Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A12093
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Mans last end the glorious vision and fruition of God. By Richard Sheldon Doctor in Divinity, one of his Maiesties chaplines
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Sheldon, Richard, d. 1642?
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1634
(1634)
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STC 22396; ESTC S102411
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66,288
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126
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there cannot be a deficiency in the last happinesse by reason of the commitment of any sine by the beatified but what can there be any deficiency or defectibility thereof upon any other head or respect Surely no for then unworthily should it be reputed the last end of those Spirits which shall have no end and of those soules which being immortall shall never dye nor cease to bee True happinesse that cannot be of the aeternity and endlesse durance whereof doubt may be made Austen Austen de Civitat lib. â—2 most excellently What other is our end then to come to that kingdome whereof there is no end Divers do here question whether the last happinesse in part to weet of the glorious love of God and joyous delight in God may cease and fade notwithstanding the cleare vision and sight of God do still continue where in to resolve is smal or no difficulty at al for if the questioÌ„ be whether God out of his absolut power can shew himselfe as he is in himselfe infinitely good c. to any of the beatified yet they not love him nor actualy delight in him I answere that it is morally impossible except in such a case onely that God would not concurre with such his beatified to the act of love and affection of delight and then most cleare it is that in such a case though they follow naturally one upon another yet because they are really distinguished that one may be effected and not the other God concurring with the power intellective for the action of vision but not with the power of the will for the act of love and affection of delight But what a vanity of witts to seeke a knot where none is Cleare it is that the state of the last happinesse of man shal be so perfect and consummate that well may there be some new addition of adventicious and accidentall glory but to thinke that there should be any fading in that happinesse in which as Bernard divinely the Beatified are ever greene and growing in aeternity were an injurious vanity and blasphemous dotage against the glory and honour of the Citty of God SIXTH SECTION Conteines certaine observations touching the glorified bodyes of the beatified and their glorious qualities WHat hath beene said touching the glory of the soules of the beatified comes very short of that which in truth it is For if an admiring soule cannot how shall a speaking tongue be able to expresse the excellent eminencyes of the same But it being so that the beatified Soules want part of their consummation untill their bodies shall be joyntly glorified with them This place requires that wee should adde somewhat touching First observation the glorious conditions and states of their glorified bodies For which purpose I observe first that though at the dissolution of man by death the Soule being separated from the body shee if holy and regenerated be elevated to blisse and glory her body on earth rotting and falling away into dust and corruption yet there remaineth in the Soule a naturall and most intime inclination to have her body by information and naturall conjunction reunited to her againe which inclination St. Austen conceived to be August lib. 12 in Gen. cap. 35. so great that he thought by the meanes thereof the soules beatified to be so letted and hindred that they cannot see and behold God before the resurrection so perfectly as they shall do after the same In which his opinion though with reverence be it written he was mistaken for the cleare vision and fruition of God depends nothing of the body or animall affections thereof yet hereby it is evident that the Soule hath not her full and compleat happinesse untill her yoke-fellow after whom shee so naturally longeth be to her unâ—ted againe I say longeth for the desire after the body is not immoderate nor anxious for shee knoweth that at the time and houre appointed her body shall be reformed in the likenesse Phil. 3. 20. of Christs glorified body and be renuited to her againe which time because God hath so appointed it she dutifully and obediently tarrieth and expecteth knowing assuredly that though it bee long yet that at length coming it will come Secondly I observe that this inclination of the Soule arises from this that the Soules of men are not as the Spirits of Angells are compleate and perfect Substances subsisting by themselves The Soule and body are as naturall parts for the Constituting of the nature of man but they are parts onely of humane nature the Soule one part the body another both concurring to make a perfect subsisting nature of man the Soule and body of both of them parts separable yet herein differing that the Soule whether separated or united is naturallie immortall the body whether separated or united by nature mortall and yet herein agreeing that as being naturall parts if united they make one compleat whole substance so if separated they have an inclination most intime and natural for the making up of the whole to be reunited agayne But to declare this point more clearely The inclination of any thing that is but a part of a whole to be united to that part wherewith it maketh the whole is so naturall that the same inclination cannot be removed unlesse the thing it selfe which is the part bee first destroyed for example the parts of a greene tree being but halfe cleft and pulled asunder doe not with a naturall force more endevour to reunite them selves together then the naturall and essentiall parts of any compleat substance upon any separation doe incline to bee reunited together agayne the reason of which inclination I take to be this that everye thing hath a naturall propension for the conservation of it selfe and his owne being Now cleare it is that the esse and being of a part as a part is for the making of the whole so then a part hath never a more perfect being then when it is in the whole for whose being making constitution naturally it is What marvaile then that every part naturall and essentiall if separated from the whole have an inclination for the making up of the whole to be reunited to her fellowe part agayne and so no merveyle it is that the Soule being an Essentiall and Naturall part together with the body for the making up of the substance of man if she being separated from the body have a naturall inclination to bee reunited to the body agayne that by the meanes of such a union man who by death was dissolved and become no man may by the resuscitation of the body and the reunition of the body to the Soule bee made man agayne Though this point be most cleare both in Divinity and Philosophy yet is it not conceipted by those who make the Soule only to bee the whole man and the body to be no other then the Soules waggon or chariot so that the Soule is no otherwise in the body
