A Prospect of Eternity, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Concl. 4 Mans eternall condition admits of no change or alteration.
THe throne of the Saints ſhall In aeternitate nulla eſt mutatio. Aug. Nar.never be overturned; the crown of glory ſhall not be changed into a Crown of thornes. Nor ſhall the damneds bed of flames be altered into a bed of downe. All things in eternity ſhall be everlaſtingly in the ſame ſtate: (I exclude not the great change at the general aſſizes, when the bodies both of Saints and ſinners ſhall be reunited to their ſouls) Eternity may well take up Q. Elizabeths In quo quem que invenerit ſuus noviſſimus dies, in hoc eum comprehendit Mundi noviſſimus dies; quoniam qualis in die ipſo moritur quiſ que talis in die iſto judicabitur. Auguſt.motto, it is, Semper eadem, always the ſame. As the tree falls, ſo it ſhall lie for ever; Taliter, in every conſideration and particular: The darkneſſe of the damned, ſhall never alter into day; their groans ſhall never be transformed into ſmiles. There ſhall be no impoveriſhment in glory, and no enrichment in miſery. Here our ſtate is the Chameleon of Providence, the map of mutability; but in eternity all things ſhall remain for ever in eodem gradu, & eodem ſtatu, in the ſame ſtate and degree. It was Origens opinion, or rather dream, that the damned at laſt ſhould find a relaxation; but this is an old exploded errour. There is no variety or revolutions in eternity. Identity is the characteriſticall note of eternity. In it neither teares ſhall be tuned into triumphs, nor ſong turned into ſorrowes; All things for ever ſhall look with the ſame viſage and aſpect. Weeping and wailing ſhall be the bitter and everlaſting potion of the wicked; triumph and honour the Mat. 8. 12.ſweet and eternall portion of the bleſed. But more particularly.
There ſhall be no change in thoſe perſons who are ſet on the ſhoares of eternity: the glorious bodies of the Saints after the reſurrection, ſhall no more be ſoyled with ragges, or cover'd with ſoares: thoſe illuſtrious caskets of their ſouls, ſhall never again endure Phil. 3. 15.either damp or diſeaſe, thoſe beautified and poliſhed pieces, ſhall no more be bloodied with wounds, wrack'd with diſtempers, or deformed with skarres. Lazarus, whoſe body here was but a leſſer hoſpitall; in eternity his body ſhall ſhine, and be beſpangled with glory, which ſhall never be ſullied or eclipſed with the leaſt ſoare or diſeaſe. Here Plato cals the body the ſoules priſon; Ergaſtulum animae. Plato.but in heaven, in eternity, the bodies of the Saints ſhall not be the curtaines, but the rich cloaths of their ſoules; their attire embroydered with glory, which ſhall neither wear or ſoyle. And ſo the ſouls of the Saints in glory, they ſhall ever ſhine in the enamel of perfection, without the leaſt contrariant tincture. It is only mans ſin that diſtempers, and incurvates the ſoul, and Gods wrath the conſequence of ſin, that as I may ſay, maketh the ſoul look pale; now neither of theſe have place in heaven. The Iſraelites Deut. 29. 5.cloaths, which wore not out in forty years together, was a lively Embleme of this invariable felicity.
And ſo on the contrary, the bodies of the damned ſhall remain in their deformities, not any ſpot ſhall be wiped away; nor the leaſt vaile thrown over their exulcerations. They ſhall never throw off the ragges of their beleapered bodies; but they ſhall ever be the darke priſons of their accurſed ſouls; the fires of hell ſhall waſh away the paint of Abſaloms beauty, but his deformities ſhall never ſhed, becauſe the fountain of them ſhall never ceaſe, viz. ſin: (as ſhall be ſhewed more fully). And their ſouls, thoſe unclean birds in the unclean cages of their bodies, ſhall wear the miſerable livery of their ſins to all eternity. What ſhould waſh their ſouls? Chriſts bloud, they have no intereſt in it; if ſo, they had never been overwhelmed in their intolerable calamity; and all their tears ſhall be but muddied water: their wounded conſciences, their polluted hearts, their impoſtumated ſouls ſhall lie in the ſinke of their uncleanneſſes for ever. So there ſhall be no change in the perſons of thoſe that are caſt on the coaſt of eternity.
