A Prospect of Eternity, Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
Ʋſe 3. of conſolation.AND now at laſt I fall upon the third and laſt improvement of the propoſition our future eternity; and that is: This flowes with unparallel'd comfort and conſolation to all the ſaints; this Truth is a mine, a maſſe, a ſpring of happineſs to them: Their felicity to come ſhall be for ever. it ſhall Haec Haereditas Sancti eſt vita, & incorruptio & regnum, & coaterna cum Deo babitatio. Hilar.never fade nor receive damp. Their ſpring ſhall know no autumne, nor falling of the leaf of glory; no declenſion or abatement No, not for ever. The ſunne of their bleſſedneſſe ſhall never ſet, or be eclipſed: Let the ſaints remember with delight and complacency this one word Eternity. Duration is the life of Happineſſe. A tottering crown is but an honourable miſery; the beſt flowers, are fond ſweetneſſes becauſe dying. Gold is but droſſe, becauſe 1 Pet. 1. 18.corruptible, what is the leaſe of the greateſt revenues, which will ſoon expire; but the ſaints happineſſe shall be immarceſſible, their crown is made of immortality: This ſhall be the bleſſedneſs of the glorified ones, that after they have paſt millions of ages in glory, one moment of their happineſs is not ſhed; The ſaint ſhall ever ſpring with freſh felicities, and ſhine in an everlaſting flouriſh and renown. The Ocean of their joy shall know no bottome. When 3. Rev. 21.they have ſate in the ſame throne with Chriſt for millions of centuries, the entail of their honour shall be as firme as the firſt moment. There shall no tediouſneſſe, interruption, or cloſe, deflowre or ſurpriſe their joyes for ever. The ſmiles and light of God, and of Chriſt gloriouſly arrayed with the humane nature, shall ſpring everlaſting Halelujahs in the ſaints, And the Spirit, The Comforter, shall shed an eternall 14. Rev. 2. 5. Rev. 8.dew of refreshment and delight on them. And the Angels shall joyn their harpes in their everlaſting and ſacred felicity. In a word,
The ſaints ſhall enjoy their Being for ever; They ſhall live for ever in the Armes 17. Hoſ. 3. Quid vita illa beatius eſt, quod illic pauperiem non metuas, aut morbum. Chryſoſt.of Jeſus Chriſt. There are three things deſtroy the life of Man; 1. Externall Violence; 2. Internal diſtemper; and 3. Sin in an extraordinary Manner; as Herod, and Aarons ſons &c. Now none of theſe ſhall ſurpriſe the glorified ſaint; ſin, Satan, ſorrow that Cerberus of miſchief ſhall be excluded the Bridechamber. The ſaints in glory are confirmed in their exiſtence and life: nothing in miſery ſhall Kill the damned, nothing in Heaven ſhall deſtroy the bleſſed. The Apoſtle aſcribes incorruptibility to the bodies of the Bleſſed, 1 Cor. 10. 53. And the ſoul claims right to immortality by deſcent, upon the ſuit of its own Nature. The life of the ſaints in glory John 17. 3.ſhall be an inextinguiſhable lamp. The ſaints in heaven ſhall weep no more, much Rev. 7. 16.leſs die no more. The life of the ſaints is the ſtock on which all their felicity grows, Reſuſcitati ſimiles Angelis qua non nupturi, quia nec morituri, ſed tranſituri in ſtatum Angeli cum per indumentum incorruptibilitatis. Tertul. Erimus ſimiles Angelis, & fulgebimus ſicut ipſe ſol. And.and the main pillar of all their happineſs, by which it is ſupported, and could that taper be put out, all their enjoyments would be entomb'd in ſilence and darkneſs. Their beings are the ſuſceptive capacities of all their honours, and beatifical fruitions, and therefore they muſt be immortalized with a perpetual ſpring and Vivacity: and in this, the Saints ſhall run paralel with the Angels, their lives ſhall be enriched with the ſame perpetuity, and perennity.
The Saints, the glorified Ones; thoſe Patterns of perfection, ſhall inherit their joy for ever, their raviſhments. The joys of the wicked here, is like the crackling of thorns; but the joy of the bleſſed hereafter Pſalm 16. 11.ſhall be as the ſhining of the ſunne, excepting Eccleſ. …. 6.its ſetting and eclipſes: It were not fulneſs, but emptineſs of joy, was it not eternal. The ſight of God ſhall tune their hearts into everlaſting rapſodies. Their Revel. 4. 8.praiſes and triumphancies ſhall be the births of their joy for ever. The ſaints ſhall Pſal. 96. 10.rejoyce, as long as God ſhall ſmile, and raviſh them with a pleaſant countenance, which ſhall be to eternity: God ſhall be a perpetual ſpring of life and of joy to the Viſio. Dei omnium bonorum, & gaudiorum coeleſtium ſons est. Ger.Saints. The Saints ſhall Everlaſtingly rejoyce, for the indulgencies of God, for the poſſeſſion of the Husband, for the ſociety of the Angels, thoſe joyous and glorious Spirits; for their eſcape from miſery and Everlaſting Calamity: Every glance of Gods eye, Every ſight of his will, every ſmile from Chriſts face, every touch of the Angels harps, every diſtillation of the Spirit's Comforts ſhall ſpring freſh joys to the glorified ones. And the joys of the Saints muſt be ſubſcribed with Eternity; if we either caſt our eye on, 1. the confirmation of the Elect in good. Or 2. the duration of Gods mercy and love, John 13. 1. Or 3. the perfection of their own Exultabunt Sancti in gloria, videbunt Deum & gaudebunt, laetabuntur & delectabuntur, & fru entur gloria, & in felicitate jucundabuntur aeternâ: Non labeſcent, non ſeneſcent, non putreſcent amplius. Cypr.happineſs, which could not be attained, unleſs the joys of the bleſſed were wound up to eternity: Nay the very nature of our eternal condition, which admits no ſucceſſion, no viciſſitude, no fading, no waſt, ſpeaks theſe joyes eternal, and demonſtrates them Everlaſting.
