The Creatures Liberation from the Bondage of Corruption, Text (4 of 4)

The Creatures Liberation from the Bondage of Corruption · Text (4 of 4)

p. 293Secondly, the Creature may come into the glorious libertie of the Sons of God, and yet be not thus glorified, but ſutable to its nature immortalized, dono gratuito, as we have heard, and have an Analogie to glorified bodies.

Again, where he ſaith, they fall into p. 294corruption, and their life and ſpirit is extinguiſhed with them, &c. true, to all that ſhall not be renewed this ſhall come to paſſe; but whether God ſhall not renew the ſpecies of them, is adhuc ſub judice; and to affirm he ſhall not, is but to begge the queſtion, and to conclude that for a certaintie, which is in controverſie. And whereas he renders this reaſon, why the Heavens and earth ſhall rather be reſtored then the reſt of the Creatures, namely, becauſe they have been from the beginning to the ending, ſubject to vanitie, after man had ſinned, but other Creatures that ſucceed by generation, but a while.

I anſwer, this had been ſome reaſon, againſt the Individuals of the ſpecies, but againſt the ſpecies none; for the ſpecies of the Creatures have been as long ſubject to vanity, as they, p. 295though not their ſucceſſive individualls.

His ſixth: If any ſuch Creatures reſtored, then either the ſame that were before, or ſome other of the ſame kinde newly created. But neither of theſe. Ergo.

I anſwer, this will fall to be handled in the fourth, and laſt ranke of Creatures, but in all probabilty, not thoſe that are already periſhed in individualls.

Secondly, we ſay they ſhall have a renovation, or reſtauration, not a new Creation for ſubſtance, but ſhall be renewed in their qualities, ſtate, and condition, as we have heard before.

His ſeventh, and laſt Argument produced againſt the moſt generally received opinion, is this, Nulla promiſſio facta eſt, there is no promiſe made for p. 296the reſtitution of any ſuch Creatures, as there is for Heaven, and Earth; Ergò, they ſhall not be reſtored.

To this I anſwer, that there is a promiſe, as I conceive, in generall, though not ſo particularly, as for Heaven and Earth. For this I conceive a promiſe, as alſo do many others, in that the Scripture ſaith, the Creature ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption,Rom. 8.21.Rom 8:21 into the glorious liberty of the ſonnes of God; and before [the Creature] was made ſubject to vanity. But Heaven, Earth, and man, were not all the Creatures that were made ſubject to vanity. Peter Martyr to the ſame purpoſe in 8.P. Martyr in Rom. 8.Rom 8 ad Rom. quamvis enim Scriptura harum Creaturarum mentionem ſeorſim, & expreſſe non fecerit, ſatis tamen eſt quod in genere Creaturas reſtaurandas ſignificaverit, nequè unquàm quicquàm exceperit, p. 297ſaith he, Although the Scripture make no mention of the Creatures ſeverally, and expreſſely, as it doth of Heaven and Earth, yet its ſufficient that it hath ſignified, that the Creatures ſhall be reſtored in generall or indefinitly; neither any where hath it made any exception.

Thus have you ſeen the Arguments, and reaſons of that laborious and learned Divine anſwered, upon which reaſons and Arguments he diſſented, (as much following Bucan) from the moſt generally received opinion.

Let us now come to the fourth and laſt ranke of the Creatures, the Heavens, the Earth, and Mankinde, this laſt ranke many of the School-Divines fall upon, which Peter Martyr alſo mentions, in oct. ad Rom. thus,P. Mart. in 8. ad Rom. Scholaſtici (ſaith he) putant, homine, qui praecipua eſt pars Orbis terrarum, renovato, p. 298etiam Creaturas eſſe reſtituendas, quae ſententia veriſſima eſt: colligitur enim ex dictis Pauli, quòd autem ad partes attinet, tantum Coelum & Elementa, & hominum corpora putant eſſe relinquenda. The Schoole-men (ſaith he) do ſuppoſe, that man, who is the chiefe part of the world being renewed, the reſt of the Creatures alſo ſhall be reſtored: which ſentence is moſt true, for its gathered from the ſayings of Saint Paul; but concerning what Creatures they think that Heaven, the Elements, and the bodies of men, ſhall be reſtored, for they thinke that not the Earth onelyonly, but alſo the reſt of the Elements ſhall remain. Beda indeed ſaith, gloſſa in 2.Beda in gloſſ. in 2 Pet. & ult. Pet. & laſt. quòdignis duo ex toto conſumet, duo verò in meliorem reſtituet faciem, &c. that the fire ſhall totally conſume two of the Elements, and renue, or purifie other two. Others thinke, p. 299quod manebunt omnia quoad ſubſtantiam, ſed mutabuntur quoad imperfectionem, ſed duo retinebunt propriam formam ſubſtantialem, ſcilicet Aer & Terra, ſed in igne, & aqua non remanebit forma ſubſtantialis, ſed ad formam Coeli commutabuntur, & ſic tria Elementa, Ignis, Aer, & Aqua, dicentur Coelum, quamvis Aer retineat eandem formam ſubſtantialem quam nunc etiam habet, quia et nunc etiam Coelum dicitur, &c. That all the Elements ſhall remaine for ſubſtance, but ſhall be changed from their imperfection, but yet two of them, that is to ſay, the Aire, and Earth ſhall retain their own ſubſtantiall forme, but in the fire, and water that ſubſtantiall forme ſhall not remaine, but ſhall be changed into the forme of Heaven, and ſo three of the Elements, Fire, Aire, and Water ſhall be called Heaven, although one of theſe, that is to ſay, the Aire may p. 300retaine the ſame ſubſtantiall forme which now it hath, and becauſe now the [Aire] is called Heaven. And this they would collect from Apoc. 21.Apoc. 21.1.Rev 21:11. becauſe mention is made onelyonly of Heaven and earth; but others reject this opinion, becauſe (ſay they) repugnat Philoſophiae, quòd corpora inferiora ſint in potentia ad formam coeli, cum materiam non habent ejuſmodi: this is repugnant to Philoſophie, that bodies ſublunary ſhould be in capacity to be informed by the forme of Heaven, when as they are not of the ſame matter with the Heavens, for ſo Ariſtotelians, as you have heard. It may alſo reſiſt Theologie in the moſt generally received opinion: for if two of the foure Elements ſhould bee taken away, Non ſalvabitur perfectio univerſi cùm integritate ſuarum partium; The perfection of the univerſe ſhould not p. 301be ſafe with the integritie of its parts. Others therefore by Heaven, underſtands quintum corpus, a fift bodie diſtinct from the Elements: and that omnia elementa intelliguntur per te ram, all the Elements are underſtood by the Earth, and that all the Elements ſhall remain, both quoad ſubſtantiam, & quoad proprias qualitates; both according to their ſubſtance and proper qualities, or ſubſtantiall forms, and proper qualities, becauſe the proper qualities are effects flowing from their forms: it is not like therefore that they ſhould be removed, and the forms remaining, but that they ſhall be freed from that infection and impurity caſt upon them, by reaſon of the ſinne of man, and which by mutuall action and paſſion hath befallen them; or from thoſe diſpoſitions by which they were lyable to corruption, which is conceived p. 302to be the meaning of S. Auguſtine in the place before quoted,Aug. lib. 20. de civit. Dei cap. 16. lib. 20. de Civit. Dei cap. 16.

And for this laſt rank of Creatures to be renewed, not onelyonly Dr. Willet goes this way, but many Schoolmen, as you have heard; ſome Proteſtant Divines, and ſome Papiſts alſo fall upon this laſt rank,Buc. loc. com. 37 qu. 8. Rol. Beza. as Bucan, quoted by him locis communibus, loco 37. qu. 8. Roll. locus Scotus in verba Beza to the ſame purpoſe, with ſome others of the Proteſtant Divines, For the Pontificians, I will onelyonly content my ſelf with Bellarmine, which is known to have been a great & eminent Schoolman amongſt them;Bel. Tom. 3. lib. 6. cap. 2. de amiſſ. grat. & ſtat pecc. Bellarm. tom. 3. lib. 6. cap. 2. de amiſſione gratiae, & ſtat. pecc. tells us, that it is the common conſent of ſuch as have writ upon the fourth Book of Lombards ſentences, diſt. 47. that poſt di…m judicii nullae erunt amplius Plantae, p. 303nulla animantia, nulla corpora mixta, hominibus duntaxat exceptis; after the day of Judgement there ſhall be no more any Plants, no living Creatures, no mixt Bodies, except onelyonly men. His reaſon is this, Neque enim perpetuò duratura ſunt, niſi quae vel in toto, vel ex parte incorruptionem ab ipſa natura ſortita ſunt; ejuſmodi autem ſunt primùm corpora coeleſtia, quae & ſecundum totum, & ſecundum partes incorruptibilia ſunt. Deinde elementa quae ſecundum totum licet non ſecundum partes à natura incorruptionem habent. Denique homines qui ſecundum partem quae eſt anima rationalis, non ſecundum totum immortales ſunt. Caetera corpora ſunt omnia, tum in toto, tum in partibus corruptibilia, ſaith he: For there are not any perpetually to endure, but onelyonly ſuch as have obtained incorruption, from their nature, either wholy, or in part; but ſuch eſpecially are p. 304the Caeleſtiall bodies that are incorruptible both in the whole, and in the parts of them. Afterwards the Elements that have incorruption from their nature, according to the whole, though not according to every part of them. Finally men, which according to that part which is the reaſonable ſoule, are incorruptible, or immortall though not according to the whole of them. All the reſt of the Creatures are corruptible ſaith he, both according to the whole, and according to the parts of them. This was the way I told you, that many Schoolmen fell into,Comment. in 4 Lib. ſent. Lomb. eſpecially thoſe upon Lombard, in librum 4. ſen. as he alſo ſaith, loco quo ſupra. To this I need not ſay much more then what I have ſaid in anſwer to the Arguments of Willet, who hath produced the moſt, (if not all) the reaſons upon which Bellarm. and the p. 205reſt diſſent from the moſt generally received opinion. Concerning immortality, or aptitude thereunto by nature. See the anſwer to Dr. Willets 4. Argument. And I alſo anſwer unto the ſeverall inſtances brought by Bellarmine, firſt, to the Heavens that are ſimple, or a ſimple Body, in which is no contrarietie of qualities: I anſwer with Scaliger, de ſubtilitate, exercitat. 61. lib. 5.Scalig. de ſubtil. ad cardam. exerc. 61. l. 5. Omne ens ab alio eſt per ſe corruptibile, etiam ſi nullam habet materiam, eſt enim finitum: every being from another is corruptible by its ſelf, yea though it have no matter in it, or be not materiall: and therefore ſhows that the Heavens may be ſaid to be corruptible, though they were immateriall. Licet enim non habeat contrarium, non tamen habet cauſam à ſe eſſendi, poteſt igitur è ſua natura non eſſe, et paulò poſt, quod enim actus purus non eſt, compoſitum p. 306aliquo modo eſt, ergò et reſolubile; Although that Heaven have no contrary in it, yet notwithſtanding it hath no cauſe of being from it ſelfe, therefore may it come to a non-being, from its own nature. And a little after he ſaith; That which is no pure act, in ſome reſpect, may be ſaid to be a compound, and by conſequence reſoluble, therefore even the Angels that are not ſuch acts, conſidered in their own nature, might faile, becauſe they may be ſaid to have potentiam et actum in them, which are inſtar materiae et formae, in other Creatures, their gift of confirmation in their integrety, is from God; and that which hath its being depending of the being of another, if that beeing upon whom its beeing doth depend, ſubſtract its aſſiſtance, then the beeing dependant muſt needs fail and fall; but ſuch are p. 207the Beings of all Creatures upon God, who onelyonly hath immortalitie dwelling in himſelf, as you have heard, The ſouls of men are immortall, but [as you have alſo heard] from a better Principle then from themſelves, they are made immortall from God, & being Spirits, & of ſuch an excellent nature, there is no Creature that can change their Being ſo, as to annihilate it; nay, God hath decreed they ſhall be to eternitie, but he never did ſo concerning theſe Heavens. Yet if we reſpect potentiam Dei abſolutam, and not ordinatam, then there is not any created Being, but he were able to reduce it to a non-entitie: but having decreed otherwiſe, it ſhall not be in ſuch upon which the Decree is paſt, but their nature and ſubſtance ſhall remain for ever; upon which he hath paſſed ſuch a Decree [take it for granted] p. 308that the matter of the Heavens are ex quinta eſſentia peripatetica; and that the Heavens be not corrupted à contrario naturali, from any contrarie quality in nature, as are the Elements. Yet ſaith Scalig…r, loco quò ſuprà, Coelum corrumpitur à nutu Divino, Scalig. loc quo ſupra.the Heavens ſhall be corrupted from Gods power & command. So then theſe heavens are not immortall, but ſhall be diſſolved, as well as other bodies, & their nature is not ſo freed from incorruption, as to exempt them from diſſolution; the fire ſhall faſten upon them and diſſolve them.2 Pet. 3.12.2 Pet 3:12 2 Pet. 3.12. The Heavens being on fire ſhall be diſſolved. Therefore the nature of the Heavens ſimply conſidered, makes them not of eternall duration, but the gift of immortalitie from God, ſeeing (as you have heard) immortalitie is merum Dei donum, the meer gift of God.

