The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 3 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Of the vses of the former doctrine concerning the ioyes of heauen.
ANd thus hauehave I darkely shadowed out the§. Sect. 1. That we should spend our time rather in getting assurance of these heauenly ioyes, then in curious inquiring after them. 1. Cor. 2. 9. ioyes of heauen, which no mortall man can describe according to their glory and full perfection: for as the Apostle hath taught vsus, the things which God hath prepared for all those that louelove him, are such, as neither eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, nor heart conceiued. And as another saith, so innumerable and incomprehensible be these euerlasting ioyes of Gods kingdome, that al the Arethmeticians in the worldThom. Aquin. de veri. theolog. lib. 7. c…p. vlt. cannot sufficiently number them, nor Geometricians measure them; nor all the Grammarians, Logicians, and Rhetoricians, to the full expresse them. That therefore you may somewhat supplie that wherein the former description is defectiue, call to mind all those ioyes which you hauehave euer seene, and say with your selues, that they are not these, but farre greater, because your eyes hauehave beheld them: recall to your memories all those delights and comforts, which you hauehave euer beene told of, and then withall thinke that they are not these, but much more excellent, because your eares hauehave heard them; yea faine in your imaginations, whatsoeuer glory and happinesse your mind can conceiue and comprehend, and conclude with ioy, that they are not these, but much more admirable and incomprehensible, because your heart and soule hath been able to conceiue them; seeing the Apostle hath plainely told vsus, that these heauenly ioyes are so infinite, and farre aboue all humane reach, that neither the eye, eare, nor heart, hauehave seene, heard, or conceiued the least part of this diuine glorie, and surpassing excellencie. And therefore seeing they cannot perfectly bee knowne before they be enioyed, let vsus not (as many doe) spend our time in curious questions, and busie our selues in searching what is done in heauen, and what are the particular degrees of euerie ones glory, neglecting in the meane time the way which should bring vsus vntounto this happinesse; but considering that this kingdome is a garland and crowne1. Cor. 14. 24. of glorie, which none obtaine but they who run a race; let vsus not foolishly stand still and loiter, enquiring after those hidden and vnknowne iewels, wherewith this crowne is enriched and adorned; but let vsus first runne this race, that wee may be assured that wee shall obtaine it, and then shall wee hauehave time and leasure enough to consider of it worth and excellency. Now is the time wherein we must striue against the enemies of our saluation, that hauing the victorie, wee may receiue the crowne of glorie; and as the Apostle saith, if any man striue for a masterie, hee is not crowned except hee striue as he ought to doe. Now is our seed time, and hereafter…. Tim. …. 5. 6. … saluation are not few and feeble, … many and potent, euen principalities, powers, gouernours and great princes, as the Apostle calleth them▪ who are no… easily ouercome, vnlesseEph. 6. 12. we …e armed with the spirituall …, and fight couragiously vntounto the end▪ and that our way to heauen is not by a faire and pleasant sea, vponupon which wee might faile, though we spend our time in▪ sleeping, and attaine vntounto the hauen by other mens labours before we are aware; but a iourney by land… and that the way which wee trauell, is not champion, and delightfull to the old Adam, but (as our▪ SauiourMat. 7. 13. 14. Act. 14. 22. 2. Tim. 3. 12. calleth it) a narrow and afflicted path▪ in it selfe rough▪ and full of rubs, and beset on all sides with the thornes of afflictions, and▪ briars of tribulations, which are likely to discourage vsus that wee will not, or hinder vsus that wee cannot goe forward to our: iourneyes …nd▪ vnlesse wee breake through them with a magnanimous …irit▪ and christian resolution. The gate which ent…eth into this heauenly paradise, is (as Christ also telleth vsus) so strai… and vneasie for entrance, that we must striue (if we will hauehave any passage) to enter in… and that not according to our owne superstitions, but Gods direction; for as much as …ee saith in another place▪ many shall seeke to enter in, but shall not be able. And (as the ApostleLuk. 13. 24. …. Pet. 4. 18. speaketh) if the righteous be scar…ly saued; that is, not without great paines and difficultie, where shall the vngodly and §. Sect. 2. That the difficulty in obtai…ing the ioyes of heauen should not discourage vsus, but make vsus more iouragious in taking … Rom. 8. 18.sinner appeare?
