A Celestial Looking-Glass to Behold the Beauty of Heaven, Part – Part 2
OF all the workes of God, Heauen is the moſt ancient; aGen. 1.1. Pſal. 33.6 Pſal. 136.5 Act. 14.15. Reu. 14.7.it was made at the beginning of the world, and it was the firſt of all Gods works:b1 Cor. 2.9 Eſay 64.4. Pſal. 31.20 the felicity thereof cannot bee imagined, cMat. 5.12 1. Pet. 4.14neither the bleſſings numbered: ſo incomparable as cannot be equalled; of ſuch value as none can comprize it, ſo great ae cannot bee meaſured, dDani. 7.14. Luk. 1.33. Dan. 2.44.and of ſuch eternity, as neuer can be ended,
The very name of heauen to all is louely, becauſe it is a hauen eMath. 11.28.29. Iere. 6.16.for reſt, fReu. 2.7.a Paradiſe for pleaſure, gReu. 21.2a City for beauty, hMat. 16.19. Luk. 19.12.a Kingdome of ſtate, i1. Pet. 5.4 2. Tim. 4.8.a Crowne of glory, kReu. 22 1 Mat. 19.28. Reu. 3.21.a Throne of Maieſty, lMat. 19.29& life euerlaſting: it is deſired of all, hoped for of many, mIoh. 6.44but onelyonly enioyed of the beſt.
All religions ayme at it, the wicked doe wiſh for it, the Iews expect it, the ſchiſmatiques ſeeke for it, the Turkes would enioy it, and the Papiſts thinke to merit it:nIoh. 3.3. Mat. 19.28 2 Cor. 5.17 Iam. 1.18. 1. Pet. 1.3.But the true Proteſtant, the regenerate Chriſtian, oMat. 9.29 1. Pet. 1.9.by faith pEzech. 18.21.and repentance, begges it, qLu. 12.32 Ioh. 3.15.16and he through the merits of Ieſus Chriſt ſhall enioy it.
As Heauen is ther2. Cor. 12.2. higheſt place, ſReu. 3.21the Throne of God, the Court of tDeut. 10.17.the great King, uExo. 6.3.the mighty Iehouah: So it is the wReu. 21.2.10.Citty of ſafety,xPſ. 24.4. the harbour of the Iuſt, y1 Pet. 2.9 Titus 2.14the peculiar people, z2. Cor. 5.17.the regenerate Chriſtians, the aIohn. 12.36. Ephe. 5.8.Children of Light, bMat. 25.34.the Elect by Gods Preordination, where al are Kings, cGal. 4.7. Rom. 8.17.and heires with Chriſt, dRom. 9.23.inueſted with glory,e2. Tim. 4.8. 1. Pet. 5.4 crowned with Maieſty,fReu. 7.9. clothed with ſecurity, decked with delights, repleniſhed with pleaſure, garniſhed with all graces, adorned with beauty, furniſhed with the beſt company, and flouriſhing with the flower of all Nations.
The chiefeſt reaſons that the vnderſtanding of mortall man can comprehend to the deſcribing of Gods Kingdome, are ſpecially theſe foure:
Firſt, by the Titles.
Secondly, by the Magnitude.
Thirdly, by the Ioyes.
And fourthly, by the Eternity.
Heauen is deſcribed by the titles. To ſet forth heauen more fully to our vnderſtanding, it hath diuers glorious Titles, and names in the holy Scriptures:Mat. 25.14 Tim. 2.18. 2. Pet. 1-11 Luke 24. Reu. 21.11. Reu. 2.3. Marke 16. Luke 10. it is called an heauenly Kingdome, a bleſſed and euerlaſting Kingdome, a Celeſtiall and heauenly Ieruſalem, a Kingdome of glory, a Throne of Maieſty, a Paradiſe of pleaſure, the glory of God, and life euerlaſting.
