{"number":12,"title":null,"part":null,"questions":[],"paragraphs":[],"clauses":[12],"items":[],"text":"Thus much of the third prerogatiue or benefit: now followeth the fourth & last, in these words, *And life euerlasting.* To handle this point to the full, and to open the nature of it as it deserueth, is not in the power of man. For both the Prophet Esai and Saint Paul say, that *the eye hath not seene, and the eare hath not heard,*[^1] *neither came it into mans heart to thinke of those things which God hath prepared for those that loue him.* Again Paul when he was wrapt into the third heauen saith, that he *saw things not to be vttered.*[^2] Neuerthelesse we may in some part describe the same, so farre forth as God in this case hath reuealed his wil vnto vs. Wherefore in this last prerogatiue, I consider two things; the first is life it selfe, the second is the continuance of life, noted in the word *euerlasting.* Life it selfe is that whereby any thing acteth, liueth, & moueth it selfe: & it is twofold, vncreated or created. Vncreated life is the very godhead it selfe, wherby God liueth absolutely in himselfe, from himselfe, & by himselfe, giuing life and being to all things that liue and haue beeing: & this life is not meant here; because it is not communicable to any creature. Created life is a qualitie in the creature; and its againe twofold: natural, spiritual. Natural life is that wherby men in this world liue by meat & drinke, & al such means as are ministred by Gods prouidence. Spirituall life is that most blessed and happie estate, in which all the Elect shall raigne with Christ their head in the heauens after this life, & after the day of iudgemēt for euer and euer. And this alone is the life which in the Creed we confesse and beleeue: & it consisteth in an immediate coniunctiō and communion or fellowship with God himself: as Christ in his solemne praier to his father a litle before his death signifieth: *I pray not for these alone,*[^3] *but for them also which shall beleeue in me through thy word, that they all may be one as thou O father art in me & I in thee, euen that they may be one also in vs.* And when Saint Iohn in the Revelation saith,[^4] *Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, he will dwell with them, and they shal be his people, and God himselfe shall be there God with them*: he sheweth that the very foundation of that happines which God hath prepared for his seruāts stands in a societie between God & thē, whereby God shall dwell with them in heauen, and they againe shall there inioy his glorious presence.\n\nTouching this Communion three points must be considered. The first is, in what order men shall haue fellowship with God? *Ans.* This cōmunion shalbe first of al with Christ as he is man; and by reason that the manhood of Christ is personally vnited to the Godhead of the sonne, it shall also be with Christ as he is God; and consequently with the father & the H. Ghost. The reason of this order is, because Christ, though he be the author and the fountaine of eternall life as he is God, yet he conuaies the same vnto vs onely in & by his flesh or manhood. Yet must we not here thinke that life proceedeth from the manhood it selfe, as from a cause efficient: for the flesh quickneth not by any vertue frō it selfe, but by the Word to which it is personally vnited; it beeing as it were a pipe eternally to convaie life from the the Godhead vnto vs.\n\nThe second point is, in what thing this communion consisteth? *Ans.* S. Paul openeth this point to the very full, when he saith, that after Christ hath subdued all things vnto him, then *God shall be all in all,* that is,[^5] God himselfe immediately shalbe all good things that heart can wish to all the Elect. But some men may say, What? is not God all in all vnto vs euen in this life? for whatsoeuer good things we haue, they are all from him. *Answ.* It is true indeed, God is all in all euen in this life: but how? not immediately but by outwarde meanes; and that also in small measure. For he conuaies his goodnes & mercie vnto vs so long as we liue on earth, partly by his creatures and partly by his word and sacraments: but after this life is ended, all helps and outward meanes shall cease: Christ shall giue vp his kingdom, and as he is Mediatour shal cease to put in exequution the office of a Priest, a Prophet, or a King: all authoritie and power shalbe abolished: and therefore all callings in the three maine estates of the Church, the Common-wealth, the familie shal haue an end; there shalbe no more Magistrate and subiect, Pastor & people, Master and seruant, father and sonne, husband and wife: there shalbe no more vse of meat, drinke, clothing, respiration, physick, sleepe: and yet for all this, the condition of men shalbe many thousand fold more blessed then euer it was. For the Godhead in the Trinitie immediatly without all meanes shalbe all things to all the chosen people of God in the kingdome of heauen, world without end. This may seeme straunge to mans reason, but it is the very flat truth of the worde of God. Saint Iohn in the description of the heauenly Hierusalem, saith that there shall be no Temple in it. Why, how then shall God be worshipped? marke what followeth, *the Lorde God almightie and the Lambe are the temple of it.