I. The difference of our Sauiours opinion concerning good and happie men , from the wiser and vulgar sort of people among whom he liued .

OVr Sauiour when he came to be the true Light of the World , had a hard taske to make his Light shine in the darke vnderstanding of such , eyther grossely or affectedly ignorant men , amongst whom hee liued : who eyther hold many common errors for vnquestionable truths , or if they were of the wiser sort , many false lights , & appearing truths for certaine Rules , and vnerring principles of their belief . The false lights , which had a fayre shine of truth to varnish them ouer with ; were these , and such like .

That hee was a right honest & religious man , that offered no man wrong . That was kinde , and louing to those that deserued well of him . That would neuer forsweare himselfe , eyther to benefit his owne estate , or to hurt another mans . That if hee were affected to a maried woman , kept himselfe from Adulterie with her . If he were neuer so angry ▪ yet brideled in his rage , that it broke not out into murder . That when his Parents were in want , honoured them with maintenance : That made long Praiers ; gaue great Almes ; fasted often ; payed the Tythes duely ; and so farre honored the very ashes of the Prophets ; that hee built their Tombs being dead , to keepe aliue their memories and names . This was the Pharisies Starre-light . Al which the common People who liued in the shadow of those ceremonious times , and night of their owne ignorance , held for great & beautifull lights , truths most credible , and worthy to be beleeued and followed of all : but when the Sunne arose , this star-light soone dis-appeared ; and our Sauiour makes it plaine in this , and the sequent Chapters . That al those were but the outsides of truth , which an hypocrite might disguise himselfe , and face it with , as well as an honest man ; nay that all of them , except they were circumstanc't with those times and places , and done after that manner & forme they ought , were , for all their faire lookes , but shining faults . Or rather , as nothing is more deformed in the sight of man , than such a defectiue monster in Nature , who should want halfe of his parts , ( imagine one abortiuely cast out , with one legge , one eye , halfe a nose , &c. ) so in the sight of God , who lookes to the inner man , this semihonesty , which wants the better halfe and in-side of it selfe , cannot but appeare most prodigious and mis-shapen .

For our Sauior counts that no Christian vertue , Not to offer wrong : For so they which returne wrong for wrong , offer no wrong , they doe but vim vi repellere , strike blow for blow ; but the Vertue was , to suffer wrong with patience , & not only to abstain from offering wrong with violence ; So to loue those that are desertfull , hath no vertue in it : for not to doe so , were to do them iniury ; but to loue the ill-deseruing , to loue our enemies , to loue our persecutors , this indeed is the grace of a Christian .

And what if our estates allow our poore Parents the honour of maintenance ? If our harts withdraw from them the honour of obedience , of holie imitation , of filiall reuerence , doe we think we haue performed a sonne-like part to them , or the duty of a Childe ?

Againe it is no Vertue to keep a mans selfe from periury ; for he that neuer forsweares himselfe , may yet bee a common swearer : but to set a Watch before his lips , that they should neuer vnaduisedly sweare at all , that was the Vertue .

Besides , what was it to keepe himselfe from Adultery and Murder , if he had adultery in his eyes , lust in his hart , if he were enraged with anger , and had dipt and stained his thoughts in bloud ? God who is a Spirit , lookes to the issues of the Spirit , if thou desirest reuenge , if thou lustest after a woman , thou art before God guiltie both of adultery , and of bloud . And so much almes , and often fasting , & due payment of tithes , what goodnesse haue they , if the almes must bee trumpeted abroad , and the fast must set a sowre face vpon the matter , and the tithes must bee boasted of , and layed as it were in Gods dish , when he comes to pray before him in the Temple , as though God who giues him all , were beholding to him , for restoring him the tenth part of his owne ? To conclude long prayers and building the sepulchres of the prophets , which of all other were their most colourable virtues , were they not indeed crying sinnes in the sight of God , when they were ( I say not onely vtterd arrogantly in euery corner of the street , that they might bee seene of men , and not closeted vp , for GOD alone to see them ) but when vnder pretence of long prayers , they deuour'd widowes houses , and vnder colour of building the tombes of the Prophets which were dead , they had no other intent but with the more safety , and lesse suspition to slay the sonne of God , who was then aliue among them , the Prince of the Prophets .

Looke then as beautifull and fayre fruit to see too , yet if it be rotten at the core , when the outside is par'd off , hath no such goodlynesse within , as outwardly appear'd , but very rottennesse at the heart : or to vse a more proper similitude , As a piece of smooth and rotten wood , if it bee set in the darke and seene onely in the night , makes a great blaze , and showes to bee a very lightsome body : but assoone as the day rises , it forfeits the flame , and the rottennes of it is plainely discouered : so was it with these appearing truths which the Pharisees obtruded , and thrust vpon the darke vnderstandings of the common people , for most heauenly lights & lamps full of glory : they were all but vizards of truth , rotten opinions , lies with painted faces .

