Chapter VII
What is meant by the phrase, 2 Cor. v. 3, of being found naked:
The third consideration is about the import of this addition,
< and not found naked. It must have an emphasis in it; for he contents not him self to say,
< if being clothed, but he illustrates it also by its opposite,
< and not be found naked. One reason was, to knock off the hands of many carnal and temporary professors of Christianity found in all ages, who pre tend to this hope of being clothed upon with this glory when they die, as well as sincere professors, for whose sakes he reasonably puts, us, if we be not found naked. This is spoken in relation unto persons, and it is but a partial reason ; but chiefly it is added to express the perfect contrary condition of such as are not clothed ; namely, to connotate the woful and miserable condition of such. It notes out not only a bare vacuity of that clothing, though that fundamentally, but further the damage, the detriment, and misery that is the consequent thereof; namely, that they shall not only for ever be deprived of that glory others are clothed upon withal, but as naked souls be opposed to wrath, and have no fence or shelter from it. And this carries it far beyond what that other sense of theirs talks of! Now, to strengthen this sense of nakedness spiritual, there are three or four things help forward the arguing of it.
1. It is argued from the further analogy of the story of Adam. As to understand that phrase of being clothed, we had recourse to the ima^e of God in Adam at his first creation, so now, suitably to find out what it is to be found naked, we must have recourse to him in his fallen state. Thus Beza, though to another purpose, sends us thither, and says there is here an allusion to that nakedness of his ; and so he illustrates how the body at the resurrection is naked, if found without glory. But I shall have recourse to it, and^to the identity of it, as shewing the condition of the soul s misery in appearing before God destitute of righteousness, in relation unto which appearing the word found is here added. We read, Gen. iii. 7, 8, 10, 11, that
* their eyes were opened, and they saw
(or) knew they were naked, and were afraid, and hid themselves from the pre-
384 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. VII.
sence ofthe Lord because they were naked ; as really, so also in their own sense.
They were bodily naked afore ; yet now, and not till now, they discern this
nakedness spiritual, and are sensible, not of that want of bodily clothing,
they needed not have fled from God s presence for that : Who will harm
you, if you do that which is good ? To be sure, God will not. But they found they had now lost the image of God. But that was not all, for that
loss simply alone considered, corrupt man layeth not to heart, but the
consequent misery ensuing hereupon was that which amazeth them. Their
consciences found themselves now laid open to confusion and shame afore God s presence, and exposed unto his wrath, his image being gone. And
therefore they out of horror hid themselves from God, being afraid, as the
text there hath it.
2. A second evidence of this is, that in other scriptures wherein cautions
about spiritual clothing are given, as also here, there the like caveat of
taking heed of being found naked is in like manner given ; even as here,
If being clothed, we be not found naked. And, to my knowledge, to no
sense else are the words thus turned both ways. I shall mention the
* Thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and miser
: Rev. iii. 17,
places
able, and blind, and naked : I counsel thee to buy of me white raiment,
that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear ; namely, when thou
comest thyself to appear afore God. So then it is not the want of that
clothing simply, but the consequent of it, the shame of that nakedness, for
which that nakedness is mentioned. And who upon considering this will
not be ready to say that this to be sure is spoken in allusion to our first
parents spiritual condition, reproaching those to have been more wretched
than their first parents. For in Genesis it is said that their eyes were
opened, and they knew they were naked ; but thou knowest not, says Christ here, that thou art naked, yea, and blind too, in that thou art not
sensible of thy nakedness, as they were. To the same effect, Eev. xvi. 15, he presents to them the misery and the woeful consequence of not keeping
their garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame ; the like is
in Ezek. xvi. 4, 5, 7. Their spiritual nakedness is set forth by their being
cast out to the loathing of their persons in the day that they were born.
3. And indeed otherwise the addition, clothed and not naked, had been
superfluous. For if it were intended as in our ordinary way of speech it
is, not to be clothed, and to be naked, and so e contra, are all one and
the same. So he had spoken in this phrase, but the same thing which in
* being clothed he had done. But thus taken it puts a further
that other of
and higher matter upon it, namely, that look as those who are clothed in
that manner that hath been spoken shall be clothed upon with glory, so
they that are found naked are exposed unto shame, and cast into utter
darkness. It imports an opposite state of misery unto that glory which
the true saints are clothed upon withal.
4. But that which, when added to these, chiefly argue the word naked
to be taken in this spiritual sense, is the word found, which the apostle would needs also put in, and not simply say, and not be naked, but be
not found naked. Found ! I would ask, of whom ? Of God ? Yes,
surely. We have a building of God, so ver. 1, for to be clothed upon
withal by God, according as we are found of him, if we be not found
naked, says the text, namely, by God ; which the apostle Peter thus
expresseth, 2 Peter iii. 14, That ye may be found of him (God) in peace.
