Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 2 · Chapter 4

Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth · Part 2 · Chapter 4

p. 111CHAP. IV. Of the ETERNITY of this LIFE.

FRom this larger (then was at firſt deſigned) conſideration of the nature of this LIFE, paſs we now to a ſhort Meditation of the ETERNITY of it; which indeed is the Crown that God ſets upon its head, the Circle, if I may ſo ſpeak, which wreathing it ſelf about this Happineſs, makes it to be our ſovereign Good. And it may not be unworthy our obſervation, that this Eternity of Life is as far above the continuance of all other bleſſings heretofore promiſed, as the Life it ſelf is. LIFE among the Jews, according to the letter of their Law, ſignifying onelyonly all earthly good things, there was onelyonly a long life, not an eternall, in the land of Canaan, promiſed to them that kept that Law. But quite otherwiſe, the LIFE promiſed by Chriſt conſiſting onelyonly in the enjoyment of ſpirituall and heavenly p. 112bleſſings, it is not a long, but an eternall, never-ending life, in the poſſeſſion of theſe good things, which he hath aſſured to us. It being but fit, that as the Life exceeds that which Moſes promiſed; ſo the duration of it alſo ſhould as much out-run his, as for ever extends it ſelf beyond an Age.

Now the word ETERNALL may be conceived to comprehend in it theſe Three things.

I.

Firſt, that there is nothing but LIFE in this ſtate of Bleſſedneſs; which ſhall not be interrupted by any dolefull accident. Life and Death, I told you, in the holy language ſignifie the ſame with Bleſſedneſs and Miſery: And therefore the Eternity of life muſt include in its notion a ſtate of pure happineſs, of mere and unmixed pleaſure; without any thing that deſerves the name of Death to give it the leaſt annoyance. There we may hope to be ſo happy, as to know without miſtake, and to be wiſe without folly, and to increaſe in knowledge without our preſent toil to acquire it. Love p. 113is there without hatred, jealouſy or envy, joy without any ſighing or ſorrow, praiſes without complaints, obedience without reluctance, ſpeed and alacrity without dulneſs and heavineſs; in one word, perfect purity and holineſs, without ſpot or blemiſh to ſully the glory of it. As this lower region of the air we ſee is the place of clouds and darkneſs, thunder and lightning, ſtorm and tempeſt; but to the dwellings of the Sun and fixed Stars none of theſe pitchy vapours aſcend, to obſcure their brightneſs, or trouble their peace: juſt ſo is this World the ſcene of miſery and vexation, confuſion and diſorder, our bodies are toſſed with ſeverall ſtorms, and our Souls many times hurried with more violent tempeſts, the fierce guſts of their own paſſions; but when we aſcend to the region of Light, and are cloathed with the Sun, we ſhall be out of the reach of theſe troubles, and find our ſelves in a ſtate of perfect reſt and joy, without the leaſt diſguſt to abate our contentment.

And what will make us deſpiſe this Valley of tears, if this bleſſed hope have not force enough to lift our hearts above it? Who would not deſire to come to p. 114the Mount of Viſion and Transfiguration, where we ſhall SEE THE LORD, and be ſo changed thereby, as to be made impaſſible as he is? Let the Readers pardon me, if I ſo far digreſs as to ask them, What is this Wilderneſs wherein you live, that you ſhould love it better then that heavenly Canaan? What is forty years, or perhaps ſeventy, of toil and labour, to that Eternall Reſt which Chriſt hath promiſed? Are not theſe husks contemptible in reſpect of the Manna, the Bread of life, of which if a man eat he ſhall live for ever? Is not our life here a dream, a ſhaddow of life, in compariſon with this Life that is everlaſting? Why then are you ſo hardly perſwaded to take off your thoughts and affections from things beneath, and not ſo much to handle the thorns and prickles that are in all mortall things? Why ſhould we be at ſo much pains to draw you into this Paradiſe, where, as there is a perpetuall Spring, ſo, all joy flouriſhes without the leaſt ſenſe of grief to ſpoil its pleaſures? If you would have us to account you men, we cannot but expect you ſhould entertain this Happineſs; unleſs you can either diſbelieve it, or prove it falls ſo ſhort of this deſcription, that it is not worth the p. 115price you muſt give for it. But how unable you will be to doe the former, ſhall appear preſently, when I have told you farther, how far ſhort this deſcription is of the incomparable excellency of this Life.

