The second point is, in what thing this communion consisteth? Ans. Saint Paul openeth this point to the very full, when he saith, that after Christ hath subdued all things unto him,1 then God shall be all in all, that is, God himself immediately shall be all good things that heart can wish to all the elect. But some men may say, What? is not God all in all unto us even in this life? for whatsoever good things we have, they are all from him. Ans. It is true indeed God is all in all even in this life: but how? not immediately but by outward• means; and that also in small measure. For he conveys his goodness and mercy ⟨p. 517⟩unto us so long as we live on earth, partly by his creatures and partly by his word and Sacraments: but after this life is ended, all helps and outward means shall cease: Christ shall give up his kingdom, and as he is Mediator shall cease to put in execution the office of a priest, a prophet, or a king: all authority and power shall be abolished: and therefore all callings in the three main estates of the Church, the Common-wealth, the family shall have an end; there shall be no more magistrate and subject, Pastor and people, master and servant, father and son, husband and wife: there shall be no more use of meat, drink, clothing, respiration, physic, sleep: and yet for all this, the condition of men shall be many thousand fold more blessed then ever it was. For the Godhead in the Trinity immediately without all means shall be all things to all the chosen people of God in the kingdom of heaven, world without end. This may seem strange to mans reason, but it is the very •lat trueth of the word of God. S. John in the description of the heavenly Jerusalem, saith that there shall be no temple in it. Why, how then shall God be worshipped? mark what followeth,2 the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. Whereby is signified, that although now we use the preaching of the word, and the administration of the Sacraments, as means of our fellowship with God: yet when this life is ended, they must all cease, God and Christ being in stead of all these means unto us. And he adds further, The city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it. What then will some say,3 must there be nothing but darkness? Not so. For the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light of it.
The second point is, in what thing this communion consisteth? Ans. Saint Paul openeth this point to the very full, when hee saith, that after Christ hath subdued all things vnto him,1 then God shall be all in all, that is, God himselfe immediatly shall bee 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 whatsouer good things wee haue, they are all from him. Ans. It is true indeed God is all in all euen in this life: but howe? not immediatly but by outward• meanes; and that also in small measure. For he conueies his goodnes and mercie ⟨p. 517⟩vnto vs so long as we liue on earth, partely by his creatures and partly by his word and Sacraments: but after this life is ended, all helpes and outwarde meanes shall cease: Christ shall giue vp his kingdome, and as he is Mediatour shall cease to put in execution the office of a priest, a prophet, or a king: all authoritie and power shall be abolished: and therefore all callings in the three maine estates of the Church, the Common-wealth, the familie shall haue an ende; there shall be no more magistrate and subiect, Pastor and people, master and seruant, father and sonne, husband and wife: there shall be no more vse of meate, drinke, cloathing, respiration, physicke, sleepe: and yet for all this, the condition of men shall bee many thousand folde more blessed then euer it was. For the Godhead in the Trinitie immediately without all meanes shall be all things to all the chosen people of God in the kingdome of heauen, worlde without ende. This may seeme strange to mans reason, but it is the very •lat trueth of the word of God. S. Iohn in the description of the heauenly Ierusalem, saith that there shall be no temple in it. Why, how then shall God bee worshipped? marke what followeth,2 the Lord God almightie and the Lambe are the temple of it. 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 beeing in stead of al 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,3 must there be nothing but darkenes? Not so. For the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lambe is the light of it.
- 1•. Cor. 15.28.
- 2Rev. ••.22.
- 3vers. 23.
