Mount Pisgah, Part 3 · Section 2
The fourth and laſt Priviledge contained in cohabitation, is Conformity.
Even in the Evangelical ſtate below, Conformity is the fruit of viſion, viſion produceth Aſſimilation.
We all with open face beholding as in a glaſs the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3.18.are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Surely the heavenly viſion will beget ſo much more full and perfect conformity, by how much the mirrour is more vital and energetical: The Apoſtle reacheth forth, this bleſſed truth and the reaſon of it together, as a known Doctrine.
Beloved, now we are the Sons of God, 1 John 3 2.that were dignity enough for a poor ſinner (one would think) I but that's not all; it is well, and it ſhall be better. God hath laid out much upon us; but how much glory he hath laid up for us we cannot conceive; it doth not yet appear what we ſhall be! This only we know, that when he ſhall appear we ſhall be like him! That's infinite honour indeed! But how doth he prove it? Why, he proves our conformity from our viſion, we ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him: Him, ver. 3. God in Chriſt; the Godhead in the glorified humane nature of Jeſus Chriſt, even while he was here in the dayes of his fleſh; the fleſh of Chriſt was a, veil, 1 Tim. 3.1….through which the deity of Chriſt did appear, foreign, God was conſpicuous in the humane nature; John 1.14.the inviſible God was, as it were, made viſible in a body of fleſh: We beheld his glory (ſayes the Evangeliſt) if it were ſo upon earth, how much more will it be verified in heaven? The glorified body of our Lord will be as tranſparent glaſs, through which the glorious beams of Divinity will diſplay themſelves to the eye of the bleſſed beholders: And in the beholding whereof there will go forth a transforming vertue which will change them into the ſame Image; if it were ſo, I ſay, in the Goſpel viſion, how much more will it be ſo in the beatifical? The Soul by enjoying God cometh nearer to the pleaſure of God himſelf.The ſight of God hath a conforming power in it to aſſimilate the beholder into the likeneſs of God, he converts all into its own nature; God as he is a conſuming fire to the wicked, ſo he is a purifying refining fire to the Saints, by purifying out their droſs to make them partakers of his holineſs, Heb. 12.10. It was the deſign of their correction in this world, and the perfecting of that conformity is the ultimate and ſupreme deſign of the facial viſion: we ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him; we ſhall be as he is, when we ſhall ſee him as he is: we ſhall be like him:
Like him in
Our Souls.
Our Bodies.
Like him in our Souls; like him in all the faculties of our Souls: The Saints like God in their underſtanding.our underſtandings ſhall be like the divine underſtanding; we ſhall know all things, paſt, preſent, and to come; we ſhall know all things as God knows them, for we ſhall know all things, and ſee all things in God, ut ſupra.
Then Adam (for the promiſe of a Redeemer being firſt preacht to him, Gen. 3.15.and that by God himſelf, giveth us more than a probable ground to believe that he is in heaven) Adam, I ſay, ſhall have his ambition ſatisfied in a better ſence than he intended, o… the Tempter ſuggeſted, of being like unto God knowing good and evil; Gen. 3.5.now he knows univerſal good, to be filled and ſatisfied with it; and evil in all the diſtinctions of it as it is now (through the infinite grace of a Redeemer) the Tempters portion and not his own.
The will is made like unto Gods will, not a fountain indeed, but a large veſſel full of goodneſs and holineſs; the Saints ſhall be holy as God is holy, pure as God is pure, perfect as he is perfect; they were ſo on earth, truly; now in Heaven they are ſo, perfectly; the will ſhall be as holy as it would be, as holy as the holy God would have it be, ſo holy that there will be mutual joy and delight, between God and the Saints, in the contemplation of their holineſs, the Saints ſhall rejoyce in the holineſs of God, that they have ſuch an holy God, it was their duty in the ſtate of Grace, Pſal. 30.4. Sing unto the Lord, oh ye Saints of his, give thanks at the remembrance of his holineſs: They reſt not, and yet they are not w…y Rom. 4.8.It is their work and wages, their labour and their reſt now, in the ſtate of glory: They reſt not day nor night ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, &c. See how the Saints are raviſhed with the contemplation of Gods holineſs, they double and treble the mention of this glorious attribute, they cry, Holy, holy, holy, for once Almighty, &c.
And it ſeems God (if I may ſo ſay) is as much taken with the beauty of their holineſs; they have their denomination from their holineſs, Saints, in Engliſh, Holy ones, ſuch as God accounts to be his Inheritance, yea, the glory of it; they were ſo while they were below; Eph. 1.18.The riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints: What is it above, where their holineſs is conſummate, where the Saints are now preſented by Chriſt, a glorious Church, even (like their God) glorious in holineſs, foreign.not having ſpot or wrinkle, neither ſin, nor ſhadow of ſin, neither ſpot nor appearance of a ſpot, but holy and without blemiſh, immaculate holineſs! there is not ſo much as a ſtained thought, not an inordinate motion, in the whole Region of Heaven to defile that upper world; this God delights in, becauſe in the holineſs of the Saints he ſees the reflection of his own face, God pleaſeth himſelf to ſee, how like himſelf he could make a Creature! ſuch was the deſign in the firſt Creation; Let us make man in our own image, after our likeneſs, Gen. 1.26.(it was the counſel of the thrice bleſſed Trinity:) and now though once it ſuffered a miſcarriage, it is perfected with advantage by the ſecond Adam. They will what God willeth, and nill what God nilleth.An Argument that it was not a miſcarriage of improvidence, but of ordination: In a word, in Heaven there is but one will between God and the Saints, and that will is Gods.
