The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · Christ's two natures · Question 58 – Question 60
Queſt. 58. What comfort takeſt thou of the Article of everlasting life?
Anſ. That foraſmuch as I feele already in my heart the beginning of everlaſting lifea2 Cor. 5.23., it ſhall at length come to paſſe, that after this life I ſhall injoy full and perfect bliſſe, wherein I may magnifie God for ever; which bleſſedneſſe verily, neither eye hath ſeene, nor eare hath heard, neither hath any man in thought conceived itb1 Cor. 2.9..
The Explication.
THis Article is placed in the end: 1. Becauſe it is perfectly fulfilled after the reſt. 2. Becauſe it is an effect of all the other Articles: that is, we beleeve all the other Articles becauſe of this; and all things that we beleeve in the reſt, were done, that we might beleeve this Article, and ſo at length injoy everlaſting life. This Article therefore is the end and proofe of our ſalvation.
The chiefe queſtions touching everlaſting life, are theſe:
1. What everlaſting life is.
2. Of whom it is given.
3. To whom it is given.
4. Wherefore it is given.
5. When it is given.
6. How it is given.
7. Whether in this life we may be aſſured of everlaſting life.
1. What everlaſting life is.
THe queſtion, What everlaſting life is, may juſtly ſeem unexplicable: ſeeing the holy Ghoſt hath pronounced thereof; The things which neither eye hath ſeene, Iſay 64.4. 1 Cor. 2.9.nor eare hath heard, neither came into mans heart, God hath prepared for them that love him. Notwithſtanding by analogy and proportion of that life, whereof Philoſophers diſpute, and Scripture ſpeaketh, we may in ſome ſort conceive what life eternall is. Life is defined among the Philoſophers diverſly:What life is. and it is indeed a word of divers ſignifications, and ſignifying divers things. Generally, both as touching God, and Angels, living ſoules, and plants, it is the exiſtence or being of a living thing. For even Spirits live, but they have not that from any quickning ſoule, but from their very nature and eſſence. But in wights or creatures poſſeſſed of living ſoules, life is properly the being of living creatures: which is nothing elſe, but, To be indued with a living ſoule, or, To have in him a living ſoule. For,What a ſoule is. the ſoule is that whereby ſuch a wight liveth, or the eſſentiall forme of life; which who have, live. It is taken both for the firſt act, that is, for the very living and being: and for the ſecond act, that is, for the operation of a living thing. Thus therefore it is more fully defined: Naturall life is the exiſtence or abiding of the ſoule in a quickned body, and the operation of a living thing: Or, it is the act and perfection of the ſoule, executing operations proper to a living thing: Or, finally, it is an aptitude of a living thing to work the operations proper unto it, and is alſo the operations themſelves, by reaſon of the union of the body with the ſoule. Now when we mention everlaſting life, we reſtraine the word life; for then we ſpeak of the everlaſting life of men and Angels.