p. 309Again as immortality is liberali ac merum Dei donum, the liberall, and meere gift of God, and not ſimply from any Principle in nature independently, but as ſuch a Principle immortalized, as Angells, the ſpirits of men &c. which are not defectible in ſubſtance from any created nature, as naturall, or ſublunary bodies, which are mixt or elementary; ſo God can immortalize any Creature à parte poſt, which he would have to endure forever, as well other Creatures, as the Heavens. For he which made the matter of the Heavens, and their forme, to ſatiſfie that matter, and keepe the matter from privation, or appetition of any other forme, and thus hath ſo long continued them, without alteration or corruption; The ſame God can as well make the matter and formes of other Creatures p. 310immortall, ſutable to their kinde, and by way of Analogie to glorified bodies, and the immortall bodies of men, as before, who are Elevated into a more eminent eſtate, as alſo before, and ſuch an eſtate, as you have heard, that irrationalls, and inſenſibles [though immortall] are not capable of.

To his ſecond inſtance in the Elements, that have incorruption from their nature in reſpect of the whole, though not in reſpect of their parts,Ariſt. lib. 3. de coelo cap. 3. Ariſt. lib. 3. de coelo cap. 3. handles the nature of them; and I conceive of them thus, that they are corpora ſimplicia homogenia, ex quibus alia componuntur, & in quae reſolventur: The Elements are ſimple Homogeneall bodies, of which all other mixt bodies are compounded, and into which again they are reſolved; theſe are alterable p. 311and corruptible, quoad partes, but quoad totum (he ſaith) they are uncorrupted. I anſwer, that though they be quoad totum incorrupta, yet are they corruptibilia, though as yet they are incorrupted in regard of the whole, yet are they corruptible, they may be corrupted. 2 Pet. 3.12.2 Pet. 3.12.2 Pet 3:12 The Elements ſhall melt with fervent heat.

2. I anſwer, that as the Elements are not corrupted, quoad totum, no more are the ſpecies of Brutes, Plants, or inferiour bodies: for though the Individuals and particulars of thoſe ſeverall ſpecies be corrupted, as parts of the Elements are; yet the ſpecies themſelves ſhall continue as long as the Elements ſhall; and this aptitude to continue, they have from their generall nature, given them of God: from this therefore it will not follow that they ſhould continue after the p. 312day of Judgement, any more then the ſeverall ſpecies of Creatures beſides.

To the third, Man, in that he is incorruptible in the one part, though not in bodie.

I anſwer, that corpus etiam hominis ab initio ſic factum fuit, ut potuit non mori, ſub conditione gratiae; even the body of man was ſo made in the beginning, that it might have continued without a death, had a poſſibilitie of immortalitie; and he that made it ſuch in the beginning, can make it better, in glorifying it at the ending.

Mart. in loc.Secondly, I anſwer with Martyr, quôd haec ratio duplici nomine infirma eſt: this poſition doth vacillate in a double reſpect. Firſt, nulla ſubnixa authoritate verbi Dei, à nullis partibus Orbis removet inſtaurationem: it is made out, or born up by no authoritie out of the Word of God, removing reſtauration p. 313from all the reſt of the parts of the world. Secondly, ſaith he, id quod aſſumit aequè dubium eſt atque id quod concluditur: that which is aſſumed is equally as doubtfull as that which is concluded on, videlicet, ea tantum immortalitate reparanda, quae ex inſtitutione ad eum videantur idonea: to wit, that thoſe Creatures onelyonly are to be repaired by immortality, which ſeem fitted to it from preparation, or from the appointing ſuch aptitude to it from nature, whereas you have heard that this immortalitie is liberale ac merum dei donum, the free and meere gift of God, and not from any power of nature created, ſimply conſidered: but God can as well conſerve the reſt of the parts of the world, as he can reſtore the Elements to immortalitie; and by the ſame power preſerve the ſpecies, and make them immortall, or p. 314without any more alteration or corruption, ſutable to their nature, as well as the Elements. This for dilution of the Arguments and Reaſons to eſtabliſh the fourth rank of the Creatures, againſt the moſt generally received opinion.

Eſtius in 8. ad Rom.For which the moſt generally received opinion, Eſtius in. 8. ad Rom. writes thus, Certè Paulus in hac epiſtola cap. 1. creaturam generaliter accepit, ſemel & iterum, imò & hoc capite generaliter eam intelligit, cum dicit: Neque creatura alia poterit nos ſeparare à charitate Dei, &c. truly Paul in this Epiſtle,Rom. 5.25.Rom 5:25 cap. 1.25. and ſerved the creature more then the Creator, hath taken the word creature generally once and again, or ſeverall times, in ſeverall Chapters: Yea, and ſhews, how even in this eighth Chapter the word is taken generally; as Verſe laſt, nor any other Creature ſhalbe p. 215able to ſeparate us from the love of God.Rom. 8. laſt.Rom 8

Now for the ſpecies of the Creatures, I would have theſe things taken into conſideration by the judicious Reader: Firſt, that in the liberation of the Creature, not onelyonly the terminus à quò is promiſed, but alſo the terminus ad quem, not onelyonly from what the creature ſhall be delivered, but alſo into what: not onelyonly ſhall deliverance be from the bondage of corruption, for that might be, (I mean cuſtomarie corruption in this life:) by privation of the beeing of the Creature, or by totall abolition: but ſo it ſhould not be delivered (as I conceive) into the glorious libertie of the Sons of God; for this glorious libertie of the Sons of God, is the terminus ad quem, as well as being freed from the terminus à quo, or corruption and miſery in this preſent life; which miſerie and corruption, p. 316&c. I ſay, was but the terminus à quo. If the Scripture had gone no further, but onelyonly promiſed to the Creature that it ſhould be delivered from the bondage of corruption, then our argument had not been of ſo much validitie: but it affords more, it ſhall be brought into the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God: but that ſtate it cannot, it ſhould not attain to, if it had a totall privation of its eſſence, and had no more beeing: But being reduced into the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God, it is made immortall, in that ſenſe you have heard, having this gift beſtowed upon it from God. For to what I have formerly ſaid,Aquin. 1.2. qu. 109. art. 2. reſp. ad 2. I will adde out of Aquinas in his prima ſecundae qu. 109. art. 2. reſpond. ad ſecundum: Vnaqueque enim res creata ſicut eſſe non habet, niſi ab alio, & in ſe conſiderata nihil eſt, ita indiget conſervari in bono p. 317ſuae naturae convenienti, ab alio poteſt enim per ſeipſam deficere à bono, ſicut & per ſeipſam poteſt deficere in non eſſe, niſi divinitus conſervaretur: every created nature, as it hath no beeing, but from another, and in it ſelf conſidered, is nothing; ſo it ſtands in need to be conſerved in good, convenient to its nature, from another; for by it ſelfe conſidered, it may fail from good, as alſo by it ſelf it may fall into a non-beeing, or fail to nothing, except it be conſerved by Gods divine power.

Secondly, let it be conſidered, that praecipua pars corruptionis eſt interitus, as Calvin obſerves upon the place;Calvin. in loc. The cheife, and greateſt part of the Creatures corruption, is deſtruction; they have a cuſtomary corruption of Individualls here, but they ſhould have a finall deſtruction of the ſpeces there, which were worſe; for here, as the p. 318Individualls of ſeverall ſpecies are corrupted, ſo alſo others are multiplied of the ſame kinde, and ſo the ſpecies is ſtill preſerved: but if all but the Creatures of the laſt ranke, be totally deſtroyed, yea in the whole ſpecies, then is the corruption of the Creature, greater, and more then ever: and how is this a liberation from the bondage of corruption, when the greateſt corruption befalls the Creature, that ever it had?