*[^6] Whereby is signified that although now we vse the preaching of the word, and the administration of the sacraments, as meanes of our fellowship with God: yet when this life is ended, they must all cease, God and Christ being instead of all these meanes vnto vs. And he addes further, *The citie hath no neede of the sunne, neither of the moone to shine in it.* What then will some say, must there be nothing but darknes? Not so. For the *glorie of God doth lighten it,*[^7] *and the Lambe is the light of it.* Againe he saith, that in the Paradise of God, there is *the riuer of water of life,* and *the tree of life bearing fruit euery moneth,*[^8] and that is Christ. And therefore we shall haue no neede of meat, drinke, apparell, sleepe, &c. but Christ himselfe our head and redeemer shalbe in stead of them all vnto vs: on whome, all the Elect shall feede, and by whome both in bodie and soule they shall be preserued euermore. If a man would haue glorie, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost shall be his glorie: if a man desire wealth and pleasure, God himselfe shall be wealth and pleasure vnto him, and whatsoeuer else the heart of man can wish. Hence it appeares, that this communion is most admirable, and that no tōgue can tell, nor heart conceiue the least part of it.\n\nThe third point is, touching the benefits or prerogatiues that proceede of this communion, and they are in number sixe. The first is, an absolute freedome from all wants. In the minde there shall be no ignorance, no vnbeliefe, no distrust in God, no ambition, no enuie, anger, nor carnall lust, nor terrour in conscience, or corrupt affectiō. In the bodie there shalbe no soare, no sicknes, nor paine: for God shall▪ wipe away all teares from their eyes:[^9] nay then all defects or wants in bodie or soule or in both shalbe supplied, and the whole man made perfect euery way.\n\nThe second is perfect knowledge of God. In this life the Church & al the seruants of God know him but in part. Moses would haue seene Gods face, but he was permitted to see only his hinder parts;[^10] & as Paul saith, now we know in part, and darkely as through a glasse. In this life▪ wee can no otherwise discerne but as an old mā through spectacles: and the creatures, but specially the word of God & the sacraments are the spectacles of our mind, wherin we behold his iustice, mercie, loue, &c. & without thē we can discerne little or nothing: yet after this life, when that which is perfect is come, and that which is imperfect is abolished; we shall see God as he is to be seene, not as through a glasse, but face to face, and we shall know him as we are knowne of his maiestie, so farre forth as possibly a creature may. God in deede is infinite, and therefore the full knowledge of his maiestie can no more be comprehended by the vnderstanding of a creature, which is finite, then the sea by a spoone: yet neuerthelesse God shall be knowne euery way of man, so farre forth as a creature may knowe the Creator. Now vpon this that the Elect haue such fulnes of knowledge, it may be demanded, whether men shal know one an other after this life or no. *Answeare.* This question is oftener mooued by such as are ignorant, then by them that haue knowledge: and oftentimes it is tossed in the mouthes of them that haue little religion in their hearts: and therefore I answeare first, men should rather haue care to seeke howe they may come to heauen, then to dispute what they shall doe when they are there: the common prouerb is true, it is not good counting of chickins before they be hatched. Secondly, I say that men in heauen shall know each other: yea they shall know them which were neuer knowne or seene of them before in this life, which may be gathered by proportion out of Gods word. Adam in his innocencie knew Eue, whome he had neuer seene before,[^11] and gaue her a fit name so soone as shee was created. And when our Sauiour Christ was transfigured in the mount, Peter knew Moses and Elias,[^12] whome before he had neuer seene: and therefore it is like that the Elect shall know each other in heauen, where their knowledge & their whol estate shalbe fully perfited. But whither they shall know one an other after an earthly manner, as to say this man was my father, this was mine vncle, this my teacher, &c. the worde of God saith nothing: and therefore I will be silent, and must be content a while to be ignorant in this point.\n\nThe third prerogatiue of euerlasting blessednes is, that the Elect shall loue God with as perfect loue as a creature possiblie can. The manner of louing God, is to loue him for himselfe, and the measure is to loue him without measure: and both shall be found in heauen: for the Saints of God shall haue an actuall fruition of God himselfe, and be as it were swallowed vp with a sea of his loue, and wholly rauished therewith: for which cause as farre as creatures can, they shall loue him againe. Againe the loue of a thing is according to the knowledge thereof, but in this life God is knowne of man onely in part, and therefore is loued onely but in part: but after this life, whē the Elect shal know God fully, they shall loue him without measure: and in this respect loue hath a prerogatiue aboue faith or hope, howsoeuer in some respects againe they goe beyond loue.