The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 3 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Of our perfect louelove of God, our vnwearied delight in praising him; our perpetuall Sabbath, continuall ioy, and reioycing in the fruition of God; and of the eternitie of all this our happinesse.
BVt seeing it were infinite to stand in such particulars;§. Sect. 1. That we shall most perfectly louelove God, and be most happie in this our louelove. because God, whom we inioy, is infinite in all goodnesse and perfection; therefore leauing all the rest of the fruits which our communion with God will yeeld vntounto vsus; I will only insist in that heauenlie louelove, and the fruits thereof, wherewith being vnited vntounto God, we shall louelove him, and hee vsus; which is the bond of our vnion with him, and the very perfection of our happinesse. For when wee shall see Gods excellencies and perfections, and communicate with him in all his happinesse, and call to mind the infinite louelove wherewith he hath alwaies loued vsus, chusing vsus vntounto life before we were, creating vsus according to his owne image vntounto glorie, sustaining vsus by his power and prouidence from time to time, and preseruing and protecting vsus in the middest of innumerable dangers; redeeming vsus by giuing his onelyonly sonne, as the price of our redemption; calling vsus by his word and spirit, to the participation of him, and all his benefits; iustifying, sanctifying, and finally, imparting vntounto vsus the ioies of heauen, yea, himself, his glory, goodnesse, and eternall happinesse to bee inioyed of vsus; then will this exceeding louelove of God inflame our hearts with louelove towards him againe, fill and replenish them with infinite ioy in his fruition, and make vsus to take our whole delight in thinking, speaking, and doing whatsoeuer wee know may bee pleasing and acceptable vntounto him: then shall it bee our pleasure to thinke and speake of his mercies and goodnesse, to sing his praises, and with al our might to extoll and magnifie his beautie and excellencie in himselfe, and his benefits and blessednes communicated vntounto vsus: then shall not his commandements be grieuous vntounto vsus, but we shall performe them with all alacritie, ioy and comfort: then shall wee (as one saith) hauehave an holy otium, and goodAugust. de ciuit. dei. lib. 22. cap. 30. leisure to contemplate Gods diuine excellencies, and seeing them, we shall louelove them, and louing shall praise them. And this shall bee our end without end; for what other end hauehave we, but to come to that Kingdome which hath no end? then being freed from al euil, and fully replenished with al good, we shall contemplate and behold Gods beautie and goodnesse,August. de spiritu & anima cap. 65. which doth replenish and fill vsus; and he shall be the end of all our desires, whom wee shall see without end, louelove without loathing, and praise without wearines. Of all whichIpse facit vt desideres; ipse est quod desideras. Causa diligendi deum deus est. louelove and ioy the Lord himself is the sole author, efficient, obiect, end and fruit. For first in our creation, he wrought in vsus this facultie or affection of louelove, wherby man desireth to imbrace and vnite vntounto himselfe the thing beloued▪ that soIpse dat occasionem, ipse creat …ffectionem, desiderium ipse consummat. Bernard. de dilig. deo tract. inioying it, hee may rest contented, and reioyce in this fruition. And that to this maine end, that wee might destre, imbrace, and bee vnited with all our hearts, wils and affections, vntounto himselfe our supreme good, who i… infinite in all beautie and perfection, and so by this bond of louelove become one with him. For as the Apostle saith, God 1. Iohn 4. 16.is louelove, and hee that dwelleth in louelove, dwelleth in God, and God in him. So the Lord is the efficient cause of our louelove, whilest hee communicateth himselfe vntounto vsus, who is worthie of all louelove, and with the infinit flames of his louelove towards vsus, doth inflame our hearts with louelove towards him: and the obiect likewise of our affection, being most louely and full of all beautie, excellencie, and affection. And finally, he is the supreme end, and from him alone hauehave we all the fruit of our louelove, whilest imbracing him in our harts and affections, who containeth all good and perfection, we are fullie satisfied, replenished with delight, and made thereby most happie and blessed. For seeing it is the nature of louelove to vnite the person louing, with the thing beloued, yea, to transforme him as much as may be, into the same nature, and to adorne him with the same excellencies which it affecteth: and seeing our louelove of God shall be so perfect, that we shal louelove him with all the powers of our soules, much more ardently then we doe our selues; hereof it will come to passe, that wee shall much more reioyce in his glory and blessednes, then in our owne; and the fuller our hearts be with his louelove, the more ioy shall we hauehave in beholding his felicitie. As therefore we louelove God because he communicateth vntounto vsus heauenly happinesse, so shall we be most happie, because we louelove him. For then are we perfectly blessed, when we hauehave the full fruition of our summum bonum, and chiefe happinesse; and the chiefe meanes, whereby we imbrace and inioy it, is, when our wils desire it, and our hearts and affections are set vponupon it. And as wee are thus happie and blessed, because wee shall perfectlie louelove the Lord, so much more, because he will louelove vsus, both because his louelove is infinit, and far beyond all degrees of comparison surpassing ours, and also because it is actiue, operatiue, and most powerfull to communicate vntounto vsus all goodnesse and perfection; for louing our being, he causeth vsus to be; louing vsus by his grace, he communicateth grace vntounto vsus; louing vsus vntounto glorie and eternall happines, he doth by this louelove glorifie vsus, and make vsus happle. Wherein the louelove of God infinitly exceedeth the louelove of men: for they louelove one another, because they find them worthie their louelove, as being beautifull, good, vertuous, and indued with good parts; but God by his louing vsus, maketh vsus worthie his louelove; and doth not therefore first louelove vsus, because we are good, beautifull, and full of vertue, and perfection, bu… because he loueth vsus, he imparteth vntounto vsus beautie, vertue, goodnes, and all good parts, framing the obiect of his louelove to his owne mind, that he may eternally delight in louing of it, being fitted and made worthie of his louelove and fauour.