Thirdly, conſider that the liberation which the Creature ſhall have, ſhall be ſuch, as is expected with great earneſtneſſe, and deſire to attain unto it, even as a woman in travell, that is in pain, diſquiet, and miſery, deſires to be delivered, and to be in a more quiet, and contented eſtate, as you have heard. But totall abolition cannot with any vehemency of naturall p. 319appetion be thus longed and looked for, becauſe nothing naturally deſires the non-being of it ſelfe; the Creature rather deſires a being in ſlavery, then by a totall abolition to be brought to a non-entitie.

Fourthly, conſider what the great ſearcher into the bowells of nature,Ariſt. lib. 2. Phyſic. cap. 8. ſaith, lib. 2. Phyſicorum cap. 8. Natura nihil fruſtrà, & temere agit, ſed agit omnia finis alicujus gratiâ; nature doth nothing in vaine, nor raſhly, but all things for ſome end. The tree hath its end in bringing forth leaves, ad tegendum fructum, to cover the fruit it bears, both from the heat of the Sunn, and violence of the weather. The Bird in building her Neſt to keepe Egges, and young. The Spider in making her webbe, to catch Flies for her nouriſhment, and the like. Now the Logicians teach us, that finis efficientem p. 320ad agendum movet, the end moves the efficient to worke; if it were not moved with deſire of obtaining the end, it would not ſtirre: now we know that in theſe Creatures that there cannot be appetitus volunarius, but naturalis, a naturall appetition, or deſire; yet hath appetitum aliquem intelligentem, ac ſuperiorem à quo regitur, ſome ſuperior appetite and intelligent, from whom its guided, and directed. This appetite in the Creature for deliverance is put into it from God, its inſtinct of nature which is not given it in vaine, neither [as you have heard] ſhall its appetite be perpetually in vaine. Again, finis eſt quod maximè volumus, and quod maximè volumus, eſt maximè appetibile, and appetitus ſua natura, ſemper ordinatur ad bonum, as alſo we are taught from the Logicians; the end is that we moſt eſpecially p. 321have a will unto, and that which we are moſt eſpecially willing unto, is moſt appetible, or deſirable; and appetite from its own nature, alwayes tends to that which is good. And finis per ſe, & ſua natura, tantum eſt boni, the end aimed at, by its ſelfe and of its own nature, is onelyonly of that which is good, its evill by accident, when its ſeemingly good, and not ſo indeed, the end which the Creatures aime at in ſuch groaning, and ſuch vehement expectation, is their deliverance from the bondage of corruption, at the time of the revelation of the glory of the ſonnes of God, as a thing moſt appetible to them, and if they have an end in their expectation, and that moſt appetible, and ſutable to their nature, and nature deſires its being, then ſurely, a totall abolition cannot be the thing, or end that is ſo much p. 322and ſo earneſtly looked for, by their naturall appetite, as far as reaſon can leade me.

Fiftly, let it be conſidered, which Peter Martyr alſo objects, ſpeaking of the Sunn, and Moon, Non minorem eſſe reliquis Creaturis propentionem, & naturalem appetentiam ad ſeipſas conſervandas, quàm Soli, Lunae, Coelo, terrae, quare ſi illa ſuo deſiderio fruſtranda non ſunt, ne haec quidem fruſtrari oportere. There is no leſſe propenſity to the reſt of the Creatures, nor naturall deſire to conſerve themſelves then there is to the Sunn, the Moon, the Heavens and the Earth, and therefore if they be not fruſtrated of their deſires, no more alſo ought theſe. So he.

Sixtly, and laſtly, conſider, Si plures Creaturae noſtra cauſâ affliguntur plures etiam unà cum noſtra faelicitate inſtaurabuntur, at plures noſtra cauſâ affliguntur.

p. 323Ergò.

The major you have heard is a verred by Chryſoſtome, that as they are afflicted, and made ſubject to vanity for our ſakes, ſo likewiſe for our ſakes they ſhall be reſtored.

The minor we know is moſt true, that more Creatures then the inanimata, & inſenſata, the Heavens, Earth, Elements, are ſubject, &c. therefore is it not rationall, that the reſt of the Creatures, or other ſpecies of them be reſtored, as well as theſe: Let the judicious reader ponder theſe things and ſo judge; theſe are the Arguments or reaſons I would have conſidered, for the moſt generally received opinion, and what have bin produced, for the laſt ranke of Creatures, you have heard, as alſo the anſwer unto them.

But it may be objected, If every Creature that is afflicted becauſe of p. 324us, ſhall alſo be reſtored for our ſake, then every Individuall ſhall bee reſtored. But not ſo. Ergo.

To the major I anſwer, by denying the ſequell, becauſe by every Creature may be meant the ſpecies or generall nature ſubſiſting in ſome individualls, or the Creatures of every ſpecies, (as we have heard) and not all, & every individuall of thoſe ſpecies, for the Text ſaith in the Romanes, the whole Creation groaneth, expecteth, &c. not the whole multiplication, now the multiplication you have heard was in thouſands, and millions diſſolved into its Principles, and could not groan or expect in the Apoſtles time; but the whole Creation may be ſaid to groan and expect, when all the ſpecies of the Creatures which God created, do ſo. And though every Individuall be afflicted for our ſakes, of p. 325the ſeverall ſpecies, yet it will not neceſſarily follow, that every particular ſhould be reſtored, but the ſeverall kindes, or ſpecies in ſo many Individualls as God ſhall think in his wiſdome fitting, for then (I ſay) every Creature may be ſaid to be reſtored. Peter Martyr in claſſ. 3.Pet. Martyr. claſ. 3. loc. com cap. 17. ſect. 24. Idem etiam in 8. ad Rom. loc. commun. cap. 17. ſect. 24. as alſo in cap. 8. ad Rom. when he ſaid, that by (all) ſometimes ſome parts may be ſynecdochically meant; true, but ſtill the queſtion remains, whether it may be ſo taken here, or no; for the whole Creation, or every Creature groaning, or is ſubject to vanitie, cannot here be meant ſynecdochically: and if the Creature be as large, (as for any thing to the contrary in the Text, ſeems to me) then that will not ſerve here; for its not ſaid that ſome creatures ſhalbe delivered, or ſome of the whole Creatiō, but having p. 326mentioned the [whole Creation,] he adds for a remedy to this, The Creature ſhalbe delivered: what Creature? that which was made ſubject to vanitie, this ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption; not all onelyonly of one ſpecies or kinde. The inſtances brought by that famous Divine,Iohn 10.8. 1 Cor. 6.12.John 10:81 Cor 6:12 Iohn 10.8. 1 Cor. 6.12. All that came before me, &c. All things are lawfull for me, are meant onelyonly of an (all) in ſuch a kinde: all falſe prophets, not all Prophets: and all things indifferent, not all things in any kind, without exception.

Again, ſaith he, when Paul ſaith the Creature ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, poſſet generaliter intelligi de mundo, quod ille non amplius cogendus ſit renovare creaturas per novam generationem, non tamen ex eo ſequitur omnes creaturas quod ſingulas ſpecies p. 327attinet eſſe renovandas, they are his own words; It may be generally underſtood of the world, that it ſhall no more be compelled to renew its Creatures, by any more new generation; yet notwithſtanding it will not follow from that, that all Creatures that belongs to every ſpecies, ſhould be renewed. True, I grant, if no more be intimated by the Creatures liberation, than a ceſſation from generation, which is by corruption of ſome other pre-exiſtent matter: for its a commonly received truth amongſt Philoſophers. From Ariſt. lib. 1.Ariſt. lib. 2. de gen. & cor. text 17. de gen. & cor. text 17. that, generatio unius, eſt corruptio alterius: yet this axiome is not to be underſtood formaliter, but cauſaliter, becauſe theſe two do tend ad diverſos terminos; but the Apoſtle ſaith, that they ſhall have more then a liberation from generation by way of p. 328precedanie corruption; for they ſhall alſo be delivered into the glorious liberty of the children of God, as we have obſerved before. And in the concluſion Peter Martyr will not abſolutely determine for the moſt generally received opinion. Neither yet for the laſt rank of the Creatures, as Dr. Willet inclines to, with ſome others; but Pii igitur animi eſſe cenſeo, neutram partem pertinaciter affirmare, nihil enim habemus alterutram in partem ſatis certò definitum: I judge it to be the part of a godly minde therefore to affirme neither opinion obſtinately; his reaſon is, becauſe we have nothing certainly enough, defined, or determined for either opinion; true, if he mean expreſſely and in particular, otherwiſe we might again make uſe of his owne words in 8.P. Mart. in 8. ad Rom. ad Rom. ſatis tamen eſt quòd in genere creaturas inſtaurandas ſignificaverit, p. 329neque unquam quicquam exceperit: though the Scripture mention not their reſtauration expreſſely, or in particular, yet its enough notwithſtanding that it hath ſignified the Creatures to be reſtored in generall, neither hath any thing any where excepted. And if we demand which of the ranks of the Creatures, or out of which this renovation ſhall be, he anſwers, loco quo ſuprà, Hoc tamen auſim dicere, exillis creaturis quae interierint, tantum homines eſſe excitandos à mortuis. De aliis vero creaturis poſt diem judicii conſervandis à coelo & terra, quarum Scriptura non meminit, nihil dicendum arbitror: Notwithſtanding this, I dare be bold to ſay, that of all thoſe Creatures that are already dead, or ſuch as have periſhed before the day of judgement, onelyonly men ſhall be raiſed again from death; but of other Creatures that p. 330ſhall be conſerved after the day of Judgement, which Creatures the Scriptures have not mentioned, I ſuppoſe nothing is to be ſaid. In particular, and expreſſely they are not mentioned, as you have heard, but in generall you have heard himſelf ſay, and without exception, which, ſaith he, ſatis tamen eſt, notwithſtanding that other Creatures be not ſo expreſſely named, as heaven and earth is, &c. yet its enough, they are promiſed to be delivered in generall, and no exception any where made of other ſort of Creatures, that they ſhall not be reſtored any more than of heaven and of earth. But how many Individualls God ſhall renew of every ſort, that is left to his wiſdom, and good pleaſure, as it was when he preſerved the ſeverall ſpecies at the time of the Flood.Paraeus dubio decimo in 8. ad Rom. Paraeus dub. 10. in octavum ad Romanos, p. 331judgeth, quòd ſit probabile res corruptibiles pleraſque omnes abolendas eſſe: its probable [ſaith he] that all corruptible Creatures, for the greateſt part of them, ſhall be aboliſhed; for man (as you have heard) ſhall ſtand in need of no ordinary uſe of them, as formerly; but God in his wiſdome can preſerve ſo many as may (I ſay) continue the ſeverall ſpecies, amongſt which there ſhall be talis concinnus orde, ſo fine, ſo ſweet an order, and ſuch a diſpoſall of them, that there ſhall neither be redundancy, nor deficiencie. Tale fore temperamentum, & concinnum ordinem, ut nihil deforme, vel fluxum appareat, as you have ſeen before out of Calvin upon the place;Calvin in loc. there ſhall be ſuch a moderation, and fine order amongſt the Creatures that ſhall be reſtored, that nothing ſhall appear either foul, or ſuperfluous, or ill-favoured, p. 332or unſtable, which is enough for us to know in this life.

