A treatise of the felicitie, of the life to come Vnsavorie to the obstinate, alluring to such as are gone astray, and to the faithful, full of consolation. By A.H.

THE PREFACE TO the faithfull Readers.

WITH great humilitie, and reve∣rence (Brethren) and not with∣out a warrant of Gods Word, ought wee to speake of heavenly things: and specially in treating of the life to come, there is a sin∣gular discretion & modestie re∣quired, both in the teacher, and the hearer: For the matter is so loftie, and transcends so far the vnder∣standing of man, that as a godly Pastor hath saide, It is much more easie to describe and vnderstand the way to heaven and eternall life, nor to describe the place, and life it selfe. Therefore, when wee cannot vtter the dignitie of the matter it selfe, which is a∣boue our capacitie, we are forced to speake by simi∣litudes, and vnder shadowes of natural things which we can conceiue, that thereby the things supernatu∣ral, may be better conceived. And this is no wonder, seeing the Apostle saith, that hee was taken vp into Paradise, and heard words which cannot be spoken, which are not possible for man to vtter. Yea, the ve∣ry spirit of God speaking of the glory of the Elect in the world to come he makes their dwelling place to be made of gold, and of precious stones, their meat to be of fat things, and of twelue manner of fruites, and their drink to be of cleare springing waters, and

of sweet fined Wines. And why speakes he after this maner? Because we vnderstand this language, and by reason of our weaknes and ignorance, can mount no higher, nor conceiue any farther. Now then, when I say, that in the world to come, we shall be delighted with bodily and sensual pleasures: and that our sen∣ses of seing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and of feeling, shall be delighted with their owne objects, that are proper vnto them: I speake so, for penuritie of lan∣guage: For how shall that spirituall matter be other∣waies expressed, seing there is not an other language for spirituall things, nor there is for things naturall, but that there is many attributiōs common to them both: We see, that in the scriptures, mention is made of the mouth of God, and of the hand of God: when notwithstanding the Lord is a spirit, and hath nei∣ther mouth, nor hands, as man hath: but by the one is signified his word, and by the other his power, in preserving or punishing. Likewise, the life is called, life, aswell of the soule, as of the body: Death, also is a word common both to the soul, & the body: There is no other word for the joy of the soule, and the joy of the body, but joy: and the nurishment of the soul, is called, Food, aswell as the nourishment of the bo∣die. Yet, there is no doubt, but our bodies shall arise at the last day perfit in all the senses: If then, we haue the senses of necessitie they must haue their owne objects: and consequently, that delectation which results of the objects may be pertinently called, a bo¦dily, or sensuall delectation: because it falles vnder the senses of the body. Neverthelesse, neither shall our bodies and our senses, nor yet their objects be naturall, mortall, or corruptible, as they are in this life: But they shall be spiritual, immortal, and incor∣ruptible: for as the Apostle saith: There is a naturall body, and there is a spirituall body: neither can flesh

and blood inherit the kingdome of God. That is, our naturall bodies as they are now, while they be made newe and incorruptible by the spirit of Iesus Christ, cannot inherite the kingdome of God. Farther, the substance, and forme of this litle treatise, to declare it shortly, is this: Having laied this ground, that the miseries of the righteous are many: There is heere∣upon two questions moued, the one is, why the Lord doeth so hardly intreat his servants in this life, not onely in witholding his temporal benefits from thē: but also in sending them great trobles? To the which bipartite question it is answered severally, that hee measures his giftes according vnto our strength, and the pilgrimage which we haue to make, that his chief reward is not temporall, but everlasting: and that he knowes affliction to be good for vs. The other que∣stion is, why the godly suffers paciētly these wrongs, which they might resist? The answere is, that the re∣verence which they beare to the Lords commande∣ment, and the hope which they haue of the reward promised (which is eternal life) is the very cause of it. And forasmuch, as that reward seemes to the natu∣rall man, to be farre of, and the passage therevnto, to be fearefull and difficill: It is therefore shewen, that neither the reward of the godly is farre off, nor yet death by thē to be much feared. And to remoue all doubtings of the resurrection: It is prooved by di∣uers similitudes taken from things which we see dai∣ly wrought by God in nature, to be nothing impossi∣ble. This done, vnto such as beleeue the resurrection of the bodies, and the everlasting life, is described the felicitie thereof: which is collected of the excel∣lencie of the place, of the dignitie of the indwellers, of the perfection of the pleasures, and of the diutur∣nitie of the time. The excellencie of the place is ta∣ken from the situation, the fabrick, and the bewtie

