buy all as Salomon saith is to content backe belly In like manner Gods servants if we looke unto their life and workes some robbe and take the kingdome of heaven by violence others steale it some begge it others goe to those that sell and buy it for themselves Christ told the Iewes Math. 11 12. that from that time Iohn Baptist began to teach the Kingdome of heaven suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force these are they whose breasts are inflamed with zeale and who either for feare of Gods anger or for love of his mercyes turne suddenly to the Lord The Publicans and sinners by this meanes wonne heaven who flocked about Iohn Baptist Luk. 3 10 12. Act. 2 37. Luk 19 6. and cryed Master what shall we doe and the hearers of Peters Sermon upon Whitsontide and Zaccheus who came downe from the tree quickly and received Christ joyfully and St. Augustine who in his conversion Lib. 8 Conf. cap. 3. sect 1. cryed unto God why shall I be converted to morrow why not to day unlearned men get up and take heaven by violence and we with our diversity of learning doe wallow in flesh and bloud And all whosoever turne with hast and fervency unto the Lord may be sayd to take heaven violently Grandis c. It is a great violence 〈…〉 11. to be borne on earth and to enter into heaven and to obtaine that by strength which wee cannot have by nature Theophylact. in Mat 11. or what greater violence can be than on a sodaine to forsake father and mother to quite all pleasure the world can give yea and contemne life it selfe rather than to want Gods favour or be disappointed of eternall life Horum figuraÌ„ tenuit mulier patiens fluxum sanguinis quae cogitavit intra se dicens si c Mar 5 28. Bernard ibid. 1 Kings 19 18. Others in a manner take heaven by stealth these are they that labour for heaven and yet so secretly that they are not espied by the common multitude they are farre from hypocrisie they have their oyle in their vessells as were the seven thousand in Eliah's time who worshipped the Lord so secretly that the Prophet could not espie them and I doubt not but every age hath of this kinde Iohn 3 2. that with Nicodemus come to the Lord in the night Some
therefore he in the Prophets complaineth that they had committed adultery against him in stead of the living and true God they bowed kissed and offered sacrifice to Idols consecrated to the honour of Divels or damned men so they who before wanted spirituall Virginity fell from matrimonial chastity Christs Spouse to be free from Idolatry The Christians hath hee betrothed unto himselfe for his Spouse as Virgins because hee tooke no notice of the olde Gentiles Idolatry as Saint Paul tolde the Athenians of their Idolatry Acts 17.30 that the time of that ignorance God regarded not Therefore are they all Virgins because they worship God in truth Another condition is required of the spirituall Virgin And free from pride Esay 66.2 that he be humble Vpon whom will I looke saith the Lord Even upon the lowly in heart This the blessed Virgin knew wel when she said that God looked upon the lowlinesse of his handmaid Luke 1. Ser. 1. super Missus est Respexit humilitatem potiùs quà m virginitatem saith Bernard He beheld her humility rather than virginity By which every soule may examine himselfe if he be a spirituall Virgin or no. Secondly we have to observe that the faithfull soule is espoused or betrothed to Christ Iesus St. Paul saith Eph. 5 23. that as the husband is to the wife so is Christ to his Church that is he is husband it is true in effect The faithfull soule is betrothed to Christ But if wee consider what is to come our great Marriage which beginneth to be solemnized at the day when our soules goe to glory and consummate when both soules and body goe thither and our dwelling for ever in his house we are but espoused or betrothed unto him Ioh. 14.2 for as yet he is gone before us to prepare a place for us This the name of Spouse doth declare Bern. in Locum for Sponsus is à spondendo from promising that either shall keepe themselves for other Finally as Christ did to the faithfull Corinthians so he doth to all other his faithfull servants whom by the ministery of St. Paul he betrothed to himselfe 2 Cor. 11.2 The use of this doctrine may be knowne That hee may love and long for Christ the more by the use of betrothing that a certaine time sometimes more sometimes lesse being set betweene it and the Marriage day the love of both might be increased by the earnest desire of their meeting Cupienti animae nihil satis festinatur Salust Nothing can hasten enough to a longing soule Institutum est ut iam pacta spousae non tradantur statim ne vilem habeat maritus datam quam non suspira verit sponsus dilatam Aug. Confess lib 8. cap. 3. sect 3. and this was that which made Iacob love Rachell the better who for seven yeares together after betrothing was sometimes faint with extreme worke now burnt with the Sunne another time frozen with colde most time pined with scarsity all times tormented betweene love to Rachell and feare of Labans subtleties So is it between Christ and us we are by faith in espousage joyned unto him to the end that our desire and love unto him may more earnestly wish for the full enjoying of him This longing in love David felt Psal 84.2 when hee said Phil. 1.23 My soule longeth and fainteth for the Courts of the Lord and Saint Paul