The Saints shall enjoy their Father for ever, John 14. 2. Chriſt ſaith he, is going home, to prepare us Manſions in our Fathers houſe; And this is Enough; we ſhall ſee our Father when we die, as Jacob ſaid concerning his ſonne Joſeph before he died, we ſhall enjoy him for ever. Eliſha as Elijah was departing from him, cries, My 2 Kings 2. 12. Quando veniam & apparebo ante faciem tuam. O dies neſciens vesperam, & nuilum timens occaſum. Aug.Father, my Father. Now the ſaints ſhall ever lie in their Fathers boſome; They ſhall ſee the father of all their mercies, and they ſhall bee baniſht his ſight no more. Then ſhall the Saints fully and perfectly ſee how tender the bowels of a Father are, Iſa. 49. 19. how ſoft the compaſſion of their gracious, wiſe, indulgent, careful and bountiful Father is: And God ſhall unriddle to the Saints all the traverſes and circuits of his own Providence, and how fatherly his love and care was, though often it had the mask of myſteriouſneſs, the reward of affliction before it. And what a Ibi erit omne bonum, & non erit aliquid malum, & ibi erit quicquid voles, & non erit quicquid noles. Erit gaudium ſuper gaudium, gandium vincens omne gaudium extra quod non gaudium.fountain of bleſſedneſs will this be, that the Saints ſhall no longer cry out, Our Father in a penitential petition and prayer, but ſhall everlaſtingly feed and prey upon Paternal Smiles, and lie in Paternal Embraces; They ſhall for ever converſe with their Father, not on their Knee, in a ſtrange Land, but with their eye in their Fathers Court.
The ſaints shall enjoy their husband for ever: the bride shall eternally enjoy her Bridegroom, the beloved of her ſoul: 22 Rev. 17.here the ſaints were ſick of love for Jeſus Chriſt, 5. Cant. 5. and that feavour shall be ſatisfied with his company for ever. This life was an unkinde wall, an injurious lattice between Chriſt and the Saint, and death having broke down this diſcourteous wall of ſeparation, the ſaints shall alwayes bath themſelves in the loves of 17. Jo. 24.Chriſts preſence: Eternity shall be the eternall wedding day of Chriſt and his ſpouſe. How doth the poor believer here Cant. 17. 3.complain, 1. Sometimes of frownes and unkind looks; the ſmile is clouded and vailed. 2. Sometimes of abſence, Chriſt Cant. 5. 6.hath retired and withdrawn himſelf. And 3. Very often of various and different behaviour, now loves, now diſtaſt. But in Eternity Chriſt shall ever look pleaſingly and ravish the Saint with a gratefull countenance; There shall be no divorce, nor diſunion, nor locall ſeparation. Chriſt and his Members shall be ever together in the ſame Bride-chamber, the Saints shall enjoy eternall eſpouſals: no fear of retiring or abſence. And how pleaſing a proſpect will Chriſt be to his friends (for ſo the Jo. 15. 15.Saints are called;) when the Saints shall everlaſtingly ſee him wear his Incarnation-robes.
The Saints shall enjoy that purity for … ver. In heaven they ſhall not be ſubject to Nulla ibi exiſtit malitia, nulla carnis miſeria, non inimici tentatio, non peccandi libido, immo nec malè agendi facultas. And.the rape of a Temptation, nor to the aſſault of a ſinfull onſet. This shall be glory in its Noon-tide, the bleſſed shall ever shine in unblemisht perfection. Their garments shall be as unſpotted as their glory. In Eternity their hearts shall not be traitours; nor their eyes the panders of their treacherous hearts. Their perfection shall be fair as the Moon, as it was ſaid of Chriſt, Cant. 6. 10. Untainted and undeflowred for ever. No ſinfull tincture or shadow of pollution shall beſpecle their illuſtrious purity: No fear of apoſtacy, or the loſſe of uncontaminated perfection, and the reaſon may be, becauſe heaven cannot lodge the leaſt naturall or ſinfull defilement. it being the ſacred Court of Gods immediate preſence, where the eyes of the Lord shall not nor can be offended with Eph. 5. 27.the riſing of the leaſt deformity. And duration shall not ingender temptation. Lot, though he lived long in Sodome without any taint, which is recorded; yet he could not long abide in the Cave without Inceſt. But the glorified Saint shall remain for ever, Gen. 19.and shall not be ſtained with the leaſt degeneracy.
