There are also many positive statements regarding the future life. Not only will there be the absence of all that is painful and productive of sorrow; those for whom it is prepared shall enter into rest. They shall possess abiding peace, and the joy of their Lord will become their own. Their bodies shall be like Christ's own glorious body, which, when transfigured on Tabor, shone as the sun, and was white as the light. They shall be satisfied, when they awake, with the Divine likeness.[[246]] "They shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars for ever and ever."[[247]] They shall sit down with Christ upon His throne, and shall be rulers over cities. "They are as the angels of God in heaven."[[248]] In the many mansions of the Father's house there will be a place for every saint. Each will be rewarded according to his works. Some are to be raised to higher glory than others—some are to have authority over ten cities, and some are to bear rule over five—but all the saints will be happy in the eternal enjoyment of God's favour, which is life; and of His loving kindness, which is better than life.
[APPENDIX]
The, following arrangement is from Professor Lumby's History of the Creeds. It shows that the portions of the Apostolic Creed which do not appear in the earlier forms are very few. Irenaeus omits the conception by the Holy Ghost, while Tertullian inserts it. Neither Creed contains the first part of the fifth article, and in both the ninth and tenth are wanting. With these exceptions the substance of the Apostles' Creed was in circulation as early as A.D. 180.
| THE APOSTLES' CREED. | CREEDS OF ST. IRENAEUS (A.D. 180). | CREEDS OF TERTULLIAN (A.D. 200). | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: | I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, who made heaven and earth; | I believe in one God, the Creator of the world, who produced all out of nothing ... | ||
| 2. And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, | And in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God [our Lord], | And in the Word His Son [Jesus Christ], | ||
| 3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, | Who was made flesh [of the Virgin]; | Who through the Spirit and Power of God the Father descended into the Virgin Mary, was made flesh in her womb, and born of her; | ||
| 4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, | And in His suffering [under Pontius Pilate]; | Was fixed on the cross [under Pontius Pilate]; was dead and buried; | ||
| 5. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead, | And in His rising from the dead; | Rose again the third day; | ||
| 6. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; | And in His ascension in the flesh; | Was taken into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God; | ||
| 7. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. | And in His coming from heaven ... that He may execute just judgment on all. | He will come to judge the wicked to eternal fire. | ||
| 8. I believe in the Holy Ghost; | And in the Holy Ghost. | And in the Holy Spirit sent by Christ. | ||
| 9. The Holy Catholic Church; the Communion of saints; | ||||
| 10. The Forgiveness of sins; | ||||
| 11. The Resurrection of the body; 12. And the Life Everlasting. | And that Christ shall come from heaven to raise up all flesh ... and to adjudge the impious and unjust ... to eternal fire, and to give to the just and holy immortality and eternal glory. | And that Christ will, after the revival of both body and soul with the restoration of the flesh, receive His holy ones into the enjoyment of life eternal and the promises of heaven. |
TRANSCRIBER'S CHANGES:—
Footnote 016 amended from "1 Peter iii. 1." to "1 Peter iii. 15."
Footnote 198 amended from "1 Rom v. 19" to "Rom v. 19"