A Persuasive to a Holy Life, Tract · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Of the Hap…ineſs of the Future Eſtate, or Of Eternal Life.
IT remains that we ſay ſomething concerning the Happineſs of the Future Eſtate after this Life is ended.
The Happineſs of this Eſtate is called Eternal Life and conſiſts in the Knowledge and Love of God, and his Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, and the joy and delectation that neceſſarily reſults there-from, John 22.3. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and …eſ…s Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. That is, know thee to be their God, know thee ſo as to love thee. Knowledge alone is not ſufficient to make us happy; the lapſed Angels know the Excellencies and Perfections of the Divine Nature, but yet they are never the more happy for that Knowledge, becauſe they have no intereſt in God, nor are like to reap any benefit or advantage by what they know of him. So in Men here in this World, Vertue and Knowledge may be ſeparated: A knowing Man may be a vicious Man, and conſequently unhappy. Again, Knowledge of the Myſteries of Nature, and the Works of God, though there be in Man an eager thirſt after it, and ſome pleaſure in obtaining it, yet if it terminates only in Knowledge, and be directed to no further end, it doth not contribute much to our Happineſs. It is a known ſaying, Scire tuum vihil eſt niſi te ſcire hee ſciat alter; and truly I am apt to think there may be ſomething of truth in it. Thoſe Men that exerciſe their Wits in curious Mathematical Speculations, could they be aſſured that their Inventions and Diſcoveries ſhould never come to the knowledge of any Creature but themſelves, I doubt whether the pleaſure of the Invention, would in their own eſteem compenſate the labor an… toil of the Inquiſition. But yet even in this State thus much may be ſaid in commendation of Knowledge; that it doth advance and enlarge the Underſtanding, and render the Soul capable of a greater degree of Happineſs, as I have ſaid before.
But in the World to come the Viſion of God cannot be ſeparated from his Love. Such a knowledge of God will tranſform the bleſſed Souls to whom it ſhall be communicated into his holy Image; We ſhall b… like him (ſaith the Apoſtle) for we ſhall ſee him as he is. None ſhall be admitted to this ſight, but thoſe that are pure in heart; Without holineſs no man ſhall ſee God. And to theſe the clear underſtanding of all the Works of God, both of Creation and Providence, will ſtir upt he moſt exalted Affections of Admiration, Love and Joy.
But I ſhall not proceed further in my own Words to deſcribe the Happineſs of a future …ſtate, or Eternal Life, becauſe I find it ſo fully and clearly done by the Right Reverend Dr. Patrick, now Lord Biſhop of Ely, in his Treatiſe of The Witneſſes to Chriſtianity, Part 2d. that I have nothing material to add to it. Therefore I ſhall tranſcribe thence what he hath concerning the Love of God; for the reſt referring the Reader to the Book it ſelf.
And if (ſ…i…h he) the Nature of this Life be furt…er …x…mined, you will find the Mind [o… whic… he had ſpoken befor…] is not the only Faculty that ſhall be …, but the Will ſhall conceive a … a… gr…t as the Knowledge of which I have …. For as God is the hi…heſt …bj…ct of the Underſtanding, being the prime Truth, ſo he is the chiefeſt Object of the Will, being the firſt and beſt Good. And therefore as the Underſtanding then ſhall moſt clearly know him, ſo the Will in like manner ſhall moſt ardently love him, and find perfect ſatiſfaction in that Love. There is a neceſſary connexion between theſe thing, and it cannot be otherwiſe, but that from the beſt Good clearly known, there will flow the greateſt Love, drawing along with it the greateſt delight, and the moſt perfect repoſe. And therefore to ſee God contains in its Notion both Love and Delectation, with Reſt and Satisfaction. Love naturally flows from thence, as from its Fountain; and the other naturally flow from Love, which is the higheſt Act of that Faculty which we call the Will, as knowing and con…emplating is of the Ʋnderſtanding Deſire indeed is the firſt motion of it, when any thing is apprehended to be good for us: but that will there be quenched in poſſeſſion and enjoyment, and no more of it can be conceived to remain than a longing for the continuance and increaſe of this Happineſs, which yet will be ſo certain, that we ſhall be rather confident than deſirous.