That is called everlaſting, 1. Which hath neither beginning nor ending; ſo God is everlaſting. 2. Which hath no beginning, and yet hath an ending; as the decree of God,What everlaſting meaneth. 3. Which hath a beginning, but ſhall have no end; as Angels, and the ſoules of men, &c. And in this third ſenſe our heavenly life is called everlaſting life; that is, a life having beginning, but without end. So then the everlaſting life of man is nothing elſe but the eternall being of a regenerate and glorified man; which being, What everlaſting life is.is to have the image of God restored, according to which man was at the first created, to wit, to be endued with perfect wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, and felicity, or with a true knowledge and love of God joyned with eternall joy. And here in theſe acts of acknowledging and loving God, we (for plaineneſſe ſake) include the faculties and powers of acknowledging and loving God: For, to be able to acknowledge God aright, and love him, no leſſe belong to the ſpirituall life, then to acknowledge and love him:1 Cor. 2.14. ſeeing The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can know them. Againe, we thus deſcribe it: Everlaſting life is a perfect restauration of Gods image in us, and eternall joy reſting on God, celeſtiall glory, and abundant fruition of all good things which are required to the ſtate of perfect happineſſe. More briefly; it is a perfect conformity of man with God, conſiſting in the true and perfect knowledge and love of God, and in the glory of both ſoule and body. So that to the full underſtanding of the eſſence of everlaſting life,Two parts of this life. we are to conſider theſe two things: Uunion.An union both of our body and ſoule with God. Conformity with God.A conformity with God, which iſſueth out of this union, as an effect proceedeth from his cauſe. Now this conformity is a perſpicuous and evident knowledge of God, and his will, and his works, perfect righteouſneſſe, joy fixed in God, incomparable glory, wherewith our bodies and ſoules ſhall flouriſh and ſhine as the Sunne, and a ſufficiency of all good things in God pertaining to true and perfect bliſſe. All theſe things doe ſomewhat expreſſe the maner and forme of everlaſting life. Now, if we adde hereunto the efficient and finall cauſes thereof,An ample definition of everlaſting life. an abſolute full definition may be thus framed: Everlaſting life is the eternall habitation or dwelling of God in the Elect by the holy Ghost, and the true knowledge of God, his will, and all his works, kindled by the ſame ſpirit immediatly in their hearts, and true and perfect righteouſneſſe and wiſdome, that is, a perfect conformity and correſpondence of their will and powers, and operations with the mind and will of God: as alſo a joy resting on God, and a ſufficiency of all good things in God, as touching both ſoule and body, freely beſtowed by God through Chriſt on the Elect, begun in this life, and to be perfected in the life to come, to this end, to glorifie and magnifie God through all eternity.
The particular proofe of each part of this definition.All the parts of this definition are taken out of the Scripture. Gods eternall habitation in us. John 14.23. John 14.16.It is the eternall habitation of God in us by the holy Ghoſt. I and my Father will come unto him, and will dwell with him. He ſhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. Knowledge of God and perfect wiſdome. John 17.36.It is the knowledge of God, and perfect wiſdome. This is life eternall, that they know thee to be the onelyonly very true God, and whom thou haſt ſent, Jeſus Chriſt. Righteouſneſſe. Luke 20.36.It is righteouſneſſe. They are equall unto the Angels, and are the ſonnes of God, ſith they are the children of the reſurrection. Joy. John 16.22.It is joy in God. Your joy ſhall no man take from you. Sufficiency in God. Revel. 21.22, 23. 1 Cor. 15.28. 1 Cor. 13.33.It is ſufficiency in God. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb, are the Temple of it: And the City hath no need of the Sunne, neither of the Moone to ſhine in it: for the glory of God did light it: and the Lamb is the light of it. God ſhall be all in all. All thoſe good things which we poſſeſſe here, ſhall then be perfect. When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part ſhall be aboliſhed. Without interruption. Revel. 21.4. Luke 1.33. Dan. 7.27.It ſhall not be interrupted. God ſhall wipe away all teares. Of his Kingdome ſhall be no end. And the Kingdome and Dominion, and the greatneſſe of the Kingdome under the whole heaven, ſhall be given to the holy people of the most High, whoſe Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome; that is, which hath neither beginning nor ending.
Object. Everlaſting life is to live everlaſtingly. But the wicked alſo ſhall be raiſed, and be immortall, becauſe they ſhall live eternally: Therefore the wicked ſhall have everlasting life. Anſw. No conſequence is currant or of force, when it is deduced but from one part onelyonly of a definition. For by the name of everlaſting life, is not meant the preſence of the ſoule in the body; that is, the naturall life: but this being preſuppoſed, there is further meant a ſpirituall life, which the holy Ghoſt worketh in the Elect by his proper function and office. Now, though the wicked after the Reſurrection ſhall be immortall, yet their ſoul-life ſhall be no life, but everlaſting death. For with the eternall life in the wicked ſhall be joyned, 1. An eternall rejection from God. 2. A privation and want of the knowledge and grace of God. 3. A perpetuall and unutterable torment and vexation. Their worme ſhall never dye. There ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. The everlaſting death of the wicked.Hereby is underſtood what everlaſting death is; and that it is ſo called, not becauſe the Reprobate by once dying ſhall fulfill it, but becauſe they ſhall dye perpetually, and ſhall feele perpetuall torment without end.
