A Prospect of Heaven, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Sect. 1. A deſcription of Glory.
MY purpoſe from this Text (God aſſiſting me) ſhall be to diſcourſe at large of the glory of Heaven; that glory which he hath laid up for his Saints, and with which he will Crown them hereafter; albeit in this world they are debaſed, vilified, and put to ſhame, yet hereafter they ſhall be glorified.
Here in the firſt place, let us conſider what glory is: GloryWhat glory is. ta… properly, doth note unto us that high eſteem which any have of ſome ſpecial worth and excellency in others, or of ſome notable acts wrought by others. So the glory of God, is that high eſteem and account which men and Angels do in their apprehenſions entertain of the excellency, majeſty, goodneſs, power, perfection, and al-ſufficiency of God; eſpecially that which the Saints and Angels do conceive of him, whoſe apprehenſion of Gods excellency and infinite perfection is mixt with an entire love of God. When we diſcern a ſpecial excellency in a perſon whom we entirely love, this will enlarge our apprehenſions in diſcerning the excellency of ſuch a perſon. He that loveth the Lord ſincerely, will ſee more glorious excellencies then another; yet even the enemies of God cannot ſo ſhut their eyes, but that many of them, even againſt their wills, ſhall have a glorious eſteem of the Lords excellency.Exod. 9.27. Pharaoh could not but diſcern a glorious excellency of power and Juſtice in the Lord, when he ſaw his hand ſo heavy, and his ſtroakes ſo multiplyed upon him and his people. The malignity of their Spirits againſt the Lord doth ecclipſe the brightneſs of the glory of God ſhining unto them, but yet it cannot altogether darken it. The utter darkneſs that is in the bottomleſs pit… cannot hinder, but that the glory of God's Power, Wiſdom, and Juſtice, ſhall appear to the Devil himſelf; and he ſhall be forced to entertain an high eſteem of his excellency and perfection, although there doth not one glimps of his love and favour ſhine there. So the glory of the Saints (properly) is that high eſteem which others have of the excellency which God hath put upon them, and of the graces of God ſhining in them.
But I take it, it is more often uſed in Scripture for ſuch glorious excellencies, as do deſerve or cauſe ſuch an high eſteem of thoſe in whom they are. So of St. Stephen it is ſaid, That he ſaw the glory of God, Act. 7.25. That is, a glorious brightneſs, and repreſentation of Gods preſence, which could not but cauſe an high and glorious eſteem of ſo excellent a Majeſty in all beholders. There are glorious excellencies which God in this life hath begun in his children: in which ſence glory is taken for the foundation of that which is properly called glory, for that which produceth glory, or cauſeth an high eſteem in the hearts and minds of others: ſo that this is glory radically, whereas an high eſteem following hereupon is glory formally and properly.
Now then take glory in this ſenſe for any glorious excellencies in any perſon, we muſt diſtinguiſh a main and mighty difference between the fullneſs of glorious excellency which is originally in the Creatour, and that degree of glorious excellency which is derived to the Creature. His glory is his own; the glory of the Creatures is not their own, but borrowed, it is the glory of God ſhining in them. Now this glory which the God of all glory hath put upon the Creatures is of divers kinds, as we may learn from the Apoſtles words, 1 Cor. 15.40, 41. The glory of the Celeſtial is one, and the glory of the Terreſtial is another. There is one glory of the Sun, and another glory of the Moon, and another of the Stars; for one Star differeth from another in glory. So there is a glory in unreaſonable, and a glory in reaſonable and intellectual Creatures.
1. In unreaſonable: there is a glorious excellency, ſplendor, and brightneſs put upon the Sun, Moon, and Stars, as in that former place. The very Flowers of the Field have ſome glimpſe of glory put upon them. Behold the Lillies of the Field, ſaith our Saviour, I ſay unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory, was not clothed like one of them, Matth. 6. There was more glory in the native beauty of a Lilly, than in all the luſtre which art and coſt was able to weave into King Solomon's rich and royal Robes. So thoſe paſſages, Job. 39.19, 20. which the Lord uttered with his own mouth for Job's conviction and humiliation, do ſerve to ſhew ſome degrees of glory and excellency, wherewith the Lord had adorn'd and beautified divers of the bruit Creatures; as among others, the Horſe; where ye muſt conceive, that he ſpeaks of a prime one for ſhape and ſpirit. Hast thou given the Horſe ſtrength? haſt thou clothed his neck with Thunder? canst thou make him afraid, as a Graſhopper? The glory of his noſtrils is terrible; he paweth in the vally, and rejoyceth in his ſtrength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh …t fear, and is not affrighted, neither turneth back from the ſword: The quiver ratleth against him, the glittering ſpear and the ſhield, &c. Now as the Sun ſhining upon the Earth, or upon a Wall, or the like, maketh it ſhine and gliſter, and communicateth its glory to it, and yet it is the brightneſs of the Sun we know, and not of the Wall: ſo theſe glorious excellencies, in any degree appearing in the Creatures, is the glory of God, and not of the Creatures.