The Will therefore having ſuch a glorious Object always before it, will be wholly employed in Love, and ſpend it ſelf without any decay in flames of affection towards this univerſal Good, which ſhines ſo fairly and brightly in its Eyes. It will apply it ſelf to the enjoyment of it, with as great a vehemency as it can; and laying its Mouth▪ as St. Auguſtin teaches me to ſpeak) to the Spring of all Happineſs, do more than taſte the ſweetneſs of it: We may expect to have it fill'd with thoſe delicious Pleaſures which we know attend on Love, and which in that State will be proportionable to the greatneſs of the good that is embraced, and to the ſtrength and ardency of the embracement.
And whereas, here in this World, Men are apt to love beyond all reaſon, whereby their Love becomes adulterate, and is mix'd with ſo many diſcontents, th…t it proves but a bitter ſweet; there our Underſtanding will be in its full growth, and higheſt pitch; ſo that as nothing which is reaſonable ſhall be omitted to be done; nothing likewiſe ſhall be done that is unreaſonable: This Love will be grounded upon the cleareſt Judgment; this Flame kindled by the pureſt Light; ſo that there ſhall be no trouble or diſquiet in it, but perfect reſt and peace.
And whereas in this World, Mens Affections flow to things that are not near ſo big as themſelves (i. e. as their own Deſires) and ſo they languiſh, and faint, and fall ſick; even in the enjoyment of the beſt good it affords, becauſe they find it is not a ſupply proportionable to their want, or to their expectation: There will be no ſuch emptineſs, or want of ſatisfaction in thoſe Coeleſtial Enjoyments; becauſe we ſhall embrace not only our proper good, but that which is commenſurate to our deſires, and beyond our hopes: Our Affections will not fall then upon that which cannot ſuſtain the whole weight of them; but feeling themſelves born up to the greateſt height of Love, by a good ſo full, that it will leave no room for complaint or uneaſineſs, they will enjoy the moſt ſolid reſt and ſatisfaction.
Do but conceive them in your Minds, what a pleaſure it is, here in this Life, to love, and to be beloved; and you will have ſome notion whereby to take a meaſure of the Life we are ſpeaking of, which will conſiſt in ſuch mutual Love, and delightful correſpondencies. And they who have neither Father nor Mother, Wife nor Children, near Kindred, nor Relations, whereon to place their Affection, let them conſider, if they have but a ſingular Friend, what the pleaſure is that two perſons, who ſincerely and purely love, take in the ſweet Company and Converſation of each other. Or if I muſt ſuppoſe any Man to be ſo unkind, and ſo unhappy, as to have no love for any body but his own ſelf, let him think what contentment he hath, and how he is pleaſed, if he can arrive any thing near to a quiet enjoyment of his dear ſelf. And ſuch a delightful ſtate may be a ſmall Image of Heaven, where holy Souls will love God with a far greater flame than ever they did (or ſhall then) love themſelves; becauſe he will appear infinitely more lovely, and to bear alſo a far greater love to them, than it is poſſible for them to do to themſelves.
Now none can tell how tranſporting it will be to a good Soul, when it f…els it ſelf the beloved of God, as well as full of love to him; becauſe we cannot think how great the Love of the Almighty is, unleſ… we could know how great he is himſelf. This is a thing that cannot fail to have a ſtrange power over our affections, and to maſter them; ſo that we ſhall be quite taken out of our ſelves, for we all extremely love to be beloved.