Moreover, In their affections, Love, Hatred, Joy. His exaltation to the right hand of his Father. Iſai. 62.5.the Saints are like God in their affections. They love what God loveth, and hate what God hateth, their joy is Gods joy; they rejoyce in God and in his glory, they rejoyce in Jeſus Chriſt their Bridegroom, and he rejoyceth in them; As the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride, ſo ſhall thy God rejoyce over thee; that was but the word ſpoken to the Church at her Eſpouſals, what muſt the joy be (think we) upon her wedding-day.
All the affections which either were inordinate, or ſuitable only to the imperfect ſtate, as envy, malice, fear, hope, deſire, &c. they are all aboliſhed, as either inconſiſtent with or uſeleſs to the heavenly ſtate; and therein conſiſts no ſmall part of their conformity to God, as being capable of nothing which denoteth infirmity or imperfection.
The Saints are like God in their memories, they ſhall have holy memories; their memories ſhall be like the Ark of the Covenant, which was overlaid with gold, wherein (according to the Apoſtles Inventory) were
The golden Pot that had Manna.
And Aaron's Rod that budded.
And the Tables of the Covenant,
The Ark of the Memory now overlaid with glory, likewiſe ſhall contain the Manna that Angelical food of Word, Sacraments, Promiſes, Ordinances, Providences, Experiences, wherewith God was wont to feed the Soul, while in the wilderneſs of the world.
Aaron's Rod that budded, Gods fatherly Rod of correction, which though for the preſent ſeemed not joyous but grievous, yet afterward it yielded the peaceable fruits of Righteouſneſs, Heb. 12.11.in them that were exerciſed thereby.
And the Tables of the Covenant: The two Covenants, which God made with man; the one of Works, the witneſs of Gods holineſs and perfection; the other of Grace, the witneſs of Gods goodneſs and commiſeration.
The Covenant of Works, the ſtanding evidence of mans guiltineſs.
The Covenant of Grace, the ſtanding evidence of Gods righteouſneſs.
The Covenant of works the laſting monument of mans impotency and changeableneſs.
The Covenant of Grace the everlaſting monument of Gods omnipotence and immutability.
Theſe, with all the particulars included in either, are the chief things which ſhall fill the memory, and the remembrance of them, comparing the type with the antitype (if I may ſo ſay, things paſt with things preſent) will fill the Soul with admiration and delight.
If any thing of evil do occur, whether of
ſin,
affliction,
as ſoon as ever it enters within that glorious firmament, it loſeth the nature of evil, and is naturalized into matter of rejoycing and thankfulneſs.
In a word, the entire Image of God, Eph. 5.1. It was their duty in the ſtate of grace, it ſhall be their infinite dignity in the ſtate of glory.which was imprinted upon the Soul in the firſt Creation, and reprinted upon it (though in an imperfect character) in the new Creation, ſhall now be perfected to the life in the Regeneration, the Saints ſhall be as like God as ever they can look, as like God as ever Children were like their Father; ſo that there will be nothing but looking and liking the one upon the other.
Prevent that holy gaze now, oh ye children of the moſt high God, be often taken up in the beholding and contemplation of the face of your heavenly Father; behold, will it not
Quicken you to duty?
Comfort you in your droopings?
Cauſe you to overlook the contempt of the world with an holy pride?
And even be the dawnings of glory upon your faces, whereby ſome line and lineaments of beauty ſhall be added daily to that bleſſed draught begun already againſt that day!
Once more before we go off from this pleaſing contemplation, add we,
The very bodies of the Saints ſhall ſhare in this bleſſed conformity as well as the ſoul: It had its degree in the firſt Paradiſe, man had a kind of reſemblance to God in the very make of his body, The bodies of the Saints. Os homini ſublims d…dit, caelumque tueri juſſit, &c.beautiful; upright, active, no ſuch viſible picture of God, in Heaven or Earth, as man was, not Sun, Moon, or Stars, not Earth, and Sea, or the viſible Heavens themſelves have ſo much of their Maker in them as the body of man; his very corporeal ſences had much of God in them, they were Veſtigia Dei, though not Imago, one might eaſily have known who was their Father.
But now in glory, ſaith the Apoſtle,
Our vile body ſhall be faſhioned like unto his glorious body.Phil. 3.21.
The glorified body of Chriſt, next to the divine eſſence, (to which it is hypoſtatically united) ſhall be the glory and the wonder of Heaven, and our body, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſhall be like his, conformable unto his glorious body.
What a mirrour of glory will the Saints be in their ſouls conform'd to the divine nature, and their body conform'd to the glory of the humane nature of Jeſus Chriſt, the Lord of glory! Oh wonderful aſtoniſhing transfiguration!