And thus being filled with Gods louelove, and through this§. Sect. 2. That all our delight shall be to sing continually the praises of God. louelove replenished with all ioy and blessednesse; we shall take all our delight in praysing and magnifying the Lord, and in speaking of his infinit wisdome, power, maiestie, iustice, goodnesse, merciemercy, and of the rest of his attributes and perfections; singing continually Psalmes of praise and thanksgiuing to God the Father, his Sonne, and holy Spirit, for our creation, redemption, glorification; because in the one he hath giuen vsus our selues, in the other his Son, and in the last himselfe, to be enioyed for the perfecting of our happines. For as in this life we offer this seruice vntounto God, because we hauehave nothing else to giuegive vntounto him for all his benefits, but the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing, (neither can we render vntounto him any present to shew our louelove, which is more acceptable, then the lauding and magnifying of his excellencies in himselfe, and his merciemercy and goodnes towards vsus)Ipse finis erit desideriorum nostrorum, qui sine fine videbitur, sine fastidio amabitur, sine fatigatione laudabitur. August. de Ciuit. Dei, lib. 22. cap. 30. so shall we performe this seruice vntounto God eternally in the heauenly ioyes, with as much more reioycing, alacritie and comfort, as we hauehave a more full sight of his glorie and maiestie, and a more compleat, and perfect fruition, of his grace and goodnes. For (as one saith) God is the end of our destres, whom we shall see without end, louelove without loathing, and praise without wea…ines. Of which diuine and heauenly praises … in the Re…elatiō, fal downe before God, & worship him, saying▪ Thou art worthie O Lord to receiue glorie, and honor, and Apocal. 4. 11.power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy wils sake they are▪ and hauehave been created: so they are said to hauehave taken their harps & goldē vials, & to hauehave sung this new song in ye praise of our Sauiour, saying, Thou art worthie to take the b…oke, and Chap. 5. 10. 11. 12.open the seales thereof, because thou wast killed, & hast redeemed vsus to God by thy blood, out of eueryevery kind…ed, and tongue, and people, and nation and hast made vsus vntounto our God Kings and Priests, and we shall raigne on the earth. And with them ioyne thousand thousands of the Saints, singing and saying with a loud voice, worthie is the Lambe that was killed, to receiue power, and riches, and wisdome▪ and strength, and honor, and glorie, and praise, &c. And elsewhere it is said, that a great multitude Apocal. …. 10. 11. 12. 15.which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lambe, clothed with long white robes, and palmes in their hands; and cried with a loud voice saying: Saluation commeth of our God, that sitteth vponupon the throne, and of the Lambe: and all the Angels stood about the throne, and about the Elders, and the foure beasts, and they fell downe before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God; saying, Amen, praise, and glorie, and wisdome, and thankes, and honor, and power, and might, be vntounto our God for euermore, Amen. Which holy exercise (as he saith) they performe continually vntounto God in his temple day and …ight. And in another place he …aith, that he heard a great voice, of a Apocal. 19. 1. 2.great multitude in heauen, saying, H…llel…ah, sal…ation, and glorie, and honor, and power, be to the Lord our God, for true and righteous and his iudgements. All which worship and seruice shall be performed vntounto God, in, and by God▪ for there shall be no temple, ceremonie, preaching of the Word▪ or Sacraments; for God immediately with his holy Spirit shall bothApocal. 21. 2…. incite and inable vsus with al ioy to performe these duties, and he shall be our Temple, light, and all in all. All which actions1. Cor. 15. 2…. of praise and thankesgiuing, as they tend to the glorie of God, so chiefly and principally to our owne good; for Gods glorie in it owne nature and essence, being infinit and most perfect, cannot be increased by our praises, but is only manifested to his best beloued creatures, for their owne good and glorie: and as the Sun draweth vp vapours from the sea and other waters, not for it owne vse, and benefit, but that it may cause them to distill downe in raine to water the earth, and make it fruitfull: so the Lord with the beames of his grace and holy Spirit, draweth from vsus these praises and thankesgiuings, not for his owne good, vntounto which nothing can be added, but that his Saints and holy Angels by these heauenly exercises of his seruice, may hauehave an increase of their ioy and blessednes.