In the Kingdome of heauen are three ſacred and moſt bleſſed orders or dignities: The firſt of them is Superceleſtiall, containing Cherubins, Seraphins, and Thrones: The ſecond Celeſtiall, containing Dominions, Principalities and Powers: The third Subceleſtiall, containing Vertues, Arch-Angels, and Angels.
Reu. 21.10Iohn, to ſhew vntounto vsus in ſome meaſure, the vnſpeakable glory of heauen, deſcribes the place vnderunder the name of a great City; comparing it with the moſt precious things of this world; inuironed round about with a great wall for the ſafegard of the Citizens.
The wall is made of Iaſper, to note the riches therof: in the wall are twelue gates, which doe open vntounto eueryevery quarter of the world, ſignifying the willingneſſe of heauen to accept the Elect in eueryevery place, on eueryevery ſide, and from eueryevery Countrey and Nation.
Reue. 21.2 Eſay 60.11Theſe gates are made of pearles, and eueryevery gate is a pearle vndiuided, without blemiſh:Reu. 21.25 They are euer open, ſignifying ſecurity, to receiue with welcome, all that enter in.
At thoſe gates are twelue Angels, whoſe names are written vponupon the gates,Reu. 21.2. and they are the twelue Tribes of Iſrael. They are porters to keepe out all ſtrangers,Reu. 21.21 Reu. 22.15 and to admit with welcom all Citizens. EueryEvery gate hath a porter, to ſhew vigilancy: EueryEvery porter is a Tribe, to ſhew the dignity:Reu. 21, 2, EueryEvery porters name is on the gate, to the end that eueryevery one ſhould execute his owne charge.
The wall wherein thoſe gates are,Reu. 21, 14 hath twelue foū dations, to betoken a ſure & firme eſtabliſhed groundworke. In thoſe foundations are writtē the names of the Lambes twelue Apoſtles, implying, that the foundation of the City is layde vponupon the Rocke of Faith.
Reu. 21.2.The foundations of the wall of the City are garniſhed with all manner of pretious ſtones.
The firſt is Iaſper, to figure proſperity; the ſecond Saphir, in ſigne of truth; the third a Chalcedony, to note perfection; the fourth an Emerald, in to-of victory; the fift Sardonix, implying ſecurity; the ſixt Sardius, to demonſtrate fidelity; the ſeuenth Chryſolite, to expreſſe purity; the eight Berill, to marke out content; the ninth a Topaz, alluding vntounto plenty; the tenth a Chryſopraſus, to deſigne beatitude; the eleuenth a Iacinth, to ſpeake of Eternity; the twelfth an Amethyſt, to manifeſt louelove. And thus is the wall garniſhed, to ſhew vsus the treaſure and felicity thereof.
The City it ſelfe is all of pure gold,Reu. 21.21 Reu. 21, 23 Reu. 22, 1, 2, both the buildings and ſtreets are gold, ſhining like cleere glaſſe: the light of this City is Chriſt: from his ſeate proceedeth a riuer as cleere as Cryſtall; on both ſides the bankes growes the tree of Life, that yeelds continuall fruite; it beareth twelue times eueryevery yeare, twelue manner of fruits, to repreſent the quantity, and variety of the pleaſures and ioyes of heauen: of which riuer and fruits all the inhabitants may eate and drink their fill.Reue. 21.6
The riuer is neuer drying, nor the fruits fayling, for the Lord maintaineth the ſame. There is no winter to nip the fruits, no ſommer to conſume the water; nor fall of the leafe to diſgarniſh the tree of his beauty: There is no heate to vexe, nor cold to grieue, no hunger nor thirſt, no malice nor ſtrife, no anger, no pride, no diſſimulation nor deceit, no couetouſnes nor griping, no whoredom or vncleanneſſe, no ſwearing or profaning, no diſobedience.
There is no coſener to collogue, no paraſite to diſſemble, no foe to fight, no inferiour to yeelde obedience, no forrainers but brethren, no ſtrangers but all of the houſhold of faith,Rom. 8.17 Titus 3.7, Children of one holy Father, coheires with Chriſt their elder brother.