when he wished to be dissolved and be with Christ Blessed were wee if this desire were in us Bern in Locum ex Poeta and if we sighed and groaned because we are absent from our Lord Palleat omnis amans Prov. 13.12 Every true lover hath for signes in him palenesse and leannesse for when hope is deferred it maketh the heart to faint that no pleasure can make thee body well liking Are these signes in thee of thy love to Christ Away with delicate and dainty meates the desire of wines the pleasures of worldly riches and honour the love of these better fit him that never lookes for any comfort by Christ If thou sigh and be pale and leane for desire of that blessed day he shall send to thee his comforting Spirit and afterward hasten his comming Happie is this desire for though the deferring of our meeting with Christ is a sorrow in the soule yet is the hope of enjoying it aboue al pleasure the world can yeeld both which may bee seene in this saying of David I should haue fainted Psal 27.13 except I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living Ten Virgins went out to meete the Bridegroome As for the number of the Virgins ten we are not to trouble our selves to enquyre The curiositie of some have given a reason though very fruitlesse because there are ten Commandements to be observed by Gods servants I thinke hee understood according to sobriety and edification who sayd Non est curiosé serutandum quare decem sunt Virgines Euthym. in locum etc That we are not to search curiously why there are ten Virgins c. But in Parables some things are set to for framing the comparison some for expressing the intended purpose whereof this number ten is to continue an apt similitude of the Iewes Mariages wherein eight nyne or ten were appoynted attendants according as was fit for the estate and degree of the parties to be maried Went out c. We goe out to meete Christ when leaving Nature Sinne and Sathan What it is to meet Christ and denying and disclaiming them wee professe our selves to attend the service of Iesus Christ Abraham was called out to meete his Master by this charge Get thee out of thy Countrey Gen. 12.1 from thy kindred and from thy Fathers house Likewise Lot was called out of Sodome Gen. 19. and charged not to looke backe The Spouse of Christ is called out Psal 45.10 Esa 52 11. Forget thy owne people and fathers house Depart ye depart ye touch no uncleane thing yea Christians are called out from the love of father mother and friends or else they cannot be worthy of Christ Mat 16.24 yea from their owne will that they may submit themselves unto the will of God If we either stay in our naturall state Wee cannot meete Christ untill we goe out of Nature or in our selves we cannot meet Christ in our dwelling of nature remaineth the anger of God bent against the inclinations of the soule that even in birth Saint Paul calls us Children of wrath Eph. 2.2 In our common naturall state we have Satans craftinesse encompassing against us with secret suggestions and occasions of sinne our friends and neighbours with their practise to teach and countenance it we have the deceits of the world upon our right hand to seduce us from the love of God the miseries and terrours of this world to draw us from the onely fearing of God that
quà m desidem non potuisse tentari seeing it is more praise-worthy and happy that the fighter could not be overcome than that being idle he could not be tried let every man put himselfe to use and not be as an empty or unused Vessell in the sight of God It is for them that have no use at all that Christ hath an iron rod Psal 2. to breake them as the potter doth his vessell Of the Oyle Gifts of Gods Spirit compared to Oyle Now we are come to speake of the Oyle and what is meant by it All our treasures of riches which are in Christ are comprehended in the name of Oyle 1 Iohn 2.27 all the graces of Gods Spirit in us are meant by annoynting and when Moses would set downe the outward and inward blessings to be bestowed upon the Tribe of Asher he saith He shall dip his foote in Oyle Deut. 33.24 But as there are many sorts of Oyle as of Roses Spikenard Myrrhe c. whereof each hath his proper vertue and operation So saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.4 There are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit so al receive the name of Oyle As the vertues of Oyle are peculiar either in health or sicknesse some cooling others heating some binding others loosing some cause ripening others cause rotting In like manner the graces of Gods Spirit one vertue heates and warmeth us as charity another is cooling as chastity one ripeneth as Christian discretion another bindeth as temperance and abstinence one looseth the palsie of sluggishnesse as labour another driveth away the fever and heat of avarice as devotion and compassion one breaketh the impostume of pride as humility c. But in generall Oyle is noted in the Scriptures to have 3 properties First to cherish make a man joyfull and this is supposed Psal 104.15 And Oyle to make him of a cheerefull countenance and therefore it was a signe of gladnesse as Christ appointed his Disciples to anoynt their faces with Oyle Mat 6 17. So hath God appointed gifts of his Spirit to make his servants joyfull Gods gifts make his servants not to feele worldly sorrowes Acts 5 41. although all the world would heape