If any Neighbour ſhews us an unexpected and undeſerved Kindneſs, we are apt to think he is the beſt perſon in the World: And the pooreſt Wretch in the World, if we ſee in him the undoubted ſigns of an hearty love to us, we cannot chuſe but requite it with ſome expreſſions of kindneſs back again; nay if a Dog, or ſuch a dumb Creature do but fawn upon us, or delight in our Company, and with a great deal of obſervance follow us whereſoever we go, we cannot but be ſo far pleaſed with this inclination towards us, as to make much of it, and to be troubled to ſee any harm befall it, and to love to ſee it play, and be well pleaſed. Judge then what a pleaſure it will be to pious Souls to find themſelves beloved of him, who hath put theſe kind Reſentments into our Natures. To what an height will the ſweet breathings of his Love blow up the Flames of theirs? Into what Extaſies will they fall, when they feel by the happy fruits what an exceeding great affection their heavenly Father bears to them? It is above our preſent thoughts to apprehend the Joy that will then overflow them: But we may conceive a little of it, if we remember, that God is love, and that by our Love he will be in us, and by his Love we ſhall be in him.
He proceeds to ſpeak of the love of Saints and Angels: The pleaſure, joy, and delectation that naturally and neceſſarily flows from this knowledge and love of God, the Happineſs which the Body ſhall be exalted to, and the eternal duration of all theſe.
This Eternal Life our Bleſſed Saviour hath brought to light through the Goſpel, and hath promiſed it to all thoſe who by patient continuance in well doing ſeek for glory, and honour, and immortality, Rom. 2.7. 1 John 2.25. And this is the promiſe that he hath promiſed, even eternal life.
Some perchance may ſay, The great diſproportion that is between the Services and Rewards makes this Promiſe of Eternal Life difficult to be believed: For who can think that God ſhould recompence our poor and imperfect Duties and Services, performed for a very ſhort time, with ſuch an immenſe and eternal weight of Glory and Happineſs?
To this I anſwer; That though indeed it cannot conſiſt with God's Juſtice to puniſh any Creature without, or beyond its demerit, yet nothing hinders but that he may be as bountiful as he pleaſes, and in his Rewards exceed all the deſerts, and even expectations of his Creatures, an hundred or a thouſand fold.
Let us then admire the tranſcendent and unmerited goodneſs and love of God, in doing ſuch great things for us, as ſending his Son into the World to take our nature upon him, to ſuffer Death for our Sins, and to give us the great Promiſe of Eternal Life; and let us endeavour in ſome meaſure to anſwer this Love by ſutable Affections of the moſt ardent Love and Gratitude.
Let us alſo love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity, which we have all the reaſon in the World to do, conſidering the greatneſs of his Love to us, manifeſted by the great things he hath done and ſuffered for us, John 15.9. As the Father hath loved me (ſaith our Saviour to his Diſciples) ſo have I loved you. And v. 13. he proceeds to ſay, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for hi… f…iends. Ye are my Friends, &c. By which Words he intimates, that he was about to make the greateſt demonſtration of his Love to his Apoſtles, and to all true Believers, by laying down his Life fo… them. The Apoſtle Paul carries this yet higher, Rom 5.7 8. For ſcarce for a righteous man will o…e die; yet, peradventure for a good man ſome would even dare to di…. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet ſinners, Chriſt died for us. This exceeds the higheſt degree of love Man ever attained to, Epheſ. 5.2. As Chriſt alſo hath loved us, and given himſelf for us, an offering and a ſacrifice to God for a ſweet ſmelling ſavour. Philip. 2 6, 7, 8. Who being in the f…rm of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; But made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeneſs of man. And being found in faſhion as a man, he humbled himſelf, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Croſs That the Eternal Son of God, equal with his Father, ſhould ſo highly advance our Nature, as to unite it to the Divine in one Perſon, that ſo he might be qualified by the Sacrifice of himſelf to expiate our Sins, to make an atonement for us, and to reconcile us unto God: The greatneſs of this Love, together with the freeneſs and unmeritedneſs of it, there being not any the leaſt Motive on our part to invi…e him to it, is ſo matchleſs and ſtupendious, that it challenges the higheſt degree of …e…iprocal affection and gratitude Magnes amoris amor; Love is the Loadſtone of love. We cannot chuſe but love them again, in whom we diſcern any Expreſſions of unfeigned love to us, as I have before noted: And our love for the degree of it muſt be in ſome meaſure anſwerable to the Dignity, and to the merit of the Perſon who loveth us: For Favours done us, and Benefits beſtowed upon us, Gratitude is the moſt natural, I might ſay, neceſſary ebullition of the Mind of Man.
