Confutation of Monstrous and Horrible Heresies, Article 11
H. N. The .xij. Article.
And we beleeue oner.Iohn. 6. c. 17. euerlaſting life, Amen. We confeſſe that the ſame euerlaſting life is a trueſ.Iohn. 1. a 1. Iohn. 1. a. light of men, and that God hath made and choſen him the man hereto, that hee ſhoulde liue in the ſamet.Gen. 1. c. a. … Sapi. 1. b. light euerlaſtingly, it is verie true.
Anſwere. This euerlaſting life which H. N. ſpeaketh of, is no other thing, then that doctrine which he profeſſeth. And therfore he calleth it, a true light of men, according as we hauehave heard before in his title, that in reſpect of this doctrine, he chalengeth vntounto him ſelfe, to bee called the true light of the perfect being: alledging the ſame place that here is cited for proofe thereof. But leaſt ſome might ſay, that this place is not plaine inough, to warrant this to be their opinion, let vsus heare himſelf open his owne meaning more at large. Theſe are his owne wordes in the 34. Chapter of his Euangelie, Section. 4. In this ſame day, or laſt time, (namely in the perfection of the workes of God, & in his righteous iudgement) the God of heauē hath now declared himſelf, & his chriſt, together with al his ſaints to vsus his elect, alſo made a dwelling with vsus, & brought euen ſo vntounto vsus, out of his holy being, the moſt holie of his true tabernacle, with the fulnes of his garniſhing, and ſpiritual heauenly riches, to an euerlaſting faſt ſtanding Ieruſalem, and houſe for Gods dwelling, according to the Scripture: the which is the verie true vndiſturbable kingdome, full of all godly power, ioy, and of all heauenly beautifulneſſe, wherin the land of the lord, with fulneſſe of eternall life, and louely ſweeteneſſe, is ſung from euerlaſting to euerlaſting, and wherein all mindes of pure heartes doe dwell liue, and walke with freedome, In this kingdom of H N. his louelove is the fulneſſe of euerlaſting life.and Chriſtian triumph in all louelove. This day of louelove is with him (as you heare) the laſt time, and therefore nowe doeth God make his dwelling with vsus, and bringeth the fulneſſe of his ſpiritual riches. And this kingdome (as he ſayeth here) is the verie true vndiſturbable kingdome, full of all godly ioy, and heauenly beautifulnes, wherein is the fulneſſe of eternall life. He calleth it the eternall life, becauſe this doctrine muſt reigne on earth for euer: and therefore in his expoſition vponupon this Article, he doeth not affirme, that anie one man ſhall liue in the ſame light euerlaſtingly: but ſpeaking indefinitely, ſayeth, the man ſhall liue in it euerlaſtingly: becauſe there ſhall bee from hencefoorth in all times hereafter, men founde that ſhall walke in perfecte obedience vntounto this Doctrine. It appeareth likewiſe out of his Euangelie, that he profeſſeth euerlaſting life, to be nothing elſe, but his doctrine. So that to liue in perfect obedience vntounto that, is no other thing, then to liue in the life euerlaſting, & in that light that ſhineth therein. And it is therefore called euerlaſting, becauſe it ſhalbe profeſſed for euer, and no religion preuaile againſt it. Theſe bee his owne woordes. Euangelie. 37.13. Therefore alſo is this day, or light of the louelove with his ſeruice in the moſt holie, the laſt day, and the perfection or concluſion of all the workes of God, in the which God himſelfe, with his Chriſt, and with all the thouſandes of his Saintes, as in the moſte holy of his true tabernacle, appeareth and commeth vntounto the beleeuers, and obedient ones, to the requiring of his worde, to an eternall reſt of his holy ones, and to a godly conſolation for all afflicted hearts, which hope on God, and on his righteouſneſſe, and beare the louelove of God and Chriſt in their hearts: to the end that they all, which louelove God, and his Chriſt, mought now liue louely, and peaceably in the ſame reſt, with all the holy ones of God, and Chriſt, in all louelove: which moſt holy the moſt pure perfect beautie, & his vpright and gracious ſeruice of louelove, we hauehave receiued or atteined vntounto, now in this laſt time, wherin we inherite the fulneſſe of the life, to an euerlaſting ioy, with God and his Chriſt.The ioyes of H. N. his heauen, are here vponupon earth. And that ſame moſt holy, & his ſeruice of louelove, reacheth alſo no further, but it is the perfection it ſelfe: for that cauſe the ſeruice of louelove, which the Lord hath erected with vsus little ones, & elected ones, ſhal ſtand faſt euerlaſtingly, in his miniſtration, and remaine for euer according to the Scripture. This ſeruice of louelove (as H.N. doth here declare) is the perfection it ſelfe, which ſhall ſtande faſt euerlaſtingly in his miniſtration, and remain for euer, according to the ſcripture: and he that liueth obediently in this ſeruice of the louelove, is alreadie ouer head and eares in the ioyes of heauen. H.N. his heauen, that is builded here vponupon earth, hath beene ouerthrowne before in the confutation of his title. I meane not therefore to hauehave any other dealing againſt it, before I ſhall be fully certified, that eyther it is builded higher: or elſe, that the foundation is made ſurer: onelyonly this I deſire, that the eyes of this family may be opened, ſo to ſee the true happineſſe laid vp in heauen, for the faithfull: as that they may growe into a true deteſtation of all thoſe, who teach no other ioyes to be there, then ſuch that are felt and perceyued in this life.