The bleſſed ſhall enjoy their Comforter for ever. That ſweet ſpirit ſhall eternally refreſh them, with conſtant diffuſions of Jo. 14. 16.of joy and conſolation, and refreſh them with perfumed gales of unſpeakable gladneſſe. Then, viz. in eternity the ſaints ſhall enjoy the Spirit in a more ample, heroicall, and magnificent manner. 1. Ratione plenitudinis, in points of fulneſſe; the Spirit ſhall bath the Saints arrived, with glory in ſeas of comfort; They shall drink at the ſpring head, and accept the gracious invitation of Chriſt, to drink abundantly, 5. Cant. 1. 2. Ratione immediatae praeſentiae: The Saints in Eternity shall not onelyonly feel the operations, and rejoyce in the conduct and comfort of the Spirit; but shall with extaſy enjoy Jo. 16. 13.and admire the glorious preſence of the Holy Ghoſt; and ſee him with delight and ravishment face to face, 1 Cor. 13. 12. and 3. Ratione permanentiae, the Bleſſed shall enjoy the Spirit, not as they do here, ſometimes with full tides of comfort and lively impreſsions and increaſes of grace, and at other times as beating faintly in the ſoule, and caſting an uncomfortable look on the impoverish'd believer; nay ſometimes Eph. 4. 10.as chaſed away with grief, (though it cannot totally and finally leave the ſoul in point of grace, as might largely be demonſtrated) but the ſaints in eternity shall enjoy the Spirit for ever, with rich redundancies and overflowings of peace, joy, comfort, and ſerenity; nor shall that emplying ſpring abate. And all the corraſives, bondage, checks and ſmarts of the Spirit, which here were wholſome and neceſſary, shall wholly ceaſe in the bleſſed Etern…ty.
The Saints shall enjoy the Knowledge of what they deſire, for ever. There shall be no imperfection or oblivion in eternity And the Bleſſed shall know what ever is adequate to, or fit for the ſphere of humane Capacity, not by diſcourſe, but by intuition, intuitivè, as the School-men Omnis in hac vita foreign, & Deo foreign eſt verbum defectivum, ſed in vita fuiura eſt verbum perfectivum.ſpeak. And the Saints shall be acquainted with all Divine Myſteries; Chriſt doth, as ſome friends who reſerve ſecret things to a Meeting, not truſting them in a Letter. Indeed Chriſt opens much to his people here, he doth unboſome himſelf, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeakes, Pſalm 25. verſe 14. But in Eternity, all Maskes and Cloudes, and Curtains shall be drawn: Thoſe Myſteries which here did rather raiſe, then fill the Apetite, shall be uncaſed to the Believer in eternity, and theſe ſecrecies may be ranked into three heads.
1. Thoſe incomprehenſible Myſteries, which are above, but not againſt nature, as the Myſtery of the Trinity, the Incarnation &c. Theſe shall be no difficulties, nor Myſteries in heaven.
2. Thoſe ſupernatural Miracles which had the object in the creature, as how God created the World, the Nature of thoſe Miracles Chriſt and the Apoſtles wrought and effected; and all thoſe wonders which are bounded in the creature.
The Miracles of love, which here are the Aſtonishments of Mankind; as, how Gods redeemed fallen and loſt Man; all the wonders of Providence; all the moſt intimate effects and workings of Gods love shall be evidenced. In a word, the Bleſſed in heaven shall know all things cognoſcible to man, not partially, not obſcurely, Hic modicum è multo cognoſcimus.not at a diſtance, but perfectly, clearly, and cloſely: And in all theſe and infinitely more enquiries shall the Saints in glory be fully ſatisfied. The Saints shall ſee the will and heart of God without a perſpective or looking-glaſs.
The Bleſſed shall enjoy, their company for ever: They shall for ever ſee the courtiers of heaven; the creature in its beſt attire, their godly relations, the Angelicall beauties: Nor shall that innumerable Heb. 12. 22. Ibi, ſc in coelo, cum myriadibus Angelorum laetos & festos id agemus, in omni felicitate, gloriâ gaudio, jubilo, & triumpho. Alap. in Hebr.company of of glorious Angels, and glorified Saints, which do, as it were beſpangle heaven it ſelf, as they are perfected by the preſence of God, ever be vailed or diſturbed with ſorrow, for the departure, funeral, or extinction of one of that rare ſociety: No falling ſtarres shall shine in glory: And, to draw up all, and cloſe up the whole Treatiſe, Every particular Saint in Eternity shall receive Everlaſting delights from that perpetual communion he shall have with the moſt perfect creatures, Gods Fiat, his Omnipotent Word produced; and the Pure Angels and Bleſſed Saints incorporated into one Eternal ſociety, as many ſtarres joyned together, shall make one glorious and Everlaſting Conſtellation.
foreign.