And as these were the false-lights that dazeled the eyes of the wiser sort of people , so there were , beside these , certaine common errors , which went abroad as most receiued , and graunted positions & verities , which all men beleeu'd , as : That they had good cause to reioyce , who had euery mans good word for them , and many friends in the world , whom they might trust to ; That rich men were happy , For they liued at hearts ease . That they liued the most comfortable liues in the world , that were alwayes merry hearted , and were euer laughing . To name no more . That it was a most wretched estate not to haue sufficient meate and drinke , but to liue alwayes as in a famine , in hunger and thirst .

But our Sauiour , as before hee extinguisht their false , and pharisaical lights , so in these , hee opposed himselfe against their popular , and common errors . And therefore he sayes not ( as they ) Reioyce because ye haue many and great friends in the world , and because you haue euery mans good word for you but the playne contrary Reioyce , and bee exceeding glad ( what ? when you haue many friends that speake well of you , and do you good , no but ) when you haue many enemies that shall reuile you , and persecute you , and say all manner of euill against you falsely for my names sake , verses the 10. 11. And blessed are , who ? the rich in estate ? no but the poore in spirit , ver. the 3. And not they who were merry hearted , & alwaies laughing had the most comfortable liues : but blessed are they that mourne verse the 4. For they shal be comforted . In a word to land my self at home vpon the present words . That not they which abounded with all things , and could say to their soule as Diues did . Luke the 12. Soule eate , drinke , and bee merry : for thou hast much goods layed vp for many yeares , were blessed : but blessed are they that hunger , and thirst after righteousnes : For they shall bee satisfied . For the truth is . It was a most absurd , & improper soloecisme of speech , when the riche foole ( so our Sauiour cals him and therefore I doe him no wrong ) bid his soule eate , and drinke those goods , that hee had layed vp for his body to eat , & drinke . For the soule with such food could neuer haue beene satisfied , but those soules onely shal be replenished and filled , that hunger after the kingdome of Heauen , and the righteousnesse thereof . For as righteousnes here , so the Kingdome of God hereafter , as grace here , so glory hereafter , are the onely repaste to banquet a Soule with . First therfore let vs see .

II. How Righteousnesse and Grace , are the food of our Soules .

THat is properly called the food of any thing whereby it is inwardly preserued from consumption , corruption , and death . And therfore as the Body hath something to preserue it for a time , which is bodily food , so must the Soule haue some spirituall repast to perpetuat , and preserue it for euer . For nothing beside a diuine nature can bee of it selfe aye during . Let vs therfore because this paradox to a naturall man will seeme strange , goe with him to his owne arte , the arte of nature . There we shall find these two Sanctions publisht , as receiued trueths of all , first , ●isdem alimur ex quibus constamus , Euery nature is nourished by that , whereof it is first made , and the second is Simile nutritur a simile . Like is nourisht of like . Now it is a speech of our Sauiour which it may bee euery man remembers , but few men marke , when after fourty dayes fast in the wildernesse , he was tempted to satisfie his hunger by making bread of stones , he answered . That Man liu'd not by bread onely , but by euery word that proceeded out of the mouth of God . Which speech though a prophane Ignorant will perhaps derisonly scoffe at , as thinking it impossible to liue by words , yet such words as proceed out of the mouth of God haue more vitall sweetenesse , and nourishable sap in them , than all his corne , and oyle , and wine haue . Was not the whole world made by the word of God ? Was not the soule of euery reasonable creature made by the same word , and so imbreathed into the body of the first father of our humane nature ? and is now still infused into euery one of our bodies , when they are perfectly instrumented , and made fit for the soule to dwell ● ? This a naturall man cannot deny in reason , because they of his owne ●ribe Socrates , Plato , Aristo●le and all wise men euer confest it , not only to vse ●heir owne words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as some of ●hem speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a foris ingredi , & ●aelitus aduenire : But proue it by necessary demonstration . I will vse ●ut one argument ( be●ore I proceed ) to euidence it , because religion shall not be beholding to a naturall man for her ground worke : which Iustin Martyr one of the first penmen of God after the time of the blessed Apostles , who was called by all men for his depth of Learning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vses to eui●ce the opposers of this truth in his time .

