Featly et. Al. - BV4275 T47 1672

Thehappinefsofthofe thudiewell. 109 some puce it to pleafures. And tome place r in health of body. And force ['lac it in civilvertues. What need I tell you more ? S. Anßinin his to. book De Cìvi. .4ufi.[;b.s y de to toDei, telleth us of no fewer than two hundred fourteen;and eight feveral place. Chit. Des. ofbleffegnefs, All determined in this life. To let them pals. Bieffednefs confifteth in the enjoying ofthe foveraign good rhat famefoveraigegood ieGod. Weenjoy Godboth in this life,and in the life tc Came. From hence there is a double Bleffednefs. D;flinguilh them as you will ; Whether you call one Beatudo vie, the othe Beatudo patrie, as force do. The Bleffednefr of theway, and the B/effednef: of the Country. Or whether you call one Beatudofpei ; the other Beatudo rei. Th. Bleffednef of expetlation,orthe blefiednefs offruition. Or whether you call them (a ufuall y you do,) The Blef,ednefs of Grace here, and the Biefsednefs ofGlory here- rfter ; It mattereth not in what terms you diffinguifl them, but fo we know this ave one, and you are Cure of both. There is none have the Blefsednefs of glory, Jut fuch as were fiat Blefsed in to :bate of Grace. And there is none Bleffed in /lace of Gran, but (hall be alefsed in thegate of Glory. There isa threefold condition of a Blefredfou/. It is here in thebody, (as longa God pleafeth) But then it isfrom the Lord. l:is with the Lord, but then it is from the Body, There is a third Condition. when it (hall be in the body again,and with the Lord for ever. Then is the full con. fumation ofblifs, when this Caine bed" of ours than be railed up, and made like the glorious body of Terms cbri.ft. But our Blefsednefs in this life, though we have here a comfortable fellowlhip with God, yet-, becaufe that it is not per fpeciem,it is not by fight,it is but by faith, -we walkbyfaith, and not by light. Becaufe while we are here (though we do fee the face of God in the Mirrour or glafs ofthe Gofpel, yet becaufe ) we are ablest from him, as he is objeflune Beatificano. Becaufe here the tears are not all wiped from our eyes, and we have not yet a fah refl frem our labours, nor a full reward for our Cervices. Therefore our Blefsednefs here it is nothing (to (peak of) in comparifonof that Blefsednefs which we (hall have hereafter, when the foul is fepa- rated from the body, and is with the Lord. Therefore (faith theApof}le) I defreiobedifiolved, and to be with chri?, and this (quoth he) it is melias, it as better: Better ? Yea, it is multo melina,it is much better: Yea, it is muleomagis maims (you muff bear with Saint Paul: incongruity nE fpeech) it is much more better to be with him. If our hope wereonly in this life, r Cor, tf ;59; ofall men, believers, the childrenof God, were moil miferable. But the hope of our immortal life, is the life of this mortal. There was Tome little glimpfeof this light, even among(} the Gentiles, ( filch as lid believe the immortality of the foul.) One of the heathen Poets could fay, No man is Relied till death. Cre /,tu [he Lybian (a man happy in his great achievments) asked Salan ; Pray (quoth.he) tell me, what man doll thou think happy ? He named one tohim, (Tel- lies) a man that was dead. But (quoth he) whom elfe doff thou thinkhappy ? He named two brethren more, that did a work of piety co their Mother (it were too ong to tell you the particular (-testy) and they were dead, I think them happy, quoth he. Crefsusbegan to be angry, that he himfelf (hould not be thought a hap- uyman. A not I happy ? Oh (quoch he): take theefor agreat King, but I itc- count thee not happy before death. Cref:as,greve to inifery, and then he criedout, Oh Solon,Solon,&c. Here we have a word, a voyce from heaven : and the Word confirmed by the Spirit: andwehave teßtunonirs of Scripture: and we have Come little glimpfeof this light from the Gentiles ; yet notwithßanding,flesh and blood will notbe perfwaded of this, thatdead menfhoseldbe happy, that there is it happinefsindeath. Thereare many things they have again(} it.Firft,fay they,Deatb is an enemy.it is very true, Deathisan enemy, the Apoltlecalleth it fo. The ¡of?enemy thsrabalh/,e deJlroyed is Death. And Adouble bler- rednnefs, Phil.;:a r. z cots;. Phil,r;a;:

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