Well ſaid the Apoſtle, It doth not yet appear what we ſhall be; ſurely eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither can it enter into the heart of man, &c.
This will be an infinite compenſation to the Saints of God, for all their holy endeavours of being like to God, that as obedient Children they have been followers of their heavenly Father, Eph. 5.1.and for all the reproaches and abaſements they ſuſteined from a reprobate world becauſe of thoſe endeavours.
The earth was not able to bear the hard ſpeeches, wherewith the enemies of God have reproached the footſteps of Gods anointed ones, labouring to inſiſt in the ſteps of their heavenly Father, willing to be Nonconformiſts to the will and luſts of men, and ſtriving to be conformable to the will and pattern of their holy King and Law giver the Lord Jeſus the King of Saints: Now I ſay, it ſhall be no ſhame nor grief of heart unto them, when they ſhall reap the fruit of their weak and imperfect conformity on earth, in the moſt full and perfect conſummation of that conformity in heaven; when behold whatſoever is glorious and wonderful in the perſon of their glorious Redeemer, or in the thrice glorious and bleſſed Trinity, the very print and Character of it ſhall be ſtampt upon the glorified Saints (in their created capacities) cauſing them to appear not only foreign, as ſo many Angels, but even to reſemble God himſelf, and to ſhine as ſo many Chriſts in the Kingdom of their heavenly Father; and they that laughed them to ſcorn ſhall ſee it, and their faces being filled with ſhame, their conſciences with horrour, and their hearts with envy; they ſhall now revile and curſe themſelves, howling out, Wiſd. 5.4.We fools accounted their lives madneſs, &c.
Oh how much better are the reproaches of Chriſt, than all the grandieur and applauſe in the world! Be of good chear, all ye Servants of God, the time is coming when you ſhall not repent of your conformity to God and Chriſt in holineſs, but ſhall ever ſing, I thank the Lord who gave me counſel, and taught me to chuſe the better part, which ſhall never be taken away from me.
I come now to the Complement and perfection of this laſt fruit and conſequent of Chriſt his coming (the Saints cohabitation and fellowſhip with the Lord) namely, The extent and duration of it in this particle ever.
We ſhall ever be with the Lord.The extent and duration ever.
Ever, a little word, but of immenſe ſignification! a Child may ſpeak it, It was a witty reply of a Grandchild of Doctor Reynolds (now Biſhop of Norwich) He asking the Child, How long Eternity is? The Child anſwered, If you will tell me how long half eternity is, I will tell you how long whole eternity is.but neither Man nor Angel can underſtand it. Oh who can take the demenſions of eternity? Yea, who can tell me how long half eternity is? Behold I ſhew you a Myſtery, half eternity is eternity; yea, every part and particle of eternity is eternity; for eternity is not made up of hours, or dayes, or years, or luſtrums; or jubiles, or ages, or millions of Ages, the whole ſpace between the creation of the world and the diſſolution of it, would not make a day in eternity; yea, ſo many years as there be dayes in that ſpace would not fill up an hour in eternity. Eternity is one entire Circle, beginning and ending in it ſelf. This preſent world, which is meaſured out by ſuch diviſions and diſtinctions of times, is therefore mortal, and will have end, 2 Cor. 4.18.
If eternity did conſiſt of finite times (though never ſo large and vaſt) it would not be eternity, but a longer tract of time only; that which is made up of finite is finite. Eternity is but one immenſe indiviſible point, wherein there is neither firſt nor laſt, Deus eſt octus ſimpliciſſimus ex quo omnia ſ…nt & in …uem omnio redeu….beginning nor ending, ſucceſſion or alteration, but is like God himſelf, one and the ſame for ever.
From hence we infer this Doctrine.
The bleſſedneſs of the Saints in Heaven is everlaſting.
Their preſence with God is ever.
Their viſion is ever.
Their fruition is ever.
Their conformity to God is ever. We ſhall ever be with the Lord.
Queſt. But why? What good have the Saints done to merit ſuch an ever of bliſs.
Anſw. Nay Chriſtians, if we go that way to work, we ſhall be ſure to fall ſhort of this ever. An Heaven proportionable to the Saints merit is not to be found, unleſs it be amongſt their Antipodes in the Regions of darkneſs (if there be an heaven there:) The wages of ſin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.Rom. 6. ult.
Hell is the wages of ſin, pure and proper merit; but Heaven is a free gratuitous gift, a gift in regard of us, though merit in regard of Chriſt. Eternal life is the gift of God, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
So that if it be demanded, Why Heaven muſt be for ever?
The firſt and only account of merit is the blood of Jeſus Chriſt; the Saints were once a loſt generation, Reaſons why the Saints reward in glory muſt be for ever. 1. Chriſts merit.that had ſold themſelves and their inheritance too, and had not wherewithall to redeem either.
