the sentence of Condemnation the Law ceaseth as to any further punishment yet there is an obligation to the precept of the Law still though man be bound only to the curse of the Law as he is a sâ—nner yet he is bound to the precept of the Law as he is a creature so that though the demerit of sin ceaseth after death yet the nature of sin remaineth though by sinning they do not incur a higher and greater degree of punishment yet as they continue sinning so it is just with God there should be a continuation of the punishment already inflicted 3. A third Argument may be taken from what the Scripture speaketh of the happiness in Heaven and the torment in Hell both which are described to be incomparably and unconceivably great In Heaven there is a fulness of happiness In thy Presence is fulness of joy (u) Psal 16. 11. though it be not a redundant overflowing fulness (w) Plenitudo cumulata as Christs is of whose fulness we receive as well happiness for happiness as grace for grace yet it is the highest fulness the creature is capable of being not only a fitting congruous fulness (x) Plenitudo apta as we say a house well stored is full of houshold-stuff such a fulness as the Saints partake of in this life But an equal fulness (y) Plenitudo aequa as when a vessel is full of water that nothing can be added to it and so full it can scarce properly be said to be if it were fading and therefore the Psalmist having said in thy presence is fulness of joy he adds and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Again it is described to be a perfect happiness we read of the Spirits of just men made perfect (z) Heb. 12. 23. perfect in happiness as well as holiness which perfection excludes all imperfection When that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away (a) 1 Cor. 13. 10. Though the Saints in heaven have a Negative imperfection because there are some perfections in God which being incommunicable they are not capable of yet they have no Privative imperfection they want nothing which may conduce to their happiness in their kind whereas if their happiness were not eternal there were something nay the chief thing wanting to the perfection of it The Apostle in the verse before the Text calleth it a far more exceeding weight of glory The Arabick Version renders it It worketh for us a weight of glory in the most eminent and largest degree and measure The Syriack reads it An infinite glory Haymo (b) Magnitudinem gloriae supra omnem modum mensuram A greatness of glory beyond all bounds and measure yet none of these reach the height of the Apostles Rhetorick (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither is any translation able to express it now thus it could not be unless it were eternal therefore that is put into the scale to make up the weight a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Again it is described to be a satisfying happiness I shall be satisfied When I awake with thy likeness (d) Psal 17. 15. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house (e) Psal 36. 8. but satisfie it could not unless it were eternal there is as in every creature so in man especially a twofold desire a desire oâ— Perfection and a desire of Perpetuity a desire to advance his Being to the highest degree of Perfection and happiness he is capable of and a desire to perpetuate this happiness And it is impossible he should receive full content till both these desires are satisfied though in Heaven the Saints have a present freedom from all the evil that can possibly fall within the compass of their fears and an actual enjoyment of all the good that can fall within the compass of their hopes yet if they had no assurance of the perpetuity of this they must needs be restless and unsatisfied Yet further the greatness and perfection of this happiness must necessarily exclude all such things as are inimical to it I shall name only two Fear Perfect love casteth out fear and Sorrow They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall f 1 John 4. 18. flee away (g) Isa 35. 10. Whereas if this happiness were not eternal there would be cause for both first the Saints would be in fear of losing this happiness and where there is fear there is Torment in that fore-named Text and this fear must needs be productive of sorrow were it not for the eternity of this happiness it would be hard to say whether there would be the more joy or sorrow in Heaven we may probably think there might be as much sorrow arising from the fear of their future loss as there is joy from the apprehension of their present enjoyment and that there should be either fear or sorrow in Heaven is not only contradictory to the fore-named Texts but utterly inconsistent with the blessedness of that estate In summe if we Believe what the Scripture speaketh of the greatness of this happiness we must needs grant it to be eternal And this Aquinas maketh Use of as the strongest Argument to prove the eternity of this happiness The like is to be said of the torments of Hell which could not be so grievous as they are described if they were not eternal were they to last a thousand thousand years there would be some hopes they would end at last and this hope will administer some kind of ease and comfort when some thousands of these years were expired it would be some comfort that there were so many already past and by so many the fewer yet to come and so forward the further decreasing of the time would add a proportionable encrease to their hope and comfort whereas that Cup of Wrath the Dreggs of which they shall wring out and drink is without mixture n without any mixture of hope ease comfort or any thing which might alleviate their h Psal 75. 8. misery and that which chiefly maketh it uncapable of these is the eternity of this misery it must be indeed confessed that the Torments of Hell are intensively most grievous Bernard saith that the least punishment in Hell is more grievous than if a Child-bearing woman should continue in the most violent pangs and throws a thousand years together without the least ease or intermission An ancient writer mentioned by Discipulus de tempore goeth much further affirming that if all the men which have been from Adams time till this day and which shall be till the end of the world and all the Piles of grass in the world were turned into so many men to augment the number and that punishment inflicted in Hell upon any one were to be divided amongst all these so as to every one might befall an equal part of that punishment