It is a judicial finding of God, as a judge now coming to dispose of us to
life or death, according as he shall find us naked or clothed ; and it is put
CHAP. VII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 385
to the worser part if found naked. It is a judicial word to this day, you say the jury found it so or so, upon trial, namely. So the phrase is in the Scripture too : found a liar, Prov. xxx. 6 ; found guilty, ver. 10. So when God punisheth, he is said to
* find out iniquity, Gen. xliv. 16 ; as
* make inquiry or search for blood, Ps. ix. 12. And truly as the instance of Adam hath helped us to under stand what to be clothed and to be naked is, so also it will help to find out what it is to be found naked. God stayed a while, but in the cool of the
also in relation thereto he is said to
evening he came, and came to make inquisition in what state Adam was. Adam, where art thou ? Gen. iii. 9. Adam had lost God s image, and naked God found him, and cast him out of paradise. The phrase is yet more express, when Christ cometh to judge of men s conditions, in order
either to life or death ; this is that very thing which (as in terminis it is held forth) God makes the subject of his grand inquest,
* clothed or naked. Mat. xxii. 11, 12, When the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. If you will have it in the words of the text, he was found naked. Friend, says he, as to Judas,
1 how comest thou hither, not having a wedding garment ? And you know what follows : Cast him where weeping and wailing is. Christ hath a time when he purposely visits : When the king came in, says ver. 11. And it is a day wherein he adjudgeth to hell, ver. 13. And his eyes search
narrowly, and pry into every one s condition. He spies out a man which had not on a wedding garment; not one escapes him. And so, on the con
trary, one that hath put on Christ, and is clothed with his righteousness, and with holiness of heart and life, which is the clothing we speak of, he
is said to be found in Christ. Which was Paul s aim against that time :
* That I may be found in him, not having mine own righteous ness, but that which is through the faith of Christ. Against that wedding
Phil. iii. 9,
feast, it is granted the believer to be arrayed with this robe, as you heard
out of Rev. xix. 8. And now all these things, how far do they shut off that
other interpretation ?
4. The fourth consideration shall be about the time of God s finding men, and making inquisition, whether clothed or naked, in order to glory or shame. Now if the time of our dissolution be a time in which this solemn inquisition is made, and at which every soul is found and viewed, whether clothed or naked, in order unto shame or glory, then this interpre tation still lies fairer ; for it is the point in hand. Let us consider : 1, As
to the thing itself, whether this be not a time of such a judicature?
2, Whether any hints make for it in the text ?
(1.) As to the thing itself, the time after death is the first most solemn
time, wherein God makes this inquisition. For, first, then it is that God
takes solemn cognizance of souls, and their spiritual condition ; when he
calls for them, and they appear solemnly afore him. This the instance of Adam is a precedent to us of. It was a private day of judgment, as this
also is. God stayed a while, and was patient, but when he called Adam
personally unto him, and he appeared afore him, Adam was found naked ; and God passed a trial and a sentence upon him.
t Why now at death it is
that God takes away men s souls, Job xxvii. 8. It is God that doth it, whether it be he sends for it by a good angel, as he did to Lazarus, or by a bad one : Luke xii. 20, God said, This night they shall require, or call
for thy soul back again ; for, alas, it was but lent. You see there it is God gives the particular commission, and sends for the soul to himself: God said, &c. His children he sends for home (as the phrase, ver. 8 of
VOL. VII. B b
386 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. VII.
this 2 Cor. v. imports), as men for their [children at the university, or in
travel. And wicked men he sends for, as a justice doth to apprehend a
felon, to clap him up in prison against the assizes. So says Mercer on
that word in Job, He shall take away his soul ; that is, hale, and pull it
out of its own dwelling, unto prison and judgment. So it is that it is said
of all men, The soul returns to God that gave it, and lent it, Eccles. xii. 7.
It returns to God, then, or at that time when the body goes to the earth.
