A Prospect of Heaven, Treatise · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Sect. 1.
ALbeit the unſpeakable glory of Believers be for the preſent hidden, yet in due time it ſhall be revealed. Coloſ. 3.4. When Chriſt who is our life ſhall appear, then ſhall we alſo appear with him in glory. Before Chriſt ſhall appear in the brightneſs of his glory, we ſhall not; but when the time of his appearing in glory ſhall come, then ſhall all the Saints manifeſtly appear with him.
Queſt. Here it may be demanded, What is the glory that ſhall be revealed?
Reſp. 1. The glory of God himſelf; God will manifeſt and diſplay his glory before them; we ſhall ſee God as fully and clearly as we are capable, by God's immediate communication of himſelf to us without any external means, 1 Cor. 15.24. God will be all, and in all; that is, God the Father, Son, Holy Ghoſt, will then reign immediately over his Church by himſelf, without any outward means; and will fill his Church with his own light, life, love and glory. It is a diſputed caſe, whether we ſhall ſee God with our bodily eyes? it is anſwered, that the Eſſence of God being purely ſpiritual, cannot be ſeen with bodily eyes; and God is ſtyled by the Apoſtle, abſolutely inviſible. Again, the Angels behold the glory of God, and the Souls of the Saints now in Heaven ſee him, but have not eyes; therefore the ſight of God is rather an act of the mind, then of the Body; intellectual knowledg, not corporeal light: But though we ſhall not with our eyes ſee the Divine Eſſence, yet the Divine Eſſence will abundantly manifeſt it ſelf in the Humane Nature of Chriſt now glorified to our eyes; they ſhall ſee him, God in him, his Attributes in him: in this life the Ordinances are a Glaſs to give us the ſight of God; in Heaven the Humane Nature of Chriſt is a Glaſs to give our bodily eyes the ſight of God.
2. The glory of Chriſt ſhall be revealed; his glory as Head of the Church, as Saviour of the Body to which he is united; his glory as Judge of the World ſhall be revealed; it is ſaid of him, that he ſhall appear in glory, Coloſ. 3.4. and that he ſhall come in his own glory, and in the glory of his Father, and in the glory of his holy Angels, Luke 9.26. and his appearing to judge the World, is called a glorious appearing, Tit. 2.13. His firſt appearing was mean, the ſecond ſhall be glorious.
SECT. II.
THe Reaſons that the appearing of Chriſt ſhall be glorious, are theſe:
1. Becauſe God hath appointed Chriſt to judge the World; therefore Chriſt will in the latter day appear gloriouſly: whom God appointed to be the Saviour of the World, him hath God appointed to judge the World, John 5.22. Chriſt is God's Delegate to judge the World; God will have his Judge to appear in glory. Earthly Kings will have their itinerary Judges to appear in pomp, and to judge Malefactors; they appear both in terror and honour; how do all the Gentry give their attendance? how are they attended with Spear-men, and the Trumpets ſounding before them, and are inveſted with Robes of honour? Thus God will have his Judge of all the World to appear in glory upon his Tribunal, and therefore chargeth all the Angels of Heaven to attend his glorious Majeſty; chargeth the Arch-angels to ſound the Trump to awaken the ſleepy Priſoners in the Grave, the dark Priſon of Death: think ye what a glorious appearance it will be. If Peter was amazed at Chriſt upon Mount Tabor, when he ſaw but a glimpſe of his glory at the Transfiguration; what appearance will that be, when Chriſt ſhall come in the brightneſs of his glory, and all the Angels and Saints with him cloathed in brightneſs of glory?
2. Becauſe Chriſt will be glorious before thoſe that did diſhonour him: Chriſt did appear to men in the form of a Servant, then he was a deſpiſed, a rejected Chriſt; then was he crowned with a Crown of Thorns, and had no better Sceptre then a Reed; then was he a reviled, a buffeted Chriſt; the malicious Jews did moſt contumeliouſly ſpit on his face, and every Sinner would contradict, oppoſe and perſecute him; then was he a crucified Chriſt, a Man of ſorrows and of ſhame; every one looked upon him as a deſpiſed Man, none would own him for the Son of God: yea, the Jews did accuſe him for Blaſphemy, for telling them that he was the Son of God; therefore Chriſt will appear in glory one day, to the horror and terror of theſe men that did thus blaſphemouſly abuſe him that was King of Kings, that did reject him that came to ſave them, that ſo Chriſt might be glorified before them, and upon them, in taking vengeance on their Souls and Bodies; then thoſe that did mock at him, put a Crown of Thorns on his head, a Reed in his hand, ſhall ſee he was Heir of a better Crown then the Crowns of the greateſt Kings and Emperors; then they that did contumeliouſly ſpit upon, and buffet him in ſcorn, ſhall ſee they did this to one whom the Angels reverence: he will make Kings to throw down their Crowns and Scepters to his feet; then thoſe that ſcorned and deſpiſed him, ſhall ſee that verily he is the Son of God.
