The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 3 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of the ioyes of heauen; that they are ineffable and vnconceiuable: and of the names and titles which in the Scriptures are giuen vntounto them.
BY that which hath been said it may appeare,§. Sect. 1. That Christians ought much to preferre heauen before the earth in regard that it is their owne countrey. both that the world, and the vanities thereof, are of no true worth or excellencie; and also that though they were in themselues of some value, yet not vntounto vsus, who are heere pilgrims and strangers, and citizens and inhabitants of another citie and countrie, euen the new Ierusalem, and heauenly Canaan. For experience teacheth vsus, that though men in their trauailes doe passe by lands and kingdomes much more rich, fruitfull, and pleasant then their owne; yet because they hauehave neither interest, nor abiding in them, they preferre before them their owne home, and take their chiefe delight in seeing (as we say) the smoake of their owne countrie, because there is the place of their residing, wherein they hauehave their part and share, of all the commodities and delights which it affoordeth, for the maintenance and preseruation of their liues. And we know that this proprietie maketh poore men also in the same countrie, to take more comfort and pleasure, in their own houses, though thatched, and ill furnished; and in their owne gardens, fields, and orchards, though they are rude, disordred, and vnpleasant, then in those who appertaine vntounto other men, though neuer so curious, artificiall, and delightfull. In which respect though the things of this life were to bee preferred before those of the life to come; yet by the same reason wee should little regard them, in comparison of the other, because we hauehave no right, interest, and inheritance in them, but only passe by them, and vse them as helps, whereby wee may the better be inabled to attaine vntounto our iourneys end, and hauehave the other reserued for vsus as our patrimonie, which wee shall hold for the tearme of that life which shall be endlesse and euerlasting. But as men hauing proprietie vntounto those things which are most excellent, and by infinite degrees to be preferred before such things as belong vntounto others, doe in comparison of their owne possessions basely esteeme, and easily contemne that, vntounto which they hauehave no right and title; as the French man or Italian hauing goodly inheritances in their owne countries, may easily despise the deserts of Arabia for their barrennes, and the northerne climes almost inhabitable, by reason of their extreame cold: so this being our case, and we hauing a countrie most rich, most glorious, full of all goodnesse and blessednesse, it may bee a thing easie for all those who consider of it, to contemne and set lightly by this earthly desert, and to preferre before it our heauenly countrie, much more then the children of Israel preferred the fruitful land of Canaan, before that waste and desert wildernesse, through which they had trauelled towards their owne countrie. But for as much as men in the world doe so much ouerualue this place of their pilgrimage, and lightly esteeme of our heauenly habitatiō; delighting thēselues here as in their paradise, and mourning & fearing to depart vntounto their owne home, as though it were the place of their exile and banishment: and seeing all this louelove of the one, proceedeth from a supposed excellencie, and this dislike or loathing of the other, from a false conceit, that by our change, our state shall be impaired, and we in worse case then wee were before; which can proceed from nothing but from grosse ignorance, or pagan-like infidelity, whereby either we know not what ioy and happinesse is prepared for Gods saints, or doe not beleeue that wee shall hauehave our part and interest in them; therefore as I hauehave already shewed the base worthlesnesse, and vaine vnprofitablenesse of worldly things, that we might be freed from that deluding opinion which doth bewitch vsus with their louelove: so now for conclusion of this book, I will also intreate of the diuine excellencie of our heauenly ioyes, that hauing some knowledge and tast of them, we may be rauished with their louelove, and in comparison of them, and the meanes of attaining vntounto them, lightly esteeme and contemne these worldly toyes, and trifling vanities.
