Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 33
DAN. chap 12. verſ. 2.3.
2 And many of them that ſleepe in the dust of the earth, ſhall awake, ſome to euerlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame and perpetuall contempt.
3 And they that be wiſe, ſhall ſhine, as the brightneſſe of the firmament: and they that turne many to righteouſneſſe, ſhall ſhine as the ſtarres, for euer and euer.
WHat is the ſcope of this place?
The ſcope of the Prophet is, to hold the faithfull afflicted in a conſtant courſe of duety and obedience to the Lord, by conſideration of the rich reward of the godly, and fearefull puniſhment of the wicked, at the ſecond & glorious comming of Chriſt.
It ſeemeth by the word many, that all ſhall not riſe.
There ſeemeth indeed to bee ſome aduantage giuen to the Iewes, who of the firſt Pſalme gather, that there is no reſurrection of the wicked: which notwithſtanding is manifeſtly confuted, euen by this place it ſelfe, where it is ſaid, that many ſhall awake to ſhame euerlaſting. And when he ſaith (many) the word is not reſtrained to either the iuſt or wicked; but as many of the good ſhould awake, and not all; ſo many of the wicked ſhould awake, and not all.
How then is this to be taken?
It is taken ſeuerally by it ſelfe, as one whole which is diuided into his parts: As if he ſhould ſay, an infinite number ſhall awake; an infinite or a great number of iuſt; and an infinite or great number of the wicked. And the like forme of ſpeech to this is vſed of the Apoſtle, Rom. 5. verſ. 15.19. he ſaith that many are dead by the ſinne of Adam; and yet in the 18. verſ. he ſheweth, that by thoſe many, hee meaneth all; and ſo ſpeaketh that all were condemned in Adam: Likewiſe in the 18. verſ. it is ſaid, that the benefit of Chriſts death commeth to all; meaning the faithfull, that by faith are one with Chriſt, as we were all naturally with Adam; yet in the 15. and 19. verſes, thoſe that he called all, he tearmeth many. Although if he ſpeake of the wicked by themſelues, and of the godly by themſelues, it may bee truely ſaid, that neither all the wicked, nor all the godly ſhall awake out of the duſt; becauſe ſome of both ſorts ſhall not die, but be changed onelyonly.1. Cor. 15.
What doe you conſider in this text?
Two things: one of ye perfect happines of the good; and the other, of the vtter vnhappines of the wicked.
VVhat doth this text teach of the first?
Two things: the firſt of the happineſſe which is common to all the good, in the ſecond verſe; and the other of the ſpeciall happineſſe that ſome ſhall hauehave aboue their fellowes, in the third.
From whence commeth this happineſſe, both common and ſpeciall?
From our communication and participation with God in Chriſt, which is ſet forth Apocal. 21.3. by that God will dwell with vsus, and we with him: and Apocal. 3.20. Luk. 22.20. by ſimilitude of eating and drinking with him; and eating of the tree of life, and of the hidden manna: Apocal. 2.17. glorious clothes, Apoc. 3.5. of rule and dominion, Apoc. 2.26.27.28.
VVherein ſtandeth the happineſſe common to all?
Partly in freedome from all euill; and partly in the inioying of the fulneſſe of that is good.
How is the firſt ſet forth?
Hee ſhall wipe away all teares, there ſhall bee no more death; no ſickneſſe, no ſorrow, no crying, no labour, no darkeneſſe: Apocal. 22.5. no not ſo much as the danger or perill, or feare of any euill, Apocal. 21.25. the gates ſhall not bee ſhut; and therefore in their minds and ſoules, they ſhall bee free from all thoſe good affections that hauehave any paine ioyned with them; as wrath, mercy, pitie, compaſſion, feare, care, repentance, and ſuch like.
How deſcribe you the ſecond?
Firſt, by a compariſon of the leſſe, of the very dead and dumbe creatures, which ſhall be partakers of immortality, and of a kind of glory, for the elects ſake: how much more ſhall they be glorious? Againe, it is deſcribed more generally by a compariſon of the leſſe, in that it ſhall be better then euer Adams was in his greateſt happines, although he had neuer fallen: Rom. 5. Yea, what if I ſhould ſay, that the holy and bleſſed Angels ſhall not hauehave ſo full felicitie, for that they are not members of Chriſt as we be, although elect in Chriſt?
Lay forth this enioying of good things more particularly.
We may conſider it, either by that which is without, or elſe that within vsus.
How conſider you that which is without?
Reuel. 21.10.The place which they ſhall be in, for the pleaſant ſituation likened to a high hill, Pſal. 15. as that which is aboue the ſtars; for the delicacy of it compared to the Paradiſe. But eſpecially deſcribed, Apoc. 22. ſet forth by compariſon of the leſſe, the land of Canaan, incorruptible, vndefiled, and that which withereth not, 1. Pet. 1.
How elſe?