2. Who giveth everlaſting life.
GOD alone giveth eternall life. Rom. 6.23. Everlaſting life the work of all three perſons.For, Eternall life is the gift of God: and the Father (as the author and fountaine of all life) giveth it by the Sonne and the holy Ghoſt: the Sonne by the holy Ghoſt; the holy Ghoſt by himſelfe: which order of working is naturall in the perſons of the Divinity. Of the Father it is ſaid, As the Father raiſeth up the dead, John 5.21, 26.and quickneth them; ſo the Sonne quickneth whom he will. In which place the ſame is affirmed of the Sonne alſo; as in like manner in theſe following:John 1.4. Eſay 9.6. John 10.28. John 3.5. Rom. 8.12. In him was life. The Father of eternity. I give unto them eternall life, that is, not by merit onelyonly, but alſo by power and working. Of the holy Ghoſt likewiſe it is ſaid, Except a man be borne of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God. He that raiſed up Christ from the dead, ſhall alſo quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit dwelling in you. And this teſtimony is to be obſerved for the confirmation of the God-head of both. Object. But the Miniſters alſo give life: according to that, 1 Cor. 4.15. 1 Tim. 4.16.In Chriſt Jeſus I have begot you through the Gospel. In doing this, thou ſhalt both ſave thy ſelfe, and them that heare thee: Therefore God onelyonly giveth not life. Anſw. There may be many ſubordinate cauſes of one effect. Chriſt and the holy Ghoſt give life by their own power: the Miniſters are only inſtruments, by whom Chriſt worketh through the vertue of his Spirit. Let a man ſo think of us, 1 Cor. 4.1. & 3.5, 6.as of the Miniſters of Chriſt, and diſpoſers of the ſecrets of God. Who is Paul then? And who is Apollos but the Miniſters by whom ye beleeved, and as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increaſe. Repl. But Chriſt giveth life by a communicated power: Therefore not by his proper power. Anſ. He giveth it by a power communicated, but communicated from everlaſting, as he was begotten from everlaſting. By retortion therefore it followeth thus; He giveth life by a power communicated to him of his Father from everlaſting:John 5.26. Therefore he giveth it by his owne power. As the Father hath life in himſelfe, ſo likewiſe hath he given to the Sonne to have life in himſelfe.
3. To whom everlaſting life is given.
EVerlaſting life is given to all, and only ſuch as are elect from everlaſting; or,All the Elect, and they alone are partakers of everlaſting life. John 10 28. John 17.9, 12. Rom. 11.7. to them that are converted in this life. I give unto them eternall life, that is, to my ſheep, who are his elect and choſen. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. Thoſe that thou gavest me have I kept, and none of them is lost, but the child of perdition. Againe, faith and repentance are proper to the Elect only. The Elect have obtained it, and the rest have been hardned. We muſt obſerve in this place, whereas the queſtion is, To whom everlaſting life is given, that it is better to anſwer, That eternall life is given to the Elect, *As they are elected, ſo they are but choſen to eternall life: as they are converted, ſo they are in part admitted unto it, and begin to be put in doſſeſſion of it.then to ſay, It is given unto the converted. For Converſion and Faith are the beginning of eternal life: And to ſay, eternall life is given to the converted, were all one, as if you would ſay, life is given to the living. Alſo, when the queſtion is To whom the beginning of everlasting life is given; we anſwer rightly. Unto the Elect. For if you ſay, It is given to the converted: you anſwer no more, then that which is in queſtion and doubt; ſeeing it is demanded, who they are whom God converteth.