All things , sayes he , arose first eyther out of the power of nature , or fortune , of God . Out of a power of nature they could not . For tell mee ( sayes the father ) whom could nature by her power first bring forth . Could the fruits of the earth , or the foules of heauen , or the trees of the forrest , or the beasts of the field , or the Cittizen of the world , man , issue first from the wombe of nature ? but where I pray should nature find seed 〈◊〉 some the earth , but from the fruites of the earth before growing , where should shee seeke for egges to breed her ●owles with , but from ●owles already bred ? whither should she goe to gather her akrons , but vnder the oake before flourishing ? what neede ●nfinite knotts ? It is not in the power of nature to bring forth a man but he must first be borne a child and of whom should that child bee borne , had not there been already in nature both man , and woman ? nature then we see , could not by any power in her produce the least creature , but shee must needs haue her semniall causes ; and whence are they seeded but from things already beeing ? Much lesse could chance : for what is fortune but onely something in nature wherof we know not the cause ? If a man digging in a field , find a mine , we cal this fortune : but a mine must bee first there by nature , before any can finde it there by fortune . And therefore fortune that comes alwayes after nature , cannot bee the cause of nature . It followes then , that the whole world , and the soules of men proceeded neither from nature nor chance : but from the power and wisedome of God himselfe who is as much more powerfull then nature , to call out his worke perfect in his kind at first , as he is more wise then fortune , to adorne his worke with the most graceful order with out any chaunceable or blind confusion . This then being either graunted , or extorted from a naturall man , what followes hence ? Truely this . That the soule of man doth consist by the word of God . Secondly , That the soule of man , beeing onely able of all creatures visibly in heauen , or earth to conceiue , and vnderstand a diuine beeing , which our experience teaches vs , must needs be a spirituall substance like God himselfe , and created after his image . For this in reason and nature is a selfe-credible truth . That no Creator can rayse the power of his action beyond the sphaere of his owne actiuity . A stone cannot liue . A plant cannot see . A beast cannot vnderstand a diuine nature , because it hath no such receptiuity , no such actiue , and diuine power in it , as to take into it an insensible obiect . For then it should work extra sphaeram , beyond the pitch of a sensible being : man therfore onely who hath such an eye of vnderstanding in him , whereby he is able to liue ( as it is sayd of Moses Heb. 11. 27. ) as seeing him , who is inuisible , must needs be fashioned and form'd in the similitude of the inuisible God . For , what creature worships a diuine power , sanctifies holy dayes , and Sabaoths , obserues solemne feasts , and assemblies , offers sacrifices of prayer , & praise to God , but man onely ? Vpon whose soule doth the law of God naturally reflect it selfe in the knowledge of that which is good , and the conscience of that which is euill , but onely vpon man's ? What nature in earth obserues the different motions of the heauenly bodies , and admires the methodicall Wisedome of God in them , or thinkes vpon his couenant of mercy , when he sees the token of it shining in the waterie cloud ( sweetly abusing the same waters to bee a token of his mercy , which before were the instrument of his iust reuenge ) but only man's ? whose eye lookes beyond the bright hilles of time , and there beholds eternity , or sees a spirituall world beyond this body , esteeming that farre discoasted region , his natiue countey , but onely man ? Which diuine thought wee shall not find in the hearts alone of the children of light , that haue the starres of heauen shining thicke in them ( Hebr. 11. 16. ) but in the minds of heathen men , that lay shadowed in their owne naturall wisedome , out of which the banisht Consul of Rome Boetius could sing . Haec , dices , memini patria est mihi , Hinc ortus , hic sistam gradum . O this my country is , thy soule shall say , Hence was my birth , & here shall be my stay .

And of which Anaxagoras , liuing a stranger among the Athenian Philosophers , and being chid for regarding so little his natiue soile , by one that asked him , why he minded no more his owne country , answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ô ( sayes he pointing vp to heauen ) I am exceeding mindfull of my natiue countrie .

Now to apply all this discourse home , man we haue prou'd was created by the word of God : man only was form'd in Gods image and similitude . And who then is the word of God , but the Sonne of God who the expresse image of the Father , but the Sonne , Ioh. 1. 1. Heb. 1. 3. Since therefore our soules consist by the Word , Christ and euery thing is preseru'd of that it consists , as Nature it selfe teaches ; since our soules are made after the image and similitude of Christ , and euery thing is most agreeably nourished by that it is most assimilated vnto , is it not euen in reason an irrepugnable Truth , that our soules must needs be nourished and preserued by the power of our Lord CHRIST , who is Gods Essentiall Word , and Image ?

And heere by the way ( but I speake of it onely incidentally as it falls into discourse ) wee may see as the high dignity so the causall difference between the reasonable soule of man , and the liuing souls of bruit beasts . For doe but looke into the booke of the generation of creatures , and you shall see there Mans soule was immediately breathed into his body by God himselfe , and was created after his Diuine image : but the Liuing Soules of bruit beasts were educ't out of their elementarie wombes , & those bodies which were most like themselues : For so sayes our Lord God , Let the Earth bring forth euery liuing thing according to his kind , and it was so : & so the sea was commanded to bring foorth issue according to his kind , and so it was : which is the reason the liuing souls of beasts fal again into the same matter out of which they were first taken , and of whose kinde & likeness they are , as our corruptible bodies doe . Dust thou art , and into dust thou shalt returne : but the diuine and reasonable Spirit of man returns to God that gaue it , as Salomon speakes , Eccles. 12. 7. being immediately created by him , & of his owne similitude and kinde , & so breath'd into the body : which is indeede the true & prime cause of the immortality of our souls . So that they , being created immediately by the Word & breath of God , out of nothing , and not arising from any praeexistent matter , cannot possibly be corrupted into any other nature , or annihilated by any other word , except we childishly suppose some word more powerful then the Word of God himselfe .