2. On the other ſide, there is a glory of reaſonable, or intellectual Creatures; and firſt, of Angels, who are full of glorious excellencies. Secondly, of Men, who may have glorious excellencies in them of divers kinds:
Natural,
Civil,
Spiritual.
Natural, viz. an eminency of endowments in body and mind. Civil, extraordinary abilities for managing of publick Affairs in Peace and War▪ and notable atchievements or performances of this kind. Such eminency was in Saul, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great, Julius Caeſar, and theſe things made them glorious in a degree. But as the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe, the glory of the Terreſtrial is one, the glory of the Celeſtial is another; ſo all this is but Terreſtrial glory: it is Spiritual and Celeſtial glory which here we are to ſpeak of; a ſpecial eminency and glorious excellency in ſpiritual and heavenly things beſtowed upon the Children of God; and theſe are imperfect in this world, and fully perfected and conſummated in the world to come.
Glory (to ſpeak properly of that which is to come) I rather conceive to be the general, comprehending holineſs it ſelf, and all other excellencies of this glorious eſtate and condition, then a part or member diſtinguiſhed from it: for that perfection of holineſs which the Saints ſhall then enjoy, ſhall be exceeding glorious: but thus I ſpeak according to our uſual manner of expreſſing theſe things. The glory of the Saints in Heaven is that which accompliſheth that which grace hath begun, and ſetteth a Seale upon the fullneſs of all our felicities. Glory (as one well obſerveth) implieth ſome great eminency and excellency,Dr. Sibs. as the foundation of it, and then a manifeſtation of that excellency: Though there be excellency, yet if there be not a manifeſtation thereof, it is not Glory. Chriſt was inwardly glorious while he was upon earth, in the ſtate of abaſement he had true glory as he was God and man, but there was not a manifeſtation of it till he was received up into glory; therefore the glory of the Saints is called the manifeſtation of the Sons of God, Rom. 8.19. Glory alſo implyeth victory over all oppoſition: here God's children are ſubject to abaſement, to ſhame, to ſufferings in divers kinds: but glory will exempt them from all baſeneſs, and all that may diminiſh eſteem and excellency, and in the day of their glorification their excellency ſhall ſhine and break forth, and all things ſhall be removed that might hinder their glory: ſo that glorified ſouls ſhall be like that Egyptian Pyramid, which perpendicularly reflected on by the Sun, did caſt no ſhadow. When the Saints ſhall appear with Chriſt in glory, they ſhall appear as ſo many glorious Conquerours over their enemies, they ſhall ſee Sin and Satan their Spiritual enemies ſubdued, and they ſhall appear Conquerours over wicked men, who did in this life trample upon them, and they ſhall ſee them damned before their faces.
SECT. II.
ADam in Paradiſe was but a little inferiour to the Angels, and crowned with glory and honour, Pſal. 8. He diſcourſed familiarly with the Angels, and he knew, that his Soul (though included in a body) was little inferiour to thoſe bleſſed Spirits: but hereafter the Saints ſhall be made like or equal to the Angels. The Lord will raiſe his Saints to a higher pitch of glory then Adam was in Paradiſe, which may thus be illuſtrated.
1. Adam was made Lord of the inferiour Creatures; in that happy State all was ſubmitted to his will, he was equally abſolute in his Perſon and Dominion, he was Lord of the Univerſe: but the Saints at the laſt day ſhall be raiſed to ſuch a degree of glory, that they ſhall have no need nor uſe of theſe inferiour Creatures: the Fowls of the Air, the Fiſhes of the Sea, the Beaſts of the Earth were put under the feet of Adam before his fall, but then they ſhall be below all the neceſſities of the Saints, who ſhall be raiſed far above theſe things, enjoying all in, and from the fountain of life: God himſelf living and reigning with his children, will be their everlaſting inheritance, he will fill all their deſires, perfect all the powers of their Souls, and communicate himſelf ſo ſurely and ſo abundantly to them, that as there is nothing they have cauſe to fear, ſo there is nothing they need or can wiſh for.