Now for the uſe of the Creatures that ſhall be reſtored, though it ſhall not be for any common neceſſitie, as before, yet may it be for an uſe of ineffable excellency, wherein the multifarious wiſdome of God, in regard of the Objects upon which its ſhown, may appear, and remain, as upon record, in the ſeverall and great variety of the ſpecies for ever: Vt delectationi viſionis intellectualis, addatur delectatio viſionis ſenſualis; ut Ioan. de combis lib. 7. comp. Theol. veritat. cap. 20. And if the Heavens declare the glory of God, why may not theſe alſo, when they are renewed?Aug. in lib devidendo Deo. Auguſt. in libro de videndo Deo, becauſe the corporeall eye non poteſt ad eſſentiam divinam pertingere, cannot reach to the Divine Eſſence, (though we ſhall ſee God p. 333face to face, yet when we are glorified, we are but ſtill finite Creatures) idcircò ne oculus congrua delectatione diſtituatur, ornatum Coelorum mirificum, & rerum jam inſtauratarum pulchritudinem illi tum eſſe offerendam, ut habeat non ſolùm undè ſe oblectet & gaudeat, ſed etiam unde Dei potentiam & infinitam ſapientiam, admiretur: therefore leaſt the eye ſhould be deſtitute of light congruous or convenient for it, he offers to it the wonderfull adorning of the Heavens, and the beautie or fairneſſe of the Creatures that are reſtored, that man may have not onelyonly wherewith he may delight himſelfe, but alſo may rejoyce, & alſo whence he may admire the power, and infinite wiſdome of God. To which Peter Martyr ſaith, Probabilia quidem ſunt iſta fateor, ſed ea ſacris Scripturis non confirmantur: I grant (ſaith he) that theſe things are p. 334probable, but are not confirmed by holy Writ. True it is, that they are not clearly, and in terminis confirmed in holy Writ. But firſt we have ſeen what hath been alledged for the renovation of the Creature. And ſecondly, if ſo, God will have uſes for it. Thirdly, if the particular uſes be not clearly made known to us in this life, yet it will not thence follow, that therefore God hath no uſe for them at all; and though it be alſo true, that they ſhall ſee God himſelfe face to face, the glorified bodie of Chriſt, and an infinite company of the glorious bodies of the Saints, brighter then the Sunn, and therefore you may ſay cannot be ſo much delighted with the looking upon any of the Creatures renewed, as with theſe; I anſwer, take it for granted, that they cannot be ſo much delighted, becauſe the objects p. 335are not ſo eminent in degrees, yet it will not follow that therefore they may have no delight by theſe at all; for this may delight them, that they ſee the poor Creatures, their old, and quondam ſervants freed from vanity, ſlavery, and miſery, and now reſtored to liberty, and from that corruption they fell under, by reaſon of their former diſobedience, and impiety; this I ſay as rationall, and probable.

But it may be objected, that the Saints in the higheſt Heaven, or in the Heaven of Heavens, ſhall have no occaſion to contemplate theſe, ſeeing in their Fathers houſe there are ſo many Manſions, Iohn 14.2.Iohn 14.2.John 14:2 and joy unſpeakable and glorious I anſwer, it is true, that there is ſuch joy even in that place, yea greater then the heart of man can conceive; for eye p. 336hath not ſeen, nor eare heard, neither hath it as yet ever entred into the heart of man what joy God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Cor. 2.9.1 Cor. 2.9.1 Cor 2:9 Yet as when a man would ſhew his friend ſome ſtately fabrick, the manner of the contriving of it, and his ſeverall roomes, he doth not onelyonly ſhow him his treaſury of Plate, his lodging chambers curiouſly adorned with all variety, his bedding, hangings, ſtools, chaires, or ſuch like furniture, his ſeverall Cubberds of richly wrought plate, ſeilings, playſteings of his Chambers, ſtately Windowes hewne, &c. but for varieties ſake, he ſhewes him ſuch as with which he cannot ſo much be taken, as his Hall, Buttery, Kitchin and ſuch like places; even ſo likewiſe from Heaven God may ſhow the Sonnes of glory, ſometimes for varieties ſake, the p. 337Creature renewed, the ſeverall ſpecies of them, the wonderfull order amongſt them, &c. wherein the great variety of Gods Wiſedom may appear; though the ſomtimes-contemplation of theſe be much inferiour for content, to thoſe unſpeakable joyes in the ſeat of the bleſſed, yet I ſay the variety of Gods Wiſdom may appear in them. This I ſay, as not irrationall, or altogether againſt reaſon, but probable, becauſe the Scriptures are not ſo clear in this particular, therfore we may not be ſo reſolute, as to dedicate, or affirme it in any higher nature, or like ſome Article of faith, of infallible certainty; I may not wade ſo farre, but onelyonly give a probable conjecture in this ſpeculation, leaving the judgment of the rationalty of it to the judicious, and conſiderate reader: and this I conceive is to deale p. 338moderately, and not with ſo much confidence and reſolution, as laborious D. Willet [which I name with reverence] hath done in his reſolve upon this paſſage, [as God willing we ſhall ſhew hereafter] but upon how much better grounds, judicet lector, let the reader judge.1 King. 10.3, 4, 5.1 Kgs 10:31 Kgs 10:41 Kgs 10:5 1 Kings. 10.3, 4, 5. When the Queene of Sheba came to the Court of Solomon, ſhe did not onelyonly hear his wiſdome, and ſee the houſe which he had built (with both which ſhe was delighted in an high meaſure) ſhee muſt alſo have ſhowne unto her the meate of his table, the ſitting of his ſervants, and the attendance of his miniſters, and their apparrell, his cup-bearers, and the aſſent by which he went up to the houſe of the Lord, and there was no more ſpirit in her, when ſhee had ſeen all this, ſhee was aſtonied; now all theſe things though p. 339ſhee was wonderfully delighted with them, and elevated in her thoughts even to admiration, yet we may conceive that the objects were not equally delectable, the meat on his table could not raiſe her to ſo high a pitch of admiration, as the hearing of Solomons wiſedome in reſolving all her hard queſtions, and the ſeeing of the houſe which he had built, and the aſſent by which he went up to the houſe of the Lord: yet for varieties ſake, thoſe of inferior delight were ſhewed her, as well as thoſe that were ſuperior, or tranſcendent: Thus God may deale with his Elect, in the injoying of thoſe unſpeakable comforts of the higheſt Heaven, and then ſometimes contemplating from thence, objects of inferiour delight here below, for varieties ſake, and for the contemplating of the great variety of the wiſdome p. 340of God, in the ſeverall ſorts of Creatures, as you have heard.

Again, ſecondly, let us take another inſtance from the Angels, which ſeemes to quadrate more to our purpoſe, for illuſtration; they, we all confeſſe, are in glory, in the ſeate of the bleſſed, and in thoſe unſpeakable joyes the Elect ſhall attaine unto; they behold the face of God, and the glorious body of Chriſt, and the great variety of ſpirituall delights there to be found, yet do they deſire to behold alſo other varieties. Epheſ. 3.10. the Apoſtle having ſpoken of the Calling of the Gentiles into conſociation of one Church together with the Iewes, and thoſe Gentiles out of ſo many ſeverall Nations, and Languages, having made a promiſe to Abraham, & his Seed of the Meſſiah, having made a Covenant with him, and given him p. 341a ſigne of Circumciſion to confirm it, gave a law to his poſterity to guide them, and in all theſe the Gentiles excluded from the Church, as without God in the world, and without hope of Salvation. Epheſ. 2.12, 13,2 Epheſ. 2.12, 13, 14.Eph 2:12Eph 2:13Eph 2:14 14. at that time (namely when you were in your carnall eſtate of Gentiliſme) ye were without Chriſt, [namely as a mediatour for you] being aliens from the commonwealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the Covenants of promiſe; having no hope, and without God in the world. As if he had ſaid, Ye had nothing to do with the Laws and immunities which belonged to Iſrael, nothing to do with the promiſes made to them. Pſa. 147.19, 20.Pſ. 147.19, 20.Ps 147:19Ps 147:20 He ſheweth his word unto Iacob, his Statutes and judgements unto Iſrael, he hath not dealt ſo with any Nation, as for his judgements, they have not p. 342known them. But now in Chriſt Jeſus, ſaith Paul, ye that were farre off ſometimes, are made nigh by the blood of Chriſt; for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the partition wall, or the middle wall of partition, between us. And that Chriſt ſhould be the Head to both, being both God and man, that ſo few of the Jewes ſhould be called to imbrace Chriſt, and ſuch abundance of theſe Gentiles, who were without ſuch Covenants, ſuch promiſes as they had, without Law, without Circumciſion, without any good works, &c. and yet by the voice of the Goſpell theſe ſhould be called; & by faith in Chriſt, & that faith freely given from God, theſe ſhould be ſaved, and be made fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and one body with the faithfull in Iſrael; this was ſuch a p. 343point of Gods wiſedome, and ſo admirable, and ſuch a way of collecting a Church, and out of ſo many ſeverall Languages, that the Apoſtle cries out,Rom. 9.30, 31.Rom 9:30Rom 9:31 O altitudo divitiarum ſapientiae, &c. Rom. 9.30, 31. The Gentiles which followed not after righteouſneſſe, have attained to righteouſneſſe, even the righteouſneſſe which is of Faith: But Iſrael which followed after the Law of righteouſneſſe, hath not attained to the Law of righteouſneſſe, &c. This is that foreign, that multiformis, as Beza, with the vulgar, or multivaria, that manifold wiſdome of God, which is now made known by the Church, to the Angels: for they ſee aliquid novum, tanquam in ſpeculo, & priùs ſibi incognitum, ſome new thing, as in a glaſſe, which formerly was unknown to them. And they may be ſaid to know this, per p. 344Eccleſiam, by the Church; non inſtrumentaliter, & ſubjectivè docentem, ſed objectivè indicantem, the Angels ſeeing ſuch a Church now gathered. Yea, 1 Pet. 1.12.1 Pet. 1.12.1 Pet 1:12 this is ſuch an admirable thing, (namely, that the greateſt part of the world, that ſo many Gentiles, that for ſo many years had lived in darkneſſe, and in the way to death, ſhould now be called to make up one Chriſtian Church with the Jewes, and be under one Head with them) that deſiderant Angli introſpicere, the Angels deſire to behold it foreign, in the Greek, to bow down, ſo as to peepe into any thing. Now the Angels in Heaven injoy unſpeakable comforts, as you have heard, and yet they deſire to peepe into, or to looke into the manifold wiſedome of God ſhowne here upon Earth, in calling the great varieties of Gentiles to make up one p. 345Church of Saints with the Jewes; why then may not the Elect in Heaven with the Angels ſometimes deſire to contemplate the wonderfull wiſdome, or foreign, multifariam ſapientiam, the manifold wiſedome of God, in the great varieties of the renewed ſpecies of the Creatures, that are below them?