I haue now prou'd that our soules all consisting by the word of the Father which is Christ , and being imag'd most like vnto him , they must needs ( as euery thing else is by their like ) be preserued , and nourisht by Christ , whose image they are , and who may therefore with greater truth , and reason be called , the food of our soules , then our earthy diet can bee the food of our bodies : because hee is euery way , both in respect of himselfe , and vs , more preseruatiue , then to bodies any bodily sustenance can be . For , that makes vs continue by being destroyed it selfe , and destroyes vs too , if it be taken in excesse , & though it be neuer so often vsed , yet soone after we shall hunger againe , and thirst againe : neither can it repaire our nature in the headlong ruines of age , so fast but that we must euery day forfeite a little spoile to mortality which it can no way possibly recouer , and in conclusion , vnable to hold out any longer , it must yeeld vp the whole body as a pray to death . But we cannot drinke too much of our spirituall rocke , nor eate too much of our heauenly Manna , which after we haue feasted our hearts with , we shall find noe more hunger , or thirst ; feele noe more iniuries of age , or time ; feare noe more spoiles of mortality , or death . Neither is the soule nourished by this diuine food , as the body is , by wasting that whereby it selfe is preserued , and consuming that to maintaine it selfe , whereby it selfe is kept from corruption : but as the sight of al eyes is preserued and perfected by the light of the Sunne , whose beames can neuer be exhaust , so our spirituall life is nourished by the participation of the life of Christ , which is indeede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , annona cali , the flower of heauen , neuer engrost by possessing , nor lost by vsing , nor wasted by nourishing nor spent by enioying but hath that heauenly , and vnconsumable nature in it ( being to nourish immortall soules ) that it preserues , all without decaying it selfe , it diuides it selfe to al without losse or diminution of it selfe ; it is imparted to all , and not impayred by any of those replenished soules , that banquet vpon it .

Now if the quaere be made how our soules are thus by Christ preserued from their owne corruption , and beyond their owne natural life , to a life Celestiall & diuine , there can be no other answere giuen , but by beeing implanted into the life of righteousnes which fontally is in him . As if the branches of a wild oliue being cut off from the reall stocke where it grew naturally , should be kept from withering and corruption by ingraffing it into the stocke of a sweet and flourishing Oliue-tree . So our soules beeing created in naturall righteousnesse and holylinesse by God , and being soone after by our fall cut off from that life , and so remayning in the state of corruption and decay , would soone wither and dye totally , were they not eftsoons reymbark't and stock't againe into the Tree of life , from whence they sucke a more diuine life of righteousnes , then that they were created , or now liue in . For the natural righteousnes thogh it were in the kind of it perfect , yet it was of a short continuance , ( as nature left to it selfe alwayes is ) and our habituall righteousnesse , though it continue for euer , yet it is very imperfect , like the twilight of an euening , or the first breake of day in which the shadows of earth , and the light of heauen are confused ; and therfore the soule of man vnable to liue perpetually by any of these liues which were defectiue , could haue no way bene preseru'd from his owne corruption , but by the participation of this diuine Righteousnesse of Christ , which is infinitely more durable then Adams naturall , and more perfect then our poore habituall righteousnes either is , or euer could haue bin Neyther let it seeme strange to any that the Soule which dies by vnrighteousnes and sinne , should be sayd by grace onely and righteousnesse to receyue againe life , and preseruation .

Hence are those scripture phrases so frequent You are dead in your sinnes , ye are strangers from the life of God , & of the wanton and sinfull widow , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she was dead being aliue , that is , dead to God , and the righteousnesse of Christ , and aliue onely to nature , and the corruption of it . Hence againe on the contrary the Iust man is sayd to liue by the righteousnes of faith , ( Hab. 2. 4. Heb. 10. 37. ) and therfore this life , which we could not acquire by our nature , because it is eternall ; God is said in he first Epistle of Sa. Iohn 5. 11. to haue giuen it to vs ; and least wee should trouble our selues to know where this life was found out for vs , it is added in the same place . And this life is in his Sonne . Thus Saint Paul speakes Col. 3. 3. that ●ur life is hid in Christ , and that it was no more he that liued but Christ that liued in him , Galat. 2. 20. thus hee tells the Corinthians that wee were made the Righteousnesse of God in Christ . 2. Cor. 5. 21. and 1 Cor. the 1. the 30. that Christ was made of God vnto vs , Wisedome , Righteousnesse , Sanctification and Redemption , and therefore twice the Prophet Ieremy tells vs that , This is his name wherby he shall be called . IEHOVAH - tsidkenu , THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESSE . Ie. 23. 6. and 33. 16. For as verily as our sinnes tooke away his life , so assuredly shall his righteousnesse preserue ours , in which because wee haue a double state , one in our apprehension of it by faith , the other in our comprehension of it by vision , and intuition , therefore here the Saints of god are sayd to be blessed onely in their hunger , but hereafter they shal be happy in their fulnes , here God onely feeds them with a sufficiency of grace , there he fills them with such a satietie of glory in which their soules , with the greatest excesse , without the least surfet , shall bee feasted for euer . For God is not like old Isaac , that hath but one blessing for his sonnes , and therefore as wee must learne of S. Paul , with our sufficiency to bee content , My grace is sufficient for thee : so let vs with him striue , at least in our most heauenly thoughts , get awing and rauisht into the third heauen , then to behold

III. What is the fulnesse wherewith those Soules that hunger after Righteousnesse shal be satisfied .

THE fulnesse heere meant is nothing else but a perfect expletion of all the naturall desires of Soule , Body and Person , according to the vttermost receptiuity of them all , which their owne proper and most agreeable obiects , wherein euery desire rests it self wholly acquited , and filled . For instance nothing can arrest the vnderstanding of man , but that which is absolutely true , or rather Truth it selfe . For that is the most proper and agreeable obiect to our vnderstanding : and who is that but Christ our Lord ? I am the Truth saies our Sauiour : Nothing can satisfie the reasonable will of man , but onely that which is perfectly good , or rather goodnesse it selfe : and who is that but onely God ? For as our Sauior speakes , there is none good but God ; nothing can fill the restlesse affections of man , but onely those fountaines of pleasure , that haue in them neither defect nor end , such as can be found no where heere . And where are they , but at the right hand of God only ? Psalm . 16. 11. In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy , and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore : the first takes away all defect . In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy : and the second admits of no end : at thy right hand are pleasures for euer .