II.

For this word ETERNALL added to it, may well denote the LIFE we ſpeak of to be without any intermiſſion, as well as without any intermixture. As there is no contrary ſenſe of grief in that happy State, ſo there is no inſenſibleneſs of joy. The bleſſed Soul will never ceaſe to feel its own pleaſures, becauſe, as there is no night in that heavenly country, ſo there is no ſleep; in which we can ſcarce be ſaid to live. The life we ſhall lead there will be one continued Act of knowing, loving, rejoycing, praiſing and obeying God; and there will be no void ſpaces wherein we ſhall doe nothing, or wherein we ſhall doe ſomething elſe. We cannot conceive how any drowzineſs ſhould creep upon us, or heavineſs oppreſs our ſpirits: and as for other actions beſides thoſe now named, what ſhould there be, ſince all evill is baniſhed, all ſin ſhut out of that Paradiſe?

p. 116As for all Good works, there will be none of thoſe, wherein we are now imployed, to exerciſe our Obedience; as not befitting the Nobleneſs of that ſtate, wherein neither we nor others ſhall be in any need of thoſe things, which now call for our Charity to them, or Juſtice to our ſelves. What ſhall works of Mercy doe in that world, where there is no Miſery? How ſhall we viſit the ſick, where immortality and incorruption provides for a continuall health? What hoſpitality ſhall we uſe there, where no poor inhabit nor ſtrangers come? How ſhall we cloath the naked, where they are inveſted with a robe of the pureſt and moſt unſpotted light? What Enemies ſhall we ſtudy to reconcile, where univerſall Friendſhip reigns? What differences ſhall we compoſe, where all live in unity and harmonious love? And if theſe works of Mercy ſhall be uſeleſs, ſurely then all works of Neceſſity, as they are termed, will be ſuperfluous. There will be no meat, no drink, no apparell or habitation to be cared for, where there is no hunger, thirſt, and cold, or ſuch like wants, which now continually pinch us. The onelyonly work will be, to think of God, to love him whoſe love will appear ſo wonderfull, to rejoyce in p. 117him, to reckon up his benefits, to thank him for them, to perform him ſuch ſervices as are ſuitable to the dignity of that condition, to love all the bleſſed ſociety, who will contribute all they can to each other's happineſs. And how incomparably great will that happineſs be, when we ſhall have no other imployment but to be happy?