But Thirdly, it may be objected, that it will be ultrà ſphaeram activitatis oculi ullius corporei, beyond the ability of any bodily eye, to behold, from the ſeat of the bleſſed at any time, any Creatures here upon the Earth. To this I would anſwer thus, Acts 7.56.Acts 7.56.Acts 7:56 that if Stephen, here in a mortall body, could from Earth behold Chriſt ſtanding at the right hand of God, when the Heavens were opened, why cannot the Saints in immortall bodies ſee from Heaven down unto the Earth, for God can as well make way thorow the p. 346medium from Heaven to Earth, as he did from Earth to Heaven.Calvin in loc. Calvin in locum, data Stephano nova a…ies, quae per obſtacula omnia uſquè ad inviſibilem regni cael…ſtis glo iam penetraret, a new ſight was given to Stephen at that time, by which his eye was ſtrengthened beyond the ordinary ability of nature, ſo that he could pearce through obſtacles, even to the inviſible glory of that heavenly Kingdome; otherwiſe though the Heavens were wide open, yet the ordinary ability of mans fight, or the naturall ſtrength of it, were not of ſufficient power, to behold an object at ſuch a diſtance. Its needleſſe therefore to diſpute much de viſu naturali, of naturall ſight, cum facillimum Deo fuit Stephani oculos inſolita acie donare, Gualt. Hom. 55. in Apoſt. Act.as Gualter ſaith, Hom. 55. in Acta Apoſtolorum; when as it was an eaſie thing to God to give unto the eyes of Stephen a ſight above p. 347ordinary: ſuch ſhall the ſight of glorified bodies be, farre more excellent then that we now have in theſe frail and mortall bodies. And this ſhall ſerve for the fourth point.

I now come to the fift, and laſt, namely, the glorious liberty of the ſonnes of God, or the children of God, into which the Creature is to be reduced, foreign, &c. in libertatem gloriae, into the liberty of the glory of the ſonnes of God. What we are to underſtand by the ſonnes of God, we may eaſily perceive by that which we have heard already, the Elect people of God, predeſtinated to life, called, juſtified, and glorified; But what we are to underſtand by the liberty of their glory, that muſt be inquired into.Theodoret. Theodoret referrs it to the time, in which the Children of God ſhall come to this liberty, and no p. 348doubt but the deliverance ſhall then be, when they come to theirs. For as Eſtius obſerves from Verſe 20,Eſtius in loc. they were made ſubject under hope: under what hope? ſub ſpe liberationis in illud tempus, quando filii Dei, quibus ſubſervit, ſuam libertatem conſequentur, under the hope of deliverance at that time, when the ſonnes of God, to whom they have bin ſubject, and done ſervice, ſhall obtain their liberty, the object of their hope, was this deliverance into the glorious liberty of the children of God. The time may be granted, and yet this glorious liberty not fully explained, for that is but the circumſtance, not the thing it ſelfe.

Chryſoſt.Chryſoſtom, by foreign, in the Greek would underſtand foreign, for (in libertatem) propter libertatem, that as they were made ſubject to vanity, becauſe of man ſinning, p. 349ſo ſhould they alſo be freed by reaſon of mans freedome: yea, and not onelyonly ſo, but alſo brought into this glorious liberty, ut gloriam filiorum Dei cumulet, atquè illuſtret, as Paraeus; Paraeus in loc.that thereby he may add to, and more illuſtrate the glorious liberty of them, which liberty of glory ſhalbe ſo great, as that for their ſakes theſe ſhall be ſet at liberty alſo.

I cloſe with the judgment of thoſe which is alſo related by Eſtius, who ſay, that they ſhall be delivered, in imitationem glorioſae libertatis filiorum Dei, vel ad exemplum, to an eſtate imitating the glorious liberty of the ſonnes of God. For as their glorious liberty exempts them from any more corruption, toil, miſery, or the like; ſo likewiſe ſhall their deliverance exempt them; ſo that it may be called deliverance into their glorious p. 350liberty, becauſe it ſhall be a liberty ſuting to their nature, or analogically a glorious liberty, as the liberty of glory properly is ſutable to the rationall nature of the Children of God. As the liberty of the glory of Gods ſonnes ſhall exempt them from the fore-named vanities, ſo alſo ſhall their libertie exempt them; ſo that thus they may be ſaid to be delivered into the libertie of the glory of the ſons of God, though not into the glory of their libertie, properly, and eminently ſo called, as you have alſo heard. Thus by the help of that good hand of God upon me, I have finiſhed this fift and laſt Point alſo, which is all I promiſed in the Frontiſpiece of this Work. And if I may have leave to ſpeak without prejudice, experience hath taught me thus much, that it is opus arduum, ac dificile, hard in its p. 351ſelfe, and painfull to me, and troubleous, what it might have bin to great wits, I diſpute not, only I dare avouch it for a ſpeculation worthy of ſuch.

Two things more there are upon which I would gladly expreſſe my thoughts, as being appendices, or pertaining to the fore-going Argument. The former, what Heavens they are, which are to be burnt, and purified by fire? The ſecond, [which I conceive more difficult] which as yet I have not ſeen clear ſatiſfaction in, is this, in what ſenſe righteouſneſſe may be ſaid to dwell in the new Heaven, and in the new Earth, which God ſhall make? The former queſtion I move, becauſe I find divers of the Pontifician Divines [binding too much upon Ariſtotle, in his diſpute againſt Plato, and upon Gregory the great,] that hold ſtiffely, that the Coelum Aereum, p. 352not Aethereum is it that ſhall be burned with Fire, the Airie, Heaven, not the Sidereall, Sphaericall, or that above the Element of Fire, becauſe this they conceive to have bin more corrupted then the other: for this Aereall Heaven,Bellar. tom. 3. lib. 6. de Amiſſ. gratiae cap. 3. not the Aethereall, you have Bellarm. pleading Tom. 3. lib. 6. de amiſſionè gratiae, &c. cap. 3. Nequè enim de Coelo ſidereo, ſed de Aereo ſermo eſt. Eſtius in 2 Pet. cap. 3.Estiꝰ in 2 Pet. cap. 3. Aqu. in 2 Pet. cap. 3.2 Pet 3 Aquinas in eundem locum, who alſo fore-ſeeing the objection (of Heavens) whereas the Aire is but an Heaven, anſwers, that by the Heavens in Peter is meant the Aire, et dicitur Aer Coeli pluraliter propter diverſas regiones Coeli Aerei, & propter ejus plura hemiſphaeria: And the Air is called heavens, in the Plurall number, becauſe of the divers Regions of it, and becauſe it hath more Hemiſphers in it than one, as naturall p. 353Philoſophie teacheth; yet in Scripture we read but of three Heavens. 1. The Coelum Aereum, Matth. 6.26.Matt 6:26as Mat. 6.26 Volatilia Coeli, the Fowls of the Aire. 2. Coelum Aethereum, or the Heavens ſidereall, above the Element of Fire, Deut. 17.3.Deut. 17.3.Deut 17:3 or any of the hoſt of Heaven. 3. Coelum altiſſimum, or ſublimiſſimum, or beatarum ſedium, the higheſt Heaven, or ſeat of the bleſſed, Eſa. 66.1. Coelum ipſum mihi ſolium, Iſa. 66.1.Isa 66:1Heaven it ſelf is my Throne. Now the ſidereall Heaven is often called Coeli, or Heavens, in the Plurall number, as Matth. 3.16. foreign,Matth. 3.16.Matt 3:16 et aperti ſunt ei Coeli, and the Heavens were opened to him. Thus Acts 7.Acts 7.56.Acts 7:56 56. Stephen ſaw the Heavens opened. Pſal. 8.1.Pſal. 8.1.Ps 8:1 who haſt ſet thy glory above the Heavens. Pſal. 19.1.Pſal. 19.1.Ps 19:1 The Heavens declare the glory of God, &c. The higheſt Heaven above all theſe is p. 354called Coelum tertium, 2 Cor. 12.2.2 Cor 12:2the third Heaven. 2 Cor. 12.2. this is Gods diviſion of the Heavens, who made them. Now for as much, as I remember, the Coelum aereum, or Airie Heaven, is ſtill called (Coelum) in the ſingular number, when it ſtands in opoſition to the reſt,Matth. 6.26. Pſa. 104.12.Matt 6:26Ps 104:12 as Matth. 6.26. and Pſal. 104.12. Volatilia Coeli, the Fowls of Heaven.1 Kings 18.45.1 Kgs 18:45 1 Kings 18.45. the Heaven was black with clouds;Levit. 26.19.Lev 26:19 and Levit. 26.19. your Heaven, &c. and not Heavens.

And though it be true that Philoſophers do place the meteora aquoſa, as nubes, &c. the watery meteors, in medio Aere, in the middle region of the Air, ſuch meteors as are the Clouds, &c. and ſo might be called Heaven, in regard of that region, yet that region which is infimus Aer, the loweſt region, in which the Birds do fly, is p. 355alſo called Heaven, &c. but the Scripture terms but the totum corpus Aereum by the name of Heaven, for as farre as I can remember; therefore when (Heavens) are mentioned, ſomewhat more then the Aire onelyonly is to be underſtood. Again, both the fore-named regions may be termed (Heaven,) becauſe they are partes ſimilares ejuſdem Aeris, or Coeli Aerei, ſimular parts of the ſame Aereall Heaven, and therefore receive eandem denominationem cum toto, the ſame denomination with the whole.