Wherein my purpose is to auoid curious and friuolous§. Sect. 2. That it is impossible to describe the ioyes of heauen in any perfection. questions, which as they hauehave no vse or profit, so no true ground out of Gods word; and to content my sel…e with that which may be said of these heauenly ioyes, either directly out of the Scriptures, or may by necessarie consequence be gathered from these infallible testimonies. The which because they speake sparingly in this argument, in respect of the glory and greatnesse of these surpassing ioyes; therefore I would admonish the reader, that hee doe not expect any full or perfect description of them, seeing this is altogether impossible, either to me, or any other liuing, whilest wee remaine here in this place of our pilgrimage, as being a secret which is not to be reuealed by discourse, but by experience1. Ioh 3. 2. and fruition. For so the Apostle Iohn plainely affirmeth, that we are now the sons of God, but yet it doth not appeare what 1. Tim. 6. 16.we shall be; and the Apostle Paul saith, that God dwelleth in the light which none can attaine vntounto, whom neuer man saw, neither can see. Of which our insufficiency in comprehending these heauenly mysteries, diuers reasons may bee rendred: first, because the Lord would hauehave the ful and perfect knowledge of these diuine excellencies concealed, to exercise hereby our faith, louelove, obedience and patience; for he would hauehave vsus whilest we continue here to liue by faith, and not by sight, to seeke after these ioyes vponupon his word, though wee hauehave no distinct and sensible knowledge of them in our selues; to doe our worke and performe our dutie as well for louelove to himselfe, as for the reward which we are to receiue, and hauing done what he inioyneth vsus, wholly to referre the wages to his owne bountie. Whereas if there were a cleere and distinct knowledge of those heauenly excellencies, and surpassing ioyes in eueryevery one of vsus, it were not thanksworthie to be a christian, neither had we any occasion of approuing our faith, louelove, and willing obedience vntounto God, seeing they would rauish vsus with their beautie and excellencie, and make vsus respectiue of our dutie, if not for louelove towards God, yet at least for the reward sake. And this cause the Apostle Paul seemeth to intimate, where he saith, that hee was taken 2, Cor. 12. 4.vp into paradise, and there heard words, which could not again be spoken by him, and which were not lawfull for man to vtter; as being secrets of State, the knowledge whereof was appropriated to those who were admitted citizens & free burgesses of that glorious kingdome. Another cause may bee our imperfection in knowledge, which is a fruit and punishment of our sinne, accompanying vsus as long as wee continue in this life. For the Apostle telleth vsus, that wee know but in part, 1. Cor. 13. 9. 12.and see as through a glasse darkely: and that to see face to face, and to know as we are knowne, is reserued for the life to come. So that when we hauehave sought out as much as wee can these inscrutable and hidden mysteries, we may crie out with Iob; Iob 26. 14.Lo these are part of his waies; but how little a portion heare wee of him? and who can vnderstand his fearefull power? Neither need this to seeme strange vntounto any, if wee doe but consider that our knowledge and vnderstanding hath receiued so great a maime by▪ our originall sinne, that wee are ignorant for the most part of the things appertaining to this life, knowing them not in their true nature, formes, and essence, but onelyonly in their figures, qualities, and properties; and that not by a present, immediate and cleere vnderstanding, but onelyonly by sense, obseruation, induction, and experience. In which respect it is impossible to make a blind man by descriptions cleerely to know the nature of colours, and to conceiue of the brightnesse of the sunne, because hee wanteth▪ those organs and instruments of knowledge which should conueigh it to the common sense, phantasie, and vnderstanding: or to make a man perfectly to conceiue of the sweetnesse of honie, and the delightfull odour of a rose, who wants those senses of tast and smelling. And this reason the author of the booke of Wisedome plainely expresseth: Hardly (saith hee) can we discerne the things that are vponupon Wisd. 9. 