Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of the Certainty of this ETERNALL LIFE, whoſe Excellency is a little farther illuſtrated out of the Holy Scriptures.
WHen I reflect upon the foregoing Meditations concerning the LIFE to come, and the ETERNITY of it, I begin to think I have wrong'd it much, by ſo poor and dull a deſcription of ſo great a Good; and by endeavouring to draw that into a few particular conſiderations, which hath in it innumerable perfections. It had been more becoming our ignorance, perhaps, to have admired its fulneſs, then to undertake to ſearch how full it is. Alas! what ſhallow brains have we to contain a wide and deep Ocean? what weak eyes, to look ſtedfaſtly upon the moſt glorious Light of heaven? How much too ſhort and narrow are our thoughts, to compaſs an Eternall duration? When we have done all we can, the beſt way, I think, to our ſatisfaction will be, to have recourſe to a paſſage from the mouth of God himſelf, wherein we muſt reſt our ſelves contented. It is in the xxi. Rev. 7. where St. John was told by him who ſat upon the throne, (ver. 5.) that He that overcometh ſhall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he ſhall be my Son.
A moſt marvellouſly-large Conveyance is here delivered to us from him, who hath all that can be in his poſſeſſion. The Great Lord of Heaven and Earth makes us a grant in theſe words ſo exceeding full, that we cannot deſire it ſhould run in more comprehenſive terms. For by this promiſe (1.) He makes over to us ALL things. Heart cannot wiſh more to make us compleatly happy, then he ſettles upon us; for there is no good thing that he will withhold from thoſe that ſtedfaſtly adhere to him. And obſerve (2.) the tenure wherein we ſhall hold theſe vaſt and large poſſeſſions, which is as an Inheritance. We have an everlaſting perpetuall eſtate made us in all things. The terms of this writing are ſuch as if it had run in theſe words, By an eternall indefeaſible right he ſhall poſſeſs all bleſſings. For Inheritances, it is well known, among the Hebrews never failed, nor went out of the family. They could not be ſo alienated by ſale or gift, but they returned in the year of Jubilee to their firſt owner or his poſterity. Which makes the word INHERIT, in the holy language, to ſignify the enjoyment of a purchace or poſſeſſion out of which the inheritour can never be thrown, and which he cannot quit, but ſhall remain ſettled in him to perpetuity. This St. Paul calls the riches of the GLORY of his inhehitance, i. Eph. 18. to ſignify, that our celeſtiall Patrimony is not onelyonly exceeding large and firmly ſettled on us; but alſo moſt noble, and brings along with it everlaſting honour and renown. Which is more fully explained, you may note (3.) and the reaſon of it given, in the next words, I will be GOD to him. I will confer, that is, ſuch benefits on him, as are fit for the bounty of the omnipotent Goodneſs to beſtow. Look what He was to Abraham in this world, (to whom he promiſed to be a God, xvii. Gen. 7.) that he will be to us eternally: In bleſſing he will bleſs us, and be our exceeding great reward.
The word foreign, GOD, anſwers to the Hebrew word Elohim; which doth not reſpect the Eſſence of the Almighty, but his Providence, as *in Pſal. xiv. 1.Genebrard among others hath well obſerved: and ſignifies as much as the Judge, the Moderatour and Governour of the World, (from whence it is that Judges, Magiſtrates and Rulers are called by this name,) to whom it belongs to give rewards and puniſhments. And accordingly the Hebrew writers obſerve, that it is never ſaid the Lord will be the God of any perſons, but when he expreſſes ſome ſingularly-great kindneſs, and ſtands in a ſpeciall relation of love to them. In particular Abarbinell notes (upon Deut. vi.) that he is never called the God of Iſrael, till he had brought them in a wonderfull manner out of the land of Egypt, the houſe of bondage. I find, indeed, that he promiſed to be their God before, when he told Abraham, that he would give him and his ſeed the land of Canaan for an everlaſting poſſeſſion. xvii. Gen. 8. But he did not begin to be ſo, till he began to lead them thither; and, in token of their being his, they had kept the Paſſeover, and received his Law from Mount Sinai. Before this Moſes ſays, We were bondmen in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out with a mighty hand: vi. Deuter. 21. And the LORD ſhewed ſigns and wonders great and ſore upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh and upon all his houſhold, before our eyes: ver. 22. He doth not ſay in all theſe words foreign the LORD our GOD; but onelyonly, the LORD brought us out, and, the LORD ſhewed: becauſe he ſpeaks of the time before the giving of the Law, which was the greateſt kindneſs he did them after they came out of Egypt. But as ſoon as he had made mention of that, (ſays Abarbinel) in the very next words, ver. 24. he alters his ſtyle, and tells them, The LORD commanded us to doe all theſe ſtatutes, to fear the LORD our GOD, for our good always, &c. And ver. 25. It ſhall be our righteouſneſs, if we obſerve to doe all theſe Commandments, before the LORD our GOD, as he hath commanded us. And ſo he ſpeaks vii. 1. When the LORD thy GOD ſhall bring thee into the land, &c. and ver. 2. When the LORD thy GOD ſhall deliver them before thee, &c. and ver. 6. Thou art a holy people to the LORD thy GOD; the LORD thy GOD hath choſen thee to be a ſpeciall people to himſelf, &c. For from the time of his appearing on mount Sinai and ſo forward (ſays that learned Hebrew Writer) He was our God, becauſe then we took upon us his Divinity.