Nor ſhall there be any change of place in eternity. The Saints ſhall be Joh. 17. 24.everlaſtingly reſident at the Court of Rev. 3. 21.glory. They ſhall never change their *Joh. 14. 2.Manſions: where by the way, Manſions, not houſes, not tents: to ſignifie the immutable duration of the Saints happineſſe. They ſhall be alwayes under the ſmiles, and in the immediate preſence of God. They ſhall ever wait upon the Lord in the Preſence-chamber, and the Court ſhall never be removed. And therefore heaven is call'd a Kingdome, Luk. 12. 32. A City, Heb. 12. 22. A Countrey, Heb. 11. 13. To demonſtrate the permanency of the Saints ſtate in point of locality: Heaven ſhall be the Jeruſalem, where ſhall be the perpetuall reſidence of glorified ones. And ſo the dark dungeon of hell, ſhall be the Reprobates everlaſting gaole; as the chaines ſhall never be looſned or filed off, ſo neither ſhall they change their dolefull habitation; but the ſame priſon and wrack, the ſame place as well as degrees of torment, ſhall fetter them to all eternity: They ſhall not change Mat. 18. 3….their Tophet, nor alter their bed of flames.
There ſhall be no change in the carriages of thoſe perſons who are caſt upon the ſtate of eternity: the bleſſed ſhall be ever tuning their harpes in Hallelujahs; they ſhall alwayes advance God and Chriſt in an uniforme joy. Rev. 4. 11, 12.Temptation the womb, and ſin the birth ſhall not be found in heaven. There ſhall be nothing to prompt the Saints to ſtain their purity; but they ſhall be ever breaking out into ſacred admirations of God. Here indeed there is a variableneſſe, and often a contradiction in the deportment of the Saints; but in glory there ſhall not be the leaſt titubation or fall. Nor ſhall eternity Prov. 24. 16.d…ect the leaſt eccentrick motion in a glorified Saint. But Chriſt in Eph. 5. 27.heaven ſhall be Mediator ſuſtentationis, a Mediatour of ſuſtentation to the Saints as well as Angels. And ſo on the contrary, there ſhall be as little alteration in the carriages of the damned; they ſhall be ever belching out diſhonours againſt the name of God, and for ever be ſick of the ſame ſurfet of blaſphemy; accuſing the glorious attributes and holy name of God; nor ſhall they in the midſt of their woes, weep out with a truly penitentiall frame, the leaſt retractation. And the reaſon is, becauſe ſin in hell ſhall be in the ſame, and greater impetuouſneſſe then it was here. Nor ſhall thoſe punitive fires turne one luſt into aſhes, thoſe flames of miſery ſhall not refine, but exaſperate the reprobate ſinner; ſhall irritate and feed, not chaſe away ſin. Nor is hell a place for the influences of Gods operative grace; nor can infernall fire be purificatory.
There ſhall be no change in the conditions of thoſe who are in the ſtate of eternity. No promotions in miſery; no dejections in happineſſe; the ſame calamity ſhall be eternized to the caitiffe-wretch, and the ſame glory entaild on the perfected Saint; the wheele ſhall not turne in eternity. No hopes of better times in hell, nor Luk. 16. 26.feares of worſe in heaven. Mutation, and change is obſolete in eternity. And to ſhew you the impoſſibility of change in our everlaſting condition, Firſt, there can be none in reference to the bleſſed.
If there be any change, it muſt either be,
Firſt, In meliorem partem, for the better; and then theſe inconſequences would follow.
1. There were degrees of grace in heaven, ſecundum eundem, in reference to the ſame perſon, contrary to Heb. 12. 22. the Spirits of juſt men made perfect. For Gods juſtice is adequate, and he rewards though not foreign, for our works; yet foreign, according Rom. 2. 6.to our workes; and ſo that grace riſing to an higher eminency, it cals for a greater promotion. Now this would argue a falling ſhort of perfection which heaven is uncapable of. Could the glorified Saints grow in grace, as they muſt if they riſe to higher happineſſe according to Gods juſtice; then was there a deficiency in their grace before, which is anomalus to conſummate perfection; and glory ſignifies no more but grace maturated to perfection: And therefore there can be no change for the better; becauſe there can be no cauſe for this change, eſpecially after the reſurrection, when the Grand aſſiſes are over. And
2. This inconſequence would follow, a change for the better, an imperfection in happineſſe; for now the Saint is advanced to greater bleſſedneſſe, which likewiſe is conſiſtent to the perfection of beatitude, which the glorified Saint is infall'd in. Or,
Secondly, This change muſt be in deteriorem partem, for the worſe; there muſt be a fall in the Saints glory: which would …nforce theſe two abſurdities.