2. Adam indeed was crowned with Glory, but yet left in a poſſibility to ſtain his Glory. Man in Paradiſe could not raiſe himſelf up to God, nor defend himſelf againſt the Devil without the aſſiſtance of grace, ſaith St. Auguſt. Auguſt. Epiſt. 109. ad Bonif.he was therefore ſoon exiled from Paradiſe, and conſtrained to endure a baniſhment as long as life; and here he undergoes all the miſeries of an exterminated perſon, he is deprived of his goods, and being driven out of Paradiſe, is fallen from all thoſe honours that equalled his condition to that of Angels, and reduced to a deplorable eſtate, rendring his condition little different from that of the beaſts that periſh. Job was more happy in his miſery (ſaith the ſame Father) then Adam in his Innocence:Auguſt. in Pſal. 29. he was victorious on the dunghil, this other was defeated on his Throne: He gave no ear to the evil counſel of his wife; this other was cajol'd b… His: He deſpiſed all the aſſaults of Satan; this other ſuffered himſelf to be worſted at the firſt temptation: He preſerved his righteouſneſs in the midſt of his ſo…rows, this other loſt his innocence in the midſt of his pleaſures. The firſt man (ſaith he in another place) received in Paradiſe a liberty void of all ſervitude; God preſented him with fire and water, and gave him leave to chuſe: man took fire, and rejected the water: God who is juſt, let him graſp what he had choſen; ſo that he was therefore unhappy, becauſe he would be ſo: Man was left in a poſſibility to ſtain his honour, and loſe his glory: he did not long abide in that honour. Adam fell (as is probable) the ſame day he was created:
1. Becauſe Chriſt ſaith of the Devil, he was a murtherer from the beginning, John 8.44. His malicious mind being ſuch toward them that ſtood (himſelf being fallen) that he could not endure to ſee them in that eſtate, no not for an hour. 2. If he had continued one day or one night in his integrity, the bleſſing of God upon his Marriage would have taken place, and ſo he would have begotten children without ſin, which ſith he did not, but begat Children in his own Image, Gen. 5.3. It's likely he fell the ſame day wherein he was Created. 3. See the Anſwer that Eve makes to the Devil, Gen. 3.2. We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the Garden, i. e. Have free liberty to eat, ſignifying that as yet they had not eaten, and therefore it could be no long time. But the Saints at the laſt day ſhall be raiſed to ſuch a ſtate of glory and honour, as ſhall never fade, their Crown and Garland ſhall never wither: fading glory is very imperfect, it is like a flaſh of lightning. Adam was tempted and loſt his preſent Glory, his dignity was ſoon gone; but the Glory that God will put upon his Saints ſhall be like the fixed Stars ſhining in the Kingdom of the Father; they ſhall be like unto Chriſt, whoſe Glory is Eternal: this is the greateſt and laſt benefit they ſhall receive by Chriſt, far greater then Adam's in his ſtate of innocence.
St. John ſaith, that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him, 1 John 3.2. that is, like him in glory. Now, when I ſay the Saints ſhall be like unto Chriſt, you muſt conſider, that there is a great difference between likeneſs and equality. Things may be like each other, which may be very unequal; Water in a Diſh, is like the Water in the River, but very unequal to it: An Infant in the day of his Birth, may be like the Parents, but not equal to them. Adam was made in the likeneſs of his Maker, but when he ſought to be his equal, it was his ruine. So great is the difference between likeneſs and equality, that the former the Lord gave him freely; but his affecting and ſeeking the latter, was ſo diſpleaſing to the Lord, that he deprived him of the former alſo: ſo that whereas being like to God, he ſought to be equal alſo; he became neither equal to him, nor like him, but contrary to him. So in this caſe, the faithful ſhall be like to Chriſt, but not his equals; as the Stars are in ſome degree like the Sun, but not equal in glory and brightneſs. Now,
1. Chriſt being God and Man, having two Natures united into one Perſon, each Nature hath a peculiar glory. The Divine Nature being infinite, incomprehenſible, eternal, the glory of Chriſt is his very Nature; it is infinite, incomprehenſible, and eternal glory; it is called light inacceſſible. The Humane Nature of Chriſt being a finite being, the glory thereof is but finite; this glory was given him by his Father; God raiſed him from the dead, and gave him glory, 1 Pet. 1.21. Our Natures being the ſame with his Humane Nature, we ſhall be like him in this glory, our Natures being capable of the ſame glory.
