A Golden Chain, Chapter 50
CHAP. 50. Of the estate of the Elect after iudgement.
THe last iudgement beeing once finished, the Elect shall enioy immediatly blessednes in the kingdome of heauen.
Blessednes is that, whereby God himselfe is all in all his Elect. 1. Cor. 15. 28. When all things shall be subdued to him, then shall the Sonne also himselfe be subiect vntounto him, that did subdue all things vnderunder him, that God may be all in all. And it is the reward of good workes, not because workes can merit, but by reason of Gods fauour, who thus accepteth workes, and that in respect of the merit of Christs righteousnes imputed to the Elect. Rom. 6.23. The wages of sinne is death, but eternall life is the gift of God, through Iesus Christ our Lord. 2. Tim. 4. 8. Reu. 22. 12. Behold, I come shortly, and my reward is with me, to giuegive eueryevery man according as his worke shall be.
Blessednesse hath two parts: Eternall life, and perfect glorie.
Eternall life is that fellowship with God, aIoh. 14. 23. If any man louelove me, he will keepe my word, and my Father will louelove him, and we will come vntounto him, and dwell with him. 1. Ioh. 4. 15. Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. Reuel. 21.3. And I heard a voyce, saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them: and they shall be his people, and God himselfe shall be their God with them. 23. And that citie hath no neede of sunne or moone to shine in it: for the glorie of God did light it, and the Lambe is the light of it. Reuel. 22.2. In the middes of the streete of it, and of either side of the riuer, was the tree of life, which bare twelue manner of fruits, and gaue fruit eueryevery monethmonth: and the leaues of the tree serued to heale the nations with. 5. And there shall be no night there, and they neede no candle, nor light of the sunne: for the Lord giueth them light, and they shall reigne for euermore. 1. Cor. 15.45. Rom. 8.11. If the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead, dwell in you, he that raised vp Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortall bodies, because that his spirit dwelleth in you.whereby God himselfe is, thorough the Lambe Christ, life vntounto the Elect. For in the kingdome of heauen, the Elect shall not neede meat, drinke, sleepe, aire, heat, cold, phisicke, apparell, or the light of the Sunne and moone: b but in place of all these, shall they hauehave in them Gods spirit, by which immediatly they shall be quickned for euer.
Perfect glorie, is that wonderfull excellencie of the Elect, wherby they shal be in a farre better estate then any heart can wish. This glorie consisteth in three points. I. In that they shall still behold the face of God, which is his glory and maiestie. Reuel. 22.4. And they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their forheads. Psal. 17.15. I will behold thy face in righteousnes, and when I awake I shall be satisfied with thine anger. II. In that they shall be most like to Christ, namely, iust, holy, incorruptible, glorious, honorable, excellent, beautifull, strong, mightie, and nimble. 1. Ioh. 3.2. Dearely beloued, now are we the sonnes of God, but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be: and we knowe that when he shall appeare, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is. Phil. 3.21. Who shall change our vile bodie, that it may be fashioned like vntounto his glorious bodie, according to the working whereby he is able euen to subdue all things to himselfe. III. They shall inherit the kingdome of heauen, yea, the newe heauens and newe earth shal be their inheritance. 1. Pet. 1.4. God hath begotten you to an inheritance immortall & vndefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserued in heauen for you. Mat. 25.34. Then shall the king say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, possesse a kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laid. Reu. 5.10. Thou hast made vsus vntounto our God kings and priests, and we shall raigne on the earth. Reuel. 21.7. Hee that ouercommeth, shall inherite all things, and I will be his God & he shall be my sonne.
The fruit that commeth from both these parts of blessednes, is of two sorts: Eternall ioy, and the perfect seruice of God. Psal. 16.11. Thou wilt shewe me the path of life, in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy: and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore. Psal. 36.8. They shall be satisfied with the fatnes of thine house, and thou shalt giuegive them drinke out of the riuer of thy pleasures. 9. For with thee is the well of life, and in thy light shall we see light.
The parts of Gods seruice, are Praise, and Thanksgiuing. Reuel. 21.3. And I heard a great voice out of heauen, saying, behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them: and they shall be his people, and God himselfe shall be their God with them. Chap. 5.12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lambe that was killed, to receiue power, and riches, and wisdome, and strength, and honour, and glory, and praise, &c. 13. Chap. 11.17. The foure and twentie Elders which sate before God on their seates, fell vponupon their faces and worshipped God, saying, Wee giuegive thee thanks, Lord God Almightie, which art, and Which wast, and Which art to come: for thou hast receiued thy great might, and hast obtained thy kingdome.
The manner of performing this seruice, is to worship God by God himselfe immediately. In heauen there shall neither be temple, ceremonie, nor Sacrament, but all these wants shal God himselfe supply togither with the Lābe, that is, Christ. Reuel. 21.22. I sawe no temple therein, for the Lord God Almightie, and the Lambe are the Temple of it.
This seruice shall be daily, and without intermission. Reuel. 7.15. They are in the presence of the throne of God, and serue him day and night in his temple.
A Corollarie, or the last conclusion.
THus God, in sauing the Elect, doeth clearely set forth his iustice and mercy. His iustice, in that he punished the sinnes of the elect, in his Sonnes owne person. His merciemercy, in that he pardoned their sinne, for the merites of his Sonne. Eph. 1. 18. That the eies of your vnderstanding may be lightned, that ye may knowe what the hope is of his calling, and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in his Saints, 19. And what is the exceeding greatnes of his power towardes vsus, which beleeue, according to the working of his mightie power, 20. Which he wrought in Christ. Chap. 3.18. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height: 19. And to knowe the louelove of Christ.
All these things the Lord himselfe hath thus decreed, and in his good time will accomplish them, to the glorious praise of his Name. Pro. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake: yea euen the wicked for the daie of euill.