But yet let not this labour and vneasie passage discourage and hinder vsus from entring or going forward in this difficult and afflicted way, seeing if wee take the paines which God hath prescribed, we shall most certainly obtaine the reward▪ and when we enioy i… we shall be sure to finde it worth our labour▪ for the Apostle telleth vsus▪ that the affliction… of th… present life are not worthie▪ he glorie which shall be showed vntounto vsus; because (as else where he speaketh) these light and momentanie 2. Cor. 4. 17.afflictions, shall cause vntounto vsus a farre most excellent, and an eternall waeight of glorie. Yea rather let vsus with greater courage and resolution, passe through all dangers, and endure all paines and labour, that we may attaine vntounto this eternall rest and glorious kingdome. For if men for the obtaining of a corruptible crowne, are content to oppresse themselues with cares, to endure all labours, to runne a thousand desperate courses, and euen to hazard their owne soules; yea if they be willing for the smallest preferments and profits of a kingdome, to trauell by sea and land, to spend their strength, and consume their bodies, and to indanger themselues daily to many deaths, though (as I hauehave shewed) they are but of small worth, and lesse certaintie for their continuance; what cares, dangers, and labours should wee thinke too much for the obtaining of a crowne, which is most glorious and incorruptible, and a kingdome without end? But yet alas, such is either the great infidelitie of men, that they doe not beleeue these things, though God who is truth it selfe doe promise them; or their negligence, that they neuer so much as thinke and meditate vponupon them; or their securitie and presumption, that they hope to obtaine this kingdome whether they seeke it or no; or finally, such is their prophanenes and carnall follie, that they esteeme these earthly and momentanie trifles, vaine honours, vncertaine riches, and brutish pleasures, more then these vnspeakable ioyes and euerlasting glorie. For that they stand thus affected, it may plainly appeare by their practise and our daily experience. For whereas if any man of credit should promise vntounto them, I will not say a kingdome, but some small profit, pleasure, or preferment, vponupon condition that they will take some paines in suing and seeking to obtaine it; how readily and earnestly will they become seekers and suers, that they may inrich themselues with these earthly benefits? but when Christ the eternall veritie, who neuer sailed of his word, offereth this heauenly kingdome of his free grace, as a reward of their paines, if they will labour to obtaine it; how little doe they regard it? how slowly doe they seeke it? thereby shewing manifestly that either they doe not beleeue Gods promise; or doe so basely esteeme the thing promised, that they preferre before it these worldly trifles and worthlesse vanities. If an earthly King should promise to his subiect some great treasures and high preferments; on this condition, that he shew himselfe dutifull and obedient, in performing some of his lawfull commandements; with how great care and diligence would hee yeeld obedience? and how much more if he should promise, yea and confirme it by his hand, seale, and oath, that hee would adopt him for his sonne, and make him heire apparant of his kingdome? But when God thus promiseth his heauenly benefits, and offereth vntounto vsus his kingdom of glorie, and to make vsus heires of this eternal inheritance, if wee will bestow any paines in seeking of it; how …ew are the number that regard his promises, or bestow any labour in attaining to this assurance? and yet there is great difference, both in respect of the persons promising, & the things promised. For a King being mortal, and mutable, may either die, and so cannot; or change his minde vponupon some displeasure, and so will not performe his promise; or though neither of these fall out, hee may die to whom the promise is made, before him that made it, and so neuer come to inherit the kingdome: But God is immortall and immutable, and as he cannot die, so he cannot be changed, and therefore will most certainly performe his promise, if wee performe the condition of our dutie and obedience. And againe, there is great difference between the things promises, euen as great, as is betweene heauen and earth, a substance and a shadow, momentany pleasure, and euerlasting ioy, betweene a flitting and fading kingdome, incumbred with many croffes and afflictions, and a kingdome absolute in all perfection, infinite, endlesse, replenished with all glorie, ioy and riches, and obnoxious to no trouble and incumbrance.