And this is the first fulnesse or saturity of the soule : the second is of the body . And the naturall desires of the body are life , health , and beautie . Now where can we finde life , but in that Country which is the land of the liuing , whether no death is suffered to approach ; or whether should we go to meet with indeflowrishing and vnattainted health , but where there is no sorrow , no paine , no sicknesse at all ? And that is no where , but onely in the Holy City , which S. Iohn calls the new Hierusalem , Reuel. 21. 4. There shall be no more death neyther sorrow , nor crying , neither shall there be any more paine , but as the two glories of the Old and New Testaments , Dauid and S. Paul speake , God shall deck his Saints with health and wee shall put on incorruption and immortality in those Courts of Honour .

And thus as the soule and body haue their natural desires : so the whole person of man desires naturally as close an vnion with the Diuine being , as it is possibly capable of : secondly it desires glorie and honour , being one of the beames of GODS countenance , which hee casts vpon his most noble creatures . For there is a sparke of Diuinity in Glory , which makes all men , I had almost said all creatures naturally appetent of it , according to the size they haue measured them out by God , to vessell it vp in . Cupido gloriae nouissimè exuitur etiam a sapiente , sayes the wise Historian , many to giue life to their Honor , hauing lost their owne . And this holy Ambition , as it deriues it selfe to another world , so it is in man both a naturall and lawfull desire , within the expectation of which , the whole creature stretching out the neck of it , ( as S. Paul most significantly speakes , waites for , and sighes for , and ( like a woman ) is in a dolorous trauaile for to be deliuered , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , into the free libertie of glory , granted to the sonnes of God . The last hunger both of soule and body as they are vnited , is of diuine societie and friendship , and therefore as the Philosopher calls man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sociable Creature , so the Apostle would haue vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to associate our selues ( at least in our trauelling thoughts ) with the Citizens of Heauen , who as for number they are infinitely more , so for nature are farre more illustrious and blessed , then our vnder companions that liue here below , centred with our selfs in this little point of earth are . For God himselfe being a Diuine Spirit , and those Palaces of glory being farre more extensiue and spacious , then our narrow regions , how can there but be , as Dauid and Daniel both witnesse , ten thousand times ten thousand , and thousand thousands of ministring Spirits to wait vpon their high and transcendent Soueraigne , the King of Spirits Royal : and therefore S. Paul reckoning vp our heauenly companions , Hebr. 12. 22. begins with an innumerable company of Angels , so that this desire shall aboundantly be satiated and content .

But of heauen we that are on earth cannot say much . For though Satan took our Sauiour vp into a high mountaine , and thence shewed him all the Kingdomes of the earth , and the glory of them in a moment of time , Luk. 4. 5. which shewes of how small moment they are , that in one short instant and article of time could sodainelie giue a blaze , and so vanish : yet there is no mountaine high enough , nor any time long enough , but eternity to vnuaile the glory of the Kingdome of Heauen , which God purposely ( no doubt ) hath concealed , that he might know who would loue him for himselfe , because all men could not but loue him for his glory , if he should let it fall vpon our eyes , and display it selfe in the diuine beames of it . Yet as farre as the eye of right reason , guided ▪ ( like the wise men in the search of our Sauiour ) by the heauenly starres of light that shine euery where in Gods word , may discouer this holy land , let vs not wrong our sacred hunger of knowledge , as blindely to wrap vp all in a cloud , and to denye it this iust satisfaction : which especially consists in a threefold glorious vnion , wherewith God hath promised in his Word to vnite the persons of the Elect to himselfe : which close with the Diuine Being I mentioned before to be the most ardent and naturall desire of our whole person , and that wherwith the whole man is most delighted , satisfied , and filled .

First therefore wee are vnited vnto Christ as vnto our Head , and so wee make but one body with him ; and this is a closer vnion then eyther children can be vnited to Parents , for they are diuided parts from their Father , but wee are vnited parts to Christ our Lord ; or married couples can be vnited each to other . For they being diuerse bodies , are vnited but into one flesh , but wee to Christ are vnited into one body , and one flesh , as the Apostle speaks , we are all set into his body , and are flesh of his flesh , and bone of his bone , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as hee with a most significant elegancy speakes in the 4. and 6. to the Ephesians . And this is the first vnion of our persons with God by his Son Iesus Christ , which makes vs way and entrance to the two remanent .