\n\nThe fourth prerogatiue is, that the Saints of God keepe a perpetuall Sabbath in heauen. In this life it is kept but euery seuenth day, and when it is best of all sanctified, it is done but in part; but in heauen euery day is a Sabbath: as the Lord saith by the Prophet Isai, *From moneth to moneth, and from sabbath to sabbath, all flesh shall come and worship before me*:[^13] and therefore the life to come shalbe spent in the perpetuall seruice of God.\n\nFifthly, the bodies of all the Elect after this life in the kingdome of heauen shall be like the glorious bodie of Christ: so Paul saith, *Christ Iesus our Lord shall chāge our vile bodies that they may be like his glorious bodie.*[^14] Now the resemblance betweene Christs bodie and ours, standeth in these things: as Christs bodie is vncorruptible, so shall our bodies be void of all corruption: as Christs bodie is immortall, so ours in the kingdome of heauen shall neuer die: as Christs bodie is spirituall, so shal ours be made spirituall, as the Apostle saith,[^15] *It is sowen a naturall bodie, it is raised a spirituall bodie,* not because the bodie shall be changed into a spirit, for it shall remaine the same in substance, and that for euer: but because it shall be preserued by a spirituall and divine manner. For in this life it is preserued by meat, drinke, cloathing, sleepe, physicke, rest, and diet, but afterward without all these meanes the life of the bodie shalbe continued, and bodie and soule keepe together by the immediate power of Gods spirit for euer and euer: thus the bodie of Christ is now preserued in heauen, and so shall the bodies of all the Elect be after the day of iudgement. Furthermore as Christs bodie is now a shining bodie, as doth appeare by his transfiguration in the mount, so in all likelihood after the resurrection the bodies of the Elect shall be shining and bright, alwaies remaining the same for substance. Lastly as Christs bodie after it rose againe from the graue, had this propertie of agilitie beside swiftnes, to passe from the earth to the third heauen, being in distance many thousand miles from vs, and that without violence: so shal the bodies of the saints. For beeing glorified, they shall be able as well to ascende vpwarde, as to goe downewarde, and to mooue without violence, and that very swiftly.\n\nThe sixth and last prerogatiue, is an vnspeakable and eternall ioy, as Dauid saith: *In thy presence is fulnes of ioy:*[^16] *at thy right hād there are pleasures for euermore.* It is said that when Salomon was crowned King,[^17] the people reioyced exceedingly: if there were such great ioy at his coronation, which was but an earthly prince, what ioy then shall there be when the Elect shall see the true Salomon crowned with glorie in the kingdome of heauen. It is saide that the wise men which came from the East to worshippe Christ, when they saw the starre standing ouer the place where the babe was, were exceeding glad: how much more shall the Elect reioyce, when they shall see Christ, not lying in a manger, but crowned with immortall glorie in the kingdome of heauen? Wherefore this ioy of the Elect after this life is most wonderfull, and can not be vttered.\n\nThe propertie of life eternall is to be an *inheritance* which God bestoweth on them which are made his sonnes in Christ, who is the onely begotten sonne of the father.[^18] Hence it followes necessarily, that in the Scriptures it is called a reward, not because it is deserued by our workes, as the Church of Rome erroniously teacheth: but for 2. other causes. First because life eternall is due to all that beleue by vertue of Christs merit. For as his righteousnes is made ours by imputation, so consequently the merit thereof is also ours: and by it, (all personall merits in our selues vtterly excluded,) we deserue or merit eternall happines as a reward; which neuerthelesse in respect of our selues is the free and meere *gift of God.* The second is, because there is a resemblance betweene eternall life and a reward.[^19] For as a reward is giuen to a workman after his worke is done; so euerlasting life is giuen vnto men after the trauailes and miseries of this life are ended.\n\nThe degrees of life are three. The first is in this life, when men beeing iustified and sanctified, haue peace with God. Many imagine, that there is no eternal life till after death: but they are deceiued, for it begins in this world: as our Sauiour Christ testifieth, saying, *Verily, verily I say vnto you, he that heareth my wordes, and beleeueth him that sent me,*[^20] *hath euerlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death to life.