Treatise of the Divine Promises, Book 4
3. PROMISES ETERNALL.
Promises Eternall
1. Against damnation.
2. For Salvation.
1. Passages to it.
1. Death, comforts against the
fear of
First, Death.
2. Vntimely death.
2 Burial.
3. Resurrection.
2. Performā ces of it.
1. Glorification in part, of our soules.
2. Last judgement.
3. Glorification of the whole man both soule and body.
Promises.
1. Of eternal life both in soul & body.
2. For the glory of heaven.
THE FOVRTH BOOKE.
CHAP. I. Eternall Promises.
1. Against Damnation. The godly shall be delivered from eternall Confusion and Damnation.
YEe shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end, Esay 45.17. Rom. 9. *Some doe referre it to the day of judgement when the faithfull shall not be confounded or ashamed cum ventris in future, when Christ shall come to judgemēt Glosse interlin, Haym… But it is more generall, shewing that the faithfull neither in the time present nor to come shall be ashamed. Not to be confounded sign…fieth non frustrati, not to be disappointed of the…r hope, P. Matt. And more is under…ood then said, i.e. shall be confirmed comforted and establishe…, Parus.33. and 10 11. 1 Pet. 2.6.
GOD will deliver the soule of the righteous from the pit. Job 33.28. Ps. 86.13.
There is no condemnation to them that are in CHRIST IESVS, Rom. 8.1. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of GODS elect? It is GOD that iustifieth, ver. 33.
They are delivered from the wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1.10.
Blessed is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power, Rev. 20.6.
He that overcommeth, shall not be hurt of the second death, Rev. 2.11.
CHAP. II.
2. For Salvation.
1. Passages to it.
1. Death.
1. Comforts against the fear of death.
2. Feare of untimely death.
2. Buriall.
3. Resurrection.
1. Comforts against the fear of death.
HE that will beare with comfort the pangs of death,He that will k…ep… my saying, shall …ot test of death. Iohn 8.51 that is shall not be overwhel…ed by …t. must labour to die in faith, that is, he must lay hold of the promise of GOD touching forgivenesse of sins and life everlasting by CHRIST. All these (saith the HOLY GHOST, Heb. 11.13.) died in the Faith: viz. Abel, Enoch, Noe, Abraham and Sarah, all laying hold of the promise of life by CHRIST: So Iacob, Gen. 49.18. by Faith rested on the mercy of GOD, and by hope he waited for his salvation.
Thou shalt not be afraid of destruction when it commeth, Job 5.21. Death be it never so bitter or painfull, shall not be able to seperate us from the love of GOD, Rom. 8.28, 38. St. Stephens violent death was but a sweet sleepe, Act. 7.60. Iohn 11.11. It is but a sleeping in JESUS, 1 Thes. 4.14. The grave is called a bed of rest, Esay 57.2. CHRIST hath pul'd the sting out of death for all the godly,Dying in the Lord. Revel …4.13 is but a rest from labours, 2 Tim. 1.10. Esay 25.8. Hos. 13.14. 1 Cor. 15.55. and tooke away the strength of it by his death, Heb. 2.14, 15. The righteous hath hope in his death, Pro. 14.32. it is gaine unto him, Phil. 1.21. for he is delivered by death from many and great evils. 1. Sin,That one happy pang which puls away the soule from the body, doth also pul away sinne both from the soul and body Rom. 6.7. He shall never offend GOD more: 2. Those miseries which follow sin, Esay 57.1, 2.3. The temptations of the Divell Rev. 12.8.4. The opposition and vexation of the world and flesh,God doth watch over the faithfull for good by his pro…idence, both in life and death, Mat. 10.28, 29, 30 31. Psa. 72.14 Rev. 14.13. Eccles. 4.1, 2. It is to them obstetrix immortalitatis, a passage to immortality, 2 Cor. 5.1, 4. a sturdy Porter, that opens heaven gates unto him.
See 1 Cor. 3.22. & 15.26. Psalm 37.37.
2. Comforts against the feare of untimely death.
Thou shalt come to thy grave in a ful age, like as a shocke of corn commeth in, in his season, Job 5.26.
The number of thy dayes will I fulfill, Exod. 23.26. The Lord will preserve him and keepe him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth. Ps. 4. 1.2. With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my salvation, Ps. 91.16.
2. Buriall.
It is a kind of blessing promised by GOD to his Saints, to be buried. 1 King. 14.13. 2 King. 22.20.
2 Sam 25. In Christ shal all be made alive, 1 Cor 15 …punc; that is shall be raised by him at the resurrection. The Cerma…es call the Church yard Godsaker, because the bodies are sowne there to bee raised again: and the Grecians called their Church yards, or places of sepulture, foreign dormitories, or sleeping places wher the bodies rest, expecting the resurrection.3. Resurrection. Promises of our Resurrection.
He which raised up the LORD JESUS, shall raise up us al…o by JESUS.
The Covenant of GOD is of force with us, as we lie in the dust of the Earth, Mat. 22.31.32.
He keepeth the very bones of his Saints, Ps. 34.20.
All that are in the grave shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, John 5.28, 29.
I will raise him up at the last day, John 6.39, 40, 44, 54.
See 1 Thess. 4.14, 16. Rom. 8.11. Dan. 12.2. Esay 26.19.
CHAP. III.
2. Performances of it.
1. Glorification in part, for the soule.
2. Last Judgement.
3. Glorification of the whole man both soule and body.
Promises. 1. Of the Glorification of our soules.