They ſhall not neede the helpe of any Doctor for Phyſicke, nor any Lawyer to pleade for their right:Mat. 24.25 the whole Kingdome is their owne, and their Letters patents of Donation are recorded.
This is the principal inheritance of the Saints, and the habitation for all the Elect children of God, prepared for them from the beginning of the world.
To conclude this point, make vsus, O Lord, to bee of the number of them whom thou haſt ordained to reign with thee in thy heauenly Kingdome: write vsus in the booke of Life, that we may bee in the aſſembly of thy righteous Saints: and giuegive vsus grace to bee ſorrowfull for our ſinnes, fearefull of thy Iudgements, thankefull for thy benefites, louers of thy mercies, and mindefull of thy preſence; that we may be diligent to pleaſe thee, hauehave grace to know thee and hope to embrace thee, through the merits of Ieſus Chriſt our Sauiour. Amen.
Secondly, Heauen is deſcribed by the Magnitude.
AS Heauen is a moſt glorious Kingdome, ſo it is a moſt ſpacious and large place: the Angel meaſuring the ſame,Reu. 21, 16, 17, findeth it to bee eueryevery way 12000. furlongs, eueryevery which furlong hauing in it twenty fiue Geometricall paces, eight of them doth make a mile, which is fiue thouſand foote: So that theſe twelue thouſand furlongs, are made fifteene thouſand miles, which beeing made ſquare by addition, there are thrice ſo many, for the other three parts, or three ſquares of the City.
This is that large Kingdome which containeth the innumerable multitude of all the Elect children of God. Thouſand thouſands doe miniſter vntounto him, and ten thouſand times an hundred thouſand, doe ſtand about the ſeate and Throne of God:Reu. 7, 9, Of eueryevery Tribe of Iſrael were ſealed twelue thouſand: and great multituds which no man could number, of all Nations, and Kindreds and people: and the Inhabitants of heauen exceede in number the ſtars in the firmament, or the ſands by the Sea ſhore.
Baruch 3, 24.O Iſraell, how great is the houſe of God, and how large is the place of his poſſeſſion. In domo Patris mei multae ſunt manſiones, Iohn. 14, 2.In my Fathers houſe there are many manſions, ſayth our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt: Whereof this proportion may be made, that as far as the whole world in greatneſſe and compaſſe of place doth exceede the wombe of one priuat womā, ſo much doth the place of bliſſe paſſe all the whole worlde in greatneſſe and quantity. And as much as a man liuing in this world doth paſſe a child in his mothers wombe, in ſtrength of body, beauty, wit, vnderſtanding and knowledge; ſo much and ſo farre more doth a Saint in heauen paſſe men of this world in all heauenly knowledge.
This place is ſo great & ſpacious, as if wee compare the whole cōpaſſe of earthly things with the multitude of heauenly, all that euer God made beſides heauen it ſelfe, is but as a prick or ſmall point, or period, beeing matched with the workemanſhippe of heauen.
This is that large and glorious Kingdom of God, which he hath prepared to ſet forth his glory, and to expreſſe vntounto vsus his mighty power.
To conclude this point, though heauen be large and great, which no tongue can expreſſe; yet ſtreight is the way, & narrow is the gate to goe into it: Many ſeeke it, and few finde it: for the ſtreitneſſe of the way is affliction; ye narrownes of the gate is true contrition; the Suburbs is the Church; & the dore is Chriſt, by whō (if we truly ſeek) we ſhal ſurely enter in. O let vsus therefore ſtriue to auoyd ſin, ye our wayes may be verity; our paths piety; Gods holy ſpirit our cōductor; his Word our director; Our Faith holde the Anchor, while Grace ſteeres the Helme: Let our teares bée the ſeas, and our ſighes the gales of wind, to arriue at Gods heauenly Kingdom; which God hath prepared vsus; Chriſt hath merited for vsus, the holy Spirit doth aſſure vsus, and our godly life will witneſſe the ſame vntounto vsus: which the Father of mercy, euen for his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt his ſake, for euer grant vntounto vsus. Amen.