I find in that great assembly, that glorious presence, Heb. [xii. 23, where
* angels and spirits of just men are made perfect ; that is, souls are
swaflowed up into life ; that in the next words there is this description of
God, even as he sits amongst these, and to God the judge of all. For
even now, afore the great day of judgment, and whilst men s souls are in
a separate estate, he sits, as a judge of all, both good and bad, amongst
those glorious spirits ; which is seen in this, that the spirits of just men are
taken up by a judgment passed on them, ere they sit down there. And in
like manner he is a judge of others also (for of all it is he is said to be the
judge), and so by the like judgment the souls of wicked men are cast into
prison ; as it is expressly said of the souls of the old world, after God
had taken them away by death, 1 Peter iii. 19. Now it is a certain rule, God never judgeth or casts into prison until he hath passed a trial upon those
he so commits, and hath found them so or so. You find it in the case of
Sodom. But especially, he casts no soul into prison until he hath found him naked. This the parable shews ; when the guests appeared afore him,
he then saw a man without a wedding garment. He then took cognizance
of it and him. And further, he examines him, and corivinceth him he
wanted it ; and then, and not till then, cries, Cast him into utter darkness, where weeping and wailing is. So then, if upon dissolution men s souls
are cast by him into utter darkness and prison, it is, and must be, because
they are then and at that time found naked, and judged so by him. And
though there is a public judgment at the great day to manifest, justify, and
publish this afore all the world, yet at death there is a more private and
personal judgment, and a finding of souls, whether clothed or naked, and
a disposing of them accordingly, either to a being clothed upon with robes
of glory, if found clothed with grace (as the souls of martyrs, Rev. vi.), or
cast into hell, as the rich man s soul was, Luke xvi. The one is as the
assizes, the former as the private cognizance and commitment of the Justice
of Peace, perhaps long afore the assizes.
(2.) If now, surrounded with this light, we will but with an impartial
eye look round about the words here, and the context, we may easily dis
cern, that they are most naturally accommodate to express the state of souls
after their dissolution. Certainly, if they suit or fit any time or season
that can be supposed, they are eminently applicable unto this, and there
fore so intended, as may appear by some characters in the text.
[1.] To begin with what was last spoken of; there are two judgments, one at death, the other at that great day. Why may it not then be
rationally conceived, that after his discourse of this separate state of the
soul ended, verse 9, he therefore purposely brought in the mention of that
* For we must all appear before the judgment-
: verse 10,
public judgment
seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad ; having in
the beginning of that his discourse, verse 3, spoken of this other, that is
more private and personal, at dissolution ; and so of both judgments, this
as precedaneous unto the soul s glory whilst separate, that latter as fore-
CHAP. VII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLOEY. 387
going that ensuing glory of body and soul conjoined. Surely, the setting the one thus with the other hath a great comeliness in it, and makes an harmony in this structure of his discourse.
[2.] But, 2dly, the apostle himself had set for us, and pointed us unto
the time of dissolution, as the time when our hopes are, that if our bodies were dissolved, we have a glory to be clothed upon withal. And in these words he puts in a necessary caution, if so be, we be found preparatively
clothed, and not naked ; which no man can deny, but that as to the
thing itself complies fully with that time. It hath therefore been a wonder
to me, that any should pass all this off to another time, and say, that of
this time this is not to be meant at all. Truly, I will take the apostle s time
afore any other, when all things thus correspond and agree with it. Nay,
if he had not set it, I should have been induced to have applied it to that time.
If you had any prophecy, and saw all things punctually to agree, and to
centre in such a point of time, would you not say, This surely is the time, and these the fulfilling of it ?
[3.J But, 3dly, the very metaphor used by the apostle, and chose out here as ex proposito to express himself by, viz.,
* not to be found naked, doth secretly and yet most elegantly connotate, together with and over and above all that else hath been spoken of the import of it, the very
separate state of an ungodly soul, now come out of the body, to be the very
subject he is aspeaking of. Such a soul at death goes naked forth of the
body, for which I do not urge that we go naked out of the world in Job s
sense, for that is meant of the body as well as the soul ; for he had said
afore, Naked I came into the world ; and that, to be sure, is meant of body and soul conjoined, yet so as of the two, in worldly respect, the wicked man comes less naked into the world than he goes out of it ; for at coming
in, many children come clothed with right to inheritances in this world, and there is a great difference of persons in that respect ; so as by virtue
of their birth, they have all good things in a readiness for them richly to
enjoy. Besides that the soul is then clothed with a body, which makes it
capable of the enjoyment of all things in this world, therefore the apostle, comparing both conditions together, 1 Tim. vi. 7, says of the latter only, as more undoubted and apparent, that it is certain we carry nothing out
of this world ; for the soul then is stripped of the body also, and no such
respects attend it into the other world. Nor will I urge, that death is as a
birth, namely, into that other world ; and so the soul itself now goes naked, as soul and body once did into this, stripped of all. I will not follow the
allusion, that the sorrows or pangs of death are usually termed birth-throes,
udivai, nor how that angels (good or bad) attend the delivery, as midwives, to catch the poor naked soul, and carry it to the Father of spirits, as God
is called, Heb. xii., who, if it be a true son, owns it, blesseth it, covers it with glory ; but if it be a bastard, rejects it. But I go upon that better
warrant, that the apostle hath here a glance at the state of souls stripped of their bodies, inasmuch as at the 4th verse he expressly termeth death a being unclothed, as in relation to the body, which none can deny. But
yet still (observe it), when he speaks of godly men (as there), he terms it but a being unclothed, that is, a mere want of the body, for he is still