There are two great defects (as a famous Divine of our own hath obſerved) which ſpoil the intireneſs of all our delights here; but will find no place in the enjoyments of that happy ſtate. For (1.) all the Capacities we have now are ſo narrow and weak, that we cannot long bear any high pleaſure: but we are ſoon ſatiated with it, and are fain, even for our own eaſe, to lay it aſide, and ſeek ſome new delight. This makes our beſt contentments not to be pure and ſincere, without the mixture of ſome dregs; for of other this fleſhly ſtate will not admit. And beſides this, (2.) while we ſtudy the ſatisfaction of one Capacity, another muſt be content to go without the pleaſure that it deſires. They cannot all be gratified together, but the reſt muſt wait till one hath done. And, which is worſe, p. 118while we fulfill the deſires of the lower Faculties, the nobler commonly are deprived of their ſatisfaction. They that are given to their appetite, and are great purveyors for the groſſer ſenſes of the body, not onelyonly defraud the Mind, but even the purer ſenſes, (the Eye and the Ear,) which are the great Gates of wiſedome, of their moſt delightfull enjoyments. Nay, ſuch is the imperfection of this ſtate, that the Mind it ſelf cannot eameſtly fix in one ſort of ſtudies, but commonly it is render'd thereby very unapt to reap the delight that other parts of knowledge afford. We have ſeen deep Contemplatours in ſeverall Sciences, prove too unskilfull in matters of common prudence: and others ſtrangely quick in worldly buſineſs, to which they have bent their minds, who have been extreme inapprehenſive of Divine Myſteries. But in the life to come it will be quite otherwiſe; for our Capacities, as I have diſcourſed in the foregoing Chapters, will be there mightily improved; and ſo inlarged and widened, that we ſhall be in no danger to take a ſurfeit of the fulleſt enjoyments that can preſent themſelves unto us. And ſuch will be the friendly agreement and ſweet harmony between the capacities and deſires p. 119of every faculty there, that the ſatisfaction of one can no way turn to the prejudice of any other; but rather further and ſet forward its true delight and contentment. For then, the more we know, the more we ſhall love; and the more we love, the more we ſhall know how good God is. And this we ſhall doe without any wearineſs, which now forces us to break off our ſweeteſt enjoyments; becauſe then we ſhall not ſpend, but rather improve, ourſelves by exerciſe and motion.

Which makes another conſiderable difference between this ſtate and that which we expect. All our pleaſures here, as you may clearly diſcern from what hath been ſaid, conſiſting in a vehement motion, which is very tranſient, and quickly ſlips away; we muſt reſt a while before we can renew it, and begin the motion again. The duration of the preſent is ſhort; but there are long pauſes made before another ſucceeds. For no man can always eat and drink, or every moment enjoy any other delight: much leſs can he always attend to what he enjoys, though the attention is that which makes the delight. But now, quite contrary, p. 120this pleaſure that flows from the Viſion of God is of ſuch a nature, that it is always felt and injoy'd. For being firm and ſteady, fixt and unchangeable, like God himſelf, it is not received by piece-meal and at certain ſeaſons, as our pleaſures here are; but is full and all together, without any ſpace between to disjoyn its parts. Which makes thoſe happy ſouls live in one continued compleat happineſs and joy, which doth not paſs away, but ſtill remains. They can always love him, always praiſe him, always feel a ſenſe of his goodneſs trickling down their hearts, and filling them with ineffable joys without any ceaſing.

Who would not then by a ſhort courſe of Piety here, which muſt be oft interrupted by ſleep and other neceſſary occaſions, (and it is well if not by many failings,) run towards this never-diſcontinued life of happineſs in the other world? Who would not wiſh and ſtrive to enjoy ſuch a Good as will never ſuffer him to be out of enjoyment? None, ſure, but they who, though they cannot always eat and drink and take their pleaſure, yet have their hearts ſo ſunk into ſuch delights, that they cannot receive any p. 121taſte of theſe celeſtiall entertainments. Do but ſpend a ſerious and ſtedfaſt thought upon them, do but give your ſelves a true guſt of them; and you will ſooner ceaſe to eat and drink, then to hunger and thirſt after them.

III.