Secondly, Saint Peter, ſpeaking of the world to be deſtroyed by fire, makes a difference between the Heavens, and the Elements, whereof the Aire is one. 2 Peter 3.10.2 Pet. 3.10.2 Pet 3:10 the Heavens ſhall paſſe away with a great noiſe, or with a great hiſſing; and then it followes, The Elements ſhall p. 356melt with fervent heat, the Earth alſo with the works that are therein ſhall be burnt up. Where we ſee a plaine difference made between the Heavens, as one thing, and the Elements as another;Aquin in loc. Eſtius in loc. neither can the ſkill of Aquinas, or Eſtius upon this place, by all their evaſions, avoid it. The former, by ſaying that ſince the world was deſtroyed by water, Aer erat ſpiſſior, &c. the Aire was thicker, and therefore ſtood need of purging; as the other did not. The latter by conſidering with Auguſtine, that a compariſon is here made between the Heavens that now are,Aug lib 20. de civit. Dei. cap. 24. and thoſe that periſhed, lib. 20 de civitate Dei. cap. 24. and thoſe were the Aereal Heavens, or the regions of it. To which I anſwer, that the compariſon in Peter is not between the Heavens that then periſhed, and theſe that now are, being indeed p. 357for ſubſtance ſtill the ſame: but between the world that then was,2 Pet. 3.6.2 Pet 3:6 is qui tum erat mundus, 2 Pet. 3.6. that is, as Beza well hath it,Beza in loc. aſpectabilis ille terrae decor, & quaecunque animantia in terra degebant, iis duntaxat exceptis quae in arca erant incluſa, nec enim aquae in coelos redundarunt; imò ne ipſa quidam terrae ſubſtantia periit, ſed futurae conflagrationis longe alia erit ratio, ideò coelum & terram, id eſt, rerum univerſitatem, diſtinctè nominavit in proximo verſu: that viſible comelineſſe of the earth, and whatſoever living Creatures then was upon it, except onelyonly thoſe that were ſhut up in the Ark; neither did the Waters then reach unto the Heavens, yea, not ſo much as the very ſubſtance of the earth periſhed: But the matter ſhall be farre otherwiſe about burning of the world by fire; therefore in the next Verſe he diſtinctly p. 358named the Heaven, and the earth, that is the whole world, to which the forenamed world was oppoſed. And Beda by the Elements underſtands all the four Elements,Beda in verba. yet thinks two onelyonly ſhall utterly periſh, that is, Fire, and Water; and other two remain renewed, that is, the Air and earth, called the new Heavens, and the new Earth. Yet what hath been ſaid againſt this before, ſhall ſuffice; neither doth this pl…ſe the Pontificians. Others thinke onelyonly three here meant, Water, Earth, Aire, becauſe they cannot ſee how the Element of fire ſhould be conſumed by fire.

To which I would anſwer with Aquin in ſuplem. ad 3.Aquin in ſupplem. ad 3. part ſum qu. 74. art. 3. partem ſummarum qu. 74. art. 3. reſpond. ad 1. having ſhewn, that the fire, that ſhall burn the world, ſhalbe of the ſame ſpecies with ours, he adds, non tamen eſt idem numero, p. 359notwithſtanding its not the ſame in all reſpects with ours. And we ſee (ſaith he) that in two fires of the ſame ſpecies, one may deſtroy the other, major ſcilicet minorem, the greater the leſſe, conſumendo materiam, by conſuming the matter of it, &c. Again, loco quo ſupra, Reſpond. ad ſecundum, Loco quo ſupra Reſp ad 2.the fire, that ſhall burn and purge the world, ſhall not have its calefactive power, ex principiis eſſentialibus, ſed ex divina vir…ute, vel operatione, out of its own eſſentiall Principles, [as uſually it hath, but from the Divine power, or operation of God in it, as his Inſtrument, inabled from him to produce this effect. And actio inſtrumenti magis manifeſtat virtutem moventis, quàm virtutem moti; the action of the Inſtrument rather manifeſts the power and efficacie of the Mover of it, or Worker by it, then of it ſelf: and the fire p. 360which God ſhall ſtirre up to purge the world, ſhall have ſuch efficacie in it from him, that it ſhall work beyond the ordinary courſe of nature, and ſhall be able to melt the Elements, and that with fervent heat, as S. Peter ſpeaks: yet non ad eorum funditus conſumptionem, ſed ſolum uſque ad eorum purgationem; not to the totall, or utterly aboliſhing of their ſubſtance, but to the purging of them from their groſſer attracted qualities. Neither will that of Gregory hold,Greg. magnus. who ſaith, in tantum accendet ignis Judicii, in quantum aſcenderunt aquae diluvii: the fire ſhall burn as high towards heaven, as the waters of the Flood aſcended; but that ſhould be no higher than fifteen Cubits above the high Mountains, which would not extend to the melting of all the Elements, much leſſe to the burning of the Sphaericall Heavens. p. 361Dr. Willet, qu. 29. in 8.Dr Willet. qu. 29. in 8. ad Rom. ad Rom. there is not any viſible thing, that had a beginning, but ſhall alſo have an ending. In which he ſaith truth, and for which the Pſalmiſt will warrant him, Pſal. 102.25, 26.Pſal. 102.25.26.Ps 102:25Ps 102:26 The Heavens are the works of thy hands; they ſhall periſh, but thou ſhalt indure: they [all of them] ſhall wax old like a garment, as a veſture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed. If any viſible thing ſhould eſcape change, theſe were likeſt; but not theſe muſt eſcape. And Heavens are here taken as oppoſed to the Earth: as Gen. 2.1.Gen. 2.1.Gen 2:1 Thus the Heavens and the earth were finiſhed, and all the Hoſt of them. Pſal. 8:3:Pſa. 8.3.Ps 8:3 When I conſider thy Heavens, the work of thy Fingers; the Moon and the Starres which thou haſt ordained. Even theſe heavens, in which are the Moon, and p. 362the Starres, ſhall periſh, ſhall be burned with fire. Thus much briefely for the former point, that Aethereall Heavens ſhall burn, as well as the Aereall.

But as we have ſeen what Heavens ſhall burn, let us a little conſider what Heaven ſhall not burn. When I ſay the Aethereall heavens, I mean, the Sydereall, and all the ſphaericalls under the higheſt, or third heaven, as the primum mobile, and the coelum cryſtallinum, &c. but the third heaven I mean not, which is the Seat of the Bleſſed, and which was a Creature created the firſt day;Gen. 1.1. Gen. 2.4.Gen 1:1Gen 2:4 Gen. 1.1. and Gen. 2.4. Theſe are the generations of the heavens and the earth,Heb. 11.10.Heb 11:10 when they were created. Heb. 11.10. Abraham looked for a Citie which hath Foundations, whoſe Builder and Maker is God. This Heaven is corpus ſupremum, immobile, incorruptibile, p. 363ampliſſimum, ac totum lucidum, &c.

Firſt, it is a body, and a ſubſtance, though moſt ſubtile; for that in which bodies are contained, its neceſſarie that that ſhould be corporeall; for inter locatum & locum, inter contentum & continens, there muſt be aliqua proportio, ſome proportion, between the things contained, and the thing containing. Now the bodie of Chriſt is alreadie in the higheſt heaven, and ours ſhall be; howſoever the bodies of Enoch and Eliah now be.

Secondly, quicquid eſt apertibile eſt corpus: But ſo was the higheſt heaven, Acts 7.56.Acts 7.56.Acts 7:56 otherwiſe Stephen had not ſeen Chriſt ſtanding at the right Hand of God, if that Heaven had not been opened: for howſoever I know that ſome think there was nulla ſciſſura in coelis, no diviſion at all in the p. 364Heavens, and that miraculum non fuit in coelis, ſed in Stephani oculis: not in the opening of the Heavens, but in the eyes of Stephen: Others, that he ſaw this in a Viſion, &c. or mentall contemplation, not with bodily eyes; yet,Gual. hom. 55. in Act. ſaith Gualter, Hom. 55. in Acta, Ego haec illi revera viſibiliter, apparuiſſe, nec mentis duntaxat contemplationi objecta fuiſſe intelligo; I do think that theſe things appeared unto him viſible in very deed, and were not onelyonly repreſented to the contemplation of his minde.

Damaſ. lib. 2. orth. fid. cap. 6.Again, Damaſcene lib. 2. orthodoxae fidei cap. 6. foreign, Coelum eſt ambitus viſibilium, & inviſibilium creaturarum, Heaven is the compaſſe or circuit both of viſible, and inviſible Creatures. Keckermannus lib. 2.Kecker. lib. 2. Syſt. Phyſ. cap 1. Syſtematis Phyſici cap: 1: Spiritus non poteſt corpora ambire & concludere, A Spirit cannot compaſſe about, or ſhut p. 365up bodies within it. This is that which the Philoſophers call Coelum Empyraeum, which is ſuprema, & excellentiſſima illa Coelorum ſeries, Thronus gloriae divinae, & domicilium electorum Angelorum, atque hominum, as the ſame Author lib. 2. cap. 5. de partibus Coeli: Idem Auth. lib. quo ſupra cap. 5.This is the higheſt and moſt excellent order of the Heavens, or rank of them, the Throne of Gods glorie, and the abiding place of the elect Angels and men. And preſently after he calls it partem corporis coeleſtis, part of the bodie of Heaven. See the like from Auguſtine lib. 22. de Civitate Dei, cap. 4.Aug. lib 22. de civit. Dei cap. 4 ſhewing, Coelum beatorum eſſe corporeum, the heaven of the bleſſed to be corporeall. This is called coelum coelorum, the Heaven of Heavens, Deut. 10.14.Deut. 10.14.Deut 10:14 and is farre above all other Heavens, Epheſ. 4.10. that is above all the ſphaericalls: This is immobile, ac incorruptibile, p. 366immoveable, as ſeated above the primum mobile, and is the place of eaſe, and reſt of Gods Elect. Incorruptible, as having no privation to concomitate that moſt pure, pleaſant, and exquiſite matter of it, or no contrarietie of qualities to make oppoſition, or corruption in it, full of light alſo, and therefore is called of the Graecians foreign, ob plurimum ſplendorem, aut plurimam lucem, becauſe of the abundance of light that is there, farre above that of fire. Some do think that Ariſtotle had a glympſe of this,Ariſt lib. 1. de coelo cap. 9. becauſe 1 lib. de Coelo cap. 9. he mentions quaedam entia collocata ſupra mundum, ac Coelum, eaquè immutabilia, et impatibilia, beatiſſimam vitam ſempiterno aevo degentia, &c. certain beings placed above the viſible Heaven, and viſible world, being immutable, and impaſſible, living there for ever a p. 367moſt bleſſed, and contenting life: yea, and ſome alſo do think, that the ancient Poets had learned ſomewhat concerning it, when they ſo often ſpeak of the Manſions of their gods, foreign, that they had ſuch ſhining and glorious Manſions, full of light. But of this no more, ſave only that we may conceive, that it is the moſt ample of the Heavens, and yet cannot contain its Maker. 1 Kings 8.27. The Heaven, nor heaven of Heavens cannot contain him.