The second vnion is whereby our persons are spiritually vnited to God by the very Diuine and Holy Spirit of God him selfe : so that this infinite , and glorious , and euer-liuing Spirit diffusing it selfe through euery member of Christs mysticall body , makes vs of one spirit , and one soule , as it were , with the Diuine being ; not by the vnion of essence and information , but of inhabitance and participation .

The last vnion is that whereby the Diuinity of God dwelling in vs after an vnspeakeable gracious manner , vnites himselfe whole , although not wholly to vs , far beyond the possibility of any other creature in the World . For other creatures haue no power of vniting themselues so as God hath . The reason is , cause they are of so grosse and if not corporeall , yet materiall being , that it is impossible for them to make vs partakers of their Essences , which haue all of them certaine Characteristicall , and indiuiduall differences , whereby they are incommunicable in their Natures to any other beside themselues . But wee are made ( as S. Peter tells vs ) partakers of the Diuine Nature after an eminent manner ; which though it cannot be plenarily exprest , yet it may bee shadowed by some weak resemblances .

The Rule whereby we may conceiue of this vnion is , that Euery thing the more subtill and pure , and immateriall it is , the more closelie it may vnite it selfe to another Creature . So the water will soake thorow another body , and vnite it selfe into euerie part of it by insinuating his supple ioynts into euery empty place and ouerture of the body , vpon which it is infus'd , that it will seeme to make but one body with it : as in a vessell full of ashes ; which earth , being a grosser body cannot doe . Againe , the Fire being a more subtill and refined body then the water will vnite it selfe to the most churlish and impenetrable body , after a very close and peruious manner ; as to a stone , yron , steele , or golde , which the water , being a more condensed , and lesse fine body , can neuer pierce or soake into . Againe , a spirituall substance will yet more closely vnite it selfe to a body , then this finest and most subtill of corporeal beings : And therfore wee may remember that Satan tells our Sauiour , that a Legion of them , that is six thousand eight hundred and thirty ( for the Romane Legion consisted of 6100. foote , and 730. horse , though heere I thinke not this precise number but a great multitude is meant ) did all couche and lodge together in one poore possessed man . Wherefore , as wee see if a hundred candles were lighted vp in a roome , all the beames of them would be in the same place vnited together , at least locally , though not essentially ( which those that are skilfull in the Opticks demonstrate by the seuerall irradiations of Light wherewith each of them vnconfusedly passe thorough one another ) so it is with spirits , a thousand of them may be locally vnited together without any consequent absurditie , because their follows no penetration of dimensions , and therfore filling no place at all , they cannot exclude one another from the same place they are in , as bodies doe .

Againe , it must needes bee confest , that the Diuine Nature of our Lord God may yet more nerely close with his creature ▪ in a strayter vnion , then any other , because his essence is not onely more good , & so more communicatiue of it selfe , but incomparably more immixt and pure , then any creatures ( besides himselfe ) can be . This being the prerogatiue royall of Diuinity , to consist not of Act and Power , or to be something after , which before it was not ( as longer liu'd , or wiser , or better , or more glorious ) but to be Actus Purus , All Act and Essence without any reference of time , or difference of qualitie . That is , God is not as Man or an Angell may be ; good , and true , and wise , and liuing ; but hee is wisedome it selfe , truth it selfe , selfe-goodnesse , and selfe-life . Now wee know in formall Vnions , that is alwaies the closest that is most communicable of it selfe , and of which the subiect whereunto it is vnited , is most capable . And therefore it must needs bee , that God who is Truth , may vnite himselfe to the vnderstanding , more closelie , then a thing that is true : because the proper obiect of the vnderstanding is Truth , not a true thing ; and so to the will , because hee is goodnesse it selfe , and life it selfe , & the will is a more proper subiect of life and goodnesse , then it is of a thing that is good and liuing .

This is a retruse , and hidden , but in truth a very diuine motion of the gracious and formal vnion , whereby God pleases to impart his Diuinity to his Creature . For looke as wee see in the eye of a man the liuely Image & form of the thing it sees , ( which makes me cal this a formall vnion ) shining euidently in it , without which the eye could neuer see the thing : so it is in the jntellectuall part of the soule . The thing which is vnderstood must haue the jmage of it as cleerely represented , and vnited to the vnderstanding , as the visible object is to the eye : and therefore it is a Truth famous in the Shooles , Intellectus est omnia . The vnderstanding is all things . Not all things by the Essence of it , but by the similitude it hath with it , in the act of intellection .