And because this shall be our continuall exercise to contemplate§. Sect. 3. That we shall keepe an eternal Sabbath vntounto God. Gods infinit beautie, glorie, and perfections, hereof it will come to passe, that we shall keepe an eternall Sabbath, and perpetuall rest vntounto the Lord, for his glorie and our own infinit ioy and comfort. Neither is it to be thought, that in this heauenly happinesse, we shall spend our time in slothfull ease, and idle rest, which is more tedious and lothsome then the painfullest labour; but that we shall wholly rest from sinne, and performe vntounto God, pure and perfect seruice; and also from the fruits of sinne, as the troubles andEsay 66. 23. grieuances of this life, our painfull labours, wearines of bodie, and cares of mind; and enioy peaceable quietnes in the vision and fruition of God, without any trouble, care, or other molestation. So the Apostle Paul saith, that the Lord2. Thess. 1. 7. at his appearing, will free vsus from our troubles, and giuegive vntounto vsus rest: and elsewhere he affirmeth, that there remaineth a Hebr. 4. 9. 10.rest to the people of God: for he that is entred into his rest, hath also ceased from his owne workes, as God from his: And the Apostle Iohn telleth vsus that in our heauenly happines, there shall be no more sorrow, nor crying, nor paine, because God shall Apocal. 21. 4.wipe all teares from our eyes. And this is the perfection of that rest, which our Sauiour promiseth. Take my yoke on you Matth. 11. 29.(saith he) and learne of me, that I am meeke and lowly in heart, and you shall findrest to your soules. Besides, we shall rest in our wils and desires, and no more (as in this life) couet after better, or other things; because hauing attained vntounto the fruition of our summum bonum, and perfection of happines, we shall be throughly, and fully satisfied, there being nothing in heauen or in earth which we can desire more: for as in nature rest is the end of motion, and the appetite ceaseth as being satisfied, when the matter hath attained his desired forme: and as the bodie resteth, when it is come vntounto the place vntounto which it trauelled: so our soules endeuouring to obtaine those things which they louelove and desire, that being thereby fully satisfied and contented, they may rest and reioyce in their fruition, hauing attained vntounto the fruition of God, and that heauenly happines, and infinit ioy in his presence, and being satiate without satietie with his goodnesse and perfection, do peacefully and most ioyfully rest in this blessed communion with him.
For with this rest there shall be ioyned all peace, comfort,§. Sect. 4. That in our heauenly happinesse we shall hauehave all ioy, comfort, peace, and reioycing in God. ioy, and reioycing in God, and in the fruition of our heauenly happines, which is (as it were) the top of our perfectiō, and the haruest of our glorie: for as the sight and presence of God, is the root of all our felicitie and blessednes, the louelove and fruition of him, the bodie, boughes and branches of this tree of life eternall; so this ioy and gladnes, reioycing and triumphing in God, our summum bonum, shall be the fruit vponupon which we shall feed to our euerlasting comfort: when as seeing, inioying, louing, praising, and resting in him; we shall take infinit pleasure and delight in the sight of his beautie and glorie, in the taste of his sweetnes and bountie, and in the fruition of his goodnes and perfection. And hence it is, that our Sauiour Christ calleth our heauenly happines by theMatth. 25. 21. name of ioy: Enter (saith he) into thy masters ioy; and the Psalmist, fulnes of ioy and eternall pleasures; and that they are describedPsalme 16. 11. by the actions of pleasure which we vse in this life, as eating, drinking, singing, playing on instruments and such like: to note vntounto vsus, that our sweet repose in God, accompanied with all these ioyes, comforts and delights, is the consummation and perfection of all our happines: for as in this life God hath endued man with such a nature, that his will, heart and affections, embracing their loued and liked obiects, he is sweetly affected with them, and hath his heart opened with ioy, that (as much as may be) it may receiue them into it, and so reioyce in their fruition; with which ioy and gladnes the heart is cheared, the health preserued, and the life prolonged; so he retaining still his nature, and naturall faculties, though in farre greater excellencie and perfection, doth, when