GOD promiseth to translate the soules of the godly into his heavenly kingdome when they die.The soule of t…e faithfull at the dissolution of the body shall go immediately to heaven.
This is implyed in the Parable where the Angels carry up Lazarus soule into Heaven,Therfore there is no purgatory. Christ promiseth to the Saints of God af…er death, Life, 1 Tim 4.8 Apoc. 2.10. Iohn 5.24 & 11.25, Rest, Luke 16.25. Apoc. 14.13 Ioy, Mat 3.25.23 Esay 35 10. Luke 16.22. This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise, Luk. 23.43. Which Paradise the Apostle Paul expoundeth to be the third heaven, 2 Cor. 12.1, 2, 4.
He that overcomes shall inherit all things. See Rev. 3.21.
2. Of the last Judgement.
*1 Iohn 4 17 & 3.21. Acts 3 19. Heb. ….28.The godly have boldnesse and confidence at the day of judgement.
When these things begin to come to passe, then shall we look up and lift up our heads, because our redemption draweth nigh, Luk. 21.28.
There is a promise, 2 Tim 4.8 to these that long for Christs secōd comming, & love his appearing.VntoUnto them that look for CHRIST shall he appeare the second time without sin unto salvation, Hebr. 9.28.
When CHRIST who is our life shall appeare, then shall we also appeare with him in glory, Colos. 3.4.
He shall say to them of his right hand, Come yee blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world, Matth. 25.32, 34. See ver. 40.
3. Glorification of the whole man both soule and body.Mat. 13.43. See 1 Cor 15 4…, 43. Heb. 9.…5. & 11 16. Iam. 1 1…, 5 Iude 20, 21, verse The gl…ry of the body (say the Schoole men, consists first in clarity, Mat ….43 2 Impassibility, 1 Cor. 5 53. 2 Of the soul consists in the manifest visiō of God which succeeds faith, 1 Cor. 13.12. 2 In the perfect fruition of God which succeeds hope Rev. 7.16, 7,
Promises of the glorification of our bodies.
The LORD JESUS shall change our vile bodies, and make them like his glorious body, Phil. 3.21. The bodies of the Saints shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament, and as the stars. Dan. 1 2.3. Yea as the Sun for ever and ever.
Promises. Of eternall life in both soul and body after the day of judgement.
Then we shall be ever with the LORD, 1 Thess. 4.17.
Whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3.16.
I give unto them eternall life, John 10.28.
He that beleeveth on the Sonne, hath eternall life, 3 In the perfect love of God wh…c… succeeds of imperfect charity 1 Cor, 13.8.Joh. 3.36.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, Mark 16.16. Act. 16.31.
The gift of GOD is eternall life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Rom. 6.23.
See John 6.40. and 20.31. 1 Joh. 2.23. John 5.24. 1 Joh. 5.11, 12, 13. Joh. 17.3. 1 Pet. 1.3, 4. Tit. 3.7. Rom. 5.10, 17. Rom. 8.13. Gal. 6.8. Matth. 5.8, 12. and 19.29. Matth. 25.34, 35, 46. 1 Tim. 6.17, 18 19.
The Promises of GOD, assure us of everlasting happinesse and glory in the Kingdome of Heaven. I know, saith Job 19.25. (relying upon GODS promises) that my Redeemer liveth.
2 Cor. 5.1. & 4.14.
Faith apprehendeth the promise of eternall life, hope expecteth it, love thankfully entertaines it, and all other graces are quickned and strengthned by it.
Promises. For the glory of Heaven.
In thy presence is fullnesse of ioy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore, Ps. …6.11.
We shall have fullnesse of ioy, everlasting ple…sures: A swift flowing river and … of pleasures. Psal. 36.8. We shall … no more, … Rev. 7.16. GOD will wipe away all tears from our ey…. Rev. 21 4. We shal sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, in the kingdome of heaven, Mat. 8.11. as at a banquet: we shall then be as the Angels of GOD, Matth. 22.30. Nay like CHRIST himselfe, 1 John 3.2. We shall be made confirmable to the image of his Sonne, Rev. 21.3. 1 Thes 4 17.Rom. 8.29. and be With CHRIST, John 14.3. and behold his glory, Joh. 17.24. & 12.26.
We shall enter into our masters ioy. Matth. 25.21. he saith not, it shal enter into us, but we into it, shewing that the joyes of heaven are so many, that they cannot be contained in the soule of man.
GOD hath promised us a kingdome, Mat. 25.34. A heavenly kingdome.1 Pet. 13.4. Mat. 7.2…. 2 Tim. 4.18. An eternall kingdom, 2 Pet. 1.11. A Crown, a Crown of life, Iam. 1.12. Rev. 2.10. A Crown of righteousnesse, 2 Tim. 4.8. An immarcessible Crown of glory, 1 Pet. 5.4. The word [Crowne] represents unto us:Sir Thomas Bodley gave for his arms three crowns with this posey, Quarta perennu erit, the fourth shal be eternall. 1. The perpetuity of that life, for a crowne hath neither beginning nor ending: 2. Plenty, because as the crown compasseth on every side, so there is nothing wanting in this life: 3. Dignity, eternall life is a coronation day, every Saint shall be a crowned King.
The use of Faith in regard of these promises, is to uphold us with the expectation of that heavenly happinesse which is promised, yea though we be destitute of worldly things and be in many troubles and tribulations, Act. 14.22.