But they had a neer Kinſman (even their elder Brother by the Mothers ſide) to whom the right of redemption did belong, who being a mighty man of wealth, the Heir of all things, undertook to be their Goel, and (out of his own proper ſubſtance) to redeem both them and their inheritance; them to be his own inheritance, Epheſ. 1.10. and Heaven to be theirs, 1 Pet. 1.4. And therefore had Heaven been but a moment ſhort of eternity, the Redeemer had over-bought it, for he laid out the infinite treaſures of his blood upon the purchaſe, the blood of God: Acts 20.28.had not Heaven been infinite alſo, as in value, ſo likewiſe in duration, it had not ſtood with the juſtice of God, or his love to his Son, to have taken ſo dear for it.
It is this ever in the Text, which makes Heaven to be but an even bargain; were there a period of time (though after the revolution of never ſo many Ages) wherein the purchaſe were to expire, Price, and Inheritance, and Heirs, were all loſt for ever.
Behold this is the firſt Reaſon.
A ſecond account may be in reſpect of the elect themſelves. 2. Reaſon. Saints have immortal Souls.The Saints have immortal ſouls, ſouls that have an ever ſtampt upon them; an ever, a parte poſt, an enduring ever, though not (a parte ante) a beginning ever, or rather an ever without beginning; of ſuch an ever the Saints were uncapable: God himſelf (with holy reverence be it ſpoken) could not have beſtowed ſuch an ever upon the Creatures, for then he muſt have made them ſo many Gods; and this God could not do, and that becauſe he is omnipotent; there is but one ſupreme, but one omnipotent; but now an ever, a parte poſt, an enduring ever, God by divine Covenant conferr'd upon their ſouls, and will inveſt their bodies alſo with at the Reſurrection, that ſo eternal Beings might be capable of eternal Rewards, the wicked of torments, the godly of bliſs, both eternal; If there were not this ever upon the beatitudes, as well as upon the perſons of the Saints, they would be extreamly loſers by it, and outlive their own happineſs.
Thirdly, 3. Reaſon. Saints Graces are eternal.Such a ceſſation of the joyes of Heaven would be as inconſiſtent with the Saints Graces, as it is with their beings; God hath beautified their immortal ſouls with immortal graces, 1 Cor. 13. ult.their love abides for ever, their zeal is eternal, their holineſs eternal, and all their qualifications for glory are eternal, and can their glory it ſelf be mortal? It were in vain to contend for perſeverance in Grace, ſhould we admit falling away from Glory. Poor Saints indeed, if neither grace here, nor glory hereafter could ſecure their happineſs! Were grace (indeed) amiſſable in this life, and glory in the future, the foundation of the Lord were not ſure, and the Saints of all men moſt miſerable! Such a ceſſation is totally inconſiſtent with the Orthodox faith, as well as with the wiſdom of God; who certainly if he had furniſht the Saints with immortal principles and qualifications for an heaven which would or might determine, had taken far more care upon the Mediums than upon the End: And overſight incompatible with a wiſe man, much more with the only wiſe God.
But the main pillars upon which this bleſſed Article of our faith (everlaſting life) is built, The Attributes of God the main pillars of Heavens eternity. 1. The Wiſdom of God.are the glorious Attributes of God: I ſhall therefore purſue the diſcovery of this delightful contemplation unto the Springhead.
Firſt then, The Wiſdom of God is the head corner ſtone, upon which we build the belief of this Doctrine, Heavens eternity.
Not to recur to any thing already ſpoken, I ſhall only take the hint of the Pſalmiſts Queſtion, Pſal. 89.47. Wherefore haſt thou made all men in vain? For the better underſtanding whereof, we are to take notice, that the riſe of the Queſtion is a paſſionate complaint of the Prophet, concerning the brevity and miſery of the preſent life, in Job's phraſe (Heb.) Short of dayes and full of trouble: In the former part of the verſe, Lord, remember how ſhort my time is.
And in this latter part of the verſe he doth, as it were, expoſtulate the caſe with God, why God would have it ſo? Wherefore haſt thou made all men in vain?
In which words, although he ſeem to ask God the queſtion, yet he giveth himſelf the anſwer, and the anſwer is negative, q. d. No: God made not men in vain: It is not poſſible that the Wiſdom of God ſhould make ſuch an excellent Creature as man (the maſter-piece of the whole neather world) to no purpoſe: It cannot be, that God ſhould bring in ſuch a Creature only to take a turn or two in the world, and then to diſappear, never to be heard of any more! What then? Why thence he doth rationally infer, that certainly in mans creation God had a deſign upon him, in order to a future eſtate: And what was that? But what the wiſe man diſcovers to us, Prov. 16, 4.The Lord hath made all things for himſelf, i. e. for his own glory; ſcil. The wicked for the day of evil, to the manifeſtation of his juſtice, and the godly for the day of redemption, to the exaltation of his free grace; in both which (however the wicked may ſeem in this world to go unpuniſhed, and the godly unrewarded yet) God will have time enough to make reparations to his juſtice in another world; hell and heaven will make amends for all.
But now after all this, ſhould there be a period wherein the flames of hell ſhould be extinguiſhed, or the joyes of heaven annihilated, if after the firſt creation ſuffered a miſcarriage, the ſecond alſo ſhould prove an abortion, if man ſhould out-live his heavenly Paradiſe as he did the earthly (though his leaſe ſhould be made for never ſo many lives) this would but aggravate the vanity of his creation, and we muſt needs approve of Solomon's choice, Wherefore I praiſed the dead more than the living, Eccleſ. 4.2, 3.yea, better is he than both they which hath not yet been: Surely ſuch an improvidence is totally inconſiſtent with that immenſe underſtanding, whoſe moſt juſt tile is, The only wiſe God.