he seeth his summum bonum and chiefe happines, God infinit in all perfection, with his will and soule embrace this most beloued obiect, and hauing his heart with this heauenly vision, filled with all ioy and gladnesse, it doth more and more dilate and enlarge it, to make an open entrance and passage, for this chiefe good which it most dearely loueth, that by a more full fruition of it, there may be still greater cause of glorying and reioycing. And this is that peace and infinit ioy which is begun in all the faithfull, euen in this life; when as knowing God in Christ, and being assured by faith of the pardon of our sins, of our reconciliation, and recouery of his louelove and fauour, by our Sauiours perfect and al-sufficient satisfaction, and of those future ioyes which in our heauenly countrie are prepared and reserued for vsus; we do ioy and reioyce in this knowledge and assurance, not only when we enioy worldly prosperitie, but also in our greatest afflictions and persecutions. Neither is the ioy and peaceRom. 5. 1. 3. of the faithfull in earth, of a diuers kind, and different nature to that which the Saints shall hauehave in heauen; for the whole kingdome of God, comprising both the kingdome of grace, and the kingdome of glorie, is righteousnesse, peace, Rom. 14. 17.and ioy in the holy Ghost, as the Apostle speaketh: but the difference betweene them, is, in their degree and quantitie; for as the knowledge, fruition, and louelove of God is weake and imperfect in this life; so also is our peace and ioy; besides that it is continually molested and disturbed, with many cares, feares, and griefes, arising both from the things without vsus, and within vsus; from all which imperfections and troubles we being perfectly freed is our heauenly …, shall also attaine vntounto perfect peace, and compleate fulnes of ioy and comfort; so unit shall not bee like our worldly ioy, … suit; outward, and … with griefe and sorrow, according to the saying of the Wise man, … loughing the Pro…. 14. 13.heart is sorro full and the end of that … his heau…esse, but kindly, heartie, pure and sincere, without the mixture of either griese or miserie; not tickle and inconstant, reioycing and mourning almost with the …ame breath, but most constant and durable, permanent and continuall, being free, both from end, and all distraction and perturbation: not caused by bitter quippes and biting girds, nor yet by foolish iesting, and filthie speaking; but spirituall, graue and holy, hauing a farre different root from which it springeth, namely, the fruition of God; and our heauenly happines. Finally, our ioyes shall not like the pleasures of the world, become tedious in their vse, and loathsome if there be no… continually … varietie, but shall constantly remaine sweet and pleasant, bringing fulnesse without loathing and … without …. Now what shall be the subiect and cause of this our ioy; so infinite, and so endlesse. I hauehave in part shewed, namely, because we shall be freed from all euill, and replenished with all good, hauing our minds enlightned, our wil… reformed, our consciences purged, and purified, our affections sanctified, our whole man perfectly glorified. And also because we shall enioy the societie of the Angels and …, our fellowship with the So…ne of God, and our Sauiour, whose excellencies in himselfe and benefits deriued to vsus, we shall behold and admire; and admiring, againe contemplate: our communion also with the Spirit of God dwelling in vsus; which being such a comforter, and infusing such ioy into our hearts in this life, that enableth vsus to endure not only with patience, but with comfort and reioycing all troubles and tortures, afflictions, and persecutions; with what infinit ioy will it fill vsus in the world to come in the …uition of God, and all his benefit. VntoUnto which some also adde that exceeding ioy, which the Saints shall hauehave, when they see Gods and their enemies troden vnderunder foot, and bearing … punishments for their …, … of the hatted of their persons, and desire of reuenge, but because God is glorified … the execution of iustice, and … fying his threatninge, according to that of the Psalmist; The rights … P…l. …… … there it a fruit for the righteous, doubtlesse there is a God that iudggeth the earth an example whereof we hauehave in the Saints, reioycing and praising God, because he had shewed his truth, and executed his righteousnesse, in the punishment and destruction of the whore of Babylon.Apoc. 19. 1….