1. The Saints in glory were capable of defaulting, for what can indammage them but ſin? God who is pure juſtice inferres no prejudice upon the Creature, but as provoked by ſome criminall miſcarriage; if otherwiſe, then Gods juſtice might be impeached, which is moſt blaſphemous. Now that no impurity can ſtain heaven is moſt Hoſ. 13. 9.clear, as from the immediate preſence of God, which glorifies the Saints, not only with perfection of happineſſe, but of purity alſo; or elſe perfection was Rev. 21. 27.but a titular perfection, it were but nominall, were it not ſpotleſſe; and ſo likewiſe from that conſummate condition, which the Saints are arrived at in glory, which cannot retre… backe again to any the leaſt prevarication. For herein lies the difference between created perfection, that which Adam was enricht with before his fall, and the perfection of glory; the one includes, the other rejects all mutability. And
2. Could there be a change for the worſe in glory, then heaven would be a place of punitive juſtice; for all Rev. 7. 16.deteriority and dammage that befals man, is the iſſue of Gods afflictive and caſtigatory juſtice; but that is impoſſible, for in eternall happineſſe there ſhall be nothing appearing but ſmiles, love, and indulgence. And as in eternity the day of grace and favour is paſt to the reprobate ſinner, ſo the day of correction and diſpleaſure is blown over to the glorified Saint, In glory the leaſt heat of anger ſhall not appear in the face of God; nor ſhall the ſword of vindicative juſtice be brandiſht there: I ſpeak after the manner of men.
And ſo on the contrary, there ſhall not be the leaſt change in the eternity of the damned: For the worſe they cannot, for they ſhall be fully miſerable, (as before hath been demonſtrated). Nor for the better: for this change would either proceed from Gods pity, or mans piety.
Firſt, from Gods pity, now God will ſhew no pity in hell. For
1. Hell is a place of pure juſtice, and exact ſeverity; no mitigation or favour in eternall miſery; could one drop of mercy fall into hell, it would alter the very propriety of it. Dives Mat. 5 26.in hell begs a drop of water, but a Luk. 16. 24.drop, the ſmalleſt meaſure, and of water, the moſt common element, Natures common bounty; yet in hell, there is no conceſſion to ſo reaſonable a petition. Mercies ſweet voyce ſhall not be heard among the damneds groanes. And
2. The day of grace is paſt; when once the ſinner is ſet on the ſhoare of eternity, offers and overtures of mercy and peace are then buried in ſilence. Sometimes the climacterical year of a Luk. 19. 42.Sinner is paſt before, but alwayes then. There ſhall be no mercy, after the ſunſet of mercy, more then the ſhadowes of the night can counterfeit the light of the day; here is the day of ſalvation, which when once blown over, the day of love ſhall break no more. And
3. What ſhould move Gods pity in hell?
1. The cries of the damned; they ſhall exalt his juſtice; not move his compaſſion; the horrours and the lamentations of the damned, ſhall be the very muſicke of Gods juſtice, the Prov. 1. 26.heraulds of his righteous ſeverity; Mat. 25. 12.here Ephraims moaning turnes Gods Jer. 31. 20.bowels within him; but the reprobates groanes ſhall only tune his juſtice. Or
2. Shall the ſinnes of the damned move God to compaſſion, and therefore ſtir up pity, becauſe they are great? Surely ſin is the fuel of wrath, not the argument of commiſeration, and grief and guilt ſhall be the reprobates livery for ever. And
Secondly, as not from Gods pity, ſo neither from mans piety, ſhall any change ariſe in the eternity of the damned. They ſhall not be refreſht with mercy, or their condition ſweetned with an alleviating change, from any converſion to God, penitency for ſin, &c. For
1. This piety, had it been true, or could it be ſo, it had never come to hell, nor could it lie there. True grace is no Salamander to live in the fire of hell, no flower to grow in that ſtench; the fruit of the Spirit ſhall not lie in the womb of eternall miſery; that 2 Pet. 1. 4.grace which is honoured with the name of divine nature, cannot be the ſubject of eternall divine wrath. Had they been, or could they after death be really pious, they ſhould not be eternally calamitous; the leaſt degree of true grace ſeales Chriſt and heaven to the ſoul, Weak faith, ſaint love, &c. And
2. If this piety be falſe, as all tears in hell ſhall be; for the weeping of the damned cannot be ca…d a repentance, but only a watery deſperation, an execration of themſelves ſteept in tears; then this diſſembled mourning, is a provocation, not a mitigation, to inflame not appeaſe Gods wrath; and certainly all the ſelf-condemnations of the miſerable reprobate proceeds not from a deteſtation of ſin, but a deploration of their torment. And therefore now, to ſum up the whole, this remains unfallibly true, There ſhall not be the leaſt alteration or change in our everlaſting condition. Ah! what might this conſideration ſeriouſly weighed in the ballance, work upon our feared and unawakened conſciences?