A Prospect of Eternity, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Concl. 13 Mans eternall condition admits of no revocation.
THere is no ſounding of a retreat, after we are lanched into the Ocean of eternity; then there is no ſetting us a ſhoar again, to re-act a new life in the world. When once the trap-door is let down upon us, there is no breaking Fugit irrevocabile tempus.that priſon-door; when we have once paſſed through that darke entry, and ſhot that inevitable gulf; there is then no more retirement back again from behind thoſe darke hangings to viſite the ſhoar of the world. Eternity locks up all back-doores againſt them that are caſt upon that condition; and prevents all poſſibilities of flight or eſcape. Chriſt and his Apoſtles raiſed Joh. 11. 44.indeed many from the dead, but it was Act. 20. 12,in an extraordinary way, and their graves were forced open by the petarre and engine of a miracle. Eternity, whether it lands its paſſengers upon the ſhoar of glory, or locks them up in the dungeon of miſery, it makes their condition equally irreverſible. Death is not a dream or a ſwoon; Facilis deſcenſus Averni; Sed revocare gradum, &c. Hic labor, hoc opus eſt. Virg.nor in this regard a ſleep, to be awakened again in this life; but when once it hath cloſed the eyes of the departed patient, the deccaſed bids an everlaſting farewell to all things here below; and enters upon a new but never ending condition. Pythagoras and his diſciples ſpeake much of a foreign, a tranſmigration of the ſame ſoul into many bodies; and that death only cauſeth the ſoul to change its tenement and habitation; but yet in this dream there is no mention made of the ſame body to be animated again, and reflouriſh in this life by a new reſurrection. When the ſoul in death takes its flight, and leaves its loving mate the body, it ſhall meet no more with it, till the day of the generall Aſſizes. The arreſt of eternity, as it will not take bale, ſo neither will it ſuffer any evaſion. Let not the voluptuous ſinner pleaſe himſelf with a vain dream, that after death he ſhall return again, and gratifie his ſenſuall luxuries; his palat ſhall be downe in the grave; and being thrown into the Ocean of eternity, he ſhall get up above water no more. We may meet with Dives in the flames of death; but no Luk. 16. 23.more at his banquets: the Zelanders Pſal. 49. 19.motto, Luctor, & emergo, I ſtrive, and get up, is a paradox in eternity. And what ſhould make eternity caſt its captives again upon the ſhoar of the world?
1. The ſinners ſinfulneſſe cannot demerit a relaxation, or a regaining of his liberty; when the ſoul by death, elapſed from the body, and fallen into torment, ſhall blaſpheme God, exaſperated by that miſery it is tormented in; how can juſtice it ſelf give that damned ſoul a diſpenſation for a re-entry in its body again? And
2. So likewiſe the Saints, when death hath broken the fetters of all their miſeries here, and the grave hath ſwallowed all their moans and feares: how ſhall they return, to react all thoſe tragedies, and martyrdomes, they broak through in this life? Pſal. 44. 22.Gods paternall indulgence will not ſuffer them to put to Sea again. No, Eternity is like that cave, that whoever Soles occidere, & redire poſſunt, Nobis cum ſemei occidit brevis lux, Nox eſt perpetua una dormienda.entered into it, returned no more again. When once we are within the gate of eternity, the key is turned upon us; and no ranſome or price ſhall be available to turn the lock again. And it muſt be ſo,
1 In reference to the bleſſed.
Reaſ. 1 They ſhall return no more to this life, when once caſt upon eternity; Becauſe their errand is then done, and they have accompliſhed that taske, that God ſent them into the world for. Indeed after death their workes ſhall follow them, but they ſhall return no more to their work. They Rev. 14. 13. Sancti in coelo requieſoent a laboribus ſuis, nempe quia exexantla…i ſunt in ſtadio hujus vitae. Par.have made all thoſe prayers, and ſhed all thoſe tears, performed all thoſe ſervices, and underwent all thoſe reproaches, they have ſuffered all thoſe wounds, and broake through all thoſe priſons, God had allotted for them in this life. The Iſraelites when they had undergone ſo many years of bondage, God then made way for them to enter Canaan: and the Saints, when like the Sunne, they have broak through ſo many clouds; then they ſet ſail on the Ocean of a glorious eternity. And what Chriſt ſaid, when he was giving up the ghoſt; ſo may all the Saints ſay, It is finiſhed. Their work Heb. 4. 9.is over, their taske is done, their toyle is paſt, and now eternity makes their bed in inexpreſſible glory and bleſſedneſſe: the grave cloſeth the worke of the Saints, and eternity gives them their wages; and when once they have (as when death ſeizeth upon them, they have) executed that meſſage which their father hath ſent them into the world to performe, have brought ſo much glory to the name of God, toyl'd ſo much with their own hearts, ſcattered ſo many perfumes Sancti in aeternitate ſunt milites emeriti.in the Church of Chriſt; then God gives them a diſmiſſion, and they ſhall lean their heads in the boſome of Chriſt for evermore. And therefore nothing Joh. 17. 24.can occaſion the Saints re-entry into the world, after once they have bid farewell to it, when the very end and intention of their ſtay here is fully accompliſhed.
