A Prospect of Eternity, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Concl. 10 Mans eternall condition admits of no mixture or moderation.
ALL things in eternity are in the ſuperlative degree: Every thing is ſcrued up to the higheſt. No blended joyes in heaven, joyes dampt with tears; nor mitigated miſeries in hell: when the joyes of heaven are deſcribed, how gloriouſly are they repreſented, 1 Cor. 2. 9. In heaven there ſhall be joy in its foreign, its height, 1 Joh. 3. 2.in its fulneſſe, and muſick of glory in Iſa. 64. 4.its ſweeteſt harmony. Moderation here, is a vertue, in eternity it is an anomaly, a meer impoſſibility. The happineſſe Quid quaeris ut aſcendat in linguam, quod in cor non aſcendit? Aug. in Pſal. 85.of the Saints ſhall be as the Sun at noon-day, in its moſt ſublime aſcent. The beatificall viſion can be no moderate or ordinary poſſeſſion, but joy in its raviſhment, felicity in its glory. Perfection is the perpetuall ſigne in heaven. And ſo the miſeries of hell, are fire in its hotteſt inflamations; no ſlak't or allayed flames. Here indeed David may ſing, Pſal. 101. 1. and we may feel mercy and judgment; we may obſerve black and white providences, the face of providence ſometimes looks pleaſant with a ſmile, and ſometimes clouded with a frowne, mixt together, the heat of indignation allayed with the waters of compaſſion: but in heaven there is mercy, no judgement, and in hell judgement, no mercy. In eternity there is no blending by a compoſition of contrarieties. Here is correction in judgement, Jer. 10. 24. afflictions weighed in the ſcales of pity, and commiſeration; but in the eternity of the reprobate there is judgement, no correction, pure flames of wrath, as Philoſ. ſpeak, fire and heat, ad octo. Cogita homo, quoslibet mundi cruciatus, quaſ que ſeculi poenas, intende animo, quoſ que tormentorum dolores, quaſcun que dolorum acerbitates, compara hoc totum gehennae, & leve. Iſid.Eternity is the wombe of extremity, either of delight in tranſcendency, or ſorrow in extremity. The felicities of the bleſſed ſhall be alwayes in a full Sea, and the fit of the damneds paine ſhall be alwayes upon them in the greateſt miſery; the Saints happineſſe ſhall be incomparable, and the ſinners agonies ſhall be intolerable. Every thing in eternity, whether poſſeſſion, or execution ſhall be ſtretcht out, and wound up to its ſuperlative capacity. De poenis excogitari non poteſt, quod ibi non erit. Orig.All things ſhall be boyld up to the height. And it muſt be ſo. For there can be no mixture or mean in the eternity of the Saints.
It is inconſiſtent with the price of Chriſts bloud, which hath purchaſed the revenues of the Saints eternall happineſſe; ſhall the bloud of him that is foreign, God as well as man, procure or purchaſe an indifferent or mixt happineſſe, glory that may be overmatcht, or that may be raiſed to an higher enjoyment? how would this ſtain the royalty of Chriſts bloud? Shall ſo few, (that is) comparatively, enjoy the Phaenix-glory that ſhall ariſe from the aſhes of Chriſts ſufferings, and ſhall that revenue be ordinary? or indeed capable of being ſurpaſſed? A moderate poſſeſſion is not proportionate to Chriſts bleeding paſſion. Could we compute what the riches of his merits are; or how much value is contained in one groane of him, who was innocency it ſelfe; we might eaſily collect how ſuperlative the joyes of the Saints muſt be, which flow from the fountain of Chriſts merit. Let Arithmeticians caſt up what one drop of Chriſts bloud comes to at the rate, how much the Iſa. 53. 11.travell of Chriſts ſoul comprehends; and then how exploded will the opinion be, if any ſuch be, of a mixt or moderate poſſeſſion in glory: what felicities muſt that bloud purchaſe, which can fetch out the ſtaine of thoſe ſcarlet ſinnes, by which the infinite God hath been provoked? And therefore Iſa. 1. 18.Chriſts purchaſe ſpeaks the Saints glory Superlative.
And ſo doth the magnificence of God himſelf, who gives eternall life to his people. If Alexander ſhall boaſt of Rom. 6. 23.donum Alexandri, Alexanders gift, what do the gifts of God weigh? what maſſie happineſſe is included in them? Heaven as it is the price of Chriſts bloud, ſo it is the fruit of Gods bounty, which muſt needs be tranſcendent; eſpecially theſe 3. things being ſeriouſly perpended.
Heaven is Gods laſt gift: his fatherly donation, the Saints inheritance, not their penſion, but their portion, their ultimate honour. In glory God gives like himſelf, gives Col. 1. 12.himſelfe, the ſumme of all beatitudes. In eternity the Saints have what they muſt truſt to, and that is ſuperlatively enough. This glory is Gods conſummative bounty, Luk. 12. 31. foreign, the Kingdome. And God in his laſt gift, will not, as I may ſpeak, crown with a ſilver crown, I mean one that may be bettered, will not give comparative happineſſe, that may admit of a higher degree. Not like Herod, give halfe of Mar. 6. 23.a Kingdome. Gods magnificence inveſts the Saints with ſuperlative glory.