* This beeing so, we are hence to learne a good lesson. Considering we looke for life euerlasting after this life, we must not deceiue our selues, lingring and deferring the time till the last gaspe, but wee must lay the foundation of life eternall in our selues in this worlde, and haue the earnest thereof laide vp in our hearts against the day of death. But how is that done? wee must repent vs heartily of all our sinnes, and seeke to be assured in conscience that God the father of Christ is our father, God the sonne our redeemer, and God the holy Ghost our comforter. For as Christ saith, this is life eternall to knowe thee the onely God,[^21] and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. And wee must goe further yet, endeauouring to say with Paul, that we liue not, but that Christ liueth in vs:[^22] which when wee can say, wee haue in vs the very seede of eternall life. The second degree is in the ende of this life, when the bodie freed from all diseases, paines, and miseries, is laid to rest in the earth, and the soule is receiued into heauen. The third is after the day of iudgement, when bodie and soule revnited shall both be aduanced to eternall glorie.\n\nAgaine in this thirde degree of life, there be in all likelihood sundrie degrees of glorie. Daniel speaking of the estate of the elect after this life, saieth, *They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament,*[^23] *and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for evermore.* Now wee knowe there is difference betweene the brightnesse of the firmament and the brightnesse of the starres. Agane there be degrees of torments in hell, as appeares by the saying of Christ,[^24] *It shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon in that day then for this generation*: and therefore there be proportionall degrees of glorie. And Paul saieth, *There is one glory of the Sunne, another glory of the moone,*[^25] *another glory of the Stars: for one starre differeth from another in glory:* so is the resurrection of the dead. In which words he applies the differences of excellencie that be in the creatures, to set forth the differences of glorie that shall be in mens bodies after the resurrection. Furthermore, if we may coniecture; it may be, the degrees of glorie shall be answerable to the diuers measures of giftes and graces bestowed on men in this life, and according to the imployance of them to the glorie of God and edification of the Church. And therefore the twelue Apostles who were exceedingly enriched with the giftes of the spirite, and were master-builders of the Church of the new Testament, shall sit on 12. thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel. But it may be obiected, that if there be degrees of glorie in heauen, some shall want glory. *Answere.* Not so: though some haue more, and some lesse, yet all shall haue sufficient. Take sundry vessels whereof some are bigger, and some lesse, and cast them all into the sea: some will receiue more water and some lesse, and yet all shall be full and no want in any: and so likewise among the saintes of God in heauen, some shall haue more glorie some lesse, and yet all without exception full of glorie. And whereas it is alledged that all the labourers in the vineyarde receiue each of them a pennie equallie for their hire; the answere is, that our Sauiour Christ in that parable intendes not to set foorth the equalitie of celestiall glorie,[^26] and what shall be the estate of the godly after this life: but the verie drifte of the parable is to shew, that they which are called first, haue no cause to bragge or insulte ouer others which as yet are uncalled, considering they may be made equall or be preferred before them.\n\nThus much of life it selfe: now followes the continuance thereof, which the scriptures haue noted in calling it eternall or euerlasting. And to this ende Paul saieth, *that Christ hath abolished death,*[^27] and brought not onely *life,* but also *immortalitie to light by the gospell.* And this verie circumstance serues greatly to commende the happinesse of the godly: in that, after they haue made an entrance into it, they shal neuer see terme of time or end. Suppose the whol world were a sea, and that euery thousand yeeres expired, a bird must carrie away or drinke up one onely drop of it: in processe of time it will come to passe that this sea though verie huge, shall be dried up: but yet many thousand millions of yeres must be passed before this can be done. Now if a man should enioy happinesse in heauen onely for the space of time in which the sea is in drying up, he woulde thinke his case most happie and blessed: but behold the elect shall enioy the kingdome of heauen not only for that time, but when it is ended, they shall enioy it as long againe: and when all is done, they shall be as farre from the ending of this their ioy, as they were at the beginning.\n\nHauing thus seene what life euerlasting is, let us now come to the use of the article. And first of all, if wee beleeue that there is an eternall happinesse, and that the same belonges unto us, then wee must use this present world and all the things therin as though we used them not: and whatsoeuer wee doe in this worlde, yet the eyes of our mindes must be alwaies cast toward the blessed estate prepared for us in heauen. As a pilgrime in a straunge lande hath alwaies his eyes towarde his iourneyes ende, and is then grieued, when by any meanes hee is out of the way: so much wee alwaies haue our mindes and heartes set on euerlasting life, and be grieued when wee are by any way hindred in the strait way, that leadeth thereunto: wee haue a notable patterne of this dutie set out unto us in the patriarke Abraham, who beeing called of God obeyed to goe out into a place, which hee shoulde afterward receiue for inheritance, and hee went out, not knowing whither hee went: and by faith aboade in the lande of *Canaan,*[^28] *as in a straunge cuntrey, and as one that dwelt in tentes.