For this word ETERNALL, you will ſoon ſee, in the moſt obvious acception of it, denotes the perpetuity and everlaſting duration of this uninterrupted and unintermitted LIFE, or ſtate of higheſt Happineſs. If we ſhould ſuppoſe it to be but of a ſhort continuance, yet ſuch is the pleaſure of it, I have ſhewn you, ſo ſatisfying are its joys, that any man of ſenſe would chuſe rather to ſpend ſeventy or eighty years there, then to paſs them in this miſerable world. Nay, one day of that life is better then a thouſand of ours: and much rather ſhould we wiſh to have the meaneſt place in thoſe celeſtiall manſions, then the greateſt preferments on this Earth. But beſides that it is ſo tranſcendently ſweet and delicious, you muſt now conſider, that this LIFE knows no term nor period; but laſts as long as him that is the Authour of it. He never began p. 122to be the Lord and to be Good, (as Clemens Alex. concludes his V. Book,) being alway what he is: foreign, nor will he ever ceaſe to doe good, though he bring all things to an end. Still holy Souls will enjoy the ſweet fruits of his love, when all things here wither and periſh. He is the Eternall, God bleſſed for ever, from everlaſting to everlaſting, and changes not. And ſuch will the ſtate of happineſs be to which our Lord will bring his ſervants: to a Crown of glory that fadeth not away; 1 Pet. v. 4.1 Pet 5:4to a building of God not made with hands, 2 Cor. v. 1.2 Cor 5:1eternall in the heavens; xii. Heb. 28.to a kingdom that cannot be ſhaken; to a light that is never ſullied with any cloud, and can never be put out; to a ſplendour and glory that is neither eclipſed nor ever impaired; for it is the Glory of God, the enjoyment of his eternall brightneſs: which as it is not broken by ſleep, nor interrupted for a time by any of our earthly employments; ſo much leſs ſhall it break off by death, and ceaſe to be for ever.

This is the very Crown, as I ſaid at the beginning, and the perfection of the Happineſs we expect. This makes it to be abſolute Bliſs; becauſe it wants not p. 123that continuance which all our enjoyments here deſire, but ſtill complain they cannot have. Which ſome anciently thought they ſaw moſt lively repreſented in the Hiſtory of the Creation of the World: where there is a conſtant mention, as the Hebrews obſerve, Pirke R. Eliezer c. 18.of the evening and the morning making one day, till the whole ſix days-work was ended. The evening and the morning were the firſt day, ſaith the Text, i. Gen. 5. And the evening and the morning were the ſecond day, verſ. 8. And ſo you reade of all the other ſix, till you come to the ſeventh: wherein God ended the work which he had made, and reſted on the ſeventh day from all his work which he had made. ii. Geneſ. 2. But it is not ſaid here, as it is in the concluſion of all the former days, that the evening and the morning were the ſeventh day. And therefore they lookt upon the Six days as a Calendar of the ſeverall Ages of this World, in which there is a continuall viciſſitude of day and night, of light and darkneſs, pleaſure and grief, labour and reſt, and one generation goes that another may come, till all have an end. But the Seventh day, in which they found no mention of evening and morning, they took to be an p. 124emblem of that happy Sabbath and perfect repoſe we ſhall have in the other Life; L. vi. contra Celſ. p. 317.when, as Origen ſpeaks, we have done all our work faithfully, and left nothing undone. After this, ſays he, follows the day of God's Sabbath and Reſt, foreign &c. in which all pious Souls, that have finiſhed their work, as God did his, aſcending up to the Spectacle above, and the generall aſſembly of the juſt and bleſſed, ſhall feaſt together with God, and keep his everlaſting Sabbath of joy and gladneſs and peace, without any ſucceeding ſadneſs and ſorrow, or any concluſion of their happy enjoyments.

Of which alſo the happy condition of the Hebrews, after they came out of their Egyptian bondage, was ſome kind of figure: for it is called by the name of a Sabbath or Reſt which God gave them from their hard labours; and when they come thither, they are ſaid to come to their reſt. In like manner the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of the Chriſtian Happineſs, calls it by the ſame name, and proves that there ſtill remains another Reſt for the people of God. iv. Heb. 9. And the Spirit it ſelf ſaith, xiv. Rev. 13. Bleſſed are the dead p. 125which die in the Lord, that they may reſt from their labours.