Sacrifices and whatsoever else we read of under the Law were but as leaves that promised this n Jac. Arâ—ac Incarnation of the Son of God great fruit as hands in the Margin pointing at this truth as lines ending in this centre they all had their accomplishment in this great Mystery God manifested in the flesh The Gospel is nothing else than a Declararation of these glad tydings which is the summe and substance of both Testaments briefly If the Scripture be a ring of Gold which God hath sent his Church as a token of his love Christ is as the Diamond in this Ring that chiefly makes it so valuable if the Scripture be as the field mentioned in the Gospel Christ is the one pearl of great price hid in it which the wise-man felleth all he hath to purchase if the Scripture be a precious box Christ is the oyntment contained in it filling the whole world with a precious savour But to apply this to the present purpose if there bee no eternal condition of man after this life what need was there of Christs coming and suffering What other end might God have in that grand design No wise man will undertake any great expensive business but propound some end proportionable to the pains he takes and the expences he is at much less the only wise God this great work will evince at least that there is a future condition of man after this life and I think also the eternity of that condition this the Scripture makes the end of his coming (o) John 3. 16. God gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life The end of his suffering that they which are called might receive the Promise of an eternal inheritance the end of that Power which God gave him as a reward of his suffering (p) Heb. 9. 15. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him q John 17. 2. But if the coming and suffering of Christ as considered simply in it self will not conclude the Eternity of our future condition it may further be evinced from this following consideration Christ being God as well as man his merits and sufferings must needs be of infinite worth and value and so consequently meriting an infinite happiness It would be inconsistent with the wisdom of Christ in whom are all the treasures of wisdom to pay an infinite price for a finite purchase nothing short of an infinite happiness can bear any suitable proportion with the infinite price Christ paid Now man being but a Creature and so finite is not able at once to grasp and comprehend an infinite happiness though the happiness purchased be objectively infinite because God who is infinite is enjoyed in Heaven yet it is not infinite in regard of man (r) ratione subjecti whose Nature and capacities are finite and limited and because the happiness enjoyed is not infinite extensively in regard of the greatness it must be infinite extensively in regard of the duration and continuance what is wanting in the one is made up in the other Eternity is put into the scale to make up the weight otherwise there would be no proportion between the price and the purchase which is not to be imagined of God who doth all things in order weight and measure 2. The like is to be said of Sin which is the meritorious cause of the sufferings in Hell sin is objectively infinite as being committed against an infinite God and consequently deserving an infinite punishment which because it cannot be infinite in regard of intensiveness and greatness being inflicted upon a finite creature therefore it is requisite that it should be infinite in regard of the extensiveness or continuance because the punishment the creature can bear comes short of the demerit of sin So as he cannot pay the whole debt at once he must lye in Hell till he hath paid the uttermost farthing And as there is an infiniteness so there is an eternity in sin not onely an objective eternity as being committed against the eternal God and consequently demeriting an eternal punishment but there is in a sort a further eternity in sin Gregory saith there is an infinite eternal malice in sin (Å¿) Peccatum est infinitae malitiae so as if wicked men should live eternally they would sin eternally and it is but just that they should never want punishment who if they had been suffered would never have wanted sin (t) Ut nunquam carerent supplicio qui nunquam voluerunt carere peccato That wicked men do not sin eternally is onely because they are hindered by Death should they live for ever they would sin for ever What Luther in humility spake of himself I have no other name than sinner sinner is my name sinner is my sir-name this is the name by which I shall be alwaies known I have sinned I do sin I shall sin in infinitum may be more justly spoken of obdurate sinners whose hearts are fully set in them to do evil Let none think if wicked men were suffered to live longer they would bethink themselves and break off their sins by repentance the men of the Old World lived many of them eight or nine hundred years yet they were so far from repentance that as the Father saith they made no other Use of that space given them for repentance than to patronize their wickedness and impiety the like would be done by other wicked men if they might live as long or a far longer time and in evil as well as good God looketh more at the Will than at the Deed What lets us saith Seneca to call Lucius Scilla Tyrant though he gave over killing when he had no more enemies to kill and what lets him to be a sinner still who leaveth not sin till sin leave him He that doth not sin because he cannot doth sin although he doth not that he doth not sin eternally is only because he is prevented by death A Postiller sets it out by this comparison A company of Gamesters who are resolvedly set down to play when their candle is burnt out that they have no longer light are forced to give over whereas if their light had lasted they would have played longer till perhaps some bad lost all their money So it is with wicked men in regard of sin Yet further beside this potential Eternity in sin whereby men would sin alwaies if they might live alwaies there is a further an actual eternity in mens sins though Death puts an end to mens lives yet not to their sins Hell is as full of sin as it is of punishment Though the School-men determine that after this life men are capable neither of merit nor demerit and therefore by their sins do not incur a greater measure of punishment yet they grant that they sin still though when the creature is actually under
