Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Sys} Of theioyer of heauen. continually heatedwith the flames ofthis diuine lone ? how can he thirli,who hath this euer-fpringing fountaine which yeeldeth fireames ofthe water of life? And in a word, how can he want any good who enioyeth the chiefe goodnes, in whom all vertue, knowledge, and whatfoeuergoodnes can be named,or defied, are mofi abfolute,and in all fumes and Auguf.deTri- perfe6fion? For (as one faith) his diuine beautie the Angels plici habitac. wonder at, by his power the dead are railed, ofhis wifdome cam. there is no number, or meafure, whole kingdome knoweth no end, whofe glory cannot change, whofelight fo obfcu- reth the Sunne, that in companion thereofit is but darknes; who in fweetnes fo far exceedeth honie, that being compa- red, it is as bitter as wormewood; whole face ifthe damned foules could behold, they would feele no punifhment, no griefe or heaumes; whole prefence would change hell it felfe Augutt:deSpi: into a paradife ofpleafure and delight.Wherby it appeareth, situ & Anima. not only that God is thechiefe and fupreame caufe and ob- ,capáf, ieet ofal ourfelicity andbleffednesin thekingdome ofhea_ uen;but allo that he is al-fufficientto make vs perfe &ly hap - pie, as being our fummt mhonum, infinit in all goodnes and perfeólion.Now further weare to know, that the fruition of thisGod al-fuffieient, and our chiefe and firpreame good, is that which we call bleffdnes, and our heauenlyhappines.Of which fruition ofGod, there are made three degrees, or di- tiersmanners : Firfl when we enjoy God in his creatures; in them feeing and vnderflanding hiswifedome, power, and goodnes, in his creating, preferuing, gouerning and difpo- fing of all the creatures in heauen and earth moll wifely, mightily, and gratioufly. To which purpofe the Pfalmift Pfaltne ry:t. faith, that theheateens declarethe glorie of God, and the firma- ment Jheweth the work! orb", hands: and the Apoale Paul Rom t.rg more plainly affirmeth, that the inuiftble things of God,thar ú, hù eternallpower and God-head, are feene in the creation of the world, being conftderedin his worker. Secondly, we-are laid ro enjoy llirninour felues, and that diuerfly in refpcó of the diuersfaculties of our Ibules, as in our vnderfiandings,when they are cnlightned with thcbeames of his wifdome,and di- uine knowledge, whereby we areenabled toknow.him,and our