The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 3 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Of the fruition of God, and of those vnspeakeable ioyas which will arise from it.
ANd thus hauehave I shewed what inestimable ioies§. Sect. 1. That as the Lord is the author, so also the chiefe matter of our heauenly ioyes. are prepared for the Saints, both in respect of the things within them, and without them; all which, though they are so great, that the heart of man cannot possibly conceiue them; yet are they all but little or nothing, in comparison of that incomprehensible ioy and happinesse, which we shal hauehave in the fruition of God himselfe, infinite in al goodnesse and perfection; whereby wee shal for euer inioy his presence, behold his face and glorie, and bee vnited vntounto him in a blessed & holy communion, that so he may become1. Cor. 15. 28. al in al. Which ioy being like the author and obiect thereof, infinit and incomprehensible, it is not to be expected, that I should in the least measure, as it is in it owne nature, expresse it; seeing in regard of it infinit perfection, the heart of man cannot conceiue the least part thereof, much lesse his tongue or pen vtter it; onelyonly I wil content my selfe to hauehave shadowed it out in some darke maner, and to discouer it by the light of the word, as it were a farre off, expecting the ful reuelation thereof in the great day of Gods appearing. First therefore we are to know, that as God is the chiefe author and cause of all our happines, electing vsus to eternall life before the world was, creating vsus vntounto glorie, and graciouslie affording vntounto vsus al the meanes of our saluation; so also he is the chiefe obiect, and (as it were) materiall cause, and substance, of all our ioy and happinesse. And (as one saith) it is he, both whichAugust. crowneth vsus with a glorious crowne, and is also himselfe this crowne of glorie; it is hee that promiseth, and who is also that which is promised, he is the rewarder, and hee also is our reward. And finally, he giueth vntounto vsus heauenly happinesse and blessednesse, and is also this blessednesse and felicitie it selfe. And thus the Lord promiseth vntounto Abraham, not onelyonly that he would reward him greatly, but also that hee himselfeGenes. 15. 1. would be his exceeding great reward. And holy Dauid in manyPsalm. 16. 5. 11. places calleth the Lord his life, his light, his glorie, his strength, his portion, and the lot of his inheritance: and finally affirmeth, that when he should appeare, hee should beePsalm. 17. 15. throughly satisfied with his image, because in his presence is fulnesse of ioy, and pleasures at his right hand for euermore. To which purpose one saith, that it shall be our reward to seeBernard. meditat. deuot. cap. 4. God, to liue with God, to liue of God, to be with God, and to be in God, who shall be all in all; to hauehave God, who is the summum bonum, and chief good; for where the chief good is, there is the chiefe happines, the chiefe pleasure, true libertie, perfect charitie, eternall securitie, and secure eternity; there is true gladnes and reioycing, perfect knowledge, al fulnes, and al blessednes; there is peace, piety, goodnes, light, vertue, honestie, the ioy of continual mirth, sweetnesse, life eternal; glory, praise, rest, louelove, and sweet concord. And this (namely, that God is our summum bonum, and chief happines) the very Heathens themselues from time to time hauehave confessed and acknowledged, as it were casie to shew, had not that ornamentMorn. de verit. relig. Christ. cap. 19. of true nobility, & excellent instrument of Gods glory, by his learned labors shewed this at large, and saued me this labor.