This then is the firſt account of this ever here in my Text, Gods wiſdom.
Another Attribute upon which this beatifical Truth ſtandeth is, 2. Attribute, The Truth of God.The veracity and truth of God: the future eſtate both of the reprobate and of the elect, is every where in Scripture held out to us with a note of eternity.
That of the reprobate: Eternal judgment, Heb. 6. everlaſting ſire, Mat. 18.8. and 25.41.
Eternal fire, Jude 7. unquenchable fire, Matth. 3.12 Luke 3.17. fire that is not to be quenched, ver. 44. fire that never ſhall be quenched; ver. 43. after never ſo many years and ages of continuance, it is ſtill wrath to come, everlaſting darkneſs, Jude 6.
It ſeems though there be fire enough in hell, there is no light in that fire, even thoſe flames are darkneſs, and that darkneſs everlaſting; fire for heat, but not for light; whatever is afflictive, within hell nothing that's refreſhive, that's dreadful.
The worm that ſhall never dye.
Everlaſting deſtruction, 2 Theſ. 1.9.
And as that of the reprobate is, ſo
This of the elect is expreſt under the like notions, not a moment ſhort of eternity: the Father of Glory, who beſt knew what he had begotten, baptizeth it with that name.
Eternal glory, 2 Tim. 2.10. 1 Pet. 5.10.
Everlaſting life, fourteen times ſo called in the new Teſtament, and once in the old, Dan. 12.2.
Eternal life, thirty times ſo called by the Evangeliſts and Apoſtles.
Everlaſting Kingdom, 2 Pet. 1.11.
Enduring ſubſtance, Heb. 10.34.
An incorruptible Crown, 1 Cor. 9.25.
Pleaſures for evermore, Pſal. 16. ult.
A Kingdom that *foreign, Not fluctuating or floating up and down, as all ſublunary Kingdome and glory.cannot be moved, Heb. 12.18:
An eternal weight of Glory, 2 Cor. 4.17.
Heaven is a weight of glory; both the Hebrew and Chaldee words ſignifie both weight and glory, Heaven is made all of maſſy glory; glory that would be too heavy even for the ſhoulders of glorified Saints, were not underneath them the everlaſting arms.
But as God puts forth omnipotence to cauſe the damned to ſubſiſt under their (otherwiſe) intollerable pains, for the glory of divine juſtice; ſo in Heaven he is pleaſed to exert the arm of his almighty power, to ſuſtain the Saints under their unconceiveable weight of glory, for the more illuſtrious manifeſtation of his everlaſting love.
But this is not all; as there is a weight of glory to make heaven as big as the Saints can (joyfully) bear, ſo that weight muſt alſo be eternal, that ſo the glory may not be too ſhort for them, but every way commenſurate to all the dimenſions of their ſouls,
This, this is the witneſs and teſtimony which God himſelf hath given to the Saints inheritance in light, and to ſhew the infallibility of this teſtimony, the Apoſtle gives that glorious character of God, Titus 1.2.God that cannot lye; and that in the very ſame Scripture wherein he makes this glorious promiſe — Eternal life, which God that cannot lye hath promiſed before the world began. Obſerve it, as if the Apoſtle by the Spirit did foreſee what atheiſme might object, or weakneſs of faith might call in queſtion, viz. the eternity of heaven: How can that be? Oh yes, ſaith the Apoſtle, it muſt needs be ſo, God who cannot lye hath called it eternal life: cannot—he ſaith not will not, but cannot lye; whereas it might be objected, why the leaſt Child in the world can lye, I but ſaith the Apoſtle, God cannot lye, Hoc ſolum omnipotens om nipotenter non poteſt. Aug.it is againſt his eſſence; It is omnipotence in God that he cannot lye, as Auguſtine ſpeaks, if he could lye he were not almighty: whoever calls the eternity of the Saints reſt in queſtion, at the ſame time calls in queſtion Gods omnipotence as well as his truth, his being as well as his bounty.
If heaven were but a moment ſhorter than the meaſure which the Scripture giveth us, the Apoſtle had aſcribed to God a miſtaken title (God that cannot lye) upon ſuch a teſtimony as this from the mouth of God, how ſecurely may the Saints lye down in their beds of duſt, in confidence of enjoying an eternal reſt, after the Reſurrection?