But let vsus, who hauehave see no some small shadow and resemblance§. Sect. 3. Of the meanes whereby wee may be assured to attaine vntounto our heauenly ioyes. of this heauenly happinesse; and most perfect glorie, auoid, and not suffer our selues to be carried away, with this common streame of worldly dotage; but as farre as wee see the eternall ioyes of heauen, to exceed the momentanie pleasures which are in earth, so much let our louelove, care, & paines exceed in desiring and seeking to obtaine them. And that wee may not spend our paines in the trauelling of a wrong way, and so in the end complaine that we hauehave laboured in vaine, let vsus make choice of that only way Iesus Christ, desiring to be true members ingrafted into his glorious bodieIoh. 14. 6. by a liuely faith, that so in him we may be the sonnes of God, and the adopted heires of his glorious kingdome. Let vsus adioyne our selues to the kingdome of grace, professing our subiection vntounto God, and communicating with the rest of the Saints in the exercises of the true religion; as calling vponupon God, hearing his word, receiuing his Sacraments, and submitting our selues to be ordred and ruled by the outward discipline and gouernment of the Church. Yea we must not only outwardly professe our selues the subiects and seruants of God, but wee must also liue like his subiects in obedience to his will …d word. For in vaine doe we draw neere vntounto God Matth. 15. 8.with our lips, if our hearts be farre from him; in vaine we heare the word, vnlesse wee obey it; in vaine doe we receiue the Sacraments with our hand and mouth, vnlesse wee also receiue, and applie Christ vntounto vsus with a true faith, and shew the vigour and vertue of this holy vnion in our vnfained repentance, dying vntounto sinne, and rising againe to newnes of life; in vaine doe wee submit our selues to the outward gouernment of the Church, vnlesse also Christ doe inwardly raigne and rule in vsus by the scepter of his word and holy spirit: finally, in vaine doe we professe our selues Gods subiects and seruants, if wee liue like the seruants of sinne, and slaues of Satan. Whereas contrariwise, if wee so liue in holy obedience to Gods will, with faith and a good conscience, as we may be assured thereby, that wee are true members of the kingdome of grace, we may also be ascertained, that we shall be heires of the kingdome of glorie, this being the porch or suburbs whereby we enter into our heauenly mansions, and the new Ierusalem, the citie of God. In a word, if euer wee thinke to raigne triumphantly in the kingdome of heauen, and to hauehave our portion and share in that eternall glorie; we must hauehave the kingdome of God begun in vsus in this life, and be replenished with the gifts and graces of his holy spirit: for as the Apostle teacheth vsus, aRom. 14. 17.the kingdome of God is righteousnesse, and peace, and ioy in the holy ghost. If wee meane to hauehave Christ Iesus liuing in vsus vntounto glory, we must liue in him vntounto grace and holinesse; so as we may say with the Apostle, that bGal. 2. 20.we liue no more now, but Christ liueth in vsus, and in that we now liue in the flesh, we liue by the faith in the sonne of God; for there is none shall eternally liue in heauen, in whom life eternall is not begun on earth, because none shall bee saued but they who hauehave saith; and he that cIoh. 5. 24.beleeueth hath euerlasting life, and hath passed from death to life, already, as our Sauiour speaketh. Finally, if we would hauehave any hope to liue that life of glory and happines, we must first liue the life of grace and holines. If we would be dPsal. 17. 15.satisfied with Gods image, we must behold his face in righteousnes; if we would be ePsal. 31. 19.partakers of Gods goodnesse in the world to come, wee must in this life be indued with his feare; if wee would hauehave the fruition of God fGen. 17. 1.al-sufficient, wee must walke before him and be vpright. If wee would ascend into the gPsal. 15. 1. 2. 3. & 24. 3. 4.mountaine of the Lord, and stand in the place of his holinesse, we must hauehave innocent hands, and a pure heart; and find in our selues conformitie with that excellent description, which the Lord himselfe maketh vntounto the Psalmist, of an heauenly inhabitant; if wee would not let the hApoc. 20. 6.second death take hold of vsus, but contrariwise attaine vntounto heauenly blessednesse, we must hauehave our part in the first resurrection; and to conclude this point, if we would be like our Sauiour Christ when he appeareth, and would i1. Ioh. 3. 3.see God as he is, whose vision, as I hauehave shewed, is our chiefe felicitie, we must, as the Apostle telleth vsus, purge our selues, euen as he is pure; for without holinesse wee shall neuer see God: and if we remaine in our vncleannesse, and pollution of sinne, we shall neuer find entrance into the kApoc. 21. 27.city of God, nor bee admitted as inhabitants of the kingdome of heauen, which as much excelleth in puritie and perfection, as in glory, happinesse, and vnspeakeable ioyes.