Now as the Lord is our reward and the perfection of our§. Sect. 2. That all ioy and happinesse accompanieth our fruition of God, as being the perfection and accomplishment of them all▪ ioy and happines; so we are further to know, that aboue all other rewards he is most excellent; and of all other ioyes, by infinit degrees most delightfull; for whereas other ioyes in heauen exceedingly please, it is he alone that can fully content vsus: whereas others are inestimable and of great worth; it is he only who is al-sufficient, and being infinit in al goodnesse and perfection, doth giuegive vntounto vsus ful contentment, and compleate happines. And this is that which he himselfe saith vntounto Abraham; I am God al-sufficient, walke before me and be Genes. 17. 1.thou vpright: and hereof it is, that hauing promised in the Reuelation to him that ouercommeth, that he shall inherit all Apoc. 21. 7.things, he sheweth how he shall be made thus compleate, saying, I will be his God, and he shall be my sonne. And indeed how can he want light, that hath this Sunne of righteousnes still shining vponupon him? how can he lacke warmth, who is continually heated with the flames of this diuine louelove? how can he thirst, who hath this euer-springing fountaine which yeeldeth streames of the water of life? And in a word, how can he want any good who enioyeth the chiefe goodnes, in whom all vertue, knowledge, and whatsoeuer goodnes can be named, or desired, are most absolute, and in all fulnes and perfection? For (as one saith) his diuine beautie the AngelsAugust. de Triplici habitac. cap. 4. wonder at, by his power the dead are raised, of his wisdome there is no number, or measure, whose kingdome knoweth no end, whose glory cannot change, whose light so obscureth the Sunne, that in comparison thereof it is but darknes; who in sweetnes so far exceedeth honie, that being compared, it is as bitter as wormewood; whose face if the damned soules could behold, they would feele no punishment, no griefe or heauines; whose presence would change hell it selfe into a paradise of pleasure and delight. Wherby it appeareth,August. de Spiritu & Anima. cap. 65. not only that God is the chiefe and supreame cause and obiect of al our felicity and blessednes in the kingdome of heauen; but also that he is al-sufficient to make vsus perfectly happie, as being our summum bonum, infinit in all goodnes and perfection. Now further we are to know, that the fruition of this God al-sufficient, and our chiefe and supreame good, is that which we call blessednes, and our heauenly happines. Of which fruition of God, there are made three degrees, or diuers manners: First when we enioy God in his creatures; in them seeing and vnderstanding his wisedome, power, and goodnes, in his creating, preseruing, gouerning and disposing of all the creatures in heauen and earth most wisely, mightily, and gratiously. To which purpose the Psalmist saith, that the heauens declare the glorie of God, and the firmament Psalme 19. 1.sheweth the worke of his hands: and the Apostle Paul more plainly affirmeth, that the inuisible things of God, that is, Rom. 1. 20▪his eternall power and God-head, are seene in the creation of the world, being considered in his workes. Secondly, we are said to enioy him in our selues, and that diuersly in respect of the diuers faculties of our soules, as in our vnderstandings, when they are enlightned with the beames of his wisdome, and diuine knowledge, whereby we are enabled to know him, and our selues, together with his will and workes; in our wils and desires, when he replenisheth them with perfect iustice and righteousnesse, whereby they are made conformable to his will (in which sense they are pronounced blessed, who hunger Matth. 5. 6.after righteousnesse, because they shall be satisfied) and inabled to refuse that which God disliketh, and to chuse that which he loueth. Finally, we enioy him in our heart and affections, when as louing him aboue all, and wholly depending vponupon his power and goodnesse, we attaine vntounto peace and tranquillitie of mind, and are replenished with all ioy and delight: in which respect we shall be most happie, when as our knowledge cannot puffe vsus vp, by reason of our righteousnes, nor our righteousnes be distastefull and troublesome by reason of our ioy. And lastly, we are said to enioy1. Cor. 13. 12. God in himselfe, which of al the rest is most pleasing and delightfull; when we shall know him in his persons, nature, and attributes, not as in this life darkely, and through a glasse, but as the Apostle speaketh, face to face: for this (as our SauiourIohn▪ 17. 3. saith) is eternall life to know God, and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. Neither shal this fruition consist in a bare knowledge of God the Father, his Sonne; and holy Spirit, but in that communion which we shall hauehave with them, whereby they wil become vntounto vsus al in al, as we shal see hereafter. And that not in a partie, or imperfect communion, whereby eueryevery of the Saints, should hauehave their share in this blessed fruition; for God is a most perfect and indiuisible essence, so that they who inioy him, inioy him wholly, without any sharing and diuision. For as on the earth, eueryevery one totally inioyeth the light of the Sun; and as a speech made among a multitude, is not diuided by words and syllables, but is wholly and intirely receiued of all the hearers: so much more may our God whose essence is most simple, pure, indiuisible, and omnipresent, not filling one place more then another with his presence, but all alike, whether they bee neere at hand, or more remote; communicate himselfe to bee inioyed totally and wholly, of all, and eueryevery of the blessed Saints.