And I think I may as truly obſerve, that till the Reſurrection of our Lord from the dead, (which compleated that foreign departure which Moſes and Elias diſcourſed with him about, and ſaid he ſhould accompliſh at Jeruſalem, ix. Luke 31.) we never reade that the Father Almighty is called the God of thoſe who believe in his Son Jeſus. Then he demonſtrated beyond all contradiction that he was their Saviour and mighty Deliverer, who would reſcue them from the bondage of corruption, the fear of death, the power of the grave, and give them immortall life. And therefore then he bids Mary go and tell his Diſciples, whom he calls Brethren, and ſay to them, I aſcend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. xx. Joh. 17. This is the firſt time he is called their God: but ever after there is no language more common. For as St. i. Eph. 3, 17. 1 Pet. i. 3.Peter and St. Paul call him the GOD of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; (I ſuppoſe, becauſe he had raiſed him from the dead, and highly glorified him for his obedient ſuffering of death;) ſo they addreſs themſelves to him as particularly related to them, and ready to beſtow upon them the like bleſſedneſs, ſaying, i. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. i. 4. iv. Phil. 19. 1 Theſſ. iii. 9.I thank MY GOD always, &c. MY GOD ſhall ſupply all your need: We rejoyce before OƲR GOD, &c. as you may reade in many places of St. Paul's Epiſtles. Which ſhews, that this promiſe in the Revelation, (made after our Saviour's Aſcenſion,) of being the God of thoſe who overcome, includes in it the beſtowing on us the moſt excellent benefits. Becauſe he will be our GOD in a more excellent manner then he ever was yet to men: ſuch a GOD as he was to our Bleſſed Lord himſelf. He will prefer us to live with him in great ſplendour and glory. He will give us an inheritance in a better Country, which is an heavenly; where all delights flow, and never ceaſe to ſpring up to thoſe happy Souls, who ſhall enjoy the eternall fruits of his greateſt love.
For ſo he adds, (4.) and he ſhall be to me a Son. A Son, you know, expects the Inheritance of his Father; becauſe to him it properly belongs, and upon him it deſcends: And therefore to be to GOD a Son, is to be made like him, and to live with him in that very happineſs and bliſs which he enjoys. So St. Paul expreſſes it, viii. Rom. 17. he ſhall be an heir of GOD, a co-heir with Jeſus, who as the Son of God inherits his Glory. He ſhall participate, that is, with God in his everlaſting life, kingdom, honour and joy: which what it is we are not able to tell, no more then we can comprehend what his Majeſty is who poſſeſſes heaven and earth, and is infinite in all perfections. But we have the greateſt reaſon that can be to expect ſo great a bliſs, becauſe we know that God loves his Son Jeſus, and hath given ALL THINGS into his hand. iii. Joh. 35. We are ſure that God hath made him moſt bleſſed for ever; He hath made him exceeding glad with his countenance. Honour and Majeſty hath he laid upon him, and his glory is great in his Salvation. xxi. Pſal. 5, 6.