thereof, from the high stiles that are given vnto it in the Scriptures, and from the worthines of the archi∣toure, and inhabitants thereof, which is also aggre∣ged by the liuely description of a bewtifull terrestri∣all place, and consideration of the bewtie of the fir∣mament, the Sunne, the Moone, and the starres, and argumentation from the lesse to the more. The dig∣nitie of the indwellers is manifested by their righte∣ousnes, and are the three persons of the Trinitie, the holy Angels or ministring spirites, and all the Saintes or elect people of God: which is confirmed by the scriptures. Thereafter to expresse the plea∣sures of the life to come, comparisō is made betwixt them, and the pleasures of this life, whereby the per∣fection of the one, more evidently appeares, by the consideration of the other. The pleasures of this life are devided in the pleasures of the body, and the pleasures of the minde: The bodilie pleasures, are severally described by giuing an instance of the most plesant objects that can fall vnder the outward sen∣ses. And the pleasures of the minde (which exceeds the sensuall in greatnes) are conceived vnder the rare gifts of the body, and of the spirite joined with all kinde of honour, and worldly promotion. This done, enumeration is made, by an Epilogue, of the greatest pleasures which the wit of man can devise, and yet are proved to be inferior to the joyes of the life to come. But forasmuch as such naked asserti∣ons vpon conjectures and appearances without far∣ther warrant of Gods word, might seeme inautentik, and to make no faith: Therefore, the premises are authorised by divers testimonies of the Scripture, wherby the certitude of the joies of the life to come is confirmed. Thereafter, it is declared how these e∣ternall pleasures shall not onely be extended to the soule of man, but also to the body which shall rise a∣gaine,

perfit in all the members and senses, and shall be delighted with the owne objects: But the chiefe object shall be the Majestie of God, containing the perfection of al things: wherewith they shalbe whol∣lie repleat. So being clothed with the glory, and fil∣led with the perfection of the most high, the Sonne of mans perfection, is thereby summarly collected: together with the maner howe the elect shall be ex∣ercised in the world ro come. Last in order followes, the perpetuitie of the time, during the which, this vnspeakable joy and glory shall endure: The which, in respect it shall admit no period, but shall be com∣prehended vnder an infinite eternitie, the felicitie appeares the more admirable and great. Finally, by reason of the exorbitant affliction of the godly, and raging insolencie of the enemies: The conclusion containes a briefe praier to our Lord Iesus Christ, to shorten and accelerat his glorious comming, that thereby all these miseries may take an end, and the eternall felicitie hoped for, may beginne. This brief∣lie is the summe, and deduction of all: which if wee consider (Brethren) with sanctified and well dispo∣sed hearts, I think it may serue to our singular com∣fort in all seasons, & be as a buckler against al temp∣tations: For in time of prosperitie, we may lift vp our mindes and be assured, that there is yet a greater prosperitie abiding vs, which shall endure for ever, in the world to come. And in the midst of troubles, we may settle our selues, and find reliefe here, when we remember that our sorrowes shal shortly take an end, and that we are to receiue a reward, even a per¦petuall glory of body and soule, whereof all our suf∣ferings cannot be worthie. Herefore, let vs comfort our selues in these things, and be content with faith. full Abraham, to abide here a while vpon this earth, as in a strange countrie: ever looking (as he did) for

a Citie having a foundation, whose builder and ma∣ker is God: Let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wavering, for he is faithfull that promised. Let vs haue grace, whereby wee may so serue God, that we may please him with reverence and feare: for yet a very little while, and he that shall come, wil come, and will not tary. The loue of God, and grace of our Lord Iesus be with you all, Amen. At Pol∣vvart the 8. day of Aprill, 1594. yeares.

A loving Brother of all Christs little Flock. A. H.

Notes

• 2. Cor. 12.4
• Esai. 25.6, Apoc. 22.
• 2. Cor. 15.44.50.
• Heb. 11.9.10.
• Heb. 10.23
• Heb. 12.28
• Heb. 10.37