By al which it is cleare and manifest, that howsoeuer there§. Sect. 3. That the fruition of God must needs be the perfection of our …oy, seeing all goodnes, beautie and excellencie is contained, and vnited in him. …imis est aua…s cui non suf…icit Dominus. Bernard. in Coena Domini Serm. 7. are innumerable and inestimable ioyes in heauen, yet the fruition of God is the chiefe, and the perfection of them all; with which alone, without all the rest wee should bee most perfectly blessed, and without which, though we had all the other, our happines should be maimed and imperfect: for inioying God infinit in all perfection, our hearts and soules shal be fully satisfied and replenished with ioy, and (as one saith) he is too too couetous, who is not sufficed with the fruition of God; and without him, though we had all other ioyes of heauen and earth, there would still remaine an emptines in the soule, which would keepe v… from full contentment, and make vsus still seeke after more happinesse. Concerning the former; how can it be, but there must needs be perfection of ioy, where God himselfe our chiefe goodnes shal be inioyed? for if the beautie of vertue, being beheld and wel discerned, would (as one saith) stir vp in vsus, a wonderful louelovePlato. and admiration of it; how much more wil the sight and fruition of God doe this, who is the fountaine of all vertue and goodnes, infinit in all glorie and perfection? If the Queene of Saba thought Salomons seruants happie, because they alwaies1. King. 10. 8. stood before him, and heard his wisdome; how much more blessed are they, who enioy Gods presence for euermore, who being a boūdlesse ocean of wisdome, from which those little drops distilled, can neuer be drie, but shal continually hauehave riuers and streames of diuine prudence flowing from him? If Moses attained vntounto an extraordinarie measureExod. 33. 22. 23. of ioy and happines, when he was admitted to see Gods hinder parts, and some small beames of his infinit glory and maiestie; how happie and blessed shall we be, when we shall be admitted into his glorious presence, and continually see him face to face? If we so much desire to see, and see with ioy and admiration, men who are excellent in any kind, as those who are exceeding wise, valorous, strong, beautifull, learned, or indued with some extraordinarie parts, although they be but maimed and imperfect; then how shall we be rauished with ioy and holy wonder, when we shal both see and enioy God himselfe, in whom al excellencies do concurre, and that infinitly and in all fulnes and perfection? If we could find a man in whom the graces and good parts, not only of al other men, but also of al the rest of the creatures, fully concurred, as the faith of Abraham, the piety of Dauid, ye louelove of Ionathan, the wisdome of Salomon, the beautie of Absalon, the strength of Sampson, the sweetnes of odoriferous flowers, the brightnes of the Sun, &c. who would not admire his excellēcy, and think himself happy, if he might inioy his louelove & cōpany? but al the goodnes, beauty, excellencie, and perfection of all the creatures ioyned together, is nothing in comparison of that, which we shal see and enioy in our al-sufficient Creator, they being al but little drops of this euer-springing fountain, smal sparks of this great flame, & lesse thē a graine of sand, in comparison of the whole earth & heauēs: seeing he hath in him al beautie, glory, & goodnes, which they hauehave but in smal portions; he hath yt in al perfectiō, which they hauehave imperfectly, and in some little degree; & infinitly aboue al measure, wheras they hauehave it but in their measure and proportion. Whereof it is that what excellencies and good parts are ascribed to the creatures (as we say in the concrete) as being properties and qualities of their nature & substāce, they are al attributed vntounto God in the abstract, as being his very nature it selfe, and of his essence & being; so the creatures are called good, but the Creator goodnes it selfe; man is said to be wise, holy, iust, louing, when as he hath these graces & vertues imparted vntounto him; but God is wisdome, holines, iustice, louelove, not receiuing them from any other, but hauing them eternally in his owne nature and being. In which respect it is said, that there is none aMatth. 19. 17.good but God: that he is b1. Tim. 1. 17.only wise: that there is none c1. Sam. 2. 