Now it is moſt evident, you may again obſerve (5.) that the generall intendment of this promiſe is, to put us in hope of being made like to Chriſt our Elder Brother. For he is not aſhamed to call us by that name. And this being his great Prerogative, that he is Heir of all things; when the Father of mercy aſſures us that we ſhall inherit all things, it is as much as to ſay, we ſhall ſhare with Chriſt in his large poſſeſſions. It is eaſy to note, how the Holy Goſpell deſcribes our expected felicity in the ſame terms wherein it ſpeaks of that which Chriſt our Head enjoys: with whom St. Paul ſays we ſhall appear in glory, and reign with him, and have a glorious body like his, and in order to it be caught up in the clouds, (1 Theſſ. iv. 17.) which was the manner of his aſcenſion to heaven, i. Act. 9. And accordingly here God promiſes to him that overcomes, that he ſhall inherit all things; in conformity ſtill with our Saviour, whom he hath appointed heir of all things. i. Heb. 2.
I cannot ſay there is any alluſion in theſe words to the Olympick rewards, given to the Conquerours in thoſe Combats: but ſo it is, that they who overcame there were accounted foreign equall to their Gods; that is, their Hero's or deified men: Fabri Agoniſt. L. ii. c. 11.16, 17.and therefore had Statues erected to their honour, and an annuall Penſion ſettled on them for their more noble maintenance. But what was this to the reall Divine honour and glory which God will give to victorious Souls? To whom he promiſes not a ſmall Penſion or Annuity; but an inheritance, and that of all things: i. e. to ſhine in the glory of our Bleſſed Saviour; who is King of kings and Lord of lords, and can prefer all his Subjects to ſuch a greatneſs, that they ſhall be more like Gods then men. So St. Greg. Nazianzen often ſpeaks, that *Orat. xxxvi. p. 592.we ſhall be made Gods in the other World, by him that was made Man for us in this. It is hard to tell what Heraclitus meant by that ſpeech recorded in Clemens Alexandrinus *L. iii. Padag. c. 1., foreign. Men are Gods, Gods are men: But it is verified in the Chriſtian Religion, which reveals a Divine ſtate, to which we ſhall aſcend when we leave the earth, by him who came down from Heaven into a vile condition, that he might promote us thither.
Let us ſtudy then theſe words very hard, and think often what it is to have ALL THINGS that the love of the Almighty will beſtow, when, in the moſt eminent ſenſe and in another World, he ſhall become OUR GOD: and what it is to have an eſtate in him that can never be cut off, but remains as firm as the Throne on which he ſate when he ſpake theſe words. And then, if you believe in him, it will fill you with unſpeakable joy, (without entring into particular enquiries,) to think that you ſhall be ſo happy as to be his Sons and Heirs, who want nothing that can be deſired, or he can give. And indeed theſe other words, ETERNALL LIFE, wherein God's gracious promiſe commonly runs, are of the ſame import and force with thoſe now mentioned. All that we hope for is contained in them. As (1.) Pardon of Sin: without which we cannot take one ſtep toward ſo great a bliſs. For death, the fruit and puniſhment of ſin, will ſtill remain, unleſs ſin be pardoned: and then what hope can we have of life, much leſs of Eternall life? which is therefore perhaps called by the name of Righteouſneſs, v. Gal. 5. becauſe it includes our perfect juſtification and abſolution from the guilt of ſin, without which we could not attain it. And (2.) it ſuppoſes the Adoption of Sons; which is begun in this life, but not perfected till the next: when we ſhall be made the children of God by receiving a new life from him at the Reſurrection of the dead. And (3.) the Redemption of the Body is another bleſſing included in it. For being raiſed again, it will be freed from its preſent weakneſſes, alterations and pains, to which it is obnoxious; and ſtand in need of not ſo much as food and raiment. And therefore the time when he will beſtow it is called the day of our Redemption. iv. Eph. 30. To which muſt be added (4.) the carrying of it up to heaven, to meet the Lord: For being raiſed a ſpirituall body, it will not be fit for this World, but for the other. Where (5.) we ſhall reſt with him in the celeſtiall Inheritance, and enjoy all the happineſs it affords: for LIFE, you have heard, ſignifies all good things. And (laſtly) the Perpetuity of them is plainly expreſſed in the word ETERNALL; which makes the happineſs of this heavenly LIFE appear ſo exceeding great, that our preſent Life, compared to it, is (as Cenſorinus ſays of Time in regard of Eternity) no more then a Winter's day.