3. Becauſe glory is terrible: the more glorious Chriſt appears at the laſt day, the more terror will be upon the wicked; therefore the glorious appearing of Chriſt to judge the World, is called the terror of the Lord, 2 Cor. 6.11. If the ſight of one Angel in glory be terrible, what will the ſight of Chriſt be, who will appear ten thouſand times more glorious then all the Angels be? if godly men, that had good conſciences, were ſo horribly affrighted at the appearance of an Angel in leſſer glory, how will wicked men, that have accuſing conſciences, be afraid at the beholding Chriſt's glorious appearance? if holy men were ſo amazed at good tidings, becauſe brought to them by a glorious Meſſenger, how will wicked men be amazed to hear the ſentence of condemnation pronounced againſt them by the Lord of glory? To ſee God in Chriſt, is the unſpeakable happineſs of the Saints in Heaven; and to behold Chriſt as a Judge ſitting upon the Tribunal, will be one of the greateſt tormenting puniſhments of damned men and Devils. The Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance, &c. 2 Theſ. 1.7, 8. He ſhall be revealed from Heaven, with his holy Angels; there is the glorious Majeſty of Chriſt: and in flaming fire, taking vengeance, &c. there is the amazing terrour of his glorious appearing. Our Saviour ſaith, Matth. 24.29, 30. Immediately after the tribulation of thoſe days, ſhall the Sun be darkened, and the Moon ſhall not give her light; and the Stars ſhall fall from Heaven, and the powers of Heaven ſhall be ſhaken; and then ſhall appear the Sign of the Son of Man in Heaven; and then ſhall all the Kinreds of the Earth mourn: and they ſhall ſee the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory: And he ſhall ſend his Angels with a great ſound of a Trumpet, and they ſhall gather together his Elect from the four Winds, and from one end of the Heavens to the other.
Conſider here the Signs foregoing his coming, verſe 29. the Sun, Moon, and Stars ſhall loſe their light in a ſtrange and wonderful manner, as it were hiding their faces at the coming of the Sun of Righteouſneſs. The Stars ſhall fall from Heaven, the Powers of Heaven ſhall be ſhaken.] The higher and more glorious parts of the Creation ſhall ſuffer a wonderful alteration at his coming. Then ſhall appear the Sign of the Son of Man.] Which Muſculus and Arelius take to be the Sign of the Croſs, which ſhould be gloriouſly diſplayed in the eyes of the World, both for terror to all the Enemies of his Croſs, and for the joy of all that believe in Chriſt crucified. But others take it for Chriſt himſelf, ſhewing himſelf in the ſame Humane Nature wherein he ſuffered, now gloriouſly appearing for the confuſion of his Enemies, and full redemption of his Servants. Then ſhall all the wicked of all Nations mourn, their guilty conſciences being ſurprized with unſpeakable horror at the ſight of their Judge, whom they ſhall ſee coming, as in a Chariot of Clouds, armed with power, and ſhining in glory, ſending forth his Angels by ſound of Trumpet, to ſummons all the Elect that ſleep in the duſt in any part of the World, to come and give their attendance upon Chriſt their glorious Redeemer.
In Matth. 16.27. you have the coming of Chriſt expreſſed, and his acts to be performed at his coming. His coming is magnified by the glorious Majeſty of his Father, wherein he ſhall appear, and thoſe bleſſed Attendants which ſhould follow him: For the Son of Man ſhall come in the glory of his Father, with his Angels, &c.
Queſt. But it may be doubted, why Chriſt ſhould be ſaid to come in the glory of his Father, ſith it ſhall be his own glory wherein he ſhall appear?
Reſp. It may be ſaid to be the glory of his Father in three reſpects.
1. To ſhew his unity in Eſſence with the Father; in that he cometh in the glory of his Father, he ſhall come in his own glory; according to that of our Saviour, I and the Father are one.
2. By comparing the Humiliation of his Perſon here in the fleſh, with the glory of the Divine Nature ſhining perfectly in the Father, even at that time when it was Ecclipſed and veiled in him by the human Nature: ſo that in this ſpeech he compareth the meaneſs of a Servant wherein he now appeared, with the glory of his Father wherein then he ſhould appear.
3. It was the glory of the Father, becauſe the Father hath committed all Judgment to him; and after this his glorious coming he is to deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father; and therefore in the mean time he is ſaid to come in the glory of the Father.
