A Prospect of Eternity, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Concl. 9 Mans eternall condition admits of no waste or diminution.
AND here lies the great riddle of eternity, that time never waſts (I ſay time, though it be an improper locution, there being no time in eternity) and that after millions of ages are paſt over, there is not the thouſandth part of a moment ſpent; When there are as many centuries and ages ſpent, as there are drops in the Ocean, or ſtarres in the heaven, or haires upon all the heads that are, or have been in the world ſince the Creation; yet then there is not one flying moment blown over; the taper of eternity ſpends not, nor doth duration ſhed or fade at all. As the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of the Eagle, it renewes Pſal. 103. 6.its strength; ſo there is a perpetuall renovation in eternity. One flying moment generates another. As the Sea is alwayes full of water, though the waves paſſe away. After the damned Mar. 9. 46. 48.have tumbled on flames a tedious night of ages, it is as far from morning, as the firſt moment. Could we ſum up all thoſe years which thoſe Patriarchs of old ſpent, mentioned in the 5. of Geneſis; when their lives were ſtretcht out to ſo many centuries; and their glaſſe was ſo long in running, and hoary age ſo ſlowly ſeized upon them; I ſay, could we digeſt ſo many thouſand years into one totall ſum: nay, Eſt enim aeternitas duratio quaedam permanens, & unicum nunc ſtans, & nunquam fluens. Cabrea. in Thomam.and caſt in the time of all their poſterities lives into the computation: yet this totall ſum would be a cypher in eternity; when ſo many ages are elapſed, eternity is yet to ſpend, the clock hath not ſtruck one hour. And let not the fond ſinner, who is inebriated with the ſoft effeminacies, and dalliances of the world, imagine his future miſeries, ſhall be as fleet as his downy pleaſures here. Nay, eternity in this is like the Sun, that weares not out, nor waſts its ſubſtance by all its ſwift and conſtant travaile. Time ſheds not (I ſay time for explications ſake) nor failes in our everlaſting condition; nor ſhall wrinckles ever ſurpriſe the face of eternity: Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, that holy triumvirate, are at this day in the ſpring of their ſublime beatitude; nor ſhall their glory be blaſted with the fear of an Autumne. In a word, eternity cannot be leſſen'd, nor curtaild by the longeſt tracts, or circuits of duration. Time it ſelf in eternity, is a pure anomaly. I ſay time, which is the Genus of moments, dayes, houres, years, thoſe winged parcels of duration, is obſolete, and a cypher in our everlaſting eſtate.
And there can be no diminution in the eternity of the bleſſed.
This would be an eclipſe to their glory, that their joyes paſſe away, and their conſummative happineſſe ſhould be capable of a waſte: the Suns beauteous light, though it be recreative, and refreſh the earths inhabitants, yet as poſting towards night, and being capable of declining, it leaves a dampe in the worlds joy. Could the Saints ſay ſo much of their happineſſe was blown over, it would cloud their felicities with trouble and murmuration. It would be the wombe of grief, and leaven glory with ſorrow. In Luke 20. 36. Chriſt ſaith, the glorified Saints ſhall be equall to the Angels; and thoſe bleſſed Spirits, viz. the Angels, never ſtained themſelves with any crime, which might depopulate or waſte, their happineſſe. And indeed, heaven it ſelf muſt be hung with mourning, could the rivers of the Saints pleaſures be capable of ebbing. Pſal. 36. 8.This ſhall be Dives his miſery in hell, to thinke of his paſt delicacies, and with a ſad recordation to review the pleaſant banquets that are now blown over. And now no ſorrow ſhall veil glory, or benight heaven; no grief ſhall thruſt into the Brides-chamber; nor ſhall any trouble Mat. 01. 52.overſhadow the everlaſting feſtivall of the glorified ones: Gods ſmile ſhall dry up all teares there. *Rev. 7. 17.Neither ſhall the Sun light on them, nor any heat: loco prius citato: the Saints ſhall not be interrupted by the overkind embraces of a warming Sun: the morning of glory ſhall not ſpend; there ſhall be a fountain of happineſſe, and Gods preſence ſhall be a ſpring to this fountain. So there can be no waſte in the Saints eternity.