2. Yet although the glory of Chriſt's Humane Nature be but (as his Nature) finite, yet this glory doth above all meaſure exceed all the glory of all the Angels and glorified Saints. All the glory of Saints and Angels compared to Chriſt's glory, is no more then all the light of the Stars compared to the light of the Sun. The Moon exceeds the other Stars in light, but the Sun a thouſand times exceeds the Moon, and all the Stars; and if the Sun be wanting, it will be night for all the Stars. So one Saint may excel another in glory, and the Angels may excel the Saints, but yet the glory of the Humane Nature of Chriſt doth a thouſand times exceed the glory of Angels and Saints. One reaſon is, becauſe the Humane Nature of Chriſt is more nearly united to the Divine, then Angels and Men; the nearer union, the greater participation of glory; and can there be a nearer union then a perſonal union? ſuch an union is the union between the Humane Nature and the Divine in Chriſt. If a Body that is capable of the light, ſhould be united into one ſubſtance with the Sun, that Body muſt needs ſhine more glorious then the diſtant Stars. The Humane Nature is united to the incomprehenſible glorious Nature and Eſſence, and therefore far more glorious then all other.
Moreover, that which is the meaſure of things,Quod eſt primum in unequoque genere, eſt menſura reliquorum. muſt needs be the chief of all thoſe things of which it is the meaſure; that which is the firſt and chief in every kind, is the meaſure of the reſt. Now the glory of the Humane Nature of Chriſt being the meaſure of our glory, muſt needs excel in glory. The Sun being the meaſure of all the Starry light, and all the Stars borrowing their light from him, muſt needs excel the leſſer Stars in light. Our glory is but a borrowed light: it is of his fullneſs, of his grace and glory, that we receive grace and glory: his human Nature is a vaſt Ciſtern full of glory, and our Natures are but the ſmaller veſſels receiving glory flowing from this vaſt Ciſtern.
3. Therefore when the Apoſtle ſaith, we ſhall be like to Chriſt, it is meant, ſecundum proportionem, non ſecundum aequalitatem: our glory ſhall be proportionable to his, we ſhall not equal him in glory: it is meant, quoad partes, non quoad gradus: we ſhall have the ſame glory for ſubſtance, though not the ſame in degrees. Chriſt ſhall ſo far excel the biggeſt Veſſel of glory, as Job in his glorious eſtate did excel himſelf when he lay upon the Dunghil full of naſty ſores; as Solomon in all his glory did excel himſelf being in his Mothers Womb.
4. Saints ſhall be like Chriſt in glory; yet notwithſtanding one Saint will exceed another in glory. God will cloath all his Children alike, yet their garments ſhall be made proportionable for their ſtature. All the Saints ſhall be veſſels of Mercy, yet one Saint ſhall be a larger and more capacious veſſel then another. Chriſt in his anſwer to that curious requeſt of Zebedees Wife, Mat. 20.23. implyeth, that there ſhall be degrees of glory, and granteth, that ſome ſhall ſit at his right hand, ſome at his left hand in his Kingdom. They ſhall all have the ſame glory and happineſs, ratione objecti faelicitatis & gloriae, non ratione participationis, in reſpect of the object of glory and bleſſedneſs, but not in reſpect of participation. God in Chriſt is the object of happineſs, but in regard of participation of the object, one may and ſhall ſee more clearly then another. In my Father's houſe are many Manſions, ſaith our Saviour, John 14.2. Patris domus, is put for one and the ſame object of glory, ſaith Aquinas: Pluralitas manſionum, the many Manſions ſheweth, there are divers degrees of glory. And this is his compariſon: there is but one Centre unto which all things tend, but ſome bodies are nearer to the Centre then other bodies are. So God in Chriſt is the Centre of all our happineſs: Seneca calleth God, Animae Centrum, the Centre of the Soul: but one Saint tendeth more near to God then another.
5. Yet notwithſtanding, all the Saints ſhall be full of glory and happineſs, as Chriſt Jeſus is. Chriſt will give to every Saint his meaſure of glory. Danaeus ſaith well, that there be two things that the bleſſed Saints want in Heaven; Carent omni invidia, & carent omni rerum ad beatitudinem neceſſariarum indigentia. They want envy: one Saint doth not envy another Saint's greater meaſure of glory, becauſe they ſhall be all full of glory: and then there is no want of any thing, for whatſoever pertaineth to make a Creature happy, every Saint ſhall enjoy, and ſuch fullneſs of happineſs ſhall he have, that nec plus quaerel quam habebit, nec minus habere doleit quam habet: he that hath the leaſt meaſure of glory ſhall ſeek for no more, nor grieve that he hath ſo little.