2.holy as the Lord, yea none besides him: because none are so in their owne nature, and from themselues; but what they hauehave, they hauehave receiued it from God. From whence we may conclude, that if there be any beautie, excellencie, goodnesse and perfection in the creatures, it is infinitly more in the Creator, from whom they first had it: for if he could without impairing of his owne excellencie and substance, impart vntounto his creatures, such goodnesse, beautie, and perfection, by his sole word, making them of nothing such as they are, and enriching them with so many good parts and properties, without impouerishing himselfe, or abating any whit of his owne store; how glorious, how gratious, how beautifull and infinit in all persection is he in his owne nature and essence, which wanteth nothing, though he hauehave made his creatures to abound? To this purpose the author of the book of Wisdome saith: that though they had such pleasure in the beautie of their idols (as the Sun, Moone, and rest of the creatures) ye… should they hauehave knowne how much more excellent he is that Wisdome 13. 3. 4. 5.made them: for the first author of beautie hath created these things; or if they maruelled at the power and operation of them, yet should they hauehave perceiued thereby, how much he that made these things is mightier: for by the greatnes and the beautie of the creatures, the Creator being compared with them may bee considered. For if the singular parts of beautie and goodnes, being diuided and disperfed amongst the creatures, be so louely and delightfull; then what admirable louelove and delight shall we hauehave in the chiefe goodnesse, in whom alone they are contained, compacted, and infinitly surpaffed and excelled? if life created be so pleasant, how much more is life the Creator? if health be so sweete and comfortable, howAugust. Medi…at. cap. 18. much more is he that made health? if wisdome be louely, consisting in the knowledge of things created, how infinitly louely is that wisdome, which hath created them all of nothing? Do we therefore louelove beautie in the creatures? we shal see it infinitely redoubled in the Creator, from which crystall fountaine these little drops hauehave flowed. Do we louelove vertue and goodnes in men? they are infinit in the God of vertue and goodnes. Do we delight in wisdome? he is the God of al wisdome and knowledge, from which great light, men hauehave receiued these little sparkes. Do we desire honors, riches, and pleasures? why he is the God of all glorie, who satisfieth and filleth all with his hidden treasures; and in his presence is fulnesse of ioy, and at his right hand pleasures for euermore. Psalme 16. 11.In a word, whatsoeuer is good, pleasant, and desirable in all the creatures, it is conioyned and by infinite degrees surpassed in the Creator, from whom they hauehave had all their excellencie, without any diminution of his fulnes and perfection.
And thus it appeareth, that the perfection of our happinesse§. Sect. 4. That al the beauenly ioyes without the fruition of God could not make vsus perfectly happie. consisteth in the fruition of our summum bonum, and supreme good, which when wee enioy, wee can want nothing, and wanting him, can neuer be satisfied with al other good. For the heart and mind of man is of such large capacitie, that nothing can fill it but hee who being infinite did first make it. And because God alone is our summum bonum, and the supreme end of all our indeauours and desires; therefore if we should inioy al the world, and could engrosse all the pleasures of heauen and earth, wee should not rest satisfied and contented, because wee hauehave not attained vntounto our end, and that chiefe and supreme good at which wee naturally aime in our desires. Againe, seeing none are blessed, but those who are perfectly satisfied and contented, and none thus satisfied, but they who enioy God, their summum bonum, who, as he freeth them from all euill, so also he replenisheth them with all good; therefore without this fruition of God, though we should hauehave neuer so much good, yet we should not attaine vntounto full happinesse and felicity. So one saith, that whatsoeuer is lesse then God, though wee shouldAugust. de cognit. verae vitae. cap. 47. Quicquid nobis adest praeter Deum non est dulce. Nolumus omnia quae dedit. si non dat seipsum qui omnia dedit. Aupust. in Psal. 85 Psal. 73. 2…. Psal. 144. 15. receiue it for our reward, wee should yet desire more, and they who hauehave not their desires satisfied, hauehave not attained vntounto fulnesse of ioy. And therefore he concludeth in another place; that whatsoeuer is present when God is absent, is not sweet and comfortable; and that hee did not desire any, or all those things which God hath giuen, vnlesse he who gaue them, giuegive himselfe also. So that wee may say with Dauid: Whom hauehave I in heauen but thee? and I hauehave desired none in the earth with thee: and conclude with him, that they are truely blessed, not who abound with worldly plentie and prosperity, but who hauehave Iehouah to be their God.