OF EVERLASTING LIFE

This Article is placed in the end: 1. Because it is perfectlie fulfilled after the rest. 2. Because it is an effect of all the other articles; that is, we beleeue all the other articles for this, and all things that we beleeue were done, that we might beleeue this article, and so at length inioy euerlasting life. This article is the end and roofe of our whole saluation and life.

The chiefe questions of euerlasting life.

1 What euerlasting life is.
2 Of whom it is giuen.
3 To whom it is giuen.
4 Wherefore it is giuen.
5 When it is giuen.
6 How it is giuen.
7 Whether in this life wee may bee assured of euerlasting life.

1 WHAT EVERLASTING LIFE IS

¹ LIFE is defined among Philosophers diuersly; and it is indeede a word of diuers significations, & signifiyng diuers things. In generall it is, either the verie existence and being of the soul with the bodie, or the operation of a liung thing: that is, it signifieth to be, or to doe those things which are proper vnto a liuing nature, for it is taken both for the first act and for the second. Therefore death is the destruction of a liuing thing and of the power or facultie of woorking. Or, Life is an aptitude of a liuing thing to worke the operations proper vnto it, and is also the operations themselues, by reason of the Vnion of the bodie with the soule. Generally, both as touching god, and Angels, and men, it is the existence or being of a liuing thing, and the facultie or power wherewith euerie liuing thing beeing endewed dooth exercise the operations and actions of life. Spirits also liue: but they haue not that from life, but from their very nature & essence. Now when we mention euerlasting life, we restraine the word: for then it speaketh of the euerlasting life of men & Angels. That is called Euerlasting, 1. Which hath neither beginning nor ending.² 2 Which hath no beginning, and hath an ending, as the decrees of god. 3. Which hath a beginning, but shal haue no end, as euerlasting life.

But this question seemeth vnexplicable, because it is said thereof. Jsai. 64.4. and 1. Cor. 2.9. Neither eie hath seene, neither eare hath heard, neither came into mans heart the things which god hath prepared for them that loue him. Yet we will see what may be knowen concerning this question of the holy Scripture.

1. Life in generall signifieth to liue, or to be, as wee restraine beeing to a thing liuing: that is, to bee endued with a soule, which soule is that, whereby we liue; and the naturall life is the remaining or dwelling of the soule in a liuing bodie; and the operation of the soule, or the facultie of the soule working those actions which are proper to a liuing thing. For the soule is the essential forme of life: which who haue, liue.

2. Euerlasting life is nothing else but to be: as we restrain being to a regenerate man: which To be,³ is to haue the Jmage of god restored, according to which we were at the first created. But to explane & expoūd this we haue need of a more ful definitiō. Wherefore euerlasting life is the habitation or dwelling of god in Angels and men by the holie ghost, and the true knowledge of god, his will, and all his woorkes, kindled by the same spirite in their hearts, and true and perfect righteousnes and wisedome, that is a perfect conformitie and correspondence of their will and powers and operations with the minde and will of god: as also a ioy resting on god, and a sufficiencie of all good thinges in god as touching both soule and bodie, which shall neuer be interrupted, hindered, or haue an end.⁴ The proofe and confirmation of the partes of this definition is easie. 1. It is the knowlege of God, and wisedome. Iohn. 17.3. This is life eternall, that they know thee to bee the onelie verie God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. 2.⁵ It is righteousnesse. Luk. 20.36. They are equall vnto the Angels,⁶ and are the sonnes of God, since they are the children of the resurrection. 3. It is ioy. Ioh. 16.22. Your ioy shall no man take from you. 4. It is sufficiencie in god. Reuel. 21.22. The Lord god almightie and the Lambe are the Temple of it: And the Citie hath no neede of the Sunne, neither of the Moone to shine in it: for the glorie of god did light it: and the Lambe is the light of it. All those good things which we possesse here shall then be perfect. 1. Cor. 13.10. When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be abolished.⁷ 5. It shall not be interrupted. Reuel. 21.4. God shall wipe away all teares from their eies. Luk. 1.33. Of his kingdome shall bee no end. Dan. 7.27. And the kingdome, and dominion, and the greatnes of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen, shall bee giuen to the holy people of the most high, whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome, that is, which hath neither beginning nor ending.