Let this then ſuffice us to know, that we ſhall have a perfect enjoyment of all the Good we are capable to receive, when we are made greater then we are, by the change that ſhall be wrought in us at our departure hence, and at the reſurrection of the dead. And let our pains be more imployed to know the truth and certainty of this, then to know what the Good is we ſhall enjoy; which will be beſt known by poſſeſſing it.
And herein now we may admire the Goodneſs of God, and ſee how liberall he is of his bounties, where we are capable to receive them. Though he hath ſaid little to make us particularly underſtand the LIFE of the next world; yet he hath ſaid very much to aſſure us that there is ſuch an happy Life. Where we can underſtand and comprehend his mind, there he fully expreſſes himſelf; and therefore where he is more ſilent, it is (no doubt) becauſe, ſhould he ſpeak of ſuch matters, we cannot underſtand him. We are able to conceive any thing that he ſhall declare for the reaſon of our hope, and the ground of our faith; and it highly concerns us to be very well ſatisfied in the foundation of ſuch expectations in a future World. And therefore herein our gracious God hath not been ſparing to reveal himſelf; but hath granted us the ſtrongeſt Evidences for our claim to ſuch an Inheritance. Which makes me conclude that, if we were as capable to receive inſtruction concerning the Inheritance it ſelf, and to have a Terrier (as I may call it) or particular deſcription of that heavenly Country, of the manner of their Life, and all the fruits growing there, delivered to us; He that hath been ſo large in the aſſurances he hath given us, would not have denied us alſo this ſatisfaction. Well therefore it is for us, that this is the onelyonly reaſon why we want it, and know not what we ſhall be; becauſe we cannot, till we be changed, be made partakers of ſo great a knowledge. And well is it for us, that we have alſo ſo good a cauſe to think that this is the onelyonly reaſon; becauſe God hath manifeſted himſelf ſo fully to us in other things that belong to our happineſs, by giving us the moſt firm grounds whereon to build our future hopes.
This is the thing which this preſent Treatiſe chiefly intends, to ſhew, as God himſelf ſpeaks concerning the promiſes of the New Jeruſalem xxi. Rev. 5. that theſe Words are faithfull and true. There is no couzenage or deceit in theſe promiſes, no fraud or colluſion in the drawing them up; nor any alteration in God's mind ſince they were made, and he hath ſet ſuch ſeals to them: But I may ſay, as he there doth to St. John, who it's poſſible might doubt of what the Angel had ſhewn him, Behold, (or, as Andreas Caeſarienſis reads it,) foreign, Behold, behold, I make all things new. See here and obſerve; I my ſelf, who ſit upon my Throne, aſſure thee of the Certainty of theſe Viſions: If thou wilt take my word, I here paſs it to thee, that I will fulfill all theſe promiſes. Such, I ſay, is the unqueſtionable credit of the Words of ETERNALL LIFE. God himſelf hath ſpoken them; He hath bid us believe them; yea, he hath ſaid, we muſt account him a liar, if we do not rely upon them: For this, ſaith St. John, is the Record, that God hath given us eternall Life, and this Life is in his Son.
Before I come to a particular examination of all that hath been ſaid and done to verify this, let me note theſe two things, Firſt, that the Apoſtle ſaith, we have a RECORD of this truth; which is atteſted from the mouth of ſeverall infallible Witneſſes, who have depoſed what they ſaw and heard about it, to the ſatiſfaction of all thoſe that will conſider their teſtimony. There being ſuch a RECORD, that is, that Jeſus is the Son of GOD, we have no reaſon to doubt of the Eternall Life he promiſes: but upon the very ſame grounds that we believe the one, we ought to believe the other. If the Father, the Word, the Holy Ghoſt, and all the other Witneſſes, have proved the former by undeniable teſtimonies; then at the ſametime they proved this alſo, that we ſhall live by him.