And thus hauehave I, through the gracious assistance of Gods§. Sect. 4. The conclusion of the booke, enforcing from that which hath beene said, the contempt of the world. holy spirit, finished this part also of the Christian Warfare, wherein I hauehave indeauoured to arme eueryevery man against the tentations of worldly prosperitie; by shewing and proouing that the world and worldly things are base and contemptible, and not worthie any louelove and esteeme, in comparison of Gods spirituall graces and heauenly ioyes. For if these earthly things which carnall worldlings doe so much affect, bee vaine and worthles, and Gods spiritual graces, and heauenly ioyes be most excellent and precious; they vnprofitable euen in this life, and these most beneficiall both in this life, and the life to come; if they in themselues are miserable comforters, and bring many other miseries attending on them, and these most sweete and delightfull, without the mixture of any euil; if they be vnceraine to be gotten by those who louelove them, and fugitiue to those who most run after them, and these most assuredly obtained by those who desire them, and vse the meanes whereby they may inioy them; if they be as vncertain in their possession, as in their pursuit, being eueryevery day readie to leaue their owners, or their owners to leaue them, and these most constant, permanent and eternall▪ finally, if they through our corruption abusing them, doe so much hurt vsus, being the causes, occasions, and instruments of so manifold euils; and these so much benefit vsus, adorning vsus with all glory, inriching vsus with al good, replenishing vsus, both in our soules and bodies with all ioyes, pleasures and delights, and making vsus in all respects truly happie, and eternally blessed: what doting folly and franticke madnesse is it, either in our iudgements or affections, to preferre the worlds base, worthlesse and momentany trifles, before these inestimable iewels, and heauenly treasures? We account him a child or a foole, who wil preferre a counter before a kingdome, a shadow before a substance, and eueryevery base trifle, before his patrimonie and inheritance: and we both wonder and laugh at the simplicitie of the barbarous nations, who will exchange their gold and pearles, for a knife or glasse; but how much more absurd and ridiculous is their follie and madnesse, who preferre earth before heauē, mammon before God, and the vaine pleasures of sin, which last but for a season, before the Kingdome of glorie, and those vnspeakeable ioyes which shal neuer end? Let vsus therefore beware of this worldly frensle; and seeing we professe the name of Christ, & boast our selues of our heauenly hopes, as though wee were assured of them, and expected eternal crownes and kingdomes, let vsus be ashamed that our practise should bewray our iudgements & affections, manifestly showing by our neglect of things spirituall and eternal, and by our earnest & incessant seeking of things momentanie and temporall, that we more esteeme earth then heauen, and desire more the short possession of these worldly vanities, then the euerlasting fruition of God himselfe, and those glorious ioyes of his heauenly Kingdome. We know that those who hauehave fed on dainties▪ do loath ye tast of grosser meats; and that when the Sun shineth vponupon the fire, it maketh the light thereof like vntounto a painted colour, and much abateth of it heate, if it doe not quite extinguish it: and so let vsus who hauehave tasted how good God is, and the most delicate sweetnesse of those heauenly ioyes, learne to loath the swinish husks of filthie pleasures, and the windie pulfe of worldly honours; and seeing the diuine light of that heauenly glorie hath shined vntounto vsus, let it dim the light of carnall reason, and abate, if not extinguish, the flame and fire of our earthly concupiscence. For this is the end, as the Apostle teacheth vsus, why the Lord in merciemercy hath caused his truth to shine vntounto vsus, and to inlighten our minds with those glorious raies. The Tit. 2. 11. 12.grace of God (saith he) that bringeth saluation vntounto all m…n hath appeared, and teacheth vsus, that we should denie vngodlinesse, and worldly lusts, and that we should liue soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world. Let vsus not too much esteeme and affect this state of mortality, seeing we our selues are immortall, nor value these earthly things at high rates, as though they were parts and members of our bodies, but onelie account of them as haires, nailes, and other excrements, making a fit proportion of them to serue for ornament, and vse, but cutting them off (at least in our harts and affections) when being more then needs, they grow superfluous. Wee are pilgrims on earth, and therefore let our hearts be specially set and fixed on our heauenly countrie; we are to runne a race for no lesse a prize, then the crowne of glory, and therfore let vsus so run, that we may obtaine, and as the Apostle exhorteth1. Cor. 9. 23. 24. vsus, let vsus cast away eueryevery thing that presseth downe, and Heb. 12. 1.the sinne that hangeth so fast on, and run with patience the race that is set before vsus. We are now fighting in a spirituall warfare: and (as the Apostle saith) no man that warreth, intangleth 2. Tim. 20. 4.himselfe with the affaires of this life, because he would please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier. We are now contending for victorie, and wrastling not with flesh and blood, but against Ephes. 6. 12.principalities, powers, and worldly gouernours. Let vsus therefore so fight and striue, that wee may hauehave a glorious conquest ouer the spirituall enemies of our saluation, and so obtaine the crowne of victorie, which God hath promised vsus, euen that glorious felicitie, and eternal happines of his heauenly Kingdom. The which he grant vntounto vsus which hath dearely bought it for vsus, Iesus Christ the righteous, to whom with the Father, and his holy spirit, one true, inuisible, most glorious, most gracious, and only wise God, be ascribed of vsus, and of his whole Church, al honour and glory, praise and thanksgiuing, power, maiestie and dominion, both now and for euermore. Amen.
FINIS.