3 Euerlasting life is that, which hath a beginning, but is without end. In this third sense also shall wee enioy euerlasting life. Obiection. Euerlasting life is to liue euerlastinglie. But the wicked also shall be raised, and be immortall, because they shall liue eternally: Therefore the wicked shall haue euerlasting life. Answere. By the name of euerlasting life is not meant the presence of the soule in the bodie, that is, the naturall life: but this being presupposed, there is furder meant a spirituall life which the holy Ghost woorketh by his proper function and office. Now with the naturall life in the wicked shall bee ioyned, 1. A reiection from God. 2. A priuation and want of the knowledge and grace of God. 3. A perpetuall and vnutterable torment and vexation. Their worme shal neuer die. There shall bee weeping, and gnashing of teeth. Here-by is vnderstoode that euerlasting death is,⁸ and is so called, not because the reprobate, by once dyeng shall fulfill it, but because they shall die perpetuallie, and shall feele perpetuall tormentes.

2 Who giueth euerlasting life

⁹ GOD alone giueth eternall life; & the Father giueth it by the son & the holy ghost. Of the Father it is said Ioh. 5.21. As the Father raiseth vp the dead, and quickneth them, so the son quickneth whom he will. In which place the same is affirmed of the son also, as in like maner in these folowing. Ioh. 14. In him was life. Isai. 9.6. The Father of eternitie. Iohn. 10.28. I giue vnto them eternall life, that is, not by merit onely, but also by power, and working. Of the Holy Ghost likewise it is saide, Iohn 3.5. Except a man bee borne of water and the spirit, hee can not enter into the kingdome of God. Rom. 8.11. Hee that raised vp Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit dwelling in you. And this testimonie is to bee obserued for the confirmation of the Godhead of both. Obiection. But the ministers also giue life: according to that of Paul, 1. Cor. 4.15. In Christ Jesus J haue begotten you through the Gospel. Aunswere. Christ and the holy Ghost giue life by their owne power: the ministers are onely instruments by whom Christ worketh through the vertue of his spirite. Replie. But Christ giueth life by a communicated power: Therefore not by his proper power. Answere. He giueth it by a power communicated, but communicated from euerlasting, as he was begotten from euerlasting. Joh. 5.26. As the Father hath life in himselfe, so likewise hath he giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe.

3 To whom euerlasting life is giuen

Everlasting life is giuen to all the Elect,¹⁰ and to them onely. Joh. 10.28. I giue vnto them eternal life, that is, to my sheepe, who are his elect and chosen. John. 17.9. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast giuen me, for they are thine: and verse 12. Those that thou gauest me haue I kept, and none of them is lost, but the childe of perdition. Againe, faith and repentaunce are proper vnto the Elect only: but these are part of eternal life. Therefore eternal life belongeth to the Elect onely. Rom. 11.7. The Elect haue obtained it, and the rest haue beene hardened. Wee must obserue in this place, whereas the question is, To whom euerlasting life is giuen, that it is better to answere, That eternal life is giuen to the Elect, than to say, it is giuen vnto the conuerted.¹¹ For conuersion and faith are the beginning of eternal life: And to say, Eternal life is giuen to the conuerted, were all one, as if you woulde say, life is giuen to the liuing.

4 For what cause euerlasting life is giuen

The impellent or motiue cause of euerlasting life giuen vnto vs, is the alone free mercy of God. (For a good thing doth communicate it selfe and make others partakers of it) and his loue towardes mankinde:¹² And he will that euerlasting life bee giuen vs, and himselfe giueth the same vnto vs, for the alone intercession and merit of Christ imputed vnto vs, by the comming and interposing whereof gods mercy is more illustrated and manifested than without it. But no work of man either foreseene in vs, or present, is the cause of this eternall life, whereunto notwithstanding wee are brought by many meanes. Before the beginning of eternal life, our woorkes merit eternall death: after the beginning thereof, all our woorkes are effectes thereof: and nothing is cause of it selfe. The final cause, or end, for which eternal life is giuen vs, is, that the mercy of God might be acknowledged and magnified of vs. Eph. 1.6. To the praise of the glorie of his grace, wherewith hee hath made vs accepted in his beloued. For the same cause God giueth vs eternall life, for which hee chose vs.