City where shall be no night nor darkenesse saith the Prophet Againe I have beene more large in this to confirme that truth which some most idly as not loving nor desirous to excell in those vertues which must be as measures of distinct degrees of Reve. 21. 17. glory for one and the same is the measure of men and Angells I say as some most idly would call in question to weet that there shall be a true variety and diversitie of glories and glorious Mansions 1 Cor. 15. in that triumphant City Some cleare like Chrystall some bright like Saphire some glittering like Iasper others fresh and greene like Emerald c. Mens Soules shall there differ in glory and their bodyes in Clarity even as the starres in the firmament do differ in Clarity each from other This though it be a most evident truth yet the wanton wills of many who have placed al sanctity in conceit apprehension perswasion I might say presumption will not admit of the same charme the Charmer never so wisely But let the pious read seriously the 20. of this prophesie Reve. 20. 12. and he shall finde that the very Iudgements of God touching great and small great and smal shal be according to what is written in the bookes And that the levell measure and square is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to their workes that is faith love patience zeale truth c. So just is God that he is to all those that seeke after him in a holy feare a faithfull rerewarder Heb. 11. 6. giving to every man according as he may have done Againe thirdly I have beene herein the more large to shew the surpassing felicity of that place where the whole bodyes of the Saints and every part of them yea those parts that are now esteemed basest and vilest shall shine and glitter like most precious Margarites and Pearles they shall not onely then appeare without blemish and free from all deformity cleare from corruption without all difficulty but they shall be filled within and compassed about without with Clarity they shall be indowed and invested all over with Spiritualty they shall be quickned and enlived with Agility they shall be replenished and possessed 1 Cor. 15. 43. 44. with Impassibility for that which was sowne in corruption shal rise in incorruption that which was sowne in dishonour shall be raised in glory that which was sowne in weakenesse rising againe in power that which was sowne a naturall body rising againe a spirituall body Seneca perhaps had some obscure knowledge hereof when as he writes thus of the state of the Godly after this life ended These things saith he speaking of the joyes of this life cease but they perish not yea Seneca epist 36. death which we feare and shunne changeth but taketh not away life the day will come which will place us in rest and light Thus he like a Christian though not so fully nor so clearely as that renowned Father St. Austen most sweetly and divinely There shall be life without death Youth Angust in Soloqui without ould age beawty without deformity strength without debility joy without dolour rest without labour such an aeternall refection shall be to the glorified bodyes thus he Surely the splendour and glory of the body is so great that passes all explication it goes beyond all apprehension and accordingly not onely in respect of the happinesse of the soule but also in respect of the glory of the body we may well take up that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 2 Cor. 4. 17. 4. 17. That the momentany and short tribulations of this life doe worke in us and for us a weight of aeternall glory O that the wantons of these dayes so full of vanity and presumption who thinke themselves nobly adorned by their Pearles Diamonds and other costly ornaments would seriously thinke of the glorious and resplendaÌ„t Clarity of the bodyes of Saints glorified how would they despise all those vanities in comparison where on now they set their fancyes If we call to minde how St. Peters soule was gladded and ravished with the only beholding of Christs glorified body upon Mat. 17. 2. Mark 9. 3. mount Thabor though his body at that time received no part thereof we cannot otherwise thinke but that the joy of the beatified shall be exceedingly and surpassingly great when they shall not onely behold the glorified body of Christ and see his glory but withall shall see their owne bodyes and soules participants of the same Phil. 3. 20. brightnesse and glory So So shall God heale the infirmities of his Saints crowning them in mercyes Psal 103. 3. 4. and miserations So so shall the faithfull be delivered from the servitude of Corruption into the liberty Rom. 8. 21. of such glory as beseemes the Sonnes of God So so shall all those who instruct others to Godly Dan. 12. 3. life shine as starres in the firmament for all aeternities O that our soules might be truely enamoured with the love and desire of this Celestiall place and state O how would we despise all transitory flashes and sparkes of earthly pleasures if we could but seriously thinke of those joyes and Psal 16. 10. pleasures which are layed up in Gods right hand for his Saints for evermore Iacob served seven yeares twice told to obteine his beautifull Rachell and the dayes though so many seemed to him but as few in respect of the greatnesse of his love O that the love of our soules were in like sort great after the Celestiall Rachell so comely in state and glory then should we think all the labours but light all the tarriance but short all the dayes but as moments wherein and wherewith our heauenly Laban shall exercise us in these dayes of our Pilgrimage and mortality O thou gracious God Father of lights Illustrate our understandings O thou God fountaine of life refresh our memories O thou God burning fire of love enflame our wills and sanctifie our affections O thou God our cheefest last and only good the God of our hearts and our portioÌ„for ever be thou to us all in all things O thou that hast made us for thy selfe thou hast framed us according to thy owne Image we know none we acknowledge Gen. 1. 27. none nor desire any other end of our selves to make us happy but thy selfe O do vouchsafe to conduct us safe and to bring us sure to the heaven of thy happinesse to the haven of our eternall felicity teach us thy paths wherein we shall walke guide us with thy Counsell and receive us into thy glory To thee we confesse in all humble longing desires of our soules Truely O Lord August â—n Soâ—â—q about the end thou art great aboue all Gods and great is thy reward for thou art not great and thy reward litle but as thou art great so also is thy reward great for thou art not one thing and thy reward another but thou