For (1.) it is evident that, if Jeſus was the Son of God, ſent by him in a ſpeciall manner into the world, to act in his ſtead; we are to believe all that he ſays of himſelf, or that others by his commiſſion and authority have declared him to be. Now if we look into his Goſpell, we ſhall find that he moſt earneſtly affirms himſelf to have been before Abraham was; viii. Joh. 58. and to have had a Glory with God before the world was; xvii. 5. and to be ſo one with the Father, that the Father was in him, and he in the Father: x. 30, 38. And they who were his inſpired Witneſſes, whom he ſaid he would ſend as the Father ſent him, xx. 21. and who were filled by him with the Holy Ghoſt, declared him to be God's WORD, who in the beginning was with God, and was GOD; i. Joh. 1, 2. the image of the inviſible God, the brightneſs of his glory, and the character of his perſon; who in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens were the works of his hands. i. Col. 15. i. Heb. 3, 10. From all which we may certainly conclude, that he is not onelyonly the Son of God in regard of his Authority, but by Nature; begotten of him before all worlds, of one ſubſtance with the Father. And therefore
We may be confident, (2.) that he being thus nearly related to God, muſt needs know his mind, and be acquainted with his moſt ſecret purpoſes and reſolutions: To which he was ſo privy, that he ſays he was then in heaven, when he was come down to reveal them to men. iii. Joh. 13. So that we may ſafely look upon the promiſes he makes us of ETERNALL LIFE, as the declarations of God's gracious will and pleaſure, which ſhall undoubtedly be fulfilled. No man indeed (as St. John ſpeaks, i. 18.) hath ſeen GOD at any time; the onelyonly-begotten Son, which is in the boſome of the Father, he hath declared him. For who could dive into God's mind, and tell us what was in his thoughts? What man could enter into his breaſt, and ſee what was in his heart to doe for us? None but his onelyonly-begotten Son; who being in his boſome, and privy to his moſt ſecret Counſels, foreign, hath declared or expounded him, i. e. his hidden will and decrees, which elſe had not been revealed to us. It is the opinion of Maimonides in ſeverall parts of his Works *L. de Fund. Legis cap. i. n. 10. More Nev. part. i. c. 37. 54. &c., that when Moſes prayed God to ſhew him his Glory, he meant his Eſſence, of which he deſired to have a diſtinct conception as it is in it ſelf; ſuch as we have of a man when we have ſeen his face, and by the image of him remaining in our mind can diſtinguiſh him from all other men. But there are other of their Learned men, who by his Glory underſtand the Rewards he will give the pious, and the proſperity he ſometimes beſtows on the wicked. Whatſoever it was, God told him he could not comprehend it, but muſt be content with the ſight onelyonly of his back parts, not of his face. xxxiii. Exod. ult. That is, ſaith Maimonides, with the knowledge of ſomething of his Eſſence; or, as he elſewhere expounds it *More Nev. p. i. c. 21., of his Works and Attributes; of which he had ſuch an obſcure knowledge as we have of a man whoſe back parts we have ſeen, but never beheld his face. To be ſo intimately acquainted with God and his mind as he wiſh'd, was the priviledge of the Meſſiah alone, who had the cleareſt and fulleſt ſight of the Glory of the Father, both of his Eſſence, and his Will, and his gracious intentions towards us: for he is foreign in the boſome of the Father, and therefore ſees his face, as the Scripture ſpeaks; and hath not merely ſome obſcure repreſentations of him, like that of a man when he turns his back to us, but a full view of him in all his perfections, of which he himſelf is the very Image. And what he ſaw, he hath by God's expreſs will revealed to us; and diſcovered thoſe things which eye never beheld (but were kept ſecret from the foundation of the world) concerning the glorious rewards which his love will give to all pious perſons. For ſince I have proved that he is his Son, we cannot imagine that he preſumed to ſay more then he knew, or told us things out of his own mind onelyonly, (when he ſpake of ETERNALL LIFE, as he frequently did;) but what he hath ſeen and heard, that he teſtifieth, as it is iii. John 32.