or a Child but for the loss of a Horse or a Cow than to hear they are in apparent hazard of losing eternal happiness but when after death they shall find themselves for ever deprived of it and shall have their understandings cleared and enlarged to know the worth of what they have lost then they will conclude that there is no loss like this loss and would think themselves happy if upon any conditions they might be but some little time within the possibilities of happiness They would be willing to give any thing thousands of Rams ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl or whatsoever men count precious they would be willing to do any thing if prayers tears humiliations watchings fastings would prevail to regain lost time how gladly would all this and much more be undertaken If it were to be regained by hewing their way through Rocks of stone by swimming through Seas of blood by encountring the greatest difficulties and dangers how willingly would they undertake any thing that is possible to be done they would be willing to suffer any thing if enduring the pain of a thousand deaths if lying a thousand years in Hell would satisfie Gods Justice for their former neglects and prevail for some longer time to be indulged them how tolerable would this seem How gladly would they accept of the Conditions But alas it will be then too late the door of hope and mercy will be then for ever shut up against them they will have nothing then to do but to lament their doleful loss and that they will do with howlings and lamentations able to rend Rocks and Marbles in pieces CHAP. XV. Of Directions to help us in looking after Eternal Blessedness HAving finished the Motives I proceed to some Directions The Apostle James speaketh of those as uncharitable men who give good words to the poor saying Depart in peace be you warmed and filled notwithstanding give them not those things which are needful to the Body and censureth their uncharitableness with (a) Jam. 2. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What doth it profit Probably I might incur the like Censure should I onely exhort men to labour for Eternal Blessedness and not withall give some Directions how it might be attained therefore shall lay down these ensuing 1. We should engage our selves by taking up fixed peremptory resolutions things fully resolved on are more than half done when a man out of a practical conviction cometh to be sensible both of his want of happiness that without it it had been good for him that he had never been born and of the worth and excellency of it and thereupon taketh up a set resolution that he must have it whatsoever it cost him that whatsoever he neglects he will not neglect this one thing necessary this man is not far off from the Kingdom of God Resolution when it is fixed like a principle in the Soul when it is both deliberate proceeding out of a settled judgment not rash sudden and precipitant and determinate with the full bent and tendency of the heart not a velleity a weak fluctuating inclination such a Resolution hath a twofold advantage 1. It hath a powerful influence upon the whole man he that fully resolveth upon a thing will put to the utmost of his power about it and when a man takes up a stedfast resolution to make Heaven his business this will engage all the Powers Faculties Abilities of the Soul all the wisdome study care thoughts affections endeavours in the pursuit of it such an one will stick at no pains but be willing to do any thing that he might obtain it 2. It will break through all Oppositions Nazianzen walking by the Sea-side and observing â—ow the waves beating upon the shoar brought with them many Cockle-shels stalks of Herbs and the like trash and returning with other waves swept them away again when in the mean time the Rocks about him stood firm being not a whit moved by the flux and re-flux of the raging waters deduced from thence this profitable Meditation That weak irresolved minds are soon overcome by contrary perswasions whereas a stedfast peremptory resolution will easily dash all temptations and keep a man that no contrary solicitations can remove him from his stedfastness As therefore they say Bees when they flye in a great wind ballast themselves with little stones that they might not be carried away with the wind so it should be our care to Fortifie our selves with strong and settled Resolutions onely we must take heed of resolving in our own strength Luther in his Comment upon the Galatians tells of Staupitius that he had often heard him complaining to this purpose I have many times resolved and covenanted for the Service of God but I cannot perform according to my resolutions hereafter I will take up no such Resolves for I well see if God be not merciful to me in Christ for all my vows and resolutions I shall never be able to appear before him and Luther commends it for a holy kind of despair what we think to build by our own strength we will soon pull down by our own weakness therefore when we thus resolve we should go forth in the strength of the Lord and make mention of his Righteousness only 2. We should improve that Power we have though a man in his natural estate is not able to believe and repent and do such things as more immediately accompany Salvation yet he may do something in tendency to it as 1. He may abstain from those sins that are Destructive of Salvation though he cannot abstain from sin collectively yet he may divisively though not from all sin because it is natural to sin yet from this and that particular sin though he cannot refrain from the inward lustings of the heart which continually sends forth sin as the Fountain sendeth forth water yet he may from many outward acts of sin every one of which strengthen the habit and more strongly encline to sin the Drunkard can continue sober while he is in sober company the Swearer if he be in the presence of a Justice of Peace will scarce swear an oath for some hours together and what they do at one time and in one company they might do in another though they cannot abstain from sin out of love to God or hatred of sin yet they may out of love to themselves and fear of Hell if the Laws of the land should ordain that he that sweareth or is drunk should be punished with death it would no doubt keep many from those sins and what they do out of fear of a temporal they might do much more out of fear of eternal death 2. A man may hear read pray confer meditate and use other outward means appointed by God if he doth something this way he might do more allow himself more time for these duties and when he sets about them might disengage himself from other things that he might intend them in a