All time waſtes and ſpends according to the motion of the Sun. Its riſing denominates the morning; its ſetting gives name to the evening; and its circuite includes the ſpace of a year in its circumference; ſo that time flies after the chariot of the Sun, whoſe ſetting is the index of the tranſient hours. But now God himſelf ſhall be in ſtead of a Sun to his Saints in glory, Rev. 21. 23. And the City had no Iſa. 60. 19.need of the Sun, nor of the Moon to ſhine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lambe is the light thereof. I ſay God, in whom there is no ſhadow of change. There is no riſing or ſetting, Jam. 1. 17. Caelum lumine long… illuſtriore fulgebit, luce increata, Majeſtate dei immenſa illuſtrabitur. Par.no oblique, or perpendicular beams in the divine Sun: the immediate preſence and glory of God, ſhall be an everlaſting noon-day. And this naturall Sun at the reſurrection ſhall either, as ſome ſuppoſe, as a taper, be put out in the ſocket of the univerſall conflagration; or elſe, as others conceive, be turned into a more glorious luminary; analogicall to that of the Prophet *Iſa. 30. 26., yet not to amplifie, but attend on the Saints glory; Gods preſence being univerſall happineſſe. Now the Sun being the gnomon of time, that being removed from its office in eternity; time can ſuffer no lapſe or waſte.
Could there be a waſte in the eternity of the Saints, there would be at laſt a concluſion. The Summers day is overtaken with the ſhadowes of the night, and its ſplendor is entombed in the grave of darkneſſe: the longeſt Gen. 5. 27.ages of men have at laſt been coffin'd in death and diſſolution; and ſo there would be end of, were there a waſte in the Saints eternity: but eternity admits no concluſion, as ſhall be fully ſhewed hereafter.
And there ſhall be no waſte or diminution in the eternity of the damned; their time of execution ſhall not flie away; their ſuffering ſpaces ſhall be ever filled up, and never ſlide away or wear out. And it muſt be ſo: For.
This would be reliefe to the damned, that they have paſt ſo many ages in the burning oyle and ſcalding lead, and devouring worme; that ſome ſparkes of their miſery were blown over: It is ſome conſolation to the ſhipwrackt mariner, that the barke is ſlipt off from the rock, though he be caſt upon a tempeſtuous Ocean. As 1 Sam. 15. 32.the ſpruce Amalekite rejoyced, the bitterneſſe of death was over, though ſuddenly he was maſſacred by an unexpected ſlaughter. It would be ſome relaxation to the tormented, if they could be ſo happy in their Arithmetick, as to reckon by the rule of ſubſtraction, ſo many miſeries are broak through and gone; if they could ſay, totidem poenae, ſo many extremities are overpaſt. What eaſe is it to the tortured patient, when the fit is over, not only that the diſeaſe is not ſtill in the ſame rage; but ſo many throwes, of intolerable pain, are paſt and fled away. But alas! there ſhall not the leaſt ſhadow of comfort cool the flaming reprobate, nothing that may be entitled or denominated relief. No mixture of eaſe, no arguments of comfort, no conſideration that may taſt of ſatisfaction, ſhall allay the damneds extremity. Could any interpoſure of contentment be found in hell, hell it ſelf would loſe its nature; Luk. 16. 25.No time illapſes, or torment flies away, but both multiply, as faſt as ſpend, in miſerable eternity.