By the company wee ſhall hauehave, and fellowſhip with the Saints and Angels; in which reſpect eternal life is ſet forth, partly by being with Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob: and 2. Theſ. 2. the Apoſtle adiureth vsus by the great aſſemblie. And we ſee what delight the Apoſtles tooke to ſee Moſes and Elias, ſo as they would faine hauehave had them taried with them, although through their infirmity, they were afraid of the ſight of them: how much more then ſhall the ioy be, when we ſhall behold their glory, without all feare and aſtoniſhment!
And ſpecially, in beholding the glory of our Sauiour Chriſt, from whom alſo commeth all the good of the Saints and Angels we ſhall delight in, Iohn 17.24. Apoc. 22.4. 1. Iohn. 3.2. And they ſhall ſee his face (that is, Chriſts) viſiblie with the eies of their bodies; of the Father, and the holy Ghoſt with the eyes of their ſoules: Iohn 3.3.
Hitherto of the happineſſe and good without them. How conſider you that in themſelues?
Firſt, in their bodies; and then in their ſoules.
How in their bodies?
That they ſhall bee made conformable vntounto the glorious body of our Sauiour Chriſt: Phil. 3. whoſe glory hath been told before. And therefore they are ſaid that they ſhall ſhine as the ſun: Matth. 13.43. So that Abſaloms beautifull body, which had neuer ſpot or wenne in it from the top of the head to the ſole of the foot, is but a ſhadow of that beauty and comelineſſe that ſhall be in the bodies of the Saints.
How in their ſoules?
Their knowledge ſhall bee perfect; for wee ſhall know as we are knowne, 1. Iohn 3.1. Which is ſet out by compariſon of the leſſe: that our knowledge then ſhall differ from that now, as the knowledge of a child, differeth from the knowledge of a perfect man; and as the knowledge by a glaſſe differeth from the knowledge by ſeeing the thing it ſelfe: & as knowledge of a plaine ſpeech, from that which is a riddle; that we need not doubt but that wee ſhall know one another there, eſpecially ſeeing our Sauiour Chriſt ſetteth forth the eſtate of the bleſſed by knowledge one of another, Matth. 17. And as the knowledge is perfect; ſo the vnderſtanding and memorie.
How further?
Our holineſſe ſhall bee perfect, and our louelove. 1. Cor. 13.
What is the meaſure and quantitie of this good which all ſhall enioy?
1. Cor. 2.9. Reuel. 2.17.It is vnſpeakable great; ſuch as neither eye hath ſeene, eare hath heard, nor hath entred into the mind of any; and which none but God knoweth, Eſa. 64.4. and he which doth enioy them.
Hitherto of the felicitie common to all. What is that which is ſpeciall?
It is deſcribed in the third verſe, where hee ſaith, that thoſe that hauehave taught many, and iuſtified many; or as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, ſaued many, 1. Tim. 4. that is, hauehave beene the Lords good inſtruments to ſaue many, ſhall ſhine as the firmament, and as the principall ſtarres, and bee preferred before thoſe whom they hauehave taught:Eccleſ. 8.1. for if the skill of interpreting a matter, do lighten and cauſe the face to ſhine in this life; it will much more cauſe it to ſhine in the life to come.
Shall all teachers hauehave one glory?
No: for as heere it is ſaid that the Miniſters ſhall excell others: ſo 1. Cor. 4. it is declared that one Teacher ſhall hauehave greater glorie then another: as hee that planteth and layeth the ground worke, more then he that watereth and buildeth vponupon it.
But amongst thoſe that are no Miniſters, ſhall not there be difference of glory?
Yes: as the Martyrs ſhall bee preferred before the reſt, Apocal. 3.12. for eueryevery one ſhall not bee a pillar in the Church: and as eueryevery one hath gone beyond others in right vſe of the gifts beſtowed vponupon him; ſo he ſhall receiue his reward, more or leſſe.
But it ſeemeth this doctrine ſhould argue ſome want in thoſe that hauehave leſſe.
None at all: for all ſhall bee full, although one hauehave more then another: as a veſſell containing a gallon, is as full for the bigneſſe, as that which containeth ten; and the foot may for the proportion of a foot, be as beautifull as the hand, although it hauehave not ſo much beautie in it as the hand, which would be no grace in the body.
Howbeit this doctrine ſeemeth neceſſarilie to draw merit with it.
Not ſo: for albeit they receiue according to their workes, yet they receiue it not for their workes. And as God beſtowing greater graces vponupon one heere in this life, more then vponupon another is not therefore eſteemed to hauehave beſtowed them in regard of merit: ſo in beſtowing greater felicity in the life to come, vponupon one more then another, is not to bee eſteemed to doe it for merit.
Hitherto of the happineſſe of the elect. What is the vnhappineſſe of the reprobate?
It may be eaſilie gathered by the contrarie, of that which hath beene ſpoken of the happineſſe of the elect.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Cartwright, Christian Religion (1611)