All which their ioy is made most perfect and compleat,§. Sect. 5. That the ioyes of heauen shall be eternall and euerlasting. Ioh. 16. 22. because it shall not continue onelyonly for a time, but remaine and endure for euer and euer; for the ioy which our Sauiour will giuegive vntounto vsus, no man shall be able to take it from…. And this is the last point which I propounded, without which all the rest were maimed and vnperfect; for though our heauenly happinesse were in it selfe neuer so compleat and absolute in all perfections, yet if it were not also permanent and euerlasting, and infinite in time, as well as incomprehensible in quantitie, we could not be said to be perfectly happie, and truely blessed. For though we were sure they should continue many hundred thousand of yeeres, yet if wee also knew, that they would then end and leaue vsus, wee should bee as much discontented, that the time would come when as we should be depriued of them, as comforted in their present fruition; yea the greater and more excellent our ioyes should be whilest we hauehave them, the greater would in this respect our sorrow and griefe be, to thinke that we should once bee dispolled of them; whereas now finding them for deepresent infinite, and in respect of the time to come endlesse, nothing can be added to their perfection. But the eternitie ofEsa. 60. 15 & 65. 18. these ioyes may as cleerely be proued out of the holy Scriptures, as their vnconceiueable excellencie. So the Psalmist saith, that in Gods aPsal. 16. 11.presence is fulnesse of … and it his right hand pleasures for ouer…. And our Sauiour promiseth that they who bIoh. 6. 51. &…ate of … end of life … for euen: and saith, that it is c17. 3.life … to … God and his sonne Christ. And in this the Apostle maketh an opposition betweene the things of this life, and the life to come; In that the d1. Ioh. 2. 17.world passeth away, and the lusts thereof; but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer. So the kingdome of glory is said to bee so constant and permanent that it cannot be shaken, and hath the epithete of eternitie, oftentimes attributed vntounto it: thus it is called eHeb. 12. 28.eternall glory, vntounto which the God of all grace hath called vsus by Iesus Christ; and an f1. Pet. 5. 10.eternall inheritance, which can neuer fade nor perish: So the Apostle faith, that gHeb. 9. 15.Christ was appointed to be our mediatour, that through his death those which are called, might receiue the promise of an eternall inheritance. And the Apostle Peter telleth vsus, that we hauehave h1. Pet. 1. 4.an inheritance, immortall, and vndefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserued in heauen for vsus. And in this respect the estate of the faithfull, is by the Psalmist made much more excellent then the state of the wicked; that whereas these with all their power and might shall be quite ruined and ouerthrowne, the iust are vpholden by God, and shall hauehave an iPsal. 37. 17. 18.inheritance which shall be perpetuall. Finally, the kingdome of our Sauiour Christ is said to bee eternall, and consequently his subiects ouer whom he raigneth must liue eternally with him: and lest we should thinke that hee continuing in his regencie, may make choice of other subiects, they also are specified to be the house of Iacob, that is, his Church, and faithfull, the true posterity of Abraham according to the promise. For so the Angell of God saith vntounto the blessed virgin: kLuk. 1. 33. Dan. 7. 27.He shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer, and of his kingdome shall be no end. And to put the matter out of all doubt, that we also shal reign with him; it is not only said in the Scriptures, that we shal be l1. Cor. 15. 53. 2. Tim. 1. 10.incorruptible & immortal; but more precisely, that we mApoc. 22. 5.shall reigne in this kingdome of glory for euermore. Foolish therefore is the dreame and dotage of those heretiques, who imagined that this heauenly glory and happinesse should continue but a thousand yeeres; seeing the Scriptures so plentifully proue, that they shall be endlesse and euerlasting. And as weake and feeble is their ground and foundation, whereupon they build their vaine opinion; namely, because it is said in the Reuelation, that the faithfull shall reigne with God and our Sauiour Christ a thousand yeeres: which is not to be vnderstood of the kingdome of glory in heauen, but of the kingdome of grace in earth, as the words immediately going before, specially limiting it to the first resurrection, which is our regeneration, whereby in this world we rise from the death of sinne, to holinesse and newnesse ofApoc. 20. …. 6. life, doe plainely shew. So that notwithstanding their foolish and vngrounded assertion we may conclude, that as the ioyes of heauen are in their quantity and quality most excellent and vnspeakeable, infinite and incomprehensible; so also in respect of time they are endlesse and euerlasting, not onelyonly in themselues, but also vntounto vsus, seeing they shall neuer be taken from vsus, not we from them; but after many thousand millions of yeeres expired, they shall bee as farre from their end as the first day when we entred into them. For otherwise wee should not attaine vntounto perfect felicitie▪ and compleat blessednesse, which the Scriptures so often do promise vntounto vsus; seeing it comprehendeth not onelyonly an infinite quantitie and measure of happinesse, but also an euerlasting time, and a perpetuall continuance of this glory and felicity, without the assurance whereof we could neuer be secure, nor our hearts and desires fully satisfied, and without which securitie and satietie there can be no perfect blessednesse and felicitie.