The Felicity of the Life to Come, Part 2
A Declaration of the Company which we shall inioye in the World to come.
AS to the Companie which we shall hauehave in that heavenly habitation, it is first to be marked, that wee shall be quite of all evil company: For all wicked men shall be perpetually banished from that faire cuntrie. Know ye not, saith the Apostle Paul, that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God?1. Cor. 6.9. Be not deceived, Neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wanton persons, nor buggerers, nor theeues, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor raillers nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God; which is to be vnderstood, except they be washen, sanctified, and justified in the name of Iesus Christ, and by the spirit of God, like as the Corinthians were, to whome Paul wrote this Epistle, which did repent and amend their liues. The same is affirmed by Saint Iohn in his Revelation,Reve. 21.& 27. saying: the fearfull and vnbeleving, and the abhominable, & murtherers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all liers shal hauehave their part in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. And again, speaking of that holie Citie, he saith: There shal enter into it no vncleane thing, neither whatsoever worketh abhomination or lies. The companie then which we shall injoy, shall be all holy and righteous:Isai. 60.21. Thy people shall be all righteous, (saith the Lord, speaking to his Church) they shal possesse the land for ever.Psal. 15.1. Lord, who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle? saith the Psalmist, who shal rest in thine holy mountaine? He that walks vprightlie, and works righteousnes, and speakes the trueth in his heart. In such sort, that wee shall continuallie converse with the Saints; that is to say, with men and women which served God in spirit, and trueth in this life; and that not onelie of the people of our owne cuntrie, or of the Iewes, and Israelites, which are called Gods people: But also of all cuntries and nations of the earth, and that of all estates & degrees. Assemble your selues, and come, (saith the Lord) drawe neere togither ye abject of the Gentiles:Isai. 45.20. Look vntounto me, and yee shall be saved: All the ends of the earth shal be saued: For I am God, and there is none other: I hauehave sworne by my selfe, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnes, and shall not returne: That every knee shall bowe vntounto me, and every toung shal sweare by me. And againe, the Lord saith to his Son Christ Iesus, It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my servant, to raise vp the tribes of Iacob,Isai. 49.6 and to restore the desolations of Israell: I will also giuegive thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou maist be my salvation to the end of the world. Likewise, the Apostle Iohn saith, that the glory and honour of the Gentiles (that is to say of all Nations,Rev. 21.26 aswell as of the Iewes) shall be brought vntounto the holie Citie. And this shall not onelyonly be of the faithful of one age, or of them which are living nowe, but of all ages which hath bene from the beginning of the worlde, and shal be vntounto the consumation thereof and latter comming of Iesus Christ. Wee shall then frequent the societie and fellowship of al the godly Martyrs, which constantly hath suffered for the name of Christ Iesus in this life: And likewise, of the Disciples and Apostles of Christ Iesus, which hath sounded his Gospel thorow the whol world: Of the holy Priests, and true Prophets of the Lord; of the godly Kings and Rulers of the Earth, which as the Lords lieftenants did ministrate justice and judgment in their liues. We shall hauehave for our familiar brethren and companions our first progenitor Adam, Noe, Lot, Abraham, Isaac & Iacob, and the twelue Patriarks, the sonnes of Iacob: Likewise wee shall see, by familiar, and contract friendship & brotherhood which never shall be dissolved, with Moses, Aaron, Iosua, and the just judges of Israell, with Samuell, Elias, and Elisha, Esay, Ieremie, Ezechiell, and Daniell, with David, Ezechias, and Iosias, with Iohn the Baptist, Peter, Paul, & Iohn, whome our Saviour loved: with whome wee shal dwell as brethren and Citizens of a Cittie. Moreover, not onelyonly shall wee be in company with faithful men and women, but also with the whole armie of the holy Angels of the Lord, whome hee hath appointed to preserue and defend vsus in this life: The whole ordour of them shall rejoyce greitumlie of our comming and salvation, and shall be continually conversant with vsus in perpetual societie and friendship:Gen. 3 24. Col. 1.16. There shal we enter in fellowshippe with the Cherubims, Seraphins, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, Arch-angels, Angels, and with the whole number of the celestiall Legions: Which receiveth those styles, to declare their glory, power, & distinct ofices. These shal delight to magnifie & extol the Majestie of the lord togither with vsus, insatiantlie, with vnspeakable joy & gladnes. But the chief company wherein we shuld most rejoice, is: That we shall hauehave the ful fruition of almightie God the Father, of his Sonne Christ Iesus our Saviour, and of the holy Ghost, which is the spirit of God: There we shal see them face to face in their full majestie and glory, which none can behold, nor apprehend in this life, but by faith only. The almighty God shall behold, and blesse vsus from his high and holy throne, as his owne sonnes and heires whome hee hath adopted: The Lambe Christ Iesus shall imbrace & kisse vsus, as his brethren & sisters, he shall congratulate our comming, and present vsus faultlesse vntounto his Father: And the Comforter, the spirit of trueth, which nowe doth secreetly assist vsus, governe vsus, and work in our hearts by measure: shal then be visiblie, and personally ever present among vsus; and really and with effect shall possesse both our soules and bodies, and replenish vsus with ful measure. Thus much shall suffice to hauehave spoken of the Company which wee shall injoye, and with whom we shal liue in the world to come.