Chapter 50. Of the Estate of the Elect After Judgment.
A GOLDEN CHAIN
Chapter 50. Of the Estate of the Elect After Judgment.
Once the Last Judgment is finished, the Elect shall immediately enjoy blessedness in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessedness is that by which God Himself is all, in all His Elect. 1Cor 15.28, When all things are subdued to Him, then the Son shall also himself be subject to Him who subdued all things under him, that God may be all in all. And it is the reward of good works, not because works can merit, but because of God's favour, who thus accepts works; and that is done in respect to the merit of Christ's righteousness imputed to the Elect. Rom 6.23, The wages of sin is death, but eternal life is the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2Tim 4.8. Rev 22.12, Behold, I come shortly, and my reward is with me, to give to every man according to his works.
Blessedness has two parts: Eternal life, and Perfect glory.
Eternal life is that fellowship with God, by which God Himself, through the Lamb Christ, is life to the Elect. For in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Elect shall not need food, drink, sleep, air, heat, cold, medicine, apparel, or the light of the Sun and Moon. But in place of all these, they will have God's Spirit in them, by which they will immediately be quickened forever. Joh
14.23, If any man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and dwell with him. 1Joh 4.15, Whoever confesses that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God. Rev 21.3, And I heard a voice saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God
Himself shall be their God with them. Verse 23, And that city has no need of sun or moon to shine in it; for
WILLIAM PERKINS
the glory of God lit it, and the Lamb is the light of it.
Rev 22.2, In the midst of its streets, and either side of the river, was the Tree of Life, which bore twelve kinds of fruits, and gave fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree served to heal the nations with them. Verse 5,
And there shall be no night there, and they need no candle nor light of the sun; for the Lord gives them light, and they shall reign forevermore. 1Cor 15.45.
Rom 8.11, If the Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus from the dead, dwells in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, because
His Spirit dwells in you.
Perfect glory is that wonderful excellency of the Elect, by which they shall be in a far better estate than any heart can wish. This glory consists in three points:
I. In that they shall continually behold the face of God, which is His glory and majesty. Rev 22.4, And they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. Psa 17.15, I will behold your face in righteousness, and when I awake, I shall be satisfied with Your image.
II. In that they shall be most like Christ — namely, just, holy, incorruptible, glorious, honorable, excellent, beautiful, strong, mighty, and nimble. 1Joh 3.2, Dearly beloved, now we are the sons of God, but yet it does not appear what we shall be. And we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see Him as He is. Phi 3.21, Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to himself.
III. They shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, yes, the new heavens and new earth shall be their inheritance. 1Pet 1.3-4, God has begotten you to an inheritance that is immortal and undefiled, and that does not fade, reserved in heaven for you. Mat 25.34,
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, Come you blessed of my Father; possess a kingdom prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laid.
A GOLDEN CHAIN
Rev 5.10, You have made us to our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. Rev 21.7, He that overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his
God, and he shall be My son.
The fruit that comes from both these parts of blessedness, is of two sorts: Eternal joy, and the perfect service of God. Psa 16.11, You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is the fulness of joy. And at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. Psa 36.8-9,
They shall be satisfied with the fatness of Your house, and You shall give them drink out of the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the well of life, and in Your light, we shall see light.
The parts of God's service are Praise and Thanksgiving. Rev 21.3, And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them; and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be their God with them.
Rev 5.12, Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was killed, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and praise, etc. Rev 11.16-17, The twenty-four Elders who sat before God in their seats, fell upon their faces and worshipped God, saying, We give You thanks, Lord God
Almighty, Who are, and Who was, and Who is to come.
For You have received Your great might, and have obtained Your kingdom.
The manner of performing this service is to worship God by God Himself, immediately. In heaven there shall be neither temple, ceremony, nor Sacrament. But God
Himself shall supply all these wants, together with the Lamb; that is, Christ. Rev 21.22, I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are its
Temple.
This service shall be daily, and without intermission.
Rev 7.15, They are in the presence of the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple.
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A Corollary, or the final conclusion Thus God, in saving the Elect, clearly sets forth His
Justice and Mercy. His Justice in that He punished the sins of the Elect, in his Son's own person. His Mercy in that He pardoned their sin, for the merits of His son.
Eph 1.18-20, That the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened, that you may know what the hope is of His calling, and what the riches of His glorious inheritance is in His Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power towards us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ. Eph 3.18-19, That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ.
All these things the Lord Himself has thus decreed, and in His good time will accomplish them, to the glorious praise of His name. Pro 16.4, The Lord has made all things for His own sake; yes, even the wicked for the Day of Evil.