5 When euerlasting life is giuen

¹³ IN this life is giuen the beginning of eternal life; and that necessarily. For vnto whom life euerlasting is not begunne to be giuen here, that is, who beginneth not here to feele a part of eternal life, to wit, faith, and conuersion: vnto him life euerlasting shal neuer be giuen after this life. 2. Corinth. 5.2. Therefore we sigh desiring to be clothed with our house, which is from heauen. Because that if we be clothed, we shal not bee found naked.¹⁴ The consummation of euerlasting life is after this life▪ for vnto whom euerlasting life is begunne to bee giuen here, to them shal it be giuen finished, compleate and consummated. And of this consūmation ther are two degrees: one, when the soule is presently carried into heauen; because by the death of the bodie we are freed from all infirmitie: the other degree is greater, higher and more glorious, when in the resurrection of the bodies the soules shall againe be vnited to their bodies, because after the resurrection we shal be made glorious, and shall see God euen as hee is. Iohn 5.24. He that heareth my word, and beleeueth in him that sent mee, hath euerlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death to life. 1. Iohn. 3.2. Nowe are wee the Sonnes of GOD, but yet it dooth not appeare what wee shall bee: and wee knowe that when hee shal appeare, we shal bee like him: for we shal see him as he is.

6 How euerlasting life is giuen vnto vs

Everlasting life is giuen vnto vs by the holy Ghost,¹⁵ and the holy Ghost giueth it vs in this life by the ministerie of the word; by the worde he worketh in vs the knowledge of God and his wil: This knowledge hath following it a study and desire more and more to know God, and to liue according to the prescript of his will. It is giuen heere vnto infants, so that they haue an inclination to repentaunce and faith. But the consummation and accomplishment of euerlasting life shal be giuen vs after this life immediately. Now that it is heere giuen vs mediately by the woorde, is prooued by plaine testimonies of Scripture. John. 6.68. Whither shall wee goe? (say the Disciples) Thou hast the words of life. 1. Corint. 4.15 Jn Christ Jesus J haue begotten you through the gospel. Rom. 116. The gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth. And this is the ordinarie manner of giuing vs this beginning of euerlasting life, namely by the woord mediately. But there is another maner of giuing the same vnto infants, and by miracles.

7 Whether we can be assured in this life of euerlasting life

In this life not onely wee maie,¹⁶ but wee ought also to bee assured and certain of euerlasting life; otherwise we shal neuer haue it. For it is giuen to al the elect, and to them onely. And wee maie be certaine of it by faith, euen by a full persuasion of the good wil of God towardes vs: likewise by the beginning of true repentaunce, which is a ful purpose and intent to liue according to gods cōmandements; lastly, by the peace of consciēce, by a desire of God, and by a ioie and gladnesse in God. This assuraunce and certainty is grounded on sure and strong reasons. 1. The autor of euerlasting life is vnchangeable, euen GOD himselfe. 2. Gods election is vnchaungeable. 3. Christ is heard in all thinges, which he desireth of his Father. But he praied that his father woulde saue all those whom hee had giuen him. 4. God will not haue vs to praie for good things necessarie to saluation with a condition, but simplie. 2. Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God remaineth sure, the lord knoweth who ar his. Ioh. 10.28. No mā shal pluck my sheepe out of my hand. I giue vnto them eternal life: but it were not eternal life, if it could be interrupted or broken off. Of the consummation of euerlasting life we must bee assured by the beginning thereof. Rom. 11.29. The giftes and calling of God are without repentaunce. God is faithfull: therefore as hee hath begunne, so also will hee accomplish and end. Wherefore to doubt of the continuaunce and consummation of euerlasting life, is to ouerthrow the faith and truth of god. Now of the beginning of eternal life we are assured chiefly by a true faith, which withstandeth doubtes, that is, which hath a purpose to resist the Diuel, and crieth, I beleeue Lord, help my vnbeliefe. But this faith cannot bee without repentaunce, and therefore by an assured repentance we are also assured of the beginning of euerlasting life, and therfore withal of the consummation thereof.

That which now hath been spoken of this article doth sufficiently declare, what is, To beleeue euerlasting life: namely, assuredly and certainely to bee perswaded, 1. That after this life there shall be also a life, wherein the Church shall be glorified: and God magnified of her euerlastingly. 2. That J also am a member of this Church, and therefore partaker of euerlasting life. 3. That J also in this life haue and enioy the beginning of euerlasting life.