There is nothing we can enjoy in this life, but, beſides that it is ſhort, we muſt attain that ſhort enjoyment by much labour. We muſt not have it with perfect eaſe, but with toil and pains and the ſweat of our brows. Or if it come at a cheaper rate, yet it will ſtand us in a great many thoughts, and be paid for with much care and ſolicitude afterward to preſerve our contentments; which elſe will be in danger to be loſt, and leave us the more miſerable. There will be many alſo that envy to us our happineſs: and others perhaps that will endeavour to oppreſs us, and deprive us of it. And if we can eſcape all theſe troubles, yet we muſt have a ſore conflict with our ſelves and our ſpirituall enemies: which will put us to great pains to keep our ſelves from being corrupted with the delights of this world, or poiſoned and infected with the evill examples that are round about us. Therefore this preſent time may well be called the time of our labours: after all which there is nothing we have got but muſt alſo have an end p. 126and we ſhall be forced quickly to take our leave of it.

But now, in that joyfull Sabbath that is to ſucceed, we ſhall reſt from all theſe labours, and be at no more pains to attain or keep our happineſs. There will be no danger, as I have ſaid, of our being deſpoiled of it. No Serpent can creep into that Paradiſe, to tempt and allure us from that great felicity: nor ſhall we be in any danger from our own Fleſh; nor find our ſelves in a World where there will be any thing to excite our deſires, but what we may freely take the fulleſt ſatisfaction in. By which, and all the reſt that hath been diſcourſed, you may clearly ſee, there can be nothing wanting to compleat the happineſs of that ſtate, but onelyonly the never-ceaſing duration or continuance of it. Now in this, as was ſaid at firſt, the Reſt we expect in the other world differs from that which God promiſed the Hebrews in the land of Canaan. For by virtue of Moſes his Law they had a title onelyonly to a long life in that fruitfull Country: in oppoſition to which, as well as to our ſhort life here, the Chriſtian Reſt is called an everlaſting p. 127Life, an inheritance immortall (becauſe incorruptible) and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in heaven for us. 1 Pet. i. 4. So our Lord himſelf calls it a great number of times in one diſcourſe he had with the ſtupid Jews, Joh. vi. where he exhorts them to labour not ſo much for the meat that periſheth, as for the meat that endureth to everlaſting life, which the Son of man came to give them, ver. 27. For this is the will, he tells them, of him that ſent him, that every one which ſeeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlaſting life, ver. 40. And becauſe they were ſtill ſottiſhly regardleſs of what he ſaid, he affirms it again with the moſt vehement aſſeverations, ver. 47. Verily, verily I ſay unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlaſting life. And 58. He that eateth of this Bread ſhall live for ever: which is repeated again in ſundry other places of the ſame Chapter.