A third Attribute which mightily contributes aſſurance to the faith of heavens eternity, A third Attri…ute is Immutability.is Gods Immutability. The unchangeableneſs of his counſel and purpoſe will ſet the ever of the Saints viſion and fruition of God, beyond all diſpute and heſitation. It was the very deſign and purpoſe of God upon the Saints in their regeneration and renewing by the Holy Ghoſt, which he ſhed upon them abundantly through Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour, that being juſtified by his grace, they ſhould be made heirs of eternal life. Did God manifeſt his eternal purpoſe to the world, of eternal life, and make ſuch ſolemn proviſion for the carrying on that purpoſe upon the heirs of promiſe, by intereſting the third Perſon in the glorious Trinity, the Holy Ghoſt, in it, and after all this can Heaven become but a peradventure and the Saints everlaſting communion with God, prove a Scepticiſin or ungrounded opinion only? Nay, Tit. 3.8.(ſaith the Apoſtle) in the very next verſe, This is a faithful ſaying, i. e. a man may venture his ſoul upon it, and theſe things I will that thou affirm conſtantly, i. e. foreign.aſſert as a matter of greateſt aſſurance, of which there is no doubt, ſcil. this grand principle, The eternity of the Saints bleſſedneſs, that we ſhould be made heirs of eternal life, and that to this end, that believers may be careful to maintain good works: leave Chriſtians at an uncertainty of an everlaſting reward, and farewell good works; men will act arbitrarily where they work doubtfully. Nay, but tell them, The foundation of the Lord ſtands ſure, his counſels and purpoſes are unchangeable, with him is no variableneſs, Jam. 1.17.neither ſhadow of turning; fix their faith upon this bottom, that Gods purpoſe of eternal life is as immutable as God himſelf, this will ſet them on work to purpoſe in the uſe of all ſuch means as tend to ſo glorious an end. Did God from eternity purpoſe ſalvation to the elect, to eternity? A ſoul ſet beyond all ſuſpition of the accompliſhment of this bleſſed promiſe, will be careful to maintain good works: ſo the Apoſtle follows it home, 1 Cor. 15. ult. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord: faithful is he that hath called you, who alſo will do it: Heaven will make amends for all.
Fourthly, 4th. Ground, Gods morcy.Such a ſuppoſed ceſſation of Heavens glory is totally inconſiſtent with the mercy and goodneſs of God: that man of God, holy David, begins his Pſalm of thankſgiving (in this lower Quire of Saints) with this ſtrain, Oh give thanks unto the Lord, Pſal. 136.1.for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever: And having begun in that ſtrain, he can ſing no other tune all the Pſalm over, it is (as it were) the burden of the Song, For his mercy endureth for ever: And ſhall we imagine he is now turning his Hallelujahs to a lower key in that celeſtial Quire, to Him that ſitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb!
No, Quicquid in Deo Deut. Rom. 9.23.mercy in God is not a moral or mortal vertue, but an eſſential Attribute, God himſelf eternal. Mercy in God hath been from eternity, and ſhall be to eternity; it can no more out live its objects, the veſſels of merey prepared unto glory, than it can ceaſe to be mercy. God is the Father of mercies, and mercy can never go childleſs; God muſt exerciſe the infiniteneſs of his mercy extenſive to all eternity, as well as intenſive above all dimenſions.
Fifthly; 5. Attribute, Omnipotence.The omnipotence of God doth gratifie his mercy in this deſign, for while mercy poureth in this ſtrong liquor of the Lords joy immeaſurably into the veſſels of glory, omnipotence doth ſupport and ſtrengthen thoſe veſſels that they ſplit not with their own fulneſs; it were not elſe imaginable how created veſſels ſhould hold uncreated glory and if the veſſ…l ſhould run out, or fail, the I quor would be loſt.
Sixthly, 6. Attribute, Eternity.God is eternal, and therefore Heaven muſt be eternal alſo. In Heaven there are no ſecond cauſes, which are obnoxious to contingency or alteration? all cauſes there are reſolved into the firſt being and ſoveraign cauſe, where they remain fixt and immutable, as that immenſe Being himſelf, and becauſe he liveth eternally, they ſhall ſo live alſo. The eternity of Gods being layeth the foundation of the eternity of the Saints glory.
*Rev. 21.23.The Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the Temple of it, the Sun that ſhineth there by day, & the Moon by night, are no part of the firſt Creation, which is to †Mat. 5.18.paſs away, but the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof; there ſhall not be ſo much as a poſt of the old fabrick in this new building, to infirm or endanger it: God alone is the Roof and Foundation of Heaven, the very Center and Circumference is God; all the Arches and Pillars of Heaven are made of the Tree of life, in which no worm can breed which may corrode or conſume the Saints manſions; no moth is there to fret and eat out the long white robes where with the Saints are adorned; nor Th…ef to break into the Palace of the great King, to ſteal away their crown from them? There is malice enough indeed in that foreign, the Angel of the bottomleſs pit, and all his curſed Goal-birds, to act ſuch helliſh villanies, not upon the Saints only, but upon God himſelf, even to pull him out of his Throne if they could; but thanks be to God, they are made faſt enough in the loweſt Dungeon, where they are ſtak'd down by a perpetual Decree, and reſerved in …bains of darkneſs for ever, ſo that the Saints need not fear that Antichriſtian brood ſhall ever break looſe to caſt in one Granado, or Fire-ball, into the walls of the new Jeruſalem, or to break open the gates thereof to diſturb their peace.