To this purpoſe Seneca, Epiſt. 81. In hoc fidei populi credamus, Nihil eſſe grato animo honeſtius. Omnes hoc urbes, omnes etiam ex Barbaris regionibus gentes conclamabunt: In hoc bonis maliſque conveniet. Erunt qui voluptates laudent, erunt qui labores malint; erunt qui dolorem maximum malum dicant, erunt qui; nè malum quidem appellent: Divitias aliquis ad ſummum bonum admittet; alius illas dicet humanae malo vitae repertas; nihil eſſe eo locupletius, cui quod donet Fortuna non invenit. In tant… judici…rum diverſitate, referendam bene marentibus gratiam omnes uno tibi, quod aiunt ore affirmabunt; in hoc tam diſcors turba c…nſentiet.
In this let us believe what People generally agree in, That there is nothing more honeſt and commendable than a grateful Mind. All Cities, all Nations, even of Barbarous Countries; all Men, both good and bad, conſent in this. There are ſome who commend Pleaſures; others prefer Labours: Some there be who ſay that pain is the greateſt Evil; others who will not grant it to be any Evil at all: One will admit Riches to be the chiefeſt good; another affirms them to be the Miſchief of human Life; and that none can be richer than he upon whom Fortune cannot find any thing which ſhe may beſtow. In ſuch a diverſity of Judgments about other things, that thanks are to be returned to thoſe who have deſerv'd well of us, all with one Mouth affirm: In this theſe Diſſenting Parties are all agreed.
We are by Nature inclined to requite kindneſſes; non docti ſed facti, non inſtituti ſed imbuti ſumus: And if we cannot do that, to retain, at leaſt, a grateful ſenſe and memory of them, and upon all occaſions to acknowledge our obligations to ſuch Benefactors, as we are not able to recompence, to honour and love them, and to do all we can to pleaſe and gratifie them. Ingratum ſi dixeris, omnia dixeris: You cannot ſay worſe of a man, than that he is ungrateful; Ingratitude being an unnatural Sin. Seeing then we cannot requite this tranſcendent kindneſs of our Saviour's to us, nor make him any amends for that great Salvation he hath wrought for us, and thoſe ineſtimable Benefits he hath beſtowed on us, let us not be wanting to do what in us lies, to expreſs our gratitude, by acknowledging, and celebrating his goodneſs to us, and the great things he hath done for us, ſinging with the holy Pſalmiſt, *Pſ…l 103.1.Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me bleſs his holy name. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits. And by devoting our ſelves to his Service, and doing always thoſe things which are pleaſing and acceptable to him. L…t his love conſtrain us not to live any longer to our ſelves, but unto him who hath died for us, and roſe again, 1 Cor 5.16. Who hath redeemed us to God by his blood. Revel. 5.9. And made us Kings and Priests unto our God. Let us have a care that we do not fruſtrate the Grace of God, as to our ſelves, and render this great undertaking of our Saviour in vain to us; nay, an aggravation of our Condemnation; For how ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſo great ſalvation? As the Ap…stle ſpeaks, Heb. 2.3.
Let not the difficulty of obeying God's Commandments, and leading a holy life, deter or diſcourage us from endeavouring it: We know that neither Learning nor Riches, nor any thing that is excellent is to be obtained without painſtaking. Now nothing ſo excellent, ſo deſirable, ſo worthy our utmoſt endeavours as Eternal Life; this will abudantly recompence all our labour and travel; nay, though we were put to ſuffer Perſecution, Impriſonment, or even Death it ſelf, for Conſcience ſake▪ and bearing witneſs to the Truth, we ſhould have no need to r…pent it: Our Reward ſhall be anſwerable to, nay far exceed our Work, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory.