16.earth, and with great labour find wee out the things that are before vsus; and who then can seeke out the things that are in heauen? To which purpose another saith, that it is not for vsus in thisBernard. super Cantica, Serm. 38. time of ignorance, whilest we remaine in our earthly bodies, to mount into the clouds, to pierce this fulnesse of light, to breake into this bottomlesse profunditie of glory, or to dwel in this vnapprochable brightnesse: for this is reserued for our last day, when we shall be presented vntounto God, glorious, and without spot or wrinckle; for how shall wee see God in his glory, and behold the beautifull brightnesse of his heauenly habitation; seeing our vnderstandings are so blinded with ignorance, that we doe not know our selues, nor in any perfection conceiue what our owne soules are, which is the chiefe part of our essence and being? Finally, it is impossible till we come to heauen, and hauehave our vnderstandings inlightened and inlarged by him who first made them, that we should conceiue, and comprehend these ioyes in regard of their greatnesse, and surpassing excellencie; for as our weake eyes cannot behold the sun, but it presently dazleth them, and if they bee not turned away maketh them blind, because this too excelling obiect corrupteth the sense: so our weake vnderstandings cannot possiblie conceiue and comprehend the glorious brightnesse of these heauenly ioyes; and if aboue their reach and capacity they attempt it, they are presently surcharged with their glory and greatnesse. And the reason hereof is cleere and euident; for seeing this glory and happinesse consisteth principally in the vision and fruition of God, who is infinite and incomprehensible; therefore it is as impossible in this life for any man to comprehend them, as to containe the ocean in the shell of a nut. To which purpose one saith, what this eternall glory is, withAugust. tom. 10. Serm. 1. what rich treasures this heauenly kingdome aboundeth, and with what glorious brightnesse it shineth, it cannot bee expressed, but is rather with praises to be admired and magnified. But yet though this heauenly glory cannot be fully expressed, it is not wholly to be pretermitted, though it cannot be purtrayed (as it were) in liuely colours, yet it is not to be left vnshadowed; for seeing wee know but in part,Nec ideo tamen debeo tacere, sed dicere quantum valeo, quia dicere qua… tum volo, non valeo. August. lib. medit. cap. 18. therefore as it is not fit to comprehend the whole; so neither to omit and let that part passe which wee conceiue: and seeing the holy ghost hath in many places of the Scriptures in some darke maner shadowed this glory, and giuen vsus a tast of these ioyes, we must not neglect it because wee cannot hauehave our full draught; and because we cannot comprehend as much as we would, we must not slightly ouerpasse that which we can: considering that God hath purposely granted vsus a sight of these first fruits, that we may more hartily long after the whole haruest, and hath in his holy word giuen vsus a tast of this happinesse, that we may vse all possible meanes to come vntounto this fountaine of glory, where we may drinke our fill, and hath giuen vsus liberty both to thinke and speake of the ioyes of his kingdome, according to our measure and proportion, though we cannot fully conceiue them; euen as we hauehave liberty to thinke and speake of his owne infinite maiesty with respectiue reuerence, although he be ineffableNumb. 27. 12. 13. and incomprehensible. As therefore Moses for his sinne was not suffered to enter into the land of promise, and so to take a particular view of eueryevery part of the earthly Canaan, and yet was permitted to goe to the top of mount Abarim, and thence to take some generall sight and notice of it; so although we by our sinnes hauehave the eyes of our vnderstandings so dimmed, that we cannot cleerely and distinctly behold the glorious beauty of the holy land; yet let vsus take some such generall view as the Lord in his word reuealeth it vntounto vsus. And as those who cannot behold the sunne shining in his full brightnesse, attaine vntounto such a sight of it as they are capable of by looking vponupon it, or rather the image and resemblance of it, in a standing poole, or dish of water; so though we cannot see these glorious ioyes in their own perfect beautie, because our vnderstandings would bee astonished and confounded; yet let vsus as it were by reflection discouer them as well as wee can, in some earthly shadowes and resemblances. OnelyOnly as one exhorteth, let vsus not curiouslyCertè ex men… mo scire quaerat quod me nescire scio, nisi fortè vt nescire discat, quod sciri non posse, sciendum est. August. de symb. ad catechum. lib. 2. cap. 12. §. Sect. 3. What the ioyes of heauen are, and what names and titles are in the holy Scriptures giuen vntounto them. seek out that, which the Apostles themselues could not fully expresse; neither let any man desire to know of me that, of which I hauehave this onelyonly knowledge, that I know it not; vnlesse hee would learne to bee ignorant of that, which wee ought onelyonly thus farre to know, that it cannot be knowne of vsus.