I now come to the latter point, how righteouſneſſe can be ſaid to dwell in the new Heavens that he ſhall make, and the new Earth. For this paſſage hath matter worth inquiry in it. Some interpreters do with ſuch places as travellers do with deeps, or boggs in high-wayes, when they come at them, they wiſely paſſe by them, or ſay little p. 368to the openings of them, to give the reader ſatiſfaction. Others that note ſome-what, yet come not home to the mark. Others perceiving this, have taken up more reſolution, and I much doubt if they have not over ſhott the marke. To let paſſe thoſe of the firſt ranke. For the ſecond I will mention Muſculus, Muſc. in loc.in the which nullum peccatum, nulla injuſtitia locum habebit, no ſinne, no unrighteouſneſſe ſhall have any dwelling in them; which is true: but the text ſeemes to aime at ſome what more, as not onelyonly negatively, not to dwell, but poſitively, for righteouſneſſe to dwell in them.Bullin. in loc. Bullinger thinks per foreign, or alterationem, that juſtitia, is put for juſti, righteouſneſſe for righteous men; this we grant for two Reaſons. Firſt, becauſe righteouſneſſe, as inherent, is a quality, p. 369and therefore cannot be ſuppoſed without ſome ſubject. Secondly, becauſe the new Heavens and Earth, are ſubjecta inſenſibilia, inſenſible ſubjects, and therefore not inherently capable of ſuch qualities, therefore ſome other ſubject, and what but juſt men? but how theſe can be ſaid to dwell in the new Heavens, which are ſydereall, and in the new Earth, is more difficult to conceive. Dr. Willet qu. 34.Dr. Willet, qu. 24. in 8. ad Rom. in Oct. ad Rom. is bold to affirme, that though the Heavens onelyonly are now the ſeat of the bleſſed ſoules, yet both the new Heavens, and the new Earth, ſhall be then the habitation of the righteous, and ſo righteouſneſſe may be ſaid to dwell in them; for which opinion he quotes Bucan loc. 39. qu. 17.Bucan loc 39. qu. 17. by which Author he is much ledd in this point; as alſo Origen. in Matth. 5.5. the meeke ſhall inherit the Earth, not this p. 370viſible Earth; but the other, which eye hath not ſeen, his reaſon is, becauſe he there ſpeaks of a bleſſedneſſe which is not to be found in this Earth;Pſa. 114.16.Ps 114:16 he might alſo have alledged, Pſal. 114.16. the Heaven, even the Heavens are the Lords, but the Earth hath he given to the children of men. But to this laſt, Bellarmine anſwers truely, and herein agrees with our Orthodox Divines, lib. 6. de amiſſione gratiae cap. 3. he gave the Earth to the children of men,Bellarm lib. 6. de Amiſt. grat cap. 3. dum mortales ſunt, et egent Aere ad reſpirationem, et fructibus terrae ad alimentum, whilſt they were mortall, and ſtood in need of Aire to breath in, and nouriſhment from the earth to live upon. For the other, that the meeke ſhall inherit the Earth, we know it may befall them in this life as a temporall bleſſing, though not without ſome intermixture of diſturbance, p. 371this place ſeemes to me to have bin taken from Pſal. 37.11. the ſpirit of God being pleaſed to make uſe of it again by the Evangiliſt, But the meeke ſhall inherite the Earth, and delight themſelves in the abundance of peace. And verſe 9. Evill doers ſhall be cut off, but thoſe that waite upon the Lord, they ſhall inherite the Earth: whereupon Calvin notes the Antitheſis between the two members,Calv. in loc. the wicked that ſhall be cut off, and the Godly that waite upon God, to be delivered from under the Croſſe, he aſſignes the haereditary right of the earth, ſo to them that intellgit ſic victuros, ut Dei benedictio ad mortem eos uſ que proſequatur, he underſtands they ſhall ſo live, that the bleſſing of God ſhall follow them even unto their death; this then he underſtands of a temporall inheritance, when they are mortall. p. 372And though they be often driven from place to place in the Earth, in hac tamen inquietudine non eripitur iſta terrae poſſeſſio, cujus meminit David: quià et certò ſciunt ſe legitimos eſſe mundi haeredes: unde fit ut tranquilla conſcientia pane ſuo veſcantur, et quamvis inopia laborent, Deus tamen ipſorum neceſſitatibus in tempore ſuccurrit, &c. Yet in this their unquietneſſe that poſſeſſion of the Earth which David mentions is not taken from them, becauſe they know aſſuredly that they are the lawfull Heires of the world [viz. in a ſpirituall right] whereupon it comes, to paſſe that they eate their bread in quietneſſe of conſcience; and though they be ſometimes in want, yet God in good time ſends ſupply to their neceſſities. So then theſe grounds in the judgement not onelyonly of the aforenamed Authors, but of divers others, p. 373will not clearly bear out his opinion, to hold the new Earth for an habitation of the righteous, as well as the Heavens, ſeeing it is verified of a temporall inheritance here, and therefore onelyonly, and neceſſarily cannot involve that ſenſe, he would put upon it by Origens aſtipulation.

Yet this I will ſay, that if the new Heavens be to be an habitation for the righteous, this would, in my judgement, be a better Argument againſt the motion of the Heavens, that they ſhould no more move after the day of judgement, then any he hath yet produced.

Secondly, I will ſay, that if by the Creature to be delivered, we were ſure that onelyonly Heaven, and Earth were to be underſtood, &c. then may theſe be ſaid to be delivered into the glorious liberty of the Children of p. 374God, when they ſhall have liberty to live in theſe, both in the new Heavens, and in the Earth: and then need not the moſt accurate, and pearcing Interpreters ſo much perplex themſelves about the underſtanding of this place. But this is to be delivered into the liberty of their glory, paſſivè, paſſively, to be injoyed of them; not activè, actively, for the Creatures to injoy it.

He urgeth alſo Revelations 14.4. they ſhall follow the Lamb whitherſoever he goeth, ſhall viſite the Earth alſo, and ſhall go and come, as it pleaſeth God.

I anſwer, that though they follow the Lamb whitherſoevever he goeth, yet except it can be proved, that he goeth on to the earth, as well as in Heaven, the quotation will not help him; and Verſe the 5. theſe are ſaid p. 375to be without fault before the Throne of God, abſolved by divine judicature; & theſe followed the Lamb in this life, in perſecutions, troubles, afflictions, yea many of them unto death it ſelf, hunc eundem ſequuntur in vitam aeternam quò prior ipſe abiit, as Aretius in loc. this ſame Lambe they follow alſo into aeternall life, whither he himſelfe is firſt gone before them.

Aretius upon the place in Peter thus,Aret. in. loc. Nova habitatio, novos requirit incolas, theſe Heavens being made a new habitation, they require the Inhabitants alſo to be new. And a little after, Nova terra manſio erit juſtorum, the new Earth ſhall be a dwelling place for the righteous.

And Bullinger in 1 Pet. 3.13.Bullin in 1 Pet. 3.13.1 Pet 3:13 Novi enim Coeli parantur juſtis, juſtitiae ergò ſtudendum eſt iis, qui novi Coeli velint eſſe incolae, the Heavens are prepared p. 376for the righteous, therefore it behoves them to ſtudy righteouſneſſe, which would be the inhabitants of theſe new Heavens; theſe men ſeeme to me to be of this judgement, that when the ſphaericall Heavens ſhall be made new, they ſhall alſo be for the righteous, as well as the higheſt Heaven is now, and that their glorious habitation ſhall then extend as low as the face of the Earth: but whether the new Heavens, and the new Earth, which God ſhall make after theſe be burnt up, ſhall have eundem ſitum, the ſame ſituation, or place, that they have now, is queſtioned by ſome. Dionyſius Carthuſianus in 5.Dionyſ. Carth. in Matth. 5.18.Matt 5:18 Matthaei, verſe 18. thinkes that they ſhall be changed, not onelyonly quoad qualitatem, but alſo quoad ſitum, &c. not onelyonly in their qualities, but alſo in their ſituation; yet alledgeth no reaſon for it.

p. 377But this I would obſerve by the way, that if they ſhall go, and come from Earth to Heaven, and from Heaven to Earth again, as God ſhall pleaſe, as ſaith Dr. Willet. loco quo ſuprà, Dr. Willet loc. quo ſupra.then may the Creatures upon the Earth, ſerve for ſome uſe of contemplation, for the which he would find no uſe before. Now this I ſay, that if God ſhall enlarge the ſeat of the bleſſed, and ſhall make the new Heavens a like glorious to the higheſt Heaven, to contain all the bodies of his Elect, as well as the ſoules, (though its very probable, that the higheſt Heaven is more ſpacious for thoſe, then Hell for the innumerable number of the bodies of the damned,) though there ſhall want no compaſſe for either, but both ſhall have ſuch confines, as God in his wiſedome ſhall appoint, the one for joy, the other p. 378for pain and miſery, then may the ſpacious liberty of the ſaints glory extend to the earth, as to the one term of their continent, as the top of the higheſt Heaven is the other; and ſo righteous mē may be ſaid to dwell in both, as living within the ſcituation of both, as thē in part of their glorious liberty. D. Willet concludes thus,Dr. Willet loc. quo ſupra. But here we muſt not be too bold, to wade without ground, how the Saints ſhall be diſpoſed off, whether ſome to heaven, ſome to earth; whether the ſame ſhall be ſometime in heaven, ſometime in earth, or how elſe as it pleaſeth God, we leave theſe as great myſteries, not revealed: yet thus he adds, But that the Saints ſhall then be upon the earth, we are certain out of Scripture, as hath been ſhewed. But I ſhould rather conceive it within the Continent of theſe, as parts of their libertie, if p. 379inlargement of their glory be granted, then upon the Earth, as upon the ſubject matter; if the ſite of it remain where now it is: and to the places he grounds upon, I have anſwered, and will adde to them one more:Apoc. 5.10.Rev 5:10 Apoc. 5.10. And haſt made us unto our God, Kings, and Prieſts, and we ſhall reign upon the earth; not corporeally, with the Geneva note.Nota Geneſis. Others of our modern Divines conceive it of the ſpirituall reign in this mortall life over ſinne, Sathan, perſecuters, oppoſers, and the like. Rom. 6.6.Rom. 6.6.Rom 6:6 Our old man is crucified with him, that the bodie of ſinne might be deſtroyed. And Verſ. 12,Verſ. 12. let not ſinn reign therefore in your mortall bodie, that ye ſhould obey it in the luſts thereof: No, but reigne you over it upon the earth, and not it over you.Aretiꝰ in loc. Aretius upon the place thus, Commemoratis Chriſti beneficiis pollicentur p. 380gratitudinis ergò conſtantiam in confeſſione, intelligo enim haec ab eis dici in perſona militantis eccleſiae, quae regnat ſuper terram, praeſtando Deo conſtantiam ſub cruce, mortificando carnem ſuam, opprimendo peccati concupiſcentiam, praeſcindendo peccandi occaſiones, &c. having rehearſed the benefits of Chriſt, in token of thankfullneſſe, they promiſe conſtancy in their confeſſion. For I conceive theſe things to be ſpoken of them in the perſon of the militant Church, which Church reignes upon the Earth, in performing conſtancy to God under the croſſe, by mortifying their fleſh, by oppreſſing the concupiſcence of ſinne, by cuting off the occaſions of ſinning, &c. Thus (ſaith he) they reign.