4. For what cauſe everlaſting life is given.
EVerlaſting life is given unto us, not for our works, either preſent or fore-ſeen,God of his free mercy giveth us, for Chriſts ſake everlaſting …ſief, that we might praiſe and magnifie the ſame his mercy for ever. Rom. 6.23. Epheſ. 2.8, 9, 10. but for the alone free mercy of God, and his love towards mankind, and his will of ſhewing his mercy in ſaving the Elect, for the alone ſatisfaction and merit of Chriſt, imputed unto us by faith, to this end, that God may be magnified of us for ever. The gift of God is eternall life through Jeſus Christ our Lord. By grace we are ſaved through faith and that not of our ſelves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, leſt any man ſhould boaſt. For we are his workmanſhip, created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, which God hath ordained that we ſhould walke in them. So God loved the world, John 3.16.that he gave his only begotten Sonne, that whoſoever beleeveth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life, &c. Wherefore the impellent or motive cauſe of everlaſting life given unto us, is not any work of us men, either preſent, or fore ſeen in us. For before the beginning of eternall life, that is, before converſion, all our works merit eternall death: after the beginning thereof, that is, after converſion, they are effects thereof: and nothing is cauſe of it ſelfe. We are indeed brought unto it by many meanes: but the meanes, by which we are led of God unto eternall life, are one thing; and the cauſe, for which we are led unto it, another. The finall cauſe or end, for which eternall life is given us, is, that the mercy of God might be acknowledged and magnified of us; To the praiſe of the glory of his grace, Epheſ. 1.6.wherewith he hath made us accepted in his beloved. For the ſame cauſe God giveth us eternall life, for which he choſe us.
5. How everlaſting life is given unto us.
God giveth us everlaſting life, by ths outward miniſtery of the Word, and the inward miniſtery of the Spirit.EVerlaſting life is given us by faith: faith by the preaching of the Word, and inward efficacy of the holy Ghoſt. For the holy Ghoſt by the Word worketh in us the knowledge of God and his will: that knowledge hath following it a ſtudy and deſire more and more to know God, and live according to the preſcript of his will.John 6.68. 1 Cor. 4.15. Rom. 1.16. Rom. 10.17. Whither ſhall we go? (ſay the Diſciples) Thou haſt the words of life. In Chriſt Jeſus I have begotten you through the Gospel. The Gospel is the power of God unto ſalvation to every one that beleeveth. Faith is by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And this is the ordinary manner of giving us this beginning of everlaſting life, namely, by the Word mediately. But there is another manner of giving the ſame unto infants, and by miracles; ſuch as was the converſion of the Theefe on the Croſſe, of Paul, and of Cornelius. Here the ordinary way onelyonly is reſpected, which is proper unto men of yeeres.
6. When everlaſting life is given.
Everlaſting life is begun here by converſion.IN this life is given the beginning of eternall life: but the conſummation and accompliſhment thereof ſhall be given us after this life; howbeit to none but ſuch as have received the beginning thereof in this life. For unto whom life everlaſting is not begun to be given here, that is, who beginneth not here to feele a part of eternall life, to wit, faith and converſion; unto him life everlaſting ſhall never be given after this life.2 Cor. 5.2. Mat. 13.12. Therefore we ſigh, deſiring to be cloathed with our houſe, which is from heaven, becauſe that if we be cloathed, we ſhall not be found naked. To him that hath, it ſhall be given: and from him that hath not, ſhall be taken away even that which he hath. The conſummation of everlaſting life is after this life:It is conſummated in the world to come, by glorification. for unto whom everlaſting life is begun to be given here; to them it ſhall be given, finiſhed, complete, and conſummated. And of this conſummation there are two degrees: one, when the ſoule looſed from the body is preſently carried into heaven; becauſe, by the death of the body we are freed from all infirmity: the other degree is greater, higher, and more glorious, when in the reſurrection of the bodies, the ſoules ſhall againe be united to their bodies, becauſe after the reſurrection we ſhall be made glorious, and ſhall ſee God, even as he is. He that heareth my word, and beleeveth in him that ſent me, hath everlaſting life, John 5.24.and ſhall not come into condemnation, but hath paſſed from death to life. Now are we the ſons of God, 1 John 3.2.but yet it doth not appeare what we ſhall be: and we know, that when he ſhall appeare, we ſhall be like him: for we ſhall ſee him as he is.