To ſum up all in brief: Since then 1. A Holy Life and Converſation here ſecures to us an intereſt in a Future State of Eternal Bliſs and Happineſs, Glory and Immortality in the World to come, and thereby delivers us from the fear of Death, that King of Terrors, as it is denominated, Job 1….14 that foreign, as …riſtotle calls it, The moſt terrible of all terribles: Which the wiſeſt Philoſophers by all their Argumentations could never either arm others againſt, or ſecure themſelves from the fear of; the very beſt of them, even Socrates himſelf, being doubtful of the immortality of the Soul; our Saviour alone having brought life and immortality to light through the Goſpel: Of which [Death] wicked men cannot but have a dreadful apprehenſion, becauſe of that indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguiſh, which is threatned againſt thoſe who obey not the truth, but obey unrighteouſneſs, Rom. 2.8.9.
2. Since alſo it conduceth much to the well being and happineſs of the outward and inward Man in this preſent Life as I have endeavoured to demonſtrate in this Diſcourſe.
Moreover (3.) Since this Holineſs and Obedience is even in the judgment, and by the confeſſion of vicious Perſons themſelves better and more eligible than the life they lead.
And Laſtly, Since it is more facile, eaſy and pleaſant than the Slavery and Drudgery of Sin and Satan.
Since I ſay all this is true and certain, ſurely it is the greateſt folly and madneſs imaginable, for a little falſe and tranſient Pleaſure, and to gratify ſome deceitful Luſt, as the Apoſtle juſtly calls them, Epheſ. 4.22. to forego not only our hopes of that Eternal Life and Happineſs, which our Saviour hath purchaſed for us, and upon our Obedience promiſed to us, thoſe ſincere and ſolid Pleaſures which are at God's right hand for evermore: Rev. 22.14. our right to the Tree of Life, and of entring in through the Gates into the New Jeruſalem; which is their portion who keep God's Commandments; but alſo that preſent comfort and ſatisfaction of mind, that inward peace and joy which attends the Conſcience of well doing here.
Mark what a *Seneca, Epiſt. 27.Heathen ſaith of theſe ſenſual Pleaſures, Dimitte iſtas voluptates turbidas, magno luendas: non venturae tantùm, ſed & praeteritae nocent. Quemadmodum ſcelera etiamſi non ſint deprehenſa cùm fierent, ſolicitudo non cum ipſis abit, it à voluptatum improbarum etiam poſt ipſas poenitentia eſt. Non ſunt ſolidae, non ſunt fideles; etiamſi n…n nocent, fugiunt. Diſmiſs (ſaith he) theſe troubled, or muddy and imp…re pleaſures, which you muſt pay dearly for, they are hurtful not only when they are coming, but when they are paſt: As crimes though undiſcovered when they are committed, leave not the committers of them without ſol…tude, ſo Repentance always attends unlawful Pleaſures; they are not ſolid, they are falſe and deceitful; and though they were not hurtful, yet are they tranſient, only in motion, and ſuddainly gone.
As for Riches or Honours, or any other worldly good, they are alſo unſatisfactory. We find our Expectations in the purſuit of them fruſtrated in the acquiſition and enjoyment; being preſently full and weary of that which we did moſt eagerly and impotently deſire and long after.
And yet were there never ſo much worth and goodneſs in them, they are 1. Uncertain, as the Apoſtle calls them, 1 Tim. 6.17. they may be taken away from us before we die. 2. They are of ſhort continuance; if they abide with us till death, we muſt then neceſſarily part with them: For as the ſame Apoſtle ſaith ver. 7th of the ſame Chapter, We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Ray, A Persuasive to a Holy Life (1700)