The eternity of the damned is coexiſtent with Gods wrath, and that ſhall not waſte: So Iſa. 33. The wrath of God like a ſtream of brimſtone doth kindle it: It is, ira dei, qui eſt aete…nus, the wrath of God, who is eternall. And it is a ſtream, not a flood, not a tranſient and ſudden inundation, but a continued and conſtant current. So there ſhall be no waſte in Gods wrath; but that ſhall be a flame his juſtice ſhall be alwayes feeding. And the damneds beings ſhall be ſtretcht out to Gods indignation, which is inextinguiſhable fire. Miſery and duration ſhall no more die to the reprobate, then wrath ſhall die in God, or malice in Satan. Thinke not preſumptuous ſinner, when thou ſhalt fall upon the doome of a wofull eternity, that thy tedious ages of impriſonment, and execution ſhall abate the tale of thy future (though future be an unknown phraſe in eternity) calamity: No certainly, the flames ſhall ſcorch as much, the pincers burne as hot, conſcience corrode as deeply, Gods wrath breake out as ſeverely, after the paſſage of millions of ages, as the firſt moment of thy dolefull execution.
There ſhall be no waſte in the reprobates eternity; for eternity ſhall be commenſurate to their ſin, which ſhall be without diminution. For we muſt conceive, that the damned carry all their ſinfull inclinatious to hell with them, all their corrupt, and abominable propenſions; their hearts as full of gall and rancor; their ſpeeches as full of blaſphemy, their ſins boyle up to as great an height, nay greater in hell, then here below: as we ſee ſome priſoners, rave more at the place of execution, then when lockt up in the uncomfortable dungeon: the reprobates ſhall ſink Hacket in the reign of Q. Elizabeth.into their everlaſting condition, more envenomed, and impoſtumated with villanous, and rancorous principles, with more bloudy and malevolent diſpoſition, then when they were tenants to the world. And therefore as there ſhall be no ſpending and diminution of ſin, ſo neither of time; as their rebellion ſhall not waſte, ſo neither ſhall their duratition fade; they could ſinne here indefatigably, with an unwearied carriere, much more in hell; eſpecially theſe 3. things being weighed in the balance.
1. In hell there ſhall be no examples of piety. No pictures of a godly father to checke an exorbitant ſon. No radiant grace of a famous preacher, pretious believer, pious Martyr, to daſh the countenance, and bridle the inſolency of an audacious miſcreant, and as the brightneſſe of Moſes his face to fetter the Joſh. 24. 15, 16.enormous ſinner with aſtoniſhment. Exod. 30. 30.But in hell there is univerſall horrour and blaſphemy, nothing but a diabolicall concurrency of wickedneſſe and provocation, and ſin ſhall ever be in the feaver in the eternity of the reprobate.
2. In eternity there is no means of piety; all ordinances ceaſe there, the ſun-ſhine of the Goſpell ſhall not viſit the coaſt of the reprobates eternity. And although the Goſpell, Rev. 14. 6. be cald an everlaſting Goſpell, yet this doth not import the uſe of the Goſpell, but the fruit of it; the diſpenſations of it here, Ejus authoritatem, effectum, & conſtantiam aſſeret, Par. in loc.were of everlaſting concernment; its converts ſhall be crowned with everlaſting glory, and its enemies wrackt with everlaſting torment: But all the offers and overtures of the Goſpell ſhall ceaſe and be at an end in eternity; and the tormented reprobate ſhall have no pretious promiſes to melt him, righteous commands to guide him, ſevere threats to reſtrain him, faithfull Miniſtery to convert him, or holy communion to refreſh him; all theſe fruits of Goſpell love, ſhall be to the damned buryed in eternall ſilence: therefore ſin cannot be abated in everlaſting miſery: Let Dives his fruſtraneous prayer give Luk. 16. 24, 25.verdict for the whole body of Goſpel-exerciſe. And
3. In hell there ſhall be no ſhame for impiety: ſinners ſhall not ſee Gen. 3. 7.their own nakedneſſe; but ſin and blaſphemy ſhall cover them as a garment, hell ſhall be the ſtewes of wickedneſſe, as well as the priſon of miſery. So that to cloſe up this concluſion; as the carriere and violence of ſin, not abating, neither ſhall the terme or time of torment paſſe away in the reprobates eternity.