Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.D76 C552 1611 v.2

906 Ofthe ioyee ofheauen. light of his fpirit. So ourSaviour faith, that the pure inheart Mnth.s.8. area blabbed, becaulé they (hail fee God t and that b.eternall b Ioh.17.;. life cóufieth in the knowledge ofGod,andhis bonne Cbrill. So the holyApollles Pawland laI.w,docmake it a chiclepart e r.Cor.t ;.ta. ofour happinc(fe,thatwe (hail c fec God face toface, know d t.Ioh. ;.a. himas we are knowne,and d fee himas he is. And the Pro- phet Daatidfaith,thatbeholdingGods face in righteoufhes, Pfal.17a q, heihouldbee fatisfiedwithhis image. And hence it is that ourSauiour carnally defiring thehappine(íe ofhis feruants, f Ioh.t7.54. doth intreateofhis Fathcr,that thofe whom he had f given himmight hewith him,andbeholdhis glorie.Andthis llan- deth with goodreafon that this vifion and knowledgeof God (houldbe achick and principal)part ofour hapoine1fe; firfl,becaufe our vnderflanding being the chiefefiÇacu1 tieof the chiefeapart ofman,it muaneeds be achiclepart of our ioyandglorietohaue it fatisfied and contented. But how can itbe fatisfiod,if Peeingexcellent efle6s,it doenot feethe caufe ; and ifknowing the rare workes ofGod, it doe not altoknow the workman? Againe,if there fhouldbe inhea- uen no true knowledgeof God, therecould be nolone of him,and confequently no pleafure and delight : for howfoe- uer wemay leuean euill thing,yet weecannot loue a thing vnknowne ; and ifwee doe not loue it,we take no comfort or ioy in the being oftr. So that takeaway knowledge, and take away loue and delight; and contrariwife,prefuppofe excellencie and perfeulionofthe obie6i,and thegreater our knowledge is, the greater will be our loue,the greateralfo ourpleafure and contentment in the fruition obit. 4.Srí7.3. The otherpart ofour fruitionofGod, is our communion o¡that comma with him; neither(hall weeonely fee and beholdhim in all pionwbicbwe hisgoodnes,glorie,and maielhe,butwe(hall alto in a mob} Nunwith bleffed manner bevnitedvotohim, and communicate with God in the him inall his happineffe, which is the fupreme end of our kiigdomeef creation and redemption, and the very perfcaion of our beaver. glorification.For therefore did the Lordcreate vsaccording to his own image, &conformable to himfelfin wifedom, righteoufnes andholines, thathemight dwell withvs, &in vs,as inhisholy temple andhabitation, and that wee might haue

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