In a word, the Manna of thoſe upper heavens, which is the Angelical food the Saints live on, is not ſubject to breed worms, which may corrupt their conſtitution: behold! the worm is only in the neather place of darkneſs; and yet neither can that eat out any part of the ſubject on which it feedeth! Oh how ſweet would that worm be to the Reprobates, if but once in a thouſand years it might eat out but a piece of them, till they were utterly conſumed! but wo and alas! the worm knows only how to augment, but not how to ſhorten the torments of the damned; but as it is a never dying worm it ſelf, ſo is the miſerable ſubject alſo upon which it feedeth; there is fire in hell, but it is ſuch only as doth nouriſh its fuel, not diminiſh it: Whence ſhould this be, But becauſe the breath of the Lord like a ſtream of brimſtone doth kindle it?Iſai. 30. ult.
And if the juſtice of God gives eternity both to the torment of hell, and the tormented alſo to ſuſtain it, how much eaſier and ſweeter is it to conceive; the ſhine of Gods face is both the eternity of the bleſſed in glory, and of their bliſs aſo.
It is true indeed, of the neather heavens it is ſaid, they ſhall periſh—yea, all of them ſhall wax old as doth a garment, as a veſture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed; but hath he any where ſaid ſo of the upper heavens too, the ſeat of the bleſſed ſouls, the manſion houſe of the great King? Surely no: Yea (to uſe thoſe words in an accommodated ſenſe at leaſt) ſaith God, Iſa. 66.22.The new heavens and the new earth ſhall remain before me. However, even in contemplating the conſummation of theſe neather heavens, the Pſalmiſt hath a (ſavoury) But, which will ſave all harmleſs, But thou art the ſame, and thy years ſhall not fail.
Behold, God is the heaven of his Saints, what can put a period to this heaven.
A ſeventh Attribute is Love: 7. Attribute, the Love of God.Which way ſhould the glory of the Saints come to be extinguiſhed, or ſo much as eclipſed? If ſuch a thing could be, it muſt ariſe from a ceſſation of divine love, which cannot be ſuppoſed: Will God grow weary of their company? Behold! he made them (when he brought them into that ſtate of glory) as perfect as he would have them be (I had well nigh ſaid) as perfect as he could make them, that they might be a meet Bride for his firſt-born, his only begotten Son; and now behold, he that hated putting away in the fantaſtical Jew (unleſs it were in caſe of adultery) will he give the Lambs Wife a Bill of divorce, and put her out of doors in whom (ſince her firſt reception) there was never ſound the leaſt diſtoyalty, no not in thought, but remaineth without ſpot, or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing, as immaculate as the elect Angels? or muſt they alſo fare no better than the Angels that kept not their firſt eſtate? Muſt all be caſt out for ever, and heaven ſtand now as an houſe to be let, without a Tenant? Jam. 1.17.Were not this more than a ſhadow of turning? Of the Lord and Head of the Saints in the dayes of his fleſh it was ſaid, having loved his own, he loved them to the end: And is his love leſs now in heaven than it was on earth? Is Chriſts love to his Church, now ſhe is his wife, leſs ſincere and intenſe, than when ſhe was but his Spouſe? Did Chriſt love more ardently at a diſtance, than now in their mutual embraces? Theſe are prodigious blaſphemies, Jer. 31.3.not once to be admitted into our thoughts: Nay, ſaith God, The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, ſaying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlaſting love, therefore with loving kindneſs have I drawn thee.
An eighth Attribute is Juſtice. 8. Attribute, The juſtice of God.The ceſſation of heaven and hell would utterly deſtroy divine juſtice, and make that ceaſe alſo for ever. Take away thoſe two tremendous patterns of Rewarde and Puniſhments, heaven and hell, by which the Saints (here below) do juſtifie God, and vindicate the truth of the Chriſtian Religion againſt all other Religions in the world, and you cut the very ſinews of Religion, and make Laws of God vain and inſignificant; you ſtarve the hope of the godly, and extinguiſh the fear of the wicked.
Ninthly, A ceſſation of the joys of Heaven, and of the torments of Hell, would turn Heaven into nothing elſe but the carnal dream of a Turkiſh Paradiſe, and Hell into the ridiculous fancy of a Popiſh Purgatory. If ever we be happy, we muſt be aſſured of the perpetuity of our ſtate, or elſe the whole viſion will be but as a pleaſing dream, wherein we may fancy our ſelves to be happy, but are indeed miſerable in ignorance and miſtake.
Fear of loſs will not only leſſen the joy of heaven, but turn joy it ſelf into anguiſh; yea, the damned in hell might ſeem to have the better of the Saints in glory, by how much hope of deliverance out of preſent miſery is better than the expectation of the loſs of preſent fruitions.
Surely the love of God never prepared ſuch bitter ſweets for his children: neither could I have been induced to have ſpent ſo much time in fortifying ſo grand an Article of our Faith againſt ſuppoſed violence of atheiſtical ſpirits, had it not been by occaſion hereof to diſcover the beauty and ſtrength of thoſe pillars, by which this dearbought truth is ſupported.
To conclude, It was not (poſſibly) without a type that the firſt Sabbath is mentioned without an evening, and the new Jeruſalem had no night, Gen. 2.2. Rev. 21.25.both were prophetick to the eternal Sabbatiſme of Heaven; my Text aſſureth all the Saints of an everlaſting fruition of God; Ever with the Lord.