And this is the very reason , why in spirituall things , as long as wee liue in our Bodies , our vnderstanding is so childish and Infant-like ; because in this blinde and corporeall world , all Spirituall Essences are represented to it forma tantum disparata , in some desperate , that is , vnlike and different forme & shape , to that which indeed and in truth they are of ( as if a Painter should expresse the Sunne by a spot of guilt , and should draw the Starres with a little yellow Oakre , in his draught of the heauenly body ) we cannot see their owne faces , nor get the true jmage of themselues into the eye of our vnderstanding . It was Gods speech to Moses , who had better eyes then any that euer liued after him . Thou canst not see my face , For there shall no man see mee , and liue , Exo. 33. 20. Isay 64. And therefore as when the Angells of the Lord haue beene seene among vs , they appeared sometimes like beautifull young men , as to Lot and the Sodomites ; sometimes like Chariots of fire , as to Elishaes seruant ; somtime with countenances shooting like lightning , Mat. 28. 3. so when God himselfe pleased to descend vpon Mount Sinai , or vpon our Sauiour his sonne , his spirituall Essence , could neuer be seene , but himselfe came riding downe in the similitude of a Doue , & himselfe came down so clowded , and guarded about with fire , that neyther the persons , nor the eyes of the Israelites could come neere him . But when the morning of glory shall arise , wherein our soules shall awaken from the heauy eye-lid of our flesh , and the veyle of our body shall first be remoued , and after being depur'd from his drosse , be refined into a bright and spirituall body , wee shall then see God as he is , wee shall see him face to face , we shall know him , as wee are knowne of him : Which nathelesse is not to be vnderstood extensiuely , as if we should comprehend God in the whole extent of his Diuinity , but distinctly onely and truely : as when wee see the Sea , we see so much of it , as can fall into our sight truely , and know it distinctly from al other bodies , to be the sea : but we cannot see all the Sea at once , because the obiect is of too large a breadth and extension .

This whole discourse driues only to this issue . There is a vnion of bloud between Parents & Children , and this is a remote and very separable vnion . And there is an vnion of one flesh betweene Man and Wife , and this vnion is of a short continuance , and is soone parted by death . And there is an vnion of Place , and thus Spirits may be locally vnited , who yet may be at extreame oddes and difference one with another . And there is an vnion of affection , & this Friends are vnited with , and it is ( alas too soone ) alterable vpon the change of eyther . And beside all these there is a mysticall , or virtuall Vnion of the members with the head , and this the Church is vnited to Christ by , from whom it receiues the diuine influences of all grace and fauour . And there is a Spirituall Vnion , whereby all th' Elect soules and bodies are not onely inspired , and I may so speake , Spirited with the Holy Ghost , who rules and swayes all the thoughts and actions of the soule , as the soule doth all the parts and affections of the body . And last of all , there is a gracious and admirable Vnion of similitude , whereby wee are made whollie conformable , and alike to the Diuine being , which is the most desireable & accumulate blessednesse of our Nature .

So that looke as you see the very bright image of the Sunne so reflected vpon the water somtimes , that the dull Element seemes to haue caught downe the very glorious body it selfe , to paint her watry face with , and lookes more like a part of heauen , then like it selfe ; who in the absence of the Sunne , is all fabled with blacknesse , and darknesse , and sad obscurity ; but vpon the first beames of the heauenly body , is glazed with a most noble & illustrious brightnesse ; so is it with our whole man . For when God shall thus imprint and strike himselfe into our darke being , O how beautifull shall the feet of Gods Saints bee ? Esay 52. 7. What a Diadem of stars shall crowne their glorious heads ? Reuelat. 12. How shall their amiable bodies shine in Sun-like Maiesty ? Mat. 13. 4. Neither let it bee thought a vaine audacity of speech , to say that the countenance and face of Gods children shall break forth into beames of more celestiall glory , then the mid-day sunne euer yet sent abroad into the World . For as S. Paule tells vs , they shall be conform'd to the Image of his glorious body ; so he tels Agrippa , Acts 26. 13. At mid-day . O King , I saw in the way a light from heauen , aboue the brightnes of the Sunne , shining round about me : which was no other then the Light of the countenance of our Lord Iesus , which sight as it struck blindnesse into the face , and thicke scales into the eies of persecuting Saul , so it dressed the whole countenance of suffering Stephen with a most Diuine and Angelical glory : and had not the Light in reason beene greater then the Suns , it would haue beene like the Moon and Starres at mid-day , wholly extinguisht and inuisible .

Neyther let any man amaze his vnderstanding with the manner how a Spirituall substance can so sparkle , and be , as it were visible in the body . Saint Austins comparison hath life in it , in the expression of that point . Life in it selfe is inuisible , and cannot be seene , yet it so freshes the countenance , and beautifies the eyes , that when the body wants it , and is dead , nothing lookes more dreary and ghastly then a Corps doth : We see not life in it selfe ( sayes the Father ) but wee see it shining in the brightnesse of the eyes , and smiling in the liuelihood and cheerefulnesse of the countenance . And so it is with a glorious body . God is Life , and , like Life , cannot bee seene in himselfe by any ocular aspect , but as Life in a Naturall , so God in a glorious body is most apparant , and plainely visible , and conspicuous , euen vnto our eyes .