speech of Marcus Aurelius upon his death-bed When we begin to live we imagine our life will endure a whole world but when it is ended it seemeth to us to be but a puffe and blast of wind The Scripture somtimes expresseth the term of mans life by years (i) Psal 90. 10. The dayes of our years are threescore years and ten sometimes it is reduced to moneths (k) Job 14. 5. The number of his moneths are with thee sometimes it is confined to dayes So teach us to number our dayes (l) Psal 90. 12. sometimes it is limited to a day (m) Job 14. 6. That he may accomplish as a Hireling his day A man that hath some great work that must of necessity be done and but one day for the doing it had need work hard it is so with us only we are upon a far greater uncertainty the shortest day hath its morning noon afternoon and evening so that he that hath work to do knoweth before-hand what time he hath for doing it but it is otherwise in the day of our life some have a morning but no noon they are born and forthwith dye step from one grave to another from the grave of their mothers womb to the grave of the earth the common mother of all some have a noon but no afternoon their sun sets at mid-day when their bodies are full of strength and their bones full of marrow some have an afternoon but no evening and which of these may befall us we know not There was a Jewish youth that went to a Rabbie desiring him to instruct him in the Law the Rabbie asked him how old he was he answered eight he told hâ—m he was too young to understand the Law willing him to stay till he were eight years older and then if he came he would instruct him The youth replyed Sir I have been often in the Church-yard and have observed that there are as many graves shorter than I as there are longer and if I should dye before I be eight years older what will become of my soul if I be ignorant of the Law That many are snatched away by death in the morning of their age we see by daily experience what befalleth them may befall any of us and how sad would it be if Death should take us out of this world before we have made provision for another It was a cutting speech of Caesar Borgius While I lived I provided for every thing but death now I must dye and am unprovided to dye What provision we make for this world whether we have more or less is no great matter our abode here being for so short a time the great thing is what provision we make for death and Eternity that follows it and seeing the time of our life the only time of providing for it is so short infinitely concerneth us to im prove this short time to the best advantage to work the work we have to do while it is day 6. When this short time is once past there is nothing to be done in this great work If a man dye shall he live again (n) Job 14. 14. It is an affirmative interrogation and hath the force of a strong Negation he shall not live again as to a natural life this life is called an earthly house (o) 2 Cor. 5. 1. being once disâ—olved it shall not be inhabited from generation to generation it is a Tabernacle in the same place A Shepheards Tent Other Tents are taken down and set up again but when this is taken down the stakes thereof removed and the cords broken it is never set up again till the Resurrection It is a Candle The spirit of man is the p Isa 38. 12. Candle of the Lord (q) Prov. 20. 28. if it be once put out it is never lighted more the sun of our life being once set it never riseth again after the evening of its setting there is never till the last Resurrection a morning of its up-rising the Glass of Life being run out it is never turned again we are as water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up again A wind that passeth away and cometh not again (s) Psalm 18. 39. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more (t) Job 7. 9 and As the Flood decayeth and dryeth up so man lyeth down and riseth till the Heavens be no more (u) 14. 11 12. It was the saying of Charles the fifth I have spent my treasure but that I may recover again I have lost me health but that I may have again but I have lost a great many brave souldiers and them I can never have again the like may be said here other things may be lost and yet recovered again Joh lost his whole estate yet God blessed his latter end more than his beginning Hezekiah lost his health and fell into a grievous sickness yet God added fifteen years to his life but if the time of life be once past it is past all recovery to weigh the fire to measure the wind and to call back a day that is past are three things mentioned by the Angel of the like impossibility (w) 2 Esdras 4. 5. While the sheep liveth though the wool be clipt off every year it groweth again to the like weight but clip it off when the sheep is dead and there never cometh any more while life lasts though much of our time be wilfully lost and much snatcht away against our will yet by our Repentance and future care we may regain it as that expression redeeming the time implyeth but if the term of life be once past there is no redeeming of lost time being once entred upon our eternal condition there is no returning back to the enjoyment of formerly neglected r Sam. 14. 14. opportunities When a few years are come I shall go the way whence I shall not return (x) Job 16. 22. After death there is no returning back to do any of these works we might have done here Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest (z) John 9. 4. I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work I might shew it in all those works we are to do in reference to securing eternal happiness are we to secure it by praying as Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (a) Rom. 10. 16. that is not to be done after death Because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live (b) Psalm 116. 10. implying when he should cease to live he should cease to pray Are we to secure it by hearing as Hear and your soul shall live (c) Isa 55.