And I muſt tell you, for your more ample ſatisfaction, that our Saviour hath taken care to deliver this Doctrine to us in ſuch words as can have no other ſenſe or meaning. The word for ever or everlaſting in the Old Law ſometime ſignifies onelyonly the duration of ſeverall years, or a p. 128long compaſs of time, which at laſt might have an end. As the Hebrew ſervant who had ſold himſelf for ſix years, if when they were at an end he choſe not to go free, he was to ſerve his maſter for ever: xxi. Exod. 6. that is, till the Jubilee, if his maſter lived ſo long, and he were not redeemed nor releaſed. And there are many Ordinances of Moſes, not now to be enumerated, which are ſaid to be everlaſting, becauſe they were to continue till the coming of Chriſt. Now leſt any one ſhould imagine, that the Life our Saviour ſpeaks of ſhall be everlaſting onelyonly in the ſame ſenſe, a very long continued happineſs, (ſeverall Ages ſuppoſe,) which in concluſion might determine and come to an end; he hath prevented ſuch thoughts, by uſing other words beſides this of everlaſting life, that we may be aſſured it ſignifies more in the Goſpel then it did under the Law, that is, an Endleſs Bliſs. For (1.) he not onelyonly tells the Jews in the forenamed Chapter, vi. Joh. 50. that he was the bread of which if a man did eat he ſhould not die: but that whoſoever liveth (that is, every living man) and believeth in him, ſhall never die; xi. Joh. 26. Which is as much as to ſay, He will give us a p. 129Life without any death. And farther (2.) he ſays, that whoſoever keeps his ſaying, ſhall never ſee death: viii. 51. Which, if it ſignifie any thing diſtinct from the former, muſt denote that he ſhall never be in any danger of death, or come near it: which, in the next words, verſ. 52. is called taſting death. How can this be, ſay the Jews, ſince Abraham and the Prophets are dead; and thou ſayeſt, if a man keep my ſaying, he ſhall never taſte of death? That's the phraſe wherein our Saviour's Paſſion is expreſſed, who taſted death (i. e. lay in the grave a while) for every man, ii. Heb. 9. And therefore may ſignifie here, that our Saviour's faithfull Diſciples, after he hath given them everlaſting life, ſhall not die at all; no, not for the ſpace of three days, though afterward they might riſe again. But I have taken notice of one expreſſion fuller then this; for he doth not onelyonly ſay that they ſhall not die nor taſte of death, but (3.) that they cannot die any more. xx. Luk. 36. foreign. There is no poſſibility, after they have attained that life, that they ſhould die again; for they are equall to the Angels, and are the children of God, being by the Reſurrection begotten to an immortall life. p. 130Hence it is that the Apoſtle calls this happy ſtate by the name of foreign immortality, 2 Tim. i. 10. and foreign incorruption, ii. Rom. 7. and ſaith that our bodies ſhall be raiſed in incorruption, 1 Cor. xv. 42. and put on immortality, ver. 53. and bear the image of the heavenly Adam, i. e. of our Lord now he is in glory, who we know dies no more, ver. 49. Which all ſignifie the Body as well as the Soul ſhall enjoy ſuch a ſolid ſtate of happineſs as cannot moulder or be diſſolved; but will remain firm and durable like the Authour of it, by whom death ſhall be ſwallowed up in victory, ver. 54. i. e. be ſo perfectly conquered, that it ſhall never recover the leaſt power any more.

Innumerable Ages ſhall never put a period to this ETERNALL LIFE; but after they are all paſt, the whole Man ſhall be as freſh and beautifull, without any declenſion or ſign of decay, as if it were but newly riſen, and had juſt then put on its pureſt robes of glorious Light. There will be as full a Good, I mean, and as great a ſtrength to enjoy it, and as perfect a liking alſo of it, after millions of ages are ſpent in the heavenly manſions, as there was at the very firſt entrance p. 131into them. Death being deſtroyed by him who is the Reſurrection and the Life, and who dieth no more; an immortall Soul ſhall inhabit an immortall Body, and they ſhall be for ever with the Lord. Where they ſhall be for ever employed in thoſe happy exerciſes before mentioned; which will for ever be to be done again. In the doing of them there will be infinite pleaſure; and in the repetition of them there will be no diſreliſh, but an infinite increaſe of pleaſure. As they always know, ſo they ſhall always be knowing more. For new beauties, we may well think, will diſcover themſelves in an infinite object; and this will excite a freſh love, and that a more vigorous joy: And ſo for ever round again there will be knowing, loving and rejoycing more and more without any end.

It is but a little that can be ſaid of ETERNITY, though we ſhould ſpeak of it to the end of Time. Nay, in Eternity it ſelf we ſhall not be able to come to the End of it in our thoughts, no more then in our being; becauſe it hath none. We can never know it all, becauſe it is ſtill to come. And therefore how little p. 132of it will this leaf of paper contain? or, ſhould we write never ſo much, how ſhall we be able now to reach the deſcription of a thing ſo ſublime? Thankfull acclamations to the goodneſs of our Saviour for bringing life and immortality to light, and ſerious admirations at the amazing greatneſs of what we know of it, will be far more acceptable, as well as more eaſie, then a long diſcourſe about it. And therefore I ſhall end this Chapter with my wiſhes, that this Bleſſedneſs I am ſpeaking of may not ſeem ſmall in our eyes, becauſe we can relate ſo little of it; but rather appear the greater and the more deſirable, becauſe we ſee it is beyond our preſent underſtanding. Though this vaſt Circle of Eternity cannot be meaſured by our thoughs; that makes it but ſo much the more excellent then our Span of time. And though this LIFE comprehend ſuch pleaſures as we cannot now enjoy; that doth but exalt it above the poor pleaſures of this preſent life, which we can firſt enjoy, and then contemn. We are not able, it is true, to conceive, nor can it enter into our hearts, what God hath in ſtore for thoſe that love him: but this ſhould onelyonly excite our longings to conceive it; p. 133and make us ſigh and ſay, when we think of enjoying God himſelf, and of an eternall enjoyment of him,