4. To which perhaps may be added a fourth: That the glory of the Father ſhineth in the Son, who is the Image of God, and the brightneſs of his Father's glory. All the glory of the Sun, Moon, and Stars meeting together, are nothing comparable to this glory of the Father, wherein Chriſt ſhall ſhew himſelf at his coming. The glory of all Earthly Kingdoms viewed at one Landskip (as the Devil ſhewed them our Saviour) were nothing to that fullneſs of glory wherein our Bleſſed Saviour ſhall reveale himſelf. The glory of his abaſement was wonderful, when the Star lighted the way to his lodging, an Angel brought word from Heaven of his Conception, and then of his Nativity; when the Devil left him, and the Victory to him, and Angels came to Miniſter unto him, when Devils roared, and left their Poſſeſſions at his call; when Winds and Waves were ſilent at a Word of his mouth; when Loaves and dead Fiſhes, multiplyed upon his bleſſings upon the Table, or between the Teeth of the Eaters; when all ſorts of diſeaſes gave place, and Death it ſelf yeilded up her dead at his command. And yet beloved, that difference ſhall be between the glory of Chriſt at his coming, and this of his abaſement, which is between the glory of the Father, and the deſpiſed meanneſs of a Servant. Moreover the glory of Chriſt ſhall be magnified by the bleſſed attendants that ſhall follow him; and they are his Angels: at that day they ſhall be employed as his ſpecial Inſtruments in gathering the Wheat into his Barn, and binding up the Tares to be burnt with fire unquenchable: O faithful Soul! how joyfully ſhouldeſt thou expect this bleſſed meeting! O how happy will that day be, when the holy Angels of Chriſt ſhall come to meet thee riſing from the Dead, and with abundance of joy ſhall embrace and welcome thee to thine everlaſting home! While thou art ſolitary, forſaken, and deſpiſed in the World, comfort thy ſelf in expectation of this bleſſed ſociety, with whom thou ſhalt remain for ever, with whom thou ſhalt joyn in ſweeteſt Hallelujahs and words of Praiſe, to him that ſitteth upon the Throne for evermore. Ear hath not heard the ſweetneſs of thoſe Songs, wherein the Saints ſhall joyn with thoſe bleſſed Angels.
SECT. III.
THe glory of the Saints themſelves ſhall be revealed, they ſhall appear with Chriſt in glory.
1. Their appearance in glory with Chriſt in Judgment, will make the coming of Chriſt more glorious and terrible. When Earthly Kings will ſhew the glory of their Kingdom, they will always have a pompous train to follow them: thus Chriſt the greateſt of Kings, delighting to manifeſt his glory, will come attended with glorious Troops of Angels and Saints.
2. Becauſe it will make much for the glorifying of the Saints, and that two ways.
1. Becauſe they ſhall come as Judges, and ſhall ſit upon Thrones Judging the Wicked; how will wicked men quake, when they ſhall appear before thoſe godly men, whom they hated and derided: now the Saints ſhall Judge the World, 1 Cor. 6.2.
1. Aſſiſtendo, they ſhall be as Aſſiſtants of Chriſt, they ſhall aſſiſt as ſo many Juſtices with Chriſt, who is the Lord-chief-Juſtice of Heaven and Earth.
2. Approbando: They ſhall approve and applaud his judgment: they ſhall ſit on Thrones of Everlaſting glory, and ſhall (as Gods Aſſeſſours) give their voices and conſents unto his juſt Judgment againſt the Wicked.
3. Teſtificative: They ſhall bring in evidence againſt the Wicked, ſo that all their mouthes ſhall be ſtopped. The godly ſhall then be heard to ſpeak, and ſhall ſay to Chriſt, Lord, this is the man that hated me, ſcoft at me, perſecuted and oppreſſed me.
2. It will make much for the Saints glory, that they ſhall appear glorious in the open ſight of the whole world. The Saints ſhall ſee the Damnation of the Wicked, and the Wicked ſhall ſee the glorious Salvation of the Saints, and their happineſs; their appearing with Chriſt in glory will make much for their glory, Quia unumquod que ex comparatione contrarii magis cognoſcitur, Becauſe every thing is more known by comparing it with that which is contrary to it. The miſery of War ſheweth us the happineſs of Peace. The blackneſs of darkneſs commendeth the comfort of Light: So the miſery of Hell will make Heaven the more glorious: Angels ſhall then admire at the glory of the Saints: He that confeſſeth me before men, him will I confeſs before the Angels: that is, glorifie him before them, Luk. 12.8. ſaith our Saviour. Moreover, the godly themſelves ſhall mutually admire one anothers Glory, and admire Chriſt in one another: Peter ſhall admire Chriſt in the glory conferred on Paul, and Paul ſhall admire Chriſt in the glory conferred on Peter, they ſhall mutually rejoyce in each others glory; as here on Earth they do mourn and grieve for one another in afflictions, in Heaven they ſhall rejoyce in one another's glory, Mat. 8.11. Many ſhall come from the Eaſt and Weſt, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven. Sitting at Table ſheweth mutual delight in one anothers ſociety.
Chriſt will have his Saints to behold the Damnation of the Wicked, that ſo they might admire the free grace of God, and glorifie his Name, that he ſhould deliver them from ſo great Damnation: Luk. 13.28. And God will have the Wicked to behold the glory of the Saints, that ſo the Wicked may in vain miſerably torment themſelves with envy at the ſurpaſſing glory and happineſs of the Saints, and that they may alſo curſe and torment themſelves with inward grief, that they ſhould be ſuch fools as to loſe ſuch glory, as the Saints do enjoy; then will they cry out, Oh we might have had thoſe Crowns as well as they, but now we muſt have the vials of Wrath powred upon our heads, inſtead of having Crowns of glory ſet upon them: we muſt now keep company with Devils and Infernal Fiends in Hell, when we might have enjoyed communion with God and his Angels in Heaven.