896 Ofthe ioyesofheasten. oxofGedmufi fruition ofGod is the chiefe,and the perfe&ionofthem all; needs be the withwhichalone,withoutall the ref+ wee fhould beemofr perfthonofour perfe&iybleffed, and without t.hich,thoughwe had all the gedne,beùtie other our happines fhould be maimed and imperfe&:for in- and excehlencie toying God infinit in all perfe&ion, ourhearts and foules is contained, f}sal be fully satisfiedand replenifhed with ioy, and as one andvnacdin faith) heis top too couetous, who is not fufficed with the him fruition ofGod ; and without him,though we hadall other Nimis off ana io es of heavenandearth, there would fhll romaine an em rus cnt non/af- y p- ftcitDominus. tines in the foule, which would keepe vs from full content- Bernard. in menr,andmakevs frill lecke after more happinelfe. Concer- Coena Domini ning the former; howcanit be,but theremuf needs be per- Serm.7. fe&ion ofioy, whereGod himfelfeour chiclegoodnes fhal -be inioyed?for ifthe beau tieofvertue,being beheld and wel Plato. difcerned,would (asone faith) firvp in vs,awonderful loue and admiration ofit ; howmuch more wil the fight and frui- tion ofGoddoe this, who isthe fountaineof all venue and goodnes,infink inall,glorie andperfe&ion? Ifthe Qeene a;King.to.8 ofSaba thought Salomons-feruants happie, becaufe they al- waiesfoodbefore him, andheard-his wifdome; how much morebleffed are they, who enioy Gods pretence foreuer- rnore, who being a boGdleffeocean ofwifdome,from which chofe little-drops diflilled, canneuer be drie,but fhal conti- nuallyhaue rivers and fiteames ofdiuine prudence flowing Exod.3 3.12,2,3. fromhim?IfMofesattainedvnto anextraordinariemeafure of ioy and happines,whenhe wasadmitted to feeGods hin- derparts, and force (mall beanies ofhis infinit glory and tna- ieflie; how happieand. bleffed (hall webe,when we(hallbe ,admitted intohis gloriouspresence;and - continually feehim faceto face ? Ifwe fo much-defire to fee,and feewithby and -admiration,menwho are excellent in any-kind,as thofe who are exceedingwife, valorous, flrong beau tifull, learned, or indued withfonte extraordinarieparts, although they be but maimed :andimperfe&; then how(hall we be rauifhed with ioyand holywonder,whenwe (hai both feeand enioy -God hivnfelfe,in whom al excellenciesdoconcurre,and that infinitlyand inall fumesand perfe&ion ? Ifwecould find a nranin whom-thegraces andgoodparts notonly ofal other men,
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