First therefore that we may hauehave some small glimpse of this glorie, we are to know, that this Kingdome of God, and ioies of heauen, is nothing else but that chiefe happinesse and supreme felicitie, which the holy Saints, who hauehave faithfullie serued God in this life, shall eternally inioy with God himselfe, and his sonne Christ, in the life to come; whilest being freed from all worldly euils and miseries, they doe communicate in all the heauenly happinesse, and vnspeakeable blessednesse prepared for them, especially in the fruition of God, who being infinit in all perfection, shall bee all in all vntounto them. Which ioies, that we may the better conceiue of, let vsus first consider of the names, titles, and epithets, which in the Scriptures are giuen vntounto them; and afterwards speake, according to the measure of knowledge reuealed vntounto vsus, of the parts thereof. Concerning the former, wee hauehave of them great varietie in the booke of God▪ whereby both the great excellencie, perfect sufficiencie, incomparable glory, rauishing delight, & eternal felicitie of this heauēly glory is implied and signified. The greatnesse and excellencie of this eternall blessednesse is noted, when as it is called a aMatth. 25. 34. Luke 12. 32.Kingdome, seeing there is no riches, glorie, or pleasures which a Kingdō affordeth not: and lest we should conceiue that it yeeldeth no better treasures, honours and delights, then earthly Kingdomes doe, it is called the bMatth. 7. 31. & 18. 3.Kingdome of heauen: to note vntounto vsus, that as farre as heauen exceedeth earth in largenesse, statelinesse, height and beautie, so much the priuiledges and roiall prerogatiues of this heauenly kingdome, exceed the earthly in greatnesse and in glorie. Yea, it is called also the cActs 4. 22.Kingdome of God, to shew vntounto vsus, that it is absolute in all perfection, and as farre aboue earthly Kingdomes in maiestie and true felicitie, as the King of Kings excelleth the pettie Princes of the world. In the same respect it is called the dApoc. 3. 12.new Ierusalem, and the citie of God: to signifie, that it is the place which God hath specially chosen, the metropolis, or chiefe seate of his boundlesse empire, and, as it were, the court of the great King, where our Lord and Soueraigne, who is omnipresent, and filleth heauen and earth, doth keepe his chiefe residence, and therein manifest his glory and greatnesse. And therefore looke how much the chiefe citie of the Kingdome, and the Princes roiall court doe excell in riches and glorie, the poorest and remotest countrie village: and so, and much more doth this heauenly citie, and court roiall of the King of Kings, excell all worldly empire and dominion. The perfect sufficiencie of these heauenly ioies is also noted by the names which are giuen vntounto them; for they are called a eApoc. 7. 17. & 21. 6.liuely fountaine, and the well of the water of life, of which, whosoeuer drinke shall neuer thirst: to shew vntounto vsus, that as he who hath an euer springing fountaine, can neuer want water; so he who is once possessed with these heauenly ioyes, hath alwaies sufficiencie of all glorie and goodnesse. And in the same respect they are called fPsalm. 83. 5. Apoc. 19. 9.blessednesse and felicitie: vntounto which is required the confluence of all perfections, full contentment, and the fruition of our summum bonum▪ and chiefe happinesse; so that where blessednesse is, nothing is troublesome, nothing wanting, but all good things are present in possession, which the hart of man can desire and wish. The incomparable glorie likewise of this heauenly happines, is liuely signified by the titles and similitudes whereby it is described; for it is called the maiesticall gApoc. 3. 12. & 7. 15.temple, wherein our great King vouchsafeth his glorious presence, and is continually praised and magnified, by many millions of his heauenly quiristers, and holy seruants: it is called the throne of God, whereon he sitteth, whilest he raigneth and ruleth ouer all his creatures, and whereon he vouchsafeth to allow hApoc. 