clothed with grace. But speaking of wicked men s state when dead, he terms it
* nakedness, not only or barely in respect of their bodies, but
chiefly in respect of a nakedness every way, that doth accompany their
souls, in regard of the want of grace, and of Christ s righteousness, and
in regard also of shame, wrath, and everything else, that nakedness in
388 OP THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. VII.
Scripture can and doth spiritually import. Now the taking of unclothed, verse 4, to he all one with naked, verse 3, is one cause of the mistake in our interpreters ; whereas the being naked is spoken by way of ignominy, as hath been said, and so shews how from that time such a soul is exposed to shame and misery, yea, and thereby actually enters into that misery, and that because it is now separated from the body. And that is the
genuine notion I insist on, for explication of which, though indeed it is
true that the soul was really naked when in the body (as Moses seeing God, that is invisible, did view the people of Israel naked, Exod. xxxii.), yet the miseries of its nakedness do not break in upon it until now, when
it is despoiled of its body ; nor doth this appear till then. For confirmation of which consider,
First, That by God s own ordination the time of this life, and of the
soul s being in the body, is ordained as a screen betwixt God and men s
eouls. The body is as a midst-thing between him and the soul. And so
it becomes through God s ordination a time of | patience, longsuffering, as
to those in Noah s time it is said to be ; and yet when they were dead, their
spirits were cast in prison. And answerably, men s souls, whilst in their
bodies, are said to be preparing for wrath, Rom. ix., with much long-
suffering on God s part, Rom. ix. 22. There is a sluice betwixt God s wrath and them ; but in the other world, when out of the body, the naked
eoul and God himself do meet. The soul then, and not till then, returns
to God immediately, though in this life, the apostle tells us, he is not far
off from any of us, Acts xvii. Now the soul lies naked to all God s wrath, the cataracts of heaven are set open, and it hath no shelter, for the sluice
of God s patience is with the dissolution of the body pulled up. And this
following upon death, the apostle did most elegantly so express it, as con
notating at once all these things.
Secondly, As there is this truce betwixt God and men s souls in the
reality of the thing, so at the dissolution of the body, and not till then, it
is that men find themselves naked. When is it that the hope of the
* perish, but when God takes away his soul. To the very last moment, he in the parable was ignorant of this, and therefore upon the challenge, that he wanted a wedding garment, it is said,
hypocrite is said to
* He was
speechless. Till then, many men know not they are naked, Rev. iii. 17. And therefore in respect of their eyes being then, and not till then, opened to discern it, they may be said to be found naked, as in the text.
5. The fifth and last consideration concerns the manner of these words
"E/ye, some
coming in here, verse 3, If so be that being clothed, &c.
express it by way of limitation, that is, of restraint unto the truly godly and
believers, to shew this privilege of being clothed upon with glory to be
proper and confined to them alone, with difference from all others, that are found wicked and ungodly. I would rather call it, an wholesome and
necessary both condition and caution, given by the way to the saints them
selves, together with relation specially had unto carnal and presumptuous
professors, who pretend assurance, and profess to know and groan for death, with the same expectations as the apostle brings in the saints.
(1.) It is by way of a necessary condition ; Col. i. 22, 23, Christ will
present you holy, and unblameable in his sight, tiye, if so be, ye continue
grounded in the faith, &c.
(2.) It is by way of a necessary caution unto saints, to keep and hold
fast their garments ; in which manner that useful parenthesis comes in :
v. xvi. 15, Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest
CHAP. VII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 389
he walk naked, and they see his shame. It is usual to insert such admo
* Wherefore we labour, that, whether
nitions : so in this very 2 Cor. v. 9,
present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
(3.) It is by way of holding forth to all, the truth and genuineness of
: If so be that being clothed, &c. ; even as Eph. iv. 21, the same words is used:
Christian profession in their expectation of glory
* Ye have not so learned Christ, if so be that ye have been taught by him as the
truth is in Jesus.
(4.) It is spoken with special respect unto presumptuous professors, that there being a faith and hope in them concerning these things that is not genuine but counterfeit, they might be put in mind to search into them
selves, whether they had this wedding garment, yea or no. There were wise virgins that had oil in their vessels, and foolish which had not, and
so were shut out ; so here is the same case. Thus, Kev. iii. 17, 18, that admonition comes in, Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked : I counsel thee to buy of me
gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and white raiment, tha thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.