sorrowes upon them when the Iewes laboured to breake the Apostles hearts they went rejoycing to and from the Councell And this is done either by taking somewhat away or by giving By taking away when we are made not to feele the evills that are on us as the Oyle of Poppie causeth sleepe and the Oyle of Mandrakes makes us insensible though a legge or arme were cut off us so hath the Lord made his servants who by contemplation had onely their mindes in heaven that they felt not what was doing to them on earth as is principally to be seene in our Arch-type Iesus Christ who of all men was the man of sorrowes Esay 53 3. yet hee in a manner felt not nor cared what the world did to him Psal 45. for hee was anoynted with the Oyle of gladnesse and many Martyrs burning in fire in stead of crying rejoyced and sung Psalmes because they truly had received what Christ had promised to his Disciples Iohn 16.22 Your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you Partly the Lord doth it by making them feele causes of joy and gladnesse when our conscience doth testifie our love to God and hatred to sin 2 Cor 1.12 our joy is herein more than our sorrow can be for any thing in the world when we are assured that our sinnes are forgiven us then the Lord maketh us heare the voice of joy and gladnesse Psal 51.8 63.4 and his loving kindnesse is sweeter than life it selfe We learne then that it is one effect of Gods Spirit to deliver us that worldly sorrowes break not our hearts Rom. 5.3 Psal 23. We rejoyce in tribulation said Paul and David thy rodde and thy staffe comforteth mee Whereby it appeareth that they whose hearts are cast downe for the world the envious rageing and desperate have not this spirituall annoynting this comfort the Lord hath holden from them and left them to be tormented by their owne thoughts as an evill Spirit to vexe them an example of all which I meane envie anger melancholly and finally despaire wee finde in King Saul which made David sing his funerall Elegie according to this doctrine The shield of the mighty is cast downe 2 Sam. 1.21 even the shield of Saul as though he had not beene annoynted with Oyle To comfort others The second property of Oyle and effect of Gods Spirit is that as Oyle is a nourisher of the poore and asswager of hurts So Gods Spirit worketh the same effects in us The widow of Sarepta was long sustained by the little Oyle she had 1 Kings 17.16 Luke â—0 34 and the Samaritan powred Oyle into the hurt mans wounds where the Lord giveth a compassionate spirit it both maintaineth others in necessitie and comforteth them in their sorrowes It appeareth hereby that covetous cruell and hard-hearted men have never beene mollified by grace nor have interest in Gods Spirit The third property of Oyle is to give light And to shew us our way to heaven Papiaâ— citatur a Pet. Beveborio in Indice voce Oleum especially if it touch fire and of this I have read a wonder I know not how true that if a man fill his mouth with Oyle and were let downe into the bottome of the sea if hee put it out of his mouth it will make light and give him roome to breathe about him howsoever the Spirit of God giveth light in the darknesse of nature and of this world by which wee are directed to heaven Psal 143.10 Let thy good Spirit leade mee into the land of righteousnesse said Davih which he doth by his word and given us understanding to conceive it This is the third effect of Gods Spirit who as Christ tolde his Disciples Iohn 16.13 should leade them into all truth and therefore all ignorant soules have not the Spirit nor are come within the way of salvation As the effects of Oyle are proportionably seene in Gods servants Wicked men have some properties of Oyle so are wicked men possessed with the vices of our time in some things like Oyle The lightnesse of Oyle is fully represented by the proud inconstant malicious and wicked hearts who are full of malice Psal 109.18 and drinke it up as Oyle powred into their bones and for the smoothnesse and softnesse of Oyle flatterers and dissemblers have appropriated it to themselves Davids enemie had words softer than oyle Psal 55 21. and the conversation of the effeminate is accordingly Prov. 5.3 when the Israelites flattered the Aegyptians they presented them with smooth words Hos 12.1 abundance of oyle Conditions of good Oyle Finally because wee are not to beleeve every Spirit but try them if you
or moe Kingdomes from which we conclude that heavē the true place of glory hath kingdomes for us and such that for glory so far surpasse the glory of an earthly kingdome We may know what is not there rather then what is there What things are not in heaven This world is full of miseries and sorrowes sure there is none in heaven it is a place of rest A necessity of supplying our naturall wants is upon us in this life we are grieved with the miseries and necessities of others but most of all for the sinnes of our selves and others Non arant non seminant non molunt non coquunt opera enim sunt ista necessitatis ibi necessitas non est c. August in Psal 148 6 pra ceptum posuit et non praeteribit and the inconveniences that follow them but in heaven it is not so for they till no ground they sowe not they neither grinde nor boyle for meate these are onely works of necessitie but in heaven there is no necessitie They break no bread to the hungry they cloathe not