We cannot believe otherwiſe (3.) when we look upon him as the Son of God, but that he muſt needs ſpeak the very truth to us. As he could not but know the Mind of God, if he was ſo one with him; ſo he could not but ſpeak to us according to what he knew of his Mind. For as the Father is Truth, ſo is the Son; becauſe he is perfectly the ſame with the Father. We worſhip the Father of Truth, and the Son the Truth; who are two in perſon, but one in conſent, and agreement, and identity of will: as Origen *L. viii. contra Celſum.ſpeaks explaining thoſe words of our Saviour, I and the Father are one; x. Joh. 30. and, I am the Truth: xiv. 6. We may be confident that the words of both are equally faithfull and true. So God the Father bad St. John write of his own ſayings, as I obſerved before, xxi. Rev. 5. And in the ſame ſtyle our Saviour commands him to write of himſelf, Theſe things ſaith the Amen, the faithfull and true witneſs. iii. Rev. 14. John Baptiſt had ſaid as much before, iii. Joh. 34. He whom God hath ſent ſpeaketh the words of God. To which the words of our Saviour, in another place of that Goſpell, perfectly accord, xii. 49, 50. I have not ſpoken of my ſelf; but the Father which ſent me, he gave me a commandment what I ſhould ſay and what I ſhould ſpeak. And I know that his commandment is EVERLASTING LIFE: whatſoever I ſpeak therefore, even as the Father ſaid unto me, ſo I ſpeak.
And (4.) he hath no leſs Power then he hath Truth; but being the Son of God, the heir of all things, can make good his gracious promiſes, and put us into the poſſeſſion of the Eternall Inheritance, which we expect as coheirs with him. He was declared the Son of God with power by his reſurrection from the dead; i. Rom. 4. according to his own prayer juſt before he offered up himſelf to God, Father, the hour is come, glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee: As thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, that he ſhould give eternall life to as many as thou haſt given him. xvii. Joh. 1, 2.
And can we think (5.) that he will not faithfully execute this truſt, and imploy his power for the end to which it was given him? He would not then be like his Father, who keepeth Truth for ever: As he alſo moſt certainly will; being the ſame Jeſus yeſterday, and to day, and for ever. xiii. Heb. 8. For if Moſes was faithfull in the houſe of another, wherein he was but a Servant: no doubt our Lord, who is a Son over his own houſe or family, (iii. Heb. 6.) will not fail to diſcharge his royall office with all exactneſs; but manifeſt himſelf to be like his Name, The Word of God, xix. Rev. 13. Faithfull and true, ver. 11.
This RECORD concerning him St. John thought ſo weighty and ſecure an evidence, that he concludes all good Chriſtians as ſure of Eternall Life, as if it were already in their hands. For after he had ſaid here, (in the words I am explaining) that God hath given us, i.e. made us a promiſe of, Eternall Life, which is in his Son; he adds immediately, (which is the Second thing I intended to note, ) that we have eternall life. Which cannot ſignify leſs, then that we have ſuch a good right to it, that we may account it ours. The reaſon is, becauſe he that effectually believes in Jeſus, hath him in whoſe power it is to give it, and who hath paſſed his word, many a time, that he will beſtow it. So you reade ver. 12. He that hath the Son, hath life. He may be as ſure of it as if it were in his preſent poſſeſſion: for by faith in Chriſt he is united to him who is the fountain and well-ſpring of life and bliſs, and ſtands ingaged divers ways to make all the Members of his Body happy with himſelf. For to as many as received him he gave foreign power, or authority, to become the Sons of God: i. Joh. 12. who may legally claim the conſummation of their adoption, in the Eternall Inheritance. They are by his grant unqueſtionable heirs of it, and have ſuch a ſtrong title to it, that they can never be defeated of it. This heavenly Eſtate is in them, as Lawyers ſpeak, though they be not in it. They have an indiſputable right, I mean, to it, and may call it theirs; though they be not yet ſeiſed of it, and have not taken poſſeſſion; which in due time none can hinder or debar them of. So the Apoſtle would have the Faithfull ſtedfaſtly believe; for this was the very end for which he recorded the Evidences forementioned, that they might know they have eternall life, ver. 13. which he repeats often in his Goſpell, as you may reade iii. Joh. 36. v. 24. vi. 47. where he aſſerts this in the moſt earneſt manner, and aſſures them that he ſpake of this matter out of certain knowledge, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlaſting life. He is a moſt happy man, and may look upon himſelf as owner of more then all this world is worth. Which he can never loſe, though he be not yet entred upon his inheritance; becauſe it is in the cuſtody of him who hath all power in heaven and earth, and hath ſaid, as it there follows, ver. 54. I will raiſe him up at the laſt day.