O the fulneſs of God! O the infiniteneſs of him that is the Life of this LIFE! Who can tell what thou art, O moſt Bleſſed for ever; by whom all things were made, and who art All that can poſſibly be? What comforts ſhine from the brightneſs of thy face? How joyfull wilt thou make us with the light of thy countenance, when we ſhall ſee thee as thou art? It will put greater gladneſs into our hearts, then if all the glory of the world ſhould ſmile upon us.

But what eye can be ſtrong enough to behold ſo great a Splendour? what excellent creatures muſt they be made, who ſhall be capable to SEE GOD? It caſts us into a trance, when we do but think of being eternally beloved of thee. O what will it doe to feel our ſelves ever, ever, the objects of thy infinite love? The beauteous frame of the Heavens is exceeding admirable in our eyes. O what a goodly World is this, in which thou ſuffereſt thine Enemies to live! What a glorious torch is the Sun, which thou haſt lighted to ſhine on the unjuſt as well as on the juſt! Who then can hope to p. 134know, till he ſees, what the pleaſures are which thou haſt prepared for thy Friends? what a glorious Light ſhall ſhine from thy preſence, upon the face of thoſe that love thee? Their hearts now cannot hold the ſmalleſt glimpſe of that which ſhall for ever bleſs and raviſh them with its joys. But how can we hope to ſee it, unleſs thou wilt raiſe us above our ſelves; and make us no longer men of this world, but children of the Reſurrection, and equall to the holy Angels? We believe, and rejoyce to think, that thou wilt account us worthy to obtain that World, and the reſurrection of the dead. It is the greateſt pleaſure we have here, to hope we ſhall enjoy all the happineſs of which we now diſcourſe: nay, far more, infinitely more then can be conceived.

For how great will that happineſs be, Auguſt. de Civ. Dei cap. ult.where we ſhall neither feel any evill, nor want any good? where all our work will be the praiſes of God, who ſhall be all in all? where no ſloth ſhall make us ceaſe to praiſe him, nor any neceſſity call us to other employment? There will be true glory indeed, where no man ſhall be praiſed, either by the errour or the flattery of him that praiſeth. True honour that will be, which ſhall be denied to no worthy perſon, nor given to any p. 135unworthy. Nay, the unworthy ſhall not ſo much as ſeek it there, where none are permitted to come but ſuch as are worthy. True peace is there, where nothing ſhall fall croſs to our deſires, either from our ſelves or any other. There He who gave Vertue, will be its Reward; having promiſed that he himſelf, then which nothing can be greater, nothing better, will be the portion of it. What elſe ſhall we underſtand by thoſe words, I will be their God, and they my people; but that I will be their Satisfaction, I will be all that every one can honeſtly deſire, both life, and health, and ſuſtenance, and riches, and glory, and honour, and all good? For ſo we reade, that God will be all in all. He will be the End of our deſires, who will be ſeen without end, and loved without lothing, and praiſed without wearineſs. This will be the office, this will be the inclination, this will be the work of all in that Eternall Life, which is common to all. There we ſhall ſing the mercies of the Lord for ever. There we ſhall keep that truly greateſt Sabbath, which hath no Evening. There we ſhall reſt from labour and ſee, we ſhall ſee and love, we ſhall love and praiſe. Behold what will be in the End without end. For what elſe is our End, but to come to the Kingdom which hath no End? Amen.