7. Whether we can in this life be aſſured of everlasting life.
IN this life not onelyonly we may, but we ought alſo to be aſſured and certaine of everlaſting life: otherwiſe we ſhall never have it. For it is given to all the faithfull, and to them onelyonly. Farther, to beleeve eternall life, is to be aſſuredly perſwaded, that not onelyonly ſome ſhall be partakers thereof, but that I alſo am one of that number: which is to be obſerved againſt Papiſticall diffidence and uncertainty. For we muſt be certaine of our finall perſeverance; Being justified by faith, we have peace towards God. Rom. 5.1. John 10.28.I give unto them eternall life. Now he ſhould not give eternall life, if he gave a doubtfull and uncertaine life, which might be interrupted. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Rom. 11.19. John 10.28. Phil. 1.6. 2 Tim. 1.12.No man ſhall take my ſheep out of my hand. He which hath begun a good work in you, he ſhall perfect it. I know whom I have beleeved, and I am perſwaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him againſt that day. He that beleeveth, knoweth that he doth beleeve. This aſſurance and certainty is grounded on ſure and ſtrong reaſons.The reaſons whereon out aſſurance of everlaſting life is grounded. 1. The author of everlaſting life is unchangeable, even God himſelfe. 2. Gods election is eternall, and alſo unchangeable. 3. Chriſt is heard in all things which he deſireth of his Father, But he prayed that his Father would ſave all thoſe whom he had given him. 4. God will not have us to pray for good things neceſſary to ſalvation with a condition, but ſimply, becauſe he hath promiſed it.John 17.11, 24. 1 Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God remaineth ſure, with his ſeale, The Lord knoweth who are his. Wherefore to doubt of the perſeverance and conſummation of eternall life, were to overthrow the faith and truth of God, and to make void Chriſts interceſſion.
But whence may we be aſſured hereof? Of the conſummation of everlaſting life, we muſt be aſſured by the beginning thereof. To every one that hath, it ſhall be given. The gifts of God are without repentance. God is faithfull: Therefore as he hath begun, ſo will he perfect his work.How we are aſſured of the beginning and conſummation of eternal life in us. Mar. 9.24. Of the beginning of eternall life we are aſſured chiefly by a true faith, which withſtandeth doubts, that is, which hath a purpoſe to reſiſt the Divell, and crieth, I beleeve, Lord help my unbeliefe. Moreover, by a full perſwaſion of the good will of God towards us, and our conſent herein, which is two wayes: 1. By the peace of conſcience towards God, which we have, being juſtified by faith. 2. By true repentance, and a full purpoſe and intent to live according to Gods commandements. For faith cannot be without repentance: Whoſe houſe we are, Rom. 5.1. Heb. 3.6.if we hold faſt the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope unto the end.
That which now hath been ſpoken of this Article, doth ſufficiently declare what it is To beleeve everlaſting life: namely, aſſuredly and certainly to be perſwaded,What it is to beleeve everlaſting life. 1. That after this life there ſhall be alſo a life, wherein the Church ſhall be glorified, and God magnified of her everlaſtingly. 2. That I alſo am a member of this Church; and therefore partaker of everlasting life. 3. That I alſo in this life have and injoy the beginning of everlaſting life.
Queſt. 59. But when thou beleeveſt all theſe things, what profit redoundeth thence unto thee?
Anſw. That I am righteous in Chriſt before God, and an heire of eternall lifeaHeb. 2.4. Rom. 2.17. John 3.36..