And truly this in the close, for the confirmation of that interpretation we have given of clothed, &c., as that which respecteth grace, as a prerequisite to glory, or being clothed upon. I may add some remarks on those words, If so be also that being clothed. It is not liyt barely (as in the places
cited), but xal also is added unto clothed. It is Calvin s* observation (and for aught I have elsewhere found), his alone. This sense, says he,
* namely, of being clothed with grace and Christ s righteousness, is fetched
out of the particle etiam, or also (as it ought to be translated), which, for
amplification s sake, was without doubt inserted; as if Paul had said, There
is and shall be a new garment upon death ready for believers, if so be in this
life also they have been clothed. And I must confess, the emphaticalness that this etiam, or also, puts upon this being clothed, did as much
serve to put my mind off from all those other interpretations as any passage else whatsoever in the words. And when I went to set down in my mind
their senses of being clothed with a body, and then put but these words,
if so be also, in therewith, they seemed all dilute unto me, and there
appeared not anything that should deserve such a notoriety, such an exag
geration or amplification. But if we interpret it of grace and Christ s
righteousness, they are so rich, so noble a clothing, as are worthy of such a mark of notoriety expressed by the word also, and being pointed at
thereby, as prerequisite to glory. And in the like way of exaggeration, or
eminency, doth this word xal, or also, come in : ver. 5, Who hath also
given us his Holy Spirit.
Obj. There are two objections, I find, made against these words being made a condition or caution given to saints.
Obj. 1. That, in the foregoing sentence, there being no promise made, nor no positive declaration of anything as requisite to be done, or to be in
us, but only the common desire of all saints expressed, viz., to be clothed
upon, unto which, as so expressed, a condition or caution to be added seems not proper.
* Atque hie sensus elicitur ex particula etiam, quse amplificandi causa haud dubie"
inserta est. Ac si dixisset Paulus novam vestem fidelibus a morte paratam fore, si quidem in hac etiam vita vestiti fuerint. Calvinut in verba.
390 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. VII.
Ans. 1. It is true, it is not a condition of the desire or act of groaning
itself, as it comes from them, but of the object or thing itself desired ; namely, being clothed upon, which shall be (says he) if we be also clothed. Ans. 2. Whereas there may prove an overweening and mistake in some that pretend to desire or groan after this, or a negligence in the best, to take heed to be fitly qualified"; such a caution is in that case seasonable to be made to them, though it be not properly a condition of the desire
itself.
Ans. 3. And 3dly, We may carry up the reference of these words also
higher, even to relate to ver. 1, as thus, We have an house in heaven, if this were dissolved : if so be that being clothed with grace, &c. And so it serves as a condition thereof.
Obj. 2. The second objection is this, that he speaking these things of the most eminent of saints, as himself and other the ministers of the gospel
(chap, iv.), and so of all saints, whereof many were assured of their pre sent condition in grace, and so of salvation We know, &c. or at least of such persons as he takes for granted are holy, in this case to add, if so be ye have grace, and be not found naked, was for him to detract from what he had supposed already of those he spake of. Ans. I answer, It is to shew the necessary connection that is betwixt
glory and having grace, and continuance therein to the end. Although the
persons be such as have the things that accompany salvation, yet Paul of himself says,
* Lest, when I have preached to others, I myself be a cast
away, 1 Cor. ix. 27. And to the sincerest Colossians reconciled by the blood of Christ, Col. i. 21, he yet puts in this caution or condition (ver. 22) unto their being presented at the latter day by Christ, If ye continue in the faith, &c. And thus too in Kom. viii., There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. So he begins, and in the end of the chapter, says he,
< None shall separate us from the love of God ; and yet (ver. 13) he gives this caution unto such: If ye live after the flesh ye shall die : but if ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall
live. Other answers might be framed out of what hath been spoken afore. Nor doth this interpretation, that it should be meant of the time of
death, exclude the glory at the resurrection, as if being clothed with grace, and not found naked, were only a necessary condition at a man s death, but would stand a saint in no stead at the resurrection (which might be made another objection). No. But all this is true, first of the soul at
death, and then at the resurrection ; again, also, for as then there will be a new and open judgment afore all the world, so a new inquiry, by ripping up our hearts and lives to be,* whether we had been clothed or naked in this life before and at our deaths. And grace, and Christ s righteousness that we had here in this life, will then stand us in as much stead as they did at death.
Qu. see ? ED.
CHAP. VIII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 391