Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Ofthe;oyes ofheaxen. 869 thing ofthem,thatby the confideration hereof,we may haue our affeélions weaned from the immoderate loue of theft bale and earthly vanities, and may haue our hearts fo infla- med with thefe diuine and heauenly excellencies, that we may vfeal good meanes whereby we may attainc unto them. And that we may the better conceiue of the greatnefl'e of thcfe ioicswhich are in themfclues vnconceiueable,and may haue forre little glimpfeof this glorious light, I wil firft fet owne force rcafons which may neceflarily proue, that though in this place of banilhment and time of ignorance, we cannotperfe&ly know and diflinéllyexpreffewhat thefe ioyes are yet it muff needs be that they are mofl excellent; and afterward in fòme darke defcription fhadow out this bleffedneffe and vnconceiueable glory, by letting downe (though but darkely) force particulars wherein their excel - lencie and perfeólion doth confifl. The arguments to proue this point maybe taken from the leffe io the greater,where- in we are to vfe the bell things of the world, as fleps wherby being railed we mayobraine fume dark profpe& of this glo- rie,as it were afarre off; and as folles to fee out the better the incomparable beautie of that inualuable jewel the bleffed- neffe of the Saints, and ioyesofheauen:for thus we may rea- fon and neceflarily conclude, that if the Lord who is infinite in al goodnes, wifdome and power, bath in this life proui- ded fuch a world for the good and bad together, for (han- gers as welas his friends,yeafor Turk es, Pagans,Infidels,A- theifls, blafphemers,andperfecutors, who are -his profeffcd enemies, as wel ashis faithful feruants and Beare children; what glory and happineffe bath he prepared for them alone in theworldto come? Ifal haue in common fuch profits and delights,how glorious and great isthat peculiar portion re- fereed for the Saints? if this world deflinated to dcftruetion, haue fuch a goodlyvaulted roofe, adorned in the day with fuch a glorious Sunne,and in the night with the Moone,fhf- ning with fuch beautie and hrightnes, befpangled alto with fuch a multitude offlarres,as it were preciousfhiningicwcls andrich diamonds, and fuch a goodly floore as the earth is, beautified with fuch variety of beafls, birds, trees, plants, Kkk 3 whole-