This would caſt an inſufferable dampe and diſcouragement on the ſervices, and ſufferings of the Saints here; ſhould there be a revocation in their bleſſed eternity. Should they be remanded to their priſons again, after they have eſcaped their goal by death; for indeed the world Hic via, ſuperne Patria: as the Father ſpeaks.is but the Saints priſon, not his paradiſe, not his delight but his dungeon; and unkind lattice, or wall between Chriſt and him. Death is to the Saints, but as the Jaylour, to open the grate, and ſet them free in everlaſting liberty. Now I ſay, for Heb. 11. 13.them to be ſhackled in the world again after death had filed off their chaines; what is this but to caſt a languour, and faintneſſe on all their performances? Indeed that is a rationall plea of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 15. 19. If Sancti cuncta in hac vita patienter tolerant, & ſuſtinent, ſpefuturae compenſationis, & glorioſae felicitatis, in coelis pro illis per Chriſtum repoſitae. Par.in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miſerable. This life to a poor believer is but the ſtage of a diverſified calamity, a den of Dragons, a place of trouble and amazements; and it is the hopes of future enjoyment, that are the Saints crutches to walke by through his ſhady pilgrimage; and therefore could there be a poſſibility of the Saints return, after death, when ſailing in the Sea of eternity, to this valley of tears again; it would caſt all their active and paſſive ſervices into a dying conſumption.
Nor will Chriſt himſelfe ſuffer his Saints to loſe his preſence again, Rev. 3. 21.when once he enjoyes them in his everlaſting embraces. After they are As Luther ſaid to the threatning Emperour, Aut invenies me ſub coelo, aut in coelo; but if once in coelo, no more ſub coelo. Luth.once courtiers in heaven, they ſhall no more be exiles on earth. The bottomleſſe love of Chriſt to his people, which was written in the characters of his own bloud, and broke out at every vein of his maſſacred body, will not permit thoſe belieuers, whom death brought with the veil, and uſhered into the preſence of God, to be again baniſht into a tempeſtuous world. John, the beloved diſciple, who now lies in the boſome of Chriſt, ſhall no more ſee his Patmos. And ſuppoſe we, that heaven can harbour any thing, that can breed a diſcontent between Chriſt and his glorified ones; ſo that Chriſt 2 Cor. 5. 8.again ſhould expoſe them to the crueltie of the world; what infinite ſoleciſmes would ſuch an aſſertion be the womb of? If we finde Moſes and Elias viſiting the world again after their death, it is in a glorious transfiguration, to ſolemnize that rare appearance.Mat. 17. 3.
And as there can be no revocation in the eternity of the bleſſed, ſo neither in the eternity of the Reprobates.
Becauſe their naturall day, and their ſpirituall ends together, death Joh. 9. 14.that cloſeth the eyes of their body, As the Pſalmiſt puts the Queſt. Pſal. 30. 9.likewiſe cloſeth the eyes of their underſtanding, ſo far as it hath reference to their ſpirituall good; the grave buries and entombs all their hopes and all their capacities. Now for what ſhould the ſinner be returned again into the world? His deſtruction is ſeal'd and irreverſible, Dies operandi tempus eſt, nox quieſcendi. Muſc.his death ſpeaks it in loud language. And ſhall he break the priſon of the grave, and react the part of a ſinfull caitiffe in the world? This is one reaſon why God takes the ſinner out of the world, and caſts him upon eternity to ſtop his blaſphemous mouth, and put a period to his carriere in wickedneſſe. No ſurely, when once the ſinner is caſt into the ſea of eternity, he ſhall ſwim no more to ſhoar. God will not revive the dead ſinner, to obnubilate his glory with further deeds of darkneſſe. Eternity ſhall not be, as Jonas his whale, when once it hath Jon. 2. 10.ſwallowed up the ſinner, to caſt him up again upon the ſhoare of the world.
Death which is the inlet to eternity, is but the Lords Sergeant to arreſt the ſinner to appear before him for his tryall. It is but the ſinners citation to Heb. 9.give up his accounts: when once the ſinner is caſt upon eternity, his work it at an end, all the ſinners deportments, and carriages, and converſation; now only the cauſe comes to be tried; firſt death, and then judgment: No reprieves or protracting: Death brings the ſinner to the bar; and eternity finds him condemned. And therefore let all unawakened ſinners fill their thoughts with this conſideration, that when once death caſts them on the ſtate of eternity, they ſhall ſail back again no more into the world. They ſhall never enjoy their poſſeſſions again; they ſhall never feed on their banquets again, nor wallow Prov. 9. 17.in their ſins again; nor cry againe to their ſtolen morſels, they are ſweet, nor be invited to Chriſt again, nor be capable of penitentiall brokenneſſe; Nor of Goſpell-grace, of goſpell opportunities again. Eternity is an reverſible and irrevocable condition: the ſoul once loſt, and death having drawn the curtaines, Redemption and reſtitution ſhall be a ſoleciſme.