Let it be conſidered whom doth God inſtall in glory, not ſo much his creatures as his children, his foreign, his little flocke, ſuch as his heart yearns after. Can tranſcendent Iſa. 49. 15.affection beſtow a moderate fruition? Surely there will be a proportion between the fulneſſe, and the fruite of Gods love; fulneſſe of love, can give no leſſe then fulneſſe of Joy. It is foreign, the love of a father, and the affection of a God; 1 Joh. 4. 16.of a father, whoſe love is his nature, and of a God, who hath all treaſures of bounty by him; and his love is the key to theſe treaſuries being oyled with the bloud of Chriſt; ſo Gods relation it amplifies the ſuperabundancy of the Saints eternall poſſeſſion: this addes to the account.
The fathers promiſe lies upon record, and inrolled for the moſt glorious promotions to the glorified Saints. Let us but traverſe that one text, Iſa. 53. 11. He ſhall ſee the travell of his ſoul, and be ſatisfied. Ah, remember the word, ſatisfied; what can ſatisfie the love of Jeſus Chriſt to his Saints, but moſt tranſcendent glory? to thoſe believers who are the redeemed by his bloud, the birth of his travell; nay, and the travell of his ſoul, the agonies and ſweats of his ſoul: foreignthe Saints were born with the ſoareſt travell, and therefore ſhall be crowned with ſweeteſt felicitie: according to that Joh. 17. 24. That where I am, they may be alſo: As it were, inſtalled in the ſame Coronation, according to Chriſts one phraſe, Rev. 3. 21. in the ſame throne with himſelf. The very promiſes of God are aſſurance for tranſcendent glory and happineſſe. God hath pawn'd his promiſe, his irreverſible bond, and he will ſee Chriſt ſatisfied, he will abate him nothing of his agreement. Let the people of God Pſal. 40. 7, 8.begin their triumphancies here, God will ſee their Husband ſatisfied for their everlaſting portion and dowry.
And here can be no mixture or mean in the eternity of the bleſſed; becauſe they ſhall enjoy the cloſe, ſweet, raviſhing, full, and immediate preſence of God. And what more In hac vita mera calamitas, in aeterna mera felicitas. Ger.beatificall, then to ſee God unveil his glorious face, the open face of God? which phraſe doth import theſe three things.
The diſtinct knowledge of God; we diſtinguiſh men by their faces; their countenances doth diverſifie them: and we ſhall ſee God in Vita beatorum, viſio, & cognitio beatae Trinitatis. Hugo.glory diſtinctly; know him to be the great, glorious, omnipotent, infinite God. I ſhall not, as many do, debate the way of Gods communicating Deus videbitur in …gno coelorum paternaliter. Iren.himſelf unto us; but certain it is, we ſhall ſee him clearly and diſtinctly, without curtain or cloud: as the face is the characteriſticall difference. We ſhall ſee him, as Irenaeus ſpeaks, Paternaliter, as a father is beheld by his child, with knowledge and delight. His glory ſhall appear to be the glory of God, infinitely above all the ſplendour and glory of the creature, though cloathed with brightneſſe and perfection.
This phraſe implies a familiar knowledge. We ſhall ſee God in heaven, not as the Saints do, in an ordinance Pſal. 63. 2.by gratious influences and diſtillations: or as Abraham ſaw God, Gen. 32. 30.Gen. 18. 2. maskt in the veil of a body, as Divines ſpeak ſymbolically, 1 King. 21. 19.ſpeculo ſymbolico. Nor yet as Moſes ſaw God, in his back parts; though that glorious viſion, ſhed ſuch a reſplendency on the face of Moſes, as the Exod. 33. 23.Iſraelites could not behold the radiant Quatuor modis videmus deum; per fidem, per contemplationem, per apparitionem, per apertam viſionem. Biel.luſtre of his countenance; but the Saints ſhall ſee God in heaven familiarly, as one friend beholds another; the Saints ſhall behold God in a friendly, cloſe, and familiar way.
This phraſe implies a pleaſing and ſatisfactory knowledge of God; as Jacob beheld the face of Joſeph his Son. He ſaw not his wagons only, but his Gen. 46. 2, 930.face. In eternity we ſhall ſee God not in ordinances, not by letters, as 1 Cor. 13. 12.here, but his face ſhall be viſible to us, (i. e.) we ſhall ſee God fully, with tranſcendent and inexpreſſible ſatisfaction. And our Maſters joy, which Mat. 25. 21.we ſhall inherit, ſhall ſpring from this, Angeli Sancti vino ſapientiae inebriantur, dum ipſum deum facie ad faciem videntes omni voluptate ſatiantur ſpirituali. Greg. M.that we ſee our Maſters face. Now the beatificall viſion, is infinitely above all graduall, mixt, or ordinary poſſeſſion: this is the tranſcendentcy of tranſcendency; in reſpect of which all excellencies and enjoyments, are but as a drop to the Ocean. And as the learned Father, This viſion only can limit the vaſte and comprehenſive deſires of man, and put a Ille eſt finis deſideriotum noſtrorum; qui ſine fine videbitur, ſine faſtidio amabitur, ſine defatigatione laudabitur. Aug. de civ. dei.ſtop to the waves of his ambition.