Well then, ſeeing that theſe are the things we expect, to have our ſins blotted out when the times of refreſhing ſhall come, to be made children of the reſurrection, to be delivered from the wrath to come, to have glorious bodies, to reign with Chriſt, and to be made heirs of all things; and ſeeing we are ſaid to have this bliſs, i.e. to have a certain right to it, if we believe on him; and ſeeing alſo that our right is apparent from the ſame Records or Witneſſes whereby it was proved that Jeſus is the Son of God: All that I can apprehend remaining to be done, to give us a fuller certainty of theſe promiſes, is to make particular inquiry what every one of thoſe Witneſſes, which teſtify to Jeſus, ſay to this point, that God hath given us eternall life, and that this life is in his Son. This is the RECORD, St. John ſaith, i.e. this is the matter of it. Let us examine, if you pleaſe, all theſe Six Witneſſes one after another upon this matter, and ſee if they do not give the ſame evidence of it that they have done of the other; and make as infallible proofs that God hath given us this bleſſing, and that it is in him, as they do that Jeſus is the Son of God, and came from him.
There is no way like to this (that I know of) to attain a ſtrong faith and hope of Eternall Life: which it infinitely concerns us all to make ſure, and to have a well grounded perſwaſion of, both that we may live comfortably in the midſt of all troubles; and that we may be able to overcome all temptations; and that we may be willing to die; and, when nothing elſe will give us the leaſt comfort, we may lift up our heads with unſpeakable joy.
For what can deject their hearts, Macarius Hom xxxiv.whoſe hope is firmly fixt in Heaven? What ſhould make them complain, who have for their Inheritance everlaſting Life? Ʋnſpeakable, unconceivable are the glories, innumerable are the good things, which God hath prepared for thoſe that love him. As in things viſible, the plants, the ſeeds, the flowers are ſo numerous that none can count them, nor is it poſſible to caſt up the ſumme of all the other treaſures of the Earth; or as in the Sea, the wit of man cannot comprehend the creatures in it, either their number, or their kinds, or their differences, or take the meaſure of its waters, or of its place; or as in the Air none can number the Birds, or in the Heavens tell all the Stars: So it is impoſſible to tell or conceive the riches of Chriſtians in the inviſible world; their unmeaſurable, their infinite, their incomprehenſible Riches. For if theſe Creatures are ſo infinite and incomprehenſible by man, how much more He that made and form'd them all?
And therefore it ought to fill every Chriſtian heart with the greater joy and exultation of ſpirit, becauſe the Riches and Inheritance prepared for them ſo much ſurpaſſes all that can be uttered. And with all diligence and humility ſhould we buckle our ſelves to the Chriſtian Combate, that we may be partakers of their Riches. For the Inheritance and the portion of Chriſtians is God himſelf. They may ſay, with David, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance; My lines are faln unto me in pleaſant places; yea I have a goodly heritage. Glory be to him who gives us himſelf. Glory be to him for ever, who mixes his own Nature with Chriſtian Souls.
… effable kindneſs of God, who free… leſs then himſelf upon us! O the ineffable happineſs of ſuch Souls, who are wholly in joy and mirth and peace, as ſo many Kings, and Lords, and Gods! Behold here thy Nobility. Chriſtianity is no vulgar or contemptible thing. Thou art called to the dignity of a Kingdome; not like that of earthly Princes, whoſe glory and riches are corruptible and paſs away: but to the Kingdom of God, to Riches divine and celeſtiall which never decay. For there bleſſed Souls reign together with the heavenly King, and in the heavenly company.
Since ſuch good things therefore are ſet before us, ſuch glorious promiſes are made us, ſuch great good will of our Lord is manifeſted towards us; let us not deſpiſe his kindneſs, nor be ſlack in our motion towards Eternall Life: but give up our ſelves intirely to the good pleaſure of the Lord. And let us call upon him, that by the power of his Divinity he would redeem us from the dark priſon of diſhonourable affections, and vindicating his own Image and Workmanſhip, cauſe it to ſhine moſt brightly; till our Souls be ſo ſound and pure, that we be made worthy of the communion of the Spirit, giving glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghoſt for ever. Amen.