But some perhaps will thinke this discourse of spirituall satiety ( I call it spirituall , not excluding the Body , but because our Bodies themselues shall be then spirituall , as now our very spirits are in a manner carnall ) to be fetch'd rather out of the schooles of Reason , then of Gods Word , and to haue more ground in Philosophy then Faith . For where in Scripture shall we read of any such image of God to satisfie our Natures with ? If we turne to the 17. Psalme and the 15. verse , we shal there finde the portion of the righteous excellently described by Dauid : who hauing before set out the men of this world ( who haue their portion in this life ) their dimensum , which is their belly full of Treasures , abundance of Children , and their happinesse to leaue their substance to their Babes , verse 14. hee reflects his thoughts into his owne brest , and sings , As for me , I will behold thy face in righteousnesse , I shall bee satisfied when I awake with thy Image . This made Dauids heart pant after the sight of Gods face ( for so the words originally signifie , ) Psalm . 42. 1. This made him pray , Lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death , and needes must the eyes of the righteous be lightened , and then awaken , ( when the wicked shall haue theirs shut vp in eternall darkenesse ) when they shall behold the face of God , and shall satisfie with his Image their euigilant soules . Wee shall finde in Scripture besides this Image of God , that for aye blesses the soules of the righteous , two other Images of the wicked world , and of wicked men , wherewith the wicked striue to satisfie their soules ; but as S. Paul 〈◊〉 vs the image of the world does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , loose continually his forme and fashion : so Dauid tells vs , Psalme the 73. the 20. that when God awakes , he shal despise their image . The image of God satisfies the righteous , when they awake to their reward ; because there is substance , and truth , and goodnesse in it : but when God awakes to the punishment of the wicked , their image is so far from bringing with it any satisfaction of glory , that in the iudgment of God himselfe ( who cannot but iudge most vprightly ) it is full of shame , most ignoble , and worthy to be despised , hauing no substance , but onely shadow ; no truth , but onely appearance , no ground but onely opinion to paint it selfe with : and therefore looke what difference of things there is in the sound iudgment of one waking , and the skipping and dauncing phansies of a dreaming braine , so much & more is there betweene the swelling images of secular glory , and the diuine image of God , when wee shall awaken from those dreams , which the world , as long as shee can keepe vs in the cradle of our flesh , rocks , and pleasantly sings vs a-sleep in . And therefore Dauid , hauing spoken of the death of the wicked , in the former verse of the fore-cited Psalme , O how suddenly doe they consume and perish , and come to a fearefull end ! presently annexes : As a dreame when one awaketh , so , O Lord , when thou awakest , thou shalt despise their image . But let vs leaue this golden Image with all the dreaming World ( with Nebuchadnezar ) is troubled with in their sleepe , and is angry with all that will not fall down to worship it ; and returne to that Image that deludes not dreaming , but satisfies our awaking spirits .

As Dauid speaks of his owne , so S. Paul speakes of all the Elect soules of God , Rom. 8. 29. that they were predestinated to be conform'd to this Diuine image , and therefore in the 2. to the Corinthians , the 3. 13. 14. &c. he makes his difference betweene the obstinate Iew ▪ and the beleeuing Christian , that their hearts was stil veild , and blinded with their olde Mosaicall shadows , and ceremonies ; but wee all ( saies the Apostle ) hauing the veyle done away in Christ , with open face beholding , as in a glasse , the glory of the Lord , or changed into the same Image from glory to glory , euen as of the spirit of the Lord . So that as the Moon and the Starres , that hauing no in-borne or inherent Light streaming from themselues , and yet gathering together into their burning faces the beames of the Sun , freely sent abroad , and bestowed amongst them , appear like so many little images of the great Lampe of day . So all the Holy Lamps of Heauen , made for Gods seruice , haue onely the Light of Gods countenance to kindle themselues with , which he out of his bounty casts abroad amongst them , and they according to their seuerall capacities , to fill vp their measures of glory , most ambitiously vessell vp .

This being the Royalty of the Diuine Nature , who is the spiritual sonne of eternall Essences , that he , beyond all other , is most emissiue and communicatiue of himselfe : For as Light is more visible then any colour , and sends out in the eradition of it , a more full and luminous species of it selfe , then any other thing : because it is ( as the Philosopher calls ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the colour of all colours : so God , who is the Light of all Lights , must needs in himselfe bee most visible , though neither it to the eye of an Owle , nor God to the sight of our vnderstanding , yet beetle-browed , can so appeare . But when ( as Dauid sings ) our soules shall awaken , and the youth of our bodies shall be renewed as the Eagles ; both they with the Diuinity , and these with the Diuine humanity shall be transformed into the same image of glory which they shall behold in him . And though now they blinke at Sunne-shine , yet then where the body of glory is , thither shall the spirituall Eagles be all gathered together , and there feede , and fill the righteous hunger , and thirst of theirs .

And this is the fulnesse of glory our Sauiour meanes to satisfie them in heauen with , who on earth nourish in themselues the righteous hunger after Grace . When the vnderstanding shall be filled with truth , in which is no shadow of error , the will with goodnesse , in which is no mixture of euill , the affections with ioy and delight in which shall be neyther defect nor end ; when the body shall be satisfied with Life that knowes no dying , shall be quickned with health , that feares no sickenesse , shall be imbrightned with beautie , that can neyther bee impayred with disease , nor impalled by death ; when the whole person shall be crowned with honour & glory , shall be leagued in friendship with Angells and Saints , shall bee vnited to Christ in body , to the holy Ghost in Spirit , to God in a bright similitude , and likenesse of his Diuine nature : in a word , when they shall enioy ( which this world is out of hope of ) honor without ambition , beauty without pollution , glory without pride , power without iniury , riches without oppression , all good without any end of possessing , feare of losing , or sinne in spending . Let vs therefore quicken our drowsie spirits with