* Now the cause that mooued him was life euerlasting: for the text saith, *Hee looked for a citie having a foundation,*[^29] *whose builder and maker is God.* And wee ought euerie one of us for our partes to be like affected to all the things of this life, neuer setting our hearts upon them, but using them as a pilgrime doth his staffe in the way: so long as it is an helpe and stay for him in his iourney, hee is content to carrie it in his hande, but so soone as it beginneth to trouble him, he casteth it away.\n\nSecondly all that professe the Gospell of Christ, may hence learne to beare the crosses and afflictions which God shall lay on them in this worlde. It is Gods usuall manner to begin corrections in his owne family upon his owne children; and as Peter saieth, *Iudgement beginneth at Gods house.* Looke as a mother that waines her childe, layeth wormewoode or some other bitter thing vpon her brest to make the childe loathe the milke: so likewise God makes vs often feele the miseries and crosses of this life, that our loue and liking might be turned from this worlde and fixed in heauen. As raw flesh is loathsome to the stomacke: so is euerie sinner and unmortified man loathsome unto God, till the Lorde by afflictions mortifie in him the corruptions of his nature, and specially the loue of this worlde. But when a man is afflicted, how shall hee be able to endure the crosse? Surely by resoluing himselfe that the Lorde hath prepared life euerlasting for him.[^30] Thus wee reade that Moses by faith when he was come to age, refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs’ daughter, and choosed rather to suffer adversitie with the people of God, then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season, esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt. But I pray you, what mooued Moses to be of this minde? The reason is added: *Because he had respect to the recompence of reward,* that is, he had alwaies a speciall regard to life euerlasting, & that was it that made him content and willing to suffer affliction with Gods people in the land of Goshen. Here then behold a notable president for us to follow. In which wee are taught that the best way to indure afflictions with patience, is to haue an eye to the recompence of reward: this is it that makes the yoke of Christ easie and lightsome. When it shall please God to bring unto us a cup of affliction and bid us drinke a draught thereof to the verie bottom, the meditation of life eternall must be as sugar in our pockets to sweeten the cup withall.\n\nLastly, if this be true, that God of his goodnesse & endlesse mercie towardes mankind, hath prepared life euerlasting, yet not for all men, but for the elect whose names are written in the booke of life, we must aboue all thinges in this world seeke to be partakers of the same. Let us receiue this as from the Lorde, and lay it to our hearts: whatsoeuer we doe euening or morning, day or night, whether we be young or old, rich or poore; first we must seeke for the kingdome of heauen and his righteousnesse. If this benefit were common to all and not proper to the Church, lesse care might be had: but seeing it is proper to some alone, for this verie cause let all our studies be to obtaine the beginnings of life euerlasting euen in this life. For if we haue it not, whosoeuer wee be, it had bene better for us that we had neuer bene borne, or that we had bene borne dogges and toades then men: for when they die, there is an end of their miserie; but man, if hee loose everlasting happinesse, hath ten thousand millions of yeeres to liue in miserie and in the torments of hell: and when that time is ended, hee is as farre from the ende of his miserie as hee was at the beginning. Wherefore, I pray you, let not the deuill steale this meditation out of your hearts, but be carefull to repent of all your sinnes, and to beleeue in Christ for the pardon of them all; that by this meanes yee may come to haue the pawne and earnest of the spirite concerning life euerlasting, euen in this world. What a miserable thing is it, that men should liue long in this world, and not so much as dreame of another life till the last gaspe. But we must not suffer satan thus to abuse and bewitch vs: for if we haue not eternall life in this world, we shall neuer haue it.\n\n[^1]: Isa. 64.4. 1. Cor. 2.9.\n[^2]: 2. Cor. 12.4.\n[^3]: Ioh. 17.21.\n[^4]: Rev. 21.3.\n[^5]: 1. Cor. 15.28▪\n[^6]: Rev. 21.22.\n[^7]: vers. 23.\n[^8]: Cap. 22.1.\n[^9]: Rev. 21.4.\n[^10]: 1. Cor. 13.12.\n[^11]: Gen. 2.23.\n[^12]: Math. 17.4.\n[^13]: Isai 66.23. Hebr. 4.9.\n[^14]: Phil. 3.21.\n[^15]: 1. Cor. 15.44.\n[^16]: Psal. 16.11.\n[^17]: 1 King. 1.40.\n[^18]: Math. 25.34. Rom. 8.17.\n[^19]: Rom. 6.23.\n[^20]: Ioh. 5.24·\n[^21]: Ioh. 17.3.\n[^22]: Gal. 2.20.\n[^23]: Dan. 12.3.\n[^24]: Mat. 11.22.\n[^25]: 1. Cor. 15.41.\n[^26]: Mat. 20.9▪\n[^27]: 2. Tim. 1.10.\n[^28]: Heb. 11.8.\n[^29]: Vers. 10.\n[^30]: Heb. 11.24."}