1 Theſſ. 4.17.1 Thess 4:17That paſſage in 1 Theſſ. 4.17. hath holden many off from falling in ſo fully with the Doctors reſolve, as p. 381to ſet it down for a certainty. And therefore Aquinas upon the place in Peter, Aquin. in 2 Pet. 3.2 Pet 3[with ſome of the School-Divines,] conſidering this of Paul to the Theſſalonians, will by no meanes fall in with his reſolve, nor ſuch as pitch upon it. Non quòd juſti habitaturi ſunt in mundo inferiori poſt judicium, ſicut nunc, not that the juſt ſhall dwell in this inferiour world after the day of judgement, as they do now, but it ſhall be pars habitationis, ſaith he, a part of their habitation, ſicut Rex non manet in coquina, & tamen dicitur pars habitationis ſuae, even as a King abideth not in his Kitchin, and yet notwithſtanding its called a part of his habitation.

To which I ſay thus, that though his reſolve may have ſome ground of reaſon, yet his inſtance doth not well quadrate to the matter in hand; For if a King ſhould build a Pallace and p. 382have a Kitchin in it, and then it be ſaid, [in quibus] it would conclude both.

Others therefore thus, In which dwells righteouſneſſe, that is Jeſus Chriſt, ſay they, who is called our righteouſneſſe.Ier. 23.6.Jer 23:6 Ierem. 23.6. and this is his name by which he ſhall be called, Dominus, juſtitia noſtra, the Lord our righteouſneſſe; but to this I ſay, that where he is, there ſhall his elect be alſo; Iohn 14.2.3. I goe to prepare a place for you. And if I goe and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto my ſelfe, that where I am, there ye may be alſo: as if he had ſaid, if I goe, I mean not to reign alone, but I will alſo receive you that have ſuffered with me, that ye may alſo reign with me.2 Tim. 2.12.2 Tim 2:12 2 Tim. 2.12. Chriſtus non diſceſſit a nobis ut nos deſereret, ſed potius ut nos ſecum in Coelos p. 383tandem attolleret, as Iunius: Iun in ſuis Annot.Chriſt did not depart from his to that end, that he might forſake them, but rather that at length he might take us up into Heaven together with him; quae doctrina ad totam eccl…ſiam pertinet, as Beza, Beza in loc.which doctrine belongs to the whole Church. Hic de extremo judicii die loquitur, quo tandem veniet ad ſuos colligendos, as Calvin, here ſaith he, he ſpeakes of the laſt day of judgement, in the which at length he ſhall come to gather up all his, &c. and then ſhall they all be both in body, and ſoule, where he himſelf is. And Apoc. 3.21. To him that overcometh will I grant to ſitt with me in my Throne, even as I alſo overcame, and am ſet down with my Father on his Throne. Sedere cum Chriſto, eſt regni illius eſſe conſortem, ſaith one, to fitt down with Chriſt on his Throne, is to be p. 384partaker of his kingdome with him: ſo that if he dwell in the new Heavens we ſhall alſo dwell there with him, as in the inlargement of glory, or the place of his glorious preſence.

Beza in 2 Pet. 3.13.2 Pet 3:13Laſtly, Beza reſolves thus upon the words, Nevertheleſſe we according to his promiſe, looke for new Heavens, and a new Earth, wherein dwells righteouſneſſe. Having mentioned other expoſitions, he concludes thus, vel deniquè ſupplendum eſt [foreign,] nos ut ita convertas, ſed Coelos novos, et terram novam expectamus (nos) (in quibus habitat juſtitia nimirum Chriſti, ut explicat Paulus, Phil. 3.9.Phil 3:9Phil. 3.9. or elſe, finally, ſaith he, we muſt ſupply the ſenſe, with this word (we) that thou mayſt thus read, But we look for new Heavens, and a new Earth, (in which we) righteouſneſſe dwells, even the righteouſneſſe of God by faith, Phil. 3.9. p. 385as Paul hath it; and Epheſ. 3.17. that Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith. 1 Theſ. 4.17.1 Theſ. 4.17.1 Thess 4:17 Paul ſpeaking of the reſurrection, and the order of it, ſaith, verſe 16. The dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe firſt, then we which are alive, and remain, ſhall be caught up together with them in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air, and ſo ſhall we ever be with the Lord, In aeterna beatitudinis gloria, Hemingius in loc.as Hemingius hath it, in eternall glory, and bleſſedneſſe. Aquinas, long before him, gave the ſame ſenſe, oſtendit beatitudinem ſanctorum, Aquin. in loc.quià ſemper erunt cum Domino eofruentes, here he ſhows the bleſſedneſſe of the Saints, becauſe they ſhall alwayes be with the Lord, & injoying of him. Theophylact to the ſame ſenſe,Theophylact. in loc. perpetuò ſunt apud hunc manſuri, they ſhall continually abide with Chriſt, whom they ſhall meete in the Air. p. 386Eſtius to the ſame ſenſe,Eſtius in loc. ſpeaking of meeting Chriſt in the Air, he ſaith, indè in Coelum cum eo ſubvecti perpetua praeſentia fruituri ſumus, ſemper cum eo regnaturi; from thence we ſhall be carried with him into Heaven, where we ſhall injoy his perpetuall preſence and reign with him for ever.

To which I will adde, that not the Earth, but the Heavens are the place, where our inheritance is deſcribed to be, and that by him that purchaſed it, and beſt knew the ſcituation of it. 1 Pet. 1.18.1 Pet. 1.18. &c1 Pet 1:18 As ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, neither were ye born of corruptible ſeed; verſe 23. ſo neither is there provided for you a corruptible inheritance. 1 Pet. 1.4.1 Pet. 1.4.1 Pet 1:4 God having begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the dead, he adds, to an inheritance incorruptible, p. 387and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in Heaven for us; that fadeth not away like flowers or garlands, ſo that we ſhall never be weary of the joyes of Heaven, though they indure for eternity, but they ſhall be as freſh and new; and Epheſ. 2.6.Epheſ. 2.6.Eph 2:6 he hath raiſed us up together, and made us ſitt together foreign, in caeleſtibus, as the Vulgar, in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus: we have the like word Eph. 1.3. foreign,Epheſ. 1.3.Eph 1:3 in coeleſtibus in Chriſto; in Coelis, Beza in loc.as Beza hath it in both places. But to the former, And made us ſitt together, in coeleſtibus, id eſt, l…cis, as Beza, in Heavenly places, yet our ſelves as yet actually ſitt not in thoſe places in perſon, but in our Head, Cujus ſpiritu coepimus peccato mori, vivere Deo, donec in nobis opus ſuum perficiat idem qui inchoavit, by the power of whoſe Spirit p. 388we have begun in this life to die unto ſinne, and live unto God, whilſt the ſame that hath begun the worke, perfect it in us; we ſitt with him now in ſpe, afterwards in re, he being our head, he will draw up all the members to him. But in none of theſe places is any mention made of the Earth,Zanchiꝰ in loc. as for the Saints to have any inheritance on it. Though vertually we be riſen, & are in heavenly places, in our head Chriſt Jeſus, yet in us theſe benefitts of reſuſcitation together with him, and this ſitting in heavenly places, ſuum habebunt complementum cum noſtra corpora reſumptis animabus excitabuntur à mortuis, ac reſurgent ad vitam immortalem, vita que fruentur ſempiterna; ſhall have their full accompliſhment when our bodies reſuming their ſouls, ſhall be raiſed up again from the dead, then ſhall the p. 389whole man ſitt together with Chriſt in Heavenly places, ſuch places ſhall be their aeternall inheritance, not upon the Earth. Neither would the Patrons of that opinion, a conſtant dwelling upon it, but at ſometimes. But if we reſpect theſe new Heavens, and Earth, for the place where the righteous ſhall dwell, as a part of their inlarged inheritance, yet I conceive, that the Earth is more fitly put here, for the terminus, or boundary of their liberty, than the ſubject, upon which they ſhall trample a live. And to me that place in Peter is very conſiderable, 1 Pet. 1.4. where the inheritance is ſet out by many excellent Epithites, and the place of it deſcribed to be Heaven, and not any part or portion of it mentioned to be upon the Earth. Thus have I expreſſed my thoughts upon this point alſo, according to p. 390that ſmall Talent God hath given me, and have alſo made anſwer to ſuch places where the Earth is mentioned, in which it will appear, that they are not ſo clear for the opinion for which they have been quoted, as the quoters of them have opined, I will therefore at length wind up all with that ſaying of Bellarmines, lib. de amiſſione gratiae, cap. 3. Non eſt de rebus quae pendent à divina voluntate al quid eſſerendum, niſi Deus ipſe in Scripturis ſanctis tale aliquid revelaverit; we may not affirme any thing in thoſe matters that depend upon Gods divine will, except God himſelfe have revealed ſome ſuch thing unto us in the holy Scriptures: ſo farre as they have given me light, I have gone, and as farre as I could wade upon the firme bottom of reaſon, I have adventured.

foreign.

Finis.

End of the text · John Waite, The Creatures Liberation from the Bondage of Corruption (1650)