And there can be no mixture or moderation in the eternity of the wicked; every thing ſhall be ſuperlative, and in the extreme to them. There ſhall be no water in their fire, no correction in their judgement; No mercy in their miſery, no proportion in their calamity. And it muſt be ſo,
In regard of Sin, which is the fountain of their miſery, which is a ſuperlative evill; could we ſqueeſe out the poyſon of aſpes, the venome of Serpents, and all thoſe deteſted Creatures which are the abhorrency of mankind, into one draught, yet that venemous portion would yeild a pleaſant taſt to the bitterneſſe of ſin. Sin is that which the Schoolmen ſay Ibi vidi omnia genera tormentorum, quorum minimum majus omnibus. Hugo Victor.is totaliter malum, a comprehenſive evill, that admits of no compoſition of good. And therefore as there is no moderation or mixture in the evill nature of ſin; ſo neither in the everlaſting puniſhment for ſin. Sin is an unlimited, boundleſſe, and ſuperlative evill, and then conceive all the reprobates Ibi dolor intolerabilis, timor horribilis, foetor incomparabilis, & ſic miſeri motientur ut ſemper vivant, & ſic vivent, ut ſemper moriantur Bern. in Pſal.ſins digeſted into one lumpe, and wrapt up in one fardell; and what moderation can there be in hell? It is ſin that is the flint from whence the fire of hell is ſtruck; the wombe of the monſtrous paine of the damned; the ſuperlative cauſe of ſuperlative miſery: Extremes in moralls, breed extremity in puniſhment. Indeed here, in this life, God doth puniſh the wicked with moderated, and intermitted judgments; but this doth not ariſe from the nature of ſin, which they are ſtained with, but this doth ariſe from the prevalency of Gods mercy, which here is exerciſed, to render the impenitent ſinner the more inexcuſable; but in eternity all hopes and capacities of mercy or compaſſion are out dated and obſolete.
In regard of the wrath of God, Nec dubium, quin ad fornacem Babylonicam, Dan. cap. 3. deducamur, inque typum oeterni illius ignis obſervemus Gerard.which ſhall ever be the ſigne and ſeaſon in hell. It is a ſuperlative flame, and there ſhall be wrath without the leaſt mixture or allaying of mercy. One ſparke of Gods wrath is hotter then Nebuchadnezzars furnace, were it 77. times hotter then it was. And ſo the Prophet, Iſa. 33. 14. Who ſhall dwell with everlasting burnings? Burnings, not findgings, not ſcorchings; and burnings in the plurall number, and the everlaſting is more terrible then the burnings. One drop of the vialls of Gods wrath, which he ſhall be ever powring out upon the damned, is multiplyed miſery; a pullulation of calamity, inſupportable anguiſh, and torturing perplexity. If God Orcus malorum omnium extremum. Plato.lay his hand upon a ſinner here, either in the agonies of his mind, or wracking diſtempers of his body, with what fury and madneſſe is he ready to turn his own executioner, and to quench his frenzie in his own bloud? Judas cannot here the ſcriches, Coeleſtis ira, quos premit, miſeros facit. Sen. Herc.nor bear the throwes of his tormenting conſcience; but he muſt haſten his damnation by a ſelf-diſpatching murder. Thus if God do but powre out ſome drops of his indignation, and aſſault man primitiis irae, with the firſt fruits of his anger? And what then ſhall that wrath be which is unmixt, and conſummate, whoſe flames are oyled with reſolutions of ſhewing no further pity? and ſuch wrath ſhall Rev. 19. 20. Infernus dicitur ſtagnum ignis, quia ut lapis mari, ita animae illic immerguntur. Anſelm.be the fuell of infernall torment; how miſerable ſhall the caitiffe Reprobate be, when he ſhall be drowned in an Ocean of ſuch diſpleaſure?
Moderated afflictions come from a gracious hand, from a mercifull correction, they are the ſouls pedagogy, and Tutour. Oftentimes ſuch afflictions are the looking-glaſſes for ſin; we may ſee our workes in our wounds. And ſometimes ſuch gentle and milde caſtigations, they make ſinne more nauſeate and diſtaſtfull; when ſinne ſeems to corrode and ſmart, being followed, and purſued by affliction. As Pharaoh Exod. 8. 8.himſelf diſtaſted his own neglect to let Iſrael goe, being macerated with judgements. Nay ſometimes mitigated afflictions are ſeaſonable chaines upon the offendour, to reſtraine Pſal. 119. 6, 7.him from further wandering and gadding.
But the torments of the damned are ſweetned with no gracious end, in reference to the Patient, but they proceed from a wrathfull God, whoſe indignation ſhall not be attempered with any bowels of mercy, which is a ſtarre that ſhines not over the infernall houſe; no, but the damned ſhall lie in a Sea of tribulation, which ſhall not be corrected by one drop of compaſſion.