the naked they take not the stranger in they visite not the sicke they make no peace they burie not the dead these are the workes of mercy but in heaven there is no misery on which mercy should be showen There is no oppression stealing or uncleannesse these are the workes of iniquity and darknesse Nuptiae sunt auxilium vitae mortalis impletio cius quod defecit ibi autem nihil deficit quid ergo opus implente Throph in Luc. 20.35 Math. 22 30. which have no place in heaven This life is cut off by death which soone would bring mankind to an end if remedy were not provided to supply that which decayeth but in heaven there shall nothing bee lost none can die so that they need no supplying therefore in the Resurrection or in heaven they neither marrie wiues nor wiues are bestowed in Mariage but all are as the Angels of God What things are in heaven 1 Cor. 2.9 Now if we desire to know what is in heaven the Apostle tells us that Neither hath eye seene nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what good things God hath prepared for them that love him that is neither can his senses feele nor his understanding comprehend the joyes and contenment that they are able to give If entertainment of mens devising be able to over-joy us in conceit and to translate our spirits from midst of worldly sorrowes as if we had obtained some happinesse indeed What happinesse is it to be partaker of the everlasting table of the inexpressible harmony of Angels and glorified soules singing praises to God We count it the greatest honour that can be given to a subject to sit at his Soveraignes table What honour shall it be to have fellowship with God and our blessed Saviour 1 Kings 10.8 The Queene of Sheba pronounced Salomons servants happy that might alwayes be hearing the words of wisedome What happines shall it be to stand alwayes in the presence of One greater than Salomon Luke 21.36 even our Lord Iesus Christ In whom dwelleth all the treasures of wisdome bodily Col. 2.3 If God saith Augustine doth give unto wicked men the common benefits of heaven and earth August in Psal 85. in Hebraeo 86 5 T is Domine misericors health children riches plenteousnesse what doth he keepe for his faithfull servants Even not earth but heaven and that I speake not too basely when I say heaven even he that made heaven keepeth himselfe for us Si enim ea quae ad exiguum tempus durant ciusmodi sunt cuiusmodi erunt illa quae nulla tempora delebunt c. Basil in Hexa mer. Orat. 6. the heaven is glorious but more glorious is hee that made it If these things are such which endure for a little time what shall those things be which no time can bring to an end And if such be the beauty of things that are seene how glorious is the Citty of God When Peter saw a sight of Christs glory and of Moses and Eliah Matth 17 4. and desired to continue there without desire of any sight of this world after what contentment hath hee now to see Christ and other blessed Spirits in glory Christ saith Matth 5 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse which an holy man applyeth thus O quà m faelicem facit ipsa plena refectio Episcopus Lincoln cujus sola esuries facit beatum O how happy doth the full refreshment make us of that whereof the onely hungring maketh us blessed David saith O Lord how amiable are thy Tabernacles Psal 84.1 2. My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and flesh rejoyce in the living God If his desire was so sweete how sweete is the enjoying if he rejoyced onely seeing in a glasse what joy hath he in seeing face to face if the Courts of Gods house gave such delight what is the house it selfe able to give These are but generall as all that can be said concerning the joyes of heaven but every soule shall wholly possesse the pleasures and joyes of heaven neither is it hindrance to one what is bestowed on another Gods mercy is infinite Greg. Mor. l. 4. Et tanta vis amoris in illa pace nos sociat ut quod in se quisquis non acceperit hoc se accepisse in alio exultet And so great power of love maketh our fellowship in that everlasting peace that whatsoever every one hath not received in himselfe hee rejoyceth because he hath received it in another Difference of earthly and heavenly ioy In all earthly joy we have sorrow intermixed that we may the rather labour for this sweetnesse which deceives us not When we have all the joy we can conceive by worldly pleasure it never satisfieth us untill it cloy with boysterous abundance and cause us to surfet and then it satisfieth least of all and yet our desires are not satisfied when we have obtained more than we were capable of therefore all that the world can give cannot bring the soule to contentment or set it beyond the region of wishes and wants or free it from the tyranny of feare or desire This is onely to be expected of the joyes of heaven Lib. 1. de doct Christ for betweene them saith Augustine and temporall things this is one difference that a temporall thing is more loved before it be obtained but is contemned when we have got it aeternum autem ardentiùs diligitur adeptum quà m desideratum that which is eternall is more loved being obtained than it was when it was desired We cannot conceive joy without feare of distaste to ensue but in heaven we shall be so filled with the sweetnesse and delight of God and the glory wee shall receive Greg. that we shal be