3. 21.vsus a place to sit together with him. Finally, it is called a crowne, to shew, that it is full of glorie and maiestie; and lest wee should thinke it a crowne gotten or possessed with tyrannie and iniustice, it is called a i2. Tim. 4. ….crowne of righteousnesse; and lest we should feare, that like earthly crownes, it should be subiect to change and alteration; it is called a k1. Cor. 9. 25.crowne incorruptible, which cannot be taken from vsus; and a lIames 1. 12. Apoc. 2. 10.crowne of life, and therefore not to bee left or lost by death; and lest wee should imagine that it is a copper crowne, base and of small value, it is not onelyonly said to bee a glorious crowne, but a m1. Pet. 5. 4. Wisd. 5. 16.crowne of glory, and of beautie. Yea, it is called oRom. 9. 23.glorie it selfe, to note vntounto vsus, that nothing in heauen or earth can be more glorious. Thus also the rauishing ioy of this glorious Kingdome is plainely noted by those titles and similitudes which are in the word of God ascribed and applied vntounto it: for it is resembled by a great pApoc. 19. 9.feast and banquet, where nothing is to be found but mirth and gladnesse, yea to a qMatth. 22. 2.mariage supper, which exceedeth all other feasts in ioy and delight. It is called r2. Thes. 1. 7.rest, wherein being freed from our labours, we shall wholly giuegive our selues to pleasure; and that not an idle rest, which is more tedious and loathsome, then businesse and imploiment, but a rest which comforteth and sAct. 3. 19.refresheth vsus, being spent in glorifying God, and in singing praises to him, who is the author of all our welfare. So it is called tPsal. 16. 11.fulnesse of ioy, to shew vntounto vsus, that we shall hauehave our harts fullie satisfied with those pleasures, & that there shal be no part of vsus emptie and void of delight. And the swift uPsalm. 36. ….flowing riuer, and torrent of pleasure: to note that they are like a streame, which hauing an indeficient and euerspringing fountaine, the God of all ioy and comfort, can neuer become drie; and that we shall be wholly carried and transported by their louelove, like a little boate in a swift current. Yea, and as though there were nothing now in earth fit to resemble the greatnesse of this heauenly ioy, it is called xLuke 23. 43. Apoc. 2. 7.Paradise, which was that place of all ioy and happinesse, and that garden of pleasure and delight, in which our first parents were placed in the state of innocencie. And as though this temporary and finite happinesse were not enough to expresse this eternall and vnspeakeable glory, it is called the yMatth. 25. 21.ioy of our great Lord and Master, King of heauen and earth: to shew vntounto vsus, that seeing it is his ioy wherein he delighteth, it must needs like himselfe, be infinite and eternall. Finally, the perpetuitie and euerlasting continuance of this heauenly happinesse, and ineffable glory, is plainely signified by those names and titles, which in Gods word are ascribed vntounto it. For it is called a aIohn 14. …. 2. Cor. 5. 1.mansion and dwelling house, wherein we are to remaine, and continually to inhabit in our own countrie, and is herein opposed to our earthly tents and tabernacles, out of which wee are still flitting and remoouing. It is called, not a tenement at will, to be poss…ssed and left at the landlords pleasure, but b1. Pet. 1. 4.an inheritance▪ not like vntounto our earthly patrimonies, which in a short time are taken away from vsus, or we from them, but an inheritance immortall▪ vndefiled, and that fadeth not away. In which sense also it is called an c1. Pet. 5. 4.incorruptible crowne, which cannot perish; a dApoc. 21▪ 6.fountaine of life, which is neuer drie; eIohn 3. 16.eternall life, which is subiect to no mortalitie or end; fMatth. 6. 20.vncorrupted treasures▪ which neither can perish, nor be stollen away; a gHeb. 12. 28.Kingdome which cannot be shaken with any violence; and h1. Pet. 5. 10.eternall glorie, which neither hath any limits, nor knoweth end. Seeing therefore names wisely giuen doe signifie the nature and properties of the things named, how vnspeakeable and infinit are these ioyes of heauen in all goodnesse, glorie and happinesse, which the wisdome of God himselfe hath imposed all these names vponupon, as knowing that no one, or few of them, are sufficient to expresse, or so much as darkelie to resemble their infinit perfection, & surpassing excellencie?