There was an ever in the will of the Saints to holineſs, Hell is wrath to come, and Heaven the Saints remaining reſt.and God who takes the will for the deed, doth put an …ver to their future reward; that hell may be the everlaſting witneſs of divine juſtice, and heaven the perpetual monument of divine grace.
Chriſtians, this is the meaſuring Reed of the new Jeruſalem, the Cube of the heavenly Temple, the breadth, and length, and height whereof, none but he that can lay his right hand on the one end of Eternity, and his left hand on the other end, hath given unto us; the computation whereof infinitely exceeds our Arithmetick, yea, the Arithmetick of all the Angels in heaven.
Thoſe compariſons of the running out of an hour-glaſs by a ſingle ſand once in the revolution of a thouſand years, (by which computation there would be ſcarce ſix ſands leſſened in the glaſs ſince the Creation of the world to this day) or, a little birds carrying away a mountain of ſand by one ſmall duſt once in a twelve-mouth; the emptying of the Sea by a drop once in an age, and whatever of the like nature, theſe are but like the ſpan of an Infant to meaſure the circle of the heavens, ſo many empty cyphers without a figure to calculate eternity by, though they may ſeem Hyperbolies to our childiſh capacities; oh who can deſcribe eternity! It is an Ocean without a bottom, it cannot be fathomed, a Sea that can never be ſailed over from ſhoar to ſhoar.
Ever is that which cannot be meaſured but by it ſelf; ever is that out of which take never ſo many ages, and worlds of time, there is not a moment leſs to come, ever is ſtill to begin, never to end; eternity is ſtill entire, a ſpring which fills as faſt as it emties; a vaſt circle, which begins where it ends, and ends where it begins.
And now Chriſtians, is this the duration of Heaven? Is this, nothing leſs than this, the meaſuring line of the Saints cohabitation with God.
Their Preſence with God
Their Viſion and of God
Their Fruition of God
Their Communion with God
Their Conformity to God
What? ever with the Lord?
Oh the purchaſe of Chriſt!
Oh the gift of God!
Oh the love of the Spirit!
How unſcarchable … his counſels, and his thoughts paſt finding out! Thanks be to God for his unſpeakable gift!
And here I might fix a full point to mine own and the Readers labour; but becauſe I find our Apoſtle cloſing his words of comfort with a word of counſel, Wherefore comfort one another, &c. give me leave to follow my Guide, and before we diſmiſs this beatifica? contemplation, let us enquire a little further what bleſſed improvement may be made of it, even on this ſide of Eternity!
And the firſt Ʋſe we may make of it may be that which the Pſalmiſt makes the title of the 32. Ʋſe 1 Pſalm, (as of ſome others) Maſchil, a Pſalm to give inſtruction. Let this (I ſay) be a word or Doctrine to teach: And what doth it teach? Even the very ſum in the total ſum, which David's Pſalm there teacheth, namely, who is the truly bleſſed man, and wherein real bleſſedneſs doth conſiſt? Holy David ſaw the ſons of men every where diſ-ſpiriting themſelves in the vehement proſecutions of bleſſedneſs, every man would be happy, but the miſchief is, men ſeek bleſſedneſs where it is not to be found; every one knocks at the wrong door; and therefore he labours to call them off from their miſtaken purfuits in ſome ſuch language, Oh ye ſons of men, how long will ye love vanity, and ſeek after leaſing? wherefore do ye ſpend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which ſaetisfieth not? Come hither, and hearken, and I will ſhew you the thing which you are ſeeking and hunting after, but in vain; behold! I will ſhew you who is indeed the bleſſed man, namely, the pardoned man — bleſſedneſſes to the man whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, Alad ſolum … …deſt, … pro… …, ſo …. … offic.whoſe ſin is covered, bleſſedneſſes to the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity; q.d. other men may ſeem bleſſed; to have what one would, and do what one liſteth, this may be accounted a …are felicity amongſt ſenſual men, who live no higher than the brate beaſts of the earth, meerly by ſight and ſence; but when all is done, the pardoned man is the bleſſed man, yea, he is bleſt, and bleſt, and bleſt again, double and treble bleſſedneſſes are his portion for ever.
In like manner we may conceive our holy Apoſtle calling after ſinners, and even beſeeching them not to looſe themſelves and their precious ſouls in the purſuit of a lye; They that obſerve lying vanities forſake their own mercies: Jonah 2.8Here therefore he diſcovers to them, who are bleſſed, and what it is that will make them happy for ever, only with this difference.
David's Maſchil in the Pſalm deſcribes initial bleſſedneſs; the holy Apoſtle here deſcribes perfect and conſummate bleſſedneſs. David deſcribes the bleſſedneſs of the way: Paul ſets forth to us the bleſſedneſs of the Country and ſtate whither the Saints are travelling: David ſpeaketh of the bleſſedneſs which lieth in order and tendency to bleſſedneſs; Saint Paul of ultimate and ſupreme bleſſedneſs, the ſummum bonum, the chief and moſt tranſcendent good which either the Creature is capable of, or God can confer on it, even immediate viſion and fruition of himſelf to all eternity.